Supporting Community – Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale

Supporting Community – Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale

by | Oct 17, 2025 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community

The Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale is an annual event in Rockingham County that we support through sponsorship and donations. It is also one of the highlights of the Fall season here in the valley. This event raises money for the Mennonite Central Committee, a global ministry of Anabaptist churches that works to provide relief, development, and peace-building in more than 50 countries.

Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale

This was the 59th year for the event typically held the first weekend in October – with crisp morning air and a hot breakfast ready, it is the place to be for Charles. This year the all-volunteer event included a silent and live auction, my coin counts, SOS, and so much homemade food (this is why Charles goes). The fresh made Strites Donuts, BBQ chicken, kettle-cooked potato chips, pies, breads, and other baked goods will keep you satisfied all day.

Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale

 

There were so many amazing quilts and hand-made furniture pieces in the auction this year, but this stained glass piece caught our eye!

Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale
Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale

 

We love to support community organizations and events like the relief sale that amplify our impact all over the community and in this case, world. Here is a photo of part of our group at the auction representing Gaines Group Architects and enjoying family time together.

Welcome to Harrisonburg Dovetail Cabinetry!

Welcome to Harrisonburg Dovetail Cabinetry!

by | Oct 15, 2025 | architecture, Charles Hendricks, community, Custom Home, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design

Jarod and I had a chance to visit Dovetail Design & Cabinetry for their open house recently. They have a new showroom at 2226 Rawley Pike in Rockingham County designed by owner Amy Hart. This full-service cabinet sales and installation company has grown to include showrooms in Charlottesville, Staunton, and now Harrisonburg. We have enjoyed getting to know them over the past few years and their work has appeared in multiple of our recent projects.

Dovetail Cabinetry
Dovetail Cabinetry

We love finding trusted partners that we can work with to support our custom dream home projects. While many of our project do have full-custom cabinetry designed for the main living spaces, we often will use lines like Welborn Cabinetry for semi-custom solutions. Their cabinet options include inset, frameless, and overlay styles to fit our design goals. They also have access to Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances which gives our clients many options to choose from when they visit with Jarod, our interior designer.

Economic Growth in the Shenandoah Valley

Economic Growth in the Shenandoah Valley

by | Oct 13, 2025 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Leadership, Local Leaders, resources

Economic growth that is done in an intentional and healthy way is critical for the overall long-term health of our communities. I have volunteered time to the Shenandoah Valley Partnership for over a decade to help our local business community thrive. This organization brings together local government, businesses, and educational institutions to help grow our community. Often the first stop for businesses looking to locate in an area with an outstanding quality of life, like the Shenandoah Valley, SVP is a key resource for our future. In order to attract the high paying jobs that will keep our communities healthy, we need the work being done by Jay Langston and his team. They travel the country telling our story, build out resources that local government can use to attract potential new businesses, and find resources to help existing businesses thrive.

This past week I attended a construction industry round-table where a large group of local leaders discussed challenges and opportunities ahead. SVP was the catalyst for bringing this conversation together and allowed the experts in the industry to meet and talk about the future of the valley. Also last week I was able to attend a discussion about the energy industry in the valley. Dr. Jonathan Miles from James Madison University was able to talk about clean energy options that are affordable, reliable, and available now for industry. The panel discussed the need for long-range innovative planning and thought as they strive for a resilient energy grid. As we look at the severity of storms that now come up the coast and have hit communities just south of us, it is good to have these conversations in advance of having to respond to an emergency.

Shenandoah Valley Partnership
I am excited about the future of the valley and “energized” by the work that SVP is doing to provide dialog between parties to better the entire valley. Their motto that “a rising tide raises all ships” is exactly what we need to cut through the political chatter and plan for a better and healthier future for all. The innovative leadership at SVP is guiding us into a strong business future and working hard to attract the right businesses for the valley. Collaboration is the key here in the valley as that is a quality that does not always exist between localities in other parts of the country, and something companies looking for a new home want to see. Here in the valley we have groups that might not agree on everything come together and agree on the things that matter to move our community forward, what a gift to future generations.
Hello, Blacksburg! We’re Hiring!

