<cal1>THROUGH APRIL 19
<cal2>Fair Oaks Shopping Center takes on a magical feeling with the arrival of the Spring Bunny, a visit from Stuart Little and an array of L'il Folks programs. The spring bunny and Stuart Little appearances will take place from now through Saturday, April 19. Hours are Monday-Saturdays from 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m., and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Fountain Court. Visit www.ShopFairOaksMall.com.
<cal1>APRIL 4-6
<cal2>The Super Pet Expo will take place April 4-6 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. The show promotes responsible pet ownership and helps draw attention to abandoned pets that are available for adoption through local humane societies, animal shelters and rescue leagues. Highlights include The Great American Mutt Show, Canine Blood Drive, Parrot Pavilion, Cats of the World, Snakes Scales and Turtle Tails and more. Tickets are $8/adults, $5/children ages 3-10, and free for kids 3 and under. Kids are free all day Friday. Hours are Friday 4:30-9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Call 866-SUPER-PET (toll free).
<cal1>SATURDAY/APRIL 5
<cal2>A white elephant/yard sale will take place at St. Andrew Lutheran Church on Saturday, April 5 from 8 a.m. to noon (rain or shine). Items for sale include clothing, furniture, books, toys, children's items, housewares and more. Proceeds to benefit Bethany House and NOVACO programs for victims of domestic abuse. The church is located at 14640 Soucy Place, Centreville (Braddock Road at Cranoke Street).
<cal2>The Lane's Mill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will meet on Saturday, April 5, at 1 p.m., at the Centreville Library. Lane's Mill is a small but active chapter that offers a broad range of programs on historic preservation and natural conservation, education of our nation's youth, and promotion of patriotism and love of country. Chapter officers will be elected and inducted. All prospective members and guests are encouraged to attend. Call Lorraine Sims, Chapter Regent, at 703-815-2802 or visit the chapter site at www.dar.org. under "chapters".
<cal1>APRIL 5-6
<cal2>Artisans United will present the Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild on April 5-6 at Northern Virginia Community College. Show hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $1. About 60 artisans and artists, chosen by NVHG's hands-on jurying process, will show and sell their finest work. On display will be gifts and collectibles including hand weaving, lamps, wood burning, decorative painting, photography, wildlife art, pottery, dolls, paper mache, stained and fused glass and more. Artisans United is an organization of craft guilds and individuals whose purpose is to promote the visual arts. The NOVA campus is located at 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale in the Community Cultural Center. Call Cele Sinnott at 703-938-8306.
<cal2>The Center for the Arts' Pied Piper Theater is staging the musical, "Annie" this weekend. Corinne Holland of Cub Run Elementary portrays Tessie, one of the orphans. Centreville and Clifton residents Laura Fraase and Jordan Jacomo play Bonnie and Lonnie Boylan in the cast. Makenna, a 6-year-old Briard dog owned by the Jacomo family of Clifton, makes her debut as Sandy. "Annie" will be performed on Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 6 at 3:30 p.m. at Osbourn Park High School, 8909 Euclid Ave., Manassas. Tickets are $7/advance or $8 at the door. Call 703-330-ARTS.
<cal1>MONDAY/APRIL 7
<cal2>The Shark Club in Centreville will be holding Swing Dance Lessons beginning Monday, April 7 from 7-9 p.m. for eight weeks. The beginner class is from 7-8 p.m. and the intermediate class is from 8-9 p.m. Class instructors are Sue and Gary Caley. Open dancing with a deejay is from 9-11 p.m. and will be free for students and $5 for others. The Shark Club is located in the Newgate Shopping Center, the corner of Routes 28/29. Visit the Web site at www.gottaswing.com or www.jitterbuzz.com for details.
<cal2>The Centreville Toastmasters Club meets twice a month at the Centreville Regional Library, from 7-8:15 p.m., on Mondays, April 7, April 21, May 5, May 19, June 9, June 23. Toastmasters will help members speak confidently, listen effectively and think on their feet. Guests are always welcome. Contact Lynn Griesemer, 703-263-2468, greeze@juno.com.
