<sh>Canstruction Winners
<bt>Winners have been chosen in the second Annual Canstruction competition, held April 1 and 2 at Ballston Common Mall. Organized by the Northern Virginia chapter of the American Institute of Architects, seven design teams assembled thousands of cans of food into whimsical structures. The food will be donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center.
The Jurors' Favorite was "Kick Hunger," a six-foot-tall boot built by the interior design and architecture firm Gensler. Best Meal was "You CAN Strike Out Hunger," a replica of a baseball stadium built by Kerns Group Architects. Best Use of Labels went to "SpongeBob CAN-Pants," a seven-foot-tall SpongeBob built by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. The Structural Ingenuity Award went to "CANcession," a giant bucket of movie theater popcorn built by MTFA Architects with Haynes Whaley Structural Engineers.
<sh>Columbia Pike Public Meetings
<bt>In partnership with Arlington County and Fairfax County, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will host two public meetings to review recommendations for an advanced transit system for Columbia Pike. The two public meetings will be identical in format. The first will be held Monday, April 25 from 6-8 p.m. at the Arlington Career Center, 816 S. Walter Reed Drive; the second will be Tuesday, April 26 from 6-8 p.m. at Glen Forest Elementary School, 5829 Glen Forest Drive, Falls Church. At these final meetings, the project team will share findings and recommendations for the Pike Transit Initiative. Citizens are encouraged to offer suggestions and comments as the study comes to a conclusion. Spanish translation services will be available at both meetings. For more information or directions to the meetings, call the project information line at 703-892-2776 or visit the project Web site at www.piketransit.com.
<sh>Local Businesses Support Neighborhood School
<bt>The PTA of Oakridge Elementary School will host its second annual “Taste of South Arlington” school fundraiser and community festival on Sunday, May 1 from 3–6 p.m. at the school, located at 1414 S. 24th St. Local restaurants will provide a sampling of their favorite menu items, and there will be a silent auction and raffle of items donated from local businesses. Children will enjoy a variety of activities including a moon bounce, cakewalk and games. Community sponsors include: Crystal City Sports Pub, Freddies Beach Bar and Restaurant, Chipoltle Restaurant, Stars & Stripes Restaurant, Arlington Diner, Harris Teeter, Crystal City Restaurant, Legal Sea Foods, Top Thai Restaurant, Kabob Palace, Jim McCowan of Long and Foster and Louis Andors of Weichert Realtors. For more information contact Allison Wolf at 703-549-8553 or visit www.arlington.k12.va.us/schools/oakridge.
<sh>Ballston Art Market Resumes May 7
<bt>The Ballston Art Market will return to Welburn Square on Saturday, May 7, offering one-of-a-kind creations for home decor, gifts and personal use. The monthly outdoor market operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month. A different mix of artists exhibits each month, making it possible for the public to enjoy new and different works. Among items for sale are handmade jewelry, pottery, quilts, wearable art, giftware, watercolors, oil paintings and photography. Ballston Art Market artists are juried by a select panel in order to provide the consumer with a high-quality experience. Welburn Square is located in the heart of Ballston, adjacent to the Metro station, at 9th and N. Stuart Streets, near the Ballston Common Mall. For directions and further information call 703-228-0560 or 703-528-3527.
<sh>Walk for Life Set for May 14
<bt>Preparations are underway for the 22nd annual Walk for Life on Saturday, May 14 at three locations in northern Virginia. Sponsored by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, the walk will raise funds for adoption services, foster care and crisis pregnancy counseling. CCDA serves seven cities and 21 counties in Northern Virginia. Simultaneous walks will take place at Fort Hunt Park Area A in Alexandria, Paul VI High School in Fairfax and Broad Run High School in Ashburn. Participants can register online at www.ccda.net or call 703-425-0100 for a registration form.
Check-in and on-site registration will begin at 10 a.m. at Fort Hunt and Paul VI and 11 a.m. at Broad Run. The walk is five kilometers (3.1 miles) long. Participants will receive a T-shirt and picnic lunch. Basic registration is $15. Seniors may register for $10, and a family may register for $40. At each site, door prizes will be given, and awards will be presented to the group with the largest number of youth walkers, the largest number of adult walkers, and the greatest amount of sponsor donations. Walkers are encouraged to collect donations (not pledges), which are tax deductible and may be turned in May 14 at the time of check-in or mailed to Catholic Charities, 200 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia, 22203.
Fort Hunt Park is at 8981 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria. Paul VI High School is at 10675 Lee Highway, Fairfax. Broad Run High School is at 21670 Ashburn Road, Ashburn. The walk will take place rain or shine. For more information call 703-425-0100.