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Fairfax Connection ❖ May 18-24, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Chris Brunoin Old TownFairfax, withMain Streetbehind him.

Chris Brunoin Old TownFairfax, withMain Streetbehind him.Earth Day Art Show in Fairfax

News, Page 10

Eating Pancakes HelpsChildren with CancerNews, Page 3

Earth Day Art Show in FairfaxNews, Page 10

Eating Pancakes HelpsChildren with CancerNews, Page 3

‘Small-Town Feel;Big-City Services’

News, Page 3

‘Small-Town Feel;Big-City Services’

News, Page 3

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NewsFairfax Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

After nearly a year as the City ofFairfax’s economic developmentdirector, Chris Bruno is optimistic about the future. Praising the

city’s many assets, he said what it needs todo now is capitalize on them.

“One of my favorite parts of this job ispeople’s willingness to tell me what theywant here in this community and help usput the pieces together,” he said. “We wantFairfax to be a destination – and it natu-rally is, because we’re in the middle of ev-erything.”

Born in New York, Bruno and his parentsmoved to Virginia when he was a middle-schooler, settling in Mosby Woods, wherethey still live. Bruno graduated from PaulVI High in 2002 and spent his freshman yearof college at the University of Scranton inPennsylvania.

He transferred to New York’s FordhamUniversity for his last three years, receiv-ing a bachelor’s degree in history and, in2007, a master’s in political science. Then

he worked as a paralegal in the ManhattanDistrict Attorney’s Office, including partici-pating in financial-fraud investigations atthe New York Mercantile Exchange.

While there, Bruno realized he wantedto attend law school, so he enrolled in theNew York Law School in Tribeca, focusingon intellectual-properties cases and obtain-ing his law degree. He then became direc-tor of Avenue NYC, a unit of the New YorkCity Department of Small Business Services,where he was involved in the commercialrevitalization of the city.

“I started the week before HurricaneSandy; so almost immediately, we weretasked with rebuilding the business com-munities in the hardest-hit neighborhoodsin New York,” he said. “They includedRockaway Beach, Queens and the SouthStreet Seaport in Manhattan.”

AFTER ABOUT A YEAR, Bruno becamethe agency counsel for the Department ofSmall Business Services, working with CityHall and other departments within the city— including New York City’s 73 business-improvement districts. And, he said, “A lot

of the ideas I have for Fairfax come frommy experience there.”

So why leave New York for a much smallerjurisdiction? “I’d visit my parents in Fairfaxand see what was going on, and I liked it,”

said Bruno. “I was attracted to then-MayorSilverthorne’s vision for the city and startedtalking with City Manager Bob Sisson.”

“I realized there’s so much opportunityhere, plus a lot of enthusiasm for projectsand support on the City Council and withincity government,” he continued. “Fairfax isalso dedicated to maintaining an insanelyhigh level of city services. And I think thecity manager and city government havedone an incredibly wonderful job, over theyears, operating the government efficientlyand maintaining the quality of life our citi-zens have come to expect.”

And regardless of whatever challengeshave come its way, said Bruno, the city hasalways functioned at a “respectively highlevel. It’s visible, and it’s why I want to workhere – because this city cares deeply aboutits residents and businesses. There’s also anadded level of flexibility and an eagernessto work with people that you don’t neces-sarily find in larger jurisdictions.”

He became Fairfax’s economic develop-ment director in May 2016. “Overall, myjob is to create excitement surrounding thebusiness opportunities that exist here in thecity,” he said. “And we’ve done a number of

Economic Development Director Chris Bruno’s vision for Fairfax.

‘Small-Town Feel; Big-City Services’

Photo by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection

Chris Bruno standing at the inter-section of Main Street and Univer-sity Drive.

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

In 2013, teacher Jay Coakley startedEllie’s Hats to cheer up one of hisstudents, a then-5-year-old named

Ellie, who’d been diagnosed with leuke-mia. When she lost her hair from hertreatments, she wore hats to school ev-ery day, so Coakley organized a hat driveto get her more.

Realizing he could bring similar joy toother young, cancer patients — and alsoraise awareness about the disease — hefounded the nonprofit Ellie’s Hats. Andthis Saturday, May 20, from 8-11 a.m.,the second annual Ellie’s Hats PancakeBreakfast fundraiser will be held atAmerican Legion Post 177, 3939 Oak St.in the City of Fairfax.

An extensive breakfast-buffet menuwill be offered, including a pancake barwith toppings such as whipped cream,chocolate chips, blueberries and straw-berries. Attendees may also chow downon eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy, French toast,fruit, juice and coffee. Cost is $15,adults; $5, children; $35, family. Tick-ets are going fast, but still may be pur-

blanket, card games, crayons, markers,hand lotion, socks, tissues, sketch books,and note cards and envelopes.

The Sons of the American Legion aredonating their time and efforts to pre-pare Saturday’s breakfast. The eventwill also feature a silent auction andraffle with a variety of items, such asrestaurant gift cards, sports memora-bilia and certificates for jewelry and cardetailing.

Attendees may also vie to win: A fam-ily fun day at Rebounderz trampolinepark; Stella & Dot necklaces; day passesto any Fairfax County Rec Center; giftcards from Big Bad Pit BBQ, CaptainPell’s, IHOP, Massage Envy, Shear JoyHair Design and Rescue Me cleaning; aBeachbody fitness basket; one-hourpasses to Mommy Co. time out; NFLgear; a princess basket; girl’s dress andleggings from Lularue; autographed,Washington Capitals hockey pucks andhats; a “Survivor”-themed basket; Wash-ington Redskins items; Nerium skin-careproducts; Hadley & Hudson woodensigns; an Ellie’s Hat set for a girl and herdoll; and artwork by Ellie, herself.

This year’s main sponsors are MystekSystems, Jim McKay Chevrolet, All StateAgency Owners, and Mike and ChristineAngles. For more information aboutEllie’s Hats, go to ellieshats.org.

Photo by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection

The Prentice siblings (from left) Luke, Emma and Connor, enjoy them-selves at last year’s pancake breakfast.

Fundraiser for Ellie’s Hats is this Saturday, May 20.

chased at ellieshats.org.One of the event’s organizers, Brian

Drummond, is hoping for a good turnoutbecause “This is an important cause. Pedi-atric-cancer research is underfunded, andwe’re doing what we can on a local basis toalleviate the stress on families of childrenwith cancer.”

