Community Organizations
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Community Organizations
Friends of COLVIN RUN MILL Friends of Colvin Run Mill is dedicated to assisting the Fairfax County Park Authority in enhancing the Colvin Run Mill Historical Site and its educational programs. Our goals include strengthening community ties and increasing the public's understanding of the role that the Colvin Run Mill played in our County in the 19th and early 20th century. The restored Colvin Run Mill, a working example of 19th century water powered grist milling technology, serves as an educational focal point for our visitors, children, and families. The Friends invite you to participate in keeping this heritage alive by serving as a member or as a volunteer. Persons interested in membership may call 703-759-2771 or pick up a brochure at the country store on the mill site. 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/crm/ Colvin Run Mill Project Moves To Design Stage Renovating Historic Site Approved in Bond Issue By Fredrick Kunkle Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, November 13, 2008; Page VA03 The Fairfax County Park Authority has taken a key step toward renovating the Colvin Run Mill Historic Site with the recent passage of a revised master plan, park officials said. Now that voters approved the 2008 bond issue, the next step -- a $100,000 concept design -- can be taken, said Dave Bowman, director of planning and development for the Park Authority. The Colvin Run master plan, which was updated for the first time since 1973, envisions building a visitors center, relocating staff members from the miller's historic home and restoring it for visitors, and overhauling machinery that had once represented revolutionary 19th-century technology. Park officials think the improvements could draw more than the 30,000 annual visitors the 38-acre park attracts and enhance their experience of the working mill. The Colvin Run master plan, approved by the Park Authority board Sept. 24, gave the go-ahead to a more ambitious view of the park. ad_icon "Its significance is that it allows them to go forward with a study and create a new visitors center," park planner Andy Galusha said. The process began in February, when staff members presented an outline of their plans for the park and opened the planning process to the public. Colvin Run is one of many mills built in Northern Virginia. For a time, the property was owned by George Washington, who thought it a good place to build a mill. But the Revolutionary War interfered with his plan, and his heirs sold the property. The mill was built before 1811, and its machinery was based on a design by inventor Oliver Evans, one of the nation's first high-pressure steam engine builders. His innovative approach tapped the waterwheel's power not only to drive the gristmills and a system of belts, conveyors and scoops that moved grain through the mill to feed its three sets of millstones. For a time, slaves helped operate the site, and it was within reach of foraging parties from Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. The miller's house, which was finished about 1809, underwent several modifications. In the late 1880s, the miller, Addison Millard, built an addition to accommodate his 18 children. When Fairfax County acquired the site in 1965, the mill was in ruins. The county began restoring the site three years later, opening it to the public in 1972. In 1977, Colvin Run Mill became the second site in Fairfax County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To see the master plan, go to http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/plandev/colvinrunmill.htm. Friends of the Great Falls LIBRARY A group of book-lovers that raises money to expand programs for children and outreach at the Great Falls Community Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike. It currently has no set time for meetings. For information, call the library at 703-757-8560. The president is Rumana Chaudhuri, 202-429-3806. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/gf/ Great Falls BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL ASSOC Advances community welfare by encouraging high business and professional ethics and practices. Supports patronage of local retail and professional services. Supports Great Falls Children’s Festival, Great Falls Day, the Great Falls Freedom Memorial and other community developments and events. Our signature event is The Taste of Great Falls representing one of the most concurred events of the community. For information in memberships or our events please call Ralph Lazaro, president, 703-759-3011, or Stephen Dulaney, membership chairman, 703-759-4155. http://www.greatfallsbpa.com Great Falls CITIZENS ASSOCIATION This volunteer civic group exists to protect the scenic, historic and semi-rural quality of life in Great Falls, defined as the area west of Difficult Run stream valley, south of the Potomac River, east of the Loudoun County line and north of Route 7. Members who reside within those boundaries pay $20 per person annually for voting privileges, but the public is invited to attend meetings. The