Ignite Staunton

Tag Archives

Date Posted: February 13, 2012
0 Comments

Odd Thursdays Loves Local Food!

Odd Thursdays is back…with an appetite!

Join us THIS THURSDAY, February 16, at the old Stonewall Jackson School at 219 West Beverley Street in Staunton at 6pm for a cooking demonstration by Chef Laurie Erickson using local foods to prepare a delicious, nutritious, and easy meal. Once we’ve whetted your appetite, we’ll pick your brains as we start an informal discussion about how to make locally produced foods more readily available to everyone in the Staunton community.

Odd Thursdays, held on the third Thursday of each month, is where odd minds, young ideas, and inspired energy can always be found…this month on February 16, we will be starting a three-part series of Odd Thursdays events highlighting local foods.

In the true spirit of Odd Thursdays, these events are free, casual, fun and open to all those odd and inspired!

Make connections, share ideas, and feel free to stick around and continue the conversation across the hall at George Bowers Grocery, where one can procure all sorts of delectable foods and beverages! Chef Laurie, featured on the Travel Channel and PBS’s On The Menu. and in magazines such as Family Circle and The Boston Globe, will also have her cookbooks available for purchase and signing at the event.

Come learn, celebrate, and share your passion for nutritious, delicious, local foods and offer your thoughts on how to help the local food economy thrive in Staunton!

Check out our event on Facebook!
Contact the Staunton Creative Community Fund (www.stauntonfund.com) at 540.213.0333 or joelle@stauntonfund.com for more information.
Date Posted: January 20, 2012
0 Comments

Congratulations to Michael Reeps with Staunton Fresh – Winner of the Ignite Staunton Grant Award!

Photo: Norm Shafer – www.normshaferphotography.com

The Staunton Creative Community Fund was excited to present the $5,000 Ignite Staunton grant award to Michael Reeps to help fund his project Staunton Fresh!  Staunton Fresh is an online farmer’s market, directly linking local producers with consumers on a weekly schedule.

With eight finalists vying for the $5,000 Ignite Staunton grant award on Thursday, January 19th, judges didn’t have an easy time choosing a winner! The four-judge panel (including Bill Frazier of Frazier Associates, Erin Blanton of Pufferbellies Toys and Books, Claire Kent of Mary Baldwin College, and Suzi Carter of the Friendly City Food Co-op) was astonished by the innovation and community-mindedness of each grant application.  These project proposals included everything from education-based gardening projects to the establishment of a permanent outdoor music stage downtown. And while the judges could only select one recipient of the $5,000 grant award, in partnership with the Staunton Creative Community Fund, they have committed to supporting each project through community networking and technical assistance in order to see these inspiring projects become a reality in Staunton.

Three Mary Baldwin College students were also selected to receive $500 grants from the school to fund a bike share program, a hunger outreach initiative, and a student run greenhouse to produce food for use on campus.

Ignite is a fast-paced geek event started by Brady Forrest, Technology Evangelist for O’Reilly Media, and Bre Pettis of Makerbot.com, formerly of MAKE Magazine. Speakers are given 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, giving each speaker 5 minutes of fame. The first Ignite took place in Seattle in 2006, and since then the event has become an international phenomenon, with gatherings in Helsinki, Finland; Paris, France; New York, New York; and many other locations.

Ignite Staunton, which was held on the third Thursdays of September, October, and November, was Virginia’s first Ignite experience and, of course, took on a uniquely Staunton flavor!  During these “open-mic nights for the creative idea” we heard from presenters speaking about a variety of community-centered passions, ideas, and inspirations.  Presenters then had an opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant ($500 grants were available from Mary Baldwin College for innovative student ideas) to help make their idea a reality in our community!

Thursday’s event was our time to celebrate all of the amazing ideas and energy that came out of Ignite Staunton.  We were honored to have music from Mr. Buddy Thomas, Three Guys With Notes, and Baldwin Charm!

What a great run…we couldn’t have done it without all of our amazing presenters and our supportive community members!  THANK YOU!!

 

Date Posted: January 11, 2012
0 Comments

Ignite Staunton Grant Award Announcement and Celebration – Thursday 1/19 at Darjeeling Cafe!

Imagine that you’re in front of an audience made up of your friends, family, and people from your community, about to present a 5-minute talk on the thing you’re most passionate about. You’ve brought 20 slides, which advance every 15 seconds whether you’re ready or not. You have a few last-minute butterflies, but off you go…and the crowd loves it. Welcome to Ignite.

Ignite is a fast-paced geek event started by Brady Forrest, Technology Evangelist for O’Reilly Media, and Bre Pettis of Makerbot.com, formerly of MAKE Magazine. Speakers are given 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, giving each speaker 5 minutes of fame. The first Ignite took place in Seattle in 2006, and since then the event has become an international phenomenon, with gatherings in Helsinki, Finland; Paris, France; New York, New York; and many other locations.

