Get Your Chamber Gala Tickets!

Tickets are still on sale for the annual F.C. Chamber Gala, happening Thursday, March 21 at The State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). “Escape to Paradise” is the theme for this year’s annual event, which includes an awards celebration, silent auction, and live entertainment.
Award nominees include:

• Small Business of the Year: VIGEO Physical Therapy, Erik M. Pelton & Associates, Welsh Printing
• Large Business of the Year: Dogwood Tavern
• Nonprofit of the Year: VFW Post 9274, Falls Church Arts, Volunteer Fire Department, The Arc of Northern Virginia, Homestretch, Easterseals
• Company Culture of Excellence: Andworx, New Editions Consulting
• Pillar of the Community: David Quinn, David Tarter

Take the Council Chambers Art Survey

In honor of the City of Falls Church’s 75th Anniversary, City Council plans to modernize the art in Council Chambers. The City wants to commission portraits that reflect the rich and diverse history of The Little City that will bring a fresh vision to the Chamber.

City Council is giving the community the opportunity to provide input on this project via survey at
tinyurl.com/FCNP0324as.

Mayors’ Fitness Challenge Begins March 16

The Mayors’ Fitness Challenge, a friendly annual tri-town showdown between the Town of Vienna, City of Fairfax, and City of Falls Church, will run March 16 through May 11, and is free to participate in ($5 for a challenge tshirt). Registration is now open at tinyurl.com/27v4pfn3.

McLean Art Society Hosts Free Oil Painting Demonstration

McLean Art Society will host local artist, Denise Phalan, who will share her personal sketch books that serve as an important component in her process of oil painting, creating mixed media and collage, at a free event on Friday, March 22 at 11:00 a.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA).

ALNV Releases March Wish List, Announces Fundraiser

Assistance League of Northern Virginia (ALNV) is celebrating its 20th year with a featured wish list each month targeting a specific program area. For March, ALNV’s focus is on basic sweatpants and leggings for elementary school boys and girls. Children are always growing and families with limited resources are often unable to afford new clothes to replace ones that have been outgrown.

Visit tiny.alnv.org/wish/leggins to make donations, and be sure to select Assistance League of Northern Virginia as the shipping address to ensure prompt delivery.

Bob Kovacs recently produced a video about ALNV’s clothing program at youtu.be/cph4Tu3n68Y.
ALNV also opened ticket sales for its Literary Luncheon and Fundraiser on Sunday, April 28 at the Chantilly National Golf and Country Club. Guests will listen to the featured authors, Judith Pearson and Christopher Gorham, who will discuss their biographies of two amazing women, followed by a question and answer session moderated by Peggy Fox. A live and silent auction will be held, with more items added every week.

Learn more about the luncheon program and buy your tickets at ALNV2024.eventbrite.com. The deadline for ticket purchase is April 17, 2024.

City Manager to Present Proposed Budget on April 1

City Manager Wyatt Shields will join the Superintendent and School Board to present the proposed FY 2025 Budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) at the City Council meeting April 1. The meeting will be available live and on-demand on the City’s website (fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings), YouTube, and FCCTV (RCN 2, Verizon 35).

The budget meeting schedule is posted on the City’s website calendar at fallschurchva.gov/budgetcalendar, and meeting documents and videos will be posted as they become available at fallschurchva.gov/budget.

F.C. Community Mobilizes to Tackle Teen Food Insecurity.

“Kids don’t learn when they are hungry,” stated Raven Jones, Principal of Luther Jackson Middle School, where students, community members, and partnering organizations joined Food For Neighbors to tackle teen food insecurity.

Local volunteers collected and sorted approximately 5,000 pounds of donated food and toiletries from over 370 households for students in the Falls Church area, including at Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church High School, Justice High School, Annandale High School, and Cedar Lane School. The donations represent a portion of the over 26,500 pounds of food that Food For Neighbors collected from over 2,000 households to help students in Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun counties.

“Every bin our community filled today equates to a kid with food insecurity who is going to have a full stomach,” said Karl Frisch, Chair and Providence District Representative of the FCPS School Board, who spent the morning sorting and packing food, “Food For Neighbors plays a vital role in addressing food insecurity throughout Fairfax County. They go above and beyond to serve our communities and make a positive impact in the lives of many students and their families. Being around such caring and committed individuals is always a rewarding experience.”

To join the Red Bag program, volunteer, or donate, visit foodforneighbors.org/get-involved.

Va. State Police Urge Road Safety on St. Patrick’s Day

Virginia State Police encourages Virginians to please designate a sober driver if you plan to drink over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

Drunk driving is not only deadly, it can also be costly. If caught drinking and driving, you can face jail time, lose your driver’s license and vehicle, and pay up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, car towing, higher insurance rates and lost wages. In 2023 there were 124 crashes involving alcohol in Virginia, six fatalities, and 66 injured the week of St. Patrick’s Day.

