This weekend, bibliophiles can gather for a charity used book sale.

The McLean branch of the American Association of University Women is putting on a book sale that will provide scholarships for college students. This year marks the annual sale’s 50th anniversary.

Since the organization’s founding in 1969, the AAUW strives to assist with advocacy, education, philanthropy and research for women seeking higher education.

There will be a wide variety of genres available including philosophy, cookbooks, business, law, science, mathematics, travel, art, pets and animals and books in foreign languages, according to the event’s website. There will also be specialty and vintage books available for purchase.

For anyone not interested in books, there will also be a selection of DVDs.

Prices range from $10 to $200. Both cash and credit cards will be accepted.

The event will take place on Friday (Sept. 13) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday (Sept. 14) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday (Sept. 15) from noon-4 p.m at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue).

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Sept. 12)

• Mayor at Your Service — 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall (127 S. Center Street) — Susan Shaw from the Virginia Department of Transportation along will join Town of Vienna Mayor Laurie DiRocco to discuss the I-66 expansion project near the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station. The event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday (Sept. 11)

• Canvas Painting — 7-9:30 p.m. at Muse Fairfax (2920 District Avenue, Suite 100) — An instructor will teach attendees how to paint a road and nature scene. The event is $35 and open to all ages.
• Yoga with Alyson — 10 a.m. at Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street NE) — For $10, participants can take part in a yoga class. All experience levels are welcome and guests should bring their own mats.

Friday (Sept. 13)

• DMV 2 Go Full-Service Bus — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Falls Church City Hall parking lot (300 Park Avenue) — The Department of Motor Vehicles will host a pop-up full-service office, helping people to obtain identification cards. The service will also help people apply for various licenses including fishing and hunting, driving permits, ordering disability placards and registering to vote.

Saturday (Sept. 14)

• Red Cross Wilderness First Aid — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Campaign Pay It Forward (9893 Georgetown Pike, Suite 105 — This two-day training course prepares attendees for dangerous wilderness scenarios and how to take care of medical emergencies in the field. It costs $150 and everyone is welcome.
• Vienna Quarterly Recycling Day — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Northside Property Yard (600 Mill Street NE) — People can come and recycle unusual items such as chemicals, appliances or small electronics. No TVs or dangerous items will be accepted.
• Comedy and Cocktails — 8 t0 10 p.m. at Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street A) — North American Comedy Distillery Tour will bring nationally known comedians to Falls Church for an evening of humor. Presale tickets start at $20.
• 2019 Wolf Trap Ball: Singapore — 7 p.m. at Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — This black-tie gala supports Wolf Trap’s arts and cultural foundation while allowing guests to enjoy a classy evening with Singapore Ambassadors Ashok Mirpuri and Gouri Mirpuri. Email Wolf Trap for tickets.

Sunday (Sept. 15)

• Tysons Farmers Market — every Sunday through November from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 1961 Chain Bridge Road — The weekly farmers market features local produce, meats, eggs, hot foods, baked goods and more. In addition to food, attendees can enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations and kids events. The market accepts SNAP and matching on all SNAP purchases.

Image via Wolf Trap

School is back in session, and a local McDonald’s is hosting a fundraiser for public education.

The McDonald’s at 3009 Galls Road is donating 5% of their profits to charity now until Friday (Sept. 13). Each day — with the exception of the weekend and Monday — the proceeds will benefit a different school in the area.

The store will also offer students free ice cream cones from 3-5 p.m.

Community members can come to support specific schools on the days shown below.

• Wednesday (Sept. 4) — Camelot Elementary School
• Thursday (Sept. 5) — Stenwood Elementary School
• Friday (Sept. 6) — Fairhill Elementary School
• Tuesday (Sept. 10) — Pine Spring Elementary School
• Wednesday (Sept. 11) — Woodburn Elementary School
• Thursday (Sept. 12) — Jackson Middle School
• Friday (Sept. 13) — Falls Church High School

“As owners of the restaurant and members of the community, we wish to honor the schools in our market area to celebrate,” a press release said, adding that the owner wants to use this event as an opportunity to celebrate the location’s recently remodeled building.

Photo via Moving Merrifield Forward

The Food for Others annual 5K is set to take place this upcoming Saturday (Sept. 7).

The race will feature a fun run and prizes for participants while also benefiting local community members who cannot afford basic groceries, Alison Padget, a Food for Others spokesperson, said.

The race registration will begin at 8 a.m. at the Tysons Corner Center, just outside the L.L.Bean outlet. Tickets can be purchased online for $35 through Sept. 5 or $40 on the day of the event. 

Special guests will speak at the event, including Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Padget said.

“People think of it as being wealthy areas,” she said. “But, there is something like 50,00 people [who] are food insecure.” 

