Saturday, March 13:
New River Valley Cares 21st Annual Gala and Auction (virtual)
Proceeds will be used locally to protect children from abuse/neglect and to strengthen families through education, advocacy, and community partnerships. More information on NRVCares can be found at: www.nrvcares.org. The auction has unique and interesting items. Visit www.nrvcares.givesmart.com to register and to preview auction items. There is no charge
to register, and bidding starts at noon on March 11with the online program on March 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 14
Eastern Daylight Time ends. Move your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed.
Monday, March 15:
Sock Bunnies
1 p.m. at the Christiansburg Library. Pick up a kit and learn how to make sock bunnies.
City of Radford Planning Commission meeting
10 Robertson St., Radford; 5:30 p.m.
Hahn Horticulture Garden Monday Night Volunteer Sessions
The first Monday Night Volunteer Sessions in which volunteers can donate their time to the Garden. The group will meet on the patio behind the pavilion between 5:15-5:30 and the horticulturists will start discussing the day’s tasks at 5:30. The Garden will provide all of the necessary tools and instruction and parking passes for the volunteers.
To stay updated on volunteer opportunities, contact vtgarden@vt.edu and ask to be added to the volunteer email list.
Tuesday, March 16:
Radford Reads with Monica Rodden
Join the Radford Public Library at 6:30 p.m. for a Zoom conversation with Monica Rodden, author of “Monsters among Us.” Rodden will read from her book and talk about the publishing process. Email Elizabeth at elizabeth.sensabaugh@radfordva.gov for details. The library has a limited number of free copies of this book to give away while supplies last, so those interested in obtaining a copy should let the staff know.
Town Council Work Session Agenda
The agenda for the Blacksburg Town Council work session scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, at
11 a.m. in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers can be found at
https://blacksburg.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=22&event_id=2575.
Wednesday, March 17:
Art Club Virtual Meeting
From 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Christiansburg Library. Create pop art-inspired animal drawings and learn about artist Andy Warhol. Stop by the library for a curated craft kit and catch the video tutorial on the Christiansburg Facebook Page.
Thursday, March 18:
Talking About Books: Nonfiction
Virtual Meeting from 11 a.m. until noon at the Christiansburg Library. To be discussed this month is “Righteous Mind” by Jonathan Haidt.
Knitting 102: virtual
From 5:00 to 6:00 at the Montgomery Floyd Regional Library/Blacksburg Library.
Knitting 102 will pick up with picking up. Learn how to retrieve dropped stitches, increase and decrease your work, and cast off your finished project.
The workshop will take place over a go-to-meeting. Call the library at 540-552-8246 for more information and a workshop link.
Friday, March 19:
Hahn Horticulture Garden Spring Plant Sale
The 2021 spring plant sale, a joint fund-raising event between the Garden and the Virginia Tech
Horticulture Club, will be a two-week online sale this year due to the limitations on gatherings. The sale’s website will go live on Friday, March 19, and will close on Friday, April 2.
After check out, purchasers will select a pick-up date between April 22-24. The Garden is selling a lot of great plants, both annuals and perennials, and trees and shrubs, but quantities are limited, so order early for best selection.
Monday, March 22 through April 2
Noise alert: Steam ventilation from March 22 through April 2
The steam ventilation will take place if the weather is unseasonably warm, resulting in temperatures above normal. The university and surrounding community members may notice elevated noise levels in the proximity of the Virginia Tech power plant due to the steam venting process associated with the commissioning of the plant’s new boiler. This notice is provided as a precautionary measure to inform the surrounding community of the possible need to vent steam. While there are no immediate plans to vent steam during this period, if temperatures are unseasonably warm, steam produced by the new boiler may need to be vented, resulting in Possible intermittent noise will be limited to normal work hours (between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.),
Monday through Friday only. All efforts will be made to reduce the noise levels as possible. The
Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities thanks the university community and local residents in advance for their patience and understanding. Questions related to the steam venting process (and during the process) may be directed to vtrepair@vt.edu or 540-231-4300.
