The South Roanoke Circle is a publication forged from our belief in bringing peopletogether through the written word. A paper that arrives at each and every home in theneighborhood, The South Roanoke Circle offers monthly glimpses into the everydaylives and minds of South Roanokers. To that end, we hope you'll be a part of the cir-cle, sharing your ideas about what sustains our neighborhood's spirit of community.

Later this month, the wildly prolific novelist and mystery writerRita Mae Brown will visit Roanoke. She is one of three featured writ-ers at RAMA's 9th Annual Book & Author Dinner and Fundraiser.As a warm-up, she talked with the Circle about the life she's creat-ed and the writing she's crafted from her farm outside of

Charlottesville. An animal-lover by nature, Brown grew

up on a farm in Pennsylvania — "atragic three miles North of the

Mason-Dixon line." Geographicdetails aside, Brown's sensibili-ties smack of the South. Sherecalls her childhood, explain-ing, "There's a reason so muchliterature comes from the South.Back in those days, without

a/c, you sat out on the porchand told stories. Neighbors came

by, had tea, and told their tales."And Brown listened. Rearedin a rural environment,Brown found that most folkswere independent thinkers;"Their worries were over the

crops, rather than over politics." And from her mother, she learnedto listen in on another world: that of the birds and animals aroundher. "My mother was an amazing birder and she taught me to rec-ognize their different cries," explains Brown. "I call it the 'happytalk' of birds, and I feel so fortunate to be tuned in to it."

Those early days also set the path to her home in Virginia.When asked why she chose to settle here, she looks backwards:"My father's family came to Virginia in 1620, and my mom's fam-ily came over to Maryland with Lord Calvert, on either the first orsecond boat. So there's that history. More than that, though, Iremember the first time I saw the Blue Ridge Mountains. I was aboutfour years old, and I was completely taken. There's an expansive-ness about Virginia that I love, and that goes back to summertimevisits in my childhood."

Thanks to her early classic training, she also developed a loveof language. Brown's theory: "Most Southerners are raised on theKing James version of the Bible, which is full of beautiful languageand fabulous rhythms." Lamenting changes in our educational sys-tem, Brown underscores the necessity of a traditional education:"Not to demand at least two years of Latin is criminal. We're real-ly harming our young people. Discipline is a great kindness. Weneed to ask more of them, not less." She crafts a resonant analogy:"Most pop singers have three, maybe four, years of belting it out inthem, before they blow out their voices. But opera singers — theylast 30 or 40 years. As a writer, if you master Latin, you will be likethat opera singer. You will have this phenomenal foundation, bothin terms of our language and our culture, on which to build."

While Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle put her on the literary map, it isher feline partner-in-crime mystery series — a genre all her own —that has sustained her journey. When the Writer's Guild went onstrike in 1988, and Brown was suddenly without a paycheck — atthe time she was writing in Hollywood — it was her furry "mews"(muse?) who suggested they collaborate to create the Mrs. MurphyMystery Series. "At first," Brown recalls, "my publisher resisted. But

Rita Mae Brown: Channeling Sneaky Pie and the Pack from the Blue Ridge Mountains

march 2007

centeredon

community.family.

you.

insideRolling on a Coat of Green • A Call for Mominations

A Historical Tour of Crystal Spring's Steam Pump

The South Roanoke Circle2707 Richelieu AvenueRoanoke, VA 24014

Brown at home with her feline partnerin crime-solving. Photo by Mark Homan, courtesy of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group

by Jill Hufnagel

— See “Brown” on page 12

Brent Stevenspublisher

Jill Hufnageleditor

Amy Takacsgraphic designer

Lisa Bowersadvertising representative

353.2380

Mary Anne Marxphotographer

345.6279

Johnny Meidlingerweb developer

The South Roanoke Circle2707 Richelieu AvenueRoanoke, VA 24014540.293.2114

southroanokecircle.com

Our intent is to provide a neighborhood publication that celebrates community and fosters connection among neighbors. In so doing, we seek to strengthen the neighborhood bond, to encour-age our children to share theirvoices, and to nurture a future ofcollective growth. Finally, we wishto share in the discovery of thepeople and places that make thisneighborhood thrive.

We reserve the right to refusepublication of any material wedeem unsuitable for this venueand/or our readership.

Subscription Rate: $24/annuallyfor those outside our standarddelivery area.

copyright 2007Writing Associates, LLC

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2

She said...s(NO)w Day 2007. It's Wednesday night, the last day of January, and we've yet to have

snow. I'm ready. Brent's ready. The kids all got sleds for Christmas. The Weather Channel atone point proclaims 100% chance of snow. I'm not sure I've ever seen weather forecasts with100% beside them. Until now, I had always thought 80% was about the edge of the mete-orologists’ betting range. Clearly, it's in the bag. Just to be sure, I pack lunches.

We all go to bed with our pjs inside out (a tradition handed down from my sister, a pub-lic school teacher who is always up for a snow day), dreaming of snow drifts and hot cocoa.When I wake at 3, I peer through the blinds. Nothing. Two hours later, same scene. But theysaid it might not start until 7. Surely, it's just around the corner.

Kids wake. No snow. Clouds, but no snow smell. School is cancelled. Everywhere. Nota flake in sight. Rearrange work schedule. Consider how to entertain kids. Would layeringon all the snow gear and having a relay around the block work? Sounds exhausting, rathersweaty, but potentially capable of wearing out my trio. . . and their friends. So I make a fewcalls and we opt for musical houses. We start with a play date that consists largely of dress-ups, half-baked plays, and what might best be described as mini wrestling matches, punctu-ated by our daily quota of level eight shrieking. When the parents have hit their limits of fun,we head out for lunch. Kids all don fire hats, eat bags of chips, avoid sandwiches, and deemthe fare divine.

Next stop is our house, where we usher in the children in pairs to use the bathroom, washtheir hands, and regroup before our next phase: a trip to the matinee. Somehow, all of thechildren successfully escape from the van at once, and run madly around the front yard. Ahh,the best laid plans. When one of the little ones eyes a stick, we shift gears, batten down theseat belts, and head to the movies.

Going to the movies marks a first for three of our crew, and thus cause for great excite-ment! As we settle in, shedding coats and claiming seats, the kids wonder at the dark. I'mfeeling like my own mom, all thrifty and whatnot, as the other moms and I dole out popcornfrom the massive theatre-sized bucket into the brown bags stashed in my handbag. We cir-culate drinks and manage to snack the whole crew for $1 a head. I feel accomplished.

