The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry...

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online at www.connectionnewspapers.com October 5-11, 2017 Opinion, Page 6 v Entertainment, Page 11 v Classifieds, Page 14 Follow on Twitter: @BurkeConnection Photo by Robert Healy/The Connection Senators Meet with Leaders of Industr y News, Page 3 Challenges Remain For Police Reform Opinion, Page 6 Alzheimer’s Walk Raises More Than $267,000 News, Page 12 Inside Senior Living The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry Gryder stands among the crowd having raised more than $15,000. More than 1,000 people pounded the pavement in Reston last month and raised more than $267,000. The 2017 North- ern Virginia Walk to End Alzheimer’s, held at the Reston Town Center, exceeded its fundraising goal of $250,000.

Transcript of The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry...

Page 1: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com October 5-11, 2017

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Senators Meet with Leaders of IndustryNews, Page 3

Challenges Remain For Police ReformOpinion, Page 6

Alzheimer’s Walk RaisesMore Than $267,000

News, Page 12

Inside

Senior Living

The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry Gryder stands among the crowd having raised more than $15,000.

More than 1,000 people pounded the pavement in Reston last month and raised more than $267,000. The 2017 North-

ern Virginia Walk to End Alzheimer’s, held at the Reston Town Center, exceeded its fundraising goal of $250,000.

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2 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Support. Information. Hope.

Please join us for coffee at our Second Saturday Divorce Workshop and get theinformation and support from professionals: a family law attorney, a financial advisor, a

family therapist, a private investigator, an estate planning attorney and other professionalswho will help guide you through the divorce process. Speakers vary for each workshop.

Registration at the door; however, pre-registrationis recommended as space is limited.

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Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsEditor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

Fairfax County’s own nonprofit cablenetwork, Fairfax Public Access (FPA), willpresent a series of Spanish language ver-sions of young people’s movies, based onliterary works, in recognition of HispanicHeritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15). Thespecials will air on FPA Channel 36. TheFPA cable network is carried by VerizonFiOS TV and Cox Communicationsthroughout Fairfax County, and byComcast in Reston.

The Spanish language versions of thefilms based on well-loved novels include“El Libro de la Selva” (“The Jungle Book,”

1942), based on the novel by RudyardKipling; “La Pimpernela Escarlata” (“TheScarlet Pimpernel,” 1934), based on thenovel by Baroness Orczy; “La PequeñaPrincesa” (“The Little Princess,” 1939),based on the novel, “A Little Princess,” byFrances Hodgson Burnett; and “Los ViajesDe Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)based on the works of Jonathan Swift.

Fairfax County School Board ProvidenceDistrict Representative Dalia Palchik (whosenative language is Spanish) announced atthe School Board’s Sept. 28 meeting thatthe special movies, based on literary works,

are being presented in celebration of His-panic Heritage Month by the Fairfaxcable network.

“It is our hope that these movies willpique our young people’s interest, moti-vating them to read the original literaryworks upon which the movies are based,”states FPA Executive Director ChuckPeña.

❖ ❖ ❖The complete schedule of the movies over

FPA Channel 36 is available on the Internetat www.fcac.org/spanish.movies.2017

Movie Classics in Spanish Air during Hispanic Heritage Month

By Michael Lee Pope

The Connection

The governor of Virginia shouldpick one region of the common-wealth to compete for landinga second Amazon headquarters

in Virginia instead of trying to cheerlead forthree different areas simultaneously. Thefederal government should be allowed tonegotiate drug prices through Medicare tobring down the cost of prescriptions. Re-publicans in Congress should try to workwith Democrats on tax reform and infra-structure improvements instead of trying togo it alone if they want a deal that wouldhelp all Americans. These are some of therevelations that U.S. Sen. Mark Warner andU.S. Sen. Tim Kaine dropped on industryleaders this week at a meeting of the North-ern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

“When you heard some of the issues abouttax reform, immigration or how we can pos-sibly get Amazon here as a client in the met-ropolitan area or the state of Virginia,” saidJim Corcoran, president and CEO of theNorthern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.“I truly think everything we heard in therewould resonate with the business commu-nity.”

On the issue of Seattle-based Amazon, theonline retailer that’s transforming thecountry’s economy, Kaine said DemocraticGov. Terry McAuliffe and business leadersshould determine winners and losers. Cur-rently, Northern Virginia is competing withHampton Roads and Richmond to land thedeal. Kaine said that means Virginia mightbe undercutting itself in the long run.

“We’ve got to put our best foot forward,”said Kaine. “That means if a bunch of com-munities in Virginia are competing with oneanother ... I can see that as hurting us.”

On the issue of prescription drug prices,Warner announced a change of position.Instead of supporting Big Pharma in itslongstanding argument that America’s highdrug prices were necessary to fund researchand development, Warner said the Centersfor Medicare and Medicaid Services shouldbe able to negotiate drug prices throughMedicare. By engaging in this kind of ne-gotiation, which already happens at theDepartment of Veterans Affairs, Warner saysdrug prices would drop dramatically in theUnited States.

“I’ve changed on this, and I’ll get somedirty looks from some folks in the room onthis one,” said Warner. “But I think it’s nolonger right or fair for Americans to pay forthe R&D costs for all of the drugs for thewhole world.”

THE DISCUSSION veered from tax cutsand infrastructure investments tocybersecurity threats and gun control. Oneissue that seemed to resonate in the roomof business leaders was the backlog in se-curity clearances. Federal officials are cur-rently facing a backlog of more than700,000 security clearances, which Warnersaid was unacceptable. When asked aboutthe defense authorization, he said gettinga security clearance takes way too long.

“It should not take this long, to have thekind of backlogs on security clearances” saidWarner, eliciting a spontaneous round ofapplause.

“That is only an applause line in one roomin the United States,” added Kaine.

The backlog isn’t just a headache for gov-ernment officials and the contracting com-munity. It branches out into all kinds of in-dustries in Northern Virginia, some of whichmight not be immediately obvious. Businessleaders in the energy industry, for example,are just as concerned about the backlog insecurity clearances as people who work indefense contracting.

“If you don’t have the clearances, youcan’t receive information,” said KellyChapman, lobbyist for Dominion. “If there’s

information out there that could be poten-tially harmful, they can’t receive it if theydon’t have the clearance.”

One area where the senators saw someroom for potential compromise was thecoming discussion on tax reform. Kaine saidhe hoped the president would not seek tomove forward on the issue with reconcilia-tion, a process that would effectively shutthe Democrats out of the picture and allowRepublicans to move forward with a simplemajority vote. Warner said he hoped thepresident would take advantage of the mo-ment to make investments in thecybersecurity industry.

