At The Heart of Virginia Foundation, Every Day is an Earth Day

When we asked founders Nancy Hunter and Tommy Edwards if they wouldn't mind us coming to find out about the Heart of Virginia Foundation, we didn't expect to have this much fun over a really serious cause. Although we shot this short interview on Earth Day, the fact that the Heart of VA's new Center for Integrated Arts is housed at Grandin Gardens and offers programs which involves its participants in art, poetry and music makes every day an "earth day" experience.

Their Mission and Campaign page of their website explains it best, "The mission of the Center for Integrated Arts is to advance public awareness and increase opportunities for our community to experience the wellness and healing benefits of expressive arts and therapies. Group and Individual Programs will be person-centered and accommodate special needs. The center may incorporate and integrate existing programs and organizations that are in alignment with or mission, as well as, offer new programs that will allow for organic growth a greater understanding of sustainable living in the 21st century and beyond. Opportunities will include, art and music therapies, fine arts education and instruction, performing arts, media arts, healing arts, physical arts, meditative arts, drama, dance, live performances, exhibits, support groups, mentoring programs and various other community activities."

Please visit The Heart of Virginia Foundation's website for more information, whether it be for you, someone you know, or to find out how you can be of valuable help to your friends and neighbors. And it is a neighborhood, a community, and a piece of the global village - back in my time (oh, at least a century ago) we called it "a small world."

What the Heart of VA does, however, is in no way small. It is nothing short HUGE, as is Tommy and Nancy's heart and dedication to their movement in providing a key answer to the stigma of mental illness through their concerted efforts and the fruits of its highly needed volunteerism.

PS: The band that is playing in the background and on camera at the Grandin Gardens in this footage is called The Flying Rugs. Please check them out on My Space by clicking on their name above. Their music is Americana-Folk Rock and we were delighted to have their wonderful talent included in the video!!

Earthquake Roanoke-Style

Hi Y'all! This graphic to the left is courtesy of WSLS of Roanoke, VA. I don't think we had much of anything over which to take a picture or a video of regarding this morning's earthquake - Thank Heavens!!!

However, the US Geological Survey has upped our inital level from a 2.6 magnitude to a 3.0 magnitude earthquake. (I did not feel anything this morning, but that may be due either to working in Entertainment - which means late nights and passing out dead - or to living out in North County, close to Botetourt... I dunno).

In the WSLS report today, Dr. Martin Chapman at the seismological observatory at Virginia Tech stated, “A magnitude three earthquake like we had today would be about a thousand times bigger than a magnitude zero earthquake."

Indeed, that is cause for excitement, both scary and otherwise, if you were awake to have felt it. I lived in Central New Jersey all my life before coming here in 2005, and experienced only one such small earthquake (for which I had been awake). The bed shook, as I recall. It also sounded like a distant rumble of thunder yet you knew it was very nearby as it permeated the darkness of night and did not have the distinct echo of actual far-away thunder. It could be felt through the membranes of your very marrow. Spooky...

I did notice something unusual last night, though. My house is not prone to settling, yet every so often, there were creeks and pops a little around the time before the hour of this quake, which is officially stated to have happened at 4am. I was awake up until about 3am. (Sort of awake, reading a book after a long day of editing and mixing a local songwriter's live CD.)

Well, let's all be glad this wasn't anything more dramatic than something to talk about today. In fact, I had no idea until Ms. Pearl Fu of Local Colors mentioned it on stage at this year's Annual Local Colors event at Elmwood Park in Downtown Roanoke this morning.

By the way, we went out to shoot footage of Local Colors. We'll bring you the video and a blog post on it early this next week. (I ran 3 hours of tape very easily. There was SOOOO much cool stuff that went on, I just couldn't shut the camera off!!)

Hopefully, this quake isn't a pre-shock and will remain a one-off for now. The bigger quake today was definitely the Local Colors festivities!!

Spotlight on SW Roanoke Laser Cosmetics

One of the things Star City Fame does is showcase various Arts and Entertainment around town. But we also like to tell you about Roanoke's rising businesses and services.

