HomeLifeStylePage 5

Help WFCM Furnish Backpacks to Local Students in NeedNews, Page 3

‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’News, Page 4

John Henry Stamper and Mer-edith Kilmartin play Link and

Tracy in Westfield Summer Stage’s musical, “Hairspray.”

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com July 11-17, 2018

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2 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Bonnie Hobbs

Western Fairfax Christian Minis-tries (WFCM) is organizing acommunitywide food drive to

help replenish and restock its food pantrywhich serves hungry individuals and fami-lies in western Fairfax County.º

Keeping the pantry shelves stocked dur-ing the summer months is always a chal-lenge. And it’s also critically important be-cause that’s when children eligible for freeand reduced-price meals at school are onsummer vacation and may well go hungry,if not for help from WFCM’s food pantry.

Additionally, with many regular donorsalso on vacation during the summer, food-pantry donations drop during this heavy-use time. So WFCM needs the community’shelp to serve those struggling with food in-security.

People may do so by shopping and con-tributing food and monetary donations atthree Stock the Shelves events, on Satur-day, July 21, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Food driveswill be held at the Giant grocery store,

14125 St Germain Drive, Centreville;Walmart, 4368 Chantilly Shopping CenterDrive, Chantilly; and Giant, 13330 FranklinFarm Road, Herndon.

At each location, volunteers will distrib-ute a list of the most-needed food and per-

sonal-care items to encourage shoppers topurchase what’s especially needed to re-stock WFCM’s pantry shelves.

Some of the items most needed include:Canned fruit, canned meats, rice, dry orcanned beans, oatmeal or cereal, cooking

oil, sugar, juice boxes, dry pasta and sauce,and canned vegetables (other than greenbeans). Personal-hygiene items are alsoneeded – and clients are unable to purchasethem with food stamps. They are: Smalldish soap, laundry detergent, soap, sham-poo, toothpaste, deodorant, diapers (sizes4, 5 and 6) and feminine-care items.

Volunteers are needed to help with thefood collection at the various locations.Duties will include handing out flyers, col-lecting donations from customers, andweighing, sorting and organizing the fooditems. In addition, volunteers are alsoneeded between 3-6 p.m. at WFCM’s foodpantry, 4511 Daly Drive, Chantilly, to re-ceive whatever food is donated that day.

“This is a wonderful event for the entirefamily, and — with parental supervision —children of all ages are welcome to lend ahand,” said WFCM Community OutreachManager Jennie Bush. “It’s also a great op-portunity for children and youth who re-quire service hours for middle or highschool.”

To volunteer, contact her atjbush@wfcmva.org or 703-988-9656, ext.107. Those who’d like to help, but are un-able to attend in person, may send checkspayable to WFCM to: WFCM, attn.: StockOur Shelves, P.O. Box 220802, Chantilly, VA20153. Added Bush: “WFCM is grateful forour community’s generosity and support.”

Join in Stock the Shelves Event for WFCMCommunity invitedto help replenishfood pantry.

A WFCM food drive held last year outside the Giant food store inCentrewood Plaza. Pictured are volunteers from Centreville UnitedMethodist Church; their efforts were spearheaded by Chris andPatricia Granberg and their daughters, Caitlyn and Abby.

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By Bonnie Hobbs

Many parents in FairfaxCounty struggle daily topay the bills, keep food onthe table and, if they’re

lucky, maintain a roof over their heads. Soit’s no wonder that the financial obligationseach new school year brings can fill themwith dread.

But that’s where Western Fairfax Chris-tian Ministries (WFCM) and two other or-ganizations come in. Together, they providebackpacks filled with school supplies to stu-dents at 24 elementary, middle and highschools in western Fairfax County.

However, with so many students in need,it’s a daunting task — which they can onlyaccomplish with the community’s help. Andwith classes starting next month, WFCM’sannual backpack drive is already underway.

“Over 55,000 children in Fairfax CountyPublic Schools receive free or reduced-pricemeals and are, therefore, eligible to receiveassistance,” said WFCM Community Out-reach Manager Jennie Bush. “So for theeighth year, WFCM is partnering with Col-lect for Kids (www.collectforkids.org) andKids R First (www.kidsrfirst.org) in acountywide effort to ensure the neediestchildren in our community receive the sup-

plies they need to succeed inschool.”

WFCM provides new, qualitybackpacks through generous do-nations from local churches, busi-nesses, community groups andindividuals, and Kids R First pro-vides the school supplies.

“As a parent, you want the bestfor your children, and you wantthem to have the same advan-tages as their peers in the class-room,” said Bush.

“It becomes very stressful try-ing to manage finances at thebeginning of the school yearwhen you’re asked to pay fees,buy supplies and possibly need toget new shoes or clothes for yourchildren.

Sometimes, a little help isneeded to keep things in balance.And the community can make apositive difference by supportingWFCM’s annual Backpack Pro-gram.”

Furthermore, she said, “Resultsand research show that, when ad-equately equipped, schoolchil-dren have a more positive feel-ing of self-worth, miss fewer days

of school, are more attentive inclass, have improved classroombehavior, and achieve higher testscores in all academic subjects.”

Here’s information about thetypes of backpacks needed here:

❖ High School: Size 203 H x143 W x 83 Dº(the greatest need)❖❖

❖ Middle School: Size 183 H x133 W x 83 D ❖❖

❖ Elementary School: Size 163H x 123 W x 53 D

During July, Costco sells alarge, two-compartment, qualitybackpack from High Sierra forapproximately $16 which willmeet the needs of high-schooland middle-school students.Backpacks should not havewheels or corporate logos andshould not be sling or messengerbags.

Deliver Backpacks to WFCMfrom July 16 through Aug. 17.Bring them to the back door ofWFCM’s food pantry at 4511Daly Drive, Suite J, in Chantilly,Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Ordonate financially to WFCM viawww.wfcmva.org or mail checkspayable to WFCM to P.O. Box220802, Chantilly, VA 20153. Formore information, contact Bushat jbush@wfcmva.org.

Making a Difference in Children’s LivesHelp WFCM furnish backpacksto local students in need.

Holding donated backpacks is Jane Copeland of St.Andrew Catholic Church. She’s helped WFCM collectbackpacks since 1999, when the church providedbackpacks and supplies for 17 students. Last year,she delivered 97 backpacks to Liberty MiddleSchool.

