Mandy Khochareun didn’t go to the gym 13 years ago to find the man of her dreams. He just happened to be there.

Mandy, then a student at JMU, enrolled in a boot camp fitness class at Nautilus Fitness Center (now Gold’s Gym). So did Cy Khochareun.

When they met, the couple already knew they had one thing in common: an interest in fitness. That Sunday when Cy showed up at Mandy’s church, Valley Church of Christ, they realized they shared the same beliefs, too.

91短视频 students and engaged couple Jen Edwards of Richmond and Joe Horst of Daltan, Ohio, share a couch at 91短视频’s Common Grounds coffee shop. Photo by Thomas J. Turney

Their dates consisted of mountain biking, hiking and exercising together. Four months later, they were engaged.

But finding the one isn’t always that easy, and the process definitely isn’t what it was 50 years ago. Although the idea of traditional dating seems to be fading, Harrisonburg singles are still finding places around the city to mingle.

"Obviously if you go to places like the gym or church, you’ll meet like-minded people there," said Mandy, 32. "You don’t have to meet them at the bar."

Mandy, now the group fitness director at Gold’s Gym, and Cy, 39, who now runs Taste of Thai and Oriental Market with his family, were married in 1996. "Neither of us were looking [for someone]," Mandy said. "It was just one of those random Tuesday night things … I just knew he was it." Mandy and Cy have two children – Jada, 3, and Ty, 4.

A Different Kind of Club

Josh Scandlen worked at a bar while he was a student at George Mason. He met plenty of girls there, but "not one person I look back and say,

First-year students set foot on campus one day, and the next, they stepped out in service to the local community.

For the first time, as part of their orientation program, some 300 91短视频 students with their orientation leaders spent Saturday, Aug. 28, volunteering at 17 non-profit organizations in and around Harrisonburg.

“It makes sense to me,” said student Terianne Kauffman from Paradise, Pa. “Mennonites believe that service is an important part of being a Christian, so why not start off the year [at 91短视频] with an experience like this.”

Debbie Keiser, Pioneer, Ohio, slices bagels for serving at the Our Community Place “fun festival.”
Photo by Jim Bishop

Ms. Kauffman and some 14 fellow students spent the afternoon stacking wood, pulling weeds and leveling gravel on a parking lot at the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center west of the city as part of the “Community Learning Day of Service.”

Before the students swarmed to area non-profits, they were hosted by and treated to lunch at a number of locally-owned restaurants. Transportation to and from assignments was provided by Harrisonburg Transit and 91短视频 vans.

At Booksavers, student volunteers looked up donated books on the Internet to determine prices for the used volumes that in turn are sold at discount prices to raise funds for relief programs.

“I’ve never done this before, but it’s kinda fun,” said student Jason Hostetter of Harrisonburg, working next to fellow student Maggie Parker from Wichita, Kan. “I’m amazed at how many books they have here.”

Another student group assisted at a “fun festival” sponsored by Our Community Place on N. Main Street across from The Little Grill, a unique restaurant that operates as a worker-owned collective. The group helped make and serve food, did face painting, played volleyball and interacted with festival participants.

(L. to r.): Marc Yoder, Belleville, Pa.; Paul Rutt, Luray, Va.; and Chris Lehman, Chambersburg, Pa., sort donated housewares at the Thrift Shop.
Photo by Jim Bishop

Some 15 students sorted through contributed toys and clothing at Mercy House’s thrift store, which helps raise money to support the homeless shelter.

Other students unloaded donated merchandise and sorted and priced clothing at the local Thrift Shop.

“I’ve never done this before (sorting clothes),” said student Kristi Kolb from Spring City, Pa. “I think it’s cool to help out in this way, and it benefits a lot of people in need. It’s interesting to see what people bring in,” she added.

“I think this gives freshman a better idea of the many different opportunities for service available in the local community,” said sophomore orientation leader Shannon Yoder from Harrisonburg. “If they are interested in getting involved in a certain project, they’ll know how to get in touch with the right people.”

The day began with welcoming speeches from Harrisonburg Vice-Mayor Rodney Eagle; Ron Copland, an Eastern Mennonite Seminary student and founder of The Little Grill restaurant; Adam Starks, a 2003 91短视频 graduate and manager of Panera Bread, which donated food to the event; and Sylvia Romero of the Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Agency.

Deanna Durham
Photo by Jim Bishop

, community learning coordinator at 91短视频, felt that the event was “successful,” adding: “We wanted students to realize from when they first arrive on campus that they are not coming just to a college campus, but to a real community that has both needs and opportunities for learning.”