oakton high presents ‘starcatcher’

Early Risers Congregate at PollsNews, Page 3

Memorial GardenDedicated in OaktonNews, Page 3

Oakton High Presents

‘Starcatcher’ News, Page 5

WellbeingPage, 9

Seniors Rachel Bloom and Gabe Villarroel in costume as “Molly”

and “Boy,” the main protagonists of Oakton High School’s produc-

tion of ‘Peter and the Starcatcher.’

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com November 7-13, 2018

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2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ November 7-13, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

See Bulletin, Page 11

News

On Saturday, Nov. 17, TheChurch of the GoodShepherd (United Meth-

odist) in Vienna will host theThanksgiving Car and Bike Show.The event, a benefit for hungryfamilies and a nonprofit focusedon men’s health, will be held in theparking of the church at 2351Hunter Mill Road in Vienna from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spectators havefree admission, but are asked tobring canned goods for the hun-gry. “The church is teaming upagain with a local car club(UnAffiliates Mopar Club) to raisefood for the hungry and funds tohelp a charity tackling prostatecancer, testicular cancer, mentalhealth and suicide prevention,”said Good Shepherd pastor EricSong. “We’ll also have a bouncehouse for children and food, aswell as the opening of a new artexhibit by Alice Nodine. So please

come and join in on the fun!”Entry fee for those who show a

car or bike is $20 (or $15 plus fivecanned goods). Spectators havefree admission, but are asked tobring canned goods for the hun-gry. Registration is from 10 a.m.to noon. Judging of the cars andbikes will be held from noon to 2p.m., and awards presented at 3p.m.

Proceeds will benefit theMovember Foundation (https://us.movember.com), the leadingcharity changing the face of men’shealth, and collected food will goto So Others Might Eat(www.SOME.org).

The Church of the Good Shep-herd celebrated its 50th anniver-sary last year. For more informa-tion, visit the church website atwww.GoodShepherdVA.com or atw w w . F a c e b o o k . c o m /GoodShepherdVienna.

Vienna Church to HostBenefit Car and Bike Show

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

HOLIDAY DONATIONSFood Drive. Through Nov. 9. Drop-off

canned goods at Sheehy INFINITI ofTysons, 8527 Leesburg Pike, Vienna.

Bulletin Board

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ November 7-13, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsVienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

On Sunday, Oct. 28, more than 200 GirlScouts and their families came togetherwith Elinor Otto, a real-life Rosie the Riv-eter, to dedicate the state’s first Rosie theRiveter Memorial Garden in Oakton andto engage in service projects that willbenefit the men and women who defendthe United States today. After the UnitedStates entered World War II in 1941,approximately six million women en-tered the nation’s factories to build air-craft and other equipment essential tothe war effort. These Rosie the Riveterswere pioneers in the nation’s technologi-cal workforce at a crucial time in U.S.history. Now, 75 years later, groups acrossthe United States are working to honortheir ground-breaking efforts through aseries of dedicated rose gardens.

Organized by iWitnessed->iRemember(iWiRe), a non-profit organization com-mitted to remembering American heroesof World War II, this event featured aseries of service projects intended to ben-efit current members of the U.S. ArmedForces and their families as well as a dedi-cation ceremony featuring speeches fromLidia Soto-Harmon, the CEO of the GirlScouts Council for the Nation’s Capital,and Dr. Sharla Rausch of the Daughtersof the American Revolution.

However, the most memorable high-light for many participants was interact-ing with Ms. Otto, who began working

in an aircraft factory during World War IIand continued to work in the industry untilher plant closed four years ago. After thededication ceremony, and a short birthdaycelebration for Ms. Otto, this longest-work-ing Rosie the Riveter spoke individually toGirl Scouts, who asked questions rangingfrom what it was like during the war towhether she still likes to use a rivet gun.Madeleine LeBeau, the founder and presi-dent of iWiRe, was delighted to be able tointroduce Ms. Otto to the hundreds of GirlScouts that attended the event. “One of theprimary goals of iWiRe is to remind today’steenagers that history can be made by allof us — just like the teenagers of the Great-est Generation helped to save the worldduring World War II. When Ms. Otto tellstoday’s teens about going to work in an air-craft factory in the middle of the war, weall better appreciate what the Rosies did andare inspired to do more ourselves.”

The Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Gar-den was planted on land contributed by theGirl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capitalat Camp Crowell. More information aboutthe Rosie Memorial Gardens is available at@iwitnessediremember oriwitnessediremember.jimdo.com. ContactMadeleine LeBeau [email protected] (703-817-0687) or Josephine Aiello LeBeau [email protected] or (202-615-5791)for more information

By C.J. Greco

The Connection

Voters registered in Virginia’s 204th

and 218th precinct descendedupon Madison High School earlyTuesday to cast their votes in the

2018 election.According to the Virginia State Board of

elections, a total of 3,428 registered voters

from the two precincts have the chance totake part. Along with a referendum on Pub-lic Safety Bonds, voters were able to casttheir preferences on on one of Virginia’sSenate seats, as well as the U. S. Represen-tative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional Dis-trict.

