Month: February 2013

The annual Southwest Virginia Boat Dealers Association Boat Show will be held at the Roanoke Civic Center Friday, February 22, 1pm – 7pm, Saturday, February 23, 10am – 7pm, and Sunday, February 24, 10am – 5pm. For more information about the site, visit online at  http://roanokeboatshow.com

For more than 30 years, The Southwest Virginia Boat Dealers Association has hosted this Boat Show. This event has doubled in size over the last couple of years and represents a unique, once-a-year opportunity to see every dealer on Smith Mountain Lake.

The SVBDA is making a huge effort to draw the BIGGEST crowd yet to this event, including exciting exhibits of boating equipment, related products and services and MUCH more.

RETURNING THIS YEAR: Free Admission Friday.

Adults $7.50

Children 12 and Under Free with an Adult.

Need information about the show? Contact Show Director Darrel Ross at (434) 610-5991.

April

April 12, 13  –  College East Super Regional Bass Tournament – Over 100 to 125 College teams from Texas to New York come to SML to compete for a chance to go to the Bassmaster Classic at Bridgewater Plaza, Moneta. Va. Tech alone has over 10 teams and bass fishing currently is the only nationally ranked sport that VA Tech has. Televised on ESPNU.

April 19, 20, 21  –  (Oakley Tour) Blue Ridge Big Bass Classic Open Big Bass Tournament at Bridgewater Plaza, Moneta. Last year 269 anglers entered our first tournament. This year we expect 350 to 400 anglers.  Registration is Friday, April 19  from Noon – 8pm. Entry Fee – $100 One Day Entry – $150 Two Day Entry. Grand Prize: 2013 Nitro Z7 valued at $25,000. Televised on WFN – World Fishing Network and Fox Sport West will be a new market for us.

April 26  –  10th Annual SML Business Expo Sponsored by the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, this annual event showcases member businesses, service providers and their products. Public invited. Held at Downtown Moneta.

April 27 – Rockin Brews & BBQ’s an annual spring ‘music, food and fun’ event in the Smith Mountain Lake area.  Held at Downtown Moneta, Route 608 and 122, Noon – 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $5 Admission, Children 12 and under free.

May

May 3, 4, 5 – Optimist Club Fishing Tournament The 43rd Cave Spring Optimist Club Fishing Tournament participation may get a boost from the BASS Elite Series on SML that created excitement and turned up a bunch of bass. One advantage for Optimist anglers: they can fish at night if they choose. Held at Foxport Marina, at the mouth of Gills Creek on the Blackwater River. CATEGORIES: The competition is for the largest fish in categories for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskie, catfish, crappie and striped bass. PAYOFF: The tournament offers prizes that total $15,000. In each category, the heaviest fish is worth $1,000 in cash; second, $500; third, $300; fourth, $150.

May 4  –  16th Annual SML Triathlon

Come participate or cheer your favorites in swimming, biking and running events at the beautiful Smith Mountain Lake State Park located in Huddleston off of the Smith Mountain Lake State Parkway (Route 626).

May 4   –  26th  Annual Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake Cleanup  Day This event marks the 26th annual lake-wide clean-up effort. Volunteers from the entire community get involved in sprucing up the lake and shore for the coming summer season. Volunteers can register individually, as a group or organization.  Call the Smith Mountain Lake Visitor Center for more information at 540.721.1203.

May 17 – 19—Pigg River Ramble   The Pigg River Ramble is a 3-day whitewater packed weekend full of excitement and adventure. You can race against other Ramblers or simply float for fun down the Pigg River. Friday, May 17 at 9:00pm kicks off the Pigg River Ramble weekend with the fun of a night-time float on the Blackwater River with the “Blackwater Blackout.”

Saturday, May 18, at 10:00am the Annual Pigg River Ramble kicks off with a competitive style float down the Pigg River, with canoeists/kayakers from all over the East Coast.

