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What’s the best community event in Southwest Roanoke County?

You tell us!

Last year, voters bestowed that honor Project Faith at Faith Christian Church, followed by the annual free show of Broadway showtunes by the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio at the Jefferson Center and Festival in the Park in third place. (Technically, that’s not in Southwest Roanoke County, but that’s what the voters said and, after all, a lot of the events that people in SWoCo go to aren’t in the neighborhood anyway.)

In 2010, the voters gave first place to the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio show, followed by Festival in the Park and Local Colors.

In 2009, the winner was the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio show, with Festival in the Park second and a tie for third between Dickens of a Christmas, the Drumstick Dash and the Strawberry Festival put on by Community School.

What should be recognized this year?

Voting is now open in our fourth annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader survey.

You can find the voting form right here (or over in the right-hand rail.)

The voting is open through midnight on Sunday, March 11; we’ll publish the results in our April 20 print edition.

A few new wrinkles: To make it easier to vote, we’ve gone ahead and listed the top six finishers last year in the business categories — although, as always, you can cast a write-in vote if your favorite isn’t already listed.

If you’ve got someone or some thing you think should be recognized, feel free to start a campaign to drum up votes.

Is there someone or something who should be recognized who doesn’t fit into a category? We always have our “best thing not on this list.”

Happy voting!

Here’s who won in 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have Best Of contests underway in Salem, Botetourt County, and the New River Valley.

Congratulations to the Virginia Hawks 7th grade AAU team for winning the Jack Byrd tournament held on Feb. 25-26 in Staunton, VA.  The VA Hawks went undefeated to win the 7th grade division championship.  Other teams competing in the tournament included the Harrisonburg Lions, Broadway, Staunton Heat, Winchester Rising Stars, and the West Virginia Monsters.  VA Hawks team picture includes:  (back row) Asst. Coach Tony Joyce, Brendan Newton, Asst. Coach Mike Austin (front row) Noah Beckley, Anthony Migliarese, Demonte Belcher, Luke Owen, Riley Fox, Trevor Austin, Doninique Joyce, and Coach Chad Owen.

Submitted by Lesley Owen

A tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.m. for much of Southwest Virginia, including Roanoke County. Read more on Kevin Myatt’s Weather Journal blog.

From the watch:

TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. …

REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

Kendall Bayne, right, and dad Jere Bayne. SWoCo -- File photo

“A Dime at a Time” fundraising effort continues through the RAC and BAC

The “A Dime at a Time” fundraiser for Kendall Bayne brought in more than $11,000 worth of dimes, exceeding its $10,000 goal. Participants pledged to donate a dime for each point scored during the Cave Spring High School boy’s basketball season.  The Knights scored a total of 1,308 points during the 25-game season, bringing the pledged total to $11,262.  Additional donations have pushed the amount over $11,300.  Kendall, a Cave Spring High School student, is fighting a rare, aggressive form of childhood cancer.

The fundraising effort was sponsored by the Roanoke and Botetourt Athletic Clubs.  The RAC and BAC are still taking donations and organization fundraising opportunities. Visit www.carilionfitness.com to learn more.

“Thank you to everyone who is a part of this effort, including the community, our members and our staff,” said RAC Membership Services Manager Maygon Sowder, who coordinated the project.  “We want to continue to do everything we can to support Kendall and her family.”

Submitted by Eric Earnhart.

Cave Spring High School and Cave Spring Middle School bands held their annual Jazz Café fundraiser on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at St. John Lutheran Church from 7 to 9 p.m.

Attendees enjoyed desserts donated by local restaurants and coffee provided by Star City Coffee House, and band members from the high and middle schools acted as waitstaff for the evening–when they weren’t performing, that is. The evening also featured a silent auction, emcee John Carlin and–of course–live jazz.

The seventh grade jazz ensemble, directed by Melinda Sarver, kicked off the evening with a selection of songs, followed by the eighth grade jazz ensemble and capped off by the high school jazz band, both directed by Brian Quakenbush. After the students showed off their skills, jazz trombonist Rick Simerly took over.

“It sounds so good. I wanted to stay through the sound check,” said Quakenbush to the crowd just before Simerly took the stage. “Then I remembered I had to go home and change!”

This is the sixth year of the Jazz Café, which acts as a fundraiser for the Cave Spring Middle and High School band programs.

Looking for some more vendors/crafters to participate in a fundraiser for Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Being held on Saturday, March 31 at the Penn Forest Worship Center on Chaparral across from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, VA from 10-1. Vendor fee is $50, and checks are to be made payable directly to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Contact me if you are interested by e-mailing me at kelsavon@aim.com.

– Submitted by Kellie Steger-Mirasola

Wendell Jones shares this photo gallery from Christiansburg’s win over Hidden Valley in last Saturday’s regional basketball championship.

The Titans play again Saturday night in the state quarterfinals — vs. Heritage at 6:15 at the Salem Civic Center.

We had previous galleries from Sam Dean of The Roanoke Times and Jeannine Cooper.

Roanoke County Public Schools will host the first annual Transition Expo to benefit families of youth with disabilities from grade six through adulthood. The event is from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 20 at Roanoke County School’s central offices at 5937 Cove Road in Roanoke.

If you have a family member with a disability, join us and meet people who can answer your questions about Transition to Adulthood and the World of Work. Plan now for the future.

Some exhibitors who have been invited include: Virginia Dept. of Rehabilitative Services eligibility and programs, Career Support Services, Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke, Radar, Virginia Western Office of Disability Services, Workforce Development, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, Stand-Up Inc., Good Guide Youth Mentoring Program, Family Insight, Social Security Office, Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, Blue Ridge Center for Independent Living, Commonwealth Autism Services, Department of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Medicaid Waiver, ARC of the Greater Roanoke Valley, BRAAC, It’s About Time, and more.

This event is free and is sponsored by Roanoke LTTA. For more information, contact Jay Goode, special education coordinator at Glenvar High School at 387-6536.

Submitted by Jay Goode

Are you interested in being part of a Guinness world record, helping the earth and saving lots of money at the same time?

Then come join us on Saturday, April 21st at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salem for The Great Cloth Diaper Change!  The event is free, there will be lots of raffle prizes, and family-friendly activities, including some music from Melody Makers! The next closest event location is Charlottesville, Va.

You do not currently have to use cloth diapers to attend.

For more information please visit our website and “Like” us on Facebook.

Submitted by Katy Hening.

The second annual Kids Helping Kids FUN DAY was held at Valley View Mall in Roanoke on Saturday February 25th. Kids Helping Kids FUN DAY benefits Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Southwest Virginia. For a small donation children were able to participate in activities and crafts for the afternoon. Some of the activities included in the event were an inflatable planetarium provided and set up by Woodmen of the World, a moon bounce, face painting, petting and learning about some of the Mill Mountain Zoo residents such as Luck the corn snake, and hanging out with Red Robin of Red Robin restaurants and Q Bear from Q99. Arts and crafts activities were provided by Roanoke Parks and Recreation. Children’s Miracle Network has been helping children since 1983 and has raised more than $4.3 billion.

Here are the people from Southwest Roanoke County who stepped onto the red carpet:

* Jonah and Carlin Blackwood
* Karen James
* Zachary Bishop and Scott Koebel
* Suni Heflin
* Little Miss Roanoke Kaile Judge

You can see the entire gallery here.