skating page 11 rink home of holiday spiritconnectionarchives.com/pdf/2012/121912/reston.pdf ·...

Reston Connection ❖ December 19-25, 2012 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

SkatingRink Home ofHoliday SpiritNews, Page 7

Garden ClubCreates HolidayCenterpiecesNews, Page 4

Skaters take a few laps at theReston Town Center ice rinkSaturday, Dec. 15.

Garden ClubCreates HolidayCenterpiecesNews, Page 4

SkatingRink Home ofHoliday SpiritNews, Page 7

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December 19–25, 2012

RestonReston

Page 11

Skaters take a few laps at theReston Town Center ice rinkSaturday, Dec. 15.

How the PowerlessAccess PowerFocus on Immigration, Page 8

How the PowerlessAccess PowerFocus on Immigration, Page 8

2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ December 19-25, 2012 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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News

Participants of the Jeans Day 2012 ceremony held at the government center.

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Going Casual for a CauseNearly 10,000 people and130-plus organizations par-ticipate in Jeans Day 2012to help end homelessness. Showing Support for Jeans Day 2012: Senator Mark

Warner’s Office.

Employees with the Fairfax County Regional Library

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Employees of group Z in Tysons Corner

FACETS employees

By Victoria Ross

The Connection

Nearly 10,000 residents representing130 businesses, Fairfax County agen-cies, schools and organizations pulledon their favorite jeans Friday, Dec. 14

for the second annual Jeans Day—a powerful com-munity initiative that aims to “Put the ZIP onHomelessness” through building awareness andfundraising.

“This is a fun way to dress, but a serious challengefor our community,” said Sharon Bulova, Chairmanof the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors duringthe Jeans Day 2012 ceremony held at the govern-ment center.

Bulova noted the county’s longstanding commit-ment to the issue by establishing the Office to Pre-vent and End Homeless (OPEH) in 2008. OPEH sup-ports the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partner-ship to Prevent and End Homelessness which engagesnonprofits, businesses, faith-based communities andcounty agencies in its efforts to implement the 10-year plan, which focuses on rapid re-housing andprevention by increasing the availability of perma-nent affordable housing.

“It’s not okay to have people living in tents or intheir cars…We have it within our power to endhomelessness as we know it in Fairfax County, andJeans Day is just one of many great ways we aredoing just that,” Bulova said.

The day of community give-back was facilitatedby the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (FairfaxChamber), Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partner-ship to Prevent and End Homelessness, The Connec-tion Newspapers and Apple Federal Credit Union.Participating organizations allowed employees ormembers to wear jeans to work Friday in exchangefor a $5 contribution to the Fairfax-Falls Church Com-munity Partnership to Prevent & End Homelessness.

“Jeans Day is an especially vibrant example of themeaningful impact we make when businesses, non-profits and government come together to raise aware-ness about an important issue and take action to helpprevent it,” said Fairfax Chamber President & CEOJim Corcoran. “The Chamber and business commu-nity are proud to be a part of this powerful initia-tive.”

Corcoran, who typically wears business suits aspresident of the Fairfax Chamber, said he went intoa detailed explanation earlier that morning abouthis casual attire when he was speaking to a group of

high-powered business executives. “The reason Iwent into such detail was to save my job,” he joked.“Please, don’t anyone suggest wearing a skirt nextyear.”

“By God, if we have to wear a skirt next year, we’llcall it a kilt,” joked Michael L. O’Reilly, Chairman ofthe Governing Board of Fairfax-Falls Church Partner-ship to Prevent and End Homelessness. O’Reilly toldthe crowd that the Fairfax community is especiallypassionate and committed to the cause of endinghomelessness. “For there to be one family, one childwho is homeless is simply unacceptable.”

Dean Klein, the executive director of OPEH, said hewas energized by the success of this year’s effort. “Wehave heard so much good will and positive feedbackabout our effort this year. The number of participantsreally is amazing and we are so pleased we have beenable to increase our reach and impact this year. Wehave had such amazing collaborations from each sec-tor of our community, including business, nonprofit,government, schools, faith and individuals.”

