Fairfax - Ellington CMS

Fairfax Connection ❖ October 20-26, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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October 20-26, 2016

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Dr. Lesley Lee Francis, granddaughter of Robert Frost,lecturing to members of the Osher Lifelong LearningInstitute at the Fairfax Lord of Life Lutheran ChurchOct. 12; poster shows cover of her new book, ‘YouCome Too: My Journey with Robert Frost.’

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Lamb Center:‘Where Hope Is Restored’News, Page 3

Revolutionizing EducationNews, Page 5

Lamb Center:‘Where Hope Is Restored’News, Page 3

Revolutionizing EducationNews, Page 5

Less Known PartOf Poet’s Life

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Less Known PartOf Poet’s Life

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2 ❖ Fairfax Connection ❖ October 20-26, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

1228 Hunter Mill Road, Vienna, VAwww.roerszoofari.com

(703) 757-622230 Acres of Animal Adventure for All Ages

Free ParkingAn easy drive on either the 267 Dulles Tollway (Hunter Mill Exit) or SR 7 Leesburg Pike (left at the Baron Cameron light)

Week in Fairfax

See Week, Page 5

Fatal PedestrianCrash in Fairfax Area

Crash Reconstruction detectives are inves-tigating a fatal crash that occurred on Sat-urday, Oct. 15 in the area of Prosperity Av-enue and Morningside Drive. An investiga-tion determined around 8:50 p.m., a 2015Toyota Corolla was traveling northbound onProsperity Avenue. Around the same time,a 46-year-old Fairfax man was outside try-ing to catch his dog that was running loose.Unexpectedly, the man walked into theroadway, in front of the car. The driver wasunable to avoid the pedestrian, James C.Kim, and struck him. Kim was transportedto the hospital where he later succumbedto his injuries — according to FCPD PublicAffairs Bureau. The driver, a 23-year-oldman, remained on scene. Neither alcoholnor speed appear to be contributing factors.No charges have been placed at this time.

City of Fairfax PoliceSeek Information onSuspicious Subject

City of Fairfax Police are seeking thepublic’s assistance in identifying a male sub-ject who approached a female juvenile whileshe was waiting for a ride to school. Thesuspicious event occurred about 8:15 a.m.on Monday, Oct.17 in the 10500 Block of

Cedar Avenue. The juvenile reported thatthe man approached her with an unknownobject in his hand. The girl threw a lawnchair at the man and ran to her home whilethe man fled on foot. A search of the areaby police failed to locate the individual. Thefemale juvenile reported that the same manhad approached her on Oct. 13 at her busstop located at Cedar Avenue and ChainBridge Road. The man spoke to her brieflybefore she boarded the school bus. The girlwas not injured in either encounter. Theman is described as white, in his fifties orsixties, heavy set, with a gray beard andwearing all black clothing.

Anyone having any information regard-ing these incidents or the identity of themale subject is asked to call City of FairfaxPolice at 703-385-7924.

Saturday MorningCoffee with DelegateDavid Bulova

On Saturday, Oct. 22, Del. David Bulova(D-37) will continue a tradition started in2006 by holding informal office hours totake place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Jireh Bak-ery and Café. Constituents are invited to talkabout issues of interest and to ask questionsabout legislation affecting our community.The format is casual and no appointment isneeded.

Fairfax Connection ❖ October 20-26, 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Fairfax Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

News

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

During the LambCenter’s banquet lastweek, the center’s as-

sistant director, Patti Brown,said the guests inspire her ev-ery day. Four of them thenshared their stories with thoseattending the event.

❖ Ruby Ledbetter receivedher college degree in socialwork in 1985, married and be-came the mother of eight chil-dren – one with a severe dis-

ability. But her husband died in2000 and, by 2006, she was home-less. Then, after working 23 yearsas a social worker for Washington,D.C. Public Schools, she lost herjob in 2010.

“I came to the Lamb Center forprayer meetings, Bible study andmeals,” she said. “I now work withArlington Public Schools and helpin my community. I’m a valuablemember of society, and I’m heretoday because of your love andsupport.”

❖ Patti Staples said no onemakes a conscious decision to be-

come homeless. “It’s through aseries of unexpected events andbad decisions we make,” she ex-plained. She and her husbandhadn’t worked in several years andthey had a daughter to care for.After they were evicted, she said,“A friend took us, embarrassed andhopeless, to the Lamb Center.”

“We were treated as guests, withlove and respect, and welcomedwith open arms,” said Staples. “Sowe kept coming back. We wereable to rent a basement apartmentand went to the Lamb Center oncea week. One day, I was there when

a man from the 29 Diner came inlooking to hire someone, and hehired me – and I’m still there, ayear later.”

❖ Stephan Bolling had been in-carcerated, and a condition of hisparole was to go to the Lamb Cen-ter every day. “It grew on me,” hesaid. “If you ever want to see somereal-life angels, go to the LambCenter. Later, after my girlfrienddied in my arms, I returned there.If it wasn’t for them, I don’t knowwhere I’d be.”

❖ Verena Sample was a formerguest who now works at Macy’s

Ruby Ledbetter at thepodium.

Patti Staples shares herstory.

Photos by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection

Patti Brown with Stephan Bolling.(From left) are Patti Brown and VerenaSample.

Four People Share Their Own Stories They tell how the LambCenter changed their lives.

and is a Lamb Center volunteer.“I was once on the streets andin a drug environment,” shesaid. “But I learned to set goals.And now I talk to young peopleat the Lamb Center, sharing mystory, so hopefully, they won’tgo the same way I did.” Ad-dressing the crowd, she said,“Thank you, because you all arethe shepherd and I’m the sheepthat you lifted up and piecedback together.” Then, giving aprayer, Brown said, “Bless ourguests that they’ll continue tosoar on wings of eagles.”

See Lamb Center, Page 4

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

Each year, the Lamb Cen-ter in Fairfax holds a cel-ebration banquet to ac-knowledge and appreci-

ate its many blessings. This year,more than ever, it has a great dealto celebrate, and it did so lastWednesday, Oct. 12, at theWaterford in Fair Oaks.

Serving the poor and homelessfor more than 20 years, it’s a day-time, drop-in shelter offering hotmeals, showers, laundry services,and recovery and employmentcounseling. The guests come fromall walks of life. Many have men-tal illness, some are veterans andstill others have simply fallen onhard times – but they’re all wel-come.

“The hardest part about beinghomeless is being ignored,” saidLamb Center Executive DirectorJohn MacPherson. “But we get toknow everyone by name.”

The Lamb Center began in 1992in a tiny pawn shop, moving in2000 to a rented, 3,200-square-foot building at Fairfax Circle. Butsince it’s open six days a week andserves about 150 people/day, it

needed more space. So it startedfundraising to build a larger placeof its own. The dream eventuallybecame reality and, in May, theLamb Center moved into its new,two-story, nearly 10,000-square-foot home at 3160 CampbellDrive.AT LAST WEEK’S BANQUET,Fairfax City Councilman David

Meyer gave the opening remarks.“The elected leadership and pro-fessional staff of our City aredeeply and unanimously commit-ted to the mission of the LambCenter,” he said. “We dedicate our-selves to be full partners with youin helping to change lives and of-fer new possibilities for the leastamong us in our community.

“To be advocates for the poorand those who are marginalized,ignored, exploited or forgotten isnot an easy road to travel,” he con-tinued. “When Martyn Mimms firstled the Truro congregation to es-tablish the Lamb Center, everyoneinvolved was a learning disciple.But the commitment was there;and as this ministry grew in size

and scope, a deeper spiritual un-derstanding took root amongthose early, faithful volunteers andstaff. And over the years, the min-istry became more focused, effec-tive and far more ecumenical.”

Then when the building cam-paign was underway, said Meyer,“Extraordinary generosity, beyondexpectation and measure, affirmedthat what’s occurring at the LambCenter is vitally important for ourfuture as a community.” Noting theFeb. 13 beam-signing ceremony atthe construction site, he said cen-ter volunteers wrote on the steelbeams Scripture passages and thenames of people who’d died.

“Those inscribed passages serveas the spiritual cornerstones forthe Lamb Center’s ministry,” saidMeyer. “That day was also a timeto remember the early, long-serv-ing volunteers, including JimConklin Sr., John Petersen and Vicand Joan Meyer. And while thosepassages and names are now cov-ered up behind the walls, they pro-vide the ministry with continuing,spiritual nourishment.”

Today the Lamb Center is sup-ported by volunteers from a vari-ety of churches, synagogues and

‘A Place Where Hope Is Restored’ Community celebrates theLamb Center’s blessings.

