One day after getting 65 percent of the Republican vote to win his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, former Gov. George Allen made a campaign stop at the Virginia Pork Festival in Emporia on Wednesday.

Allen, who is attempting to win back a seat in the Senate, stopped by the Newsoms Ruritans’ booth, where he downed seven pork loin chops.

“This alone is the worth the price of admission,” said the 60-year-old son of former NFL Coach George Allen.

Tickets were $32 for the all-you-can-eat-and-drink event at the Greensville Ruritan Club Grounds, where 43,000 pounds of pork is prepared and served annually.

Allen faces Democrat Tim Kaine, also a former Virginia governor, for the six-year term in the Senate.

In related festival matters,

Sherby Slaughter for the 10th year in row was the first to eat one of 4,000 pork chops prepared by the Newsoms Ruritans. The 72-year-old from Oxford, N.C., arrived at the booth 40 minutes prior to serving time.

“They’ve got the best in the country,” Slaughter said. “They know how to fix them.”

• Hospice needs volunteers. Anyone interested can take a class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at South Quay Baptist Church, 9617 South Quay Road in Suffolk.

Hospice volunteers care for terminally ill patients and their families. Volunteers visit patients when caregivers are unable to be there. Volunteers also make afghans, blankets and pillows, do administrative work, light housekeeping, meal preparation, mowing, and gardening, and provide bereavement.

To get started, contact Hospice Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Conran at dgconran@sentara.com or 757-553-3048.

• I will be overseeing the arts and crafts events for this year’s Franklin-Southampton County Fair, which runs Thursday, Aug. 9, through Saturday, Aug. 11.

I am working under the guidance of fair volunteer Ramona Rich of Drewryville, who told me I will need judges for woodworking, sewing, cooking, photography, and arts and crafts.

I’m looking for anyone who believes he or she has some expertise in these areas to judge entries on Wednesday, Aug. 8. I understand it takes the better part of the day, and the fair will provide lunch.

If interested, please call me at 708-1730.

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her email address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.