Prince William Living July 2014

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SUMMERTIME STARGAZING

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SIAM CLASSIC

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“FROST THE CAKE!”

prince william living July 2014

TOURISM’S IMPACT

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

PAGE 4

on Prince William Making Train Stops Your Destination PAGE 12

Earnie Porta: Finding a Tourism Niche PAGE 16 www.princewilliamliving.com

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table of contents July 2014 Vol. 4 No. 7

FEATURE STORY Tourism’s Impact on Prince William’s Economy and Residents’ Quality of Life ..............4

DEPARTMENTS from the publisher..................................................3 advertiser index......................................................3

4 Photo by Kathy Strauss

on a high note Jim Pate: That Guy ..............................................10 destinations Train Station Vacation: Making Local Historic Depots Part of Your Summer Getaway ....................12 taking care of business Earnie Porta: Finding a Tourism Niche ................16 family fun Summertime Stargazing........................................18 giving back Brain Injury Services: Helping Survivors Thrive ......................................22

12 Photo by Sean Floars

local flavor Siam Classic: A Taste of Thai Just the Way You Like It ......................................26 calendar ..............................................................30 tambourines and elephants “Frost the Cake!” ..................................................35

COLUMNS health & wellness ................................................14 home & hearth ....................................................24 your finances ......................................................28 Discover Prince William & Manassas................31

26 Photo by Linda Hughes

prince william living July 2014 | 1

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Prince William Living Publisher Rebecca Barnes rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com Contributing Writers Cindy Brookshire, Amanda Causey, Carla Christiano, Amy Falkofske, Helena Tavares Kennedy, Dr. Christopher Leet, Ann Marie Maher, Jen Rader, DeeDee Corbitt Sauter, Val Wallace, Bennett Whitlock, Vickie Williamson Editor in Chief Emily Guerrero Copy & Production Editor Val Wallace Photographers Amanda Causey, Amy Falkofske, Sean Floars, Linda Hughes, Kathy Strauss Marketing Director Amanda Causey Graphic Design and Production Alison Dixon/Image Prep Studio Advertising Account Executive Michelle Geenty Prince William Living, the premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas, is published monthly

by Prince William Living, Inc. The opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Prince William Living. © Copyright 2014 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 (Continental U.S.) for one year.

Change of address notices should be sent to Prince William Living Publisher Rebecca Barnes at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com.

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 emailing Prince William Living Publisher Rebecca Barnes at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com For further information about Prince William Living, visit www.princewilliamliving.com, or contact Prince William Living at (703) 232-1758.

2 | July 2014 prince william living

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. 3 Efax: (703) 563-9185 Editorial Have a story you’d like our staff to cover? Contact Prince William Living editorial staff at (703) 232-1758, ext. 2, or at editor@princewilliamliving.com.

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Join Our Team of Advertising Representatives We know your type. You are a self-starter, somebody who people respect and want to say “yes” to. You never do anything halfway.

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Flexible is our middle name. This contract position offers you flexibility. Working full- or part-time, control your earning potential and build a schedule that offers work-life balance. Though you will be “your own boss,” you will have the full support of our staff and be a valued member of the Prince William Living team— while growing professionally and leaving your mark on the greater Prince William community.

The ideal candidate has at least two years of sales experience and a passion for the Prince William Living mission. Sound like you? Send your resume to our publisher at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com.

from the publisher How Tourism Affects Us

N

ow that summer is in full swing, vacations have begun.

While many of us are planning vacations away from home, for others, “away from home” means here.

Have you ever stopped to think about our secret asset: tourism?

Thanks to out-of-towners, your favorite restaurant stays busy, the hotel you put your mother-in-law up in stays in business and the job your teenager has might very well be supported by tourism.

This issue’s main feature tells the story of tourism in Prince William. On page 4, writer Cindy Brookshire explores why tourism is so important to us in “Tourism’s Impact on Prince William’s Economy and Residents’ Quality of Life.” Learn how much revenue is brought in, jobs generated and the top six attractions in our community.

One way tourists get here is by train. July’s “Destinations” also has us traveling—to local train stations. Read on page 12 about their interesting history, as well as some of the folks who ride the train, in “Train Station Vacation: Making Local Historic Depots Part of Your Summer Getaway,” by Helena Tavares Kennedy.

Advertiser Index ACTS ..........................................................................................36 Alpha Pets ................................................................................36 Ameriprise–Whitlock Wealth Management ............................29 Apple FCU ................................................................................29 Bankers Life ................................................................................8 Beitzell Fence ............................................................................21 Best Western Battlefield Inn ....................................................25 CAP Accounting, LLC................................................................29 CASA..........................................................................................36 Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory ................................20 Christ Chapel ............................................................................36 City of Manassas Park—Parks & Recreation ..........................15 Creative Brush Studio ..............................................................36 Crossfit Agathos ........................................................................19 Crossroads Realtors ................................................................28 Dance Etc...................................................................................32 Dansk Day Spa at Occoquan......................................................7 Discover Prince William & Manassas......................................31 Edgemoor Art Studio................................................................36 Emeritus at Lake Ridge ............................................................32 EuroBronze................................................................................36 Frame Magic Video ..................................................................21 Frugal Rooter/Plumberologist..................................................20 FURR Roofing..............................................................................7 Gaeltek, LLC ................................................................................7 GEICO ........................................................................................29 Giorgio’s Family Restaurant ......................................................8 Harbour View ............................................................................34 Historic Manassas, Inc. ............................................................32 Imagewerks ..............................................................................36 Interior Eloquence ....................................................................36

Trains aren’t the only transportation for tourists. Learn how Town of Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta started and set in motion a new tourism service after recognizing that tourists waiting to get on the Amtrak Auto Train in Lorton would make great customers for his town, if they could get there. Jennifer Rader pulls over the marketing opportunist for a “Taking Care of Business” interview in “Finding a Tourism Niche,” on page 16.

And, finally, one restaurant that locals and tourists keep busy is Siam Classic, this month’s “Local Flavor.” On page 26, Val Wallace shares what the success is behind this Thai eatery, celebrating its 10th year in historic downtown Manassas.

Also, remember, whether you travel or staycation at home this summer, relax, recharge and stay safe.

Sincerely, Rebecca Barnes Prince William Living Publisher

Keep Prince William Beautiful..................................................36 Leanda Photographic ..............................................................36 Linton Hall School ....................................................................21 Madison Cresent ......................................................................32 Magnificent Belly Dance ..........................................................36 Manassas Christian School ......................................................19 Novant Health ..........................................................................C4 Patriot Scuba ............................................................................25 Peggy and Bill Burke, Virginia Realty Partners, LLC ..............24 Piedmont Physical Therapy........................................................8 Potomac Place ............................................................................8 Prince William Chamber of Commerce ..................................15 Prince William County Fair ......................................................14 Prince William Ice Center..........................................................19 Prince William Library System ................................................19 Prince William OBGYN ............................................................19 PRTC/OmniLink ........................................................................33 Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center ............................C2 SPARK ........................................................................................15 Spectrum Resurfacing........................................................25, 36 Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center ....................................14 Stonewall Golf Club..................................................................15 Tackett’s Mill Center ..................................................................21 The Arc of Greater Prince William/INSIGHT ..........................36 The Point at Park Station............................................................8 Tiny Dancers ............................................................................20 VanEch Studio ..........................................................................32 Vintage Moving & Storage ................................................25, 36 Vision Finders Design ..............................................................36 Washington Square Associates ..............................................36 Westminster at Lake Ridge ......................................................34 Yellow Cab ................................................................................36

prince william living July 2014 | 3

Tourism’s Impact on Prince William’s Economy and Residents’ Quality of Life

By Cindy Brookshire

4 | July 2014 prince william living

Photo courtesy Discover Prince William & Manassas

H

“Instead of planning a vacation a month or two, or six months in advance, people are planning their vacations two weeks in advance ... and they are going for only two or three days.”

— Rita McClenny, Virginia Tourism Corporation President and CEO

ave you exchanged long, expensive vacations for smaller, local staycations or mini-trips within a 500-mile radius?

You’re not alone.

“Instead of planning a vacation a month or two, or six months in advance, people are planning their vacations two weeks in advance. They are having more and more frequent getaways, and they are going for only two to three days,” said Virginia Tourism Corporation President and CEO Rita McClenny, during her keynote speech in May at the annual National Travel and Tourism Week Luncheon and Industry Awards Event at the Old Manassas Courthouse. Local tourism marketing agency Discover Prince William & Manassas hosted the event.

Tourism is Virginia’s second largest employer and fifth largest revenue generator, said McClenny, whose state agency markets the commonwealth to visitors. Tourism is a growing industry in Virginia, where it generated a record $21.2 billion in revenue during 2012, based on state government statistics. According to U.S. Travel Association research data for 2013, tourism’s annual impact on the U.S. economy is $2.1 trillion. The result: “We’re seeing more and more localities investing in tourism because it builds stronger communities,” McClenny said.

The economic impact of tourism in Prince William is also on the rise. According to Kerry Lynch, Discover Prince William & Manassas marketing and communications manager, visitors generated $508 million in tourism revenue in Prince William County during 2012, based on the latest figures available from the U.S. Travel Association, which calculates the data. Visitors to the area generated $487 million in revenue in 2011, a nearly 10 percent increase over tourism revenue produced in Prince William the year prior.

In Manassas and Manassas Park, tourism revenue is also climbing, totaling $63.5 million for 2012, up 4 percent from the $61 million the cities produced combined in 2011, a 10 percent hike in dollars visitors generated the year before in the cities.

“Tourism is a crucial part of our local economy,” said Ann Marie Maher, president and CEO of Discover Prince William & Manassas, which is located in Manassas, with a visitor center also in Historic Occoquan. She attributed the increases to the county’s and cities’ investment in tourism and her agency’s sales, marketing and public relations efforts.

