Pageant titles to be given Jan. 28

The Shenandoah Scholarship organization will award three titles on Saturday, Jan. 28 as nine young ladies compete for the honors of Miss Jefferson County, Miss Jefferson County Outstanding Teen and Miss Shenandoah Outstanding Teen.

Each participant in the Miss Jefferson County program will receive scholarship money. Thanks to many sponsors, in the past years, the Shenandoah Scholarship organization has awarded over $100,000 to help support local contestants’ educational goals.

Competing in this year’s competition will be Salena Jackson, from Harpers Ferry and Morgan Breedne, of Summit Point. Both are students at Washington High School. Joining them are Whitney Foster, Charles Town and Kyra Windle Kearneysville, both Jefferson High students. Lexi Openshaw, of Harpers Ferry, is a student at Wildwood Middle School. Additional competitors are Krysta Mayville, of Harpers Ferry, a student at Shepherd University and West Virginia University students Maggie Powers and Megan Hutson, both from Martinsburg and Makayla Lewis, from Bunker Hill.

Miss West Virginia, Spenser Wempe, will be on hand at the pageant event which takes place at Wright Denny Elementary School in Charles Town beginning at 7 p.m.

• Brain training being offered

Melissa Swartz, MA, LCPC a licensed professional counselor, is offering group and individual coaching at 121 W. German St. She recently received additional provider training led by Laurel Mellin, EBT founder as part of the Maryland EBT Research team in Hagerstown, Md. This team of providers contributed to the development of new EBT Basics: Wired for Freedom and conducted a Food Addiction study in fall 2011. Melissa has provided EBT groups for the past two years in the Washington County, Md., area as part of a grant-funded program addressing obesity in the county.

Since the brain favors familiarity over change, brain training continues to be most effective when done in a focused, intensive way and in a supportive environment. Have fun learning the tools to rewire your brain and get to the root of your lifestyle, anxiety, depression, food addiction/weight and health issues. Groups available for teens and adults.

Orientation sessions in Shepherdstown is on Monday, Jan. 30 from 7 to 8 p.m. and Feb. 13 from 2 to 3 p.m. For more information, see www.melissaswartz.com or call 304-676-0860.

Physician joins local practice

West Virginia University Hospitals-East recently announced that Venkata M. Mukkavilli, MD, psychiatrist, has joined Christopher Murphy, MD, and Antonio Garcia, MD, in practice at WVUH-East Behavioral Health.

Mukkavilli recently completed a residency in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his medical degree from MKCG Medical College in Berhampur, India and was a Senior House Officer in psychiatry at the University College London in the United Kingdom.

A member of the medical staff at City Hospital, Mukkavilli is now accepting new patients at WVUH-East Behavioral Health, located in the McCormack Center, Suite 3500, on the City Hospital campus. For more information or to make an appointment, phone 304-596-5780.

SU?to host alumni game

The Shepherd University women’s basketball team will host a pair of special events in early February. On Saturday, Feb. 4, the Rams will host their annual Alumni Game at 11 a.m. prior to doubleheader action against Concord.

On Monday, Feb. 6, the faculty at Shepherd will for honored on Faculty Night during the doubleheader against Seton Hill.

All alumni are invited to play in the 11 a.m. contest. They are also invited to watch the women’s game at 2 p.m. and join the team to watch the men’s game at 4 p.m. A social gathering will follow. For more information contact head coach Melanie Ford at mford@shepherd.edu or call 304-876-5029.

The Shepherd faculty will be recognized at halftime at both the men’s and women’s games.

Free throw-a-thon a success

The Shepherd University women’s basketball team recently hosted a successful Free Throw-A-Thon in December. The Rams raised over $2,000 for the Mustico family. The Mustico’s are friends of senior guard Melissa Furr.

The Mustico’s two sons have a degenerative brain disease called Adrenoleukodstrophy (ALD). The team had a Free Throw-A-Thon where each player found supporters to pledge money for each free throw made out of 100 attempts. More than $2,000 was raised to assist the Musticos with medical bills and basic living expenses.

The Rams would like to extend thanks to all who pledged for their generous donations.