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GROUP MEETINGS

The Valley Writers chapter of the Virginia Writers Club meets at 7 tonight in the St. Thomas of Canterbury Anglican Church, corner of Hershberger road and Hubert street. All writers welcome. Call Rod Franklin at 982-1654.

The Blue Ridge VA Chapter 369 of the National Association of Women in Construction will meet at 5:30 p.m. June 24 at the Clarion Hotel-Roanoke Airport. Guest speaker will be Brad Archer with F&R, who will talk about construction production. Cost is $15. Call Vicki Cromer at 342-7498 for reservations and more information or visit www.nawicblueridgeva.org.

LET'S DO LUNCH

LOA's "Let's Do Lunch" will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Kazim Shrine Temple, 628 Campbell Ave. and the LOA Central Office, 706 Campbell Ave. Advance tickets at $10 each and can be purchased from any LOA office or by calling the central office at 345-0451. Tickets purchased the day of are $13. Lunch includes chicken salad with roll, broccoli and cauliflower salad, fresh fruit in season, assorted cookies and assorted chips and beverages. The fund-raiser supports the Meals-On-Wheels program.

TRUCK/CAR SHOW

Upper Craig Creek Volunteer Fire Department sponsors a Truck/Car Show and Flea Market from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Saturday at the Craig County Fairgrounds, New Castle. Live music, food, raffle for a $100 gas card. Car registration fee is $15. Free admission to fairgrounds. Call Gary Hendrick at (540) 864-8342 or Roy Brookman at (540) 864-5252.

BBQ DINNERS

Bonsack/Blue Ridge Ruritan Club will hold a chicken barbecue dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Bonsack United Methodist Church, 4493 Bonsack Road. Meals include half a barbecue chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, roll and drink. Desserts available at an additional cost. Meals are $6 and can be packaged to go. Call 977-2604 for tickets. Proceeds will help fund the club's community service projects.

CLASSES

A class on creating a butterfly garden is from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Virginia's Explore Park. For ages 16 and up. Cost is $20 without a box lunch, $30 with. Call 427-1800, ext. 321.

Babysitter Training classes will be offered Monday through July 26 at the Greenfield Education & Training Center in Daleville. Classes are for those ages 11-17 who want to develop skills necessary to care for children from infancy to age 7. Classes will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $65. Call 966-3984, ext. 10 to register.

Mold Effects and Awareness Seminar will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Greenfield Education & Training Center in Daleville. Topics include what mold is and where it is frequently found, what types of mold can be found in the Roanoke area and how mold can affect health. Free. Call 966-3984, ext. 10 for more information.

CANCELLATION

The Blacks in Government's Juneteenth festival that had been scheduled for Saturday in Roanoke's Washington Park has been canceled.

SUMMER READING

Register now through Wednesday for Salem Public Library's "Step to the Beat - Read" Summer Reading Program. The program kicks off June 24 with face painting by artist Katherine Devine from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by Magic 4 U with Brad Matchett's music, magic and storytelling program at 10. Times and dates of all Summer Reading Program events will be available at the kick-off. The library is at 28 E. Main St., Salem.

OPEN CAST CALL

An open cast call for the South Carolina premiere of the gospel comedy "Grace Is In The House" will be held from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. June 24 in the auditorium of Addison Middle School, 1220 Fifth St. N.W. Actors, dancers, choreographers, singers and technical and production staff, ages 14-70, are invited. No experience necessary.Call 775-7809. The play was written and directed by Dana Franklin Pannell, of Roanoke.

VEEPSTAKES

The John Kerry Meetup group will conduct a "Veepstakes" straw vote for a vice presidential candidate at 7 p.m. June 24 at the Roanoke Valley Governors School, next to Patrick Henry High School, 2102 Grandin Road. Voting will be by secret ballot. Results will be announced at the meeting and forwarded to the state Kerry for President campaign. No advance registration is necessary. Call 776-0802.

BOOK WRITERS CONFERENCE

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators will hold its Mid-Atlantic conference, "Rites of Passage," from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 26 at Hollins University. Cost is $110 for society members, $125 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Speakers include writers Nancy Willard, George Ancona, Carolivia Herron, William Miller and others. Call 375-0313 or e-mail marcieaf@yahoo.com.

