<i>Send announcements to The Reston Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to
reston@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. Call Jean Card at 703-917-6437, with questions.
This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.</i>
The League of Women Voters of Fairfax will be holding meetings throughout the county during the week of May 9-13. Education in Fairfax County will be the subject. All who are interested in Fairfax County and the education of our children are invited to attend.
For information about times and locations, call 703-658-9150, or visit the LWVFA Web site at www.lwv-fairfax.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization and is open to men and women interested in promoting active and informed participation in local, state and national government.
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area want to remind the citizens of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax that in order to be eligible to vote in the Republican and Democratic Primary Elections Tuesday, June 14, you must register no later than 5 p.m. Monday, May 16. Address changes should be reported to the Registrar's office.
Visit www.LWV-fairfax.org to see what is on the primary ballot for your chosen party. In the fall General Election, Nov. 8, Virginia will be electing a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the entire House of Delegates. Check your voter registration card for your polling place and remember to bring an ID to the polls.
Visit www.LWV-fairfax.org or call the Fairfax County Registrar's Office at 703-222-0776 or the City of Fairfax Registrar's Office at 703-385-7890 for more information.
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area is a non-partisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association and Commuter Connections, a COG program, invite all commuters to join them on Friday morning, May 20, in celebration of Bike to Work Day 2005 at one of 18 area "pit stops" throughout the region.
This is a free event but preregistration is required by May 14 at http://www.waba.org/ to receive a free T-shirt, given out at the pit stops, and to be automatically entered into a free raffle for a chance to win one of several bicycles.
Pick up a free T-shirt, complimentary snack, free giveaways and more at one of these convenient gathering points on the way to work. Visit http://www.waba.org/ for information on exact pit stop locations, event times and learn about our "commuter convoys." Commuter Convoys are led by experienced bicycle commuters and follow established routes. They travel to most pit stops from strategic points throughout the region, and converge onto the main rally at Freedom Plaza in downtown D.C.
G r e a t e r R e s t o n A r t s C e n t e r a n n o u n c e s t h e 1 4 t h A n n u a l N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a F i n e A r t s F e s t i v a l w i l l b e h e l d M a y 2 1 a n d 2 2, a t R e s t o n T o w n C e n t e r . T h e N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a F i n e A r t s F e s t i v a l o f f e r s p l e n t y t o s e e , t a s t e , h e a r a n d d o, f r o m 1 0 a.m.- 6 p.m. , b o t h d a y s . A r t w o r k b y m o r e t h a n 1 9 0 o f t h e n a t i o n ’s f i n e s t p a i n t e r s , s c u l p t o r s , f i n e - c rafters and jewelers will be available for purchase. Added attractions are musical performances on the main stage, festive foods, beer garden and artist demonstrations. Children of all ages can experiment with techniques in the Children’s Art Tent.
The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is the largest outdoor art festival in the Washington-metropolitan region. The two-day juried art festival draws an attendance of 50,000.
The festival is produced by and benefits the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE), a not-for-profit arts organization, and benefits its educational programming, including Art in the Schools. Admission is open to the public. Suggested donation is $5. Call 703-471-9242 or visit www.restonarts.org.
GRACE is calling for volunteers for the Fine Arts Festival. Volunteer registration forms are available on the Festival pages of the GRACE Web site, www.restonarts.org, or from the GRACE gallery at 11911 Freedom Drive, Suite 110, in Reston Town Center. Call 703-471-9242 or e-mail volunteer@restonarts.org.
In May 2005, GRACE moved to a new Reston Town Center location at 12001 Market Street, Suite 103, Reston.
This year’s Reston Relay For Life will take place Saturday, May 21-22, at South Lakes High School. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, the "retro" Reston Relay will focus on the 1980s genre and consist of teams of eight-15 people walking, running and jogging through the day and night relay-style. The festive side of the event will feature live musical entertainment, guest speakers, food and cancer education; while the serious side is highlighted with the luminaria candle-lighting ceremony, in which members of the community are given the opportunity to light candles in honor and in memory of those who have battled with cancer.
