From left: Jim Laub, Olde Salem Days; Barnell Horrell, Rotary Board Member; Jerry Britton, Military Family Support Center; Tom Fame, Haiti Water Project; C.W. Markham, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra; Hartley Gaston, Community Outreach Program; Mark Johnson, Salem YMCA; Ray-Eric Correia, Blue Ridge Zoological Society; Skip Lautenschlager, Olde Salem Days and Jeff Van Doren, Salem Rotary President. / Photo courtesy of Cindy Lichtenstein.

Olde Salem Days has been a valued tradition in Salem for more than thirty years.  This premier arts and crafts street fair is held on the second Saturday in September. Every year the Rotary Club of Salem, in cooperation with the City of Salem, plans and hosts Olde Salem Days. The event showcases many of the best local artisans and crafters of the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas. Tens of thousands of visitors come to enjoy a day of early Christmas shopping and experiencing the hospitality that makes Salem such a special place.

Olde Salem Days serves as a vital fundraising event for many local non-profit and religious groups who sell baked items and handmade items. In addition, there are many community groups who receive donations from the Rotary Club of Salem in return for their volunteer service during the event. These groups perform vital tasks such as staffing street barricades and distributing ice and drinks through out the festival’s many refreshment stands.

In addition to these many community benefits, the Rotary Club of Salem distributes ALL of the proceeds from Olde Salem Days to support worthy local and international service projects.

This year significant gifts were awarded to several local groups such as the Salem YMCA, Mill Mountain Zoo and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. Rotary also continued its financial support of international projects such as the Haiti Water Project.  The Rotary Club of Salem is appreciative of the work these fine organizations are doing to continually improve our world.

The Rotary Club of Salem is a service minded volunteer organization which meets for lunch on Thursdays at the Salem Civic Center.  If you wish to learn more about Rotary or to become involved in some exciting service projects in your community please visit www.therotaryclubofsalem.org.

Submitted by Barney Horrell, Rotary Club of Salem.