TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly): All ages are invited to participate in the non-judgmental program at the Salem Senior Center on Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m. There is a registration fee and a $3 per month fee. Call Charlene Lester at 540-293-7753 with questions.
Roanoke College—MAPLE’S Kids by Toy Like Me Takes place from 9-11 a.m. every Saturday during the following time frames: Oct. 5-Oct. 26, Nov. 2-Nov. 30 in the Bast Center. MAPLE’S Kids (Multiple Adaptive Play Experiences in Sports) is an extension of Toy Like Me, part of Roanoke College’s new Disability Studies Program. We have partnered with Wheel Love, a local nonprofit that creates active opportunities for local adults with physical disabilities, to promote adaptive sports. Staffed by Roanoke College student volunteers, MAPLE’S Kids has become a community for local families with children with disabilities.
Roanoke College—“Forget Me Not” Exhibition: Sept. 13- Dec. 8, 2024, 1-4 p.m.
Olin Hall Galleries, Lower Smoyer Hall. The exhibition “Forget Me Not” by Roanoke College’s Center for Studying Structures of Race (CSSR) chronicles projects completed since 2019. This set of works highlight questions about structural racism in local, national and global contexts. By examining the physical and symbolic structures of racism, the CSSR explores and complicates the understanding of race through interdisciplinary research, teaching and community engagement.
Roanoke College—“Child Be Free” by Johnny Floyd: Sept. 14- Dec. 8, 2024, 1-4 p.m. Olin Hall Galleries. Johnny Floyd’s exhibition, “Child Be Free,” explores our relationship with time and how we define ourselves within its bounds. Influenced by conversations with his grandfather, a theoretical physicist, Floyd delves into questions of purpose and identity, often through the lens of recursion theory, where repetition leads to revelation. Through experimentation with paper, sewing and digital manipulation, Floyd intertwines archival imagery with themes of ancestry and connection. Drawing inspiration from the Center for Studying Structures of Race’s project on naming unnamed enslaved individuals who contributed to Roanoke College’s history, Floyd intertwines archival African American vernacular photography from the Maurice Berger Memorial Archive and Library with themes of ancestry and connection. By utilizing the Black experience in the United States as an analogy for the constructs of time, his art aims to deconstruct and question the necessity of these constructs, inviting viewers to contemplate their own temporal identities.
Roanoke College—“Freedom is Not a Metaphor” by Sandy Williams IV: Sept. 14- Dec. 8, 2024, 1-4 p.m. Olin Hall Galleries, Smoyer Gallery. “Freedom is Not a Metaphor” by Sandy Williams IV presents a collection of works spanning photography, sculptures, research and installations. Through personal narratives and historical contexts, the exhibition invites viewers to reconsider the construction and contestation of memory. Williams intertwines family portraits with discussions on public space, challenging conventional narratives and encouraging dialogue on agency and historical injustices. Their innovative approach, seen in works like “The Time Ruler” series, prompts reflection on collective memory and cultural moments. The exhibition serves as a platform for diverse voices to engage with the complexities of public memory, advocating for reconciliation and collective healing. By highlighting struggles against oppressive systems and emphasizing liberation and justice, Williams reminds viewers of our collective strength and the potential for transformative change. The exhibition prompts us to confront our shared consciousness and envision a more inclusive and just society built upon a deeper understanding of our history and identity. In collaboration with the Center for Studying Structures of Race, funding for this exhibition is provided by the Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Center for Art at Roanoke College.
Pumpkinfest: Pumpkinfest returns on Friday night, Oct. 25, at the Salem Farmers Market. This year’s event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and it will once again feature a costume contest and pumpkin give-away. Plus, all attendees can walk through our “Chefs vs. Surgeons” Jack O’ Lantern patch, vote for their favorite carved pumpkin and later bid on it in the pumpkin auction. In addition, children can buy tickets for carnival games and inflatables, stroll through the trick-or-treat zone, get their face painted, and enjoy sand art and a bake sale. This is 24th year Salem is joining forces with Q99 to present this event in Downtown Salem. Pumpkinfest admission for adults is just $5 a person and children 15-and-under are admitted free. The Unlimited activity wristbands are just $5 for children. Dale’s Diner, The Tailgate, Kettle Cooker Express and Sweet Surrender Ice Cream will be selling their amazing creations throughout the evening. Once again, “Five-Dollar Shake” will provide musical entertainment. All proceeds from the event will benefit Area 8 Special Olympics. Q99, Kroger and Salem Parks and Recreation are sponsoring this year’s event and Q99’s Dick and Dave once again will host the fall celebration. The Salem Farmers Market is located on the corner of Main and Broad Street in the heart of Downtown Salem.
Trick-or-Treat with the Downtown Merchants: Youngsters will have a chance to Trick-or-Treat with the Downtown Merchants on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon. Children can travel up and down Main Street from Academy St. to College Ave. Businesses that have a pumpkin sticker on their storefront window are participating. InFirst Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the downtown trick-or treating. In addition, the Salem Sheriff’s Office’s Fall Open House is happening from 10 a.m. to noon at 2 E. Calhoun Street.
Neighborhood Trick-or-Treating: Traditional neighborhood Trick-or-Treating will take place citywide in Salem on Thursday, Oct. 31.
First Mondays: The family-friendly events are held by Gary John, who manages the “Mason Creek” bluegrass group, and Vicky Sword from the center. The bluegrass/acoustic shows are free, but a tip bucket will be passed around for donations to the musicians. Cake raffles and door prizes will be offered. The event is on Monday, Nov. 4: 7-9 p.m. – Luv Buzzards. It will take place at the Salem Parks and Recreation Senior Rec Center at 110 Union Street, Salem.
“The Ugly Truth About Stakeholder Capitalism”: The Ugly Truth About Stakeholder Capitalism will be in the Olin Hall Theater at Roanoke College on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 7-8 p.m. Andy Puzder is a speaker, commentator, attorney and retired chief executive officer. Earlier in his career, Puzder was a commercial trial lawyer in St. Louis. For 17 years he served as the CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc., an international corporation which owns popular restaurant chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. He currently serves on the board of advisors for Young America’s Foundation’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, and he is a frequent lecturer and author for the organization on economics, business and public policy. Puzder’s lectures focus generally on the material and moral benefits of free market capitalism. He compellingly contrasts the broad-based prosperity and abundance of capitalism with poverty and want of socialism. Puzder recounts that he was just a working-class kid from Cleveland, Ohio, who now considers it his responsibility to ensure that young Americans understand the incredible benefits of the economic system in which they live. His works include books such as “Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn’t Understand It” and features in the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Fox News Online and Real Clear Politics.
First Mondays: The family-friendly events are held by Gary John, who manages the “Mason Creek” bluegrass group, and Vicky Sword from the center. The bluegrass/acoustic shows are free, but a tip bucket will be passed around for donations to the musicians. Cake raffles and door prizes will be offered. The event is on Monday, Dec. 2: 7-9 p.m. – The Bluegrass Brothers. It will take place at the Salem Parks and Recreation Senior Rec Center at 110 Union Street, Salem.
Public meetings:
The Salem City Council will meet on Monday, Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
The Salem City Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
The Salem City School Board will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
The Salem City Planning Commission will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.
The Salem City Council will meet on Monday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
The Salem City Council will meet on Monday, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
The Salem City School Board will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.
The Salem City Planning Commission will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.
