Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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online at www.connectionnewspapers.comSeptember 7-13, 2017

BurkeBurkeWellbeing

Page 8

WellbeingPage 8

Nick and Joe Margraf at Philmont Scout Ranch. JoeMargraf is the Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of

America Troop 1346 in Burke. On July 24, he led agroup of 21 Boy Scouts and seven leaders on a 100-

mile trek through Northeastern New Mexico.

Burke Church to HostOktoberfest Walks, Bike RideNews, Page 3

Burke Church to HostOktoberfest Walks, Bike RideNews, Page 3

Short-TermRentals DebatedNews, Page 10

Short-TermRentals DebatedNews, Page 10

Burke Scouts ExperienceHigh Elevation Adventure

News, Page 3

Burke Scouts ExperienceHigh Elevation Adventure

News, Page 3

2 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsBurke Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

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Corporate and association meeting planners always remember that one specialmeeting or event that stands out fromthe hundreds of others they have worked

on over their career. It is even more rare when aplanner can tie in a volunteer organization that he/she works with into a successful event. That is ex-actly what Joe Margraf was able to achieve this pastsummer.

Margraf is the manager of the Meetings, Incentives,Conferences & Events (MICE) Division for OmegaWorld Travel in Fairfax. But in his spare time, he isthe Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America Troop1346 in Burke. On July 24, he led a group of 21 BoyScouts and 7 leaders on a 100-mile trek throughNortheastern New Mexico. The group spent 12 dayshiking the New Mexico wilderness on a visit toPhilmont Scout Ranch. Located in Cimarron, N. M.,the 214-square-mile ranch is in the rugged wilder-ness of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and featurestrails climbing from 6,500 feet to 12,441 feet.

THESE TRIPS are a once in a lifetime opportunityfor boy scouts and their leaders, and the prepara-tion for them starts over a year and half in advance.The adult leaders handle all the logistics associatedwith each trip. In fact, Margraf had planned two otherpast trips to Canada and the Bahamas, but this onewas longer with triple the number of participants.Last fall, Margraf had just started working at OmegaWorld Travel and decided to approach his directorabout having Omega help with the boy scout trip.

Margraf’s meeting team at Omega was able to as-semble several detailed proposals for the BSA groupto consider. Omega incorporated and negotiated air,ground transportation and hotel options for the BoyScout crew. Because the scouts and leaders need toacclimate to the high altitude of the area, Omegasuggested two cities for the scouts to tour prior totheir arrival at Philmont Scout Ranch; Denver/Colo-rado Springs or Albuquerque. Both cities were above5,000 feet allowing for good acclimation.

Omega’s meetings division researched the localareas of both cities to provide activity options forthe group during those two days. The scouts ulti-mately voted on flying into Denver, and spendingtwo nights in Colorado Springs. While there, theyvisited the Garden of Gods, the U.S. Air Force Acad-emy, the Cogwheel Railway to Pike’s Peak and theU.S. Olympic Training Center. It was the perfect pre-trip before beginning the intense journey at Philmont.With a major part of the planning out of the way, theScouts and leaders were now able to focus on theintense training required for their trek.

Since the boy scout crew is boy-led – meaning theadult advisors are only there for guidance and safety,Margraf’s 16-year-old son, Nick was the Crew Chieffor his group during the Philmont trek. It was hisresponsibility to handle all aspects of the hike. Eachparticipant had to carry a 40-50 pound backpackcontaining all of their supplies, including: tents, firstaid supplies, clothing, camp stoves and freeze-driedmeals while hiking between camps. The hikes wereat a high altitude in bear and mountain lion terri-tory, up and down steep climbs (switchbacks) andoften during severe rain storms. The crew neverpassed a house or town along their journey, and onlystopped for a short time every few days at bear-proof“commissaries” to grab more necessities. One of themost difficult yet highly anticipated parts of the tripwas the climb to the summit of Baldy Mountain (el-evation 12,441 feet.)

WHILE ON THE TRAIL, the Scouts participated inbackcountry programs including rock climbing, build-ing railroad track, black powder shooting, hatchetthrowing, blacksmithing, western campfires as wellas a conservation project centered on the upkeep ofPhilmont’s ecosystem.

Cell phones were limited to the leaders; however,service was only available at the highest peaks oropenings, with nowhere for charging. Margraf hadall the scouts leave their phones behind and he toofollowed their example. So instead of the scouts be-ing on their phones, they all needed to hang dailybear bags, cook and clean in the backcountry andset up tents before almost daily fast-moving moun-tain storms crept in during the early afternoons.

Margraf said, “This was truly a once in a lifetimeexperience and I am so glad I was able to completethe trek with my scouts, fellow leaders and mostimportantly, my younger son Nick. It was his leader-ship and daily encouragement that helped me im-mensely while on the trail.”

Burke Scouts, Leaders PlanHigh Elevation Adventure

Accotink Unitarian Uni-versalist Church(AUUC), 10125

Lakehaven Court, Burke, willhost free Oktoberfest walks anda bike ride on Saturday, Sept.16, at 8 a.m. Join walkers of allages and cyclists for the annualOktoberfest Volksmarch andBiketoberfest. The self-guidedwalks and group bike rides startat the Accotink Unitarian Uni-versalist Church in Burke. Ger-man food and drinks will beavailable for purchase whileyou enjoy traditional Germanmusic.

Walkers may begin anytimebetween 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. butmust finish by 3 p.m. The bikeride begins at 9 a.m.

The event (start and end) isheld at 10125 Lakehaven Court,Burke, just south of the FairfaxCounty Parkway and BurkeLake Road intersection.

For more information, visitscenicroutes.us/nvv/events orcontact nicebrowns@verizon.net.

A volksmarch, literally trans-lated “people’s walk,” is a lei-surely walk through a scenic,historic, or interesting area overa predetermined route. The freevolkmarches pass through for-

ests and around Burke Lake.Choose from a five or 10-kilo-meter route (three or six miles)and walk, jog or run at yourown pace. German food anddrinks will be available for pur-chase while you enjoy tradi-tional German music.

The trail is probably suitablefor sturdy strollers but notwheelchairs. An adult must ac-company children under 12.Leashed dogs are welcome.There is no charge to partici-pate in the event. AmericanVolksmarch Association credit is$3 for those who record AVAwalks.

The 24-mile group bike ridebegins at 9 a.m. Leaders willtake cyclists through neighbor-hoods, along a wide, paved pathparalleling Rte. 123 and intoOccoquan Park. Restrooms andwater are available at the mid-way rest-stop, and a sweep willensure that no one is dropped.

It’s a great opportunity to getsome exercise, enjoy the seasonalbeauty, savor a tasty bratwurst,listen to some great music andmaybe even perform the chickendance. The event is co-sponsoredby AUUC, the Northern VirginiaVolksmarchers, and the PotomacPedalers Touring Club.

Burke Church to HostOktoberfest Walks, Bike Ride

The Kings Park German Band performs during the2015 Oktoberfest Volksmarch.

About 50 people attended the 2015 OktoberfestVolksmarch at Accotink Unitarian UniversalistChurch in Burke.

File pho

to

s by Steve H

ibbard

The first sunrise of the 12-day hiking trek

Joe Margrafand his crewafter theysummitedBaldy Moun-tain at a heightof 12,441 feet.

Photos courtesy of Joe Margraf

4 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

See Boot, Page 5

By Marti Moore

The Connection

On any given day, the concretemedian along Waples MillRoad at its intersection withLee Jackson Memorial High-

way in Fairfax is the place where individu-als faced with personal hardship muster thecourage to ask for financial help from kind-hearted motorists stopped at this red light.

They yielded this spot Labor Day week-end to local firefighters — who hit the pave-ment and braved oncoming traffic to raisemoney for kids and adults not strongenough to help themselves in their struggleto move forward each day with musculardystrophy.

At 4 p.m. Monday, Fairfax County Fire andRescue Capt. Matthew C. Burns and Mas-ter Technician Johnathan Macquilliam walkpast 10 or more cars, trucks and motorcyclesthat roll up to this intersection and stop aminute or two — long enough for driversand passengers to become first respondersfor a moment and participate in the annual“Fill the Boot” campaign for the MuscularDystrophy Association.

BURNS AND MACQUILLIAM belong toa team of 12 firefighters from Station 21 inFair Oaks, who raised $3,157.84 Labor Day

Monday for MDA Greater Washington, D.C.Their colleagues stand and walk in the

middle of U.S. Route 50 and down the street

at Jermantown Road. They hold their bootshigh and flash a smile to the people theypledge to serve during an emergency call.

