By Eliut Morales

The holidays are coming up, and for the next few weeks, shopping malls will be filled with people shopping for gifts for their loved ones. If you happen to be at Manassas Mall this holiday season, be sure to look up, and you’ll find our new banner hanging above Santa’s picture station!

You see banners and advertisements at shopping malls all the time, so it may not seem like a big deal to most. For us, however, it means a great deal. The opportunity to be represented in what may be the most populated part of the mall in December means that we’ll be able to reach out to many more families about all we have to offer! Many people will be at Santa’s station to take pictures with him, and our banner will be there for everyone to see!

The pictures on the banner are only a glimpse of all the fun and exciting programs we have waiting for you. After you’re done shopping, check out Breakfast with Santa or the Light Parade to get in the holiday spirit! We’re very excited for the opportunity to show families all of the recreational activities that are right in their neighborhood.

So if you’re at Manassas Mall shopping this holiday season and find our banner, be sure to take a selfie and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us by using the hashtag #MPCC2018! We look forward to seeing all the new faces that will be stopping by thanks to this opportunity. You belong here!

The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA, Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at manassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.

This post was written and sponsored by Manassas Park Community Center

 

Students at Patriot High School are a little richer in experience and cash today.

Chick-fil-A Bristow owner Mike Lovitt presented a $1,082 check to the in Patriot High School’s Special Education programs. The program teaches students across the autism spectrum life and job skills.

The money donated to the school were proceeds from the Second Annual Chick-fil-A Bristow Charity Golf Tournament held on September 22 at Broad Run Golf & Practice Facility. Chick-fil-A Bristow selected the organization inside the school to be the beneficiary of the proceeds for the charity golf tournament

“It did my heart glad to know we’re supporting you guys,” Lovitt told the students.

He passed out Chick-fil-A Digital Offer Cards and then asked each student to hold them up while he presented the check to school faculty.

The funds will be used to offset the cost of meals and transportation n on field trips outside of the classroom. Students in the program are regularly taken offsite to learn social and job skills in a real-world environment, said instructor Brook Bell.

“This is great because we don’t have to ask parents to pitch in,” said Bell, who is an instructor in the school’s Employ program that teaches employment skills, and places students into internships and jobs.

The students also learned a lot on the golf course, too. They worked alongside other students in Patriot High School’s Interact Club, which is affiliated with the Gainesville – Haymarket Rotary Club. They helped register golfers in the tournament and to sell raffle tickets.

While the students work diligently during the week learning social skills at school and on the job, the weekend on the golf course proved to be a fun and unique experience for all students involved, said Bell.

Chick-fil-A Bristow is located at 9939 Sowder Village Square in Bristow.

The December Competitive Edge Athlete of the Month is Kieara “Kiki” Edwards.

Flosoftball ranked Edwards, a senior at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas,
number 88 for the class of 2019 softball players. Athletes are selected based on the AthPro360 performance index, interviews with elite club coaches and scouts, and general high school and travel statistics.

Edwards was a key player for the East Cobb Bullets. She helped them win the 2018 Triple Crown 18u National Championship last summer.

Edwards’ high school softball team won the 2016 Virginia 6A State Championships and was runner-up in the 2017 Virginia 6a State Championships.  In over 200 at-bats, Edwards has only had five strikeouts in her high school seasons. She has received All-Conference and All-Region titles.

Now Edwards plays for the 18U Birmingham Thunderbolts who ranked number one in the 16U National NPS Ranking.

In Fall, Edwards will be attending Mississippi State University where she is committed to play softball.

 

Q: How long have you been training at Competitive Edge?
A: I began training at Competitive Edge the summer before my tenth grade year in 2016.

 

Q: What makes Competitive Edge unique?
A: Training at Competitive Edge provides an environment that develops and feeds competition. On any given day, you will train with/around District One (D1) and D1 bound athletes. Also, the facility layout for softball/baseball allows me to get an amazing workout for both offense and defense.

 

Q: What is your favorite type of workout and why?
A: I am constantly working to become a better hitter. Regardless of how I perform, I can always be better. I hit five days a week at Competitive Edge, mainly focusing on improving my swing and correcting any issues. In a normal session, I will hit between 250-400 balls. I also enjoy the Vertimax and agility classes. As an outfielder, it is important to keep my reflexes quick and my body strong and balanced.

