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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 7-13, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Holiday

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Holiday

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Viennaand Oaktonand OaktonVienna

Taking a FantasyFlight to the North PoleNews, Page 12

Preventing UnderageDrinking During the HolidaysWellbeing, Page 10

Taking a FantasyFlight to the North PoleNews, Page 12

Preventing UnderageDrinking During the HolidaysWellbeing, Page 10

Santa Joins ViennaFamilies for LunchSanta Joins ViennaFamilies for Lunch

News, Page 3

2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 7-13, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community. Send [email protected] is Friday at noon.

Great Falls United MethodistChurch will be holding its annual Liv-ing Nativity on Dec.18. Three 20minute, one act plays of this gloriousevent will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 6p.m. Come listen to the story, sing somecarols, pet the animals, enjoy refresh-ments, and rekindle your joy forChristmas. 10100 Georgetown PikeGreat Falls www.greatfallsumc.org

Questions? Call 703-759-3705.

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church atthe intersection of Lewinsville andBrook Roads in McLean, just a mile westof Tysons, invites you for a casual Sat-urday Service at 5 p.m., followed byconversation and fellowship or for Sun-day Services at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. SundaySchool for Youth and Children takesplace during the 10 a.m. Service. Lookfor our Pumpkin Patch this October, andcheck www.stthomasmcleanva.org forSpecial Events and Services through theyear. St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church,8991 Brook Road, McLean, 703-442-0330.

Church of the Holy Comforter,543 Beulah Road, NE, Vienna offers amonthly Healing Eucharist with the Lay-ing on of Hands and Anointing forHealing (first Sunday of the month, 5p.m. at St. Mary’s Chapel.. The HealingMinistry is led by the Rev. Valerie Hayesand Alexandra MacCracken and in-cludes a team of lay healers who havegone through intentional training andformation. Questions? Please contactthe Rev. Valerie Hayes at

[email protected].

Yoga Class with a Christian Fo-cus is held Saturdays, 3–4 p.m.,McGill Hall or the Library at the Churchof the Holy Comforter, 543 BeulahRoad, NE, Vienna. This group is suitablefor those with beginner and/or interme-diate yoga experience. Dresscomfortably and bring a mat. Feel freeto bring a towel, block(s) or strap if youhave them. Questions? Please contactthe Church Office at 703-938-6521.

Mom’s Group meets second andfourth Thursday of the Month,9:30–11:30 a.m. at the Church of theHoly Comforter, 543 Beulah Road, NE,Vienna.

Please join the group for coffee andfellowship. The group meets in theLillian Croy Room, near the Church Of-fice. Childcare will be available justacross the hall in the Childcare Center.If you are interested in joining thegroup, contact the Church Office at 703-938-6521 so that we can planappropriately for materials andchildcare.

St. Francis Episcopal Church,9220 Georgetown Pike in Great Falls,offers musical, educational, outreachand fellowship ministries in addition toworship services, including an 8 a.m.worship service without music and a 10a.m. worship service with nursery careavailable during the summer. 703-759-2082.

The Jewish Social ServicesAgency (JSSA) offers a wide variety ofsupport groups for those with emo-tional, social, and physical challenges.www.jssa.org/growth-learning.

Faith

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 7-13, 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsVienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

Santa’s helpers and North Pole elves are outin full-force in Vienna, appearing in all theexpected places that kids show up at … Withsupport from the Town of Vienna Parks and

Recreation Department, Santa and his elves joinedmore than 230 guests at a lunch in his honor on Dec.3. The annual lunch with Santa was held at theVienna volunteer fire station this year as the com-

More than 230 peoplebought tickets for annualVienna event.

Santa Joins Area Families for Lunchmunity center is out of commission while being re-modeled.

Santa listened to wish-lists - or just greeted littleones - while Rudolf mingled among the guests. Ev-eryone who was asked responded that they had hadfun at the Santa lunch.

The VVFD Auxiliary served a lunch of mac-and-cheese and chicken nuggets, while Kiln and Com-pany donated bisque tiles for kids to paint and bringhome. Kiln’s famed custard came after the hot lunch,all donated by the locally-owned business.

On December 10, VVFD Auxiliary is hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast open to the public.

—Donna Manz

To a rousing recorded version of “HereComes Santa Claus,” Santa Claus came.

One-year-old Eric Fedotov expressed hisawe upon meeting Rudolf. Big sisterEvgeniia, 8, keeps a watchful eye on Eric.

Big sister Evgeniia Fedotova, 8, held on to little brotherEric, 1, as the two met Rudolf.

The little kids appeared to get shy sitting on Santa’s lapso Santa used his North Pole skills to engage them.

Kiln potterystudio inVienna do-nated bisquetiles, paints,and stencilsfor children todesign theirown clayartwork tobring home.Kiln alsodonated con-tainers of theircommunity-loved freshly-made frozencustard.

Photos by Donna Manz/The Connection


By Evelyn “Lily” Rice

Flint Hill School

Gorgeous costumes, talking pictures, and two thousand airplanes — what could this pos-sibly be, you ask? Why, Oakton

High School’s production of “Once in a Life-time” of course!

“Once in a Lifetime” was written in 1929by Moss Hart, and would turn out to be thefirst of many successes for the playwright.The comedy opens on three strugglingvaudevillian stars: Jerry Hyland, MayDaniels, and George Lewis. They are doingjust fine trying to “make it” on stage, untilJerry sells their act in a sudden declarationthat the real money is in talking pictures.The three head out to Hollywood, wherethey set up a school on the art of elocution,leading them to meet the gossip columnistHelen Hobart, narcissistic film mogulHerman Glogauer, and ditzy aspiring actressand George’s love interest Susan Walker.Through a series of misadventures and nearfailures, George shoots a movie with nolights, the wrong plot, and inaudible dia-logue due to the sound of his cracking In-dian nuts; yet he is declared a movie ge-nius ushering in a new period of film.

The cast’s unwavering energy and vital-ity, along with perfectly timed sarcastic

lines, brought this show to life. Each char-acter in the sometimes crazy play was ec-centric but still able to maintain his origi-nality. Hunter Carrico did an excellent jobof portraying George’s childish side, mak-ing a character that, despite his naivety, wassomehow charming rather than ridiculous.

His relationship with May Daniels, playedby Anna Goodin, was almost that of abrother and sister. Goodin’s portrayal ofMay as the alpha-female and voice of rea-son radiated within the theatre. Max Tortidid a great job as Lawrence Vail, a charac-ter who experiences the most extreme

change of all, from that of a fed-up, slightlymad playwright to a calm man comfortingMay on the train.

The elaborate, period-specific costumeswere a great success—fitting the charactersperfectly. The over-the-top glitz of HelenHobart’s sequined outfits, the transitionfrom dowdy clothes to nice outfits for thethree main cast, and the detailed cigarettegirls’ skirts helped the audience better un-derstand the characters and were truly ajoy to see. Though at times it was hard tosee the actors due to a combination ofturned backs and not being in the light, theoverall energy of all the characters and ex-pressive faces made up for it. The play hadmany sets, something that would be daunt-ing for most high schools, but not forOakton. The various scenes, including atrain car, Hollywood hotel, and film studio,were anchored by their detailed sets. Themeticulous use of props, such as an old fash-ioned phone and real Indian nuts, did notgo unnoticed by the audience. With the cra-ziness of the many sets, costumes, andmultiple characters speaking at once, “Oncein a Lifetime” is a truly difficult productionfor a high school, but Oakton pulled it offeffectively and with humor that resonatedwith the audience despite the fact that itwas written nearly ninety years ago.

Old Comedy Finds New Audiences Oakton High production of‘Once in a Lifetime.’

Cappies Review

Photo by Doug Kutyna

From left: Hunter Carrico, Anna Goodin and Rob Warric in Oakton Highproduction of "Once in a Lifetime."


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On Labor Day in 2017, studentsat Fairfax County PublicSchools will have already re-turned to classes. In their Dec.

1 meeting, members of the school board ap-proved the 2017-2018 calendar which setsthe first day of school as Aug. 28, 2017 andthe last day as Friday, June 15, 2018.

“These changes are being made to pro-vide more instructional time before winterbreak,” a statement from the school systemsaid, “enhanced flexibility to help studentsand school staff members meet college ap-plication deadlines, and to end the schoolyear earlier in June.”

Students will again see a solid two-weekwinter break that lasts from Dec. 18, 2017to Jan.1, 2018, and a one-week spring breakfrom March 26-30, 2018.

The change comes after the school boardlearned FCPS was qualified for a VirginiaDepartment of Education waiver to startclasses before Labor Day due to weather

School board approves2017-2018 calendar atDec. 1 meeting

Fairfax County Public Schools toStart Before Labor Day in 2017

conditions.Over the last decade, the FCPS statement

said, the school system has had five yearswhen there were more than eight days can-celed due to snow.

