12/2/2010 It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Did you have a good Thanksgiving? Visit with family? Eat lots of turkey? I’m glad that everyone made is home safe and sound. I think we all needed that little break. But remember, it is only the beginning! The holiday season has begun, and Ashland is already beginning to sparkle. Decorate, decorate, decorate. String twinkle lights everywhere, and pull out your prettiest ornaments. I want Santa to see us glowing as he pulls into town!

There must have been a lot of cake at Town Hall these past few days! Both our Town Manager Charles Hartgrove and Project Manager Chris Holloway celebrated birthdays recently.

Happy Birthday also to Andrew Wilkinson who had a wonderful birthday on the 24 ^th!

Kick-off the holiday season by spending the afternoon of December 5^th making your Christmas decorations! The fundraiser, “Deck the Halls” is held at Pine Grove Farm in Ashland beginning at 12:30pm. All the trimmings will be there- you just put them together. Call 798-9131 for more information.

How much do you love the Ashland PD? Here’s your chance to let other people know. A team representing the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies will be taking public comments on the Ashland Police Department at an information session on Monday, December 13^th beginning at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers of Town Hall. If you can’t make it to that session, you can call them on Sunday, December 12^th at 804-412-0609 between 1:00pm and 3:00pm.

Remember in all your holiday shopping that we have some wonderful shops in town: book stores, coffee shops, toy stores, and gift shops. I think you could fill every stocking without ever leaving the town limits.

For all the happiness this Christmas, we are so sorry to lose Lynda Bullock-Brown at Cross Brothers. She passed away on Thanksgiving, and we send condolences to her two families: her relatives, and those at Cross Brothers and in Ashland who loved her so much. We liked to see her smile and hear her laugh.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. I’ll also accept any party invitations that you’d like to send! Have a wonderful weekend!

11/24/10 Over the river and through the woods...

So here we are at Thanksgiving, and what a wonderful holiday it is. There are no presents involved, no parties- just a meal together. That’s it, and the simplicity of it allows us to appreciate the people in our lives- not the things. I am handing out wishes as you read this today, and here are my wishes for this sweet town.

I wish for you laughter and smiles around a table somewhere- a home, a church, a backyard- the place really doesn’t matter.

I wish for you a clear highway and a safe route if you must leave our Ashland.

I wish for you warmth: from a fireplace, an arm around your shoulder, or from memories of Thanksgivings past.

I wish for you a quiet moment when you can forget about your worries of work, school, kids, life, and be happy, be at peace.

We all need to give a huge “Thank You” to everyone who helped with the Ashland Holiday Parade this past Sunday! The organizers, the police officers (Ashland and Hanover), the people who marched in the parade, and those who cheered from the sidewalks made it a beautiful thing to witness. I know that it was a lot of hard work, but it is such a fun part of life here.

Kick-off the holiday season by spending the afternoon of December 5^th making your Christmas decorations! The fundraiser, “Deck the Halls” is held at Pine Grove Farm in Ashland beginning at 12:30pm. All the trimmings will be there- you just put them together. Call 798-9131 for more information.

I have always wanted to have a big COTU Thanksgiving- just a huge dinner somewhere for the whole town, because there is so much here to be thankful for. But of course, things are too busy. Maybe one day. Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com . Happy Thanksgiving!

11/18/2010 Holiday Parade, Richmond Running, Art & Playhouse Auction

I didn’t expect the colors of the leaves to be as bright as they are this fall. I thought the dry summer would have dulled them, but they’re bright and gorgeous and they seem to be holding their color for a long time. We will miss all this when it’s cold and grey in another month.

The social season is certainly here because this Sunday is the Ashland Old Time Holiday Parade. The parade begins at 2:30 from the St. Ann’s parking lot, travels east on Thompson Street, waits for trains, then turns left onto Henry Street, and travels all the way down to John M. Gandy. Find a spot on the sidewalk and come cheer for the beauty queens, the scout troops, and the fire engines. There are few things as thrilling as seeing a marching band come down the street.

Look for the special float with the beautiful green playhouse built by AC Bruce (so you know it’s built really well!) in the parade. Do you know any child that’s been really good this year? This playhouse is being auctioned off to the highest bidder and all proceeds will go to ACES, Ashland Christian Emergency Services. Please call AC at 240-9865 to make a bid.

There is another wonderful auction underway right not to benefit a very important organization in our sweet town: the Arts and Activities Center on Center Street. The Funky and Fabulous Online Auction is open for bidding until Saturday, Nov. 20^th, and it’s full of one-of-a-kind items made by some of the most creative Ashlanders around! Visit http://www.centerartauction.blogspot.com/ to join the fun.

Congratulations to everyone who ran in Richmond this past weekend! There were lots of marathoners: Chief of Police Doug Goodman, Tracy Brown, Tammy Proffitt, Tamra and Rodney Bardwell, Craig and Tom Hatz, Jill and Tom Voekler, JoAnn Hunter, Susan Spence, and Tom Grant. They ran 26.2 miles, can you believe it? They did have some great cheerleaders who deserve mention: Corinne Luck ran 15.2 miles of the race, and there were friends and family all along the course.

