by Charles Hendricks | Jun 12, 2015 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary
The 10th annual Harrisonburg All-American Soap Box Derby is this Saturday, June 13th, 2015. Please come out and cheer these racers on as they chase their dreams down East Washington Street. The Harrisonburg All-American Soap Box Derby is sponsored by Rockingham Rotary Club and brings science, technology, and math lessons to young racers ranging in ages from 7 – 21.
The Soap Box Derby is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition. The core values learned from this event include – leadership, family engagement, honesty, integrity, perseverance, innovation, entrepreneurship, teamwork, collaboration, and sportsmanship.
There are three classes of racers – stock, super stock, and masters. The winners of each division from Harrisonburg will have the opportunity to move on to Akron, Ohio. Soap Box Derby champions from around the world come together in Akron each year to compete in the First Energy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship at the world-famous Derby Downs Track.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 20, 2015 | Charles Hendricks, citizen architect, community, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership, Local Leaders, Office Culture, Rotary
Harrisonburg Soap Box Derby Car Build Clinic
There are many new activities coming to the SVBA Home and Garden Show this year. One of the most unique is a build clinic to help kids get their skills down for the upcoming Harrisonburg Soap Box Derby. Matt Findley will lead the clinic and he is a great leader and teacher. The kids participating in the event will have a great time for sure.
The Soap Box Derby is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition. The build clinic will be April 11th at the Rockingham County Fair Grounds from 10 am – noon.
The Core Values of the Soap Box Derby are:
• Youth Education and Leadership Development
• Family Engagement and Enrichment
• Honesty, Integrity and Perseverance
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Mentoring
• Volunteerism
• Commitment to Community
This year the Rockingham Rotary Club is also hosting a movie about the Soap Box Derby that is free for kids to attend. On April 19 starting at 2pm the movie, 25 Hill, will play at Court Square Theater. 25 Hill stars Corbin Bernsen telling the story of a child who lost his dad in the war in Afghanistan, a man who lost his son in the 9/11 attacks, and how they both found personal redemption while building and racing a Soap Box Derby Car.
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 17, 2014 | architecture, Construction Specifications Institute, Leadership
As I wrote last week, the biggest challenge we face in our industry is “no design.” Buildings that do not address climate, culture, or context will tear apart of community if allowed to proliferate a geographic region. Your community could become a nondescript wasteland with no identity.
We need the built environment to reflect our values and beliefs. So how do we take on this huge burden of designing a future with which our society will be shaped? We can only do it if we know the best practices and information available. We can only do it acting as a cohesive community of designers, builders, engineers, and product suppliers. We can only do it together as a profession.
One of my biggest sources of professional resources is the Construction Specifications Institute. Through this one organization I have met many of the best in the industry. A short list of those that give me support and inspiration are Kait Solomon, Joy Davis, Hagerco, Paul Gerber, Marvin Kemp, Cherise Schacter, Ray Gaines, Thad Goodman, Ginny Powell, Lori Greene, Mitch Miller, David Stutzman, Ellen Onstad, Eric Lussier, Sheldon Wolfe, Liz Sullivan, DuWayne Baird, Rietta McCain, Vivian Volz, Gary Beimers, Andy McIntyre, Sheryl Dodd-Hansen, Brian Trimble, LeeAnn Slattery, and Randy Nichimura.
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 12, 2014 | Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
The architectural industry is an interesting one (and the only one I really know, so probably not unlike any others) in that as architects we compete for a very small pool of projects against each other, but we all rely on each other to promote the industry as a whole. The biggest competition for an architect is “no design” and boy does that happen a lot! Many don’t know what we (architects) do, don’t understand our value, or simply think they cannot afford to hire an architect.
I spend a lot of time promoting the idea of design. I know it brings me opportunities, because my clients have told me they want good design. I know it benefits our industry because it brings awareness to the idea of design and therefore it helps other architects. It is important to me that everyone understand the value added to having good design for the built environment as it impacts our community, our daily life, and our future. Here are some folks in our industry that are doing way more than I could ever do and having a tremendous impact on our world.
