John Womeldorf REALTOR Mr Williamsburg.com ABR, E-Pro

i work with quite a few clients who are moving to or considering moving to Williamsburg VA. Quite a few are looking for volunteer opportunities in the area. The website wwwVolunteerWilliamsburg.org was founded and encouraged by members of The Greater Williamsburg VA Chamber and Tourism Alliance 2006 Community Leadership Service class. The concept was developed to fill the needs of local non-profit and municipal organizations by connecting them with career experienced volunteers who have high level talents. It has proven to be a great central source of opportunities in the Williamsburg VA area.

At www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org , we firmly believe that people like to help each other. In fact, we're so confident in this belief that we've made it our mission to help volunteers find organizations who appreciate their skill sets, respect their time commitments and give them the fulfillment of service to the community.

www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org is headed by a board of community leaders, and is funded privately.

www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org actively recruits highly skilled volunteers to assist non-profit and municipal organizations in the Greater Williamsburg, Virginia area. Our goal is to maintain a full database of qualified volunteers ready to help the community. Your generous contribution will help defray the printing and advertising costs associated with promoting this community service.

It only takes a few Simple Steps to Get Involved

Browse the summary of volunteer opportunities, Register as a www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org volunteer (Lets you see all the information!) Enter your profile information (optional), but highly recommended Browse or Search all the volunteer listing opportunities , Use your email account to receive automatic notification of any listings that match your interests and skills profile IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

For Organizations :

The www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org network connects volunteers with nonprofit organizations. Every day numerous skilled volunteers search www.VolunteerWilliamsburg.org for opportunities to help out in our community. When volunteers see your listing they click on it to connect with your organization and get involved.

Registration is available for all nonprofit organizations and includes the following easy steps:

Request an Account with us. Once approved, within 24 hours your login will be active. , Add your organization by creating listings that describe the type of skills needed to fill your volunteer opportunities/needs. You can create as many listings as you need. , Receive Automatic Email Notification when any volunteer registers with the system and has the skill sets you are looking for! You can also, search the database of volunteers at any time to fill your critical needs. BEGIN RECRUITING MORE QUALITY VOLUNTEERS TODAY!

Click here to Browse Current Volunteer Opportunities in Williamsburg Va

For 40 straight years, artists and art aficionados have gathered every fall in downtown Williamsburg Virginia for An Occasion for the Arts. Always held the first Sunday in beautiful Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. This extraordinary event, held on blocked-off city streets, features over 160 painters, print makers, sculptors, jewelers, photographers, and artisan crafts. Multiple performance venues host a variety of music, dance, and vocal performers. Additionally, area schools exhibit student art in an area particularly attractive to younger visitors. Approximately 30,000 visitors attend the event each year.

The purpose of An Occasion for the Arts is to spotlight the visual and performing arts in the greater Williamsburg VA area and to provide a venue for artists and art lovers to meet. Additionally, the purpose is to promote the expansion of arts in the community, provide grants to area schools, and scholarships to area art students pursuing higher education in the arts.

This year marks the first appearance of a new attraction the Art of Food.

In addition to artwork by students, the schools art exhibit will feature face painting and children's crafts, and talented high schoolers will do live artwork starting at 11 a.m.

The Williamsburg Fifes and Drums will start the Occasion for the Arts at 10 a.m Today

Some of the musical performers will include:

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG FIFES AND DRUM CORPS who are celebrating their 50th year. They are the musical ambassadors of Colonial Williamsburg. Signing up to compete for spots at the age of 5, candidates can be selected to join in the fall of their fifth grade school year and may remain in the corps until high school graduation.

THE VIRGINA REGIONAL BALLET will delight audiences of all ages with an eclectic program featuring students in classical ballet, contemporary ballet, character, jazz, tap and hip-hop dance. CHRISTINE NIEHAUS performs ragtime piano.

WILLIAMSBURG WOMEN'S CHORALIERS are the ambassador ensemble for the Williamsburg Women's Chorus, the only group in the area that specializes in women's choral literature.

CHUCK DURFOR & ED KERNAN perform original music on finger-style acoustic guitar and fret less electric bass. Their music has been used as part of television soundtracks, and it has been played on NPR.

ARDIE BOGGS, CELTIC HARP, plays Celtic music from Ireland and Scotland as well as original pieces.

FORBES AND MCKINLEY play Gershwin and Friends. With Forbes on vocals and McKinley on piano, they perform classics from the Golden Age of American Popular Song.

THE WILLIAM AND MARY CHOIR performs repertoire for mixed chorus from medieval chants to contemporary commissioned works.

TIM MORGAN plays roots music. He draws from traditional American blues and folk and combines original and cover material.

CHARLOTTE SWANSON AND CHARLEY SMITH, DUET, make a lot of music from the 50s to today's folk, country, rock and roll and soft bluegrass hits.

THE RON FETNER TRIO plays a unique blend of New England folk with the soul of the South. Styles include acoustic, folk and bluegrass.

