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 | Nov 27, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Our December First Friday Holiday party is a special time. We always look forward to our artists that are here for one night only. This month, we are really excited about the creations that Erika Cash will bring for you to enjoy.
Royal Knotz was created by Erika at the beginning of 2024 as a branch off of her crochet business that she has with her mother, Wistful Willows. Royal Knotz focuses on crochet patterns that Erika develops herself.
Erika Cash is a wife and mother of 3. She has been crocheting for 26 years. Erika can bring many things to life with just a ball of yarn and a hook and has been commissioned to make many one-of-a-kind items. She loves creating crochet patterns and watching others bring the patterns to life. Erika sees crochet as a way to express herself and relieve stress.
by Charles Hendricks | Nov 25, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Holiday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Each month at the Depot we feature new artwork (except for January and February) for First Friday Harrisonburg. This outreach with our community artists is to give them a platform to feature their work, but it is more than that for us. We invest in our community in a variety of ways and supporting local artists is one of the primary methods that we use to build a stronger and more vibrant community. These monthly events are just as much about the artists sharing their creations as it is the community coming out to see it, talk to each other, and to get to know each other. Our community is stronger and more resilient if we know our neighbors and celebrate beautiful creations together. So I hope you will come for a visit on December 6, 2024 from 5pm – 7pm to see what Justin has created.
Justin Poole is our featured artist for December First Friday. His show entitled “Vistas,” represents a new phase in his development as an artist. The oil pastels are an attempt to foster a looser approach in his artwork, while the new oil paintings are an attempt to lean further into the fantastical, dreamlike, and sublime. More works of both types are being dreamed up and created as this new show launches, and Justin looks forward to where these new styles will lead.
Justin Poole is Associate Professor of Theatre and the Theatre Program Director at Eastern Mennonite University, where he has also taught classes on art history. He and his wife Amanda lead semester-long performance and visual art-themed study abroad programs to Europe and Morocco. Traveling is the greatest source of inspiration for Justin’s own performance and visual art. Largely self-taught, Justin hones his drawing and painting skills while observing and sketching the works of the masters at some of his favorite Europe art museums, especially Vienna, Austria’s Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Tate Britain in London. He is also the Artist-In-Residence at Asbury United Methodist Church, where he manages the gallery space and seeks to integrate art and faith.
If you would like to purchase his painting(s) you may contact him via email or phone. You can also visit his website to see more paintings. He also gladly accepts commissions!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 610-585-1663
Website: justinpooleart.com
by Charles Hendricks | Nov 23, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture
Our annual Holiday Party is coming up on FIRST FRIDAY, December 6, 2024, and Red Wing Academy is back!!! We absolutely love supporting and partnering with Red Wing Academy each year, and it is such a pleasure to host a small group of these talented students each year for our holiday celebrations.
Red Wing Academy is a music camp hosted by Eric Brubaker of The Steel Wheels. It’s a four-day intensive camp held annually at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA. This camp is designed to nurture young musicians, providing them with the skills, talents, and community to go beyond classical training into the world of improvisational performance and group play. The culmination of the academy is a performance on-stage with the Steel Wheels at Red Wing Roots Music Festival. It’s open to non-beginner violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin and banjo students ages 5 – 19. Students receive individual and group instruction from highly trained music teachers and are coached by members of The Steel Wheels throughout the week. It’s an incredible opportunity to play with and learn from music experts.
Gaines Group Architects sponsors the academy each year 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.
A special Thank You to Meg with Tiller Strings for making the partnership possible!
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 22, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Holiday, Local Leaders, Office Culture
On Friday, November 1st from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring artist David Sutton! Join us to welcome David and view his wood turnings, and to enjoy refreshments and community. RSVP for this event on Facebook here and get to know him more in his biography below! Also don’t miss our other featured artist, Taylor Endres for her photography exhibition, “The World in 2-D”.
*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
Bio:
Wood Turnings
by
David L. Sutton
Port Farm, Port Republic, VA
General Information: All wood turnings are food safe and water resistant. A mixture of Tung Oil and Citrus Solvent is used to seal the pores of the wood followed by an application of a Salad Bowl Bees Wax. Periodic applications of bees wax will help maintain the luster of the wood and water resistance.
Pricing: Quotes are based on species of wood, degree of difficulty in obtaining the wood, and dimensions of turning.
Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with your purchase for any reason, a full refund will be given.
Custom Turnings: Designs based on current inventory or other dimensions will be used to produce a turning to your specifications. No deposit is required, only a signed contract with your email and telephone number. Delivery can take up to 4 weeks or more.
My Wood Turnings are in homes and bakeries in the following states and countries: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NM, NJ, NY, LA, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, Washington, D.C., Australia, Basque Country, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, & Saudi Arabia.
Additional Information: [email protected]
I learned to turn wood in High School Shop back when Montevideo was a high school. After retirement I was able to devote more time to turning. I try to source local native trees as much as possible.
Sneak Peek of David’s Work
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This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!
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 will have food and drink available!
