Community Calendar
Mechanicsburg Ruritan Club: The monthly meeting of the Mechanicsburg Ruritan Club will be held on Thursday, March 16, at the Community Center in the Mechanicsburg Community. The address is 15 Osborne Drive, Bland. A meal will be served at 6:30 p.m., with a short meeting following at 7 p.m. The public is invited to the meeting which is designed through the National Organization to improve communities through fellowship goodwill and community service. Contact Elmer Chewning at 276-688-4440 for more information.
MacDowell Music Club: The MacDowell Music Club will meet March 20 at 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church on Main Street in Rural Retreat. Caden Dyer, Rural Retreat High School band director, will give a program of trombone selections. Everyone is welcome to the free program.
Food Pantry Dates: The Agape Food Pantry, located at 1355 West Sprint St. in Wytheville, will be distributing boxes of food to any resident of Wythe County with a photo ID card and proof of residence on Saturday, March 11, from 10 a.m. to noon and on Thursday, March 23, from noon to 2 p.m. Donations of food may be brought to the pantry on Monday, March 13, from 3:30- 5:30 p.m., or may be dropped off anytime in the bin outside the front door. The pantry returns calls made to 276-228-6889.
Bland DSS Meeting: The Bland County Department of Social Services board will meet on Wednesday, March 15, at 4 p.m. in the Bland County Department of Social Services Office located in the courthouse at 612 Main St., Suite 208, Bland, VA.
Ceres Game Night: The Ceres Alumni Association will sponsor a Game Night in the Ceres Peery Center Gym on March 18, starting at 5 p.m. There will be no admission fee for the game night and there will be no game prizes awarded. Come play Rook, other card games, board games, corn hole toss and more. This will be an opportunity to have a place for a fun evening with your friends. (Bring your own cards.) Concessions will be available for a donation. Come and bring your friends for a relaxing night of fun.
Spring Tea Brunch: Cove Road Christian Academy will hold a spring tea brunch fundraiser on Saturday, April 29, at 11 a.m. The elegant tea with a twist will include brunch foods, a selection of hot teas or water, a tea cup and saucer, door prizes, a photo booth and a guest speaker. Tickets are $25 per person. Contact Mary Wright at (276) 389-8961 or Tabatha Seymore at (276) 759-1718. The school is located at 1135 Cove Road in Wytheville.
Open Ag Shop: Open Shop Night at George Wythe Ag Shop, March through April. Please call 276-620-4565 for more information and to schedule a date/time.
Become a Master Gardener: Would you like to become a Virginia Volunteer Master Gardener? The Wythe-Bland Region Master Gardener Association is currently holding a class for trainees to learn to become Virginia Volunteer Master Gardeners. Each year’s class runs from approximately Sept. 13 to its graduation around May 2. This is approximately our 20th class, which is held at Wytheville Community College. The classes consist of the training program from Virginia Tech and VCE [Virginia Cooperative Extension], research-based information consisting of a combination of online training modules, in-person classes, and in-person labs. Internship consists of completing the training program AND 50 hours of volunteer service time. The intern then becomes a Virginia Certified Volunteer Master Gardener. If you love gardening and would like to become a Virginia Certified Volunteer Master Gardener, please contact us via email: wbrmg.ed.com@gmail.com or contact David Danner: call or text 276-223-7773. We welcome you to join our Master Gardener class next year!
Links Womans Club Meetings: The Links Womans Club meets the second Thursday of the month at the Wytheville Golf Club at 5:30 p.m. Any woman interested in joining to serve our community, is encouraged to attend. For more information, call/text Teresa at (276) 620-7590.
Radio Club: The Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club serves amateur radio operators in Southwest Virginia and northwestern North Carolina. All amateur radio operator are invited to the on-air weekly gathering held each Tuesday night at 8 p.m. with a frequency of 147.090+ and 103.5 tone. Additional information can be found online at www.vaemcommdb.or/BARC/ or on the Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club Facebook page.