The economic benefits of tourism to Prince William include nearly three million visitors and more than 6,000 tourism jobs each year in the county and Manassas, said Maher. That figure may also be rising. Based on a Virginia Tourism Corporation report for 2012, the county, Manassas and Manassas Park saw nearly 6,480 tourism jobs, Lynch said.

That’s one reason why Prince William community leaders partner with the tourism agency to attract tourists. “We take the power of partnerships seriously,” said City of Manassas Mayor Harry “Hal” Parrish II at the luncheon, where he was among four award recipients. Manassas ranked No. 1 on the recent list in Cities Journal of the top 14 small cities in Virginia (www.citiesjournal.com/top-14-small-cities-in-virginia/14).

Occoquan ranked No. 2.

“Becoming a tourism and tourist destination cannot and should not be accomplished by government alone,” said Parrish. “By working with our partners like Historic Manassas and Discover Prince William & Manassas, we have been incredibly successful at leveraging state tourism grants for the betterment of our community. Our quality of life in the City of Manassas is better because of these partnerships.” Historic Manassas, Inc., is a nonprofit organization leading the revitalization and promotion of historic downtown Manassas.

Prince William County, with more than 430,000 people, is the second most populous county in Virginia, a significant factor in the role tourism plays in the area, Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins told the luncheon audience. “We understand that the same places that attract visitors also play a huge role in enhancing our residents’ quality of life,” said Jenkins, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

Those places include the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas and the county’s parks and recreation facilities, he said.

“Our budget we just passed includes [funding for] two new libraries and a huge chunk of money for parks and recreation.

We see at least four new hotel developments on the horizon, including a multi-million-dollar resort and spa at Potomac Shores [in Dumfries] that is a masterpiece and a showplace.

We’re hopeful for a new Potomac Nationals ballpark and furthering an investment in infrastructure improvements that will support local sports leagues and grow our sports tourism initiatives,” Jenkins said.

Discover Prince William & Manassas’s roadmap for success is a five-year strategic plan the agency announced in May 2012 that tracks with the Virginia State Tourism Plan. The local plan, like the state’s, focuses strategies on developing tourism products and supporting elements called pillars, partnerships, promotions and policies.

In Prince William, tourism products include history and heritage; town and city centers; culinary activities, such as dining, wineries and agri-tourism; meetings and conferences; nature and outdoor recreation; arts and music; events and sports, industry and commercial attractions. (continues on page 6) prince william living July 2014 | 5

Photo courtesy Discover Prince William & Manassas

(continued from page 5) “When a planner calls, we don’t just help with hotel rooms or tell them about destinations. We create products for our groups, and we do that by getting out into the community and talking to people,” said Maher.

For example, while the new luxury Salamander® Resort & Spa in Middleburg is outside Prince William, a connector, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, which includes a 180-mile long national scenic byway from Gettysburg, Pa., to Monticello in Virginia, creates tours that bring resort guests into the area.

Discover Prince William & Manassas will participate in planning the tours at the next VA-1 Tourism Summit, Nov. 16-18 in Northern Virginia, Maher said. The summit is Virginia’s annual statewide conference that brings together tourism professionals.

Gearing up for the 2015 World Police & Fire Games Discover Prince William & Manassas created a sports tourism task force in 2012 to identify and secure local sporting events and tournaments. To amplify its reach, Discover Prince William & Manassas partners with the five other convention and visitors bureaus in Northern Virginia. The benefits of that partnership will play out when the World Police & Fire Games (last held in Belfast in 2013) arrive in Northern Virginia June 26 – July 5, 2015.

In 2009, Fairfax County won the bid for the 2015 games, when more than 12,000 athletic public emergency personnel from 70 countries are expected to compete in 53 venues over 10 days.

The World Police & Fire Games is an Olympic-style competitive sports event held biennially throughout the world. The games are second only to the Olympics as one of the globe’s largest multisport, multi-venue amateur athletic events. They will take place mostly in Fairfax County, but also include activities throughout Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and parts of Maryland.

Three of the 2015 games’ events already scheduled in Prince William include ice hockey at the Prince William Ice Center in Woodbridge, rifle large bore at the Quantico Shooting Club and cross country at the Manassas National Battlefield Park, Maher said. The agency’s sales department also facilitated hotel contracts in Prince William and Manassas that have a potential of utilizing more than 10,000 room nights, a number that could change over time, Maher said.

Prince William Is Stop on 2015 PGA Tour Prince William County has an agreement for a major tournament next year that will put the area “on the national map in the arena of golf,” said Jenkins. The area has been selected as the location for the Tiger Woods Foundation’s invitational professional golf tournament in 2015.

The event, called the 2015 Quicken Loans National, will be held at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, home of the President’s Cup in 1994 (its inaugural event), 1996, 2000 and 2005. More than 100 golfers participated in 2013 at the last Quicken Loans National, a six-day event that welcomed nearly 6 | July 2014 prince william living

Potomac Shores, on the banks of the Potomac River near Dumfries, is the newest golf club in Prince William.

150,000 fans. Since its inception in 2007, the Quicken Loans National had been held most years at the Congressional Country Club in Montgomery County, Md. “This is a great opportunity to showcase Prince William as a prime destination for golf enthusiasts, as well as [for] sporting events and tournaments,” said Maher in her agency’s April press release announcing golf legend Tiger Woods’ choice of the local 18-hole, par-72 and 7,425-yard course, commonly known as RTJ, for the invitational.

Woods reportedly chose the club for its proximity to Washington, D.C., and because the event spotlights the U.S. military and benefits the foundation’s after-school learning centers, including one at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

“The economic impact on the region will include increased hotel room night occupancies and growth in the spending of discretionary funds on lodging, food and beverage and regional attractions,” Maher said.

While RTJ, on the banks of Lake Manassas, is a private club, Prince William is also home to eight public golf clubs and five municipal golf courses. Potomac Shores Golf Club is the newest, opening near Dumfries in May. Potomac Shores includes the first public Jack Nicklaus Signature designed golf course in the Washington, D.C., metro area. The 18-hole, par-72 course, on the banks of the Potomac River, is also part of the region’s first luxury resort master-planned community. The club includes full-service practice facilities, multiple tee levels, a putting green, practice bunker and lavish clubhouse.

Prince William’s Top Six Attractions Golf is not the only tourist attraction in Prince William, however. Most locals can name the area’s top six attractions.

There are two national parks: Manassas National Battlefield Park and Prince William Forest Park, with its 15,000 acres and 40 miles of hiking and biking trails. Then there are Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge and the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle. Music venue Jiffy Lube Live in Gainesville is also on the list, as is the perennial favorite,

Photo by Kathy Strauss

Photo by Kathy Strauss

Jiffy Lube Live, an outdoor live performance amphitheater located in Bristow, hosts popular music artists who draw thousands of visitors from near and far. Jiffy Lube Live can seat 25,000 per show.

The reenactment in July 2011 in Manassas commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas/Bull Run catapulted Prince William into the Civil War history tourism market.

Potomac Mills mall, in Woodbridge, the largest outlet mall in Virginia, with more than 220 shops and eateries.

“As a result, we became better known. It definitely put us on the map,” she said.

Prince William & Manassas received funding in its fiscal 2015 budget to research whether the tourism agency is reaping a return on its marketing and advertising campaigns since it rebranded in 2010, Maher said. She wants to make sure the agency is reaching targeted audiences.

A final official 150th commemorative all-day speaking event is planned for May 2015 at the Old Manassas Courthouse, Maher said. History and educational events, including the annual Civil War Weekend, Aug. 22 this year in Manassas, continue year-round.

Events such as the reenactment in July 2011 commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas/Bull Run, which no doubt contributed to the area’s double-digit increase in tourism revenue that year, is among the agency’s successes, Maher said.

“What the 150th Commemoration of Manassas/Bull Run did for us was to catapult us into the Civil War history tourism market,” she said. “The city and the county recognized that as a momentous historical occasion and made a huge investment in it.” About 18,000 spectators attended, and more than 300 media representatives covered it, producing 1,313 stories, Maher said.

“We recognize that one of the reasons people come here is because of the Civil War, but now our goal is to have visitors focus [on] our natural and outdoor recreational activities,” said Maher. “When you look at an aerial map of the metropolitan D.C. area, most of the outdoor recreational space is right here.

We’re a trailhead gateway to the Shenandoah—the first stop for D.C. area residents leaving the city to stop and explore.”

Manassas resident Cindy Brookshire is a frequent contributor to Prince William Living. Brookshire can be reached at cbrookshire@princewilliamliving.com. (The bride-to-be, Carrie Cross, mentioned on page 9, is her daughter.) (continues on page 9)

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(continued from page 7)

Discover Prince William & Manassas Is a Resident Resource, too Photo by Kathy Strauss

or Woodbridge Senior High School former principal Alan Ross, finding a local venue for the celebration this coming fall of the school’s 50th anniversary was a no-brainer.

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The challenge Ross faced was organizing the logistics of hotel rooms for hundreds of out-of-town guests. That’s when he turned to Discover Prince William & Manassas.

Sales Associate Mike Stoupa, among the tourism marketing agency’s 10-person staff (three part-time), assisted Ross. Over a few days, Stoupa facilitated guest-room blocks for discounted prices at six hotels, all listed on the reunion website (www.50yearsofwshs.com). The guest list has grown to more than 2,000 attendees, according to organizers.

“Our residents don’t necessarily think about our agency as a resource,” said Discover Prince William & Manassas President and CEO Ann Marie Maher. The agency’s website, discoverpwm.com, where visitors are invited to “plan a trip and discover your story,” is everything from a welcome wagon to a shopping hub.

“We are free to local residents. It doesn’t cost anyone to contact us for any of our services,” Maher said.

"We are free to local residents," said Ann Marie Maher, of Discover Prince William & Manassas.

