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Serving Fairfax Areas of Burke Coming Home New, Page 2 Bodies Moved Chris Ryan, a varsity To New Graves football player, tries News, Page 3 not fall off a rope ladder while participating in homecoming activities at the school prior to the Rams game against Family, Anacostia. Friends Recall Sally Ormsby News, Page 3 Classified, Page 19 Classified, ❖ Faith, Page 18 ❖ Sports, Page 16 insideinside Requested in home 9-26-08 /The Connection Time sensitive material. Attention Postmaster: U.S. Postage PRSRT STD PERMIT #322 Easton, MD PAID Robbie Hammer Photo by Photo www.connectionnewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com September 25-October 1, 2008 Volume XXII, Number 38 Fairfax Connection ❖ September 25 - October 1, 2008 ❖ 1 News Rams Party At Home Robinson students celebrate homecoming at school. /The Connection Robbie Hammer Photos by Photos Ali Nazam and Jean Ko, seniors at Jake Thomas, a seventh-grader at Robinson, tries Robinson Secondary School, play Dance, The Robinson Marching band performs while not fall off a rope ladder while participating in Dance Revolution while enjoying a variety marching in the school’s Homecoming Parade on homecoming activities held at the school prior to of Homecoming activities at Robinson on Sept. 19. the game. Sept. 19. 2 ❖ Fairfax Connection ❖ September 25 - October 1, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Fairfax Connection Editor Michael O’Connell News 703-917-6440 or [email protected] Honoring a Family’s Past Re-burial ceremony provides relatives a sense of peace. By Derek B. Johnson The Connectionº n March 2004, Andrew Williams of the Virginia Department of Transpor- Photo by Photo Itation (VDOT) sent a letter to Dennis Howard regarding an improvement project scheduled for the portion of Guinea Road southwest of Little River Turnpike. The B. Johnson Derek letter stated that the portion of “The baton land was once the Gibson/ was passed Parker Family Cemetery, an /The Connection to me, and it old, mostly was up to me black cemetery containing the to finish the remains of 34 family mem- graves,” bers. — Dennis Howard, Fairfax The remains of two Gibson-Parker family members were buried at Pleasant Valley Memorial Park along with County has over 32 other bodies recovered from underneath the pavement of Guinea Road, southwest of Little River Turn- Gibson-Parker 350 small pri- pike. descendent vate or family cemeteries, and Fairfax County Cemetery Preservation As- Not uncommon among residents with along Guinea Road by VDOT workers as the communities of Burke, Fairfax and parts sociation believe that hundreds more cem- longstanding roots in Fairfax County, they were expanding the road’s southbound of what is now Laurel Hill are peppered with eteries may lay undiscovered throughout Howard was identified in the letter as a them. Organizations like the newly formed the county. descendent of the two bodies disinterred See Guinea Road, Page 18 ‘Her Hobby Was Service to the Community’ ganizations It was just sort of a symbol of how much Family, friends recall contributions throughout the she liked being outside and gardening,” said Sally Ormsby made to Fairfax County. years. Alison Ormsby. “I guess one of A tennis enthusiast, she would often par- her hobbies was ticipate in neighborhood Memorial Day By Derek B. Johnson sues. A member of the League of Women’s being organized tournaments. Her true hobby, however, was The Connection Voters since 1977, she was also part of nu- and keeping the community work she did for most of merous environmental and land-use com- Photo File amazing her life. ally Ormsby, three-term director of mittees such as the New Millenium records,” said “Her hobby was service to the commu- Sthe Northern Virginia Soil and Water Occoquan Watershed Task Force, chairper- Alison Ormsby, nity. In the smaller sense as well as in the Conservation District, community son of the Virginia 2007 Fairfax County Sally’s daughter. larger sense,” said Kiefer. activist and 40-year Fairfax County resident Community Planning Committee “When my A memorial service is scheduled for Sat- died Monday, Sept. and the Fairfax County Citizens Commit- Sally Ormsby brother and I urday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m., at the Providence 15 at the age of 71 tee on Land Use and wanted to orga- Presbyterian Church at 9019 Little River from liver complica- Transportation. nize her papers, there were 21 different Turnpike in Fairfax. Alison Ormsby said the tions as a result of “Her hobby was service In 1996 she was groups we had to organize.” late date was necessary for logistical rea- breast cancer. to the community. In the the recipient of the “She never said no. That’s how I would sons. Known around Virginia Mother of describe Sally,” said Fran Kiefer, a friend and “We wanted to give