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GERMANNA SITE COULD BE THE NEW SPOT FOR PUBLIC EVENTS

Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women come full circle with a performance at Culpeper's Daniel Center

BY BEN SELLERS

Date published: 2/19/2009

BY BEN SELLERS

It's safe to say that every performance by Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women is a unique experience. Saturday's concert at Germanna Community College's Daniel Technology Center will be no exception.

In a way, though, the band will also come full circle at the show. It was while teaching a computer class at Germanna that Ann Rabson met original bassist Earlene Lewis--one of her students.

The rest is history.

This time, the visit marks the beginning of the end for Saffire. Yet it's also a coming out party of sorts for the Daniel Center--and an opportunity to show off the roughly 2-year-old Culpeper facility's 700-person conference center.

Though not a full-fledged campus, the Daniel Center, located near the junction of State Route 3 and U.S. 29, serves a variety of needs for Germanna, both as a classroom facility and a gathering spot.

"We're somewhat full service there, either by staff or by a rotation of people coming in from the other campuses to serve," said Jeanne Wesley, Germanna's vice president of workforce development and community relations.

For residents of Culpeper, the Daniel Center has been part of a cultural renaissance, alongside facilities like the The Library of Congress's Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation and renovations to the downtown area.

Wesley said the Saffire show will be the first time a nationally known band has performed at Germanna, to the best of her knowledge.

"It's a little bit of sadness that this is their final tour," she said. "And I'm very glad and honored that they chose Germanna to kick off their farewell tour."

Proceeds from Saturday's show will benefit the Germanna Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to students with financial need, as well as helping oversee the school's future growth.

"Our foundation is very good, and they're doing the lion's share of work in trying to keep up with the needs of this community in this economy--because our success is a community success," said Wesley.

In the future, Germanna officials want the school to become a cultural destination for the community, bringing in authors and other types of performers, she said.

"One of the things that Germanna Community College wants to be is really at the heart of the community. We want to be considered part of the town square--metaphorically. We also feel we want to be part of the quality of life here," said Wesley.

But a lot of that depends on the response to Saturday's show, she added.

"We're waiting to see if that's what the community needs and wants."

Ben Sellers: 540/374-5423
Email: bsellers@freelancestar.com

What: Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women kick off their farewell tour Where: Germanna Community College's Daniel Center, 18121 Technology Drive, Culpeper When: Saturday, 7 p.m. Cost: $15 for the public, $5 for Germanna faculty and staff, $3 for Germanna students. (Proceeds benefit the Germanna Educational Foundation.) Info: 540/891-3095 (Fredericksburg), or 540/937-2900 (Culpeper) Web: germanna.edu

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Date published: 2/19/2009