This past week, Hans Moore of Ahhapictures and Ron (that's me) at Star City Fame began a small series of shoots at a Cosmetic Surgery center in SW Roanoke. Kathleen Palmerton-Gorman is the Licensed Master Esthetician performing the Laser Skin Resurfacing in the videos we'll be editing and presenting online.

I have never seen this procedure done before, and was quite nervous about witnessing something that might make me dizzy and faint. (I'm such a wuss.) Well, that never happened. In fact, both the videographers (Hans and I) and the patients had absolutely no problem getting through their short procedure. (Thank heavens!!) If any of you have ever had a tattoo done, that's about how intense it seems, and the patients claim it feels similar to getting a bit of sunburn. Actually, since the patient is given an anesthetizing cream on their skin, it's unfair to compare it to tattoos. There is virtually no pain involved. The few days it takes to heal does resemble having been in the sun, including that peeling process one goes through afterwards. Definitely tolerable.

About Hans - what he likes to do (and you can catch his stuff on YouTube) is show exactly what goes on during laser surgery in a documentary-style way. This helps anyone who is interested in getting laser surgery done for themselves by viewing the procedure from start to finish, as well as the "after" footage (which will be added progressively) on how the patient is healing in the coming days.

Ms Palmerton-Gorman was gracious enough to allow our cameras inside the "operating room" to film all the details - much of it very up-close. Her practice is growing, and this series of shoots will aim to bring awareness to the benefits of having laser cosmetic surgery done for any interested individuals, while answering the many questions potential clients may have just by watching the videos. It will also give you a chance to meet Kathleen and learn about her expertise in the field.

Here are some before and after pictures, courtesy Southwest Virginia Center at http://www.swvacenter.com/



Kathleen's office is at the Southwest Virginia Center on Colonnade Drive in SW County, Roanoke. She will give you a free skin consultation if you contact her (540) 989-6361 or email her at kpalmerton@swvacenter.com.

We're excited for Kathleen and looking forward to presenting her practice on the Star City Fame website as one of our Premier Providers in Roanoke because we enjoy showcasing the awesome business talent in our great Valley!

Upcoming Coverage of The Heart of VA and Earth Day 2009

Earth Day Festivities last Saturday April 18th were held in conjunction with The Heart Of VA Foundation and its Center for the Intergrated Arts along with Grandin Gardens, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, and other supporters in the Grandin Area of Roanoke.

There were displays of art and sculpture along with the free live music. Amongst some of the vendors were Local Roots Café, Dogtown Pizza, and Star City Coffee.

Leda and I spent the afternoon taking in the live music in the neighborhood and visited with its founders Tommy Edwards and Nancy Hunter. We will have the interview with Tommy posted here within the week or so that Tommy graciously provided for the benefit of educating our blog’s readership on his foundation’s mission.

The Center for Integrated Arts is still in the process of renovating its cottage. The Heart of VA is planning a grand opening, which was moved to a later date to accommodate the completion of its renovations. They are seeking volunteers to give them a hand, which is a great opportunity for many Roanokers to participate in and take pride in their community efforts. We urge you to visit their website for more information on how to be of service.

Here is a listing of artistic programs they offer at:
CENTER FOR INTEGRATED ARTS SPRING 2009 ACTIVITIES
Spring Session runs May 4 - June 6, 2009. Please email nancy@theheartofva.org for a registration form. Registration begins Saturday, April 11, 2009.

Tuesday Nights 6:30-9pm: Slow Jam with Joanne McGowan Slow Jam is open to all, but geared toward less experienced folks. Those with more experience are welcome to share their knowledge. Acoustic instruments, mostly bluegrass & traditional style music. Guitar pickers, fiddlers, banjo & mandolin pickers, upright bass players... come on out to jam! BYO non-alcoholic beverage. There is no activity fee. Donations are accepted.

