Mother-daughter duo, Anina Belle and Valentina Giannini, take on … · 2020. 7. 25. · Mother-daughter duo, Anina Belle and Valentina Giannini, take on their first community event

WellbeingPage 6

Youth Athletic FieldApproved for TysonsNews, Page 7

Woman’s Club of McLean Previews Homes TourNews, Page 9

WelcomingFall in McLean

News, Page 3

Mother-daughter duo, Anina Belle and Valentina Giannini, take on their first community

event since moving to McLean: They participated in Harvest Happenings event hosted by McLean Community Center.

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com October 2-8, 2019

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2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ October 2-8, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

McLean Connection ❖ October 2-8, 2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsMcLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Olivia Anello

The Connection

On Saturday afternoon, theMcLean Community Centerhosted their annual HarvestHappenings event for chil-

dren and their families to celebrate the startof autumn.

Before even getting to the heart of thefall activities available at Harvest Happen-ings, children could be seen running to thenext project, their faces painted with kittyears or superhero masks, and carrying deco-rated pumpkins under their arms. A multi-tude of activities were offered inside andoutside, from face-painting, pumpkin deco-rating, crown making, to other games likecorn hole and agility courses.

A number of entertainers also shared theirtalents at the fall festival such as the Amaz-ing Kevin, Kidsinger Jim, and Squeals onWheels petting zoo.

The performers and animals “draw a bigcrowd, so it’s great they are so willing tocome back and be a part of this event,” saidAndrew Jennings, the instructional programdirector at the McLean Community Center.Jennings was one of two driving forces ofthis year’s Harvest Happenings and hasworked for the McLean Community Centerfor 12 years. His counterpart for the eventwas Nadia Kader, who has been with theMcLean Community Center for seven yearsand just recently took on the position ofyouth event coordinator at MCC.

“Harvest Happenings is a fun and freeevent for children and families, and it actsas such a great way to bring everyone to-gether, while also introducing the commu-nity to everything MCC offers,” Jenningssaid. Jennings and Kader shared too, thatthis year was special because not only hasHarvest Happenings been returning for thecommunity of McLean for more than 20years, but it was also returning to the Com-munity Center campus. Harvest Happeningshad been hosted last year at the St. Luke’schurch in McLean because of major renova-tions the community center had undergone.

Among all the activities to do at HarvestHappenings, meeting Cappy the pig was atthe top of everyone’s list. Cappy is a minia-ture pig from Squeals on Wheels, the D.C.area’s traveling petting zoo. Squeals onWheels has been traveling to birthday par-ties, schools, and nursing homes for over15 years. There is even an event offeredcalled “Hoppy Hour” where the animalstravel to companies during business hoursand brighten up the offices. Cappy and hisanimal friends live on one of the last farms

McLean CommunityCenter kicks offFall with family-friendly event.

Harvest Happenings in McLean

remaining in Potomac, Md.The fun doesn’t stop at the McLean Com-

munity Center, and Jennings assures new

members that with all that is offered, “you’llalways be able to find your tribe here atMCC.” More events are coming up on the

MCC October calendar; the McLean 5K isOct. 5; and bring your beloved animals tothe McLean Pet Fest on Oct. 20.

Ana DeMola, 5, decorates her pumpkin with a super-hero mask.

Claire Rogers, 2, is starstruck as Elsa from Frozenoffers her a crown to decorate.

Pumpkins waiting to be picked and decorated by thechildren at Harvest Happenings.

Families watch as the Amazing Kevin performs somemagic with the help of his assistant bird named CC.

Photos by Olivia Anello/The Connection


Letters

To the Editor:We have seen too many mass-

shootings in America. Statisticsshow that compared to other high-income nations, the United States’gun-related murder rate is 25times higher and accidental gundeaths is six times higher. Polls in-dicate a majority of Americans fa-vor strong background checks andbanning assault-style weapons.

And we have seen how Republi-cans in Virginia continue to stone-wall gun safety issues, most re-cently when the Republican ma-jority voted as a block to adjournwithout debate the special assem-bly of the Virginia

General Assembly called to acton a series of gun safety bills.

We need representatives in theVirginia General Assembly who

are willing to pass gun safety leg-islation supported by the majorityof its citizens. Del. KathleenMurphy (D-34) has a track recordof working on such legislation andsponsored bills such as preventingdomestic abusers from obtainingor keeping guns. She also foundedthe Gun Violence Prevention Cau-cus. She supports enhanced back-ground checks and closing the gun

show loophole, banning bumpstocks and semi-automatic fire-arms with high capacity maga-zines. Her opponent in this year’selection is currently silent on gunsafety legislation. The citizens ofVirginia deserve more than silenceand stonewalling on a topic ofsuch importance.

