ON THE PORCH Rob Grogan Myles Bigenwald
Editor Associate Editor
Photographer Archer Di Peppe Contributing Writers & Artists Mike Appleton Chuck Archer A.E.Bayne E.C.Barker Megan Byrnes Collette Caprara C.Ruth Cassell Lezlie Cheryl Kerri Corsano Joe deYoung Melissa Delauter Arch Di Peppe Frank Fratoe Patricia Gancie William Garnett Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks Rob Huffman Lori Izykowski Karl Karch Will Loring Stephanie Orton Lynch Jo Middleton Amy Pearce Susan Carter Morgan M.L.Powers Vanessa Moncure Amy Pearce Scott Richards Wendy Schmitz Victoria Scrimer Matt Thomas Christine Thompson Rim Vining Kathryn Willis Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co., Inc. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher. The mission of Front Porch Fredericksburg is to connect the diverse citizenry of Fredericksburg with lively features and informative columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource, its people. Messages from our readers are welcome. All submissions must be received by e-mail by the 19th of the month preceding publication. Writers are welcome to request Writer’s Guidelines and query the Editor by e-mail. Front Porch Fredericksburg PO Box 9203 Fredericksburg, VA 22403 Phone: 540-220-1922 E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com The opinions expressed in Front Porch Fredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers. Copyright 2013 Olde Towne Publishing Co., LLC All rights reserved.
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June 2013
Summer of Hope Children Hope “Bridge of Hope”Finds Them Homes
junior It’s good to be humbled now and then, to be sure that your hat always fits. And it’s good to discover someplace new and people who are new to you. In your own hometown. That was the scenario for me late last month when I stepped into the Burgess Barber Shop at 207 William – old barber pole outside, old school inside with five chairs and one barber – “Junior” – whose lollipop jar has Tootsie Roll Pops. Thank you, Junior! After 21 years here, I finally discovered an iconic neighborhood man cave nestled in goodness and right smack in front of me for all these years. I was not totally unfamiliar with it, having walked by it many times and inside it nearly every month to drop a few Front Porch copies off for Junior’s customers and extras for the good folks next door at Yamaha Music School if its doors were locked. I would say hey to Junior and leave him be to his customers, none of whom I ever recognized. But on this day, I had a different plan. I had intention, and it paid off in a grand manner of enjoyment and enlightenment for more than an hour of a sunny mid-day Tuesday. I had not had a haircut in months, thinking I would lose it to chemotherapy treatment anyway so why bother paying $30 for a cut in a busy salon with chemical fragrances swirling throughout my sinuses and stirring up some dermatitis in me. But as it turns out, chemo is not in my treatment plan and my hair was raggedly growing like a weed patch. So I decided to go to Burgess on William, three doors down from the Rec Center’s World’s Best Chili Dogs. It was the Tuesday after Memorial Day, so the Monday crowd mixed in with the Tuesday regulars and the wait was longer than normal, from
By Patrice Gancie what I could tell. Neil Sullivan got paged back to work while he was waiting his turn and there were three others ahead of me. I just chilled through the newspapers and waited. It wasn’t so long and it was relaxing in a hometown way. When my turn came up, I stepped up into Junior’s chair for my first $12 big-boy razor cut. I can’t believe it took me this long to discover the camaraderie there! Junior asked me about my cancer — he had noticed my bony, muscle-less frame and how I use a cane now. Gary Butler — one of the regulars and a lifelong Fredericksburger – reached out with well wishes and voiced his concerns. We began to chat and I learned a lot about being from here versus being a come-here! (That’s the humility thing.) Gary hinted at ways to cover up my “come-here” status (hint on just one of them: got be at least 25 years here; so four to go for me...), and a bunch of old timers told stories with enough humor to last a week. Campbell) A-Cam (Anthony popped in to say hi to all from his office across the street; he’s known the Butler family since he was a babe in arms. He reminded me that we would do our FredLive interview on my porch “whenever you are ready and strong.” The other men took that to mean that I, like Anthony, am a singer! When my haircut was over and I’d given my parting nice-to-meet-you’s, I
messages I visited Fredericksburg this past Tuesday and picked up a copy of “Front Porch.” I thoroughly enjoyed your paper and just wanted to commend you on a newsy and well-written paper. Sincerely, Rosemarie Lo Monaco Woodbridge
Thanks so much (for inviting my art to your cover). Can’t wait to see it all come together! Congratulations on your accomplishment of 16 Years of producing a wonderful magazine! Betsy Glassie
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asked Junior could I grab a lollipop from his jar. He told me to take two — which I did. Junior then whispered that he is praying for me. When I stepped outside, I saw Tom Byrnes do a drive-by on William, then I crossed the street to Forage to say hey to Alicia Morgan. Waiting for Alexis to pick me up at the corner by the museum garden, a panhandler vacated me from the bench after I denied him booze money but offered him leftover cheese crackers from my earlier that morning oncology appointment. When Alexis got me home, I listened to a YouTube video of Paul McCartney doing “It’s Just Another Day.” But it was quite a good day in my hometown, and we invite you to enjoy something about it inside these pages, cover to cover.
Rob, Dear Rob: On behalf of the people served by Mental Health America of Fredericksburg and its Board of Directors, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your support of the 6th annual Walk for Mental Wellness held on May 4th at Hurkamp Park by providing a free promotional ad and two articles about individuals involved with the event… Thanks so much – loved the articles about Dennis Ahearn and Ernie Ackermann! Sincerely, Lynn DelaMer Executive Director
Just a short note to tell you how much I appreciate your response letting me know you’ve received my various submissions to Front Porch. I can rest easy knowing that I’ve done my part in helping local artists get recognition. I can’t think of another publication which consistently gives me that feedback! Thanks again! Fritzi Newton Art First Gallery
China is sending a group of children to the United States this summer for the Cradle of Hope’s “Bridge of Hope” hosting program, July 17 to August 7. Please contact me as soon as possible if you’d like to learn more and apply to host one of these children. Cradle is seeking host families on the East Coast
and Midwest (close to Chicago), but will consider families from other areas on a case by case basis. In most cases, these children’s parents are deceased, and they have been living in very poor circumstances with relatives who can’t support them. They will soon be moved to orphanages. Families have given Chinese authorities permission for children to be adopted so they can live in families who can give them love, care, and better opportunities for their future. However, birth families have the right to change their minds anytime before adoptions are completed. We at Cradle of Hope have revised our hosting guidelines to meet the special circumstances of this program: 1) Families are not required to have full, completed international home studies before children’s arrival, but must obtain police and child abuse clearances and have at least one home visit by a licensed social worker who will provide us with a site visit report. Families must also certify they meet China’s adoption eligibility criteria,
unless an exception has been granted. 2) Host families must be prepared to house the children’s Chinese escort for a few days during the program. The escort will want to get to know your family, monitor how your host child is doing, and send a report back to Chinese authorities about the hosting program. Please contact me at Cradle of Hope ASAP if you’d like to learn more about hosting one of our children this summer.
Patrice Gancie is Director, Bridge of Hope, for the Cradle of Hope Adoption Center in Washington, DC.. 301/5874400 ext. 207, www.cradlehope.org NOTE: Please contact Patrice for full brochure of participating children
Days Gone By Courtesy of the William T. Garnett Collection
Mary Washington Hospital as located on Fall Hill Avenue, the third incarnation of the facility. We have all been there but no one ever wants to go there.
Reach William T. Garnett Antiques at 540-424-2448.
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