Today, Wednesday, Sept. 18:
Radford Reads with John Lane
Poet, essayist, and author John Lane of Wofford College will visit the Radford Public Library at 6 p.m. to speak about his writing. His writings on nature and the environment have been published widely, including Coyote Settles the South and Anthropocene Blues.
Art Club
Christiansburg Public Library; 2-3 p.m. We will be exploring the art of Dale Chihuly and creating a collaborative art piece inspired by his work. For ages 7 years and up.
Friday, Sept. 20:
Pour Paint Canvas
Christiansburg Public Library; 2-3 p.m. Let’s make a mess! Create cool and one of kind art work. Supplies are limited and registration is required.
Skatepark Showdown
Christiansburg Aquatic Center and Greenhouse Boardshop team up to host the ultimate Skatepark Showdown! This year’s competition kicks it up a notch with local rock band Barren Minds. Contest will include trophies and prizes for: beginner, intermediate and advanced street, best trick mini ramp and 6 stair. Dust off your board and get ready to grind! Bring your lawn chair and extra cash for food provided by Hot Diggity Dogs. Registration starts at 6 p.m. with competition starting at 7 p.m. Fee: $10, includes t-shirt.
NRV group co-hosts Global Climate Strike in Roanoke
Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke; 4 to 6 p.m. Part of the Global Climate Strike Movement,” inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg and is now being localized in the U.S. by dozens of youth leaders and their allies.
Saturday, Sept. 21:
Bingo for All Ages
Meadowbrook Public Library, 1 pm. Play bingo and win prizes! This free activity is open to all ages.
PAWS to Read
Blacksburg Public Library; 12 – 1 p.m. Parents, reserve a 10-minute reading slot for your child to practice reading aloud to a certified therapy bird.
How to start collecting rare books
Christiansburg Public Library; 11 a.m. Ever wondered about the value of an old book you have? Learn to look at your book collection in a whole new light with rare book specialist, Barbara Charett. You can even bring a book to be appraised.
Sunday, Sept. 22:
Buddy Check 22
Marine Corps League NRV Detail #1190 sponsors a Suicide Awareness/Prevention called Buddy Check 22 on the 22nd day of each month no matter the day – they have met on Thanksgiving in years past. Meetings are at the Radford Macado’s from 6 p.m. to around 8. A short talk is presented at 7 p..m. ALL veterans and their families are invited. We are here to listen.
Tackle the Tower!
Christiansburg Aquatic Center, 2-4 p.m. Have you ever jumped from five meters in the air into 17 feet of water? Well at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center you can! We open our five meter platform and three meter spring board to the public. Come and Tackle the Tower at the CAC! All who participate must be able to swim 25 yards.
Fee: daily admission.
NAACP meeting
The General Body meeting of the Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County NAACP will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the Old Hill School Community Center, 570 High Street in Christiansburg. The CREDO presentation will be by Kevin Byrd, Executive Director, and Michael Harvey, Board Chair, of the New River Valley Regional Commission. They will give an overview of the work of the NRVRC and updates on broadband and affordable housing. All are welcome!
Monday, Sept.23:
Free Movie at the Library
“Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse,” at Blacksburg Public Library; 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 24:
Radford Reads with Tom Angleberger
Local author Tom Angleberger, author of the Origami Yoda series and many other kids’ favorites, will be visiting the Radford Public Library at 6 p.m. Come in costume as your favorite Star Wars character for a chance to win a prize! A selection of his books will be available for purchase and signing after the event.
VFW Post 5311 fund-raising bingo
VFW Post 5311 is holding bingo on Tuesday nights from 6:30 – 10 p.m. at the Christiansburg post (490 High Street). There’s no entry fee and bingo sheets are purchased to play. Cash payouts plus special blackout games are featured throughout the night and food and homemade desserts are for sale beginning at 5:30 p.m. Bingo proceeds are used to support veterans’ programs and local community organizations. For more information, contact VFW5311@gmail.com or phone 540-382-3867.
Family Art Day
The Jessie Peterman Memorial Library will be having a Family Art Day from 4 – 5 p.m. The theme is It Figures! Make people from clay, wire, paint and other objects. Fun for the whole family.
