images charlottesville, va: 2009
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With the laid-back feel of small-town life, a wide range of career opportunities and lots of leisure activities from which to choose, Charlottesville consistently ranks at the top or near the top of lists of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States.TRANSCRIPT
Estate of EnlightenmentMonticello showcases Jefferson’s lasting influence
SHINING CORPORATE
CITIZENSCharity begins at home for
area’s largest employers
MUSIC TO EVERYONE’S EARS
Classical series drawstop international artists
SPONSORED BY THE CHARLOTTESVILLE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
2009 | IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES
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PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINEON THE COVER MonticelloPhoto by Todd Bennett
CONTENTS
FEATURES
6 ESTATE OF ENLIGHTENMENTMonticello showcases Thomas Jefferson’s vast interests and lasting infl uence here.
14 SUMMER SCHOOL BECOMES COOLA collaborative effort between school systems and community partners yields a new science camp for students.
16 MUSIC TO EVERYONE’S EARSThe Tuesday Evening Concert Series has drawn top classical artists from around the world since 1948.
DEPARTMENTS
4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Charlottesville culture
8 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Charlottesville
15 Health & Wellness
17 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know
CHARLOTTESVILLE BUSINESS 10 Shining Corporate Citizens
Charity begins at home for the area’s largest employers – State Farm Insurance and Walmart.
12 Biz Briefs
13 Chamber Report
2009 EDITION | VOLUME 6
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
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PHOTOS
FACTS & STATS
RELOCATION
We’ve added even more prize-winning photography to our online gallery. To see these spectacular photos, click on Photo Gallery.
ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages gives readers a taste of what makes Charlottesville tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.
LOCAL FLAVOR
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Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.
“Find the good – and praise it.” – Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder
imagescharlottesville.comTHE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE
CHARLOTTESVILLE
SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES
COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JESSY YANCEY
ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW
STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MELANIE HILL,
JOE MORRIS, JESSICA MOZO
DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW
INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER RUTH MARTINEAU
SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS,
TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER,
IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS
WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN
PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS
MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,
KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS
LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA MANNER
GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER,
JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER
WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ
WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA
WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ
WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES
COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN
AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, MARCIA MILLAR,
PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY
CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN
SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER
SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN
SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER
V.P./SALES HERB HARPER
V.P./SALES TODD POTTER
V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER
V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART
V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS
MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN
MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM
MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM
MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO
CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY
ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN,
MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS
RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE
NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD
IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE
CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY
SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN
OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM
RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP
C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A
Images Charlottesville is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce
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www.cvillechamber.com
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Residents and visitors alike have been pickin’ and grinnin’ at Carter Mountain Orchard since 1974. Get a taste of local fl avor in our food section.
Enjoy this early-morning peek around the splendid home and grounds of Monticello, the historic estate of our nation’s third president, Thomas Jefferson. Watch this and other quick videos in the Interactive section.
MONTICELLO
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Take NoteDrum roll, please: Charlottesville’s largest,
full-service music store is Heinz Musitronics.
Musicians can find just about every
instrument imaginable at the popular store.
In addition, skilled instructors offer lessons.
Besides new inventory, Heinz sells
a variety of used items ranging from
amplifiers to audio equipment. A
point of pride is that its prices are
competitive with Internet and
mail-order companies.
In addition, the shop is a well-
known resource among special
event organizers seeking public
address and DJ system rentals.
Ahoy, SperryCharlottesville is the global headquarters of Sperry Marine,
a business unit of Northrop Grumman.
Sperry Marine is an international leader in the marine electronics
industry. The company employs 800 people locally. Charlottesville
also is home to Northrop Grumman’s Naval and Marine
Systems Division.
Officials say the city is ideally located to support U.S. Navy
customers in Washington, as well as in the Newport News and
Norfolk areas.
Learning Comes NaturallyBlue skies and tough terrain often are part of the
academic curriculum at Blue Ridge School.
The private, college preparatory boarding school
for young men in grades nine through 12 is proud of
its outdoor program. A number of outdoor classes are
offered to allow students to earn physical education
credits, including courses in rock climbing, mountain
biking, caving and trail building.
Officials at Blue Ridge say they take advantage
of the school’s mountainous location to encourage
teamwork, personal challenges and respect for nature.
Large and in Charge
Trivia answer: John Paul Jones Arena is the largest arena in Virginia. The 16,000-seat complex on the University of Virginia campus is home to the U.Va. men’s and women’s basketball teams, plus it is used for a variety of entertainment events. Musicians who have performed at the arena since it opened in 2006 include Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews Band and Eric Clapton.
For outdoor concerts, the Charlottesville Pavilion is a popular venue. It is located on the east end of the historic downtown mall and has been open since 2005.
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POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE)Greater Charlottesville: 224,995
LOCATIONCharlottesville is in central Virginia,
70 miles northwest of Richmond and
110 miles southwest of Washington.
BEGINNINGSCharlottesville was established as a town
and county seat in 1782 and named for
Great Britain’s Queen Charlotte, wife of
King George III. It was incorporated as
a city in 1888. Albemarle County was
established in 1744.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONCharlottesville Regional
Chamber of Commerce
209 5th St. NE, P.O. Box 1564
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: (434) 295-3141
Fax: (434) 295-3144
www.cvillechamber.com
Charlottesville At A Glance
Fast Facts Charlottesville has
three sister cities through the Sister Cities International program. They are Bensançon, France; Pleven, Bulgaria; and Poggio a Caiano, Italy.
Residents can enjoy movies and special events at the historic Paramount Theater, which opened downtown in 1931. It underwent a $16.2 million restoration in 2004.
Steeplechase races at Foxfield and Montpelier draw horse lovers from around the world.
Charlottesville is home to the National Ground Intelligence Center, a U.S. Army/Department of Defense agency that provides intelligence analysis for our soldiers.
You can write what’s on your mind at the Free Speech Wall on the Downtown Mall next to Charlottesville City Hall. It was installed by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression.
Charlottesville is a hotbed for soccer, both in recreational leagues and at the collegiate level.
Presidential Seal of Approval
George W. Bush – meet Devy Goradia.
On July 4, 2008, President Bush attended
the annual Independence Day Celebration and
Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello. During
the visit, he honored resident Devy Goradia, a
local volunteer and president of Accounting
Solutions PLLC.
She was the recipient of the President’s
Volunteer Service Award. Goradia emigrated
from India and became a naturalized American
citizen at the Independence Day ceremony at
Monticello in 2003. Her many volunteering
efforts include providing counseling to victims
of domestic violence.
WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Charlottesville at imagescharlottesville.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.
Charlottesville
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Almanac
MONTICELLO SHOWCASES JEFFERSON’S VAST INTERESTS
AND LASTING INFLUENCE
EstateofEnlightenment
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T he interests and accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson – our nation’s third president and Greater Charlottesville’s most famous former resident – were legion. His influence is still seen and felt today
heavily throughout the area, from the intellectual and cultural influences of the university he founded to the Neo-Classical architectural style he championed.
The best place to gain a better understanding of these many passions and pursuits is at his home, Monticello. A lifelong devotee of architecture, Jefferson designed, built and modified the home for more than 40 years following the start of its construction in 1770. Today, approximately 450,000 people each year visit the home to view its 43 rooms, priceless furnishings, art and inventions, and landscaping that reveal so much about the man who once lived there.
“There isn’t a thing the man didn’t do well, and there has always been an overall fascination with Jefferson’s life,” says Allie Baer, interim director of sales and marketing with the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau. “There is no better way to understand him than to visit his home, the visitor’s center and his beloved university.”
Monticello is Italian for “little mountain,” and the spacious home sets atop the summit of an 850-foot-high peak. On clear days, visitors may look down upon the University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson at age 76, as his last great public service. Monticello is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is The Rotunda, the centerpiece of the original U.Va. Grounds designed by Jefferson.
“Both attractions are huge economic drivers in Charlottesville, particularly in these softened economic times,” Baer says. “Anything to do with Thomas Jefferson here continues to be lucrative.”
Baer adds that her office receives calls about Jefferson all the time, with people asking not only about Monticello but also about his interests in architecture and gardening.
At Monticello, many of Jefferson’s gardening plots have been carefully reconstructed following the careful notes he maintained, so guests may see many of the same varieties of f lowers, fruits and vegetables he cultivated, including more than 20 varieties of grapes.
In spring 2009, the experience at Monticello became even
more spectacular with the opening of a $43 million Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center, situated on the lower slope of Monticello’s mountain setting.
