Donna Manz of Vienna has a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut, 1969; studies at Virginia Tech, MBA program, Tourism and Hospitality Management, ongoing. Donna prefers soft news, life-style news, to hard news. Particularly enjoys promoting human interest stories, especially those of the people and civic groups who make Vienna and Oakton a better place to live.
Recent Stories
Incumbents Retain Town Council Seats
Standing under umbrellas, the four candidates running for three Vienna Town Council seats greeted voters in a rain steady throughout most of the morning and early afternoon. The rain wasn’t torrential but neither was voter turnout throughout much of the day.
Safety and Bike Rodeo Teaches Healthy Habits
Child-centered activities held on Town Green on May 4.
Those children on Mill Street on Saturday, the ones in the parking lot across from the Town Green surrounded by Vienna police officers, were not being charged with a traffic violation. They were, instead, being guided around a training course by Vienna police in Vienna’s 2nd Annual W&OD Safety and Bike Rodeo sponsored by the Town of Vienna Bicycle Advisory Committee, Friends of the W&OD and local civic groups and businesses.
Taste of Vienna Brings Community Together
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department fundraiser offered restaurant fare, live entertainment and a moonbounce for kids.
Certainly, Saturday’s almost-May weather contributed to the festive mood at the 2nd Annual Taste of Vienna sponsored by the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department. Abundant sunshine and cloudless blue skies lit up Cherry Street on April 27. Throngs of local families, seniors, teens and babies in strollers milled around food and wine tents, under eating tents and along the stage front, where contemporary pop bands performed. It was the kind of community-spirit day Vienna is known for.
Community Center Expansion Discussed
Open forum on April 23 solicited viewpoints and needs from community.
If you had an unlimited budget—or a magic wand—what would you turn the Vienna Community Center into? Most of the more-than 35 attendees at the Department of Parks and Recreation April 23 forum on the proposed expansion of the community center shared a consensus of what they hoped to see an expanded community center look like (from a large indoor swimming pool with retractable walls to a well-equipped fitness center and regulation-sized gym).
Making Life ‘Greener’ in Vienna
Vienna Green Expo showcases community conservation options.
During the 5th Annual Vienna Green Expo on Thursday, April 18, three Vienna businesses were recognized for incorporating green practices into their business. The Vienna Town/Business Liaison Committee awarded Maple Avenue Market, Vienna Paint and Caffe Amouri with the 2013 Vienna Green Business Recognition Award.
Vienna Woman’s Club Supports Homeless Female Veterans
Club fundraises on behalf of Final Salute, Inc.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there are more than 13,000 homeless female veterans living in the United States; half of them are single mothers. Only about half of the 500 transitional housing programs accept women. These homeless female veterans have fewer resources than male veterans do.
Patrick Henry Library Book Sale Draws Community
Two-day spring sale sells donated books of every genre.
t took a year of planning and collecting, approximately 15 volunteers and more than 2,000 books to carry off the spring book sale hosted by Friends of Patrick Henry Library. The two-day sale, spread over April 13 and 14, took over the front lawn, the event room and an area of the children’s department. When the book sale opened to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, a waiting line had already formed.
Shooting for Stardom
Marshall HS vocalist/songwriter has global fans.
Remember this name: Sammy Hakim. The George C. Marshall High School junior is a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, and holds the record for most weeks at number one on independent charts as ranked by New Music Weekly.
Prom Package Contest Makes Prom a Bit Brighter
Karin’s Florist partners with local businesses to provide prom prize valued at over $1,000.
For 56 years, Karin’s Florist has been part of the Vienna community, serving it at births, anniversaries, proms, weddings, and other special events marking a passage in life.
Pickleberry Pie Adopts Vienna Center for Disabled Students
If you’ve never witnessed the therapeutic power of music, you’ve never seen a Pickleberry Pie-sponsored live performance for hospitalized children or disabled students. Prominent professional performers—from musicians and storytellers to animals—bring their specialties to school or hospital centers or to the hospital rooms of children too sick to leave their beds. Pickleberry Pie, a national service organization with a large network in the D.C. area, funds the performances. Most participating performers hire out at reduced rates as a public service.