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From Great Falls to New YorkPeople, Page 5

InterFaith BridgeBuilders HonoredNews, Page 3

Sounds of Summer On the Green

News, Page 12A good-sized crowd settles in as The

Alan Scott Band begins playing the Great Falls Concerts on the Green on June 24.

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ June 27 - July 3, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection ❖ June 27 - July 3, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsConnection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Steve Hibbard

The Connection

The 13th annual InterFaith BridgeBuilders Awards were presentedon Sunday, June 24, 2018, atSaint Luke Catholic Church in

McLean to three people who are activelybuilding bridges between different faithsand ethnicities. It’s part of the InterFaithConference of Metropolitan Washington(IFC), which has 11 faiths, from Bahá’í tothe Zoroastrian religion – and helps pro-mote dialogue, understanding, and a senseof community among persons of differentfaiths and to work cooperatively for socialand economic justice since 1978.

The two honored in Northern Virginiawere Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry, the leader ofthe McLean Islamic Center (and a dentist);and Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe of Temple RodefShalom of Falls Church. In MontgomeryCounty, Aman Shergill, a Sikh who hashosted events bringing interfaith peopletogether, was also honored.

“Our purpose today is to raise up thesewonderful people — and even more so thework they do — to bring people togetheracross communities – especially now. We’rein the time of some divisiveness in our so-ciety and these are people who are build-ing bridges, not walls,” said Rabbi GerrySerotta, Executive Director of the InterFaithConference of Metropolitan Washington.

ON BEING HONORED for his award,Chaudhry said: “I’m really honored andhumbled to be here to receive this very es-teemed award. This award goes to veryunique people; I attended last year and theguy who received the award – he has doneso many good things for the community andfor the interfaith work.”

He added: “I will be looking forward toserve as much as I can — in my house, myoffice, myself — I am open to serve the com-munity and that’s what I have been taughtby my faith and my religion – that helpingothers is the most important thing – those

who are in need, they should be taken careof.”

Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein added: “I’m sohonored to be here today to accept thisaward for my colleague, Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe,to support the work that he’s been doing so

many years tobuild bridges inour community,and we are sograteful to himand to all of theother people whoare receivingthese awards to-day.”

Added BridgeBuilder AmanShergill: “I’mblessed to havereceived this rec-ognition. I do feelI’m not worthy ofthis because thereare others who

are doing good work out there. I hope to-day it will inspire others to get involved andhelp the less fortunate and think about self-less service as a means of paying it forwardas a good way of helping the needy.”

According to Father Charles Cortinovis,IFC Treasurer and Director of Inter-Reli-gious and Ecumenical Affairs with the Ro-man Catholic Archdiocese of Washington:“Really, Bridge Builders is exactly what itmeans. We’re looking for people to try tobuild bridges between different interfaithcommunities and have done so successfully.So, we want to thank them for their exampleand also invite others to imitate their ex-ample by being here. So, we recognize thempublicly but part of it also is an opportunityto say what more can we be doing for in-terfaith work in the area, and to get morepeople involved who are local to say howcan I also be part of the interfaith initia-tives that are going on that make a differ-ence in the community and in each religiousgroup in particular.”

IFC MEMBERS include the Baha’i, Bud-dhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Latter-Day Saint, Protestant, Roman Catholic,Sikh, and Zoroastrian faith communities.

Three people recognized for selfless work at at the event held atSaint Luke Catholic Church in McLean.

InterFaith Bridge Builders Honored

The InterFaith Bridge Builders Awards were presented on June 24, 2018at Saint Luke Catholic Church in McLean. Honorees included (from left):Aman Shergill; Rabbi Gerry Serotta, Executive Director of the InterFaithConference of Metropolitan Washington; honoree Dr. MaqsoodChaudhry, and Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein, who was accepting the awardfor Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe.

Photos by Steve Hibbard/The Connection

Rabbi Gerry Serotta (right) presents the InterFaith Bridge BuildersAward to Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein (center), who was accepting forRabbi Jeffrey Saxe, with William Aiken, President of the IFC (left).

Father DavidMartin of SaintLuke CatholicChurch of McLean.

The InterFaith Bridge Builders Awards reception at St. Luke CatholicChurch in McLean.

Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) presents the InterFaith Bridge BuildersAward to Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry (center) with William Aiken, Presidentof the IFC (left).


News

See New Eagle Scouts, Page 11

Boy Scout Troop 673, sponsored by theGreat Falls United Methodist Men, recentlycelebrated the promotion of four new EagleScouts — Ryley Bendewald, GregoryRoszyk, Jr., Matthew Stephens, and Ben-jamin Prickett, on June 2.

❖ Ryley Bendewald, son of Vivian EngBendewald and Gregory Bendewald, hasbeen a part of BSA since he was a Cub Scout.Ryley was a member of Troop 1128 inMcLean during his early years as a BoyScout and joined Troop 673 in 2016. Afterjoining the troop, Ryley served in the lead-ership positions of Den Chief, Assistant Pa-trol Leader, Patrol Leader, and Guide. Heearned 25 merit badges and became a mem-ber of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’shonor society, in 2010. Ryley has partici-pated in two of Scouting’s High Adventures,Philmont (hiking and camping in the NewMexico mountains) and Sea Base, where heenjoyed scuba diving in the Florida Keys.He also participated in a National ScoutJamboree.

For his Eagle Project, Ryley created shelv-ing in the band room storage units at Lan-gley High School, allowing band instru-ments to be stored safely and efficiently fordecades to come.

Ryley graduated from Langley HighSchool in 2017 and now attends the Uni-versity of Southern California, where he isan Army ROTC four-year scholarship cadet.

❖ Gregory Roszyk, Jr., son of MarnieSalisbury and Gregory Roszyk, Sr., joinedTroop 673 in 2012, after earning the rankof Arrow of Light as a Cub Scout. Since join-ing the troop, Greg has served in a numberof leadership positions, including as PatrolLeader, Instructor, Assistant Senior PatrolLeader, and Senior Patrol Leader. Greg at-tended summer camp five times; and heearned 27 merit badges, the 50-Mileraward, the Frosted Camper award, and theNational Outdoor Award with more than100 nights of camping (and counting). Inaddition, after completing Philmont thissummer, he will be eligible for the GrandSlam award of High Adventures, having

already attended the Summit (2014), SeaBase (2015), and Northern Tier (2016).Greg has also participated in two NationalJamborees (2013 and 2017). He waselected into the Order of the Arrow,Scouting’s honor society, in 2014.

For his Eagle Project, Greg planned andbuilt three new elements in the teachinggarden at Clearview Elementary School inHerndon. The garden is used by the kinder-garten classes to grow the natural ingredi-ents for making pizza. With the help of troopScouts, the garden was expanded to includethree new raised planter beds, an arbor anda structure to hold bird feeders.

Greg is a rising senior at Langley HighSchool. He is a member of the LHS March-ing Band and Wind Ensemble, where heplays the euphonium.

