Shenandoah Valley I.T.

04/02/2020

I started this business during the 2009 recession. In the beginning, I could not have predicted the hardships and success we would have and even after 11 years, I never expected that I would have an entire team of people looking to me for guidance in a crisis such as the one we face today.

With what we are witnessing around the world and in our own country, it is more important than ever that we are prepared to help where we can. Tens of thousands of Americans are already struggling to provide for their families when the future stability of their incomes and health are murky at best. Now is not the time to capitalize on this calamity by launching new non-essential products or services, this is a time to stand together because WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

In preparation for the long haul and what will be an inevitable uptick of quarantined patients in our local medical system, we've donated 10 tablets to the Wi******er Medical Center Foundation so that patients under quarantine can still communicate with friends and family via video chat. It is a small gesture but one we hope will bring a measure of comfort to those who feel like their world is falling apart.

We've come a long way from where we started. I am immeasurably grateful to be able to stand with my team as we continue to provide support to essential businesses and give back the place we love and call home. Thank you to my team for sticking by me all these years and to this community that continues to stand with us. Better times are ahead. We will get through this together. Stay safe. - John Habuda

03/19/2020

As people seek out information about the spread of COVID-19, malicious actors are capitalizing on fears surrounding the outbreak as an opportunity to start spreading misinformation and malware. Maps similar to this one from Johns Hopkins (safe link: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) have been used by hackers to trick people into downloading malware. Unlike legitimate coronavirus dashboards, the fake websites prompt users to download an application to help them stay updated on the situation and instead install malicious software.

Stay alert and stay informed. Read more here: https://www.businessinsider.com/hackers-are-using-fake-coronavirus-maps-to-give-people-malware-2020-3

02/04/2020

On Thursday, John​ was delighted to serve as a Junior Division judge for the Frederick County Public Schools Science and Engineering Fair at Shenandoah University​'s James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center. Students presented diverse scientific projects in categories such as physics, chemistry, engineering, social sciences, astronomy and biology to name a few.

Some of these young scientists found their hypotheses confirmed while others were overturned. Most exciting were instances wherein students came to authentic conclusions with real-world impacts such as: the best sound-absorbing materials in a noisy basement; the effects of temperature on battery lifespan; and the effects of diet soda on tooth enamel (where eggshells served in place of real teeth!) Science fairs and STEM events like this provide students with valuable "hands-on" learning experiences that help them become more knowledgeable about how the world around them works. By practicing scientific thinking and challenging assumptions, these students are learning to develop their curiosity and focus on solving problems as opposed to just temporarily memorizing the science facts and figures that will help them ace a test.

As modern society relies more on science every day, scientific literacy becomes increasingly important in helping citizens make educated decisions about what they see or read in the media, in making health care decisions, and about other every-day problems. We are very proud to help encourage these creative and enthusiastic students to take charge of their own learning and nurture the spirit of innovation that will help guide them to success.

01/30/2020

In addition to our company nomination, John has been individually nominated for Emerging Leader at this year's Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's 2020 Greater Good Awards, which seeks to celebrate the contributions of outstanding individuals and businesses.

For almost 11 years John has been serving his clients, his team and our community with determination, empathy and integrity. One colleague who was also one of our first clients, recently honored him with a testimonial that states,

"When you've known someone as long as I have known John you have the opportunity to view an individual under the best of circumstances and the most challenging and stressful circumstances. Under the best of circumstances he has been nothing short of humble and graceful. Under the most stressful and challenging circumstances John has demonstrated praiseworthy patience, perseverance and composed demeanor.

John has set a great example as a business owner and community partner. He is one of the most honest, loyal, compassionate people you will ever meet. Watching the support he has shown his employees and clients through the years has been an inspiration to me."

We are incredibly thankful for the Chamber nomination and we hope to see you at the event! Tickets are available at the Top of Virginia's website: https://www.regionalchamber.biz/events/details/greater-good-awards-membership-meeting-2020-10510?fbclid=IwAR1Rp-chq3GdC26oAA2-5AMo47XfFd3sXRBhzw7KO8DDJAJmVoFZnTM26gc

01/28/2020

It's our duty and pleasure to serve our clients and our community.

We are honored and elated to be recognized with two nominations for this year's Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's 2020 Greater Good Awards!

Shenandoah Valley IT has been nominated for the 2019 Small Business of The Year award and John has been nominated for the 2019 Emerging Leader Award.