The proceeds will enable Ellie’s Hats to

continue collecting and donating hats tochildren with cancer, as well as help finan-cially support their families and the hospi-tals, such as Inova Children’s Hospital, thattreat pediatric cancer patients. Besides con-tributing money to that hospital for theirtreatment, Ellie’s Hats provides newly ad-mitted, young cancer patients there withHero Bags including: A tote bag, sweatshirt

Eating Pancakes Helps Children with Cancer

See City, Page 7


Week in Fairfax

See Week, Page 13

Farmers MarketsAre Open

The Downtown Fairfax Coalition Commu-nity Farmers Market will be held Saturdays,from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., now through Oct.28. The Sunday Farmers Market will be heldfrom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., now through Oct.29. Both markets are at 10500 Page Ave.,at the corner of West and Main streets inthe City of Fairfax. Information:www.fairfaxsaturdaymarket.com or call703-430-6164.

Enjoy AntiqueCar Show May 20

View antique cars — and see a FordModel-T rebuilt in 15 minutes — at theAntique Car Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.May 20 at 10455 Armstrong Street (in frontof City Hall). The show is presented byNorthern Virginia Regional Group of theEarly Ford V-8 Club and the city. Informa-tion: 703-273-6097 or www.nvrg.org.

Plan Van Dyck Park’sFuture at May 18Workshop

The Parks and Recreation Department haslaunched the Van Dyck Park Master Plan tohelp plan the future of this park. Attend a

workshop at 7:30 p.m. May 18 at the StacyC. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 OldLee Highway. Look for outreach sessionsconducted at city special events, or attenda session organized by civic associations.Information: 703-385-7858 atwww.fairfaxva.gov/VanDyck50.

Bike to Work DayMay 19; Pit Stop inOld Town Square

Bike to work on May 19 — and stop bythe city’s pit stop in Old Town Square, whichwill be open from 6-9 a.m. that day. Infor-mation: 703-385-7805. Pre-register to beeligible for a free t-shirt and raffles:www.biketoworkmetrodc.org.

Rock the BlockStarts May 26

Rock the Block returns to the City ofFairfax on Friday, May 26, with musicalentertainment by The Darby Brothers. Theevent goes from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Old TownSquare, 3999 University Drive, and includesthis live band, a beer garden, the splash padand city restaurant vendor booths. Bringsmlawn chairs. Rock the Block will happenon the fourth Friday of the month throughOctober.


News

The League of Women Voters of theFairfax Area held its annual meeting on April 23 in Fairfax. Cameron

Sasnett, General Registrar, Fairfax County’sOffice of Elections, gave the keynote speechtitled “What’s Next in Elections? Bridging21st Century Technology with DemocraticPrinciples.”

His office is working on making improve-ments to the voter registration process bythe use of technology, so all citizens canparticipate in voting during elections. Theoffice serves all residents including seniorcitizens, baby boomers, and millennials.There are 74.4 million millennials and 75.9million baby boomers.

While many have grown up using paperregistration forms and ballots, themillennials have grown up using technol-ogy. In 2020 for the first time, millennialswill be eligible to run for President of thecountry. The new generation of voters canbe reached through Facebook, Twitter, and

Snapchat. Although voters can use an ac-count-based login to manage and updatehis or her information, Sasnett predicts thatit will take several decades before the coun-try will move to a completely virtual, onlinevoting system. In the meantime, photo iden-tifications from the Department of MotorVehicles are keeping the lines moving dur-ing elections because they can be scanned.His office is also working to scan importantpaper records because these types of recordscurrently occupy a space that is the size oftwo ballrooms.

In addition to listening to the keynoteaddress, the attendees elected the follow-ing as officers for 2017 -2019: Judy Helein,co-president, and Betty Ellerbee, secretary.The following were elected as directors:Peggy Knight (at large); Carol Bursik, mem-bership; Adarsh Trehan, public relations;Sidney Johnson, voter services coordinator;and Bob Meredith, voter registration coor-dinator. Wendy Fox-Grage will serve as co-president. If interested in reading moreabout The League of Women Voters of theFairfax Area (LWVFA) or joining, visit:www.lwv-fairfax.org. The LWVFA is a non-partisan political organization, that encour-ages informed and active participation ingovernment, works to increase understand-ing of major public policy issues, and influ-ences public policy through education andadvocacy. It does not support or oppose anypolitical party or candidate.

What’s Next in Elections?Sasnett delivers key-note address at theLeague of WomenVoters of the FairfaxArea annual meeting.


Opinion

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

Last week without provocation a woman in thecheck-out line at a localgrocery store told an-

other customer — a Muslimwoman — “I wish they didn’t letyou in the country.” In the ex-change that was recorded on acamera phone, the woman towhom the remark was directed ex-plained that she had been born in the UnitedStates. Rather than leave it at that, the firstwoman went on saying, “Obama’s not in of-fice anymore; you don’t have a Muslim in thereanymore. He’s gone — he may be in jail in thefuture.”

I realize that there are more people than Iwould like to acknowledge that have strongprejudices against others because of their race,religion, ethnicity or other reason. It contin-ues to shock me when I see the ugliness of theexpression of such prejudices as the recordingof this event provided. As the woman to whom

the remarks were directed pointedout, it’s abnormal to start a con-versation like that with someoneyou do not know. There really issomething wrong with people whoare so blinded by their prejudicesthat they feel compelled to lash outat a person who has done them nowrong. The comments reflect adeep-seated hatred that comes outfor reasons only a mental health

expert could help discover.What is particularly troubling these days is

the blurring of the line between political con-victions and prejudice toward individuals. Inour deeply divided political landscape, too of-ten political views become opportunities todemonize people who hold different views.Unfortunately talk radio, social media andsome cable news shows tend to invite this de-structive phenomenon.

In addition to the repulsiveness I feel aboutthe hateful comments, I was also saddened thatsocial media and news accounts described the

scene as a store in Reston, Va. I know from alot of personal experience the amount of ef-fort that so many people have made over theyears to ensure that Reston is an open, wel-coming and inclusive community. While I un-derstand why the store did nothing to addressthe situation, I wish somehow there had beena disclaimer on the video: The woman speak-ing does not represent the views of the peopleof Reston.

