Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 17, 1994 TAG: 9402170262
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Joanne Anderson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The topic on my mind today, along with on my roof, trees, driveway and mailbox, is ice. Now ice has been around for many, many years. About a million or so years ago, ice started to accumulate in large mass and move, carving a landscape of peaks and valleys, meadows and mountains.
Scientists speculate that several, perhaps four or more, Ice Ages have existed. Thousands of feet of ice lay on the earth where great cities like London, Paris, Boston and Moscow have been built. The only great glaciers on the earth today are in the pole regions and cover about one-tenth of the earth's surface.
Ice in literature is common. Shakespeare used the phrase "chaste as ice." Frost (whose name sounds a little icy) wrote a poem titled "Fire and Ice." Samuel Taylor Coleridge raved about "caves of ice" when he wrote "Kubla Khan" in 1798.
I'm getting cold just writing about ice. But I feel better. Perhaps next summer when the sun is high in the sky and air is more fair than today, I will consent to have a little ice in my tea. But not until then.
A special six-week program about DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION for all New River Valley people over 60 will be conducted at the Pulaski Senior Center starting Thursday Feb. 24 and continuing weekly through April 7. The sessions will cover fire prevention, slips and falls, home security, safe food preparation and storage, as well as information about safety equipment like smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
This free program is sponsored by the Pulaski County Health Department and the New River Valley Agency on Aging. For more information, call Brenda Burruss at 980-1490.
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help with a large mailing at the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program office in Christiansburg. Anyone or any group willing to assist, please call Victoria Scott or Jo Lambert at 382-5775.
The Virginia Center for Active Retirement at Virginia Tech will present "GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR LONG TERM CARE PROGRAMS"o on Wednesday March 2, 9-11 a.m., in conference room F at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center.
Cost is $5 and pre-registration is requested. Call 231-5183 to register or for more information.
The Blacksburg Retired Citizens group has scheduled a trip to the ``ISLANDS IN THE SUN'' FLOWER SHOW In Philadelphia March 5-7. Garden club members and anyone interested in attending the show may participate.
Cost is $280 per person. For more information, call Catherine Edwards at 552-2510.
The RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, 1 Franklin St., Courthouse Annex, Christiansburg, 382-5775:
The Blacksburg group will meet at the courthouse annex at 10 a.m. today Thursday Feb. 17 and then go out for lunch.
Next week is SHARE week at the Pulaski warehouse, and the Shawsville group will being going down to help with food packaging on Monday Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. The Warm Hearth group will go on Tuesday Feb. 22 at 10 a.m., and the McCoy group at 1 p.m., after having lunch out.
The RADFORD SENIOR CENTER, 27 First St., 731-3634:
The movie "Driving Miss Daisy" will be shown today Thursday Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. at the center. There is no charge.
A trip to Mt. Airy, N.C., is planned for Friday. Feb. 18. Lunch will be on your own at Libby Hill Seafood Restaurant, and free time at the outlet stores is scheduled. Transportation fee is $2.
The center will be closed on Monday in observance of President's Day.
The GILES COUNTY SENIOR CENTER, 1320 Wenonah Ave., Pearisburg, 921-3924:
Swim times are the same, but starting Monday, Feb. 21, the days will be different. Swim days will be Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for at least six weeks. There will be no swimming on Thursdays or Fridays. Time is still 10:15 a.m. This excursion to the Blacksburg pool is open to anyone requiring water therapy for post-surgery, arthritis, back pain or other medicinal purpose.
Berry Evans will speak at the noon AARP meeting on Friday.
On Thursday Feb. 24, Betty Lou Letsinger will present "Economics of Staying in School" for all Girl Scout cadettes cq and troops. Letsinger, daughter of Robert and Betty Letsinger of Rich Creek, is an active member of the Citrus Girl Scout Council in Orlando, Fla., where she lives.
The CHRISTIANSBURG SENIOR CENTER, 655 Montgomery St., 382-8173:
Senior center supervisor Sherry Kostric will be "in jail" today Thursday Feb. 17 as she participates in the Muscular Dystrophy Association fund-raising event. If you wish to help with her "bail," call 382-8173.
Bingo and bingo vittles will highlight the afternoon on Thursday, Feb. 17 starting at 1:30 p.m.
A trip to the Mountain Music Jamboree in Galax is scheduled for Saturday. Feb. 19. Transportation fee is $4, and departure from the National Guard Armory is 3:30 p.m.
The 55 Alive program will be held on Tuesday Feb. 22 and Wednesday Feb. 23 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the National Guard Armory. Cost is $8.
The PULASKI SENIOR CENTER, 106 N. Washington Ave., 980-3969:
The American Association of Retired Persons will meet at the center at 2 p.m. today. Tax assistance is available each Wednesday 1-4 p.m.
by CNB