oto by mike salm on/gazette fire engulfs groveton ...connectionarchives.com/pdf/2020/021220/mt...
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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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February 13, 2020Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper
Home Life StylePage, 6
By Mike Salmon
The Gazette
On Saturday, Feb. 8, at approximately9:40 a.m., Fairfax County Fire and Res-cue responded to reports of a buildingfire in the 2800 block of Poag Street in
the Groveton area of Fairfax County. Units arrivedon scene within three minutes and reported an ad-vanced fire from the top floor of a five-story build-ing that was under construction.
The building sat in a block with numerous otherbuildings under construction. As is common withbuildings under construction, there was no sprinklersystem in place. This combined with extremely windyweather conditions made fighting the fire difficult.Crews worked diligently to extinguish the fire in thebuildings under construction while also working toprevent it from spreading to nearby occupied resi-dential buildings. The fire went to four alarms draw-ing units from City of Alexandria Fire Department,Arlington County Fire Department, Prince George’sCounty Fire and Emergency Services Department,and Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and weretransported and evaluated at local hospitals. Bothhave been released. One civilian suffered minor in-juries and was transported and evaluated at a localhospital.
The fire spread to five buildings and 14 townhousesthat were under construction. All these propertiesare considered a total loss. The fire damaged an ad-ditional 14 townhouses, four single-family homes,five apartment buildings, a commercial building, and28 vehicles.
Fire investigators determined that a worker at theconstruction site noticed a fire in a trash chute. Theworker called 911 and attempted to extinguish the
fire. The attempts were unsuccessful and the workerevacuated the property.
Dominion Power turned off the power to the im-mediate area. The Red Cross, Fairfax County Officeof Emergency Management, and complex manage-ment assisted those residents that were displaced.
Units remained on scene hitting hot spots and con-tinuing extinguishing efforts.
The property and content values for all the build-ings and vehicles involved has not yet been deter-mined. The origin and cause of the fire remains un-der investigation.
EmbarkThe fire was in a key area of Fairfax County’s Em-
bark project, which is “an initiative focused on cre-ating a multimodal future for Richmond HighwayCorridor where residents, workers, and visitors canwalk, bike, or drive to the places they want to go,”according to Fairfax County. The fire was right in thecenter of the section called the “Penn Daw Commu-nity Business Center,” on the Embark map, and aboutone mile from the Huntington Metro Station on theYellow Line.
The housing projects that burned were one of thefirst parts of Embark to be built so far.
Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck (D) is heavilyinvolved with Embark, and looked at the fire as some-thing that has significant short-term impact on theredevelopment of the Penn Daw area but not a dealbreaker. “The County is committed to getting thisproject back on track as quickly as possible and isassigning a senior team to work with the developersto make this happen,” Storck said.
In the days following the fire, access to North KingsHighway was limited, and parts were closed due tofire recovery efforts.
Pedestrian Safety is a FocusOf Supervisor’s EffortsRecent increasein pedestrianfatalities raisesconcerns.
By Mike Salmon
The Gazette
Pedestrian fatalities inNorthern Virginia haveincreased in recent
years and the Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors recentlyapproved funding to implementsafety measures that they arehoping will reduce this trendand make county streets saferfor pedestrians and bicyclists allover the county.
On Feb. 11, a man was struckby a car and killed as he wascrossing Richmond Highwaynear the intersection of GilesRun Road around 1:13 a.m.
The driver of a 2012 HyundaiElantra was traveling north-bound on Richmond Highwayin the rain and struck the manwho was not in a crosswalk,Fairfax County Police said.
The driver remained on thescene and is cooperating withdetectives.
Preliminarily, alcohol doesnot appear to be a factor for thedriver and speed is still underinvestigation.
Detectives have not yet deter-mined if alcohol was a factor forthe pedestrian.
In January, there were twofatalities on Richmond High-way that involved pedestrians.On Jan. 9, a 51-year-old womanwas hit near the intersection ofSouth Kings Highway, and an-other fatality occurred at 9:45p.m. on Jan. 1 when 52-year-old Daniel Yeboah was crossingRichmond Highway near theintersection of Pohick Road
when he was hit and killed. InDecember, a pedestrian was hitand killed in McLean; twopeople killed in August, andanother man hit and killed onCommerce Street in Spring-field, according to police.
In all total, there were 16 pe-destrian fatalities in 2019, and16 in 2018, so at the January28 Board of Supervisors meet-ing, the board reviewed thecounty effort to make FairfaxCounty roads safer for pedes-trians and bicyclists.
The Board Matter was co-sponsored by Hunter Mill Dis-trict Supervisor Walter Alcorn,chair of the Board’s Transpor-tation Committee, and Lee Dis-trict Supervisor Rodney Lusk,chair of the Board’s PublicSafety Committee.
One thing Alcorn and Luskare asking for is a review of TheActiveFairfax TransportationPlan, which is an effort byFairfax County to review plansfor pedestrians and bicyclists.The Countywide Trails Planwas originally adopted in1976, last updated in 2018.
In mid-December 2019,FCDOT officials looked at theActiveFairfax TransportationPlan and came up with severalkey project goals such as
❖ Reconcile the Bicycle Mas-ter Plan, Countywide TrailsPlan and regional connectivityin Area Plans
❖ Coordinate with neighbor-ing jurisdictions
❖ Identify and address miss-ing links in the network andimprove access to activity cen-ters, schools, parks and transit
❖ Bring the planned regionalbicycle and trails network rec-ommendations up to currentstandards
❖ Reinforce Active Transpor-tation as a key element toPlacemaking.
Smoke could be seen from as far away as Kingstowne.
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Fire Engulfs Groveton ConstructionSite; Cause Remains Under Investigation
2 v Mount Vernon Gazette v February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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Bristow$309,900Sought-after area with great location. Move-in ready home with 2 master bedrooms on the upper level. Amazing kitchen with sliding door to deck backing to trees. Sunny bright, open floor plan. Walk out lower level with family room or extra bedroom. Neighborhood pool.
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Carlyle Square | $325,000Rare contemporary gem in Old Town featuring stylish open concept living in a generously-sized loft studio with courtyard view, window wall, wood floors, washer/dryer in unit, and garage parking. Just 0.4-mile to King Street Metro in a vibrant neighborhood.Meiling Yang 703.944.8403 www.MyTopAgent.com
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Alexandria/Tuckahoe | $799,900A rare 5-bedroom Colonial in the heart of Alexandria’s west end! Great flow for entertaining and relaxing with significant recent updates. Freshly painted and beautifully refinished hardwood floors, private cul-de-sac location minutes to Old Town. 1102 Bayliss DriveRochelle Gray 703.328.1686 Susan Anthony 703.795.9536
OPEN SUN 2/16, 2-4
Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
By Mike Salmon
The Gazette
As Valentine’s Day ap-proaches, the design-ers, sales people andcashiers at The Virginia
Florist in Belle View know the rou-tine all too well. It’s one of the big-gest sales days of the year for flo-rists, and “people make a line atthe door,” said Ledis Reyes, a flo-ral designer that’s been at the BelleView shop for the past 15 years.