FCPS said it received more than 36,000responses from a survey sent to all parentsand staff on March 30, 2016 asking for feed-back on starting before Labor Day.

The new calendar is available online athttps://www.fcps.edu/news-and-calen-dars/calendars-and-events/

Courtesy of Fairfax County Public Schools

Glasgow Middle School teacherLindsay Mulcahy and seventhgrade students at the Dec. 1 schoolboard meeting.

News


Opinion

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

The National Conference of

State Legislatures sponsors a“Legislators Back to School Day” each

year as a way to promote the idea that morelegislators should visit their local schools tosee the good work they are doing as well as tounderstand the challenges that school admin-istrators and teachers face. I take advantageof that opportunity and other times I am in-vited to visit schools in my district and some-times to visit schools in other areas to learnabout special programs. For me the visits arevery positive experiences. I continue to be im-pressed with the outstanding work that ourschools are doing especially considering thethousands of children—more than 180,000 inFairfax County—they have to educate. Ensur-ing that every child reaches his or her full po-tential is a continual challenge, but I find ad-ministrators and teachers at every level work-ing earnestly and diligently to make sure ithappens. The children in our community areamazing! They are for the most part eagerlearners who are full of questions and curios-ity. And they are good citizens.

One question that I get from children that

may be a curiosity of some adults aswell is just what is a delegate. I dis-cuss with the students the meaningof “to be delegate” and explain that Iam given a delegation of responsibil-ity by the voters of my district to goto the state capitol each year to rep-resent their interests. In most states and at thefederal level, members of one house of the leg-islature are called representatives; they repre-sent their constituents in the legislature justas I am delegated to do by the people who livein my legislative district.

Their follow-up question is a key one thatmust be answered appropriately if our repre-sentative form of government or republic is tobe successful: How do I know the interests ofmy constituents? I give several explanations.My term of office is for two years. When I standfor re-election every two years I tell the votersin my district what I stand for and believe in.Their vote for me is an affirmation that I standfor the kind of things that they want in theirgovernment. If I do not represent the interestsof my voters, they have an opportunity everytwo years to take back the delegation of re-sponsibility they have given to me and give itto someone else.

Secondly, I know many of the interests of

my constituents because I am out andabout in the community all the time.I listen to a lot of people. I encouragepeople to call or write to me. I try tostay very active in the community tounderstand my constituents and theirneeds. I encourage people to respond

to my annual constituent survey which you cando at www.kenplum.com. Along with SenatorJanet Howell I hold public meetings; the nextone is Monday, Dec. 19, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., atthe Reston Community Center at Lake Anne.Please come and participate.

Being a delegate is supposed to be a part-time job in Virginia; for me it is a full-timejob and a half, but I am very honored tohave been entrusted with this delegationof responsibility.

To Be a Delegate Commentary

By Scott Surovell

State Senator (D-36)

Virginia is represented byDemocrats in all fivestatewide offices, hasvoted for a Democratic

president three times, yet the Vir-ginia House of Delegates has 66Republicans and 34 Democrats.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heardarguments on the legality and constitutional-ity of the last redistricting of Virginia House ofDelegates’ districts. The court’s decision couldbe monumental for all Virginia voters.

If I could fix one thing to make our govern-ment work better at every level, I would re-form redistricting. Partisan redistricting abusehas been around since the beginning of Ameri-can democracy. The term “gerrymander” origi-nates from an 1812 attempt to draw districtsfavoring Massachusetts Gov. Eldridge Gerry. Tobe clear, both parties do it, but in the last twodecades, gerrymandering has become espe-cially powerful for a few reasons.

First, America is more partisan. Due to mul-tiple and growing sources of information avail-able in today’s world, voters are able to self-select their news sources and are exposed tofewer alternative perspectives. This has drivenup partisan identification and led to fewer vot-ers who are willing to split their votes betweenpolitical parties.

Second, and more importantly, computer-enabled mapping software has made it pos-sible to draw districts that are finely crafted.When redistricting was done with index cardsshifting precincts days because of ancillary ef-fects and the need to recalculate and balance

district populations.Today, computing technology

analyzes data by census block andin a few seconds can draw a com-prehensive set of districts to elect apredicted number from a specificpolitical party while maximizing

majority-minority districts.Over the last 30 years, these political con-

siderations have caused district lines to con-stantly shift. Many areas constantly move be-tween congressmen, senators and delegatesevery redistricting cycle. Changed lines leavepeople confused about their representatives.Census level analysis leaves precincts split re-quiring local governments to redraw precinctlines to avoid polling places with multiple bal-lots. This costs taxpayers money and leavesvoters confused about their polling place.

Resulting districts are not communities ofinterest. The 36th Senate district that I repre-sent stretches 60 miles across three countiesand two area codes. The 1st Congressional Dis-trict crosses the 36th District and stretches fromManassas to near Norfolk. Districts shouldminimize jurisdictional splits, use natural geo-graphical boundaries like rivers and be trulycompact and contiguous.

Together, this creates a series of hyper-par-tisan districts, both Republican and Demo-cratic, which are so safe in general electionsthat they incentivize incumbents to focus ongalvanizing primary voters’ support and notthe broader electorate. This distorts publicpolicy and increases partisanship when it istime to legislate.

There are two solutions to this problem. First,the legislature could give up redistrictingpower and transfer it to a bipartisan or non-partisan commission. Incumbent legislatorsshould not pick their voters. I have always sup-ported nonpartisan redistricting and the Vir-ginia State Senate has passed it several times,but it always dies in the hyper-gerrymanderedHouse of Delegates. A legislative solution ishighly unlikely.

The real opportunity to remedy this situa-tion lies in the courts. Some courts have thrownout hyper gerrymandered seats using VotingRights Act provisions. While valuable, this lawis not a comprehensive tool because it is lim-ited to preventing racial discrimination anddoes not address other problems with parti-san redistricting. A Wisconsin federal courtrecently used an analysis based on the 1st and14th Amendments to invalidate partisan redis-tricting by focusing on “wasted votes,” but didnot recommend a remedy.

Courts can often better resolve issues thatlegislatures cannot. For example, in 1962, nu-merous legislatures, including Virginia’s, re-fused to redraw districts recognizing the boom-ing suburban populations. The U.S. SupremeCourt required Virginia and other states todraw districts based on actual population byadopting the “one man, one vote” rule of theBaker v. Carr case.

Today, it is similarly time for the courts torestore democracy to our country and our com-monwealth. Hopefully, they will use the Vir-ginia House of Delegates case argued this weekto restore democracy to America.

It is an honor to serve as your state senator.If you have any feedback, you can always con-tact me at [email protected].

Court Should Overturn Partisan RedistrictingCommentary

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Vienna & Oakton


SHOP!Allen EdmondsAnn TaylorAppalachian SpringArtInsights Animation

& Film Art Galleryat&t WirelessbluemercuryBow Tie CinemasCharles SchwabChico’sCigar TownCrunch FitnessDavelle ClothiersEyewear GalleryFrancesca’s CollectionsGreater Reston Arts CenterHyatt Regency RestonIce Skating Pavilion

(seasonal)Jos. A. Banks ClothiersJouvence AvedaKendra ScottL’OccitaneLou LouMadewellMayflowersMidtown JewelersOriginsPNC BankPotomac River RunningPottery BarnPR at PartnersPR BarbersPrime CleanersSouth Moon UnderTalbotsVictoria’s SecretWells FargoWhite House Black MarketWilliams-SonomaThe Wise Investor Group

DINE!American Tap RoomBen & Jerry’sBig BowlBRB: Be Right BurgerBusara Thai RestaurantChipotle Mexican GrillThe CounterEdibles Incredible!Il FornaioM&S GrillNeylaObi SushiPotbelly Sandwich WorksTasting Room WineBar & ShopTavern64Ted’s BulletinUncle Julio’sWorld of Beer

...and much more!

