FOUR LOCAL H.S. students competed last week in the Falls Church Rotary Club’s Graham Green III Memorial Music Competition at Creative Cauldron/ArtSpace in Falls Church. Shown (left to right) following their performances: George Marshall High School vocalist Emily Hemmingson, Falls Church H.S. violinist Andrea Lockard, George Mason H.S. pianist Danielle Agress and Bishop Denis J. O’Connell H.S. pianist, Kathryn Cross. Agress was awarded $100 for first place and Lockard received a $50 second-place award. Agress will advance to the April 17 Rotary District semi-finals in Fredericksburg, Va., where three finalists will be selected for the May 1 District finals in Williamsburg, Va. (Photo: Courtesy Joe Scheibeler)

F.C. City Boy Scout Troop Receives $1,000 Grant

City of Falls Church Boy Scout Troop 349 received a $1,000 grant from Navy Federal Credit Union. Members of the troop also celebrate their first year of operations this month.

During the past year, the troop welcomed 16 scouts to its ranks (eight of which were new to scouting), went on eight camp outs, three special tours, met two government dignitaries, advanced 90 percent of its members (a minimum of one rank), handed out over 70 merit badges and participated in three community service projects.

Troop members include Preston Custer, Jack Ulses, Evan Gorman, Matthew Valley, James Coppock, David McAllister Jonathan Gilmour, Ian Griffin, JJ Bush, Truman Custer, Noah Saberhagen, James Pala, Holden Saberhagen and Andrew Skomra.

Registration for R.A.D. Classes Opens

The Falls Church City Police Department (FCCPD) is offering free Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) classes for females 12 years or older at St. James School (830 W. Broad St., Falls Church) on April 5, 7, 12 and 14 from 6 – 9 p.m. Registration for classes is now open. The deadline to register is March 27.

The R.A.D. system is a comprehensive, women-only course that addresses awareness, prevention, risk reduction, risk avoidance and the basics of hands-on self-defense training. R.A.D. is not a martial arts program. Nationally-certified R.A.D. instructors from the FCCPD teach the course. Participants are required to attend all four classes.

For more information or to register, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 703-248-5061.

TAYLOR KAYE MORRISON and her Welsh Pony, Rowfantina Apollo, have qualified for the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pony Finals at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Va. next August. Morrison is the daughter of Karin Morrison and granddaughter of Art and Merelyn Kaye of Falls Church. (Photo: Courtesy Merelyn Kaye)

Falls Church Scout Attains Rank of Eagle

Falls Church resident Brendan Fribley of Boy Scout Troop 681 received his Eagle Scout award. Fribley was active in scout units in Italy and China before his family moved to Falls Church in 2008.

For his eagle service project, Fribley created and installed 32-yardage markers on the golf course of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. Fribley is a sophomore at George Mason High School and plays on the soccer team there.

F.C.’s Barrett Makes Dean’s List at St. Joseph’s

Elise Barrett of Falls Church made the dean’s list for the fall 2009 semester at Saint Joseph’s University.

Students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or above, a B or greater in all their classes, and complete at least 15 credits to earn dean’s list status for a semester.

Area Resident’s Essay Earns Honorable Mention

Clemson University senior and Falls Church resident Kaitlyn Ann Hauter received an honorable mention for the 2010 J.T. Barton Jr. Ethics Scholarship Essay Competition.

For the contest, students were asked to think about whether there is a fundamental right to reproduce, whether some people are unfit to be parents and whether low- or no-cost fertility treatments should be provided to those unable to conceive. An essay was then to be written surrounding the ethics of the question, “Should people have to have a license to be parents?”

Creative Cauldron Holds Open Auditions, ‘Play On’

Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church) is holding open auditions on Saturday, March 13 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. for its Learning Theater’s upcoming performance of James Thurber’s Many Moons. The play is about a princess who falls ill of a surfeit of raspberry tarts and cries for the moon.

Actors of all ages are invited to audition. No prior acting experience is needed. Rehearsals will begin on Saturday, March 20. Performers must be available for rehearsal over spring break. Performances begin Friday, April 9 and run weekends through Sunday, April 25.

Creative Cauldron’s “Play On” event also continues this week, with five local rock, folk, blues and country musicians. The band, NoBetterOff (NBO) will be featured on Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. when they make their second appearance at ArtSpace (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church). NBO features Gus and Marty Guthrie on vocals, Terry Judd on bass, Joe Martinez on percussion and mandolin and Steve Selby on guitar. The concert will include folk standards as well as original compositions. Tickets are $5.

And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Mad for the Road will perform a collection of traditional Irish jigs, reels and hornpipes as well as Irish songs on Sunday, March 14 at 2 p.m., also at ArtSpace. The Irish family concert will also feature 9-year-old Celtic dancer Sarah Alverson. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, visit www.creativecauldron.org.

