Annual Creek Cleanup Nets 123 Bags of Trash Surovell and Friends of Little Hunting Creek Also Remove Shopping Carts
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Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper May 31, 2018 Photos Contributed Photos More than 35 volunteers turned out to collect over 2,000 pounds of trash out of Little Hunting Creek. Annual Creek Cleanup Nets 123 Bags of Trash Surovell and Friends of Little Hunting Creek also remove shopping carts. arlier this month, state Dubbed “Fairfax County’s Trashi- dated storm water system coupled cycle cleanup volunteers were also able Sen. Scott Surovell (D- est Stream” in 2007 by Fairfax with uncontrolled litter. ❖ Five tires to extract four grocery carts, bring- 36) hosted his annual County Government, the stream is Little Hunting Creek’s trashiest ❖ Over 30 balls ing the overall total to 216 shop- E ❖ Little Hunting Creek a major collector of trash, litter, section runs through the Lee Dis- Two children’s vehicles ping carts pulled from the creek Cleanup near U.S. 1 in Lee District. and foreign objects due to an out- trict area of Fairfax County in the ❖ Two lawn chairs bed in the past seven years. U.S. 1 Corridor before it crosses ❖ One snow shovel “The shopping carts are espe- U.S. 1 and passes George ❖ One baby stroller cially disappointing given that I Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate ❖ One car battery have repeatedly brought this issue Sullivan Leaves ‘Home’ on its way to the Potomac River. ❖ One radiator to Wal-Mart’s attention and they In coordination with the Friends ❖ Three computer monitors installed a cart control system. Mount Vernon at of Little Hunting Creek, Surovell ❖ Three yard signs Unfortunately, the recovered carts hosted two cleanup sites in the ❖ One $20 bill. were not equipped to function Home gains new Hybla Valley area at Janna Lee Volunteers also came upon ani- with their control system,” Avenue Bridge and at the Mount mals including mallards, Canada Surovell said. “I also warned executive director. Vernon Shopping Plaza behind the geese, snakes, turtles, minnows, Costco about this problem before Shoppers Food Warehouse. and a beaver swimming in the they built their store and asked By Gerald A. Fil More than 35 volunteers turned trash. them to install an electronic cart The Gazette out to collect over 2,000 pounds Volunteers included students control system after Fairfax of trash in 123 bags. This adds up from West Potomac and Mount County refused to mandate it ount Vernon at Home’s to over 12,000 pounds of trash Vernon High Schools and Carl through a proffer and they re- Mannual fundraising collected since Surovell, the Sandburg Middle School. Volun- fused, insisting that they had ‘dif- gala, held at George Friends of Little Hunting Creek teers also came from Arlington and ferent customers’ than Wal-Mart. Washington’s River Farm, head- and, the Alice Ferguson Founda- Prince William counties. This makes nearly 10 Costco carts quarters of the American Horticul- tion, began organizing the annual With the annual assistance of we have removed since they tural Society, honored its executive event seven years ago. Robert O’Hanlon’s Tree Service, opened.” director who will be moving out Volunteers collected primarily of the area. plastic beverages containers, dis- The celebration included a 6/1/18 carded food containers, and plas- home in Requested thank you and goodbye to current tic bags. This year’s trove also in- material. Executive Director Barbara Time-sensitive Mount Vernon at Home’s cluded odd items including: Postmaster: Sullivan and a welcome aboard to ❖ Attention former Executive Director Four shopping carts (2 her replacement, Erica H. Frazier. Walmart, 1 Costco, 1 Shoppers #482 Permit Barbara Sullivan (left) and VA Alexandria, Sullivan has been with Mount Food Warehouse) PAID new Executive Director Postage U.S. ❖ STD PRSRT See Sullivan, Page 13 Erica Frazier. Three bicycles and one tri- www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ May 31 - June 6, 2018 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ May 31 - June 6, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Rising Hope Refills Food Pantry Shelves canned goods and nonperishable pounds of food over the years from Stamp Out food items. across the U.S. “We cannot thank the generos- The Rev. Dr. Keary Kincannon of Hunger ity of area residents and postal Rising Hope said, “Our partnership workers enough for feeding the with the Post Office is the largest yields supplies. hungry in our region,” Simons single one-day donation from any- said. “We received enough food to where in the community. For 20 ungry Fairfax fill our pantry and lessen area hun- years, it’s been an important re- County residents ger as we go into early summer. source for feeding our neighbors H will enjoy nourish- Many thanks to all the volunteers and friends in need.” ing