While heading home, having survived the movie with only a few ants in said pants, I findmyself still looking skyward. My hope is big — a chilly, frolicking orb that envelops us as webegrudgingly give in to the inevitable: dry walks, clear skies, sleds with tags still hangingtellingly from their ropes. I want my kids' childhood memories to be sprinkled with gleeful,soggy, bruised and bumped sledding parties, with decked out snow people andneighborhood snowball fights. Next week, they promise. Our fingers are crossed, our pjsinverted. — Jill Hufnagel

Handbell choir being formedA community handbell choir is forming in the Roanoke Valley. In

an area with a local symphony, an opera company, ballet, theater,and choral groups, we now have an opportunity for those whowould like to play in an advanced handbell performance organiza-tion.

Joe Kennedy and Katherine Shaver are the co-founders of thisgroup. Kennedy, the Director of Music at South Roanoke UnitedMethodist Church, has a long-term involvement with handbellsincluding sales and repair. Shaver is a lifelong ringer and was amember of The Raleigh Ringers for two years prior to returning toRoanoke.

A rehearsal area and set of handbells have been made avail-able for the group, and additional ringers are needed. Anyonewho would enjoy growing as a ringer, playing challengingmusic, and giving concerts to the community is invited tocontact Joe Kennedy at 989-7440 or joe.becky@cox.net toobtain more information.

3

Joseph Campbell, scholar of mythology,originally penned the phrase “Follow yourbliss” that eventually wound up on cars inthe form of bumper stickers. The idea is sim-ple: a meaningful life can be built aroundidentifying and pursuing one’s passions.Not everyone is lucky enough to be able toearn a living working in a field they love,but such is the case of Blaine Lewis: twotime Ironman distance finisher, trailmarathoner, current Saturday morning run-ning club member and co-owner with wifeRobin of Fleet Feet Sports.

After working 12 years as a probationofficer, Blaine wanted to work in a more“positive environment” with people whoshared similar interests. So he made acareer switch and began working at FleetFeet Sports in Carrboro, N.C., where heand his family were living at the time. Aftera few years, he decided that he wanted tomake a go out of opening his own store,and with his wife Robin — a nativeRoanoker — they decided to “follow theirbliss” here, so to speak. This month markstheir four year business anniversary.

When Blaine says he enjoys running acommunity-oriented business, his wordstruly match his deeds. Fleet Feet Sportssponsors over 20 local races each year,runs a water stop during the hot days ofsummer down at River’s Edge, and gener-ously donates merchandise to various localschools and charity organizations. Fleet

Feet has earned its stellar rep-utation based on excellentcustomer service and theirproprietary Personal F.I.T. (FitIntensive Training) system.

When Blaine is not fittingcustomers for shoes or tendingto other business at the store, heloves to escape by heading out tothe nearby trails for long runs orrides on the parkway. “I really lovebeing in the woods, enjoying the sceneryand experiencing a variety of terrain,” saysBlaine. He favors the Chestnut Ridge trailand those that connect with Mill Mountain.Though the trails offer him less pounding onthe joints and few chances for serioussports injury, he does still run on pavement.He and Robin enjoy running together anddo so with their running club that meets infront of the store at 8 a.m. every Saturday.

Blaine insists that you don’t have to bea jock to shop or work at his store, so don’tbe intimidated by the idea that it’s only astore for serious runners. Stop by and findout what sporting events (walking, running,cycling, triathlon) are going on in our area,check out the new women’s line of apparel,or pick up a pair of insoles to help put somebounce back into your stride this spring.Robin and Blaine will help you find your“bliss” when it comes to health and com-fort.

Kate is a mother of two, teacher, and

avid competitor in local running races andtriathalons.

Upcoming racesMarch 17: Shamrock Hill 5K, Roanoke, VAApril 21: Charlottesville Marathon,

Charlottesville, VAMay 5: Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon,

Huddleston, VAMay 12: Second Annual Run With Grace

5K, Patrick Henry High School, for theGrace Lovegrove Scholarship Fund, Roanoke, VA

May 19: Grandin Court Baptist Church Road & Trail Challenge, 5K, Roanoke,VA

Jocks on Your Blockfeaturing profiles of local athletesby Kate Ericsson

When not hitting the trails, Blaine fits cus-tomers for their own athletic adventures atFleet Feet. Photo by Mary Anne Marx

4

Kate Ericsson, M.T., M.Ed.

Reading specialist and private tutor

540.915.1655kate.ericsson@cox.net

Please join us as we mark the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration

with

AA FFoorruumm:: FFrroomm SSllaavveerryy ttoo FFrreeeeddoomm ttoo EEqquuaalliittyy

on March 10 at 7:00 pm

at the Dumas Theater on Henry StreetFree and open to the public

For more information: gwroller@cs.com

Every day South Roanokers are the lucky recipients of the deli-cious water from Crystal Spring. The huge spring at the base ofMill Mountain gushes 4 to 5 million gallons of water a day and isthe source of South Roanoke’s water supply. This extraordinaryspring is a Roanoke landmark that reflects a layer cake of local his-tory beginning with its first layer of prehistory, to its location as apioneer mill, to its present layer as it continues to contribute toRoanoke’s water supply.

What is the source of the Great Spring? The Native Americans,known as the Totera, who lived on the nearby banks of theRoanoke River were surely among the first to wonder. The exactsource of the spring is unknown--perhaps the mouth of an under-ground river or vast limestone cav-erns which underlie the entireRoanoke Valley?

The pioneer layer of historybegins more than 300 years agowith the explorers of the Batts andFallam Expedition who recorded intheir diary on September 9, 1671that “they arrived at Totera Townwhich was located in a very richswamp and the main body of theRoanoke River circled about withmountains.” About seventy-fiveyears later Scotch Irish settlersbegan to migrate down the Shenandoah Valley, and in 1747 MarkEvans was granted a patent for “the fountain” at the foot of themountain. He settled on the land and built a gristmill by the streamwhich flowed from the spring into the Roanoke River.

The mill even has a George Washington story. On his way toinspect western forts in 1756, young George notes in his expenseaccount that he bought supplies from the ‘widow Evans.’ In 1795the Evan’s Mill property was acquired by William McClanahan, aprominent landowner and sheriff of the county. Evan’s Mill becameknown as McClanahan’s Mill and the mountain above as MillMountain. The McClanahan family eventually built two largehomes at the intersection of McClanahan and Jefferson St. (at thecurrent locations of First Presbyterian and the Rehab Center).

