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Attention Postmaster: Time-sensitive material. Requested in home 4/26/19 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Alexandria, VA Permit #482 April 25, 2019 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper Senior Living Page 6 I t was a mad scramble for candy as children from across the region descended on the fields of Mount Vernon High School April 20 in the hunt for more than 20,000 candy- filled eggs as part of an Easter fam- ily day celebration. Called The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt, the event was hosted by Mount Vernon’s Washington Com- munity Church and featured face painting, jugglers and inflatables. Following the hunt, prizes in- cluding stuffed animals, Nintendo Switches and bicycles were distrib- uted through a raffle drawing. The Washington Community Church, led by Senior Pastor Steve Bradcovich, is a non-denomina- tional church located in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria and hosts the free family event as part of its community outreach. See www.wcchurch.com. — Jeanne Theismann Local Easter Egg Hunt features more than 20,000 eggs. Hop to It! Washington Community Church Senior Pastor Steve Bradcovich, right, is with Angela Clinkscales, Youth Pas- tor Joseph Bradcovich, Chelsea Estes and Isabella Bradcovich at The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt April 20 at Mount Vernon High School. Scrambling to collect eggs as part of The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt April 20 at Mount Vernon High School. Children collect eggs at The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt April 20 at Mount Vernon High School. The family event was spon- sored by Washington Community Church and featured more than 20,000 candy-filled eggs. Wearing his best Spiderman face, Caleb Hartridge collects eggs as part of the Washington Community Church’s Easter Egg Hunt April 20 at Mount Vernon High School. Volunteer Angela Clinkscales at the April 20 Easter Egg Hunt. Erika Pinena and 16-month old Griffith Parker. Volunteers Andrew Stearman and Kayla Cowles Photos by Janet Barnett/The Gazette

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Page 1: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Attention

Postmaster:

Time-sensitive

material.

Requested in home

4/26/19

PRSRT STD

U.S. Postage

PAID

Alexandria, VA

Permit #482

April 25, 2019Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper

Senior LivingPage 6

It was a mad scramble forcandy as children fromacross the region descendedon the fields of Mount

Vernon High School April 20 in thehunt for more than 20,000 candy-filled eggs as part of an Easter fam-ily day celebration.

Called The Biggest Easter EggHunt, the event was hosted byMount Vernon’s Washington Com-munity Church and featured facepainting, jugglers and inflatables.

Following the hunt, prizes in-cluding stuffed animals, NintendoSwitches and bicycles were distrib-uted through a raffle drawing.

The Washington CommunityChurch, led by Senior Pastor SteveBradcovich, is a non-denomina-tional church located in the MountVernon area of Alexandria andhosts the free family event as partof its community outreach.

See www.wcchurch.com.— Jeanne Theismann

Local Easter Egg Hunt featuresmore than 20,000 eggs.

Hop to It!

Washington Community Church Senior Pastor SteveBradcovich, right, is with Angela Clinkscales, Youth Pas-tor Joseph Bradcovich, Chelsea Estes and IsabellaBradcovich at The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt April 20 atMount Vernon High School.

Scrambling to collect eggs as part of The Biggest EasterEgg Hunt April 20 at Mount Vernon High School.

Childrencollect eggs atThe BiggestEaster EggHunt April 20at MountVernon HighSchool. Thefamily eventwas spon-sored byWashingtonCommunityChurch andfeatured morethan 20,000candy-filledeggs.

Wearing his bestSpiderman face, CalebHartridge collects eggs aspart of the WashingtonCommunity Church’s EasterEgg Hunt April 20 at MountVernon High School.

Volunteer AngelaClinkscales at the April 20Easter Egg Hunt.

Erika Pinena and 16-monthold Griffith Parker.

Volunteers AndrewStearman and Kayla Cowles

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Page 2: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Page 3: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

The George Washington Chapter,Sons of the American Revolu-tion, presented Public SafetyAwards on April 11 to the fol-

lowing Fairfax County Police Officers at theMount Vernon Station: Sergeant Michael A.Wheeler, MPO Peter Feigleson, MPO ErnieJones, MPO Joseph Wallace, PFC KelvinCatron, PFC Corey Clark, PFC MatthewDobson, Officer John Buffington, OfficerAustin Matos and, Deputy Connor Delgado.

All officers are from the Fairfax CountyPolice Department’s Mount Vernon Stationwith the exception of Deputy ConnorDelgado who is from the Fairfax CountySheriff’s Department and was working aHealth Fair Expo event at the BethlehemBaptist Church when he heard the call comeover the radio and responded.

These officers had responded to a shoot-ing on Sept. 8, 2018 in the Mount Vernonarea. As a result of their coordination andquick action, the situation was quickly re-solved and the suspect apprehended.

SAR Chapter Presents Public Safety Awards

By Caitlin Morris

Capital News Service

Only 7 percent of Virginia’s fosterchildren are placed with relatives,according to a new study — well

below the national average of 32 percent.The Annie E. Casey Foundation tracked

changes in foster care in each state from2007 to 2017. For Virginia, the data snap-shot contained some good news: Therewere fewer children in foster care, andfewer foster children were placed in grouphomes.

But many ex-perts say that ide-ally, foster chil-dren should beplaced with rela-tives — and onthat measure, Vir-ginia did notmake anyprogress over the10 years.

“We want forchildren to have afamily that is theirfamily forever —whether it’s theirfamily of origin or if their foster family turnsinto an adoptive home,” said AllisonGilbreath, a policy analyst at Voices forVirginia’s Children, a nonprofit advocacyprogram.

Over the 10-year period, Virginia wassuccessful in decreasing the percentage offoster children in group homes from 23percent to 17 percent. That means morechildren have been fostered in family set-tings — but just not with their own rela-tives. The data also shows that older youthare more likely to be in group homes.

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From left are: PFC Kelvin Catron, Deputy Sheriff Connor Delgado, OFC Austin Matos, MPO Peter Feigleson,MPO Joseph Wallace, SAR Compatriot John Blair, Mount Vernon Precinct Cdr. LT Camilla Stewart, PFC CoreyClark, SGT Michael Wheeler, and PFC Matthew Dobson. Missing awardees are: MPO Ernie Jones, and OFCJohn Buffington.

Virginia Trails Nation in Placing Foster Children with RelativesVirginia was also successful in reducing

the number of children entering foster care.In 2007, there were 7,665, compared with4,795 in 2017.

“While we have reduced the number ofchildren overall in foster care, black chil-dren in particular continue to be overrep-resented both in family-based settings, butalso particularly in group homes,” Gilbreathsaid. “We really need to spend some timeand energy in the state and figure out whatwe can do that will specifically get at theracial inequities in the foster care system.”

This year’s Virginia General Assemblypassed SB 1339 tobring Virginia incompliance withfederal foster careregulations, in-cluding the fed-eral Family FirstPrevention Ser-vices Act enactedin 2018. The actencourages statesto keep childrenin family-basedsettings by redi-recting federalfunds to support

services for at-risk children and theircaregivers.

Virginia’s new law also aims to increasethe number of children placed with familymembers by notifying relatives when a childenters foster care.

Voices for Virginia’s Children joined theAnnie E. Casey Foundation in calling onchild welfare systems to shift resources fromgroup placements to family settings.

“They feel more loved and protected, andit’s a more normal experience for that child,”Gilbreath said. “But also, they’re more likely

to achieve permanency that way, and that’swhat we really want for kids.”

The organizations contend that the sup-port system for other foster children andcaregivers should also be available to rela-tives who take in children. This includes fi-nancial support and access to mental healthsupport. Often, family members take in achild through what is known as kinship di-version, meaning they take in a child with-out using the foster system and don’t re-ceive the same support as caregivers in thefoster program.

The children’s advocacy groups alsocalled for expansion of kinship navigatorprograms. These programs aim to help rela-tive caregivers navigate the complex childwelfare system. Under the Family First Pre-vention Services Act, additional federalfunds have been made available for kinshipnavigator programs.

“Virginia has already started to take ad-

vantage of these funds but could adopt theprograms statewide,” Voices for Virginia’sChildren stated in a press release.

The organization and the Annie E. CaseyFoundation also asked for increased accessto services that would help stabilize fami-lies. By aligning legislation with the FamilyFirst Prevention Services Act, funds will beaccessible for family support services to pre-vent at-risk children from entering the fos-ter system.

“It’s going to provide the first-ever oppor-tunity to have money used to prevent entryinto foster care,” Gilbreath said. This fund-ing will go toward programs that offer men-tal health support for the child and thecaregivers, substance abuse treatment andin-home training in parenting skills for thefamily.

“If we were able to step in and providethat family support — we’d be able to makethat family successful,” Gilbreath said.

“We really need to spendsome time and energy in thestate and figure out what wecan do that will specificallyget at the racial inequitiesin the foster care system.”

— Allison Gilbreath, Policy Analyst,Voices for Virginia’s Children

Major Matt Owens,commander of theMount Vernon Dis-

trict Station, has been pro-moted to command the FairfaxCounty Police Department’s In-ternal Affairs Bureau.

He has been part of the FCPDfamily for 21 years. He startedhis career at the West Spring-field District Station, where heserved as a patrol officer, amember of the Neighborhood Patrol Unit,and a detective in the Criminal Investiga-tions Section. He then decided he wantedto be a supervisor, and was soon after pro-

moted to Sergeant and as-signed to the Sully District Po-lice Station. Owens thenserved as Second Lieutenant inthe Internal Affairs Bureau’sInvestigation Division, andwas promoted to First Lieuten-ant as a Police Liaison Com-mander at the Department ofPublic Safety Communica-tions. He returned to the SullyStation as the Assistant Com-

mander before being promoted to Captainin 2016.

