Prince William Living March 2012

PAGE 12

COCK & BOWL

PAGE 16

100 YEARS OF GIRL SCOUTING

PAGE 27

IT’S ALL RELATIVE

prince william living March 2012

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Home & Hearth PAGE 8

Rockledge: An Occoquan Survivor PAGE 18

Youth Orchestras of Prince William www.princewilliamliving.com

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table of contents March 2012 Vol. 2 No. 3

FEATURES Turning a House into a Home ..............................4

4 Photo courtesy Jennifer Garnett

DEPARTMENTS from the publisher..................................................3 advertiser index ....................................................3 destinations Rockledge: An Occoquan Survivor..........................8 local flavor Rock and Roll at the Cock & Bowl ......................12 family fun Laser Quest at Potomac Mills: e Perfect Way to ‘Light Up’ the Town ..............14

8 Photo courtesy Sean Floars

going places 100 Years of Girl Scouting: Doing More an Just Selling Cookies ................16 on a high note Youth Orchestras of Prince William: Music and Fun, with Strings Attached..................18 giving back Helping Neighbors During Hard Times: Habitat for Humanity in Prince William County ..................................................22 calendar ..............................................................26 tambourines and elephants It’s All Relative......................................................27

16 Photo courtesy Jennifer Garnett

distribution sites ................................................29

prince william living March 2012 | 1

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Prince William Living Editor in Chief and Publisher Elizabeth Kirkland ekirkland@princewilliamliving.com Prince William Living President Rebecca Barnes rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com Contributing Writers Dennis Chang, Carla Christiano, DeeDee Corbitt Sauter, Audrey Harman, Boyd Lillard, Olivia Overman, Jennifer Rader and Helena Tavares Kennedy Copy Editor Peter Lineberry Copy Assistant Marya Wright Unrath Photography Sean Floars, Jennifer Garnett and Tamar Wilsher-Rivas Graphic Design and Production Alison Dixon/Image Prep Studio Advertising Account Executives Terri Berkheimer, Helena Tavares Kennedy, Christopher Meidt and Patty Tracy Prince William Living, the premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas, is published monthly

by Prince William Living, Inc. e opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Prince William Living. © Copyright 2012 by Prince William Living, Inc. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated without written permission. Visit the Prince William Living website at www.princewilliamliving.com for reprint permission.

Subscription rate is $12 (U.S.), one year. International subscribers add $12 each year. Change of address notices should be sent to Prince William Living President Rebecca Barnes.

Reprints and Back Issues: To order article reprints or request reprint permission, please visit the Prince William Living website: www.princewilliamliving.com. Order back issues by calling Prince William Living President Rebecca Barnes at (703) 232-1758, ext. 1.

For further information about Prince William Living, visit www.princewilliamliving.com, or contact Prince William Living at (703) 232-1758.

Prince William Living 4491 Cheshire Station Plaza, PMB 55 Dale City, VA 22193 Phone: (703) 232-1758 Efax: (703) 563-9185 Editorial offices: (703) 232-1758, ext. 2 Efax: (703) 563-9185 Advertising offices: (703) 232-1758, ext. 1 Efax: (703) 563-9185 Editorial Have a story you’d like our staff to cover? Contact Prince William Living Editor in Chief and Publisher Elizabeth Kirkland, either by phone at (703) 232-1758, ext. 2, or by email at ekirkland@princewilliamliving.com.

Advertising Prince William Living accepts display advertising.

For complete advertising information, please contact Rebecca Barnes, Prince William Living president, either by phone at (703) 232-1758, ext. 1, or by email at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com.

Distribution If you are your business’ decision maker and you have a waiting room or other place your customers and employees would appreciate finding a copy of Prince William Living, please call Prince William Living President Rebecca Barnes and ask about how your business can become a free distribution site for Prince William Living. Rebecca can be reached by phone at (703) 232-1758, ext. 1, or by email at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com. By becoming a distributor of Prince William Living, your business will be mentioned on the Prince William Living website and in future issues of Prince William Living.

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from the publisher H

ome is where the heart is—especially when your home is in Prince William County. at’s the point we try to make in every issue of Prince William Living magazine, but in this month’s “Hearth and Home” issue, we really tried our best to drive that issue, well, home.

Read more about how some Prince William County residents have made their houses homes in this month’s feature story, “Turning a House into a Home” (page 4) by Olivia Overman. “e English writer Sydney Smith once wrote that ‘a comfortable home is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience,’” writes Overman. “Whether that home is a new house or one that a person has lived in for a while, turning a house into a home is one of the most beneficial and satisfying projects you can undertake. While it may take time, perseverance and, of course, money, it is particularly important when you come to the realization that in fact “a man’s home is his castle.” Overman visited with two Prince William County homeowners to find out how they made their houses homes.

Perhaps no one works harder to make a house a home than those who have benefited from and worked with Habitat for Humanity.

We showcase them in this month’s Giving Back feature (page 22),

by Helena Tavares Kennedy.

Also this month, read Carla Christiano’s story about Rockledge in Destinations (page 8). “At 254 years, Rockledge is the oldest building in Occoquan and one of just a handful of buildings in Prince William County from an era that long ago passed into the history books,” writes Christiano.

Did you know that the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting is this month? Girl Scouts began in Savannah, Ga., on March 12, 1912,

Advertiser Index ACTS ..........................................................................................28 Alpha Pets ................................................................................28 Ameriprise Financial ................................................................27 Apple FCU ................................................................................25 The ARC of GPW ......................................................................28 Bargain Relocation ..................................................................20 CAP Accounting, LLC................................................................21 CertaPro Painters ......................................................................25 City of Manassas Park—Parks & Recreation ..........................11 Confidence Realty ....................................................................15 Cornerstone Landscaping........................................................26 Dansk Day Spa at Occoquan....................................................28 Dina Psychic Consultant ..........................................................28 Edgemoor Art Studio................................................................28 Farmers Insurance ....................................................................28 Fred’s Best Windows ................................................................11 Gateway College Funding..........................................................6 The Home Energy Detective, Inc. ............................................23 I-95 Business Parks Management ..........................................C4 Imagewerks ..............................................................................28 Kinnett Plumbing ......................................................................29

with just 18 girls, and has since grown to 3.2 million members, including girls and volunteering adults. Read about Girl Scouts in Prince William County in this month’s Going Places, by Audrey Harman (page 16).

Looking for something fun to do with your family this month?

Why not check out Laser Quest at Potomac Mills? Read about it in this month’s Family Fun, by Boyd Lillard (page 14). Or why not make plans to go to a great concert given by Youth Orchestras of Prince William? Read about them in this month’s On a High Note,

by Jennifer Rader.

Hungering to try out a new restaurant? Cock & Bowl, in Occoquan, has been given rave reviews by patrons. You can find out more about it in this month’s Local Flavor (page 12), by Dennis Chang.

But don’t put this issue down until you’ve read DeeDee Corbitt Sauter’s Tambourines & Elephants column (page 27), in which she discusses the sometimes poor wardrobe choices people make.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Prince William Living.

After you’ve read it cover-to-cover and visited our website, www.princewilliamliving.com, to pay for your $12 annual subscription, rearrange your furniture (a la “Hearth and Home”), and be sure to check out one of the places we’ve highlighted in this month’s issue. Just don’t forget to tell them you read about them in Prince William Living!

Sincerely, Elizabeth Kirkland Prince William Living Editor in Chief and Publisher

Lavender Retreat ......................................................................27 lia sophia ..................................................................................28 Lil Bit of Posh ............................................................................28 Magnificent Belly Dance ..........................................................28 The Maids ..............................................................................7, 28 Manassas Chorale ....................................................................21 Mary Kay/Marti Hall..................................................................28 Minnieland Academy................................................................21 Okra’s ........................................................................................25 Peggy and Bill Burke, Long & Foster Realtors ......................21 Potomac Place ..........................................................................25 Prince William Chamber of Commerce ....................................7 Prince William County Historic Preservation Division ..........11 Prince William Ice Center..........................................................11 Reiki Master ..............................................................................28 Rebecca Crowley/Piano Lessons ............................................28 Sassy Gifts ................................................................................28 State Farm/Sandi Bausman ....................................................26 Stratford University ................................................................C2 Tidy Maid House Cleaning ......................................................28 Touch of Gold ............................................................................28 Washington Square Associates ..............................................28 WestRash Charities ..................................................................15

prince william living March 2012 | 3

Turning a House into a Home

t

By Olivia Overman, Contributing Writer he English writer Sydney Smith once wrote that “a comfortable home is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.” Whether that home is a new house or one that a person has lived in for a while, turning a house into a home is one of the most beneficial and satisfying projects you can undertake. While it may take time, perseverance and, of course, money, it is particularly important when you come to the realization that in fact “a man’s home is his castle.”

Of course, every person has a different idea of what a home is; some more different than others! Prince William Living visited two very different homes to see how two families had made their houses into their homes.