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4 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Bonnie Hobbs

Good morning, Baltimore. It’s1962, and overweight whiteteen Tracy Turnblad is thrilledwhen her dancing talent lands

her a spot on the Corny Collins TV show.But, bothered by the fact that black teenag-ers can only be on the show once a month,she decides to integrate it.

That’s the premise of Westfield SummerStage’s upcoming musical, the iconic“Hairspray,” at Westfield High. Show timesare Friday-Saturday, July 20-21 and July 27-28, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, July 22, at 2 p.m.Tickets are $15 at the door or viawww.westfieldtheatre.com.

With a cast and crew of 70, the show in-cludes students from 10 different schoolsin Fairfax and Loudoun counties. And, saidDirector Rachel Harrington, “The thing thatimpressed me most is that they’re quicklearners. In the first week of rehearsals, theypicked up half the dances — and they’renot easy. They’re also multi-talented, fromtap dancing to singing to becoming thesecrazy characters.”

The scenes take place on the Baltimorestreets, in Tracy’s home and at the TV stu-dio. And both the set and costumes are de-signed to be colorful and eye-catching. “Wealso have a lot of fun hairstyles — becauseit is ‘Hairspray,’” said Harrington.

“The show’s humor is heartwarming andcharming and is something the whole fam-ily can enjoy,” she continued. “And theheavily choreographed dance numbers area spectacle to watch. In my opinion, seeingthis show is the best way to spend a sum-mer night.”

It also packs a powerful message, saidHarrington, that “We’re not different fromeach other. We all have people we love. Andonce we can find those similarities, we canall work together toward the same goal.”

Playing Tracy is South Lakes High seniorMeredith Kilmartin. “She’s bubbly and ex-citable,” said Kilmartin. “Her fairytaledream is to dance on the Corny CollinsShow and have its singer, Link Larkin, fallin love with her. She’s a caring person whodoesn’t notice her size as much and believesthat nothing can ever stop her.”

Calling this her “dream role,” Kilmartinsaid, “My mom and grandmother livedthrough desegregation in Alabama, so this

show means a lot to me. And there aren’tlots of big people in media, but what makesTracy the hero isn’t that she’s fat — she’s areal person who cares about others.”

Her favorite song is “You Can’t Stop theBeat” because “It’s such a big, dance songand is so happy. And it really brings every-one together.” She said audiences will en-joy seeing the actors’ easygoing chemistrywith each other and “Our dancing will wowthem. They’re going to love this show be-cause it’s amazing and inspiring and stillmeans something today.”

Westfield junior John Henry Stamper por-trays Link. “He has good intentions, but ispretty naïve,” said Stamper. “He’s hesitantto get into a relationship with Tracy becausehe’s afraid it’ll negatively affect his career.He wants to make it big and look good forthe talent scouts. He’s a pretty-boy crooner,and Tracy’s progressive and outspoken. Buteventually, she starts to rub off on him andhe changes his views.”

Stamper says it’s “a blast” playing Link.“He’s filled with personality, but only onscreen. And I get to do a lot of dancing.”Stamper especially likes the number, “With-out Love,” sung by the story’s two couples,Tracy and Link, and Penny and Seaweed.“It’s where Link embraces his relationship

with Tracy,” he said.“Hairspray” will appeal to the audience,

he said, because “It’s high-energy andeveryone’s having a good time. And thechoreographers, Josh Nixon and JonathanFaircloth, did a fantastic job all with thedances. But it also deals with topics thatwere prevalent then — racism and the cul-tural division between white and black com-munities — and are back again now.”

Playing Penny, Tracy’s best friend, is KayaTrippel of Ashburn’s Briar Woods High.“She’s sheltered, her mom’s really control-ling and she wants to break out of it,” saidTrippel. “She’s shy and nerdy at first, buteventually becomes more confident. It’s funand interesting because she goes throughsuch a big transition. And she has lots offunny lines and good singing moments.”

Trippel’s favorite song is “I Can Hear theBells.” “Tracy’s singing about how Linkbumped into her, and now they’re going to‘get married,” she said. “It’s so relatable.”Calling the show “vibrant and full of life,”Trippel said, “We’ve been working hard, andpeople will really enjoy it.”

Westfield junior Jalin Dew portrays Sea-weed, the black love interest of Penny, thedaughter of a bigoted, white woman. “He’sa gigantic flirt, very charismatic, but there’s

also something deeper,” said Dew. “With hisskin, he’s always trying to prove himself.Since it’s the 1960s and the height of theCivil Rights movement, race was a sensi-tive subject for people of all colors. Sopeople are constantly discriminating againstSeaweed in their daily lives, which makesit a lot harder for him.”

Dew loves his role and getting to interactwith everyone onstage in a happy and en-ergetic manner. Furthermore, he added, “Ihave to tell Seaweed’s story in the best waypossible because it’s relevant, not only tothe ’60s, but to today, as well.”

He especially likes his song, “Run and TellThat,” and believes it’s the most upbeat andfun number in the whole musical. “Themusic and dancing are fast and happy,” saidDew. “But at the same time, the words holda heavy weight because Seaweed’s singingabout being comfortable in your own skinand proud of who you are.”

Indeed, he said, the show’s message is itsmost important part. “People should loveeach other as if they were your brother orsister, no matter what they look like,” saidDew. “And it’s important, especially in ourtime, to people of all ages.”

Playing Tracy’s mother, Edna, is BriarWoods senior Benji Lord. “She’s timid, kindof confused and not ready to accept the factthat being big is OK,” he said. “But whenshe does accept herself as overweight, sheisn’t sure others will. She’s funny withoutknowing it and loves her husband anddaughter. Tracy helps her get out of hershell, and she tries to protect Tracy fromgetting hurt.”

“This has been a dream role for me, forso long,” continued Lord. “I’m comfortablewith the makeup, and this part allows meto work on my comedic timing — and myultimate goal is to bring the audience hap-piness and make them laugh.”

His favorite number is “Timeless to Me,”which Edna and her husband sing to eachother.

“It’s funny and tender,” he said. “It showsthe loving relationship between them andhow supportive they are of each other.”Overall, said Lord, “People will like thisshow’s humor and the different views itpresents.

We take the audience on a journey; butin the end, we all come together and showthat ‘You can’t stop the beat.’”

Westfield Summer Stage presentsboisterous musical, “Hairspray.”‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’

Rehearsing a scene from “Hairspray” are (from left) Kaya Trippel, JalinDew, John Henry Stamper and Meredith Kilmartin.

