March 2009
The Greater Raleigh Court Civic League
www.grccl.org
R a l e i g h C o u rt — A H i s t o r I C A L N E I G H B O R H O O D L O O K I N G F O R WA R D
Roanoke Opens Its Arms to Refugees By Susan Koch
Many of us have noticed “strangers” in Raleigh Court. People who dress differently, who speak strange languages to each other that we don’t recognize. We wonder how they came to Roanoke and what happens to them here. Many of these strangers are refugees, relocated by Refugee and Immigration Services. In an interview with Immigration Counselor David Maxey and Volunteer Coordinator Mary Beth Pizzino, I learned of the long journey refugees take to arrive in Roanoke. Most of the refugees flee their homes and countries. They spend years in camps, never putting down roots in their host country. In the camps, they chose a country to emigrate to. They then go through interviews conducted by the United Nations to certify them as refugees under the Geneva Conventions. For those selecting the United States, they also go through interviews with the State Department and U. S. Immigration. If they pass all these hurdles, their files are passed on to a group of agencies specializing in refugee relocation. At a once a year meeting in New York, the agencies determine the fate of thousands of refugee families. Each agency selects the refugees they can resettle. According to Maxey, Roanoke becomes the destination for larger families because of our lower cost of living. When the big day comes, refugees leave their camps and board planes, mostly for their first plane ride ever. They fly many hours and finally land in Roanoke, usually around 11:00 at night. They’re exhausted, excited and extremely
Inside This Issue
President’s message...................................................... 3 Apartment Building Renovation................................. 4 Raleigh Court History................................................ 6 Edible Landscapes...................................................... 7 Raleigh Court Library................................................ 7 Recycling Competition................................................ 8 Calendar................................................................. 10 Things you need to know.......................................... 10
happy when they finally touch down in a new world. RIS staff meets them and takes them to their new apartments. They receive a one-time payment from the US government of $475 per person and a few months of Medicaid and food stamps to begin their new lives. So it has gone for over 5,000 people since Refugee and Immigration Services was founded in Roanoke thirty years ago. The agency was begun to help the Vietnamese boat people who began coming to the Valley in the late 1970s. RIS now has 14 full and part-time employees from at least seven countries. While it receives some funding through government grants, most of its funding comes from donations and private grants. In Raleigh Court, we have refugees from the African countries of Burundi, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia, the Asian countries of Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar and from Iraq in the Middle East. RIS follows the families for five years, with most of their services provided in the first three months. They help with orientation to a new culture, English instruction and job placement. According to Maxey, “the sooner you get employed, the easier it is to integrate.” And most of the refugees do integrate, even though they face enormous challenges. Almost all become self-supporting, —continued on page 5
March Membership Meeting Set By Lori Livingston Join your friends and neighbors at our March membership meeting on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 pm. Mary Beth Pizzino of Refugee and Immigration Services will discuss her group's work with refugees in Roanoke and particularly in Raleigh Court. Also, John Garland will give a presentation on his apartment building renovation on Windsor Avenue. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall of Christ Lutheran Church at the corner of Brandon Avenue and Grandin Road. We're looking forward to seeing you!
Greater Raleigh Court Civic League Officers OFFICERS President Susan Koch 345-9977 s.koch@verizon.net Vice-President Chad Braby 343-3975 cbraby@ullimanschutte.com
Lori Livingston 981-1145 lomaliv@juno.com Greg Brock GBrock@wdbj7.com Jake Gilmer jgilmer@rvarc.org
Treasurer Ruth Dickerson 345-2187
Immediate Past President Chad Van Hyning 798-5983 cvanhyning@hsmm.com
Recording Secretary Keith Dabbs 224-3082 kdabbs@carilion.com
COMMITTEE CHAIRS Membership: Karyn McAden
Corresponding Secretary Cassandra Van Hyning 798-1996 cvanhyning@spectrumpc.com Directors at Large Karyn McAden 342-8930 blackcat29@cox.net Melissa Morgan 312-3587 melissamorganhomes@msn.com
Program: Melissa Morgan & Lori Livingston Newsletter (incl. advertising): Jim Huizenga 345-9977 j.huizenga@verizon.net Special Projects: Tony Stavola 345-0010 astavola@carilion.com Building Management: Chad Braby Grandin Road Merchants Liaison: Kurt Navratil
Adopt-a-Highway: Kurt Navratil 343-7373 kdavidn@cox.net Brook Dickson bdickson@hollins.edu
Webmaster: Jake Gilmer
Neighborhood Affairs: Frank Eastburn 342-8063 haikune@msn.com
The Court Reporter is published by the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League fives times a year on or about the first week of September, November, January, March, and May.
