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online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Local Media Connection LLC Gazette Packet Gazette Packet Alexandria Alexandria Photo by John Bordner/Gazette Packet Newcomers & Community Guide Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-2018 2017-2018 Founders Park sits along the Potomac River and features a volleyball court and dog park. The park was created in 1978 when a group of area residents lobbied against a four- building apartment complex proposed for the site. The site had been home to a warehouse built in 1732, the first per- manent structure in what would become Alexandria. Founders Park sits along the Potomac River and features a volleyball court and dog park. The park was created in 1978 when a group of area residents lobbied against a four- building apartment complex proposed for the site. The site had been home to a warehouse built in 1732, the first per- manent structure in what would become Alexandria.
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Page 1: Newcomers & Community Guide - connectionarchives.comconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2017/082217 NC/Alexandria NC.pdf · and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. ... the history and innovation

online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC

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Newcomers &

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Founders Park sits along the Potomac River and features avolleyball court and dog park. The park was created in 1978when a group of area residents lobbied against a four-building apartment complex proposed for the site. The sitehad been home to a warehouse built in 1732, the first per-manent structure in what would become Alexandria.

Founders Park sits along the Potomac River and features avolleyball court and dog park. The park was created in 1978when a group of area residents lobbied against a four-building apartment complex proposed for the site. The sitehad been home to a warehouse built in 1732, the first per-manent structure in what would become Alexandria.

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2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Newcomers & Community Guide

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

There are no shortage of acco-lades for Alexandria, from be-ing named a Top Holiday Townby USA Today to being recog-

nized as having the best downtown of anysmall to mid-size city in the nation by thewebsite Livibility.com. But beneath the pa-rades and festivals that draw visitors fromaround the world are the hidden gems thatmake the city unique.

“I don’t think you can call yourself a lo-cal if you haven’t eaten at Al’s Steakhouse,”said Nicholas Marinoff, a seventh genera-tion Alexandrian who drove 1,000 milesfrom his new home in Florida to eat at therecently reopened restaurant in Del Ray.“Al’s is one of the best things about this city.”

At 15.4 square miles and with a popula-tion of just over 150,000, Alexandria hostsnationally recognized events such as theScottish Walk Weekend and Del Ray’s Arton the Avenue that attract more than threemillion visitors each year. But off the beatenpaths of King Street and Mount Vernon Av-enue are attractions such as the Tomb of

the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldierand the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

“This is a very special place,” said astro-naut Buzz Aldrin of the National InventorsHall of Fame when he attended an eventthere last year. “No other place celebratesthe history and innovation of our nation.”

Another Alexandria landmark is the Cap-tain Rocky Versace Plaza and Viet-nam Veterans Memorial. Locatedin front of the Mount Vernon Rec-

reation Center, the plaza honors the 67Alexandrians who lost their lives in the Viet-nam War.

In the West End are the Fort Ward Mu-seum and Historic Site and the WinklerBotanic Reserve.

One of the city’s most obvious landmarksis also one of its best kept secrets. Locatedon 36 acres overlooking Old Town, theGeorge Washington National Masonic Me-morial was built in the 1920s as a memorial

and museum highlight-ing the contributions ofFreemasons to the UnitedStates. The structure alsoserves as a research cen-ter, library, communitycenter, and performingarts center and offers oneof the best panoramicviews of the city.

Alexandria: Fromthe waterfrontto the West End.

There’s No Place Like Home

Photo by Mark Mogle/Gazette Packet

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place the firstSaturday in March and kicks off a month-long celebrationof all things Irish. This year Madison Kennedy enjoyedthe parade a top the iconic Hard Times Horse

Photo by Jeanne Theismann/Gazette Packet

The Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Viet-nam Veterans Memorial honors the serviceand sacrifice of the 67 men from Alexandriawho either died in Vietnam and the sur-rounding area or remain missing in action.The plaza is located in front of the MountVernon Recreation Center in Del Ray.

Photo by John Bordner/Gazette Packet

The fireworks finale of First Night Alexan-dria lights up the sky over the PotomacRiver to ring in the New Year. The family-friendly event features live performancesin Old Town and Del Ray culminating withthe only New Year’s Eve fireworks displayin the region.

Photo by Mark Mogle/Gazette Packet

Alexandria is home to several signature events, including the GeorgeWashington Birthday Parade. This year World War II veteran Col. KimChing, right, waved to the crowd from Bob Geier’s 1903 Curved DashOldsmobile as the parade made its way through the streets of Old Town.

Photo by Jeanne Theismann/Gazette Packet

The Dairy Godmother is a popularfrozen custard shop on MountVernon Ave. in Del Ray. New ownerRussell Gravatt took over earlierthis year, serving Jude Munter-Reimann, 5, and older brotherPaul, 7, some of his frozen treats.

Photo by Mark Mogle/Gazette Packet

Parades, like the George Washing-ton Birthday Parade, are popularattractions and draw thousands ofvisitors to Old Town. Here, ridersfrom the United Horsemen’s Asso-ciation take to the streets duringthis year’s parade.See Home, Page 16

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is produced by

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Local Media Connection LLC

For more information,

call 703-778-9431 or email

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& Community Guide

Newcomers

Gazette PacketAlexandria

Newcomers & Community Guide

As your local, weekly Connectionnewspaper, the Gazette Packet’smission is to deliver the localnews you need, to help make

sense of what is happening in your com-munity, to advocate for community good,to provide a forum for dialogue on local con-cerns, and to record achievements, mile-stones and events in the community andpeople’s lives.

Here in our Newcomers and CommunityGuide, we report on the character of yourcommunity, we include details of how tovote in the upcoming elections, informationon local government, nonprofits and busi-ness organizations, plus tips and tidbitsfrom the community.

In 2016 alone, Connection papers wondozens of awards, including the top VirginiaPress award — for Integrity and Commu-nity Service, for our coverage of police re-form and related issues.

We invite newcomers and long-time resi-dents alike to let us know how we’re doingand let us know what is going on in yourpart of the community. If you have ques-tions or ideas, send us an email. We inviteyou to send letters to the editor or to sendan email with feedback about our coverage.

We want to know if someone in your fam-ily or your community published a book,started a business, became an Eagle Scout,raised money for a good cause, accom-plished some feat like running a marathon,supporting a cause or having art included

in an art show. We publish photos and notesabout personal milestones and communityevents, including births, engagements, wed-dings, anniversaries, awards and obituar-ies.

We are also interested in events at yourchurch, mosque, synagogue, communitycenter, pool, school, club, etc. Email us anote about the event, being sure to includewhen and where the photo was taken andthe names of all the people who are in aphoto.

We also publish notes about news andevents from local businesses. Notes aboutopenings, new employees and anniversaries

are welcome. It is especially important tous to let people know about events aheadof time in our calendar of events. We ap-preciate getting notice at least two weeksahead of the event, and we encourage pho-tos.

The Gazette Packet is one of 15 paperspublished by the independent, locally

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About the Gazette Packet

By Allison Silberberg

Mayor, City of Alexandria

Hope everyone is enjoying the lastdays of summer. Soon the air willbe crisp and the leaves will be

changing color. Alexandria is stunning inthe fall.

For those who are newcomers to Alexan-dria, I would like to extend a heartfelt wel-come to our beloved, historic city!

Founded in 1749, Alexandria is authen-

tic and charming. With a number of historicdistricts throughout our city, we are a cityof great and diverse neighborhoods. OldTown Alexandria is recognized as a nationalgem with its restored homes and buildingsof the 1700s and 1800s, gas lampposts,brick sidewalks, cobblestone streets, historicmarkers and ubiquitous plaques that showus where important historical figures suchas George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,Robert E. Lee, and the Marquis de Lafayetteconducted business and dined in our tav-erns. Over three million people visit Alex-andria each year. Historic preservation is acore value here.

A vibrant city of 150,000 residents, Alex-andria still savors its small-town feel. Alex-andria is an arts destination city with award-winning theater, the Alexandria SymphonyOrchestra, the internationally-known Tor-pedo Factory, and numerous art galleries.Farmers’ Markets thrive across our city. TheOld Town Farmers’ Market is one of the old-est, ongoing farmers’ markets in the coun-try. Known for some of the best culinarytalent in the region, Alexandria is a city forfoodies. And don’t miss the unique shopsthroughout our city.

We have beautiful parks plus biking andwalking trails. Many Alexandrians love gar-dening, and the city will sell trees at a re-duced rate this fall. I ask my fellow

Alexandrians to please plant a tree for us.Let’s “green up” our city and dramaticallyincrease our tree canopy over the next de-cade. This is a community-wide and teameffort. Please join us in this endeavor.

We are a city of kindness and compas-sion. The City Council and I signed a State-ment of Inclusiveness last year, reaffirmingour strong commitment to diversity anddeclaring our city to be a hate-free zone.This is a core value of our city. There is noplace for intolerance here.

We have a phenomenal nonprofit sector.If you would like to volunteer, we have anonprofit for you. We are a can-do city. Ourcitizens are known for seeing an issue androlling up their sleeves to create change.Check out Volunteer Alexandria for a tonof information about volunteer opportuni-ties.