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Free CarseatInspections

Certified technicians from the SullyDistrict Police Station will perform free,child safety carseat inspections Thursday,July 19, from 5-8:30 p.m., at the station,4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. No ap-pointment is necessary. But residentsshould install the child safety seats them-selves so technicians may properly in-spect and adjust them, as needed.

Because of time constraints, only the first35 vehicles arriving on each date will beinspected. That way, inspectors may haveenough time to properly instruct thecaregiver on the correct use of the child seat.Call 703-814-7000, ext. 5140, to confirmdates and times.

Meals on WheelsDrivers Sought

Meals on Wheels Drivers pick up meals

and deliver them to individuals on a spe-cific route. Routes take a maximum of twohours to deliver all meals. Deliveries aremade midday Monday, Wednesday, and Fri-days. Deliveries can be made by an indi-vidual or as part of a volunteer group. Emailvolunteersolutions@fairfaxcounty.gov.

SeveralVolunteers Needed

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries at

4511 Daly Dr. Suite J, Chantilly seeks in-dividuals to volunteer for the following:

❖ Volunteer(s) to clean office andbathroom, Tuesday or Thursday, either8:30-9:30 a.m. or 2:30-4 a.m.

❖ Volunteer(s) to answer phones andschedule appointments, Tuesday andThursday, 2 - 4:30 p.m. Requirements:good phone skills, personable, able toconduct pantry tours. Interview and com-pleted application required.

See http://wfcmva.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer-program/

Roundups

Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

See Bulletin, Page 11

News

The right lane of southbound Route28 at Air and Space Museum Parkwaywill be closed (weather permitting)Monday, July 16 to Monday, July 30 forpavement reconstruction, according tothe Virginia Department of Transporta-tion.

The closure will run from just northof the Air and Space Museum Parkwayinterchange to just south of the inter-change. The southbound collector-dis-

Route 28 Lane Closuretributor road (the barrier-separatedlanes to the right of the southboundRoute 28 lanes) will be used as a tem-porary through lane in order to main-tain four through lanes of southboundRoute 28. The exit from southboundRoute 28 to Air and Space Museum Park-way will remain open. Drivers shouldexpect delays, particularly during themorning and afternoon rushes, and areadvised to use alternate routes.

Route 28Air and

Space WorkZone Map

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

The Fairfax-Falls Church CommunityServices Board’s Merrifield Center offers anew stand-up information kiosk. Part of a pilotproject, the new feature aims to improve thecustomer service experience and decrease waittimes for individuals who are seeking mental

Journey to ExcellenceSully District BSA earns the Gold Award for Journey to Excellence forthird year in a row. Celebrating are (from left) Dan Kurtenbach - SullyDistrict Chairman; Robert Guers - Sully District Senior District Executive;Hondo Davids - Sully District Vice Chairman; Doug Carlson - MountainWest Area Vice President; and Bill Schoonmaker - Mountain West AreaAssistant Council Commissioner.

Bulletin Board

6 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Eagle Project Cleans Up StreamF

or the past several weeksMitchell Palmer, EagleScout Candidate Scoutof Troop 1826, has

worked towards the completion ofhis Eagle Scout service project.This service project was to cleanup and recover the historic “RiverThames” stream located on thegrounds of the Stuart-Mosby Cav-alry Museum, 13938 BraddockRoad.

Dennis Hogge, the proprietor ofthis location, gave Mitchell thethumbs up to move forward withthis project after Mitchell came tohim with his proposal.

Mitchell then organized aworkforce that accumulated over250-plus hours of service towardsthis project. Participants removedeverything from brush, bamboo,trash, and old tree stumps. Theyalso lined the banks and streambed with rocks to assist with wa-ter flow and to prevent furthererosion. Thanks to the generosityof D. Lee Haley, general managerof EnviroSolutions Incorporatedbased out of Manassas, a

Before the Eagle Scout service project. After Eagle Scout service project.

dumpster was donated that wasused to haul away all of the de-bris that was collected. Mitchellhopes that the work completed

will be enjoyed by those who visitthe museum and is a benefit to thehistoric Centreville area as awhole.

See the Stuart-Mosby Civil WarCavalry Museum website at

http://www.stuart-mosby.com/stuart-mosby-cavalry-museum.

Kyle Robson, Josh Hampton, Jared Herweg, and John RayMorriberon help remove some hefty stumps.

MitchellPalmer atthe comple-tion of hisEagle Scoutserviceproject.

Fellow scouts and community members help out.

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Chantilly

Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Mercia Hobson

Although the first week of summervacation had just started, onThursday, June 21, 100 ecologi-cally-minded high school and

college students attended the fourth annualFairfax County Environmental EducationConference presented by Eco-Schools Lead-ership Initiative (ESLI) held at the NationalWildlife Federation building in Reston.

The students were there to learn how theymight start an ESLI chapter in their localcommunity.

This is a youth-driven teaching programin which high school and college studentswould use curriculum-based interactivegames and activities to present lessonsabout the environment to elementaryschool-aged children enrolled in after-school programs (SACC). Children enrolledin SACC come from diverse backgroundssome of whom may not have been exposedto environmental education. ESLI statesonline: “We believe that if we can educatestudents at such a young age, they can ac-complish a great deal in the near future andbecome leaders in their community.”

Kath Race is the K-12 program coordina-tor, education of the National Wildlife Fed-eration. Race provided a statement describ-ing how Leader Talia Schmitt, now a stu-dent at The College of William & Mary andan ESLI co-founder had been supported inher leadership through the National Wild-life Federation’s Eco-Schools USA programand Eco Leaders program earning the Eco-Leader Certification.

“Through Talia’s leadership, the ESLI net-work has reached over 325 studentsthroughout Northern Virginia. The National

Wildlife Federation, headquartered inReston, has served as the host of the an-nual conference for the last four years.”

What made the ESLI Conference appeal-ing to many Fairfax County attendees wasits impact. The conference handout stated:“Being part of ESLI isn’t just about helpingthe elementary kids in your community-it’sabout driving a larger movement that willchange education from the ground up,”starting with educating students at a youngage.

Although termed an “education confer-ence,” keynote speakers were peers of theattendees, high-school and college-aged stu-dents not Bachelor or Master-degreed cer-tified educators. Among the many present-ers and leaders were Jaden Ko of SouthCounty High School, Celeste Philips andRania Milanek of Madison High School andSophia Applegate and Wendy Gao of OaktonHigh School.

THE PURPOSE of the conference was notto teach the like-minded attendees aboutthe environment but instead to show themhow to teach children enrolled in school-aged childcare programs at their local el-ementary schools about the environment.

