Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 12, 1993 TAG: 9303120319
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
CHAMBER HONORS 2 WOMEN FOR WORK ON TOWN PLAYGROUND
The Greater Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday named Sheryl Bolstad and Elaine Keyes-Alfonso its distinguished citizens of the year.In the past year the two women donated countless hours of their time to organize a volunteer effort to build Blacksburg's Hand-in-Hand playground.
Bolstad and Keyes-Alfonso were among four award winners at the chamber's annual dinner held at the Holiday Inn in Blacksburg.
Stuart Kendall "Ken" Anderson, owner of Anderson & Associates Inc., was honored as the chamber's business person of the year.
Anderson began a small engineering firm in his home in 1968. Today, Anderson & Associates has more than 90 workers, a branch office in Greensboro and is one of the most respected firms in the New River Valley.
Charlie and Wilmoth O'Dell, owners of the Crow's Nest Farm, received the chamber's business-industry education award.
The O'Dells were cited for the enormous amount of gardening and supplies they have donated to areas schools.
Wilmoth O'Dell spends hours each week teaching gardening skills to classes at Prices Fork Elementary School. She also has brought Virginia Tech horticultural students to the school to teach the children and has worked on several fund-raising projects.
Bolstad and Keyes-Alfonso were the driving force behind the Hand-in-Hand Playground that was built by community volunteers. They organized parents, inspired schoolchildren to raise money and persuaded the town of Blacksburg to donate land and money for the project.
With the help of 3,926 volunteers, 33,000 board-feet of lumber, 19 tons of sand and 30,000 screws, the project was completed last fall.