​Kara Dixon will be returning to her hometown this spring to be the guest speaker at the Ladies Horticultural Luncheon presented by Spring Arbor Assisted Living.
 
Kara Dixon is the Deputy Director of Video Production for the Senate Democratic Media Center for the US Senate in Washington, D.C. She grew up in Winchester, Virginia and is a proud graduate of John Handley High School, where she was student government vice president and a member of the state record breaking 4x400 meter track and field relay team.
 
Kara is also a graduate of the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. At UMD, she participated in the CBC-UNC Diversity Fellowship Program led by UNC and WRAL. During college, Kara was a member of Capital News Service and View Finder presented by the University of Maryland. Both programs won numerous regional and national awards.
 
After graduating, Kara spent eight years working as a tv news reporter at KFDM/KBTV in Beaumont, Texas and at WAVY-TV in Hampton Roads, Virginia. She covered everything from weather to crime and hosted the political digital series "Candid with Kara..."
 
Last summer, Kara was awarded a regional Emmy for her work at WAVY. The story, “Road to Reconciliation: Uncovering our Past” highlighted the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, which is believed to be one of the oldest Black churches in the United States.
 
Kara is also involved in her community and active with diversity and young adult ministries within the Catholic church. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults.
 
In 2020, Kara completed the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership’s Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Leadership. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, where she teaches video production.
 
In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and singing karaoke.
 
The Ladies Horticultural Luncheon presented by Spring Arbor Assisted Living will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., Millwood Station Banquet Hall, 252 Costello Drive, Winchester, VA. Tickets may be obtained by calling (540) 662-3409. 

​Stephanie Stuckey has been named the featured speaker of Valley Health Business at the Bloom Luncheon by Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®
 
Stephanie Stuckey is Chair of Stuckey’s, known as a highway oasis to generations of Americans. Founded in 1937 by her grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, Sr. in Eastman, Georgia, Stuckey’s grew into over 350 stores nationwide. However, the company was sold and sadly declined for decades under outside ownership.
 
Fortunately, it’s now back in family hands thanks to Stephanie buying Stuckey’s in 2019. She and her partners purchased a candy plant in Wrens, GA in 2021 and are reviving the company as a pecan snack & candy brand.
 
Stephanie received her BA and JD from the University of Georgia.  She’s worked as a trial lawyer, a state representative, Director of Sustainability for Atlanta, and an adjunct professor at UGA’s School of Law.  Stephanie’s achievements include being named one of the Most Admired CEOs of 2022 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine, and a graduate of Leadership Atlanta.
 
Stephanie’s book, “UnStuck” Rebirth of an American Icon,” will be released in April 2024. It is available for pre-sales on Amazon.com.
 
When she’s not running Stuckey’s, Stephanie enjoys road tripping across America in search of the World’s Largest Ball of Twine.
 
Valley Health Business at the Bloom Luncheon, an event for business networking, will be held Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 11 a.m. a Tolley Dental Zone at James R. Wilkins Athletic and Events Center, 1188 Ralph Shockey Drive, Winchester, VA.  

​Joy Elizabeth Berlanga has been named Queen Shenandoah XCVII, designate.  Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® takes great pleasure to make this announcement with the generational significance and this being the 100th anniversary of the Festival’s beginning. Joy is the daughter of Tyne Vance Berlanga, Queen Shenandoah in 2001, and the granddaughter of Susan Ford Bales, Queen Shenandoah 1975. 
 
Joy is excited to follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother and eagerly embraces the honor of becoming Queen Shenandoah.  She has heard so many fond memories of their time in Winchester.  She is thrilled to experience it herself!
 
Joy lives in Texas with her parents, Tyne and Hector Berlanga and brother, Cruz. She is a senior at Independence High School. Her passions include gardening, an avid love for books, and finding enjoyment in building Legos. Balancing varsity volleyball and floriculture at school fuels her enthusiasm. Joy’s commitment to her academics resulted in being recognized as a National Hispanic Recognition. She is set to attend Colorado State University in the Fall to major in landscape architecture, aspiring to create beautiful and resilient outdoor spaces and gardens for years to come.
 
The family tradition will continue at Joy’s Coronation on Friday, May 3, at 1:30 p.m. at John Handley High School.  She will be crowned by her mother and grandmother.   Tyne was crowned by her mother, Susan.  Susan was crowned by her father, President Gerald Ford.  Queen Shenandoah, designate, and the Royal Family will attend many functions during the Festival and will be riding their “Royal Float and Coaches” during the Firefighters’ and Grand Feature Parade. 
 
The Festival has been honored to have members of a family to reign as Queen Shenandoah.  This is the first family to reign the stage of time from grandmother to daughter to granddaughter as Queen.
 
Tickets for Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com.  

Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is honored to announce Ryan Dobson as the motivational speaker of the 25th Annual Prayer Brunch, presented by Knouse Foods / Musselman’s.
 
Parenting expert Ryan Dobson grew up as the son of another parenting expert, Focus on the Family founder, Dr. James Dobson.
 
Ryan, along with his wife Laura, speaks around the country nearly every weekend in churches, strengthening families and marriages. Dobson is also host of the REBEL Parenting Podcast.
 
The author of six books—including multiple best-sellers—Dobson is a Radio Host, has a Top 20 iTunes podcast, has spoken before more than one million people around the world, and has appeared in numerous major media outlets including FOX News Huckabee, and The Wall Street Journal print edition.
 
He and his wife Laura live in Colorado Springs with their two children.
 
The Prayer Brunch presented by Knouse Foods, an interdenominational event with an inspirational message, will be held Friday, May 3, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Winchester Church of God, 2080 N. Frederick Pike, Winchester, VA.  Tickets are $45.00 and are available online at www.thebloom.com.