Back-to-school bright
Hope House is appreciative of all the people and organizations who donated back-to-school items for residents there. Atlantic Builders, the FBI Critical Response Group and West Asset Management were especially helpful.
Also, Alexis Chamberlin collected supplies and clothing as part of her community service project to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award. The outpouring was so great, Hope House was able to share the supplies with area school districts.
Tabernacle youth hold consignment sale
Registrations run through Sept. 28 for Tabernacle Youth's sixth biannual sale held Sept. 30. Sell children's clothing, toys, books, baby furniture and baby equipment. Seller receives 70 percent of selling price. Price the items, drop them off and let us do the rest. Tags are provided. Unsold items will be repacked and ready for quick pick up. Proceeds benefit youth mission trips to New Orleans and Russia. Call 540/786-9350 or e-mail cynhay @verizon.net to register.
Quilt 'N' Craft Luncheon scheduled for October
The fourth annual Quilt 'N' Craft Luncheon will be held Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lake Anna Rescue Building, 300 Bumpass Road, State Route 601 in Bumpass, one mile south of the Bumpass Post Office.
The luncheon is sponsored by the Piecemakers Quilt Club of Lake Anna. This will be the perfect time to meet new people and share quilts and crafts.
Two speakers will address quilting topics. One is Joyce Hartley, owner of the Quilting Adventures shop in Richmond. Her talk will include embellishments. The second speaker will be Nancy Lear, a local crafter who will teach guests a "Make and Take" craft project. Those wishing to participate will have a "show and tell" time for quilts or crafts. There will be a large display of a variety of quilts and crafts and door prizes galore. Tickets are $10 and include lunch. Reservations are recommended.
For details, call Gail Martin at 540/872-3345 or e-mail GM
Email: Spectrum@aol.com. All proceeds will go to the Lake Anna Rescue building fund.
Stonewall Jackson race needs volunteers
The Spotsylvania Parks and Recreation Department is looking for volunteers for the 4th annual Stonewall Jackson Run on Oct. 7 to man water stops and intersections along the course.
Those interested can contact Rick Hamm at 540/507-7533 by 4:30 p.m. Monday.
For details, call the Spotsylvania Parks and Recreation Department at 540/507-7529.
UMW gallery hosts professors' work
The University of Mary Washington's duPont Gallery will host the exhibition "Nickel and Detwiler: 25 Year Retrospective" from Thursday through Oct. 22. There also will be an opening reception on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. Both the exhibit and the reception are open to the public without charge.
The exhibit will showcase 25 years of artwork by married couple Lorene Nickel and Joseph Detwiler. "Retrospective," a sampling of their vast work, will include representative pieces that display the different stylistic and technical periods that the couple has explored. While the inspiration and influence for their pieces vary widely, much of the couple's current work that will be exhibited reflects recent trips they made to India and the Middle East.
Both Nickel and Detwiler have been teaching at the university for many years. Nickel, professor of art, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree in art from Goshen College. Detwiler holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in ceramics from the University of Florida.
Nickel's and Detwiler's award-winning works, both collaborativeand individual, currently appear in many museum, corporate and private collections. Exhibitions of their work have taken place on five continents.
The duPont Gallery is located on College Avenue at Thornton Street. Gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. For details, call the gallery at 540/654-1013.
Performing arts studio opening in Stafford
Ari's House of Dance, a new performing arts studio, will have its grand opening Sept. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. at 2049 Jefferson Davis Highway in Stafford.
Coupon specials and dance demonstrations will be part of the celebration.
Ari's House of Dance & Performing Arts Studio is a place where dance becomes a passion. Students will learn popular and multi-cultural dance forms: salsa, hip-hop, modern, African/Caribbean, jazz, hand dancing, street jazz, bellydance and more.
Whether dancing for study or leisure, fitness or poise, Ari's brings the passion of dance to life.
For those students who have the interest, ambition and talent to pursue modeling and acting, Ari's also has a program to train students for further study and careers in the performing arts.
Fall session begins Oct. 16. Register now before classes fill up. For details, call 540/288-3888 or visit ahouseofdance.com.
SHS looking for members for reunion
The Spotsylvania Senior High Class of 1976 will host a 30th reunion on Oct. 7 at Uncle Sam's Tavern upstairs banquet room.
Classmates, including other graduating years and former faculty members, are encouraged to attend. For details, visit spotsy
Email: reunion76@aol.com, or contact Vicki Hillegass Neilson at 804/749-4841 or Laura Seay at 540/760-5788.
