River Views OCT 09 Final 2

8/14/2019 River Views OCT 09 Final 2

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Inside... The Prez Says . . Page 3Management & Facili ties Reports . . Page 5Interview With New Valet Owners . . Page 6

Astrology Column: The Worth of Community . . Page Smithsonians Forensic Science Exhibit & New Access to Monroe Ave . . Page

Building Our Caring Community: Neighbors Helping Neighbors . . Page Caspers Friendly Dog Park Naming Ceremony & Dedication . . Page

Volume 11 Issue 7OCTOBER 2009

Please Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Min

New Valet Owners Bring New Ideas, New ItemsMrs. Kyung Sook Min and Mr.

Hyun Ki Min are the new proprie-

tors of the Marina Towers Valet ,and thus the newest members in theMarina Towers Family. The Minshave vast experience in running aValet, as they spent seven years run-ning the Valet at Park Place Condo-minium on North Van Dorn Street.The Mins havent always been inthe United States though. Up until1987, they resided in Seoul, SouthKorea. Seoul is the capital city of South Korea, and with a population

of over 10 million people, its oneof the largest cities in the world.However, Seoul is perhaps bestknown for hosting the 1988 SummerOlympics.

As native Koreans, the Mins havepicked up English in the 22 yearsthat they have lived in America.Upon leaving Korea, the Minsheaded to Northern Virginia andcurrently live in Falls Church. Theyhave been married for 25 years.

The Mins have one son, Michiel,who is 20 years old and currentlyattending George Mason University.

While in Korea, Mr. Kim was anartist who specialized in drawings

Mr. and Mrs. Min hope that inyour free time, you will stop into theValet to do some shopping, drop off some laundry or dry cleaning or renta movieand spend a little timegetting to know the new proprietors.

Christopher Nahlik

and paintings, and Mrs. Min was anurse (which she calls the favorite

job shes had). They list Koreanfood as their favorite food, singlingout bulgogi and kimchi as their fa-vorite dishes. In their free time theylike to watch Korean TV shows andKorean movies.

Mrs. Kyung Sook Min and Mr. Hyun Ki Min are the new proprietors ofthe Marina Towers Valet. The Mins are from Seoul, S. Korea. Beforecoming to America, Mrs. Min was a nurse and Mr. Min was an artist.

Photo by Chris Nahlik

See Page 11 for weekend events .


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MARINA TOWERSNEWSLETTER

Editor/Publisher: Gail Miller240-667-2050

[email protected]

Marina TowersAdministration Office

703-549-0660FAX: 703- 549-8958

Published Monthly by:

MARINA TOWERS:A CONDOMINIUM UNIT

OWNERS' ASSOCIATION501 SLATERS LANE

ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Terri Hauser Vice President: Chuck AdamsTreasurer: Mary HarrisSecretary: Ann KauppSgt-at-Arms: Don Devries

THE MARINA TOWERS STAFF

General Manager: Mary JohnsonAssistant Manager: Chris Nahlik Director of Facilities: Ken Dishner

A rate card indicating the cost andsize specifications for ads is availablefrom the Administration Office.

Ads and copy are due theFIRST Monday of each month.

Please use email to send informationto the editor whenever possible:[email protected]. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: The appearance of any advertisement in the MARINATOWERS NEWSLETTER does not imply, recommend, or constitute any endorsement by the Association,Member of the Board, or Administra- tion Office.

The cover sketch is used each month by permission of its owner, Patricia Farrell Thank you!

Website: www.atmarinatowers.com

COMMITTEES

Advises and assists the Board in administering and enforcing theAssociations covenants (Bylaws, Rules and Regulations) andmakes recommendations for revisions thereof. Also recommends

administrative policies and examines personnel policies and training.

Administrative/LEGAL COMMITTEE

Responsible for the communications, including the monthlynewsletter, between the Board and members of the Association as

well and between Marina Towers and the broader Alexandria community.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Advises/assists the Board in energy management matters and indeveloping programs for the operational, structural, mechanical &

electrical maintenance of the building.

BUILDING/TECHNICAL & ENERGY COMMITTEE

Advises and assists the Board in developing programs pertaining tobuilding appearance both interior and exterior including landscaping.

