Author: The BridgeLine

Please join us for an evening of friends, food, music and fun!

We look forward every year to organizing this summer party. We have such a great time with our friends, families and supporters! We hope you will join us for the 5th Midsummer Night’s Dream party here at The Bridge Line!

Date: Saturday June 13th, 2015
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: See RSVP information below and email for the address and directions!

Please RSVP by Tuesday June 2nd with Amber Rexrode!
434.987.8906
amber@thebridgeline.org

This is a free event however donations are always welcome.
“The Bridge Line is a 501©(3), non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible.”

“If you want to touch the past, touch a rock. If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life.” -Author Unknown

Be a Friend
There is always an opportunity to volunteer at The Bridge Line. From being a friend to one of our residents which includes providing assistance and friendship to members within our program by reading, playing board games, having a coffee with them and making them smile!

Lead a Game Night
One of our favorite social activities is to have a “game night” with several of our friends. We do this on a regular basis, with roughly one “game night” happening per month. For us, it’s a social highlight – it provides great social interaction, a fun evening with old and new friends, and some great thought-provoking game play. We have a variety of games available (pictionary, monopoly etc..) or you can bring your own! So set up a day, we’ll buy the pizza, you lead the game! If you’re looking for an evening with new friends that’s rich in social interaction, look no further!

Guest Chef for a Dinner
If you love to cook come join us! We promise an evening full of fun and friendship. Our Guest Chef for a Dinner Program is a volunteer opportunity that all residents of Building Bridges love. Come to one of our homes and show off your cooking skills. We have had guest chefs come from as near as Charlottesville and as far as Germany! A Guest Chef enriches our evening with great fun and excellent food. We’d love to have you!

For more information about any of the above volunteer opportunities or to hear about more, contact Amber Rexrode at amber@thebridgeline.org

Click here to visit our page on Volunteer Match to view all up to date volunteer opportunities here at The Bridge Line

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens

Last Saturday we had our 3rd Comedy Night! We also had a surprise comedian open up, which was a real treat. It was a full house, which was filled to the brim with laughter. We are so grateful to have so many wonderful supporters!

A huge THANK YOU to the wonderful comedians Bill Russ, Tom Holaday and Beatty Barnes for such a fun night! THANK YOU to everyone who came out and laughed with us! We have such wonderful supporters!

And last but not least THANK YOU to Toan Nguyen of Cville Coffee for hosting us, videographer Jim Peterson and to our board of directors for underwriting the entire event and to our wonderful event committee for putting the evening together. What a fun night! We look forward to planning the next event!

The BridgeLine 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 going 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:
amber@thebridgeline.org
or 434-987-8906

More Info Link: www.buildingbridgescharlottesville.org
Date: Saturday, 4/18/2015
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Start Time: 7:30 PM
End Time: 10:00 PM

Be sure to stop by our fundraising night at Alex & Ani tomorrow, April 15th from 5-7 pm! Purchase some beautiful bangles and you’ll also be supporting all we do here at The BridgeLine! Enjoy some lite bites, (+) Punch and check out all of the wonderful bangles and jewelry! 15% of sales will go to us. If you can’t make it to the store, call-in orders during the event will also help our organization. We can’t wait to see you there!

2050 Bond Street, Suite 160 Charlottesville, VA 22901

The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011. Put down the food. Call a cab if you’ve been drinking. Don’t touch your phone, and use #X. The hashtag is a quick way people can let friends know that you’re getting behind the wheel and WILL NOT BE texting while driving.

Long time friend and supporter of our organization, Patty Grimm, experienced first hand the terrible consequences of somebody driving distracted. Here is her story:

“March is ‘Brain Injury Awareness Month’ and I want to share my story in hopes that it will make people think twice about driving while eating, drinking, smoking or texting and talking on the phone. On a beautiful May day in 2011 I was cruising the speed limit of 55 mph up route 20 towards Orange, VA for my job. Out of nowhere I saw a BMW side swipe the car approximately 100 yards in front of me and roll off the side of the road. At that moment I knew it was going to overcompensate and come back for me, and it did. Within one second the BMW hit me head on at a high rate of speed, rolled down the driver side of my car and pushed me into the guard rail. I prepared to die and prayed to God. After the impact was over I found myself alive, trapped in my car, my legs crushed by engine and dashboard, and afraid the car was on fire.

(Pictured below is the aftermath of the vehicle Patty was driving)

We will never know why the driver of the car that hit me became distracted and lost control of his car, he died on the impact. It could have been from becoming distracted by his phone or opening the beer he was indulging in. Regardless his decision that day changed my life forever. It’s been almost 4 years since the crash and I have endured over 12 surgeries to rebuild my legs and continue to recover. My neurological physicians at UVA are amazed that I only suffer from hearing problems and PTSD, and did not sustain a brain injury considering my body was able to take 110 mph of impact.
My story is a positive “brain” outcome for a person that experienced the impact that I did. For so many others this is not the case. Please, do not drive distracted.” -Patty Grimm

Please think twice before you drive distracted. No text, drink or food item is worth anyone getting injured or losing their life over. Be the difference. Remind yourself and others to drive to arrive alive.

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!