What an incredibly exciting way to kick off the new year! We love working for and supporting our community and can't wait to do even more in 2020. Will we see you there? Tickets are available at the Top of Virginia's website: https://www.regionalchamber.biz/events/details/greater-good-awards-membership-meeting-2020-10510

12/28/2019

John and Randi took advantage of Saturday's nice weather to clean out the van. We're looking forward to the new year!!

12/09/2019

This year we brought our team out again and filled three carts for Mover Dudes, Inc. and RE / MAX Synergy - Shenandoah Valley's 4th Annual Stuff The Truck event! Thanks to the generosity of this community, more than 3,000 pounds of food, clothing, and hygiene items were collected and donated to the Wi******er Rescue Mission!!

We are proud to be able to contribute to events like this alongside our neighbors: the compassionate people and businesses of Wi******er and Frederick County. Thank you Mover Dudes, RE/ MAX Roots for making 2019 yet another successful year of giving and thank you to the Wi******er Rescue Mission for your organization's efforts to transform lives through shelter, support, and advocacy for the men, women, and children in our community who struggle with homelessness and poverty.

This year alone, the Wi******er Rescue Mission has served more than 16,400 meals, provided nights of shelter for more than 4,800 people, and has provided shower and laundry facilities over a hundred times. If you missed this year's Stuff The Truck event, please consider making a donation directly to the WRC by visiting their donations page: https://www.winrescue.org/give/

11/19/2019

The third session of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's Community Leadership Program, themed "Agriculture and Media" saw John and the other volunteers visiting the beautiful Fox Meadow Barn at Cloverdale Farm wedding venue for the two panel discussions.

The media panel sought to educate the group regarding 21st century marketing and communications strategies within our community and featured Shenandoah University's Richie Crim; Alamo Drafthouse Wi******er's Andy Gyurisin; The Wi******er Star's Chrissy Wymer-Hill; and Janet Michael with The River 95.3.

The second panel focused on agriculture and featured Wi******er Equipment Co's president Doug Rinker; Mark Sutphin with the Virginia Cooperative Extension; Dixie Boyd with Fox Meadow Barn; Cordell Watt owner of Timber Ridge Fruit Farm, LLC; and Layne Link with Woodbine Farm Market This discussion explored how our venerable local agricultural industries have continually shaped our community throughout its history.

From there the group enjoyed tours of White House Foods lead by Daniel Milhon and John Stevens, walked the beautiful grounds of Reading Landscapes INC & Garden Center, and learned the history of Wi******er Ciderworks followed by a cider tasting in their cozy tasting room. It was a wonderful day building relationships and learning about our community from some of the people that help feed it and make it beautiful!

11/14/2019

We're so happy to see the students at Fremont Street Nursery enjoying their new STEM lab! Thank you for letting us be a part of their success! 🖥🖥🖥🖨

The children are loving their new computers! Thank you Community Foundation of the Northern Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah Valley I.T..!!!

11/13/2019

Who doesn't want to have the ability to think on their feet and solve problems through their own resourcefulness? The desire to learn how something works by taking it apart is as old as human curiosity and breaking stuff creates an excellent learning opportunity because most people learn by doing. In Breakerspace you can afford to be wrong and you can do things just to experiment-- without asking anyone's permission!

Thanks to Valley Makers Association, Handley Regional Library System and other cooperating organizations, local students are supplied with old technology specifically to disassemble, investigate, and to build. We were very pleased to supply the needed laptops for their most recent Breakerspace event!

11/08/2019

November 8 is National S.T.E.A.M. Day! A holiday for teaching students integrated approaches to learning that encourage them to be innovative, think creatively, and ask questions about real-world problems.

Statistics show few American students pursue S.T.E.A.M. fields, however, out of the U.S. Labor Department‘s predicted 10 fastest growing occupations, nearly all of them are careers in S.T.E.A.M. fields. That suggests that an interest in S.T.E.A.M. during a child's adolescence can lead to success later on in life.

Not only can S.T.E.A.M. save the world, it can save our kids too by making their future bright. So today, remember to say, "Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead!"

11/04/2019

Thanks to the connections we made while John participated in the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's Community Leadership Program in October, we were made aware of the need for a new computer lab to support Fremont Street Nursery's STEM enrichment program. The computers and printer had already been donated to the organization and were just waiting to be set up. Our team was more than happy to volunteer our time to complete their checklist.

Together John and Ian completed the task in record time! This new lab will help the teachers ensure these kids get a good introduction to technology that they'll be using throughout their lives. Our whole team wishes Fremont Street Nursery and their students the best of luck! Much love and thanks to Freda and her team for all they do to support kids and families in our community. ❤️