FACILITIES/GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Responsible for making budgetary recommendations to the Board,monitoring income and expenses, reviewing financial information,

assisting with insurance program review, and preparing recommendations andreviewing the auditors work.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Provides programs of social, recreational, educational and cultural activities forall age and interest groups within the community.

ACTIVITIES & SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Advises and assists the Board in administering and enforcing thePet rules. Reviews all complaints and violations, offers pet owner an

opportunity to respond informally and makes recommendations fordisposition.

PET COMMITTEE

This committee will formulate a long range plan for thecommunity, articulating a vision, a mission and a subset of objectives for establishing future organizational priorities.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE


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At our September meeting, the Board of Directors approved the independent audit of our balance sheets and

statements of income for the past year. The auditors found our balance sheets and related statements of income, members equity, and income to be in order, with no material weaknesses.The auditor did raise a point that has brought about a change in our balance sheets. The balance sheet now

includes line item 3160 to track Special Assessment expenditures, separating them from Regular Reserves inthe accounting of Owners Equity. This change will create greater transparency in accounting for SpecialAssessment funds. The total Owners Equity in the two accounts (Reserves and Special Assessments) remainsat just over $1 million.

Longer-term owners will recall special assessments in both 2004 and 2005, in the amounts of $808,500 and$600,000, respectively, for a series of specified capital projects. Such funds can only be spent for the purposefor which they are assessed, and the Board has been very deliberate in specifying the source of funds inmotions authorizing expenditures (whether special assessment, regular reserves, or operating funds).

Our Balance Sheet Report shows a total of $169,440.68 remaining in the Special Assessment accounts as of

the end of July. These funds are for the Fan Coil project, for which $160,000 was assessed in 2004 and$95,000 in 2005. The Board has spent funds under these accounts for engineering evaluations, studies anddesign work related to the Fan Coil project and to replace failed fan coils, demonstrating that replacement is aviable option.

What happened to the other Special Assessments Funds? The remaining 9 projects from the 2004assessment and 3 projects from the 2005 assessment have been completed as follows:

Elevator renovation (2004-$465,000 assessed, $494,324 spent balance paid through capitalreserves)

Terrace bathrooms (2004-$50,000 assessed, $68,206.28 spent balance paid through capitalreserves)

Pool fence and lighting (2004-$38,500 assessed, $26,586.93 spent balance transferred to capitalreserves)

Pool (2004-$18,000 assessed for seal repair; 2005-$80,000 assessed for comprehensive poolrefurbishment; $45,0035.81 spent and balance transferred to capital reserves) Asphalt (2004-$15,000 assessed, 2005-$25,000 assessed; spent as part of $487,000 comprehensive

asphalt project completed in 2008) Garage deck (2004-$12,000 assessed for evaluation, $8,843.75 spent and balance transferred to

capital reserves; 2005-$400,000 assessed; balance paid from reserves with ongoing warranty claimagainst both contractor and engineer)

Building monitoring equipment (2004-$40,000 assessed), Electrical service equipment (2004-$5,000 assessed); and the Emergency Generator for the Chiller (2004-$5,000 assessed) wereincluded in the insurance settlement following the 2004 boiler room flood, and the balancestransferred to capital reserves.The Board is in the process of reviewing a new Repair and Replacement Reserve Study, which

reflects the significant work completed in recent years, including these special assessment projectsand our new roof. While revisions are still being made, the preliminary report indicates that ourfinancial discipline is paying off. We have indeed reduced the maintenance backlog and may evenbe able to reduce our $500,000 annual reserve contribution after the next three years while keepingthe association in a good financial condition to take care of the anticipated future requirements of our property. I know that is welcome news for us all.

The Prez says . . . What Happened to Those Special Assessments?

Terri Hauser, President


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Visit theMarina Towers Websit

www.atmarinatowers.com

Sign up for

Automatic EmailNotification of news bulletins, announcements,

And More!

Here you can readBoard Minutes, River Views,

and Association Bylaws,Rules & Resolutions.

Need a username andpassword?

Contact Chris Nahik 703-549-0660

Email: mt.assistantgm@comcast.