Call For Survivors: Reston Relay will recognize survivors for their courage by honoring them with a special dinner and dessert reception followed by an emotional "Survivors Victory Lap," a victorious walk around the high-school track. To be recognized as a survivor, contact Relay chair Joanne Poesch at jmpoesch@aol.com or Shari True, 703-938.-5550, shari.true@cancer.org.
The 2004 Reston Relay raised more than $410,000, with 120 teams and hundreds of volunteers participating. In more than 10 years of operation, the award winning nationwide Reston Relay For Life has raised more than $2.3 million for the American Cancer Society’s mission of ending cancer. Three thousand, five hundred Relay For Life events nationwide last year raised in excess of $300 million, $2 million of which was raised in the National Capital region.
Find out how Virginia's laws are forcing some long-time residents to leave the state. Watch a 40-minute documentary film on Barbara and Tibby, a committed couple of 40 years, who no longer feel safe in Virginia. Hear their story and participate in a discussion afterward with the film maker and community leaders. Tuesday, May 24, 7-9 p.m., at Cinema Arts Theatre, Fairfax City. This event is sponsored by Equality Fairfax. It is free and open to the public. For directions or additional information, visit www.EqualityFairfax.org or call 703-255-1552.
Equality Fairfax is a not-for-profit, social and advocacy organization serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community of Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County Police Department has taken a step forward in community policing. Four months ago, 10 officers were recruited from within the ranks to be part of a pilot program aimed at increasing their abilities to communicate with the growing Hispanic communities within the county.
They are now in the 16th week of a 22-week Spanish language immersion program (660 hours). Classes are now conducted completely in Spanish.
A panel of experts will talk about the rewards and realities of a career in fund raising and development in a program being offered Saturday, May 14, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The program will take place at The University of Phoenix, 11730 Plaza America in Reston.
To be successful, nonprofit organizations require access to ongoing sources of funding and support. Event planning, communicating with corporate boards and creating innovative proposals are all part of the professional fund-raiser’s job. Amanda Andere, director of development at Reston Interfaith, Leslie Brady, manager of special fund-raising projects at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, and Tracy Tajbi, assistant vice president of community counseling services, at Community Counseling Service, Co., a fund-raising consulting firm, will share their expertise.
For information about this, or other Women’s Center programs, contact the Women’s Center at 703-281-2657.
The Virginia Jaycees, the premier leadership training organization for young adults 21-40, will hold its quarterly convention and careers conference May 13-15, at the Dulles Days Inn and Conference Center in Herndon. An awards banquet, recognizing the achievements of outstanding young leaders throughout the commonwealth of Virginia, called Outstanding Young Virginians (OYV), will be held at 6 p.m., on Saturday, May 14. Registration is required.
William Evans of Careerbuilder.com and leading federal jobs expert, Sandy Harris, founder and publisher of Fedjobs.com are featured presenters. Open to members and the general public, the Careers In Bloom conference offers networking opportunities, a dinner banquet and leadership development to enhance and/or expand personal and professional growth. The event will include employers from various industries, including state, local and federal government, health care, retail, banking and many more. Virginia Business Magazine, published by Media General, is the media sponsor of the 2005 Outstanding Young Virginian Award program.
Preregistration is strongly recommended to ensure receipt of seminar materials. On site registration is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact Trish Tyler, management vice president, at 804-804-301-6010 or e-mail mgmtvp@va-jaycees.org.
More musical pleasures are in the offing as RCC ushers in another season of its popular summer-long "Take a Break" Concerts. The "Take a Break" Concerts feature an eclectic selection of musical performances by accomplished musicians in a relaxed family atmosphere. Picnicking is encouraged.
