Village: Winter 2016

THE BIG TIME

YOUNG LOCAL ACTORS LAND NATIONAL GIGS

POP ART

GET OUT NOW

A TEEN BAKER STARTS A SWEET BUSINESS

WINTER EVENTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

FOR PARENTS WHO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY HANDY.

WINTER 2016/17

GOOD WORK! 17 WAYS FOR KIDS TO GIVE BACK THIS WINTER

JUST FOR KIDS

JUST FOR MOMS

A1 c-ville NEWvillage CALMING RETREAT

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A SNOWY PHOTO PUZZLE!

At the Virginia Discovery Museum, teens can volunteer to work the front desk or help organize events

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Full language-immersion schooling in French or Spanish for ages 2-6

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For information, an application or to schedule a tour, call or email us today After school French & Spanish enrichment and tutoring for elementary-aged children

Flexible full-day and part-time preschool programs All are welcome at the ISC! Previous exposure to French or Spanish is not required for our programs

Global Adventures Summer Language Camps for kids ages 2-10

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email: info@theISC.org call: (434)984-2174 or visit us online

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830 Monticello Avenue in Downtown Charlottesville

94th Season Holiday Concert

Sunday, December 11 at 3:30 pm Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center at Charlottesville HS Special Guests: Singers from The Oratorio Society of Virginia

FREE Admission with a canned good or non-perishable food item for the Emergency Food Bank

c-ville village 3

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Creating a safe, positive environment for today’s youth is essential to developing strong communities and productive future citizens. Action for All is a sports-driven nonprofit serving children of Central Virginia, ages 5-17. We are focused on developing discipline, dedication and effective leadership skills through rewarding team building and goal setting—skills that benefit them at home, in school, at work and beyond.

Volunteers We are looking for high energy people who love both action sports and kids, to volunteer as instructors and guides. Share your passion for the outdoors and make a difference is a child’s life. Please visit our website for more information.

Winter Ski Trips

Scholarships Each winter we award scholarships to aspiring participants ages 7-17 who wish to join our winter festivities on a regular basis. Please check our website for more details. · Action for All Ski/Snowboard Team Scholarship (Deadline: November 4th) Choose a Race or Freeride Team and Receive an Award up to $500

· USASA Appalachian Series Essay Contest (Deadline: December 5th) Win Free Entry into USASA Appalachian Series Contests

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 9 BEGINNINGS 9

A little chef doing big business.

12 Area thespians step

into the spotlight.

15 One mom’s take on the,

er, lesser-known

development stages.

15 By moms, for moms:

a new relaxation spot.

17 The new face at

Mountaintop Montessori.

18 This season’s events.

20 FEATURE

There’s no time like the holiday season to teach your kids the value of giving back. This issue explores 17 ways to volunteer this winter.

20

29 FOR THE KIDS

Can your youngster find all the changes to this issue’s photo challenge?

30 LIFE LESSONS

Leah Gunnoe’s big (meal) plans.

On the cover: Eliot Harris explores

the Virginia Discovery Museum.

Photo by Jackson Smith.

308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/village

9

17

VILLAGE, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Editor Jessica Luck. Village Editor Caitlin White. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen. Creative Director Bill LeSueur. Graphic Designers Tracy Federico, Henry Jones, Max March, Lorena Perez.

Advertising Director Erica Gentile. Retail Advertising Manager Jim Kelly. Account Executive Hannah Collier, Theressa Leak, Brittany Casstevens. Classified Account Executive Justin McClung.

Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Aimee Atteberry. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. Account Manager Randi Henry. ©2016 C-VILLE Weekly.

c-ville village 7

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Comprehensive care from infancy to young adulthood

beginnings Local theater kids land big gigs (p.12)  One mom’s humorous take on her kids’ major milestones (p.15)  A spot just for mom (p.15)  Mountaintop Montessori's newest addition (p.17)  Get out and do something: More than a dozen events for winter (p.18)

Piece of cake A 12-year-old turns passion into profit

Eighth-grader Ally Miller is already a captain of industry.

MATTHEW BURKE

c-ville village 9

One Day Camp: November 23rd Four Day Camp: December 19th-22nd Ages 5-12 I 9-1pm I Day Campers Welcome

Book online: wineanddesign.com/charlottesville Call: 434-218-3112

10 c-ville village

C OURTESY SUBJECT

LOVE IS IN THE AIR...

FOR A YOUNG teenager, Ally Miller sure has a lot on her plate: She’s an eighth-grader at Henley Middle School, a student at the Wilson School of Dance and the CEO of her own company.

In May, the then-12-year-old founded a custom cake pop company, called Pop Art By Ally, and has so far sold more than 2,000 cake pops in a variety of flavors and designs.