The conference opened with remarks bySerena Xia, Conference co-chair and risingsenior at Thomas Jefferson High School forScience and Technology in Alexandria. Af-ter sharing how she had always been inter-ested and involved in environmental issuesand attended last year’s conference, sheknew when she left that day that ESLI was“a perfect opportunity for getting more in-volved … I wanted to establish an ESLIchapter at my school.”

Xia told how after overcoming some

startup challenges, she and friends formedan ESLI chapter, mapped out the details andconnected with a school. In January of2018, Xia and others began teaching at thenearby elementary school using the ESLIprepared materials and reaching out tomentors as needed. Xia described how pow-erful the children’s reactions were to thelessons. “When I see over 20 kids staringup at me as I explain the food web, or howcarpooling is better for our environment,that’s when I know I’m making a difference.You don’t have to find a cure for the nextrampant disease or invent something thatwill change the world. It’s the simple ac-tions, just like teaching kids how to make areusable bag out of a T-shirt. What trulymakes a difference is getting the youngergeneration to start caring about our envi-ronment.”

Speakers at the conference stressed theyouth-teachers would not be alone. Instead,

they would become part of a network ofstudents sharing their passions for the en-vironment and environmental education.ESLI would provide them with a step-by-step guide. It detailed how to get involvedand build a successful local ESLI chapter,one comprising a strong team and mentorsto assist and meet monthly with them viaconference calls and help guide them tomap out set-up details such as choosing anelementary school, finding a teacher-spon-sor and connecting with a SACC director.ESLI would provide resources such as onlinelesson plans, teaching tips and feedback.

During the conference, attendees had theopportunity to participate in various lessonsthey might be teaching, attend workshopsand learn how to create an ESLI chapter attheir school.

To learn more, visit eslileaders.org oremail ecoschoolleaders@gmail.com.

County Environmental Education Conference brings together100 ecologically-minded students.

Not Your Average Conference

Local high school and college students listen to a presentation at thefourth Annual Fairfax County Environmental Education Conferencepresented by Eco-Schools Leadership Initiative (ESLI) where they learnhow they might teach children enrolled in school-aged child care pro-grams at their local elementary schools about the environment.

Photos by Mercia Hobson

Raashi Chandra, 14 of Fairfax, Emily Allan, 16 of Fairfax and LaurenElliff, 14 of Burke try out one of ESLI’s Consumption and Waste projects,a T-shirt tote bag meant to illustrate how trash can be converted intouseful items in everyday life.

“What truly makes a differenceis getting the younger genera-tion to start caring about ourenvironment,” said Serena Xia,ESLI Conference co-chair 2018and student at Thomas JeffersonSchool of Science and Technol-ogy in Alexandria.

High school and college studentsparticipate in an environmentaleducation lesson geared to el-ementary school-aged children,one of the many lesson plans thatwould be made available to them ifthey choose to open an ESLI chap-ter in their community.

8 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

See Piranhas, Page 10

Swim

Virginia Run Edged Out by Ravensworth Farms

Mia Turner swims for first place in backstroke.

Isabelle Cogan swam for second inbreaststroke.

Valerie Tonnu takesoff in the girls 13-14

medley relay.

Sam Roundtree placed second in butterfly with a newpersonal best time.

By Sarah Blansett

The Virginia Run Riptide wasedged out in a close but excit-ing meet against RavensworthFarms on Saturday, July 7 with

a score of 211 to 209. The final relay wasthe deciding race with fans on their feet anda too-close-to call finish. Each team foughthard for every point. The Riptide posted 36new personal best scores and Tyler Harris(6), broke the 13-year old Riptide 6 andunder boys 25 fly record with a swim of22.93.

In the 8 and Under boys group, EthanO’Connor and Desmond McDonald had aone-two finish in freestyle, Nicholas andTyler Harris in first and third in backstrokeand O’Connor and Ryan Garcia took firstand second in breaststroke. DesmondMcDonough tied for second in the fly in anexciting finish, and Quin McCrea took sec-ond in freestyle for the girls with Mia Turnerdominating to first in the backstroke.McCrea and Caitlin Do took second andthird in the breaststroke and Kiera McCreaand Do placed two and three in the fly, withMcCrea posting an impressive 6.38 seconddrop in time for a new personal best in thatevent.

In the 9-10 group, Kevin O’Connor placedthird in freestyle and first in breaststroke.Jack Jeffries and Christopher Thompsontook third in backstroke and breaststrokewhile Anna Kelliher took first in freestylewith Charis Roundtree and Carson Coughlinposting a one-two finish in backstroke.Jenna Van Buren put points on the boardwith second in breaststroke and Roundtreewrapped up the fly with another first place.

The 11-12’s had solid swims with Will-iam Whitton and Griffin Osterhout in firstand second in freestyle, Whitton and DavisCollingsworth earning first and second inbackstroke, Charles Beamon andCollingsworth placing one-two in breast-stroke and Samuel Roundtree andOsterhout with second and third in fly. NehaSrinivasan and Allison Nguyen took secondand third in freestyle, Srinivasan and GraceRamey took second and third in backstroke

while Nguyen and Angela Thompson domi-nated in a one-two finish in breaststrokeand Thompson took third in fly.

The 13-14 group faced stiff competitionbut came away with Jason Chiefetz takingsecond in freestyle, and Jackson Blansettplacing second in backstroke and fly.Maddie Whitton and Isabelle Cogan placedfirst and second in freestyle with CaitlinKelliher and Emily Jon in second and thirdin backstroke. Cogan also took second inbreaststroke and Kelliher and Whittonbrought home first and second in fly put-

ting much needed points on the board.The 15-18 age group held on strong with

second and third place finishes in eachstroke from the boys: Jordan Banzon andBobby Monroe in freestyle, Thomas Beamonand Anthony Tonthat in backstroke,Beamon brothers William and Thomas inbreaststroke and Harry Schlatter and Mon-roe in fly. Didi Pace and Chelsea Nguyenplaced second and third in freestyle, Nguyenand Chanel Cogan took first and third inbackstroke, Allie Hickey and Lauren Stovalldid the same in breaststroke and Pace and

Hickey brought home a one-two finish infly. The relays were an intense finale to themeet with the riptide winning five relays:The 8 and Under boys freestyle relay(Nicholas Harris, Ethan O’Connor, RyanGarcia and Desmond McDonough), the 11-12 boys medley relay (William Whitton,Charles Beamon, Griffin Osterhout andDavis Collingsworth), the girls 13-14 med-ley relay (Caitlin Kelliher, Isabelle Cogan,Valerie Tonnu and Maddie Whitton) and thegirls 15-18 medley relay (Chelsea Nguyen,Allie Hickey, Didi Pace and Chanel Cogan).