www.floralrenditions.com • (540) 345-1334
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Greenways: Mike Urbanski 344-1388 mike_urbanski@cox.net
From the President
Our Public Schools I was in fifth grade when I first understood that the value of education was more than just what happened in the classroom. My parents announced to my two brothers, my sister and me that we were leaving our nice old Raleigh Courtlike neighborhood in Cincinnati to move to the suburbs because they wanted us to go to better schools. They were willing to take on a bigger mortgage and higher real estate taxes so that we could get a better education. Time and again, I’ve experienced this phenomenon. When my husband Jim and I first moved to Roanoke as newly-weds in the early 1980s, the real estate agent couldn’t wait to pack us off to the County. With our new MBAs, we were “young professionals.” In his mind, we would be starting a family and looking for good schools. That meant living in the County. However, we prevailed and settled happily into Raleigh Court.
taxes to fill the budget gap. Much as they don’t like it, the School Board has selected a school for closing based on the maintenance required to keep the building open, not on the performance of the teachers and students inside the building. The Board is trying to be creative in finding other budget cuts so they don’t have to fire teachers and create bigger classes. They’re also proposing attendance zone changes, which will be disruptive but will ultimately improve our neighborhood schools. There probably won’t be a final plan by the time that you read this. We all own this problem, and need to think hard about what other city services we can give up to invest in our schools. And we all need to reinforce the School Board’s intention to put kids first by demanding that they always ask, “How will this improve the education of our kids?” when they make important decisions. Roanoke and our Raleigh Court neighborhood will only thrive if we have excellent schools.
Real estate agents tell me that this still happens. Young families are charmed with Raleigh Court and other city neighborhoods, but move on when they see the dismal statistics on the city’s schools. Indeed, when our son was ready for pre-K, we sent him off to private school. As we moved from Roanoke to Charlotte to New Orleans, we encountered the same problem. If we wanted to live in a city neighborhood with sidewalks and a mix of people, we had to seek out private schools. However, when Nick was ready for high school and we had the opportunity to move to Northern Virginia, we were determined to give public schools another chance. We did serious research and found that Northern Virginia’s schools are some of the best in the country. We settled in Falls Church. There we saw how a school could transform a life. And that public schools could surpass private schools. At George Mason High School, Nick blossomed from an average student to an academic achiever. More importantly, his teachers inspired him to read, to analyze and to express himself. We weren’t the only ones who recognized the value of Falls Church’s public schools. Most of our neighbors had done the same research and concluded that they were willing to pay more for a house and higher real estate taxes so that their kids could attend those schools. And they believed that when it came time to leave Falls Church, they would recoup their investments, just as we did. Roanoke’s public schools are nowhere near as good as they can be. But they’ve made tremendous progress in the past two years, thanks to the leadership of our new superintendent and school board. I’m writing this as the School Board struggles with a tremendous $16 million deficit. It will close Raleigh Court Elementary and is considering changing attendance zones. These issues matter to all of us, not just parents with kids in schools. The choices aren’t good, especially since few are willing to raise page 3
A Raleigh Court Landmark Gets a Makeover By Jim Huizenga Bill Wilson was a fixture in our neighborhood, tending to his apartment building at the corner of Windsor and Brunswick. Neighbors saw him putting the trash bins out every Wednesday, walking to and from the Village for some shopping, or joining in at Civic League meetings. Or we'd see him tooling around in his very rusty Ford Thunderbird. When he died last year, the apartment building he had inherited from his mother passed to an out-of-town relative and was soon put up for auction. A large crowd showed up at the Maridor on Grandin Road in November, and when it was over the winning bidder was John Garland.
The kitchens will be outfitted with new cabinets (retaining one of the original features of the old kitchen – the glass pane doors) and new appliances. Countertops will be made of soapstone. John is using soapstone not just because it's traditional and beautiful, but because he is recycling material he purchased as it was removed from the façade of the Verizon building downtown.
—continued on page 5
What is LEED? LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Started just ten years ago, the LEED Green Building Rating System has become an important element in construction and development around the world. It was developed by the US Green Building Council, and has been applied to thousands of projects across the United States and abroad. The rating system emphasizes such sensible concepts as sustainability, efficient use of resources, and environmental quality.