Miller says she has always had a knack for baking sweet treats from scratch, so it didn’t take long for her to turn her hobby into a business.

“I learned how to make [cake pops] from my cousin and I started giving them to my friends and family and they really liked them,” she says. “Then my sister’s friend’s mom asked me to make them for a birthday party and that’s how I got the idea.”

Standing in her kitchen in Crozet, Miller demonstrates the trade she’s mastered. With half dollar-sized balls of cake, which she has already rolled and chilled in the freezer, she skewers each one with a lollipop stick. Holding the

pops by their sticks, she dips them one by one into a vat of melted milk chocolate, gives them a swirl for optimal choco-coverage and, holding her creation in one hand, repeatedly taps her hands together to knock off excess chocolate for a smooth, rounded finish. Miller then pokes her lollipop stick into a holding block and reaches for the next cake pop.

While they’re still warm, she sprinkles the chocolate pops with pearly white sprinkles. This batch is separate from a 60-unit order she’s working on for an upcoming wedding party, but on display on the kitchen counter behind her is a plate of pops with chocolate buttons and a bow tie drawn to resemble a tuxedo, and others crafted with a white chocolate lattice pattern and a ring of pearls that look like a bridal gown.

Miller’s cake pops, which have been sold locally and shipped across the country, come in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and lemon flavors and range from $2 to $4 depending on their design and

place of purchase. So while Green House Coffee, on Crozet Avenue, always has a bundle of Miller’s most basic pops in-house and sells them for $2 each, some of her more time-consuming creations may cost a couple dollars extra.

Miller says one of her favorite pops she has designed so far has been a frothing beer mug for a 40th birthday party.

She has also made kittens, puppies, frogs, apples, strawberries and even Pokeballs, just to name a few, and she’s currently working on design ideas for the upcoming holiday season and the Super Bowl.

“I think Ally’s very creative and detail-oriented,” her dad, Scott Miller, says. “She has a lot of patience and she’s a hard worker.”

While her dad may help if she has a gigantic order to fill (like the 200 pops requested for the 40th birthday party), she does most of the work on her own. And as for the money she’s earned?

“I haven’t really spent it on anything yet,” Miller giggles. “I’ve been saving it.”

Samantha Baars

Summer 2016

HISTORY HOUSE

you

Someone

The storied past of Albemarle’s new venue

like

HAIR INSPO FOR UNFUSSY BRIDES A LOCAL DJ’S TOP REQUESTS REAL-LIFE LOCAL WEDDINGS!

TO GIVE OR NOT TO GIVE? Reciprocating the bridal party invite

THE RESULTS ARE IN...

READERS DECIDE THE AREA’S TOP VENDORS PAGE 85

O N

S T A N D S

N O W !

c-ville village 11

beginnings  cool kids

Triple threat Three local actors getting regional (and national) attention

Finn Faulconer

12, tutored by On Location Educational services

Current role: George in Finding Neverland (now on its first national tour) Charlottesville acting opportunities: A Christmas Carol at Four County Players Fiddler on the Roof at Ash Lawn Opera Les Misérables and To Kill a Mockingbird at Live Arts Mary Poppins at Shenanarts Training: • Ballet, tap, contemporary and hip-hop dance lessons with Charlottesville Ballet Academy • DMR Adventures Dream Team and DMRinNYC • Virginia Consort Choir under Donna Rehorn • Voice lessons with Liz Leone and Doug Schneider • Private audition coaching with Melissa Charles for NYC auditions

How do you find acting opportunities?

My mom found the New York auditions I’ve done on Backstage.com and Actors Access, and also from my NYC-based manager, who scheduled the audition appointments for us.

Why do you enjoy performing?

My favorite part of theater in Charlottesville is the sense of community with the cast. The camaraderie you build is so strong. The show I am working on now, Finding Neverland, is very intense, and everybody is very professional. We are all still close, but I do feel the pressure to up my game. What I love about Finding Neverland is that I get to work with

other boys (the boys are like my brothers) and with dogs!

Words of advice?

Start with community theater. If you don’t get the part you want, do the show anyway and stick with it. Try not to be nervous during auditions—remember that everyone wants you to succeed. Keep auditioning and participate in as many shows as you can!

Anya Rothman 11, sixth grade

Current role: Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Charlottesville acting opportunities: Fiddler on the Roof at Ash Lawn Opera Getting Near to Baby at Live Arts Annie, Once on This Island and Cinderella at DMR Adventures The Sound of Music at Albemarle High School Les Misérables at Charlottesville High School Alice in Wonderland, The Sound of Music and Seussical with Black Box Players (Previously, Anya played Sweetie Pie in Because of Winn-Dixie at Delaware Theatre Company and Annie Who in the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)

Training: • Master classes in acting, singing and dancing; private coaching; DMR All Stars troupe, DMR Dream • Team troupe at DMR Adventures with Melissa Charles • Tap and hip-hop at Charlottesville Ballet Academy • Tap at Live Arts What is your favorite project to date?