The situation reminds us that building com-munity is not a one-time occurrence, a work-shop, or a feel-good session. Building a com-munity of respect and love is an ongoing pro-cess that we work at a little every day. We greetthose we meet; we hug each other; we attendeach other’s houses of worship; we show re-spect to others; we speak out against hate andprejudices; we listen to each other. We useappropriate channels to discuss political views,and whether in person or online we stick tothe issues and don’t resort to personal attacks.

A display of hateful and ugly prejudice aswe have just witnessed must bring us togetherin mutual support and respect as we wantReston and every other community to display.

The Ugliness of PrejudiceCommentary

By Mollie Regan

The lead-in for the FairfaxCounty Public Schools(FCPS) Proposed FY 2018

Budget states the following: “TheFCPS FY 2018 (2017-18 schoolyear) budget reflects the schoolsystem’s priorities. It’s also a com-munications tool that informs par-ents, staff members, students, andcommunity members about ourvalues and goals.“

If that is true, then why is FCPSproposing to balance its FY18 bud-get by increasing class sizes by 0.5students in all elementary, middleand high schools?

Large class sizes have a negativeimpact on students’ ability to learnand succeed, and on teachers’ abil-ity to teach. Large classes burn outgood teachers and affect teacherdecisions about whether to con-tinue working at a school. Everytime a good teacher leaves theemploy of FCPS, we forfeit ourinvestment in hiring and trainingthat person.

In many recent meetings aboutteacher compensation, the SchoolBoard has expressed concernsabout teacher attrition. In FCPS,we lose about 40 percent of ourteachers in their first five years ofemployment, and we lose manymore teachers after their fifth year.Class size is cited — both in FCPSand in a national study — as a topfactor in teachers’ decisions toleave the school district.

At this critical time when we al-ready suffer from teacher short-ages and large class sizes, FCPSshould not be considering addi-tional class size increases as ameans to save $14.7 million. Thereare alternatives that could betteraddress the FY18 budget gap.Some alternatives actually reduceexpenses. Others just change bud-get assumptions.

For example, the School Boardcould cut $15 million of other ex-penses with the understandingthat in July, it would use the“found money” from the year-endFY 2017 budget review to restorethose programs. This is exactlywhat the board did about six yearsago, when Jack Dale was the FCPSsuperintendent.

Alternatively, FCPS could find$14.7 million by using more real-istic assumptions about employeeattrition. Every year, FCPS pre-pares its budget using unrealisti-cally low attrition assumptions,which in turn consistently produceabout $30 million/year of “foundmoney” from higher-than-pro-jected teacher attrition during thebudget reviews.

Of course, if FCPS made a sus-tained commitment to reasonableclass sizes, it could arguably avoidincreasing the costs associatedwith that teacher attrition. Imag-ine the cost savings from retain-ing our teachers. What additional

innovations could be used to re-duce the expense of endlessly re-staffing our classrooms and train-ing a new workforce?

The FCPS Strategic Plan, “Ig-nite,” affirms its commitment tostudent success and a caring cul-ture. Seeing “Ignite” in actionwould mean that our School Boardrepresentatives resolve the FCPSfinancial shortfall without againbalancing its budget on the backsof our teachers and students.

Class Size Counts created an

online petition asking the SchoolBoard not to increase elementary,middle and high school class sizesby 0.5 students across the boardas part of the FY 2018 budget.Please sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/fairfax-county-public-schools-join-class-size-counts-to-oppose-the-core-academic-class-sizes-in-fcps andjoin in the advocacy.

Mollie Regan is Vienna residentand a Class Size Matters advocate.

FCPS to Propose Increases in Class SizesCommentary

To the Editor:Dear Members of the Press: We

need you now more than ever.Republican Congressmen JasonChaffetz and Devin Nunes quittheir positions as chairmen of Con-gressional committees rather thanhave to investigate General Flynn,the Russian interference with ournational elections, and the Russianinvolvement with the Trump ad-ministration.

President Trump has fired NewYork’s U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara,Attorney General Sally Yates and FBIDirector James Comey, when theyeach turned up their investigatoryheat. The American public is beinggiven various explanations by vari-ous members of the Trump admin-istration as to what’s going on. We

need you now more than ever.Vice President Pence advocates

for all of President Trump’s ac-tions.

Attorney General Sessions re-fuses to recuse himself. The pros-pect for an Independent prosecu-tor is tenuous. I hope the SenateIntelligence Committee staysstrong. But we need you now morethan ever.

The President may call younames. He may call you “fakenews” or “the enemy of thepeople.” But he can’t fire you.Thank goodness for the FirstAmendment. We need you nowmore than ever. Don’t let us down.

Barbara GlakasHerndon

Letters to the Editor

Press Needed More Than Ever

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From Page 3

things to bring a fresh energy toward moving thecity forward.”

Bruno stressed, however, that Fairfax wasn’t in abad position when he arrived. “It just needed a newperspective,” he said. Some of the changes he’s mak-ing are cosmetic to make the downtown buildingsmore attractive. For example, the property owner ofDe Clieu Coffee & Sandwiches is getting a façade-improvement grant to spruce up the exterior.

And the end of March, in Old Town Hall, the city’sEconomic Development Office and Economic Devel-opment Authority jointly hosted Piranha Tank. Simi-lar to the TV show, “Shark Tank,” it connected inno-vators and entrepreneurs with investors and accessto capital to potentially fund new business ventures.

“Events like that show there’s a desire for a vibrantbusiness community, and these are the elements weneed to continue to highlight,” said Bruno. “The long-range goal is that property owners, real-estate bro-kers and small-business owners will see these thingsand realize Fairfax really is a great place to open abusiness and to live.”

Basically, he said, “We have the second-lowest, resi-dential tax rate in the region and a low tax rate ingeneral — and we have to shine a light on it. Wereally are the center of this region; we just have tocapitalize on it. We offer a small-town feel with big-city services and a real sense of unique, neighbor-hood connectivity.”

“There’s a real epicenter of community, commerceand activity in the city,” continued Bruno. “And we’regoing to highlight our economic-development com-ponent during the city’s events, such as Rock theBlock. For example, we’ll have Rock the Block after

Dark. Businesses will stay open later and providediscounts and tours, and restaurants will offer mealsat a discount. Or a business might offer its parkinglot for outdoor movies. All these things are ways ofshowing people there’s value to spending time hereand enjoying themselves, instead of driving to [Wash-ington,] D.C.”

