Vinton Voice (Volume 1, Issue 17) December 16, 2009

VOICE

The WBHS class of 61 held it’s Christmas dinner at Logan’s last Monday night. Those attending were Carolyn H. & Don Williams, Ann C. Brown, Bill & Phyllis Hufton, Dick McGuffin, Reggie Short, Becky Y. & Stover Carter, David Hale, Lynn Ellen McCutchen Thompson, Hootie & Judy P. Kelley, Ann L.Carrol, Nancy H. Urick, Mary Anne Snell, Brenda H. Mitchell, Marilyn W. Meyers, Judy S. Hammock, Margaret Anne M. Gamble, Shirley Chewning, Bill & Rita B. Corbitt, Ken & Linda Hogan, Lea W. Whitlock & Bob Bolling, Jim Patton, Ronnie & Charlotte L. StClair,. Bridget their server surprised them with Christmas cake and pumpkin roll. Now that’s service with a smile.

Friday, December 4, Betty and J.T. Huddleston went with Abbot Trailways on a mystery trip. They Bootie Bell Chewning went through the state of West BOO_TEE@msn.com Virginia and Kentucky and into Indiana for some 60 miles to Santa Claus, Indiana for two nights. They Traveled 532 miles one way, a little cold, but they had a great time.

Sounds like a fun trip.

Get well wishes and prayers go out to Billy Obenchain. He is home and will be having treatment here. Barry Thompson , Bill Hufton, Judy Russ ( at Home) Boyd Shorter, Barbara Payne (Hip Surgery in rehab) Warren Holdren (Heart surgery), Karen Hudgins (Shoulder problem) Ann Brown Is doing better with her foot. Want to clear up something Ann B and Jackie Glover are NOT at the Carrington, seems there is some confusion. They both are at home. Hope you all are doing •See ‘BOOTIE’ - page 05

Stars of WBHS Where are they twinkling now?

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Shining star Jodie Moore– Jodie graduated in the Class Of 1990.

She was a Cheerleader for 4 years and Homecoming Queen her senior year. She accompanied the choir & many talent shows, also was in the Jr. Miss Program, (she said she tied for talent that year with winner Chandra Mason) & played in the stage band under the direction of the late David Vale. David Connected Her with Mill Mountain Theatre and at the end of her Jr. Year. The summer of 1989 she did her first Musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” and really had no idea of the impact it would have it would have in her career. She started playing at age of 4 & played for youth Choir at church at age 10 and was taking piano lessons from Glorice Stephenson who at age 12 recommended more intensive Lessons. She then took from •See ‘STAR’ - page 05

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ER V CO

Results hold in recount as Altizer wins election

William Byrd senior basketball player Jake Mankin is leading the charge in the Terriers’ hopeful return to state.

Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Danny Cruff

116 S.Poplar St. - Suite 1 Vinton, VA 24179 540.904.5836 - Office 540.904.5838 - Fax

EDITORIAL Chris Manning Publisher

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COLUMNISTS Bootie Bell Chewning General Info

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Copyright @ 2009, All rights reserved by The Vinton Voice email: info@vintonvoice.com http://vintonvoice.com vintonvoice.blogspot.com For advertising rates and information, please call 540-904-5836 Read something you don’t like? Find something in the Voice that you love? Just want to express your thoughts on the town of Vinton? The Vinton Voice accepts and encourages letters to the editor. Letters must not exceed 400 words, must be signed and accompany contact information of the writer for verification purposes. Send to editor@vintonvoice.com with the subject line ‘Letter to the Editor.’

Last Wednesday morning, a month long process finally ended in Roanoke County, allowing Mike Altizer to retain his seat as the Vinton District representative to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors following a recount of ballots from his November race with challenger Patrick Patterson.

5,003 total votes were cast in the race, with Altizer actually gaining a vote in the recount to win by 17 total votes.

Roanoke County Registrar Judy Stokes said one paper ballot had been so lightly marked that the optical scanners failed to read the additional vote for Altizer.

It was widely reported that Altizer had won the election initially by 18 votes, but that changed to 16 late on election night, November 3. Patterson had taken a 35 vote lead with just absentee ballots to be counted, but the majority of those went in the Republican Altizer’s favor.

“Throughout this campaign, I was focused on all of Roanoke County. I do believe to be strong representative on the board that you have to have a strong understanding of all of the magisterial districts,” Patterson said.

“It is a sense of relief,” Altizer said. “Because I have been ready to move forward and follow up on some important projects we’ve got and lay the ground work for things I want to do.”

Recently, Altizer came under some fire from teachers regarding what were being perceived as holiday bonuses. That situation was mostly settled two weeks ago at a Board of

Supervisors meeting, but a public forum on the matter was held on Tuesday, December 15.

The recount itself ran smoothly according to all sources. Both Altizer and Patterson chose two representatives to take part in the recount.

One from each candidate to count the electronic ballots and the other with absentee ballots. After the near two hour process, Altizer was declared the winner, with the official tally at 2,510 to 2,493.

“For me and for [my wife] Annette and for ALTIZER our children, the election never really ended on November 3, it went on until it ended on December 9,” Patterson said. “This past year has been a phenomenal learning experience for us. I think when you can have an election with two PATTERSON people who are so focused on helping improve a community run, I think that speaks volumes about the type of the community we have.”

Altizer agrees and believes that the closeness of the race could be because of the focus of both.

“It was a hard fought race on both sides,” Altizer added, also noting about the recount that “history tells us that they [the votes] don’t change a whole lot.”

As Altizer begins his fourth term, Patterson notes that his political career is not over and he plans to run for office again sometime in the next 4 years.

In Brief

Vinton Town Council meeting

Vinton Town Council met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 in the Council Chamber at the Vinton Municipal Building, while At this meeting consultants presented Town Council a feasibility study report on the vacant “Vinton Motors” property which has been vacant for quite a while and has created a gap in the local economy. Please check next week’s Voice for information on what occurred at this meeting.

Craig Center Open House

The Craig Center will hold an Open House on Thursday, December 17, 2009 from 6 to 8 pm.

The Center invites everyone to join them for holiday songs and refreshments.

Vinton Masonic Lodge Celebrates Anniversary

At the December 7, 2009 State Communication, Vinton Masonic Lodge No. 204, A.F. & A.M. elected and installed the following officers for 2010; Frederick J. Knapp, Worshipful Master; David M. Richards, Senior Warden; Richard D. Brenner, Junior Warden; Alfred C. Anderson, Treasurer; Ronald N. Underwood, Secretary; Perry L. Pence, Senior Deacon; Ronald D. Fisher, Junior Deacon; James A. Sapp, Jr., Chaplian; Brandon S. Kitts, Marshal; Robert A. Wilkerson, Senior Steward; and Richard L. Erickson, Tiler. Vinton Masonic Lodge is celebrating 120 years in the Vinton community, being chartered on December 10, 1890. The Lodge meets the first Monday of every month at 7:30 P.M.

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Obituaries

OATHER LYNCH, of Vinton, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 13, 2009.

He served in WWII in the US Army and in the National Guard.

He was predeceased by his loving wife of 60 years, Mary Anna Robertson Lynch; three sisters, Annie Elkins, Lois Barbour, and Maggie Tuck; two brothers, Herbert Lynch and Victor Lynch; father, Edgar Lynch; and mother, Janie Lynch.

Left to cherish his memory is his son, Glenn Lynch and wife, Julie, of Vinton; two granddaughters, Tammy Payne and husband, Ron, of Wasilla, Alaska and Lorrie Huff and husband, Dr. Wallace Huff, Jr. of Richmond, KY; six great grandchildren, Ashley Payne, Ronnie Payne, Bethany Payne, Wallace Lee Huff, III, Mason Huff, and Brady Huff; in-laws, Sybil Lynch, Opal Lynch, Clyde Robertson and wife, Alta, and J.E. Robertson. Also, left to cherish his memory are very special friends, Clinton and Nancy Westen; and numerous nephews, nieces, friends, and neighbors.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday, at 1 p.m. at Mountain View Cemetery with Pastor Jeff Keaton officiating. Flowers are appreciated or contributions may be made to the Hardy Rescue Squad. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, December, 16, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.

ETHEL LOUISE GORDON, of Vinton, born November 1, 1920 passed away December 13, 2009.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Mary Bryant; husband, H. Maynard Gordon; sisters, Virginia Spencer, Eunice Woodson, Audrey St.Clair, and Onita Bryant; and brothers-in-law, William R. Spencer, Ted Falls, and Virgil St.Clair.

Surviving are sisters, Edna Falls, Nancy Gray, and Joann Pace; brother, Jeryl S. Bryant; in-laws, Gene Gray, Clarence Pace, Linda Bryant; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friends, Joe and Angela Rodgers, Justin, Carla, and families; and dog, Brandy.

Louise was a long time member of Vinton Baptist Church. Along with her husband, they were superintendents of the Junior Department and she was in charge of the nursery for more than 15 years. The church honored her with an award for 50 years service. Louise was a leader of Acteens, a member of the WMU, and the founding member of the Alma Hunt Circle. She served on many committees and was a faithful, loving, and generous member of her church, always willing to serve in any capacity needed.

