· Good morning – Memorial Day- May 25th is right around the corner and SERVE needs a group of volunteers to prepare breakfast or lunch to the residents of the Family Care Shelter. You need to provide all the food ingredients but can utilize their kitchen or grills if you want to do an all American cookout. It’s a special day and a very special way for you to help our most vulnerable citizens. Please email Jan at: [email protected] to learn more.
· Historic Manassas is looking for volunteers to help with the 21st Annual Railway Festival on Saturday June 6th in Old Town Manassas. Duties include line control, directional, helping with games and activities. This is a super fun event. Please email Erin at: [email protected] to learn more.
· Tornado season upon us I thought I would remind everyone to sign-up for their local Alert network to receive severe weather notifications. In Prince William County go to: www.pwcgov.org/pwcan, and in Manassas go to: www.manassascity.org/alert, and in Manassas Park visit www.cityofmanassaspark.us and scroll to the bottom right or the page and click on the sign-up icon. The American Red Cross has excellent apps for your cell phone as well. Stay safe out there!
· I’m calling on individual’s age 55+ in the Gainesville, Haymarket area including Heritage Hunt and Dominion Valley to join our Drive a Vet Program with RSVP. We have requests from veterans or their spouses for a ride to their doctor appointments. Come join this wonderful program of simply giving someone a ride! Please call Coleen at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1 to learn more
· The Alzheimer’s Association is looking for volunteers to assist with our community outreach and awareness efforts. They need volunteers for several upcoming events. Please contact Sony for additional information: [email protected] or 703-766-9025.
· Brain Injury Services is looking for volunteers to be matched in one to one friendships with survivors of brain injury. Experience is not necessary only your interest. Please call Michelle at (703) 451-8881 ext.232 to learn more.
· BARN is in need of more raffle baskets for their upcoming golf tournament fundraiser named in honor of Senator Colgan. This is a great way for a business, group, or individual to help homeless women and children. Call Tammy at 703-369-1325.
· BEACON Adult Literacy needs an electrician to tutor an adult in the Manassas area as he prepares to take his state license exam. Please call Caroline at (703) 368-7491 to learn more.
· Literacy Volunteers of America- Prince William need volunteer tutors to work with adults in the Woodbridge area. No experience necessary as you will get all the skills needed at their tutor training beginning on May 23rd. You can be a life-changer. Please call (703) 670-5702 or visit their website at: lvapw.org to learn more.
· Grace United Methodist Church is having “Change the World Weekend” on May 16 with community hands-on projects. There will be projects for all ages: Stop Hunger Now Meal Packaging Event, Habitat for Humanity Project, Small Home Repairs, begin a community vegetable garden, and more. Please visit www.umcgrace.org to find out more.
· Please mark your calendars for Sunday May 17th to honor our fallen military by holding flags on the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon course from 6am-11am. This movement is called Wear Blue and certainly epitomizes how we all feel for our service members. Please call Krista at (410) 932-1812 to learn more.
· Capital Caring is looking for volunteer artists to do monthly art activities with nursing home residents. Please call Rachel at (703) 957-1785 for locations and times to share your love of art.
· Court Service Unit would love your help during traditional business hours helping with screening of individuals seeking protective orders, custody, visitation, and answering the phones, filing and such. This is a fun fast paced environment and includes a background check before starting. Please call Lynn at (703) 792-4785 to learn more.
· Division of Historic Preservation is gearing up for spring projects at the Julie Metz Wetlands Preserve in Woodbridge. Volunteers are needed to help with trail and stream clean-up, development of interpretive materials and education programs. These volunteer opportunities continue through the fall. Please call Rebecca at (703) 499-9812 to learn more about this county treasure.
· 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.
Call to Action is a column written by Volunteer Prince William Director Mary Foley.
Recent Stories
A debate over proposed legislation targeting panhandling in road medians sparked a spirited discussion among Stafford County Supervisors during their January 21 meeting. The proposed bill, sponsored by Delegate Paul Milde (R-64, Stafford County), seeks to impose fines on motorists and pedestrians who exchange items in roadway medians to improve safety and reduce traffic disruptions.
The legislation was also a topic of discussion on the Potomac Local News Podcast, where Milde elaborated on his rationale behind the bill in an interview with Publisher Uriah Kiser.
During the podcast, Milde emphasized the safety and traffic issues posed by panhandling in medians.
A speeding incident escalated into a high-speed pursuit Wednesday, January 21, 2025, on Interstate 95, according to Virginia State Police spokesman Matthew Demlein.
At 11:33 a.m., a Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop a silver sedan traveling northbound on I-95 near the 157-mile marker in Prince William County for speeding—clocked at 93 mph in a 60-mph zone. The driver refused to stop, prompting a police pursuit.
During the chase, the sedan struck the mirror of another vehicle, causing minor damage, but no injuries were reported. The pursuit continued onto eastbound Interstate 495 and ultimately ended at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, marking the Maryland state line. At that point, the pursuit was terminated.
A recent cybersecurity incident affecting PowerSchool, a global provider of education administration software, has raised concerns for school systems across the country, including Fredericksburg City and Manassas City Public Schools. PowerSchool confirmed that its internal systems were breached in late December, resulting in unauthorized access to data involving students and educators from hundreds of school divisions.
PowerSchool, widely used by schools worldwide, supports over 18,000 institutions, serving more than 60 million students. The platform handles essential administrative functions such as attendance tracking, grade reporting, and student data management. While PowerSchool has restored its systems’ security, the breach underscores the vulnerability of sensitive educational information.
Kristen Senechal. [Photo courtesy of NOVEC]On Wednesday, the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative’s (NOVEC) Board of Directors named Kristen Senechal as the organization’s next president and CEO. “After an eight-month national…
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.
