Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community resident Doris Bombarder, left, 84, helps Waterman Elementary School kindergartner Brody Williams, right, 5, cover classmate Gisele Butterfield, 5, in maple leaves while spending time outside the school Wednesday morning. VMRC residents have been in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program where they get paired with kindergartner as their GrandBigs.
Amanda Harvell shares a kiss with her son Frankie Harvell, 3, during the annual Lynchburg Christmas parade in downtown Lynchburg, Va. on December 6, 2015.
John Dinio, left, and Joy Dinio walk along the James River as the sun begins to set Tuesday evening October 20, 2015.
Demetri Masincup, 8, son of Shawnn Masincup, sits on the top of their car while visiting the Christmas light show at 6994 Tiltyard Drive in Dayton on Wednesday, December 16. The 35-minute long show had lights choreographed with music that played on the radio.
Ryan West, center, paddles a boat with other children through rising flood water in Poquoson Saturday afternoon October 3, 2015.
Lori Fernandez is reunited with her dog Minnie after it was pulled from her burned out home in the Cambridge Apartment complex in Hampton. Fernandez was no home where her apartment caught fire but all of her pets were rescued by Hampton fire personel.
Reuben Miller, 5, of Harrisonburg, plays Christmas songs on a recorder for neighbors Pat Hedrick, at right, and Lewis Siever for donations as he helps raise money to cover the costs of a heart pump for his great-uncle, Kenneth Dove Jr.
William and Mary’s Trey Reed, left, disrupts a pass intended for Hampton University’s Rayshad Riddick during Saturday’s game at Zable Stadium October 24, 2015.
From left, Warhill’s Jewel Walters, Nicole Mulligan, Alexis Pollard and Chloe Wilmoth celebrate after defeating Hidden Valley during Saturday’s 3A state championship volleyball game at VCU’s Siegel Center on November 21, 2015.
Hidden Valley High School junior Brad Williams watches his putt during the 3A West regional golf tournament at Lakeview Golf Course on Tuesday, October 6, 2015.
Emma Turner laughs as she shows off her newly remodeled bedroom at her home near Parksley, Va. on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. Turner, 11, is being treated for an aggressive brain cancer, while her mother is undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the same time. Roc Solid Foundation, a Hampton Roads non-profit, recently remodeled Turner’s bedroom while it sent the family to the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Va.
Dyshawn Beckett, a senior captain for the Northampton High School football team, poses for a portrait before his team’s practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. Beckett has over 1,600 all-purpose yards this season.
Assistant coach Randy Birch gives Virginia Wolverine Brein “Chooch” Burch (1) a pep talk during their AAU game against the Richmond Eagles Saturday afternoon at the River’s Edge Sports Complex in Roanoke, Nov. 14, 2015. The Wolverines, the first American Athletic Union team of its kind in Roanoke, won its game 24-19 and went undefeated in their season 8-0. They are headed to Lynchburg next week for the state championship at E.C. Glass High School.
Bodine Kahoun (36), running back with the Virginia Wolverines, gains yardage past the Richmond Eagles during the AAU game at River’s Edge Sports Complex in Roanoke Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14, 2015. The Wolverines, the first American Athletic Union team of its kind in Roanoke, won its game 24-19 and went undefeated in their season 8-0. They are headed to Lynchburg next week for the state championship at E.C. Glass High School.
Jerel Rhodes, (22), left, and Carlos CJ Beattie-Cicero, (69), right, follow the play closely on the sidelines with his teammates during their AAU game against the Richmond Eagles at the Rivers Edge Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The Wolverines, the first American Athletic Union team of its kind in Roanoke, won its game 24-19 and went undefeated in their season 8-0. They are headed to Lynchburg next week for the state championship at E.C. Glass High School.
Tray Wilson helps stretch out Julius “J.J.” Muse (4) on the sidelines during the Wolverines’ semi-final game against the Richmond Eagles Nov. 14, 2015.
Jerel Rhodes (22) helps excite his team in the second half of their semi final game against the Richmond Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
A kick by a Wolverine is made towards the goal against the Richmond Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 during the AAU semifinal game.