Here are some fun highlights for the com-ing months. On Sept. 23, the TWIG will hostits 76th Annual Historic Alexandria HomesTour. On Oct. 7, Del Ray will host its Art onthe Avenue, a multicultural arts and musicfestival. It is a fantastic event for the wholefamily and even has a homemade pie con-test. Be sure not to miss the Del Ray Hal-loween Parade, which is one of the best daysof the year in Alexandria. On Dec. 2, theCampagna Center’s Scottish Christmas WalkParade celebrates our Scottish heritage and

will thrill thousands. There is our ever-popular and family-friendly First Night Al-exandria on New Year’s Eve. On Feb. 19,the oldest and largest parade celebratingGeorge Washington’s birthday will marchthrough the streets of Old Town. On March3, the Ballyshaners’ St. Patrick’s Day Paradewill be phenomenal. In mid-July, be sure tojoin us for Alexandria’s annual birthdaycelebration in the park along the waterfrontwith the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra,birthday cake, and thrilling fireworks overthe Potomac. These annual traditions andmore create the glue that gives our city anabiding sense of community. I am deeplyhonored to serve as your mayor.

At City Hall, we are working hard for allour citizens. I ask you to help us make ourgreat city even greater. Please consider vol-unteering with one of our many non-profitorganizations or joining one of our boardsor commissions. Civic engagement is criti-cally important. One Saturday a month, theCity Council holds a monthly public hear-ing, and citizens can speak for three min-utes about any concern. I welcome your in-put and host a monthly coffee called “Mayoron Your Corner,” where all are encouragedto come share thoughts and concerns.

Please let me know if I may ever be ofany help. Together, we are making Alexan-dria even stronger. Welcome!

A Mayoral Welcome to a Historic City

Local Media Connection writers and photographers won 37 VirginiaPress Association awards for work in 2016, including the Virginia PressAssociation Award for Journalistic Integrity and Community Service.Pictured here from left: John Bordner, Mark Mogle, Mary Kimm, ShirleyRuhe, Tim Peterson, Vernon Miles, Eden Brown, Andrea Worker andJeanne Theismann.

Pho

to

by R

obin

M

ogle

owned Local Media Connection LLC, serv-ing the suburbs of Metropolitan Washing-ton in Northern Virginia and Potomac, Md.

The Gazette Packet is one of the oldestcontinuously publishing papers in the coun-try, beginning publication in 1784.

— Mary Kimm

[email protected]

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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Community Guide

See ACPS, Page 19

By Dr. Lois F. Berlin

Interim Superintendent

Alexandria City Public Schools

As the Alexandria City PublicSchools community looks for-ward to the 2017-18 school year,I want to welcome both our new

and returning students and their families.The year ahead is an exciting one filled

with transition, challenges and opportuni-ties. We will be working with our staff andcommunity to prepare to implement ournew school boundaries, continue the con-struction and opening of the new PatrickHenry K-8 School, and finalize plans for anew school in the western part of our city.

Our schools are the heart of the commu-nity and very special places. Each one isrepresentative of our richly diverse Alexan-dria community and residents. Our studentshail from more than 80 different countriesand speak more than 60 different lan-guages. Our diversity literally brings theworld into our classrooms and provides lim-itless opportunities to learn from each other.

Our school division will continue its fo-cus on nurturing and supporting our stu-dents in every way. That is reflected in ourACPS 2020 Strategic Plan which empha-sizes both student achievement and studentwellness. We are striving to be a high-per-

forming school division and that can onlyoccur through a supportive learning envi-ronment, high expectations for all students,a clear focus, a strong instructional programthat is aligned with state standards, effec-tive collaboration and communication, andongoing staff training.

Students are at the heart of all that wedo. That is why all our planning must belooked at through the lens of whether it willbenefit students. We must ensure that ourstudents are well, healthy and able to learn.One way to do that is with classrooms thathave lots of natural light and enough roomfor our rapidly growing student population.We also know that a good teacher in everyclassroom is critical. That is why we striveto recruit and retain an exemplary staff.

ACPS is fortunate to have a highly activecommunity that engages with our students,staff and schools as volunteers, advisorygroup members, members of parent teacherassociations and booster clubs and as par-ticipants in community meetings and fo-rums. We also partner with more than 100community groups and organizations thathelp us toward our goal of success for allour students. Community engagement, fromsupporting children in after-school tutorialprograms, volunteering as a mentor or par

Get Involved with ACPS

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6 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Newcomers & Community Guide

1 UPTOWNER CAFE1609 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314An Old Town favorite, Uptowner Cafe

offers coffee, pastries, and a varietyof sandwiches in a laid-backambiance.

2 JUNE COFFEE225 Reinekers Ln, Alexandria, VA 22314Located across from the King Street

Metro Station, June Coffee offers acheerful vibe and a warm cup ofcoffee to commuters and residentsalike.

3 KILLER ESP1012 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314Brick walls and whimsical paintings fill

this central Old Town cafe whichoffers espresso, sorbet, and slices ofpie. http://killeresp.com

4 MISHA’S102 S Patrick St, Alexandria, VA 22314At this local Old Town haunt, enjoy daily

roasted artisanal coffee, pastries, andpure jazz on the stereo. http://www.mishascoffee.com

5 EXTRA PERKS COFFEE SHOP822 N Fairfax St, Alexandria, VA 22314Order a cup of coffee, a traditional

British plate, or stick with anAmerican-style meal at this friendlycafe in North Old Town. http://extraperkscoffeeshopandcafe.com

6 STOMPING GROUND2309 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA

22301At this rustic, easy-going cafe in the

heart of Del Ray, customers can opt

for coffee, biscuits, and seasonalpastries, or a homey meal. https://www.stompdelray.com

7 ST. ELMO’S COFFEE PUB2300 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA

22301Grab a bite to eat, drink a cup of coffee,

and listen to live music in “Del Ray’sliving room.” https://www.stelmoscoffeepub.com

A Walk on the Caffeinated Side8 CABOOSE CAFE

2419 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA22301

Cruising through Del Ray you get toCaboose Cafe, which offers coffee,Ethiopian cuisine, and Americansnacks.

9 CAMERON CAFE4911 Ben Brenman Park Dr, Alexandria,

VA 22304Located in Cameron Station, Cameron

Cafe offers a cozy atmosphere with achildren’s play area, coffee, and otherbeverages.

— Compiled by

Antonella Nicholas

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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Newcomers & Community Guide

See The Forgotten Town, Page 13

By Vernon Miles

Gazette Packet

The City of Alexandria. TheCounty of Arlington. The Townof Potomac.

Once, between the County ofArlington and the City of Alexandria, therewas another town. Potomac, incorporatedin 1908, was a hub of federal governmentworkers residing in the area west of today’sRoute 1. According to the statement of sig-nificance in the National Register of His-toric Places, the story of Potomac illustratesthe power of civic reform movements at theend of the 19th and early 20th century, andserves as an illustration of trends in gov-ernment. Then it disappeared.

The town was annexed by Alexandria andeventually swallowed up into what is nowDel Ray, but glimpses of the town’s influ-ence are still visible. A fire station in DelRay still bears the name “Potomac Fire De-partment.” The Town of Potomac was addedto the the National Register of HistoricPlaces in 1992. Interest in the history of thisforgotten town has seen a revival as the DelRay Citizens Association begins a push forgreater architectural protections. Local his-torians have begun to reexamine the his-tory, and legacy, of Potomac.

Much of the town was built on top of theSt. Asaph’s Race Track and Gambling House,a site so popular a special spur of the rail-road was built to bring patrons from D.C.The gambling operation employed 37people, reported to be more than everyhouse standing in Del Ray. Records say thegambling attracted violent people who at-tacked farmers and school children travel-ing through the area until in the 1890s the“Good Citizens League” was founded to putan end to the nuisance. One of the leadingcrusaders against the gambling operationwas Joseph Supplee, who moved to Del Ray

in 1895 and later became the first mayor ofthe Town of Potomac. The track eventuallyclosed in 1904.

But by the early 1900s, residents of whatwas then called Alexandria County outsideof the City of Alexandria were facing big-ger issues than moral degradation. In 1900,local residents did not yet have access toelectricity, water, or Alexandria City’s stateof the art combined sewer system. On topof the former notorious racetrack, two de-

velopers from Ohio came together to incor-porate a town to be able to better providemunicipal services to the growing numberof residents. The town’s incorporation wasapproved by the state legislature in 1908.

One third of the town worked as clerksin the federal government, another thirdworked in railroad-related jobs connectedto the newly opened Potomac Yards railwayyard. The last third provided local services,like grocers and bankers.

Much of the local culture was influencedby the same late 19th century crusadeagainst “loose morals” that had formed thefoundation of the town. It was a town thatprided itself on a strict code, with slaugh-

terhouses and drinking saloons expresslyforbidden.

But this code went even further than ban-ning libations. The town charter restrictedownership of property to “persons of theCaucasian Race” and advertisements for thetown in the 1924 City Directory proudlyclaimed that it was the only municipalityin the United States that did not have resi-dents “of African Descent.” Until the riotsin the 1960s, the town reportedly had a veryactive branch of the KKK.

As the Town of Potomac began to pros-per, there were repeated efforts by the Cityof Alexandria to annex it. According to DanLee, research historian for the Office of His-toric Alexandria, the town was bringing inconsiderable tax revenue. By 1928, thepopulation had swelled to 2,355 residents.But local citizens resisted these efforts vig-orously. One reason cited in the NationalRegister of Historic Places was local resi-dents’ indignation at the 57 bars that ex-isted in the City of Alexandria. Annexationefforts were rebuffed in 1915, but eventu-ally succeeded in 1929 when the City ofAlexandria acquired the Town of Potomacand the Potomac Yards railway to the east.

Following its incorporation into Alexan-dria, the Town of Potomac morphed intothe area known now as Del Ray. MelissaButler, a historic researcher, was hired bythe Del Ray Citizens Association to exam-ine the history of the town after its annex-ation into Alexandria.

“Even though officially incorporated intoAlexandria by 1930, there was still a strongsense of being something separate,” saidButler.

