Prince William Living March 2015

PAGE 18

PITKIN’S ACE HARDWARE

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GOING GREEN

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I CAN DO IT ALL BY MYSELF

prince william living March 2015

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Meet Our Five Influential Women!

PAGE 4

Cockpit Point: Preserving the Potomac River’s Civil War Past PAGE 12

Confections: AwardWinning Cupcakes PAGE 26 www.princewilliamliving.com

table of contents March 2015 Vol. 5 No. 3

FEATURE STORY 2015 Influential Women Award Winners ............4

DEPARTMENTS from the publisher..................................................3 advertiser index......................................................3 on a high note Saving the Sloths ..................................................10

14 Photo by Audrey Harman

destinations Cockpit Point: Preserving the Potomac River’s Civil War Past........................................................12 giving back The Buzz on Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association ..........................................14 taking care of business Pitkin’s ACE Hardware: A Modern Family Business ..................................18 family fun Going Green ........................................................20 local flavor Confections: Award-Winning Cupcakes ..............26

18 Photo by Robert Jinks

calendar ..............................................................30 tambourines and elephants I Can Do It All By Myself ....................................35

COLUMNS health & wellness ................................................16 home & hearth ....................................................24 your finances ......................................................28 Discover Prince William & Manassas ..............31

26 Photo by Linda Hughes

prince william living March 2015 | 1

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Prince William Living Publisher Rebecca Barnes rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com Contributing Writers Carla Christiano, Dr. David Ebbecke, Michelle Goldchain, Audrey Harman, Ann Marie Maher, Kristina Schnack Kotlus, DeeDee Corbitt Sauter, Tracy Shevlin, Marianne Weaver, Vickie Williamson, Bennett Whitlock, Emma Young Editor in Chief Emily Guerrero Copy & Production Editors Peter Lineberry, Dan Verner Photo Editor Amanda Causey Baity Photographers Amanda Causey Baity, Sean Floars, Mark Gilvey, Linda Hughes, Robert Jinks, Kathy Strauss Marketing Director Amanda Causey Baity Graphic Design and Production Alison Dixon/Image Prep Studio Online Submission Manager Paul Keily Advertising Account Executives Michelle Geenty, Ashleigh Murray 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.

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Prince P rince W William illiam Living Living is a lifestyle magazine, whose mission is to build a better community bbyy promoting promoting quality-of-life issues; including solid economic dev elopment, str ong development, strong education and wor kforce dev elopment; suppor ting the ar ts workforce development; supporting arts community and encouraging vvolunteerism olunteerism thr ough our through local not-for-pr ofits. not-for-profits.

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Economic E conomic D Development evelopment Local G Government overnment Chamber of Commer Commerce ce Entrepreneurs E ntrepreneurs B Buy uy Local T Tourism ourism Leaders

Education/Workforce E du ucation/W Work orkforce

Non-Profit N on-Profit Community Commun nity

Schools/Universities Schools/U niversities Libriaries Parents P arents Leaders Support Community Support LocBM Government LocBM

Time T ime Revenue Revenue Resources Resources Leaders Community SSupport upport Government Local Government

Diverse D iverse Ar Arts rts Community Communit Time T ime Revenue R evenue Resources Resources Libraries Parents P arents Leaders Community SSupport upport Local G Government overnment

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

2 | March 2015 prince william living H

from the publisher Influential Women Continue to Inspire, Amaze

A

s we enter Women’s History Month, it is again time to announce the results of our annual Prince William Living Influential Women Awards. What a humbling experience learning about the amazing ways that women in our community are breaking barriers and changing lives.

From an impressive group of nominees, our judges (former IWA winners themselves) selected five visionary leaders, whom Marianne Weaver profiles in our feature story on page 4. Be prepared to be inspired as you read about these exceptional women who are making a positive difference in the community.

You’ll remain inspired as you “hop” on over to page 10, where “On a High Note” by Emma Young features local author, illustrator and conservationist Julia Heckathorn. She is also probably Prince William’s only kangaroo owner. Heckathorn’s Nokesville home is shared with several other exotic animals, which she features in her “Search for the Hidden Clover” children’s book series, promoting the protection of endangered animals and their habitats. Through her art, she hopes to share her love of nature with a whole new generation.

We also talk to Sarah Pitkin in “Taking Care of Business” (page 18), about how she and sister Amy Pitkin are carrying on the family legacy, as they run the three ACE Hardware stores started by their father and uncle. Tracy Shevlin finds out how this family-

Advertiser Index ACTS ..........................................................................................36 Ameriprise–Whitlock Wealth Management ............................28 Apple FCU ................................................................................28 Best Western Battlefield Inn ......................................................9 Beitzell Fence ............................................................................29 Boys & Girls Clubs....................................................................36 CAP Accounting, LLC................................................................29 CASA..........................................................................................36 City of Manassas Park—Parks & Recreation ..........................32 Crossfit Agathos..........................................................................9 Dance Etc.....................................................................................9 Discover Prince William & Manassas......................................31 Edgemoor Art Studio................................................................36 Emeritus at Lake Ridge ............................................................33 Frame Magic Video ..................................................................23 Frugal Rooter/Plumberologist..................................................33 FURR Roofing..............................................................................9 Gainesville Ballet ........................................................................8 Gar-field High School Craft Show & Expo ..............................21 Giorgio’s Family Restaurant ....................................................16 Greater Prince William Community Health Center ..........17, 36 Historic Manassas, Inc. ............................................................33 IKEA ..........................................................................................25 Imagewerks ..............................................................................36 Jabs Construction ................................................................9, 33 Keep Prince William Beautiful............................................16, 36 Leanda Photographic ..............................................................36 Linton Hall School ....................................................................23 Madison Crescent ....................................................................33

run company competes with the big-box stores, gives back to the community and continues to earn the loyalty of customers.

In “Local Flavor” on page 26, Michelle Goldchain introduces us to another female powerhouse, Laura Brletic, owner of the awardwinning Confections. Her store may be one of the most-awarded dessert options in Northern Virginia, and is located right here in Prince William.

After a visit to Brletic’s sweet tooth-heaven, walk off the sugary goodness with a visit to Cockpit Point Battery on the Potomac River. In this month’s “Destinations” (page 12), by Carla Christiano, you’ll discover how Prince William County Historic Preservation plans for the public to rediscover this piece of Civil War history that’s long been buried by trees and barricaded by railroad tracks.

This Women’s History Month, I encourage you to join us in celebrating the successes of our Influential Women Award nominees and winners. As always, there is a lot to be grateful for here in Greater Prince William.

Sincerely, Rebecca Barnes Prince William Living Publisher Magnificent Belly Dance ..........................................................36 Manassas Ballet ........................................................................13 Manassas Chorale ......................................................................8 Minnieland ................................................................................32 Novant Health ..........................................................................C4 Old Bridge Orchestra ................................................................32 Patriot Scuba ..............................................................................9 Peggy and Bill Burke, Virginia Realty Partners, LLC ..............24 Piedmont Physical Therapy ......................................................16 Potomac Place ..........................................................................29 Potomac Shores Golf Club ......................................................17 Prince William Chamber of Commerce ..................................17 Prince William Ice Center ........................................................23 Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center........................................21 Relax Dog Training ....................................................................36 Robert Jinks Photography........................................................36 Saint John Paul The Great Catholic High School ..................34 Sheyna Nicole Burt, PLC ..........................................................21 Stonebridge ..............................................................................32 Tackett’s Mill Center ..................................................................23 The Arc of Greater Prince William/INSIGHT ..........................36 The Pope Institute ....................................................................23 The Very Thing ............................................................................9 Tiny Dancers ............................................................................22 VanEch Studio ..........................................................................33 Vintage Moving & Storage ................................................29, 36 Vision Finders Design ..............................................................36 Washington Square Associates ..............................................36 West Rash Charities....................................................................8 Westminster at Lake Ridge ......................................................21 Yellow Cab ................................................................................36

prince william living March 2015 | 3

2015 Influential Women Award Winners

By Marianne E. Weaver

W

influential women award

hen Prince William Living launched its first Influential Women Awards last year, we quickly realized that this topic resonated with readers. Entries poured in, and the issue announcing the inaugural winners was one of our most-read to date. Choosing just five women from the impressive entries was no easy task for the magazine staff.

This year, we invited those first award winners to review the applications and select the 2015 Influential Women. Once again, it was a difficult process, with so many women in Greater Prince William giving of themselves to strengthen our community, leaving their marks on the business world and serving as inspirations to others. However, a few rose to the top: Patricia Bradburn, Sheyna Burt, Kim Hosen, Simeaka Melton and Cydny Neville.

Although each brings different gifts and talents to the table, they all share one common trait: Their passions lie in giving back to their communities, even though all five women are quick to credit friends, co-workers and colleagues.