GFCA is governed by an executive board of 13 members elected from the membership, plus four officers. GFCA committees study planning and zoning issues, parks and trails, and transportation issues such as roads and traffic. General membership meetings are the second Tuesday of every month except July and August at 7:30 p.m. at the Grange on Georgetown Pike. Call Eleanor Anderson at 703-757-0448 or write GFCA, P.O. Box 27, Great Falls, Va. 22066. president@gfca.org http://www.gfca.org Great Falls ECUMENICAL COUNCIL The Great Falls Ecumenical Council has members from all the churches in Great Falls. The group supports Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, the Good Shepherd alliance housing for the homeless, Pedals for Progress in April, after-graduation parties for local high schools, Camp Fraser and a 5K walk/run and blood drive on July 4. It also sponsors blood drives throughout the year. The council hosts ecumenical worship services at Thanksgiving, on Good Friday, a sunrise service at Great Falls National Park on Easter Sunday and a January ecumenical service. Contact Paul Gysan, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church, president, 703-759-6068. Great Falls EQUESTRIAN SOCIETY Not limited to Great Falls residents, the society works to foster equestrian sports in Fairfax County and develop equestrian facilities at The Turner Farm, including a riding arena and trails. No dues. Call Molly Hockman at 703-759-1952. mhockman@cox.net Great Falls FRIENDS GFF is a community group based on friendship that has three kinds of membership: individuals, businesses and community organizations. The organizing principle is that the Friends believes in giving back to the community. It sponsors the annual July 4 celebration and a fall festival at Halloween at Village Centre and Great Falls Shopping Center. The Friends meets from 8 to 9 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month except July and August at the snuggery of the Old Brogue at Village Centre. Everyone is invited to attend. After a brief social time, introductions and coffee (contribution, $1) there is a topical program brought by a local person with a special interest. Membership fee is $20. For information, call Candace Bovee, president, 703-759-0375, or write to GFF, P.O. Box 388, Great Falls, Va. 22066. Great Falls GARDEN CLUB Organized in 1941, the club maintains a perennial bird and butterfly garden featuring native species at the Great Falls Library. The purpose of the Club is to improve the quality and character of gardens, study gardening, share experiences and problems, encourage the protection of natural resources, native plants, wildlife and scenery. We meet in members’ homes for programs about all aspects of gardening, floral design and the environment. Members have plant exchanges, field trips to other gardens and nature walks. For more information, visit our website at www.gfgardenclub.org or write to us at GFGC, P.O. Box 1412, Great Falls, Va. 22066. Great Falls Garden Club . http://www.gfgardenclub.com/ Great Falls HISTORICAL SOCIETY Researches and preserves the accuracy of the historical record of Great Falls as a community that was first known as Matildaville and, later, Forestville, before it was named Great Falls. Produces publications on local historical sites and holds varied social functions such as music, wine and cheese parties and field trips. Membership fee is $20. Call Betty Nalls Swartz, 703-759-2378, or Milburn Sanders, 703-759-2352. Write GFHS, P.O. Box 56, Great Falls, Va. 22066. http://gfhs.org Great Falls Lions Club Local chapter of the country's largest service organization. Ongoing fund-raisers include regular crab feasts and citrus sales at the Great Falls Fire Department and sales of a commemorative coverlet depicting Great Falls scenes. The club awards two $1,000 scholarships to Langley High School students and supports a long list of other charities. Dinner meetings convene at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Great Falls United Methodist Church, 10100 Georgetown Pike. Call the Lions hotline at 703-757-5361 or Larry Simmons, president, at 703-450-5373. To purchase a coverlet, call Gene Cole, 703-759-2334, or write GF Lions, P.O. Box 43, Great Falls, Va. 22066. http://www.lionsclubs.org Great Falls Optimist Club A group of men and women committed to programs that educate youth and help them expand their horizons and avoid pitfalls as they mature. The Optimists sponsor the "Just Say No" program and an oratorical contest as well as the Adeler Jewelers Children’s Festival. They sponsor boys and girls softball and baseball teams and Operation Smile. Call Helen Learner, 703-975-9306. http://www.greatfallsoptimist.org/ Great Falls Charitable Foundation The mission of the Great Falls Charitable Foundation is to improve the quality of people's lives through grants supporting the performing arts, wildlife conservation, cancer victim support and the community oriented events like Fireworks at the Turner Farm Park and the construction of The Great Falls Freedom Memorial. PO box 295, Great Falls, VA 22066 (703) 759-6563 GFCharities@aol.com Great Falls Republican Women’s Club