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and OaktonViennaGlyndon ParkBallfieldGets UpgradeNews, Page 3PhotographyContest Draws246 EntriesHolly Kelly, anOakton High Schoolstudent, singing ina Collective Changeconcert for Haiti atJammin’ Java onMarch 23.ConcertFor HaitiAttention Postmaster:Time sensitive material.Requested in home 4-1-10PERMIT #86Martinsburg, WVNews, Page 11March 31-April 6, 2010www.ConnectionNewspapers.comPRSRT STDU.S. PostagePAIDPhoto by Stephanie Knapp/The ConnectionOpinion, Page 6 Calendar, Page 8 Sports, Page 10 Classifieds, Page 13News, Page 4 Volume XXIV, Number 13online at Viennawww.connectionnewspapers.comConnection March 31 - April 6, 2010 1

School com.Deadline is Friday.The following Vienna residentshave been named to the fall 2009dean’s list at Marymount University of Arlington: BennaAndress, history; Spencer Ball,history; Michelle Connolly, liberal studies; Laura Cromartie,fashion design; Amber Edelman,nursing, accelerated BSN program;Christina Genovese, criminaljustice; Federica Pagani, fashiondesign; Lydia Russo, fashion merchandising; and Raechel Stark,biology.Kelly Weber of Vienna, a senior history major at James Madison University, has been named tothe fall 2009 president’s list. Weber presented a paper at the PhiAlpha Thete Biennial Conferencein San Diego on Jan. 5-10.Mike Schwengel of Viennahas been named to the fall 2009provost’s list at Potomac State College of West Virginia University.Heather Mella of Vienna hasbeen named to the fall 2009 dean’slist at Christopher Newport University. Mella is a 2006 gaduate of2 Vienna Connection March 31 - April 6, 2010James Madison High School.Ryan Stumvoll of Oakton hasbeen named to the fall 2009 dean’slist at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga.Lucas Rooney, a 2009Marshall High School graduate, isthe first freshman ever invited tojoin BASIS, a group of VirginiaTech students who run a 4-million-plus fixed-income securitiesfund on behalf of the Virginia Techfoundation.Nicole Passmore of Viennahas veen named to the fall 2009dean’s list at Johns Hopkins University. Pass more, a member of theclass of 2012, is a 2008 graduateof James Madison High Schooland the daughter of Marilyn andWayne Passmore.Jenny Hodge of Vienna hasbeen named to the dean’s list atRadford University. Hodge is a senior special education major.Daniel Rivellini of Great Fallswas named to the fall 2009 deans’list at Choate Rosemary Hall inWallingford, Ct. Rivellini is the sonof Mr. and Mrs. William L.Rivellini.www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic703-778-9414 or vienna@connectionnewspapers.comNewsBallfield Gets UpgradeLocal buildervolunteers toenhanceGlyndon Parkdugouts.Jim Larson of ViennaLarson, Haywood NamedCommunity ChampionsThe ConnectionHDIRECTOR of Town of ViennaParks and Recreation CathySalgado said the town is pleasedwww.ConnectionNewspapers.comolunteer Fairfax and Supervisor Cathy Hudgins(D-Hunter Mill) willhonor Jim Larson of Viennawith a Community Championaward during the 18th annualFairfax County Volunteer Service Awards. Volunteer Fairfaxand Supervisor Michael Frey(R-Sully District) will presentthe same honor to Verdia L.Haywood of Oakton. The 2010ceremony will take place onFriday, April 23, at the FairviewPark Marriott in Falls Church.Larson is cited for dedicationto the American tradition of volunteering by donating his timeand talents for six years as thechairman of the Committee forHelping Others (CHO), an allvolunteer organization thatprovides emergency services tothose in need.Hudgins nominated Larsonfor his dedication to the workof CHO. Larson coordinates allof the volunteers and their activities, plans fundraisers, manages outreach efforts and is thespokesperson for CHO. According to the volunteers he supervises, CHO wouldn’t work without him — he is the glue thatholds everything together.Larson manages to harmonizethe essential services of thecommittee from the clothescloset to the Meals on Wheelsprogram. He has inspired manyto become long-term volunteersand continually recruits newvolunteers to the growing programs. Larson’s enthusiasm forthe organization’s mission allows CHO to leave a lastingimpact on the community. “Weare so fortunate to have JimLarson in our community,” saidHudgins. “He epitomizes the inclusiveness of Hunter Mill District and sees the communitygood in all the faces CHOserves.”Haywood has shown dedication to volunteering by empowering the nonprofit and volunteer service organizationsthrough his public service toFairfax County.Frey nominated Haywood forVBy Donna Manzomebuilder TommyStaats grew up inVienna in a house onGlyndon Street that the Staatsfamily has lived in since 1906. Heplayed baseball across the streetin the Glyndon Park baseball field.Now, Staats has turned his attention to a dream he has envisionedfor half his adult life, enhancementof the ballfield, from infield todugouts. He imagines returningthis piece of history to the ambiance of an earlier time in Vienna.Merrifield Garden Center,through Tom McVain, donated thesod that fills in the new infield.The field is now Little Leaguerready.Staats is donating everythingnecessary to design and build thedugouts, from architectural drawings to labor and supplies. His architect has drawn up plans to redesign and rebuild the dugouts,now enclosed by chainlink fencing. Staats envisions dugouts recalling a nostalgic time period,with stone walls around the dugouts’ perimeter. He hasn’t outgrown the days he spent as a childpushing around dirt in his Tonkatrucks.