“In Fairfax County, it’s easy to forget that there arehomeless families here, homeless children in theschools, and that many people who are homeless hereare actually working, but don’t make nearly enoughmoney to afford housing,” said The Connection Pub-lisher Mary Kimm. “The Connection is committed toraising awareness of homelessness and the need toprovide permanent shelter, and to recognizing thegood works of individuals and businesses in North-ern Virginia.”

Facts About Homelessnessin Fairfax County

❖On Jan. 25, 2012, there were 1,534 people whowere literally homeless in the Fairfax-Falls ChurchCommunity. Six hundred and ninety seven of themwere individuals and 837 were people in families.

❖During the past year, the number of people whowere homeless in the Fairfax-Falls Church Communitydeclined by one percent (15 people) from the numbercounted in January 2011. Persons in families decreasedby 5.2 percent (46 people) compared to 2011. Thenumber of single adults increased by 4.5 percent (30adults) compared to 2011.

❖The majority of the homeless are families and manywork full time:

❖Close to 60 percent of homeless persons are infamilies.

❖More than 75 percent of children in homeless fami-lies are under the age of 11.

❖Nearly 60 percent adults in homeless families work.❖Lack of affordable housing is the main cause of

homelessness.❖Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is

$1,134.❖A family must earn $22.25 an hour to afford a one-

bedroom apartment.❖82 percent of homeless families earn less than

$14.24 an hour.More information about homelessness in Fairfax

County, and the partnership to end it, is available athttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/.


CHRISTMAS EVE, December 245:00 P.M. ~ Children’sChristmas Eve program

7:30 P.M. and 10:00 P.M. Christmas Evecandlelight services of Holy Communion

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By Alex McVeigh

The Connection

The large room at theWalker Nature Educa-tion Center was filledwith branches, greens

and a variety of other winterplants Tuesday, Dec. 11, as mem-bers of the Reston Garden Club puttogether more than 60 center-pieces. The pieces were donatedto Cameron Glen Health and Re-hab center, and will adorn thetables for patients in their long-term care section.

“The greens come from the gar-dens of club members, and we alsoprovide the mugs where every-thing goes,” said member BarbaraPelzner. “They will be placed onthe tables for the residents andguests to enjoy and share in theholiday spirit.”

This has been the club’s annualholiday philanthropic effort forseveral years. The members bringin piles of greens, and arrangethem in floral foam, which keeps

them in place and hydrated so theylast as long as possible.

In addition to the greens, gar-deners brought in tinsel, small or-naments and other items to makethem more festive.

Each member makes at least onecenterpiece, some make two orthree. And decorations around theNature Center weren’t limited to

the centerpieces.“We also came in and helped

decorate the Nature House withsome of the bigger greens as wellas other decorative items,” saidEllen Douglas, a member of theclub. “We even had pieces of anapple tree that was knocked downduring Hurricane Sandy thatadded a good look, and parts of itare all over the Nature House.”

Also on display were eighteenornaments, which were designedby member Terry Carter as theclub’s fundraiser. Using pinecones,small sticks and other all-naturalmaterials, Carter would lead a ses-sion for members who wished tolearn the year’s ornaments.

“I made my first one in 1985,and every year until 2003 I wouldteach club members how to makethem, and it was fun to see allthese little pieces turned into littleanimals and other pretty decora-tions,” Carter said. “I helped someup with the design, but wecouldn’t have made them withoutthe nimble fingers of the wonder-ful ladies in this club.”

Garden Club CreatesHoliday CenterpiecesAnnual philanthropy event donates holiday greens tolocal care facility.

June Bell of the Reston Garden Club builds a holidaycenterpiece for the residents of Cameron Glen Tuesday,Dec. 11.

Members of the RestonGarden Club constructcenterpieces out ofwinter greens for theCameron Glen centerTuesday, Dec. 11.

News

Photos by

Alex McVeigh/

The Connection


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Christmas 2012Friday, December 21

The “Longest Night” Service of Light and Hope at 7 p.m.

Sunday, December 23Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Intergenerational Participatory Christmas Pageant at 9:40 a.m.Congregational Christmas Caroling at 6:00 p.m.

Monday, December 24“Fiesta de la Navidad” at 11:00 a.m. and lunch

Family Christmas Eve Service at 5 p.m.Service of Lessons and Carols at 7 p.m.