Chartered in 1982, its membership is broad-based geographically and diverse in its interests and talents but united by common goals and a commitment to the Republican Party, its philosophy and its candidates. Write P.O. Box 616, Great Falls, Va. 22066. Great Falls Trailblazers Supports development and maintenance of trails, both stonedust and natural surface, in Great Falls. Monitors development to ensure compliance with the trails designated in Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan trails map. Actively working to complete trails on Georgetown Pike and Walker Road. Meets monthly at 7:30 p.m. on third Wednesday, except August and December, at the Old Schoolhouse in Great Falls. Call Eleanor Weck 703-759-2059 . http://www.geocities.com/greatfallstrails/ Great Falls Women’s Club This diverse group makes things happen in the community and looks to residents to join in. For the last two years, the club has raised thousands of dollars with a Casino Night Gala and fundraiser to support construction of a new fire station for professional and volunteer firefighters and paramedics in Great Falls. While they perform community service, raise money and award women’s scholarships, members of the Great Falls Woman’s Club and have programs that foster camaraderie within the club. Membership includes many former Great Falls Newcomers. Call 703-757-6234. Newcomers of Great Falls Newcomers of Great Falls helps new residents of Great Falls and its school district meet each other and assimilate into the community. The nonprofit organization offers more than 300 members a variety of activities and programs along with opportunities for leadership, community service and support to local charitable and civic organizations. The Newcomers provide financial support for such community charities as Camp Fraser, Lift Me Up and the Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department. Contact Joan Pifer 703-444-5878 or joanspifer@mac.com. http://www.greatfallsnewcomers.com/ The Turner Farm Team A group of community volunteers who raise money and public support for a public park that was once a dairy farm at Georgetown Pike and Springvale Road. The Turner Farm team is a liaison with the Fairfax County Park Authority and supports community efforts to build a picnic pavilion, a tot lot, equestrian features and an astronomy observatory at The Turner Farm. For information and notification about meetings, call Beverly Crawford, 703-406-2487, or e-mail mamacow@cox.net. Molly Hockman, 703-759-1952, e-mail mhockman@cox.net, chairs the equestrian committee. For information about the astronomy observatory, call Charles Olin, 703-759-6616, e-mail olin@dgsys.com, or call Bill Kemmerer, 703-757-7424. McLean Community Players Formed from the former Great Falls Players and other groups, the McLean Players produce both musical and non-musical plays. Performances are at the Alden Theatre, in the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Prices for their musicals are $17 for adults and $14 for seniors, students and groups of 10 or more. Non-musicals are $14 and $12. PO Box 160 McLean, Va. 22101 http://www.McLeanPlayers.org/ Amadeus Concerts Now in its 21st year, this organization of professional music lovers and musicians presents a calendar of concert-hall quality classical music by the Amadeus Orchestra, chamber groups and soloists at venues in Great Falls and McLean. All performers and soloists are professional musicians. Programs begin in October. Amadeus Concerts promotes and assists young artists in the advancement of their musical careers and sponsors performances for children in local schools. Amadeus sponsors a middle-school cultural and service group that is open to young people interested in music, art, photography and drama. Call Tim Rowe, 703-759-5334, or visit the Amadeus Concerts office in the Village Centre in Great Falls. P.O. Box 543 Great Falls, Va. 703-759-5334 The Great Falls Library Public Library 9830 Georgetown Pike Hours: Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Sunday. Book drop open 24 hours. Branch Manager: Andrew Pendergrass. Great Falls Library opened in October 2000. It houses more than 50,000 books and employs about 20 staff members and about 50 volunteers. Activities include a Monday morning story hour for preschoolers as well as two programs a month for preschool-age children and a monthly adult book discussion group. There are roughly 25 children and adults programs in the summer. Call 703-757-8560. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/gf/ Safe Community Coalition The Safe Community Coalition was founded as a result of the federal government making funds available, through local school systems, to help localities prevent alcohol and drug abuse, as well as prevent violence, among youth. Since its inception, SCC has offered a variety of programs and resources to help parents and children in our community make responsible decisions in a safe, healthy and drug and alcohol free environment. The Safe Community Coalition, Inc. (SCC) serves the area defined by the McLean High School and Langley High School pyramids. Visit: http://www.safecommunitycoalition.net/index.php |
