Still Looking for Camp?

Do you still need something for your kids to do this summer?
Here are some camps for you to check out.
 

Day Camps

Sport Rock, www.sportrock.com

Washington Sailing Marina, www.washingtonsailingmarina.com
Belle Haven Marina, www.saildc.com
Challenger Space Camp, www.lauchpad.challenger.org
Baseball camp, www.govbc.com
Torpedo Factory, www.theartleague.org
Alexandria Country day School, www.acdsnet.org
Browne Academy, www.brownacademy.org
Burgundy Farm Country Day School, www.burgundyfarm.org
St. Stephens/St. Agens, www.sssas.org
Oakwood School, www.oakwoodschool.com
FlintHill School, www.flinthill.org
The Langley School, www.langleyschool.org
Episcopal Sports Camps, www.eposcopalhighschool.org
Congressional Camp, www.cogocamp.org
Potomac School, www.potomacschool.org
DayJams Music Camp – www.dayjams.com
Adventure Links, www.adventurelinks.net
Del Ray School of Rock, www.delrayperformingartscenter.com
Del Ray Performing Arts, www.delrayperformingartscenter.com
Fairfax County Park Authority, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks
Discovery Creek, www.discoverycreek.org
Mt. Vernon Community Children’s Theater, www.mvcct,org
Alexandria Animal Shelter Camp, www.alexandriaanimal.org
Potomac Overlook Jr. Naturalist, www.nvpa.org
TADA theater camp, www.americanmusicstage.com
National Zoo – www.fonz.org
Cororan College ofArt, www.corcoran.edu/campcreativity
Shakespeare, www.shakespearetheater.org
Chinquapin Camps in Alexandria, www.alexandria.gov/reacreation
Jewish Community Center – www.jccnv.org

Camp Guides

American Camp Association, www.acavirginiascamps.org
Camp Page Guies, www.camppage.com
National Camp Association, www.summercamp.org

Alexandria's Birthday Celebration

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

The City of Alexandria will hold the annual USA & City Birthday Celebration Saturday, July 9

The celebration features performance by Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and fireworks display over the Potomac River.

The City of Alexandria will celebrate its 262nd and the USA’s 235th birthday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., (located at the Potomac River between Fairfax, Pendleton, and Madison Streets)

Admission is free.

The celebration includes fun for the entire family, including children’s activities, community exhibits, and birthday cake. The highlight of the evening is a concert by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Kim Allen Kluge presenting an explosive night of fun and fanfare featuring "Dreams of Summer."
Fireworks close out the celebration featuring Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" with cannon support by the United States Marine Corps, Basic Training School, Quantico, VA at 9:30 p.m.

(In the event of inclement weather, fireworks only will be rescheduled for Sunday, July 10 at 9:30 p.m.)

Oronoco Bay Park has lawn seating, visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.
Food, such as ice cream, hot dogs, hamburgers, shaved ice and kettle corn will be available for purchase, but everyone is welcome to pack a picnic supper.
NO grilling allowed.
Attendees are encouraged to leave pets at home.

Visitors to the historic district are encouraged bike, walk or take the Metrorail Yellow or Blue lines to the King Street Station and take King Street Trolley to the unit block of King St., a short walk to Oronoco Bay Park. The King Street Trolley will operate until midnight for individuals wishing to return to the King Street Metro following the celebration.

For DASH schedule information, call 703.746.DASH or visit www.dashbus.com. For Metrobus schedule information, call 202.637.7000 or visit www.wmata.com.

Parking is available at Simpson Properties Garage, 700 North Fairfax Street; Tishman Speyer, 44 Canal Center Plaza (at a special $5 fee); and Trammell Crow Company, 601 North Fairfax Street.

For additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation or call the Special Events Hotline at 703.746.5592.

Summer Fun

Here are my tried and true favorites for things to do and see with the kids.   

Day Trips:

Chincoteague, VA
Annapolis, MD
Luray Caverns, VA
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Harper’s Ferry, WV – great for tubing!
Calvert Cliffs, MD – look for sharks teeth
Breezy Point Beach, MD – look for sharks teeth
Dinosaur Land, White Post, VA
Port Discovery, Baltimore, MD
National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
Crayola Factory, Easton, PA
Herr’s Food- Potato Chip Factory, Nottingham, PA
Cotoctin Zoo, Thurmont, MD

Explore Local Parks/Sites:
Potomac Overlook, Arlington
Claude Moore Colonial Park, Arlington
Roosevelt Island (lots of shade!)
Mount Vernon, VA
Arlington National Cemetery
Lake Accotink, Springfield, VA – merry-go round, mini golf, paddle boats
Cabin John Park, MD – train rides
Great Falls – MD & VA
Huntley Meadows, Fairfax, VA
River Farm Park, Alexandria, VA
Winkler Botanical Preserve, Alexandria, VA
Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC
Haines Point, Washington, DC
Park at National Harbor
Pohick Bay Park
Glen Echo
National Building Museum
National Geographic Building
Franciscan Monastery, Washington, DC – check out the Catacombs
Union Station
Botanical Gardens
Bureau of Engraving
Bug Zoo at the Smithsonian
Planetarium and Nature Center in Rock Creek Park
Iwo Jima Memorial - Marine Corp Drill/Parade Tuesday evenings at sunset.
National Airport - look at the planes & run around inside.