Traditional Communion and Candlelight Service at 10 p.m.

Sunday, December 30 – First Sunday after ChristmasWorship service only at 11:00 a.m.

Sunday, January 6 – The Day of EpiphanyWorship services at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.

651 Dranesville Road • Herndon, VA 20170Church Office: 703-437-5500www.trinityherndon.org

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

As I drove across theWiehle Avenue Bridgeover the Dulles AccessRoad a couple of

weeks ago, I was sure I saw aMetro railcar on the brand newSilver Line tracks. I hurried to thepost office and returned to thescene, parked my car in a nearby

lot, and walked to the bridge torecord the historic moment. Bythen it was dusk, and search as Imight I could not find a railcar. Ibegan to doubt myself. Had Iworked on the project so long thatI was seeing things? It was a daylater that I saw a photographsomeone had taken from his caron the Toll Road that showed themystery railcar. I was right allalong that a Metro railcar had in-

deed been on the tracks. The en-gineers tell me it was a “clearancecar” to check construction to en-sure that as the train moves andsways it will not hit anything.

There are going to be moresightings of railcars in the futureas construction of the rail line isexpected to be completed late nextsummer with the actual openingdate to be set by WMATA for late2013 or early 2014, depending on

the completion of its operationaltests. We can always hope for areal train next Christmas.

Of course, the opening of theSilver Line to Wiehle Avenue is butPhase One of a rail line that willgo to a stop at Reston Town Cen-ter and beyond to Dulles Interna-tional Airport and two stops intoLoudoun County. While the engi-neering and construction of PhaseOne has been a marvel, even more

remarkable might be the comingtogether of jurisdictions and a fi-nancial plan for Phase Two thattook an extreme amount of effortand is itself a marvel.

Central to making Phase Twohappen was the leadership of U.S.Secretary of Transportation RayLaHood. At the recent annualmeeting of the Dulles Corridor Rail

A Silver Line Train for the HolidaysCommentary

See Plum, Page 11


Entertainment

Pear and Pomegranate, 30x40, by Loretta Scott.

New Exhibit: Saturday Morning ArtistsLoretta Scott, Trish Everhart, Marann Bonorchis and Vivian Leinio set aside Sat-

urday mornings to paint in Scott’s studio. This exhibit, open until Dec. 31 at RCCHunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, showcases the work of the four artists’ manySaturdays working together. A free artists’ reception is on Dec. 16 from 2-4 p.m.703-476-4500 or www.restoncommunitycenter.com.

Danny Paisley

Weekend Bluegrass Concert Series:Danny Paisley

Paisley’s high lonesome voice fronts the band his father used to lead, which hasremained a hallmark of bluegrass music since decades past. Come on Saturday, Jan.5 at 7:30 p.m. to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1090 Sterling Road, Herndon. $15,adults; children 12-and-under, free. 703-435-8377 or [email protected].

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WEDNESDAY/DEC. 19Open Mic Night. 9:30 p.m-1:30 a.m.

Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, 697Spring St., Herndon. EveryWednesday. Register your band [email protected] or 703-593-5206. www.jimmystavern.com.

MONDAY/DEC. 31New Year’s Eve Golf Tournament.

10 a.m., at the Herndon CentennialGolf Course, 909 Ferndale Ave.,Herndon. An annual four-personscramble with a cart, range balls,prizes and lunch included; entrydeadline in Dec. 21. $70. 703-471-5769 or www.herndongolf.com.

New Year’s Eve Celebration. 7 p.m.-12:30 a.m., at ArtSpace, 750 CenterSt., Herndon. Family activities, abonfire from 9-10 p.m., music andrefreshment in the gallery starting at10 p.m. All ages welcome. 703-956-6590 or www.artspaceherndon.org.

SATURDAY/JAN. 5Weekend Bluegrass Concert

Series: Danny Paisley. 7:30 p.m.,at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1090Sterling Road, Herndon. Paisley’shigh lonesome voice fronts the bandhis father used to lead and the bandremains a hallmark of traditionalbluegrass since decades past. $15,adults; children 12-and-under, free.703-435-8377 [email protected].