The schedule for this year's concert series is as follows:
June 9 Mariachi Feliz, traditional Mexican and Latin American folk
June 16 DPT, Louisiana funk and zydeco
June 23 Mystic Warriors, Andean, New Age and Panpipe flutes
June 30 Miles Stiebel Orchestra, big band swing and more
July 7 The T-Birds, '50s and '60s classics
July 14 Oasis, reggae and island beat
July 21 October Skies, acoustic folk
July 28 Never Alone, contemporary jazz
Aug. 4 Sol Y Rumba, Latin rhythms
Aug. 11 Uptown, vocal bebop
The concerts will be held at Lake Anne Village Center every Thursday night, from 7-9 p.m., starting June 9 and continuing to Aug. 11.
Discover great new talents at the Northern Virginia One Act Play Festival, Friday, June 17 to Sunday, June 26. The festival presents two weekends of theater by local community theater groups. This is a smorgasbord of theater with offerings that include dramas, comedies, old scripts, new scripts, experimental and traditional styles. There will be an awards event and a reception on the final Sunday. Tickets are $8 per session. A festival pass is $30 and includes admission to the awards ceremony.
Musicians, dancers, singers and storytellers from a wide variety of cultures are invited to perform at the Fifth Annual Reston Multicultural Festival. The festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Lake Anne Plaza. Wanted are entertainers whose performances are family-friendly and reflect authentic traditions of the many cultures that make up Reston. The focus of this year's festival will be on Central America, so performers from its many cultural backgrounds are especially welcome.
Performances will be in the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at the Reston Community Center, Lake Anne and will be 20-40 minutes in duration. To apply, send a completed application to the Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191; attention Linda Ifert. Applications may be picked up at either of the RCC facilities or downloaded from the Multicultural Festival Web site at http://www.restonweb.com/multiculturalfestival/entertainers.htm.
The application and supporting materials such as demo tapes, compact discs, videos, photos, letters and press kits must be received by close of business Friday, June 24.
For further information, directions, or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Reston Community Center at 703-476-4500, 703-476-1514 (TTY) or visit the Web site at http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Once again, RCC is co-sponsoring Reston Festival. This year's festival will feature three high-energy musical acts, the world-renowned Irish folk music group, Dervish; the Austin Lounge Lizards, who proudly bear the moniker, "the Clown Princes of Country Music;" and D.C. legend, Chuck Brown, "the Godfather of Go-Go." In addition to musical entertainment, the festival will also feature a mix of food, fun activities for the whole family and arts and crafts. Reston Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10, at the Reston Town Center's Equity Office Pavilion.
Reston residents are invited to free pool side cookouts in July and August. The cookouts, which are co-sponsored with Reston Association, feature free hamburgers, hot dogs, music and fun. The cookout dates and locations are Wednesday, July 13, at Dogwood Pool, from 5-7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 12, at Golf Course Island Pool, from 5-7 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Lake Newport Pool, from 5-7 p.m.
Football Officials Needed. No experience necessary. The Northern Virginia Football Officials Association (NVFOA) is seeking new members for its 2005 training class who can become on-field game officials and electronic clock operators for games at the youth, middle-school and high-school levels throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. They are the sole supplier of football officials to all high schools in the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, and Fauquier. They also supply officials to numerous private schools in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. Men and women who have reached the age of 18 and who have a desire to be a part of the scholastic game are eligible. Information and application forms are available at the Web site www.nvfoa.com or contact the commissioner, Dennis Hall, by phone at 703-532-0000 or e-mail commissioner@nvfoa.com.
MS Bands of Hope are available at Appalachian Spring in Reston Town Center. Bands can be purchased for $1 during April and May. Proceeds benefit the National MS Society, National Capital Chapter. Call 703-478-2218.
Reston Association (RA) is again offering the purchasing of pool and tennis passes via the RA Web site, www.reston.org. New this year is the season-long guest pass. This pass lasts for an entire pool season and allows any one guest of the family to use it at any given time that the pool is open. Instead of charging each guest $5 per visit, any guest can use the pass, all season long, with no limitations on pool visits, for just $20. When using the guest pass, a member of the purchasing family must accompany the guest. Call the Reston Association at 703-435-6530 or visit the RA Web site at www.reston.org and click on the pool and tennis passes icon.
