Photo Courtesy of Chuck Thompson |
Photo Courtesy of Cook Foundation |
Post Event Press Release for VA Symphony Under the Stars
The Cook Foundation held its fourth annual Virginia Symphony Under the Stars Concert on Saturday, May 15th on the Green located off of Walter Reed Way. This year’s theme was “Singing and Dancing Around the World” featuring guest conductor Ben Loeb and guest vocalist Amanda Batcher. Approximately 2000 people representing all generations were in attendance for the FREE concert. Visitors to Main Street also had the option to dine on Main Street before the concert for a 10% discount. Main Street restaurants reported outstanding sales for the evening. Dining on site was provided by the Kiwanis Club of Gloucester. Picnics were welcomed too! Sponsors for the event were the Cook Foundation, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Chesapeake Bank, Gloucester Main Street Association, VA Commission of the Arts, Gloucester Community Foundation, Gloucester Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Tomlinson Exterminating & XTRA 99.1FM. For more information concerning upcoming events visit gloucestervillage.com or cookfoundation.info or call Jen Christman @ 695-0700.
Picture My World Winter 2010
Post Event Press Release for Meet The Families
The Cook Foundation held their first event of the year last Thursday evening, March 4th, when select musicians with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra presented “Meet the Families”. Musicians explained how their instruments made an orchestral family. After the educational demonstration each musician played a short piece. After all four families (woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion) had been introduced they all played a short musical piece together. The FREE community event was well received and children of all ages loved the instrument petting zoo. Guests were allowed to have a “hands on” session with their favorite instrument form the demonstration. The Cook Foundation will host the Virginia Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, May 15, 2010. This event will be FREE as well. For more information concerning this event and others, please visit cookfoundation.info or call 804-695-0700. See Event Photos
Main Street Trick or Treat:
Pumpkin Walk 2009
ChalkFest
Click here to see this year’s event.
It was through the vision of the Cook Foundation that the lamppost basket project began. The Cook Foundation wanted to make a visual impact to Gloucester Main Street that would make visitors feel welcome and residents feel proud. Mrs. Adrianne Joseph, President of the Cook Foundation, remembered as a child while visiting her grandmother in Victoria, British Colombia, seeing lamppost baskets filled with flowers bursting with color and the positive and warm feeling it invoked in her.
So, the Cook Foundation began the process of the preliminary planning and research for the lamppost basket project. After initial research and gaining approval from the County of Gloucester, the Cook Foundation approached the Main Street Preservation Trust with the idea of the first phase of the project.
The Main Street Preservation Trust embraced the project by generously funding the first 32 baskets from the historic Court Circle towards the traffic light at Route 14/Main Street. Tidewater Tropicals, a local nursery and landscape operation, was contracted for the planting and maintenance of the baskets. The lamppost basket project is in its 2nd year and we've added 8 new baskets this year.
The community is excited about the project and have shown their support by sponsoring baskets along Main Street. A plaque is on each basket indicating who has sponsored it.The following have contributed to the lamppost baskets: Main Street Preservation Trust, Dr. Timothy Leigh, DDS., Hogge Real Estate, Inc. in "Memory of E. Claiborne Hogge", Marguerite Heyworth in "Memory of Aubrey J. Ellis", Bangkok Noi Tai Restaurant, Gloucester Community Foundation, Friends of Kitty Wilson, Garden Club of Gloucester in "Memory of Ringy Pickett", "In Memory of Capt. William Masek, Jr. from his children", HOPE, Helping Other People's Enrichment, Inc., and "Thank you Edwin" from friends of Edwin Joseph. If you are interested in sponsoring a lamppost basket, please contact Jenny Crittenden @ 695-0700.