By 1881, Big Lick, a small town of about 1000 people, waslocated near the present downtown. In 1882 the Norfolk andWestern Railroad established its terminus in Big Lick and the townof Roanoke was chartered. Water supplies were secured from E.G.McClanahan from the Big Spring (Crystal Spring), and RoanokeLand and Improvement Company laid terra cotta pipes to supplywater to the new town. In 1890, Roanoke Gas and WaterCompany constructed a reservoir on the side of Mill Mountain. TwoHolly Steam pumps were installed to pump water from the springto the reservoir and from there the water was distributed by gravi-ty for drinking and fire suppression.

At the same time, the area around the spring was stillfarmland — fairly remote from the bustle and raucous behavior ofthe young city. Crystal Spring Pond was considered Roanoke’s firstpark, complete with a bandstand for summertime serenades. Acasino was approved for Mountain Park, which eventually was

serviced by trolley. In 1908 the amusement park’s skating rink wasconverted into a summer dance pavilion. Some South Roanokeneighbors on Cornwallis and Stanley may still notice evidence ofMountain Park in their yards.

By the early 1900s Roanoke’s population had grown to about25,000 and the young city needed a reliable water source. In1905 a state-of- the-art steam pump was acquired by the RoanokeGas and Water Company. The new steam pump, manufactured bythe Snow Steam Pump Works of Buffalo, New York was deliveredto Roanoke in sections by train and transported to the site by horse-power. As the pump was installed, the pump house was built

around it. The old pond wasreplaced by a concrete lined reser-voir, complete with central fountainsand a wrought iron fence. A sluice-way, or small canal, was construct-ed from the spring to the new reser-voir and the steam engine pumpedwater from the reservoir and into thecity’s water mains, providing reli-able water pressure.

After modernization of theCrystal Spring facility in 1905 and1910, the area was annexed intoRoanoke City in 1915 and the land

around the reservoir continued as abeautiful park. Roanoke City pur-

chased the Roanoke Water Company in 1938 and the SnowSteam Pump operated 24 hours a day until 1957, when it wasreplaced by electrical pumps. In the 1960s, for safety reasons, ten-nis courts were installed to cover the beautiful old reservoir. (Thewalls of the pump house are covered with pictures of the old site.)

In 1976, as part of Roanoke's bicentennial celebration, theCity of Roanoke, the Historical Society, and numerous volunteersbegan work to restore the pump. Led by Dave Burrows, a long-timeSouth Roanoke neighbor, the Historical Society reopened theCrystal Spring Pump House to the public in 2003. Today visitorsenjoy seeing the restored Snow Steam Pump as well as an histori-cal video. The pump can deliver up to 5 million gallons of waterdaily and is believed to be the only one remaining. It is now partof Roanoke’s Crystal Spring Park, and is listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places. Today the water of ancient CrystalSpring is processed by the new state-of- the-art micro filtration plantand continues to supply South Roanoke.

This year Roanoke is celebrating its 125th anniversary. As partof that celebration the Historical Society (which is celebrating itsown 50th anniversary) is sponsoring local history tours from theCrystal Spring Pump House location. The 3-hour tours will beoffered on Sunday, March 25 and April 15 at 1:00. Thetours will end with refreshments and cake at the PumpHouse and the charge is $12.00. For more informationcall the History Museum at 342-5770.

Whitney grew up in South Roanoke and returned to the area in1973. She and husband Mark have three children and threegrandchildren. She is a retired high school history teacher and hasbeen involved and interested in local history for many years.

A Historical Tour of Crystal Spring's Steam Pumpby Whitney Feldmann

A piece of history sits hidden in a building in CrystalSpring Park. Photo courtesy of History Museum of Western Virginia

5

This month, I’m just going to shameless-ly self-promote and toss some thoughts atyou. I was stunned by the reaction to myfrying pan column, and it just reinforced myfear. Several wives told me it made themlaugh, and when I went to console theirhusbands, they just kind of shook theirheads in knowing dismay. I haven’t heardof any incidents, so I don’t think I plantedany new ideas out there. And so we wait .. .

If you missed it last month, check it outat www.southroanokecircle.com. You canview all of the back issues, in case you arenew to the neighborhood, getting caughtup, or have been too busy watching 24. Ifeel like I’ve abandoned popular TV shows,ever since they killed off Dr. Greene on ER,but the hubbub over 24 makes me feel com-pletely out of touch. Is it that good?

Overall, the feedback to the Realist hasbeen very positive. Thank you for feedingmy ego and making this even more fun.However, rather than let my head swell uptoo fat, I decided it is time to give you aforum to call me a jackass, if you wish.Therefore, I’ve jumped headlong into the1990’s and put up a blog. Yes, daily mus-ings on the minutiae of life, thoughts aboutRoanoke, tales of chagrin, bemusement,and joy, mini-music reviews, links to theodd, spoutings about sports, and portals toothers in the world of the real. If you’relucky, you may even see some late nightbeer blogging.

All this can be found atwww.jeffstreet.com. Before you get tooexcited about a fabulous new web experi-ence that will leave you hungry for more,let me mention that I am an amateur atbuilding a website. Even though my job isrelatively “high tech,” up until recently I’veavoided the home computer. After workingat one all day, I generally eschew the deskin favor of the outdoors. But, finally, it’scold outside, so I may as well stay in andwrite. For now, it’s simply a public notepad,and I welcome your comments.

Self-indulgent, you say? Well, yes, ofcourse it is, but I concur with Ayn Rand whobelieved selfishness a virtue. This is good,because it means I have the most virtuoushousehold around. Here’s the dynamic: fiveyear-old son, who is (and shall remain) anonly child; wife who is also an only child,

born to older parents; me, one of four sons,but essentially raised as an only child (mybrothers all moved out before I turned four);and my father-in-law, who lives a blockaway. He’s pushing ninety-seven but is assharp and headstrong as anyone. It’s a bat-tle of wills, my friends, but at least weunderstand one another.

Since I’m focusing on the internet, gocheck this out as well: www.myretail-roanoke.com. If you haven’t seen it yet, it isa site the city is sponsoring where you canvote on the top ten retailers you’d like tosee come to town, including restaurants,and non-specific entries. It’s easy to havemixed feelings about this process. On onehand, it may reveal we want to attract morebig-box national chains that will swallowup the little guy and perpetuate a lower percapita income than similar cities.

