The Fairfax Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary staged its 32nd Annual Fashion Show last week in Fair Oaks with over 200 guests. Held at the Waterford center, the event featured not only a fashion show, but also entertainment, a luncheon, a silent auction and a jewelry corner. Three dedicated women were responsible for this occasion. As the fashion show and luncheon coordinator, Fairfax Station resident Angela Ganey headed the event. Ida Mae Speeks, a longtime Fairfax County Public Schools administrator, provided support as President of the Salvation Army Fairfax Women’s Auxiliary. Corps Officer…

Broadway came to Clifton, and a star was born -- or perhaps several. Maid for Dogs premiered on Thursday evening, March 22 at the Clifton Dinner Theater. Entering its second season, the Dinner Theater and its talented troupe of thespians have developed a reputation and a following. On opening night, the Clifton Town Meeting Hall was packed with guests, who enjoyed appetizers, dinner and wine provided by sponsors and served by volunteers. The original play was written by producer Dianne Janczewski and director Charlotte Yakovleff, also a photographer featured at the Art Guild's opening. After …

The Art Guild of Clifton (AGC) realized the dream of its co-founder, Merle Engel, last weekend when it held its Grand Opening Show and Sale. The NOVA Music Center on Chapel Road sparkled with light and life as visitors thronged the event. Chuck Rusnak, a resident of the Town of Clifton for 30 years, is a member of the AGC Board. He praised Merle Engel for her work in establishing the Guild. “It’s her brainchild, her dream.” Looking around at the artists and board members, he continued, “Merle herded all these cats because she speaks from the heart. What a wonderful experience we can have …

When Don Lovett first opened the D Gallery Photography Studio on Chapel Road, he took pictures of many landmarks in the Town of Clifton. One of these was The Clifton General Store, which is also home of The Main Street Pub and A Flower Blooms in Clifton. Parked in front of the building was a handsome vintage truck. Are you the owner of this vehicle? Do you know the name of its owner or its driver? Please call Don at 571-247-2303. He would like to give the truck's owner a print of this striking photograph.   Did you know you can get Fairfax Station Patch every day in your email? Find out more …

The Democratic Women of Clifton (DWC) celebrated their seventh anniversary at the home of Gretchen Klimoski on Sunday, Feb. 12.   Since seventh anniversaries are usually associated with copper, guests were asked to bring pennies. The coins, as well as checks and other change, were placed in ceramic bowls at a table staffed by Chris Randon. Enjoying the refreshments and talking to each other were first on the informal agenda. Jane Barker next called the members together to introduce two important guests from Our Daily Bread (ODB), Executive Director, Lisa Whetzel, and Food Program Manager, …

Don Lovett opened the D Gallery Photography Studio in Clifton just three months ago. After moving into the historic building, which also houses the VA Spa & Salon and Jay's Brewing, Lovett began to shoot dazzling photographs of the town's landmarks. Some have been made into postcards, which are available at The Clifton Store. Others are displayed at the gallery or on its website www.dGallery.us. Look for more information about Don Lovett and his unique art in an upcoming small-business profile.  

Barbara Jacksier is one cool chick. A published author, a professional photographer and master gardener, she also raises chickens in her lovely Clifton backyard. A life-long New Yorker, Barbara Jacksier moved from Brooklyn to Fairfax County with her husband Everett Chasen and their son Fred about 25 years ago. “I’m a city girl, so when we moved here I felt like I bought Central Park,” Jacksier said. Ruth Jacksier, her mother, soon joined the family at their wooded, six-acre farmette on Henderson Road. Within a few years, these former city slickers had hatched a bold plan to foster a flock of …

The Antioch Baptist Church is settling into its new 42,000 square-foot administrative offices. “We’re blessed by the grace of God,” said Rev. Herbert Brisbane, who is the director of congregational care and evangelism. The administration opened the new offices last month. They were previously housed in Fairfax Station Square, which is several miles away. The staff of six ministers, headed by Senior Pastor Rev. Marshal Ausberry, Sr., and eleven other professionals who direct the different ministries, felt that Antioch’s program and outreach were constricted both by the building’s size and the …

The Music Department of Robinson Secondary School recently presented the first of its Winter Concerts. The Concert and Symphonic Bands and the Percussion Ensemble were featured on these two evenings. High School Band Director James Tucker and Concert Band III-Blue began the program on Nov. 30. They performed works by David Gorham, Percy Grainger and John Cacavas. Grainger’s beautiful arrangement of English folk tunes put the audience in a true holiday mood. Two groups of percussionists next performed. The Concert Band III Percussionists were led by Jackie Geldert and James Tucker. Drums and …

Three cheers for a new restaurant on Main Street! Weston's, which was approved on April 26 by Clifton’s planning commission, opened earlier this month. Owned by Bray Wilson and Sarah Cameron, the restaurant is named after their adorable little boy. Photos of young Weston dressed in cowboy garb adorn the walls and grace the cover of the menu. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday, it serves lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. On the weekends, a tasty breakfast is offered as well, opening at 8 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m.. The restaurant is closed Monday. The menu features American …