Owens To Lead Internal Affairs

See Owens, Page 12

Owens

Page 4: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

4 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

www.MountVernonGazette.com

@MtVernonGazette

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Steven MaurenEditor, 703-778-9415

[email protected]

Jean CardProduction Editor

[email protected]

Andrea WorkerContributing Writer

[email protected]

Jeanne [email protected]

@TheismannMedia

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Debbie FunkDisplay Advertising/National Sales

[email protected]

Julie FerrillReal Estate, 703-927-1364

[email protected]

Helen WalutesDisplay Advertising, 703-778-9410

[email protected]

David GriffinMarketing Assistant

[email protected]

Classified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431

PublisherJerry Vernon

[email protected]

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Editor in ChiefSteven MaurenArt/Design:

Laurence Foong, John Heinly,Ali Khaligh

Production Manager:Geovani Flores

CIRCULATIONCirculation Manager:

Ann [email protected]

A Connection Newspaper

Opinion

The City of Alexandria,Fairfax County, ArlingtonCounty, and Prince Will-

iam County have announced anew strategic partnership to im-prove glass recovery and recycling.These jurisdictions have commit-ted to collecting glass via purpleglass-only drop-off containers. Theglass will then be transported to aFairfax County processing plant,where it will be recycled into avariety of products.

In Northern Virginia, glass col-lected in curbside recycling bins issent to recycling facilities whereit eventually ends up in landfills.During transportation to the facil-ity, glass is broken and becomesmixed with recycling residue (suchas small bits of plastic and paper)

By Paul Krizek

State Delegate (D-44)

In 2017, I successfullypushed for the establish-ment of the SherwoodRegional Library as a

regular Mobile DMV locationonce every month. DMV Con-nect and the DMV2Go programserves Virginians who may notbe able to travel to a DMV of-fice. These services are aimedto bring the DMV to busy Vir-ginians at times and locationswhich are more convenient tothem. Prior to the SherwoodRegional Library location, 44thDistrict residents would onlyhave had the option to travel toeither the Eisenhower Avenueor the Lorton DMV locations inorder to access DMV services.The new service at theSherwood Regional Library is also much moreaccessible to senior citizens, residents withoutcars, and for those that feel more comfortablespeaking Spanish. Also, this year the DMV

Connect will be open to thepublic at the Hollin HallSenior Center.

I stopped in to visit theDMV Connect office at the library last week tosee how their operation is set up. I was thrilledto learn that they are often busy throughoutthe day and that residents are utilizing the ser-vice to its fullest extent. The DMV employeeson duty told us that the busiest times are inthe morning, with residents lining up prior tothe opening time. According to them, the besttime to receive prompt service is in the after-noon. Below are the dates the two differentDMV services will be in the 44th districtthrough the end of the year.

DMV2GO provides all DMV transactions in-cluding vital records and testing. The hours of

operation at the Sherwood Regional Libraryare from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mobile van willbe parked in the parking lot at this locationbut is unfortunately not handicap accessible.

❖ Sherwood Regional Library - May 23❖ Sherwood Regional Library - July 25❖ Sherwood Regional Library - Sept. 19❖ Sherwood Regional Library - Nov. 5DMV Connect provides all DMV transactions

except vital records and testing. The hours ofoperation at the Hollin Hall Senior Center arefrom 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. at the Sherwood Regional Library in theConference Room.

❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - April 29-30❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - May 28❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - June 24-25❖ Sherwood Regional Library - June 26❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - July 29-30❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - Aug. 26-27❖ Sherwood Regional Library - Aug. 28❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center - Sept. 23-24

❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center -Oct. 28-29

❖ Sherwood Regional Library- Oct. 30

❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center -Nov. 25-26

❖ Sherwood Regional Library- Dec. 18

❖ Hollin Hall Senior Center -Dec. 30

Below are the services pro-vided by the mobile offices. Thevital records and testing servicesare only available at theDMV2Go location at SherwoodHall Library.

❖ Apply for or renew your IDcard - available for adults andchildren.

❖ Apply for or renew yourdriver’s license - take road andknowledge tests; get your pic-ture taken. Reinstate drivingprivileges. This can be done in

conjunction with applying for a new Real ID,which will allow for compliance with new fed-eral regulations for domestic air travel.

❖ Apply for a Veteran ID card.❖ Get a copy of your driving record.❖ Obtain vehicle titles, license plates, decals,

transcripts.❖ Order disabled parking placards or plates.❖ Apply for certified copies of Virginia vital

records, including birth, death, marriage, anddivorce certificates.

❖ Get fishing and hunting licenses.❖ Update your mailing address, voter regis-

tration address, and organ donor status.❖ Request a Personal Identification Number

(PIN)/password to set up an online myDMVaccount.

❖ Purchase an E-ZPass transponder.It is an honor and pleasure to serve you as Del-

egate. Please do not hesitate to contact me [email protected] for any questions and con-cerns related to these services or any other issues.

DMV Just Around the Corner

Del. Paul Krizek visits DMV Connect at theSherwood Regional Library.

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during the sorting process. Thisrecycling contamination, alongwith rising recycling costs and lackof a market for single-stream pro-cessed glass has made glass unre-coverable across the area.

The new glass-only drop-off con-tainers address this issue by divert-ing glass recyclables to a special-ized plant for responsible recy-cling.

In Alexandria, glass-only purpledrop-off bins have been placed atthe city’s four recycling drop-offcenters, which are open 24 hoursa day. The city continues to acceptglass as part of its curbside collec-tion.

In Fairfax County, residents andbusinesses are encouraged to bringglass to purple drop-off centers at

the I-66 transfer station and I-95landfill complex. ArlingtonCounty’s two Recycling Drop-offCenters, located at Quincy Park

and the Trades Center, now fea-ture glass-only containers for resi-dents and small business ownersoperating in Arlington.

Separate recycling container for glass.

Redirecting Recycling Stream for Glass

Commentary

Page 5: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Alex/Stoneybrook Court $439,900 4411 Coldbrooke Court

Charming 3BR, 1BA, l Level Rambler on a friendly & private cul-de-sac. Freshly painted interior, brand new carpeting, replacement double pane windows. Stainless steel kitchen appliances. Lovely, large bkyd w/privacy fence, perfect for children &

the family dog. Sought after community of Stoneybrooke w/quick access to shopping, dining, Metro & highways. Enjoy the comfort of one-level living in this wonderful & well-priced home!

Alex/Sulgrave Manor $530,0004002 Old Mill Road

Beautiful 3 lvl brick split on a large, lovely .5 acre lot w/lots of trees & privacy. Spacious kitchen w/eating area that looks out to a beautiful screened porch & brick patio-perfect for grilling & entertaining. 3 spacious BRs & 2 full updated baths on the upper lvl. The lower level offers a 4th BR, Family room

w/walk-out utility room & 3rd full bath. 5 minutes to Ft. Belvoir, 15 minutes to Old Town & 30 mins to National airport. Great price on this Stunning Home!!

Alex/Riverside Estates $699,9008334 Blowing Rock Road

Start with Riverside Estate’s Popular “B” Model Colonial, add a 2 car garage, above that large garage add a huge addition consisting of 2BRs, & a 3rd full bath; not done yet, throw in a large in-ground swimming pool & separate hot tub, both updated in 2016, last but not least build a beautiful 12’x9’ covered screened porch looking out at the

pool & hot tub. Also, freshly painted interior, refinished hdwd flrs on main & upper lvls. Furnace & A/C replaced in 2016. Updated kitchen & baths. What you have…a once in a lifetime home which is expanded to offer a wonderful in-law/Nanny’s suite, & lastly on a wonderful, quiet cul-de-sac!!

SOLD

Alex/Riverside Estates $564,9008309 Bound Brook Lane

Riverside’s largest Colonial model w/4 large BRs, 2.5 BAs & large 1 car garage. 2000 sq.ft. on the main & upper lvls plus 900 or so sq.ft. in the basement. A great floor plan w/a spacious kit, dining rm, living rm & family rm & half bath greet you on the main lvl. 4 large bedrms & 2 full baths on the upper lvl. The basement has a large

“L” shaped rec rm & a separate utility rm w/a stairwell taking you to a beautifully landscaped & fenced bkyd. Updates include a brand new roof, double pane replacement windows, a remodeled half bath & stunning refinished hdwd floors on the main & upper lvls.. Priced in the mid 500’s to allow you to create quick equity w/a fresh paint job & some updates in the kit. Minutes to Ft. Belvoir (S) & Old Towne (N).

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Alex/Riverside Estates $579,8503012 Battersea Lane

Riverside’s popular “Yorkshire: colonial featuring 3 finished lvls, 4 spacious BRs, 2.5 updated Baths & a large 2 car garage, all on a beautiful corner lot. Numerous updates include the roof, replacement double pane windows, HVAC system, hot water heater, refinished hdwds on the main lvl w/Traver-

tine flooring in the family rm. Additional finished space in the basement w/a rec rm & utility rm. Great location: 7 mins to Ft. Belvoir, 15 mins to Old Town, Alex, & 28 mins to Natl Airport. All this for less than $580,000.