Congratulations also to those who ran the 8K race: Kevin Proffitt and Bob Brown. This was Coach Proffitt’s first race, and he had a spectacular finishing time!

Thank you to everyone who called or sent cards last week after reading about Jack-the-dog (we used to call him that sometimes). It was really sweet of you. We are forever indebted to the wonderful staff at Ashland Veterinary Hospital, especially Dr. Mason. They could not have been nicer, or more accommodating.

Though this time of year is usually a happy one, it is also one of the most difficult times as families struggle to find money for food and presents. Please consider giving more than you get this year. There are many people who need help- many in our town.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com . Have a great weekend!

11/4/10 Chill in the Air, Train Day Approaches, Jack the Dog

Now November is here and we're folding our arms, turning the heat on, and saying, "It's chilly out here!" The leaves have turned and fallen, and you can smell the wood smoke outside. It's a beautiful time of year.

The PTA's of Henry Clay and John M. Gandy would like to thank everyone who volunteered or participated in the Tiger Trot 5K race! It was a wonderful day, the weather was perfect, and the runner finished in record time. Everything you do to support our schools makes our town a better place.

The 7th Annual Ashland Train Day is quickly approaching. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 13th, from 10 to 4pm. There will be train activities all over town: model train displays at the Arts and Activities Center, music at the library, and real trains going up and down the tracks all day long! It's a wonderful day to celebrate the history of trains, and the beginnings of our sweet town. You can find out more information at http://www.ashlandtrainday.com/.

The Ashland Firehouse Theater has opening it's doors for the 2010-2011 season, and this Saturday night they'll be showing "The Godfather." What a wonderful classic to see on the big screen! Admission is still $6 and they are going to offer Starbuck's coffee to warm the patrons. On Saturday evenings doors open at 6:45 and the movie starts at 7:30. You can visit http://www.ashlandfirehousetheater.org/ or call 798-9721 for more information.

Lastly, goodnight to my old dog Jack. A long time ago it was just me and Jack, before a husband and kids came along. He was such a good dog. I'll tell you about him when my heart isn't broken.

Snuggle with someone you love this week. Bundle up and walk around town. Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a good week.

10/28/10 Birthdays, Marathons, Birthdays, Trick-or-treating, Birthdays

We’ll call this column the “Birthday Edition” this week, because it seems that almost everyone is celebrating these days. October is such a popular month for birthdays that some people (cough, Jim Foley) had a birthday party even though they were born in a completely different month!

A word of caution to my father if he’s reading this column: I’m sorry about all the exclamation points, Daddy! I just couldn’t figure out a way around them!!

Let’s start with the babies, shall we? Congratulations to Leigh Finch, Principal of John M. Gandy Elementary, and her husband David who welcomed their twins in October 20 ^th! Robert Truman was born first weighing 7.7 pounds, and his sister, Ella Margaret followed weighing 6.4 pounds. What wonderful, big babies!! Their big sister Laurel is going to have her hands full.

Happy birthday to Megan Mudd and Paige Christy who both opened presents on October 25^th!

A big “felix sit natalis dies” to Dan McGraw, Latin teacher and soccer coach extraordinaire who will blow out his candles on October 30^th !

And a happy, happy birthday to our Halloween boys, Parker Marchetti and Bob Brown who will celebrate on the 31^st! We wish them lots of treats, a few fun tricks, and many laughs in this new year.

Good luck to Tammy Proffitt, one of the sweetest girls in Ashland, who will be running the Marine Corp Marathon in D.C. this Sunday! Give her a salute if you see her; Sergeant Proffitt has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

The Fall Festival at Scotchtown will be Saturday, November 6^th from 10 to 5pm. Come out for seasonal crafts and artisan booths filled with homemade crafts. There is regular admission for a house tour, but no charge to visit the grounds and vendors. Scotchtown is located at 16120 Chiswell Lane in Beaverdam, and you can call 227-3500 for more information.

The Ashland Farmer’s Market is open these cool Saturdays from 9 to noon, with lots of wonderful seasonal produce, plants, and baked goods. It’s the perfect time of year to work in the garden, and you can find beautiful, native plants to decorate your yard.

Roger Reynolds survived the Chicago Marathon and is hardly giving himself a break before he runs the Richmond Marathon on November 13^th. His goal is to raise $3000 for the CJSTUF organization, which was formed this year to help families struggling with medical emergencies. If you’d like to help this wonderful organization, you can visit their website: http://www.cjstuf.org/ to make a donation.

This Halloween, make your first stop the Arts and Activities Center! The costume contest will begin at 6pm with snacks and goodies for all, and the free concert by the Hanover Concert Band begins at 6:30. This really is a wonderful concert with all the musicians in costume, fun props, and all the scary music from movies and TV.

You’ve heard me say it before, but Halloween is a beautiful night to be in the Center of the Universe. Our streets look like a movie set, with laughing children, blowing leaves, and decorated door steps. There is nothing scary about it- it’s only sweet and timeless. Another day in Ashland that I wish I could put in a bottle.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a ghostly weekend!

10/21/10 October Skies, Long Races Run, Happy Birthdays, Tiger Trot

I hope you all got outside this past weekend and looked up at that beautiful October sky. The skies are never as blue as they are this month.