“Mark Warner mentioned having an in-centive for companies investment in thehuman capital of their workers to help themupgrade to higher skill levels and get a taxcredit for doing that the same way they geta tax credit for doing research and devel-opment,” said Whipple. “That’s something,in the heavily human capital developmentbusinesses that we have in Northern Vir-ginia, could really pay off for them.”

CYBERSECURITY ISSUES became a re-curring theme of the discussion, which in-cluded not only the prospect that tax re-

form might offer ways to help people ad-vance themselves professionally. The issueof Russian influence in the 2016 electionloomed over the discussion, in part becauseof Kaine’s role on the ticket. He was the firstVirginian to be on a major-party presiden-tial ticket since 1840, when John Tylerjoined ran with William Henry Harrison.

“I feel like I’ll be a Hollywood Squaresquestion sometime,” said Kaine. “It wassuch as bizarre race.”

And then there was the fake news. Kainesaid his staff alerted him to fake news sto-ries four times during the campaign. Onewas that he and his wife Anne Holton havean open marriage. Another was that he wascaught on tape yelling at his daughter. Yetanother fake news story was the HillaryClinton and Kaine had a secret deal for yearsthat he would be part of the ticket. He saidmost of them caused a laugh and then theywould move on. But then one emerged thatKaine was on tape yelling at his mistress.As it turns out, it was audio of Mel Gibsonleaving a mean-spirited voice mail.

“When I told the story and explained itwasn’t me it was Mel Gibson,” said Kaine,“somebody said, ‘Why was Mel Gibson yell-ing at your mistress?’”

In joint appearance,Warner and Kainetalk business inNorthern Virginia.

Julie Carey of NBC4 moderates a discussion between U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine at theFalls Church Marriott Fairview Park.

Senators Meet with Leaders of Industry

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Send notes to the Connection [email protected] or call703-778-9416. Deadline is Friday. Datedannouncements should be submitted atleast two weeks prior to the event.

Two hundred twenty-three FairfaxCounty Public Schools (FCPS) studentsfrom 17 high schools have been namedsemifinalists in the 2018 National MeritScholarship Program. Thomas JeffersonHigh School for Science and Technology(TJHSST), which also serves as theGovernor’s Regional School for North-ern Virginia, has 145 semifinalists. Allsemifinalists are eligible to compete for7,500 National Merit Scholarshipawards worth $32 million, to beawarded in spring 2018. FCPS 2018National Merit semifinalists are:

❖ Lake Braddock Secondary School:Sinclaire Jones, Amanda Nguyen,Elizabeth Smith, and Eric Smith.

❖ Robinson Secondary School:Siddharth Bhatnagar, WilliamTaft, and Julia Van Dyke.

❖ West Springfield High School:Genieva Beckstrand and JonathonRanieri.

❖ Woodson High School: HyungChang, Andrew Huh, DiegoPedulla-Smith, Kelly Ruffner,Morgan Ruffner, Kate Schneider,and Rachel Zhang.

❖ Fairfax High School: David Fried.

❖ Woodson High School: HyungChang, Andrew Huh, DiegoPedulla-Smith, Kelly Ruffner,Morgan Ruffner, Kate Schneider,and Rachel Zhang.

Schools

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Del. Filler-Corn ChairsCouncil on PANS andPANDAS Diseases

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the Advisory Council on Pe-diatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders(PANS) Associated with Streptococcal Infections andPediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome(PANDAS) convened for the first time, just outsideof Richmond. As one of its first acts of business, itnamed Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41) chair and stateSen. David Suetterlein (R-Roanoke), vice chair. Inaddition to elected officials, the council includesdoctors, researchers, nurses, parents and advocates.Members come from across the Commonwealth andwill convene periodically throughout the next fouryears.

“I was honored to be elected as chair of the coun-cil by the members and am appreciative of the trustthey have put in me,” said Filler-Corn, commentingon her election as chair of the committee. “It is myhope that by working together across party lines,across disciplines, and across the Commonwealth,we can promote awareness and research of theseinsidious diseases,” she added.

The Advisory Council was established by Filler-Corn’s 2017 legislation in the General Assembly,which passed near unanimously out of the House ofDelegates and the State Senate.

PANDAS occurs when children, after an infectionsuch as strep throat, almost immediately develop tics,severe anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder as wellas many other behavioral symptoms. PANS is abroader term, referring to the same onset of symp-

toms whether or not a strep infection triggered it.After establishing council bylaws and electing a

chair and vice chair, the council then heard two pre-sentations by fellow board members.

First, Dr. Susan Swedo presented the scientific as-pects of PANS and PANDAS. Swedo is the Chief ofthe Pediatrics & Developmental Neuroscience Branchat the National Institute of Mental Health (part ofthe National Institutes of Health). She and her teamfirst identified PANDAS and PANS. More recently,Swedo, along with Dr. Jennifer Frankovich ofStanford University and Dr. Tanya Murphy of theUniversity of South Florida, St. Petersburg developedthe guidelines for treating PANS and PANDAS.

Following Swedo’s presentation, Jan Kirby, a reg-istered nurse and patient advocate at VCU Children’sHospital, gave the advocacy perspective.

Following the presentations, the council agreedupon a work plan and future meeting dates. Thecouncil is expected to meet again in November, andperiodically through 2018. The council will alsopresent an interim report to the Governor and Gen-eral Assembly on Dec. 1, 2017.

News

Photo contributed

Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41) chairs thecouncil session.

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6 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

By Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner

Oct. 8 will be the second anniver-sary of the 2015 release of theAd Hoc Police Practices ReviewCommission Final Report. The

catalyst for the Ad Hoc Commission’s forma-tion by the Fairfax County Board of Supervi-sors was the August 2013 shooting death ofJohn Geer. The commission was charged withassessing the Police Department’s performanceagainst national best practices.

The commission made morethan 200 recommendations fortransforming an excellent Po-lice Department into one thatis “best in class” and for

strengthening the public’s trust and confidencein the department.

I served as commission member and as thechairman of Use of Force Subcommittee. I amalso a member of a loosely configured Imple-mentation Committee, a group of former com-mission members dedicated to helping to seethat our recommendations are effectivelyimplemented.

I commend both the Board of Supervisors(BOS) and Police Department for their progressimplementing the commission’s recommenda-tions. Significant reforms are underway thatwhen fully realized will generate increased ac-countability and public confidence. Major re-forms already in place include:

❖ forming the Office of the Independent Po-lice Auditor to determine the thoroughness,completeness, accuracy, objectivity and impar-tiality of investigations of death or serious in-jury cases.

❖ convening a Civilian Review Panel to re-view civilian complaints regarding “abuse ofauthority” or “serious misconduct” by a policeofficer;

❖ creating “Diversion First,” which offers al-ternatives to incarceration for people withmental illness or developmental disabilities;and

❖ recrafting the Use of Force General Orderto enshrine sanctity of human life as an orga-nizing principle, with de-escalation as the strat-egy of first resort when confronted with athreat rather than the use of deadly force.