guests time to get the county for her smaller sense as well as the Year award and Mantua neighbor of Ormsby. “If someone here, and we know the response is going to expertise in land-use in 2006 was given inside or outside the neighborhood asked be huge so we wanted to have a day when issues and her pas- in the larger sense.” the Fairfax County for help, she would always get it done. “ the church was available for more than two sion for the environ- — Fran Kiefer, neighbor and friend Federation of Citi- Originally from Maples, N.Y., Sally Braun hours,” she said. ment, Ormsby built zens Associations’ & married Clayton Ormsby before moving first up a record of com- The Washington to Arlington County, then later Mantua with SALLY ORMSBY’S work protecting the munity participation and achievement that Post Citizen of the Year 2006 award. Known her husband and children, Alison and Tyler. environment was praised by friends and stretched for over 30 years as a member of for her sharp memory and ability to multi- According to daughter Alison Ormsby, Sally associates, most notably her efforts along countless organizations and committees task, Sally used those organizational skills loved gardening, keeping a garden promi- See Friends, Page 5 that dealt with a wide array of county is- to participate in dozens of groups and or- nently displayed in her Mantua yard. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Fairfax Connection ❖ September 25 - October 1, 2008 ❖ 3 Week in Fairfax News Lamb Center To Appeal Warren Thrasher and Mary Peterson of The Lamb Center at 3220 Old Lee Highway in Fairfax addressed the City Coun- cil Tuesday, Sept. 23 in regards to a pair of zoning violations their organization has been cited with recently. Reading aloud from a letter that was sent to both City of Fairfax Mayor Robert Lederer and Gerry Connolly (D-At-large), chairper- son for the county Board of Supervisors, Peterson explained the center’s intention to appeal the violations, citing the need to continue to work of the ministry. “While we understand the inadequacies of our current lo- cation, we have made serious good faith efforts to meet the city’s concerns,” said Peterson, vice-chairman of the center. Photo by Photo “We firmly believe that it is extremely important for us to continue this successful ministry while we look for a new home.” The Lamb Center, which is described in the letter as “a Hibbard Steve daytime drop-in counseling center for the poor and the poor in spirit,” is a ministry which provides services to the area’s homeless. According to Peterson, the center has helped over 50 local homeless men and women find employment through August 2008 and is currently working with over 70 more. /The Connection She laid out her organizations desire to have a joint city- “We’re looking to change our county task force involving “all of the agencies, public and private, that serve the poor, so that we may develop a coor- carbon footprint.” dinated strategy.” — Mark Kraner, assistant vice president, “This is a critical time for the Lamb Center and other pro- University Services grams and agencies that serve the poor. The economy is worsening, and winter is approaching,” said Peterson. Instead of trays, food will be distributed on fancy china to prevent waste. Mayor Robert Lederer said the council was interested in finding a way to accommodate the center’s request. “Obviously, it’s a topic that’s near and dear to our community and this body,” said Lederer. “We look forward to work- GMU Dining Goes Green ing with you find a win-win situation for all here, so thank you.” — Derek B. Johnson New Southside Dining kitchen, the oil that goes into the fryers will be turned into bio-diesel fuel. Facility is environmentally The design also calls for a one-third reduction in Five City Homes Recognized water consumption with a state-of-the-art dishwasher Five City of Fairfax homes were recognized for their de- friendly. that saves 100,000 gallons of water a year. sign, upkeep and aesthetic value at a City Council meeting “We can use less water because of the way it’s de- Tuesday, Sept. 23. Kirk Holley, special projects manager for By Steve Hibbard signed,” said Schoebel. the Fairfax County Park Authority announced the winning The Connection A brand new “pulper” — a giant garbage disposal homes and went over photos of each one as part of the 2008 — extracts water by squeezing out the liquid from Best Residential Appearance Awards. eorge Mason University is going green the garbage, thus reducing the particles going into The winning homes were 10122 Farmington Drive, 10705 with its new 35,000-square-foot Fairfax County’s waste water system. Orchard St., 3301 Spring Lake Court, 3506 Spring Lake Ter- Southside Dining Facility that will open “We’re looking to change our carbon footprint ..

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