“On a wide range of fronts, the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center represents a new era at Monticello,” says Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “We now offer our visitors not only a more comfortable experience, but also fresh perspectives on this unique place and its complex, ever-fascinating owner.”
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Above: Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation
STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT
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Honoring Good Deeds
Whenever community service is discussed in Charlottesville, the
names of Daniel and Lou Jordan often are spoken.
It’s no surprise then that the two were named recipients of the 2008 Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award conferred by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Named in honor of one of Charlottesville’s greatest benefactors, the prestigious award recognizes outstanding citizens who make significant contributions to the greater Charlottesville area.
“We were truly honored because the award came from the community, and we have known and admired so many of the previous recipients,” says Daniel Jordan, president emeritus of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “We accepted the award on behalf of the foundation and our colleagues. Our names will be on the plaque, but we know it’s because of the hard work of so many of our associates.”
In 1985, Daniel Jordan was named president and CEO of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Prior to his 2008 retirement, he oversaw completion of four large capital campaigns and grew the Monticello endowment from zero in 1993 to more than $122 million. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations, including the State Review Board of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the Jeffersonian Restoration Advisory Board at the University of Virginia and the Edgar Allan Poe Foundation.
Equally passionate about the area’s preservation is accomplished artist Lou Jordan. She founded and organized a chamber concert series at the Jefferson Library at Monticello and has served as president of the Contemporary Club of Albemarle. She has held numerous offices with the Rivanna Garden Club and is a member of the National Society of Arts and Letters, and Women United in Philanthropy.
Lou and Daniel Jordan are the 2008 Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award recipients.
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Portfolio
President Madison’s Temple is a key component of his Montpelier estate.
Madison’s Legacy Restored
The recent restoration of Montpelier, the Orange, Va., plantation mansion
of fourth U.S. President James Madison, took home remodeling to a new level. The five-year, $24 million project included the demolition of 23,739 square feet of additions made during the home’s 100-plus years in private ownership.
“The restoration really returned James and Dolley Madison to their home; it’s that simple,” says Michael Quinn, president of the Montpelier Foundation. “The house was a bit unusual among presidential homes in that it was so expensively modified after his death. It was almost tripled in size, and visitors had to really hunt to find Madison history. It wasn’t really preserving his legacy or communicating his ideas.”
Built in 1760 by Madison’s father, the 12,261-square-foot, 26-room estate was sold by Dolley Madison in 1844 and was privately owned until it reopened to the public in 1987. During the renovation, the home welcomed more than 200,000 visitors.
“We wanted to make the process open to the public and educational, and it worked out very successfully,” Quinn says of keeping the estate open.
Quinn says the number of visitors to Montpelier has nearly doubled since its restoration celebration, which was held Sept. 17, 2008. He hopes the historic home will help people gain an even greater understanding of James Madison as a man and as a leader.
“Madison’s great legacy is the U.S. Constitution, and that defines us as a people,” Quinn says. “His history is a part of our everyday lives, so we want to help make people understand what’s important and why it must be upheld by every generation.”
– Stories by Melanie Hill
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CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME FOR TOP EMPLOYERS
C harlottesville’s schools, charities and other worthwhile organizations benefit from a steady stream of community support, much of which comes from the area’s major employers.
For State Farm, which has approximately 1,500 employees in its operations center just east of town, strong corporate citizenship has been a natural part of doing business since it established a presence in Charlottesville in 1952. Today, the area’s largest private employer participates in several regional initiatives as well as offering some of its own programs.
“State Farm is a major sponsor of education initiatives in Charlottesville, such as our grant to the Public Education Fund of Charlottesville-Albemarle for sponsorship of its Odyssey 2025, a science and math program that brings innovative service-learning opportunities to sixth- and seventh-grade students throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County public schools,” says Danny Sheppard, public affairs specialist for State Farm’s Mid-Atlantic Zone. “We are also proud of our sponsorship of the Do Drop In
Administrative Services Supervisor Tim Johnson checks on State Farm’s green roof pilot project.
ShiningCorporateCitizens
STORY BY JOE MORRISPHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT
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Business
Approximately 1,500 people work at the State Farm Mid-Atlantic Zone Charlottesville Operations Center.
WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a peek inside State Farm’s Charlottesville offices at imagescharlottesville.com.
homework school bus, which provides educational after-school opportunities to many students in Albemarle County.”