Training School Exhibit: The Wytheville Training School Cultural Center and the African American Heritage Museum will have a special opening on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. We will be featuring an exhibit of the Wytheville Training School veterans and their descendants who followed in their footsteps. The exhibit will be available Monday, May 30, (1 p.m.–3 p.m.) through July 6. The exhibit will return in November to honor Veterans Day. Normal museum hours are Mon.-Fri. (1-6 p.m.) and the 1st and 3rd Saturday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) of every month.
Big Walker Lookout Events: Mountaintop Music, Meet the Author and BW Craft Corner every Saturday and Sunday May through October. Author and Artisans noon-4 p.m.; music 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Check out Big Walker’s Facebook events page for the latest information.
Memorial Bench Donations: There are only two garden benches remaining, to be donated to the Rural Retreat Depot in memory or honor of a loved one, an organization, or just from yourself toward the continuing restoration of the Depot building. Your bench will display a beautifully engraved plaque with your sentiment. To see the outside benches, please visit the Depot in downtown Rural Retreat. Contact Amy for more information: 276-686-4279.
Friends of the Fort Chiswell Library: Friends of the Fort Chiswell Library meets on the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the library building, located across from Fort Chiswell High School. Everyone is welcome to attend.
52 Bingo: The Max Meadows Ruritan Club hosts 52 Bingo every Saturday at 6 p.m. at 1151 Fort Chiswell Road, Max Meadows. The building is one-half mile past Fort Chiswell High School, on the right. There is a guaranteed $1,000 jackpot and a $500 progressive game every week.
Free Adult Ed Classes: Mt. Rogers Regional Adult Education Program is now offering online or onsite classes for GED prep, College test prep, National External Diploma, National Career Readiness Certificate, and computer and job skills. Classes meet at WCC, Carroll Hall, Rm. 219 (VEC) Monday and Wednesday, 10-1 and 5 to 8, and at Wytheville Training and Cultural Center, on Tuesday and Thursday, 9-12, and 5-8. Classes are free. Must be 18 or older. For more information, call 800-322-7748 or go to mrraep.org.
New Food Cooperative: Azure Standard, a natural grocery store on wheels, will be making MONTHLY pre-ordered deliveries of low-cost, non-GMO and organic foods, herbs, health/beauty products, etc. in the area! For more information contact Antoinette: WythevilleNaturalFoodCoop@gmail.com, 919-763-2381.
Wytheville Woman’s Club Meetings: The Wytheville Woman’s Club meets the second Tuesday of the month at Sunny Hills Church at 6:30 p.m.
Quilt Guild Meetings: The Hands-All-Around Quilt Guild meets every second Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Hedgefield Apartments community room on Pepper’s Ferry Road. The group is open to anyone interested in quilting. For more information contact Mimi Heldreth at (276) 613-5229.
Past RRHS Yearbooks for Sale: Attention Rural Retreat High graduates — The RRHS Yearbook Staff has past editions of the Ruralvalee for sale. Quantities are limited and prices vary according to edition. Years available are 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001-2019. Contact yearbook sponsor Rachel Kuehl at 276-686-4143 or Rachel.smith@wythek12.org to purchase.
Republican Monthly Meeting: The Wythe County Republican Party monthly meeting is held every third Monday at 6:30 p.m., in the Wythe County Circuit Courtroom, S. 6th Street and W. Spring St., Wytheville. For more information please call 276-617-0770.
Open Door Café: The Open Door Café, formerly the Community Food Kitchen, is Southwest Virginia’s first donate-what-you-can restaurant. After you have eaten, you will be asked what you would like to donate – volunteering time or money.
If you are unable to do either, your meal is free. The café is located at 650 West Main St. in Wytheville next door to the HOPE Ministry Center. Serving hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Interested in volunteering? Please go to www.opendoorcafewytheville.org to sign up.
Cub Scout Pack 58: The Rural Retreat Cub Scouts Pack 58 meeting time has been changed to Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Rural Retreat Pentecostal Holiness Church Leaders invite all kindergarteners through fifth-graders to join them For more information contact cub master Chris Swecker at 276-389-7985 or committee chairman Danny Cline at 276-613-0431.
