Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.comAugust 17-23, 2016 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Former Gang MemberReveals What That Life Is LikeNews, Page 5

Create a Back-to-School Game PlanA+, Page 8

Former Gang MemberReveals What That Life Is LikeNews, Page 5

Create a Back-to-School Game PlanA+, Page 8

‘Inspiration’ to Animal ShelterNews, Page 3

‘Inspiration’ to Animal ShelterNews, Page 3

Page 8

Shelby Mysel (left)and Tara Sanknerraise money forthe Fairfax CountyAnimal Shelter.

2 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

21800 Towncenter PlazaSterling, VA 20164703-450-5453

1051 Edwards Ferry RoadLeesburg, VA 20176703-771-4688

www.sterlingappliance.com

Crime

The following incidents were reportedby the Fair Oaks District Police Station.

TRESPASSING/TRAFFIC PUR-SUIT/ARREST: 2500 block of JamesMadison Drive, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m. Of-ficers responded to a report of alarm hitsat a local high school. Upon arrival, of-ficers observed five men flee in avehicle. A short pursuit ensued beforethe vehicle came to a stop. An 18-yearold Vienna man was charged withspeeding to elude and trespassing. Twoother 18-year-olds and two juvenilemales were charged with trespassing.

ASSAULT/ESCAPE/APPREHEN-SION: 10600 block of Page Avenue,Aug. 14, 7:08 p.m. Officers responded toa report of an assault between three ju-venile males who were in custody at theless-secure facility. One juvenile fled thebuilding and was apprehended a shortdistance away and returned to the facil-ity. Petitions for assault by mob andassault on law enforcement were ob-tained for two juvenile males. Thevictims did not require medical atten-tion.

COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 4000block of Majestic Lane, Aug. 12, 1:10a.m. An employee reported that twomen entered the convenience store, dis-played a handgun, and demanded cash.One suspect fired one round and bothfled on foot. The victim did not requiremedical attention. Both suspects weredescribed as black, approximately 5 feet9 inches, one heavy-set, and one with athin build.

INDECENT EXPOSURE: Fields Bri-gade Road / Tall Timbers Drive, Aug. 9,9:30 a.m. A woman was walking on apath when a man allegedly exposedhimself. The suspect was described asblack, 23 to 30 years old, wearing awhite T-shirt and white shorts.

AUG. 12-14LARCENIES11900 block of Fair Oaks Shopping

Center, purse from residence1800 block of Fountain Drive, purse

from business13700 block of Sayward Boulevard,

wallet, clothing and phone from busi-ness

3300 block of Willow Crescent Drive,phone from business

AUG. 12LARCENIES11300 block of Aristotle Drive, liquor

and prescription medication from resi-dence

12000 block of Lee Jackson Memo-rial, driver’s license from business

13000 block of Lee Jackson MemorialHighway, wallet from business

AUG. 11LARCENIES2300 block of Dulles Station Boule-

vard, sunglasses from business12100 block of Fairfax Towne Center,

rings from business4200 block of Hunt Club Circle, wal-

let and phone from vehicle3900 block of Penderview Drive,

items from residenceSTOLEN VEHICLES1100 block of Fair Oaks Shopping

Center, Honda CVR 1000RR motorcycleAUG. 10LARCENIES12300 block of Lee Jackson Memorial

Highway, laptop computer from resi-dence

AUG. 9LARCENIES12000 block of Lee Jackson Memorial

Highway, laptop computer from busi-ness

4000 block of Monument CornerDrive, items from residence

The following incidents were reportedby the Sully District Police Station.

BURGLARY: 5800 block of Robey’sMeadow Lane, Aug. 13, 1:25 p.m. Aman reported that someone took prop-erty from his residence. Suspectinformation was developed and turnedover to detectives.

INDECENT EXPOSURE/ARREST:New Braddock/Montero Drive, Aug. 13,6:32 p.m. A woman was walking on asidewalk when a man pulled up in avehicle and called out to her. As shewalked closer to the vehicle, she ob-served the suspect touching himselfinappropriately. She used her cell-phoneto video the suspect in his vehicle andnotified police. Officers were able toidentify a 24-year-old Centreville manas the suspect. He was arrested, trans-ported to the adult detention center,and charged with indecent exposure.

ARMED ROBBERY: 6400 block ofPaddington Court, Aug. 10, 1:23 a.m.The victim reported to police that hewas sitting in a vehicle when he wasapproached by a man who displayed ahandgun and demanded property. An-other man also approached the victimand demanded property. The suspectstook the man out of his vehicle, tookproperty, and fled on foot. The suspectswere described as black, approximately20 years old, and 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feettall.

SUSPICIOUS EVENT: 13800 blockof Poplar Tree Road, Aug. 6, 4:30 p.m.An 11-year-old boy was playing“Pokémon Go” in the area. A man ap-proached him while in a blue sedan andtold him to get into the vehicle. Thechild ran and alerted an adult to whathappened. The vehicle also left the area.The man was described as black, 40 to50 years old, had a goatee, and a short

afro hair-style.BURGLARY: 13000 Big Yankee

Lane, Aug. 5, 1:40 p.m. A resident re-ported someone entered their yard andstole property.

AUG. 12-14LARCENIES3600 block of Concorde Parkway,

wallet from business12600 block of Old Yates Ford Road,

bag, wallet and phone from vehicle6000 block of Stallion Chase Court,

cash from residence4900 block of Stonecroft Boulevard,

phone from residenceAUG. 12LARCENIESOld Centreville Road/Chelsea Place,

tires from vehicleAUG. 11LARCENIES14300 block of Chantilly Crossing

Lane, merchandise from businessAUG. 10LARCENIES4100 block of Hamlin Court, sun-

glasses and electronic device fromvehicle

13700 block of Lynncroft Drive, wal-let and credit cards from vehicle

14000 block of Lotus Lane, valuablesfrom residence

15000 block of Ponderlay Drive, pre-scription medication from vehicle

4900 block of Stonecroft Boulevard,property from residence

14300 block of Uniform Drive, jacketfrom vehicle

AUG. 9LARCENIES4900 block of Fox Creek Court,

driver’s license from vehicle6400 block of Paddington Court, elec-

tronic device from residenceAUG. 5-7

LARCENIES13900 block of Big Yankee Lane,

power washer from residence13800 block of Braddock Road, wal-

let from business6400 block of Melstone Court, bicycle

from residence6300 block of Shirey Lane, phone

from residence14000 block of Woodmere Court,

cigarettes from residenceAUG. 5LARCENIES6000 block of Deer Hill Court, license

plate from vehicle15300 block of Twin Creeks Court,

golf clubs and power tools from resi-dence

AUG. 4LARCENIES4300 block of Chantilly Shopping

Center, jewelry from business5400 block of Middlebourne Lane,

items from vehicle13500 block of Point Pleasant Drive,

jewelry from residence15000 block of Ponderlay Drive,

medication from vehicle14200 block of Saint Germain Drive,

gun from vehicleAUG. 3LARCENIES5700 block of Barrymore Road, purse

from vehicle14100 block of Gabrielle Way, guns

from residence5500 block of Stroud Court, bicycles

from residenceAUG. 2LARCENIES6200 block of Simpson Patent Court,

items from vehicle4900 block of Stonecroft Boulevard,

phone from residence11500 block of Wild Acre Way, items

from residence

Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Free Carseat InspectionsCertified technicians from the Sully District Police Station will

perform free, child safety carseat inspections Thursday, Aug. 18,from 5-8:30 p.m., at the station, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. inChantilly. No appointment is necessary. But residents should in-stall the child safety seats themselves so technicians may prop-erly inspect and adjust it, as needed.