Owner Kevin Green said the redroses are the big seller, and theysell about 200-300 dozen red roseseach year. “Never seen so manyroses,” he said.
The backroom at The VirginiaFlorist in Belle View gets so full offlowers on Valentine’s Day, they
can’t even see from one side toanother. They pull out an extratable, and hire extra help for thisone day. This year, with the lowunemployment numbers, theyhave had trouble bringing on theextra hands.
Even delivery driver GregHarvilla knows the chaotic natureof the holiday. “It’s pretty muchnon-stop for 12 hours,” he said.“Insanity but fun,” he admitted.
According to the Society ofAmerican Florists, Valentine’s Dayis the number one holiday for flo-rists and for floral purchases, andsecond to Christmas/Chanukah indollars spent. Of the purchases onthat day, 28 percent of Americanadults (37 percent of men, 19 per-cent of women) purchased flow-ers or plants as gifts for Valentine’sDay In 2019, 69 percent of allflowers bought on Valentine’s Dayare red roses. They estimate thatmore than 250 million roses areproduced for Valentine’s Day.
This year, Valentine’s Day is a
By Shirley Ruhe
The Gazette
Barbara Sumner sits at a confer-ence table at Sunrise assisted liv-ing at Mount Vernon. She has
come to explore the best living arrange-ment for her partner of 47 years whohas been experiencing gradual worsen-ing of dementia for the last 10 years.
“It is difficult; we did so many thingstogether. Monica is a very sweet per-son.” Sumner adds they love animalsand had a pet sitting business that they
started when Monica got out of the mili-tary.
Robin Williams, associate director of salesat Sunrise at Mount Vernon says, “I don’tknow if you noticed our collie out front. Andwe welcome pet visits.”
But Sumner started experiencing healthproblems of her own, which piled on top ofeach other, and was trying to figure outwhat was happening to her. In the mean-time, Monica’s condition worsened, andSumner knew she knew she would needmore assistance than their currentcaregivers, friends and neighbors were pro-
viding. Now she is grappling with how tomake the best decision.
Williams says they are in the discoveryphase today, where Sunrise assesses thelevel of Monica’s needs, her activities ofdaily living. What is the most importantthing to the family in finding the right com-munity? What is most worrisome? Theywant to assess the level of cognitive impair-ment and ability to verbalize. Sumner says,“Monica is verbal but better leave it up toher. If you ask her too many complicatedquestions, she will dismiss you by just get-ting up and leaving.”
Williams says, “We want to replicateher home routine here, what is best forher.” Sumner says, “Monica used to playpickle ball until it got so competitive. Sheis so good at puzzles.” Sumner wondersif they have ping pong at Sunrise.
Sumner says she found Sunrisethrough Robin Edwards, CSA, CarePatrolof N. Virginia, a company that assistsseniors with life decisions. Edwards hasarranged today’s tour and says she goeswhere she is needed whether it is assist-ing with a hospital discharge plan, meet
Seasons of Change Edwards assists with life’s difficult decisions.
See Seasons of Change, Page 5
The back room at The Virginia Florist in Belle View gets packed rightbefore the holiday.
Ledis Reyes with the rose bouquetready for Valentine’s Day.
Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue Local flower shop knows theroutine on Valentine’s Day.
The Virginia Florist1632 Belleview Blvd(Belle View Shopping Center) 703-765-3355
Friday so they are recommendinggetting the bouquet a few daysahead. Sometimes the fresh dozenroses on the desk at work is a must,they say. “Everybody wants it atwork so they can show it off,” saidAnne Allen, the sales representa-tive at The Virginia Florist.
There are some things that don’tchange from year to year.
The line at the door onValentine’s Day, or the boyfriendor husband stopping by on the wayhome from work remains an an-nual thing.
There’s also a dual purchase
they sometimes see at The VirginiaFlorist.
“We even have orders going tothe wife and the girlfriend, theyalways pay cash,” she said KeikoCox, a florist there for five years.That one got a few giggles fromthe flower room.
The Valentine’s Day orders are kept in a special box to keep themorganized.
Anne Allen with a dozen rosesready to send.
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4 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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Opinion
By Del. Paul Krizek
This week onFeb. 11th, wef i n a l l yreached cross-
over. The days on theHouse Floor were verylong as we voted on themany bills being reportedout of committees beforethe deadline. On Monday, we gaveled in at 10am and we were in session late into theevening. Of the 27 bills I filed, I have 17 cross-ing over to the Senate and four that were in-corporated into more senior members’ bills. Itis far too long a list to present here but thenumber of bills heading to the Senate that willpush us towards a more egalitarian, safe, andjust Commonweath are legion. Some examplesinclude HB 798 to eliminate predatory lend-ing, HB 9 requiring that you report your lostor stolen firearm, and HB 145 and HB 386protecting transgender student rights and ban-ning conversion therapy, respectively — allbills that never had a chance to pass in prioryears.
As the Public Safety and Transportation Sub-committee chair on the busy House Appropria-tions Committee, I will soon be turning myattention to the Governor’s 2020-2022 bud-get and the many budget amendments that mycolleagues on both sides of the aisle have filedto fund their legislative endeavors, and onbehalf of state agencies and organizations tofund important projects across the Common-wealth.
The Governor’s budget already includesmany important and historic provisions that Isupport and plan to defend. Significantly, a$1.2 billion investment is being proposed toput into public education, with $145.1 milliongoing towards a 3 percent pay increase forteachers. Teachers are our most valuable as-set for preparing the next generation of Vir-
ginians to be productive and prosperous. TheCommonwealth has lagged behind the nationalaverage for far too long on compensating thesevital public servants. I will continue to fight toraise teacher pay to keep our talented and hardworking educators in the Commonwealth.
This year, I filed nine of my own budgetamendments. I will highlight just a few of themhere. I requested funding in the budget for sixnew wage inspector employees in the Depart-ment of Labor and Industry. The Departmentis essential to combatting nonpayment ofwages. A worker who has not been paid herwages files a complaint with DOLI, which isthen investigated. But, right now that investi-gation may take years because the wage en-forcement division is woefully understaffedwith only three investigators to handle thou-sands of inquiries and complaints. In previousyears there have been as many as 22 wage in-vestigators. Without an increase in staff, work-ers who are victims of wage theft are deprivedof a speedy and efficient remedy. My hope isthat this staffing increase will help us moreeffectively enforce our wage payment laws.
I put in a budget amendment of $556,136for FY2021 and FY2022 to restore funding forthe Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol’s fulltraining schedules for public safety personnel,and to fund two field search and rescue offic-ers who are currently funded using non-gen-eral fund grants. The Civil Air Patrol has ap-proximately 2,000 members across the Com-monwealth and performs vital search and res-cue missions as well as disaster relief.
I requested $3,000,000 for the Departmentof Human Resource Management to establisha Public Employee Relations Board to admin-ister collective bargaining for public employ-ees at the state and local levels. With the pas-sage of Delegate Guzman’s HB 582, which Iwas proud to copatron, teachers, police offic-ers, firefighters, and other public service work-ers will have the right to negotiate wages, ben-efits, and working conditions.
