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The Youth Group at Colonial Presbyterian Church sponsored a Reverse Trick or Treating program the afternoon of October 31st. Groups went door to door giving out candy and information about their church and praying with their neighbors.

Submitted by Melissa Williams.

Do you have news or photos from your church in Southwest Roanoke County? You can share at news@swo-co.com.

The Bridgewater College Symphonic Band will present a fall concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, in the Carter Center for Worship and Music on the college campus.

The Symphonic Band, under the leadership of Dr. Timothy Weir, assistant director of music and director of instrumental music, will present a "Pops" concert featuring a wide variety of music, from classical to jazz.

Beginning with Aaron Copland's "Hoe Down," arranged by mark Rogers, the Symphonic Band will perform a varied program of lighter music, including an arrangement by John Krance of Gershwin's "An American in Paris" and a medley of songs from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story.

Michael Nelson, a senior music major from Roanoke, Va., will be the featured soloist on "The Worried Drummer" by Adolph Schreiner, arranged by Eric Osterling.

Nelson is the son of Russell and Carolyn Nelson and is a graduate of Cave Spring High School.

The afternoon program also incudes "Peanut Vendor" by Moises Simons, arranged by John Morrissey, "Blues Roar" by slide Hampton and Peter Chatman, arranged by Bob Lowden and "Sabre Dane" by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by John Cacavas. The band will also perform Sammy nestico's "Long May it Wave" and a John Williams Medley arranged by Paul Lavender.

The concert is open to the public at no charge.

Submitted by-  Carolyn Nelson

The jolly old elf from points north made his annual breakfast appearance at Tanglewood Mall on Saturday and, befitting a celebrity, our paparazzi photo crew was there.

So were lots of people from Southwest Roanoke County.

You can find the paparazzi photos in the slideshow above or in this gallery format.

So do you have holiday photos involving people or events from Southwest Roanoke County? Or even the North Pole? If so, you can share at news@swo-co.com.

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

* Melissa Chambliss and Sara Zook
* Suzanne Keck
* Ashley Steigerwald
* Carol White
* Carla Keegan
* Angie Beckner and Melody Pugh
* Jeff Dean
* Reece Griffith and Dylan Cohan
* Will Farmer

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 Southwest Roanoke County? If so, you can share at news@swo-co.com.

WHAT: Roanoke County will present the 2009 State of the County Address at the site of its largest capital project – the state-of-the-art Green Ridge Recreation Center. The facility is not yet open, so the speech will provide a sneak peek for the hundreds who will be in attendance. Following Chairman Mike Altizer’s comments, the audience will be invited to tour the facility. The building will officially open to the public on January 1.

WHO: Chairman and Members of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors
Members of the Business Community

WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
7:30 a.m. (The speech will begin at 8:00 a.m., but we recommend that you arrive early to get set up.)

WHERE: Green Ridge Recreation Center – 7415 Wood Haven Road
From Interstate 581, take Exit 2 North onto Peters Creek Road
At the first stoplight, turn left onto Valleypointe Parkway
Travel 0.7 miles to the intersection with Wood

Camden Hodge (sitting center) signs letter of intent for Radford University. To his right is his mother, Penny Hodge and to his left, his father, Craig Hodge. In the background are his coaches. Emily Flora SWoCo

Camden Hodge, 17 and a senior at Hidden Valley High School, signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Radford University on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Hodge, who plays shortstop, said that Radford University was his first pick. He also plays 2nd and 3rd base and outfield.

"I really like the coaches and I like their view of baseball and the team itself," Hodge said about his choice.

Hodge said his decision came after his AAU team played at Radford during the summer and he decided he wanted to play there in July.

Hodge plans on studying Finance while at Radford University and looking forward to the new chapter in his life.

"I'm just really excited to play the next level. There is a lot of talent there," Hodge said.

Coach Jason Taylor said he has known Hodge for the past 8-years, since Hidden Valley School opened and Hodge played in the school system.

"His biggest thing is speed," Taylor said. "He's really fast and he's an intelligent man. He has always known his position on the field."

Taylor said that he was not surprised that Hodge would play baseball at the college level.

"It was a matter of where's he'd go. He's a really good hitter and he loves baseball. Radford is going to be a good fit for him," Taylor said.

Camden is the son of Penny and Craig Hodge. His father sid that he was not surprised his son chose to paly bsaeball at the college level either.