WHILE MUCH HAS BEEN accomplished,more is work is needed. For example, the com-mission advocated in strong terms for infor-mation-sharing reform to promote timeliness,completeness and transparency. In this regard,a revised Police Department CommunicationPolicy is still in process.

The commissionalso called for all of-ficers to be outfittedwith body worn cam-eras, contingent onthe enactment oflaws, policies andprocedures that pro-tect individual pri-vacy. These camerasare to complementthe dashboard cam-

eras now mounted in each Fairfax patrol ve-hicle.

While a potential aid to criminal prosecu-tion, the body-worn camera’s equally impor-tant contribution is to foster greater transpar-ency and the accountability of all parties dur-ing the interactions of the police with the pub-lic. As the American Civil Liberties Union notedin an October 2014 report, body-worn cam-eras “[have] the potential to be a win-win,helping protect the public against police mis-conduct, and at the same time helping protectpolice against false accusations of abuse.”

While the county leadership has committedto deploying this technology, its approach hasbeen appropriately methodical. Key consider-ations are operational, privacy, data securityand cost. For example, the supervisors haveapproved a pilot project that will deploy cam-eras in two of the county’s nine magisterialdistricts and the department is currently evalu-ating proposals from prospective suppliers.

THIS PILOT PROJECT needs to generateanswers to following questions, among others:the county needs to establish when cameraswill be running and how will the public knowthe cameras are on? When can biometric tech-nology – such as facial recognition – be used?How will the video footage be secured fromhackers? Who will have access to the data andunder what procedures?

How will the massive amount of video databe stored and for how long? As the countyunderstands and appreciates, the cost of de-ploying body-worn cameras is not in the cam-eras themselves, but the storage of the mas-sive amount of data that is generated. As re-ported by the Center for Digital Governmentand Government Technology magazine, “Whenit comes to [body-worn cameras], data stor-age is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Video… is a data hog.”

This reality generates cost-driven data-reten-tion policy considerations. How long shouldnon-evidentiary video be maintained? Somepolice departments say it should be 60-90 days,

others say less or more. With regard to evi-dentiary data used in criminal prosecutions,the Virginia Commonwealth requires that evi-dence be stored for 99 years.

Finally, who controls access to the data? Thisquestion is becoming an increasingly signifi-cant issue nationally. Protecting evidencechain-of-custody for purposes of criminal pros-ecution is a necessary but not sufficient role towarrant the cost and the data protection risksinherent in the deployment of body-worn cam-eras. The real return-on-investment is the po-tential for influencing the behavior, throughgreater transparency and accountability, of allparties in a law-enforcement engagement.

The drive to use this technology is inexo-rable. A recent CATO Institute/YouGov pollfound that 92 percent of the public supportsthe use of body-worn cameras. Implicit in thislevel of support are high public expectationsthat this technology will make a difference inlaw enforcement practices. Heightened expec-tations alone should give our policymakerspause, particularly when we know that no tech-nology deployment is free of all mistakes anderrors. The only thing worse in today’s con-text than not collecting the data during a con-troversial use-of-force incident, is for the pub-lic to learn that video data under the PoliceDepartment’s control is missing.

We should therefore challenge the assump-tion that video-camera data must be main-tained under the sole access control of the Po-lice Department. Options that should be givenexplicit consideration by the Board of Super-visors, Police Department andCommonwealth’s Attorney include assigningvideo data access control to the IndependentPolice Auditor or alternatively assigning thisrole to a board composed of the Police Chief,Independent Auditor and Commonwealth’sAttorney.

On this second anniversary of the Ad HocPolicy Review Commission Report, the countyand Police Department have many accomplish-ments to be proud of with regard to implement-ing the commission’s recommendations.

Quality-driven change is hard; some changesare especially difficult. Body-worn camera de-ployment is one that requires careful study anddiligent attention to complex legal and opera-tional details. I commend the county for tak-ing the appropriate measured response tomeeting this recommendation and, especiallywith regard the matter of access to video data,challenge the conventional wisdom that accesscontrol to such data must be under the solepurview of the Police Department.

Phillip A. Niedzielski-Eichner is a member of theFairfax County Planning Commission, served on the AdHoc Police Practices Review Commission and a formermember of the Fairfax County School Board.

Challenges Remain for Police ReformIncluding communications and body cameras.

Guest

Editorial

On Friday, Sept. 22, theLeague of WomenVoters of Virginia

(LWVVA) held Workshops inFredericksburg, Va. attended bynew and long-time membersfrom among the 14 local

leagues in the state. The Work-shops’ objective was to help thesemembers discover ways to engagewith the League and to enhanceLeague impacts in communities.

Among the subjects coveredwere voter engagement through

VOTE411.org and election-relatedactivities, the LWV-VA’s engage-ment with state legislators throughthe weekly Women’s LegislativeRound Tables during the VirginiaGeneral Assembly, and engagingwith local governing bodies

through Observer Corps.LWV-VA, a non-partisan politi-

cal organization, encouragesparticipation in governmentand works to increase under-standing of major public policyissues. Visit www.lwv-va.org.

The League of Women Voters of Virginia Holds Workshops

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Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

SeniorLivingSeniorLivingSeniorLivingOCTOBER 2017OCTOBER 2017

By John Byrd

Julia grew up in the Fort Hunt sec-tion of Alexandria in a close-knitfamily. She started dating a

neighbor’s son, Jack MacInnis, while stillin high school and, in time, the two friendsmarried. In the late 1990s Julia’s father, Don

Sun Design Remodeling’s in-law additioncomplements existing architecture.

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Household Re-Forms, and Looks Forward

Clark, died leaving her mother, Lita Clark,alone in the family home. A survivor of theJapanese occupation of the Philippines,Clark (as always) remained upbeat, inde-pendent; a loving mother and friend.

Fast forward a few years and Jack andJulia MacInnis own a house not far fromClark with whom they are in daily contact.

Then, in 2010 — with two sons growingquickly — the couple purchased a four-bed-room contemporary on a 1.5 acre lot inFairfax. It’s only a half hour drive fromClark, but the timing for a larger house wasjust right.

In the intervening years, Clark (who turns84 this month) would visit the MacInnisresidence regularly, often staying over oneor two nights a week.

At this stage, the three of them beganactively planning ways to augment thehousehold by building an in-law suite on

some part of the existing property. Eventu-ally, attention focused on a side elevationof the existing house which offered viewsof surrounding wooded acreage.