Generous motorists respond throughout thefour-day weekend with immediate aid tostuff the boots of Station 21 with$14,200.12.

“Crews have been out ever since Friday,”says Burns, who is the station commander.“Even in the rain,” he adds.

Area residents got a taste of HurricaneHarvey Saturday after it weakened oversouthern portions of the United States thendropped rain all day on Virginia, the Dis-trict of Columbia and Maryland on its wayoffshore.

Master Technician Joel Kobersteen of Sta-tion 40 in Fairfax Center is the “Fill the Boot”coordinator for the entire county. He is aformer firefighter in Houston and says thisyear’s fund-raiser also helps his Texas col-leagues — who are battling storm fatiguewhile they help other Hurricane Harveysurvivors. As soon as their shifts are over,first responders have to deal with their ownpersonal losses, he mentions.

Kobersteen says the International Asso-ciation of Firefighters Local 2068 struck adeal with MDA Greater Washington, D.C.,to help more than 75 Houston firefighterswho lost their homes and personal belong-ings to the flood while they rescued victims

Fairfax County firefighters raise another$126,736 for disaster relief.Boot Filled with Love

Photo by Marti Moore/The Connection

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Master Technician JohnathanMacquilliam and Capt. Matthew C. Burns hold their boots high as theywork a Labor Day crowd of generous motorists at a Fairfax traffic signalon Waples Mill Road and U.S. Route 50. They helped their Station 21 inFair Oaks raise $14,200.12 in just four days, Sept. 1-4, for MDA GreaterWashington, D.C., and the International Association of Firefightersdisaster relief fund.

Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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last week and saved lives.If that’s not enough human suffering, the

National Hurricane Center is tracking apowerful Category 5 storm called Irma asit pushes through the Caribbean. Tuesdaynight, weather forecasters say Irma may hitSouth Florida Sunday evening as a Category4 hurricane.

THE FIRST $50,000 raised in this year’s“Fill the Boot” campaign goes to the IAFFdisaster relief fund. The next $500,000 isearmarked locally for the MDA GreaterWashington, D.C. Any surplus benefits theunion’s disaster relief fund, Kobersteen ex-plains.

According to his preliminary figures Tues-day afternoon, the Fairfax County Fire andRescue Department has raised $626,736.05Friday through Monday. Kobersteen is wait-ing for complete numbers from all 38 firestations and other support systems, such asthe 911 call center.

Officials at the Muscular Dystrophy As-sociation in Chicago say it will take severaldays to gather financial figures from all “Fillthe Boot” campaign coordinators nation-wide.

Muscular dystrophy is an umbrella termfor several neuromuscular diseases — suchas amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known

as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Learn moreabout muscular dystrophy and how it helpssurvivors at www.mda.org.

Find information about the IAFF disasterrelief fund at www.iaff.org.

Photo by Marti Moore/The Connection

Fairfax County Fire and RescueCapt. Matthew C. Burns adds an-other bill to his boot Mondayafternoon while Master TechnicianJohnathan Macquilliam flashes asmile at motorists stopped at a redlight in Fairfax on Waples Mill Roadand Lee Jackson Memorial High-way. They worked with nearly adozen firefighters from Station 21in Fair Oaks to collect $3,157.84 onLabor Day for a local chapter of theMuscular Dystrophy Association.

Boot

6 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

By Stephanie Berkowitz

Northern Virginia Family Service

The U.S. Census Bureauconfirmed in July whatwe already know: manyNorthern Virginia resi-

dents are doing well financially. Infact, Loudoun County, the City ofFalls Church and Fairfax County arethe three wealthiest jurisdictions in the U.S.while Arlington and Prince William countiesand the City of Fairfax also rank in the top 20.

The new Census Bureau numbers mask thefact that there are pockets of poverty through-out our region, and many of our neighbors arestruggling.

Having worked at Northern Virginia FamilyService (NVFS) for 18 years, I have met count-less residents who come to us for help findingaffordable housing, food, healthcare, medica-tions and job training. Without support, theseissues continue to negatively impact the fami-lies around us, creating larger barriers to self-sufficiency and the opportunity to thrive in ourbooming region.

I’m thinking of Zaheer Iqbal, who emigratedto the U.S. from Pakistan with a master’s de-gree in English literature, a Fulbright scholar-

ship and having worked with the U.S. militaryin Pakistan fighting the Taliban. In spite of hisexperience and education, the best job he could

find was cleaning toilets and work-ing as a cashier at an Annandale gasstation. (Did I mention he also speaksseven languages?) Zaheer “gradu-ated” to a job as a hotel night clerkin Fairfax, leaving that job everymorning to go to our six-monthTraining Futures job program. Train-ing Futures saw his potential andhelped him make valuable connec-tions within the business community.

He recently landed a job with a governmentcontractor. But it took Zaheer four years ofsleepless nights and uncertainty about how hewould support himself and his twin boys toget to that point.

When I think about the disparity in our re-gion, I think of the 77-year old woman whohas been coming to our Hunger Resource Cen-ter in Manassas on and off for 20 years as hersituation changes. (She asked that I not use hername because she doesn’t want her family toknow she continues to rely on the food bank.)When she was raising her son as a single motherand working as a waitress, there were timeswhen she had to choose between paying themortgage and feeding her family. At one point,her house was in foreclosure. Today, she is liv-ing off her monthly social security check, whichdoesn’t cover her basic expenses. She is drawn

to the fruits and vegetables at the Hunger Re-source Center and, on the days they have eggs,she “celebrates” by making an omelet. As a se-nior living alone, she says she feels invisible toher neighbors. “How hard would it be for some-one to check up on me or invite me in for abowl of soup?” she asks through tears.

And when I think of the challenges facing somany of our neighbors I am thinking of CarlaRocha, who grew up in Reston and graduatedfrom high school in Sterling. All she wantedwas a safe, affordable place to live with herson. Instead, she lived in her car, slept onfriends’ floors and stayed in transitional hous-ing provided by Second Story – one of manyoutstanding nonprofits in Northern Virginiathat provide a safety net for vulnerable chil-dren and youth.

Carla moved five times in six years. “I couldadapt easily,” she told me. “It was harder onmy son. That is a lot of change for a kid.”

With support from nonprofits like NVFS andSecond Story, Carla has a great job and hasbeen able to buy her own place. But for manyother residents, living wage jobs and afford-able housing remain elusive.

For nearly 100 years, NVFS has been com-mitted to helping vulnerable residents becomeself-sufficient. If you are proud to call North-ern Virginia home, help us in creating a stron-ger community where all families and individu-als can thrive. Maybe you can start by invitingsomeone in for a bowl of soup.

The writer is president and CEO of NorthernVirginia Family Service.

“How hard would it befor someone to invite mein for a bowl of soup?”

Disparity, Poverty Hidden by Communities’ WealthCommentary

FomentingDisunity andHateTo the Editor:

I was appalled to read the letter(“American Values,” Aug. 30) by agroup of Democrat politicians, li-beling Donald Trump. No fair-minded person could honestlyconstrue anything Mr. Trump saidas a “defense of Nazism.”

Mr. Trump’s initial response was:“We condemn in the strongest pos-sible terms this egregious displayof hatred, bigotry, and violence onmany sides.” Who but an actualfascist could disagree?

Trump then re-stated: “Racismis evil — and those who cause vio-lence in its name are criminals andthugs, including KKK, neo-Nazis,white supremacists, and otherhate groups are repugnant to ev-erything we hold dear as Ameri-cans.” No honest person — politi-cian or not — could interpret thisas support of Nazism.

As to the facts in Charlottesville,many of the original protestorswere not neo-Nazis or Klansmen,but simply there to protest the re-

moval of Robert E. Lee’s statuefrom the park named after him.Similarly, not all the counter-pro-testors were club-wielding, rock-throwing antifa — some just be-lieved the statue should be re-moved. So again, Mr. Trump wasundeniably correct that some [notall] on both sides were fine people.

It’s hard to avoid the conclusionthat the Democrat politicians whosigned the defamatory letter to theConnection are primarily inter-ested in fomenting disunity andhate by hyping fears of neo-Nazisamong the voters.

Michael CrawfordGreat Falls

For Tax ReformBenefiting AllTo the Editor:

Trump wants to cut taxes for therich who already have too much— who already translate theirwealth into power to pervert ourpolitical and economic systems.

If Republicans are serious abouttax reform, then why not go backto their favorite period in history— when Ike was president?