Committee & Board MeetingsFacilities Committee: Usually Second Tuesday of monthFinance Committee: Usually the Third Tuesday of monthBoard of Directors: The Fourth Tuesday of monthThe Board Meeting agenda is available at the front desk and online onFriday before the meeting. The Board Book is available for review a day

before the meeting. All residents are welcome to attend Board meetings.

in the slave trade that ran fromRhode Island to Ghana to Cuba,known as the Triangle Trade.Dont miss Traces of the Trade: AStory From the Deep North a fasci-nating look at Black History. Admis-sion is free. For more seewww.alexblackhistory.org or call 703-838-4356.

$Green Savings for Us and forYou??? From the October 2009Consumer Reports: Low-flow show-erheads can save as much as $265per year on your individual waterbills. A low-flow toilet, which uses1.28 gallons per flush compared withthe 3.5 to 5 gallons of a 15 year oldor older model can save $90 a year.The EcoSmart 423-599 250EDXObulb (Home Depot) was the top per-former in Consumer Reports testing.Equivalent to a 60-watt standard in-candescent bulb, it costs only $1.50.Soif we implemented thesechanges in Marina Towers 200+units, how much could we save a

Flying objects abound at MarinaTowers! Several raptors have beenspotted recently, wafting on updraftsover our parking lot and the garden outback. Venturing forth from theirhomes in the national bird sanctuaryalong the bike path to our north, theyswoop gently toward our backdoorentrance and around to the garden.Could this be how Simons tomatoeswere purloined from the garden? Inany case, dont leave small critters onyour balcony unattended.

Other flying objects: MarlboroLights and other cigarette filters areflying like confetti from balconies,around the front and back doors, andin the parking lot. If you wish tosmoke, please dispose of your butts,save them to throw away, or chewthem up.

Hidden Jewel of a Museum justaround the corner: The AlexandriaBlack History Museum, is located at902 Wythe Street. This wonderful mu-seum presents excellent lectures, mu-seum tours, and traveling exhibits. Onthe night we attended, Wayne Young,publisher of Port of Harlem, a maga-zine that gathers stories about the Afri-can World, previewed a film about ayoung woman with parents fromGhana who straddles several cultures:from Ghana to the Bronx. The movieand lively discussion afterwards werestimulating and left us hungry formore.

Another film will be screened onOct. 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. fea-turing Katrina Brownes spellbindingaccount of her ancestors participation

Marina Towers MusingsOctober

year? Think about it.Package Pick-up Reminder : Whenyou pick-up a package at the frontdesk, double-check to be sure its ad-dressed to you. With so many pack-

ages coming in and out of the build-ing, there can be mix-ups. If its notfor you, please return it to the frontdesk, sooner than later.

More ideas to share? Please emailme at [email protected], Jan


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Management & Facilities Reports: August, 2009by Mary Johnson, General Man-

well so an improvement is recom-mended in that location as well. Thefacilities committee has a lot of work

ahead.ValetMr. and Mrs. Min were assigned the

lease to the Valet and took over onSeptember 1, 2009. They have done agood amount of cleaning in the timesince they have taken over. Upon in-spection by the City of Alexandria De-partment of Health, they were in-formed that they would need to installa hand washing sink, and if they wouldlike to serve food or coffee they would

need to install a three-compartmentsink. Under the terms of the lease, theonus to provide these improvements ison the assignees, being the Mins.However, if the Board deems coffee orprepared foods an amenity that thebuilding requires, the Board could as-sist the Mins in complying with theguidelines.FACILITIES REPORT

Fan CoilsThe replacement Fan Coil Unit for

Unit #405 is in. Installation will pro-ceed as soon as the contractor is avail-able. Orders have been placed for thereplacement Fan Coil Units for units#222 and #322. No other Fan CoilUnits at this time have been deemedbeyond repair. So far this year, 11units have required floor repairs due tofan coil issues.In Unit Service Income

The monthly budgeted amount forIn Unit Service Income is $1,917.00.In July, we recorded $2,160.34 worthof income and in August we recorded$2,109.Rear Balcony

Kip Young, with Extreme Painting,pressure washed and painted the tearbalcony faade. We have receivedmany compliments on the work done,as it is a vast improvement over thedeteriorated look that was previously

MANAGEMENT REPORTPersonnel

We have hired a new part-timemember for our Patrol Services, Mr.Eric Brimo. Eric will work primar-ily on the weekends. We are alsoconducting interviews for part-timeFront Desk Clerks. We have severalstrong candidates and hope to bringone or two new people on board.Investor Ratio

The investor ratio is 72% ownersand 28% renters.Landscaping

Dog Park I think most every-one has noticed the improvement inthe dog walk and we can thank thehard work and dedication to LarryHarms. He has donated his time inmaking the dog walk not only appro-priate for our pets but also for petowners, providing them with a shadyplace to sit and converse withneighbors. Thank you Larry .

