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The helmet is for auction on eBay to benefit Back Creek Elementary PTA efforts.

Back Creek Elementary has a fundraiser going that is picking up speed and is in the final turn.  Kroger and Pepsi donated the full-sized replica helmet, which Dale Earnhardt Jr. autographed at the October 2008 race in Martinsville.

PTA president Beth Ballou has provided information about the eBay auction, which ends at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. All proceeds from the auction will help the PTA purchase supplies and equipment for the school.

The auction number is #280288710062 on eBay: here's a link to the specific auction.

Jia Zheng (center) places a bag of donated food in a Christmas Store volunteer’s truck. Photos courtesy of Brendan King

Brendan King has sent this report -- and photos -- about Cave Spring High School clubs' efforts this holiday season:

On Sunday, Nov. 23, Cave Spring High School's SCA, FBLA, and Beta clubs collected more than 200 bags of food from the Penn Forest area for the Community Christmas Store. Late in the afternoon that Sunday, students and volunteers set off in cars, vans, and trucks to pick up the bags filled with nonperishable and personal items left on porches and near mailboxes. The same day, volunteers from the Christmas Store hauled away the stuffed bags, which were stapled with a red or white information sheet, for the needy in trucks.

Two weeks earlier, the SCA distributed about 800 of those bags, which were donated from area Kroger stores. Through the help of a well-coordinated mapping system, the SCA was able to hand out about 300 more bags than last year. The Cave Spring High SCA wants to express their gratitude toward the Penn Forest area for all of their donations.

In a separate fundraiser, Cave Spring High School's DECA club is currently collecting donations of nonperishable foods for needy families. The DECA club is still accepting donations, which can be dropped off in the school's front office. Through their hard work and effort, Cave Spring High School has clearly expressed the love for their community in many ways throughout this holiday season.

Cave Spring High’s SCA, FBLA, and Beta clubs picked up more than 200 bags for the Community Christmas Store.

Here's something to warm your hearts this Thanksgiving -- the doll-dressing party at Colonial Avenue Baptist Church.

In this week's print edition of SWoCo, you'll see a write-up about how church members recently dressed 120 dolls for distribution to needy girls at Christmas. (That's Nancy Burgess doing the honors there.)

We also promised more photos online. And here they are in this photo gallery.

These photos come to us courtesy of the pastor, Dr. Jeff Scott, who took us up on our regular offer to share photos at news@swo-co.com. Do you have news from your church, school, civic group, or family in Southwest Roanoke County? If so, share away!

Each week in SWoCo, we advise readers to come online for more. Here's a guide to our other online extras this week:

* Cast your vote in our online poll: What do you think of the proposed Clearbrook Wal-Mart?
* Photos of Southwest Roanoke County people at the Little Black Dress Party
* Photos of Southwest Roanoke County people at The Stocked Market
* Steve & Barry's to close at Tanglewood Mall

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* Photos of Cave Spring Middle School basketball (both boys and girls) against Read Mountain

Speaking of sports, you'll see that this is our Winter Sports edition -- with lots of team photos and schedules. If you want to see the photos online, here are the links for Cave Spring and Hidden Valley. As always, if you're at sporting events involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County, take some photos (you probably will anyway, right?) and share them with us at, yes, you guessed it, news@swo-co.com.

And, since it's Thanksgiving, and you'll likely have the whole family gathered 'round the table, why not take a family photo and share that with us, too?

For more information on us -- and how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Southwest Roanoke County -- see below:
Read more »

Happy Thanksgiving, Southwest Roanoke County. When you've got the family gathered 'round this holiday, you'll likely take some photos, right? How about sharing some with us at news@swo-co.com -- just let us know who's who! We'll share them here and try to use some in our weekly print edition, as well.

The retail chain has filed for liquidation, so we'd previously reported the Tanglewood Mall location would be closing. What's new today is we get a closing date -- all Steve & Barry's stores must close by Jan. 9. For details, see what business writer Jenny Boone has to say on her retail blog, The Storefront.

Courtesy of Lifetouch

We have team photos of Hidden Valley High School's winter sports teams, courtesy of Lifetouch. Click here for an online gallery of team pictures.

At left is the varsity girls' basketball team.

If you're looking for the Cave Spring teams, click here.