Under Ike’s 90 percent top in-come tax, we had world-class liv-ing standards, science and re-search, public schools, road andmedia — we had Fairness Doctrinereporting with real investigativejournalism.

Why?Because, instead of stealing

from innocent hardworkingAmericans like my dad, the richpaid their fair share for member-ship in the society that benefitsthem most.

Go ahead and reform taxes, butdo it to benefit all Americans, notjust the top 1 percent.

A.J. O’BrienHerndon

Deer HuntingEffectsMisrepresentedTo the Editor:

Did you receive a disturbingflyer in the mail about archeryhunting in Fairfax County? Theflyer displays a graphic depictionof a deer with an arrow throughits face (from N.J.) and claims that

Letters to the Editor

bowhunting is responsible for deervehicle collisions (DVCs). Thisflyer from an anonymous sourcehas raised many questions, as itwas designed to do. However, thequestion you should be asking is:Are these claims true?

To not bury the lead, the answeris no. This flyer goes beyond asimple misunderstanding of eco-logical systems or DVCs. It falselyrepresents an analysis of VDOTdata and takes a single sentencefrom the scientific literature out ofcontext with the dubious intent ofconvincing you that the sciencesupports their position when itdoes not.

But how do we know? TheVDOT data used in the flyer wereacquired through a Freedom of In-formation Act request. The DVCsin the data were mapped againstthe Fairfax County Deer Manage-ment Program in order to investi-gate the flyer’s claim that 92 per-cent (287 of 310) of the DVCs oc-cur within 1 mile of a park under-going deer management. Wefound that claim was false. In or-der to include 287 DVCs, we hadto count DVCs within one and a

See Letters, Page 7

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From Page 6

half miles from parks, not onemile. Why does that matter? First,it shows the authors’ willingnessto reject reality and replace it withtheir own fantasy. Second, 92 per-cent of Fairfax County is withinone and half miles of a propertyin the Deer Management Program.Therefore, 92 percent of the DVCshappen on 92 percent of the areaof Fairfax County. The VDOT datado not support the claim that DVCsincrease because of deer manage-ment activities.

There is a research project in theCity of Fairfax investigating anexperimental deer sterilizationmethod. The flyer claims that onlythree DVCs occurred in the cityduring the time of the study. How-ever, the VDOT data shows seven.The flyer goes on to attempt toclaim that the sterilization studyhas decreased DVCs. To investigatethis claim, I used VDOT data from2005 to 2016 for the City ofFairfax. Prior to the study beingimplemented in 2014, the City ofFairfax averaged 1.3 DVCs per year(12 DVCs in 9 years). During thestudy, the City of Fairfax averaged2.3 DVCs per year (7 in 3 years).The number of DVCs has actuallyincreased during the time of the

deer sterilization study.However, as an honest man, I

cannot suggest that this slight in-crease is a result of the steriliza-tion project. The increase, whilereal, could be caused by any num-ber of factors.

The flyer goes on to claim thatan article published in the Jour-nal of Wildlife Management in1985 supports the long-held be-lief by those that oppose huntingthat bowhunting actually in-creases deer populations. The ar-ticle in question is “ReproductiveDynamics and Disjunct White-tailed Deer Herds in Florida” byRichter and Labisky. This studydid find that female deer inhunted populations had an insig-nificant increase in fawns versusdeer in non-hunted populations.Why? Here is where we lose theauthors of the flyer because wehave to apply a little ecologicalknowledge, or maybe read theentire article they misrepresent.This article goes on to explain thathunted deer populations are morehealthy deer because they are inbetter balance with their environ-ment and are better capable ofreproducing than non-hunteddeer because non-hunted deer areless healthy. That does not meanthat hunting will increase the deer

population. In fact, hunting re-duces the deer population becauseit overcomes the slight increase inreproduction associated withhealthy deer. Hunting is how deerpopulations are managed in Vir-ginia and the declining deer herdin the state is testament to the ef-ficacy of the method.

There are other false claims inthe anti-hunting flyer, but I hopethat I have made my point. Per-haps there is a reason the authorof the flyer did not sign their work.I will sign mine.

Kevin R. RoseCertified Wildlife Biologist

Win-Win FuelEconomyTo the Editor:

Cleaner, more efficient cars area no-brainer. It’s a win-win foryour pocketbook, the environmentand fuel supplies. The U.S. setlight-duty vehicle standards in2012 that will nearly double theefficiency of new cars and lighttrucks by 2025. An overwhelmingmajority of Americans, along withcar manufacturers, support thesestandards, which encourage inno-vation and efficiency. No other fed-

Letters

eral policy is delivering greater oilsavings, consumer benefits, andglobal warming emissions reduc-tions than these standards. Todate, Virginia drivers have saved$870 million at the pump due tostrong fuel economy and globalwarming emissions standards.

The Trump administration is try-ing to slam the brakes on thesevehicle fuel economy and carbonpollution standards, which wouldresult in more air pollution, highergas costs and a loss of jobs. Thesestandards protect from dangerousair pollution, which is especiallyimportant given that Richmondhas some of the highest rates ofchildhood asthma.

More tailpipe pollution wouldplace this vulnerable population atincreased risk. And that’s simplyunacceptable. By 2030, Virginiawould produce 13,700 new jobs.Money saved on gas is pumpedback into the local economy, driv-ing growth and putting people towork. The average household inVirginia will reap this benefit aslong as policymakers don’t weakenthese protections.

If this bill succeeds, the Trumpadministration would essentiallybe imposing a new tax on drivers,forcing us to spend more of ourhard-earned paychecks at the gas

pump and drive less efficient,dirtier vehicles. These savings areespecially important to Americanswho are working hard to makeends meet. Lower and middle in-come households ($30,000 orless) spend up to 10 percent oftheir income on gasoline.

And when the price of gas spikes,that figure multiplies. Sen. Warnershould tell the president to lead theway to protect consumer savingsand developing cleaner, more effi-cient cars instead of trying to slamthe brakes on progress.

Kelsey CraneFairfax

WriteThe Connection welcomes viewson any public issue. The deadline

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Alexandria VA 22314Call: 703-917-6444.

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Emily A. DaSilva, DDS, FAGD

By Marilyn Campbell

With her one-year old daugh-ter in tow,Ellen Knight poked at apples and ca-ressed peppers on a Sunday morningat the Bethesda Farmers Market. The

activity is part of her weekend ritual, searching forthe freshest, most flavorful seasonal fruits and veg-etables to use in meals throughout the rest of theweek.

“I’m a little neurotic about produce and farmersmarkets,” she said. “I try to only buy at farmers mar-kets and only buy what’s in season. I’m excited aboutfall and the new changes in what’s coming in fromthe local farms.”

As the weather gets cooler and temperatures drop,the bumper crops of fall can be found in flavorfulabundance at farmers markets, grocery stores andeven backyard gardens. Among the most nutritiousand readily available produce are cabbage, peppers,squash, beets and other root vegetables, says ChefPete Snaith of Culinaria Cooking School in Vienna.

“The fall harvest is a glorious time for peak-of-the-season vegetables and fruits,” he said. “Farmers mar-kets will be piled high ….”

With a flavor that can be the basis of both sweet

and savory dishes, sweet potatoes are one of the mostnutritious foods to debut in fall, says nutritionistAllison Speer of the Speer Nutrition Group in Alex-andria. “They’re loaded with potassium and vitaminE,” she said. “In fall there’s a greater variety avail-able like Purple Stokes, Garnet and Hannah.

Choose small or medium-sized sweet potatoes thatfeel heavier than they look, advises Speer. “Storethem in a dark place and keep them cool, but notcold,” she said. “Letting them get cold ruins the fla-vor.”

Winter squash is an umbrella term for a wide-rangeof squash varieties with thick, tough skins, such asbutternut and acorn. Most readily available begin-ning in early fall and slow to go bad, winter squashcan be stored whole for several weeks, says Arling-ton-based dietitian Melissa Hawkins, RD. “They arefull of vitamins A and C,” she said. “The also have alot of potassium and fiber, which can make you feelfull and satisfied for a longer time.”

Hawkins also touts the versatility of winter squash.“I like to use butternut squash or pumpkin in soup,”she said. “Acorn squash can be made into a puree.One of my favorite things to do is to spiralize winter

From juicy apples to hearty cabbage,how to reap the health benefits of fall produce.

Healthy and in SeasonWellbeing

See Healthy, Page 7

Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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From Page 6

Wellbeing

squash to make spaghetti ornoodle-like strands that I use in-stead of pasta. It’s super easy anddeeply satisfying.”