In April, the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus awarded Discover Prince William & Manassas two 2014 VIRGOs. One was for outstanding digital presence (a 1,000 percent increase in website traffic and 1,433 new Facebook likes since the site’s launch in March 2013), and the other was for the agency’s collaboration with three other Virginia tourism marketing agencies on the regional promotional initiative “Virginia By Rail.” VIRGO awards honor individuals, groups, businesses and destination marketing organizations that significantly contribute to Virginia’s economy through tourism promotion and development.

Helps Locate Venues for Variety of Events The agency’s website has proven helpful to local residents. For engaged couple Carrie Cross and David Magill, both of Manassas, finding a venue to book quickly for their spring 2015 wedding reception was a priority, but they were unfamiliar with sites in the area.

“Instead of the bride-to-be calling every single hotel or special event venue, we actually do the legwork for [her],” said Discover Prince William & Manassas Marketing and

Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory in historic downtown Manassas is among wedding venues listed on Discover Prince William & Manassas's website.

Communications Manager Kerry Lynch. “We’ll send out a lead to the properties or vendors that match your requests, whether it’s a unique venue or historic facility.”

Lynch encouraged Cross to check out “Wedding: A Day to Remember, A Location to Love” on the tourism agency’s website. Based on information she found there and after visiting a number of sites, Cross had a deposit within two weeks on a reception site: the Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory in historic downtown Manassas. She continues to work with a Discover Prince William & Manassas sales associate to locate catering and other vendor services, Lynch said.

How It’s Funded Discover Prince William & Manassas is a not-for-profit 501(c)6 organization, funded primarily by the 7 percent transient occupancy tax that travelers pay for renting hotel and motel rooms in the area. “The tax collected from … hotels [in the county] is used to promote the entire destination,” explained Maher. In fiscal year 2013, Prince William County collected $3.5 million through the tax.

The City of Manassas also contributes to the agency’s budget, which totals $1.2 million for fiscal year 2014, Maher said.

Manassas’s contribution, which covers nearly 8 percent of the budget, gives the city “a bigger bang because we use Manassas in all of our marketing. In turn, Prince William benefits because the name Manassas with its historical association has much more recognition in the marketplace. It’s a win-win,” Maher said. prince william living July 2014 | 9

on a high note

Jim Pate at Guy Photos courtesy Jim Pate

By Amy Falkofske

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oodbridge resident Jim Pate is a 10-year veteran of the Washington, D.C., area comedy scene. He is that guy—the one whose friends are always asking him to “tell that story,” because he can tell it best and get the most laughs. Naturally, he gravitated toward stand-up comedy.

Pate, a network reliability specialist the past 14 years with telecommunications company Verizon Communications, embarked on a dual career as a stand-up comedian when he first stepped on stage in November 2004, he said. It was at Wiseacres Comedy Club at Tysons Corner in McLean during an open-mic night.

Looking back, he admitted that his first performance probably wasn’t that good, “but everybody died laughing at it,” Pate said.

So he did a couple more open-mic nights at Wiseacres. People came out to see him perform, and kept coming. Seeing Pate’s talent for drawing an audience, the show manager began paying him to perform.

“It’s like a habit almost. Once you sign your name on the line that you want to go on stage, then that’s it. You just gave your life over to it,” Pate said.

10 | July 2014 prince william living

After performing at many other open-mic nights at Wiseacres and area comedy clubs, including Brittany’s Restaurant & Sports Bar in Woodbridge, the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton and the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, Pate became recognized in the comedy community as a “guy funny enough to put on a show that people would pay for,” he said.

Describing it as a “hobby that I’m really good at,” Pate said his entertainment career includes every aspect of the comedy world, including running comedy clubs, booking, promoting and coaching other comics and producing comedy shows. He spent about five years handling comedy shows at Brittany’s, where several up-and-comers as well as seasoned comics have performed during open-mic nights.

He created First Laugh Entertainment, LLC, a now-closed comedy production company that he operated for about three years, he said. He continues to use the company’s name to promote other comics. Five years ago, he and a partner also started Liberty Laughs Comedy Club in Fredericksburg, he said.

The 150-seat venue features national touring headliners on its 20- by 15-foot lighted stage.

“When we started, it was just a bunch of people sitting around a microphone,” said Pate. His partner managed the club, while Pate booked talent for its shows. While he is no longer involved with the club, it gave him an opportunity “to meet a ton of comics,” he said.

Pate has been working recently with Tackett’s Mill Center in Lake Ridge to help bring comedy to that area in a venue form similar to Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse’s, he said.

He has performed more than 950 times and produced at least 600 shows in the past nine years, Pate estimated. At his level, comedy is not a high-paying profession, he said.

“If you’re trying to perform comedy for the money, you’re probably in the wrong business,” said Pate. “It’s something you have to love to do and have a passion for because the money is not there until you are big.”

Besides nurturing his own career, Pate helps other comics get started. One is former Woodbridge resident Paul Simpson, a comedian and marketing professional who now resides in Virginia Beach. Simpson and Pate have been business associates and friends for more than seven years. Simpson credits Pate for molding his career in comedy. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” said Simpson. “With his patience and guidance, I became a better comedian.”

Sheryl Pate, of Vilonia, Ark., was her son’s first major influence, inspiring him to go into comedy, he said. “She’s hilarious,” said Pate. “She’s always animated when she’s talking about stuff, passionate about things that she’s talking about. I got a lot of mannerisms from watching her tell stories.” Now she’s his biggest fan, he said.

“She laughs at everything, and if it’s a little more racy joke, she’s like, ‘Son, … you can tell me that, but please don’t say that on stage!” he grinned.

Pate gets a lot of his comedic material from being a single dad to his teenage daughter, Jessica, 15. Telling stories about the “adventures of a single dad” has become his niche, since not many comedians fall into that category, he said. He also finds material in “crazy stuff. It’s all around. The comedy is everywhere,” he said.

According to his peers, his strength is his ability to relate to his audience. “Jim is always a solid comic with the ability to endear any crowd, a real comic’s comic and man of the people. That’s why he’s a successful entertainer,” said Rahmein Mostafavi, who owns Cool Cow Comedy, LLC, a small comedy production company based in Fredericksburg.

Pate said that audience feedback drives him. Once, an audience member raised by a single dad came up to him after Pate’s show, he said. She told him that before watching Pate’s performance, she never realized how hard it was for her dad and that Pate’s act inspired her to call her dad to tell him that she loved him.

Moments like those inspire him and are part of why he performs comedy, Pate said.

Local comedian Jim Pate participated in April in a comedy charity fundraiser. "If I can use my dumb stories to raise money for somebody, 'Rock on!'" he said.

He likes to keep his humor and act playful. “I like to stay away from anything like making fun of people. … That’s not the laugh I want,” he said. Instead, he sticks to telling stories, and if he ever produced a CD, he’d probably call it “Stuck on Stupid,” he laughed.

Comedy is an art form, and “live in-your-face, stand-up comedy has got to be, I think, the purest form of comedy as an art and the top of all arts,” Pate said. It’s also the hardest, he added.

“It’s tough on the psyche. You’re only as good as your last show,” said the comic. “It’s emotionally trying to put yourself out there and hope that people will laugh at you and then more people will come out next time and laugh at you again. … It almost sounds psychotic.”

In April, Pate participated with nine other comedians in a comedy show to raise money for Operation Renewed Hope Foundation, a veteran-led nonprofit organization based in Alexandria that provides housing and support to America’s homeless military veterans. Charity shows are “something I wouldn’t turn down,” he stated. “If I can use my dumb stories to raise money for somebody, ‘Rock on!’”

While he continues to help other comics get started in the business, Pate recently pared down his comedy schedule to about one stand-up show a week to focus more on his daughter, he said. “I like the groove I’m in right now,” said the performer, who has turned down job offers in New York City and Los Angeles to devote time to his daughter, making sure she graduates from high school and “gets out into the world,” he said.

Pate indicated, though, that he might consider pursuing bigger aspirations in his comedy career down the road. He enjoys firing up audiences with his high-energy approach, kicking off each show with “Woo!” to grab attention and set the mood. “‘Woo!' fixes everything,” he smiled.

You can catch Pate on Thursday, July 17, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., as the featured comic at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

Amy Falkofske (afalkofske@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance writer and the owner and photographer of Beautiful Moments

by Amy Photography. She lives in Bristow with her husband and two sons. prince william living July 2014 | 11

destinations

Train Station Vacation Making Local Historic Depots Part of Your Summer Getaway

By Helena Tavares Kennedy

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his summer, check out Prince William’s historic train stations as a destination themselves, especially with the Fourth of July around the bend. The area’s depots can bring out the patriot in anyone.

“America’s history with train stations and passenger rail service is an important part of our nation’s development from coast to coast,” said Kimberly Woods, media relations manager for Amtrak’s Southeast Region, which includes Virginia and Washington, D.C. “The nostalgia fuels the popularity of passenger rail initiatives today and provides political momentum to improve existing services.”

Virginia had more than 1.6 million train riders last year, according to Woods. More than 29,000 riders passed through Manassas Train Depot in historic downtown Manassas, and the historic station in Quantico saw nearly 40,000 riders last year, she said.

“America’s primary mode of transportation since World War II has been the automobile, but with congestion in our cities and suburbs, passenger rail service provides an alternative to keep the nation moving from one great train station to the next,” Woods said.

12 | July 2014 prince william living

“Trains are the reason Manassas became a city. So when people visit our stations and railroad exhibits, they are both enjoying their interest in trains and learning about the area’s history. In Manassas, that means learning about why this was a Civil War battleground, how the town grew around the tracks and how goods and later people moved along the tracks to Washington,” said Lisa SievelOtten, City of Manassas Community Development Department administrative assistant and marketing coordinator for the Manassas Museum and the city’s historic sites.

Here’s more about Prince William’s historic depots. Information on each, and other train stations throughout the country, can also be found on Amtrak’s website “The Great American Stations” (www.greatamericanstations.com).