WEDNESDAY/JAN. 16Open Mic Night. 9:30 p.m-1:30 a.m.

Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, 697Spring St., Herndon. EveryWednesday. Register your band [email protected] or 703-593-

5206. www.jimmystavern.com.

SATURDAY/JAN. 19 Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King

Jr. 4 p.m., at the Reston CommunityCenter Hunters Woods, 2310 ColtsNeck Road, Reston. An annualmusical concert in honor of Dr. Kingfeaturing the works of Restoncomposer Brian Scarbrough withperformances by the Mykle Lyons

Trio and Beverly Cosham.www.restoncommunityorchestra.org.

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra:Masterworks IV. 8 p.m. GeorgeMason University Center for the Arts,4400 University Drive, Fairfax.Conductor Christopher Zimmermanand flautist Christina Jenningsperform Mozart’s Overture to TheMagic Flute, Leshnoff’s FluteConcerto, Ives’ The UnansweredQuestion and Brahms’ Symphony No.

1 in C minor, Op. 68. $25-$55. 703-563-1990 orwww.fairfaxsymphony.org.

SATURDAY/JAN. 26Weekend Bluegrass Concert

Series: Sonrise. 7:30 p.m., at HolyCross Lutheran Church, 1090 SterlingRoad, Herndon. A gospel bluegrassquartet from Fredericksburg bringsharmonies a cappella and masterfulinstruments to match. $12; children12-and-under, free. 703-435-8377 or

[email protected].

ONGOINGNational Realty Toys for Tots/

FISH Drop-off. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston.Through Dec. 14, drop off new,unwrapped toys in the donation boxin the lobby or buy a $25 gift cardthrough Herndon-Reston FISH forteenagers through age 18 to use forChristmas wishlist items. 571-205-8874.

Send announcements to [email protected] is Thursday for the following week’s paper. Photos/art-work encouraged. For additional listings, visitwww.connectionnewspapers.com.


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News

By Alex McVeigh

The Connection

Before coming to the ice rink at Reston TownCenter Saturday, Dec. 15, Joy Bernardthought she had seen everything.

“I’ve seen people texting and driving,texting while crossing traffic, but I’ve never seenanyone texting while ice skating,” she said. “I sawthree girls, skating next to each other, all with headsdown in their phones. I like texting and checkingFacebook on my iPhone as much as anybody, but Ithought that was ridiculous.”

Thankfully, most of the hundreds that showed upSaturday were able to keep their eyes ahead of them,or at least focused on Scooby Doo, who came out forhis weekly appearance at the rink.

“We try to stop by at least every other Saturday,sometimes it’s Scooby Doo, sometimes the Cat in theHat, my daughter likes to skate near her favoritecharacters,” said Margaret Garrett of Herndon. “Ithink it’s actually helped her learn how to skate aswell. We took her a few times at different rinks, andshe just fell down and didn’t want to keep trying,but now we can’t keep her away.”

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Skate takes placeevery Saturday in December from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Friday nights also feature Rock ‘n Skate from 8 to 11p.m. with a live DJ, games and prize giveaways.

The skate rink will be open through the secondweek in March.

Ice skaters take to RestonTown Center.

Skating Rink Home of Holiday Spirit

From left, Novak, 14,and Ahmad Patil, 12,take a brief breakfrom skating at theReston Town CenterSkating PavilionSaturday, Dec. 15.

Photo by

Alex McVeigh/

The Connection


Focus On Immigration

By Victoria Ross

The Connection

Final part of the series.

On Election NightNov. 6, KeisyChavez’s nerveswere frayed.

The Fairfax single mom hadbeen campaigning hard for Demo-crats since the official launch ofLatinos for Obama last April.

She filmed a commercial forSenate candidate Tim Kaine inSeptember, worked phone banks,door-knocked during 104-degreeheat, stuffed envelopes, deliveredyard signs, and seized every op-portunity to talk to friends, neigh-bors and strangers about the im-portance of the 2012 election.

Her daughter, Cinthya Qureshi,24, likes to tease her mom abouther willingness to talk to anyonewhen it comes to politics.

“If my mom is pumping gas, andsees someone next to her, she willstart a conversation about poli-tics,” she said.

