Cynthia Gray was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but moved to Roanoke at the age of five and never left. Her early years were filled with hiking and biking adventures as well as many family picnics at Carvins Cove, activities that instilled in her a lifelong passion and respect for Southwest Virginia and its natural world. A longtime member of the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke, Cynthia was instrumental in developing the civic group’s pollinator garden at Centennial Playground. Located in the Melrose neighborhood, the garden provides butterflies, bees, and insects a habitat of beautiful plants to encourage their vital contribution to a healthy ecosystem. A graduate of Virginia Western Community College and James Madison University, Cynthia had a long and distinguished career in journalism, advertising, and fundraising. Her work in public broadcasting included both Blue Ridge PBS television and public radio WVTF and Radio IQ. Now retired, Cynthia is a member of the Cardinal News community advisory committee and remains active in Kiwanis community activities. She devotes her downtime to keeping her Jack Russel terrier from digging in her backyard garden