The Stacks Are Stacking Up To Save The Stack!

The big fourth of July Weekend is upon us. Look for the Save The Stack Counter cards pictured here, the Save The Stack Float, Save The Stack Art, Songs, even a special Drink. The Cull Ring Restaurant in Freeport, VA has a drink called the "Reedville Relaxer" with a portion of the cost of the drink going to the effort... Jett's Hardware will donate 10% of all it's Marine and tackle sales to the effort...  JULY is the start of Save The Stack Summer!! Get ready... Get Working.. Get out your checkbook!!!!!!!!

Geotechnical Inspection on the Stack Provides Us Some Good News !!

We have learned that the stack is only leaning 1 degree.. Woohooo! That is huge news, in a way the Stack is Saving a bit of it's self..Also above is part of the report explaining that the foundation that was installed is doing a good job.. look for m ore good news soon and our big float in the parade.

Successful June 24th Town Hall Meeting in Reedville on Save the Stack!!

In keeping with the commitment that the Save the Stack Committee made to the community to keep everyone very informed and to operate transparently, a second town hall meeting was held on June 24th in Reedville. The agenda was loaded with marketing and funding updates which now includes a July 31st music outdoor festival being held at Buzzards Point Marina in Reedville, a “Summer of the Stack” calendar of events where local businesses participate with themed events and the addition of a Stack Float and net drive scheduled for the July 3rd parade in Reedville. The meeting also included representatives from Industrial Access by Chimney Solutions out of Atlanta who will be the restoration company. They walked attendees thru restoration techniques and fielded questions from the audience. There was also a report out on the geo survey to determine the quality and strength of the earth under the stack. Jim Foote helped interpret key elements from the report and communicated the findings that no work is required to the soil the stack is standing on.

The finale of the event included testimonials from two residents on why the stack is important to them. A guest testimonial from Donald McCann who related a story about Lewes, Delaware which was once a thriving menhaden port like Reedville that ended in the late 60s and now has nothing to show for it as no one took the time or effort to save any of the history.

Spud Parker moderated the meeting and concluded the event !

Save The Stack Town Hall Meeting. Thursday, June 24th.

Get on your fancy go to meet'n cloths. It's town hall meeting time tomorrow night. Come hear all that is going on with the Save the Stack effort live and in person. Ask questions and donate all your money to the cause. Thursday June 24th.. 6 PM Festival hall, Reedville, VA...

Kathryn Humphreys Pen Saves The Day. Your Pen Can Do The Same!

Virginia Artist Kathryn Humphreys pen and talented eye has captured a perfect day in Reedville. Her drawing has captured the complete picture of what it's like to enter the harbor. You can now have this drawing .. or a print of it in your very own home. Or use it as a wonderful mailing card. Look on the right side of this web site for the donation card and start drawing your own drawing, one with nice numbers in it...on check paper...you can even sign that master piece...We will frame it if it's big enough...after we cash it...... See, your pen and talented eye can help too..

The Gift of a Song

Janie Meneely and Paul DeBlasi (AKA “Calico Jack”) received a standing ovation at the opening concert of the 2010 “Summer Sundays Concert Series” on Sunday night at the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum! Reason? They performed Song for the Stack, an original song written by Janie just the night before about our community’s effort to SAVE THE STACK! She tweaked it as they traveled from Annapolis to Reedville, Paul practiced the new lines as he drove, and that was the extent of their rehearsal! No one would ever have known, so good they are at their musical repartee.

Paul’s booming tenor is a strong compliment to Janie’s sweet voice, and their dozens of songs (mostly written by Janie) tell vivid stories of life on and around the Chesapeake Bay. Also performed at Sunday’s concert was Janie’s original Claude Somers song …
a treat to sing, they said, with the Claude Somers herself forming the backdrop for the stage. Janie does her homework; whether the songs are silly, saucy, or serious, they convincingly evoke precious times gone by. In Song for the Stack, we see this, too: she captured the historical significance of the tall stack to the region and the essence of the local sentiment.

Janie is a supporter of all things maritime, lover of the bay, avid sailor, and a talented and prolific singer/song-writer. She has embraced our cause. She has given us its anthem. Maybe one day, Song for the Stack, born only 2 days ago, will be one of her releases. In the meantime, we have this wonderful gift of a song!

Note: You may purchase any of “Calico Jack’s” delightful CD’s at the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum Gift Shop: “Give Me a River,” “The Oyster Wife,” and “You Don’t Know Jack.” Google them to see what fun and interesting things they do, or go to www.calicojackmusic.com.

For more information about upcoming performances in the 2010 “Summer Sundays Concert Series,” please visit rfmuseum.org.

Banner On The Stack Goes Live!

Just in the nick of time, the new banner for the Save the Stack effort went up on the stack. It's was perfect timing since this was the big weekend for the Reedville area with hundreds of fishing boats glugging by loaded with fish and big dreams of winning the derby. To give you an idea of the stacks size... That dinky little banner is 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide..

Stripers, Bluefish Helping Out For "Save The Stack" Effort This Weekend!