EQUALLY IMPORTANT, he said, is retaining anarchitect to conceptualize what underutilized prop-erties could potentially become. “It’s an incentive forbusiness and property owners,” said Bruno. “It’s thecity going the extra mile to say, ‘We care about yoursuccess and we’re going to do what we can to helpyou.’ Right now, we’re looking at 10426 Main St.,next to Victoria’s Cakery.”

GMU also figures significantly in the city’s futuredevelopment plans. “GMU is our strongest partner,”said Bruno. “It’s enthusiastic and willing to engagewith us, and we’re making a priority of attractingthe kinds of businesses that will make the studentscome here for good, clean fun. And we want them tolive here, as well. We’re a college town and we needto start identifying ourselves as such.”

Any business owners or property developers inter-ested in setting up shop in Fairfax may reach him [email protected] and he said he’ll behappy to speak with them. Current city residents andbusiness owners are also welcome to tell him theirsuggestions or complaints or just have a conversa-tion.

“I want to be the most accessible person in my of-fice,” said Bruno. “And if I don’t know the answer tosomeone’s question, I’ll put them in touch with theperson who does.”

City Going the Extra Mile

By John C. Cook

Supervisor (R-Braddock District)

Summer is almost here, and we see our kidsgrowing up, graduating grade levels, andperhaps moving on to college for the nextchapter of their lives. We should also use

these summer months as an opportunity to gatherwith friends and family and foster a greater sense ofcommunity. Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth ofJuly, and pretty much any other summer weekendare synonymous with grilling, fireworks, and familyand neighborhood fun. As someone who loves a nicesteak or burger on a summer evening, I know justhow important these activities are. Along with theincreased heat, however, comes an increased risk ofaccidental fires. As chair of the Board of Supervi-sors’ Public Safety Committee, I urge you to take ap-propriate precautions when grilling or using ap-proved fireworks. Doing so can prevent serious in-jury, and even save a life.

Make sure to place your grill at least 15 feet awayfrom any home, building, or other combustibles toensure adequate air circulation and contained flames.Propane bottles should be kept away from the house(in a shed if you have one), as even empty tankspresent a risk of fire. If you have a balcony on yourapartment or condo, don’t use a gas or charcoal grillon it. Doing so is against the law. Most importantly,do not place hot ashes in paper or plastic containers.Even if you do not see any embers, they could still

be lurking within a pile of ash.While summer just wouldn’t be the same without

fireworks, make sure you follow the law when usingthem, and adhere to important safety tips. Remem-ber, any firework which explodes, emits a flame orsparks higher than 12 feet, or acts as a projectile, isprohibited by Fairfax County. Keep in mind that manypeople in the county are injured every year due tofireworks, and some are so seriously injured they areleft with permanent damage. When using legal fire-works, place them on a flat surface, clear of any com-bustible material and clear of all buildings. Be sureto keep all bystanders at least 25 feet away from thefireworks, and read the directions provided. Do notpermit young children to handle or light fireworks.Light them one at a time, and do not throw them.

Sparklers account for the majority of firework-re-lated injuries. Young children should not use themas they can attain a temperature as high as 1800degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, ensure fireworks arestored in a cool, dry place. Remember, there are manypublic fireworks displays that are often very enjoy-able and safe.

Having fun during the summer is important, butso is safety. As your neighbor and Braddock Districtsupervisor, I ask you not to allow your holiday week-end or other enjoyable event turn into a tragedy. Takethe time to follow proper safety precautions whenboth grilling and using fireworks, and you can helpprevent an unwanted visit from the County’s Fire &Rescue Department.

Wishing Everyone a Happy, Fun, andSafe Summer

Commentary


News

See Helping, Page 9

By Mike Salmon

The Connection

Fairfax resident Angel Meza is 71 yearsold, has three jobs, and needs to re-pair his Fairfax house so his 25-year-

old daughter and her four children will havea healthy and safe place to live. His house,purchased 41 years ago for $89,000, wasin need of major repairs before this canhappen, so in stepped the Fairfax County

Department of Family Services, Keller Will-iams Tysons Teams and local volunteers toget the job done.

“All my kids grew up here, that’s why Iwant to stay here,” Meza said. “I didn’t askfor help, they came to me,” he said.

Keller Williams agent Monique Miluckyled her team they called the Keller WilliamsCulture Committee on their company REDDay, May 11, Renewing-Energizing andDonating. According to the company, REDDay, introduced in 2009, takes place on thesecond Thursday of every May, where asso-ciates celebrate Keller Williams Realty’s ViceChairman of the Board Mo Anderson’s birth-day by spending the day away from theirbusinesses serving worthy organizationsand causes in their communities. “We also

Monique Milucky, left, Campbell Keyser and Nicky Johnson wereinstrumental on RED Day.

RED Team Comes tothe Rescue in Fairfax

Masks were worn because of potential mold in the house.

Home repair effortwas part giving back,part teamwork for alocal group.

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News

The rain wasn’t helping.

From Page 8

Helping in Fairfaxdo fundraising events, some are donatingtime and supplies,” she said.

THE TEAM ripped out the carpet upstairs,fixed water damage downstairs, rebuilt thebathrooms, walls and kitchen to help Mezaout. It was pouring down rain when she lefther house in the morning, but the missionoutweighed everything. “I just knew we hadto keep going, I was thankful most peopleshowed up despite the rain,” she said.

Nicky Johnson is an agent from KellerWilliams and one of the people that broughtthis house to the county’s attention. Up-stairs, Johnson was making sure they didn’tmiss anything. “The biggest project is thebasement, we need to clean the bathroomand laundry room,” she told the group.

Downstairs, Meza’s house had major wa-ter damage from a pipe that broke near thehot water heater, and water sat on the floordownstairs and seeped into the woodworkand wall board. Eventually he had to moveout because the conditions were so bad andhe could not fix it. At one point “squatters”broke in and spray painted obscenities onthe wall too.

Mike Coyne, president of Coyne’s HomeImprovement, showed up to help and ana-lyzed the water damage with Arlene Mains,another Keller Williams agent. “I feel likewe should cut that out,” Coyne said, point-ing to the moldy wall board.