(From left) are Councilman MichaelDeMarco, Lamb Center Executive Direc-tor John MacPherson and CouncilmanDavid Meyer. Dave Larrabee thanks the volunteers.

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Thursday, November 3, 2016 @ 12:30 P.M.Special Commissioner’s Sale of Real Estate!

*5 Parcels!* *Home, Office Condo, & Land!!*Fairfax City Regional Library

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By Order of The Circuit Court of Fairfax County, Virginia, andat the direction of the Special Commissioners, the followingdescribed real estate will be offered to the highest bidder atPUBLIC AUCTION...

Parcel 1 (Improved): (Cole) 6057B Arlington Blvd., FallsChurch; Mason District; Boulevard Square Condos, Unit 10;Tax Map #0514-14-0010; Acct. #408234982

Parcel 2: (Nguyen) 6418 Columbia Pike, Annandale; MasonDistrict; River View Heights, Lot 20; 9,526 sq. ft,; Tax Map#0613-12-0020; Acct. #408273783

Parcel 3: (Ox Group) 9333 Lee Highway, Fairfax; ProvidenceDistrict; Hatmark, 17,906 sq. ft.; Tax Map #0484-01-0002;Acct. #408216571

Parcel 4: (US Bank) 6801 Custis Parkway, Falls Church;Providence District; Mason Terrace, Lot 450; 20,437 sq. ft.;Tax Map #0504-05-0450; Acct. #408230100

Parcel 5 (Improved): (Walsh) 9111 McNair Drive, Alexandria;Mt. Vernon District; Woodlawn Manor, Lot 27; Sec.1; 21,780sq. ft.; Tax Map #1101-05-0027; Acct. #408435007 Parcel 5

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News

Lamb Center Counts Its BlessingsFrom Page 3

other community organizations. “It’s an exampleof what can be achieved when differences are setaside, a spirit of unity is embraced and we all worktogether,” said Councilman Meyer. “The Lamb Cen-ter is a model for the entire nation.” He then thankedeveryone who’s supported the center, encouragedthem to continue and presented a $5,500 check fromhis own church, Fairfax United Methodist.

Next, Lamb Center Board Chairman Kelly Johnsonspoke of the momentous things that happened tothe center over the past year, from the new facility’sgroundbreaking in October 2015 to its official grandopening in June. On that day, $500,000 was stillneeded to pay off the $4.5 million building cost. Butat the end of that event, an anonymous couplepledged the remaining amount.

Still, the Lamb Center always needs funds to con-tinuing providing for its guests. So during the ban-quet, Johnson said, “Tonight is all about the pro-grams we want to put in place for our guests. We’renow supported by over 100 churches, and we giveyou all our heartfelt thanks.”

Noting how their volunteers stay for years, sheadded, “I’ve done the Tuesday afternoon Bible studysince 2008, and I’m still considered the new Tues-day volunteer. She then thanked the center’s spon-sors, volunteers, staff and building committee forall their hard work.

Dave Larrabee, the center’s operations director,said the guests feel comfortable at the Lamb Center.“The power of community takes away the scarinessof being in a new place,” he said.

Agreeing, Stephanie Carl, a homeless-outreach so-cial worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs,called it a “safe, warm and welcoming environmentfor veterans seeking help. They can sign up for manydifferent services, all under one roof.”

For example, she said, “One veteran came therefor fresh clothes and to do his laundry and we wereable to connect him to Veterans Administration rep-resentatives. The Lamb Center is a place where hopeis restored; people come for small things and leavewith a miracle.” Tara Ruszkowski is a Board mem-ber, but volunteers in the kitchen on Wednesdays.

QUOTING former Board Chairman Mary Petersen,she said, “‘It’s doing, not preaching, that brings peopletogether.’ My son Jack volunteered here with his Con-firmation class in eighth grade and said, ‘This placeis amazing; these people are just like us.’ So I visitedand became a volunteer, and now Wednesdays arethe highlight of my week.”

“The community of our volunteers, guests and staffkeeps us together at the Lamb Center,” continuedRuszkowski. “And that’s often what’s missing in thelives of the homeless. Our guests have names andaren’t invisible; they come with stories of brokenness,not just hope. And if we’re going to do somethingabout homelessness, we’ve got to do it together.”

“Our volunteers touch the lives of so many peopleand discover they’re blessed by being there,” addedLarrabee. He then thanked God “for what You aredoing in this community, the generosity of this com-munity and the transformation we’ve seen in the livesof ourselves and our guests.”

From Page xxFrom Page xx


Chantilly High School’s7th Annual Haunted House

Jersey Mikes and Guapos will both have food trucks on site.

Saturday, October 22nd

Purchase online atwww.CHSHauntedHouse.com

or at the door.Proceeds benefit the CHS girls soccer

and field hockey teams.

1pm to 5pm (less scary) or6pm to 10pm (for braver goblins)4201 Stringfellow Drive

Tickets $10 per person

Purchase online atwww.CHSHauntedHouse.com

or at the door.Proceeds benefit the CHS girls soccer

and field hockey teams.

Learn to Pray and HealLearn to Pray and Heal

This lecture is sponsored by your neighbors at the Christian Science Church, Fairfax.Visit us at: thinkdifferentlyfairfax.com

NATE is a spiritual adventurer who’s traveled the globe sharing healinginsights, exploring new cultures and performing music. As a mediaproducer, Nate launched and produced the award-winning Daily Liftpodcast, as well as the Time4thinkers Weekly Musician for his church,The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. Now as ChristianScience practitioner he’s doing what he loves most--praying withothers and experiencing first-hand the healing power of God’s love.

by Nate Frederick, C.S.

Sunday October 23 at 2 p.m.Sherwood Community Center

3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030

Come explore the how-to of spiritual healing.Learn to have more faith in Life, understand God as

Love itself, and express Love in a way that heals.

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News

From Page xx

Jireh Cafe, is located at 13848 Lee Highway,Centreville. Del. Bulova is also happy to arrange in-dividual appointments on specific issues or concerns.

Bulova represents Virginia’s 37th House District,which includes the City of Fairfax and portions of

Fairfax County. He serves on the General Laws, Edu-cation, and Agriculture, Chesapeake and NaturalResources committees. He is also a member of theChesapeake Bay Commission, the State Water Com-mission, the Joint Commission on Health Care, andthe Housing Commission.

For more information visit www.davidbulova.com.

Week in Fairfax

By Karina Verlan

The Connection

The Washington Business Journal recognized Scriyb, LCC as the Best Innovationof 2016; a great stepping stone for a local company with a lot of promise.

“I think that it is an early validation by Washing-ton Business Journal that we are one of the up andcoming start-ups, and that the technology scene isalive and well in this area,” Scriyb CEO, Chris Etesse,said. “This bodes well for our community and re-gion.”

Chris Etesse, a founding member of Blackboard,has joined the efforts of creator of Scriyb, GeorgeMason University Professor, Dr. Scott Martin, Found-ing Director of the Virginia Serious Game Institute(VSGI) and Mason Computer Game Design Program,to help the company tackle a big problem on a na-tional level: the demand for more computer-scienceeducation across K-12 and universities.

Martin developed Scriyb to expand GMU’s gametheory courses, after finding that the demand forteachers and classroom space was much higher thanavailable resources.

“It is hard to recruit faculty to teach with the cur-rent tools or tools 3-4 years ago,” Martin said. “It’s alot more work than a live class, because there is nointeraction with the students.”

TEACHERS experienced high drop-out and fail rates

with asynchronous classes, with little to no interac-tion with the students, or between students. Researchtoday shows that peer to peer learning is strongerthan teacher to student.

This is what makes Scriyb so revolutionary: theclasses are in a live online, cloud-based classroomplatform, which offers a number of benefits. First, itallows for one teacher to teach thousands of studentsin real-time, which is recorded and automaticallyarchived for later review.

“What it does, is it allows more people to learn,”Martin said. “There are a lot of problems in educa-tion. What Scriyb can do is erase culture, race andsex to transform education for the better.”

In other words, Scriyb tackles the daunting prob-lem extending STEM education, providing relevantinformation that textbooks usually can’t keep upwith; while also removing the social-economic, raceand gender biases that serve as barriers to moderneducation.

As Etesse put it, “We’re really starting to scratchthe surface on learning science and personalizing‘smart’ education.”

“One of the biggest challenges is the need for com-panies and K-12 education, community colleges, andhigher education to work together,” Harris said. “Idon’t think there’s enough collaboration among thoseentities for it to be efficient.” Harris believes thatrather than creating new STEM programs, we shouldbe figuring out the ones that are working and find-ing ways, such as Scriyb, to expand those resourcesto overcome challenges.