The Sully Station 2 Piranhas couldnot have asked for better weatherto complete a busy 4th of July week

as they hosted their first home meet of theseason. While the Piranhas came up short224-196 to Shouse Village, there were manyclose races, personal bests and victories thatthe team has to celebrate. A special thankyou to the members of the Shouse Villageswim team who displayed a great deal ofgenerosity and spirit as they provided a fi-nancial donation to the victims of the housefires that occurred earlier this Spring inSully 2.

Once again, there were several doubleevent winners including Michael Zhang(freestyle and backstroke), Alyssa Seng(breaststroke and butterfly), Ella Ammons

(freestyle and butterfly), Hayley Norris(freestyle and breaststroke), Collin West(backstroke and butterfly), Madison Stalfort(backstroke and breaststroke), Callie VerPlanck (freestyle and butterfly) and DelaneyKennedy. Jacob Garcia continued his win-ning ways in freestyle. Ehma Stalfort, KellenCampbell and Carly Logan each collectedvictories in their backstroke race. The Pira-nhas found success in breaststroke withMark McClendon, Harrison Saint Germainand Ally Introne.

Other Piranha swimmers who contributedpoints with 2nd and 3rd place finishes wereDaniel Bordacs, Brody Campbell, KellenCampbell, Simon Campbell, BrantleyCervavich, Jacob Garcia, Aiden Jo, Anthony

Piranhas Compete against Shouse Village

11-12 boys have fun in between their individual races on July 7: JeremyBordacs, Elijah Post, Simon Campbell, Isaiah Quitugua and Caden Seng.

Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Home LifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

Along with sunshine and longer days, summeroffers an array of design opportunities. Frombackyard barbecues to brunch in the garden,

the right decor can add a touch of flair to a midsum-mer gathering.

Designing a table with the vibrant colors of sum-mer fruit creates an air of liveliness, says interiorBridget Francis of Colors by Bridget. “Watermelon,blueberries and strawberries are plentiful now, so ifyou’re serving them you can use those colors as abase for your tablescape,” she said. “Think zinniasand red roses with white serveware.”

Limiting a tablescape to two or three colors lendssimplicity to a design, advises Francis. “For example,I use light blue and white dishes with white tabletable linens,” she said. “I add floral arrangementswith white and pale pink roses and blue hydrangeas,some white votives, and voila, a crisp, clean summertable.”

When creating those dinner party arrangements,make sure the height of the flowers is low so thatguests can see and talk to each other, advises AmandaMertins of Patina Polished Living. “Flower arrange-ments are supposed to be a lovely addition to thetable, not an irritant because they’re blocking yourview,” she said. “I just love a beautiful arrangementthat you can look down and see, and that everyoneat the table can enjoy. Right now hydrangeas androses are big. When we make arrangements we’readding rosemary and lavender for a touch of green.”

“Etched glass hurricanes are a beautiful additionto a table setting,” said Todd Martz, owner of Homeon Cameron. “They create a lovely ambiance for anoutdoor setting and let you stay outside longer toenjoy the stars and fireflies.”

Be it a frosty margarita or a glass of tart lemon-ade, infusing summer drinks with summer foliageadds warm weather appeal to a gathering. “Think ofa few rose petals floating in a pitcher of sangria orsprigs of lavender in a pitcher of lemonade,” saidFrancis. “It not only looks and smells great, but theflowers can infuse the drink with a subtle hint offlavor.”

In fact, Francis says that summer blooms can be

incorporated into meal prep. “I think that a cake withsimple white icing, decorated with pink roses andblue hydrangeas is the epitome of summer elegance,”she said. “I also use a pastry squeeze pen to makeflower designs for cupcakes. You can use the pen tosqueeze whipped cream to make flower toppings forice cream. It’s especially pretty when they are thesame flowers that are in your centerpiece.”

“For additional table accents, add a decorative shellor accessory to hold down napkins,” said Martz. “Tryplacing a tray in the center of the table to keep allthe dining essentials in one place, making it easierto bring them out and take them in.”

Low flower arrangements, like these formPatina Polished Living, add elegance to atablescape.

Top desserts with summer floral designsor fresh flowers.

Designing a Midsummer TableUsing flowers andcolor to create asummer wonderland.

Limiting a table design to one or twocolors of summer can create an eleganttablescape.

A few scented candles, grouped in thecenter of the table, creates a festive look,says Todd Martz of Home on Cameron.

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10 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Swim

Piranhas Against Shouse VillageFrom Page 8

The 8 and under girls before their relay on July 7:Noreen O’Connell, Lucy Campbell, Alyssa Seng andEmily Fisher.

Kang, Hannah Kang, Carly Lo-gan, Max Morris, CarysO’Haimhirgin, Connor Pond,Zacchaeus Post, Gabriel Quitugua,Harrison Saint Germain, EhmaStalfort, and Lilly Wilson.

The Piranhas continue to showgrowth and improve times in therelays. Collecting victories for therelays were the 1-12 Girls (SusanaWalser, Norris, O’Haimhirgin, andWilson), 13-14 Boys (Ethan Wil-son, Quitugua, Saint Germain andWest), 13-14 Girls (Alyssa Norris,Abby Walser, M. Stalfort and C. VerPlanck), 15-18 Boys (Cervarich,Campbell, B., Campbell, K., andMorris), 15-18 Girls (NicolePhillips, Introne, Kennedy andLogan) and the Girls 18 and un-der Mixed Age Relay (Ammons,Kennedy, Norris and Stalfort, M.).

The Piranhas return home againon Saturday, July 14, for an “A”meet against Brandywine.

The heat and humiditywere out and in full ef-fect on Saturday, June

30, but the Piranhas did a greatjob of hanging tough against astrong Kings Ridge team. Despitethe team loss, great spirit was putforth by all and some excellentindividual Piranha performancestook place.

Seven swimmers were on top oftheir game and were double eventwinners including Michael Zhangand Alyssa Seng (8 and under),Ella Ammons and Emma Stalfort(9-10), Hayley Norris, (11-12)Callie VerPlanck (13-14) and FaithAlston (15-18). Finishing withimpressive single event wins wereMark McLendon (8 and under)and Hannah Kang (11-12) infreestyle, Noah Quitugua (8 andunder), Collin West (13-14) andKellan Campbell (15-18) in back-stroke and Delaney Kennedy (15-18) in butterfly.

