Great Fallsconnectionarchives.com/PDF/2016/100516/Great Falls.pdf · hurt area restaurants, cause...

Great Falls Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Great FallsGreat Falls

Great FallsRallies Behind

David KimNews Page 10

David Deuk Kim (right) with his son Philip and wife Soon Kim ofKim’s Tailoring, located in the Great Falls Center Shopping Centeron Georgetown Pike in Great Falls. Community responds to owner

of Kim’s Tailoring who had quadruple bypass surgery.

Real Estate: McLean andGreat Falls Enjoy‘Best of Times’ in DecadeNews, Page 11

online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC


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Thomas Robinson from Herndon is listed bowling 220 with nohandicap. This is his first year entered in the Senior Olympicscompetition, but he says he has been bowling for over 40 yearssince he was 10. Robinson says this was sort of an accident. He wassigning up for the volleyball competition and just happened tonotice bowling. He pulls out his favorite brown ball “that smellslike root beer — no kidding” and wipes it off with a cloth to getsome of the oil off the ball. Then he swings his long arm back andlets go — another strike. Robinson wins gold in the 50-54 year agegroup with a score of 726 for three games.

SeniorLivingSeniorLivingSeniorLivingFALL 2016FALL 2016

Senior Living

InsideInside

Senior LivingSenior Living

Pro & Con onMeals Tax Debated

News, Page 3

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection ❖ October 5-11, 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsGreat Falls Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

See Meals Tax, Page 7

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

The League of Women Voters ofthe Fairfax Area sponsored adebate-style panel discussion onthe Meals Tax issue which will

go before county voters in the Nov. 8 Gen-eral Election. At question is whether thecounty’s Board of Supervisors will begranted the authority to implement a 4 per-cent tax on certain prepared foods and bev-erages — an enactment that requires ap-proval by voters.

While an ordinance detailing the specif-ics of the tax will not be written unless thereferendum passes, the general frameworkincludes all ready-to-eat prepared food andbeverage in restaurants, lunchrooms, caf-eterias, coffee shops, cafes, taverns, delis,push carts, hot dog stands and food trucks,as well as ready-to-eat foods — like deliitems and salad/hot food bars — at gro-cery and convenience stores. Among theexemptions would be general groceries andvending machines, as well as schools, hos-pitals, employee-only cafeterias, andchurches and nonprofits serving meals asfundraising activities. If the referendum ispassed, the Board of Supervisors has indi-cated that it may hold public meetings todetermine if additional exemptions areneeded before the ordinance goes into ef-fect.

IN REQUESTING this new source of rev-enue, the Board of Supervisors states thatthey are looking to reduce dependence onreal estate taxes, while shoring up gaps inthe county’s budget. Of the estimated $99million that the board projects will be gen-erated by the Meals Tax, 70 percent of thenet revenues would be earmarked for theFairfax County Public Schools and 30 per-cent to “county services, capital improve-ments, and property tax relief.”

Plenty of impassioned opinions on bothsides of the Sept. 29 debate were displayedby panel members and members of the au-dience at Luther Jackson Middle School inFalls Church.

Two teams each offered opening state-ments for and against the proposal and thentag-teamed the questions put to them bymoderator Mary Kimm, editor and publisherof the Connection Newspapers.

Representing those in favor were FairfaxCounty School Board member Pat Hynes(Hunter Mill) and former School Boardmember Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, a manage-ment consultant. Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and Jon Norton, CEO of GreatAmerican Restaurants (a Fairfax-based res-

taurant company), took to the stage in op-position.

From a business perspective, Nortonwarned that passage of the meals tax couldhurt area restaurants, cause establishmentsto hire less, and mean less tips for employ-ees.

Hynes argued that meals taxes were inplace in surrounding jurisdictions and that“people still eat out.”

Niedzielski-Eichner also disputed the va-lidity of the study Norton used to supporthis position, pointing out that it was just

one study, conducted by a college studentin Kentucky.

Despite major cuts to the central officeand services and increased class sizes, thecounty now spends $1,000 “real dollars”less per child in the school system than in2008, Hynes said and that “Richmonddoesn’t leave us many options. This is oneof the few ways we can independently raiserevenue.” She is determined to see the mon-ies raised utilized to increase Fairfax Countyteachers’ salaries, among other schoolneeds. Comparisons show that teachers in

Fairfax County earn about $20,000 less peryear than those in surrounding school dis-tricts.

“This is a referendum on the quality oflife in Fairfax County,” added her team part-ner Niedzielski-Eichner. The rise in thecounty’s population and the increase in resi-dents needing some form of assistance hasput an additional strain on the county’s re-sources. Niedzielski-Eichner and Hynesmade a case that the quality of life and theeconomic health of the region are tied tothe quality of our schools. “People expectexcellent schools here,” said Hynes, and afailure to deliver on that expectation willhave a serious negative impact.

Herrity disagreed that there are no otheroptions except to enact what he calls a “re-gressive tax,” that will negatively affect low-income residents, and “working moms andthe elderly.” Herrity advocates more fiscalresponsibility from the Board of Supervi-sors. He pointed to “$12 million that wentout the door” at the last board meeting onprojects that he does not see ever comingto fruition.

Herrity also believes that a revived com-mercial tax base is a part of the solution.According to Herrity, studies show that thecounty’s “culture of ‘No’” is contributing tothe historically low commercial occupancyrates the area is currently experiencing. Fix-ing that problem and addressing spendingissues is what needs to be done, rather thancontinuing to “feed the revenue monster,”he said.

As to the lack of funds that come back tothe county from Richmond, Herrity said thatthe county needs to go to the General As-sembly with a plan: “We need to do itsmart.” The supervisor said that there areways to request funds for specific programsthat will bring more money back to the com-munity, rather than the 25 cents per dollarthat is Richmond’s current return to thecounty.

Hynes reminded the opposition that goodschools and high-functioning safety servicesare required to build the commercial base,as well as the residential base. Hynes usedthe recent Washington Post article that sug-gests that Fairfax County, once a “model ofwealthy suburban living” is “starting to frayat the edges,” but Herrity countered thathe did not believe that services were dete-riorating. “We still have one of the bestschool systems in the country,” he said.

Hynes agreed, but cautioned that lowteacher salaries are causing good teachersto leave the system, and Fairfax Countypublic schools face new challenges, withnearly 30 percent of students now eligiblefor free and reduced-price meals, while en-rollment continues to grow, especially in thelower income brackets.

Ever-increasing taxes would precipitatean exodus from the county, in Herrity’s view.

Herrity also suggested seeking more cre

League of WomenVoters hosts forum onMeals Tax issue.

Debating Pro & Con on Meals Tax

From left: The Meals Tax forum panellists were management consultantPhil Niedzielski-Eichner and School Board member Pat Hynes represent-ing the proponents, and Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and GreatAmerican Restaurants CEO Jon Norton, opposing the proposal. MaryKimm, editor and publisher of the Connection Newspapers, was themoderator.

From left: Fairfax County teachers Elaine Saunders and PreciousCrabtree are with School Board member Pat Hynes (Hunter Mill District)after the Meals Tax Forum. All three are in favor of the referendum. “It’sthe right thing to do for the kids and the schools,” said Crabtree, whothought that the opposition didn’t offer any practical solutions to re-place the proposed tax.

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Connection


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News

By Peyton Jacobs

The Connection

While the weather was gloomy and dimthis past Saturday, the doors to Ha-vana Vintage Boutique were wideopen and inside was anything but

gloom. Cheerfully colored walls, luminous chande-liers, and the friendly faces of owner Nolkis Romanand her family greeted customers as they walked intothe high-end consignment store to celebrate their fiveyears in business.

Growing up on a farm in Baracoa, Guantanamo,Cuba, Roman did not know what her future wouldhold. She always loved clothing – creating and sell-ing outfits for her dolls made of sticks as a child –and she dreamt of owning her very own store oneday. After leaving her homeland behind and travel-ling to the U.S. in January of 1988, this ambitionbegan to grow.

Her dream finally came true on Oct. 1, 2011 whenHavana Vintage first opened. “As soon as I walkedinto the store, I said ‘this is it’. Great Falls has such a

wonderful sense of community, and I am so gratefulto my customers for allowing my business to growas much as it has,” Roman said.

Consigners from all over Virginia, D.C. and Mary-land bring their upscale brand-name or vintage cloth-ing, shoes, and jewelry, receiving 50 percent com-mission on these items. The store also has a selec-tion of European soaps, lotions, home goods, hand-bags, wallets, and more.

