October 30th -- Honor Flight

6am Sunday, 10/30 on 92.9 The Wave, ESPN Radio 94.1, Star 1310 and 97.3 The Eagle

This week's edition of Hampton Roads Topics will focus on Honor Flight, a group that organizes trips for World War II veterans to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.  The trips began not long after the memorial opened to the public in 2005, when the population of World War II veterans numbered about 3,000,000.  The organization estimates the nation loses about 1,000 World War II vets every day.

My guest is Matthew Hartman, the director of Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia.  The local chapter makes two trips per year by bus to Washington D.C.  Each trip involves more than five dozen veterans, plus their "volunteer guardians," who provide whatever assistance the visitor might need.

To learn more about the local chapter of Honor Flight, visit www.HonorFlightHTVA.org

www.HonorFlight.org -- The national Honor Flight organization
www.WWIIMemorial.com -- The World War II Memorial

October 23rd -- Virginia Beach Schools Parent Connection

6am Sunday, 10/23 on 92.9 The Wave, ESPN Radio 94.1, Star 1310 and 97.3 The Eagle

This Sunday on Hampton Roads Topics I talk with Melissa McQuarrie of Virginia Beach Public Schools about their Parent Connection program.

Parent Connection was launched three years ago as an outreach effort to link parents with resources, classes and training that will help them with parenting, employment, and more.  It's a bit like a school for parents.

On October 27th, Parent Connection is hosting a workshop on financial literacy.  A guest speaker from Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union will be teaching the basics of budgeting to parents, with the hope the parents can share that knowledge with their children.

Through May, Parent Connection is hosting monthly workshops to teach parents about technology.  Upcoming topics include:

• 11/16 -- Wireless Networking
• 12/8 -- PC Maintenance
• 1/18 -- Microsoft Powerpoint
• 2/15 -- Social Networking
• 3/21 -- Spreadsheets
• 4/18 -- Internet Security
• 5/16 -- Software and freeware tips and tricks

All workshops are taught at the Advanced Technology Center, located near the Tidewater Community College Virginia Beach campus.   www.vbschools.com/ParentConnection/technologyacademy2011.asp

Parent Connection has also grown into a food bank of sorts.  McQuarrie says they found that many of the children who were getting free or reduced cost meals at school were going hungry at home over the weekends.  Parent Connection launched Beach Bags, which provides needy children with a weekend's worth of food.

Link:
www.VBSchools.com/ParentConnection

October 16th -- Low Income Heat Assistance Program

This week's edition of Hampton Roads Topics will focus on LIHEAP, the heating assistance program for low income residents.  My guests are Karen Bradley and Duane Bourne of Virginia Natural Gas.  The company is a major supporter of LIHEAP.

The application period for LIHEAP runs through Friday, November 11th.  Applications are handled by the local offices of the Department of Social Services. 

Too often we hear stories of the less fortunate having to choose between eating and heating their homes.  For many, the decision is life threatening.  If you know of someone who may be in need of energy assistance this winter, help get them in the LIHEAP program.

Links:
LIHEAP Home Page
Virginia Natural Gas page with information about energy assistance.

This edition of Hampton Roads Topics can be heard Sunday, October 16th at 6am on these stations:  Star 1310, ESPN Radio 94.1, 97.3 The Eagle and 92.9 The Wave.

October 9th Program -- The Bra Ha Ha

The 4th Annual Bra Ha Ha is featured on the next edition of Hampton Roads Topics.  The Bra Ha Ha is defined by its name.  It's a tongue-in-cheek public awareness event at MacArthur Center Mall featuring more than 300 wildly decorated bras.  Proceeds go towards providing free mammograms to under served women in Hampton Roads.

My guest is Brenda Kuntz of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, where the Bra Ha Ha began four years ago.

The Bra Ha Ha will be on display at Norfolk's MacArthur Center through Sunday, October 16th.

Link:
www.BraHaHa.org

About Hampton Roads Topics

Hampton Roads Topics is a 30-minute public affairs program produced and hosted by Hampton Roads radio veteran Jim Long.  It airs Sunday mornings at 6am on these MAX Media stations:  92.9 The Wave, Star 1310, ESPN Radio 94.1 and 97.3 The Eagle.