Saint Francis Service Dogs is a growing non-profit based business in Roanoke County and serving the state of Virginia. The non-profit organization maintains up to 40 dogs in some phase of training and places 7-10 dogs a year in the state of Virginia. It takes two years to train a service dog and can cost up to $20,000, yet Saint Francis provides dogs to qualified applicants free of charge.

In the spring, Saint Francis plans to break ground on a kennel facility that will permit Saint Francis to increase the number of dogs in the program and allow Saint Francis to place more dogs. The demand for Saint Francis Service Dogs is very strong and there is always a waiting list. With the kennel building, Saint Francis hopes to be better able to meet the demand more quickly with those that so desperately need them.

Saint Francis Service Dogs

The Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. has been organized and tasked with coordinating an anniversary that celebrates the legacy of this national treasure, addresses issues regarding the fragility of the resource, and lays the groundwork for the Parkway’s role in the region and nation as an economic force for generations to come. Organizers offered a menu of ideas and suggestions for planning over the next 15 months leading up to the 2010 anniversary year.

The For information on the kick-off event in the Roanoke Valley on October 10th, click here.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75

The third annual Virginia Western Community College TECH SUMMIT was held on October 7. Approximately 247 students from the region's high schools were in attendance to visit, talk and explore career opportunities
with 46 engineering and technology business partners from the greater Roanoke Valley. Also, VWCC faculty were present to exchange information with students or answer student questions about the many educational and job opportunities in engineering and technical fields.

Virginia Western Community College