BILL AND MACON GURLEY play acoustic folk, blues and bluegrass.

CLAN MACCOOL is a high energy traditional ensemble celebrating Celtic songs and tunes. The harmonies and occasional piratical tendencies are fun entertainment for all ages.

SUSAN GREENBAUM DUO is an acoustic rock duo with vocals, guitar and percussion performing originals and covers, all melodic and lyrically interesting. Female vocals are particularly strong.

SKIP FRIEL AND THE RESONATORS provide a spirited performance that captures the art and joy of music.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED plays a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass and Americana music. They provide an all acoustic mix of and specialize in perfecting two and three part harmonies.

SONYA LORELLE performs a mix of original blues/jazzy songs. Described as an upbeat Norah Jones, Sonya sings with a big voice and a lot of soul.

SO'LACH plays traditional acoustic Irish music using voice, drum, guitar and violin. They also play a variety of classic jazz ballads, sea shanties and fun folk music.

JOE DUGGAN plays blues, vintage rock-and-roll and boogie woogie. C. SHELLS is a high-energy, interactive show for kids of all ages featuring guitar, mandolin and banjo.

RUNAWAY STRING BAND is a four-piece string band comprised of guitar, mandolin, banjo and viol da gamba that plays ol' time, bluegrass and swing.

STEPHEN CHRISTOFF AND LANCE PEDIGO blend Brazilian jazz, old world blues and Americana into a humorous performance performed on guitar, octave mandolin, drum set and percussion.

HARRIS SIMON TRIO plays mainstream jazz and blues. POISONED DWARF draws from diverse musical backgrounds to create a sound that blends Scottish and Irish music along with hints of rock and bluegrass.

JOHN TURNER, SCOTTISH FIDDLER, is the only ten-time National Scottish Fiddling Champion on record. This master fiddler is a one-man variety show of traditional Scottish music.

WILLIAMSBURG YOUTH HARP SOCIETY is dedicated to providing children in the Williamsburg area with an enriched educational experience through study and performance on harp.

THE NEW STAR SINGERS are young, aspiring singers performing favorite popular and musical theatre songs. Solos and group numbers showcase these rising stars.

FLUTE FRENZY is a group of middle and high school flutists who perform a variety of music for ensembles of mixed flutes including piccolo, C flute, alto flute and bass flute.

THE MIDDLE EAST DANCE COMPANY performs, promotes and provides education about the art of Middle Eastern dance.

BROADWAY DANCE ARTS is a national award winning competitive dance and performing company who will perform pieces from their competitive repertoire in jazz, tap, acting and musical theatre.

HAMPTON ROADS FLUTE CHOIR. From the tiny piccolo to the large contra bass flute, this flute choir showcases the members of the flute family with a fun concert for all.

RAINBOW PUPPET PRODUCTIONS presents Creatures and More! See aquatic life, dinosaurs and all kinds of critters. You never know what the Rainbow Puppets might pull out of their trunks!

CANTORI VOCAL ENSEMBLE, three years in existence, is a concert choral ensemble composed largely of professional musicians. Today's concert is entitled If Music Be the Food of Love, Sing On!

BRIAN AND MARY LEWIS perform a lively historical program of popular country music from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s featuring guitars, mandolin and songs sung in close harmony.

SCHNICKELFRITZ AND THE OOMPHAS GERMAN BAND is the best German band in town.

LIGHTSTREET plays classic top 40 and entertains audiences.

PUBLICK TIMES CHORUS OF SWEET ADELINES

HOT HOUSE is a fun and spirited group who performs a unique blend of classic rock, country, blues, jazz, Motown and R&B.

MADE FROM SCRATCH plays a mix of bluegrass, newgrass and gospel.

CHESAPEAKE BAY BEARCATS perform traditional Dixieland jazz.

BAGELS AND FRAYLOX KLEZMER BAND. Klezmer is a joyous, highly ornamented dance music. It is Balkan and blues, ancient Jewish culture and prayer, history, spirit and jazz all mixed together.

Click here To find out more about the Occassion For The Arts in Williamsburg Virginia

If you are moving to or already reside in Williamsburg, James City County or New Kent County Virginia there is a wonderful resource to answer any and all questions you have about general and specific landscaping problems ,include pruning, control of animal pests, flower gardens, design considerations, ground covers, water conservation practices and appropriate plant selection and proper techniques for planting trees and shrubs you should explore the website for the Master Gardner Program of James City County Va Master Gardner Program

The purpose of the James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardener is to learn, educate, and communicate environmentally sound horticultural practices to the community. Trained by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Master Gardener volunteers are committed to offering information to the public through sustainable landscape management educational programs.Offering a range of public outreach and educational programs serving the Williamsburg VA area, including turf and lawn, landscape, and plant disease clinics, therapeutic gardening, extension help desk, and a range of gardening projects with children. Essentially the answer to any question you might have relating to landscaping, pruning, plants, turf, weeds , disease drought tolerance, etc will be answered on this site.

