The annual Holiday Stroll on Vienna’s historic Church Street will be held on Monday, Nov. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Church Street will be closed between Lawyers Road and Mill Street, and visitors are invited to stroll amid the sights and sounds of the holiday season and visit merchants along the way.
The Freeman Store and Museum, 131 Church Street NE, the train station, red caboose, Knights of Columbus (former First Baptist Church) and Vienna Presbyterian “little chapel” will be open to visitors.
Santa Claus will arrive at the Freeman Store at 6:20 p.m. and help Mayor Jane Seeman light the holiday tree. Afterwards, Santa will visit with children on the front porch of the Freeman Store.
The Holiday Stroll will feature entertainment by local musical groups, a petting zoo, free hot chocolate, marshmallows for roasting at supervised bonfires and other festivities.
Visitors are encouraged to bring a new toy to donate to the Toys for Tots collection, sponsored by Coldwell Banker.
The Holiday Stroll is sponsored by Historic Vienna, Inc. and the Town of Vienna. All activities are free of charge. For more information, visit www.viennava.gov/index.aspx?nid=985 or call 703-938-5187.
Vienna Youth Soccer Sponsors Food Drive
Vienna Youth Soccer (VYS) is sponsoring its fourth iCAN! Food Drive to benefit Food for Others on Nov. 17 between 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Vienna Giant.
VYS will be at Giant collecting non-perishable food donations to help Food for Others stock up for winter demand. Juniors of George C. Marshall High School, Jack Boettger, Duncan McDonald and Christie McIntyre, are spearheading this iCAN! effort to give VYS players the opportunity to work together and make a difference in the community.
Halloween Parade Winners Announced
The Town of Vienna and the Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce have announced the winning entries in the 2012 Vienna Halloween Parade held Oct. 24. Winners were recognized at the Nov. 5 Town Council meeting.
*Best in Show—Creativeworx/SDF
*Youth Band—First Place: James Madison High School Marching Band; Second Place: George C. Marshall Marching Statesmen.
*Adult Band—First Place: Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band.
*Floats (with music)—First Place: Creativeworx/SDF; Second Place: Green Hedges School; Third Place: Northwest Federal Credit Union.
*Floats (without music)—First Place: Oakcrest School
*Youth Performing Groups—First Place: Cuppett Performing Arts Center; Second Place: Unistars Unicycling Showtroupe; Third Place: Vienna Dance Academy.
*Adult Performing Groups—First Place: Fairfax County Police Motor Squad; Second Place: Fairfax Virginia Chapter Harley Owners Group; Third Place: Bikes@Vienna.
*Antique Vehicles—First Place: Northern Virginia Corvette Club; Second Place: Glen Bates; Third Place: Chuck and Karilyn Kunstbeck.
Send Wish Lists to Santa by Nov. 30
Children are invited to send their lists to Santa, care of his elves, at the Vienna Community Center. To guarantee a reply from Santa himself, mail your letters by Nov. 30 to Santa, c/o The Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180.
Parents, be sure to include your child’s full name and complete address with zip code on the letter to ensure Santa’s response (from the North Pole) makes it to your child. You do not have to be a Town of Vienna resident to participate. Free.
For more information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation at 703-255-6360, or view page 25 of the Winter Parks and Recreation Brochure online at www.viennava.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=62.
Potluck Thanksgiving Brunch for Seniors
A Potluck Thanksgiving brunch for mature adults will be held on Thursday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street SE.
This activity is free of charge; bring a favorite dish serving at least eight. The brunch will include a sing-along, and participants are invited to talk about things for which they are thankful.
Advance registration is required. For more information, call the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department at 703-255-6360 or visit www.viennava.gov.
Caffe Amouri Honored by U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
On July 14, 2012, U.S. Marine Troops from the First Maintenance Battalion flew an American flag over Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in honor of Caffe Amouri.
Caffe Amouri had sent coffee and a grinder to the troops as their way of saying thanks and to send, as owner Michael Amouri stated, “just a little bit of home to our boys and girls who are in harms way and, I would imagine, could certainly use something… even something small like a good cup of coffee.”
Vienna Receives Gold in Green Government Challenge
The Town of Vienna has earned “Gold Certification” in the Virginia Municipal League’s 2012 Green Government Challenge, a friendly competition among local governments to encourage reduction of carbon emissions. Awards were presented Sept. 25 at the annual VML conference in Williamsburg.
Vienna was awarded gold certification for achieving 155 out of a possible 200 “green points.” Last year, the town was awarded “Silver Certification” for achieving 145 points in the challenge. The highest level is Platinum Certified, which requires a minimum of 175 green points.
The Town’s efforts included the community garden project at Vienna Elementary School, the annual Vienna Green Expo, purchasing local organic products, creating green gardens and recycling options. Town employees have also implemented a number of on-the-job green programs such as office paper recycling, use of earth-friendly cleaning products and purchase of hybrid vehicles.
Keith Stotts of Vienna Recognized by Harding University
Keith Stotts of Vienna has been recognized by Harding University as a Distinguished Alumnus at the University’s annual Black and Gold Banquet on Oct. 26.
Stotts graduated from Harding in 1955 and is the chancellor of Ohio Valley University. He and his wife Joan were part of the committee that founded OVU. Stotts served as president of OVU from 1977 to 1998 when he became the university’s first chancellor. In 2009, the university’s trustees reappointed him as president; he returned to his position as chancellor in 2011.
Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas with 6,815 students and attracts more National Merit Scholars than any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France, Greece, Italy and Zambia.