Charlottesville and Winneba to Launch Public Library Project

Several Charlottesville residents will be traveling to Winneba, Ghana in May 2011 to help our newest Sister City make plans for their first public library. Land has already been donated for this purpose and a team of experts from Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, UVa Library, Virginia Festival of the Book, Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville-Albemarle, the Building Goodness Foundation and the Quality Community Council will be meeting with our partners in Winneba to lay the groundwork for this exciting project. Stay tuned for more info.

A Sign of Things to Come?

Stay tuned...

Winneba, Ghana, May 2009

Peace Rally - 9/11/2010

Nelson County resident Kia Scherr lost her daughter and her husband in the Mumbai terrorist attacks on November 26, 2008. In other words, Kia Scherr has every reason in the world to be an angry and vengeful human being. Yet when I met her and heard her speak at the 9/11 peace rally this past weekend, I was amazed at the fact that someone who has such a legitimate claim to bitterness and hatred has instead dedicated her life to promoting peace and reconciliation among peoples. What an inspiring woman.

Midtown Street Fair!

What happens when you let pedestrians and bicyclists take over a stretch of West Main Street, allow all the merchants to set up vending booths, throw in 9 bands, some Derby Dames and a waitron olympics? It's the first annual Midtown Street Fair! A huge success -- many thanks and congratulations to the organizers.

9/11

Nine years ago today, Muslim religious extremists attacked our country in order to foment Holy War. In some ways they got exactly what they wanted. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, maimed, orphaned or widowed in the ensuing backlash. Thankfully there are some who have refused to submit to the bloodthirst and madness and instead insist on fighting hate with love. This was my favorite sign from today's peace rally on the Downtown Mall. A better world IS possible.

Brainy City

Charlottesville named 9th "Brainiest City" in the U.S. -- http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-08-27/americas-brainiest-cities/

Huge Rummage Sale to Benefit Special Hope Network

This coming Saturday, March 27, there's a huge 10-family rummage sale up in Forest Lakes South to benefit the Special Hope Network, a Charlottesville-based organization that cares for orphans in Africa who have intellectual disabilities. I happen to be pretty cozy with one of the organizers and I'm told there will be all kinds of furniture and clothes and books and toys and games and odds & ends and etc. on hand, with many good bargains to be had. 100% of the sale's proceeds will go to the Special Hope Network. You won't want to miss it.

Here's the details:
Saturday, March 27th, 8am-noon
Aspenwood Rd. (in the cul-de-sac), Forest Lakes South

For directions:
http://tinyurl.co/m/SHNrummage

2009 Design Marathon Deadline is This Friday!

from Alloy Workshop & the Charlottesville Community Design Center -- great to see they're doing this cool event again this year -- note the deadline for participants is THIS FRIDAY:

CALL FOR 2009 DESIGN MARATHON APPLICATIONS

The Design Marathon is an annual event created as a partnership between Alloy Workshop and the Charlottesville Community Design Center, to bring together professional graphic designers, architects, landscape architects and students to donate 12 hours of design services to ten local nonprofits. The Second Annual Design Marathon will take place at the Charlottesville Community Design Center (CCDC) on October 2nd from 10am-10pm.

"It's about design, community and education," said Serena Gruia, Creative Director of Alloy Workshop. She initiated the Design Marathon in 2008 "to provide a much-needed service to deserving organizations, foster a local community of professional and student designers and promote design as a component vital to the strategic success of an idea/mission."

Participation in the Second Annual Design Marathon is open to area non-profits, design professionals, and students pursuing a design-related degree. Last year’s projects ranged from logo redesigns to advertising campaigns to designing a low-cost playground. The application deadline for designers and non-profits is July 31st. Winners will be publicly announced on September 1st. Applications are available online at http://designmarathon.wordpress.com/ or can be picked up in person at the Charlottesville Community Design Center (located at 100 5th St. NE), the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, or the Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce.

For more information please contact Mandy Burbage at 434-984-2232 or info@cvilledesign.org or visit http://designmarathon.wordpress.com/.

