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Christmas tree collection is available to all Town of Blacksburg Refuse and Recycling customers. Collection will begin Jan. 4 and continue through the first two weeks of January. Trees that are collected will be chipped, and used as an alternate fuel source.
Christmas Tree Collection Guidelines
• Place your cut tree at the curb before 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 11, to ensure pickup.
• Trees and greenery must be free of all decorations and wire.
For more information please e-mail recycle@blacksburg.gov or call 540.961.1142.
~ The following was published in The Floyd Press on December 10, 2009.
Mankind is my business!” bellowed the Ghost of Jacob Marley, played by Emerson Perry during a Sunday evening performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Sun Hall. This classic tale of redemption and Christmas spirit, the latest Young Actors Co-op (YAC) production, enlisted the talents of the largest cast yet, with many parts suited for young first time performers.
Top hats and bonnets, petticoat dresses, shawls, and eerie ghostly cloaks, along with inventive set designs literally set the stage for an engaging 90 minutes of holiday
entertainment, played to a full house. 
Period costumes from the nineteenth century were borrowed from Charlotte Atkins’ private vintage collection, sewn by YAC parents Dr. Sue Osborne and Heather Spangler, and found in thrift shops. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Coriander Woodruff) adorned in a wreath of holly loomed large on walking stilts.
The addition of drop microphones by YAC light and sound engineer Woody Woodruff allowed audience members in farthest reaches of the hall to hear first time YAC actor, 7 year old Bert Avellar deliver Tiny Tim’s resounding line “God bless us everyone.” Special tricks of lighting projected Jacob Marley’s haunting face on to Scrooge’s (Cameron
Woodruff) door. 
“YAC strives to bring the highest standard of theater excellence to the stage, to provide a creative outlet for youths in the region, and to encourage a love and appreciation for the art of theater in young and old,” the event program reads. Under the direction of Rose McCutchan, the group has proven once again that they are fulfilling that mission. ~ Colleen Redman blogs daily at looseleafnotes.com.
~ The following was published in The Floyd Press newspaper on 11/12/09
Florence Rewinski’s interest in healthcare reform hit home this summer when she underwent an unexpected major surgery. Single and uninsured, Rewinski felt healthy one day, the next she was saddled with medical bills.
“I’ve had insurance in the past but it was cost prohibitive,” she said, explaining that while insured she was denied benefits for an emergency surgery because it was deemed a pre-existing condition. With a holistic approach to healthcare, her treatment choices are not generally covered as standard care. The high cost of insurance combined with lack of coverage and treatment options made health insurance unsustainable for Rewinski.
Not knowing if a large discovered internal mass was malignant or not, Rewinski faced her pending surgery with determination and trust. “It wasn’t about the money. It was about my health,” she recalled. Her doctor at the Floyd Community Health Clinic recommended the University of Virginia (UVA), a teaching hospital in Charlottesville, where Rewinski received a radical hysterectomy and the removal of what turned out to be benign fibroids.
An avid bio-dynamic home gardener who works for the Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamic Agriculture in Woolwine, Rewinski was denied medical assistance for her outstanding bill because she earns over $21,000 a year. Although she is grateful to have received “good caring service” at UVA, and has been making payments, it hasn’t been enough. “Because the hospital is funded by the government, they follow certain payment criteria and requirements to keep their funding,” she said, pointing to the possibility that her bill will be turned over to a collection agency, which could involve being served papers and facing a judge in court for non-payment.
Acting on a tip from the Laurel Creek Chinese Medicine Clinic, where she has received healthcare in the past, Rewinsky phoned the Commonwealths Attorney’s office to ask about the Medical Charities of Floyd County. The fund was founded approximately two decades ago by attorney Dale Proffit and past Commonwealth Attorney Gino Williams and is still run through that office.
“The purpose of the Floyd Medical Charities is so that churches and people can do fundraisers for those in need and run the money through it,” said Medical Charities’ President Sheriff Shannon Zeeman. Zeeman, who is also Vice President of Floyd County Cares, explained that donations to the fund are tax deductible and the people who benefit don’t have to claim income. “We don’t give money to individuals, we pay their bills. Donations can be made in the name of someone in need or to an unspecified general fund,” Zeeman said.
