Centreville — Best-Buddies Fundraiser
Piero’s Corner Italian Restaurant will host a Best Buddies fundraiser Sunday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m. for its busboy, Eric Latcheran of Chantilly, and his friend Ryan Gutkowski of Clifton. The restaurant is at 9959 Main St. in Fairfax. Eric, 25, and Ryan, 24, have intellectual disabilities and are raising money so they may participate in the fun run at the annual Best Buddies Challenge, Oct. 20, in Washington, D.C. Piero’s will donate a percentage of its Sept. 16 food proceeds toward the cause.
Republican Women to Meet
The Republican Women of Clifton (RWC) will feature Artur Davis, frequent writer and commentator on national issues, at its Monday, Sept. 17 meeting. It’ll be in the Centreville High media center, with a social hour beginning at 7 p.m. Club President Marianne Gearhart will open the business meeting at 7:30 p.m., followed by Davis’s speech. A former conservative Democrat, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In May, he announced he was joining the Republican Party and he’s now campaigning for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
Meet New Sully Commander
Local residents may meet the new commander of the Sully District Police Station, Capt. Edward O’Carroll, at the next meeting of the Sully District Citizens Advisory Committee. It’s set for Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., in the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. Carroll helped start Sully Station II’s Neighborhood Watch, so he’s familiar with the area.
Residents may also bid farewell to Lt. John Trace, who’s moving to another station, and PFC Brett Katinsky, who’s returning to patrol duty. In addition, two police officers will be honored together as Officers of the Quarter.
Also that night, Fairfax County Animal Control personnel will talk about their jobs, what animals they handle, the types of calls they receive, their case load, staffing and the services they offer to the community.
Free Carseat Inspections
Certified technicians from the Sully District Police Station will perform free, child safety carseat inspections Thursday, Sept. 20, from 5-8:30 p.m., at the station, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. No appointment is necessary. But residents should install the child safety seats themselves so technicians may properly inspect and adjust them, as needed.
However, because of time constraints, only the first 35 vehicles arriving on each date will be inspected. That way, inspectors may have enough time to properly instruct the caregiver on the correct use of the child seat. Call 703-814-7000, ext. 5140, to confirm dates and times.
Democratic Women to Meet
The Democratic Women of Clifton (DWC) will meet Sunday, Sept. 23, from 3-5 p.m., in the Clifton Town Meeting Hall, 12641 Chapel Road in Clifton. All Democratic women in Northern Virginia are invited. Democratic Fairfax County School Board members have been invited to discuss later school start times, parental notification and discipline policy reform, school lunch reforms, renovation queues for schools, the superintendent search and the budget.
For more information, e-mail cliftonwomendems@aol.com or visit www.democraticwomenofclifton.org.
Sully District Council Meeting
The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations and its Land-Use Committee will meet Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m., in the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly.
There’ll be presentations on the I-495 Express Lanes, plus a proposed residential development on the EDS site fronting Centreville Road, between Wall Road and the Cox Communication offices. For more information, call Jeff Parnes, evenings, at 703-904-0131.
Centreville Civil War Tour
John McAnaw of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table will lead a tour of Blackburn Battlefield, sections of the Confederate Military Railroad, historic Mount Gilead, the Stuart-Mosby Museum, St. John’s Episcopal Church and cemetery, plus Confederate earthworks in and around Centreville. The tour will be Saturday, Oct. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; wear good walking shoes.
Transportation will be by caravan from the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum at 11200 Fairfax Station Road in Fairfax Station. Cost is $25 for Museum members; $30, nonmembers; $10, children up to 14. Make checks payable to the Friends of Fairfax Station and mail them to this organization at P.O. Box 7, Fairfax Station, VA 22039, no later than Oct. 1. People should include their phone number and email address.
For more information, contact McAnaw at 703-978-3371 or visit www.fairfax-station.org.
Bike Summit Is Slated
The inaugural Fairfax Bike Summit will be held Saturday, Oct. 27, at George Mason University. The goal is to bring together current and future bicyclists, bicycle organizations, bike shops and transportation professionals to discuss how to make Fairfax County a better place to live by making bicycling a major component of the transportation system.
Nationally known speakers will include county resident Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, Chris Eatough of BikeArlington and Stewart Schwartz of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. And on display will be the latest transportation bikes and gear from local bike shops.
Register online for free; attendance is limited to 200 people. Display space is free and available for bicycle businesses and organizations. The event will be held at The HUB at GMU in the front-middle ballroom, 4400 University Drive in Fairfax. Further information is available at www.fabb-bikes.org and bikesummit@fabb-bikes.org.
Sponsoring the summit are Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), GMU and Fairfax County.
Women's Self Defense Program
The Fairfax County Law Enforcement Foundation is partnering with the Fairfax County Police Department to offer the Women's Self Defense Training program. It’s based on the SAFE program formerly provided by the Police Department, but now being taught by C&J Security Corp.
The program is a two-day class that will meet on consecutive Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:15-9:30 p.m. It’s currently offered free and all class materials are included. Program funding is provided through the Fairfax County Law Enforcement Foundation.
The course is offered to females, age 13 and older. A female guardian must accompany girls 13-18. No men other than the instructors are permitted to be present during a class. For more information, call 703-246-7806, e-mail WSD@fairfaxfoundation.org or go to www.fairfaxfoundation.org.
WFCM Seeks Food, Volunteers
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries’ (WFCM) food pantry urgently needs donations of oil (48 oz. or smaller); flour (2-5 lb. bag); sugar (2-5 lb. bag); rice (2 lb. bags); canned meats; salad dressing, jelly; jam; peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, Ramen Noodles, canned fruit; canned peas, beets and mixed vegetables; canned soup and baked beans; dry pasta and beans; ketchup, mustard, pancake mix and syrup; hot and cold cereal and coffee. In addition, the Food Pantry would appreciate fresh produce from local gardens.
Also needed are laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper and baby wipes. WFCM clients are also in great need of gasoline cards.
Bring all items to WFCM’S food pantry at 13981 Metrotech Drive (near Backyard Grill and Bar) in Chantilly. Volunteers are also needed:
Thrift store: Volunteers are needed Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., to receive donations. Contact Volunteer Manager Annette Bosley at 703-988-9656.
Food pantry: Volunteers are needed Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., to bag/stock groceries. A regular, weekly volunteer is also needed on Wednesdays to pick up donations from Food Lion, from now through August.
Furniture ministry: One person is needed to help move furniture that will be given to clients in need.
Meals on Wheels Volunteers
Fairfax County needs Meals on Wheels drivers in Chantilly and group Meals on Wheels coordinators in both Chantilly and Fairfax. Contact Volunteer Solutions at 703-324-5406, TTY 711, VolunteerSolutions@fairfaxcounty.gov or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/volunteer-solutions.htm.