Three Roanoke Star soccer teams recently competed in Europe. The teams included three players from Salem — Shannon Dishaw, Christopher Pollack and Jack Maxey — plus coach Allen Crowder.

The Roanoke Star team shares the following account:

On a beautiful day in our nation’s capitol, Sunday July 11th, 2010, the Roanoke Star’s U15 Boys Elite, U15 Boys Premier, and U14 Girls Elite teams departed for their European adventure. After a quick stop in Paris, France to change planes the teams arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark on Monday July 12th. The first tournament that the teams participated in was the Tivoli Cup. After a week of competitive play the teams all were successful. The Roanoke Star U15 Boys Elite team were able to finish 3rd in the B16 group of the Tivoli A Cup. The Roanoke Star U15 Boys Premier team were able to finish 1st in the B16 group of the Tivoli C Cup. The Roanoke Star U14 Girls Elite team were able to finish 2nd in the G15 group of the Tivoli B Cup. This was the first time ever that all the teams were able to bring home hardware from the tournament.
After the first week of competition the teams headed to the Gothia Cup (The World Youth Cup) in Gothenburg, Sweden to begin play. This tournament is the largest youth tournament in the world and Roanoke Star is a mainstay in the competition. In 2010 this was no different the Roanoke Star teams were very competitive. The boys were split into a B15 and B16 teams. The B15 team won their group going undefeated and not conceding a goal in group play. They eventually lost in the second round of the A playoffs to the biggest youth club in the world and the most successful club in Gothia Cup history (IF Brommapojkarna – Sweden). The B16 team played well but had some unlucky moments in their group play. The team eventually lost in the first round of the B playoffs. The U14 Girls Elite team finished second in group play but lost in the second round of the A playoffs. The players performed well in the games and the experience was great for all.
The teams finished off the trip with watching some great soccer matches and taking in the Swedish culture. The players arrived back into the nation’s capitol on Sunday July 25th, 2010. It was a great trip and experience for all the players. They were able to play some great competition as well as make some friendships with other players around the world. The trip is a once in a lifetime experience for any soccer player.

Written By: Alan Crowder

The U14 Girls Elite

First Row left to right

Diana Schaefer- Roanoke Co., Taylor Gallagher- Roanoke Co., Emily Whitaker- Roanoke City, Sydney Varney- Franklin Co., Savannah Neal- Roanoke Co., Laura Garbarini-Bedford, Kennedi Van Ravenstein- Botetourt Co.

2nd row left to right

Emma from Europe,- Taylor Smith- Franklin Co., Sara Farthing- Roanoke City, Jordan Dudley-Franklin Co., Kelsey Angell- Franklin Co., Brooke Sauerwald- Roanoke Co., Shannon Dishaw- Salem, Coach Rodney Varney-Franklin Co.

U15 premiere roster:

front row left to right – Sam Lodebole (Roanoke City), Zach Large (Roanoke County), Sam Lesko (Blacksburg), Patrick Burns (Alleghany), Sam Bernhard (Blacksburg), Kolbe Adams (Botetourt), Ryan Voss (Botetourt)
back row left to right – Logan Matz (Botetourt), Chris Bede (Franlin County), Eliot Alford (Lexington), Caleb Robbins, Michael Michaelson, Corey Gaylor, Hunter Hickam (Roanoke County), Alan Crowder (Coach- Salem)

U15 boys elite:

Barbara Krzysko shared this photo with us. She said, “A group of friends combine baseball & visiting. They are all part of the Salem Red Sox Silver Sluggers Club. Back L-Ed & Joan Welch(Rke Co);Mona Gleason(Rke City); Sheri Bestpitch(Rke City); Chris Jordan(Rke Co); John Gleason(Rke City); Chuck Jordan(Rke Co); Bill Bestpitch(Rke City);Barbara &Vince Brandtner(Salem).”

The first photo is of the Miss Majorette Winners:  Stephanie Meriwether (Cave Spring), Rebecca Keller (Glenvar), Harlie Dale, Meredith Smith (Cave Spring) & Elizabeth Hudson (Morning Side)

The second photo is of all the Pizzazz Star City Twirlers Team Members:  Back Row: Megan McConnell (Glenvar), Rebecca Keller (Glenvar), Harlie Dale, Danielle Cormier

Middle Row: Samantha Taylor (Cave Spring), Stephanie Meriwether (Cave Spring), Elizabeth Hudson (Morning Side)

Front Row: Rachel Benton (Penn Forest), Olivia Thomas (Back Creek), Meredith Smith (Cave Spring)

The third photo is of the Team Members who won the Outstanding Team of the Year Award:

From L-R: Rachel Martin, Megan McConnell (Glenvar), Rebecca Keller (Glenvar), Coach Joan Duus, Harlie Dale, Danielle Cormier, Meredith Smith (Cave Spring)

Pizzazz Star City Twirlers under the direction of Joan Duus and assisted by Marie Freeman Won Big in both the NBTA Miss Majorette of Virginia Competition held in Hampton in May and the NBTA Virginia State Championships held in Richmond in June.

Pizzazz had Winners in five of the seven categories they competed in at the Miss Majorette Competition, 3 girls qualified for the Miss Majorette of America Competition held July 20^th through the 23^rd at the University of Notre Dame.

