Fairfax: Promoting Native Plants
Volunteers plant 2,000 plants, 48 different species -- one-third grasses and two-thirds wild flowers.
Some 40 volunteers planted a pollinator meadow for two days last week on one acre of land adjacent to the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax.
Easter Egg Hunt in City of Fairfax
Thousands come out in search of Easter eggs at Van Dyke Park.
More than 4,500 people attended the eighth-annual City of Fairfax Easter Egg Hunt at Van Dyke Park and the Sherwood Community Center on Saturday, March 26.
Real Food for Kids' Culinary Challenge
11 teams of middle and high school students compete in school food competition.
Eleven teams of middle and high school students competed in the fourth annual Real Food for Kids' Culinary Challenge on Saturday, March 12 at Robinson Secondary School.
Burke Turkey Trot Raises $5,500 for Parkinson's Disease
About 500 people participated in the Turkey Trot 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Run for Parkinson's Disease on Thanksgiving Day at Burke Lake Park, raising $5,500 for the cause.
At Fair Trade Winds in Fairfax, They Sell International Handmade Products
The Gift of Fair Trade
At Fair Trade Winds, which features international products at 10420 North Street in the City of Fairfax, the store is basically 100 percent fair trade.
At Fair Trade Winds in Fairfax, They Sell International Handmade Products
The Gift of Fair Trade
At Fair Trade Winds, which features international products at 10420 North Street in the City of Fairfax, the store is basically 100 percent fair trade.
Fairfax County: K-9 Krawl 5K Walk a Success
Some 315 people participated in the ninth annual K-9 Krawl 5K Walk on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax.
Fairfax: Family Sports Challenge Benefits ODB's Backpack Program
In spite of the morning rain, a Family Sports Challenge was held Saturday, July 18 at Van Dyck Park in the City of Fairfax to benefit Our Daily Bread's Collect for Kids Back to School Program.
Ride of the Patriots in Fairfax
Thousands take part in Rolling Thunder motorcycle ride at Patriot Harley-Davidson in Fairfax.
The 17th Annual Ride of the Patriots attracted as many as 4,000 motorcyclists and local dignitaries over Memorial Day Weekend on Sunday, May 24 at Patriot Harley-Davidson in Fairfax.
Fairfax County Police Honor Volunteers
Men and women gave 53,630 hours of volunteer time to police force.
The Fairfax County Police Department held its Volunteer Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 15, at the Fairfax County Government Center, honoring men and women who gave a total of 53,630 hours of volunteer time to the county.
Saturday T-Ball Anyone?
Hotrods play the Grasshoppers in Little League Baseball as part of ANSLL.
It was the perfect spring day for a game of T-Ball between the Hotrods and the Grasshoppers at Howery Field # 2 in Annandale last Saturday morning in a match hosted by the Annandale-North Springfield Little League (ANSLL).
Diverse Camps Offer Summer Fun
Northern Virginia has scores of local camps for summer learning and fun.
Scores of local camps in Northern Virginia that offer many opportunities for summer fun and learning. Here is a sampling of diverse camps that range from art to theater to field trips to swimming, tennis and music. There's even a camp for aspiring musicians who want to form a band.
Creative Aging Festival Coming in May
Includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.
A Creative Aging Festival will take place throughout the month of May at 100-plus local venues in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria. The month-long festival includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.
Cameron's Chocolates Has Scrumptious Gifts
Store in Fairfax Circle Shopping Center employs people with intellectual disabilities.
Looking for holiday gift ideas of hand-dipped chocolates and fresh-baked-from-scratch muffins, try Cameron's Coffee and Chocolates located in the Fairfax Circle Shopping Center. Owners Jim and Ellen Graham of McLean named their store, which opened Oct. 1, 2013, after their daughter Cameron, 24, who has intellectual disabilities.
Gift-Giving Made Easy at Judy Ryan of Fairfax
For fine apparel, home accents, and gift ideas that are already pre-mixed and matched for you, look no further than Judy Ryan of Fairfax in the Twinbrooke Shopping Center off Braddock Road. Located in the same Fairfax location for 26 years, Ryan makes 10 annual trips to New York City to find the hottest runway looks but tailors them to the tastes of Fairfax County women.
Cappies Awarded for High School Theater
The 15th Annual Cappies Awards Gala for high school theater was held Sunday, June 8 at The Kennedy Center. Nine Cappies went to West Potomac High School for “Spamalot,” including the coveted Best Musical award. The Best Play award went to Langley High School for “The Children’s Hour.” The Cappies’ show season extended from October 2013 to May 2014, and Cappies shows were attended, on average, by 45 student critics. This year’s event included 58 public and private high schools from Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Montgomery and Prince William counties, the cities of Falls Church, Alexandria and Manassas, and Washington, D.C. The event was hosted by Judy Bowns, Janie Strauss and Ed Monk.