❖ Matthew Stephens, son of Jenniferand Gregory Stephens, joined Troop 673 in2012, after earning the Arrow of Light as aCub Scout. Since joining the troop, Matthewhas served as Assistant Patrol Leader, Pa-trol Leader, Guide, and Instructor. He hasearned 25 merit badges, the Frosted Camperaward and the Snorkeling BSA award twice.Matthew has been a High Adventure enthu-siast, earning the Triple Crown award forhaving participated in Sea Base (2015),Northern Tier (2016), and Philmont (2017),and he also participated in the NationalScout Jamboree in 2017. He was elected tothe Order of the Arrow in 2015.

For his Eagle service project, Matthew de-signed and constructed eight brush boxes forTurner Farm Events, a local charity that runshorse shows and helps maintain Turner FarmPark for equestrian activities. Equipment forthe jumps was lacking and too expensive topurchase. Horses have trouble seeing the thinpiles across the jumps when directly in frontof them. Brush boxes are positioned underthe jump as a ground line to help them seewhere the jump is located. Matthew led ateam of project volunteers to develop thesequality boxes, which are both functional and

Great Falls Troop 673 PromotesFour New Eagle Scouts

Photo xcontributed

From left — Benji Prickett, Ryley Bendewald, Matthew Stephens, andGreg Roszyk.


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People

Mhairi Cameron andMorgan Smith areGreat Falls natives,best friends, and

the youngest writing duo to ex-plode onto the New York theatrescene. Their first musical,“Oceanborn,” is set to premiere atthe prestigious Feinstein’s 54 Be-low in New York on July 6 at 9:30p.m.

With a score that has beenlauded as “revelatory,” their “acer-bic wit” has garnered them a fivethousand plus strong fanbase in amatter of months. Their musicalis on submission to numerous off-Broadway theatres and New Yorktheatre workshops, and they arehonored to be premiering with ahost of producers and industryprofessionals in the audience.

“Oceanborn: A New Musical”was incubated on a quiet farmwith the sound design help ofguinea hens and two boisterousroosters. Through power outagesand perfect spring mornings, thesetwo protégés brought a musicalfrom concept to completion in amatter of weeks. Morgan Smithand Mhairi Cameron, though onlynineteen and seventeen respec-tively, have already begunmentorships with Broadwaybigshots and tested out their skillsat conferences at Juilliard. Thebeauty of Great Falls has been oneof their unfailing inspirations.

“Oceanborn” follows two youngwomen as they face the pressuresand expectations of future leader-ship in a climate of violence anduncertainty. Eira, a Viking warriorand next chief of her tribe,struggles to overcome the preju-dice against female leaders in herculture. Finn, the daughter of a

Celtic fisherman, wishes desper-ately to escape the pressures ofleadership to wander the world.When a failed raid leaves Eiraabandoned, assumed dead, on hershore, Finn is face-to-face with theinsidious narrative that killed herparents. As an unlikely friendshipblossoms, wicked ministrations bythe trickster god Gideon bringabout a series of unexpectedevents.

Their musical can be foundonline at OceanbornMusical.comor OceanbornMusical onInstagram.

Cameron began composing onher walks to the Great Falls El-ementary bus stop and wrote herfirst concept album at sixteen. Sheis an awarded performer, actress,novelist, and nationally awardedpoet. She will attend Oxford Uni-versity next year for a degree inJurisprudence, the first femaleLangley graduate in recorded his-tory to do so and the youngestAmerican women in recorded his-tory to be admitted to the presti-gious Balliol College, Oxford.

Smith is a Bryn Mawr Collegemedieval specialist, whose firstnovel is currently out on submis-sion to major publishers. Her shortfiction has been published in theU.S. and internationally, winningawards in national contests likethe Faulkner Literary Competition.Her work has been recognized atthe Yale and Kenyon Writers Con-ferences.

Cameron’s sister Hannah, a na-tionally recognized actress in filmand Cappie award winner, will alsobe performing.

Tickets are still available on the54 Below website for this author-performed showcase.

‘Oceanborn: A New Musical’premieres on July 6.

From Great Falls to New York

From left — HannahCameron, MhairiCameron, MorganSmith.Hannah andMhairi are sisters.Mhairi wrote the scoreof the musical andMorgan wrote thescript. All three girlsare performing at thepremiere, July 6.

Photo contributed


Opinion

By Kathy Tran

State Delegate (D-42)

Many reports inthe last severalweeks havebrought to light

instances of inhumane treat-ment of immigrants and asylumseekers in our country. Nationaloutcry about families beingtorn apart and children kept injails, tents, and cages at oursouthern border led to the endof Trump’s “Zero Tolerance” policy. A reportfrom the Associated Press highlighted allega-tions of abuse at a facility in Staunton, Va.

In 1979, my parents and I were refugees,escaping from Vietnam on a rickety boat forseveral days. My mother remembers that onthe night we left our homeland, there were nostars in the sky; it was so dark that she couldnot tell where the ocean ended and the skybegan. As we left the shores into this wateryabyss, she wondered how we would survive.

My parents’ decision to leave their family andcountry was heart wrenching for them. Yet, theunknown of the dangerous, open sea was a

preferable alternative to theoppressive regime at home. Myfamily’s journey in search ofhope, opportunity, and freedomis similar to ones taken by oth-ers before and after us.

Today, there are 65 milliondisplaced people worldwide.Whether on the MediterraneanSea or at our southern border,people, desperate for a better

life for themselves and their children, are risk-ing their lives.

I am outraged by the Trump Administration’s“zero tolerance” immigration policy. This in-humane approach is tearing apart familiesseeking refuge at our southern border, leavingparents frantically searching for their childrenand children alone and terrified. We must notseparate families, and we must not rest untilseparated families are reunited.

We must not indefinitely detain people seek-ing refuge in jails, tents, or cages. In 1998, Itaught ESL to adult asylum seekers at Eliza-beth Detention Center in N.J. These jails are

no place for adults fleeing terror or persecu-tion let alone children or families.

This week, Virginia demonstrated its com-mitment to compassion and justice. GovernorNortham’s decisive decision to recall VirginiaNational Guard members who had been de-ployed to the southwest border sent a clearmessage: Virginia will not participate in activi-ties that enable family separation.

I also applaud the Governor’s swift leader-ship to investigate reports of abuse of immi-grant children held by the U.S. Office of Refu-gee Resettlement at a juvenile detention facil-ity in Staunton, Va. We need to ensure thesafety of every person — adult or child, na-tive-born or immigrant — held in custody inVirginia.

Poignantly, on World Refugee Day, the risingtide of public demand for the humane treat-ment of families seeking refuge from persecu-tion brought an end to the “Zero Tolerance”policy. We must recommit ourselves to beingsteadfast in our compassion for and dedicationto assisting those fleeing violence, terror, andoppression. For generations, the United Stateshas been a beacon of hope for many, and im-migrants and refugees have strengthened thesocial, economic, and cultural fabric of ourcountry since its founding. Now more than ever,we must continue to demand moral clarity andleadership from our political leaders.

Kathy KL Tran represents the 42nd Districtin the Virginia House of Delegates.

We must recommit ourselves to being steadfastin our compassion for and dedication to assistingthose fleeing violence, terror, and oppression.