I requested $7.5 million for the Virginia De-partment of Health to conduct a study on thefeasibility of implementing a Children’s HealthInsurance Program Health Services Initiativeto expand the services provided by Virginia’sthree contracted poison control centers. Thepoison control centers provide 24-hour expertassistance by telephone and online to assist inthe event of accidental and intentional expo-sure to poisonous chemicals, venoms, vaporsor medications. In 2015, the Virginia PoisonControl center staff handled 30,000 calls fromthe public and healthcare providers. A big rea-son that this is critical is that 50 percent ofexposures involve children ages one to six.
You can view all of my budget amendmentshere: https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/mbramendment/2020/1/H281.
Finally, flying under the radar and mediacoverage is a landmark transportation bill, HB1414, carried by Speaker Filler-Corn. This billadopts numerous and significant structuralchanges to transportation funding. It will in-crease the gas tax from 16 cents to 28 centsper gallon over the next three years. The gastax increase is expected to yield around $1 bil-lion to ensure that there is sustainable trans-portation funding to fix our aging roads andbridges and expand passenger and commuterrail service throughout Virginia. The bill alsoestablishes the Virginia Passenger Rail Author-ity. The authority would be tasked to promote,sustain, and expand the State’s passenger andcommuter rail service as well as to increaseridership. In the not too distant future, whenrail travel is as ubiquitous in Virginia as it is inmuch of Europe, we will look back at this Gen-eral Assembly as the catalyst for expanded eco-nomical, safe, and quicker travel by railthroughout much of our region.
It is always an honor to serve you in Rich-mond. Please do not hesitate to reach out tomy office at [email protected] this legislative session with ques-tions, concerns, or legislative opinions.
Budget Update
Del. Krizek
See Bulletin, Page 10
Submit civic/community an-nouncements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calen-dar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.
SATURDAY/MARCH 14Mt. Vernon Town Hall Meeting.
12-2 p.m. At 2500 Parkers Lane,Alexandria. Hosted by ScottSurovell and Paul Krizek.
FREE TAX PREPARATIONThe City of Alexandria is offering free
tax preparation to qualifyingresidents. Taxpayers are eligible iftheir income is belowapproximately $35,000 forindividuals and $55,000 forfamilies. Expert volunteers fromCommunity Tax Aid, Inc. willensure that taxpayers apply for allapplicable credits and deductions— especially the Earned IncomeTax Credit and the Child TaxCredit, which people often don’t
realize they are eligible to receive.Sessions will be held on Saturdaysfrom 9 a.m. to noon, andWednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.,from now through April 11, at theDepartment of Community andHuman Services (2525 MountVernon Ave.). Persons seeking taxpreparation assistance will be seenon a first-come, first-served basis,and electronic filing will be provided.Spanish-speaking volunteers will beavailable. The followingdocumentation is required: a socialsecurity card for each familymember; photo ID for the taxpayer(and spouse, if filing jointly); W-2forms and other source of incomerecords; receipts or records forexpenses such as child care andeducation; and, if possible, a copy oflast year’s tax return.
SUMMER CAMPRegistration for 2020 Summer Camps
offered by the City of Alexandria’sDepartment of Recreation, Parks andCultural Activities will begin at 9a.m. on Feb. 12 for City residents and
Feb. 14 for nonresidents. Registrationwill be available online, or in-personat the Lee Center (1108 JeffersonSt.).
The 2020 Summer of Smiles SummerCamp Guide is available online, andfree printed brochures will beavailable in all City of Alexandriarecreation centers and librarybranches beginning February 5. Theguide contains more than 75 campoptions available to youth ages 2 to17, including sports; creative arts;computers; nature; performing arts;cooking; excursions; Science,Technology, Engineering and Math(STEM); Camp Adventure; and Outof School Time and classic camps.Campers can get the most out ofsummer by participating in adifferent camp each week. Camps arelisted by week and age group tomake summer planning easy.
Extended care options are available formost camps, including Before Carefrom 7 to 9 a.m. and After Care from4 to 6 p.m. Structured activitiesinclude arts and crafts, movies andgames. Space is still available andregistration is currently being
accepted for Winter programstaking place through March andSpring Break Camps taking placeApril 6-10. To register for summercamps and other recreationactivities, classes and programs,visit alexandriava.gov/Recreationor contact the Registration andReservation Office at 703-746-5414.
POETRY CONTESTThe City of Alexandria and the
Alexandria Transit Company arecollaborating for the 2020DASHing Words in Motion poetrycontest. Applications are open toemerging and established writersand poets ages 16 years or olderwho live, work, or study inAlexandria. Winning poems willbe displayed on DASH buses andtrolleys during National PoetryMonth in April 2020. The deadlinefor online submissions is Monday,February 17, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.Visit alexandriava.gov/Arts for the
Bulletin Board
Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Alex/Mt. Zephyr $489,9008541 Mt. Zephyr Dr.
Great price for this lovely two level solid all-brick home with garage on 1/3 acre in Mt. Vernon community. 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Renovated eat-in kitchen, spacious and open, with sliding glass doors to private backyard. Charming front living
room with ample windows, and wood burning fireplace with white, colonial style mantel. Spacious lower level has finished family room w/ 2nd fireplace and a bonus workroom. Conveniently located near Ft. Belvoir (10 mins), GW Parkway and Potomac River, Old Town Alexandria, Pentagon, and D.C.
Manassas/Classic Springs $649,90012835 Classic Springs Drive
Is this huge 2 level Rambler all for me? 4BRs, 3.5BAs, 2 car garage, front & side porches & covered porch in the rear. Almost 4500 SF under roof, including about 3100 finished. Main level has Brazilian hdwds plus carpeting in the BRs. 10’ ceilings w/crown molding, 6 panel doors, DBL pane windows & extra wide hallways & doors. Stunning kitchen w/dark cherry cabinets, SS
appliances & dark granite counters. The bedrooms are spacious-the master bedrm has a huge walk-in closet & a magnificent master bath. The lower level has a 4th BR & 3rd full BA, large family rm & approximately 1400 SF for storage/workshops & walks out to an incredible bkyd backing to woods. You have to see this home to believe it. It’s stunning!!!
Thinking of Buying or Selling your home in 2020!!Give Rex Reiley a call – 703-409-4784
Mt. Vernon/Wessynton $764,9003102 Cunningham Drive
Gorgeous, newly renovated 4 Bedroom, 3 BA contem-porary home in sought after waterfront community of Wessynton, 1 car garage, new deck, .34 acre lot. Large, spectacular new kitchen w/all the bells & whistles. Beautiful new bathrooms. Separate dining room. Living room w/fireplace. Large picture windows on back wall
overlook private wooded setting. Family Room w/nice wood paneled ceiling. Wessynton amenities include tennis courts, swimming pool, walking paths, & boat ramp on Little Hunting Creek which flows to the Potomac River. Located just a half mile from Mount Vernon Estate & the GW Parkway, it is a mere 10 minutes to Ft. Belvoir, 20 mins to Old Town, & 30 mins to D.C.