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to choose, it would be Because of Winn-Dixie. I especially loved working with the dogs and all the people involved. Plus, since it is a new musical still being developed, I got to work directly with the writers, Nell Benjamin and Duncan Sheik, which was an incredible experience. I made some wonderful friends in the show, too, who I still keep in touch with.

Try not to be nervous during auditions—remember that everyone wants you to succeed. Keep auditioning and participate in as many shows as you can!—Finn Faulconer 12 c-ville village

Finn Faulconer in Finding Neverland

PHOTOS COURTESY SUBJECTS

CHARLOTTESVILLE IS FORTUNATE to boast a rich local theater scene with myriad opportunities to get involved.

Theatrical training is worthwhile even if you don’t have stars in your eyes; but for kids hungry for that theater life, growing up on C’ville’s stages provides the training and support they need to take their next steps.

Read on to learn more about a few local theater kids making it big, regionally and beyond. Miller Murray Susen

Anya Rothman in Annie

Words of advice?

Work and train hard, keep auditioning, learn from your mistakes and don’t give up.

Actors don’t get most of the roles they audition for—that’s a normal part of the business, so don’t take it personally. And don’t be jealous of others—celebrate each other’s successes. Pursue other interests that are not theater-related in the times between shows and auditions. That way you can have many kinds of fun and success.

Mila Cesaretti

15, Charlottesville High School sophomore

Current project: The 39 Steps at CHS, which will compete at the Virginia Theatre Association festival in Norfolk.

Charlottesville acting opportunities: Annie with Black Box Players Annie and Snoopy: The Musical at Four County Players Into the Woods Jr. and Broadway & Beyond cabaret with DMR Adventures Adrenaline Film Project with the Virginia Film Festival Training: • Filmmaking at Light House Studios • Dance lessons at Charlottesville Performing Arts School • Voice lessons with Elaine Brown and Doug Schneider

Winter Art Classes with Lee Alter @ McGuffey ADULTS: Jan. 11 - Mar. 8 | 10-1 pm on Wednesdays Jan. 13 - Mar. 10 | 10-1 pm on Fridays CHILDREN: Jan. 10 - Mar. 7 | 3:30-5:30 Tuesdays Jan. 12 - Mar. 9 | 3:30-5:30 Thursdays Jan. 14 - Mar. 11 | 2-4 Saturdays 9 wks call 434-760-9658 to register Facebook as Lee Alter and lee alter art

Mila Cesaretti in Fiddler on the Roof

How do you find acting opportunities?

I found out about a few training opportunities in New York City from others in our passionate local theater community. I attended Broadway Artists Alliance’s musical theater intensive in New York City for two summers, studying voice and acting. While I was in New York, I was picked up by a New York talent manager and, subsequently, an agent. Last summer, I trained more intensively in acting at the Stella Adler Studio’s Teen Summer Conservatory in NYC. I got support and training for that audition from local experts like Boomie Pedersen, and recommendations from my CHS teacher, David Becker. I’ve also performed in Richmond, playing Shprintze in Fiddler on the Roof at Virginia Repertory Theater.

www.leealterartist.com • call 760-9658

Thomas Wills, MD Michael Levit, MD Peggy Willis, NP

What is your favorite project to date?

Probably Fiddler on the Roof, as I liked the intensity and professionalism.

Words of advice?

No matter how talented you are, you will always face rejection in this field. Don’t let the “no’s” get you down—just keep doing what you love, and your passion will keep you going.

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Barracks Road Center

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We can donate ice cream, or volunteer to help you reach your goals!

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A one act stage adaptation of the beloved Holiday Classic!

November 18th – December 11th on the Mainstage

Call To Order:

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3

any size ice cream cake!

12/31/16 Expires 5/15/15.

This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts, coupons, or promotions.

Online tickets & info: www.fourcp.org Box Office: 540.832.5355 $16/Adults; $15/Seniors & Students; $14 Children 12 & Under All Friday tickets are half-price (half of a regular adult ticket)

 funny bone

beginnings  relax

Spa day A new spot for moms is encouraging alone time

From here to teenager Those lesser-known parenting milestones Age 6 months: Finally sleeps through night.

Age 9 months: Stops sleeping through night.

Age 1: Finally sleeps through night. I mean, sometimes?

Age 1.5: Can eat all allergen foods. Wait, except peanuts. No, wait, do you now introduce those before 1? Gah. Age 2: Potty trained. Just kidding.

Age 3: Preschool! Everyone in household comes down with cold that will last for next 10 years.

Age 4: Stops sucking thumb. Just kidding.