Sunday, May 19, at 7:00am Breakfast on the Blackwater starts off with a homestyle breakfast and wraps up the weekend with one more float down the Blackwater River. Info: www.franklincountyva.org/parks

May 17, 18   –  Tom Maynard Memorial Poker Run

Special charity event that involves playing poker from watercraft.   Prizes are awarded for both winning and losing hands and best “decked out” boat and crew.  The Poker Run is dedicated to good fun and all proceeds go to a worthy cause.  Other special events surrounding the Tom Maynard Poker Run weekend include a welcome dinner with entertainment as well as a special boating safety orientation class.

June

June 15 – Juneteenth Celebration at Booker T. Washington National Monument

Freedom is the focus of this emancipation celebration for the whole family. Tour the Burroughs Plantation – music performed by local gospel groups. Free admission. www.nps.gov/bowa, 540-721-2094.

July

Independence Day Celebration  — Thursday, July 4th, Downtown Moneta

Start the Fourth of July holiday in grand style. Enjoy the music of The Worx band from 6pm to 10 pm and then see our spectacular fireworks show! Food, drinks, children’s games and more will be available. All proceeds benefit Moneta Fire Department.

Independence Day Celebration  –  Saturday, July 6th(Raindate – Sunday, July 7)

Loaded with fun, entertainment and grand fireworks for all to see, this major event takes place at Parkway Marina in Huddleston to celebrate our nation’s independence.  No Pets will be allowed on the Point!

July 19, 20, 21 — Smith Mountain Lake Pirate Days….All 3 counties Franklin, Bedford & Pittsylvania, surrounding Smith Mountain Lake, participate in creating a 3-D Pirate experience. The theme is simple and ‘family friendly’, a great way for area businesses to connect their marketing efforts to create a memorable Smith Mountain Lake experience.

September

September 13 & 14  –  Smith Mountain Lake Antique and Classic Boat Show

In and out of the water antique and classic boats, a display of antique automobiles and a great selection of quality craft vendors.  The event will be held at Mariners Landing in Huddleston, VA.  For more information contact SMLRCC at 540.721.1203 or visit www.woodenboats.net.

September 28 and 29   — 25th  Annual Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival This amazing weekend event includes 28 Virginia wineries participating offering their finest vintages. Try wine tastings, more than 85+ quality food and craft vendors plus live entertainment— it’s one of the lakes truly GRAPE events!

October

October 11, 12, 13   –  Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour Visit eight beautiful waterfront homes reflecting a variety of architectural and decorating styles. Tour the featured homes by car or boat.

October 19 — A Night at the Races, The Rotary Club of Smith Mountain Lake’s Fall Fundraiser will be held Saturday night October 19, 2013, at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Conference Center. This will be a very exciting evening of trumpets blaring, horse racing, dinner, refreshments, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, race card winner’s drawing for prizes, and even a woman’s hat parade and contest.

November

November 2  –  11th Annual Smith Mountain Lake Fall Chili and Craft Festival

Enjoy a full-day event featuring music, crafts and a spectacular competitive chili cook-off, with awards for Best Chili, People’s Choice and Showmanship!  Held at Bridgewater Plaza, it’ll be a hot time at Smith Mountain Lake.  Savor the essence of fall with ‘chili…just the way you like it’ at the Smith Mountain Lake Fall Chili & Craft Festival. The event is slated for Saturday, November 2nd at Bridgewater Plaza. This will be the tenth fall event sponsored by the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and it captures the best of everything with plenty of activity, great chili for tasting, craft vendors, awards and a beautiful lakeside setting.

November 30 –  16th Annual Virginia Dare Flotilla for Toys Christmas Boat Parade

An evening event, with a parade of boats ‘decked out’ for the holiday season with lights and displays.  The boats leave port from the Virginia Dare Marina at 7 p.m., travel to Halesford Bridge at Bridgewater Plaza, circle past the SML State Park and return to the Virginia Dare Marina. This event is a local toy drive with all gifts distributed by the Lake Christian Ministries.