Other recipients of the State Farm largesse include the Charlottesville Fire Department; Albemarle County Police Foundation; Children, Youth and Family Services Inc.; and Habitat for Humanity. The company awarded more than $100,000 in grants and donations during 2008, Sheppard says. It also has several internal initiatives that reflect a global consciousness among its employees, from rigorous recycling programs to a green roof pilot project.
Giving back is a hallmark of another major local employer, Wal-Mart, which operates a major outlet in Charlottesville and a warehouse in nearby Gordonsville. Store employees gave more than $18,000 last year, while warehouse employees donated and raised more than $63,000 to various worthy causes, notably the annual Charlottesville Heart Walk, where Wal-Mart’s sponsorship and donations totaled $40,000.
“Our company really stresses giving, because our associates and our customers are all part of the community,” says E. R Anderson, regional media director. “We really get behind efforts to give back whenever we can.”
Recipients of their work include area schools, Little League teams, the Central Virginia Burn Camp, the American Cancer Society, the city’s parks and recreation department and dozens more organizations and entities.
To recognize companies leading the way in community involvement and improvement, The Hovey S. Dabney Award for Corporate Citizenship was established in 2005. Presented by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, it was underwritten by former board chairman Ivo Romenesko, and chamber members Hunter E. Craig and W.K. Heischman. Through 2008, winners have included Better Living Inc., State Farm, McGuireWoods and Hantzmon, Wiebel & Co.
“We felt like the companies and their employees deserved some recognition, and that folks should be told about all the efforts that go into making them not only competitive at what they do, but how they contribute to the community,” Romenesko says.
“Our company really stresses
giving, because our associates
and our customers are all part
of the community.”
WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a peek inside State Farm’s Charlottesville offices at imagescharlottesville.com.
CHARLOTTESVILLE IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE .COM 11
Biz Briefs
CITYSPABiz: day spaBuzz: Cityspa, located downtown on Third Street, offers clients a “healing retreat” from everyday life, says owner and director Suzanne Stacey. The spa offers a comprehensive selection of services to accomplish this goal. Cityspa’s signature treatment is called Ten Thousand Roses, which features a three-hour treatment with an aromatherapy soak, massage, herbal rose wrap and facial.www.cityspa.com
FRANKLIN SPRINGS FAMILY MEDIA FUND IBiz: film production fundBuzz: From an expanding group of high net-worth investors, the Franklin Springs Family Media Fund I in Charlottesville has raised $500,000 to produce five films on DVD through Franklin Springs Family Media. Executive Director Steve Morales says the films are rich with family values and timeless life lessons.www.franklinsprings.com
WILLIAMS MULLEN Biz: law firmBuzz: The seven attorneys at the Charlottesville Williams Mullen office predominantly practice business, real estate and intellectual property law, yet may call upon the resources of more than 300 colleagues at five additional Virginia offices and offices in North Carolina, Washington and London. The firm also is known as a generous community partner.www.williamsmullen.com
A SAMPLING OF BUSINESSES – LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELPS DEFINE
CHARLOTTESVILLE’S STRONG AND WELL-BALANCED ECONOMIC CLIMATE
ADVANCED NETWORK SYSTEMSBiz: information technology solutions Buzz: ANS was founded in the 1990s when information technology professionals Kevin Leibl, Anthony Petrella and Lorri Haney formed a business to serve multiple clients in manufacturing, health care, government and education by managing data networking, network security and network-based voice and video technologies. Today, ANS has offices in Charlottesville and Bluefield.www.getadvanced.net
ScorecardBUSINESS AT
A GLANCE
$901,079Retail sales ($1,000)
$21,997Retail sales
per capita
$153,514Accommodations
and food service
sales ($1,000)
5,099Total number
of firms
Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts
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Business
W ith a renewed commitment to its core services and a roster of programs to
enhance its identity as the region’s premier business and civic alliance, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is strengthening its status as the area’s point organization for economic development and more.
“We’re taking a more detained approach to member service while we also enhance the economic vitality throughout the region,” says Jay Crawford, director of communications. “Times are difficult, so anything and everything we can do to help our members operate more efficiently and effectively is our focus.”
The chamber’s membership has held steady at approximately 1,200 for several years now. In 2008, attendance at events such as the annual Chamber Business Expo and annual dinner was up by 6 percent on average. Both are indications that the organization is responding to the business community’s needs, notes Tim Hulbert, president and chief executive officer.
