Two local establishments have been honored for their environmental practices in bringing tourism to the area. A group of veterans has donated to a program that allows needy children to shop for the holidays. York County elementary school students are supporting current veterans with goody bags of everyday supplies.
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Local Businesses Win Green Awards
On Dec. 3 and 4, the Virginia Green program will present 14 Virginia Green Travel Star Awards for outstanding green tourism practices at the first annual Virginia Green Conference and Travel Star Awards Celebration in Virginia Beach.
The Kingsmill Championship has been named one of the Green Events of the Year, while Williamsburg KOA will be awarded Green Campground of the Year.
The Virginia Green program is run through a partnership of the Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association. The program encourages green practices in Virginia’s tourism industry, and it has nearly 1,400 partner organizations that have self-certified their green commitments.
Go to the website to learn more.
VFW Group Helps Children Shop with a Sheriff
Last week, the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office made a plea for donations to its 12th annual Shop with a Sheriff event. Sixty children from York County and the City of Poquoson will be selected to go Christmas shopping with York-Poquoson deputies at the Tabb K-Mart on Dec. 14.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 824, Grafton made a donation of $500 to the program, helping them toward a goal of $9,000.
For more information on the post and their activities, visit their website.
Buddy Art Celebrates Fall Session
The kids and volunteers at Buddy Art celebrated the last class of the Fall Session with a cookie decorating party and a display of their artwork.
The Buddy Art program provides free art activities for children with special needs and/or physical disabilities in two sessions of classes each year
Buddy Art is sponsored by This Century Art Gallery in cooperation with student volunteers from the College of William & Mary and James City County Parks & Recreation. Support for the program is provided by donations and grants from the Williamsburg Community. Buddy Art is especially grateful to St. Olaf Catholic Church and Williamsburg Motors for their support in 2013.
Visit their website for information about Buddy Art or contact Karen Schwartz at [email protected]
Visitors Stargaze at New Quarter Park
Erin Foster brought her sons Ethan, 8, and Landon, 3, to New Quarter Park on Nov. 9 for the Stargazing Night with the NASA/Langley Exchange Skywatchers astronomy club.
They saw the Moon, the planet Venus and the Andromeda Galaxy through club member’s telescopes and took home posters and stickers supplied by NASA. New Quarter Park hosts the astronomy club 4 to 5 times each year. The next Stargazing Night is planned for March 2014.
For more information about New Quarter Park, call York County Parks, Recreation and Tourism at 890-3513 or the park directly at 890-5840 (Friday through Sunday).
York County School Package Items for Military
Grafton Bethel Elementary School Student Council Association representatives and officers made goody bags for the Newport News USO to deliver to local troops stationed in Afghanistan. The bags contained tooth brushes, tooth paste, gum, lip balm and other toiletry items.
Pictured from left to right are: Emma Hodges, Madi Ryther, Molly McLamb, Kevin Strum, David Chung, Mayah West, Samantha Harms, Blake Goodman, Dawson Kidwell, Joshua Borhhoft, Ryan Young Anyah Griffin, Alyssa Talayumptewa, Katherine Castellow, Mike Romolo Ashlynn Humpel, Katelyn Wright, Chiamaka Onuorah, Luke Christie, Kaleb Snyder
