‘a charlie brown christmas’ at...

HolidayEntertainment

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Encore To Present ‘An Invitation to Christmas’News, Page 2

Westfield Defeats Madison In Regional FinalSports, Page 8

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’At Westfield

News, Page 3

Alan Gutierrez-Urista is Charlie Brown, and Harry Schlatter plays Snoopy, in Westfield High’s “A Char-

lie Brown Christmas.”

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Attention Postmaster:

Time sensitive material.

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News

See Encore, Page 12

By Bonnie Hobbs

The dancers of Encore TheatricalArts Project are kicking up theirheels with glee, getting ready fortheir upcoming, holiday ex-

travaganza, “An Invitation to Christmas.”The show runs Dec. 7-16 in the Ri-chard Ernst Theater at NOVA’sAnnandale campus.

In the story, the elves at theNorth Pole are super-busy with somuch work to do that they needextra help. So they send out invi-tations to children selected bySanta to attend Elf-TrainingSchool. However, one of the newrecruits is a full-grown man, andhis classmates wonder why he’sthere. He does, too, since hethought he was going on a job in-terview.

The cast of 24 dancers, plusadult guest performers Jack Steinand Allen McRae, have been re-hearsing since August, and Direc-tor/Choreographer Raynor vander Merwe says things are comingalong really well. “We had ourfirst, dress rehearsal and, sud-denly, the characters came to life,”she said. “And many of the per-formers are triple threats — danc-ing, singing and acting.”

“Besides being a visual feast forthe eyes, the show is uplifting —from the story to the music,” shecontinued. “We have lots of newnumbers, plus some old favorites.I look for music that might be fa-

miliar, but not something people will hearover the radio. So I choose songs that movethe story forward, put people in the holi-day spirit and let them escape this busy sea-son for two hours.”

The scenes take place in New York City,Santa’s workshop at the North Pole and

outdoors in a snow-covered, winter won-derland. And van der Merwe describes thecostumes as both “colorful and glamorous.”

“Everybody’s working hard and hasclicked really well,” she said. “It’s a greatunity and, when everything comes together,it’s magic. And that’s what I love about the-

ater — the community of it. Noone does it on their own; thescript, choreography, sets andlighting are among the puzzlepieces that must fall into place tomake something unique and spe-cial. And with a live audience, eachperformance is different.”

Chantilly High sophomore KatePersell portrays Jingles the elf,who supervises the childrenwho’ve been invited to becomeelves. “She’s really cute, but likesto stay organized,” said Persell.“She’s friendly with the kids, butsnarky with the adult trainee. Ienjoy acting, and it’s fun to playsomeone different from my ownpersonality.”

She’s danced with Encore sincethird grade and loves the many,different styles of dance. “I can getmy energy out, it’s a good form ofexercise and I do it with all myfavorite people,” she said. Persell’sfavorite dance is the “Once-A-YearDay” number. “All the elves aredoing a hectic dance, runningaround like crazy, getting ready forChristmas,” she said. “There’s noresting point, and I love rushingwith adrenaline, the whole time.And when we do the final pose, it

feels so good.”Persell said the audience will enjoy the

storyline because “It’s humorous, with thebusinessman in an elf costume that doesn’tfit him. The children in the cast are super-cute and talented, and the dance numbersare spectacular.”

High-schooler Bea Tremblay dances in theensemble and portrays a mail carrier. “Shedelivers the invitations to the kids, as wellas to the adult, George Parker,” saidTremblay. “She’s undercover from the NorthPole, so she’s in New York street clothes. Iwear a U.S. Postal Service hoodie and hat,plus gray slacks. She’s a little mischievousand jolly because she knows she’s handingout invitations to a magical experience.”

Tremblay enjoys taking her character ina humorous direction and working with theother actors and dancers. She especiallylikes the “Santas” number. “We wear bigbellies, wigs, hats, boots and Santa cos-tumes,” she said. “It’s a high-energy dance,and 26 of us are onstage; and it’s so muchfun that I’m smiling the whole time.”

She’s danced since age 10 and is in herfourth year with Encore’s performing com-pany. “The company creates a community,and the other girls and I support each otherand have formed a family,” said Tremblay.“And it’s so nice dancing together withouthaving to compete. We can concentrate on

Encore presents holiday show, “An Invitation to Christmas.”

‘The Dance Numbers Are Spectacular’From left: Faith Chin, Maya Tischler and Tiffanie Jonesare among Encore’s dancers.Multiple Santa Clauses will entertain during Encore’s upcoming Christmas show.

To GoShow times are: Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 8 at

noon, 4 and 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 9 at noon and 4p.m.; Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 15 at noon, 4and 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 16 at noon and 4 p.m.Tickets range from $19-$26 via www.encore-tap.org or 703-222-5511.

Location: Richard Ernst Theater, NOVA campus,8333 Little River Turnpike in Annandale.

From left: Ashleigh Wood, Kendra Walsh, RithikaAshok, Tiffanie Jones and Myra Lawson strike apose. Encore’s Christmas show starts Dec. 7.

Photos Courtesy of Linda Helms Photography

Centre View ❖ November 28 - December 4, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Bonnie Hobbs

Featuring a cast and crew of 45,Westfield High will usher in theholiday season by presenting “ACharlie Brown Christmas.” Al-

though geared for children, it’s somethingthe whole family will enjoy.

The curtain rises Friday-Saturday, Dec. 7-8, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m.Tickets are $8 at the door and viawww.westfieldtheatre.com. At the end, thecast will sing Christmas carols onstage, anda special guest will make a surprise appear-ance.

It’s also a fundraiser for the nonprofitFisher House, which builds homes wheremilitary members, veterans and their fami-lies may stay for free while their loved onesare in the hospital. There’ll be a donationbox in the school lobby, before and afterthe play.

