Vol. XXI, No. 15 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper April 15, 2010 Hospital’s Finances: Better Than Ever Inova Mount Vernon emerges stronger from fight to stay open. By Julia O’Donoghue time. The Gazette “The fact that the hospital was not profitable was one of the rea- hen Inova Health sons Inova gave for looking at clos- System an- ing it,” said Supervisor Gerry Wnounced it was se- Hyland (D-Mount Vernon). riously consider- But community outcry caused ing closing its the health sys- 200-plus bed tem to rethink its Mount Vernon “Mount Vernon decision. In Hospital eight 2004, Inova years ago, has really turned a committed to in- money was a big vesting $100 factor. corner, financially million into Inova, which and in terms of renovating the operates several Mount Vernon highly regarded quality of care.” facility with the hospitals in — Barbara Doyle, hopes of chang- Northern Vir- ing the facility’s ginia, is a non- Mount Vernon Hospital CEO financial course. profit organiza- Six years later, tion. Even so, the hospital on Inova’s initial investments in Parkers Lane had never covered its Mount Vernon hospital appear to own costs and the situation ap- peared to be getting worse with See Inova, Page 4 Armed Resistance Open-carry advocates planning a ‘Restore the Constitution Rally’ Monday at Fort Hunt Park. By Michael Lee Pope about the U.S. Constitution. Con- The Gazette voys of protesters will drive up the parkway to Gravelly Point, where ozens of armed protesters the armed demonstrators will be Dfrom across the country within sight of the Capitol as air- are headed to Northern planes fly overhead in the flight Virginia next week, staging a rally path of National Airport. The at Fort Hunt Park that will include loaded weapons and speeches See Fort Hunt, Page 4 4/16/10 Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette home in Requested material. Time-sensitive Play Ball! Postmaster: With a clear blue sky Saturday morning, April 10, and 491 players on the Red Attention Permit #482 Permit Steven’s field, Fort Hunt Little League officially opened for the 2010 season. VA Alexandria, PAID More photos, page 21. Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 15-21, 2010 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 15-21, 2010 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Week in Mount Vernon Athletic Club Hosts Fund-Raiser The Mount Vernon Athletic Club is hosting its 1st Annual Children’s Charity Event, “Mount Vernon’s Helping Hands,” on Saturday, April 24, 4-6:30 p.m. for children and 7-10 p.m. for adults. See the registration form online at http://mtvac.net/events or take one at the club’s front desk. Register before April 19, and receive one free raffle ticket. All proceeds will benefit the Inova Fairfax hospital For Chil- dren Pediatric Oncology Program. Shelter Hosts Rabies Clinic Photos by Photos The Fairfax County Animal Shelter will take its low-cost rabies vaccination clinic on the road to reach the pets of South County residents by hosting its April 18 low-cost rabies clinic at the Mount Vernon RECenter, 2017 Belle View Blvd. from 2-4 p.m. Gale Curcio The cost for rabies shots at the clinic is $12 per dog, cat or ferret. All pets will receive a one-year rabies vaccine. To obtain a three-year vaccine, citizens must bring their pet’s rabies certifi- cate showing the animal’s current rabies vaccination and vacci- /The Gazette nation expiration date. Rabies certificates will be issued, no tags. All dogs should be on leashes and all cats and ferrets should be in carriers. Fairfax County 2010 dog licenses will be sold separately at the clinic and cost $10. per dog. Cash or checks only will be accepted at the clinic. No credit Felicea Meyer-DeLoatch, Lee Braun, Robert Hines, Art Monk and Kahan Dhillon. cards. The clinic is a partnership with the Mount Vernon RECenter and is being sponsored by the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and Deepwood Veterinary Hospital. Monk Emphasizes Service For more information about the rabies clinic at the Mount Vernon RECenter, call 703-830-1100. Community responds with MVCCA’s 2010 Award Winners attendance and attention The Mount Vernon Council of Citizens’ Associations, Inc., has named the recipients of its 2010 Citizen of the Year, Organization at UCM’s Business of the Year, and Student of the Year awards. Joan McLellan is the Citizen of the Year, and has served for Leadership Breakfast. many decades as her community’s conscience and voice on the full range of social justice issues that affect the members of the By Gale Curcio Stratford Landing Citizens Association and the citizens of the Mount Vernon Magisterial District. She has