Additional Events: Many other events take place at Smith Mountain Lake throughout the year. Feel free to call our SML Visitor Center for an update of the latest lake happenings.  Call 540.721.1203 for more information.

The Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce sponsors the “Business After Hours” program for its members the third Thursday of each month from 5:00 -7:00 PM at scheduled business locations.  “Business Before Hours” are also held periodically.  The SML Regional Chamber of Commerce also hosts annual business educational seminars and other noteworthy events for the benefit of its membership. To learn more about the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, click on “Chamber of Commerce” on the website or call 540.721.1203.

The Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce rolled out the red carpet in 2013 with the theme, “Blur the Lines-One Community” at the 12th Annual Chamber Awards Dinner. Organizers created an Academy Awards inspired event, for all who attended, with television cameras, TV screens, elegant décor, an excellent meal and full award regalia.

In addition to gathering the membership to kick off the 2013 business year in grand style, the dinner also served as a platform to recognize the work of area individuals and businesses for outstanding achievement.

The Willard Companies and Prudential Waterfront Properties received the Regional Advocate Award. This award goes to a SML Chamber member or business who has exhibited creativity in promoting this region as well as their business and has used many levels of marketing to significantly impact growth in the region as well as promote products, services, and this region.

In addition to the Regional Advocate Award, The Norma Jean Teass Award for community leadership went to Teresa Tyree, SML Animal Control. Print-n-Paper was named Business of the Year. Emerging Entrepreneur Award went to Laker Beverage & Tobacco. The Enduring Enterprise Award was awarded to Capps Home Building Center and the Service Excellence Award went to The Landing Restaurant.

Whether buying or selling a Smith Mountain Lake home, storage becomes an issue. Buyers want ample storage areas — indeed, it can be a make-or-break feature when buying a home. Sellers need it both for eliminating clutter from rooms while showing a home, and for containing their own personal items. Learning how to best utilize the storage will increase the functionality and presentation of your home.

Once you’ve reduced the amount you would like to store – items have been sorted, unwanted and useless things have been discarded – presumably the remaining items needing storage are wanted, useful, and/or valuable in some way. Here are the steps that will ensure success:

Assess: Storage Areas and Items to Store

What you have and where you will store it are both questions that are pertinent to the task at hand. Storage of dishes or books, clothing or car parts, may require different solutions. The only way to do this is to take a good look. Simply having a lot of space is only part of the puzzle; being able to access your belongings is equally important.

Inventory the storage areas on your property to better understand “reality”. Having an attic or basement does not mean that you have more storage if they are difficult to access, wet, unduly hot or cold, infested with mice or mold – so check these areas and really look at their condition. Similarly, cabinets and closets with particularly high shelving or excessively deep shelving provide wonderful storage for items that are not often in use.

Don’t overlook non-traditional storage – alcoves, and places where storage furniture or built-in furniture could exist. Your space might have a perfect place to put an armoire, bench seat with storage, or built-in bookshelves. Mantels and large porches, sheds and garages often have places where storage is possible. If these areas are exposed to view, containers should be attractive and appropriate to the spot.

When assessing where to store each item, keep in mind that having items close to the location where they will ultimately be used is often essential to it having value. Items you cannot access might as well not be there. If you are keeping something, consider “charging it rent” – is it worth the space it takes up?

If in your assessment of space and items to store you have far more items than space, then further reduction of possessions might be in order. An alternative is to “find more space” by creating more storage in the home or on the property possibly by building an addition, garage, or shed. Otherwise, if you have more stuff than fits in storage, you will either live with it in your way day-to-day, or have to rent storage space out of the home, which is expensive and inconvenient for accessing your items. Or perhaps you just need a bigger home!

Prepare: The Space, the Items, and the System

After you have assessed the storage space, it is time to remedy any issues found. Creating access, resolving moisture or pest infestation, heating or cooling issues, and cleaning an area can ensure that items stored there will retain their value and usefulness.

