Good morning – Contract Solutions Inc. supports homeless individuals through their Hope in a Bag program. They are looking for partners in the community to help them provide little basics in a bag. This is a wonderful opportunity for scouts, teams or families to gather socks, snacks, granola bars, personal toiletry items and a positive message to these folks. This program runs through March. Please email Carole at: [email protected] to learn more about this wonderful outreach to a vulnerable population.
· Mark your calendars for Monday February 8th for the Baking the Pie with YOUR Dough Program. It’s a special lively panel discussion by opinionated and engaged community advocates addressing the creation of the County’s annual budget. The event is hosted by Our Prince William and PWC SCOPE. This promises to be fun and educational. The free event starts at 6:30pm at the NVCC Woodbridge Campus- Lakeside Theater and open to all. Please register for this event on either organization’s Facebook page: facebook.com/ourprincewilliamva or facebook.com/pwcscope.
· The American Heart Association needs volunteers for their Annual Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting & Auction on March 9-12th. Positions include guest registration, auction monitoring, serving wine and others. Please email Joellen at: [email protected] for more information.
· Project Mend a House is looking for volunteers at their Annual Spring Into health fair at Saturday April 9th. This free event id for the entire family with all kinds of health checks and health living topics. Volunteers receive a free listing in their directory, info about their organization and a business card size ad. Please call Jodie at (703) 792-7663 to learn more.
· Virginia Cooperative Extension is offering Smart Money Management class on Tuesday February 9th, 7-9pm at the Sudley North Government center. This free event is open to all but please register by emailing: [email protected]. They also invite you to their next Homeownership Seminar on Saturday February 13th from 9am-4pm also at the same location and please register for that event via the same email. Good constructive learning always going on at the Cooperative Extension office.
· Are you passionate about hunger relief? If so, SERVE Food Assistance Specialist opportunity is the role for you. Duties include: greet clients arriving for assistance and get them checked in, welcome them to the self-serve shopping area and assist them as needed, prepare food packages and check clients out before they leave, among other duties. Volunteer hours are flexible Monday-Saturday. Youth under 16 must volunteer with a parent. Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds. For more info, please contact Jan Hawkins at [email protected].
· Spring is right around the corner! Mark your calendars for Saturday April 2nd for the Civil War Trust Annual Park Clean-up Day at Bristoe Station Battlefield. The event is 8am-12 noon. Come maintain, restore and preserve this little jewel. Duties include litter pick up, trail maintenance, cleaning the cemetery throughout the 140 acre park. Wear sturdy work shoes, bring gloves and don’t forget the sunscreen. Tools and snacks provided, please no pets. Meet at the parking lot off of Iron Brigade Unit Ave. Call Bill at (703) 366-3049 with any questions.
· Mark your calendars for the 25th Annual Strikes for SERVE Bowl-a-Thon on Saturday March 12th at Bowl America, Mathis Avenue, Manassas from 1-4pm. This super fun event is full of music, prizes and bowling for a great cause. Please visit their website to register at: nvfs.org/bowlathon or call Pam at (571) 748-2537 for more info.
· 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
Prince William County’s plans for an indoor sports complex in Woodbridge face a significant shift following this week’s decision by the Board of County Supervisors to allocate $250,000 for a consultant to determine the best use for the site. The 21.85-acre property near I-95 and the state’s most enormous commuter lot, the Horner Road lot, had been the centerpiece of a proposal to build a large indoor recreation facility to attract travel teams and host major events like graduations.
The property, once proposed as the location for a large indoor sports and recreation facility, is now part of a broader development plan. County officials aim to aggregate the land with four adjacent parcels, totaling nearly 50 acres of county- and state-owned land, including existing commuter parking lots. The mission is to transform the area into a community hub that harmonizes living, working, and leisure spaces while generating jobs and tax revenue.
Known colloquially as Prince William Landing, the area was previously considered as a potential site for a new Washington Commanders football stadium alongside another location near Potomac Mills mall. Both sites were discussed as part of efforts to keep the team in Northern Virginia after its lease on FedEx Field expires in 2027. However, those plans did not materialize.
According to county documents, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, along with the Finance Department and Office of Procurement Services, is leading the effort to attract a strategic real estate partner. The process will follow the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (PPEA) to identify a development partner capable of delivering a project that strengthens the county’s sense of place and meets diverse community needs.
Photo: Mike Mullin By Sarah Roderick Fitch (The Center Square) – Three amendments are one step closer to being enshrined in the Virginia Constitution after passing the Senate on Tuesday….
Germanna Community College (GCC) hosted a ribbon cutting at its new Stafford expansion today, January 23, 2025. The event marked the opening of two buildings in Stafford: the Barbara J. Fried Building at 10 Center Street and the Kevin L. Dillard Health Sciences Building at 25 Center Street.
GCC was established in 1970 as part of Virginia’s Community College System and has locations in Culpeper, Locust Grove, Fredericksburg, and Stafford. The school’s website says over 13,000 students are enrolled.
The new expansion added 74,000 square feet to the campus with a $20 million investment. GCC plans to double enrollment in allied health services, like nursing. They will also expand their cybersecurity, IT, general education, and dual enrollment programs.
The preliminary hearing for Tryevon Davis, one of three men charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Jason Thomas Blake in Dumfries, has been delayed due to the pending completion of the Medical Examiner’s report. This critical evidence is being handled by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Northern District office.
Davis, along with Jerrome Thomas Barnes, 40, and Jackson Arthur Crisler, 30, face charges stemming from a fatal shooting on October 25, 2024. Police said Blake had gone to a residence on Cherry Hill Road in Dumfries to sell a firearm and purchase narcotics. An altercation ensued, leading to Blake being handcuffed, abducted, and taken to a secluded area along Triangle Street, where he was fatally shot. His body was discovered two days later in the backseat of his car.
The Prince William County Police Department charged Davis, 31, of Dumfries, with accessory before the fact in the commission of a felony, conspiracy to commit a felony, two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and abduction. Barnes and Crisler face additional charges, including murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. All three suspects remain in custody without bond.
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.