She visited hospitals, nursing homes, and shut-ins. She and her husband had no children of their own, but helped raise many and were always willing to help anyone in need.

Louise enjoyed many things, such as family gatherings, cooking, and oil painting.

Funeral services will be held 12 noon, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with Dr. William Booth officiating.

Interment will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Vinton Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends after 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.

BARRY ERVIN RAGLAND, 61, of Vinton, Va., passed away on Monday, December 7, 2009. He was born on October 3, 1948, to the late Leonard and Beatrice Ragland. He is survived by brothers, Donald and Allen Ragland; sisters, Brenda Ragland, Patricia Mowbray and husband, Donald, Sandra Davidson and husband, Gary, and Linda Smith and husband, Jack; nephews, Donald Mowbray Jr., Michael Mowbray and wife, Lora, Kevin Davidson and wife, Sharon, Keith Davidson and wife, Audrey, Marc Smith, and Steven Ragland; nieces, Tammy Mowbray and Jennifer Smith; greatnieces, Reece Ragland, and Holleigh and Danielle Mowbray; and greatnephew, Michael Mowbray. He graduated from Jefferson Senior High School and worked many years at Macke Vending Company. He had many friends at the Roanoke City Fire Department. Graveside services were held at noon on Thursday, December 10, 2009, at Mountain View Cemetery with the Rev. Horace Light officiating. The family suggests memorials be made to Hollins Road Brethren Church or Vinton Fire and Rescue Squad. The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 540-9822221.

EMORY EUGENE STUMP, 78, of Goodview, Va., passed away on Saturday, December 5, 2009, after a long and courageous battle with cancer and many other health issues. He was preceded in death by his parents; Doris and Vauline Stump; and brother, Daniel. Surviving are his loving wife of 59 years, Dessie Tabor Stump; and children, Ronnie (Bobbi) Stump, of Troutville, and Tim Stump, of Roanoke; sisters, Lois (Daniel) Slocum and Nadine (Frank) Eperly, of Moneta; brother, Ezra (Nadine) Stump, of Daleville; sisters-in-law, Dora Stump, of Boones Mill, Mary Rosalie Clark, of Roanoke, and Thelma (Karl) Smith, of Vinton; stepgrandson, Jason of Troutville; and numerous nieces and nephews. Emory was a long time member of Mays Memorial United Methodist Church of Stewartsville and also a foundling lifetime member of the StewartsvilleChamblissburg Volunteer Fire Department and a member of Beaver Dam Odd Fellows Lodge #248 IOOF in Stewartsville. He took pride in being a member of the Southwest Virginia Antique Tractor Association and was an active collector of John Deere Replicas.

Funeral services were conducted at Lotz Funeral Home, Vinton Chapel 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, with the Rev. Mickey White officiating. Burial to follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. The family received friends on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. A special thanks to Stephen Hill and many other doctors and nurses at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for their excellent care. Also many thanks to two special and dear friends from North Carolina, Bob and Connie Fero. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Mays Memorial United Methodist Church, 1777 Thomason Lane, Goodview, Va. 24095. To send online condolences, visit www.lotzfuneralhome.com.

SAMUEL H. LETCHFORD JR., 57, of Ridgeway, Va., passed away on Wednesday, December 9, 2009. He was born on June 4, 1952, the son of the late Samuel Henry Letchford Sr. and Cora Nellie Gordon Letchford. Surviving are his wife, Lois Letchford, of Ridgeway; four children, daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Ron Dunford, of Ridgeway; son and daughter-in-law, Samuel and Marlana Letchford Ill, of Thaxton; daughter, Crystal Letchford, of Bedford; son, Joseph Raymond Letchford, of Bedford; eight grandchildren; two brothers, Russell Letchford, of Montvale, and Bobby Letchford, of Lynchburg; two sisters, Barbara Johnson, of Hopemills, N.C., and Phyllis Clark, of Bedford; and several nieces and nephews. Graveside services were held 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, 2009, at Glade Creek Cemetery. The family received friends on Friday, December 11, 2009, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements by Lotz Funeral Home, Vinton Chapel. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.lotzfuneralhome.com.

MARGARET MARIE MILLS LUCAS, 88, of Vinton, Va., passed away on Monday, December 7, 2009.

She was born in Princeton, W.Va., on April 7, 1921, but grew up in Covington, Va. She moved to Vinton in 1948. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Leslie Lewis Lucas. She was employed for over 30 years at Heironimus Department Store. She was a member of Belmont Baptist Church in Roanoke. Surviving are her son, Berkley Lucas and his wife, Pat, of Roanoke; two grandchildren, Brian Lucas and his wife, Lori, of Salem, and Andrea Foutz and her husband, Ben, of Roanoke; three great-grandchildren, Zachary Foutz, Alex Foutz, and Jordan Lucas; and niece, Rhonda Cook Jennings and her husband, Bill, of Botetourt County. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, 2009, at Lotz Vinton Chapel with Rev. John Fox officiating. Interment will follow in Trinity Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Belmont Baptist Church or to the Vinton Life Saving Crew. Arrangements by Lotz Funeral Home, Vinton Chapel. Online condolences at www.lotzfuneralhome.com.

What better gift than that of knowledge?

D

This holiday season, get your loved one a subscription to the only publication made in Vinton, for Vinton!

See Page 08 for subscription info.

FKV

04 VOICE

WBHS students working to compete in campaign William Byrd High School is attempting to compete in the U.S. Cellular Calling All Communities Campaign. The wireless carrier, based out of Chicago, is giving away a million dollars total, $100,000 to ten schools, to do with what they please, just based on votes.

William Byrd High School would like to be one of those ten, but they can’t do it without the community support.

The community can help by casting votes. Stop by any of the three U.S. Cellular locations in the Valley, Valley View, Electric Rd and Apperson Dr., and asking for a voting card. Then go on-line to the web address and use the code.

Cammie Williams, WBHS French Teacher and World Language Chair, is the chairperson for this campaign, “The community’s support is crucial because you have to be 18 or older to vote.

Mass voting is encouraged: go as a Civic Group or a Sunday School Class and collect your cards” Williams says “We are also hoping that WBHS alumni will help outespecially students while they’re home from college for break” Only one vote per person is allowed. Any school could use an extra hundred thousand, but WBHS has some great plans for what they would do with the extra money. “Our list of needs is endless:

all academic budgets have been cut in half or more” Williams says. She points to some of the underfunded departments, such as her own “The World Language department is operating on $150 for the entire year, which includes paying for markers for the white boards” she says, also adding “one small need we have is microphones for speaking projects, but we have a list of needs for more creative projects as well. The Art Department is taking donations for supplies for projects, but photography supplies and paint cost money. The Science Department is cutting back on experiments.”

There are some extreme cost

cutting measures that have taken place, some of which may seem small, but could certainly be helped out with the additional funds.

“These are just a few examples of current needs and we are told that the situation will be worse next year due to additional cuts in funding” Williams continues “we’re not looking for luxury items, we are looking for items that support good instruction.” People are looking for a way to help their community and the kids that are in it, so while you’re out doing your holiday shopping, why not stop by a U.S. Cellular store and place a vote, you never know who you could be helping.

•‘BOOTIE’ continued from page 02

•‘STAR’ continued from page 02

better real soon.

Congratulations to Patti & Keith Thompson who recently celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary. Goodness! I remember the day he was born. May you two have many more together. Love Ya! Happy Birthday wishes go out to Brian Duvall, Maddie VanDuyne, Eric Slusher, Joan Dingledine, Sharon Patsell, Stephanie Wood, Cathy Semones, Jane Ellen Cranwell Andrews, Vicki H. Lionberger, Jeff Altice, Allison Musselwhite, Chuck Cooper, Cathy Semones, Robert Shepherd (did you get your Present ???), Barbara Bouldin.

Had a special birthday wish over the PA at the basketball game when Announcer Leon Spradlin (son-in-law) gave her a shout out as a NO. 1 sports fan. She does attend all the games and we yell together. Still as pretty as ever at 40!

Abbie Bell Lewis will be10 tomorrow. Yes Baby Drake’s Little sister and He will be 14 in Feb. My babies are growing up. Dr. Rhea can you believe it?

Thanks to all that performed in or had a part in Thrasher’s Christmas program last Sunday. It was just adorable. Animals, Angels, Mary & Joseph , Bright star, Wisemen, BIG Cows, an even a live baby Jesus. Thanks Tina, and all the parents. Well Done.

Vinton Baptist’s ”A 1940”s Christmas Homecoming” Sat. & Sun Nights was well received by the audience . As well it should be they did it again, the choir, orchestra, actors, children under the direction of the Fabulous Dr Chris Monroe were super. Bringing back a lot of old memories.

Thanks to all that played any part in bring this production to life. Now on to Broadway!!!!!!

Must SEE!!

Annie Jr. Mill Mountain Theatre. Don’t miss it, it plays throughout Sunday.

Roanoke Children’s Theatre Presenting” A year with Frog and Toad” Taubman Museum.

Miracle on 34th Street - Showtimers Another must see is Thursday night Dec 17 Arnold Burton School of Performing Arts Presents Hollidazzle.

