Happy Flag Day! The Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the fledgling nation on June 14, 1777. Some communities observed Flag Day in the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress in 1949 that Flag Day truly became official. Flag Day provides an opportunity for all to reflect on the simple design that unites us all. The U.S. flag does not differentiate; it does not discriminate. It flies over every one of us, regardless of faith, gender, status, belief, or national origin. That’s what we should celebrate today!

Celebration also is what one woman is doing this week, after suffering cardiac arrest at a Wolf Trap concert. Fortunately, among the other concert attendees were two volunteer fire department (VFD) Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who performed CPR on the woman and shocked her with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) to re-establish her pulse before the medic crew from a nearby fire station arrived. EMT Christina Hogg from Vienna VFD and EMT Jeffrey Rabinovitz from Bailey’s Crossroads VFD were in the right place at the right time, and used their training to provide immediate patient care that gave the woman her best possible chance of survival.

Wolf Trap isn’t the only place to enjoy concerts this summer. The international concert series at Ossian Hall Park, 7900 Heritage Drive in Annandale (across from Annandale High School), begins this Saturday with Taiwan Cultural Heritage Night. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and enjoy the show. On Sunday night, June 17, the Spotlight by Starlight concert series at Mason District Park kicks off with the City of Fairfax Concert Band at 7:30 p.m. The amphitheatre has bench seating, but many attendees prefer to bring lawn chairs for the rear seating area. Cake and lemonade will be served on Sunday by the Friends of Mason District Park to celebrate the new season.

The “Imagine Art Here” program by ArtsFairfax, featuring an InOut photo cube installation, continues in front of the Bank of America building at the top of Seven Corners through June 23. Beset by a very rainy spring, which has washed out nearly every Saturday evening event with the artists, the InOut installation nonetheless continues to evoke interest and questions by passersby. This Saturday night, June 16, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., you can become part of the art. The eight-foot square photo cube features photographs of local residents and visitors, almost as a slideshow – happy, sad, goofy, curious. Stop by and see for yourself!

The current Art in the Mason District Governmental Center show features oils and watercolors by local artist Jane McElvany Coonce. Her bright flowers nearly jump off the wall, and the water-themed selections include some very lively looking crabs. My favorites, however, are two transportation-themed watercolors – “Early Morning Commute” and “Rush Hour Evening.” Just a dollop of white makes the headlights dance, lending a sense of motion to the commute. The show will be up until Thursday, June 21 at the Mason District Governmental Center, and can be viewed Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.