Great Falls Optimist Club Barn Dance
<bt>To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Great Falls Optimist Club, a Barn Dance will be held on Oct. 1, from 7:30 to midnight at 964 Walker Road. A $50 donation per person is required to attend. Food will be provided by Thrillbillys Band and dinner will be provided by Dave's Bar-B-Que. Beer and wine will also be available, and dance instructors for Texas 2-step and line dancing will also be on hand. For more information call Linda Thompson at 703-759-2959 or Candace Campbell at 703-759-9546. The Optimist International Foundation is a 501©3. Proceeds will be used to support the work of the GFOC. Tickets must be purchased in advance and space is limited.
<sh>McLean District Officers Capture Alleged Robber
<bt>A 45-year-old Fairfax-area man purchased items from Stop-In-Go, 7600 Lee Highway, on Monday, Sept. 18. The man returned to his vehicle at about 6:20 p.m. and was confronted by another man with a gun. The suspect pointed the gun at the victim and demanded money. The victim relinquished an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect fled. The victim was uninjured.
Officers set up a perimeter to locate the suspect and found him across the street. A handgun was found in the bushes nearby. Police arrested 19-year-old Paul Costley, of Taylor House #C110 in northeast Washington D.C., and charged him with robbery, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a concealed weapon.
<sh>Grand Opening Ceremonies for Clemyjontri Park
<bt>On Monday, Oct. 9, McLean will celebrate the grand opening of Clemyjontri Park. Adele Lebowitz wanted a place where children of all abilities could play together. Due to the efforts of the Friends of Clemyjontri, the Park Authority and hundreds of individuals, families and organizations. Clemyjontri Park is the county's first playground where parents and children with disabilities can play side by side with children without disabilities. The two acre playground is one of the largest play areas in the county. The playground is divided into four sections, each with a distinctive bright color scheme. The entire site is barrier-free and covered with a rubberized surface. The play apparatus pieces can accommodate children with physical disabilities and wheelchairs, and the regular swings are next to the swings for wheelchairs. Centering the entire site is a 36-foot American Classic carousel with moving and stationary horses to ride.
<sh>Events Rescheduled
<bt>Due to scheduling conflicts, the McLean Community Center (MCC) will postpone its “Back to School Bash” for fifth- and sixth-graders from 7-9 p.m., scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, to Friday, Oct. 13 from 7-9 p.m. The dance will be held at the center, 1234 Ingleside Ave.
All previously purchased tickets will be honored on Oct.13. Tickets for the Center’s “Monster Mash” dance on Friday, Oct. 27, which were scheduled to go on sale at the Alden Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 23, will now go on sale at 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 28. Tickets to each dance are $25 per person/$20 for McLean district residents. Anyone who would like to receive a refund for tickets they purchased to the “Back to School Bash” may contact the center for instructions on how to receive a refund. Additionally, the Old Firehouse Teen Center’s Family Day, which was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, will be postponed until Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. OFTC is located at 1440 Chain Bridge Road. Admission to Family Day is free. Call the center at 703-790-0123/TTY: 703-827-8255, or E-mail mail@mcleancenter.org.
<sh>Great Falls Fire Department Open House
<bt>The Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Open House, Saturday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 9916 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls. There will be games such as a smoke crawl and children's fire hose spray, as well as a fire fighter dress up, Jaws of Life, and kitchen emergency first aid demonstrations. We will also have an hourly raffle and Doc's famous free hot dogs. Meet local fire fighters and see the new ambulance.
<sh>Correction
<bt>In the Sept. 20-26, 2006 issue of the Great Falls Connection, it was incorrectly stated in the article "Hindsight is 20/20" that a sewer line was brought into Great Falls. It should have stated that a water pipeline was installed.