But also, I think it shows that the city ispaying attention. People are alwaysscreaming for a “referendum,” so here youhave it folks. I’ve been excited about thecity lately. Things are happening thatshould help retain and attract jobs, andhopefully stop the city population decline:the announcement of the medical school,the development of the Riverside Center,tons of downtown condo and loft develop-ment, greenways for hiking and biking,attractive shopping centers, the rebuildingof our two high schools. We moved here in1995, and improvements like this werenon-existent until three or four years ago.

I always tell folks that Roanoke is awonderful city, but that it lags five to tenyears behind. The My Retail Roanoke site,along with a number of newly formed pri-vate citizen groups, acknowledges that weneed to catch up for this city to remain vital.Part of attracting jobs includes having funplaces to shop, dine, and otherwise spendthat cash. Roanoke is clearly at a cross-roads, and it looks like the days of diggingin our heels and complaining are finallyover.

David is a native New Yorker, whosounds like he's been in Roanoke his wholelife but he still talks with his hands when hegets riled up. He has a busy wife, a non-stop five-year-old son, two cats, two cars,and a mortgage. David welcomes you tovisit his blog at www.jeffstreet.com, or ifyou would rather call him a jackass byemail, jsr@jeffstreet.com.

The Jefferson Street Realist

by David S. Bowers

front porch views from south roanoke’s main street

Celebrate with a pinch. . . and think of patronizing thosebusinesses that believe in community: YOURS.

6

Paint, glorious paint. Who can resistthe allure of paint, its promise of dramatic,TV-talk-show-style makeover? Completion ofeven the smallest project (that minisculehalf-bath) draws you, moth to flame, to sidlepast the open door, drinking in the freshwash of color, savoring the transformationwrought by pigment and paintbrush.

Okay, maybe I’m a little over the top.But I’ll venture it’s not a trip I make com-pletely alone.

Few things create the opportunity forpainting like the impending arrival of Baby.Or, in Barbara DeKorsey’s case, twobabies. Pregnant with twins, the StanleyAvenue resident realized they would likelybe born prematurely before taking up resi-dence in their newly decorated nursery. “Istarted thinking about the paint fumes andsuch tiny little lungs,” she says. Studies indi-cate she was right to be concerned. Paintscontain chemicals of varying degrees ofnastiness called Volatile OrganicCompounds, and those VOCs end up inyour household air.

So, big deal. Doesn’t following theubiquitous admonishment for “adequateventilation” take care of the problem?Nope. Turns out that VOCs continue to beemitted (tech-speak: off-gassed) even afterthe paint is dry, you’ve hung the pictures,and you've stopped marveling at the newlook.

The EPA considers indoor air quality tobe one of the top five environmental haz-ards to public health. Studies show thatinside air is anywhere from two to ten timesmore polluted than outdoor air, whichmeans breathing the air in your home is alot closer to standing on an LA overpassthan you’d like to think. The primary cul-prits? VOCs off-gassed from cleaners, sol-vents, sealants, varnishes, paint – anythingthat stinks, as my husband likes to say.

Of note to parents, children breathe in50 percent more air per pound of body

weight than adults, and are considered par-ticularly vulnerable to the effects of environ-mental hazards. Asthma attacks are knownto be triggered by exposure toVOCs. Short-term effects includeeye irritation and dizziness; pro-longed exposure has been linkedto kidney and liver disease, andcancer.

Happily for Barbara, and therest of us, alternative paints nowon the market offer choices withprice and performance generallycomparable to VOC-intensivepaints. They come in two cate-gories: Low-VOC and No- orZero-VOC. A third group, Natural andNon-Toxic paints, indicated for people withextreme chemical sensitivities, are avail-able through specialty dealers and onlinebut won’t take the stage in this article.

Just to keep things confusing, mandato-ry standards don’t exist for what constitutesa low-VOC paint, or even a no-VOC one(despite seeming evident, it’s not). GreenSeal, an independent non-profit organiza-tion, has established voluntary standardsfor VOC contents, and their website,greenseal.org, will likely be a better sourceof information than your average storeclerk. However, like “organic,” there’s a bitof the flavor of a marketing ploy to it all, soplan to do some label-reading. To assistyou: VOCs are measured in grams per liter,g/L. Note that coloring pigment is not avail-able in reduced-VOC form and will add 2to 5 g/L of VOCs, and that paint sheen willalso affect VOC levels.

Low-VOC paints, with a VOC rangegenerally under 50 g/L, are available atHarwood and at Home Depot. Zero-VOC/No-VOC paints should have VOCcontent under 5 g/L. Paints in this categoryare available at local Sherwin-Williamsand Dulux dealers, at Metro Paint, and atLowes.

For all you faux junkies out there, thenews isn’t great. A chemist informed methat for faux products to do what they do,it’s almost inevitable that they’ll be high inVOCs. However, I did manage to trackdown one low-VOC glaze: Acriglaze,made by AFM Safecoat, is available by thequart or gallon from natureneutral.com inCharlottesville and from ecosolutions.comin Floyd.

A final word about paint and yourhealth: If your home was built before 1978,there’s almost certainly a layer, or six, oflead paint lurking. Lead is bad, bad, bad,most especially for babies and the peoplegrowing them, and for children, but for bigpeople, too. If your prep involves sandingor scraping, information on how to dealwith the very real hazards of the lead dustyou'll be generating is available just aboutanywhere you buy that great new color youcan’t wait to start rolling on.

Amy is a mother of two and has inrecent years begun a return to her greenroots. Have an environmental question,concern or concept for her to address in afuture column? Write her atgreenside@southroanokecircle.com

Rolling on a Coat of Greenby Amy McGinnis

Smoking your first cigarette doesn’tneed to be a rite of passage. It’s so passé.Besides, everyone in South Roanoke andtheir grandmother will know what you're upto. News Flash! Cigarette smoking causeslung cancer, heart disease, emphysema,and may complicate pregnancy. In fact,smoking is harmful to nearly every organ inthe body. Perhaps the Surgeon Generalshould be text messaging, “Warning: ciga-rette smoking is SSINF (so stupid it’s notfunny).”

Over forty years have passed since thelandmark Surgeon General’s report onsmoking and health. So, why is this topicstill newsworthy? Because tobacco use,including cigar smoking and tobacco chew-ing, is the single leading preventable causeof death in the United States. Furthermore,the majority of adult tobacco users begansmoking before age 18. If the current trendcontinues, approximately 6.4 million oftoday’s teenagers will die prematurely dueto a smoking-related illness.