“I’ve been organizing for Presi-dent Obama and Governor Kainesince the launch of their cam-paigns, and everyone I talk to inthe Latino community gets firedup to help spread the message ofeverything they have done for us,”said Chavez.

Chavez was ecstatic over ofKaine’s and Obama’s victories inVirginia. “It was such a powerfulfeeling. I can’t really describe howhappy and relieved I felt,” she said.“It shows that you can make a dif-ference. It’s a big motivation torealize that you can have an im-pact on something bigger thanyou, something that touches somany people.”

Like many Latinos this electioncycle, Chavez made certain hervoice was heard. According to exitpolls, recent immigrants, not justLatinos, voted overwhelmingly, 73percent, for Obama in NorthernVirginia.

Data from the Pew ResearchCenter also shows that AsianAmericans have shifted more toDemocrats since 2008 than anyother minority group. Represent-ing just 3 percent of the nationalvoting population, they are thefastest growing demographic inthe United States, and their influ-

ence is being felt beyond tradition-ally blue states, like California, Ha-waii, New York and New Jersey,into swing states like Virginia andNorth Carolina.

“This area, particularly FairfaxCounty, is teeming with immi-grants, from South America, India,Vietnam, South Korea and else-where,” said Frederic Bemak, di-rector of the Diversity Researchand Action Center at George Ma-son University. “I can’t imaginemany of them swooned atRomney’s incessant China bashing,or talk of self-deportation for theundocumented.”

“The tectonic plates are shiftingon immigration,” said FrankSharry, a McLean resident and ex-ecutive director of America’s Voice,an advocacy group for immigrants.“The fact that leading conservativevoices are joining Republican lead-ers in calling for immigration re-form that includes relief for the 11million undocumented immi-grants in America is a major de-velopment that will open up space

for the GOP to do the right thingand help pass sensible reform leg-islation.”

Sharry said political leadersshould consider the response from2012 voters to this question askedin the network exit polls: “Shouldmost illegal immigrants workingin the United States be offered achance to apply for legal status ordeported to country they camefrom?”

“By a whopping 65-percent-to-28-percent margin, Americanssupport the ‘apply for legal status’option,” Sharry said.

Chavez said the 2012 electionwas a “reality wake-up call.”

“I think it has finally hit someRepublican politicians and policy-makers that if you don’t embraceimmigration you will go nowhere.If you really want your party oryour candidate or issues to be ad-dressed, you need to embrace themix of people in this country. Ev-eryone has something to bring, re-gardless of whether you’re Latino,Asian, or Irish.”

Voting: How thepowerless beginto access power?

Political affiliation aside, re-search shows that immigrants, es-pecially when they organize andvote, are influencing the politicaldiscussion overall, not just elect-ing Democrats.

According to immigration ex-perts, the right to vote is a keymotivating factor when immi-grants choose to become citizens,instead of just holding on to theirgreen card.

Andrew Eade, who grew up inEngland, has been working in theU.S. for 16 years. In May, Eade wasone of 75 new citizens who tookthe Oath of Allegiance during aspecial naturalization ceremony atthe Fairfax County GovernmentCenter.

A resident of Herndon for 16years, Eade said he wanted to be-come a citizen so he could “fullyparticipate in the system andvote.”

“I’ve been paying taxes for allthese years, and I thought it wastime to vote. You want to feel likeyou are getting your voice heard,”he said.

Tam-Anh Lam, 23, calledTammy by her clients at the FourSeasons Nail Salon in Oakton,pulls out a creased photo of her 4-year-old daughter, Leah-Anh, toshow a client.

Lam came to the United States

with her parents when she was 2years old. Lam lives with her par-ents in Reston, who help take careof her daughter.

She became a citizen when sheturned 18, but did not vote untilthis year. Lam said she wants herdaughter to grow up with self-con-fidence and the higher educationshe lacks.

“I never paid much attention,but this year there was so much inthe news that concerned me.” Lamsaid news about immigration, edu-cation and healthcare struck achord with her, and she decidedshe would vote this year.

“I wanted to vote because itgives you power. It’s the Americanway. … I wanted my daughter toknow that we’re Americans too,and she can do anything. If I can’tdo it, maybe she can. Who knows,she could be a doctor someday,”Lam said.

