Think It’s Cold Here? Come to Almost, Maine

Washington High School Theatre Department performs Almost, Maine on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13, 2010. In this John Cariani romantic comedy, residents of remote, mythical town Almost, Maine are falling in and out of love in unexpected, often hilarious ways. This “midwinter’s night tale” is perfect Valentine’s Day weekend entertainment! Shows begin at 7:30pm in the Washington High School auditorium. All tickets are $5.

C&O Canal Annual Clean-Up

 Saturday, March 6, 2010, 8am – 1pm, 115 W. German St.

Our second Annual Canal Cleanup is the first Saturday in March. Join us at the shop at 7:30am to clean up the section between the Shepherdstown Bridge and Lock 37 past Antietam Creek. Trash bags provided. Bring your bike and ride down to the canal or drive your car. Kids welcome—must be accompanied by an adult. Call the shop for more information. Rain Date Saturday, March 16, 2010

Shepherdstown Rotary Raises $8,100 For Haitian Hospital

 Shepherdstown Rotary Club sent $8,100 to the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Deschapelles, Haiti. The money was raised in four days, $1,000 from Club funds and the rest donated by members. The 54-year-old, 120-bed medical center three hours north of Port au Prince is overwhelmed by quake victims leaving the capital for medical help. A Club member served on its board, and the Club has helped fund its child-immunizations and a well-drilling project. Club President Doug Alexander encouraged area residents to help Haiti by donating to the hospital. Visit www.hashaiti.org or donate via the Shepherdstown Rotary Club. Donations are tax deductible. Make checks payable to The Rotary Club of Shepherdstown Charitable Fund, Inc., with “Schweitzer Hospital” in the memo line and mail to P.O. Box 603, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

Shepherdstown Store Donates to Local Audubon Society

Shepherdstown’s On the Wings of Dreams store presented a $220 check to the Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) on January 13, the third year in a row for such a donation. In 2007, owner Laura Rau of Keedysville, Md., decided to contribute 3 cents to the Society for every crystal and mineral the store sells. The donation, representing 2009 crystals and minerals sales, supports Society educational programs for children.

Shepherd Professor’s Printmaking in Juried Exhibition

 Artwork by Rhonda Smith, professor of art, chair of the Department of Contemporary Art and Theater, and coordinator of the BFA printmaking program at Shepherd University, will be part of “Imprint: A Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition,” January 21–February 21 at Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, Va. Reception February 11, 6–8 pm with juror talk at 7 pm and printmaking demonstration 7:30–8 pm by Printmakers Inc. A juried exhibition, Imprint looks at contemporary printmaking trends. Juror Jane Haslem of Jane Haslem Gallery, Washington, D.C., chose 42 pieces by 37 artists nationally.

Information: Target Gallery   703-838-4565 or www.torpedofactory.org

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Audubon Society Offers “Wee Naturalists”

 Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) “Wee Naturalists” program lets pre-school children ages 3–5 and loving adults to safely explore nature together guided by an experienced PVAS instructor Suzi Taylor. Children must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent, other adult relative, or guardian. Sessions are at PVAS’s Yankauer Nature Preserve the third Wednesday and Thursday of each month, February through April and August through December, 9:30 to 11:00 am. Each month’s session explores a different theme: February “Loving the Outdoors,” March “Let’s Go Outside!,” and April “What Do April Showers Bring?” Enrollment is limited and pre-registration required. Register for one, several, or all monthly sessions, $8 per child/adult team per session for one or two sessions, or $7 per session for three or more. Information or to register: contact Suzi Taylor 301-432-1908 or tomandsuzi506@cs.com. PVAS www.potomacaudubon.org has forms, too.