When the town was added to the NationalRegister of Historic Places, a study was doneto find all the buildings that qualified ashistoric properties. But that was 25 yearsago, and Butler’s mission now is to findbuildings that have since become eligiblefor listing in the National Register. Theseare the buildings constructed between 1941and 1967, after the annexation, but whenthe town was still very independent. Themain influence during that period, accord-ing to Butler, was the influx of workers re-lated to supporting the Second World War.With things like the opening of the TorpedoFactory, new housing areas were requiredfor laborers in the City of Alexandria. As aresult, many of them were housed in brickduplexes very representative of mid-20thcentury styles and help tell the story of Al-exandria during wartime.

“A lot of those duplexes are eligible [forlisting],” said Butler. “Del Ray is known forits late Victorian, early 20th century styles.A lot of bungalows that people might con-sider aesthetically pleasing rather than brickduplexes, but this is no less important tohistoric register.”

In the years after the post-war era Butleris studying, Lee says efforts were under-taken by the City of Alexandria to revital-ize Del Ray. Businesses were declining along

The saga of short-lived Potomac, Va.The Forgotten Town

Photo contributed

The Potomac Fire Station, erected in 1926,which also served as a town hall.

Photo by Vernon Miles/Gazette-Packet

The Potomac Fire Station today.

Photo contributed

Map of the Town of Potomac

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Newcomers & Community Guide

See Community, Page 19

By Vernon Miles

Gazette Packet

When the city started, it wasa couple blocks along thewaterfront of 700 acres.Two hundred years later, it

would grow to nearly 10,000 acres. Howdid Alexandria gain this much land overtime? It took it. Over its 200-year expan-sion, the story of Alexandria is one of steadygrowth pushing the city to annex more andmore of its neighbors in every direction.

The original boundaries of the city wereestablished in 1749 when a charter was is-sued to establish a towns covering the landson the south side of the Potomac River. The84 lots that made up the town were 60 acresin total. Much of what we know as Old Towntoday came from this original parcel.Though it would later be incorporated intothe District of Columbia for a few years,Alexandria was originally incorporated asa town in Virginia.

The first expansion was in 1762, whichadded another few blocks around that origi-nal boundary. By 1796, records at the timeshow that Alexandria was continuing tosteadily grow and had undergone anotherwestward expansion. That year, Alexandriawas also incorporated into the District ofColumbia. This lasted until 1846, when Al-exandria became part of Alexandria CountyVa., then was chartered as a city in 1852.

Throughout the 1850s, the city continue toswallow small parcels south and west of thecity limits, including parts the Hooff’s Runand Hunting Creek areas of Fairfax. In 1865,the city tried to withdraw jurisdiction fromthese swampy parcels that had been addedas part of the 1858 charter but by 1871,the dividing line between Fairfax Countyand Alexandria was established as Hooff’sRun to the west and where it runs into the

Potomac in the south, today known asCameron Run and still the boundary be-tween Fairfax and Alexandria.

These boundaries stayed fairly consistentuntil 1915, when Alexandria annexed 866acres from Alexandria County and 450 acresfrom Fairfax County. This was mostly anorthwest expansion of Old Town, but alsoincluded the acquisition of Jones Point.Then in 1930, the city nearly doubled in

size when it annexed large portions of Ar-lington County to the north, bringing thecity boundaries from Cameron Run in thesouth to Four Mile Run in the north. Ac-cording to court records from the time, theland was given to Alexandria for use in thecity’s future development and because thecity was in a position to improve the land.This brought Del Ray, Potomac, andPotomac Yards into Alexandria.

The final major expansion occurred in1951: when Alexandria took the West End.After the 1930 acquisition, the westernlydividing line was Quaker Lane, but the cityhad its sights on the growing developmentsfurther west. The Virginia Supreme Courtof Appeals upheld Alexandria’s decision toannex what was part of Fairfax, and the citymore than doubled as a result; bringing in7.25 square miles and adding 11,000 newresidents to the city.

“The historic City of Alexandria lies in themost thriving and rapidly growing urbancommunity in Virginia,” read the annexationordinance. “The City’s proximity to theNation’s Capitol is believed to assure thepernancy of this phenomenal growth … Thetripling of its population in 20 years [sincethe last expansion] has resulted in a den-sity that is far too great. The corporate lineis extremely and unduly contracted. The Cityfor all practical purposes is completely builtup. Sufficient land desireable for residen-tial and business expansion is not availableto accommodate the needs and desires ofthe CIty’s present population or of the newpopulation of which the City of Alexandriais the center. If the City is to grow it is im-perative that its corporate line be extended.”

ACT for AlexandriaACT for Alexandria is a community

foundation that serves as a catalyst forincreasing charitable investment andcommunity engagement locally. Theirmission is “to raise the level andeffectiveness of giving and engagementin Alexandria.” Located at 421 PrinceSt., Suite 220. Call 703-739-7778 orvisit www.actforalexandria.org.

ALIVE!Alexandrians Involved Ecumenically

(ALIVE) is a nonprofit organization ofvolunteers from over 40 religiouscongregations and the communityworking together to help those in need.ALIVE provides emergency foodassistance, emergency financial assis-tance, shelter, year-round preschool,furniture and housewares. ALIVEoffices are located at 2723 King St. Call703-837-9300 or visit www.alive-inc.org.

Animal Welfare Leagueof Alexandria (AWLA)

AWLA provides pet adoptions, spayand neuter assistance, education and

community service and outreach. AWLA islocated at 4101 Eisenhower Ave. Call 703-746-4774 or visitwww.alexandriaanimals.org.

BallyshanersJoin the Ballyshaners (Gaelic for “Old

Towners”) to organize and hostAlexandria’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, andthe Annual Irish Festival each August.There are monthly fundraising event tohelp cover the costs associated with theparade to preserve and promote Irishheritage. Meets once a month from Aprilthrough December at a local resturant,then weekly from January until the St.Patrick’s Day Parade. Fundraisers are heldin January and February. Visitwww.ballyshaners.org.

At Home AlexandriaPart of a national “village movement” of

small nonprofit groups forming in com-munities all across the country, At HomeAlexandria’s (AHA) mission is to helpresidents ages 55+ in Alexandria liveindependently and in their homes for aslong as they can. AHA provides an arrayof services like transportation, light home

maintenance, errand running, gardening,technical support, snow shoveling, andlight housekeeping. It also organizes avariety of social and educational events.The offices are located at 3139 MountVernon Ave. Call 703-231-0824 or visitwww.athomeinalexandria.org.

Carpenter’s ShelterCarpenter’s Shelter serves nearly 750

homeless individuals and families andformerly homeless children and adultseach year. It offers continuous servicesthat assist shelter residents to indepen-dent living. Volunteer opportunitiesavailable. 930 North Henry Street. Call703-548-7500 or visitwww.carpentersshelter.org.

The Campagna CenterThe Campanga Center operates

children’s programs related to AlexandriaHead Start, the Campagna Early LearningCenter, Afternoon Adventures, before- andafter- school tutoring/child care, tutoringand mentoring with Building BetterFutures and education programs forimmigrants and refugee families with theNew Neighbors program. 418 South

Washington Street. Call 703-549-0111or visit www.campagnacenter.org.

Center for Alexandria’s ChildrenThe Center for Alexandria’s Children

(CAC) is a public-private partnershipbased on the Children’s Advocacy CenterModel, which has been shown toimprove outcomes for families andvictims of abuse. The center providesservices for victims and their familiesand coordinates the response betweenvictims and nonprofits aiming to servethem. The Center is located at 1900North Beauregard St. Call 703-746-6008or visitwww.centerforalexandriaschildren.org.

Child and FamilyNetwork Centers

This nonprofit provides free and fullyaccredited preschool education forchildren living in poverty in NorthernVirginia, including free family support,literacy, job training, and healthprograms to the parents of students.Currently, Child and Family Network

History of boundarychanges in Alexandria.

How Alexandria Got Its Shape

Photo by Vernon Miles/Gazette-Packet

Map of Alexandria’s expansion.

Community Organizations

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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Parks A sampling of Alexandria Parks

Photos by John Bordner & Jeanne Theismann

Map by Laurence Foong; Design by Jean Card

1 Armistead Boothe Park520 Cameron Station Blvd.Citywide ParkSize: 10.81 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, playground,picnic pavilion, restrooms, tenniscourts, and walking/biking trails.

2 Ben Brenman Park4800 Brenman Park Dr.Citywide ParkSize: 59.3 acres, Features: ADA

accessible picnic benches andpathways, Amphitheatre, athleticfields, dog park, parking, picnicpavilion with grill, playground,pond, restrooms, and walking/bicycle trails.

3 Brookvalley Park5599 Holmes Run ParkwayCitywide ParkSize: 22.03 acres, Features: Garden

plots, natural area, playground,picnic areas, walking/bicycle trail,home to Bicentennial Tree.

4 Cameron Station Linear Park5131 Brawner PlaceCitywide ParkSize: 7.56 acres, Features: Biking/

walking/jogging trail

5 Chinquapin Park/Forest Park3210 King St.Citywide ParkSize: 52.89 acres (Chinquapin: 32.08

acres; Forest Park: 20.81), Athleticfields, basketball courts, gardenplots, picnic area with grill,parking, playground, tennis courts,

recreation center with an indoorswimming pool, and wooded area.

6 Four Mile Run Park3700 Commonwealth Ave. and4131 Mount Vernon Ave.Citywide ParkSize: 46.75 acres (an additional 1.47

acres has recently been acquiredand a planning process is currentlyunderway for the additional land),Features: Athletic fields, basket-ball, biking/jogging/walking trail,bird and river watching, fishing,playground, picnic benches, andseating.

