HPLA is Nuts for Petersburg!

I am very pleased to announce HPLA's big project for the upcoming year that will kick-off at the September 25 meeting: HPLA is partnering with the Central Virginia Foodbank in a peanut butter drive that will help support the outreach programs here in Petersburg, and we need your help to get the Petersburg's businesses on board for collection sites, volunteers and donations.

If you have a business or organization, are involved in a business or organization or know someone who is, please help us network and get a strong backing for this project. Here is why:

Petersburg's Population is 33,740, but 26% of our population is living below the poverty level. That's 8,773 of our neighbors. 40%, or 3,509, of those who are living below the poverty level in Petersburg are children.

Last year, between October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005, 190,024 pounds of food were distributed to hungry people in Petersburg by the Central Virginia Foodbank through its partner agencies here in Petersburg.

What it is: Nuts for Petersburg is a food and fund drive that concentrates on peanut butter, a much-needed protein source for food distribution centers.

What will be accepted: Peanut butter! Donators of four jars or eight dollars will receive raffle tickets in exchange for their donations. Other types of non-perishable food items will be accepted, as will monetary donations.

Where donations will be accepted: Donations will be accepted at HPLA meetings and events, announced collection events and at volunteer business locations.

Time period of drive: September 25, 2006–December, 2006

Our goal: 3, 509 jars of peanut butter, one jar for every child living below the poverty level in Petersburg.

How businesses can partner with HPLA in Nuts for Petersburg
• Financial donation (Checks to be made payable to Central Virginia Foodbank)
• Donation in kind (raffle prizes, donator coupons, food donations to Central Virginia Foodbank, food or fund matches)
• Donation of time (volunteers to collect donations at collection events)
• Donation of printing (printing or photocopying of drive posters and materials)
• Other donation:_________________ (publicity or other ideas for participation welcome!)

For more information, or to volunteer, contact Mady at 863-2666.

Thanks for helping us out,
Mady and the HPLA board

Check out this site!

petersburgvibe.com

A great and positive resource for Petersburg! ~Mady

The Third Anniversary edition of Friday for the Arts

Petersburg’s monthly celebration of the arts, which will be staged Friday evening, August 11, between 6 and 10 pm, in Old Town Petersburg, will feature the "Work Places, Living Spaces" tour, the Dixie Diner, Walking Tours, Two Juried Shows, Jazz & Bluegrass on the Sidewalk, a Street Juggler, Blues Artist Adrian Duke, and much more!.

The hours of the event have been extended to six o'clock in order to permit gallery-hoppers to see more of the art. The closing will remain at ten, although some venues will stay open later.

Twenty different venues will stage exhibits of the visual arts, and four will feature music. The mellow saxophone of Rosshan Monroe will be heard all over Old Town--with his new band!!. The free Arts Bus will shuttle visitors between parking lots and all sites.

The dog days of August bring us the third anniversary of Friday for the Arts!, complete with nineteen visual arts venues, four music, two juried shows, the advent of the new Dixie, street performers, blues & bluegrass, a Main Stage performance of The Taming of the Shrew, and two remarkable tours.

Along the streets of Old Town, expect surprises—Rosshan Monroe up to new tricks, maybe even a new band, Jonathan Austin juggling on the sidewalks, a bluegrass band playing in front of Kimberly Ann’s, Petersburg National Battlefield ranger Tracy Chernault leading a tour, and musicians turning up unannounced in unexpected places.

Beginning with Friday for the Arts!, & running through the weekend, DPI will stage a tour of Downtown Petersburg’s multi-use renovation projects, "Work Places, Living
Spaces," in various stages of completion—eight venues in all for $5 ahead of time, $8 on the days of the tour—good all three days & for all venues. The featured site, the Downtown Designer project in one of the apartments in the Chesterfield Hotel, can be reached through Kimberly Ann’s, 244 N. Sycamore St. The others are 13 W. Old St. (Signature Style Polish Pottery, Teresa & Jeff Munn); 23-25 W. Old St. (Brittany Meisner, Lavender & Lace Bridal Boutique); 124 W. Bank St. (Nicki & Jack Coyle, Old Towne Market Place); 302 N. Sycamore St., (Hope, Piper, & Bobby Lynch, Salient Gallery & Yoga One); 115 N. Sycamore St. (denise & Mike Secondi, The Utopia Spa); 107 N. Sycamore St. (Eric, Brandon, & Cacia Flail); and 22 N. Sycamore St. (Aimee & Alain Joyaux, Antiques & Plunder). Don’t miss this great tour, & then return in April, when many of the venues will be open again in more complete form

Finally, by all means don’t miss the great blues artist Adrian Duke at Wabi-Sabi. You'll be blown away.

Southside Virginia Council of the Arts (SVCA) proudly presents Friday for the Arts! on the second Friday of every month, in partnership with Downtown Petersburg, Inc., and the City of Petersburg, which contributes generously to the project.

~Mady and the HPLA Board

Marshall Street Developments

City manager David Canada discussed our Marshall Street requests with Councilman Moore regarding vehicular traffic and Petersburg Area Transit buses on Marshall Street with Michael D. Briddell, Acting Director of Public Works and Ronald H. Reekes, Assistant Director of Public Works and Manager of Petersburg Area Transit.

Mr. Reekes is reviewing the request to re-route the Petersburg Area Transit buses from South Adams Street. Mr. Briddell and Mr. Reekes will present the requests for a four-way stop at South Adams and Marshall Streets and for the installation of speed bumps (or other traffic calming mechanisms) on Marshall Street to the Traffic and Transportation Safety Committee for appropriate action. Mr. Briddell will also address the traffic light turning issue.

Lastly, Mr. Canada requested of Police Chief Crowell to direct the City's police officers to enforce strictly all traffic laws, especially on Marshall Street.

Many thanks to everyone on Marshall Street who met, debated and discussed this matter, with special thanks to Linas for hosting meetings and especially Jeff Abugel who initiated this all and wrote a fine letter, taking many opinions into account and making numerous revisions. This is really Jeff's doing, and while it is just a beginning, I think we should all give him a big pat on the back and take notice of how much note is being taken of our little neighborhood and its association.


~Mady and the HPLA board