ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997 TAG: 9704180033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: out & about
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS
"It's all about living."
The saying that inspires the caring people at New River Valley Hospice is the title they've chosen for this week's benefit film festival at the Lyric Theatre in downtown Blacksburg.
"It's All About Living" opens Monday and runs through April 27. A series of films focusing on "the interesting lives of interesting people in interesting times" is what the festival promises.
"The movies were chosen for the lives of their subjects and for their quality of production," noted Bhanu Iyengar, executive director of NRV Hospice. "All the films we will be showing have won multiple awards. They'll give us a lot to think about!"
The films include "Gandhi," "Lawrence of Arabia," "The Doors," "Before the Rain," "Au Revoir Les Enfants" and "The Princess Bride." Each will be shown twice during the week. See the Arts & Entertainment Calendar in today's Current for details about the film schedule and notes about the films.
In addition, Virginia Tech history professors are volunteering some time this week to lead discussion groups following the showings. They'll help us better understand the history and political climate of the times portrayed in the movies.
"'It's all about living' is our agency's motto," Iyengar said. "We do everything we can to enhance quality of life for our patients and for the community. What better way to celebrate that than by looking at the lives of other people?"
NRV Hospice provides medical and support services to people with incurable, life-limiting illnesses and to their families. The community-based agency covers Radford and Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski counties.
The film festival is the agency's spring fund-raiser with all proceeds benefiting hospice programs. Tickets are $4 per movie at the Lyric or you may buy a book of six tickets at NRV Hospice, 111 W. Main St., Christiansburg.
LIVING LEGACY: During the first 40 years of the 20th century, coal mining was the largest industry in Montgomery County.
The Coal Mining Heritage Association, a community group formed in 1994, was born from a wish to recognize and preserve the county's coal mining legacy. Members have worked to build a memorial to coal miners in McCoy, produce a documentary video on the history of local mining and present educational programs and special events to revive a nearly forgotten story.
Each year, the association sponsors a Coal Miners Day featuring history displays, demonstrations, live mountain music, crafts and good country cookin'. Organizers say it's an outdoor reunion and family celebration for everyone.
This year's event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the McCoy Community Park. Breakfast will be served before the festivities, starting at 7:30, by the McCoy Ruritan Club. If the weather's bad, the celebration moves up to April 26.
"Telling Our Story" is the theme. The idea emerged from a brand new book, "Appalachian Coal Mining Memories: Life in the Coal Fields of Virginia's New River Valley." Edited by Radford University professor Mary LaLone, the book came out of a project where LaLone's anthropology students interviewed 50 local former coal miners and their families. In addition to the recorded oral history, the book also has maps, diagrams and many old and new photographs.
Admission Saturday is free. The park is five miles west of Blacksburg on McCoy Road, Virginia 652.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: Close encounters of the musical kind await you at Virginia Tech's Squires Recital Salon this weekend. The Audubon Quartet and guest artist Eli Eban will present a spring concert Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Eban teaches at the Indiana University School of Music at Bloomington and performs with Myriad, a chamber ensemble made up of members of the Cleveland Orchestra. He spent 13 seasons with the Israel Philharmonic, performing with such renowned conductors as Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein and Sir George Solti.
Eban will join Tech's quartet-in-residence for Johannes Brahms' Quintet for Clarinet and Strings. The piece was selected to mark the 100th anniversary of the great composer's death.
Selections from Antonin Dvorak's "Cypresses" will open the program. The Audubon Quartet will record the complete work next month for Centaur Records.
The finale is Franz Schubert's Quartet in D minor, known as "Death and the Maiden." It was chosen to celebrate Schubert's 200th birthday.
Tickets, on sale at the box office in Squires Student Center, are $10 for adults or $7 for students and senior citizens. Call 231-5615 for reservations. The Saturday evening performance was sold out as of Thursday afternoon.
ACTING UP: Thirty teens will be acting up over at the 180 Club in Christiansburg tonight. The event is a dinner theater performance by the Young Continentals. The musical, "Reaching Out," features a high-energy show by the talented youths.
The banquet, a fund-raiser for the teen center, starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 and the show begins at 7:30.
Tickets are $11 per person or $20 per couple and are available in advance at New Life Bookstores in Christiansburg and Blacksburg and Amen Bookstore in Radford.
The 180 Club is next to Dr. Video on Radford Street. For information about the dinner theater or other activities, call 381-1006.
LET THE BIDDING BEGIN! The Blacksburg Junior Woman's Club is having an art auction Saturday and members are hoping it's the first of many to come. Original works in all media and price ranges will be up for grabs.
The event gets under way with a preview at 6:30 p.m. The auction starts at 7:30. It's all happening at the new First National Bank building on Arbor Drive at Christiansburg's Marketplace shopping center.
Admission is $5. One lucky person will win the door prize and everyone will be treated to wine, cheese and hors d'oeuvres. Tickets will be available at the door.
HEAD FOR THE SHED: The Electric Woodshed, that is.
The Blacksburg band celebrates its 10th anniversary with a show tonight at the South Main Cafe. They'll turn on the juice at 10:30.
Current and former band guys will perform your favorite rock and blues tunes at this gig. Admission is $4 if you're over 21 or $5 if you're under 21.
The cafe is at 117 S. Main St. in Blacksburg.
LENGTH: Long : 117 linesby CNB