Community Notebook: Shop Tax-free This Weekend, WHMA Adds Board Members

By Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Ready your shopping list for this weekend, when the state will offer a reprieve from sales tax for two days. The Williamsburg Hotel-Motel Association has added two board members, and this weekend, you can learn surprising stories about first ladies. Later in the month, the Farley Center will host a workshop on helping those suffering from chronic pain. Get the details below.

School Supply Tax Holiday Starts Aug. 5

Virginians will have a break from paying sales tax on some school supplies and clothing items from Aug.5 to 7 during the state’s sixth-annual sales tax holiday.

Families can save on supplies such as notebooks, pens, binders, calculators, paints and more as long as each item costs $20 or less. Most clothing items and footwear will be exempt from the 5 percent sales tax as long as they cost $100 or less for each item. There is no limit on the number of items that can be purchased without tax as long as each item qualifies.

Lists of eligible items can be found here.

WHMA Adds Two Members to Board

Courtney Darden, of Wedmore Place, and Jo Slack, of Williamsburg Premium Outlets, were elected to the board of directors for the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association at the July meeting.

Darden has worked in the travel and hospitality business for 25 years. She has operated a travel agency covering Southeastern Virginia since 1986. Darden is currently the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Williamsburg Winery and Wedmore Place.

Slack serves as acting general manager for Williamsburg Premium Outlets. She previously worked as senior sales manager for the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance. She has more than 25 years of experience in the lodging, travel and tourism industries.

WHMA President Billy Scruggs said the organization believes Darden and Slack will “work diligently to help guide the course of the Association forward.”

Local Author Talks about First Ladies’ Impact

Local author Feather Schwartz Foster will discuss the differences between First Ladies in her presentation, “The First Ladies: From Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower” at 3:30 p.m. Friday and on Aug. 12 at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.

She’ll talk about how presidential wives made an impact, such as the unsung accomplishments of Lou Hoover and how Edith Wilson became an “imperious enforcer.” A book signing follows in the Museum Store.

A Colonial Williamsburg admission ticket, museum pass or Good Neighbor card provides access to the lecture. For more information, call 1-800-HISTORY.

Farley Center Hosts Lecture on Chronic Pain

The Farley Center will host Mary Wells and Pamela Cappetta for a lecture called “Chronic Pain and Addiction: Managing without Medication.”

The lecture will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Aug. 26. It aims to help providers identify non-intoxicating methods to address chronic pain while helping individuals with long-term sobriety.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have an increased knowledge of treatment philosophy’s shift away from narcotic medications; a basic understanding of the role of psychological treatment for chronic pain patients; ability to identify non-medication treatment options; and more.

To register online, click here or contact Kelly Thompson at (757) 565-0106.