been actively involved The Gazette with the MVCCA Special Committee on Affordable and Workforce Housing, the Heritage Presbyterian Church Missions Committee ynthia Hull, executive director, United and Ventures in Community (VIC). Community Ministries, and Art Monk, former Washington Redskin’s wide re The Organization of the Year is the Friends of Dyke Marsh. In C Cynthia Hull notes that the need for ser- ceiver and NFL Hall-of-Famer, have 1969 an act of Congress established Dyke Marsh as a wildlife vices keeps growing. preserve under the management of the National Park Service. something in common. They both grew up in fami- The Friends of Dyke Marsh was created in 1976 as a membership lies where giving back to others was part of growing non-profit organization to ensure the continuation, preservation up. and restoration of Dyke Marsh. This group became active on the As such, Hull selected social work as her initial Hill, pushing for improved legislation to protect the Marsh. They career path, and while Monk is known best for his work with local elected officials and community leaders, advo- football prowess, he has also spent a lot of time giv- cating for the Marsh’s wetlands because they are important to ing back to the community. the success of watersheds in the area. The featured speaker at last week’s Behind-the- The Student of the Year is a new award for MVCCA, and two Scenes Look at UCM, Monk was part of a presenta- recipients were selected for 2010 — Jasmin Lawrence from Mount tion designed to educate business leaders and com- Vernon High School and Rachel Lau from West Potomac High munity members about the work that UCM does. School. They work very hard at school, are very active in their Monk explained how his original teammates, also churches, and have interests that they share outside of school known as The Over-The-Hill Gang (so named due to and church. Challenges that might defeat other young people bring the large number of veteran players on the team) out the best in these two young women. Jasmin is very active in expected all the players to be involved in commu- nity service. her church, and volunteers at a recovery clinic. Her wish is to Niki Wanner shows the different food become a rehabilitation counselor and eventually open her own “Two years playing with those guys — they were tough,” said Monk. They played hard and demanded supplies given to homeless clients versus clinic. Rachel is active in her church and Girl Scouts. She is also a those with homes. very accomplished theater techie, working at her high school, perfection. They also had a heart for serving in their her church, and with other groups in the Mount Vernon area. communities — and expected all of us [players] to All of these outstanding awardees will be recognized at the do the same.” hands-on community service. MVCCA Gala being held on May 1 at the Hampton Inn and Suites, “Community service didn’t mean much to me when Monk helped found the Good Samaritan Founda- at the intersection of US 1 and Fort Hunt Road. Reservation form I came to D.C.,” said Monk. “But the whole idea of tion with some of his Washington teammates; the is available at www.mvcca.org. helping was familiar — I was raised with that. My foundation provides youth with the environment parents were always cooking, always providing, al- needed to equip them with the skills, training and ways giving something.” resources necessary to compete successfully in soci- Monk went on to talk about the growing demand ety through the Student Training Opportunity Pro See News, Page 25 for social services, and that it’s hard for people to See Monk, Page 7 understand their needs. That’s why he got into more www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ April 15-21, 2010 ❖ 3 News Inova Mount Vernon Finances Improving From Page 1 a huge plus for us,” said Doyle. According to Hyland, the relationship be paying off —literally. between hospital management and staff has If business continues at its current pace also improved, particularly under Doyle’s for the rest of 2010, the hospital will finish leadership. the year “in the black” for the first time since “The nursing staff and other employees it opened in 1976. are staying there for longer periods of time,” “Last year, we came very close to break- by Photo he said. ing even, very close. Right now, it is early in the year but we are way ahead of our THE RENOVATION, new staff and tech- [financial] plan already,” said Barbara nology investment have been targeted in Julia O’Donoghue Doyle, chief executive officer of Mount certain medical fields where Mount Vernon Vernon Hospital. Hospital has developed a reputation for expertise and excellence.