The ‘Castle’ at Montclair

Andrea and Neil Savitch’s home, built in 1980, cannot be described as an ordinary run-of-the-mill home, and you realize this as soon as you enter. Every room in the place is themed differently, with décor that includes a suit of armor, a banquet table, and a movie room with memorabilia from hundreds of movies, just to mention a few.

4 | March 2012 prince william living

Photo courtesy Jennifer Garnett

e noun “happiness” may not be strong enough to describe the joy and contentment felt by one Montclair couple who graciously invited Prince William Living into their home. At first glance the house, set in a quiet neighborhood, appears unassuming, but as you draw nearer, you realize there may be something just a little different about this place. It may be the topiary lions on either side of the driveway, or it could be the English garden, complete with unicorns, a gazebo, and a little replica Stonehenge, that give you a sense there is something different here. But it’s not until you ring the doorbell and hear the sounds of wolves that it hits you: something is very different about this Montclair home.

“When we decided we were going to stay in this house, that’s when we decided to really start doing our themes,” said Andrea. Once this decision has been made it is easy to start putting your time, money and love into a place you will be proud to call your home.

From the paintings of Neil’s 1962 Rolls Royce, to one of the original “Ten Commandments” Salvador Dali pieces of art, to the Native American boots that can be found in a corner of the family room, to the banquet room where the Savitches eat dinner every night, which contains original furniture from castles in Italy and Switzerland, this house is the epitome of “matching your home to reflect your taste.” e house has been decorated with pieces the couple has collected during their travels around the world as well as with pieces they’ve purchased on eBay. “Neil is a great shopper,” said Andrea. “He has an amazing knack for finding stuff on [eBay].” e couple does not have any children at home so it is decorated very much to suit themselves and their passions. “We love to travel, but we also love to come home,” said Andrea. e Savitch family has chosen a unique manner in which to decorate their home, while the McGillis family of Woodbridge have expanded and decorated their home to meet their young family’s needs.

The McGillis Townhome Upon entering the foyer of this townhome you immediately feel the warmth and welcome brought about by a warm honeysuckle paint that has been used to brighten this area, followed by a taupe color that leads you up the stairs to the first floor. A painting from the time the family spent in Mexico brings back fond memories for them all.

“Making sure the color palette is together is important,” said Erin Glysson, of Glysson Interiors. “While it does not have to be exact, the colors should be in line.” Glysson Interiors of Woodbridge provides interior decorating consultations and an array of services that include, among other things, color consultations, furniture purchasing and arrangement. “People often buy a sofa here and a chair there and don’t take into consideration all that’s in the room,” Glysson said.

It appears Nathan and Silvana McGillis have chosen their colors wisely, with one color complementing the other in the areas of the home they have painted. e room colors have been updated from the bland builder-painted eggshell white to create an atmosphere that is warm, welcoming and relaxing. A fresh coat of paint will always make a difference to any room.

An important point, said Glysson, is that one room should not be

Photo courtesy Jennifer Garnett

One of the keys to making a house a home is to bring your own taste into it and to allow it to reflect who you are. is is exactly what Andrea and Neil have done. e staircase has been ornately decorated with a commissioned piece of artwork from a Paris street scene, the upstairs hallway has been transformed into an art gallery, the bathroom has a mosaic tile of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” and the main bedroom has a half-poster bed surrounded by antique furniture. “Everything is a combination of both of our ideas here,” said Andrea.

Andrea and Neil Savitch's home, built in 1980, cannot be described as an ordinary run-of-the-mill home, and you realize this as soon as you enter. Every room in the place has a different theme. They chose to give their living room, pictured here, a Native American theme.

viewed in isolation from another, particularly in an open-plan home. e dining room and sunroom, while they may be painted in different colors, should complement each other and should certainly appear welcoming.

“Over the past five years there has been an increased interest in color consultations,” said Glysson. “People watch HGTV and see what a decorator can do for them. Paint color is the place to start when redecorating your home.”

To make the home even more comfortable for their family, Nathan has worked on a number of projects—some larger and more intricate than others—that have extended their living space. ese projects have helped create more storage space, and thus more living space. In the family room he created an additional shelving area near the television by simply cutting through the drywall.

Once he confirmed there was nothing behind the drywall, he cut into it and, after making the shelves right in his own driveway, simply slid them into the space he’d created drywall. Now this is an area with a built-in media center where DVDs can be easily stored.

Once you can determine that there is nothing but space behind the drywall, this project can be a simple project for anyone to complete.

One of the major home improvement projects undertaken by Nathan was the expansion of the closet in his daughter’s room. He was able to extend the back wall of the closet by about a foot so that it extended further into the staircase space. e extension does not impinge on the area coming down the stairs; it simply uses up some of the dead space that was there. “Now she has a real closet,” he said. e master bedroom, once boasting one walk-in closet, now boasts two, thanks to Nathan’s use of the space in the large bedroom to build another closet. is, he said, was done over just one weekend.

Another simple task Nathan completed was the installation of a vent in the heating pipe. “It was really cold in the utility room [in the basement], so we built another wall, insulated it and it stays warm down here. We put an extra heater in here so when Silvie is down here she can open that up and it will blow warm air and keep (continues on page 6) prince william living March 2012 | 5

(continued from page 5) her warm while she’s doing the laundry. You can cut it [the duct] with aluminum shears and screw that [vent] in,” he explained. He also installed ready-made doors into the dead space under the stairs on the ground floor to open up a whole new storage area.

“Anybody can cut this out and use it as a storage space,” he said.

Photo courtesy Jennifer Garnett

Simple Tips Redecorating your home may take time and a lot of patience and perseverance, but there are many simple tasks a person can complete on their own to make their house into a home. For example, just a simple coat of paint can turn a room from dull to warm and inviting, from boring to exciting, or from bright to relaxing. Hang some pictures, some of your favorite art, and make your home a castle.

Redecorating does not have to be a whole house project. Try not to overwhelm yourself. First, decide which room you want to start with. From there, move a piece of furniture or change a wall color. ese are just some of the simple things you can do yourself.

A Home Isn’t Just the Inside Space! e outside of your house is as important as the inside when it comes to turning your house into a home. “Adding your personality and flair to the outdoors is key to getting rid of that sterile feel left behind when the previous owners left,” said Terri Aufmuth of Cornerstone Landscaping Inc. “We usually pick up on that flair when we have a design appointment.”

Aufmuth recommends adding plants with color that match the interior of the home to the outside landscape. “Putting flowers on the front porch can add to the curb-appeal of the home,” she said.

For smaller homes, she recommends scaling down the size of plants. “We would not recommend an oak tree for the front of a townhome,” she explained. “Perhaps some sort of ornamental tree like a cherry would work best here.”

People can easily take care of their own lawn and Aufmuth recommends beginning with a basic soil test. e soil testing kit can be obtained from the Prince William County Cooperative Extension office. Make sure the pH level is between 6.5 and 7.0 to help you grow that luscious green lawn you are looking for. Other tidbits of advice include understanding what you want to do with your lawn. “Hardscapes, like a stone wall, can add to the home and make it more welcoming,” said Aufmuth. Essentially, a lawn should be manageable but it should also add just that little something to reflect the family’s tastes.

In both of the houses we visited, the lawns were pretty much reflective of the lifestyles the families led.

Local homeowners Andrea and Neil Savitch chose to model their front yard after an English garden.

goes very wrong, there are plenty of local businesses to help you make it right.

A graduate of American University’s School of Communication, Olivia Overman has written articles for a number of online and print publications. She lives with her husband and son in Woodbridge.

Overman can be reached by email at ooverman@princewilliamliving.com.

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destinations

ROCKLEDGE:

An Occoquan Survivor

By Carla Christiano, Contributing Writer

f

ew who walk up Mill Street in Occoquan can avoid pausing to look at the old house on the hill: a quiet, sand-colored stone mansion on a cobblestone driveway, nestled in the trees on a rocky terrace. Even fewer would ever guess its history or even how old it is.

At 254 years, Rockledge is the oldest building in Occoquan and one of just a handful of buildings in Prince William County from an era that long ago passed into the history books. Tasha Fuller, whose company YourGo2Girls now manages events at Rockledge, said, “People see the house on the hill and are curious about it. ey wonder what it is.”

One of the current owners, Lance Houghton, said, “It’s unexpected—not what you think should be there. It has the air of something very old. It has presence.”

Yet Rockledge is more than a silent sentinel above Mill Street. Not only has it endured blasting from a nearby quarry, but hurricanes, fires, vandals, and even last year’s earthquake. Like the town it is a part of, Rockledge has adapted through the decades, and has survived.

Early History Rockledge was built by an early entrepreneur in Prince William County, John Ballendine, as his family home in 1758, more than 8 | March 2012 prince william living

45 years before Occoquan officially became a town in 1804. It was Ballendine who first named the house Rockledge because it is literally built on a rock ledge on the side of a hill.

According to Occoquan mayor Earnie Porta, who has published a book on Occoquan, Rockledge is important because it is associated with the town’s first major industry—iron manufacturing. In the 1750s, Ballendine “started an iron manufacturing operation at the falls of the Occoquan with financing from the Tayloe family,” said Porta . “While there were previously public tobacco warehouses and other structures in the area, it was Ballendine’s Rockledge and his iron manufacturing operation that really contributed to putting Occoquan on a path to increased settlement and growth.”