Though its trendier cousins kaleand Brussels sprouts get morehype, Hawkins says that cabbageis a versatile superfood that shouldnot be overlooked. “There are somany varieties like Savoy andNapa and it’s full of vitamins C andB6 and fiber,” she said. “Leafygreens in general, like chard, mus-tards and kale, are nutrition pow-erhouses and are at their best inthe fall.”

Cabbage and other greens arelow and calories and can be pre-pared in a myriad of ways, addsSpeer. “One of the simplest ways tocook them is to roast them or stirfry them,” she said. “Cabbage canalso be stuffed or turned into slaw.”

Most commonly seen in darkred, beets come a variety of colorslike white, pink and orange.They’re earthy, sweet and nutri-tious, says Hawkins. “Eating beetsis almost like taking a big multivi-tamin,” she said. “You’re gettingvitamins, A, B and C, plus iron,potassium, folic acid and beta-carotene.”

Beets can be eaten raw or pre-

pared in a variety of ways, saysSpeer. “You can roast them, pureethem or even make beet chips,”she said. “They can stain yourhands and clothing so you have tobe careful when handling them.”

Among the foods most often as-sociated with fall are apples. Withvarieties ranging from tart GrannySmiths to sweet Fujis, there’s anorb for every palate, says Speer.“Apples are packed with fiber andvitamin C,” she said. “You can slicethem or eat them while, so they’reaccessible and easy to carry andeat.”

Select apples that are firm andwithout blemishes or bruises, andcoat them with lemon juice afterthey’ve been cut to keep them fromturning brown, advises Speer.

Choosing produce that is freshand in-season, makes it easier toprepare them with little fuss sothat their nutritional value is pre-served. “Fresh vegetables deservequick, simple, healthy prepara-tion,” said Snaith “Steaming,blanching, grilling, and roastingquickly come to mind. Apples,watermelon, and peaches areabundant now as well. You can topoff a delicious meal with a lightdessert of baked apples or grilledpeaches with homemade vanillaice cream.”

Healthy and in Season

Cabbage, acousin of thetrendysuperfood kale,is packed withfiber and vita-mins C and B6.

Photo by

Marilyn Campbell

10 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

See County, Page 11

By Fallon Forbush

The Connection

As Fairfax County works to regu-late the use of short-term rentalproperties, disputes betweenneighbors continue to flare up.

STRs, or spaces that are rented by ten-ants for fewer than 30 consecutive days, canbe accessed through lodging reservationwebsites like Airbnb and other companies,like Craigslist, HomeAway and FlipKey.However, operating such a rental is illegalin the county because the zoning ordinancedoes not account for their existence andtherefore does not permit them.

“Localities have always had the author-ity to regulate short-term rentals,” said stateSen. Scott Surovell (D-36). “I’m not surewhy Fairfax County had never acted beforethis year, but many localities in Virginiahave.”

Surovell voted for Senate Bill 1578,“Short-term rental property; registration ofpersons offering property for rental,” whichwas signed into law on March 24, takingeffect on July 1. The new legislation autho-rizes localities in the commonwealth toadopt an ordinance to require people to reg-ister annually in a short-term rental regis-try.

“When the legislature decided to step in,it created some uncertainty about where wewere going to go with the subject, but be-fore we acted, it was always thought thatlocalities could regulate Airbnb-type rent-als all they wanted to,” he said.

The legislation solidifies what localitiesalready had the power to do and will en-courage those that have not addressed theissue to do so, according to Surovell.

The legislation has motivated FairfaxCounty to act, but not before disputesstarted brewing in residential neighbor-hoods.

TWO ROOMS of the Herrity Building inFairfax were filled to standing room onlyon July 26, during an open house about thecounty’s proposed zoning changes.

“This is our first foray into what we’recalling an open house,” said Leslie Johnson,zoning administrator for the county. “We

have a lot of different topic areas that we’reworking on as part of the amending of thezoning ordinance. We thought it was a goodopportunity to bring people in to talk to ourstaff, to be able to ask questions on whatwe’re doing and just let people know thatwe are working on modernizing our zon-ing ordinance.”

The Zoning Administration Division of theFairfax County Department of Planning andZoning launched the Modernization ofFairfax County’s Zoning Ordinance initia-tive, or zMod, after the plan was presentedto the Board of Supervisors in March.

“Our ordinance is 40 years old and it doesneed some rebooting,” Johnson said. “We’relooking at not only updating some of theprovisions, but more importantly, we’re alsolooking at updating the format and kind ofrestructuring it; maybe bucketing uses sothey’re more in categories, so as useschange, we have a better ability to put newuses into a category.”

There are 14 provisions being draftedunder the modernization plan, according toJohnson, including adding more genericguidelines for restaurants, which have notbeen updated since 1981. The definitionsfor restaurants would be more genericallydefined in three categories: general restau-rant; restaurant with a drive-through; or acarryout restaurant. Locations for restau-rants would also be revised to reflect thenewly defined uses and use limitationswould be simplified. Parking for restaurantswould also be changed by converting thebasis for restaurant parking requirementsfrom the number of seats and employees tothe square feet of a restaurant’s gross floor

area.Also being drafted is an increase to the

percentage allowed for residentialhomeowners to cover their backyards withpatios, pool decking and other man-madefeatures. Current provisions only allow forup to 30 percent of a backyard of a single-family dwelling to be covered. The changescould allow for up to 60 percent of cover-age.

The county’s Sign Ordinance is also be-ing rewritten in response to a U.S. SupremeCourt decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert inJune 2015, which clarified when munici-palities may impose content-based restric-tions on signage. The rewrite of the zoningrules for signs will make them content-neu-tral.

Among all of the proposed updates, short-term rentals are the hot topic, says Johnson.

“There were people that have concernsabout short-term rentals that are creatingproblems for them in their neighborhoods,”said Lily Yegazu, who works for the Depart-ment of Planning and Zoning and mannedthe STR booth at the open house. “Thereare also people that wanted to know howto do it [list property for short-term rental].”

Whether people support STRs or not, theyare currently illegal in the county.

“We do not allow for transient occupancyof a dwelling unit, unless it’s a bed andbreakfast, which requires special exceptionapproval [from the Board of Supervisors],”Johnson said during the meeting.

Amanda Staudt and Peggy Hillman ofNorth Reston, who have an Airbnb prop-erty operating on their street in a residen-tial neighborhood, were vocal about their

opposition to STRs at the meeting.“We have a small cul-de-sac with 21 kids

18 and younger,” Staudt said. “One of thehouses on our street, the owner moved in ayear and a half ago, moved into the base-ment and started renting out individualrooms at about $35 a night. So basically, itwas a small hotel.”

The women’s anxiety over safety concernswith their transient neighbors was madereal.

“We have had incidents where we’ve hadto contact the police because of some of theresidents, or customers — whatever youwant to call them — were giving undesiredattention to teenage girls in the neighbor-hood,” Staudt said.

“We don’t know how many people are inthe house at any one time in each room,”Hillman added. “We don’t know how manypeople can stay in a room. There’s multiplecars, which disrupt our street, which is nota wide street.”

The two women said they have com-plained to the county non-stop over theirconcerns of the illegal activity on theirstreet.

“They’ve been semi-responsive, butthey’ve basically said that they are limitedin what they can do on enforcement,”Staudt said.

“They’re having trouble enforcing theirexisting regulations,” Hillman added.

The two women worry that if the countycannot regulate current law, then the countywill not be able to enforce a potential reg-istry if STRs are permitted.

“If they can’t enforce it now effectively,how are they going to enforce it if they makeit more complicated and available to morepeople?” Hillman said.

Hotels have always been regulated andpeople don’t have a right to run hotels inresidential neighborhoods.

“If somebody begins to use their propertyin a way that looks like a hotel, then they’regoing to find that the government takes aninterest in how they use their property,”Surovell said.

Short-Term Rentals Debated

Fairfax County Zoning Administrator Leslie Johnson addresses thecommunity during an open house about zMod, the county’s initiative tomodernize its Zoning Ordinance.

Michelle Minstrell of Falls Church (center) and John McEwan (right)speak to Fairfax County Zoning Administrator Leslie Johnson (left) abouttheir experience operating Airbnb rentals in the county.