In Harmony With Celebration Singers
Springfield show choir has been going strong 40 years.
The all-volunteer Celebration Singers performed their final holiday concert of the year on Sunday, Dec. 15 at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Springfield. The group started at Springfield Methodist Church in the 1960s by the name of the Wesleyan Singers. Some of the ladies have been singing together for 40-plus years. And through the years, membership has reached 66 people, but has since dwindled to 18.
A Taste of Braddock Holiday Party
Hundreds attend party hosted by Braddock District Supervisor John C. Cook.
Hundreds of people came out for the Annual Taste of Braddock Holiday Party on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Braddock Hall in the Kings Park Library. Supervisor John C. Cook and his staff greeted guests who dined on food donated by Braddock-area businesses. Free food was provided by Café Rio, Milano’s, Hunan West, Wegmans, Smith & Clarkson’s, Aladdin's Eatery, among others.
Firehouse Subs Gives Gift
City of Fairfax Fire Station 403 receives forcible entry equipment.
Firehouse Subs on Main Street in Fair City Mall donated fire equipment to the City of Fairfax Fire Station 403 on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Finding Childcare Providers
Fairfax-based Infant Toddler Family Day Care turns 30.
The Infant Toddler Family Day Care Program of Fairfax helps parents find the best possible childcare provider in the area. It currently serves 360 children, and celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Oct. 13, with a dinner at the Fairfax Marriott.
Complete the Circle Oct. 27
Our Daily Bread hosting food and toiletries collections, community event.
Our Daily Bread in Fairfax is hosting its third-annual “Complete the Circle” food-collection campaign and community event on Sunday, Oct. 27 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Fairfax High School practice field.
Offering Special Needs Training
Christ Presbyterian Church holds autism workshops for lay people on Oct. 18-19.
Christ Presbyterian Church is offering a free Special Needs Ministry Training Workshop Oct. 18-19, for Sunday School teachers, lay people, and volunteers who minister to children and youth with autism and other conditions. It features presentations from local ministry leaders, DVDs by experts, and training in classroom management. The workshops are at 12410 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax. “The goal is to bring awareness to the unique opportunity people have in ministering to families of special needs,” said Pastor Geoff McLean, 40. “We’re looking to build a cadre of folks to support each other in this kind of ministry.” McLean said a lot of people come to church and they find it an unwelcoming place if they have special needs. And because most folks are going through their own individual struggles, he wants to bring them together to be resources for each other. “So if they have an issue, they can talk to others and find ways to connect,” he said.
Senior Volunteers Stay Active
Fifty percent of Mount Vernon RECenter’s volunteers are senior citizens.
The Mount Vernon RECenter is known for its ice skating rink, massive indoor swimming pool and fitness center with spa and sauna. It has 46 volunteers who help greet guests, clean up the fitness room, landscape the grounds and assist people with adapted swimming and ice-skating. Exactly half of them are retired senior citizens over 50 who want to stay active while giving back to the community.
Fairfax Library’s Book Sale a Success
The City of Fairfax Regional Library’s book sale was a huge success last Friday through Sunday. Its Children’s Book Sale the previous weekend was the best in the last three sales. On Friday, 1,600 people attended.
Mosby Woods Elementary Turns 50
School holds two-day celebration with family picnic, fun and games.
Mosby Woods Elementary School celebrated its 50th anniversary last Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26 and 27 in Fairfax. The PTA-sponsored event featured a family picnic, time capsule, and fun and games.
FPYC Cross Country Holds Competition
About 246 children ages 5-16 took part in the FPYC Cross Country Race on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22, at Daniels Run Elementary School in Fairfax. As part of National Running Day on Friday, cross country clubs from Bethesda, SYA in Centreville, St. Rita’s in Arlington and the Dale City Track Club joined in the competition. Runners received ribbons and badges in the following categories: 6-U is a 1K, 7-8 is a 2K, 9-10 is a 3K, 11-12 is a 3K, 13-14 is a 4K, and 15-Plus is a 5K. The FPYC Club holds the Peter Banks Invitational, in honor of the program founder, and competes each weekend through Nov. 3; the post-season extends until Dec. 14. The long-term director is Gary Sidor, who along with head coach Dennis Harrison, have been key to the program’s success for years. Some of the FPYC’s alumni includes Macey Schweikert of Robinson; Luke Sharkey of Robinson; Alex McGuire of Woodson and Lauren Berman of Robinson. The next race is Oct. 6 from 1:30-4 p.m. at Van Dyke Park in Fairfax.