Community-based organiza-tions, according to a 2009 UrbanInstitute study, play a key role inencouraging immigrants to enrollin citizenship programs so theycan participate in the electoral pro-cess.

“A significant aspect of immi-grant integration is civic partici-pation,” said Richard Eldridge, theCitizenship volunteer manager atHogar Immigrant Services, aFairfax County program of Catho-lic Charities of the Diocese of Ar-lington. “We have a strong com-ponent of helping people becomenew citizens, of empowering im-migrants through the benefits of

Immigrants make significant gains in influencingpolitical system.

How the Powerless Access

Brian Moran, former chairman of the Democratic Party ofVirginia with U.S. Rep. James Moran (D-8) and FredShwaery of Vienna, a member of the Arab AmericanDemocrats of Virginia at the 24th annual Arab AmericanCandidates’ Night Dinner held at the Tysons CornerMarriott on Sept. 30.

Keisy Chavez, a Latino activist with Latinos for Obama,and daughter Cinthya Qureshi at their business inHerndon.

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citizenship.”“Our goal is for immigrants to

achieve self-sufficiency and par-ticipate fully in the greater com-munity,” said Brooke HammondPerez, education services andgroup manager. Hogar, which wasfounded in 1981, offers a combi-nation of legal consultation, En-glish-language instruction and citi-zenship classes.

While the majority of Hogar’simmigrant clients live below thepoverty level, their determinationto become engaged, active citizensis inspiring, Hammond Perez said.

But few have touchedHammond Perez personally asmuch as client Alhaji Alpha Bah,an 82-year-old immigrant fromSierra Leone. In 1992, Bah was ashop-keeper in the West Africannation when civil war broke out.During a decade of brutal civil war,when tens of thousands of peopledied, Bah was forced from hishome, living as a refugee inGuinea for seven years beforecoming to the United States in2003.

“He was accompanied to theU.S. by four of his nine children,”Hammond Perez said, adding thathis other children had to stay be-hind in Guinea and Sierra Leone.“Even now, he doesn’t know thewhereabouts of three of those fivechildren.”

Bah came to Catholic Charitiesin 2010. He did not have any for-mal education, did not speak En-glish and was not able to find con-sistent work. Despite these ob-stacles, Bah, accompanied byHammond Perez, was officiallysworn in as a U.S. citizen on Oct.

14, 2011. When asked what hewanted to do as a new American,he said he wanted to register tovote as soon as possible. “I feelproud. I feel big. You are a citizen.Welcome to America,” Bah said invideo interview discussing his ex-periences. (To see the video, visithogarimmigrantservices.org.)

ImmigrantsGaining PoliticalInfluence

In Virginia and at the nationallevel, immigrant voters are chang-ing the political landscape in un-precedented ways, and hold in-creasing influence across the po-litical spectrum.

“From a political perspective,the way the demographics areshifting, those who would demon-ize and attack new immigrantsand Latinos do so at their peril,”said Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49),the first Latino Democrat electedto the Virginia General Assembly.

Latinos have a long history ofpolitical involvement through or-ganizations which give them ac-cess to elected officials, accordingto the Urban Institute.

In contrast, the Urban Institutestudy says, Asian and African im-migrant communities are newerand lack long-serving, establishedleaders to spearhead and encour-age participation and advocacy.While Asians comprise 17.4 per-cent of Fairfax County’s popula-tion, compared to 15.6 percent

See Immigrants, Page 12

Power

Andrew Eade, wife Stephanie and son Greyson, 21-months, of Herndon. Eade, from England, was one of 75candidates who took the Oath of Allegiance during aspecial naturalization ceremony May 25 at the FairfaxCounty Government Center.

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See Barriers, Page 12

Del. Mark Keam (D-35) is the first Korean Americanand the first Asian-born immigrant to serve in theVirginia General Assembly. In November 2009, Keam waselected to an open seat in the House of Delegates and re-elected in November 2011. Keam, 46, currently serves onthe House Education and Finance Committees, and is Co-Chair of the Legislative Tourism Caucus. Keam sat for aseries of interviews with Connection reporter Victoria Rossin his Vienna office in December. Here is Keam’s story,mostly in his own words.

