z• Good morning – The 25th Project provides services to homeless individuals living in camps in several locations across our community. The have an urgent need for 20# propane cans so folks can keep warm this winter. Please drop off your donation on this Monday January 19th in the Kmart parking lot on Dale Blvd between 11am-2pm. Your donation will keep someone warm by Monday night. If you need other days/times please email Jay at: [email protected].
• The fabulous kids from the Joe 15 Team would love your help by donating blood to the American Red Cross on Saturday January 24th from 9am-2:30pm. To schedule your appointment please email Debbie at: [email protected] or call her at (703) 895-1606. As you recall, these kids do service projects throughout the year in memory of their friend Joe.
• SERVE is calling volunteers who love to cook for a cause. They need groups to prepare the evening meal for the 92 residents of the family shelter on January 26, 27 and 29th. This is the best project for your family or friends and colleagues to come together! You will need to purchase the ingredients, prepare the meal and serve dinner to the residents at 5pm on your designated day. You can use their state of the art kitchen or bring the meal in. This is your special moment in time to offer a warm, home cooked meal living in the shelter. Please call Jan at (571) 748-2621 to learn more.
• The Alzheimer’s Association needs volunteers to join their planning committee for the next walk on October 17th in Manassas. Please call Sonya at (703) 766-9025 to learn more.
• Catholic Charities needs volunteers to teach an English class at their Dale City office. Classes are held Wednesdays 7-9pm. Please email them at: [email protected] to learn more.• Beacon Adult Literacy needs volunteer tutors to teach conversation or computer literacy to ESL students in the Manassas area. Please call Caroline at (703) 368-7491 to learn more.
• Literacy Volunteers is gearing up for their next volunteer training On March 7th. Come learn all the skills you need to help another adult reach their life goals. You do not need any prior experience. This is one person helping another. Please call (703) 670-5702 or visit www.lvapw.org to learn more.
• Habitat for Humanity is looking for teen volunteers to distribute flyers about all the wonderful services they provide to the Georgetown Village community in Woodbridge. You can do this anytime between now and February 2nd. Please visit their website at: habitatpwc.org and sign up on the volunteer calendar. It’s a great way for your club or group to do something fun together.
• Also for teens! You don’t want to miss the teen volunteer and summer job fair on Tuesday February 3rd at the Bull Run Library from 7pm-8:30pm. Come learn about jobs from employers looking for teen for this summer.
• Emeritus Senior Living in Lake Ridge is looking for volunteers to help with fun activities such as sewing circle, line dancing and others or simply give one on one companionship. Please call Brigette at (703) 680-0600 to learn more.
• Project Mend a House needs volunteers to help with minor home repair projects for elderly, disabled and low income families. Come share your handy hands and spirit. Please call (703) 792-7663 to learn more
• Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center needs volunteers to help with the silent auction and decoration committees for the big 15th Annual Winter dance on February 21st. Please email Robin at: [email protected] to learn more
• If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call my wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William. Coleen can help you with the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1, Shelley can help with any individual or group project and send you weekly updates if you’d like. Shelley is at (703) 369-5292 ext. 0, and Bonnie can help you with opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292 ext. 3. Please visit our newly re-vamped website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.
Recent Stories
ARTfactory and Birmingham Green made headlines in Manassas this week. ARTfactory’s Rooftop Productions, now Actors Theatre, won seven awards at the 2024 DC Broadway World Awards, including Best Musical for Kinky Boots and Best Choreography for The Rocky Horror Show. ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre also earned recognition, winning Best Theatre for Young Audiences for its production of The Wizard of Oz.
Meanwhile, Birmingham Green, ranked as Northern Virginia’s top nursing home by Newsweek Magazine, announced Duane Smith as its new Nursing Home Administrator, effective December 30, 2024. Smith brings extensive experience from senior living leadership roles across multiple states and holds several professional qualifications. Birmingham Green continues its 90-year mission of providing quality long-term care to Northern Virginians in need.
Looking for a new best friend? Meet Echo, a 3-4-month-old pup full of love, energy, and curiosity. This little guy, possibly a Boxer mix, is still finding his voice, but…
Should Virginia ditch the longstanding practice of electing the General Assembly and the governor in odd year elections?
The first odd year election in Virginia was in 1851, after a new state Constitution was approved and members of the House were elected to a two-year term. Before that, members of the House had one-year terms, and voters selected members every single year.
Now, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell says modern day voters are sick and tired of voting every year.
A Manassas man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for providing drugs and alcohol to a child in exchange for sex acts and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the same victim as well as other children.
According to court documents, Olajide Benjamin Ayilaran, 24, met a 14-year-old girl during the summer of 2023 and began communicating with the victim via iMessage. In the messages, Ayilaran offered to provide the victim drugs, alcohol, and nicotine products in exchange for sex acts. Between at least Nov. 21, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, Ayilaran met the victim nine times, usually in the morning before the victim went to school, to exchange the products for sexual acts. Ayilaran would wait for the victim in his car in a nearby park. When the victim arrived, he gave her the drugs and alcohol and then had the victim perform sex acts on him in the car.
Travel to French soil and join us for a night filled with two of the most beloved French traditions—no plane ticket required! ?
On January 25th, we invite you to experience the magic of Galette des Rois, a 700-year-old tradition celebrated across France throughout the entire month of January (and even beyond!). This sweet, almond-filled puff pastry topped with a golden crown isn’t just a treat—it’s a celebration! The lucky person who finds the fève (a porcelain charm hidden in one of the slices) becomes the King or Queen for the Day, and don’t worry—there will be plenty of royalty to go around! ??
But that’s not all! In France, Les Voeux (New Year’s wishes) continue throughout January, often accompanied by Champagne and good cheer. We’re bringing that festive spirit to you, with a lively evening packed with French food, wine, and music.
What’s in store:
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra,
this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