Gros To Lead Glasgow Middle School
Doctoral candidate to mentor most ethnically diverse school in Alexandria.
On July 1, Penny Gros, 43, of Burke was named the new principal of Glasgow Middle School, an ethnically diverse school in Alexandria. It’s the best fit for the Spanish-speaking doctoral candidate in her 19th year in education. “This school is a perfect fit for my background, experience and passions,” she said. As a true melting pot, Glasgow Middle has 1551 students enrolled who were born in 65 different countries and speak 57 languages — Urdu, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, among others. The school demographics are: 46 percent Hispanic, 24 percent White, 15 percent Asian, 11 percent Black, 31 percent ESOL. There are 16 percent of students in the Level 4/Advanced Academics program and 10 percent in the AVID program. And 75 percent of the students are on the free/reduced lunch program. In terms of student counts, Glasgow has 579 in sixth grade, 480 in seventh grade and 492 in eighth grade.
Chess Champ Wins by Strategy
At the age of 9, Fair Lakes Crossing resident is ranked 4th nationally.
At the age of 9, Aasa Dommalapati, a fourth-grader at Greenbriar West Elementary, competed against the top chess players in Brazil and Canada during the summer months. She is currently ranked fourth nationally in the girls U-9 category.
Insiders’ Tips: What are some of the best things about living here?
Interviews conducted on Friday, Aug. 16 at The Virginian senior living community along Route 50 in Fairfax.
“Since I lived by Wolf Trap, years ago, they used to have fireworks on July 4th. Living here in the Virginian, it’s convenient to stores and shopping centers. There are many activities at The Virginian—it’s your choice. Every day there’s something going on—exercise, Bingo, Bridge, card games and entertainment at night.”
‘Collect for Kids’ Needs Donations
Deadline for collecting school backpacks and calculators is Aug. 12.
Our Daily Bread in the City of Fairfax is trying to increase its capacity to collect school supplies to help 2,000 students by partnering for the third year with the “Collect for Kids” Back-to-School program. That’s 1,217 more than last year’s 783 number of students who benefited. The deadline for cash donations, backpacks and scientific calculators is Aug. 12. “We’ve already purchased the supplies; we’re hoping to get the cash donations,” said Our Daily Bread Executive Director Lisa Whetzel. “If they can give us cash, we buy supplies in bulk.” A $30 donation will help two students with school supplies.
Salata Named Ravensworth Principal
Roxanne Salata, 41, has a motto she likes to use: People first and paper second.
Film Fest Showcases Local Filmmakers
Clifton Film Fest held under the stars at Workhouse Arts Center.
Hundreds of people turned out for the fifth annual Clifton Film Fest under the stars, complete with a “Red Carpet,” at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton Saturday. It’s the only local, community-wide film festival that’s not in D.C.
A Brush With Kindness in Burke
Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia repairs John McAuslan’s property.
John McAuslan, 81, of the Lake Braddock community in Burke is a widower with a heart condition and a bad back. Semi-retired from his own pest control business, he lives on Raintree Road with his daughter Leanne but is unable to maintain his home and property.
Celebrating in Style
47th annual Independence Day Parade held in Fairfax.
The City of Fairfax held its 47th annual Independence Day Celebration in historic downtown on July 4th. Among this year’s entries were eight high school marching bands from as far west as Nebraska and Minnesota. This year’s Grand Marshall was the Hon. Quin S. Elson, a long-time community activist and Fairfax Police Youth Club volunteer.
FACETS Holds Academic Achievement Party
Some 32 youth honored for getting A’s and B’s on report cards.
FACETS held an Academic Achievement Party last Thursday, June 27, at Old Town Hall in Fairfax City to honor 32 youth who earned A’s and B’s on their report cards and for the 13 students who graduated from high school, 12 of whom are moving on to higher education. After a potluck dinner, Mike Collins from Rep. Gerry Connolly’s office (D-11th) distributed awards and goodie bags.
SkateFest Raises $11,500 for Children’s Hospital
Skateboarders from all over compete in Sk8 for a Cause.
Some 250 skateboarders from as far away as Missouri and Pennsylvania traveled to Wakefield Skate Park in Annandale Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, to compete in the seventh Annual SkateFest—Sk8 for a Cause, which raised $11,500 for Children’s National Medical Center in the district.
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