Unfortunately for John Ballendine, his fortunes were short-lived.

In 1765, he lost Rockledge and his businesses to satisfy a loan to Marylander John Semple. ough Rockledge and Ballendine’s businesses had passed through several owners, by the end of the 18th century, they belonged to Quaker Nathaniel Ellicott.

Ellicott, along with his business partners, James Campbell and Luke Wheeler, laid out the town of Occoquan on 31 acres that they owned. Ellicott also established a toll bridge, where a footbridge now spans the river, and, recognizing the business opportunities of the surrounding farmland, established an automated grist mill only yards away from Rockledge.

Although Ellicott referred to his home as the “stone house” and not Rockledge, he bowed to the fashion at the time and covered the stone structure with wood, according to local historian Dolores Elder. at wood covering is documented in early photographs and would remain on the house until the end of the 19th century.

Photos courtesy Sean Floars

After the Ellicotts left Occoquan for Alexandria in 1816, Rockledge and the mill businesses were eventually purchased by the Janney family. By this time Occoquan had become a thriving community of about 50 homes; various stores; flour, plaster and saw mills; and thanks to the Janneys, one of Virginia’s few cotton mills. Rockledge--or as the Janneys referred to it, Janney’s mansion--remained in the family for about 100 years, from 1829 to 1929.

The Civil War As the Civil War approached and tensions grew between Union and secessionist sympathizers, Joseph T. Janney ran into trouble when he allowed local men to erect a flagpole from which they flew a pennant bearing the names of presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln and his running mate, Hannibal Hamlin, on the grounds of his home at Rockledge. Janney, who was a prominent Occoquan businessman, protested when the Prince William militia arrived at his home on July 4, 1860 to chop down the flagpole. Despite Janney’s protests and jeers from Union sympathizers in the crowd that gathered to watch, the pole came down anyway.

Less than a year later, the country was at war.

The Twentieth Century Although Janney managed to get his home through the Civil War, his widow Edith had another problem to contend with in 1902. e blasting from a quarry, run by Consolidated Stone Co., located across the river from Rockledge, spewed large stones that damaged the home and crushed roofs and battered walls of the other houses in town. e next family also contended with the quarry operations ; in fact, Laurence Barnes and his family were even driven out of their home in 1960 from the blasting which caused cracks in the stone walls and plaster to fall. ey sued the owners, Graham Virginia Quarries, Inc., but never returned to the house again.

In 1960, the house was purchased by John E. Woodall but remained vacant for the next 10 years. In a 1969 account written

by Martha Lynn and H.H. Douglas, Rockledge was described as a forlorn and badly damaged building. ey noted that although the roof and walls were still intact, the glass had all been knocked out and the doors barely hung on their hinges. Vandals had broken in and had carried off all the mantels from the fireplaces and some of the paneling.

Occoquan residents must have been relieved when Donald Sonner bought Rockledge in the early 1970s. While others in town were trying to save their homes and businesses from Hurricane Agnes, which devastated the town in 1972, Sonner was trying to save Rockledge from years of neglect. He took years and spent

A ballroom was added onto Rockledge in 1996 in order to accommodate larger functions, including weddings.

$250,000 to restore the house because, as he told a Washington Post reporter, it was a Christmas present for his wife.

In January 1980, the Sonners were on the verge of moving in when a 19-year-old man broke into the house and set it on fire to cover up his burglary. Although 60 firefighters responded to the blaze, the house sustained an estimated $250,000 in damage.

Because Sonner was not living in the house at the time, his insurance claim was denied, according to one of the current owners, Lance Houghton. And because he had sunk most of his money into the home, there was no money left to repair the extensive damage.

Enter the Houghtons After the fire, Rockledge’s yard became overgrown with weeds and littered with junk and the town wanted it cleaned up, according to Houghton. Ronald Houghton, Lance Houghton’s father, was on the town council and offered his Boy Scout troop to spend a day cleaning up the property to help Sonner. So, according to Lance, when negotiations with the town fell through to purchase Rockledge, Sonner offered the property to his mother.

“My parents had shown a kindness to Mr. Sonner...and he came up to my mom in the street one day and told her that ‘he had an offer you can’t refuse,’” said Lance.

In 1982, Sonner asked for $185,000 for the damaged 11-room house and approximately two acres of land that it sits on. Because the bid was sealed, no one in town knew who had bought the property. Lance noted that his mother, Joy, who died in 2009, had (continues on page 10) prince william living March 2012 | 9

(continued from page 9)

she said. In fact, Lance and Fuller are looking to expand the events at Rockledge beyond weddings. In the coming year, they are planning on hosting a variety of events such as charity fundraisers, holiday mixers, a mother-daughter tea (around Mother’s Day), bridal open houses with workshops on wedding planning, and even dance classes. ey are also marketing to corporations to host meetings, Fuller said.

Photos courtesy Sean Floars

At 254 years, Rockledge is the oldest building in Occoquan and one of just a handful of buildings in Prince William County from an era that long ago passed into the history books.

been an entrepreneur but not a “political person.” He added, “Lots of people at the time did not appreciate that she had bought the house.”

To ensure the house was occupied and avoid the insurance problems encountered by Sonner, Lance moved into the house by himself when he was about 20 years old. In the room above the kitchen, he had a “functioning bathroom, a/c unit in the window, a bed, a light bulb. e rest of the house was filled with debris,” he said.

It took a couple of years but the family cleaned and renovated the house. When they were finished, they used it as their home as well as a modest bed-and-breakfast. Lance said that business venture resulted in “lots of headaches” and was not generating enough income for the hassles, so the family decided to try wedding receptions there instead.

Realizing the building was too small to handle any sizable weddings, the family added a ballroom to Rockledge in 1996.

Ronald and Lance even built and plastered the curved elliptical ceiling of the ballroom themselves. Lance noted they built the ballroom as big as they could and literally built it into the side of the hill. (Stone from the hill is even incorporated into the north side of the ballroom as part of the stage.) He said if the ballroom was bigger and could handle more than 150 guests, they would be swamped with business, but “we can’t accommodate that number.”

Currently, just the first floor is available to rent but that includes the ballroom with crystal chandelier (which Lance said takes 16 hours to clean), stage, and excellent sound system, as well as the old kitchen and living room which still have their original working fireplaces and some of their original heart pine flooring (with black scars from the 1980 fire). Even the outside space is available including a small stone patio and a covered seating area with two benches near the ballroom. Fuller said that they are hoping to change the landscaping in the coming year. “e exciting part about this,” Fuller said, “is next year we are hoping to have it be a retreat facility that can accommodate overnight guests.” ey have begun renovations on the sitting room, three bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs and are hoping to complete them in 2012. However, between the 2011earthquake and hurricane, the house has sustained some damage that needs to be repaired as well. “It’s a work in progress,” she said.

What the Future Holds Although Rockledge has been a residence for most of its history, Lance would like to continue making it more of an event space.

However, that may be a challenge since the house is not handicapaccessible. Still he is considering his options and may turn Rockledge into a sort of tavern decorated with antiques that would be for sale. He explained that bars are profitable, but restaurants are problematic. Yet in Virginia you cannot serve liquor without having a restaurant attached, he said.

As the Houghtons contemplate Rockledge’s future, they cherish its storied past. Still, the transition into the 21st century hasn’t always been an easy one.

“You don’t see the gifts of the house. You only see the maintenance. ere’s always something that has to be painted, repaired,” Lance said. But both he and Fuller recognize what a unique place Rockledge is.

“We want to make your experience memorable because the house is memorable…We want people to have a really good experience,” Fuller said.

Rockledge Today

Rockledge is located at 440 Mill Street in Occoquan. For appointments, call (703) 220-9594 or (703) 220-3937, or email rockledgemansion@gmail.com. For more information, visit the website at http://rockledgemansion.com.

Because of Rockledge’s historic past, it has become a destination for those looking for a unique place to hold a wedding. According to Tasha Fuller, they are extremely busy on weekends from May through October, just hosting weddings. And though they are a great wedding venue, “Don’t think about it for just a wedding,”

Carla Christiano, a native of Prince William County, works as a technical writer and editor for Unisys. She holds an M.A. degree in English from George Mason University.

10 | March 2012 prince william living

Potomac River Blockade Boat Tours and Lunch April–October Third Saturdays &$ . &" ! & "$ ) " $ " &! . & " # &% & "'

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ruise along the Potomac River shoreline and view sites that were critical to the Confederate forces’ successful blockade of Washington D.C. from September 1861 through March 1862. Local historians will discuss the significance of the blockade, gun batteries and camps that supported the Confederate efforts. The cruise will include the preserved batteries at Freestone Point and Possum Nose, as well as Evansport and Shipping Point.

Tour includes lunch and departs from Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge.

