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The Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® invites people to register to participate in the area’s first 5K run/walk and one-mile fun run.  The Race for the Cure event, which takes place April 10, 2010, is designed to raise awareness about breast cancer and funds for research, and will be held at Green Hill Park in Roanoke County.

“We invite women, men and their families and friends to sign up on our Affiliate website,” says race organizer Wendi Schultz.  “Registering is simple.  To learn more and to register, just go to http://www.komenroanoke.org and click on the Race for the Cure heading and click on the word register.”

“You may register yourself, start a team or join a team and even start your own personal fundraising program using our online registration system,” Schultz adds.  Schultz says there will also be a one-mile walk/fun run, and that people of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate in Race for the Cure on April 10.

The Komen for the Cure races are the largest series of runs/walks in the world, and have grown to attract more than 1.5 million participants annually across the U.S.  The event is designed to promote positive awareness, education and early detection of breast cancer.

Participants will also raise money to fight the disease.  Seventy-five percent of the net income stays in the communities where the event is held.  The remaining 25 percent is used to fund groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific conferences around the world.

For more information, please visit http://www.komenroanoke.org.

About the Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure: The Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is working to better the lives of those facing breast cancer in our community. We join more than 100,000 breast cancer survivors and activists around the globe as part of the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Through fundraising events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we will invest dollars in local breast health and breast cancer awareness projects in our 19 county service area.
The Greater Roanoke Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure includes the following counties:  Alleghany, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles,  Grayson, Henry, Montgomery,  Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockbridge and Wythe.

Submitted by Wendi Schultz, Race Chair (540) 387-6078, ext 251.

The Rotary Club of Salem, VA, District 7570, Rotary International, completed a project to aid in the eradication of polio through an extensive awareness campaign in conjunction with World Polio Day, October 24.

The Rotary Club of Salem's Red Badge Team, a group of seven new members of the club, was charged as part of its five-month orientation period to originate and complete a club project.

At the first meeting of the Red Badge Team August 27, the group of six new Rotarians and one veteran transferring Rotarian, elected to adopt World Polio Day as its project and to focus on community and area awareness as the mission of its endeavor. The group agreed that any contributions to PolioPlus would be a thankful sidebar of the project.

The project included a polio awareness blitz in the community which included numerous news articles to area newspapers, development of a 30-second Eradicate Polio public service announcement furnished to area commercial televisions stations and the local public TV facility leading up to World Polio Day. On World Polio Day, an area outdoor advertising firm provided three very prominent electronic billboards bringing attention to Rotary and the polio eradication efforts. One member of the team provided the expertise to develop the PSA and bill board image. Other team members negotiated the donated TV time and billboard space.

Displays of three iron lungs used to care for victims of infantile paralysis in the 1950s and 60s were set up at four different sites on two different dates at area shopping centers, a Salem/Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce event and a major rival high school football game.

A third phase of the project was the mailing of World Polio Awareness Day letters to 300 physicians in the Salem area. These letters provided information for the doctors on the role of Rotary International and the local club toward the eradication of polio and concluded with an opportunity for the physicians to donate to PolioPlus.

The Red Badge team requested from the club's board of directors approval to honor club member and District 7570 Polio Chair June Long for her many dedicated years to the eradication of polio. This award was presented to Rotarian Long during an October visit to Area 8, District 7570, by District Governor Ron Napier. The meeting was hosted by the Rotary Club of Salem and included the first mass showing of the PSA. This was covered by representatives of two area newspapers.

The Salem High School Interact Club and the Rotaract Club of Roanoke College were also involved in the project through participation at the iron lung displays. Red Badge members provided educational material to the members of the Rotaract and Interact clubs on the history of polio both locally and internationally and the current efforts to wipe out polio in the four remaining countries.

In addition to the success of the polio awareness campaign, the Red Badge team collected over $1,400 via the project. These funds will be forwarded to Rotary International and designated toward PolioPlus honoring Rotarian Long.

From the monies collected and through the efforts of past district governor Joe Ferguson and club president Aaron Garber, the club has approved the awarding of two Paul Harris Fellows. This is to be done at the conclusion of the Red Badge club orientation period in December.

