April 2017

Back in 2011, a 6-year-old girl – playing on a summer day in the Outer Banks with her family – was bitten by (best guess) a black-finned shark while standing in a foot-and-a-half of water with her vigilant mom close by. A Greenville, North Carolina, trauma center’s helicopter airlifted our…

Morgan Rhudy knows how simple multiplication can transform a community. She’s doing just that with her nonprofit. “Girl Power Grants is a grant-making organization where a hundred girls each give $100 so we can fund a $10,000 grant annually to another organization in the Richmond area,” explained Morgan, president and…

Stanton Thalhimer still looks for the peacock that used to roam the grounds of the Farm when he was six years old and visited Maymont. “The peacock isn’t there any more, but it was my favorite animal,” says Thalhimer, who chairs Maymont’s Spirit of Generosity Capital Campaign. “It’s a great…

The minute the kids step off the bus, do you usher them into your minivan at light-year speed? Is that same van stocked with more pretzels and Gatorade than a 7-Eleven? After soccer practice, you jet over to cello lessons. There’s a project due tomorrow that your middle-schooler (and yes,…

All right, c’mon, now, hurry up, kids! We need to get cracking – beds made, wastebaskets emptied, fresh towels on the racks. And would someone please find a clean washcloth and set it on the edge of the tub? Your grandmother doesn’t ask for much, but that’s the one thing…

There are so many events on this month’s RFM calendar, we couldn’t fit them all into this issue, so be sure to hit our online calendar for more fun ways to get out and enjoy Richmond! As the weather warms up, Maymont is sure to be on your list of…

Crafting with wire and the beads or buttons of your choice, your jewelry designs will always be unique. What’s more, you can modify this creative technique to add a splash of style to anything that needs a decorative upgrade.   What you need: • Old jewelry and found objects, like…

A few of my friends have said they won’t allow their children to play with toy guns of any kind.  My 5-year-old son likes to play with guns, and it results in creative and imaginative play for him and his friends. Is it okay? This is a question that comes…

Motivated by their daughters’ struggles with clinical depression, Tom and Diana Leahy founded Beacon Tree in 2008. “Our goal is to help families overcome the hurdles and find a path to mental wellness,” said Tom Leahy. In the spring of 2016, a local mom contacted Beacon Tree Foundation after her…

As we age, we will all experience some challenges. For each of us, the time may come when we need to consider letting someone else take over the responsibility of driving for us. Here are some things to consider when making this difficult decision for yourself, or when helping a…

Picking your own produce is a wonderful memory-making experience with your family, and nothing beats eating a perfectly sun-ripened strawberry. Heading to a pick-your-own farm with the kids often creates this idealistic picture in your mind. Do you imagine children frolicking in the fields and posing for Instagram-worthy pictures? Sometimes…

Are congratulations in order for your new furry family member? Perhaps you’re still considering this important decision. With just a few strategies, the integration of a new dog into your family can be a smooth one. On day one, before entering the house, slowly introduce your pup to the yard by…

Only weeks after its founding in December 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was charged by Congress to establish federal air quality standards. The Clean Air Act passed as a direct response to the smog that afflicted most American cities, including Richmond. In 1972, federal officials declared that Richmond had the…

(photo) Designed as a neighborhood for low-to-moderate income families, The Villas at Rockett’s Landing are priced from $200,000 to $300,000, with enough solar to virtually eliminate their electric bills.   Now is a great time to invest in residential solar in Richmond. Price, availability, tax credits, and power suppliers are all aligned…

You might not think forty-six days would provide enough time to make significant changes in Virginia’s laws that affect children, but think again. The state’s 140 legislators plowed through more than 3,000 bills and made changes to the state’s budget during their brief stay in Richmond in January and February.…