“I’m a precinct captain,” said Dr. GerryPoje, “So I’ve visited here through severaldifferent election cycles, and compared to

previous midterm elections where the can-didates are for federal office, this is higher.There’s a lot of energy among the people.”

“I did the polling place at North CountyGovernment Center when we openedearly voting,” said Poje, “and there werelines outside of that government center. Ithink many of us are perceiving there’s anew surge of energy for people turningout to vote.”

“Last election,” said Deborah Roney, anelection worker for the 204th, “they gave usfive workers, this election they’ve given usnine so obviously they think [turnout] isgoing to be higher.”

Madison High School is just one total ofthe 243 different precincts for the 702,792active registered voters in Fairfax Countyduring an election that has seemingly mo-bilized citizens.

Precinct captain sees ‘a lotof energy’ in early voting.Early Risers Congregate at Polls

Rosie the Riveter Memorial GardenDedicated in Oakton

Elinor Otto, 99.a real-life Rosiethe Riveterpictured withMadeleineLeBeau, thefounder andpresident ofiWiRe.

Elinor Otto, 99.Participates inthe dedicationof Virginia’sfirst Rosie theRiveter Memo-rial Garden inOakton.

Photos contributed

Darkness persisted through the first half hour of voting on Nov. 6, 2018. Voters line up outside the polls at Madison High School on Nov. 6, 2018.

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News

See ‘Starcatcher’, Page 8

By C.J. Greco

The Connection

A dark and nearly empty auditorium is usually the sign of a cancelled show or an empty playbill.Yet, the focused activity being

generated by this space’s sparse populacewas worthy of admiration.

The first installment of Oakton HighSchool’s Fall Performance Season beginswith its production of “Peter and theStarcatcher,” a prologue to the much loved

“Peter Pan.” With performances scheduledon Nov. 8, 9, and 10 at 7 p.m., the TheatreArts Department was hard at work afterschool on Oct. 29.

“Because we have a lot of students, I tryto pick shows that have big casts,” saidVanessa Gelinas, Oakton’s Speech and Dramateacher. “We started reading a lot of plays,but ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ was one I hadseen on Broadway, and knew how much funit was. The kids read it and loved it!

Oakton High School’s production of theprologue to ‘Peter Pan’ kicks off their FallPerformance Season.

A Creative Comedy

Seniors Gabe Evansand Rachel Bloomrehearse on stage.

Photos

contributed


WriteThe Connection welcomes views on any public issue.

The deadline for all material is noon Friday. Letters must be signed.Include home address and home and business numbers. Letters areroutinely edited for libel, grammar, good taste and factual errors.

Send to:

Letters to the EditorThe Connection1606 King St.

Alexandria VA 22314Call: 703-917-6444.

By e-mail: [email protected]

Opinion

During the last week of each year,this newspaper devotes its pagesto the creativity of local studentsand children. The results are al-

ways remarkable. It is a keepsake edition formany families. Even readers without childrenof that age spend time admiring and chuck-ling over the issue. The annual Children’s Con-nection (including Children’s Gazette,Children’s Almanac and Children’s CentreView) is a tradition of well over a decade.

We welcome contributionsfrom public and privateschools, art classes, individualsand homeschoolers. We publish

artwork, poetry, essays, creative writing, opin-ion pieces, short stories, photography, photosof sculpture or gardens or other creative ef-forts.

We ask that all submissions be digital so theycan be sent through email or delivered on flashdrive. Writing should be submitted in text for-mat. Artwork should be photographed orscanned and provided in jpeg format.

Some suggestions:❖ Drawings or paintings or photographs of

your family, friends, pets or some favorite ac-tivity. These should be photographed orscanned and submitted in jpeg format. Photosof sculpture or larger art projects are also wel-come.

❖ Short answers (50 to 100 words) to someof the following questions: If you could giveyour parents, family or friends any gift thatdidn’t cost money what would that gift be?What are you most looking forward to in theupcoming year? What is one thing that youwould change about school? What do you wantto be when you grow up? What is your favor-ite animal? What is your favorite toy? Whatmakes a good parent? What makes a goodfriend? Describe one of the best or worst thingsthat ever happened to you? What is the bestgift you’ve ever been given? Ever received?

❖ Your opinion (50 to 100 words) about traf-fic, sports, restaurants, video games, toys,trends, politics, etc.

❖ Poetry or other creative writing.❖ News stories from school newspapers.❖ Photos and text about activities or events.❖ Were you involved in November’s elec-

tions? What did you think?To be published, we must have the full first

and last name of the student artist/writer.Identify each piece of writing or art, includ-

ing the student’s full name, age, grade andtown of residence, plus the name of the school,name of teacher and town of school location.Home schoolers’ contributions are welcomed.