Customer Ellen North said she and her daughtersvisit the boutique often, her youngest playing with apair of men’s shoes and her oldest carrying a largeassortment of dresses into the curtained dressingroom as she spoke. “They are very aware of theirdifferent kinds of customers, and they always remem-ber us when we come back!” she said, smiling.

As a live band played and Roman continued togreet incoming guests, her children, Genesis, Victoria,and Noah, stood in the front of the boutique, awayfrom the band and the chatter of the customers. “Ilove helping out at the store and getting to spendtime with my mom,” said Victoria. “Knowing thatwe are helping and contributing to her dream makesit a really rewarding experience,” added Genesis. “Weare really proud of her.”

If you would like to learn more about Havana Vin-tage, visit their website atwww.havanavintageboutique.com.

Havana Vintage celebrates5 years in business.

Dreams ComeTrue in Great Falls

Courtesy photos

Nolkis Roman’s children five years ago and now: Fromleft — Genesis, 12, Victoria, 13, and Noah, 11.

Photo by Peyton Jacobs/The Connection

Nolkis Roman (owner) and her husband, Eli Roman.


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News

FCPS BeatsVirginia On-TimeGraduation Rate

The Virginia Department of Edu-cation has released graduationrates for school systems aroundthe Commonwealth. FairfaxCounty Public Schools had 92.3percent of its 2016 class graduateon time, compared with the stateaverage 91.3 percent.

On-time graduation in Virginiais defined by four years of studentinformation, including studentsmoving, changes in enrollment,special education students andstudents with limited English pro-ficiency.

To qualify for the VDOE’s ac-counting of “on-time graduation”for 2016, a student must have en-tered as a freshman in the 2012-2013 school year. In four years orfewer, they must then have earnedone of the several diplomas rec-ognized by the VDOE.

About 62 percent of FCPS stu-dents earned one of the differentadvanced studies diplomas — ad-vanced studies, International Bac-calaureate — while the Virginiaaverage was 51.7 percent in 2016.

—Tim Peterson


Opinion

With more than 655,000 activevoters in Fairfax County, and asmany as 500,000 voters turning out on Election Day, it’s a

good time to consider voting early, and pre-paring for a longer-than-usual process if vot-ing on Election Day.

While the Presidential election will take topbilling, every seat in the U.S. Congress is onthe ballot, with one hotly contested race inNorthern Virginia.

In Fairfax County, voters will decide whetherto enact a four percent meals tax.

The Town of Herndon will have its first No-vember election, moving from May in past elec-tions, with the office of Mayor and six TownCouncil seats on the ballot. http://herndon-va.gov/government/mayor-and-council/town-elections

Fairfax County voters will decide on threebond questions, including $120 million intransportation bonds for Metro; $107 millionin bonds for parks; and $85 million for build-ing and renovating senior and community cen-ters, and homeless shelters. More at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bond/

Virginia Voter IDVirginia has a significant voter identification

requirement, plan to bring photo identificationwith you to vote, whether that is absentee oron Election Day. But you can get a voter IDcard if you don’t have one of the other accept-able identifications.

Among accepted ID: valid Virginia Driver’sLicense or Identification Card; valid VirginiaDMV issued Veteran’s ID card; valid U.S. Pass-port; other government-issued photo identifi-cation cards issued by the U.S. Government,the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a politicalsubdivision of the Commonwealth; valid col-lege or university student photo identificationcard from an institution of higher educationlocated in Virginia; valid student ID issued bya public school or private school in Virginiadisplaying a photo; employee identificationcard containing a photograph of the voter andissued by an employer of the voter in the ordi-nary course of the employer’s business.

Any registered voter who does not haveone of the required forms of identification canapply for a free Virginia Voter Photo Identifi-cation from any general registrar’s office in theCommonwealth. Voters applying for the Vir-ginia Voter Photo ID complete the VirginiaVoter Photo Identification Card Application,have their picture taken, and sign the digitalsignature pad. Once the application is pro-cessed, the card will be mailed directly to thevoter.

A voter who does not bring an acceptablephoto ID to the polls will be offered a provi-sional ballot.

Provisional Ballot Process for VotersWho Arrive Without Identification

If you arrive at your polling place on Elec-tion Day without an acceptable form of photoidentification, don’t panic or give up. You willbe given the opportunity to vote a provisionalballot. After completing the provisional ballot,the individual voting will be given written in-structions from the election officials on howto submit a copy of his/her identification sothat his/her vote can be counted.

A voter will have until noon on the Fridayfollowing the election to deliver a copy of theidentification to the local electoral board or toappear in person to apply for a Virginia VoterPhoto ID Card. Voters may submit a copy oftheir ID via fax, email, in-person submission,or through USPS or commercial delivery ser-vice. Please note that the copy of the ID mustbe delivered to the electoral board by noon onFriday, or the provisional ballot cannot becounted.

Also by noon on Friday following the elec-tion, the voter may appear in-person in theoffice of the general registrar, in the locality inwhich the provisional ballot was cast, and ap-ply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. At thecompletion of the application process, the votermay request a Temporary Identification Docu-ment. This document may be provided to theelectoral board to suffice the identification re-quirement.

Absentee Voting inPerson inFairfax County

Voting begins Sept. 23, and with record turn-out possible, voting early if you qualify is agood choice.

There are 19 valid reasons to vote absenteein Virginia, including working and commut-ing to and from home for 11 or more hoursbetween 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day,which basically means anyone who commutesto a job. Check the Virginia Department of Elec-tions list to see if you are eligible. http://elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absen-tee-voting/index.html

If you vote absentee in-person you will fillout the application when you arrive at the in-person absentee location.

Absentee Voting Begins Sept. 23Fairfax County Government Center, Confer-

ence Room 2/3,12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax,

22035Weekday Schedule:❖ Sept. 23 to Oct. 14, Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday and Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.;Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Closed, Monday,

Oct. 10, Columbus Day.❖ Oct. 17 to Nov. 4, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.

to 8 p.m.❖ Saturday Schedule: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

and November 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 is thelast day to absentee vote in-person.

Absentee Voting at Satellite LocationsSaturday Schedule: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and

Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Weekday Schedule: Oct. 17 to Nov. 4, Mon-

day - Friday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Satellite Voting Locations:❖ Providence Community Center - 3001

Vaden Dr., Fairfax, 22031❖ Franconia Governmental Center - 6121

Franconia Rd., Alexandria, 22310❖ McLean Governmental Center - 1437 Balls

Hill Rd., Community Room, McLean, 22101❖ North County Governmental Center, 1801

Cameron Glen Dr., Community Rooms, Reston,20190

❖ West Springfield Governmental Center -6140 Rolling Rd., Springfield, 22152

❖ Mason Governmental Center - 6507 Co-lumbia Pike, Annandale, 22003

❖ Mount Vernon Governmental Center -2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, 22306

❖ Sully Governmental Center - 4900Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, 20151

❖ Lorton Library - 9520 Richmond Hwy.,Lorton, 22079 SATURDAYS ONLY (ClosedWeekdays)

Consider voting absentee in person since morethan 500,000 other voters are likely to turnout onElection Day.

Voting Never Mattered MoreVOTE: Upcoming Dates

❖ To vote in November’s election, you mustbe registered by Oct. 17: Voter RegistrationDeadline - In-Person: 5 p.m., Onlinewww.vote.virginia.go❖ 11:59 p.m. Todetermine whether you are eligible andregistered to vote in this election, visit theVirginia Department of Elections website athttp://elections.virginia.gov/ or call FairfaxElections office at 703-222-0776.

❖ In-Person Absentee Voting began Sept.23 and will continue until Nov. 5. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee.htm

❖ Nov. 1: Last Day to Apply for an Absen-tee Ballot by Mail, Fax, Email or Online: 5p.m.

❖ Nov. 5: Final Day for In-Person AbsenteeVoting

❖ On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Pollsare open from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

❖ Nov. 8: Absentee Ballot Return Deadline:7 p.m.

For more information on voting in FairfaxCounty:

Voter Registration: 703-222-0776, TTY 711Absentee Fax: 703-324-3725Email: [email protected] Officer Info: 703-324-4735, TTY

711

ON THE BALLOT IN FAIRFAX COUNTY:❖ President and Vice President❖ U.S. House of Representatives, 8th, 10th,

or 11th District❖ Meal Tax Referendum❖ Three Proposed County Bond Questions❖ Two Proposed Constitutional Amend-

ments

See the Connection’s community guide onhow to vote and what’s on the ballot atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2016/aug/25/how-vote-fairfax-county/

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Great Falls


From Page 3

News

ative ways to fund schools, citing the use ofname-endorsement to re-build a high schoolin Winchester. Hynes didn’t think that wasan effective solution, replying “Winchesterhas the one [high] school. We have 180schools in Fairfax County.”

