Roanoke Rescue Mission needs volunteers to help mail Christmas cards [The Roanoke Times, Va.]

Oct. 10--The Rescue Mission of Roanoke is preparing for the upcoming holiday season, and volunteers are needed.

The mission wants to send out 173,000 Christmas cards this year. That means volunteers are needed on Oct. 21-25 and Oct. 28-30 to fold, stuff and stamp the cards.

The agency, at 402 Fourth St. S.E., has served as a Christian crisis intervention center for Southwest Virginia for 65 years. It receives no government funding.

Cards will be stuffed from 9 a.m. until noon each day, and then volunteers will have lunch in the mission's cafeteria.

To schedule your volunteer hours, call 343-7227.

The mission also is seeking pies for its Thanksgiving feast, and is asking that cooks bake their favorite pie recipe and drop it off at the mission's main lobby from 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.Nov. 25 through Nov. 27.

Hundreds of workers donned "Rock a Tee" shirts Sept. 27 to change a child's life by supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Virginia.

Ronald McDonald House, which provides a "home away from home" annually for about 800 families of pediatric patients, sold more than 800 shirts at $10 each. Proceeds go toward operational costs at the facility on South Jefferson Street.

Employees at sponsoring businesses that included Allstate Insurance, Brian Center-Lowmoor, Hanover Insurance, Hopetree Family Service, United Health Care, Appalachian Power Co., Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital, Coca-Cola, Fox 21/27, Kroger, Q99, McDonald's and Ripley sported the shirts for the day and are being urged to wear them often.

Laney Mofield, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Virginia, said some shirts are still available and can be purchased by calling 857-0770 or visiting the house.

The Roanoke Valley SPCA is holding its inaugural "Herding Cats Bar Crawl" Oct. 19.

RVSPCA is partnering with the Parkway Brewing Co. and five downtown Roanoke restaurants for the special event that focuses on services for cats.

Since cats appear to think of themselves as VIPs, some ticket holders will have that distinction and receive some special treatment.

All participants must provide proof of age and be 21 and older.

VIP tickets are $25 and sold only in advance. Other tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event.

VIP ticket holders will begin their crawl at Parkway Brewing Company with tours and tasting and snacks.

They'll have first dibs on commemorative pint glasses, special raffles, snacks, and prizes. Custom transportation also will take all VIP ticket holders to the remaining venues.

Other bar crawl ticket holders can start at any of the venues: Blue 5, Martin's, The Penny Deux Lounge, Blues BBQ, and Fork in the Market.

All ticket holders also will receive a raffle ticket that they may use at their discretion for any one of the 18-plus gift baskets available throughout the Bar Crawl. Each venue will have drink and food specials and offer games and entertainment.

___

(c)2013 The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Va.)

Visit The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Va.) at www.roanoke.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services