Because of time constraints, only the first 35 vehicles arrivingon each date will be inspected. That way, inspectors may haveenough time to properly instruct the caregiver on the correct useof the child seat. Call 703-814-7000 to confirm dates and times.

Immunizations for SchoolFairfax County Health Department offers administration of

school-required immunizations free of charge. Parents can havetheir children immunized in preparation for school at any of theHealth Department’s five clinics in Annandale, Herndon/Reston,the City of Fairfax, Mount Vernon, and Springfield.

The Health Department is offering extended walk-in hours forschool-required immunizations and tuberculosis screening at allclinic sites:

❖ Monday, Aug. 22, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.❖ Monday, Aug. 29, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.❖ Tuesday, Sept. 6, 8 - 10 a.m.For information about the clinics, immunizations, and records,

visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/immun/immunupdate.htm.

Care about Social Studies?Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is seeking public com-

ment on basal resource materials under consideration for use insocial studies courses in kindergarten through high school. Areview committee composed of community members, adminis-trators, and teachers will meet in the coming weeks to reviewand recommend new social studies materials to the School Board.Citizens are encouraged to review materials under considerationand provide comments.

Social studies basal resource materials are available throughFriday, Sept. 9, for public review. Hard copies of the resources aswell as access information for digital resources will be availablein the welcome center at Willow Oaks administrative buildinglocated at 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031.Willow Oaks is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5p.m. Extended hours will be provided until 8 p.m. on Tuesday,Aug. 23, and Thursday, Sept. 8.

Dairy Days at Sully Historic SiteSully Historic Site is hosting Dairy Days. Participants age five

to adult can churn butter, crank ice cream and play historic gamesfor a taste of 18th-century life. Hour-long sessions will be held at1, 2 and 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26. The cost is $7 per person.Children must be accompanied by an adult. The tour cost is sepa-rate. Sully Historic Site is located at 3650 Historic Sully Way,Chantilly. For more information, call 703-437-1794 or visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site/.

Interested in Citizen CorpsCouncil?

There is an opening for a Sully resident to serve on the CitizenCorps Council. The Citizen Corps is FEMA’s grassroots strategyto bring together government and community leaders to becomeinvolved in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience.

For additional information, follow the link to its website:www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem/citizencorps/. If you’re interestedin volunteering, contact Laura Floyd atlaura.floyd@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Summer Parent Clinic ReturnsThe Fairfax County Public Schools Office of Intervention and

Roundups

See Roundups, Page 5

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

Tara Sankner and Shelby Mysel are twoyouths with big hearts and a love for ani-mals. And for the second year in a row, they

held a fundraiser for the Fairfax County Animal Shel-ter.

“I don’t like the way some people treat their dogsand cats badly and just abandon them,” said Tara.“But the shelter takes them in and takes care of them,so we wanted to raise money for it.”

“The shelter can use it to help get the food andmedicine the animals need,” added Shelby.

Tara, 11, a rising sixth-grader at Lees Corner El-ementary, and Shelby, 12, a rising seventh-grader atLanier Middle School, sold items they made them-selves. Using paracord, a type of nylon rope, theycreated brightly col-ored potholders, drinkcoasters, bracelets andanimal collars.

Then on Saturday,Aug. 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., they set up atable inside the shelterto offer their wares.And they picked a goodday for it. Saturdaywas “Empty the ShelterDay,” when all the nor-mal adoption fees werewaived, so even morepeople than usual wentthere to adopt animals.

Last year, in a simi-lar fundraiser, the girls raised $588 for the shelter.But this time, their goal was $800 — and they madeit. Whenever there was a lull at their table, theywalked around with a donation jar, seeking contri-butions from everyone there. By 1:15 p.m., they’draised more than $700; and by the time they weredone, their grand total was $809.25.

“I’m incredibly proud of them,” said Shelby’s mom,Karen Mysel. “It’s just awesome what they do, andI’m excited that they came up with other ideas aboutwhat they wanted to make. Last year was just

potholders. And they’re already thinking about whatthey’ll make next year. They’ll even begin makingeverything earlier so they’ll have a bigger inventory.”

“We started working on them, the middle of sum-mer,” said Shelby. “But we were both busy with otherstuff, so we had to find the time.”

Not surprisingly, both girls have dogs of their own.Shelby has a 2-year-old Golden Retriever namedCoco, and Tara has a 4-year-old Labrador/boxer mixnamed Caroline. And, said Tara, “Shelby’s dog is hi-larious.”

“I like laying on the couch with her and playingfetch with her,” said Shelby. “We’ll throw a ball in theyard, and Coco will sometimes get excited while run-ning, put her head down and fall over. She’s called aGolden Retriever, but she’s not that good at retriev-ing.”

As for Tara, she especially likes snuggling with herdog. “When Caroline lays down, she always wantsme to pet her stomach. And when I stop, she pushesmy arm down with her paw so I’ll pet her more. She’salso active around guests and happy to see them.”

For example, saidShelby, “When Tara and Ihave sleepovers, Carolinewill come over and lick myface. And I’m like, ‘Really,Caroline, I’m trying tosleep.’”

So it was only natural,then, that the two friendsheld a fundraiser for theanimal shelter. “I just thinkit’s touching that theywant to give back to theshelter,” said Tara’s mom,Tammy Sankner. “Andthey’re selfless to want todo this during their sum-mer break. This was their

own idea that they carried over from last year to thisyear, making an even bigger fundraising goal thistime.”

For their part, shelter personnel were delighted.“We are very thrilled that these girls care so muchabout the animals that they’re willing to spend somuch time making all the great things they’ve madeand donating the proceeds to the shelter,” said CindySbrocco, the animal shelter’s volunteer coordinator.“They’re an inspiration for all the staff and volun-teers.”

‘Inspiration’ to Animal ShelterLocal girls raise moneyfor the facility.

Shelby Mysel (left)and Tara Sanknerhold their hand-made potholders,dog collars andbracelets.

Photo by

Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

“We are very thrilled that thesegirls care so much about theanimals that they’re willing tospend so much time making allthe great things they’ve madeand donating the proceeds tothe shelter.”

— Cindy Sbrocco, Volunteer Coordinator,Fairfax County Animal Shelter

4 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

Eric Latcheran, 29, of Chantilly’sPoplar Tree Estates community, isa busy person. He holds down twojobs, performs in bands, has

strong friendships — including a girlfriend— and raises money for Best Buddies, whichpromotes friendships with and jobs forpeople with intellectual disabilities.

He also has Down syndrome, but thatdoesn’t stop him from leading a full andhappy life. And last Sunday, Aug. 14, was aparticularly big day for him.

Two years ago, Eric Latcheran was offi-cially installed into the Knights of Colum-bus. He belongs to the Father Nudd KnightsCouncil of St. Timothy Catholic Church inChantilly. Since then, he’s been promotedto a fourth-degree officer in the Council andgets to wear a uniform — and he’s thrilledabout it.

“On Sunday, he participated in his firstceremony in full regalia,” said his mother,Gina Latcheran. “The ceremony began inSt. Timothy and concluded at the CalvaryCemetery. The Knights went there to lay awreath at the gravesite of Father Nudd, thefirst pastor of St Timothy, and for whomEric’s Knights Council is named. Despite the100-degree heat, Eric looked very cool.”

Noting how proud he is to belong to theCouncil, she said, “The Knights’ missions ofpatriotism, charity, unity and fraternity havealways been important to him. And thisCouncil assists him in fulfilling those mis-sions in their shared community.”

The Chantilly High grad has been in-volved with the Knights of Columbus forquite a while, and it means a great deal tohim. “Eric proudly displays his Knightsbadge, sits in church with his brotherKnights on many occasions and greets hisfellow parishioners,” said Gina Latcheran.

He’s also pleased that, via their statewideorganization, KOVAR, the Knights raisemoney to provide financial assistance forpeople with intellectual challenges like him.