Niedzielski-Eichner doesn’t necessarilydisagree with all of Herrity’s solutions, butcalls them “decades in the making” whenthe meal tax monies would stay locally andcould be used immediately. “We are in defi-cit, we have real needs now … for schools,firefighters and police equipment.”

Another major portion of Herrity’s solu-tions to address school funding shortfallsinvolves possible cuts to the pension plansand social security supplements of new-hirecounty employees. Seeing the current sys-tem as a major spending problem, Herritydoesn’t believe that offering something thatdoesn’t affect them until age 55 or older isreally much of an incentive for new, youngerjob seekers.

Several of his attacks on spending prac-tices had been applauded by the audience,but this one met with less enthusiasm fromthe crowd. Cheers greeted Hynes’ reply,“Our employees deserve a dignified retire-ment after a lifetime of serving the com-munity.”

Photo by Andrea Worker/The Connection

Peggy Knight (left) and Helen Kelly of the League of Women Voters of theFairfax Area helped the organization sponsor a forum on a proposedMeals Tax referendum that will be decided by county voters on the Nov.8 ballot.

Meals Tax DebatedKimm continued to referee the count-

pointer count between the opposing teams.Before wrapping up, she said, “It seems likemuch of this debate is based partly on trust.”She asked the panel if they thought theBoard of Supervisors would do what theysaid they would if the referendum is passed.

“It was worded to give it the best chanceto pass,” was Herrity’s response. With noguarantees on where money will go, he re-peated that the school’s budget would bedetermined next April.

“The referendum is a clear signal to theboard,” responded Hynes. Hynes and otherproponents say the board will be held toaccount to use the money as planned, as anaddition to the general budget process andfor the purpose of raising teachers’ salariesand other school needs.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS isa nonpartisan political organization that en-courages the participation of citizens ingovernment and works to increase under-standing of major public policy issues. Asan organization, the LWVFA has taken aposition in favor of the Meals Tax, buthosted the Meals Tax Forum without com-ment or expressing their opinions duringthe debate in order to allow for unbiaseddiscussion and public education.


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On Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. (at the Great Falls Grange),Great Falls Citizens Association has arranged debateson two major ballot issues this November. The FairfaxCounty Meals Tax and the Virginia ConstitutionalAmendment popularly referred to as the “Right toWork” proposal have garnered the most attentionbeyond the Presidential and Congressional elections.The TownHall program will include:

❖ Meals Tax debate: featuring Supervisor PatHerrity opposing the Meals Tax and Supervisor JohnFoust supporting it. Having two of the leading FairfaxCounty Board of Supervisors debate will provide avaluable opportunity to learn about the reality of theissues behind the rhetoric.

❖ Right to Work debate: For the proposed Vir-ginia Constitutional Amendment on “Right to Work,”there will be two distinguished speakers debatingthe pros and cons. James Young (Staff Attorney, Na-tional Right to Work Legal Defense & Education Foun-dation for more than 25 years) will make the argu-

ment for the amendment. Dan Duncan (President ofthe Northern VA Central Labor Council) will argueagainst.

❖ Congressional Candidate Statements:GFCA solicited personal statements from LuAnnBennett (D), Barbara Comstock (R), and JD Thorpe(L) to the citizens of Great Falls about why they arerunning and why we should support them as our VA-District 10 Representative. Their personalized lettersto the citizens of Great Falls will be available.

❖ County Spending and Taxation: GFCA isbuilding a fact-base to better understand and evalu-ate County spending and taxation, and will presenta brief tutorial that may be helpful to voters in un-derstanding the arguments surrounding the Meal Taxand bond issues.

❖ Educational Materials will be distrib-uted: In addition to the debates, GFCA will havedetailed, printed information for voters on the otherballot items – including several county bond issues.

Dee LeggettExhibits at GreatFalls Library

“Shapes and Colors of ourSouthwest National Parks” is anexhibit of photography capturingshapes and colors of the NationalParks and Monuments in Arizonaand Utah taken during Great Fallsphotographer and author DeeLeggett’s tour to the area with herhusband in May. The exhibit, Oct.3-31, 2016 at the Great Falls Li-brary, portrays the broad, dramaticvistas of varied shapes, as well asintense and subtle colors through-out these magnificent locations.Leggett said, “I never realized howmany shades of red and brown andhow many textures existed in rock,and the variety of light and clouds, sun and rain ex-pands it even further.”

Leggett’s photographs were taken from the trailsin Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and PetrifiedForest National Parks, as well as Wupatki and CedarBreaks National Monuments in sun, rain, sleet, andsnow. 2016 is the centennial year for the NationalPark Service (NPS) and Leggett has been contribut-ing to the celebration.

Leggett and her husband Bob have visited morethan 155 units of the National Park Service over the

past 40 years, enjoying, learning about, and photo-graphing the protected natural areas as well as thehistorical and cultural areas.

Leggett is a member of Great Falls Studios and hasbeen exhibiting her photography for more than 10years. Her exhibit will be part of the Great Falls Stu-dios Annual Studio Tour Oct. 14-17, 2016.

“Visions of Great Falls,” Leggett’s photo journalbook of scenes and history of Great Falls is avail-able. Contact her at 703-861-3335, [email protected] or visit deeleggettphotography.vpweb.com

Week in Great Falls

Debating Meals Tax, Right to Work in Great Falls

“Grand Canyon Sunset” by Dee Leggett captures light onthe rocks of the Grand Canyon. This photo will be ondisplay at the Great Falls Library Oct. 3-31, 2016


News

By Steve Hibbard

The Connection

David Deuk Kim, 59, of Kim’s Tailoring started to get chest painson Aug. 23, 2016. He had beenvery healthy up to that point,

having medical checkups every two yearsthat came up fine. Longevity had run in hisfamily — his father lived to be 92; twouncles lived to be 94 and 93 — so he didn’tthink there was a problem. The only warn-ing was that his cholesterol was 140. Hehad been working in his store in the GreatFalls Center Shopping Center onGeorgetown Pike, and around 9:30 a.m.,he walked over to Ace Medical Care acrossthe street to see what the problem was.

The doctor informed him that he just hada heart attack, gave him medication rightaway, and called an ambulance. So he waswhisked away to Reston Hospital wherethey checked on him but said they couldn’topen his chest. The next morning at 6 a.m.,he went to Fairfax Hospital where the sur-geon Dr. Eric Sarin performed a quadruplebypass. The surgery was a success; the onlyproblem was that Kim did not have anymedical insurance. And the cost for the pro-cedure can run anywhere between $70,000-$200,000 depending on the hospital.

KIM, who is originally from Korea, is a be-loved tailor in Great Falls who specializesin men’s and women’s alterations. Some 24years ago, he and his wife Soon Kim, 57,set up shop; they originally made clothingby hand, but have since focused on alter-ations. He says the work is very seasonal:it’s busy in the spring and fall, but slow inthe summer and winter. When Kim came tothis country in 1988, he did not speak anyEnglish. He took classes through FairfaxCounty Public Schools on the weekends tobecome more fluent. The couple has twochildren: son Philip and daughter Sue KimHong, both of Orange County, Calif.

Now the Great Falls community is band-ing together to help Kim with his medicalexpenses. In a few short weeks, 174 peoplehave contributed $20,661 (as of Saturday).And since his hospital stay, he has received75 cards, 26 bouquets of flowers, and hun-dreds of digital notes from the community.

So how does he feel about the outpour-ing of support? “Wow. Amazing; what can Isay? I’m really, really happy about it. I re-ally appreciate the Great Falls community...So many people have called and haveprayed for us,” said Kim from his tailoringshop. “My wife and I we were crying a fewdays ago.”

“It’s something that we never expected. Imean, personally I had no idea that my dadhad this huge impression on the commu-nity,” said son Philip, who is visiting fromCalifornia. “I was speechless. To this point,there’s no way I can put into words how

grateful our entire family is. We’re tryingto figure out what we can do to give backto the community.”

Philip said his dad’s tailoring businesstends to coincide with big milestones in thelives of Great Falls residents: homecomingsand marriages, prom gowns, tuxedos, and

wedding gowns. Philip has postponed hislife for three months to be with his parents;he plans on returning home on Dec. 1. Hesaid his family has even received care pack-ages and instructional videos from the com-munity on how to help his dad get better.