WVU Hospitals-East Offers Runner’s Challenge Program

 Have you ever wanted to run a marathon? 10k? 5k? Rated races in the Eastern Panhandle include the Apple Trample 5k and Freedom’s Run, sponsored by WVU Hospitals-East and WVU School of Medicine Eastern Division. Want to race but don’t know how to train? City Hospital Wellness Center’s Runner’s Challenge Program helps you reach your goal. A meeting on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm in the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center auditorium on the City Hospital campus features Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, nationally ranked distance runner, founder and organizer of the Freedom’s Run. Monthly program meetings offer support and guidance, and presentations by runners, physicians, physical therapists, fitness instructors, dietitians ,and yoga instructors. Also learn how you can raise money for a your cause by participating. Free for Wellness Center members. Non members pay a fee. Information or to register for the meeting: 304-264-1287, ext. 1814; ddejarnett@cityhospital.org; or www.wvuh-east.org.

Community Alternatives to Violence Sweetheart Dinner

 Dinner fundraiser for Community Alternatives to Violence hosted at Charles Town Races & Slots in the epic buffet private room, Thursday, February 11, 6–9 pm. Donation ticket price $20 per guest includes epic buffet dinner. Cash bar. Silent auction. RSVP by February 5: Christie Pace 304-724-1030 or Christine.pace@benecore.net.

February Audubon Birding Trips

 Potomac Valley Audubon Society offers three free birding trips for February, open to all.

February 6: Trip to Shenandoah River and Country Club Road Ponds in Jefferson County to see wintering waterfowl. May see hooded and common mergansers, redheads, wood ducks, buffleheads, gadwalls, and pied-billed grebes.. Meet at 8:00 am in front parking lot of Martin’s Supermarket, Jefferson Crossroads Shopping Center off Route 340 just east of Charles Town. We will mostly drive from place to place, with little walking. Information: Nancy Kirschbaum 304-876-6881 or nancyk500@comcast.net.

February 13: Trip to the Delaware-Maryland Eastern shore with Baltimore Bird Club. Meet at 9:30 am. at the Lewes-Cape May Ferry passenger lot. Trip covers from Cape Henlopen to Ocean City with good chances to see loons, gannets, sea ducks, great cormorants, and purple sandpipers. Maybe razorbills, red-breasted and brown-headed nuthatches. Bundle up; this trip is usually brutally cold and windy. Could be one or two days, with overnights there, if participants want. Information: contact Nancy Kirschbaum as above.

February 18: Trip to Flowing Springs Park and Altona Marsh in Jefferson County. Meet at 8:00 am at Home Depot parking lot, Potomac Towne Shopping Center on Route 9 northeast of Charles Town. May see wood duck, Wilson’s snipe, rusty blackbird, and white-crowned sparrow. Trip entails walking about four miles on sometimes rough terrain and railroad tracks. Information: Sandy Sagalkin 301-432-6847 or monsansagalkin@myactv.net.

Whats ON

First Friday Coffeehouse Features Dynamic Duo

Friday Coffeehouse features touring Americana artists Dana and Sue Robinson on February 5 at Trinity Orchard House on Route 45, four miles from the four-way stop in Shepherdstown. Doors open for social time and open mic sign-up at 7:30pm. Snacks and refreshments served. A $10 donation is suggested.

Dana and Susan Robinson sing dust-on-the-boots vignettes of rural America. Dana delivers his lyrics with poetic clarity to take the audience along, riding shotgun down the highway. Their stories reflect a deep affection for the landscape and a sense of place within it. Dana and Susan are multi-instrumentalists (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin) integrating styles from the Appalachian, Celtic, and African traditions to create a fresh and contemporary sound that is uniquely their own.

Their new CD Big Mystery celebrates the life force of the natural world and shines a light upon the beauty of the small and forgotten pockets of rural America. Dana’s writing conjures up his hero, Woody Guthrie, and that reflection is ever-evident on this recording. “Rural America explored with elegant simplicity. Their music and cleanly poetic songwriting bring to mind the great folksingers of our times,” says the Asheville Citizen-Times. 

Upcoming feature performers are March 5, Tom Prout and Emily McCormick, and April 2, RJ Cowdery. All open mic participants should be there early to get a slot to perform at one of the area`s premier listening rooms. Eight slots at eight minutes per performer will be available on a first come first served basis.