“I think that [Scriyb] is really going to change theparadigm for federal technology because not onlycan you use it successfully in K-12, but it alsoseamlessly transitions for courses in higher educa-tion, which has been a challenge to overcome,” Har-ris said. “It is going to change the dynamic of educa-tion.”

Local company, scientistsaddress the demand formore computer-scienceeducation across K-12and universities.

RevolutionizingEducation

Dr. Scott Martin, creatorof Scriyb, LLC, is theFounding Director ofMason’s Computer GameDesign and Virginia Seri-ous Game Institute (VSGI).

Photo contributed


Opinion

By Pat Herrity

Springfield District Supervisor

I have been opposed to themeals tax from the start, butwhat has concerned memost over the last several

months has been the tactics usedto try to convince our residents tovote for it and the county’s failureto deal with its spending problems.I would like to offer some clarityon these points and why I amagainst the meals tax.

The proponents of the meals taxinsist the tax is for teachers’ sala-ries and tax relief. In fact, the bal-lot language referencing schoolsand tax relief was selected becauseit was the language that passed inother counties in Virginia and ac-cording to one supervisor “weneed to use the language that willget it passed.” In reality, the Boardof Supervisors will decide in Aprilduring the budget process howmuch funding goes to schools andthen the School Board will decidehow much funding goes to teacherraises and class size reductions.Despite the Board of Supervisorsfully funding the School Board’sfunding request last year, the fundswere not focused on fixing ourteacher salary issues.

If it passes, the meals tax willjust be an additional $100 milliontax on top of the $100M in taxesthe board passed earlier this year(over my opposition). In the lastfive years, real estate taxes alonehave increased 25 percent and sky-rocketed by $565 million. As Ihave debated proponents of themeals tax over the last severalmonths, there has been almostuniversal acknowledgement thatFairfax County has a spendingproblem. For example, FairfaxCounty offers its 35,000-pluscounty and school employees andadministrators’ unparalleled andunsustainable pensions and pre-social security benefits that evensurrounding jurisdictions do not

pay. Despite my efforts to addressthis and other spending problems,there is no plan in place to addressthese unsustainable costs and ben-efits. The meals tax is a bad wayto kick the can of addressing ourspending problems down the road.

The meals tax is also bad wayto address a spending problembecause it is a regressive tax thattargets a single industry and dis-proportionately hits those who canleast afford it — the elderly, singleworking parents, young students,and people without other options.It is not a white tablecloth restau-rant tax; it is a food tax. The mealstax would be on top of the currentsales tax resulting in a 10 percenttotal tax on any prepared food,including the rotisserie chickenfrom the grocery store, the foun-tain drink from the conveniencestore, your morning coffee, andyour food truck purchases. It isalso a tax on a single industry —one that only has a 3 percent profitmargin on average. This means themeals tax will result in the gov-ernment making more money offof a restaurant than the restaurantitself makes in profit. This is fun-damentally wrong. Restaurantsnot only provide thousands ofyoung adults with their first job,they also give back to the commu-nity through sponsorships anddonations.

Fairfax County voters have adecision to make. Do we settle forbudget deficits and tax increasesyear after year, or do we send amessage that enough is enoughand it is time to address spendingissues? I sympathize for those whosupport the tax; the Board of Su-pervisors and School Board haveled them to believe that the mealstax is some sort of silver bullet totheir budget and teacher salarieswoes. Simply put, it is not.

Pat Herrity represents theSpringfield District on the FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors.

By Phillip A. Niedzielski-

Eichner

As a businessman here inFairfax and a former mem-ber of the Fairfax County

School Board, I write on behalf of acoalition of thousands ofhomeowners, parents, teachers,firefighters, police, friends and usersof our libraries and our parks andrecreation facilities, and those whobelong to churches and non-profit or-ganizations working to ensure thatFairfax County also protects those inneed [www.yesmealstax.org].

Here since 1988, I have alwaysvalued Fairfax’s pragmatic approachto local government services; i.e.,we will pay for the cost of an excel-lent education system and high-quality services as long as the costis reasonable and affordable.

Hit with the double whammy ofthe great recession and the federalbudget sequestration fiasco, theBoard of Supervisors and SchoolBoard did what they had to do un-der the circumstances — they cutcosts and reduced services.

The county reduced annual expen-ditures by $300 million and eliminated700 jobs; for the school system, $500million and 2,100 jobs.

The maintenance backlog hasgrown to over $150 million in rec-reation and park facilities alone.

We are spending less in real dol-lars per pupil this year than in 2008.We are losing our best teachers tosurrounding jurisdictions, becausesalaries are no longer competitivein the region. Class sizes are larger.

Economic recovery has been slow.While home values have grownmodestly, vacancies in office build-ings are at a 25-year high and rev-enue from commercial property taxis at historic lows.

Compounding our challenge,state funding — particularly forschools — continues to decline,with a funding shortfall for K 12education climbing to more than $1billion annually since 2009.

With 65 percent of county rev-enue now being generated by resi-dential property tax, homeownersare carrying a substantial and grow-ing share of the cost of services.

Without a more diverse revenuebase, we risk school system excel-lence and we risk the caliber ofcounty services that underpin ourquality of life. In an article earlierthis year, the Washington Post char-acterized this reality as Fairfax“fraying around the edges.”

This is the setting for the meals taxreferendum before us on Nov. 8.

Five great things will happen byapproving the meals tax:

1. $100 million will be generated.Almost a third of this revenue —$28 million — will be paid by tour-ists and visitors to Fairfax.

2. Seventy percent of the rev-enues will be directed to the schoolsystem to help stem the loss of ourbest teachers and reduce class size.

3. Our quality of life will bestrengthened by addressing unmetpolice and firefighter needs andthose of our libraries and parks.

4. The backlog in county andschool facility and infrastructuremaintenance needs can be re-duced, while also preserving ourAAA bond rating.

5. Our tax base will be more di-verse, relieving property tax pres-sure on homeowners.

Incredibly, Fairfax can do thesegreat things by paying pennies-on-the-dollar when we eat out. Few ofus ever notice paying ArlingtonCounty, Fairfax City, Falls Churchand Vienna when we eat in theirrestaurants, yet we do.

If you agree that it is importantto keep the best teachers in ourclassrooms, reduce class size, con-tinue to protect our safety andmaintain our quality of life; and fi-nally — if you believe we need tobe less dependent on homeownersto pay for all of the above — it isclear that we should vote yes forthe meals tax. It’s literally a pen-nies-on-the-dollar solution.

A food tax is not a silver bullet. Reduces dependence on property tax.

No to the Meals Tax Yes to the Meals Tax

After careful consideration, theFairfax – Falls Church Partnershipto Prevent and End Homelessnesshas decided to fully support theproposed 4 percent Fairfax CountyMeals Tax.

Seventy percent of the fundsraised by the tax will go to ourFairfax County Schools. Ourschools have an integral role in

identifying and assisting ourhomeless and at risk youth aspart of our homeless service sys-tem. Providing additional fund-ing for the schools only makessense.

Thirty percent of the fundsraised by the tax will go to thecounty’s general fund to be usedfor priorities as identified by the

Board of Supervisors. One ofthese priorities is preventing andending homelessness. In 2008the Board of Supervisors adoptedthe Implementation Plan to Pre-vent Homelessness. At the verybeginning of that Plan, thecounty stated: “By 2018, everyperson in our community willaccess and maintain decent, safe,

affordable housing.”We fully expect a portion of

the funds raised by the mealstax will be used for this impor-tant priority.

Michael L. O’ReillyChairman, Board of the Fairfax

Falls Church Partnership toPrevent and End Homelessness

Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness Supports Meals TaxLetters to the Editor

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Fairfax


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Maplewood GrillMaplewood GrillMaplewood Grillis Proud to Present Our Fall Beer Dinner

Opinion

By Alfonso Lopez

Delegate (D-49)

Fairfax County Public Schools are more than just aplace to learn. Growing up in Burke, I saw firsthandhow our schools created a sense of community andneighborhood camaraderie.

Schools are where we could go to borrow a book,where we could watch and play sports, and wherewe could perform a play or listen to a concert.

Schools are where we gather for community eventsand festivals. For many of us, schools are where wewill exercise our civic duty, and vote in November.

They are a promise to everyone in our neighbor-hood that regardless of racial, ethnic, or economicbackground, you are a part of our community.

This is especially true for Fairfax County’s immi-grant and new American residents. Education is es-sential to realizing the commitment of the AmericanDream — that if you work hard, and play by therules, you can have an opportunity to achieve a bet-ter life. Fully funding our schools is critical to fulfill-ing that promise of opportunity and uplifting Fairfaxfamilies.