BUS TRIPS

The Friends of the Roanoke County Public Library are sponsoring a bus trip to Lexington on June 26 for dinner at the historic Willson-Walker House and attending the play "Stonewall Country" at the Lime Kiln Theater. Bus will leave at 2 p.m. and return at 11 p.m. Cost is $34 for members of the Friends group and $44 for non-members. Call 772-7507.

The Singles Travel Club is sponsoring a trip to see "Steel Magnolias" at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre on June 26. Participants can board the bus at Southview United Methodist Church, 3539 Peters Creek Road. Cost is $39 per person. Call 366-2888.

NEIGHBORHOOD PICNIC

The Mason's Cove Civic Club will host its ninth annual neighborhood picnic from 4:30 to 7 p.m. June 26 at the Whispering Pines picnic shelter, on Absalom Smith Road, Roanoke County. Music by the Russell McDaniel Group. Potluck. Bring a covered dish and serving spoons. All are welcome. Call 384-8013.

DEBUTANTE BALL

The Altruist Club is seeking participants for its 51st Debutante Ball, to be held Dec. 28 at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Rising 12th-grade students are encouraged to participate and compete for scholarships for post-high school education. If interested, contact Carolyn Shovely at 562-2353 or Gloria Manns at g.manns@cox.net or call (540) 354-4649.

WHAT'S

HAPPENING

ART SHOWS/SALES

The Cave Spring Lions Club will hold an Art Show and Sale on Friday in the group's clubhouse, 2004 Colonial Ave. S.W. Show will feature original work and reproductions. Exhibit hours will be from noon to 8 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Roanoke Valley charitable organizations. Call John Ewald at 772-4459.

FESTIVAL

The Southwest Virginia Antique and Power Festival will be held Friday-Sunday in the Franklin County Recreation Park on Sontag Road. Festival will feature demonstrations of antique farm vehicles, farm tools and early machinery. The three days will feature examples of corn grinding, rock crushing and two demonstration of thrashing and bailing. A lawn mower tractor pull will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tractor pull will begin at 11 a.m. June 29 and 20. Call (540) 483-0442.

DANCE

Parents Without Partners sponsors a dance from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Saturday at Lake Drive Swim Club in Vinton. Music by Off the Cuff. Admission is $9. Dance is open to the public. Call 982-2372.

JUNETEENTH

A Juneteenth Celebration begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Booker T. National Monument in Hardy. Will feature a tour of the plantation and gospel music performances. Admission is free. Call (540) 721-1628.

CONCERTS

Summer of Cool Cats Concert Series continues Sunday at Mill Mountain Zoo. Cary Lynn will perform environmental music. Sunday concerts will be from 2 to 4 p.m. through Aug. 29.

The Catalinas perform at Salem After Five, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. June 25 at Salem Farmer's Market. Admission is $5 for adults, free for children under 12.

COPACABANA

The Roanoke Chapter of the Radford University Alumni Association will host a performance of "Barry Manilow's Copacabana" Sunday at Mill Mountain Theatre's Trinkle Stage, Center in the Square. Admission is $33 per person and includes a post-show dessert and coffee reception. Proceeds benefit the Roanoke/Rockbridge Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund. Call Sandra Bond at (888) 4RU-GRAD or e-mail smbond@radford.edu.

FESTIVAL

The unveiling of FiddleFest's second piece of commemorative artwork will be unveiled at a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday in the Center in the Square atrium. The limited edition print was designed by artist Eric Fitzpatrick. The reception is free and open to the public. FiddleFest, a celebration of traditional string music, will take place July 22-24 at Hollins University. Visit www.roanokefiddlefest.org.

READING

Dr. Mindy Thompson Fullilove will read from her book "Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It," at 7 p.m. Monday at Cantos Booksellers, 18 E. Campbell Ave. At 7 p.m. Tuesday a party will be held in recognition of the book at the YMCA Family Center, 108 Orange Ave. N.W. Fullilove's book includes the story of urban renewal in Roanoke.

LECTURE

Dr. Charles Thompson, professor of documentary studies at Duke University, will present "Faith, Farming and Change in the Virginia Blue Ridge," at 7 p.m. June 24 at the Franklin County Public Library, Rocky Mount. The event is free and open to the public.