If you’re going to party, then party with a plan:

• Ensure you have a designated sober driver, a plan to use public transportation or a ride share service before any drinking begins.
• Buzzed driving is drunk driving. Be honest with yourself and know that even if you only plan on having one drink, you should plan on having a designated driver.
• Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly. Being under the influence can cause a lack of attention to surroundings and put pedestrians at risk of being hit by a vehicle.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, pull over safely and dial #77 on a cell phone or call 911.
• If you know someone who has been drinking and is about to drive, take the keys and make arrangements to get them home safely.
• If you are driving, keep an eye out for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users on the roadways.

2024 Recreational Trails Program Grant Round Open

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is now accepting applications for $1.9 million in Recreational Trails Program grants through May 7.

Applications are due via email no later than May 7 at 4:00 p.m. Eligible applicants include:

• Counties, cities and towns
• Park and recreation authorities
• Tribal governments
• State agencies
• Federal agencies
• Nonprofit organizations with support from a governmental body

A virtual informational session and application workshop will be held April 2 at 1:00 p.m., with registration available at dcr.virginia.gov/recreational-planning/trailfnd.

For more information, email recreationgrants@dcr.virginia.gov. 

The Shepherd Center Seeks Volunteer Drivers

Have some extra time to help a neighbor? The Shepherd Center needs volunteer drivers. Not only do drivers help those in need, they also get to meet wonderful folks, often with very interesting backgrounds and stories to tell. Those interested in driving for the Center are able to pick their own schedule, whether available once a week or once a month.

Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church (SCMAFC), is an all-volunteer organization. Its mission is providing free transportation to seniors for medical and dental appointments or run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies.

For detailed information or to apply, please visit the Center’s website at scmafc.org/volunteer or call (703) 506-2199 and leave a message. Shepherd Center is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been operating since 2006.

Choral Excellence “Ovation” Awards Nominees Announced

The Choralis Foundation has announced the date for their annual gala and “Ovation” awards ceremony, to be held April 20 at the Fairview Park Marriott in F.C. Visit www.fcnp.com for a full list of nominees.

Choral directors, choristers, board members, donors and appreciative fans of all D.C. choruses are invited to attend; ticket information is available at choralis.org/GALA2024.

Virginia State Parks to hire more than 1,000 rangers

Virginia State Parks invites job seekers interested in summer seasonal and hourly wage positions to explore the opportunities available at parks across the state.

Daily duties, pay rates and employment dates will vary depending on the position and park’s needs. Seasonal and wage positions can lead to full-time careers, so opportunities for advancement are possible.

Jobs in demand include:

• Administrative assistant
• Contact ranger
• Education support specialist
• Food service ranger
• Groundskeeper
• Housekeeping ranger
• Lifeguard
• Maintenance ranger
• Office assistant
• Park interpreter
• Trades technician

For more information about seasonal, wage and full-time opportunities and to apply, please go to virginiastateparks.gov/jobs.

Virginia State Parks Announces ‘Let’s Go Adventures’ Series

Virginia State Parks is offering a new series of programs to help visitors experience a diverse range of outdoor activities under the guidance of experienced rangers.

Let’s Go Adventures kicks off this month and features camping, kayaking, hiking, fishing, orienteering, and archery. The programs are designed to help break down barriers for first-time participants and give them the skills and confidence needed to recreate at Virginia State Parks.

Not only will participants learn the basics of each activity, including selecting the proper equipment and how to use it, but they will also learn about Leave No Trace Principles, park etiquette and safety guidelines.

The programs will be held year-round, allowing participants to explore different parks and landscapes across Virginia. To learn more and find an upcoming Let’s Go Adventures program, visit virginiastateparks.gov/lets-go-adventures.

First Va. Inmates Certified As Peer Recovery Specialists

The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) has certified its first group of incarcareted individuals as Peer Recovery Specialists (PRS). On January 10, nine inmates at Buckingham Correctional Center officially earned their certification from the Virginia Certification Board. Peer Recovery Specialists are self-identified people with lived experience with a mental health and/or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) who are in successful and ongoing recovery from mental health and/or SUD challenges. Through their experiences, PRS support other people’s recovery journeys.

The PRS program is evidence-based and seeks to improve the lives of inmates in recovery. Inmates receive compensation for their PRS work. The PRS program within the VADOC focuses on peer-centered wellness and recovery.

SALT Requests Action Against Solitary Confinement in Va.

Social Action Linking Together (SALT) has joined in solidarity with other social justice advocacy organizations during the past years in calling for the end of solitary confinement in Virginia. This year legislation restricting the use of solitary confinement has passed in both the Virginia House and Senate: HB1244 and SB719.

SALT is asking advocates to modify and send the following to Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA):
“I believe that the justice of a society can be measured by how the most vulnerable are treated. Prolonged use of solitary confinement is not only dehumanizing treatment of the incarcerated, it is also a form of torture, a cruelty that many voters and taxpayers, acting against their conscience, are required to unwillingly support with their tax dollars. I urge you to sign HB 1244/SB 719, legislation restricting the use of solitary confinement in Virginia’s prisons.”

Visit tinyurl.com/fcnp0324sa to sign and send the letter to Governor Youngkin by the end of this weekend, or deliver your message by calling the office of Governor Youngkin at 804-786-2211.