Get Your Griswold On!

On Sunday, December 22nd, Raymondale will host the annual holiday light contest! The judges will be patrolling the neighborhood looking at and admiring all of the holiday lights! Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be awarded! So, channel your inner Clark Griswold and light up the night!

Winter Woes

December 8 to 10 brought rain, sleet, ice, and snow to the area. Ice weighs down tree branches and some of those trees can come crashing down in the worst places. On Monday morning, December 9 a large tree fell on St. James blocking the road and taking down the power lines.

Power crews worked Monday afternoon and into the evening, restoring power to Raymondale and homes on Fallowfield that were also affected.

Power was out for about 9 hours for most residents.

One Raymondale resident had no power for a longer time as a tree snapped in half and took down the power line leading directly into her house.

Remember that ANY time the power goes out, call 1-866-DOM-HELP so that Dominion Virginia Power knows we need our lights back on!

And on the lighter side of our recent snow days...

This happy Falls Church HS band geek snowman waves a cheerful "hello" on Add Drive!

Raymondale Annual Meeting Wrap-Up

On the evening of Friday, Nov. 22nd, over 40 residents of Raymondale met at the Leis Center for conversation, presentations, and a delicious pot luck dinner!

 A smorgasbord of  delicious dishes provided by the neighbors was enjoyed by everyone!

Yum yum!

 

Our Fairfax County Representative Penny Gross stopped by to say hello and to let us know some of the things she is currently working on. These include promoting the Leis Center to be turned back into an elementary school, working with the library board to ensure our libraries run smoothly and don't toss out books,  and to invite everyone to the Mason Distritct Holiday gathering on Dec. 4th at the Mason District Center on Columbia Pike.

Ms. Gross was a welcome guest and she is always there for Raymondale if we should need her.

A lively presentation was given by a representative from the Fairfax County Office of Emergency management. He gave us valuable information concerning weather related emergencies and the value of "protecting in place" and gathering information during times of emergency. For more detailed information on OEM, please follow this link: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem/

The meeting concluded with elections (re-elections!) of the board members, update on the sign progress (we are very close to having a new sign,  just have to overcome some County hurdles--Penny Gross offered assistance on that score), and an update on the Luria Park bridge construction. Below is a photo of what the new bridge may look like:

The meeting was fun and informative.  New and long-time residents of Raymondale attended. Thanks to all who made this a wonderful event!

Raymondale Annual Meeting, Nov. 22 at the Leis Center

Mark your calendars and please plan to attend the Raymondale Annual Meeting on Friday, November 22, 6:30-8 p.m. ! It's a pot luck and a great way to connect with your neighbors and your neighborhood!

Several important topics will be presented, including:
The status of the new Raymondale sign.
Luria Park improvements.
Property protection during storms.

A coordinator from the Fairfax Office of Emergency Management will address what homeowners can do to protect their home during periods of extreme weather. Board member, Sandy McConville, will update us on real estate trends affecting Raymondale. Supervisor Penny Gross is also expected to stop by. Elections of new board members is also on the slate.

The meeting will be at the Leis Center on 7423 Camp Alger Ave. The meeting will include a pot luck dinner and children's activities. Please bring your favorite dish or dessert to share. Beverages will be provided.

Please plan to attend! Always a fun and informative time for everyone!

Luria Park Boardwalk and Bridge To Be Replaced

"By 1975, a new bridge had been built across Holmes Run and through the swampy 
woods, linking the Acres with Raymondale..."          -  -  HOLMES RUN ACRES:  
THE STORY OF A COMMUNITY,  the Acres' 25th anniversary history book. 

Residents of both Raymondale and Holmes Run Acres have enjoyed the bridge over Holmes Run creek 

and the elevated boardwalk. But as all of us who use the boardwalk and bridge know, this well-traveled route 

has deteriorated and needs to be replaced. 

The Fairfax County Park Authority  (FCPA) will be replaced the bridge and boardwalk within the

next 30 days AND the work is planned to take 3-4 months to complete. 

From the Fairfax County Park Authority:
 "The bridge in Luria park was built just before Holmes Run Acres 25th 
anniversary, and was already showing signs of age when it was hit by the last 
big flood, resulting in structural damage.  The Fairfax County Park Authority 
has funding for its repair, from a previous passed bond.  Unfortunately, we 
regret that this bridge work will involve some inconvenience to its many users, 
since the bridge will be closed for use while the work is being done."

 Below is a map provided by the FCPA and posted on the information 

kiosks at both entrances to the park:
 

 
The map outlines the way to access Holmes Run Acres and Luria Park during bridge reconstruction.
 A link for this map is here:  
 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/plandev/luria-park.htm

 Even though the construction will cause temporary inconvenience, 
 the final result will be enjoyed by everyone! 





 

National Night Out Wrap Up

National Night Out 2013 was held on Tuesday, August 6th at Woodley Pool from 7 to 9! Law enforcement arrived at 6:30 so the many folks who came out to celebrate did not get to see them. However, the celebration continued full force with lots of good food and fun! Here are some of the highlights:

This happy grill master cooked up a whole lot of hot dogs!

 Neighbors from Raymondale, Broyhill Park, and Holmes Run Acres enjoyed the good food!

 The foosball table was popular with these sporty fellows!

 The great food brought smiles all around!

  Everyone who came signed in and there were coloring activity sheets, reflective bracelets and other NNO goodies for the little ones.

 Ping Pong was very popular!

And please look at those happy faces of two dear original Raymondale residents receiving hugs from  delighted neighbors! What a wonderful evening for everyone! Thanks to all who came to the 30th annual National Night Out!

