Warm congratulations go out to those honored at the 11^th annual Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner, held on January 19^th at The Waterfront Country Club.

Those who attended were treated to an evening of fine cuisine and camaraderie, befitting this years’ theme, “Connect and Reconnect.”

This year’s winners were:

• Roy Enslow, Bridgewater Marina and Boat Rentals (Business of the Year Award)
• Joanna Hudzik and Harold Ingram, Haywood’s Jewelers (Service Excellence Award)
• Cheryl Ward, Bank of Botetourt (Norma Jean Tess Award for community leadership)
• Matt Brown and Andie Gibson, Laker Media (Regional Advocate Award)
• Phil Hager, Phil Hager Insurance (Enduring Enterprise Award)

The dinner also served to formally welcome and introduce the 2012-2014 Board of Directors, and to thank outgoing board members for their service. Outgoing members are Brian Weitzman, SML Animal Hospital; Frank Chrzanowksi, Hometown Bank and Patricia Dade, Appalachian Power.

Members of the chamber’s board of directors are:

• Lindsey Coley, Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore
• Chris Finley, The Willard Companies
• Terri Stanley, Premier Appraisals
• Mike Greer, Virginia Western Community College
• Traci Blido, Bedford County Administration
• Tom Gordon, Blackwater Cafe
• Christopher L. Whitlow, Franklin County Administration
• Helen Wilcox, Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital
• Tom Buck, Mitchell’s Point Marina
• Peggy Overstreet, Leisure Publishing
• Susan Myers, ServPro
• Lisa Hammock, Appalachian Power
• Dany Turner, Next Generation Designs
• Holly Sweet, Mariners Landing Resort Community and Conference Center
• Cheryl Ward, Bank of Botetourt
• Ted Puzio, Southern State Electric
• Gary Garst, Chirocare

Members of the Ambassador council were also recognized for assisting and mentoring new businesses throughout the year.

The Grand Drawing of the night, provided by Joanna Hudzik of Haywood’s Jewelers, was a set of ¾ carat diamond stud earrings set in 14-karat white gold worth $2,100. Gavin Hager of Hager Insurance won the drawing.

Jake’s Place, established by Tom and Lynn Gordon of The Blackwater Café fame, is open for business and offering a little Island flavor to residents of Smith Mountain Lake. The restaurant is family friendly, and boasts four big screen televisions and plenty of space to dine on the deck. What’s more, it’s waterfront with boat and jet-ski docking.

The menu is now available online, so be sure to check it out. Some particularly delicious offerings are the Island Wings with jerk sauce, the Mango Mahi-Mahi, and the Coconut Shrimp with sweet chili sauce. Jake’s Place opens for dinner at 4pm, Thursday through Monday. For more information, call 540-297-4732.

Mark your calendar, ladies and gents, for the Winter Tea Dance at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, VA. It’s an afternoon affair, from 3p.m. to 9p.m., with an elegant dinner buffet (included in the ticket price) at 5p.m.

All styles of dancing are welcome, with live music performed by the show band, as well as modern tunes. The suggested dress code is business casual or proper dance attire. Tickets are $25 per person, with tax and gratuity included. For more information or for reservations, please call 540-985-5900 or visit hotelroanoke.com.

If an improved diet is part of your new year’s resolution this year, look beyond convenience health foods and resolve to pack your diet with locally grown, whole foods. Studies show that the processed foods that are staples of our everyday diets are keeping us sick, tired, and overweight. There is a quick fix, however, and all it takes is a little common sense and will-power. So this January, take stock of your pantry shelves, and resolve to make wise food choices in the New Year.

While the most important part of any diet is an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables (grown using organic or low-spray methods, and harvested locally, when possible), it is also important to consider the source of the meat we consume. Fortunately for residents of Bedford and Franklin counties, we have a virtual sustainable foods superstar in Mr. Bev Eggleston, owner of Eco-Friendly Foods of Moneta, VA. All of the meat from Eco-Friendly is raised humanely and fed a natural, hormone free diet; much unlike typical factory farm operations.