Alex/Riverside Estates $2,8008506 Wagon Wheel Road
Beautifully remodeled 4BR, 3BA Split – Kitchen w/granite, SS & ceramic tile floor opens to the living & dining rooms– hardwood floors on main level, 6 panel doors – replacement double pane windows-lower level w/large family
room & wood burning fireplace w/large 3rd & 4th bedrooms & 3rd full bath- walkout to large fenced bkyd – deck overlooks bkyd- Carport w/large storage shed--Close to Ft. Belvoir- Walk to elementary, high school & Mt. Vernon Estate – Great commute along GW Pkwy to Old Town, - Owner is Realtor.
Alex/Engleside $1,300,0008734 Lukens Lane
4.128 acres zones R-2 for sale. There are 2 lots: 4/0 acres w/house (Tax Map 1101 01 0043) and .128 acre vacant land (1101 01 0043A). House on Property sold “AS IS” and NO ACCESS given or allowed. Land Value only. Water, sewer, gas, electricity available. This
land is adjacent to the houses on Halley Farm Ct. which were built in the 2010-2011 time frame.
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Alex/ Randall Estates $659,9002215 Shiver Dr.
Charming 2 level Rambler w/finished, walkout lower level, backing to a huge yard that reaches out to a rustic, lovely creek & woodland oasis. Nature is at your doorstep! Main level living w/3 bedrooms, 2 updated baths, stunning hdwd floors, 6 panel doors &
custom wood blinds compliment the living & dining rooms. An updated kitchen w/granite & SS appliances. Stand at your kitchen sink & soak in the beauty of your views of the bkyd, creek and woods. Downstairs offers a huge family rm, 3rd full bath, a den, huge storage & workshop area. Plenty of room for a 4th bedroom if needed. Minutes to Old town, Alexandria along the scenic GW Pkwy, 15 minutes south to Ft. Belvoir. You won’t find a quality home like this – It’s a bargain!
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Barbara Sumner discusses memory care at Sunrise assisted living at Mount Vernon withRobin Williams (center), associate director of sales, and Robin Edwards, CSA,CarePatrol of N. Virginia.
News
From Page 3
Seasons of Changeing with families, or finding the appropriate re-
sources in the community.Edwards explains, “Families know they can trust
me because I come from the heart in all I say and do,in my business and my personal life.”
Edwards wheels Sumner down the hall as theyhead to check out a studio room. Williams explainsthe room has space for a bed, chair, dresser andnightstand with a small fridge inside the door. Shesays the rooms are designed to be small because 25-50 percent is left as common space to encourage resi-dents to stay active. Robin says some families feelmore comfortable with a nanny cam, which allowsthem to keep close track of the resident from an out-side location.
Robin hands Sumner a February calendar filledwith a list of daily activities including social hour,balloon volleyball, word games, bread baking, crafttime and performances. Sumner says Monica mightparticipate in some activities but it would dependon how you introduce them to her. “She used to bakebut I can’t see that now.” The most popular activityis singing. “They just love to sing .....and bingo.”
They pass by the dining room where lunch is be-ing served. “Issa, who oversees the residents’ care in
the dementia unit, comes out with a smile. She saysthe residents get several meal choices. Today sand-wiches seem to be popular. Sumner commentsMonica probably couldn’t choose her meal and asksif she could help with the decisions.
Williams points out Sunrise adapts to individualneeds. She says they try to promote independence.They use Fiestaware, which is brightly colored andsometimes mugs with two handles, multi-size spoonsas well as serving a lot of finger food. Sumner saysthat is very interesting and observes “Monica’s useof utensils and eating habits have changed” butspeculates that the spoon “would probably be toostrange and unfamiliar for Monica.”
Bill stops by to explain his role as life enrichmentmanager. He says he tries to form relationships withall of the 24 residents in memory care and 107 inassisted living. This means a one-on-one interactionwith each of them 1-2 times a week. “I check to makesure everyone is ok and, if not, to work out the prob-lem.”
Sumner heads back to the conference room to askmore questions, a process that is difficult for her. Andanother challenge. “You know, I’m 77 and I’m hop-ing to get out of this wheelchair and back out on thebasketball court soon.”
6 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Home Life Style
By Marilyn Campbell
The Gazette
Boxes of chocolates and bouquets of flow-ers are ideas that might come to the mindsof those who are still on the hunt for theperfect gift to give on Cupid’s Day. Though
we celebrate St. Valentine in just two days, homedécor aficionados come to the rescue with a few chicgift ideas for the home design enthusiasts in yourlife.
“Whether you love to cook or you just love to eattake-out, a pop of color on the countertop will bringa smile to your face every time you walk into yourkitchen,” said Anne Walker of Anne Walker Design.“For a gift that will bring joy for years to come, sur-prise your significant other with a bright red KitchenAid Stand Mixer and a set of red silicone spatulasfor Valentine’s Day. Such a joy to use and a delightfor the eye.”
A set of Swedish towels can be a game changer forthose who are environmentally conscious and ob-sessively clean, says Courtney Thomas of the PicketFence a home décor and gift boutique in Burke, Vir-ginia. “You can use Swedish towels to clean any-thing you’d clean with a paper towel,” she said. “Butthey’re reusable and you can throw them in the dish-washer when they get dirty.
Eco-friendly and made entirely of biodegradablecellulose or a combination of wood pulp and renew-able cotton, Swedish towels can be used for house-hold cleaning projects that range from spills on acounter tops to water spots on a mirror.
For a gift that does double design duty, a candle ina reusable vessel is an option that Thomas suggests.“We have some candles that come in a pottery con-tainer and once the candle is gone, you can still usethe pottery,” she said. “It’s like a two-for-one. Pot-tery is food safe and can go in the oven and dish-washer if you want to make a dip or something inthem.”
For those who decide to give flowers on Valentine’sDay, add a vase for displaying those buds, suggestsWalker. “Instead of spending more than $100 on rosesfor your sweetheart, spend under $100 on [an] un-believably gorgeous cocoon Vase by Danish designhouse, Holmegaard,” she said. “Fill it with a beauti-ful selection of fresh flowers [and] instead of having
the roses for a few days, your beloved will have thisgorgeous, stylish vase for a lifetime.”
Those who want to give a gift that offers a luxuri-ous night’s sleep should consider a silk pillow case,says Amanda Mertins of Patina Polished in Alexan-dria. “They’re a wonderful gift because they’re goodfor your hair,” she said. “And silk stays cool whichmight be good for those who get hot at night.”
There’s nothing more classic than a silver pictureframe adorning one’s side table or book case, sug-gests Mertins. “When we are designing a living room,we often walk into someone’s house and see photosof their loved ones displayed in a hodgepodge offrames like wooden frames and ceramic frames. Giv-ing silver frames allows photos of your family or chil-dren to be displayed tastefully in classic silver frames”
Bursts of color in the form of textiles can brightenthem home of one’s valentine, advises Mertins.“Tablecloths, runners and napkins in silk, velvetand cotton by Ardmore Design make a beautifultable setting,” she said. “There are some wonder-ful, washable throws in all different colors thatmake great gifts. People love because their prettyand washable.”
There’s still time to givethe gift of style.
Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Home
Photo courtesy of Patina Polished Living
Textiles in vibrant colors like these throwpillows, can brighten the day of yourValentine.
Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA
FOR YOUR TOYOTA
WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA TOYOTA’SPERSONALIZED CAR CARE EXPERIENCE
SPECIAL SAVINGS
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8 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
See Calendar, Page 9
Submit entertainment announce-ments atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.
ONGOING“The King’s Shadow.” Now thru April
19. 8 p.m. At The Lab atConvergence, 1819 N. Quaker Lane,Alexandria. In this season,Shakespeare’s Histories: “The King’sShadow” runs January 2nd - April19th, 2020; “Richard the Second”runs January 2 - April 18, 2020;“Henry the Fourth, Part 1” runsJanuary 30 - April 18, 2020; “Henrythe Fourth, Part 2” runs February 13- April 19, 2020; and “Henry theFifth” runs March 12 - April 19,2020. These plays follow the troubledpassing of the English crown fromthe philosopher King Richard II, tothe conqueror King Henry IV, to hisrogue son, Prince Hal. With hisfather’s deeds looming over him, Halindulges in a reckless adolescencethat tarnishes his reputation. Butwhen the time comes to rule, Halmust take control of how history willremember him, unite his country,and become the legendary KingHenry V. Tickets are $35. [email protected] orwww.bravespiritstheatre.com.
Life Drawing Sessions. Now thruDec. 9. At Del Ray Artisans, 2704Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.Looking for a chance to hone yourfigure drawing skills? Del RayArtisans offers a range of open lifedrawing sessions for just thispurpose. Just drop in for the sessionand bring your supplies to draw orpaint the live models. Fee rangesfrom $8-$12. All skill levels arewelcome. Visit DelRayArtisans.org/life-drawingTell Me a Story Art Exhibit.March 6-29. Opening receptionFriday, March 6 from 7-9 p.m. At DelRay Artisans Gallery, 2704 MountVernon Ave., Alexandria. Have youever looked at a piece of art and yourimagination immediately starts towander? Narrative art tells a story,either as a moment in an ongoingstory or as a sequence of eventsunfolding over time. A picture isworth a thousand words; Tell Me aStory will take you on an imaginativejourney. Gallery hours are: Thursdays
12-6 p.m., Fridays 12-9 p.m.,Saturdays 12-9 p.m., and Sundays12-6 p.m. The gallery is free, open tothe public, and accessible. Visitwww.DelRayArtisans.org/exhibits.
Student Art Exhibit. Now thru March28. At the Gallery at Convergence,1801 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria.The Alexandria All City High SchoolArt Exhibition hosted by theConvergence Arts Initiative returnsFeb. 7 – March 28 for its fifth year.2020’s experience will feature 90Alexandria high school studentsrepresenting six high schoolsincluding public, private, andindependent spanning over 10different mediums of art. Returningfor 2020’s collaborative event arestudents from Bishop Ireton,Episcopal High School, T.C. Williams,St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School,Commonwealth Academy, and TheHoward Gardner School. ArtistsReception: Friday, Feb. 21 from 7 – 9p.m.
THURSDAY/FEB. 13How to Build Inexpensive Grow
Lights. 7 – 8:30 p.m. At the BurkeBranch Library, 4701 Seminary Road,Alexandria. Give your plants ahealthy start with grow lights toensure your seedlings get great lightindoors, even when it’s freezingoutside. Grow unusual and hard-to-find varieties of vegetables notoffered at local garden centers, orfarm nutritious microgreens indoors.Learn the pros and cons of lightsystems and options for creating yourown. Instructions and material listsprovided are to help you jumpstartyour garden. This class is offered byExtension Master Gardeners. Free.Advance registration requested atmgnv.org. Call 703-228-6414 oremail [email protected].
FEB. 13 TO MARCH 15Architecture in Fiber. At Potomac
Fiber Arts Gallery, Torpedo Factory,
Studio 29, 105 North Union Street,Alexandria. Here, in Alexandria, weare surrounded by beautiful andexciting buildings, bridges, parks,and monuments. Both our local andworldwide architecture serve asinspiration for the pieces in thisshow. Themed work will be eligiblefor recognition by the jurors. Non-themed work will also be exhibited.Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. dailyand weekends, and 10:30 a.m. to 9p.m. on the second Thursday of eachmonth.
FRIDAY/FEB. 14My Queer Valentine Reception. 7-
10 p.m. At the Torpedo Factory Art
Center, 105 N. Union Street,Alexandria. My Queer Valentineexplores love and relationshipsthrough non-heteronormative andnon-binary artists’ perspectives. Thethemes and subjects of artwork inthis exhibition explore relationshipsthrough the artists’ view on love. Tocelebrate this exhibition, TargetGallery will be hosting a specialreception and event in partnershipwith local LGBTQ+ organizations onValentine’s Day. The juror for thisexhibition was Andy Johnson,independent curator and gallerydirector of Gallery 102 at theCorcoran School of the Arts & Design
Entertainment
By Hope Nelson
Along the vibrant 900 block of KingStreet, a transformation is occur-ring in one of the vacant shops.And with it, an old adage is prov-
ing true: What once was old is new again.Such is the case for Mason & Greens, theregion’s first zero-waste dry-goods shop,slated to open this spring.
“We always knew we wanted to open abusiness that would help the communityand help the environment,” said Justin
Marino, who owns the shopwith his wife, Anna. Parentsof two and Old Town resi-dents themselves, Marino
said his family took a long look at the wastethey were generating from week to weekand decided they had to change their ways.
At first, it started hyper-locally, in theirhome, but as the Marinos began to inven-
tory the waste in their own household, theyfound themselves needing supplies to sup-port their new lifestyle. That’s when thetrouble began.
“We noticed that there wasn’t anyonearound here selling these things” to supporta lower-waste life, Marino said. In Europe,he added, traditional dry-goods shops areeverywhere, but even in this country’s mostmetropolitan areas, the Marinos came upempty.
“We really wanted to do it for us and forthe whole Washington DC area,” he said.And thus, Mason & Greens was born. “We’rethe first zero-waste shop in the whole DCarea.”
Though small in footprint – the 1880srowhouse at 913 King Street has about1,100 square feet in total – the new storewill pack a punch. From foods such as pasta,flour, beans and cereals to soaps and lotions,from safety razors to laundry detergents to
children’s toys to candles and garden seeds,Mason & Greens is aiming to fill a gap inthe region’s market with its plastic-free,zero-waste, cash-free existence.
“We have found that since we’ve beengoing through this process, boy, there are alot of people who are interested,” Marinosaid, gesturing to the popularity ofAlexandria’s weekly home-composting pro-gram as an example of residents’ environ-mentally friendly mindset.
“These people care enough, and that gaveus hope that what we were doing is in theright place,” he said.
What’s in a name? The concept of Mason& Greens lent itself to the perfect shopname, with each word having significance.
“The first part of the name, Mason, wasderived from the old Mason jars,” Marinosaid. “The second part of the name isGreens, so, of course it’s supporting the pro-duce that we will have in the store.”
And Marino hopes that the changessparked from Mason & Greens will extendto customers’ daily lives.