To send flash drives containing artwork andtyped, electronic submissions, mark themclearly by school and hometown and mail theflash drive to: Children’s Connection (includ-ing Children’s Gazette, Children’s Almanac andChildren’s Centre View), 1606 King Street, Al-exandria, VA 22314.

Please send all submissions by Monday, Dec.3, 2018. The Children’s Edition will publishthe last week of 2018.

You can see last year’s editions by visitingwww.connectionnewspapers.com/PDFs/ andscroll down to Children’s Edition.

Email submissions for the Children’s Editionto the following editors:

❖ For Burke, Clifton, Fairfax, Fairfax Station,Great Falls, Herndon, Lorton, McLean, Reston,or Springfield, email to Kemal Kurspahic [email protected].

❖ For Arlington, Potomac, CentreView,Chantilly, Alexandria and Mount Vernon,email to Steven Mauren,[email protected]

Get creative and sendart, poetry and more.

Be Part of Children’s Edition 2018

Editorial

Urgent Warningson ClimateChangeDear Delegate Plum:

I commend your attention to thetopic of climate change, address-ing it with urgent warnings as youdid in your past two commentar-ies shared with newsletter sub-scribers and Connection newspa-per readers. Any reader wouldagree with you that the politics ofthe issue present the greatest chal-lenge. We can hope that the UnitedStates is moving closer to joiningthe rest of the world in seeing theclimate as a non-partisan chal-lenge that our elected officialsmust work on together to addressfor all our sakes.

Thanks for including pricing car-bon in your state-level climate to-do list, and here’s why I agree withyou that it’s important. It will driveall the other necessary actions andgenerate buy-in from every house-hold, which is the level of engage-ment we need to be successful.

As you have previously en-dorsed, the carbon fee and divi-dend proposal of Citizens’ ClimateLobby frames the pricing as a rev-enue neutral fee, not a tax. Asdemonstrated by our northernneighbors, successful introductionin British Columbia is now set toexpand to all of Canada. Washing-

ton State has on the ballot thisNovember an initiative that wouldput a steadily rising fee on carbonpollution emitters. Bill Gates andMichael Bloomberg are in support,with Gates writing in an open let-ter, “You may be skeptical aboutthis idea. I know I was. How canone state make a difference on aglobal problem like climatechange? But I overcame mydoubts.”

The signal, that pollution costsmust be paid up front, will spurinvestment in the new energyeconomy both at the householdand business scale. And while wemight debate how much good canone state do, it also might be askedhow much harm? That Virginians,as ratepayers beholden to Domin-ion Energy, will sink upwards of$2 billion in the Atlantic Coast

Pipeline is unconscionable. Allefforts at “greening” Virginia byenacting the other items on yourclimate to-do list cannot make upfor this pipeline tragedy. The com-bined ACP and MVP fracked gaspipelines will generate greenhousegas emissions estimated equiva-lent to that produced by 45-coal-fired power plants.

So it will take courage to act, toact without short-term gain, andagainst long-strategized opposi-tion. You know what’s at stake.

Meredith HainesVienna

Letters to the Editor

XIV Amendment- Another ViewTo the Editor:

Thank Mary Kimm for sharingRepresentative Connolly’s letter tothe President telling him that hisproposal to end “birthright citizen-ship” is “patently unconstitutional”(“Most Important Election, SoFar?” — Connection, November 1-7, 2018).

It may also be of interest to thereaders, and you, that the 14th

Amendment was specifically rati-fied in 1868, to apply to the slaveswho were freed by the 13th

Amendment which was ratified in1865. It was not meant to applyto every pregnant female touristor illegal interloper that visits theUS. The part of the 14th Amend-

ment most liberals ignore or mis-interpret is “and subject to the ju-risdiction thereof.” Folks who ar-rive here from other countries aresubject to the jurisdiction of theirhomeland, not the State they arevisiting. They are subject to thelaws of the State, but not the ju-risdiction. Of course, politicianscontrol the definition of words, sothe words of the Constitution canmean anything. Remember weonce knew what “marriage”meant, and “female” and “male.”Now everything is a “spectrum.”

Gene PhillipGreat Falls

Ed. note: This issue is morecomplicated than this letter, orU.S. Rep. Connolly’s note lastweek, reflect.

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News

From Page xx

There are about 40 kids thatare involved.”

SO STUDENT-DRIVEN is theshow, that even the directors arestudents.

“I had to turn in an applicationof my idea for the staging andcharacter choices, which is howI got chosen for director,” saidstudent-director EmmaSchacochis. “Then, during thefirst two-three weeks of schoolwe just went through auditionsand we chose scenes between thecharacters who interact the most,and in the end we chose thesethree.”