Eco-Friendly’s retail operation is still under construction, but the public is welcome to stop by in the meantime, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Check out the company’s website for more information: www.ecofriendly.com.

Goya, Dali, Warhol: Masterpieces of World Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will be on display through March 2 at the Radford University Art Museum, located in the Covington Center for the Visual & Performing Arts. The travelling exhibition is part of the VMFA’s 75^th year celebration, and showcases a number of truly iconic pieces. What’s more: it’s free! While you’re there, be sure to take in the student exhibitions, too!

And on your way in, stop by Lucie Monroe’s Coffee in Christiansburg for a latte and light breakfast. They are consistently voted the best coffee around, and they have great bagels, too.

For more information about the exhibition, visit the museum’s website or call (540) 831-5754.

For some, it’s the perfect excuse to ramp up the romance, to others; it’s a mere “Hallmark Holiday.” But no matter your personal feelings about St. Valentine, February 14^th is an ideal date for a mid-winter’s night on the town. For the occasion, chefs across Central and Southwest Virginia (and around the world- click here for a history of the day, and how it’s celebrated all over the globe) pull out all the stops to charm their guests. From amuse bouche to mousse au chocolat, read on for a list of a few especially special regional Valentine’s Day Dining Options.

The Clifton Inn Charlottesville, VA Executive Chef Tucker Yoder has designed an elegant table d’hote menu featuring poached Virginia oysters, a foie gras terrine, coffee rubbed lamb shoulder with basil gnocchi, and goat milk panna cotta (just to name a few choices). The menu can be viewed by clicking here, and reservations may be made online or by calling (434) 971-1800. If the Chef’s Counter is available, it comes highly recommended.

The Millstone Tea Room Bedford, VA Proprietors Melanie and Jared Srisic offer fresh seafood, humanely raised pasture-fed meat, and locally sourced seasonal produce (some from their very own kitchen garden) year round. Theirs is a sweet, cozy restaurant; dimly lit, and with rich wood floors complimented by décor that is elegant and inviting; quiet and comfortable. The service is well-paced and friendly, though not intrusive; the perfect balance for a romantic meal. Last year’s Valentine’s Day Pre Fixe menu may be viewed here, but check back in the coming weeks for the 2012 version. For reservations, which are highly recommended, call 540-587-7100.

Dish Lynchburg, VA Dish isn’t offering a Valentine’s Day Menu per se, but this small plate restaurant is worth mentioning for a couple of reasons: sharing a meal necessarily brings us closer, but sharing a plate brings a whole new level of intimacy to one’s dining experience. Plus, every Tuesday night (on which Valentine’s Day happens to fall this year) they offer “Phenomenal Rendezvous,” a dinner for two with a bottle of wine included for only $35. What’s more, for all you turophiles out there, Dish offers a really lovely cheese selection, including a French Epoisses and a Grayson from nearby Galax, VA. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (434) 528-0700

Lucky Roanoke, VA Lucky Restaurant serves Southern American/Country French cuisine Tuesdays through Saturdays. Nearly everything served in the restaurant is locally sourced, so the dinner menu changes nightly, which is a really wonderful treat. They also have an excellent selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. The chefs are planning something special for Valentine’s Day this year, they’re just not quite sure what it will be…yet! Check back closer to the date for more information by calling (540) 982-1249. Reservations are recommended.

The Roanoke Times reported recently that Smith Mountain Lake’s housing bubble had finally burst, with real estate values dropping by up to 20%.

Real Estate reassessments came in around mid-November, and residents found their property values had fallen by 14.5% in Franklin County, and even more at the lake. The news didn’t come as a great surprise however; a consequence of the recession.

However not all residents faced drops in property value as sharp as they may have expected, and some were pleasantly surprised to find reassessments in line with what they would hope to see from the sale of their property.

It should be noted too that the reassessment value of one’s property is not the final word on the matter. If you think your home may be undervalued, start with a comparative market analysis, which compares the value of your home to similar homes in your area. After that, there is a process to appeal the assessed value of your home.

