[Archived] Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria: April 10 - 16, 2010

Saturday, April 10 – March to the Mailbox
The City of Alexandria invites residents to march to the mailbox and send back their completed 2010 Census forms. Information tables will be set up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at the following locations: Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street; George Washington Middle School, 1005 Mt. Vernon Ave.; the Shops at Mark Center, N. Beauregard St. and Seminary Rd.; Giant Food, 5730 Edsall Rd; and Southern Towers Apartments, 4901 Seminary Rd. For more information, please contact Ralph Rosenbaum 703.746.3859

Saturday, April 10 - Potomac River Watershed Cleanup
Volunteer for the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 22nd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup by joining the City of Alexandria for the Four Mile Run stream cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon. The stream cleanup will be taking place at three locations on Four Mile Run: 3700 Commonwealth Avenue, Mt. Vernon Avenue and Four Mile Run Park, and Eaton Square at 801 Four Mile Rd. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Environment. To RSVP, e-mail Jesse.Maines@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4071.

Saturday, April 10 - 16th Annual Homeownership Fair
Attend the 16th Annual Homeownership Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at George Washington Middle School, 1005 Mount Vernon Ave. First-time homebuyers will learn about the home buying process, affordable financing opportunities, and ways to overcome barriers to homeownership. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Housing.

Saturday, April 10 – African-American Genealogy Lecture
Discover your own family history with expert techniques for tracing African-American ancestors! Join genealogist Char McCargo Bah at 11 a.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum (902 Wythe St.), where he will give a free lecture exploring the use of cemetery, church and death records in family history research. The featured cases are from Char’s research of descendants of people buried at historic Freedmen’s Cemetery in Alexandria. Reservations are requested. For more information, visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.746.4356.

Saturday, April 10 - Alexandria Invitational Cheerleading Competition
Cheer on your favorite team at Alexandria’s Invitational Cheerleading Competition at 11 a.m. at T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King St. This year’s event includes teams from around the metro DC area, to expand the competition with talent throughout the region. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Recreation

Sunday, April 11 – Deadline for National Public Health Week Photo Contest Entries
Celebrate National Public Health Week by participating in a photo contest! Show us how public health affects your life by submitting a photo of “public health in action” in Alexandria. Please submit your photos (in JPEG format only), along with your name and photo title to publichealthphoto@gmail.com. All photos must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, April 11. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Health.

Monday, April 12 - U.S. Census 2010 Portrait of America Regional Road Tour
The U.S. Census 2010 Portrait of America Regional Road Tour makes its final stop. Be part of the celebration!  From 6 to 8 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe St.), join Mayor Euille, DJ Flava from WKYS, The Chosen Voices of the Woodlawn Methodist Church Choir, and the Alexandria Hot Topic Rising All Stars and Afficial Rizing Starz cheerleading squads for an evening of interactive games, music, and more! For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Census2010.

Tuesday, April 13 - Days of Remembrance Ceremony
Observe the Days of Remembrance, Yom HaShoah, for the victims of the Holocaust at noon on Market Square, 301 King St. Alexandria City Council hosts the annual ceremony as part of the weeklong commemoration of the national Days of Remembrance, Sunday, April 11, through Sunday, April 18. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Vola Lawson Lobby on the first floor of City Hall, 301 King St. (Cameron Street side of the building). For more information, call 703.746.4343.

Thursday, April 15 – 18th Century Dance Class
In preparation for the Grand Ball on April 17, learn 18th-century English country dancing from an expert dance instructor at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. The class is scheduled from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and costs $12. Reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.746.4242.

Coming Soon!

Saturday, April 17 – 10-Year Anniversary of Beatley Central Library
Enjoy the official celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Beatley Library, beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day. The 60,200 square foot library opened in the winter of 2000 and was named for Charles E. Beatley, Jr., Mayor of Alexandria from 1967 to 1976 and 1979 to 1985. Many activities are planned, including author talk with Kirstin Downey (author of The Woman Behind the New Deal) and Fun and Games with Jordan the Jack Russell (as seen on Late Night with David Letterman). Visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us for more information.

