entertainment, page 10 opinion, page 6 scouting for food...

HolidayEntertainment

Page 8

SALT Holds Annual Advocacy ConferenceNews, Page 3

Students Read Letters to VeteransNews, Page 4

Scouting For Food in Springfield

News, 2

Springfield Scouts Jack Rose, 13, on left, and Finneas Rose, 7, are passing out bags from the bed of one truck in ECHO parking lot. Anual Scouting for Food drive nets 25,842 pounds of food for ECHO clients.

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com November 16-22, 2017

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2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ November 16-22, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

THE NUTCRACKER

Saturday, November 18th at 2:00 & 6:00 p.m.& Sunday, November 19th at 1:00 & 5:00 p.m.

Ernst Community Cultural Center Theater • NVCC Annandale CampusAdults – $28 • Children/Seniors – $20

For organized groups (10+) andhandicapped seating, [email protected]

Come share in the magic of the holiday tradition!Featuring 3-year-old miniature dolls to professional

dancers courtesy of Colorado Ballet, this production willenchant all ages. Be mesmerized by a growing tree,

magic tricks, leaping mice, toy soldiers, falling snow,authentic costumes made in the Ukraine, seventy-fivedancing flowers and delectable confections from the

Kingdom of Sweets. Treat yourself and friendsto a wonderful entrée to the spirit of the season.

Makes a perfect holiday gift!Order your tickets online at www.buffas.com

presented by

The Burke Civic Ballet

Springfield Connection ❖ November 16-22, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Andrea Worker

The Gazette

The agenda was full at the 2017Social Action Linking Together(SALT) Fall Advocacy Confer-ence. The annual forum was

held at the Virginia International Univer-sity in Fairfax on Saturday, Nov. 11 with apacked house in attendance.

SALT is a non-partisan faith-based net-work of individuals and organizations withthe goal of bringing “the social and eco-nomic justice teachings of their faith to bearon public policy and legislation.” Whatstarted as eight socially conscious peopleabout 20 years ago, has grown to abase of about 1,300, who educatethemselves and the public on thefacts surrounding social issues, andthe actions that can be taken to ad-dress them.

“It’s education, it’s advocacy,building relationships with legisla-tors, and bringing people togetherto strengthen the voices of all,” saidSALT Founder and Coordinator JohnHorejsi, who is no stranger to thehalls of the Commonwealth’s gov-ernmental chambers and offices inRichmond.

Each year, SALT selects new pri-ority issues, or continues to addressissues in progress, and rallies itstroops to raise awareness and rec-ommend actions. Horejsi was par-ticularly pleased to announce thatlargely through the efforts of SALT mem-bers, many more Virginians in need will nowbenefit from the TANF (Temporary Assis-tance for Needy Families) program, simplyby having consolidated the TANF catego-ries.

Additional improvements to TANF, includ-ing an associated scholarship program isone of SALT’s priorities for the 2018 Vir-ginia legislative session.

THE GROUP has identified several otherpriorities upon which they will focus theirattention in the coming year, including:

❖ Ending school lunch shaming: SALTsupports legislation that would prohibitidentifying – and stigmatizing – childrenwho are unable to pay for school meals.

❖ Legislation to provide video visitationservices to inmates, and not to ban in-per-son visits where video visits are provided.

❖ Limiting, and ultimately eliminatingsolitary confinement in prisons.

❖ Opposing block grants for all humanservice programs opposing block grants forMedicaid.

❖ Supporting greater equity in KinshipGuardian situations, granting more fundsto family members caring for children —where foster carers now receive, in some

cases, almost five times the funds allottedto family carers.

To illustrate the scope of the needs of thecitizens of Virginia, Horejsi recruited SisterSimone Campbell and state Del. Ken Plum(D-36) as speakers for the forum.

Sister Campbell, a member of the inter-national Roman Catholic religious congre-gation Sisters of Social Service is often re-ferred to as one of the “Nuns on a Bus.” Asthe director of NETWORK, a Catholic ad-vocacy group for social justice, SisterCampbell leads a group of nuns who, since2012, conduct bus tours around the coun-try as part of their advocacy work, educat-ing and leading discussions on a variety ofissues, from healthcare to immigration,voter suppression to advocating for a “liv-ing wage” for all.

The need to provide a “living wage” wasa central element in Sister Campbell’s key-note address on “21st Century Poverty.”

Sister Campbell advised the audience tothrow away the old stereotypes of the “typi-cally impoverished.” Today’s poor are in-creasingly “the working poor,” she said, re-counting the story of a young woman sheencountered at a special White House lun-cheon. The woman was filled with excite-ment for having been chosen to attend the

event, yet before the end of the meal,she confessed that despite having a“good, full-time job” at a well-knownretailer, she lived at a homeless shel-ter because she couldn’t afford thehigh cost of rents in the D.C. area.Her dream was to work and save herway out of this dilemma.

Sister Campbell doesn’t believethat anyone working a full-time job– and some working more than onejob – should not be earning enoughto pay for a place to live and themeans to exist.

“There’s something wrong here.We say we are a nation based on fam-ily, yet we do so little to support fami-lies and hardworking individuals.”

The “nun on a bus” expressed herscepticism regarding the tax reform

proposals currently being put forth on theHill. “Trickle down does not work. We havealready proven this, time and again. Andyou know the definition of insanity, right?Doing the same thing over and over, expect-ing a different result.”

Before concluding her remarks, SisterCampbell challenged the attendees to em-brace certain “virtues,” including remem-bering to keep a “modicum of joy” in yourefforts.

Secondly, she added to “use your ‘holycuriosity,’ by asking people about them-selves and their situations as the way totruly know the face of 21st century poverty.Practice “sacred gossip” by sharing the sto-ries that you hear and encouraging othersto take action, and finally, just figuring outwhat your part is and doing it.”

Sister Campbell cautioned against tryingto “do it all” or needing to take charge.“Learn whether you’re the head, the feet,the hands, whatever you do best to contrib-ute.”

She says it took awhile, but now sheknows what she does best and where shefits in. “I am the stomach acid … there tochurn everybody and everything up.”

Plum followed Sister Campbell’s address,giving a mini-history of the Commonwealth,

particularly in relation to slavery, the birthof a culture of racism, and the reasons whyhe feels the issue of monuments to Confed-erate war participants is far from over.

“Virginia has more such monuments thanany other state,” said Plum, “with 223, al-most all of them built in either the early1900s or during the Civil Rights movementof the 1960s. What’s the message there?”

Like Sister Campbell, Plum also addressedthe issue of poverty and the widening gapbetween the wealthy and the less fortunate,using a series of charts and graphs that il-lustrated how statistics may not tell thewhole story, unless you look a little deeper.

Despite always being categorized as oneof the richest states in the union, Plumshowed how the “real” numbers show onegeographically small portion of Virginia, the“Golden Crescent” of Northern Virginia toHampton Roads, having a median incomeof $150,000. “For the rest of Virginia, thatnumber is closer to $40,000. What do wedo with that information? We have to findways to share economic opportunities andall that comes with it to rural Virginia, aswell.”

LOOKING AHEAD to the 2018 legislativesession, Plum thinks redistricting could bea hot topic — and that it should be. Fight-ing for more school funding and the expan-sion of Medicaid is also on his agenda.“$10.4 billion by not expanding it. Wholeaves that kind of money on the table, es-pecially in ‘fiscally conservative’ Virginia?”

Plum warns that it “might not be pretty”when the session begins, as both partiesreadjust after the Democratic wins in theNov. 7 election, but the delegate is hopefulthat all the new faces bring fresh new per-spectives and new solutions.

The final speaker at the forum was GayGardner, from Interfaith Action for HumanRights, (IAHR) speaking about herorganization’s efforts to “make solitary con-finement truly a last resort.”

Gardner cited numerous studies that at-test to the physical and mental harm doneby long-term solitary confinement.

Kimberly Jenkins-Snodgrass, a boardmember with IAHR spoke briefly about herown son, an inmate who has been kept insolitary for four years. Other prisoners theyhave contact with have been held in isola-tion for even longer, one for 14 years.

“Getting a straight answer as to why thesemen have been so confined is not easy,”Gardner said. Sometimes, solitary is em-ployed as a response to an inmate who ex-hibits signs of mental illness or distress, “butsolitary confinement only makes the con-dition worse.”

A question-and-answer session followedthe speakers’ presentations. Horejsi notedthat the energy in the room remained high,despite the almost overwhelming numberof issues that had been brought to the table.“Must be that joy that Sister Simone toldus to keep handy,” he said, before adjourn-ing the forum and exhorting attendees to“Go and do good.”

Social justice advocatestold: “Go and do good.”

SALT Holds Annual Advocacy Conference

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Gazette

Sister Simone Campbell — often referred to as “the nun on the bus” forthe bus tours she and other nuns undertake on their mission to bringabout social justice — was the keynote speaker at the SALT conference.

Social Action Linking Together (SALT) founderand coordinator John Horejsi welcomes at-tendees to the organization’s 2017 Fall Advo-cacy Conference.

Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]


Rolling Road WideningFairfax County

Public Information Meeting

Thursday, November 30, 20176:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Rolling Valley Elementary School6703 Barnack Drive

West Springfield, VA 22152

Find out about plans to reduce congestion and improve

safety by widening Rolling Road (Route 638) from two

to four lanes between Viola Street and Old Keene Mill

explore options for the undergrounding of utilities will

also be detailed.

Stop by between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to view dis-

be available to answer your questions.

Review project information at the VDOT project web-

site (www.virginiadot.org/projects), at the information

meeting, or during business hours at VDOT’s Northern

ensure appropriate personnel are available to answer

your questions.

Give your written comments at the meeting, or submit

them by December 11, 2017 to Hamid Misaghian, P.E.,

VDOT.virginia.gov. Please reference “Rolling Road Wid-

ening” in the subject line.

VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employ-

ment in all programs and activities in accordance with

you need more information or special assistance for

News

By Hanan Daqqa

The Connection

Hunt Valley ElementarySchool’s principal,David Fee, a self-de-

scribed “military brat,” knows howchildren need to celebrate Veter-ans Day: “In the past, veteranswould come and we would justhonor veterans. Now, we have thispiece with the kids reading lettersthey write to their parents, aunts,uncles, and grandparents. Itmeans so much to the families, tothe kids and to me. My dad was inthe Air Force. I never knew whatit was like to talk about my dad. Ifeel that this is another reason whywe wanted to do this; I never hada chance to speak in front of any-one about my own dad. So this isthe third year we have done thiswith the kids reading. We addmore kids to it each year and welove it,” said the principal to re-porters.

Fairfax County Public Schoolscelebrated Veterans Day onNov.10. Students, Girl Scouts, andBoy Scouts were rolling out ofHunt Valley as the song “The ArmyGoes Rolling Along” played.

It was a cold, windy day. “Thewind always seems to pick upwhen we do our Veterans Day cer-emony, so we can see the flagsbetter,” said the principal just be-fore the children started the flag-raising ceremony.

More than 20 students read theirletters to the crowd. “We forgetthat freedom is not free and thatmembers of the military have togive up time with their families,”said one student whose father has

been in Afghanistan since Febru-ary. Just as the ceremony startedwith music, it concluded with theband playing “America the Beau-tiful.”

Diana, a sixth grader and bandmember, fought back her tears

when she was asked about whatVeterans Day means to her: “I re-ally wish my grandfather was here,because he passed away two yearsago and I really just want to rec-ognize how great he was when hefought in the Korean War.”

Teachers, parents, and students salute the flag as the “Star-Spangled Banner” played.

Students Read Letters to VeteransVeterans Day celebrated at Hunt Valley Elementary.

Students listen as their friends read their letters out loud.

The band concluded the ceremony by playing “Americathe Beautiful”

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By Vanessa Rivera

Oakton High School

A year in the life of friendsmay be measured in day-lights, sunsets, and cups of

coffee, but the talent and dedica-tion seen in Hayfield SecondarySchool’s production of “Rent” wasimmeasurable.

Based on Giacomo Puccini’s op-era “La Boheme,” “Rent” is a rockmusical with book, music, and lyr-ics by Jonathan Larson. Premier-ing in 1996 in the New York The-atre Workshop, “Rent” went on toBroadway in the same year. After5,123 performances over the spanof 12 years, “Rent” closed in 2008.

The story starts on ChristmasEve with Mark Cohen, a strugglingfilmmaker, as he documents life onAvenue B with his roommate,Roger Davis. Mark, dealing with arecent breakup, and Roger, com-ing to terms with his recently di-agnosed HIV, face eviction. As thetwo seek meaning in life, theystruggle, alongside their friends,with emotion, devotion, and causing a commotion.

Roger, played by Jackson Miller, and Mimi playedby Trish Hoang, lit a spark in their duet “Light MyCandle.” Jackson Miller, a standout actor, ensuredevery song was a “one song glory” with his vocalexpertise. Mark (Corbin Farrell) and Joanne (HallieStrelsky) maintained a spiteful yet good-naturedchemistry, evident during “Tango: Maureen.” As thetwo bonded over the unfaithful Maureen, they tan-goed cleanly. Shannon Flack reached for the stars,and then jumped over the moon, in her role asMaureen. She brought an irreplaceable energy as shepouted playfully or protested dramatically.

A true light of the cast, Max von Kolnitz, playedthe lovable and bright character of Angel. Max ex-ecuted high energy twirls, impressive vocals, andpoise to bring the drag queen role to life. The rela-tionship of Angel (von Kolnitz) and Tom Collins(Marek Brown) proved captivating and caring. Nomatter where the scene’s focus was, Angel and Collinsheld hands and shared loving glances. After Angel’stragic passing in Act Two, Marek Brown notably usedvisual expressions to transition from calm to heart-

A Display of Sophistication and Maturity

Cappies Review

Hayfield Secondary School presents musical “Rent.”

broken.Beautifully professional, the set immaculately en-

compassed New York “at the end of the millennium.”A telephone booth, a harvest moon, and old rockand roll posters adorned the set’s levels and scaf-folding. Stacked televisions played clips of the friendslaughing together, bringing a creative touch to theshow. Overall, space was greatly used, and comple-mented by lighting. When Angel flounced on stage,Christmas lights glittered to match his energy. Inaddition, blackouts and crisp lights helped introducememorable moments, such as the dazzling snowfallduring “Christmas Bells.”

Perhaps most impressive of Hayfield’s productionof “Rent” was the sophistication and maturity eachcast member displayed, which can often be a chal-lenge for the themes portrayed in the script. Theentire ensemble came together and connected, build-ing an honest and genuine show, indisputablythroughout the knockout number “Seasons of Love.”

The musical “Rent” sends the message to remem-ber love, and you’ll have no trouble rememberingHayfield Secondary School’s production.

Corbin Farrell in Hayfield Secondary School’s produc-tion of musical “Rent.”

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Opinion

Editorial

❖ Cornerstones, 11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 210,Reston, serving Reston and Herndon. 571-323-9555,www.cornerstonesva.org. Nonprofit providingsupport and advocacy for those in need of food,shelter, affordable housing, quality childcare, andother human services. Programs and servicesinclude the Embry Rucker Community Shelter,Emergency Food Pantry, Hypothermia PreventionProgram, Thanksgiving Food Drive, Gifts for Kidsand annual Coat Drive. Gifts will be collected atCornerstones main office, 11150 Sunset Hills Road,Suite 210, Reston, VA 20190 on Thursday, Dec. 7and Friday, Dec. 8, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Dec.9, 9 a.m. – noon. Contact Nate King, Donations andDrives Coordinator, at 571-323-9569.

❖ Share of McLean operates a food pantry; providesassistance to families to avoid eviction, keep utilitieson and meet other needs in a crisis. Share ofMcLean will provide holiday assistance to more than250 needy families (630-plus people) this year. Helpneighbors in need by donating money, fulfilling awish or donating Walmart, Target, Giant, orSafeway gift cards. Share’s Furniture Program is inmajor need of drivers and helpers. Visit theFurniture Program page. The Food Pantry is inmajor need of supplies; visit the Food Pantry pageand check Facebook to see how to help the FoodPantry. Visit www.shareofmclean.org for more infoabout Share.

❖ Herndon-Reston FISH (Friendly InstantSympathetic Help), 336 Victory Drive, Herndon,703-391-0105, herndonrestonfish.org. Herndon-Reston FISH has assisted local residents in short-term crises by since 1969. FISH provides FriendlyInstant Sympathetic Help by responding toemergency requests for rent, transportation,utilities, medical prescriptions and other needs.FISH operates The Bargain Loft, a thrift store, whichneeds donations of good quality saleable items,accepting and selling art, furniture, jewelry,household linens, dishes, pots and pans, books,women’s designer clothing (clean and on hangers),puzzles, games, collectibles, small electronics andmore. If you have store questions, call 703-437-0600. Herndon-Reston FISH also provides HolidayFood & Gift Baskets during the November andDecember season.

❖ LINK, serving Herndon, Chantilly, Loudoun andmore. Every year the goal is to provide each familywith a week’s worth of non-perishable food inNovember and again in December. When fundsallow, grocery gift cards are also included. InNovember, clients also receive a voucher for coatsand warm clothing. In December, children 16 andunder receive gifts. [email protected] www.linkagainsthunger.org.

❖ Committee for Helping Others (CHO), Vienna,organized in 1969 by a group of churches andindividuals in the Dunn Loring, Merrifield, Oakton,Vienna community to provide simple, loving charityto those in need. Last year 450 children had aspecial Christmas through the annual ChristmasStore. 703-281-7614, www.cho-va.com

❖ Northern Virginia Family Service. Just $50provides a complete holiday meal to a family offour. Donate at give.nvfs.org/holidaydonation or viacheck payable to “NVFS” with “Operation Turkey”on the memo line, or send grocery store gift cards.

Northern Virginia Family Service, attn: HolidayInitiatives, 10455 White Granite, Drive, Suite 100,Oakton, VA 22124.

