by Audrey | Apr 18, 2025 | Charlottesville, community, Empathy, Not used, project update
Project Update: Haiti Agape Pavilion
By: Paul Tassell
Seven years ago, The Gaines Group donated their time and expertise to assist with a project in Haiti. That project is now nearing completion.
Charlottesville First United Methodist Church partnered with The Friends of Fort Liberte, a 501(c)3 founded to serve the people of the Ft. Liberte area in northeast Haiti. This charity has helped develop many projects including projects serving the Eben-Ezer Primary School which provides education to hundreds of Haitian students.
Dave Wheatley, a Trustee of CFUMC, approached The Gaines Group about one of those projects. The Eben-Ezer School was in need of a pavilion where their students were protected from the sun and rain during lunch. The Gaines Group provided renderings for fundraising purposes and structural design for the now Agape Pavilion. Volunteers plan to return, now that the pavilion is nearing completion, to build picnic tables.
The Agape Pavilion means so much to the community. Pastor Dasnis Pierre of Haiti expressed his appreciation, saying “we will be able to create a community life among the students at the school. The pavilion will also be available for church gatherings and festivals. The Agape Pavilion will be a place of love and sharing.”
If you would like to donate to this cause or the many projects for Friends of Fort Liberte, please visit their website: https://friendsoffortliberte.com/system/causes/view/252/the-agape-pavilion
by Audrey | Apr 11, 2025 | architecture, Charlottesville, community, Empathy, Harrisonburg Architect, resources, team
Destination Marvin: My Visit to Warroad
Part Three: People
By: Adrienne Stronge
While the primary objective of my trip was to learn about Marvin, the added benefit was meeting and growing relationships with two of our favorite Harrisonburg teams. RS Monger & Sons sponsored my trip, and I was accompanied by three people from their team. Also on the trip were people from Herr and Company, contractors we work with often.
Our team photo. L-R Laurie Gabriel (Herr & Co), Ralph Viafora (Herr & Co), Dakota Higgs (Mongers), Brad Nicholson (Mongers), Abigail Welsh (Mongers), Adrienne Stronge, Tim Conklin (Marvin)
Networking with the teams we work with is always important, but there is something to be said about travelling together. Before this trip, because I’m based in the Charlottesville office, I knew none of these people. I was travelling with strangers. Now that we are home, I consider every one of the people I travelled with friends.
Dinner on our last night. L-R: Laurie Gabriel (Herr & Co), Abigail Welsh (Mongers), Adrienne Stronge, Brad Nicholson (Mongers), Dakota Higgs (Mongers)
We bonded over last minute travel cancellations that resulted in the team driving to Dulles at 5am on travel day. We enjoyed visiting local Warroad bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries. We all stepped out on a frozen lake and braved -20-degree temperatures. We capped our trip with the insanity that is the Mall of America and an amazing dinner at the steakhouse across the street.
Standing on a frozen lake that was frozen to 42” thick.
Standing on the frozen lake.
The forecast on one of our mornings in Warroad
The Lego Store at Mall of America.
Friendships in this industry are important. I now know that I can call up any one of these people with a question and they would be happy to help point me in the right direction. This not only makes my job easier, but when we work together as a team, it results in a better project for our clients.
Team photo in front of the Marvin plane.
On the trip, I mentioned one solution that I had recently used in a project, and Abigail with Monger & Sons knew exactly which job I was talking about and mentioned some solutions for the doors that were slightly different thanks to a recent change in the product line. These are the kind of discussions that help us all to create the best product possible for our clients, and I am so happy to have more close contacts in the industry with whom to discuss solutions.
Click here for Part One
Click here for Part Two
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 31, 2024 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, family, Holiday, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team
I have been selecting a word of the year for several years now, instead of making a resolution that I forget about before the first week of January comes to a close. It is not always a word that guides me during the year, but focusing on a word has had some power a few times as I was going through some rough patches in life. Grace is a word that I have adopted a few times and I feel like I have grown a lot into accepting things I cannot change and giving myself grace along the way. After a rather rough 2024, I think I need to focus on a new word for 2025. As I look to the year ahead, I know there will be challenges, but I am going to focus on joy this year. I am going to try to allow the frustrations and challenges in life to have less weight than the joy that I will have this coming year. I know I have a blessed life and have been given many opportunities that others have not been given. As I think back over the past year and all the challenges faced, I can see there was more joy than frustrations, I just gave the frustrations power.
In an effort to remember joy first, here is a list of some of the things that brought me joy this past year.
I got to see the Northern Lights for the first time. One of my clients shared images from his home under construction.