<cal1>TUESDAY, APRIL 8
<cal2>The New Mothers Luncheon Group in Northern Virginia offers an opportunity for mothers and their infants (up to 8 months old) to get together for lunch, a speaker and fun. The group meets every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Restaurant 7, located at 8521 Leesburg Pike, Tysons Corner. Reservations are required for all luncheons. Contact Rochelle Goldberg at 703-961-9179 or at eventbuilders@hotmail.com.
The schedule is as follows:
* Tuesday, April 8 — "Early Infant Communication," Diane Robey, MS, CCC, Children's Speech and Language Therapy Center;
* Tuesday, April 15 — "Physical Movement and Your Infant," Chad Mussman, The Little Gym;
* Tuesday, April 22 — No lunch;
* Tuesday, April 29 — "Emotional Development of Infants," Tamara Balis, Essential Tools for Living, LLC;
* Tuesday, May 6 — "Nanny Agencies and What They Can Provide (more than what you think)" Susan and Jerry Milwit, Metropolitan Nannies;
Tuesday, May 13 — "Developmental Milestones — Birth to Age 1," Patti Turner, MS;
* Tuesday, May 20 — "The Importance of Estate and Financial Planning," Jennifer Holt, Attorney at Law;
* Tuesday, May 27 — "Toys! Toys! Toys!" Susie Waterstreet, Tree Top Toys.
<cal1>WEDNESDAY/APRIL 9
<cal2>The transformation of the former D.C. Correctional Facility in Lorton to a world-class asset for Fairfax County will begin with a collection of proposals from community groups. On Wednesday, April 9 at 9:30 a.m., the Fairfax Station Unit of the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area will hold its regular monthly meetings at the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority headquarters at 5400 Ox Road (Route 123) corner of Popes Head Road. Maps, slides and other visuals of the property will be presented by Mary Ashton of the County Executive's office. A tour will be scheduled for a Saturday subsequent to this meeting. Everyone is welcome. Call 703-830-8198 or e-mail: mbhedges@outgun.com or call 703-250-7251, e-mail htongren@erols.com.
The Fairfax Station Unit meets the second Wednesday of each month. For a unit meeting at a more convenient day or time, call the League office at 703-658-9150.
<cal1>THURSDAY/APRIL 10
<cal2>Fairfax CASA will host its second annual "Light of Hope Celebration" at the Fairfax County Government Center, in the Forum, on Thursday, April 10 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. This year's program of children's songs and family festivities will help to kick off the first of many public awareness and education activities across Fairfax County during the month of April to recognize National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The Fairfax County Government Center is located at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Call Maria Buscemi at 703-273-3526 or e-mail at mbuscemi@casafairfax.org.
<cal1>SATURDAY/APRIL 12
<cal2>The Northern Virginia Model Railroaders Inc. will be holding an open house on Saturday, April 12 from noon to 4 p.m. You can watch the action on the operating "HO" scale model railroads of the "Southern Railway" and the "Western North Carolina Railroad". The club is located in the historic "Washington & Old Dominion Railroad" station, located at 231 Dominion Road (at the intersection with Ayr Hill Road) in Vienna. There is no admission charge. More information can be obtained by going to the Web site at www.nvmr.org, by e-mail at nvmrinc@hotmail.com or by calling 703-938-5157 on the day of the open house.
<cal2>An Irish Social Dance (Ceili) will take place on Saturday, April 12 from 8 p.m. until midnight at the John C. Wood Center, 3730 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax City (next to St. Leo's). Basic dance lessons will be offered from 7:30-8 p.m. The Bog Wanderers will perform live Irish Music. Cost is $12 per person, $25 maximum per family. These dances are fun and for the whole family. Beginners, singles, couples and families are welcome. Ceili and set dances will be featured. Sponsored by the Washington Area Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, the dances are held every second Saturday of the month during the school year (April 12, May 10 and June 14). Call Vicki Ryan-Barr at 703-521-4340.