Storage space that is climate controlled (not too hot or too cold), dry and easily accessible is the most valuable storage on your property. Renovations that add additional storage of this sort may increase your home’s value. Any time that you consider removing storage, eliminating closets or shelving, consider the consequences carefully and determine if that storage will be available elsewhere.

Storing items in containers that are strong, helps keep them in good repair. While storage containers might be expensive, storing your valuables poorly can result in loss or damage, which might be equally costly. Cardboard boxes are subject to moisture and are often difficult to move, and can result in content which is difficult to see and access.

Shelving can provide an alternative to stacking boxes on the floor and make them easier to access. Moving one box to get to another is acceptable, but stacking too many boxes on top of each other can make retrieving items from lower boxes a daunting task. If you cannot get to your stored items, they can become a burden rather than a help.

Using boxes or containers that are sized to the contents will ensure that each box does not get too heavy. Fragile items that are stored in large boxes can be broken more easily, and items with many pieces should be stored together. Ensure that shelving and containers work together, and that items of like kinds are stored near each other, in a place that makes sense. Labels are a wonderful way to cut down on searching for things, but be sure to update them when the contents shift.

Achieve and Maintain: Principles of Storing

Now that you understand what you have in the way of stuff and storage space, and you have prepared the items and the spaces and created a system, placing things is much easier. By this time, you probably understand what you have and whether it will be actively used.

Generally there are levels of storage – long-term, seasonal, and active-use. Understand the nature of what you are storing.

Items being held for future generations, which might not be accessed for years, belong in long-tem storage. If they are well-stored and secure, putting them in a far corner that is not very accessible might be fine. This is the time to consider attic and basement space, but only if the items are well-stored and the space is properly prepared.

Similarly, decorations and house wares that are seasonal will get in the way if they are taking up prime space in the wrong place. Consider dedicating “seasonal storage” that can be rotated so that the next season’s items are in the front, ready to be taken out when needed. Packing seasonal storage too tightly and not rotating it may render it useless, so this is one area where establishing a system can really pay off.

Active storage is important to keep organized and not over-filled. Items should be easy to locate, retrieve and replace, and what you want should be where you want it; kitchen and food items in their proper spots, health and beauty items in a hygienic location, and cleaning and maintenance tools where they are likely to be used and serviceable. Items that are out of place breed clutter and chaos, so well ordered active storage is a key to a well-functioning home.

Kitchen cabinets are typically sorted and items stored close to the stations where they will be used. Cabinets that are deeper might store items that are used rarely toward the back, and frequently used tools up front. Everyday plates and utensils should be easy to access and put away, while holiday dishes and party platters are better out of the way.

Garage and sheds and even bathrooms and bedrooms follow similar rules. Enabling access to tools and materials while ensuring clear areas is a key to successfully living and working in a space. Items that you use a lot need a “home” – either in storage or in plain sight. Having items you love and places to keep them will ensure that cleanup is easy and your rooms look tidy.

If you are storing something that you don’t use or love, it is taking up valuable space. Every so often, go into the back of your cabinets and drawers to find items you no longer use or love – this is one of the quickest ways to gain storage space without spending money on shelves or storage systems. Similarly, if you are storing something to give to future generations, ask yourself if they will really want it or if they might be ready to receive the item now – then it doesn’t spend years in storage and you gain space!

Refine: Love What Works and Don’t Let Trouble Continue

Every so often, a homeowner will look up and find that they have a “trouble spot”. When tools are hard to return to their storage areas, or holiday items linger in boxes by the door, it is usually a sign that the storage area is too difficult to access or the system of storage hinders use. The ability to return items to storage is as important as the ability to get to them easily – so you might need to refine your system to overcome any challenges you find.

Annual inspections might reveal that there are items to purge, spaces to improve, or systems that need upgrading – but most of all, you stay in touch with your home and its real value to you. While you are at it, don’t forget to appreciate what is working well. Storing stuff you love in a way that works makes your home a haven and a place that allows you to function at a high level. It’s the best way to get value out of your home, and give you a new perspective on what you really have. After all, as a homeowner you want to be in touch with your most important asset!