❖ Second Story — Abused and Homeless Children’sRefuge, 2100 Gallows Road, Vienna, VA 22182.703-506-9191, second-story.org. Second Story(formerly Alternative House) provides shelter andservices for homeless, runaway or abused teenagers,unaccompanied youth, and young mothers and theirchildren. Requests for food and clothing are upmore than 50 percent.

❖ Shepherd’s Center of Oakton Vienna providingservices, personal enrichment, volunteeropportunities for adults 50 and over. Currentlyserving 3,000+ mature adults in the region. 703-281-0538, www.scov.org.

❖ Touching Heart in Herndon is a nonprofitorganization whose mission is to educate children tohave giving hearts. www.touchingheart.com, 703-901-7355.

❖ Western Fairfax Christian Ministries — foodpantry at 13981 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly. Formore information or to sponsor a family, call 703-988-9656, ext. 105. To mail gift cards or senddonations by check, add a note saying “food basketprogram” and send them to: WFCM, P.O. Box220802, Chantilly, VA 20153.

❖ HomeAid builds and renovates facilities that housethe homeless, and partners with many localorganizations to do so. 3684 Centerview Drive,Suite 110B, Chantilly, VA 20151.www.homeaidnova.org.

❖ FACETS helps parents, their children andindividuals who suffer the effects of poverty in theFairfax area, a partner in efforts to endhomelessness in Fairfax County. FACETS is alwaysin need of volunteers, and offers a variety of one-time and ongoing opportunities. 703-865-4251,[email protected] or www.facetscares.org.10640 Page Ave., Suite 300, Fairfax, VA 22030.

❖ Britepaths will have 3,000 individuals and familiesin need of holiday assistance list this fall. Sponsor afamily or donate to provide a family with aThanksgiving meal, December holiday meal and/orgifts for their children. britepaths.org.

❖ Fairfax City Area FISH (For ImmediateSympathetic Help) helps local people who are intemporary need of life’s basic necessities such asfood, clothing, and financial assistance for rent,mortgage payments, utilities, and medicaltreatments. FISH also provides limitedtransportation for doctor appointments and fooddelivery. 703-222-0880, fairfaxfish.org.

❖ Lamb Center, day center for homeless, Fairfax.703-691-3178, www.thelambcenter.org.

❖ Food for Others provides a safety net for peoplewho suddenly face unforeseen emergencies such asa family illness or the loss of a job or a spouse.Located at 2938 Prosperity Ave., Fairfax, VA 22031,703-207-9173, [email protected] orwww.foodforothers.org. Hours: Monday-Friday,9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

❖ Ecumenical Community Helping Others(ECHO). 703-569-9160, www.foodforothers.org.Open to receive donations at 7205 Old Keene MillRoad, Springfield. Provides food and financialassistance to those in short-term emergencies, andprovides clothing and household goods to low

income families, helping more than 5,000 peoplelast year.

❖ Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC) willprovide Thanksgiving and Holiday assistance tomore than 450 families this year. Thanksgiving andChristmas food baskets along with fulfilling giftwishes for more than 1,000 children and teens willhelp low-income families More information atlortonaction.org/seasonal-assistance/. Volunteersare needed for these events as well. Register onlineat lortonaction.org or call 703-339-5161, ext. 140 oremail [email protected]. Mailing address:LCAC, P.O. Box 154, Lorton, VA 22199-0154.

❖ Assistance League of Northern Virginia is anall-volunteer nonprofit organization that feeds,clothes and educates children in need. AssistanceLeague’s philanthropic programs touch the lives ofthousands of children at 11 Title I schools inNorthern Virginia, serving children most in need atselected schools in Fairfax and Prince Williamcounties and the City of Alexandria. To learn moreabout volunteer and sponsorship opportunities,email [email protected] or visitwww.northernvirginia.assistanceleague.org.

❖ Comfort for America’s Uniformed Services(CAUSE) ensures that recuperating service membershave opportunities for recreation and socialinteraction and receive concrete signs ofappreciation for all that they have done. 1100 NGlebe Road, Suite 373, Arlington, VA 22201.703-591-4968, cause-usa.org.

❖ Shelter House provides crisis intervention, safehousing and supportive services to promote self-sufficiency for homeless families and victims ofdomestic violence in Fairfax County.www.shelterhouse.org/

❖ United Community Ministries, Mount Vernon,703-768-7106, 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria, VA22306 assists low-income families and individualsliving along the Route 1 Corridor, UCM providesfour different housing programs as well as aWorkforce Development Center to help preparepeople for moving forward with their jobs. For theholidays, donations of nearly 10,000 toys, books,games, clothing, and other gifts ensured a joy-filledholiday for more than 1,200 children in 600families. 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria VA 22306.www.ucmagency.org

Donations of cash/checks and gift cards are alsowelcome.

❖ National Capital Food Bank, 6833 Hill ParkDrive, Lorton, serving all of Northern Virginia. 703-541-3063, www.capitalareafoodbank.org.

❖ Homestretch is the largest provider of transitionalhousing in Fairfax County and offers a services tohelp the homeless better their lives througheducation. Email [email protected];703-237-2035 x125; homestretchva.org/.

❖ Pathway Homes focuses on providing housing andsupport services to individuals with serious mentalillnesses, with the mission to help these individualsreach their full potential and lead stable lives. Theyoffer both in-home programs, semi-independenthouses and assisted living facilities. 10201 FairfaxBoulevard, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. 703-876-

Give Locally in Fairfax CountySchool holidays canbring uncertainty andhunger for tens ofthousands of poorchildren in our area.

The holidays are about giving, and giv-ing thanks. The holidays are aboutchildren and family. The holidays are

about sharing, about joy. The holidays areabout being thankful and about faith and ap-preciation. The holidays are about alleviatingsuffering for others.

Northern Virginia is among the wealthiest

areas in the country. Many if not most of us gothrough our daily and seasonal routines with-out encountering evidence of the needy fami-lies among us.

In Fairfax County, more than 52,000 (28percent) of FCPS students are are poorenough to receive free or subsidizedmeals.

The median family income in FairfaxCounty rose to $129,800. But among familieswith children, 6 percent have income belowthe poverty level. That’s $20,420 for a familyof three. That’s about $1,700 a month. Medianrent in Fairfax County is $1,747, meaning thecost for half the rentals is more than that.

These are children living in families who maybe on the brink of homelessness, families whomust choose between medical bills, car repair,heat and food. Some of these are children who

may not be sure that they will have a mealbetween the meals they get in school.

School holidays can bring uncertainty andhunger — a far cry from the celebrations, giftsand plenty that we associate with Thanksgiv-

ing and Christmas.Hundreds of homeless students at-

tend the public schools, and their needsare greater.

Many nonprofits in the county need yourhelp to provide a holiday meal for Thanksgiv-ing or Christmas, to provide children with gifts.

There are literally hundreds, probably thou-sands, of ways to give locally this season. Hereare a few ideas. We will rerun this list againafter Thanksgiving, so please let us know whatwe have missed.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

Where to Give Locally

See Give Locally, Page 15

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Springfield


News

Mo t h e r sAga ins tD r u n k

Driving (MADD) hasnamed Del. Dave Albo(R-42) a 2017 Legislatorof the Year for his workthroughout his career inthe Virginia House ofDelegates. Albo hasserved as Chair of HouseCourts of Justice for the past 11

Del. Albo Recognized forSupporting MADD’s Missionto End Drunk Driving

years, which is where themajority of bills concern-ing MADD are heard.

MADD thanked Albofor being a champion oftheir cause, and a voicefor many in the State ofVirginia. Albo grew up inSpringfield and currentlylives in Fairfax Station.Albo did not seek reelec-

tion this year.

Del. DaveAlbo (R-42)

Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 14(weather permitting), theBacklick Road bridge over

CSX Railroad located just north ofCinder Bed Road will be closed toall traffic until fall 2018 for bridgereconstruction, according to theVirginia Department of Transpor-tation.

Traffic will be detoured viaFairfax County Parkway (Route286), Loisdale Road, NewingtonRoad and Cinder Bed Road backto Backlick Road.

During the bridge closure, therewill also be a temporary access

road open to all traffic connectingBacklick Road to the ramp fromTelegraph Road (Route 611) tonorthbound Fairfax County Park-way. Drivers will be able to accessBacklick Road from the ramp, andvice versa.

The existing two-lane BacklickRoad bridge over the CSX Railroadis being replaced with a slightlyhigher one that accommodates theaddition of new railroad tracks aspart of the Commonwealth’s At-lantic Gateway Project.

The bridge project is scheduledfor completion in spring 2019.

Detour in place until fall 2018 for CSX Railroad bridgereconstruction.

Map co

urtesy o

f V

DO

T

Backlick Road Bridge Closure Begins

Send notes to the Connection [email protected] orcall 703-778-9416. Deadline is Fri-day. Dated announcements should besubmitted at least two weeks prior tothe event.

Jubilee Christian Center willhave a Patriotic Service on Sunday,May 28, 8:45 and 11 a.m., featuringspecial music and message. Jubilee is

located at 4650 Shirley Gate Rd.,Fairfax. There will be no 6 p.m. ser-vice on May 28. For information, call703-383-1170, or see www.jccag.org

The Fairfax Church of Christ,3901 Rugby Road in Fairfax, has fa-cilitators available to help those whoare experiencing a separation or di-vorce. 703-631-2100 orwww.fxcc.org.

