In and Around Greene

December 4
Tenth Anniversary of the Christmas Bazaar, from 6 a.m. to 3p.m. today and Saturday, Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is held each year at St. Isidore Catholic Church on Rt. 15 two miles outside of Orange. We have a wide selection of ornaments, blankets, bedspreads, table toppers, hand panted shelves, glass wear and more. 

December 5
The Dolley Madison Garden Club will host its annual Holiday Baked Goods sale at the Orange Farmers’ Market at the Train Station from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cakes, pies, cookies and other holiday treats will be available. Stuffed toys will be given away to shoppers making a minimum purchase. Proceeds benefit DMGC community projects. For further information call Page Sullenberger at 540-672-1050.

Breakfast with Santa from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Ruckersville Elementary School.  As part of the RES PTA’s Santa’s Workshop, children and adults can have a great breakfast and chat with the jolly old elf himself. Santa’s workshop is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ruckersville Elemntary School. A great family time featuring a craft fair, cake walk, photos with Santa, face painting, raffle and kids’ grafts. Personalize a Santa hat to wear later in the evening while watching the Parade of Lights in Stanardsville. Let your children do their own shopping at the always popular Kids’ Holiday Shopping Area (No adults allowd and gift wrapping is free.) Proceeds go toward the many projects of the RES PTA. For more information, contact Shelly Ward at 434-981-1290

December 6
The Stanardsville Volunteer Fire Department is having a breakfast buffet from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please come and support your local fire department. For more information please call Gloria Snow at 985-3496 or 985-4638.

December 8
Have you made your Christmas gift list? Checked it once or twice? Forget anything? Did you remember to give blood this holiday season? Join the Greene County Lions Club and Virginia Blood Services at their holiday blood drive from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Greene County Rescue Squad Building on Old Route 33 in Stanardsville. To make an appointment or for more information about the blood drive, contact Mick Carrier at 434-985-6648. Give the gift that always fits perfectly, is really needed, wanted and never returned. Be particularly generous this season. Give the gift of life.

December 10
Want ways that you can help make Christmas a little more special for the elderly and low income families? Here are a few suggestions: 1.  “Christmas special dish:”  Print your favorite Christmas dish recipe on a 4x6 card and put all of the ingredients to make it in a plastic bag.  Mark boldly on the recipe whether it will feed a family of three, six, or nine (the USDA requires that we bag for a family unit in multiples of three).  Tie the recipe card to the bag.  You may include a Christmas card with a special wish, if you like. 2) Toiletries.  We are frequently asked for toiletries, but do use the money you donate strictly for food.  To make Christmas a little more special, we would appreciate your gifts of toothbrushes, toothpaste, bath soap, and razor blades, shaving cream, and deodorants for both men and women. 

December 12
Due to the holidays, Angel Food Distribution is a week earlier in December.  The December distribution will be today from 11a.m. to noon.  Distribution is no longer at the high school, it is now at the Stanardsville Baptist Church, 103 Madison Road, left lower level, Door No. 6 (same place as food pantry distribution). For additional information, or if you would like to donate an AngelPak for the family of a recently laid off family wage earner, please contact Carroll or Sandra Sullivan at 434-962-0135 or send your tax-deductible donation to SBC Angel Food Ministry, PO Box 13, Stanardsville, VA 22973.

December 16
The food pantry of Greene County —monthly supplemental food for USDA-qualified families is distributed at Stanardsville Baptist Church from 4 to 6p.m. each third Wednesday.  If you are, or know someone who is, in need of food, you would like to volunteer, or you would like to donate non-perishable food, please call Carroll Sullivan at 434-962-0135, or come in any Tuesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and noon.  The pantry is located in the left lower level of Stanardsville Baptist Church, 103 Madison Road, Door No. 6. Please send your tax-deductible donation to SBC Food Pantry, PO Box 13, Stanardsville, VA 22973.  Thank you for your continued support.

NOTICES
Hunters, when you bag your buck, please consider a donation to the Food Pantry of Greene County.  You may do this by taking your legally tagged, field-dressed deer to a participating USDA certified meat processors in Madison or Greene.  If you donate the entire deer, the meat processing will be free — paid for by the Hunters for the Hungry, Virginia.  The Food Pantry’s main supplier, Hidden Pines, off Madison Road onto 6729 Ruth Road, Madison’s owner, Shawn Woodfolk says, “Bring us your biggest buck” to make it more cost effective, donations are down!”  One pound of processed venison will feed four people one meal.  Shawn accepts drops 24/7.  Please leave a note, “Designated to the SBC Food Pantry —Greene.”  Call him at 540-718-3074 for more information about the processing, or Carroll Sullivan at 434-962-0135 at the food pantry.

Winter is coming.  Will you be warm enough?  Have you a new winter coat this year?  Or one hanging in your closet you no longer wear?  If so, can you share your old coat with one who is not so lucky or so warm? Stanardsville United Methodist Church, 25 Court Street, Stanardsville, VA will be collecting gently used, clean or new winter coats, and warm clothing to donate to those in need in our community. Coats may be dropped off during Tuesday’s Table from 4 to 6:30 p.m.. each Tuesday until Dec. 1. 

Narcotics Anonymous meetings are on Mondays at 7pm. at Mt. Vernon Methodist Church located on Rt. 810.