7 Holmes Run Scenic EasementHolmes Run ParkwayCitywide ParkSize: 8.02 acres, Features: Natural

wooded area, walking and bikingpaths.

8 Joseph Hensley Park4200 Eisenhower Ave.Citywide ParkSize: 21.66 acres, Features: Softball

fields, soccer field, restrooms, on-site parking, picnic area, parkshelter with grill.

9 Potomac Greens Park700 Carpenter RoadCitywide ParkSize: 18.47 acres, Features: Play-

ground, seating area, wooded areawith trails

10 Potomac Yard Park2501 Potomac Ave.

Citywide ParkSize: 23.4 acres, Features: ADA

accessible picnic tables andpathways, special events area withoutdoor stage, athletic fields,basketball courts, tennis courts,volleyball courts, picnic area,interactive fountain, ADAplayground, stormwater manage-ment ponds, and walking/bicycletrails, passive seating areas andhistorical interpretation. 10 a.m.-9p.m. daily

11 Tarleton Park4420A Vermont Ave.Citywide ParkSize: 6.14 acres, Features: Dog

exercise area, nature area withtrails, open play area, playground,walking/biking trails, and sittingarea.

12 Witter Recreational Field2700 Witter DriveCitywide ParkSize: 13.7 acres, Features: Athletic

fields (two synthetic turf rectangu-lar), cemetery, park shelters,parking, and restrooms.

13 All Veterans Park4725 Duke St.Citywide ParkSize: 37.78 acres, Features: Dog

exercise area, trail, observationdeck to view Bicentennial Tree.

14 Eugene Simpson StadiumPark

426 E. Monroe Ave.Citywide ParkSize: 9.94 acres, Features: Baseball

fields, basketball court, dogexercise area, garden, playgroundand tennis.

15 Armory Tot Lot208 S. Royal St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.18 acres, Features: Play-

ground/tot-lot, sitting area.

16 Fort Ward Park4301 W. Braddock RoadHistorical/DestinationSize: 43.46 acres, Features: Amphithe-

ater, dog exercise area, museum,park shelter, parking, picnic areas,playground, and restrooms.

17 Founders Park351 N. Union St.Historical/DestinationSize: 4.67 acres, Features: Dog

exercise area, volleyball court,benches, walking paths.

18 Freedmen’s Cemetary638 North Alfred StreetHistorical/DestinationSize: 0.43 acres.

19 King Street Park1 King St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.38 Acres, Features architectural

design, farmers market, flowerbeds, plantings, and sitting areas

20 King Street Gardens Park1806 King St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.80 acres, Features open play

area, playground, park shelter, andsitting area

21 Market Square300 King Street

Historical/DestinationSize: 1.11 acres, Features: Event

space, farmers market, open plazawith fountain and planting beds

22 Old Town Pool1609 Cameron St.Historical/DestinationSize: 2.71 acres (0.48 acres Facility

Area), Features: Basketball court,parking, picnic area, and swim-ming pool with handicapaccessible wading pool

23 Oronoco Bay Park100 Madison St.Historical/DestinationSize: 5.08 acres, Features: Event

space, parking, picnic areas, andwalking/biking/jogging trails

24 Point Lumley1 Duke St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.38 acres, Features: Riverfront

sitting area

25 Roberdeau Park1 Wolfe St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.23 acres, Features: Riverfront

sitting area

26 Shipyard/Harborside Park1 Wilkes St.Historical/DestinationSize: 1.52 acres, Features: Trail and

riverside seating

27 Waterfront Park1A Prince St.Historical/DestinationSize: 1.37 acres, Features: Boat

docking, open lawn space,riverfront seating, and walkingtrails

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Richard and Elle Tauber of Scotia, N.Y., visit the lighthouse at JonesPoint Park.

Photos by Jeanne Theismann

The pond at Ben Brenman Park in the city’s West End.

The Charles W. Hill Park inDel Ray is named for Cor-poral Charles Hill, anAlexandria police officerwho was killed in the lineof duty March 22, 1989.

The Lenny Harris MemorialFields at Braddock Parknear the Braddock MetroStation.

A Native Plant Conserva-tion zone near Charles W.Hill Park in Del Ray.

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28 West’s Point Park1 Oronoco St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.07 acres, Features: Riverfront sitting area and

observation deck

29 Windmill Hill Park501 South Union St.Historical/DestinationSize: 3.43 acres, Features: Basketball court, playground,

riverfront seating, and sand volleyball

30 Wythe Street Plaza705 North Fairfax St.Historical/DestinationSize: 0.44 acres, Features: Seating area and flower beds

31 Harborside/Shipyard Park1 Wilkes St.Historical/DestinationSize: 1.52 acres, Features: Trail and riverside seating

32 Clermont Natural Park4551 Eisenhower Ave.Natural AreaSize: 5.95 acres, Features: Wooded area

33 Dora Kelley Nature Park5750 Sanger Ave.Natural AreaSize: 46.61 acres, Features: Environmental programs,

sitting areas, walking/biking trail, Nature Center, andwooded natural area.

34 Fort Williams Park501 Fort Williams ParkwayNatural AreaSize: 8.3 acres, Features: Wooded nature area with a

walking path.

35 Monticello Park320 Beverley DriveNatural AreaSize: 6.24 acres, Features: Bird watching, dog area, stream,

walking trail

36 Old Cameron Run Channel Park2551 Mill RoadNatural AreaSize: 2.83 acres, Features: A nature area with stream

37 Robert Leider Park3002 Valley DriveNatural AreaSize: 1.3 acres, Features: Nature area with trail

38 Rynex Nature Park1500 North Chambliss St.Natural AreaSize: 9.32 acres, Features: Heavily wooded nature area

39 3550 Commonwealth Avenue3550 Commonwealth Ave.Neighborhood ParkSize: 0.53 acres, Features: Adopt-a-Garden

40 African American Heritage Memorial Park500 Holland LaneNeighborhood ParkFeatures: One-acre 19th century African American Cem-

etery, memorial sculptures, park design includes part ofthe original landscape of the cemetery and a wetland.

Parks

Photo by John Bordner

Jones Point Park overlooks the PotomacRiver and National Harbor.

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Parks

41 Angel Park201 W. Taylor Run ParkwayNeighborhood ParkSize: 10.34 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, play-ground, and shelter with grill.

42 Beach Park201 Rucker PlaceNeighborhood ParkSize: 1.42 acres, Features: open lawn

area with seating, playground.

43 Beverley Park620 N. Overlook Dr.Neighborhood ParkSize: 1.74 acres, Features: Hard court

play area, playground with a parkshelter and picnic tables, sittingareas, and wooded nature area.

44 Carlyle Dog Park and TennisCourts

450 Andrews LaneNeighborhood ParkSize: 2.96 acres, Features: Fenced dog

exercise area, tennis courts,parking

45 Chambliss Park2505 N. Chambliss St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 8.16 acres, Features: Parking,

tennis courts, wooded nature areawith a walking trail

46 Ewald Park4452 Duke St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 3.88 acres, Features: Basketball

court, open space/field, parking,playground, swimming pool andbathhouse

47 Goat Hill Park33 Kennedy St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 2.47 acres, Features: Playground

equipment, sitting areas, naturalwooded area.

48 Hooffs Run Park andGreenway

18A E. Linden St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 4.53 acres, Features: Basketball

half court, dog exercise area,garden, tennis court, and play-ground.

49 Hume Springs Park100 Dale St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 0.53 acres, Features: Playground

and sitting areas.

50 James Mulligan Park3300 28th St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 3.55 acres, Features: Natural

wooded area, picnic area, andplayground.

51 Luckett Field3540 Wheeler Ave.Neighborhood ParkSize: 3.31 acres, Features: athletic

fields

52 President Gerald R. FordPark

1426 and 1422 Janneys LaneNeighborhood ParkSize: 1.13 acres, Featuresopen lawn

and seating areas

53 Schuyler Hamilton JonesSkateboard Park

3540 Wheeler Ave.Neighborhood ParkSize: 0.99 acres, Features: skateboard

ramps

54 Stevenson Park300 Stultz Road

67 Minnie Howard Field3701 W. Braddock RoadShared UseSize: 5.38 acres, Features: Lighted

athletic field with synthetic turf,lighted tennis courts, parking, andrest rooms

68 Mount Vernon Field &Recreation Center

2600 Mount Vernon Ave.Shared UseSize: 1.58 acres, Features: Athletic

fields and tennis court

69 Nannie J. Lee Center1108 Jefferson St.Shared UseSize: 14.6 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, play-ground, recreation center, tenniscourts, and volleyball court

70 Patrick Henry Field4643 Taney Ave.Shared Use; Size: 11.56 acres,

Features: Athletic fields, tenniscourts, wooded area

71 William Ramsay Field5700 Sanger Ave.Shared UseSize: 10.94 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, play-ground, and tennis courtsrecreation center with a fullbasketball court, and adjacentactivity/game room.

72 Jefferson Houston Elemen-tary School Park

1501 Cameron St.Shared UseSize: 8.44 acres, Features: Basketball

court, playground, open field.

73 Hammond Upper and LowerFields

4646 Seminary RoadShared UseSize: 18.91 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, running track, asphalt trackand soccer field, lit roller bladehockey rink

74 Buchanan Park1501 Cameron St.Size: 0.3 acres, Features: Basketball

court and playground.

75 Fort Ward Athletic Facility4421 W. Braddock RoadSize: 5 acres, Features: Synthetic Turf

Athletic Field, Tennis Courts andParking.

76 Metro Linear Park300 Buchanan StreetSize: 3.83 acres, Features: A pathway

connects the Buchanan Streetneighborhood community to theMetro Stations at Braddock Roadand King Street.