Ayden Causey (18) sits out for a few moments to catch his breathe during the AAU Wolverines’ game against the Richmond Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
Jerel Rhodes takes a drink during half time in a huddle with his team, The Wolverines, during the AAU semi final game against the Richmond Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
The Wolverines and Eagles take a timeout during their semifinal game at River’s Edge Sport Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
Devin Johnson (9) makes a last minute pass as two Richmond Eagle players come close for a tackle during the AAU semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at River’s Edge Sports Complex.
From left to right: Tamari Merchant, Anika Battle, From left to right: Tamari Merchant, Anika Battle, Genesis Adams and Kennedy Helm cheer for their team, the Wolverines, on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
Dietrich Bundick, a coach with the AAU Virginia Wolverines, cheers as he watches his team make plays against the Richmond Eagles at River’s Edge Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
Assistant coach Jerel Rhodes encourages the Virginia Wolverines before the second half of the game against the Richmond Eagles. “Great teams are made in times like this!” Rhodes shouted as the team entered the second half trailing the Eagles. The Wolverines, the first American Athletic Union team of its kind in Roanoke, won its game 24-19 and went undefeated in their season 8-0. They are headed to Lynchburg next week for the state championship at E.C. Glass High School.
Louis English (11) is recognized for his plays during the game against the Richmond Eagles, with assistant coach Jerel Rhodes at the conclusion of the game on Saturday.
Brein “Chooch” Burch, (1), left, and Jachan Anthony (13), right, walk off the field with their teammates after shaking hands with the Richmond Eagles and winning their last game, 24-19. The Wolverines, the first American Athletic Union team of its kind in Roanoke, won its game 24-19 and went undefeated in their season 8-0. They are headed to Lynchburg next week for the state championship at E.C. Glass High School.
Martha Brown and volunteer Emily Kerkhof (left) pray with Liz Davis after lunch at the Lighthouse Community Center on Thursday. Davis is recently out of jail and has turned to the lighthouse for meals, support and prayers. “We were listening to these stories and these were individuals that had completely broken lives. I mean busted up families, broken marriages, caught up in the world of addiction and abuse and God found them and God rescued them and God restored them and as we got to know them we found ourselves exchanging numbers and talking on the phone and developing opportunities to just do life together because we really felt compassion to love these people and we felt that God put them in our life for a reason and we didn’t want to let God down,” Brown said.
Finny Mathew, co-founder of the Lighthouse and son of a missionary, worships at the Sunday morning service. Mathew purchased the Lighthouse ministry building with the hope of establishing a Bible education center in 2005. “I don’t have to do any of this I could be home, well, relaxed and enjoy my life,” Mathew said. “That’s not what God wanted me to do.”
A crowd gathers outside of the Lighthouse before they open on a Thursday during their food bank distribution. The Lighthouse gives food out twice a month, once from the government provided food and one from their food pantry.
Crowds wait outside of the Lighthouse during their food box distribution.
Collison Corner is baptized by Rev. Dan Mitchell and Finny Mathew in a swimming pool at Mitchell’s house in Forest in June. Corner was an alcoholic and homeless before receiving help form the Lighthouse.
After their Sunday lesson is done, Dea Deisher plays with the kids on the stairs outside of where Sunday morning services are held at the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse Kids program is the largest ministry at the Lighthouse. The program serves children up to the age of 15 at which point they become a mentor in the program.
Boxes of food wait to be shared at the Lighthouse. Some days Lighthouse receives up to 46 pounds of bread donations from local businesses as part of the Feeding American program..
Shane Reside works on fixing up bikes at the Lighthouse at ARK Bicycle Ministries Resides, who is still homeless himself, takes donated bikes and fixes them up for people in need.
Lem Curran, an engineer by trade, leads a daily Bible devoltional before lunch at the Lighthouse. He learned about Lighthouse when looking for a film location. He was so inspired by Lighthouse’s mission he later became an employee continuing to work without a salary when Lighthouse could no longer pay him. In a lesson about parables Curran said, “A lot if boils down to loving God.”