Under the Direction of Carol Webster so you know it’s a good show.

Hope to see everyone there. 7 pm and admission is free.

Can you believe Christmas is here?

Georgia Borland, a strict musician.

As she says, no doubt learned a great deal of technique & musicianship from her, along with that she was meeting people who were working at MMT and they inspire her musically and in other ways. She continued to take Classical lessons & got a BA in Piano performance from UNCGreensboro.

So, from 1989-1995 she went Jack and Nancy Moore with Dolly Parton and Jodie from HS & College and managed to be involved in numerous productions at MMT. Favorites include Children of Eden, 42nd Street, Me and My Girl and Hello Dolly. An actor she met on the Dolly production became a general manager in NY and remembered Jodie when he needed a keyboard player for the national tour of Cinderella. She did a tour of Sound Of Music with Marie Osmond. Soon after that she moved to New York for a year played actors auditions, workshops and subbed in the orchestra pits of LION KING and SCARLET PIMPERNEL, also was part of the casting team in the Broadway & touring companies of RENT. She says as cool as NY was she was offered a steady gig on the road as associate Conductor of FOOTLOOSE the musical. In 1998 she left NY and stayed on the road for quite awhile with RENT, AIDA, & HAIRSPRAY. Summer of 2006 found her back in NY Conducting HAIRSPRAY on Broadway and rehearsing for the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” After 2 years of that as musical director it was back in NY playing rehearsals for the production of SHREK the MUSICAL and conducting SPRING AWAKENING. Then came “9 To 5 musical where she met songwriter Dolly Parton.

Jodie says she was wonderful to work with and so gracious. One of her favorites moments was when she called her mother for her birthday day and Dolly sang Happy Birthday to her . I know that was a thrill for Nancy. Jodie’s mom and Dad are Nancy & Jack Moore.

They live in Mount Pleasant. She has an older sister Jenny Rogers and twin Brothers Jim & Jeff Moore. They are also supportive and I’m sure proud of Jodie.

As well they should be she is a remarkable young lady. On Nov. 7 & she married a great guy John Tutalo a carpenter on “The Late Show with David Letterman and they live in New York. However this little energizer bunny never stops she is in Germany as a Musical supervisor for “Indi India” a Cirque Soleil meets Slumdog Millionaire kind of show.

She said she is blessed beyond her wildest expectations and without her faith, family close friends an passion for music none of this would be possible. God has blessed her with talent and she has used it wisely. We all are so proud of Jodie she is truly a shining star from WBHS!

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Danae Wensley Town of Vinton On December 1, the VinEvent League of Roanoke Artists (LRA) Gallery at the Vinton Municipal Building said goodbye to the beautiful work of Karen Kris Samson, Margaret Sue Turner Wright, Nancy Stellborn and Linda Murray Atkinson. In its place sits the work of Jane Marchant Wood, Carol Frye and Donna Ramsey Nevers.

Jane Marchant Wood began studying art in the 1960s, learning from local, regional and nationally known artists, including Jim Yeatts, Martha Rhoads, Tony Couch and Joan Ashley Rothenmel, to name a few.

Wood paints primarily in realism, mostly landscapes, nature, seascapes and florals. Her work has won numerous awards and she has had a number of one-woman art shows. She donates time to the community, working with such things as the volunteer elementary art program in Roanoke County.

Wood has resided in Smith Mountain Lake since 1970. She and husband David live in a peaceful orchard home at the foot of House Rock and the Cahas mountain range. Her studio provides a panoramic view and looks out on many birds and animals, and is a great source of inspiration.

Carol Frye has worked in many media, including acrylics, oils, photography and mixed media. For the last several decades she has focused her full attention on her art career and has been blessed with success and recognition

at many art shows and festivals.

Frye’s awards are numerous, but the most recent include first place in digital photography at the 2009 John Faber Memorial Photo Contest and third place in photography in the 2009 LRA Showcase of Art. Other awards include two trips to the judges fence at the Lynchburg Fine Arts Show in 2007 and 2008, second place in mixed media at the 2006 LRA Showcase and second place in photography at the 2006 Bedford Centerfest Fine Arts Show, as well as multiple awards at the annual Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Show.

Frye says her love for the water is a big influence in most of her paintings.

“When the world starts closing in and peace seems just out of reach, I can sit by a stream or walk the surf and just let the sights and sounds push away all things negative and peace just fills my soul. My hope is that a scene that brings me peace will also bring that peace to you.”

Frye is very proud to be able to exhibit her work in various galleries throughout Roanoke and Blacksburg and at Artfully Framed in Moneta. She is also grateful to have her work hanging in the personal collections of those who have purchased her work.

Donna Ramsey Nevers is a native of Waynesboro, but has lived in Smith Mountain Lake since 1995. She is a working archaeologist who has traveled and studied art for over 30 years. Some of her favorite pieces incorporate archaeology and art in mixed media.

Nevers has studied with many teaching professionals, including William “Skip” Lawrence, Christopher Schink, Vera Dickerson,

Pat Dews and Kay Sutherland. She has also studied in many countries, including England, Italy, France and Spain.

A firm believer in lifelong learning, Nevers has degrees in business, nursing, archaeology and art. Since 2007 she has taught collage design at local Girl Scout troupes and camps. She hopes to give her students greater appreciation for any type of art.

Nevers has received many awards for her work, but the most recent include judged awards at the Roanoke Showcase of Arts, New River Fine Arts Center, Shenandoah Valley Arts Center, VTLS Blacksburg Art Association, Va. State Women’s Wellness Show, Bath County Art Show, Central Va. Watercolor Show, WVTF Public Radio galleries, Hollins University and Roanoke College shows, Smith Mountain Lake Arts Council and Westlake juried Art Shows.

Nevers’ works are included in both public and private collections throughout the East Coast. She presently exhibits at galleries in Ga., the Market Gallery of Roanoke and the Crossroads Art Center in Roanoke, as well as several other locations. She has also been selected to present her new works in 2010 for solo shows at Shenandoah Valley Arts Council, Virginia Tech and a new gallery in Atlanta, Ga.

Note from the Publisher I just want to say thank you to William Byrd Athletic Trainer Ashley Blackman, Vicki Carr, Jason Boothe and everyone who assisted me and my daughter Piper when she had her very scary accident at Friday night’s basketball game. The poise, compassion and kindness you showed is a rarity in today’s society and I wanted you to know it wasn’t overlooked, expected or unappreciated.

Thank you so much, Chris Manning

06 VOICE

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PHOTOS

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Last week, the first grade students at Herman L. Horn presented their holiday play (1). The play was one of many holiday theme activities that have taken place in Vinton, with many more to come through the remainder of 2009.

On Monday, William Byrd senior Aaron Lyles (2) held a town hall meeting at the Vinton branch of the Roanoke County Public Library. Lyles is running for Town Council in Vinton next year.

This past Saturday marked the now annual Miss Smith Mountain Lake Pageant at Virginia Western, with several young ladies from Vinton participating. Included in them were Miss SML Teen contestant Elizabeth Patterson and her sister Emma (3), who became the new co-holder of the Little Miss title.

Photos 1 & 2 by Danny Cruff, Photo 3 submitted by Annette and Patrick Patterson

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VOICE 07

Everybody Reads the Voice

Whether you are just hanging out at a home basketball game at William Byrd (ABOVE RIGHT –– Last Friday, December 11) or a William Byrd basketball player just ‘hanging out’ (Senior Jake Mankin), Everybody Reads the Voice, including last week’s Issue 16 featuring the Vinton Christmas Parade on the cover.

08 VOICE

VOICE 09

Op-Ed: Grief and Loss During the Holidays

Michele Gunter, MSW, LCSW Abundant Life Family Counseling Once again the Holiday Season has arrived.

For a lot of people, this is a time for family, fun and festivities. When you are grieving the loss of someone who has died, the season can be a time of sadness, pain, anger or dread.

The grief process is a long journey. When we are grieving, we can feel completely overwhelmed with sadness; overwhelmed with missing and longing for our loved one. The ebb and flow of grief can also overwhelm us with waves of memories and feelings. How can we fill the emptiness or void when everyone else seems to be so joyous? Here are some strategies I hope will help you cope with the Holiday Season and beyond.

Take Care of Yourself Emotionally Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you are feeling. If you feel sad, allow the tears to come; if you feel angry, allow yourself to vent some steam. Sharing your feelings is the best way to get through them. You need people you can talk to. Friends and family can be a great support during times of grief, you may also find area support groups helpful. If the pain becomes too much, seek professional help.

Partial List of Local Support Groups Living With Loss - Support group for adults grieving the loss of a loved one. Weekly sessions run for 8 weeks and combine education and group activities for discussion.

Class is held four times per year. Pre-registration is required.

Hope & Hot Chocolate - Held throughout the holiday season to help bereaved persons cope effectively with the demands of the holidays.

Widow’s Lunch Group - An opportunity for those who have experienced the loss of a spouse or partner to get together for casual lunch and conversation. Women meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11:30 AM. Call (540) 776-0198 for locations.