AHA! Photo Exhibit of Jefferson County Photography Project

 The second exhibition in a series called the Jefferson County Photography Project will be at the Old Opera House Heiler Gallery, 204 N. George Street, Charles Town, during Old Opera House performances on February 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. The photographers of the project will be available for a Meet the Artist Night, Friday, February 12 before the show and during intermission.

The Jefferson County Photography Project is a project directed by local photographer Benita Keller and sponsored by a grant through AHA to promote and advance fine art black and white film photography. Photographers in the project are C. Mason, Carl Shultz, Joanna Pecha, Jessica Hartman, Rip Smith and Frank Robbins and project director, Benita Keller.

This exhibition will continue at the Fire Hall Visitors Center Gallery, 108 N. George St, Charlestown, from February 19 through the month of March. There will be an opening reception on February 19 from 6–8. The photographs include landscapes, people and events of the county. This is the second in a series of three exhibitions of the project. The final exhibition will be at the Bridge Gallery in Shepherdstown in May. For information, benitakellerphoto2000@yahoo.com.

Old Opera House Presents Moonlight and Magnolias

 The Old Opera House theater in Charles Town presents Ron Hutchinson’s “Moonlight and Magnolias.” It’s 1939, and Hollywood is abuzz. Legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production of his new epic “Gone with the Wind” because the screenplay simply doesn’t work. Famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and formidable director Victor Fleming are summoned to his office and together they fashion a screenplay that will become the blueprint for one of the most beloved films of all time.

Director Caroline Cash, who brought the hit musical-comedy, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change to the Old Opera House stage last season, has assembled a cast of seasoned comedic talent to bring this farce to life, including David Porterfield, J.D. Wine, Steven Brewer and Sandra DeRocha.

Show times & ticket prices: Friday & Saturday, February 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 8pm; $17 adults. Sunday matinees, February 7 and 14 at 2:30pm; $15 adults. Students, $8 all performances. Rated PG13 due to some language. For tickets and info: Steven Brewer, 304-725-4420 or www.oldoperahouse.org.

Goose Route Arts Collaborative Events

 Goose Route Arts Collaborative presents “Breathing Moments,” an outdoor exploration of winter in downtown Berkeley Springs at the Berkeley Springs State Park grounds, South Washington Street, Saturday, February 6 at 3 pm. Admission is free. On Saturday, February 27, Goose Route holds the “Winter Chill Buster” party to benefit the 10th Annual Goose Route Dance Festival. For information, contact Kitty Clark at 304-876-6751 or kitty@gooseroute.org, or visit www.gooseroute.org.

Shepherdstown Film Society February Films

 2/12 and 2/26

Films are shown on Fridaysat 7:00 p.m. in Shepherd University’s Reynolds Hall. Admission is free, and each showing is followed by a discussion.

February 12: “Daughters of the Dust,” (1991, 112 minutes, directed by Julie Dash). Set in 1902 on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, this film explores the roots and development of the Gullah culture on the sea islands along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia through the lives of three generations of Gullah women. Isolated from the changes of the post-Civil War South, the Gullah people maintained African folk-ways in language, story telling, food and community well into the last century. The film was placed in the National Film Registry by the National Film Preservation Board in 2004. Not rated. This is a special presentation as part of Shepherd University’s Black History Month program and is co-sponsored by Multicultural Student Affairs. The post-film discussion will be led by Dr. Sylvia Shurbutt, Professor of English at Shepherd University.

February 26: “The Garden,” (2008, 80 minutes, directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy). This film documents a 14-acre neighborhood garden in South Central Los Angeles that arose from the devastation of the 1992 riots. The garden grew and prospered, providing fresh, wholesome food and building community. Then it faced the threat of destruction from industrial development. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. Not rated. This is a special presentation as part of Shepherd University’s Common Reading Program’s One Book, One Community Program. This year the university’s common reading is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The post-film discussion will be led by Elizabeth Wheeler.

For information about the Society and its films, visit www.shepherdstownfilmsociety.org. or contact Lisa Welch at 304-876-1837 or lmwlech@frontiernet.net or Mina Goodrich at 304-876-2159 or larrymina@aol.com.