The following press release is currently on wires to more than 17,500 outlets in support of the World Premiere of LAKE EFFECTS filmed at Smith Mountain Lake, Va., a Hallmark Movie Channel Original starring Jane Seymour, Scottie Thompson, Madeline Zima, Jeff Fahey, Ben Savage, Evan Podell, Sean Patrick Flanery and Casper Van Dien, Sunday, May 6 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7c. 

Beginning Friday, April 13^th,  ESPNs, Carhartt East Super Regional, the official Collegiate B.A.S.S. fishing tournament comes to Smith Mountain Lake’s Bridgewater Plaza.  Scheduled to bring in over 150 college teams from Louisiana to Maryland to compete, this tournament top prize a coveted spot in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic.  Created in 2006, Tournament Director Hank Weldon said that they only had 20 teams.  Now over 200 teams from all over the country participate.  Already on the line up for Smith Mountain Lake are ten teams from Virginia Tech, eight teams from Radford plus many more from as far away as Texas and Alabama and regionally like West Virginia.  This event will be filmed and televised on ESPNU to over 73 million households.    Launches and weigh ins will take place at Bridgewater Plaza.  Launch times are scheduled for 7:00 a.m. with weigh ins taking place starting at 3:00 p.m.  Come early because parking will be limited. FREE Shuttle services provided by T-N-T and the “Cool Bus” on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Park at the Trinity Ecumenical Parish – 40 Lakemont Drive, Moneta VA 24121.

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If you have been hoping for some excitement at Smith Mountain Lake this spring, you will not be disappointed! Here are just a few of the great activities you might want to participate in during the month of April.

Buy a raffle ticket for your chance to win a $5000 package, including 1 week’s vacation rental, 7 day Pontoon Boat Rental, local shopping packages and more, to “Experience SML”. Ticket are $5 each, or 3 for $10! Tickets will be sold at the SML Visitor’s Center, area events and various outlets around SML. Drawing July 5, 2012 (1 in 1500 chance to win).

THE ROCKY MOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS, in The Grainery Art Gallery building, 220 Franklin St., Rocky Mount, offers art lessons for adults and children. Classes open for pottery, stained glass, painting and weaving.  Come and browse beautiful arts and crafts by local artists.  Enjoy watching live glass blowing demonstrations. www.rockymountarts.org. 540-483-1317.

Saturday, April 14 - 100 Year Anniversary Titanic Event - Chateau Morrisette invites you to an elegant event aboard the ill-fated Titanic.Dine extravagantly on five courses and wine as our re-enactors animate a momentous evening’s final hours.6:30 p.m. Advance reservations only, $95 per person, includes tax and gratuity.540.593.2865, thedogs.com.

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Finally a premiere date on the movie we have all been waiting to see, “Lake Effects”! This movie is based on the life of one of it’s producers (Sara Elizabeth Timmins) and filmed on location here in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Mark your calendars and don’t miss the first showing on May 6, 2012. (Hallmark has changed the premiere date just in case the date showing here conflicts with what you may have already seen.)

You can hardly live at Smith Mountain Lake without realizing it’s claim to fame in the fishing arena….especially bass fishing. Coming up in April is an even you won’t want to miss if you follow fins. For the second year in a row, over 120 College teams from Texas to New York will come to SML to compete for a chance to go to the Bassmaster Classic. Virginia Tech alone has over 10 teams and is a past national champion.

Mercury College B.A.S.S., the premier college circuit of tournament anglers, has announced its schedule and locations for the 2012 season. The circuit will cover regions that allow every style of angler to showcase his or her skills on the water.

Unless you own a boat you will need a trustworthy boat rental company in order to fully enjoy Smith Mountain Lake this up-coming season. I think Bridgewater Marina is one of the best you could choose.

Last year, my son, Jonathon, turned 18.  It was of course, a big day for him, and we wanted to do something special for him as a family. Something unique that he wouldn’t forget. We considered renting a houseboat but decided that wouldn’t be as fast or fun. We thought about Sea Doos, but we wanted to stay together as a family all day.

I called my friend, Roy Enslow at Bridgewater Marina. Roy set our family up with just the perfect boat and spent the time we needed to feel comfortable with it.  And we ended up having an incredibly perfect and memorable day together!

We had a great time touring the lake, and even found a new island we’d never been to. I could go on and on, but I can do better. Here is a video of our family out on the lake that day.

I always recommend Bridgewater to our clients without any hesitation. Not only are they very conveniently located  on the lake (right at Hales Ford Bridge), but they have the best service I have experienced so far. They really seem to care about their client’s needs and safety. They were kind to my children and they made sure we really understood everything about the boat.

If you want to create your own special day on the lake, call Roy and his excellent staff at (540) 721-1639 or visit them online at www.BWMarina.com. Tell them Paul Moore sent you.

Have you seen the great new Smith Mountain Lake license plates yet? The SML Chamber is very close to completing the collection of 350 minimum applications for the new 2012 SML license plate.

You can get your own SML license plate by contacting the SML Chamber office at 540-721-1203 or emailing them at annette@visitsmithmountainlake.com. You can also visit the SML CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and complete the DMV/SML Chamber application and return it with a check made out to “SMLRCC” in the amount of $10 (mailing address below).

Completing the application is easy. All you will need is:

Vehicle Identification number
Vehicle registration number
Check made out to: SMLRCC in the amount of $10.00.
(Bring by or mail your application and $10 check to the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, 16430 Booker T. Washington Highway, Moneta, VA 24121.)

It’s a shame we can’t grow coconuts at Smith Mountain Lake, as they have been getting more and more press about their incredible healing properties. There is a tremendous amount of research out regarding the health benefits of coconut oil that are well worth reading.

At one time it was thought that the saturated fats found in foods such as coconuts were detrimental to the health. But new information shows that unrefined, cold-pressed, raw, extra virgin, unbleached, undeodorized coconut oil (basically all natural and unprocessed) is nothing if not downright medicinal. If you have not heard about using coconut oil for thyroid function, weight loss, memory and brain function, etc. take a look at this article on Natural News.

Also, Dr. Joseph Mercola says it may be surprising for many of us to learn that the naturally occurring saturated fat in coconut oil is actually good for you and provides a number of profound health benefits, such as:

• Improving your heart health.
• Boosting your thyroid.
• Increasing your metabolism.
• Promoting a lean body and weight loss if needed.
• Supporting your immune system.
And when topically applied to skin it has been found to have anti-aging, regenerative effects.

Do a little google search on the benefits of coconut oil and you will be amazed at the press this fruit is getting. Look on YouTube and you will find interviews with doctors and other people using coconut oil for alzheimers, etc. Take a look at this beneficial nut, you may find something wonderful!

Owners of small businesses at Smith Mountain Lake will appreciate the Free Tax Tip Seminar coming up this week. It is an amazing opportunity to learn the kind of information that is often only known by professional tax preparers.

Ken Copeland, Director of Economic Development for Longwood University will be available to answer your questions and engage in discussion about recent tax changes and tips on regulations that will affect small businesses. This could be some of the most significant information you will have access to for your business.

The tax seminar will be held on Thursday, February 16th from 3pm to 5pm  at Westlake Library (Route 122 – next to Kroger). If you would like to register online click here.