Priscilla Richardson

Recent columns

• Column archive: Priscilla Richardson
• Clean technology latest move for Botetourt man
• 'Tree City' Buchanan celebrates Arbor Day

Can it really be the end of 2007 already? Although the great 400th Jamestown anniversary celebration has closed, we had a lot of fun while it lasted. Even those folks who worked and worked, and then worked some more, did so cheerfully. Fincastle's Lynne Bolton, for example, "loved every minute of it," she said about organizing art shows, theatrical performances, carriage rides, town booths, crafts people, battle re-enactors, herbalists and so much else.

This lady has been spending the past several years celebrating her own return to Botetourt after a career in business in the North. She now teaches history at Lord Botetourt High School, so working on a history-based event "is my thing."

Because of all the events in 2007, you readers got lots to read about and do. Some things were new, such as the Oriskany Festival and the Genealogy Fair. And, by the way, the organizers of the Oriskany Festival were so pleased with their results they plan to do it again. The Second Annual Genealogy Fair has long since been planned for the first Saturday in October. The favorable response to this year's fair encouraged the history and genealogy groups. More than 200 people had a great time hearing history lectures and sharing ancestor lines.

Another 2007 story, that of the Christian Free Clinic located at the Fincastle Baptist Church on U.S. 220, gave us all a taste of year-round Christmas-style giving. Doctors Bob Allen and Susanne Voekler and their medical and administrative cohorts have filled a crying need, a need many of us didn't know existed here in prosperous Botetourt. Every Tuesday, without fail, the clinic opens for those between 18 and 64. As one example, I was able to help a self-employed man get needed medicine for free, and maybe even the operation he should have.

To further the cause, Allen has been speaking to "any group that will listen," he said. And as a result our local churches and charitable organizations such as the Lions have jumped onto the bandwagon with money and volunteer help. When I think about the clinic I remember a motto I keep here in my office: The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.

And speaking of things new, who would ever have thought that a unique art form would come out of the talents of two Botetourt artists? Fincastle's Jake Cress and Blue Ridge's Mark Young collaborated on a painting of some of Cress' nearly human chairs working at decorating rooms with flowers. One of the chairs reaches its wooden arm physically out of the painting into the room to grab some flowers on a table. Only those two could have done it.

Botetourt folks always see to it that less fortunate folks get Christmas gifts. And this year, Fincastle's Cassandra Bulmer exemplified hands-on giving for "about the 20th year," she said. She makes clothes for 18-inch dolls for the Salvation Army to give away. This year her six dolls had on blue party dresses with lace and ribbons. "Even my husband thought they looked cute."

Celebrations still cheer us. There are the New Year's Eve bells ringing in Buchanan -- just gather at the Episcopal church at 11:30 p.m. to hear the town bells and have some refreshments. And the church bells in Fincastle also ring out to say hello to 2008. Never forget that Christmas-tide is not yet over, and won't be until Jan. 6, so there's still plenty of time for more parties and visits.

The year 2008 promises to hold more new and exciting things. The Historic Fincastle Incorporated summer home tour in Fincastle will be replaced with a holiday tour. Those of us who drooled over the houses we've seen in the past will acquire an advanced case of envy when we see these wonderful places decorated for Christmas. And Buchanan will be featuring its own special events, back better than ever. Those Buchanan volunteers are full of ideas, so stay tuned.

So happy new year to all of you. Keep reading, and keep enjoying all that Botetourt has to offer.