RESTON TOWN CENTER

HOLIDAYS ARE HERE!Community Holiday PerformancesFOUNTAIN SQUAREDecember 8 Fairfax Christian School, 12:30 pm9 Oak Hill 6th Grade Chorus, 7 pm14 Sunrise Valley Elementary School Chorus, 6:30 pm15 Apostolic Faith Church, 7 pm 16 KISD Honor Choir, 5:30 pm17 Calvary Temple Church, 12 pm

THE PROMENADEDecember 10 The Reston Chorale, 1 pm & 2 pm

Northern Virginia Ukulele Society, 3:30 pm11 Northern Virginia Ukulele Society, 12 pm

The Reston Chorale, 2 pm & 3 pm17 Tenor Tim McKee, 12 pm & 1 pm

Catchin’ Toads, 2:30 pm

Horse-Drawn Carriage RidesSATURDAYS, December 10 & 17, 4 - 9 pm

Mini-Train RidesSUNDAYS, December 11 & 18, 12 - 4 pm

All proceeds from rides benefit local charities

Reston Town Center Ice Skating PavilionNovember until MarchOpen daily; extended hours on holidays

College Night Skate on ThursdaysRock N Skate on FridaysCartoon Skate on Saturdays

See more at restontowncenter.com/events

The Container Store con-tinues its annual, nationwidesignature giving program,Holiday Hugs. In each of theirWashington, DC-area stores,they are partnering withChildren’s National HealthSystem to collect and delivernew, unwrapped gifts to theiryoung patients who arespending the holidays awayfrom home.

Customers can participatein the Holiday Hugs programby dropping off new, un-wrapped books, small toysand games, toiletries, giftcards and kid-friendly stock-ing stuffers in collection binsat the Washington, DC, Ar-lington, Reston, Tysons Cor-ner and Rockville locationsbetween now and Dec. 18.Employees from the Washing-ton, DC-area stores will then volunteer theirtime to package the donated gifts into cus-tom Holiday Hugs Sacks and deliver themto Children’s National Health System theweek of Dec. 19.

“Every holiday season, The ContainerStore embraces the spirit of giving by help-ing those in need in our local communities,”

Photo contributed

The Container Store continues its annual,nationwide signature giving program, HolidayHugs. Collections are going on now throughDec. 18 and gifts will be delivered to thehospital the week of Dec. 19. The ContainerStore’s Washington, DC-area locations includeWashington, DC, Rockville, Arlington, Restonand Tysons Corner.

News

The Container Store LaunchesAnnual Holiday Hugs Program

said Melissa Reiff, Chief Executive Officerof The Container Store. “Our Holiday Hugsprogram is an easy way to bring joy toyoung patients and their families throughthis gesture of love from everyone associ-ated with The Container Store.”

For more information about the Holiday Hugsprogram, visit standfor.containerstore.com/holidayhugs.


See Calendar, Page 9

Send announcements toconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Deadline isFriday at noon for the following week’s paper.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGCHO Food, New Toy, and Bike Drive Nov. 1-

Dec. 31 at various locations around Vienna. Dishsoap, canned fruit, chili, canned beef stew,diapers and wipes, canned salmon, Spam, tuna,tomato sauce, and laundry detergent are inparticular need. CHO requests that no food beexpired.

“Ten Best Friends” a solo show featuring JoanFegan’s oil portraits of the ten most popularbreeds of dog in the US, has been extendedthrough the holidays. Cost: Free. The location isThe Frame Factory Gallery, at 212 DominionRd., NE, Vienna, VA 22180; 703-281-2350.Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday, 9:30 am -5:30 pm, on Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Visit http://theframefactory1.com/index.htm.

Inaugural Christmas Village at McLeanBible Church Sunday Dec. 11 - Friday Dec. 16McLean Bible Church Tysons Campus 8925Leesburg Pike Vienna. Christmas Village is awalk-through attraction complete with family-friendly rides, indoor skating, liveentertainment, and so much more. We’retransforming the twelve corridors of MBCTysons for six days of Christmas fun. Considerbringing a donation of a new, small or mediumsized toy. The gifts will be used to bless needychildren in the DMV. Admission: Free https://www.mcleanbible.org/events/christmas-village-2016

Volunteer By Helping Pack Shoeboxes forOperation Christmas Child Sunday, Dec. 11through Friday, Dec. 16 from 6 - 9 p.m. McLeanBible Church Tysons Campus 8925 LeesburgPike Vienna. Email us [email protected] or visit:https://www.mcleanbible.org/events/christmas-village-2016 and click “How Can I Help?” At thetop right of the page for more info.

Drop-off boxes are available at Town Hall, 127Center Street S; Patrick Henry Library, 101Maple Ave. E; Bikes @ Vienna, 128 ChurchStreet NW; Caffe Amouri, 107 Church Street NE;Doctors Covel, Stack, and Henon, 120 BeulahRoad NE; Evolution Fitness, 216 Dominion RoadNE; Rexall Drug Store, 150 Maple Avenue W;Vienna Arts Center, 115 Pleasant Street NE.

Winter Walk of Lights at MeadowlarkBotanical Gardens open every day beginningon Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, through Jan. 8, 2017.Open Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s,too. The walk of lights runs daily from 5:30 - 10p.m. Last tickets sold at 9:30 p.m. This family-friendly six-week winter wonderland ofspectacle is only a few years old but hasgarnered a loyal following from throughout theNorthern Virginia area, particularly Vienna andits environs. To buy timed tickets online: https://www.novaparks.com/events/winter-walk-of-lights

The Freeman Store & Museum Wednesdaythrough Sunday noon - 4 p.m. 131 Church

Street NE Vienna. The Freeman Store & Museumis dedicated to Preserving and promotingVienna’s heritage through the identification,preservation, and interpretation of historysignificant places, events, and persons.historicviennainc.org

Weekly Storytime. Wednesday and Saturday. 11a.m. Barnes & Noble, 7851 L Tysons CornerCenter, McLean. Themes and Titles vary. Freeadmission.

Bingo Night. Sundays. 4 p.m. Flame Room,Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, 400 CenterSt. S, Vienna. $10. www.vvfd.org/bingo.html.

Gentle Yoga. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. EmmausUnited Church of Christ, 900 E Maple Ave. E,Vienna. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Gentle KundaliniYoga, one free introductory session, seniordiscounts. Increase flexibility, improve breathingand health, reduce stress. Ravi Kaur has 15years experience teaching yoga. $15 per session.www.edimprovement.org. 571-213-3192.

THURSDAY/DEC. 8Giant’s In-Store Nutritionists Promote

Community Wellness 10 a.m. Agewise AtThe Ashby Apartments Nutrition Club. Giantnutritionist Amanda Barnes invites residents tocommunity wellness classes, store events and in-store consultations. In a world full of foodoptions and different diet trends, a nutritionisthas the training and expertise needed to sortthrough individual information to provide theirclients with a plan that suits their needs. Anutritionist’s primary job is to help advisecustomers when it comes to their health andwhat they consume. Through setting upconsultations and creating specialized diets,nutritionists can help with various concerns, likeweight loss, diabetes and other health issueswhere diet is particularly important.

FRIDAY/DEC. 9Carrie Newcomer at Jammin Java Doors

open: 6 p.m. Show 7 p.m. 227 Maple Ave East,Vienna. She recently released her 16th CD, TheBeautiful Not Yet, and will be performing atJammin’ Java. www.jamminjava.com/

SATURDAY/DEC.10Vienna Volunteer Fire Department

Auxiliary Pancake Breakfast 8 - noonVienna Volunteer Fire Department, 400 CenterSt. South, Vienna, Va. Santa Claus will make hisarrival at 10:30 a.m. to greet all. The Sheriff’soffice will be there to provide you with a freephoto of your child and a set of his or herfingerprints – using clean, inkless technology.Photo ID with fingerprints gives authorities vitalinformation to help locate a missing child. Therewill also be tours of the fire equipmentavailable. All proceeds go to the ViennaVolunteer Fire Department to assist in

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Vienna will host a Puppy Nativityon Saturday Dec. 17 from 10 - 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the church at2351 Hunter Mill Road, Vienna. Bring your puppies and dogs to takepart in the Live Puppy Nativity. This will be fun for the community andmay make great holiday pictures. Costumes and treats will be providedfor pets. Hot chocolate will be served, and the church’s youth group willbe on hand to accept community donations for the Britepaths HolidayProgram to help needy families https://britepaths.org/our-programs/holiday-program

Calendar


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purchasing life saving fire equipment.Come have a delicious breakfast,spend time with the members of theVVFD and the community and visitwith Santa. [email protected]

BASIS Independent McLean’sOpen House 10 a.m. 8000 JonesBranch Road, McLean.Grades 1 - 10:At our Open House, a representationof our teaching staff will be availablefor a “Meet & Greet” and to sharetheir vision of the classroom.

Wish List Project Drop Off Event10 – 1:00 p.m. The Perez FamilyHome at 10440 Down Patrick Lane,Great Falls. Directly help families inneed in area shelters, localelementary schools, alternativehousing and children in foster care.New this year — The Wish ListProject has partnered with BuzzAldrin, Herndon and HutchisonElementary schools for students whoqualify for the free/reduced mealprogram. Your generosity andsupport will perpetuate the essence

of the holiday season. It is importantthat ALL DONATIONS be received nolater than the 10th as schoolcounselors, social workers andshelter directors will be picking upthe following day.