Three Community Meetings ScheduledUp until Aug. 31, the county was collecting public feedback about STRs through an online

survey. County residents can learn about the results from the survey and weigh in on the topicduring three community meetings this month:❖ Tuesday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.: Hunter Mill District Community Room at the North County

Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston.❖ Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.: South County Government Center, 8350 Richmond Highway,

Alexandria.❖ Monday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m.: Dranesville District Community Room at the McLean Governmental

Center, 1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean.The Zoning Administration Division will start putting together concepts, strategies and

recommendations for the Board of Supervisors to consider after the September meetings,according to Leslie Johnson, zoning administrator.

“Ultimately, we have to present something to the board for them to react to and for them toapprove, but we try to provide professional recommendations to them,” Johnson said.

Photos by Fallon Forbush/The Connection

Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Tuesday August 29, 2017 Gerrmanna Community College Center for Workforce & Community Education

10000 Germanna Point Drive Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Thursday, August 31, 2017 The Prior Center at UVA-Wise

437 Stadium Drive Wise, VA 24293

Monday, September 11, 2017 Culpeper District Office Auditorium

1601 Orange RoadCulpeper, VA 22701

Thursday, September 14, 2017 Chesapeake Conference Center

700 Conference Center Drive Chesapeake, VA 23320

Monday, September 18, 2017 NOVA District OfficeThe Potomac Room

4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Monday, October 2, 2017 Hilton Garden Inn Richmond South/

Southpark 800 Southpark Boulevard

Colonial Heights, VA 23834

Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Holiday Inn Lynchburg

601 Main Street Lynchburg, VA 24504

Tuesday, October 10, 2017 Blue Ridge Community College

Plecker Center for Continuing Education One College Lane

Weyers Cave, VA 24486

Thursday, October 12, 2017 Holiday Inn Valley View

3315 Ordway Drive Roanoke, VA 24017

Public MeetingsFall Transportation Meeting

You are invited to participate in public meetings held by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The meetings will begin with an open house followed by a town hall style meeting. The open house will provide information on various transportation initiatives including proposed changes to Virginia’s project prioritization process (SMART SCALE), recently funded projects in the Six-Year Improvement Program, Virginia’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, VTrans Multimodal Transportation Plan, and Scenario Planning and Freight plans. Representatives from the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment, Departments of Transportation and Rail and Public Transportation, along with Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Planning District Commissions, and Transit organizations will be in attendance to highlight their transportation programs and to discuss your ideas and concerns on Virginia’s transportation network The open house will be followed by a town hall session, where you can engage in discussion and ask questions about the various initiatives. Comments will be accepted informally at the meeting and may also be submitted via email, or online.

Meeting Dates and Locations Open House begins at 4:00 pm in each of the locations:

Meeting materials will be available at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/planning/fallmeetings/ beginning August 29, 2017. If you cannot attend a meeting, you may also send your comments on highway projects to Infrastructure Investment Director, VDOT, 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia 23219, or SixYearProgram@VDOT.Virginia.gov and on rail, public transportation and transportation demand management to Public Information Officer, DRPT, 600 E. Main St., Suite 2102, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or DRPTPR@drpt.Virginia.gov. Comments will be accepted until October 20, 2017. The Commonwealth is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need further information on these policies or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, please contact the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Title VI Compliance Officer at 804-786-2730 or the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Title VI Compliance Officer at 804-786-4440 (TTY users call 711).

News

From Page 10

But he agrees with Staudt andHillman that the county’s enforce-ment has been weak.

“Fairfax County code enforce-ment in general is pretty pathetic,”Sen. Surovell said. “It tends to bemainly complaint driven.”

OVER THE PAST YEAR, theFairfax County Department ofCode Compliance received 18complaints of possible STRs oper-ating in the county, according toTony Castrilli, a spokesperson forthe county government.

“DCC staff investigated thesecomplaints and found sufficientinformation to corroborate two[short-term rentals], one in theMason District and one in theMount Vernon District, for whichnotices of violation were issued,”Castrilli said. “Some of the othercases were closed because therewas insufficient evidence thatSTRs were actually operating atthose addresses or that there wereany other zoning violations occur-ring.”

The property owners who wereissued notices of violation were:John and Mary Lou McEwan fortheir property at 9319 LudgateDrive in Alexandria and Blake andSara Ratcliff for their property at3320 Grass Hill Terrace in FallsChurch, according to Castrilli.

John McEwan and Blake Ratcliffare appealing their citations andhave been scheduled to have hear-ings on Nov. 29, according toMcEwan.

McEwan said he would be ap-pealing the violation at the cost of$600 because he was told by vari-ous county employees that no ci-tations would be given while thecounty considers changes to thezoning laws.

Others in the crowd were wor-ried that the overwhelming tideagainst STRs could sway the opin-ion of officials and bar them from

County to RegulateShort-Term Rentals

Photos by Fallon Forbush/The Connection

Amanda Staudt and Sean Willson, who both live inReston, are opposed to permitting short-term rentals inresidential areas of the county.

“Our ordinance is 40 yearsold,” Leslie Johnson, zon-ing administrator for thecounty, said during theopen house. “It wasadopted in 1978 and it hasbeen amended 467 times,so we think it’s time tokind of bring us forwardinto the 21st century andupdate it.”

participating in a form of incomethey have come to rely upon.

Michelle Minstrell lives in herhome in Falls Church and regularlyrents out a spare room on Airbnbto help cover the expense of hermortgage and has never receiveda complaint from her neighbors.

“We have permit parking on ourstreets and I have off-street park-ing for that additional resident andmy vehicle is off the street as well,”Minstrell said. “I’ve never had anynoise problems. Neighbors havenot mentioned issues at all.”

With Minstrell’s advice, anothersingle woman in her neighborhoodwith a mortgage has started rent-ing out space in her home onAirbnb.

“There is such a huge range ofwhat the short-term rental can be,”she said. “I live in my house andI’m only renting a small portion ofit.”

“I fear that the people whomight be angry about it are see-ing the whole party houses, absen-tee homeowner situation and notrealizing that there are those of uswho are making money to pay forour mortgage off of a roommate,”she added.

12 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By David Siegel

The Connection

True, personal storytelling aboutreal life can take audiences tounexpected, intimate places.

Jessica Robinson, founder of Fairfax’s“Better Said Than Done” will be telling avery personal story of the challenges sheand her husband faced when they hadto turn to modern medicine and technol-ogy that “set them off on a bumpy path”to having a baby, as Robinson said.

Robinson expects her own story to ap-peal to a wide audience as she aims toshow “men and women dealing withtheir own fertility challenges and fearscan hopefully find hope in my story, andsupport for what is truly an emotionaland uncomfortable journey.”

“Tech Babies: Baby Making in the Mod-ern Age.” is the title Robinson gave to herone-woman performance. During her 70-minute performance and then open discus-sion, Robinson will take the audiencethrough “twists and turns along the way ofthe pregnancy. I will take the audiencethrough the experience of being a patient,trying to make a baby, and watching help-lessly while doctors uncover one after an-other potentially devastating issue.”

It is “important for me to tell because itwas such a lonely, scary experience to livethrough — in no small part due to the factthat I didn’t feel comfortable talking aboutit,” said Robinson. “So many people strugglewith getting pregnant or staying pregnant,and yet most people don’t feel comfortabletalking about it. It should be okay to dis-cuss out in the open. I am hoping that my

story generates conversation and helpssome people who might have gone throughor who are currently going through someof the same challenges.

“Anyone who has suffered from struggling

to get pregnant, or with challenges dur-ing their pregnancy, will know that theyare not alone and that there are otherpeople who have been there and arethere now,” said Robinson.

“Tech Babies” is also for “those in themedical field who can gain some insightinto what the patient feels when scaryterms or situations arise,” notedRobinson.

“Tech Babies: Baby Making in the Mod-ern Age” will be at Fairfax’s indepen-dently-owned Epicure Café. “Storytellingis one of the most intrinsically humanarts. In hearing other people’s stories, wefind and better understand pieces of our-selves,” said Mojdeh Rezaeipour, creativemanager, Fairfax’s Epicure Café. “It canbe really healing personally and collec-tively to share that experience.”

Where & When“Tech Babies: Baby Making in the Modern Age”

performed at Epicure Cafe, 11104 Lee Highway,Fairfax, at 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 10. Doors open at4:30 p.m. Entry is $10 per person, at the door. Fullbar and dinner menus are available and seating islimited to first come, first served. Note: The story isintended for an adult audience.

Jessica Robinson, founder of Fairfax’s “Better Said Than Done,”presents a one-woman show.

Photo courtesy of the artist

Jessica Robinson, founder, “BetterSaid Than Done” and storytellerfor “Tech Babies: Baby Making inthe Modern Age.”

