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You’re Not Alone: Messages of Hope from the Dear Richmond Journal

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Cheats Movement and Grid Launch Digital Magazine

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Dear Richmond: Words of Encouragement

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Andre Cason puts the fun in funnel cakes! As the e

Andre Cason puts the fun in funnel cakes! As the entrepreneur behind Cason’s Funnel Cakes (@casonfunnelcakes), Dre has channeled his culinary skills into a local venture that has quickly become a fan favorite. Born and raised in RVA, Dre showed a knack for creativity from the start. Self-described as “calm, collected and a little bit nerdy” while growing up, Dre never missed a chance to cook with his fam. Dre attended Virginia Union University (@vaunion1865) where his interest in baking grew when he happened to stroll past SweetKakes now known as The Sweet Spot (@thesweetstopofrva). He walked right in, chatted it up with the owner, and was able to walk out with his first bakery position! Today, Dre credits crossing paths with SweetKakes as a pivotal moment for his own funnel cake empire. ⁣
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But like many of us, Dre first took a full time just after graduation before launching the sweet business he had envisioned for so long. At the YMCA and Verizon, he built upon his customer service and management skills. Meanwhile, during his free time, Dre kept his dream alive fine tuning his funnel cake recipes. He even began offering cooking tutorials on YouTube and testing his recipes at every opportunity. In 2020, Dre began investing in the proper equipment and licensing. Before he knew it, he was selling his prized recipe out of his house. Fast-forward a year and Daquan Woodberry, owner of RVA Café, offered Dre his space in the evenings to make his funnel cakes for free. In 2022 Dre leveled up again and opened his first operation at Hatch Kitchen (@hatch.richmond) where he leverages the infrastructure found at Richmond’s premier food and beverage incubator to make the best funnel cakes in all the land.⁣
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𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬:⁣
📍 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦: 2601 Maury St Hatch Richmond. Curbside service!⁣
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🍓 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴: This isn’t a water or pancake mix! Dre makes his batter from scratch and only uses fresh toppings.⁣
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📝 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯: After Dre’s grandmother passed, he wanted to honor her and the Cason family name.⁣
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😋 𝘊𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴: Classic funnel cakes come in 4” and 9” sizes. Cason Funnel Cakes offer a vegan, gluten-free, and protein funnel cake!

📸 @thegermanicmike #rva #richmondgrid #downtow

📸 @thegermanicmike
#rva #richmondgrid #downtownrichmond #jamesriver

🌇📸 @newkentdroneco #rva #richmondva #downto

🌇📸 @newkentdroneco
#rva #richmondva #downtownrichmond

📸 @rivercityphotosrva #rva #richmondva #rvaph

📸 @rivercityphotosrva

#rva #richmondva #rvaphotographer #richmondgrid

❤️ “Still here. And we will continue to be h

❤️ “Still here. And we will continue to be here,” says Dr. Chris Johnson (@cpjleica). “It’s what we do — whether we get yelled at, spat on, assaulted, demoralized, devalued, or treated poorly in any other fashion. We show up every day and take care of whoever walks through our doors.”

If you know someone on the frontlines of this pandemic, reach out and make sure everything is ok. For a lot of people things are not ok. “Before COVID we would see crazy stuff but could compartmentalize and go into crisis mode to help for the short term. But we aren’t meant to be in crisis mode for 2+ years. And we can’t compartmentalize work day after day,” says Chris. “If you are someone on the frontlines and aren’t doing ok, reach out — to a colleague, a friend, a family member, a support group.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) can offer professional help - text “SCRUBS” to 741741 at any time.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and be kind.

📸 @cpjleica

🎉James River Park System has announced that Gil

🎉James River Park System has announced that Giles Garrison (@cageyk_g) will take over as the new Superintendent of the James River Park System!

“From growing up in the shadow of Forest Hill Park and digging for treasure at Reedy Creek to devoting her professional career to the preservation of our natural and historic assets, Giles brings a love of the Park and an impressive skill set to her new role,” says @jamesriverpark.

Many Richmonders know Giles’ work and impact as the Executive Director for both @groundworkrva and and Storefront for Community Design. Giles also has a passion for accessibility and inclusivity – two areas of vital importance to the park’s Master Plan.

“The James River Park System is many things to Richmond, and it has been many things to me. My favorite time of year is when the paw paws turn yellow and seem to hover in the air over the Buttermilk Trail, making you feel transported to a magical place. Sometimes when I walk along parts of the Pipeline or the trails at Ancarrows Landing, I feel the hauntedness of the James River, the experience of acute loss that occurred here for Richmond’s African-American forebears. This is a part of our origin story,” says Giles. “The story continues to unfold. Running the Park’s trails and climbing Manchester Wall have been some of the most joyful times in my life because they happen in a place that is completely unique to Richmond and for all to enjoy. The James River Park System is place where you can lose yourself and find yourself, in company or on your own, always in nature. Today this Park, and all of our parks, are places where reconciliation and reconnection are possible.”

🌳Read more about Giles and the James River Park System using the link in our bio.

#jamesriverpark #rva #richmondva #getoutside #greenspaces

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