If you would like to volunteer to become a Master Gardner in James City/Williamsburg/New Kent - applications are now being accepted ( NO EXPERIENCE NECCESSARY !) for the 2009 JCC/Williamsburg Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program. Training will be held January through April,and is open to residents of Williamsburg and James City and New Kent counties. Program participants will be eligible to become Master Gardener volunteers and bring educational outreach to the community in all aspects of horticulture.

Training includes classes in basic botany; identification and control of insects, weeds and diseases; turf, trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables; pruning and landscape design; water issues and other topics.
Well-known experts from the local community, area colleges and Colonial Williamsburg will be teaching classes on a wide range of horticultural subjects. Classes will be given on basic botany; identification and control of insects, weeds and diseases; turf, trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables; pruning and landscape design; water issues, and other topics needed to become well-versed in sound horticultural practices

You can apply to the program by clicking here

To explore the James City County Williamsburg VA Master GArdners Website Click here

William and Mary's football program opened its CAA schedule in front of a packed house at Zable Stadium in Williamsburg VA The crowd was treated to an offensive explosion as the Tribe and the 14th-ranked Villanova Wildcats combined for 66 points and 824 offensive yards on a beautiful Williamsburg Saturday afternoon.

In the end, Villanova's 35-point first half proved too much to overcome, as the Wildcats came out on top 38-28. The Tribe offense was orchestrated by junior quarterback R.J. Archer, who made his first career start by standing in for injured captain and All-CAA quarterback Jake Phillips. Archer rose to the occasion by throwing for 307 yards and a score, while adding two rushing touchdowns. True freshman tailback Jonathan Grimes was outstanding yet again, as he accounted for a school-true freshman record 324 total yards, including 105 receiving yards and 161 returns yards. The featured part of Grimes' afternoon was his 97-yard kick return for a score near the end of the first half.


The Tribe's next game will be this coming weekend, as it travels to unbeaten New Hampshire for its first round league game of the season. The game will be scheduled for a noon kickoff on Saturday.

AS a REALTOR in Williamsburg VA I have always been frustrated at the lack of new homes available under $200,000. Yes the market has increased the inventory but currently the least expensive detached homes are priced at $240,000 those are located in Michelle Point a new development in the growing western part of James City County in Toano. Currently the least expensive new town homes/ condos are located at Pocahontas Square a Health E Communities development in lower James City County off of Rt 60 east of Busch Gardens Townhomes there start in the $190's .You can also buy a condo or town home in Liberty Crosssing in Norge ( RYAN Homes ), Braemar Creek, Warhill Green or Williamsburg Village at Norge. Prices for these range from $209,000 to $227,000. The RYAN Townhomes are currently the least expensive three bedroom new town home available in Williamsburg/ James City County. Most of the builders are offering some sort of closing assistance. Be sure to use a buyer's agent to represent you with any of the new home builders. It won't cost you anything for them to represent you. I have successfully negotiated great deals with most of the new home builders in the Williamsburg VA area.

Henderson INC DBA Candle Development has submitted plans to build workforce and affordable homes behind the Candle Factory Shops in Norge. They are proposing to construct thirty percent of the 175 homes as either workforce or affordable. The affordable homes are projected to be priced at less than $160,000. Wile the workforces homes should be priced around $190,000.

Most of the developers in James City County have claimed that affordable or workforce housing is simply too expensive to construct.

Bill Strack of Henderson is attempting to prove them wrong. Knowing that affordable housing is a key factor in attracting and keeping people coming to the greater Williamsburg/ James City County area of Virginia.

Henderson a longtime builder/ developer ( 50 + years) in the Williamsburg area is sacrificing profits to make the project work. Having been in business for over 50 years

The company is hoping that by offering a large quantity of affordable housing the county will be more likely to approve the project.

As part of the revised plan Henderson has increased the buffers surrounding the development, and implemented green building design principles and other improvements.

Plans call for 33 detached patio homes and 142 will be attached patio homes. They will be arranged in small, single-floor groups around open-air patios. This design which is very common throughout California, Arizona and the West, has the advantages of being less dense without stacking homes on top of one another. They're also less labor-intensive as yards are shared with common area maintenance. One-floor living with no stairs also makes them more appealing to active adults.

Also in the works are an 80,000-square-foot assisted living facility next door, for 96 seniors being jointly developed and managed by Crosswalk Church. Planned also are a mix of retail and office space. Details for that are still in the works.

I am very familiar with Henderson's recent residential development. Their Patriots Walk development has to be one of the nicest new home developments in the area. Located in Gloucester VA you would be amazed at the quality of the homes and development especially give that it has a starting price of under $260,000. Huge 3/4 acre wooded lots, open floor plans, and much more

Read more about Patriots Walk in Gloucester Va by clicking here

I applaud Henderson for trying to solve a longstanding problem in the county. They definitely have my vote to move forward on this proposed project !