The Lantern
Dunn Loring Woods Civic Association dlwca.org June 2023
President’s Message
Steve Bergeron
Greetings everyone! I hope all is well and that you are looking forward to the end of the school year and the beginning of summer! Thank you to all who were able to attend our May Membership Meeting, where we elected a new board, got an update on our directory (which will be out in June), continued the discussion on a possible transition to digital communications, learned about a new study on Gallows Road traffic, and got some helpful spring gardening tips from Merrifield Garden Center’s director of operations. We hope to invite VDOT back to our Fall Membership Meeting in September for an update on the I-66 project. Please stay tuned to our website, dlwca.org, for updates and content in the coming weeks. Thank you, stay safe and have a great summer!
Webmaster's Note: Sincerest apologies for missing the update of the June Lantern on-time. I will strive to do better in the future!
Safety Reminders
We have a few gentle reminders to our DLW neighbors:
Please cut back your trees and bushes so the sidewalks are clear for walking.
Additionally, for the residents that live on corners: If there are hedges or high vegetation of any sort on your property, please keep them trimmed back enough to allow drivers easy viewing in both directions before turning onto the next street.
DLWCA Election Results
The annual DLWCA election of officers and directors took place at the May 25 Membership Meeting. The results are as follows:
· President: Steve Bergeron
· 1st Vice President: Iman Butler
· 2nd Vice President: Vacant
· Treasurer: Frank Gallagher
· Secretary: Rae Schoffstall
· Director (1 Year): Nathan Anthony
· Director (2 Year): Ken Quincy
· Director (3 Year): Jo Ann Donnelly
Fourth of July Flag Coordinator Needed
Iman Butler
Help is needed to show DLW's patriotic pride this Independence Day. A volunteer is needed to coordinate and distribute the flags that are placed around the neighborhood for July 4, a long-standing annual tradition. We have a list of people who typically assist placing the flags along with street assignments.
The main responsibilities of this role are to distribute the flags to those volunteers by July 2nd and receive the flags back on July 5th. If you are able to help please contact Iman Butler at imanbutler68@gmail.com or 703-587-9071 for more details
Neighborhood Watch Coordinator and Volunteers Needed
According to the Fairfax County police, our community continues to have a very low crime rate, but we have had some recent vehicle break-ins. Our close proximity to the metro affords transportation to all parts of the metropolitan area but also allows access to our community for those with nefarious intent. Historically, the peak time for such visitors is between noon and 2 p.m., when many folks are at work or out and about on errands. The police consistently tell us that a vibrant neighborhood watch is one of the most effective tools for keeping crime low in our community.
With that in mind, we are in need of a Neighborhood Watch coordinator and volunteers to conduct the watch. The job of the coordinator is to solicit and recruit volunteers. We have magnetic Neighborhood Watch signs for cars, and the coordinator would provide the signs to each volunteer as needed.
Watch volunteers would simply take a walk or a drive through our community once a day for a week, whenever it fits your schedule, but if possible during those peak crime hours, to look out for suspicious activity and just to demonstrate a presence that the police tell us can be a powerful deterrent. If you have a pet to walk, regular errands to run, or need to pick up a child from school, this could be a perfect time to just take a quick look around our community. If you see something suspicious, do not intervene, but simply report it to the police.
If you are interested and able to help with our Neighborhood Watch, please send an e-mail to stevenbergeron@hotmail.com.
Thank you to Bobbie Hernandez for your contribution to the beautification of the island gardens!
Reducing Light Pollution to Enjoy Wildlife
Nicole Byrd
Did you know we have owls in our neighborhood?! Maybe you've been lucky enough to hear—or even see—them around in the evenings. We can be good neighbors to them by rethinking our outdoor lighting and making tiny tweaks so that light pollution doesn't interfere with their ability to hunt (also helpful if you miss seeing lightning bugs on summer evenings).
· Instead of bright white lights, use warm tones like yellow or orange.
· Point lights downward instead of straight up or out, and think about fixtures or shields that are designed to help curb excessive light pollution.
· Use a motion sensor setting instead of leaving lights blaring all night.
None of these adjustments are expensive or time consuming, and they are a huge help to the ecosystems around us, individually or (especially) collectively. Less light pollution is better for humans' sleep quality and overall health, too.
For more information, visit
Happy owl watching!