In fact, immigrant families rely on schools for morethan just education. The wraparound services thatFairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provide informsfamilies about county services, involves them in thelarger community, and brings families that mightotherwise be isolated through language or culturalbarriers into our Fairfax family.

That’s why I support investing in Fairfax and vot-ing “yes” on the 2016 Fairfax County meals tax ref-erendum.

The meals tax will bring in millions of dollars forour schools. This money will be used to hire and re-tain the best quality teachers, keep class sizes low,and maintain the best specialty programs in the state,such as art, music, and ESL classes.

Without a meals tax, our schools will continue toexperience budget shortfalls. Without a meals tax,Fairfax will struggle to hire and retain the best teach-ers, and FCPS will continue to struggle with increasedclass sizes.

Luckily we have a choice. Vote Yes on the mealstax to support our schools.

Alfonso Lopez represents Fairfax and the 49th District in theVirginia House of Delegates. He also serves as the Minority Whip.

Vote Yes: Immigrant Families Rely on Schools forMore Than Education

Fairfax County’s free FamilyCaregiver Telephone SupportGroup meets by phone on Tuesday,Nov. 8, 7-8 p.m. Share your expe-riences, gain support and getimportant information without hav-ing to travel. Register beforehand atw w w . – f a i r f a x c o u n t y . – g o v / –olderadults and click on TelephoneCaregiver Support Group. Call 703-324-5484, TTY 711.

30th Annual Northern Vir-ginia Dementia CareConsortium Caregivers Confer-ence, Friday, Nov. 11, 8a.m.-3:30 p.m. The conference“Gems: A Treasure Chest of Ideas”will have speakers and resources ontopics important to caregivers. The$30 fee includes continental break-fast, lunch, materials, and certificateof attendance. First Baptist Church of

Alexandria, 2932 King St., Alexandria.Find out more at www.–fairfaxcounty.–gov/–olderadults and click onCaregivers Conference.

The Fairfax Commission on Ag-ing meets on Wednesday, Nov. 16,at noon at the Kings Park Library, 9000Burke Lake Rd., Burke. The public iswelcome to attend and join in the com-ment period that begins each session.Find out more atw w w . f a i r f a x c o u n t y . g o v / d f s /olderadultservices/coa.htm. Call 703-324-5403, TTY 711 for meeting accessneeds.

Fairfax County’s free CaregiverSeminar/Webinar Series featuresexperts in Medicare, dementia care,mental health and wellness, nutritionand elder law. Register online atwww.–fairfaxcounty.–gov/–olderadults

and click on Caregiver Support andRespite Programs or call 703-324-5205, TTY 711.

10 Legal Issues CaregiversShould Know About, Thursday,Nov. 3, 7-8:30 p.m. Caregiversoften make health and financial de-cisions for loved ones. Learn whatdocuments loved ones need in place,if the document age matters, andwhat happens if the documents failor can’t be drafted. George MasonRegional Library, 7001 Little RiverTurnpike, Annandale.

When is it More Than Just aBad Day? — webinar, Wednes-day, Nov. 9, Noon-1 p.m. Learnhow to identify, cope, and find part-nerships to support your family ifdepressive symptoms hit you or yourloved one.

Volunteer Events & Opportunities

Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:I’m writing to encourage Fairfax

County voters to support thecounty meals tax referendum onthe ballot in November. The pro-posal would impose a 4-percenttax on ready-to-eat prepared foodand beverages at restaurants andstores. Seventy percent of themoney raised would support theFairfax County Public Schools; theremainder would cover other ex-penses like police, fire, rescue, andhuman services. Supporting ourschools is essential to maintainingour quality of life in FairfaxCounty. Good schools make FairfaxCounty a desirable place to liveand do business and they raise thevalues of our homes. More specifi-cally, the meals tax would allow

the county to make teacher sala-ries competitive with those inneighboring jurisdictions. It wouldalso allow the county to addressincreasing school class sizes,which make teaching less effectiveand which make our schools lessattractive to prospective teachers.

The meals tax is also an alter-native to a further increase inFairfax County property taxes. The$100 million per year it wouldraise would more than cover theincrease in real estate taxes from2015 to 2016 (caused by increas-ing property assessments). Accord-ing to the county budget summary,that increase cost the typical ho-meowner $184.81. Such a furtherincrease could be staved off byshifting a small portion of the tax

obligation from property ownersto other taxpayers (includingthose from outside FairfaxCounty).

Finally, the meals tax would bea small burden. It would amountto 20 cents on a $5 meal and $2on a $50 meal. Most of the otherjurisdictions neighboring FairfaxCounty have a similar meals tax:Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City,and the Towns of Vienna andHerndon. Yet most of us patron-ize restaurants there. Thus, themeals tax would not threaten thebusinesses of the restaurants inFairfax County. That’s why I sup-port the proposal.

Sean BarnettAnnandale

Supporting Meals Tax


By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

From interviews to essays tostandardized tests to openhouses, the season for submitting independent school applica-

tions is underway. For families vying for aspot at the area’s most elite schools, theprocess can be fraught with anxiety, stressand confusion as parents and studentswade through the myriad academicoptions in the Washington, D.C., region.

Admissions decision-makers at five localprivate schools share advice that theymight offer their own children, underscor-ing the importance of finding the best fitrather than trying to fit into a top schoolif the environment might not match astudent’s personality.

Matti Donkor, interim director ofenrollment management at TheMadeira School in McLean:

“Enter the process very open-minded. Idon’t believe in saying, ‘This is the oneschool for me.’ I believe in knowing thecore things that are important to you likethe school’s community, culture andtraditions, but also in understanding thatyou might find those characteristics in avariety of schools. I think students andfamilies should be engaged in the [appli-cation] process. I think we do the schoolvisit and that is the only interaction youhave with the school. Find out what elseis happening on campus, connect withother students and alumni. Really takethe time to understand the culture of theschool and whether it appeals to you.”

Lisa Knight, director of admission,Flint Hill School, Oakton:

“Take time to learn about the schoolcommunity. Shadow for day, attendseveral [school] community events, go

and experience the community foryourself. Notice how you feel when youare on campus. Do you feel welcomed?Are current students and teachers greet-ing you in the hallways and classrooms?Do they notice you? Can you see yourselfgrowing academically, intellectually andsocially there? Are you comfortable withthe teaching style and methods? Do youvalue what the school values?”

Richard S. Moss, director of admis-sion, The Heights School, Potomac,Md.:

“Teach your child how to make a prosand cons list. Help him or her thought-fully consider the options. Ultimately,your child needs to know that he is a

valued advisor to the ultimate decisionmakers: the parents. It’s an opportunityfor parents to nurture trust. It is a mistaketo lead your child to believe that oneschool is the be all and end all to life’sproblems. That’s a high bar, and, moreimportantly, you don’t want to crush achild’s spirit if he doesn’t get in.”

Michael Cresson, director of ad-missions, Bishop O’Connell HighSchool, Arlington:

“I recommend all students looking atvarious schools make sure that they arecomfortable. Definitely shadow and visitduring open houses to get a true sense ofthe community and school. I tell studentsto make sure they are comfortable and

happy with their choice becausethey only get to go to high schoolonce.”

Sean Aiken, head of school,BASIS Independent, McLean:

“I would advise students not to gettoo caught up in their resumes andrecords and instead work to discusspassions and projects that excite andinterest them. How will the schoolhelp you explore your ideas ingreater depth? In what areas do youwant to improve? I’m alwaysimpressed with students who arehungry to know more about theworld.”

Julie C. Lewis, director ofadmission and financial aidAlexandria County Day School,Alexandria:

“I recommend that families “Takethe time to visit a wide-range ofschools, not just the ones yourfriends’ kids attend, to really get afeel for what appeals to you as afamily and will work best for yourindividual child. The Association ofIndependent Schools of GreaterWashington’s website (AISGW.org) isa fantastic place to start yourresearch and may lead you to aschool you were not previouslyfamiliar with. Once you’ve createdyour list of schools, visit each ofthem and don’t be afraid to ask asmany questions as needed to reallyget a sense of the academic programand school community.”

Local private school admissions directors share wisdomthey’d offer to their own children.

Advice from the Pros

Photo Courtesy of BASIS Independent McLean

Applying for a slot at one of the area’s top private schools, such asBASIS Independent McLean, can be fraught with tension.

”The applicationprocess is anopportunity to teachtheir children the art ofdispassionate decision.”

— Richard S. Moss,director of admission,

The Heights School


By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

While Colleen K. Vesely haswatched televised debatesand political events withher children throughout

this election season, an event during whichthe American Civil Rights movement wasdiscussed stands out. It was a concept her3-year-old daughter didn’t grasp, of course.But Vesely used the moment as opportunityto start guiding her children through thisyear’s election season.

