Stafford County’s Sheriffs will host Coffee with a Cop on October 30 at The Grounds Coffeehouse from 9 – 11 a.m.

The Coffee with a Cop program is a free, public event that allows community members to ask questions or have casual conversations with deputies. Spokesperson Ryan Wilbur said, “The goal has been and will always be to build a meaningful relationship with deputies and community members.”

The program provides a neutral space for the community to interact with law enforcement outside of active incidents and helps build positive connections. All deputies are welcome to attend, with Crime Prevention officers often present, but others, like School Resource Officers and K-9 deputies, participate when available.

The department typically holds the event once a month, depending on other scheduled activities. Common concerns raised during the events include traffic and roadway safety, which are passed on to the Traffic Safety Unit for investigation. The events are also opportunities to ask questions about jobs and the hiring process, or learn more about recent community incidents.

Stafford’s Coffee with a Cop program began in October 2017 as part of National Coffee with a Cop Day. Initially held once a year, the program was expanded to monthly events about three years ago when Deputy F.C. Shannon Jr. took charge. Locations are chosen randomly with the permission of local businesses, and the department tries to offer events in all areas of the county.

Wilbur said children seem to have the most fun at the events and enjoy learning about what deputies do. He added some community members just visit for the chance to chat, “almost like old friends meeting up.”

The Grounds Coffeehouse is located at 50 North Stafford Complex Center.

From Potomac Mills mall

On Thursday, Oct. 31 children and families are encouraged to dress in their spookiest costumes to enjoy free candy and fun at Potomac Mills. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the mall will offer trick-or-treating at participating retailers, marked with a pumpkin sticker in their windows. Guests will also get to snap photos with Halloween characters roaming the mall and visit the photo station in Grand Court (near TJ Maxx) for more fun photo opportunities.

Fredericksburg’s streets were full of costumed children (and adults) for the annual Treats in the Streets.

Fredericksburg has hosted this event since 2016, where families are invited to dress up in Halloween costumes and stroll downtown, stopping at participating businesses to collect treats, toys, books, and gifts.

Volunteer crossing guards helped man intersections without traffic lights.

The city’s Scarecrow Fest, where participants are given a map and asked to find all scarecrows downtown, continues until October 31. Participating businesses have ballots for visitors to vote for their favorite scarecrow. Ballots are also available on the Scarecrow Fest website.

Greetings, Prince William: Mark Your Calendars for Volunteer Prince William’s Fall Reverse Raffle & Dinner in support of Untrim-A-Tree, October 19, 6:30pm at Prince William County Fairgrounds 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas 20112. Doors open at 6pm, the raffle begins at 7pm. Your $100 donation includes dinner for 2, two drink tickets per ticket and the opportunity to win prizes leading up to the Grand Prize of $10,000! It should be a fun evening of good food, networking, and a chance to win the Grand Prize, all to support a cause which will guarantee vulnerable children in our community will have a Merry Christmas on December 25! Please email president@volunteerprincewilliam.org for more information.