No pets please. Not appropriate for children under six. Space is limited, please call 703-792-4754 for more information and reservations. www.pwcgov.org/historicpreservation

local flavor Rock and Roll at the

Cock & Bowl

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By Dennis Chang, Contributing Writer

here’s not a cloud in the sky in historic Occoquan as I stroll up to the elegant cast-iron gate of Cock & Bowl. It’s shut, and a sign reads “Please visit our entrance at 302 Poplar Alley.” Looking through the bars, I see a sunlit patio, checkered tablecloths, and people casually eating and joking. A French singer’s tune, backed by a jaunty jazz beat, wafts through the speakers. As I pass the little whitewashed fence and walk up the alley to the main entrance, I find Mike and Jacquie Lopez already sitting by the door under a hanging wooden sign. “Cock & Bowl,” it reads; a red rooster holds a brew in one hand, a bowl in the other. “Hi!” they call out, beaming and waving.

Tucked in behind surrounding buildings, Cock & Bowl is its own little hideaway. Sequestered from the waterfront and saloontown feel of the rest of Occoquan, the restaurant has a quirky charm all its own. Casual, but with an air of European urbanity, I find the patio decked with strings of hanging bulbs, coldweather patio heaters, window-potted flowers, and cast-iron ornamentals. After introductions, Mike and Jacquie lead me in. e lettering on the door frame reads “Entrez.”

Over the Ocean Born across the world from one another, a train of unlikely circumstances would conspire to bring Mike and Jacquie together to share in building a common dream. As long as she can remember, Jacquie, born and raised in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., says she has been a French culture enthusiast. Of her unusual passion she fondly recollects, “I distinctly remember writing in my journal not that I wanted to be a ballerina, or a doctor, or a soccer player, but that I wanted to be ‘French.’” Mike was born in Stuttgart, Germany, and although his parents moved to the U.S. when he was two, they vacationed in Europe often and imbued in him an early love for his home country.

As time went on, Mike attended college in Maryland and Jacquie in New York, both to study information technology. Both 12 | March 2012 prince william living

Photos courtesy Tamar Wilsher-Rivas

Jacquie. eir sign would soon come in the form of an issue of Entrepreneur magazine. Browsing in a Borders bookstore one day, the two came across the cover, which proclaimed in boldface: “Start a Restaurant? Now? Absolutely.”

Taking the Plunge

graduated in 1991 and that same year the two began working in IT firms in Washington, D.C.. Yet it would be another decade before the two would meet. Jacquie had been working in private sector IT and in 2002, her move to the public sector would put her in contact with her future spouse. “And so we actually met…

Do you know what ‘LARP’ing (live action role play) is?” Jacquie asks, showing me two framed pictures of herself and Mike both in full medieval armor.

The Dream “So we have always talked about it: we love to entertain, we’ve always loved to throw parties for friends, it’s just something we’ve always liked to do, and we’ve always talked about having a little place,” says Jacquie.

With their shared love for French food and culture, the two dreamed up a life in Europe together where they planned to escape from their lives in Manassas. eir dream was to open a pub in the French Alps, to go skiing, and host a bar for locals on blustery nights. “I think we were considering roller skating, too,” Jacquie mentions jokingly, showing me an early logo of a skating chicken catching air in an empty pool. inking the bar more fantasy than possibility, the two drew it out in their imaginations and in their sketchbooks, naming it “e Cock & Bowl.” It was 2003.

“I was a [GS-] 14 and I quit in a heartbeat,” said Jacquie. Working as a project manager for government IT projects, Jacquie left her job in February 2010 to pursue their dream full-time. “Yeah, pretty high-up federal IT job. And she just quit.” says Mike. “Yay meeee!” exclaims Jacquie, explaining that “the pay was good, but the work was entirely unfulfilling.”

With no time to look back, the two purchased the lot and set to work at an incredible clip. “Repainting and remodeling—we pretty much gutted it. We decided to redo everything,” says Mike.

It took three months of renovation, decoration, hiring and general preparation before the restaurant was finished. After throwing an open house for the neighboring stores, Cock & Bowl held its grand opening on April 22, 2010.

No Sleep With barely enough time to batten their hatches, the two were hit with an unexpected storm of business. “It was exhausting for both of us!” says Jacquie. “Eighty- to 90-hour workweeks, working as everything from chef to server to dishwasher to bookkeeper...”

With two waiters and a kitchen helper, they had only hired three employees, which turned out to be a gross underestimate. e restaurant was busier than expected and soon Jacquie found she didn’t have time left to cook. ey found their current chef, Daniel Dupay, in August 2010. Coming from a French background with 15 years of cooking experience, he proved to be a perfect fit.

At the end of their hectic year, Mike and Jacquie decided to close the restaurant during January 2011. “Mainly to rest, since we were completely exhausted,” says Jacquie. Nowadays, the restaurant has a staff of 13 employees.

The Spot In November 2009, Jacquie found a promising lot online. “Just because she put in ‘restaurant,’ she searched ‘restaurant,’” Mike says with a laugh. It was their current spot in Occoquan. “We had tried to come here before… It was always closed,” says Mike. e spot looked rough. Previously run as le Bistrot Belgique Gourmande, the restaurant had traded hands several times from its original owner. “Each time it got resold, it got worse, and worse, and worse, and worse,” says Jacquie. “So when we saw it, I mean, it was pretty…sad…you know?” e spot was cozy and conveniently placed. It had been a European bistro in previous incarnations. It wasn’t in the Alps, but it looked promising, available, possible. e two had an agonizing time deciding to commit, however: “Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, we knew told us it was a bad idea—‘restaurants fail,’ ‘don’t quit your job,’ ‘you’ll never succeed,’ etc. We really wanted to do it, but we needed some kind of sign. One hundred people told us it was a bad idea, including our accountant and lawyer,” said

Today Today, this new restaurant on the block is fast becoming a local favorite. Occoquan resident Lisa Julia comments: “From the shrimp croquettes to the frites to the mussels to the waffles, this is our favorite local restaurant, and makes us feel like we’ve taken a trip to a café/bistro in Europe.” Local diner Julianne Shannon calls Cock & Bowl “one of the best intimate food venues. We have been going since they opened their doors. e owners are amazing, the food is even more than that and their wait staff will rock your socks.”

Opened less than two years ago, Cock & Bowl is the culmination of a long and incredible journey. Taking risks and following their instincts, Mike and Jacquie have followed their dreams, opening a successful restaurant in the middle of the recession.

Author Dennis Chang is an English major at Virginia Tech. He resides in Fairfax. prince william living March 2012 | 13

family fun

Laser Quest at Potomac Mills: The Perfect Way to ‘Light Up’ the Town

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By Boyd Lillard, Contributing Writer

ike most people, you probably enjoy a little fun and excitement. Or, maybe you’re not like most others, and you like to take what’s fun and exciting up a notch? Maybe your idea of fun is sitting in a military-style weapons briefing, followed by gearing up in a faux airlock, and finally being deployed to a smoke-filled alien ruin, while laser-armed combatants descend upon you from every angle. Sound like fun? Welcome to “Laser Quest.”

Since 1996, the Potomac Mills Laser Quest has been providing residents of all ages an evening-and-weekend family alternative to shopping malls and movie theaters. Laser Quest sports a 9,000square foot, two-level game area for high-intensity laser tag, multi-themed party rooms, and arcade amusements including an “old school” air hockey table. e facility is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, with Mondays reserved for any private functions that may be hosted there. In busier seasons, the Potomac Mills Laser Quest--one of 47 locations nationwide--has seen an average of 1,500 to 2,500 players per week.

“It’s the connections we have with the people; the way we interact with the little kid. Someone can just come in with a bad day, play 14 | March 2012 prince william living

Photo courtesy Tamar Wilsher

Your typical visit begins with sitting in a briefing on your equipment and game rules. Overseen by OG, the “protector” of Laser Quest, your game marshal will point out the tag sensor points on both your laser and vest. You will want to move quickly and carefully because each time you are tagged you lose a point and your laser goes down for five seconds. You have unlimited lives, but you don’t want to lose those points! Your marshal is also going to cover some arena rules, like: no running, don’t lose your cool and say something you wouldn’t want the family parrot to hear, and respect the other Questers of all ages. Next, gear up in the airlock and don’t forget what your marshal told you in the briefing. Finally, the airlock opens and it’s everybody for themselves in a dark, mist-filled wasteland, where you don’t know where the next shot is coming from…or on what level!

a game of Laser Quest, and come out with such a cheerful smile,” says Woodbridge resident and staff member/game marshal Joel Villahermosa on what makes Laser Quest such a unique and special place.

Planning a birthday party? No need to bring decorations: you can

choose among aquatic, pre-historic, or space fantasy themes.

Since the facility does not offer a refreshments bar, feel free to bring your own party food, or you can make your food plans when you register your party with the Laser Quest staff. Laser Quest is partnered with Pizza King, located in Woodbridge.

“I chose Laser Quest because I get to go in like this really cool maze,” said Montclair resident Jaden Wolfe, who recently celebrated her ninth birthday there. “She’s been here before and said it was one of the best parties that she’s been to,” added her mother, Tami. “She had a blast.”