Stepping Stones - Support group for children who have suffered the loss of a parent or guardian. Children from Kindergarten through 8th grade are encouraged to attend Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of every month, Sept.May, 5:30-8:30 p.m. To register your child or for more information, please call Diane Henry-Leggett at 776-0198 or 769-0122

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Take Care of Yourself Physically When your body has experienced a loss it becomes exhausted. Take naps when you can.

Walking in the sunshine even 15 minutes will help elevate endorphins. Take baths instead of quick showers. Eat nourishing foods that restore energy. Limit your sugar, caffeine and alcohol intake; they impact your mood. Drink generous amounts of water, it also restores energy. Exercise, practice taking deep breathing exercises, get a massage or do anything you find relaxing. Also, get and give as many hugs as you can; touch heals.

greater good. Helping others in times of grief can help take the focus off of your own grief and pain. Also, volunteering at a local nursing home, shelter, or soup kitchen can be cathartic in times of pain. Even helping a friend or family member in need can be healing.

It may also be helpful to start new traditions such a going to memorial services for your loved one, or having a celebration of their life. Set a place at the dinner table for them. Plant a tree, buy a special ornament, or whatever you can or want to do to include your loved one in the holiday season.

Take Care of Yourself Spiritually Continue to attend your church, even if it is painful. Your church family is a wonderful support system. Talk to your minister about any questions you may have concerning your loved one. Ask for healing rituals. I, being a Christian, find peace in spending time in prayer and seeking God’s guidance in difficult times.

Being Thankful and Moving Forward It’s easy to watch other families and compare them to your own. Seeing other families together and enjoying the festivities may make you feel deprived. Keep in mind that the holidays are stressful for most families and are rarely the magical gatherings depicted in greeting cards. Try to embrace what you do have rather than compare it to what you think others have.

As hard as it is for you right now, you will survive. You will make it through the holiday season in one piece. It may be the most difficult season in the time of your grief (It may not), but it will pass. And when it does, you will come out stronger than before.

You don’t have to enjoy the holidays. You don’t even have to go through the motions pretending to enjoy the festivities. But, it’s also OK to have a good time in spite of your grief. If some happiness slips in the window of grief, allow it to happen and enjoy it. You won’t be showing your loved one any disrespect by feeling joyous. The best gift you can give anyone you love, even someone you have lost, is being true to yourself and living your life to the fullest……..Enjoy your day!

Ask for Help and Accept it The holiday season is no time to feign strength and independence. This is a time you will need the help and support of others to get you through. You are not a burden. You may need help with meals, shopping, or decorating, just ask someone to help. I am sure they will be more than happy to assist. People get immense satisfaction and joy from helping those they care about. In times of need, other people desire to help, but often don’t know how. This is a time to speak up and make your needs known.

Start a New Tradition Most of us like helping others during the holiday season. Taking an angel off the tree at the mall, dropping food items at the local church, or donating to our favorite organization can help us feel like we are contributing to a Life and Loss Counseling and Fellowship Sessions Sponsored by Sherwood Memorial Park Monthly meetings. Location: 1250 East Main Street, Salem VA Call 540-389-1677 for more information The Compassionate Friends of Roanoke Valley The Compassionate Friends offers more than 600 meeting locations around the country. In small towns and large cities, bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents meet together to talk, listen, share, and provide emotional support for families that are dealing with the devastating death of a child. Roanoke Chapter Name: TCF of Roanoke Valley Chapter Number: 2109 (540) 387-3081 (H) (540) 765-8639 (C) Michele Meeting Info: 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month 7:00-9:00 pm Good Samaritan Hospice, Wentworth Place - 2408 Electric Road Chapter Notes: Child, Grandchild & Sibling Support Combined Roanoke Valley Survivors of Suicide P.O. Box 592 Roanoke, VA 24004 Contact: Diane Kelly, Executive Director, Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley (540) 344-0931 or mharv@ infionline.net Meeting Place: Mental Health America of Roanoke Valley

Office, 10 East Church Avenue, Suite 30. Roanoke, VA 24011 Meeting Days(s)/Meeting Time: Second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

Facilitated by: Professional Counties Served: Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke City and County, and City of Salem; residents of other localities are welcome as well Local Resource Collection: The Oakey Collection – located at Roanoke Public Libraries The Oakey Collection at Roanoke Public Libraries offers resources for bereaved families and bereavement caregivers dealing with end-oflife issues. The collection, in memory of Samuel G. Oakey, II, includes materials for children and adults in both English and Spanish. Though primarily books, readers will also find videos, books on cassette and a magazine.

Topics covered by the collection include: Psychology of death; Grief and loss, funeral rites and customs; Afterlife & spirituality; Dealing with chronic illness; Caregiving & Hospice Care; Pain management; Suicide; Death of a child; Helping teens & children to cope with the loss of a loved one; Living wills & Ethical wills; Legal issues.

Those interested in The Oakey Collection may contact the Reference Department at the Roanoke City Library. The telephone number is (540) 853-2477.

Telephones Barbara Dillon Vinton Historical Society Many years ago when Vinton was a new town, telephones were very scarce. The first switchboard was in a private home.

There was no such thing as a dial phone or a push button phone or even a cell phone.

Two or three customers would be hooked up on the same line, called a party line. When one phone would ring they would all ring but had a different number of rings for each connection so you would know if it was for you or someone else. One ring would be a single ring at the time or two rings at a time before a pause. You could pick up your receiver and hear the other person talking on their line.

I remember when I was a child and lived at my grandmother’s house on 2nd street, now Maple, we were on the party line with another family. They talked nearly all the time. Whenever we wanted to use the line and they were still talking, we would politely ask them to hang up, especially if we had an urgent call. Good manners were always present, but sometimes it got aggravating.

When you wanted to make a call you always talked to a live operator and told her the number

you wanted and she would connect you on the switchboard in front of her. She would also direct your long distance calls.

Some telephones were hanging on the wall or standing on a table. They had a receiver you would put up to your ear and talk into a mouthpiece. When you finished you would hang the receiver on a hook and that would cut you off.

Now look at your telephone directory. It’s huge. In 1933 The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia had a directory for Roanoke, Salem and Vinton. It had 96 pages and a cover. Vinton had a little over two pages and 296 listings of homes, businesses, etc. and instructions for use of phone as well as advertising ads.

Also many of the names of streets in Vinton were changed at a later date. The directory list prices to call other areas such as Rocky Mount, Va. That was 25 cents per call. Floyd was 45 cents. Lynchburg was 45 cents. Also information was given on how to use your telephone to transmit typewritten messages over the telephone as well as spoken messages.

These 96 pages included all kinds of information, advertisements and phone numbers. Quite different from our present-day directories and guess what! We have one of these 1933 directories at the Vinton Museum.

The Voice is looking for YOUR holiday recipes! Do you have a favorite recipe? Something your mom always made when you were young?

A favorite of your family? Send it to info@vintonvoice.com

Cranberry Cheesecake Tartlets Ingredients 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed 2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup whipped topping 1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

Directions In a food processor, combine the almonds, flour and sugar; cover and process until blended. Add butter; cover and process until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of four greased 4-in. tart pans with removable bottoms. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until and mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crusts. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Just before serving, top with cranberry sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

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William Byrd Students Give Back During Holidays Chase Barnett Terrier Times As cold weather and colorful decorations welcome the holiday season, students at William Byrd High School are adding to the Christmas cheer by giving back to the community.

Service Learning Leadership is an elective class available to all classes, freshmen through seniors at WBHS. With a total of 30 students, it is safe to say that many share the same aspirations to help the community. The class members have been working hard on community projects during the holiday season.

“It’s a good group of kids that are willing to donate their time and talent to help others,” said Service Learning

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teacher Jill Harris.

Since it is now the Holidays, the class has been working extra hard on projects to give a hand to the community. All of the students have learned the value of helping others and the differences, no matter how big or small, one person can make.

At least one time during the school year, each student is assigned to create, and execute a service project that will help the community. Senior Ashley Lester found the perfect one considering the obvious circumstances. The Roanoke Trust House Charity Foundation is taking donations that include: blankets, toiletries, laundry detergent and bed sheets.

For days, the class made no-

sew fleece blankets for the charity.

“I thought it was crucial to help families, especially this time of year,” said Lester. It certainly is a crucial aspect of life that a lot of us take for granted.

Another senior in the class, Ashley Gray, is a volunteer for the Vinton Chamber. This committee is in charge of almost all of Vinton’s main events, such as the Christmas parade that was held Thursday December 3.

“I felt like I needed to give back to the community,” said Gray. This seems to be the trend of many students at WBHS.

Morgan McCormack, Austin Taylor, Kasey Hash are three students that were involved with the Second Harvest Food Bank. Their project is to wrap Christmas presents for teachers in exchange for money donations to this charity fund. All of the money is used to buy food for the hungry. They have collected $70 so far.

As Christmas time creeps upon us all, it is important to remember why it is the season for giving. There are many charities that are available to anyone for help. It could be as little as holding a door open or a smile that can change someone’s life. And that is exactly what the students are learning everyday in this high school elective.

Leo Club making a difference Evan Nicely Terrier Times During the holiday season some William Byrd High School students stopped to help those less fortunate than themselves.

