Herndon Dresses up for Holidays
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Oak Hill ❖ Herndon Herndon Dresses Up From right, Barbara Glakas tells Ray and Alma Updike that they are winners in For Holidays the Dress Up Herndon for the News, Page 3 Holidays contest for News, Page 3 their patriotic lights display, featuring red, white and blue Christmas lights. Classifieds, Page 14 Classifieds, ❖ Sports, Page 12 ❖ Entertainment, Page 8 ❖ Opinion, Page 6 Holiday Shopping At The Closet News, Page 4 A Heartwarming PERMIT #86 PERMIT Martinsburg, WV Martinsburg, PAID Day of Work Postage U.S. News, Page 3 STD PRSRT Photo by Alex McVeigh/The Connection by Alex McVeigh/The Photo www.ConnectionNewspapers.comDecember 15-21, 2010 ❖ Volume XXIV, Number 50 online at Oakwww.connectionnewspapers.com Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 15-21, 2010 ❖ 1 Be Part of The Pet Connection in February Send Your Photos & Stories Now to herndon@ connection newspapers.com Be sure to include your name, address and phone number, and identify all people and pets in photos. Submission deadline is January 20. 2 ❖ Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 15-21, 2010 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Herndon Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic 703-778-9414 or [email protected] News Connection McVeigh/The by Alex Photos This house, at 1129 Arctic Quill Road, was recognized by Herndon’s Cultivating Communities initiative as having the best lights. The display is synced with holiday music playing from Volunteers from Dominion Power help out with the house. winterization and improvements at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter in Reston Thursday. The volunteers were part of more than 40 Dominion Photos by Alex McVeigh/The workers who spend the day winterizing various Connection buildings that are for homeless and the transitioning homeless. Herndon Dresses Up A Heartwarming For Holidays Day of Work By Alex McVeigh Shelter in Reston, as well as 45 The Connection townhomes throughout Cultivating Communities Herndon to winterize them, award best s temperatures drop, making them more energy effi- A most people can just cient. decorated houses. throw on another “There’s been a huge change sweater and turn the thermo- just in the last four years, with By Alex McVeigh stat up a few degrees. But for a 123 percent increase in calls The Connection those struggling to make ends for help to the county, despite meet, extra energy costs can just a one percent population mean the difference between growth,” said Kerrie Wilson, ight Herndon households got an addition being able to eat each month. CEO of Reston Interfaith. “For to their yards Monday night, though it This house at 805 Winterhaven Drive was It was with this in mind that a lot of these folks, their hous- might have been hard for them to notice. recognized for having the most whimsical E Dominion Power teamed up ing situation isn’t stable, so Members of the Cultivating Communities decorations. with various local nonprofits, they’re learning a lot of tools to initiative spent two hours surveying the best and including Reston Interfaith, keep costs down in future brightest in holiday decorations for the annual Dress lights on the side of our house earlier today,” said Thursday to help winterize vari- homes as well.” Up Herndon for the Holidays contest. Gabrielle Smith-Odeh. “We had to do a last minute ous housing facilities for those Eight households were recognized by the group, run to K-Mart to replace them.” who are homeless or HERNDON MAYOR Steve for having the best nativity scene, most whimsical It was well worth it after the win though, and the transitioning out of DeBenedittis spoke to volun- and most patriotic among others. screams of delight from their children could be heard homelessness. teers at the Four Seasons com- “We usually get a few nominations from neighbors even as they shut the door and the judging party The volunteers worked on the munity center when they broke each year, and we also just cruise around the neigh- moved on. Embry Rucker Community See Interfaith, Page 13 borhoods looking for houses that stick out,” said While it was fun and games for the eight winners, Barbara Glakas, one of the judges. the judges themselves enjoyed the experience. They A few strands of lights on bushes weren’t going to load up into a Town of Herndon van and make their cut it for this group, who were rounds, while each judge makes looking for anything that caught something to eat, and the group their eye. Sometimes it was a Herndon’s Best enjoys their dinner on the road. house tastefully decorated in “My favorite part is just driving white lights that appealed to a tra- Holiday decorations around, we have a rolling party in ditional sense, and sometimes The following eight houses in the car,” said Leigh Powell. strands of lights were hung around Herndon