The Fairfax County School Board has initiated a pilot procedure to allow citizens to sign up electronically to address the board at regular business meetings and public hearings. Although citizens may continue to call the School Board Office at 703-246-3646 to sign up to speak, they may now also sign up electronically by accessing www.fcps.edu/schlbd/requestspeak.htm and completing the required form. Specific information regarding future Board meetings are available at www.fcps.edu/schlbd/calendar.htm and guidelines for addressing the board are available at www.fcps.edu/schlbd/info.htm#mtg.
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area (LWVFA) announces the publication of the 2005 edition of Facts for Voters. Published annually by the LWVFA, "Facts" is intended to be a resource for use by residents in the Fairfax Area. The brochure, though a compact 4 inches x9 inches, contains information about local, state and national elected officials plus contacts for all elected officials from the towns of Clifton, Herndon, Vienna and the City of Fairfax. It also contains information on voter registration and absentee voting plus important telephone numbers for schools, libraries and other public services and resources.
Pick up a new Facts for Voters free of charge at any Fairfax County library, Government Center, Community Center or high school.
To request a single copy, please send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to the LWVFA office at 4026 Hummer Road, Annandale, VA 22003. If you need multiple copies call the office at 703-658-8150.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that promotes an active and informed participation in state, local and national government. All people of voting age are encouraged to become members of the League and participate in its activities. Call 703-658-9150. The League reminds all citizens to become informed about candidates and issues, register and vote.
Two Fairfax County Park Authority lakefront facilities will stock rainbow trout. Weekly stocking will begin at Lake Accotink Park and alternate weekly with Lake Fairfax throughout the season. The season runs until April 24, from 7 a.m. until dusk. Season passes are available for $35. Season passes are $30 for children ages 11-15 and residents 60 years of age and older. Purchase a daily pass for $10, $9 for children and for those over 60. Fishing regulations include a six fish daily limit, requirement to purchase a park fishing pass prior to fishing. For those over 16 years of age a Virginia issued fishing license is required. A Virginia trout stamp is not required. Call Lake Accotink at 703-569-0285, TTY 703-569-5200. Call Lake Fairfax at 703-471-5414.
Reston Community Center's Senior Classic Movie Showcase at CenterStage, from 10 a.m.- noon. A free continental breakfast is served to movie-goers at 9:15 a.m.
This season's movie schedule is as follows:
May 16: "The Searchers" (1956). One of the greatest Westerns ever made. John Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Civil War veteran who searches the West for his niece who was captured by the Indians. In the course of the film, it becomes difficult to determine whether he intends to rescue her or kill her. Directed by John Ford, co-starring Jeffery Hunter and featuring an 18-year old Natalie Wood.
This film series is intended for people age 55 and older. For further information, directions, or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Reston Community Center at (703) 476-4500 (V/TTY) or visit the Web site at http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com. The Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods, is located in the lower level of the Hunters Woods Shopping Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston.
The 45 Safeway stores throughout Northern Virginia will be accepting donations for the tsunami relief effort. Customers can tell the cashier to add the donation amount to their grocery bill. The funds will be forwarded to the Red Cross and UNICEF. In addition to the in-store fund-raising, the Safeway Foundation will make a cash contribution to relief agencies and will match the contributions of Safeway employees.
The Reston Historic Trust is currently accepting donations of documents, photographs, significant letters and other memorabilia that illustrate the history of the community. Items will either become part of the Historic Trust’s permanent collection, be used as display materials at the Reston Museum or be donated to the George Mason Planned Community Archives for their exemplary collection over 300,000 pieces of Reston-related material.
Donations may be dropped off at the Reston Museum, located at Lake Anne Village Center. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12-6 p.m. Old newspapers, phone directories and other publicly distributed materials are not being accepted. Please contact Lynn Lillienthal at the Museum 703-709-7700, or at 703-966-9546 with any questions.