Quantico Station: Blending the Past and Present The 1950s-era brick Quantico Station, at 550 Railroad Avenue in Quantico, is on the CSX mainline tracks, which the Virginia Rail

Photos by Sean Floars

Quantico Station, which is on the CSX mainline tracks that the Virginia Rail Express and Amtrak use, provides an opportunity to explore history and even socialize.

Express (VRE) and Amtrak use. According to information on the website “The Great American Stations,” the VRE remodeled and reopened the building in April 2005 after replacing or repairing virtually all of the structure, including the roof and brick facade.

The rail service also installed new plumbing and electrical systems.

An entire room in Quantico Station is dedicated to a permanent HO scale model railroad layout that the Prince William County Model Railroad Club built and maintains. The club holds free open houses of its elaborate layout, which occupies the depot’s former Railway Express Agency baggage room, the first Saturday of every

“On the Tracks of History” Rail Exhibit Is Now Open at Manassas Museum After visiting the Manassas Train Depot, walk down the street to the nearby Manassas Museum to visit its new train exhibit, completed in June. Manassas Museum Curator Mary Helen Dellinger said the exhibit, entitled “On the Tracks of History,” is the first major upgrade of that space since the train station’s James and Marion Payne Memorial Railroad Heritage Gallery opened in 1997.

The exhibit “is full of never-before-seen” rail artifacts from the museum’s collection, said Dellinger. “On The Tracks of History” provides visitors with a comprehensive look at the train station’s history and the railroads that use the depot, she said. In addition, “the Civil War history of trains at Manassas will continue to be told at the museum building in our main gallery,” Dellinger said.

month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when club members run model trains there.

The station’s original waiting room showcases the past.

Memorabilia of the history of the railroad, Quantico and the surrounding Marine Corps base cover its walls, along with photos, posters and framed newspaper articles capturing an earlier era.

The station is also a busy hub for the present, with hundreds of commuters passing through daily. In addition to being a place where they can get to their destinations, for commuters, Quantico Station and the rails offer an opportunity to socialize. “We get to know each other. You have your commuter friends. A lot of the people that I know I met at the train station,” said Cindy Shelton, of Stafford. For the past year and a half, she has been riding the train to her job as a program manager for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. Shelton said she prefers Quantico Station rather than Burke Centre Station, which is closer to where she lives, but provides no shelter as Quantico Station does. “I choose to go to Quantico because during inclement weather, then I have a place to get in out of the rain and stay warm,” she said. Another plus, she added: What I really think is cool is it’s old. I like old buildings that have been maintained.”

She also likes the warm friendliness of the person who sells coffee, and VRE tickets, at the Ricks Roasters Coffee Company shop in the station. “Mary reigns over the coffee needs of us all, remembering our names [and] preferences,” said Shelton, adding, “Mary has been known to loan passengers tickets, coffee … what a friend should do for a friend.”

“These are government employees that commute long hours and deserve to have a smile in the morning [and] their coffee the way they like it,” explained full-time Ricks Roasters employee Mary Junkersfeld, of Quantico. (continues on page 33) prince william living July 2014 | 13

health & wellness Answer to Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury May Be in Our Mouths

By Christopher Leet, MD, FACC Emeritus ith the warmer months comes increased physical activity and participation in sports. Unfortunately, concussion is a concern many parents may have when their young athletes head onto the game field.

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A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI), caused from a blow or jolt to the head or body or another injury that causes the brain to shake or jar inside the skull.

Concussions include several possible symptoms, ranging from dizziness, headache, blurred vision and nausea to disrupted sleep patterns, slurred speech and difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly and remembering new information.

While most people have a fast and full recovery from a concussion, for some, symptoms can last for days, weeks or longer. It is not always immediately obvious, too, that the brain has suffered a concussion or how bad the extent of the injury is.

Researchers at George Mason University (GMU) in Manassas seek to provide those answers. Early research there indicates that an enzyme is released when the brain’s been injured and that it is possible to detect this in saliva.

This implies that a simple dipstick test, similar to glucose strips, could indicate whether there is significant brain injury and if further testing is needed.

“We’re not there yet, but we believe … that we have the potential to do this. … Right now in the field of concussion assessment … there is no quantifiable test for concussion that is clinically available,” said Dr. Shane Caswell, associate professor of athletic training education and executive director of GMU’s Sports Medicine Assessment Research and Testing (SMART) Laboratory. He is leading the research, along with research partner Dr. Emanuel “Chip” Petricoin, co-director of the university’s Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine.

Caswell said that the two have created one of the largest, if not the largest, bio banks in the country of saliva from concussed patients. “We’ve tracked them throughout their recovery, and we compare the findings in their saliva to what they had before they were injured,” he said. So far the research is promising, although “we have nothing to hang our hats on yet,” he said.

Manassas resident Dr. Christopher Leet, now retired, practiced medicine for nearly 40 years, specializing in cardiology and internal medicine.

14 | July 2014 prince william living

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taking care of business

Earnie Porta Finding a Tourism Niche

By Jennifer Rader

Photos courtesy Boyd Alexander

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n business, if you want to get something done, call a man of action with an ability to identify a need and fill it. Earnie Porta, mayor of the Town of Occoquan, is such a man.

Porta started the tourist shuttle service Occoquan Transportation Company, LLC (OTC), incorporated in 2012, as a private sightseeing venture after a discussion with a friend about the Auto Train station in Lorton. The Amtrak Auto Train is the only train in the U.S. that enables passengers to travel with their vehicles.

The discussion led Porta to investigate the rail service’s potential for tourism that could benefit Occoquan. The Auto Train has been a Lorton fixture for three decades. During Amtrak’s fiscal year 2011, it had the highest revenue of any long-distance train in the Amtrak system, according to Amtrak. It carried 250,000 passengers that fiscal year.

OTC’s sightseeing shuttle service transports passengers waiting at the Lorton station to Occoquan to eat, shop and relax before starting on their journey south at 2:30 p.m. by Auto Train, an 855-mile-long train service between Lorton and Sanford, Fl., near Orlando. Besides Occoquan, the shuttle also stops at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

Prince William Living caught up with Mayor Porta for the complete story on his innovative niche company. What follows are excerpts from the interview, edited for length and clarity.

PWL: What steps did you undertake to ensure your idea could be accomplished?

Town of Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta started the tourist shuttle service Occoquan Transportation Company, LLC, as a sightseeing venture to draw Amtrak Auto Train passengers to his town.

16 | July 2014 prince william living

Porta: I researched the Auto Train through Amtrak’s annual reports and other sources. I sat at the station a few days to get a sense of the flow of people and then scouted out possible sightseeing destinations in both Fairfax and Prince William County. Given the amount of time people have at the station, Occoquan and the Workhouse Arts Center seemed to be the most appropriate destinations.

shopped in town. Through May 22, 2014, I have had 1,643 passengers, and 1,525 were first-time visitors to Occoquan.

More than 75 percent of them have eaten while in town and just under 20 percent have shopped. I also ask each passenger for feedback on their experiences in town. Most have been very pleased and speak well of most of the businesses and individuals they have encountered.

PWL: What is the most effective way to get this service in front of potential customers?

Porta: The best way is at the station and when they are purchasing tickets. I have heard from passengers, particularly those who take the Auto Train annually or regularly, that if they had known about the service in advance, they would have loaded their cars early, at 11:30 a.m., and spent a couple of hours in town.

Through May 22 since he started his service, Earnie Porta has had 1,643 passengers, most of them first-time visitors to Occoquan.

I opened discussions with Amtrak in early 2013. They were enthusiastic about the idea and let me test-run some shuttles and routes in the spring of 2013. That worked out. I bought a bus, received regulatory approvals and started regular operations in mid-October 2013.

PWL: What is your routine or process during the tour?

Porta: I essentially have scheduled runs at 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., based on demand, and operate Wednesday through Sunday. I go into the station and make an announcement describing the service. People pay $5 for a round trip. I narrate a tour on the trip, telling them about the Workhouse Arts Center, including its history as a location where suffragists were imprisoned. I also reference the Suffragist Memorial being built at Occoquan Regional Park.

As we approach Occoquan, I talk about the town’s history and do a quick tour of the town’s 6-square block historic district, pointing out not only historical sites and features, but various restaurants and shops. I drop off people at the Tourist Information Center or the Mill House Museum, and then pick them up 60 to 90 minutes later at the Tourist Information Center. I also drop off people and pick them up at the Workhouse Arts Center.

PWL: What challenges had to be overcome in starting your venture?

Porta: The biggest hurdles were regulatory. The regulatory requirements themselves are not particularly onerous, but it takes the state time to process things. Additionally, the required insurance is a significant expense.

PWL: What numbers have you seen in shuttle passengers and subsequent increases in tourism for Occoquan?

Porta: I keep track of the exact number of passengers, their stop, if they have been to Occoquan before, and if they ate and/or

As it is now, those who are experienced Auto Train travelers arrive closer to 1 p.m. so that they do not have to spend so much time in the station, and that does not leave them as much time as they would like to spend in town. I am working with Amtrak to get information about the service out to people with the email ticket confirmations.

Additionally, there are a handful of Occoquan businesses who advertise with pamphlets or signs on the shuttle. This makes a difference. People have a limited amount of time to spend here, and it’s clear they gravitate toward those places about which they have information. Blue Arbor Cafe has done a good job with this, and the folks at Puzzle Palooza actually come out of their store and welcome passengers. That has definitely generated customers for them.

PWL: What is your vision for The Occoquan Transportation Company?

Porta: I would like to expand the service with an earlier run, but that will depend upon being able to get more people to arrive at the Auto Train station earlier. Additionally, I would like to add Monday and Tuesday service. I’ve tried it a few times, but right now, frankly, a number of Occoquan businesses are closed on those days, which limits the options for passengers.

PWL: Your advice to those considering starting a tourism endeavor?