Faith Notes


NOV. 16-18Christmas Craft Show. Thursday and

Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday 10a.m.-4 p.m. at the Oakton Church ofthe Brethren, 10025 CourthouseRoad, Vienna. Oakton Church of theBrethren’s 24th Annual ChristmasCraft Show is a three-day eventfeaturing a wide variety of handmadecreations and craft supplies forpurchase, plus a soup and sandwichlunch and bake sale. Visitwww.oaktonbrethren.org.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/NOV. 18-19Burke Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker.

Saturday, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Sunday,1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Ernst Theater onNorthern Virginia CommunityCollege’s campus, 8333 Little RiverTurnpike, Annandale. Featuring 3-year-old miniature dolls toprofessional dancers courtesy ofColorado Ballet, this production ofthe Nutcracker will enchant all ages.Be mesmerized by a growing tree,magic tricks, leaping mice, toysoldiers, falling snow, authenticcostumes made in Ukraine, 75dancing flowers and delectableconfections from the Kingdom ofSweets. $20-$28, buy tickets atbuffas.com/burke-civic-ballet/nutcracker-tickets-buy-now/.

SATURDAY/NOV. 18Santa Fest. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at

Springfield Town Center, 6500Springfield Mall. Welcome Santa toSpringfield Town Center enjoy snacksstraight from the North Pole, craftactivities, face painting andentertainment and photos withSanta, all in Grand Court, located onthe first level of Spring Town Center.Visit springfieldtowncenter.com.

5th Annual Snowflake Stampede.5:30 p.m. at Bull Run Regional Park,7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville. Atthe Bull Run Festival of Lights, a 2.5mile fun run or walk for holidayenthusiasts of all ages. Enjoy aspecial preview of the Festival ofLights on foot, and take a picturewith your favorite display. Parkingand check in are at the corporatebarn pavilion; follow the signs for theSnowflake Stampede. $22 per adult(13 and older); $17 per child (3-12);2 and younger, free. Visitticketfly.com to sign up (searchSnowflake Stampede). Prepaymentrequired. More atwww.novaparks.com/events/bull-run-festival-of-lights/snowflake-stampede.

SUNDAY/NOV. 19Turkey Trot. 8 a.m. Start and finish at

the Vienna Volunteer Fire Dept., 400Center St. S., Vienna. Visitwww.viennaturkeytrot.org/.

NOV. 22-JAN. 7Bull Run Festival of Lights.

Monday-Thursday, 5:30-9:30 p.m.,$15 per car; Fridays-Sundays andholidays, 5:30-10 p.m., $20 per car.Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 BullRun Drive, Centreville. The Bull RunFestival of Lights is more than just alight show. After enjoying two and ahalf miles of light displays, stop atthe Holiday Village, complete withbonfires, s’mores, holidaymerchandise and free activities, theHoliday Village is fun for the wholefamily. Have a photo taken withSanta. Call 703-631-0550 or visitwww.novaparks.com/events/bull-run-festival-of-lights.

SATURDAY/NOV. 25The Nutcracker. 2 and 7 p.m. in the

Centreville High School Auditorium,6001 Union Mill Road, Clifton. Theentirely student and volunteer

production features Little Rocky Runresidents, MSB alumnae dancers andcurrent students from Mia SaundersSchool of Ballet. [email protected].

NOV. 24-26Thanksgiving Weekend Show.

Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.;Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Spring HillReCenter, 1239 Spring Hill Road,McLean. Approximately 80 juriedartisans offering original, handmadearts and crafts, including decorativepainting, fused, etched, painted andstained glass, ceramics and pottery,hand-painted silk, woodworkinghandweaving, photography, paintingsand drawings,clothing and functionaltextiles, jewelry and much more. Allof the artists and artisans will be onhand to answer questions and talkabout their work. $5, Free forchildren 12 and under. [email protected] or call703-391-5611.

NOV. 25-26Fairfax Ballet Company’s

Nutcracker. Nov. 25, 2 p.m. and 7p.m., and Nov. 26, 2 p.m. at W.T.Woodson High School, 9525 MainSt., Fairfax. Fairfax Ballet Seniorcompany member Ana Victoria Smithof Clifton, dances the role of Clara.Company members, along withstudents from the Russell School ofBallet and professional guest artists.Email [email protected] orcall 703-665-9427.

FRIDAY/DEC. 1Guitarist Peter Griggs Holiday

Concert. 7 p.m. at GracePresbyterian Church, 7434 Bath St.,Springfield. Show is called “MusicFor An Old English Christmas.” Visitwww.gracepresby.org or call 703-451-2900.

Tree Lighting in Clifton. 7 p.m. atChapel Road and Main Street inClifton. Set the holiday season inmotion with the official lighting ofthe town Christmas Tree. Carol, drink

hot chocolate, roast s’mores over thefire, and join in the holiday spirit.Visit clifton-va.com.

SATURDAY/DEC. 2Annual Holiday Train Show. 10

a.m.-5 p.m. at the Fairfax StationRailroad Museum, 11200 FairfaxStation Road, Fairfax Station. Bringbroken locomotives to the “TrainDoctor” to fix or advise on otheroptions. Stop and admire the antiquecars visiting for this event, weatherpermitting. Visit the gift shop forholiday gift items and Santa may stopby to visit. Museum members andages 4 and under, free; 5-15, $2; 16and older, $5. Visit www.fairfax-station.org.

Holiday Sing-A-Long Luncheon.11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Springfield Golfand Country Club, 8301 Old KeeneMill Road, Springfield. $20. Call 703-922-6438 or [email protected].

Festival of Lights and Carols. 2-7p.m. at 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Children ages 12 and undercan enjoy lunch with Santa atSherwood Community Center. Lunchseatings will be offered at 11:30a.m., and 12:30 p.m., must pre-register. Listen to live holiday musicand enjoy s’mores and hot cider atOld Town Square from 2-7 p.m.Enjoy caroling and lighting of theChristmas Tree at Old Town Squareat 6 p.m. Visit fairfaxva.gov/about-us/special-events/festival-of-lights-and-carols.

Christmas in Brass. 3 p.m. atKirkwood Presbyterian Church, 8336Carrleigh Parkway, Springfield.Featuring the Barclay Brass Quintet.This stellar ensemble will present aprogram of secular and sacredseasonal music that will appeal to abroad audience of all ages. [email protected], visitwww.kirkwoodpres.com, or call thechurch office at 703-451-5320.

Town of Clifton Holiday HomesTour. 4-7 p.m. at 12644 ChapelRoad, Clifton. Five homes in Townand a bonus home outside of Town,in addition to the caboose and two

historic churches that will be open tothe public. Free admission.Call 703-517-7703.

SUNDAY/DEC. 3Home for the Holidays Concert. 4-

6 p.m. at Lanier Middle School, 3801Jermantown Road, Fairfax. MainStreet Community Band plays a mixof seasonal favorites. Visitwww.fairfaxband.org.

FRIDAY/DEC. 8Flutist in Concert. 8 p.m. at Old

Town Hall, 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Celebrate the Sounds of theSeason with the Columbia FluteChoir in the Christmas Concert. Free.Call 703-385-7858 or visitwww.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

DEC. 8-9Christmas Store Help Needed.

Friday night for set up and Saturdayto escort shoppers at ViennaPresbyterian Church, 124 Park St.NE. Call 703-938-7213.

SATURDAY/DEC. 9Lunch with Santa. 11:30 a.m. and

12:30 p.m. at Old Town Hall, 3999University Drive, Fairfax. Childrenages 10 and under can enjoy lunchwith Santa. $6. Call 703-385-7858 orvisit www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

Horse-drawn Carriage Rides. 4-9p.m. at Reston Town Center, 11900Market St. $5 per person; children 5and under ride free with adult.Proceeds go to local charities. Call703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com.

SUNDAY/DEC. 10Holiday Ornament Craft Day. 1-4

p.m. at the Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. Museummembers and ages 4 and under, free;5-15, $2; 16 and older, $4. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org.

SATURDAY/DEC. 16Horse-drawn Carriage Rides. 4-9

p.m. at Reston Town Center, 11900Market St. $5 per person; children 5and under ride free with adult.Proceeds go to local charities. Call703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com.

SUNDAY/DEC. 17Handel’s “Messiah.” 9 a.m. and 11

a.m. at Unity of Fairfax, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. Enjoy a freeperformance of Handel’s “Messiah”by the choirs of Unity of Fairfax andthe Unitarian UniversalistCongregation of Fairfax Visitwww.unityoffairfax.org/events.

Mini-Train Rides. noon-4 p.m. atReston Town Center, 11900 MarketSt. Proceeds go to local charities. Call703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com.

SATURDAY/DEC. 23Horse-drawn Carriage Rides. 4-9

p.m. at Reston Town Center, 11900Market St. $5 per person; children 5and under ride free with adult.Proceeds go to local charities. Call703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com.

SUNDAY/DEC. 24Christmas Eve Celebrations.