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Congratulations to these Influential Women!

PATRICIA BRADBURN: Leading By Example Originally from Northern Ohio, Patricia Bradburn moved to Virginia in 1957, when her first husband, a Navy officer, was assigned to the Bureau of Ships in Washington, D.C. She has been bettering the lives of Northern Virginia residents ever since.

“Pat has not only done good deeds in the past few years, she has done this her entire life,” said Jan Cunard, who served with Bradburn on the Prince William Committee of 100, a nonpartisan group that hosts forums on civic and social topics.

“Her empathetic and sympathetic manner in working with people has inspired the best in others. She leads by example, and people are always anxious to follow her lead.”

After a separation from her first husband, five years of single parenting five children and eventually a divorce, she met Air Force Col. Gordon F. Bradburn, a widower with three children.

“We met thru DSW—Divorced Separated Widowed—a group that a couple of [other] concerned Catholics and I formed to serve the needs of single parents … who were not readily embraced by the church at that time,” she said. “We were married Feb. 26, 1977. He was a great guy, my Special Hero.”

In addition to their eight children, the couple had 16 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. The two founded American Stripping Company in 1980, growing it into a multimillion dollar business.

Gordon passed away in 2007. Patricia was hit hard by the loss.

“After three years of grieving and coping, I decided I had to go on,” Bradburn said. “I continued going to groups where I knew people, but I found it uncomfortable going out in public alone.”

In 2010, she helped establish the Prince William branch of Widowed Person Services, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that offers information and emotional support to the newly widowed. Two years later, she assumed the role of team leader and started scheduling monthly meetings, usually potluck dinners hosted by group members. Each month, 30 to 40 people attend.

“It is hard starting over. Many people don’t know how to go on when they suddenly find themselves alone. Some people cry the first time they come [to a meeting]; it’s uncomfortable the first time,” she said. “We are survivors. We have to tell others that they are here because they are survivors.”

Bradburn also leads by example when it comes to promoting a healthy lifestyle at any age. At 82 years old, she has retired from competitive sports, but not before winning 23 Senior Olympics track and field medals at ages 65, 66 and 67.

Bradburn has also volunteered at a local food bank, collected books for the library and jail and assisted in landscaping a median on Route 234/Sudley Rd. “I don’t think of it as giving back,” she said. “I think of it as doing what I think needs to be done to enhance this area I live in and enjoy.”

SHEYNA BURT: Living Her Passion(s) “I am an army brat. I was born in Fort Lewis [Wash.], but settled in Northern Virginia by elementary school,” Sheyna Burt explained, adding that with the exception of her time away at college and law school, she’s lived in Prince William since then. “This is where I play, where I live and where I work. I am proud to be here and see [the area] realize its potential.”

Burt attended The College of William and Mary, earning B.A.s in Music and History then a J.D. in 2001. She began her professional career as a law clerk for the Alexandria Circuit Court, and then began practicing insurance defense at a multinational law firm.

Professionally, Burt was checking off all of the boxes required for successful lawyers in the capital region. But that left little time for her to pursue her true calling.

“There was no way I could take two to three hours off in the middle of the day to do something I care about,” she said. (continues on page 6)

prince william living March 2015 | 5

(continued from page 5) “To have that freedom, that is why I started my own firm.”

Launched in May 2013 and located in Historic Manassas, her practice focuses on community association and family law.

Burt is a founding member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Prince William County Chapter and is currently serving as the Chair of the Policies and Procedures Committee, and is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Prince William. She plays the violin and is board president and concertmistress of the Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra, as well as chair of the Prince William County Arts Council.

“We have 60 institutional and individual members in the council,” Burt noted. “They come together not only to nurture artists, but to help the people of Prince William have access to the arts.”

Burt combines her legal expertise and dedication to the arts in her role as pro bono legal counsel for the World Doctors Orchestra. This international organization allows physicians to share their passion for music, and to spread their belief that healthcare is a basic human right. The orchestra donates all proceeds from its performances to medical aid organizations.

“It is one of the things I am most proud to be affiliated with,” said Burt. “I want to make the world better. I can’t help people who are sick, but I can help charities raise money. I can help them put together a development plan.”

That sentiment, said friend and Leadership Prince William 2013 classmate Gayle Whitlock, is typical Sheyna.

“Sheyna believes that nothing is impossible,” said Whitlock, who nominated her for this award. “But it is not her energy, enthusiasm or smarts that make her a great leader and a woman of influence, it is her ability to share her vision and encourage others that makes her stand out. Her dreams are too big to be fulfilled by her efforts alone. She removes barriers, opens doors, and extends a hand so that others may join in and use their gifts and talents.”

Alliance Chairman, noting that in the 1990s, she ran the since-closed Nature's Wonder World, where she taught after-school environmental education classes. “Adults will come up to her today, with their own children in tow, and tell her how much they enjoyed her workshops when they were kids and how she helped them learn the joys of nature through bugs, frogs, tadpoles and the like.”

Hosen said she has always enjoyed spending time in the outdoors. “It was always my passion from the time I was young,” she said. “I was one of those kids always in the woods.”

She didn’t, however, have a set plan to become an environmentalist.

“When I moved here about 25 years ago I was a mom at home taking care of kids,” Hosen said. “I looked around and saw that Prince William is unique environmentally.” She explained that multiple habitat types converge here: the northernmost point where southern plants are seen and the southernmost point where northern plants are seen. “I saw some resources weren’t appreciated. I thought that if I was going to enjoy these areas, then I should join with efforts to protect them.”

Today, Hosen is Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit watershed organization working to preserve and enhance natural resources through stewardship, recreation, and education. In this role, she has organized numerous public activities that enable local residents to contribute to conservation and learn about their community.

In 2008, she planned the first Bluebell Festival at the 302-acre Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area in Nokesville. Other state and local agencies have since joined to support the event, which offers games, nature walks and other family activities.

Kim Hosen is the go-to person for environmental issues arising in Prince William. Developers, land-use planners, wildlife managers and educators all seek her counsel. Although she is quick to credit colleagues for their accomplishments, Hosen has made her own mark throughout the region.

Hosen regularly provides critical information to numerous state and local government entities. Grymes said the Prince William County Planning Commission consults Hosen about a full range of issues when considering rezoning proposals. He added that she also led the effort to rewrite the Environment and the Parks, Trails, and Open Space chapters in the county’s current Comprehensive Plan, engaging citizens so the guidance reflects community priorities.

“Kim has affected people in Prince William County for many years,” said Charles Grymes, Prince William Conservation

“Kim is often the first and most reliable voice in Prince William to stand up for environmental issues,” Grymes said. “Kim is a

KIM HOSEN: Protecting Our Environment

6 | March 2015 prince william living

steady reminder that good things do not just happen – people make good things happen, and that requires effort. Her dedication is a constant demonstration that people who care can create changes for the better.”

Melton also owns Simeaka & Company, which furthers the RAE message through speaking engagements and educational curriculum.

SIMEAKA MELTON: Inspiring SelfWorth in Youth

“Mrs. Melton has been one of the biggest influences in my life and career,” said Latoniah Johnson, who nominated her for this award. “When I first began volunteering with Rising Above Expectations Youth Services, Inc., I was a nurse’s assistant and because of the influence and encouragement and constant reminders [from Mrs. Melton] that I could do it … I am a Registered Nurse completing my Masters Degree.”

Simeaka Melton found a new purpose when her daughter was born in 2005: not just as a mother to her newborn, but as a role model to hundreds of young girls (and, more recently, boys).

CYDNY NEVILLE: Connecting the Community Dots

“I was looking for organizations my daughter could be part of and I couldn’t find one program that was the ‘it’ program,” she recalled. While juggling her family responsibilities and a fulltime job, she founded what would become Rising Above Expectations Youth Services, Inc. (RAE) in 2010.

Based in Woodbridge, RAE, a nonprofit, provides an ongoing mentor and leadership program for youth, focusing on building self-esteem, developing healthy relationships and preventing suicide.

Melton adjusts the curriculum to meet ever-changing needs in the community. In 2013, she incorporated the “Enough is Enough Anti-Bullying Campaign,” which seeks to raise awareness of simple actions that parents, youth, educators and bystanders can take to prevent bullying. She has also incorporated the “Taking Back Our Image Campaign,” which educates young girls about body image, self-esteem and decoding the distorted images presented by the media.

“I was watching one of the Nickelodeon channels and realized the innocence is being lost,” she said. “I want young girls to determine what their image is without the media telling them what it should be.”

That is the basic principle guiding RAE’s weekend-long I AM WORTH MY PURPOSE Overnight Girls Summer Camp, held in Maryland each May, which typically draws dozens of middle and high school girls.

