Falls Church News & Notes

Hardly a week goes by without the youth of Falls Church making their parents proud with appearances on their college’s Dean’s List. And this week is no exception. Timothy Andrew Shaheen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Shaheen of Falls Church made the Dean’s List at Vanderbilt University.

Meanwhile a little further south, Daniel Robin Bray and Elizabeth Ellan Breen, both of Falls Church and freshmen at Wake Forest University, each made the Dean’s List for the spring semester.

And at Mary Washington College a veritable fleet of Falls Church students find their names on the spring semester Dean’s List. Jill H. Dubbs, Janet M. Moriarty, Anne E. Grosz, Cassandra N. Urbano, Alexia H. MacClain, Jessica G. D’Alessandro, Alexander E. West, Geraldine Gicquel, Nancy H. Nguyen, Andrew C. Sturm, Carissa M. Culbreath, Bryan D. Reynolds all achieved the distinction.

Congratulations to all those present in this week’s installment of the F.C. Brain Trust report.

Sticking with the school theme, Maria Demarest, office assistant and parent liaison at Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, was one of three people awarded the 2004 Onthank Award, the highest honor Fairfax County bestows on its employees. Demarest has served as parent liaison for 14 years, the first ever hired by Fairfax County Public Schools. Working at one of the most diverse schools in Fairfax County, she has mentored other parent liaisons in Fairfax County public schools. She has been praised for her work with both individuals and community groups, and has been running a breakfast club for mothers, overseeing a clothing distribution project, as well as weekly food distribution. Come the holidays, you can find her working an annual holiday bazaar. “Maria is one of the prime reasons that parents feel the school is an integral part of the community,” Bailey’s Elementary Principal Jean Frey said. “Her work gives new meaning to the phrase ‘community school.’”

Two Falls Church residents, Donald Greenstein and Carol Sly, will both participate in the 25th Annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge August 7 – 8, a charity event raising money for the struggle against cancer. The Challenge is the nation’s most successful bike-a-thon for charity. Nearly 4,000 cyclists from 40 states and six countries will ride in the PMC to raise $17 million.

Bailey’s Crossroads Rotary Club will again hold its Annual Mustang Raffle to benefit local charities. This will mark the 19th anniversary for the event with the grand prize an authentic 1965 Classic Mustang Convertible with a 289 cubic inch V-8 engine that practically begs for upwards of 10 speeding tickets. Second prize is a color TV, with third prize a digital camera. Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. All proceeds will go to local charities in the Bailey’s, Falls Church, and Annandale areas. The prize drawing will be held at 2 p.m. on July 31 in front of Giant Food (3504 S. Jefferson St., Falls Church). For more information, including purchasing tickets, call Donna Wellen at 703-658-4878.