ANTICIPATING THAT OVER 40 supporters will host parties around the region for 500 participants next month, staff and volunteers of the Falls Church-based Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM) held an open house in their W. Broad offices last week to dispense party-organizing packets to prospective party hosts. “Imagine a World Without AIDS” is the theme of the annual April round of parties. Persons wishing to host or attend a house party that raises funds for NOVAM can call 703-533-5505 x13. Handing out the materials here are (left to right) Karen Grane, George Baden, Lisa Katerman and Carol Jameson. (Photo: News-Press)

Library Hosts Senior Book Group

The Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 North Virginia Ave., Falls Church) will be hosting its monthly senior book discussion group Tuesday, March 16 at 10:30 a.m. Local seniors are invited to the library to discuss this month’s selection, Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of America’s Manners by Laura Claridge.

Next month, the group will be reading Unaccustomed Earth: Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri.  Reservations are not required to attend and all seniors are welcome. For more information, call 703-248-5031.

Mulch Sale to Support GMHS Athletics

The deadline to take part in the 17th annual George Mason High School (GMHS) Athletic Boosters Mulch Sale is Friday, March 26. Residents can purchase 3 cubic ft. bags of top-quality shredded hardwood mulch for $5 per bag to support activities benefiting George Mason student-athletes.

Mulch will be delivered on Saturday, April 10. There is no delivery charge to residents of Falls Church or surrounding neighborhoods. Order forms are available at the F.C. Library (120 North Virginia Ave., Falls Church) and Community Center (223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church) or can be downloaded from masonathletics.org. For more information, call Phil Duncan at 703-209-2005.

Young McLean Actors Fill Roles in ‘Holes’

The McLean Community Center (MCC) and the Alden Theater (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean) present “Holes,” a play about Stanley Yelnats, who was brought before a judge and given a choice of going to jail or to Camp Green Lake.

All of the roles are played by young actors from McLean. “Holes” runs weekends through March 14.  Friday shows begin at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday shows begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults, but only $10 for MCC district residents.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.mcleancenter.org.

Arlington Throws Free St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Clarendon Alliance will throw a St. Patrick’s Day parade along Wilson Boulevard from Courthouse to Clarendon – starting at Barton Street and edning near Highland Street – Tuesday, March 16 at 8 p.m. The parade will feature green floats and leprechauns. WALKArlington will be doing give-aways for those in attendance.  All ages are invited and admission is free. Visit www.walkarlington.com for more information.

Senior Softball League Recruiting Members

Northern Virginia Senior Softball (NVSS) is looking for co-ed seniors to participate in its spring indoor conditioning program to prepare for the upcoming season. The conditioning program runs through April 8, during which the NVSS assesses seniors and puts them on teams according to skill level.

The NVSS season starts April 13 and continues through August 12. Games are held Tuesday and Thursday mornings on Fairfax County fields. For more information, call Dave at 703-524-5576 or Paul at 703-323-7878.

V.T. Alumni Host Scholarship Golf Tournament

The Prince William Chapter of the Virginia Tech (V.T.) Alumni Association is hosting the 3rd Annual V.T. Alumni Golf Tournament on Friday, June 4 at 7 a.m. at the Virginia Oaks Golf Club (7950 Virginia Oaks Dr., Gainesville) to raise funds for the association’s scholarship endowment. The endowment helps future V.T. students currently enrolled at Prince William County high schools.

The cost for one individual is $125 or $450 for a foursome. The fee includes 18 holes of golf, cart, admission into the raffle, contests, breakfast and a luncheon. For more information or to become a sponsor, call Ryan Ardigo at 703-754-4650 or visit pwcvtaagolf.weebly.com.

Fire Department Scrapbooks For Funds

The Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (2148 Gallows Rd., Dunn Loring) is hosting a scrapbooking and paper-crafting event on Friday, March 19 from 6:30 – 11:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 20 from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. to raise funds for the department.

Paper-crafting professionals will be on site to assist attendees in their scrapbooking. Attendees will receive their own cropping space, welcome bag, admission to break-out classes and access to the tool table. Admission for Friday night only is $25, and $30 for Saturday only. Register for both dates for $50. For more information, call Rose-Ellen Eastman at 703-200-2340.

McLean Literacy Initiative Needs Volunteers

The Rotary Club of McLean is looking for volunteers to mentor elementary school students in a leveled literacy intervention program at Timber Lane Elementary School (2737 West St., Falls Church) on Tuesday, March 16.

Volunteers will be participating in activities such as Reader’s Theatre, word study games and listening to individual student’s reading. For more information, visit www.mcleanrotary.org.