If you have a conflict with the 10th, atime for drop-off can be arranged theweek prior. Gift receipts areencouraged to be included with thepresents you purchase.

Please contact Christie Shumadine at703-405-8561 [email protected] with anyquestions. All gifts are tax deductibleand forms will be available at thedriveway during drop off.

McLean AAUW Event 12 - 2:30 p.m.375 Walker Road, Great Falls. ErinGarland, a National Museum forWomen in the Arts docent, presentson works of artists in the museum’scollection who had interesting,unusual, and humorous DC areaconnections. Admission: $35 775-762-8016 [email protected]

Musicologist, humorist and jazz pianist John Eaton willshare the history and harmonies of some favorite sea-sonal songs from the American Songbook at a special“Holiday Spectacular” on Saturday, Dec. 17 at The Alden1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean.

Photo courtesy of McLean Community Center

‘Fancy Nancy’ at Alden Theatre"Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas" cast. McLeanCommunity Center presents “Fancy Nancy’s SplendiferousChristmas” performed by Vital Theatre at the AldenTheatre, McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave,McLean. Performance: Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016 at 1 p.m.Tickets: $15/$10 for MCC tax district residents. Call: 703-790-0123 or visit www.mcleancommunitycenter.comNote: Length of performance is approximately 60 min-utes. Best for children 4+


By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

As Bridget O’Brien took inventoryof her liquor supply recently, shechecked off vanilla rum, whitechocolate liqueur, peppermint

schnapps, Champagne and Crème de cassis.These fanciful ingredients would be the keyingredients of the signature drinks — candycane cocktails and kir royale — that guestshad come to anticipate at her family’s an-nual Christmas caroling party. This year,however, there was a new item on herchecklist: keeping a close eye on her 13-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son and theirfriends, who would be among the guests atthe family-friendly affair.

“The party begins at our house and westroll to the end of the street singing car-ols,” said O’Brien. “There are so manypeople, that it would be easy for kids towander off back to the house where they’dbe alone with the alcohol. They’re startingto want more independence now, so wenaturally lose some of the control that wehad when they were younger.”

Flowing drinks are as much a part of someholiday parties as decadent desserts. As aresult, yuletide festivities increase access toalcoholic beverages for underage drinkers.According to experts, underage drinkers areresponsible for between 10 and 20 percentof all alcohol consumed. During the holi-day season, they also make up the highestpercentage of impaired drivers. The temp-tation among tweens and teens to experi-ment and give into peer pressure, combinedwith the availability of alcoholic beveragescan be a deadly combination, says safetyexperts. They encourage parents to haveconversations with their children.

“A lot of parents would be surprised thattheir child would drink, but there are a lotof ways for children to get alcohol,” saidAllen Lomax, executive director of the Sub-stance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alex-andria. “It’s easy for them to get alcoholfrom their parents’ home if it’s not lockedup. You have to constantly monitor partiesin your home when teens are there becausethere’s a good chance that someone, evenif it’s not your own child, could have alco-hol.”

A child’s inquisitiveness about alcohol isa sign that it’s time for a parent to begin adialogue about the dangers and conse-quences of underage consumption, saysLinda R. Cote-Reilly, a developmental psy-chologist, certified family life educator andprofessor at Marymount University in Ar-lington. It is best to start the conversation… long before the child might be in a situ-ation where they partake in underage drink-ing. … It’s not that different from conver-sations about sexual activity. One big dif-

ference, though, is that the child will haveobserved his or her own parents’ alcoholuse, so parents should be prepared to …answer pointed questions.”

In fact, personal experiences, even thosethat are unpleasant, can be teachable mo-ments and should not be avoided or sugar-coated, says Cote Reilly. “Some children willhave an alcoholic in the family, and parentsshould always address that situation hon-estly and in child appropriate language. Forexample, a child might say, ‘Why did UncleJim fall asleep during Thanksgiving dinner?’and the parent could respond, ‘Because hedrank too much alcohol.’”

Because alcohol is a legal substance thatchildren often observe parents and otheradults consuming, and that they might le-gally consume themselves later in life, theissue can be confusing. While parents wantto curb underage drinking to keep their highschool children safe and avoid legal penal-ties, said Amy L. Best, professor and chair,Department of Sociology and Anthropology,George Mason University. “On the otherhand, parents also need to lay the ground-work for their children to consume alcoholresponsibly in early adulthood.”

Unfortunately, straight alcohol bans dolittle to protect young people as they moveout from under the yoke of parental super-vision. For students transitioning to college,it is very important they have the tools andresources to manage situations where bingedrinking is more common.

Engaging in a straightforward discussionthat is void of mandates and hard-linedrules is the most effective approach in get-ting children to be receptive, advised Best.“I think parents do well when they engagein honest and reasoned discussions withtheir children about alcohol and that theseconversations be ongoing, informal andstructured so their children can feel com-fortable talking about what they are observ-

ing around them,” she said.“Research suggests that when parents fo-

cus on rules and discipline, adolescents tendto be more likely to engage in surreptitiousdrinking and succumb to peer pressure,”agreed Shannon N. Davis, associate profes-sor of sociology at George Mason Univer-sity, In fact, parents who talk to their ado-lescents about drinking as something thatis forbidden might actually be enhancingits desirability, says Davis.

“Instead, [discuss it] as something thatin moderation is part of adult life; [thesediscussions] are more likely to have theirchildren express ideas about moderation intheir own subsequent alcohol consump-tion,” she said. “This is not to say that par-ents should encourage their adolescents tobreak the law. Instead, rather than focus-ing on the illegality of the behavior and therules around drinking, parents should havehonest conversations about drinking, theconsequences on bodies of drinking, andexplain why the rules exist in general.”

Honest conversations also help clear upmisconceptions. “Children often harborideas about alcohol that are downrightwrong,” said Best. “Sometimes this means

parents just listen and then can sharetheir own observations, as well as thestrategies they used to navigate thecomplex world of adolescent andadult drinking.”

It is important that parents set clearboundaries. “I also think parents dowell when they set clear guidelinesand follow them,” said Best. “It is im-portant that teens have the means toforge a sense of self that is separatefrom their parents. That is the funda-mental developmental project of ado-lescence. When teens have productivemeans to forge a sense of self inde-pendence of parent(s), alcohol holdsless appeal.”

It also holds less appeal to confidentteens. “Most importantly, parents wantto ensure that their adolescents havehigh levels of self-esteem that allowthem to feel comfortable saying ‘no’to any circumstance where they areuncomfortable or pressured by theirfriends,” said Davis. “Reminding ado-lescents that it is OK to be different isa hard thing, and it is a hard thing forthe adolescents to hear.”

Experts suggestholding honestconversations.

Wellbeing

Preventing Underage Drinking During the Holidays

Photo by Marilyn Campbell

The holidays and the resulting increase in celebrations and partiescreate opportunities for underage drinking.

“Instead, rather thanfocusing on theillegality of the behaviorand the rules arounddrinking, parentsshould have honestconversations aboutdrinking, theconsequences onbodies of drinking, andexplain why the rulesexist in general.”

—Shannon N. Davis,associate professor of sociology at

George Mason University

Combating that holiday period which theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administrationsays is a “dangerous time to be on the road dueto a high number of drunk drivers behind thewheel,” a local nonprofit organization an-nounced hat free cab rides will be offered towould-be drunk drivers throughout the Wash-ington-metropolitan area during the winterholidays.

Offered by the nonprofit Washington Re-gional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the annual

Holiday SoberRide® program will operate be-tween 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each evening betweenFriday, Dec. 16, 2016 and Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017as a way to keep local roads safe from impaireddrivers during this traditionally high-risk, holi-day period.

During the evening hours, between Dec. 16and Jan. 1, Washington-metropolitan area resi-dents celebrating with alcohol may call thetoll-free SoberRide phone number 1–800–200–TAXI and be afforded a no-cost (up to $ 30fare), safe way home. (AT&T wireless users candial #WRAP for the same service.)

More information about WRAP’s SoberRideinitiative can be found at www.soberride.com.

Free Holiday Cab RidesOffered to PreventDrunk Driving


SHILLELAGHS TRAVEL CLUB100 East Street SE, Suite 202 • Vienna, Virginia 22180

703-242-2204 1-800-556-8646Please visit our Web site at: www.shillelaghtravelclub.com

for a listing of all our upcoming trips and socials.

Celebratingour 50th

Anniversary

Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day, March 15-18...............................................$1135Includes Motorcoach from Vienna, Grosvenor Metro or McLean Metro, 3 nightshotel on Tybee Island, Daily breakfast, 3 Dinners, Sightseeing, Private seating onparade route, Complimentary wine, beer, bloody Mary’s & Irish whiskeyOn St. Pat’s Day! Call for details.

