Senior Center, Inc. Wins 2008 NuStep Pinnacle Award

The NuStep Pinnacle Award was established to recognize excellence in older adult wellness programs.

Award winners use creativity to provide programs, environments, and services that address the six dimensions of wellness: Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Vocational.

This year, NuStep redefined the criteria of the award to focus on older adult wellness programs that support the whole person wellness model. Innovative, progressive, involved, and motivational are qualities NuStep sought in the award winner.

Congratulations Senior Center, Inc. on this exciting National achievement! Look for more information in the coming month to appear in: Stall Talk, the October edition of the Senior Center Times, and the What's New section of our website at www.seniorcenterinc.org/news.

Golf Digest Names Meadowcreek One of the Best Places to Play

Meadowcreek Golf Course was honored with being identified as one of the "Best Places to Play" by Golf Digest.

The feature rates course from comments and evaluations by its readers. The evaluations are based on total experience, which includes the actual course, the service, the value for the money spent, the pace of play and the conditioning of the course.

This is the first time Meadowcreek Golf Course have been named one of the "Best Places to Play" by the magazine. City Council honored this distinction at its regular City Council meeting in early September 2008.

In recent years Meadowcreek has undergone an improvement initiative that included an upgrade to the main facility and the addition of a restaurant. Meadowcreek Golf Course was designed and built in two nine-hole phases.

The first nine was designed by R.F. "Buddy" Loving, a renowned golf course architect with many other highly respected golf course designs to his credit. Lake Monticello, Water's Edge and Albemarle Farms golf courses are but a few of Mr. Loving's outstanding works.

The second nine was designed by Bill Love of Ault, Clark and Associates of Potomac, Maryland. They are noted for their famous works at the T.P.C. course at Avenel, Md. and Lee's Hill Golfers Club at Fredericksburg, Va.

Meadowcreek Golf Course is owned and operated by the City of Charlottesville, and is proud to serve more than 40,000 rounds of golf annually. Meadowcreek Golf Course is also home to The First Tee of Charlottesville which introduces golf to kids ages 5- 17. The First Tee also works with character development and developing life skills that are demonstrated through the game of golf.

For tee times, lessons or more information, please call (434) 977-0615.

Boar's Head Inn's General Manager Retires

Jorg Lippuner, Boar's Head Inn's general manager since January 1998 is retiring from his position, effective September 15th. Jorg has enjoyed a distinguished career in the hospitality industry.

He has worked on three continents and is fluent in four languages. Swiss born and educated, Jorg came to Boar's Head Inn from Meadowood Resort in California's Napa Valley where he aligned it as one of Conde Nast Traveler's top 20 U.S. resorts and ranked among the top 20 in Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report. Prior to Meadowood, Lippuner opened and successfully positioned the Swissotel Atlanta in Buckhead against prominent competitors such as the Ritz-Carlton and Nikko hotels.

Further distinctions include the Grand Bay Hotel in Miami, where he achieved a Mobil Five- Star rating and a AAA Five Diamond award at the former Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Montreal.

"First, retirement is just a notion of a future milestone," Lippuner says, "then it becomes a topic and, ultimately, a reality. I was fortunate to see Boar's Head Inn through a substantial renovation and to oversee its repositioning to a special destination. My deep gratitude goes to a terrific team whose special brand of service helped us build a solid reputation and the UVA Foundation and its Board of Directors who had the confidence to back us with their investment. Our owners renewed their financial commitment for a spectacular pavilion with an additional 9,000 square feet of meeting and social space, slated to open in November of this year. I greatly enjoyed my time at the helm; Boar's Head Inn will always have a special place in my heart."

Although not specific about his next pursuits, Lippuner says that many interests will keep him busy and that he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Lisa. During Lippuner's tenure, Boar's Head Inn has excelled in many areas: Birdwood became a certified Audubon Sanctuary. Boar's Head Sports Club enjoyed a major expansion, hosts the Boyd Tinsley $50,000 USTA Women's Pro Tennis Championships, and was named Indoor Tennis Facility of the Year in January 2007. The Old Mill Room is the only restaurant in Virginia to maintain its AAA Four- Diamond status for over 20 years consecutively, ten of which have been with Lippuner's guidance.