Age 5: Kindergarten! Even though you couldn’t wait, spend all of week one sobbing over baby pictures.

Age 6: Rides a bike. Or did that one time. Now scooters exclusively.

“MOMS DESERVE TO have a space that is dedicated just to them.”

Mary Coleman should know. As a mother of seven, she’s the entrepreneur behind Ma Spa, a new business in the Legend Building on Woodbrook Drive in Charlottesville.

Ma Spa’s slogan pretty much sums it up: “Come pamper your soul.” Coleman offers moms of all ages a spa-like place to nurture their heart and faith. Visitors come for 75-minute classes that begin with biblical principles and include ample time for moms to share and discuss ideas that strengthen and empower them as mothers.

Before and after classes, mothers are encouraged to enjoy some downtime in the studio for coffee and conversation, or just relaxation and reflection.

The idea stemmed from Coleman’s own experiences.

“When I was younger and a new mom, I was so obsessed with being perfect, and it created a lot of guilt,” Coleman says.

“Anything I can do to help other moms became my mission.”

Humble beginnings

Coleman started this concept in her home a few years ago and called it the Mom Shop.

She’d invite only as many as her table could seat, and serve them supper in addition to hosting the discussion time. Even though she now has the expanded space the Legend

Building offers, she still intentionally keeps the classes small because, “once you get past six women it’s hard for everyone to get a word in. Everyone should feel that they can share their own heart.”

Her website, maspacville.com, offers a current list of classes, topics and times, which change each month. Generally the moms who attend are between 25-35 years old, but some are older and Coleman emphasizes that all are welcome. To attract a wide age range, she even offers a class on mothering adult children.

“We all have new things we can learn, and each season of life brings with it new burdens or worries or adventures. I hope to help everyone at every stage.”

That’s a core part of her philosophy, as is asking moms to leave their children at home.

“That’s the message I didn’t understand back then, that I needed time away from my child. All moms need kid-free time.”

While she’s just opened Ma Spa, she’s already thinking about the future of the business. In an ideal world, she’d love to have a coffee shop in the front and hold classes in the back. She said some people are having a hard time wrapping their head around the spa-like concept she’s offering, but she’s firm about her belief that in addition to pampering our bodies, “our hearts and our faith deserve attention too.” Lynn Thorne

Age 7: Lies on floor every afternoon sobbing over math worksheet that would take six minutes to complete if they would actually do it.

On the other hand: WHY DO THEY HAVE HOMEWORK. Age 9: Wants to read The Hunger Games, and you let them because at least it’s not a phone.

Age 10: Can finally tie shoes. Not that they have ever before now had shoes that weren’t slip-ons.

Age 11: Middle school! Overnight they have B.O. and pimples.

Age 12: Suddenly actually really fun to watch their sports games.

Age 13: Teenager! Even though you couldn’t wait, spend all of week one sobbing over baby pictures. Miller Murray Susen

Ma Spa owner Mary Coleman hopes to give moms room to recharge.

MATTHEW BURKE

Age 8: Wants a phone.

c-ville village 15

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16 c-ville village

beginnings  educators

Patricia Colby became interested in the Montessori method after researching schools for her daughter.

MOUNTAINTOP MONTESSORI’S NEW head of school, Patricia Colby, has spent most of her adult life working in education. From South America to California to New York, Colby’s journey to Charlottesville has been long and fascinating.

After completing her undergrad work at the University of Houston, the Venezuela native pursued a doctoral degree in social psychology from the University of California, Davis, studying human adjustment—a field that is now called Positive Psychology.

“I was interested in learning what makes people thrive,” says Colby. “And this interest led me to education and goal-setting—I wanted to know what makes people feel good and perform at their best. I wanted to understand how that process worked and how it might be systematized.”

After graduation, Colby took a position at Skidmore College in New York, where she taught for six years before moving back to California and starting a family.

“My plan was always to go back to work as a college educator,” says Colby. “So when my daughter got to be preschool-aged, I

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started looking into programs. I read about Montessori, and I thought, ‘This is the school I want to have my child in.’”

An educational model that gives students a less-structured learning environment, Montessori struck a chord with Colby. She started volunteering and, eventually, decided to put her higher-ed teaching career on hold to learn more about Montessori methods. After 10 years in the

PAGE 31

BE IN THE

ER 2016 NOVEMB

KEITH ALAN SPROUSE

Head of the class Mountaintop Montessori’s newest addition

There’s no place like

classroom, Colby then took on an administrative role. She and her family moved to Charlottesville four years later.

“Seeing the methods and techniques the classrooms had in place, I thought back to my research and realized they were doing all the right things,” she says. “Only here, they were doing it right away; from the get-go they were giving the kids the tools they needed to thrive.” Eric Wallace

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c-ville village 17

Here come the brides C-VILLE Weddings provides brides-to-be with a comprehensive guide to planning their big day. Make us the first stop on the road to wedded bliss.