“I guess the real answer is to waste less.It’s important that we do this for our com-munity, that we all think about wasting justa little bit less. Even if it’s just cutting outone paper towel a week (at first),” he said.“These are the things that we can do. Wecan all do this. We can change how we dostuff, and strangely enough, it’s not hard.”
Hope Nelson is the author of “Classic Restau-rants of Alexandria” and owns the KitchenRecessionista blog, located atwww.kitchenrecessionista.com. Email her any timeat [email protected].
New Zero-Waste Grocer Coming to King Street
APPETITE
IF YOU GOMason & Greens, 913 King St.Opening: Early springTry this: A reusable double baguette bag. “It is
made of organic cotton and has a nice strap so itcan be carried over the shoulder,” says co-ownerJustin Marino.
Calendar
Outfitting the Men of Fort Ward will take place Feb. 22 atFort Ward Museum in Alexandria.
Outfitting the Men of Fort WardSaturday/Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W. Braddock
Road, Alexandria. Museum interpreters in Union uniform will present on-going talksabout the clothing, military accessories and equipment typical of the Federal unitswho were stationed at Fort Ward throughout the Civil War. Hands-on reproduc-tion items, intricately detailed model soldiers, and original objects on exhibit willbe featured. For more information, call Fort Ward Museum at 703-746-4848, orvisit www.fortward.org.
Celebrate the birthday of George Washington on Monday,Feb. 17 in Mount Vernon.
George Washington’s 288th BirthdayMonday/Feb. 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At George Washington’s Mount Vernon, South-
ern end of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Alexandria. Free admission.All day: Experience the Revolutionary War in 4-D with Mount Vernon’s new re-vamped theater and step into Washington’s shoes in the new interactive “BeWashington” theater.
10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m: Presidential wreath-laying ceremony at Washington’s Tomb.10 a.m. – 3 p.m: Tour the Washington Library during its annual open house.10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m: “Official Observance of Washington’s Birthday” on the east
lawn.11:15 a.m.: A tactical and musical demonstration by the Old Guard Fife & Drum
Corps and the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard on the Bowling Green.1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m: Musical demonstration by the Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps.1 p.m. – 3 p.m: Meet re-enactors from Washington’s world as they share personal
stories about the first president.3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m: Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb.
Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Entertainment
From Page 8
John McCrary conducts the Blessed Sacrament FestivalChoir and Orchestra.
Blessed Sacrament FestivalFriday/Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. At Blessed Sacrament Church, 1427 W. Braddock Road,
Alexandria. Blessed Sacrament Festival Choir and Orchestra will performBeethoven’s stirring Mass in C and Mozart’s cantata, Davide Penitente. Soloistsare members of the Washington National Opera and San Francisco Opera. Recep-tion at intermission. Free-will offering at the door. For more information, contactparish music director John McCrary, Call 703-998-6100 ext. 103.
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The Tell Me a Story Art Exhibit runs from March 6-29 atDel Ray Artisans Gallery in Alexandria.
Tell Me a StoryMarch 6-29, Opening reception Friday, March 6 from 7-9 p.m. At Del Ray Arti-
sans Gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Have you ever looked at a pieceof art and your imagination immediately starts to wander? Narrative art tells a story,either as a moment in an ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding overtime. A picture is worth a thousand words; Tell Me a Story will take you on animaginative journey. Gallery hours are: Thursdays 12-6pm, Fridays 12-9pm, Sat-urdays 12-9pm, and Sundays 12-6pm. The gallery is free, open to the public, andaccessible. For more information, please visit www.DelRayArtisans.org/exhibits orcontact the curator Lesley Hall ([email protected]) or Director of CuratingBrittany Gabel ([email protected]).
Boating Safety Classes will begin Saturday, Feb. 22 inAlexandria.
Boating Safety ClassesSaturday/Feb. 22, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. At Washington Farm United Methodist
Church, 3921 Old Mill Road, Alexandria. The one-day class will be taught by ex-perienced Flotilla 25-08 (Mount Vernon) instructors with the U.S. Coast GuardAuxiliary. Future classes are March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, and July 18. Toenroll in a class contact Ted Caliga at [email protected]. Newcomers andexperienced boaters alike are also encouraged to explore the Coast GuardAuxiliary’s “Welcome to the Recreational Boating Safety Outreach Web Site” (http://wow.uscgaux.info) to obtain free boating safety tools and materials.
and George Washington University. Theexhibition runs from Saturday,January 25 thru Sunday, March 8,2020.
FEB. 14-15Edison High Presents One-Acts.
Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.; Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.At Thomas Edison High School,Franconia Road, Alexandria. Theannual student-directed one act playfestival returns to the auditorium ofThomas A. Edison High School. Eachperformance features five plays witha variety of actors and themes.Tickets: $5 general admission -available online or at the door.
SATURDAY, FEB. 15Eco-Savvy Symposium: Four
Season Garden. 8:30 a.m.-12:30p.m. At Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road, Alexandria./(Adults) Discover ways to expand thebeauty in your garden at the 16thannual EcoSavvy Symposium: TheFour Season Garden—SensationalOrnamentals and Edibles All YearLong. Author and garden columnistMarianne Willburn and SmithsonianGardens Horticulture CollectionsManager Cindy Brown share insightsinto selecting plants for all-seasoncolor, architectural interest, andextended harvests from your ediblegarden. $58 per person. Registeronline at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (code 986.13C6) orcall Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.
SOUPer Saturday. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.At The Torpedo Factory, 105 NorthUnion Street, Alexandria. The 26thannual SOUPer Saturday is acollaboration of ceramic artists at theTorpedo Factory, Kiln Club, and theCeramic Guild to benefit UnitedCommunity (community-based, non-profit organization that offerscomprehensive programs to familiesin Alexandria. Hundreds of ceramicworks of art for $20, and purchasersget a voucher for a cup of soup fromthe Chart House. Email:[email protected]
Sweet As Sin: The Unwrapped StoryHow Candy Became America’sFavorite Pleasure. 2 p.m. At BeatleyCentral Library, 5005 Duke Street,Alexandria. A lecture examining theAfrican American role in Americancandy making. Space is limited.Registration required.
The Real Story of Uncle Tom’sCabin. 2 p.m. At Barrett BranchLibrary, 717 Queen Street,Alexandria. Presented by theNational Park Service. Learn aboutJosiah Henson, the real inspirationfor the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Thisfree program is presented by a parkranger from the NPS Civil WarDefenses Division.
Wilderness Survival. 2 to 4 p.m. AtHuntley Meadows Park, 3701Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria. Learnbasic wilderness survival skills, cooka meal over a campfire or study theart of fire-building in outdoorprograms in county parks. In thisprogram, learn how to build a fire,read a compass and set up a tent forshelter. Cost is $9 per person. Call703-768-2525 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows.
Performance: AlexandriaSymphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. atRachel M. Schlesinger Concert Halland Arts Center, 4915 East CampusDrive. Featuring the String Serenadewith James Ross, Music Director;Berta Rojas, guitarist. They willperform Mozart: Serenade No. 6“Serenata Notturna;” Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Guitar Concerto in D Major;Andante Moderato from StringQuartet in G Major (arr. by JamesRoss); and Schubert: Symphony No.5. Cost is $20-$85 adults, $5 youth,
$10 students. Visit www.alexsym.orgor call 703-548-0885.