KOVAR charities include Best Buddies,Special Olympics and the interPLAY Com-pany Band, in which Eric performs at theStrathmore in Maryland. And, said Gina

Latcheran, “That’s what attracted Eric to thisparish fraternity, in the first place.”

On Sunday, she said, “When he finisheddressing in his Knights of Columbus FourthDegree Color Guard regalia for the cer-emony remembering Father Nudd, I couldtell this was one of Eric’s proudest moments.He is my hero, and this took my breathaway.”

But Gina Latcheran also has many otherheroes, especially those who open theirhearts to people with cognitive and physi-cal challenges. “They believe they are giv-ing, but discover that what they’re gettingin return is the real gift,” she said. “So mylist of heroes grows daily.”

Among them are Eric Latcheran’s girl-friend Melissa and her family, the interPLAY

Company Band, Zydeco bands that EricLatcheran accompanies on his washboard,and his co-workers at Wildflour Deli andCatering and Piero’s Corner Italian Restau-rant. Also on Gina Latcheran’s list are spe-cial needs advocacy groups, Special Olym-pics athletes and volunteers, plus EricLatcheran’s former teachers, camp counse-lors and therapists who, she said, “will for-ever impact his life.”

But this week, Gina Latcheran recognizesthe Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Actsof the Apostles Assembly No. 2411 who,after a year of providing training and sup-port for Eric Latcheran, “fulfilled a dreamfor my son by inviting him to join the ranksof their Color Guard in full regalia for thefirst time.”

REGISTRATION OPENRegistration is under way now for

fall 2016 classes offered by Adult andCommunity Education (ACE). Brushup on computer skills, learn a newlanguage, try a new culinaryadventure, or pump up a résumé. Seefall course offerings atwww.fcps.edu/is/ace.

AUGUST SCHEDULE CHANGESJubilee Christian Center, Fairfax,

4650 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, haschanged the mid-week schedule asfollows: Aug. 11, VBS open houseand refreshments, 6 p.m.; Aug. 17,family picnic at the church, 6 p.m.;Aug. 24, no evening activities; Aug.31, family movie night with pizzaand popcorn, 7 p.m. Wednesday

evening Family Night activities willresume Sept. 7, 7:15 p.m. (AdultBible Study, Boys and GirlsMinistries) Also, College Kairos at 7p.m. Call 703-383-1170, or seewww.jccag.org for activities.

SATURDAY/AUG. 20Bike Collection Project. 9 a.m.-noon

at 14931 Willard Road, Chantilly.Collecting bicycles and accessories(along with a suggested $10donation for shipping, not requiredbut suggested). Emailthadseaglemail.com or visitbikesfortheworld.org for more.

MONDAY/AUG. 29Volunteers Needed. 9:30-11:30 a.m.

or 1-3 p.m. at Deer Park Elementary

School, 15109 Carlbern Drive,Centreville. Volunteers are needed tostuff envelopes. Middle and highschool students are welcome tovolunteer as well to earn servicehours. Sign up atwww.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0B4FACA92EA3FE3-envelope.

THROUGH SATURDAY/SEPT. 3Preschool Enrollment. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

at The Learning Experience, 4150Pleasant Valley Road, Chantilly. VisitThe Learning Experience in Chantilly/South Riding and learn about classesfor ages 2 and older that featureSTEM lessons, sign language and afocus on play with Make BelieveBoulevard. Take advantage of a week-long open house, Monday, Aug. 22-Friday, Aug. 26. Open house is free.

Contacct Judy McClimans atchantilly@TLEchildcare.com or 703-378-7391.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 7Annual SYA Board Meeting. The

Southwestern Youth Association willbe holding its annual ExecutiveBoard of Directors Election Meetingat the SYA Office at 5950 CentrevilleCrest Lane, Centreville beginning at7:30 p.m. The SYA Executive Boardof Directors positions are for a one-year term and include the followingpositions: President, Vice-President,Secretary and Treasurer.Nominations are currently beingaccepted and may be submitted tothe SYA Office atadmin@syayouthsports.org.Applicants must be in good standing

with SYA and at least 21 years of age.This meeting is open to thecommunity. Any questions pleasecontact the SYA Office at 703-815-3362 or admin@syayouthsports.org.

THROUGH FRIDAY/SEPT. 9Public Comment. Fairfax County

Public Schools (FCPS) is solicitingpublic review and comment on basalresource materials underconsideration for use in social studiescourses in kindergarten through highschool. Hard copies of the resourcesas well as access information fordigital resources will be available inthe welcome center at Willow Oaksadministrative building located at8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive,

See Bulletin, Page 7

Bulletin Board Email announcements to chantilly@connectionnewspapers.com. Include date, time, location, description and contact for event:phone, email and/or website. Photos and artwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least two weeks before event.

Eric Latcheran (at far left) and other members of theFather Nudd Knights Council at Calvary Cemetery.

Chantilly resident proud to wearKnights of Columbus uniform.Big Day for Eric Latcheran

Eric Latcheran inside St. Timothy Catholic Church inChantilly.

Photos Courtesy of Gina Latcheran

Chantilly’s Eric Latcheran and hismom, Gina, after Sunday’s Knightsof Columbus ceremony.

Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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News

By Bonnie Hobbs

The Connection

According to police Capt. Bob Blakley, “Eightypercent of the property crimes in the SullyDistrict are gang-related or done by their af-

filiates. And even a higher percentage of the violentcrimes here are done at the hands of gang members– and that’s a huge problem. This year, we’ve hadthree, drive-by shootings into occupied dwellings,one in Chantilly and two in Centreville.”

So to make local residents aware of the situationand give parents tips about how to keep their ownchildren out of gangs, a former gang member ad-dressed the June meetingof the Sully District PoliceStation’s Citizens Advi-sory Committee. How-ever, to protect his iden-tity, since his life would bein danger for speaking outagainst gangs, he is referred to as Griffin.

A Fairfax County resident, now 21, he was initi-ated into a gang at age 16. “I was young and lookingfor some fun,” he said. “Gangs promise you differentthings — guns, drugs, etc. — but it’s all false prom-ises. Once you get arrested, they forget all about you— you’re all alone.”

Saying “Gangs arehorrible for youngpeople,” Griffin saidjoining one was “thebiggest mistake I evermade. Once you’re in,it’s tough to get out.They make you do rob-beries, sell drugs andhunt people down. They tell you to find people whojust got paid and cashed their checks and have cashon them. It’s crazy out there; they just want to makea dollar off of you.”

“Supposedly, the gang shows you brotherhood, butthey don’t care about you,” he continued. “You’reexpendable and easily replaceable. The only ones youcan really count on are your family members.”

Griffin was in and out of trouble as a juvenile, andhe was still in jail when he spoke at the meeting, soarmed officers accompanied him there. But upon hisrelease, he planned to be in the Violent Repeat Of-fenders program and learn a trade.

“When I got arrested [for robbery], it was the worstfeeling ever,” he said. “And it was my first time everin jail. Virginia is one of the four states that can give

you 40 years to life in prison for robbery.”Griffin said gangs populate different areas and,

when one moves into another’s territory, they fight.“There are local and national gangs, and the localgangs — including in Centreville — can have a couplehundred members,” he said. “They’ll recruit kids 13and under because young kids are easier to influ-ence. Although, some of the oldest gang membersare 30-40 years old. What are they still doing in agang?”

As for Griffin, he said, “I used to look up to them,but now I don’t. I think they’re the worst scum of theearth. Every day is a new chance to get out of a gang.So what I’d tell kids considering joining a gang is,‘It’s not worth it. Gangs will use you up and spit youout.’”

