THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 1994 TAG: 9411300133
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: E18B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
You can have the Chesapeake City Hall hanging from your Christmas tree this year.
The Chesapeake Cosmopolitan Club, a community service organization, has begun a new holiday tradition in the city by offering the first of a series of limited-edition special tree ornaments emblazoned with city landmarks and sites.
Proceeds from the ornament sales will be used to benefit the Vacation Diabetes Camp run by Chesapeake General Hospital.
For its first ornament, now on sale, Cosmopolitan club officials chose the image of Chesapeake City Hall, built in 1989.
``We know the City Hall, or `Taj Mahal,' as some people call it, is not without some controversy, but we felt it was one of the most recognizable buildings in the city,'' said Jim Chellew, chairman of the club's community services committee. ``And I think it's a rather nice looking building. It's distinctive.''
Mark Carey, whose weekly art feature ``Mark Carey's Chesapeake'' continues to be a favorite of readers of The Clipper, designed the 1994 ornament.
``We will have 25 limited-edition ornaments available at $20 apiece,'' Chellew said. ``Each one, numbers 1 through 25, will include Mark's signature in gold and a special marble ornament stand.''
Each regular ornament will sell for $9. There are only 500 of them for sale, so even the regular ones will quickly become collectors' items, Chellew predicted.
``Once we sell out all 500, that's it until next year, when we offer a new one, our second edition ornament,'' he said. ``And if we have some left over, we will make them available along with our new 1995 design.''
Each year, the ornaments will feature a different Chesapeake landmark, Chellew said.
``For next year we're already looking at one of two Chesapeake scenes,'' he said. ``We have plans to include the locks, historic homes - sites like that. Over the years, we hope to include all of Chesapeake's well-known landmarks, sites and buildings.''
Chellew said the seasonal ornament sales were instituted especially to raise money for the diabetes camp.
``We were looking for something we could do to raise money for this Chesapeake camp,'' he said. ``One of our clubs in Lancaster, Pa., had done this successfully for years, so we decided to give it a try.''
The Chesapeake Vacation Diabetes Camp, held every summer at the hospital's Lifestyle Plus Center, features classes, crafts, games, swimming and exercises, all with an emphasis on learning about diabetes the fun way. The camp experience includes a trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, along with cooking demonstrations, information about blood glucose testing, insulin injection, how much and when to eat and the effect of exercise on diabetes.
Chellew said the camp gives kids with diabetes a chance to socialize with children their own age who have similar experiences, and it gives them a chance to learn from health and medical professionals as well as their peers.
The ornaments were manufactured by Keystone Specialties, a company based in Bakerstown, Pa.
``The firm specializes in quality-made `Our Town' ornaments,'' he said. ``We're very excited about this project. We think once the editions start, people will begin to collect them. They're nice seasonal gifts and keepsakes, and it's all for a good cause.'' MEMO: The ``Our Town'' Chesapeake Christmas tree ornaments featuring a design
of Chesapeake City Hall are available at $9 each. There are 25 special
limited edition ornaments signed by Mark Carey in gold for $20. Proceeds
from the sales will be used to help benefit the Chesapeake General
Hospital Vacation Diabetes Camp and the Sharon Carey Medical Scholarship
Fund. The ornaments can be purchased at Kirby School and Office
Supplies, Great Bridge Shopping Center, and at the Chesapeake General
Hospital Lifestyle Fitness Center, next to the hospital on North
Battlefield Boulevard. More information on the Chesapeake Cosmopolitan
Club or the ornaments is available by calling Jim Chellew at 436-1778.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
City Hall ornament proceeds will benefit the Vacation Diabetes
Camp.
by CNB