SUNDAY/FEB. 16George Washington’s Alexandria
Tour. 2-3:30 p.m. At 101 N. UnionStreet, Alexandria. Explore historicOld Town Alexandria as GeorgeWashington knew it! This 90-minuteguided walking tour will explore sitesassociated with Washington and hisclosest colleagues, including JohnFitzgerald’s warehouse, Captain’sRow, Gentry Row, the Apothecaryshop, Ramsay House, Market Square,the Carlyle House, Wise’s Tavern,Duvall Tavern, Gadsby’s Tavern, andWashington’s townhouse. The tourbegins behind the Torpedo Factory’ssouth entrance, in front of Vola’sDockside Grill. Free No reservationsrequired. Offered by the Office ofHistoric Alexandria. Contact 703-599-4010 or [email protected].
Walking with Washington Tour.2:15 – 4:15 p.m. At Christ Churchportico entrance, 118 N. WashingtonSt., Alexandria. Led by an old-lineVirginian with family stories aboutWashington, our 18c. action hero,this tour in his chosen hometownfocuses on his character and values,and significant people and events inhis life and American history wherethey occurred. Stops at ChristChurch, “Light-Horse” Harry Leehouse, Gadsby’s Tavern, DuvallTavern, Wise’s Tavern, Bank ofAlexandria, Carlyle House andMarket Square. Reservations notrequired. Free. Recommended forages 10 and above. Contact:[email protected]
Performance: AlexandriaSymphony Orchestra. 3 p.m. atGeorge Washington MasonicMemorial, 101 Callahan Drive.Featuring the String Serenade withJames Ross, Music Director; BertaRojas, guitarist. They will performMozart: Serenade No. 6 “SerenataNotturna;” Castelnuovo-Tedesco:Guitar Concerto in D Major; AndanteModerato from String Quartet in GMajor (arr. by James Ross); andSchubert: Symphony No. 5. Cost is$20-$85 adults, $5 youth, $10students. Visit www.alexsym.org orcall 703-548-0885.
Human Condition Reception. 4-6p.m. At The Athenaeum, 201 PrinceStreet, Alexandria. Exhibition runsFeb. 13 - March 22. HumanCondition asks artists to capture whatis it that makes a person. From theclassic nude, to abstract andimpressionist treatments, to piecesthat touch on the basic concept of
humanity— a wide variety ofinterpretations will be included.
Opening Reception. 4-6 p.m. At TheAthenaeum, 201 Prince Street,Alexandria. Human Condition —Exploring the Body as SubjectExhibition, which runs Feb. 13-March22. This group exhibition will be avisual exploration of the humancondition, asking artists to capturewhat is it that makes a person. Fromthe classic nude, to abstract andimpressionist treatments, to piecesthat touch on the basic concept ofhumanity — a wide variety ofinterpretations will be included.
2020 MV Dems Mardi Gras. 6 to9:30 p.m. At Mount Vernon UnitarianChurch, 1909 Windmill Lane,Alexandria. The Mount VernonDistrict Democratic Committee(MVDDC) is excited to host its 12thannual Mardi Gras & Straw Poll. Castyour vote in NOVA’s first Straw Pollof 2020 and stay for dancing, music,food, and libations. Choose your nextPresident on Presidents’ DayWeekend. They will also have a silentauction including items such as aprivate lunch and tour of the Capitolwith Master of Ceremonies, Rep. DonBeyer. Tickets are $55 each until Feb.14 and $65 each at the door – limitedquantity.
The Art League Patron’s ShowFundraiser. 6 p.m. to midnight. Atthe Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105N. Union Street, Alexandria. Partfundraiser, part block party, and lots offun, The Art League’s 52nd Patron’sShow Fundraiser gives participants theopportunity to purchase original art fora bargain price. Whether you are aseasoned collector or an art newbie,you won’t want to miss thisopportunity to acquire quality art whilesupporting a great non-profitorganization and a community ofartists. Cost: $225 individual; $330couples. Visit the website:
https://www.theartleague.org/event/the-52nd-patrons-show-fundraiser/
MONDAY/FEB. 17Breakfast & Meeting of the
Friendship Veterans FireEngine Association. 9 a.m. to10:30 a.m. The Westin AlexandriaOld Town, Alexandria. Meet specialguests and enjoy a hearty breakfastwith members of this historicassociation at this annual tradition.Be there for the first appearance ofthe day of General and LadyWashington and a talk by arenowned special guest. Tickets are$40. Visit www.FriendshipFireCo.orgor call 703-829-6640.
10 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
From Page 4
Bulletin
See Bulletin, Page 11
online application in the Literary Artssection.
SEEKING NOMINATIONSThe Alexandria Commission for Women
(CFW) seeks nominations of women,men and youth who have made asignificant impact on women andgirls in Alexandria.
Winners will be honored at theCommission’s 38th Annual Salute toWomen Awards: The Future isFemale event on March 23, 2020 at 6p.m. at The Lyceum: Alexandria’sHistory Museum (201 S. WashingtonSt., Alexandria). Proceeds supportthe Alexandria Sexual Assault Centerand Domestic Violence Program andother programs benefitting womenand girls in the city of Alexandria.
Award categories include:❖ The Susan Lowell Butler Lifetime
Achievement Award❖ The Marguerite Payez Leadership
Award❖ Youth Community Services Award❖ The Marian Van Landingham
Legislation and Public Policy Award❖ The Vola Lawson Award❖ Donna Bergheim Cultural Affairs
AwardThe Salute to Women Awards began in
the 1980s to recognize the effortsand achievements of women whohave made important and enduringcontributions to the Alexandriacommunity. All nominations must besubmitted to the Department ofCommunity and Human Services onMonday, Feb. 17, 2020. Latesubmissions will not be accepted, andthe deadline will not be extended.Contact Maribel Ramos [email protected].
“FOREST” CONCEPT SELECTEDThe School Board has voted to move
forward with the “Forest” concept forthe new Douglas MacArthurElementary School building, citing itsalignment with the community’sdesire to have a strong connectionbetween the school and nature. Thechosen concept — unanimouslyapproved by the Board on Thursdayevening — fulfills a desire heardthroughout the design process for abuilding and site that convey acommunity feel with plenty of openspace for children to play both insideand outside school hours. Thecommunity also wanted a school thatcapitalized on the wooded area to theback of the school and brought thesense of nature into the building.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDHelp the Alexandria Domestic
Violence Program (DVP) andSexual Assault Center (SAC) make apositive impact for those in need andincrease awareness of domesticviolence and sexual assault in ourcommunity by becoming a volunteer.Volunteers benefit from the uniqueexperience of interacting personallywith victims of domestic violence andsexual assault. There areopportunities in DVP for specialevents volunteers, court advocatesand shelter supervisors. Call 703-746-4911 or visit alexandriava.gov/DomesticViolence. To become a SACvolunteer, which includesopportunities for Volunteer HotlineAdvocates, call Lydia at 703-746-3127 or visit alexandriava.gov/SexualViolence.