Ocean City with Branson Entertainment, March 14-17. ..............................$899Includes Motorcoach transportation from Vienna, McLean or Grosvenor Metros,3 nights oceanfront hotel with daily breakfast, 3 dinners. Call for details.

Croatia Explorer, April 4-12...........................................................................$3195Includes air from Dulles, 7-nights hotel with daily breakfast, 5 dinners, Sightseeing,Transfers & Porterage. Call for detailed itinerary.

From Page 9

Calendar

Meadowlark Gardens’ WinterWalk of Lights opened on Nov.18. A half-a-million colored andcrystal LED lights glow andshimmer in night, creatingstorybook vignettes and wood-land surrealism. The WinterWalk of Lights at MeadowlarkBotanical Gardens off Beulah

Road in Vienna runs throughJan. 8. First timed entry is at5:30 p.m.; the last is 9:30 p.m.

Buy your tickets online atwww.winterwalkoflights.com.To get a per person $1 discount,good Monday through Thurs-day, use mailer16 when pur-chasing tickets.

Winter Walk of Lights BringsHoliday Magic to Life

Photos by Donna Manz/The Connection

Skaters waltz on an imaginary iced pond; some slipand fall at Meadowlark Gardens’ Winter Walk ofLights.

An animated deer and her fawn “watch” as gardenguests stroll by. The Winter Walk of Lights at Mead-owlark Botanical Gardens off Beulah Road in Viennaruns through Jan. 8.

Reach for the Stars at Riverbend’sAstronomy Festival 5 - 6 p.m.Riverbend Park is located at 8700Potomac Hills St., Great Falls. Therewill be guided star-gazing and achance to peek at the stars through atelescope. Learn more about what’stwinkling in the sky at night as youlisten to ancient stories about theconstellations around the campfire.Enjoy games and activities, and if youget a little hungry, there will be hotchocolate and snacks available forpurchase. Cost: $6 online $7 at door.http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/. This eventwill be canceled if it’s raining orsnowing.

SUNDAY/DEC. 11Colonial Wassail 1 - 4 p.m. The

Claude Moore Colonial Farm 6310Georgetown Pike, McLean. Standfast, root! Bear well, top!( God sendus a howling crop! In the winter theapple trees need encouragement tobear fruit during the coming year.Gather in the Claude Moore ColonialFarm’s orchard to wassail the treeswith singing, dancing and chants toensure “a howling crop.” Enjoy hotspiced cider, sugar cakes, a roaringbonfire and 18th century games. Funand educational activity for all. Cost:Adults: $3; Children 3-12 andSeniors: $2; Children under 3complimentary admission. AAA andmilitary discounts. Free parking.Vicki Baker: 703-231-3545;[email protected]

“Fancy Nancy SplendiferousChristmas” at 1 & 4 p.m. 1234Ingleside Ave, McLean. For ages 4+.What could be fancier thanChristmas? This year, Nancy isespecially excited. She has enoughmoney to buy a brand-new sparklyChristmas-tree topper. But whenthings don’t turn out the way Nancyplanned, will Christmas still besplendiferous? Admission: $15/$10MCC tax district residents/ http://mcleancenter.org/alden-theatre

Handel’s Messiah Concert onSunday 4 p.m. at Vienna PresbyterianChurch, 124 Park Street. TheChristmas story in music by the VPCSanctuary Choir, with special guestsMetropolitan Opera soprano DanielleTalamantes and organist Terry Sisk,and with commentary by Pastor PeteJames.

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 14Giant’s In-Store Nutritionists

Promote Community Wellness6 p.m. Vienna Giant at ViennaShopping Center, 359 Maple AvenueEast, Vienna. Giant nutritionistAmanda Barnes invites residents tocommunity wellness classes, storeevents and in-store consultations. Ina world full of food options anddifferent diet trends, a nutritionisthas the training and expertise neededto sort through individualinformation to provide their clientswith a plan that suits their needs. Anutritionist’s primary job is to helpadvise customers when it comes totheir health and what they consume.Through setting up consultations andcreating specialized diets,nutritionists can help with variousconcerns, like weight loss, diabetesand other health issues where diet isparticularly important.

SATURDAY/DEC. 17Puppy Nativity Vienna Church 10 -

2 p.m. in the parking lot of thechurch at 2351 Hunter Mill Road,Vienna. Bring your puppies and dogsto take part in the Live PuppyNativity. This will be fun for thecommunity and may make greatholiday pictures. Costumes and treatswill be provided for pets. Hot

chocolate will be served, and thechurch’s youth group will be on handto accept community donations forthe Britepaths Holiday Program tohelp needy families https://britepaths.org/our-programs/holiday-program

Holiday Express and Visit withSanta at Clemyjontri Park 10 - 3p.m. Clemyjontri Park is located at6317 Georgetown Pike, McLean. Visitwith Santa, go for a ride on theHoliday Express train, and take aspin on the unique carousel that’swheelchair accessible. There will alsobe holiday pictures for children tocolor. Stay for a while and let the

kids play on the specially-designedplayground that allows children of allabilities to have fun side-by-side.Train rides: $5 Carousel rides: $3.Photo with Santa: $5 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/clemyjontri/.

“John Eaton’s Holiday Songbook”2 p.m. 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean.Jazz pianist and musicologist JohnEaton’s first-ever holiday concert lastyear was such a hit that we’rebringing it back! Hear your GreatAmerican Songbook favorites with ayuletide twist. Admission: $35/$20MCC tax district residents. http://mcleancenter.org/alden-theatre


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News

See Destination, Page 13

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

One hundred twenty-five children withlife-challenging illnesses, their familiesand a support team of doctors, nursesand volunteers, for a total of 216

people, arrived at Gate 7, Terminal D at Dulles In-ternational Airport, Dec. 3, and headed for the hot-test destination of the season.

Children’s Hospice International, located in Alex-andria, in partnership with United Airlines had in-vited children and their families to experience a spe-cial trip. Earlier that morning each person hadchecked in at the United Airlines counter and re-ceived a complimentary ticket aboard Flight 2135,IAD-NTP, non-stop service from Washington to theNorth Pole, aboard Fantasy Flight 2016, call signSleigh Ride One.

They lined up at the boarding gate shortly before8:30 a.m., awaiting an adventure so many familieshad anticipated for months. Going down the jetbridge, parents lifted their children out of wheelchairsleaving the chairs behind for the support crew. Oth-ers held the hands of their ill child and the hands oftheir other children as the line moved forward toenter the plane.

The flight crew greeted the passengers as theyboarded the plane for their all-expense paid trip tothe North Pole and personal visits with Santa Claus.

Sparkling garland hung on the overhead compart-ments and cut out snowflakes dangled from the ceil-ing.

HOLIDAY MAGIC, a mix of community spirit andcare, fueled this year’s United Airlines Fantasy Flight2016, a program in its 27th year of operation. Throughthe support of United Airlines, its partnership withChildren’s Hospice International, the giving of doz-ens of local and regional corporations and hundredsof volunteers including United employees who do-nated their time and talent, United’s Flight to theNorth Pole prepared to depart.

Francis Parker and her husband had eagerly an-ticipated this day since May when the youngest oftheir four sons, Case, age 2, was diagnosed with can-

cer. While waiting to board Fantasy Flight 2016,Parker’s boys had crayoned letters to Santa andmailed them with the help from members of HerndonRotary Club. Paul Williams, Rotarian, said, “It’s ahappy time here today, to celebrate with the fami-lies.”

As the boys colored, Parker said, “Case is receivingtreatment at Walter Reed. His nurses told us aboutthe flight when Case was diagnosed. We woke themup this morning, put them in the car and didn’t tellthem where they were going until we got to the air-port. Everybody’s been wonderful.” Looking around,she added: “What a great opportunity this is.”

Although Case’s brothers had flown before, thiswas to be Case’s first flight, as it was for many chil-dren aboard Fantasy Flight 2016. While the flightattendants helped the families settle in, UnitedAirline’s Captain “Bubba” welcomed everyoneaboard. He explained that there were some very spe-cial rules on the nonstop flight to the North Pole.

“Window blinds have to remain down,” he said,adding that the plane uses a very special fuel, mak-ing it travel so fast it’ll be extremely bright outside.“And everyone knows, where Santa lives,” CaptainBubba said, “is a secret, only United has clearancefrom Santa Claus” to land at the North Pole.

The flight is real and so is the destination. SandySteinmeyer, a United Airlines flight attendant andkey organizer of the Dulles Fantasy Flights said: “AllFantasy Flights across the United States and Guam,a total of 14 flights, will really take off this year.”