Porta: Test or evaluate anecdote, intuition or sentiment with real data to see if an idea makes economic sense. It’s very easy to get seduced by the romance of an idea. Also, offer something customers want at a price they think is reasonable and at a time and location that is convenient for them. In addition, don’t hesitate to seek advice from or emulate business people you admire.

As a certified massage therapist, freelance writer Jennifer Rader enjoys studying nutrition, wellness, fundraising and entrepreneurship as well as writing on various topics within her interests. She lives with her son and husband in Manassas. Rader can be reached at jrader@princewilliamliving.com. prince william living July 2014 | 17

family fun

Summertime Stargazing

By Amanda Causey

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To prepare for liftoff, it helps to know where you’re going and what you might see. After all, your kids will have lots of questions. You may have a star chart at home, but if not, I have created one for you to download and print that is on our website, www.pwliving.com.

You can also visit Sky and Telescope magazine’s website (www.skyandtelescope.com) and click on “This Week’s Sky at a Glance” to learn more about upcoming celestial events. Or you can download the Google Sky Map app to help locate celestial objects from your location.

You will also need an open horizon or view of the sky in an area that has low light pollution. A telescope is nice for viewing deep space objects and details on planets in our galaxy, but you can see them with a good pair of binoculars as well. Visit http://astronomyindc.org/places.shtml to see a list of local observatories, astronomy clubs, planetariums and space camps.

Start with the Moon The moon is the largest and brightest object in the night sky.

That makes it a good place to start family observations. Use a landmark in your yard to keep track of where and when the moon rises each evening. You do not need a telescope to see details on the moon. A set of binoculars will do nicely.

Watch how the moon crosses the sky each night. As time passes, your kids will see all of its phases. Explain that it doesn’t make its own light. As the moon circles Earth, the sun lights different parts of the lunar body. That’s why the moon’s shape seems to 18 | July 2014 prince william living

change. When the moon is full, look at its pattern of light and dark patches. Explain to your kids that the dark areas are large, flat lava plains. The light areas are hilly and full of craters. The largest full moon this year will be on the night of Aug. 10.

Photos by Amanda Causey

e’re all captivated by the wonder of our galaxy—its faraway planets, many moons and falling stars. On clear summer nights, this vast expanse seems to beckon us to journey into deep space. Though you can’t climb into the family rocket and take a spin—not yet, anyway—you can take your little ones on a tour to infinity and beyond from the comfort of your own backyard.

Reach for the Stars The best time to see stars is on a moonless night. As soon as your family gets settled, ask everyone to close their eyes and count to 100. This will help your eyes adjust to the darkness. When you open them again, stars will seem to fill every corner of the sky. Ask your children how many stars they think there are. The universe contains billions of them, but we can only see about 2,000.

Pick a Planet The first “star” you see at night might be a planet. How can you tell? Stars twinkle, but planets give off a steady light. Like the moon, a planet doesn’t make its own light. It reflects the light of the nearest star, the sun. Planets are smaller than stars, but they look big and bright to us because they are much closer to Earth.

Most planets will be hard to spot this summer, but Jupiter and its four largest moons, the Galilean moons, will be in the ideal position for viewing in July and August. You’ll need binoculars or a telescope, so be sure your children have practiced using them before the big night.

Meet Some Meteors A shooting star is really a meteor—a bright streak of light that we see when a small rocky body from space enters Earth’s (continues on page 20)

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(continued from page 18)

atmosphere. You can see them any night of the year, but there are two excellent opportunities this summer: n Look for the Delta Aquarids meteor shower from July 21 to Aug. 23. The flashes of light will radiate from the constellation Aquarius. The best viewing will be July 27-28 after midnight, when the moon has set.

n The Perseids meteor shower will produce up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak Aug. 11-12. Look toward the constellation Perseus in the northeast after midnight. The Perseids are particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its numerous returns to the inner solar system.

Spot a Spacecraft Shooting stars last just a few seconds. If you see a steady light cruise across the sky, it’s probably a spacecraft—a satellite, the space shuttle or the International Space Station (ISS)—orbiting Earth.

It will be easy to spot the ISS all summer long. To find out where and when to look, visit www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/ realdata/sightings. Click on “Go to Country” in the “Sighting Opportunities” box, and then select your state and town.

Once you’ve spotted the spacecraft, watch your child’s interest in astronomy shoot to the moon.

20 | July 2014 prince william living

This summer, take your little ones on a tour to infinity and beyond from the comfort of your own backyard. To prepare for liftoff, know where you’re going and what you might see. Download from www.pwliving.com this free printable sky chart, customized to the Northern Virginia sky.

Amanda Causey, Prince William Living’s marketing director, has a Bachelor of Science degree in astro-biology and is a lifelong astronomy enthusiast. She can be reached at acausey@princewilliamliving.com.

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Patient First Pediatric Achievements Prince William Conservation Alliance RGS Title RTD, Inc. Safeway Setli Insurance Agency/ State Farm Insurance Slender Spa Statement – The Salon Tackett’s Mill Barber Shop Tackett’s Mill Cleaners The Maids VA Youth Soccer Association Virginia ABC

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www.TackettsMill.com prince william living July 2014 | 21

giving back

BRAIN INJURY SERVICES Helping Survivors Thrive

By Carla Christiano

J

ohn Hunt, of Manassas, went to bed on Oct. 29, 2005, and woke up two days later in Georgetown University Hospital.

Hunt, who was a master mechanic, was paralyzed on his left side, his left hand clamped shut. He had suffered a stroke. He was only 41.

After months of rehabilitation, Hunt learned to walk and even drive again. It was at the rehabilitation center that he first heard of Brain Injury Services (BIS), a nonprofit organization launched in 1989 as a Fairfax County state-funded pilot program. BIS helps adults and children with brain injuries rebuild their lives.

Today, BIS has five offices throughout Northern Virginia, including the organization’s headquarters in Springfield and an office BIS opened in 2011 in Lake Ridge to serve Prince William.

“We’ve been serving Prince William County for many, many years now. It’s the second largest population that we serve,” said BIS Executive Director Karen Brown.

She said that with a growing waiting list of Prince William clients, BIS opened an office in 2006 at SERVE, the Manassas campus of Northern Virginia Family Service. The office closed in 2008 due to lack of funding, and its two-person staff, separate case managers for pediatrics and adults, served Prince William clients from BIS’s Springfield office, “which helped us save money but limited the scope of services we could provide in Prince William County,” Brown said.

In addition to case management, BIS offers cognitive rehabilitation, day programs (in its Alexandria and Fredericksburg locations), community support groups (in Springfield) and also a speakers’ bureau, among its five volunteer programs. In its Lake 22 | July 2014 prince william living

Ridge office, BIS provides case management services and also has a neurobehavioral program, which serves brain-injured adults living on Prince William County’s east end.

BIS established the neurobehavioral program three years ago with a grant from Potomac Health Foundation (PHF) in Woodbridge and some funding from the United Way. The grants made it possible to open the Lake Ridge office, Brown said.

The neurobehavioral program, designed to help brain injury survivors overcome behavioral issues resulting from their injuries, is the first of its type in Virginia, she said. Susie Lee, PHF director of grant programs, said her private organization awarded the grant to BIS because of the agency’s “innovative approach to neurobehavioral treatment for brain injury in eastern Prince William County. … The program has been very successful.”

Jennifer Ardis, who provides BIS case management services in Prince William and Fauquier counties, said there had been a need for such a program in Prince William for years. “I would see so many people who ... were not being properly served,” she said.

The neurobehavioral program requires working “closely and intimately” with program clients, Brown said. Explained Sara Aly, BIS neurobehavioral program case manager: “It can be a very long process, but we stay to provide the support. We stay very, very close [with the client] and collaborate with the team of professionals to make sure that the client is getting the services that they need.”

The program, like BIS’s other services, is individualized for each client based on his or her goals. “Reintegration into the

Photo courtesy Amy Falkofske

Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, which coordinates services and administers state funding for the 10 BIS programs in the commonwealth, estimates that more than 256,600 Virginians may need some level of support and assistance due to a brain injury.

When BIS started 25 years ago, in a church basement in Springfield, its staff of two case managers and an executive director provided case management services to only those who had TBI, Brown said. BIS has since expanded its services to include helping clients with “all acquired brain injuries from strokes, accidents, illness, etc.,” she said, and now has 29 staff members.

Brown estimated that the agency handles 550 clients a year, including brain-injured U.S. military veterans. BIS provides contractual services for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program.

Because the neurobehavioral program at the Lake Ridge office requires “an intensive amount of time,” she said, its two case managers handle about 20 cases at any one time, less than the 25 to 30 “active-status” clients and 10 to 15 “follow-along” clients the office’s other two staff members serve, Brown estimated.

Brain Injury Services' Lake Ridge office, located at 4341 Ridgewood Center Drive, opened in 2011.

community can carry different meanings for everyone. So for someone who is … just a step from getting a job, that [job] can be the goal to reintegrate into the community. For someone in a nursing home, maybe moving back to his house [would be the goal],” Aly said.

After working seven years with the organization’s Lake Ridge staff, Hunt said he is glad he made that first call to the service. Although he just tinkers with cars now, Hunt keeps busy by volunteering at two nonprofit organizations in Manassas and has been accepted into BIS’s friendship-building volunteer program PALS. PALS’ mission is to help BIS clients rebuild social skills.

“I’m so happy that I have Brain Injury Services to help me and just to talk to me. … I really love them. They’ve helped me so much,” Hunt said.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, a brain injury can happen in many ways—from a fall, a blow to the head, a car accident or from other causes, including, as in Hunt’s case, a stroke. The effects of a brain injury can be mild, causing confusion and memory loss, to devastating, with paralysis, vision loss and speech and cognitive impairments.

No one is immune, and it can happen to anyone of any age, Brown said. “As we say in the field, brain injury does not discriminate,” she said. “People [have said] to me, ‘I never thought about brain injury until it happened to me, and once I had a brain injury that’s all I can think about.’”