Tomorrow -- Taste of Ghana

Tomorrow (Thurs., July 23) at 6pm is the annual "Taste of Ghana" celebration at Burley Middle School on Rose Hill Dr. This year's festivities will kick off with a report-out by members of the Charlottesville delegation (including myself) who recently visited Ghana to explore development of exchanges (youth, academic, cultural, business, civic, etc.) with our potential new Sister City, Winneba. Tomorrow will also feature the debut of youth filmmaker Quintin Franklyn's travelogue documentary about that journey. All of this will be followed by a feast of delicious Ghanaian foods. Come join us!

Sacajawea Ceremony

I was honored to participate in a very moving ceremony last week to recognize Sacajawea for her courage and resourcefulness as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The event, and the subsequent panel discussion, raised some good and pointed questions about the way in which the roles and contributions of Native Americans and women are all too often minimized in our telling of history. The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities has a beautiful slideshow of the ceremony here: http://www.virginiafoundation.org/photoalbums/sacajawea/

How Should Our City Schools Be Configured?

Tonight (Tues., May 26), the Charlottesville City School system is hosting a Community Engagement Workshop to get feedback from the public on what changes, if any, should be made to the way our City schools are configured. (For more info.: http://www.ccs.k12.va.us/community/CommunityEngagementPage.html) The workshop will be held at Charlottesville High School from 6-9pm. Here are the options under consideration:

Option 1: Leave City school division as is: 6 elementary schools (K-4), 1 upper elementary (5-6), 1 middle school (7-8), 1 high school (9-12)

Option 2: Close 1 elementary school

Option 3: 6 elementary schools (K-5), 2 middle schools (6-8), 1 high school (9-12)

Option 4: 6 elementary schools (K-5), 1 middle school (6-8), 1 high school (9-12)

Option 5: Other reconfiguration possibilities?

I commend the School Board and the School Administration for initiating this important public dialogue. Speaking as the parent of two City schoolchildren, and not necessarily as Mayor, I'll put in my two cents for Option 3. I think it makes a lot of sense to put 5th graders in the elementary schools and have fewer, and more gradual, transitions from there. As it is now, our kids leave their small neighborhood elementary schools and are immediately plunged into a city-wide upper elementary school for two years before going to a city-wide middle school for two years and then on to the city-wide high school. In case you lost track, that means a child attends 4 different schools in 6 years! Why not get rid of the "upper elementary" school concept altogether and instead have two smaller middle schools (6th-8th grades) before students enter the city-wide high school. That makes for an easier transition, and also hopefully allows for more individualized attention at the middle school level, where much of the research tells us that "at-risk" kids start to seriously fall behind.

The main argument that's usually raised against having two middle schools is that we tried that before in Charlottesville, and the school boundaries were drawn in a way that brought more upper-income/white kids to one middle school and more lower-income/African-American kids to the other, leading to a separate and inequal educational environment. Rather than throw in the towel on a more personalized middle school experience and a more gradual 5th-to-9th-grade transition for our schoolchildren, however, why not just do a better and more equitable job of drawing the boundaries so that the two middle schools serve an equally diverse population?

If you have any thoughts you'd like to share on this subject, feel free to attend tonight's workshop or contact the School Board at SchoolBoard@ccs.k12.va.us.

Best Veg Eats in Cville?

Voices for Animals, which organizes the annual Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival, is soliciting nominations for the "Best Vegetarian Meal in Central Virginia." From their May 2009 e-newsletter:

Share your insider knowledge and let others know where they can find an awesome veg meal -- in Charlottesville and surrounding areas -- whether it's a favorite sandwich and smoothie or qualifies as haute cuisine. Email info@voicesforanimals.org with the name of the restaurant and the dish that keeps you going back. We'll report the results in the June e-newsletter. Yum!

Have a favorite dish that you'd like to nominate? Or, do you work at a restaurant that features some particularly tasty veg options and want to brag on them? Send 'em in!

Mentors DO. Tutors DO.

Cross-posted from Living United, the blog of the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. Living United is running a monthlong blog marathon to encourage people to get involved as mentors or tutors for area kids, leading up to very special Mentoring and Tutoring Information Fair next Monday, March 30, from 3-6pm at the Omni Hotel.

Looking back at all the wonderful mentoring- and tutoring-related posts on Living United from the past few weeks, it’s hard to know what more can be said!

We’ve heard from adults who mentor or tutor about the positive experiences they’ve had with their “mentees” and “tutees.” We’ve heard from children who have mentors or tutors on the many ways they’ve benefited from the time and attention of dedicated adult role models. We’ve heard from mentoring and tutoring program coordinators about the invaluable work that they do in connecting caring adults with kids who need one-on-one help.