“They are completely unplugged, and they freak out at first,” said Melton of the camp, entering its sixth year. “But this is so important because with girls there is a sense of wanting to belong to something. And they are often getting the wrong advice from their peers.” Frequently, she said, former campers return to work as counselors.

Cydny Neville is described as the “dot connector.”

“I have a lot of different networks, and I like to bring people together,” Neville said. “One of my catch phrases is, ‘Together we move.’ When people come together we can all serve bigger spokes of the community. I connect people across the community.”

It’s hard to keep track of all the spokes on her wheel. Recently appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to the State Historical Records Advisory Board, Neville is also an advocate for single parents, grant writer, blogger, business owner, supporter of homeless families … just to name a few of her roles.

"Empowerment really is her middle name,” said Gayle Whitlock, a friend and Leadership Prince William 2013 classmate. “Where others might not wish to share their personal journeys – or at least not broadcast them - Cyndy owns them unapologetically and uses her challenges as a way to connect and lift up those around her.”

Neville experienced a “transitional” childhood, including a period of homelessness. This inspired her to develop a “birthday bag” drive for Northern Virginia area youth in transition.

“This is the 15th year of ‘birthday bag’,” she said. “When a parent gets a birthday bag, they have everything to make a birthday party – a birthday bag, cake mix, frosting, candles, a party item and a gift.”

Bags are distributed through Action in Community Through Service of Prince William, Inc. (ACTS). Last year, Neville said she stopped counting after collecting 70 bags. (continues on page 8)

prince william living March 2015 | 7

(continued from page 7) This year, collections begin in April, and she is challenging the community to donate at least 100 bags. “She is focused on service and lifting up the community,� said Whitlock. “She has used her circumstances as a springboard to help and encourage others. As a single mother, she now uses her influence and connections and helps others who may be struggling or feel alone and overwhelmed.�

Neville was determined to expose her son to as many cultural, educational and fun experiences as if they were a two-parent household. Her activities led to the creation of a blog, “Be A Singular Sensation.� The site, beasingularsensation.blogspot.com, greets visitors with the promise to “engage, enlighten, inform, inspire and connect single parents in the Prince William area.�

Topics include dating, finance and, of course, parenting. It’s even spun off into a show on Comcast Community Channel. “I am shy, and I hate my voice,� laughed Neville. “But the point is to let people know about the resources in the community and to shine a light on the movers and shakers.�

Today, she is one of those movers and shakers. Neville also works through her educational and consulting business, Neville Empowerment Network, Inc., to empower others to be engaged in their families, profession and community.

Manassas Ma anassas Chorale presents

Voic oices ces Unit nnited nite tedd

With th Voices United Choir & Dr. Kenney Potter, Guestt Conductor/Clinician

Saturday, March 21, 2015, 7:30 pm Hylton Performing Arts Center

“I believe that we have a lot of people and business here that take their business to D.C.,� she said. “Why? We have all the resources here in Prince William. We just need to realize that.�

Congratulations To Our Influential Women Runners-Up Ruth Baxter Kathie Conn Ruth Gordon Charlyn Hasson-Brown Jen Jones Helen McCormick Randi Reid

EJ Scott Marlo Watson Meschelle Williams Dr. Anastasia Williams, MD Amy Wolfe Andrea Wright Ramunda Young-Lark

Marianne Weaver is a freelance editor and writer. She earned a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MJ from Temple University. She is married to recently retired Air Force Lt. Col. Erik Weaver. Along with their two children they've settled into their "forever home" in Gainesville, Va. Her email address is mweaver@princewilliamliving.com.

Gainesville

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Sing to the Lord Our Refuge and Strength Friday, March 20, 2015, 7pm Hylton Performing Arts Center Merchant Hall Tickets : Hylton Box Office www.tickets.com $30-$40

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on a high note

Saving the Sloths

By Emma Young uthor and illustrator Julia Heckathorn knows pygmy sloths. She also knows pit vipers. It was while on a 2012 sloth-saving mission with Search for the Hidden Clover, the Gainesville-based educational and conservation organization she founded in 2010, that she was bit by an extremely venomous fer-de-lance snake.

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She and her husband were on the remote Panama Island of Escudo, where the sloths reside, gathering data for conservation efforts, when the viper “literally jumped out at me to attach its jaws to my fingers,” she wrote in a blog post on searchforthehiddenclover.com. “The pain was that of someone snapping my finger in half. A terrible pain.” An hour-and-a-half away by boat from the nearest facility with a doctor, she knew she had only a 50 percent chance of survival. Miraculously, three days and 16 rounds of anti-venom later, she walked out of the island clinic and into the hearts of the locals, who had previously distrusted the couple’s motives.

“Search for the Hidden Clover” is also the name for the interactive book series authored and illustrated by Heckathorn, who has in her care a sloth, a kangaroo, an anteater and sugar gliders, all of which are featured in her engaging children’s books, and which she brings to educational events for children. In addition to telling amusing stories about these rare animals, her books include games and facts to keep readers learning and 10 | March 2015 prince william living

Photo courtesy Julia Heckathorn

While her focus now is on saving the pygmy sloths, when Heckathorn moved to Northern Virginia five years ago from Philadelphia, she was searching for a place suitable for a kangaroo. “We were looking for a rural area to house a kangaroo for my animal education in conjunction with my children's books and conservation [work]. We also love that there is not much traffic out here,” she noted of her Nokesville home.

“We were able to get land out here, which was a necessity for our animals. It's also very quiet, which lends to a great writing environment.”

Julia and Jason Heckathorn share their Nokesville home with a kangaroo and several other exotic animals featured in Julia's books that promote animal and habitat conservation.

Photo courtesy Julia Heckathorn

interested. To date the “search” takes readers to Costa Rica, Tasmania, Redwood Forest and Escudo Island.

“What an amazing book for kids and their parents,” said one parent of“Redwood Forest” in an Amazon.com review.

“Beautiful blend of actual photography, cartoon characters sure to delight kids, ecological and geographic information throughout (but hidden subtly so kids don't realize they are learning), cute poetry, hidden clovers to find, and much more.”

Heckathorn said that all proceeds from her books and appearances go to support her organization’s sloth conservation efforts on Escudo Island.

“Everything that I do, from my conservation work to my children's books, to my educational events, is to get the next generation excited about the environment, appreciating nature, and gaining skills to care for the natural world,” enthused Heckathorn.

Heckathorn is a woman with a vision and a mission. “I believe that we as a society are not doing enough to care for the environment,” she stated. “As I travel for conservation, missions and book research, I see more and more of this, and I can only pray that our children…will work to save the natural world rather than destroy it.” She uses her artistic talents to help achieve this.

“This is why I am working with so many angles to reach children. I understand that all children learn differently, and sometimes it's the sensational that really resonates with their thoughts,” she observed. “This is why I work so hard to create children's books that are interactive in a way no other book on the market is, to create an experience that will stick with children for a lifetime, and give them true stories of work in saving endangered species and environments.”

“The reaction from kids during a presentation is priceless,” Heckathorn said, yet her presentations aren’t just for children. Any group, from an adult book club to an elementary school, is welcome to contact her through the website searchforthehiddenclover.com or the organization’s Facebook page, Hidden Clover Adventures. “[A typical presentation] will include an interactive children's book reading where the children will go on an adventure through a region of the world, play games with animals in the books, and learn facts about them as they search for a four-leaf clover,” said Heckathorn. “The children will hear about incredible conservation stories from our time in the field, and learn about real world applicability to caring for the environment, starting in their own homes. Then, a character from one of the books will present herself in the form of a real life animal.” Right now that character is Daisy, a two-toed sloth that Heckathorn is taking on tour.

In December, a video showing the loving interactions of Heckathorn’s infant daughter and this same Daisy went viral, appearing on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Daily Mail and other popular media outlets. “The story of their sloth/baby friendship is so cute that journalists can’t resist publishing the story, and readers can’t help but smile,” Heckathorn wrote on her blog.

Yet the fame hasn’t caused Heckathorn to stray from what’s most important to her. “I am working on a book with my husband based on our conservation work in the indigenous Ngobe villages in Panama and Escudo Island,” Heckathorn noted. “It's a story of marriage, parenthood and a deep faith in the midst of endangered sloths, angry mobs, deadly snake bites, miraculous healings and unusual adventures. I am extremely excited about it.” With that drive, we’re sure to be hearing more about and from Julia Heckathorn and the Search for the Hidden Clover in the future.

A video showing the loving interactions of Heckathorn’s infant daughter and their pet sloth Daisy went viral, appearing on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Daily Mail and other popular media outlets.

