Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 22, 1994 TAG: 9407220086
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis Banks
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
And all through the shelter,
The cats were in a fervor,
The dogs in a swelter.
Excitement was mounting and hopes were high,
For Santa was coming in mid-July!
The Humane Society of Montgomery County is at it again. Last year's first "Christmas in July" fund-raiser was so successful, members of the organization are keeping their fingers crossed for a repeat performance.
The event is happening Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at locations in Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Volunteers will be at Wade's and Kroger supermarkets, as well as at Wal-Mart in the Market Place Shopping Center and at New River Valley Mall.
The volunteers will have shopping lists of items needed for all the cats, kittens, puppies and dogs at the animal shelter on Flanagan Drive in Christiansburg. In addition to providing food and medicine for the pets while they wait for a home, the Humane Society raises money to cover operating expenses for the no-kill shelter.
Information on how members of the community can work together to abate animal suffering will be available at each site, too.
New River Valley Mall is inviting folks to bring their pets Saturday and participate in the pet and owner look-alike contest, "Paws on Parade." The winner receives a gift certificate. There's also a petting zoo and pony rides to celebrate the animal appreciation day.
Members of the Humane Society will provide a dog wash at the mall. You can get your four-legged, furry friends bathed and beautified for a small donation.
In keeping with the "Christmas in July" theme, the Humane Society's Second Time Around store will have specials on holiday goods. The shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's in the Patrick Henry Plaza on North Main Street in Blacksburg.
Finally, if you really want to celebrate Christmas in July, head for the animal shelter. There are lots of lovable, cuddly, cute critters there who can't wait to hear you say the magical words - ho-ho-home!
The shelter will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's at the intersection of I-81 and Virginia 8 in Christiansburg.
IT'S ABOUT TIME: Although the first humans lived about 21/2 million years ago, written language didn't appear until 5,000 years ago. That's why the period before man developed the ability to record history is called "prehistory."
"Back to Bedrock! Prehistory and Archaeology of Floyd County" is the name of the latest exhibit at the Old Church Gallery. The exhibit showcases artifacts originating from 10,000 to 500 years ago.
The gallery will have an open house Sunday to launch the opening of this new exhibit. Archaeologist Cliff Boyd, an associate professor of anthropology at Radford University, will attend as guest curator.
Norman Jefferson, an archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service at Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, also will be there to demonstrate how primitive man manufactured tools from flint and similar fine-grained stone. Called knapping, the process involves flaking the stone with quick, sharp blows.
The open house runs from 1 to 3 p.m. at the gallery on Wilson Street just off East Main Street in downtown Floyd.
After the open house, Jefferson will be at the Jesse Peterman Memorial branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library. He will give a talk to members of the Floyd County Historical Society.
The exhibit at the Old Church Gallery will continue through Aug. 27. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday.
LAWN CARE: Folk musicians Laura Pole, Greg Trafidlo and Neal Phillips will play on the lawn at Virginia Tech's Henderson Hall tonight, starting at 6. The concert is part of Blacksburg's Summer Arts Festival.
Pole and Trafidlo have been performing together since 1989 and live in Bedford County near the Peaks of Otter. Recently, the duo became a trio with the addition of Phillips who lives in Blacksburg.
Pole and Trafidlo have opened shows for such stars as Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Trapezoid, John McCutcheon and Robin and Linda Williams. Pole sings the theme song for ABC television's "Good Morning, Virginia" show. She and Trafidlo produced four independent albums before they hooked up with Phillips.
A recording by the trio is on "Freedom is a Constant Struggle," a nationally-released CD set commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. Some big names on the album include Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Tom Paxton and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Pole, Trafidlo and Phillips play their own award-winning folk songs, as well as selections by other contemporary songwriters.
Admission to tonight's concert is free and you're invited to bring a picnic supper. Don't forget the blankets and lawn chairs for the outdoor seating.
NOBODY SINGS LIKE PATSY: Well, Kari Taylor comes close.
"I've been told I do Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams" the best," says the singer.
Taylor, who works at Litton-Poly Scientific in Blacksburg and is a busy wife and mother, also spends three or four weekends a month performing around the region. She's the headliner at Saturday's Riverfest '94 in Radford's Bisset Park. Her performance starts at 3 p.m. and is sponsored by WPSK.
In addition to singing the Patsy Cline classics, Taylor also performs the songs of Wynonna Judd , Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Lorrie Morgan.
You can catch Taylor's show at the gazebo. Come early so you can enjoy all the other Riverfest events.
COFFEE HOUSE TREAT: Excel, a three-member Christian rock band from Harrisonburg, will perform Saturday at Straight Street Youth Center's coffee house. Musicians Dwight Martin, Shawn Erb and Jeremy Warner are spreading the good news of the gospel while they're on break from their studies at Eastern Mennonite College and Seminary.
The band recently produced its first recording, "Excel - Learn to Love."
Admission to Saturday's coffee house is free and open to adults and youths. Doors open at 7 p.m. Straight Street is at 300 N. Franklin St. in Christiansburg.
YOU'VE HEARD OF THE MUSIC MAN? Now you can meet The Music Lady!
That's what Mary Kunsman calls herself.
Kunsman, who lives in Florida but spends her summers in Blacksburg because she says she enjoys the "cool weather," will perform Wednesday for the Bach's Lunch program at Virginia Tech's Memorial Chapel. She will bring her puppet friends, Sunshine, Chee-Chee and Cha-Cha, for this sing-along featuring old love songs and fun songs.
The music is free and everyone is invited to bring a lunch for the midday entertainment. It runs from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, call the chapel at 231-6240.
by CNB