Corporately and locally, Laser Quest has marketed itself to public schools, including Prince William County’s, by offering field trips. e “Lasers and Mazes” field trip is targeted for the fourthand sixth-grade curriculum, and the scientific principles exhibited address material required for the Standards of Learning tests. At the junior high level, “ey (students) learn principles of light, properties of reflection,” says General Manager Michelle Rao. “Teachers love the learning component of it.” e Potomac Mills location also offers a marketing field trip, which is aimed at high school students and developed by Rao. She cites the autonomy to grow her business independently as one of the things that makes Laser Quest a unique place to work. Currently, this field trip is only offered at Potomac Mills Laser Quest, and not all facilities.

In this field trip, students plan a laser tag-themed event from promotion to execution.

Laser Quest also hosts corporate team-building events.

Surprisingly or not, federal government organizations like U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Defense Acquisition University (based in Fort Belvoir) have used the facility for strengthening their workplaces. Rao smiles when she recalls the occasional stone-faced participant who denounces the game as silly or kid’s stuff but ends up leaving with a big smile.

As for Laser Quest's weekly schedule, according to Rao: “Tuesdays through ursdays offer military ID discounts and usually no wait for games. Friday nights we have Student ID

Night and are usually very busy after 7 p.m., so reservations are recommended. Saturdays are our busiest days and reservations are most definitely recommended. Sundays are steady all day but not as crazy as Saturdays. Reservations can be made for as few as one person and will guarantee you a place in a specific game. e “missions” are 20 minutes each and go off every 20 minutes on the hour.”

So what does the public think of this almost 20-year staple in the Prince William community?

“Most customers are delightfully surprised at first by the size of our arena, as our front facade is quite deceiving, said Rao. “ey then are blown away by our level of service and personal attention. e different programs offered deliver a wide array of choices for just about every type of group. Corporate groups are surprised by how much fun a group of adults can have in a “kid’s” place, while birthday parties are amazed at how we turn what appears to be chaos into an organized symphony of craziness. Even when we fall short of expectations, our customers appreciate the fact that we have the power to make it right and will do whatever we can to have them leave happy.”

If a game, or even two or three, isn’t enough for you, check their calendar (available at www.laserquest.com) for monthly all-night laser gaming. For example, Laser Quest rang in 2012 by hosting a refreshments-provided all-nighter. Be prepared to arrive late (like midnight) and stay until the early morning (7 a.m.).

All-night events are prepared to host up to 100 people. Mark your calendars for the next all-night event St. Patrick’s Day, March 17!

Author Boyd Lillard studied religion at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. He has worked as a contributing writer and editor in the nonprofit field and currently resides in Dale City.

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going places

100 Years of Girl Scouting Doing More an Just Selling Cookies

By Audrey Harman, Contributing Writer

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he legacy of the Girl Scouts began in Savannah, Ga., on March 12, 1912, as the brainchild of Juliette Gordon Low. With just 18 girls in the original troop, it has since grown to 3.2 million members, including girls and volunteering adults. e original goal of empowering girls has remained in the Girl Scout Mission: “Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” As the largest organization for girls in the world, the Girl Scouts website (www.girlscouts.org) defines their focus on helping girls achieve their full potential and puts great importance on diversity and inclusiveness. e organization claims that “Girl Scouts is dedicated to every girl, everywhere.”

Historically, Girl Scouts have consistently aided in helping those affected by domestic and global issues throughout the past 100 years. During World War I, among many things, the girls sold war bonds, volunteered in hospitals, and learned about producing and conserving food. ey were there through the Great Depression by leading community relief efforts and collecting food and supplies for the needy. ey supported the Civil Rights Movement, and the March 1952 issue of Ebony magazine was quoted as saying, “Girl Scouts in the South are making steady progress towards breaking down racial taboos.” More recently, the girls responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on America by hosting remembrance ceremonies and collectively writing thank-you letters to first responders. President George W. Bush also encouraged the girls to support children of Afghanistan by each donating one dollar. Since March 16, 1960, when the Girl

16 | March 2012 prince william living

Scouts of the USA was chartered by the U.S. Congress, it has considered itself an “American institution” with both local and global impact goals.

As well as being important historically, the Girl Scouts is an organization that has adapted to suit modern needs. According to Prince William County resident and 14-year Girl Scout troop leader and day camp director Karen Hammack, much has changed since the 1970s, when she was a Girl Scout. She said that after sixth grade, a lot of her friends didn’t move on in the program. Once girls reach high school age, afterschool activities and sports tend to compete with Girl Scouting, so it’s somewhat difficult to keep older girls interested and involved. e Girl Scouts have since started offering options like “driver safety” to appeal to teen girls, and Prince William County has a program called POGO (Prince William Older Girl Organization).

POGO has encouraged high school-aged girls to remain in Girl Scouts by offering more diverse activities and experiences for individuals, rather than the group. Activities like caving, quilting, horseback riding and crochet have helped the organization grow since its 1998 launch year. e POGO website boasts that “ere are now over 900 girls in just Fauquier and Prince William Counties that are still active through their Senior High School years.”

Hammack is the leader for Troop 2096, which meets at the Dumfries United Methodist Church, with 36 girls ranging from sixth through twelfth grade. She said that her troop is a great

Photo courtesy Leanne Miller, Troop

example of cultural diversity and that the girls represent almost every middle school in the county as well as several high schools.

Her troop spans all of the teen scouting groups: Cadette (grades 68), Senior (grades 9-10), and Ambassador (grades 11-12). (e younger groups of the Girl Scouts are: Daisy (kindergarten-grade 1), Brownie (grades 2-3), and Junior (grades 4-5).) Her group enjoys everything from traditional camping to visiting the birthplace of the Girl Scouts in Savannah during their upcoming spring break. Hammack always incorporates a college visit when she takes her troop on one of their trips. “Every person should be able to go to school,” said Hammack. “e girls are never too young to visit colleges and I always ask Girl Scout alumnae to give the tours.”

Troop 2096 also examplifies what modern Girl Scouts are doing to aid their community. Each girl volunteers once a month at the ACTS Emergency Homeless Shelter in Dumfries, reading and playing games with the children there. e girls also fundraise, most notably selling the popular Girl Scout Cookies every February. Hammack emphasized that the girls are the ones participating in the cookie selling and other service activities, so they are learning the importance of these activities firsthand.

Ten different girls in Hammack’s troop, including her own daughter, have received the Gold Award, which is Girl Scouts’ highest award. e Gold Award is accomplished by high school girls and requires 85 hours of a planned community service project focusing on global impact. is project is completed along with schoolwork and college applications and teaches the girls project management, time management, and leadership skills that are tantamount to boosting resumes and college admissions. e Girl Scouts have always focused on empowering girls and building a great foundation for them to be prepared to be successful leaders in their careers. Samantha Paradas, 17, a senior at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, has been a Girl Scout

since first grade, and said: “Girl Scouting enables girls to have incredible experiences. rough these experiences, I have been able to develop leadership skills that I now use in extracurricular activities. ese leadership skills have also helped me in school as well, for example—group projects! I love all of the activities that are offered that I would never be able to experience outside of scouting. I have made friends that are my sister Girl Scouts for life!” Learning these types of skills and making bonds like Paradas has made only better enables her to carry on what she has learned from Girl Scouting and apply it to her college career and beyond.

Ashton Bond, 13, a seventh grader at Graham Park Middle School in Triangle, has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. “Scouting is important because it will make me a better person and an independent, responsible woman,” she said.. “A good Girl Scout career will help me get into college. My favorite things about scouting are adventurous camping trips and having fun!” It is amazing that girls so young understand the importance of who they want to be in life and that what the Girl Scouts stand for can only help them in their future.

On Saturday, June 9, Girl Scouts from across the country will join their voices for the 100th Anniversary Sing-Along and “Rock the Mall” in Washington, D.C. It is projected that more than 200,000 people will be in attendance. ere will be opportunities to hear the girls sing songs of friendship, learn the organization’s commitment to girl leadership, visit their program’s tents, and make friends. Hammack said the importance of the Sing-Alongs is that the Girl Scouts will get to see just how many girls are a part of scouting—far more than just the girls they meet with every week.

To learn how local Girl Scouts will be participating, visit the area’s website at www.gscnc.org.

Author Audrey Harman is a 2011 Hollins University alumna with a BA in English and Spanish. She currently resides in Woodbridge with her family. prince william living March 2012 | 17

Leader 2096

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School Elementary k ir k n le G t 640 a isy Troop 6 jects. l Scout Da ir ir craft pro e G h th it f o w e n o Girls h it w ille pose in Gainesv

May 1, 2011, Prince William Old er Girl Organization (POGO) ann ual awards ceremony—held eac h spring to honor graduating seniors, Silver Trefoil Awardees, as wel l as girls who have earned the Girl Scout Silver and the Girl Sco ut Gold Award.

on a high note

Youth Orchestras of Prince William: Music and Fun, with Strings Attached

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By Jennifer Rader, Contributing Writer

here is nothing more inspirational than watching children discover, find joy and grow through activities of their own interest. e first stages of uncertain intrigue become accomplishment that builds confidence to push them to learn more, challenge their limits and achieve higher levels of skill and self-empowerment.

