Time for another year-end recap, here are the top blog posts for 2021 on the Gaines Group Architects page. This list is misleading as I pick the blogs with the most clicks over the year, so of course, older blogs have more time to get those clicks. This was also the first year I let someone else write blog posts on a regular basis, which changed the point of view of this blog from being my voice to being the firm’s voice. So the list is the list, let me know which are your favorite as I am once again writing the blogs and will want to make sure I am writing content you care to read.
The first on the list is an older post but tells a bit about my story of finding my way and following my heart.
This is a blog I created as a resource for potential clients trying to decide how to move forward with a custom home. I hope to do more with this list of blogs to create a guide, just need the time to do so. It is one of the most clicked-on blogs I have created.
I will do a better summary of the year in a blog post soon, but this photo of stickers on my desk is a good visual representation of this past year for now.
Meredith Charlton is a student at Blue Ridge Community College. She is the latest student to job shadow in our Harrisonburg office. This experience is a chance to see the profession to get a better sense of daily life in an architectural firm. We have hosted more than a dozen students in the office over the last 10 years, some have continued on into architecture and some have taken other paths. It is a wonderful experience for us to see these young people explore career options.
Guest post by Meredith Charlton:
As a college student, you are given many opportunities to explore career options if you take the risk to do so. Attending Blue Ridge Community CollegeI was able to meet the College President, Dr. John Downey, and talk with him about my career. He was kind to listen to my struggle with finding the right career path and when I mentioned architecture he immediately thought to connect me with Gaines Group Architects. That is one of the great things about going to a community college, you get to make real connections with your professors and even the President of the College. I reached out to Charles with Gaines Group Architects to ask about job shadow opportunities at his firm. I was a little nervous meeting with Charles the first time but was welcomed into the office to talk about my goals. Charles and I set a job shadow schedule that would allow me to balance my school work, job, and spending time in his office to see what really happens in architecture. Shadowing at the firm has allowed me to see different areas of the profession and it helped me find my calling. I am grateful for the opportunity to shadow and very grateful to Dr. Downey for taking the time to help me find the right connections. I encourage others to take the time to explore career options, talk to professionals that are doing what you think you will love, and find the right path for yourself. If you are interested in architecture, I suggest you job shadow with Gaines Group Architects to see the design process in action, learn a 3D modeling software, and hear from a variety of people how their path led them to their current positions.
As 2021 is coming to an end our Gaines Group team is looking back on the amazing clients, strong friendships, and challenges we have faced this year throughout the pandemic. To welcome in the new year we are following a classic tradition and sharing some of our team’s new year resolutions.
Charles Hendricks: over the past few years I have adopted the word grace for my resolution. I strive to give myself and others grace. I want to continue to focus on grace this coming year, but I am also drawn towards the word empathy right now. I want to continue to find ways to be, act, and grow more empathetic to better understand how I can serve others.
An artist with a camera documenting the beauty of the world. Tony DiStefano has called home many beautiful places from the forests of Western PA to the mountains of Southeastern New York State. He has now found his place in Harrisonburg – an area rich with opportunities for creative souls – for more than half of his adult life. You might recognize Tony from his many local shows and his earlier collection, “Through the Lens” back in 2019!
Tony’s work documents his love of the outdoors, as an avid hiker and fisherman since childhood, he has found wonder in nature. Inspired by his brother’s and uncle’s work with macro photography, Tony began his photographic journey in 2013. A prolific shutterbug, he has captured and shared hundreds of captivating images, ranging from birds, flowers, and insects to rural vistas and natural light portraits. While Tony’s work primarily focuses on nature he enjoys highlighting the tiny details organisms have to offer that wouldn’t normally be noticed by the human eye, giving small organisms a big personality through his macro lens. His work also highlights the beauty of texture found in nature like a praying mantis skin or a humming bird’s wings!
For more information on this event or to rsvp check here! Tony’s work will be featured along with Lori Mier’s!
Lori shares her story and inspires others through the written word. She loves chai tea and mountain sunrises with her son and is heavily influenced by the beauty and wholesomeness of nature. She invites you to meet the author at “Christmas at the Depot” on December 3rd along with other artists, Red Wing Academy, and Santa!
Broken Crayons Still Color: Life Afteris the first book by Author, Lori Mier. She is also the author of Merin and Her Very Bright Star: A story of resiliency, a children’s book that was deeply inspired by Lori’s own story of loss and healing. This book has been reviewed in the Citizen and praised as an excellent source for children to understand resiliency. She uses her story to inspire and nurture a love of reading. She has a degree in Social Work and currently works independently as an Ecotherapist Guide, Life Coach, and nature photographer, combining all of these to offer a unique and healing experience. Her healing nature photography has been published on the cover of AT Journeys magazine as well as in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine and local travel brochures. Lori lives in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia with her husband and son, working to make her community a better place through her writing and photography.
#worldtelevisionday exists to bring awareness and acknowledge the power television has, in 1996 when this holiday was first created it was to bring attention to the effect television had on decision-making by spreading information. While television is important to understand what is happening in society, we decided to look at the fun side of television.
In honor of #worldtelevisionday our team is sharing their most binge-worthy shows to get you through the weekend! Through the pandemic, television has become a more crucial part of our lives, no one can say they haven’t spent an entire night binging their new favorite show. The pandemic highlighted just how important media is to people, and how it can actually work to keep us sane through hard times. While we are all one cohesive team we have very different tastes in what television shows we watch in our free time. Deborah love spooky mysteries, and of course, Charles is all about the classics.
From spooky murder mysteries to sweet baking shows we all define binge-worthy in our own way. Maybe our favorite shows will be your next weekend obsession?
