Crosslink International Hosts Fundraiser Ball
CrossLink International, a non-profit organization that equips medical missions overseas, is hosting its annual Band Aid Ball at the Hilton McLean (7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean) this Saturday, April 18. 
Ticket sales, gifts and donations will go toward supplying mission hospitals with needed supplies for the coming year. For example, a $25 donation will provide medical equipment such as stethoscopes and thermometers to doctors in developing countries.
Individuals can still purchase a ticket, make a gift contribution or donate to the cause online at www.crosslinkinternational.net. Follow the link to the event’s registration page.
Falls Church City Celebrates Arbor Day
The City of Falls Church is hosting the 117th celebration of Arbor Day this Saturday, April 18 at Frady Park (300 blk. of W. Broad St., Falls Church), where visitors and residents participated in the state’s first Arbor Day event.
Visitors to the historic park will enjoy a reenactment by the Falls Church Victorian Society and a talk about the National Wildlife Federation’s “Certified Wildlife Habitat Program.”
Falls Church will also receive the National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City, U.S.A. award for the 31st consecutive year. The city holds the record as the first Virginia community to receive the distinction, as well as for holding the award the longest in Virginia.
The event is sponsored by the City of Falls Church, the Falls Church Preservation and Improvement Society and the Victorian Society. It is also free and parking will be available on North Fairfax Street or in the parking lot of the Child Development Center off North Cherry Street. Frady Park sits between those streets in Falls Church. For more information about the day’s activities, call the City Arborist at 703-248-5183.
Homestretch Celebrates National Volunteer Week
Homestretch, Virginia’s largest non-profit organization will be celebrating National Volunteer Week on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Falls Church Presbyterian Church (225 E. Broad St., Falls Church). Homestretch provides transitional housing and comprehensive services for homeless families. During the event, volunteers will be recognized for the outstanding contribution in working to improve the lives of the homeless. For more information regarding Homestretch, visit www.homestretch-inc.org.
F.C Holds 21st Annual Spring Clean-up
The City of Falls Church will host its 21st Annual Spring Cleanup this Saturday, April 18 from 10:30 a.m. – noon. Those interested can meet in front of the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). A free picnic lunch will follow the clean-up.
This event is sponsored by the Department of Environmental Services and the Falls Church Environmental Services Council. For more information or to register, call 703-248-5176.
Local Graduate Receives Top Academic Honors
Recent college graduate Emma McAlary of Falls Church will receive Phi Beta Kappa honors at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst this May. Phi Beta Kappa recognizes recent graduates, current juniors and seniors for their achievements in the humanities and fine arts, natural sciences and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences.
‘Seussical’ Comes to Alden Theatre in McLean
The Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean) McLean Kids Series presents the musical “Seussical” on Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. It’s a rendition of the Broadway version that was written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and is recommended for children ages 5 and up. Tickets are $10 for McLean residents or $14 general admission. For more information, call 703-790-0123.
Eugene Robinson Comes to Speak at Alden Theatre
Washington Post columnist and political analyst for MSNBC, Eugene Robinson, will present “Today’s News: Who’s Up, Who’s Down and What’s Really Going On” at Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean) tonight at 7:30. Admission is free, but limited tickets are available. For more information, visit www.mcleancenter.org.
Sign of the Whale to Host Relay For Life Fundraiser
The Sign of the Whale (7279 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church) will be hosting a “Beef and Beer” Fundraiser for Relay for Life on Saturday, April 18 from 2 – 5 p.m.
The event will also include a silent auction and a raffle drawing to support the American Cancer Society. Admission is $10 for one or $15 for two. For more information or to make reservations, call 703-622-9232.
Spring Exhibits at McLean Project for the Arts
The McLean Project for the Arts (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean) presents their Spring Exhibitions featuring works from Franz Jantzen, Roslyn Logsdon and Aliza Lelah. The opening reception will be on Thursday, April 16 from 7 – 9 p.m. These exhibitions will run until Saturday, June 6. For more information, visit www.mpaart.org.
Mt. Olivet Offers Prayer Service and Workshop
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington) will be hosting a prayer service and workshop focusing on the demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem on Sunday, April 19 from 2 – 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 703-527-3934, ext. 102.
Falls Church University Women’s Group Book Sale
The Falls Church Area American Association of University Women (AAUW) will be holding a book sale on Friday – Saturday, April 16 – 17 at the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). All sales will benefit scholarships for women. For more information, call 703-941-5643.
Weekly, Free Outdoor Performance
Billy Triplet will perform at the Palladium Civic Place Green (1445 Laughlin Ave., McLean) on Sunday, April 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. This concert will feature old favorites and original songs, suited for all ages. For more information, call 703-288-9505.
LCNV to Hold Volunteer Training Workshops
The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (LCNV) will hold training workshops, preparing volunteer tutors to provide individualized English instruction to adult students. Each tutor will need to pay a $35 training fee. James Lee Community Center (2855 Annandale Rd., Falls Church). The workshops will be held on three consecutive Saturdays starting April 18 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. For more information, call 703-237-0866.
M.C.C. Sponsors Spring Garden Tour
The McLean Community Center (M.C.C.) is sponsoring a day trip to the Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Hillwood Gardens on Wednesday, April 22. Guests will get a chance to explore the various foliage including dogwoods, crabapples, cherries, tulips and rhododendron. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and arrive at the M.C.C. by 9:15 a.m. Tickets are $45 for McLean resident or $55 for general admission. For more information, visit www.mcleancenter.org.
Allyn Kurin Addresses F.C Rotary Meeting
Allyn Kurin, a teacher at Bailey’s Elementary School, will speak at the Falls Church Rotary Club meeting today at 6:30 p.m. Kurin will speak about the Arts and its relationship with education at Harvest Moon Restaurant (7260 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). The dinner costs $11.
Dr. Jeff Kirwan to Speak at Nature Night
Co-author of “Remarkable Trees in Virginia,” Dr. Jeff Kirwan will speak about his four-year journey to find the most remarkable trees in Virginia tonight at 7. The event is co-sponsored by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and the Fairfax County Tree Commission and will be held at The Congressional Schools of Virginia (3229 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Falls Church). For more information or to RSVP, call 703-256-6895.
James Lee to Compete at Robotics Tourney
Members from an Equal Footing Foundation group at Falls Church’s James Lee Community Center are competing in the Annual Greater D.C. Regional Botball Robotics Tournament this Saturday, April 18 at 10 a.m. at the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center on the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College (8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale).
