First Friday Artist: Joe Fitzgerald

First Friday Artist: Joe Fitzgerald

by | Oct 24, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, November 3rd from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring the talented photographer Joe Fitzgerald! Join us to view Joe’s exhibition, “Sense of Place,” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. Get to know more about Joe and his art below and RSVP on Facebook here.

First Friday artist Joe Fitzgerald's headshot

Biography:

I’ve been a newspaper editor, Harrisonburg mayor, political hack, reporter, writer, programmer, photographer, webmaster, tech writer, and a night clerk in a 7-Eleven. Not all at the same time. I’m retired now, so I’m only doing two of those – photos and writing – and only when I want to. Like everybody else, I’m trying to keep my cool while the world doesn’t. I’m married to Deb, economics professor at BRCC and the only person I know of to chair both the city’s School Board and its Planning Commission. She spots photos for me, tells me when I’ve processed one too much, suggests which ones to print, and helps me hang them. I do the rest, including pointing the camera, choosing the f-stop, and taking the credit.

Artist Statement:

“Sense of Place,” photos by Joe Fitzgerald. “We travel, and Deb says, “Look over there,” and I have a camera with me. Beyond that, the photos have to speak for themselves, even if I’m never sure what they’re saying.”

photograph of mountains by Joe Fitzgerald
photograph entitled, "Mosco Street"

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 will have food and drink available!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon 2023: “It Takes Little to Be Big”

Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon 2023: “It Takes Little to Be Big”

by | Oct 23, 2023 | citizen architect, community, Local Leaders

Last Thursday our Harrisonburg team attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon, “Bigger Together: A Community Celebration of Mentoring.” It was a wonderful time to meet other leaders in the community and hear from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentors. Speakers shared about their time mentoring youth in the community, and a theme that came through was that mentors were pleasantly surprised to be greatly impacted by the youth that they were paired with. Often, their relationships last past the program with a great respect for each other and a want to continue making meaningful connections. 

Harrisonburg team members at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon.
Big Brothers Big Sisters sponsorship sign at the luncheon.

A central theme of the luncheon was “It Takes Little to Be Big.” This simple fact was a good reminder and impactful to our team members. The speaker emphasized that it’s often not the grandiose or “big” moments that are impactful, but the seemingly small actions. A high-five, laugh together, 15 minutes supporting studying, cheering each other on, providing a listening ear, and the list goes on. Asha reflected, “I am often surprised to be going about my day and have a little voice of something someone said once go through my head. These small things impact me greatly, sometimes in negative ways, but often in positive ways. Or at least they provide me with a laugh. I was glad to be reminded of all the small things that we do that we may never know positively impact each other.”

It is always a pleasure to support such an incredible organization, and we are so grateful for all that they do to bring the community together and support youth. Consider joining the mentorship program or volunteering in other ways. Remember that you don’t have to commit to doing something huge, because sometimes it only takes a little to be big. To read more about the programs through BBBS, visit: https://www.bbbshr.org/programs/.

2023 Rotary Golf Tournament

2023 Rotary Golf Tournament

by | Sep 29, 2023 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Empathy, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary, team

‘Tis the season of golf tournaments! On Saturday, Paul participated in the 2023 Rotary Golf Tournament at Heritage Oaks Golf Course to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Charlottesville. It was a beautiful day to compete together and support an amazing organization.

For those that are unfamiliar with the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville, their “primary mission… is to provide lodging for the families of pediatric patients while the children are receiving medical treatment at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. The House offers an affordable, calm, comfortable haven – a home away from home – for its guests. For exhausted parents, who are already stressed by the illness of their child, it is a place where families can relax, eat together, and find support from other parents who are in similar situations.” We thank them for everything that they do.

 

Pictured below from left to right: Mike Wolfe of Simpson Strong-Tie, Paul (Principal of our Charlottesville location), Blake Gordon of Titan America Roanoke Cement Company, Eli Strauss of Strauss Construction.

For more information on the Ronald McDonald House Charlottesville and for ways that you can get involved, check out their website here.