Boar's Head Inn will almost double its meeting space capacities when the Pavilion opens in November which many attribute to Lippuner's vision. Says Tim Rose, CEO of UVA Foundation,

"Our appreciation goes to Jorg for his substantial contribution to Boar's Head Inn's success during his watch, and our best wishes accompany him and his wife Lisa in their future ventures."

Boar's Head Inn, a 170-room resort set on 573 acres in the Virginia countryside, offers Four-Diamond dining, a state-of-the-art Sports Club, tennis, championship golf at Birdwood, a luxury spa, children's programs, the newest meeting space in the Mid-Atlantic, and proximity to attractions such as Monticello, the Blue Ridge Mountains and 21 area wineries. Boar's Head Inn is owned and operated by the University of Virginia Foundation.

For more information or to make reservations at Boar's Head Inn, call 800-476-1988 or visit Boar's Head Inn's website at www.boarsheadinn.com.

PVCC Welcomes New Board Members

Five new members have joined the 13-member Piedmont Virginia Community College Board for four- year terms that expire in 2012.

The new members are Stanley A. Cook, Debbi Goodman and Paul D. Newland Jr. representing Albemarle County, Peter T. Kleeman for the City of Charlottesville and Ava A. Pippin, Louisa County's representative.

Cook is an administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has a doctorate in political science and sociology and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Army and is a member of the National Council for Science and the Environment and numerous other professional associations.

Goodman, a speech pathologist at Little Keswick School and a freelance educational writer, has a master's degree in education from the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree in speech pathology from Ithaca College in New York. She has served on the Parent-Teacher-Student Organization Board at Albemarle High School, the Women's Committee at Martha Jefferson Hospital and the Advisory Board at Little Keswick School.

Newland is a retired senior federal executive having worked in government positions for 37 years, most recently at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia. A graduate of George Washington University with a master's degree in government, he is a recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal.

Kleeman is president and owner of Techniquest, a transportation and environmental consulting firm. He has doctorate and master's degree in environmental engineering from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a member of the National Academy of Science's Transportation Research Board.

A business education teacher at Louisa County High School since 1976, Pippin has a master's degree in education from George Mason University and a bachelor's degree in business education from Longwood College. From 1985 to 2004, she was also an adjunct instructor in various business classes at PVCC.

The new College Board members have been appointed by the councils or boards of the jurisdictions in PVCC's service region.

Charlottesville Receives Distinguished Financial Reporting Award

The City of Charlottesville was notified that it has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).

This certificate is considered the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and according to the GFOA "its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management." The award recognized the City for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) and was presented to Bernard Wray, the Director of Finance for the City of Charlottesville.

"I am pleased that we are being recognized for our excellence in our financial reporting," said Mr. Wray. "We go to great lengths to make sure that our financial reporting is transparent and truly representative of the health of the City's finances."

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit professional association serving 16,000 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA represents about 17,000 government finance professionals with office in Chicago and Washington, DC.

New President Named for International Food and Wine Experience

The International Food and Wine Experience of Charlottesville (IFWEOC) has named Timothy P. O'Brien, MPAff., as its first President of the organization, which will hold its inaugural event on January 23-25, 2009.

Timothy ("Tim") P. O'Brien moved to Charlottesville in March of this year from Austin, Texas, where he was an Adjunct Professor in Political Science during the past year at St. Edward's University. For 23 years prior to that, O'Brien worked in corporate administration, management, and sales management with the Fortune 5 telecommunications giant AT&T in Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas, where he managed organizations of more than 300 employees and budgets in excess of $180 million.

Of his new adventure, O'Brien said, "The International Food and Wine Experience is a great new opportunity to integrate the Virginia wine industry into the global wine world and to bring an infusion of sales tax dollars and revenue to our city of Charlottesville at a time of year when it's most needed for businesses. I'm excited by this opportunity and about getting to work with all the diverse groups and wonderful people of Charlottesville and central Virginia."