According to Randy Cox, managing director UnitedAirlines, United Airlines donates the fuel for theflights while employees, flight attendants, crews andsupport teams donate their time.

Julia Wislocka, United Airlines staff representativecorporate communication, commented that there isno doubt in her mind Fantasy Flight is the most amaz-ing event of United Airlines. She said, “It’s a greatexample of employees and the community comingtogether. The event, takes hundreds of volunteers,and the concourse where the families will arrive,really is transformed to be the North Pole.”

Terry Edwards, a United employee for 27 years,was Mrs. Santa. Before the plane departed, sheagreed and said, “In their mindset, the children areat the North Pole. They buy into it 100 percent.”

While Sleigh Ride One traveled at near warp speed,it made quick time to the North Pole but not beforeflight attendants could treat everyone to apple slicesand sweets. As Fantasy Flight 2016 prepared to land,Captain Bubba came on the intercom one last time.To everyone on board, he wished: “Fill your dayswith laughter; fill them with peace and with joy.Welcome to the North Pole.”

In spirit of season,community organizationsand businesses donatehundreds of service hoursand supplies.

Taking a Fantasy Flight to the North Pole

Oak Hill Herndon FantasyFlight 2016: Children withlife-challenging illnesses andtheir families board SleighRide One, nonstop service tothe North Pole, for a day ofholiday cheer and a privatevisit with Santa Clause.United Airlines hosted theday with the support ofhundreds of volunteers andregional businesses.

Photos by Anthony C. Tsantrizos


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From Page 12

News

The children, their familiesand the support teamsdeplaned. They headed up thejet bridge to the concourse.There, much to their surprise,with eyes wide open, storybookcharacters, Minions, StormTroopers and hundreds of vol-unteers had formed a gauntlet,and were applauding their ar-rival. High fives were slapped;children hugged Minions andthe Red, White and Blues bandplayed. Even the Racing Presi-dents of the Washington Nation-als stepped up to the childrenand gave out hugs.

Earlier, Cox described the ef-fort it took to transform the con-course to be the North Pole; “Webegin decorating the night be-fore at 6 p.m. It takes 350 vol-unteers to decorate the NorthPole. All the work and the deco-rations are donated.”

Jim Lynch from Michigan attended the event withhis teenage daughter Emily. Lynch said, “Emily com-pleted a weeklong research program at NIH. Thisis a fun day. And to just walk off that plane, wewere blown away.”

Another element of the day is the impact the eventhas for the siblings of a challenged child. Wislockasaid, “Today’s event is so important for the sick kids,but also for their siblings because their parents’ fo-cus has been on the sick child. United Airline em-ployees and our volunteers make sure the siblingsget just as much attention and love.”

Xin Huang’s 3-year old daughter, Heidi, attendsthe Maryland School for the Deaf and Blind. WhileHeidi rested in her wheelchair, Huang said that thiswas the second time they had attended the event.She added, “It’s an important family event. Last year,every other month, Heidi’s brother, Leon, would askabout it. He absolutely believes we are at the NorthPole.”

DURING THEIR VISIT to the North Pole, guestsexperienced an entertainment line up of 13 bands;various support groups such as Summit TherapyAnimals and Red Door Salon and entertainers likeAerial Graffiti Jugglers, who all donated their timeand talents for the cause.

But the event everyone waited for was his or herpersonal visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Each childhad an extended time with Santa and received abag full of age-appropriate toys or items, purchasedspecifically for that child.

At 21, Montel Flipping was the oldest invitee. Hesat in his wheelchair, eyes alert. His mother, SonjaFlipping said, “Montel was diagnosed with pediatricbrain cancer at Children’s Hospital. This has been a4-year journey, and God is awesome.” She added thatMontel, her only child, had been accepted into thePolice Cadet Program one month prior to his diag-nosis. “Where trust is, is what matters most,” shesaid as they left to get in line for Montel’s visit withSanta.

Ashtin Parker from West Springfield High Schooland Bryson McDaniels from Lake Braddock HighSchool were two of the gift purchasers for the event.Parker said, “This year we got to buy 800 toys.”

McDaniels added: “We got toys every child wouldlike, from ages newborn to 21. If we can make adifference, we will do this any day.” Both Parker andMcDaniels had formed gift and fund drives, Ashtin’sdrive was named Ashtin’s Angels and McDaniel’s wasBryson’s Blessings.

McDaniel’s added: “We really put a lot of thoughtinto what to buy, headphones, books, puzzles, thenhe added: “The headphones are for the 21-year old.”

For more information about Fantasy Flight, con-tact United Airlines. For more information aboutChildren’s Hospice International that ensures medi-cal, psychological, social, and spiritual support to allchildren with life-threatening conditions and theirfamilies, contact www.CHIonline.org.

Destination: North Pole

A child at United Airlines Fantasy Flightknows the best gift of any season, is awelcoming hug.

Montel Flipping and Mrs. Minnesota, Morgan Bredde, enjoya moment together during festivities sponsored by UnitedAirlines at their Fantasy Flight celebration. Bredde is anAmbassador for Children’s Hospice International (CHI), anon-profit organization that partnered with United Air-lines. CHI completes the circle of care and improves thequality of life for children with life-altering illnesses.

Photos by Anthony C. Tsantrizos


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• McLean • Vienna/OaktonClassifiedClassified

OBITUARY

Joseph Gerald Teresa, age 75, died suddenly at home on November 22.

He leaves his wife of 36 years, Anne (Hancock) Teresa, their son Benjamin Teresa, daughter- in- law Erica Sims, and grand-daughter Eleanor of Richmond, Virginia; a nephew Carl Wil-liamson of Frederick, Maryland; and his mother -in- law, Euge-nia Hancock of the home.

Born and raised in Monrovia, California, Joe was the son of Carl and Frances (Bonfiglio)Teresa.

From his early years on he loved and excelled at mathematics. He obtained a B.S in Biology and a M.S. in Mathematics, and received a National Science Foundation Fellowship to the Uni-versity of Michigan, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Education.

He taught at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for several years, co-authoring a number of studies and books published by the Rackham School of Graduate Studies. In 1976 he joined the U.S. Department of Education as a senior statisti-cian. He spent 24 years at the Department designing, con-ducting and contributing to large-scale national education stud-ies, including the National Assessment of Educational Prog-ress (NAEP). He held teaching positions at the University of Arkansas at Monticello; Bluefield College in Bluefield, VA; The University of Maryland; and George Mason University. Joe was passionate about teaching and loved working with stu-dents of all ages.

In 1980 he married the former Anne Hancock of Bluefield, West Virginia. They moved to Vienna, Virginia in 1988 where they raised their son, Benjamin, born in 1982. Joe was a true family man, reflecting his Italian heritage, and spent many years as a Boy Scout leader with Troop 152 in Vienna.

In 2011 Joe and Anne moved to Shepherdstown where he made many close friends and truly enjoyed the beauty of the area. He volunteered with the Good Shepherd Caregivers and was a member of Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church. He was a friend to all animals, loved to travel, and never met a cookie he did not like.

A celebration of life will be held at the Shepherdstown Presby-terian Church in Shepherdstown, WV on December 17 at 2:00PM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church; the Good Shepherd Caregivers of Shepherdstown, WV; or the Sons of Italy Foundation.

21 Announcements 21 Announcements



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21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEBackstage Bistro Arlington, LLC trading as Stageplate

Bistro-Arlington, 900 N. Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA 22203. The

above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On Premises; Mixed Beverage license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages,

Mary Marchetti, President of the managing corporationNOTE: Objections to the

issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later

than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two required newspaper legal

notices. Objections should be registered at

www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

ABC LICENSEGong & Yuan, LLC trading as Hunan Gate, 4233 Fairfax Dr.

Arlington, VA 22203. The above establishment is

applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

for a Wine and Beer On Premises and Mixed Beverage on Premises license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Zhao Feng Gong,

owner NOTE: Objections to the


than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two

required legal notices. Objections should be

registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or

800-552-3200.

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ABC LICENSEFun Eats and Drinks, LLC

trading as Champps #65226, 1201 S. Joyce Rd, Suite C-10,

Arlington, VA 22202. The above establishment is

applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine &

Beer On Premises; Mixed Beverage Restaurant on

Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic

beverages, Michael R. Kelly, Manager

(LLC)NOTE: Objections to the


than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two required newspaper legal

notices. Objections should be registered at

www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

ABC LICENSEK. Rob Krupicka, Jr. trading as

Sugar Shack Donuts, 1014 S. Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA

22204. The above establishment is applying to the

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC

BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Beer On Premises

license to sell or manufacture alcoholic

beveragesK. Rob Krupicka, Jr, Managing Member

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later




800-552-3200.

