People

Obituary: David Allan Buffmire

David Allan Buffmire, 59, of Kents Store, Va. died April 6, 2014 at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville of complications from pneumonia and cancer.

FAREWELL TO BEV

All my memories of former Councilwoman Beverly Beidler seem to involve motion. I remember how joyfully she moved and how happy she was dancing the Virginia Reel during Marion's Music Hall, a fundraiser to help get Marion Van Landingham elected.

Spring2ACTion Raises $1,031,282

Fundraiser Benefits Nonprofits

Alexandria's annual online giving day, Spring2ACTion, generated a record-breaking $1,031,282 for 121 Alexandria nonprofits in 24 hours on April 9.

Dillon and Kelly Engaged

Mr. and Mrs. Francis Edward Kelly III of Midlothian, Va., happily announce the engagement of their daughter, Caitlin Wood Kelly, to Zachary Matthew Dillon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Matthew Dillon of Centreville.

Burke Resident Recognized for Volunteer Service

Wayne Chiles, a member of Springfield Rotary Club, raises awareness of ShelterBox.

President Barack Obama, along with ShelterBox USA, has recognized Burke resident Wayne Chiles with the President's Volunteer Service Award as a result of his efforts to help victims of disasters throughout the world. Chiles has worked to raise awareness and funds for ShelterBox, an organization that provides shelter for those affected by disasters and humanitarian crises.

Class of 2015 Presented with Class Rings

South County High School juniors celebrate with solemn ceremony.

In a solemn and formal ceremony, members of the South County High School Class of 2015 received their class rings, marking an important milestone and the symbolic transition into becoming upperclassmen.

‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ Discussed in Lorton

Event was part of ‘American Women: The Long and Winding Road.’

Right before Carly Fiorina, the first woman CEO of a Fortune 20 company, began her first day as CEO of Hewlett-Packard in 1999, she prepared for questions she thought she might receive regarding innovation and future growth of the company. After all, she was the first outsider and non-engineer to lead the company, so she wanted to think about those important questions.

Considering the Effects of Mass Incarceration

A Public Forum on Criminal Justice Sentencing Reform held in Burke.

There is a racial disparity in the number of people incarcerated in the United States. Nearly one in ten black men in their thirties is in jail. This number has increased due to the war on drugs, which has also seen a racial disparity in the numbers of those convicted.

Clifton Resident Shares Stepdaughter’s Story

Debbie Sausville’s stepdaughter Lauren died after underage drinking in 2004.

As part of Alcohol Awareness Month, Debbie Sausville of Clifton is continuing her work with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), speaking out against underage drinking.

Annual Alexandria Invitational Cheerleading Competition

Quinn Davis, 6 years old, with family friend Jennifer Catton at the annual Alexandria Invitational Cheerleading Competition on Saturday, April 5. A member of the Mount Vernon Tigers, Youth Level 2, she finished first place.

MetroStage Presents ‘The Thousandth Night’

MetroStage is presenting the one-man-show, “The Thousandth Night” now through May 18. The play stars Marcus Kyd as a quick-thinking comic actor in a traveling company of players who are stuck in Paris during the occupation of France. He is facing his deportation for “propagating subversive material,” so in his last effort to save his life, he performs his show for the last people (the audience) who may have his fate in their hands. “Guy tells the gendarmes a series of stories, to be sure, but his own story is the backbone of the entire play,” said Kyd who plays 36 different characters using various hats and scarves from his trunk.

Betting on PetConnect Rescue

Raising funds to save animals from high-kill shelters.

It was a “place your bets on the pets” night — and the pets won. Last Saturday, Potomac’s PetConnect Rescue held its first fundraising gala in Chevy Chase called Casino Night, hosting more than 240 people for a sellout evening.

International Night at Hybla Valley

Hybla Valley Elementary held an International Night on Thursday, April 3. Student-made decorations were used by the physical education, art and music teachers to transform the hallways into several Halls of Nations. Even the ceiling was lined with kites inspired by international cultures.

Have Harmonica, Will Mentor

94-year-old Jack Hopkins hosts weekly gathering.

There are harmonicas that fit into pant pockets and there are harmonicas two feet long. There are harmonicas for guitar accompaniment and harmonicas designed for orchestras. Alexandria resident Jack Hopkins, co-founder of the 23-year-old Capitol Harmonica Club, has at least 16 different types and has been playing since he was six years old. The instrument has taken him to a variety of places and brought him a number of opportunities.

Teens Are Most in Need of Foster Care Homes

Virginia's largest age group in need of homes is between 16 to 18-years-old.

At 54 years old, Julie wanted to be an adoptive parent for over a decade. But it wasn't until last year that she finally brought a child home. Single, she had recently left her federal government position and felt like she was ready. In May, she welcomed her 17-year-old foster son into her McLean home. "For me I was never a parent before," said Julie. "So I had to run fast and catch up."

The Connection