My youngest daughter graduated high school, traveled to Europe, and found the right college for her next chapter. My oldest daughter continues to thrive, impress, and conquer the world. They are both wonderful humans and bring me joy on a regular basis.
I got to celebrate Mariya as she entered the next chapter of her life while hanging out with some of our awesome Harrisonburg team members.
The MTC foundation formed and held its first fundraising event. I was able to support the event through social media promotion and giving time to the organization.
I got to see the Orioles win over the Yankees in dramatic fashion and share the experience with family (not all of which were thrilled with the outcome of the game). We also got to see a lot of fish, which is fun, and should always be part of a baseball game trip to maximize joy.
Another year of supporting WNRN’s books and brews was a highlight, especially when one of the authors is also one of your clients.
We got to see the finished cabin in West Virginia, the saved historic building in Broadway, the saved porch in Rockingham, the modern house in Rockingham, got a new office in Charlottesville, and started another project at Eastern Mennonite School – all of these and those not mentioned (especially those cool houses we have under construction that I will do updates on later) bring so much Joy!
Fireworks are fun and I had the chance to enjoy some thanks to Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and the Downtown Lottery. If you like fun things like fireworks you should support HDR too. Downtown also got a lot of new art work to fill our town with joy.
I made it to the Hot Air Balloon festival this year and the weather was nice enough that the balloons got to float away.
Our Rotary Club does amazing work allowing me to serve community through so many events including the Harrisonburg Soapbox Derby and partnering with We Serve at Eastern Mennonite High School to stuff stockings and clean up the highway. The best part of Rotary are the friendships we get to build and the difference we can make together in our community. The sense of joy in making our community better is endless.
We were able to host 12 artists for First Friday and I think they all made a least one sale at their shows. If nothing else, we added exposure to their work and celebrated the beauty of art creation in our community. Supporting local artists is a great source of joy.
I was able to attend a lot of musicals this year including Beetlejuice, Twelfth Night, Tina, Fiddler on the Roof, and Annie. Regardless of what you heard, I enjoy going to see these talented performers.
Dad and I attended our first JMU Men’s basketball games and they won.
I got to attend some amazing concerts to see some amazing talent including Judy Chops, Who Shot John, Wood Brothers, The Steel Wheels, Christone Kingfish, AJR, Almost Monday, mxmtoon, Nickel Creek, Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, EMS Touring Choir, and more.
The Harrisonburg Rockingham Child Day Care Center opened! You want JOY, visit a daycare.
Our clients fast food oriental restaurant finished construction and opened and I got to eat some of their amazing food!
Red Wing Academy brings me so much joy each year playing at our First Friday event in December.
I got a Charlie Brown cake for my birthday!
Our Rotary Club took on the challenge to plant new Peace Poles in the community and register existing Peace Poles on the international Peace Pole map. This effort is so fulfilling, spreading Peace in our world that is so focused on violence. The Peace Pole is an internationally known symbol of Peace and stand as a daily reminder that we each have a role in spreading Peace on Earth. True Joy comes from helping build a stronger community.
I love mentoring, teaching, and sharing about architecture, building science, aging-in-place, using empathy as a design tool, and of course the history of the depot. This past year we hosted job shadow students in our office. I also had the chance to teach at Massanutten Technical Center. On the Road Collaborative students visited our office as did the Bridgewater historical society. We had the Central Virginia chapter of AIA visit the office to hear about our work.
Probably the best joy filled highlight of the year for me is how many times I have had a crowded table at my house filled with family or been invited into April’s house to join her crowded table. It is an awesome blessing in my life to have such a large group of family so close and we even got to spend some time with family from out of the area this year. I may not be the best cook around, but with April by my side (who is an excellent cook), we were able to make several meals that kept everyone happy this year.
Finally, what could be more joy filled that hanging out with Santa! Even better, finding out once again that I am Santa’s favorite Architect.
Photographers work in this blog post include Digital Minerva, Charles Hendricks, Asha Beck, and Herr and Company.
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 27, 2024 | architecture, Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team
As we start a new year it is hard to resist the temptation to think about the difference we have made in this world. We are provided with many opportunities as architects to solve design challenges for our clients and friends. We get to find solutions that reduce impacts on our environment and improves resiliency for the future. It is an awesome profession if you are passionate about our world and all the living creatures on it. However, our work doesn’t have to stop at the built environment. We are part of a larger community and are able to use our social power and time for good. On January 1st we celebrate world day of Peace. At times it feels like we have almost no ability to make a large change and Peace is one of the largest.
The Rotary Club of Rockingham County took on the challenge to register existing Peace Poles in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and to plant new ones. Rotary Clubs from across the valley are joining this effort let by our district Governor Bret Hrbek. We are seeing Peace Poles pop up across the valley with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” The Rotary Peace Pole Project is a global initiative by Rotary International to promote peace and understanding among people of all cultures and backgrounds.