I commend them all. And I commend the United Way and the good folks behind the “Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on.” campaign for highlighting the many opportunities available to local residents who want to make a positive & direct impact on the lives of our youth.

One thing I might add to what’s already been said is that mentoring or tutoring does not just make a difference in the life of an individual child, it also makes a difference in the life of our City. We talk a lot in this community about the need to reduce the achievement gap in our schools. We talk a lot about the need to reduce youth violence in our neighborhoods. We talk a lot about steering our kids away from drugs, or gangs, or teen pregnancy, or dropping out of school. We talk a lot.

We talk, but mentors DO. Tutors DO.

Talking about ways to improve the lives of disadvantaged children is helpful; establishing an ongoing, personal relationship of trust and support with a child is actually giving them the tools they need to build a brighter future. They, and our whole City, are the better for it.

"Charlottesville Meets Winneba" Reception this Friday

from Holly Edwards and Roberta Williamson:

"Charlottesville Meets Winneba" Reception
Friday, March 20, 2009, 7:00-8:30pm
Light House Studio Space, Live Arts Building, 123 E. Water St.

Featuring tasty Ghanaian food and lively Ghanaian music
Honorary Co-Hosts: Roberta Williamson and City Councilor Holly Edwards

Please join us for a very special reception on Friday, March 20, to support the development of cultural, youth and business exchanges between Charlottesville and Winneba, Ghana. From April 26-May 4, 2009, a delegation of Charlottesville residents will be visiting Winneba to explore the possibility for exchange programs between our two university communities. We are very excited about the potential for building strong connections between Charlottesville and Winneba in the years ahead.

Even though the delegation will include officials from City Council and the City Schools (see below), this trip will be funded entirely by private donations. Please come on March 20 and learn more about Winneba and how you can support this effort to build a bridge of friendship between our communities.

We are particularly pleased to note that Quintin Franklyn, a public housing resident and award-winning teen filmmaker from Light House Studio, will be participating in the delegation and recording his journey (including interviews of teens from Winneba) for use in a documentary that he and Light House will produce after our return.

If you cannot attend the reception but are willing to make a tax-deductible financial donation to this cause, please write a check to "Virginia Organizing Project" and mail it to 703 Concord Ave., Charlottesville, VA 22903; be sure to write "Winneba Trip" in the memo line. You can also make a secure on-line donation via http://www.virginia-organizing.org/donation.php#1 -- again, you'll need to designate your contribution to "Winneba Trip."

Thanks much, and we hope to see you on the 20th!

Roberta Williamson
Holly Edwards

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Membership of Charlottesville’s exploratory delegation to Winneba:

Holly Edwards, City Councilor
Dave Norris, Mayor
Rosa Atkins, Superintendent of Schools
Wiliam Harvey, Vice President for Diversity and Equity, University of Virginia
Danielle Fitz-Hugh, Vice President, Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Nana Ghartey, Winneba Native and Current Charlottesville Resident
Pastor Dale Johnson, Way of the Cross Baptist Church
Quintin Franklyn, Light House Studio
Sam Baker, Light House Studio

Now THESE Are Daily Progress Endorsements I Can Support

I often find myself in disagreement with the Daily Progress when it comes to the candidates they endorse for public office. However, they tend to make excellent choices when it comes to honoring local citizens for their "Distinguished Dozen" series each year. Two recent examples are friends of mine who have each devoted their lives to serving our community in very un-self-serving ways. To read Skip Mullaney's profile, click here. And for today's honoree, Harold Folley, Jr., click here. My heartfelt thanks and congratulations to them both (and to their equally Distinguished peers) for the well-deserved recognition. And three cheers to the Progress for taking the time to tell their stories.

What's Going On

* Congratulations Congressman Perriello! Couldn't have happened to a nicer or brighter guy. Tom is going to be a real breath of fresh air in Washington, DC and here's wishing him a long and successful career as our U.S. Representative.

* Tom is already staffing up and has made a stellar pick to run his Charlottesville district office. Stay tuned for that announcement.

* Love this idea for shared work space in Downtown Cville. Heck, maybe I'll even join in.

* As far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many Thai restaurants in a given town, so the news of a new Thai place in the old Casella's spot at Barracks Road is cause for happiness.

