Falls Church News & Notes

It’s coming. The Falls Church High School Class of 1954 50th Reunion that is. Mark your calendar now. The festivities will be held at the Hyatt Hotel, Fair Lakes and surrounding area. If you’re interested in attending contact Barbara Green (barbdave7@cox.net) or 703-323-6169 or Conni Donahoe (cswanson36@yahoo.com) or 703-365-3206.

The Naomi Project, a free, confidential, interfaith program sponsored by the Virginia Council of Churches, is looking for volunteers who will be trained to serve as mentors to at-risk pregnant or newly parenting women. Mentors will help clients obtain consistent pre-natal care, develop positive parenting skills, and plan a healthy future for themselves and their babies. Spanish speaking volunteers are especially needed. Training begins Sept. 21.

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia has announced its Fall ESL Classes Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Sept. 21 and running to Dec. 9. There will be two classes at 10 a.m. – Noon and 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Registration for those classes will take place at those same times on Sept. 14, and again Sept. 16.

The Literacy Council also announced the beginning of its September Book Drive. The drive begins today and runs until the 30th. Donations can be made at Safeway stores throughout the Northern Virginia area, including Alexandria, Arlington, Annandale, Fairfax, McLean, Vienna and Falls Church. The books will in turn be sold at the annual LCNV book sale Oct. 29-31 at the James Lee Community Center in Falls Church. The proceeds from that event will benefit the LCNV’s adult literacy programs.

Feel like hugging a tree today? How about ten of them? The National Arbor Day Foundation will give ten free trees (American Redbud, White Pine, Sugar Maple, White Flowering Dogwood, Pin Oak, Red Maple, Birch Silver Maple, Red Oak and Colorado Blue Spruce) to anyone who joins the Foundation during September 2004. The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting between Oct. 15 and Dec. 10 with enclosed planting instructions. The six to twelve-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge. And if you cut them down, that probably doesn’t count. For more information including membership fees contact the Foundation online at arborday.org. For the record the News-Press has no affiliation with the National Arbor Day Foundation. In fact, the only trees we like have newsprint on them. (Just kidding)

Students at Falls Church city schools or other F.C. residents can enter their artwork now for the Fourth Annual City of Falls Church Student Art Contest. The rules are simple, but they’re too confusing for this group of English majors, so check them out for yourself by calling 703-248-5003 or by e-mailing publicinfo@ci.falls-church.va.us. Good luck to all entrants. D.C.-based Children’s National Medical Center is offering its Care for Kids Holiday Shopping Card to give you a 20-percent discount on select metro-area retailers with proceeds from the $50 card going to benefit the Medical Center. For a complete list of stores participating in the program and to purchase a card, visit www.careforkidscard.com.

News from the local youth acting guild, Andy Tonken takes on the role of the Royal Buffoon, in Adventure Theatre’s production of Cinderella or “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Ball.” The play opens at Glen Echo Park Sept. 11 and runs through Oct. 17.

The youthful Miles Butler has also landed two roles this Fall. He’ll be in a production of Carousel at the Olney Theatre in Maryland and in a production of Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. Butler was in two productions at Ford’s Theatre in D.C. last season. Stacy’s Coffee Parlor (709 W. Broad St., Falls Church) will be hosting a day of music, food and fun featuring a silent auction Sunday Sept. 26 to benefit the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society. Mark your calendars now. Business looking to donate to this cause may contact Nora Hemphill at 571-276-4489.