THE LOT ITSELF presented challenges.The grade sloped radically on the northeastside where the lower-level (the intendedsite for the new in-law addition) exited froma pair of sliding glass doors to a small deck.Because of the slope, there were potential

See Looking Forward, Page 8

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water run-off problems; also,Fairfax County’s building code re-quired that any new constructionhad to allow for a full 25 feet of“set-back” from the rear of theproperty.

“We knew an addition of thissize on this grade was going torequire careful engineering,” saidCraig Durosko, whose firm SunDesign Remodeling found both thedesign and structural solutionsthat would make the project fea-sible. “Still, it’s helpful when thehomeowners are proactive in thedecision-making process at everyjuncture.”

Added Julia MacInnis: “We werelooking for a plan that would pro-vide privacy and independence forMom, yet also fully incorporateher into the household. We’vefunctioned as a family for our en-tire lives. Mom helped to raise theboys, and she was raised in amulti-generational culture. Wesaw this change as a way of creat-ing an expanded environment thatwould work for everyone far intothe foreseeable future.”

Clark’s new suite would be a580-square-foot annex con-structed outside the existing housedirectly parallel to the lower level.A sliding glass door that accessesthe outside would be convertedinto an interior pocket door thatopens into a downstairs recreationroom.

The space plan would consist ofa 17-foot-by-17-foot master bed-room surrounded by windows onthree sides, a master bath with awalk-in shower and heated floors,and a sitting room/kitchenetteequipped with a small refrigera-tor, a sink and a microwave.

The sitting area includes a bis-tro table for four with a view of

the surrounding woodland. Theentire household, nonetheless,share meals and kitchen dutiestogether every day. By the same to-ken, Julia and Jack MacInnis andsons (Jackson and Harry) are freeto drop-in on Clark just about anytime.

“It’s a very comfortable, harmo-nious arrangement,” Clark said.“Very much what we hoped for.”

That said, engineering the suite’sdurable footprint was somethingof a feat.

“Because of the site’s grading,we ended up designing a slabfoundation with both stem wallsand integral footings,” said JohnBenedetto, the addition’s lead de-signer. “To assure structural integ-rity, there were two concretepours: one to form the stem wallson the new addition’s left side; asecond to form the slab with inte-gral footings on which the addi-tion is built.”

Footings are placed 30-inchesbelow grade; the slab itself is ap-proximately one foot above grade.The goal: assure that the weightof the new structure is adequatelysupported — soil compaction be-ing a key part of the equation.

FOR ALL THE DEFT engineer-ing, it’s the suite’s interior thatproves memorable. The three pri-mary living areas were designedspecifically to profile heirlooms,furnishings and other personalitems that Clark brought from theFort Hunt residence.

“There were two twin beds thathad been in the family for years,”Julia MacInnis said. “A chest ofdrawers, an old vanity. Sun Designused these pieces as focal pointsfor shaping the bedroom and sit-ting room. And it’s not just that ev-erything fits well … but also thatthe floor plan is well-rationalized.

Looking Forward,

Senior Living

From Page 7

Grab bars and a comfort-height elongated toilet areamong aging-in-place considerations in the master bath-room. Shower walls and flooring are finished in porcelaintiling.

Page 9: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

A Gift ThatPays You Income!

Call today!Rita S. Corwin 301-565-8524

Age: 75

Fixed Annual Payments at 5.8%*

Tax-free portion of Payments

Income Tax Deduction

Effective Annuity Rate**

Charitable Gift Annuity$25,000

$1,450

$1,114

$11,294

8.21%

*Rate as of October 2017 based on age.**Includes all tax savings. www.childrensnational.org/planagift

A healthy body starts with a healthy mouth!

X-rays not included. Not valid withinsurance submission.

5803 Rolling Road, Suite 211Springfield, VA 22152

703-912-3800 • www.smiles4va.comMonday–Thursday 8 A.M.–5 P.M.; Friday* 8 A.M.–1 P.M. *Once monthly for sedation appointments

At Peter K. Cocolis, Jr. and Associates, we believeoptimum oral health is key to total body health andwell-being. These days, going to the dentist is notjust about taking good care of your teeth; it isabout taking good care of your health. Problemsin your mouth can be signs of trouble elsewherein your body. Your oral exam reveals importantearly warning signs for many total-body condi-tions including diabetes, oral cancer and highblood pressure.

Whether your family seeks general preventivemaintenance, cosmetic, or advanced restorative andimplant dentistry to transform your smile’s function andappearance, Drs. Cocolis and DaSilva are renowned bypeers and patients alike for exceptional personalized care in afriendly, safe and state-of-the-art-environment.

Consistently named “Top Dentist” inNorthern Virginia magazine and among the“Best Dentists in the Metropolitan Area” in

Washingtonian magazine, Drs. Cocolis andDaSilva exceed industry standards in the

time they dedicate to continuing edu-cation and service. Our skilled andcompassionate team pairs patienteducation with the latest dentaltechniques and technology, offer-ing an extensive array of dentalservices including digital x-rays,injection-free laser procedures,

CAD-cam same-day porcelaincrowns, tooth whitening, Invisalign, and

veneers. We offer a variety of sedationoptions including oral sedation and nitrous oxide

(sleep dentistry) and are dedicated to easing all aspects ofyour dental experience.

Visit us on the Web or give us a call to discover what ourpatients are saying and to make your appointment.

Our Services:• Routine cleanings and

check-ups• Fillings and sealants• Sedation “sleep” dentistry• Nitrous oxide• Crowns, bridges, inlays,

onlays • Extractions

• TMJ/TMD therapy

• Endodontic (root canal) therapy• Periodontal (gum) therapy

including scaling androot planing

• Custom partial and full dentures• Custom occlusal and

sport guards• Implants• Bonding and veneers• In-office professional whitening• Invisalign (clear braces without the wires)

Peter K. Cocolis, Jr., DMD& AssociatesPeter K. Cocolis, Jr., DMD, MAGD

Emily A. DaSilva, DDS, FAGD

The twin beds, for instance, fit perfectly under highwindows that assure privacy, yet allow a lot of natu-ral light. Overall, the entire suite is spacious, andquite comfortable.”

On that note, the new addition has been fitted witha mini-split HVAC unit that allows Clark to adjustthe suite’s temperature to her requirements. Mean-while, the bathroom has a heated floor with its ownthermostat.

The addition’s exterior elevations are blended with

the existing house. Vinyl siding, fascia and soffits,gutters, and downspouts are all matched. Low-E Ar-gon glass vinyl windows allow for abundant naturallight and views while keeping temperatures wherethe thermostat requires.

In all, a comfortable accommodation … within athriving household.

Senior Living

BEFORE: A sliding glass door exiting froma lower-level rec room was identified as apotential link between the existing houseand new in-law suite. The exterior egresswas converted into an interior pocketdoor that enters Lita Clark’s sitting room.

