Giant Food Round up at Register to Benefit FCEF Fund
Giant Food is, once again, partnering with the Falls Church Education Foundation (FCEF) on a program to help support children facing food insecurity. Through July 27, everyone who shops at Giant Food will be invited to “Round Up at the Register” and donate the round up amount of their grocery purchase to FCEF. Shoppers can also donate online through Giant Delivers and Giant Pickup or by using FLEX points that are converted to grocery dollars. FCEF asks for help to spread the word to ensure that this program is a great success. The funds will be provided directly to FCEF for use to address food insecurity in the school community through the Family Assistance Fund. FCCPS is pleased to partner with Giant Food in the fight against childhood hunger.
“Saturday Morning” Wins Top Award at Falls Church Arts
“Street Life” – an all-media show that invites viewers to share their interpretations of different walks of life, opened on Saturday, July 1 at Falls Church Arts to a standing-room-only crowd who battled thunderstorms to attend. Juror Adam Odomore introduced the Juror’s Choice Award that went to Gretchen D’Amore for her painting titled, “Saturday Morning.”
“This piece is so vibrant with life, activity, and a sense of community which completely captures the essence of this exhibit, Street Life: Real Life Reimagined. This work is full of energetic color, and the brush strokes visibly convey movement and life itself,” commented Odomore.
Alexandria Celebrates its 274th Birthday with ASO
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will present a free concert as part of the 274th Alexandria Birthday Celebration on Saturday, July 8, 2023. The celebration, sponsored by the city and coordinated by the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, culminates with fireworks underscored by additional music from the ASO.
The concert will include the Armed Forces Medley, film scores, patriotic favorites and highlights from “West Side Story” and “Guys and Dolls.” The grand finale will feature a spectacular fireworks display with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, accompanied by live cannons from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The program will be led by guest conductor John Devlin, a thought leader in the field of classical music and Music Director of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.
NoVa Leaders Discuss Challenges Facing Medicaid
Dozens of community leaders recently attended an appreciation breakfast hosted by Anthem HealthKeepers Plus to discuss the impact of the end of the public health emergency on Virginia residents who are Medicaid-eligible. The end of PHE means that 2.1 million Virginia residents who receive benefits will undergo eligibility review during the next 12 months. Thousands of residents have lost or are at risk of losing their Medicaid benefits.
During the event, panelists Eduardo Mantilla Torres, Neighborhood Health, Silvia Nakasone, INOVA Health, and Ruth Alburez, Enroll Virginia, explored residents’ challenges when renewing benefits. Anthem Marketing Director Thomas Rayner spoke to the group about the critical importance of “spreading the word” to educate persons who need to renew. Fairfax County Supervisor Patrick Herrity brought greetings.
Attendees also highlighted other issues, such as a lack of activities for children, parents, and guardians, additional school resources to combat the opioid crisis, career opportunities, and mental health.
Shepherd’s Center Seeks Additional Volunteer Drivers
Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church (SCMAFC), an all-volunteer organization, is seeking additional volunteers to support its mission of providing free transportation to seniors for medical and dental appointments or run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies.
For volunteers there is no minimum commitment. Volunteers are free to choose how often and when they drive.
For detailed information or to apply, please visit the Center’s website scmafc.org/volunteer or call (703) 506-2199 and leave a message.
H-A-R-K Center Closing
The Williams Family regrets to inform the Falls Church community that the Hobby-Activity-Recycling-Kraft (H-A-R-K) Center has closed. The Center was opened in 2016 as an activity center for Katelyn Williams, an adult resident of Falls Church City with intellectual disabilities, to provide opportunities for Katelyn to improve her life skills and engage with the community.
Williams would like to thank the greater Falls Church community for their donations of cards, yarn, and other materials and support over the past seven years. She especially wants to thank Brown’s Hardware, Borek-G Café, Harvey’s Restaurant, the Pozez Jewish Community Center, the B-E-S-T Gift Shop, the VPIS Holiday Treefest, Solace Outpost, and Famille Café for their support to her activities.
Williams also wants to thank her friends and caregivers who helped her at the H-A-R-K Center among them Carmella Leith, Dasha Woldarsky, Nancy Morgan, Racine Ghiz, Marina Basto, and especially Shirley Connuck. They can no longer accept donations of cards or yarn, but we expect to have gift tags for sale at Brown’s and Borek-G during the holiday season this year.