The WBHS Leo Club as a group adopted 14 angels from the Salvation Army Angel Tree. The club members were divided into 14 different teams and each team shopped for a specific angel.

“When you’re buying the gifts for the kids, it really makes you feel good about yourself,” said senior Blaine Mills.

The teams flocked to stores throughout the Roanoke Valley buying gifts and really getting into the Christmas spirit.

Eli Exline said he had fun shopping.

“I love little kids and they deserve a good Christmas,” Exline.

Seniors Blaine Mills, Trevor Purdue, and Tyler Lyon along with the remainder of their other group members adopted a six year-old boy named Craig. “It’s fun, you get to help a lot of kids out and be Santa for somebody. We got Craig a wrestling ring, a couple wrestling action figures, socks, and underwear,” Lyon said.

Another group including junior Christie Vernon adopted a four year old boy named Christian and an 8 year old girl named Lexie. “It‘s my favorite event the Leo Club does all year. You really get to see and feel that you’re helping someone have a better Christmas,” she said.

After all the shopping was done and the presents were turned in the group got together after school for a wrapping party. The kids packed into the cafeteria and spent about an hour wrapping all the presents to be dropped off.

Sherri Mays, a math teacher and lead sponsor of the Leo Club, headed the event. “I think it went great, I’m looking forward to the holiday season and all the joy that his event will bring,” she said.

The wrapping party is one of the main events the Leo Club does and is one of the most popular. “It was a great social time, wrapping presents for the kids, and we even got pizza,” Purdue added.

The Angel Tree program helps out so many people in many ways this holiday season and the Leo Club is very proud to be apart of helping the community.

The Leo Club will continue to serve along with Angel Tree event by doing many others including Relay for Life and serving at the Rescue Mission.

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Two P’s in a Pod Chris Manning Publisher Two P’s in a Pod has been in Vinton for three years now, starting in 2006. Originally a partnership, it is now solely owned by Patty Kiser, who describes the store as “a dream of hers.” Kiser worked at, what she describes as, an “old country store in Floyd” when she was a kid and has wanted to have her own similar store ever since.

Two P’s is not just your typical “old country store,” it has more

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than just the knick knacks some might expect. “I try to focus, as much as I can, on pieces that are by artisans that are local” says Kiser “and if they’re not local, at least hand crafted.” Kiser has all kinds of pieces from primitive to rustic to reproductions, also focusing on old and new merchandise, not just wanting to put all of her attention, or that of her customers, on one area.

“Come sit a spell” is the slogan of the store and its something they mean. Rocking chairs adorn the portion of the store closest to the

checkout counter, the top of which is made of an old door, fitting right in with the rest of the store, “I want to create a cozy atmosphere, my friends have forbid me to sell the rocking chairs so they have somewhere to sit.”

Most people won’t be sitting when they visit, no matter how cozy the atmosphere, as this store is much larger than it looks. Along with the front of the store which has everything from wooden signs and decorations, there is an entire other portion, dubbed Grandma Mae’s Back Porch, is

nearly a separate wing of the store. In this portion of the store you can find twelve vendors and their merchandise on display.

The twelve vendors help lend the unique feel of the store that Kiser is proud of, “they each bring their own feel with their own stuff, each of which is different from the other.”

The store is looking to expand, which is a great sign in these economic times, showing that 2 P’s must be doing well. The expansion isn’t something that Kiser is trying to hide, but has run into a snag or two trying to make it happen, “I’d do it as soon as I could, but we’ve run into a delay, but we’re trying to work with the town to get around it.

Hopefully that will happen soon” Kiser says. “In this economy, it’s tough, but we’ve really got a great group of customers.”

Kiser still longs for the easy recognition, saying that she still sometimes gets asked “where are you located” even though her building is green and a, tough to miss, purple bathtub is sitting out front. “Some people still think this is just a craft shop or somewhere you can just go to buy candles and you can, but there’s a whole lot more. The uniqueness and the coziness are what separate us” says Kiser.

“Before you go to the mall and go shopping, take a shot with us here in town at your local gift shop” Kiser says when asked what she’d like to tell potential customers, “we’ve got things that are one of a kind and if you’re looking for unique items, this is the place to find it.”

It’s all about the taxes, baby...

Dale Russell, MBA wheresmymoney@vintonvoice.com Ok, Ok…Here’s one thing you should keep in mind.

Beware politicians promising tax cuts. I don’t care what side of the aisle you are on, or what your party affiliation is. The fact of the matter is that tax cuts aren’t all that they are cut out to be…forgive the pun.

If I haven’t run you off by the political overtones, here’s why I believe it to be true and why so many folks just give in and pay their “fair share” of taxes, whatever that means, and move on.

Remember a few weeks back we talked about the Alternative Minimum Tax, loving referred to as the “AMT” and how it affects everyone in some capacity? To recap, the original form of the ATM was created in 1969 by Lyndon Johnson to catch the wealthiest taxpayers who paid guys like me to find and execute legal tax deduction strategies to reduce or even eliminate their tax liability. The problem is, after many adjustments by many Presidents later, the AMT has not been consistently indexed, or adjusted, for inflation while everything else that is tax related has been.

Now remember also that the AMT system is a parallel tax system to the current tax code. Is

any of this jogging your memory? I hope so. If you don’t know about the AMT or understand it, I suggest you learn about it or find someone to help you. It’s just that important.

Back to our story, here’s why I believe and can prove a tax cut is actually a tax increase in disguise.

Now please understand that this example is a huge oversimplification but it should give you a flavor of what you are dealing with.

Let’s pretend for a moment that a President in some era promises and Congress initiates a tax cut reducing tax liability by 10%. And let’s further pretend you are in the 25% tax bracket, which would also put your income level in line to trigger the AMT. And so you prepare your own taxes, with no thoughts of AMT and mentally begin to calculate your refund because of the 10% tax cut. Pump your breaks…here’s where the rug can get pulled out from underneath you.

Let’s say you itemize your deductions which entails a Schedule A, and it includes all the popular deductions. Medical expenses, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, miscellaneous deductions and so on, and you have accumulated enough itemized deductions to exceed the standard deduction the government gives you based on your filing status. That amount reduces your taxable income which reduces your tax liability and with the 10% tax cut… Hey, you are winning the game right? Maybe not…

Let’s say for this example that your income triggers AMT which means that a few key things happen. First, AMT triggers a different tax rate and second, it disallows tax preference deductions from your Schedule A such as part of your medical deduction, your miscellaneous

deductions, and state and local taxes. The resulting number after all of the tax preference items are adjusted is called the Adjusted Minimum Taxable Income, or AMTI, which is what the AMT is based on. From there, the resulting tax figure is compared to the actual tax and…ta da. AMT is born. The larger the gap, the more the potential tax liability. Thusly, a tax cut can easily turn into a tax increase.

Every wondered why you haven’t heard about the AMT? We recently went through a presidential election and I can’t remember one candidate speaking about AMT or the elimination of it, even though it hasn’t been indexed for inflation and is catching more and more middle income taxpayers…Hmmm.

Perhaps it is because it would be too costly to get rid of it because it has been left unattended to for so many years.

I told you early on that I am a fiscal conservative that believes that YOU are the key to your own financial success or failure. I don’t want the government in my wallet, or yours.

And finally, the tax money the government does have the honor of stewardship over, I expect competent handling and fiscal responsibility.

That seems reasonable, huh?

So, can you see why year-end tax estimates are so very important? Some folks just give in and figure there’s nothing they can do and give up. Find a professional that you can work with or if you really insist on going it alone, it’s IRS Form 6251. Download it on the IRS website www.IRS.gov If you need help finding someone, give me a shout. Until next week, send me your thoughts, comments, questions to wheresmymoney@ vintonvoice.com.

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2009 Reader Survey This is a survey for readers of the Vinton Voice. As we are nearing the end of 2009, we want to ask you, our readers what you like, maybe a thing or two that you didn’t and anything you’d like to tell us about ourselves here at the Voice. Thank you for taking the time and keep reading!

1. What do you feel are the best weekly features in the pages of the Voice?

(Choose as many as you wish) Gene’s Notebook Where’s my Money?

Bootie’s Place Ask the Pharmacist Vinton Retrospective Sports Spotlight Business Spotlight Recipe of the Week Terrier Talk Sports Shots Chamber Happenings From Around Town 2. What are some (if any) of the weekly features that you aren’t as crazy about in the pages in the Voice? (Choose as many as you wish) Gene’s Notebook Where’s my Money?

Bootie’s Place Ask the Pharmacist Vinton Retrospective Sports Spotlight Business Spotlight Recipe of the Week Terrier Talk Sports Shots Chamber Happenings From Around Town 3. What are your areas of interest that you would like to see more of in the Voice? (Choose as many as you wish) Religion Politics and Government Arts and Entertainment Sports Opinion Lifestyles Schools 5. What would you like to see more of in the Voice?

6. What would you like to see less of in the Voice?

Please mail your completed survey to us at: Vinton Voice Attn: Dan Vance, Editor 116 S.Poplar St. Vinton, VA 24179

4. What has been your favorite cover to date? (Choose One) #1 - “Vinton’s New Voice” #2 - “Thank you Vinton” #3- “Nine Favorite Things” #4 - “Sports Spotlight Collage” #5- “Parkway Bridge” #6- “Train Tracks” #7 - “Two of a Kind” #8- “Fall Festival” #9 - “Skates on Fire” #10 - “Political Rumble” #11 - “The Art of Dominance” #12 - “Thank you Vets” #13 - “A scene from above Town” #14- “Breaking the Code” Sports Preview #15 - “Miss William Byrd” #16 - “Christmas Parade” 7. What has been your favorite story in the Voice?

8. Currently the Vinton Voice is available either through subscription or in one of the over 80 pick up locations throughout the area. If the Voice was only available by subscription would you; Be more likely to subscribe Less likely to subscribe Don’t know 9. Do you feel the staff of the Voice is accessible and easy to get in touch with?

Yes No 10. Who is your favorite consistent contributor? (Choose One) Danae Wesley Chris Carr Chris Manning John Montgomery Dan Vance Erin Delauder-Brooks Bootie Chewning Danny Cruff Gene Marrano Dale Russell Samantha Hoback

The results from this survey will help us know what you do and don’t like about the Vinton Voice as we move forward into 2010. We thank each of you for your participation.

This is not the only way to participate, you can also take the survey online. Visit the Vinton Voice on Facebook to find out how.

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Junior ROTC program looking for growth Major Jeff Pruitt USAF Retired - WBHS Jr.ROTC I would like to take some time to talk about the Air Force JROTC program – what we are, and what we are not. First and foremost, JROTC is a citizenship program. Our goal is to build better citizens for America, and we do this by preparing our cadets for their future after graduation, no matter where that takes them.

JROTC IS NOT a recruiting program. This is a common misconception, one that I understand completely. We have no quotas for enlistment; in fact, many of our cadets have no desire to serve in the military, and that is fine with us.

For those cadets who do plan a career in the military, we offer assistance and resources to help them achieve their goals.

While we are not a recruiting service, we do use the Air Force model as a foundation for our curriculum and education program. In their Aerospace Science classes, cadets learn about the history of aviation, the science of flight, astronomy, and the exploration of space. As part of the Leadership E d u c a t i o n curriculum, we train them in marching, wear of the uniform, grooming standards, and etiquette, among other subjects. The cadet corps is organized in a fashion similar to active duty Air Force units, with a group made up of squadrons and flights. Cadets have the opportunity to be both followers and leaders at all levels of the organization.

Activities are not limited to just classroom subjects, though. Our cadets also get to participate in many extracurricular activities as well, both during and after school hours.

They may choose to join the Drill Team, Color Guard, and/or Raider Team. These special teams compete in local, regional, and state competitions throughout the year and have won numerous awards and trophies at past events.

The Drill Team performs complex marching routines, both with and without rifles. The Color Guard is often called upon to present

the U.S., Virginia, and Air Force flags at special events, such as veterans meetings and football games. The Raider Team emphasizes teamwork and physical fitness as the team competes with Army and other Air Force units in Virginia. In the past our cadets have gone on military base visits, attended air shows, and taken orientation flights in small aircraft, and we are planning similar activities in the future. To enhance our curriculum, our cadets get hands-on flying experience with flight simulators and we have a radio-controlled airplane which they can learn to fly. We have built and launched water bottle rockets to demonstrate the principals of space flight, and we are also planning to start a model rocket club sometime in the near-future.

These activities help our cadets increase their knowledge while having a lot of fun at the same time.

The future of the JROTC cadet corps at William Byrd is unsure. During the first three years, we experienced steady growth, but this

in JROTC looks great on a college or job application – in fact, we have had cadets who got jobs at local businesses because they listed JROTC on their resume. Employers understand the integrity, discipline, and trustworthiness associated with military service, and they know we instill these same traits in our cadets. For those who are considering military service after graduation, JROTC participation leads to instant promotion after completion of basic training, which in turn equates to increased pay. College-bound cadets planning to enter a senior ROTC program may compete for scholarships which cover the cost of tuition and books. Participation in JROTC gives students a chance to improve their followership and leadership skills. Cadets become more confident and self-assured, transforming from meek, soft-spoken individuals into strong, outspoken leaders. Finally, JROTC offers a sense of belonging, of community. Students who do not fit in elsewhere find a place to grow in the JROTC family.

JROTC requires very little from the cadets; cadets may invest as much or as little time into the program as they want. We provide uniforms and classroom materials at no cost, and all we require is that they come to class and wear the uniform once a week. Participation in outside activities is strictly voluntary, but highly encouraged because we feel this is the best way to get the most out of the program. Air Force JROTC is one of the best experiences your child will ever have; we hope to see him or her in our program in the future.

‘The future of the JROTC cadet corps at William Byrd is unsure. During the first three years, we experienced steady growth, but this year out enrollment dropped significantly.’ year our enrollment dropped significantly. This has put the program in danger of being closed if our numbers do not increase. I feel this would be a great loss to William Byrd and the Vinton community, as our cadets contribute so much to both. We hold our cadets to very high standards, and this is proven when other teachers tell me how our cadets are more respectful and act better in class than their peers, especially when they are in uniform. I am often thanked by members of our community for what our cadets do for them. Since the unit was formed in 2006, our cadets have performed over 3800 hours of community service – proof that we are achieving our goal of developing better citizens!

If you have a child or children in the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, I encourage you to discuss JROTC with them. There are many, many benefits to joining our program, beyond the fun stuff I have already mentioned. Participation

-Major Jeff Pruitt is the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training (JROTC) program at William Byrd High School. A native Virginian, born and raised in Marion; he still has family members who live in Marion and Rural Retreat. He came to work at William Byrd in January 2008 after retiring from the United States Air Force with over 20 years of service. He says that coming to Roanoke was like coming home for him. He has in southeast Roanoke with his wife, Kelly, and son, Jacob.

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Judging pageant is exciting experience, eliminates notions This past weekend, I was fortunate to be one of four judges in the Miss Smith Mountain Lake Teen and Pre-Teen pageants, held mostly at Virginia Western.

I would love to say that going into the experience that I was one way on the spectrum, either excited or not about the idea of judging a beauty pageant, but for the most part I wasn’t. Instead, I was just intrigued, something that I may not have been even as recently as one month ago. During this past month– judging this pageant, through reading Amanda Stump’s first hand account of Miss Virginia in the pages of this publication and my sit down with the no-longer Miss William Byrd Holly Farris– I have found an appreciation for this line that I never knew I would.

There are so many misconceptions about pageantry out there because of television and the hoopla of tabloid-esque media. And while some of them may be true on a cut throat national scale, what I experienced was pure and it was exciting. All six of the contestants in the Teen division, the two in the Pre-Teen division and newly crowed Miss William Byrd Jenna O’Leary seemed to have had a deep desire to want to be there and take part in the experience. Each of them, in their own way that I won’t discuss in detail, shined and seemed proud to be doing so.

The competition itself instills a sense of pride, accomplishment, and most importantly a real clear confidence to these young women, as well as those who were competing in the Miss Smith Mountain Lake portion of the event that I was able to be entertained by.

Also, I learned that events like this can really help propel women into becoming very polished as people, not in the fake way, but in a way so vivid and real it can be indescribable. Outgoing Miss Smith Mountain Lake Chinah Helmandollar impressed me so much with how much energy she had on the stage, even just killing time while judges’ scores were tabulated. Her love for what she was doing was also very evident. If every pageant and contestant was like this, many people (myself in the past included), would not have the preconceived notions that they do about beauty pageants and the type of people who compete in them.

These are great women, young women and yes, even children, who have a lot to offer.

I would like to sincerely thank Amanda and Cindy Stump for affording me this opportunity to broaden my horizons and see this world that not many people do, yet still judge in their own little way. Amanda and Cindy put on a great event and I was proud to be part of it, even if it is something that I never take part in again.

At least I know now that all of those stories I have heard are just that: stories. And the reality of it all is that pageants done right can be the best things to ever happen to some women.

Chris Carr ~ Coach’s Corner This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending some time with a very nice group of young men. A good friend of mine is a football coach at John I. Burton High School, and they were in town for the group A state football championship. I was able to attend practice on Friday, eat at the team meal on Friday night, and also spend time with the players and parents before, during, and after the game on Saturday.

Even though they lost, these kids were

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very polite, and appreciative of me coming to support them. At a time when no one would have blamed these kids for being upset, and not so polite, these teenage boys made it a point to say “thank you” to me for being supportive of them. I had only known them for about 24 hours, but they felt compelled to say thank you.

It reminds me, the most proud I have ever been of a team I coached was when a member of the Bedford community wrote a letter to the newspaper expressing how well behaved my

Photos Submitted by Annette and Patrick Patterson

TOP: Several contestants from Miss Smith Mountain Lake, Miss Teen SML and Miss Pre-Teen SML. ABOVE: Miss Teen SML contestants Elizabeth Patterson and Taylor Jenkins pose with outgoing Miss William Byrd Holly Farris.

