
End of an Era at The Old Brogue
Retiring waitress gets celebrity send off.
When Martha Alden started working as a waitress at The Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great Falls, the area was still considered a rural D.C. suburb.

Special Guests Come for Blue & Gold Dinner
Local boy scouts meet service dogs at Great Falls Elementary.
Every year, Great Falls Boy Scout troops gather for their Blue and Gold Dinner, a special awards ceremony accompanied by a potluck.

Sophia Divone Wins Spelling Bee at Great Falls Elementary
There were words such as ascertain, epithet, and rhomboid but a group of fourth through sixth graders took it all in stride and kept the competition lively during the Great Falls Elementary School Spelling Bee on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Great Dogs of Great Falls Offers Variety of Services for Pets
When it came time to choose a second career, Linda Waitkus wasn’t sure what to do. After 30 years of retail experience, including managing the Bloomingdale’s at Tysons Corner, she looked in several directions. But it wasn’t until she went to a meeting of a local women’s club that she got an idea.

All-Virginia Chorus Selected
The finest high school singers in Virginia will study and perform advanced choral music in Lynchburg from April 26-28 during the All-Virginia Chorus event.
Owner of The Golden Pineapple Passes Away
Barbra Yakimchick Zimnoch, a long-time Great Falls resident and business owner, passed away on Feb. 7. For 31 years she owned and operated The Golden Pineapple in the Great Falls Village Center. Prior to that, she owned a gift shop at Lake Anne in Reston.

People of Faith Gather to Support Marriage Equality
Holding red heart balloons and handing out candles and flowers, nearly 200 guests gathered in the shadow of the historic Fairfax County Courthouse to celebrate the union of a one couple on Valentine’s Day.

Honoring Grads Who Choose to Serve
Burke moms lobby school board to recognize enlistees during graduation ceremonies.
When Carolyn Kellam’s 17-year-old son, Danny, asked for permission to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps last year, she said "the mom in me was scared to death, but the citizen in me was very proud."

Langley Comes Up Big for Marshes
Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) recognized Langley community for supporting student through cancer battle.
When Langley High School volleyball player Maureen Marsh began experiencing knee pain her freshman year, doctors told her it was just growing pains. But the pain persisted, and trainers eventually found a small lump on her knee. A bone biopsy on Oct. 15, 2009 confirmed something else: a rare form of bone cancer known as osteosarcoma.

Heart Healthy in Great Falls
Heart transplant recipient Eric Sanson finds supporting community in Great Falls, McLean.
Great Falls resident Eric Sanson knew that he was at risk for a heart attack because of his family history, so twenty years ago, he was proactive in establishing a relationship with Northern Virginia cardiologist, Dr. Anne E. Summers of Cardiac Care Associates. Dr. Summers’ stated philosophy is "to listen and handle with care," which is exactly what she did with Sanson. He credits Dr. Summers’ "sharp ear" while listening to his heart through her stethoscope and identifying the fact that his heart was swelling.

Great Falls Seniors Group Seeks Input
Group looks for feedback from seniors with needs, interested volunteers.
The Great Falls Citizens Association’s Seniors Group is seeking input from the community’s senior population, as well as those who might be interested in volunteering to provide services to seniors. The group, which hosted a town hall meeting last year, hopes to work with community organizations such as the Great Falls Ecumenical Council, Share, Inc and other nonprofits.

New Photographic Exhibit At Katie’s by Walt Lawrence
On Monday, Jan. 30, a new exhibit of my photography of Great Falls went on display at Katie’s Coffee House.
Colvin Run Uses Service Learning
Volunteers package more than 25,000 meals at Stop Hunger Now event.
Colvin Run Elementary School Principal Stephen Hockett thought everything was all set for the school’s Stop Hunger Now event Saturday. Friday evening he was putting the finishing touches on the setup in the gym when the alert came out: Fairfax County Public Schools were closed Saturday.

Saving Dolphins in Great Falls
‘Dolphin Tale’ rescuer visits Forestville Elementary.
On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Aquatic first-responder and educator Brandon Paquin spoke to students at Forestville Elementary. Paquin is one of the marine biologists who helped to rescue and rehabilitate Winter, the dolphin featured in the film "Dolphin Tale.
PTA Reflections Program
The theme of the 2010/2011 PTA Reflections program was "Diversity means..."The PTA Reflections Program was described by its founder, Mary Lou Anderson, as "almost too simple." That simplicity—of asking children to express themselves artistically based on a common theme—is the foundation of this long-standing PTA program.