Letters to the Editor

There’s A New Kid On The Block!

Dear Editor:

We have a “New Kid on the Block”!  The Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia has renovated the old Morris Bloom building in historic downtown Lawrenceville. You gotta see the great job they have done restoring this prestigious facility.  Stop by, have a look around and pick up some literature while you’re there!

Under the wing of this new office, local and respected business and civic leaders of our community have come together to form the “BRUNSWICK HEALTH AMBASSADORS.”  This group is determined to turn around Brunswick County’s low health ranking within the commonwealth by offering health summits, support groups, transportation information, and cancer and general health information to our citizens. You’ll be hearing a lot from this dedicated group!

To kick off our efforts to improve people’s health, the Brunswick Health Ambassadors are presenting our very first “You & Your Health: What you Need to Know” health summit!  This event will be presented March 28, 2015, from 9:00 am til 2:00 pm at BRUNSWICK High School.  We’ll kick off with Scott Burton, a cancer survivor, high-energy motivational speaker, comedian and juggler….You’re in for a real treat!

Hey, guess what? It’s FREE!

If that’s not enough we’ll have informative breakout sessions featuring interesting and educational topics presented by top notch health professionals in the fields of cancer prevention/treatment and nutrition.  We’ll also offer free blood pressure checks and free vision checks!  Now, just how great is that?

You want more?

Well then, how about a free continental breakfast and a free lunch?

Again, just how great is that?

Sign up early and invite a friend.  Sorry to say, we’re limited to 200 attendees so sign up now by stopping by to talk to Vivian Taylor at the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia, an office sponsored by the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission and VCU Massey Cancer Center.  You can also call or email her at 434-532-8190 or vjtaylor@vcu.edu.

You don’t wanna miss this!

Jane Goodall, author, primatologist, and anthropologist said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make!”

Bill Hudson
Lawrenceville

Even Miss Virginia Has Notice the Trash

Dear fellow citizens of the commonwealth,

As a native of small-town Pamplin, Virginia, I was raised on a farm where hard work and sacrifice were the norm. During my visits back home, I look around at the beauty and rarity of the wide, open spaces and thick, lush fields. I was always taught to respect and appreciate the world around me; however, I never realized what a significant role this mentality would play in my life.

Global warming, pollution and erosion are just a few of the consequences we are facing from failing to make environmental care more of a priority. Though these issues are featured worldwide on various news mediums, how are they affecting us directly? We are passing on this world to younger generations— to our sons and daughters, our grandchildren and friends—and with it, they inherit all of these growing issues.

Problems like these can’t be fixed over night, but they can start in our very own backyards. You can make a difference! Begin to take on a greener lifestyle; find ways to implement recycling in your household and places of work; join movements to prevent and reduce littering. As part of the Charlotte County Cleaner/Greener initiative, I encourage you to explore ways that YOU can give back. Simply cleaning up trash from the side of the road is a small step along a long road to a brighter tomorrow. We each play a small, yet significant role in making this world a better place to live.

If everyone does his or her part, imagine what a difference that will make. We are so fortunate to have such a beautiful land to inhabit, let’s be sure to provide the same opportunities for the coming generations. As I look out over the hills of my hometown, I pray that our family will be able to continue enjoying this view for years to come. Let’s not leave that up to chance, but work together to make our little corner of the universe cleaner and greener. I choose to support a brighter tomorrow, a cleaner community and a legacy of environmental care. I choose to be a part of the cleaner/greener movement. What about you?

Sincerely,

Courtney Garrett

Miss Virginia 2014