Rewinski learned from Jessica Thompson, Secretary of the Medical Charities Fund, that there was no unspecified money in the fund. Thompson suggested a fundraiser, which is when Virginia Neukirch got involved. “Florence is a friend. I knew about her health issues and that she didn’t have insurance,” Neukirch said, commenting on how many people today can not afford the rising cost of insurance.
A fundraiser concert to benefit Rewinski, organized by Neukirch, is scheduled for November 15th at the Sun Hall from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. It will feature a live auction and the musical acts of Grace Note with special guests Sharon Feury and Abe Gorsky, Mike Mitchell, and Mountain Jazz with Bernie Coveney, Martin Scudder, and Tom Kingelhofer. Cost for the benefit concert is $7. “People can also donate directly to the fund in Rewinski’s name,” Neukirch said. (Medical Charities of Floyd County, 100 East Main Street, Room 106, Floyd VA. 24091)
“A lot of people have been helped over the years and you got to give the community credit,” Zeeman said about Floyd’s Medical Charities fund. Floyd Countians have a reputation for stepping up to help each other, Zeeman said, adding that “the fund is great thing for the community.”
Neukirch agrees. “Florence and I would like to make doing benefit for the fund our yearly endeavor,” she said.
Neukirch reports that the response to the concert to benefit Florence Rewinski has been good. She hopes that people will come out to enjoy the music and auction and spend some time together. “It should be a nice afternoon,” she said. ~ Colleen Redman blogs daily at http://looseleafnotes.com
November 4th, 2009 · 1 Comment
Some time ago, I wrote about the closing of the Ben Franklin Hardware Store in Pembroke, a half-century-old county staple. Over the past year, more than one business in the county, many in and around Pembroke, have suffered the same fate in the wake of our economic recession.
One of the more surprising casualties is the Something’s Fishy market on the outskirts of town, right off route 460. While it seemed an odd idea when it opened several years ago, the Giles-area fish market (specializing in flash-frozen fish) operated for more than a few years before abruptly closing its doors. As a patron myself, I knew the shop had a loyal customer base, so I was surprised to see the building empty a mere few weeks after talking with the owner about her plans for expanding the business.
Over the past year, the Pembroke area has seen increased activity in local outfitter and river-oriented businesses taking advantage of the community’s proximity to the New River. The river banks in Pembroke are a popular camping and put-in destination for river revelers, and the city’s successful river festival in summer 2009 was a strong indicator of the draw activities on the New can have.
One economic success story of the past year is Canoe The New’s move from Pearisburg to Pembroke. The relatively new outfitter business offers canoeing and kayaking trips down the river at very competitive prices. The new location is comprised of a large log cabin just of route 460, just outside of town. Yet, it is perhaps the success of Canoe The New that put the long-standing New River Canoe Livery out of business, located less than a mile down 460. Add to this the additional competition brought by Tangent Outfitters (at the corner of 460 and Cascade Dr), and one begins to get the picture that there just weren’t enough river tourists to go around during the recession this past summer.
An additional casualty of river-oriented businesses vying for local and tourist attention was a Christian-themed garden and outdoor center, located directly across from Tangent Outfitters. Despite the nicely refurbished log-cabin style building, the niche market the store sought simply could not catch on.
Other Pembroke-area businesses that have closed their doors over the past year is Tickle’s Service Station/Cafe, a long-standing community hub, and a newfound gift shop located next to the Giles Convenience Center (this one only made it a few months).
Elsewhere in the county, Pearisburg’s Courthouse Cafe closed its doors this past spring, and the town’s upscale restaurant, The Bank, also shut down. However, word on the street is that the latter will be re-opening with a new kitchen staff soon.
Empty and abandoned buildings are always a depressing sight. In my estimation, there are far too many of them in both rural and urban America, and it only becomes exacerbated during difficult economic times. Familiar local businesses that may have otherwise weathered the hardship, as well as promising new ones, can no longer afford to stay open.
