People

Hometown Hero

Salvation Army honors Gandee, ServiceMaster for community service.

ServiceMaster of Alexandria owner and president Jane Gandee was honored May 13 by the Salvation Army National Capital Area Command for her company's dedication and support as a community partner to the organization.

A New Way for Seskey To Serve the City

Six months ago, Joseph Seskey was an Alexandria police sergeant overseeing logistics for special events. Today he’s traded in his police badge for a new one, as deputy director of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and the city’s chief animal control officer

Resources for Seniors, Family Members and Caregivers

Senior Services of Alexandria

Alexandria’s seniors can benefit from a vast array of services and programs available through local non-profits and city programs, but it may be challenging to know where to start. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to get information about what is available to seniors living in the City of Alexandria:

Rebuilding Together Alexandria: Southern Charm

Alice* is a D.C.-native who moved to Alexandria in the 1970s for a job. She and her husband built a life in this “sleepy, southern town,” eventually buying a home. They watched as the small town grew into a bustling mini-metropolis, spurred by the Metro. Despite the growth and change, Alice believes her neighborhood was “just as lovely then as it is now.”

A New Mission

Veteran to teach yoga to fellow veterans.

After 12 years in the U.S. Air Force, Arlington resident Natasha Glynn is taking a step in a new direction. Thanks to a fellowship with the non-profit organization The Mission Continues, Glynn will spend the next six months teaching yoga to fellow veterans in the D.C. Metropolitan area.

Over $45,000 Raised for Fragile X

Second Annual Fragile X Walk hopes to raise $50,000.

Families and friends of those with Fragile X gathered at Burke Lake Park last week to participate in the second annual Fragile X walk.

Once Cramped, Outdated; Now Modern, Efficient

When the Fairfax County Animal Shelter was built in the early 1970s, it was intended to be a dog pound to handle stray and homeless dogs. Renovated in the mid-1980s, it increased the number of kennels from 48 to 72 to better care for dogs in isolation and quarantine.

Honoring the County’s Devotion to Animals

Shelter’s renovation and expansion are celebrated.

Residents, politicians and even four-footed alumni flocked to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on Saturday, May 17, to celebrate completion of its renovation and expansion. It was a long time in coming, so it made the event even sweeter. “We’re making history today for the animal shelter, Animal Services division, police department and county,” said shelter Director Tawny Hammond. “Fairfax is a national role model and leader, and it’s a very exciting day.”

Group Assembly Proposal Could Limit Home Gatherings

Residents voice opposition to proposal at public meetings.

After a heated public meeting on a proposed change to the Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance, which would limit gatherings of more than 49 people to three times in a 40--day period in a residential dwelling, Leslie Johnson, the zoning administrator for Fairfax County, told residents she doubts the proposal will go any further, based on the feedback that has been received.

Column: You and I Should Lead in Mental Health Response

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Unfortunately, we as a community and as a Commonwealth have not prioritized and advocated for mental health outreach and service solutions. The heartbreaking suicides by local high school students, the well-publicized suicide of Senator Creigh Deeds’s son after help could not be found, and the disproportionate numbers of our veterans struggling with mental health challenges all highlight the critical need to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and address the difficulty in finding treatment.

Honored for Enthusiasm and Dedication

West Springfield Senior Natalia Rivero Nogales recognized by Hispanic Leadership Alliance.

When Natalia Rivero Nogales graduates in a month from West Springfield High School, she plans on majoring in psychology so she can become a counselor and help people, something that she says is her goal in life.

Bringing Hope and Health to Lorton

Hope and Health Festival provides health information and screenings for area residents.

In the south county area, many residents have trouble receiving health care, says Linda Patterson, executive director of the Lorton Community Action Center. It was this struggle to access care that was behind the motivation for the Hope and Health Festival, a collaborative effort between the Lorton Community Action Center, South County Church, and the Lorton Library.

Potomac Almanac Wins Awards

Kenny Lourie won first place for sports column writing in the 2013 Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association contest. The awards were announced on Friday, May 16, 2014 at the MDDC Press awards luncheon. Lourie’s column was entitled “This Spud’s for You,” and addressed the controversy over the Washington’s NFL team’s name. Lourie suggests: “I would like propose a name-compromise of sorts. Why not change the name to The Washington Redskin Potatoes?” Read his column here: http://www.potomacalmanac.com/news/2013/nov/06/column-spuds-you/

‘Look Around and See the Smiles’

Special-ed students enjoy Day Prom at the Waterford.

Last Thursday, May 8, some 400 students got all dressed up and went to their prom at the Waterford in Fair Oaks. Once there, they had professional photos taken, ate pizza, sang karaoke, laughed and hung out with their friends. And when the music played their favorite songs, they filled the dance floor and showed off their coolest moves.

Three Generations Sing Togather

On May 3, Choir Recognition Sunday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Suzanne Brock, her daughter Lisa, and two grandchildren all sang at the same service; and at times, all three choirs were singing at the same time.

The Connection