“What gave me thoughts aboutdoing this comes from when I wasgrowing up,” said Staats. “Therewas a wood fence around the infield, not chainlink. I want to takethe ballfield back to the old days,give the flavor of a small townback. The dugouts are a start. We’llsee how it goes from there.”The dugout posts will be madefrom old sawmill-cut lumber.Stacked stone siding comes fromGolden Creek stone out of Pennsylvania, and the roof will becrafted of metal seam materials.“The ground is too soft to workwith now, and soon baseball willbe starting on this field,” saidStaats. “We’ll wait until the end ofthe fall season to build the dugouts.”Verdia L. Haywood ofOaktonPhotos by Donna Manz/The ConnectionTommy Staats, who is engaged in bringing character tothe Glyndon Park ballfield, points toward the newly laidsod put down by donor Merrifield Garden Center.focused on the community.”Kalousis described Staats as a“really big-hearted guy.”“It seems to me that Tommywould definitely want to do something like this,” Kalousis said.Staats, whose remodeled Staatshome abuts Glyndon Park, invitedKalousis’ teen daughter to help outas project manager. “It’s a greatway for her to get involved in thecommunity,” he said.The town hopes to have the dugouts reviewed this summer so thatconstruction can begin in the fallafter the fall baseball season ends.Vienna homebuilderTommy Staats grew up inthis 1889 house across thestreet from the GlyndonPark baseball field. WithStaats is his wife Hillaryand mother, Ginny.that Staats approached themabout renovating the GlyndonPark baseball field. “He and hisdad were involved with youthsports,” said Salgado. “He wantedto simply give back to the town forall that it has given him and hisfamily.”“He put in a new infield and hasproposed new dugouts,” Salgadosaid. “The dugouts represent a vastimprovement both aestheticallyfor the park and functionally forthe kids.”Staats credited the communityliving around Glyndon Park forsupport. “They’ve been really goodworking with me regarding thehouses we’re putting up,” he said.“This fix-up is as much for thecommunity we’re in as it is forLittle Leaguers.”Neighbor, client and friend MikeKalousis is not surprised by Staats’act of generosity. “This is kind ofwhat you expect of TommyStaats,” Kalousis said. “He’s veryFROM THE TURN OF THECENTURY through the 1940s, thearea around Glyndon Street andAyrhill Road was the center of thecommunity. The park was built in1950 with labor and supplies donated by townspeople. GinnyStaats, whose family bought ahome at the corner of Ayrhill andGlyndon in 1941, remembers thedays when the Town held its fireworks display at Glyndon Park.Tommy Staats and his wife,Hillary, built their post and beamhome next to the Staats family farmhouse in 1991. Ginny Staats’ homewas built in 1889 as part of theworking Bowman farm. In 1906,Clara Staats married ArthurBarringer and the young couplemoved into the farmhouse. “Nobodybut Staats have lived in this housesince 1906,” said Ginny Staats.Tommy and Hillary Staats havefour children, from elementaryschool age to college. This May,Hillary Staats is opening her newinterior design showroom, Sanctuary on Church, in the SaviaBuilding.“I had never met Mr. Staats until he approached us and all I cansay is he is a very generous andkind man,” Salgado said.this award in recognition of his30 years as deputy county executive for Fairfax County. Inthis position, Haywood has ledmajor initiatives, redesigns andprovided innovations tostrengthen the services of theCounty. He also was the voicefor nonprofit and volunteeragencies to ensure partnershipswith the local government toenable shared resources.Thanks to Haywood, these organizations are now an integralpart of the human service system. His strong faith and beliefthat he can improve quality oflife for all residents has madehim a compassionate and effective leader in the community.“Verdi’s vision and leadership in Fairfax County is a reflection of the superior human services system that exists today,”said Frey.Each year, CommunityChampions are nominated bytheir district supervisor. Everymember of the Fairfax CountyBoard of Supervisors is grantedthe honor of selecting a volunteer or group of volunteerswithin their district to be recognized with this award. Thisaward recognizes volunteerswho are committed to bettering Fairfax County throughtheir dedicated efforts of bringing the community together inorder to work towards a common goal of addressing theconcerns of County residents.In addition to Larson andHaywood, other individualsfrom the county are being honored for their accomplishmentsas Community Champions.This year’s full list of Community Champions includes:Chris and Lisa Bright, Fairfax;Employees of Tysons CornerCenter, McLean; LinwoodGorham, Lorton; Jane Hilder,Alexandria; Maya Huber,McLean; Jeff Root, Fairfax;Mike Thompson Jr., Burke; andFrank Vajda, Annandale.For more information aboutthe Community Champions orto purchase tickets, visitwww.volunteerfairfax.org.Vienna Connection March 31 - April 6, 2010 3