While New Year’s Day finds most of us cozy and warm, reflecting on the past year and counting our resolutions for the new, The Smith Mountain Lake Water Ski Club will be braving the elements and taking the lake by storm (or ski) for their 19th annual Polar Bear Ski Day. And to make things all the more interesting, to a few brave and seemingly wind-resistant participants, wetsuits are optional.
Over the years the annual ski has proved quite the draw for skiers and spectators alike of all ages, the youngest skier to date being then 4 year old Emma Barber. And while the first year saw temperatures reaching a balmy 60 degrees, with the surface temperature of the water holding at 50 degrees, there have been years of ice, snow, and frozen exhaust pipes.
A few details if you’re interested in participating: while the ski is free for club members, non-member participants are asked for a small donation to pitch in for fuel costs. The event will take place at Tom and Ginger Tanner’s home, 425 Baywood Drive, Moneta, at noon on Sunday January 1st. A potluck lunch will follow. Please RSVP to Tom at 540-721-3582 or tvtanner@aol.com by December 30.

Congratulations are in order for nine middle-schoolers from Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy who earned a first place in Research and Innovation and a second place in Robot Performance at the First LEGO League (FLL) challenge. Held on November 12 at Timberlake Christian School in Lynchburg, the win earned the students a chance to compete in the FLL state finals, held at JMU on December 3.
The competition is designed encourage the development of team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking skills, through the application of those skills to a given problem. For their entry in the competition, SMLCA students designed a system for keeping milk as fresh as possible for transport from creamery to school.
The competition required students to get a little real world experience interacting with field experts at Westlake Kroger, Dudley Elementary School, and Homestead Creamery. And while they were initially a little intimidated, the students shed their shyness and took charge; a credit to their success.

Event features several holiday festivities, toy drive and chance to win $1,000 shopping spree

Smith Mountain Lake, VA (November 11, 2011) – The Willard Companies is pleased to announce it’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Open House event at Westlake Towne Center on Thursday, December 1, 2011 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in front of Westlake Library. Several new activities are planned as follows: attendees can register for a $1,000 shopping spree awarded at the conclusion of the event, live entertainment by EastLake Community Church and Westlake Baptist Church members, and special appearances by Miss Smith Mountain Lake and Miss Blue Ridge pageant winners!

Several other festive activities taking place during the two hour event includes the following:

• Special arrival of Santa on vintage fire truck
• Holiday photos with Santa provided by Your School Photos
• Horse and Carriage Rides sponsored by Kroger
• Antique Car Show at Kroger Fuel Center
• Live concert by Smith Mountain Lake Harmeneers
• Live concert by Burnt Chimney and Dudley Elementary choirs
• Live concert by EastLake Community Church members
• Live concert by Westlake Baptist Church members
• Complimentary refreshments provided

In addition to the tree lighting and holiday festivities, the first 150 individuals who donate a new, unwrapped toy to WE CARE of Franklin County during the event will be given a complimentary ticket to a special showing of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at Westlake Cinema showing immediately after the event. Collection boxes will be located inside the retail stores during the event and movie vouchers can be picked up after toy donation. Tickets are not available for purchase.

Participating Towne Center businesses will be serving refreshments during the event and will be offering previews to exclusive holiday gifts, which include Kroger, Westlake Library, Merle Norman, Haywood’s Jewelers, Westlake Salon & Spa, and Cottage Gate. Carilion Clinic will also be participating.

The Fraser fir selected for the event will stand approximately 22’ tall and was picked from Roll Out Farm in Pilot, Virginia. The tree will be centrally located at the retail shopping center and stand in front of Westlake Library at Westlake Towne Center.

According to Ron Willard, President of The Willard Companies, “This event serves as a great way to jump start the holiday season. It’s fun for the community to come together and celebrate the spirit of the holiday season while at the same time collecting toy donations for a worthy cause and supporting local businesses.”