<cal1>SUNDAY/APRIL 13
<cal2>The April Rain 100 (NSCA) Contest will be held Sunday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bull Run Regional Park Public Shooting Center, 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville. Take aim at this contest sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Bull Run Shooting Center and Short Flight Shooting Instruction. This will be a National Sporting Clays Association event. For fees and more information, call 703-830-2344.
<cal2>The annual bluebell walk will take place Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m. at Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville. View a spectacular display of bluebells, with spring beauties and other spring wildflowers, along the Bluebell Trail. The guided hike is free and no reservations are required. Bull Run Regional Park boasts one of the largest stands of bluebells on the east coast. Call 703-528-5406.
<cal1>WEDNESDAY/APRIL 16
<cal2>Easter Bunny to visit Egg Hunt at Bull Run Park. Children ages 2 through 8 may bring a basket and search for colorful eggs, then pose for pictures with the Easter Bunny at Bull Run Regional Park's egg hunt and spring crafts event on Wednesday, April 16. Children will check in at 10 a.m. and enjoy spring crafts. The hunt will begin at 11 a.m. at the park located at 7700 Bull Run Drive in Centreville. The fee is $4 per child and $2 per photo with the Easter Bunny. Reservations are required. Call 703-631-0550.
<cal1>THURSDAY/APRIL 17
<cal2>A free workshop on anxiety will be held Thursday, April 17 from 7-9 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library. Gain a better understanding of why people suffer from panic attacks, phobias, extreme shyness and obsessive-compulsive behaviors and discuss a non-drug treatment. The library is located at 14200 Saint Germaine Drive, Centreville. To learn more or to register, call the Quantum Healing Center at 703-937-3993 or email info@quantumhealingcenter.com.
<cal1>SUNDAY/APRIL 20
<cal2>A Spring Fling Skeet Tournament (NSSA) will take place on Sunday, April 20, from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Bull Run Regional Park Public Shooting Center, 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville. Take aim at this contest sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Bull Run Shooting Center. This will be a National Skeet Shooting Association tournament. For fees and more information, call 703-830-2344.
<cal1>MONDAY/APRIL 21
<cal2>Emergency Management Specialist Gary Ball from the Fairfax County Emergency Management Office will the guest speaker at the Greenbriar Woman's Club meeting on Monday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Greenbriar Community Center, 4615 Stringfellow Road. Mr. Ball will be discussing Fairfax County's plans of action in case of a terrorist attack that would impact Fairfax County citizens. He will also be discussing how individuals and families should prepare for and respond to such an emergency event. All Greenbriar residents and others from surrounding communities are invited to attend. Call Barbara Cale at 703-378-6009 or Lee Conley at 703-266-7032 for further information. The Greenbriar Woman's Club is a member of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs and its Virginia affiliate (GFWC-Virginia). Go to www.gfwc.org.
<cal1>SATURDAY/APRIL 26
<cal2>Boy Scout Troop 893 will host its 30th Annual Flea Market on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the former site of the Lowe's Hardware Store, located at 13955 Metrotech Drive in Chantilly — across from K-Mart and Babies R Us. Items for sale include: furniture, housewares, sports equipment, books, clothes for the entire family, electronics and white elephant merchandise. Plenty of parking! Donation are being accepted on the following Saturdays (April 5, 12 and 19). They can be dropped off between the hours of 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the site. Call 703-222-2333.
<cal2>CPR is being offered at the Centreville Volunteer Fire Department on Old Centreville Road. It is being held on the fourth Saturday every month. The course includes the Heimlich Maneuver for choking and CPR techniques for infants, children and adults. This course is not for those who need the Healthcare Provider level. A donation of $25 is requested. Call 703-830-1479 and leave your name and phone number in the CPR mailbox.