Emma Young is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mother residing in Dumfries. She can be reached at eyoung@princewilliamliving.com. prince william living March 2015 | 11

destinations

COCKPIT POINT:

Preserving the Potomac River’s Civil War Past

By Carla Christiano

E

ven if you are familiar with Civil War history in Prince William, you may never have heard of Cockpit Point, where the cannons of Confederate gun batteries helped close the Potomac River during the opening months of the Civil War. Although its history has long been buried among the trees that cover the area, Cockpit Point will finally be open to visitors—on a limited basis at first—now that the county has acquired the 16-acre site and an additional 80 acres for a new park, as part of a rezoning agreement with the Potomac Shores community north of Dumfries, developed by California-based SunCal. The historic site contains intact trenches and pits for four gun batteries and the remains of five huts constructed as 1861 winter quarters for the Fifth Alabama battalion.

“It’s been important to the county for over a dozen years that we save it,” said Brendon Hanafin, Prince William’s Historic Preservation Division Chief. Although the economic downturn delayed the project, he said SunCal’s development of the peninsula has been an opportunity to preserve the battery.

Built on a 70-foot bluff known as Possum Nose, the Cockpit Point battery site has commanding views up and down the Potomac.

Once a location for gambling and cockfights from colonial times up to the Civil War, by water, it is a little more than a mile from Maryland’s Charles County shore. With the river so narrow there, 12 | March 2015 prince william living

Cockpit Point became a strategic location for the Confederates, where it was easy for them “to bottle the river up to shipping interests,” said PWC Historic Programs Coordinator David Born.

In addition to Cockpit Point, Prince William also had Confederate batteries at Freestone Point, now part of Leesylvania State Park, and Evansport, now part of the Marine Corps Base at Quantico.

Neither exists today. These batteries “were tasked with keeping shipping lanes open from Maryland into Virginia while denying traffic going up the Potomac from the Chesapeake to Washington, DC,” said Born. Despite the efforts of the Potomac Naval Flotilla, a fleet of ships that included many civilian vessels outfitted with guns, the Union could not stop these batteries from firing at passing Union ships.

Fearing for the safety of Union civilian ships, the U.S. Navy closed the Potomac River in October 1861. As a result, civilians and troops in Washington, DC faced shortages and high prices for almost everything, from food to fuel. “Even though the railroad was around, it was relatively new,” Born said. “Your primary transportation in that time was still water. That’s how most of the supplies to Washington were transported—from the Chesapeake Bay up the Potomac River into Washington.”

Open just 5 months, Cockpit Point was the scene of battle only once. On January 3, 1862, two Union ships, the USS Yankee and Anacostia, fired 40 shots at Cockpit Point causing the Confederates

include the battery site, as well as adding semimonthly 2-hour guided tours of just the battery. In either case, the public will have limited access at first. “Unfettered public access is going to take a while,” he said.

Mark Trbovich, president of both the Bull Run Civil War Round Table and Prince William Historic Preservation Foundation, stated, "We are very excited that the treasure of Cockpit Point will finally be preserved for all generations to enjoy and learn about what happened there during the Confederate Blockade of the Potomac.

[It’s] amazing how many earthworks and hut sites are in such wonderful shape over 150 years later."

Cockpit Point Battery was one of several that Confederates placed strategically along the Potomac River during the Civil War.

to evacuate one battery. The other three batteries responded with only four shots. In the skirmish, neither side suffered major damage and only a Union seaman was wounded.

For more information on how to view this piece of national history, call the Historic Preservation Division at 703-792-4754.

Carla Christiano is a native of Prince William County, admitted history geek and a technical writer for Unisys. She can be reached at cchristiano@princewilliamliving.com.

What finally ended Cockpit Point, however, was not the Potomac Naval Flotilla. “It was the Confederates themselves in preparation for the spring campaign of 1862,” said Born. He noted that the ribbon ceremony for the new park will take place on March 7, “because March 7, 1862 is when the Confederates abandoned the battery at Cockpit Point as well as all the batteries along the Potomac,” said Born.

A study conducted by URS Corporation for the American Battlefield Protection Program found that Cockpit Point is the best-preserved of the batteries that lined the Potomac during the Civil War. “There are remnants of other batteries around, but there is no battery that is anywhere near the state of preservation as Cockpit Point is,” said Scott Seibel in a presentation to the County.

“It’s very rare given all of the development that’s occurred along the Potomac River. The condition of the battery is excellent.”

Visitors to the yet-unbuilt park can expect nature trails with markers that highlight the site’s history, Hanafin said. “It will be a passive heritage park. There won’t be a visitor center. There won’t be major exhibits. That area is also very fragile with the high bluffs and eroding soils. It wouldn’t be a good idea to put anything more than trails and signs there,” he said.

One challenge for developers is the active train tracks bisecting the property, which no one can legally cross. “We’re going to have to figure out how to get people over the tracks or around the tracks to get access to the site. That’s really difficult…The railroad tracks cut it off,” Hanafin said. To offset some of the costs, SunCal is donating $200,000 towards designing or building access to the battery site. County officials are contemplating building a pedestrian bridge, which is expensive and requires coordination with CSX who owns the tracks, or a pier on the river with only boat access to the park.

“For the diehard preservation and Civil War buffs, we will have tours this summer at minimal cost,” Hanafin said. His division has discussed expanding their semi-monthly 3-hour flotilla tour to

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prince william living March 2015 | 13

giving back

The Buzz on Prince William Regional

BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

F

By Audrey Harman

Photo courtesy Christopher Hewitt

or members of Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association (PWRBA), beekeeping is more than just a family-friendly hobby; it’s a way of supporting the community and promoting higher yielding crops.

As pollinators, honeybees play a critical role in our food supply.

“One in three bites of the average American meal can be directly attributed to honeybee pollination,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). On a micro level, beekeeping translates into a stronger agricultural economy in Prince William and more access to locally grown foods.

“Even though other pollinators exist—bats, butterflies, wasps, bumblebees, etc.—only honeybees can be actively managed to most directly benefit modern agriculture,” said PWRBA Vice President David Wright, explaining that because bees are contained in hives, the benefits of their pollination can be targeted within a specific area.

He also noted that honeybees, introduced to Virginia by European settlers in 1699, are important to just about anybody with a yard.

Without them, “you may not have vegetables or fruit,” explained Wright.

Protecting the Pollinators Formed in 2002, membership was modest for the first few years of the association’s existence, observed Wright: about 25 members. “[Then] news of Colony Collapse Disorder hit the media in 2007 and membership started to explode,” he said. Now, more than 130 families belong.

USDA defines the disorder as “a dead colony with no adult bees or dead bee bodies but with a live queen and usually honey and immature bees still present.” It estimates that the disorder has been cutting honeybee populations in the U.S. by an average of 10 percent per year since 2006. Other factors, including the introduction of foreign predators and viruses, combined with a 14 | March 2015 prince william living

Beekeeping supports local agriculture and plays an important role in maintaining our food supply.

decrease in plant diversity, contribute to another 20 percent annual loss in bee populations.

PWRBA is doing its part to reduce that trend. It strengthens the honeybee population in Northern Virginia through its awardwinning nucleus colonies (nucs) production. These are basically miniature beehive colonies that include pollen, honey, a queen, larvae and young bees in a collection of wooden frames. The association compares nucs to a seedling: It’s been nurtured past the seed stage, but will need to be transplanted into a larger environment (a larger hive) to achieve its potential.

This is a deviation from the traditional package system, which simply introduced bees to a hive. With nucs, the worker bees have already accepted the queen, and she has begun to lay eggs.

Photo courtesy Gary Harris

In 2008, the association won a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education grant to study and promote the production of nucs and queen bees. Under the grant, PWRBA spent several years researching the benefit of this newer technique and developed nucleus hive guidelines.

PWRBA also promotes bee production through education. “You can find us throughout the year at the County Fair, at Southern States Co-op, in the schools, and elsewhere providing talks and educational material on beekeeping and the importance of the pollinators,” said Wright. Once a year starting in January, the association also teaches a “Bee School” to help educate new beekeepers in the area. After the completion, the students are ready to start their own apiaries.

Practicing Sustainability These new beekeepers don’t have to look far to fill their hives. Last year, all new PWRBA members were able to get their bees from local sources.

“The PWRBA has worked diligently to incorporate sustainability within the organization’s mission and values. We define sustainability in beekeeping as being able to make more bees from our existing bees and not to be entirely dependent on importing bees from out of state,” said Wright.

It can also mean protecting area honeybees who locate somewhere they are unwelcomed. “Swarming is a natural occurrence in the springtime in our region,” said Wright. “Our club provides a free service by picking up bee swarms. Swarms have been retrieved from resident’s trees, lawns, shopping centers and even on construction sites. We are also able to refer to specialists who can extract bees who have ‘moved in’ to a wall or other structures.”