Jocelyn BrittinMcLean

No More Stonewalling on Gun Safety Legislation

To the Editor:The Washington Post’s Sept. 15

article, It’s on: VA. Voters flipswitch for ‘off-off-year” elections,well captured the enthusiasmamong Democrats in this year’sVirginia election. But the articleoverlooked how Democrats in thisstate have approached campaign-ing and governing since 2016which will positively influence thisyear’s races. Virginia will providea roadmap for current Presiden-tial candidates and other states towin in 2020.

Beyond turn-out and hatred forDonald Trump, Virginia Democratshave worked with Republicansand other progressives on issuesimportant to voters and rallied tosupport candidates who won theirprimaries. In 2017, Tom Perriellolost the primary for the Governorbut still pledged to elect RalphNortham.

One of Northam’s first accom-plishments as governor was to

work with Republicans to expandMedicaid, which has enrolled300,000 low-income Virginians.On gun safety, practical solutionsmoved forward by Del. KathleenMurphy when in 2016 she helpedpass a law, which prohibits peopleunder a permanent protective or-der from possessing a firearm.Murphy accomplished this in aRepublican-controlled legislatureand didn’t resort to dirty tacticssuch as when Republicansabruptly cut short a special sessionto pass gun legislation to quashdebate.

Virginia Democrats are not per-fect but bipartisan work and theparty’s cohesiveness helped themwin big in 2018 despite gerryman-dered districts. Let us hope othercandidates learn valuable lessonsfrom Virginia’s election this No-vember.

Kristin Battista-FrazeeMcLean

Virginia Is theRoadmap to Win in 2020

To the Editor:Superintendent Dr. Brabrand of

Fairfax County Public Schools is-sued a surprise message last weekin response to growing outcry inthe county about his and theSchool Board’s efforts to redrawboundaries and implement forcedbusing. His message was posi-tioned as an effort to clarify “mis-information”. The problem is hefailed to mention the central roleof the radical One Fairfax policyin his plan to upend school pyra-mids.

Why did Dr. Brabrand fail tomention One Fairfax when he hasconsistently praised and promotedthe radical policy in the past? OneFairfax has become toxic in thecommunity as citizens learn moreabout the extreme and unneces-sary disruption it requires. Citizensdon’t want our school pyramidsand neighborhoods carved up,ripped apart and

reassembled to achieve Dr.Brabranad and the Board’s idealsocieoeconomic and/or racialcomposition of students.

The need to reconsider schoolboundaries is understandablesince Fairfax county has experi-enced rapid growth and changeover the years.

We all know overcrowding is aserious concern and boundary ad-justments should be part of thediscussion.

However, Dr. Brabrand and theBoard’s push to implement a so-cial engineering experiment at thebehest of outside special interestsdoesn’t benefit taxpayers,homeowners or our children.

A change in leadership is desper-ately needed on the School Boardto ensure accountability and toprotect our most valuable assets.

Jeff NorrisVienna

Misrepresenting PlansFor Boundary Changes

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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McLean


People

Hanna Sing, 15, of McLean attends SidwellFriends School, and was selected to serveon the 2019 Washington InternationalHorse Show Junior Committee presentedby Signature Academics. The show is Oct22-27, see www.wihs.com

Andrew Morin, 16, of McLean attendsLangley High School and was selected toserve on the 2019 Washington Interna-tional Horse Show Junior Committeepresented by Signature Academics. Theshow is Oct 22-27, see www.wihs.com

Kendall Schuler, 15, of Great Falls attends ConnellySchool of the Holy Child in Potomac, and was selected toserve on the 2019 Washington International Horse ShowJunior Committee presented by Signature Academics. Theshow is Oct 22-27, see www.wihs.com

Area Teens Named onHorse Show Junior Committee

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Wellbeing

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

When Florence Murrian was diag-nosed with stage two breast can-cer last December, the treatmentrecommended by her oncologist

was a lumpectomy and radiation. In an attempt tohelp, Murrian’s sister urged her to seek multiplemedical opinions and insisted she ask for a moreaggressive treatment. Murrian, 54, felt over-whelmed by the barrage of advice.

“It was the friends who just listenedto me as I sometimes rambled on andon that gave me comfort,” she said.“There were times when I didn’t wantto talk about it or cry about it. I neededto feel normal and sometimes was indenial. What I didn’t want is someoneasking me why I wasn’t acting a cer-tain way.”

When a close friend of loved one isdiagnosed with breast cancer, the reac-tion can range from aggressive advicegiving as in Murrian’s case to excessivequestioning to learning every detail.During October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month,some survivors and mental health professionals shareinsight on offering support.

“Sometimes I had conversations with friends thatmade me feel worse that I already felt,” said Murrianwho lives in Arlington. “I was so overwhelmed that Ididn’t want advice and I didn’t want to have to cheerup my friends.”

Conversations designed to convey concern can goawry. “I recommend avoiding invalidating comments

like, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ or forecast-ing comments such as ‘Everything will be fine,’” saidJoanne Bagshaw, PhD, Professor of Psychology atMontgomery College.