He advised parents to pay attention to the waytheir children dress, “especially if they wear super-baggy clothes and start wearing certain colors.” But,he added, “Gangs can be low-key, if they want to.

The Northern VirginiaGang Task Force re-cently raided a single-family house inLeesburg and arrestedgang members, sothey’re cracking down.

But [until then], no one in the neighborhood knewgang members lived there.”

Griffin also said drug use is rampant among gangmembers. “At the time, I took drugs,” he said. “I usedmarijuana and was hooked on Xanax, which numbsyou and makes you feel invincible. A lot of gang mem-bers use it because it makes you not think — you

just go out and rob.”Furthermore, he said,

being in a gang doesn’t re-ally make someone enviedor admired. “When you’rein a gang, you get respectfrom kids,” said Griffin.“But you don’t get it in thereal world, and you can’t

put that experience down on a job résumé.”To keep their children out of gangs, Griffin told

parents to get them involved in sports and other ac-tivities, as well as mentoring programs. “Pay atten-tion to what your kids are doing,” he added. “And sitdown and have family dinners with them and askwhat they’re doing. Ask how their day went and askabout their lives. Find a balance between giving yourkids too much freedom and too little. And be moreinvolved — that could change everything.”

Basically, he said, “Kids have a lot of chances to dosomething else with their lives, and I want to talk tothem and tell them not to join gangs. Now, I appreci-ate that the police are trying to save me. Gettingcaught and arrested was a blessing for me; it waslife-altering.”

‘Getting Arrested … a Blessing’Former gang memberreveals what that life isreally like.

“It’s not worth it. Gangs willuse you up and spit you out.”

— Former gang member

“The only ones you can reallycount on are your familymembers.”

— Former gang member

Prevention Services will again be offering SummerParent Clinic. Parents will have an opportunity toschedule a 45-minute consultative appointment witha school psychologist or school social worker.

Supportive consultation is available for parentswhen children are experiencing social-emotional,behavioral, or academic challenges such as anxiety,attention, poor school performance, bullying, andpoor peer or family interactions. School psycholo-

gists and school social workers will be available toparents for assistance in identifying community re-sources, guidance on how to manage challengingbehaviors, as well as how to work collaboratively withschool teams around issues of academic or behav-ioral concern.

This summer, Parent Clinic appointments will beavailable now through Aug. 19. To schedule an ap-pointment, call the FCPS Parent Clinic at 703-503-2506 or email the Parent Clinic at http://www.fcps.edu/dss/parentclinic/mailform.html.

From Page 3

Roundups

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ChantillyOpinion

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, andin some ways that seems like it can’tpossibly come soon enough.

On Election Day in Virginia, pollsare open from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m., but early votingbegins Sept. 23, about five weeks from now,and voters should have plenty of motivationto vote early.

It’s hard to articulate how much is at stakein the coming election, and it’s not just aboutthe choices for U.S. President. Turnoutwill be extremely high, if not recordbreaking.

Nearly 32 percent of voters nation-ally voted before Election Day in 2012, accord-ing to census data, compared with just under30 percent in 2008 and 20 percent in 2004,the New York Times reported.

There are 19 valid reasons to vote absenteein Virginia, with one that applies to almosteveryone who commutes to work. If you couldbe working and commuting to and from homefor 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7p.m. on Election Day, you qualify to vote “ab-sentee in person.” If you vote absentee in-per-son you will fill out the application when youarrive at the in-person absentee location.

The deadline to register to vote on Election

Day is Oct. 17.Visit the Virginia Department of Elections

website to check that you are registered or callFairfax County Elections office at 703-222-0776.

Virginia has a stringent voter identificationrequirement, plan to bring photo identificationwith you to vote, whether that is absentee oron Election Day. Among accepted ID: valid Vir-ginia Driver’s License or Identification Card;valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card;valid U.S. Passport; other government-issuedphoto identification cards issued by the U.S.Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia,or a political subdivision of the Common-wealth; valid college or university studentphoto identification card from an institution

of higher education located in Virginia;valid student ID issued by a publicschool or private school in Virginia dis-playing a photo; employee identifica-

tion card containing a photograph of the voterand issued by an employer of the voter in theordinary course of the employer’s business. Anyregistered voter who does not possess one ofthe required forms of identification can applyfor a free Virginia Voter Photo Identificationfrom any general registrar’s office in the Com-monwealth. Voters applying for the VirginiaVoter Photo ID Card will have to complete theVirginia Voter Photo Identification Card Appli-cation, have their picture taken, and sign thedigital signature pad. Once the application isprocessed, the card will be mailed directly tothe voter.

While the Presidential election will take topbilling, every seat in the U.S. Congress is onthe ballot, with one hotly contested race inNorthern Virginia.

In Fairfax County, voters will decide whetherto enact a four percent meals tax, a topic vot-ers will hear a lot more about in coming weeks.Bond questions include $120 million in trans-portation bonds for Metro; $107 million inbonds for parks; and $85 million for buildingand renovating senior and community centers,and homeless shelters. More at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bond/

For more information on voting in FairfaxCounty:

Voter Registration: 703-222-0776, TTY 711Absentee Fax: 703-324-3725Email: voting@fairfaxcounty.govElection Officer Info: 703-324-4735, TTY

711Email: elect@fairfaxcounty.gov

— Mary Kimm

mkimm@connectionnewspapers.com

Possible record turnoutshould motivate moreearly voting.

Election 2016: Much at StakeRamping Up toElection Day❖ Sept. 23: In-Person Absentee Voting Begins❖ Oct. 17: Voter Registration Deadline - In-Person: 5

p.m., Online: 11:59 p.m.❖ Nov. 1: Last Day to Apply for an Absentee Ballot by

Mail, Fax, Email or Online: 5 p.m.❖ Nov. 5: Final Day for In-Person Absentee Voting❖ Nov. 8: Absentee Ballot Return Deadline: 7 p.m.❖ Nov. 8: Election Day, Polls Open 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Editorial

By Peggy Knight

President, League of Women Voters

of the Fairfax Area

On Aug. 26, 2016, our nation cel-ebrates the Women’s Equality Dayfor the 96th time. In only four years,

we will be celebrating the centennial of thishistoric day recognizing the ratification of the19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,which gave women the right to vote and tofull citizenship for the very first time.

Many fearless and dedicated men andwomen suffered jail time, physical assaults bythe police and spectators at demonstrations,and insults, during this struggle that lasted overseven decades. However, it was only in 1971that Congress, by resolution, designated thisday as “Women’s Equality Day”. This designa-tion recognized the many sacrifices made bythese courageous women and men to achievethis ratification.

On Feb. 14, 1920, six months before ratifi-cation of the 19th amendment, The League of

Women Voters, was founded by CarrieChapman Catt, President, National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association, during theassociation’s convention. Ms. Catt was awomen’s rights activist and a suffragist, whostated that the vote was the “emblem of equal-ity” for all citizens, men and women.

This year, the League of Women Voters ofthe Fairfax Area [LWVFA] celebrates the selec-tion of the country’s first female nominee forPresident from a major party. While the Leaguenever endorses candidates or political parties,it recognizes this historical achievement forwomen.

The League encourages active participationby citizens. It conducts studies of importantpolicy issues, has monthly meetings duringwhich members discuss these issues, and useseducation and advocacy to influence publicpolicy, at the local level, in the interest of thepublic. It conducts candidate forums so thatcitizens can ask candidates questions, candi-dates can answer those questions and also in-teract directly with the public. LWVFA also reg-

isters voters and provides them with unbiasedinformation about the voting process, issuesof interest, and elections.

To learn more about this organization, pleasego to its website, www.lwv-fairfax.org.

