🌱 Anne Frank Returns to Mill Mountain + Free Girl Scouting Offer

And just like that it's Tuesday ... hello, Roanoke! I hope you all got the cylinders firing yesterday and are ready for the rest of the week. Let's look at some news.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and very warm.

High: 85 Low: 60.

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Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. In December 2021, Ronnie Durham was attending a Christmas parade with his two adopted children, Rosa and Quin, when he received a phone call from his neighbor saying his home was on fire. "I didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was when I got there,” he said. "The firemen wouldn’t even let us get close to the house. We had to stay way back there in the yard." The family lost everything to the fire, including Durham's late wife's pictures. At an event later that year, Pastor David Janney of Palestine Baptist Church met the family to give them Christmas gifts, but decided more needed to be done. He decided to lead the effort to rebuild the family's home and with the help of twelve other area churches, Durham and his children were able to move into a fully furnished home last month. "It’s the best feeling I’ve had in many many years to be able to sleep in my own bed. Thank God for all the churches and people that chipped in to help make this go," said Durham. (WDBJ)
2. It's been 60 years since the Mill Mountain Theatre last put on "The Diary of Anne Frank," but Wednesday the show will return to the Trinkle Main Stage. The show had been set to return in 2020, but COVID-19 changed that plan and plans for the rest of that season. "Mill Mountain Theatre reintroduced ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ to our 2022 season due to its significance and importance. This show is incredibly powerful and [it’s] crucial that we tell it on our stage," said Producing Artistic Director Ginger Poole in a news release. Most people are familiar with Anne Frank's story, but what many do not realize is that the young Anne knew her writings could help inform future generations about the evil she and others experienced during World War II. And her diary did just that. "In this transcendently powerful new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, Anne Frank emerges from the pages of history as a living, lyrical and intensely gifted young girl,” MMT's press release said. The show will be presented September 21 through October 2. Times and tickets are available at the theatre's website. (Roanoke Times, MMT website)
3. Young women who would like to join a Girl Scout troop can do so this fall for free thanks to a donation, allowing them to learn learn leadership, STEM, entrepreneurship, the outdoors, and other skills at no cost. The offer comes from The Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline, which covers thirty-six counties including Roanoke, Botetourt and Franklin counties and is being offered through September 30. "This really does help us to remove some of the barriers to entries for girls and we want to give everyone a chance to learn what girl scouting is about and to come and experience the programming [and] to really just, again, become the Girl Scout they want to become,” said Nikki Williams, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline CEO. GSVS is hosting a number of Starter Scout meetings throughout the area and has promised the debut of a brand new cookie, a Raspberry filled thin mint! (WDBJ, GSVS website)
4. The Historic Fincastle Festival is set to happen Saturday, September 24, in (you guessed it) Fincastle. Celebrating the Revolutionary era town's 250 years of existence, the festival will feature a 'Touch a Truck' exhibit, fun at the library, a petting zoo and pony rides, two car displays — one of Corvettes, and another of assorted classic cars — and a dinner at The Kyle House. Musicians including Eric Burton, Mason Creek and Trinity Tree Travelers will be performing in the two music venues and fifty vendor spaces have been spread out around the town's streets for shopping with local and regional merchants. A special event at noon will honor Fincastle’s 250th anniversary and be read from the Botetourt Board of Supervisors and Delegate Terry Austin of the Virginia House of Delegates. (Fincastle Herald)
5. A local cattle farm, Chapel Creek Farms in Montvale, decided to begin directly marketing its beef products to area consumers during the Covid-19 pandemic and the decision has proved to be a successful new venture for the 900 head Hereford-Angus farm. "We just wanted to see if people liked it. As it is now, we have two big freezers and we’re well-stocked, and that in itself turned into offering beef shares," said co-owner Melody Divers who owns the farm with her husband, Johnny. The farm's cattle are all grass fed and grass finished and the farm has now sold thirty thousand pounds of beef directly to consumers. "It was definitely a pivot. We’re planning two years in advance for our beef share program. We’re always working two years ahead. I am with the calendar and the customers, and Johnny is with the herd itself." (WFXR, Chapel Creek Farms website)

Today in Roanoke:

• Panda Express Fundraiser for the Roanoke Valley SPCA (10:30 a.m.)
• Salem City Council Candidate Forum (Noon)
• The Famous Tuesday Night Beer Ride, starting at Twin Creeks Brewing Co. (5:45 p.m.)
• Line Dancing with Angela & Kamronn at Corned Beef and Co. Bar and Grill (7 p.m.)
• Willy Tea Taylor with Special Guest Seph Custer at The Spot on Kirk (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "We recently posted on the types of collars and harnesses we use for our dogs in the shelter. Today we want to talk about leashes - and some hidden dangers you may not be aware of. We typically use heavy nylon leashes in our shelter." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Students Supporting Students: Teachers for Tomorrow students at ROTEC - Roanoke Technical Education Center recently visited Hurt Park Elementary. The older students helped the younger students learn about math." (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Virginia Children's Theatre: "Staging rehearsals for THE SECRET GARDEN are going beautifully!✨ 🎟 Get your tickets today at virginiachildrenstheatre.org!" (Virginia Children's Theatre via Facebook)
• Jack Browns Roanoke: "In honor of Spaugh’s Saint Day, we got Patrick rolling in with his 1,100th beer and Jessica with her 800th‼️🍻 #notchersnotchin #cheers #wagyudoinifyouaintnotchin" (Jack Browns Roanoke via Instagram)
• City of Roanoke Government: "Bank On Roanoke Valley is proud to announce that their next round of Bank On Financial Wellness Series begins in October 2022!" (City of Roanoke Government via Facebook)

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Events:

• Online discussion for bed mattresses in Roanoke, VA (September 26)
• Add your event

There you have it ... the Tuesday edition of The Roanoke Daily. If you enjoy reading this newsletter I would appreciate you sharing it with your friends and family on social media. You can include this link (https://join.patch.com/roanoke) so they can sign up to receive it themselves!

— Ian

About me: Ian Graham is a novelist, screenwriter, and freelance contributing writer. He is a firm believer in being yourself… unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman. To connect with Ian you can visit him on Facebook and Instagram.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Roanoke Daily? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com