Lunch is served after the church service on Sunday mornings. “People walk in here with incredible baggage and issues that don’t just come off with the simple brush. you have to really be willing to invest in these lives,” founder Martha Brown said.
Cartlon Stanley (left) and Ruth Anderson pray during a Sunday morning service at the Lighthouse. “Our prayer is to tackle these things no one wants to tackle,” said founder Finny Mathew. “We still don’t have a blueprint; it’s being printed as we go.”
Sweet Briar College students sing Christmas carols at the annual lighting of the Christmas tree on campus. The yearly traditions found at Sweet Briar College are all the more sweet this year after it was announced last March that the all women’s college, founded in 1901, will be closing because of financial reasons. After alumna and students rally together to raise enough money to save the school, over 250 students came back for this fall semester.
Marcia Thom-Kaley hugs students Hallsey Brandt (left) and Katie Fisher at the start of their music appreciation class, thanking them for a gift the students recently got their teacher. The professors close relationship to their students is one of the things that draws women to the school.
Banners that once hung outside on campus during the impending closure now hang in academic buildings as a reminder of what the students have been through.
Sweet Briar seniors Citlali Molina (left) and Nadirah Abdus-Sabur toast their coffee’s during lunch on campus. The two engineering students both had found alternative colleges to attend before it was announced that Sweet Briar College would be reopening.
Sweet Briar College students gather up snacks at the finals week tradition of “scream night.” On Friday night the students gather outside the Chapel on campus. When the bell rings at 10 p.m. the students scream for the duration of the bells before being released to gather the snacks, kicking off finals week.
Sweet Briar College students quietly study in Prothro Dining Hall for the final’s week event of “end procrastination.” The students each receives a ticket for every half hour they are studying in the hall in exchange for prizes.
Sweet Briar College students make phone calls to alumnae to raise money for the struggling school.
Marcia Thom-Kaley teaches her music appreciation class to Katie Fisher (left) and Hallsey Brandt. Thom-Kaley recently took the girls, a class size of two, to a concert in Roanoke to experience live music. With only around 250 girls returning to the school, the class size on campus is even smaller than before.
Sweet Briar College sophomore Samantha Yew gives a tour to prospective students. The future of Sweet Briar College is dependent on attracting new students to the school.
“Student ambassadors” prepare material to send to prospective students in the admissions office on the campus of Sweet Briar College.
Sweet Briar College students ride the horses onto campus for the annual lighting of the Christmas tree on campus. The horse program at the school draws many girls to the college.
The Roanoke ValleyÕs first Aldi grocery store opened Thursday morning to a crowd of hundreds at Crossroads Mall. This is one of the first new grocery store chains the area has seen in a few years.
Daniel Reed (left) high-fives Charlene Turner (right) as ReedÕs fiance, Cynthia Homberg, looks on. All Roanoke residents, they were the first customers in Aldi for the storeÕs grand opening at Crossroads Mall on Thursday and won $100 gift cards. Turner was first in line, arriving at 3 a.m. for the 9 a.m. opening. ÒThe wait was worth it,Ó she said.
The crowd anticipates the grand opening of Aldi grocery store at Crossroads Mall in Roanoke as they peek inside on Thursday morning.
Scarlet Waugaman, 4, shops with her grandma Trish Makoui, both of Roanoke County, during Audi grocery store’s grand opening on Thursday morning in Roanoke.
A variety of squashes in the produce section of Aldi grocery store on Thursday. The grocery store takes pride in having fresh produce.
Angela Barber of Roanoke unloads her cart in the checkout line during the grand opening of Aldi grocery store at Crossroads Mall in Roanoke on Thursday. “I have five kids,” said Barber, “I knew they had really good pricing so I’ve been waiting,” she added about doing her grocery shopping at Aldi.
A new Aldi store opened Thursday morning to a crowd of hundreds at Crossroads Mall in Roanoke. The discount chain is also planning to open a store in Lynchburg and perhaps another in Christiansburg.
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