“We believe in membership service, and that’s why we’ve been able to excel as the premier civic and business organization in our community,” Hulbert says. “Now we’re just looking at realistic ways to accelerate that excellence.”
The mission moving forward is to ensure that every project is designed for maximum efficiency, says Bryan Thomas, area executive of BB&T and the chamber’s current board chair.
“I think that some of the partner-ships the chamber has with groups such as the Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development, as well as the strong backing of the University of Virginia and Piedmont Virginia Community College, will help with our economic prosperity,” Thomas says. “These partnerships will improve services for our members and should be a real key to helping our businesses weather the challenging economic environment.”
– Joe Morris
Barbara Chamberlain, left, director of finance for the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Danielle Fitz-Hugh, vice president-member service, review new initiatives at the chamber offices.
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Strengthening the Core CHAMBER ENHANCES BASIC SERVICES WITH NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMS
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Business | Chamber Report
Charlottesville in fall 2007 to kick things off, plans were well under way.
“The school superintendents had an idea about having some kind of science summer camp, but they hadn’t developed it very far,” Kalagher says. “They went to the Public Education Fund and began talking to them about raising money to support this idea without knowing what it would be, and then the PEF got [Ballard] to come and do a big fundraiser. After that, Chuck Pace, my counterpart in the county system, and I got involved, and we all began to make this happen.”
Over the course of the camp, sixth-grade students took part in “Operation: Monster Storms,” which taught them about major storms and the technology used to forecast weather. Seventh-grade students participated in “Operation: Resilient Planet,” which involved fieldwork to explore the immediate environment and learn how to protect local and global ecosystems.
Both groups heard from NASA hurricane tracker Michael Black, who told of the agency’s efforts to track hurricanes and other major events. Each class also made video recordings for local broadcast stations and for use by the JASON Project.
“So many people stepped up to make it happen, and it was just fantastic,” Kalagher says. “Now we are looking at adding an additional JASON Project curriculum so that we can have three concurrent programs. We have some teachers coming back to either do a different program or become a leader in the one they took last year.”
The student and teacher interest has been overwhelming, as has been the community support, so this kind of growth shouldn’t be hard to support.
“The partnerships we’ve had have been great,” Kalagher says. “It was quite expensive to get off the ground, but we were able to do not only that, but also to get some traction for other funding sources for the second and what we hope will be subsequent years.” – Joe Morris
The idea of learning during the lazy days of summer has become much better received by some
students in Charlottesville, thanks to Odyssey 2025.
The program, which began in June 2008, ran for two weeks and offered rising sixth and seventh graders the chance to study meteorology and ecology. The overall goal of the program is to promote science as a field of study by providing unique, hands-on learning environments, says Jessica Kalagher, coordinator of science for Charlottesville City Schools.
“It’s a summer camp setting, but the bigger picture is that it’s a new and novel professional development model for teach ers,” Kalagher says. “It’s a way for teachers to learn something new and try
it out with kids to see what works and what doesn’t, and then they can actually use these lessons throughout the year with all their kids, not just the select group who get to attend the summer program.”
Odyssey 2025 resulted from a collabo-ration between the Charlottesville and Albemarle County school systems and many other community partners, including the Public Education Fund of Charlottesville-Albemarle and the JASON Project, a subsidiary of the National Geographic Society that promotes science education through curriculum develop-ment and teacher education.
Local companies got on board with underwriting expenses, and by the time scientist and explorer Robert Ballard, who leads the JASON Project, visited
Summer School Becomes CoolNEW SCIENCE CAMP GIVES STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BETTER INSIGHT ABOUT METEOROLOGY AND ECOLOGY
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Education
Charlottesville residents of all ages benefit from a solid foundation of services and
support established by the Jefferson Area Board for Aging.
Created in 1975, JABA serves residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson counties. Its nonprofit arm, JABA Inc., solicits private funding and operates JABA’s various properties and programs. It’s this blend of expanding its revenue base while adding new, innovative services that has made JABA a leader in the elder-care field and why the Charlottesville area has become nationally known as a place where seniors are served well, says Gordon Walker, chief executive officer.
“Our approach to the service side of what we do is to provide a continuum of opportunity, for both seniors and for their family and caregivers,” Walker says. “We see our job as serving multiple generations who are the recipients of our services.”
The organization has even rede-signed its logo and tagline to reflect its broadened scope, says Elise Thierry, JABA’s publicist.