Alex/ Riverside Estates $659,000 8332 Wagon Wheel Road

$100,000 + of outstanding renovations in Riverside Estates popular “B” model Colonial w/garage. New roof, deck, front door & A/C in ’18. Kitchen & baths in ’17. Kitchen totally gutted & opens to Living & Dining rms, inludes: quartz tile counters, six burner gas range by Miele, new hdwd floor, SS appliances & beautiful stained cabinets. All 3.5 baths are gorgeous. MBR combined w/another

bedrm to offer a beautiful suite including a huge walk-in closet to die for. Beautifully finished lower lvl offers a 4th bedrm & 3rd full BA along w/an inviting Rec rm – perfect for a Nanny or Au Pair. DBL pane windows & 6 panel doors ….of course!!! Totally turnkey, enjoy!!!

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Alex/Riverside Estates Upper $500s8318 Cherry Valley Lane

Popular updated “B” model Colonial w/4BRs, 2.5BAs, 2 gas FPLs and a single car garage, all on a beautifully landscaped lot. Numerous updates: refinished hardwood floors on main and upper levels, freshly painted interior, DBL pane

windows and a delightful screened porch overlooking the fenced backyard. Family rm on main level with a gas fireplace and a 2nd gas fireplace in the fin-ished basement. 10 minutes to Ft. Belvoir, 30 mins to Natl airport. The market is hot so come on over and take a look.

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News

The following incidents were reportedby the Mount Vernon District PoliceStation.

ROBBERY: 6800 block of RichmondHighway, April 23, 12:53 a.m. The vic-tim met two men and got into their car.The men drove him to a parking lotwhere they hit him and pointed a knifeat him. The men took his money andidentification and drove away. The carwas described as an older light-colored,four-door model.

COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 6800Richmond Highway (Giant), April

19, 2:46 p.m. A man entered theGiant and began concealing propertyin a backpack. Loss prevention at-tempted to stop the man when hebrandished a knife. Officers found a28-year-old man from Woodbridgeattempting to leave and placed himunder arrest. He was charged withrobbery.

COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 8226Russell Road (7-11), April 19, 3:02 a.m.A man and woman entered the storegrabbed an employee and demandedcash. Officers found a man in the area;surveillance footage confirmed him as

the offender. He was arrested andcharged with robbery. The female isdescribed as white, 20-years-old, 5’4”,130-140 lbs. .

APRIL 23LARCENIES2400 block of Belle Haven Meadows

Court, bicycle from residence2500 block of Parkers Lane, jewelry

from residence

APRIL 22LARCENIES1700 block of Duffield Lane, wallet

from vehicle

Easter Sunrise ServiceThe Rotary Club of Mount Vernon sponsored its 38th Easter Sunrise Service atHistoric Mount Vernon on Sunday, April 21. Providing the Easter message wasDeacon Justin W. Nick who is currently in his final year at Wesley Theological Semi-nary in Washington D.C. where he specializes in African American Church Studies.

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Reginald A. Anderson, Jr., minister ofmusic, arts and worship from HarvestBaptist Church on Fordson Road, providedmusic for the service.

Attendees gathered for the service at 7a.m. The musicians, musical equipmentand sound system were arranged byPastor Johnnie Abram and Velvet Abram ofHarvest Assembly Baptist Church. Flowerswere donated by the Rotary Club of MountVernon. Usher services were provided byBoy Scout Troop 993 of Wesley UnitedMethodist Church.

Crime Report

Page 6: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

6 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Senior Living

By Andrea Worker

The Gazette

The 2019 Northern Virginia Posi-tive Aging and Wellness Fair onApril 8, powered by the JewishCommunity Center of Northern

Virginia (JCCNV) and Celebrate Fairfax,Inc., has grown over the years, requiringmore and more space to spread its wings.

This year, for its ninth edition and for thefirst time, the event was held at the FairfaxCounty Government Center at 12000 Gov-ernment Center Parkway in Fairfax. Some600 registered fair attendees, 75 exhibitors,with more than 20 workshops in session,along with the staff, volunteers, facilitatorsand sponsors created an air of organizedchaos as they mingled with the regular busi-ness of the county at work. Before the ac-tual event-day, the event’s website apolo-getically announced that walk-ins were nolonger being accepted, such was the re-sponse received.

Pam Wiener, director of Adult Services atevent co-host JCCNV, officially opened thefair and was followed by opening remarksfrom Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield),who chairs the county’s 50+ Committee.Tisha Deeghan, deputy executive director,Fairfax County, also took a brief turn at thepodium before handing things over to thekeynote speaker Pat Collins, the long-timegeneral assignment reporter for News4.

“I’m one of you. I’m 72. I belong here,”said Collins, as he stood to address thepacked theatre with his signature “snowstick” in hand.

For the next hour, Collins kept his audi-ence enthralled – when they weren’t laugh-ing at his descriptions of “coming up in theold days,” trained by “grizzled old men withtypewriters – and no degrees.”

The Emmy award-winning Collins ranged

far and wide in his remarks, from his ownhistory and how he “accidentally became areporter at age 15, to stories across thetimeline of his career. Starting as a printjournalist with the Washington Daily News,then the Washington Star, his first foray intotelevision news reporting didn’t go quite asexpected.

“On my first day, first thing in the morn-ing, they told me I wouldn’t actually go onair until I was ready, and until they thoughtI was ready,” recalled Collins. “Guess whenI did my first on-air broadcast? You guessedit! On the 5 p.m. news that same day!”

After stints at WJLA and WDVM (NowWUSA-TV) in D.C. and WLS-TV in Chicago,Collins found his home at News4 in 1986.

The veteran newsman says he has the bestgig these days. “I can cover everything frommurders to snow storms,” all while work-ing just three days a week.

While he may now have transitioned to“part-timer,” Collins insists he’s “not done,yet” saying that older adults have a lot stillto offer in experience and life lessonslearned that they can share.

“And what else can we older adults do?What other power do we hold? That’s right,we vote,” he noted to enthusiastic applause.“So keep going, keep active, use your knowl-edge and your skills. We have plenty left todo.”

THE WORKSHOPS were held in threesessions, with topics like “Better BrainHealthy: Save Your Memory and YourMind,” “The Street Smart Senior: How toAvoid Getting Scammed,” “Reaching YourFinancial Goals,” “Finding a MeaningfulEncore Career,” “Looking for a MeaningfulVolunteer Experience,” and “Gadgets andGizmos for Your Health and Happiness.”

The teachers were experts in their fields.Among them were Patricia Rohrer, Long

Term Care Program manager with thecounty’s Health Department; Carrie Brill,caregiver specialist and management ana-lyst, Fairfax County Area Agency on Aging;Cathy Turner, director of Senior Health atVirginia Hospital Center; Cherie Lejeune,Age+Tech innovator, and a staff memberfrom the Office of the Attorney General.

More experts manned the exhibitorbooths.

There were representatives from numer-ous home care resources and senior livingcommunities, and other sponsors display-ing medical and health-related offerings,

and other businesses that provide servicesand products aimed at making the life ofolder adults easier and more comfortable,help residents age in place, and keep upwith today’s technologies.

Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church was just one of those offeringmuch-needed assistance. The nonprofit usesexpert volunteers to make critical homerepairs or construct disability and/or acces-sibility improvements at no cost for quali-fied homeowners on a limited income.

Allegra Joffe, who represented PRSCrisisLink’s CareRing Program, was on duty,introducing visitors to the program thatprovides daily phone calls to help those in-dividuals living alone or disabled or withchronic illness.

“It’s a great free service,” said Joffe. Cli-ents are provided with screening upon in-take and periodically during their time withthe program, “so we can better know themand best serve them,” Joffe added.

CareRing provides a daily friendly chat,but also can assist clients with remindersabout medications or appointments, check-ing on general well-being, and helping en-sure that clients are eating regularly.

Among the booths that lined much of thelower level of Government Center, therewere some opportunities for job and vol-unteer-seekers, like the Fairfax County Aux-iliary Police Officer program, there to huntfor a few new “rookies” to join their ranks.

The Grandinvolve organization was alsoon hand, hoping to entice a volunteer ortwo into sharing skills, hobbies, interestsand talents with elementary school children.

THE LIST of services, products, and po-tential opportunities goes on. Check out the

Positive Aging and Wellness Fair draws crowd for education, information – and fun.

Sharing Wisdom of Positive Aging

The 2019 Northern Virginia Positive Aging and Wellness Fair drew some600 registered attendees to the event that packed the Fairfax CountyGovernment Center.

More than 20 workshops and panel discussions at the Positive Aging andWellness Fair addressed topics from memory care to avoiding scammers.

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Gazette

Keynote speaker and local News4reporter Pat Collins with PamWiener, director of Adult Servicesfor the Jewish Community Centerof Northern Virginia (left) andNancy Weinstein (right), also withthe JCCNV.

See Positive Aging, Page 7

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Senior Living

From Page 6

county’s websitew w w. f a i r f a x c o u n t y. g o v /OlderAdults. While there, sub-scribe to the monthly Golden Ga-zette for information and a calen-dar of events. There is a phone

number to help callers navigate tothe information or services beingsought.

Call 703 – 324 – 7948, TTY 711,8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Fri-day for help with services for olderFairfax County adults.

Positive Aging

Photo by Andrea Worker/The Gazette

Auxiliary Police Officers, from left, Nina Aldrich, FredSanborn, and Ashley Soloff, were at the NoVa PositiveAging and Wellness Fair looking for recruits. Here theyare speaking with Burke resident Dorothy Keenan, leaderof the nonprofit “GrandInvolve.”