Submitted by: Bill Orndorff, member of the Rotary Club of Salem, VA.

Companion Pet Care Clinic is coordinating a “Santa Claws and Holiday Paws” pet food drive.  Donations are being accepted at several locations through Wednesday, December 22.  All donated pet food will go to aid Manna Ministries in their on-going effort to help local needy families.  Increases in expenses during the holiday season are particularly hard on families already struggling to make ends meet.

Any cash donations should be sent directly to Manna Ministries at 229 Walnut Ave, Vinton, VA 24179 labeled for the pets.  Manna Ministries may be reached directly at 540-992-5354.

Donation boxes are located at:

Companion Pet Care Clinic, 29 Wildwood Rd, Salem, VA 24153
Food Lion, 50 Wildwood Rd, Salem, VA 24153
Food Lion, Valley Commons, Apperson Dr, Salem, VA 24153
Walgreen’s, 1725 W. Main St., Salem, VA 24153
SunTrust Bank, 1395 W. Main St., Salem, VA 24153
SunTrust Bank, 112 McClanahan St., Roanoke, VA
Veterinarians to Cats, 2750 Electric Rd, Roanoke, VA 24018
Firehouse Subs, Verizon Plaza, W. Main St., Salem, VA 24153

For more information, please contact Chris Ferris or Paula Williams at 540-375-0350 or fax inquiries to 540-375-8860.  Any help in distributing this notice to the community would be greatly appreciated.

Roanoke College Events Information

Roanoke College announces several upcoming events. Roanoke’s theme for the year is “The Challenge of Intellectual Inquiry,” as the College is launching a new general education curriculum. Many events will focus, as does the curriculum, on what it means to study something deeply – to explore, inquire and examine. Happenings on the Salem campus over the next few weeks include the following: Read more »

Girl Scout Troop 5 of Salem Skyline service unit, part of Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council, collected supplies for the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail Beach, North Carolina.  In doing so, the troop members have earned their Silver Awards, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve.

Receiving the award are Elena Macdonald, Erin Widener, and Samantha Yates, all residents of Salem, and Haley Burgess of Roanoke.

The girls began their collection drive for the “Turtle Hospital” by sending out emails to other troops asking them to bring donations to Thinking Day, a day in which girls participate in global-themed activities and programs to honor fellow Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world.

At the Thinking Day event, the troop members set up visual displays about the turtles as well as an activity for girls to enjoy.

The troop then went out to the community, making informational posters and a scrapbook page, along with decorated collection boxes, which were placed in the Hollins Library. The girls also solicited donations from members of the community such as the pharmacy at Lewis Gale Medical Center, which donated medical supplies.

When all the items were collected and organized, the troop members used some of the troop’s profits from the annual cookie sale to travel to Topsail Beach to deliver the items to the hospital.  While there, the girls visited the hospital and met with the volunteers.

In addition to collecting the needed supplies, Troop 5 members also made hand-made greeting cards, bead animals and bracelets for the hospital’s gift shop.

With the Silver Award, the project is just one facet of the comprehensive achievement program.  Girl Scout Troop 5 recently completed all requirements for the prestigious award.

The Girl Scout Silver Award represents a girl's accomplishments in Girl Scouting and her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others.  The first four requirements of the Silver Award help girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement.  A girl must be 11 or going into sixth grade to begin work on these initial steps.  When the first four requirements are completed, a girl who is 12 years old or going into the seventh grade may undertake the Silver Award project.  She must complete her project by age 14 or before the start of tenth grade.

Haley, 14, a ninth grader at Northside High School in Roanoke, is the daughter of Catherine and Paul Burgess of Roanoke.  Elena, 14, a ninth grader at Salem High School, is the daughter of Patricia and Neal Macdonald of Salem.  Erin, 14, a ninth grader at Glenvar High School in Salem, is the daughter of Gayle and Jerry Widener of Salem.  Samantha, 14, also a ninth grader at Glenvar High School, is the daughter of Faye and Terry Yates of Salem.

Their project advisors and troop leaders are Nancy Miller and Gayle Widener, both of Salem.

Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council is a leadership program for girls that develops life skills in business, science, and technology; provides adventures and challenges in sports, the environment, and the great outdoors; and encourages girls to give back to their communities through service projects conducted locally, across the United States, and internationally.

Submitted by Cyndi Young-Preston, Public Relations & Production Manager, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council.

Salem Christmas Parade: The annual Salem Christmas Parade co-sponsored by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce and Salem Kiwanis Club is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, December 4. Come early to get your spot to see the largest Christmas parade in Southwest Virginia.

Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Foundation to Host Gingerbread Festival:

The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Foundation (a 501(c) 3 organization) will host the Gingerbread Festival Saturday, December 5th at Longwood Park in Salem. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Arts and craft vendors will be on hand, along with a variety of food vendors and live entertainment on stage. There will be an arts and craft activity for children to participate in. A nice cozy fire for marshmallow roasting will keep everyone warm. Gingerbread houses will be on display inside the carriage house during the event and festival goers are encouraged to vote for their favorites, which will determine the Best in Show winner. The houses on display will also be on silent auction, which will determine category winners, and will be awarded to the highest bidders.

The event is hosted by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Foundation with members of the Chamber bringing a holiday kickoff event to the community.

For more information visit www.s-rcchamber.org or call 540-387-0267

Submitted by the Salem Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce

As So Salem receives specifics on upcoming holiday events, you can bet the details will be here on the Notebook as soon as possible! If you have holiday events you'd like to share with folks, send the specifics to news@sosalem.com

The sky beamed and the unusually warm autumn afternoon on Saturday, November 14 welcomed veterans and their families and friends to the unveiling of Sherwood's newly installed veteran memorial. Rumbling in, Johnnie Tickle of the Christian Motorcycle Association started the event with a prayer. The Salem Treble Chorus sang "Amazing Grace" and later "The Star Spangled Banner," and Mayor Randy Foley spoke on the sacrifice of our veterans overseas in the present. Foley served some years as an Officer in the Air Force.

The DAV Honor Guard raised the American flag, then later lowered it to half staff to recognize the tragedy at Fort Hood. A gun salute was offered, and K.P. Waterman closed the ceremony by playing "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes.

"It's almost like those three soldiers from the past have noticed him coming up to honor them and that central figure has kneeled down in turn to reach out his hand," said Bill Wolfe, the sculptor from Indiana who created the bronze figure, in an interview before the unveiling.

"It's always an honor to work on projects like this - it's one thing that I'm able to utilize my abilities as an artist and another thing to honor our soldiers," he said.

This year, Sherwood president Susan Mini did something a little different. She was alerted that a balloon release might be detrimental to nearby wildlife, so a white carrier pigeon was released to honor veterans this year.

"We wanted to have something for the community and to honor our veterans," said Susan Mini, President and CEO of Sherwood, in October. "I hope that veterans can use it to just have a place to reflect. Even for the families, even if their vets aren't buried out here."

Salem Spartans, Don't forget:

THIS FRIDAY AT 7:30PM AT SALEM STADIUM

MAGNA VISTA WARRIORS VS. THE SALEM SPARTANS

REGIONAL PLAYOFF FOOTBALL TICKETS $7 - ON SALE AT THE STADIUM

Submitted by City of Salem

The Junior League held its annual Stocked Market over the weekend. Our paparazzi photo crew was there -- and so were lots of people from Salem. Here are the ones who stepped onto the red carpet:

* Debbie Fail and Ginger Booze
* Krista Matzuga
* Janet Frantz
* Phil Norman

You can view all the photos in the slideshow above, or in this gallery format.

Do you have photos of holiday activities involving people from Salem? If so, you can share at news@sosalem.com.

The Jolly Old Elf from the North Pole made his annual breakfast appearance at Tanglewood Mall on Saturday. So did our paparazzi photo crew -- and some kids from Salem were there to step onto the red carpet. They were:

* Emily Allare
* Emily Allare with Santa
* Rachel Stover
* Rachel Stover with Santa
* Mia Gearhart

You can view all the photos in the slideshow above or in this gallery format.

Do you have photos of holiday-related events involving people from Salem? You can share at news@sosalem.com.