At 580 square feet, the new suite isseamlessly married to the original house.Lead designer John Benedetto’s “massing”of the new construction preserves propor-tionality and scale. Siding, fascia, soffits,gutters and downspouts are all matched.

Pho

to

s by G

reg H

adley

Staying Put

Sun Design Remodeling frequently sponsors tours of recentlyremodeled homes as well as workshops on home remodelingtopics. Headquartered in Burke, the firm has a second office inMcLean. For more information, call 703-425-5588 or visitwww.SunDesignInc.com.

John Byrd ([email protected]) has been writing abouthome improvement for 30 years.

Page 10: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

10 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Senior Living

By Rob Paine

RSVP Northern Virginia

RSVP Northern Virginia volunteerKen Kozloff moves through thepool at Providence RecreationCenter encouraging the child

with special needs he is teaching to swim,to “stroke, breathe, and kick.”

Kozloff high-fives his students at the endof each lap and asks, “Are you having a goodtime?” All the while he is keeping an eyeon two other volunteers he is mentoringduring a Fairfax County Park AuthorityAdapted Aquatics class.

Kozloff will continue to do this for about90 minutes on a Sunday morning withoutmuch of a break. Sometimes he lifts stu-dents half his weight into the air so theycan experience the joy of splashing into thepool. One would never guess that theformer INOVA Alexandria Hospital CEOturned 70 years old in August. “I don’t feel70, I feel like 25,” he said.

Kozloff donates more than 40 hours ofhis time each month as an RSVP NorthernVirginia volunteer, helping autistic childrenlearn how to swim, mentoring economically

disadvantaged citizens to manage their fi-nances, and directing other volunteers atlarge events for RSVP, including the North-ern Virginia Senior Olympics in September.

RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Pro-gram) is the region’s largest volunteer net-work for people 55 and older and providesindividualized support to seniors seekingservice opportunities in and around FairfaxCounty, Arlington County and the City ofAlexandria.

When he is not volunteering for otherorganizations, he is a volunteer engagementleader for RSVP, acting as a nonprofit evan-gelist of sorts, spreading the word on whyRSVP is such a great program. “What’sunique about RSVP is the approach it takesto new volunteers, helping them to findwhat they’re looking to do, not where weare looking to place them,” he said.

RSVP asks each prospective volunteer,“How can we help you find that volunteeropportunity that is going to mean some-thing to you?” Kozloff said. He has beenwith RSVP for over a year and a half.

Five years ago, he began volunteeringwith the Fairfax County Park Authority’sAdaptive Aquatics program, teaching chil-dren on the autism spectrum to swim. Helater added another afternoon of classes atSpring Hill Recreation Center in McLean,teaching special needs adults to swim, in-cluding those with neurological issues or

physical impairments. The park authorityhonored Kozloff in 2015 as the AdaptiveAquatics Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.

He then started working with Our DailyBread (now called BritePaths) where he hasvolunteered for four years as a financialmentor. He is also a volunteer classroom in-structor with Junior Achievement in Fairfax.He teaches business principles to elementary,middle, and high school students. He alsoteaches students with special needs in thisprogram.

In an eight-day span in September, theRSVP volunteer managed volunteers at sev-eral community projects including theNVSO’s indoor track meet in Arlington and

its swimming championships in Sterlingand a gardening project at River Farm inAlexandria.

“I love to help others,” Kozloff said. “Ienjoy volunteering with RSVP, not only forwhat I do as a volunteer, but also for thesocial aspect of working with otherpeople.” During the senior Olympics hemanaged anywhere from 10 to 30 volun-teers at the different events.

WHAT SEPARATES RSVP from othervolunteer organizations is its leadershipand the approach it takes, treating eachvolunteer as an individual, according toKozloff. As an engagement leader, Kozlofftells prospective volunteers: “We are go-ing to show you things and talk to youabout specific opportunities that you canrelate to.”

RSVP offers an array of opportunities forvolunteers including providing rides, sup-port and meals to older neighbors, assist-ing local veterans in need and helping pre-pare communities for disasters. RSVP alsorecruits volunteers for various communityevents.

Those interested in learning more about RSVP orin signing up for any of these events should contactRSVP Northern Virginia Volunteer Specialist CarlyHubicki at 703-403-5360, email Hubicki [email protected] or visit the RSVPwebsite at rsvpnova.org.

Volunteering Keeps 70-Year-Old Former CEO YoungFinding the rightvolunteer opportunity.

Photo by Rob Paine/RSVP Northern Virginia

Ken Kozloff works with SamiZachaira during an Adapted Aquaticclass at Providence Rec Center.

Page 11: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

REGISTERNOW!

Find Your Children Safe & Sound

KIDDIE COUNTRYDEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING CENTER

OUTSTANDING SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMSDesigned to provide a complete, happy, safe learning environment

in harmony with the needs of the child.

CHILDREN AGES 2-5Full (6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) and half day (9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.) programs

SPECIAL FEATURESDevelopmental Curriculum • Degreed Teachers • Registered Nurse • Music Director • Nutritious

Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks • Heated Swimming Pools • Spacious Shaded Playgrounds• Planned Orientations and Presentations for Parents • State Licensed

KIDDIE COUNTRY9601 Old Keene Mill Rd.

Burke, Virginia 22015703-644-0066

Come See OurAward-Winning Facility!

Winner of American Instituteof Architects Award

FULL DAY SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM AGES SIX TO ELEVEN YEARSProgram is organized into weekly themes packed with FANTASTIC FIELD TRIPS, ASENSATIONAL OVERNIGHT CAMP OUT, DAILY SWIMMING, SPORTS, DANCING,MUSIC, AND AN END OF THE SUMMER “SMASH” MUSICAL PRODUCTION BY

OUR CAMPERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMSAGES FIVE-ELEVEN YEARS

GRADES K-6Transportation provided to Terra Centre,

Fairview, White Oaks, Orange Hunt, Sangster,Hunt Valley and Cherry Run Elementary Schools.

Emphasis on special events, sports, time forhomework, and student’s choice of activities.

KINDERGARTENFall 2018/2019

Two Virginia certified teachers per classroom.Program emphasizes language arts, math,computer literacy, science, social studies,

social development, art, music and physicaldevelopment.

www.kiddiecountry.com

Burke, Springfield,Fairfax, LortonFairfax Station

Sunday, October 22, 20175:00 - 8:00 p.m.

George Mason University, HUB Ballroom

Rivanna River Way, Fairfax(Parking at Shenandoah Parking Deck on

Sandy Creek Way)

Learn more at:

http://www.bahai.org • http://www.bahai.us

(571) 320-5274

1-800-22 UNITE (1-800-228-6483)

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

THROUGH OCTOBERFall Festival and Pumpkin

Playground. Various times at BurkeNursery & Garden Centre, 9401Burke Road, Burke. Weekdays is $10per person and the weekend price is$14 per person. Call 703- 323-1188.

