Arts & Entertainment

Students at Rockbridge Christian Academy took some time last week to gather items and pack 86 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Chiild, an outeach ministry of Samaritans Purse. Friday the boxes were brought into the weekly chapel service where the children watched a film that showed some of the places the boxes are shipped and were given an opportunity to pray over the boxes and for those that would receving them. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins and Ethan Blevins photos)

Many generous community members donated mountains of puffy coats, knitted hats, fleece scarves and mittens to a November winter clothing drive at Lexington Presbyterian Church. The week before Thanksgiving, the church’s Outreach Committee distributed the garments to Head Start, the Rosa Harris Memorial Clothing Closet at First Baptist Church, and a thrift store that supports the Valley Mission shelter for the homeless in Staunton. Above, church members Nancy Bidlack, Sabrina Coffey (at left) and Sandy Nye (far right), work with Christy Ford, a Head Start teacher’s assistant, and LaTonya Douglas, the local family development specialist for Total Action for Progress, to sort dozens of children’s coats at the Head Start site at Waddell Elementary School.

This year’s fall colors may have been a little late in starting, but once they did, nature sure did put on a show – and the show is still going strong. Once again, we asked our readers to capture some of fall’s beauty, and our readers didn’t disappoint. Here’s a sampling of what we received, and more can be found on our website. Thanks to all who participated.