Culpeper Young Professionals

04/01/2026

🌟 Culpeper Young Professionals Council Member Spotlight: Ryan Dickerson 🌟

Meet Ryan Dickerson, one of our dedicated Culpeper Young Professionals Council Members! Ryan is a Realtor with Samson Properties in Culpeper, VA, where he helps people buy or rent properties and answers any real estate questions they may have. His passion for helping others is what led him into the real estate field.

Ryan first got involved with Young Professionals after Cody Banks encouraged him to check it out, and he’s been glad he did. One of his favorite things about the YP community is the strong support system — knowing that there are always people willing to help whenever he has questions.

Outside of work, Ryan recently got married and moved into an apartment with his wife. In his free time, he enjoys drumming, playing ice hockey, watching football, and video games.
Ryan also shared about a Veteran who had a meaningful impact on his life — his grandfather, a Vietnam Veteran, who inspired him growing up and taught him the importance of perseverance and never giving up.

We’re grateful to have Ryan serving on the Culpeper Young Professionals Council and helping strengthen our local community!

03/30/2026

🍽️ Culpeper Young Professionals Networking Luncheon 🤝

Join us for a mid-day break to connect, collaborate, and grow your network!

📅 Wednesday, April 1st
⏰ 12:00 PM
📍 Peppers Grill

This event is open to professionals of all ages and is a great opportunity to network, share a meal, and build meaningful connections within our community.

Whether you're looking to grow your professional network, build your workforce, or simply meet like-minded individuals, this luncheon provides the perfect setting to do so.

✨ No RSVP needed — just show up!
💼 Don’t forget to bring a stack of business cards!

We look forward to seeing you there!

03/27/2026

✨ Thank You for a Great Night! ✨

A big thank you to everyone who joined the Culpeper Young Professionals After Hours Social! It was an incredible evening of connection, community, and giving back.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce for your continued support, and to our friends from the Fauquier Chamber Young Professionals and Young Professionals of Orange County for coming out and being part of the night — we love collaborating with such an amazing network!

🍻 And a huge thank you to Death Ridge Brewery for hosting us and providing such a great atmosphere.

Because of all of you, we’re able to continue supporting our 2026 Charity Partner, Operation First Response and make a meaningful impact. We raised $266 that will go directly to OFR!

We’re so grateful for this community — and we can’t wait to see you at our next event!

03/13/2026

🐾🇺🇸 K9 VETERANS DAY 🇺🇸🐾

Honoring Our Four-Legged Heroes

Today we pause to recognize and honor the incredible military working dogs, police K9s, Secret Service protection dogs, search and rescue dogs, and service dogs who stand beside our nation’s heroes.

These remarkable animals serve on the front lines of danger and protection, detecting explosives in combat zones, tracking suspects, locating missing persons, protecting our leaders, and providing life-saving support to veterans and civilians living with PTSD and disabilities.

Many of these K9 heroes have deployed to combat zones overseas, served in high-risk law enforcement operations, or spent years working tirelessly to protect communities here at home. They are not just dogs, they are partners, protectors, and warriors.

Their loyalty never wavers.
Their courage never falters.
Their bond with their handlers is unbreakable.

These K9s have saved countless lives, often placing themselves in harm’s way without hesitation.

Today, we honor their bravery, their service, and their sacrifice.

At Operation First Response, we are proud to stand with those who serve, including the extraordinary K9s who fight beside them and the service dogs who continue supporting our veterans long after the battlefield.

🐾 To every K9 who has served our nation, thank you.
🐾 To every handler who trusted their partner with their life, we honor you.
🐾 To the service dogs helping veterans heal, you are heroes too.

🇺🇸 We will never forget our four-legged warriors.

03/01/2026

🌟 Young Professional Council Member Spotlight: Maggie Kardos 🌟

We’re excited to highlight Maggie Kardos, Founder and Executive Director of Playdate: A Children’s Museum. With a Master’s in Elementary Education, Maggie is dedicated to creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences that spark imagination and inspire a lifelong love of learning in children across Culpeper and surrounding counties. For Maggie, Playdate is more than a museum. It’s a community resource and a joyful space where children are encouraged to explore, discover, and dream big.

Growing up as a military child, Maggie lived in several places but Virginia always felt like home. She spent much of her childhood in Chesapeake, Northern Virginia, and Culpeper, and she treasures the sense of community and pride she experienced on military bases. This year’s chosen charity is especially close to her heart, as her father is a veteran.

Maggie’s favorite part of being involved in YPS? The friendships she’s built and the opportunity to connect with other young professionals who care deeply about the community.

When she’s not working or volunteering, you can find her reading, enjoying reality TV, or spending time with her family.

We’re grateful to have Maggie’s passion, creativity, and leadership in the Young Professional Council!

02/25/2026

02/21/2026

Thank you Wine & Design for hosting us! We had a great time! Ashley was so helpful and patient! We truly appreciate your support and kicking off our 2026 fundraising for Operation First Response!

02/20/2026

✨ What an incredible way to kick off 2026! ✨

Last night, Culpeper Young Professionals hosted our first fundraiser of the year at Wine & Design, and we are so excited to share that we raised $240 for our 2026 Charity of the Year, Operation First Response ❤️🇺🇸

Thank you to everyone who came out to paint, sip, laugh, and support such an important cause. Your energy and generosity truly made the night special!

A huge THANK YOU to our amazing partners at Wine & Design of Culpeper for hosting us and creating such a fun and welcoming space for our members and community. We are so grateful for your partnership!

We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2026 holds — this is just the beginning! 🎨🍷

02/05/2026

🎨✨ We have our winning painting! ✨🎨

Join the Culpeper Young Professionals for our FIRST fundraiser of 2026 year — a fun, relaxed night of creativity, connection, and giving back!

🗓 Thursday, February 19
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 In partnership with Wine & Design

We’ll be painting our featured design together while raising funds for our 2026 charity partner — Operation First Response, supporting our nation’s wounded heroes and their families. ❤️🤍💙

No art experience needed — just bring yourself, a friend, or your coworkers and enjoy a great night out for an even greater cause!

Seats are limited, so be sure to grab yours early. We can’t wait to paint with you!



Purchase Your Ticket:

CLASS DETAILS: We’re are so excited to unveil the winning masterpiece for this year’s Paint & Sip fundraiser: Culpeper Love! Snag your ticket for this annual event supporting our 2026 charity partner, Operation First Response. and join us as we paint the iconic Culpeper Love Sign. All levels...

02/03/2026

Last day to vote!!! Get your votes in!

12/16/2025

The Young Professionals had the distinct pleasure of meeting Miss Virginia Volunteer today as one of the stops on her Angel Train Express 10-day tour through Virginia was with the The Salvation Army of the Virginia Piedmont right here in Culpeper!

It was truly inspiring to see her dedication to spreading holiday cheer. We even got to see the toys the Salvation Army Volunteers have prepared for distribution to families in our community—supporting 566 children in Culpeper with over $100,000 in gifts! The Angel Train Express is bringing hope and joy across the Commonwealth, and we're so grateful Culpeper was included on this amazing journey.

Thank you, Miss Virginia Volunteer, for your service and for taking the time to visit with us. Your commitment to giving back is a reminder of what the season is all about!

Thank you so much Lieutenant Antoine Terrell for this opportunity!