For new Americans, life is hard, but oncethey overcome those barriers, they arestronger, and they contribute so much be-

cause they fought so hard to get here. I’m proudof my background. The policies I advocate for arefrom the perspective of an immigrant, somethingwhich is sorely missing in Richmond. As an im-migrant who came here with nothing, I’m able tohave everything I ever wanted, to give my chil-dren incredible opportunities.

Let me put it this way, unlike most people whoseimmigration stories are fairly simple, (for ex-ample, they move from one country to anothercountry), I lived in four different countries andseveral different cities. I guess you could say Iwas the result of global circumstances beyond mycontrol.

My parents met in the late 1950s. They had losttheir parents during the war, so I didn’t know anyof my grandparents. My mother had an older sis-ter, who was a devout Christian. She didn’t likemy father.

My parents were like street kids after the Ko-rean war. My mother didn’t finish school and myfather was sort of a rogue. The only way my auntwould let him approach my mother was to provehe was upstanding citizen, so he became a minis-ter.

In 1961, there was mandatory conscription inthe military, so Keam’s father was sent to Viet-nam as a chaplain.

My father would come back at least once everytwo years. My brother was born in 1962, my sis-ter was born in 1964 and I was born in 1966. In1969, he came back to Seoul, and he wanted toset up a church. But Korea was still very run-downpost war. Imagine Afghanistan, imagine that sce-nario. Korea was like Afghanistan times two. Norunning water, all the buildings were bombed,everything was devastated, being run by dicta-tors. It’s only 50 miles from DMZ. That was theworld I was born into.

THE WAR IN VIETNAM was at a standstill, alot of countries started establishing ties in SouthVietnam, so they asked my father, who had stud-ied Vietnamese language and culture, to establisha Korean church and community center. We livedin the church, and I remember the building well.

This goes directly into how I got into politics.From the time I was 4-years-old, I can’t rememberone meal we had with just the five of us. Our mealswere with whoever was at the church. For the5,000 Koreans who lived in Vietnam in the 70s,every one of them came to our church because itwas also the only community center. It was thehub of all Korean activities. From the time I wokeup until I went to bed, there were always peoplearound us.

When I was a small kid, I freaked out becausewe had caskets. I remember there’d be a weddingin the morning, a funeral in the middle of the day,and another wedding at night. You’d see the samepeople dressed up for a wedding and then backfor a funeral, because they knew each other. I livedin that world with the idea that community helpseach other. It was ingrained in me such a naturalway that I think, to this day, that’s the core of mybeing. What made me who I am and what mademe think the way I do and act the way I do everysingle day was molded in my childhood. Moreimportantly, because of my father, I saw it was in-cumbent upon us to be leaders in our community.Family is important, but community is just as im-portant. So that has led me to do what I’m doingtoday.

When Keam was 9-years-old, in April of 1975,he recalls his family fleeing the church compoundduring what historians call the Fall of Saigon. Thecapture of Saigon by the People’s Army of Viet-nam and the National Liberation Front, markedthe end of the Vietnam War and the start of a tran-sition period leading to the formal reunificationof Vietnam into a communist state. The fall of thecity was preceded by the evacuation of almost allthe American civilian and military personnel inSaigon, along with tens of thousands of South Viet-namese civilians associated with the southern re-gime. The evacuation culminated in OperationFrequent Wind, which was the largest helicopterevacuation in history.

That’s the most traumatic thing that’s ever hap-pened to me. We were playing in the room, and Ijust remember my mother coming in saying wehave to pack up and go.

Del. Mark Keam (D-35)

Photos by Victoria Ross/The Connection

Immigrant Success StoryDelegate Mark L. Keam.


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Reminder: Shop Locally, Give LocallySupporting thecommunity.

With less than a week beforeChristmas, many people havenot completed their shopping,and so we remind you of the

importance of spending a significant portionof your shopping budget locally. At this pointin the season, the high cost of expedited ship-ping might also serve as an incentive to shopin locally owned stores.

One way to be sure holiday shopping comeswith some holiday spirit is to do a portion ofyour shopping in some of the area’s locallyowned stores. There is special holiday ambi-ance available by shopping in the heart of atown that is decked out for the season.