This service not only prevents the killing of bees, but also can serve as a source for area beekeepers.

Becoming a Keeper Wright said that anyone can become a beekeeper.“The initial investment can be as much as $500 or more, but much of that is a one-time cost for startup items such as a bee suit, specialized tools and bees,” he explained. “Once you start to learn about the mystery of honeybees, they are not particularly hard to keep.”

Additionally, there are association members who volunteer as mentors, offering guidance to their new brethren.

My father, Jesse Harman, is a new beekeeper, picking it up as a hobby this past summer. As to why he decided to start an apiary on his property in Manassas, his response reflected both a sense of responsibility and wonder.

“In addition to the fact that we are suffering a shortage of bees, and bees are necessary for, among many things, agriculture; bees themselves are intriguing and a beehive is a marvelous example of peaceful order cooperation,” said Harman.

Due to the successful advocacy efforts of PWRBA, bees are now permitted in residential as well as rural areas in Prince William.“[Bees] can thrive not just on farms, but in suburban communities and even on apartment rooftops,” said Wright. He

Thanks to education from Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association, many communities and HOAs are now permitting residents to keep bees in non-rural settings.

added that with the increased awareness of Colony Collapse Disorder and the agricultural importance of bees, interest in beekeeping has greatly increased in recent years.

“Many communities and HOAs [Homeowners Associations] are changing their regulations to permit beekeeping and/or promote bee-friendly plants in landscaping,” Wright said. Before heading out to buy your first nuc, check HOA regulations for your neighborhood, and review local regulations on pwrbeekeepers.com. In some cases, HOA rules may be more restrictive than municipal codes.

PWRBA Membership is open to anyone with an interest in beekeeping. “We even have young preteen members who attend meetings, participate in club activities, and help their parents as young beekeepers,” said Wright.

If you’re not ready, or able, to take the plunge into beekeeping but want to support honeybee populations, PWRBA also provides advice on planting honeybee-friendly gardens. And should you see a swarm of honey bees this spring, call PWRBA at 703-587-8323; not the exterminator. Click the “Bee Swarms and Removal” section of its website for tips on differentiating honeybees from other other bees, wasps and hornets, which PWRBA cannot remove.

Audrey Harman has been a resident of Woodbridge since 1988. She has a BA in English and Spanish from Hollins University and an MA in publications design from the University of Baltimore. She also works as an instructional designer and can be reached at aharman@princewilliamliving.com. prince william living March 2015 | 15

health & wellness Prevent and Treat Exercise-Related Injuries

By Dr. David Ebbecke, PT, DPT, MBA, OCS ith the coming of spring, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to return outdoors and exercise. For many of us this abrupt transition to higher doses of physical activity can result in injury if not managed properly. Such injuries are typically overuse in nature, caused by excessive demand placed on tissues that are not given sufficient time to adapt to the activity.

W

Overuse injuries are much more common in high-intensity exercise and competitive sports than with the moderate exercise recommended for maintaining good health.

Furthermore, exercise helps to reduce the risk of disease and disability across the lifespan. Exercise, therefore, should not be avoided.

Although the risk cannot be entirely eliminated, here are a few key tips to reduce the likelihood for an exerciserelated injury:

n Start slow. This is the most important element of prevention. Use a graded exercise program to achieve fitness gradually, and then maintain it year round.

n Warm up before you exercise and cool down afterwards.

n Use proper equipment. It is particularly important to have supportive, well-fitting shoes for weight-bearing activities. n Use proper technique. Consider expert instruction to ensure good mechanics and overall performance.

n Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overdo it. Incorporate adequate rest in between workouts. This is especially true when just getting started. Alternate between difficult and easier sessions, and vary your routine so that you use different parts of your body.

If prevention fails, early detection is the next line of defense.

Be alert for symptoms. A bit of soreness and stiffness is normal, but pain, swelling, diminished strength or mobility and discoloration of the skin is not. If your symptoms fail to improve despite rest and activity modification, seek help from a medical professional. A physical therapist can report to your physician to ensure a team approach is utilized in your care.

Dr. Ebbecke is a 1996 graduate of Shenandoah University and earned his Board Certification in Orthopedic Physical Therapy (OCS) in 2006. He has a special interest in biomechanical problems in the lower extremities and preventing injuries in athletes and is a certified FMS exercise specialist. Learn more at piedmontpt.com.

16 | March 2015 prince william living

Physical Therapy

Group Fitness Classes

(orthopedics & sports medicine)

Golf Assessment and Exercise Prescription

Massage Therapist on staff Personalized Fitness Training

Running Clinic

Piedmont Physical Therapy, Inc.

8551 Rixlew Lane, Suite 340 x Manassas, VA 20109 ph: 703-368-7343 x fax: 703-368-0719 Mon/Tues/Thurs: 7:00-7:00 Wed: 7:00-6:00 x Fri: 7:00-4:00

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prince william living March 2015 | 17

taking care of business

Pitkin’s ACE Hardware A Modern Family Business

By Tracy Shevlin | Photos by Robert Jinks

F

or 36 years the Pitkin family has owned the ACE hardware store in Dale City, near the intersection of Dale Boulevard and Minnieville Road. The store was founded by two brothers, Tom and Ron Pitkin. They have sinced passed the reins to Tom’s daughters, Sarah and Amy Pitkin. The two continue to run the family business, holding on to core traditions while innovating with changing times.

Prince William Living caught up with Sarah to ask about the business’ co-op model—where stores are independently owned and operated, and retailers are the corporate shareholders—her partnership with her sister and how they ended up in the hardware business.

PWL: Many people are familiar with ACE Hardware in a commercial sense. Can you tell us more about Pitkin’s ACE Hardware and how you came into the business?

Pitkin: Our first stores were opened by my father and uncle, Tom and Ron Pitkin. Their first store was the Dale City store, followed by the Woodbine location, 14 years ago, and then Centreville, 10 years ago.

My sister and I didn’t know this is where we would end up. We each went to college and we both have advanced degrees. We came into the business as my father and uncle retired. We had grown up with the stores and wanted to keep them in the family.

Amy actually started before me, about 10 years ago, and I joined her about two years later.

18 | March 2015 prince william living

PWL: How do you and Amy share the responsibilities of running the business?

Pitkin: Although we do many of the same things in providing for the day-to-day operations of the stores, we tend to divide our responsibilities according to our strengths. Amy is more of the risk-taker and enjoys buying merchandise for our stores. She also supervises the other stores and manages the advertising for our stores. I am more conservative and analytical. I do more of the bookwork and merchandising.

PWL: Is it difficult to be a female business owner in a traditionally male business?

Pitkin: I don’t think it’s any harder for us as women. People generally just want the correct answer when they need help and if we can give that, they are satisfied. It is also not as unusual as you might think. There are five ACE hardware store owners in the Northern Virginia area; three of whom are women. I also know a female owner of a True Value Hardware Store. Gender has not been a factor for us in our business.

PWL: What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about your business?

Pitkin: I find it very rewarding and fun to be involved at the store every day. The challenging part is being on call 24/7, but even more than that, being responsible for other people’s livelihoods. We have approximately 75 employees and we take our responsibilities to them very seriously.

Sisters Amy and Sarah Pitkin run Pitkin’s ACE Hardware. The Dale City location (pictured) is one of three owned by the family. The Pitkins often feature goods from local companies such as QMT Windchimes and Dizzy Pig Barbecue Company (bottom left).

PWL: How does ACE Hardware compete with the big box hardware stores?

Pitkin: Our ACE Hardware stores are the type of hardware store that you grew up with. We have everything. Sometimes people think that because we are smaller than the box stores, that our prices would be higher. That’s not really the case because of the buying power that we have as a cooperative. Being able to buy in bulk with other ACE stores keeps our prices competitive.

PWL: What advantages does the cooperative business model give you?

Pitkin: The cooperative model provides market and product support as well as national advertising that we could never afford at the store level. ACE researches many of the products that we carry and warehouses products that hardware stores should have.

That support saves us time trying to find the best value and quality products and also keeps our costs down.

PWL: What’s the best advice your father gave you about the stores?

Pitkin: He told us “to be fair, be honest and responsible.” It influences us every day. We strive to do that with our customers, employees, our pricing and even our purchasing. We strive to buy American products and local products when we can. In fact, we carry two products made here in Prince William County, QMT Windchimes and Dizzy Pig Barbecue Seasonings.

We have also continued our father’s business principle of taking care of our community in terms of what we carry in the store and also in giving back to the community. We take pride in making sure we carry items that residents in our communities need to keep their homes in good repair.

For example, as neighborhoods are built, styles and materials change over time. The Dale City neighborhoods have specific soffit covers and drawers that are unique to those homes. We know that these types of items are difficult to find elsewhere, so we keep these items in stock so that our neighbors can have the correct supplies to make any needed repairs.