Wednesday Fun Day: St. Paul Methodist Church Relay for Life team Offers Wednesday Fun Day. Do you like games? Cards? Making friends? If so, please join the St. Paul Relay for Life team at St. Paul Methodist Church on Wednesdays at 1 pm. Our Wednesday groups have the most fun, and new friendships are made every week. Bring a friend or come alone.
Bring a game, or play one of ours. We promise you will have a grand time. Donations are accepted for the church relay for life team, and the American Cancer Society. The church is located on Church Street in Wytheville.
Cemetery donations: Donations are needed for the maintenance of the cemetery at Speedwell United Methodist Church. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. These can be mailed to the church at P.O. Box 14, Speedwell, VA 24374.
Wythe County Democrats: Wythe County Democrats meet at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the Wythe County Circuit Courtroom, 225 S. Fourth St., Wytheville. Check Facebook for any location changes.
Library Friends Meeting: Friends of the Rural Retreat Library meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. The Library is located at 119 North Greever Street in Rural Retreat. The meeting is open to everyone.
Post 229 Meetings: Rural Retreat American Legion Post 229 meets the second Thursday of each month. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. The Post address is 307 Frye Avenue, Rural Retreat.
Memorial Brick Donation: Create a lasting memory and support your Rural Retreat Depot by donating a memorial brick in honor or memory of a loved one, your high school class, etc. A donation of $50 creates your lasting memory. Order your brick now to ensure that it gets into the first installation this spring. Go online, using your credit card or to download and print the form go theruralretreatdepot.com or call (276) 686-6800 for information.
VFW 2719 Post Meeting: VFW Post 2719 monthly meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Old Community Center on 4th Street.
Board Meeting: The Mount Rogers Community Services board of directors meets the fourth Monday of each month. For more information about the specific date, time and location, please visit www.mtrogerscsb.com.
Ruritan Meetings: The Wytheville Ruritan Club meets the first Monday of each month at the Wytheville Training School at 6 p.m. For information, call (276) 620-5874.
Gift Certificates: The Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce will issue gift certificates in the amount of $10, $15, $20, $25 up to $50. They are redeemable at businesses that members of the chamber only. They cannot be redeemed for cash. You can treat them just like a regular check or cash and are to be deposited into your account. Call (276) 223-3365 or fax (276) 223-3412 for more information.
WIC Program: WIC is a free nutritious food program for women, infants and children and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or postpartum and children up to the age of 5 years. If you meet the income guidelines and need assistance, you may qualify. Call 228-5507 or 686-3642.
AA Meetings: Alcoholics Anonymous Wytheville Group will hold meetings on Monday and Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Wytheville First Church of God at 1145 Cove Road and Tuesday and Friday at 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 405 W. Main St. in Wytheville. Call (276) 613-3120 for information.
Al-Anon Meeting: Al-Anon meetings will be held every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 405 W. Main Street, Wytheville. Contact Brenda at (276) 928-1839.
Mental Health Support Group: Due to a change of operation hours at the Wytheville library, the monthly meeting of the NAMI Family Mental Health Support Group will be moved to the second Thursday of each month from 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Call Barb Bartnik at (276) 686-5590.
Overeaters Anonymous Meetings: Overeaters Anonymous meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Anchor of Hope Presbyterian Church, 197 Max Meadows Road, Max Meadows. Call (276) 637-6265 or (276) 620-3491.
VFW Meeting: There will be a meeting of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2719 on the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Fourth Street Civic Center.
Spay-Neuter Transport: The Wythe-Bland Animal Welfare League offers a free transport service to the Margaret Mitchell Spay Neuter Clinic in Bristol on the first Thursday of every month. This free transport helps provide low cost spaying and neutering to the residents of Wythe and Bland counties for their dogs and cats. Financial aid is available for qualifying families. For more information and to schedule your place on the transport, call (276) 613-3695.
Wytheville Rotary Club: The Wytheville Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at the Wytheville Golf Club. We would like to invite you to come visit our club and consider joining our organization. Rotary connects the world.
