Just ANNOUNCED: The Gaines Group Celebration on June 2nd will now feature music duo Clymer & Kurtz as a third artist at our event! (See blogs for other artists Asha L Beck and Veronica Horst). Their music will fill our outdoor area for the ribbon cutting and celebration, and you can see Asha Beck’s and Veronica Horst’s art galleries upstairs. You do not want to miss these gifted musicians who are lauded by how they weave beauty through their lyrics and unique blend of folk-rock style. Join us for food, drinks, artists, music, and community!
Folk-rock singer-songwriter duo Clymer & Kurtz seamlessly blends intense and gentle melodies textured with harmonies, agile and inventive guitar playing, piano, and sometimes percussion. Based in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Maria Clymer and Christopher Kurtz have collaborated for decades, crafting music that is at once simple and rich, emotive and unique.
Inspired by Over the Rhine, Indigo Girls, The Proclaimers, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Diamond Rio, Alison Krauss, Donna the Buffalo, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, and many others, their music has been called “freshly original” … “outside the usual run” … “subtle and always imaginative. ”They have performed at the Sipe Center, Sing Me High Music Festival, the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival’s Spring into Bach 2021, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg First Night and Best Weekend Ever events, coffee shops, private dinners and parties, farmers markets, house/lawn concerts and various community events. Clymer & Kurtz recordings include Keep Me Around (2022), Coffee & Cake (2021), Here Comes the Moon (2020), and a debut release Clymer & Kurtz (2019). Their former band’s recordings include Snow on Snow on Snow (2018), Rain (2014), and Arms Uncrossed (2012).
Gaines Group Architects Celebration
This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.
Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We have food and drink available year-round!
Explore More Discovery Museum brings so many exciting opportunities for families to our community. We were able to partner with them again this year to support First Lego League Jr. This event brings teams of budding architects and engineers together to solve problems, learn teamwork, learn programming, overcome obstacles, and tackle design challenges.
First Lego League Jr. is built on 6 core values, Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and FUN!!! By embracing the core values, participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.
Meeting with these teams and hearing about their design solutions was inspiring and exciting. These 6 – 10-year-olds learned about solar photovoltaic energy and wind energy, designed inclusive spaces, and explored their own creativity.
We love partnering with Explore More Discovery Museum and supporting all the amazing programs and services they provide in our community. They are just one of the many ways that our community creates such an incredible quality of life of families attracting so many to live, work, and play in our community. Charles also serves on the Explore More Discovery Museum board of directors and their building committee.
They are a wonderful organization who support one-to-one mentoring for local youth and match youth to local mentors. They have a number of program options that are based in every elementary and middle school in the area, community-based, and everything in between. Their intentional care and support for the community is evident and we thank them for that.
There are many youth waiting to be matched with a mentor, and just a simple vote will help with this matching process. BBBS is especially in need of male mentors because of the nearly double amount of boys than girls on the waiting list, so consider volunteering if you’re able. Check out this link for more ways to get involved with BBBS!
We’re so proud to have such involved people at Gaines Group Architects who are committed to giving their time to the community. This week we highlight Mariya Chesnov. Mariya is a designer on our team that previously attended Massanutten Technical Center (MTC). You can learn more about MTC here.
Outside of her designer role, Mariya helps to lead the kids choir program atFirst Russian Baptist Church in weekly practices and services on special holidays and celebrations, like Christmas and Easter. Below, Mariya answers a few questions about her involvement with kids choir.
Kids sing at First Russian Baptist Church
How did you first start helping with kids choir?
I started doing kids choir back in 2021 after I got baptized. I’ve always loved serving so I wanted to have a new way to serve the Lord. I love kids and singing so that was one of my top options.
What do you do specifically?
Specifically, I do the poems and verses for the choir. When we participate in church I basically give each child a small poem to learn to say in church.
Can you tell me a little bit more about what it’s like to work with the kids?
It can be stressful and challenging with 50 kids at times but I am so happy I joined because I get to serve the Lord with some of my closest friends with a passion that we have in common. There are many other ways to serve but to me children are so pure and wholesome. It is a beautiful reminder to me that the Lord wants us to be like them, trusting, humble, and forgiving.
Thank you Mariya for your time, energy, and gifts that you share with the kids in our community.
It’s that time of year again and many of us are are spending time joyfully decorating our homes. Before running out to big chain retailers for more decorations, consider a few of these tips to deck your halls this year. Don’t get us wrong, we love our store bought decorations as much as anyone else, but we also try to work in a few seasonal touches that reduce our footprint and save us money.
Candles and greenery are a great way to add festive touches to any space.
Candles are a great way to add comfort and visual décor. Arrange tall candles on top of your mantle or table for a warm glow, or purchase a soy-wax candle that smells fantastic and is clean burning and non-toxic. Pictured above is a table at Annie’s house where she includes numerous natural elements and candles. Some of our favorites can be found at Lineage Goods.
Try your hand at making your own decorations! A homemade wreath or garland can be a special focal point in your decorations. Bonus points if you can make this into a fun family or holiday gathering party to enjoy with others! If you are intimidated at the thought of making homemade items, YouTube can be your go-to guide. Here is a great tutorial on making a wreath.
Opt for natural decorations and don’t be afraid to forage. Here in Virginia, there are plenty of species that add holiday charm around your home. Tuck your finds into a wreath, garland, or in a vase for some natural and seasonal beauty. Some of our favorites are magnolia leaves and seed cones, pinecones, and holly berries. Aside from foraging, a bowl of clementines with cloves or even a few pieces of cut firewood wrapped in festive ribbon can cozy up your space.
Purchase quality, simple pieces you can customize each year with your evolving style. A simple sign made of quality materials can be customized with various ribbons, bows, and greenery.
When decorating a tree or lighting up your windows, choose LED Christmas lights to use less energy.
Think beyond visual decorations and awaken your senses with a stovetop potpourri. Annie’s favorite recipe calls for a few sliced oranges, fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and cloves that gently simmer on the stove. This warm blend aromatics can make your home instantly feel warmer and cheerful.
A holiday potpourri is a great way to add comfort and warmth this holiday season.
Save wrapping paper and frame it! Sometimes wrapping paper is just too beautiful to throw away. Try framing some of your favorite pieces for a beautiful holiday piece or even make a collage.
This wrapping paper was too beautiful to be tossed. After cleaning up the edges and mounting it in a frame, it’s now a beautiful piece that can be reused for years to come.
Don’t be afraid to shop for vintage or thrifted pieces! Pre-loved pieces can add instant character to your home. In Harrisonburg, we enjoy perusing Heartworn Vintage, Gift & Thrift, and Green Valley Auction for unique holiday finds.
We absolutely love supporting and partnering with Red Wing Academy each year. The students get the amazing experience of learning from area musical experts and some of my favorite people ever. Red Wing Academy is hosted by Eric Brubaker of The Steel Wheels as a four-day intensive camp held in June at Eastern Mennonite University. These campers then get a chance to perform on stage at Red Wing Roots Music Festival on June 23rd.
The camp is open to non-beginners that play violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin, and banjo from age 5 – 19. Student have individual and group instruction from an amazing array of teachers and get to play some incredible music together. I have attended their week ending performance at EMU several times and always make a point to see them at Red Wing Roots Music Festival.
Gaines Group Architects sponsors the camp each year as a way to support the next generation of musicians in our community. A focus on musical instruction not only teaches kids how to play, but studies have shown that it accelerates brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain that are responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception, and reading skills.