Karen Peterson, 53, of Great Falls, who

helped organize a fundraising campaign forKim, said the response from the commu-nity has been overwhelming thus far. “Ithink it’s the recognition that Mr. Kim is aninstitution in Great Falls and the commu-nity wanting to do something to help. Thecommunity wanted to take care of one ofits own.... It’s wonderful to help such a de-serving family.”

She added: “Even people who havemoved out of the community have contrib-uted; they still feel part of the community.They still have an allegiance to Mr. Kim.”

Peterson said it was her neighbors inGreat Falls who brought up the idea to helpKim; she just happened to know the tech-nology on how to get him connected ontoFacebook and the Nextdoor Portal. Theydidn’t put out any flyers. They are using thefundraising website called youcaring.com.To contribute to Kim’s cause, the URL ishttps://www.youcaring.com/david-kim-653875. Already, individuals have contrib-uted $100 here, $250 there, even $500,with many hidden amounts not listed. Thetotal gross is above $20,000 thus far.

PETERSON said an anonymous attorneyis helping with the negotiations on Kim’smedical bills, and another influential per-son in the community who has connectionswith INOVA’s Board is asking for a reduc-tion in his bills as a special circumstance.Kim said he is sorry about not having healthinsurance; but he plans on getting new in-surance on Nov. 1. For now, he is workingpart-time while he’s recuperating; he plansto go back to work full-time on Oct. 17.

Julianne Benson, a former Great Falls resi-dent for 21 years who moved to Brambletonin Ashburn, stopped by the shop with a cardand $100 cash while we were conductingthe interview. She had been using Kim’sbusiness, whom she calls the “salt of theearth,” for over 20 years. “I’ve been think-ing about you and praying for you,” shesaid. “You’re a light in our community andI just want to thank you so much... I lovesupporting our local businesses. The Kimsare phenomenal. I’ll continue to hold youclose in prayer.”

Kim’s Tailoring is located at 9887Georgetown Pike in the Great Falls CenterShopping Center. The phone number is 703-757-3355.

Community responds to owner of Kim’s Tailoring who had quadruplebypass surgery.

Great Falls Rallies Behind David Kim

David Deuk Kim (right) with his son Philip and wife Soon Kim of Kim’sTailoring, located in the Great Falls Center Shopping Center onGeorgetown Pike in Great Falls.

David DeukKim irons agarment in hisshop, Kim’sTailoring,located in theGreat FallsCenter Shop-ping Center onGeorgetownPike in GreatFalls.

Photos by Steve Hibbard/The Connection

“I really appreciate theGreat Fallscommunity... So manypeople have called andhave prayed for us. …My wife and I we werecrying a few days ago.”

—David Deuk Kim of Kim’sTailoring in Great Falls


News

By Karen Briscoe

The McLeanand GreatFalls real es-tate market

has experienced a ro-bust number of sales inthe 1st three quarters of2016. The number oftransactions is up 9 per-cent over 2015 sametime frame. In addition,compared to the 2006market, it is up almost16 percent. This is ex-cellent news for themarket area as we en-ter into fourth quarterand the national elec-tion cycle. It indicatesan environment for thepotential for price ap-preciation in some seg-ments, provided de-mand remains strongrelative to supply.

The segment that performed the best in these zipcodes was the lower brackets, considered to be any-thing under $1.25 million. Not surprising, most ofthe price points enjoyed greater sales year over yearand higher than at 2006 levels as well. In the Tysons22102 area of McLean the majority of the sales inthis price point were condos. According to econo-mists, this market niche comprises Millennial Gen-eration as first-time home buyers. Further the firstlevel move up buyer now is confident that their lowerpriced home will sell quickly so that they can moreeasily make the leap into the next price bracket.Bridge and other available creative financing optionsare more readily available options.

The best performing price points continues to bethe $1.25 to $2 m price range. Much of this com-prises in-fill new home builders tearing down anolder existing home for the land value. In many casesthe lots are purchased off market which could skewthe numbers for the lower price points. As there re-mains very little available land for development inMcLean and Great Falls it is difficult to project howlong this trend will last. As builders compete for lots,there is less available for end-user owners that wouldbuy the homes to live in. Although this scenario canbe a healthy sign of a rising market these dynamicscan make it challenging for a first or second timehome buyer to purchase in the community.

The price points above $2 m were generally flatfor the first three quarters of 2016 over 2015 and

similar to the 2006 levels. The number of buyers whoare qualified to purchase homes in this segment isconsiderably smaller and remains fairly constant. Itfollows that even in a strong market year this wouldhold true.

The good news is that McLean and Great Falls homesellers continued in 2016 to experience “best oftimes” market conditions. The sales volume is up thisyear over 2015 and the last peak cycle for the areathat culminated in 2006. The balance of 2016 indi-cators show that homes priced correctly for the mar-ket and in top condition should sell for strong prices.

Karen Briscoe and Lizzy Conroy and their team HBC Groupat Keller Williams are active and experienced Realtors¨ in theNorthern Virginia, suburban Maryland and Washington, D.C.marketplace. Contact via the means most convenient for you:www.HBCRealtyGroup.com, 703-734-0192,[email protected].

Real Estate: McLean and Great FallsEnjoy ‘Best of Times’ in Decade

Free Seminars on Real Estatefor Retirees

The Retiree Real Estate Education Association announcesfree public service seminars for November, 2016, on Indepen-dent Living & Retirement Communities, Options forFinancing, Estate Planning & Tax, and Ageing in Place, givenat McLean, Falls Church, Marshall and Madison High Schools.These are part of a series of 8 free seminars on real estateissues unique to retirees. Seminars are free, in the eveningsat County public schools. For more information and seminarregistration go toRetireeRealEstate.org.


FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VIENNA450 ORCHARD STREET, NW

VIENNA, VA 22180703-938-8525

[email protected]

SUNDAY WORSHIP, 7:45 AM & 11:00 AMCHURCH SCHOOL 9:30AM-10:30AMMIDWEEK SERVICES, WED. 7:00 PM

Visit These Houses of WorshipTo Highlight Your Faith Community,

call Karen at 703-917-6468

7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Sunday School: preschool - grade 2Music: grades 3 - 7

10:25 a.m. Sunday School Grades 3 to 6Music 4 years to 2nd grade

11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II5:00 p.m. Come Just as You Are Contemporary Service

Nursery care provided at 9:00 a.m. service

The Rev. John C. N. Hall, RectorThe Rev. Laura Cochran

703-437-6530www.stannes-reston.org

1700 Wainwright Dr., Reston

ST. ANNE’SEPISCOPALCHURCH • Reston

Welcoming, Diverse, Progressive

Entertainment

See entertainment, Page 13

Send announcements to connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Deadline isFriday at noon for the following week’spaper. Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGMeadow Farms Fall Festival Great

Falls Oct. 3 - Oct. 31 Mondaythrough Friday 8 - 7 p.m. Saturday 8- 6 p.m. Sunday 9 - 6 p.m. 10618Leesburg Pike, Vienna. We havepumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, mums,pansies, star bales,and everythingelse you need for the fall look. Ahuge selection of pumpkins. We willalso have moon bounces, giantscarecrows, haunted buses and pipesfor the kids to go through, weekendconcessions and much more. Let yourkids have a blast while you pick outyour pumpkins and all your fallneeds. www.meadowsfarms.com

The Pumpkin Patch beginningMonday Oct. 10 4 -7 p.m. then opendaily Sunday - Friday 11 - 7 p.m. and10 - 6 p.m. on Saturdays throughOct. 31. at St. Thomas’ EpiscopalChurch 8991 Brook Rd McLean. Allof the money raised by our pumpkinpatch is donated to support localcharities. 703-442-0330.

Great Falls Farmers Market.Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 778 WalkerRoad Great Falls. http://greatfallsfarmersmarket.org/

Visitor Center Museum 9200 OldDominion Dr, McLean. Everydaythrough Oct. 10 - 5 p.m. Museumexhibits include the PatowmackCanal, Ecology of the Falls, AmericanIndians, Potomac Watershed,Kayaking and a Kids room. Twoaudiovisual presentations play on thequarter hour: Film - GeorgeWashington Visualizing a Nation, andpark slideshow – History of GreatFalls. www.nps.gov/grfa

Canoe and Kayak Rentals atRiverbend Park 8700 Potomac HillsStreet, Great Falls. May 20 throughOct. 14. Boating Hours are Friday toSunday 9 - 5 p.m., and holidays Maythrough October. The river is wideand relatively relaxed in this section,so it’s a great place for new kayakers.703-759-9018 for boat rental andramp openings.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/

Fishing Rod Rentals 8700 PotomacHills Street, Great Falls. Rentalsavailable during visitor center hours.Fishing tackle and live bait areavailable for purchase. Reservationsrequired for group rentals. $6/rental(2hr max). Valid driver’s licenserequired. Our rod/reel combinationsare perfect for beginners andchildren. A Virginia or Marylandfreshwater fishing license is requiredfor persons 16 years or older. Thepark does not sell fishing licenses.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/

Colvin Run Mill open 11 - 4 p.m.daily, closed Tuesday. 10017 ColvinRun Rd, Great Falls. Fairfax County’soperational 19th century waterpowered gristmill, offers recreationaland educational activities for all agesthrough daily tours, school programsand special events. Fees: $7/adult,$6 students 16+ with ID, $5 children& seniors. Winter Hours: January &February, 11am-4pm, last tour 3pm.Admission to park is FREE except forsome special events.