Now a new chapter begins for this venerable structure. John Garland is the President and a Principal at Spectrum Design in downtown Roanoke. His firm has been involved with a number of exciting projects in which old buildings have been brought back to life. These include the Hancock Building, the State and City Building, and the Cotton Mill, as well as Spectrum's offices on Church Street. John and his two sons, Mark and Aaron, are partners in the project. John is excited about his new acquisition, and has moved quickly to begin the renovations. Two key elements to his plan are having the building placed on the National Register for Historic Places and qualifying the building as LEEDcertified with the USGBC (US Green Building Council). The historical designation will open the possibility for tax advantages, and LEED certification means that the design, choice of materials, and construction processes will be done in an environmentally sound manner (see LEED article).
To obtain certification, a project must accumulate points for design features in six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. In the sustainable site category, the developer can gain points by maximizing open space, properly controlling storm water, reducing light pollution, and providing for access to public transportation. Water efficiency includes items such as low-flow shower fixtures or dual flush toilets. Landscaping should be done with a view towards minimizing water usage.
The building's current configuration as 16 units, eight one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom apartments, will be retained. Rentals on the apartments will range from the mid$500s to the upper $600s. Exterior Renovations Roof repairs began in January. The Buckingham slate roof was in pretty good condition, although valley flashing and ridge caps required replacement and repair. The copper gutters will be repaired. Rotted wood, including the distinctive Tudor half timbers, will be replaced. Many of the building's windows are in very poor condition. In fact, parts of some attic dormer windows recently fell out and tumbled into the neighbor's yard, where John had to retrieve them. All the windows will be repaired, reglazed, and caulked, and will get storm windows. Landscaping will include the rehabilitation of the courtyard fountains with an upper reflecting pool and a waterfall to a lower pond. The garage units facing the alley will be restored, and will have electricity and new garage doors which replicate the originals. Apartment Renovations Each apartment will be completely updated. The Garlands are doing four units at a time; as each section is completed and rented, work will progress to another group.
In the energy and atmosphere category, use of highly efficient devices that consume energy (HVAC, lighting, water heating) is key. Additional points can be earned by using renewable energy sources. The materials and resources category focuses on recycling. Reuse of the existing fabric of a building – its walls, floors, and roof – is important. The project must manage its waste and limit how much material ends up in a landfill. There are also points for using materials with recycled content, and for materials that are manufactured locally. On this project, for example, John Garland will grind up all waste plaster and use it as a soil conditioner on another property. Also, in keeping with the objectives of reuse and recycling, he is repairing rather than replacing all the windows in the building. Indoor environmental quality means that this building will be 100% non-smoking. Use of low-emitting materials (such as adhesives, paint, carpeting, particle board) contributes to this category. All the floor refinishing, for example, will be done using water-based polyurethane rather than the oil-based. Finally, in the innovation and design process category, this project will gain certification points from the use of green cleaning materials, the facility for composting of kitchen waste (there will be no disposer units in the kitchens here), and from the fact that the project is under the direction of a LEED Accredited Professional. Only those who have demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of LEED principles, like John Garland, are allowed to use the LEED AP title.
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Each unit will have its own high efficiency heat pump. Electrical wiring and plumbing will be all new. Each bathroom will receive a new dual flush toilet, and reglazing on the tub and sink. Ceramic tile will be repaired as needed. Infrastructure Upgrades The building's exterior walls will have insulation blown in and the attic will be insulated as well. This action, coupled with the repair of windows, will significantly reduce heating and cooling costs. John admits to being stunned by the size of the first gas bill he got in January. The basement will house a high-efficiency gas water heater which will supply hot water to all units. The laundry center will also be in the basement. Cable TV and telephone wiring will be routed to each unit. The profusion of satellite dishes on the property will be eliminated. Progress to date Aaron Garland has already moved into one of the apartments, and will stay after his apartment is renovated. This project promises to bring new vitality to this part of Raleigh Court. The Garlands are looking forward to being good neighbors; the neighborhood will benefit from their investment. Photos courtesy of John Garland
Refugees—continued from page 1