Celebrate Christmas in a positive,welcoming and inclusive spiritualcommunity. Meditation service at 9a.m., family-oriented service at 11a.m.; candlelight service at 7:30 p.m.at Unity of Fairfax, Oakton. Free.Visit www.unityoffairfax.org/events.

THROUGH DEC. 24Santa’s Flight Academy. Various

times at at Fair Oaks Mall, 11750Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax. Santasurrounded by a space motif. Visitwww.santaexpresslane.com.

SUNDAY/DEC. 31Burning Bowl Ceremony. 9 and 11

a.m. at Unity of Fairfax, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. Experience thisritual of releasing what no longerserves you and envisioning the yearahead. Free. Visit unityoffairfax.org.

New Year’s Eve Scramble. 10 a.m.at Herndon Centennial Golf Course,909 Ferndale Ave., Herndon.Shotgun start. Entry fee includesgreen fee, cart fee, range balls andprizes. $60 per player. Call 703-471-5769 or visit www.herndongolf.com.

MONDAY/JAN. 1New Year’s Labyrinth. noon-4 p.m.

at Unity of Fairfax, 2854 Hunter MillRoad, Oakton. Set your intentions for2018 while walking Unity’s indoorlabyrinth. Free. Visitwww.unityoffairfax.org/events.

New Year’s Day 5K. 10 a.m. atReston Town Center, 11900 MarketSt., Reston. Music, food, awards, andfun celebration following the race.Presented by Potomac River Running.Call 703-709-6720 or visitrestontowncenter.com.

THROUGH EARLY JANUARYWinter Walk of Lights. At

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna.The garden is transformed into ahalf-mile, walk of lights. Revisitperennial favorites such as theanimated Lakeside Lights, theFountain of Lights, and the HolidayNature Walk – and look for newdisplays each year. Round out a visitroasting marshmallows and sippingon hot beverages, available forpurchase. Visit www.novaparks.com/events/winter-walk-of-lights.

Holiday Celebrations

Burke Civic Ballet’s NutcrackerBurke Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker features 3-year-old miniature dolls to professionaldancers courtesy of Colorado Ballet. Be mesmerized by a growing tree, magic tricks,leaping mice, toy soldiers, falling snow, authentic costumes made in Ukraine, 75 danc-ing flowers and delectable confections from the Kingdom of Sweets. Saturday, Nov. 18,2 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Ernst Theater on NorthernVirginia Community College’s campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale. $20-$28,buy tickets at www.buffas.com.


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By Marilyn Campbell

On a sunny, fall day a group of 10-year-old children sit around an antiquecherry wood table in Arlington. Theboys are wearing navy blazers, pressed

khakis and shiny loafers. The girls have donned theirmost festive dresses, nude stockings and have gros-grain ribbons in their neatly combed hair. They’vearrived at the home for a lesson in etiquette. Most ofthem would rather be some place else.

“I have to leave early for a soccer game,” saidJimmy, who has a hard time disguising his glee.

In an era when it’s commonplace to order pizzaon a smartphone and coordinate play dates by text,old-fashioned etiquette can appear obsolete. A re-cent survey of teachers shows that 73 percent of in-structors believe that students are less polite thanwhen the teachers themselves were students. In theage high-tech conveniences, children can becomeover scheduled and under socialized, which has ledto an uptick in the number of parents who are en-rolling their children in etiquette classes, say proto-col instructors.

“Parents have a tremendous interest in etiquetteclasses because so many parents realize that theydon’t have that knowledge themselves,” saidDorothea Johnson, who founded the Protocol Schoolof Washington and is the author of the book “Mod-ern Manners: Tools to Take You to the Top,” whichshe co-authored with her granddaughter actress LivTyler.

“I think most parents know that good manners andetiquette will be important to their [children’s] fu-ture,” added Henryette Neal who teaches etiquetteclasses for children through the Fairfax County ParkAuthority. “Young people will be educated, but with-out proper social skills they will not be able to presentthemselves properly.” Neal is also the owner of ownerof Steppin Out Charm and Imaging Studio.

The result of fast-paced lifestyles combined withoverloaded schedules is a generation of children whoplace more value on social media savvy than onknowledge of social graces. Family dinners are re-placed by fast food, says one parent. “Who needsgood manners to gobble down a slice of pizza,” saidCarole Mincey of Alexandria whose 14-year-olddaughter and 11-year-old son have taken eti-quette and ballroomdance from Simpson’sClasses, one of thearea’s invitation-onlyetiquette schools. “Be-cause everyone is sobusy and technology isso advanced, realitytelevision shows aresetting standards of behavior and handwritten thankyou notes have been replaced by emails and eventexts.”

GOOD MANNERS are as important to a child’s fu-ture success as academics, says another parent. “Ifeel like if people know what do to do in social situ-ations it empowers them,” said Sarah Henry of ChevyChase, mother of a 10-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son. “If you’re unsure of what to do, it canmake you feel intimidated. So it’s all about empow-ering children with knowledge. And it’s good for them

to be exposed to proper etiquette in case they’re notgetting it at home. And if they are getting it at home,etiquette classes can reinforce it.”

Interactive class sessions help keep their childrenengaged in the etiquette lessons. “The key is to keepthe children occupied,” said Johnson. “For example,when teaching proper introductions, I would call twochildren up to the front of the room and have themintroduce themselves to each other.”

In addition to learning such common courtesiessuch as saying “Please,” “Thank you” and “You’rewelcome,” children learn to write thank-you notes

and introduce them-selves to others by mak-ing direct eye contactand offering a firmhandshake.

Henry says that in aclass that she coordi-nated for her daughter’sGirl Scout troop, part ofthe curriculum in-cluded having the chil-

dren form a receiving line with parents where theypracticed handshakes and eye contact.

“We also printed proper table setting samplesonline and give the girls plastic forks spoons, knives,napkins and a copy of the place setting,” said Henry.“We talked about the placement of the utensils, howto hold a knife and fork properly. One of my petpeeves is watching people hold a knife like it’s a stick.”

These are good life lessons, says Neal. “Etiquetteclasses are important because people still need to berespectful of others, and it starts with our children,”she said. “A simple please and thank you is important.”

Manners in the Tech AgeEtiquette classes aim to teach the lost art of manners.

Fairfax CountyEtiquette Classes

parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes/

Photo courtesy of Fairfax County

Henryette Neal teaches etiquette classesfor children through the Fairfax CountyPark Authority.

“Young people will be educated,but without proper social skillsthey will not be able to presentthemselves properly.”

— Henryette Neal, etiquette instructor.


Entertainment

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

ONGOINGSanta’s Flight Academy. Through

Dec. 24, at various times at at FairOaks Mall, 11750 Fair Oaks Mall,Fairfax. Santa surrounded by a spacemotif. Visitwww.santaexpresslane.com.

THURSDAY/NOV. 16Spy Lecture. 7 p.m. at the Braddock

District Supervisor’s Office, 9002Burke Lake Road, Burke. Retired FBIAgent Lydia Jechorek discusses herpresentation “From Teaching Art toChasing Spies.” Free. Call 703-764-8061.

NOV. 17-18International Holiday Bazaar. 8:30

a.m. at Immanuel Baptist Church,6911 Braddock Road, Springfield.Hosted by Bethany House ofNorthern Virginia. Friday from 4-8p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Proceeds go to Bethany House ofNorthern Virginia which providesemergency shelter and supportiveservices to victims of domesticviolence throughout NorthernVirginia and the surrounding DCmetro communities.$5. Visitwww.bhnv.org.

St. Matthews Annual Craft Fair &Children’s Show. Friday 10 a.m.-6p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. atSt. Matthews United MethodistChurch, 8617 Little River Turnpike,Annandale. More than 40 vendorsand children’s author and entertainerEdward Allan Faine (a.k.a. “How-toCowboy) will teach attendees how towhistle through their tongues, playhand trumpet, talk like Donald Duckand Darth Vader, and perform othertricks. Free. Visit stmatthewsumc.org.

SATURDAY/NOV. 18Santa Fest. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at

Springfield Town Center, 6500Springfield Mall. Welcome Santa toSpringfield Town Center, enjoysnacks straight from the North Pole,craft activities, face painting andentertainment and photos withSanta, all in Grand Court located onthe first level of Spring Town Center.Visit springfieldtowncenter.com.

SUNDAY/NOV. 19Model Train Show. 1-4 p.m. at The

Fairfax Station Railroad Museum,11200 Fairfax Station Road, FairfaxStation. The NTRAK group with adisplay of running N Gauge modeltrains. Museum members and ages 4and under, free; 5-15, $2; 16 andolder, $4. Visit www.fairfax-station.org or call 703-425-9225.

Crop Hunger Walk. 2 p.m. at FairfaxPresbyterian Church, 10723 Main St.,Fairfax. 25th annual Burke/FairfaxCROP Hunger Walk to raise fundsand awareness to combat hunger andprovide disaster relief. Visitwww.burkecropwalk.org.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner.5-7 p.m. at the Franconia UnitedMethodist Church, 6037 FranconiaRoad, Alexandria. The 5th annual“pre-Thanksgiving” dinner with allthe trimmings. The event is free andopen to all. Visit franconiaumc.org.