Please Come to the 30th Annual National Night Out at Woodely Pool

30th National Night Out will be held on Tuesday, August 6 from 7:00 pm -9:00 pm at Woodley Pool!

 

Come join your neighbors and get answers to questions you might have about crime and crime prevention in the area. Our Mason District police will stop by to say hello and give you a chance to get to know them.

Raymondale will join other communities across the Nation to heighten crime-prevention awareness and most importantly to send a message that our neighborhoods are organized and vigilant. It's also a perfect opportunity to get to know your neighbors even better! Woodley Pool is open to everyone (membership not required). Turn on your porch light and then come on by for a swim and a hot dog. If you care to bring a favorite dessert or other dish to share that would be great, but not required.

If you have any questions, please call Raymondale Co-President, Sandy McConville at (703) 402-1576.

Raymondale Co-President, Whitney Redding, shared her thoughts about the importance of participation in National Night Out:

Don't know about you, but I've been wondering about what makes our little Raymondale suddenly so popular... In case you haven't heard, we've had a rash of low-grade park vandalism and car crimes this summer - including a car stolen from Add Dr, another stolen car found abandoned on Arnold Ln, and a police chase through the stream valley behind our homes related to a third car theft. 

What gives? Turns out, Raymondale is not alone. There has been an uptick in car thefts throughout Mason District. Partly because of this, I hope you will take the opportunity to join your neighbors at a meet-and-greet with our local police and firefighters at our neighborhood's own version of 30th Annual National Night Out  - from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday Aug 6 at Woodley Pool. This is your opportunity to ask questions and thank the very officers who  protect our neighborhood. Come with your questions, bring the whole family, and plan to enjoy a lovely night-time swim while hanging out with neighbors. You do NOT have to be a member of Woodley Pool to attend; this free event is sponsored by both the Raymondale and Broyhill Park Civic Associations and is open to ALL residents of both neighborhoods. Hot dogs and drinks will be served. Feel free to bring a dessert or dish to share if you like (optional). We will take care of the rest. 

You might think the main purpose of National Night Out is to meet the officers, but it's also about "raising awareness." To me, that means meeting (or just greeting) a larger swath of neighbors than I already know. The more we all know our neighbors, the safer our neighborhood will be. It takes a "village" to keep our community safe!

See you there!

Raymondale Wildlife: Oh Deer!

Hello!~~~

Raymondale resident, Pam Hamby, spied this wee fellow in her yard this week:

According to Pam, "this fawn came by, sometimes a few times a day, and chewed on the rope.  He seemed relaxed and comforted as he worked the rope sideways in his mouth, like dental floss! He did not mind me stepping outside to snap a picture."

Block Party Wrap Up!

The evening of Saturday, June 22 was a perfect day for the annual Raymondale Block Party held in Ellis Court! Oh what fun for all of the neighbors who attended! Lots of food, cool beverages, and activities for everyone! Just take a look at the many photos below!

 Neighbors chatting, catching up, and relaxing under the shade of the maple trees.

 Crafts! Duct tape bracelets in process.

 Hopscotch on the way! Get ready!

 Everyone got into the fun of making chalk art, turning Eliis Court into a whimsical, colorful art gallery!

 Some couldn't resist the thrill of seeing how high and fast the swing could go!

 Setting up the "groaning board" was a snap with so many delightful dishes brought to share!

 Freshly made blueberry pie, anyone?

 A big treat was the arrival of the neighborhood Grillmaster who braved the heat to make tasty treats!

 Yum yum! Let's dig in! Plenty of goodies for firsts and seconds!

 After dinner MORE fun, this time with bubbles!

 Who let the dogs out? Fur Friends were welcome too!

 MORE bubbles! Always a summertime treat!

 Hey, Grillmaster, where are you going? Look at that nifty skateboard wheeling that Weber!

 More chalk art from this wee Rembrandt!

 More relaxing and chatting!

 Here is one of those wonderful duct tape bracelets! So pretty!

 This doggie wants more hot dogs! But it is time to pack up and end the block party. A lot of food, friendship and fun filled the three hours of this wonderful Raymondale event!

Storm Season: Be Prepared!

Remember last year's Derecho that occurred on the evening of June 30, 2012? Well, so far this late spring/early summer has been quite wet and stormy, and we have seen our streets, sidewalks, and gutters turn into kayak-worthy waterways.

As the storm season is upon us, here are some tips to be prepared that has worked particularly well in our household. You may have already implemented some of these ideas in your own "be prepared" plan and some may be new to you. After last years Derecho we all are aware of how suddenly weather can drastically change our daily routines.

This list is by no means complete, but it is my family's "be prepared" list when bad weather threatens.

1. Have D batteries on hand for flashlights.
2. Fill up/top off the gas tank in each car (remember last year when many gas stations didn't have power?)
3. Keep a large bag (or two) of ice in the freezer. If the power goes out this will lengthen the time your freezer goods stay frozen.
4. Charge up all cell phones and any other necessary electronic devices prior to bad weather.
5. Keep protien based non-perishible food on hand, ie. peanut butter, trail mix, canned meat, chicken, or fish AND keep some small packets of condiments around.
6. Keep (and call if necessary) Dominions VA Power's report an outage number: 1-800-DOM-HELP in an easy to get to place.
7. Clear the outside drain(s) near your basement door (if you have them) of dirt, leaves, and other debris.
8. Have camp lanterns (not candles!) on hand with batteries. ALSO have some of those battery powered tea lights (one in each room) around--the dollar store is a good source, about 2 for a dollar and they come with batteries in them.

Please leave a comment below of your favorite "be prepared" tip for your Raymondale neighbors.  Thanks and have a wonderful day! AND mark your calendar for the Block Party on June 22nd!