Consider the following reasons for teens— and adults — NOT to light up:1. Nobody will want you on the team.Smoking diminishes your physical fitness interms of both performance and endurance.2. You’ll have small lungs. Smoking canreduce the rate of lung growth and the levelof maximum lung function in young people.3. Your heart will have to work harder. Theresting heart rate of young smokers is fasterthan their non-smoking counterparts.4. You’ll have a nasty, hacking cough.Regular smoking may cause a persistentcough, as well as recurrent bronchitis andother respiratory illnesses.

5. It’s expen-sive. Younger smok-ers are more likely tobecome strongly addicted tonicotine. So start savingnow…for the cigarettes and the med-ical bills!6. Teenagers who smoke tobacco are eighttimes more likely to use marijuana and 22times more likely to use cocaine.7. Botox might not help. Your skin will lookolder sooner.8. Smoking is so not sexy. You’ll smell andyour teeth will turn yellow.9. An education is a terrible thing to waste.School performance is significantly poorerin young smokers.10. You’ll die much younger than yourfriends. Typically, smoking cigarettes takesbetween 12 and 13 years off your lifeexpectancy.

Nicotine is an addictive drug. It’s mucheasier not to start than to stop. For help, theU.S. Public Health Service publishes guide-lines for “youth tobacco-use cessation.”Adolescents often underestimate how hard

i tis toquit, andneed to feelcomfortable seek-ing help. Professionalcounseling and behavioralinterventions can be modified tobe developmentally appropriate.Parents should also quit smoking them-selves, because children of smokers have amuch higher likelihood of using tobaccoproducts.

Remember the statistics. Every day,4,000 American teenagers try their firstcigarette. Each year in the United States,smoking causes about 435,000 deathsand over 5 million years of potential lifelost. Do I sound like a broken record? Waita minute; let’s get with the program. Forgetrecords or even CD’s; now we’re intoMP3’s and BlackBerries. O.K., well, thentext message this: “Warning: cigarettesmoking is a WOMBAT (waste of money,brains, and time).”

Dr. Carolyn H'Doubler was an AssistantProfessor of Medicine at Emory MedicalSchool in Atlanta prior to practicing at theLewis Gale Clinic. Currently, she volunteersat the Bradley Free Clinic and takes care ofher three children.

Hippocrates’ Corner

by Carolyn H’Doubler, M.D.

Just say no to McDrugstores.

And say yes to quick, personal attention, decades of neighbor-hood service, and the same co-pay you might otherwise handover to the big guys.

Lipes Pharmacy2201 Crystal Spring Ave.342-3479

PC DDOCTORWe MMake HHousecalls!

Residential aand CCommercial

On-Site CComputer Repair && UUpgrades

Web DDesign, TTechnical CConsulting

& CCustom BBuilt CComputers

(540) 8819-6862 PCDR222@Yahoo.com

7

The ENERGY that sets us apart.

The EXPERIENCE thatbrings it together.

TheDeMattia/Dove

Difference

Office — (540) 989-4555Lee — (540) 580-0785 • Gail — (540) 344-5003

8

You are invited to join our group –any one of them!

Following is a list of the escorted trips we have planned for 2007. Groups aremostly 30 travelers or less. We invite you to call for information or for anappointment to meet with the Martin Travel agent in charge.

Destination Days Date Description Contact

Western Caribbean 7 4/29 Carnival Kim 527-5237

Rome, Venice, Florence 10 5/14 Collette Kara 527-5233

Western Caribbean 7 6/16 Carnival Judy 527-5227

Grand Canyon Tour 8 6/21 Collette Kara 527-5233

Alaska Cruise/tour 14 6/24 Princess Kim 527-5237

Bermuda Cruise/Norfolk 7 6/30 RCCL Judy 527-5227

Southern Italy, Amalfi Coast 7 * Roanoke Symphony Bette 527-5223

Hawaii Cruise 7 7/7 NCL Barb 527-5278

Europe by land 17 7/10 Globus Kara 527-5233

Canadian Rockies by Rail 10 7/14 Collette Tours Bette 527-5223

Ireland 10 7/24 Collette Tours Judy 527-5227

Venice/Greece/Croatia 7 8/18 RCCL Barb 527-5278

Discover Croatia 11 9/17 Collette Tours Bette 527-5223

New England/Canada 8 9/27 Princess Judy 527-5227

Danube River Cruise/tour 11 10/10 Globus Kim 527-5237

Bahamas 5 10/16 Carnival Michelle 527-5231

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 7 12/9 RCCL Kara 527-5233

* David Wiley conducts in Bari, Italy in June/July. Exact dates not yet known.

This Vacation, Make it Count – Make it Martin Travel!343-5400 • 3535 Franklin Rd. (behind K-Mart & Red Lobster) Suite A

117 Duke of Gloucester, Roanoke, VA 24014ph: (540) 342-4773; fax: (540) 345-4130e-mail: sara@taazaroanoke.comwebSite: www.taazaroanoke.com

Lunch: Mon - Fri: 11:30 - 2; Sat & Sun: 12 - 3Dinner: Sun - Thru: 5 - 9:30; Fri & Sat: 5 - 10

9

Already YourNeighbor,

Ready to beYour Realtor

Office989-4555

Home343-0830

Loleta Johnson

KidSpeakPrincipal ProfileName: Dave MerrittSchool: Crystal Spring Elementary SchoolGrade: grades 2,4,5,6,7,8, and PrincipalYears teaching: I started in this profession in 1977, so this is my 30th year.I taught for 27 years and have been in administration for 3 years.

Drawings, photos, creative writing . . .

whatever your masterpiece, we're interested.

Submit your work to jill@southroanokecircle.com

10

How did you get here? I am a Roanoke native. I went to Virginia Heights Elementary,Woodrow Wilson Jr. High, and Patrick Henry High School. After 19 years of teaching inother school districts, I wanted to come back to Roanoke and teach. I was offered a teach-ing position at Crystal Spring in 1996 and I have loved every minute.What inspires you? The young people at Crystal Spring.What exhausts you? Trying to keep up with the young people at Crystal Spring.What’s your secret indulgence? Chocolate chip cookiesWhat’s your favorite book? The Education of Little TreeWhat’s your best school memory? In my early years in teaching, the parents wouldcome to school during the teacher workdays at the beginning of the school year to pay abook rental fee, which has been done away with now. I was teaching sixth grade at RockyMount Elementary in Franklin County. Up the hall walked one of my students and a younglady too young to be her mother. So I asked my student, “Who is your friend?” to whichshe replied, “Oh, this is just my sister.” Well as fate would have it, the young lady who cameto pay for her little sister’s book rental fee would become my wife and we have been happily married for 26 years. So, meeting Sharonat school is my best memory.And your worst? In the early days of the NASA space shuttle program, Science classes would watch these launches. In 1986, whileI was teaching at Martinsville Jr. High, the Science classes watched the launch of the Challenger space shuttle. We were all excited aboutthis particular launch because a teacher, Christa McAuliffe, was one of the crew. We watched in horror as the shuttle exploded; all thecrew members died as we sat in stunned silence.What would your classroom theme song be? "I Love to See You Smile" & "What A Wonderful World"How would you spend the perfect summer day? Relaxing on the beach at Topsail Island with family and friends, then watch-ing the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox in Yankee Stadium. What’s your down the road dream? Traveling to places I’ve always wanted to go but haven’t yet been.