As the sixth annual event, Padget added that she typically sees around 400 participants manage to raise around a $45,000 net profit for donation. For comparison, $35 will supply 15 families with eggs and milk.

According to the Food for Others website, the organization is part of Northern Virginia’s “safety net” for low-income families. They work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, local grocers and food drives to supply extra food for those in need.

Photo via Food for Others

Belong! — a new nonprofit dedicated to helping Vienna’s underserved populations — officially launched yesterday (Wednesday).

The ribbon-cutting for the group was held in the Vienna Presbyterian Church (124 Park Street NE), which was part of the founding of the organization but a press release noted that Belong! will operate as a separate entity.

The organization is dedicated to promoting “spiritual, physical, and economic well-being, efforts will initially be focused on the Vienna Park/Cunningham Park neighborhoods,” according to the press release for the opening.

The group was founded out of discussions among Vienna residents in late 2017. The press release noted that one of the first aims of the project will be securing new partnerships with Cunningham Park Elementary School and other local churches and nonprofits.

“We are excited to welcome Belong! to Vienna and applaud its vision of empowering our residents” Mayor Laurie DiRocco said in the press release. “Their plans for local outreach mirror our town’s core values, and we’re grateful for their partnership.”

Photo courtesy Jeff Cruz/Belong!

Stuff the Bus, a charity drive where donors try to fill a bus with food for local pantries, is coming to multiple locations throughout the Tysons area in June.

The event helps to refill the stocks of a diverse range of local charities with canned goods and other non-perishable supplies.

Saturday (June 1)

• Falls Church Giant — 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 1230 W. Broad Street, Falls Church — The drive will benefit the Falls Church Community Service Council, a coalition of churches and human service organizations in Falls Church assisting low-income individuals and families in short-term or emergency needs.

Saturday (June 15)

• McLean Giant — 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at 1454 Chain Bridge Road, McLean — The drive will benefit Share, Inc., a nonprofit in McLean that provides financial assistance, distribution of food, used clothing, recycled furniture and transportation services for seniors. The organization is all volunteer run.

Saturday (June 22)

• Vienna Giant — 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at 359 Maple Avenue East, Vienna — The drive will benefit Committee for Helping Others, an all-volunteer organization that provides clothing, furniture, meals on wheels, transportation and emergency food aid or financial assistance.

Saturday (June 29)

• Safeway at Pan Am — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 3043 Nutley Street, Fairfax — The drive will benefit Food for Others, a regional emergency food distribution service.

Photo via Fairfax County

A dream trip came true for a young girl from Falls Church because of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic chapter.

Three-year-old Kathryn had a bone marrow transplant last year and wished to go to the Walt Disney World Resort. Earlier this year, she headed to Orlando to meet in person some of her favorite characters from the Disney Junior network.

“Her favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and she likes to repeat lines, sing along and dance while she watches the characters on TV,” Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic wrote to Tysons Reporter. “She was thrilled to meet Mickey Mouse three separate times on her trip, and she had a blast going on rides at the parks.”

Kathryn and her family stayed at the Give Kids The World Village, a resort for kids with critical illnesses and their families. While there, Kathryn celebrated her favorite holiday during the resort’s weekly Halloween night on Mondays in the middle of January. She also visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and practiced doing “magic” with her new wand at Universal Orlando.

“The wish transformed Kathryn’s life by giving her the opportunity to leave behind the stress of dealing with a critical illness and just enjoy being a kid,” according to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.

Photo courtesy Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic

If you were thinking of getting your head shaved, doing so tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Boro will net $5,000 to be donated to the Boston Children’s Hospital.

Granite Telecommunications, a communications provider based in Boston with an office in Tysons, will set up a shaving booth for the company’s Shave to Save campaign. The fundraiser will be held in the Boro’s tenant lounge on the first floor of 8255 Greensboro Drive.

The fundraiser will run from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

“Granite will donate $5,000 for every head shaved,” according to a flyer for the event. “Hair grows back! Make a difference in someone’s life on April 3! No experience necessary!”

This isn’t the first time the company has hosted this kind of fundraiser. The “Saving by Shaving” event dates back to 2014 after Granite CEO Rob Hale jokingly dared a colleague to shave their beard.

Photo via Twitter

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Feb. 19)

• Best Trails for Mushrooms — 7-8 p.m. at REI (8209 Watson Street) — After being delayed by foul weather, the lecture on regional mushrooms is back on for tonight. The class will cover where the best local trails are for mushroom hunting and some of the gems that can be found there. The event is free but advanced registration is required.

Wednesday (Feb. 20)

• Aaron Carter at Jammin Java — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave E) — Aaron Carter, a pop-sensation from the 90s and early 2000s, will be performing with indie rock band Rookie of the Year tomorrow. Tickets are $20 for general admission or $30 for premier tickets at a raised seating area.

