VA-TF1 Deploys to South Carolina
The Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team, VA-TF1 was activated by FEMA to deploy to South Carolina. VA-TF1, one of the twenty eight elite FEMA USAR teams, departed for South Carolina to assist with the ongoing flooding that is occurring in the region. This is the second deployment for the task force this year. Their most recent mission was an international deployment to Nepal.
Woodson High Hockey to Hold Benefit Game
The Woodson High field hockey team will hold its first Stick It to Cancer benefit game at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct.16. Athletes from all three levels of the field hockey program have worked to raise money for cancer research in honor of their freshman coach who was recently diagnosed with cancer. By selling memory lights and holding an online donation campaign, the team quickly surpassed its initial fundraising goal, which will benefit the American Cancer Society.
Saturday Morning Coffee with Del. David Bulova
This Saturday, Oct. 17, Delegate David Bulova (D-Fairfax) will hold the last of his informal office hours before the 2016 General Assembly session. Constituents are invited to talk about issues of interest and to ask questions about legislation affecting the community. The format is casual and no appointment is needed. The office hours will take place from 8:30-10 a.m. at Jireh Cafe, 13848 Lee Highway, Centreville. 703-310-6754. info@davidbulova.com.
Democratic Women on Domestic Violence
The Oct. 18 meeting of the Democratic Women of Clifton and Northern Virginia (DWCNV) welcomes the general public to this event designed to educate the community about domestic violence occurring in the region. A panel of experts on this issue will discuss trends, causes, treatment and prevention of domestic violence in Northern Virginia and share an assessment tool designed to determine danger to victims attempting to distance themselves from abusers. The panel of speakers will include:
Melanie Dunn-Chadwick who has been working for Fairfax County Public Schools’ FECEP/Head Start program for 34 years, and for the last 15 years, as the Violence Prevention Specialist;
Nora Mahoney, the Family Law Practice Group Chair for Legal Services of Northern Virginia, supervising family law attorneys as well as externs and volunteers across five jurisdictions;
Heather Sarmiento, M.Ed., the Prevention and Education coordinator in the Fairfax County Office for Women and Domestic and Sexual Violence Services;
Jacqui Smith, Domestic Violence detective with the Fairfax County Police Department, Sully District Station, who will speak on her role in investigating domestic violence cases (simple assault and malicious wounding), abduction cases, stalking cases, protective order violations, and telephone threats.
The meeting will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18 at the Clifton Town Hall, 12641 Chapel Road, Clifton from 3-5 p.m. A short business meeting will precede the domestic violence agenda. For more information and to rsvp: cliftonwomendems@aol.com.
Naomi Project Seeks Volunteers
The Naomi Project, a program of Our Daily Bread, is seeking volunteers to mentor at-risk pregnant or newly parenting women in Northern Virginia for a year or longer as appropriate. A training session will be held 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Kelly Square, 10777 Main Street, Fairfax. Spanish-speakers are especially needed. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. A $35 nonrefundable registration fee covers training materials, a criminal background check and food at the training session. A completed volunteer application is required. For more information, visit https://www.odbfairfax.org/NPTraining. For questions about the training session or to obtain an application, please contact us at 703-860-2633 or naomiproject@outlook.com.
FCPS Art Teachers Exhibit Art for American Cancer Society, Oct. 16-17.
Six FCPS art teachers and one substitute teacher will exhibit their work at a benefit for the American Cancer Society on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum. Paintings, drawings, photographs, and fine art jewelry by Kris Killinger of Centreville High, Elaine Florimonte and Kim Basinger of Westfield High, Jayne Matricardi-Burke of Woodson High, Kate Patsch of Fort Hunt Elementary, Angelika (Ana) Schafer of Aldrin Elementary, and substitute teacher Debbie Glakas will be featured at the Recent Works Show and Benefit from 4 to 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 2 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Additional information is available on the event’s Facebook page. The Fairfax Station Railroad Museum is located at 11200 Fairfax Station Road.
Free Lunch to Benefit Make-A Wish
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) will host a free lunch for customers at its Fairfax Corner location (4200 Fairfax Corner West Avenue) on Monday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., to raise funds for Make-A Wish Mid-Atlantic. With a goal of raising $5,000 in just two and a half hours, the Fairfax Corner restaurant will donate the funds raised to Make-A-Wish in an effort to help grant a wish for a local child who is battling a life-threatening medical condition.
Rather than accepting payment for the lunch, CPK is encouraging guests to make a monetary donation in the amount of their choosing in the form of cash, check or credit card with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic. To support the effort, the Fairfax County Fire Marshall, firefighters, as well as Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department and Police will be volunteering in uniform as servers. In addition, students from Virginia International University will also be on-hand to encourage participation.
The free lunch will include the choice between a personal size Margherita pizza or a Waldorf salad, along with bread and olive oil (no alcohol will be served and no other menu options will be available during the fundraiser time frame).
Pathway Homes to Hold Charity Walk in Fairfax
Pathway Homes will host the 16th annual Help the Homeless Community Walk, to aid homeless individuals in Northern Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 24.
“Homeward Bound” is the theme of this year’s event. Participating in a walk is a fun and easy way to give back to the community.
“We are so excited to present this event each year,” says Sylisa Lambert-Woodard, President and CEO.
“Our Help the Homeless Walk is a perfect example of how the community comes together to make a difference in the lives of its citizens. We can transform challenges into opportunities. Each of us has an important role to play in giving homeless men and women in the region not just a hand up, but also hope for a better future.”
Walk begins and ends at Stevenson Place at 4113 Stevenson Street in Fairfax. Sign up as individuals or register as a team. Team awards will be presented in the following categories: families; government; businesses; church groups and religious organizations; primary and secondary school groups, clubs, and classes; university-affiliated groups; adult civic organizations; and community youth groups. Registration $32 per adult and $20 for youth 17 and under. Forms and more information available at www.pathwayhome.org/events.
Pathway Homes has been a leading provider of housing and support services for adults with mental illness and co-occurring disorders in the Northern Virginia region for more than 30 years.
Free Training for Planting Native Plants
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) is offering free Plant Northern Virginia Natives Community Leader Development training on Thursday, Nov. 5 at NVRC, 3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200 in Fairfax.
Residents are invited to join a growing corps of volunteers branching out within their communities to share the benefits of planting native plants. Training is part of the Plant NOVA Natives Campaign Volunteer Community Leader Development program. Training is for volunteers with gardening, landscaping or naturalist experience who would like to help promote the use of native plants in the residential landscape.
Register at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054badac2da6f94-training. For more information contact Corey Miles at cmiles@novaregion.org.