If you have any questions, please contactAdarsh Trehan at PR@lwvfairfax.org or 703-795-7281. You can also contact Peggy Knight,President, at peggy.knight1@verizon.net or703-772-4939

The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area is anon-partisan political organization that encourages in-formed and active participation in government, works toincrease understanding of major public policy issues.

In four years, celebrate centennial of 19thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution,which gave women the right to vote.

Women’s Equality Day is 96 Years Young

WriteThe Connection welcomes views on any

public issue. The deadline for all material isnoon Friday. Letters must be signed. Include

home address and home and businessnumbers. Letters are routinely edited for libel,

grammar, good taste and factual errors. Send to:

Letters to the EditorChantilly Connection

1606 King St., Alexandria VA 22314Call 703-917-6444 or email:

chantilly@connectionnewspapers.com

Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Hondo Davids

Sully District Chairman

The Sully District of the BoyScouts of America held a Twi-Light Summer Day Camp for itsCub Scouts July 25-29. Thirty

Cub Scouts attended, led by adult volun-teers from Sully District and Boy Scoutsfrom Troop 1137 and Troop 577.

In addition, more than 30 adults partici-pated in taking Youth Protection Trainingand provided help as Den Walkers. Specialappreciation went to Den Leaders DawnWinkler, Jim Mata, and Randy Young andalso to activity directors, Jake Marshak,John Arpin, and Dan Palenscar.

The event was held at the Izaak WaltonLeague Fairfax/Arlington Chapter inCentreville. Each day started with a flag

ceremony, the Pledge of Allegiance and DenYells. The evening ended with retiring theflag, one last Den Yell, and making a headcount of Cub Scouts to make sure we didn’tlose anyone. (We didn’t!)

Program Director Chris Davids, and Dis-trict Executive Robert Guers provided theplanning and execution of events that in-cluded BB gun shooting, archery, STEM ac-tivities of catapult building (shooting marsh-

mallows into a tub), building the tallest struc-ture with Gummy Bears and toothpicks, mak-ing putty, and craft activities of leatherwork,making a spaceship, and laser swords.

One night it rained for 20 minutes and ev-eryone went to crafts and made paper air-planes and flew them for accuracy and dis-tance. In the end everyone that attended beatthe heat with cold water available at eachstation and each attendee had a great time.

Learning New Skills at Twi-Light Summer Camp

Activities for Cub Scouts atTwi-Light Summer Campincluded archery, BB gunshooting, building catapultsand making putty.

Photos by

Dawn Winkler

From Page 4

Fairfax. Willow Oaks is openMonday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.Extended hours will be provided until8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, andThursday, Sept. 8.

SEPT. 10-212016 Northern Virginia Senior

Olympics. Online registration willopen July 5. Registration forms willbe mailed to previous participants inlate June and will be available atcommunity and senior centers, seniorresidences and event venues. Theregistration fee of $12, which coversmultiple events, remains the same.Three events have an added fee, tenpin bowling, golf and orienteering.Deadline for registering is Aug. 27(by mail), Sept. 3 (online). Call 703-830-5604 or email

nvso1982@gmail.com for more. Tovolunteer, call 703-403-5360.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 13ESL Class Registration. 7 p.m. at

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 5114Twinbrook Road, Fairfax or 13421Twin Lakes Drive, Clifton. Classes areTuesday and Thursday, 7-9 p.m. andrun from Sept. 15-Nov. 22.Beginning, intermediate andadvanced levels will be offered.Registration fee is $15, text book is$25. Call 703-323-9500 or visitwww.lordoflifeva.org for more.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 17Volunteers Needed. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

at Dulles International Airport.Special Olympics Virginia’s DullesDay Family Festival and Plane Pull islooking for 600 volunteers to help

with all of the events that happenduring this hefty fundraiser. From T-shirt sales, team check in and eventparking to car show monitors, eventgreeters and event clean up, shiftsare offered in the morning orafternoon (or both). All volunteerswill receive a souvenir Plane Pull T-shirt and lunch. Visitwww.planepull.com/View/Page/Volunteer.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 25Anniversary Celebration. 10:30 a.m.

at Hylton Performing Arts Center,Manassas. Join in as Mount PleasantBaptist Church in Herndon, Virginiacelebrates their 150th Anniversary.Anniversary events will be heldthroughout the month of September.These events are free and open to thepublic community. Visitwww.mtpleasantbaptist.org/

150thanniversary for details.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLINGResidents Can “E-cycle” at the I-66

transfer station. It is free but residentsmay be asked to show proof ofresidency. Personal waste only. The I-66station is located at 4618 West OxRoad, Fairfax and open from 8 a.m.-4p.m. from Monday-Saturday and from 9a.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/recycling/electric-sunday.htm for more.

DONATIONSThe Student Auto Sales Program

operating from Centreville HighSchool works in conjunction with theCVHS automotive technology classesto bring in donated automobiles,boats and motorcycles for students towork on. Some refurbished vehicles

are sold, with 75 percent of theproceeds going back to the auto techprogram. The program is in need ofcars, trucks or motorcycles, which arefully tax deductible, for studenttraining. Contact Lyman Rose at 703-802-5588 or by e-maillyman.rose@fcps.edu for more.

Cell Phones for Soldiers is acceptingdonations of old cellphones so thattroops can call home. Patrons maydrop off donations at 14215ECentreville Square, Centreville.

SUPPORT GROUPFair Oaks Parkinson’s Support

Group for people living withParkinson’s disease, caregivers andfamily, meets on the fourth Saturdaymonthly, 10 a.m.-noon at Sunrise atFair Oaks, 3750 Joseph Siewick Drive,Fairfax. Call 703-378-7221 or visitwww.fairoaksparkinsons.com for more.

Bulletin Board

8 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

As a single mother of a fifth gradestudent, Christine Schull is al-ready making back-to-schoolpreparations. Her plans include

more than purchasing notebooks, pencilsand new shoes. She knows that she and herdaughter will have to shift their schedulesand prepare to get back into a scholasticmindset.

“She gets up early every day … but be-cause it is summer, she wants to go to bedlate … about two or three weeks out, I willbe much more firm about her bed time,”said Schull, assistant dean and professor ofEarly Childhood Education at Northern Vir-ginia Community College in Alexandria.“Also, to start getting her academic musclesflexing, I usually supplement with someacademic enrichment. I am hiring someoneto work with her once a week just to giveher a taste of what she will experience infifth grade.”

Whether a child’s summer is packed withcamps and vacations or filled with lazy daysand complaints about being bored, studentsoften find the back-to-school transition tobe challenging. From the prospect of reunit-ing with friends to getting reacquaintedwith homework, it is not uncommon forchildren to experience mixed emotionsabout jumping back into a busy fall sched-ule.

“Going back to school is really more thanjust a one-day event,” said Dr. Lisa Turissini,Ed.D. assistant professor and chair of theDepartment of Education at MarymountUniversity. “This type of transition is aboutthe forming of a new habit. Brain research-ers agree that the forming of a new habitalso includes the breaking of an old one.”

Having a conversation with children andassessing their feelings about returning toschool is a good place to start, recommendsLicensed Clinical Psychologist Jerome Short,Ph.D., associate professor of Psychology atGeorge Mason University.

“Children have a variety of ways of think-ing, feeling, and acting toward the upcom-ing transition back to school,’ he said. “Somechildren are optimistic and excited aboutschool and are already preparing for the firstday. Others may be anxious or avoid think-ing about a new school year, and may needmore support, structure, and encourage-ment from parents to prepare themselves.”

He encourages parents to listen to theirchildren’s concerns and expectations andempathize with their feelings. “Summarizewhat they tell you, and tailor your ap-proach to their needs with their input,”added Short.