A huge congratulation to Rodney K. Bardwell who ran 50 miles in the North Face Challenge in Atlanta on October 16 ^th! Can you imagine? And these 50 miles were off-road, so he was jumping over tree roots, avoiding big rocks, and managing to not fall off a cliff. We are completely impressed, and hope that he got a very impressive medal that he’ll wear all week long.

I never realized how many people in this town were born in October! Happy birthday next week to Brittany McGraw who turns sweet 16 on October 26th, and who I’m sure will get lots of presents from her family. Happy birthday to Dave Gilmore who celebrates on the 21^st, and Tammy Proffitt who blows out candles on the 22 ^nd! We also owe Jill Grant a belated happy birthday because she got all of her presents last week, on the 15^th.

And if you think that’s a lot, just wait until next week!

The Tiger Trot 5K is this Saturday at Henry Clay Elementary! This wonderful event benefits that PTAs of Henry Clay and John M. Gandy. I always wished that we lived across the street from Henry Clay because the energy and love that comes from that school is contagious. If you live nearby, come out to cheer the kids and the runners. The half mile race starts at 8 am; the 1 mile race starts at 8:15; and the 5K at 9am.

Come experience haunted history at Scotchtown this Saturday from 6-9 pm! “Was it Murder” is a new play about a deadly occurrence in Colonial Virginia. Admission is $5 per person, and you can get more information by calling 227-3500 or visiting www.apva.org/scotchtown.

We are all so glad that Paige Christy got through her heart surgery this summer, but Paige would also like to thank all those people who helped her along the way. “I am so grateful to my Cardiologist for identifying my heart problem, my surgeon for repairing my Mitral Valve and literally saving my life and the incredible staff at the Bon Secours Cardiac Rehab for giving me the strength to regain my normal life. I am still overwhelmed with gratitude to all my wonderful friends in and around Ashland who comforted, supported and fed me through my recovery.”

A typical Ashlander, Paige would like to give as much as she has gotten. She is collecting donations for the American Heart Association and will be walking with the Cardiac Rehab staff at the Heart Walk in Richmond on Saturday, Oct. 23. If you would like to make a donation, please write the check to American Heart Association and send it to Paige Christy, 619 Chapman Street, Ashland, VA 23005.

Have a beautiful week! xoxo, Meriwether

10/14/10 Roger Takes Chicago, New Tennis Courts, Deputy of the State

Congratulations to Roger Reynolds who finished the Chicago Marathon in five hours and fifteen minutes this past weekend! Roger and Rachel Reynolds continue to be an example of how to live your life with grace and hope. They have survived the worst tragedy imaginable, and yet they continue to go on in their ordinary, altruistic ways.

Roger didn’t just run this race for his benefit, he ran to raise money for the CJ’s Thumbs Up Foundation which was started in memory of their daughter, Charlotte Jennie, who lost her fight with cancer last year when she was just four years old. The Foundation raises funds to help families struggling with this horrible disease. Roger’s next race will be the Richmond Marathon on November 13^th. You can contribute to this wonderful cause by visiting http://www.cjstuf.org/.

The Central VA Masterworks Chorale welcomes new Artistic Director Larry Heath as it begins its fifth season. Rehearsals began October 11 at Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church in Ashland, but new members are always welcome! The winter concerts this December will feature Britten’s Ceremony of Carols as well as other holiday selections. For more information, please contact Larry at 804-212-9861 or rrpcmusic@gmail.com.

I am really impressed with the R-MC football team these days! They beat Catholic University 56-28 this past weekend, and will travel to Washington & Lee this Saturday. Stay undefeated, boys.

Have you seen the beautiful new R-MC tennis courts on Henry Clay Street? President Lindgren has said many times that he hopes the community will enjoy these courts as well as the students. We are lucky to live in a college town- I hope we give back to them as much as they give to us.

Our hats are off to Investigator Dave Klisz, who was recently recognized as the 2009 Virginia Deputy of the Year! That’s for the whole, entire state- not just Hanover County. Virginia. All of it. Isn’t that incredible? Dave, do you get to go on to national competition?

Remember the 7th Annual Harvest Run will be this Saturday, October 16^th, beginning at 9:00am from Carter Park. If you’re not running in the race, come out and cheer! This very important event benefits the Hanover Safe Place, and WHEAT (Western Hanover Emergency Action Team).

Have you registered for the Tiger Trot yet? The days are counting down! Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 23 and come out to support this is a wonderful 5K run that benefits the PTAs of our elementary schools. Our town is unique because we have two schools to serve the K-5^th grade population. While this makes our schools small and cozy, there are also two PTAs to support. Visit http://www.townhound.com/ for a registration form.

Halloween is right around the corner- is your costume picked out? We have some wonderful holidays here in the Center of the Universe, and Halloween ranks up there with the best. Make plans to sit on your front steps and watch the Ashland kids run through leaves in their costumes. Walk down to the Hanover Arts and Activities Center and listen to the Hanover Concert Band play their annual concert of spooky music. It is a wonderful evening in our sweet town.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a marvelous week!