77 Pomander Park600 S. Union St.Size: 0.84 acres, Features: Riverfront

sitting area

78 Rivergate City Park2 Montgomery St.Size: 2.84 acres, Features: Riverfront

sitting, picnic areas, and volleyball

79 Taylor Run ParkTaylor Run Parkway EastSize: 3.34 acres, Features: Wooded

area

80 Timberbranch ParkwayTimberbranch ParkwaySize: 6.19 acres, Features: Dog

exercise area, and wooded area

Neighborhood ParkSize: 8.49 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, parkshelter with grill, playground, andseating

55 Timberland Park66A Kennedy St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 0.53 acres, Features: Passive

park area

56 Montgomery Park901 N. Royal St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 2.01 Acres, Features: Fenced dog

run, tennis courts, tennis practiceboard, picnic tables, playground,shelter, and water fountain

57 Powhatan Park1010 Douglas St.Neighborhood ParkSize: 1.47 acres, Features: Basketball

court, playground, and tenniscourt

58 Taney Avenue Park4149 Taney Ave.Neighborhood ParkSize: 2.57 acres, Features: Open play

area, sitting areas, picnic area, andwooded nature area.

59 Jones Point Park1 Jones Point DriveNational ParkFeatures: Playground, athletic fields,

trails, fishing piers

60 Cameron Run Regional Park4001 Eisenhower Ave.RegionalFeatures: Great Waves Waterpark,

miniature golf, batting cages,picnic shelter and a special eventspavillion

61 Daingerfield Island1 Marina DriveNational ParkSize: 106 acres, Features: sailing,

sailing classes, fishing, field sportsand a restaurant

62 George Mason Park2601 Cameron Mills RoadShared UseSize: 5.36 acres (9.40 acres with

school), Athletic fields, basketballcourts, tennis courts, parking,

Photos by Jeanne Theismann

Charles W. Hill Park features shaded sitting areas, a walking path and open turf forpassive play.

Eugene Simpson Stadium Park features basketball courts, baseball diamonds andsoccer fields.

playground, and sitting area

63 James K. Polk Field5000 Polk Ave.Shared UseSize: 8.44 acres, Features: Located on

Polk School grounds, athleticfields, basketball courts, andplaygrounds

64 John Adams Park5651 Rayburn Ave.Shared UseSize: 1.54 acres, Features: Athletic

fields, basketball court, andplayground.

65 Lenny Harris MemorialFields at Braddock Park

1005 Mount Vernon Ave.Shared UseSize: 7.09 acres - Braddock Field /

2.61 George Washington Fields,Features athletic fields

66 Lyles-Crouch School530 S. Saint Asaph St.Shared UseSize: 1.39 acres, features small

ballfield and playground

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Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Newcomers & Community Guide

Virginia Voter IDVirginia has a stringent voter identifica-

tion requirement, plan to bring photo iden-tification with you to vote, whether that isabsentee or on Election Day.

Among accepted ID: valid VirginiaDriver’s License or Identification Card; validVirginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card; validU.S. Passport; other government-issuedphoto identification cards issued by the U.S.Government, the Commonwealth of Vir-ginia, or a political subdivision of the Com-monwealth; valid college or university stu-dent photo identification card from an in-stitution of higher education located in Vir-ginia; valid student ID issued by a publicschool or private school in Virginia display-ing a photo; employee identification cardcontaining a photograph of the voter andissued by an employer of the voter in theordinary course of the employer’s business.

Any registered voter who does not haveone of the required forms of identificationcan apply for a free Virginia Voter PhotoIdentification from any general registrar’soffice in the Commonwealth. Voters apply-ing for the Virginia Voter Photo ID completethe Virginia Voter Photo Identification CardApplication, have their picture taken, andsign the digital signature pad. Once theapplication is processed, the card will bemailed directly to the voter.

A voter who does not bring an acceptablephoto ID to the polls will be offered a pro-visional ballot.

Provisional Ballot Processfor Voters Who ArriveWithout Identification

If you arrive at your polling place on Elec-tion Day without an acceptable form of photoidentification, don’t panic or give up. You willbe given the opportunity to vote a provisionalballot. After completing the provisional bal-lot, the individual voting will be given writ-ten instructions from the election officials onhow to submit a copy of his/her identifica-

tion so that his/her vote can be counted.A voter will have until noon on the Fri-

day following the election to deliver a copyof the identification to the local electoralboard or to appear in person to apply for aVirginia Voter Photo ID Card. Voters maysubmit a copy of their ID via fax, email, in-person submission, or through USPS orcommercial delivery service. Please notethat the copy of the ID must be delivered tothe electoral board by noon on Friday, orthe provisional ballot cannot be counted.

Also by noon on Friday following the elec-tion, the voter may appear in-person in theoffice of the general registrar, in the local-ity in which the provisional ballot was cast,and apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card.At the completion of the application pro-cess, the voter may request a TemporaryIdentification Document. This documentmay be provided to the electoral board tosuffice the identification requirement.

Every year is electionyear in Virginia;mechanics and detailsof voting requireattention to detail.

How to Vote Nov. 7 General ElectionThe Nov. 7 ballot in Alexandria will include

contests for:

GovernorRalph S. Northam (D)Edward W. “Ed” Gillespie (R)Clifford D. Hyra (L)

Lieutenant GovernorJustin E. Fairfax (D)Jill H. Vogel (R)

Attorney GeneralMark R. Herring (D)*John D. Adams (R)

House of Delegates, 45th DistrictMark H. Levine (D)* unopposed

House of Delegates, 47th DistrictPatrick A. Hope (D)* unopposed

SheriffDana Lawhorne (D)* unopposed

Commonwealth’s AttorneyBryan Porter (D)* unopposed

Sample ballots will be available in earlySeptember.

All regular polling places will be open forvoting from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

ContactCall the Alexandria Voter Registration Office

at 703-746-4050Email [email protected]/Elections

Work as an Election OfficerAlexandria will need up to 500 election officers

to cover the 200 polling places. These officers areneeded to maintain a high level of service through-out Election Day. For more information call703-746-4050 or visit 132 North Royal St.

Apply Online survey.alexandriava.gov/s3/ElectionOfficerApplication

From Page 7

Mount Vernon Avenue. In the 1970s, a $2million program was implemented to pro-vide loans and assistance to local busi-nesses, with another $2.5 million allocatedto undergrounding the utilities and mod-ernizing the area.

Without a Board of Architectural Review,Butler says the area has faced major archi-tectural changes inside an area that is stillofficially a historic district. Butler says the

Citizen’s Association has expressed an in-terest in having a Board of ArchitecturalReview formed, and having an updated ideaof what are the historic properties withinthat district will be useful in that regard.

“There’s a misconception that having ahistoric district automatically protectsthings,” said Butler. “People might not thinkof historic districts needing to be updated,but it’s always good to consider reevaluat-ing what’s in a district and what context itexists in. History is not stagnant.”

The Forgotten Town

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14 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

The Alexandria Harmonizers and Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University Present

Rock My Soul - Celebrating Barbershop’s Gospel Roots Featuring Grammy Award Winners “The Fairfield Four”

October 13th 2017, 8:00PM 1st Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St NW, Washington DC, andOctober 14th 2017, 2:00 PM Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, 4915 East Campus Dr. Alexandria, VA

Tickets on sale beginning September 1st, 2017 at www.harmonizers.org

Are you interested in joining the East Coast’s best and most exciting A Cappella male chorus?Visit us on Tuesday nights from 7–10 PM at the Durant Arts Center

1605 Cameron St. Alexandria, VA 22314 or email [email protected] Alexandria Harmonizers, Inc. gratefully acknowledges the operational support it receives from the

Commission for the Arts of Alexandria, Virginia. Partial funding for Rock My Soul is provided by the Virginia

Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and by the Barbershop Harmony Society,

underwritten in part by Harmony Foundation International and its generous donors.

Newcomers & Community Guide

August 2017THURSDAY/AUG. 24Historian Lecture. 7 p.m. at The

Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. MeredithBarber is a local historian andstudent at William and Mary.Through research at the NationalArchives, she discovered previouslyunknown Athenaeum history duringthe Civil War including itsemployment as a logistics center bythe Union Army. $5, free for NVFAAmembers. Visit www.nvfaa.org or call703-548-0035.

SATURDAY/AUG. 26Ballyshaners Irish Festival. 11 a.m-

7 p.m. at 1A Prince St. A celebrationIrish history and culture inAlexandria, and a fundraiser for theAlexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade.Visit www.ballyshaners.org/festival/.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/AUG. 26-27Begonia Show and Sale. 9 a.m.-4:30

p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road. Show sponsoredby the Potomac branch of theAmerican Begonia Society. Free. Call703-642-5173 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring.

September 2017FRIDAY/SEPT. 8Patriot Day Golf Classic. 11:30 a.m.-

6:30 p.m. at Belle Haven CountryClub, 6023 Fort Hunt Road. 4thAnnual Patriot Day Golf Classic tobenefit two veteran and woundedwarrior organizations. Visitwww.bellehavencc.com/golf/patriotday.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/SEPT. 16-17Street Art Festival. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at

480 King St. King Street fromWashington Street to the waterfrontis transformed into an outdoor artgallery with original artwork by morethan 200 artists from the U.S. andabroad. Featuring live music, andinteractive art activities, as well asThe Art League’s Ice Cream BowlFundraiser. Visitwww.artfestival.com/festivals/alexandria-king-street-art-festival.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 30Alexandria Seaport Foundation

Festival. noon-6 p.m. at WaterfrontPark, 1 Prince St. Community festivalcelebrating the mission and programsof the Alexandria Seaport Foundationfeaturing live music, wooden boatdisplay, Anything that Floats race,

children’s activities, nauticalactivities, beer/wine and local food.Visit www.alexandriaseaport.org.