“This is actually my first year of drama,”said senior Rachel Bloom. “Because this ismy first lead,” said Bloom, “It’s just beenreally fun getting involved. I get to interactwith every character, and be in almost allthe scenes, so there’s a lot I get to do andexperience in the show.”

Bloom plays the part of Molly, the daugh-ter of a Victorian Lord and, in later works,mother to the character Wendy. Whileaboard the ship The Neverland, a weather-beaten vessel containing precious cargobelonging to the Queen, she meets an or-phan who goes only by “Boy.”

“I was in a couple shows last year, butthey were more minor roles,” said GabeVillarroel, who plays Boy. “I didn’t do muchin terms of being active — jumps and allthat. So, definitely this is more than lastyear!”

“I would say the physicality of the showis super important to it,” said junior MaxBranciforte. “A lot of the creative aspectsthat we can put in and make our own endup being super physical.”

Branciforte plays the part of Black Stache,the younger version of Captain Hook andmain antagonist of the show.

“It can look weird if it’s not done correctly,”continued Branciforte. “I think that’s some-thing Oakton and the Theatre Departmentprides itself on is that when they come there’s

kids doing a lot of professional things.”

ESSENTIAL MEMBERS of the crew arestudent-musicians and brothers Nathan andPeter Guevara. With an array of instrumentsincluding but not limited to a drum set,multiple keyboards, and a violin, theGuevara brothers will be handling theproduction’s live music.

“There’s a bunch of weird sound effects,”said Nathan, who had just moments agorecreated the sound of a creaking door us-ing his violin. “The hardest part has prob-ably just been learning everything in sucha short amount of time and doing every-thing together, but we’ll make it work.”

In what can be considered proof of thecreativity and determination of the entirecast and crew, Peter held up what lookedlike part of a broken pogo stick.

“I made this instrument,” he said.As he held the large black cylinder con-

nected at its base to a loose spring, he ex-plained that it was a “thundertube.” Hethen grabbed the end of the spring, and ashe shook it, the unmistakable sound ofrolling thunder was emitted from the topof the cylinder.

To catch this comedy curated almost entirely bycreative local youths, stop by one of the 7 p.m.shows on the Nov. 8, 9 or 10 at Oakton HighSchool. Visit oaktondrama.org for ticketing andinformation.

‘Starcatcher’

Photos contributed

Drama teacher Vanessa Gelinas (center right) oversees rehearsal withher student-technicians.

Nathan and Peter Guevara, surroundedby multiple instruments, prepare toplay the cast and crew into the nextscene in rehearsal.


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“TOP ORTHODONTISTS”

By Marilyn Campbell

For those with seemingly endless to-do lists, taking a nap or sleepinglate might seem like a luxury theycan’t afford. Foregoing sleep in lieu

of checking email, doing laundry or study-ing for an exam, could decrease the qualityof those tasks.

“Two well-known effects of inadequatesleep are cognitive processing problems in-cluding attention, storing information andretrieving information from memory,” saidDr. Linda Gulyn, professor of psychology atMarymount University. “That’s why some-one who is consistently sleepy has difficultyin classes, getting work done, and takingtests. This is problematic especially for highschool and college students.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention recommends that school-aged chil-dren get nine to 12 hours of sleep eachnight, teenagers get eight to 10 hours,adults 18-65 get seven to eight and adults65 and older get seven to eight hours. TheCDC also reports that one in three peopledon’t get enough sleep.

“This country is very achievement-ori-ented. It’s go, go, go and we think that sleep-ing is for wimps,” said Adam Winsler, Ph.D.professor of applied developmental psychol-ogy at George Mason University and lead

author of an article published in the Jour-nal of Youth and Adolescence called “Sleep-less in Fairfax …”

But in addition to a decrease in produc-tivity, a lack of adequate sleep can have anegative impact on one’s overall wellbeing.Winsler’s study looked at 39,000 8th, 10th

and 12th graders in Fairfax County. The re-searchers recorded the average number ofhour of sleep the teens get each night andfound that sleep deprivation can have aprofound impact on mental health and cer-tain behaviors. “We found that getting eightto nine hours of sleep each night lowers therisk of underage drinking, smoking and se-

rious drug use in kids and adolescence. Eachhour more of sleep a night adolescents getis associated with less depression, suicide,and drug use for teens,” said Winsler. “Butgenerally, the reality is that most kids andteens are considered deprived. A lack ofsleep hurts them emotionally and can makethem feel depressed and grumpy. Youngerchildren who don’t get adequate sleep canexperience problems with self-control andbehavior regulation.”

“When we are tired, we are more likelyto be agitated and this affects social rela-tionships. [Someone who’s sleep deprived]might have a tough time completing tasks,”added Gulyn.