MONDAY/NOV. 20Mason Jazz Vocals. 8-10 p.m. at the

Center for the Arts, 4400 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. George MasonUniversity presents an evening of jazzvocals, soloists, the Mason Jazz VocalEnsemble and special guests,Herndon High School Jazz Choir. $12

Concert. 7 p.m. at GracePresbyterian Church, 7434 Bath St.,Springfield. Show is called “MusicFor An Old English Christmas.” Visitwww.gracepresby.org or call 703-451-2900.

SATURDAY/DEC. 2Christmas Traditions Concert.

9:30-11 a.m. at St. Stephens UnitedMethodist Church, 9203 BraddockRoad, Burke. The St. Stephen’sUnited Methodist Women MaranathaSingers will present a morning ofholiday music. Free. Call 703-250-5013.

Holiday Sing-A-Long Luncheon.11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Springfield Golfand Country Club, 8301 Old KeeneMill Road, Springfield. $20. Call 703-922- 6438 or [email protected].

Festival of Lights and Carols. 2-7p.m. at 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Children ages 12 and undercan enjoy lunch with Santa atSherwood Community Center. Lunchseatings will be offered at 11:30a.m., and 12:30 p.m., must pre-register. Listen to live holiday musicand enjoy s’mores and hot cider atOld Town Square from 2-7 p.m.Enjoy caroling and lighting of theChristmas Tree at Old Town Squareat 6 p.m. Visit fairfaxva.gov/about-us/special-events/festival-of-lights-and-carols.

Christmas in Brass. 3 p.m. atKirkwood Presbyterian Church, 8336Carrleigh Parkway, Springfield.Featuring the Barclay Brass Quintet.This ensemble will present a programof secular and sacred seasonal musicthat will appeal to a broad audienceof all ages. Visit kirkwoodpres.com,or call 703-451-5320.

Historic Clifton Holiday HomesTour . 4-7 p.m. at Clifton BaptistChurch, 7152 Main St., Clifton. $25adult; $5 child; credit cards aremore. Visit clifton-va.com.

DEC. 2-3Arts and Crafts Show. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday; 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sundayat the Audrey Moore RECenter, 8100Braddock Road, Annandale. Call 703-321-7081.

SUNDAY/DEC. 3“Hansel and Gretel” Opera. 2 and 5

p.m. at Old Town Hall, 3999University Drive, Fairfax. MasonOpera will present EngelbertHumperdinck’s take on the BrothersGrimm fairytale “Hansel and Gretel.”Tickets: $12, $8, $5. Call 703-385-7858 or visit www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

Home for the Holidays Concert. 4-6 p.m. at Lanier Middle School, 3801Jermantown Road, Fairfax. MainStreet Community Band plays a mixof seasonal favorites. Visitwww.fairfaxband.org.

MONDAY/DEC. 4Funday Monday. 10:30 a.m. at Old

Town Hall, 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Fun with Mr. Skip. Free. Call703-385-7858 or visitwww.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

FRIDAY/DEC. 8B-I-N-G-O. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3,

4081 University Drive, Fairfax.Smoke free, all proceeds go topurchasing fire and rescueequipment. Visit www.fairfaxvfd.comor call 703-273-3638.

Flutist in Concert. 8 p.m. at OldTown Hall, 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Celebrate the Sounds of theSeason with the Columbia FluteChoir in the Christmas Concert. Free.Call 703-385-7858 or visitwww.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

By David Siegel

The Connection

If you believe opera is only about farawayplaces with strange sounding names, the veryAmerican, “The Girl of the Golden West” is

coming to town courtesy of Virginia Opera, theofficial opera company of Virginia. The VirginiaOpera was also a recent recipient of several “ArtsInspiration Awards” from the Virginia Commissionfor the Arts.

“Puccini’s ‘The Girl of the Golden West’ is a col-orful opera about just regular people during theCalifornia Gold Rush of 1849,” said Jake Gardnerwho sings the role of the good hearted Sheriff JackRance in the production. “With sumptuous musiccomposed by Puccini [“La Boehme” later adaptedto become the urban musical “Rent”] the operaeven sounds at times like music from Western mov-ies many will recall.”

“The Girl of theGolden West” has asweeping score that isPuccini’s interpretationof the rough and toughrural American WildWest. Including cigars,whiskey, mud, andeven a dog. The opera’sthemes include unre-quited love, jealousy, betrayal, and redemption.

There are miners trying to make their fortunes,a mysterious bandit and a sheriff out to get hisman.

Opera in the Gold Rush DaysVirginia Opera’s “The Girl of the Golden West”at the Center for the Arts.

The story line follows the travails of Minnie, thesaloon owner. She is the object of desire for manyof the home-sick, card-playing patrons of her es-tablishment. But, Minnie has her own thoughtsabout that, especially after a mysterious strangerarrives.

Jill Gardner sings the role of Minnie. She de-scribes Minnie as a “woman of dignity who hap-pens to run a high class saloon. It is a beautifullove story with its theme of redemption.”

The major role of Ramerrez (alias DickJohnson), the bandit who steals Minnie’s heart isportrayed by acclaimed veteran tenor, RogerHoneywell. Virginia Opera’s production of “TheGirl of the Golden West” is directed by LillianGroag who created and first directed the operafor the world famous Glimmerglass Opera. TheVirginia Opera’s production will be under the ba-ton of musical director Andrew Bisantz.

In a recent interview,Jill Gardner and JakeGardner, married in reallife, spoke of “the greatjoy of working together.We are even able to as-sist one another in per-forming such a greatwork of art as ‘The Girlof the Golden West.’”

Inviting audiences tothe opera, Jill Gardner said, “If you enjoy the mu-sic from a composer like Andrew Lloyd Weber,please take in ‘The Girl of the Golden West.’ Themusic is sumptuous.”

From left:MarkWalters,JillGardnerand RogerHoneywellin “TheGirl of theGoldenWest.”

Photo by

Ben Schill

Photography/

Courtesy

Virginia Opera

Where & WhenVirginia Opera presents “The Girl of the Golden West”

at Center for the Arts, George Mason University, 444 Uni-versity Drive, Fairfax. Performances: Dec. 2, 2017 at 8 p.m.and Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 at 2 p.m. Tickets: $54, $90 and$110. Call 888-945-2468 or visit www.cfa.gmu.edu. Note:Sung in Italian with projected English supertitles. Pre-per-formance discussion 45 minutes before the curtain with“Dr. Opera” Glenn Winters.

adults $8 seniors $5 youth throughgrade 12. Visit http://cfa.gmu.edu.

NOV. 20-DEC. 10Toy Collection. Sheehy Auto Stores

throughout the Washington, D.C.-metro area will collect new andunwrapped toys as part of thecompany’s annual Sheehy Cares ToyCollection to benefit the U.S. MarineCorps Reserve Toys for Tots Program,which will distribute those toys asChristmas gifts to less fortunatechildren in the community in which

the campaign is conducted. Sheehy’sToys for Tots drop-off locationsinclude:

❖ Sheehy Volkswagen of Springfield,6601 Backlick Road, Springfield

❖ Sheehy Ford of Springfield, 6727Loisdale Road, Springfield

❖ Sheehy Subaru of Springfield, 6571Backlick Road, Springfield

❖ Patriot Harley-Davidson, 9739 FairfaxBoulevard, Fairfax

NOV. 25-26Fairfax Ballet Company’s

Nutcracker. Nov. 25, 2 p.m. and 7p.m., and Nov. 26, 2 p.m. at W.T.Woodson High School, 9525 MainSt., Fairfax. Fairfax Ballet Seniorcompany member Ana Victoria Smithof Clifton, dances the role of Clara.Company members, along withstudents from the Russell School ofBallet and professional guest artists.Email [email protected] orcall 703-665-9427.

FRIDAY/DEC. 1Guitarist Peter Griggs Holiday


COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

bbWorship Gathering – Sunday 8:45 & 11 AM

Sunday School 10:10 AMSun. Evening – Realtime Worship & Youth 6 PM

Family Night – Wednesday 7:15 PMHome Life Groups, College/Young Adult

Ministries, and Living Free Support GroupsVisit our Website: www.jccag.org

4650 Shirley Gate Road, FairfaxBill Frasnelli, PASTOR 703-383-1170

To Advertise YourCommunity of Worship,

Call 703-778-9418

“Loving People to Life”

Get Setfor the Holidays

At our Retirement SaleGifts! Party clothes!

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By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

Consider eco-friendlygifts that are constructed from recycled materials.

“Items made from reclaimedmaterials are a great way to givea unique gift,” said Courtney Tho-mas of the Picket Fence in Burke.“Reclaimed wood is especiallypopular.”

Solemate Socks are another col-orful option. They are made byrepurposing recycled cotton yarnthat is then spun into vibrant, pat-terned socks. Thomas also recom-mends decorative items madefrom reclaimed wood. “We havesome beautiful churches madefrom wood salvaged from barns inAlabama,” she said.

Ornaments made from re-claimed paper are another envi-ronmentally conscious option.“Not only are these beautiful deco-rations, but they help provide jobsfor people in third-world coun-tries,” said Thomas.