* My dear friend Lorraine from Upstate NY has started a business designing and selling "positive affirmation decals." Who among us cannot use more positive affirmation in our lives? Check it out: www.creatingbliss.com. I think I'll even run my first blog ad for her on this here site (free of charge, of course).

* Best one thing you personally can do to simultaneously help (1) reduce gun violence, (2) lower the school dropout rate, (3) decrease the number of teen pregnancies, (4) keep kids off of drugs, (5) bridge racial and/or class differences in our community, (6) make a new friend, (7) expand your horizons, (8) have a boatload of fun, and (9) make the world a little better place for one lucky child? Become a mentor. Youth mentoring has so many proven benefits for mentors and mentees alike -- consider doing it as one of your New Year's resolutions. To find out more: www.charlottesville.org/mentorville or www.bbbsocbr.com.

Pet Food Drive

Unfortunately, when times get tough, pet owners often have no choice but to cut back on food and care for their dogs and cats; in some cases, they end up abandoning their pets altogether because they can no longer provide for them. Thus I am happy to pass on the news that my old friends at Voices for Animals are holding a "Pet Food Drive for the Needy" over the coming weeks -- see details below, and please give if you can.

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The main event will be a donation fair on Fri., Nov. 28, from 10am-4pm, at Pet Supplies Plus at 1240 Seminole Trail in Charlottesville (near Whole Foods). Volunteers will be on hand to accept pet food donations and to showcase adoptable cats and kittens. Both canned food and bags of kibble are needed. Please spread the word about this event to your friends and family. (If you can post flyers at your work, gym, or other places, please email info@voicesforanimals.org.)

We'll also be accepting pet food donations during our upcoming spay/neuter clinics on Sat., Nov. 22, and Sat., Dec. 13, from 10am to 1pm at the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA (visit www.caspca.org for directions). If you can't make it to these events but want to help, you can make a secure online donation to the pet food fund at www.firstgiving.com/voicesforanimals. Thank you!

The Second Most Important Vote You'll Cast This Fall

As reported on the UVA Today News Blog, the NCAA is allowing fans to vote on the best players and coaches from the past 50 years of NCAA Men's Soccer. I'm a big fan of UVa soccer (used to go to all the home games, but don't have as much time these days) and encourage each of you to cast a vote for the 1 UVa coach (Bruce Arena) and 5 UVa players (Jeff Agoos, Mike Fisher, John Harkes, Tony Meola, Claudio Reyna -- sorry to see a number of my other favorites not on that list) who are in contention for the College Cup 50th Anniversary Team. Voting ends THIS WEDNESDAY, so cast your ballot now! To do so, click here: http://www.ncaa.com/polls/ncaasoccerpoll.php?SPSID=88782&SPID=10604&DB_OEM_ID=17800

Discovery Museum Brings Roots Music to Charlottesville

The Virginia Discovery Museum (www.vadm.org) is one of my favorite places in town -- my kids and I have spent hundreds of hours there over the years, and it's where my daughter took her very first steps. One of the things I admire most about the Discovery Museum is that they are always trying out new and creative ways to expand our children's (and our community's) horizons. The latest example relates to a new exhibit at the Museum called "New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music." In conjunction with this exhibit, the Museum is organizing a series of concerts and workshops over the next month to explore American Roots Music in all its wonderful forms. I look forward to checking out the exhibit and I hope to make it out for some of the opening weekend festivities, including lively performances of old-timey music by the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Faster Than Walking on Oct. 25 at the Paramount. For more info. and a full schedule of activities, see http://vadm.org/eventsPerformances.html.

Obama and Oprah

Two big events this week:

1) Michelle Obama's coming to Charlottesville for a rally this Wednesday afternoon! Stay tuned for details. Very exciting.

2) My good friend and fellow Charlottesvillian, Camille Cooper, is on Oprah tomorrow (Mon., 4pm) to talk about her efforts to crack down on internet child predators. A couple of years ago, at Camille's urging, Sheriff Chip Harding and I attended a training on this topic that was troubling to say the least; both Albemarle (under Chip's leadership) and Charlottesville (under Tim Longo's) have since stepped up efforts to identify perpetrators. I expect Oprah and her audience will find it an eye-opening and profoundly disturbing discussion.