There are physical and mental health ben-efits to getting proper sleep, says Dr. JeromeShort, a clinical psychologist and associateprofessor of psychology at George MasonUniversity who has also studied the effectof sleep patterns on overall health andwellness. “Sleep clears the brain of toxicproteins, repairs muscles, and restores theimmune system. Adequate sleep is associ-ated with less obesity, diabetes, heart dis-ease, and cancer,” he said. “In recent re-search with college students, I found thatthe combination of vigorous exercise andsleep satisfaction led to next day positivemood, he said. “The combination of mod-erate exercise and longer sleep led to re-

duced negative mood.”“During sleep, the body releases hor-

mones that stimulate growth, increasemuscle mass, and repair cells and tissues,”said Julia Dorsey, RN, School Public HealthNurse – Fairfax County Health Department.“Hormones also help boost the immune sys-tem to better fight infection. Chronic sleepdeficiency is linked to an increased risk ofobesity and type II diabetes, as well as heartdisease, high blood pressure, and stroke.”

ADEQUATE SLEEP can be elusive in asocial environment where social media andinformation on demand are prevalent. “It’scritical to reduce screen time before bed andnot allow video games and computers andphones use late at night,” said Winsler.“Dimming the lights and doing calming ac-tivities also helps. One big ussie is that teenssleep with their phones next to them andthe phones vibrate and wake them up.”

“Daily exercise, reduced light, physicalcomfort, and a regular sleep routine of go-ing to bed and getting up at the same timeincrease duration of, and satisfaction with,sleep,” added Dr. Jerome Short.

To improve the quality of one’s sleep,Gulyn advises that “if sleep problems areassociated with excessive worry or depres-sion, then it’s important to seek professionaladvice.”

A Good Night’s Sleep The impact of sleep deprivationand how to avoid it.

Avoiding activities like playingvideo games before bed can im-prove the quality of one’s sleep,says researchers.

Wellbeing

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Entertainment

‘UltimateGirl Group’

Ronnie and the Ronettes areback on the road for a U.S. andEuropean tour, including head-lining several festivals – markingthe first appearances of the ‘Ulti-mate Girl Group’ since the 1970s.Fans can expect “Be My Baby,”“Walking In The Rain,” and “BabyI Love You.” Friday, Nov. 9 andSaturday, Nov. 10 at The Barns ofWolf Trap. Visitwww.wolftrap.org/tickets/calen-dar/performance/1819barns/1109show18.aspx

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

THURSDAY/NOV. 8Annual Charity Holiday Auction.

11 a.m. at the Country Club ofFairfax, 5110 Ox Road, Fairfax.Northern Virginia Women’s Club willhold a charity fundraiser for theFairfax County Area Agency forAging. Registration and social hourare followed by their Novemberluncheon and live auction.Prospective members and guestsinterested in joining our festiveactivities for this event, should callAnna at 703-281-4811.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY/NOV. 8-10“Noises Off.” 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8-10;

and 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 10. At JamesMadison High School, 2500 JamesMadison Drive, Vienna. MAD Dramaat James Madison High Schoolinvites you to their upcomingproduction of “Noises Off,” a comedicfarce about a hilariously bad theatercompany. Tickets are $10 online atwww.madisondrama.com and $12 atthe door. Visit madisondrama.com.

SATURDAY/NOV. 10Harvest Marketplace. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

at Our Lady of Good Counsel, 8601Wolftrap Road, Vienna. Browse forgifts and home decor. The Women ofOLGC will host the “St. VincentCafe.” Grab a homemade sweet treat,a cup of coffee and take a seat intheir café to enjoy the scenery orpurchase a baked good to take home.Join the Fil/Am Community at 10a.m. and 2 p.m. for a Parol Workshopon the stage in DeSales Hall. Learn tomake beautiful lanterns. Freeadmission. Visit www.olgcva.org/news-post/~post/harvest-marketplace.

Holiday Bazaar. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. atVienna Community Center, 120Cherry Street, SE, Vienna. TheVienna Women’s Club will hold its55th annual holiday bazaar at theVienna Community Center.Admission is $3, with funds raisedsupporting the club’s scholarshipprograms. Visitwww.viennawomansclub.org.

Pottery Sale. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at theTown of Vienna’s Bowman House,211 Center St. S., Vienna. Get a headstart on holiday gift list at the Townof Vienna’s Bowman House Potterysale with one-of-a-kind pieces craftedby parks and recreation potterystudents and teachers will beavailable for purchase. Visitwww.viennava.gov.

Fall Bazaar and Craft Show. 10a.m.-4 p.m. at Vienna Volunteer FireDepartment Auxiliary, 400 CenterStreet, South, Vienna. Admission isfree. Offered for sale will be crafts,holiday decorations, items for yourhome, clothing and gifts for thatspecial someone. A delicious lunchmenu is planned, as well as abountiful homemade baked goodstable. Looking for a unique find?Come shop at the white elephanttable. Proceeds from the rental of thetable spaces and raffles benefit thefire department in its effort to raisefunds for life saving fire and rescueequipment. For information, or toreserve a space and request anapplication, call Carol at 703-309-3468 or [email protected].