‘Tech Babies’ at Epicure Cafe

Entertainment

By David Siegel

The Connection

Major events to commemoratethe 275th anniversary ofFairfax County’s foundingcontinue; this time musi-

cally from the county’s own Fairfax Sym-phony Orchestra (FSO). Opening its newseason and celebrating its own 60th anni-versary, the FSO, under the musical direc-tion of Christopher Zimmerman, will pre-miere a Fairfax-specific work by MarkCamphouse titled “Resolutions.”

Audiences attending the special eveningwill also experience a performance of Elgar’sCello Concerto by renowned Israeli cellistAmit Peled. For his performance, Peled willshare the sound of the historic cello of PabloCasals playing the rare, 1733 Goffriler givento him from Maestro Casals’ widow.

“We are delighted to open our season withthe world premiere of Mark Camphouse’snew work in celebration of Fairfax County’sanniversary,” said Jonathan Kerr, ExecutiveDirector, FSO. “Camphouse showcases theCounty’s past, present, and future througha moving new musical composition. It re-flects the County’s poignant history, pow-erful progression, and immense achieve-ments.

“It is a joy to play a role in helping tocommemorate the 275th anniversary ofFairfax County’s rich history, phenomenalgrowth and notable achievements and, mostimportantly, its vibrant and exciting future,”

interest led him to title the “Resolutions.”He wants his work to “take audiences on ajourney through time and honors a varied,resolute, powerful, and celebratory FairfaxCounty.”

Camphouse noted that George Mason, anAmerican patriot, Fairfax County residentand friend of George Washington, pennedthe “Fairfax Resolves.” The “Resolves” werekey to the early history of Fairfax County,to the Commonwealth of Virginia and thefounding of the United States. The “Re-solves” included political arguments andresolutions on issues such as no taxationwithout representation.

In a wide-ranging interview with theFSO’s Kerr, on significance of the arts intoday’s world, Kerr noted that the arts arecritical to society. “They help us understandourselves and each other.” He went on tosay that “as our County and our nation be-come increasingly diverse, the arts providea universal language. No matter our age,ethnicity, or gender…the arts unite us.”

“I can’t wait to hear the Fairfax Sym-phony Orchestra perform the exciting,original musical legacy in honor of FairfaxCounty’s 275th Anniversary,” said SharonBulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Boardof Supervisors.

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra presents‘Fairfax Jubilee Program.’

Musical Celebration for Fairfax County Milestone

Photo courtesy of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

Israeli cellist, Amit PeledMark Camphouse, composer of the new musicalcomposition “Resolutions.”

Where & WhenFairfax Symphony Orchestra presents “Fairfax

Jubilee Program” at the George Mason Univer-sity, Center for the Art, 4400 University Drive,Fairfax. Performance Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets:$39-$53-$65. Call 888-945-2468 or visitwww.fairfaxsymphony.org. Note: Pre-perfor-mance discussion with conductor ChristopherZimmerman and special guests.

said Camphouse, a Professor of Music,George Mason University.

In an interview, Camphouse spoke notonly of his new orchestral composition, butalso about his avid interest in history. That

Photo courtesy of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Burke Centre Festival will be heldSaturday, Sept. 9, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. andSunday, Sept. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The festival is Burke Centre’s signa-ture event, which celebrates the spiritof the community. Admission and manyactivities are free.

❖ Flag-Raising Ceremony opens theFestival each year with the Burke VFW

Post 5412 and Boy Scout Troop 1345.❖ Free Shuttle Bus Service along

Burke Centre Parkway; free parkingall weekend at all five communitycenters.

❖ Festival Wine Garden will be openSaturday only, Sept. 9, 5-10 p.m. CaveRidge Vineyards is the featured wineryagain this year. For ages 21 and older.

Burke Centre Festival Returns Sept. 9-10

Photo by Steve Hibbard/The Connection

Diners relax under the tent during the 2015 Burke Centre Festival.

Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGArtist Marilyn Harrington’s “Dyeing to

Change,” exhibit, is on display at the WorkhouseArt Center, 9518 Workhouse Rpad, Lortonthrough Oct. 8. Call 703-584-2900 for more.

Lake Accotink Park Carousel Closed. Thecarousel at Lake Accotink Park has been closedfor the remainder of the 2017 operating seasonfor needed repair work. Mini-golf and marinawill continue operating as normally scheduledthrough Oct. 16. Call 703-324-8745 for more.

Fairfax Pets on Wheels New VolunteerOrientation First Wednesday of each month.7:30-9 p.m. 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax. Anorientation for new volunteers interested invisiting residents of nursing homes and assistedliving facilities with their approved pets throughthe Fairfax Pets On Wheels program is held thefirst Wednesday of every month starting at 7:30p.m. Visit www.fpow.org for each month’slocation. www.fpow.org, 703-324-5424 ordfspetsonwheels@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Carolina Shag. Wednesdays. 6:30-10 p.m.Arlington/Fairfax Elks Lodge, 8421 ArlingtonBlvd., Fairfax. Free lessons at 7:30 p.m. Nopartners needed. Dinner menu. $8. Under 21free. nvshag.org.

FUN-Exercise Thursdays, noon-12:50 p.m. GracePresbyterian Church Family Room, 7434 BathSt., Springfield. Inova certified exerciseinstructor leads a moderate level exercise classwith music and current events conversation.Muscle, Balance, Strength Training using stretchbands and weights both standing and seatedexercises. Instructor donation is $5.moorefitt@yahoo.com or 703-499-6133.

Exercise Program Mondays and Fridays at 9:30a.m. year-round at Lord of Life Lutheran Church,5114 Twinbrook Road, Fairfax. The exercisesare for strength, balance and maintaininglimberness. Contact SCFB office at 703-426-2824

Cafe Ivrit (Hebrew Cafe). Wednesdays. 8:15-9:15 a.m. Jewish Community Center of NorthernVirginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax.Shalom (hello) Did you always want to conversein Hebrew? Join Na’ama each week forconversational Hebrew. You will learn andpractice Hebrew in a fun and interactive waywhile learning more about Israel. Free, howeverwe ask that you try to attend regularly. RSVPNaama.Gold@jccnv.org.

Smoke Free Bingo. 7 p.m. Every Friday. FairfaxVolunteer Fire Department, 4081 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. Free coffee, entertaining callers,$1,000 jackpot (with breaks for smokingfriends). www.fairfaxvd.com. 703-273-3638.

English Conversation Groups weekly atGeorge Mason, Burke Centre, and LortonLibraries Practice and improve your English.Visit: va.evanced.info/fairfaxcounty/lib/eventcalendar.asp

Funday Monday 10:30 a.m., every Monday atOld Town Hall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax.There will be music, movement, storytelling,performances, crafts, and more. Open tochildren of all ages, especially those who haven’tstarted school. Free and open to the public,donations appreciated. 703-385-7858www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts

Kingstowne Farmers Market opens. 4-7 p.m.every Friday through Oct. 27, at KingstowneGiant Parking Lot, 5870 Kingstowne Center,Alexandria. Freshly picked, producer-onlyvegetables and fruit, from-scratch bread(including gluten free), baked goods, kettlecorn, salsa, hummus, cake pops, fruit popsicles,and ice cream. EmailChelsea.roseberry@fairfaxcounty.gov or call703-642-0128 for more.

SEPT. 6-30The Trawick Prize Art Exhibit. Burke artist

Michele Montalbano named as one of thefinalists for the Trawick Prize. Various times atat Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E.Bethesda. Finalists artwork is on display Sept. 6-30. Call 301-215-7990 for more.

THURSDAY/SEPT. 7Access Services Assistive Technology and

Disability Resource Fair. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.at the Fairfax County Government Center,12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 8Movie Under the Moon. 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Van

Dyck Park, 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.Featuring “The Sandlot,” starts at 7:30. Free.Visit fairfaxva.gov for more.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 9Chinese Food Fest. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Wegmans

Fairfax, 11620 Monument Drive, Fairfax.Attendees can taste Peking duck Wegmans-style,authentic stretched noodles, fresh handmadedumplings, and bubble tea. Noodle stretchingdemonstrations hosted by guest chef CharlieZhang, from Henan province, China. Free exceptclasses. Visit www.wegmans.com or call 703-653-1600

Mixed Media Demonstration. 11 a.m.-noon at

Fairfax Art League Village Gallery, 3950University Drive, Fairfax. Artist Julia Malakoffwill demonstrate how to incorporate markmaking and collage papers into mixed mediadesigns. Free. Visit www.fairfaxartleague.net/for more.

