Quarterback Vick donates to victims' families fund

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has donated $10,000 to assist families affected by the massacre at Virginia Tech, his foundation announced Wednesday.

"When tragic things like this happen, families have enough to deal with, and if I can help in some small way, that's the least I can do," said Vick, who played football at Virginia Tech before joining the Falcons in 2001

The foundation is collecting donations from communities in both Georgia and Virginia that will be placed in the United In Caring Fund for Victims of the VA Tech Tragedy and the special fund at the United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd.

Jonesboro shows its support for Blacksburg

Recalling their city's shooting tragedy on March 24, 1998, members of the Jonesboro, Ark., city council signed a letter of support Tuesday night that is being sent to the Blacksburg Town Council.

"Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time," states the letter, as quoted in The Jonesboro Sun newspaper.

Boys ages 11 and 13 killed four middle school girls, a teacher and 10 others in the shooting at Westside Middle School just west of Jonesboro.

ACC pays tribute with silence, signs

The Atlantic Coast Conference will honor Virginia Tech at its spring season championships.

The league will conduct a moment of silence before the start of the opening day of competition. Also, there will be specially designed signs displayed at the various areas of competition, stating "Today, we are all Hokies." Student-athletes will be provided black wristbands to wear during competition.

Today, the Virginia Tech flag will be prominently displayed at the Conference Office in Greensboro, N.C., in honor of "Orange and Maroon Effect" day.

Al Gore, condolence book to be part of Crow concert

Former Vice President Al Gore will speak about the gun violence at Virginia Tech at a Sheryl Crow concert Sunday at George Washington University. Before the concert, the public will be asked to sign a Walking Book of Condolences for Virginia Tech victims. Crow is playing at an Anti-Global Warming concert.

N.C. festival will be free for Tech students, faculty

The Spring Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in Chatham County, N.C., this weekend is inviting all Virginia Tech students and faculty to come for free.

The festival started April 19 and will end Sunday.

Tech students and faculty need only show their ID cards at the ticket booth. Camping and parking are also free. For more information, visit www.shakorihills.com.

Maroons to show Hokie spirit at field dedication

Roanoke College's Alumni Weekend will continue this weekend, infused with a bit of Hokie spirit. Roanoke Maroons fans have been encouraged to wear maroon or orange today to the dedication of Roanoke College's new athletic field and stadium.

Also, a tree planting will take place before Saturday's lacrosse game as a memorial to Monday's shooting victims. Antrim Chapel will be open during the weekend, and a book of condolences will be available for signing.

United Way to donate to "United in Caring" fund

The United Way of Roanoke Valley will donate half the proceeds it receives for its April in Paris fundraiser April 26 to the "United in Caring" fund for victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy.

The "United in Caring" fund was set up to help families with costs related to the tragedy.

Tickets for April in Paris, which will be available at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, are $75 per person. Call 777-4200 or e-mail Krista@uwrv.org.

Tech is in the brethren of national tragedies

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Mourners on Thursday marked the 12th anniversary of the bombing that killed 168 people here by reaching out to victims of the Virginia Tech shootings and of violence everywhere.

Librescu deserves Medal of Freedom, says friend

A friend of slain Virginia Tech engineering professor and Holocaust survivor Liviu Librescu has started a petition to have Librescu posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

It was Librescu, according to witnesses, who blocked the doorway of his classroom in Norris Hall at Virginia Tech on Monday to protect his students.

"His selfless actions saved many lives," reads part of a Web site committed to the effort, started by a friend of Librescu's listed as "Michael T."

The Web site is at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/605875030#body.

Capt. Party offers ribbons; duo debuts tribute song

Capt. Party employees in Roanoke have been making ribbons for people to wear or put on their cars for Orange and Maroon Effect Day today. They didn't charge for the effort, but asked for donations to the Foundation for Roanoke Valley's School Violence Assistance Fund.

Nashville-based duo the Season plans to debut its song "Forever Changed," a response to the Virginia Tech tragedy written by 2004 Tech graduate Kurtis Parks and 2003 graduate Josh Kim, today on K92's morning radio show. Parks graduated from Glenvar High School in Roanoke County.

Comedy show to benefit Hokie memorial fund

"Laughter for Love," a comedy benefit show, will donate all of its proceeds from its Wednesday performance to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. The show will be at Blacksburg's Attitudes Bar & Cafe, 900 Prices Fork Road. Show time is 8 p.m. $10 entry donation; $5 raffle on site.

Central Va. blood drive to honor shooting victims

Virginia Geotechnical Services, now the Richmond branch of S&ME, is partnering with Virginia Blood Services to hold a special blood drive event to honor the victims of this week's tragedy. To encourage blood donations throughout the central Virginia area, S&ME will donate $10 to the VA Tech Family Fund for each of the first 150 pints of blood donated from now through April 27 at any central Virginia VBS donor location. For more information, call (804) 359-5100 or visit www.vablood.org.

Career Center to sell remembrance buttons

The Roanoke County Career Center in Vinton will make Virginia Tech remembrance buttons to wear today. They will sell the buttons for $1 each and donate the proceeds to a fund for the families of shooting victims.

Salem to mourn with bells, human chain

Salem will observe a day of mourning today for the Virginia Tech shooting victims.

City Manager Forest Jones has asked city employees to assemble on Main Street at noon to form a human chain. He has invited Roanoke College students, Salem public school students, downtown merchants and any others who would like to join in.

Salem churches have been asked to ring their bells 32 times at noon in memory of the victims.

City spokeswoman Melinda Payne said the city hopes to conclude the observance with song and prayer at the city's Farmers Market.

Malls establish 'healing places'

Valley View Mall in Roanoke and River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg have transformed vacant spaces into serene areas, and dubbed them "A Healing Place." Anyone is welcome to write messages, offer sympathies and post pictures of loved ones, or take solace in the words of others.

Wristband sales to benefit memorial fund

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will soon be offering Hokie Nation wristbands for $2 to anyone who would like to help support the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.

Sunday 5K race dedicated to victim

A 5K race in Blacksburg scheduled for Sunday is now dedicated to Jeremy Herbstritt, an avid runner who was killed in Monday's shootings.

The men's race begins at 9 a.m. and the women's race begins at 10 a.m. at the duck pond off Duck Pond Road and West Campus Drive.