food over the who coordinated getting the food Rising Hope will distribute this next few weeks thanks to Rising to us so that we can continue this food to those who visit the pantry Hope’s partnership with Stamp essential service to our neighbors.” over the next few weeks. Recipi- Out Hunger. Rising Hope’s food pantry pro- ents register with Rising Hope to On the second Saturday in May, vided groceries to 715 families in ensure that they go home with the the National Association of Letter April. In 2017, the pantry supplied food they need for their families. Carriers sponsors this drive, turn- more than $1,200,000 in food to At this time of year, a special con- ing it into the largest one-day food those in need along the Route 1 cern is that children who rely on Rising Hope Food Pantry Coordinator Kathleen Simons drive in the U.S. This year, Rising Corridor in southern Fairfax school lunches for a significant with Stamp Out Hunger bins. Hope’s new food pantry coordina- County. portion of their nutrition will not tor, Kathleen Simons, oversaw the Stamp Out Hunger celebrated its go hungry during the summer Stamp Out Hunger, visit For more information about Ris- replenishing of Rising Hope’s pan- 26th drive this year. The campaign when school is not in session. www.nalc.org/community-ser- ing Hope, visit www.rising try with nearly 15,000 pounds of has collected almost 2 billion For more information about vice/food-drive. hopeumc.org. Free Outdoor Community Concert This Saturday Eighty of Fort Hunt’s youngest residents classical themes to blues melodies com- musicians.” odist. O’Leary, a longtime professional mu- will be performing in an outdoor commu- posed by each class, all orchestrated by pro- With multiple food trucks hired (Dogs on sician, performs regularly with her band, nity concert at Nativity Lutheran Church on fessional film composer, Charlie Barnett. the Curb and Roro’s Modern Lebanese Cui- Chaise Lounge, at venues such as The Barns Saturday, June 2 from 12-4 p.m. “We have one objective with this event,” sine, as well as WestRays Gourmet ice cream at Wolf Trap, Blues Alley, and the Kennedy The performers are students of Piano Lab, said Piano Lab owner Marilyn O’Leary, “and cart) the stage is set for festive afternoon Center. She has taught piano for over 20 a music school located in Sherwood Cross- that is to provide every student with a peak and all are welcome. Interested families can years in private and group settings. ing that provides ensemble piano classes to performance moment. When the students learn more about Piano Lab and will have Piano Lab is located at 7900 Andrus Rd. ages 5 and up. The students will be per- find themselves making great music with the chance to win free summer sessions in Ste. 11 in Alexandria. They have been run- forming songs arranged for up to eight pi- their peers in an atmosphere of community the hourly raffles. ning classes since June 2017 and are cur- anos at a time with the added support of a support and celebration, they will grasp The event will be located in the parking rently enrolling for summer sessions and fall full backup band, Chaise Lounge, winners what all of their hard work has been for. lot of Nativity Lutheran church at 1300 classes. of Washington Area Music Awards for best And it is moments like these that can trans- Collingwood Road with additional parking For more information, visit: https:// jazz, swing band. The pieces range from form enthusiastic beginners into lifelong offered across the street at Aldersgate Meth- StudentsLovePianoLab.com/. WPHS Dance Team and Coach Earn Multiple Honors The West Potomac High School Williams praised her dancer’s Varsity Dance Team and their strong work ethic and competitive coach, Gennifer Williams, won spirit, saying, “These girls worked multiple titles during their compe- hard all season and never backed tition season. down from anything that was The team was awarded first thrown at them as far as difficult place in Pom and Jazz and second choreography. They are so well place in Hip Hop and Contempo- rounded. They do not just concen- rary at the Maryland Cup Nation- trate on their competition dances, als in January. The Pom routine but they perform at football and earned the highest score of the basketball games, volunteer in the competition among school and community, run dance workshops by Gennifer W Photo recreational teams. The team won for youth, and most of all are great the Grand Champion title and a representatives of West Potomac full paid gold bid to compete Pom High School.” in the U.S. Finals this month. Williams also was honored at The dancers continued to win at Reach the Beach, receiving the title Reach the Beach Dance Team Na- “Coach of the Year” based on tionals in Ocean City in February, nominating letters submitted by placing first in Hip Hop, Jazz, and members of her team and their illiams Contemporary and second in Pom.