Remember, if you have sports photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County, you can send them to news@swo-co.com

OTHER RECENT HIDDEN VALLEY COVERAGE:
* Nov. 25: Hidden Valley player named Ironman of the Year
* Nov. 20: Webcast pays tribute to Hidden Valley volleyball team
* Nov. 19: More photos from the recent Hidden Valley signings
* Nov. 19: Details on Saturday's fund-raiser for Coach King
* Nov. 19: Hidden Valley's Meredith Swanson signs with South Carolina
* Nov. 18: More events scheduled to raise money for Coach King
* Nov. 15: Photos of Hidden Valley volleyball playing for state title
* Nov. 14: Photos from Hidden Valley's volleyball win in state semi-finals
* Nov. 13: Hidden Valley volleyball defeats Salem, will play for state championship Saturday
* Nov. 12: Photos from the Abby Redick and Ben Boggs signing ceremony
* Nov. 11: Photos from Hidden Valley's volleyball win in the state quarterfinals
* Nov. 11: Photo of Hidden Valley runner Haley Cutright

Courtesy of Wing I.T. Photo Arts

We have photos of Cave Spring winter sports teams, courtesy of Wing I.T. Photo Arts. Click here for the online gallery of team pictures.

At left is the Cave Spring swim team.

If you're looking for the Hidden Valley teams, click here.

As always, if you have sports photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County, you can send them to news@swo-co.com

OTHER RECENT CAVE SPRING COVERAGE
* Nov. 21: Cave Spring High School teacher is semi-finalist for McGlothlin Award
* Nov. 18: Fan photo of Cave Spring Knight and cheerleader
* Nov. 15: Photos from MidKnight Madness
* Nov. 14:Cave Spring's Olivia Ferguson signs letter of intent
* Nov. 10: Photos of Cave Spring cheerleaders at state competition
* Nov. 10: Photos from the Cave Spring -- Hidden Valley football game
* Nov. 5: Cave Spring choirs to perform Dec. 2
* Nov. 4: Photos of Cave Spring cheerleaders in regional competition
* Nov. 3: More photos of Cave Spring cheerleaders in regional competition
* Nov. 1: More Cave Spring homecoming photos
* Oct. 31: Cave Spring teams join Hidden Valley to support Coach King
* Oct. 31: Photos from Cave Spring junior varsity football vs. Salem
* Oct. 27: Cave Spring cheerleaders take second place in competition

A Ford Explorer veered off Colonial Avenue a little after 2 p.m. on Tuesday and crashed into the pond near Sunscape Apartments, where it became submerged. Here's a video of divers pulling the SUV from the pond.

We also have a story on the incident, and the full police statement from Roanoke County police below:

Colonial Ave. Traffic Crash

• Type of Crash: Single Vehicle Crash

• Date of Crash: 11/25/08 Time of Crash: 2:10 P.M.

• Location of Crash: Colonial Ave. @ Sunscape Dr.

• Investigating Officer: Officer S.G. Slade

• Victim Name(s):

• Suspect Name(s):

• Charges if Applicable: Pending

• The road was not blocked to traffic

• Alcohol and/or drugs were not a factor.

• Seatbelts were worn by the victim(s).

• Weather was not a factor in the crash.

• Additional Remarks: On Tuesday November 25, 2008 at approximately 2:10 P.M. members of the Roanoke County Police Department responded to a traffic crash at the intersection of Colonial Ave and Sunscape Dr. A vehicle travelling East on Colonial Ave left the roadway and crashed into a retaining pond at Sunscape Apartments. The driver and occupant of the vehicle complained of no injuries. Both occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending. Anyone with information or questions can contact Officer Slade at 562-3265 after 7:00 A.M. on November 26, 2008.

Four girls from Southwest Roanoke County will appear in the premiere performance of the new Roanoke Children's Theatre, which performs at the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke.

They are Kassidy Page, Heidi Klockenbrink, Olivia Chappelear and Madeleine Lerch.

The show is "Madeline's Christmas," which opens Dec. 15 and runs through Dec. 23. For details on tickets and showtimes, click here.

Roanoke County police report that a man tried to rob a woman Monday night on Cordell Drive -- just off 419 (Electric Road).

Here's the full police statement:

Attempted Robbery

• Incident: Attempted Robbery

• Date of Incident: 11/24/2008 Time of Incident: 8:26 pm

• Location of Incident: 4300 block Cordell Dr

• Investigating Officer: Detective Neil Gardner

• Victim Name(s):

• Suspect Name(s):

• Charges if Applicable:

• Arrests Information: There have been no arrests made at this time.

• Anyone with information is asked to call 540-777-8623

• Additional Remarks: At approx 8:26 pm today a male suspect attempted to rob a female in the 4300 block of Cordell Drive. The male suspect displayed a weapon. No items were taken by the suspect. There were no injuries reported.

The suspect is described as a tall, slender white male about 25 to 30 years old, with no facial hair. The suspect left the area in a vehicle.

This case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Roanoke County Police Department at (540)562-3265 or Detective Neil Gardner at (540)777-8623.

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You may recall there was another incident -- an actual robbery -- last week in the same general neighborhood. However, if you're curious, the description of the suspect in that incident does not match the description here. We reported the police statement on that robbery on Nov. 21.