An organization that promotes women’s health and the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance’s CEO Karen Riordan were both honored for recent creative endeavors. College students help get the Williamsburg Botanical Garden ready for spring, and local residents can apply for assistance with their own yards from a team of master gardeners. Two groups supported FISH with donations of blankets and food, and Chesapeake Bank promoted one of its employees.
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Beyond Boobs! Calendar Wins National Awards
For the second year in a row, Williamsburg-based nonprofit Beyond Boobs! was recognized with several National Calendar Awards from the Calendar Marketing Association for its annual calendar.
Each year, Beyond Boobs! features breast cancer survivors and their stories in its calendar, which is also filled with practical health information. It also serves as a primary funding source for the nonprofit’s many support and education programs.
Judged by a panel of calendar industry professionals, 2014’s project “Double Exposure” won a Gold Award for “Most Informative” in its category, a Gold Award for “Most Original,” and a Silver Award for “Best Non-Profit.”
Brian Freer, Beyond Boobs! board member and publisher for The Health Journals, was the photographer for both this year and last year’s award-winning calendars.
“I’m very proud of the work and of everyone involved; it was really a team effort,” Freer said in a news release. “The awareness and recognition from this will allow Beyond Boobs! to educate and help more women.”
In “Double Exposure,” Freer used a camera technique that layered two photos in the same frame — called a double exposure — that served as a metaphor for the journey breast cancer patients undertake from the moment they are diagnosed. He also spoke with each model and used her unique experience and personality as the driving forces behind each photograph.
See more from the calendar or order one from the Beyond Boobs! website.
Chamber CEO Wins Third Place at Peninsula Culinary Clash
The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance’s CEO Karen Riordan demonstrated her culinary flair March 14. She participated in the Peninsula Culinary Clash and won the third-place prize for her teams’ shrimp meatball appetizer.
The competition is held by ECPI University’s Culinary Institute of Virginia, and was held Oyster Point in Newport News. Contestants included local leaders — including Newport News Economic Development Director Florence Kingston and Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mike Kuhns — who drew their assigned main ingredient from a hat.
Riordan was paired with a culinary coach faculty member and team of three students to create a dish from scratch in one hour.
“I had a great team of students and an excellent expert coach and we worked well together in a short amount of time to create tasty dish,” said Riordan in a news release. “It was great fun and gave me greater appreciation for the hard work and skill required to be a chef.”
W&M Students Spruce Garden
Using their green thumbs, 15 students from the College of William & Mary pitched in last weekend at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden. The students spread mulch in the bulb garden around the outside of the fence surrounding the garden and in the ornamental grass garden.
The Williamsburg Botanical Garden is nonprofit that seeks to enhance the lives of residents and visitors by promoting beautiful plants and the environment through year-round educational and recreational programs.
Landscape Love Registration Opens
The James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardeners are offering residents of the county or city a free consultation on landscape best management practices at the homeowner’s residence.
During the individualized session, the homeowner and team of three to five master gardeners will discuss pressing landscape problems or questions. They will address plant selection, placement and care; reducing use of water, fertilizer, and pesticides; use of native plants, composting, and reuse of yard debris; and establishing diversified landscape practices which support habitat preservation and protect our local watersheds.
Applications for spring 2014 sessions are being accepted until April 15, and can be found online. Visits will be scheduled from late April throughout May.
Promotion at Chesapeake Bank
Sherry Thrift Williams has risen to the rank of Vice President of Loan Operations & Credit Administration Manager. In that role she will oversee the daily operations of the Loan Operations and Credit Administration departments and ensures proper management of the bank’s assets.
Williams has 16 years of financial institution experience including accounting, deposit operations, loan and credit operations and branch management.
WCA Senior, Dental Practice Donate to FISH
Kelly McGregor has completed her eighth collection drive to benefit those in need. The Williamsburg Christian Academy senior has a passion for community service, and carries on a tradition of service from her two older brothers.
The Fieldcrest neighborhood has supported drives to collect food and blankets since 2006 to benefit FISH.
New Town Dental Arts also held a collection drive to support FISH’s food pantry.