Other Piranha swimmers whocontributed points were ConnorPond, Eli Mayen, Grace VerPlanck,Zacchaeus Post, CarysO’Haimhirgin, Jacob Garcia,Simon Campbell, Caden Seng,

Madison Stalfort, Harrison St.Germain, Carly Logan, HopeAlston, Brantley Cervarich, ColinBrown, Max Morris and KarennaHall.

Piranha relays swam tough thisweek, and the 8 and under boysof Shrihan Sathish, Connor Pond,Mark McClendon and MichaelZhang swam to a big victory. Also

Piranhas Against Kings Ridge

15-18 girls: Hope Alston, Karenna Hall, Carly Logan,Delaney Kennedy and Faith Alston on June 30.

putting forth a dominant perfor-mance was the 15-18 girls teamcomprised of Carly Logan, FaithAlston, Delaney Kennedy andKarenna Hall.

Kennedy then came right backand secured a win with teammatesHayley Norris, Emma Ammonsand Madison Stalfort in the girlsmixed-age freestyle relay.

Shippensburg University head softball coach AlisonVan Scyoc has announced the addition of LaceyHunter, of Centreville High School, to attend SU inthe fall of 2018.

Van Scyoc said: “Lacey is tremendous on the base

Sports Notes

Hunter To Join Shippensburg Softballpaths and is a natural leader. She has a strong armand covers a lot of ground in the outfield.

“Offensively, she is aggressive and competes in ev-erything she does. I am thrilled to add her to ouroutfield dynamic.”

Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

I knew we had family in Argentina. I knew that one of my maternal grandfather’s

younger brothers, Simon, had immigrated from Eastern Europe to South America in the early 1900s.

I knew, or thought I knew, that someone from his family – removed or not, I never know, had

in Florida in the ’80s and ’90s. But until recently, neither my brother Richard nor myself had ever met any of these distant – double entendre-intend-ed – relations. Well, that ended on Wednesday, June 27, in Union Station at 5:55 p.m.

There outside Gate “G” my wife, Dina and I stood holding a sign with my cousin’s name on it: Eduardo Blacher (my middle name is Blacker). He

earlier that morning and then boarded a south-

now of Massachusetts) with whom Eduardo has corresponded and visited over the years, had

pretty good idea of his general appearance. Along -

dent the familial connection would be made. And so it happened a bit after 6 p.m. as he

walked through the gate into the station looking around for someone he’d never seen. We cautious-ly saw one another and then immediately hugged and kissed and said: “Great to meet you!”

Eduardo’s English was pretty good so we were able to coordinate our exit from the station where, once outside, we met my brother, Richard, who had been sitting in his car waiting for our appear-ance. As soon as he saw us, he got out of his car and quickly walked over to Eduardo and likewise

family).When my widowed mother died in 2008, Rich-

ard and I felt orphaned, so to speak. Our parents, as in most families, were the keepers of the family faith. Having both been born 10 years before “The Great Depression,” they knew the family history dating back to before the turn of the century. When they died (in 2006 and 2008, respectively), their knowledge and memories died with them. It was a palpable loss that Richard and I still feel.

We are lucky though; my cousin Ronnie (my mother’s niece) has lots of family information and has become our go-to resource for all things Blach-er/Blacker. She facilitated this much-anticipated visit (Eduardo is seeing her next).

To try and put Eduardo’s visit in some context; in the 10 years since my mother’s passing, given the ages of the surviving family members in the United States with whom we’re in touch, we’ve not really gained any family members, let alone con-nected with an entire line of cousins going back to before World War I.

Eduardo has three children, four grandchildren, a sister in Israel and parents, both of whom are their mid-80s still alive and well. In familial fact, his father is my grandfather’s nephew and knows lots more about my grandfather than I ever did, and has knowledge of the Blacher/Blacker family going back over 125 years as well in and out of our respective countries.

Given the pogroms and the Holocaust, for many Jewish people my age, a treasure trove of family history/knowledge like this was thought to

For three days, until Eduardo’s departure Sun-day morning, we rarely left one another’s side. In

photos, exchanged email addresses, talked nearly non-stop about everything, downloaded WhatsApp which we’ll enable us to message each other in the future, and together on Friday night lit the Shabbos candles and together prayed in Hebrew.

I can’t really express how I feel other than to say I’ve been crying while I’ve been writing this column. And it’s the best cry I’ve had in years.

A Relative Unknown

From Page 5

Bulletin Board

(behavioral) health services. To check in,individuals respond to five simple questions,then the CSB’s Patient Track software alertsstaff. Based on clinicians’ schedules andavailability, as well as the needs of the client,individuals are triaged and seen by the nextavailable staff member. For more information onavailable services, call the CSB at 703-383-8500(Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). In anemergency 24/7, call CSB Emergency Services at703-573-5679 or the Fairfax Detox Center at703-502-7000 (TTY 703-322-9080).

THURSDAY/JULY 12Story Time: Perspective Taking. 10-11 a.m. at

The Parent Resource Center Library, 2334Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 105, DunnLoring. This Story Time will highlight books andactivities to support perspective taking in youngchildren. Perspective taking is an evidence-basedexecutive functioning skill that forms the basisfor children’s understanding of their parents’,teachers’, and friends’ intentions. Registration islimited and required for children ages 4-6 andtheir parents. Visit www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center formore.

TUESDAY/JULY 17Story Time: Making Connections. 10-11 a.m.

at The Parent Resource Center Library, 2334Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 105, DunnLoring. Making Connections is at the heart oflearning. This Story Time will highlight booksand activities to support this evidence-basedexecutive functioning skill in young children.Registration is limited and required for childrenages 4-6 and their parents. Visit www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center for more.

Rotary Club Meeting. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. atEggspectations, 5009 Westone Plaza, Chantilly.The Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly meetsevery Tuesday. Rotary is a service organizationopen to anyone in the community with aninterest in supporting local and internationalprojects. Those who are interested in Rotary areinvited anyTuesday as a guest. $15. Call 703-966-6960, email catherine@creativeread.com orvisit www.CentrevilleChantillyRotary.com formore.

THURSDAY/JULY 19Story Time: Taking on Challenges. 10-11 a.m.

at The Parent Resource Center Library, 2334Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 105, DunnLoring. This Story Time will highlight books andactivities to support taking on challenges inyoung children. Life is full of stresses andchallenges. Children who are willing to take onchallenges do better in school and in life.Registration is limited and required for childrenages 4-6 and their parents. Visit www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center for more.