American Suffragists and theBattle for the Ballot. 10 a.m. atChurch of the Holy Comforter, 543Beulah Road NE, Vienna. AuthorWinifred Conkling presents aprogram based on her book, Votes forWomen! American Suffragists andthe Battle for the Ballot. On Aug. 18,

1920, American women finally wonthe right to vote—the culmination ofan almost 80-year fight.Refreshments and fellowship willprecede the program. Visitwww.holycomforter.com or call 703-938-6521.

NOV. 10-DEC. 24Santa HQ. Tysons Corner Center, 1961

Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Corner.HGTV’s Santa HQ is located inFashion Court near Nordstrom on theLower Level. Families are invited toexplore the wonder of Santa in thedigital age. Interactive technologytransforms and customizes theexperience. Guests can makereservations to spend less time inline. Shoppers are invited to bring anunwrapped toy and participate in our‘Help Through Holiday Giving’ toydrive benefitting Second Story(formerly Alternative House). Visitwww.santa-hq.com for more.

SUNDAY/NOV. 11Choral Evensong. 5 p.m. at Church of

the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah RoadNE, Vienna. Holy Comforter’s AdultChoir will present an evening serviceof song and scripture. This beautifuland moving liturgy will be followedby a festive reception. Music willinclude canticles by Herbert Sumsion,an anthem by David Hurd, and organmusic by Herbert Howells andDietrich Buxtehude. Call 703-938-6521 or visit holycomforter.com.

TUESDAY/NOV. 13Book Signing. 7-9 p.m. At Patrick

Henry Library, 101 Maple Ave., East,Vienna. Free. Straining Forward isthe true story of Minh PhuongTowner’s tragic life, her escape fromVietnam by boat, and herperseverance to overcome PTSD andbecome a pastor. Meet Minh andauthor, Michelle Layer Rahal. Visitkeepstrainingforward.com.

THURSDAY/NOV. 15Tree Lighting. 6-8 p.m. Celebrate

WASH-FM’s Kick off to Christmas andthe annual lighting of Tysons CornerCenter’s signature 51-foot ChristmasTree. The Tree Lighting Ceremonywill be on the elevated outdoor Plazaand will be emceed by Lance Bassfrom *NSYNC. Check outwww.tysonscornercenter.com/events.

SATURDAY/NOV. 17Thanksgiving Car and Bike Show.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Church of theGood Shepherd (United Methodist),2351 Hunter Mill Road, Vienna. Revthose engines, bring some cannedgoods and come on out to theThanksgiving Car and Bike Show, a

benefit for hungry families and anonprofit focused on men’s health.Entry fee for those who wish to showcar or bike is $20 (or $15 plus fivecanned goods). Registration opens at10 a.m.; judging begins at noon.www.GoodShepherdVA.com.

Opening Reception. 1-3 p.m. at TheGallery at The Church of the GoodShepherd (United Methodist), 2351Hunter Road, Vienna. For artist AliceNodine, a member of GoodShepherd. The “Peace Like a River”art exhibit features mixed mediapaintings; it will be up throughSunday, Dec. 16, with an artistreception and talk after churchservices on Sunday, Dec. 2. Forexhibit hours and information, seewww.GoodShepherdVA.com.

Model Railroaders Open House. 1-5 p.m. at the Vienna Depot, 231Dominion Road NE. NorthernVirginia Model Railroaders hold anopen house at the Vienna Depot eachmonth and on Vienna celebrationdays, including Viva! Vienna and theVienna Holiday Stroll. Freeadmission. Call 703-938-5157 or visitwww.nvmr.org.

OLGC Casino Night. 7-10 p.m. at OurLady of Good Counsel, 8601 WolftrapRoad, Vienna. Join the Knights ofColumbus and OLGC Men’s Club foran evening of casino entertainmentin DeSales Hall. Grand Prize of $500.Proceeds benefit the Society of St.Vincent DePaul. Pre-purchase $30, atthe door $45. Visit www.olgcva.org/news-post/~post/casino-night.

SUNDAY/NOV. 18Vienna Turkey Trot. 8 a.m. at Vienna

Volunteer Fire Department, 400Center St. South, Vienna. The JamesMadison High School Band will behosting the 16th Annual ViennaTurkey Trot 5K/10K and Kids’ FunRun. All proceeds benefit the JMHS“Pride of Vienna” Band and theVienna Volunteer Fire Department.Join in the great run, music, funprizes, refreshments after the raceand the Finish Line Festival. [email protected]. Visit thewebsite www.viennaturkeytrot.org.