On a different note, downtown Pembroke saw another successful Halloween with its masses of trick or treaters from around the county. The spooky holiday arrived just in time with peak autumn colors, and a mere handful of days later, many of those leaves have blown to the ground. Early November reminds us of how wonderful September and October were, and also reminds us that things are going to get colder soon.
Finally, don’t forget the annual television auction, happening in Narrows, VA, next week! I’ve already written about that one a few times.
John Hildreth lives in Pembroke, VA, teaches at Radford University, and plays in the Contra Dance band Dot Dot Dash.
~The following was published in The Floyd Press on October 29, 2009 along with a photo spread (these and others). It also appears on the Press’s online site HERE.
Under unexpected blue skies, a banner crowd turned out for the first annual SplitRail Eco-Fair on Saturday, October 24th. “It’s a miracle,” one of the organizers said, referring to the forecasted rainy weather that didn’t happen.
Hosted by SustainFloyd, a citizen’s group promoting sustainable local economy, the Eco-Fair was timed with the International Day of Climate Action, 
a day of worldwide rallies and events calling for grassroots actions and bold leadership on climate change issues.
The Eco-Fair featured environmentally friendly crafts and businesses; educational exhibits on land use, alternative energy, and holistic health; martial arts and dance demonstrations; local baked goods; locally grown produce; musical entertainment; live theater; and a dedication to the new Floyd Community Market where the celebration of Floyd’s sounds, tastes, and talents was held. 
Floyd Country Store owner and developer of the Community Market, Woody Crenshaw (left) gave the dedication address for the 3,000 square foot pavilion, which will be used for weekday parking and for selling local produce, crafts, and artwork on weekends. Saying, “This wasn’t here a week ago,” Crenshaw thanked the Professional Builders crew who constructed the structure in short order, along with the project’s supporters and volunteers. The Station (the adjacent newly renovated building) investors, Healing Harvest Forest Foundation, Streamline Timberworks, Wills Ridge Supply, Turman Lumber, and participating musicians - all of whom donated materials, services, and support - were also recognized. 
“It takes a dedicated group of private investors who care about this community and a helpful local government,” Crenshaw said about the latest in Floyd’s downtown renewal.
Recalling the words of best-selling environmental author Bill McKibben, who spoke at the Country Store in May, Crenshaw reiterated that the development of Floyd’s unique local assets is what makes the community sustainable, adding, “We can’t know how we are affecting the future, but we know if nothing is done - if there is no intention or vision - we kind of know what’s going to happen.” 
Following Crenshaw’s address, SustainFloyd member and Eco-Fair organizer Haden Polseno-Hensley led fair-goers in a dedication that involved the celebratory synchronized eating of local grown apples. ~ Colleen Redman
Photos: 1. The new Floyd Community Market filled with activity for first annual SplitRail Eco-Fair. 2. Rita Brown was one of the volunteers who staffed the vendor sign-up booth where SplitRail Eco-Fair commemorative T-shirts were sold. The organic cotton shirts were from Floyd’s Green Label Organic Sustainable Threads. The SustainFloyd painting pictured behind Brown was done by local artist Laurelsong Cook. 
3. Local business developer and SustainFloyd founding member, Woody Crenshaw said the market was an investment in Floyd’s future. 4. The Young Actors Coop (YAC) presented original theater to an overflow crowd. The zany YAC play with a message about global warming was well received by the audience, whose members frequently erupted in laugher. 5. Decked out in a year’s worth of plastic bags, the Plastic Bag Monster (Rowan Chantal) drew attention from fair-goers of all ages. 6. SustainFloyd fair organizer and one of the builders of the Floyd Community Market, Haden Poleseno-Hensley led SplitRail Eco-Fair goers in a dedication that involved the synchronized eating of local grown apples. ~ Colleen Redman blogs daily at http://looseleafnotes.com
Video clips of the YAC play are HERE and HERE.