“Now our tagline is ‘Live Better, Longer,’ a far cry from just saying ‘senior services,’ and it shows how what we do runs through several generations,” Thierry says.
JABA’s future will revolve around even closer pairings of current clients and future ones, such as its multi-pronged sustainability program, called From Gray to Green.
“We look at things like childhood obesity and realize that we can put retired nurses into schools to work with kids, and work with a task force to provide fresh food and produce to low-income kids,” Walker says. “It’s all based on the fact that the younger generations are the future older generations.”
– Joe Morris
Bridging GenerationsJEFFERSON AREA BOARD FOR AGING SERVES ALL POINTS OF LIFE CONTINUUM
Mary Harrison works with Montessori School of Charlottesville youth at the JABA Hillsdale Adult Care Center.
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Health & Wellness
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has performed there, as have violinist Joshua Bell and soprano Joan
Sutherland. And so have pianist Radu Lupu, violist Yuri Bashmet and the Leipzig String Quartet.
Cabell Hall Auditorium on the University of Virginia campus has hosted a Tuesday Evening Concert Series since 1948, bringing in top classical music artists from all around the world. The 2008-09 season featured accom plished musicians from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Italy and Russia.
“The concerts take place on seven Tuesday evenings from September through March, and several of the international artists have commented to me that Cabell Hall is the finest auditorium in the United States for chamber music,” says Karen Pellon, executive director of the Tuesday Evening Concert Series. “Many of our regular audience members have told me how much they appreciate this concert series being in Charlottesville, because they don’t have to travel to New York or Washington, D.C., for these types of quality productions.”
Pellon says the feeling inside the hall is always electric on concert nights because it is filled to capacity with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience that loves classical music.
The series also offers several children’s concerts free of charge for schools in the region.
“Since 1995, the series has invited thousands of school-age children to Cabell Hall Auditorium to witness daytime performances by the artists who have been booked for the evening concerts,” she says. “This gets children introduced at a young age to the wonders of classical music. By the end of the 2008-2009 season, a total of 40,000 schoolchildren participated in these free events.”
– Kevin Litwin
Music to Everyone’s EarsTUESDAY EVENING CONCERT SERIES BRINGS TOP ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
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Cabell Hall Auditorium is home of the Tuesday Evening Concert Series.
16 IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE .COM CHARLOTTESVILLE
Arts & Culture
SNAPSHOTWith the laid-back feel of small-town life, a wide range of career
opportunities and lots of leisure activities from which to choose,
Charlottesville consistently ranks at the top or near the top of lists
of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States.
CHARLOTTESVILLE
EDUCATION
Charlottesville and Albemarle
County emphasize education.
The local school systems and
secondary educational
institutions, like the University
of Virginia and Piedmont
Virginia Community College,
provide top-notch programs of
learning. For a list of schools
and other information, visit
imagescharlottesville.com.
HEALTH CARE
The availability of outstanding health-care services not only represents a rapidly growing component of the regional economy but is also an amenity that enhances the environment for both businesses and residents. For a breakdown of medical services, visit imagescharlottesville.com.
LOCAL UTILITIES
AmeriGas Inc.
(434) 295-4194
Charlottesville Gas
(434) 970-3800
www.charlottesville.org
Comcast
(434) 951-3700
EMBARQ
(434) 971-2989
www.embarq.com
NTELOS
www.ntelos.com
CLIMATE
Charlottesville enjoys four
distinct seasons with a climate
that is influenced significantly
by its central location between
the Blue Ridge mountains to
the west and the Atlantic
Ocean to the east. The
balancing effect of these two
major geographic features
helps provide the area with
one of the most appealing
climates in the country.
24 FJanuary Low Temperature
44 FJanuary High Temperature
65 FJuly Low Temperature
86 FJuly High Temperature
MORE ONLINE
imagescharlottesville.com
More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.
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Northrop Grumman/ Sperry Marine www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com
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Community Profile
CHARLOTTESVILLE IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE .COM 17
Ad Index 14 CB RICHARD ELLIS – CHARLOTTESVILLE
8 CBS 19
9 CHARLOTTESVILLE GAS
13 COLEMAN ADAMS
16 MONTICELLO
C4 NORTHROP GRUMMAN/SPERRY MARINE
15 OUR LADY OF PEACE
C2 UVA HEALTH SYSTEM
2 WESTMINSTER CANTERBURY OF THE BLUE RIDGE