Delegate Ken Plum’s Virginia E-News – November 22, 2006

As we give thanks for the beauty of Fall, the love of Family,

 and the joy of Friends, we send you our

 best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Ken and Jane Plum

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Commentary

Happy Thanksgiving

Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

          On December 4, 1619, the small ship Margaret from Bristol, England, landed 30 miles west of Jamestown at a place called Berkeley Hundred later to be named Berkeley Plantation. The 38 men led by Captain John Woodlief who had received a patent for 8,000 acres of land from Royal Governor George Yeardley sloshed ashore after having spent two and a half months at sea. Just being on dry land would have been enough to motivate them to give thanks for their safe arrival, but the instructions that came with their charter commanded that the day of arrival be celebrated as Thanksgiving and that the date “shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

          That event according to a nonprofit group, Virginia Thanksgiving Festival, Inc., constituted the first Thanksgiving in America contrary to the claim made by some that the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving Festival in Massachusetts several years later was the first Thanksgiving. Several factors work against the Virginia claim. The settlement at Berkeley was wiped out by an Indian massacre in 1622, and the Virginia Thanksgiving was not known to historians until 1931 when the papers of the Berkeley Company were discovered in a New York library. By that time the Pilgrims story had been told so many times that Thanksgiving at Plymouth was fixed in the public mind.

          Regardless of where it started in America, harvest day festivals had been popular in England and other countries for centuries. President George Washington in 1789 proclaimed the first National Day of Thanksgiving as “a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer in gratitude for God’s allowing the American people to establish a form of government so conducive to their safety and happiness.” President John Adams continued the practice, but it was dropped until President Abraham Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War in 1863 proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving. Lincoln’s Proclamation pointed out the many blessings of America while recognizing the civil strife the country was undergoing. He asked that Americans “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and vision.” Washington and Lincoln’s words hold true to today. May you and your family and friends have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

          Please note on your calendar that Senator Janet Howell and I will have our annual pre-session public hearing at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods on Thursday, January 4, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. No pre-registration is required for you to come and tell us what the General Assembly should do this session. Questions and comments are always welcome at kenplum@aol.com.

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Delegate Ken Plum’s Weekly “Virginia Report”

 on Reston Comcast Channel 28

Tonight - Wednesday, November 22 at 10:30 p.m. –  – Shannon Heyck-Williams, National Environmental Trust – “The Urgency and Impact of Global Warming”

Tuesday, November 28, at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, November 29 at 10:30 p.m. -

Kerrie Wilson, Executive Director, Reston Interfaith – “Taking Care of our Own at Holiday Time”

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Congratulations to Supervisor Cathy Hudgins who was presented the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Award on November 16 at a ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. Presented by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, the award highlights the work of elected officials in promoting cooperation among non-profit organizations and community leaders to promote community change and social justice.

Congratulations to South Lakes High School Principal Bruce Butler who was awarded the Nancy F. Sprague First-Year Administrator Award and was named the 2007 Outstanding First-Year Principal by Fairfax County Public Schools. 

Congratulations to Mary Anne Capets and Margie Henry, teachers at Terraset Elementary School, Reston, for their initiative and dedication to secure grants of more than $35,000 for the students of the school to fund the reading project, “Parents as Readers: K-3 Reading Program” computers, digital cameras, projectors, and online resources.

Friday, November 24 is a full day of events at Reston Town Center starting early at 7:30 a.m. with the “Race for the Kids” led by Olympian and local hero, Alan Webb. The Reston Holiday Parade begins at 11:00 a.m. Visits and photos with Santa are in the afternoon, the annual Tree Lighting and Sing Along is at 6:00 p.m., and horse-drawn carriage rides will be available through the evening. Holidays Happen at Reston Town Center all through December, with performances of music and dance at Fountain Square and strolling down Market Street, horse-drawn carriage rides from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays, December 2 to December 16, Breakfast with Santa at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant every weekend, and ice skating every day. See more details at www.restontowncenter.com.