In addition, HLS our landscapecompany has been busy as we nowhave the new crepe myrtle tree re-placements that are thriving due tothe hard work of watering regularlyby C.J. with Jani-King. The areanext to the pool is free of ivy andweeds so that the flowers and otherplants under the shade trees canthrive. We also found some nicerocks in the area and we may be ableto add some more bulbs or otherflowering plants this fall or nextspring. HRS also planted some ca-mellias in the back near the gazebo,a flowering plant that will beautifythe area next spring.

The HLS contract has one moreyear so we plan on improving theSouth side of the building facing theMirant building next year by replac-ing the bushes with shade lovingazaleas or rhododendrons. Also thebushes running parallel with thedrive to the garage are not doing

offered.Green Roof Maintenance

Holly Woods & Vines performeda one-time clean up of the GreenRoof on August 14, 2009. TheGreen Roof has not been properlyand regularly weeded and watered,which had caused some concern. Weexpect to engage Holly Woods &Vines in a regular maintenance con-tract in 2010.Security Measures

In Concert with the AlexandriaPolice Department, Management hadpreviously met with a representativefrom the Alexandria Police Depart-ment in order to identify measures inwhich safety/security at Marina Tow-ers could be enhanced. In light of that meeting and the ensuing report,latch guards have been installed on

(Continued on page 9)


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Marina Towers Assistant General Manager Chris Nahlik conducted this interview with Mr. and Mrs. Minto introduce them to the MarinaTowers community.

________________ River Views (RV) : Do you have any

experience running a store withsimilar services as the MarinaTowers Valet ?

MIN : Yes. For seven years we ran avery similar valet at Park PlaceCondominium, 2500 N. Van DornStreet, Alexandria, VA. The op-eration was very similar, where wesold a little bit of everything anddid dry cleaning and alterations.

RV : Why did you want to take thisopportunity to come to Marina

Towers?MIN : We really liked the building

and thought it was a very niceplace. We heard that the peoplehere are really nice and kind, and itsounded like a great place for ourbusiness.

RV : What services do you plan tooffer that might be new to the Ma-rina Towers Valet ?

MIN : We have DVDs available an upgrade over the VHS tapesthat were here. We also have bal-loons and a helium tank, for all of your special occasions. We arelooking into getting an ATM, if possible.

RV : What will stay the same?MIN : Most things will stay the

same. We will still have similarsnacks, frozen goods, and alco-holic beverages. We will still dothe dry cleaning as well. And, thesame friendly service that youwere used to will remain. If youhave any items that you would likeus to carry, please let us know andwe will be glad to make arrange-ments!

RV : What is your favorite aspect of your stores operations?

MIN : I really enjoy doing the drycleaning and alterations. I havelots of experience in this field.

RV : Are there any special promo-tions or sales that we can expect?

MIN : We dont have any planned at(Continued on page 8)

Absentee Voting: An Option to ConsiderThe Virginia Gubernatorial elec-

tion will be held Tueday, Nov.3. Inaddition to the Governor, Alexandri-ans will be voting for LieutenantGovernor, Attorney General, Mem-

ber, House of Delegates (45th Dis-trict), Commonwealth's Attorney andSheriff. The polling place for MarinaTowers Residents is the LandreySenior Center, 112 N. Royal Street.

Absentee voting offers a conven-ient option for eligible voters. Report-edly, many Alexandrians are eligiblebut few take advantage of the option.There are several qualifying circum-stances. For example:

You commute and work for 11 of

the 13 hours the polls are open.(Take into account days whentraffic or weather might lengthenyour trip.)You are a caregiver for a confinedfamily member; you are unable togo to the polls in person on Elec-tion Day because of an illness ordisability; or you will be absentfrom Alexandria on Election Daybecause of work, school, or vaca-

tion.You may cast your absentee vote

in person at the Alexandria VoterRegistration Office, 132 North RoyalSt., or by mail. In-person absentee

voting hours are Monday through Fri-day, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Votinghours will be extended to 7:30 p.m.on certain weekdays and on Satur-days. Contact the Registrar for details.The deadline for voting absentee inperson is 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

To vote absentee by mail,

download an application fromwww.alexandriavoter.org, or contactthe Voter Registration Office to haveone mailed to you. The last day toapply for an absentee ballot by mail

or fax is Tuesday, Oct. 27. The appli-cation must be received by the Regis-tration Office by 5:00 p.m. on thatday. Mailed absentee ballots must bereceived by the Registration Officeon or before Nov. 3, at 7:00 p.m.