In what has to be one of the most courageous gestures ever done for a good cause, hundreds of Stipers and Bluefish this weekend will give there scrumptious tasty lives to Save the Stack. This weekend is The big Reedville Fishing Derby weekend in Reedville brought to us by Buzzards Point Marina and Smith Point Sea Rescue. The Derby starts today through Saturday. Stop by the Save The Stack tent and you too can help... with money... no courageous gestures required...

Fishing Legend from Reedville Reflects on “The Stack !

One of the wonderful things about working on this cause is that we get to meet wonderful folks that are truly the texture of our wonderful community. Icons saving a wonderful Icon...here is a great short reflection of The Stack from John Lowry.

John Lowry was born in 1914 and has lived his entire life in Reedville. He was a menhaden fish boat captain most of his adult life. His father was a pound net fisherman and he remembers his father, Otis Lowry, using the visual of the old brick Morris Fisher stack to set a fix for where he ran his pound net in the bay. Cap’n John supports keeping this treasured landmark in place and restored so the next generations of waterman can enjoy it welcoming them home safely like it has him for most of his 95 years. In fact he once captained the menhaden steamer “Wicomico” which was originally built for the Morris Fisher factory which originally built the stack in 1902.

Reedville Introduces New Logo and Tag Line Using The Stack As It's Icon.

The Greater Reedville Association is proud to announce it has recruited the marketing firm SmithGifford to design a new logo and position for Reedville Va. SmithGifford, is very well known in the Mid Atlantic region for it's creative and branding. With accounts like The National Geographic Museum, The National Archives Experience, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, are just a few of it's prestigious accounts. Most recently also underwent a branding and logo campaign for The City of Falls Church. Matt Smith, President / Sr Partner and Reedville resident also has experience in positioning for The State of Florida, The State of Maryland, and Carmel California. " I wish I could say this was a tough job and took lots of time to execute, but to be honest it was a no brainer, It took several phone calls and meetings with the GRA ( Greater Reedville Association ) and Blaine Altaffer. I have never seen a more crystal clear position for a town." Said Matt Smith.. The new position -Virginia's Working Fishing Village, claims the position that Reedville well deserves and takes pride in it's heritage. It also reinforces many things already taking place in Reedville. Such as the Reedville Fishermens Museum, The fishing derby's, home of Omega Protein,  not to mention that Reedville is one of the busiest fishing ports in the US. and of course, it's iconic welcome beacon to watermen on the Bay..The Stack. "The Stack is part of us all, it feels appropriate to have it as part of our logo, and now was the time to make it all happen." Matt Smith..

Stay tuned there is more to come.

Big Weekend In Stackville!

There isn't any grass growing under the feet of the Save The Stack group that's for sure. This weekend  started Friday night with a special Cocktails on the creek event at the Reedville Fishermens Museum. There was a display and introductions of the committee that is heading up the effort. Everyone brought food and drink.. and some great stories. What is most heart warming is the effort is really a great mix of folks from Watermen to retired CEO's. It's great to see and be part of such a unified cause... To Save the Stack.  The evening was followed up by a thunderstorm and it seemed like half the crowd wound up at the Crazy Crab. Home of the areas best Crab Cakes.. mmmm Crab Cakes.. 

Saturday was spent by many putting up posters and handing out brochures. The finishing touches are going in place for the street "Thermometer" signs...

Sunday morning at 8AM the committee met at the stack and discussed issues for over an hr. WOW! there is some fun stuff that is going to happen. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.. But July is going to be Save The Stack Month.. Stay tuned, we will be breaking the news soon.  So its just between us... and the entire www....

Beanie Babies To The Rescue...

Click on the link in the copy below for the complete story

 Just when you thought that those darn Beanie Babies we all horded in the 90's were ready for the yard sale bin.. Ta da! The Beanie Baby Blog comes to the rescue... just click here and read a very nice shout out to the cause. If you have a web site or blog it is great to do a link and story. Awareness is just as good as money... Wait.. No send money, and then tell everyone about it.. Ya.. That's better..

Brick By Brick By Click We Can Save The Stack

Buy a brick and keep the stack standing tall. Above is the official Donation card that will be mailed out in the following weeks. Or you can just click on the image and print it in the privacy of your home and mail it with lets say a $100,000 check. After a week or so you can watch all of Reedville wonder who was that wonderful person that saved the stack..Be the topic of wonderful rumors, pretend it wasn't you.. Ask about the mysterious giver.. And then bask in the glory of knowing it was you.... But...if you want to know a secret... You can send $25 and Reedville will feel the same way... Really.. Hey you get a button....

Wonderful Old Black And White Photo Of Reedville VA

Here is a fun old aerial image of Reedville. Note The Stack and other factories in the background. There is something heart warming about knowing The Stack has and always will be there.

Artists Cranking It Up For The Stack

Kathryn Humphrey's was out this weekend with her sketch pad getting her special drawing ready. Also Scott Sawyer an illustrator with local roots has finished his drawing for our new Reedville logo and other cool stuff like t-shirts, and mugs to come.