“The show focuses on Charlie Brown’sstruggle to both understand the holidaysand find joy in them,” said Director RachelHarrington. “Eventually, he learns thatChristmas isn’t about the presents and deco-rations — it’s about the friends and familyyou share it with.”

She said rehearsals are going really well,and the set built by the drama parents andstudents will show Charlie Brown’s neigh-borhood and a winter wonderland. Sceneswill also take place at school during theChristmas pageant and outside Snoopy’sdoghouse. And the actors will be dressedto look like the characters in the iconic,“Peanuts” comic strip and cartoons.

“My cast is a group of wonderfully ener-getic students, and they do a fantastic jobof bringing this classic, Christmas story tolife,” said Harrington. “The show will ap-peal to everybody because of its sweet na-ture and holiday theme. It’s a perfect showfor the whole family.” Playing Charlie Brownis junior Alan Gutierrez-Urista. “He’s a 7-year-old experiencing a midlife crisis,” saidGutierrez-Urista. “He’s quirky and lacks so-cial skills, and he claims to be depressed ata time of great joy. That’s his struggle dur-ing the holiday season, but he gets a littlemore confident.”

Gutierrez-Urista is having fun with thisrole because “Charlie Brown is an iconiccharacter and has such a vast personality.He’s so dynamic and goes through a dra-

matic conflict. It’s cool to portray the per-spective of a child and go through his is-sues — and he’s also very funny.”

He’s also enjoying being in a children’sshow because of its “light innocence thatwe, as high-school actors, don’t get to playas much. And it’s fun to rediscover that andidentify with these kids who have theirwhole lives in front of them. It’s also im-portant to give children a good, theatricalexperience so they’ll have an appreciationfor it and might even want to pursue act-ing, themselves, someday.”

Describing the show as “bright and happy-go-lucky,” Gutierrez-Urista said audienceswill like seeing recognizable scenes from theanimated, “Peanuts” classics, “We’ll paint ahuge smile on everyone’s faces,” he said.“And I think everyone will leave happy.”

Senior Harry Schlatter portrays CharlieBrown’s dog, Snoopy. “He doesn’t say much,but he’s the life of the show,” said Schlatter.“He always makes funny side remarks andquips without actually speaking. I use lotsof big movements to show them; my audi-tion was just pantomiming. Snoopy is witty,sarcastic at times and always there forCharlie Brown to lift his spirits.”

Schlatter said it’s “super fun” playing

Snoopy. “It’s my first time doing such aphysically based character, and it’s cool tojust use movement to tell your message,”he said. “I’ll portray him like a human char-acter who just happens to be a dog.”

He said the children in the audience willbe able to relate to the children in the show,and the jokes are “directly for them. OurCharlie Brown is really great, delivering hislines and movements in a childlike way. AndI think my costume’s pretty fun to look at,too”. Playing Lucy is junior Lauren LeVine.“Lucy is really assertive, sassy and a littlemean sometimes because she’s so blunt,”said LeVine. “She and the others are all likelittle adults, characterized as children. She’sa ‘queen’ and thinks she owns everythingand should be given everything. She’sspoiled, too, and takes herself seriously,even though some of what she says is sooutlandish. Her dreams are really big.”

Having a good time with her role, LeVinesaid, “It’s fun because I’m definitely sassyand social, but I would never say some ofthe stuff she says. And because she’s mean,I get to channel another kind of sassy. AndI like it that she dreams big.”

She said the show will remind adults oftheir childhood, while entertaining the chil-

dren. “The music is cute, and everyone willbe left with a warm feeling, no matter whatholiday they celebrate,” said Levine. “Andthere are good messages about being therefor our friends and enjoying life.”

Senior Paul Lee portrays Linus. “He’s aloyal friend to Charlie Brown,” said Lee.“And even though outwardly he has a child-like appearance, inside, he’s very matureand has a lot of wisdom. He’s smart andcan interact with others his age, but he’drather read than play, and he thinks aboutthings logically.”

“It’s my second time playing him atWestfield, and I really enjoy it,” continuedLee. “I feel like I embody him because heand I are both middle children, and we al-ways turn the other cheek. He carries a re-ally soft blanket, and I’ve now become at-tached to it, so I understand how it’s be-come his form of security and comfort.”

As for the show, said Lee, “I really believeit will give the audience a sense of nostal-gia, since it’s always been a cherished,Christmas tradition. And even if peopledon’t have a deep, religious background inthe Christian faith, I want them to have thismoment of awe and be filled with thebeauty of the spirit of Christmas.”

‘Perfect Show for the Whole Family’Westfield Highpresents “A CharlieBrown Christmas.”

Dressed as characters from “Peanuts” are (standing, from left) Jalin Dew, Anna Moritz, Alan Gutierrez-Urista, Paul Lee, Lauren LeVine and Faith Cho, with Harry Schlatter (on floor) as Snoopy.

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Free CarseatInspections

Certified technicians from the Sully Dis-

trict Police Station will perform free, childsafety carseat inspections Tuesday, Dec. 11,from 5-8:30 p.m., at the station, 4900Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. No appoint-ment is necessary. But residents should in-

stall the child safety seats themselves sotechnicians may properly inspect and ad-just them, as needed.

Because of time constraints, only the first35 vehicles arriving on each date will be

inspected. That way, inspectors may haveenough time to properly instruct thecaregiver on the correct use of the childseat. Call 703-814-7000, ext. 5140, toconfirm dates and times.

Roundups


Opinion

During the last week of each year,this newspaper devotes its pagesto the creativity of local studentsand children. The annual Children’s

Connection (including Children’s Gazette,Children’s Almanac and Children’s Centre View)is a tradition of well over a decade.