O'Brien has a lifelong history of community involvement and service on numerous Boards, commissions, and committees. He has been recognized for his performance and achievements with numerous awards. Included in this service was more than 20 years of highly active involvement with the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) on the local, state, national, and international levels. In June of this year, O'Brien completed four years as Chairman of President's Advisory Council for the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and the Shepperd Public Leadership Institute, advising the President on University policy. He holds a Master's degree in Public Affairs (MPAff.) from the one of the most prestigious and oldest public policy schools in the nation, The Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds a BA in Political Science from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. He is married to Anne Gilliam, a native Virginian and alumna of the University of Virginia, and they reside in the city of Charlottesville.

The IFWEOC also has named Downtown business leader, George Benford, as a consultant to the organization, which will hold its inaugural event on January 23-25, 2009 in Downtown Charlottesville.

George Benford is CEO of Siips Wine & Champagne Bar on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall. Prior to opening Siips in December 2007, Benford had been a business owner in the travel industry since 1978. He has owned a travel agency, a travel consulting business, and a travel agency brokerage business. He was also President and CEO of a travel incentive and meetings company, Vice President of an incentive company, and President of an inbound tourism business. Benford has vast experience in staging large meetings and conferences exceeding 1,500 attendees.

George Benford's ability to travel the world extensively and his love of wines have allowed him to meet many vintners, wine makers, and world- renowned chefs. This combination led to his opening of Siips Wine & Champagne Bar. Benford has been extremely active in the communities in which he has lived. He has served on national, state, and local government appointed commissions. He has been chairman of numerous fund-raising efforts, including the Heart Fund, Cancer Society, Animal Adoption Centers, Children's Hospital, PTAs, among others. He has served as a leader in local civic organizations such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), Ruritans, and numerous business associations. In Charlottesville, Benford is a dedicated and active member of the Downtown Business Association, serving on the board and numerous sub-committees.

"George Benford's knowledge and relationships of the international wine industry will be invaluable to the success of the International Food and Wine Experience," said Tim O'Brien, President of IFWEOC.

The IFWEOC has named travel industry veteran Patty Benford as a consultant to the organization, which will hold its inaugural event on January 23-25, 2009 in Downtown Charlottesville.

Patty Benford is a Certified Travel Counselor, a designation given to the most seasoned of travel professionals by The Travel Institute. Throughout her 26-year career, she has enjoyed great success in multiple roles in the travel industry. She began her career while serving the United States Army in El Paso, Texas when assigned to the Transportation Division. Her job required coordination of travel for military personnel to their next assignment. After her four years in military service, she worked with travel companies planning trips for groups and business and vacation clients. Throughout her travel career, Benford has handled many high-end travelers such as Vic Damone, George Steinbrenner, and other well- known celebrities. For the last nine years, Patty Benford has been involved in travel incentive programs, event planning, project management, and high-end leisure travel. In addition, she has over 20 years of experience in airline ticketing for group, vacation, and business travelers. Her duties included airline reservations, coordination with the transportation companies, working with hotels on events, preparing rooming lists, handling the registrations of the attendees, menu selections, and preparation of travel documents, signage and the direct contact of the travelers. She feels fortunate to have traveled numerous times to many parts of the world, while also experiencing multiple cruises and adventure and luxury travel.

"Patty Benford's experience in the meeting and travel planning business will be a tremendous help in the production of the International Food and Wine Experience of Charlottesville in arranging the necessary international and domestic travel, reservations, and ticket sales," said Tim O'Brien.

The event will include seminars during which fine foods will be paired with fine wines, champagne breakfasts, a Grand Tasting, and a final evening Grand Banquet. This will be the first time Virginia wineries will be integrated into the global wine environment. Greater Charlottesville -- and its nearly 30 local vineyards -- has become the "Wine Capital of the East," making this event a natural fit for the region.