The Reston Museum is operated by the Reston Historic Trust (RHT). The Trust was founded in 1996 to sustain the unique history of the award-winning, innovative planned community of Reston. The RHT serves the dual role of preserving a sense of community and addressing change. Through displays and programs at the Reston Museum, the RHT is using the past to understand the present and plan for the future. Call 703-709-7700 or visit www.restonmuseum.org.
The 2005 Miss Virginia American Coed Scholarship State Pageant is looking for contestants for the pageant taking place Aug. 11-14, in Richmond. This is an "All Natural" scholarship pageant for girls ages 3-22, which emphasizes academic and volunteerism and natural look. The pageant does not allow makeup on contestants under the age of 13. For an application e-mail contact@msvaamericancoed.com or call 804-305-4239. Visit our Web site www.msvaamericancoed.com.
The Women’s Center of Vienna Virginia will be offering a number of classes and workshops designed to help navigate the different aspects of separation and divorce, starting in April and continuing through August at various locations in Vienna, Fairfax and McLean.
Some of the assorted programs topics include Divorce Through Mediation, Divorce Without Litigation, Dollars and Sense of Divorce, Financial Planning for Separation and Divorce, Helping Your Child Cope With Separation and Divorce, Legal Aspects of Child Support and Understanding Your Right To Marital Assets and others.
Visit the Women’s Center Web site at www.thewomenscenter.org or call 703-281-2657.
The International Center for Language Studies (ICLS), which has been selected to run an ESL (English as Second Language) program for 25 high-school students from France this summer, needs families to house them during each of their two three-week sessions: July 10-July 30 and July 31-Aug. 20.
In the sixth year of this program, ICLS will provide an all-encompassing cultural experience to complement the classroom curriculum. The weekday morning classes — designed to help the students acquire speaking and listening skills in American English — will be followed by afternoon field trips that present examples of history and culture in the Washington, D.C., area. Possible destinations include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Air & Space Museum and many other historical and cultural sites in and around the city.
ICLS is now beginning to recruit families interested in hosting a student. Families will be expected to provide room and board, to help facilitate the student’s use of public transportation to travel to and from ICLS and to include them in weekend activities that will enhance their American experience. The students will have paid for the various incidental costs; a stipend will be paid to each host family.
Contact ICLS at 202-639-8800.
As the Washington, D.C., area gets to revel in the warmth of 70-degree weather, Northern Virginia Alumni Club (NVAC) of the University of Maryland Alumni Association (UMAA) collected more than a 1,000 charitable goods during its 5th Annual ‘They’re Still Hungry’ Food Drive, held Sunday, April 17, at the Giant Food in Reston North Point Shopping
Center.
This annual event is held to assist Reston Interfaith in its efforts to support the Reston and Herndon community. Members and friends of the NVAC collected donations from members of the Reston community and distributed balloons to children. V.J. Meleski of Reston won the raffle for four Nationals tickets.
University of Maryland Alumni Association supports and promotes the university in its pursuits of excellence in teaching, research and public service and to foster a spirit of loyalty, involvement and lifelong commitment to the university by its alumni.
Reston Interfaith is a nonprofit organization serving Northern Virginia that promotes self-sufficiency through support and advocacy for those in need of food, shelter, affordable housing, quality child care, and other services.
The Police Unity Tour announces that it will receive $4,000 from Fairfax County Federal Credit Union as a result of the fund-raiser for the Police Unity Tour. The Community Outreach Committee, volunteer members of Fairfax County Federal Credit Union, created a special fund-raiser to promote the Police Unity Tour held at Fairfax County Federal Credit Union’s main branch located at 4201 Members Way, Fairfax.
Many members and friends of Fairfax County Federal Credit Union made donations to tribute police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Founded in 1958, Fairfax County Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by and operated for members, by members. The credit union exceeds $165 million in assets, and more than 18,000 members. Membership is available to individuals who live, work, worship, attend school or volunteer in Fairfax County.