Thursday (Feb. 21)

• Metro Area Alumni Happy House — 5-7 p.m. at Blackfinn Ameripub (2750 Gallows Road) — Alumni from George Mason University are invited to mix and mingle later this week. Registration for the event is $10, which includes two happy hour drink tickets and appetizers.
• Last Weekend for The Brothers Size — 7:30 p.m. at 1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Road) — This is the last weekend to see The Brothers Size, a play at the 1st Stage Theatre about a family struggling to reconcile after a brother comes home after being released from prison. The play is directed by José Carrasquillo, the director of artistic programming at Ford’s Theatre in D.C. General admission tickets are $39, or $36 for seniors over 65. Students and military tickets are $15.

Saturday (Feb. 23)

• Blessings Bags Packing Event — 10 a.m. at McLean Bible Church (8925 Leesburg Pike) — The McLean Bible Church will be putting together care packages for local homeless people. The packages include small fleece blankets and other supplies. All ages and abilities are invited to the event to help put the care packages together.
• Team Audrey Blood Drive — 12-4:30 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) — The Inova Bloodmobile will be parked in Vienna this weekend. The event is sponsored by Team Audrey, a non-profit based in Vienna to combat HLH. Appointment times are available online throughout the afternoon.
• Okee Dokee Brothers Live in McLean — 1, 4 and 6:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Grammy-winning folk and roots band Okee Dokee Brothers are hosting a concert for local children and families to encourage creativity. The event is part of a slate of performances for the newly renovated McLean Community Center. Tickets are $20 or $15 for McLean residents.

Sunday (Feb. 24)

• Oscars Viewing Party at Tysons Biergarten — 8 p.m.-2 a.m. at Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — The Biergarten will be hosting a viewing party for the 2019 Oscars, from the opening monologue to the best-picture winner. The event is planned to include 26 tv’s and two projectors so any seat in the house will give a good view of the show.

Photo via Facebook

(Updated 3:15 p.m.) Fairfax is the second richest county in the nation — yet at Second Story, just south of Tysons at 2100 Gallows Rd, there’s a desperate need for bed space for homeless teens.

Second Story CEO Judith Dittman says the organization provides a temporary shelter for teenagers in a crisis, but there is a waitlist of 35 people still waiting for a space to open up.

The waitlist averages 50 people for the homeless youth and young mothers programs. Dittman said those on waitlists are forced to either stay on couches or in the street, where they could become caught up in human trafficking.

“Too many times, people look at me and say ‘that doesn’t happen in Fairfax,'” Dittman said.

But, in 2017, Fairfax County Public Schools reported that 1,200 young people in the county had no support from a parent or legal guardian. A report by Fairfax County’s Department of Health and Human Services found that 18,857 children, or 7 percent of all local children, were in poverty.

The shelter takes in young people who have run away from home, or have no home to go back to, and offers a three-week refuge. The program functions as a shelter for people between ages 13-17, offering counseling, meals, and guidance.

Lauren Witherspoon, the development coordinator for Second Story, said the goal is family reunification and about 95 percent of the teens are reunited with their family at the end of the program. After they return to their family, there are periodic check-ins to see how the child is handling the situation.

From its founding in 1972 through just two years ago, Second Story was known as “Alternative House.” Dittman said that as the organization started branching out, leaders found the original name was no longer reflective of the scope of the work done there.

“Your first story is the one written for you in your early years,” said Dittman, “but in your teen years, you start to write your own story. As a teen you make mistakes. Most young people have a support network to help them through, but many don’t.”

In addition to the youth shelter, the organization also offers after-school activities, programs for young mothers and other programs aimed at preventing homelessness and crises in the first place.

Witherspoon said the organization targets children as early as fourth grade. That may sound young, but Witherspoon said they are competing with gangs that typically recruit at around eight or nine years old or human traffickers, who can grab children as young as 11 or 12.

Another program takes homeless teens and focuses on making them self-sufficient over an 18-month period. Counselors at the program help teach participants skills from how to load a dishwasher to how to manage finances.

The charity was recently the subject of fundraising and toy donation drives at the Tysons Biergarten and the Tysons Partnership. Roughly one-third of the organization’s funding, or $1,209,510, comes from community support. Another third comes from federal, state and local grants, but Witherspoon said the organization has been struggling as costs continue to rise, but federal funding remains stagnant.

“We haven’t had an increase in federal funding for 15 years,” said Witherspoon. “We don’t have any billboards or ads, so we rely on word of mouth.”

Over 85 percent of the organization’s funding, or $2,832,169, goes to program services. The remaining funding is split between development, management, and general funds.

The organization hosts tours on the second Tuesday of each month. Second Story also hosts volunteer and community service opportunities. Volunteers help do things like cook and answer the door to allow counselors to focus on helping teens.

Photo via Facebook