10/05/07 Front Porch Music, Foot Races, New Town Police Website

Are you sleeping with your windows open these nights? It really is the best weather- although I could enjoy it a lot more if it would just go ahead and rain. I love falling asleep with a soft breeze, the sound of crickets, and occasionally, the music from Andrea Ferment’s front porch. It’s good music- slow and jazzy- the kind to make you feel like dancing with your sweetheart under a big, orange, harvest moon. Even with such incentives, we are all late getting to bed these days. The days are so nice that no one wants to fall asleep, and the kids will stay out until it’s so dark, that they are only shadows playing on the swing set. It’s a beautiful time of year to be living in Ashland. Aren’t we lucky?

There really aren’t many excuses for being out of shape and living in this town. Almost every weekend you can find a foot race, a bike ride, or a walking tour to join. Two upcoming races will begin and end at Carter Park and wind their way through our lovely, flat town.

The annual Ashland CROP walk is tomorrow, Saturday, October 6 beginning at 9am. This is a great 3.5-mile walk through town, which raises money to fight hunger and poverty around the world, including the United States. Come out and join them if you can, or stand on your lawn and cheer them on. Slash Christian Church sponsors this race which stands for “Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty”, and is working to make sure that fewer and fewer people know the hunger pains of poverty.

Then on Saturday, October 20, the Ashcake Women’s Club will hold their 4th Annual Harvest Run to benefit Hanover Safe Place and Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES). You can register for this 10 or 5K by going to www.ashlandharvestrun.com or by calling Becky Pollard at 798-9341.

In your free time, take a look at the new Ashland Police Department website- www.ashlandpolice.us. It’s a really useful resource- filled with facts on crime in the area, prevention tips, and forms frequently used by the public. You can tell that a lot of hard work went into this web site.

Randolph-Macon must have had a happy Parent’s Weekend as the Yellow Jacket football team beat Washington and Lee 42 to 17. Do you think- could we dare imagine- that they might beat Hampton Sydney? This is an exciting season, and their next home game will be this Saturday, October 6 at 1pm against Carnegie Mellon. This is also Homecoming weekend, so arrive early to find a parking spot.

Tickets are on sale now for a wonderful evening on Friday, October 12 at the Ashland Coffee and Tea, compliments of St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Come and listen to George Turman, and Jackie Frost & the Company Store. Not only could you win a door prize or a silent auction item, but you’ll also get to spend a little quality time with some of the best Catholics around. Tickets are $20 and benefit St. Ann’s twin parish of Dubisson, Haiti, where the money is used to support the education of local children. Call Judy McKinney for more information at 798-5035 or email jmckinney@hcps.us.

Speaking of Catholics, maybe Father Chris has a saint that we can talk to about getting some rain….

Call me with your news, momentous occasions, or simple about-town rumors. My cell phone if 804-310-5320, and my email is ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a great weekend!