Ella Caroline Floyd isdelighted to announce the

birth of her sister, CharlotteGrace, on October 17,

2006. Charlotte weighed7lbs. 3 oz. The proud

parents are Craig and LeslieFloyd of Stoneridge.

At the school the school bell rings,This is like a ding.Math today is so much fun,I got a hot dog with a bun.We do school work every day,Then we learn about the bay.Then school is over.Then I go play with my dog Rover.

Emily is a third grader at Crystal Spring.She loves to write and enjoys learningabout different countries.

by Emily Shafer

The School Day

KidSpeak

With the turn of seasons on the horizon,USKC is busy at work. They're kicking offthe month with a Food Drive for thePresbyterian Community Center. Memberswill be collecting donations for their foodbank from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. onMarch 3 at the TanglewoodKroger. From there, they will con-tinue their work to beautify FernPark with a clean-up day.

Their Easter plans include craft-ing spring flower pots for the resi-dents of the Ronald McDonaldHouse and making fleece blanketsfor the kids at the Virginia Baptist Children'sHome. The group has adopted two cottages

at the VBC Home, one boys' and one girls',and they will decorate and fill Easter bas-kets for the children in these cottages.

The group will finish the month with oneof their most meaningful events each year:

serving dinner to over 350 localhomeless people at the RescueMission.

If you want to get involved inthe community in a way thatmakes a difference, contact USKCat Lkbkal@aol.com. Membershipis open to kids ages 7-18; dona-tions of time, supplies, and energy

from adults and local businesses also wel-come.

U.S. Kids Care

Have a squirrel tale totell? Send it our way:jill@southroanokecir-cle.com or by post to 2707 Richelieu. Photo by Mary

Anne Marx

In this adventur-ous novel, the youngmouse HermuxTantamoq finds outthat Time Stops forNo Mouse. Hermux'slife changes whenthe dashing Ms.Perflinger steps intohis watch shop andasks for her watch tobe fixed immediately. Then the next day,she doesn't show up to claim it! Hermuxdecides to take charge. Along the wayHermux finds out some friends are frauds,and things don't always go the way youexpect them to go. After you read thisnovel, tune in for the sequel, Sands of Time.

Junior Book NookTime Stops For No Mouseby Michael HoeyeRecommended by Gabrielle Pfaeffle

In honor of Mother's Day on May 13th, we are now accepting MOMinations forSoRo's Greatest Moms.

Tell us what makes your mom the cat'spajamas and let us share it with all theworld — or at least our corner of it — in ourspecial Mother's Day Celebration ofMaternal Amazement.

Send us, in 100 words or less, yourthoughts on what makes your mom thebomb.

We'll print as many Amazing Mom dec-larations as space allows. (Guaranteed tobe her favorite gift!)

Think your Mom Takes the (Pan)cake?

11

When he's not delivering The Circle to his Rosalind route, Romey Poore enjoys drum-ming, sports, and listening to Jimi Hendrix. Photo by Mary Anne Marx

Carrier of the Month

Virginia we seeLife with a dogwood tree.Bald eagles soar,Above the ocean's roar.We see Virginia.

Julia is a third grader atCrystal SpringElementary. She wantsto be a veterinarian and also loves writing,painting, reading, and listening to music.Her favorite thing to do is to travel.

by Julia Kennard

Virginia

12

From Cow to Curb...fresh dairy and more, delivered to your door.

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they always do, when I want to do something different. And I push,and they relent. It's still a fight. But I like that."

Over the years, the duo have developed quite a following, onethat has led them right up the New York Times Best Seller laddertime and again. Referring to her feline cohort, Brown remarks, "Youcan't believe the fan mail this cat gets. Especially from Germany,where she's affectionately known as Frau Pie." To be fair to all thecreatures who people her works and fill her life, Brown also pensthe "Sister" Jane Foxhunting Mysteries, the most recent of which isthe October 2006 The Hounds and the Fury.

The sense of humor that punctuates all of her work — and herinterviews — she also dates back to her childhood. "In my family,

you had no choice. If you couldn't laughat yourself, you would soon be crying."Sneaky Pie shares this tongue-in-cheekwit, offering up her own bits of wisdom:"Cats used to rule the Earth, but thenthey got humans to do it for them.They're doing such a *&##! job,though, that they're thinking of takingover again."

While she finds writing novelsmuch harder — "you bleed on thepage" — she also finds them an invigor-ating challenge. Brown is currently atwork on a novel set during the second

term of James Monroe's presidency, a time she characterizes asakin to the dot com revolution: "Unless you were a blistering idiot,you made money." In what is at the moment a work in progress,Brown delves into the world of eight men, each with an infant son,living high on the hog before the bottom falls out of the economy.She is playing with what she terms "assumptions of continuedwealth," a theme she sits tellingly beside the current moment.

At 62, Brown feels a certain satisfaction in the life she has craft-ed; "I pretty well pursue my passions." Time and again, she findsinspiration in animals, in nature: "I really do feel that preserving theEarth is my greatest passion. To me, a love of the Earth is the begin-ning of virtue." Through her writing, she has been able to link herpassions: "In a lighthearted way, I hope that the Sneaky Pie booksgive readers in the city and the suburbs a little appreciation for thelife of a blue jay or a fox or a plant. If that happens, I feel satisfied."

Want more? Plan to attend this year's RAMA Book and AuthorDinner on March 31, where Brown will be joined by NathanielPhilbrick and Hampton Sides. She will be reading from her latest inthe Sneaky Pie Series, Puss 'n Cahoots, and her latest in the "Sister"Jane Foxhunting Mysteries, The Hounds and the Fury.

Brown

Look for our finalpiece on theFirefighters of Station8 in our April issue!