We welcome contributions from pub-lic and private schools, art classes, in-dividuals and homeschoolers. We pub-lish artwork, poetry, essays, creative writing,opinion pieces, short stories, photography,photos of sculpture or gardens or other cre-ative efforts.

We ask that all submissions be digital so theycan be sent through email or delivered on flashdrive. Writing should be submitted in text for-mat. Artwork should be photographed orscanned and provided in jpeg format.

Some suggestions:❖ Drawings or paintings or photographs of

your family, friends, pets or some favorite ac-tivity. These should be photographed orscanned and submitted in jpeg format. Photosof sculpture or larger art projects are also wel-come.

❖ Short answers (50 to 100 words) to someof the following questions: If you could giveyour parents, family or friends any gift thatdidn’t cost money what would that gift be?What are you most looking forward to in theupcoming year? What do you want to be when

you grow up? What is your favoriteanimal? What is your favorite toy?What makes a good friend?

❖ Your opinion (50 to 100 words)about traffic, sports, restaurants, video games,toys, trends, politics, etc.

❖ Poetry or other creative writing.❖ News stories from school newspapers.❖ Photos and text about activities or events.To be published, we must have the full first

and last name of the student artist/writer.Identify each piece of writing or art, includ-

ing the student’s full name, age, grade andtown of residence, plus the name of theschool, name of teacher and town of school

location. Home schoolers’ contributions arewelcomed.

To send flash drives containing artwork andtyped, electronic submissions, mark themclearly by school and hometown and mail theflash drive to: Children’s Connection (includ-ing Children’s Gazette, Children’s Almanac andChildren’s Centre View), 1606 King Street, Al-exandria, VA 22314.

Please send all submissions by Monday, Dec.3, 2018. The Children’s Edition will publishthe last week of 2018.

You can see last year’s editions by visitingwww.connectionnewspapers.com/PDFs/ andscroll down to Children’s Edition.

Email submissions for the Children’s Editionto the following editors:

For Burke, Clifton, Fairfax, Fairfax Station,Great Falls, Herndon, Lorton, McLean,Reston, or Springfield, email to KemalKurspahic [email protected].

For Arlington, Potomac, CentreView,Chantilly, Alexandria and Mount Vernon,email to Steven Mauren,[email protected]

Get creative and sendart, poetry and more.

Call for Submissions to Children’s Edition 2018

Editorial

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

@CentreView

Newspaper ofCentreville

Little Rocky RunA Connection Newspaper

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Steven Mauren Editor, 703-778-9415

[email protected]

Jean CardProduction Editor

[email protected]

Bonnie HobbsCommunity Reporter, [email protected]

Andrea WorkerContributing Writer

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ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Debbie FunkNational Sales703-778-9444

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David GriffinMarketing Assistant

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Classified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

[email protected]

Editor in ChiefSteven Mauren

Managing EditorKemal Kurspahic

Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly,

Ali KhalighProduction Manager:

Geovani Flores

[email protected]

A Connection Newspaper

By Joe Fay

Executive Director,

FACETS

Fifteen years ago,two Fairfax menfroze to death

during the fall. At thetime, FACETS was a non-profit that was primarily servingmeals to the county’s homeless inpartnership with several churches.FACETS’ leaders knew that feed-ing people only to send them backinto the extreme cold was not agreat answer for the growing num-ber of people who were homelessin the community.

That winter FACETS respondedby offering temporary shelter inconjunction with its partnerchurches, the Lamb Center, andSalvation Army to get people infrom the cold. The first year, thesehypothermia shelters rotated toseveral different churches andonly opened when the tempera-tures dropped below freezing.Soon the centers were serving upto 60 people on cold nights.

The program has evolved as theregion’s population has grown. In2006, FACETS worked on policiesand procedures with the countyand formally began managing cen-tral Fairfax’s Hypothermia Preven-tion and Response Program. This

year 36 churches will behost sites for the pro-gram with more than 50churches and other faithcommunities providingvolunteers.

These faith commu-nity partners rotatewhen opening their

doors to provide shelter. In antici-pation, churches and temples arepreparing their facilities to wel-come people in need during thecold months ahead — cleaning,getting supplies, and preparing thespace. Other volunteers are plan-ning menus. Unique partnershipshave formed as a result of the pro-gram as Christians, Muslims, Jews,and more join together to help thehomeless and in the process learnabout each other.

The effort also matured beyondjust providing safe haven. Guestsnow receive life-changing casemanagement. By interacting withguests at the shelters, FACETS’case managers are able to addresstheir needs in a very personal wayby gaining their trust and connect-ing them with housing solutionsand critical services. They also re-ceive a variety of services from thecounty.

Last year 283 guests were givenshelter from the biting cold. Morethan 3,800 people volunteered

33,000 hours last season to carefor these guests who are homeless.By the end of season, 41 of thesepeople had left homelessness be-hind and were housed.

This year’s Hypothermia Re-sponse and Prevention Programbegan the Sunday of Thanksgiv-ing weekend and runs seven nightsa week through April 1. With theprojected cold and forecasts of avery snowy winter season, de-mand is expected to grow.

This year 36 churches will be host sites for the hypothermia program withmore than 50 churches and other faith communities providing volunteers.

Bringing People in from the Cold

The hypothermia program con-tinues to adapt to the times tomeet the needs of strugglingneighbors. Through a coordinatedeffort that involves broad crosssections of this caring community,we are able to strengthen the com-munity and save lives. To learnmore, donate or volunteer, visit usat www.FACETSCares.org.

FACETS is a Fairfax-based nonprofitworking to prevent and end homelessness.

Photo contributed

This year’s Hypothermia Response and Prevention Pro-gram began the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend andruns seven nights a week through April 1.


News

Linda Sperling isrunning to rep-resent the

Springfield District onthe Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors.Sperling, a Democrat,will challenge Republi-can incumbent PatHerrity in the Nov. 5, 2019 general elec-tion.