often opening small businesses. Maxey recalled some of the original Vietnamese boat people who now own floorfinishing businesses in Roanoke. He sites a Bosnian who is a successful tailor and mentions many of the small grocery stores around the city that are owned by Asian immigrants. He’s delighted that the children of some of the refugees he helped twenty years ago are now going to college. However, "living happily ever after" isn’t a certainty. The cultural and language differences can be overwhelming. Mary Beth Pizzino says that RIS does not have enough caseworkers to do all that’s needed to make the transition from a refugee camp to American life smooth for everyone. There are many things volunteers can do to help. Things as simple as taking a refugee to the doctor or the grocery store. After so many years in camps, many refugees need medical attention and have no idea how to navigate an American grocery store. And of course, they don’t have cars and drivers’ licenses when they first arrive. Pizzino also says RIS needs volunteers to set up apartments for new arrivals, to mentor families and to teach English. Finally, RIS needs donations to start refugees on their new lives. Among the many things they need are blankets, pots, pans, dishes, bowls, sharp knives and soup spoons. If you can volunteer or donate, please contact Mary Beth Pizzino at 342-7561. page 5
Raleigh Court History
Grandin Road, Raleigh Court's Main Street A Theory on the Origin of the Name By Nelson Harris Have you ever wondered about the origin of the name for Grandin Road? “Grandin” is certainly not an old Roanoke family’s name and has no connection to a geographical or historical point of reference within the Roanoke Valley. According to retired Judge James Brice, whose father owned and operated Brice’s Drug Store on Grandin Road for many years, the naming of Raleigh Court’s main street was due to a beautiful woman’s face! Judge Brice related to me during my research that an older gentleman, Durwood Stanley, regularly frequented his father’s drug store and told of the naming of Grandin Road. According to Stanley, Grandin Road was named for a famous star of silent films, Miss Ethel Grandin. Apparently, Miss Grandin came to Roanoke during the height of her career and gave a series of sold-out performances at the old Academy of Music in downtown Roanoke. In the audience one night was one of the developers of the Raleigh Court neighborhood. So taken by her was he that he chose to name his main thoroughfare after the lovely Miss Grandin. Ethel Grandin, a name now lost to history, was indeed a very popular silent film star. She was born in New York City in 1894 and starred in over thirty Ethel Grandin silent films between 1910 and 1922. Her most famous movie was Traffic in Souls in 1913. Miss Grandin left the film industry when she married and began a family. She died in Woodland Hills, California, in 1988. Whether one could ever document the truth of old Mr. Stanley’s story may be difficult if not impossible; and one has to ponder if Miss Ethel Grandin ever knew a significant street in Roanoke had been named for her. Nevertheless, the thought that Grandin Road with Roanoke’s last surviving old movie house was named for a film star makes for a charming story. Former mayor Nelson Harris is the author of Greater Raleigh Court: A History of Wasena, Virginia Heights, Norwich and Raleigh Court, published by The History Press. The book is available from the author and local and online book retailers.
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Meet the Raleigh Court Librarian By Diane McGuire
I have the pleasure of being the Manager at the Raleigh Court Library. I am originally from Cleveland, where I still have family. I earned my Masters of Library Science from Kent State University. I moved to Roanoke in 2002 and have worked for the Roanoke Public Libraries since February of 2003. Earlier, I worked as a librarian in a women’s prison, at an Army post library in Babenhausen, Germany, and in a law library. Of all of my library experiences, however, I’d say managing the Raleigh Court Diane McGuire Branch has been a favorite! The Roanoke City Public Libraries are moving toward a community center philosophy. Not only will we be continuing to check out books and videos, but programming is becoming increasingly important. At Raleigh Court, we have computer classes twice monthly. We have a long-standing Preschool Story Time twice a month, as well as a Comix Club and Manga/Anime Club. We have an enthusiastic Walking Club. We have some other exciting programs in the works involving a poetry reading and Raleigh Court in the 50s. Old Hippy Day will be in May, so get your tie dyes ready! Women’s History Month is spotlighting Women Who Have Taken the Lead to Save the planet. We will take nominations for local women until the end of March. I would love to do programs highlighting the services and activities in the neighborhood; alternative healing, sustainable living off the grid, community gardening, local produce, tarot journaling, live music and the arts are just a few ideas. If you have expertise you would like to share in any of these areas, please let me know. Keeping our teens engaged in the library has also become increasingly important. Main was the first to designate a “Teen Area” which has been very popular. The newly renovated Jackson Park and Gainsboro branches added rooms for teen programming. Video games, available for checkout, have also been added at Jackson and Gainsboro. Our Teen Librarian, Alicia Gladwell visits each branch monthly to hold Teen Advisory Council Meetings. These meetings give teens an opportunity to let us know what kind of programming and materials they would like. There is also gaming and pizza during these meetings. Another group important at our branch is the Friends of the Raleigh Court Library. Currently a very dedicated core of six or seven people meets on the 4th Tuesday of every odd month. The Friends are our advocates and help with outreach and programs. If you love your library and want to be involved with its growth and direction, this would be a great group to join. We would love to see you at our meetings.