Ignite Staunton, which was held on the third Thursdays of September, October, and November, was Virginia’s first Ignite experience and, of course, took on a uniquely Staunton flavor!  During these “open-mic nights for the creative idea” we heard from presenters speaking about a variety of community-centered passions, ideas, and inspirations.  Presenters then had an opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant ($500 grants were available from Mary Baldwin College for innovative student ideas) to help make their idea a reality in our community!

Applications for the grant came in last month and on the third Thursday of January, 1/19/2012, we will be announcing the grant award winners! Join us at Darjeeling Cafe at 103 West Beverley Street in Downtown Staunton from 6pm to 9pm to celebrate all of the amazing, innovative ideas from our community.  Find out how you can help support these projects and get involved! We will be featuring and celebrating all of our applicants during the night and we will be joined by several local musicians who will be serenading our evening.

Come by Darjeeling Cafe for food, drink, inspiration, and a chance to explore and celebrate all that the Staunton community has to offer!

Contact the Staunton Creative Community Fund for more information at 540-213-0333 or joelle@stauntonfund.com.

Date Posted: October 17, 2011
0 Comments

Ignite Staunton – October is upon us!

Imagine that you’re in front of an audience made up of your friends, family, and people from your community, about to present a 5-minute talk on the thing you’re most passionate about. You’e brought 20 slides, which advance every 15 seconds whether you’re ready or not. You have a few last-minute butterflies, but off you go…and the crowd loves it. Welcome to Ignite.

Ignite is a fast-paced geek event started by Brady Forrest, Technology Evangelist for O’Reilly Media, and Bre Pettis of Makerbot.com, formerly of MAKE Magazine. Speakers are given 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, giving each speaker 5 minutes of fame. The first Ignite took place in Seattle in 2006, and since then the event has become an international phenomenon, with gatherings in Helsinki, Finland; Paris, France; New York, New York; and many other locations.

Ignite Staunton is Virginia’s first Ignite event and, of course, will take on a uniquely Staunton flavor! This is Staunton’s “open-mic night for the creative idea,” and we will be hearing from presenters speaking about a variety of community-centered passions, ideas, and inspirations.

These events will be held at Darjeeling Cafe on the third Thursdays of September, October, and Novembe–which makes this October 20th Ignite Staunton event the second of three!  The events open at 6pm with presentations beginning around 7pm.  These fun and fast-paced Ignite Staunton events are interactive and audience members will have the opportunity to provide feedback for the Ignite presenters and to vote for the People’s Choice Award of the night.  Staunton Creative Community Fund and Mary Baldwin College will be giving away over $5,000 to help winning concepts become a reality in our community!

Come by Darjeeling Cafe for food, drink, and inspiration!

If you have any questions, are interested in presenting at future Ignite events this fall, or in having your concept compete for the $5,000 award, contact the Staunton Creative Community Fund at 540-213-0333 or joelle@stauntonfund.com.

Date Posted: September 12, 2011
0 Comments

Odd Thursdays has become…Ignite Staunton!

Imagine that you’re in front of an audience made up of your friends, family, and people from your community, about to present a 5-minute talk on the thing you’re most passionate about. You’ve brought 20 slides, which advance every 15 seconds whether you’re ready or not. You have a few last-minute butterflies, but off you go…and the crowd loves it. Welcome to Ignite.

Ignite is a fast-paced geek event started by Brady Forrest, Technology Evangelist for O’Reilly Media, and Bre Pettis of Makerbot.com, formerly of MAKE Magazine. Speakers are given 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, giving each speaker 5 minutes of fame. The first Ignite took place in Seattle in 2006, and since then the event has become an international phenomenon, with gatherings in Helsinki, Finland; Paris, France; New York, New York; and many other locations.

Ignite Staunton is Virginia’s first Ignite event and, of course, will take on a uniquely Staunton flavor!  This is Staunton’s “open-mic night for the creative idea” and we will be hearing from presenters speaking about a variety of community-centered passions, ideas, and inspirations.

These events will be held at Darjeeling Cafe on the third Thursdays of September, October, and November…which makes the first Ignite Staunton event set for Thursdays September 15th. The events open at 6pm with presentations beginning around 7pm. These fun and fast-paced Ignite Staunton events are interactive and audience members will have the opportunity to provide feedback for the Ignite presenters and to vote for the People’s Choice Award of the night. Staunton Creative Community Fund and Mary Baldwin College will be giving away over $5,000 to help winning concepts become a reality in our community!

Come by Darjeeling Cafe for food, drink, and inspiration!

If you have any questions, are interested in presenting at future Ignite events this fall, or in having your concept compete for the $5,000 award, contact the Staunton Creative Community Fund at 540-213-0333 or joelle@stauntonfund.com.