Though it is natural to be concerned and want spe-cific details about a loved one’s condition, sometimesthe best words are no words at all, says Professor ofPsychology at George Mason University. “There maybe times to mostly listen and other times to jokearound,” said Short. “Plan to continue enjoyable ac-tivities together, but confirm whether your loved onewants to get together.”

Avoid non-specific offers to help, says Short. “I rec-ommend taking the perspective of your friend andloved one and imagining what she might like to hear,”he said. “You should express empathy and support… prepare small meals or snacks to share. Offer to

help with household tasks, errands, orcaring for family members or pets.”

For those who are unsure, consider-ing your loved the best source of in-formation about her needs is more ef-fective than making assumptions, sug-gests Bagshaw. “I do recommend ask-ing how you can be of support,” saidshe said. “One can simply say, ‘Just letme know how I can help.’”

“It is good to be encouraging, butrealistic,” added Short. “Follow cuesfrom your friend or loved one on howto interact.”

Listening, validating and inquiringabout her overall wellbeing can be more comfortingthan offering opinions or sharing stories about otherwomen who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer.“Everyone’s situation and diagnosis is different,” saidBagshaw.

“Avoid advice and assumptions unless you areasked for your opinion,” added Short. “Some ex-amples [of things] to say are, ‘I am sorry that thishappened to you. I want you to know that I careabout you. How are you doing? I want to help’”

Choosing words andactions that don’t causeadditional pain or anxiety.

Supporting Friends and LovedOnes with Breast Cancer

Breast cancer survivors Florence Murriangets together with friends to volunteer fora supplies drive.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month,survivors like Florence Murrian and men-tal health professionals share insight onoffering support.

Photos courtesy of Florence Murrian

“ Everyone’ssituation anddiagnosis isdifferent.”

— Joanne Bagshaw,PhD, Professor of

Psychology at Mont-gomery College


News

At its Sept. 24 meeting,the Board of Supervi-sors approved a plan by PS Business Parks tobuild a youth athletic field instead of a pre-

viously approved hotel on a parking lot in Tysons.The new synthetic turf field will be on Boone Boule-vard between Howard Avenue and Gallows Roadnear an office building and retail space. The 180-foot by 330-foot field will include lighting, bleach-ers, bicycle racks, benches, fencing, an equipmentstorage facility and at least 25 parking spaces.

The existing on-site surface parking lot will be

modified to serve existing and future visitors to theoffice buildings and athletic field. PS Business Parkswill maintain ownership of the athletic field; how-ever, a public access easement will be granted to theFairfax County Park Authority. Previously this areawas zoned for an extended-stay hotel, but PS Busi-ness Parks, the developer behind The Mile, a mixed-use development in another part of Tysons, decidedto build the athletic field in this location instead.Once built, the athletic field will fulfill PS BusinessPark’s commitment to build one as part of The Mile.

The new synthetic turf field will be on Boone Boulevard between Howard Avenue andGallows Road.

Youth Athletic Field Approved for Tysons

Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork wel-come. Deadline is Thursday at noon,at least two weeks before event.

THROUGH OCT. 23How to Build a Better Budget.

At the McLean CommunityCenter, 1234 Ingleside Ave.,McLean. The McLean CommunityCenter (MCC) Governing Boardinvites residents of Small District1A-Dranesville to engage withplanning Center’s fiscal year 2021budget. All meetings of theGoverning Board are open to thepublic. The preliminaryconsolidated budget will beposted on the Center’s websiteand available at the Center’sreception desk a week prior to thepublic hearing on Wednesday,Sept. 25. Visitwww.mcleancenter.org/news-items/404-board-holds-meetings-on-fy2021-budget-proposal formore.

❖ Residents may submit writtencomments through Monday, Oct.21 - by mail to McLeanCommunity Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean VA 22101;fax 703-653-9435; or email [email protected].

❖ The Board will approve theFY2021 budget when it meets at7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23.The final budget will be approvedby the Fairfax County Board ofSupervisors in spring 2020.

WEDNESDAY/OCT 3CarFit. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Vienna

Volunteer Fire Department(parking lot), 400 Center St. S.,Vienna. Program offers olderadults the opportunity to checkhow well their personal vehicles“fit” them. CarFit is anindividualized, personalinstruction to educate drivers onhow to best position themselves(by adjusting the car’s safetyfeatures) to maximize their safedriving experience. Schedule anappointment at 703-255-7801.Learn more about the program atwww.car-fit.org.

SATURDAY/OCT. 5Mental Health and Wellness

Conference. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. atFairfax High School. The morningwill focus on social andemotional learning, with akeynote address given by Dr.Marc Brackett, founding directorof the Yale Center for EmotionalIntelligence. A special session forhigh school students, the OurMinds Matter Teen Summit, willtake place in the morning as well.Attendees are encouraged to stayfor Inova’s Act on AddictionSummit, which will be held from12:30-4 p.m. Breakout sessions,exhibit tables, and resources willbe available to all attendeesthroughout the day. Lunch will beprovided. Visit www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/mental-health-and-resiliency/mental-health-and-wellness to register.

