‘Rally for a Cause’ Tennis Tourney in Reston
Early morning clouds dispersed and the rain held off Sept. 21 and 22 for Reston’s “Rally for a Cause,” the second annual tennis tournament. Sixty five players, nearly double the number of players from the previous year, gathered at the Lake Newport tennis facility for men’s and women’s 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 singles and doubles draws. They brought their racquets, their wallets and their friends to combine the sport of tennis with charitable giving. The tournament sponsored three causes: USTA Serves/Wounded Warrior Curriculum, HEART (Have Everyone Access Tennis) and Cornerstones, which respectively support rehabilitation through tennis for injured or ill veterans, tennis scholarships for children and interfaith family services.
Oktoberfest Returns to Reston Town Center
Northern Virginia’s largest outdoor fall festival is Friday through Sunday, Oct. 11-13.
The beer and wine will be flowing at Oktoberfest Reston produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, www.OktoberfestReston.com, the largest fall festival in Northern Virginia drawing crowds of up to 85,000 over three days. This event features the best in fall brews with traditional Oktoberfest fare from area restaurants.
Memorial Service Set for William Jarvie Nicoson
A memorial service for William Jarvie Nicoson, lawyer and first director of the New Community Assistance Program, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, 1700 Wainwright Drive, Reston.
Running, Walking to Help Haitians
VIP 5K run/walk to be held Saturday, Oct. 12 at Lake Fairfax Park.
The Vanessa Pean Foundation is sponsoring the second annual VIP 5K run/walk in memory of Great Falls resident Vanessa Pean who died tragically in a car accident on Beach Mill Road Oct. 30, 2005 at age 16. Since 2005, the Vanessa Péan Foundation has been shaping the future of Haiti by providing scholarships to underprivileged children as well as critically needed basic services such as clean water. This 501c3 is dedicated to creating a better future for all Haitians through education and by addressing basic human needs. Over 322 scholarships have been provided and a clean spring water well now provides potable water for a town the size of Great Falls.
Promoting Jewish Medical Awareness in Northern Virginia
The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will present a program on ethics, “Life in the Balance: Jewish Perspectives on Everyday Medical Dilemmas,” as part of the institute’s new six-session Fall 2013 course that will begin during the week of Oct. 27.
Boy Scouts Collect Bikes for the World
Herndon Boy Scout Troop 159 held a successful bike drive for Bikes for the World on Saturday, Sept. 28, collecting 87 used bikes, as well as accessories such as helmets. Bikes for the World is an Arlington-based charity that sends used bikes around the world to help children and adults needing reliable transportation to school, work and health care. Troop 159 collected the bikes on Sept. 28 at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Herndon. The drive was conducted as the Eagle Scout service project for troop member Conor Mears, 16, of Reston. The scouts processed the bikes for shipping, provided donors with receipts, and loaded the bikes onto the trailer. The bikes will most likely be shipped to Barbados in a few weeks.
Active Seniors Compete for Glory
fter 11 days of more than 50 events held Sept. 7-19, the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics finished with a golf event at Forest Greens Golf Course in Triangle, Va. Other events ranged from cycling, swimming and pickle ball to Mexican train dominos and Scrabble.
Leadership Fairfax Honors Community Leaders Who Make a Difference
Leadership Fairfax (LFI) has chosen the 2013 Northern Virginia Leadership Awards (NVLA) recipients via a panel of community and business leaders evaluating nominations submitted by Leadership Fairfax alumni and the general public. The award recipients will be honored at the Northern Virginia Leadership Awards luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Westwood Country Club in Vienna.
Minority Chambers of Commerce to Host Candidates’ Forum
The recently formed alliance of Northern Virginia Minority Chambers of Commerce will give members of the fast growing minority business community the opportunity to meet with the commonwealth’s gubernatorial and statewide candidates at the first-ever joint Candidates’ Forum, Sunday, Oct. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus.
On the Job and Hot on the Trail
Finding people is fun for new, police bloodhound pups.
“We’ll get them out here and acclimate them to the noises — gunfire, [vehicle] brakes and birds,” said Masood. They’ll also be exposed to airplanes, wind, rain, heat, car horns honking, plus obstacles such as fences. And they’ll learn how it feels on their paws to walk in the woods, through brush, on cement, carpet, tile floors, etc. That way, said Clarke, “When they get out on the street, when they’re almost a year old, they’ll be ready.”
Walking to End Alzheimer’s
Reston Town Center Walk draws 1,200-plus participants.
Reston Town Center looked like it was being wrapped in a rainbow as the 1,200-plus participants in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s wound their way through the streets, dressed in a variety of colorful team t-shirts and carrying whirly-wind paper flowers with the names of afflicted loved ones written on the petals. Some 600 communities across the country have joined in the national effort to raise funds and awareness of this devastating disease, and the Alzheimer’s Association’s local National Capital Area Chapter President Susan Kudla Finn reported that more than 112 walks were held just this weekend alone, in addition to the Reston walk Sunday, Sept. 29.
A Grand Musical Night
Reston Community Players’ “Tribute to the Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber.”
Reston Community Players present "A Tribute to the Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber" at CenterStage, Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Hunters Woods, Reston. Performances: Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. Matinees at 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 & 27. Tickets: $23. Call 703-476-3500 or visit www.restonplayers.org.
Light the Night at Reston Town Center
Friends, families and co-workers will gather over three Saturday nights in October to raise funds and awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The 2013 Light The Night Walks will take place on Oct. 5 at the Reston Town Center, Oct. 12 in Rockville, Md. at the Rockville Town Square, and Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C. at Freedom Plaza.
RCC Elections Are Now
To the Editor: The Oct. 5 deadline is approaching for the Reston Community Center (RCC) Board election, or Preference Poll. Six candidates are vying for three places. Many voters do not realize that three of the candidates are running in opposition to the Recreation Center as proposed by the current RCC administration. They are Sridhar Ganesan, John Mendonca and Tammi Petrine. When you vote, please keep this issue in mind. Marion Stillson Reston
Commentary
Affordable Care Act
Another phase of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became effective this week. Although controversial among some politicians who refer to the act as “Obamacare,” it is proving extremely beneficial for those who have had limited or no access to health care. As the benefits of the program become more obvious, these same politicians may regret associating the president’s name with a program that is on its way to making huge improvements in health care for Americans.