<lst><i>Send announcements to the Herndon Connection, by mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, by e-mail to herndon@connectionnewspapers.com or by fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday 5 p.m. for the following week's paper. Photos/artwork encouraged. Call Meghan Williams at 703-917-6407 with questions. This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.</i>
The Herndon Safeway store, at 413 Elden St., will hold a flu vaccination clinic on Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Although shortages of flu vaccine are not anticipated, shots at Safeway Food and Drug stores through Oct. 24 will be administered in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control priority guidelines that gives highest priority to persons over the age of 65. As in previous years, there is no cost for Medicare Part B beneficiaries who simply present their card at the flu clinic and complete a roster billing form. Non-Medicare participants will be charged $25 for flu shots and $35 for the pneumonia vaccine. Registered nurses will administer the shots at all Safeway locations. The CDC determines the composition for the shots.
Bereavement Support Groups. Three groups, sponsored by Haven of Northern Virginia, meet at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne. The General Bereavement Group meets the first and third Wednesday of every month, 7:30-9 p.m. The Suicide Survivors Group meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9 p.m. The Widow/Widower Support Group meets the first and third Thursday of every month, 2-3:30 p.m. and the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9 p.m. Call 703-941-7000.
TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a nonprofit weight loss support group, meets every Tuesday at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 432 Van Buren St., Herndon. Weigh-ins begin at 6 p.m., with meetings at 6:30. Contact Bobbie Cippel at 703-476-4062 or visit www.TOPS.org.
Virginia Health Information. The non-profit, independent organization's Web site, www.vhi.org, reports on inpatient cardiac care provided at all licensed hospitals in Virginia. The information compares their performance and mortality outcomes. VHI’s study is based on more than 100,000 cardiac patient discharges submitted by Virginia hospitals for the year 2000.
Diabetes Support Group meets the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 7:30 p.m., on the Reston Hospital Center campus in the Pavilion, 1850 Town Center Drive, Suite 307. Call 703-689-9100.
Spiritual Support Group. Designed for oncology patients or those dealing with major illnesses. The non-denominational support group meets in the Radiation Therapy Department in the Pavilion on the Reston Hospital Center campus, 1850 Town Center Parkway on the first Tuesday of the month, at 6:30-7:30 p.m. Call 703-689-9325.
New Mothers Support Group. Meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at 10-11:30 a.m., in the Community Room at the Reston YMCA, 12196 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston. Call 703-689-9240.
Mothers of Toddlers Support Group. Meets the fourth Thursday of each month in the Community Room at the Reston YMCA, 12196 Sunset Hills Rd. Call 703-689-9240.
Sterling/Reston DRADA (Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association) Support Group meets first and third Tuesdays of each month, 7-9 p.m., in Reston. Call Ginny at 703-966-2510.
The Reston NAMI Support Group. Group meets twice a month, from 7-9 p.m., at the Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston. This is a National Alliance for the Mentally Ill support group for family and friends of people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. Call Rhonda at 703-716-0674, or Barb at 703-715-2485.
Amputee Support Group of Northern Virginia. A support group for amputees, their families and friends. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month, from 7:30-9 p.m., at the TeleStar Court building. Call Irvin Axelrod at 703-222-7120 or e-mail asgnva@earthlink.net.
Shoplifters Anonymous. Group offers a new 12-step meeting program for those who wish to stop compulsive shoplifting. The group meets every Thursday, 7-8 p.m., at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, 7426 Idylwood Rd. Call Sue at 703-759-0396 or Carol at 703-764-0347.