Lobby Hero 1st Stage Tysons Sept.8 - Oct. 16 Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.,Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. 1st

Stage in Tysons, 1524 Spring HillRoad, Tysons Corner. What does ittruly mean to be a hero? Whilestruggling with a world of conflictingtruths, the characters grapple withtheir own realities and those of thepeople around them.www.1ststagetysons.org or 703-854-1856.

Art Walk in the Village: First

Fridays beginning Sept. 9, 6 - 9p.m. through Dec.31 at 756 WalkerRoad, Great Falls. Admission free andopen to the public. Visit: http://www.greatfallsart.org/artwalk/

One-To-One English ConversationOct. 1 through Oct. 31 101 PatrickHenry Library 101 Maple Ave E,Vienna. Call to Register. 703- 938-0405.

THURSDAY/OCT. 6Celtic Fiddle Festival: The Barns

1635 Trap Rd. 8 pm “Three of thefinest folk violinists anywhere” saidThe Washington Post. The BarnesShowcase a fascinating combinationof international and individualfiddling styles. www.wolftrap.org/

SATURDAY/OCT. 8Blessing of the Animals at the

Church of the Holy Comforter, 543Beulah Road, Vienna, 5 p.m. in theFront Circle followed by HolyEucharist. Bring your dogs, cats orother animal companions for theBlessing of the Animals, as wecelebrate St. Francis. Share yourblessing by bringing pet food andtoys to be given to a nearby animalshelter. Celebrate the role that ourpets and animal companions play inour lives.

Aging in Place: Modifying YourHome to Fit Your ChangingLifestyle 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean. As yourlifestyle changes in your later years,living in your own home, withaccustomed comforts, supports youremotional well-being. Homemodifications, even small ones, canenhance your comfort and safety tomake a big difference. Attend thisworkshop to find out how simplechanges to your home can create anenvironment where everyone iswelcome and can flourish. Advanceregistration is required. Lightrefreshments will be served. Cost:Free. Call AARP at 1-877-926-8300or http://states.aarp.org/novaevents.

Inside Criminology: A discussionwith Ph.D. candidate Jessica Kalbfeldand Ph.D. candidate in Linguistics,Taylor Jones. Following the 2pmperformance. 1st Stage in Tysons,1524 Spring Hill Road. $30 generaladmission, $27 seniors (65+), $15students and military.www.1ststagetysons.org

Virginia Opera: The Seven DeadlySins and Pagliacci 8 p.m. GeorgeMason University Center for the Arts

Concert Hall Fairfax. The finalcollaboration between Kurt Weill andBertolt Brecht, The Seven DeadlySins is a sharp critique of capitalism.http://cfa.gmu.edu/

MONDAY/OCT. 10Magic Dick & Shun Ng and The

Slide Brothers 6 - 10 p.m. HiltonMclean Tyson’s Corner 7920 JonesBranch Drive, McLean. TheCommunity Foundation for NorthernVirginia’s annual Gala is an eventthat raises dollars to fundorganizations, connect donors tononprofits doing good work.Admission: [email protected]

FRIDAY/ OCT. 14GFS Art Tour. Through Sunday

October 16. 10 a.m- 5 p.m. GreatFalls Community Library, LargeMeeting Room 9830 GeorgetownPike, Great Falls. 58 Artists in 20venues in Great Falls, VA. A self-guided driving event. Cost: [email protected].

SATURDAY/OCT. 15Protecting Our Seniors 8:30 - 2 p.m.

Antioch Baptist Church 6525B LittleOx Rd. Fairfax Station. The AntiochBaptist Church Elderly CareConference will address trends inelder abuse and exploitation. TheKeynote speaker is Michele Leith,NOVA Community OutreachCoordinator, Offices of the AttorneyGeneral. Cost: Free. Contact:Adrienne Austin [email protected]. Or visitwww.antioch-church.org.Registration is required. Visit thewebsite to register for the event.

Pumpkin Preparedness Race 8 a.m.Vienna Volunteer Fire Department400 Center St S, Vienna. Inaugural5k road race to support firstresponders across Northern Virginia.Brand new course across quietVienna streets. All proceeds benefitthe Northern Virginia EmergencyResponse System. Register atwww.preparedness5k.com

Vienna Volunteer Fire DepartmentOpen House 10 - 4 p.m. 400 CenterStreet South, Vienna. The theme thisyear is “Don’t wait, check the date.”Replace smoke alarms every 10

Photo courtesy of

Meadow Farms

Meadow Farms FallFestival in GreatFalls is a great placeto find pumpkinsand fall decorations.The Festival daysbegin on Oct. 3 -Oct. 31 and includea wide variety ofFall themed activi-ties including moonbounces, giantscarecrows, hauntedbuses. MeadowFarms Great Falls isopen Mondaythrough Friday 8 - 7p.m. Saturday 8 - 6p.m. Sunday 9 - 6p.m. The festivitieslast all week andweekend at 10618Leesburg Pike,Vienna.


From Page 12

Entertainment

years! Join us for a Vienna tradition:Fun and educational family friendlyactivities. [email protected] 703-938-2678 www.vvfd.org/index.html

Halstead Square Festival 11 - 4 p.m.Halstead Square Dunn Loring Metro2750 Gallows Road Vienna.Celebrate Northern Virginia’sculinary and visual arts whenHalstead Square Dunn Loring Metrohosts its first Food, Wine & ArtFestival to benefit the WorkhouseArts Center. Cost: Free.www.halsteadsquare.com

Vale Fall Fair 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.ValeSchoolhouse, 3124 Foxmill Rd,Oakton. Great family fun foreveryone! Activities include: HauntedForest, pie eating contest, costumeparade, children’s games, live music,bake, toy, and book sales, barbeque,artisans crafts, balloon sculpture andmore! Free admission. For moreinformation: [email protected] or703-716-4219.

Model Trains and Thomas OpenHouse. 1-5 p.m. Historic ViennaTrain Station, 231 Dominion RoadNE, Vienna. See and hear modeltrolleys and steam and diesel trainsplus Thomas and some of his friends.layout reflects the mountainousterrain and towns of Western NorthCarolina with award winningstructures. Free. nvmr.org. 703-938-5157.

“The Man Who Planted Trees” 2p.m. The Alden 1234 InglesideAvenue

McLean For ages 5+. Hear the wind, feelthe rain, smell the lavender andlaugh with Dog. In this ecologicallyinspired tale, a French shepherd setsout to plant a forest and transform abarren wasteland acorn by acorn.$15/$10 MCC tax district residents.

mcleancenter.org

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/ OCT. 15-16Claude Moore Colonial Farm 1771

Market Fair. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at6310 Georgetown Pike, McLean. Inthe fall, warm yourself by the firesand enjoy autumn with crisp localapples, warm savory meat pies andhearty breads. Let marketentertainers, tradesmen, and themilitia amuse and educate you.Visit1771.org/marketfair/ for more

SUNDAY/ OCT. 16Vienna CROP Hunger Walk 2 - 4

p.m. Vienna Presbyterian andEnvirons, 124 Park St. NE, Vienna.The annual Vienna CROP HungerWalk.The Walk is approximately 3miles in length through the Town ofVienna. Check-in starts at 1:15 p.m.and concert in the sanctuaryfeaturing “The Purple Hulls” starts at1:30 p.m. Proceeds go to Committeefor Helping Others and Church WorldService. Cost: Free. Sign up atwww.crophungerwalk.org/viennava.Email [email protected] or call703-281-4032

Plan Ahead

Great Falls

SATURDAY/OCT. 22Fully Explore Historic Colvin Run

Mill 1:30 p.m. 10017 Colvin RunRoad in Great Falls. Reservationsmust be made by Tuesday, October 4by calling 703-759-2771. See theentire historic mill, including areasthat are rarely open to the public.The suggested donation for the touris $10 per person.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/colvinrunmill/.

