This past Tuesday’s weather was enough to make this column almost miss the press. Our fifteen minute blizzard came on a sad day for two families. I went to the funeral of Travis Conner, a 30 year old young man who is so missed by his family and friends. Losing a child is an unspeakable pain, and I cried for his mother and father. That same morning, Mrs. Lucy Stanley was being remembered for her long life here in Ashland by her many, many friends and family. I hope the snow was a beautiful distraction for everyone, and not an inconvenience. It must have come as both families were leaving the reception or the cemetery. I think that Travis would have run out to play in it, and Mrs. Stanley, having seen the snow from her kitchen window, would have called her children and grandchildren to make sure they were watching. My sympathy to both families.
Today is the deadline to register for the Hanover Idols Contest! Auditions will be held at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center on Sunday, January 27, with the final competition on Sunday, February 17th. Go to http://www.hanoverarts.com/ to print out an application and get it to Faith as soon as possible!
The 30th running of the Ashland Railroad Run is on Saturday, March 15th this year. Start your training now for one the prettiest and flattest 10K course around. Don’t drive downtown for the Monument 10K, struggle to find parking, and then try to run in a crowd of 15,000 people. Where’s the fun in that? Go to http://www.hanoverarts.com/ for more information and to register on-line.
Get your ticket now for St. Ann’s Catholic Church’s Casino Night on Saturday, January 26th. You’ll never really understand Catholics until you go party with them. This event is always a lot of fun and is the major fund raiser for St. Ann’s. There will be wonderful food, exceptional socializing, and many exciting silent auction items to bid on. Call the church office at 798-5039 for more information.
Along with celebrating its sesquicentennial (150th birthday) Ashland will also be updating its comprehensive plan this year! A kick-off meeting for interested members of the community will be held Monday, January 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers. While maybe not as exciting as a birthday party, the comprehensive plan is the blueprint that will keep our town the way we want it for the next 150 years. I can’t stress enough the importance of citizen input and involvement in this process. Even if you live outside the town limits, you are reading this column because you are interested in what goes on here. Come and tell town officials what makes this town special to you.
Do you have any suggestions about ways to make Ashland’s 150th Birthday a spectacular party? Go to the town website: http://www.town.ashland.va.us/ and click on the 150th birthday link to fill out a short survey.
Today is the deadline to register for the Hanover Idols Contest! Auditions will be held at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center on Sunday, January 27, with the final competition on Sunday, February 17th. Go to http://www.hanoverarts.com/ to print out an application and get it to Faith as soon as possible!
The 30th running of the Ashland Railroad Run is on Saturday, March 15th this year. Start your training now for one the prettiest and flattest 10K course around. Don’t drive downtown for the Monument 10K, struggle to find parking, and then try to run in a crowd of 15,000 people. Where’s the fun in that? Go to http://www.hanoverarts.com/ for more information and to register on-line.
Get your ticket now for St. Ann’s Catholic Church’s Casino Night on Saturday, January 26th. You’ll never really understand Catholics until you go party with them. This event is always a lot of fun and is the major fund raiser for St. Ann’s. There will be wonderful food, exceptional socializing, and many exciting silent auction items to bid on. Call the church office at 798-5039 for more information.
Along with celebrating its sesquicentennial (150th birthday) Ashland will also be updating its comprehensive plan this year! A kick-off meeting for interested members of the community will be held Monday, January 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers. While maybe not as exciting as a birthday party, the comprehensive plan is the blueprint that will keep our town the way we want it for the next 150 years. I can’t stress enough the importance of citizen input and involvement in this process. Even if you live outside the town limits, you are reading this column because you are interested in what goes on here. Come and tell town officials what makes this town special to you.
Do you have any suggestions about ways to make Ashland’s 150th Birthday a spectacular party? Go to the town website: http://www.town.ashland.va.us/ and click on the 150th birthday link to fill out a short survey.
Please stop by the Ashland Library if you have a chance and see all the photographs of Ashlands across the United States. They're all lovely- which is hard to admit because I am very biased and opinionated. We should organize a tour.
Call or email me with you news of our center of the universe: (804) 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. You can find a complete archive of these columns at
http://www.ashlandnews.blogspot.com/ Have a wonderful week.