Lastly, we remain very active in our community. We support special education job training programs and participate in the Dale City Christmas Parade, and also sponsor sports teams for little league and pee-wee football and have sponsored many Eagle Scout projects. Giving back is important to us.

For additional information about Pitkin’s ACE Hardware, visit our website at pitkinsacehardware.com.

Tracy Shevlin is a native Virginian and long-time Manassas resident. She is a full-time administrative assistant and part-time student at George Mason University, completing her degree in Business Communication. prince william living March 2015 | 19

family fun

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Going Green

By Kristina Schnack Kotlus

here are many reasons I have never liked the Elf on the Shelf. He’s creepy looking. He’s supposed to be making kids be on good behavior for Santa but meanwhile destroys your home. He’s personally responsible for the holiday nervous breakdowns of two of my friends on Facebook—all that Pinterest competition, don’t ya know—and the list of reasons goes on.

Leprechauns, however, are sneaky little devils that only pop out once a year and are not concerned with making your kids behave in any particular way, shape or form. In fact, they’re just an episode of “Hoarders” waiting to happen, storing away their gold at the end of a rainbow. Plus, according to legend, if you catch a leprechaun, he’s required to grant you three wishes in return for his release. That seems way more fun than trying to out-picture your friends on social media.

Now, we’re not Irish. My children, however, attended Cloverdale School in Woodbridge for their pre-K years and we became very attached to St. Patrick’s Day because of all the focus on shamrocks and clovers. And who doesn’t love a little green food dye?

If you’re ready to go all out for St. Patrick’s Day this year, here are a few ideas for you to tackle, no Pinterest guilt required.

Leprechaun Naughtiness I won’t let Elf on the Shelf lead to destruction, but I will let a leprechaun invade my kids’ rooms. Nobody said parenting had to follow any strict logic. Depending on the age of your children, you can really go all out for this. I snuck into my kids’ room and totally 20 | March 2015 prince william living

wrecked it the year they were respectively 3, 5 and 7. I unloaded a skein of green yarn, put balloons and green confetti everywhere, and left a note informing them of a hunt for leprechaun treasure.

Good times. Depending on the puzzle-solving abilities of your kiddos, and on how much yarn it takes to do their rooms, you can (continues on page 20)

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(continued from page 18) use the string to lead them through the house on a scavenger hunt for gold. As you’re going, consider a few other fun surprises like a rainbow made of crepe paper or a green toilet where the leprechaun’s “been”; a little food dye right in the bowl will do that for you in a jiffy.

You can stop in the kitchen for some Lucky Charms and green milk if you want to keep it simple, or you can use food dye to make rainbow pancakes or waffles— just use cups to dye your favorite brand of batter before baking. I recommend a whipped cream cloud on top if you’re going that route.

Treasure Ideas for the End of the Rainbow At the end of your hunt, you’ll obviously need treasure. I went with gift bags of green goodies, but you could also use golden coins (either play money or chocolate coins covered in gold foil) or even change to add to their piggy banks.

My gift bags included some edible treats like cups of green jello, fruit, granola bars and gum, along with green shirts to wear to school, some fun accessories and mini cans of soda—a huge treat in my house.

Other ideas might include rainbow cupcakes, or even a cleverly arranged fruit tray. The candy and marshmallows at the

22 | March 2015 prince william living

end are optional if you’re trying to keep it healthy.

Or, if you want to stay away from food altogether, a craft activity could be the prize at the end of your hunt. An easy one: potato stamping. Just cut a spud using a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter and let your kids dunk it into green paint and then onto construction paper, or use fabric paint and let them customize St. Patty’s Day t-shirts. Another fun and easy craft fit for a leprechaun are paper chains in rainbow colors, with a glitter-topped pot of gold at the end. Just have the pre-cut strips, glue and glitter waiting at the end of the rainbow and let the fun begin.

Not a glitter fan? (Or, more likely, not a glitter-picking up fan.) Dye ziti pasta with rubbing alcohol and food dye, and string it up to create a necklace. You can get extra fancy if you want to with paper or foam cutouts between your “beads.”

Preschoolers often love stringing projects, which double as a great pre-writing exercise, building dexterity.

No matter what you do, I hope you have a ton of Family Fun this St. Patrick’s Day.

Kristina Schnack Kotlus is a local mother of three children and the owner of PWCMoms.com, a resource for parents and families in Prince William.

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home & hearth Color Your Spaces

By Vickie Williamson pring is within sight now and a welcome sight it is after our harsh winter here in Northern Virginia.

It’s finally time to open the drapes and let some light in our homes. If you’re like me, spring is a chance to start fresh and prepare for the warm summer to come, so let’s explore a few ways to bring the feel of spring into our homes.

S

We have roots, where others have branches.

Window Treatments: If you’ve been living with heavy drapes during the winter, now is the time to take those down and replace them. Draperies or curtains made from linen, cotton, silk and sheers are all good choices for letting light into a room, and spring is the perfect season for lighter window treatments.

Bedding: The bedrooms can probably use a little brightening as well this month. Replace heavy comforters with lighter and brighter coverlets or bedspreads. Pack away unnecessary blankets and throws and open the blinds for a sunny, welcome retreat.

Furniture: If you’ve kept furniture under cover to protect it from the ravages of winter, it’s time to uncover it and assess the condition of the upholstery and cushions. Spring is a good time to have your upholstered furniture pieces cleaned and readied for another season. It’s also a good time to remove unnecessary items from each space and rearrange the furniture and accessories if you feel it’s time for a change.

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Accessories: Add pops of color to your spaces with brightly colored pillows in the living and bedroom and new towels in the bathroom. If you want a more subdued look then try whites, tans, soft blues and aqua as accent colors in these spaces. New pretty candles and baskets will help wake up your spaces quickly as well.

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 | March 2015 prince william living

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local flavor

Confections Award-Winning Cupcakes

By Michelle Goldchain | Photos by Linda Hughes

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“The cupcakes themselves have distinct flavors, not sacrificing quality of the cupcake, still very moist. The flavor choices seem ever-changing,” said customer Jennifer Cupp Rader, a Manassas resident.

Brletic began her venture after having worked in Arlington for many years, seeing numerous cupcakeries but finding none in Prince William. Born and raised in Woodbridge, she wanted to contribute to the community with her passion for baking.

For the cost conscious, the weekly Cupcake Happy Hour, Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m., is the perfect time to try some of the more innovative taste combinations, like Wedding Cake or Nutella. In addition to its variety of cupcakes, the shop offers sweets such as cake pops, fudge, push-pops, whoopie pies, cookies and Rice Krispy treats. Also available are coffee, tea, hot cocoa, sodas, juices and milk to wash down these creations. Noncupcake confections range from $1.50 to $5.00.

onfections first opened its doors in the Shops at County Center in January 2012, and has since sold over a million cupcakes, said owner Laura Brletic. Her store may also be the most-awarded dessert option in the area, winning “Best Cupcake” in Northern Virginia Magazine, “Best Cake” and “Best Dessert” in Inside Nova’s “Prince William County Reader’s Choice Awards” for three years in a row and placing 35th in The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Cupcakes in America.

“I’ve always been a baker. I’ve always been into cupcakes and cakes and stuff like that,” said Brletic, adding that she doesn’t have any formal training, but is instead self-taught. She began selling cupcakes from her home after forming the Confections LLC in 2010.

After a few years, she said, “I just realized that I had a really great product, and that’s when we decided to open a storefront.”

While most customers take their goodies to go, Confections is also an inviting place to linger. “I was really impressed with the crisp, clean but retro decor of the shop. The products are beautiful and well-displayed with a large selection of what I was told are family recipes,”said Cupp Rader. In nice weather, customers can take their cupcake break at the bistro tables in front of the shop.

A Business Built on Buttercream

Have Cupcakes, Will Travel

Brletic said that her specialty is the buttercream frosting that forms the foundation of the store’s most popular flavors, including Red Velvet, Salted Caramel Pretzel and Triple Chocolate. If you want to get a bit more adventurous, two of the most unique flavors are Pink Champagne and Maple Bacon.

In addition to the standard flavors offered daily, Confections mixes things up, offering rotating weekly specials as well. On any given day, there are more than 25 types of cupcakes available.

Cupcakes come in three sizes: mini, sold by the dozen for $18; standard, available for $2.75 each or $30 a dozen and jumbo, $5.50 each.

26 | March 2015 prince william living

If you’re pressed for time, orders over $25 may be placed online and picked up. Delivery orders are also available, by phone only, with a minimum order of $50.