Artists Reception. 6-9 p.m. at the Workhouse ArtCenter, 9518 Workhouse Road, Lorton. ArtistMarilyn Harrington and her “Dyeing to Change,”exhibit, which is on display through Oct. 8. Call703-584-2900 for more.

SEPT. 9-10Burke Centre Festival. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the

Burke Conservancy, 6060 Burke CentreParkway. Arts and crafts, live shows, rides, facepainting, and festival foods. Visitwww.burkecentreweb.com for more.

SEPT. 9-20Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. Various

times and locations, more than 50 differentevents taking place at more than 25 venuesacross Northern Virginia. Call 703-403-5360 orvisit www.nvso.us for more.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 10Community Welcome Picnic. noon-2 p.m. at

Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, 8508Hooes Road, Springfield. Everyone is invited toa community welcome picnic with burgers andhotdogs with all kinds of side dishes, along withlive music by Bob Perilla’s Big Hillbilly BluegrassBand and fun activities for children of all ages.Free. Contact Maile Bradfield atmaile.bradfield@sydenstrickerumc.org or 703-451-8223 Visit sydenstrickerumc.org for more.

Vietnam Memorial Lecture. 2 p.m. at FairfaxMuseum and Visitor Center. 10209 Main St.,Fairfax. “The 35 th Anniversary of the VietnamVeterans Memorial,” Janet Folkerts, curator ofthe Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection, willshare stories of the artifacts left at the Memorialand the soldiers they honor and memorialize.Free. Call 703-385- 8414 for more.

Tech Babies Storytelling Show. 5 p.m. atEpicure Cafe, 11104 Lee Highway, Fairfax.Jessica Piscitelli Robinson presents an hour longstory about experiences trying to make a baby,when the tried and true method failed. $10.Visit www.bettersaidthandone.com/ for more.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 12Veterans Care Center Information Meeting.

7-9 p.m. at the Springfield American Legion Post176, 6520 Amherst Ave., Springfield. A publicinformation meeting that will address thebenefits of the soon-to-be-built Puller VeteransCare Center. Email meredith@markkeam.com orcall 703-350-3911 for more.

WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 13Shawna Caspi in Concert. 7:30 p.m. at the

Epicure Cafe, 11104 Lee Highway, Fairfax.Performing in support of her fourth albumForest Fire, which is being released on Sept. 1.

THURSDAY/SEPT. 14Acoustic Soul Concert. 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Old

Town Square, 3999 University Drive. Part ofHometown Thursdays with local bands from theFairfax Area. Call 703-385-7858 for more.

Artist Reception. 7-9 p.m. at Old Town Hall,3999 University Drive, Fairfax

The Fairfax Art League will be having a reception atthe Old Town Hall Gallery, meet the featuredartist. Visit www.fairfaxartleague.net or call703-587-9481.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 15Music on the Plaza. 7-8 p.m. at Old Town Plaza,

3955 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax. Live musicand dance to relax by, weather permitting. Call703-385-7858 for more.

Bingo. 7 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 4081 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. Smoke free Bingo, free coffee,entertaining callers, a friendly atmosphere,$1,000 guaranteed jackpot, treasure chestprogressive raffles, and food available forpurchase. All proceeds go to purchasing fire andrescue equipment. Visit www.fairfaxvfd.com, orcall 703-273-3638.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 16Outdoor Yoga. 8-9 a.m. at Old Town Square,

3999 University Drive, FairfaxYoga by Pure Om. Wear comfortable clothes and

bring a mat and water bottle. Free. Call 703-385-7858 for more.

Oktoberfest, Walks, Bike Ride. 8 a.m. atAccotink Unitarian Universalist Church (AUUC),10125 Lakehaven Court. German food anddrinks will be available for purchase whileenjoying traditional German music. Free. Visitscenicroutes.us/nvv/events or contactnicebrowns@verizon.net

Bikes for the World. 9 a.m.-noon at Saint Maryof Sorrows Church, 5222 Sideburn Road,Fairfax. Bring usable/repairable bikes and spareparts to the Farrell Hall parking lot for shipmentto poverty stricken areas of the world. ContactCathy at 703-307-5512, cat.gaiser@gmail.comor Brian at 703-764-3845,LBBAKEITH@gmail.com.

Calendar

Live MusicOn Wednesday,Sept. 13, ShawnaCaspi is inplaying at 7:30p.m. at theEpicure Cafe,11104 Lee High-way, Fairfax.Performing insupport of herfourth albumForest Fire,which wasreleased Sept.1.

14 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Hundreds of highly trained volunteersspring into action every time disasterstrikes in Fairfax County, supportingprofessional firefighters, police and res-

cue squads who are working in affected communi-ties.

It is rewarding work but it can also be physicallydemanding and grueling and requires weeks of in-tensive training to prepare for. It is not for everyone.

Beyond the front line though lies the VolunteerEmergency Team (VET), a group of dedicated citi-zens charged with assisting with the mobilization anddisbursement of “spontaneous” volunteers, a some-times untrained but equally critical group of citizenswho will always step forward in urgent times of need.

The VET operates temporary volunteer receptioncenters, a triage of sorts, where team members makesure that all on-the-spot disaster volunteers areplaced in situations where they will do the most goodand stay safe.

RSVP Northern Virginia, a program of VolunteerFairfax, is seeking volunteers to join the VET.

“Being part of the VET is an opportunity to play acritical role during an emergency without undergo-ing extensive training or enduring the physical ef-fort required for other volunteers who work closerto an impact zone,” says, Paul Anderson, VET pro-gram manager. The VET is a program of VolunteerFairfax.

“It is a way to help out in a storm without gettingyour feet wet,” says Anderson.

Fortunately, disasters are rare in Fairfax, but whenthey do occur, like when a flash flood inundatedhomes and roads in the Huntington Area of FairfaxCounty six years ago this September, a properlystaffed VET team is vital, according to Anderson.

The VET sprang into action in Huntington settingup a volunteer reception center outside the impactedflood zone.

The VET center helped process more than 100 vol-unteers who contributed more than 400 hours ofservice, according to Emily Swenson, chief operat-ing officer of Volunteer Fairfax. “While it’s hard toput a value on the support of neighbors we can saythe over 400 hours donated would be valued at over$8,000,” Swenson says. “The VET was critical in en-suring that all our volunteers were fully utilized andplaced in a safe location,” Swenson says. “In timesof crisis, the community truly depends on the VET.”

When setting up a physical reception center is notpossible, Volunteer Fairfax creates a virtual volun-teer processing center to accomplish the same goals,as it has various times during winter storms, Swensonsays.

All VET members are required to attend an initialorientation before taking part in 15 hours of freeclassroom instruction. VET volunteers must be avail-able during community emergencies, ideally for six-hour shifts on the days following a disaster. “VETmembers are encouraged but not required to stayinvolved year-round so they have a better feel fortheir community when an emergency arises,”Swenson says.

The VET is holding an orientation Wednesday, Sept.20, at 6 p.m., at the Volunteer Fairfax Headquarters,10530 Page Avenue in the City of Fairfax.

To sign up for the orientation and find more infor-mation, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/volunteer-emer-g e n c y - t e a m - v e t - o r i e n t a t i o n - t i c k e t s -37098747352?aff=es2

For more information on VET, contact Paul Ander-son at 703-246-3533 or email Anderson atemergency@volunteerfairfax.org.

Seeking Members forVolunteer Emergency TeamOrientation set forWednesday, Sept. 20.

Photo Courtesy of Volunteer Fairfax

Volunteers help clean-up flood damage inthe Huntington Community of FairfaxCounty in September 2011.

Send notes to the Connection atsouth@connectionnewspapers.com orcall 703-778-9416. Deadline is Fri-day. Dated announcements should besubmitted at least two weeks prior tothe event.

Faith Communities in Actionmeets the first Wednesday of everyother month from 2-4 p.m. at theFairfax County Government Center,Conference Rooms 2 and 3, 12000Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.

The Bahá’ís of Fairfax CountySouthwest offers “Interfaith Devo-tions: World Peace and Unity” for thegeneral public on Saturdays. These freedevotional gatherings meet at thePohick Regional Library, Room #1,6450 Sydenstricker Road, Burke, 22015.

St. Leo the Great in Fairfax hosts“Night of Praise” the first Saturday ofeach month, featuring praise music andEucharist adoration at 7 p.m. Located at3704 Old Lee Highway in Fairfax.