It’s not just children who may experienceschool anxiety. Some parents may be wor-ried about their children starting a newschool, changing schools, facing more rig-orous academics or dealing with difficultsocial situations. “Fear of the unknown cancause anxiety,” said Turissini. “Working withyour children to build resilience and man-age their emotions can be beneficial for thewhole family. Children are extremely ca-pable of dealing with change, and parentscan help them by creating an environmentat home that encourages them to share theirfeelings about returning to school.”

Reconnecting or connecting with otherparents and students for support can helpwith the transition. “Others may help moti-vate, empathize, or make school prepara-tions fun,” said Short. “There are opportu-nities to increase children’s communicationabilities and social skills if they spend timetogether on school tasks.”

Planning ahead and establishing a regi-mented sleep schedule in August can helpparents get their children acclimated to theearly wake up times for the upcomingschool year. “If you want your child to havea less painful transition back to a new schoolyear, now is the time to take proactive mea-sures to change your child’s bedtime rou-tine,” said Turissini.

“…[It] gives their biological clock timeto adjust so the transition is not so abrupt,”she said. “A regular bedtime and wake uptime will build the needed structure into achild’s schedule, and this new habit will help[a child] to embrace the new routine thatthe school year brings.”

“Don‘t do it all at once, do it gradually,said Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D., dean of theCollege of Education and Human Devel-opment at George Mason University.“Start with [moving your children’s bedtime] one-half hour earlier, then 15 min-utes earlier.”

Other recommend time adjustments in-clude reestablishing routines that mighthave been lost during the summer. “If yoursummer has been schedule-free, get backto some of your old routines now. Startthose regular family meal times or gamenights,” said Turissini.

In addition to rearranging sleep sched-ules, now is the time to tackle back-to-school shopping and schedule doctor vis-its. “Take a day to get those school clothes,school supplies, and backpacks purchased,”said Turissini. “Make sure your child’s physi-cal exam is up to date. You know the schoolmedical forms will be forthcoming.”

Completing summer reading lists andother summer assignments can also get stu-dents ready to learn. “We want students toreturn to school learning ready, whichmeans children should be reading for plea-sure … for about 30 minutes a day,” saidKaren O’Neill, head of Lower School atNorwood School. “Sustained reading is askill that requires practice at home.”

Parents can reinforce a child’s interest inbooks by reading to their child or readingtheir own book while their children read.“Don’t turn on the television in anotherroom while your child reads,” said Ginsberg.“Have a family reading hour. Modeling thebehavior is powerful for the child.” He sug-gests setting challenging and achievablegoals and being mindful of those that couldprove unrealistic. “Start with 20 minutes ofreading and then increase it from there,”he said.

“At least one week before the first day ofschool, create the morning routine that willallow your child to arrive at school withtime to organize belongings, chat withfriends, and create a mindset for learning,”said O’Neill.

Invite children’s participation when cre-ating a back-to-school plan. “From my ownexperience as a parent and educator, it’s best

to engage them in a conversation,rather than telling them what to do,”said Ginsberg. “Rather than being di-rective, be collaborative with the child.Ask them what it is that they thinkthey need to do to get themselvesready.’

Going from a carefree summer to astructured school year packed with ac-tivities can be jarring for some stu-dents. To ease the blow, Turissini sug-gests having candid conversationsabout the upcoming school scheduleand ways in which the family can es-tablish balance.

“Create a family calendar of school,extracurricular, and family activities,”she said. “Allow for some downtimeon the calendar for each child so theycan choose to do whatever it is theywould like. Kids don’t inherently knowhow to add balance to their lives, soas a parent, it is important to look forthe opportunities to model balance athome, work, school, and personal pur-suits.”

To ease anxiety about back-to-school transportation, Michele Claeys,associate head of school and head ofmiddle school for Norwood School,suggests “if your child walks to schoolor takes a bus, walk the route togetheror check out the bus stop together.”Whether traveling by car or bus or onfoot, talk about what the schedule willlook like on school mornings, includ-ing any chores that have to be donebefore leaving the house. Considerinviting your child to write out aschedule for the morning, includingthe time needed for each task.

Claeys also recommends takingtime to review the curriculum for theupcoming year with your children,if it is available, and talk about someof the things they will be learning.“Hopefully this will inspire excite-ment about all the learning tocome,” she said.

Educators tell how tomake the transitionless jarring.

Create a Back-to-School Game Plan

Photo by James Kegley for Norwood School

Science teacher Sarah Boor works with students at Norwood School.Educators say now is the time to prepare children for a return to school.

“Going back to schoolis really more thanjust a one-day event.[It’s] about theforming of a new habit… the forming of anew habit alsoincludes the breakingof an old one.”

— Lisa Turissini Ed.D.,Marymount University

Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

WEEKDAYS • SATURDAYS • EVENINGS 24 HOUR EMERGENCY CAREMET LIFE, DELTA, BCBS/CAREFIRST, & UNITED CONCORDIA PROVIDER

Kiddie Academy of Centreville’sAnnual Summer Carnival

14275 Braddock Rd., Centreville, VA 20120 • 703-349-3419http://educationaldaycare.kiddieacademy.com/academies/centrevilleWhen: Saturday, August 27th • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

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cotton candy, carnival games, and much more!

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

For families considering an independentschool for the 2017-2018 school year, theadmissions process begins this fall. Fromessays and interviews to school visits and

standardized tests, the process for getting into kin-dergarten may feel nearly as daunting as applyingto college.

Narrowing down the vast field of potential schoolsto find the best fit, completing the application andsecuring a slot at one of the area’s top private schoolsare all challenging tasks. That’s why many familiesrely on an educational consultant to help them un-derstand and navigate through the entire process.

“Schools have as varied personalities as studentsdo,” said Mark H. Sklarow, CEO of the IndependentEducational Consultants Association (IECA) inFairfax. “Level of competitiveness, exploration ver-sus memorization, independence versus group work,philosophies of learning, uses of technology, require-ments in sports and the arts … the list goes on.”

When choosing a consultant, avoid those who guar-antee that they can obtain admission to a particular

school or secure a specific dollar amount in scholar-ship funding, advises Sklarow. Additionally, educa-tional consultants should not complete admissionapplication forms or write or re-write student essays.

An educational consultant’s role is to guide studentsand parents through the admissions process. Consult-ants usually begin by meeting with families and get-ting to know the child’s educational needs, identifystrengths and weaknesses, and consider their inter-ests and dislikes. Ideally, consultants combine theinformation they glean from their conversations withthe family with their knowledge of area schools tohelp families decide on schools that are a good fit.

“Consultants can help families select a school thatis the right fit. “Parents need to be realistic abouttheir child’s strengths and weaknesses and learningstyle,” said Mimi Mulligan, assistant head and direc-tor of Admission and Enrollment Management forNorwood School. “All independent schools offer fineacademic programs, but we each have a uniqueschool culture.”

Consultants aim to give students and families un-biased advice and recommendations based on theirprofessional judgment of a student’s needs and abili-ties. Consultants who are IECA members, for ex-ample, have “visited hundreds of campuses to un-derstand the culture beyond the numbers to ensuresuch a successful pairing,” said Sklarow.

Sklarow advises families to begin working with anindependent educational consultant during the aca-demic year before the year they plan to apply to anindependent school.

Educational consultantscan help families navigateapplication process.

Considering a Private School?

What To AskQuestions to ask before hiring an independent education

consultant:1. Do you guarantee admission to a school, one of my

top choices, or a certain minimum dollar value in scholar-ships? (Do not trust any offer of guarantees.)

2. How do you keep up with new trends, academicchanges and evolving campus cultures? How often do youget out and visit college, school, and program campusesand meet with admissions representatives? (The only wayto know about the best matches for you is to be out visitingschools regularly — a minimum of 20 campuses per year.)

3. Do you belong to any professional associations?(NACAC and IECA are the two associations for independenteducational consultants with established and rigorousstandards for membership.)