For more information contact theRegistrar at 703.746.4050 or visit :

Getting to Know the Mins: An Interview with New Valet Owners

As members of the Marina Towers

community you are invited to connectwith the City of Alexandria throughits multi-platform communicationstools and resources, including:

The City Web site(www.alexandriava.gov)eNews alerts(enews.alexandriava.gov);Our newly-launched social mediatools, Twitter and Facebook (www.alexandriava.gov/Twitter and

www.alexandriava.gov/Facebook).

Please help spread the word aboutthese tools to your friends andneighbors, and others who wouldbenefit from receiving regular up-dates from the City government.

The Citys communication toolscan help you stay connected and re-ceive up-to-the-minute and emer-gency information about City news,events, programs, initiatives, commu-nity issues and more!

Connect With the City of Alexandria From Your Deskto


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Community arises when we dis-cover the interesting, if radical, al-ternative: finding guidance for ourown lives by giving attention to thedesires and intentions of others. Thisis not an obligation; its a way of being that invites soul in place of ego. ~ Thomas Moore, Soul Mates

Living in this lovely spot on thePotomac River has been a healingexperience for me ever since Ibrought my broken heart to thisbuilding in 1999. A beloved fianchad just passed and my dreams werein shreds. Walking along the riverand making new friends helped meheal so that I could welcome Chuck Adams into my life a year later. Itell people that I feel blessed to livehere because I have the river to enjoy.To do that, I need all of you to sharethe costs of this valuable piece of realestate.

Truthfully, condominium living isnot always easy. If the sound of someone drilling above me drownsout my thoughts, or I find the washersare all full or no carts are available, Iget frustrated just like everyone else.Yet, on Friday nights in the summer,I feel welcomed into conversationswith neighbors as we recap the joysand challenges of our week. I canmeet newcomers or share favoriterecipes. Sure, I am drawn to befriendly with some people more thanothers, thats natural; but I know thatmy ability to enjoy my home - soclose in to DC and yet so far fromthe hustle and bustle is dependent

on residents goodwill and sharing .This brings me to my main theme.

Living in this lovely place, we are notimmune to the current economicsituation and the coming stresses thatwill likely bring upheavals and socialchange in the future. You would haveto be numb (or dumb) not to realizethat the problems in the greater worldhave and will affect us all ah, the

challenges of the macrocosm. De-spite that, there are benefits to livingin the microcosm that is MarinaTowers. We have an opportunity tofind ways to not only survive, butthrive together as a community.When times are tough, it has alwaysbeen those who came together tosupport one another who have suc-ceeded in weathering the storm.

The Community Bulletin Boardin the mailroom and the new MarinaTowers Friends yahoo group listservare attempts to bring us together tosupport each other. (Sign up forMarina Towers Friends grouplistserv by sending an email re-quest to [email protected]) Theremay be other ways to support oneanother. If you have an idea, presentit to the Board of take steps to initi-ate it yourself.

And if you have a need, dontsuffer silently. There may be some-one right next door or a floor belowwho can help. There is no shame if you have a challenge or are in need.There are others who are happy tohelp. As the quote above suggests,we can find guidance for our livesby giving attention to the desiresand intentions of others. I take thatto mean we are all in this existencetogether. When you have a need, Ican fulfill, I am reminded of mybounty. And when you help mewhen I am in need, I am reminded tobe thankful that I am not in thisworld alone.

______________The author is a Marina Towers resi-dent and a certified astrologicalconsultant providing life-affirmingrelationship, career, and spiritualguidance with a keen intuition and aloving spirit. You can receive her

free monthly newsletter, Astrology in Matters, by signing up at her website- www.SpiritinMatters.com.