When the Dangerous Unknown Is Preferable

Commentary

The Clock IsTicking;Calls for NewApproachTo the Editor:

Having lived in Iran from 1977to 1979 I followed Obama’s andSecretary of State Kerry’s negotia-tions to the Iran Nuclear agree-ment very closely. I am now watch-ing/following Trump’s and Secre-tary of State Pompeo dealing withNorth Korea regarding a nuclear(hopefully) treaty on the denucle-arization of the Korean peninsulawith great interest. I read U.S. Rep.Gerry Connolly’s (D-11) partisanletter (“The Art of a Deal with theDevil,” Connection, June 20-26,2018) with interest and could notdisagree with him more.

The little concrete concessionsthat have been given up to datecan easily be reversed by restart-ing the joint South Korean/U.S.military exercises should NorthKorea not continue on a path todenuclearization. Regarding theTrump meeting in Singapore withKim Jong-un and giving him inter-national legitimacy, I am guessingthe meeting between former Presi-

dent Bill Clinton and Kim Jong IIin August 2009 in Pyongyang, orthe meeting between former Presi-dent Jimmy Carter with the leaderof North Korea did not convey anylegitimacy to the regime. Addition-ally, one should remember prior toTrump meeting Kim Jong-un inSingapore the U.S. hostages thatwere being held in NK were re-leased (good will gesture) withoutflying a plane load of money toNorth Korea to ensure their re-lease. Finally, early in the denucle-arization negotiation process, theU.S. is working with North Koreafor the return of the remains ofmore than 250 missing U.S. mili-tary service members. This an-nouncement was made public ina joint statement by PresidentTrump and Kim Jong Un. This maynot mean anything to Connolly,but it will mean a great deal to thefamily members of the missingsoldiers from the 1950’s conflict/war. The American people can onlyhope that a valid treaty (not a use-less agreement) comes from thesediscussions and partisans such asConnolly will actually vote for atreaty if it is good for the Ameri-can people and the security of thehomeland regardless of howConnolly’s party leadership tellshim to vote.

These negotiations are our lasthope to avoid war as NK has anuclear weapon and the missiledelivery system and now onlyneeds to finish developing the re-entry deployment system. Theclock is ticking and it is time for anew approach. Obama’s NorthKorea policy of “Strategic Pa-tience” (whatever that meant)along with other methods by bothRepublicans and Democrats overthe years did not stop the North’smarch to nuclear weapons, andmaybe it is time to try somethingnew besides appeasement.

Finally, this rebuttal of GerryConnolly’s letter cannot be closedwithout addressing some of hiserrors regarding Obama’s nuclearagreement with Iran (JCPOA).That agreement did not stop Iranon their march to a nuclearweapon, it only paused/slowedthe development of the bombwhile they (Iran) continued theirmissile development program (de-livery system). Once the deliverysystem was/is fully developed andcould reach the U.S, they couldthen break out of the JCPOA andrush to the development of anuclear bomb. If the agreementbetween Obama and Iran was sucha solid agreement at stoppingIran’s nuclear program it would

have been presented to Congressas a treaty and not an agreement.A treaty would have required ad-dressing missile development, trueinspections (to include military)sites, but Obama and Kerry weremore interested in their legacy andkicking the can down the road toa future administration. Even asan agreement, 25 House Demo-crats in Congress voted against abad Obama/Kerry agreement withIran. Let us all hope that the Ko-rean talks produce a solid treatythat denuclearization of the Ko-rean peninsula as any other optionis not pretty. Give the administra-tion time, stop the partisan poli-tics, and work for the good of allthe American people and not justone’s party.

Dudley LosselyongGreat Falls

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Great Falls


What do you think of the currentimmigration border crisis and howis your community reacting to it?

Viewpoints

Interviews conducted at Saint Luke Catholic Church in McLean.

Rabbi Gerry Serotta, Executive Director ofthe InterFaith Conference of MetropolitanWashington.

“There are terrible moral issues and all of our 11 faithcommunities have expressed themselves very strongly infavor of family unification; that’s the bottom line. That’sone moral issue that we can’t overstep the way the policyhad been written. We’ve collected statements from all ofthe faith communities. Pope Francis made a very powerfulstatement in the Catholic Church; Catholic Charities is veryactive in this area in trying to unify families. I would saythe religious communities that we represent are unified insupport of a moral open-mindedness to those from othersocieties. We do have to obey the law here. But there’ssometimes higher moral issues and certainly the sanctity ofthe family is at the top of religious moral issues for us.”

Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry, President ofMcLean Islamic Center

“The interfaith community has always been lookingforward to help everybody in need – especially refugees;they have a special place with the current circumstances –what is happening in the world. There is so much inequal-ity and injustice in different governments in different partsof the world, which is propelling people out of the comfortof their homes. When they don’t see any hope, they lookfor a place where they can take refuge. … We have to lookat refuges carefully; we should assess them and we shouldmake our best effort in the given circumstances that wedon’t do injustice to the innocent children, and they shouldbe taken care of properly. It breaks everybody’s heart whenwe see the children separated from their mothers whenthey cannot see them, and the mothers are in desperatediscomfort and their children are as well. So, I think wecould do better than that.”

Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34)“What has happened is shameful and it’s really, really

not the American way. We have never treated people likeanimals and put them in cages and taken their childrenfrom them. This is a disgrace. It’s got to change. We’ve gotto fix it.”

Supervisor John Foust (D -Dranesville)“I think it was un-American the way we treated those

families who were trying to get asylum in America. I thinkit’s horrendously inappropriate to separate children fromtheir parents for any reason. But to do it to put politicalpressure and try to get a political advantage is disgustingand I’m really sorry that it happened.”

Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein of TempleRodef Shalom of Falls Church

“The Union for Reform Judaism of which our Synagogueis a part, sent a delegation to McAllen, Texas, this week tobear witness to what is happening and to show our supportfor the children and families that have been affected. So,it’s something about which we care deeply and which wewill continue to follow and take action on.”

—Steve Hibbard

Photos by Steve Hibbard/The Connection


Calendar

See Calendar, Page 9

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

ONGOINGPhotography Exhibit: “Nature’s

Palette.” Through June 30, atKatie’s Coffee House, 760 WalkerRoad, Great Falls. Cindy Dibbs takesevery opportunity to enjoy andphotograph nature whether hiking inGreat Falls National Park, GlacierNational Park or strolling along thebeach. Her photos reflect the beautyof nature and she hopes the imageswill inspire others to protect andtreasure the valuable gift of nature.Visit www.cindydibbs.com.

Vienna Art Society Exhibition.Through late June at North CountyGovernment Center, 1801 CameronGlen Drive, Reston. Visitviennaartssociety.org.

Art Exhibit: “Exploring Colors &Textures.” Through July 31, galleryhours at IACC, Pars Place, 2236-CGallows Road, Vienna. A solopainting exhibition by RaminAbrahim. [email protected] or call703-314-7240 gallery hours.

Art Exhibit: Country Places.Through Aug. 4, gallery hours atVillage Green Shopping Center , 513Maple Ave. NW, Vienna. Artist LibbyEckert’s exhibit Country Places is ondisplay. Free and open to the public.Call 703-319-3971 or visitwww.ViennaArtsSociety.org.