For weddings and special events, while Confections offers traditional (and intricate!) cakes, it also offers an alternative: cupcake towers. These carefully tiered stacks of cupcakes are custom-designed to the taste of the client. Prices vary depending on the amount and flavor of cupcakes, as well as the design details.

Holly Andrzejewski regularly travels from her home in Gainesville to enjoy Confections’ treats.

Confections Head Custom Decorator/Baker Laura Gooden, Owner Laura Brletic and Head Baker Yaruska Johnson keep customers coming back with their artfully designed, delicious cupcakes, cookies and other treats.

She’s president and director of Give Back 2 Others, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to those dealing with lifethreatening illnesses, and has the cupcakery supply dessert for the organization’s fundraisers and other special events.

“They never cease to amaze us with their new flavors and designs. Not only are the cupcakes amazing, but they support the local community in a huge way,” said Andrzejewski.

customers seem willing to go out of their way to enjoy Confections.

“I live in Lake Ridge and work in Alexandria. We love their cookies so much I'll drive there in rush hour to get them,” said customer Kimberly Bowyer. “They are always beautiful and so delicious. I have to get extras for my family and for work to have too. They have the best coconut cupcake to be eaten.”

Confections also donated cupcakes to Give Back’s annual holiday gala this past November. “Not only that, but the owner, Laura, bought tickets and attended the event herself. There aren’t too many small businesses around that would do that, no questions asked,” Andrzejewski said.

Confections is located at 12801 Galveston Court, Manassas.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Learn more at confectionsonline.com.

Expect the shop’s goodies to become even more accessible (and irresistible), with plans to begin operating a food truck in the near future, according to Brletic. In the meantime, satisfied

Michelle Goldchain is a Woodbridge-raised freelance photojournalist.

Reach her at goldchainam@gmail.com or learn more about her at goldchainam.com. prince william living March 2015 | 27

your finances Five Simple Yet Smart Money Habits

By Bennett Whitlock, CRPC® Private Wealth Advisor

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Watch as items are rung up. Check your receipts. Count your change. Review online bank statements daily.

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4. Play your cards right. Credit cards can provide advantages through their reward programs, and disciplined use can help build credit worthiness. Yet many cards come with an annual fee and hefty interest rates. Recognize these real costs of accumulating rewards, and only charge what you can pay off each month. Or, leave the credit card at home and use your debit card.

5. Look within and remove barriers to financial freedom. If you repeatedly make poor financial decisions, you may be unconsciously sabotaging yourself. Money attitudes arise from a complex mix of upbringing, culture and selfcontrol. To overcome this, focus on the things you consistently spend too much on. Is it dining out? Clothes?

Vacations? Hone in on your “weakness” and try to change habits in a particular area.

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

Irish dance, pipe and drums, the Marine Corps Color Guard and more. More info: stpatparade.net.

Too Human

Robotics Demonstration

March 1 | 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Central Community Library 8601 Mathis Avenue, Manassas Free musical performance by blues duo Too Human. More info: 792-8360.

Friends of Potomac Library “Bag Sale” March 6 - 7 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | March 8 | 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Potomac Community Library 2201 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge The Friends of Potomac Community Library invites you to fill a paper grocery bag full of used books for just $1.00.

Great finds and bargains. More info: 703-792-8330.

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Cabela’s King Kat Fishing Tournament March 14 | 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Weigh-in at Leesylvania State Park 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive, Woodbridge Local catfish anglers compete for cash, prizes and a chance to advance to the Cabela’s King Kat East and West Championships. Anglers will fish the Potomac and Occoquan rivers. Register to participate, or just come to watch the excitement. More info: kingkatusa.com

Volunteer Native Plant Planting

March 14 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Merrimac Farm 15020 Deepwood Lane, Nokesville Help the Prince William Conservation Alliance plant between the Wildlife Garden, a four-season native plant greenscape, and floodplain wetlands. All ages welcome, lunch provided. More info/RSVP: alliance@pwconserve.org or 703.490-5200.

Greater Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Sat., March 14 | 11 a.m.

Center Street, Manassas Irish eyes will be smiling as the parade starts in Old Town Manassas and proceeds down Center Street. Featuring

March 14 | 2 - 4 p.m.

Chinn Park Regional Library 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge Members of the Engineering High Council team demonstrate their robots and discuss the competition of the First Tech Challenge. Free; no registration required. More info: 703-792-4800.

Dublin’s Irish Cabaret March 14 | 8 - 10:30 p.m.

St. Francis Assisi Parish Center 18825 Fuller Heights Rd, Triangle Andy Cooney, “Irish America's Favorite Son,” and Noel V. Ginnity, “Ireland's Funniest Comedian” team up to provide a distinctive blend of Irish music, song, laughter and dance. They are joined by the Darrah Carr Dance group and Guinness Irish Band. More info: irishcabaret.org

Gainesville Ballet Presents Carmina Burana March 20 | 7 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas Gainesville Ballet celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary with a gala performance featuring ballet superstar Daniil Simkin, and the world premiere of "Carmina Burana," choreographed by Artistic Director Rafik Hegab. More info: hyltoncenter.org or 888-945-2468.

Lee’s Retreat to Appomattox – Two Day Bus Tour March 21-22 | 8 a.m.

Ben Lomond Historic Site 10321 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Lee's surrender at Appomattox, follow in the footsteps of Lee and Grant's armies, from Petersburg to Appomattox.

Tour includes food, lodging and admission to stops along the route such as Petersburg National Battlefield Park and Appomattox National Historic Park. More info: 703-367-7872.

Manassas Chorale - Voices United Concert March 21 | 7:30 - 9:15 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas An annual musical gathering of sacred music. The Manassas Chorale will perform the first half of the concert, followed by the Voices United Workshop Choir. The two will combine for a final number directed by guest clinician Dr. Kenney Potter of Charlotte, N.C. More info: hyltoncenter.org

Prince William Chamber of Commerce Frostbite Scramble Golf Tournament March 24 | 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Piedmont Club 14675 Piedmont Vista Drive, Haymarket A portion of proceeds from this funfocused tournament benefits the Chamber’s Scholarship Fund. $100 entry fee includes lunch, drinks, and after play banquet. More info: pwchamber.org.

Vietnam: Through a Marine’s Eyes March 26 | 7 p.m.

Old Manassas Courthouse 9248 Lee Avenue, Manassas Part of the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division’s lecture series, retired US Marine Bill Peters presents a nonpolitical slide presentation showcasing America’s fight against communism in Vietnam between 1969 and 1970. Free, donations accepted. More info: pwcgov.org/historicpreservation.

Russian National Ballet Theatre: Cinderella March 27 | 8 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas See one of the most exquisite fairy tale ballets of all time. Includes preperformance discussion with the assistant artistic director, Alexander Daev. More info: hyltoncenter.org.

Ridgewood Pool Fish Out March 28 -30 | 8:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

12358 Oakwood Drive, Lake Ridge Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association is stocking Ridgewood with

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

30 | March 2015 prince william living

Discover Prince William & Manassas

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ith Spring Break just around the corner, we are all ready for the warm weather and sunshine. Whether you are a local planning a staycation as a break from the daily grind, or will just be visiting Prince William, our spring activities are sure to keep you entertained.

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You’re always near a farmers market here, with most of the towns, cities and even neighborhoods hosting one spring through fall. The two largest are in Dale City and Manassas.

All offer a range of local produce, meats and other goods each week, and are a wonderful way to support the community by shopping locally.

Ann Marie Maher President and CEO Discover Prince William & Manassas

Browsing the eclectic artisan shops and eateries in Old Town Manassas and Occoquan also supports area businesses and are perfect choices for a spring afternoon with friends and family.

Or, escape to a bed and breakfast for a long weekend, spending an afternoon experiencing handcrafted beers and wines at local breweries and wineries. You can also play a round of golf at one of Prince William’s 12 golf courses, or visit one of our area’s many spas to recharge.

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Facebook.com/pwcmanassas

For a little more adventure, hike or bike some of the 40 miles of trails at Prince William Forest Park, schedule a horse trail ride through the Manassas National Battlefield or get in some target practice at the new, state-of-the-art Elite Shooting Sports. You can even learn how to leap over objects in a single bound, with Urban Evolution’s parkour, aerial acrobatics and breakdancing classes.

Remember to celebrate the luck o’ the Irish during the Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade at 11 a.m. on Mar. 14, then head to St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center in Triangle at 8 p.m. for Dublin Irish Cabaret. Close the month with Manassas’ “Hop around Downtown” easter egg event on Mar. 31.

Ann Marie Maher is the President/CEO of Discover Prince William & Manassas.

For more information about what’s going on in Prince William and Manassas, visit DiscoverPWM.com.

500 rainbow trout for guests to fish out.

Bring your own tackle or rent cane poles at the pool for $1.00 each. Admission is $7; free up to age 2. More info: 703-491-2154.

