On Saturday, February 1, local musicians and bands are gathering at Strangeways Brewing for the Eric Becker Memorial Concert benefiting the Fredericksburg SPCA.
A member of Radar Theory, bandmate Johnny Boothe said Becker was known for being genuinely caring to everyone in his life. He “loved his friends, his family, and his wife Kathleen deeply,” Boothe said.
Becker and Boothe met in 2021 at an Adventure Brewery Open Mic night and decided to form a band called Radar Theory.
In the fall of 2022, Becker noticed chest pain during a rehearsal and went to the hospital a few days later. He was diagnosed with cancer and began aggressive treatment immediately. Becker had several months of treatment and seemed to be doing well for a few months in 2023 before his cancer returned.
Becker proposed to his girlfriend Kathleen in October and they married in November. After an illness and brief hospitalization, Becker passed away shortly after Christmas.
Booth said “Playing and writing music with Eric was a gift. There’s a bond in creating something with others, sharing it with the outside world and risking the world telling you how awful it is. But sometimes, they also tell you how it meant something to them. You take that ride together.”
In 2024, Boothe and other local musicians joined and played live at a Celebration of Life honoring Becker. Afterward, they discussed holding a memorial concert in January to honor his memory and give back somehow. The concert was scheduled around Becker’s January 27 birthday. Strangeways was chosen for their support of the local music scene and for their ability to host live music and large crowds.
Eric’s wife, Kathleen, works at the Fredericksburg SPCA and supports animal rescues.
The concert will feature six performers and bands: Emily Woodhull, Sarah Perrotto, Green Bean & The Rhythmic Meadows, and Richmond band Bucko.
In addition to the live music, the event will feature raffles of gift card bundles from local breweries, wineries, and restaurants. Boothe said they were grateful for the generosity of local businesses.
Boothe said honoring Becker by combining music with the SPCA just made sense. Becker was passionate about music, people, and animals.
Boothe said he’s hoping for an excellent audience for Saturday’s concert. “Without them, we’re just up there on stage having band practice. The audience is everything.” He hopes they recognize being part of the tribute to Becker and “realize the impact they make every time they go out and support local music and local business.”
The Eric Becker Memorial Concert will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Strangeways Brewing. The brewery is located at 350 Lansdowne Road. Food truck Rosie’s Pizza & Doner Kebab will arrive at 1 p.m.
Donations can also be made to the Fredericksburg SPCA in Becker’s name.
From delivering meals to providing emotional support, Simply Angels Veterans Outreach has become a vital resource for hundreds of veterans living with disabilities in Virginia. Simply Angels Veterans Outreach, a nonprofit organization that supports disabled and homebound veterans, has been serving six Virginia counties for nearly 40 years.
Founded by veteran Susan Purks, the group began when she helped a severely burned veteran regain his passion for life. Over time, Purks expanded her efforts to assist other disabled veterans, focusing on career plans tailored to their physical and emotional needs.
Andrea Graham said, “The name came about from the clients themselves who often referred to their visitors as ‘Simply Angels.’”
Today, Simply Angels provides services in Hanover, Caroline, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Louisa, and King George counties. The organization has grown from assisting one individual to supporting 300 veterans, with many more on a waiting list. Volunteers deliver food, provide companionship, and assess veterans’ needs, including home repairs, transportation, and crisis intervention. Graham said, “we often respond to emergency situations in the middle of the night if the veteran can’t sleep, has a medical crisis, or simply didn’t make it to the bathroom in time. We build relationships and teach the clients to build relationships and become active in the community again.”
Many clients face barriers to accessing traditional food banks, so the group delivers canned goods and prepared meals directly to veterans’ homes. The drivers are trained in recognizing and dealing with PTSD, emergency mental health crisis care, and protecting the personal information of homebound veterans, who can be easy targets for criminal activity, Graham said.
New clients and those in crisis receive weekly visits, while others are visited monthly. Simply Angels also offers 24/7 support via a dedicated phone line for emergencies or other needs.
Referrals often come from friends, neighbors, firefighters, and social services. Volunteers initially visit veterans with a meal in hand, working to build trust and address their specific needs. If the first visit is refused, Graham said, volunteers will visit again until the meal makes it onto the kitchen table.
“Many [veterans] need food, and all need to know they have not been forgotten and that they matter,” Graham said. “Loneliness, not PTSD, is the major cause of suicide among vets.”
To expand their impact, Simply Angels collaborates with nonprofits, churches, and fraternal organizations. “We never try to duplicate services but love to join forces,” Graham said. They exchange canned goods with local food banks to provide veterans with easier-to-open containers. Churches have also donated kitchens for meal preparations, and fraternal groups have led food drives and provided financial support.
This year, Simply Angels became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making contributions tax-deductible. Their current project is the annual Christmas meal, which will provide three meals each to 200 veterans. Volunteers are needed to assemble the meals on December 21 at 7 a.m. at Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Spotsylvania.
The group is also seeking long-term volunteers for fundraising, food collection, and specialized roles such as marketing and pet sitting for veterans who are hospitalized. Donations of canned goods, small appliances, and monetary support are welcome. Interested individuals can connect with Simply Angels through their Facebook page.
