LOCAL EFFORTS TO CELEBRATE NATION’S 250th RAMPING UP: Twenty-eight months and counting until the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and the Arlington committee tasked with coordinating local efforts is beginning to ramp up its work.
A March 12 meeting of the the body, led by the Arlington Historical Society, will begin getting into the nitty-gritty phase of committee work, grant-seeking and outreach. So said Annette Benbow, who is leading the effort.
A planning meeting held last November drew a standing-room-only crowd, said the Arlington Historical Society. That body has been tasked by the county government in taking the lead in local celebrations of what, somewhat unwieldily, is being called the nation’s “semiquincentennial” – equating to “half of 500 years.”
What today is known as Arlington County was in 1776 a collection of small farms and a few larger plantations, with Georgetown and Alexandria the largest nearby localities.
For information on the effort, e-mail ArlingtonVA250@gmail.com or see the Website at www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
DATE SET FOR CHAMBER’S VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE: The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has announced plans for its annual Arlington Chamber Volunteer Day.
Produced by the Chamber’s Community Action Committee, the day of service connects Chamber members with non-profits to give back to the community.
The 2024 event will be held on Friday, April 19 with a kickoff at noon and projects taking place in the afternoon.
The event “is a great opportunity for non-profits to develop valuable relationships with Arlington businesses, and for businesses to enjoy an afternoon of team-building while giving back to the community,” officials with the business organization said.
For information, including sponsorship opportunities, see the Website at www.arlingtonchamber.org.
‘PLOT AGAINST HUNGER’ KICKOFF SET: Arlington’s Friends of Urban Agriculture will host the 2024 kickoff of its “Plot Against Hunger” food initiative on Saturday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Library.
The event will feature panel discussions, speakers from participating gardens and food pantries, seed giveaways, demonstrations and more.
For information and to register, see the Website at https://arlingtonurbanag.org/2024-spring-garden-kickoff/.
COMMITTEE OF 100 TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL ARENA IMPACTS: The Arlington Committee of 100 will look at potential Arlington impacts of a sports arena proposed for nearby Alexandria at its monthly meeting, to be held March 13 at 7 p.m. online.
“Alexandria may be the primary location for the proposed Monumental Arena, but as the ‘next-door neighbor,’ what would be the benefits or disadvantages for Arlington of what is viewed by many as a great economic driver for Northern Virginia?” Committee of 100 officials said.
Arlington County Board Chairman Libby Garvey will be joined by Terry Clower, director of George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis, as they discuss the pros and cons of the proposed arena. A question-and-answer period will follow.
For information and to register, see the Website at www.arlingtoncommitteof100.org.
PHILHARMONIC TO FOCUS ON GERMAN, CZECH COMPOSERS: The Arlington Philharmonic will present “Beyond Bohemian,” a concert presented in collaboration with Encore Learning, on Sunday, March 10 at 4 p.m. at Washington-Liberty High School.
The performance will feature works by German and Czech composers including Johannes Brahms, Carl Philipp Stamitz and Bedrich Smetana.
A reception, sponsored by Encore Learning, will precede the concert.
For information and tickets, see the Website at www.arlingtonphilharmonic.org.
ARLINGTON CHORALE WORK TO FOCUS ON PLIGHT OF REFUGEES: The Arlington Chorale will present “The Stranger,” a composition designed to provoke conversation about the plight of refugees, on Saturday, March 16 at 5 p.m. at Westover Baptist Church, 1125 Patrick Henry Drive.
The work, commissioned by the Together in Hope initiative and presented in collaboration with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, will feature three Afghan musicians who fled their country in 2021, with chorale members also joined by Lebanese-American mezzo-soprano Melanie Ashkar.
Ticket prices begin at $25; youth 17 and under are admitted free but registration is required. A reception will follow the performance.
For information, see the Website at www.arlingtonchorale.org.
ECO-ACTION ARLINGTON TO HOST MEMBERSHIP MEETING: The 46th annual membership meeting of EcoAction Arlington will be held on Wednesday, March 13 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Washington-Liberty High School.
The event “will celebrate protecting our waterways with a featured presentation, an overview of EcoAction Arlington programming for 2024, the election of our board of directors and exhibits from local organizations,” organizers said.
Registration is requested. For information, see the Website at https://www.ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/events/.
DOCUMENTARY SCREENING FOCUSES ON PIONEERING WOMEN IN CONSERVATION: EcoAction Arlington will host a screening of the documentary “Forest Her: The Next Wave of Conservation” on Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m. at the Van Metre Auditorium on the Arlington campus of George Mason University.
The event, held as part of National Women’s History Month, also will feature a panel discussion with the work’s director/producer, Cheryle Franceschi; Melody Mobley, the nation’s first African-American female forester; and Leah Nichols, executive director of Mason’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth.
“Cheryle, Melody and Leah have broken barriers in their respective careers,” said Elenor Hodges, executive director of EcoAction Arlington. “We are thrilled to celebrate the influential women who continue to pioneer new approaches to forest conservation and sustainability.”
Tickets are $15 for adults, free for students. For information and a link to registration, see the Website at https://www.ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/events/.