Summer on the Green Concert Series
The Town of Vienna hosts free Summer on the Green concerts on select Fridays from June through mid-August. The performances on the Town Green feature a wide range of musical genres. They begin at 6:30 p.m. and are approximately 90 minutes long.
This summer’s concerts include the following:
June 9: Nowhere Men June 16: Texas Chainsaw Horns June 23: Steve Leads & Off the Grid June 30: Sarah Swanner Band July 14: Sweet Yonder July 21: Diamond Alley July 28: Karl Stoll and The Danger Zone Aug. 11: Hot Lanes Jazz Orchestra Aug. 18: Ocho de Bastos Aug. 25: Fat Chance Sept. 15: Sudden M-Pac Band
In addition, on June 21, Vienna Moms, Inc. presents Rocknoceros.
Juneteenth Celebration
On Saturday, June 17, First Baptist Church of Vienna and the Liberty Amendments Month Committee will present a Juneteenth Celebration from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church (450 Orchard St.). The day will include an address by Dr. Gregory Washington, president of George Mason University, along with live music from Common Ground Jazz, food trucks, craft vendors, a kids’ book giveaway, children’s games and activities, and voter registration.
Other opportunities are available throughout the month. Historic Vienna offers a Liberty Amendments Learning Tour—weekly displays outside the Vienna Community Center and Freeman Store and Museum, where you can learn about people who had a direct connection with creating the amendments or who benefited from the amendments. Historic Vienna also sponsors the African American Historic Sites Tour of Vienna, which is a self-guided tour of contributions of Vienna’s African Americans from 1867 to 2006 compiled by longtime residents Sylvia Taylor and Gloria Runyon. And at the Saturday farmers market at the community center, you can see music, informative displays, and giveaways relating to the 13th Amendment.
Bark in Boro Park
During this family- and pet-friendly event on June 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a dog (and human) treat bar will be available for guests to get pastries, coffee and puppucinos from Bluestone Lane, as well as milkbones, chews, and treats from our Puppy Treat Bar! Additionally, the first 100 guests will be able to sign up to get your furry friend glammed with a live tag engraving directly on site!
Dog training workshops led by Paw by Paw Dog training will be available for those who pre-register. You can participate in an hour-long dog training workshop with your furry friend.
In need of some puppy therapy? Wolf Trap Animal Rescue will be on site with some of their puppy friends, and you can learn more about adoption and rescuing a pet.
A kids’ craft and activation area will be set up for for little ones to enjoy during the dog training.
For more information, visit www.ffxnow.com/events/bark-in-boro-park-2886/.
Fourth of July Celebrations
Vienna’s Independence Day celebration and fireworks will be held on July 2 this year, from 4:00 p.m. to approximately 10:00 p.m. at Southside Park (Ross Drive). Food and drink will be available from local food trucks and the Vienna Little League concession stand, and the event will feature live music, kids’ entertainment, and games. The fireworks will begin at dark (approximately 9:30).
For a more unique way to view fireworks, visit George Washington's Mount Vernon on July 4 for a dazzling made-for-daytime fireworks show over the Potomac River. Guests will also be able to view special revolutionary war military drills, hear 18th century music, visit with General Washington, and attend wreath-laying ceremonies at Washington's tomb.
The City of Fairfax will hold a parade on the fourth, starting at 10:00 a.m. The parade route loops around downtown Fairfax, along Chain Bridge Road, Main Street, University Drive and Armstrong Street.
The Lantern is a great place to share news about our community and the people in it. Please send submissions, photos, and ideas for articles to dlwlantern@gmail.com.
DLWCA Board
President: Steve Bergeron
1st Vice President: Iman Butler
2nd Vice President: Vacant
Treasurer: Frank Gallagher
Secretary: Rae Schoffstall
Director (1 Year): Nathan Anthony
Director (2 Year): Ken Quincy
Director (3 Year): Jo Ann Donnelly
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Volunteers
Neighborhood Watch—Adam Nowaczyk
Membership Chair—Aric Campling
Island Care Chair—Jo Ann Donnelly
Hospitality—Jo Ann Donnelly
Editor, The Lantern—Aric Campling (interim)
Lantern Distribution Coordinator—Jo Ann Donnelly
You can contact the Webmaster at dlwcawebmaster@gmail.com. With comments, suggestions, and questions. Thank you!
Your Local, Friendly DLWCA Webmaster