Green Ridge Recreation Center will be open on New Year’s Eve (Sat.), with early closing at 3:00pm. Green Ridge will be open regular Sunday hours on New Year’s Day and Monday, January 2. All other recreation facilities including Brambleton Center will be closed from 5:00pm on Friday, December 30 through Tuesday, January 2 in honor of the New Year’s holiday. During this time, program registrations will still be accepted at Green Ridge Recreation Center or online. You can register online here.

Submitted by roanokecountyva.gov

Join instructor Amy Light for a new session of Fusion Flow, on Thursday evenings starting in January. This mind/body fusion workout designed especially for women is about getting and staying in the fat burning zone, with flow and grace. You can register online here.

Submitted by roanokecountyva.gov

Oak Grove Elementary School students have been completing math equations in their Funbooks (“like a comic book with math problems,” according to Oak Grove math teacher Kim Sharp) and collecting donations from family, friends and neighbors over winter break to turn in when they return to school on Monday, Jan. 2, 20121.

Donations can be made in connection with an Oak Grove student, or general donations can be made to the school, by dropping them off at Oak Grove between Monday, Jan. 2 and Thursday, Jan. 12 or online on the Oak Grove page at mathathon.org, according to Sharp.

The Math-a-Thon helps to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. From the Math-a-Thon website:

For more than 30 years, Math-A-Thon has been America’s largest education-based fundraiser. Math-A-Thon is a free, education-based fundraising program for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program includes a free math curriculum supplement for grades K-8 that students complete after obtaining sponsorships from family and friends. The funds raised by the students benefit St. Jude, where doctors and scientists work to eradicate childhood cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases.

St. Jude designed Math-A-Thon to supplement a teacher’s existing curriculum, while also teaching students the importance of helping others. To participate, students ask family and friends for pledges to solve math problems in the Math-A-Thon Funbook.

The Funbook contains a curriculum developed by Scholastic, the world’s leader in educational technology and children’s media. Each Funbook level meets national standard requirements that will help your students practice and prepare for standardized testing.

Tim Thornhill shares these photos and says:

Our relative from Guatemala, David Porras, found the view outstanding up on Sharp Top on a recent hike. Next fall we hope to reciprocate and hike on the volcanoes in his native Guatemala.

Thanks, Tim!

Share your nature photos by emailing news@swo-co.com or upload up to 10 photos at a time using the share tool at the right of this page.

From the Roanoke County website:

Come check out the new Teen Room at the Grand Opening of the SoCo Library! Play on a Mac, take an iPad on a test drive, read on a Nook, contribute to pimpin’ the Teen Room book cart, play XBox 360 Kinect, go on a QR Code scavenger hunt or….just relax and enjoy your new room!

Click here for more information about the Teen Room.

Just a reminder about the Carter Athletic Center’s 3rd Annual Winter Health Fair  on Saturday, January 7, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This is your opportunity to come together with us and share information, products and services relating to health, wellness, and/or nutrition that can have a positive impact on the lifestyles and well-being of our community.
The cost per exhibitor is $25 for first-time vendors and $15 if you have participated with us in the past.  Admission is free to the public.

We will officially kick off our own Biggest Loser challenge that will be open to members and guests.  This year we will not only have great prizes, we will provide 2 weekly group training sessions with a certified instructor or trainer and  weekly nutrition tips to help the participants reach their goals.  The cost is $50 per person.

If you have already registered to be one of our exhibitors, we thank you.  If not, please join us in hosting interactive demonstrations and providing literature to our members and guests as they learn about healthy choices and alternatives by filling out the attached form and returning it to me along with your $15 or $25 payment.

Want to be part of our gift bags and giveaways to help promote your business?  Let us know what you would like to contribute for the giveaways.  Any gift bag items need to be received in our office no later than Monday, January 2nd by 9pm.  We will prepare 200 bags.

Submitted by Melanie D. Slaughter, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AND WELLNESS, Carter Athletic Center at North Cross School

From the Roanoke County website:

County Offices are closed January 2, 2012 in observance of New Year’s Day.

From the Roanoke County website:

Bulk and brush will be picked up for streets designated for A Week pickup. Bulk and brush is collected every other week on your regular garbage collection day.

This schedule is in effect for the week of Jan. 2-5.

Cave Spring American Little League will open its player registration for the 2012 spring season on Sunday, Jan. 15th, 2012.  Please go to our website to register or for more information.

The league is open to all players (boys and girls) ages 4 through 18 who live within our league boundaries.  Answers to frequently asked questions are also available on our website.

We also have a special offer for players in the age group 9 through 12 (Majors and Minors Divisions).  The first 64 who register in this age group will be eligible to participate in free indoor hitting, pitching, or catching clinics at The Yard Baseball Training Facility.  Players attending these clinics will have personal attention by the instructors.  The clinics are provided at no cost to players by CSALL and The Yard.

Dates for the clinics are Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25th.  Players will be notified by e-mail when the clinic times are available, and will be offered to players in order of the date of registration.

Like us on Facebook to receive regular updates and info. Questions?  Send e-mail to csallbaseball@gmail.com

So be ready to sign up for Cave Spring American Little League Baseball, starting on January 15th!

Submitted by Darrell Robinson.

The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Foundation is proud to announce its 2012 Board of Directors:

Danny Hart  – Foundation President – Hart Motor Co.
William Long – Treasurer-  L&L Brokerage
Quinn Mongan – Secretary – SERVPRO
Robert Pollard – Past President – Lotz Funeral Home
Teri Atkins – City of Salem
Compton Biddle – Osterhoudt Prillaman Natt Helscher Yost Maxwell & Ferguson
Carol Chappell – LewisGale Regional Health System
Rosie Croft – SunTrust Bank
Neil Conner – Renaissance Contract Lighting
Roger Rakes – Allstate

Submitted by Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce.