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Hats Off! to Roanoke County & Vinton and all that Helped with Enchanted Eve, New Year’s. It was something for everyone, the weather could have been a little better however people bundled up and came out. Thank you to all that did. I had a great time at Thrasher’s Coffee house listening to the fantastic one woman Band Terry Cyns. This girl can sing all types of songs and puts her whole heart and soul in each. She even writes songs one she did was “Desperately” I’m sure if she recorded this one it would be on the top 10 list of country in no time. Bonnie Lemberg , Denise Pully and I were her biggest fans . Even joined her in “It’s my Party,” A real show stopper LOL!! Denise and I judged the Enchanted Idol contest and were WOWED by Emily Zauzmer, 13 year old from Pa. She sang “Hello Baltimore” is now ready for Broadway. We told Emily to remember her first break here in Vinton. She and family were visiting relatives and Dad found it on the Web. Bootie Bell Chewning Thanks to all that entered. Emily took home a trophy and six months membership to the new Green Ridge Rec Center. Yes, BOO_TEE@msn.com they visit often. Congratulations Emily. Keep on singing!!!!! Get well wishes and prayers go out to Frank Kelly, Melanie Vest (Both at home now), Ann Nicely, Bill Hufton, Fred Spangler. Sure hope everyone gets rid of all the crud that’s going around. Just too many sick people. Get well everyone soon. Congrats! to Lisa Chittum and Carson Hambrick who just celebrated their 8th anniversary. May you have many more. Right before Christmas Monty Williams hosted a gathering with some of his WBHS high school friends. Joining in the fun were, Wayne & Mie Joness (LA), Stuart Wamsley (Boston), Catherine “Shorty” Sublett Read and Jay Minnix (Northern Va), David Laughlin & Sharon Shepherd ( Roanoke) , Robin Smith Claris (Miss). Would have like to have been a fly on the wall to hear all these conversations. I think it is fantastic for all the “old” buddies to get together. Now where was Jeff Howell??????? I know LA. Were your ears burning Jeff? Happy Birthday wishes go out to Elaine Bower Aikens, Joyce Jenkins, Bob Grogan, Joseph Mays, Christie Chewning Richards, Greg Chewning , Susan Chewning Anderson and Sarah Anderson. Hope you all had or have a good one. Bill & Elaine Campbell have a new grandbaby, Landon Patrick Helman born Nov 24th. Proud parents are Jordon Campbell & Emily Helman. Uncle Ben Campbell is proud too!! Little Caleb James Duncan arrived on Dec 17th in time for Christmas. A gift to Chris & James Duncan. Grandson of James & Bonnie Short, Keith & Cindy Duncan and great grandson of
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Enchanted Eve Photos by Danny Cruff
Margaret Wood. Congratulations to all. Hope you all have a happy New Year. Just hope it warms up a bit . Tooooooo cold for me. I really need a snuggie. Yes the Chewning’s had a reunion Sunday at Woodland Place more on that next week.
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Chewning given honor by national publication >Voice columnist gets surprise in write up for FourPoints Magazine, a top publication for Miss America enthusiasts
WBHS basketball players Jessica Rhodes and Ben Hayden Photos by Danny Cruff
116 S. Poplar Street - Suite 1 Vinton, VA 24179 540-904-5836 - Office 540-904-5838 - Fax info@vintonvoice.com www.vintonvoice.com
EDITORIAL Chris Manning Publisher chris@vintonvoice.com Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief dan@vintonvoice.com Jacob Clifton Delivery/General info@vintonvoice.com Brian Manning Circulation Director brian@vintonvoice.com
COLUMNISTS Bootie Bell Chewning General Info BOO_TEE@msn.com Erin E. Delauder-Brooks Pharmacy askthepharmacist@vintonvoice.com Michele Gunter Lifestyle avoiceofreason@vintonvoice.com Dale Russell Financial wheresmymoney@vintonvoice.com Amanda Stump Lifestyle (Female) info@vintonvoice.com Monica West Lifestyle (Female) info@vintonvoice.com
CONTRIBUTORS Danny Cruff Contributor dannycruffphotography@cox.net Barbara Dillon Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved by Vinton Voice Newspapers
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.’
all throughout the United States, I was just honored.” The piece takes a look at Bootie’s decades of service with pageants, starting with her incidental introduction into judging when We all know Bootie Bell Chewning, she’s an original judge dropped out. The magazine the “queen of Vinton” so to speak. She’s been a focuses on what she’s done in the past, recognizable face around here for decades and including being president and vice president of now, as all of you know, she’s the Voice’s resident the board of directors and her current position town columnist and “gossip extraordinaire.” as executive producer of the Miss Virginia She’s been in movies, on TV shows, is big pageant. with bringing motion pictures to Virginia and The piece puts Bootie in a very positive has just about seen and done it all. It was her light, discussing everything she does, including work with Miss Virginia and Junior Miss that her now famous “tush push” instruction she earned her a three page spread in the national gives all the contestants each year, her honor as magazine FourPoints, a YWCA volunteer of which is considered a the year and many of “I felt really honored because the other great things “must read” for Miss American enthusiasts. of the fact that I usually just see she’s done. “Sherry McKinney Of course, them during the week of Miss along with the and Anne Royster nominated me for Virginia and the fact that they c o m p l i m e n t a r y this,” says Chewning. article titled “Belle of “It was a great surprise nominated me is just great.” the Ball”, complete and an amazing thing with three pictures to see, it was about (including one of her someone who is a volunteer, but I thought it doing the “tush push”) there is the obligatory was just going to be on Facebook.” sidebar that gives the explanation of her However, it wasn’t just on the popular nickname. internet site. “I felt really honored because of the fact “Then I got a call from the writer saying that I usually just see them during the week of that you’ve been nominated and chosen and Miss Virginia and the fact that they nominated we did the interview and I thought, well that’s me is just great,” she says. nice,” Bootie says. “But then a little while later It doesn’t take a national magazine to let I get this magazine in the mail with three us know how great our “Bootie” is, but we sure pages and with it being a magazine that goes don’t mind the rest of the world knowing.
Chris Manning Publisher
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Break on through to the other side It is officially a New Year, both in the real world and here inside the pages of the only paper in Vinton for Vinton. As the year 2009 wrapped up, we had continuously been reminded of why Vinton and the surrounding community is so great. The last couple of weeks, while hectic, have provided even little stories about the great things and people in Vinton. From the heartfelt remembrances of Billy Obenchain, to the William Byrd students who dug our own Bootie Bell Chewning an actual driveable driveway from beneath the loads of snow – this community continued to rally together as a unit through 2009 and I can only expect the same in 2010. It was something that I am sure my dad noticed when he was able to spend a few days here late last week after my return from the holiday in Indiana (and if you think it’s cold here, take a drive nine hours north). Other than just terrain, winding roads and plenty of hills that he continuously noted, I was happy to share just a portion of my Vinton life with my dad this past week. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy his stay and again, those little things that make Vinton what it is. From a thrilling Overtime win for the Lady Terriers basketball team last Wednesday against Lord Botetourt, a nice lunch at Angelo’s (see this week’s Business Spotlight) on New Year’s Day with Patrick Patterson and even his stay at Vinton’s own American Efficiency Inns (special thanks to Allison Finney Bragg for being so helpful with the arrangements), I think that my dad learned over a stretch of four days why I have come to enjoy Vinton so much. But in the end, when he left on Saturday, it was back to business and business means bringing each of you a great publication each week, as we have strived to do each and every Dan Vance week since August 26, 2009. dan@vintonvoice.com And with that, I want to say (probably for the 1 millionth time) thank you to each and every one of you who have, will and are supporting the Vinton Voice. It is no surprise, nor secret that upstart businesses can struggle with uphill battles, especially newspapers at this current point. But each of you that read, subscribe to or advertise in the Vinton Voice are the reasons why community publications are thriving and while our battle hasn’t nearly been as tough as some doubters may have expected. And with that is our new slogan that I am sure you have seen: Vinton’s voice, 2010 and beyond. During the final four months (and some change) in 2009, we broke a lot of boundaries, did a lot of different things and captured your attention, something we plan to break by leaps and bounds in 2010. While primarily focused to our advertisers, I do invite each of you to log on to Issuu and check out our ‘Media Kit’ to learn more about what we have done and what we plan to bring you fresh in 2010. The 12-page information package is available at Issuu.com/vintonvoice, as are the first 19 issues of the Voice, in their entirety. From our special sections to several supplementary publications, we have many great plans for 2010. We will be partnering with the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce this spring to bring the new Vinton Image magazine, as well as releasing our own magazines during the year covering the Year in William Byrd High School sports (summer), From Around Town (fall) and the 2010 Vinton Year in Review (winter). Plus don’t forget those in-paper specials that will return (Meet the Candidates, sports previews) and those that will debut (Dogwood Festival Special). There are also several little changes starting in the Voice this, if for no other reason than to make the pages of this publication a little more aesthetically pleasing for each of you. In the coming weeks, you will also notice some of our familiar features going on a bi-weekly rotation, including the addition of some great columns from Michele Gunter, Amanda Stump and Monica West. We also want more of you to get involved. The feedback has been so great, but we always encourage more. While the vast (and I do mean vast) majority of our 2009 Readers Survey takers thought that we at the Voice are easy to get a hold of and accessible, there were a few who did
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Photo by Danny Cruff
not feel the same. So log onto our Facebook page, check our website, visit us on Issuu or even drop any of us an e-mail and we would be more than happy to correspond with any of you about any topic that can continue to make the Voice the best publication for you. So let us know about the things you are doing, your school is doing, your team or church are doing. On the very next page (page 05), we debut our VoiceBox feature this week where you can help share your thoughts on the Voice, the events of Vinton or even the people in it, pulled directly from your feedback though Facebook, Twitter and on our blog. It is that easy to get involved and have your ‘Voice’ be heard in Vinton. On the topic of someone getting their Voice out, and the great things about Vinton, I just received an e-mail today from William Byrd HS Athletic Director Crystal Worley about the February 3 “Play for a Cure” at the Lady Terrier basketball game (read a little more about this on page 14). This is great cause and another great example of the right things that people in Vinton are doing on a weekly and daily basis. In college, I was able to witness this kind of fundraiser (known at my school as a ‘PinkOut’) multiple times and know the passion that people put into it. Sadly, it is hard to find one person in your life that has not in some way been affected by cancer. This event is a great cause to raise money and important awareness of all forms of cancer, including breast cancer. This is just one example of something that I strongly encourage the caring public of Vinton to get involved with. We were proud to bring quality, community specific news back to Vinton in 2009 and in 2010, we encourage you to help us break on through those remaining walls as we continue to be the primary news source on everything Vinton, Mt. Pleasant and Bonsack. Vinton, is a great place for family, friends, government, athletics, community and everything in between...we know it, you know and it is time that everyone else finds it out as well.
In Brief Town Council vacancy to be filled
Mayor and Council announced the process for filling the vacancy left by the loss of Vinton citizen Billy Obenchain. The Town of Vinton Charter requires Council to fill the vacancy within 30 days or by January 22, 2010. Town Council is requesting any interested citizens of the Town of Vinton to submit their letter of interest to the Town Clerk by 5 pm, Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The appointment would be for a period ending June 30, 2010. Please submit your letter of interest and Certificate of Candidate Qualification to the Town Clerk with the following information in a sealed envelope addressed to Mayor Brad Grose, 311 South Pollard Street, Vinton, VA 24179. A copy of the letter of interest and State Board of Election Certificate of Candidate Qualifications can be picked up at the Town Clerk’s office or downloaded at www.vintonva.gov.
Want your Voice heard? Each week, we will share some the comments you share with us weekly through our online presence on Facebook, Twitter and our Blog.
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Chamber Breakfast Seminar
The Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Before Breakfast Seminar on income tax review and 401K review for business & individuals. This seminar is presented and sponsored by Chuck Neeley of Neely’s Accounting Services Inc. and Richard Pettit of Merrill Lynch. Continental Breakfast Included. The seminar will be held January 14th at 8:00 am at Woodland Place. $5 for chamber members; $10. for non-members RSVP 343-1364 or info@vintonchamber.com
Joyce Allen Payne
via Facebook on Vinton’s Snow Removal I hope if we have another snow, Vinton will clean the roads and not leave icebergs in the center of the main drag for people to run into and over. Yeah I saw it, but after turning my head left and right for 15 minutes, when I had a chance to go across I also felt it!! Almost flipped my car. Should have gone to the E.R. with the knot on the side of my head. I was wearing my seatbelt. Thank God I waited till there was no traffic coming or there would have been a real disaster. Point is, it shouldn’t have been there to start with. Vinton did a horrible job this year cleaning up after the snow.
Ann Brown
“Great job to the Vinton Voice. May 2010 bring many more pages and excels greatly. All of you have done a wonderful job. Happy New Year to the Voice family...”
“Great job!! You have a lot to be proud of considering what a short time you have been in business. You all have a great future in store!”
via Facebook
Roanoke County Schools to hold Kindergarten Registration Roanoke County Schools will hold registration for upcoming kindergarten children, and children presently enrolled in private kindergarten who will attend first grade in public schools during the 2010-2011 school year. All children who will be five years old on or before September 30, 2010, are eligible for kindergarten. Parents should register their children at the elementary school in their home area on Wednesday, January 13 and Thursday, January 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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Keith Chittum
via Facebook
Jeff Walker
via Facebook on William ‘Billy’ Obenchain “I was sad to read about his passing when I was in last week for my mom’s funeral. Vinton lost a true gentleman, community leader, and family man, that’s for sure. Praying for his family and friends.”
Correction for 12/30/09 Issue
In last week’s issue (Volume 1, Issue 19), the front cover photo was incorrectly attributed to Scott Brooks. While provided to us by Scott, the photo was actually taken by Barry Brooks at the previous year’s Vinton Police Awards.
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Sharon Patsell
via Facebook on William ‘Billy’ Obenchain
Billy Obenchain was a One of a Kind Man, who loved his family, his community and his life. I was so moved to see that the Front Page of the Vinton Voice was a Full Page Picture of Billy. I knew his father, Bill, when he was that age and they looked so much alike. He will be truly missed and treasured memories and prayer to his family as they move forward in their lives without his presence here. God Bless You Each and Every one!
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Members of the William Byrd HS Junior Varsity boys basketball team and other members of the crowd check out the December 30, 2009 issue of the Voice between the JV and Varsity games against Glenvar at Byrd. Both Terrier teams were successful in their contests. Do you have an ‘Everybody Reads the Voice’ photo? Reading the Voice at home, at a game, in the car, wherever...share your photos with us at editor@vintonvoice.com.
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Ask the Pharmacist
Everybody Reads the Voice
Erin DeLauder-Brooks, Pharm.D., MBA AskThePharmacist@vintonvoice.com Happy New Year! Every year people make New Year’s Resolutions. Among the most common are to lose weight, stop smoking, or become healthier. Your pharmacist can help with all three of those resolutions. We can help recommend specific diets, exercise, or even over-thecounter medication to help you shed some pounds. There are also several over-the-counter options to help you stop smoking. If you have questions about specific vitamins or minerals, ask your pharmacist. We want you to be healthier in 2010! Dr. Erin DeLauder-Brooks is the pharmacy manager of the new Walgreens on Franklin Rd. If you have any pharmacy related questions, feel free to ask her at askthepharmacist@vintonvoice.com.
Obituaries RICHARD WAYNE KELLY, 72, of Roanoke went to be with the Lord Wednesday, December 30, 2009. He served in the United States Marines and retired from Eaton, Inc. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Roscoe and Susie Kelly and a brother, R. C. Kelly, Jr. Surviving is his wife, Betty Rife Kelly; two sons, Donald R. Kelly and his fiancé, Gina Hayes, Summerfield, NC, and Mark S. Kelly, Roanoke; one granddaughter, Rhiannon Kelly, Greensboro, NC; sister, Joanne Kelley; Roanoke, sister-in-law, Almeda Kelly, Salem; and his beloved friend and companion, “Sammy”. Funeral services will be conducted 10 a.m. Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with the Rev. Craig Rutherford officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942. The family will receive friends Friday, January 1, 2010 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221. EUGENE R. “GENE” LAVELLE, 84, of the Mount Pleasant Community of Roanoke County, passed away at his home Wednesday, December 30, 2009. He was preceded in death by son, Stephen L. Lavelle on January 15, 1990. He was a member of Iron Workers Local Union #697. He served his country honorably in the United States Navy during WWII in South Pacific Theatre. Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Iris Parker Lavelle; sons, Robert E. Lavelle and Timothy C. Lavelle of Roanoke; grandson, Rob Lavelle of Roanoke; and sister, Fawnie Roaddruck of Coos Bay, Oregon. Funeral services will be conducted at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Elizabeth Mortlock officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1-3 p.m. Friday, January 1, 1009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel and one hour before the service at the church. Arrangements by Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221. DOROTHY (DOT) DICKENSON TEMPLE, 87, died December 29, 2009 at South Roanoke Nursing Home from complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was preceded in death in 2005 by her husband of 64 years, George L. Temple Jr. Mrs. Temple was a long-time secretary in the Roanoke City school system until her retirement after about 33 years. She had a passion for sewing and with her sister, the late Juanita Moorman, opened the Fabric Boutique in 1980. She operated the business until 1991. During that time she and her staff taught many classes as well selling material, supplies and Bernina sewing machines. Mrs. Temple was a member of the First Baptist Church of Roanoke for over 55 years. Over the course of her long membership she served on several committees and taught Sunday School. Other memberships included the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Virginia Retired Teachers Association. Mrs. Temple is survived by her daughter the Reverend Olivia Temple Davis and sonin-law the Reverend Dr. James B. Davis of Ocean Pines, Maryland; grandson Jonathan T. Davis and his wife Shea Davis of Vinton; granddaughter Dorothy A. Davis of Montgomery, Alabama and her fiancé Brian Fouche of Memphis, Tennessee; six great-grandchildren; sister Ruth Dickinson of Atlanta, Georgia; a sister-in-law, Pearl Thomason; niece Christy Botterill, and nephews Dr. E. Davis Martin, Danny Dickinson, and Barry Mays. Funeral services for Mrs. Temple were held on Saturday, January 2, 2010, at 12:00 p.m. at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel. The service was officiated by Reverend Dr. James B. Davis and the Reverend John D. Cochran. Visitation was held on Friday, January 1st, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the funeral home and on January 2nd one hour before the service. Those who wish to make memorial contributions are asked to make those contributions to the Roanoke Rescue Mission. Arrangements by Oakey’s Vinton Chapel (982-2221).
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the voice of vinton...this year and beyond
ANNA CATHERINE AMOS, 92, of Hardy, died Friday, January 1, 2010. Known to most as Grandma Amos, even if they weren’t kin, she was born, raised and lived her entire life on a farm. She was the true example of a country girl. Most days she could be found working in the garden, in her flower beds, or tending to baby calves. Her true passion was spending time with friends and family especially her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She was also a faithful member of Halesford Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wistar P. Amos; and by two sisters, Elsie Amos and Reba Meador. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Byron and Judy Amos, Hardy; two granddaughters, Heather Williams and husband, Clifton, Hope Mills, N.C., and Robin Amos, King, N.C.; one grandson, Duane Amos and wife, Laura, of Hardy; two great-grandsons, Aaron and Joshua Williams, Hope Mills, N.C.; one great-granddaughter, Anna Amos, Hardy one niece, Bonnie Beeler and husband, John, of Clemons, N.C. The family wishes to give special thanks to Good Samaritan Hospice, her registered nurse, Jayne, and her social worker, Pam. Also, special thanks to her friend and hairdresser Robin Brabham, and sincere thanks and appreciation to her caregivers, Gloria Welch and Kathy Wilson. Funeral services were be conducted 10 a.m. Monday, January 4, 2010, at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with Pastor Melvin Harris officiating. Burial followed in Mountain View Cemetery. Flowers are appreciated or memorials may be made to Halesford Baptist Church. The family received friends Sunday, January 3, 2010, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.
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Reach the Vinton Voice by phone at 540.904.5836 By fax at 540.904.5838 Or via e-mail at info@vintonvoice.com
Vinton, Bonsack, Mt.Pleasant MARKET
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CEMETERY For Sale, 4 cemetery plots in Cedar Lawn Memorial Park. Retail at $1400 a piece, will sell all 4 for $2900. Call 540-589-3936
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Medela breast pump “in style breast pump” - includes speed control. Professional performance for ACTIVITIES today’s active Pinochole Players Call mothers. Pete at 540-345-3342 Breast pump and accessories included. Slam Boxing Partner model # 57010 with gloves $200, call $175.00 540-910-2663 Call 345-9369 Sweet Cat Needs a good home. Call 540427-4466
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Model X5150 Teaberry’s Cafe, 129 Lexmark Event Photos All in One printer, dannycruffphotography.com E. Cleveland in Vinton, is looking for Kitchen scanner, copier, and fax help and Waitress staff. Real good condition, FOR SALE Experience is preferred, comes with....software but not necessary. for windows and Matching lounge macintosh, owners and chair – both for Apply in person before 11 or after 2 Mon thru manual, two extra black $1000. Almost like Fri. Ask for Brenda. ink cartridges, one FOR RENT CARPET brand new! extra color cartridge, WANTED power cable. USB cable Call 540-427-4466 Carpet Re-Stretching Professional and/or not furnished. asking and Repair Business space Vinton Chamber of $75.00...call Fred at 540-776-9591 Drill Press, Bearing available, Commerce (540) 353-6268 approx 400 sq. ft. Press, Forklift, Misc. has moved offices and 116 S. Poplar St. DRIVER shop items for sale. is looking for a few new CLOTHING Woodland Square, things on their wishlist. And guess what, DRIVER SIDE REHAB off of Washington For more, contact: Wedding Dress Enrolling new drivers Ave. Next door to the The Price is Right. Size 8, never worn Vinton Area Chamber Vinton Area Chamber of 36-period class runs wedding dress with of Commerce NEW A+ Price is Right Auto Commerce and the Vinton 1/12/10-2/22/10 matching flower girl location: 116 S.Poplar Voice news office. Parts and Supplies M/Tu/Th 4-5:45pm dress, slip, veil and sash. St., Suite 1A – Vinton, For information, BTW avail by appt. Call 341 Walnut Ave. Vinton $500. VA 24179 please call Call 540-910-1203 now 981-1665 982-8777 Call: 540-343-1364 580 4675
Carilion Clinic now accepting applicants for Scholarships Carilion Clinic is now accepting applications for a number of nursing scholarships. In an effort to recruit more people to join the healthcare field, Carilion Clinic is encouraging current employees and members of the public to further their education. “These scholarships are intended to support diversity in nursing and to advance education in healthcare,” says Lauren Crowder, education benefits specialist for Carilion Clinic. “We strongly encourage those interested in pursuing a career in nursing to look into these scholarship opportunities.” The following scholarships are now accepting applications: • Thomas L. Robertson Honorary Nursing Scholarship – The Thomas L. Robertson Honorary Nursing Education Award was named for Thomas L. Robertson, who was with Carilion for 32 years - 15 of those as president/CEO - before retiring in 2001. Monetary awards are given to individuals in professional nursing education programs leading to licensure as registered nurses or to registered nurses pursuing baccalaureate or master’s degrees in nursing. Both employees and members of the community are eligible for awards. Scholarship amounts vary up to $3,000. • Seay Education Scholarship – The Seay Education Scholarship was founded in memory
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of Carrie L. Seay, a nurse who was dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for employees so they could provide quality patient care. Prior to her death in 2001, Carrie worked for Carilion as an Education Consultant in the Human Resources department. Carilion sponsors this scholarship to encourage continuing nursing education. The recipient receives $2,000 to apply toward educational
“These scholarships are intended to support diversity in nursing...” expenses. The Seay Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to applicants who are employed by Carilion, enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and committed to a career in nursing. • JoAnn Brinkman Nursing Scholarship – The JoAnn Brinkman Nursing Scholarship was established in memory of JoAnn Brinkman, an inspirational nurse and member of the MedSurg ICU, who lost her life to inflammatory breast cancer in 2007. A monetary award of
$1,000 will be awarded to a nursing student for tuition assistance, books or any other schoolrelated expenses. Students who come from a single-parent household or are single parents are eligible for this scholarship. They must be enrolled or in the process of enrolling in a nursing degree program. Other criteria, such as GPA and extracurricular activities, are also considered in the selection of applicants. Both employees and members of the community are eligible for awards. • Roanoke Memorial School of Professional Nursing Alumni Association Scholarship – The Roanoke Memorial School of Professional Nursing Alumni Association Scholarship was created to enhance interest and education in the nursing profession. A monetary award of $1,000 will be awarded. Both employees and members of the community are eligible for this scholarship. However, preference will be given to graduates of or descendents of graduates of the Roanoke Memorial Hospital School of Professional Nursing. Applications and supporting documentation may be sent to Lauren Crowder, Carilion Clinic, Human Resources, 1202 Third St., Roanoke, VA, 24016. Deadline for applications is Feb. 26, 2010. To learn more about the scholarships, please visit www.carilionclinic.org/Carilion/ Scholarships or call 983-3600 or 1-800-5992537.