The Worth of Community: Sharing Needs,Helping Others Dianne Eppler Adams

Lowest interest rates inyears! Treat yourself to a Marina Towers

Investment!


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River Views Page 8

Welcome New Valet Owners

A PATH QUITE FOLLOWED

Fresh born the youthful visions, those

bright billboards along that early road.

Up the hills and through the valleys

to try their dreams in the middling meadows,

the young soothsayers so bold pay little heed

the elder nay sayers.

As the road grows long exuberance finds

experience not always cordial --

some elders may have had a point.

But nothing ventured, nothing gained, so its said.

Guess thats why old age follows youth

and the one ends up where the other led.

Roger Waud

this time. Right now, were just try-ing to evaluate what the residents atMarina Towers want.

RV : Who will be working here?MIN : Both of us will likely be the only

ones working here. Mrs. KyungSook Min and Mr. Hyun Ki Min.

RV : How much does it cost for drycleaning?

MIN : We have a full rate chart avail-able to see. For some of the basics.Its $1.50 for a shirt, but only $1.20 if you have 5 or more shirts. Its $8.20for a 2-piece suit, $4.20 for dresspants, $4.20 for a sweater. We offerbulk discounts as well if you have 5or more items, you will get 10% off.If you have 10 or more items, youwill get 20% off.

RV : What are your hours of opera-tions?

MIN : The hours will remain the same.During the week we will be openfrom 7 AM 12 Noon, and then from4 PM 9 PM. On Saturdays we willbe open from 9 AM 9 PM, and onSundays we will be open from 5 PM 8 PM.

RV : Why should residents shop at the Marina Towers Valet ?

MIN : Simpleconvenience! Thisway, if youre tired and you dontwant to go out, its easy. You canstill get many of the things that youwant and need, but you dont have toget dressed, get in the car, and headout. Were very close! And if youdont have cash, dont worry, we ac-cept credit and debit cards.

(Continued from page 6)

RECYCLE

Use It Up, Wear It OutMake it Do Or Do Without!

Old Vermont saying


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all building exterior doors, and we

have begun the process of cleaningall of the light fixtures to ensurebrighter illumination.Air Fresheners

Air fresheners have been installedaround the building for the comfort of all of the residents. Trash Rooms/ Chutes, Terrace Level Restrooms,and the Rear Lobby Entrance/Exit areall equipped with air fresheners.

(Continued from page 5)

New Access Roads to Monroe Ave. & Del Ray

Management andFacilities Report

Find outwhat realbones canreveal abouta personsage, ances-try, sex, andcause of death byvisiting the

National Museum of Natural Historytemporary exhibition Written in Bone:Forensic Files of the 17th CenturyChesapeake . This exploration of thehuman skeleton includes special fo-rensic investigations of the skeletalremains of colonists of Jamestown,VA, and St. Marys City, MD.

At the end of the exhibit, visit theForensic Anthropology Lab, wherereal bones are used to help identifythe gender and status of people fromthe past. Go online at http:// anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/ index.html to view a web comic, TheSecret in the Cellar, that unravels acase of historical and scientific impor-tance. The exhibit is on view untilFebruary 6, 2011.

A Must-See Exhibitfor Forensic ScienceLovers and Just inTime for Halloween

Finally, new access roads toMonroe Avenue from Slaters Laneopened on September 8. Althoughthe new route is circuitous, it is animprovement over the accessweve endured during construction.. To get to Monroe from here, goup the ramp to the bridge to Route1 North and take the first right turnafter crossing the bridge. Twomore right turns and you will be onMonroe Avenue headed west to-ward the block where the Giantmarket, CVS pharmacy and YMCAare located. To return to SlatersLane head east on Monroe Avenueand make a series of left turns. Seethe map (right) for a visual repre-sentation.

Its not exactly convenient, justless inconvenient. Don Mela Ultimate Circuitous Route!


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River Views Page 10

supplied, meals prepared, trips tomedical services provided, equipmentloaned, heavy objects moved, lightbulbs replaced. This amazing supportmade all the difference in my healing,both physically and emotionally.

A number of us in Marina Towersare discussing how important it is to

have this kind of occasional, informalsupport, whether youre young or old,a long-standing resident or brand new.

We see it as a way to increase Ma-rina Towers already great caringcommunity culture.