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8 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Steve Hibbard

The Little Theatre of Alexandria(LTA) is presenting “The Savan-nah Disputation” from April 27to May 18. Written by Evan

Smith, the subject is damnation, but theshow is as light and sweet as the iced teaserved by the odd-couple sisters in theirproper Southern home. But the sistersquickly lose their Southern charm when ayoung door-to-door evangelist comesknocking to save their souls. This theologi-cal comedy with a twist blends the sharp-ness of wit with the depth of character whiletelling a story of a crisis of faith.

As a director, Will Jarred said he foundthe subject matter compelling. “I have al-ways been intrigued by the ways in whichvarious denominations ‘weaponize’ theBible toward their agenda and points ofview. I like the way in which the subjectmatter was treated with humor and human-ity. I also appreciated the opportunity todirect a show that featured strong seniorwomen — not too many roles out there forthat demographic,” he said.

He said the biggest challenge is hoppinginto a creative project with a relatively un-known play and a new production team.“Will people come out to see a show theymay not be familiar with? Will the subjectmatter be a turnoff? What can I expect interms of talent and expertise to pull it alloff? The staff and volunteers at LTA havebeen terrific partners in bringing this showto life, and I’ve been thrilled to work withsuch talented cast, crew and productionteam,” he added.

Added co-producer Lynn O’Connell: “Ifind this short, sweet comedy a perfectevening’s escape from today’s real world ofgovernment shutdowns, political sex (andother) scandals, and computer glitches suchas the one that ‘likely’ started the fire at

Notre Dame.While the theme of the play seems to be

religion, it really isn’t. The theme is com-munity and the importance of belongingand not being alone. And, at the end of thisshow, audience members will feel warmthand empathy for all four of the show’s char-acters — Mary, Margaret, Melissa and Fa-ther Murphy. Besides, who doesn’t love ashow that is only 90 minutes long — andset in the beauty of Savannah, Georgia?”she said. The other co-producer is KevinO’Dowd.

O’Connell said what she was trying toaccomplish was: “Really an evening of re-laxation and laughter with a subtle mes-sage, demonstrating that all of us are val-ued members of our community regardlessof our religion, our marital status, or ourindividual personality quirks.”

Patricia Smith plays the role of Margaret,

a sweet, friendly older woman who is fac-ing some challenges in her life. “She spendsmost of her time at home and is eager tomake new friends. She is also curious aboutwhat lies ahead. She has had difficulties inher life that she carries within her. Shedoesn’t share her troubles with others, buttries to manage them by herself. She ismainly easy going, but can be stubbornwhen something is important to her,” shesaid.

She added: “The main challenges werekeeping Margaret ‘real,’ and showing hermany facets.

This character is very reactive to the oth-ers. It is even more important than usual toalways be in the moment.”

Mary Jo Morgan plays the role of Mary,whose life has been hard and who does notfail to make sure everyone experiences herpain. “Mary knows a little kindness goes a

long way but a little meanness goes a lotfurther — and she is determined to make itgo as far as she can. With the freedom thatelderly Southern women demand, Marydoes not hold back her feelings but her ri-gidity gets questioned and her vulnerabil-ity exposed,” she said.

“We see the essence of Mary is loneliness.But then that is also the essence of Marga-ret, Melissa and Father Murphy and maybeeveryone. Funny, maybe everyone is tryingto connect in some way — through religion,theatre, sports, literature, art, science, edu-cation, business; maybe everything is reallyjust about connection,” she said.

Ashley Amidon is playing the role of Me-lissa, a young(ish) evangelical who goesdoor to door. “She’s not perfect, but she trulybelieves what she says; it’s her rare sort ofearnestness that initially attracted me to thecharacter honestly. She is so passionate andso grounded in her belief of what is rightand wrong that even when I disagree withwhat she says, I recognize the place it comesfrom,” she said.

She added: “It is very much a show aboutbelief: what we believe, how we hold on toit or don’t, and how we react when otherschallenge what we think. It’s fascinating,but I will admit I struggled with some ofthe dialogue initially because my characteris so very rooted in what she thinks, andfinds it hard to see any other side. I’m alobbyist by day, and I am literally paid tosee all sides to an issue and try to find acompromise, so this very right or wrongwith no middle ground dichotomy Melissaemploys was hard for me.”

The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) ispresenting “The Savannah Disputation”from April 27 to May 18. Show times areWednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.;Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $21 to $24.The venue is located at 600 Wolfe St., Al-exandria. Visit www.thelittletheatre.com.

Entertainment

LTA Delivers ‘The Savannah Disputation’Evangelist comes knocking to save souls in this Southern comedy.

Patricia Smith, Mary Jo Morgan and Ashley Amidon star in LTA’sproduction of “The Savannah Disputation.”

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Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGArt Exhibit: “(No) Comfort Zone.”

Through April 28, gallery hours atDel Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704Mount Vernon Ave. The “(No)Comfort Zone” exhibit reflectspeople, places and things that are inand/or out of their comfort zone.Visit DelRayArtisans.org/exhibits.

Architecture Week. Through April 28,enjoy exclusive tours of recentlycompleted buildings, participate insketching and virtual realityworkshops, visit an architectureschool, see an exhibit of award-winning buildings designed by localarchitects, tour architecturallysignificant historic churches withexpert architects, and build a ‘ScrapCity’ or participate in an architecturalscavenger hunt. Visitwww.aianova.org for more.

Photography Exhibit: “RanchLife.” Through May 5, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursdays, 2-8 p.m. atMultiple Exposures Gallery, TheTorpedo Factory Art Center, 105 NUnion St., Studio 312. Sandy LeBrun-Evans visited Eaton’s Ranch inWyoming last year and wasenamored with the lifestyle and howeasy it was to forget the troubles ofthe world and to get lost in the past.Visitwww.multipleexposuresgallery.comor call 703-683-2205.

Art Exhibit: “Bugs. Or Kafka onProzac.” Through May 5, galleryhours at The Art League, 105 NorthUnion St., Studio 21 in the TorpedoFactory Art Center. Megan Partridge’s“Bugs. Or Kafka on Prozac” takes acloser look at these tiny creaturesthat are often overlooked. The artistimparts each arthropod with apersonality as distinct as theirbiology, from the bedraggled bugaptly named Hangover Cricket to thespeeding blur in Super Bee.Exhibitions are free and open to the

public. Visit www.theartleague.org orcall 703-683-1780.

Juried Show: “East Meets West.”Through May 19, gallery hours atPotomac Fiber Arts Gallery, TorpedoFactory Art Center, Studio 29, 105North Union St. Ikat weaving, Batik,Sashiko embroidery, Shibori dyeing,hand stamping, and other Easterntechniques and clothing styles areintegrated with Western designs andtechniques. Themed work will beeligible for recognition by the jurors.Non-themed work will also beexhibited. Free admission. Call 703-548-0935 or visitwww.Potomacfiberartsgallery.comfor more.

Kathryn Coneway Exhibit. ThroughMay 31, at Huntley MeadowsVisitor’s Center, 3701 LockheedBlvd., Alexandria. Coneway’s mixed-media art combines collage andphotographic transfers, and itexpresses her observations of nature.She uses mulberry paper to create aground of color and texture. Areception will be held Sunday, March

10 from 2-4 p.m. Students fromKathryn Coneway’s winter class atHuntley Meadows will also displaywork. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.

Living Legends of Alexandria:African American Activists.Through July, Tuesday-Saturday, 10a.m.-4 p.m. at the Alexandria BlackHistory Museum, 902 Wythe St.Living Legends of Alexandria: AfricanAmerican Activists highlights thework of African American men andwomen who have made importantcontributions to the growth andproductivity of the City ofAlexandria. Call 703-746-4356 formore.

FRIDAY/APRIL 26Family Splash Night. 6-9 p.m. At

Chinquapin Park Rec Center andAquatics Facility, 3210 King St.,Alexandria. Featuring John Adamsand Patrick Henry Schools schools.Enjoy swimming, a floating obstaclecourse, games, relays, refreshments,

music, diving for prizes and more.Different schools are featured at eachevent but all are welcome. Admissionis $4 per person upon entry. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreationfor more.

Play: “Yet I Stand.” 7 p.m., at the LeeCenter, Kauffman Auditorium, 1108Jefferson St. The City’s SexualAssault Center (SAC) is sponsoringdisplays, exhibits, workshops andevents around the community toraise awareness of sexual assault andsupport survivors. “Yet I Stand,” is apresented in partnership with Friendsof Guest House, the City ofAlexandria Domestic ViolenceProgram, and SAC. For moreinformation and a full list of eventsand activities, visit alexandriava.gov/SexualViolence.

Poetry Slam. 7 p.m. at the Durant ArtsCenter, 1605 Cameron St. The City ofAlexandria appointed KaNikkiJakarta as the City’s new PoetLaureate. As one of her first officialduties, Jakarta will lead a free poetryslam, A Friendly Game of Slam. She

Calendar

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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

SHOW DATES:

APR. 27 - MAY 18, 2019

Little Theatre of Alexandria600 Wolfe Street • 703-683-0496

www.thelittletheatre.com

This theological comedy with a twist blends the sharpness of wit with the depth of character

while telling a story of a crisis of faith.