Visit the Holiday Shop beginning November 28 for affordable holiday décor, arts and crafts, housewares, collectibles, toys, jewelry and more. The Holiday Shop is part of The Bargain Loft operated by Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc. at 336 Victory Drive in Herndon (off Spring Street). The Holiday Shop will be open through December 23. Proceeds will help assist local families through short-term emergencies. Call 703.437.0600 for directions or to get or give help.

Join the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance for a “Congestion Costs Us All – Virginia’s Future Can’t Wait” Forum and Reception on Tuesday, November 28, 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Capital One, 1680 Capital One Drive, McLean. For information or to make a reservation to the event, email info@nvta.org or call 703.883.1830. Visit the Alliance’s website at www.nvta.org.

Attend the Governor’s Housing Conference, November 29 to December 1, 2006, at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside. The Governor’s Housing Conference is presented by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). This is Virginia’s largest and most comprehensive affordable housing conference of the year with nearly 800 participants. To register and find out more, visit the DHCD website at http://dhcd.virginia.gov.

Attend the Dulles Corridor Rail Association Annual Meeting and Reception, November 30, 6-8 p.m. at Capital One headquarters in Tysons Corner. For more information or to rsvp, email dcra@dullescorridorrail.com or call 703.855.5068.

Best Buddies Virginia will be hosting the annual carriage rides at the Reston Town Center on Saturday, December 2, 11:30 to 4:00 p.m. Best Buddies chapter members will be on hand to spread this season’s holiday cheer by selling homemade cookies, assisting patrons in and out of the carriages, and singing along with the Fairfax County Youth Choir. The mission of Best Buddies is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Join Best Buddies on December 2 at the Reston Town Center for a carriage ride, a holiday treat, and some great music!

The 7^th Annual Green Living and Energy Expo will be held December 1 & 2 at the Roanoke Civic Center. The Expo is presented by the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals and is a great opportunity to learn about energy conservation and energy efficiency. Browse the exhibits, view the demonstrations, attend seminars, and win door prizes. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.aecp.org.

Are you getting frustrated trying to find that perfect gift for someone who has everything? Find a solution at the Alternative Gift Market, December 2, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston. All monies collected from Alternative Gift Market goes directly to support charitable organizations. All donations are tax deductible. For more information or directions, visit www.uureston.org.

A “Teleworking Event” co-sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and Telework!VA will be held on Thursday, December 7, 8:30 a.m. to noon, at NWF Headquarters, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston. The event is free, but advance registration is required.  Please RSVP by December 1 to Carolyn Curry-Wheat at currywheat@nwf.org or 703.4389.6248.

Fairfax Releaf is in great need of volunteers for its December 2 “Planting Bee” at Route 28 and the Air & Space Museum Parkway. For more information call 703.324.1409 or send an email to trees@fairfaxreleaf.org.

Reston Historic Trust will hold a Reston Attic Auction on Wednesday, December 6, 5:30 p.m. at Reston Museum, 1639 Washington Plaza at Lake Anne Village Center. A Silent Auction begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Live Auction at 6:30 p.m. with Phil Tobey as auctioneer. Light refreshments will be served. Up for bid are posters, art, books and memorabilia that cannot be archived but have priceless nostalgic value. Auction items will be on display for preview at noon on December 6. All auction proceeds will benefit Reston Museum. Reston Museum is still accepting donations of Reston-related items that may be stowed in anyone’s attic, for the auction, or for the archives. Call the Reston Museum at 703.709.7700 for more information.

The Reston Center of Northern Virginia Community College is hosting an Open House, Tour, and Reception on Wednesday, December 6, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Our NVCC campus is located at 1831 Wiehle Avenue.

Get in the holiday spirit by joining the Reston Museum on Sunday, December 10 for an easy holiday stroll around Reston Town Center to take in the lights and decorations and learn the story behind the skating rink. The walk will include a stop at the Embry Rucker Shelter to deliver a few holiday goodies, and sing a few carols under the leadership of Squire Muse. Head back to Panera Bread for a warming finale. Meet at Reston Museum at Lake Anne Village Center at 2:00 p.m. or in front of the Reston Town Center Christmas tree at 2:30 p.m.

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Authorized and paid for by Kenneth R. Plum.

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