A Penny For Your Thoughts

Springtime brings with it many occasions to celebrate good things happening in our community. Here are a few from the past two weeks. At Fairfax County’s Arbor Day celebration at Northern Virginia Community College, the “Friend of Trees” award was presented to Priscilla Weck and Peg Corl, co-founders of the Bailey’s Beautification Alliance. For the past several years, Priscilla and Peg have almost single-handedly im-proved the landscaping around the Woodrow Wilson Library and the median strips along Glen Carlyn Drive. Of special note is their work in the little Bailey’s Park adjacent to the library, where annual tree plantings have been joined by benches, flowers, and a “peace pole,” making the area a most attractive one for passive recreation and reflection. Stu-dents from Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences next door have participated in the tree planting ceremonies and, along with the library staff at Woodrow Wilson, have provided great support for this community effort. If you would like to help the Bailey’s Beautification Alliance, please call 703/820-0579.

Last Thursday evening, Mason District resident Michael Kwon was recognized

as Annandale’s Citizen of the Year for 2003 by the Annandale Chamber of Commerce. Michael is the vice chairman of the Mason District Council of Civic Associations, and coordinated the successful Candidate’s Night at J.E.B. Stuart High School last fall. Michael also works closely with community activist Helen Winter on the semi-annual Annandale clean-up, which now draws more than 100 young people to assist the more experienced adult volunteers. Michael also represents Mason District on the Fairfax County Human Services Council. For more information about the Annandale Chamber programs, call 703/256-7232.

Saturday night, I had the privilege of presenting the Outstanding Foster Parent Award for Fairfax County to Jim and Janice Narel of Fairfax Station. The Narel family is a blend of biological, adopted, and foster children, ranging in age from adult to two years old! Jim and Janice have been foster parents for many years, ready to take a placement for a few days, a few months, or a few years. Janice told me that she cries every time a child leaves to reunite with birth parents or to join a new adoptive family. It doesn’t take long for a child to create an emotional bond with loving foster parents like Jim and Janice Narel. For more information about becoming a foster parent, please call Fairfax County Department of Family Services Foster Care and Adoption Program at 704/324-7639. Or log on to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/service/dfs and look for foster care and adoption. Our community is fortunate to have such selfless residents who give their time, their energy, and their commitment to making Fairfax County a wonderful place to live, work, play, learn, and do business. Congratulations to them all!