As its name indicates, YOPW is a non-profit youth musical performing organization that was founded with a single orchestra in 1981 by the Woodbridge Music Club. e organization focuses on teaching music, process, performance and positive community citizenry to more than 300 youth each academic year from September to May. Participants come from across the Prince William County region including the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park and beyond. Families have enrolled their children from as far as Caroline County, Front Royal, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Frederick, Md. YOPW has also found itself functioning as a structured music program for homeschooled students to get quality instruction in a social setting. Most rehearsals take place at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge with recitals and special performances found at various venues in the region, including the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas.

Building on its foundation, YOPW has grown to include three string orchestras, two symphony orchestras and a wind 18 | March 2012 prince william living

Photo courtesy Suhail Mir

is learning curve is an expectation in academia, but the Prince William County region has the fortune of providing additional growth for its budding musicians through the Youth Orchestras of Prince William (YOPW).

Bassoonist Kai Rocke, a junior at Woodbridge Senior High School and a member of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William's Youth Symphony Orchestra, rehearses with the orchestra at Gar-Field High School.

symphony. Additional programs include Introduction to Preparatory Orchestra, two levels of percussion ensembles and a chamber music program. Most impressive is the organization’s ability to cultivate young musicians from as early as first grade until high school graduation. For those with prior music experience, auditions are held each spring to determine musical ability that children have gained through either school programs or private lessons. After auditions, children are placed in the appropriate orchestra, allowing those who have further developed

Photo courtesy Brianna Hickman

The Youth Orchestras of Prince William’s Youth Symphony Orchestra frequently performs at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, in Manassas.

their skills throughout the year to move to more challenging levels—the top being “concert orchestra” or “youth symphony orchestra.” Intermediate to advanced musicians can also play in the wind symphony that performs band-style pieces, which differ from orchestral arrangements. Top players can dual enroll in both the wind symphony and concert orchestra, and by doing so receive the benefit of learning and performing two different music styles.

Careful consideration is taken by YOPW and its staff of professional conductors to help children explore their musical abilities, starting with the Introduction to Preparatory Orchestra. e introductory program is a six-week starter course for children who have just picked up an instrument or for those fourth- or fifth-grade students just beginning string instruments in school. ese students can one day aspire to reach a position in the YOPW Chamber Music Program. is program provides the opportunity for accomplished musicians to learn to be professionals. e program typically takes up to 12 students, who perform anything from duets to ensemble pieces at special events, weddings, or private engagements. e musicians must have, at a minimum, played in the YOPW Repertory Orchestra to audition for a part in the YOPW Chamber Music Program, as these are sometimes paid performance opportunities.

Beverly Hess, executive director of YOPW, is no stranger to organizational leadership and education. As a consultant working with large corporate accounts to becoming an elementary school teacher at Springwoods Elementary School in Woodbridge, Va., Hess is a master at managing the diverse logistics of an organization like YOPW. In recent history a large part of her focus has been service to YOPW. Before joining the YOPW staff in 2005 as the administrative assistant, Hess was a member of its board of directors and the president of the parent volunteer association. As financial director of YOPW, Hess worked closely with the former executive director, Carol Taylor, until becoming YOPW’s current director.

“We have seen amazing growth in our preparatory orchestra,” said Beverly Hess. “Usually there are 25 kids but this year we have 45.” e YOPW Preparatory Orchestra is a starting point for young string players who have had some experience with the instruments

but who wish to further develop their musical talent.

Some of this growth can be attributed to the recently developed “Sponsor a Child” scholarship initiative. With the economic downturn and families working to keep multiple children in music instruction, Hess emphasized how important and successful this project has been in positively impacting students to pursue a love of music. It is a continued goal of the organization and its board of directors to find financial resources.

“We have a place for every child who wants to play an instrument and be a part of Youth Orchestras of Prince William, regardless of their situation,” said Hess. YOPW also receives a Community Impact grant from the United Way of the National Capital Area, which is used to supplement the Sponsor a Child program. Hess sees the installation of the Sponsor a Child scholarship program a great accomplishment for the non-profit organization as well as for the children in the community: “Truly we are blessed because we have never turned a child away due to an inability to pay. We have always found the resource and this speaks volumes of Prince William County and the quality of the people.”

Melvin Goodwyn, a former administrator for the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts at Woodbridge High School and a YOPW Board of Director Member-at-Large, envisions the organization’s ability to continue to fully fund scholarships as well as expand the financial resources for trips for the orchestras.

Currently the YOPW Youth Symphony Orchestra is among the few in YOPW that travel.

“Travel provides more good experiences for the students,” said Goodwyn. Previously, the YOPW Youth Symphony Orchestra traveled to and performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as with the Washington, D.C., ensemble QuinTango. e YOPW Board is also hoping to have more communication and collaboration with an even greater number of public school music teachers, particularly with wind instruments.

Joyce Zsembery, supervisor of the arts for Prince William County Public Schools and YOPW Board of Director Member-at-Large, pointed out that YOPW expands the student musician’s knowledge (continues on page 20) prince william living March 2012 | 19

(continued from page 19)

arts are alive and well,” said Zsembery. “We have an incredible amount of support for the arts from the community. No matter what age, whether you are eight years old or 80, there is an opportunity to participate in and enjoy (the arts).”

Photo courtesy Suhail Mir

Youth Orchestras of Prince William will button up another season this spring with performances in March, April and May. e March 11 performance at the Hylton Performing Arts Center will feature the YOPW Wind and Youth Symphony Orchestras in “Something Old, Something New.” It will be a special event for all as arrangements reflect current and bygone musical selections. And, on April 27, YOPW soloists and the Chamber Music Program will host a recital at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Woodbridge. en, all ensembles will close their season with a concert and silent auction at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge on May 6. (For more information or to purchase tickets for one of YOPW’s events, visit www.yopwva.org.)

Fairfax County Public Schools' Luther Jackson Middle School orchestra conductor Phaedra Long conducts the Youth Orchestras of Prince William's Primo Orchestra at a rehearsal held at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge.

and experience, providing a whole new realm of repertoire. For instance, the YOPW gives the opportunity for wind instrument players to practice and perform in an orchestra, which is an entirely different experience from the music program offered at most public schools. As a longtime arts and music educator, Zsembery concurs with research that the discipline of music assists in academic success and will foster a sense of responsibility to the whole orchestra, ensemble, or duet among students.

Goodwyn said many schools do not have the opportunity to put string and brass ensembles together, which makes the Youth Orchestras of Prince William another unique experience for young musicians looking to expand their musical knowledge.

Hess, Goodwyn and Zsembery explain YOPW as an extension of the academic school music offerings that work together to develop the individual child’s artistic abilities. Each fall, Hess presents and speaks with area music directors and teachers about the organization’s mission and program structure for students.

Zsembery feels the extension YOPW provides is particularly beneficial when it comes to younger musicians, since the youth orchestra is one of few large groups that welcome the youngest school-aged children. Zsembery also believes that learning from different conductors works to a child musician’s advantage as well, providing more challenging pieces as they progress through the orchestral levels. “e more the children play, the stronger their knowledge becomes,” she said. Bringing youth talent from across the region together where they otherwise might not had the opportunity to do so helps to meet and continue the need in the arts.

I think we’re really fortunate in Prince William County that the 20 | March 2012 prince william living

e arts bring something unique and tangible to participants.

YOPW gives students the opportunity to engage and then share their creative and emotional sides. Attend one of YOPW’s upcoming recitals or concerts and witness a child taking an artistic risk—because you, the audience, will get the best of these kids each time.

A nonprofit development director for 10 years, Jennifer Rader now works as a freelance writer and consultant. She lives with her son and husband in Manassas and can be reached at Jennifer.Rader@verizon.net.

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The Manassas Chorale, its select ensemble and Artistic Director Becky Verner join forces with Composer Joseph Martin who will direct the Voices United Choir of 125 singers. This concert features a variety of musical styles with piano and orchestral accompaniment.

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giving back HELPING NEIGHBORS DURING HARD TIMES:

Habitat for Humanity in Prince William County

By Helena Tavares Kennedy, Contributing Writer

m

ost of us have heard of Habitat for Humanity.

Perhaps we’ve seen them on television building a house for a deserving family, or we’ve volunteered with them through our church or company for a group project in D.C. Maybe we’ve even applied for some help from them ourselves or know someone who has. But did you know that we have a Habitat for Humanity affiliate—the Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park Habitat for Humanity—right here in our backyard?

Photos courtesy Habitat for Humanity

Located at 9506 Center Street near Old Town Manassas, the local Habit for Humanity office offers Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park residents a variety of home services. ese services focus around six key areas: ■ Building new homes ■ Rehabilitating current homes ■ Critical home repairs ■ Weatherization ■ “A Brush With Kindness” painting services ■ Community development projects

As stated on their website and in their brochures, “Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry seeking to eliminate poverty housing and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. We invite people from all walks of life and faiths to work together in partnership to build, rehab and repair homes with families in need.” Habitat for Humanity consists of more than 1,500 affiliates in the United States and 550 more internationally. Each affiliate coordinates all aspects of Habitat home building in its local area. While the local affiliates build houses and provide local housing services, Habitat for Humanity International provides support services and resources for the local affiliates.

