Every Friday we feature Valley history taken from our back issues.

Five years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:

Twenty-one agencies received much-needed cash at the United Way's annual general meeting.

In all, $107,000 was allocated to community groups.

"Smaller organizations like the Pregnancy Care Centre and Senior Peer Counselling are chronically under-funded, greatly needed and well-used in the Valley," United Way director Deb Dewar said.

While last year's campaign came up a few thousand dollars shy of the $160,000 target, cash-on-hand allowed the United Way to meet all approved funding requests. In 2004, the $152,000 goal was met.

Ten years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:

Local fastpitch player Rob McGiffin was named an alternate to the national junior team that would compete the at worlds in Sydney, Australia.

McGiffin, 17, is on the Team BC roster along with Campbell River pitcher Cam Knott. He was thrilled to receive the call from coach Mark Smith of Nova Scotia.

"It's a great honour to be named to the national team roster, and even though I'll only go to worlds if someone gets hurt or plays himself out, I'll be ready," McGiffin said.

An infielder last year in Victoria, McGiffin is signing south again, though he will try to play in the local men's league during the week.

Fifteen years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:

Mother Nature declared a long weekend, clogging roads, closing schools and blacking out much of the Valley.

Snow fell non-stop for nearly 24 hours, piling up the highest March snowfall in 33 years. When the last flakes fell at 1:30 p.m., the snowpack at the air base was 55.1 centimetres, topping the 37 cm record set in March 1962. In pre-metric measures, that is more than 21 inches of the white stuff.

Highway crews kept main roads clear, but rural side roads were clogged with drifted snow and abandoned cars.

Municipalities seemed like frozen ghost towns to the hardy few who trudged to work despite the snow, which caused schools to close and delays at provincial court.

Twenty years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:

Traffic was snarled, power failed and shovels were out as a foot of snow fell in three days. By this morning, weather staff at CFB Comox said 30 centimetres of snow had fallen.

Though it came as a surprise to some after a balmy spell in February, climate specialist Yves Wiseman said snow in March is not unusual.

"It's common at the beginning of March and usually falls off by the 15th," he said, reviewing records dating back 45 years.

Despite the predictability of snow in March, there were close to 20 accidents over the weekend. The worst was south of Fanny Bay where two pickups collided head on, blocking traffic for over an hour.