The Immanuel Bible ChurchMOPS group meets on Mondays at 7

p.m. at Immanuel Bible Church,6911 Braddock Road, Springfield.MOPS is for pregnant or parentingmothers of children from infancy tokindergarten. 703-922-4295 orwww.MOPS.org.

Events at Mount CalvaryBaptist Church , 4325 ChainBridge Road, Fairfax:

❖Adult Bible Study every Wednes-day starting at 7 p.m., Youth BibleStudy at 7:15 p.m.

❖Full Praise and Baptism Serviceat 7 p.m., the last Wednesday of ev-ery month. 703-273-1455.

Faith Notes

Improvements Improvements

RCL HOME REPAIRSBathroom and Kitchen Renovations

Handyman ServicesMinor Electrical and Plumbing Services

Drywall RepairServing Southern Fairfax County

randy@rclhomerepairs.com • 703-922-4190

ClassifiedTo Advertise in This Paper, Call by Monday 11:00 am 703-778-9411

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ComputersAnnouncements

We pay top $ for STERLING, MEN’S WATCHES,

JEWELRY, COSTUME JEWELRY,

FURNITURE, PAINTINGS AND CLOCKS.

Schefer Antiques703-241-0790

theschefers@cox.net

Announcements Announcements

Preschool / Before & After School Staff

Experienced Full-Time Preschool Teachers.

Full and PT Teacher Assists Also Needed.

Before School 7-9am /After School 3-6pm at Alexandria Center.

Positions available immediately. Must be Creative, Reliable, Flexible & Strong Communicator. Competitive Pay, 401K, Paid Fed Holidays, Med/

Mt. Vernon (703) 765-8811 Springfield (703) 256-9400 Annandale (703) 256-4711

Fairfax (703) 698-8050

r.addo@achildsplaceinc.com

Employment

Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 ❖ 15www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

How lucky am I? In the last two days, I have beenthe extremely lucky, though presumably random,recipient, of not one but two unsolicited phone callsoffering me FREE accommodations at any number ofMarriott and Hilton hotels, fairly reputable brands, I’dsay. All I have to do is transport my wife, Dina, andmyself to the agreed-upon hotel during the desig-nated window of opportunity and voila, a semi-unen-cumbered vacation for two awaits. And believe me,the offer couldn’t have come at a better time. Let’sbe honest, what more than a cure does a “terminal”cancer patient need than a reasonably priced, stress-free get away from his every day? Need I even char-acterize that previous question as rhetorical?

Now since I hung up rather quickly, I don’t have allthe details, other than their phone numbers ofcourse. Because, as you might imagine, I still have afew questions I’d like answered — you know, to opti-mize the benefits/coordinate the timing of our vaca-tion. But the ‘unsolicited’ nature of the call didn’tenable me to organize my thoughts and ask all theappropriate questions. Nevertheless, the opportunityseems worthy of a follow-up phone call.

Ideally, what I’d like to do is bracket my vaca-tion/air fare and the miscellaneous travel expensesI’m undoubtedly going to incur around the respectiveproperties’ availability. Meaning, I’d like to fly onceand stay twice; staying in their respective propertiesin the same city/location switching out of Marriottafter my first free weekend stay and then bookinginto the Hilton for my next free weekend stay (andI’d be willing to pay for my mid-week excursion dur-ing the transition). In effect, making the trip a two-for-one as opposed to a not-going-at-all. And in soarranging, using as much of corporate America’s lar-gess and marketing budget as is cleverly possible for anon-corporate America employee to exploit.Not having pursued this possible presumption quiteyet because I’ve just had chemotherapy on Fridayand I’m not really in the mood to tangle with a fast-talking, smooth operator, who though he/she mayhave my best travel plans at heart, may not exactly befeeling my strain. So I’m going to wait a few daysuntil I regain my bearings — and patience, and toler-ance and call them back unsolicited at a time con-venient for me but possibly not so for them and see ifwe can make a deal.

Because, to tell you the truth, if I could coordinatetwo hotel reservations — along with all the amenitieswith which I’m likely to be showered for acceptingthese extraordinarily generous offers, combined withsome free air miles I’ve accumulated with UnitedAirlines/their travel partners, this indeed could be thetrip that my oncologist encouraged us to take whenhe first delivered the life-changing/life-ending prog-nosis: “13 months to two years” back in late February2009. Further adding that, before starting chemother-apy, was as good as I would likely feel for a long time.And as I have come to learn, the quality of my life isvery important to my oncologist.

At that time however, I didn’t feel the need and/orwasn’t motivated to follow my oncologist’s sugges-tion; I wanted to get started on my treatment. Now,eight and half years later, perhaps the timing is better,especially given that it presents itself at the beginningof a new Redskins football season. And if I may quotethe late, great, former, head coach of the “Over thehill gang,” George Allen: “The future is now.” So letme sift through the offers this week and see if canindeed take the “trip we’ve always dreamed of.” Iknow it’s often said that you can’t go back. Maybewe can still go forward.

Nothing To DoWith Cancer,Almost

Business DirectoryTo Advertise Your Business, Call Karen at 703-778-9422

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ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL

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IMPROVEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS

LANDSCAPING

Alfredo’s Construction Company, Inc.

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Good is not good, where

better is expected.

-Thomas Fuller

An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mis-

takes that can be made in his subject and how to avoid them.-Werner Heisenberg

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERSRSVP, a volunteer network for seniors seeking

service opportunities in and around FairfaxCounty, Arlington County and the City ofAlexandria, offers a wide array of opportunitiesfor volunteers 55 and older. RSVP volunteersenjoy flexible schedules, free accident andliability insurance while serving, optionalmileage and meal reimbursement and areinvited to volunteer group projects and socialgatherings. To sign up for an upcomingorientation, email Carly Hubicki atchubicki@volunteerfairfax.org or call RSVP at703-403- 5360. To learn more about RSVP, visitwww.rsvpnova.org.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 12National Active and Retired Federal

Employees Lunch. 11:30 a.m.-noon atAmerican Legion Post 177, 3939 Oak St.,Fairfax. Presentation on “Hearing Loss &Hearing Aids-Beware and Be Wise” by BonnieO’Leary Outreach Manager, Northern VirginiaOutreach Center. $11. Call 703-280-2356 oremail rrharney2@gmail.com.

TUESDAY/SEPT. 19ESOL classes. noon-7:30 p.m. at The Church of

the Good Shepherd, 9350 Braddock Road,Burke. Day and evening English for Speakers ofOther Languages (ESOL) classes open to thosewho wish to improve their English skills. Call703-323-5400 for more.

IN-PERSON, TV DEBATESThe League of Women Voters of the Fairfax

Area (LWVFA) will hold four in-person forumsand three televised forums for the public and thepress to learn about the candidates who arerunning for election to the Virginia House ofDelegates. The League invited all certifiedcandidates campaigning for office in theirrespective districts. At the in-person forums,question-and-answer sessions will be followedby an opportunity for informal conversationswith individual candidates. The public and pressare encouraged to attend. For more informationabout the candidates’ priorities and positions,visit www.vote411.org.

In-person forums:❖ Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at Providence

Community Center: 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax.❖ Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at Hayfield

Secondary School, Lecture Hall: 7630Telegraph Road, Alexandria.

❖ Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at SullyGovernment Center: 4900 Stonecroft Blvd.,Chantilly.

The televised forums at Fairfax County PublicAccess are on Channel 10 or livestreamed onYouTube “Inside Scoop Livestream.” The publiccan submit questions by email totheinsidescooptv@gmail.com or call 571-749-1142 between 7-8:30 p.m. Tune in on:Monday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.; Monday, Sept.18 at 8 p.m.; and Monday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.

SEPT. 29-30Fall Children’s Consignment Sale. 9 a.m.-8

p.m., at Cameron United Methodist Church,3130 Franconia Road. Some items are half priceon Saturday. To become a seller, email:CUMC.CCS@gmail.com, or visit www.cameron-umc.org/.

ONGOINGHaven of Northern Virginia provides support,

compassion, information and resources to thebereaved and seriously ill. To become a Havenvolunteer, please call 703-941-7000 to requestan orientation. Volunteers must complete a 30-hour training and commit to one year of serviceanswering Haven phones (2.5 hours weekly).Next training is scheduled for fall 2017.

Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke servesthose 50 and older who no longer drive.Volunteer drivers are needed for trips(Monday-Friday) to medical appointments andcompanion shopping within the Fairfax/Burkearea. Office workers are needed to answerphones in the SCFB office (Monday-Friday) tomatch drivers and those who need rides. Call703-323-4788.

Bulletin

16 ❖ Burke Connection ❖ September 7-13, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com