What is a Peace Pole?
A Peace Pole is a simple yet powerful symbol of peace. It is typically a pole with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” inscribed on it, often in multiple languages. These poles are installed in public spaces like parks, schools, and community centers.
The primary goal of the Rotary Peace Pole Project is to:
- Inspire Peace: To inspire individuals to think about peace and its importance.
- Promote Tolerance: To foster tolerance and understanding among different cultures and beliefs.
- Encourage Action: To encourage people to take action to promote peace in their communities and the world.
By planting Peace Poles, Rotary clubs and individuals contribute to a global network of peace and hope. These simple monuments serve as reminders of our shared humanity and the importance of working together for a peaceful future. Peace Poles are located in nearly every country around the world, including notable locations such as:
- The North Magnetic Pole
- The Hiroshima Peace Memorial
- The Egyptian Pyramids in Giza
- The Aiki Shrine in Iwama, Japan
Plant a Peace Pole
If you want to be involved in supporting additional Peace Poles in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County reach out to us and we can get you connected. If you want to plant a Peace Pole somewhere else in the world reach out and I will do my best to find the right connection for you. The more of us coming together promoting Peace the better world we will leave for our children. This may be the most important project I have taken on over my career and certainly the most important over the last year.
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 27, 2024 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team
The Rotary Club of Rockingham County is working on a Peace Pole project to spread peace in the Harrisonburg / Rockingham community. Promoting peace is a cornerstone of the Rotary Mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.
The Peace Pole is an internationally recognized symbol of the hope and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message
May Peace Prevail on Earth in eight different languages, a braille plaque, and these poles will also have a Rotary logo, Veterans for Peace logo, and a rainbow flag. It’s estimated that
there are over 200,000 Peace Poles in the world with at least one in every country, each dedicated as a monument of peace.
Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire, awaken and uplift the human consciousness the world over. It is a wonderful project for any community, organization, or your home. They remind us to think, speak, and act in the spirit of peace and harmony. Planting a Peace Pole in a high pedestrian traffic area will remind those seeing it on a daily basis to be kind to others.
There is an international registry showing Peace Pole locations around the world. The Rotary Club is also working on finding and registering existing Peace Poles in the Valley. So far we have registered 3 and are waiting to hear back from the owners of two more to get permission to register them.
Each peace pole will cost approximately $600, including installation. We have secured installation locations for the first two poles and are working on fundraising for our third. We hope and plan to do many more.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 26, 2024 | citizen architect, community, Empathy
By Designer, Aliyah D. White.
As a firm, we practice design as an act of service. We work closely together with our clients to create projects that are completely custom and unique to their needs. Well-rounded and well-designed projects should aim to better people’s lives by taking in their ideas and input. As designers and architects, we are driven by the passion of using our skills to help people better their environments. Practicing design as an act of service means meeting our clients where they are, working hard to understand their needs, and leading with empathy and patience to help bring their visions to life. These are the projects that have the power to truly connect people and meaningfully better their environment. Here are a few examples of projects we designed with this in mind!
Church Street Townhomes
The Church Street Townhomes project in Christiansburg, Virginia was developed by Habitat for Humanity in New River Valley. Working together with Habitat for Humanity has been a valuable part of us reaching our goal of building strong communities and it is always a pleasure working with an organization that shares our values. The seven conjoined townhomes are fully accessible for people of all abilities and EarthCraft and Energy-Star certified.
Speech and Language Center
The Speech and Language Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia came to us with a very particular problem. The client needed to grow the functional space of the building while only being able to add a few feet to two sides of the building. We worked closely with the client and the builder to expand the space and were able to successfully deliver the right solution for this business to continue to grow and thrive. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Eastern Mennonite School
The Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, Virginia was a renovation project aimed at converting a three-story office building into an elementary school. The project focused specifically on sustainable practices and creation care, which was important to our non-profit client. We worked together with the teachers, administration, and students at the school to create a space that would enhance the learning environment.
When engaging a client in the design process it is important for us to make sure they feel heard and know we are here to support them and what they want for the future of their space. We encourage all potential, current, and past clients to engage in conversations with us about what they want for themselves, and their communities, and how we can help them get there. Being in constant conversation with the people we serve is important to us, and we also can do community presentations to share our wealth of knowledge and help advance people’s community building. Including the community in the design process is an invaluable learning opportunity and allows for a greater capacity to make meaningful changes with architecture. Using design as an act of service looks like giving tools to people who do not have them and listening to their wants and needs.