Pumpkin Patch. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at theSt. George’s United MethodistChurch, 4910 Ox Road, Fairfax. Buyfall pumpkins and decorative gourdsgrown by Native American farmers tosupport jobs in a high unemploymentarea in Arizona. [email protected] or call 703-385-4550.

FRIDAY/OCT. 6Campfire Fridays. 7:30-9 p.m. at

Hidden Pond Nature Center, 8511Greeley Blvd., Springfield. Explorethe park, have s’mores. Call 703-451-9588 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/hidden-pond/.

SATURDAY/OCT. 7She Rocks the World. 9 a.m.–3:30

p.m. at George Mason University,4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 2017Virginia Girls’ Summit, teenage girlforum. Visitwww.sherockstheworld.org/.

Country-Western Dance. 6:30-10p.m. at Accotink UnitarianUniversalist Church, 10125Lakehaven Court, Burke. A NorthernVirginia Country-Western DanceAssociation dance. Admission forNVCWDA members $10; non-members $12; children under 18

accompanied by a paying adult $5.Visit www.nvcwda.org or call 703-860-4941.

OCT. 7-8Fall Festival. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the

Whitehall Farm, 6080 ColchesterRoad, Fairfax. Featuring a large cornmaze in the shape of a chicken,pumpkin patch, farm animals,inflatable bounce houses, hay ride,and nature trail. $12, active dutymilitary and their families receive $2off per ticket. Visitwww.whitehall.farm.

SUNDAY/OCT. 8

America in World War I Lecture. 2p.m. at Fairfax Museum and VisitorCenter, 10209 Main St., Fairfax.George Mason University professor,Dr. Harry A. Butkowsky will discussAmerica’s entry into World War I in1917. Free. Call 703- 385-8414.

MONDAY/OCT. 9Funday Monday. 10:30 a.m. at Old

Town Hall, 3999 University Drive,Fairfax. Music, movement,storytelling, performances, andcrafts. Free. Call 703-385-7858 orvisit www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

TUESDAY/OCT. 10

Story Time. 10:30 a.m. at Old TownHall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax.Story Times at Old Town Square forchildren every Tuesday morning. Call703-385-7858 or visitwww.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts.

WEDNESDAY/OCT. 11UCM Ocktoberfest Benefit Night. 5-

8 p.m. at Forge Brew Works, 8532Terminal Road, Lorton. A percentageof the evening’s sales will be donatedto UCM to help families in need.Flights $10, free snacks, food truckwill be on site. Bring canned food orother items to help stock the UCMFood Pantry. Visitwww.ucmagency.org.

SATURDAY/OCT. 14Special Treasures and Used Book

Sale. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Church ofthe Good Shepherd, 9350 BraddockRoad, Burke. Houseware, furniture,sports equipment, toys, decor, smallelectronics, collectibles. Call 703-323-5400.

Fairfax Fall Festival. 10 a.m.-8:30p.m. at Old Town Fairfax, Route 123and Route 236, Fairfax. Over 400arts, crafts, information, foodvendors, children’s activities andthree stages of music andentertainment for all ages. Visitwww.fairfaxva.gov.

Fire Prevention Week. 10 a.m.-4p.m., all Fairfax County Fire andRescue Stations will be hosting anOpen House, stop by the local stationthat day to meet the firefighters, seethe fire trucks, join in the activitiesand learn about fire safety. Visitfairfaxcounty.gov.

❖ Station 32 Fire Station Tour —Fairview, 5600 Burke CentreParkway.

❖ Station 14 Fire Station Tour —Burke, 9501 Old Burke Lake Road.

Bunny Man Lecture. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.at City of Fairfax Regional Library,10360 North Street. County Archivistand Bunny Man expert, Brian Conley,will talk about the legend of theBunny Man which has captivatedNorthern Virginia fear-seekers forover four decades. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/events/ or 703-293-6227.

OCT. 14-15Fall Festival. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the

Whitehall Farm, 6080 ColchesterRoad, Fairfax. Featuring a large cornmaze in the shape of a chicken,pumpkin patch, farm animals,inflatable bounce houses, hay ride,and nature trail. $12, active dutymilitary and their families receive $2off per ticket. Visit whitehall.farm.

SUNDAY/OCT. 15Rose Display. 2-4 p.m. at Merrifield

Garden Center- Fair Oaks, 12101 LeeHighway, Fairfax. Arlington RoseFoundation hosts seminar on newand interesting roses for next year’sgarden. Free. Call 703-371-9351 oremail [email protected].

OCT. 16-19Halloween Costume Exchange.

Drop off various times at SherwoodCenter, 3740 Old Lee Highway,Fairfax. Pick up new costume onFriday, Oct. 20 from 6-9 p.m. Dropoff gently used and clean Halloweencostumes Monday through Thursday,and come pick up a great secondhand costume for this year on Friday.Visit www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalartsor call 703-385-7858.

FallFestivalWeekendsthroughOctober theFall Festivalis happen-ing at theWhitehallFarm, 6080ColchesterRoad,Fairfax.Featuring alarge corn maze in the shape of a chicken, pumpkinpatch, farm animals, inflatable bounce houses, hay ride,and nature trail. $12, active duty military and theirfamilies receive $2 off per ticket. Visitwww.whitehall.farm for more.

Calendar

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12 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

COMMUNITIES OF WORSHIP

bbWorship Gathering – Sunday 8:45 & 11 AM

Sunday School 10:10 AMSun. Evening – Realtime Worship & Youth 6 PM

Family Night – Wednesday 7:15 PMHome Life Groups, College/Young Adult

Ministries, and Living Free Support GroupsVisit our Website: www.jccag.org

4650 Shirley Gate Road, FairfaxBill Frasnelli, PASTOR 703-383-1170

To Advertise YourCommunity of Worship,

Call 703-778-9418

“Loving People to Life”

You can read any of this week’s 15 papers digital editions here:www.ConnectionNewspapers.com/PDFs

News

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

More than 1,000 peoplepounded the pavement inReston last month andraised more than

$267,000. The 2017 Northern Virginia Walkto End Alzheimer’s, held at the Reston TownCenter, exceeded its fundraising goal of$250,000.

Held each year in more than 500 com-munities around the country, TheAlzheimer’s Association’s Walk to EndAlzheimer’s seeks to raise awareness andfunds for Alzheimer’s care, support and re-search.

Ilissa Belanger of Fairfax walked to raisemoney and awareness of the disease.

“Both my mother and mother-in-law hadAlzheimer’s and it’s a difficult thing to gothrough,” Belanger said. “I want to helpother families who have to go through it. Ihope to raise money for treatment to slowit down or find a cure so that no one has togo through it.”