October 2017SATURDAY/OCT. 14Members Support Party. 7-9 p.m., at

The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. TheNorthern Virginia Fine ArtsAssociation invites members andfriends to join us for La Vie en Rose,a French evening in the AthenaeumGallery. Visit www.nvfaa.org or call703-548-0035.

SATURDAY/OCT. 7Arts on the Avenue. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

on Mount Vernon Ave., Del Ray. Arton the Avenue is a multi-cultural artsfestival in the Del Ray neighborhoodin Alexandria, Virginia. This festivalis held on the first Saturday inOctober, rain or shine.

SATURDAY/ OCT. 28Halloween Pumpkin Hunt.11:30

a.m.; 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. atLee-Fendall House Museum, 614Oronoco St. Elementary school-agedchildren and younger may participatein the hunt and will receive a toypumpkin. The event will also featureHalloween crafts, food and drink,ghost stories and a costume parade.Tickets are $5 for adults and $12 forchildren participating in the hunt.Visit www.leefendallhouse.org orcontact John Christiansen at 703-548-1789 [email protected].

SUNDAY/OCT. 29Del Ray Halloween Parade. 2-4

p.m. at Mount Vernon Ave. All arewelcome to march in the parade.Parade ends in a party at the Mt.Vernon Recreation Center fieldsfeaturing live music, freerefreshments, games, best costumeawards, and more. Free. Visitwww.visitdelray.com/halloween.

TUESDAY/OCT. 31Halloween Trick-Or-Treating. 5-7

p.m. at Carlyle House Historic Park,121 N. Fairfax St. Free. Visitwww.novaparks.com to register.

November 2017FRIDAY/NOV. 3Art on Tap 2017. 7-10 p.m. at the Art

League Gallery, 105 N. Union St.Craft beers from local breweries havebeen artfully paired with a work ofart from an Art League instructor.Local restaurants have chosen abrew/artwork coupling to serve as

their muse to create the perfectcomplimentary appetizer. Enjoy thebrew, bite, and artwork trifectas,then vote for a winner. Tickets are$35-45 plus a service fee. Visitwww.theartleague.org.

TUESDAY/ NOV. 7Election Day. General election. Visit

www.sbe.virginia.gov/ andwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/upcoming.htm.

SATURDAY/ NOV. 11Mount Vernon Salutes Veterans. 9

a.m.-4 p.m. at Washington’s MountVernon, 3200 Mount VernonMemorial Highway. Honored guests(veterans) are invited to place aflower at Washington’s tomb, enjoy aconcert by the Harmony HeritageSingers and the United States AirForce String Orchestra. Free forveterans and active duty militarymembers, $9-17 for everyone else.See www.mountvernon.org.

NOV. 10-19Virginia Cider Week. 7-9:30 p.m. at

The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.In partnership with the Alexandria-Caen Sister Cities Committee, theLyceum offers a cider tasting as partof Virginia Cider Week. Tickets are$50-75. Visitwww.show.alexandriava.gov/events.

THURSDAY/NOV. 23Turkey Trot. 9 a.m. at George

Washington Middle School, 1005Mount Vernon Ave. A Thanksgivingmorning tradition, this fast, flat,USATF-certified 5-mile coursethrough the heart of Del Ray.Registration is $5-25. Visitwww.alexandriaturkeytrot.com.

December 2017Alexandria Winter Restaurant

Week. More than 60 Alexandriarestaurants offer a $35 three-coursedinner or a $35 dinner for two. Morethan two dozen restaurants are alsooffering lunch deals at $10, $15 or$20 per person in addition to thedinner specials. Visitwww.alexandriarestaurantweek.com.

FRIDAY/ DEC. 1Tree Lighting Ceremony. 6-8 p.m. at

Market Square, 301 King St. Attendthe ceremony in which the City Treeis lit and visited by Santa, the TownCrier, and other city officials. Free.Visit www.alexandriava.gov.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/ DEC. 1-3, 8-10, 15-17Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday

Market. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdayand Sunday, 6-9 p.m. Friday,Colasanto Park, 2704 Mount VernonAve. The market offers handmadefine arts and fine crafts from localartists (including pottery/ceramics,photography, jewelry, cloth, papercrafts, and glass). Find differentartists each weekend. Free. Visitwww.thedelrayartisans.org.

SATURDAY/DEC. 247th Annual Campagna Center

Scottish Walk Parade. 11 a.m.Old Town Alexandria, the paradebegins at St. Asaph and WolfeStreets. More than 100 ScottishClans, pipe and drum bands, Scottishdancers, re-enactment groups, Scottiedogs, dignitaries and, of course,Santa Claus will march through thestreets of Old Town. Visitwww.campagnacenter.org/scottishwalkweekend/parade.

SATURDAY/DEC. 9Candlelight Tour. Visit

www.leefendallhouse.org or call 703-548-1789 or [email protected].

SUNDAY/DEC. 31First Night Alexandria. Events take

place throughout the day atnumerous venues around the City ofAlexandria. Visitwww.firstnightalexandria.org.

February 2018Community Tax Assistance Day.

Fairfax SkillSource Center, 7611Little River Turnpike, Suite 300 West,Annandale. The IRS VolunteerIncome Tax Assistance (VITA)program offers free assistance with2017 Federal and state tax returnsfor households with a total income of$52,000 or less. Visitwww.volunteerfairfax.org/individuals/vita.php.

March 2018TUESDAY/MARCH 20Persian New Year Celebration. The

Nowruz Festival celebrating thePersian New Year will include

File photo by Donna Moulton

Venues from previous Virginia Garden weeks.

Virginia Garden WeekThis weeklong statewide event, April 21-28, 2018, provides visitors an opportu-

nity to see gardens, as well as houses with more than 2,000 flower arrangementscreated by Garden Club of Virginia members. Visit www.vagardenweek.org.

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entertainment from musicians,dancers, artists, costumed characters,and traditional players. About 55street vendors will be offeringtraditional and exotic foods, as wellas jewelry, crafts, and othertraditional Persian products. Visitwww.nowruzfestival.org.

April 2018APRIL - JUNERelay for Life. Fundraisers participate

in all-night-long events to help thoseaffected by cancer through theAmerican Cancer Society. Visitwww.relayforlife.org for specificevents and details.

APRIL 21-28Historic Garden Week. This

weeklong statewide event providesvisitors an opportunity to seegardens, as well as houses with morethan 2,000 flower arrangementscreated by Garden Club of Virginiamembers. Visitwww.vagardenweek.org.

LATE APRILArt on the Rocks. 7-10 p.m. at The

Art League, 105 N. Union St.Mixologists are paired with a piece ofartwork to use as inspiration tocreate the most artistic cocktail andappetizer pairing and then competefor the title of Art on the Rockschampion. Ticket holders sample allof the delicious pairings and vote fortheir favorite at the event. A panel ofexperts will crown the winner of themost creative cocktail, appetizer, andartwork pairing. VIsitwww.theartleague.org.

May 2018MONDAY/MAY 28Memorial Day Jazz Concert. 1-6

p.m. at Waterfront Park, Alexandria.A variety of jazz performances takeplace throughout the concert.Waterfront Park features lawnseating and the attendees may bringlawn chairs and blankets. Food, suchas barbeque, fried chicken, hot dogs,hamburgers, snow cones and funnelcakes are available for purchase, buteveryone is welcome to pack a picniclunch. Pets should be left at home.Admission is free. Visitwww.alexandriava.gov/Recreation.

June 2018Taste of Del Ray. 1-3 p.m. at the

intersection of Mount Vernon andOxford avenues. Top neighborhoodrestaurants participate in thiscompetition. Visitwww.visitdelray.com.

Vine on the Waterfront Festival.Late June, 12-6 p.m. at OronocoPark, 100 Madison St. Formerlyknown as the Alexandria Food &Wine Festival, the festival willexpand to include both restaurantswithin Alexandria and other eateriesthroughout the region. The event isfree to attend, but tickets are $15 perarea (food or wine), $20 after June18. Visitwww.vineonthewaterfront.com.

July 2018FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JULYGrown Ups Art Camp. Various times

at Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount

Vernon Ave. Del Ray Artisans isoffering more than 30 workshops andsessions to choose from. Prices vary.Visit www.delrayartisans.org.

Indoor Arts Supplies Yard Sale.Various times at Del Ray ArtisansGallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Artsupplies will be for sale a half-hourbefore and immediately after eachGrown Ups Art Camp workshop. Freeto attend. Visitwww.TheDelRayArtisans.org/GUAC.

SECOND SATURDAY IN JULYUSA and Alexandria Birthday

Celebration. Oronoco Bay Park,100 Madison Street, Alexandria.Celebrate Alexandria’s birthday alongthe Potomac waterfront withfireworks, cake and live music. Visitwww.visitalexandriava.com/events/USA-Alexandria-Birthday-Celebration/6607.

Newcomers & Community Guide

August 2018Summer Restaurant Week. August

in neighborhoods throughoutAlexandria, including Old Town, DelRay, Carlyle and West End. Menuoptions vary by location. Visitwww.AlexandriaRestaurantWeek.comor call 703-746-3301.

Ice Cream Making. Saturdays inAugust. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at3200 Mt. Vernon Highway, MountVernon. Cool down with 18th centuryice cream making demonstrations.Visit www.mountvernon.org/.