Wednesday, April 21 – Seventh Annual Beat the Odds Award Presentation and Reception
Attend the Seventh Annual Beat the Odds awards presentation and reception at 6 p.m. at the Alexandria Courthouse (520 King St, 4th Floor). Beat the Odds is modeled after a Children's Defense Fund program and assists young people who have quite literally beaten the odds and are both excelling personally and contributing to the Alexandria community. For more information, contact Jean Kelleher Niebauer at 703.746.3140.

Saturday, April 24 - Annual Earth Day Celebration
Come to the 17th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Dr. This year’s theme is "Teach (Green), Learn (Green), Live (Green)” and is based on the need to promote education and lead us all to a green and sustainable future, in keeping with the goals of the Eco-City Alexandria Initiative. This is a zero-waste and carbon neutral free event! For more information, visit www.alexearthday.org.

Sunday, April 25 –Rabies Vaccination Clinic
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) will host a rabies vaccination clinic at the shelter from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. A veterinarian will vaccinate any pets needing either a one- or three-year rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccinations cost $10, payable by cash or check only. Appointments are not necessary. Please make sure that all dogs are on leash and cats are in a carrier. Call 703.838.4774 ext. 225 for more information.

Sunday, May 2 - Opening of the West End Farmers Market
The West End Farmers Market will officially open at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 2, at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Dr. This year, the West End Farmers Market is open to the public on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., from May 2 through November 21. This outdoor market is one of a kind in the City’s west end. Multiple vendors lay out colorful displays of fresh, locally grown, in-season vegetables and fruits.  For more information, call 703.746.4343.

Ongoing!

Through Monday, April 12 – Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library Book Sale
The Beatley Central Library will be hosting a book sale in celebration of their 10th anniversary held in the large meeting room at 5005 Duke St. The book sale will be on Saturday, April 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday, April 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Monday, April 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. For more information, visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us

Prince Michel Winery and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) Team Up
For every $5 wine tasting enjoyed at the Prince Michel Tasting Room (1309 King Street), $1 will be donated to the AWLA. Whether you love pets or wine, this is a wonderful way to sample Prince Michel’s award-winning wines! The tasting room is open Sunday through Wednesday from noon until 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday, noon until 8 p.m. This benefit continues throughout the month of April, so bring some friends, have a glass and help our homeless animals!

Annual Earth Day Tree Sale - Reserve Your Tree Today
A tree sale will take place on Saturday, April 24, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the City’s Annual Earth Day Celebration. The tree sale promotes the preservation of Alexandria’s tree canopy by encouraging the planting of trees on private property throughout the City. Residents can reserve trees for purchase in advance through April 21. No deposit is necessary. To reserve a tree, call Jerry Dieruf at 703.746.5498 or e-mail jerry.dieruf@alexandriava.gov.

Early Morning Fitness at Charles Houston
Enjoy early morning fitness and recreation opportunities, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. Participants have access to the center’s fitness room, game room, gymnasium and computer lab. Single and multi visit admission passes are available for purchase. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Recreation, call 703.746.5552 or e-mail sheila.whiting@alexandriava.gov.

Every Tuesday - Women’s Domestic Violence Support Group
Women who are residents of the City of Alexandria and are survivors of domestic violence or currently involved in an abusive relationship are invited to a support group on Tuesdays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Childcare is provided. The group will help you understand the impact of violence on your relationship and provide you with tools to keep you safe and empowered. For more information, call 703.838.4911.

Every Monday through April 26 – Tavern Toddlers
Join us for a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime in Gadsby’s historic ballroom on Mondays, excluding Federal holidays, through April 26 any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. Cost is $7 for a group of three, which must include one adult. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.746.4242.

Nominations for John Duty Collins III Outstanding Advocate for Persons with Disabilities Award and Gerry Bertier Scholarship
The Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities is seeking nominations for two annual awards that honor local residents. The John Duty Collins III Outstanding Advocate for Persons with Disabilities Award recognizes an individual who has advocated for persons with disabilities.  The Gerry Bertier Scholarship awards up to a $1,000 merit based scholarship to a City of Alexandria resident with a disability or to a student at a school located in the City of Alexandria who seeks post-secondary education. Forms must be submitted by April 30, and are available by contacting Mike Hatfield at mike.hatfield@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3148 (711 TTY).