Saturday, Sept. 28:
Music on the Lawn:
The McKenzies will perform; 7- 8:30 p.m., Christiansburg Public Library. Final show in the 2019 Music on the Lawn concert series. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets.
Free concert is rain or shine.
Dailey and Vincent concert
Bluegrass musicians Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent will perform at 7:30 p.m. at New River Community College in Dublin. Tickets now on sale, available for purchase online at www.nr.edu/fiddle or at the NRCC Business Office, 23 Godbey Hall, Dublin and Pulaski County Visitor Center (cash and checks only for in-person ticket purchase). Online ticket purchases may be made by credit card only and will incur a $1 service charge per ticket.
6th Annual Marcus Ford 5K Run/Walk Celebration
Huckleberry Trail behind NRV Mall. Registration 10 a.m. Race begins at 11 a.m. $20 registration fee. Monies raised will go to his memorial scholarship. The Marcus Allen Ford Memorial Scholarship is given each spring at Christiansburg High School to a graduating senior who exemplifies the person that Marcus was to everyone he met. Ford graduated from CHS in 2007 and from James Madison University in 2011. He accepted a job in his senior year in college with Grant Thornton as a consultant in Alexandria, VA. Sadly, Marcus and his family found out while he was a junior in college that he had a hereditary heart disease called CPVT. Marcus passed away on March 17, 2012 in Arlington, VA from this disease. To register online go to www.marcusford.org.
Sunday, September 29:
Wedding Walk
Blacksburg Wedding Walk in Downtown Blacksburg; noon – 6 p.m. Showcases local resources available to engaged couples in the NRV, Roanoke Valley, and surrounding areas. Participating Downtown locations will serve as the physical locations for the Walk and as hosts for other wedding vendors. Attendees can visit these locations to connect with vendors, participate in demonstrations and seminars, and enter to win giveaways.
Tuesday, Oct. 1:
Housing Choice voucher waiting list application open online Oct. 1
The Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) and Housing Connections, Inc.opens Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List. Online only application available only from 1-5 p.m. at vhda.apply4housing.com.VHDA is one of 32 housing agencies across the state that administers the federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.
There are 921 vouchers and usually 1200 to 1500 applicants. It’s been three years since the last open application.
Saturday, Oct. 5:
Freedom Fund Banquet
Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County NAACP annual Freedom Fund Banquet; Inn at Virginia Tech. Social Hour and Silent Auction begin at 5 p.m., Banquet begins at 6p.m. Speaker is Mr. Jeff May, motivational speaker, from Fayetteville, NC. All are welcome! Please purchase your tickets or reserve your tables now. Businesses, churches, organizations or families can reserve tables that will seat 10 people for dinner. Tickets can be purchased on-line via Event Brite: <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/44th-freedom-fund-banquet-tickets-60795298374>. For additional information contact us info@mrfnaacp.org.
Radford Child Development, Inc. will host the third annual “Swing for Scholarships” golf tournament at the beautiful Pete Dye River Course. The funds raised in this tournament go directly to benefit families enrolled at the Radford Early Learning Center who demonstrate financial need. Captain’s Choice tournament is a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. Registration after Sept. 2 through event day (contingent on availability) is $400/foursome. Register online through the RCD website, http://radfordchilddevelopment.com/golf
Paddle, Peddle, Go at the River City ACCE Community Triathlon
Registration underway. Access to Community College Education (ACCE) makes college available debt free to eligible Radford students graduating from high school. Paddle-Pedal-Go! (run/walk) will be held at Bisset Park and Riverway Trail. Participants will kayak one mile, bike five miles, and run/walk one mile. Various ways to participate, from non-competitive participant:s, to adult-child duos, teams and more. For more information, log onto www.rcps.org.
On-going:
Halloween Costume Drive
Meadowbrook Public Library is collecting clean, gently used costumes in all sizes for our Costume Mania giveaway program! Bring your donations to the library between now and Oct. 16.
VFW Scholarship Opportunity
The Meadowbrook Library and VFW Post 4920 and Auxiliary are working together to provide the opportunity for students to enter for the VFW Scholarships-Patriots Pen and Voice of Democracy. These are open for students in grades 6-12. These scholarships can be worth up to $30,000 but you have to enter to be eligible. Entry forms and instructions are available at the Meadowbrook Library.
