Forest, VA

HOW AWESOME IS THIS! October was Fire Safety Month and I posted about the BARK 10-4 Program where you can donate a pet oxygen mask to your local fire department. I used paypal and donated a mask to my local volunteer fire department in Forest, Virginia. I just received notification that THE MOST PET OXYGEN MASKS EVER (I counted 143!!!) had been shipped to the following fire departments:

Alpine Fire Department
Blue Ridge Fire Department
Plainfield Fire Department
Town of Sheboygan Falls Fire
Kohler Village
Menasha Town Fire Department
Pickerel Fire & Rescue Squad
Whitewater Fire Department
Town of Greenville Fire Dept
Milwaukee Fire Department
Richard Hansen Fire Chief
Lewis County Fire District #5
Easton Fire District #3
Bothell Fire Department
Fire District 1 DJ Evans, Fire Chief
Springfield Fire Station
Bailey's Crossroads Volunteer Fire Depart
North Pointe Fire Station #39
Station 12 - Volunteer Organization
Scruggs Volunteer Fire Department
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue
Forest VA FD
Ebony Volunteer Fire Department
Matewan Fire Department
Fire Deputy Chief Virginia Beach VA
Public Safety Dept.,
Pearland Fire Department
Waco Fire Department
Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal Midlothian TX
Greenville Fire Department
Freer Volunteer Fire Dep & Ems
Travis County Emergency Service District #9
Village Fire Department
Flower Mound Fire Station 2
North Montgomery County Fire Dept
Frisco Fire Department Administration: Station No 1
Flat Creek-Bethesda Volunteer Fire Department
Lonas Fire Station #12
Munford-Atoka Fire Department
Sulphur Springs Volunteer Fire Dept
City of Cookeville Fire Department: Chief
Nashville Fire Department‎
Lexington Fire Fairview Fire Station #14
Conway Station 1 Fire Dept.
Greer Fire Dept -
Charlestown Fire District‎
Newtown Square Fire Company
Lititz Fire Company No 1‎
Conneaut Lake Volunteer Fire Department Station 3‎
Mont Alto Fire Co‎
Independence TWP VOL Fire Department
Reliance Fire Co
Greater Valley EMS
Elfinwild Volunteer Fire Company
Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Department
Union township Vol fire dept
Hampden Twp Volunteer Fire Co
Clarendon Fire Department
Mifflinburg Borough: Mifflinburg Hose Co #1
Lowell Rural Fire Department‎
Yukon Fire Department‎
Norman Fire Department‎
Tulsa Fire Department‎
Sharon Township Fire Department
Cincinnati Fire Department
Upper Arlington Fire Division
Norwich Fire Department‎
Scioto Twp Fire Department‎
Coolville Fire House‎
Bath Fire Department‎
Harrison Township Fire House‎
Coolville Fire House‎
Bellbrook Fire Department‎
Mason Fire Station No 1‎
Washington Township Fire Dept Fire Department
Village of Ottawa Hills: Fire Department‎
Bloomfield Hills Fire Department‎
Lawrence Cedarhurst Fire Department‎
Hook, Ladder and Hose Co., No. 1
Lily Dale Volunteer Fire Department‎
Walker Fire Station
Unionville Volunteer Fire Department
Pine Island Volunteer Fire Department
Oswego Fire Department
Ransomville Fire Co No 1
Jackson Volunteer Fire Co‎
Gordons Corner Fire Co‎
South Wall Fire Rescue,
Long Branch Fire Department‎
Allendale Volunteer Fire Department
Holland Township Volunteer Fire Company
Oakland Fire Department‎
Colonia Fire Co‎
Ho Ho Kus Fire Department‎
River Vale Fire Department‎
FIRE CHIEF Acworth NH
Somersworth Fire Department‎
Epping Fire Department‎
Concord Fire Department‎
North Conway Fire Dept: Fire Station
Juniata Fire Department Station
Hubert Volunteer Fire Department‎
Winston-Salem Fire Department‎
Cary Fire Department‎
Denver Fire Department‎
Harrisburg Fire Department‎
Sidney Volunteer Fire Department‎
Reidsville Fire Department‎
Cary Fire Department
Beaufort Fire Department‎
Montana City VFD
Marble Hill Fire Department‎
Knob Noster Fire Department‎
Ballwin Fire Department
David Frazier Jr Chief of EMS & Fire Services
Lake Elmo City Fire Department‎
St Michael Fire Department‎
City of North Branch: Fire Dept‎
Montevideo Fire Department‎
Fire Station No. 1
Bemidji Fire Department
Auburn Hills Fire Department
Rochester Fire Dept
Niles Fire Dept
Bloomfield Township Fire Department‎
Ottawa Hills Village Fire Department‎
Pepperell Fire Department
Andover Town Fire Department
Acushnet Fire Department‎
Stoughton Fire Department
North Attleboro Fire Department‎
Weymouth FD
Provincetown Fire Department
Oxford Fire Department
County of Anne Arunde FD
Level Fire Dept
Fallston Vol Fire Co
Kent Island Fire Department
Long Reach Fire Station 9
Neck District Fire Co
Kennebunkport Fire Dept
Bowdoinham Fire Department‎
Fire CHIEF Shelby Township

 

I know times are tough, but if you're considering making a donation to a local cause this holiday season, please consider Bark 10-4. Our pets thank you.

Flood water from Hurricane Ida in Virginia this past week- I spent the weekend in Surry, VA where many of the roads in this section of Virginia cut through marsh land. The photo above is from a beautiful swamp in the Surry, Isle of Wight area which is normally very tranquil. The ground was saturated after days of non-stop rain, causing a washout of sections of roads including Route 10 in Virginia. The ferry from Surry to Williamsburg was closed for several days.

