Alexandria Bulletin April 10-16
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Alexandria Bulletin April 10-16

Eagles ALVA Aerie 871 of Alexandria will host a Party for Children’s AIDS Awareness and Medical Research. This event will be held Saturday, April 12, at 8 p.m. at 1015 Cameron St. This will be an open to public night, when the upstairs will be rocking out to the tunes of “The Brightwings.” The event is $20 at the door and entitles patrons to $1 beers, free food, great tunes, a $5 raffle.

Bubba Merker Heart Walk: This is an annual walk to raise charity for the Max Baer Heart Fund . It begins 9 a.m. Sunday April 13 at the Aerie.

The Alexandria Campus of Northern Virginia Community College will host a job and internship fair on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Bisdorf Building cafeteria. The job fair will feature dozens of local employers seeking summer, full-time and part-time employees. Free. For additional information, contact Laura Hatfield at 703-845-6245 or lhatfield@nvcc.edu.

Senator Ken Cuccinelli ( R-37) will speak to the Commonwealth Republican Women's Club (CRWC) on Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Gail Ledwig, 503 Cathedral Drive, 703-823-0975.

Fields of Grace Farm of Remington, announced that it is voluntarily recalling from distribution in Virginia, Aged Cheddar cheese with the lot # 110907C because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The cheese in question was made on 11-09-07 and sold between the dates of 01-19-08 and 03-08-08, and have the lot # 110907C on the label. No other cheese is in question, or affected. This cheese was sold at the Arlington Farmers’ Market and the Falls Church Farmers’ Market. Fields of Grace Farm is taking action as a precautionary measure in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Consumers who have purchased this cheese should not eat the product and return the cheese to the market, for their money back or a replacement of cheese.

The American Association of Individual Investers (AAII), Metropolitan Washington Area Chapter, will hold its next monthly meeting on Saturday, April 12, 9:30 a.m., at the Courtyard by Marriott, 4641 Kenmore Ave., Alexandria. There will be a presentation entitled "Stock Valuation and Stock Market Cycles". AAII is a nonprofit, educationally oriented, nationwide organization.

The City of Alexandria will host the 15th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration at Ben Brenman Park (4800 Brenman Park Dr.) on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s theme "What's YOUR footprint?” will focus on everyday activities residents can do to reduce their environmental footprint, and will educate residents about how they can make a difference, both locally and globally. This year, the Alexandria Earth Day Committee has committed to making this a zero-waste and carbon neutral event.

The event features City agencies and organizations dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Exhibitors will provide educational activities that inform residents about how to modify their behavior to reduce their environmental footprints

For the 22nd consecutive year, the Alexandria City Public Schools Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) will sponsor the Harry Burke Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Special Education. Nomination forms may be submitted to Lillian Fennell, Division of Student Services, Alexandria City Public Schools, 2000 North Beauregard Street, Suite 203, Alexandria, Virginia, 22311. The deadline is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29.

The purpose of this award is to recognize an Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) employee who demonstrates outstanding ability, excellence in performance of duties and a deep commitment to the education of children with disabilities. SEAC will present Harry Burke Awards to special education teachers, instructors or employees at the elementary and secondary school levels. For the second year, the group also will present the Anne Lipnick Inclusion for All Award to a general education teacher. This award debuted last year to honor ACPS’s own icon of inclusion, Parent Resource Center Director Anne Lipnick.

Harry Burke Special Education Awards recipients will be announced at a reception hosted by SEAC at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, at the Minnie Howard School cafeteria, 3801 West Braddock Road, Alexandria.

On May 10, the City will host an Eco-City Summit to provide residents with a public forum to comment on environmental issues, and to draft an environmental action plan for the City. For more information about the Eco-City Summit, please contact the City’s Division of Environmental Quality at 703.838.4334, or visit alexandriava.gov/tes.

The Alexandria Commission on Aging, which advocates for the needs of Alexandria seniors, is seeking nominations for its Annual Excellence in Aging Awards. These awards honor individuals, regardless of age, who have demonstrated superior contributions in advancing issues and projects that favorably affect older Alexandrians. For more information or to obtain a nomination packet, call Debbie Ludington at the Department of Human Services Office of Aging and Adult Services at 703-838-0927.

The Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities is seeking nominations for three annual awards that honor local residents and organizations that have made a difference in the lives of people with disabilities in the community. Application forms, available online at www.alexandriava.gov/humanrights are due by Wednesday, April 30. For more information, reasonable accommodations, or an alternative format, contact Mike Hatfield at mike.hatfield@alexandriava.gov or 703.519.3357, 711 TTY.

