FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  March 27, 2009    

Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria:
March 28 – April 3, 2009

Saturday, March 28 - Invasive Species Removal Volunteer Event
The City of Alexandria invites residents to take part in a Citywide "Ivy Pull" from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers are needed to remove ivy plants from various locations throughout the City. There is no need for tools, though small pruners might come in handy to clip vines off trees. The runners of ivy are easily pulled as they run across the landscape. Gloves are highly recommended. For more information, contact Claudia Hamblin-Katnik at 703.519.3400.

Saturday, March 28 – Alexandria Recreation Games for Health Living Awards Ceremony
The public is invited to attend an awards ceremony for the Alexandria Recreation Games for
Healthy Living from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lee Center Kauffman Auditorium, 1108 Jefferson St. The awards ceremony is free, and healthy refreshments will be provided. The Alexandria Recreation Games for Healthy Living is an eight-week fitness program that promotes healthy lifestyle choices for all family members, and encourages Alexandrians to make "being active" a part of their daily lives. For more information, call 703.838.4545 or visit alexandriava.gov/recreation.

Saturday, March 28 – Earth Hour 2009
The City of Alexandria is encouraging residents to participate in Earth Hour 2009 today. Earth Hour 2009 is a global call to action that encourages every individual and business to shut off their lights for one hour, to conserve energy and help fight global warming. Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. You can observe Earth Hour by shutting off your lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.earthhour.org.

Saturday, March 28 – Foodways of Enslaved Virginians Lecture
Discover the important cultural aspects of diet and food preparation with Michael Twitty, a leading expert on African-American foodways, with his lecture “Cooking in the Quarters: Enslaved African Virginians Cooking for Themselves.” This lecture at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., will explore the preparation of foods of enslaved Virginians, including open hearths, stew stoves, and special tools and pots that gave certain foods their unique flavor. The program is free and begins at 11 a.m. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Saturday, March 28 – Children’s Book Publisher Event at the Lyceum
Join children’s book publisher Usborne at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., at a free event for kids and adults, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special emphasis this year is on book enthusiast Abraham Lincoln during the bicentennial of his birth with Lincoln-related crafts and story times. Kids can play “Museum Detective” on a scavenger hunt of The Lyceum and enjoy storytelling, crafts, and hands-on artifact stations. A portion of the book sales will benefit educational programs at The Lyceum. For more information, please visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.838.4994.

Monday, March 30 – Tavern Toddlers
Join us for a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 North Royal St. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime in Gadsby’s historic ballroom Mondays, excluding Federal holidays, any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. Cost is $7 for a group of three, which must include one adult, or $30 for purchase a 5-week pass. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Monday, March 30 – Annual Salute to Women Awards Banquet
The Alexandria Commission for Women invites the public to attend the 29th Annual Salute to Women Awards Banquet, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 901 N. Fairfax St. To reserve a seat at the banquet, download the reservation card at www.alexwomen.com. For further information, please call Angela Johnson at 703.746.3123.

Wednesday, April 1 – 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act
The Alexandria Landlord Tenant Relations Board will host a reception to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (VRLTA), enacted by the General Assembly in 1974. The VRLTA provides important protections to Alexandria’s renters, and the reception recognizes and honors these residents, who constitute more than half of the residential households in the City of Alexandria. Mayor William D. Euille will present a proclamation commemorate the enactment of the VRLTA. The celebration will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Conference Room 2000, Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street. For more information, contact Melodie Seau at 703.746.4990.

Thursday, April 2 – Four Mile Run Open House
An Open House for the public to review draft design guidelines for Four Mile Run will be held at 7 p.m. at the Arlington County Park Operations Building, 2700 S. Taylor Street; Arlington, VA (2nd Floor Conference Room). The City of Alexandria and Arlington County have created the draft design to guide the visual and physical character of future improvements in the Four Mile Run Corridor. The Open House will kick off with a presentation about the Four Mile Run guidelines, followed by a question and answer session with the public. For more information, contact Brandi D. Collins at 703.838.4666 ext. 327.

Coming Soon!

Saturday, April 4 - 15th Annual Homeownership Fair
The City, in partnership with the Virginia Housing Development Authority, invites City residents and workers to attend the 15th Annual Homeownership Fair. The Fair will be held at George Washington Middle School, 1005 Mount Vernon Ave., from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. In addition to exhibits from real estate professionals, lenders, and nonprofit organizations, this year's fair will feature classes on the homebuying process, buying foreclosed properties, and home purchase finance. A new class on foreclosure prevention, provided by Housing Counseling Services and Legal Services of Northern Virginia, will be offered for both existing homeowners and new home buyers. Classes will be offered in English, Spanish and Amharic. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact the Office of Housing at 703.746.4990.

Saturday, April 4 - Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 21st Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup
The City of Alexandria seeks volunteers to participate in the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 21st Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup (PRWC) from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers should wear shoes and clothes that they do not mind getting dirty; trash bags and gloves will be provided. In case of heavy rain that day, the rain date will be Saturday, April 11. The City will be hosting the cleanup site at Four Mile Run Park at the end of Commonwealth Avenue.  For more information, visit www.fergusonfoundation.org/trash_initiative/rc_sitesalexandriava.html. To volunteer, please contact Jesse Maines at 703.519.3400, ext. 166 or e-mail jesse.maines@alexandriava.gov.

Saturday, April 4 – Deadline for 1st Annual Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award Nominations
The Environmental Policy Commission is seeking nominations for its First Annual Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award. This award honors Frances Ellen Pickering’s lifelong dedication to environmental preservation and conservation throughout the City of Alexandria. Alexandria residents, groups, clubs, organizations, or corporate neighbors may be nominated. Award winners will have a tree planted in their honor during Alexandria Earth Day 2009. For more information, please visit www.alexearthday.org or contact the Office of Environmental Quality at 703.838.4334.

Ongoing Events

Open through Saturday, March 28 – A Radiant Spirit: The Journey of Mary Ellen Henderson
This traveling exhibition from the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation highlights the efforts of educator and activist Mary Ellen Henderson of Falls Church. This civil rights champion dedicated herself to ensuring educational equality for African Americans in a segregated school system and community. Free opening reception on Thursday, February 5, from 6. to 8 p.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St. For more information, visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Open through Tuesday, March 31 – “Hail to the Chief” Mini-Exhibition
A rare 1797 medal that was excavated in Alexandria and commemorates George Washington is among the many local artifacts and historic images featured in “Hail to the Chief.” Located at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N. Union St., #327, this mini-exhibition showcases American presidents, including Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant and Harrison. The exhibition is free and open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.alexandriaarchaeology.org or call 703.838.4399.

Now through Wednesday, April 15 – City of Alexandria Offers Free Tax Preparation Assistance for Qualified Residents
The City of Alexandria is offering free tax preparation assistance to low-income residents during the 2009 tax season. Taxpayers are eligible for the Tax Preparation Assistance Program if their income is below approximately $22,000 for individuals and below approximately $42,000 for families. Persons requesting the assistance must bring a picture ID, W-2 forms and other income records, and records or receipts for expenses such as child care and/or education. They must also provide social security cards or ITIN letters for all family members and a copy of last year’s tax return, if possible. The sessions will be held in the lobby of the Alexandria Department of Human Services, 2525 Mount Vernon Ave. Taxpayers will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis. Spanish-speaking volunteers will be available on-site, and electronic filing will be available to help taxpayers receive their refunds more quickly. Tax preparation sessions are scheduled from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays, and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays through April 15.