“I asked her to think about what she mightdo if someone at school was being mean toone of her friends, to which, she promptlyreplied, ‘I’d tell them to stop being meanand that I don’t like it,’” said Vesely, an as-sistant professor of early childhood educa-tion and human development and familyscience at George Mason University. “Elec-tions offer opportunities to consider theimportance of service and standing up fordemocratic principles. … However, the toneof this general election season is different.”

Still, Vesely and other educators say thatwhile election cycles typically offer fami-lies a multitude of opportunities for con-versations about civics and discussions ofdemocracy, navigating the current politicalclimate requires added dexterity.

Use the election season to facilitate con-versations in a way that is relatable to chil-dren based on their age and experiences,advises Vesely. “By … discussing the differ-ent issues … parents with school-age andolder children can use the election seasonas an opportunity to expand their children’sthinking in relation to current social issuesand history,” she said. “Parents can use theelection as fodder to hone their children’scritical thinking skills with real-life issuesby helping them critique candidates’ opin-ions” as well as “understand different pointsof view on a variety of issues and developtheir persuasive arguments.” This is an ex-ercise Vesely has used with her own chil-dren.

“During primary season, my 6-year-oldand I watched a number of the candidates’speeches,” she said. “We talked about theissues and each person as a human being.… I offered reasons as to why I admired(some of) the candidates.”

Focusing on citizenship and character isa strategy Vesely advises parents to use withchildren who are preschool-age andyounger: “Parents might discuss what itmeans to be a good citizen in their home,”she said. “For example, helping put away

their toys when they are done playing, be-ing nice to their classmates, helping theirfriends and teacher.”

Similarly, local schools are developingcreative ways to fit the Nov. 8 election intotheir lesson plans. For example, “since stu-dents are only in middle school for onepresidential election, Norwood School takesadvantage of this opportunity to help stu-dents begin to understand how to go aboutcomparing candidates’ positions on basicissues, and also to help them understandhow the presidential election processworks,” said Michele Claeys, associate headof school and head of middle school,Norwood School in Potomac, Md.

To help students learn to understand is-sues and evaluate and compare candidates,teachers work together to create age-appro-priate mini-lessons about candidates’ posi-tions on a small number of issues. “Studentswill explore and discuss — not debate —the issues, and learn how to find additionalinformation on their own if they are inter-ested,” said Claeys.

On Election Day, middle school studentswill participate in a mock election designedto help them understand how the electoralprocess works. They will be divided intogroups of different sizes with different num-bers of electoral votes, representing eachof the 50 states. “After both the real andmock elections, teachers will use the resultsto illustrate how the process works,” saidClaeys. “Throughout these lessons, ouremphasis will be on respectful dialogue andconsideration of multiple perspectives andexperiences.”

Educators at BASIS Independent Schoolin McLean are teaching students about thepolitical process by linking it to the selec-tion of the school’s mascot. By allowing stu-dents to choose a symbol to represent theschool, teachers hope to initiate a broadconversation about awareness, empathyand other values.

“Especially for our younger students, con-versations about how a mascot representsthe qualities and values of our school servesas a good metaphor for the more seriousrepresentation in political contexts,” saidSean Aiken, head of school. “Some studentsprefer traditional mascots to give our schoola sense of familiarity and camaraderie.Some want less common mascots to set usapart from other schools and celebrate ourindividuality.”

The lesson will involve the entire studentbody. “We ask our older students to gener-ate ideas that take even our youngest 3-year-olds into account so we can unite as awhole school and not just play to specific‘special interests,” said Aiken.

“The exercise serves as an impetus forposing thought-provoking questions to thestudents,” says Aiken. “Should we identifyourselves as humorous, serious, fierce?” heasks. “What will happen if the greater num-bers of students in the middle school prefera mascot that the much smaller number ofsophomores do not prefer? Should we usesome sort of delegate system or stick withpopular vote? How will we feel if our topchoice for mascot ultimately is not selected,and what is the appropriate response to thatfeeling? Does our choice of mascot repre-sent not just our current community butthose who will join us in the future?”

The activities, says Aiken, open the doorfor conversations about fairness and frus-tration in ways that are meaningful and ageappropriate, and that can be put into thecontext of the current election season.“While our situation as a brand-new schoolis somewhat unique, the idea of mascot rep-resentation weaves through our whole so-ciety and could certainly be used to framea conversation between students and theirfamilies about tone, identity and coopera-tion,” he said.

Parents should also be aware of the waysthe election is affecting their own emotionalstates and thus their families. “As I watchthe presidential debates and continue toread the media coverage of the election, Ifind myself in an agitated and anxious emo-tional state,” said Vesely. “This heightenedemotional state with feelings of stress andagitation can spill over into family relation-ships, leaving us less present and sensitivein our interactions with our children andpartners.”

Choose the information children are ex-posed to thoughtfully and be prepared forquestions, say experts. “The 2016 generalelection season [has been] described bysome as dark and more negative than anyof the recent past elections,” Vesely said.“We want to encourage our children’s par-ticipation in the political process, but … itcan sometimes be ugly and hurtful.”

Shielding children, says Vesely, doesn’tmean ignoring negativity entirely, however.“Parents should be prepared to talk throughwhat children might hear from other chil-dren on the playground or at school,” shesaid. “Parents ought to pay attention to …their children’s emotional states … espe-cially after viewing or discussing election-related media. As parents, we can look forteachable moments in which we might ex-press notions of treating others how [we]want to be treated.”

Discussing the Election with Children

Photo Courtesy of BASIS Independent

The election season offers students such as those at BASIS IndependentSchool in McLean an opportunity to learn about the political process.

“Parents can usethe election asfodder to hone theirchildren’s criticalthinking skills .…”

— Colleen K. Vesely, Ph.D.,George Mason University.

Local educators offersuggestions fornavigating acomplicatedpolitical climate.

Send notes to the Connection at [email protected] or call 703-778-9416.Deadline is Friday. Dated announcements should besubmitted at least two weeks prior to the event.

Vocal musicians from 12 Fairfax Countypublic schools have been named to the VirginiaHonors Choir for 2016. This select choir is openonly to the top 125 singers from around the Com-monwealth of Virginia, and is the highest honor achoir student can attain during his or her highschool career. Thirty-one Fairfax County PublicSchools (FCPS) students were selected for thechoir, and five students were named as alternates.The choir will perform at the Virginia Music Edu-cators Association (VMEA) convention to be held

at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs,Nov. 17-19. FCPS students named to the 2016 Vir-ginia Honors Choir include the following studentsfrom our area schools: Woodson High School:Megan Humes, Caroline Grass, Jacob Lamb, LucasValdes, and Marc Manaloto and Hayfield Sec-ondary School: Jessica Pressley.

Jonathan Whittington, Kathryn Herring,Emma Zettlemoyer, of Springfield; BridgetRay and Kirsten Chase, of Burke; received$2,000 scholarships from the Scholarship for Mili-tary Children Program in July 2016.

Jane Gibbins-Harding, of Springfield, wasnamed to the dean’s list at Bethany College forspring 2016.

School Notes


Calendar

See Calendar, Page 11

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

ONGOINGThe Pumpkin Patch will be open

October 2 through 31, Sundaythrough Friday, from noon until 7 pmdaily, and Saturdays from 10 amuntil 7 pm. Located at St. George’sUnited Methodist Church, 4910 OxRoad, near George Mason Universityat the crossroads of Rt 123 andBraddock Road and across from theUniversity Mall. A large variety ofpumpkins and decorative gourds ofall shapes and sizes will be for sale.www.pumpkinsusa.com

Batting Cage Occoquan RegionalPark 9751 Ox Road Lorton. Openthrough Oct. 30 Occoquan offers abaseball/softball batting cage, forhitters of all levels. Pitchingmachines offer other pitches likecurveballs. Cost: 14 balls $1.50 TeamRentals Per Cage: 30 min. $18 60min. $34 https://www.novaparks.com/parks/occoquan-regional-park/things-to-do/batting-cage

Adventures in LearningShepherd’s Center of Fairfax8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. every Mondayfor 6 weeks, Oct. 3, 2016 - Nov. 7these events take place at Lord of LifeLutheran Church, 5114 TwinbrookRd. Fairfax. start with gentleexercise, followed by speakers ontopics such as health, history,community, personal development,finance, and more. Afternoonbreakouts are book club, bridge,canasta, and mind games. Bring abrown bag lunch. Cost: $30 for 6weeks (Mondays). To register: call703-426-2824 www.scfbva.org.