“The decisions made by the FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors affects thedaily lives of all county residents. Fromwhere we can find a job and buy a home tothe quality of our schools, the lengths ofour commutes and the safety and securityof our families, local government impactsthe most important aspects of our lives,”said Sperling in a press release. “I am run-ning to represent the Springfield District onthe Fairfax County Board of Supervisorsbecause we deserve representation by aleader who is driven by a desire to serveand improve the lives of others. Unfortu-nately, we have been represented for toolong by someone who uses his political plat-form to further an ideological agenda, in-stead of serving the communities and con-stituents he was elected to represent.”

Her family moved to Fairfax County in1982, and she is raising her family here.Sperling attended Fairfax County PublicSchools and graduated from George MasonUniversity. She is a former professor of com-munications at both George Mason Univer-sity and Northern Virginia Community Col-lege — Annandale Campus and has volun-teered for a number local community orga-nizations.

Sperling is a commissioner on FairfaxCounty’s Transportation Advisory Commis-sion and a trustee on the Little Rocky RunBoard of Trustees. She is an ambassador forthe Greater D.C. Diaper Bank and a mem-ber of Virginia’s 10th Congressional DistrictDemocratic Committee. She is the formerchair of Little Rocky Run’s Community Ac-tivities Committee and the former treasurerof the MOMS Club of Clifton/Centreville.

Sperling has spent the past 20 years work-ing in the field of marketing, and she is cur-rently the director of marketing communi-cations for Aspire Lifestyles. Former employ-ers include Network Solutions, WorldComsubsidiary UUNET, the American Society ofAssociation Executives (ASAE), and theAmerican Society for Industrial Security(ASIS International). During her career, shehas been responsible for brand develop-ment, marketing strategy, media relations,and corporate communications. Her areasof expertise include managing teams andbudgets, maintaining client relationships,supporting new business development, andsupport provision for multiple mergers, ac-quisitions, and divestitures.

Sperling and her husband Mike — aFairfax County native who graduated fromRobinson Secondary School and VirginiaCommonwealth University — live inClifton’s Little Rocky Run community withtheir two sons and Linda Sperling’s mother.For more information about Linda Sperling,visit her campaign website at https://www.sperlingforsupervisor.com, follow hercampaign on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SperlingForSupervisoror follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LindaDSperling.

Sperling Targets HerritySeeks Springfield District supervisor seat.

The Fairfax County PoliceDepartment’s Crash Reconstruc-tion Unit is investigating after a

pedestrian was hit and killed just before 7p.m. Monday, Nov. 26. Detectives have pre-liminarily determined that 33-year-oldRainer Montero Castillo, of Chantilly, wasattempting to cross at the intersection ofWestfields Boulevard and Sully StationDrive. The driver of a Nissan Murano trav-

elling northbound on Westfields Boulevardhit the man as he was walking in the road.There is no marked crosswalk at that inter-section.

Montero Castillo was taken to a hospitaland was pronounced dead. The driver re-mained at the scene and is cooperating withdetectives. Neither speed nor alcohol ap-pear to be factors. At this point, no chargesare expected.

Fatal Pedestrian Crash in Centreville

The Northern Virginia ElectricCooperative’s group of employeevolunteers, NOVEC HELPS, is col-

lecting new toys for children and new giftsfor teenagers for the Northern Virginia Fam-ily Service’s Gifting for Families programand the United States Marine Corps ReserveToys for Tots drive.

New unwrapped toys and gifts may bedropped off 8:15 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Fri-day, until Friday, Dec. 7, at the NOVEC of-fice at 10323 Lomond Drive, Manassas.

“Stocking our Gifting for Families toycloset with toys designed to foster creativ-ity, learning and fun brings holiday cheer

to 2,200 children in NVFS programs,” saidSarah Crosley, Northern Virginia FamilyService (NVFS) director of events. “Supportfrom NOVEC and its employees truly bright-ens the holidays for these children and theirfamilies.” Crosley suggests giving teens suchgifts as science kits, sports equipment, andmovie tickets.

NOVEC, headquartered in Manassas, Vir-ginia, is a not-for-profit corporation thatprovides electricity to more than 169,000metered customers in Fairfax, Fauquier,Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, andClarke counties, the City of Manassas Park,and the Town of Clifton.

NOVEC HELPS Collecting Toys


See Holiday Wishes, Page 11

By Kelly Lavin

Our Neighbor’s Child

So much time and so little to do.Wait a minute. Strike that. Re-verse it.” — Willy Wonka Holi-day assistance volunteers every-

where know what it means to have muchto do and little time, and Our Neighbor’sChild volunteers are no exception.

This year will mark the 27th holiday sea-son that ONC has coordinated the collec-tion and distribution of holiday gifts formore than 700 western Fairfax families.Planning begins in the summer and schoolcounselors and social workers begin refer-ring families in September, but the clockreally starts once the intake ends in Novem-ber.

Jen McGee’s students from Stone MiddleSchool are among the first to “report” fortheir ONC duties. Each year they have theimportant task of making more than 5,000ornaments that will hold the label with achild’s wish on it. “I’ve had a great group ofkids this year, between 8-16 each weekworking hard to reach that goal of 5,000ornaments. A 9th grader spent 7 hours overthe weekend to make sure the last 350 weredone.”

During that week, Nicole Rogers (ONC’sleader of Data Management) scrambles toverify the last of the family referrals, check-ing for duplication with other local organi-zations and entering the wishes into thedatabase. By the end of the week VirginiaRun resident Lisa Rennyson hosts a “label-ing party” where her son Jay and his friendsmake sure the labels are firmly attached andsorted into bags for over 50 ONC GivingPartners: local schools, churches and busi-nesses who distribute them to the gener-ous supporters who will donate the gifts.

