Congratulations to our neighbors over at the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center. The Center celebrated its “Jade” anniversary — 35 years of service on April 26. After remarks by MaryAnn Griffin, director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services for the City of Alexandria, Sally O’Dwyer, VP of Community Services for Catholic Charities (Arlington Diocese), Art Bennett, CEO of Catholic Charities (Arlington Diocese) and Mayor Bill Euille, the following volunteers were recognized:
Maureen Bader, Don Baird, Bob Bates, Maureen Cocozza, Kathleen Coyne, Amber Kim Dewey, Gene Dwyer, John Gall, Maria Garcia, Marie Giorvasi, Sarah Griffith, Margarete Holubar, Debra Houk, Maria Jimenez, Paul Lanahan, Gayle Levy, Ha Luu, Jennie McGowan, Courtney Mercer, Jack Miller, Ximena Montano, Sasha Montero, Hildegard Morgan, Judy Morrill, Kendra Schmidt, Herb Sprung, Vadjiheh Teymoorian, Paul Tremante III, Delfina Vargas, Naomi Vick, Bill Walker, Charlene Yague and Issam Yazigi. Also recognized were the following groups: Hiram University, Rebuilding Together Alexandria, Bishop Ireton High School, Marymount University, Boy Scout Troop #135, Knights of Columbus, INOVA Alexandria Nurses’ Magnet Committee and Seminarians of the Diocese of Arlington.
The Burke Branch Library elected new officers on April 25. They are: Sally Valdes, president; Jack Richards, vice president; Anna Young, secretary ,and Marcia Feldman, treasurer.
I, like you, am curious about the new Farmer’s Market that has sprung up at Southern Towers. Those big yellow signs are very inviting! There is at least one rave review for the Market on “Yelp!”, so I am going to have to check it out soon. The market is open on the weekends until 6 p.m. and is apparently devoted to fresh produce, not crafts or artisan products. If you go, drop me a line at mamamiajones@gmail.com and tell me how it was.
Car pools have been active for the past several weeks as our neighborhood teens have been readying Gershwin’s “Crazy For You” at T.C. Williams High School. The production winds up this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; come catch Sam Jones, Maria Jones, Michael Rawls and Ben Ribler on the stage and Emma Augustine, Giancarlo Bunt and Brendan Zack working behind the scenes. Peter Eckel rocks the guitar with the Pit Band.
On the development front, some big changes are coming to Van Dorn Street. At the corner of Van Dorn and Pickett Streets, where a warehouse currently sits, demolition begins in July and construction on Landmark Gateway, with 550,000 square feet of retail and 492 residential units, will begin. The Shell Station at the corner of Van Dorn and Edsall Road is slated for redevelopment as well. Finally, the bowling alley on South Pickett Street is slated to be replaced with a mixture of condos, retail and rental units (to be known as the Residences of Cameron Station).
<1b>— Mia Jones