Ongoing:
Head Start Enrolling
New River Community Action is now accepting applications for three- and four-year olds for
Head Start for the 2021-22 school year. Head Start offers a no-charge pre-school for income eligible families. Families may apply by calling the local Head Start center, applying online at
newrivercommunityaction.org, or by picking up an application form in person at the local center.
Applications are accepted year-round. The phone numbers for the three local Head Start centers are Christiansburg 540-381-7559, Radford 540-731-4107 and Blacksburg 540-552-0490. Anyone applying in person should bring proof of the child’s birth and proof of the family’s income such as a 1040, a W-2, pay stubs, child support income, money received from grants, and unemployment income.
All month of March
Grab and Go Crafts
All the month of March, at the Meadowbrook Public Library. Call Meadowbrook Library to request take-and-make craft kits available for grab-n-go with curbside pickup. They are free but supplies are limited. Crafts available March 15-20 are shark magnet clips, March 22-28, spring and Easter crafts.
StoryWalk
All the month of March at the Christiansburg Library. Exercise your brain and your body as you read and walk the trail. Begin at the library at the College Street entrance of Downtown Park. This month’s book is “The Big Red Barn.”
Teen/Adult Craft-Felt Smartphone Cover
All the month of March at the Meadowbrook Public Library. Request a teen/adult craft to receive supplies to make your own felt phone cover. While supplies last.
Through March 14:
Youth softball, baseball registration
Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is taking registrations for youth baseball and youth softball in the Auburn and Eastern Montgomery school strands. MCPR is offering tee ball (co-ed, ages 5-6), coach-pitch baseball (boys, ages 7-8), coach-pitch softball (girls, ages 7-8), Ripken Minors Baseball (boys, ages 9-10), Ripken Majors Baseball (boys, ages 11-12), Babe
Ruth 10U Softball (girls, ages 9-10) and Babe Ruth 12U Softball (girls, ages 11-12).
To be eligible, players must live in or attend school in the Auburn or Eastern Montgomery school strands. Fees for tee ball and coach-pitch leagues are $40. Fees for Cal Ripken Baseball and Babe Ruth Softball are $50. Financial assistance is available. The registration deadline is Sunday, March 14, at 11:59 p.m. for online registrations. For more information or to register, visit
www.montva.com/parks or phone 540-382-6975.
Through March 31:
Keep Virginia Beautiful Annual “Shiver” Fundraising Event
Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB) has opened registration for Shiver in Virginia, a reimagined version of its annual Shiver in the River festival that has been KVB’s largest annual fundraiser since 2015. This year’s initiative is designed to be COVID-safe and give people more choice in how they can contribute to the beautification of their communities.
Shiver in Virginia runs until March 31. Participants engage in activities including litter cleanups, recycling, trail cleaning, graffiti removal and other good deeds. For a donation of $20.21, participants will receive a free Virginia State Parks parking pass with no expiration date. Participants will also have access to the KVB Mission Challenge website where they can map the collective progress on the 2,021 mile path across the state. With each act reported, participants will be entered into drawings for additional prizes. Keep Virginia Beautiful is challenging participants to share their pictures, contributions, and successes with others on social media.
Virginia Tech Parking Survey
Virginia Tech has released a 2021 Parking Survey. All those who utilize parking and transportation in and around the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus are invited to participate, including visitors and Blacksburg residents. The survey will close March 31, 2021, at 5 p.m.
All responses will remain anonymous and will be analyzed at the aggregate level. The survey should take fewer than 15 minutes to complete. To take the survey, visit
https://vtnews.vt.edu/notices/adm-evergreens/Transpo-parkingsurvey.html.
Through Saturday, April 24:
“Unbearable Beauty” Exhibit at Moss Arts Center
The exhibit is open each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. through Saturday, April 24. The exhibit is a demonstration of the devastation human activity has wreaked on the environment. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