• Support our veterans by giving the gift of a lift! Our VETS program has an ongoing need for volunteers age 21+ to provide transportation to local veterans and their spouse on weekdays to medical appointments, shopping, etc. If you’re a veteran looking to connect with fellow vets or looking to fill up your day, this is a meaningful experience. Schedules are flexible, and you’ll feel great as you provide a ride, a friendly face and help this population meet their needs! Please visit https://bit.ly/4eWwrdB for details, email jhawkins@volunteerprincewilliam.org for more information. This opportunity is made possible by a grant from Potomac Health Foundation.
• You can help senior citizens facing food insecurity! ACTS needs dedicated volunteers to deliver boxes of food to homebound seniors and people with disabilities in eastern Prince William County Monday-Thursday, 11am-1pm. Volunteers need a valid driver’s license and can use any size vehicle, though a van may be provided if necessary. Boxes can weigh up to 40 pounds. Volunteers typically call or text recipients to notify them that their delivery is on the way. You’ll feel great as you ensure that those who are unable to leave their homes receive the food they need! Note: Client Intake Volunteers are also needed! Duties include assisting clients with booking appointments, registering new clients, and ensuring every client receives the support they need. Familiarity with client intake software and fluency in Spanish helpful, but not necessary! For more information, please email scouteau@actspwc.org.
• Catholic Charities in Manassas is looking for Fall Semester Interns to support their Migration and Refugee Services which helps newly arrived families find community and support to thrive in the US. Numerous projects need intern support such as outreach, client assistance, database work, newsletter and much more! You’ll have a busy and rewarding semester as you help immigrants successfully navigate the various systems to get settled in the US! Please email LeaAnn.Gross@ccda.net for more information.
• Do you enjoy supporting live concerts? Clearbrook Center of the Arts located in Lake Ridge needs volunteer Event Stagehands age 18+ to contribute to the smooth running of their events. Jobs include guiding show bands to their designated staging areas, assisting bands with load-in/breakdown and helping with stage setup/breakdown. You get to enjoy some great live music and get Free admission to a future Clearbrook concert of your choice! To view the concert schedule, please visit
  www.clearbrookcenterofthearts.org, visit their SignUp Genius page at
  https://signup.com/go/gjAhPZb to volunteer. Please email clearbrookce…@gmail.com for more information.
• Lace up your running shoes – Girls on The Run Northern Virginia is preparing for their Fall season September 23-November 24, and they need Volunteer Coaches age 16+ to coach teams in the greater Prince William community! No experience needed; just a desire to support and encourage the next generation. Must commit to 2-3 hours a week for the season with a few additional hours required for Coach Training and the GOTR NOVA season-ending 5K celebration. Coaches receive all the tools and support they need and find that they get as much out of coaching as they give. You’ll feel awesome as you help young girls gain confidence in themselves and their abilities! Please visit www.gotrnova.org/coach to learn more, email mfay@gotrnova.org for more information.
• It’s that time again – Historic Manassas, Inc. needs volunteers to support the upcoming Fall Jubilee October 5, 6am-6pm in Old Town Manassas! Volunteers of any age are welcome, volunteers under age 16 must volunteer with an adult over 18. Duties include setup, keeping trash picked up, helping to monitor Kids Areas and the Stage Area. You’ll have a fun time enjoying all the sights, food, and music of this event while you help to promote the advantages of visiting Old Town! Please visit https://bit.ly/3Sp91TJ to sign up, email li…@historicmanassasinc.org to learn more.
• Are you a fan of gardening? Prince William Conservation Alliance is looking for volunteers to help prepare the wildlife garden at Merrimac Farm, 15014 Deepwood Lane, Nokesville for the winter season on September 21, 9am-12pm. Jobs include pulling trees, removing plants, clearing paths, hanging deer deterrents, taking inventory, and cleaning the very small pond. Please feel free to bring your own tools, especially to cut and remove small trees; tools and gloves will be available for use. This family-friendly event is a wonderful opportunity to support native wildlife, get outside, and welcome the changing of the seasons! Please visit https://bit.ly/3XmbWyJ for more information, email alli…@pwconserve.org to learn more.
• “Farm livin’ is the life for me…” Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting Farm Field Days October 9 and 10, 8am-1pm at the Prince William County Fairgrounds, 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas 20112. Volunteers are needed to support this event which educates 4th graders about agriculture and farm life. Duties include helping set up, check in volunteers, monitor various agricultural stations, set up/monitor the concession stand and guide student groups from one station to the next. No farm experience is needed! Lunch will be provided to volunteers once the event ends. This should be lots of fun as you help educate students about farm living! Please visit https://bit.ly/3smBobx to register. Questions? Please email education@pwswcd.org or call 571.379.7514 to learn more.
• You can help clean up the Occoquan River! On September 21, 9am-2pm Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition (PWTSC) is conducting its 15th Annual Clean-Up of the Upper Occoquan River from nine different sites along 25+ miles of the Occoquan River. Experienced kayakers, canoeists, Jon boaters, and pontoon boaters are also requested for the on-the-water portion of this conservation effort. Homeowners’ associations, civic associations, and businesses are encouraged to join in this effort. T-shirts and refreshments provided, you’ll feel great knowing you’re helping to beautify an area which provides water for most of eastern Prince William and Fairfax counties! Please visit https://bit.ly/3MfMRjR to sign up, email waterquality@pwswcd.org to learn more. Rain Date September 28.
• Jazz Lovers! Please join the Virginia Women and Family Support Center for an enchanting evening under the stars at Jazz on the Lawn September 21, 4pm-9pm at 14019A Glenkirk Road in Gainesville! Immerse yourself in the soothing melodies of live jazz presented by The Continental Jazz Congress. Relax and unwind as you sip on unlimited wines and indulge in a delicious dinner provided by BJ’s Brewhouse and complemented with a dessert bar. Whether you’re a lover of jazz, looking for a date night or want to unwind in the company of friends and neighbors, this event promises to be a delightful fusion of music, community, and culinary delights! You’ll feel great as you treat yourself to an unforgettable night out and know that 100% of proceeds will go towards housing women and families in need. Please visit www.vawfsc.org/jazzonthelawn for more information and ticket purchase, email officemanager@vawfsc.org to learn more.