Have an attic or basement full of treasures collecting dust? Put them to good use instead by donating them to MV Big Flea. The Big Flea benefits the Mount Vernon Community School PTA in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. Here's how it works: You donate items to the school PTA. They sell them and keep the proceeds. You receive a tax-deductible contribution. Donations can be dropped off on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at 409 E. Alexandria Ave. If possible, send an email to joseph.lamountain@gmail.com and let Joe know that you are coming and what you plan to bring so we can plan accordingly. You may also contact Joseph LaMountain at 202-288-5124.

There is free income tax preparation on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Mondays from 2-8 p.m. through April 13 at NOVA’s Alexandria campus, 3001 N. Beauregard St. Bring proof of identification, Social Security Cards, all earning statements (W2, W-2G, 1099), interest/dividend bank statements, and a cancelled check or bank routing numbers for direct deposit of your income tax refund. Although walk-ins are welcome, appointments are encouraged—call 703-845-6222.

The Alexandria chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) meet at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, at the Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center, 1108 Jefferson St. Contact 703-684-6190 or visit www.naacpalexandria.org.

The Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) is seeking applications from non-profit organizations and community groups for the Virginia Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund (RSIF). The RSIF provides seed money for innovative programs or services, to close gaps in unmet needs, and to increase the quality of life for persons with physical or sensory disabilities. The RSIF process is competitive, and the ACPD can submit only one project proposal for consideration, which is then reviewed and scored by the Virginia Disability Services Council. The maximum award is $15,000, with a 10 percent match required. Proposals are due no later than Tuesday, April 1, and should be e-mailed to mike.hatfield@alexandriava.gov . For a complete RSIF application package or a copy of the ACPD’s most recent Needs Assessment, visit alexandriava.gov/humanrights . For more information, please contact Mike Hatfield, Disability Resources Coordinator, at 703-519-3357 (TTY 711).

The City of Alexandria invites design submissions from architects, landscape architects, artists, students, and the general public to memorialize and honor the 1,800 individuals—who escaped slavery by fleeing to Alexandria during the Civil War—that are buried in Contrabands and Freedmen’s Cemetery. The three-acre site is located at the southwest corner of Church and South Washington Streets in Alexandria. Submissions are due Friday, April 25. Information and criteria for the design are available at alexandriava.gov/freedmens. Submissions must be mailed to Lee Center, Attention: Design Competition, 1108 Jefferson St.,Alexandria, VA 22314.

The City of Alexandria is once again offering free tax preparation assistance to low-income residents during the 2008 tax season. The service, provided by expert volunteer accountants and lawyers from Community Tax Aid, Inc., is designed to help Alexandria residents file accurate IRS and Virginia individual income tax returns and to apply for all applicable credits and deductions, including the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.

Tax preparation sessions will continue through April 12. Sessions are held in the lobby of the Alexandria Department of Human Services, 2525 Mount Vernon Ave.

Taxpayers will be assisted on a first come, first-served basis. Spanish-speaking volunteers are available on-site and electronic filing is available to help taxpayers receive their refunds more quickly.

Citizens are eligible for the Tax Preparation Assistance Program if their income is below $22,000 for individuals, and below $38,000 for families. Taxpayers must bring a picture identification, W-2 forms and other income records, and records or receipts for expenses for child care, education, or any additional income. They must also provide social security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) letters for all family members and a copy of last year’s tax return, if possible.

The City’s Department of Human Services Office of Aging and Adult Services has a new program entitled The new Door Thru Door transportation. The Door Thru Door program will provide a trained aide to help adults, age 18 or older, who need someone to accompany them to non-urgent medical appointments because of physical or cognitive limitations. The aide will go to the home and help individuals get ready for the appointment, help them into the vehicle, stay with them at the appointment and then ride back home with them. Cost estimates range from zero to $30 per trip. Reservations are being accepted and service will begin on Feb. 4. To make a reservation, call Home Care Partners at 202-638-0736.

Financial Literacy Workshops are designed to help participants achieve financial self-sufficiency. For information on any of the workshops call 703-549-4232 x4095 or 703-549-4232 x4260. The following workshops are free and take place at 1224 Princess St.:

* Practicum & Planning for Your Future — Saturday, April 19 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The following free workshops take place at 8543 Forest Place:

* Budgeting Process & Analyzing Your Budget — Wednesday , March 26 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

* Goal Setting — Wednesday, April 9 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

* Wrap Up & Planning for Your Future — Wednesday, April 23 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.