Dolores Farmer shares this video from the Glenvar homecoming football game.

OTHER PHOTOS FROM GLENVAR HOMECOMING:
* Photos from the pep rally
* Photos from the parade and game
* Homecoming photo of Susan Clark, Will Dunkenberger, Megan Grisso, and Luke Brookshier.
* Homecoming photos of Kyle Clifford, Katie Sue Smith, Ryan Jones, and Victoria Noel.
* Paparazzi photos from Glenvar homecoming
* Glenvar homecoming photos from Kathy Figaro

Do you have photos? You can share your homecoming photos at news@sosalem.com.

From left in front: Lion Tom Sixby, SNG intern Kayla Asbury, SNG president Jennifer Deegan, and Lions Roland Wine and Jenny Poland. In back, Judy Phillips, Mary Boston, Dawn Kirby, Nancy Robertson, Tammy Burton, Meg Robertson, Nancy Duffy, Sandy Hart and her children, Kelly Curran and Becky George.

Between 350 and 400 elementary and middle school kids in Salem – and now at least 20 students from Glenvar schools – whose families don’t have the resources to buy them warm winter clothing and shoes will receive help once again this year from the Salem Needlework Guild.

Each student receives a winter coat, two or three outfits, and a shoe voucher during the fall drive. The SNG also steps up during the spring and summer for about 25 students per school.

“We’re on an on-call basis too,” said vice president Nancy Duffy. “If there is a dire need [where] a new kid comes to school, a house burns down, I find myself shopping all year round.”

The guild collects cards from Salem schools’ guidance counselors with children’s sizes, favorite colors, and sometimes they even list a favorite cartoon character or animal. None of the cards have names listed, so the SNG never knows who they’re shopping for.

Directors each take a certain number of cards and use donated money or try to find folks to “adopt” a card and shop for a child. Once they’ve completed their shopping and collecting, each child’s donation is put in a large bag and taken to the schools’ guidance offices to be discreetly given to the students who need them.

“It’s an equalizer. All any child wants is to be like other children – to look like them, to be accepted by them, and that includes the way they’re dressed and the way they carry themselves and the way they feel about themselves,” said current West Salem and former GW Carver principal Trula Byington. “And you know, just from the practical side of it – having a coat and so forth, there’s no question that it impacts them.”

Organizations like the Salem Lions, the Salem Rotary, the Salem Kiwanis, and the Salem Sheriff’s Office donate each year, but individual donations go a long way towards making the SNG financially sound. Every penny of donations goes towards buying clothes for children. The guild directors even pay administrative fees to keep it that way.

And when they do find themselves with a surplus of funds, it allows them to take advantage of sales later in the season, especially on winter coats.

For more information, or to donate or volunteer to shop for a child or children, visit the SNG’s website www.salemnga.org.  Folks can also call 520-2085, email salemnga@gmail.com, visit , or send donations/inqueries through snail-mail at:

Salem Needlework Guild

P.O. Box 206

Salem, Virginia 24153

Here is a photo of Haley Smith and Madison Tyler of Salem at the Safety Day in Glenvar.

Courtesy of Jordan Tyler

Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society worked with Journey students one evening at Greenfield Center for a night of stargazing in this file photo.

John Goss of Fincastle is the president of the Virginia Astronomical Society, teaches Astronomy at Dabney S Lancaster Community College and writes a monthly column for the Roanoke Times. He sent announcement for the following event on Saturday, October 9:

The Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society is pleased to announce the 2010 gathering of the Virginia Association of Astronomical Societies. This year’s meeting is co-sponsored by Roanoke College and will be held on October 9th in Roanoke College’s Colket Center (http://web.roanoke.edu/x1637.xml).

The event is to be 9 a.m -4:30 p.m.

We are fortunate to have as our headline speaker Dr. Steve Majewski of the University of Virginia. Dr. Majewski is a leading authority on galactic tidal interactions. In his talk, “Life Among the Cannibals: Observing and Exploiting the Entrails of the Hierarchical Formation of Galaxies,” he will discuss several programs using galactic entrails to search for and measure the shape of the dark matter distribution of the Milky Way.