NEXT WEEK IN THE VINTON VOICE: Sitting down with new Miss William Byrd Jenna O’Leary as she discusses the crown.

PART XII boys were at a restaurant.

Sometimes coaches forget that it is not only our job to teach the game, but to teach the kids to be adults as well. I am looking forward to watching the boys on the baseball team become better baseball players, and I pray that I will be able to teach them to be good people too. I hope, and expect, that when people see a group of William Byrd athletes, they will be left with the same impression those boys left on me this weekend.

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Photos by Danny Cruff (2,3,6), Dan Vance (1,4,5) and Chris Manning (7)

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The WBHS boys basketball opened a busy week last Tuesday with a win at Glenvar. Tyreik Talley (1) seemed motivated by the return of his fall gridiron mate Derrick Palmer as he dropped seven points off a couple of nice Palmer assists. The team then battled Cave Spring, started by the JV and Joe Barton (2) on Friday. In Varsity action, Leon Williams again played strong defense (3) on Knight Josh Henderson. The week wrapped up on Monday with a physical rematch with Salem, where Nick Janowicz (4) worked hard for several rebounds. The girls basketball team also took on Cave Spring in a low scoring contest on Friday, where sophomore Kam Hagins (5) put up 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The swim team at WBHS followed up a disappointing opening loss to split with William Fleming and Salem on Monday evening (6), and the wrestling team took part in a tough meet last Saturday at Hidden Valley (7).

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Swim teams fall in BRD and season opener Chris Manning Publisher The Byrd swimming team was in action Wednesday the 9th and Monday the 14th, both at the Gator Aquatic Center. Both the boys and girls Terrier swimmers were downed by the Northside team, the boys by a wide margin, 10955 but the girls kept it closer, with an 89-82 loss. “Overall it was a good first meet” says Coach Krista Martin “hopefully that [close seven point loss] will give us a little extra motivation to train hard to really step up and face Northside again at the invitationals and our District meet at the end of the year.”

There were plenty of bright spots for Byrd in this meet, including a first place 200 Medley Relay team of Caitiln Gerig, Michelle Rose, Chelsea Woolfolk and Kacy Edsall as well as the 400 Free Relay with Gerig, Woolfolk, Edsall and Courtney Heck. Kacy Edsall won both of her individual events, the 200 individual medley and the 100 fly.

Photo by Danny Cruff

Junior Luke Johnson competes in last Wednesday’s season opener against Northside.

“Kacy swam faster this meet than she was swimming at the end of last year, which is a great sign,” says Martin.

Ariel Lackey, team captain also won the 100 free and Luke Gerig won the 100 breast.

Martin was excited to see the progress of some of the swimmers that were new to the program, “they showed great potential to do really well in individual events and relays this year” she exclaimed.

On Monday, the team was back in action in a dual meet against

Salem and William Fleming. The girls team again saw heartbreak, this time losing to Salem by only one point. Overall the team swept Fleming and were swept by Salem.

The Girls 200 Medley, with Sarah Vipperman taking the injured Kacy Edsall’s place and Courtney Heck swimming in place of Chelsea Woolfolk, won their race as well as the 400 free relay team of Heck, Ariel Lackey, Brittany Lane and Gerig. Gerig also won her 100 free and back races and Luke Johnson won his 200 individual medley.

Martin expects big things from Gerig, seeing her determination and good looking strokes have her convinced she could possibly compete in some individual events at the state level.

The team is back in action tonight against Patrick Henry.

Edsall is expected to return to action and that could make a big difference as Byrd takes on the Patriots.

The meet, originally scheduled for 8 PM, has been moved back and hour and is at the Gator Center.

Byrd competes with the elite in final meet of 2009 Chris Manning Publisher The William Byrd Indoor Track team was back on the road to Liberty’s indoor track for another all day Saturday event.

This one was the Asics Elite meet and according to Coach Eric Royal, the name was appropriate, “There were 8 to 10 teams there from North Carolina and a team from Pennsylvania” he said “if you’re going to bring a team that far, you’re definitely bringing your big dogs and they did.”

Royal felt that the fact that teams were traveling this far to Lynchburg showed the importance of the sport in general and went further to show that meets like this one were examples of the fact that indoor track is a valid varsity sport. “There is talk within the state that they might want to get rid of it [varsity indoor track] but if teams are willing to come this far,

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it shows the interest is there” Royal said “If we had an indoor track in Roanoke, we’d have meets here every weekend and teams would be traveling here from all over.”

While there were no first place finishers this week, the boys team showed some great signs that they were continuing to improve, which is impressive considering the fact that all they are able to practice on is the outdoor track surrounding the football field. John Mooney impressed once again in the 500 meters, finishing in third with a seventy second time, his personal best. “John was pretty pumped up” Royal remarked. The two relay teams didn’t have the same success they did the week prior as far as finishing, but they saw some outstanding improvements on their times from the previous Saturday. “That shows me that they rose to the challenge of racing against some of the elite teams they were facing” Royal bragged.

Justin Smith finished 5th in the high jump, matching his personal

best and AJ Thompson threw his best shot put of his indoor career.

John Williams finished 9th in the 1000, however Royal noted that he finished behind five kids from North Carolina and one from a AAA Virginia school “that shows me we’re going to be ok” said Royal.

Royal also had some good things to say about the girls team, although they didn’t have any notables, finish wise, the Coach is impressed with the work ethic of his girls team, which just doesn’t have the numbers or the standouts that the boys do, but according to Royal “they work really hard and are very dedicated to the sport.”

The team will be off for nearly a month, not competing again until January 9, when they head to Liberty for the Bulldog Invitational.

Royal expects the team to continue to work hard and says that the work during the holiday break will be what separates his athletes from the other teams athletes.

Photo Submitted by Eric Royal

William Byrd runner Jordan Gulli competes during last weekend’s Asics Elite meet at Liberty University.

Girls fall at buzzer, rebound in low scorer >Heartbreaker ends Glenvar contest, but team rebounds with second win over Cave Spring girls Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief Samantha Webster recorded two doubledoubles last week, but a last second desperation shot held William Byrd from a 2-0 mark during a four-day stretch.

The Concord recruit notched 10 points and 11 rebounds in the 34-33 loss to Glenvar last Tuesday and added 12 points and 14 rebounds in a 45-34 win on Friday at Cave Spring.

But perhaps the most lingering notion of the week for the Terriers will be the end of their contest with Glenvar on December 8.

In control much of the game, Byrd’s hopes were dashed by the Highlanders when, with 3.7 seconds remaining, Chelsea Arthur hit a surprise three pointer to give Glenvar the win.

“To Glenvar’s credit, they played very fundamental,” said Byrd coach Fran Recchia.

“And defensively, we were chasing the entire game– we had no defensive dictating the whole game.”

Before the shot, Byrd had been leading 3331 in the closing seconds.

Brittany Mattox followed Webster with nine points and seven rebounds; Jessica Rhodes tacked on five of each.

The team shot 31 percent from the field in the game, but faced many struggles: going to the line just 10 times where they shot 50 percent, turning the ball over 18 times and scoring no points in the second quarter.

Scoring woes continued on Friday night as the Terriers and Knights held each other scoreless for half of the first quarter before Cave Spring struck on a free throw. The score remained 1-0 for several minutes before Byrd could get a shot to fall, eventually taking a 4-1 lead into the first break.

“It’s been ongoing since the second half of

Salem (December 4), where we just struggle to score,” Recchia said. “I think they are putting a little too much pressure on themselves now to score. Once you miss a couple of layups, now you are thinking about those layups you missed instead of the next one.”

“Theres two ways you can go,” Recchia noted of when the score was 1-0 past midway through the first quarter. “You can kind of panic and then force the girls to try and step up and score, but all that does is make them panic. Really just keep working the ball and defensively getting stops and eventually the ball is going to have to go in the basket.”

Both teams found a little more rhythm, but Byrd held the Knights back behind Webster’s aforementioned double-double.

Sophomore Kam Hagins was one of many contributors off the bench to have some impact for Byrd. She scored 10 points and added eight rebounds, while Rhodes tacked on nine points and three rebounds.

Recchia noted that teams have been getting back into a zone against her squad and forcing them to take outside shots, which they just have not been able to make with much frequency.

“To other teams credit, they are taking away our post play, which is one of our strongest points,” Recchia said. “We can’t even get the ball in right now to get a couple of layups to open up the zones.”

The Terriers, though struggling to score early, actually had a higher field goal percentage than the previous Glenvar game, shooting 35 percent from the floor. They also improved from the charity stripe, where they hit 15-of-23 shots against the Knights.

Recchia noted that it was nice to get some of the younger players experience at Cave Spring.

Byrd had defeated Cave Spring once this season already, a dominating 56-22 performance on December 2.

The team moves into another long week,

Photo by Dan Vance

Jessica Rhodes takes up a shot strong during the second quarter of play Friday night at Cave Spring. Rhodes scored nine points in the win. with games Thursday at home against Salem, and Friday at Glenvar. The team also played on Tuesday night at home against the visiting Titans of Hidden Valley.

“I think we just need to relax and go back to playing our game– being fundamental and patient and working the ball around, making the zones shift,” Recchia said.