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.

A consulting firm, Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, is seeking more public input on the future of Alum Spring Park, Old Mill Park, and Ficklen Island in Fredericksburg. Since February, they have been gathering feedback to refine the city’s Parks and Recreation master plan.

Key issues identified include flooding and outdated facilities at Old Mill Park, the need for improved access and trail repairs at Alum Spring Park, and the potential removal of a concrete dam at Ficklen Island. The consultants have developed several concepts to address these concerns and now ask the public to weigh in on their recommendations before presenting them to city council this fall.The firm’s presentation, including maps and surveys, is available online.

Fredericksburg Free Press has more information on the proposed plans.

After almost forty years, Library Director Martha Hutzel will retire from the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) on Sept. 30. Hutzel was appointed director in 2016 after several prior positions at different library branches, including branch manager and head of circulation.

Hutzel said she was inspired to become a librarian “by [her] mother, who is still living at 102, and by [her] father, both of whom loved books and reading and set that example for their 13 children.” After completing chores on the dairy farm she grew up on, she and her siblings were allowed to read whatever they wanted. In the 1980s, Hutzel moved to Fredericksburg and immediately got a library card and part-time job at the Fredericksburg location. She said the staff “welcomed me with open arms and I fell into them.”

After working part-time for several years, Hutzel decided to pursue her Master’s in Library Science and work full-time. “That was when I really stepped into my love of CRRL and the career of librarianship. I had wonderful mentors at CRRL a few decades back and they had a very positive influence on my career.”

Hutzel said serving as President of the Virginia Library Association, a professional library association with 9,000 members, opening IdeaSpace on Princess Anne St., and opening a library branch inside the Spotsylvania Towne Centre have been highlights in her career.

The advent of technology over the decade changed how librarians work and serve customers, but Hutzel said they still offer “the face-to-face human interaction that so many customers come into the library to find.” The cataloging system, CRRL website, and publicly accessible catalog have all been online for decades, she added. The library has also added non-book offerings like e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines. Hutzel said the library also has circulated Wi-Fi hotspots and Chromebooks for free, “Tech on the Go: kits and craft kits.

Hutzel is looking forward to spending time with her seven grandchildren and traveling. The library’s Board of Trustees will conduct a nationwide search for Hutzel’s replacement.

Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) is holding a supply drive on Aug. 3, and donors will get a chance to dunk an administrator.

The drive will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at Target in Stafford Marketplace (Stafford Marketplace (1090 Stafford Market Place).  SCPS Spokeswoman Sandra Osborn said the staff at Hartwood Elementary has signed up for the dunk tank.

A complete list of supplies requested is online.

All supplies will be distributed to Stafford students. Donations are also being collected at the SCPS Central Office at 31 Stafford Avenue.

Stafford County Animal Shelter has once again reached capacity and is pleading for adoptions and fosters.

In the month of June, the shelter has “had a record 32 dogs surrendered to our shelter in just 20 days,” according to their Facebook page. In addition to the surrenders, the shelter has had 23 stray dogs, with only 18 being reunited with their owners so far. They posted “57 dogs [are] currently in our care – 41 of them are available for adoption. This situation is unprecedented and simply not maintainable. Despite reaching out to our community countless times in the past few months, we find ourselves in an even worse situation each time we catch a glimpse of relief and the fact is, we are now at a breaking point.”

The Stafford County Animal Shelter is not a no-kill shelter. They announced “until further notice, we will be taking surrenders on an emergency-only basis. Additionally, adoption fees will be waived for the remainder of the month.”

Information on fostering and adopting animals, and a list of donations needed is available online.

Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has announced dates for the 2024 National Night Out events.

National Night Out is an annual event offering a chance to meet your neighbors, interact with law enforcement, and learn about multiple businesses and non-profit services in the community.

The department has opened registration for neighborhoods interested in hosting a Night Out, and for those interested in exhibiting at the Stafford Marketplace event in October.