In Prince William County, 160 people died in 2012 from a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and yet 1,840 were hospitalized as a result of a stroke or TBI and survived, according to the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Policy and Evaluation. The

With such a small staff, there is a waiting list, which was 15 to 20 people Ardis estimated when interviewed in June. She said some people have waited for up to three years. “Cases are prioritized based on need. If someone is facing homelessness or who has no support whatsoever, we try to get to those folks as soon as we possibly can,” she said.

All services are at no cost or on a sliding scale based on clients’ income. “Over 85 percent of the individuals we serve are at the poverty level or receiving some type of federal benefit like SSI [Supplemental Security Income]. Very few people could pay for our services because after a brain injury, they lose that ability to bring in that financing,” Brown said.

The commonwealth funds 80 percent of BIS’s budget, she said.

The rest comes from private donations, grants and localities BIS serves. Prince William is the only county the agency serves that has not provided funding, Brown added. That’s due to limited resources, according to Prince William County Assistant Communications Director Nikki Brown, who said BIS could reapply in 2015 for county funding.

Leading a long list of services that Brown said BIS would like to bring to Prince William are more case managers, to eliminate the waits clients now have for services, and local support groups and day programs.

Ultimately, she would like BIS to provide more productive employment, social and recreational activities for its Prince William clients, she said.

“We would like to help them redefine who they are and their strengths and how they can be part of the community in a more meaningful way,” she said.

Carla Christiano, reachable at cchristiano@princewilliamliving.com, is a native of Prince William and a technical writer for Unisys. prince william living July 2014 | 23

home & hearth Grooming Your Outdoor Spaces

By Vickie Williamson Custom Framer and Interior Designer

ith summer comes more time spent outdoors. Now is the time to reevaluate the condition of your outdoor spaces. Well-groomed landscapes help improve the curb appeal of any home.

W

We have roots, where others have branches.

Suggestions:

n Clean, power wash and seal your deck. This can be a do-it-yourself project or you can hire a professional. I enjoy the work and the savings of doing it myself.

n Reseed and fertilize your lawn. Hopefully, you’ve already done this. Watering and fertilizing are absolutely necessary during the hot summer months. If you’re like me, there is great pride in a perfect lawn. n Stay on top of maintenance. Weeding and treating pests are considered continuous chores. Help control the weeds in your flower beds with a fresh layer of mulch about 3 inches thick. This is also a good time, of course, to sharpen the mower blades, as well as use them.

n Edge your garden. I did the research and considered several options for edging my flower beds before settling on an edge-cutting Garden Weasel® tool. With a tool like this, you can create an attractive, sculpted edge for your garden, driveway or patio. It’s a simple, costeffective way to keep the mulch in and the grass out. n Include new plantings. It’s always a pleasure to watch new plantings grow and flourish in your perfectly edged flower beds. n Deck out your deck or patio. It’s time to take a look at your old patio furniture and cushions and determine if replacements are needed. If you’re skilled at sewing, you can make new covers for the old cushions with the outdoor fabric of your choice. Even the market umbrella canopy can be updated with a new coordinating fabric.

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Another suggestion is to take your time and enjoy the process, and once you’ve completed the items on your list, sit back and admire a job well done.

Prince William resident Vickie Williamson owns Fine Design Custom Framing & Interiors in Woodbridge. She has worked in the fine art, framing and decorating industry for more than 25 years and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

24 | July 2014 prince william living

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Siam Classic

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A Taste of Thai Just the Way You Like It

By Val Wallace

elebrating its 10th year in historic downtown Manassas, Siam Classic has developed a loyal clientele since it opened at 9403 East Street in 2004. The quaint Thai restaurant that seats about 50 is inconspicuously located off a side street, and its parking, in the back, is not immediately obvious.

What also helps: "I'm very picky about my cooking. Everything has to taste and look good," she said. Additionally, Geyer, who has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, makes sure that patrons get the dishes they order exactly to their liking.

Spices that go into each entree are added on a scale of one to 10 depending on the customer’s preference. “We cook to order. We don’t cook ahead of time. So they have a lot of choices,” Geyer said. “We do whatever the customer wants. We rate spices one to 10, but you can go above 10. Some customers go all the way to 30 or 50.”

She said popular dishes include Pad Thai and Sizzling Ginger, which is stir-fried onions, bell peppers and sliced ginger in a sweet sesame sauce, served with rice on an iron skillet and with the customer’s choice of five types of meat. “My aunt created that,” said her nephew Op Pongsuppat, who for the past nine years has helped Geyer manage the restaurant. “She creates her 26 | July 2014 prince william living

Photos by Linda Hughes

However, the eatery continues to pack in the patrons, who come back again and again. “Most customers we have are repeat customers, 80 percent,” said owner Unchalee Geyer, who is also the eatery’s head chef, cooking all its sauces. “I think the way we treat them and the way we keep the price low and affordable, and that the food’s really good—that’s what keeps them coming back.”

Siam Classic owner and head cook Unchalee Geyer (left) with her nephew Op Pongsuppat and sister Orachon Pongsuppat (Op's mother).

own sauces. The sauces are always her sauces,” he said. “As a cook, she is a 10 out of 10. She can cook everything, and everything she cooks is good.”

Pongsuppat described Siam Classic’s atmosphere as familyfriendly. This goes not only at the eatery’s 16 tables in its cozy dining room, but in the kitchen, where family members of Geyer’s assist as needed depending on the size of Siam Classic’s lunch and dinner crowds. The staff ranges from six to nine parttime, in addition to Pongsuppat and Geyer, who both work full-time at the eatery, he said.

Coconut Lemongrass, which is one of five soups on Siam Classic's menu, is a hot and sour lemongrass soup with seasonal vegetables and a splash of coconut milk.

The entree House Seafood includes stir-fried mussels, squid, shrimp and scallops mixed with bell peppers, onions, celery, scallions and egg in a house coconut yellow curry sauce.

Late on a quiet Sunday night, however, Andre Howard of Manassas and Amy Viccari of Woodbridge were enjoying a peaceful meal together at the eatery, one of Howard’s favorite restaurants, he said. His favorite Siam Classic dish: “It’s a tie between the Pad Thai and the Pad See Eiw,” he said. Pad See Eiw is stir-fried wide noodles with egg, broccoli and Thai soy sauce, served with the customer’s choice of vegetable, pork, chicken, seafood or beef.

a stir-fried meal with bell peppers, onions, garlic and fresh basil leaves in a house basil sauce and served with the customer’s choice of vegetables or one of six meats.

Howard, who is an operations manager at LA Fitness in Woodbridge, said he was looking for a Thai restaurant when he moved to Manassas two years ago. “I come here often. This place’s food is really good,” he said. “When I get an urge for Thai food, this is the place I come to.” Howard visits Siam Classic mainly for dinner, but he said that he also orders take-out from the eatery.

For Viccari, a personal trainer and cardio kick-box instructor at Anytime Fitness in Woodbridge, this was her first time visiting Siam Classic. Howard had asked her to try it. What did she think? “It was incredible,” she said of her entree, which started with a “w,” she laughed when asked its name. “If you fed me pizza morning, noon and night, I wouldn’t say no, but this hit the spot,” she said.

Others frequenting Siam Classic, like Howard, also have their favorite dishes. “I always get the number 19,” said Rita Marroquin of Manassas. The Fairfax architect said she’s been a diner at the restaurant for the past six months, coming in with roommate Nick Barry about three or four times per month.

(Number 19, by the way, is the Pad See Eiw.) What does Marroquin like about the eatery’s food? “It’s fresh, very fresh. We’ve never had a bad meal here,” she said. Barry, who has been visiting the restaurant for a year, said he also likes the service. “I don’t ever need a menu. He [Pongsuppat] knows what I’m going to order before I order it,” said the third-party concrete engineer.

And what does Barry order? “It’s the number 36. I don’t have a clue what it’s called,” he grinned. Number 36 is the Pad Kapow,

Geyer said she has never formally studied cooking. She learned how to cook as a child and young adult from her parents in her native Thailand, where they cooked lunch daily for the 20 to 30 employees of their lingerie business, she said. She and her siblings helped prepare the meals.

She also worked at a Thai restaurant for five years in California, where she entered the United States in 1974 from Bangkok, when her husband, Harlan Geyer, who died in 2001 from pancreatic cancer, moved back home with his young bride. She was 24. The couple relocated to the Washington, D.C., area in 1978 when Harlan, a government employee, was transferred to be closer to the nation’s capital, she said.

Geyer, who has lived in the area ever since, worked 15 years at the Thai restaurant Bangkok West in Reston, where she continues to live, before the eatery and the mall it was in closed, she said. She then worked 15 years for Giant Food in various capacities before opening Siam Classic. She had an opportunity to buy the building that would house it, and took advantage of it. Her purchase included Marie’s Cafe, also in the building and which served breakfast only. As Siam Classic’s business grew, Geyer closed the morning diner to make more space for the Thai restaurant, she said.

Three years ago she paid off the building’s mortgage, “and now that’s why we keep the price [of our food] low, because we don’t have a mortgage,” Geyer laughed.

For more information about Siam Classic, its menu and hours, visit www.siam-classic.com.

Freelance writer and editor Val Wallace, of Manassas Park, is a regular contributor to Prince William Living and is also on the magazine’s editorial staff. She can be emailed at vwallace@princewilliamliving.com. prince william living July 2014 | 27

your finances Health Care Costs in Retirement: What Every Woman Should Know

By Bennett Whitlock, CRPC® Private Wealth Advisor

n average, women live longer than men and face distinctly different challenges in maintaining their health. Perhaps as a result, women tend to spend more than men on out-of-pocket medical expenses in retirement.

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According to a 2012 Employee Benefit Research Institute study (“Savings Needed for Health Expenses for People Eligible for Retirement: Some Rare Good News”), a man retiring at age 65 would need $135,000 in savings for a 90 percent chance of covering his prescription drug expenses throughout retirement, while a 65-year-old woman retiring would need $154,000.

