Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 1, 1991 TAG: 9103010536
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Kim Sunderland
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Rebecca "Becky" Cottingham is the new coordinator of the New River Valley Community Services Board's Kids on the Block puppet program, which teaches non-disabled children about handicaps.
Soft-spoken and somewhat adventurous, Cottingham thinks one of the most attractive characteristics of the valley is its people. With the different jobs she's had around the area, she should know.
\ ADDRESS: Blacksburg
\ AGE: 42
\ OCCUPATION: Certified teacher devoting full-time efforts to volunteer work with children.
\ BIRTHPLACE: Bluefield, W. Va.
\ MARITAL STATUS: Married to Charles
\ CHILDREN: Christopher, 18, and Katie, 13
\ PETS: Three dogs named Birdie, Gertie and Jigger. Four cats named Big Mac (short for Macado), Naomi, Vinton, QP (short for Quarter Pounder), and a lizard named Mr. Liz. "I have a fish too," she said.
\ EDUCATION: Degree in chemical biology from Virginia Tech in 1967. Teaching certificate also from Tech. Taught science - "the subject kids love to hate" - for more than 15 years. Also has waitressed, sold real estate, worked in a bank, and as a file clerk.
\ WORST JOB: Waitressing. She hated the cowgirl outfit.
\ SECRET TO SUCCESS: "Be happy with your life. Have a positive attitude and try to see the good."
\ LOVES MOST ABOUT NEW RIVER VALLEY: The land, the countryside, the college-town atmosphere. "It's a safe place, the schools are good and there's lots of isolation if you want it. . . . It's impossible to get out of Blacksburg once you're here."
\ LIKES LEAST: Development. She believes we need to see what the community needs before development continues. "I love the land, which is why selling real estate was really the wrong job for me."
\ FAVORITE SPOT: View from Butt Mountain, and Giles County view from around Mountain Lake.
\ ADMIRES MOST: Catherin Snyder, minister of Blacksburg Unitarian Fellowship. "She's thoughtful, intelligent, never acts impulsively, and she's good with all ages of people. She's a truly beautiful person."
\ SMARTEST THING SHE'S EVER DONE: Getting an education. "It's something no one can ever take away from you."
\ DUMBEST THING: Locking her son in the car by accident when he was 6 months old. "There he was, watching his mother flutter around the car and he couldn't have cared less!" Also, not staying with one career: "Probably when it's time to retire, I'll know what I want to do with my life."
\ CAR: Drives a 1987 Honda Civic that's been "driven hard and put out sweaty so many times that it should be in commercials."
\ FAVORITE FOOD: Garden-fresh tomatoes.
\ FAVORITE DRINK: White wine.
\ FAVORITE MOVIE: "Midnight Cowboy."
\ FAVORITE BOOK: "Wonders of Life on Earth" by Time-Life. "This book is what got me into biology."
\ FAVORITE STORE: Eats Natural Foods, Blue Ridge Outdoors and the Clothes Rack.
\ WORST HABIT: Being a weird eater. She likes to dip Little Debbies in cottage cheese.
\ IF SHE HAD 15 MINUTES ON TV: She would talk about child abuse. "The negative impact of child abuse is the source of a whole lot of problems today. The system of child welfare sucks."
\ FIRST OFFICIAL ACT IF ELECTED MAYOR: "I'd put bike paths through the town and make better trails for biking. It would be ideal to have all bikes and no cars."
by CNB