RCC Pool To Close For Renovations
The indoor pool at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods will be closed for renovations from July 25 - Oct. 2. The purpose of the renovations, which will cost more than $300,000, is to insure a safer and more attractive environment for pool patrons. Due to the age of RCC's facility, tiles were beginning to come loose in both locker rooms, creating a potential hazard for patrons. During the renovation, which will be completed by Centennial Contractors Enterprise, existing tile work will be replaced, as well as all countertops, sinks, shower controls, benches and partitions. Lighting will also be upgraded. During this renovation period, RCC swimming classes will be held at the Vantage Hill Pool until Aug. 21.
Golf Tournament to Aid Rwanda Orphans
On Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Reston National Golf Course, the United Christian Parish of Reston will sponsor a golf tournament to aid orphans in Rwanda. The cost to play, $125 per player, includes a round of golf and cart, beverages on the course and an awards dinner. Registration is from11-11:45 a.m. with a tee time of noon. All golfers are invited to participate. The event hopes to raise at least $10,000 for the United Methodist Church of Rwanda, according to event chair Jim Vollmer. The United Christian Parish (UCP) has been working for nine years with a United Methodist Church project in Rwanda which provides food, shelter and medical care for children orphaned by war and AIDS. Funds raised by the golf tournament will help build an orphanage, school and clinic to help 300 children in Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali. UCP youth also raise $3,000 each year to support a young Rwandan studying medicine at the university in Kigali. The United Christian Parish is an ecumenical church combining four denominations: United Methodist, Presbyterian (USA), United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ. Visit www.unitedchristianparish.org.
Kern, RCC Executive Director, Moving On
Denny Kern, executive director of the Reston Community Center, announced he was leaving his position after serving in the post for four years.
In informing the RCC Board of Governors and RCC Staff, Kern said that his reason for departure is for personal reasons. He and his wife, Kate Kern, an educator with Fairfax County Public Schools, are relocating to San Francisco, Calif. to be closer to family.
"I am extremely fortunate to have had this great opportunity to serve as the RCC executive director,” said Kern. “I am a fervent believer in the vital role that RCC plays in our wonderful community and I am intensely proud of our success in offering wonderful and enriching leisure opportunities to Reston.” Kern said that he’s leaving when program participation rates are at an all-time high.
Kern accepted a position with San Francisco Government as the Director of Operations for the San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks. The department administers and maintains more than 200 urban parks and recreation sites in San Francisco such as Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco Zoo, swimming pools, yacht marinas, golf courses, museums, and such city landmarks as the Palace of Fine Arts as well as Monster Stadium — formerly Candlestick Park.
Working with the RCC Board of Governors, Kern's achievements include the debut of the RCC website, development of the RCC Strategic Plan, improved "business functions" — customer service, program registration, facility rentals, as well as extensive facility renovations and improvements at RCC Hunters Woods and RCC Lake Anne. Under his leadership, RCC won several national and state awards for programs, events, and publications.
New Host for ‘Business Focus’ at 10-Year anniversary
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce announced a new host for Business Focus, the monthly half-hour TV program airing each week since 1995 on Reston cable Channel 28, and on Fairfax Public Access, Channel 10.
At her 10-year anniversary of hosting Business Focus, Ann Rodriguez has passed the interview duties to Donna Miller, president of Miller Musmar. Business Focus is an important arm of communication for the Chamber in showcasing its corporations, employees, and issues. As executive director of the Arts Council of Fairfax County for the past year, Rodriguez is now involved in the development of new programming. Miller is currently finishing her year as Chairman of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Her service to the Chamber and businesses in Northern Virginia will continue as the new host of Business Focus.
Local Photographers Exhibit Landscapes at RCC
The beauty of the world and of landscapes far and near is the theme of a joint art exhibition by local photographers Richard Graus (color photography) and Jon Wilkin (black and white photography). Their photographs will be on display at the Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods from June 23- July 31 in an exhibit titled: “The World is Wide: Landscape Photography by Richard Graus and Jon Wilkin.”
For 35 years, Richard Graus was a professor of geology and oceanography at Northern Virginia Community College and a collaborator in research at the Smithsonian Institution (Natural History). Until he retired, his photographs were taken in connection with his work and were used to illustrate his lectures. After his retirement in 2002, he began to view photography as more than an inexpensive way to provide audio-visual material for his classes. Wilkin is a self-taught photographer who has been photographing landscapes and old buildings in black and white for 30 years. Despite being a wheelchair user, he has managed to photograph places in the U.S. and Canada that had never before seen a wheelchair.
Incubator Program Celebrates 5th Year
The Incubator Program of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce celebrated its fifth anniversary last Wednesday, June 29. Invited guests enjoyed a champagne celebration in honor of this significant anniversary. Incubator Clients and Graduates, members of the Incubator Advisory Board and Consultant Bank past and present, elected officials and the Board of Directors of the Chamber participated in the anniversary. In five years of operations, the Incubator Program has assisted 36 firms and has graduated 25. The graduate firms have created more than 80 jobs in the Greater Washington region, have attracted more than $7 million in capital and have secured more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space in Northern Virginia alone. Thirteen of the firms have been woman or minority owned.
Next Week: Rucker Golf Tournament
The 11th annual Rucker Golf Tournament will be held Monday, July 11, at Hidden Creek Country Club and Reston National Golf Course. The event features golf, food, a prize-filled raffle and silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Reston Interfaith's social services programs.
Calling Talented Teens for Battle of the Bands
Teens are invited to show off their musical abilities and win some money at The Battle of the Bands on Friday, July 22, from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Reston Teen Center. The Battle of the Bands, which is sponsored by The Reston Community Center, The Reston Teen Center and Reston Association, provides area teens with an opportunity to showcase their band in a club environment. Each band will get to perform in front of an audience and have a shot at winning a grand prize. Registration packets can be picked up at the front desk of the RCC or the Reston Teen Center. The deadline for demo tapes and registration packet submission is July 8.
Calendar
July 9-10, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Reston Festival at the Reston Town Center.
July 11, 9:30 a.m, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting, Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA.
July 19, 7:00 p.m., Reston Association’s Special Board Meeting at Isaac Newton Square.