The team will have an ‘Orange Effect’ night on Thursday as they host Salem in a rematch of December 4th’s very physical contest. Recchia is asking that all fans wear orange to the game.

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Win over Glenvar highlights tough week >Lackluster offensive performances show through in back-to-back losses to Cave Spring and Salem after almost giving up game late to Highlanders Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief Last Tuesday, the William Byrd boys basketball team put themselves on the right track early in a 64-60 win over Glenvar, but could not stay on that track throughout the week. After defeating the Highlanders, the team has lost two in a row.

After falling behind early behind the 1-3-1 trap of Glenvar, Byrd surged to lead by as many as 18. But Glenvar came on strong, and coupled with Byrd mistakes, brought the game back in reach for the Highlanders in the closing minute.

“To [Glenvar’s] credit, they didn’t quit,” said Byrd coach Dave Culicerto. “We showed a lot of our youth and inexperience, took bad shots, missed a bunch of free throws.”

Part of Byrd’s surge in the second and third quarter came from the speedy play of senior Derrick Palmer, who was making his season debut after a knee injury from football.

“Kids look up to him out there, he’s their guy. He gives us a lot of intangibles,” Culicerto said of Palmer’s presence.

Byrd outrebounded Glenvar 30-21, led by the 10 rebounds from Jake Mankin, who scored 23. Scoring wise, Ben Hayden and Scott Cole each added nine, while Tyreik Talley had seven and Nick Janowicz had four. Cole added five assists while also shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

On Friday night, the brief win streak came to a close with a 58-37 loss to visiting Cave Spring at Byrd.

Palmer was a highlight early, scoring and drawing a foul in one play in the closing seconds of the first quarter while looking up at the clock.

Mankin added an and-one of his own with just over five minutes to play in the second quarter by scoring on a three-point shot and hitting from the foul line.

In the second loss to Cave Spring, it was again Mankin leading the way with a thenseason low 16 points. The senior chipped in just four rebounds, second only to Eric Slone’s six.

The Knights outrebounded Byrd 43-25. Only two players for Byrd outside of Mankin scored more than one field goal, with six points coming out of Palmer and four from Leon Williams.

Williams did a decent job in his second contest assigned to slowing down Vanderbilt recruit Josh Henderson, but it was the big man that helped find his open teammates deep.

“Josh is a good passer,” Culicerto noted.

“He finds people that are open and they made 50 percent of their three point shots that night.”

On Monday, the Terriers faced off at Salem in a rematch of last week’s overtime game, this time falling 64-34.

Culicerto’s squad struggled in the first half with ball control against the Spartan pressure, turning the ball over on several occasions. At the break, Byrd trailed 31-11 with seven of their points coming from Mankin.

In the end, the senior post scored 14 and

Photo by Danny Cruff

Guard Derrick Palmer throws up a shot as he tumbles to the floor, being fouled in last Friday’s loss to Cave Spring. also led Byrd in rebounds with eight. Jordan Ronning added the next highest total with five points while Palmer added five rebounds.

Byrd shot 0-for-14 from three point range in the loss.

Byrd faces rough path at weekend Titan Toughman Chris Manning Publisher The Byrd wrestlers had a weekend full of wrestling at the Titan Toughman, hosted by Hidden Valley. The competition started Friday at 2pm and went until after dark on Saturday.

The Terriers finished 6th in the competition behind the host Titans, defending group A champions Glenvar, Blue Ridge District Rivals Lord Botetourt finished 3rd, while fellow BRD mates Staunton River tied with Cave Spring for fourth. “That’s about where we expected to finish” said Coach Reed Carpenter “if a few things would have gone our way, we could have finished a little higher.

Byrd had four wrestlers on the final mats with two in the finals and two wrestling for third place. Garfield Harris lost the 112 lb final, but Carpenter was impressed with his performance “he finally beat the Northside kid [Kinh Ma] that

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beat him every time last year, he kept making adjustments every time and he finally closed the gap” Carpenter said. Zakk Moorman also finished 2nd, this time in the 119 lb group. Derek Sheehan finished 4th in the 125 lb group, giving Byrd a strong showing in three of the four lower weight classes.

Byrd’s heavyweight, Dustin Woods, finished third, which could’ve been considered a disappointment, based on his potential.

“Dustin isn’t wrestling his best right now, not as good as he was wrestling at the end of last year” Carpenter said “but we don’t have anyone for him to practice with in his weight class, so its really tough for him to work on some of the things he needs to, but we’ve got some guys from college coming in on break and they should be able to help us out for a month or so and that should help Dustin get back to where he was.”

Although not a finalist, Carpenter also pointed out freshman Jacob Bailey, wrestling at 171 lbs, who knocked off the top seed in the division in the second round. “He ended up 5th, but he lost in the semis at the last second, had

he turned one way or another, he might have had a chance to be in the finals” said Carpenter.

Carpenter sees good things coming out of this team, and sees improvement “some of the older guys aren’t performing where they need to be, but we’ve got some of the freshmen coming along, if they get to where we need them to be, we’re going to be ok” he said.

The Terriers are in for another two day meet, this time traveling to Turner Ashby with a 5pm start Friday and a 9:45 am start Saturday.

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•‘MANKIN’ continued from page 24 teach them,” Mankin notes.

Teaching them could pay off with another late run like the Terriers made last year, one that Mankin was able to see, not from the driver’s seat, but from a very close view that allowed him learn and grow in his own right.

The growth process is something that he is not only helping teach, but is also still going through daily.

He is learning, especially through a rough couple of past games, that there are other ways he can both contribute outside of scoring, and get his teammates involved on both the offensive and defensive ends. He notes that all of the double teams and combo defenses that he is now drawing will just help to get his teammates more looks and help them grow in the long run.After all, being a team player is what will help Mankin lead Byrd to one more run at a dream.

As he continues to lead the younger players and push forward to making a state tournament dream a reality, Mankin has looked to find a niche for himself in the ranks of local players. And he is doing many of the right things in getting the area to take notice of him. As of press time, five games into the 2009-2010 campaign, Mankin is averaging 23 points and just under eight rebounds per contest and shouldering the load at this point for a team still looking for their permanent identity.

“It’s good that the work is paying off, that people are able to see what I have been working for,” he says.

People were able to see a lot of what Mankin has been working for on December 4, when he went off against Salem, who made a state run of their own last season. In that game, Mankin had 39 points, but always the team player, he won’t first credit himself with what got him to that total.

“Once the first one falls, it becomes easier,” Mankin said of his shooting in the Salem game. “My teammates kept getting me the ball in a good position to score, I kept putting them up and they were falling.”

That unselfish behavior could be the catalyst for Byrd – once they get through their early season growing pains – to try and shock the area again with another Blue Ridge District crown and one more run at the ultimate high school dream. And most importantly for the unselfish leader, he is sure to make the most out of it all.

“You don’t get many opportunities at high school basketball and it is a real fun atmosphere to play in and deal with,” Mankin says with the wisdom of someone past his age. “You just have to give it all you have; you won’t have this chance for too long.”

What better gift than that of knowledge?

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This holiday season, get your loved one a subscription to the only publication made in Vinton, for Vinton!

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VOICE 23

Photo by Dan Vance

Jake Mankin:

Leadership with everyone’s best interest in mind Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief Along the way, somebody taught Jake Mankin right.

It could be left at that, poignant, telling everything that needs to be known in one sentence. But then again, that wouldn’t be the Jake Mankin way– his is a way that puts almost everyone else first.

A senior at William Byrd, a golfer in the fall, a hopeful college basketball recruit, Mankin has found himself the leader on the hardwood in Vinton as his final season as a Terrier has begun.

See last year, the Terriers did something nobody expected them to do: they advanced to state and came (in the reality of a school that was never expecting to be there) within a blink of a dream.

It is a dream of many, an illusive state title– something that William Byrd High School has never done.

Something that coach Dave Culicerto, in all his years on the hardwood and the bench, has never done.

But it is a dream that they all strive for everyday, through each tribulation and through all of that jubilation. At the forefront of that dream now lays Jake Mankin.

“It’s my senior year, so it would be awesome to go out on top and just make it down to Richmond,” Mankin says. “This is my last chance so I am going to give it my all to see if we can make it there.”

His last chance has been years in the making. He’s been playing back yard ball with his dad since he was four or five years old and began playing organized basketball in third grade with an AAU team based in Botetourt.

Following that, he has been playing for Byrd since middle school.

But it is that family foundation that is key for Mankin, something that he thinks also helps bring a family vibe to this years Terrier team.

“My mom’s been seeing me work on my basketball over these years and it’s good to see that she notices what I’ve been working for,” Mankin says with a smile. “I’ve been playing basketball with my dad for a long time, he’s been helping me to get better and it’s good to see that he appreciates what I’m doing.”

And if William Byrd basketball is like a family of it’s own, Mankin has taken on the role in many ways that his own father took with him in that back yard, teaching and leading the younger kids– helping to foster growth in their own game.

“It is stressful being a senior leader, trying to help out these young kids.

I’ve been around a while and I guess I know the ways a little bit and I can

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•See ‘MANKIN’ - page 23