Literacy Volunteers’ Wordplay Delights and Challenges for the Seventh Year
On Wednesday night, nearly 400 team members, scorekeepers, and audience members filled the Paramount Theater for a night of trivia in support of Literacy Volunteers’ mission to provide free one-on-one tutoring for adults learning English or working to improve their basic literacy. For the seventh year, game-maker Debra Weiss delivered another batch of challenging and amusing rounds, including a spelling bee, zoomed-in shots of everyday objects and famous people, and movie clips featuring famous dance scenes.
“It was a great success,” said Literacy Volunteers Executive Director Ellen Osborne. “It’s wonderful to see so many teams come back year after year as well as lots of new faces.” The winning team was C-ville Weekly’s “C-villains,” who went head-to-head with the Daily Progress’s team, “Spellbound,” to break a tie and win the game. Greene County Schools’ “Dominating Dragons” took home third place honors. Additionally, the “Walmart Wizards” won for best costume and Murray High School‘s “Franks, Cents, Gold, and Murray” won for best team name.
Though Wordplay is Literacy Volunteers’ main fundraiser, the organization is not taking the week off. On April 23, 2014, Literacy Volunteers will join in World Book Night by giving away books at Vinegar Hill Café from 4:00-5:00pm to light and non-readers.
“We are thrilled to be part of this wonderful event. Many of our students are learning to read for very practical reasons—to get better jobs, help their children with homework, and understand official forms and documents. But we hope along the way our students also gain a love of reading and this event emphasizes just that,” said Osborne.
“We hope community members can join us in this celebration of the written word,” said Osborne. “It should be a relaxing event where avid readers can introduce new readers to wonderful books.” LVCA staff and volunteers will be giving away copies of When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago. This event is free and open to the public.
Neck & Shoulder Massage for Couples at Common Ground Saturday
Massage can be a great way for couples to promote relaxation and health in each other. Under the guidance of Rosa Nicholosi, RN and a massage therapist, participants attending Common Ground’s Neck & Shoulder Massage Workshop will learn basic neck and shoulder massage skills to share with a fully clothed friend or partner. Each person will need to register separately and pay the class fee.The class is April 19, 2014 from 2:00-4:00pm and costs $30.00 per person.
Rosa Nicholosi provides transformative bodywork to support individuals’ self-healing abilities. Responsive to her students’ needs, she incorporates a range of modalities into each session, including Integrative Acupressure, Craniosacral balancing, Lymph clearing, and Reflexology.
YMCA Accepting Registration for Kindercamp & Summer Camp programs
Registration is underway for the general public for the YMCA’s Kindercamp and Summer Camp program. Both summer camps run June 23-August 15th, from 7 am to 6 pm. YMCA Summer Camp will be at Grier Elementary School serving children ages 6 to 14 years of age. Kindercamp will be in the YMCA Intergenerational Learning Center at the Jefferson school and will serve only children who will be entering Kindergarten this fall.
The early bird deadline is April 25, which includes a discounted tuition rate for summer camp and free registration and shirt for Kindercamp. Financial assistance that is available for those that qualify as well as a 15% military discount. Tuition rates for Summer Camp are $155 a week and include two days of swimming and an additional field trip. Kindercamp is $165 and includes meals, splash parks, and field trips. You can find an application and information at www.piedmontymca.org.
Soul Food Junkies Screening at African American Heritage Center
In celebration of Earth Day, the JSAAHC will screen the film Soul Food Junkies on April 22 at 6pm, followed by a conversation with Dr. Leni Sorensen that will explore food, from the ground to the table.
In Soul Food Junkies, filmmaker Byron Hurt explores the soul food tradition and its relevance to black cultural identity. Through candid interviews with soul food cooks, historians, and scholars, as well as with doctors, family members, and everyday people, the film puts this culinary tradition under the microscope to examine both its positive and negative consequences. Hurt also explores the socioeconomic conditions in predominantly black neighborhoods, where it can be difficult to find healthy food options.
Jefferson School City Center is a voice of the nine nonprofits located at Charlottesville’s intergenerational community center, the restored Jefferson School. We are a legacy preserved . . . a soul reborn . . . in the heart of Cville!
