Email announcements to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon.
Saturday/April 13
“Striving for a Healthier Way” Prevention Conference. At Falls Church High School, the conference will feature an Ideas and Resource Fair and promotes alternatives for youth to manage stress and to deter use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Register online at www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org.
Walk for Wishes. 10 a.m. at Plymouth Haven Baptist Church parking lot, corner of 8600 Plymouth Road and Fort Hunt Road. Fund-raiser walk in support of the Make a Wish Foundation. $5 minimum donation suggested. 703-704-9138.
Sunday/April 14
CROP Walk. Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the walk begins at 1:30 p.m. at Heritage Presbyterian Church, 8503 Fort Hunt Road. Enjoy a 1.6 mile walk through the community, sponsored by area churches. Proceeds benefit local hunger-fighting initiatives. Visit www.cropwalkonline.org for more.
Tuesday/April 16
Genealogical Society. 1 p.m. at Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road. “The Jones Jinx: Tracing Common Surnames.” Free. Visit www.mvgenealogy.org or 703-866-2478.
Mount Vernon Evening Lions Club. 7 p.m. at Pema’s restaurant. Prescott Barbash from Consumer Affairs will speak on identity theft. Call Andrea Corsillo at 703-960-4973 to register.
Thursday/April 18
Robust Walking. 12:30 p.m.at Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road. Dr. Dan Kulund will demonstrate robust walking for seniors. Free.
Saturday/April 20
Spring Clean. Volunteers are needed to help “Spring Clean” Richmond Highway and surrounding roads through Fort Belvoir. Volunteers will meet at the Candlewood Suites, 8847 Richmond Highway, at 8 a.m. to receive garbage bags, safety vests, and work assignments. Candlewood Suites will host a $5 barbeque with hotdogs and hamburgers after the cleanup with all proceeds to be donated to Fischer House on Fort Belvoir. To volunteer call 703-360-6925 or visit www.MtVernon-LeeChamber.org.
Thursday/April 25
Meeting. 6:30-9 p.m. at Virginia Hills Administration Center, 6520 Diana Lane. Colonial Republican Women will meet. Refreshments will be served. E-mail colonialrepublicanwomen@gmail.com or 703-624-3252.
Friday/April 26
Application Deadline. Students can apply for the 2013 Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce Education Partnership scholarship. Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors in the Mount Vernon and Lee districts pursuing education in a business related field. Visit www.mtvernon-leechamber.org or 703-360-6925 or high school career centers for applications.
Saturday/April 27
Community-wide Yard Sale. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at Mount Zephyr community in Mount Vernon.
Donations. The Mount Vernon Evening Lions will be collecting donations for their White Cane Drive at the Belle View Safeway between 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. All money will be used for sight projects. Any used eyeglasses and hearing aides will be recycled. Questions contact Andrea Corsillo at 703-960-4973.
Colonial Fun Day. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Plymouth Haven Baptist Church, 8600 Plymouth Church. Enjoy a pie baking contest, games, food, pony rides, raffle and more. Proceeds benefit the preschool. Free. 703-360-4370.
Wednesday/May 1
Discussion. 8-10 a.m. at Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation, 6677 Richmond Highway. Learn more about the benefits and challenges of mixed-use developments. Visit www.sfdc.org for more.
Through Friday/May 3
Princess for a Night Collection. Donate formal dresses, shoes, handbags, jewelry, unused make-up (for example, sample cosmetics) and “nice” shopping bags. Drop items off at T.C. Williams main office, 3330 King St. between 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The project especially needs dresses for full-figured young ladies (sizes 18+). Please do not donate velvet or wintry dresses, soiled items, outdated items, casual dresses or items for mature women, as they cannot be used. E-mail eleanor.muse@acps.k12.va.us for questions or to volunteer.
Monday/May 6
6th Annual Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec Memorial Golf Tournament. 1 p.m. at Belle Haven Country Club,6023 Fort Hunt Road. Benefits “Build a House Project.” $350/golfer. Visit www.pscharities.org or 703-823-2696.
Friday/May 10
Dress selection. Any northern Virginia-area student can select a formal dress and accessories from 3:30-6 p.m. at T.C. Williams, 3330 King St. Students will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Free. E-mail eleanor.muse@acps.k12.va.us for questions or to volunteer.
Saturday/May 11
Dress selection. Any northern Virginia-area student can select a formal dress and accessories from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at T.C. Williams, 3330 King St. Students will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Free. E-mail eleanor.muse@acps.k12.va.us for questions or to volunteer.