Entertainment

By Hope Nelson

Finally, winter’s cold weather seems to be inthe rearview mirror. And with the likes of newpublic art along Old Town’s waterfront, out-

door movie nights and plenty of lazy Saturdays justwaiting to be enjoyed, there’s no better way to cel-ebrate than a picnic. But sometimes life gets in theway of making a homemade feast from scratch. Counton these eateries to pick up your slack.

Noodle Box, 602 King St.The fast-casual purveyor of Asian fare on King

Street is the perfect place to go for picnic supplies.Pick your entree, pick your protein,choose a side or two and you’re in busi-ness. Noodle Box has an extensivemenu of, yes, noodle dishes — ranging

from pad Thai to kung pao to drunken noodles andmore — but the restaurant also offers up a heartysupply of rice-based meals, as well. The green curryrice box, the fried rice, the garden stir fry — all ofthese and more can be customized with the proteinof your choice. Add on an order of gyoza or springrolls and head out to the park — you’ll have one ofthe best picnic baskets around.

Lori’s Table, 1028 King St.This little café in the heart of Old Town has the

first two meals of your day covered. Pick up a break-fast sandwich atop an English muffin with egg,

cheese, and ham or bacon if you like, order a coffeeto go alongside, and head out to the Saturday soccergame. Or choose from an extensive array of morelunch-friendly sandwiches to pep up your afternoon.Choose from among nearly a dozen meats andcheeses to put together a sandwich that will makeall your picnic dreams come true. Or order up agrilled sandwich, ranging from a three-cheese Paninito a grilled PBJ to a Cajun chicken sandwich.

Zento, 693 N. Washington St.When it comes right down to it, sushi is the per-

fect picnic food. Think about it: It comes in a formthat is easy to eat with chopsticks or one hand; itpacks a nutritional punch; and it’s portable. AndZento offers a vast menu of sushi options for nearlyevery palate.

Want to go spicy? The Fire Dragon Roll, withcrunchy spicy tuna with avocado, eel and a spicysauce, is a safe bet. Or keep it local with the OldTown Roll, filled with salmon, tuna, masago and avo-cado wrapped in cucumber. Vegetarians won’t be leftout, either; the tempura-battered sweet potato andavocado roll, a mix of crispy and soft, makes for agreat complement to a shiitake mushroom roll. Or-der some edamame to accompany the main meal andyou’ve got finger food that can’t be beat.

Hope Nelson owns and operates the Kitchen Recessionistablog, located at www.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her anytime at [email protected].

3 Places for Packing a Picnic

Appetite

Calendar

will be joined by her predecessor,Wendy Kaplan, and the winningpoets of the 2019 DASHing Words inMotion who will have their poemsdisplayed inside the DASH buses andTrolleys in April and May. Call 703-746-5565 or [email protected].

SATURDAY/APRIL 27Garden Day Craft Sale. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

at Carlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax St.Stop by historic Carlyle House duringAlexandria Garden Day to tour themuseum and purchase crafts by localartisans. Visit www.carlylehouse.orgor call 703-549-2997.

Project Discovery Walkathon. 8:30a.m.-12 p.m. At Fort Ward Park,4301 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria.Come join the fun at the 23rd annualProject Discovery Walkathon. Basedat T.C. Williams High School and theMinnie Howard 9th Grade Center,Project Discovery prepares andmotivates low-income and firstgeneration college-eligible studentsto access opportunities in highereducation. This Walkathon is thespring fundraiser and all proceeds goto the program. Free. Visitalexandriava.gov/ProjectDiscovery.

Native Plant Sale. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. inthe parking lot at 1701 N. QuakerLane. Plant sale hosts 10 vendorsfrom three states selling nativeperennials, shrubs, and trees for sunor shade. Free admission. Call 571-232-0375 or visitwww.NorthernAlexandriaNativePlantSale.org.

Watercolor Workshop – ColorTheory. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. atGreen Spring Gardens, 4603 GreenSpring Road. (16-Adult)Understanding color is essential tocreat–ing work that captivates theeye and evokes certain moods oremotions. Through a series ofexercises lead by artist Dawn Flores,learn to understand tints, shades andtones, the color wheel, complemen–tary colors, warm and cool colors andcolor schemes. Make useful charts

and swatches that can be used forfuture reference. $93/person.Register online atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes/ using code F91.8B8F orcall 703-642-5173.

Hamilton’s BFF & FrenemiesSpecialty Tour. 10-11 a.m. atGadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 NorthRoyal St. Inspired by the musicalHamilton, hear about Washington,Lafayette, Jefferson, Madison, andBurr, who all came to the tavern, anddelve into the issues they faced andhow their choices impacted localcitizens. This specialty tour is offeredevery Saturday in April. $15 perperson, $12 for museum members.Call 703-746-4242 or visitwww.alexandriava.gov/shop fortickets.

Becoming American. 10 a.m.-noonAlexandria’s History Museum at theLyceum, 201 S. Washington St.Carefully curated, BecomingAmerican is a selection ofdocumentaries representing aselection of diverse immigrationexperiences drawn from both the pastand present. Each of the sessions ismoderated followed by discussionafter the viewing. Light refreshmentswill be available. This program isdesigned for adults, high schoolstudents may attend with an adult.Free, pre-registration is required atshop.alexandriava.gov.

Community Pet Fair. 10 a.m.-noon infront of the Ruby Tucker FamilyCenter at 322 Tancil Court. TheAnimal Welfare League of Alexandria(AWLA) will hold a free Pet CareFair, offering rabies and othervaccinations and other services at nocost for pets in Alexandria’sunderserved communities. Residentscan also take advantage of basicgrooming and nail trims, pet food,behavioral advice and more. Dogsmust be on leash, and cats must betransported in carriers. Visitalexandriaanimals.org for more.

Earth Day Celebration. 10 a.m.-2

p.m. at the Lenny Harris MemorialFields at Braddock Park, 1005 MountVernon Ave. The City of Alexandriawill host the 26th Annual AlexandriaEarth Day and Arbor Day celebration.This family-friendly event includesthe ninth annual UpcyclingShowcase, where students fromAlexandria City Public Schools willpresent unique fashion items andother upcycling creations based onthe event theme, “Climate Change –Take Action.” Admission is free, andfood and beverages will be availablefor purchase. Visit alexandriava.gov/EarthDay or call 703-746-5592.

Bus Tour: “From Slavery toFreedom.” 10 a.m.-4 p.m. atGeorge Washington’s Mount Vernon.This special bus tour begins at MountVernon with an exclusive viewing ofMount Vernon’s Lives BoundTogether exhibition, on slavery atGeorge Washington’s plantation.Afterward, visitors will walk toMount Vernon’s Slave Cemetery for asite talk by archeologists, followed bya lunchtime lecture (box lunchprovided). Guests will board a bus toAlexandria and visit Freedom HouseMuseum, then on to Alexandria’sContraband and Freedmen CemeteryMemorial. The tour will conclude atMount Vernon at 4 p.m. The tour willgo rain or shine and has extendedperiods of walking over uneventerrain. $40. Get tickets atshop.alexandriava.gov/.

Celebrate Historic Garden Week.10 a.m.-4 p.m. Five of Old TownAlexandria’s finest private homes andgardens will open to the public, aspart of Historic Garden Week inVirginia, the oldest and largest houseand garden tour in the nation. Thiswalking tour features privatetownhomes and secluded gardenslocated along the tree lined streets ofAlexandria’s historic district,refreshments and a marketplace atthe Athenaeum, and is just stepsaway from Old Town’s fine diningand boutique shopping. $45 in

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Entertainment

By Steve Hibbard

The next play reading of PipelinePlaywrights’ Winter/Spring2019 Reading Series will be“The Whole Is Greater” by Ann

Timmons. The staged reading will be heldon Monday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m., atMetroStage in Alexandria.

According to Timmons: “’The Whole isGreater’ is a comedy about what happensamong a group of disparate characters whentheir lives unexpectedly intertwine.”

It stars Carmen, the motivational super-star; Marguerite, the cynical, recently un-employed professor; Shelly, the wily DollarStore cashier; and Frances, the corrupt CityCouncil chair; who all come together inCarlyle, Va.

“They all try desperately (and somewhathilariously) to hold onto their carefullycrafted identities. The play shatters manyof their illusions, and illustrates what canhappen when the lies we tell ourselves —and others — catch up to us,” said Timmons.

As far as challenges, she said it has a fairlycomplicated plot structure, so she didn’twant to overwrite, but also didn’t want the

audience to get confused. “And I wanted toleave some room for my director and ac-tors to make some creative choices, so I keptfinding myself editing, cutting, re-editing,and so on.

I had written an earlier version of this playthat was read at Page to Stage at TheKennedy Center in 2015, and after that Ieliminated a major character and one wholeplot arc. Which was hard! They call it ‘kill-ing your little darlings,’ and it sure felt like

Pipeline Playwrights Holds New Reading“The Whole is Greater” play reading on Monday, April 29 at MetroStage.

Ann Timmons

“The Whole is Greater” atMetroStage.

I had stamped out something very preciousto me,” she said.

She added: “If people are encouraged bythis play to take risks, or look a bit moreclosely at how they move through life, Iwould be happy. Oh, and if they remembera funny line or moment from the play thatmade them laugh, that’d be great too.”

Directed by Catherine Tripp, the play starsBarbara Pinolini as Marguerite Navarre;Caren Anton as Shelly Lauerman; DianeCoope Gould as Carmen; Marni Penning asFrances Furst; and Stephen Strosnider asKevin McSweeney.

