Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 22, 1993 TAG: 9303220009
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
LANCERLOT SUSPENDS ITS FEES
Q: Is LancerLot going to offer rebates to fitness center members? Can members cancel their monthly bank draft scheduled for April 1? D.F., RoanokeA: LancerLot already has stopped the membership bank drafts, owner Henry Brabham said, just as it did two years ago when it closed its downtown Roanoke fitness club.
Members will receive letters soon explaining that when the Vinton fitness center recovers from the building's roof collapse, they'll be allowed to use the remaining 15 days from the current month's payment. Anyone wanting a refund on those days can get one, Brabham said.
A few people have paid for a full year's membership. Those will be honored in the same way, Brabham said. The remaining time can be used or refunds issued.
The roof over the fitness center's hockey rink gave way under snow from the March 12-13 blizzard. Brabham said he's having an independent engineer evaluate the structure to see whether the part of the building still standing was affected, and to check out the remainder of the structure as well.
Family values checkup
Q: There was a petition on the back of the Sunday comics recently from the American Family Association asking for better family values in TV, movies and music. What percentage of any money we might contribute would go to actually helping with the petition, and would any be going to salaries, for example? C.L., Roanoke
A: The American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss., has operated for 15 years with a good record for honesty.
A spokeswoman said all donations with this petition, addressed to boards of directors in the entertainment industry, go into an account to buy more advertisements like the one you saw.
We checked four other sources, one a major Protestant denomination and another an evangelical association with 700 members nationwide. No one doubted the money will be used as the donors specify.
Words like "sincere," "up front" and "pretty clean ship" were offered in describing the American Family Association, run by the Rev. Donald Wildmon.
The other two sources, both generally favorable, were newspapers in the Tupelo area. Some recent high-profile TV evangelists wouldn't have fared as well with their local papers.
Have books, will donate
Q: What is the best place to donate books I don't want? To the library? Or recycle them? N.N., Roanoke
A: There are plenty of places, although the valley's public libraries are glad to get books.
Any gifts that aren't used in the collection go into a used-book sale, said Beverly James, city librarian for Roanoke. Sale profits go to buy more library books.
Literacy Volunteers of America would appreciate your donation, especially of children's books.
Other possibilities are the Salvation Army and day-care centers. Young people's books are popular at the Crisis Intervention Center and juvenile detention home.
One footnote: James has found there's practically no demand for Reader's Digest condensed books.
Got a question about something that might affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.