Senior Line Dancing 1 - 2 p.m. LittleRIver Glen Senior Center 4001Barker Ct, Fairfax. Line Dancing is agentle, social form of aerobic activity.Studies have shown it aids inwarding off Alzheimer’s disease. Noprevious experience needed. Cost:$5.00 per 8 week [email protected] 703-524-3739

Farmers Market & Food Trucks: 3-7 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 27 atthe Fairfax County GovernmentCenter front parking lot.

Rock the Block! 6:30 p.m. Everyfourth Friday through Oct. 28. OldTown Square, 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Concert series. Food isavailable for sale. Bring chairs and orblankets to sit on. Kids – wear swimsuits and bring towels. Enjoy the newspray pad. No Pets allowed exceptservice animals. fairfaxva.gov.

The Farmer’s Market atSpringfield Town Center. May 7-Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ThroughNovember. Corner of Spring Mall andLoisdale roads, Springfield. Enjoyfresh baked goods, produce,vegetables & fruits, meats & cheeses,and a host of other vendors.springfieldtowncenter.com.

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

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

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

499-6133.EXERCISE PROGRAM Mondays and

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

Cafe Ivrit (Hebrew Cafe).Wednesdays. 8:15-9:15 a.m. JewishCommunity Center of NorthernVirginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike,Fairfax. Shalom (hello) Did youalways want to converse in Hebrew?Join Na’ama each week forconversational Hebrew. You willlearn and practice Hebrew in a funand interactive way while learningmore about Israel. Free, however weask that you try to attend regularly.RSVP [email protected].

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

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

First Sunday Jazz Brunch 11 - 2p.m. Recurring monthly on the 1stSunday at Bazin’s on Church 111Church St N.W., Vienna. Enjoybrunch accompanied by the soft jazzsounds of Virginia Music Adventure.Visit: http://www.fxva.com/listing/bazins-on-church/1686/

Stories From Strawberry Park 10 -11 a.m. Tuesdays in Mosaic -Strawberry Park 2910 DistrictAvenue, Fairfax. Enjoy a liveinteractive performance each weektaught by a group of uniquestorytellers. For ages 10 and under.Held outside in Strawberry Park. Ininclement weather and Octoberthrough April, storytime will be heldin Angelika Film Center. Recurringweekly on Tuesday. Visit: http://www.fxva.com/listing/mosaic-district/2326/

THURSDAY/OCT. 20Together We Can Stand Up to

Bullying 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. DunnLoring Center for Parent Services2334 Gallows Road Entrance 1 –Room 100. Did you know thatchildren with special needs are morelikely to be bullied than their peers?Learn ways to help support yourchild at home and in school. Dr.Sajjad Khan, an experienced clinicianand researcher at NeuroScience Inc.,will present educational andpsychological studies on bullying atthis crucial workshop. Registeronline.

FRIDAY/OCT. 21Wellness Recovery Conference

8:30 - 2:30 p.m. NOVA AnnandaleCampus. Ernst Cultural Center 8333Little River Turnpike Anndandale.Have you or someone you care aboutever experienced substance usedisorder or mental health challenges?Do you want to learn more aboutrecovery, staying healthy, and how tobuild and grow good

relationships? Cost:$30 703-324-9355http://wwwnovamentalhealth.org/conference.registration

Superintendent’s Revenge 2016.10 a.m. Twin Lakes Golf Course,6201 Union Mill Road, Clifton.Obstacle-filled layout. $160 per [email protected].

“Mediterranea” at Accotink UnitarianUniversalist Church, 7 p.m.; adiscussion follows the film. FridayNight Film Series presents“Mediterranea” as a part of the ThirdAnnual D.C. Immigration Film Fest.Doors open at 7 pm; Childcare is

provided. Films shown on big screenwith surround sound at AccotinkUnitarian Universalist Church, 10215Lakehaven Court Burke, 703-503-4579; www.accotinkuu.org,[email protected] This isa non-religious event open to thepublic. Tickets start at $6 and can bepurchased at the door or here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/

mediterranea-tickets-26956413358

SATURDAY/OCT.221st Annual Forge Brew Works &

LCAC Oktoberfest noon - 6 p.m. atForge Brew Works 8532 TerminalRoad Lorton. Admission: Free.forgebrewworks.com/beers

Sully Historic Site Halloween

Lantern Light Event 4 - 7 p.m.3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly.Sully will be hosting a Historic AllHallows Eve program to returnvisitors to a time before superherocostumes and candy corn. In the 18th& 19th centuries, Virginianscelebrated All Hallows Eve with

SATURDAY/OCT.22Sully Historic Site Halloween Lantern Light

Event 4 - 7 p.m. 3650 Historic Sully Way,Chantilly. Sully will be hosting a Historic AllHallows Eve program to return visitors to a timebefore superhero costumes and candy corn. In the18th & 19th centuries, Virginians celebrated AllHallows Eve with storytelling, fortune telling, andfamily gatherings. There will be a tour of thehistoric site and grounds by lantern light. Thisprogram is for participants age five to adult. Thecost is $10 per person. www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site

WEDNESDAY/OCT. 26, 201670th Annual Vienna Halloween Parade 7 p.m. Maple

Avenue, Vienna. “Celebrating 125 Years of the Town ofVienna” come in costume to celebrate Halloween.Viennava.gov

FRIDAY/OCT. 28, 2016Spooktacular. 6:30-8 p.m. Herndon Community Center,

814 Ferndale Ave., Herndon. Enjoy ghoulish games, aspooky craft and a children’s show. Fee: $10/child inadvance or $15/child on day of event. www.herndon-va.gov.

Bradley Farm Haunted House Friday & Saturday 6 -10 p.m. 13159 New Parkland Drive, Herndon. Theguided tours are $5 www.BFHauntedHouse.com.

SATURDAY/OCT. 29Clifton Haunted Trail 7 - 10 p.m. in the historic town of

Clifton. Admission: Ages 13+ $15 Ages 12 and under$10. www.cliftonhauntedtrail.com/

SATURDAY/OCT. 29 - OCT 31Roer’s Zoofari Trick-Or-Treat 5 - 7 p.m. 1228 Hunter

Mill Rd. Vienna. Roer’s Zoofari welcomes families fromall areas to a new way of trick-or-treating this year. Kids

can trick-or-treat for candy and treats, bounce around inour kids zone, and meet bugs at our creepy crawlystation. Admission: $10 per child, free for adults.www.roerszoofari.com/

SATURDAY/OCT. 29Howl-O-Ween at Lake Anne, 1-3 p.m. Plaza Activities.

Free. Join us on the Plaza dressed in Halloween flair(adults + pets) for a Howling good time! Dogs, cats,and all types of furry friends are welcome to participate.Pet Costume Contest starts at 1:30 p.m.: Pet Parade,Live DJ, Pet Friendly Beer Garden, Window DecoratingContest, Yappy Hour Specials from 1-5 p.m., Treats,Tricks & More From Local Merchants.www.lakeanneplaza.com

MONDAY/OCT. 31Halloween Spooktacular at Great Falls Village Green

and Great Falls Center, 5-7 p.m., with Pet Parade at 4p.m. (all dogs must vacate the green by 4:50 p.m.) BoyScout Troop 55 will create some spooky fun foreveryone in the Haunted House; The Langley MarchingBand performs in the Wells Fargo parking lot; LindaWaitkus of Great Dogs of Great Falls is leading the PetParade starting at the Gazebo. Look out for the GreatFalls Volunteer Firefighters in the Safeway parking lot.

Clifton Haunted TrailReturns Oct. 29

2016 Clifton Haunted Trail is sched-uled for Saturday, Oct. 29, 7 - 10 p.m.in the historic town of Clifton. Admission:Ages 13+ $15 Ages 12 and under $10.www.cliftonhauntedtrail.com/

Halloween 2016 Preview

Photo by Tim Peterson/The Connection

Thrill-seeking souls enter the eight-acreClifton Haunted Trail on Oct. 24, 2015

Photo courtesy of Robyn Witschey

Katie Pline (left) and Keeler Lambertson(right) of Clifton acted in a scene depict-ing the Salem witch trials, burning andlynching.

Photo courtesy of Robyn Witschey

Clifton residents Aaron and TracyKuzemka, Josie Layfield, Alexis Pollard andfriends ran a “Children of the Corn” sceneduring the 2015 Clifton Haunted Trail.


COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

To Advertise Your Communityof Worship, Call 703-778-9418

Calendar

storytelling, fortune telling, and familygatherings. There will be a tour ofthe historic site and grounds bylantern light. This program is forparticipants age five to adult. Thecost is $10 per person.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site

“Gallant Knights and FairMaidens”: Ring Tournamentsin Fairfax County 2 p.m. The CivilWar Interpretive Center at HistoricBlenheim, 3610 Old Lee Highway,Fairfax. Historian Jeanne Niccollswill present her research on joustingtournaments, a dominant form ofchivalric entertainment, in theantebellum and post-Civil Warperiods. The tournaments featuredmen on horseback competing withlances to capture rings. Cost: Free.703-591-0560.

SUNDAY/OCT.23Annual Road to Success Luncheon

hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority12 p.m. at the Hilton Springfield,6550 Loisdale Road, Springfield.Reservations are required for astudent and one parent and studentsare asked to wear business [email protected]

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/OCT. 21-23, 2016Annual Craftsmen’s Fall Classic

Art & Craft Festival. Friday andSaturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, 10a.m.-5 p.m. Dulles Expo Center, 4320Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly.Features original designs and workfrom hundreds of talented artists andcraftspeople from across America.Visit http://www.gilmoreshows.com/craftsmens_classics_chantilly_fall.shtml

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/OCT. 22-23Fall Harvest Family Days. 9 a.m.-5

p.m. at George Washington’s MountVernon, 3200 Mount VernonMemorial Highway. Enjoy autumnactivities including wagon rides,wheat treating, 18th-century dancingdemonstration, and straw bale maze,and more. Included in estateadmission. Visitwww.mountvernon.org/ for more.

TUESDAY/OCT.25Raising Kids for Success 7:30 - 9

p.m. Oakwood School 7210 BraddockRd. Annandale. Oakwood SchoolParenting Series featuresOccupational Therapist MicheleDausman as she teaches strategies toincrease your child’s sense of feelingconnected, capable, competent, andcourageous. Cost $10 Visitwww.oakwoodschool.com to register.571-214-8799

TUESDAY/OCT.25 & OCT. 26INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital

Auxiliary Handbag andLuggage Sale 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. atthe Hospital Atrium 3600 JosephSiewick Dr, Fairfax, VA 22033 KarenAlmquist, IFOH Auxiliary PublicityChair

THURSDAY/ OCT. 27 - OCT. 30Mason Musical “The Threepenny

Opera” at George MasonUniversity’s Center for the Arts inFairfax. October 27, 2016 - Oct. 29 at8:00 p.m. October 29 at 2:00 p.m.Oct. 30 at 4:00 p.m. Who can getahead? Those with money do inBrecht and Weill’s landmarktwentieth century musical, TheThreepenny Opera. Set in gritty1920’s New York City, whereprohibition is in effect butspeakeasies are open and corruptionabounds, the story follows thecharismatic antihero Macheath andhis exploits for power and wealth.

From Page 10

From left — backrow: Melissa Knapp,Springfield, as GraceFarrell. and SiobhanThompson, Fairfax,as Miss Hannigan.Front Row: BrennaKay, Alexandria, asAnnie. BlaiseMajewski, Lorton, asDaddy Warbucks.Also featured, Tulioas Sandy.

Northern Virginia Players willpresent their Fall 2016 musical,“Annie Jr.” Based on the popu-lar comic strip, “Annie” tells ofa spunky Depression-era or-phan determined to find herparents who abandoned her onthe doorstep of a New York Cityorphanage run by the cruel MissHannigan. In adventure afteradventure, Annie foils MissHannigan’s evil ways, befriendsPresident Franklin Roosevelt,

and finds a new family in bil-lionaire Oliver Warbucks, hispersonal secretary GraceFarrell, and a lovable muttnamed Sandy.

Dates and times: Nov. 4, 5, 11and 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 5 and12 at 1:30 p.m. at SummitChurch, 7719 Fullerton Rd.Springfield. For Tickets/GroupSales (available now): http://www.nvplayers.com/. Orderearly for best seating.

Northern Virginia PlayersPresent ‘Annie Jr.’

Photo contributed

Disney on Ice Returns to FairfaxOct. 19-23

Disney On Ice presents FollowYour Heart is bringingDisney•Pixar’s record-breakinganimated feature Finding Doryto the ice for the first time inthis live production producedby Feld Entertainment. The ice-skating extravaganza featuringDisney•Pixar’s Inside Out,Disney’s Frozen and other be-loved Disney stories visitsEagleBank Arena in Fairfax,Oct. 19 – 23, for 9 perfor-mances.

There’s something for every-one in a show that features 60characters.

Date and Time of Perfor-mances:

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.❖ Thursday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.

❖ Friday, Oct. 21, 10:30 a.m.,and 7:30 p.m.

❖ Saturday, Oct. 22, 10:30a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

❖ Sunday, Oct. 23, 12:30p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Tickets for Disney On Ice pre-sents Follow Your Heart are onsale now and start at $20. Tick-ets are subject to availability,and VIP and Front Row seatingis limited. Market pricing ap-plies to all tickets. All seats arereserved, and tickets are avail-able by calling Ticketmasteroutlets, by phone at 800-745-3000, viawww.ticketmaster.com, and theEagleBank Arena box office. Forgroup rates and information,contact 202-661-5061.

Jessica and Brendyn Hatfield as Jasmine and Aladdin.

Pho

to

s co

ntributed


People

Combining painting instruc-tion with a wine bar and res-taurant, Muse PaintBar hasopened its 20th location inFairfax’s vibrant Mosaic districtin early September. Guests insearch of creative inspirationand a fun night out can learnfrom local skilled artists whileenjoying a full selection ofwine, beer and tapas. MusePaintbar opens the doors to itsFairfax location in Mosaic Dis-trict (2910 District Avenue,Fairfax) alongside a variety ofrestaurants and retail venueshand-picked for the urban, fam-ily-friendly shopping hub.Muse’s 20th nationwide loca-tion will be right at home in theupscale retail and entertain-ment center, featuring fashionboutiques, an art house cinema,various culinary options andevents that bring the wholecommunity together.

With plans for further expan-sion across the D.C. metropoli-tan area this summer, Muse hasan impressive footprint in theNew England and Tri-State ar-eas, boasting locations in NewYork’s Tribeca neighborhood,Glastonbury, Conn. and Provi-dence, R. I., just to name a few.

Muse is the perfect venue fordate night, a birthday celebra-tion or a night out with friends,offering a variety of paintingsessions each week that areopen to everyone, regardless ofartistic skill level. The venue isalso available for private partiessuch as charity fundraisers,business social events,

children’s birthday parties andbachelorette parties. In additionto standard paint sessions,Muse Paintbar offers couples’night for a more intimate feelwhere you and your specialsomeone can create comple-mentary paintings to hang side-by-side. Family nights are alsoavailable two or three times amonth for family-friendly ses-sions at a discounted price. Inmost locations, Muse also offerssummer camps for kids.

With no artistic experience orsupplies needed, Muse providesbudding artists with acrylicpaint, canvases and an apronwhile professional local artistsguide guests from blank canvasto finished masterpiece that canbe displayed at home, work, oreven given as a thoughtful one-of-a-kind gift. While working ontheir brushstrokes, guests canenjoy a great selection of food,wine and beer. Muse also offersgift certificates and privateparty paintings geared towarda company or guest of honor.

To participate, guests simplyvisit www.musepaintbar.com,view the online calendar andsign up online. Classes average$35 per person, but prices mayvary for special events or ses-sions.

Reservations are suggested asmost sessions sell out quickly.For more information and a fulllist of other Muse Paintbar lo-cations visitwww.musepaintbar.com or con-tact the Mosaic District locationat 571-290- 2700.

Muse Paintbar UncorksMosaic Location

Photos courtesy of Muse Paintbar

Muse PaintBar studio accommodates private partiesranging from birthday and bachelorette parties tocouples’ night paint sessions.

By Dave Ryan

Member of OLLI Mason

The granddaughter of Robert Frost, prob-ably the favorite American poet of thetwentieth century, believes that most bi-ographies ignore an important part of his

life, and in her new book, “You Come Too: My Jour-ney with Robert Frost,” Dr. Lesley Lee Francis triesto fill this gap with information about the enormousinfluence several women had on his work and suc-cess.

SPEAKING WEDNESDAY at the Fairfax Lord ofLife Lutheran Church to members of the Osher Life-long Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason Uni-versity, Dr. Francis told of the first big female influ-ence in Frost’s life: his mother, Scottish immigrantmystic and imaginative storyteller Isabelle (Belle)Moodie Frost. Frost always hated school (thoughironically, he loved to teach) even though his motherwas a professional teacher, so she home-schooled himwhen they lived in San Francisco. What he pickedup from Belle, according to Dr. Francis, was vitallyimportant.