The Page Turners was startedten years ago by members who invit-ed a wide variety of friends — rang-

ing in age from 30 to 80 — with different interests and various reli-gions to join a book club. When I stumbled into the group, it wasalready a few years old. Since moving to Roanoke in 1996, it hasbeen my single best discovery. On my first visit I described it tomyself as sociable, eclectic and just plain delightful. A love of read-ing is the tie that binds us together. We also love to eat and social-ize, so we have a couple's pot luck dinner in the deep dark monthsof winter, and in June a lunch with each member bringing a spe-cial recipe to eat and share. We probably could just get togethereach month and prepare something gourmet, but we decidedthinking is less fattening than eating!

Over the years, the twelve members have become a close cir-cle of friends, and a terrific support to each other. We like nothingbetter than to sink our teeth into a challenging discussion over abook. It is a given that no group of twelve will have the same opin-ion of any book. Often our discussion includes not only the bookand author but life in general. Strangely enough, we sometimesfind that the books we least enjoy can evoke the most lively discus-sions, leading us to consider new perspectives.

This past month we read Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. WhileRobinson has been writing for magazines for years, this is her firstnovel in 20 years. In 2005, Gilead was awarded both theNational Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize forFiction. Written in the epistolary form and set in a small Iowantown in 1956, Gilead is beautifully written through the voice of

John Ames, a dying 76-year-old country minister. It consists of bits of his family history, philosophy and religion

he wants to pass on to his young wife and their seven-year-old son.Through John's voice, we are easily caught up in his tender feel-ings and the amusing stories of his grandfather. John wrestles withquestions of forgiveness and redemption, and it is this tension thatmakes the story interesting.

While our members all agreed that the book's language andimages are magnificent, we also concluded that Gilead is not aneasy book to read. Rather, the novel forces the reader to slowdown (perhaps in front of an open fire), read carefully, and reflect.Together, we agreed that the book is like a long prayer, and it asksreaders to raise the bar to seriously consider its themes. Written instream of consciousness, the writing ultimately has a cleansingeffect. Most of our members said it took 100 pages before theywere fully hooked. By that time, the characters are so well devel-oped and the conflicts so clearly established that the reader longsfor resolution. Trust that the end is beautifully done.

John Ames conveys much about his love of life and tries toexpress his love of his family and the small pleasures he has expe-rienced. One such phrase has stayed with me: "There are a thou-sand reasons to live this life, every one of them sufficient."

Eva was born in Richmond and she and her husband, Cal, aredelighted to be back in Virginia after years of sampling life in othercountries and other states. These days their passions are travelingand visiting their daughter and granddaughter, Amelia, inBaltimore, and their son and his new wife in Hawaii. Life is good!

Bluestocking Briefclubbing it with hot reads from the neighborhood’s manybook clubs

by Eva de Coligny

13

Come Explore the Opportunities ofAging Gracefully

Lifestyle Opportunities LuncheonThursday, March 15, 2007

Guests welcome at 11am to browse displays; luncheon at 12 noon, followed by a presentation

Hidden Valley Country Club; Salem, Virginia

RSVP: Stedman House 540-345-7797

Fee: No charge; seating is limited.Please, no children under 16.

Do you love architectural salvage and antiques?

Then subscribe to

Architectural Salvage News.

See a sample issue at

www.architecturalsalvagenews.com or call 540-483-8991.

14

Millie’sSo girly.

109 E. Main Street • Salem, VA 24153 • 389-1595

If you recall from lastmonth, we are in themidst of a series of arti-cles dealing with theissues to considerwhen decidingwhether or not youneed a will. Lastmonth, we coveredthe basic conceptof the “probateestate” (that is, theproperty for whichthe executoralone is responsi-ble for collecting,

safeguarding, and dis-tributing according to the will). It is reason-

able for someone to conclude, then, that for those without assets,a.k.a. a probate estate, a will is unnecessary. This month’s articlewill explain why that might not always be a valid conclusion.

Over the past fifty years, the tremendous growth in individualwealth coupled with fairly restrictive tax laws has led many fami-lies to use long term trust arrangements as part of their estateplan. Don’t panic. I won’t be discussing tax laws in this article;I’m saving that conversation for later. These trusts commonly runfor not just one but often two or more generations of family mem-bers. To take advantage of certain tax benefits, these trusts areirrevocable so that once they become operative, there is little ifany flexibility to deal with changing family situations.

Imagine this scenario. Grandfather dies survived by his wifeand two children. One of the two children is married with oneinfant child. Under common estate plans, trusts would be set upthat benefit the spouse for her lifetime, then the children for theirlifetimes, and ultimately would pass equally to the grandchildrenat certain ages. At the time of Grandfather’s death, we have apretty good idea about the children’s situations but next to noth-ing about the grandchildren. What if one of the two childrenexperiences tremendous financial hardship? What if, after thetrusts are set up, a grandchild is born with serious health issues?A person would have to have a super power such as the abilityto see the future to anticipate these things, right?

Wrong. You don’t need a super power; you just need some-thing lawyers like to call a power of appointment. WhenGrandfather creates the trusts (either under his will or his revoca-ble trust), he can give his wife, his children, or both powers ofappointment that essentially allow the power holders to redistrib-ute the trust assets at certain times and as needed. Typically, thetimes for rethinking the estate plan would be at the wife’s deathand then at each child’s death. So if one of the children were toexperience financial hardship, Grandfather’s wife could exerciseher power to give more money to the child in trouble. Or if a child

were to have a handicapped child later, the child with the powerof appointment could exercise that power to keep the assets fromotherwise passing to the handicapped child and instead placethem in a special trust for his or her benefit.

I hope you realize now how valuable these powers ofappointment can be. For individuals for whom spouses, parents,grandparents or other family members have established trusts, itis critical to know whether powers of appointment have beengranted under those trusts. But wait, what is all this talk abouttrusts? Didn’t I say this article was about other situations wherefolks might need a will even though they didn’t have a probateestate?

Well, think about how someone can exercise a power ofappointment. It’s not something physical like stopping time, or fly-ing, or phasing through walls. It’s really just a simple direction tothe person in charge of the trust to do something different thatwhat the trust agreement said to do. In almost every situation theperson with the power must provide the direction in writing. Andto assure that the person with the power truly understands whathe or she is doing, and that the right person is exercising thepower, where do you think most powers of appointment must beexercised? You guessed it — in the will of the person given thepower of appointment.