The creek overflowed it's bank and fast moving water washed out the gravel road. Water was at least 18" deep, the gravel base had been washed out causing huge potholes and creating a dangerous situation. Locally, when the Timber Lake Dam broke several years ago after days of rain, people crossing flooded roadways were killed.

If you ever come across a FLOODED ROAD like this, be aware:

As little as one foot of water can move most cars off the road.

Just six inches of fast-moving flood water can sweep a person off his or her feet.

Most flood-related deaths occur at night and are vehicular.

Urban and small stream flash floods often occur in less than one hour.

Tropical cyclones pose significant risk well inland due to fresh water flooding.

Chicken Normandy is one of the family favorites, real comfort food.....It's suppose to be prepared the night before and refrigerated for the next day. I've done that once, it's just as good if you prepare and cook the same night. I don't use extra salt in cooking so you might want to add to the filling. This is a great dish to take to a party.

CHICKEN NORMANDY

Crust

2 packages of Stove Top Chicken Stuffing Mix (prepared)

Filling

3 cups of cooked, diced chicken

1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)

1 chopped celery (sauteed)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Topping

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare stuffing mix and spread 3/4 into the bottom and sides of a greased 13x9x2 baking pan. Combine chicken, onions, celery and toss in mayonnaise. Spread chicken mixture over the bottom crust and top with remaining stuffing mix. Beat the eggs and milk and pour over the top. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, remove foil, spread top with cream of mushroom soup and bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy. Substitute leftover Thanksgiving turkey for the chicken.

Annual Forest Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale

It's that time of year where we start thinking about the upcoming holidays. The Forest Lions Club's Annual Christmas Tree Sale starts on November 28, 2009. The club plans to continue the sale through December 15 or until all the trees are sold. Thanks to the support of the local community, trees sold out early last year. One hundred percent of all proceeds from the sale are returned to the community through various charitable donations. Come out and support this great organization and purchase your tree from the Forest Lions' Tree Lot.

Members of the Forest Lions Club will be selling 300 trees including 6 to 10 feet Fraser firs and a limited number of 6 to 8 foot white pines. Trees will be on sale:

Mondays through Fridays 1:00 to 8:00 PM

Saturdays 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Sundays 1:00 to 8:00 PM

The Forest Lions’ Tree Lot is located on Virginia 221 across from the Bank of the James in Forest, Virginia. Volunteers are welcome! Interested in learning more about the Forest Lions Club? For more information on joining the Lions Club International call (434) 316-9110.

If you’ve recently moved to the community of Forest in Bedford County, Virginia, WELCOME!

Bedford County was formed in 1754 and consists of 764 square miles of the most beautiful country in Virginia; I never get tired of looking at the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains.  The population in Bedford County is approximately 60,500 with 8,500 Forest residents.

While we don't have a town center or common, there are several established neighborhoods in Forest including: Ivy Hill, Lake Vista, Forest Lakes, Kensington, Brookstone, Farmington, Cedar Rock, Meadow Wood & Hooper Woods to name a few. One of our most famous residences is Thomas Jefferson's summer home Poplar Forest.

Shopping Centers include: Graves Mill Shopping Center, Cavalier Corner & Forest Square Shopping Center.

These are some of the important phone numbers and websites to know:

Airport- Lynchburg Regional  (434) 455-6090

Animal Control (540) 586-7690 

American Electric Power 1- 800-956-4237  

Bedford County Utilities (540) 586-7679

Building Permits & Inspections (540) 586-7611

Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce (877) 447-3257

Churches

Clerk of the Circuit Court (540) 586-7632

Clerk of the General District Court (540) 586-7637

Commissioner of the Revenue (540) 586-7621  f.eubank@co.bedford.va.us  

Commonwealth’s Attorney (540) 586-7628

Cooperative Extension (540) 586-7675

County Administrator (540) 586-7601

County Treasurer (540) 586-7606

Dept. Of Game & Inland Fisheries (434) 525-7522  

DMV (540) 586-7979 

Economic Development (540) 587-5670

GENERAL INFO (540) 586-7601 

Health Department (540) 586-7952

Forest Library  (540) 425-7002

MEDICAL:

Bedford Memorial Hospital  (540) 846-2441

Lynchburg General Hospital

Virginia Baptist Hospital

New London Cannery (434) 525-9706

Newspaper - Bedford Bulletin (540) 586-8612

Parks & Recreation (540) 586-7682

Phone Book (540) 904-4526

Planning & Community Development (540) 586-7616

Public Schools (540) 586-1045  www.bedford.k12.va.us

Public WATER (Public Service Authority) (540) 586-7679  

Real Estate Lookup

School System Superintendent (540) 586-1045

New London Academy  (434) 525-2177

FOREST Elementary  (434) 525-2681

FOREST Middle (434) 525-6630

Jefferson Forest High School (434) 525-2674

Sheriff’s Office (NON-EMERGENCY) (540) 586-4800

Social Services (540) 586-7750

Southside Electric Cooperative 1-800-552-2118  

Verizon Telephone (540) 561-2000  

Tourism (540) 587-5681

THINGS TO DO IN FOREST

Volunteer Fire & Rescue Services (540) 587-0700

Voter Information (540) 586-7649

Waste Management Facility (540) 586-7656

Water/Sewer (540) 586-7679

Smith Mountain Lake covers three counties including Bedford and is one of our favorite weekend destinations and only a short drive from Forest. If you'd like more information on the community of Forest, VA, feel free to contact me.

By TwitterButtons.com