Features

HILLSVILLE –– Everyone deserves a second chance. For Albert Fulp, it only took something in the neighborhood of 70 years.

Fulp, an 86-year-old R.J. Reynolds retiree from Winston-Salem, N.C., and Kathy Delp, a 56-year-old close friend from Galax, were among the 150 or so who were provided another opportunity to attend the formal dance that circumstance may have prevented them from enjoying as teenagers, as Galax-Carroll County Relay for Life held its inaugural Second Chance Prom recently at Carroll County High School.

“Memories on Main” car show in downtown Galax proved quite a draw for vintage, antique and custom car enthusiasts this year. Along with the cars, entertainment was provided by local group Loose Strings, along with food, book and license plate vendors.

On hand to greet showgoers was Michigan’s Scott “Scooter” Strenzel, a car magazine journalist and author of the “Scooter’s Garage” column, who was there to give out a special award and write articles about the event and various articles on display.

INDEPENDENCE — A graduating class of 136 students received diplomas on May 31 at Grayson County High School — and some have completed two years of community college already.

HILLSVILLE — The 1944 Allied landing at Anzio, Italy, was only supposed to last for a few weeks, but instead troops were stranded on the beach for four months, as wave after wave of enemy soldiers stormed the beachhead in opposition.
Seventy years later, veterans of that battle are still gathering. This year, they met in Hillsville — possibly for the last time.

Kenneth Young Tomlinson, who rose from a childhood in Galax to become editor of Reader’s Digest and director of the Voice of America, died May 1 in Winchester. He was 69.
His career at Reader’s Digest spanned 28 years and he became its editor in 1989.

HILLSVILLE — Uniformed officers lined up inside the Grover King VFW Post 1115 on the morning of May 15, as the smell of crisp bacon, country ham, sausage, biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs and donuts wafted from the kitchen.

Thirty Galax swimmers have been honored as record holders for their collaboration with more than 35,000 swimmers across the globe in an attempt at breaking the record for the world’s largest swim lesson on June 18, 2013.

Local heroes were celebrated at Hearts Empowered to Rescue Others (H.E.R.O.) Day on May 3 in Hillsville. The day celebrates everyday heroes, including police, fire and rescue departments.

The field on Farmer’s Market Drive in Hillsville was packed with various stations where visitors could learn about the local emergency departments and what they do each day to keep our neighborhoods safe.