Angelo’s Restaurant
Vinton’s Best Kept Secret Chris Manning Publisher Angel Linares has Vinton’s best kept secret. Yes, Vinton itself is a very well kept secret from the rest of the state, but this little one man treasure toward the end of Pollard called Angelo’s is something that not even everyone in Vinton knows about. Angelo’s is going on its 24th year in town, in the same location, “other places come and go, but I’m still right here” says Linares with a smile. Linares is originally from Mexico and has brought authentic tastes with him, but that’s not all he brings. Taking a look at the menu on the wall you’ll see anything from steak tacos and enchiladas to grilled cheeses, salads,
BLTs and cheeseburgers and even a breakfast menu. Now, don’t be mistaken, this isn’t going to be typical “fast food.” It is anything but. The burgers are made of fresh ground beef. The “fries” aren’t crinkle cut, they’re not even fries at all, they’re hand cut potatoes that are fried on the grill beside the burger. The steak tacos, enchiladas and more aren’t made with thin cut processed steak, Linares takes a New York strip steak, a full steak, and cuts it up, so when you’re eating “steak anything” at Angelo’s, you’re eating real steak. His vegetables are fresh and he cuts them right there in front of you. He takes care of every meal as if he was serving it for his own family. When he adds the condiments , he’s not using a bottle to squirt it on there, he’s using real utensils, putting them
on himself. He serves the food on plates that he’ll hand wash once you’re done with your meal. And he does all this in a place roughly the size of a large office. Now, should you be in a hurry, or looking for a “quick bite,” this isn’t the place for you. One man, one grill, one order at a time. But when you take that first bite, it’s well worth the wait. Typically when you head into Angelo’s, you might not see a lot of the people you recognize around town. Angelo’s has a following, a big following, but you’re more likely to see someone in there who is taking a little extra time for lunch and coming to the “little place in Vinton” they’ve told all their friends about. Dan Casey, columnist for the Roanoke Times, is one of those people that is a follower of Angelo’s, “ Last summer we had an intern in the newsroom -- she was from Mexico, and during the summer she tried most of the Mexican restaurants in town. One day she told me Roanoke didn’t have any REAL Mexican food” he said, continuing “I took her to Angelo’s and she was flabbergasted: Chile Rellenos exactly like her mother made them. She didn’t believe they existed north of the Rio Grande.” And while the food is what keeps them coming back, Angel himself has tickled the fancy of the famous columnist as well “Angel Linares is an Aztec Archie Bunker” Casey says while comparing the chef with the famous television character “he’ll lecture you on food history, philosophy and lazy gringos in between serving up monstrous $3 burgers and giant omelets that would sate two famished weightlifters.” Angel has claimed that the tortilla chip was the invention of he and his uncle, Ernesto Hernandez at Ernesto’s Restaurant in Washington, DC, “it’s my contribution to the US economy” he says. While that can’t be verified and history says otherwise, when the man tells you, something makes you believe him. What can be verified is Angelo’s contribution to Vinton and even though he’s 76 years old, he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
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“Once again there were lots of smiling faces, h people, and a true sense of community as we ra the New Year in style with Enchanted Eve,” acco to Wendi Schultz,Tourism and Event Coordinat Roanoke County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. The evening featured a celebration of visua performing arts for all ages and culminated w midnight procession and fireworks. Emily Zau the winner of the first “Enchanted Idol Contest” the crowd singing Auld Lang Syne”. Emily an family from Hatboro, Pennsylvania found out Enchanted Eve on the internet. They were looking for an event for the whole f to participate in while making a halfway stop in to Georgia. Emily’s mother said, “This has truly bee Enchanted Eve”.
Top and Bottom Row pictures by Mary Beth Layman, all others by Danny Cruff
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happy ang in ording tor for . al and with a uzmer, � lead nd her about
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VOICE 11
Snow Days Barbara Dillon Vinton Historical Society During the late 1930’s our family lived on the corner of Jefferson Avenue in Vinton up next to the top of the hill above The Vinton Elementary School, later named Roland E. Cook School and the principal was Louella T. Scott. Several winters we had pretty deep snows and Jefferson Avenue made a wonderful place to sleigh ride. The street would be closed off down where Pollard Street is today. The streets in these days had not been hard topped as they are now and often had ruts and gravels and dried mud that would get deeper after a rain or snow and dusty in dry weather. A plow would come along sometimes and lower the ruts and fill in with cinders from the Viscose Plant. After a pretty good snow adults and kids alike would get out there and pack down a sleigh riding track. Very few people had automobiles in those days and if they went out after a snow storm they would always put chains on the tires but usually would walk where they wanted to go and leave the car at home. Most every family had a sled with metal runners on it and they cold be guided left and right. Kids loved to play in the snow and didn’t mind getting cold and wet. What fun we had and who cared if they rolled off into the snow. One family had a longer bob sled and what a treat when several could sit up or lay down and ride down the hill on it. Of course it was always very cold and someone would build a bon fire at the top of the hill and what a treat to ride several city blocks down the hill, pull the sled back up to the top, and be with friends around a good fire to get warm and dry out a little before going down again. Few people ever got hurt – probably because they were so well padded and wrapped up to keep warm with coats, sweaters, scarves, hats, goulashes or anything they could find. Can you imagine talking, laughing, walking with friends of all ages and playing in the snow? And then congregating around the fire to get warm and tell stories and sometimes a neighbor would even bring out some hot chocolate and pass it around. I happened to be in high school and my brothers and sister and I always looked forward to a big snow and a wonderful time in the winter wonderland. Then our mother would get really fretted with us. We would go home and we had a furnace with a large square register in the floor and we would step on it with our shoes on and the next thing you know we had scorched the sole of our shoes by the heat from the register. P.S. – About 1940 the streets were black topped by the W.P.A. and cars got more plentiful and the town stopped blocking off our street.