Egg Hunt March 28 | 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Rippon Lodge Historic Site 15520 Blackburn Road, Woodbridge Explore this historic site and search for hidden eggs. Hunts start at 11:30 a.m. and at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Bring your own basket. $5 per child, $2 per

adult and children 2 and under free.

More info: 703-499-9812.

Poetry Writing Workshop with Prince William Poet Laureate Robert Scott March 29 | 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Chinn Park Regional Library 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge Learn the basics of writing poetry and putting the right words in the right order.

More info: 703-792-4800. (continues on page 33)

1-800-432-1792 DiscoverPWM.com prince william living March 2015 | 31

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Community Center Consider this an invitation to come and check out all that the Manassas Features:

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Free Book Talk - Mike Priest March 29 | 2 - 3 p.m. e Manassas Museum 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas Mike Priest discusses his book “Stand to It and Give them Hell,” which chronicles the fighting in Gettysburg, PA, on July 2, 1863 from Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, from the perspectives of the soldiers. More info: 703-368-1873.

Hop Around Downtown March 31 | 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Old Town Manassas Hop around from store to store for sweet surprises. For each purchase at a participating merchant (noted by a pennant), customers get to select a plastic egg. Three of the eggs will contain grand prizes. More info: visitmanassas.org.

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tambourines and elephants I Can Do It All By Myself

By DeeDee Corbitt Sauter Some stories bear repeating. A child ready to do it “all by myself ” is as timeless as childhood itself. And so this spring we bring back a favorite Tambourines and Elephants, first printed in the Dec. 2012 issue of Prince William Living.

Where did that motivated child go? When did he morph into that morose, whining invalid who was no longer able to discern clean clothes from dirty, let alone identify the location of the laundry room?

And…why?

I have been told that a professional photographer must take an enormous number of pictures in order to get a few great shots. It’s all in the math and percentages. Skill, time and statistics are the essential ingredients necessary for success of all kinds. In fact, most successful ventures are constructed on these three foundational building blocks.

“When a child completes all of his predestined independent tasks, there is no way to refill the coffer.”

I have a fabulous friend, Jeanette, who utters the words, “I have a theory on that…” at least once a day. This phrase is always a precursor to help explain the “why” of a situation. The human mind inherently likes explanations and there are perpetual searches to find the reason for our behavior.

The “Why?” query can be approached a myriad of ways. For example, “What in the world possessed you to do that?” is a phrase specifically constructed in an attempt to comprehend preteen actions. The response is predictably and consistently, “I don’t know,” but that does not ever stop us from trying to solve these mysteries. Entire college courses, professions and fields of study are dedicated to finding the answer to “Why?” My friend’s numerous theories are simply her way of helping humanity find logic behind the seemingly irrational. Like the photographer, her hypotheses may be good, but only once in awhile does she develop a great one. One day, while sitting in the hub of all activity—my kitchen—Jeanette witnessed my half-naked youngest son proclaim, in a volume that the entire world could hear, that he could pick out his own clothes and put them on all by himself.

Simply looking in his direction elicited shrieks of protest and reaffirmations that he needed no assistance. I gave him none because I did not care and simultaneously, my 11-year-old was busy slinking around the house moaning about his unfair workload and how impossible it would be for him to complete his chores and clean the bathroom without my support.

My oldest has had a list of responsibilities since he was three. He had to pick out his clothes, floss his teeth, try to make his bed, clean up toys, put dirty clothes in the hamper and get dressed. Not huge, but it was a beginning. I even had the list typed and laminated. Early on, he would gleefully, joyously and independently complete each task and use a dry erase marker to check it off the list. He even insisted on making his own bed without any help, because he got an enormous amount of pleasure out of doing everything “all by himself.”

He would then announce repeatedly how well he had done.

Here is where Jeanette’s theory helped me understand the dilemma at hand. Alas, he used it all up. It was simple. When he was three, four, five, six and even nine, he reveled in being permitted to do things without prompting and was rejuvenated by simple positive reinforcement and verbal accolades. What we as parents did not know (until this theory shed light on our problem) is that the ability to work independently and the number of tasks that can be completed with enthusiasm is finite.

This is important. When a child completes all of his predestined independent tasks, there is no way to refill the coffer. That’s right; he is done. In our case, my son peaked in first grade and after that, we, as parents, needed to be aware that slovenly behavior, poor posture and complaints are inevitable.

This explains why we have to point to dirty socks on the floor that need laundering, repeat the “complete your homework” mantra constantly and wonder if the children have hearing problems. They do not. They are simply unable to do anything without supervision.

They will tell you to leave them alone, that they don’t need prompts and—my personal favorite—they will utter the phrase, “I know” to your reminders. But they do not know. They cannot identify things that need to be done because they used up all their independent actions years earlier.

Now that we understand why this happens, we can take the steps necessary to fix the problem. Current scientific queries are evaluating the viability of renewable or self- sustaining energy forms. We can then easily apply that technology to the rejuvenation of autonomous thought and possibly self motivation.

Of course, this itself presents a challenge. Is there anyone out there who has not already used up his quota of independent actions to actually start, let alone finish, the job?

DeeDee Corbitt Sauter is a resident of Northern Virginia. Her column, “Tambourines and Elephants,” appears monthly in Prince William Living. prince william living March 2015 | 35

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

Prince William Public Library System 14418 Bristow Road, Manassas 12964 Harbor Drive, Lake Ridge 12993 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas 8601 Mathis Avenue, Manassas 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge 4249 Dale Boulevard, Dale City 18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza, Dumfries 4603 James Madison Highway, Haymarket 2201 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge

Prince William County Tourist Information Center 200 Mill Street, Occoquan Safeway 4215 Cheshire Station Plaza, Dale City 4240 Merchant Plaza, Woodbridge 2205 Old Bridge Road, Woodbridge 12821 Braemar Village Plaza, Bristow Shopper’s Food and Pharmacy 9540 Liberia Avenue, Manassas 14000 Shoppers Best Way, Woodbridge 4174 Fortuna Center Plaza, Dumfries 10864 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas The Sign Shop 2603 Morse Lane, Woodbridge Town of Dumfries 17755 Main Street, Dumfries Town of Haymarket 15000 Washington Street, Haymarket Town of Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, Occoquan Town of Quantico 337 5th Avenue, Quantico Virginia Realty Partners 4004 Genessee Place #209, Woodbridge

Order your subscription today to Prince William Living magazine for only $15 per year!

Order online today at www.princewilliamliving.com/subscription or complete this form and mail it to the address below.

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Subscription rate: Subscription rate is $15 per year, (12 issues) continental U.S. only. Subscription will begin with the next issue after this form is received. Allow two weeks after receipt of form. All subscriptions must be prepaid. Include a check or money order for the total amount to:

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With primary care and specialty physicians for every member of your family, we’re the neighbor you can count on to get you better and keep you healthy.

Family medicine Novant Health Bull Run Family Medicine Manassas: 703-368-3161 South Riding: 703-722-5840 Woodbridge: 571-284-4350 Haymarket: 571-284-4370 Bristow: 571-284-4230 Erica Allen-Winslow, MD Soujanya Biragoni, MD Joseph Chambers, MD Gary DeRosa, MD Spencer Feldmann, MD Robert Latimer, MD James Min, MD Frederick Parker, MD Trupti Patel, MD Michael Perez, MD Frank Ratchford, MD Scott Ross, MD Pradnya Shirsolkar, MD Janet Breslin, FNP Susan Campbell, ANP Betty Taise, FNP

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Specialty care Novant Health Lake Manassas OB/GYN Gainesville: 571-261-3529 South Riding: 571-261-3529 Michael S. Liao, MD Eugene Louie-Ng, MD Jessica L. Maute, MD Larry A. Nance, MD Stephanie Spytek, MD Novant Health Northern Virginia Psychiatric Associates Manassas: 703-369-8055 Donna Carmosky, MD Nicole DiRienzo, MD Abdul Faisal, MD Hemalatha Mukhara, MD Khendra Peay, MD Nadia Robertson, MD

Novant Health Prince William OB/GYN Manassas: 703-361-7778 Haymarket: 703-361-7778 Saweda Bright, MD JoAnne Gutliph, MD Elizabeth Lavery, MD Ashley Poe, MD Chari Smith, MD Christine Kennedy, NP Erin Lawson, PA Kathy Paulter, NP Novant Health Prince William Surgical Associates Manassas: 703-257-9234 Woodbridge: 703-730-4848 Haymarket: 571-261-3270 Mark A. Bartolozzi, MD John A. Harrison, DO Joseph J. Magalski, MD

Find a doctor near you and schedule an appointment online at MyNovant.org © Novant Health, Inc. 2015

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