Kevin Sweitzer of Thos. Moser,Handmade American Furniturerecommends items made from sus-tainable North American hard-woods, “Namely cherry from theAllegheny Plateau in Pennsylvaniaand walnut from the riverbanks ofMissouri.”

Examples include stacks of food-safe wooden bowls, which are “aresustainable and reusable, [make]a perfect hostess gift … and a greatconversation piece.”

GIFTS THAT MAKE A DIFFER-ENCE in the lives of others are

also on trend this year.One example is Starling Project

candles. Proceeds from the salesof these scented candles are do-nated to UNICEF to help providesolar energy to under-resourcedcountries.

“Products that support a causeare also a great way to both give ameaningful gift and help those inneed,” said Thomas. “We havepottery ornaments that are madein Alabama by women escapingdomestic violence.”

Vintage-inspired gifts are trendythis season, says Susan Nelsonfrom Home on Cameron in Alex-andria. “Wooden toys, [for ex-ample] appeal to all ages, as dovintage items such as magnifyingglasses,” she said. “Gifts that areunique and offer a unique experi-

ence are popular right now.”Handmade gifts are another

consideration, adds Todd Martz,also from Home on Cameron.“Visitors … love the handmadeitems for gifts, such as felt flowersfrom Nepal, hand painted vases,and the custom pillows [whichcome] in a variety of colors andpatterns.

GIVING PRACTICAL GIFTSthat the recipient will actually usecan minimize the need for gift re-turns. Merchants who are on the

From charitable to sustainable, shopping ideas toplease even the pickiest.

Trends in Gift Givingreceiving end of after-season holi-day gift returns suggest customersthink about what it will be like forthe recipient to actually own thegift, rather than the moment ofreceiving the gift.

One example, says MadelineFairbanks of Country Casual Teak,“are accessories for those who en-tertain regularly such as … winestopper or wine caddy,” she said.“Purchasers like the thoughtful-ness of the items and the durabil-ity of the products because theylast for many years.”

Gift Guide

Eco-friendly gift ideas include decorativeitems such as these churches which arewood salvaged from, says Courtney Tho-mas of the Picket Fence in Burke.

Photos courtesy of Home on Cameron

Ornaments made from recycled paper,such as these from The Picket Fence inBurke, make eco-friendly holiday gifts.

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News

By Mike Salmon

The Connection

The trucks kept pulling up Satur-day morning, Nov. 11 and thescouts were unloading as fast asthey could, filling the bins at

Ecumenical Community Helping Others(ECHO) in Springfield. The donuts arrived,and there was finally a way to replenish thescouts’ energy.

“Fifty seven pounds, we have a winner,”said one of the parents, after weighing hisbag at the door. The scales were mannedby Gabriel Cooper, 13, and Zahai Khia, 17,both of troop 1853 who were participatingin the event. The typical bag weighed 36pounds so the 57 pounder was a big one.Empty bags were hung on doors of housesthroughout Springfield earlier in Novemberand Saturday, Nov. 11 was the pick up day.

“We really depend on this food drive,”said Lucinda Marvin, the co-chair of thefood room at ECHO. She’s a volunteer, asare the rest of the staff there. “People justlove ECHO and they know that we are 100percent volunteer,” she added.

According to their pamphlet, “throughdonations, ECHO is able to assist peoplewho suffer the effects of long-term povertyas well as people who are experiencing anemergency need.”

Steve Richardson is a scout leader andvolunteer at ECHO and noted that they usu-ally take in 22-25,000 pounds of food dur-ing this event every year. Though there werea lot of natural disasters rocking the coun-try in the last few months where the contri-butions were going – i.e. the fires in Cali-fornia, the hurricane that hit Houston orthe next hurricane devastating Puerto Rico– people in this area of Fairfax County are

still contributing. “We haven’t noticed thatthe donations are down,” Richardson said.

SCOUTING FOR FOOD is an annual foodcollection orchestrated by Scouts from Na-tional Capital Area Council. Local Scoutsdistribute plastic bags to homes across theregion and return to pick up the bags, nowfilled with food, one week later. Collectedfood is distributed to needy familiesthroughout the communities of the Coun-cil, according to the BSA National CapitalArea Council.

By leaving empty bags at the door, thereare good results from year to year, saidAaron Chusid, of the National Capital AreaCouncil of the Boy Scouts of America. “Be-cause it’s our Scouts doing the good turn,people reliably come out to support the ef-fort,” Chusid said in an email. The NationalCapital Area Council covers 17 counties andthe District of Columbia, so Chusid expectsit will be over a million pounds of food col-lected, which will be a plus to local foodpantries.

“We also distribute lists of their most-re-quested items to help alleviate potentialshortages,” Chusid added.

The Scouting for Food day was a successat ECHO this year. At the end of the week-end, they had collected 25,842 pounds offood, which was 2,500 more than the samecollection last year.

Inside ECHO, the food on Scouts for Food Drive day are piling up.All morning, the trucks pulled up to the loading area and scouts cameout and hauled the food inside.

Scouting For Food in SpringfieldAnnual drive nets25,842 pounds of foodfor ECHO clients.

Scout leader Steve Richardsonwith a bag left at doorways for thedrive.

Munching a donut between bagweigh-ins was a good use of timemanagement for Gabriel Cooper,13, and Zahai Khia, 17.

To Get InvolvedContact ECHO7205 Old Keene Mill Drive, Springfield703-569-7972www.echo-inc.org

The shelves weregetting stockedInside ECHO, rightoff Old Keene MillRoad in Springfield.

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News

For the past 13 yearsFairfax County Fire andRescue Department hasbeen a partner with the

United States Marines Toys forTots Program. This year, G&C Ex-press Tire and Auto Service at14008 Willard Road in Chantillywill serve as a hub for businessesthat want to help collect toys. G&Cwill also serve as a toy drop offsite. Representatives of businessesthat want to be a collection sitemay stop by G&C for a box andposter. The fire stations in FairfaxCounty will start collecting Toysfor Tots on Friday, Nov. 24.

Teaming Up ToBenefit ToysFor Tots

U.S. Marines and Battal-ion Chief Willie Bailey

flank G&C owners Greggand Christina Caldwell.

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Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

DEADLINE NOV. 19Future Lorton Community Center.

The project is currently entering theinitial design stage and is targeted forcompletion by early 2022. FairfaxCounty is seeking public input toensure that this new facility isdesigned to meet the needs andinterests of the communities theyserve. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.govfor more.

THURSDAY/NOV. 30Rolling Road Widening Project

Public Information Meeting.6:30-8:30 p.m. at Rolling ValleyElementary School located at 6703Barnack Drive, Springfield. VisitVirginiaDOT.org for more.

SATURDAY/DEC. 2Future Quest. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at GMU’s

Johnson Center, 4400 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. College and careerconference for area middle and highschool students with disabilities, aswell as their parents, teachers andother professionals. Featuring morethan 40 workshops and exhibitsrelated to successful life after highschool. Free. There is free parking inLot K, or in the Mason Pond ParkingGarage for $8. Visitww.futurequestgmu.org to register oremail [email protected].

Coffee with Del. David Bulova. 9-11a.m. at Main Street Bagel, 10268Main St., City of Fairfax. Del.DavidBulova (D-37) will continue atradition started in 2006 by holdinginformal office hours, constituentsare invited to talk about issues ofinterest and to ask questions aboutlegislation affecting the community.Visit www.davidbulova.com.

SUPPORT GROUPSShepherd’s Center of Fairfax-

Burke sponsors a monthly meetingon the 2nd Tuesday of each month,noon-1:30 p.m., for caregivers tolearn and to share with othersexperiencing similar challenges.Before attending, contact thefacilitator, Eileen Thompson at 703-451-8626 [email protected].

Haven of Northern Virginiaprovides support, compassion,information and resources to thebereaved and seriously ill. To becomea Haven volunteer, please call 703-941-7000 to request an orientation.Volunteers must complete a 30-hourtraining and commit to one year ofservice answering Haven phones (2.5hours weekly). Next training isscheduled for fall 2017.

ONGOINGVolunteers needed at the Fairfax

Station Railroad Museum, 11200Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station.The Museum offers a variety ofexciting volunteer opportunities inMuseum events, programs andadministration. [email protected] or703-945-7483 to explore servicesthat will fit your schedule andinterests. Visit www.fairfax-station.org, or call 703-425-9225.

RSVP, a volunteer network for seniorsseeking service opportunities in andaround Fairfax County, ArlingtonCounty and the City of Alexandria,offers a wide array of opportunitiesfor volunteers 55 and older. RSVPvolunteers enjoy flexible schedules,free accident and liability insurancewhile serving, optional mileage andmeal reimbursement and are invitedto volunteer group projects and socialgatherings. To sign up for anupcoming orientation, email CarlyHubicki at [email protected] or call RSVP at703-403- 5360. To learn more aboutRSVP, visit www.rsvpnova.org.

Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke serves those 50 and olderwho no longer drive. Volunteerdrivers are needed for trips(Monday-Friday) to medicalappointments and companion

shopping within the Fairfax/Burkearea. Office workers are needed toanswer phones in the SCFB office(Monday-Friday) to match driversand those who need rides. Call 703-323-4788.