Summer 2016

you

Someone

HISTORY HOUSE The storied past of Albemarle’s new venue

like

HAIR INSPO FOR UNFUSSY BRIDES A LOCAL DJ’S TOP REQUESTS REAL-LIFE LOCAL WEDDINGS!

TO GIVE OR NOT ?

TO GIVE the Reciprocating bridal party invite

O N

S T A N D S

THE RESULTS ARE IN...

READERS DECIDE THE AREA’S TOP VENDORS PAGE 85

N O W !

beginnings  events

Mark your calendar Don’t go into hibernation just yet. Once it turns cold, the city is a winter wonderland of fun activities for the whole family.

McCormick Observatory Public Nights First and third Fridays View celestial objects through the historic 26-inch McCormick Refractor, tour the observatory and see exhibits. Free, 9-11pm.

530 McCormick Rd., 924-7494. astronomy. as.virginia.edu

Dance & Step Competition November 12 Some of the top college, high school and community teams throughout the region perform for $2,000, a giant trophy and endless bragging rights. Get tickets early—this event (now in its 10th year) sells out fast. $15.25 in advance; $18.25 day of event. 3pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St. (Downtown Mall), 979-1333. theparamount.net

A Charlie Brown Christmas November 18-December 11 Charlie Brown and friends help remember the true meaning of Christmas. Based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson. $14-16. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

Family Art Jam November 19 Kids take an interactive tour of the Fralin museum and, afterward, participate in a hands-on art activity (November’s session is print-focused) introducing them to new materials and techniques. Parents serve as assistants, models and collaborators. Free; registration required. 1-3pm: 5- to-7-yearolds and their parents; 3-5pm: 8- to -12-yearolds and their parents. Fralin Museum of Art, 155 Rugby Rd. virginia.edu/artmuseum

MICHAEL BAILEY

Tots and Dots

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol December 2-26 Charles Dickens’ classic story—with Marley, the three Christmas ghosts, the Cratchits and Tiny Tim—boasts enough music and cheer for the whole family. $29-54. American Shakespeare Center, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Monticello Holiday Classic 5K December 3 This family-oriented 5K race begins at Monticello’s East Walk and ends at the visitor center. Kids 12 and under are invited to run the Deck the Halls Kids Dash, a loop around the West Lawn of the little mountain. $10 (Kids Dash); $35 (5K). 8-10am.

Race begins at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

December 6, February 7 Jump-start your child’s art education with a lesson in basic visual elements, followed by multisensory art play. Free for kids 6 months to 4 years old; 10am, 11am and noon.

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum, 400 Worrell Dr., 244-0234. kluge-ruhe.org

At the ballet

Virginia Discovery Museum’s Pay What You Wish Day

Magical props, a 60' tree and spectacular Russian costumes on display at this lauded event. $30.50-177.50.

Noon, 4pm and 8pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St. (Downtown Mall). theparamount.net

December 7, January 4, February 8 Every first Wednesday of the month, pay what you wish to gain access to the Virginia Discovery Museum’s exhibits— from Amazing Airways and the STEM Lab to the Construction Zone and the Sensory Studio. Donations accepted, 10am-5pm.

Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St. (Downtown Mall), 977-1025. vadm.org

Vocalosity January 28 This live concert event from artistic producer Deke Sharon (Pitch Perfect, “The Sing-Off”) features a group of young vocalists singing everything from 10th century Gregorian chants to doowop to Top 40, while dancing to direction and choreography from Stomp original cast member Sean Curran. $24.75-44.75.

8pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St. (Downtown Mall), 979-1333. theparamount.net

Want to make The Nutcracker a family holiday tradition? You have three opportunities this year.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker December 18

The Nutcracker with the Richmond Symphony December 10-23

The Richmond Ballet’s take on the classic, with new costumes, scenery and characters introduced in 2015. $20-125. Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage, 600 E. Grace St., Richmond. richmondballet.com

Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker December 17-22

$20-75. V. Earl Dickinson Building for Humanities at Piedmont Virginia Community College, 501 College Dr. charlottesvilleballet.com

Tots and Dots

December 3, 4, 10 and 11 Create a sweet house that Thomas Jefferson himself would be proud of. Make a mini Monticello or keep things traditional during this two-hour workshop, where cookies and cider will fuel your creativity.

Recommended for families with children 5 and older. $55 (family pass for four people, includes supplies). 2-4pm. Woodland Pavilion at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center. monticello.org

COURTESY KLUGE-RUHE ABORIGINAL ART MUSEUM

Monticello Gingerbread House Family Workshop

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BY SHEA GIBBS & WISTAR MURRAY

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WAYS TO GET IN A SPIRIT OF GIVING

EZE AMOS

DO GOOD

While it’s important to be generous year-round, the holidays provide parents with an opportune time to teach kids about giving back, either by donating their time or goods to those in need. Here are some local ways to help out this season, from food-delivery to gift-wrapping.