Bulletin Board

See Bulletin, Page 11


Calendar

Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGCountless Shades of Black. Through Oct. 12,

Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at The FrameFactory Gallery, 212 Dominion Road N.E.,Vienna. Countless Shades of Black features localartist Alfredo Milian and Discovery Graphics.Free. Visit www.theframefactory1.com for aslideshow.

Pop-Up Selfie Museum. Through Nov. 3, onselect dates and times at Tysons Corner Center,Lower Level near Lord & Taylor. The AmericanScream Selfie Museum will feature interactiveexhibits that will make visitors laugh and screamand the star of eye-popping selfies. The museumwill feature an array of custom-built Halloweenthemed sets individuals can interact with: sit onthe Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms,stand in an ancient Egyptian tomb and face theMummy; visit a gruesome morgue; andmore.$15-$18. Visit www.american-scream.comfor timed tickets and schedule.

Oak Marr Farmers’ Market. 8 a.m.-noon atOak Marr RECenter, 3200 Jermantown Road,Oakton. Every Wednesday through Nov. 13, rainor shine. Vendors include produce, meats, eggs,cheeses, pies, cured and smoked meats,popsicles, sorbet, bread, croissants, falafelsandwiches, humus, and pesto. Call 703-281-6501 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/oak-marr for more.

McLean Farmers Market. Fridays, through Nov.15, 8 a.m.-noon at Lewinsville Park, 1659 ChainBridge Road, McLean. Sixteen local farmers andproducers will sell fresh produce and fruits;meats; breads and pastries; jams; dairy productsand eggs; herbs; flowers, coffee, and more. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/mclean.

Great Falls Farmers Market. Year-round,Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 778 Walker Road,Great Falls. Music, vendors, fresh produce, freshprepared food, delightful bakery, spices fromaround the world, wild-caught fish, grass-fed,free-range meats, organic-fed poultry and eggs.Email [email protected] formore.

Oakton Farmers Market. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1p.m. at Unity of Fairfax Church, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. Year-round weekly farmersmarket in Oakton. Local produce, meats/eggs,dairy, baked goods, and more. Admission is free.Visit community-foodworks.org.

Mah Jongg Cards. Order cards through Jan. 15,2020, from Temple Rodef Shalom, 2100Westmoreland St. 2020 Mah Jongg cards are $8for small cards and $9 for large cards. Officialcards and will be sent directly from the NationalMah Jongg League in late March/early April2020. Go to bit.ly/mahjonggcards2020 or [email protected] to order.

WEDNESDAY/OCT. 2Community Coffee. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the

Community Room of the Regency at McLean,1800 Old Meadow Road, McLean. The McLeanNewcomers and Neighbors will host a coffee formembers and for non-members who might beinterested in joining. Visitwww.McLeanNewcomers.org or [email protected].

THURSDAY/OCT. 3Strong Girls Celebration. 6-9 p.m. at The

Atrium at Meadowlark , 9750 MeadowlarkGardens Court, Vienna. Join in a night of funand help raise funds to support Girls on the Runof Northern Virginia. A joyous event thatensures more girls gain the skills they need to bestrong, confident, and healthy. $85. Visitwww.gotrnova.org or call 703-273-3153.

Selling Suffrage: Words and Symbols toWin the Vote and the ERA. 6-9 p.m. atTower Club-Tysons Corner, 8000 TowersCrescent Drive, Suite 1700, Vienna (entrance atback of building). Powerful arguments andcompelling visual images were essential inconvincing the American public to support votesfor women. The need to “sell” the Equal RightsAmendment has also faced communicationchallenges. Come hear experts and advocatesdescribe the written and graphic messages thatsuffragists used to change public opinion, andlearn how those messages connect to latercampaigns for the Equal Rights Amendment.Heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks

SATURDAY/OCT. 12Celebrating Lady Liberty’sBirthday. 6-8 p.m. at The Gardenby Building Momentum, 5380Eisenhower Avenue, #Suite C,Alexandria. A night of music,cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, silentauctions and more. Party hosted bylocal non-profit Just Neighbors tosupport legal services for low-income immigrants andrefugees.Childcare will be availableat Scramble next door to the venue.More information at Just Neighbors(www.justneighbors.org)

Model Railroaders OpenHouse. 1-5 p.m. at the ViennaDepot, 231 Dominion Road NE.Northern Virginia ModelRailroaders hold an open house atthe Vienna Depot each month andon Vienna celebration days,including Viva! Vienna and theVienna Holiday Stroll. Freeadmission. Call 703-938-5157 orvisit www.nvmr.org.