  Gretchen Klimoski, who lives in the Clifton community of Plantation Hills, is a uniquely talented fiber artist. Her stunning pieces of wearable art are characterized by their color, fabric choices, design, workmanship and imagination. Her extraordinary work is displayed from Nov. 12 to Dec. 3, 2011 in Lorton at the Workhouse Arts Center, where she is the featured artist in Studio Building 6. Klimoski’s exhibit at the Workhouse Arts Center, KIMONO INSPIRATIONS AND REITERATIONS, illustrates her love for “absolutely beautiful fabrics.” For years, she has derived inspiration from the “high …

The Major Works Concert, an extraordinary afternoon of choral music, will be presented at 4 o’clock on Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church. In a region blessed with talented musicians, this performance stands out because the singers and instrumentalists are high school students at Robinson Secondary School. The Major Works Concert features the voices of The Select Women's Ensemble and the Robinson Singers, accompanied by the Robinson Chamber Orchestra. Mike Horanski, who is Director of High School Choral Activities at Robinson, is the conductor of this challenging performance…

Dr. DeeAnn Stroop and her 17-year-old daughter Sarah have traveled to Uganda for the adventure of a lifetime. These dedicated Fairfax Station residents have joined Hope 4 Kids International, an organization based in Phoenix that brings shelter, medical care, clothing and education to thousands of impoverished children and their parents worldwide. Dr. Dee left home on Monday, Oct. 31, heading from Dulles to New York, then to Dubai and finally Kampala, Uganda. Why such a circuitous route, you might wonder. She is working as a Humanitarian Medical Aide on the mission, and Emirates Airline …

The relationship between horses and humans is complex. We either love them, or we don’t. The love is passionate and encompassing. For many, it is an addiction which began in childhood when we read Black Beauty or Misty of Chincoteague. The money we spend on feed, bedding, vets, supplies and horseshoes isn’t inconsequential, and the time we shower on our equine pals each day adds up. No wonder husbands have been known to mutter, “You love the horses better than me.”  Horses give us great pride in their achievements, but all riders understand that proverb, “Pride goeth before a fall.” With …

Paradise Springs Winery was bubbling with excitement on Saturday evening. Clifton Artist Richard Russo was featured, and he was accompanied by the wonderful music of the Take Four Jazz Quartet.   The striking Tasting Room was filled with people. Many were relaxing in the comfortable chairs with their friends and families. (Yes, even children are welcomed if they are well-behaved, so states the sign outside the door, and these kids were all delightful.) Other guests were standing at the bar in small groups, tasting seven of Paradise Springs’ wines. The bartenders poured a sip into each glass, …

Clifton and Fairfax Station are blessed with more talented individuals per capita than just about any other community their size. Dancers, musicians, actors, writers and artists make their homes in our little patch of heaven and perhaps draw their inspiration from the beautiful countryside. Richard Russo is certainly one of these creative people. When Russo and his wife Trish began looking for a home in Clifton almost twelve years ago, his main criterion was clear:  “I don’t want to see a big house next door when I open the curtains.” Driving to the end of a secluded lane near Hemlock …

The Clifton Saddlery is moving to a new location in Centreville. Equestrians who have loved the store and rejoiced in its convenient location feel a twinge of sadness. Like the much-loved Heart in Hand restaurant, the Saddlery has added its own touch of magic to the charming Town of Clifton. “It’s hard to see it leave, especially for those of us who have backyard horses and live nearby,” said Priscilla Donahue, who has been affiliated with the tack shop almost since it opened. Since Sue and Gary Claremont opened The Clifton Saddlery in 1987, it has been a place where riders can find anything …

"A Grand Piano Celebration" will be presented at George Mason University (GMU) on Sunday, Sept. 18. Dr. Linda Apple Monson, a gifted pianist who has lived in Fairfax Station for many years, is the guest of honor and the featured artist.  “I’m looking forward to it. It will be so much fun,” Monson said. Last spring, Monson received an extraordinary tribute. From the stage of George Mason’s Center for the Arts, Dean William Reeder announced that an anonymous donor had given $100,000 to establish a scholarship fund in Monson’s name at the School of Music. The Dr. Linda Apple Monson Music …

The Friends of Music (FOM) at George Mason University are encouraging you to adopt. “What?” you might exclaim. “All my kids are grown up. I don’t want another kid running around the house. It’s so quiet and tidy now.”  Two years ago, my husband Evans and I were invited to lunch by Dr. Linda Apple Monson, an extraordinary pianist who lives in Fairfax Station and teaches at Mason. Also at the luncheon were two other powerfully persuasive people, Alice Heyer, who founded the FOM in 2005, and Brian Marcus, an Associate Dean of Development.  We were asked to become “guinea pigs,” to be the first …

The Republican Women of Clifton (RWC) was formed in 2006. Its first meeting had 12 participants. It now numbers close to 100 members. The group’s goals, according to its website are “to foster conservative values and to support Republican candidates and elected officials in Fairfax County.” Recent activities and upcoming events from the Republican Women of Clifton: At the Primary election on August 23, the Republican Women of Clifton (RWC) sponsored an information table outside Clifton Elementary School. The club was represented by Wendy Burdette, one of the group’s First Vice Presidents, …