Art Exhibit: “Too Much of TooMuch.” Through Aug. 18, galleryhours in the Bullock | Hitt Gallery atMPA@ChainBridge, 1446 ChainBridge Road, McLean. McLeanProject for the Arts will open “TooMuch of Too Much: Overstimulated,Overexposed, and Overextended,”featuring works by mid-Atlanticartists whose works explore the ideasof overstimulation, excessiveness andbombardment, be it through toomuch information, activity,expectation, or by any other means.Visit mpaart.org.

WEDNESDAY/JUNE 27Summer Stories, Songs, and

Sprinklers. 1 p.m. on the lawn ofthe Freeman Store, 131 Church St.NE, Vienna. Young children andfamilies are invited to listen to astory, tune into some favorite songs,then have a little casual fun withwater sprinklers at 1 p.m.Wednesdays, through Aug. 8 (exceptJuly 4). Free and appropriate for allages. Visit www.viennava.gov.

Wagon Ride. 4:30-6 p.m. at RiverbendPark is located at 8700 Potomac HillsSt., Great Falls. Bring the family for awagon ride through the woods toPoohsticks Bridge. Listen to Winniethe Pooh’s story and play Poohstickson the bridge. Age 2-adult. $7 perperson, and children must beaccompanied by an adult registeredfor the program. Call 703-759-9018or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY/JUNE 27-28Studio Ghibli: My Neighbor

Totoro. Wednesday, 7 p.m.(Japanese with English subtitles);Thursday, 11 a.m. (English dubbed)at Angelika Film Center – Mosaic,2911 District Ave., Fairfax. TheAngelika Mosaic will featureanimated films from the celebratedStudio Ghibli praised for theiroriginality, stunning animation, andambitious storytelling. All tickets areregular admission. Visitwww.AngleikaFilmCenter.com.

File photo by Fallon Forbush

The Celebrate Great Falls Foundation’s antique 1960Peter Pirsch & Sons pumper fire truck rolled down theparade route during the 2017 Independence Day Home-town Celebration.

Celebrate Independence DaySATURDAY/JUNE 30Early Celebration for Independence Day. 7 a.m.-fireworks finale at Lake

Fairfax Park, 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston. Gates open at 7 a.m. Beginning at10 a.m., splash and slide at the Water Mine water park. From 11 a.m.-3 p.m., renta boat on Lake Fairfax. Look for food vendors near the park’s main office.Fireworks begin when the sun goes down. Fireworks rain date: Sunday, July 1.Parking: $10 per car. Call 703-471-5414 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-fairfax for more.

WEDNESDAY/JULY 45K, Parade and Hometown Celebration. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Great Falls Village

Centre. 5K Walk/Run begins promptly at 8 am. See the registration site for theroute map details. INOVA Blood Drive at Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department, 8a.m.-1:30 p.m. Everyone who completes the donor screening procedure willreceive a free Donor T-shirt. Photo ID required. Allow 1 hour for donor visit. LittlePatriot Parade at the Gazebo, 9 a.m. Babies and Toddlers up to age 5 are welcometo parade their finest patriotic display around the Green. See the floats, horses,antique cars and pets making a loop in the Main Parade at the Great Falls VillageCentre, 10 a.m. Enjoy burgers, dogs and snow-cones along with music, fieldgames and festivities on the Village Centre Green, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Visitwww.celebrategreatfalls.org/4th-of-july-celebration-parade for more.

Sprinklers and Sparklers. Wednesday, July 4, 2-4 p.m. at the Vienna CommunityCenter, 120 Cherry St. SE, Vienna. Children can enjoy a makeshift waterpark onthe Vienna Community Center grounds that offers a variety of water-based andother amusements. Water slides, slip ‘n slides, snow cones, balloon twisting, andmore are teed up for a good time. Be warned: participants will get wet. Visitviennava.gov for more.

Fireworks & Fun. 6 p.m. at Turner Farm Park, Great Falls. Pack up the family andcome tailgate with neighbors at Turner Farm Park. Live music, games, contestsand food trucks will entertain until the Big Show gets underway just after dusk.Visit www.celebrategreatfalls.org/4th-of-july-celebration-parade for more.

Fireworks Celebration. Wednesday, July 4, 6:30 p.m. at Churchill RoadElementary School, 7100 Churchill Road, McLean. The McLean CommunityCenter (MCC) will present its 4th of July Fireworks and Independence DayCelebration. Fireworks show begins at sunset, approximately 9:15 p.m. There willbe musical entertainment and food trucks. Parking is not available at ChurchillRoad Elementary or Cooper Middle School. Beginning at 6:25 p.m., free shuttlebuses will run to and from three satellite parking sites. Admission is free. Call703-790-0123, TTY 711, or visit www.mcleancenter.org/special-events.

Fireworks and Festivities. Wednesday, July 4, 7:15 p.m. at Yeonas Park, 1319Ross Drive SW, Vienna. Celebrate with live music by Mars Rodeo. The ViennaLittle League concession stand will be open for business. Fireworks blast off atapproximately 9:30 p.m. Bring chairs and blankets to enjoy the show, but noalcohol or pets please. Visit viennava.gov for more.


From Page 8

Calendar

FRIDAY/JUNE 29River Fishing by Boat. 5:30-7:30 p.m

at Riverbend Park, 8700 PotomacHills St., Great Falls. Get anintroduction to boating and fishingbasics. Fish for smallmouth bass andsunfish from a canoe or jon boat.Previous experience rowing orpaddling is not required. Boats,personal floatation devices (PFDs),fishing rods and bait are provided.$16 per person, ages 5-adult.Maximum of three people per boat,one of whom must be age 16 orolder. Everyone must register. Call703-759-9018 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend.

Tysons Concert Series: A Great BigWorld. 6:30-8 p.m. on the Plaza atTysons Corner Center. Tysons CornerCenter’s 5th annual free SummerConcert Series offers a variety ofmusical guests and has proven to bea popular event for families, couplesand teenagers. The Plaza is locatedoff of The Tysons Corner MetroStation of the Silver Line. Guests areencouraged to arrive early. Visitwww.tysonscornercenter.com/events/SummerConcertSeries2018.

Summer on the Green:Shenandoah Run. 6:30 p.m. arearesidents can catch a new and diversemusical act at the Town Green or atChillin’ on Church. Bring blanketsand chairs, but please leave Fido andany other pets at home. The concertsare free and open to the public. Visitwww.viennava.gov.

SATURDAY/JUNE 30Celebrate Independence Day. 7

a.m.-fireworks finale at Lake FairfaxPark, 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive,Reston. Gates open at 7 a.m.Beginning at 10 a.m., splash andslide at the Water Mine water park.From 11 a.m.-3 p.m., rent a boat onLake Fairfax. Look for food vendorsnear the park’s main office. Fireworksbegin when the sun goes down.Fireworks rain date: Sunday, July 1.Parking: $10 per car. Call 703-471-5414 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-fairfax.

SUNDAY/JULY 1Concert: City Choir of

Washington. 4:30 p.m. at St.Luke’s Catholic Church McLean, 7001Georgetown Pike, McLean. Concert ofrepertoire to be performed on Julytour of England, including FaureRequiem, two works by Sir JohnTavener and two by director RobertShafer. Free. Call 571-206-8525 orvisit www.citychoir.org.