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VOICE 13
Sportsmanship Photo by Dan Vance
Sportsmanship is a rare thing. Typically the people who get the most attention are the ones who are making the most noise and that is especially true in sports. Take a look at Chad OchoCinco, Terrell Owens, Allen Iverson, Manny Ramirez and many more athletes who make the highlights on SportsCenter and tell me why they’re the ones who get the air time. Sadly, this type of behavior isn’t just for the professional ranks; it rears its ugly head in college, just watch a basketball or football game on TV, what you see is guys trying to make the highlight reels. A simple tackle is turned into a celebration. A dunk is turned into a screaming, muscle flexing spectacle. It isn’t just the players however. How many times have you seen a baseball manager thrown out of arguing calls, a clip of Lou Pinella throwing a base all over the field has been shown for years. When this kind of thing happens on a professional level, you can either laugh or shake your head. When it happens at a college level you can assume that they’re just trying to make it to the next level. But what happens when you see it a high school or rec league level? What happens when you see a kid who does something good athletically and then throws it all away with a bonehead move or something that makes you forget all about the great play/score/throw he or she just made and you’re focusing on their behavior? Who do you blame? What about when the player or team’s coach is doing the Chris Manning thing? Arguing with every single call, whether obvious chris@vintonvoice.com same or not, made against his team? Complaining about calls and officiating to his players, his other coaches, basically anyone who will listen. Do you blame the coach when you see his players acting the same way? Basically trying to start a fight on nearly every play that has contact, throwing elbows, kicking the opposing team’s star player when he’s down? That’s what we saw Saturday at the makeup boys’ basketball game against Glenvar at the high school. We saw Jake Mankin elbowed, kicked, knocked down and essentially mugged all day long, including a cheap shot after a blocking call that nearly saw Jake’s temper flare, justifiably. We
saw a coach literally argue with every single call that didn’t go his way. I’d like to say I’m exaggerating, but my wife Ashlee, after I made a mention of it, started watching and noticed the same thing. What is this teaching the players? The game wasn’t even close, it was basically over in the first quarter and frustration set in pretty quickly. It was actually the words of my nine year old son (and possibly Jake Mankin’s biggest fan) Parker that made me think about writing this column when he said “how come the Byrd guys help each other up when they fall and the other team doesn’t?” You could see the frustration on the young faces early, and frustration is fine, but when sportsmanship goes out the window and things like I mentioned take place it just isn’t what sports and athletics are all about. Sadly, that’s what our society, at least in sports, has started to become. Whoever makes the loudest noise, or does ANYTHING to get attention, gets the “face time.” That’s a sad reality when they are so many good kids, great athletes and fantastic human beings out there that just want to play and play the right way.
Byrd announces ‘Play for a Cure’ night in February William Byrd High School Athletic Director Crystal Worley has announced that the February 3 home girls basketball game against the Lord Botetourt Cavaliers will be designated as “Play for a Cure Night” at Byrd. The night will be used to raise money for and awareness of the different forms of cancer. “I think its great for the community,” said Byrd head coach Fran Recchia. “Almost everyone out there knows someone currently or in the past that has either died from cancer or is affected by it in some way. I think it is a great way for communities to come together and show their support for those who have been through that battle.” This is the first year Byrd has participated in something at this magnitude. Last season,
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they took small steps during a game, but did not take donations as they will this year. Coaches for William Byrd will be wearing a suit and sneakers in coordination with the Coaches vs. Cancer. The school will also be taking donations and all proceeds will go to the Kay Yow Womens Basketball Association Cancer Fund. Yow, the former longtime coach at North Carolina State, lost her battle with the disease on January 24, 2009. Recchia says that they will also be trying to hold a raffle, among other things to raise money for the Yow fund and expects that Lord Botetourt and their fans will be getting involved as well. Awareness locally took on added significance last March when Hidden Valley
girls basketball coach Brenda King lost her battle with cervical cancer at age 45. She never was able to coach at game for the Titans. “When she passed away, it really brought the coaches together saying ‘we need to do more to raise awareness and support’ and getting our kids out there doing the same thing,” Recchia said. The girls will be wearing pink shoe laces and according the Worley, they do plan to play the game with a pink ball. As usual, the junior varsity will start the night out at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity rematch between the Terriers and Cavs. The two teams met last Wednesday with Byrd coming out on top in Overtime.
The boys basketball team took part in three games during last week’s Northside Invitational Tournament, with their most team oriented game, according to Coach Dave Culicerto, in part thanks to the continued strong play of Ben Hayden (1). On Saturday, they returned to regular season action against Glenvar, led off by a win for Zachary Doss (#30) and Timothy Buchikos (#54) and the junior varsity team (2). In the varsity contest, Derrick Palmer (3) helped Byrd out-agress the Highlanders. On Monday, the girls team followed up their holiday tournament with a key District win over Northside. Jodi Overstreet (4) was second on the team in scoring with 12 points. The Lady Terriers also saw strong help off the bench from several girls, including sophomore Haley Overstreet (5). Before they played, the JV and Kassie Brammer (6) took center stage, but fell to the Vikings.
