On Sunday, September 20, family, friends, princesses, superheroes, first responders, and volunteers with The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation gathered for a celebration parade. Cars were decorated with balloons and signs of support.
The event was all for three-year-old Matthew who, in 2019, was diagnosed with cancer. Mathew has endured 13 rounds of chemotherapy, four surgeries, three serious bacterial infections, two bone marrow transplants, and six months of immunotherapy. In early September, after a week of scans, blood work, biopsies, and tests, he was declared free of the disease.
Parde viewers looked on from the intersection of Routes 29 and 15 in Haymarket and smiled when the perfectly dressed princesses from “The Princess Performer” rested on the top of a privately owned fire truck, driven by Mark Olsen, of Nokesville. The parade began with Prince William County Police’s B-Squad Western District, with sirens and lights leading the way down the street to Mathew’s family home.
Mathew and his family sat in their yard, next to a sign stating “Way to Go Matthew” from SignGypsies, of Bristow, and a surprise moon bounce from Bruno’s Bounce House. About 30 cars paraded past as their occupants shouted, hoked horns, and waived from windows and sunroofs. Storm Troopers and Imperial Pilots from Star Wars, Spiderman, and Deadpool, marched too.
The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation had been by the family’s side since their lives were upended with Mathew’s diagnosis. The needs for a family in this situation can be overwhelming,” said foundation founder Sara Knight. The foundation provided the family with their mortgage, utilities, and groceries. When Mathew’s father had to work and his mom had to take Mathew to treatments, the foundation helped coordinate child care for Mathew’s siblings.
The family expresses their for Knight, calling her “wonder woman” and saying that the foundation has a magical wand. Knight’s ability to know what a family needs and how to support them through a medical crisis comes from personal experience. The foundation, based in Bristow, was founded by Knight in honor of her daughter Julia, who passed away in 2013 at age 12, due to complications of a rare disease.
The foundation serves families in Northern Virginia and in some areas of West Virginia with children who are seriously ill, have special needs, or are currently facing a medical crisis. The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation’s mission is to grant wishes that bring joy and change lives, fill in gaps other services are unable to fill and provide support with day-to-day needs for families going through the unimaginable with their child.
The children blessed in honor of Julia Grace are lovingly called “Raindancers” because, despite the storms they face every day, they have learned to “Dance in the Rain” just like Julia Grace.
The foundation builds ramps, purchases iPads to keep children entertained while they are in the hospital, modifies homes to give children with special needs more independence, creates outdoor spaces for children to enjoy, provides room makeovers, contributes therapy-related gifts, throws parties to celebrate ‘end of chemo’ and so much more! SJGF also helps Raindancer families with house payments, utilities, groceries, and crisis-related needs that have arisen in 2020.
A Woodbridge man is dead after a crash on Interstate 95.
At 11:23 p.m. Wednesday, September 28, Virginia State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash in Fairfax County. The crash occurred on Interstate 95 at the 161-mile marker.
A 2007 Honda Odyssey was traveling south on I-95 at a high rate of speed when it came upon stopped traffic. The Honda was unable to stop in time and rear-ended a southbound 2013 Nissan Altima. The impact of that crash caused each vehicle to strike a rear corner of a southbound tractor-trailer.
The driver of the Nissan, Hassan Sarwat Siddig, 26, of Woodbridge, Va., was taken to INOVA Health-Plex Lorton Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries early the next morning. Siddig was not wearing a seatbelt, said police.
The driver of the Honda, Prentis C. Carmichael, 27, of Dumfries, Va., was taken to INOVA Fairfax Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He was arrested for DUI and involuntary manslaughter. Carmichael was wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 55-year-old male from Florida, was not injured in the crash.
Henry Villatoro, 29, of Woodbridge, died September 25, 2020 at Sentara Northern VA Medical Center.
Gloria I. Macias, 104, died in her home surrounded by her family September 19, 2020.
Service
Ba Doan
83 of Vienna died on September 23, 2020 at the Adler Center in Aldie VA. He is survived by his wife of 33 years Mongxuan Nguyen, daughters Sarah Doan and Trang Doan.
Services will be held on Thursday October 1, 2020 beginning at 2:00 at Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home and Crematory located at 4143 Dale Blvd. Dale City, VA 22193
Good Morning Prince William – Halloween is almost here, and Historic Manassas is hosting a “Mask-querade” Ball on October 31 at Harris Pavilion. Volunteers are needed to work a 4-hour shift as set up crew, thermometer readers, ticket sales and check-in, game attendants and costume contest judging. Masks must be worn; volunteers can come in costume. Please email [email protected] for more information on this fun event.
Non-COVID-19 Opportunities:
• BEACON for Adult Literacy urgently needs volunteers to become virtual technology facilitators for their morning fall classes operating now to November 12. Classes are held Monday and Wednesday morning, 9am-11am. Volunteers will provide technical support via Zoom for instructors of online classes 2-4 hours a week. Basic knowledge on hosting meetings and using Zoom features preferred. Please fill out an application at https://beaconliteracy.org/get-involved/volunteer-application/. For more information, call 571-422-2242 or email [email protected].