First Friday Artist: Angela M. Carter

First Friday Artist: Angela M. Carter

by | Sep 26, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, October 6th from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening featuring artist Angela M. Carter! Angela is a multi-talented artist with many works – published, spoken, performed, and visual. Join us to view her exhibition “Rewaken (to become awake again)” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community.

First Friday Artist Angela M Carter.

Bio:

Angela M. Carter is a mom, author, poet, novelist, motivational speaker, spoken word performer, visual artist, and advocate/activist. She is the owner of 2nd Avenue Press, and is the author of Memory Chose a Woman’s Body (unbound CONTENT, 2014) and a forthcoming book, Love is the Dying Dog (2023). Angela is a 2014 Pushcart Prize nominee, nominee for the 2015 Virginia Library Literary Award (poetry), and has been featured in a multitude of venues, including The KGB Club in Manhattan and Busboys and Poets. Her publications include Silver Birch Press, Deep Water Literary Journal, Whurk, Vox Poetica, the Plath Poetry Project, Premiere Generation Ink, City Lit Rag, The Word Ocean, Worst Week Ever, Our Stories Untold, Gutsy Living, and several anthology publications. Angela is the Programs and Initiatives Manager for JMU X-Labs.

Rewaken (to become awake again):

Medium: Abstract acrylic and ink paintings on canvas, various sizes.

This show embodies a transition from treading to floating atop the turbulence life has recently handed to me, and finding newfound gratitude in the aspects of my life that I feel blessed to have: motherhood, new beginnings, self-love, art, literature and acceptance.
This is my new beginning. My rewakening.

Rewaken poster by Angela Carter for her First Friday gallery opening event.

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 will have food and drink available!

First Friday Artist: Cassie Martin

First Friday Artist: Cassie Martin

by | Sep 25, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, October 5th from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring artist Cassie Martin! Cassie is a talented mixed media artist with skills in a wide variety of mediums, including ceramics, which she will be showcasing. Join us to view her powerful vases that “give voice to those who felt like they couldn’t speak” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community.
First Friday artist Cassie Martin.

Biography:

Cassie Martin is a mixed media artist with contemporary practices, skilled in a wide variety of mediums in the two-dimensional form and three-dimensional form. She is currently a senior at James Madison University pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with a painting and drawing concentration, a General Business Minor, and an Art History Minor.

Artist Statement:

These vases give a voice to those who felt like they couldn’t speak up. I sent a question to many of my female friends asking what is something they wanted to say but didn’t at the time whether that’s because of a bad relationship, work environment, or just a situation. The first vase has the responses. The second vase represents how those words were silenced, so they are in Morse code. The final one shows the opportunity women have to empower each other.

A portion of a vase by Cassie Martin. There is a crack in the pottery with an imprint of a kiss overtop. Vase by Cassie Martin imprinted with words. Three vases by First Friday Artist Cassie Martin. vase with morse code
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 will have food and drink available!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Mini-Golf for Kids’ Sake 2023

Big Brothers Big Sisters Mini-Golf for Kids’ Sake 2023

by | Sep 20, 2023 | community, Office Culture, team

This past Friday The Gaines Group team in Harrisonburg had the privilege of supporting the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) through some competitive mini-golf. It was a beautiful afternoon to get out into the sunshine to compete against each other in some (mostly) friendly competition.

Aimee, Deborah, Mariya, Jarod, and Asha at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mini-Golf fundraiser.

This year our team split into two groups to compete for the lowest combined group score and a group lunch out. Team one, Par Vacation, was led by Interior Designer Jarod, with the dynamic marketing duo Charles and Asha. Team Two was led by Designer Mariya, Architect Deborah and Designer Aimee. Highlights include two hole-in-one’s by Mariya who backed up her smack talk, one hole-in-one by Asha which earned her a free dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme, an embarassing amount of 7-strokes on a hole, and two balls fished out from the water. In the end, though it was close, Team Par Vacation pulled out the win by 5 strokes. 

Jarod puts the ball during mini-golf.

Regardless of the score, we were thrilled to be a part of this event and support such an amazing cause! For more information about BBBS check out what you can do to get involved in your community!