EZE AMOS

Bri Chrispin, pictured here goofing around with her Little, Ty’Mirra, started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters because, she says, she “always wanted a little sister.”

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Teen volunteer Kit Tremaglio helps out with JMRL’s Star Wars Reads Day.

Mature teens who have graduated from high school and want to give back to their community may be drawn to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Certain “Littles” (ages 6 through 18) might benefit from being mentored by an energetic young-adult “Big” who overcame his or her own childhood struggles relatively recently. The proximity in age could uniquely qualify the Big to understand what the Little is experiencing.

The Blue Ridge Bigs match support team is always meticulous in placing Littles with Bigs, assessing a number of personal factors when they make their matches. After all, the Big/Little relationship is a bond that might last for many years. And the reciprocal benefits endure forever. When teen volunteer Bri Chrispin joined the program, she was motivated in part because she’d “always wanted a little sister.” Mentoring has taught her the importance of patience as well as influence: “Once a Big, you really have to be careful of the words you speak and your actions,” she says. “A child’s mind absorbs so much, and if we, as their mentor, aren’t acting right, how are we to teach them?” Teens are also welcome to volunteer to offer childcare during parent orientation. blueridgebigs.org EXTRA CREDIT

Raise the woof

Make dog treats at home and hand-deliver them to the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA. Or, if your little one is too young for baking, gather blankets and donate them to the shelter.

Best for bookworms

Volunteering at Jefferson-Madison Regional Library teaches kids all the skills they’re likely to need when they enter the workforce—but hopefully they won’t notice with all the fun.

Sure, kids 13 and older who sign up to help at JMRL can expect to learn how to

MARTYN KYLE

Better together

DO GOOD

EXTRA CREDIT

Bake more Make a few extra pies during Thanksgiving dinner prep and bring them to the local firestation for those working over the holidays.

use a copy machine, laminate, operate a die-cutter and generally organize materials for library programs. But it’s the programs, like the recent Star Wars Reads Day, that will keep them interested and coming back for more.

“Teen volunteers help staff with a variety of things,” says Tim Carrier, JMRL’s young adult services manager who coordinates the teen volunteer program. “They may help us get together booklists or brochures.

We also get them out to the branches and into the public. They do provide a lot of helpful service for us.”

Young people can also get involved with the library’s teen advisory board, which meets with a staff member once a month to offer input on the library’s programs.

The advisory board is the teens’ chance to push projects “that benefit the library and to help actually implement a big program,” Carrier says.

According to Carrier, volunteer need at JMRL is branch-specific, so teens and parents looking to sign up at specific locations may or may not find a spot. Being open to work wherever there’s a need will improve your chances. jmrl.org

Restorative riding

Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy is a unique volunteer experience for kids who want to help others with special needs— well, because horses.

“Mainly what it is is seeing the progress of the kids,” says Sarah Daly, CART’s director and an instructor. “And it’s especially great if they like being outdoors and loving horses. That’s it, you know—loving animals and people.”

CART offers therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults with conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, spinal cord/brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida and hearing/visual impairments. The riding, which provides patients with much of the same physical benefits as walking or running, has been shown to improve those with special needs’ physical and emotional well-being.

Teens 14 and up are invaluable helpers for the program, according to Daly, as they walk alongside or in front of the mounted horses during classes. Certified instructors like Daly lead the courses and offer training to each volunteer. Classes are one hour, once a week, and each session is eight to 10 weeks.

“People that are interested will just call up,” Daly says. “The one thing is they can’t be afraid of horses.” cartcrozet.org CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

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DO GOOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

Special delivery

Kathy O’Connell first began volunteering at Meals on Wheels of Charlottesville/ Albemarle because she was looking for something she could do with her preschoolaged daughter. She is now the assistant director of the nonprofit, and knows firsthand that MOW is a powerful way for families to bond while they serve their community.

EXTRA CREDIT

Want to do something nice but stay out of the spotlight? Tape loose change to a drink machine for the next person who uses it or drop some extra quarters in a stranger’s almost-expired parking meter.

Each day, more than 30 volunteers pack and deliver approximately 275 hot meals to locals who are homebound due to aging, illness or recovery. Close relationships between drivers and those they serve inevitably develop along regular routes.

Sometimes these Meals on Wheels volunteers are the only people a client sees that day. Deliveries are a special opportunity for kids to get to know folks of different ages and backgrounds. And for a small child, ringing doorbells and donating meals can feel like an adventure.