Pipeline Playwrights is a group of womenplaywrights based in Northern Virginia whohave decided to work together to supporteach other’s work and get women’s voicesinto theatre.

The group’s other members are JeanKoppen, Crystal Adaway, Patricia Connelly,and Nicole Burton.

Pipeline Playwrights will present a read-ing of “The Whole is Greater” on Monday,April 29, at 7:30 p.m., at MetroStage, lo-cated at 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria.The show is free, with a suggested $10 do-nation. Stay for the post-performance dis-

cussion and reception with the cast, AnnTimmons, and all the Pipeline Playwrights.Visit them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pipelineplaywrights/.

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Attendees at the 2018 block party celebrating their lovefor their pets.

Love Your Pet Day Block PartyLocal businesses will host a block party on Roth & Colvin streets in the West End

with proceeds benefiting the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. The kick-offwill be held mid-way along Colvin Street at 11am, hosted by Dr. Katy Nelson. Chil-dren and leashed pets welcomed. Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission.Visit www.alexandrialoveyourpetday.com.

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advance at www.vagardenweek.orgor at the Alexandria Visitor Center atRamsay House (221 King St.). On thedate of the tour, $55 at theAthenaeum (201 Prince St.) and atthe Old Presbyterian Meeting House(323 South Fairfax St.). Tickets willnot be sold at individual tour homes.

Spring Open House. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.at EMMAvet Veterinary Urgent Care,1628A Belle View Blvd. EMMAvetand the Belle View Shopping Centerwelcome the community to theirSpring Open House for a clinic tour,raffle prizes, food from Primo, andexclusive deals from many of BelleView Shopping Center neighbors.Well-behaved and leashed dogs arewelcome. Free. Call 703-373-3774 orvisit emmavet.com for more.

City Nature Challenge 2019. 1-3p.m. at Simpson Park Gardens, 420E. Monroe St. An Extension MasterGardener will lead an event for theCity Nature Challenge taking placeApril 26-29. In the challenge citiesaround the globe compete to see whocan find the most species of plants,animals, reptiles, and fungi, and whocan engage the most people.Download the iNaturalist app(www.inaturalist.org/) and join thefun. Arlington Regional MasterNaturalists will also lead eventsduring the four-day challenge at anumber of area parks. For thoseevent times, check armn.org/volunteer-opportunities/. Look forthe City Nature Challenge 2019signs. Open to all ages. Free.Questions? Contact Extension MasterGardeners at telephone 703-228-6414 or email [email protected].

Spring Benefit Concert: “KindredSpirits.” 3 p.m. at Convergence,1801 N. Quaker Lane. Celebrateconnections, including friendship,kinship, sisterhood, and evenfrenemies. This event will featureSopranessence’s arrangements ofmusic from popular operas &operettas such as Hansel and Gretel,The Mikado and Mozart’s Cosí fan

Tutte; audience-favorite musicals likeMiss Saigon, Cinderella, Wicked, andmore. Proceeds support St. JudeChildren’s Research Hospital.Through Friday, April 26: $20; $10,ages 12 & under. All tickets $25 atthe door. Visit ourconvergence.orgfor more.

Live Music: Cleve Francis. 7:30-10:15 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701Mt. Vernon Ave. A blend of manymusical styles, from country, to bluesand jazz. Enjoy Cleve Francis for anevening of musical storytelling. $35.Call 703-549-7500 or visitwww.birchmere.com.

SUNDAY/APRIL 28Britain on the Green. 9:30 a.m.-3

p.m. at Gunston Hall, 10709 GunstonRoad, Lorton. The 22nd Britain onthe Green show will feature twohundred British cars andmotorcycles, music, food trucks,youth activities, and admission toGunston Hall and grounds. $10adult; $5 children 6-18. Visitwww.capitaltriumphregister.com/bog/ or call 703-522-6571.

Love Your Pet Day Block Party. 11a.m.-3 p.m. Local businesses will hosta block party on Roth & Colvinstreets in the West End with proceedsbenefiting the Animal Welfare

League of Alexandria. The kick-offwill be held mid-way along ColvinStreet at 11am, hosted by Dr. KatyNelson. Children and leashed petswelcomed. Free admission. Visitwww.alexandrialoveyourpetday.com.

Carpenter’s Cook-Off 2019. Noon-3p.m. at The Birchmere. During theevent, 20 top-rated local restaurantsserve samples of their best dishes toguests and compete to win awards. Apanel of celebrity judges grants theBest Savory and Best Sweet Awardswhile attendees of all ages determinethe People’s and Kids’ Choice Awards.In addition to sampling dishes, guestscan bid on hot ticket items during thelive and silent auctions, try their luckat raffles, and listen to live music bythe Alpha Dog Blues Band. Visitwww.CarpentersShelter.org.

Spring Ballet: Coppelia. 12:30 and3:30 p.m. at Metropolitan School ofthe Arts, 5775 Barclay Ave.,Alexandria. Coppelia is a charming,humorous ballet of infatuation,deception, and finally a love thatprevails. Dance along with Swanhildaand Franz as they find their way tolove and “happily ever after.” $12.Visit www.metropolitanarts.org formore.

Film Screening: “Just Eat It.” 2:30p.m. at Nannie J. Lee MemorialRecreation Center, 1108 Jefferson St.In honor of Stop Food Waste Day, theCity of Alexandria’s Department ofTransportation and EnvironmentalServices, Resource Recovery Division,will screen “Just Eat It,” about acouple who dives into the issue offood waste from farm and retail,right to the back of their own fridge,as they pledge to eat only discardedfood for six months. Before and afterthe film, enjoy light refreshments andengage with City staff andcommunity leaders on efforts to fightfood waste and create a greenerAlexandria for the next generation.RSVP on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/events/2169281946459574/permalink/

2169281949792907/.

APRIL 29-MAY 26The “Weekends” Kiln Club Show.

Gallery hours at Scope Gallery, 105North Union St., ground floor Studio19 of the Torpedo Factory Art Center.Artisan creations are as unique asthat match made in heaven, ideal asan anniversary gift, engagementcongratulations or to commemoratethe hoopla of getting hitched.Capture a moment in clay, recall ascene with ceramics and upgradeimportant goings-on with ScopeGallery. Call 703-548-6288 or visitwww.scopegallery.org for more.

TUESDAY/APRIL 30Rare 1792 Gold Coin on Display.

In the Donald W. Reynolds EducationCenter, at George Washington’sMount Vernon. On the 230thanniversary of George Washington’sfirst inauguration, visitors will havethe opportunity to view the 1792Washington President gold eaglepattern coin, the earliest gold patternproposed for U.S. coinage and theonly gold coin with this design. Thisunique piece, on loan indefinitelyfrom a private owner, will remain onview as part of Mount Vernon’seducational experience for its morethan 1 million annual visitors. Visitmountvernon.org/1792coin.

Twilight & Tipple Tours. 6-9 p.m. atPope-Leighey House, 9000 RichmondHighway. Experience Frank LloydWright’s Pope-Leighey House bytwilight. This tour series is a rarechance to see one of Wright’s housesilluminated against a night sky. Graba drink, included in the price of thetour ticket, and walk through thehouse on a leisurely, open housestyle tour with plenty of time to takestunning photos. $35. Visitwww.woodlawnpopeleighey.org/ formore.

Science, Pseudoscience, Magic,

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Entertainment

(No) Comfort Zone image, Scribble Scrabble by Kelli Sinco

Art Exhibit: ‘(No) Comfort Zone’The “(No) Comfort Zone” exhibit reflects people, places and things that are in and/or out of their comfort zone. Gallery

hours at Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. An opening reception takes place April 5, 7-9 p.m. VisitDelRayArtisans.org/exhibits.

Calendar

Focus MusicAcoustic Eidolon is Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire. Their music is a combination

of Celtic, classical and contemporary folk. This show will be a benefit for Holly’sHands Southern Animal Charity (www.hollyshandscharity.org). Saturday, May 4,7 p.m. at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 8531 Riverside Road. Tickets are $18 inadvance at www.focusmusic.org/buy-tickets and for members, $20 at the door.

and Humbug. 7-9 p.m. atAlexandria’s History Museum at theLyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Learnabout some of the fascinatingprograms and performances fromThe Lyceum’s first 20 years. Sciencewas a popular topic for lectures,demonstrations, and exhibits atLyceum Hall, as it was known in the1840s and 50s – some of themfeaturing legitimate academicprograms and others featuring thelatest pseudoscience crazes of theday. Jim Holloway, facilitiescoordinator at the Alexandria HistoryMuseum at The Lyceum shares hisresearch on the wide variety ofscience-based entertainments enjoyedby Alexandrians in the two decades

before the Civil War. $10. Tickets atshop.alexandriava.gov.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY/MAY 2-4Sailing on String. Thursday-Friday,

10:30 a.m.; Saturday, 10 and 11:30a.m. at The Lab at Convergence,1819 N. Quaker Lane. Arts on theHorizon produces original workexclusively for children ages 0-6 andtheir families. Follow two curiousexplorers on a voyage into a worldmade of string. This gentle, engagingperformance features objecttransformation, movement, livestring music, and captivating design.Best for children ages 0-2 and theirfamilies. Sign interpretedperformance May 11, 10 a.m. $7.

Visit www.ArtsOnTheHorizon.org orcall 571-549-1270.

FRIDAY/MAY 3Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. 10 a.m.