Upstairs, crews were ripping out the car-pet, taking out the bathroom fixtures andpreparing the walls for painting. Art Barlettawas with Michael & Sons, a local bathroomand kitchen reconstruction company thatdonated some of the materials and man-power that included a special needs toiletfor one of Meza’s grandchildren that isphysically challenged. “We’re here to moveand install the toilets and vanities, and lendan extra hand,” he said. There were also

contributions and volunteers from Move-ment Mortgage, Universal Title, PropertyManagement Advisors, 123 Junk, Pest Now,Colonial Flooring, Triple B and ReliableHauling.

THE COUNTY become aware of Meza’ssituation as they helped his daughter andchildren move towards becoming self-suf-ficient, said Krissa Slone, the Fairfax Countydirector of Volunteer and Partner Services.

The county Volunteer and Partner Ser-vices Program engages volunteers andbuilds partnerships to support families withchildren who are at risk of abuse, neglector placed in foster care or with relatives.The program builds volunteer capacity inthe division, implements programs, and di-rects activities that promote positive rela-tionships within the community. The car-pet went in the next day, and by Saturday,several family members moved back intothe house. Termite damage was discovered,so that is being worked on so the remain-ing family members can move in beforeMemorial Day.

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New bathroom cabinetsdonated by Michael &Sons were part of the

reconstruction.


News

The 7th annual Earth Day Art Show was held April 25 in the Fairfax City Hall Annex.

Earth Day Art Show in FairfaxAshley Chavez, Providence Elementary, grade 2 Oliver Chapin, Daniels Run Elementary, grade 4

Kourtney Pratt, Daniels Run, grade 4Nathan Doan, Lanier Middle, grade 7Ann Marie Seybold, Providence, grade 6

Jonathan Choque, Daniels Run, grade 4Piper Rodgers, Daniels Run, grade 6Sofia Hersi, Daniels Run, grade 4

Photos by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection


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By Marilyn Campbell

During the month of May, Na-tional Water Safety Month,water safety educators arewaging a month-long cam-

paign to educate the public about respon-sible water practices before the start of sum-mer. The campaign is designed to help pre-vent drowning and water-related illness andinjuries.

“The most important tip from swim ex-perts [is] to have your child in perpetualswim lessons,” said Gina Bewersdorf, whoowns Goldfish Swim School in Reston.“Situations will always arise in which weor our children are around water, [like] ata friend’s pool party, vacation near a lake,or a boating trip, so learning the necessaryskills to stay safe is vital. It only takes a sec-ond for a child or adult to unsuspectinglyfall into a body of water.”

Constant adult supervision is the first andbest way to prevent accidents in and aroundwater, says Lisa S. Grepps, director, Mar-keting & Communications, The Associationof Pool & Spa Professionals in Alexandria.She also recommends additional safeguardsto help prevent children from gaining un-supervised access to a pool or spa or to warnof a child’s presence. “But don’t get lulled

into a false sense of security with barriersand other devices as they are just backupsto the primary means of accident preven-tion which is constant adult supervision,”said Grepps.

Keeping a cell phone nearby to make acall to 911 in case of an emergency andavoiding swimming at the first sign of badweather are two tips that Ann Thompsonof Ann’s Aquatics in Bethesda offers to herstudents and their parents. “I tell parentsthat certain flotation devices are great, butthey are in no way a replacement for re-sponsible adult supervision,” she said. “Andthe supervision should be undistracted.

Don’t get lost in a conversation or a phonecall and divert attention away from yourchildren, not even for a second. If you leavethe pool area, no matter how brief the pe-riod of time, take the children with you.”

In addition to learning to swim,Bewersdorf recommends making sure thatchildren are taught water safety skills aswell as how to perform CPR on both adultsand children. “We recommend a child en-roll in swim lessons as early as possible[and] year round, not just during thewarmer months. Persistent swim lessons areproven to be incredibly beneficial in orderto keep these life-saving skills sharp” she

said. “We offer classes as young as fourmonths old in which the parents are con-stantly with their infants. This gets the childused to simply being in and around waterand they learn simple safety skills.”

When choosing a pool, check for an on-duty lifeguard. In cases where a lifeguardis not available, look for accessible safetyequipment such as a rescue ring or pole.

“We want people to have a safe and funtime swimming and that’s why [we] issuepermits to all public pool facilities and rou-tinely inspect them to ensure they are be-ing operated in a safe and healthy manner,in accordance with Fairfax County Code,”said Martin A. Thompson, EnvironmentalHealth supervisor for Fairfax County. “It’salso important that swimmers take steps tomaximize the health benefits of swimmingwhile minimizing the risk of injury or ill-ness to themselves and others.”

Thompson advises adhering to othersafety guidelines from the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention (CDC) whichinclude looking to see if the drain at thebottom of the deep end is visible, stayingout of the pool if you have diarrhea, cover-ing any open wounds with waterproof ban-dages, showering before entering the pooland only using flotation devices that areCoast Guard approved.

Water Safety Month designed to educatepublic in advance of summer swimming.Safety in the Water

Learn to swim no matterthe age. This is one of thebest ways to be safer inand around the water.

Photo courtesy of

Goldfish Swim School


Calendar

Send notes to the Connection atconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/ orcall 703-778-9416. The deadline is theFriday prior to the next paper’s publica-tion at noon. Dated announcementsshould be submitted at least two weeksprior to the event.

ONGOINGStorytime in the Park. Tuesdays

through May 30, 10:30 a.m. at OldTown Square. Fairfax. Visitfairfaxva.gov/parksrec or call 703-385-7858.

Senior Line Dancing 1-2 p.m. LittleRIver Glen Senior Center 4001Barker Court, Fairfax. Line Dancing isa gentle, social form of aerobicactivity. Studies have shown it aids inwarding off Alzheimer’s disease. Noprevious experience needed. Cost: $5per 8 week [email protected] 703-524-3739

Fairfax Pets on Wheels NewVolunteer Orientation FirstWednesday of each month. 7:30-9p.m. 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax. Anorientation for new volunteersinterested in visiting residents ofnursing homes and assisted livingfacilities with their approved petsthrough the Fairfax Pets On Wheelsprogram is held the first Wednesdayof every month starting at 7:30 p.m.Visit www.fpow.org for each month’slocation. Prior to attending, pleasecomplete the online applicationfound at www.fpow.org/volunteer.Please do NOT bring pets to thisorientation. Also, see weather policyfor possible cancellations.www.fpow.org, 703-324-5424 [email protected].