So remember, even if you have determined that at your deathyou will not have a probate estate, you may still need a will toexercise a power of appointment over a trust that someone elsecreated for your benefit. And while it might not seem like a superpower, the exercise of a power of appointment in the right situa-tion might make you a hero.

Carter R. Brothers, a South Roanoke resident, is an attorneywith the Roanoke law firm of Melchionna, Day, Ammar & Black,P.C. When he was a child, he thought he had super vision untilthe day his doctor-father explained that he was only seeing the“floaties” on his corneas, just like everyone else.

by Carter BrothersLegaleasy

Capture your memories. Candid photo shoots of families and events. Mary Anne Marx Ph: 345-6279

On August 17, 2006, President Bush signed into law thePension Protection Act of 2006 (“PPA 2006”). This is sweeping leg-islation that not only strengthens the retirement savings health ofour nation, but also sets forth many attractive charitable giftingincentives for charitably-minded investors.

If you are age 701⁄2 or older, you may roll over up to $100,000in 2007 tax-free from your IRA to a qualified public charity. Therollover amount will not be included in your gross income, and youwill not receive a charitable deduction for this donation.

Here’s how to handle your charitable donation correctly:Contact your Financial Advisor before making a donation in orderto arrange for the proper transfer of funds from your IRA to thecharity. You must authorize the financial institution where your IRAis held to send a donation directly to the charity, either through awire transfer or by writing a check made out to the charity. Youcannot write a check to the charity either from your IRA or fromanother account into which you transferred your IRA funds. Underthe new rules, doing so would negate the tax-free transfer of thedonation because the amount would be considered a regular dis-tribution and would then be added to your taxable income.

You must be age 701⁄2 on or before the date of the charitabletransfer. The charity must be a public charity but not a donor-advised fund or supporting organization and some other charita-ble entities. Check with your tax advisor to determine whether the

organization to which you wish to donate fits the definition of a“qualified” charity. You cannot receive anything of value--such astickets to a charitable event--in return for your donation. The exclu-sion from gross income only applies to distribution amounts thatwould have been includible in gross income were it not for this pro-vision. If you have made non-deductible contributions to your IRA,have your tax advisor determine how much of the donation is con-sidered tax-free under this provision.

Transfers to charities from other retirement plans, such as a SEPor SIMPLE IRA, or a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, would not qualifyunder this provision. However, it may be possible to roll over fundsfrom these accounts into a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA and thenmake an eligible transfer.

You can only make distributions up to $100,000 from yourown IRA. If you are married, your spouse may make another qual-ified distribution from his or her IRA of up to $100,000 as long asall the other qualifications are met as well. This makes a marriedcouple eligible for a total maximum contribution of $200,000.

The tax-free rollover of qualified charitable distributions can beparticularly attractive for donors who need to take required mini-mum distributions from their IRAs. Under the new law, you can sat-isfy your required minimum distributions of up to $100,000 bymaking a tax-free qualified donation to charity using these funds.However, you must arrange with your financial institution to sendthese distributions directly to the charity. In general, the new lawalso helps taxpayers living in states that do not allow itemizeddeductions/charitable income tax contribution deductions for stateincome tax purposes (e.g., New Jersey, Massachusetts andConnecticut).

For more information about how you can take advantage ofthe new IRA-rollover-to-charities donation initiative and whether thistechnique is appropriate for you, contact your tax and financialadvisors as well as the charity to which you want to donate.

Paul is a Financial Advisor with Smith Barney located inRoanoke and may be reached at 581-0700 orpaul.higgins@smithbarney.com

1 2005 Report on Socially Responsible Investing Trends in the United States, Social Investment Forum, January 24,2006 2 2005 National Association of College and University Business Officers

Smith Barney and Consulting Group are divisions of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Member SIPC.

Citigroup, Inc., its affiliates, and its employees are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. These mate-rials and any tax-related statements are not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used or relied upon, byany such taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties. Tax-related statements, if any, may have been writ-ten in connection with the "promotion or marketing" of the transaction(s) or matter(s) addressed by these materi-als, to the extent allowed by applicable law. Any such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer's par-ticular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

by Paul Higgins

A Window of Opportunity for 2007 —Make a Tax-Free Rollover from your IRAto a Qualified Charity

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15

Economics 24014

SOUTH ROANOKE MANOR

Enjoy privacy and breathtaking views on .8 acresadjoining the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enter this beau-

tiful custom Manor House through the Entry Foyeropening to formal Living Room and Dining Room.Paneled library. Family room. Florida Room. Gourmeteat-in kitchen with Island.Two half Baths. Upper leveloffers 4 Bedrooms and 2 full Baths. Lower level offersRec Room and half Bath. 5 fireplaces. HardwoodFloors, Crown Moldings. Cul-de-sac.New siding installed to enhance thehome's beauty. $799,900.

3407 West Ridge Circle

SOUTH ROANOKE COLONIAL

This gracious all brick Colonial offers family livingat its finest w/ 4 BRs and 4.5 BAs, crown mold-

ings and custom wall finishings.The front porticoopens to the foyer, featuring slate floor and coat clos-et. Formal LR w/ gas-log FP and formal DR. Entrylevel also offers huge office and BA (easily trans-formed into 1st floor master suite); large family roomfeaturing gas-log FP and French doors opening tolovely sun room; spacious kitchen w/ abundant cabi-nets, desk, pantry and breakfast area; half bath.Thelower level offers huge family room w/ gas-log FP,mud room, full BA, kitchenette and 2-car garage.Thebeautifully landscaped and wooded .92 acre yardincludes a circular drive, invisible fencing, customwood fence, and playhouse. $550,000.

3472 Peakwood Drive

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD...

JEANNINEHANSON,GRI, CRS

Cell: 798-8640 / 24 Hour Voice Mail: 966-7297 / Home: 774-6730

750 Den Hill RoadChristiansburg, VA 24073Phone: 540-382-6710Fax: 540-382-5992

1715 Murry Road S.W.Roanoke, VA 24018-1550

Phone: 540-777-2888Fax: 540-777-2899

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Depend on Valley Landscaping to deliver superior designs, the verybest practices in installation and care, and the personal attention todetail that have fueled our growth and success.

Valley Landscaping has been delivering quality landscaping and lawn care since 1991. Bringing out the beauty in your natural surround-ings while enhancing the value of your property is what we do at Valley Landscaping. We are dedicated to providing our customers withconsistent, quality care and the excellent customer service that they deserve, and we hope you’ll choose us for all of your landscapingneeds. Treat yourself to the top-notch service and results our clients have been enjoying since 1991. Call us today for a free estimate.

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