(From a press release) Virginia Lyman of Winchester has won a scholarship from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind organization.

Virginia has learned a great deal about dog handling and training methods through her volunteer work, and plans to carry those skills into her future career as a veterinarian. She has also become closer to her mom through shared classes and dog outings, and has developed into a strong public speaker who helps spread the word about Guiding Eyes.

"I ask myself, why am I still doing this?" she said. "When I look at my pups working with their blind partners, I know my answer."

Virginia was thrilled when two of her puppies, Savannah and Kylie, both graduated with blind companions as guides.

"Through the Puppy Raising program I have been able to meet many blind individuals with their working guides," she said. "I have learned more about blindness, and I have gained a greater appreciation for everything I have been blessed with in my own life."

To find out how you can raise a puppy that will become someone's Guiding Eyes, visit www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org or call 866-GEB-LABS.

Photo: Virginia Lyman and Koi

The Shenandoah County chapter of the American Red Cross will hold a bloodmobile on Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Strasburg Moose Lodge.
Transportation is available by calling 465-8132.

The Shenandoah County chapter of the American Red Cross will hold a bloodmobile on Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. at the Woodstock American Legion.

The American Red Cross chapter will hold bloodmobiles at its Lucy L. Custer Building in Winchester on Tuesday from 1 to 7 p.m., Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bloodmobiles will also be held on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Timber Ridge School at Cross Junction and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Round Hill Ruritan Club.

(From a press release) Four members of Narrow Passage Chapter, NSDAR, traveled to Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital on June 13 to take part in Flag Day activities honoring veteran patients at the facility.

Elaine Mowery, Emma Wagner, Anna Mae Ortgies, and Ann Hunter participated in the patient visitation. Each of the 500 patients received a small flag for bed table or window sill display, a bag of useful items including canteen vouchers, and plenty of hometown
conversation. The chapter had earlier collected 250 travel shampoos to contribute to the gift bags for the veterans.

The Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution has been observing Flag Day at Hunter Holmes McGuire in this way for 13 years. The practice began in 1996, during Mrs.
Hunter's term as state regent of the Virginia DAR.

The Strasburg High School Ram Athletic Association is hosting a Cash Party and Auction at 6 p.m. July 19 at the Strasburg Moose. There will be a $1,000 grand prize drawing. Tickets are $25 and available at First Bank, Virginia Savings and BB&T in Strasburg or by calling Frankie Conner at (540) 975-0830.

(From a press release) Response, a nonprofit organization providing services at no cost to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in Shenandoah County, is looking for volunteers.

Positions available include volunteer court, shelter and hotline advocates. Victim companions and administrative and children/youth volunteers are also needed.

Volunteer training will begin at 6 p.m. June 24. Contact Jennifer Morrison for an application at (540) 459-5599 or by e-mail at suppserv@shentel.net

(From a press release) The Marion Park Lewis Foundation has awarded $153,000 to organizations and individuals.

More than $114,000 was awarded to individuals. Recipients are:

Jaely Chamberlain, Marina de Medici, Michael Drake, Geraldine Kiefer, Gaven Largent, Leslie Mathis, David McCormick, Beverly Pearce, Lindsey Perrault, Jessica Seelinger, James Shepherd, Jr., Jacquelyn Zehring of Winchester; Christopher Bloom, Samantha Clark, Bryanna Demerly, Patricia Epperson, Victoria Goldizen, Olivia Myers, Ariana Myers, Cody Oher of Frederick County; Megan Burns, Rachel Herbaugh, Andrew Leach, Elizabeth Lukens, Aryana Montini, Joette Orndorff of Clarke County; Behbinn Egger, Nastassia Lee of Warren County; Caitlin McAvoy, Berkley Todd of Rockingham County; Sarah Wingard of Harrisonburg; Carly Anders, Tiffany Bovard, Megan Henshaw, Kristy Koppenhaver, Sidnie Stevens, Stephanie Wood of Jefferson County; Alivia Ayers, Sara Bivens, Kaitlin Farrell, Brittany Greenfield, Keleah Kidwell, Sara Sibole of Berkeley County.

Organizations received more than $38,000. Recipients are:

Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville Main St., Front Royal Oratorio Society, Inwood Dance Company, Masterworks Chorus of the Shenandoah Valley, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Opus Oaks, Performing Arts Luray, Rockingham Ballet Theatre, Shenandoah Arts Council, Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, Wayside Foundation for Arts, Winchester Little Theater and Winchester Musica Viva.

The foundation, which is administered by the Shenandoah Arts Council, and promotes education in the arts art-program funding for organizations. The foundation is named after Marion Park Lewis, a local businesswoman and arts patron. She was a founding member of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and Humanities and helped found arts organizations in the region.

The 2009 grant application deadline will be in mid-March. For more information, visit the www.shenarts.org and click on MPL Foundation.

Registration for the 2nd annual Noel Borden Memorial Golf Tournament is Wednesday, June 18.

The tournament, which benefits the Noel Borden Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Strasburg High School Athletic Uniform Fund, will be held on June 20 at Jackson's Chase Golf Club in Front Royal. Lunch will be at 12:30 p.m. and a shotgun start is at 1:30 p.m.

FRONT ROYAL -- (From a press release) Ressie Jeffries Elementary is asking residents to collect Box Tops for Education on General Mills products to help raise funds for the school.

The school is aiming for $1,500 from the Box Tops campaign, but they would like to double that with help from the community.

Send your Box Tops from General Mills products to Ressie Jeffries, "Attention Box Tops Coordinator," 320 E. Criser Road, Front Royal, Va. 22630.

For more information about the Box Tops fundraiser or to designate Ressie Jeffries as the school you wish to support, visit www.boxtops4education.com.

If you would like to place a mini collection bin at your office or business location to allow your customers to put Box Tops in the bin, contact the school at the address above, or call (540) 636-6824. Indicate that you would like a mini collection bin placed at your location and provide your business location and a contact phone number.