Playgrounds:
Blue Park – Rosemont
The Pit – Beverley Hills
Fort Ward
Polk Elementary School
Lee Street – Old Town
Playground in Arlington – off 23^rd Street b/t Crystal City and Arlandria

Places in Alexandria:
Ivy Hill Cemetery – take a stroll in the shade, teach math skills
George Washington Masonic Memorial
Boat cruise on the Potomac
Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center
Winkler Preserve

What are you reading?

So what is everyone reading this summer?

Here are some suggestions - fiction that I've recenlty read, my book club has read, people are talking about or that has been recommended to me:

Feel free to add your recommendation(s) as a comment. 

Sinners and Saints by Edna O'Brien

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith
Tinkers by Paul Harding
Room by Emma Donahough
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
In the Company of Others by Jan Karon
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
There is No Year, by Blake Butler
Toward You, by Jim Krusoe
The London Train by Tessa Hadley
My New American Life, by Francine Prose
The Free World, by David Bezmozgis
Last Night at the Lobster by Steward O'Nan
Emily, Alone by Steward O'Nan
Rodin's Debutante, by Ward Just
The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht
Lord of Misrule, by Jaimy Gordon
The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver
The Fifth Witness, by Michael Connelly
The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly

Alexandria Police Begin Warning Period for Photo Safety Program

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

On Friday, July 1, the Alexandria Police Department will begin the first phase of an active Photo Safety Program to help reduce red-light runners throughout the City. Photo enforcement cameras will capture still images and video of red-light violators. During the initial phase, a 30-day warning period from July 1 to July 30, a warning notice will be issued to the vehicle’s registered owner, for any violations. There will be no fines during this warning phase. At the completion of the warning phase, fines will be issued for all citations.

The photo-enforcement cameras are located at three intersections:
·     South Patrick Street and Franklin Street
  

   South Patrick Street and Gibbon Street

· Duke Street and South Walker Street

Cameras will operate 24 hours a day and capture images of every vehicle running the red-lights at those intersections. Warning signs alerting drivers to the red-light cameras have been installed prior to the warning period.

The Alexandria Police Department’s program is administered by Redflex Traffic Systems (http://www.redflex.com). Each violation will be reviewed and approved by the Alexandria Police Department prior to being issued.

Chief of Police Earl L. Cook said, “This grace period will give motorists an opportunity to become familiar with the Photo Safety Program in Alexandria. Our goal is to deter red-light runners and prevent accidents resulting from these violations.”

For more information contact the Public Information Office at 703.838.4636

Vacation tips

If you are traveling away from home this summer,  here are some tips so that your house looks lived in.

• have lights, inside and outside on timers
• set hoses/sprinklers to come on automatically
• don't have packages delivered while your gone
• stop mail & paper delivery or ask a neighbor to pick them up
• if you have pets, leave their water bowls outside
• have a relative or neighbor check on things while you are gone

If you know your neighbor is away, please watch out for their house.
Some newspapers are delivered and not subscribed to, so if you see a Packet or Times in a neighbors  yard or on the sidewalk, please pick it up.

Stay safe and have a great vacation!

Alexandria Mentoring Partnership: Mentor a Child, Change 2 Lives

The Alexandria Mentoring Partnership is hosting a FREE
dockside reception and riverboat cruise on Tuesday, June 28, 2011.

Reception: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Cruise: 7:30pm - 9:30pm.

RSVP is required loralei.coyle@alexandriava.gov


The goal is to provide 100 or more guests with information on MENTORING.

Did you know?
Mentoring, an adult spending time with a child, one hour a week is PROVEN to
help kids do better in school, avoid fights/crime, feel better about
themselves, and graduate from high school.

The cost of incarcerating a young person for 1 year is over $100,000. The
cost to help prevent it is 1 hour of an adult's time per week.

A high school drop out turning to a life of crime or drugs can cost the
country 2.3 million dollars. Mentored youth are 60% more likely to
graduate.


For more information contact:
City of Alexandria Court Service Unit
520 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
703-746-4144

Mentor a Child. Change 2 Lives:
www.alexandriava.gov/mentoring

For more information on area gang prevention:
www.alexandriava.gov/gangprevention
www.preventgangsnova.org <http://www.preventgangsnova.org/>

Sunday in the hood

Things people have been talking about.......

Car break-ins are increasing in the City (including several of my neighbors). 

Cell phones, ipods, xm radios and GPS units are being stolen as well as loose change.  Remember to lock your car and don't leave anything in sight. 

Fed Ex and UPS packages are being stolen from front porches throughout the area.  Please watch out for your deliveries and if you can't be home, make sure a neighbor is around to pick up your parcel.

If your car is vandalized or a package has gone missing, please contact the Alexandria police, the non emergency # is 703-838-4444

And there seems to be an increase in door to door sales people or pollsters.  Some of these people may be legitimate others may be casing the neighborhood looking for homes where people may be on vacation.  Please be careful opening your door to strangers.  If you suspect the person at your door or walking through your neighborhood isn't legit, call the police non emergency #, 703-838-4444

If you are in your yard gardening, please make sure that your doors are locked.  I've heard that people are coming to the back doors of homes where they see someone in the front yard working.  They try to get in the back door and grab whatever they can. 

Please be careful out there.