Civic news

MARCH
“Not by Flesh and Blood: The Stepfamily Experience,” from March 31 through May 5 The Rev. Dr. Russell G. Waldrop, a pastoral counselor and licensed professional counselor, will present a series of six seminars on the spiritual and psychological dynamics of stepfamilies. Dr. Waldrop is certified as a stepfamily therapist by the Stepfamily Foundation of New York City and by the Stepfamily Association of America where he served on the board of directors. Dr. Waldrop is also a stepchild, a stepparent and a biological parent. Spiritual issues will be identified and developed in each seminar; at Waynesboro Mennonite Church from 7-8 p.m. The public is invited to attend all or some of these seminars. Attendance and materials are free. Classes scheduled: March 31: Stepfamily Myths, Expectations, and Reality; April 7: The 25 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Stepfamilies; April 14: How Stepfamilies work—and don’t work; April 21: Case Studies from the class (voluntary and confidential); April 28: Open Agenda; May 5: Quizzes, Summary, Conclusions.

Soap Box Derby parts needed must be ordered from All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. All new car and other orders made prior to March 15 may be picked up today from 9-11 a.m. at the warehouse on Arch Avenue, behind the Salvation Army building. Drivers or sponsors who have cars stored in the warehouse should also be picked up at this time. Storage fees that have not been paid are also due at this time. For more info, call Derby Director Darrel Riegel at 943-0472. For a derby schedule and registration forms, visit http://www.brsoapbox.com

World Heritage Student Exchange is seeking local families interested in sharing their home to provide a high school exchange student a positive encounter with the United States. Students are screened by World Heritage, are proficient in English, 15-18 years old and come for the 2009-10 school year. For more info, call Lori at 337-4135 or visit http://www.world-heritage.org.

The Shenandoah Valley Holocaust Education Project has many events scheduled throughout the area through May. For more information, contact Rabbi Joe Blair at , Katharine Gorsuch at 817-781-9229.

Parenting classes, Mental Health of Augusta and the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, United Way agencies: “Guiding Good Choices:” This class meets once a week for five weeks and focuses on helping parents lower the likelihood that their middle school children will participate in risky behaviors, especially drug use. Topics include risk and protective factors, family bonding, managing anger and conflict and refusal skills that go well beyond “Just say ‘No’ ”. Children 9 years old and over are invited to participate in the third session to practice refusal skills. The next class will be held at Waynesboro Free Methodist Church on Monday evenings through April 20. Child care and a meal will be provided.

Habitat for Humanity open application period, Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity; through Tuesday; community members who wish to be considered for H4H housing should review program qualifications and income limits by contacting the organization for an application packet or stop by 434 Richmond Road (east entrance), Staunton or call 886-1944 extension 100 or visit the Web site at http://www.habitatsaw.org.

“Better Portraits,” Waynesboro Galleries, 112 S. Wayne Ave.; Tuesday, from 6-8 p.m.; learn ways to improve your portraits; will discuss posing, lighting, lenses and composition; intended for owners of digital SLR cameras that have basic knowledge of camera and flash use; cost: $15; sponsored by Waynesboro Parks and Recreation; info.: 942-6735, http://www.waynesboro.va.us/pr or e-mail .

Free tax preparation with AARP Tax-Aide through April 15. This service is for moderate to low income taxpayers of any age, with special consideration given to those age 60 and over. Times and locations are as follows:
n Waynesboro Senior Center: Mondays, 1-4 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon; appointments are recommended and will be given priority; call Joanne Swanda, 942-9518; for tax information call Dick Eller, 943-6214.
n Augusta County Government Center, Verona: Wednesdays, 2-5 p.m.; Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 2-5 p.m.; Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon; walk-ins only, no appointments; call Rob Saylor, 337-7067.
n Nelson County Library, 8521 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston: Tuesdays, 1-4 p.m.; call Marlene Howard, 434-361-0283.
APRIL
ESA chapters, Alpha Chi of Waynesboro and Beta Omicron, will host their 22nd anniversary of their Sweetheart Baby Photo Contest at 4 p.m. on April 5 benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  The awards ceremony will begin at 4 p.m at the Waynesboro Elks Lodge.  There are 24 children participating in the contest and they and their parents, will be present to be recognized and awarded prizes. 

Sharon Day, animal communicator and founder of Healing Hearts Rescue, an animal rescue organization, shares her experiences and insight on how animals are healers, teachers and guides April 5 from 3-5 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 565 Pine Ave. and 14th St., Waynesboro; by donation.