Alden Summer Concerts: BlackMasala. 5 p.m. in McLean CentralPark, 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd. Freeparking at Dolley Madison Library,1244 Oak Ridge Ave. The Alden’s2018 Summer Sunday Concerts inthe Park expand this year to includea “welcome, summer” concert onSunday, June 3, and then sevenconcerts from July 1 through Aug.12. Visit www.aldentheatre.org.

Concerts on the Green: EmmaBailey. 6-8 p.m. on the Great FallsVillage Centre Green. Sundaysthroughout the summer, bring apicnic and chairs for an evening offree, live music. Visitwww.celebrategreatfalls.org.

TUESDAY & THURSDAY/JULY 3 & 5Studio Ghibli: Porco Rosso.

Tuesday, 7 p.m. (Japanese withEnglish subtitles); Thursday, 11 a.m.(English dubbed) at Angelika FilmCenter – Mosaic, 2911 District Ave.,Fairfax. The Angelika Mosaic willfeature animated films from thecelebrated Studio Ghibli praised for

their originality, stunning animation,and ambitious storytelling. All ticketsare regular admission. Visitwww.AngleikaFilmCenter.com.

WEDNESDAY/JULY 4Holiday Closing: Oakmarr

Farmers Market. Normally heldWednesdays at 3200 JermantownRoad, Oakton, the Farmers Marketwill not occur on Wednesday, July 4.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets or call 703-642-0128.

Journey to the Potomac River.10:30 a.m. at Riverbend Park, 8700Potomac Hills St., Great Falls. This90-minute program includes a wagonride through the woods and along theriver. Learn about Riverbend Park’swildlife and the American Indianswho once lived there. $7 per person.Children must be accompanied by anadult registered for the program. Call703-759-9018 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend to register.

FRIDAY/JULY 6Tysons Concert Series: O-Town.

6:30-8 p.m. on the Plaza at TysonsCorner Center. Tysons CornerCenter’s 5th annual free SummerConcert Series offers a variety ofmusical guests and has proven to bea popular event for families, couplesand teenagers. The Plaza is locatedoff of The Tysons Corner MetroStation of the Silver Line. Guests areencouraged to arrive early. Visitwww.tysonscornercenter.com/events/SummerConcertSeries2018.

Summer on the Green: The Earlsof Kent. 6:30 p.m. area residentscan catch a new and diverse musicalact at the Town Green or at Chillin’on Church. Bring blankets and chairs,but please leave Fido and any otherpets at home. The concerts are freeand open to the public. Visitwww.viennava.gov.

Contest Entry Deadline. 11:59 p.m.Singers are invited to submit anacapella video singing The NationalAnthem [email protected]. Thetop three submissions will be invitedto perform in front of a panel ofindustry judges and live audience atthe Ocean Park Standoff concert onTysons Corner Center Plaza, Friday,July 20. The winner will perform the

National Anthem at NationalsStadium prior to the Sept. 3 gameversus the St. Louis Cardinals. Visitwww.tysonscornercenter.com/Events/NationalAnthemComp.

SUNDAY/JULY 8Concert for Everytown. 1-3 p.m. at

Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave. E,Vienna. Join local high schoolers fora fun concert, while also supportingan important movement. Help breakthe cycle of gun violence. Allproceeds will go to Everytown forGun Safety. $15. [email protected].

Alden Summer Concerts:Backtrack (Family Friendly). 5p.m. in McLean Central Park, 1468Dolley Madison Blvd. Free parking atDolley Madison Library, 1244 OakRidge Ave. The Alden’s 2018 SummerSunday Concerts in the Park expandthis year to include a “welcome,summer” concert on Sunday, June 3,and then seven concerts from July 1through Aug. 12. Visitwww.aldentheatre.org.

Concerts on the Green:Oxymorons. 6-8 p.m. on the GreatFalls Village Centre Green. Sundaysthroughout the summer, bring apicnic and chairs for an evening offree, live music. Visitwww.celebrategreatfalls.org.

TUESDAY/JULY 10Author Event: Michelle Fondin.

7:30-9 p.m. at Patrick Henry Library,101 Maple Ave. E, Vienna. Learnfrom Vedic and Author MichelleFondin how to improve energy andvitality with “Chakra Healing forVibrant Energy” practices andmeditations. Books for sale andsigning. Free. Emaillibrarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/4023585 or call 703-938-0405.

WEDNESDAY/JULY 11Summer Stories, Songs, and

Sprinklers. 1 p.m. on the lawn ofthe Freeman Store, 131 Church St.NE, Vienna. Young children andfamilies are invited to listen to astory, tune into some favorite songs,then have a little casual fun withwater sprinklers at 1 p.m.Wednesdays, through Aug. 8. Freeand appropriate for all ages. Visitwww.viennava.gov.

File photo by Steve Hibbard

For the pie eating contest at Yeonas Park in Vienna on the2017 Fourth of July celebration, contestants had to eat apiece of cherry pie the fastest without using their hands.


See Bulletin, Page 15

TD Bank, Friends ofFireworks to HoldSweepstakes

Visit the TD Bank location at 9901 GeorgetownPike, Great Falls, between now and July 3, 2018 orthe TD Bank Tent located at Turner Farm, 925Springvale Road, Great Falls, from 6 – 9 p.m. duringthe July 4 event to fill out an official entry form anddeposit the completed entry form into the designatedentry box. The period from until July 4, 2018 is the“Sweepstakes Period.”

Two prize winners will be selected on or about July5, in a random drawing from among all eligible en-tries received from both entry locations. A total oftwo prizes will be awarded. Winners need not bepresent. Each winner will receive the following: OneAmerican flag oil painting by artist Begona Morton.Total ARV of each Prize: $675. Some rules and re-strictions apply.

Great Falls AnimalHospital WelcomesNew Doctor

Great Falls Animal Hospital is welcoming Dr. LeannaKalinsky to its veterinary team. Kalinsky comes toGreat Falls with more than 15 years of experience insmall animal medicine. She is certified by Fear Free,a program designed to reduce fear, anxiety and stressin pets receiving veterinary care. She also has experi-ence in preventive medicine, internal medicine, geri-

atric care and soft tissue surgery. She was named oneof Northern Virginia’s Top Veterinarians by NorthernVirginia Magazine in 2017 and 2018.

“Dr. Kalinsky is a great addition to our caring andknowledgeable staff, and we’re especially excited tohire our first Fear Free-certified doctor,” said Dr.Laurie Cook, lead veterinarian at Great Falls AnimalHospital. “She believes strongly that eliminating thefear, anxiety and stress that pets encounter whilereceiving veterinary care is of utmost importance fortheir long-term health, and that is a belief our hospi-tal has adopted as well.”

Kalinsky lives in Leesburg, with her husband andtheir furry family, Monty, their toy poodle, and Mr.Ribdee, their almost 18-year-old orange tabby cat.