“We can find a job for anyone,” Graham said, noting the organization is happy to have any and all volunteers. Volunteers can help with fundraising, collecting canned goods, or even shopping thrift stores for crockpots, coffee pots, and other appliances veterans may need.
Graham also said they are looking for volunteers with marketing and media skills, as well as pet sitters to assist when veterans are hospitalized.
The ultimate goal of Simply Angels is to eliminate the waiting list and ensure that all referred veterans receive immediate support. Volunteers, many of whom are former clients, remain unpaid, with all donations going directly to veteran services.
“The biggest thrill for Simply Angels is when clients progress from needing services to becoming volunteers, which has happened on more than one occasion,” Graham added.
Simply Angels can be reached through their Facebook page, which also provides information about volunteers opportunities and contact emails.
Press Release:
Domino’s stores across Greater Woodbridge are teaming up with Ghostbusters Virginia to collect Toys for Tots from now through Dec. 8 at participating locations. Domino’s hopes to help bring the joy of the holiday season to children in need through donations from community members.
Customers who wish to donate can drop off new, unwrapped toys in donation bins in the lobbies of the following Domino’s stores:
- 16430 Navigation Drive in Woodbridge
- 14402 Richmond Highway in Woodbridge
- 5892 Mapledale Plaza in Woodbridge
- 2886 Dale Blvd. in Woodbridge
- 1395 Old Bridge Road in Woodbridge
- 556 Garrisonville Road in Stafford
- 2606 Jefferson Davis Highway in Stafford
- 338 Potomac Ave. in Quantico
- 5159 Waterway Drive in Dumfries
- 13448 Dumfries Road in Manassas
Customers who bring in one or more toys to donate will receive a large one-topping Hand Tossed Pizza for $6, now through Dec. 8. The offer will be applied once an in-store team member verifies a customer’s toy donation.
“Engaging with community giving opportunities such as collecting Toys for Tots donations is so fulfilling for our store teams,” said Nona Sonnier, Domino’s director of corporate operations in Virginia. “Domino’s is so much more than a pizza company; we are a company that deeply cares about its communities, and we are pleased to provide our customers with a chance to donate to a special cause.”
Toy donation bins will be collected and dropped off at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico on the afternoon of Dec. 8.
To locate and order from a participating Domino’s location, visit www.dominos.com.
Press Release:
Yesterday, at the warehouse operated by Northern Virginia food pantry Food For Others, employees and associates of I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), the builder and operator of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, packed a grand total of 660 Power Packs for the area’s school-aged children.
The donation of time is in addition to I-66 EMP’s contribution of $10,000 to Food For Others, also made yesterday.
The Power Pack Program sends backpack meals home with students who, without their school-provided meals, do not get enough food on the weekends. Power Packs consist of two items each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus two snacks and two healthy beverages. The program assists approximately 3,600 students at 52 schools throughout Fairfax County, helping them alleviate hunger over the weekend and return to school each Monday ready to learn. More about Food For Others’ Power Pack Program is at https://foodforothers.org/get-help/power-packs-for-kids.
“We talk about making a difference, and EMP’s donation of time and funding truly makes a significant difference for kids around Fairfax County,” said Deb Haynes, executive director of Food For Others. “The Power Pack Program is among our most impactful programs, so we’re pleased to receive this help from EMP. We consider the 66 Express Outside the Beltway to be one of our strongest partners.”
On-site packing of Power Packs for kids is the latest collaboration between Food For Others and I-66 EMP. In December 2022, the roadway operator collected nearly 600 pounds of food from a holiday food drive on behalf of Food For Others. In November 2023, I-66 EMP gave Food For Others $5,000 specifically earmarked for the Power Pack Program. Then I-66 EMP donated a heavy-duty 12.8-cubic-foot refrigerator to Food For Others in March 2024.
“It’s hard for a child to learn when they’re hungry. That’s why fighting against food insecurity among our area’s schoolchildren is crucial to our support of local public education and school readiness,” said Nancy Smith, corporate affairs director for I-66 EMP. “We enjoyed working with Food For Others to put together these Power Packs, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Food For Others for a long time to come.”
About Food For Others:
Based in Fairfax, Food For Others is one of the largest providers of emergency food assistance in Northern Virginia. The organization serves 2,600 families per week and distributes weekend meal packs to roughly 3,700 students weekly. Learn more about how to donate and how to get involved at www.FoodForOthers.org or by calling 703-207-9173.About the 66 Express Outside the Beltway:
Part of VDOT’s Transform 66 Outside the Beltway program, the lanes of the 66 Express are a transformative 22.5-mile multi-modal mega-project featuring advanced dynamic-tolling systems to keep traffic flowing at all times. The lanes provide Northern Virginia commuters, businesses, and mass transit with a reliable option to move people, goods, and services throughout the I-66 corridor, allowing drivers to Sit Less, Live More. Visit www.Ride66Express.com to learn more, and keep up with the 66 Express on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.About I-66 Express Mobility Partners:
I-66 Express Mobility Partners (EMP) is a consortium of leading infrastructure companies including Cintra, Meridiam, and APG. In public-private partnership (P3) with VDOT, I-66 EMP is contracted to operate the 66 Express Outside the Beltway through 2066. Connect with I-66 EMP on LinkedIn.