Storytime at the Radford Public Library
Come join us for weekly storytimes at the library! Storytimes are designed to promote pre-reading skills and a love of books. We share books, finger-plays, songs, and other activities that parents and caregivers can repeat at home. No sign-up required, just drop in!
Ages 0-2: Wednesdays and Thursdays; 10 – 10:30 a.m.
Ages 3 and up: Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 – 11:45 a.m.
Town of Christiansburg competitions
The Town’s Second Annual Photo of the Year Contest is underway. Applicants interested in sharing their unique perspective of Christiansburg are encouraged to submit a photo at www.christiansburg.org/photooftheyear. Winning photo will hang in Town Hall alongside the 2019 winner. Submit photo entries by Sept. 30 at 5 p.m.
The Town is also searching for its Heritage Ornament to send to Richmond this holiday season. Crafters should enter the Annual Ornament Contest at www.christiansburg.org/ornament for a chance to have their work displayed on the Virginia Holiday Tree at the Executive Mansion. All other entries will have their ornaments displayed on the Christiansburg tree in Town Hall. Enter hand-crafted ornament by Oct. 25 at 4 p.m.
Radford High School Reunion
Radford High School classes of 1990-1994 are having a multi-class reunion on homecoming weekend (Sept. 20-21, 2019). Come to the homecoming football game on Friday night (Radford vs Gretna), and then join us for the reunion events on Saturday, Sept. 20. Saturday events include a high school tour at 11 a.m., a family picnic at Bisset Park at 12:30 p.m., and a party at Sharkey’s Up Top beginning at 5 p.m. We also invite faculty to attend the events. For more information, or to reserve your spot, contact Joseph Burcham at 703-878-8380 or josephaburcham@yahoo.com. Good initial head count needed by Aug. 15.
Montgomery County, City of Radford broadband study looking for feedback
In partnership with the New River Valley Regional Commission, Montgomery County and the City of Radford are seeking feedback from citizens regarding the current status of broadband in our communities. Both electronic and paper copies of the survey are available throughout Montgomery County and the City of Radford.
To access either the electronic survey or to find out where to get a paper copy of the survey, visit http://yesmontgomeryva.org/Broadband-Survey-Released.
Take 60 on Hickok Street
Every Friday throughout the summer, get out of the office, take a break for home chores, come down to Hickok Street for lunch, lawn games and music. Macado’s, Mockingbird and El Bronco will have take-out lunch deals (visit www.Christiansburg.org/take 60) Print the flyer or show the image on your phone for:The Mockingbird Cafe & Bakery’s free bag lunch upgrade (buy a sandwich and get a free drink and cookie or cupcake), Macado’s 10 percent off any lunch meal and El Bronco Mexican Bar & Grill’s free drink with the purchase of any lunch meal.
Community Health Center of the New River Valley helps adults access VA health coverage
Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, new health coverage for adults will cover more people. If you work in retail, construction, childcare, landscaping, food service or many of the jobs that don’t offer health insurance, you may be able to get low-cost health insurance that includes regular preventive care and treatment for chronic health conditions. To find out if you’re eligible, phone the Community Health Center of the NRV (215 Roanoke Street) at 540 381-0820, or visit coverva.org
Montgomery Museum volunteer opportunities
A number of volunteer opportunities are available at the Montgomery Museum.
Docent: training is provided for individuals to staff the front office, answer calls, make sales, and interpret the history of the museum; events planning: planning and implementation of our major events annually, including Heritage Day, Mountains of Music, h’Arts on Main, Cruisin’ Christiansburg; Working with any of the committees: (Membership, Marketing, Events/Fundraising, Building Expansion, Building and Grounds); research with genealogy projects: working with the genealogy team; gardening: working in the garden with Virginia Master Gardeners. Contact 540.382.5644 and visit www.montgomerymuseum.org
Pre-1940s schools exhibit seeks contributions
The Montgomery Museum of Art and History is celebrating an upcoming new exhibit at the museum on the history of schools in Montgomery County with a series of school photos this month. If you’d like to contribute to the museum’s collection of pre-1940 photos of county schools, please contact the museum curator, Sherry Wyatt, at collections@montgomerymuseum.org.