<sh>Great Falls Students in Cherry Blossom Parade
<bt>Students at Great Falls Elementary School will participate, for their fourth year, in the Cherry Blossom Parade, scheduled for April 9. About 1 million tourists are expected for this year's festival.
It is expected that more than 60 Great Falls boys and girls, all of whom are enrolled in the school's Japanese Immersion Program, will take part in the traditional one-mile march along Constitution Avenue as part of this annual commemoration of the gift of more than 3,000 cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington in 1912. The parade will be televised live on News Channel 8, and the Great Falls student performance is expected to air at approximately 11:17 a.m.
For the last two months, the students have rehearsed a number of Japanese songs and dances they will perform in the parade. Parent volunteers and past students of the Great Falls Immersion Program will lead the performance. The group has also been busy preparing the colorful Japanese happi coats the children and chaperones will wear, renovating the marching banners and decorating the cherry-blossom car float, which will accompany the marchers.
<sh>McLean Play Opens This Weekend
<bt>The McLean Theatre Alliance presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" April 8-23 at the Alden Theatre, McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave. Friday and Saturday showings are at 8 p.m., and Sunday showings are at 2 p.m. For ages 5 and up. Tickets cost $14, with discounts for seniors, students, residents and groups. To order tickets call the box office at 703-790-9223 or Ticketmaster at 703-573-SEAT. For information call 703-790-0128
<sh>Medical Reserve Corps Seeks Volunteers
<bt>A spring recruitment drive has been launched by the Fairfax County Health Department, in cooperation with the Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council, to add 3,000 more volunteers to its Medical Reserve Corps by June 30. To date, approximately 3,000 medical and nonmedical volunteers are signed up and receiving training. The recruitment drive is concentrating on recruiting seasoned, experienced managers for key leadership roles in the MRC.
The all-volunteer MRC is designed to augment the capacity of the public health system to respond to large-scale events related to bioterrorism or widespread epidemics. In spite of the program's name, the majority of the volunteers needed are individuals without a medical background. Especially needed are managers to fill MRC leadership positions, including incident coordinator, branch director, volunteer coordinator and unit leader. All volunteers will receive the necessary training to fulfill their responsibilities.
To volunteer, register online at www.fairfaxmrc.org or call 703-246-2433, TTY 703-591-6435.
<sh>Ambulance Transport Billing Begins Soon
<bt>The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will begin charging for Emergency Medical Service transport this month. Fairfax County residents who have health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid will not pay any costs for ambulance service; insurance payments will be accepted as payment in full. There will be no additional co-payment or deductible.
For county residents who are uninsured, the Department will work with residents to see to it that no one suffers financial hardship as a result of ambulance transport. A hardship waiver form will be sent to those residents who do not have insurance.
Using a "service first" philosophy, firefighters and paramedics will deliver the same high-quality medical care and service that residents and visitors expect and depend upon. There will be no change in the way medical care is provided; it will be transparent to the patient. Personal information will continue to be gathered by medical staff at the hospital. Additionally, personal privacy will be protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Charges for ambulance transport include: $300 for Basic Life Support transport, $400 for Advanced Life Support, level 1 transport, $550 for Advanced Life Support, level 2 transport, and $7.50 per mile, from pick-up point to the hospital for ground transport. There will be no charge if there is no transport. No one will ever be denied county ambulance service based on ability to pay or the lack of insurance. When residents need emergency help, they should call 911 without hesitation.
For more information, including information in various languages, visit our web site at fairfaxcounty.gov/fire.
<sh>Food for Others Golf Tournament
<bt>The Food for Others is conducting its second annual Golf Tournament at the Herndon Centennial Golf Course at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 16. The cost before April 30 is $400 per foursome, $100 per individual and after April 30 is $475 per foursome, $125 per individual. Contact Food For Others at 703-207-9173 or visit www.tournamentor.com/foodforothers. Food for Others is a nonprofit food bank and food rescue operation, working to help some of the 90,183 persons living in poverty in Northern Virginia. Over 98¢ of every dollar raised goes directly to food program expenses.