On the back cover of our Oct. 9 edition, we had a photo of fans at the Cave Spring - Patrick Henry football game, one of them dressed in a gorilla suit. (Here's a different view of the same scene above.) We asked them who the monkey man might be ... and now, we know!

We got an e-mail from Adam Hager, a student at Cave Spring High School, who tells us:

"Well, the person in the gorilla suit is, well, me. Erik Jacobsen and I, along with a few others, had gotten it from his little brother, Drew, and decided to wear it around town on a few occasions solely as a joke or a prank. It really has no meaning behind it to be honest. At that football game, we decided that one of us should wear it and since Erik plays on the team and the suit was in my car, I went ahead and cheered for the entire first half in the small, sweaty gorilla costume. We thought it would add a different feel to our stellar student section."

It sure did.

If anyone else out there has a gorilla suit, be sure to share your photos at news@swo-co.com.

WVTF Book Club meets Oct. 27

The WVTF Book Club meets Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at WVTF broadcast center, 3520 Kingsbury Lane, just up the hill from Red Lobster. Discussing "The Wettest County in the World" by Matt Bondurant. Newcomers welcome, come join us! Contact WVTF at 989-8900

Submitted by Joan Bugbee

More bear stories

We've been sharing reports of bear sightings around Southwest Roanoke County. Here are two more:

I live on Mt. Chestnut Road and we have had bears on our street. A couple of weeks ago, my neighbor called to advise bears had gotten into our trash cans. Apparently the Mexicans who work up at Valhalla Winery had seen them and called my neighbor, who in turn called us. That didn't bother me too much although picking up trash early in the morning before going to work wasn't fun.

The real scare came on Wednesday morning at 1:10 a.m. on October 7. I have two schnauzers that started barking. I first thought there might be deer in the yard. When the deer hear my dogs barking, they usually go away. My dogs didn't stop barking and I finally pulled myself from the bed.

There, sitting under my bedroom window, was a large black bear. He had turned over my garbage can, had pulled out the trash and was eating. I got my husband up and went to the kitchen to turn on the back light thinking that would scare the bear away. It didn't. He looked up toward the back door and continued eating. My husband finally started beating on the window and he then left. We all went back to bed and haven't seen him since.

I hope he doesn't come in my back yard again as I fear for my dogs and my family. It worries me that they would come so close to a house and not be scared of barking dogs or lights being turned on.

-- Raynelle Lankford

"We live in Canterbury Park. Two years ago, on an August, Sunday afternoon a black bear ventured into our backyard, down the side, crossed the street and disappeared in the neighbors' yards. When I called 911, the dispatcher said since he/she was just passing through, to stay indoors and leave it alone."

-- Judy Hensley

Scout attains Eagle rank

Timothy J. Rowe, Jr. was recently awarded his Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. Rowe is a member of Troop 7, a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and attends Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church.

For his Eagle Scout project, Rowe raised over $2,500 and organized over 200 man-hours of labor to complete a landscape improvement project at his church. Fewer than 5 percent of Boy Scouts earn the rank of Eagle.

A 2009 graduate of Hidden Valley High School, Rowe is continuing his education at Randolph Macon College in Ashland where he will study business and play lacrosse. While at Hidden Valley High School, Rowe was a member of the Titan 12, Senior Council, Beta Club, and played football, basketball and lacrosse. He is the son of Tim and Maureen Rowe of Southwest Roanoke County.

Fielders honored

On Sunday, Sept. 20, the members and friends of Covenant Presbyterian Church celebrated with Co-pastors, Bob and Dusty Fiedler, the 30th anniversary of their ordinations into the ministry.

The Fiedlers graduated from Union Theological Seminary in 1979 and, following a year of work in Richmond, were called by Second Presbyterian in Roanoke to serve as Associate Pastors. They subsequently moved to Clemmons, N.C., to become Co-pastors of Clemmons Presbyterian Church.

In August 1996, Bob and Dusty were called to serve as Co-pastors at Covenant. After worship, led by Rev. Bill Klein, Pastor Emeritus at Second Presbyterian, the congregation enjoyed fellowship with the Fiedlers at a special luncheon.

Submitted by Kitty Mortara

Sewing guild invites new members

The Roanoke Virginia Chapter of the American Sewing Guild is 103 members strong in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas. For many of us sewing is a passion and oh so therapeutic. The sewing guild sponsors four Neighborhood Groups that meet on a regular basis to sew and discuss sewing topics. Those groups include Sally's Smocking, Mad Hatters, Fashion Designers, and the Loopy Hoopers (embroidery group). If you have an interest in sewing and want to share your sewing passion and experience the therapy, we invite you to join the Roanoke Virginia Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. You can contact Marquita Brown, President (mbrown385@comcast.net) or Tam McBride, Membership Chair (tammcb@cox.net) for more information.

Submitted by Lois Atkins