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VOICE 15
Win over LB is big payoff in consolation >Upset loss to Staunton River keeps girls basketball out of their own tournament’s final, allows them to edge out District foe Cavaliers in Overtime Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief Not advancing to the finals of your own school’s holiday tournament is difficult. But when you come back in the final night and steal the show during the consolation game, you do have something to be proud of. That is exactly what William Byrd did last week as they topped Lord Botetourt 51-48 in Overtime last Wednesday night. The team recently fell in an Overtime effort to Salem. “Yeah we have lost some close games that potentially we should have won,” said Byrd coach Fran Recchia. “But now next time they see that same situation, they’ve learned from it and they’ve been in that position before and they know how to play in it.” With time winding down in regulation, Cavalier Macey Tyree, who scored eight of her team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter, knocked down a three-pointer to send the game into the extra session. “We talked about possession,” Recchia said of the huddle between regulation and Overtime. “You might be down by three, but that’s only one possession. You can’t look at it like ‘wow, three points.’ We just talked about executing offensively and defensively and boxing out, getting to the offensive boards.” Several times during regulation and Overtime, a parade of Byrd free throw shooters in Brittany Mattox, Emily Hanna and Lauren James gave Byrd the chance to pull away, but they were not able to capitalize. The game was tied at 48 with 45 seconds to play in Overtime, but Lord Botetourt fouls in the final minute allowed Byrd to clinch the game on the free throw line, including what ended up being the game winner from Mattox, who also knocked in a clutch three-point basket in Overtime. Mattox lead the way with 19 points and four rebounds, followed by a Webster double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jessica Rhodes had nine points and three rebounds. Kam Hagins added six points, while Hanna had five points and James pulled down four rebounds. “I think we play a very tough pre-District schedule and all it is doing is preparing us for District.” Recchia said. “We’re not going to blow anybody out in District play, they are going to be tight games.” Last Tuesday, the team ended their hopes of winning the tournament with a loss to Staunton River, 37-33 in the semi-final round. The team was leading 19-17 heading into the final quarter. “We need to do a better job finishing out fourth quarters as a whole,” Recchia said. The Staunton River loss was the fourth
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game lost this season by Byrd after leading through three quarters. Recchia was also unhappy in the loss with the lack of shooting in the contest, although they did hit for over 50 percent from the field. They also were 4-of-9 from the foul line. “You’re not going to beat an athletic team only taking 31 shots. 31 shots for a varsity team, that’s just unacceptable, our point guards only took two shots combined,” Recchia said. Webster led Byrd with 18 points and eight rebounds. The next closest scorer was Mattox with seven points and five rebounds. Rhodes added six and three, while Hanna had two and three. Jordan Merrill paced Staunton River with 14 points in the Blue Ridge District preview. “I think both teams were kind of glad to get a sneak peak at one another,” Recchia said. “They are extremely athletic. One thing I have to credit them on is that they never give up.” On Monday night, the girls returned to the court for the first time since the Lord Botetourt win to face Northside in BRD play and coming out with an important 52-39 win on their home court. Byrd jumped out to an 11-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, leading by 13 at halftime and saw the lead cut to nine by the end of the third, still hanging out. “Defense was the key. We tried to play half court and make them uncomfortable,” Recchia said. We wanted to force them to make shots, get the rebound and start looking down court for the pass. The focus on defense helped that part of our game.” Mattox led the team with 13 points and seven rebounds. Jodi Overstreet followed her with 12 points and six rebounds. Webster had five points and Hanna added five assists.
Photos by Danny Cruff
TOP: Ashley Smith fights for a loose ball in Wednesday’s win over Lord Botetourt. While just a tournament game, the victory over LB will give Byrd a lift headed into Blue Ridge District play. ABOVE: In Overtime, Brittany Mattox hits the free throw that would put Byrd ahead for good against the Cavaliers. Mattox led Byrd in scoring with 19 points in the victory, hitting a big three mid-way through the extra session.
Boys rebound strong, win two in a row >After dropping first two games in Northside Invitational, Byrd rallies behind Mankin to win finale, dominate Glenvar in make up from snow related postponement Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief On Saturday, the William Byrd boys basketball team completed a rebound and started the new year off in style, all in one swoop. After starting last week off with back-to-back losses to open the Northside Invitational Tournament, the Terriers finished the tournament with a win over Blue Ridge District opponent Staunton River on Wednesday, before disposing of a gritty Glenvar team on Saturday for the second time this season. Glenvar, who made a big comeback against Byrd in their first meeting, came out swinging – both literally and physically – but could not hold back the potent scoring ability of senior Jake Mankin, who put up half of his team-high 26 points very early in the contest. Byrd walked away with a 54-33 victory. But it wasn’t before a rough game, that saw players often tumbling to the floor, tempers flare and even a couple of hard falls for Byrd’s Eric Pearson as he hustled for rebounds. “You like to see your kids stand up for themselves competitively,” said Byrd coach Dave Culicerto. “They didn’t back down.” The competitive nature was highlighted by Byrd’s pair of Erics. Pearson shot 2-of-3 from the field in quality minutes he earned after strong play in the NIT, and Slone was valuable with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including one from deep. “Eric (Pearson) has played well for us the last two games, given us a life,” Culicerto said, while also being equally positive about the contributions of Slone, with a post presence that has taken some slack off Mankin. “It’s what we’re looking for,” Culicerto noted. “Particularly Saturday, he shot the ball with a lot of confidence.” Mankin also led the team with 15 rebounds for the second straight contest. Before the New Year hit, Byrd finished the troublesome NIT with
a victory early last Wednesday over Staunton River, 68-47. In the win, Culicerto noted that the team as a whole was very consistent on the defensive end. They also cleaned up some moderately sloppy first half play where they turned the ball over eight times. They turned it over just four in the second half. It also didn’t hurt that Mankin had his second best game of the season with 34 points and 15 rebounds. He was followed by Scott Cole with nine points and six each from Derrick Palmer and Ben Hayden. Byrd had led 49-37 at the end of the third quarter, but was able to inflate their lead late. “Playing them in District will be a totally different game,” Culicerto said. “But it was nice to get a win. We were able to get a lot of easy baskets and able to create a lot of turnovers.” Byrd shot 52 percent from the field while outrebounding Staunton River 35-22. Before the back-to-back wins, the team did lose their second contest in the NIT last Tuesday, falling 50-45 to EC Glass, a quick team who almost defeated eventual tournament champion Northside in the opening round. “I think that was our best game playing as a team,” Culicerto said of the EC Glass loss. “We learned that we can play against (quickness), we just need to be smart.” Mankin again led the way against Glass, putting up weeklow numbers of 20 points and 11 rebounds. He was followed by 10 points from Eric Slone and six from Ben Hayden. “Ben has contributing in all areas,” Culicerto said. “He seems to always been in the right place on the floor defensively (lately).” The team shot 30 percent from long range, an improvement, especially considering Mankin was 0-for-3 from deep. Culicerto also noted the continued benefit of having a deep bench. “Most of these kids offer different things,” Culicerto said. “So we have to use them situationally and they seem to be accepting their roles.”