TUESDAY/JULY 24Rotary Club Meeting. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at

Eggspectations, 5009 Westone Plaza, Chantilly.The Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly meetsevery Tuesday. Rotary is a service organizationopen to anyone in the community with aninterest in supporting local and internationalprojects. Those who are interested in Rotary areinvited anyTuesday as a guest. $15. Call 703-966-6960, email catherine@creativeread.com orvisit www.CentrevilleChantillyRotary.com formore.

TUESDAY/JULY 31Rotary Club Meeting. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at

Eggspectations, 5009 Westone Plaza, Chantilly.The Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly meetsevery Tuesday. Rotary is a service organizationopen to anyone in the community with aninterest in supporting local and internationalprojects. Those who are interested in Rotary areinvited anyTuesday as a guest. $15. Call 703-966-6960, email catherine@creativeread.com orvisit www.CentrevilleChantillyRotary.com formore.

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

station. It is free but residents may be asked toshow proof of residency. Personal waste only.The I-66 station is located at 4618 West OxRoad, Fairfax and open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. fromMonday-Saturday and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. onSundays. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/recycling/electric-sunday.htm for more.

12 ❖ Chantilly Connection ❖ July 11-17, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Entertainment

Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGFitness for 50+. Daytime hours,

Monday-Friday at Sully SeniorCenter, 14426 Albemarle Point Place,Chantilly. Jazzercise Lite, ZumbaGold, Hot Hula Fitness (dancingPolynesian style), Strength Training,Qi Gong, Tai Chi and more.Membership is $48 a year, andwaivers are available. Emaillynne.lott@fairfaxcounty.gov or call703-322-4475.

History Volunteers Needed. FairfaxStation Railroad Museum needshistory buffs. The Museum offers avariety of volunteer opportunities inMuseum events, programs andadministration. Emailvolunteers@fairfax-station.org or call703-945-7483 to exploreopportunities. The Museum is locatedat 11200 Fairfax Station Road inFairfax Station. It is open everySunday, except holidays, from 1-4p.m. www.fairfax-station.org, 703-425-9225.

Art Guild of Clifton Exhibit. 10a.m.-8 p.m. at Clifton Wine Shop,7145 Main St., Clifton. Includes oilpaintings of European settings;doors, windows, and flower shops.Free. Call 703-409-0919.

Carolina Shag Dance. Wednesdays,6:30-10 p.m. at Arlington/FairfaxElks Lodge, 8421 Arlington Blvd.,Fairfax. Free lessons at 7:30 p.m.; nopartners needed; dinner menu at6:45 p.m. Tickets are $8. Visitwww.nvshag.org.

Open Rehearsal. Wednesdays, 7:30p.m. at Lord of Life church, 13421Twin Lakes Drive, Centreville. TheFairfax Jubil-Aires barbershop chorusinvites men of all ages who enjoysinging. Free. Visitwww.fairfaxjubilairs.org.

Live After Five. Fridays at 5:30 p.m.at The Winery at Bull Run, 15950 LeeHighway, Centreville. Every Fridaynight a band plays on the patio of thewinery. Free to attend. Visitwww.wineryatbullrun.com for a fullschedule.

Mondays are Family Night. 5-7 p.m.at Villagio, 7145 Main St. $45 for afamily of four. Call 703-543-2030.

PET ADOPTIONSAdopt a Dog. Fridays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

at PetSmart, 12971 Fair LakesCenter, Fairfax. Visitwww.lostdogrescue.org.

Adopt a Dog. Saturdays, 12-3 p.m. atPetco, 13053 Lee Jackson Highway.Visit hart90.org.

Adopt a Dog. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. atPetco, 13053 Lee Jackson MemorialHwy. Adopt a puppy or dog.Visitaforeverhome.org.

Adopt a Dog. Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. atPetSmart, 12971 Fair Lakes Center,Fairfax. Adopt a puppy or dog. Visitwww.lostdogrescue.org.

LIBRARY FUNToddlin’ Twos. Tuesdays, 10:30 and

11:30 a.m. at the Chantilly Library,4000 Stringfellow Road. Earlyliteracy storytime with songs andactivities included. Age 2 withcaregiver, free. Call 703-502-3883 toreserve a spot.

Storytime for Three to Fives.Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m. at the ChantillyLibrary, 4000 Stringfellow Road.Stories and activities for children age3-5 with caregiver. Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve a spot.

Plant Clinic. Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. atthe Chantilly Library, 4000Stringfellow Road. A neighborhoodplant clinic with horticultural tips,information, techniques, and advice.Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve a

space.Lego Block Party. Every other

Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at theChantilly Library, 4000 StringfellowRoad. Legos will be provided for anafternoon of building. Grades 3-6.Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve aspot.

Duplo Storytime. Every otherWednesday, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. atthe Chantilly Library, 4000Stringfellow Road. Develop andreinforce early literacy skills forreading success. Ages 1-3 with adult.Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve aspot.

Legos Kids Club. Every otherTuesday, 10:30 a.m. at theCentreville Regional Library, 14200St. Germain Drive. Thousands ofLegos for children to play with. Ages6-12. Free. Call 703-830-2223 toreserve a space.

Starlight Storytime. Every otherWednesday, 7 p.m. at the CentrevilleRegional Library, 14200 St. GermainDrive. Stories under the stars for ages4-8. Wear pajamas and bring stuffedfriends. Free. Call 703-830-2223 toreserve a space.

IMPROVING ENGLISHOne-on-One English Conversation.

Various times at Centreville RegionalLibrary, 14200 St. Germain Drive.Spend an hour with a volunteer tutorto practice conversing in English.Various times and days. Reservationsare required. Call the library at 703-830-2223 to make a reservation.

ESL Book Club. Mondays, 7 p.m. atthe Centreville Regional Library,14200 St. Germain Drive. Meet anddiscuss a book chosen by group. Free.Call 703-830-2223 with questionsand to reserve a spot.

English as Second Language BookClub. Mondays, 7-9 p.m. atCentreville Regional Library, 14200St. Germain Drive. Adults learningEnglish meet to discuss a bookchosen by the group. Call the library703-830-2223 for book title.

Advanced English ConversationGroup. Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30p.m. at Centreville Regional Library,14200 St. Germain Drive. Drop-inconversation group for adult Englishas Second Language speakers whowant to improve their skills. Call 703-830-2223.