Carolina Shag. Wednesdays. 6:30-10p.m. Arlington/Fairfax Elks Lodge,8421 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax. Freelessons at 7:30 p.m. No partnersneeded. Dinner menu. $8. Under 21free. nvshag.org.

FUN-Exercise Thursdays, noon-12:50p.m. Grace Presbyterian ChurchFamily Room, 7434 Bath St.,Springfield. Inova certified exerciseinstructor leads a moderate levelexercise class with music and currentevents conversation. Muscle, Balance,Strength Training using stretch bandsand weights both standing andseated exercises. Instructor donationis $5. [email protected] or 703-499-6133.

Exercise Program Mondays andFridays at 9:30 a.m. year-round atLord of Life Lutheran Church, 5114Twinbrook Rd. Fairfax. The exercisesare for strength, balance andmaintaining limberness. ContactSCFB office at 703-426-2824 formore information.

Cafe Ivrit (Hebrew Cafe).Wednesdays. 8:15-9:15 a.m. JewishCommunity Center of NorthernVirginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike,

Fairfax. Shalom (hello) Did youalways want to converse in Hebrew?Join Na’ama each week forconversational Hebrew. You willlearn and practice Hebrew in a funand interactive way while learningmore about Israel. Free, however weask that you try to attend regularly.RSVP [email protected].

Smoke Free Bingo. 7 p.m. EveryFriday. Fairfax Volunteer FireDepartment, 4081 University Drive,Fairfax. Free coffee, entertainingcallers, $1,000 jackpot (with breaksfor smoking friends).www.fairfaxvd.com. 703-273-3638.

English Conversation Groupsweekly at George Mason, BurkeCentre, and Lorton Libraries Practiceand improve your English. Day andstart times vary. Visit:va.evanced.info/fairfaxcounty/lib/eventcalendar.asp

Stories From Strawberry Park 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays in Mosaic,Strawberry Park, 2910 District Ave.,Fairfax. Enjoy a live interactiveperformance each week. For ages 10and under. Held outside inStrawberry Park. In inclementweather and October through April,storytime will be held in AngelikaFilm Center. Visit www.fxva.com/listing/mosaic-district/2326/.

Funday Monday 10:30 a.m., everyMonday at Old Town Hall, 3999University Drive, Fairfax. There willbe music, movement, storytelling,performances, crafts, and more. It isopen to children of all ages, howeverespecially for those who haven’t yetstarted school. Programs are free andopen to the public, donations aregratefully appreciated. There isample free parking in the downtownarea, and stroller access at the rear ofOld Town Hall on Main St. 703-385-7858 www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts

Kingstowne Farmers Marketopens. 4-7 p.m. every Fridaythrough Oct. 27, at Kingstowne GiantParking Lot, 5870 KingstowneCenter, Alexandria. Freshly picked,producer-only vegetables and fruit,from-scratch bread (including glutenfree), baked goods, kettle corn, salsa,hummus, cake pops, fruit popsicles,and ice cream. [email protected] call 703-642-0128 for more.

THURSDAY/MAY 18Clifton Homes Tour. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

at the Clifton Presbyterian Church,12748 Richards Lane. CliftonCommunity Woman’s Club presentsannual tour of homes in Clifton andFairfax Station. Silent Auction andMarketplace at Clifton PresbyterianChurch. Proceeds donated to localscholarships and charities. $25 inadvance, $30 day of tour, free tosilent auction. Visitwww.cliftoncwc.org for more.

Fashion Show and Luncheon. noon-

2 p.m. at the Church of the GoodShepherd, 9350 Braddock Road,Burke. Proceeds to support supportthe Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke. $30. Visit www.scfbva.org formore.

Burke Historical Society. 7 p.m. atthe Sherwood Center, 3740 Old LeeHwy, Fairfax. The evening willfeature Cindy Bennett speaking on“Camp Alger and a Local Epidemic.”In 1898, Camp Alger’s poorsanitation led to typhoid and adisastrous relocation march. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/events/ or call 703-256-3800.

The Fabulous Hubcaps. 7:30-11 p.m.at the ELKS 2188 Lodge, 8421Arlington Boulevard, Fairfax. Oldiesrock band. $45 in advance (or $50 atthe door). Visit www.thehubcaps.comor www.elks2188.org for more.

FRIDAY/MAY 19Bike to Work Day 2017. Registration

— now open — is free and open toanyone who commutes in the region,from first timers to daily cyclists. Allregistrants will be entered in aregional bicycle raffle, and the first16,000 to register and attend willreceive a free t-shirt at one of morethan 85 pit-stops throughoutNorthern Virginia. Participants canregister online atwww.biketoworkmetrodc.org. EmailMegan Goodman [email protected], or call 202-962-3209 for more.

Family Movie and Dinner Night. 6-8 p.m. at the Sydenstricker UnitedMethodist Church, 8508 Hooes Road,Springfield. Hawaiian luau andwatch the Disney film “Moana.” Free.Call 703-451-8223 or visitsydenstrickerumc.org/movienight.

SATURDAY/MAY 20Antique Car Show. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at

City Hall, 10455 Armstrong St. Theshow is presented by NorthernVirginia Regional Group of the EarlyFord V-8 Club and the city. Call 703-273-6097 or visit nvrg.org for more.

Hope and Health Festival. 11 a.m.-2p.m. at Lorton Park, 9518 RichmondHighway, Lorton. Free healthscreenings, food, inflatables,children’s games and activities will beavailable to all in attendance.Visitwww.lortonaction.org for more.

Map and Compass Reading. 11a.m.-noon at Burke Lake Park, 7315Ox Road, Fairfax Station. MarkChapin, the founder of theMountaineer Wilderness outdoorprogram in Virginia and WestVirginia, an Air Force veteran andgraduate of the Wilderness SurvivalSchool and Sea Survival School willbe sharing his knowledge with teensand adults. $10. Call 703-323-6600or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/ for more.

