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Come June 4, the Botetourt County Sheriff's Department will participate in Special Olympics annual Torch Run, but assistant head jailer James Booth is raising funds now.

Booth is selling World's Finest Chocolate candy bars to fund the expenses of the Special Olympics Torch Run held annually to bring notice to the event and supported by law enforcement statewide.

Booth, who began working for Botetourt County in January, is selling the candy bars in the front lobby of the new Botetourt Craig Public Safety Building with the help of longtime department employee receptionist and secretary Sarah Britt. Each candy bar is $1.25 and proceeds go to the Torch Run. Botetourt County's portion of the run goes from the Botetourt County line on U.S. 460 through into Bedford County to the Montvale Gasoline tanks.

"Even Sheriff Sprinkle runs in the race," said Booth, who is building the team. The Botetourt portion of the race is 12 miles long, he also stated.

Botetourt Sheriff's Department is part of Region 10 in the run and that also includes the police and sheriff's departments in Roanoke City and Roanoke County, he noted. Captain Chuck Hart of Roanoke County is the coordinator for Region 10.

Kris Sanchak, assistant professor of music at Hollins University, entertained a group of thirty at The Glebe on Wednesday afternoon with stories of Franz Liszt and performed many pieces on a grand piano.

On Wednesday, March 26, Kris Sanchak, Assistant Professor of Music, presented "Liszt: Keyboard Virtuoso, Visionary, Lady's Man and Priest," part of the Hollins University Lecture Series held at The Glebe, a retirement community in Daleville. Professor Sanchak, a doctoral candidate at Indiana University, described the colorful life of Franz Liszt, the Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist.

Included in the presentation were musical pieces including Sposalizio and the "Dante" Sonata from Bk. II of the years of Pilgrimage, La Chapelle du Guillaume Tell from Bk. 1 of the years of Pilgrimage, The Sonata in B Minor, "Invocation" from the Poetic and Religious Harmonies, "Nuages Gris" from Book. 3 of the Years of Pilgrimage.

Sanchak also gleefully described the romantic life of the composer and his quest to reconcile religious belief with lifestyle.

"Ultimately," he said, "Liszt gave up women for the priesthood."

This isn't in Botetourt, but any Botetourt folks who cruise down I-81 and plan to get off at the Hollins exit onto Plantation Road would be affected by this: The new stoplights there are up and runnning. They're at the end of the exit ramp. This may not seem a big deal now, but likely will once the new Gander Mountain outdoor store opens up later this spring.

Candice Warman has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 12. Now she seeks the help of a low blood sugar detecting canine partner from a nonprofit organization called Heaven Scent Paws.

The Botetourt Town and Country Womens Club (BTCWC) voted Monday night to help Warman with her cause. The mother of two daughters -- Brianna, 6 and Alexis, 9 -- suffers from low blood sugar drops even though she is on an insulin pump. She no longer recognizes the drops as they come, so the help of a dog that senses the sugar drop through smell appealed to Warman after she read about a program in California concerning diabetic alert dogs.

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Parks and Recreation used spring break and high school coaches to hold clinics at both James River and Lord Botetourt for girls in grades 5 through 8.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first day of spring break Monday, March 24, 50 girls from all over the county participated in volleyball clinics. For a mere $8 the girls had a chance to hone their skills. "The Rec Department is very pleased with the turnout," said rep Jeff Bona.

Lord Botetourt High School coach Nicki Johnson said it was a good day. Certainly the turnout shows that volleyball is a sport of interest around the county. Girls learned how to set, spike and serve in the day long activitiy.

Both high schools and middle schools have strong volleyball programs. Lord Botetourt will hold a volleyball camp on July 21-23 said Johnson and she invited the participants to keep that date in mind for another skill building opportunity.

Photo: A clinic participant at Lord Botetourt learns how to set a volleyball during the Parks and Rec volleyball clinic held at both high schools.

Joshua Frate, a toddler from Troutville, suffers from Wiscott-Aldridge Syndrome, and a fundraiser on his behalf to help him get a bone marrow transplant will be held at Lord Botetourt High School on Saturday evening, April 5.

Eagle Rock Baptist Church in Eagle Rock, Virginia will host the Benefit Concert for Joshua Frate. The concert will be held at the Lord Botetourt High School Auditorium on Saturday, April 5 from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Hot dogs, beverages, fresh popped popcorn and baked items will be sold to benefit Joshua. Two P. Buckley Moss prints and a gift basket will be raffled. Two bands will perform during the evening.

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Mystery writer J.B. Stanley wowed the patrons at Blue Ridge Library on Saturday, March 22 with a participation demonstration on how to form a mystery plot!

J.B. Stanley spoke to a crowd of thirty on Saturday at the Blue Ridge Library. The author of two series of mystery stories is about to embark upon a third.

She writes in one series about Anitques and Collectibles and the other about a librarian named James Henry in a series called the Supper Club Mysteries.Yes, the stories feature some recipes that Stanley says are as good as they sound.

To show the group of onlookers how she stages a plot for a mystery story, Stanley, a very entertaining speaker with a good sense of humor, used members of the audience to stage a plot and resolution. Every one loved it!

The Blue Ridge Library served chili in honor of her latest title, "Chili con Corpses." Stanley's next series is based on a Bible study group set in Richmond so she is turning out one book about every six months. "I owe it all to Panera Bread," she said with a laugh. The restaurant is near her Richmond home and is where she sits and writes most of her stories. For more information about her, go to www.jbstanley.com.

"SPY WORLD," a new play, showcases the talents of 83 Roanoke Valley children, the largest cast yet for a youth ensemble, said Director John Lawson.

Attic Productions, Botetourt’s Community Theater is proud to present the annual Youth Presentation — "SPY WORLD."

Brief synopsis: Ever wonder what it's like to be a spy? Ever wonder if your neighbor is a spy? Ever wonder how spies are chosen? This play looks into the secretive world of spies and how people are chosen, trained, and sent out into the world to gather information accepted the most important mission in it's short history - stop the terrorists before they can carry out their plan. To succeed in their mission the company must recruit, train, and equip enough new spies to stop the terrorists. However, there seems to be some within the "Spy World" company that are working for the other side. Will the company be able to stop the terrorists? Are there really any terrorists? Find out, as Attic's youth ensemble presents a new Comedy: "Spy World."

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Do you have news about something in Botetourt County? A neighborhood event, a school achievement, or other recognition? Share it with us, and your neighbors. Send your community news to: news@botetourtview.com

And if you have a photo, send that on, too. We look forward to hearing from you.

Got a favorite photo from Botetourt County? A school carnival, a bingo night, a hiking spot? Enter it in our photo contest and maybe win a prize! Email it to photocontest@roanoke.com by Friday, March 28 and you could win a $250 gift card to Best Buy. We'll select two lucky winners -- one adult and one youth. We'll announce the winners on April 25.

Umm, some other rules: You must include the photographer's name, address, phone number, email, when and where the photo was taken, plus the story behind the photo in 100 words or less. They must be 200 dpi resolution with the largest dimension measuring at least 10 inches. All photos must have been taken within the last year and must be local. Submitted photos become the property of The Roanoke Times. By entering, you grant the paper and its affiliates the right to publish your photo in any way.