Most importantly, I want the Raleigh Court Library to evolve according to the desires and interests of the neighborhood. This is YOUR library. Tell me what programs you would like us to add. Come on in and enjoy our offerings! I look forward to meeting you all!
Eye-Catching Organic Gardening By Kelly Zappia
Wendy Stelmack is an avid organic gardener; she has been through the Master Gardner Program and spent a season working with 5th grade students at Virginia Heights. You might expect her yard to be beautiful, and it is, but if you look closely you will see that this unique outdoor space is also quite productive. Wendy specializes in Edible Landscaping. “Veggie plants have their own beautiful structure; they are so alive,” she told me over tea one morning. “I can create interesting patterns with beautiful colors and textures with plants that will then produce fruits and veggies,” she continued. “And while many vegetable plants do have great flowers first, the vegetables themselves add interest to the garden as well.” Her garden is vibrant with different shades of greens and burgundy in the lettuce borders, fern-like texture in rows of Italian parsley and the appealing aroma of a creeping mint that lies between stepping stones. Her approach to weed control differs from the usual chemicals as well. She uses cover crops. Between the eggplants you will find a cushy carpet of clover, planted to cover the soil in between bigger plants and block weeds from growing. She hand picks wire grass and other weeds that invade her raised beds in the back yard. As an added benefit, when the cover crops such as clover or alfalfa die, their leafy tops provide additional nutrients to the soil. In her garden, Wendy has a beautiful seckle pear tree that has showy white clusters of flowers and a Stanley plum that dazzles in the springtime. She found both trees at a store called Edible Landscaping on Afton Mountain near Charlottesville. At least once a season, she tries to visit this Mecca for fruit and veggie growers. They specialize in espaliered fruit trees. This season, Wendy is looking to do companion plantings of grapevines, kiwis and clematis. I couldn’t help asking her to suggest a plant for my backyard fence, where I am looking for a touch more privacy. She suggested a teepee of scarlet runner beans to offer both coverage and color. I think it just might save me money. These beautiful flowers last for a full growing season, and after the flowers have bloomed the beans will follow. Now if I can just get my children to eat them… Wendy can be reached at wstelmack@hotmail.com for edible landscaping consulting and suggesting. She is looking to work on outdoor public spaces and to work with children in learning the process of organic gardening. page 7
Join the Raleigh Court Recycling Challenge The Civic League has challenged the Greater Deyerle neighborhood to a recycling competition. Kicking off on Earth Day (April 22), the competition will run through May 21. The neighborhood with the highest percentage of households recycling will win $100. Skip Decker, Roanoke City Solid Waste Manger, made a strong case for recycling at the January Civic League meeting. He pointed out that not only is recycling good for the environment, it’s also good for the City’s budget. The City pays $45 for each ton of trash dumped in the landfill. Last year, the City avoided $121,000 in landfill expenses. It also sold $124,000 in recyclable materials. These numbers reduce the taxes we all pay. According to Decker, only 36% of Roanoke households recycle, so there’s a significant potential for more budget savings. The rate of recycling is higher for businesses, since most businesses pay private haulers for trash collection but not for recycling. What You Can Do If you already have green recycling bins, start using them. Weekly recycling alternates between paper and glass/plastic. You can find the details of what can be recycled and the schedule at www.roanokeva.gov. Click to “Solid Waste” under Departments. If you don’t have recycling bins, Decker will be happy to deliver two to your home. Just call 853-2000, option 1. If you live in an apartment complex that doesn’t recycle, Civic League directors will be happy to work with you. Just email President Susan Koch at s.koch@verizon.net. Apartment complexes can cut their trash hauling fees by recycling.
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Things you need to know… Neighborhood Cleanup We were rained out in November, and frozen in in January, but we shall endeavor to persevere. In March we will do a cleanup (weather permitting). Please come join us in the neighborhood cleanup scheduled for Saturday morning, March 14. We will meet in the parking lot of the Family Dollar store and work Edgewood, Brandon, and the intersection. Meet at 8:45 am in the parking lot, and we'll be done by 10:00 am. Please email kdavidn@cox.net or call 343-7373 so we'll know who and how many to expect. Thanks from your Adopt-aHighway committee – Brook Dickson and Kurt Navritil.
