For more information, contact the Chesterfield County Department of Utilities at 748-1310.

The activities are scheduled from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and will include hot lunches for sale, live Christmas music and Santa will fly in at 10 a.m. The rain date for the toy airlift is Sunday, Dec. 11.

For more information contact Betty Vinson, event coordinator, at 804-720-1132, email bettyvinson@verizon.net or visit www.VirginiaChapter99s.shutterfly.com.

Artist Patricia Walker welcomed guests. Sue Medeiros, assistant director of Clinical Services, offered opening remarks. Kevin Balfour, Amy Prewitt and Dorothy Wyatt recited poetry and Jack Evans, guitarist, performed.
“Art is a powerful healing tool,” said Medeiros. “It allows the individual to express themselves in ways that they cannot do in words.”

Gary Yaw holds two masters of fine arts, one in education. Once a reputable art director at a Baltimore graphic design firm for 27 years, Yaw lost everything due to his disease — his job, girlfriend and most of his possessions. His sister, a local resident brought him to Chesterfield County and MHSS helped him to recover.

“Artwork has been an important recovery tool that not only brings me joy and relieves my symptoms of depression, but also allows me to define myself as an artist instead of as someone with a psychiatric disability,” said Gary Yaw.

Four years ago, Anastasia Kelley’s world turned upside down. She lost her job, her friends and her hope. Since then, her faith, family and photography, along with the tools provided by Mental Health Support Services, have been instrumental in her recovery.

“They restored my love, hopes, dreams and goals,” said Kelley, who now studies photography at John Tyler Community College and uses her camera to catch each precious moment in her life, because “it is worth living and that moment can never be relived.” She encourages others to seek help and never give up on living.

This celebration of recovery and creativity let artists showcase their talents and make the public aware of what they have to offer in the marketplace.

Chesterfield County Police will host a Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center, located at 6610 Public Safety Way. Police, DEA agents and SAFE volunteers will be on hand to collect unused or expired prescription, over-the-counter and veterinary medications. Residents should leave medications in their original containers.

Turning in expired and unused medications helps prevent medication abuse and protect the environment. For more information, contact SAFE at 796-7100.

Additionally, Dominion Aviation is celebrating 20 years of serving as the Chesterfield County Airport fixed-base operator. Dominion Aviation is a full-service FBO, offering aircraft refueling, maintenance, aircraft management and charter, and hangar leasing. During its time as the FBO, Dominion Aviation has enhanced the services and facilities of the Chesterfield County Airport, turning it into a favorite of local pilots.

“Chesterfield County is fortunate to have one of the top fixed-base operators not only in Virginia, but in the country. The value they add to the airport and the community is tremendous,” said Charles Dane, deputy director of the Chesterfield County General Services Department.

The public is invited to visit the airport during the Wings of Freedom tour this weekend. For more information about Dominion Aviation, visit dominionaviation.com. To learn more about the Wings of Freedom tour, visit collingsfoundation.org.

Admission is $5 per person, and free admission for dogs and children 12 and younger.

Dog owners also are invited to enter their pups in a Halloween costume contest. Registration will be held at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Judging will occur at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., one entry per canine.

The Canine Carnival is presented by the Chesterfield Employees Association. The Chesterfield Federal Credit Union and Pet Smart are sponsors. The Chesterfield County Animal Shelter, the Chesterfield County Humane Society, the Richmond Animal League and other local animal-rescue groups will bring dogs in need of a home. The CEA will donate some of the proceeds from the event to the county animal shelter. Last year, more than 1,300 participants and 500 dogs participated in the event.

For more information, visit www.chesterfield.gov/CanineCarnival/ or call 804-768-7550.

The Wings of Freedom tour will arrive at the Chesterfield County Airport between 1-2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21. Tours of the aircraft will be available Oct. 21 from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Monday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m.-noon. Opportunities are available to fly on the aircraft. For information about reserving a flight time, call 800-568-8924.

The Collings Foundation is a nonprofit educational foundation devoted to organizing living-history events. The national Wings of Freedom tour is in its 22nd year and visits an average of 110 cities in 35 states annually. For more information, visit collingsfoundation.org.

The fee for woody debris disposal at both sites will be waived through Oct. 31.

Tree stumps or root balls cannot be accepted at the sites.

Since the hurricane, citizens have brought more than 44,000 loads to Chesterfield’s convenience centers and collection points, for an estimated 80,000 plus cubic yards of material disposed.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 26, the county will return to normal operating hours at the two convenience centers and will close the two temporary debris disposal sites that were opened after the hurricane. The normal hours are:

Northern Area Convenience Center, 3200 Warbro Road

9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. — Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Site is closed on Wednesday and Thursday
Southern Area Convenience Center, 6700 Landfill Drive

9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. — Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Site is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday
For safety, residents are reminded that open burning is prohibited until after October 1 by state law.

For more information contact Chesterfield County’s Environmental Division at 804-748-1297.

The plaque recognized Warren “for outstanding service” as Clover Hill Magisterial District supervisor and for his long tenure on the board. “Art certainly has the Clover Hill District and Chesterfield County in his heart,” said Charlie Owens, who presented Warren with the plaque.

Warren has represented the Clover Hill Magisterial District on the Board of Supervisors since 1992, and previously served on the county’s Planning Commission for four years. He has been elected as chairman of the board seven times by his peers.

He is employed by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, where he is the manager, Radiological Emergency Response Preparedness.