Wednesday Nights 6-7pm: Theatre as a Healing Art with Vivian Gibbons Through the use of acting exercises and technique we will make our stories come to life. As a group and as individuals we will gain trust in one another and in ourselves. This will allow the release of parts of the self that would have otherwise remained hidden. The end goal is enhancing the ability to express ourselves more fully in daily life. Activity Fee: $15

Saturday Afternoons 1-2p: Children and the Theatre with Vivian Gibbons Children are naturally drawn to movement and story. We will come together as a group to practice beginning theatre technique, acting exercises and stage presence. The main components in this workshop will be improvisation, ‘acting out,’ making faces, and telling our own stories. At the end of the workshop we will have a small performance for friends and family, so they can see our progress. Activity Fee: $15

Please stay tuned for videos of the event. And as always - keep a lookout for us!
See you around Roanoke!!

The Kite Festival was Great!

Were you there??? Leda and I went to this year's Annual Kite Festival at Greenhill Park in Salem, Virginia. We met a lot of wonderful people, saw incredibly beautiful kites, learned about kite-making, and even got some info - like...

Kite flying is an art AND a sport, and that there is actually a kite museum and Hall of Fame for kites (in the state of Washington)!!!

This event was hosted by The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce, and presented by the Richmond Air Force Kite Club and the American Kite Flyers Association. Music during the event was provided by the American Kite Flyers Association as well. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we were able to shoot just about everything that went on during the day... it was hard to edit out stuff because every minute of it was FUN!!

Well, we'll be back to bring you more events in the Roanoke Valley really soon. It's been a lovely Spring so far and - oh, yes - there are many, many things to do out there!! Come back and join us for more...

11th Annual Kite Festival at Green Hill Park 4/18/09

Blue Ridge Kite Festival

Hi, I am Leda Sapp, the flava of STAR CITY FAME. My partner Ron and I are so excited about attending the 11th Annual Kite Festival this year (presented by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce). We’ll be there doing some video coverage. This will be Ron’s first time attending the Festival and my third. All three of my experiences at the Kite fest have been awesome. The very first time was the best. I had never been to any Kite festival before that. Green Hill Park has this fabulous huge open air space. When the sun and wind are at its best - the sky above is phenomenal, filled with an array of colorful kites. I remember lying on the blanket and gazing at the sky full of beautifully colored kites and enchanting white clouds. I know I laid there for over an hour. The sounds of children laughing and playing gave me a sense of the past when families spent more time together. This event is the ultimate for great family time for any age, any culture. I believe that every person in the Valley should experience the Kite Fest.

Here are the details for the Kite Festival - courtesy the Chamber’s website:
http://65.169.107.89/Section_Cat_Content_Detail.asp?SID=30&SCAT=43&ID=42

“The skies above Roanoke County’s Green Hill Park will be filled with kites on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features free t-shirts and kites for children along with lots of additional kid friendly activities provided by sponsors. This year’s attendance is expected to be over 10,000. So come early and enjoy the entire day.
The Award Winning Richmond Air Force Kite Club will present a colorful and interactive kite show and exhibition during the event, which is sanctioned by the American Kite Flyers Association. A variety of food vendors, arts and craft vendors and activities for children also add to the excitement of the day.
If you would like to be a vendor, sponsor, or need more information, please call the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce office at 540-387-0267.”

Going to the Art By Night Gallery Tour

Every first Thursday of each month, Art by Night sets up a "Gallery Crawl" to showcase Art Galleries in the Downtown Roanoke district. Have you gone to it yet?

In their words, "Art By Night is a unique cultural event that showcases Roanoke’s thriving arts community, featuring the diverse galleries in the historic downtown area. You will find regional, national and international fine art, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, textiles, photography & more. There are opening receptions, demonstrations, refreshments, live music and as much talk about art as you can stand!"

I've been to some of the galleries, yet I have not taken this tour. I love first times!! You can do it by walking, or you can be shuttled about in a complimentary limousine. How neat is that??

Leda Sapp and I will begin a Video series on Art by Night starting with April's tour. It will take us a few trips to get every one in, so check back. We hope to bring you a nice collage of what it's like!

Swing by the Art by Night Gallery Tour this Thursday, April 2nd, by 5pm. Their map shows the first stop as being Cheshire Gallery, 118 W Campbell Ave, SW. (Go to the map/brochure page for the complete list.)

See you there!