Positive Parenting StrategiesCourse. At PHILLIPS, 7010Braddock Road, Annandale. A seriesof classes and in home consultationstaught by PHILLIPS’ counselors.Open to all local families. Call StacyStryjewski at 703-658-9054.

Thermal Camera Loan Program.Learn where the energy is leaking outof the home with a specialattachment for the iPhone orAndroid. Visit fairfaxcounty.gov/energy or call 703-324-5955.

Master Gardener Training. TheFairfax County Master GardenerAssociation offers plant clinics, hometurf training or speakers forhomeowner’s meetings. Fees vary.Visit fairfaxgardening.org or call MGHelp Desk at 703-324-8556 for more.

Fairfax Rotary Club Meeting 12:15-1:30 p.m. Mondays. AmericanLegion, 3939 Oak St., Fairfax.Meetings with luncheon andprogram. fairfaxrotary.org.

NARFE Monthly Meeting EverySecond Tuesday 11:30 a.m. AmericanLegion Post 177 located at 3939 OakStreet, Fairfax. NARFE Fairfax 737monthly luncheon meeting. Enjoylunch accompanied by a specialprogram. Lunch at noon. Cost: $11Speaker/Program-12:[email protected] 703-501-0020

Civil War Research scholarship to apublic or private high school seniorwho resides in Fairfax, Fairfax City,Prince William County, ManassasCity, or Manassas Park from the BullRun Civil War Roundtable inCentreville, Va. Visit bullruncwrt.org.

Fairfax-based non-profitBritepaths offers free FinancialEducation Classes Sessions atvarious locations in the FairfaxCounty area to low- and middle-income adults who reside throughoutNorthern Virginia. The offerings arefree and open to the public, butreservations are required.https://britepaths.org/news/get-financially-fit-new-year

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Recently, as in a few weeks ago, Mindy, whonone of you regular readers know, died of lungcancer. She was my decade’s long best friend’swife. And she was my friend too, going backalmost 40 years. Married to my oldest friend (star-ting in 10th grade), Cary, for over 35 years, Mindywas originally classified as stage I five years ago.Cary didn’t tell me for a year or so after becausehe didn’t want to burden me with another pieceof bad news, and Mindy being diagnosed withlung cancer would most definitely have been badnews. She had a lobectomy (part of the lung issurgically removed), back then and that’s prettymuch all I know about the beginning stages. Afterthe surgery however, she was told she was cancerfree.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend Mindy’sfuneral. I had my own post-scan appointment onthe Monday morning following the Sundayfuneral and night-time shiva and the logistics oftraveling back and forth from Washington, D.C.,to Boston and back were unworkable. Two week-ends later, last weekend in fact, I flew up toBoston and spent four days with Cary, just himand me in the house – without Mindy, of course.We shared an awful lot about Mindy and life,reminiscing backward and contemplating for-ward. One afternoon, along with Mindy’s firstcousin, Julie, Cary and I visited Mindy’s grave,about 20 minutes from the house, where I wasable to pay my respects and say a few words inprivate. After standing alongside the grave site fora few minutes, Cary took out his smart phone,bent over toward the ground and played “their”song, sniffling and wiping away tears in the proc-ess. A very touching moment. Another afternoon,I sat with Cary at their kitchen table and readthrough all the condolence cards with Caryexplaining all the relationships to Mindy. Onenight, Cary and I went to dinner with his twosons, Jonathan and Jordon (along with Jon’s girl-friend, Coleen and Jordy’s wife, Lauren). At din-ner, I shared two jokes with the boys that Mindyhad told years ago, that to this day, I keep in myrepertoire; they had not heard them before. Oneinvolved an elephant, another had to do withJesus Christ becoming a bell ringer. Cary’s third -and oldest son, Jeffrey, was not present as he hadflown back to California on Tuesday where, afterspending three weeks at home with his father andbrothers watching his mother struggle to survive,he returned a few days after the funeral.

As for me, I teared up throughout the week-end. Over the years, especially after my parentsmoved to Florida, I didn’t see Cary and Mindy asregularly as I had while my parents were still liv-ing in Massachusetts (four times a year, generally).From 1989 on, maybe we visited one another adozen times in person: high school reunions, barmitzvahs, a couple of Celtic’s games and the oddoccasion where the timing/opportunity presenteditself. All the while, going on 45 years now, wespoke/speak every couple of weeks, picking up inconversation without ever missing a beat.

What was particularly/uniquely difficult for me– and I don’t think it is as difficult as losing one’s“soul mate,” as Cary described Mindy, just as theywere beginning to embark on their final journeytogether: retirement – was that I too have lungcancer. As such, it was a peculiar position inwhich I found myself. Not only was I grieving theloss of a close friend: Mindy, way too young; shewas younger than me by a couple of years, andthe effect it had on my best friend, Cary, I wasalso witnessing first hand, up close and extremelypersonally, the ravages and devastating impact ofa lung cancer diagnosis, a diagnosis with which Iam all to familiar. Of course, I felt bad for Carylosing his beautiful wife. Of course, I felt bad forthe boys losing a fabulous, devoted mother. Butthere was a part of me that felt bad for me. As acancer survivor, it’s easy to pretend that this dis-ease isn’t killing you until you attend afuneral/spend time with the family of someonewho has succumbed to this terrible disease. Thenit hits home, with a vengeance. “Cancer sucks,”as so many of us know, but life must go on, as dif-ficult as it sometimes is.

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0390, [email protected],www.pathwayhomes.org,www.pathwayhomes.org/support-pathway/.

❖ Good Shepherd Housing and FamilyServices, 8305-17B Richmond Highway, POBox 15096, Alexandria, VA, 22309. 703-768-9419, www.goodhousing.org/. The mission ofGood Shepherd Housing (GSH) is to reducehomelessness, increase community support, andpromote self-sufficiency. GSH housing managesmore than 70 housing units.

❖ Boys and Girls Clubs of GreaterWashington Fairfax Area operates clubs intwo of the neediest areas of the county, Culmoreand Mount Vernon/ Route 1 corridor, focusingon character and academic success.www.bgcgw.org/fairfax.

❖ Christian Relief Services, 8301 RIchmondHighway, Suite 900, Alexandria, VA 22309, 703-317-9086, 703-317-9690, christianrelief.org/

❖ Friends of Guest House Northern Virginiaoffers structure, supervision, support andassistance to female ex-offenders who want toimprove their lives and break the cycle ofincarceration. Friends of Guest House offers theonly program for women of its kind in NorthernVirginia. One East Luray Ave., Alexandria, VA22301-2025, 703-549-8072,[email protected],friendsofguesthouse.org/

❖ Wright to Read 703-299-9854,www.wrighttoread.org. Provides volunteer-based, one-to-one tutoring and mentoring toCity of Alexandria public elementary schoolchildren in need. Funds are needed to providefield trips and enrichment activities, books andother resources. For more information aboutWright to Read and becoming a “Tutor/Mentor”see website.

❖ Habitat for Humanity of NorthernVirginia transforms the lives of lower-incomefamilies in need by providing affordablehomeownership opportunities in Alexandria,Arlington, Fairfax and Falls Church. Learn moreat www.habitatnova.org.

❖ Alice’s Kids (@alicewillhelp) aliceskids.orgP.O. Box 60, Mount Vernon, VA 22121 When achild is raised in poverty they suffer bothpublicly and privately. When there is no food inthe refrigerator, no electricity nor heat, these arehardships that they can keep hidden from theirpeers. But, when that same child can’t afford topay for the band field trip, a pair of glasses, achorus outfit or a new pair of shoes, these areindignities that are evident to their classmates.Alice’s Kids pays for these relatively inexpensiveitems in the hopes of preserving the dignity ofthe child. Alice’s Kids helps children from allover the Mount Vernon area through small actsof kindness.

❖ The Community Foundation of NorthernVirginia has launched its Permanent Fundcampaign, a community endowment which is aforever source to provide critical support forthose in need in the Northern Virginia region;Consider leaving a legacy through a current orplanned gift to the Permanent Fund at theCommunity Foundation for Northern Virginia.www.cfnova.org/permanentfund.

From Page 6

Give Locally

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Deadline isThursday at noon, at least two weeks before event.

THURSDAY/NOV. 16Police-Public forum. 7-9 p.m. Heritage Human

Resources Center, 7611 Little River Turnpike,Annandale. The forums will provide informationon the Panel as well as the Independent PoliceAuditor, the scope of their responsibilities, howcomplaints can be submitted, and howcomplaints will be investigated and processed.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/ for more.

Community Meeting. 7:30 at RavensworthBaptist Church, 5100 Ravensworth Road,Annandale. Community meeting focused on theRavensworth Road intersection of BraddockRoad. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/braddockroadmmstudy/.

SATURDAY/NOV. 18Healthy You Summit. 4-6 p.m. at the West

Springfield Government Center, CommunityRoom, 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield. FairfaxCounty Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma ThetaSorority, Inc. to discuss investing in your healthand well-being. Visit www.fcacdst.org/health-care-summit for more.

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