Features

Jennifer Patterson says the whole thing started when she felt moved to help people in the community who don’t have enough food.

She says she felt $30 was a reasonable goal to fund a food box for a single family.

“I decided that I wanted to make sure someone had a nice meal,” says Patterson. “For somebody who doesn’t have groceries in their house, $30 is a lot.”

So Patterson went to the “Galax Talk of the Town” Facebook page in early November and posted the following:

Article submitted by Virginia Farm Bureau

ELK CREEK — Neither cold, rain, sleet, snow nor nightfall stops Carlos and Sherrie Taylor from getting their Christmas trees harvested and shipped to their customers.

The Grayson County tree farmers and their employees put in long days from early November to mid-December — often working around the clock to get their trees to buyers up and down the East Coast.

Every Goliath has his David.

When the giant in question is desperate circumstances for a local homeless shelter, its David appears to be an 11-year-old boy.

Hope House, a local homeless shelter, is in need of a new home by March 11 of next year, and trying to raise funds to pay for a new one. The group is reliant on church and individual donations, getting by on a miniscule budget.

By DON RICHESON, Staff

It’s not unusual for Grayson County folks to go to great lengths to preserve their rich Appalachian heritage, and Grayson’s Baywood community offers a good example of this.

One man there is building a monument-like sign that announces the name the community had before officials decided to rename it, a name change many never embraced because it ignores the family who originally settled the area – the Hamptons.

Carroll County Public Schools hosted a series of Veterans Day programs on Nov. 11, to thank local veterans for their service to the country.

At Oakland Elementary School, veterans from the Grover King VFW Post #1115 in Hillsville were treated to a patriotic program of songs, poetry, skits and American traditions. Fifth grade students performed a skit titled “What is a Veteran?” and other grades performed a variety of songs, including “Yankee Doodle,” “My Country Tis of Thee” and “America the Beautiful.”

HILLSVILLE — The Carroll County Public Library staff and guests gathered at the library on Nov. 1 for a rededication of the newly renovated building.

As the first snow of the season blanketed the ground outside, the upgrades to the library’s structure became even more apparent to guests, who remained warm and cozy during their stay.

HILLSVILLE — The Carroll Christmas Fund, an annual event driven by a number of volunteers, businesses, churches and community groups, has begun organizing this year’s efforts to ensure that everyone in the community has a happy holiday season.

TOWN OF HILLSVILLE

Hillsville’s Safe Halloween festivities will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, and continue through 8 p.m.

This year, the Friends of Hillsville will provide a safe trick-or treating experience for the kids, as well as fun games and activities for the entire family.

Every autumn, the scenery changes colors.

The leaves of some trees always turn one color. For example, the black walnut turns yellow. Other species, such as sweetgum, turn different colors, even on the same tree.

Sunny days and cool nights are key to fall leaf displays. Bright, sunny days and cool, but not freezing, nights are required for vivid autumn shows. If there is an early frost, the leaves are likely to turn brown and drop.

Although botanists understand the mechanics of some of these changes, other parts remain a mystery.