The Roanoke and New River Valley Career and Lifestyle Fair presented by Delta Sigma Pi and sponsored by MyHometownJobs.com will be held at the Owens Banquet Hall at Virginia Tech on April 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The purpose of the fair is to showcase local-only organizations offering professional opportunities to college students and all people who want to stay in the region for the summer or after graduation. Additionally, lifestyle organizations featuring "things to do", as well as, entrepreneurial organizations that provide assistance to individuals wanting to start businesses will also be present.

To further support this event, a recent study shows that nearly 75% of young adults under the age of 28 select location first, then find a job. That is why it is important to dispel the myth that there is nothing to do in the region and that there are no job opportunities. Quite the contrary.

Please come out to this event and tell others about it too.

For those of you who say there is nothing to do in the region…

Young@Art has an upcoming events you should attend. On Friday, April 13th: MacBeth at Opera Roanoke. Tickets are $40.50/each. For more info, on how you can attend these with other Y@A participants, email Sarah at sarahtune@dwt.com

First Friday’s will be having their first event of the season on Friday, April 13. For more info, email Molly at henry@dhfinc.com.

The Roanoke Jaycess has a plethora of activities planned for the next couple of months such as a Wine Tasting at Amhreins on Saturday afternoon, April 14 and a Mexican and Putt-Putt Night on Friday, April 27. For more info, email Melissa at meoefelein@verizon.net.

NewVa Connects is having its next monthly 535 mixer at Rancho Viejo on 419 near Tanglewood on Thursday, April 19 sponsored by Cox Communications.

Valley Forward is gearing up for their Gallop 4 the Greenways on May 12, 2007

at Elmwood Park from 5 pm – 8 pm. A 5k race and 1 mile run precedes the race party.

The long-awaited opening of 202 Market occurred this week. This unique venue offers something for everyone.

The City of Roanoke has created MyRetailRoanoke.com to assist with recruitment of retailers to the region. It is a viral web-based system to determine what you want to see in Roanoke. The site is now offering gift card incentives for your assistance. Nearly 3,000 registered users have voiced their preferences, have you?

On April 18 at Virginia Tech there will be a Roanoke and New River Valley Career and Lifestyle sponsored by MyHometownJobs.com from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more details, visit online and watch the video.

For continuous information on jobs in the region, submit a profile with the Roanoke Connect database. View a video of some success stories.

Get involved with one or more of these Young Professional Organizations in the region…

NewVa Connects 

Square Society 

Valley Forward 

Contemporaries 

Young @ Art 

Delta Sigma Theta 

Alpha Kappa Alpha
Roanoke Jaycees

The Roanoke Jaycees are another young adult group in the region that are making things happen (socially and professionally) for folks who are isolated and disconnected. For all those people who say there is nothing to do in Roanoke, then check out some of these events this organization has planned in the next couple of weeks. As their motto says, "Something for Everyone!". For more info, contact Melissa.

Planning Committee Social: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 6:00- We are meeting at the Jefferson Center in Suite 300- Come learn more with the Community Service Committee, Special Events Committee, Social or Professional Development Committee! We have projects on the books and need your help with planning!

There has been much publicity recently regarding social and cultural amenities for young professionals in the region. Today, marks the much anticipated opening of 202 Market.

The venue has a piano bar, stages for live music, two floors and a very appealing ambiance to younger professionals. Click here to view a video on the property.

Located on Campbell Ave in downtown Roanoke, it is located in the very popular Market area across the street from the Mill Mountain Coffee.

For those that move to larger cities for amenities such as these, you just might want to check this one out.

I received the following email from a reader of this blog regarding some of our efforts and the publicity surrounding those efforts. More viral marketing, like this, is needed to help us get closer to the tipping point where native sons and daughters can return home, young adults already in the region can stay, and college students will look at the region as a destination upon graduation. Thanks to this reader for spreading the word and doing his part.

"I have a story for you, I get together with all my friends from high school once a year for a golf outing – Pinehurst this year. There is a total of 12. I was under the impression through our correspondence they had submitted their resumes to the Roanoke Connect database. We have all commented that if Roanoke had the infrastructure to support us we would return. Many of their spouses are from this area or like the RV too. As I stated their biggest concern was lack of well paying jobs, most of them earn 6 figures + bonus in cities like NOVA, Stamford, CT, Atlanta, Charleston, SC, and Hampton Roads.

Since finding out this past month no one had signed up I have been forwarding them your blog and referring them to the newsletter. I believe the increased media attention,like the Roanoker, WDBJ7, RT, and other blogs that have picked up on your efforts, gives the database legitimacy and credit among those out of the RV. I am forwarding all of them the WDBJ7 news story and have also sent them a copy of the Roanoker articles from last month."