Great Falls Senior Centerto Host Harmony HeritageSingers

Great Falls Senior Center (GFSC) will welcomethe Harmony Heritage Singers at their July 17 eventat The Christ the King Lutheran Church,10550Georgetown Pike, Great Falls from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event includes lunch (a donation will help tocover the costs and be appreciated.) Reservationsare necessary so that no one goes without a lunchand the volunteers who assist in setup and clean upknow how many to prepare for. Contact PollyFitzgerald at [email protected] or calling 703-759-4345. Sponsor for this fun event is the GreatFalls Area Ministries, formerly the Great Falls Ecu-menical Council. Give Back Initiative Donation forJuly is SOAP/SHAMPOO

Week in Great Falls

Under theRainbowGreat FallsVillage GreenSaturday night,June 23, chil-dren andrainbow.

Photo by

Kathryn Falk

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICESThe Fairfax-Falls Church

Community Services Board’sMerrifield Center offers a newstand-up information kiosk. Partof a pilot project, the new featureaims to improve the customerservice experience and decreasewait times for individuals who areseeking mental (behavioral)health services. To check in,individuals respond to five simplequestions, then the CSB’s Patient

Track software alerts staff. Based onclinicians’ schedules and availability,as well as the needs of the client,individuals are triaged and seen bythe next available staff member. Formore information on availableservices, call the CSB at 703-383-8500 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5p.m.). In an emergency 24/7, callCSB Emergency Services at 703-573-5679 or the Fairfax Detox Center at703-502-7000 (TTY 703-322-9080).

Submit civic/community announcements at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, at leasttwo weeks before event.

Bulletin Board

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDAssistance League of Northern

Virginia, a volunteer nonprofit,invites community members tojoin the organization toparticipate in its Reading Expressprogram. Volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring to first gradestudents during the school year.


From Page 4

News

decorative and are now part ofevery show at Turner Farm.

Matthew is a rising senior atLangley High School, where heplays saxophone in the Wind En-semble and Marching Band, andhas been a member of the trackteam. He also plays travel soccerfor the Great Falls Soccer Club andenjoys fly fishing with his dad.After high school, Matthew plansto pursue a career in engineering.

❖ Benjamin “Benji”Prickett, son of Lisa and GlennPrickett, joined Troop 673 in 2012,after earning the Arrow of Lightas a Cub Scout. Since joining thetroop, Benji has served as PatrolLeader, Instructor, Quartermaster,Order of the Arrow representative,and Den Chief. He has earned 25merit badges, and participated inNorthern Tier, a canoeing highadventure in the boundary watersnear Atikokan, Ontario, in 2016.Benji is a Brotherhood member ofthe Order of the Arrow, Scouting’shonor society.

For his Eagle project, Benji con-structed a rain garden at GreatFalls United Methodist Church toreduce stormwater pollution inAugust 2017. When rain waterflows downhill on pavement, likethe church’s parking lot, it picksup harmful chemicals deposited bypeople and cars. Putting a gardenin the path of the runoff slowswater and captures it temporarilywhile the plants in the garden helpto clean the water before it drainsin its normal path. Benji plannedthe layout of the rain garden andincorporated best practices in thedesign of “green infrastructure.”

Benji is a rising senior atNorthfield Mount Hermon(NMH), a boarding school in Mas-sachusetts, where he performs asa percussionist in a wide range ofmusical ensembles and is a mem-ber of the NMH Outdoor Team(paddling, mountain biking, andtrail running). After high school,Benji intends to pursue a careerin music.

New Eagle Scouts

Members of the Friends of PleasantGrove and the Board of Trustees from theMcLean Community Foundation gatheredtogether on the church’s Tom Sawyer Dayto celebrate the funding of a new Heatingand Air Conditioning unit that has beeninstalled at the Historic Pleasant GroveChurch in McLean. The church, built bythe descendants of freed slaves and now amuseum and community meeting facility,

was in dire need of the new system tomaintain and preserve the historicaldocuments and elements of the church.

The McLean Community Foundation(MCF) is a non-profit formed in 1978 bythe McLean Citizen’s Association tomeet the philanthropic needs of agrowing McLean community. The focusis entirely on efforts that benefit theMcLean community.

McLean Community Foundation Grants$20,000 to Historic Pleasant Grove Church

Photo contributed

Pictured, from left, front row – Hojin Kim, Bettie Marie Fields, StephanieSneary, Morrisey Bryant, Nancy Sampson, Winnie Pizzano, Ali Khazai;back row - Martina White, Katherine Barnett, Tracy Dillard, Chris Smith,Joan Lewis, Renee O’Neill.


The rain held off long enoughfor The Alan Scott Band toentertain concert goers at theGreat Falls Concerts on the

Green on June 24. The Concerts on theGreen series, hosted by Celebrate GreatFalls Foundation, continues on the GreatFalls Village Centre Green every Sundaythrough August. Next Sunday’s concertfeatures country musician Emma Bailey.For more information and for the com-plete concert lineup, visit the CelebrateGreat Falls website atwww.celebrategreatfalls.org.

News

Sounds ofSummer onthe Green

A good-sized crowd settles in as The Alan Scott Band begins playing theGreat Falls Concerts on the Green on June 24.

Children have fun trying to pop gigantic bubbles on the Great FallsVillage Centre Green as The Alan Scott Band plays behind them.

Eleanor Bonzon, 7,and her brotherMaxwell, 5, fromReston enjoy themusic from TheAlan Scott Band onJune 24 at the GreatFalls Concerts onthe Green. TheBonzon family lovesspending theirSunday evenings atthe concerts duringthe summer.

Two-year-old Anthony fromGreat Falls plays bubbles withhis mom while The Alan ScottBand performs.

(From left) Sophia Noznesky, 6, from Great Falls along with her momJessica and Laura Beglis, are entertained by The Alan Scott Band on theGreat Falls Village Centre Green on June 24.

Alan Scott(on left)performswith his bandat the Con-certs on theGreen onJune 24.

Photos By Tom Manning/The Connection


Preserving Local HistoryThe McLean Historical Soci-ety presents Jean Jonnardwith its 2018 Henry C.Mackall Award for her contri-bution in recording thearea’s history over manyyears. Pictured, from left —Carole Herrick, president,Jean Jonnard, and PaulKohlenberger, vice-president.

By David Siegel

The Connection

With the success of the initial LoganFestival of Solo Performances in2017, 1st Stage will be once againshowcasing some of the nation’s no-

table solo performing artists. This summer’s editionof the Logan Festival will introduce entirely newperformers and performances to Northern Virginiaaudiences.

“Forget any preconceived notion you have of solowork.ºThe festival will change everything you mightthink about the art form,” said Alex Levy, artistic di-rector, 1st Stage. “The solo work is intimate andepic…It is an incredible experience.”

“There’s really very little opportunity for these kindof shows to be experienced,” said Levy. “These highlyskilled storytellers on the national scene who are nothousehold names have largely remained un-pro-duced in this area. I wanted to help fill that gap andallow these amazing artists an opportunity to sharetheir work.”

The solo plays curated by Levy provide NorthernVirginia audiences a “diversity of voice, style andapproach that are very different. As a collective theyrepresent the full spectrum of what solo work mightlook like.”

The three solo performances in the 2018 AnnualLogan Festival include:

“The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” byJames Lecesne. A brash New Jersey detective visits avibrant seaside town to investigate the disappear-ance of teenager Leonard Pelkey. Through interviewswith at least half a dozen distinct characters, the truthof Leonard’s disappearances unfolds to a luminousconclusion.

