Stories from the Blue Ridge
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FRIENDS Impact Map!

FRIENDS Impact Map! 150 150 Friends of the Blue Ridge

We’ve created a map!  Not your ordinary map, mind you, that might explain how to get where we want to go. Ours illustrates where we have been and what we have done – a treasure…

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Apply by 3/15/26 for our 2026 Bike Rack Program

Apply by 3/15/26 for our 2026 Bike Rack Program 819 1024 Friends of the Blue Ridge

Could your public institution or community organization use a free bike rack? Our 2026 Bike Rack grant program is NOW accepting applications until March 15! In partnership with RIDE Solutions and the Roanoke Valley Alleghany…

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Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Cole Abbott

Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Cole Abbott 900 600 Friends of the Blue Ridge

Lynn Davis Scholarship Personal Statement – Cole Abbott (Christiansburg High School, Christiansburg, VA) My Passion for Preservation My passion for preserving our region’s unique culture and natural beauty began during wildernessexpeditions as an Eagle Scout. During…

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Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Lawson Higgins

Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Lawson Higgins 782 1024 Friends of the Blue Ridge

Lynn Davis Scholarship Personal Statement – Lawson Higgins (Mountain Heritage High School, Burnsville, NC) Growing up in the rural town of Burnsville, NC, I have developed a deep connection to my community. I want to return…

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Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Nathan Manthey

Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Nathan Manthey 808 1024 Friends of the Blue Ridge

Lynn Davis Scholarship Personal Statement – Nathan Manthey (Nelson County High School, Lovingston, VA) From the day I was born I’ve been deeply immersed in the beauty of nature in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As someone…

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Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Ethan Edwards

Meet FRIENDS Scholarship Recipient Ethan Edwards 768 1024 Friends of the Blue Ridge

Lynn Davis Scholarship Personal Statement – Ethan Edwards (Carroll County High School, Hillsville, VA) In elementary school, I lived off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Groundhog Mountain. When I was six or seven, the forest beside…

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