Old Town Safeway, 500 S. Royal St.Safeway will unveil renovations to itsOld Town store. The celebration willinclude live music from the New LineBrass Band, refreshments and freegifts. As part of the ribbon-cuttingcelebration, Safeway will presentdonations to two local communityorganizations: The Campagna Centerand ALIVE!

UCM Give From the Heart Gala. 6p.m. at Belle Haven Country Club,6023 Fort Hunt Road. Hosted by TheFriends of UCM, the 2019 Gala isalso part of UCM’s 50th AnniversaryCelebration. The theme for theyearlong celebration is “50 Years ofNeighbors Helping Neighbors.”Honorary Co-Chairs are U.S. Sen.Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mrs. AddyKrizek, both former UCM Boardmembers. $200. RSVP atwww.ucmagency.org.

MVHS Theatre Arts Alumni Night.6:15 p.m. (reception); 7 p.m.performance. The MVHS Theatre ArtsAlumni night will feature the MVHSTheatre scrapbook and honor allMount Vernon alumni in their firstannual MVHS Theatre Arts AlumniNight during the spring musicalproduction of Cinderella. $5-$10.Purchase tickets online(www.itickets.com/events/402293.html) or at the door.

Symphony of Frogs. 7:30-9 p.m. atHuntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd. Join a naturalist foran indoor discussion and a guidedwalk to listen for serenading frogsand toads. Learn the calls of abullfrog, southern leopard frog, greenfrog, tree frog, American toad andmore. The weather and time ofseason will affect what frogs will becalling. Adults. $8. Call 703-768-2525 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.

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12 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By League of Women Voters of

the Fairfax Area

Sheriff Stacey Kincaid was the key-note speaker at the Annual Meet-ing of the League of Women Votersof the Fairfax Area (LWVFA), held

on April 6 at The Waterford in Fairfax.She is the first female sheriff of Fairfax

County in its 276-year history and is alsoone of only six female sheriffs in Virginia.She was first elected in 2013 to fill the bal-ance of a term and was re-elected in 2015.She will be on the ballot again this Novem-ber. In 2008, as a deputy sheriff, she earnedthe Distinguished Service Award, which rec-ognizes “a career of sustained exemplaryperformance.”

What does the Sheriff’s Office do? It op-erates the Adult Detention Center (ADC),which has an average daily population of972; provides Courthouse security; andserves civil law process for the courts. Heroffice is staffed by 529 sheriff’s deputies and87 civilians.

Changing the culture around mental ill-ness and substance use disorders has beenher focus. She works to achieve change bycollaborating with partners in county gov-ernment and the community. She helpedspearhead Diversion First, which offers al-ternatives to incarceration for people withmental illness and co-occurring substanceuse disorders. She created an addictiontreatment and recovery program in the ADC

Owens led the Planning and ResearchBureau at Public Safety Headquarters,which entailed such responsibilities as di-recting the Department’s Diversion FirstProgram, Crisis Intervention Training,and coordinating the Department’s com-munity outreach programs, including thePolice Leaders of Tomorrow program,which he founded.

Since September of 2017, Owens hasserved as the commander of the MountVernon District Station. While leading theMount Vernon District Station, Owenscontinued to serve as a commander onthe Department’s Crisis NegotiationsTeam and represents the Police Depart-ment on the Fairfax County Alternative

Accountability Program’s planning com-mittee.

Owens has completed the InternationalAssociation of Chiefs of Police - Leader-ship in Police Organizations course. Heobtained a Department of Criminal Jus-tice Services instructor certification andnow teaches the Leadership in PoliceOrganizations course to law enforcementagencies around the country as an IACPNational Instructor.

He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree inCriminal Justice from Liberty University,and also graduated from the Virginia As-sociation of Chiefs of Police ProfessionalExecutive Leadership School. He is mar-ried to his wife of 13 years and they havetwo children together.

From Page 3

Owens To Lead Internal Affairs

and she has created a partnership with thecourts on new post-arrest diversion pro-grams.

ONE-THIRD OF JAIL INMATES have be-havioral health issues. Kincaid emphasizestraining to help address these issues. Morethan 120 of her deputies have taken the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team training, andall of her staff, sworn and civilian, have totake a Mental Health First Aid course. Suchtraining teaches people how to identifysymptoms of mental illness and how to helppeople experiencing a mental health crisis.Also, with the opening of the Merrifield Cri-sis Response Center in January 2016, po-lice officers and Sheriff’s deputies can di-vert people experiencing mental health cri-ses to the Merrifield. Bringing someone tojail is no longer the default option. As ofDec. 31, 2018, more than 1,300 people hadbeen diverted from potential arrest.

Trauma is often an underlying cause ofaddiction. On Nov. 1, 2018, Kincaidlaunched a pilot program in the ADC –Striving to Achieve Recovery (STAR). Twopeer recovery specialists work with in-mates to help them achieve recovery fromaddiction.

Post-arrest diversion programs in thecounty include a Supervised Release Non-Compliance Docket, Veterans TreatmentDocket, Mental Health Docket and DrugTreatment Court. They all aim to providepeople with second chances after arrest.

The ADC’s priority is to help inmates de-velop skills, so they can live productivelyafter release. Towards achieving this prior-ity, inmate programs focus on furtheringeducation, improving life skills, increasingemployability and building self-confidence.Examples of programs include GED classesand testing; yoga, art and sewing classes;work release opportunities, and the Com-munity Labor Force.

THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE has about 300volunteers who lead or support many in-mate programs. In addition, resource fairsare organized for inmates to obtain infor-

mation that willhelp them afterthey are released.LWVFA has par-ticipated in theseresource fairs forseveral years.

Fairfax Countyis not immune tothe problem ofdomestic vio-lence. If aware orknow of a personsuffering fromdomestic vio-lence, call the Do-mestic ViolenceHotline at 703-360-7273. Do-mestic violence isnot always physi-cal. It can be fi-nancial, emo-tional, and/orsexual as well.

Changing the Culture Around Mental IllnessSheriff speaks at the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area annual meeting.

Officers ElectedIn addition to listening to the Sheriff, LWVFA

members elected the following officers: Co-President, Nancy Roodberg, Secretary, Lois Page,and the following Directors: At Large, JessicaStorrs, Public Relations, Katharina Gollner-Sweet, Voter Service Coordinator, CindyKalkwarf, Voter Service - Voter RegistrationCoordinator, Bob Meredith, Volunteer Outreach -Judy Helein, and Membership - Carol Bursik.They will serve two-year terms (2019-2021),beginning July 1, 2019. They also elected theNominating Committee, composed of Chair,Charleen Deasy, and members, Barbara Ewaltand Peggy Knight. They will serve one-term(2019-2020), beginning July 1, 2019.

From left, the League of Women Voters of the FairfaxArea (LWVFA) Co-Presidents Judy Helein and AnuSahai, With Sheriff Stacey Kincaid.

Pho

to

co

ntributed

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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

DONATIONS NEEDEDUCM Needs Help. United Community

Ministries (UCM), 7511 FordsonRoad, Alexandria. Inventory is low ondisposable diapers especially sizes 4,5, 6; canned tuna and other cannedmeats like chicken; and low-sugarbreakfast cereals. Shop and donatewith their Amazon Wish List at:bit.ly/UCM_FoodPantry_AmazonWishList.Email Assistant Food Pantry ManagerVon at

[email protected] orvisit at www.ucmagency.org.

FRIDAY/APRIL 26Scholarship Application Deadline.

Applications are now available forbusiness scholarships provided byMount Vernon Lee Chamber ofCommerce. At least $12,000 will beawarded to local graduating seniorspursuing further education in

business. Those applying for thescholarships must plan to pursuefurther education in a business-related field and live in Lee or MountVernon Districts or attend one of theseven high schools in these districts.Students may apply online atwww.mtvernon-leechamber.org/education-partnership or call 703-360-6925 to request an application.

Bulletin Board Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least two weeks before event.

See Bulletin, Page 14

Mount Vernon has selected 20 leadinghistory scholars to receive fully-funded research fellowships at theFred W. Smith National Library for

the Study of George Washington (Washington Li-brary) during the 2019-20 academic year. These fel-lows will study on site at the Washington Library forup to six months beginning this fall.

Now in its seventh year, the Washington Library’sfellowship program has become a sought-after honorfor academics researching topics related to GeorgeWashington, his life, and the founding era. Theseawards also provide an opportunity for scholars towork on their research projects, which are reviewedby an independent jury of academics. While in resi-dence, the fellows become a part of the Mount Vernoncommunity. They take part in day-to-day activitiesat the estate and library. The scholars are called uponto share their findings in formal settings and casualgatherings for staff, other visiting scholars, and spe-cial guests.

Research fellowships less than three months pro-vide a stipend of $3,000 per month, three-monthfellowships provide $10,000, and six-month fellow-ships provide $20,000. All awards include onsitehousing, as well as round-trip airfare or mileage re-imbursement for one trip to and from Mount Vernon.For more information, visit mountvernon.org/researchfellows.