THURSDAY/OCT. 17Celebrate “Hitchcocktober.” 7p.m. at Angelika Film Center –Mosaic, 2911 District Ave., Fairfax.The Birds (1963). Every Thursdaynight in October, a classic film byAlfred Hitchcock will be featuredculminating with a showing ofPsycho on Halloween. $14.50. Visitwww.AngleikaFilmCenter.com formore.Meet Bill Lewers. 7:30-9 p.m. AtPatrick Henry Library, 101 MapleAve. E, Vienna. Meet the author ofthe Gatekeepers of Democracyseries, fiction books that celebratethose who volunteer on ElectionDay to serve as election officers.

Learn about “a day at the polls” as seen thoughthe eyes of the election officers, who are trulythe unsung heroes of the American electionsystem. Books available for sale and signing.Visit https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/5247267.

SATURDAY/OCT. 19Fearless Girls. 2-3 p.m. At Patrick Henry Library,

101 Maple Ave. E, Vienna. “Fearless Girls”: AnAfternoon of Storytelling. Folk stories of bravewomen and fearless girls can be found aroundthe world. Kristin Moyer will tell two storiesabout Molly Whuppie, from the collection TheAdventures of Molly Whuppie and OtherAppalachian Folktales, with a musical interlude.Visit https://vienna-va.aauw.net/.

Bingo. 7-10 p.m. At Unity of Fairfax, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. The community is invited tojoin Unity of Fairfax for an evening of fun andconnection as they play different Bingo games.Snacks and drinks are available for sale.Participants can make donations at the door toplay. Suggested donation is $20 for adults, $10for youth under 18. Additional cards will beavailable for an extra donation. The pot will besplit between the church and winners of thevarious games. Visit https://unitybingooctober.eventbrite.com.

SUNDAY/OCT. 20Conversations in Consciousness. 2-4 p.m. at

Unity of Fairfax, 2854 Hunter Mill Road,Oakton. What can the final words of the dyingtell us about life after death? What doeslanguage tell us about altered states and newdimensions? Find out in this workshop! Cost is$25. Visit https://consciousnessconversation.eventbrite.com/.

I Dream a World. 4-6:30 p.m. At St. LukeCatholic Church, 7001 Georgetown Pike,McLean. The Reston Chorale presents I Dream aWorld, a concert of music by African-Americancomposers, from stirring arrangements oftraditional spirituals to contemporary choralsettings of Langston Hughes’ poems, plusinstrumental works by Daniel Hurd and ScottJoplin. Guest artists include Soprano SimonePaulwell, Baritone James Martin andComposers Evelyn Simpson Curenton and Rev.David North. Visit www.restonchorale.org.

will be served. $75. Visitsuffragistmemorial.org/ toregister.

Celebrate “Hitchcocktober.” 7p.m. at Angelika Film Center –Mosaic, 2911 District Ave.,Fairfax. Dial M for Murder (3D).Hitchcock’s 1954 classic wasoriginally shot in 3D but rarelyseen in this format. EveryThursday night in October, aclassic film by Alfred Hitchcockwill be featured, culminatingwith a showing of Psycho onHalloween. $14.50. Visitwww.AngleikaFilmCenter.comfor more.

OCT. 3-27The Glow: A Pumpkin

Wonderland. Thursday-Sunday nights in Lake FairfaxPark, 140 Lake Fairfax Drive,Reston. Enjoy an immersiveHalloween stroll along a traililluminated by thousands ofintricately carved pumpkins,many highlighting the CapitalCity’s most famous includingpumpkin look-a-likes of iconiclandmarks, musicians, moviestars, superheroes andprincesses. Autism Speaks Nighton Sunday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. withadjustments made for guests onthe autism spectrum. Advancedtickets are required. $16.99 forchildren; $22.99 for adults, atwww.glowpumpkin.com/washington-dc.

FRIDAY/OCT. 4OLGC Golf Classic. 11 a.m.-8

p.m. at Westfields Golf Club,13940 Balmoral Greens Ave.,Clifton. Join Vienna’s Our Ladyof Good Counsel CatholicChurch for a fun-filled day with contests, foodand drink, and company to share it with.Register by Sept. 23. $200. Visitwww.olgcva.org/fellowship/golf-classic or call703-896-7425.

Raise the Region Gala. 6:30-10 p.m. at HiltonMcLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones BranchDrive, McLean. A fundraiser for the CommunityFoundation for Northern Virginia supportingtheir work to grow philanthropy to respond toneed, seed innovation, and lead and convene thecommunity. The evening includes a cocktailreception, silent and live auctions, an elegantseated dinner, and the Community LeadershipAward presentation. Black tie attire. $300. Visitwww.cfnova.org/ for tickets.

SATURDAY/OCT. 5Vienna Oktoberfest. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. On Historic

Church Street in Vienna. At the 12thAnniversary, celebrate with loads of food,vendors, music, entertainment, kids’ activities,and beer and wine. Presented by the ViennaBusiness Association and Town of Vienna. Thefestival draws 20,000-30,000 attendees. Visitwww.viennaoktoberfest.org.