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ABC LICENSENatural Food LLC trading as

Asia Origin, 1753 Pinnacle Dr., Mclean, VA 22102. The above

establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

for a Wine and Beer On Premises; Mixed Beverage Restaurant license to sell or

manufacture alcoholic beverages. Chaosheng Liu

MemberNOTE: Objections to the





800-552-3200.

ABC NOTICEMaru, Inc trading as Maru

Korean Cuisine & Sushi, 128 Maple Ave West, Vienna, VA

22180. The above establishment is applying to

the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine and Beer On Premises and Mixed Beverage Restaurant

license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Chun Ki Lee, President/OwnerNOTE: Objections to the issu-ance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Ob-jections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

21 Announcements

21 Announcements

21 Announcements

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Rocking theChair

Not that I was ever a CB person (CitizensBand radio), good buddy, but right now, Iam in the middle of both my four-to-fiveweek infusion interval and my quarterly-scan interval. Far enough past that I don’thave any residual food or emotional issuesand not close enough that I have any anxi-ety about the food and emotional issuesthat will inevitably occur. I am between arock and a hard place, and I mean that inan atypical way: I am under no pressure,but no illusions either, oddly enough. I amsailing smooth and riding high, mindful ofmy reality, but appreciative of the relative— and comparative calm with which thisinterval affords.

Not that I can be normal (not a cancer“diagnosee”), but this is as close to ‘normal’as it gets — for me. After all, I do have a“terminal” form of cancer (non-small celllung cancer, stage IV), not a cold, so it’s notas if it will go away with time. Nevertheless,I am grateful for the particularly good times— now, while trying to manage my expec-tations for the bad times — later, after thishoneymoon-type period ends. But sincethere have been many more good timesthan bad since I was diagnosed in lateFebruary 2009, I am not bogged down,emotionally by my circumstances, althoughI am somewhat compromised, physically.Nothing I can’t live with, however. Actually,I’m thrilled to live with any of it, ‘live’ beingthe operative word.

At this juncture, nearly eight years postinitial symptoms (New Year’s Day 2009),mostly I can handle what happens to me, sofar any way. But when similar stuff happensto others: death, disease, disability, demen-tia; I feel their pain, sort of; and suffer emo-tionally. It’s not as if I take in all their anxi-ety, but in a way, the weight of it does affectme. And sometimes, I get weepy over it. AsI’ve written before, and heard many timesas well in the cancer world, negative any-thing is extremely harmful to cancerpatients — or most other “terminal”patients I would imagine as well. From myown experience though, I certainly under-stand the difficult circumstances underwhich all us patients/survivors endure;remaining positive and being surrounded bypositivity is key as is humor, encourage-ment, compliments, congratulations, com-passion and empathy. All are crucial to ourcore. Healthy bodies we may no longerhave, but healthy minds we have to main-tain. And the stronger and healthier thatmind is, the more it will help us to mind ourown business and do so in a manner thatwill prevent the cancer from taking overthose minds.

Just as The United Negro College Fund“slogans” “A mind is a terrible thing towaste;” in the cancer world, it’s terriblewhen patients are unable to use their mindsto fight their disease. In many cases, canceris a killer, there’s no doubt about that, butallowing negative emotions to take over isreally unhelpful. Accentuating the positive(like the subject of this column) and mini-mizing the negative has to be the order ofthe day — and the night, too. You have tofind the good or the funny and embrace it,exaggerate it, extend it, elongate it, andreinforce it. Anything to make sure it mat-ters more than the bad. Bad is bad enoughon its own. It doesn’t need any help fromus. Focusing on what I can enjoy hopefullywill enable me to keep on trekking, and to“Live long and prosper.”

Come back.

An expert is someone who knowssome of the

worst mistakesthat can bemade in his

subject and howto avoid them.

-WernerHeisenberg

The biggest things are always the easiest to do because there

is no competition.-William Van Horne

Light tomorrowwith today!.

-Elizabeth Barret Browing


Zone 6 Ad Deadline:

Monday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 6: • Arlington • Great Falls

• McLean • Vienna/Oakton

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PINNACLE SERVICESlic/ins 703-802-0483 free est.email [email protected]: lawnsandgutters.comFriendly Service with a Friendly Price!

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IMPROVEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS

A&S Landscaping

703-863-7465LICENSED

Serving All of N. Virginia

• All Concrete work• Retaining Walls • Patios• Decks • Porches (incl. screened) • Erosion & Grading Solutions• French Drains • Sump Pumps• Driveway Asphalt Sealing

Remodeling Homes, Flooring,Kitchen & Bath, Windows,

Siding, Roofing, Additions &Patios, Custom Deck, PaintingWe Accept All Major Credit Cards

Licensed, Insured, Bonded • Free Estimates • Class A Lic

RN. CONTRACTORS, INC.

Phone: 703-887-3827E-mail: [email protected]

www.rncontractors.com

J.E.S. ServicesYour neighborhood company since 1987

703-912-6886

Landscaping & Construction

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LAWN SERVICE LAWN SERVICE

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PAVING PAVING

Partial or Full. Kit. Floors, Backsplashes.Specializing in Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass Tiles

and Natural Stones. Also repair work. 35 yrs exp.

BATHROOM REMODELING

703-250-2872Licensed • Bonded • Insured

www.brennan-tile.com

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ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL

Recessed LightingCeiling FansPhone/CATVComputer Network CablingService UpgradesHot Tubs, etc…

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Find us on Facebookand become a fan!

www.Facebook.com/connectionnewspapers

www.connectionnewspapers.com

I believe thefuture is only

the past again,entered through

another gate.-Arthur Wing

Pinero

When Richard Marzan opened HouseDoctors in the fall of 2015, it was becausehe saw an opportunity to meet two needs:he wanted to begin a new career after re-tiring from the Army and the communityneeded a trustworthy, professional handy-man service. Now Marzan and his team cel-ebrate the one-year anniversary of HouseDoctors of McLean.

“The first year of a new business is al-ways a building year and we’ve done that.Now, with a solid foundation, we are mov-ing forward with plenty of lessons learnedand a bright future. We exceeded all expec-tations and we’re receiving strong commu-nity support – I’m very excited about yeartwo,” Marzan said.

House Doctors of McLean offers profes-sional handyman services in Dunn Loring,Falls Church, Great Falls, McLean, Arling-ton, Oakton, Tysons and Vienna as well asthe surrounding areas.

Marzan, a retired Lieutenant Colonel,served in the United States Army for morethan 27 years. He is an ROTC DistinguishedMilitary Graduate and a 1995 graduate ofthe Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox,Ky. Marzan earned his Bachelor’s degree inIndustrial Management from the Polytech-nic University of Puerto Rico and hisMaster’s degree in Administration fromCentral Michigan University. He is also a

graduate from the Captains Career Courseand the United States Army Command andGeneral Staff College. Marzan’s awards anddecorations include the Defense Meritori-ous Service Medal, Meritorious ServiceMedal, Iraq and Afghanistan CampaignMedals, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATOMedal, and the Parachutist and RiggerBadge.

“I retired from the military in 2015 and Ididn’t want to transition into an office jobor government contracting work. With thehelp of the Army Retirement Services, I metwith a business coach who opened my eyesto franchising. When I talked to the folks atHouse Doctors, I knew this business wouldbe a good fit for me and for the region I callhome,” Marzan said. “House Doctors is aprofessional handyman service and thatmeans any repair we do will be done right.”

House Doctors’ technicians specialize inprojects that take two hours to two days tocomplete, such as light remodeling and re-pairs of decks, doors, bathrooms and kitch-ens; repairing drywall; painting; exteriorrepairs; making home modifications andmuch more.

For more information about House Doc-tors of McLean or for an estimate on yourproject, call 703-639-0391, [email protected] or visit http://housedoctors.com/handyman-mclean/.

House Doctors of McLean CelebratesOne Year Anniversary

THROUGH DEC. 18The Container Store Annual Holiday Hugs

Program in Partnership with Children’sNational Health System Collections aregoing on now through December 18th and giftswill be delivered to the hospital the week ofDecember 19th. The Container Store is thrilled tocontinue its annual, nationwide signature givingprogram, Holiday Hugs. In each of ourWashington, DC-area stores, we are partneringwith Children’s National Health System tocollect and deliver new, unwrapped gifts to theiryoung patients who are spending the holidays inthe hospital. Customers can participate in theHoliday Hugs program by dropping off new,unwrapped books, small toys and games,toiletries, gift cards and kid-friendly stockingstuffers in collection bins at our Washington,DC, Arlington, VA, Reston, Tysons Corner andRockville locations

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 7Decluttering Seminar. The Retiree Real Estate

Education Association announces free publicservice seminar for December, 2016, onDecluttering (McLean High School, 7 p.m.). Theseminar is a part of a series of 8 free seminarson real estate issues unique to retirees. Seminarsare free, in the evenings at County publicschools. Retiree- RealEstate.org.