Studio MM promotes good design by promoting other architects. Marica posts a different architect’s work on her social media pages every week showing off design that she loves that is done by others. This is an incredibly generous gift to give that other architect, but also a wonderful way to share her love of design with her potential clients.
I am forever grateful to Cherise Schacter for her constant and overwhelming support of our industry on social media. Cherise is an incredible person / professional / Kraken that tirelessly promotes excellence in the design industry. I am not sure how she manages to keep up with all of the relationships she has built on SM and in person, but she does it with passion. Her work to promote the design industry is helping us all.
Joshua Lloyd works hard to teach others about sustainable residential design. This is a huge help to those of us focused on green design. First his work helps me know better the right solutions for my clients and second he is promoting a similar message so potential clients hear it from multiple sources. I have heard from many other design firms that don’t believe SM is important for our industry, I think Joshua is showing that it is very important.
Bob Borson created a series that is geared to show what we do as architects. The #ArchiTalks series includes some of the best architectural thinkers of our time! I know I have learned from these posts and it is certainly promoting our industry in a positive manner. Bob specifically brings the profession down to a human scale by showing the life of an architect from Christmas lists, to moving into a new office, to helping the next generation understand the industry.His approach to outreach is informal, fun, and inviting. This is how you promote an industry in a positive manner.
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 8, 2014 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
I am an environmentalist. I work daily to help others understand how they can create buildings that are healthy, energy-efficient, and durable. I give lectures about indoor air quality. I advocate for buying local through social media. I recycle, grow produce in our garden, turn off lights not in use, and drive a gas efficient car. I don’t do enough.
This past Sunday at church the sermon was focused on the global community as brothers and sisters. The idea that 2.18 billion Christians live around the world is overwhelming. The thought that each of them could love God’s creation and want to take care of it is humbling. As Pope Benedict XVI says “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.” However, I am guilty myself of not doing enough every day to care for God’s creation. For instance, each morning I walk from the parking lot to my office I pass by trash in the parking lot that will be washed into downtown streams in the next rain. I still use fossil fuel based fuels in my home and office instead of safer and healthier alternative energy options. In other words, there is much work to be done in my life to truly care for God’s creation.
I wonder what other Christians are doing and as a global community what impact we are making? Does your church have a creation care committee? Does your church have an environmental impact statement? What do you do daily to care for creation?
by Charles Hendricks | Aug 3, 2014 | Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership, Local Leaders
Valley Business Keynote (#VBKeynote) was an incredible event this year with a focus on living your life on purpose, doing what you love, and loving others in your life.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV2V5limsQU?rel=0]
Valley Business Keynote is an annual event that facilitates engaging ideas for local leaders to help fulfill the Valley’s vast potential. This year’s event featured Mark Fernandes, Chief Leadership Officer with the Luck Companies in Goochland, VA. He discussed how leaders should impact others in a positive way through igniting their potential. He said that leaders have to be intentional about their actions in order to set the culture they want – in every word spoken and action executed.
“Life is about choices, the culture of your business is a shadow of the leader.”
Mark says that leaders need to get up each day and think about how to build the environment they want in their company. Not only how they act and what they say, but how the company acts as a whole to make positive meaning in the lives of others. Mark told us that he believes everyone has a mission in life that they, given the right opportunities, will fulfill. As a leader it is your job to build the right environment to provide those opportunities for everyone encountered to fulfill the potential they have inside of them.
Three big rules to follow to be a great leader:
1. Love your associates with all your heart
2. Give them something to believe in
3. Obsess about their future
I believe we all struggle finding out voices, trusting our hearts, and fulfilling our potential. The encouragement that Mark shared with 400+ people in the room to “have the life you want by being present in the life you have” was a powerful message. If we took it to heart and extended grace to each other just imagine the beauty we would find in our valley! I am looking forward to seeing these ideas grow and spread throughout the valley and to next year’s #VBKeynote.