Girls winning their pageants were:

Harlie Dale of Buena Vista is the Advanced Senior Miss Majorette of Virginia

Rebecca Keller of Glenver is the Intermediate Junior Pageant Winner

Meredith Smith of Roanoke is the Beginner Juvenile Pageant Winner

These three girls will compete at Notre Dame in their respective divisions for the National title.

Stephanie Meriwether of Roanoke is the Novice Pre-Teen Pageant Winner

Elizabeth Hudson of Vinton is the Novice Juvenile Pageant Winner

The Novice division does not advance to Nationals.

Runner ups in their pageant were: Read more »

Ann Harrell shared these photos with us. She said, “Went into backyard this morning with camera.  Here are 2 samples of what I saw.  Hope you enjoy!  The flower is a hibiscus, about size of dinner plate.”

Souljer, a bernese mountain dog puppy who will be 5 months old August 6.

Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America Draft Test

Hosted by the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Central Virginia

Drafting on the Virginia Wine Trail
September 26, 2010
Claudius Crozet Park
Crozet, VA 22932
Time for Spectators ~ 9:00 a.m.
Judges: Sue Sanvido, Jenny Durrance
Entries close at the Test Secretary’s Address Thursday, September, 16, 2010
At 5:00 p.m., EST. Please make checks payable to BMDCCV, Inc.
Mail fee with entry form to the Test Secretary:
Laura Gilliam
5972 Whitmell School Road, Danville, VA 24540
This is an All Breed Test
For the Premium and Further Information Please visit:
www.bmdccv.org

Submitted by Carolyn Smith

We’re Going Orange
Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank to unveil future with special guest Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

WHAT:    Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank unveils its future
with special guest Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

WHEN:    2 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 4.

WHERE:  Front lawn of Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank, 1025
Electric Road, Salem.

WHO:      Gov. Bob McDonnell, Food Bank leaders , Board Members, area businesses,
community leaders and hunger relief partners.

VISUALS: A sea of orange on the front lawn, Governor unveil, Food Bank warehouse
operations.

About the Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank
The Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank was founded in 1981 and is an affiliate member of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest). The Food Bank’s mission is to feed Southwest Virginia’s hungry through a network of partners and engage our region in the fight to end hunger. The primary function of the Food Bank is to secure large quantities of food for the hungry. More than 13-million pounds of food is channeled through a network of more than 340+ partner feeding programs (in a 26-county and 10-city region) that provide food or meals to those in need annually. Visit www.swvafoodbank.org for more information.

Annie Lin shared these photos with us of her trip to the gun show. She said, “I have never been to a gun show in my life. But, on July 17 & 18, I was there as a volunteer to help the ‘Morgan Griffith for Congress,’ who had a booth at Salem Civic Center. I got a gun show pass tag. I passed out an NRA paper to everyone endorsing ‘Morgan Griffith for Congress.’ I saw many many guns and people there.”

A New York woman charged with prostitution after an undercover investigation at a Salem nail salon avoided jail time this week by pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

Reporter Neil Harvey has more on this story.

ZOOperstars!

For all your Red Sox and America’s Got Talent fans — the ZOOperstars! will bounce, flip and dance their way across the field:

Date:            Friday, July 30

Time:            7:05 p.m.

Salem Red Sox vs. Lynchburg Hillcats

Place:          Salem Memorial Ballpark

One of the most popular sports acts today, the ZOOperstars! are sports entertainment shows that perform at sports venues and special events around the world. Earlier this year, the ZOOperstars! zany crew was featured in the top 20 acts of “America’s Got Talent.” Read more »

As reported by the Roanoke Times July 23, two men were hospitalized in
Montgomery County after they apparently were poisoned by smoking a legal
herbal concoction that imitates marijuana. They had been smoking what is
known on the streets as “spice” or “K2,” a synthetic marijuana product sold at
convenience stores and smoke shops. However, instead of the typical marijuanalike
effects, many youth are turning up in emergency rooms with rapid heart
rates, elevated blood pressure, severe agitation, anxiety and vomiting.
The product is growing in popularity because it is legal, purported to give a high
similar to marijuana and believed to be natural and therefore safe. But
researchers say synthetic marijuana is really an unregulated mixture of dried
herbs that could contain toxic chemicals.
While synthetic marijuana like K2 is currently legal and available, it is illegal in
most European countries and has recently been banned in Kansas and Missouri
(with several other states working to do the same). Even though K2 is still legal
in many states, the risks are similar to those of illegal drugs like marijuana and
ecstasy. Experimentation with K2 could lead to experimentation with other, illegal
drugs, and can also lead to addiction and dependence on other drugs.
Parents: We encourage you to be aware of this new drug, and to talk to your
teen about the dangers.
• K2 was first created as part of a scientific study on marijuana. The recipe
made its way into the wrong hands and has since been growing in popularity.
• There are no regulations in on K2. A minor could currently purchase this drug
legally.
• Just because it’s legal does not mean it is safe.
• Side effects include: rapid heart rates, elevated blood pressure, pale skin and
vomiting which suggest that K2 is affecting the cardiovascular system of
users.
• It also is believed to affect the central nervous system, causing severe,
potentially life-threatening hallucinations and, in some cases, seizures.
• K2 toxic levels and long-term effects are yet unknown.
Parents, talk to your teen.they will listen!