SO FAR, "In the Loop"
While it would be impossible to walk away from the column without mentioning the Heritage Festival, the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair and a couple of other goodies, this week's edition also features a couple of ways to make a difference this summer by volunteering.
First and foremost, however, is the Fourth of July. Starting early in the morning (about 7:30 a.m.) on Saturday, you can visit Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg for the Heritage Festival, which includes a race, parade, craft show, antique auto show, live entertainment and great food. The grand finale is the fireworks display (best viewed from Old Mill Park) that starts around sunset and goes until 10:30.
Ferry Farm also is having an all-day celebration Saturday, with entertainment, food vendors, Colonial and modern games and, of course, re-enactors. The events last from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include a free trolley ride. For more, visit kenmore.org/events.html.
Independence Day is a big deal for the entire country, but at Chick-fil-A, so is Cow Appreciation Day. On Friday, June 10, the Central Park branch will offer a free meal to the first 100 people to walk in fully dressed as cows. The restaurant will also provide overnight entertainment for those who camp out the night before.
Also next weekend, Dylan Gilbert, a 21-year-old musician from North Carolina who came through The Loft last year for an all-ages show, takes his career one small step closer to stardom by performing at Borders on Friday, July 10, and at Stafford's Bella Cafe on Saturday, July 11. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. and are absolutely free. Find out more about his music at dylangilbert.com.
Another event worth noting is the Fredericksburg Parks and Rec Department's Movies Under the Moon, which is like a drive-in theater, but with lawn chairs. July 16-18 at Hurkamp Park (on William Street downtown) you can enjoy family-friendly films like "Madagascar," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." It's free, with movies starting each night at dusk (about 8:15 p.m.).
Finally, mark your calendar for one of the best summer events, which occurs toward the end of this month--the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair. The annual fair takes place from July 23 to Aug. 6. The event's Web site, fredfair.org, includes links to each activity that will take place at the fair, such as a Fredericksburg Idol contest, the agricultural contests, pageants, games and rides. No one in Fredericksburg or the surrounding areas should miss out on these great days of fun.
In addition to your regular summer celebrations, volunteering helps others enjoy the rights our Founding Fathers fought for:
Hope House is a nonprofit organization that focuses on giving homeless and struggling mothers a safe haven for themselves and their children.
Those 16 or older can volunteer as day care aides, assisting children with their homework or just hanging out with them during scheduled fun events. Those 18 or older can work as front-desk or donation assistants.
Currently the Hope House day care needs volunteers from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Front-desk/donations assistants are needed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday only. The only requirement for volunteering is that the person must commit to at least a two-hour block of time.
For more information, visit hopehouseva.org or call 540/371-0831.
Another volunteer opportunity is at Medi Home Health and Hospice. Anyone can be a volunteer for this group, which assists in providing non-medical home care and entertainment for the elderly.
Keeping someone company is the easiest thing to do outside of sleeping. It is also one of the best things a volunteer can do. It can entail reading, playing board games or just chatting with someone in his or her home. A volunteer might even want to take it a step further and do some light house- or yardwork.
For those ages 16 and older, training is offered any day of the week and lasts approximately four hours. To find out more about Medi Home Health and Hospice, visit msa-corp.com or call 540/361-7696.
Remember that finding a place to volunteer is as easy as typing in a search bar and making a call. So if free time is piling up, use it to volunteer.
Tricia Callahan is a student at the University of Mary Washington.