Youth Arts Festival. Early August, 1-5 p.m. at Mount Vernon RecreationCenter, 2701 Commonwealth Ave.This festival will showcase the talentsof youth around the city and serve asa forum of expression for both visualand performing arts. Free. Call 703-549-7115 ext. 370.

Jane Austen Ball. Mid-August, 8-11p.m. at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum,134 N. Royal St. The evening willfeature a variety of English countrydances in the historic ballroom, livemusic, and “iced refreshments.”Period costume optional; “after-five”attire encouraged. Visitshop.AlexandriaVA.gov/Events.aspx.

Friendship Firehouse Festival. Mid-August, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at FriendshipFirehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred St.Held at the historic FriendshipFirehouse, the festival celebrates thespecial role firefighters have playedthroughout history, especially thoseof Friendship. Features a collection ofantique fire equipment and a displayof modern fire trucks and apparatus.The Alexandria Red Cross and theCommunity Emergency ResponseTeam will also be on hand. Otherattractions include craft booths, foodvendors and free birthday cake. Free.Visit www.friendshipfire.net.

HappyBirthdayAlexandriaTeddy Burstein, 8,waves an Americanflag as he watchesthe fireworks dis-play July 8 atOronoco Bay Park.

Photo by

John Bordner

Gazette Packet

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Newcomers & Community Guide

From Page 3

It doesn’t take long for even a new-comer to realize that Alexandria is a citythat loves its festivals and parades, start-ing with the largest George Washingtonbirthday celebration in the country fol-lowed closely by the nation’s first St.Patrick’s Day Parade on the first Satur-day in March.

“St. Patrick’s Day isn’t until the middleof the month,” said Pat Troy, whofounded the parade more than 30 yearsago. “This way we turn the entire monthof March into an Irish celebration.”

Alexandria celebrates its birthday in

July with a concert by the Alexandria Sym-phony Orchestra and fireworks display com-plete with cannon fire and Tchaikovsky’s“1812 Overture.”

Thanksgiving brings the Del Ray TurkeyTrot, followed closely by the Scottish WalkWeekend and the Holiday Boat Parade ofLights on the Potomac River.

The year both ends and begins with FirstNight Alexandria, a day-long celebrationwith live entertainment that culminateswith a fireworks finale over the PotomacRiver.

When it comes to entertainment, localshead to a performance by the AlexandriaHarmonizers or Alexandria Singers or take

By Jeanne Theismann

Gazette Packet

The acronyms run from AEDP toWEBA and represent citywideorganizations and various busi-ness associations that span ev-

ery corner of the City of Alexandria.Some, like the Chamber of Commerce,

have been around for over a century, whileothers, like the Capitol Post, represent theneeds of the city’s shifting demographic.

“Capitol Post offers military veterans andspouses in the Washington, D.C. region per-sonalized guidance through mentoring,business counseling and access to key re-sources, programs, mentors, and co-work-ing space,” said Capitol Post executive di-rector and West Point graduate EmilyMcMahan. “Our mission is to establish andcultivate the top community for veterans tostart a business, grow a business, explore anew career and get involved locally.”

In addition to hosting workshops andevents, Capitol Post offers co-working, con-ference and training space and is the hostof business incubator Bunker Labs DC. Bun-ker Labs DC integrates military veteran en-trepreneurs into the greater business eco-system through connections to potentialcustomers, employees, advisors and inves-tors.

The Capitol Post is located at 625 N.Washington St., Suite 425. 703-652-5377or www.thecapitolpost.com.

Visit AlexandriaVisit Alexandria is the city’s tourism mar-

keting agency and attracts visitors to thecity through sales and marketing programs.The Visitor’s Center is located at 221 KingSt. with administrative offices at 625 N.Washington St., Suite 400.VisitAlexandriaVA.com

Alexandria Economic DevelopmentPartnership - AEDP

Founded in 1992, the Alexandria Eco-nomic Development Partnership actively

positions and promotes commercial spacesand economic opportunities in the City ofAlexandria as the city’s primary engine foreconomic development. AEDP serves as the

leading resource for economic data, custom-ized reports, development maps, real estateinsights and information on tax and finan-cial incentives for businesses and commer-cial real estate professionals. 625 N. Wash-ington St., suite 400. 703-739-3820 orwww.AlexEcon.org

Alexandria Chamber of CommerceAlexandria is home to one of the largest

chambers in the Greater Washington region,with 850 professional business membersand partners employing more than 49,000people region-wide. Founded in 1906, itserves as the voice of the business commu-nity in the City of Alexandria through ag-gressive lobbying efforts at the local, stateand federal levels. 2834 Duke St. 703-549-1000 or www.alexchamber.com

The Del Ray Business Association -DRBA

The Del Ray Business Association isrun by volunteers who are themselvesbusiness owners. Started almost 45

years ago, DRBA now has over 200members and sponsors several events inthe Del Ray community each year.www.visitdelray.com.

Old Town Business andProfessional Association - OTBPA

Open to businesses of any type, OTBPA isthe result of a merger of two organizations– Old Town Business (OTB) and King StreetMetro Enterprise Team (KSMET). OTBPA’smost visible project is the annual Alexan-dria Retail Coupon Book.www.otbpa.com

Alexandria Small BusinessDevelopment Center – SBDC

The Alexandria Small Business Develop-ment Center is Alexandria’s economic de-velopment program that focuses on smallbusinesses, which comprise the largest seg-ment of Alexandria’s economy. SBDC offersindividual and confidential assistance with-out cost to City of Alexandria businesses andAlexandria residents with businesses else-where. 625 N. Washington St., Suite 400.703-778-1291 or www.alexandriasbdc.org

West End Business Association -WEBA

The West End Business Association iscomprised of West End Businesses andthose that do business on the West Endof Alexandria. WEBA provides memberswith networking opportunities, educa-tion and growth opportunities and rep-resentation before the City and eco-nomic development officials on mattersimportant to the West End of Alexan-dria. www.alexandriaweba.com

Eisenhower PartnershipThe Eisenhower Partnership is a group of

commercial and residential property own-ers and occupiers along the EisenhowerAvenue Valley corridor. The Valley is an-chored in the East by the Patent and Trade-mark Campus and in the West by the Vic-tory Center development/Van Dorn MetroStation. www.eisenhowerpartnership.org

Navigating the ABCsof Alexandria.Getting Down to Business

Photo by Wayne Huelehan

Sponsored by the Del Ray Business Association, the Alexandria TurkeyTrot takes place Thanksgiving morning. The 5-mile race has been attract-ing elite runners for 42 years.

Emily McMahan, right, is executivedirector of Alexandria’s CapitolPost. The organization is a businessresource center for military andveterans. She is shown with RayCrowell of The Bunker Labs D.C.,and Mary Lafelice at a Veterans Daycelebration at Port City Brewery.

Photo by Jeanne Theismann/Gazette Packet

No Place Like Home

in a show at MetroStage or the Little The-atre of Alexandria.

But what many consider to beAlexandria’s finest attraction is its sense ofcommunity and service. Organizations like

the Rotary Club, Senior Services of Alex-andria or Volunteer Alexandria providean opportunity to get involved or lend ahelping hand to some of the city’s mostvulnerable citizens.

The Holiday BoatParade is part of theScottish Walk Week-end of events andfeatures decoratedboats from throughoutthe region.

Photo by

Mark Mogle

Gazette Packet

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• •

• • •

Smiles

20 years

We look forward to meeting you!

Newcomers & Community Guide

By Mike Salmon

Gazette Packet

The introduction of the “express lanes,” onarea highways have made tolls common-place for anyone driving in the NorthernVirginia area. These lanes on I-95, I-495,

and I-395 are outfitted with overhead sensors insteadof booths, and everything is done with the E-Z Passor the E-Z Pass Flex which has a feature for highoccupancy vehicles (HOV) to avoid the tolls bycarpooling. The variable toll amount is calculatedby traffic levels at that time, and this price is reflectedon the overhead digital signs.

On I-495, commonly known as the Capital Beltway,the 495 Express Lanes stretch 11 miles from Spring-field in the south to a point just past the Dulles TollRoad in the McLean area. These are two lanes ineach direction that are in operation 24-hours a day.

The 95 Express Lanes stretch 29 miles from Alex-andria inside the beltway, south to Route 610 inStafford County. These lanes are “reversible,” mean-ing they are heading northbound in the morning,and southbound in the afternoon and evenings dur-ing the week, and almost entirely southbound on theweekend.

The 395 Express Lanes are a continuation of these

lanes inside the beltway, ending at the Potomac River.This project is just getting underway, and are sched-uled to be opened in 2019. For now, the northernstretch of HOV lanes is still operating under the oldrules, that requires a minimum of three passengersduring rush hours, and open to anyone during non-rush hours.

In December this year, I-66 inside the beltway, fromArlington to Falls Church, will be a tolled facility butonly on the eastbound lanes in the morning andwestbound lanes in the afternoons. It will be toll-free for vehicles with at least two passengers for now,but that HOV requirement will change to HOV-3 in afew years when the I-66 express lanes outside thebeltway open in 2022. In addition, the Virginia De-partment of Transportation is adding an additionallane on the eastbound side only, from the DullesAccess Road to Fairfax Drive, a distance of four miles.

On I-66 outside the beltway, officials are buildingone lane in each direction for 22 miles from Viennato Gainesville, and there will be two express laneson each side, similar to I-495. This project, priced at$2.3 billion, is expected to be done in 2022.

The Dulles Access Road and the Dulles Greenwayare toll facilities also but the access road still takeschange as well as the E-Z Pass, and neither road hasan HOV exception.

Latest addition, 395 Express Lanes,are scheduled to be opened in 2019.

