Happy Father's Day!

Thanks for making Friday's special Father's Day edition of WHEO'S "Community Conversation" program a huge success. During the program, we had about 50 calls (about one per minute) from listeners who phoned in honor or in memory of their fathers and other dads of our community (over 125 names were mentioned on the air). Congratulations to George Harris, who won the prize given away to a lucky dad at the end of the 45 minute call in show. Mr. Harris, Patty Hazelwood's father, won a $35 Father's Day basket from Bennett's Baskets and Bows.

If you have a living father, please treasure him and spend as much time with him as you can. It will be time well spent. If you father, like mine, has gone on to his Heavenly home, take comfort that he is enjoying an eternity in the presence of Jesus and awaiting a joyful family reunion in Heaven some day. Seek to honor you dads every day of the year and not just on the third Sunday in June. A father is a treasure! Each of our lives has been enriched by a loving father! Happy Father's Day!

Saturday's 3rd annual Patrick County Covered Bridge Festival, Virginia's official event of this kind, was a success. Assistant County Administrator Jeannie Frico told me that this year's event was triple the size of last year's. I enjoyed browsing through the maze of vendor's tents and displays and listening to the music of some fine local artists under the giant acoustic tent at the festival site at Hopkin's Lumber in Woolwine. There was plenty of food too....Lexington style BBQ, hot dogs, chicken breast sandwiches, burgers, philly cheesesteak sandwiches, giant homemade tenderloin biscuits, kettle popcorn, fries, ice cream, lemonade, etc. It was good to talk to a bunch of friends including WHEO weather spotter John and his wife Liz Johnson. Crystal Harris, cafeteria manager of Woolwine Elementary School and a member of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors, told me she is retiring from the Patrick County School system after 34 years of service. Crystal's retirement from the school system will become effective at the end of June. She said she plans to go fishing! I hope you catch a big one, Crystal. You deserve a rest after more than 3 decades of laboring for our children. Asked if she planned to continue as a Patrick County supervisor (Smith River District), Crystal said "I'm going to serve 2 more years, and then we'll see." Thanks to the county board of supervisors for starting the Covered Bridge Festival which seems to be growing in popularity. I enjoyed my first one Saturday.

I also attended the Patrick County Alzheimer's Group's "Let's Take a Stand" gathering in downtown Stuart Saturday morning (June 16). This event brought various service agencies, health care prividers providers, and other community resources together in an effort to educate the public about Alzheimer's Disease. There was a good turnout of more than 100 people and the skies of downtown Stuart turned purple with the release of balloons in honor or memory of the victim's of Alzheimer's Disease. Please support the Patrick County Alzheimer's Group LLC's Sept. 29th fundraising event at Dominion Valley Park in Stuart. Sally Smith, the president of the Alzheimer's Association, is a sweetheart! Thanks Sally for all you do for our community! Mark your calendar for the Sept. 29th fundraiser!

I wish I could have attended the Day in the Park event at Dan River Park in Ararat Saturday but time did not permit. Anyway, I would have probably stepped in one of the cow patties deposited during the Cow Pattie Bingo event. I want the people in that community to know that I support them too! I commend the people of the Ararat community on all the hard work they have done to develop their beautiful Dan River Park. I also congratulate the Blue Ridge Bulldogs who won the Dixie Youth Minor League baseball championship last week. I also commend Primland for assisting the Dan River Park Committee in developing a soccer field at the park.

Speaking of Primland, beginning Monday, June 18th and continuing throughout the following week, I will present another in my series of "Richard on the Road" reports, features about my travels in search of interesting people and places in Patrick County. From its beginning as a logging operation 30 years ago, Primland has evolved into an interntionally known sportsman's paradise and is fast becoming a major, world class, 5-star resort. What a wonderful tourist attraction and communtiy resource. Thanks to Steve Helms and his staff for their hospitality during my recent guided tour of this breath-taking Patrick County mountain getaway, Primland Resort. Also thanks to Primland for their community-mindedness. Primland is always there to support worthy causes in our community. Listen to my "Richard on the Road" series titled "Primland: Sportsman's Paradise and Emerging Mountaintop Resort" this week on 1270 WHEO, the Heart of Patrick County. Please share your comments on this news series and my show in general here on my blogspot.

Please continue to pray for my dear friend Denny Archer who underwent preventive surgery to unclog his Carotid artery last week. I talked to him Friday night and he is ready to come home as soon as his blood pressure gets under control. Hang in their Denny; I love you and your sweet wife Marilyn.

Until next time, my God bless you all with a "great day"!

Proudly serving you, Patrick County, God's Country,
Richard Rogers