Keeping in touch with the Giving Partnersare Burke resident Kathleen McDonald(Businesses) and Haymarket resident DianeChurch (Schools and Churches). Hundredsof emails go back and forth in just a fewweeks in order to coordinate this giving ef-

fort.ONC has no paid staff and all public do-

nations go directly to items delivered to achild in need. Any overhead (office space,copy paper, ink, etc.) are paid by ONC’sfounding partners. To make the best use ofits donations, ONC leverages its non-profitstatus to benefit from programs like Hel-mets R Us and Firstbook to purchase itemsat a discount. Fewer book purchases willbe necessary again this year thanks toBarnes & Noble at Fair Lakes who havemade Our Neighbor’s Child the designatedrecipient of their holiday book drive for thesecond season in a row. Diane Church wearsa second volunteer hat and coordinates thebook giving for ONC. “We really appreciatethe Barnes and Noble customers who con-tribute a book through this effort and wehope they appreciate knowing that thebooks will be delivered to deserving chil-dren from schools near the Fair Lakes store.”

ONC accepts referrals from schools inCentreville, Chantilly, Clifton and Fairfax(Fair Lakes).

Each year ONC leadership begins the sea-son “homeless” in the sense that it must finda new empty warehouse building with own-ers who will agree to its temporary occu-pancy for the purpose of sorting and pack-aging the gifts for nearly 2,000 local chil-

dren. The location is provided to volunteers(and not published) as the location is onlyapproved for staging and not a family pick-up location. Coach Kyle Simmons and hisstaff work alongside Westfield’s footballteam as they help ONC unload tables, chairsand other equipment necessary to the ef-fort. The next afternoon Coach Verbanic’s

Community

Join Effort To Fulfill Holiday Wishes“

Karen Fiala with her “Ground Zero” team and preschool students from one of the six local preschools thathelp ONC collect toys each year.

How to Help❖ Saturday, Dec. 8, from (9 a.m.-11): General gifts are being collected at Rocky Run Middle School

outside Door 1. Ourisman Chantilly Toyota, 4135 Auto Park Circle in Chantilly, has also offered to serveas an ONC gift drop-off location, beginning Dec. 1.

❖ Sunday, Dec. 9: Set-Up Day - from noon-2 p.m.❖ Thursday, Dec. 14, Packaging Day - in shifts starting at 9 a.m. and lasting all day.❖ Sunday, Dec. 16, Delivery Day - from 1-4 p.m.More details are available on the ONC website at www.ourneighborschild.org.Families wishing to support a local child’s wish (and who aren’t affiliated with ONC’s local giving

partners) can find them on ONC ornaments on trees at the Chantilly and Fair Lakes Walmart.ONC provides gifts for children enrolled in school, and the most requested gift for teens is clothes.

But teens prefer to try on and choose things for themselves, so ONC is trying to provide as many giftcards as possible with the funds it raises. Anyone willing to sponsor a $25 gift card for a teenager mayclick “Donate” on the ONC website for information on PayPal, Venmo and the mailing address for checks.

The Chantilly High School Lacrosse team helps with clean-up — never apopular “sign-up” choice but critical to ONC’s ability to continue to serve. John O’Neill and the Receiving Team.

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Holiday Entertainment

Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artwork encour-aged.

PET ADOPTIONSAdopt a Dog. Saturdays, 12-3 p.m. at Petco,

13053 Lee Jackson Highway. Visit hart90.org formore.

Adopt a Dog. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. at Petco, 13053Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy. Adopt a puppy ordog.Visit aforeverhome.org for more.

Adopt a Dog. Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. at PetSmart,12971 Fair Lakes Center, Fairfax. Adopt a puppyor dog. Visit www.lostdogrescue.org for more.

THURSDAY/NOV. 29Letter Writing: Make a Quill. At Ellanor C.

Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly.Bring homeschool students (ages 6-12) or groupof students for hands-on learning designed toenrich understanding of Fairfax County history.Explore food production from garden to table,play historical games and make a toy. Bring apicnic lunch and stroll the park before or afterthe program. Children must be accompanied byan adult. Call for times, 703- 631-0013 or visitonline at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

SATURDAY/DEC. 1Deck the Halls. 2-4 p.m. at Sully Historic Site,

3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly. This tour,for participants age 12-adult, focuses on thehistory, style and materials used in the seasonaldecorations that adorn Sully for the holidays. Aspart of the program, create a wreath to takehome using cuttings from the historic property.Then enjoy hot cider and cookies. $20 perperson. Children must be accompanied by aregistered adult. Call 703-437-1794 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site.

Winter Wonder Campfire. 5:30-7 p.m. at theWalney Visitor Center in Ellanor C. LawrencePark, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly. Bundle upand come discover how animals survive the chillof winter. At the “Winter Wonder Campfire,”meet some exhibit animals and learn theirstrategies for battling the cold. End the eveningwith toasty s’mores. Designed for participantsage 4-adult. $8 per person. Call 703-631-0013or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

Joyful Music in Clifton. 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30p.m. at Clifton Primitive Baptist Church, 7200Main St., Clifton. Art Guild of Clifton presentsQuest Singers in three holiday music programs,opening this festive season. Tickets not required.Free will donation sustaining Art Guildscholarship program appreciated.Horse paradeat noon. Holiday Homes Tour, 4-7 p.m. Call703-830-8466 or visitwww.artguildofclifton.org.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/DEC. 1-2Holiday Train Show. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.;

Sunday, noon-4 p.m. at the Fairfax StationRailroad Museum, 11200 Fairfax Station Road,Fairfax Station. The Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum will host its 29th annual holiday trainshow with a multitude of model trains to includeZ, N, HO, LEGO, S, O, Standard, and G scales.Bring broken locomotives to the “Train Doctor.”Admire the antique cars visiting for this event,weather permitting. Visit the gift shop forholiday gift items and Santa may stop by to visit.Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under,free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call 703-425-9225.