If you think this is a good idea,have suggestions on how to offer thiscaring support when its needed,and/or would be willing to offer oc-casional help to a neighbor, please

contact Jan Macidull #411, [email protected], 703-519-6262.

Jan Macidull

From time to time we all needsome extra help. I had this experi-ence recently when my hip was re-placed and I was unable to do basicthings for several weeks. Before thesurgery, I was reluctant to ask folksfor help I knew I would need when Icame home; I didnt want to burden

anyone. Thankfully, several friendsshowed me that asking for occasionalhelp is welcome and opens a positiveway for people to give back. Theresult was several weeks of amazingsupport, often from people I hadntknown that well laundry washed,trash emptied, groceries and suppliespurchased, fresh fruit and vegetables

Reporters, writers & especially photographers needed ... River Views welcomes those who have an interest in providing occasional arti-cles on such topics as City development activities, service changes, local res-taurant & movie reviews, historical tidbits, upcoming unusual events. Inter-ested? Please contact Gail Miller at [email protected] or 240-667-2050.

Building Our Caring Community: Neighbors Helping Neighbors


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Marina Towers is unique in having adedicated dog park, designed, devel-oped by those using it and enjoyed bypet and non-pet owners alike. The latesthistorical highlight in the Parks historyis its official naming.

At a special September YappyHour event, Larry Harms was pre-sented a cedar plaque by his fellow petowners, naming the Park CaspersFriendly Dog Park, to honor of Larrysrecently deceased pal, Casper. Casperwas a regular in the Park for years andcould be seen with Larry as he workedon a multitude of landscaping improve-ments throughout the property for all

Marina Towers residents to enjoy.The plaque and naming effort were

the inspiration and joint effort of SimonCastellucio, Nancy and Bill Cody,Verie Crain, and Sally Nilan. The pres-entation was made by Simon whohand-designed the plaque that nowhangs prominently in the Parks benchand garden area.

The Parks naming builds on a longand rich history of resident initiativeand hard work. Did you know that thelow wall that runs the entire length of the back of the parking lot was de-signed and installed with the help of other pet owners? The park gates alsowere installed by residents as was thefirst doggie cleanup bag dispenser!One of our residents continually checksfences to ensure our smallest residents

wont be tempted to scoot under to pur-sue a teasing squirrel.If you havent visited the Park re-

cently, come join us during the crispFall days. The benches are relaxing.Picnic tables and a gas grill are avail-able for that impromptu get-together,and the regular Thursday eveningYappy Hour beginning at 6 PM isalways a great weekend preview!

At a special Yappy Hour on Sept. 17, a group of dogs and their humans met in the new DogPark to officially christen it "Casper's Friendly Dog Park" and present Larry with a plaque embla-zoned with the new name. Casper was a regular at the park with his owner Larry Harms. Cas-per passed away this year and, to honor his memory, Larrywith some help from other regu-larshas given the park a major facelift. (See story below.) Photo by Simon Castellucio

Neighbors Hail Larry Harms Efforts: New Dog Park Named To Honor Caspers Memory

There have been tales of strange hap-penings at the Lee-Fendall House atthe corner of Washington and Oro-noco Streets, prompting the Ghost

Hunters to come to Alexandria tocheck it out (rumor has it that a cer-tain Marina Towers Prez was featuredon the SciFi Channel show). Want tofind out for yourself if the 224-year-old house is haunted? There will beCandlelight Ghost Tours on October24 and 30, featuring the ghost stories.Tickets are $7 for adults; $5 for kids5-12. It's Halloween fun for all ages!

Ghostly Times!

Old Town Wine FestivalOn October 10 and 11, Alexan-

dria will be transformed into a re-gional wine and culinary Mecca. fea-turing some of the very best of Vir-ginias fine wines. Times both daysare 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition there will be cookingdemonstrations (and tastings) by ac-claimed chefs and cooking showhosts, and celebrated authors willdiscuss their books about wines, wine

regions, and specific vineyards. Thetastings will be held at the HolidayInn, 625 First Street, and the CrownePlaza Hotel, 901 North Fairfax. Tick-ets are $30 online, $35 at the gate andinclude all the tastings and admissionto the culinary events. For more see:www.oldtownwinefestival.com.


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River Views OCT 09 Final 2