Arts Committee Objectives of the Arts Committee There are two primary methods for helping develop character through the arts: 1. Send out good character messages through artistic mediums 2. Provide creative outlets for youth to perform artistic projects by way of community service (developing art shows, wall murals, concerts, making movies, etc). The Arts Committee, currently in the formative stage, seeks members composed of specialists in many art disciplines who are devoted to finding ways to give our youth more ways to become involved it creative pursuits and use the creative process to continue to build character. Artistic expression, as shown in painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama, writing stories or poems, etc., involves the development of many important traits. Discipline is one of them, not discipline as a punishment, but discipline as focus and concentration, as task design and completion. Work in art also builds the capacity to create and strengthen conceptual skills and the ability to make one's ideas clear and concrete. Focus, concentration, the development of ideas and concepts, and bringing those ideas to fruition help to create experiences and skills which will stand children and adults in good stead in all aspects of their lives. Hide Arts Committee   Board of Directors Hide Senator John Edwards - Chairman Michael Jeffrey - Vice Chiarman Nelson Metheney - Treasurer Carolyn Bass - Secretary Sam Lionberger III Russell McKenney Tex Meyer Cindy Kinney Michele Dowdy Reg Gray Douglas Densmore Joe Kelliher Jeff Leatherwood Kirk Ballin Dina Hackley-Hunt Larry Nichols John Montgomery   Business Committee Objectives of the Business Committee The primary objectives of the Business Committee are to increase the involvement of businesses and their employees in supporting the Character Education efforts of our schools and to help businesses develop and maintain a high level of Ethics and Character. The committee has developed the Character Assessment Plan for Organizations and Businesses and the Ethics in the Workplace Workshop for high school seniors. Hide Business Committee Joe Kelliher - Chairman Cindy Kenney Cheryl Hanson Jeff Leatherwood   Health and Fitness Committee Hide Joe Kelliher - Chairman Benefits Group Bud Grey Carilion Fitness--Roanoke Athletic Club/Botetourt Athletic Club/ZOOM Cal Johnson YMCA of the Roanoke Valley Marcus Ordonez Roanoke County Parks & Recreation Pete Lampman Virginia Amateur Sports Larry Nichols Baskervill & Sons Melanie VanGuilder Community Volunteer Karenna Glover Roanoke Times   Interfaith Committee The purpose of the Interfaith Committee is to affirm and promote civility and compassion among the diverse faith communities of the Roanoke Valley as the foundational requisites for interfaith peace, harmony and cooperative endeavors. Civility is witnessed in extending respect for and acceptance of the religiously diverse citizenry of the Roanoke Valley, while being respectful of their belief systems and religious practices. Civility and compassion are encouraged in the sacred scriptures of religious teachings that foster the highest qualities of character, such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, honesty, justice and others. The Interfaith Committee will initiate and support cooperative interfaith programming and events that uphold the practice of these qualities of character, and thereby strengthen civility and compassion in our community. Hide INterfaith Committee Kirk Ballin: Committee Chair - Easter Seals Carolyn Bass: 4H Emeritus (and Secretary of Valley Character) Dick Hawkins: Lay Leader - Unitarian Universalist Church Marcia Horn James Williams Millie Willis Sam Rasoul   Legal Committee Objectives of the Legal Committee The objectives of the Legal Committee are to identify and promote programs that can be shown to build character and reduce criminal or anti-social behavior by youth in our community To ensure that students and the community understand the reasons for our legal system and have a realistic view of its operation. To ensure that students and the community understand the consequences of law breaking. To identify the major classifications of criminal or anti-social acts perpetrated by youth in our community and measure and prioritize response. To make the Committee's activities more visible and to further solicit support for our efforts within the legal and law enforcement community in particular. Hide   Marketing Committee Public Communications: The Marketing Committee consists of representatives from advertising agencies, advertising media and major regional advertisers. The committee seeks to raise funds and awareness of valleycharacter.org through non-paid advertising, news releases, fund-raising materials, bulletins to schools, surveys, public radio advertising, periodic billboards, developing support materials for Valley Character Committees, and steering the development of articles in numerous publications such as: The Roanoke Times, City Magazine, and Prime Living Magazine. This committee also works hard to salute the accomplishments of schools and other character development organizations. Valley Character Web Site A vital and major project of this committee has been the organization’s interactive web site. The valleycharacter.org web site serves as a “central clearinghouse” of information about character and how to get directly involved with building it. Hide Russell McKenney- Committee Co-Chair President, McKenney Advertising Tex Meyer- Committee Co-Chair - General Manager, Clear Channel Radio Tom Robertson, Robertson Marketing Group Geoff McCarty, Advance Auto Lori Earls, Carilion Ann Clayton, Advance Auto Ali Nazemi, Roanoke College Kathy Rilee, Wheeler Broadcasting Rick Leighton, Clear Channel Robert Haynes, Lamar Corporation David Stanfill, Say it On the Web Lorie Keyser, Advance Auto Mike Bell, WDBJ 7 Ben Nielsen, Cox Media Barry Wright, RP Publishing Jamie Asciolla, Freedom First   Parenting Committe The Valley Character Parenting Committee will raise the parenting skills of present day parents and future parents by collaberating with other area agencies and organizations in the Greater Roanoke Valley to provide parenting information and innovative educational programs designed to increase the knowledge of parenting skills for present day and future parents. Hide Chairman - Reg Gray, Salem Police Department (Ret.) Dina Hackley Hunt - Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Council Delored Phillips - Roanoke County Prevention Council Tommy Barber - Virginia Baptist Childrens Home   Sports Committee Objectives of the Sports Committee: Enhance the development of the life skills of today's youth by incorporating the six pillars into their sporting activities. Secure facilities to provide the opportunities for all those participating in sports so they may enjoy sufficient exercise and sporting experiences. Increase the awareness with parents on the various programs available on sportsmanship, proper exercise, proper nutrition, coaching, etc. Take necessary action to see that sports officials provide a good role model to help develop good character in those participants with whom they interact. Assist parents, family members, and the community appreciate the value of good sports experiences and what is being taught on a daily basis through sports activities. Responsibility, socialization, life skills, healthy lifestyles, respect, honesty, etc Develop procedures to ensure that the youth are being taught by adults who are positive role models, and that the information and training is in place to ensure a successful experience for everyone involved. Incorporate plans to ensure consistent training of our adults throughout the Roanoke Valley as they serve as the messenger to the youth and families who are participating in sports. Sports and the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness - Respect - Responsibility and Fairness play a major role in sports. Other traits also play a role but these traits may take a lead role. Trust - athletes need to trust their teammates to make the play, be where they are suppose to be at the right time, etc. Respect - athletes must respect each other and their opponents if for no other reason then to be prepared for the competition. Responsibility - athletes have a responsibility to their teammates to come to practice, be on time, etc. Fairness - Teammates need to be fair to each other - athletes do not respect others who have to cheat to win - most would rather lose that have to cheat to be successful. Another focus of the Sports Committee is the support and supplementation to existing programs that focus on character in sports — such as the John A. Kelly Award presented by the Youth Sports Committee of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and awards presented by the Greater Roanoke Valley Kiwanis clubs. View Current Valley Character Sports Programs >> Hide Nikki Custer: Franklin County Parks & Recreation - Youth Coordinator Allen Hayes: Roanoke County Parks & Recreation Kathy Murphy: Salem Parks & Recreation - Assistant Director Allen Lawrence; Salem Avalanche John Montgomery: Play by Play Magazine Mark Moore: Salem Parks & Recreation Rick Kelley: Valley Youth Hockey