22 | March 2012 prince william living

Aden Yusuf helps install cabinets in the kitchen of the home he and his wife will share with their four children.

Habitat for Humanity International established the local Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park affiliate in 1994 to better address local community needs. e affiliate has its own board of directors, coordinates its own fundraising efforts, manages local construction and rehabilitation projects, and operates the ReStore retail store in Manassas. Executive Director Traci DeGroat, who joined in 2002, noted that even though Habitat for Humanity is known for their new home construction, it is also one of their

The exterior of the ReStore at 9506 Center Street, Manassas.

biggest challenges due to high local costs for land and construction.

Even so, they were able to rehab three homes and sell them to qualifying families in 2011. Two of those homes were in the city of Manassas and one was in Dale City.. In 2007, they started to perform home repairs such as replacing roofs, windows, fences, and A/C and heating equipment, and found there is a great need in the area for those services. DeGroat noted that many of those in need are veterans and elderly who sometimes have a physical handicap and can’t afford to pay someone to do their home repairs.

Helping Those in Need When asked if the economy has increased demand for Habitat’s services, DeGroat said that the number of requests coming in for assistance has not dramatically changed. She noted that the organization gives people a “hand up, not a hand out” and that they are not an emergency housing program since the application process can take up to a year. ose receiving a new Habitat home are required to provide a certain number of hours to help out on the projects (called “sweat equity”) and must demonstrate that they have the financial means to carry the mortgage. If a family lost a previous house due to foreclosure, they can’t qualify for a Habitat home for two years. Also, the foreclosure crisis that has affected many in Prince William County has not extended to Habitat homeowners, since none of the Prince William County Habitat homeowners have ended in foreclosures to date. Even nationwide, the foreclosure rate of Habitat for Humanity International is a mere two percent. is low percentage is due to the intense application process and ensuring that homeowners have the ability to maintain the mortgage.

Shopping at the ReStore e Habitat ReStore sells new and gently used building materials, and all the proceeds benefit the local Habitat for Humanity. (continues on page 24) prince william living March 2012 | 23

(continued from page 23)

donations for buying land and for new home construction projects.

Donations of high-demand items, such as appliances and cabinets, are always appreciated. DeGroat noted that the organization also needs volunteers for ursday and Friday; it tends to get more volunteers on Saturday since many volunteers work during the week. Local businesses can have employees volunteer on a ursday or Friday as a team-building, motivational event. ere are some volunteers from the Marine Corps who are given some time off to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity as well as a variety of faith-based organizations and large corporations such as Lockheed Martin.

Photo courtesy Habitat for Humanity

Don McCubbin, a Manassas resident and Habitat volunteer, began volunteering last year after retiring as a director of IT operations and taking some time off to travel the world with his wife. He found volunteering with them a natural fit since he enjoys tinkering with appliances and home repairs, but has an apartment and no home to repair. McCubbin said it was easy to become a volunteer since Habitat is always looking for people to help, not only on the construction sites where they are helphomeowners fix up their homes, but also in the ReStore.

Known as the “Fan Man” due to his repair and cleaning of several ceiling fans that were donated when he first started at Habitat, McCubbin also volunteers in the receiving department at the ReStore. e biggest challenge for him as a volunteer is that there is so much to be done with limited time, so prioritization is important. at’s where McCubbin’s Program Management Professional certification comes in handy.

Leila Yusuf, daughter of Aden Yusuf, poses with the thank you letter she, her sister and two brothers wrote to the volunteers who rehabbed their home.

Customers will find a wide variety of home goods such as furniture, appliances, lighting, and even smaller items such as vacuum bags, tools, and similar items to what you’d find in a hardware or home improvement store.

During a recent visit, a customer who asked to be named only as “Maria” was looking for kitchen countertops. Her current countertops were cracked, chipped and in bad shape. She had a family member who could help her install the countertops, but she simply couldn’t afford brand new ones. Her trip to the ReStore was unsuccessful this time around as they didn’t have countertops that would fit her needs at the moment. However, she promised she’d be back due to their frequently changing inventory, and said that “you never know when you’ll find exactly what you’ve been looking for.” She visits the ReStore every few weeks and checks their website listings for weekly specials to keep tabs on possible items that she needs for her home.

ReStore hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It is located in the same building as the Habitat for Humanity offices, at 9506 Center Street in Manassas.

Volunteering While this local nonprofit organization can use any help throughout the year, its greatest need consists of monetary 24 | March 2012 prince william living

“I find the most rewarding aspect is working with a great group of people helping Habitat for Humanity and their sponsors assisting those who need a hand,” said McCubbin. He suggests anyone interested in volunteering check out the Habitat website for forms and details, but also look through the extensive photo gallery of past and upcoming projects to get an idea of the type of work volunteers complete. He also encouraged people to stop by the ReStore to talk to other volunteers to get an idea of what volunteering for Habitat entails.

You can reach Habitat for Humanity at (703) 369-6708, email them at info@habitatpwc.org or visit their website at www.habitatpwc.org for store hours, volunteer information and forms, donation details, and more.

A marketing director and recent MBA graduate, Helena Tavares Kennedy has written a variety of articles for local and national publications. She has lived in Manassas with her husband and two children for over 10 years. She can be reached at hkennedy@princewilliamliving.com.

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calendar Jump Start Into Spring Break – Basics of Gardening March 10 8:30 a.m.-3:30p.m.

Manassas Park Community Center 99 Adams Street | Manassas Park Taught by VCE – Prince William Master Gardener Volunteers. Topics include: Gardening with Clay Soils & Composting, Groundcovers, Small Space Gardening, Lawns, Planning a New Garden Bed, Lawns, Problem-Free Trees & Natives & Invasives. Cost for single: $40.00 (lunch and materials included); couple: $60.00 (lunch and shared materials included).

For a registration form, call the Extension Horticulture Help Desk at (703) 792-7747, or email master_gardener@pwcgov.org.

march

Manassas Chorale Concert March 10, 7:30 p.m.

Merchant Hall, Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle | Manassas e Manassas Chorale, its select ensemble and Artistic Director Becky Verner, join forces with Composer Joseph Martin who will direct the Voices United Choir of 125 singers. is concert features a variety of musical styles with piano and orchestral accompaniment.

Reserved seating: $18, $15 and $12. To purchase tickets, call (888) 945-2468, or visit www.hyltoncenter.org, or visit the Hylton Center Box Office in person Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.

Youth Orchestras of Prince William presents Something Old, Something New March 11, 3 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle | Manassas “Something Old, Something New” is a delightful combination of classical pieces and newer tunes performed by the Youth Orchestras of Prince William Wind Symphony and Youth Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Children under six are admitted free of charge. For more information, visit the YOPW website at www.yopwva.org, or email Beverly Hess at yopw@yopwva.org.

26 | March 2012 prince william living

Place of Peace Irish Concert March 11, 4-6 p.m.

Saint Benedict’s Monastery 9535 Linton Hall Road Bristow e Place of Peace Irish Concert will be held in the chapel adjacent to the monastery. is event is free to the public, with donations of suggested amounts from $5 to $25 gratefully accepted. Concert-goers are invited to take self-guided tours of the “Place of Peace” preceding the concert. ere are sponsorship opportunities available for local businesses on a limited basis. For more information or to discuss event advertising and sponsorship opportunities, please call Maureen O’Donnell at (703) 361-0106.

Shelter, and Youth for Tomorrow’s Home for Girls. Tickets are $55 per person. For more information on tickets and sponsor opportunities, contact SIManassas@Soroptimist.net.

BAND$ FOR BUCK$ III March 24, 1-9 p.m.

Old Towne Sports Pub 8971 Center Street | Manassas Enjoy seven bands over the course of nine hours during an event to benefit breast cancer research. Bands include Zac Quintana, Barbecue Smile, Island Gerry, MOJO, Halfway to Concord and hOt SiN a MeN. Trivia and raffle drawings scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.bandsforbucks.org.

Keep America Beautiful March 15, 9 a.m.-Noon Prince William Clean Community Council (CCC) needs volunteers to help them survey key areas of Prince William County. Volunteers are needed 9 a.m.noon on March 15 to be surveyors.

Volunteers will watch a brief training video, then ride along with CCC staff to survey roadside litter. Interested in volunteering? Contact Kayne Karnbach, either by phone at (571) 285-3772, or by email at kkarnbach@pwcleancouncil.org.

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tambourines and elephants It’s All Relative

By DeeDee Corbitt Sauter There she stood, a veritable fashion princess. At some point in life every little girl yearns to be a fashion icon—to be able to mix the designs and be considered the avant-garde of the elementary contingent—and she had clearly reached this childhood goal. She stood in line in front of me with confidence. She looked around, striking a pose that she must have lifted from studying Entertainment Tonight. She lacked only a paparazzi following.

