Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Want to make a difference in your community, but there’s this thing called “life” that keeps life-ing? What I mean is, do you want to volunteer, but your daily schedule is so jam-packed it feels impossible? Microvolunteering might be just the thing for you.

Hadn’t heard of it before? Neither had I. But the premise is pretty cool—if you want to get involved, but can’t commit to a traditional schedule, microvolunteering offers an opportunity to put your talents and skills to good use to help other people in a timeframe that works for you.

If you’re interested, we’ve got the details in today’s lead story. I’m so glad you’re here.

P.S.—This is just a friendly reminder that Virginia’s primary elections will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. See who is on your ballot by viewing the candidate lists. Early in-person voting continues through Saturday, Aug. 1.

Amie Knowles

Newsletter Editor, Dogwood

Inspecting food donations in the Salem facility of Feeding Southwest Virginia is one example of microvolunteering in Virginia. (Salem-Roanoke Chamber of Commerce)

Microvolunteering in Virginia: What it is and how to do it

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: Microvolunteering gives those interested in giving back to their local communities a way to do so without sacrificing work and life priorities.

Places to help:

Welcoming volunteers seven days a week from before the museum opens until it closes, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts offers plenty of one-time opportunities. It tries to place volunteers based on their interests.
The Roanoke Diversity Center welcomes volunteers who feel they have something to contribute. Its volunteer registration form lets interested applicants share what they’re passionate about so the center can accurately match them with the right opportunities.
Help neighbors avoid hunger by volunteering at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. You’ll be joining the ranks of some 7,000 volunteers. All you have to do is complete a short registration process, then you can view upcoming opportunities through the VolunteerHub.

Want more ways to help? We’ve got more information on these and other volunteer opportunities at the link below.

Microvolunteering near you →

Amie Knowles poses with 24 cans of White Peach Red Bull. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

A small price to pay for sanity

By Amie Knowles

We’ve come to the time in our program where I find it appropriate to post a formal apology. I’m sorry for the person I was while awaiting my fresh shipment of 24 cans of Red Bull. The flavor? White Peach, which is tied at the top of my personal flavor profile with Blueberry.

Undercaffeinated Amie is an interesting being. The sweet Southern charm we’ve all come to know and expect turns spicy. Her snippy one-liners become dialogue to put back for snarky characters in her novels. It’s a different experience for all involved.

That’s where Amazon comes to the rescue. I think of it as the Pony Express bringing my version of a breakfast smoothie right to my doorstep. Did you know you can order 24 cans of this delicious elixir for about $35? That makes each delicious can of wonder only $1.45 each. And that’s a small price to pay for sanity.

Get yours here →

Earlier this week, we asked how your grocery costs have changed in the past year. I really enjoyed reading Anne A.’s response, who offered a unique perspective. She moved into a senior living community where she has dinner in a dining room every night. Now, her only grocery expenses are what she decides to make for breakfast. I love the ingenuity there!

For my household, it’s gone up a marginal amount per trip—but that definitely adds up over time. Back in April, I crunched the numbers for our household of three (two adults, one child) using online grocery pickup receipts from last spring and this spring. I placed a 40-item order on March 25, 2025 and paid $94.60. I added the same brands and portions of the items to my cart in April, and the total came to $99.77—granted, three items were no longer available for purchase, so the actual comparison would’ve been even higher.

So what’s $5.17? Well, we pick up groceries once a week. So 5.17×52 weeks is $268.84 in a year. That’s enough to pay our water bill for 25% of the year. Enough to buy 2 1/2 weeks worth of groceries. Or goodness forbid we treat ourselves to a speciality coffee once a week.

If these incremental increases are creeping up on you, too, I want to hear about it. Write to me at amie@couriernewsroom.com to tell me about the impact they’re having on you.

Share your take →

By Jonny Lupsha

The federal government hasn’t adopted a universal standard for measuring data center energy and water use.

Developing that standard would encourage transparency and let communities know how data centers will impact them.

US Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) just introduced a bill to do so.⁣

Check out the proposal →

☎️ Richmond officials say using AI for non-emergency calls has helped free up dispatchers to answer 911 calls more quickly. But callers aren’t told when they’re talking to artificial intelligence—and experts say that’s a transparency issue when people are seeking help from their local government.⁣ (See post)
💸 Virginia health insurance costs could jump by double digits. The proposed increases reflect a broader national trend: rising hospital prices, more expensive prescription drugs, and higher medical costs are driving insurance premiums up faster than workers’ pay. (See post)
⚡ Loudoun County families recently celebrated when the local school board unanimously rejected Dominion Energy’s plans to build disruptive transmission lines that would power even more data centers. However, the fight is not over, as the energy giant still expects to build the lines, despite requiring the board’s approval.⁣ (See post)

Would you share this newsletter with a friend?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Knowles. Amie is a lifelong Virginia resident and mom to a fantastic 8-year-old who loves Pokémon. This edition includes stories from Aila Boyd, Jonny Lupsha, and the breaking news team. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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