Photos by Danny Cruff
ABOVE: Scott Cole drives to the basket and draws a foul in Saturday’s makeup game with Glenvar at Byrd. LEFT: Shooting over EC Glass defenders, Jake Mankin puts down two of his team high 20 points in a tough loss last Tuesday at the Northside Invitational Tournament. In three games played since last Tuesday, Mankin is averaging 26.7 points and 13.7 rebounds. Byrd is 2-1 over that stretch.
VOICE 17
Byrd wrestlers improve, go 3-2 at big tourney Chris Manning Publisher
the voice is everywhere
The William Byrd wrestling team is continuing to improve with a strong showing at the Spencer Chang tournament in Martinsville. The Byrd matmen went 3-2 on the day, in what was a long day with facing five different opponents. They lost to Franklin County for the second time this year, but that wasn’t a shock to anyone, however their second loss to Jefferson Forest wasn’t what Coach Reed Carpenter was expecting, “I really thought we’d beat Jefferson Forest” he said “we were up 28 to 3 and we ended up losing 44-28, so I wasn’t really happy with the kids after that one.” Byrd then went on to beat Carroll County, Abingdon and Morehead, a school out of North Carolina to finish strong. Two Byrd wrestlers, Dustin Woods and Zakk Moorman both went undefeated, 5-0, on the day. “Dustin did a great job and has been working really hard and improving now that we had some of the bigger guys work with him over Christmas break” said Carpenter. Derek Sheehan was 4-1 on the day. After a long break over the holidays, this week is a busy week on the mats as the team traveled to Alleghany Tuesday, with results too late for publication. They have their first home matches tonight against Staunton River, having a challenging back to back day. “We’re going to have lots of matches over those two days, so guys need to manage their weight well” Carpenter said. They then head to Alleghany for duals again on Saturday, marking three matches in the same week.
Photo by Dan Vance
Byrd coach Reed Carpenter directs his wrestlers during a practice. The Terriers will hold their first home meet on the season on Wednesday.
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•‘RECCHIA’ continued from page 20 it and wanted to get back into coaching” Recchia says. It didn’t take long for her to not only be back into basketball, but back into the maroon and orange as well, replacing the VT for the WB. Recchia didn’t hesitate at the chance, “it was a pretty easy decision to come here, I still had a lot of friends and teammates in and around the area and I just loved it here.” As a coach at Byrd, taking over a tradition rich program, Recchia has brought her extensive, three-state basketball experience and been able to use it to help improve players and the team as a whole. Another thing she sees as an advantage where some might see it to be a detriment, is her young age, 26, “I’m able to relate to them, especially my first year because I was closer to their age and fresh out of college” she say. Also having a young coach who the players can relate to, as well as having a coach who was recently playing Division I basketball at a school known for putting out good teams certainly doesn’t hurt her credibility when she is instructing her players, “they’ve asked questions about what it was like to play at that level and what the recruiting process was like and how hard it was” she says, continuing “I think it helped with some instant respect with them after the realized what kind of work you have to put in to play at that level.” There was some adjustment to be made once she took over the head coaching position, not so much on the basketball end of it, but the other things that don’t seem as important, but sometimes are, “my first year I didn’t realize how much behind the scenes paperwork there is and there are a ton of hours spent watching film and doing other things, but I love to put in the time” she says with a smile “but it works for the kids, because if they know you’re going to put in the time, they’re going to put in the time.” Recchia had a first of her career this year, when Sammi Webster signed her letter of intent to play at Concord, marking Recchia’s first player she’s sent to college. With her experience, her dedication and her know how, there’s a good chance we can expect many more.
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2010
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VOICE 19
Fran Recchia:
Terrier coach using her strong resume to instill wisdom in growing program
Fran Recchia, or Coach Fran to her players, started playing basketball in the sixth grade, starting out like most kids in the rec programs, then moving on to AAU, honing her skills through middle school and throughout high school. She moved from Michigan to Texas, graduating from Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas where she was a standout player for, what is described as, one of the premier high school girls’ basketball programs in the state of Texas. In her career at Marcus, she set school records for three point percentage (32%) and free throw percentage (82%.) As a senior she average nearly sixteen points, over four rebounds, nearly five assists and almost two and a half steals per game, allowing her to fetch many honors, including a district player of the year and the Fort Worth Telegram first team “All Area” as well as all-region and numerous all-tournament teams. She also still holds the school record for most three pointers in a game with nine. “Soccer was my main sport, I just kind of played basketball because it was fun and I enjoyed it in gym class” she says “then in my freshman year I made the switch to a basketball player and decided I wanted to do this in college.” With her focus changing, her she began to work harder and harder toward achieving what she wanted, but it wasn’t without some doubt, “if you had told me my freshman year that I would have gotten a scholarship playing basketball I would have laughed at you” she says. But a scholarship is exactly what she ended up with, making the decision to head to Virginia Tech, all the way from Texas where she was recruited at a Christmas tournament in Dallas. While a Hokie, she amassed 286 career points, including 55 out of 165 from behind the three point line, good for a 33 percent clip while making nearly 90 percent of her free throw shots. Recchia’s career was plagued by and injured foot that endured at least six stress fractures from high school throughout college and ultimately sidelined her playing career, but led her into her coaching side. During the ’05-’06 Virginia Tech basketball season, which was supposed to be Recchia’s redshirt senior year, she hung up her jersey and picked up a clipboard, becoming a graduate assistant for Coach Beth Dunkenberger and getting a taste of what coaching was all about. During that season, the Hokies went 21-10, starting 12-0, while making it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, losing to perennial powerhouse the University of Connecticut. After college, Recchia moved on to the “real world” and took a job at a sports performance facility in North Carolina, “I enjoyed teaching kids how to maximize their potential, but I just missed that basketball part of
“I enjoyed teaching kids how to maximize their potential, but I just missed that basketball part of it...”
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•See ‘RECCHIA’ - page 19
Photo by Danny Cruff
Chris Manning Publisher