SUNDAY/ OCT. 23New Dominion Chorale 4 p.m. St.

Luke Catholic Church, 7001Georgetown Pike, McLean. Thechorale will be joined by PaulSkevington, and some ofWashington’s finest professionalsingers, the soloists from The DistrictEight vocal ensemble. Cost: $15-30.www.newdominion.org

SATURDAY/ OCT. 29Concert: The David Trio 4 - 6 p.m.

Saint Francis Episcopal Church 9220Georgetown Pike Great Falls.ThisItalian ensemble brings the sound ofviolin, cello, and piano to St. Francischancel. The sardonic ShostakovichOp. 67 Trio is balanced by a gentleSchubert Notturno and the spiritedenergy of Haydn’s A-flat majorTrio.Cost: Season pass $150 or $30at the door. Visit: http://amadeusconcerts.com/

MONDAY/OCT. 31Halloween Spooktacular 5 - 7 p.m.

The Spooktacular provides youngerchildren with a central place in GreatFalls to have fun “trick or treating.”Great Falls vendors offer candyaround the Village Green. Pets, onleashes, are welcome to join in thePet Parade. Visit:www.celebrategreatfalls.org/spooktacular

TUESDAY/NOV. 8, 2016Election Day. General election. Visit

www.sbe.virginia.gov/ andwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/

upcoming.htm


Zone 6 Ad Deadline:

Monday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 6: • Arlington • Great Falls

• McLean • Vienna/Oakton

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Recessed LightingCeiling FansPhone/CATVComputer Network CablingService UpgradesHot Tubs, etc…

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LAWN SERVICE LAWN SERVICE

Alfredo’s Construction Company, Inc.

www.alfredosconstructioncompany.com

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•Concrete Driveways•Patios •Sidewalks

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Custom Masonry703-768-3900

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PAVING PAVING

Partial or Full. Kit. Floors, Backsplashes.Specializing in Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass Tiles

and Natural Stones. Also repair work. 35 yrs exp.

BATHROOM REMODELING

703-250-2872Licensed • Bonded • Insured

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Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

A SiteTo Be Told

I have a web site:www.kennywithcancer.com. Original, Iknow. But now what do I do with it? Imean, other than feeding my ego (a littlebit) and providing a more central/accessiblelocation for my nearly 350 cancer columns(published every week since June ‘09) —and the occasional non-cancer and/orsports-themed column, what is the point ofit, really?

I can’t really say it’s to bring awarenessto the cause of this non-celeb because Iknow very little, even now, nearly eightyears post diagnosis. And reading what Iwrite is hardly news or noteworthy. Ohsure, the columns are mildly amusing andmoderately informative, but compared towhat exactly? Nor do I provide resourcesfor other cancer patients, families or inter-ested parties to educate themselves aboutthis dreaded disease. I offer few facts, fewfigures, few recommendations, but lots offeelings. I only know what I don’t knowwhich, given its rather ample supply, hasenabled me to maintain this seven-plusyears output of weekly columns, havingnever missed a deadline during the entiretyof my treatment, even during the early daysof heavy-duty chemotherapy when occa-sionally I was down, but not quite out.

I suppose my columns do chronicle acancer-patient’s journey, so to speak, inreal time; hopefully not in a boring, self-indulgent tone that turned some of youreaders off. Perhaps there was still somemeat left on the bone that offered someobservations and emotions that drew youin and better acquainted you with the tri-als, travails and tribulations of acharacterized-as-”terminal” stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer “diagnossee.”

Writing about that diagnosis and my lifeas a cancer patient has come naturally tome. It has enabled me to share, which in away, has lessened the burden on me,almost as if we were all in this together(strength in numbers and all of that). And Isuppose that’s sort of true since I’veinvolved you regular readers in so manyintimate details. I’ve held nothing back: thegood, the bad and the ugly; no, not themovie. As a result, I imagine, Ihave received correspondence encourag-ing and commending. I assure you, none ofit has fallen on deaf ears. And to be honest,I’ve not written about my having cancer forthe greater good; I’ve not written about itto make friends and influence people, norhave I written about it to affect any policychange. I’ve simply written about becauseit has made me happy to do so.

And what little anecdotal agree-ment exists in the cancer-patient/treatment world, it is that happi-ness, laughter, positivity, etc., helps patientsin ways that medicine in and of itself seemsnot always capable of doing. Unfortunatelyit appears not to be something which canbe prescribed — in pill or liquid form, butsomething nonetheless that needs to bediscussed and behavior-modified to attain,especially if it seems not be happening byitself. I’m living proof of that. Rather, I hopemy columns are living proof of that. In myposted-columns-to-be, if there is a joke orfunny popular culture reference in my col-umn, we will link it to the original, if avail-able in the public domain so visitors cansee exactly what I’m saying. I want my siteto be more than just for sore eyes, but asight to see as well; living and breathing,just like me.

LANDSCAPING LANDSCAPING

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Zone 6 Ad Deadline:

Monday Noon

703-778-9411

Zone 6: • Arlington • Great Falls

• McLean • Vienna/OaktonClassifiedClassified

Old Town AlexandriaFabulous 2-bedroom apartment in the heart

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of Washington Street. 2 bedrooms, 1 1⁄2 baths.

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month. 703-684-3975.

3 RE for Rent 3 RE for Rent

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

OBITUARY

Patrick Anthony DeStefani, 51, of Harrisonburg, lost his battle with Pancreatic Cancer on Sunday, September 25, 2016, at his home.

Mr. DeStefani was born in Arlington, Va., on September 13, 1965, and was the son of James and Evaline DeStefani.

The family moved to Vienna where Patrick attended public school, and graduated from Oakton High School in 1983. Pat was a very intelligent, charismatic, and athletic young man participating in football, basketball and baseball. As he carried his love for sports into adulthood, and was a huge fan of his favorite teams, the Baltimore Ravens and the BaltimoreOrioles. Continuing his education, he attended Northern Virginia Community College and Radford. He served for over 13 years United States Army and the Air Force reserves. He excelled as a marksmen, communicator, and driverfor the base commander. After the service, he found employment with Bell Atlantic, Shoppers Food Warehouse, United States Post Office and most recently, Securitas at Microsoft.

On October 3, 1992, he married Sabrina Smith, who he met in 1990 at Camp Letts in Annapolis. On March 21, 1994, their son Dante Vincent DeStefani was born, and he was his dad-dy’s pride and joy.

In addition to his parents, wife and son, he is also survived by a brother, Gary DeStefani and wife, Shannon; nieces, Erin, Lauren, and Kaitlyn DeStefani; father-in-law, John Smith; mother-in-law, Elaine Pierce; uncles, Bruno and wife, Sue DeStefani, Roger Dewitt, and Donald Keck; aunt, ThelmaDewitt, Dorothy Knotts, Audrey Dewitt; and a host of cousins, friends, and co-workers.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 7, 2016, at 5:30 pm, at Blessed Sacrament 154 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801.

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

21 Announcements 21 Announcements 21 Announcements

JENNIFER SMITH ❖ Serving the Area Since 1995

➣ Speed Up SlowComputers

➣ Virus Removal➣ Computer Setup➣ Help with Windows 8 & 10

571-265-2038

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101 Computers 101 Computers21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEA Deli, Inc. trading as A Deli Italian Food & Wine, 1301 S

Joyce St, Unit D 25, Arlington, VA 22202. The above

establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On & Off Premises

license to sell or manufacture alcoholic

beverages, Kawal Kapoor PresidentNOTE: Objections to the

issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later

than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two required newspaper legal

notices. Objections should be registered at

www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

21 Announcements

ABC LICENSEGong & Yuan LLC trading as Human Gate, 4233 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203. The

above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

CONTROL (ABC) for a Mixed Beverage On Premises

license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages, Gong & Yuan, LLC

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later

than 30 days from the publish-ing date of the first of two required newspaper legal

notices. Objections should be registered at

www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

EmploymentEmployment

ASSISTANT EDITORTwo full time positions open immediately:We’re looking for two full-time assistant

editors to help our team with all aspects of our award-winning news coverage,

including web, print and social media. Seize the opportunity to learn from top

editors while expanding our visual story-telling, bringing digital first skills and

attitude.

Must be a prolific, fluent, accurate writer, rewriter and researcher with knowledge of AP style and clean copy. Self-starter who

can work independently and collaboratively with strong organizational

skills, external and internal customer service skills, high productivity, attention

to detail and drive to make our community content the best and most

comprehensive in the region.

Our offices are in Old Town Alexandria walking distance to the King Street Metro. Free parking. Health insurance available. Two weeks paid vacation. Option to work from home or other location at least one day a week on average. Salary in $30s.