According to the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city of Charlottesville will benefit from this program by the infusion of $500,000 to $1,000,000 into the local economy and will unite many community partnerships. A portion of the proceeds from the event will fund scholarships to Virginia residents going to Virginia colleges and universities.

New Women's Magazine Announced

An exciting new publication from The Daily Progress reaching female consumers in the Charlottesville area.

Charlottesville Woman will feature inspiring, local stories on women in the Central Virginia area and information on wellness, family, finances, food and time management. Readers will find just what they're looking for in this premier publication.

The publication will debut OCT. 22, 2008. The advertising deadline is Monday, September 22, 2008.

For more information or to place an ad, call Lisa Freyer at (434) 978-7226 or Heather Lamb at (434) 975-7119.

The Arc Presents 39th Stevens-Paige Award, Elects Officers for 08-09

At the August 14 Annual Membership Meeting of The Arc of the Piedmont, the organization presented its coveted Stevens-Paige Award to Mildred Spicer of Charlottesville's Parks and Recreation Department, recognizing three decades of outstanding service to the area's special-needs community.

Through her efforts as Program Supervisor for the city's Therapeutic Recreation Program, a self- sustaining "supper club" program, years of volunteering with the Area 3 Special Olympics program, coordinating a number of six-week long therapeutic classes, and her partnering with the Parks and Recreation Department of Albemarle County, Spicer has provided much needed and valued services to hundreds of area people with disabilities and is, indeed, as one supporter put it, "an anchor in the disability community."

This award is presented periodically to an individual or organization that has played a significant role in improving the lives of infants, children and adults with, or at risk of intellectual or developmental disabilities.

In other business, elections of the board of directors for terms beginning September 1 were held with the following individuals elected to the Executive Committee: Jim Masloff, President; Bob Ribando, Vice- President; Bruce Hunter, Secretary; Tim Gillett, Treasurer; and Linda Noakes as an At-large member of the committee.

Also elected as directors for the coming year were Stan Binstead, Skip Fox, Helen Holdren, Brian Kennedy, Mary Mead, Eddie Pinson, Nick Sorrentino, Herb Stewart and Karen Reifenberger.

Following a pasta dinner catered by Fellini's #9 with dessert provided by Ben & Jerry's, The Journey of Hope cycling team, which has traveled almost 4,000 miles from San Francisco on their way to Washington, D. C. raising funds in support of and awareness about people with disabilities, presented The Arc with a donation. The evening concluded with dancing to music provided by Andy Eck.

International Wine Event Coming to Downtown Mall

An exciting new event, the International Food and Wine Experience of Charlottesville (IFWEOC), will be held on Charlottesville's Historic Downtown Mall January 23 - 26, 2009.

The event will include seminars during which fine foods will be paired with fine wines, champagne breakfasts, a Grand Tasting, and a final evening Grand Banquet. A portion of the proceeds from the event will fund scholarships to Virginia residents going to Virginia colleges and universities.

To formally announce the event, a group of Downtown businesses, along with the support of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, will host a press conference as follows:
Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Time: 10:30 am
Location: Omni Charlottesville Hotel

IFWEOC is a non-profit organization dedicated to producing the first of what is planned to be an annual International Food and Wine Experience for Charlottesville.

This will be the first time Virginia wineries will be integrated into the global wine environment. Greater Charlottesville -- and its nearly 30 local vineyards -- has now become the "Wine Capital of the East," making this event a natural fit for the region.

According to the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Charlottesville will benefit from this program by the infusion of $500,000 to $1,000,000 into the local economy and will unite the many community partnerships.

City Fire Chief Wins National Honor

The City of Charlottesville is proud to announce that Fire Chief Charles Werner has been named Fire Chief of the Year by the national trade magazine representing fire officials across the country.

Penton Media's Fire Chief® magazine announced the winners of its 13th annual "Fire Chief of the Year" awards August 15th at the general session of the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Fire-Rescue International Conference and Exhibition in Denver, Colorado. The winners also included Chief Michael H. Lee of the Bethany Fire Department in Reidsville, North Carolina. Both were recognized for their dedication and leadership in fire emergency services and will be featured in the October issue of Fire Chief and available on the Web at www.firechief.com.