3rd annual DC-Metro Modern Home Tour.11 a.m.-5 p.m. in areas including Arlington,Fairfax, and Great Falls. The DC-Metro ModernHome Tour, a self-guided event, provides a dayof local sight-seeing and open-house-style visitsfor lovers of architecture, design, real estate,and anyone on the hunt for ideas andinspiration. $20-$50. Visitwww.dcmetromodernhometour.com for tickets.

Tea Seminar: Exploring Teas. 1-3 p.m. atColvin Run Mill, 10017 Colvin Run Road, GreatFalls. An advanced workshop for those who haveattended past basic tea seminars. An explorationinto unique teas - by process, terroir, and/orscarcity. Tea infused treats and a take home teasampler included. $35 per person. Use ID Code731.1973. Register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or call 703-222-4664.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/OCT. 5-6Book Sale. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 10

a.m.-2 p.m. (fill a bag for $5) at Patrick HenryLibrary, 101 Maple Ave. E., Vienna. Featuringthousands of used books, CDs, DVDs, and bookson CD. Free parking and admission. Pricesremain the same: hardbacks $2, trade

paperbacks $1, pocket paperbacks 50 cents, kidsbooks 25 and 50 cents. CDs and videos $1-$2.Credit cards accepted. All proceeds benefit thelibrary. Email [email protected] or call703-568-0104.

SUNDAY/OCT. 6MPAartfest. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in McLean Central

Park; 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd; McLean. TheMcLean Project for the Arts will host its annualMPAartfest. During MPAartfest, Central Park istransformed into a landscape of mini artgalleries and features live music throughout theday, a Children’s Art Walk, hands-on art studio,STEAM experiences, food vendors, and more.Free admission. Visit www.mpaart.org or call703-790-1953.

Barn Sale. Noon-4 p.m. at Lift Me Up!, 9700Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. Support Lift MeUp! a local non-profit organization. Deals onsaddles to riding apparel to blankets and more.Prices are as low as $1. Rain or shine. Donationsaccepted. Email [email protected] orvisit liftmeup.org for more.

Vienna Hunger Stroll. 2-4 p.m. at Committeefor Helping Others, 133 Park St. NE, Vienna. Analternative to Vienna’s CROP Hunger Walk, the“Cafe Stroll” is less than a mile and stops atBards’ Alley, Rita’s, and Cafe Amouri. Proceedssupport hunger relief. Free, donations areencouraged. See crophungerwalk.org/viennava.

THURSDAY/OCT. 10Celebrate “Hitchcocktober.” 7 p.m. at

Angelika Film Center – Mosaic, 2911 DistrictAve., Fairfax.North by Northwest (1959). EveryThursday night in October, a classic film byAlfred Hitchcock will be featured culminatingwith a showing of PSYCHO on Halloween.$14.50. Visit www.AngleikaFilmCenter.com formore.

FRIDAY/OCT. 11Great Decisions: Cyber Conflict and

Geopolitics. 1-3 p.m. at Great Falls PublicLibrary. Great Falls Senior Center is partneredwith the Fairfax County Department ofNeighborhood and Community Services in allventures and events. Visit gfseniors.org formore.

MPAartfestThe McLean Project for the Arts will host its annual MPAartfest. During

MPAartfest, Central Park is transformed into a landscape of mini art galleries andfeatures live music throughout the day, a Children’s Art Walk, hands-on art stu-dio, STEAM experiences, food vendors, and more. Sunday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.in McLean Central Park; 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd; McLean. Free admission. Visitwww.mpaart.org or call 703-790-1953.


On Sept. 24 the Woman’s Club ofMcLean held a wine-and-cheesereception at McLean’s Star Nut

Gourmet to preview its Holiday Homes Touron Thursday, Dec. 5. The owners of StarNut, Joe and Denise Shehadeh, are the hon-orary hosts for this year’s Homes Tour andgraciously opened for the evening. Attend-ing were Woman’s Club members andfriends, tour sponsors, owners of the tourhomes, tour advertisers, and local officials,including Paul Kohlenberger, president ofthe Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s tour will be the 53rd mountedby the Woman’s Club of McLean, with allproceeds going to local charities andnonprofits, such as SHARE Inc., SecondStory, veterans’ transitional housing, theFalls Church—McLean Children’s Center,the McLean Volunteer Fire Department, in-

termediate school music awards, and othereducational programs.

The four houses on December’s tour arelocated in Langley Forest and BallantraeFarms. The homes will be decorated withthe holidays in mind and will highlight fam-ily life in McLean. There will be a simulta-neous “mini-marketplace” at Trinity UnitedMethodist Church, McLean, where a CafeNoel will offer lunch items and where tourtickets and other items will be available.

Tour hours will be from 9:30 to 3:30. Tick-ets, which will become available in Octo-ber, will cost $30 until Dec. 5, when theywill be $35. They will be for sale atMesmeralda’s Gifts of McLean, Karin’s Flo-rist of Vienna, and Great Dogs of Great Fallsand will also be obtainable on the WCMwebsite, www.mcleanwomansclub.org.