Send cover letter, resume, three clips or work examples and a several story ideas to

Mary Kimm, Publisher and Editor, Local Media Connection/

Connection Newspapers at [email protected].

Positions available immediately. More at

connectionnewspapers.com/job-openings

P/T BOOKKEEPER/RECEPT(GREAT FOR MOMS or

RETIRED!)Small property management firm in

McLean, Virginia seeks detail oriented part-time bookkeeper/receptionist 3-5

days per week 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Applicant will oversee all aspects of

front desk administration. Excellent accounting, organizational and communication skills required.

Call 703-356-2041.

EducationalInternshipsUnusual opportunity tolearn many aspects of thenewspaper business.Internships available inreporting, photography,research, graphics.Opportunities for students,and for adults consideringchange of career. Unpaid.E-mail [email protected]

For a free digital sub-scription to one or allof the 15 ConnectionNewspapers, go towww.connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

Complete digital rep-lica of the print edition,including photos andads, delivered weeklyto your e-mail box.

Questions? E-mail:[email protected]

‘It’s About the Issues’To the Editor:

Much has been made about the person-alities of the two Presidential candidates.All we really have to do is take a close lookat the issues.

One candidate has fought for universalhealthcare for decades; the other wants torepeal the Affordable Care Act, denyinghealth insurance coverage to millions.

One supports comprehensive immigrationreform; the other wants to deny people ac-cess to the U.S. based on their religion.

One supports a woman’s right to chooseunder Roe v. Wade; the other wants to pun-ish women for having abortions.

One wants to create jobs by investing ininfrastructure, clean energy, and scientific/medical research; the other has a plan thatBrookings and Moody’s say will createlarger budget deficits and higher unemploy-ment.

One supports the nuclear inspectionsagreement with Iran; the other wants tocancel the agreement which would allowIranian weapons production to resume.

One is an experienced diplomat who hascultivated long-term relationships withworld leaders; the other does not believein the Geneva Conventions, threatens notto support NATO, and cozies up to Russia.

One supports indexed minimum wageincreases; the other does not supportchanges for a living wage.

One has specific plans to address globalwarming; the other believes global warm-ing is a hoax.

We get to decide.

Barbara GlakasHerndon

Letters

To have community events listed in the Connec-tion, send to connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday.

MONDAY/OCT. 17St. Johns Wood is on the Reston P and Z

Preliminary Agenda. The meeting will beheld at 7:30 p.m. in the North CountyGovernment Center. 12000 Bowman TowneRoad, Reston. Due to the potentially largeamount of community input, the residents areasked to submit their tinput ten days in advanceof the meeting. The public comment will belimited as follows: Individual citizen comment:Two minutes per person, representative for HOAor neighborhood organization: Four minutes perorganization.

ONGOINGPassages Divorce Care. Tuesdays 6:45 to 9:00

p.m. beginning September 13th. ViennaPresbyterian Church is located on the corner ofMaple Avenue (Rt. 123) and Park Street inVienna, Virginia. Cost to cover materials $20,scholarships available. 703-938-9050,www.viennapres.org, or send an email [email protected].

The Retiree Real Estate EducationAssociation announces free public serviceseminars for October, 2016, on Decluttering,Ageing in Place, and Downsizing, given atMcLean, Falls Church, and Marshall HighSchools. These are part of a series of 8 freeseminars on real estate issues unique to retirees.Seminars are free to the public and arepresented in the evenings at Fairfax Countypublic schools. For more information, or toregister for a seminar, go toRetireeRealEstate.org.

Bulletin Board


www.GreatFallsGreatHomes.com

Susan CanisAssociate Realtor

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Office: 703-757-32229841 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066 • 703-759-9190Sally Marvin

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Associate Realtor

Great Falls $1,375,000

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Reston $635,900 Great Falls $758,000

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Great Falls Connection ❖ Senior Living Fall 2016 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC


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Thomas Robinson from Herndon is listed bowling 220 with nohandicap. This is his first year entered in the Senior Olympicscompetition, but he says he has been bowling for over 40 yearssince he was 10. Robinson says this was sort of an accident. He wassigning up for the volleyball competition and just happened tonotice bowling. He pulls out his favorite brown ball “that smellslike root beer — no kidding” and wipes it off with a cloth to getsome of the oil off the ball. Then he swings his long arm back andlets go — another strike. Robinson wins gold in the 50-54 year agegroup with a score of 726 for three games.

SeniorLivingSeniorLivingSeniorLivingFALL 2016FALL 2016

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ Senior Living Fall 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Great Falls Connection ❖ Senior Living Fall 2016 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Senior Living

By Shirley Ruhe

The Connection

Mary DeMaris is headeddown on the elevator atVinson Hall with herblack case of art sup-

plies, an artist headed to a still life classout of the building. “There is a club herefor everything — poetry, art, choralgroup, photography, book, gardening,”she said.

Vinson Hall residents can use the busand courtesy car for errands, doctor’s ap-pointments and other scheduled outings.

“The food is excellent. I don’t know Ican pick a favorite. Hmmm, the soupshere are unique, delicious. The diningdirector — he’s a real foodie,” said MikeSolari, the purchasing and catering man-ager at Vinson Hall. “You’ll never believeit but the favorite is chicken livers with alight gravy if they like. And the seafooddishes, oh seafood Newburg. Lots ofpeople use imitation seafood, but we usereal shrimp, crab, lobster and scallops inthis dish.”

Norman Zalfa from Arlington, said, “Well,I like pound cake. I don’t like a lot of creamand other stuff so I mentioned it to the chef.He made a pound cake for me and had itdelivered to my apartment.”

Solari says that in his opinion you eat withyour eyes first so he presents a nice plate.Sometimes when he creates the weeklymenu, “It’s what I feel like. I try to have onepork, chicken, beef, seafood and pasta ev-ery week and to be sure that I’m not repeat-ing the same thing too often.” Solari sayshe listens to what people ask for and whatthey don’t like. Solari says the only way headjusts his menu for older appetites is totake out the salt. “We use herbs instead.”

“Hi Norman,” Zalfa waves at a man go-ing by with his walker. “That’s my next doorneighbor. He was a submarine commander.”Vinson Hall independent living is open tocommissioned officers and their immediate

family from all U.S. uniformed services.They are now accepting government em-ployees of equal rank from the Departmentsof State and Defense, the CIA and ForeignService.

Zalfa continued, “We go check onNorman. He is 91-years old. My wife, Grazia— she’s from Italy — went to Eden Centerand bought bok choy and other vegetablesand made him a bowl of soup today.”

There is no required meal plan at VinsonHall for independent living so that a per-son can choose whatever they feel like eat-ing any day from three kitchens — the maindining room, the bistro with cooked to or-der choices, snacks or light fare.

“My favorite thing is networking withpeople,” said Zalfa. “It’s small enough youget to know people. It’s a family, really.There is a men’s club that gets together,takes walks, works as a support group.”

LaVonne Boyer, a four-year resident, saysit is easy to make friends here and “thereare so many interesting, intelligent and ex-

perienced people living here.” She is busypacking for a weeklong trip to Cancunwhere her family has time-shares and al-ways gather the third week in September.She says right now she has a crazy dailylife because her daughter has stage 4 can-cer and three children so Boyer does every-thing she can to help. “Today my daughteris on Capitol Hill where they asked her tolobby for experimental trials and approvalof a new medication.” Boyer says when hersurgeon husband died early, she went intoreal estate in Springfield for 35 years to puther children through college.

“I always use the gym. The most appreci-ated person around here is George, the per-sonal trainer who evaluates each person andthen sets up an individual training pro-gram,” said Zalfa.

Zalfa reports that he has broken almostevery bone from his years of horsebackriding in Wyoming, Ecuador and Brazil.“And then there was my motorcycle. Andthe time I passed out riding my bike and

broke my hip.” But he says that hiswife Grazia says no more motor-cycles, “and when she says no, shemeans no.”

Zalfa remembers World War II.“I was 14 when I enlisted but liedand used another kid’s name. Iwanted to be a hero.” Now Zalfaruns a business and teaches coursesin Arlington on how to organizeone’s estate.

Boyer says she uses the gym a lot,the pool and the weight machines.The gym is currently moving into anew expanded space. In addition,new space is being added on thegarden level including a dance stu-dio for yoga and stretching, a cybercafe and some new office space.

