You may think work has stopped on the Greenspace project … but  Order’s Construction continues to make progress despite the bad weather. Between good days and bad days over the last few weeks, sections of sidewalk around the site have gradually appeared.
 

The picture above shows a section of the seat terrace wall taking shape. Look close and you will see where a row of brick pavers will be laid along each side of the sidewalk.
 
In this picture, you can see a finished section of sidewalk along Washington Street East and fast approaching the intersection of Washington Street East and Leon Sullivan Way. The offset section is where the brick pavers will be placed which will provide a border for the sidewalk.
 

Most of the granite curbing is in place along the perimeter of the project, and as seen here along Leon Sullivan Way, the Order’s construction crew has formed another section of sidewalk ready for a concrete pour. Notice the forming for the brick pavers.

We will all meet at this intersection soon!

Comments and Photos by Mike Aeiker

Finally, we have a break in the weather, and Order’s Construction continues to prep and pour sidewalks this week.  Conduit and wiring are also underway for the interior pedestrian lighting.  After several weeks of rain, snow and below-freezing temperatures, we are back on our way to welcoming spring with a beautiful gateway into Charleston.

Photos and comments by Susie Salisbury

Generation Charleston, our emerging leaders group, periodically compiles volunteer opportunities in the Kanawha Valley. If you’re interested in any of the descriptions below, the contact information is included.

University of Charleston Student Mentoring

Contact: Nora Myers, Director, Experiential Education
Phone: (304) 357-4914
Email: noramyers@ucwv.edu

One of the components of the UC full-time MBAL program is Professional Mentoring, where UC students are matched with a mentor in the business community.

Mentors serve for one academic year, although all mentors from last year elected to continue mentoring their same student this year, which is gratifying and speaks well of the program. On average, time commitment is one hour per week. Mentors and mentees would work out the most suitable arrangement for themselves. Contact can be e-mail, telephone, in-person, text, or any other means. Many mentors include their mentees in their existing activities, such as business after hours, speaker presentations, client calls, golf games, etc. One mentor last year went running with her mentee.

The primary goal in the spring semester is to establish the relationship, and work towards a professional or academic goal established by the student.  We also stress development of good business etiquette, communication, and networking skills.

UC has developed a program syllabus which outlines mentor/mentee relationship.  Syllabus available upon request.  UC needs 6-7 mentors starting mid-January.

Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center

The Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center (SFEC) has 5 new Board of Directors seats available.

Generation Charleston members interested in serving on the SFEC Board of Directors please provide contact information to philip.lavigne@camc.org by Monday January 18, 2010 to be presented for the January meeting.

Mental Health Association in the Greater Kanawha Valley:

The Mental Health Association of the Greater Kanawha Valley is in need of volunteers to help plan and prepare for their upcoming Mama Mia Gala to be held on September 23^rd.  To find out how you can help out please visit:

http://mha-kanawha.org/volunteer.htm or contact Donna Hamra at donna.hamra@gmail.com

KEYS 4 HealthyKids has been awarded a $360,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to improve opportunities for physical activity and access to affordable, healthy foods for children and families in Kanawha County.  Based on a rigorous selection process that drew more than 500 proposals from across the country, Kanawha County is one of 41 sites selected for the RWJF Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities initiative.

In Kanawha County, 47 percent of predominately low-income children are overweight or obese. Not only do these children face health issues such as higher rates of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, they also incur higher medical costs and are generally less productive in school. As its name suggests, KEYS 4 HealthyKids will use a four-key approach to achieve healthy communities:

• The Key to Knowledge will emphasize the importance of eating adequate fruits and vegetables, limiting screen time, engaging in regular physical activity, and eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages.
• The Key to Eating Healthy will work with local merchants to sell fresh foods, enhance existing farmers markets, engage community members in gardening projects, and help daycares and after-school programs provide nutritious snacks and beverages.
• The Key to Youth being Active will help revitalize community centers and other play spaces, and assess and improve local greenways, trails, sidewalks and street crossings.
• The Key to Safety and Empowerment will address residents’ concerns and enlist them in efforts to help make their communities safer places to walk and play outdoors.