• For Children’s Sake of Virginia urgently needs Virtual Tutors age 18+ to help foster children with their schoolwork. Volunteers can assist any weekday or evening on a wide variety of subjects from elementary through high school. These foster youth are struggling and now that school continues to be virtual, they need some serious help from dedicated tutors. Please contact Kelley at [email protected] for more information.
• Save the Date! Keep Prince William Beautiful will hold their October Cleanup in Dumfries on October 10, 10am-1:30pm. Meet at 17755 Main Street in Dumfries; volunteers will spread out to remove litter from the public spaces. Please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/keepprincewilliambeautiful for more information on how you can participate.
• Here’s a unique way to donate food and fight hunger! Manassas Hunger & Homeless Outreach Ministries is holding a Virtual Food Drive through November 30 to benefit Manassas Mobile Home Park. Residents of this community have been severely impacted by the loss of jobs and income due to COVID-19 and your donation will help to replenish their community food pantry. Please visit https://www.fooddriveonline.org/manassasfoodpantry/MHHO to learn how you can help.
• Mark your calendar! Prince William County Solid Waste Division and Keep Prince William Beautiful will be holding their first-ever Fix-It Fair on October 17, 10 am-4 pm, at Connaughton Plaza, 1 County Complex Court, Woodbridge. It’s a great way bring your salvageable items for repair and reuse! Repair work will be done by appointment only and pre-registration is required. Please visit www.KPWB.org/events to sign up for an appointment. Please email [email protected] for more information.
• Prince William Food Rescue (PWFR) can still use volunteer Food Rescue Heroes as the program is super busy delivering food to both ACTS and SERVE homebound clients. Volunteers in the Gainesville/Haymarket area are especially needed! Home food deliveries are no contact and follow social distancing guidelines. PWFR is an app-based program enabling volunteers to pick up viable, close to expiration food from supermarkets, restaurants, food pantries, etc., and then deliver it to a program that can immediately use the food. More info on PWFR may be found at https://pwfoodrescue.org/. Please contact Shirley at [email protected] or call 703-441-8606 ext. 212 for more information.
• The Salvation Army is collecting items for seniors and vulnerable populations. You can help by creating care packages from the security of your own home and safely dropping items at their Prince William location in Woodbridge. Food items such as canned soups/other dry or canned foods are requested. Non-food items such as socks, toiletries, diapers/baby wipes, and sanitizing supplies are also needed. Donated items can be dropped off at 1483 Old Bridge Road, Suite 102, Woodbridge 22192. Please email Angela at [email protected] or call 703-580-8991 to learn more.
• SERVE’s Hunger Resource Center needs Food Recovery Driver volunteers to make routine pick-ups from grocery stores and restaurants. Shifts are Monday-Friday, 8 am-12 pm with a commitment of at least one day a week. This is a long-term commitment of at least six months. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. Ride-along training with experienced volunteer or staff and vehicle provided. Please email [email protected] for more information.
COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities:
The Community Feeding Task Force Operations Center in Manassas needs strong volunteers age 18-55 on Friday afternoons from 12noon to 3pm to help with large end-of-week pick-ups for the community food pantries and restocking. This is a very busy time of the week since many pantries offer food distributions on the weekend. You’ll feel great as you work hard to provide food for vulnerable families in our community! To register, please visit www.volunteerprincewilliam.org to create an account, then Respond to this opportunity (“Community Feeding Taskforce Warehouse Friday Afternoons”). Please email [email protected] for more information.
Medical Reserve Corps Support your local health department and your community during a public health emergency! Volunteers are needed to support several missions, including public health education and outreach, disease investigation, vaccine clinics, and more! Medical experience is not required; they have roles for everyone! Bilingual volunteers are especially needed. Volunteers must be 18 years of age, complete minimum training, and pass a state background check to serve. Please fill out an application at vamrc.org. Questions? Please email Amy at [email protected] for more information.
• ACTS and the Community Feeding Taskforce (CFT) are in urgent need of Volunteer Delivery Drivers (non-CDL) to deliver food daily from the CFT Warehouse in Manassas to multiple food distribution sites. Volunteers must be able to maneuver pallets using a pallet jack and assist with loading the truck from the CFT Warehouse and then unloading pallets at the destination. Volunteers should be able to lift 40 pounds. Must have a valid driver’s license; non-CDL is okay. A background check is required. All ACTS Volunteers must first complete and submit the online volunteer application found at actspwc.org. Please contact Shirley at [email protected] to learn more.
• American Red Cross needs volunteers to be Shelter Service Associates in the event of a disaster during COVID-19. Volunteers work in person in a Red Cross shelter before, during, and after a disaster event, completing tasks necessary for shelter operations and providing assistance for disaster clients. Duties include working in reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information, or other areas within a shelter. Please email [email protected] for more information.
If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call our wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William at 703-369-5292. You can also visit our website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.
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