Area Interstates Have Toll Lane Options

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Newcomers & Community Guide

T.C. WilliamsHigh School

Mascot: TitansSchool Colors: Red, White, and

BlueAthletic Director: Mark

EisenhowerFootball Coach: Jimmy

LongerbeamGirls’ Soccer Coach: N/ABoys’ Soccer Coach: N/AGirls’ Basketball Coach: Kesha

WaltonBoys’ Basketball Coach: N/AGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Allie

MullenBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Michael

WilcoxBaseball Coach: Christian MetzSoftball Coach: Katie FrawleyRival Schools: West Potomac

What happened last year: TheGirls’ basketball team won the confer-ence 7 tournament, defeating WestSpringfield HS in double overtime 69-66. Coming into the game with only 8healthy players, the team would finishwith only 5 remain, 3 being kept on thebench due to fouling. The Boys’ soccerteam would fall short of another run atthe state championship, but wouldemerge victorious, winning their confer-ence.

High School Sports Compiled by Ted Crawley

Bishop IretonMascot: CardinalsSchool Colors: Red and YellowAthletic Director: William

SimmonsFootball Coach: N/AGirls’ Soccer Coach: Gino LeonBoys’ Soccer Coach: Joe NoremGirls’ Basketball Coach: Jason

HarrisBoys’ Basketball Coach: Neil

BerkmanGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Richard

SofieldBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Brandon

RoseBaseball Coach: Mike OlertaSoftball Coach: Ann KrebsRival Schools: Paul VI

What happened last year: TheGirls’ lacrosse team went 11-0 last sea-son and is ranked #1 in the WCAC(Washington Catholic Athletic Confer-ence). Beating Good Counsel 12-4 in theWCAC championship finals. The Cardi-nals would win their third state title infour years defeating local rival St.Stephen’s & St. Agnes 9-8 in overtime.

St. Stephen’s &St Agnes

Mascot: SaintsSchool Colors: Green, Red, WhiteAthletic Director: Jeff Walrich and

Stephanie KoromaFootball Coach: Bernard JosephGirls’ Soccer Coach: Chris ArnoldBoys’ Soccer Coach: Bo AmatoGirls’ Basketball Coach: Calvin

CrenshawBoys’ Basketball Coach: Ronald

GinyardGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Kathleen

JenkinsBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Tim DoddsBaseball Coach: James SuppleSoftball Coach: Stephanie KoromaRival Schools: Bishop Ireton &

Episcopal

What happened last year: TheSaints class of 2017 will be sending off31 seniors to play their respective sportsat a college or university. The Boys’ la-crosse team won their 6th VISAA title ineight years after defeating the NorfolkAcademy Bulldogs 7-6 in the statechampionship.

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Newcomers & Community Guide

From Page 5

From Page 8

See Community Organizations, Page 20

ticipating in any of our many volunteer and part-nership opportunities, is essential to our schools.Whether you have children in our schools or not,I encourage you to get involved. Your involvementis an investment in the future of our children.

I am so honored to be the interim superinten-dent while the School Board carries out its searchfor the next superintendent. The majority of my40-year career as an educator was spent in Alex-andria City Public Schools as a teacher, assistant

principal, principal and associate superintendentfor curriculum and instruction. I’ve worked withstudents, families and organizations throughoutAlexandria and I’m delighted to return for thisopportunity.

I invite you to stay up to date on our excitingyear by signing up to receive our weekly e-mailnewsletter via ACPS Express at www.acpsk12.org/news or following us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/acpsk12 or on Twitter@ACPSk12. We look forward to partnering withyou to ensure that every student succeeds!

Get Involved with ACPS

Centers serve nearly 200 children and their familieseach year at six program sites throughout Alexan-dria and Arlington. The home office is located at 3700Wheeler Ave. Call 703-836-0214 or visit www.cfnc-online.org.

Community Lodgings, Inc.Community Lodgings’ mission is to lift families

from homelessness and instability to independenceand self-sufficiency through transitional-in-placehousing, affordable housing and youth educationprograms. Volunteers needed. The main office islocated at 3912 Elbert Ave., Suite 108. Call 703-549-4407 or visit www.communitylodgings.org.

Computer C.O.R.E.This organization helps low-income adults

acquire the technological and life skills they needto pursue their career aspirations; tuition is free,and accordingly, donations are needed. The mainoffice is located at 5881 Leesburg Pike, FallsChurch. Call 703-931-7346 or visitwww.computercore.org.

Hopkins HouseThe mission of Hopkins House is to provide

quality educational programs and opportunities tochildren, youths and their families, regardless ofincome, to help them achieve their full intellectual,economic and social potential. The central office islocated at 5904 Richmond Highway, Suite 525.Call 571-480-4282 or visit www.hopkinshouse.org.

Literacy Council of Northern VirginiaThis organization teaches adults the basic skills

of reading, writing, speaking and understandingEnglish. Offers one-to-one tutoring programs foradult learners as well as beginning-level ESOL andFamily Learning adult programs. Offices arelocated at 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church.Call 703-237-0866 or visit www.lcnv.org,

Northern Virginia Family ServicesThis nonprofit offers employments and job

training, health care, housing, mental health,foster care and home visitations to new parents.Northern Virginia Family Services is headquarteredat 1455 White Granite Drive, Suite 100 in Oaktonwith centers and thrift shops throughout theregion. Call 571-748-2500 or visit www.nvfs.org.

Rebuilding Together AlexandriaOffers home repair and maintenance for vulner-

able veterans, elderly, disabled and families withchildren. Rebuilding Together’s office is located at700 Princess St., Suite 206. Call 703-836-1021 orVisit www.RebuildingTogetherAlex.org.

Senior Services of AlexandriaProvides support services for elders, helping

them to age with dignity. SSA operates the Mealson Wheels delivery program and DOT transporta-tion reservations for the city, and presents educa-tional programs through monthly events, a speakerseries and a monthly cable show called SeniorLiving in Alexandria. SSA also operates theAniMeals on Wheels program with the AnimalWelfare League of Alexandria, which provides foodfor pets for low-income seniors.www.seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414.

Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN)of Northern Virginia

SCAN provides programs related to parenteducation, public education-re: child abuse andcourt advocacy for abused and neglected children.Visit the SCAN offices at 205 South Whiting St.,Suite 205. Call 703-820-9001 or visitwww.scanva.org.

Volunteer AlexandriaAims to offer comprehensive human services to

the entire Alexandria community; services includevolunteer recruitment and placement, court-referred community service placement, communityawareness events and volunteer managementtraining. Visit the main office at 123 North AlfredSt. Call 703-836-2176 or visitwww.volunteeralexandria.org.

Friends of Guest HouseOffers structure, supervision, support and

assistance to female ex-offenders who sincerelywant to improve their lives and break the cycle ofincarceration. Friends of Guest House offers theonly program for women of its kind in NorthernVirginia, and receives countless inquiries everyyear. The Guest House is located at 1 East LurayAve. Clients may call 703-549-8072 24/7 forsupport, otherwise visitwww.friendsofguesthouse.org.

Community Organizations

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Newcomers & Community Guide

From Page 19

First Night Alexandria is a celebration of thenew year through the performing arts withfireworks at midnight. Local shops, restau-rants and buildings in Old Town turn into

performance venues to showcase local talent. It’s fun,affordable, safe and family friendly.

Alexandria is celebrating the 23rd anniversary ofFirst Night on Dec. 31, 2017. It starts in the after-noon with activities for the whole family at 14 loca-tions throughout Old Town. At 7 p.m. 22 indoor ven-ues with multiple stages will open featuring perfor-mances until 11:30 p.m. The finale will begin at 10p.m. in the first block of King Street (closest to thewater) followed by fireworks on the Potomac Riverat midnight.

Everything takes place within four Old Town “Spot-light” areas and one in Del Ray. Attendees can takethe Metro, King Street Trolley, buses or drive andpark, walking to their favorite venues and award-winning restaurants. Links with details will be avail-able in October at www.FirstNightAlexandria.organd #ALXFirstNight.

Start the afternoon with the Ninth Annual FirstNight Alexandria Fun Hunt, a scavenger huntthroughout Old Town that combines geography, his-tory and knowledge of local businesses. Completethe Hunt and turn in the answers by 5:30 p.m. at

the Durant Arts Center where prizes will be awardedto six lucky entrants. Details are posted at https://www.firstnightalexandria.org/events/fun-hunt.

Admission badges can be purchased online start-ing in September for $15. The price goes to $20 inNovember.

Want to come for free? Volunteer for three hoursduring the evening and get free admission for one, asouvenir apron and box dinner. Sign up on the website; do it early to choose venue and time.

Celebrate First Night

Volunteers at last year’s First NightAlexandria.

Celebrate the 23rd anniversary of First Night Alexandria on Dec. 31, 2017.

Christian Relief ServicesIncorporated in 1985, in Virginia, through

partnership with 14 agencies, Christian ReliefServices (CRS) offers up to 24 months of transi-tional housing, case management and supportiveservices for homeless people. Around the countryCRS operates affordable housing units. [email protected], visitwww.christianrelief.org, or call 703-317-9086.

Assistance League of Northern VirginiaAn all-volunteer organization that clothes, feeds,

educates and nurtures those in need. Workingthrough six elementary schools and Inova FairfaxHospital, Assistance League touches the lives ofsome of the most needy in Northern Virginia. Theschools involved include Dogwood Elementary inReston, Lynbrook Elementary and Garfield Elemen-tary in Springfield, Cora Kelly Elementary inAlexandria and Pine Spring Elementary in FallsChurch Volunteers and donors are always needed.Contact [email protected] or visitwww.northernvirginia.assistanceleague.org.

Community Organizations