SUNDAY/DEC. 2Artist Reception and Talk. After 10:15 a.m.

worship at The Gallery at The Church of theGood Shepherd (United Methodist), 2351Hunter Road, Vienna. Featuring “Peace Like aRiver” art exhibit by Alice Nodine of mixedmedia paintings. The exhibit will be open duringchurch office hours Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 2p.m. and on Sunday mornings from 9-noon. Theexhibit also will be open during the church’sPuppy Nativity event on Saturday, Dec. 8 from10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nodinewill donate a portion ofthe proceeds to Columbus County DisasterResponse, for flood recovery efforts in NorthCarolina, where she grew up. Visitwww.GoodShepherdVA.com for more.

AYDO & AYSE in Concert. 2-3 p.m. at ChantillyHigh School, 4201 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly.American Youth Debut Orchestra and AmericanYouth String Ensemble present “Italian Holiday,”featuring music by Vivaldi, Longfield, Pucciniand Billy Joel. $10. Visit www.aypo.org/18-19-season/ for more.

AYCO & AYSO in Concert. 5-7 p.m. at ChantillyHigh School, 4201 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly.American Youth Concert Orchestra presentsmusic by Von Suppe, Bizet, Vaughn Williams,and more. American Youth Symphonic Orchestrapresents music by Herbert, Vivaldi, Tchaikovskyand Tchaikovsky/Ellington. $10. Visitwww.aypo.org/18-19-season/ for more.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY/DEC. 6-9“The Diary of Anne Frank.” Thursday, 3 p.m.;

Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m. at OrmondStone Middle School, 5500 Sully Park Drive,Centreville. The Stone Players present “TheDiary of Anne Frank.” $7. Seewww.itickets.com/events/408118.html.

SATURDAY/DEC. 8Holidays at Walney Farm. 1-2:30 p.m. at the

Walney Visitor Center in Ellanor C. LawrencePark, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly. Turn theclock back in time and celebrate the season withthe Machen family at Walney Farm. Learn aboutgifts and foods from an 1850s farm, create ahistoric holiday ornament, take a wagon ridealong the trails and enjoy hot apple cider andtreats around the campfire. Designed forparticipants age 3-adult. $10 per person. Call703-631-0013 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

SUNDAY/DEC. 9Holiday Craft Day. Noon-4 p.m. at the Fairfax

Station Railroad Museum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. Holiday crafts, somefeaturing train related themes, will be on theagenda. Craft supplies are included withadmission. Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15, $2; 4and under, free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call 703-425-9225.

Cara Patrick, a CentreviIle HighSchool senior, will perform as theSugar Plum Fairy.

‘The Nutcracker’Enjoy this holiday classic with the Mia Saunders

School of Ballet and support local dancers andCVHS students. Proceeds for this annual traditionwill benefit CVHS Drama Scholarships and St. JudeChildren’s Research Hospital. Saturday-Sunday,Dec. 8-9, 3 p.m. in the Centreville High SchoolTheater, 6001 Union Mill Road, Clifton. Tickets are$12. Tickets available at the door and presale [email protected]. Visitwww.miasaundersballet.com/ for more.


Sports

By Will Palenscar

The Westfield Bulldogs(12-0) hosted and wonthe Virginia 6D Re-gional Final in

Chantilly against MadisonWarhawks (10-2) on Nov. 24. Thetwo teams played earlier in theyear in a conference matchup inwhich Westfield prevailed 17-15.Heavy rains and freezing tempera-tures would have an impact on thegame.

After deferring the opening kick-off to Westfield, Westfield’s SaadiqHinton bobbled the opening kick-off, which was recovered by Madi-son deep inside Westfield territory.Moments later Brandon Walkerrushed in for the game’s openingpoints on a 22-yard run. After asuccessful extra point by DavidLouden, Madison led 7-0.

In the second quarter bothteams fought the adverse weatherconditions and were unable to putany points on the board. Westfielddid have a possession in the finalminute of the half, but WestfieldCoach Kyle Simmons elected totake a knee and regroup in thelocker room for the second half.

Just prior to Westfield kickingoff to Madison. Westfield’s JoeClancy shouted out to teammateson the sideline, “8 points wins this.Madison will not score this half.”Madison received the second halfkick. Moments later duringWestfield’s next possession, TaylorMorin was inserted in the Wildcat

formation, which seemed to ignitethe Bulldogs, with Eugene Asanteand Morin running the ball. But itwas Asante, the defensive playerof the year in the Concorde Dis-trict, who was inserted in thebackfield, who burst towards theend zone before being stopped in-side the 5-yard line. Asante wouldthen rush in from 4 yards out, giv-ing Westfield their first score with9:50 to play in the third quarter. Asuccessful extra point by RileyNugent deadlocked the score at 7-7. Later in the third quarter, Madi-son was able to stop a Bulldogsdrive resulting in Westfield seniorRiley Nugent’s 21-yard field goalto give the Bulldogs a 10-7 advan-tage under deteriorating condi-tions.

Then in the fourth quarter,Asante again came up big runningin from 1 yard out, essentially clos-ing the door on any Madison lategame heroics. Asante finished thegame with 114 yards and twotouchdowns on 17 carries. RileyNugent was again successful onthe extra point, giving Westfield a17-7 victory.

Westfield improved to (13-0)and their 37th consecutive win.They advance to play in the statesemifinal game on Dec. 1 at 1 p.m.,against Freedom- Woodbridge(12-1), who were winners overWT Woodson (11-2). For Madison(10-3) a valiant effort came up justshort.