"This is a great honor for Chief Werner and the City. We have world-class public safety services in Charlottesville and the Chief's tireless effort to keep our City among the safest in the nation deserves to be honored," said City Manager Gary O'Connell. "This is a suitable tribute to his tireless efforts. I join staff and the citizens in congratulating him on this prestigious award."

Nominations were solicited from more than 55 emergency service-related associations and organizations. The winners were selected by Fire Chief magazine's editorial advisory board. The 2008 Career Chief of the Year, Charles L. Werner, started his fire service career as a volunteer with Harrisonburg Fire Company #1 in 1974 then began as a career firefighter with the Charlottesville Fire Department in 1978. Rising through the department ranks, he was appointed fire chief in 2005. A popular instructor, Werner is well-known throughout the fire and emergency services nationwide for his expertise in communications, technology, grants and leadership; serving on the Virginia Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee for many years. He is the Chair of the Department of Homeland Security's SAFECOM Executive Committee and is Chair of the International Association of Fire Chief's Technology Council which facilitates issues such as GIS and other technology related matters. He serves on the editorial advisory board of Penton's Mobile Radio Technology and is a contributing editor for Firehouse magazine. Chief Werner also serves as an At-Large Vice President for the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association. Chief Werner has authored over 70 nationally published emergency service articles.

"We are extremely pleased to name Chief Werner and Chief Lee as recipients of our 2008 Fire Chief of the Year awards," said Janet Wilmoth, editorial director of Fire Chief magazine. "Each of these chiefs exemplifies the changing role of the fire and emergency services today. Both Chief Werner and Chief Lee are excellent examples of the commitment and dedication required for leadership of fire and emergency service agencies."

Established in 1956, Fire Chief is the magazine for progressive leaders of emergency services. Articles by fire officers and specialists from across the country and around the world cover a wide variety of topics that are important to fire and emergency medical service leaders. In addition, a monthly department lineup provides targeted information, in a quick, accessible format. Fire Chief offers three print and six electronic products to serve chief officers, incident commanders, training officers, safety officers and other titles and ranks. Fire Chief recently introduced its Station Style Conference, which targets fire and emergency service response facilities. More information on the publication can be found at www.firechief.com.

City Council Announces Appointments

The Charlottesville City Council recently announced the following appointments to City boards and commissions at their regular meeting:

William "Bill" Emory to the Planning Commission beginning September 1st to replace Hosea Mitchell. Mr. Emory is a photographer with a BA degree from the University of Virginia. He is a resident and association board member in the Woolen Mills neighborhood. The Planning Commission has 7 appointed City residents with 4 year terms.

Gowher Rizvi to the Sister City Commission. This Commission plans and coordinates sister city activities; seeks private funding for activities and operations; promotes sister cities to the community; establishes guidelines for future sister cities; establishes subcommittee for each sister city; advises and oversees staffing; and evaluate need for non-profit entity. Mr. Rizvi is currently the director of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University but recently has been appointed Vice Provost for International Programs at the University of Virginia, a position that begins September 1st.

Current Opportunities on City Boards and Commissions Appointed by City Council:
· Charlottesville Albemarle Commission on Children and Families - Citizen at Large and Youth representative positions.
· Charlottesville Police Advisory Panel - Newly formed
· JAUNT
· Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Board
· Social Services Advisory Board

Deadline for Applications is Thursday, September 11, 2008. Applications are accepted online at www.charlottesvillle.org. Go to "I Want To" "Apply for Boards and Commissions." Applications also available by calling 970-3113 or email at coxj@charlottesville.org.

Doubletree Unveils Multi-Million Dollar Renovation

The Doubletree Charlottesville hotel located at 990 Hilton Heights Road is in the final weeks of a complete renovation covering every area of guest contact.