“Brahman,” written by Aditi Brennan Kapil, is anunusual, comic stand-up routine exploring everythingfrom Indian heritage to history, mythology, genderroles, and horrifying middle school experiences.

“Where Did We Sit on The Bus” by Brian Quijada:During a third grade lesson on Rosa Parks a youngboy asks, if white people sat at the front of the busand black people sat at the back of the bus, where

did Latinos sit?With continuing support from the Riva & David

Logan Foundation, this year’s Festival also receivedgrant support from the National Endowment for theArts.

Inviting audiences to the Festival, Levy also spoke ofsome of the differences of a solo performance com-pared to a multi-actor theater production.º“The dif-ference is the intimacy.º The relationship of a singleperson speaking directly to an audience is an incred-ibly powerful experience.ºI think 1st Stage audienceshave come to love intimate and highly skilled theater.The Logan Festival is an extension of that relationship.”

Long time Great Falls GardenClub member Barbara Cobb hasbeen honored by National Gar-den Clubs with the Service andRecognition Member Award ofHonor. It is the highest achieve-ment for a National GardenClub member for service, com-mitment and outreach to theircommunity and representsmany years of dedication to themission of gardening and edu-cation.

Barbara Cobb joined theGreat Falls Garden Club in1988. Very soon after joining,she became a leader in the or-ganization, holding various im-portant positions. One of hermost significant contributionswas in co-designing the gardenthat greets visitors to the GreatFalls Library. She and her col-leagues, Robin Rentsch andKaren Lucas, planned the gar-den to display native plants,show constant bloom and pro-vide a habitat for pollinators.

Barbara, Robin and Karen or-ganized an intense volunteer ef-fort to create the garden theyhad designed. Since then, Bar-bara has demonstrated an ex-traordinary dedication to ensur-ing its continued success. Shetakes personal responsibility forwatering the garden in dry pe-riods, monitors and directs thework that needs to be done byvolunteers, and makes certainthe garden continues to add

beauty and meaning to ourcommunity.

Barbara Cobb is a “gardenclub whisperer.” She is one ofthose extraordinary people wholead by simply living an ex-ample. Her voice is not loud involume but loud in spirit.Rather, it is quiet and purpose-driven; she talks to smallgroups and individuals, helpingmembers understand the im-portance of certain issues. Herapproach is gentle, reassuring,encouraging, and based on lis-tening before talking.

Barbara assumes a quiet ad-vocacy for garden beauty ap-propriately managed in eco-friendly practices. She contin-ues a personal hope that mem-bers and the public will wantto educate themselves to be-come better horticulturalistsand gain a better understand-ing of the natural beauty thatis under their care.

It is fair to say that every mem-ber of the Great Falls Gardenclub feels especially indebted toBarbara for her presence andleadership. There is not a tasktoo great for her or a questiontoo difficult. She will always finda way to support a member’s in-terest or to support a cause thatadvances her dedication to car-ing for the beauty and nourish-ment that nature affords us.

—Jennifer Murphy

Barbara Cobb Honored byNational Garden Clubs, Inc.

From left — Winifred Frost, President, Barbara Cobband Jennifer Murphy.

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Where and Whenst Stage presents the 2nd Annual Logan Festival of Solo

Performance at 1524 Spring Hill Rd, McLean. Performancesfrom July 12 to 22, 2018. Tickets: $20 per show, $10 pershow for students with valid ID. Festival Pass (valid for allthree festival shows) can be purchased for $50. Individualtickets and Festival Passes can be purchased online atwww.1stStage.orgºor call 703-854-1856.º

Performances of each show of The Logan Festival of SoloPerformances as follows:❖ “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey”: July 12 at 7:30

p.m., July 15 at 5 p.m., July 19 at 7:30 p.m., July 20 at 8p.m., July 21 and 22 at 2 p.m.

❖ “Where Did We Sit on the Bus”: July 13 at 8 p.m., July 15 at7:30 p.m., July 17 at 7:30 p.m., July 21 at 8 p.m., and July22 at 7:30 p.m.

❖ “Brahman”: July 18 at 7:30 p.m., July 14 at 8 p.m., July 15at 2 p.m., and July 18 at 7:30 p.m., July 21 and July 22 at5 p.m.

Photo by Alexandria Hill/Courtesy 1st Stage

Jeffrey Plunkett in “The Absolute Bright-ness of Leonard Pelkey,” written by JamesLecesne, directed by Kate Alexander.Performed at the Logan Festival of SoloPerformances, 1st Stage.

Festival showcases someof the nation’s notable soloperforming artists.

Entertainment

Logan Festival Returns to 1st Stage

Aila Peck in“Brahman,”written byAditi BrennanKapil, directedby M. BevinO’Gara. Per-formed at theLogan Festivalof Solo Perfor-mances, 1st

Stage.

Photo by

Dave Burbank/

Courtesy 1st Stage


The Northern VirginiaHandcrafters Guild awarded twoscholarships to local high schoolseniors who plan to study art orcraft design following their gradu-ations from high school.

The Margaret Dellert Scholar-ship was presented to HalleyConrad, a graduate of NorthStafford High School (StaffordCounty Public Schools). The KaySingleton Scholarship wasawarded to Jacqueline Gottschalk,a graduate of Battlefield HighSchool (Prince William CountyPublic Schools). The scholarshipswere presented at the NVHG Awards Dinner onJune 11, 2018, in Falls Church.

For the past 36 years, NVHG has awarded schol-arships each spring to deserving high school se-niors who wish to pursue art or crafts study at theuniversity or college level. Announcements aboutthe scholarship program and applications are sentto area school division art supervisors and teach-ers, and are posted on the NVHG website at

www.nvhg.org. Awards are announced in June.During the scholarship presentations, Conrad

and Gottschalk displayed and discussed samplesof their artwork and responded to questions posedby members of NVHG. Each recipient was hon-ored with a scholarship certificate and flowers.Their scholarship awards will be placed in schoolaccounts at their respective universities to be usedin support of their program of study in art or crafts.

Northern Virginia Handcrafters AwardTwo Scholarships

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Scholarship recipients Halley Conrad (left) andJacqueline Gottschalk.

Fairfax County Public Schools kicked off itssummer meals program last week atHutchison Elementary School with a freefarmer’s market, nutritional seminars, cook-

ing demonstrations, giveaways and games for localfamilies. The June 20 event connected the commu-nity with free or low-cost resources available inFairfax County, while encouraging healthy eating andphysical activity.

Families can take advantage of FCPS’ free barbequeprogram at 13 sites across the county until Aug. 27.Lunches are free for children 18 and under. The costfor adults is $2. The barbeques feature items likehamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, turkey sau-sages or grilled chicken. All meals include sides offresh fruits and vegetables.

Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-86) spoke at the eventabout the importance of the summer meals program.Boysko was joined by Rodney Taylor, Director of Foodand Nutrition Services at Fairfax County PublicSchools, who helped create the BBQ program threeyears ago.

Fairfax County Public Schools recently received a$10,000 No Kid Hungry Virginia grant for its sum-mer meals program. The funds support enrichmentand physical activities at the sites.