The cheetah-spotted black and orange tights, or leggings, seemed fuzzy. I was itching to know how soft they were but refrained from leaning over and stroking her legs. Her T-shirt reached just below her waist; it was black with a glittery, bedazzled kitten face that added to the continuity of the feline motif. Her black boots covered her ankles with faux fur, and the attached pom-poms bounced with every shuffle. The girl’s long ponytail was held in place with ribbon shaped like a flower. I wanted to see how that worked too, as I only have boys and they do not use hair accessories. The whole ensemble was quite cute and made a statement about her love for cats of all sizes.

There was only one problem.

She was a bit overweight…by about 40 pounds. And she was a bit over-aged, by about 40 years. This made it all quite visually disturbing.

Ironically, behind her stood a very cute little girl, who appeared to be about eight or 10 years old (or maybe 27—I couldn’t be sure).

Although it was only 30 degrees outside and the grass was crunchy with frost, she wore a light blue dress that ended several inches above her knees. Her two-and-a-half-inch heels sparkled under the fluorescent lights of the convenience store. I am sure Dorothy would have preferred those fine shoes compared to the ones she stole from a flattened witch. Her legs were not covered with stockings or tights as she waited to buy her Twizzlers and teethwhitening gum.

I was bored. The line was too long and I was simply forced to stare at these two because there was nothing else to do.

I am aware that no one ever wants their age accurately identified. Teens want to be viewed as older and more mature so that people assume they are capable of making good choices and being independent. My 10-yearold recently informed me that I no longer need remind him of chores or responsibilities because he is now a Boy Scout, and no longer has the short attention span common with Cub Scouts. Apparently, this maturity shift was so massive that it actually registered on the Richter scale—although this makes me wonder how he perceives the smell emanating from his bathroom.

Just a few decades later, smothered with the latest anti-aging creams, a middle-aged woman silently hopes to be carded buying a glass of wine at a local restaurant while dining with coworkers. This is irrefutable proof that she has been able to fight the ravages of time and look young enough to have a curfew, even as a babysitter watches her three toddlers at home.

Meanwhile, her five friends are convinced that the query for her ID was a result of poor lighting, or a dare imposed by another waiter, but will later rush home and ask their husbands if they look older than their dear, but haggard, friend.

To heck with Einstein; men—but mostly women—everywhere have theories about time and how to alter it, or maybe change the perception of it. Some of the theories have to do with clothes. (At least that is what I determined while standing in the endless line on that cold winter day.) To some people, wearing inappropriate clothing can physically accelerate or decelerate the passage and effects of time.

I have friends on all points of the timeline and most have a conservative, non-daring wardrobe.

Few of my friends have enough energy to try to trick anyone, including themselves, by wearing fashionably younger, tight outfits. Intermittently, we gather together for a meal and laughs. We wear make-up and do our hair, try to wear unstained clothes and compliment each other endlessly. We have discovered that denial, placations, hugs and homage from our friends

are really all we need until we meet again.

Although I understand nothing gives us immortality and we are all traveling toward a withered end—some slowly, some at the speed of light—I realize not everyone has given up. I know that there are so many ways to disguise who you are or who you want to be…and clothing is one simple, scary way.

I understand all that, but listen to me (especially you, Cat Lady): for everyone’s safety and eyesight, please, please consult a full-length mirror before you step out your front door.

DeeDee Corbitt Sauter is a resident of Prince William County. Her column, “Tambourines and Elephants,” appears monthly in Prince William Living.

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distribution sites Pick up a free copy of Prince William Living at one of the following fine locations: Appliance Connection 13851 Telegraph Rd, Suite 101 | Woodbridge Big Lots 13969 Jefferson Davis Hwy | Woodbridge City of Manassas 9027 Center St. | Manassas Clairmont School and Childcare Center 3551 Waterway Drive | Dumfries Common Grounds/Freedom Fellowship Center 4320 Dale Blvd | Dale City Edgemoor Art Studio 12616 Lake Ridge Drive | Woodbridge Edward Kelly Leadership Center 14715 Bristow Rd. | Manassas Golden Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics 14397 Hereford Rd. | Dale City Golden Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics 238 Potomac Ave. | Quantico Golds Gym 12550 Dillingham Square | Lake Ridge The House, Inc. Student Leadership Center 14001 Crown Court | Woodbridge Independent Hill Neighborhood Library 14418 Bristow Road | Manassas Laser Quest 14517 Potomac Mills Road | Woodbridge Manassas Christian Academy 8757 Signal Hill Road | Manassas Manassas Christian School 9296 West Carondelet Drive | Manassas Manassas Park City Schools One Park Center Court, Suite A | Manassas Park Manassas Park -Parks and Recreation 99 Adams Street | Manassas Mason Enterprise Center 10890 George Mason Cir., Bull Run Hall, Rm 147 | Manassas Mason Enterprise Center 14059 Crown Court | Woodbridge The Merit School of Prince William 14308 Spriggs Road | Woodbridge Minnieland at Ashland 5555 Assateague Place | Manassas Minnieland at Braemar 12700 Correen Hills Drive | Bristow Minnieland at Bristow 10368 Bristow Center | Bristow Minnieland at Cardinal 10910 Feeder Lane | Woodbridge Minnieland at Cloverdale 3498 Cranmer Mews | Woodbridge Minnieland at Dale City 13923 Minnieville Road | Woodbridge Minnieland at Dominion Valley 5255 Merchants View Square | Haymarket Minnieland at Gainesville 8299 Harness Shop Road | Gainesville Minnieland at Heathcote 15040 Heathcote Blvd | Gainesville

Minnieland at Heritage Hunt 7101 Heritage Village Plaza | Gainesville

Safeway 4240 Merchant Plaza | Woodbridge

Minnieland at Montclair 5101 Waterway Drive | Montclair Minnieland at Occoquan 12908 Occoquan Road | Woodbridge

Safeway 2205 Old Bridge Road | Woodbridge Safeway 12821 Braemar Village Plz | Bristow

Minnieland at Rippon 2100 Rippon Blvd | Woodbridge

Shopper’s Food and Pharmacy 9540 Liberia Ave | Manassas

Minnieland at Technology Drive 9511 Technology Drive | Manassas

Shopper’s Food and Pharmacy 14000 Shoppers Best Way | Woodbridge

Minnieland at The Glen 4290 Prince William Parkway | Woodbridge

Shopper’s Food and Pharmacy 4174 Fortuna Center Plaza | Dumfries

Minnieland at Wellington 10249 Hendley Road | Manassas

Shopper’s Food and Pharmacy 10864 Sudley Manor Drive | Manassas

Minnieland Corporate Offices 4300 Prince William Parkway | Woodbridge

The Sign Shop 2603 Morse Lane | Woodbridge

Northern Virginia Community College Manassas Campus | 6901 Sudley Road

Stratford University 14349 Gideon Drive | Woodbridge

Northern Virginia Community College Woodbridge Campus | 15200 Neabsco Mills Road

Town of Haymarket 15000 Washington Street | Haymarket

Old Bridge Preschool 3966 Old Bridge Road | Woodbridge

Town of Occoquan Town Hall | 314 Mill Street | Occoquan

Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School 17700 Dominican Drive | Dumfries

Town of Dumfries 17755 Main Street | Dumfries

Prince William Association of Realtors 4545 Daisy Reid Avenue | Woodbridge

Town of Quantico 415 Broadway Street | Quantico

Prince William Public Library System–Independent Hill Neighborhood Library 14418 Bristow Road | Manassas

Wawa 15809 Jefferson Davis Highway | Woodbridge 13355 Minnieville Road | Woodbridge 2051 Daniel Stuart Square | Woodbridge 14461 Lee Highway | Gainesville

Prince William Public Library System–Lake Ridge Neighborhood Library 12964 Harbor Drive | Lakeridge Prince William Public Library System–Nokesville Neighborhood Library 12993 Fitzwater Drive | Nokesville

Wegmans 8297 Stonewall Shops Square | Gainesville 14801 Dining Way | Woodbridge

Prince William Public Library System–Bull Run Regional Library 8051 Ashton Ave | Manassas Prince William Public Library System–Central Community Library 8601 Mathis Ave | Manassas Prince William Public Library System–Chinn Park Regional Library 13065 Chinn Park Dr. | Woodbridge Prince William Public Library System–Dale City Neighborhood Library 4249 Dale Blvd | Dale City Prince William Public Library System–Dumfries Neighborhood Library 18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza | Dumfries Prince William Public Library System–Gainesville Neighborhood Library 4603 James Madison Highway | Haymarket Prince William Public Library System–Potomac Community Library 2201 Opitz Boulevard | Woodbridge Prince William County Tourist Information Center 200 Mill Street | Occoquan Safeway 2042 Daniel Stuart Square | Woodbridge Safeway 4215 Cheshire Station Plaza | Dale City

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Drain & Sewer Service: ● All types of drains cleared ● Sewer line replacement ● Water service repairs/replacement ● Residential and Commercial

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www.kinnettplumbing.com prince william living March 2012 | 29

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