Breakfast Buffet. 8 a.m.-noon atVienna American Legion Post 180,330 Center St., N. Vienna. Getomelets, scrambled eggs, blueberrypancakes, bacon, sausage, biscuitsand gravy and more. Adults $10,children 12 and under $4. Call 703-938-6580.

Organ Recital with Dr.Christopher Reynolds. 4-5 p.m.at Church of the Holy Comforter, 543Beulah Road NE, Vienna. Organrecital by Dr. Christopher Reynolds,Director of Music and Organist at St.Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond.The program will include works byBach, Buxtehude, Franck,Mendelssohn, and Willan. No ticketsare required. Visit holycomforter.comor call 703-938-6521.


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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel: burping, hiccuping, coughing, “expectorating,”

nose bleeding, nose blowing, “gassing,” gur-gling and “nauseating.”

If this were football, I’d likely receive a pen-alty for piling on: too much not of a good thing.

For me, it’s just another day in cancer’s side-effect paradise. For my wife, Dina, how-

so to speak. Aside from how cancer makes you look and feel, there is also an element of how it makes you sound.

just more self-aware. But there’s only so much one can do, or quite frankly, want to do to manage/control one’s sights and sounds.

After all, side effects are sort of the cost of doing business in the medical/pharmaceutical world. And though every patient doesn’t expe-rience identical symptoms, we’re all warned equally that there could be trouble in them “thar” pills. Part of that trouble is internal: what you feel, and part of that trouble is external: what you see and hear. And depending upon what medication you’re receiving, you could be experiencing side effects that manifest more like main effects.

Generally speaking, unless I was really uncomfortable and/or insistent when speaking to my oncologist, he has refrained from treating side effects – too much. His thinking has been that too many pills treating too many side effects makes Kenny an extraordinarily dull and dependent boy, and likely makes matters worse. Granted, there have been exceptions.

But prescribing an ever-increasing number and variety of pills seems akin to chasing one’s own tail. It may be amusing to look at (if you’re a cat or dog owner), but it’s a hell of a price to pay for a minimal amount of relief. You may not be any worse for the wear, but neither are you any better off than when you started.

Obviously, in the cancer-treatment world, there’s going to be some discomfort, and I have been prescribed some side-effect medication accordingly: for a skin rash, for constipation, to boost my appetite, for pain and for neuropathy. But overall, to ease my worried brow, we’ve tried to stay away from letting side effects affect my primary care.

Unfortunately, the reality is, every med-ication, every treatment, every procedure produces side effects. Trying to keep your eye on the ball during multiple processes, can become challenging. And though it may not be rocket science, it is medicine/science which for a Humanities graduate like me is as unnatural as it can possibly be.

All I understand is trying not to make mat-ters worse, but when you’ve been diagnosed as “terminal,” which I was, things have already become worse. Ergo, knowing how to manage your situation so as not to exaggerate the chal-lenge you already face itself becomes a side effect for which there’s very little treatment.

Knowing when to add or subtract medica-tions, knowing when to change one’s infusion medicine, knowing when to schedule infu-sion intervals and knowing when to schedule diagnostic scans, are all wrenching emotional decisions which might have life-ending conse-quences so these decisions do carry the weight of the world. And though my father always told me that I had broad shoulders (meaning I could carry the weight), I have never been tested as I have these last nearly 10 years.

Having survived for as long as I have, pre-sumably, I have made some correct decisions. Nevertheless, I still feel like I’m one wrong move from disaster. And it’s never more clear to me then when I’m listening to what I’m hearing.

Sounds Not So Silent

From Page 2

Bulletin

Sheehy Auto Stores will collect canned goodsand non-perishable food as part of thecompany’s annual Fall Harvest Food Drive tobenefit food banks serving each community.Benefiting food banks include the Oxon HillFood Pantry, ECHO, Manna Food Center,Central Virginia Food Bank, Ashland ChristianEmergency Services (ACES), Fauquier FoodBank, House of Mercy, Emmaus Center,Samaritan Project, The Light House, WesternFairfax Christian Ministries, Perry Hall UnitedMethodist Church, SERVE, FredericksburgRegional Food Bank and Food for Others.

Scouting for Food. Starting Nov. 3, Scouts willpost reminder flyers to homes throughout area,then return to collect non-perishable food itemsthat will nourish the area’s hungry on Nov. 10.Scouting for Food is held every fall prior toThanksgiving. Local food banks rely on it tostock their shelves for the upcoming holidaymonths, when food demands are the greatest.Items in highest demand include: cannedprotein (tuna, salmon, chicken, peanut butter);soups and stews (beef stew, chili, meat-basedsoups); 100 percent fruit juices (all sizes);grains (pasta, whole grain pasta, rice, brownrice, boxed macaroni and cheese); cereals(multi-grain, low sugar cereals, oatmeal);canned vegetables; canned fruits; condiments;and hygiene products (diapers, toilet paper,tissues, soap, toothpaste). Visitwww.ncacbsa.org for more.