Plans are still being finalized, so keep an eye on the Co-op bulletin boards and the Roanoke Times for more details. Check the co-op website at www.roanokenaturalfoods.coop or call the store at 343-5652 for further information.
Block Party Planning Planning is underway for this year's big block party. The fifth annual block party will be held in May. Once again, the event chairpersons are Susan Stump of the Grandin Village branch of Valley Bank and Kelly Zappia of the GRCCL. They need volunteers for both planning and organizing and also to help on the day of the party. Please contact Susan at sstump@ myvalleybank.com or by phone at 777-1790.
Poetry Reading Will Feature Drewry's Work Rick Watkins' article in the January Court Reporter about Carleton Drewry caught the attention of Nancy Gearhart Scheie, a volunteer at the Raleigh Court library. Elisabeth Drewry had been her English teacher for three years at Jefferson and Patrick Henry High Schools, so she had heard a great deal about Carleton. Nancy did some research and found articles about him and rounded up the four Carleton Drewry books that the library has in its collection. These have been placed in a small exhibit near the entrance of the Raleigh Court branch.
Women's 5K For those of you waiting for the return of last year's Women's 5K Race in Raleigh Court, we've learned that this event will continue to be held in Raleigh Court, but has been moved back on the calendar to October. Last year's event was the 25th anniversary, and the first time it has been run in our neighborhood. The shift in the date is a nod to tradition – before last year the race has always been held in October.
Not willing to stop there, Nancy has Nancy Scheie organized a poetry reading to be held at the Raleigh Court library on March 26 at 6:00 pm. Nancy, a published poet herself, will read selected poems and offer some commentary on the poetry and life of Carleton Drewry. Light refreshments will be available.
Earth Day in the Village By Karen Adams Be sure to come by the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op – and all of Grandin Village – on Saturday, April 18, for the annual Earth Day celebration! The Co-op will feature local vendors (and tastings of their fine wares), free samples and information, face painting by Katherine Devine, a raffle of co-op products, a free health talk by Jeanie Redick ("Slow Food: Help Yourself, Help the Earth”), the annual organic seedling sale by Full Circle Farm of Floyd, a hands-on planting demonstration for kids (a seedling they can keep and plant at home) by organic farmers Tenley Weaver and Dennis Dove, and more! Also, there will be events throughout the village that day, including a free film, “Solar Energy: Saved by the Sun,” at the Grandin Theatre courtesy of the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities
Coalition, exhibitors at Grandin Gardens, free outdoor music at the Virginia Heights Baptist Church pavilion, and more.
The new race date is Saturday, October 3, with packet pickup, a pasta dinner, and a pre-race speaker on Friday evening, October 2. The host site is yet to be determined. Entry fees will be the same as last year: $20 for advance registration and $25 for race day registration and entries postmarked after September 28. For more information about registration, visit www.starcitystriders. com. The event is open to all females, runners and walkers, young and older. The 3.1 mile course will be the same as last year (pending Roanoke City permit approval) beginning on Grandin Road, out toward the neighborhood around Woodrow Wilson Middle School, and finishing on a downhill leg to Grandin Village. The Women's 5K is a fundraiser to benefit the Children's Trust. Sponsorship opportunities still exist for Grandin Village businesses and other area merchants. There are also opportunities for residents who would like to volunteer to help on race day. Both volunteers and sponsors should contact the Strider's President, Amy Rockhill, by email at arockhill@cox.net or by phone at 982-8390.
Calendar GRCCL Membership meeting.....Thurs., Mar. 12, 7:00 pm Cleanup day......................................Sat., Mar. 14, 8:45 am Poetry Reading.............................Thurs., Mar. 26, 6:00 pm Earth Day........................................................ Sat., Apr. 18 Future GRCCL Membership Meetings May 14, 2009............................................. Thurs., 7:00 pm
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New members are welcome to join the Civic League at any time. Your mailing label shows Address when it’s time to renew your membership. You may pay your dues at the next membership City meeting. Multiyear or life memberships are welcome! The Civic League is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Donations may be claimed as charitable deductions for tax purposes. Home Phone Please mail your membership dues ($10 family, $15 business, or $100 life membership) or Amount Enclosed gifts to: GRCCL, P.O. Box 3092, Roanoke, VA 24015 Or go to www.grccl.org and click on “JOIN US” to fill out a membership application online. I’d like to help out with:
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