Clancy was correct about hold-ing Madison scoreless in the sec-

Westfield Defeats Madison in Regional Final

The Westfield Bulldogscelebrate as the 6Dregional champions aftera 17-7 win over Madison.

Madison QB Patrick Berry has the attention of Westfield’s Dylan Gepford #11, JoeClancy #6, and Aron Dishun #9.

John Finney II #13 hits Westfield’s Joe Clancy #6 afterClancy’s reception.

Westfield’s Maxi-mus Wysocki #36

looks to bring downIsaiah Daniel #23.

ond half but may have underesti-mated his team would score 17second half points.

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News

A small celebration was held Saturday, Oct.20, in the Gate Post Estates community, awayfrom the crowds of Centreville Day, but still

commemorating an important piece of the town’s his-tory. Senior Girl Scouts Lauren and ElizabethBradshaw coordinated and emceed a rededicationceremony for a Revolutionary War-era family cem-etery that is the final resting place of one of thefounders of Centreville and Patriot, John Orr, andhis family.

As part of their Girl Scout Silver Award, the 13-year-old twin sisters coordinated the effort to cleanout and preserve the Orr Family cemetery which islocated in their neighborhood. Their completedproject was commemorated with a half-hour cer-emony attended by 52 friends and neighbors.

The ceremony opened with the presentation offlags by a four-person color guard from the FairfaxResolves chapter of the Sons of the American Revo-lution costumed in 18th century uniforms. Remarkswere given at the ceremony by Del. Tim Hugo (R-40) along with Lidia Soto-Harmon, the CEO of theGirl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital. MaryLipsey from the Fairfax County Cemetery Preserva-tion Association, addressed the group, and the Rev.Carol Hancock, Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church,delivered an invocation.

The Orr Family cemetery is located in Gate PostEstates on a land that is owned by the homeowners’association, but it had fallen into disrepair and be-come overgrown in the last 30 years. Clean-out ofthe cemetery involved clearing weeds, vines, andundergrowth, cutting saplings and dead trees, remov-ing trash and branches, and raking and baggingeighty bags of leaf litter and debris.

Working in conjunction with Lipsey, the girls lo-cated field stone head stones and foot stones fromthe 1790s and identified 28 graves. To preserve thegrave area, stone markers were encircled with peagravel to delineate them, and 3,000 periwinkleground cover plants were planted. Volunteers placedseven tons of gravel to create a walking path through

the cemetery, and the area was spruced up with 12truck loads of mulch. Kline Memorials of Manassas,owned by Chris and Rick Burroughs of Gate PostEstates, donated a granite marker at the entrance tothe small cemetery.

Lauren and Elizabeth began work on this projectover the summer when they contacted and gave pre-sentations to numerous historic and civic groups inthe area to raise awareness and funds for the project.Clean-out began in mid-July, and over the weekendsinvolved more than 300 man-hours of work by 50volunteers from Girl Scout Troop 3327, the AlphaRho Chapter of Eta Sigma Alpha: the NationalHomeschool Honor Society, Gate Post Estates neigh-bors, and other friends.

Lauren and Elizabeth presented their project onthe main stage at Centreville Day and then wereawarded a Young Historians’ Grant by the Friends ofHistoric Centreville. In their remarks, the Girl Scoutsthanks local businesses who contributed to theirproject: Kline Memorials, RulyScapes, Davey Tree,Luck Stone, Village Landscapes, Home Depot, andLowes, in addition to monetary donors: FairfaxCounty Cemetery Preservation Association, FairfaxResolves Chapter of the Sons of the American Revo-lution, Del. Tim Hugo, Anthony Cascio of Centreville,and Jim and Carline Grove of Kennesaw, Ga. TheSilver Award is the second highest award Girl Scoutscan earn.

Lidia Soto-Harmon, the CEO of the GirlScout Council of the Nation’s Capital, withSenior Girl Scouts Lauren and ElizabethBradshaw.

The ceremony opened with the presentation of flags by a four-person color guardfrom the Fairfax Resolves chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution costumedin 18th century uniforms.

Girl Scouts Restore CemeteryTwin sisters earnSilver Award.

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Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

... Not gently by the stream, and not by yours truly, either. Yet another task that seems beyond this homeowner’s ability.

that which that doesn’t make me happy. Throw in a lung cancer diagnosis and the last thing my re-

to do is anything which doesn’t put a smile on my

work ranks up there with most household tasks that a typical able-bodied homeowner takes pride

Sharp objects, mechanical objects and/or electrical/spinning/rotating objects, objects with

pliers, etc. No power tools. Nothing electrical that re-

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they didn’t really realize what they were missing.

and hung on a nail in the bathroom down the hall

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passed on their instincts and priorities to the their

home repairs, yard work, tools and what to do

other homeowner-type tasks. -

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as a salesman.

and other than taking out the trash and the rub-

skills.

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Mow, Mow, Mow Your Grass ...

Community

From Page 6

Holiday Wishesfootball team from Flint Hill in Oakton helpsmove the equipment into place and helpwith other needed set-up while a groupfrom Westfield’s Interact Club kicks off thedecorating. Students from Westfield,Chantilly and Centreville High School makeup the warehouse “labor” force year afteryear.

Leadership students from all threeschools’ Student Government classes fillvarious roles within the warehouse as thegifts begin to arrive. They help unload thegifts from the Giving Partners and take themto Braddock Ridge’s Karen Fiala and herteam at “Ground Zero.” Gifts are checkedand tags are secured before they go to “Re-ceiving” where ONC’s John O’Neill leads ateam equipped with scanners to record eachgift’s arrival. O’Neill is the architect of ONC’scustom software that has made it possibleto continue running an assistance operationon this scale with so many personalizedwish details.

