
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 8, 1994                   TAG: 9401080106
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

APPLAUSE

The veterans' committee of the United Auto Workers from the Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corp. plant in Dublin sponsored a dinner in December for all 51 children who live at Joy Ranch orphanage in Hillsville.

At the UAW hall in Dublin, the veterans cooked hamburgers and hotdogs as the main course for the children, who range in age from under 2 to 17.

Following the dinner, the Vietnam Veterans of America, Radford chapter 138, which had raised more than $6,300 for the children's Christmas presents, distributed personal gifts to each child.

Sports equipment for everyone, such as soccer balls, baseballs, bats, volleyball and badminton sets and horseshoes, remained wrapped for the children to open on Christmas Day.

by CNB