More than 54,000 FCPS students (29 percent oftotal population) are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, but the summer meals program is opento all.

Only about 15 percent of Virginia children whorely on free or reduced-price school lunches are alsogetting free meals through summer programs. NoKid Hungry Virginia and its partners focus on sum-mer meals as a critical way to end childhood hungerin the Commonwealth.

The summer meals are open to all. No applicationor registration is required at sites. For details aboutFairfax County Public Schools’ summer meals pro-gram, go to https://www.fcps.edu/feeds.

To find the nearest summer meal site, families cantext FOOD or COMIDA to 877-877 and type in a zipcode. This information populates during the first fewweeks of summer.

County Schools LaunchSummer Meals Program

FCPS provides complementary summer BBQto children 18 years old and younger at 13locations throughout the county. Adults canpurchase their own meal for $2.

A FCPS staff member grills burgers duringthe kickoff event.

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Other than my wife, Dina, and my brother, Richard, there are few people with whom I regularly discuss – in more excruciating detail than weekly I do so with you, the world in which yours truly, a non-small cell lung cancer, stage IV “diagnossee” inhabits.

It just so happens that in this past week, I interacted with three of the other most main con-

school, Cary, with whom I spoke on the phone for nearly an hour (he lives in Massachusetts), a bi-weekly occurrence generally; my oldest, best

lunch (even though she lives in Alexandria and has been local ever since college), a much rarer occurrence (though we email regularly), a lunch that lasted four hours; and Veronica, my hair stylist, who I see every eight to 12 weeks – as I have for almost 20 years, whether I need to or not. (That’s a joke. I have a full head of hair so needing a haircut is never the question, needing it is the answer.)

Over these many years, these three have heard everything I have to say; good, bad or in-different, and yet despite having heard it all, still remain interested in hearing more and judging

laughter and sorrow. Their support and encour-agement has been above and beyond the call of duty.

Interacting with all three in the course of one night and two days reminded me of the actor George Peppard because this is my “A” Team.” When I want to, they’re who I go to, whenever the need arises or when the opportunity presents itself. And though they may not solve every problem, listening to as many of them as they have certainly has provided the kind of comfort and joy that has helped sustain me through thick and thin (not talking about my weight) and most importantly, during the past nine-plus years as a cancer survivor. There’s not a “B.A.” (bad atti-tude) among them, though they all wear jewelry.

I hope I’m not speaking out of turn here but, there are some subjects which are best left for friends – and the professionals, more so than family. Some topics which might betray a

aloud might exacerbate a familial situation rarely discussed.

Sometimes, sorting through these pros and cons with friends, who likely suffer no conse-quences in the outcome, might present options that otherwise might not be heard. From the mouths of babes, so to speak. A fresh, unbiased perspective can be a welcome addition to any discussion of facts, especially when feelings are involved; and as often concerns family-oriented

Not that there aren’t feelings involved with friends; of course there are, it’s more that old friends knew you when and know you now, and the passage of that much time, separate and apart from family, can often enlighten and in-

been there and seen you do that? It’s particularly important to have indepen-

dent forces in your corner because like so many cancer patients, myself included, occasionally you exhibit signs of “chemotherapy-related cog-nitive impairment,” otherwise known as “chemo brain,” a side effect/condition of treatment which can blur a memory or two – or more. You may not even realize it when it disappears, and you may need someone to remind you of it. Hope-fully it’s not a memory gone forever, but just one gone until a friend helps retrieve it for you. And who better to retrieve these foggy memories than friends you’ve known for 49, 45 and 20 years, respectively?

And I do respect them, and appreciate them, and cherish them, as they are three of my pillars. Without them, the foundation of who I am and what I know, would likely crumble.

What Are Friends For

(Not a Question)From Page 10

To learn more contact VP Membership MaryGronlund at [email protected] or ProgramCoordinator Lynn Barron [email protected].

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONChild turning 5 years old by Sept. 30? If so,

contact your child’s school to makearrangements for kindergarten enrollment. Mostschools begin getting information together nowfor parents of incoming kindergartners, andmany host an orientation or open house. Allkindergarten programs are full-day and locatedin FCPS elementary schools. Check your school’swebpage or contact the school directly forspecific enrollment information and dates oforientationor visit www.fcps.edu/registration/kindergarten-registration.

THURSDAY/JUNE 28Community Meeting. 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of

Cooper Middle School, 977 Balls Hill Road,McLean. Supervisor John Foust and the FairfaxCounty Department of Transportation (FCDOT)will hold a public meeting regarding theproposed realignment of the Balls Hill Road andOld Dominion Drive intersection and improvedtraffic signal operations. The project alsoincludes roadway reconstruction, drainageimprovements, and the addition of bicycle andpedestrian facilities. Review project plans anddisplay boards at 7 p.m.; presentation at 7:15p.m. with a question and answer period after.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/transportation/projects/balls-hill-road for more.

JULY 2-AUG. 3Public Comment Period. The Metropolitan

Washington Airports Authority is hosting threepublic hearings to inform and solicit commentsfrom the community about proposed toll rateincreases along the Dulles Toll Road.An “onlineopen house” will be available atwww.dullestollroad.com/toll/toll-setting-processthroughout the comment period. It will containan explanation of the informational exhibits anda comment form. Comments may also besubmitted at the public hearings, via email [email protected] or mailed during thecomment period to: MWAA Public CommentPeriod, c/o HNTB, 2900 South Quincy St., Suite600, Arlington, VA 22206.

WEDNESDAY/JULY 4Free Sober Rides. Wednesday, July 4, 7 p.m.

through Thursday, July 5, 4 a.m. Area residents,21 and older, may download Lyft to theirphones, then enter a code in the app’s “Promo”section to receive a no cost (up to $15) safe ridehome. WRAP’s Independence Day SoberRidepromo code will be posted at 5 p.m. on July 4on www.SoberRide.com. The SoberRide code isvalid for the first 1,500 Lyft users who enter thecode.

TUESDAY/JULY 10Story Time: Focus and Self-Control. 10-11

a.m. at The Parent Resource Center Library,2334 Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 105,Dunn Loring. This Story Time will highlightbooks and activities to support focus and self-control in young children. Focus and self-controlis an evidence-based executive functioning skillthat involves paying attention, following therules, thinking flexibly, and exercising selfcontrol. Registration is limited and required forchildren ages 4-6 and their parents. Visitwww.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center for more.

WEDNESDAY/JULY 11Public Information Hearing. 5-8 p.m. at Spring

Hill Elementary School Cafeteria, 8201Lewinsville Road, McLean. The MetropolitanWashington Airports Authority is hosting apublic hearing to inform and solicit commentsfrom the community about proposed toll rateincreases along the Dulles Toll Road. There willbe informational exhibits related to the DullesToll Road and planned improvements that maybe made, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail SilverLine Extension Project, the revenue projectionsassociated with the proposed toll rate increasesand how this additional revenue will be spent.Representatives from the Airports Authority willbe present to discuss these items. Visitwww.mwaa.com for more.

Bulletin Board


Documents

Opinion, Page 6 Sounds of Summer On the Greenconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2018/06/29/... · Easton, MD Photo By Tom Manning/The Connection permit #322