Images Charlottesville, VA: 2009

2009 | IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES ®

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

SHINING CORPORATE CITIZENS Charity begins at home for area’s largest employers

MUSIC TO EVERYONE’S EARS Classical series draws top international artists

Estate of Enlightenment Monticello showcases Jefferson’s lasting influence

SPONSORED BY THE CHARLOTTESVILLE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2009 EDITION | VOLUME 6 ®

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CO NTE NT S

CHARLOTTESVILLE BUSINESS

F E AT U R E S 6 ESTATE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Monticello showcases Thomas Jefferson’s vast interests and lasting influence here.

14 SUMMER SCHOOL BECOMES COOL A collaborative effort between school systems and community partners yields a new science camp for students.

16 MUSIC TO EVERYONE’S EARS The Tuesday Evening Concert Series has drawn top classical artists from around the world since 1948.

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

D E PA R TM E NT S 4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Charlottesville culture

8 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Charlottesville

15 Health & Wellness 17 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

ON THE COVER Monticello Photo by Todd Bennett

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imagescharlottesville.com THE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE

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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

MONTICELLO 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.

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

RELOCATION

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

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.

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

PHOTOS

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

We’ve added even more prize-winning photography to our online gallery. To see these spectacular photos, click on Photo Gallery.

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

FACTS & STATS CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Images Charlottesville is published annually

by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce 209 5th Street NE • Charlottesville, VA 22902 Phone: (434) 295-3141 • Fax: (434) 295-3144 www.cvillechamber.com

Go online to learn even more about: • Schools • Health care • Utilities • Parks • Taxes

LOCAL FLAVOR Residents and visitors alike have been pickin’ and grinnin’ at Carter Mountain Orchard since 1974. Get a taste of local flavor in our food section.

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ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Images gives readers a taste of what makes Charlottesville tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

Member Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce

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Large and in Charge Take Note Drum 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 wellknown resource among special event organizers seeking public address and DJ system rentals.

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.

Ahoy, Sperry Charlottesville 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 Naturally Blue 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.

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Almanac

Fast Facts

Presidential Seal of Approval

Q Charlottesville has three sister cities through the Sister Cities International program. They are Bensançon, France; Pleven, Bulgaria; and Poggio a Caiano, Italy.

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.

Q 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.

Charlottesville At A Glance POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE) Greater Charlottesville: 224,995 LOCATION Charlottesville is in central Virginia, 70 miles northwest of Richmond and 110 miles southwest of Washington.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Charlottesville 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 WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Charlottesville at imagescharlottesville.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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BEGINNINGS Charlottesville 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.

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Q Steeplechase races at Foxfield and Montpelier draw horse lovers from around the world.

Q Charlottesville is home to the National Ground Intelligence Center, a U.S. Army/ Department of Defense agency that provides intelligence analysis for our soldiers.

Q 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.

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Q Charlottesville is a hotbed for soccer, both in recreational leagues and at the collegiate level.

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Estate of

Enlightenment MONTICELLO SHOWCASES JEFFERSON’S VAST INTERESTS AND LASTING INFLUENCE

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STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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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 flowers, 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

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Portfolio

Honoring Good Deeds W

Lou and Daniel Jordan are the 2008 Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award recipients.

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henever 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.

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President Madison’s Temple is a key component of his Montpelier estate.

PHOTOS BY TODD BENNETT

Madison’s Legacy Restored T

he 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 100plus 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 CHAR LOT TE SVILLE

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Business

Shining Corporate Citizens CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME FOR TOP EMPLOYERS

STORY BY JOE MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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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.

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WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a peek inside State Farm’s Charlottesville offices at imagescharlottesville.com.

WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a peek inside State Farm’s Charlottesville offices at imagescharlottesville.com.

Approximately 1,500 people work at the State Farm Mid-Atlantic Zone Charlottesville Operations Center.

homework school bus, which provides educational afterschool 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.

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“Our company really stresses giving, because our associates and our customers are all part of the community.”

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.

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Business

Biz Briefs A SAMPLING OF BUSINESSES – LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELPS DEFINE CHARLOTTESVILLE’S STRONG AND WELL-BALANCED ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Scorecard BUSINESS AT A GLANCE

$901,079 Retail sales ($1,000)

$21,997 Retail sales per capita

$153,514 Accommodations and food service sales ($1,000)

5,099 Total number of firms Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

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CITYSPA Biz: day spa Buzz: 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

ADVANCED NETWORK SYSTEMS Biz: 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

FRANKLIN SPRINGS FAMILY MEDIA FUND I Biz: film production fund Buzz: From an expanding group of high networth 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 firm Buzz: 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

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Business | Chamber Report

Strengthening the Core CHAMBER ENHANCES BASIC SERVICES WITH NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMS

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TODD BENNETT

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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 partnerships 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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Education

Summer School Becomes Cool NEW SCIENCE CAMP GIVES STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BETTER INSIGHT ABOUT METEOROLOGY AND ECOLOGY

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he 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 teachers,” Kalagher says. “It’s a way for teachers to learn something new and try

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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 collaboration 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 development 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

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, sixthgrade 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.”

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Health & Wellness

Bridging Generations JEFFERSON AREA BOARD FOR AGING SERVES ALL POINTS OF LIFE CONTINUUM

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harlottesville 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 redesigned 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 multipronged 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 lowincome kids,” Walker says. “It’s all based on the fact that the younger generations are the future older generations.”

– Joe Morris

Mary Harrison works with Montessori School of Charlottesville youth at the JABA Hillsdale Adult Care Center.

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Arts & Culture

Music to Everyone’s Ears TUESDAY EVENING CONCERT SERIES BRINGS TOP ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

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ellist 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 accomplished 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

Cabell Hall Auditorium is home of the Tuesday Evening Concert Series.

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I M AG E S C H A R L O T T E S V I L L E . C O M

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Community Profile

CHARLOTTESVILLE SNAPSHOT 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.

LOCAL UTILITIES AmeriGas Inc. (434) 295-4194

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.

Charlottesville Gas (434) 970-3800 www.charlottesville.org Comcast (434) 951-3700 EMBARQ (434) 971-2989 www.embarq.com NTELOS www.ntelos.com

CLIMATE

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 F January Low Temperature

44 F January High Temperature

65 F July Low Temperature

Charlottesville enjoys four distinct seasons with a climate that is influenced significantly by its central location between

86 F July High Temperature

MORE EO ONLINE imagescharlottesville.com m More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

visit our

advertisers CB Richard Ellis – Charlottesville www.cbre.com/charlottesville CBS 19 www.wcav.tv Charlottesville Gas www.charlottesville.org/gas

CHAR LOT TE SVILLE

Coleman Adams www.coleman-adams.com Monticello www.monticello.org Northrop Grumman/ Sperry Marine www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com

Our Lady of Peace www.our-lady-of-peace.com UVA Health System www.uvahealth.com Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge www.westminstercanterbury.org

I M AG E S C H A R L O T T E S V I L L E . C O M

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Ad Index 1 4 C B R I C H A R D E L L I S – C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E 8 CBS 19 9 C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E G A S 13 CO L E M A N A DA M S 1 6 M O N TI C E L LO C 4 N O RT H RO P G R U M M A N /S P E R RY M A R I N E 1 5 O U R L A DY O F P E AC E C 2 U VA H E A LT H SYS T E M 2 W E S T M I N S T E R C A N T E R B U RY O F T H E B LU E R I D G E