WINE FESTIVAL

Center in the Square will host the 12th annual Roanoke Valley WIne Festival from noon to 5 p.m. June 27 on the front lawn of the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Event is open to everyone 21 and older with a photo ID. Tickets are $15 (taster) and $8 (non-taster) in advance and may be purchased at www.centerinthesquare.org or by calling (540) 224-1211. Tickets may be purchased at the gate the day of the event for $20 (taster) and $10 (non-taster). Picnic fare food items, beer and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

GALLERIES

"Visions of Smith Mountain Lake," an art show featuring the work of 40 artists, is on exhibit in June and July at The Little Gallery, 16430 Booker T. Washington Highway in Moneta. Call Carol or Susan at 721-1596.

MUSEUM HAPPENINGS

"Wild and Woolly, Animals of the Ice Age" is at the Science Museum of Western Virginia, Center in the Square, downtown Roanoke. Call 342-5710 for information and show times.

"Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk" is at the Science Museum of Western Virginia's MegaDome Theatre. Film takes audiences on a journey from extraordinary heights, featuring footage of extreme skydiving and focusing on both the biology of risk-taking and the physics that make human flight possible. Call 342-5710 for show times.

"Call for Entries: Spring Fever," an exhibit of photographs, paintings, drawings and sculpture with an artist's interpretation of spring, runs through June 27 at the Gallery at Jefferson Center. Gallery 2, second floor.

REUNIONS

ANDREW LEWIS HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1939 will hold its 65th reunion Aug. 13 and 14 at Holiday Inn-Tanglewood. Members of the classes of 1938, '40 and '41 are invited. Call Jeanne Peery Becker at 774-8092 or Lottie Grubb Owen at 389-3448 before June 30.

Class of 1946 will hold a reunion Sept. 11 at the Salem Civic Center, Parlor A. Cost is $22 per person. Casual dress. Classes of '45 and '47 are invited. Send reservations and checks to Mary Catherine Sellers Hailey, 4802 Warrior Drive, Salem, VA 24153. Reservation deadline is Sept. 1.

Class of 1954 will hold its 50th class reunion Sept. 4 at Hunting Hills Country Club. Call Kellogg Hunt at 989-0186 or Carole Stroupe Wirt Keith at 375-2707.

FRANKLIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1994 will hold a 10-year reunion Aug. 7 at the Clarion Hotel-Roanoke Airport. Call Riley Hoges at (540) 263-0062 or e-mail jhodges@ferrum.edu.

GLENVAR HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1994 will hold its 10th reunion July 31. Call Sara Ferguson Ashwell at 378-5287 or Candy Kanode Stanley at 389-2524.

Class of 1995 is planning a 10-year reunion for the fall of 2005. Class members should e-mail current information as son as possible to the reunion committee at ghs1995reunion@yahoo.com.

JEFFERSON FOREST HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1994 will hold a 10-year reunion Oct. 8 and 9. Call Kim Dunkirk Naulty at (434) 993-2382 or Nickie Higginbotham Johns at (434) 237-4288.

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1979 will hold its 25th anniversary reunion Sept. 4. Call Lyn Thomas Young at 231-5809 or Leslie Chittum Adams at 776-0622.

PATRICK HENRY HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1974 will hold a 30th reunion Aug. 13 and 14. Call Wanda Musgrove at 985-0818 or Donna Reynolds Sellers at 774-9170.

ROANOKE VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Class of 1984 will hold a 20-year reunion July 17. Call Diana Trout Brickey at (615) 355-6990 or Tracey Greene Good at 966-0012.

WILLIAM BYRD HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1949 will hold its 55th reunion Oct. 9 at the Vinton War Memorial. Call Carson Shaver at 344-3720 or Dot Ferguson at 890-3603.

Class of 1984 will hold its 20th class reunion at 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center and at 1 p.m. Sunday (family picnic) at Mill Mountain Zoo. If you have not been contacted by a commitee member, call Candy Owens Viar at 330-6497 or Starla Wheeling Porter at 761-3934.

Class of 1985 is searching for class members for a 20-year reunion in 2005. If you are a class member who has not been contacted or knows class members, call Melissa Ballengee Hall at 343-3418 or e-mail melissajane66@yahoo.com.

WILLIAM FLEMING HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 1954 will hold a 50th reunion Sept. 18 at Hunting Hills Country Club. E-mail

joyceshields@hotmail.com.