Assistance League of NorthernVirginia, a volunteer nonprofit,invites community members to jointhe organization to participate in itsReading Express program. Volunteersprovide one-on-one tutoring to firstgrade students during the schoolyear. To learn more contact VPMembership Mary Gronlund at
Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
By KENNETH B. LOURIE
All Gowned UpAnd somewhere to go, or so I thought. I had checked in at the front desk. I was given a number, and almost immediately, it was called. I said good-bye to Team Lourie and was led back to a staging area (beds, curtains, doctors, nurses) where I was told I would see them both before surgery. There I was given a gown, no-slip socks and a hair net to change into, and instructed to place all my clothes (underwear, too) into two plastic bags and then told to pull back the privacy curtain and lie back on the bed.
Within a few minutes a female nurse, part of a very attentive and conscientious staff, began to attend me. She started an I.V. in my left forearm, wrapped a blood pressure cuff around my right bicep and then stuck half-a-dozen or so EKG contacts over the front me and down my legs to monitor my heart. In addition, the typical other vitals: oxygen, pulse and temperature were taken. At that point, it appeared that I had passed muster. My surgeon stopped by for a brief visit and all was progressing normally. Until that is when the anesthesiologist came by for what I thought was
that “due to an abundance of caution,” she was uncomfortable proceeding with the surgery. She explained that the facility (not a hospital) where I was to undergo the surgery, was not fully equipped to respond to certain potential complications which might occur which involved a breathing tube, a ventilator and the weakness of my lungs, so she sent me packing (unpacking actually). Disappointed, as you might imagine, we all left the facility and waited for further instructions.
By the end of the day, arrangements had been made to reschedule my surgery at a local hospital on Wednesday, a mere two day delay. I could live with that. At home, I resumed my post-shower, pre-surgery, infection-preventing scrub as I had for the previously scheduled surgery. This time surgery was scheduled for 1:30 pm instead of the 10:50 am it had been on Monday. Still, if all went well, I could be released that same day, under someone else’s recognizance of course, given the late hour, but likely recuperating at home in my own bed.
On Wednesday, I arrived at the hospital two hours before surgery as direvced and began the now familiar process. Once again I was prepped and ready. This time there were no slip-ups. Around 2:15 I was wheeled into the operating room and introduced to the staff on hand. I was asked my name, date of birth and the reason for surgery that day. Answering correctly, the next step involved an oxygen mask coming down over my nose and mouth and being asked to breathe normally, which I did, and the rest, as they say, is history.
It turned out that the anesthesiologist was right to be cautious. My four-hour outpatient surgery turned into a seven-hour admission-to-the-hospital major surgery with complications. Due to my “Ad-ams’ Apple” tumor being embedded into/under my collarbone, a thoracic surgeon was brought into consult about possibly cracking open my chest to get at the remaining cancer. Fortunately, a decision was made not to do so and I was wheeled back to recovery and eventually to my room for the night where at 12:35 am, while lying in my bed, my eyes opened and I saw my wife, Dina and close friend, Rita, who had stayed into the wee hours in an amazing show of support.
The next day, after an uncomfortable night in my hospital bed, I was discharged, four hours after the process began. (As you may or may not know, getting discharged from the hospital is hardly a straight line from your hospital room to your curbside pick up.) I was given instructions, prescriptions and follow-up appointments. My thyroid gland, parathyroid, “Adam’s Apple” tumor and a few lymph nodes stayed behind. Can’t say that I miss any of them. Still, my body may miss them so I’ll likely have some post-op work to do at home. Nevertheless, progress has been made for which I’m grateful.
All Gowned Up
From Page 10
Bulletin Board
[email protected] or Program Coordinator LynnBarron at [email protected].
United Community (formerly UCM), with mainoffice located at 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria,seeks volunteers for Food Pantry assistance,Early Learning Center teacher aides, basic needscounselors, youth tutors and mentors, officeadministration/data entry, and communityoutreach. Flexible hours and schedules.Opportunities for all ages to serve, includingcommunity service hours. More info atucmagency.org/volunteer-opportunities or [email protected].
Operation Paws for Homes, a Virginia based501(c)(3) organization seeks volunteers,especially to foster dogs. Seewww.ophrescue.org for information and allvolunteer opportunities.
RSVP, a volunteer network for seniors seekingservice opportunities in and around FairfaxCounty, Arlington County and the City ofAlexandria, offers a wide array of opportunitiesfor volunteers 55 and older. RSVP volunteersenjoy flexible schedules, free accident andliability insurance while serving, optionalmileage and meal reimbursement and areinvited to volunteer group projects and socialgatherings. To sign up for an upcomingorientation, email Carly Hubicki [email protected] or call RSVP at703-403- 5360. To learn more about RSVP, visitwww.rsvpnova.org.
Line Dance Instructor needed for the GumSprings Senior Program once a week on eitherTuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. VolunteerSolutions, call 703-324-5406, TTY 711.
Volunteer Fairfax makes it easy for individualsand families, youth and seniors, corporategroups and civic clubs to volunteer. Fulfill hours,give back, or pay it forward through a varietyservice options. Visit www.volunteerfairfax.orgor call 703-246-3460.
STEM VOLUNTEERS. The American Associationfor the Advancement of Science (AAAS) needsscientists, engineers, mathematicians, andphysicians to assist K-12 STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) teachersin the Northern Virginia Area, during the 2016-17 school year. In the 2015-16 school year, thenumbers of STEM volunteers in NorthernVirginia were: Fairfax County - 40, Arlington -20, and Alexandria - one. Details of thecollaboration are worked out between theteacher and the volunteer, and may involvegiving demonstrations, assisting in labexperiments, lecturing on special topics,assisting with homework, etc. The hours areflexible, and volunteers attend a one-daytraining in September before being assigned toschools. To see how volunteers are assistingtheir teachers, view the video clips atwww.seniorscientist.org. To volunteer, [email protected].
Fairfax County’s Community Services Boardis seeking volunteer office assistants. Volunteersare needed to assist CSB staff with greetingguests, making reminder phone calls, data entry,filing, shredding, stocking shelves, and otherduties as needed. Hours are flexible, but wouldbe during normal business hours. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/csb/viva/volunteers.htmfor more.
Yoga Teachers are needed. Help improve aperson’s well-being by teaching yoga classes toadults who are staying in a residential facility.The day/time is flexible, but would be duringthe week. Prior yoga instruction is required.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/csb/viva/volunteers.htm for more.
The Northern Virginia Long Term CareOmbudsman Program needs volunteeradvocates for residents in nursing homes andassisted living facilities. Contact Lisa Callahan at703-324-5861, TTY 711 or [email protected].
Respite Care volunteers give family caregiversof a frail older adult a break so they can goshopping, attend a doctor’s appointment or justhave coffee with a friend. Volunteers visit andoversee the safety of the older adult for a fewhours each month. Support and training areprovided. Contact Kristin Martin at 703-324-7577, TTY 711, [email protected].
Fairfax County needs volunteers to drive olderadults to medical appointments and wellnessprograms. For these and other volunteeropportunities, call 703-324-5406, TTY 711 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadults andclick on Volunteer Solutions.
12 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 13-19, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com