Other engaging speakers that are scheduled include

Ted Forte, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers: “Planetary Nebulae Observing Program”

Dr. Jim Thieman, NASA: “Radio Jove Project”

Dr. Matt Fleenor, Roanoke College: “Large-scale Astronomical Environments and Their Influence on Star-formation”

and Dr. John Simonetti, Virginia Tech: “Astrophysical Searches for Extra Spatial Dimensions”

Refreshments will be provided throughout the day and a great lunch will be offered.

Yes, there will be door prizes! That portion of the day’s events will culminate with the presentation of a Celestron NexStar4 SE premium telescope to a lucky winner!

For those people interested in dark sky observing, there are several suitable overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, such as Sunset Field, http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/overlooks/00079.asp (mp 79, 3472’). But remember, we astronomers have special powers over the weather!

Registration is now open. Early registration ends on Friday October 1 — so register now! (Yes, you may register at the door.)

Please see the VAAS 2010 page on the RVAS website (www.rvasclub.org), (http://www.rvasclub.org/vaas/index_files/Page299.htm).

Macy’s parents have had her since late 2002. At the time, their 18-year-old son was 10 and neither her mom or dad had extracurricular activities outside of work that kept them from giving Macy the proper exercise or attention. They had another baby in 2007, and now, with a three-year-old, an 18-year-old attending Virginia Western, and other after-work commitments, they’re finding it hard to give her the active and attentive house she deserves.

“She is a very sweet dog, loves everybody, but I would recommend that if children are involved that they are 5 yrs or older because of her size (approx 30lbs) and age (7-8 yrs old). We really hate to see her go. She has been a wonderful dog, but she deserves much better than we are capable of, so hopefully we kind find her a loving home.”

Click here to see our last post on Macy, or keep reading to hear the story of how her current family adopted her.

Read more »

We call your attention to today’s daily deal that might interest folks who are planning on attending the Stagg Bowl on Saturday, December 18 at Salem Stadium.

The two top NCAA Division III College teams will play for the national championship – and to boot, the game is broadcast on ESPN each year.

To take advantage of the discount – $6.25 isn’t too bad for a college championship football game, is it? – visit dailydeal.roanoke.com and follow the instructions there.

The offer expires midnight tonight, Wednesday, September 29.

Click here to check out our post with photos from last year’s Stagg Bowl – see how the Salem Civic Center’s staff cleared out snow from one of southwest Virginia’s biggest snow storms in a decade in time to have the game on its designated day.

Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio presents its ninth annual free production at the Jefferson Center. Monster Musicals! is a fast-paced musical collage conceived by Kevin Jones showcasing the greatest monster musicals to hit the Broadway stage. Fifteen area high school students will be performing songs from Beauty and the Beast, Shrek, The Addams Family, Young Frankenstein, Evil Dead and and many more. The show will run approximately 75 minutes and will be performed at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday, October 30th at Shaftman Performance Hall at the Jefferson Center. Free tickets will be available at the Jefferson Center box office beginning October 14th at 8:30am -get them while they last! The show is currently rehearsing at Tanglewood Mall. Kevin Jones invites you to stop by and get a sneak peak through the window!

Submitted by the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio

A note: If you’re thinking this show is early this year, you’re right. It has been in February, now it’s moving to October. We have a photo gallery of rehearsal photos.

You’ll see Callie Thompson of Glenvar High School in some of the photos.

There will be a “Shopping Bazaar” from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 9 at the Freedom Center church on Mill Lane in Salem.

Vendors include Mary Kay, Premier Designs Jewelry, Thirty-One Gifts, Scentsy, and PartyLites. Sylina “Pinki” Dorry will also be selling hair-cut vouchers redeemable with her directly at Salon Capelli, 211 College Ave, in Salem.

100 percent of the PROFITS from this event will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

For more information, call 309-9252 or email yourpdjeweler@yahoo.com.

Submitted by Angela Miller.