While most studentswill be headinghome or on vaca-

tion to celebrate the end of theschool year, six students fromGeorge Mason University willbe volunteering their time togive back to the world throughdance. In collaboration withMovement Exchange, an orga-nization that unites dance andservice globally, these individu-als will be attending their long-awaited trip to Panama thisMay 28 through June 4.

This is George MasonUniversity’s second time toPanama with Movement Ex-change and during this inter-national dance exchange, par-ticipants will be taking andteaching classes with dancemajors at the University ofPanama, taking a variety ofclasses from professional Pana-manian dancers, and providingfree dance education to chil-dren at Aldea SOS Orphanagein Panama City and MalamboOrphanage in Arraijain.

George Mason UniversityStudents provide accessibledance education to underservedpopulations at home and abroad.

Serving throughDance this Summer

McKenna Karnes and Beth Whelan after their classesat Aldea SOS Orphanage in Panama City. Six studentsfrom George Mason will be providing dance work-shops for the students at this orphanage at the endof this month.

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News

On May 11, The VirginiaChamber of Commerceawarded Del. Eileen

Filler-Corn (D-41), the Excellencein Education & Workforce Devel-opment Award for her efforts toimprove workforce development.Filler-Corn was one of threeDemocratic members of the Houseof Delegates to be honored by thelargest pro-business advocacy or-ganization, Thursday night inRichmond at the Chamber’s 93rd

Annual Dinner and 2017 Legisla-tive Awards Reception.

“Del. Eileen Filler-Corn spon-sored bipartisan legislation thatwill help address Virginia’s mostcritical workforce-readinessneeds,” said Barry DuVal, presi-dent and CEO of the VirginiaChamber of Commerce. “We arepleased to recognize her with theExcellence in Education andWorkforce Development Award forher leadership in improving careerand technical education in Virginiahigh schools.”

Filler-Corn has both introducedor co-patroned key bipartisan leg-islation focused on improvingworkforce development for manyyears and this year was no differ-ent. She introduced bipartisan leg-

islation this session (backed by theChamber of Commerce) thatwould have changed the way theCommonwealth looks at accredi-tation by including industry careertechnical education credits. Shealso introduced a resolution thatwould have studied experientiallearning and workforce develop-ment opportunities for high schoolstudents in high-demand fields.

“I am grateful to Virginia Cham-ber of Commerce for honoring mewith the Excellence in Educationand Workforce DevelopmentAward,” said Filler-Corn. “Educa-tion and workforce developmentare always key priorities for me. Iwas proud to introduce legislationthis year that focuses on workforcedevelopment, specifically prepar-ing our high school students forthe workforce. This is an area Icare deeply about as I also serveas Chair of Jobs for Virginia Gradu-ates, a statewide program whichhelps Virginia’s at-risk studentsgraduate high school and transi-tion from school to work,” sheadded. Filler-Corn hopes to con-tinue to work on legislation thatfully prepares Virginia students forthe workforce in the coming 2018session.

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce awarded Del. EileenFiller-Corn (D-41), the Excellence in Education &Workforce Development Award.

Filler-Corn Receives Excellence in Educa-tion & Workforce Development Award

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Week in Fairfax

From Page 4

Memorial DayCeremony May 29

The public is invited to a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday,May 29, at 10:30 a.m. at the City Hall portico, 10455 ArmstrongSt. The event is hosted by American Legion Post 177 and Veter-ans of Foreign Wars Post 8469.


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We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN’S WATCHES,

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY,

FURNITURE, PAINTINGS AND CLOCKS.

Schefer Antiques703-241-0790

[email protected]

An expert is someone

who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be

made in his subject and how to avoid them.

-Werner Heisenberg

ClassifiedTo Advertise in This Paper, Call by Monday 11:00 am 703-778-9411

WWW.CONNECTIONNEWSPAPERS.COM

Announcements Announcements


KILL ROACHES-GUARANTEED! Buy Harris Roach Tablets.

Hardware Stores, The Home

Depot, homedepot.com

Announcements

PHILLIPS Programs invites contractors to submit sealed bids for providing

food service for its sites that participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture

and proposals may be obtained at the address below beginning on May 22, 2017

from 8:30 am until June 05, 2017 at 4:00 pm.

Proposals presented in duplicate will be received by PHILLIPS Programs, 7010 Braddock Road, Annandale VA 22003, Attn: Julie Lien until June 23, 2017 at

4:00 pm for the period of August 15, 2017 through August 14, 2018 inclusive.

June 26, 2017 at 9:00 am with award to be made on or about July 3, 2017 at

9:00 am. PHILLIPS Programs reserves the right to check all outside references.

PHILLIPS Programs reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and

to waive any informalities in proposals received. All awards are made pending

Maryland State Department of Education review for USDA regulatory compliance.

PHILLIPS PROGRAMSNotice of Request for Proposals for Food Service


PROJECT MANAGER- RK&K, LLP seeks a Proj-ect Manager in Fairfax, VA to Provide oversight of project and major task assignments including preparation and monitoring of scope, budget, and schedule. BS & 15 yrs or MS & 10 yrs. For

full req’s and to apply visit: http://www.rkk.com/[rkk.com] Job Reference Number: PMFAXV17

Employment

Employment Employment

News

The Sons of The American Revolution (SAR),Colonel William Grayson Chapter, recentlypresented their Public Safety Commendation

awards to two members of Fairfax County Fire andRescue.Bill Collier, SAR Public Safety Committee Chair,

Photos courtesy of Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department

Bill Collier, SAR Public Safety Committee Chair, presents awards to Master TechnicianJoel Kobersteen and Technician Eric Provow.

Sons of The American Revolution Honor Firefightersstopped by Fire Station 40, Fairfax Center, to presentMaster Technician Joel Kobersteen (Fire Station 40/B-Shift) with the Fire Safety Commendation. He alsopresented Technician Eric Provow (Fire Station 21,Fair Oaks, B-Shift) with the Emergency Medical Ser-vices Award.


Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIEFor those of you unfamiliar with my column:

in Burke, Springfield, Fairfax, FairfaxStation/Clifton/Lorton, Mount Vernon andAlexandria, welcome aboard the Kenny train. Ihave been writing a weekly column forConnection Newspapers since December 1997appearing primarily in our “Tuesday papers,” aswe call them: Vienna/Oakton, McLean, GreatFalls, Reston, Oak Hill/Herndon, Arlington,Chantilly, Centre View and Potomac. The ques-tion has persisted among friends and family: Kenhe continue to, as my older brother Richardjokes, “churn out this dribble?” Apparently so, ifthe last 19 and half years are any indication.