4. Do you attend professional conferences or trainingworkshops on a regular basis to keep up with regional andnational trends and changes in the law?

5. Do you ever accept any form of compensation from aschool, program, or company in exchange for placement ora referral? (They absolutely should not.)

6. Are all fees involved stated in writing, up front,indicating exactly what services I will receive for thosefees?

7. Will you complete the application for admission, re-write my essays, or fill out the financial aid forms on mybehalf? (No, they should not; it is essential that the studentbe in charge of the process and all materials should be aproduct of the student’s own, best work.)

8. How long have you been in business as an indepen-dent educational consultant (IEC)?

9. What was your background prior to going intoindependent educational consulting? What was yourtraining and education?

10. Will you use personal connections to get me in to oneof my top choices? (The answer should be no. An IECdoesn’t get you admitted — they help you to demonstratewhy you deserve to be admitted.)

11. What specialized training do you have (LD, gifted,athletics, arts, etc.)?

Courtesy of IECA

10 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Lack of Food –For Thought

As I begin my post-chemo week of noteating/having minimal interest in food – andlosing weight accordingly, I can’t help wor-rying and wondering if this is a beginning ofsorts. You see, what little I know aboutmedical outcomes/chronic conditions is thatmaintaining/losing weight is an indicator ofsomething; good, bad or indifferent,maybe, but something. Otherwise, whywould the oncology nurses who take myvital signs: blood pressure, temperature,oxygen level and pulse, always have mestep on a scale? My weight must beimportant.

I don’t suppose gaining weight, however,is nearly the problem/concern that losingweight is, at least when you’re being treatedfor a “terminal” form of cancer as I am:non-small cell lung cancer, stage IV. Andneither do I know if the weight loss occursbecause I don’t feel like eating as I do nowor is it because I’m still eating normally andyet am losing weight in spite of it? I justknow – or think I know, that losing weight isa bit of a harbinger. Now whether it’sreversible, I don’t know. I only know thatwhen it happens to me, every week to 10days after my alimta infusion, I crater emo-tionally – for a variety of other reasons, too,and inevitably begin to contemplate myfuture, or more immediately, my present asit relates to my future. Unfortunately,despite the experience I have dealing withthis 10-day struggle, I can’t always fend offthe daemons.

I tell myself a multitude of very familiarreminders: it’s nothing new, it’s merely thepredictable side effect of the drug;you’ll/your weight will bounce back, youalways do; the treatment is keeping youalive/even shrinking your tumors (based onthe most recent CT Scan); perhaps nowyou’ll be able to extend your infusion inter-val to five weeks (as nine months previous,you had extended it to four weeks fromthree) and have one more relatively normal-feeling/eating week before that next infu-sion; and finally, even if the Alimta stopsdoing its maintenance-type thing (going onthree years), there is now an entire newclass of drugs/treatment: Immunotherapy,“OPDIVO,” as an example, if you’ve seenthe commercial, designed to stimulate one’sown immune system to target the tumorswith fewer side effects, that didn’t existwhen I was first diagnosed, so there aremore treatment alternatives than everbefore and considering my collateral kidneydamage, more choices is particularlyencouraging.

Yet all this internal bucking up, alongwith support from family and friends – whoknow Kenny’s post-chemo eating drill,doesn’t always stop the irrational, illogicaland perhaps ill-conceived thoughts thatpenetrate and permeate whatever self-defense mechanisms I have employed –repeatedly, to stem this tide of negativity. Asmuch as I would like to believe that famili-arity breeds contempt and that my life willgo on with nary-this-being-a-blip-on-my-radar, this “familiarity” doesn’t breed any-thing but anxiety and all the related mentaldeficiencies associated with not exactlyfeeling your oats. And even though I’vebeen here and done it since September,2013, I still never know/can’t know if thislack of eating and/or lack of interest in eat-ing portends or not. Moreover, sometimes Iwonder if the uncertainly is really the killer?I know it’s not the cure.

Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Dental Front Desk/Patient Care Coordinator

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to join progressive general dental office. Dental knowledge a plus, computer

skills a must. Grow as a valued member of our team! Excellent salary and

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Educational InternshipsUnusual opportunity to learn many aspects ofthe newspaper business. Internships availablein reporting, photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and for adultsconsidering change of career. Unpaid. E-mailinternship@connectionnewspapers.com

Sports

BlakeFrancis ofthe 2015-16WestfieldHigh Schoolbasketballteam.

Francis To Play Division 1To attend WagnerCollege in N.Y.

Photo by

Will Palenscar

By Will Palenscar

Blake Francis, who played a large partin Westfield High School Boys’Basketball’s Virginia 2015-16 6A

State Championship, has committed to playat Division 1, Wagner College in Staten Is-land, N.Y. this season.

Francis was a three-year starter forWestfield and became Westfield’s all timeleading scorer with 1,395 points, averag-ing 20.7 points per game, 3.3 steals and 6.2assists per game.

Francis was also named 2nd team all-state,2016 Washington Post All Met, MVP of theNOVA Challenge All Star Game, 1st teamDMVElite All Northern Team, Capital Clas-sic selection, 1st team Northern Region All-Tournament team, 3 time 1st team allConcorde district, and 1st Team all Concorde

District team.Yet with all the honors, Francis waited for

a call. Francis had planned to enroll thisyear at Massanutten Military Academy,however that changed when a scholarshipwas offered. When Francis was asked whathe learned from the experience and thewaiting, he replied, “It was difficult at first,but my family and friends just kept tellingme to control what I can and everythingelse will work out. The only thing I coulddo was finish my senior year strong aca-demically and continue to work on my bas-ketball game. The wait was very hard, butwell worth it because it places me in theright situation for the next four years. “

Thinking ahead of Wagner College,Francis said, “I expect to come in, work hardright from the beginning of camp. I havealways prided myself on being basketballready, but now I will work on adjusting tothe college level of being mentally ready.We have a very good team coming back andI hope to help them do better this year.”

Computer Services Unlimited (CSU)held a “Customer-Appreciation /Get-To-Know-CSU” private screen-

ing of “The Secret Life of Pets” at the newlyrenovated Centreville Multiplex Theaterearlier this momth. To give back to theircurrent clients and meet some other local

businesses, they rented out a theater, pro-vided each company with a gift-card forsnacks and had a gift-basket raffle prior tothe movie. CSU is located at 14240Sullyfield Circle, Chantilly. For more infor-mation about CSU, visit www.CSUinc.comor call 703-968-2600.

Brooke Holdeman (left)won a gift-basket raffleduring Computer Ser-vices Unlimited’s “Cus-tomer-Appreciation /Get-To-Know-CSU” eventearlier this month. Atright are CSU’s ChuckSherman and HeatherFernandez.

Photo Contributed

CSU Shows Customer Appreciation

Business

12 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ August 17-23, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

C E N T R E V I L L ECOMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

To highlight your faith community,call Karen at 703-778-9422

b5649 Mount Gilead Rd • Centreville, VA 20120-1906

703-803-7500 • www.StJohnsCentreville.org

The Rev. Carol Hancock, Priest-in-Charge

St. John’s Episcopal ChurchPlease join us!

Sunday9:30 AM – Holy Eucharist

Sermon & music • Nursery available10:50 AM – Christian Education classes

for all agesWednesday

6:00 PM – Holy Eucharist and Healing

The Church of the AscensionTraditional Anglican Catholic Services

1928 Book of Common Prayer, 1940 Hymnal,and the King James Bible with Apocrypha

www.ascension-acc.org (703) 830-3176

Holy Communion 10 a.m. Sundays (with Church School and Nursery)

13941 Braddock RoadCentreville VA 20120

in the “Old Stone Church”of Historic Centreville

Email announcements to chantilly@connectionnewspapers.com. Include date,time, location, description and contact forevent: phone, email and/or website. Pho-tos and artwork welcome. Deadline isThursday at noon, at least two weeks be-fore event.