Class of 1959 will hold its 45th reunion at 6 p.m. July 16 at the Village at Tinker Creek clubhouse. Call Don Stafford at 966-2551 or Susan Lowe Hall at 362-4502.

Class of 1984 will hold its 20th reunion July 16-18 at the Clarion Airport Hotel, Roanoke. Letters of notification have been sent to all classmates. If you have not been notified, call Dave Myers at 362-4040 or Monica Fultz at 562-4576.

Class of 1994 will hold its 10-year reunion Aug. 20-22 at the Wyndham Hotel Roanoke Airport. Cost is $60 per person, $100 per couple. Payment (cashier's checks/money orders, payable to Tiffany Taylor or ChrisSonia Winfree) due by July 15. Call Tiffany Taylor at (703) 869-1561 or e-mail mstetaylor@juno.com.

BLUEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

Classes of 1958 and 1959 are planning a combined class reunion, to be held in July 2005. Call Max Elmore at (770) 479-9149 or e-mail elmore1031@aol.com.

PATRICK COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

Organizers of the class of 1974 are planning a 30th reunion Spet. 24 and 25. If you have not been contacted by mail, call Patty Hazelwood at (276) 692-5239 or e-mail pattyh@swva.net.

KROGER REUNION

A reunion of Kroger bakery employees will be held June 27 from 12:30 p.m. until at the Fallon Park shelter on Dale Avenue in Southeast Roanoke. Bring a covered dish and a drink.

VOLUNTEER

NEEDS

Hands for Christ needs volunteers of all ages to help get materials ready to send overseas to English-speaking Third World churches. Work includes stuffing envelopes, bundling items placing library stickers on books and filing. Call 362-1214.

Medi-Home Health and Hospice needs administrative and patient care volunteers. A training program will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. June 29 and July 6. Call Shelley Keffer at 342-6539.

SHARE (self help and resource exchange) Virginia, a nonprofit program of New River Community Action, is seeking groups to host its food distribution and community service program. Call Sharon Witt at 982-2074.

Commonwealth Catholic Charities is recruiting for its Supervised Visitation Program. Training will be provided at Cave Spring United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. June 30. Call Nancy Wimmer at 344-5107.

Volunteer Roanoke Valley has the following volunteer opportunities for June:

Total Action Against Poverty needs volunteer mentors for children of ex-offenders in its VA CARES program.

Voice of the Blue Ridge needs volunteer help with charity bingo games. Variety of positions available.

Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest FoodBank needs volunteers to get food to agencies, pack produce, provide office help and help with special events.

Salem Health & Rehabilitation Center needs volunteers to make one-to-one visits with residents, help with activities and read or write letters. Groups also welcome to provide entertainment or help with arts and crafts.

Virginia Cooperative Extension needs volunteers to help in educating the public on issues of environmental horticulture. Training provided.

Veterans Affairs Medical Center needs drivers to transport patients/visitors from parking lots to clinic areas and help with clerical duties.

Call 985-0131, ext. 501 for more information about these or other volunteer opportunities.

Acoustic solo or duo musicians are needed for a series of benefit house concerts this summer at the Ronald McDonald House in Roanoke. Performances will be from 8:30 to 9:30 or 10 p.m. Contact Gary Hunt at 342-2083 or e-mail turtle-guy@att.net.

The Rescue Mission of Roanoke needs people to peel potatoes. Call Helen at 777-7651.

The Presbyterian Community Center is seeking substitute front desk volunteers to greet clients and answer the phone. Some light filing is involved. Volunteers work 3 1/2 hour shifts, either morning or afternoon Monday-Friday. Volunteers would be asked to work one to three times a month. Call Jenny McCormick at 982-2911.

The city of Roanoke needs volunteers to work at an educational business conference from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Volunteer check-in is 8 a.m. Volunteers are needed to greet and guide attendees and exhibitors, give directions and event information, and provide other assistance. Call 853-2279.

The deadline to submit items for Community Events is noon Thursday for publication the following Thursday. Listings are free, may run for two consecutive weeks and can run with accompanying photos, if available. Events are subject to change without notice. We do not accept announcements that primarily benefit commercial or for-profit entities. We cannot take listings over the telephone. Please send information and a daytime telephone number for verification or to get additional information to The Roanoke Times, Neighbors News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, VA 24010. FAX: 981-3346. E-mail: leslie.taylor@roanoke.com.