Young peace leaders from Iraq and Afghanistan to speak about wars in a public forum on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Staunton Public Library, 1 Churchville Ave. The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding of Eastern Mennonite University and the Augusta Coalition for Peace and Justice are co-sponsoring the event. After the presentations, audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions of these young leaders who are dedicated to bringing peace and justice to their countries. Light refreshments will be served. All three speakers are pursuing Masters Degrees in Conflict Transformation at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg.
n From Suleimanyah, a Kurdish city in Iraq, Hero Brzw will offer information on the war in her country.
n Ramin Nouroozi comes from Afghanistan.
n Farishta Sakhi, the wife of Nouroozi, will offer her perspective on the war in Afghanistan.

SAW2010 Community Rally from 7-9 p.m. April 2-4 at Wayne Hill Baptist Church, 877 Ladd Road, Waynesboro; learn how deep gang activity goes in the community; this year includes a dessert theater for production of “R+J” based on both Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” viewer discretion is advised for explicit language, violence and adult content. April 2 admission is pay what you will night — no dessert or child care that night, admission on April 3 and 4 will be $5 per person and $8 per couple. The admission price includes several dessert options as well as free child care. Tickets are available in Staunton at Bookworks, Staunton Recreation and Parks, and the Clocktower Tavern, and in Waynesboro at Stone Soup Books. For additional information, call Diane at 942-6757 or visit http://www.saw2010.info

Peter Sklar to appear at 6:30 p.m. on april 6 at Valley Dance Studio, 1744 Englewood Drive, Staunton; to present “So You Want To Be a Star” a free lecture for aspiring dancers, singers and actors and their parents; is open to teenagers, young adults, older children, and parents. There is no charge for admission, but reservations are strictly required. Nobody under age six will be admitted with or without a parent, and nobody under age 18 will be admitted without their own mother, father or legal guardian. (Substitute non-legal adult guardians are not permissible.)

Glenmore Hunt Club Spring Hunter Pace and Luncheon: April 18 (rain date April 19), at Cottage Hill, Swoope; all riders welcome: English, Western, Gaited, Trail, Pleasure, Event and Walking Horse; rider entry fees include luncheon: adults $35, junior (17 and under) $25 and luncheon only (non-riders) $6; for
more info, call or e-mail Jewell Phelps at 337-6659 or .
net.

The GFWC Waynesboro Junior Woman’s Club is sponsoring its annual award for Waynesboro’s Outstanding Woman. Nomination applications can be picked up at the Central Virginia Rentals at 2482 Jefferson Highway or e-mail the search committee c/o Debbie Thompson at .
com. Deadline to receive nominations is April 11. For more information, contact WOW Search Committee, c/o Kim Mace and Debbie Thompson, P.O. Box 1841, Waynesboro, Va., 22980.

The Sherando Lyndhurst Community Benefit Indoor Auction Sale will be held April 4 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Wilson Fire Department Station located on Mount Torrey Road in Lyndhurst. For more info, call 943-8556, 943-4341 or 943-2507.

Barbecue dinner to benefit Kayla Abshire, an 11-year-old kidney transplant recipient, from 4-7 p.m. April 4 at Preston Yancey Fire Department, Fishersville; tickets $6 and available at Valley Fabric (Stuarts Draft), Augusta Office Supply (Waynesboro), Klassic Kutts (Fishersville) and the Candle and Gift Shop (Verona); for more info, call 942-3274 or 946-0708.

All Girl Conference hosted by the Staunton Recreation Department and DuPont Community Credit Union; includes a special keynote speaker, workshops, free food and lots of great giveaways! Free event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 4 at the Booker T. Washington Community Center. Registration forms available at Booker T. Washington Community Center, Staunton Recreation and Parks Department facilities, local libraries and school offices. For more info, visit http://www.myspace.com/
allgirlconference or contact Makeba Robinson at e-mail .
staunton.va.us, or 332-3991 or 332-3945.

Parenting classes, Mental Health of Augusta and the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, United Way agencies: “For Kids Sake:” A program for parents, step-parents and grandparents who share custody or visitation of a child, whether or not there was ever a marriage. The class is appropriate for adults who are currently going through the courts, as well as those who have been separated for years. Charmi Neely, from Kuley, Ryan and Associates, teaches this one-time, 4-hour seminar. The next class will be April 4 at the Mary Switzer building on the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center campus.

“The Wall That Heals,” Ralph Sampson Park, E. Washington Street, Harrisonburg (near blue water tower); on display April 2-5; one-half scale replica exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C., which travels with a museum and information center; museum chronicles the Vietnam War era and the unique healing power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; open to the public, free of charge, 24 hours-a-day.

Camp Spring Break, Waynesboro Parks and Recreation, 413 Port Republic Road; childcare offered at Rosenwald Community Center; games, seasonal crafts, gym time, special cooking projects and more; cost: $15 per day, hours: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 6-10; payment is due upon registration; deadline to register is March 30; info.: 942-6735, http://www.waynesboro.va.us/pr or e-mail .