Chamber Chorale holding auditions
The Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg is holding an open rehearsal-reading session for all interested singers. Auditions will be scheduled afterward for those interested in joining the group. The open session is on Monday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church at College Avenue and William Street in Fredericksburg.
For details, visit CCFbg.org or call 540/786-2861.
Pastry fundraiser for no-kill animal shelter
Roland Mesnier, a former White House executive pastry chef, will demonstrate some of his favorite recipes at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library headquarters Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
His visit is sponsored by the Greater Fredericksburg Area SPCA, the area's only no-kill animal shelter.
Admission to Mesnier's demonstration and book signing is $30. Proceeds will benefit the SPCA. For reservations, call 540/373-9008 extension 22.
Museum prepares for new civil rights exhibit
"If God is for us, who can be against us" was the unofficial slogan of many African-Americans throughout the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
The slogan was personified here in Fredericksburg when the local newspaper ran a photo of Fredericksburg resident Jerine Mercer picketing the W.T. Grant store in downtown Fredericksburg in 1960. This photo, along with many other photos and items depicting this important period of America's history, will be on display at the Fredericksburg Area Museum when it premieres its newest changing exhibition, "The Civil Rights Movement in Virginia." Scheduled to open Sept. 18, this exhibit is being circulated by the Virginia Historical Society and chronicles the tumultuous journey from "Jim Crow" to a commonwealth of greater equality.
"The Civil Rights Movement in Virginia" is scheduled to be on exhibit at the museum through December. The museum is located at 907 Princess Anne St. in downtown Fredericksburg. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for students. Children under 6 are free. For details, call 540/371-3037, or visit famcc.org.
Daily Grind hosts local author book signing
The Daily Grind of Fredericksburg, off U.S. 17 in southern Stafford near GEICO and Celebrate Virginia, is holding a book signing on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m.
Local author, Bryant Halstead, will be on hand with his new book about survival in the workplace.
"My Boss Sucks: A Story Book and Survival Guide," written by Halstead and Anne Byrd is a personal development tool geared toward all levels of employees. While the title draws in the reader, within the book are stories that offer people insights into themselves and the real-world challenges faced by their managers, according to a review.
Bryant is a former Marine with 14 years of law enforcement experience. His professional leadership background offers a human-sensitive lens on leadership issues.
CASA ready to train new volunteers for children
Rappahannock Area Court Appointed Special Advocates is in need of volunteers willing to advocate for abused and neglected children involved in the court system.
Volunteers are appointed by a judge to gather information, report their findings to the court and make recommendations geared at promoting safe permanent homes for children.
Applications are being accepted. Training begins Thursday. For details, call 540/710-6199.
Church holds golf tournament fundraiser
Common Ground Christian Church will hold a gold tournament Thursday, Sept. 28, at Lee's Hill Golfers' Club. This will be a four-person, best-ball format with 9 a.m. shotgun start. The entry fee is $50 per golfer, and includes a round of golf, cart, lunch and prizes. Money raised will go to the church's work with the Thurman Brisben Center and with relief efforts in New Orleans. For details, e-mail Kevin Brungard at
Email: kevin@cgrocks.org.
Kids' items consignment sale coming next week
Weecycled Wardrobe, a semiannual consignment sale of children's items, will be held next week in the former Winn-Dixie store by Ukrop's in Spotsylvania County. The sale features children's clothes, sizes newborn through size 16; maternity clothes; toys and other baby items. The public sale begins Sept. 19 and runs through Sept. 24.
The sale will be offered at the following times:
Tuesday, Sept. 19: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 20: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 21: noon to 5 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 22: noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 24, noon to 5 p.m.
For details, visit weecycledward robe.com.
Area church seeks crafters for event
Tabernacle United Methodist Church wants crafters for its International Craft Event to be held Nov. 4 at the church. Local crafters will join their creations with crafts from Southeast Asia, South America and the Middle East. Table rental is $20. The event will run 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To register, call 540/898-2553 or 540/858-8218.
Theatrical fundraiser planned for SPCA
The Greater Fredericksburg Area SPCA announces a special evening of "Cats" at the Riverside Center Dinner Theatre on Oct. 7.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for a silent auction, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the show at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $100 and include dinner, gratuity and show plus a $50 tax deduction to the SPCA's new Humane Care Center.
For reservations, call Riverside Center Dinner Theatre at 540/370-4300.