Tag: community events
County seeks public input on strategic plan
Fairfax County is seeking feedback from the public on a draft strategic plan presented to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 25 by County Executive Bryan Hill. The strategic plan sets a clear, unified, community-driven vision for the next 10-20 years and provides a tool for focusing and prioritizing initiatives over the next three to five … Continued
Thai festival raises funds to combat human trafficking
Visumitra Vichayanggoon, an IT student at Mary Washington University, makes crispy Thai pancakes. A Thai Festival in Annandale Feb. 29 featured food and other vendors with the goal of raising awareness and funds for efforts to end child sex trafficking. The event, at the Timberman Masonic Lodge on Columbia Pike, was organized by Nelson Figueroa-Velez, … Continued
Springdale community celebrates Black History Month
A few of the family photos on display at the Black History Program at Bailey’s Community Center. Residents of the historically black community of Springdale in Bailey’s Crossroads celebrated their heritage at a Black History Month program at Bailey’s Community Center Feb. 22. The program honored the history and life of the community with music, … Continued
Public invited to governor’s Diversity Forum
Add caption Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s office is hosting five Diversity Forums around the state, including one at the James Lee Community Center, March 25, 6-8:30 p.m. At these sessions, members of the community can provide input on Virginia’s first-ever Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. The James Lee Community Center is at 2855 … Continued
ReelAbilities Film Festival promotes awareness of people with different abilities
A scene from “Cheers of JOY.” The ReelAbilities Film Festival, Feb. 20-March 1, offers films that promote awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with different abilities. The films – a mix of dramas, documentaries, and shorts – are screened at various venues throughout the region, including the Pozez Jewish … Continued
Annandale shoppers replenish ACCA food pantry
Student volunteers Eva Gomez of Annandale High School (left) and Charlotte Prunty of Irving Middle School encourage shoppers at the Annandale Giant to buy a little extra for the Stuff the Bus campaign. The food pantry operated by the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) received 2,463 pounds of food, in 88 boxes, thanks to … Continued
Bowlero grand opening draws big crowd
Redskin Derrius Guice (center) celebrates the grand opening of Bowlero Annandale. A big crowd showed up for Bowlero Annandale’s grand opening Feb. 1, featuring free bowling, free arcade games, an appearance by Redskins running back Derrius Guice, and food and drink specials, including $3 Lagunitas IPA. Radio station Hot 95.5 broadcast live during the event. … Continued
Residents encouraged to sign up for emergency response training
Members of a CERT training class take part in a simulated disaster recovery exercise. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, in partnership with the Broyhill Crest Community Association, is offering a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course for the Broyhill Crest and St. Alban’s communities March 2-April 27. There will be eight … Continued
Free health screenings on MLK Day
Kaiser Permanente is hosting a Martin Luther King Day of Service event with free health screenings for families Monday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the First Christian Church of Falls Church, 6165 Leesburg Pike, in Seven Corners. Kaiser Permanente will provide blood pressure and BMI testing, glucose testing, cholesterol testing, wellness exams for children … Continued
Annandale children select free toys at ‘Sib Shop’
Volunteers help children pick out a free toy at the Wedgewood Community Center. More than 250 children got to pick out free holiday gifts at a “Sibling Shop” holiday party Dec. 19 hosted by Facets at the Wedgewood Community Center in Annandale. Facets, a nonprofit organization that provides a range of services to help lower-income … Continued
Students organize peace-building conference
Students work on an icebreaker exercise at the Open Peacebuilding and Leadership Conference. [Photos by Peter Huynh] More than 50 students from 14 local high schools – including Annandale, Falls Church, Justice, and Woodson – learned how to become community leaders and peace builders at a student-organized conference Dec. 14 at the James Lee Community … Continued
High school students invited to Peacebuilding Conference
High school students are invited to a conference on Saturday to learn how to create a peacebuilding club at their school. Xuan Huynh, a student at Woodson High School, and a team of her peers developed the event to empower local youths to become community leaders and provide them with leadership and organizing skills so … Continued
Cleanup project draws dozens of volunteers to Americana Drive
Mike and Sheila Bishop About 30 volunteers spent some time on their Veterans’ Day holiday picking up litter and construction debris along Americana Drive in Annandale. Among the items found: several rugs, big pieces of concrete, lots of water bottles, and an uncashed check for $300, reports volunteer Sheila Bishop. Philip Latasa, of Friends of … Continued
Veterans Day ceremony features World War II vet
Speakers at a Veterans Day ceremony in Annandale include (from the left): World War 11 veteran George Merz, Maj. Ziad Fakoury, and Helen Patton. Merz is holding Gen. Patton’s riding crop. About three dozen members of American Legion Bicentennial Post 1976 gathered at the Annandale cannon Monday to pay tribute to the nation’s veterans on … Continued
Annandale Statue of Peace honors Korean ‘comfort women’
Annandale has a new statue memorializing the “comfort women,” a euphemism for the Korean women forcibly taken by the Japanese military to serve as sex slaves during World War II. The “Statue of Peace,” featuring a seated girl next to an empty chair, was installed at 7601 Little River Turnpike in front of the … Continued