A resident’s meeting is underwayin the auditorium, also used forcommunity events and guest speak-ers. Another larger auditorium inthe Community Building hosts

dances, performances, and the McLean or-chestra performs there as well. A piano sitsoutside the main dining room which hasbeen set for lunch with white tablecloths andwith a sign in front about the wine tasting.

Dave DeClark, the director of marketingsays Vinson Hall bottles its own wine fromgrapes in California. Their specialties areoffered at dinner and at happy hours dur-ing the week.

DeClark says in addition to independentliving Vinson Hall Retirement Communityoffers assisted living, long-term care andskilled nursing at Arleigh Burke Pavilion andMemory Care at the Sylvestery. DeClark saysthey draw residents from a seven-mile ra-dius. No military affiliation is required forthese residences. He adds that a new addi-tion just opened in November 2014 with75 new independent living apartments, allnamed after Presidents “but only one afterWashington since there was only one firstPresident of the United States.” Vinson Hallis located at 6251 Old Dominion in McLean.

Life at Vinson Hall — Living the Difference

By Tim Peterson

The Connection

When Vienna residentRohan Taneja’s grandfather experienced

heart failure last year, he was in-spired to create a mobile applica-tion that would help senior citi-zens to better manage their healthmetrics and share them withcaregivers and doctors.

When a “Shark Tank”-styleassistive technology challenge forFairfax County High School stu-dents came across his radar, Taneja

decided it was the perfect oppor-tunity to develop his app.

In March of this year Taneja,now a senior at Thomas JeffersonHigh School for Science and Tech-nology, presented his projectcalled HeartScribe to the challengejudges as a finalist.

“Many seniors have to measuretheir blood pressure, glucose andother things every day, and writeall that down,” Taneja said. “Thismakes that job a whole lot easier.In a matter of seconds, you canrecord all that data on your phoneand bring it to your doctor. It’s an

Mobile app helps manage health data.

TJ Student Creates ‘HeartScribe’ for Seniors

LaVonne Boyer, 4-yearresident at Vinson Hall,says, “There are so manyclubs for anything youwant to do.” She tries totake advantage of as muchas she can. Boyer is on theChapel Committee.

Mike Solari, the purchasing and catering manager atVinson Hall, readies the dessert cart for lunch withcoconut cake, chocolate mousse and lemon cakes.Soon it will be full of tarts and other choices offeredin the formal dining room.

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electronic way of doing what theywere already doing.”

Using the app saves seniors timeand the stress of losing their docu-mentation, he said.

Taneja won first place in thecompetition, along with around$1,300 in prize money. He usedthe money to make informationalflyers, buy devices to demonstratethe app and help launch it.

Taneja wanted to take theproject further. He started visitingseveral senior centers and talkingwith elderly people about his app,what they liked and didn’t like.

“That’s when I realized it couldbe really helpful,” he said.

Though he wrote the app by

Photo contributed

When Vienna residentRohan Taneja’s grandfatherexperienced heart failurelast year, he was inspiredto create a mobile applica-tion that would help seniorcitizens to better managetheir health metrics andshare them with caregiversand doctors.

himself, he’s also reached out tothe tech world for advice, includ-ing the Refraction co-workingspace in Reston.

From his senior feedback, Tanejahas made numerous tweaks to theapp, including making the buttonssignificantly larger and simplifyingthe interface to make it easier touse.

The app is live and available forfree in the Google Play store, andworks with any Android device.Taneja makes no money from it.“I guess you could call it one bigservice project,” he said. “It wasfun making it.”

The TJ senior chose Google tostart because he learned the Java

coding language for Google in aprogramming class. However he’scurrently working on versions foriPhone and web browsers.

4 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ Senior Living Fall 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

Tired of the limited mobility and pain thathave thwarted her loveof foreign travel and

fall hiking, Lynda S. Johnson, 72,scheduled a knee replacement sur-gery for later this month. Shechose a doctor, found a pet sitterto watch her Cairn terrier, andenlisted her sister to live with herwhile she recovers.

“I had been debating for monthsabout whether to have it,” shesaid. “I was in so much pain,though, that I don’t really think Ihave anything to lose.”

For Johnson and approximately7 million other Americans livingwith a hip or knee replacement,the decision to undergo such asurgery is fueled by a quest for lesspain, more mobility and an over-all boost to their quality of life.

Nearly 90 percent of patientswho have knee replacement sur-gery experience less pain and 85percent of the replacement jointsstill work after 20 years, accord-ing to the National Institute ofArthritis and Musculoskeletal andSkin Diseases. Mºost patients willfeel better, and feel better quickly.

Addressing overall health issueslike high blood pressure, diabetesand obesity can boost the chancesthat a joint replacement surgerywill be successful, says Dr. C.Anderson “Andy” Engh orthopedicsurgeon, Anderson OrthopedicClinic at Inova Mount Vernon.“Work on both your overall healthand conditioning,” he said.

Patients should be up and outof their hospital beds as soon aspossible. “Patients are walkingwith assistance hours after theirsurgery. The reason patients dobetter when they get up and movearound is that they decrease therisk of pneumonia and bloodclots,” said Dr. Mark P. Madden, anorthopedic surgeon withOrthoVirginia. “We start out withpatients using a walker and hav-ing someone assist them in walk-ing, and they generally progress tobecome fully weight bearing with-out any assistance at all.”

Also, have a support system inplace prior to surgery, whether it’sa significant other, grown child orclose friend. Often dubbed coachor advocate, that person might at-

tend medical appoints with a pa-tient prior to surgery, serve as theirpoint of contact the day of surgeryand provide morale supportthroughout the recovery process.

“The more eyes and ears in ad-dition to the patient’s, the better,”said Engh, explaining why it’s sohelpful to have someone with thepatient at appointments andthroughout the recovery. “We ap-proach things that we have to dowith set expectations, and some-times those expectations can keepus from hearing other things. Hav-ing another person there is a goodreality check and note taker.”

The coach should be able tospend a significant amount of timewith the patient during the earlyrecovery period. “That person canexpect to be with you 16 hours aday for two to five days after sur-gery,” said Engh. “I don’t wantsomeone alone by themselves allday during work hours. The coachor advocate is like a safety mar-shal who keeps the patient safeand reminds them to take theirtime during their recovery.”

Dr. George Aguiar, an orthope-dic surgeon at Reston HospitalCenter, advises patients to deter-mine how they will get help withgrocery shopping, transportation,pet care and house cleaning inadvance. “Having these types ofthings handled before you go intosurgery can only help the recov-ery process.”

Patients should plan ahead tosafety-proof. “Do everything youcan do to avoid a fall within thefirst two to three months after yoursurgery,” said Engh. “Have clearpathways and be aware of rugsthat can catch your feet. Havegood, secure handrails on stair-ways to help prevent falls.”

Timing also plays a role in thesuccess of joint replacement sur-geries. “Some patients ask ifthey’re too old to have surgery,”said Engh. “Don’t wait until you’rehome bound to have this surgerybecause the recovery will be quitelong.”

To decide whether joint replace-ment surgery is the best option,says Madden, work with a physi-cian and weigh the effect the painis having on one’s quality of life.

“There’s no right answer for ev-ery patient,” said Madden. “Thereal answer is to work with yourdoctor to find the right treatment.”

Local orthopedic surgeonsoffer keys for successful jointreplacement surgery.

Regaining MobilitySenior Living

The Northern Virginia Senior Olympics(NVSO) opened Sept. 10 and ran throughSept. 21 with another record registration

of 918 participants. Saturday opening day ceremo-nies were followed by track and rowing events atThomas Jefferson Community Center in Arlingtonand diving competition at Yorktown High SchoolAquatic Center.

Fifty events were held at 25 different venuesacross Northern Virginia including horseshoes andbocce at Fairfax Senior Center-Green Acres, fieldevents at Stone Bridge High School Stadium, swim-ming at Claude Moore Recreation Center, tennismixed doubles at Wakefield District Park and WiiBowling at Greenspring Retirement CommunityCenter in Springfield. There were two 100+ agegroup entries this year, Vera Punke from Arlingtonand Hilda Gross from Burke entered in the dupli-cate bridge competition held at St. Andrew’s Epis-copal Church in Arlington.

— Shirley Ruhe

982 participants signed upfor 2016 Northern VirginiaSenior Olympics.

From the Beginning to the End

Men’s doubles semi-finalsteams in the 80-89 agegroup pose for a groupphoto before the matchbegins. From left are NeilLane from Reston and hispartner Phil Doherty fromBurke, Jerry Vance fromAnnandale and his part-ner Bob Wilkinson fromFairfax. Vance andWilkinson won the match9-7 (8 game pro set) toadvance to the finals.

Photo by Tom Manning/The Connection

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