There are opportunities for members ofthe community to join in Set-Up Day (Sun-day, Dec. 9 from 12-2 p.m.) Packaging Day(Thursday, Dec. 14 in shifts starting at 9a.m. and lasting all day) and Delivery (Sun-day, Dec. 16) from 1-4 p.m. More detailsare available on the ONC website(www.ourneighborschild.org).

Families wishing to support a local child’swish (and aren’t affiliated with one our lo-cal Giving Partners) can find ONC orna-ments on trees at the Chantilly and FairLakes Walmart. General gifts are being col-lected at Rocky Run Middle School on Sat-urday, Dec. 8, from 9-11 a.m. OurismanChantilly Toyota has also offered to serveas an ONC Gift Drop Off location beginningDec. 1.

ONC provides gifts for children as longas they are enrolled in school, and the mostrequested gift for teens is clothes. Recog-nizing that the best gift for a teen is theopportunity to try on and choose that giftthemselves, ONC is trying to provide asmany gift cards as they can with the fundsthey raise. Anyone willing to sponsor a $25gift card for a grateful teen can click Do-nate on the ONC website for informationon PayPal, Venmo and the mailing addressfor checks.

ONC has seen a slight reduction in thenumber of families requesting assistance inthe last two years, but there are still somevery dire circumstances among those on thisyear’s list. Several homeless families arehoping to have a permanent address beforewe deliver, and a family with a child with abrain tumor diagnosis and, beyond theemotional impact, the financial impact islooming. Many families on the ONC list aremaking ends meet on a monthly basis, butstruggle with the added expenses of theholiday season. ONC volunteers are grate-ful for the opportunity to provide a littlestress relief for the parents and holiday joyfor their children. It’s a big job in a smallamount of time, but something our caringcommunity has succeeded in doing for 26years. We are looking forward to anothergreat season and we can get it done. Wejust need a little help from “our neighbors.”


From Page 2

News

Crime Report

the art and performance quality.”Calling the show “fun-loving and happy,” she said,

“We have lots of little kids acting, too, and they’rereally doing a great job. We’ve got bright and beau-tiful costumes, and the set puts you in the Christ-mas spirit as soon as you see it. We also have coolprops, neat vocal numbers and a lot of actors whomake it what it is.”

High-schooler Becca Perron plays Digits the elf.“She works in the mailroom and is very serious,”said Perron. “She doesn’t like her supervisor, Dally,because she bosses her around. Digits also thinksDally is lazy and she should have her job. She’s funto play because she’s not like me, and being an elf isjust the best time. I get to be over-the-top and reallylet myself go.”

It’s Perron’s ninth year with Encore and sixth withits performing company. She likes the “Rag Dolls”number because, she said, “We get to make reallyfunny faces and expressions as Raggedy Anns andAndys. And we especially like it when the kids inthe audience laugh.”

“As a group, we put so much passion and love into

our shows,” she continued. “So when we see a bigaudience, it’s just the greatest feeling. We’re well-known for our professional sets and performancesthat set us apart from other dance groups.”

High-schooler Faith Chun plays an elf namedCookie. “She loves baking treats and has an ener-getic personality,” said Chun. “She gets excited aftermaking cookies and other baked goods, but is disap-pointed when they’re all gone. It’s fun playing herbecause of her energy, and I’m sometimes that way,too.”

Chun’s favorite dance is “Rockettes,” during whichthe dancers wear white leotards with white fluff inback and have their hair in high ponytails. “I like thatstyle of dance, with the kickline, and the number hasboth fast and slow parts,” she said. “We have sharpposes, so we have to really be in synch.”

Dancing since age 3, it’s her seventh year with En-core. “Dancing is always my passion,” said Chun. “Itmakes me happy and is my favorite thing to do. Ittakes me away from my stress and schoolwork, and Ireally enjoy doing it.” Regarding the show, she saidaudiences will like “the storyline and the dance styles.It will allow them to connect to Christmas in a differ-ent way and is enjoyable to watch.”

Encore Presents Holiday ShowEncore’s dancers always perform a Rockettes-themed number during their shows.

The following incidents were reportedby the Sully District Police Station.

BURGLARY: 14330 Green TrailsBoulevard (Centreville ElementarySchool), Nov. 23, 6:36 p.m. Officers re-sponded to a school alarm anddiscovered two windows broken nearone of the entrances. Once inside, addi-tional damage was found throughoutseveral areas of the school.

BRANDISHING: 13000 block ofBraddock Road, Nov. 19, 5:31 p.m. A32-year-old man from Manassas wasinvolved in a traffic altercation withanother motorist. The man reportedlypointed a firearm at the other driver.Officers stopped him and found a loadedhandgun hidden in the car. He wascharged with brandishing a firearm.

ROBBERY: 6400 block of SelbyCourt, Nov. 17, 11:37 p.m. The victimagreed online to meet a man outside thetownhomes at this location to sell himshoes. After handing the suspect one ofthe shoes so that he could inspect it, theman then demanded the victim handhim the other shoe. The victim com-plied, and the suspect ran away with theshoes to the rear of the townhouses. Awitness directed officers to the homeinto which the suspect ran. They ar-rested an 18-year-old man fromManassas, inside the home along withanother teenager at the same locationwhom he was working with to set up therobbery. Both suspects were interviewedby detectives and the man was chargedwith robbery. Petitions are pending for

the juvenile.BURGLARY: 6000 block of Skylemar

Trail, Nov. 15, between 7 a.m. and 5p.m. The victim arrived home to find hisbasement window smashed and thehome rummaged through. Several gunswere stolen from the home.

NOV. 27LARCENIES14900 block of Braddock, purse from

vehicle13900 block of Gothic Drive, bicycle

from residence14500 block of Lee Jackson Memorial

Highway, merchandise from businessNOV. 26LARCENIES5700 block of Bent Tree Lane, pack-

age from residence

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‘a charlie brown christmas’ at...

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