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With this in mind, it’s especially important that women understand challenges they may face. This knowledge may help women avoid a financial shortfall. Start by: n Estimating your current health care costs. Assess your and your family’s health history and calculate your annual medical and dental expenses. Use an online health care calculator or estimator to become familiar with treatment costs for various health and dental conditions. Also educate yourself on long-term care insurance options. n Being realistic. Today Medicare only pays about 60 percent of retiree health care costs, and it doesn’t reimburse for most long-term care expenses. Plus there’s uncertainty about how much it will cover in the future due to potential entitlement reform changes. n Creating an emergency fund. Reducing your debt and saving as much as you can before you retire is the simplest way to prepare for an unanticipated need— medical or otherwise. n Being proactive about your health. Maintaining your health is not only important to quality of life at any age, but it’s also one of the best and most inexpensive ways to keep medical bills at bay. n Considering a health savings account. A health savings account or HSA, available with a high-deductible health insurance plan, allows you to make tax-deductible contributions, which you can build up and withdraw tax-free for qualified medical expenses.

There is no silver bullet solution for health care costs in retirement. But you can take control of what you do have influence over now to help prepare.

Bennett Whitlock, CRPC®, is a private wealth advisor and managing director with Whitlock Wealth Management, a franchise of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Learn more at WhitlockWealth.com or call 703-492-7732.

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calendar Art Exhibit: “Canvassing the 1940s” Fri., June 6 – Sat., July 19 Creative Brush Studio 9082 Center Street | Manassas Nine local artists display their work depicting civilian and military life of the 1940s. For more information, call 703335-8005.

Tea in the Garden: African-American Cultural Arts Roundtable Tues., July 1 • 11 a.m.

Merchant Park 3944 Cameron Street | Dumfries Organizers are looking for oral stories and family histories related to colonial AfricanAmerican history in Dumfries, as well as ideas for community displays, exhibits and children’s and living history programs promoting this part of the town’s history.

All are welcome to attend and share their stories and ideas. Community leaders will also be present. A formal tea will be served.

The event, sponsored by the Weems-Botts Museum in Dumfries, will be held in the museum annex if it rains. Free. For more information and to RSVP, call 703-221-2218.

Farmers’ Market

july

Tuesdays, July 1 – July 29 • 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Costello Park 99 Adams Street | Manassas Park Every Tuesday now through November, the City of Manassas Park Parks & Recreation holds a farmers’ market with fresh foods from a variety of vendors.

Costello Park is located next to the Manassas Park Community Center. For more information, call 703-335-8872.

Farmers’ Market

Every Thursday • 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. e Harris Pavilion 9201 Center Street | Manassas Local farmers and vendors offer their produce and a variety of other goods for sale. For more information, call 703-361-6599.

“Celebrate America” Party and Fireworks Fri., July 4 • 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Manassas Museum Lawn 9101 Prince William Street | Manassas Celebrate America this Independence Day with one of the largest fireworks displays in Northern Virginia. This all-American party in historic downtown Manassas, sponsored by the City of Manassas and Historic Manassas, Inc., surrounds Manassas Train Depot, the Harris Pavilion and the Manassas Museum. Includes kids’ rides starting at 3 p.m. and food concessions, novelty vendors and live entertainment beginning at 4 p.m. There will also be an apple pie baking contest.

Judging will be 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with winners announced in the Harris Pavilion at 6 p.m. Fireworks will be at 9:15 p.m.

Parking will be available along the streets and in the depot commuter parking lot.

Free. No alcohol, open grills or pets. For more information, call 703-361-6599.

(Rain date is July 5.)

Summer Movie Series: “Monsters University” Sat., July 5 • Starts at Dark Costello Park 99 Adams Street | Manassas Park Grab your friends and family for a night under the stars watching this Disney and PIXAR flick. Free. Costello Park is located next to the Manassas Park Community Center. This series is sponsored by the City of Manassas Park Parks & Recreation. For more information, call 703-335-8872.

Wedding Season Prep Ballroom Dance Class Tuesdays, July 8 – July 29 • 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory 9419 Battle Street | Manassas This new Tuesday night class, just in time for fall wedding season, will add polish to your cherished moments on the dance floor. Perfect for engaged couples, their parents and wedding party members and guests. Includes four sessions. $44 per individual and $69 per couple for members of the Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory. Cost to non-members: $48 per individual and $77 per couple. For more information, call 703-330-2787.

Friday Family Movie Fri., July 11, and Fri., July 25 • 8:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. e Harris Pavilion 9201 Center Street | Manassas Bring the kids and enjoy a family movie in the pavilion with others in the community.

“The Goonies” will be shown on July 11 and “Walking with Dinosaurs” will be July 25’s movie fare. For more information, visit www.harrispavilion.com.

Family Day: World War II Theme Sat., July 12 • Noon – 3 p.m.

National Museum of the Marine Corps 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy | Triangle Bring your children to learn about Marines in World War II and the contributions of the Navajo Code Talkers. Includes hands-on activities and crafts focused on code breaking.

Free admission and parking.

For more information, visit www.usmcmuseum.org or email info@usmcmuseum.org.

18th Century Curiosities of the Natural World Sat., July 12 • 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Rippon Lodge Historic Site 15520 Blackburn Road | Woodbridge During the 18th century, scientific wonders and discoveries were being made daily. Enjoy an evening of discussion and admiration of curiosities and scientific instruments of that era. Try out U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin’s electricity machine and learn about balloons. This is an outdoor program and may be cancelled in the event of rain. $5 per person; free to children age 6 and younger. For more information, call 703-499-9812.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park Tours Sat., July 12 • 11 a.m.

Sun., July 13 • 3 p.m.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park 10708 Bristow Road | Bristow Bristoe Station Battlefield staff and volunteers will provide guided tours of the hallowed grounds that contain camps, cemeteries and battlefields. Learn about Camp Jones and the two battles that took place in 1862 and 1863. Tours begin on

Have an event? Visit princewilliamliving.com/events to submit details to our online calendar.

30 | July 2014 prince william living

Discover Prince William & Manassas

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It’s Time for Fun on the Water ummer has set in, and it’s time to make your plans to cool off this July in Prince William and Manassas. Beat the heat and enjoy our rivers, waterparks and local wildlife.

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Did you know our area has three waterparks? One includes Northern Virginia’s largest waterpark, SplashDown, in Manassas.

With a lazy river, lily-pad walk and 70-foot waterslides, it’s fun for the whole family. Or visit Waterworks Waterpark, located in Dale City. The park features water obstacles, wading pools and a cabana area. Manassas Park’s Signal Bay Waterpark, at Signal Hill Park, includes water cannons, slides, a lazy river and a beach volleyball court.

Ann Marie Maher President and CEO Discover Prince William & Manassas

You can also cool off this summer with a family trip to Lake Ridge Golf & Marina, located on the Occoquan Reservoir, where you can spend the day on the water. Rent a boat or bring your own and launch it from the ramp. Enjoy the local wildlife and picturesque views. Then head back to land to practice your golf game at the driving range or play a competitive game of 18-hole mini-golf.

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Facebook.com/pwcmanassas

For more fun on the water, visit Leeslyvania State Park, located in Woodbridge on the tidal shores of the Potomac River. The park was the ancestral home of the family of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and is now a historic landmark. Catch catfish, perch or striped bass off the 300-foot fishing pier. Leesylvania offers families a boat launch, canoe and kayak rentals.

For more information on summer activities, camps and events this July, visit our “Things To Do” page on discoverpwm.com. Stay safe and cool this season.

Ann Marie Maher is the president and CEO of Discover Prince William & Manassas.

For more information about what’s going on in Prince William and Manassas, visit DiscoverPWM.com and like us on Facebook.com/pwcmanassas. the hour and depart from the kiosk in the parking lot on Iron Brigade Unit Avenue.

The last tour leaves at 3 p.m. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Insect repellant is encouraged. No pets please. Free.

Donations accepted. For more information, call 703-366-3049.

Ballroom Dancing Sun., July 13 • 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory 9419 Battle Street | Manassas These dance sessions the second Sunday each month include a dance lesson with instructors teaching specific dances, followed by an open dance session to practice what you’ve just learned or to refine steps. Beginners and advanced dancers are welcome. $15 per person for lesson and dance session; $10 dance only.

Pay at the door. For more information, call 703-330-2787.

History Adventure Camp Mon., July 14 – Friday, July 18 • 9 a.m. – Noon Rippon Lodge Historic Site 15500 Blackburn Road | Woodbridge Explore the past through the lives of Rippon Lodge residents during the American Revolution. Join the American Revolution’s Continental Army and learn how to cook without electricity and a modern stove, play trap ball and much more. For ages 8-12. $150 per child.

RSVP is required. For more information, call 703-499-9812. The Prince William County Historic Preservation Division organized this event. (continues on page 32)

1-800-432-1792 DiscoverPWM.com prince william living July 2014 | 31

(continued from page 31)

Prince William Little Theatre: “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)”

Fri., July 18 and July 25 and Sat., July 19 and July 26 • 8 p.m.

Sun., July 20 and July 27 • 2 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle | Manassas In this hilarious satire on musical theater, one story becomes five delightful musicals, each written in the style of distinctive composers and lyricists, such as Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber and other favorites.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.hyltoncenter.org.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Hylton box office.

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Lemonade and Yard Sale Sat., July 19 and Sun., July 20 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Historic Occoquan Shops in Historic Occoquan are hosting a two-day yard sale that will also include lemonade and lemon treats. Look for yellow balloons in front of participating shops. To get to Historic Occoquan, take Exit 160 off I-95. For more information, visit www.historicoccoquan.com or contact the Business Guild of Occoquan at 703-201-8499.