FRIDAY/DEC. 9Bring New Unwrapped Toys to Vienna

Presbyterian Church 9:30 - noon, fordistribution by CHO. Please also if possible bringgift cards from Target for teens.

SATURDAY/DEC. 10Wish List Project Drop Off Event 10 – 1:00

p.m. The Perez Family Home at 10440 DownPatrick Lane, Great Falls. Directly help familiesin need in area shelters, local elementaryschools, alternative housing and children infoster care. New this year — The Wish ListProject has partnered with Buzz Aldrin, Herndonand Hutchison Elementary schools for studentswho qualify for the free/reduced meal program.Your generosity and support will perpetuate theessence of the holiday season. It is importantthat ALL DONATIONS be received no later thanthe 10th as school counselors, social workersand shelter directors will be picking up the

following day.If you have a conflict with the 10th, a time for drop-

off can be arranged the week prior. Gift receiptsare encouraged to be included with the presentsyou purchase.

Please contact Christie Shumadine at 703-405-8561or [email protected] with any questions.All gifts are tax deductible and forms will beavailable at the driveway during drop off.

TUESDAY/DEC. 13Aging in Place Seminars. The Retiree Real

Estate Education Association announces freepublic service seminar for December, 2016, onAging in Place (Falls Church H.S., 7 p.m.). Theseminar is a part of a series of 8 free seminarson real estate issues unique to retirees. Seminarsare free, in the evenings at County publicschools. For more information and semi- narregistration go to Retiree- RealEstate.org.

ONGOING17th Annual Wish List Angels Project Wish

List Angels directly help families in localelementary schools, area shelters, alternativehousing and children in foster care. Yourgenerosity and support will perpetuate theessence of the holiday season. New this year -The Wish List Project has partnered with BuzzAldrin, Herndon and Hutchison elementaryschools when we learned that there were somany students struggling to make ends meetincluding basic needs.

In conjunction with the school guidance counselorsand social workers, we happily addedindividuals to our Wish List Project to helpspread some holiday cheer. Some of their storieswere difficult to hear – the father in need of aheart transplant, the child battling leukemia, themother fighting cancer, the teenage girl whosurvived mental and physical abuse working onher college degree in psychology to help others.The list goes on and once again, we reach out toour Wish List Angels to work their magic thisholiday season.

Last year our community generously granted wishesto over 400 individuals in our community duringthe holiday season.

Please look at the wish lists and take thisopportunity to spread some cheer thisDecember.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4faeaa2ea57-thewish1

Bulletin Board

To have community events listed in the Connection, send to connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/.The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday.


News

By Fallon Forbush

The Connection

Washington Redskins startingquarterback Kirk Cousinskicked off the “PhonesDown. Touchdown.” safe

driving campaign in McLean to spreadawareness of the dangers and consequencesof using cellphones while driving.

“I’ve made a career out of playing offenseplaying quarterback,” Cousins said duringthe press conference. “When I’m behind thewheel, I drive defensively. I don’t text orlook at my phone while driving because it’sdangerous. No text or phone is worth risk-ing your life or the lives of others.”

Texting for just five seconds behind thewheel is like driving blindfolded across anentire football field, he said.

“If I get sacked in a game, I can get backup and move onto the next play—for themost part,” he said. “But when you text anddrive, you might not get back up.”

He encouraged people to apply positivepeer pressure when they see the foul beingcommitted.

“Speak up and tell them to put the PhonesDown,” he said. “Tell them to wait. If you’rein the car, don’t let a distracted driver makean excuse. No matter the call or the text,it’s not worth it.”

FRIENDS WHO HAVE DIED in car acci-dents is part of the reason Cousins was will-ing to be the face of the campaign. His col-lege teammate and former Michigan Statepunter Mike Sadler, 24, died in a car acci-dent in Wisconsin in July.

“Mike is one of a few people close to mewho have been lost due to a car accident,”Cousins says. “If we can even save one lifeby putting this message out, it’s a worth-

while message.”While distracted driving may not have

been the reason for his friend’s fatal acci-dent, it is a trend among young drivers.

According to the National Highway Traf-fic Safety Administration, 10 percent of alldrivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatalcrashes were reported as distracted at thetime of the crashes.

“I’ve been up here for 12 years and at least16 troopers in those 12 years have beenstruck on the sides of the interstate in North-ern Virginia for drivers that were distractedby various reasons,” Cpt. Jim De Ford, com-mander of the Fairfax Division of the Vir-ginia State Police, said during the press con-ference. “It is a real problem and it is onethat affects us every day.”

“Distracted driving has become an epi-demic and one too many people are toowilling to accept as the norm, and too manypeople are willing to be a part of the prob-lem rather than be the solution,” he said.“By the solution I mean ignore the phone,and that’s even hard for me to do I’ll admit,but I try to do it.”

If drivers fail to ignore their phones whiledriving, De Ford said that he and his offic-ers will not be ignoring them.

“I can assure you that if a Virginia statepolice trooper observes you texting whiledriving or determines that your textingcaused a crash, then you will be cited,” hesaid.

Fairfax County has not been immune tothe epidemic.

“In 2016 year-to-date, [Fairfax County is]at 35,000 crashes approximately and 29percent of those have been attributed todistracted driving,” Cpt. Bob Blakley, com-mander of the Fairfax County Police Depart-ment Traffic Division, said during the pressconference.

Redskins’ quarterback urges region to putphones down while behind the wheel.

Quarterback Promotes ‘Phones Down. Touchdown.’ Initiative

Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock District), right, who is also the chairof the board’s Public Safety Committee, took the pledge to commit tokeeping his Phones Down while behind the wheel. Cook, who attendedthe press conference with Kirk Cousins (left) is the author of the “SlowDown” campaign, which helps alert motorists to the dangers of speeding.

Washington Redskins starting quarterback Kirk Cousins answers ques-tions from the media during a press conference for the campaign’s kick-off on Nov. 29. Drivers who share the “Phones Down. Touchdown.”graphic on social media with the hashtag #PhoneDownTouchdown will beentered to win a month of free travel on the 495 and 95 Express Lanes.

Photos by Fallon Forbush/The Connection Photo courtesy of the Office of Supervisor Cook

That’s more than 10,000 car accidents sofar this year due to distracted driving, andeven more citations.

POLICE OFFICERS have issued more than13,000 citations to drivers in the county fordistracted driving, Blakley said. But Blakleysaid enforcement alone is not the answerto the problem.

“It’s a combination of aggressive enforce-ment but more importantly a huge educa-tion and awareness campaign,” he said.“This is what will truly make the differ-ence.”

He encouraged the public to take the timeto take the campaign’s pledge atwww.phonedowntouchdown.com and to

talk about their experiences with textingwhile driving.

The “Phones Down. Touchdown.” Cam-paign is sponsored by Transurban, whichmanages and develops toll road networksin the U.S. and Australia. The company,which hosted the press conference at itsMcLean office, operates the 495 and 95Express Lanes in Northern Virginia.

According to Mike McGurk, a spokesper-son for Transurban, drivers who share the“Phones Down. Touchdown.” graphic onsocial media with the hashtag#PhoneDownTouchdown will be entered towin a month of free travel on the ExpressLanes. A new winner will be selected everyweek throughout December and January.

Do you thinkthe campaignwill makeus safer?

Viewpoints

Del. Marcus Simon(D-53)

“I think that having a niceand easy-to-remember catchphrase will keep it front ofmind. Having a celebritywill get the kids involved.My son will catch melooking at my phone [whiledriving] and it’s not safe.”

Cpt. Jim De Ford,commander of theFairfax Division of theVirginia State Police

“You don’t have to wear auniform to see the dangers andtoo often deadly consequencesof distracted driving on thehighway, but we see it everyday … This is caused by peoplewho fail to do their jobs whenthey’re on the highway andthat’s just simply driving a carwhile they’re behind the wheel… the Virginia State Policeproudly supports this trafficsafety initiative … This is apledge to do the right thing.”

Cpt. Bob Blakley,commander of theFairfax CountyPolice DepartmentTraffic Division

“The problem is growing… so we definitely needhelp from everybody to getit under control … Year todate, we have issued morethan 13,000 citations forfailing to pay full time andattention which includestexting while driving inFairfax County … Butenforcement’s not theanswer to the problem. It’s acombination of aggressiveenforcement but moreimportantly a huge educa-tion and awarenesscampaign. This is what willtruly make the difference.”

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