100th Anniversary of Great Falls National Park
<bt>On Saturday, July 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Great Falls Historians and the National Park Service will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad, and Great Falls National Park. An exhibit featuring maps and photos of the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad will be on display in the Great Falls Park visitor center, and will run through the month of July. For more information, please call park ranger Jesse Reynolds at 703-757-3113.
<bt>Fourth of July Fireworks
<sh>There will be Fourth of July fireworks on Tuesday, July 4, at the Langley High School Stadium, located at 6520 Georgetown Pike, in McLean. The grounds open at 6 p.m., and there will be free admission and parking. Arrive early to enjoy the music, field games, face painting and food. Sponsored by the McLean Community Center. There will also be a Great Falls Fourth of July event at Turner Farm, located at the intersection of Georgetown Pike (Route 193) and Springvale Road (Route 674). The event begins at 5:30, with carnival rides, games, and food until 8:30. A fireworks display sponsored by Great Falls organizations and businesses will follow.
<sh>McLean Resident Selected for Leadership Institute
<bt>Natalie Villacorta, a rising sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was accepted into the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute, an intensive community service and leadership program. The Institute teaches youth a broad array of
leadership skills that can be applied to any life experience through a curriculum that includes both classroom instruction and experiential training. The institute trains young leaders to identify their community's needs and seek ways to solve these problems. Villacorta, a McLean resident, is involved in a number of extracurricular activities such as National Junior Honor Society, Cornerstone, cheerleading, soccer and basketball. Her hobbies include playing Latin Certamen and reading. During the Institute, participants plan their own community service project and implement it as a group at the end of the Institute. They also do a variety of leadership activities including team building, project leadership, decision-making, diversity training, field and other dynamic leadership activities. The Points of Light Foundation certifies youth service professionals across the country to conduct these youth leadership institutes. The Institute is held in more than 40 states across the United States. Volunteer Fairfax is a member of the Points of Light Foundation and has three Institute trainers on staff. Volunteer Fairfax is a private nonprofit corporation established in 1975 to mobilize people resources to meet regional community needs. Each year, Volunteer Fairfax helps more than 10,000 individuals find community service opportunities. In 2005, the volunteer center was
responsible for generating 44,000 volunteer hours, which is an investment of $750,000 in volunteer time to area nonprofits.
<sh>ExtravaCATza Adoption Event
<bt>The Fairfax County Animal Shelter will host an ExtravaCATza — a cat and kitten adoption event — throughout the month of July at its facility located at 4500 West Ox Road in Fairfax. Families interested in adopting a cat or kittens are encouraged to drop by the shelter throughout the month to meet the wonderful animals that are available and looking for a loving new home. The first 100 cats and kittens adopted in July will receive a spay or neuter free of charge to the adopter as part of the special event. As part of the ExtravaCATza the shelter is partnering with DC Metro No More Homeless Pets, a local non-profit animal welfare organization, to bring cats and kittens from nine different private animal rescue organizations to the shelter on Sundays (July 9, 16, 23 and 30). Two rescue groups will appear at the shelter each Sunday with additional cats and kittens available for adoption. Adoptions processes and fees vary by group. The shelter will also be open during its normal adoption hours throughout the month: Tuesdays – Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The special Sunday adoption hours will be from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. on July 9, 16, 23 and 30. For more information about the ExtravaCATza, visit www.fairfaxpets.org.
<sh>Correction
<bt>In the June 14-20 issue of the Great Falls Connection, McLean Citizens Association board member William Denk was incorrectly referred to as William Banks.