Deborah Beran's Blog

Smith Mountain Lake is a community quick to recognize and support national heroes. Later this month, the Freedom Alliance organization will host a “Salute to Our Heroes” retreat at SML. The program will give wounded servicemen an opportunity to participate in outdoor activities, sports and therap...

April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, and each year, Smith Mountain Lake locals hope they bring the lake water levels up as well. Though the area has had its share of springtime rain, the noticeably low water levels here are raising some concern. Several regional news outlets are provi...

This weekend, Smith Mountain Lake will welcome triathletes from around Virginia and several states beyond for the annual Appalachian Power Smith Mountain Lake sprint-distance triathlon. The event takes place in one of the state’s top parks, the Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston. It tak...

The Smith Mountain Lake area boasts high quality destinations in every category. Historic landmarks, pristine recreational locations and top notch golf courses are just a few local draws. Education and community centers are also abundant in the southwestern Virginia region surrounding the lake. O...

In our last post, we addressed home design that includes kid-friendly space for young children and grandchildren who will visit regularly. Teen aged children and grandchildren, however, are not to be left out. Though Smith Mountain Lake offers countless activities to engage teenagers, a private b...

Planning for the house and property you will retire at is often accompanied by more questions than you’ve ever had to face when choosing a home at other seasons of life. Retirees aren’t only planning around their own needs and desires, by this point in life they’re considering location, space and...

At Smith Mountain Lake, moving in, moving up or helping neighbors and friends move is a common activity. The community is attracting more new residents each year and those that have been here a while are completing dream homes or finding the perfect property to retire at. If you’re preparing for ...

Fishing is a favorite pastime of Smith Mountain Lake locals and visitors year-round, but spring is the beginning of serious angling season. Avid SML fishermen are drawn to the lake’s challenging waters to catch perch, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp and one fish species in particular - the...

Lake water has its own kind of seasonal weather pattern. As temperatures warm or cool in the spring or fall, lakes such as Smith Mountain Lake experience lake turnover. Southwestern Virginia is experiencing an early rise in temperatures this late winter/early spring, meaning the spring lake turno...

When you live on a recreational lake such as Smith Mountain Lake, a common concern is water pollution. Residents want to be sure they, their children, grandchildren, friends and pets are safe when swimming and sporting around the lake. This month, local publication Laker Magazine includes an arti...