Clifton Forge, VA (March 27, 2026)— The overcast of gray clouds daring to drench Alleghany County citizens with rainfall certainly didn't stop today's important ribbon-cutting event at 609 Church Street in Clifton Forge. At promptly 11:30 a.m. this morning, Executive Director for the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Josh Taylor, welcomed eager residents to the newly remodeled building that now occupies ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice.
Dr. Ralph Caldrony, one of today's speakers and the current President of the Board of Directors for ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice, provided a very moving speech at today's event that truly sums up the importance of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice. Caldrony stated, "I'm now 75 years old. I realize that my time on this earth is coming to an end. At present, I enjoy what I consider to be a good, physical capacity to function independently. I think I enjoy a good mental capacity to function independently, though my wife might differ with that," Caldrony joked.
"But I know there's going to be a point when I probably crossed the line where I have diminished quality of life, and then I will have to make the choice, 'Do I value most quality or quantity?' And if it's quality that you treasure most, then advanced care directives are appropriate and I have one strongly-worded for my kids, and I also have incorporated into those advanced care directives, that if the time comes, I want to be involved with hospice because they can help to provide the quality and dignity that I would want most at the end of my life."
Other speakers included Taylor, Erin Via, President Elect of the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism; Dale Burdette, Vice-Mayor of Clifton Forge; Susan Crowder, Councilwoman for the City of Covington; Courtney Howard, Member of the Board of Supervisors for Alleghany County; James Griffith, Government Representative for the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation; Tasha Walsh, CEO of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice; Autumn Anderson, Regional Director of Nursing; Teresa Hammond, Board Member of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice; and Dr. David Crandall. Food was provided by Mountain Field Market and Hawt Stuph. |  | Dr. Ralph Caldrony gave a moving speech today about the importance of end-of-life care.
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