During the month of December, the Greene County Food Bank is requesting donations of peanut butter and jelly and canned meats.  (Please, no expired foods.)  Donations can be dropped off at Social Services at 10009 Spotswood Trail (old Rt. 33) Stanardsville, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Your tax-deductible money donations for the food bank can be mailed to the Woman’s Club of Greene County, PO Box 352, Stanardsville, VA 22973.  For more information, contact Nancy at 434-985-5063. 

Virginia Employment Commission will be helping people seeking a job. Each Thursday at the Greene County Library, Howard Smith Jr., Workforce Services Representative, will work with individuals to provide the following services: career exploration, job search assistance, resume writing, interview skills. No appointments are necessary and walkins are always welcome.  These free services are available every Thursday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. If you have questions, please call Ginny Reese at the Greene County Library: 985-5227.

Enjoy the garden, growing and planting?  Then the Rippin Run Garden Club is your cup of tea.  Learn, share and create with others that have this same passion.  The club meets the second Tuesday of each month, November through June, 7:30p.m. at the Greene Extension Office, 10013 Spotswood Trail (Rt. 33 business)

GCYC Youth Baseball and Softball registrations are being opened early this year. If you would like to register your child and save $10 come see us at the Longaberger Bingo at RES on Friday.  We will also have this same deal available on Friday and Saturday, Dec 18 and 19, at the Youth Center and again on Jan. 1 and 2. Please contact Youth Center for more information.

se be unable to celebrate fully in the joy of Christmas. The deadline for accepting applications is December 7, 2009.  Applications must be signed by the child’s parent or guardian. Children through age 14 are eligible. Applications are available at Skyline CAP, the Greene Care Clinic, Nathanael Greene and Ruckersville Elementary Schools, Greene County Primary School, William Monroe Middle School and Greene County Rescue Squad, Social Services, Health Department and Daycare center. Donations can be made at any time by mailing your check payable to the Woman’s Club of Greene County with Christmas Gift Project in the memo line.  Mail to the Woman’s Club of Greene County, P. O. Box 352, Stanardsville, VA 22973.  The Woman’s Club is a 501C3 non-profit organization.  Please remember to include your name and address so we can thank you appropriately.

The Annual Toy Lift is coming! Creative Press is a officially sponsored drop-off satellite for the annual Toy Lift. New Toys Only. Toys will be picked up Dec. 4. Capital Sheds is a building that will be open 24 hours a day for toys and books to be dropped off. We are located on Rt. 33 West in Ruckersville.

Join us at the Greene County Library, Thursdays Nov 26 - Dec.17 at 10:30am for songs, finger plays, books, and flannel board stories for ages 2 to 5. No registration required.  Story time concludes with a simple craft your child can take home each week. Siblings are welcome.

Donations of kerosene or space heater in good working order can be made for families in need. Please contact GRACE at 985-6792.

TAT (Tweens and Teens) is an ongoing weekly afterschool program for middle school children. This program is held every Wednesday at Stanardsville United Methodist Church from 3:30-5:30pm. Parent Permission is required. For more information please the church at 434-985-3888.

The Greene County 4-H Pet Club will be sponsoring a tree to help pets in our area through a donation drive. We are asking the public to donate needed items and we will then make sure they go to families and individuals with pets who are in need of a little extra help during the holiday season. We will collect items from now until 4pm on Dec.11 at the Extension Office. (Located at 10013 Spotswood Trail, next to Sheriff and Social Services). All items will be distributed Dec. 14-18, either by pick-up or delivery. If you would like to receive items for your pet you are asked to either go to the Extension Office and fill out a request form or call Rita @ 434-985-2729 or Amy @ 434-985-2157.  You may also email   for more information or forms. All forms must be filed by noon on Nov. 25 If you would like to donate items for pets by mailing a check, please call Rita or Amy at the above numbers to fill out a donor form. Please call prior to sending donation. Items may be picked up or delivered if that is needed. Delivery is restricted to Greene County but other counties are welcome to pick-up their items. Any monetary donations will be used to purchase items not collected. A receipt for tax purposes is available upon request.

Greene County Library Book Babes meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. If you like to read, join us for pizza, soda, and great book discussions.  Register and pick up your own free copy of the book at the library circulation desk. Register early as free copies are limited. Open to teen girls ages 14 and up.

The Giving Tree is at the Greene County Library through December. Share your love of reading with the gift of a book for a deserving child. The library will have a tree with names and ages of area students who would love to have a book of their own. Please see a staff member for more information.

Greene County Rescue Squad is currently recruiting volunteers for all shifts, from all walks of life, of all ages from 16 and up for the most awesome road trip you can ever take! Do things you never imagined you could do, like rescuing people from wrecked cars and bringing cardiac arrest victims back to life. If you don’t think that’s enough of an adventure, wait until you help deliver a baby! Interested? Intrigued? Not sure? Contact 1st Lt. Ryan Wilson, 434-566-2238 for an application or to arrange for an observation shift. Some training is required, such as CPR and EMT or EVOC, but the squad will assist you in acquiring these certifications.

The Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District holds its monthly board of directors meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. Meeting location rotates alphabetically through five counties served by the District: Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.

American Legion Post 128 meets for a dinner on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm at the American Legion Post building located at 636 Madison road in Stanardsville. Please call the Commander of the Adjutant for information or visit the website at http://www.legionpost128.org.