Another important woman in Frost’s life was Su-san Hayes Ward, literary editor of the New York In-dependent newspaper. She featured his poem, “MyButterfly: An Elegy,” on the front page of the paperin 1894. This was the first time any poem of Frost’swas published outside of school, and confirmed inhis mind that he was going to be a poet. Ward pub-lished other poems of his, and became close with hisfamily. Just before her death, she scolded Frost abouthis famous poem, “A Swinger of Birches,” because itwas about a boy. She thought Birches was a wonder-ful work, but felt he needed to write a similar poemabout a girl. He obliged with a poem called “WildGrapes.”

Another important influence was his wife, Elinor,who Dr. Francis describes in her book: “…Elinor fo-cused her attention on the goal she and her husbandhad set for themselves, to enjoy a life of poetry to-gether. Elinor had become her husband’s number onepartner, not as a helpmeet for genius but as a per-ceptive ear for the beautiful music of his poetry. Heshared with her each poem as it was written; in apractical sense, as he stated, ‘she had a perfect earfor vowel sounds.’”

Dr. Francis herself has had a distinguished aca-demic career, graduating from Radcliffe with an ABdegree and from Duke with a PhD in Romance Lan-guages. She became a professor of Spanish language,literature and history at a number of colleges anduniversities. She has lectured and published exten-sively on her grandfather; her biographical study,“Robert Frost: An Adventure in Poetry, 1900 – 1918,”is available in paperback.

When asked what Frost was like as a grandfather,Francis merely said: “That’s a hard question to an-swer… He was still working when he died at 88. Hehad a lot of responsibility…He had to support fourchildren, and three of them had physical and mentalproblems (his wife Elinor died in 1938)…Youcouldn’t go and just sit on his knee in a nice livingroom somewhere with a rocking chair.”

OLLI MASON, which sponsored Dr. Francis’s talk,provides first-rate educational, social, and culturalopportunities for active seniors in Northern Virginia.More information about OLLI Mason and its eventscan be found at olli.gmu.edu

Robert Frost’s granddaughtershares the story withFairfax audience.

Less Known Part of Poet’s Life

Dr. Lesley Lee Francis, granddaughter ofRobert Frost.

On the the book cover: Robert Frost withLesley Lee (left) and her sister Elinor,Washington, D.C., ca. 1941-42.

Photos contributed


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21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements



Zone 2 Ad Deadline:

Tuesday Noon

703-778-9411

ClassifiedClassifiedZone 2: • Burke

• Fairfax • Springfield

• Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton

Catherine Louise Scott Pearson, 90 years old, left this world for heaven on September 20, 2016 at her home in Alachua, Florida. Catherine was born on April 4, 1926 to Mamie and Archie Scott and grew up in the Alex-andria and Franconia area. She married Samuel T. Pearson in 1942. She is survived by her daughter Carole (husband Chuck) Page, son Samuel (wife Lynne) Pearson, sister June Hoffman 7 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband Samuel T. Pearson, parents Mamie and Archie Scott, brothers Austin, Robert, William (Sonny) Scott and sister Betty Burk. She will be laid to rest at Pohick Church with her husband in a private family service. She will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Just Man Ministry 3246 Snow, Katy, Texas 77493 or to Carole Ann Page c/o "Go Fund Me Page.

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21 Announcements 21 Announcements





JENNIFER SMITH ❖ Serving the Area Since 1995

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28 Yard Sales

Huge Yard Sale to benefit the Feline Foundation of

Greater Washington, 10/22, 8-1 p.m., 2355 Bedfordshire Cir. Reston. Sports equip-

ment, video, pet items, housewares, art, jewelry,

much more. Special guest appearance by author Ingrid

King signing her feline-related books 10 - noon.

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CLASSIFIEDDEADLINESZones 1, 5, 6 ....................Mon @ noonZones 2, 3, 4 ....................Tues @ noon

E-mail ad with zone choices to: [email protected] or call Andrea @ 703-778-9411

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Newspapers & Online

HOW TO SUBMIT ADS TO

ZONESZone 1: The Reston Connection The Oak Hill/Herndon ConnectionZone 2: The Springfield Connection The Burke Connection The Fairfax Connection The Fairfax Station/Clifton/ Lorton ConnectionZone 3: The Alexandria Gazette Packet

The Mount Vernon Gazette

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The Vienna/OaktonConnection

The McLean ConnectionThe Great Falls

Connection

For a free digital sub-scription to one or allof the 15 ConnectionNewspapers, go towww.connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

Complete digital rep-lica of the print edition,including photos andads, delivered weeklyto your e-mail box.

Questions? E-mail:[email protected]

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Send notes to the Connection atconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/ or call 703-778-9416. The deadline for submissions is theFriday prior to publication. Dated announcementsshould be submitted at least two weeks prior to theevent.

MONDAY/OCT. 17 THROUGH NOV. 4Sheehy Auto Stores Fall Harvest Food Drive

Sheehy Auto Stores throughout Washington,D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; and Baltimore,Maryland areas will collect canned goods andnon-perishable food as part of the company’sannual Fall Harvest Food Drive. FeedingAmerica provides low-income individuals andfamilies with the fuel to survive and even thrive.As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-reliefcharity, Feeding America’s network memberssupply food to more than 37 million Americanseach year, including 14 million children and 3million seniors.

Locations include:Sheehy Volkswagen6601 Backlick RoadSpringfield,

VA 22150 Sheehy Nissan ofSpringfield6727 Loisdale RoadSpringfield, VA22150 Sheehy Infiniti of Tysons8527 LeesburgPikeVienne, VA 22182

Sheehy Ford of Springfield 6727 LoisdaleRoadSpringfield, VA 22150 SheehySubaru of Springfield6571 BacklickRoadSpringfield, VA 22150 PatriotHarley-Davidson9739 Fairfax BoulevardFairfax,VA 22031

TUESDAY/OCT. 25Water Treatment System Maintenance

Basics The webinars will be held at 1 p.m. ETRegister at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ [email protected] or 800-551-7379,ext. 1554.

ONGOINGVolunteers Needed as Drivers & Office

Workers Drivers are needed for trips Monday -Friday to medical appointments and CompanionShopping within the Fairfax/Burke area.Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke serves those50+ and who no longer drive. Office Workersare needed to answer phones in the SCFB office(Monday - Friday) of individuals requestingrides and match an available driver for eachrequest. If you can volunteer your time, pleasecontact the SCFB office at 703-323-4788.

Bulletin Board

Send notes to the Connection [email protected] or call 703-778-9416. Deadline is Friday. Datedannouncements should be submitted at least twoweeks prior to the event.

St Mary of Sorrows Church LandingsTuesday’s 7:30 p.m. 5222 Sideburn Rd, Fairfax,will begin a “Landings” program for returningCatholics and people considering returning to thepractice of their Faith. Program started Sept 20thand will run through Nov. 15. Pre-registration re-quired. 703-818-8618 or [email protected].

The Church of the Good Shepherd, 9350Braddock Rd., Burke, is offering day and eveningEnglish for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)classes to serve members of the community whowish to improve their English skills. Class levelsoffered are based on enrollment needs. Fall 2016registration takes place Sept. 7—8 and classes be-gin Sept. 20. For more information call the churchoffice at 703-323-5400. Leave your name and con-tact information and someone will get back to you.

Fairfax Baptist Temple, at the corner ofFairfax County Parkway and Burke Lake Roads,holds a bible study fellowship at 9 a.m. Sundaysfollowed by a 10 a.m. worship service. Nursery careand children’s church also provided. 6401 Mission-ary Lane, Fairfax Station, 703-323-8100 orwww.fbtministries.org.

The Guhyasamaja Buddhist Center, 10875Main St., Fairfax City provides free classes to bothnewcomers and advanced practitioners of TibetanBuddhism. The center emphasizes working withthe mind and learning how to understand theworkings of the mind, overcoming inner causes ofsuffering, while cultivating causes of happiness.Under the direction of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, thecenter is a place of study, contemplation and medi-tation. Visit http://www.guhyasamaja.org for moreinformation.

Faith Notes

Zone 2 Ad Deadline:

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MOTIVATED SELLERS ARE READY TO SEE YOUR CONTRACT!! Fromthe inviting front porch to the grand entry foyer, this gracious floorplan isperfect for daily living or entertaining. Almost 4,000 sq. ft. of luxury livingspace. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, walk-out lower level w/wet bar, recroom, media & game areas, full bath. Custom deck, patio, hot tub, irrigationsystem, new roof just installed—it’s all here—hurry!!

Foster Remodeling Solutions, Inc. • 7211-H Telegraph Square Drive • Lorton, VA 22079 • 703.672.2249 • www.FosterRemodeling.com

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