English Conversation Group.Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. at the ChantillyLibrary, 4000 Stringfellow Road.Practice English with a group ofstudents and adults. Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve a space.

Farsi Conversation Group.Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. at CentrevilleRegional Library, 14200 St. GermainDrive, Centreville. Practice speakingFarsi with native speakers in thisweekly drop-in conversation group.No registration required. Adults. Call703-830-2223.

English Conversation Group.Thursdays, 7 p.m. at the ChantillyLibrary, 4000 Stringfellow Road.Practice English with a group ofstudents and adults. Free. Call 703-502-3883 to reserve a space.

Practice English ConversationGroup. Saturdays, 3-5 p.m. atCentreville Regional Library, 14200St. Germain Drive. Drop in and enjoycasual conversation and learning foradult learners of English. Volunteerled program. Call 703-830-2223.

ESL Book Club. Every other Saturday,11 a.m. at the Chantilly Library, 4000Stringfellow Road. Adults learningEnglish are welcome to meet anddiscuss a book chosen by the group.Call 703-502-3883 for book title.

SATURDAY/JULY 14What’s Stirring in the Pond. 6-7

p.m. at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park,5040 Walney Road, Chantilly. There’sa lot going on in the deceptively stillwaters of local ponds. Meet anaturalist by Walney Pond and jointhe search for catch-and-releasetadpoles, dragonfly nymphs, waterscorpions and other creatures. Forparticipants age 2-adult. $6 perperson. Children must beaccompanied by a registered adult.Bring old shoes that can get wet andmuddy. Call 703-631-0013 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/eclawrence.

SUNDAY/JULY 15NTRAK Scale Model Train Show. 1-

4 p.m. at the Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. The NorthernVirginia NTRAK members will hold aN gauge model train show. Ages 16and older, $4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under,

free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call703-425-9225.

SUNDAY/JULY 22Reading Circle. 1-4 p.m. at the Fairfax

Station Railroad Museum, 11200Fairfax Station Road, FairfaxStation.The Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum will host two 45-minuteReading Circle sessions of theCaldecott Medal winning book,“Locomotive.” One session will beginat 1:15, the second at 2:30. All craftsupplies included with admissionfees. Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15, $2;4 and under, free. Visit www.fairfax-station.org, www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call 703-425-9225.

TUESDAY/JULY 24Movie: Clean Energy Boom. 6:30-9

p.m. at Centreville Regional Library,14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville.Film screening of Reinventing Power:America’s Clean Energy Boom. Thisinspiring film takes us across thecountry to hear directly from thepeople making our clean energyfuture achievable. Free. Call 703-755-5069 or emailvirginia2.sierraclub.org/.

SUNDAY/JULY 29WVMGRS G-Scale Trains. 11 a.m.-5

p.m. at the Fairfax Station RailroadMuseum, 11200 Fairfax StationRoad, Fairfax Station. TheWashington, Virginia & MarylandGarden Railway Society (WVMGRS)members will have a G-Scale traindisplay running at the Fairfax StationRailroad Museum. Ages 16 and older,$4; 5-15, $2; 4 and under, free. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call703-425-9225.

SATURDAY/AUG. 4Starlight Cinema: Little Mermaid.

Gates open at 6 p.m.; movie starts atdark at Trinity Centre, 5860 TrinityParkway, Centreville. Starlight Drive-in Cinema brings the communitytogether with features that appeal toboth children and adults. Theatmosphere is relaxed and informal.Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets

and FM radio if you wish to sitoutside. Children’s games and rides.Free. Call 703-814-7100 to volunteer.

AUG. 6-10Girls in STEM Camp. Chantilly

Academy offers a new Girls in STEMcamp, providing girls with anopportunity to experience the worldof STEM with plenty of hands-onactivities. For girls new to STEM,summer programs provide a fun wayto explore unfamiliar subjects, andfor girls already interested in STEM,these camps build on existinginterests or knowledge. The camp isopen to rising 5th-8th graders. $225for the week. Visitchantillyacademy.fcps.edu/announcements/summer-camps-chantilly-academy.

SATURDAY/AUG. 11Starlight Cinema: Early Man. Gates

open at 6 p.m.; movie starts at darkat Trinity Centre, 5860 TrinityParkway, Centreville. Starlight Drive-in Cinema brings the communitytogether with features that appeal toboth children and adults. Theatmosphere is relaxed and informal.Bring your own lawn chairs, blanketsand FM radio if you wish to sitoutside. Children’s games and rides.Free. To volunteer, call 703-814-7100.

SATURDAY/AUG. 18Starlight Cinema: Lego Batman

Movie. Gates open at 6 p.m.; moviestarts at dark at Trinity Centre, 5860Trinity Parkway, Centreville.Starlight Drive-in Cinema brings thecommunity together with featuresthat appeal to both children andadults. The atmosphere is relaxedand informal. Bring your own lawnchairs, blankets and FM radio if youwish to sit outside. Children’s gamesand rides. Free. To volunteer, call703-814-7100.

SUNDAY/AUG. 19Table Top N Gauge Model Train

Display. 1-4 p.m. at the FairfaxStation Railroad Museum, 11200Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station.Table Top N Gauge Model Trains(TTRAK) will be on display andrunning. Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15,$2; 4 and under, free. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call703-425-9225.

SATURDAY/AUG. 25Starlight Cinema: Coco. Gates open

at 6 p.m.; movie starts at dark atTrinity Centre, 5860 Trinity Parkway,Centreville. Starlight Drive-in Cinemabrings the community together withfeatures that appeal to both childrenand adults. The atmosphere isrelaxed and informal. Bring your ownlawn chairs, blankets and FM radio ifyou wish to sit outside. Children’sgames and rides. Free. To volunteer,call 703-814-7100.

SUNDAY/AUG. 26First Responders Day. 1-4 p.m. at

the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum,11200 Fairfax Station Road, FairfaxStation. Volunteer Fire and Rescuepersonnel as well as Fairfax CountyPolice Officers will bring emergencyvehicles for display and offer hands-on activities to demonstrate thecritical role played by modern dayfirst responders. Civil War Re-enactors will help visitors learn aboutmedical and relief practices then andnow. Ages 16 and older, $4; 5-15,$2; 4 and under, free. Visitwww.fairfax-station.org,www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call703-425-9225.

Photo courtesy of the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum

The Fairfax Station Railroad Museum, 11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station, holdsevents most Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Visit www.fairfax-station.org, www.facebook.com/FFXSRR, or call 703-425-9225.