ONGOINGEvenings on the Ellipse Summer

Concert Series. Thursdays throughAug. 25, 5:30 p.m. at Fairfax CountyGovernment Center, 12000Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.In addition to different music eachweek, find wine tastings. Free. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov for more.

Tai Chi for Beginners. Through Sept.20, Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. at King ofKing’s Lutheran Church, 4025 KingsWay, Fairfax. Registration is $87.Visit www.inova.org/creg for more.

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY/AUG. 17-19Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle

Rodeo. Various times at DullesEXPO & Conference Center, 4320Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly.Proceeds from the Rodeo go towardConcerns of Police Survivors, Inc.(COPS), training of area policemotorcycle officers, and to the MakeA Wish Foundation. Visitwww.dullesexpo.com for more.

FRIDAY/AUG. 19Rocknoceros. 1 p.m. at Fair Oaks

Mall, 11750 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax.Be entertained with an original rockand roll for kids of all ages,performed by childhood friendsCoach, Williebob, and Boogie Bennie.Free. Visitwww.shopfairoaksmall.com for more.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/AUG. 19-21International Gem & Jewelry

Show. 12-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.Sunday at Dulles EXPO & ConferenceCenter, 4320 Chantilly ShoppingCenter, Chantilly. Choose eithercostume or fine jewelry from morethan 360 exhibitors from around theworld. Tickets are $8. Visitwww.intergem.com for more.

SATURDAY/AUG. 20Lizard Survey. 5:30 p.m. at Ellanor C.

Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road,Chantilly. Watch a short movie onnative lizards and see the park’slizards up close. Join a naturalist ona short hike to find these elusivereptiles. Tickets are $5 for FairfaxCounty residents, $7 for non-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

Drive In Movie: “The GoodDinosaur.” Gates open at dusk atTrinity Centre, 5860 Trinity Parkway,Centreville. Find “The GoodDinosaur” (rated PG) and children’sgames and rides. Food and drinksalso available for purchase. Free.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances.

SUNDAY/AUG. 21 T-TRAK Scale Model Train Show.

1-4 p.m. at Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. The NorthernVirginia NTRAK members will hold aN gauge T-TRAK model train show.Museum members, free; adults 16and over, $4; children 5-15, $2;under 4, free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org.

Powhatan’s People. 2:30 p.m. atEllanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040Walney Road, Chantilly. Discoverelements of the Algonquian culture ofthe Powhatans and Tauxenent suchas crafting stone tools, hunting, andfarming. Play a game and enjoy astory around the campfire. Ticketsare $7 for Fairfax County residents,$9 for non-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

Family Golf Festival. 2:30-5 p.m. atWestfields Golf Club, 13940 BalmoralGreens Ave., Clifton. Families areinvited to Westfields Golf Club for anafternoon of golf instruction, clinics,interactive golf games, familyprograms, a chance to win a varietyof prizes and more. Free. Visitwww.westfieldsgolf.com for more.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 24Civil War Tour. 11 a.m. at Sully

Historic Site, 3650 Historic SullyWay, Chantilly. This speciallydesigned tour takes you around thegrounds and into the house hearingthe Civil War tales of the Haight andBarlow families. Tickets are $8 forFairfax County residents, $10 fornon-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site.

THURSDAY/AUG. 25Scientific Wonders. 1 p.m. at Sully

Historic Site, 3650 Historic SullyWay, Chantilly. Many of thetechnologies and items that helppredict weather, cook, processmaterial and thread into clothing andhelp cure ills, were founded in earliercenturies. Learn what 18th centuryitems Richard Bland Lee had thatreflected the current scientific

technologies. Tickets are $5 forFairfax County residents, $7 for non-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site.

FRIDAY/AUG. 26ChildTime Magic. 1 p.m. at Fair Oaks

Mall, 11750 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax.Louis the Magician incorporatescharacters, comedy and audienceparticipation into his performance.Free. Visitwww.shopfairoaksmall.com for more.

SATURDAY/AUG. 27Drive In Movie: “Home.” Gates

open at dusk at Trinity Centre, 5860Trinity Parkway, Centreville. Find“Home” (rated PG) and children’sgames and rides. Food and drinksalso available for purchase. Free.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances.

SUNDAY/AUG. 28Civil War Tour. 1 p.m. at Sully

Historic Site, 3650 Historic SullyWay, Chantilly. This tour takes youaround the grounds and into thehouse hearing the Civil War tales ofthe Haight and Barlow families.Tickets are $8 for Fairfax Countyresidents, $10 for non-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site.

First Responders Day. 1-4 p.m. atThe Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. The FairfaxStation Railroad Museum will hostCivil War re-enactors and modernpractitioners who will demonstratemedical and rescue practices thenand now in commemoration of

Fairfax Station’s role as anevacuation center during the Battleof Second Manassas in 1862.Museum members and children 4 andunder, free; children 5-15, $2; adults16 and older, $4. Visit www.fairfax-station.org.

Hands-On History. 2:30 p.m. atEllanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040Walney Road, Chantilly. Dropchildren off and let him or her travelback in time with a costumedinterpreter to explore the lives of19th century children. Tickets are$10 for Fairfax County residents, $12for non-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 4Preserving Sully. 11 a.m. at Sully

Historic Site, 3650 Historic SullyWay, Chantilly. Built in 1794 andsaved from demolition in 1959,Sully’s walls have many stories totell. On this specialized walking tour,see select archival photos and hearfascinating stories about past andcontinued efforts to preserve SullyHistoric Site. Tickets are $8 forFairfax County residents, $10 fornon-residents. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully-historic-site.

SUNDAY-MONDAY/SEPT. 4-5LEGO Model Train Show. 12-5 p.m.

Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Monday at FairfaxStation Railroad Museum, 11200Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station.The Potomac Module Crew (PMC)members will have a two day HOscale modular train display. Museummembers and children 4 and under,free; children 5-15, $2; adults 16 andolder, $4. Visit www.fairfax-station.org.

SEPT. 7 AND 9Call for Auditions: “James and the

Giant Peach Jr.” 6:30-9:30 p.m. atMountain View High school, 5775Spindle Court, Centreville. AllianceTheatre is looking for young actors ingrades 3-12 for a Novemberproduction of “James and the GiantPeach.” Free to audition. Visitwww.thealliancetheatre.org for more.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 11Bichon Bash. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Bull

Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull RunDrive, Centreville. The 2016 BichonBash is sponsored by the Bichon FriseClub of America Charitable Trust, aregistered 501(c)(3) non-profit.Tickets are $15, $5 for children. Visitwww.bichonbash.org for more.

St. Veronica Farm, Food, andFaith Dinner. 5-8:30 p.m. atClyde’s Willow Creek Farm, 42920Broadlands Blvd., Ashburn. St.Veronica Catholic Church of Chantillyis hosting the Fourth Annual CatholicFarm, Food and Faith Dinner. Pre-dinner cocktails and appetizers, athree-course dinner with locallygrown ingredients, paired with winesfrom Rappahannock Cellars. Ticketsare $65, $125 for couples. Visitwww.stveronica.net or call 703-773-2000.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 17Dulles Day Family Festival and

Plane Pull. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at DullesInternational Airport, 1 SaarinenCircle, Dulles. The Dulles DayFestival & Plane Pull is SpecialOlympics Virginia’s “heaviest”fundraiser, pitting teams of 25against one another to see who canpull a 164,000+ pound Airplane 12feet the fastest. Teams must raise aminimum of $1,500 to participateandall proceeds benefit Special OlympicsVirginia. Visit www.planepull.com.

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