—Laura Sheridan

Star Nut Gourmet owners and Woman’s Club officers enjoy the event.From left: Café owner Joe Shehadeh, Homes Tour chairman KathrynMackensen, Star Nut owner Denise Shehadeh, and Woman’s Club Presi-dent Cecilia Glembocki.

Woman’s Club of McLean Previews Homes Tour

The 2019 Potomac School National Merit semifinalists. From left:Chris Gaston, Addison Marin, Courtney Brandt, Katherine Plaza,Jodie Kuo, Caroline Semel, and Dan Alexander.

Seven Potomac School SeniorsNamed National Semifinalists

Seven Potomac School seniors havequalified as semifinalists in the 65th

annual National Merit ScholarshipProgram. These students were among16,000 semifinalists nationwide, whorepresent less than 1 percent of all thosewho took the 2018 Preliminary SAT/Na-tional Merit Scholarship Qualifying Testin their junior year. About 15,000 of thesemifinalists are expected to advance tofinalist status. The finalists then competefor 7,600 National Merit Scholarships,worth more than $31 million in total.

The Potomac School semifinalists areDan Alexander, Courtney Brandt, Chris-topher Gaston, Jodie Kuo, AddisonMarin, Katherine Plaza, and CarolineSemel.

In addition, 25 Potomac students were

named National Merit CommendedScholars: Julian Agolini, William Bailey,Anais Becker, Elizabeth Buchwald, BlissDavis, Malachy Dwyer, Morgan Exley,Nikhil Gautam, Katherine Gould, AkshayGupta, Jun-Young Hong, Narayan Kini,Taya Lasota, Anna Lerner, Sophia Leyva,Jackson Merrick, Kelsey Norton, EvrimOzcan, Katherine Pommerening, SarahRaman, Rebecca Shiff, Sofia Stitt, EdwardWoo, Isabel Zhang, and Louis Zhang.Sophia Leyva and Addison Marin wererecognized as National Hispanic Schol-ars. “I am proud to see so many of ourstudents achieving this national recog-nition,” says Doug McLane, head ofPotomac’s Upper School. “Their accom-plishment reflects well on our school andon each one of them.”

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News

Thomas Godwin of McLean concentrates as he prepares to throw in the frisbeecompetition.

Frisbee, Football ThrowingEvents Held at Senior OlympicsT

he 2019 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics(NVSO) featured the frisbee and footballthrowing events, including the softball hit

and throw events, at Wakefield Park in Annandale

on Sept. 18. The 37th annual NVSO provides senioradults with an opportunity for competition, self-im-provement, and fellowship through various athleticand recreational events.

Vienna resident Ken Unger won a silvermedal with a throw of 125’ 5”. It wasUnger’s first time competing in the NVSO.

Falls Church resident Mary LouD’Alessandris makes contact with thesoftball to win a gold medal in the 80-84age group.

GharemonSuleymon

fromMcLean

throws thesoftball 100feet to come

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is one thing, and certainly a big thing, but I’m much better dealing with it when the 50 million other things we all have to deal with are not having to be dealt with (ending a sentence with a preposition notwithstanding) at the same time. And not that I’m the least bit unique in having all these other tasks and concerns or even the most bit interest-ing in that I have them. Hardly. They are simply the elements that sometimes make living more of a job and less of an adventure. That being said, when I am uncluttered by these mundane re-sponsibilities and am able to focus on the things I want to do rather than the things I have to do, I am so much more able to fend off the inevitable demons that haunt any of us diagnosed with a serious/in my case “terminal,” disease.

The last month was, and still is, such a month. It all started with my application for a reverse

up, I met another, local company who so far has exhibited the wherewithal to get the application approved. However, the structural integrity prob-lem you regular readers know about has impeded the progress I was hoping to have made by now. Not knowing yet the estimate to right this wrong, I am twisting in a bit of an ill wind, and I assure you, it is not improving my demeanor.

Yes, “Medicare is in The House,” but as of September 27, it’s sort of a house divided. Because even though its effective date was September 1st, I’ve not received an invoice. And since I haven’t paid for any new coverage, am I still supposed to cancel my old, in-force “Obama Care?” Moreover, if I don’t know exactly what I have, am I supposed to buy a Medicare Supple-ment for coverage I don’t know for sure even exists? I mean, it’s not as if my medical welfare/

more worried, and obviously confused.If the unresolved reverse mortgage and health

to stress over, consider my concern for the “Di-abetic Duo,” our two cats with diabetes. Other than the real possibility that either, if not both, of these cats will die on our watch, the expense of sustaining their lives is past adding up. Items include insulin, syringes, prescription wet food, prescription dry food, two sizes of pee pads (because the liter box has less interest to them or they can’t quite see it) and since they’re eating and drinking constantly, we’re buying more liter than ever before, and vet bills: diabetic boarding when we’ve been away for a weekend or two and glucose monitoring every week to 10 days to check their sugar level, all times two. Can you say credit card?

