Category: News

Did you know that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month?

You can help prevent a brain injury by taking the steps to prevent falls, wearing a seat belt and of course, wearing a helmet! Click here and join us in the pledge to wear a helmet!

“It’s uncomfortable and hot. It messes up my hair. It isn’t cool. I’m only going a short distance. I’m not going to fall, so I don’t need one.”
Above are just a few reasons people give for not putting a helmet on. But the truth is, a helmet can prevent a brain injury and even save your life. Remember- Helmets are not just for children; helmets are important at any age!

Did you know that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of brain injury up to 88%? They help to absorb the energy from an impact instead of your head and brain! Be sure to protect your melon!

Be sure to wear the right helmet!
All helmets are not the same. There are many different helmets for different activities. Each particular type of helmet is designed to protect your head from the impacts common to each a particular activity or sport. Be sure to wear a helmet that is appropriate for the particular activity you’re involved in. Other helmets may not protect your head as effectively.

Have you heard? We’ve merged!

Building Bridges Charlottesville is proud to announce that we have merged with the Virginia NeuroCare Foundation to create The BridgeLine!
The merger will make the services more efficient, allow us more long-term stability and create a full-service organization for those with brain injuries.

Thank you to the staff, board members, friends, families and media supporters who came out and watched us “tie the knot”! We are very excited for this new journey as one!

Why BridgeLine?
A bridge line is the first and strongest thread a spider spins to anchor his web. From that beginning, connections to other points are made and then web grows in strength, scope, stability and effect.
In the same sense, BridgeLine, creates a strong foundation to empower adults with brain injuries in all aspects of their lives.

Click here to visit our new Facebook page
We will have our new logo and website up and running soon. Stay tuned!

“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” ― Jon Katz

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” ― Anaïs Nin

“Never leave a friend behind. Friends are all we have to get us through this life—and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next.” ― Dean Koontz

“Friends are the family you choose.” ― Jess C. Scott

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” ― John Holmes

“There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort.” ― Charlotte Brontë

October 18th, 2014 we had a Clean Comedy Night featuring nationally touring comedians Mark Matusof and Mike Easmeil. The night was full of so many smiles and laughter.

THANK YOU to our dear friends and supporters Mary Miller and Brett Leake for helping make this night possible and the Building Bridges Charlottesville Board of Directors who underwrote the entire event. THANK YOU to Toan Nguyen and C’ville Coffee for the venue and their continued support.

THANK YOU to Sir Speedy for printing our event posters and last, but not least, THANK YOU to the comedians Mark & Mike for filling the room with smiles and laughter! We are so grateful for you all!

Click here to check out this video clip from our Comedy Night last year!
Dr. Jeff Barth tries to wash his own clothes for a change and is confronted with all those confusing dials!

Be sure to RSVP for our upcoming Comedy Night on April 18th! Click here to RSVP!

It’s that time again!
Building Bridges Charlottesville Presents:
Comedy Night! Come Laugh with Us!
90 minutes of entertainment!

Date: Saturday April 18th, 2015

Time: Doors open at 7pm

Where: Cville Coffee
1301 Harris Street
Charlottesville, VA 22903

$12 Cover charge, $10 goes directly to Building Bridges.

Cville coffee offers an à la carte menu including dinner items, quality beers and wine, as well as other refreshments.

Please RSVP with Amber Rexrode at:
[email protected]
or 434-987-8906

Last night we had a wonderful Guest Chef dinner! Our long time friend and supporter Sue Liberman came and prepared a fabulous meal for us along with tasty desserts! It is so fun to gather around a table with great food and wonderful company. THANK YOU SUE!!!

“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” -Giada De Laurentiis

Our Guest Chef for a Dinner program began on November 6th, 2011. Our first Guest Chefs were our friend Brett’s mom and her husband, Sylvia and Max Reinhardt. They were just amazing, VERY creative and fun. The meal was DELICIOUS. We were treated to a trout souffle, broccoli with shiitake soy ginger sauce, beets, potatoes anna and home-made bread (with sun dried tomatoes, herbs and olives)!

Sylvia also presented us with a figurine that she made, (pictured above) of a chef about to trip over a cat! We have since had every one or our Guest Chefs take a photo with it! What a fabulous way to kick off our program!

Since we have started the Guest Chef for a Dinner program we have had so many wonderful people come and cook for us. Some of our great friends and supporters, along with Daniela’s parents, all the way from Germany!

In September of 2013, we were treated to a dinner prepared by Jack Hanny, who was a White House Chef and cooked for 6 different Presidents! We were so lucky to have him in our home with a delicious meal and telling exciting stories of his life.

The past 3 years of our Guest Chef program have been absolutely wonderful. We have had so many good times around the dining table. From the delicious food to the great conversations, we appreciate everyone who has come in and spent time with us.

If you or someone you know might be interested in participating in our Guest Chef program, contact us for more information! We’d love to have you! Email Amber Rexrode at [email protected] to hear more and to book a date!

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
― Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Happy New Year! Thank you to all of our generous friends and donors who supported us in 2014! At Casino Night, the June Party and our Comedy Night, we had so much fun seeing friends, families and supporters along with making new ones! This year we are excited to start renovating a kitchen in one of our homes to comply with ADA guidelines along with installing a HVAC system! Follow us here and on our Facebook Site for frequent updates on these projects and upcoming events!

The Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation announced the recipients of the most recent grant cycle. Building Bridges Charlottesville is honored to be a recipient in this cycle. These funds will go towards renovating a kitchen in one of our homes to comply with ADA guidelines.

The Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) supports charitable programs locally in the Charlottesville area, nationally and internationally. Program interests include, but are not limited to: disadvantaged youth, needs of the disabled, protection of the environment, and the arts and humanities. Dave Matthews Band and its members have made an impact with their music and by improving the lives of thousands of people. In the most recent grant cycle, fifty-four organizations received $354,300 in grant awards. The fund has made over 800 grants totaling more than $15 million since its inception. More information is available here

We’ve joined CauseNetwork! And, you are invited to the celebration.

Click Here to visit our CauseNetwork page!

CauseNetwork is a new kind of marketplace where socially conscious consumers like you can support your favorite cause every time you shop online. CauseNetwork negotiates discounts and donations from over 1,000 stores so you can save money and collect donations for your cause. 
 
Supporting your favorite cause has never been easier – it’s fast, simple, and there is no additional cost to you. 

To start supporting Building Bridges Charlottesville all you need to do is:

– Visit: Our Page on CauseNetwork
– Click any offer and complete a purchase
– Up to 10% of your purchase will automatically be donated to your cause.

Here are just a few of the 1,000 brands you can collect donations from when you shop:

Thank you for joining and for all of your support!