Hello, Blacksburg! We’re Hiring!

by | Oct 8, 2025 | architecture, Blacksburg, community, team

Are you an architect looking to join an award-winning architecture firm that is committed to serving our community through innovative design solutions? You’re in luck! We are seeking a licensed professional architect to join our growing team and help lead our exciting expansion into the Blacksburg market. This role offers the unique opportunity to work within three dynamic Virginia markets: Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and our new Blacksburg location. The ideal candidate will embrace the variety and leadership opportunities this multi-location practice offers while contributing to our mission of exceptional client service and community-focused design.

Click the button below to learn more about this opportunity over on Indeed!

The Clubhouse at Adams at Peppers Ferry
Game Room at Adams at Peppers Ferry

We are proud of the work we have done in the Blacksburg area so far, like the project pictured above. We are even more excited for what’s to come!

We’re proud that several members of our team are Virginia Tech alumni, and we see the Blacksburg market as a natural extension of our firm’s values and culture. Whether you’re familiar with the Virginia Tech community or the local dynamics of Montgomery County, your insight and connections will be a strong asset as we deepen our footprint in this region.

Our ideal candidate will bring 5+ years of professional experience, hold a valid architecture license (Virginia preferred or reciprocity eligible), and be adept with Revit, AutoCAD, building codes, zoning regulations, and construction documentation. You’ll lead projects from concept through construction, mentor junior staff, travel among our Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Blacksburg locations, and help spearhead business development in this growing market.

In return, we offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits (health, dental, vision, PTO), continuing education support, and a clear path toward leadership or partnership within the firm. If you’re passionate about thoughtful, community-driven architecture and excited to help establish a presence in Blacksburg and the New River Valley, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your resume, portfolio, and cover letter describing how you’d contribute to our multi-location growth strategy.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Click Here
Building Community by Supporting Music Education

Building Community by Supporting Music Education

by | Oct 6, 2025 | artwork, citizen architect, community

We are always looking for incredible organizations that are doing good work in our community. We first heard about Rocktown House of Music and started working on ways we could support their efforts to bring accessible music education to the entire community. This organization is working to build and strengthen the local music culture in Rockingham County. They are bringing together seasoned musicians to teach and collaborate and welcoming learners of all ages to join in. We are particularly thrilled that their wide range of classes are open to musicians of all skill levels.

Music Education is incredibly important for a vibrant community. Learning music is a full-brain activity, engaging auditory, motor, and visual systems simultaneously. It helps build language and literacy skills, improves academic performance, supports memory and concentration, and builds motor skills and coordination. This hits on many of our firm’s core values along with our love of music and the arts. So you can understand why we jumped in as quickly as possible.
After Charles met with Barb Camph to learn more about ways to support Rocktown House of Music we started working on building connections to fund the first year of scholarships. Other local businesses shared our excitement and quickly said yes to helping. We are so grateful for Kline May Realty, Cottonwood Commercial Real Estate, Venture Builders, and Herr and Company for joining us in our financial support kickstarting this new scholarship program.
RHOM representatives are continuing their work to build a sustainable scholarship program to allow access by all to this invaluable educational community resource. If you have interest in supporting their efforts you should reach out to John Hostetter, Director at Rocktown House of Music.
We are also working with the Rotary Club of Rockingham County, the club that Charles actively supports, on a longer term project to help fund access to quality instruments for students.
Limited edition Depot shirts are back!

Limited edition Depot shirts are back!

by | Sep 25, 2025 | architecture, community, Harrisonburg Architect, Historic Renovation

Check out Jarod and Aimee are showing off our brand-new Gaines Group t-shirts. Want one for yourself, we have them available for a limited time. Just stop by the office and pick up your size and wear it proudly. 

These shirts are more than just free swag, they’re a small symbol of the values we care about: collaboration, creativity, and community. Thanks to Stronge Design for creating the graphics and for the Mark-It for printing the sweet tees. We love supporting small local businesses and seeing our logo all over town. 

So come visit, say hello, and leave with a fresh new t-shirt. We can’t wait to see everyone rep the new shirts!

Send us your pics wearing them and we will blast it out on social media.