were recognized for their Glakas served as the official trees in an artistic way that ap- exceptional holiday decorations. notifier, as she braved the cold to pealed to their avant garde tastes. ❖ 1129 Arctic Quill Road, best lights. knock on the doors and deliver the “I like the ones with bright lights good news. Not every household ❖ 1109 Arctic Quill Road, most and music,” said judge Lynn Christmas card-like. was home, but she left the award Schumaker. “In fact, I like anything for them in an easily visible place. that’s loud and garish.” ❖ 805 Winterhaven Drive, most “I love to be the one going up to The Odeh family on whimsical. the door and seeing their faces Winterhaven Place won the award ❖ 922 Barton Oaks Place, best when they realize they’ve won,” From left, Herndon Mayor Steve DeBenedittis, Del. for most whimsical, and their cor- townhouse. she said. “But not everyone knows Tom Rust (R-86), Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D- ner lot was littered with an assort- ❖ 707 Main Drive, most patriotic. that we do the contest, so some Hunter Mill), Reston Interfaith CEO Kerrie Wilson, ment of inflatable displayed that are just really surprised.” Dominion Virginia Vice President of Distribution ❖ remained standing during the high 818 Locust Street, most classic. The winners will be officially Operations P. Rodney Blevins, and Del. Ken Plum (D- winds. But while they were all ❖ 1022 Monroe Street, most elegant. recognized by Herndon Mayor 36) at the Four Seasons Community Center. Blevins smiles after getting the award, Steve DeBenedittis at the Jan. 11 presented Wilson a check from Dominion for Reston ❖ they had an emergency of sorts 903 Grant Street, best nativity scene. Town Council meeting, and pho- Interfaith, part of the $625,000 donated to various earlier that night. ❖ Bowers Lane and Nash Street, best tos of the winners and honorable charities in Virginia. “Someone cut the strings of neighborhood. mentions will be available online. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 15-21, 2010 ❖ 3 News Week in Herndon Lane Closure, Parking and Turn Restrictions Shoppers fill The Closet in Elden Street, between Monroe and Center streets, turning lanes downtown onto Station and Spring Streets and on-street parking on Spring Herndon Street will be closed periodically, Dec. 14, 2010 - Jan. 15, 2011, Sunday night Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for preliminary test work for as part of a future utility relocation. special Motorists are advised to use alternate routes to avoid delays. holiday Contact: Department of Public Works, 703-435-6853 or shopping [email protected] event, featur- Emergency: 571-246-8077. ing cider, sweets and Cortona Academy to Host live music. Open House Area residents are invited from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 18, to see facilities, partake of sump- tuous food and learn about learning opportunities available at Photos by Alex McVeigh/ the 14,000-square-foot new location for Cortona Academy. The Connection Academy, now in its 20th year, serves grades 6 through 12. Students, either having difficulties in present schools or advanced and bored, can work at their own level in classes averaging four students with one master teacher. Individual enhancement ses- Holiday Shopping at The Closet sions are available with mentors for students needing extra help. Students and parents are invited to attend one of these open houses, and find out how Cortona sends students, even students Local Church teams up with who seem to be lagging when they first attend, to colleges such as Carnegie Mellon, American University, Harvard University, The Closet for a special Amherst, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech. holiday shopping event. Food Drive at he Closet, a nonprofit thrift store in down Reston Town Center town Herndon, added a few extra hours Northern Virginia businesses are being challenged to show their Tto its usual times of operation Sunday, as holiday spirit by participating in the Holiday Food Drive at Reston they welcomed in guests from the Town Center, taking place Thursday, Dec. 16. Sponsored by P+R Dranesville United Methodist Church in Herndon and Architects, the one-day food drive aims to collect 10,000 pounds shoppers from around the area to have some holi- of non-perishable holiday food items to benefit Reston Interfaith, day fun. From right, Victor Navarro dances and a local social services organization. Carolers from the church stood along Station Street Orellana Cornejo plays the trumpet, but “The demand for food at our local pantries has never been starting at 4 p.m. and filled the downtown with loud they are unable to distract Allison greater,” said Joseph Serruya, P+R Architects’ Associate Princi- caroling, attracting many local residents to the store. Herrera, 3, from enjoying a pretzel at The pal and Director of the Eastern Region.