This was Belanger’s 10th year participat-ing in the walk. This year she was part of a15-member team, Walkers for Miriam andAnita, named in memory of her mother andmother-in-law respectively.

“We do walk in honor or memory of ourloved ones, but also their caregivers,” shesaid. “It’s important to support thecaregivers as well. In my case, it was myfather and father-in-law who were wonder-ful as their wives were going through it.”

Debbi Johnson of Centreville joined thewalk for a second year in honor of herformer mother-in-law. Her team consistedof members of her church, New Life Chris-tian Church in Chantilly and her employer,Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan MortgageCorporation).

“I do charity walks because I feel that it’simportant to serve,” said Johnson. “I feltthat I should do something for Alzheimer’sbecause there are many people I know whohave been affected.”

Janet Davis of Burke walked in honor ofher 83-year-old father who has been living

with Alzheimer’s for 10 years. Both hermother and her father joined the walk thisyear.

“The disease has happened gradually andit’s very sad to watch,” she said. “My dadstill has function and can dress and feedhimself, but sometimes he can’t remembermy mom’s name or my name. We’re veryvocal about our support of Alzheimer’s.”

Elizabeth Klemens, a 27-year-old nursewho lives in Arlington, participated in the

walk for the first time this year. “My per-sonal experience is that my grandfather hadAlzheimer’s and he died five years ago at78, but he suffered for about 10 years,” shesaid. “I’m a nurse at Reston hospital and Ivolunteer at the Walter Reed Adult DayHealth Center, and I see the effect ofAlzheimer’s or dementia on almost a dailybasis, so I’m very familiar with the disease.”

Caryl Grant of Alexandria walked inmemory of her mother who died in 2009.

Her team also consisted of her husband,daughter and son-in-law. “My motherhad Alzheimer’s and I watched her dete-riorate and it was heartbreaking,” shesaid. “The hardest thing about it for usand other people is watching them dis-appear and trying to figure out the bestthing to do.”

The Promise Garden ceremony is a walkday event that helps illustrate the diversereasons for participation. Participants re-ceived a Promise Garden flower in a colorthat represents their connection to the dis-ease. Blue represents someone withAlzheimer’s or dementia. Purple is for some-one who has lost a loved one to the dis-ease. Yellow represents someone who is cur-rently supporting or caring for someonewith Alzheimer’s. Orange is for everyonewho supports the cause and vision of aworld without Alzheimer’s.

Thousands gather to raise money and awareness.

Alzheimer’s Walk Raises More Than $267,000

Photo courtesy of Ilissa Belanger of Fairfax

Ilissa Belanger of Fairfax joined the2017 Northern Virginia Walk to EndAlzheimer’s along with her husband TimBelanger. Her team, Walkers for Miriamand Anita, was named in memory of hermother and mother-in-law respectively.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Klemens,

Elizabeth Klemens of Arlington joined the 2017 NorthernVirginia Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Her team was called theAmyloid Plaque Attackers, named after the plaques that formon the brain when Alzheimer’s is present.

“I hope to raise money for treatment toslow it down or find a cure so that noone has to go through it.”

— Ilissa Belanger

Page 13: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Special VIP Offerfor your Toyota

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Page 14: The largest fundraiser of the Alzheimer’s Walk Sherry ...connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/10/04/... · De Gulliver” (“Gulliver’s Travels,” 1939)

14 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Medical Office Billing/Office Assistant

Busy pediatric practice in Fairfaxhas PT opening, 7-3, 3 days/week,

occasional Saturdays. No experience necessary.

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ClassifiedTo Advertise in This Paper, Call by Monday 11:00 am 703-778-9411

WWW.CONNECTIONNEWSPAPERS.COM

ComputersAnnouncements

We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN’S WATCHES,

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY,

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[email protected]

Announcements Announcements

Announcements Announcements

News

By David Siegel

The Connection

Celebrate the joy ofbooks in their manygenre at NorthernVirginia’s flagship

book festival, the “Fall for theBook.” Returning for its 19th year,the Festival aims to connect read-ers of both print and digitalbooks, with about 150 authors,poets, historians, graphic novel-ists expected at this year’s event.

With a format of interactive workshops, readings,award celebrations and special hands-on activities,“Fall for the Book” wants to encourage culturalgrowth and knowledge through active reading. Thisyear’s book festival is expected to attract 20,000 at-tendees. Events are free.

“There will be abundant opportunities for booksignings,” said Festival Manager Suzy Rigdon-Will-iams. This year’s event will even include food trucks.The festival will partner with the City of Fairfax’s“Fall Festival” as well.

National headliner authors include Colson White-head, author of “The Underground Railroad,” win-ner of a 2016 National Book Award. Lev Grossman(“Magicians” trilogy), poet Ellen Bryant Voig (“Head-waters”), writer David Shields (“Other People”), nov-elist Karan Mahajan (“The Association of SmallBombs),” poet Tarfia Faizullah (“Seam”) and MohsinHamid (“Exit West”) will participate as will JennineCapo Crucet (“Make Your Home Among Strangers”)about a young woman bridging two cultures.

Local Northern Virginia authors will be well rep-resented at the book fest.

L.M. Elliott (Northern Virginia) author of YoungAdult historical fiction such as “Suspect Red” will beat the festival. “Young readers are sophisticated. Fromreading historical fiction they can learn about thepast and how the past is relevant to their own lives

on issues that matter to them, such as injustice andxenophobia.”

Zach Powers (Fairfax) author of a short storiescollection, “Gravity Changes,” will be participating.“The Festival has a national reputation. Having it inour backyard is a huge benefit. As an author, it letsme connect with readers and writers. I always findinspiration in meeting other writers and readers.”

Jason Rodriguez (Arlington) who creates graphicnovels about the underrepresented in America willhave several sessions at the book festival. “I focus onusing graphic novels to talk about social justice andhistorical challenge,” said Rodriguez. “I want to in-spire and provide youth with tools to tell their ownstories. Right now I am focusing on Hispanic Ameri-can issues.”

“Fall for the Book” is a home-grown Northern Vir-ginia event offering attendees of all ages and interestsopportunities to meet writers; already admired or newlydiscovered in the company of other book lovers.

‘Fall for the Book’ Festival Returns

Courtesy of the artist

Jason RodriquezCourtesy of the artist

L. M. ElliottCourtesy of the artist

Zach Powers

Where & When“Fall for the Book” at George Mason University,

4400 University Drive, Fairfax, and locations aroundNorthern Virginia. Events are Oct. 11-14, 2017.Events are free; tickets not required. For details andfull schedule call 703-993-3986 or visitwww.fallforthebook.org. There is also a digital “Fallfor the Book” app available atwww.fallforthebook.org.