Two other extremely mundane tasks have also fallen on me during this time line. Both involving the M.V.A., never an easy process: emissions inspection and a driver’s license renewal. Again, not Herculean tasks, but in the middle of all this other stuff. The issue? More money and possibly more hassle to resolve their respective ‘issues:’ possibly replacing a catalytic converter in the 29 year-old Honda Accord, which has happened previously under identical circumstances, and re-newing one’s driver’s license, which now comes

requirements which if I don’t have/can’t prove, present another slew of potential entanglements. And of course, the eye test. I don’t wear glasses. What if I fail the test and they tell me I need glasses. Then I have to see my way through that morass, and delay resolving another task.

And just to complicate matters, I am waiting for results from my bi-monthly CT scan and my wife, Dina, is waiting for results from a scan she recently completed. Though neither one of us is the least bit symptomatic, we are hardly dealing in absolutes here. Absolutely though, I will say, I

check the rest, I’ll be back to abnormal and then I can plan for the future rather than plod through the present.

WhenCompounding

isn’t a Good ThingFrom Page 7

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SATURDAY/OCT. 5Fall Festival. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Church of the

Good Shepherd (United Methodist), 2351Hunter Mill Road, Vienna. The second “FallFestival: Where Fun and Kindness Connect!”includes a food packing event, as well as a blooddrive, children’s program, moon bounce, first-ever animal blessing (noon) and food andrefreshments. Free, though canned fooddonations accepted. A Pet Blessing, a first-timeevent for the church, will take place at noon tocelebrate the feast day of St. Francis.Visitwww.GoodShepherdVA.com or call 703-281-3987.

WEDNESDAY/OCT. 9Fairfax County Park Authority Board

Meeting. 7:30 p.m. in the Herrity Building,12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 941,Fairfax. The Park Authority Board’s 12appointed members establish strategic policyand direction for the Park Authority. Open tothe public. For agenda and more information,visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/boardagn2.htm or call 703-324-8662.

THURSDAY/OCT. 10Social Media Wellness. 7-8:30 p.m. At Langley

High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean.The Safe Community Coalition hosts a freecommunity showing of the IndieFlix OriginalDocumentary “LIKE.” The movie explores thesocial impact of social media on our lives andthe effects of technology on the brain. After thefilm, discussion will be led by Dr. Cliff Sussman,a DC-based psychiatrist and expert on helpingpeople achieve a more balanced relationshipwith digital technology.This event is free andrecommended for adults and students of any agewho have phones. Visit www.mcleanscc.org

SATURDAY/OCT. 12Watershed Clean-Up Days. 10 a.m. to noon. At

Riverbend Park, Great Falls. Grab a bag and goon a trash scavenger hunt as the Park Authorityhosts “Watershed Clean-Up Days” again this fall.lend a hand by helping to remove tires, bottles,cans and other debris from local waterways.Helping to clear the earth’s vital arteries is agreat community volunteer project for servicegroups and students. All ages are welcome. Fora complete listing and to sign up as anindividual volunteer, visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/volunteer.

TUESDAY/OCT. 15Doing Well By Doing Good. 6-8:30 p.m. Meets

at Tower Club, 8000 Towers Crescent Drive,Suite 1700, Tysons Corner. PHILLIPS Programsfor Children and Families, a Fairfax-basednonprofit helping youth throughout the regionwith a variety of behavioral health needssucceed, is partnering with the Tower Club’sYoung Executives Ambassador Committee tohost a panel discussion and networking event:Doing Well by Doing Good. The paneldiscussion will explore the benefits of joining acharitable board for personal and professionalgrowth, steps on securing a position, and impactof board leadership on the community and abusiness. Five other nonprofits will also beexhibiting onsite. [email protected].

THURSDAY/OCT. 17Candidate Forum. 7 p.m. at McLean Community

Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Thesecandidate forums are nonpartisan. The Leagueof Women Voters of the Fairfax Area does notsupport or oppose any party or candidate andinvite all certified candidates in their respectivedistricts. After a moderated discussion, meet thecandidates. Volunteers, including students, arewelcome. Visit www.lwv-fairfax.org/candidateforum.

THURSDAY/OCT. 17Candidate Forum. 7 p.m. At Woodrow Wilson

Library, 6101 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church.These candidate forums are nonpartisan. TheLeague of Women Voters of the Fairfax Areadoes not support or oppose any party orcandidate and invite all certified candidates intheir respective districts. After a moderateddiscussion, meet the candidates. Volunteers,including students, are welcome. Visit www.lwv-fairfax.org/candidateforum for more.


Documents

Mother-daughter duo, Anina Belle and Valentina Giannini, take on … · 2020. 7. 25. · Mother-daughter duo, Anina Belle and Valentina Giannini, take on their first community event