The 2019-20 Mount Vernon Research Fellows in-clude the following scholars, listed with their topicof study:

Sheila ArnoldStoryteller and Independent Historic Character InterpreterNew York Presidency: Slaves, Servants and the Washington

Family

Lydia Mattice Brandt, Ph.D.University of South CarolinaJohn Gadsby Chapman’s America

George W. Boudreau, Ph.D.McNeil Center for Early American Studies“Telling the Story:” Material Culture, Surviving Spaces, and the

Presentation of Early America’s History

Val rie Capdeville, Ph.D.Universit of Paris 13George Washington, Clubbable Gentleman: The Role of

Colonial Clubs in the Building of Social and PoliticalIdentities and Networks

Dusty DyeUniversity of Maryland, College Park“A Decent External Sorrow”: Death, Mourning, and the

American Revolution

Ronald Fuchs IIWashington and Lee UniversityGeorge Washington, his Coat of Arms, and the Cincinnati

Service

Alexi GarrettUniversity of VirginiaMartha Washington and the Business of Slavery at Mount

Vernon

Ann Bay GoddinIndependent Author and ConsultantComing to the Rescue: Ann Pamela Cunningham and the

Beginning of America’s Historic Preservation Movement

Cassandra Good, Ph.D.Marymount UniversityChildren of Washington: The Custis Grandchildren and the

Politics of Family in America, 1776-1865

Odai Johnson, Ph.D.University of WashingtonStaging the Revolution: Washington and the Theatre of War

Martha J. King, Ph.D.Papers of Thomas JeffersonA Revolutionary Army at Play: Catharine Littlefield Greene and

Her Coterie in the Carolina Lowcountry

Gerard N. MaglioccaIndiana UniversityWashington’s Heir: The Life of Justice Bushrod Washington

Marcus P. Nevius, Ph.D.University of Rhode Island“city of refuge”: Dismal Plantation in the Revolutionary War

Era

Patrick O’DonnellAuthor and Military HistorianThe Indispensables: A Band of Brothers and their Crucial Role

Fighting the Revolution

Derek Kane O’LearyUniversity of California, BerkeleyWriting Washington for an Atlantic Audience before the Civil

War

Franklin SammonsUniversity of California, BerkeleyYazoo’s Settlement: Law, Finance, and Dispossession in the

Southeastern Borderlands

Laura Sandy, Ph.D.University of LiverpoolA Tale of Two Masters: Managing Free and Enslaved Labour at

Mount Vernon and Monticello

Nora Slonimsky, Ph.D.Iona College, Institute for Thomas Paine StudiesThe Engine of Free Expression: Copyrighting The State in Early

America

Jillian B. VaumUniversity of PennsylvaniaWashington’s Body Servant: Freedom and Memory in

Antebellum America

John C. WintersCity University of New York, The Graduate CenterThe Peace Medal’s Glare: Red Jacket, the Washington

Administration, and the Origins of Iroquois Exceptionalism

Topics of study range fromWashington and the theatreto death and mourning inthe American Revolution.

Scholars Selected for Fellowships

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14 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Like anyone with a name and an address, no doubt over the years, you readers have received unsolicited gifts/inducements in a kind of presump-tive exchange for charitable contributions from many organizations with which you are probably familiar. And among the many good deeds they offer are the manufacture and subsequent mailing at no cost or obligation to the recipient, of self-adhesive, return-address labels.

I have, over the years, made a below-average level of contribution despite having maintained an above-average level of use. Still the labels arrive, regularly. And given their accumulation in my home

die until I have used every one of those labels. In a manner of speaking/referencing, this pursuit has sort of become my white whale. I’m sure Captain Ahab could relate.

Years ago, around the time of my diagnosis, I was likewise determined, given where I live in Mont-gomery County, to not die until the Inter County Connector (a long-planned-for, cross-county highway connecting Interstate 270 in Montgomery County to Route 1 in Prince George’s County) was completed. I never thought, given my “13 month to two-year” prognosis in 2009, that I’d live to see its completion and to attach its transponder and pay its tolls. But I have.

And though I am not a regular driver on this road, I am nonetheless emotionally connected to it. It’s as if we both overcame something.

Which brings me back to the other emotional connection I’ve mentioned: the return-address labels.

design of the labels or anything in particular (they all tend to blend together after a while), it’s that they all have my name and almost always have it spelled cor-rectly, which is not always the case in mail addressed to Lourie. And below that correctly-spelled name, is an equally correct return address.

All combined on a label which doesn’t require any licking or stamping or writing. All of which when combined creates a certain functionality which for a non-millennial, baby-boomer like myself who actu-ally mails envelopes rather than types them online, provides an incredibly helpful asset.

my life is an asset worth mentioning.There are many mailers of a certain age who live,

almost thrive in a non-paper-free environment. We still write our own checks, hand-address our own

I can’t say whether many of us “balance our checkbooks,” but as for myself, I do review the vari-ous entries in my check register with my paper state-

all sounds a bit antiquated to some of you younger readers, some of what you do sounds far-fetched and sort of redundant to me, which probably minimizes your appreciation for something as mundane as a correctly-spelled and properly-addressed return-ad-dress label.

I imagine there’s a path down the middle some-where, but it’s not important that we all correspond.

But for those of you who do correspond with hard copies instead of computerized soft copies, these return address labels can be a vital cog in the mailing machine. Intended recipients are not always where you thought they were and mail that you thought you had properly addressed stands a better chance of being returned to sender.

label might not save the sender time or money, but it might do so for the recipient; and let’s be honest: who doesn’t like to receive mail?

address. If it were not for the return address, label or otherwise, the reason for its delivery might lose some of its appeal.

For me, living beyond the correspondence on -

ing. Because considering the number of labels I still have at home, I’m going to be living for a long time. Cancer be damned.

Label MeDetermined

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IMPROVEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS

SATURDAY/APRIL 27Scam Jam and ShredFest. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at

Fairfax County Government Center, 12000Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. The SilverShield Task Force and AARP Virginia are hostinga free fraud prevention and shredding event.There will be numerous speakers discussing howto be aware of scams and how to prevent beingscammed or defrauded. Scam Jam runs 9 a.m.-1p.m.; ShredFest runs 8 a.m.-noon.

Spring Clean. 8:30 a.m. Meet at CandlewoodSuites, 8847 Richmond Highway. Join theChamber to Spring Clean Jeff Todd Way andother roads about Fort Belvoir. Receiveassignments, garbage bags, snacks and bottledwater. Bring work gloves. Visit www.mtvernon-leechamber.org/events/details/highway-cleanup-5433 to register.

Spring Forward. 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Colgan Hall,George Mason University Science andTechnology Campus, 10900 University Blvd.,Manassas. Spring Forward Family Fun Dayoffers adoptive, foster and kinship families a dayof fun and learning about tools and solutions.Found Families Forward is partnering withNewFound Families, the Virginia Department ofSocial Services (VDSS), and VDOE’s Trainingand Technical Assistance Center. Parents,caregivers and professionals will be treated tokeynote Family Strong: Five Ways to Fight theFear, Beat the Burnout, and Stay Focused for theLong Haul by presenter Wendy Besmann.Following the keynote, parents and caregiverschoose from a variety of breakout sessions. $0-$40. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-forward-family-fun-day-and-regional-conference-tickets-54145770457 for tickets.

HMES Earth Day. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at HollinMeadows Elementary School, 2310 Nordok Place.The Earth Day Celebration and CommunityWork-Day will return to Hollin MeadowsElementary School after a 2-year hiatus due tofull reconstruction of the school. Along withvolunteer opportunities for all ages and abilities,there will be food, children’s activities, and astudent-led bake sale and plant sale. Free. Visitwww.hollinmeadowspartnership.com/earthdayor call 610-804-6084.

Teen Job Fair and Resume BuildingWorkshop. 10 a.m.-noon at Mount VernonHigh School. These events will focus on studentjob seekers (approximately ages 16-18) lookingfor full time employment, after-schoolemployment, seasonal positions, internshipopportunities, or volunteer experiences. It is opento all teens in Fairfax County looking foremployment or wanting tips to build theirresume. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/springfield/teen-job-fair-student-registration to register.

Vessel Safety Check. At the Mount Vernon YachtClub. Increase the chances of a mishap-freeseason on the water this year with a free VesselSafety Check from the Coast Auxiliary’s MountVernon Flotilla, whether it’s a powerboat,sailboat, jet ski, or paddle craft. Contact SteveRybicki at [email protected] or 703-887-0415.

TUESDAY/APRIL 30Hybla Valley/Gum Springs Community

Conversation. 6-9 p.m. at Bethlehem BaptistChurch, 7836 Fordson Road, Alexandria. Jointhis interactive workshop where attendees willidentify community assets, list existingchallenges, and share concerns for the future. Alight dinner will be served 6-7 p.m. Children arewelcome to attend. Spread the Vote volunteerswill be present to register voters and help withvoter ID. RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/community-conversation-share-your-vision-for-hybla-valleygum-springs-tickets-59452478965.

THURSDAY/MAY 2Garden Club. 9:30 a.m.-noon at Mt. Vernon Yacht

Club, 4817 Tarpon Lane. Members of allneighborhoods are invited to join the YachtHaven Garden Club. Join in learning more aboutfloral design as well as horticulture. Meetingsare the first Thursday of the month, September-May. Email [email protected] for more.

SATURDAY/MAY 4Vessel Safety Check. At the Alexandria City

Marina. Increase the chances of a mishap-freeseason on the water this year with a free VesselSafety Check from the Coast Auxiliary’s MountVernon Flotilla, whether it’s a powerboat,sailboat, jet ski, or paddle craft. Contact SteveRybicki at [email protected] or 703-887-0415.

From Page 13

Bulletin Board

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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 ❖ 15www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Page 16: Senior Living - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/042419/Mt Vernon.pdf · By Caitlin Morris Capital News Service O nly 7 percent of Virginia’s foster children

16 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com