 

Q: What has been your greatest athletic success?
A: Softball is typically known as a game of failure, so anytime you have a great game, win a tournament, or have an overall awesome season, it is a huge accomplishment. My greatest athletic success was during my 2016 softball season: My high school team, Osbourn Park, won the Virginia 6A State Championship, and my travel team, East Cobb Bullets, won the prestigious Independence Day 16U Championship in Boulder, Colo. During that summer season, I hit a grand slam off of a pitcher headed to play in the PAC 12 which was huge in my recruitment to Mississippi State. My ultimate success was my verbal commitment to play softball at Mississippi State University in October 2016.

 

Q: What has been the most difficult part of your journey to fitness?
A: In Sept. 2017, I had surgery on my left foot to correct a bone issue. The physical and mental recovery after the surgery was one of the most difficult challenges I had to deal with as an athlete. After not being able to run or bear-weight on my foot for over 6 months, I had to re-teach myself, along with the help of my physical therapist, how to engage the lower half of my body in my swing and while running. I spent numerous hours training at Competitive Edge.

 

Q: How did you initially react when you learned that you were Athlete of the Month?
A: When the Competitive Edge staff shared that I was going to be recognized as the Athlete of the Month, I was surprised and elated. I immediately shared the news with my family.

 

Q: What does being the Competitive Edge Athlete of the Month mean to you?
A: There are tons of athletes in the Prince William County area, and for Competitive Edge to want to recognize my accomplishments was a huge honor. As competitive athletes, we train extremely hard, we don’t have the same social life as a regular teenager, and we spend hours training, competing, and traveling, so to be recognized is amazing and heartwarming.

 

Q: What motivates you to get out of bed and workout each day?
A: Knowing that someone else is out of their bed working to get better motivates me. My parents have always told me that everyone is your competition and that there is someone out there that wants it just as bad or more, so don’t stop grinding.

 

Q: What is the most beneficial part of being an athlete?
A: Being an athlete keeps me focused and dedicated to my goals, both academic and athletic. There are no days off when you are grinding to get better and be successful.

 

Q: How will you continue to maintain your fitness in college?
A: At Mississippi State University, we have a conditioning coach that is dedicated to the softball program. I am certain my fitness program will intensify, and I look forward to becoming more physically fit and a better athlete.

 

Q: What are your goals in the next ten years?
A: My goals are to become 2019 6A State Champions,  2019 Independence Day National 18u Champions, and 2019 PGF 18u National Champions. I also want to win an NCAA National Championship, have a successful softball career at Mississippi State University, graduate with a BS in Kinesiology, obtain my Ph.D. and become a Physical Therapist, work for the NFL as a Physical therapist, and get a Super Bowl ring!

 

Q: Do you have any advice to up-and-coming athletes?
A: To all of the younger softball players and those aspiring to play in college, keep working hard and dreaming big. The sky is the limit as long as you are willing to outwork the competition!

This post is sponsored by Competitive Edge Athletic Performance Center in Woodbridge.

With new forms of group workouts becoming available, it may be difficult to find a class that suits your specific needs. Seniors specifically may struggle to find a workout class that can accommodate varying levels of skill and mobility. Aquatic classes are rising in popularity, and it’s no surprise, due to these classes offering great benefits for seniors. Finding a facility that offers these classes is easier than you think!

According to the CDC, swimming and exercising in water are the fourth most popular sports activities in the United States. Water exercises can benefit seniors by greatly decreasing stress on the joints. The resistance of water gives the body a full workout without having to use a machine or free weights. Water also relaxes the muscles while exercising, meaning that the body may feel less drained after a workout session or class. Many aquatic exercise classes can also accommodate varying mobility levels!

If you live in a neighborhood with a community pool, they may offer workout classes. Many gyms and recreation centers with pools also offer aquatic group exercise classes. The Manassas Park Community Center’s pool is an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) short course certified pool. It consists of eight 25 yard lanes and a zero depth entry. The pool temperature is maintained hourly and kept at a comfortable 82 degrees. It is open for members as well as drop-in guests.

For many years, the Senior Passport at the Manassas Park Community Center has been a staple membership for hundreds of active adults in the area. This membership comes with full access to all of our group exercise classes, including all of our aquatic classes such as Aqua Zumba, Water Walking, Aquasize, and more. Thanks to the feedback from some of our most passionate members, we are happy to announce that residents of Manassas Park can now enjoy the benefits of our Senior Passport for only $10/month! Non-residents can enjoy the Senior Passport for $20/month. This new rate is effective immediately, which means anyone over the age of 60 can now come in to sign up for a new membership! We look forward to joining you on your fitness journey!

The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA, Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at www.manassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.

This post is written By Eliut Morales and sponsored by Manassas Park Community Center

If you had seen John Reed earlier this year, you would have seen a man taking one painful step after another, leaning heavily on a cane.

Months later, it’s a different story for the 69-year-old from just across the Potomac River in Waldorf, Md.