Advocating for Solar PanelInstallation on Public SchoolsOn Thursday, Sept. 28, more than 40 Fairfax County residents attended the FairfaxCounty School Board meeting in support of students delivering presentations and1,545 petition signatures, urging solar panel installations on public schools.

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Burke Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2017 ❖ 15www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Twice recently, in print, I have been askedthe same question. Once on an evaluation of aprevious doctor appointment, and within thelast week, on a pre-registration form for an oralsurgeon.

The question: “How is your health?” “Exce-llent.” “Good.” Fair.” “Poor.” The two times Isaw this question, I snickered. I mean, I havecancer: Stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer infact, the terminal kind.

And even though I’ve lived way beyond myoriginal “13 month to two-year” prognosis,(eight and a half years and counting, alwayscounting), I’m still undergoing treatment. I seemy oncologist every three months. I’m not inremission. My tumors, so far as I’ve been told,are not necrotic (dead). I’m still scheduling CTScans, brain MRIs and PET Scans quarterly,semi-annually and yearly, respectively. Andwhile amazingly thrilled to be still alive, my fateturns on the results of any one of these diagnos-tic scans so I wonder aloud: how is my health?

In the two most recent opportunities (I’vehad others) to answer this question, I haveerred on the side of reality (my reality) andanswered “Poor.” Whether I’m up and about ordown and out, cancer is sort of the definition of‘poor,’ isn’t it? Let’s be honest: who wants toreceive a diagnosis of cancer, regardless oftype and/or stage. Moreover, it’s hardly the giftthat keeps on giving. Quite the opposite. It’slike the houseguest who never leaves. It’salways there and the more it’s around, theworse it’s likely to get.

As much as one tries, a cancer diagnosis ishard to forget. Whether you’re still undergoingtreatment as I am, or have been told you’recancer-free/in remission/N.E.D. (no evidence ofdisease), the prospect of a life unaltered by theexperience is unrealistic, especially so whenquestions are asked pertaining to your health.It’s not as if you become stigmatized by yourcancer diagnosis and/or medical history, butyou do become a lifetime member of a clubyou’d rather not have joined (the more seriousand exact opposite of a feeling expressed byGroucho Marx when he so famously joked thathe wouldn’t want to belong to a club thatwould have him as a member). If only it werethat simple – and funny.

A straight forward question about one’shealth which requires a thoughtful and honestanswer. Yet, an answer which somehow must,in my opinion, educate the asker. I’m not a nor-mal respondent (no comments from the peanutgallery). I’m a cancer patient/survivor.Presumably, my immune system is somewhatcompromised. What’s good for the goose isprobably not good for this gander. My lifeexpectancy is all fouled up. Cancer is likely incontrol.

As much as I want to delude myself other-wise, the writing, if not necessarily on the walls,is certainly in multiple books and journals. Andnot that there aren’t exceptions to every rule(my survival is proof of that), generally speak-ing, a cancer diagnosis “spells trouble with acapital ‘T,’” if I may invoke the late actor,Robert Preston, from his career-defining role asHarold Hill in the 1962 movie, “The MusicMan.” Still, life is going on, and not too badly, Imay add. But on any given day ... .

I suppose the solution then is an asterisk.But how does one add an asterisk to a stan-dardized form. And given the evolving nature ofour almost-entirely inhumane (non-human)electronic contact, where does one go/whatdoes one say, to separate and be heard. I wantto be treated equally, but as a cancer patient,I’m not. I’m different. If there’s a box for that,I’ll gladly check it. I want the best outcome,naturally. But not giving me the opportunity toproperly define myself/my circumstances does-n’t help either one of us. And does even less forthe next respondent.

A QuestionWhich BegsWhat Answer

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

IN-PERSON, TV DEBATESThe League of Women Voters of the Fairfax

Area (LWVFA) will hold four in-person forumsand three televised forums for the public and thepress to learn about the candidates who arerunning for election to the Virginia House ofDelegates. The League invited all certifiedcandidates campaigning for office in theirrespective districts. At the in-person forums,question-and-answer sessions will be followedby an opportunity for informal conversationswith individual candidates. The public and pressare encouraged to attend. For more informationabout the candidates’ priorities and positions,visit www.vote411.org.

In-person forums:❖ Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at Hayfield

Secondary School, Lecture Hall: 7630 TelegraphRoad, Alexandria.

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at SullyGovernment Center: 4900 Stonecroft Blvd.,Chantilly.

BRADDOCK ROAD STUDYCommunity Meetings. Braddock District

Supervisor John Cook and the Fairfax CountyDepartment of Transportation (FCDOT) willhost a series of community meetings focused onspecific sections of Braddock Road this fall. Theschedule includes:

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 18: Beltway area – BraddockHall, 9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 25: Burke Lake intersection– Kings Park Library, 9000 Burke Lake Road,Burke

❖ Thursday, Nov. 16: Ravensworth Roadintersection – Ravensworth Baptist Church, 5100Ravensworth Road, Annandale

❖ Monday, Dec. 11: Burke Lake intersection,second meeting – Kings Park Library, 9000Burke Lake Road, Burke

The goal of the Braddock Road Multimodal Study isto develop commuting improvements for thecorridor from Guinea Road to I-495 toRavensworth Road. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/braddockroadmmstudy/.

SATURDAY/OCT. 7Metro – Fund It/Fix It. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association,4301 Wilson Blvd. The League of Women Votersof the National Capital Area (LWVNCA) and theCoalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) will hold afree forum for the public to learn about fundingand fixing our Washington D.C. area Metrosystem. Event is free. Lunch will be available forpurchase ($10), but a request for lunch must bemade at the time of registration. Register atwww.eventbrite.com and search “Metro fund it.”

TUESDAY/OCT. 10NARFE Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at

American Legion Post #177, 3939 Oak St.,Fairfax. National Active and Retired FederalEmployees lunch with Ana Nelson, Alzheimer’sAssociation of National Capital Area will answerquestions on Alzheimer’s funding and research.$11.00. Call 703-280-2356 or [email protected] for more.

Senior Volunteer Orientation. 2:30 p.m. at theCity of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 North St.RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) isthe region’s largest volunteer network for people55 and older and provides individualizedsupport to seniors seeking service opportunitiesin and around Fairfax County, Arlington Countyand the City of Alexandria. Visitwww.rsvpnova.org for more.

THURSDAY/OCT. 23CarFit for Senior Drivers. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the

City of Fairfax Police Station, 3730 Old LeeHighway. CarFit’s trained professionals takeolder drivers through a 12-point checklist withtheir vehicles and recommend minoradjustments that help make their cars “fit” betterfor comfort and safety. An occupationaltherapist also will be on hand to provideinformation to seniors on how to maintain andstrengthen driving health. Visit www.fairfaxcityeda.org for more.

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