"He's worked so hard for it. He's worked really hard for me to be surprised," Craig Hodge said.

Sugar Loaf Garden Club celebrates 50 years. Emily Flora SWoCo

On Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m., Sugar Loaf Garden Clubs celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a reception at the Council of Garden Clubs. Members of the club gathered for refreshments and fellowship during the event. They also had the chance to review scrapbooks from each year of the garden club.

Below is some of the history of the Sugar Loaf Garden Club put together and submitted by Diane Lowe and Lydia Celin:

"Sugar Loaf Garden Club was founded on Nov. 11, l959. In 50 years, fashions have changed, new plants have found their way to Roanoke gardens and even rules for floral designs have changed. Researching our history we have discovered, through written records and anecdotes from long time members, that the goals of our garden club have not changed and are still relevant.

We provide opportunities to study horticulture and techniques of artistic design through speakers, demonstrations and workshops. We participate in community activities including civic planting and we support organizations with similar goals.

The club's first civic project, in 1960-61, was the construction of a gravel path along Grandin Road Extension at Oak Grove Elementary School in cooperation with Roanoke County Schools.

In 1999-2000, we renewed our partnership with Oak Grove Elementary School. At the suggestion of Helen Terry, a current member, and Elaine Williams (president 1997-99), a butterfly garden was planned. Our longtime member and master judge, Marion Danco, designed the butterfly garden. Oak Grove PTA volunteers constructed the free-form berm from Marian's design and they supplied 12 tons of top soil. Sugar Loaf provided 93 perennial plants which our members planted. Our club members continue to maintain the garden, by planting, weeding and watering throughout the year.

The butterfly garden won the following awards: Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs -- "Beauty Spot of the Month"; Blue Ridge District VFGC -- Landscape Award -- 1st place; the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs -- Landscape Award -- 1st place; and the National Council of State Garden Clubs -- Landscape Award -- small club section -- 2nd place

The 1962-63 club project was a "progressive" flower show, held in homes of members. That year a fashion show was held at Oak Grove Elementary School to raise money for our club projects. In the last four years our flower shows, which are free to the public, have been held at the Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs building on Colonial Avenue. This year the show was on Wednesday, April 1.

In the fall of 2008, Sugar Loaf Garden Club sponsored Oak Grove students in grades three to five who participated in the Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster Contest offered by the National Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. and the U.S. Forest Service. Forty-eight students completed their posters and they were entered into the competition. On April 22, Earth Day, all the participants were recognized at an assembly at Oak Grove Elementary School. Lenah Addo, a fourth grade student, won the Virginia State first place award.

The l962-63 project was the sale of 460 dogwood trees sold in the neighborhood to beautify the area. If you have one of these trees on your property or you know where one is located, we would like to hear from you.

In 2007 our members decided to expand our fundraising for community projects in order to include a scholarship for a horticulture student at Virginia Western Community College. We chose to do a fall fashion show/luncheon. The success of the shows has allowed us to raise our contributions to community organizations and our projects. In addition, we were able to increase the amount of the scholarship award. This year’s show on September 30th was a success that we plan to continue."

Faith Christian School celebrated their 6th Annual Grandparent's Day on Friday, Nov. 13. Students invited their grandparents, who came as far away as California and Iowa, to the school for the celebration. Susan Childs said they had about 300 grandparents throughout the day.

A Grand Cafe was set up with coffee, ham biscuits, sweet breads and fruit for grandparents and the students to enjoy before and after the performances. Performances were spread out by grade beginning at 8 a.m. and lasting until about noon. Gifts were also given out to each grandparent and then grandparents were invited to visit the classrooms.

Check out our slideshow above for photos from this event or click here for a more traditional view.

Lakeland Masonic Lodge #190 is holding an oyster and fish fry on Nov. 21 to benefit the lodge's scholarship fund. Oyster, fish, French fries, hush puppies, Virginia Tech slaw, and a drink. Eat in or take out.
Freemason Hall
2742 Grandin Road, Roanoke, VA, 24015
Cost: $9
Contact Phone: (540) 774-5464
Website: http://www.freemasonhall.org
Time: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Fishing at sunset. Peaceful and beautiful until the sharks started biting!
Our trip last week featured some awesome sunsets especially at this inlet where the water was on 3 sides of us. The sky stayed pink for over an hour each night.

Submitted by Tim Thornhill.