The initial focus of the effort will be on at-risk youth and families in the West Side and East End of Charleston, eventually expanding to other Kanawha County communities.

Dr. Jamie Jeffrey, a local pediatrician and director of the KEYS 4 HealthyKids initiative, said that she often encounters parents who are struggling to find affordable, healthy foods and safe places for their children to be active close to home. “I am so excited for this opportunity for our youth!” Jeffrey said, “We all want to be healthier and now, through this grant, we will be able to accomplish the policy and environmental changes needed to make our dreams a reality. “But,” she added, “we will need local residents to participate to have the greatest impact.”

“With the help of the RWJF and our partners, we will have an opportunity to work with after-school programs to adopt a comprehensive food policy to develop nutrition, health, and environmental guidelines that ensure meals, snacks, and beverages include healthy and sustainable choices,” added Kate Alie,  West Virginia University Extension Specialist and project evaluator for KEYS 4 HealthyKids.

Krista Farley, director of Health Promotions for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said the initiative also will “create an environment to engage and empower youth to be active everyday, in their own back yards.”

Encouraged by this opportunity to make long-lasting changes in the community, Judy Crabtree, Director of the Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement, and Coordinator for KEYS 4 HealthyKids said “community mobilization and seeking meaningful environmental change are two strategies that research indicates can influence entire communities.” She added, “changing the world might be a little difficult, but you can certainly improve your neighborhood and impact behaviors and decisions regarding eating healthy and being active.”

Susie Salisbury, Vice-President with the Charleston Area Alliance, and member of Charleston City Council, said “I am impressed by the number of organizations that have come to the table to develop KEYS 4 HealthyKids and its strategic plan to address childhood obesity in Kanawha County. Both the City of Charleston and the Alliance are pleased to support these efforts.” (more…)

Streetscape work continues along Washington Street East and around the corner towards Leon Sullivan Way.  The sidewalk area is now prepared and ready for cement and brick installation.

Photos and comments by Susie Salisbury

Order’s Construction continues to work on the Washington Street East streetscape portion of the project, including sidewalks, granite curbing and brick accents.  The contractor is also installing top soil this week along back areas of the stepped walls.

Comments and photos by Susie Salisbury

Jack Rossi, managing partner of Arnett & Foster, today was reelected chairman of the Charleston Area Alliance. The Alliance Board of Directors also elected the following officers:   Pat Bond, Mountaineer Capital, vice chair; Mike Basile, Spilman Thomas & Battle, secretary; and Virginia King, Kanawha Stone, treasurer.

Jack Rossi

In other actions, the Alliance board also approved the organization’s 2010 operating budget.  

“We are planning a break-even budget,” said Alliance President/CEO Matt Ballard.

More than 80 percent of anticipated revenues are generated by private support, including member dues and contributions, grants, special event sponsorships and fees and other activities.

While Chambers of Commerce across the country are coping with dramatic reductions in membership, the Alliance is projecting level numbers in 2010.

“Despite the economic downturn, Alliance membership has remained fairly constant, and we may even end the year with a net increase,” JoEllen Zacks, senior vice president, reported.  “Just staying even is a major victory at time when other chambers and professional organizations are facing dramatic drops in membership.

“In the past year, we have expanded programs and services, offered special sessions on business tips in tough times and strengthened outreach to individual members. We’ve also focused on communicating the value that the Alliance is bringing to businesses and community.  All that is paying off,” she said. 

“It has been a challenging but exciting year at the Alliance,” Ballard said. “We are honored by the vote of confidence that 600 businesses and their 40,000 members have placed in the Alliance through their membership.

“Charleston area businesses understand that we are working hard on their behalf to attract jobs and investments to our region and deliver programs, services and public policy leadership that will help them achieve success,” he noted.  “We look forward to serving growing numbers of businesses as we strive to build a more vibrant community and prosperous economy in the year ahead.”