“I didn’t take this lightly. I was in increasingly severe pain for almost the last 20 years, mainly my right knee, but in the last few years, my left knee has also bothered me,” explains Reed.

It’s that pain and the desire to have a Bilateral Knee Joint Replacement which led him to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

“When I was a teenager, I had been through knee surgery and rehab on one knee, so I knew I wanted to get both my knees done at once,” says Reed.

Replacing knees at once is an uncommon procedure, one in which Reed was uniquely qualified.

For most patients, over time, a condition known as severe osteoarthritis develops where the cartilage in the knee joint that creates a natural cushion between your bones breaks down.

“It’s bone on bone,” said Sentara Orthopedics Manager Julie Billingsley. “It’s excruciating.”

As part of the procedure, the old joints are replaced by new, durable synthetic materials. It can take up to six weeks of recovery time for the average patient.

It’s people like Julie and the Sentara Patient Care Services staff members and the time they dedicate to patients like Reed is what makes all the difference.

Julie says in most cases like this, people are not only blinded by their pain, but they have a lot of fears about proper recovery.

The Sentara OrthoJoint® Nurse Navigator, Ada Vega-Diamantis, RN, begins meeting with her patients two to three weeks before the operation to give them a bright outlook on what to expect before they’re admitted to surgery, and then what to know and prepare for during recovery.

While Reed mentally prepared himself for surgery, the experience at the Sentara OrthoJoint® Center was beyond his expectation.

“If it weren’t for the staff at Sentara, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am,” exclaims Reed. “From the moment I walked in to register, to the moment I left, each and every member of the team had a positive attitude and treated my family and me with respect and grace.”

It’s that dedication to caring which is the hallmark of the Sentara OrthoJoint® Center.

“Our focus is to provide extraordinary, individualized care and provide constant communication for patients and their families to ensure seamless coordination and excellent outcomes,” explains Vega-Diamantis.

In the seven months since his surgery, Reed’s range of motion has returned, he’s walking more than three miles a day, and he’s stronger than ever before. He says it’s all due to his care team, “They’re angels from God!”

To learn more about the Sentara OrthoJoint® Center and find a specialist, call 1-800-2ORTHOJT.

The City of Manassas has just completed and received the results of the third City Citizen Satisfaction Survey. This survey is performed every two years by ETC Institute to assess resident satisfaction with the delivery of City services, to help determine priorities for the future of the community and to measure trends from previous surveys and benchmark against other communities.

The 2018 City of Manassas Citizen Satisfaction Survey shows that 81 percent of residents rated the City as an excellent or good place to live. Overall, the survey results showed that satisfaction with City Services is much higher than in other cities. The City of Manassas rated above the U.S. average in 51 out of 64 areas and above the regional average in 49 of 64 areas that were compared.

The City of Manassas rated 23 percent above the U.S. Average and 21 percent above the regional average in the Overall Quality of City Services. The City was rated 27 percent above the U.S. average and 29 percent above the regional average in Customer Service from City Employees.

Categories where the City of Manassas scored significantly higher than the national and regional benchmarks include: the quality of Fire & Rescue services, the maintenance of streets, sidewalks and infrastructure; quality of Police services; quality of trash, recycling, and yard waste; quality of water and sewer utilities; quality of customer service from City employees, and effectiveness of communication with the community.

“City staff work very hard each day to provide quality services and customer service for our residents and I am pleased that our core value of customer service really stands out in this survey,” said City Manager W. Patrick Pate. “This survey provides great insight into the communities’ opinions and areas of priority for the future of the City of Manassas.”

The survey showed that citizen priorities for investment in the City of Manassas are as follows: the flow of traffic and getting around the city, the quality of public education, and the quality of economic development. ETC Institute used a random sample of households within the City of Manassas for this survey. They received 404 completed surveys from all areas and demographics of the City of Manassas. This is a statistically valid survey of a cross-section of City of Manassas residents. To view the entire survey results, visit manassascity.org/css

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is partnering with Postpartum Support Virginia (PSVa) to help women overcome postpartum depression by providing a free peer support group for new mothers. 

The support group will meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 10:00-11:30 at the Hylton Education Center at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, 2300 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge, VA 22191.  The first meeting will be Tuesday, December 11.  For information about the group, email: [email protected]

Postpartum depression and other perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are the MOST COMMON complications of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 new mothers.  According to Adrienne Griffen, MPP, Founder and Executive Director of PSVa, “Left untreated, PMADs can have long-term negative impact on mother, baby, and entire family.  Fortunately, these illnesses are relatively easy to diagnose and treat.”