Radford Students Named to Dean’s List
Five Fall Church residents have been named to the spring semester’s dean’s list at Radford University. Kimberly Anne Clingenpeel, senior management major, Joshua Thomas Hearne, senior foreign language major, Christina Nicole Jatras, junior criminal justice major, Sarah Cristin O’Hanley, senior media studies major, and Catherine Melissa Minnehan, senior geology major, have all completed 15 or more credit hours and have a grade point average of 3.4 or higher with no grade below a C.
Soldier’s Call Answered by Donations
Serving in his third tour in Iraq, U.S. Army Sgt. Shawn Fanelli of Virginia was given strips of cloths to wipe off sand and grit after showering. One call home to his parents Sam and Kathy Fanelli, led to the donation of bath, face, and hand towels from members of the Fun & Fitness Club and viewers of Forever Young TV, a lifestyle program for retired adults. On June 2, during its monthly luncheon at the Fuddruckers in Annandale, viewers and members donated towels and toiletries in time for American troops to receive care packages by July 4. The luncheon featured Capt. Giancarlo Brizzi of Ashburn, Va., as the guest speaker. Brizzi shared his first hand experience in Iraq as the Company Commander of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Metropolitan Wind Ensemble Performs
Levine School of Music, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit community music schools, will charm spectators with its wind ensemble on June 8 at 4:00 p.m. at the Arlington Citadel of the Salvation Army. The ensemble will perform selections from Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks,” Percy Grainger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry,” and Gustav Holst’s “Second Suite in F for Military Band.” Under the direction of Brian Frye, band director at Alice Deal Middle School in D.C., the ensemble’s recital is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.levineschool.org or call the School’s Virginia Campus at 703-237-5655.
Local Leaders Assess Cyclone-Ravaged Burma
After Cyclone Nargis devastated the Southeast Asian country of Mayanmar, formerly known as Burma, Fairfax resident Marcia Selva, and Karen Kasmauski of Falls Church, witnessed firsthand the disaster to the land after a week-long visit. Both Selva and Kasmauski are part of Global Community Service Foundation, a metropolitan area international nongovernmental organization that works to reduce poverty in Southeast Asia. The two assessed the damage near the village of Dala and the Joshua Orphanage, a GCSF-supported project. For community-based charities throughout the Irrawaddy Delta, the hardest hit region, Selva and Kasmauski facilitated the delivery of $3,000 in medicinal aid. GCSF launched a campaign to raise $100,000 to assist the orphanage and surrounding communities, shortly after the disaster.
McLean Student Announced to Dean’s List
McLean resident, William Pelek is one of the 257 students at Wabash College, who maintained a 3.5 grade point average or better on a 4.0 point scale. Dean Gary Phillips announced that the freshman is on the dean’s list for the spring 2008 semester.
A Special Day on Poplar Drive
The home of Roberta Hopkins and Bob Brandenburg located on Poplar Drive hosted a celebration for the 98th birthday of Hopkin’s mother, Dot Buillion. On Sunday, May 25, more than 50 friends and family gathered at the home to celebrate the life of a vibrant and much beloved member of the Falls Church community. Visiting daily with friends, going out to lunch, playing bridge and driving herself to church keep Buillion active. She is also a member of the “Over 55 Club” at the Falls Church Community Center.
Local Club Aids Iraqi Soccer Players
For youth soccer players in Muthanna, Iraq the reality of playing soccer barefoot in the dirt will be a thing of the past, with the help of Vienna Youth Soccer (VYS), a soccer club serving the Vienna area. VYS, working in conjunction with the National Capital Soccer League, is assisting in the effort to build a youth soccer league in the province of war-torn Iraq. The club welcomes the following donations: new or slightly used soccer items such as cleats, shin-guards, socks, jerseys, shorts, ball bags, ball pumps etc. These items may be dropped off at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St. SE Vienna) from June 1 – 15. A bin marked VYS will be located inside the front door of the center.
Teams Advance to Region I Championship
Five Fairfax area soccer teams have qualified to compete among more than 270 boys and girls U.S. Youth Soccer teams for the regional title, June 28-July 3 at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I (East Regional) Championships at Bowdoin College, Falmouth Park and Falmouth High School in Portland, Maine. The US Youth Soccer Region I Championships, which will feature top teams in the Under-12 through Under-19 age groups, begins on Thursday, June 26. By winning the U.S. Youth Soccer Virginia State Championship, the five qualifying teams are U15 Girls, Braddock Road Azul, U16 Girls, McLean MPS Dragons, U17 Girls, McLean MPS Freedom, U18 Girls, McLean MPS Freedom Elite and U15 Boys, McLean MPS Hurricanes.
Civilian Dentist Discusses His Tour of Duty
Recounting his tenure as an army medical officer in the 3rd Task Force Medical Command in Iraq, Dr. Ronald Silverman will share his tour of duty experiences at Vietnam Veterans of America Inc. Northern Virginia Chapter 227’s meeting.
The chapter invites all veterans, friends, and the general public to attend the June 19 meeting at Neighbor’s Restaurant (262 Cedar Lane Suite D, Vienna) at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call Len Ignatowski at 703-255-0353 or visit, www.vva227.org.
15th Annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival
The honorary contributions of civil rights pioneers who lived in Falls Church during the early 1900s will be celebrated with a weekend of blues activities and performances. The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation and the City of Falls Church present the 15th Annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival on June 14 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). This year’s festival pays tribute to Piedmont Blues icon and Smithsonian National Heritage Fellow, John Jackson. Participating businesses in the City will feature blues music specials and shopping discounts all weekend. Visit www.tinnerhill.net for a complete lineup of events and activities or for more information, call 703-241-4109.
Acacia Execs Receive Promotions
In its recent executive-level promotions, Acacia Federal Savings Bank announced Rob Jacobs as executive vice president and chief lending officer, while John Mortimer has been appointed senior vice president of secondary marketing. Prior to working with Acacia, Jacobs specialized in real estate and mortgage lending for former Riggs Bank and Cameron Brown Mortgage. Mortimer has over 20 years’ experience in residential mortgage banking and managing secondary marketing for various mortgage companies.
Local Grad Earns Bachelor’s
Falls Church resident, Vanessa Hatcher graduated from Hillsdale College, receiving her Bachelor’s of Arts in Rhetoric and Speech Studies.
Scouts host 13th Annual Cub Mobile Races
Cub Scout Pack 657 converted South Oak Street into an official raceway on June 1 for the 13th Annual Cub Mobile Races. Cub scouts in transition from “Wolves” to “Webelos,” participated in timed races with winners covering courses in less than 20 seconds. Pack 657 extends its thanks to Don Beyer Volvo for the event’s t-shirts, the Department of Public Works for its help in closing the road and the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department EMS for ensuring safety throughout the race.