Food Collection. Through Friday, Nov. 16,PenFed is collecting boxed and canned foods atall of its DC area branch locations. PenFed,NBC4, Telemundo44 and The Boys and GirlsClub of Greater Washington will collect theboxes and assemble over 4,000 turkey baskets tobe distributed to local families, seniors, veteransand others in need. Visit visit PenFed.org.PenFed branch locations collecting donationitems include:

❖ Fort Myer – 2nd St. & McNair, Building 450, FortMyer

❖ Kingstowne – 5775 Barclay Drive, Alexandria❖ Pentagon City – 701 S. 12th St., Arlington❖ Fort Belvoir – 9651 Gunston Road, Bldg 1152,

Fort Belvoir❖ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency – 7500

Geoint Drive, Springfield❖ Tysons Corner – 7940 Jones Branch Dr., McLeanFood for Fines. Through Nov. 30. Fairfax County

Public Library will be hosting a food drive called“Food for Fines.” Canned goods and other non-perishable items collected during the drive willbe donated to Food for Others, a not-for-profitfood pantry and food rescue operation thatserves Fairfax County. Each item donated willerase $1 from a patron’s overdue fines up to amaximum of $15. Customers may donate even ifthere are no fines accrued. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/food-fines formore.

WEDNESDAY/NOV. 7Tree Talk in Tree Town. 7 p.m. at Town Hall,

127 Center Street S., Vienna. Trees providecover, shade, protection, property value, habitat,and a feast for all of the senses. Learn just how“tree-mendous” trees are at the Hunter MillDistrict Tree Forum. This joint program with theTown of Vienna, Fairfax County agencies, andReston Association is free and open to thepublic. Contact the Hunter Mill District Office,703-478-0283 or [email protected] visit fairfaxcounty.gov/huntermill.

FRIDAY/NOV. 9Collaborative IEP Meetings: Parents as

Partners. 10 a.m.-noon. At Dunn Loring Centerfor Parent Services, 2334 Gallows Road, DunnLoring, Entrance 1, Room 100. Parents areessential partners in the Individual EducationPlan (IEP) process. Join us for this importantworkshop for parents of children receivingspecial education services. Participants willexplore the IEP process and its components,your role in the IEP meeting, responsibilities ofthe IEP team members, and planning for yourchild’s IEP meeting. Call 703-204-3941 or visit

www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center to register.

SUNDAY/NOV. 11OLGC School Open House. 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at

Our Lady of Good Counsel School, 8601Wolftrap Road, Vienna. Parent and student-guided tours, meet teachers, and the school’smascot, PAWS. Principal presentation at 11a.m.

Free. Visit www.olgcschool.org or call 703-896-7412.


Special thank to

New Orleans, March 9-17 ............................................................................................ $1,399Includes coach transportation from Vienna or Rockville, 8 nights hotel with breakfast, 3 dinners & a luncheon

cruise, Sightseeing - Call for details.

New Year’s Getaway in Gettysburg, Dec. 30 - Jan.1 .................................................... $645Coach transportation from Vienna or Rockville, 2 nights hotel, 2 dinners, 1 breakfast & 1 brunch, Sightseeing &

New Years Eve Party.

Tulip River Cruise, April 10-20.................................................................................. $3,999Cruise from Amsterdam to Lucern with all meals, shore excursions, entertainment & wine & beer with lunch &

dinner. 2 nights hotel in Lucerne. Call for details

703.242-2204 1-800-556-8646100 East Street SE, Suite 202 • Vienna, Virginia 22180

Please visit our Web site at: www.shillelaghtravelclub.com for a listing of all our upcoming trips and socials.

SHILLELAGHS TRAVEL CLUB

Celebratingour 54th

Anniversary

Sports

On Oct. 23, the OakcrestVarsity Tennis Teamclaimed major wins in

the PVAC tennis tournament. Se-nior Grace Falatko won the #3singles court and juniors ClaireFalatko and Kyla Payne won the#1 doubles court. The team,coached by Oakcrest alumnaAmanda Hernandez (‘12), alsosecured the tournament runner upplaque. Grace, Claire, and Kylahave all been named to the PVACFirst Team All Conference.

About Oakcrest: OakcrestSchool is an independent schoolfor girls in grades 6-12 guided bythe teachings of the CatholicChurch.

For more than 40 years, theschool has provided an excep-tional liberal arts education to girlsof all faiths while fulfilling its mis-sion to grow, challenge and inspireits students to thrive in college andthroughout their lives. Learn moreat Oakcrest.org.

From left — Grace Falatko (’19), Coach AmandaHernandez (’12), Kyla Payne (’20), and ClaireFalatko (’20).

The Oakcrest Varsity Tennis Team.

Oakcrest VarsityTennis TeamClaims MajorWins

Pho

to

s co

ntributed

oakton high presents ‘starcatcher’

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