It's WINDSday| May 4, 2022

Celebrating the Power of Wind, Clean Energy and a Green Environment

Kudos to Beach Events, Kitty Hawk Kites and Jackite for staging the annual Atlantic Coast Kite Festival this past weekend off 17^th Street. The winds were ideal and so were the instructors, vendors and of course the big fliers, some as long as a hundred feet. 

In her excellent book, “Virginia Beach Through the 20^th Century,” local author Amy Yarsinske wrote that Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel were among the famous guests who stayed at the Princess Anne Hotel at 14^th and Atlantic. This 1903 photo shows the couple with one of the phone discoverer’s early “tetrahedral kites” which were “part of his investigation of their application to man-carrying aircraft.” This was taken in Nova Scotia, but the Bells did the same on our beach.

The elegant Princess Anne Hotel, built in 1883 by Marshall Parks, burned to the ground in 1907, but it had fulfilled its role in establishing Virginia Beach as a prime tourist destination. 

Want to attract good employers as well as more conventions and visitors? Be sustainable. That’s the message of Tom Griffin who heads up Virginia Green Travel, a 15-year-old program that encourages attractions to self-certify their environmental practices, which nearly 2,000 “travel partners” in the state have done. “Surveys show that millennials and younger generations are absolutely demanding that the businesses they support are sustainably-focused,” says Griffin.

At Tom’s invitation, Joel Rubin spoke at their annual conference in Richmond along with Justin Bennett, Manager of Construction Engineering at Dominion Energy, about the offshore wind development that can enhance Hampton Roads’ reputation as an environmental leader. “I told my audience that travelers want to know that the restaurants, hotels, and communities they visit care about their health and safety, which is why partnering with our WINDSdays campaign to build a culture around clean energy and the power of wind is good for business,” says Rubin. Tom Griffin couldn’t agree more. “The Central Virginia Offshore Wind project will make this messaging exponentially more effective in the region.  Wind power is going to be a very positive influence on tourism in Hampton Roads.” 

Visit www.Virginiagreen.net to learn how to certify your company. And if you’re not in the tourism field but still want a green designation, earned through environmental diligence around waterways in Virginia Beach, become a Pearl Business, Home, School, or Faith Community at www.lynnhavenrivernow.com.

If you live, work, or play from the Cavalier Hotel to the Aquarium or west to Birdneck Road and would like to avoid having to drive or park from 11-11, a sweet ride is on the way.

Miami-based Freebee, which operates in 25 Florida cities, debuts in Virginia Beach at the end of May. Download the app and within a few minutes, one of their five Teslas (WINDSdays loves electric cars, especially when the fuel, like wind, becomes renewable) arrives to take you to your destination within the above footprint. And thanks to a partnership with the city, which would love to address traffic issues, it’s free (although you may want to tip the driver). If you want to be one of those, visit www.ridefeeebee.com. They’re hiring and paying salaries.

David Wright says he loved playing third base for 14 seasons with the Mets but not when New York visited Wrigley Field because of Chicago's swirling winds. It's truly the windy city.

This past Saturday the Chesapeake native (and Hickory High grad) was among a dozen athletes, coaches, and broadcasters (plus Priority’s Dennis Elmer) inducted into the VA Sports Hall of Fame at WINDSday partner the Westin Hotel. Congrats to David, WAVY TV’s Bruce Rader and all the honorees. 

Race to Rudee's

Join the WINDSdays' Crew Celebration of the catamaran racing in the Worrell 1000, sporting the official WINDSdays decal!

Mike Eason, a former resort administrator for the city and four-time Worrell 1000 sailor, and Carter Turpin, a longtime sponsor of the race and owner of Rudee’s Restaurant, look forward to this epic "comeback!" (both pictured below).

WINDSday May 4, 4pm - 7pm

Rudee's Restaurant

227 Mediterranean Avenue, Virginia Beach