Volunteers have been known to bring children, grandchildren and even newborn babies along on their routes and they often find that clients welcome the sight of younger generations. Kids who aren’t free for lunchtime deliveries can still volunteer to pack “Blizzard Bags” of nonperishable items for clients to have on hand when the roads are impassable. The MOW organization encourages parents to work together with their children to help their community. “Families have so little time together as it is,” says O’Connell. cvillemeals.org

Play time

If your teen is bogged down by adult responsibilities, volunteering at the

JACKSON SMITH

Secret Santa

Virginia Discovery Museum might be just what he or she needs to reconnect with the child within. Volunteers at the downtown institution are encouraged to interact with young museumgoers as much as possible.

This means that playing with toys is a big part of the job description. During their shifts, volunteers are also tasked with maintaining the museum’s safe environment and tidying the exhibits, because as Director of Operations Lindsay Jones says about the museum’s famous collection of cars, trains, costumes, crafts, building blocks and books: “Everything travels.”

Due to the small size of the museum’s permanent staff, enthusiastic volunteers (ranging in age from 15 to 85) are crucial to keeping the galleries open to young visitors. Teens who volunteer their time can expect to gain valuable job experience, hone their intergenerational social skills and teach kids a little something about how the world works. Teens who EXTRA CREDIT

Warm wishes Organize a pajama drive for kids at local homeless shelters. Gather up gently worn clothing and ask friends and neighbors to do the same.

EXTRA CREDIT

Mail call Leave a small gift (a gift card to a local coffee shop, for instance) for your family’s regular postal worker.

can’t commit to a regular volunteering gig during the school year can help out at annual special events like the Discovery Dash, the Boo Bash and the Santa Pancake Breakfast, or they can intern at the museum during the summer months for school credit. vadm.org

At the table

Food inspires strong feedback in just about every kid on the planet. Children all have their favorite dishes and those that they categorically refuse to eat. So volunteering at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank might be appealing on a visceral level, especially when kids learn that food insecurity affects one in six of their young peers.

Volunteers need to be 12 or older to work in the warehouse, but kids of any age can serve as “Hunger Heroes” by organizing CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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DO GOOD

EXTRA CREDIT

Helping hands Volunteer to help an elderly neighbor by raking leaves or shoveling snow.

Making house calls

Most folks know Habitat for Humanity builds affordable housing for those in need. What they might not know is all the other fun and philanthropic things the organization does.

And while Habitat’s construction projects are, for the most part, limited to those 18 and up, kids of all ages can get involved in other ways, be it in the Habitat Store or organizing events like the annual Rake-a-Thon.

“The Rake-a-Thon event planning is supported by our Youth United Team—a group of 10 high school students from six different schools in Albemarle County,” volunteer engagement associate Amy Allamong says. “It gives them a chance to see what it takes to plan a successful event, and they recruit fellow students to join with them the day of.”

The Rake-a-Thon is held every year in November, but young volunteers have opportunities to help the homeless or those in danger of becoming homeless year-round.

In addition to helping out around Habitat’s local secondhand store, young folks can organize or participate in the Lego Build—“a

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youth activity we use to teach what a ‘safe, decent, affordable’ home means,” according to Allamong—or the lunch bunch, where groups of volunteers bring a midday meal to Habitat construction sites.

“We really like to hit home on what it means to have a place to live...What does having a stable home mean?” Allamong says. “A lot of children might grow up in a family that moves every six months. We want young people to know what it might mean if they didn’t have to do that.” cvillehabitat.org

Hands-on history

Ryleigh Katstra helps continue the Neighbors-4-Neighbors program, a campaign that has provided for more than 300,000 food-insecure people in the region since its inception.

Though teens may initially be turned off by volunteering anywhere with the word “school” in its name, you can assure them that they won’t be taking any pop quizzes at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Instead, they’ll get the opportunity to flex their creative muscles by helping to plan community programs like open mic nights, story slams and cookoffs at the legendary Starr Hill school.

With help from young volunteers, last summer’s Day Soiree brought alumni together for festivities as the historic institution celebrated 150 years of history with art, food, games and live music.

Renowned activists, academics and historians are often scheduled to speak at the Heritage Center on a range of topics relating to diversity in our community. And a gallery boasts the permanent collection, Pride Overcomes Prejudice, as well as rotating exhibits of contemporary artists.

Teen volunteers at the center also get the opportunity to research Charlottesville’s EXTRA CREDIT

Home away from home Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to stay while caring for their ill children and there are a number of ways other families can help keep the space clean, comfortable and well-stocked with food and amenities. Visit rmhcharlottesville.org to find out more about volunteer opportunities.

