www.roanoke.com

Showtimers, the community theatre located just off 419, is currently in rehearsal for "Guys and Dolls." The show opens July 17 and runs through August 3. Here's a photo gallery of seven photos from the show. For information on showtimes and ticket prices, check out Showtimers' website.

Left to right :Summer Hayes as Sarah Brown, Matt Hayes as Sky Masterson, Chip Addison as Nathan Detroit, Linsee Lewis as Miss Adelaide

For photos from the last Showtimers show -- "Blithe Spirit" -- click here.

We have a photo gallery of 10 photos from Saturday's Little League game between Cave Spring American All-Stars and Covington -- which Cave Spring won 7-6.

At left: Shane Kinchen.

Photos by Garland Gay

And let's give a shout-out to all the folks who suggested we go take photos of this game. Glad we could make it! But we can't make it everywhere, so if we're not at a game you think we should have photos of, you can send your sports photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County to us at news@swo-co.com

We had a previous post -- with a photo gallery -- from the Cave Spring Little League on June 18.

Take advantage of the free and cheap costing programs that the Roanoke County Parks Recreation and Tourism has to offer this summer.

Here is the schedule for programs with Roanoke County Parks and Recreation beginning the week of July 11.

EVENTS

Days: July 19
Name: Flower Festival Dance
Description: Come dressed in floral attire and bring a small vase with fresh blooms from your garden to decorate the tables. Join Liz and Steve for some Wisteria Waltzes and Hydrangea Hustles along with other fun ballroom dances. Bring a snack to share
Where: Brambleton Center
When: 8:00-10:30pm
Cost: $10
Contact: 772-PLAY, www.RoanokeCountyParks.com

Days: July 26
Name: Drive-in Moves, Screen on the Green
Description: Drive over to Green Hill Park to see the movie Transformers on the big screen. Listen to the movie on your car radio. Concessions are available on-site.
Where: Green Hill Park
When: Dusk
Cost: FREE!
Contact: 387-6455, www.RoanokeCountyParks.com

Read more »

Shanon Griffin submitted this photo of the South County Panther's softball team to honor their victory in their division.

The South County Panthers softball 10U A league won their division this year. After losing their very first game they rallied back and won 20 straight games. The team had three amazing coaches this year, head coach Ritchie Griffin and assistant coaches Brice Beatty and John Urquhart. Their undeniable dedication to the team did not go unnoticed.

Picture: bottom row left to right: Cymber White, Emerald Pullon, Abby Frazier, Jaelin Dowdy

top row left to right: Head Coach Ritchie Griffin, Savannah Duncan, Isabel Payseur, Assistant
Coach Brice Beatty, Charity Klimaitis, Tessa Klimaitis, Assistant Coach, John Urquhart, Haille Urquhart, Abby Beatty

Not pictured: Marisa Hisaki and Courtney Martin

This picture was taken at Moyer Sports Complex.

Do you have sports photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County? You can share them at news@swo-co.com just like Shanon did.

In last week's SWoCo, we told you about Amanda Winter, a 2002 graduate of Cave Spring High School who is headed this summer to Israel, where she will train to become a cantorial singer. In today's Roanoke Times, religion writer Rob Johnson has a longer story on Amanda, as well as this video.

Photo by Eric Brady

Got the summer blues? Want to get away from the pool and the heat and cool down doing something different and fun? SwoCo suggests checking out the upcoming classes and events happening at the Roanoke County Public Library.

View the schedule below, and get rid of your summer blues!

Book Clubs for Adults

Reading Adventurers (Adult Book Club)
Hollins Library
Tuesday (July 1), 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
World War Z by Max Brooks
6624 Peters Creek Rd. Call 561-8024 for more information.

Vinton Book Club
Vinton Library
Thursday (July 10), 2:30 pm
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
800 E. Washington Ave. Call 857-5043 for more information..

“Fourth Thursday” Adult Book Club
HQ/419 Library
Thursday (July 24)
Morning Club: 10:00 am
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Evening Club: 7:00 pm
Rumspringa by Tom Shachtman
3131 Electric Road. Call 772-7507 for more information.

Adult Programs

Virginia Author Series
HQ/419 Library
Martin Clark will discuss his book, The Legal Limit
Tuesday (August 19), 7:00 pm
Author talk, book signing and free refreshments.
3131 Electric Road, Call 772-7507 for more information

Read more »

You'll recall we recently invited folks to send in their summer photos and tell us about their plans this summer. Well, we just heard from Loren Wright, who sends us two photos of her son, Aidan.

This is my son, Aidan Wright, on his first fishing trip with his dad Craig Wright. Aidan caught a few smaller fish then he caught a 17" Big Mouth Bass. His dad didn't catch any fish.

And then for the photo below:

This is Aidan (on left) & friend at a Boy Scout camping trip at Mill Mountain Zoo in June. This was after hours visiting the animals.

We're not sure yet where the fishing was, but we know where the zoo is, so we've just put Aidan and his friend on the map -- our Swoco Summer '08 map, that is. We've also added Tony Weaver, too.

UPDATE: The fish was caught at Carvins Cove, so we've added that to the map, as well.

How can you get on the map? Just send us your summer photos and tell us what you're doing and where. It doesn't matter if it's the beach or a backyard barbecue, a week at camp or that big European vacation. We'll be here at news@swo-co.com

Read more »

This year, St. John Lutheran Church in Southwest Roanoke County used its annual Vacation Bible School to make a big “splash” in a community halfway around the world. They collected money for the construction of new water wells in Zambia, a country just a little bigger than Texas in South Central Africa.

Their efforts were the result of the church's connection to Orphan Medical Network International (OMNI), a faith-based, non-profit organization that provides educational, subsistence and medical support for struggling villages.

Two years ago, president and co-founder of OMNI, Karen ReMine and her husband Dr. Steve ReMine joined St. John. Since then, the church has been heavily involved in the organization’s overseas efforts.

St. John is now instrumental to the child sponsorship program, which helps the 155 children attending OMNI George School. The school accepts students who are too poor to pay the yearly $12 uniform fee required to attend public school in Zambia.

“100 to 110 children are supported by individual families at St. John who donate $30 a month,” said ReMine.

Read more »

We have a photo gallery of 20 photos from the soccer camp going on this week at Cave Spring Middle School.

Photos by Sharon Claytor

Do you have sports photos of teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County? If so, you can share them at news@swo-co.com

Roanoke County's tennis camps are in full ... um, swing this summer at various locations. The camp at Garst Mill Park is running at full capacity, says instructor Scott Gibson. Gibson, who is also the women's coach at Roanoke College, said the camps serve youth ages 5 to 13. Classes are scheduled through the end of July and spaces are limited. Contact the Parks and Rec Department for more information.

We have a photo gallery of 13 photos from the clinic.

Left: Sarah Epstein, 6, and Ethan Wiid, 5, chat prior to the start of the camp on Thursday, June 26, 2008

Photos by Scott Craig

Do you have sports photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County? You can share them at news@swo-co.com