Senior Retirement Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care Call us today to schedule a tour and to learn PRUH DERXW WKH PDQ\ EHQH¿WV ZH KDYH WR RIIHU

Pringle House Hospital Weekend and Red Cross Blood Drive

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Fri., July 19 and Sat., July 20 • 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Ben Lomond Historic Site 10321 Sudley Manor Drive | Manassas Ben Lomond Historic Site will conduct specialized tours, including medical demonstrations, a Civil War encampment and a Civil War medical exhibit, to commemorate the 153rd anniversary of Ben Lomond being used as a Civil War hospital. On July 19, the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive in the parking lot. Pringle House Hospital Weekend is $5 per person; free to children 6 and younger and to blood donors. For more information, call 703-367-7872.

All events are subject to change. Check to verify dates, times and locations.

32 | July 2014 prince william living

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(continued from page 13)

Manassas Train Depot: Century-Old History Stop The Southern Railway built the Manassas Train Depot, located at 9431 West Street, in 1914. Today the station is a stop for the VRE Manassas Line and three Amtrak trains. It also houses the James and Marion Payne Memorial Railroad Heritage Gallery, which includes artifacts and historic photographs representing 150 years of railroad history in Manassas.

“My father and mother were passionate about Manassas and embraced its history and culture, with the station being a symbol of both change and permanence in one,” said John Payne, the son of the couple for whom the gallery is named. The pair was influential in the depot’s restoration.

“For residents of Manassas, the train station is and was the lifeblood of opportunity and economics,” said Payne, a Manassas Historic Resources Board honorary lifetime member. “During the decline of rail travel and of downtown Manassas, my parents understood the value of the station to the community as a symbol of a vibrant community.”

Payne’s father negotiated the station’s donation to the City of Manassas when the railroad no longer wanted it, Payne said. The gallery, which opened in 1997, is free to the public and available for group tours. Its hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily.

Visitors appreciate learning about the station’s history. “You will be glad you stopped in!” said a Manassas resident posting on

www.tripadvisor.com, which rated the station as the number-two attraction, out of 17, in Manassas, next to Manassas National Battlefield Park. The reviewer described it as a “peak into history.”

Posted another reviewer from Manassas: “You can discover the role Manassas railroads played in the Civil War and how the community grew up around the rails. It’s a must-see for visitors and those new to the area!”

The nearby Manassas Museum has conducted dozens of train programs and tours of the depot for preschoolers and elementary school-aged children, said Sievel-Otten. “Children are always drawn to the sights and sounds of trains. For years the [Manassas] Museum’s train-themed toddler programs have sold out,” she said.

Also, “the VRE Santa Train and short excursions during the [Manassas Heritage] Railway Festival sell out fast, and ticket lines have often extended outside the building. Many Cub Scouts have been visiting the depot as part of a badge requirement for transportation, and the depot is also a stop on the museum’s Halloween and architectural walking tours,” Sievel-Otten said.

Freelance writer Helena Tavares Kennedy, a marketing and communications consultant, also enjoys blogging at her site, LivingGreenDayByDay.com. She commuted to Washington, D.C., via the VRE for six years and still admires the historic Manassas Train Depot when picking up relatives there visiting from the north.

She can be reached at hkennedy@princewilliamliving.com.

prince william living July 2014 | 33

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tambourines and elephants “Frost the Cake!”

By DeeDee Corbitt Sauter My almost 5-year-old repeatedly yelled this order to us. It was barely discernible beneath his peals of laughter.

I had no idea what he was talking about; there was no cake in the house.

We had some old, stale Girl Scout cookies, but I was not about to stop this tickling fest to clarify some ludicrous preschool request.

“Frost the cake!”

A spontaneous game had started when he challenged me not to tickle him. I had been heavily ensconced in making a list, a skill for which I am quite famous. I have a list for everything. Recently, on a daily to-do list, I had included the need to make an additional list for birthday party supplies and games. The subject of my newest register was a brainstorming activity to determine the best way to impress upon my children that they had happy childhoods. I desperately needed the break.

Since my children are still young and impressionable, I feel pressure to execute a fabulous youth full of happy moments so when they grow up, they can reflect on these memories and proudly tell everyone within earshot that they have neither complaints nor problems nor emotional baggage. The only low point in their lives will come as they realize there is no way they will be able to be a better parent than their listmaking mom.

My list so far consisted of a title: “Making Memories,” but few other details. There were three columns, one labeled “Activity,” the second “Cost” and the third “Timeframe.” The left margin was finely decorated with a lace-filigree doodle, and I had written my name backwards and upside down just to see if I could. I impressed myself.

I have heard this “Making Memories” phrase being thrown about lately where fabulous mothers frequent. Playgroups, lunches and field trips are filled with moms whose entire focus is on the happiness of their child and the competitive nature of child rearing. It is not for the weak-hearted.

None of that describes me. I am old, self-assured and opinionated and can usually hold my own, but these moms are capable of inducing an anxiety attack with the mere flick of their smart phones, which are overloaded with photos of family outings, random friendship parties, homemade edible table decor and personalized gifts. They are living, breathing, walking Pinterest boards.

At first I thought the whole concept was ludicrous. In fact, I still think it’s absurd, but with the massive number of people who have created this new insidiously competitive sport, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the melee.

So I sat there with my titled, but empty lists until my youngest son decided to annoy me. Those other memory-making mothers would never have used the term “annoy.” They would have instead “shared

their challenges” or crafted a photo collage of funny faces or calmly distracted their progeny by pulling out a special activity bag from a hidden drawer created for emergency purposes—all designed with the purpose of manufacturing the perfect childhood and never letting the kid become bored.

Frankly, I don’t remember most of my childhood. I do recall fireflies and night tag, bike rides and playing with the garden hose. There was Barbie and Ken and treks through the woods, getting cable and watching Donny and Marie with the family, eating crabs in the backyard and playing board games on the round, white kitchen table.

“I had no idea what he was talking about; there was no cake in the house.”

I also remember sitting way, way back in the station wagon on the way to our annual Myrtle Beach camping trip. I remember when our house was robbed, twice. I wish I had the tapes on which my sister and I recorded our original audio plays.

There were family dinners, sleepovers with my best friend, and I remember walking to the bus stop—in the rain, without rain boots. The umbrellas seemed smaller back then, and I always got soaked. The day I got my first pair of contacts was momentous. I will never forget how perfect that moment was.

I can guarantee my parents did not plan perfect days, let alone perfect memories. They were busy working and cooking and paying bills.

Sometimes they planned out our days to include trips to the community pool or a special day at the movies. Those memories are fabulous, regardless of the simple, last-minute preparations.

Suddenly, I stopped tickling the preschooler gasping on the couch. I picked up my blank list, crumpled it and made a perfect shot to the trash can. I turned to him and asked why he wanted me to frost a cake that didn’t exist and kissed his forehead.

He started his high-pitched squeal again. “I didn’t say, ‘Frost the cake!’ I said, ‘Pause the game!’” We both fell back, with tears in our eyes from the giggling I was sure would never end.

He may not remember the specifics, but I hope he will forever recall the joy. For me, it was the perfect unplanned memory.

DeeDee Corbitt Sauter is a resident of Prince William County. Her column, “Tambourines and Elephants,” appears monthly in Prince William Living. prince william living July 2014 | 35

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distribution sites Pick up a free copy of Prince William Living at one of the following fine locations: 10910 Feeder Lane, Woodbridge Appliance Connection 3498 Cranmer Mews, Woodbridge 13851 Telegraph Road, Suite 101, Woodbridge 13923 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge City of Manassas 5255 Merchants View Square, Haymarket 9027 Center Street, Manassas 8299 Harness Shop Road, Gainesville Crossroads Realty 15040 Heathcote Boulevard, Gainesville 3600 Pointe Center Ct Suite 120, Dumfries 7101 Heritage Village Plaza, Gainesville Discover Prince William & Manassas 5101 Waterway Drive, Montclair 10611 Balls Ford Road, Suite 110, Manassas 12908 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge 2100 Rippon Boulevard, Woodbridge Edward Kelly Leadership Center 9511 Technology Drive, Manassas 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas 4290 Prince William Parkway, Woodbridge GEICO Dave Stinson, Sr. 10249 Hendley Road, Manassas 6446 Trading Square, Haymarket 4300 Prince William Parkway, Woodbridge Historic Manassas Inc Northern Virginia Community College Visitor’s Center at the Train Depot Manassas Campus, 6901 Sudley Road 9431 West Street, Manassas Woodbridge Campus, 15200 Neabsco Mills Road Manassas Christian Academy Prince William Association of Realtors 8757 Signal Hill Road, Manassas 4545 Daisy Reid Avenue, Woodbridge Manassas Christian School Prince William County Fairgrounds 9296 West Carondelet Drive, Manassas 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas Manassas Park City Schools Prince William County Schools One Park Center Court, Suite A, Manassas Park Prince William Ice Center Manassas Park – Parks and Recreation 5180 Dale Boulevard, Dale City 99 Adams Street, Manassas Prince William Parks and Recreation Mason Enterprise Center Prince William Public Library System 10890 George Mason Cir., Bull Run Hall, Rm 147, Manassas 14418 Bristow Road, Manassas The Merit School of Prince William 12964 Harbor Drive, Lake Ridge 14308 Spriggs Road, Woodbridge 12993 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville Minnieland 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas 5555 Assateague Place, Manassas 8601 Mathis Avenue, Manassas 12700 Correen Hills Drive, Bristow 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge 10368 Bristow Center, Bristow

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Let’s celebrate the start of another 50 years We’re honored to care for your family.

Fifty years ago, our community opened the doors to Novant Health Prince William Medical Center. Since then, our continued commitment to provide the care you need right here in your neighborhood has only grown – along with our facilities, services, technologies and staff. No matter your healthcare need, we have you covered today, tomorrow and 50 years into the future. Thank you for trusting us with your family’s most precious moments.

Learn more at NovantHealth.org/pw50