Back in the day when I first had to character-ize my column for various local yearly PressAssociation editorial contests (of which I havewon nearly a dozen awards), I would write “Ever-ything in general about nothing in particular.” Agreat friend of mine, Edward Faine, himself anaccomplished author — of children’s and jazzbooks, and a small press publisher as well, hasdescribed my columns as “Thoughtful humor andinsightful commentary.” Perhaps between thesetwo quotes you’ll get a sense of what you’re likelyto get from my weekly wondering.

And so it continued until June 2009. That’swhen I published my first column about a diag-nostic process which had been ongoing sinceNew Years Day which ultimately lead to a lungcancer diagnosis delivered to “Team Lourie” onFeb. 27, 2009 (you bet you remember the date).That column, entitled “Dying to Find Out, SortOf,” chronicled the process, excruciating as itwas/is that one often endures attempting to deter-mine the cause of a medical problem; in mycase, a pain in my left-side rib cage which a dayor so later, migrated to my right-side and eventu-ally took my breath away — almost literally, espe-cially when inhaling and/or bending over. Thisdifficulty forced me off the couch and into my carfor a drive over to the Emergency Room. Oncethe diagnosis was confirmed, I wrote another col-umn entitled “Dying to Tell You, Sort Of” whichdetailed the findings of the nearly eight weeks theprocess took to specify my diagnosis: stage IV,non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Out of theblue, I had become “terminal,” as my oncologistdescribed me, and given a “13 month to two-year” prognosis to boot. Surreal, which is a com-mon description offered by many in similar situa-tions, is how one feels after receiving news of thiskind, and only begins to tell the tale of thechange and evolution in the individual’s life livingforward into treatment and subsequently beyondinto the great unknown.

This ‘great unknown’ is mostly what I havewritten about and published ever since; “cancercolumns” (original I know) is what I call them.Occasionally, I will write a non-cancer column,one a month or so, depending on my experi-ences. These columns will address non-cancerissues of the day, ranging from the sublime to theridiculous. Most recently topics have included themovie “The Exorcist:’ “Exercising a Demon,” pay-ing for things with a credit card: “Credit theCard,” reacting to advertising for grass seed andriding mowers: “And So It Begins,” and buying inbulk: “Bulky Boy,” but never/well, almost neverdo I write about my wife, Dina; I have beenwarned.

Though the recurring theme of these columnsis cancer, the content is rarely morbid or dare Isay, self-indulgent, believe it or not. I try to makefun a very “unfun” set of circumstances. I’m stillwriting about life; now however, it’s life in thecancer lane, a road unlike any I had ever traveledbefore. Nevertheless, I’ve gotten through eightyears and nearly three months of it relatively inci-dent free, save for a week in the hospital threeand a half years ago. And yes, I am still undergo-ing treatment.

I hope you readers will be semi amused at theslings and arrows of outrageous misfortune uponwhich my columns are based. Please know: thesignificance of their content is not that it is mewriting them, it is that cancer is being writtenabout.

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Send notes to the Connection atconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/ or call 703-778-9416. The deadline for submissions is the Fridayprior to publication. Dated announcements should besubmitted at least two weeks prior to the event.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDShepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke serves

those 50 and older who no longer drive.Volunteer drivers are needed for trips(Monday-Friday) to medical appointments andcompanion shopping within the Fairfax/Burkearea. Office workers are needed to answerphones in the SCFB office (Monday-Friday) tomatch drivers and those who need rides. Call703-323-4788.

TUESDAY/MAY 9Dementia Caregivers Support Group. noon-

1:30 p.m. at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church,5114 Twinbrook Road, Fairfax. Sponsored bythe Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke. Thegroup is for those caring for someone withdementia or interested in learning more aboutproviding caregiving to a person with a disorderthat affects memory and cognition and mayimpact behavior and physical abilities. Beforeattending, contact the facilitator, EileenThompson at 703-451-8626 [email protected].

THURSDAY/MAY 11Fairfax 50+ Employment Expo. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

at Fair Oaks Marriott Hotel, 11787 Lee JacksonMemorial Highway, Fairfax. Jewish Council forthe Aging, Fairfax County and AARP aresponsoring the event. The event is free and noregistration is necessary. Go towww.accessjca.org/programs/senior-employment/.

SATURDAY/MAY 13Yard Sale. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. King of Kings Lutheran

Church and Preschool, 4025 Kings Way, Fairfax.All proceeds will support Youth Missions. Call703-378-7272 for more.

MONDAY/MAY 15Homework and Study Strategies. 11 a.m.-

noon at PEATC, 8003 Forbes Place, Suite 310,Springfield. In person and webinar options.Topics to be covered include how to helpchildren get organized and manage time andvarious strategies to be used for specifichomework difficulties. Register to attend:www.eventbrite.com/e/peatc-parent-coffee-and-presentation-with-remotewebinar-viewing-tickets-31717825871. Webinar: zoom.us/webinar/register/80b22ca516ff533366858a512be5123a.

WEDNESDAY/MAY 17Legal Considerations for Caregiving. 1 p.m.

at Insight Memory Care Center, 3953 PenderDrive, Suite 100, Fairfax. An elder law attorneywill lead this discussion on legal needs to betaken care of such as powers of attorney, willsand estates, guardianships, and trusts. ContactChristi Clark, [email protected], orcall 703-204-4664 for more.

THURSDAY/MAY 18Van Dyck Park Workshop. 7:30 p.m. at the

Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 OldLee Highway. The Parks and RecreationDepartment has launched the Van Dyck ParkMaster Plan to help plan the future of this park.Call 703-385-7858 or visit www.fairfaxva.gov/for more.

SATURDAY/MAY 20Hodge Podge Yard Sale. 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the

Historic Pohick Church, 9301 RichmondHighway, Lorton. On sale will be furniture,collectibles, household goods, books, clothingand much, much more. All proceeds will benefitthe many ministries of Pohick Church, whichserves the southern Fairfax and northern PrinceWilliam County areas. Call 703-339-6572, orvisit www.pohick.org.

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