Volunteers Needed
The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking volunteers to support iCan Shine, a five-day camp that teaches children with disabilities to ride two-wheel bicycles. The camp will be held during Fairfax County Schools’ spring break, March 25-29 at Lee District RECenter in Franconia. Besides making a difference that will last a lifetime, volunteers will also earn one free RECenter day pass for each camp session worked (10 pass limit). Volunteers must be at least 15 years old. For more information, call Adapted Aquatics Coordinator LeeAnn David at 703-324-8565 or send an email toleeann.david@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Volunteer to host an exchange student for the school year 2013-14. These foreign teens (15-18 years old) want to attend high school here in Northern Virginia, and experience life as an American teen. They are looking forward to becoming an active member of their new host family. Academic Year in America (AYA) is a non-profit organization, and the Department of State does not allow us to pay our host families. If interested in welcoming a new family member into your heart and your home, visit www.academicyear.org or if you would like to find out more about hosting astudents, call local coordinator Louise at 540-286-1561.
Fairfax County needs a Meals on Wheels coordinator for the Mount Vernon area. Contact Fairfax County's Volunteer Solutions at 703-324-5406, TTY 703-449-1186, VolunteerSolutions@fairfaxcounty.gov, or visit Volunteer Solutions at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices and click on volunteers.
AARP Tax-Aide, a national volunteer-run tax counseling and preparation service for low to moderate income and elderly citizens, needs volunteers to electronically complete and file federal and state income tax forms for the 2013 tax season.The program offers free five-day training using IRS computers and software. Volunteers become IRS Certified Tax Counselors after completing and passing the IRS examination. Training sessions will be held in Annandale, Centerville and Alexandria in Jan. 2013. Visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.
Ongoing
School Board Member, Dan Storck, Mount Vernon District representative, hosts community office hours the second Saturday of each month: Sherwood Hall Library: 1-3 p.m. Members of the community are invited to stop by to ask questions or to discuss concerns. No appointment necessary. If you have any questions about the community office hours, please contact Dan Storck at Dan.Storck@fcps.edu or his assistant, Barb Larsen at Barbara.Larsen@fcps.edu.
Band musicians, young and old, are invited to join the Mount Vernon Community Band. Rehearsals are Tuesday 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Mount Vernon High School band room, 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road. There are no auditions. The Mount Vernon Community Band is a nonprofit community service organization that has performed in the Mount Vernon area since 1978. 703-768-4172 or www.mvbands.com.
Alzheimer's Association support groups provide a place for people with Alzheimer's, their caregivers, family members, and/or friends to share valuable information, caregiving tips and concerns throughout the Alzheimer's journey. Groups are facilitated by trained group leaders and are ongoing, free and open to the community. There is a meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mount Vernon Highway. Call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 703-359-4440 or 800-272-3900 before attending a group for the first time to verify meeting information, obtain directions or other information about the group. A complete list of all groups in the National Capital Area region can be viewed at www.alz.org/nca.
Postpartum Support Virginia sponsors a free, bi-monthly support group for women suffering depression and/or anxiety during pregnancy or in the first year following childbirth. Meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at Inova Alexandria Hospital, Health Education Center, rooms 1-2, 4320 Seminary Road. Contact co-moderator Susan Doyle at suzjdoyle@gmail.com or 571-403-0673.
The Boy Scout Troop 1906 is seeking members. They meet every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church Parsonage, 7836 Fordson Road. Visit www.boyscouts-ncac.org/colonial for more.
UCM's Back Porch Thrift Store is in need of donations of furniture. UCM will pick up furniture, as well as other larger donations, or they can be dropped off at the back of the store Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. To arrange for pick-ups, call 703-768-7106, ext. 320. Located at the Mt. Vernon Crossroads Shopping Center at 7838 Richmond Hwy.
Training Courses. The American Red Cross in the National Capital Region will host training courses in CPR, First Aid, and AED in the Alexandria and Fort Belvoir offices. These classes offer a two-year certification. Classes range from $70-$110 and are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays. Advance registration is required. To register for a class or find another class in your area, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcross.org/takeaclass.
Dance for Parkinson’s Disease. Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. At Heritage Presbyterian Church, 8503 Fort Hunt Rd. Those with Parkinson’s and caregivers are welcome. No dance experience necessary.