RAMMELKAMP FOTO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

food drives in their schools or neighborhoods, like UVA grad Nicole Muller of Albemarle County, who, when she was only 16, launched the now-national Neighbors4-Neighbors food drive. Since its inception, the campaign has provided meals for more than 300,000 food-insecure people in the region. Charlottesville teenager Ryleigh Katstra has since upheld Muller’s legacy with food drives of her own, and this year mobilized Neighbors-4-Neighbors campaigns at 30 schools. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s website provides kits that contain all the materials that Hunger Heroes need to get started. brafb.org

African-American history, which was especially rich in the neighboring Vinegar Hill neighborhood. If event planning and local history don’t immediately entice service-minded teens, caffeine might. The Heritage Center’s coffee bar is also run by volunteers. jeffschoolheritagecenter.org

EXTRA CREDIT

Get crafty The Wildlife Center is always in need of tail guards (stiff plastic covers that prevent breakage in the raptors’ tail feathers), made from plastic file folders; baby bird nests, knitted or crocheted from yarn; and crate covers in neutral colors, which provide privacy for animals traveling in crates.

Gifts that keep giving

Christmas is 15-year-old Mariah Payne’s favorite holiday. And through the support of her parents and church, she’s come to appreciate giving back. So what better way to get involved than through Be a Santa to a Senior, Home Instead Senior Care’s annual gift drive?

“I love it,” Payne says. “You don’t have to do a lot, and you can make someone’s day.

It’s a nice feeling that you can make people happy just by wrapping gifts.”

Home Instead has been sponsoring Be a Santa to Senior, where elderly in need submit a few gift requests and donors give money to buy them or the time it takes to wrap them, since 2003. In the last 13 years, 60,000 volunteers have given 1.2 million gifts to 700,000 senior citizens.

Brittany Gilliam, Home Instead’s administrative assistant and holiday program coordinator, says the local chapter wants to take the program a step further this year and have volunteers adopt lonely seniors and spend time with them, bring them gifts or make them meals.

Payne says she’ll definitely be up for the changes.

“It would be nice to meet some of the people to see the smiles on their faces,” she says. beasantatoasenior.com

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Sign up in November, and perform in the Spring!

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c-ville village 29 1. Turned the STOP sign around. 2. Changed the street name.

3. Changed the color of the sled. 4. Swapped the hats.

5. Removed a window in the middle house. 6. Removed the chimney from the left house. 7. Added a snowman.

8. Removed the Volkswagen in the background. 9. Changed the color of the car. 10. Added two more sledders to the photo.

We’ve made 10 changes to the bottom photo. See if you can find them all!

Picture and picture for the kids

life lessons

Kids’ menu LEAH GUNNOE HAS more than 10 years of experience in the kitchen—and she’s only 13.

“When I was about 2,” says the Tandem Friends School eighth-grader, “my mom would go to her book club and my dad and I would make Chef Boyardee pizza together.” Her interest in cooking didn’t stop there. Over the past few years, she has attended summer classes at the Charlottesville Cooking School, where she learned to make one of her favorite recipes, French crêpes, and develop her own original recipe: a fruit pie layered with crust made from scratch and served with homemade whipped cream. Eventually, she says, she’d like to open a restaurant with her dad.

“When I was really young,” Gunnoe says, “we both decided that we didn’t want the kids’ menu to just be chicken nuggets, hamburgers and hot dogs.

We wanted it to be something special and something that wouldn’t normally be on a kids’ menu. So we picked shrimp Alfredo.”

As for advice to people her age, Gunnoe says this: “Cooking is fun, so even if you’re not good at it, you should try it and try new recipes and be creative.”

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After a lesson about nomads sparked her curiousity about prehistoric homes, she researched and built a wattle & daub shelter behind her classroom.

Having found the square of 5,736 using the Montessori peg board, they can teach their younger classmates how to use this compelling Montessori material.

Thanks to his work in the garden this summer, his friends will enjoy a bountiful harvest throughout the fall.

Learning is creative in our open and exploratory environment.

Learning is leadership in our mixedage classrooms.

Learning is messy (but delicious) in our gardens and kitchens.

Openings available for elementary students for 2016-2017!

Call 979.8886 to schedule a tour.

mountaintopmontessori.org

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Everyone Deserves a Slice of the Pie Special Olympics • JABA • Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Salvation Army • Albemarle HS Chorus • Monticello HS Independence Resource Center • Toy Lift • March of Dimes Goodwill Industries • Thomas Jefferson Food Bank • SARA Make A Wish Foundation • St. Judes • Kluge Children’s Rehab • Habitat for Humanity • Ronald McDonald House Mosby Foundation • Shelter for Help in Emergency ARC of the Piedmont • Albemarle Fire & Rescue Virginia Wounded Warrior Program • Caring for Creatures • ARC of the Piedmont • SPCA • SOCA • Live Arts • H.O.W.S.

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