Over the past several months all 240 guestrooms, bathrooms, as well as suites (including two whirlpool suites), have been entirely remodeled. Guestroom corridors on each floor are now updated in a color scheme matching the guestrooms and suites: a beautiful blending of a warm palette and jewel tones.

The hotels' top-floor Hilton HHonors lounge is all new including a dedicated staff offering welcoming personalized service, classic board games, complimentary food and beverage in the mornings and evenings, a 42 inch LCD TV and beautiful Virginia treetop views. The lobby level dining options (in addition to in- guestroom dining), include T.J.'s Tavern offering creatively presented delicious food in a casual atmosphere for lunch and dinner. A full bar spotlighting local wineries and breweries offering whatever you're thirsty for awaits your arrival. The Tavern includes four LCD TV's with a program variety sure to have something for everyone.

Located next to T.J.'s Tavern you'll find T.J.'s Dining Room serving the always popular Doubletree Breakfast, which can be found throughout all Doubletree Hotel locations. Breakfast is served seven days a week in this beautiful dining room, featuring floor to ceiling windows overlooking the dense forests Virginia is so well known for. Both T.J.'s Tavern and T.J.'s Dining Room have been completely renovated and look great!

Big changes have taken place in the lobby as well; you'll notice these the moment that you walk in. The Hotel also has a brand new front desk and adjacent gift shop offering an inventory with today's Doubletree traveler in mind.

Energy efficiency was planned into this renovation from the very start. The hotels more than 20 roof-top HVAC units are being replaced in phases with six energy sipping units now installed and many more on the way.

The hotels entire inventory of 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space as well as the pre-function space supporting those areas; has been completely updated and is awaiting your upcoming meeting or other special event. The same highly skilled staff preparing the mouthwatering food in our lobby level restaurants are also in uniform for your memory filled catered event.

The always popular Promenade Ballroom located on the first floor, offering the same beautiful views as found in the upstairs T.J.'s Dining Room, is all-new floor to ceiling. This stunning room is the perfect setting for a wedding reception, holiday party or other social special event. The public restrooms serving the Promenade Ballroom also are brand new and compliment the new décor found throughout the hotel.

The hotels largest special event and meeting space, the Rotunda Ballroom totaling nearly 5,000 square feet, along with its supporting spacious pre-function area and adjacent landscaped patio; are fresh and ready for your program's arrival. The new contemporary chandeliers, artwork and furnishings can be found throughout. Accommodating events up to 600 people, the Rotunda Conference Center offers so many possibilities and creative opportunities.

The 1st floor indoor pool has a fresh new look and adjacent new construction Fitness Center, featuring PreCor top-of-the-line equipment, is near complete.

Special re-introductory pricing for our stunning new hotel is available through late September, 2008.

The Senior Center Celebrates CCA Award

On Thursday, July 31st, The Senior Center celebrated its recognition as the 2008 Best Practices Award winner in the Healthy Aging category by the Commonwealth Council on Aging (CCA).

The CCA, a citizen advisory group to the Department on Aging, recognizes and encourages model aging programs throughout Virginia through its annual Best Practices awards.

Gene Ecton Davis of the CCA along with colleague Gwen Mullen presented the award to Senior Council President Pat Cook, who graciously accepted on behalf of our Senior Center community.

Jonathan M. Evans, M.D. delivered an engaging keynote speech on the value of programs and communities such as the one developed at The Senior Center. Members Nancy Grim, Levi Miller and Zohra Siddiqui shared with the audience their experiences with the Center, helping demonstrate exactly why the CCA selected the Center for this prestigious award.

For additional information, visit http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/home/headlines/ 26154409.html.

National College Making a Difference

The Charlottesville Campus of National College recently hosted its annual Blood Drive, and, thanks to the support of students, staff and faculty, the campus contributed 26 units of blood to a needy cause.

This surpasses the goal of 20 units established by Virginia Blood Services (VBS). Students in the medical programs participated in a class presentation prior to the event to reinforce their understanding of the process and they learned how one donor can impact multiple lives. This motivated many of them to "make a difference" and support the Blood Drive.