Small retail shops are part of defining anycommunity. Their livelihood depends on thelivability and quality of the neighborhoodsaround them. A small business owner pays at-tention to every detail in his or her business ina way that no chain can. Frequently, it is thesmall retail person who is active in fundraisingfor local charities, for fire and rescue service,for local schools and in organizing holidayevents.

Local retail stores, mom-and-pop stores, con-tinue to face tough challenges. Competitionfrom big box stores and online sellers makesthe holiday shopping season all the more im-portant to locally-owned retailers.

With less than two weeks to go before theend of the charitable giving year, we also re-mind you of the critical local needs that are filledby a variety of local nonprofit organizations.

With suggestions from readers, we have updatedour lists. We welcome suggestions as we con-tinuously update our local lists of communityorganizations. You can find a complete list onour website, www.connectionnewspapers.com

Last News Issue of2012

This is the last regular edition of the Con-nection for 2012, and it includes the last ofour 2012 series on immigration. Next week,delivered shortly after Christmas, is theChildren’s Connection, devoted to the artworkand writing of area students.

— Mary Kimm,

[email protected]

The Fairfax County Office of PublicPrivate Partnerships has puttogether a list of 12 ways tosupport nonprofit partners thatare in need of contributions tocarry out their mission. Visitwww.fairfaxcountypartnerships.org

❖ Support services for aging in placethrough Life Circle Alliancewww.lifecirclealliances.org/donate.htm

❖ Shop online “Gifts that Give Hope”Alternative Gift Fair for FairfaxCountyatwww.giftsthatgivehope.org/fairfax providing links to buy giftsthat support more than 20 FairfaxCounty nonprofits includingAlternative House, Herndon-Reston FISH, FACETS, StrokeComeback Center, and more.

❖ Honor the memory of a relative orfriend or recognize a birthday,wedding, anniversary, retirementor other special event by donatinga bench to a park through theFairfax County Park Foundationhttp://fairfaxparkfoundation.org/support/benchtree.htm

❖ Buy a book to fulfill the LibraryFoundation’s Wish List http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/002-9627810-1915264?id=2P3AKWX1F9FO

❖ Donate the gift of trees throughReforest Fairfax of the FairfaxCounty Restoration Project http://www.fcrpp3.org/reforestfairfax/

❖ Give the gift of Art to benefit theArts Council of Fairfax County,http://artsfairfax.org/donate

❖ Protect a child’s smile and healthby donating to Project PearlyWhites from the MCCPFoundation, mccpfoundation.org/news/mccp_foundation_launches_project_pearly_whites/

❖ Help end homelessness throughthe Office to Prevent and EndHomelessness, http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/opeh.htm

❖ Give the gift of your time andbecome a mentor for BeFriend-A-Child, http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/befriendachild.htm

❖ Provide for a family for theholidays through A Way Forwardand donate care packages to thosewho need it most, http://

www.awayforward.org

Other Fairfax County organizations thatneed your help to keep helpingothers:

❖ Literacy Council of NorthernVirginia, 703-237-0866,www.lcnv.org, Teaches adults thebasic skills of reading, writing,speaking and understanding English.Offers one-to-one tutoring programsfor adult learners as well asbeginning-level ESOL and FamilyLearning adult programs.

❖ Computer C.O.R.E. 703-931-7346,www.computercore.org, AdultEducation, Computer Training andCareer Development, with classes inAlexandria, Fairfax, Herndon andAnnadale

❖ Our Daily Bread has been servingneedy families in Fairfax County for25 years. The Holiday Program helpsthose in need with food for theholidays and gifts for their children,making last year’s holiday seasonbrighter for approximately 3,000families. www.odbfairfax.com/holiday

❖ Food for Others distributed morethan 2.4 million pounds of free foodto families in need in NorthernVirginia in the year ending June 30,2012, The non-profit provides asafety net for people who faceemergencies such as a family illnessor the loss of a job or a spouse. 2938Prosperity Ave., Fairfax, VA 22031,703-207-9173.www.foodforothers.com

❖ Ecumenical Community HelpingOthers (ECHO), 703-569-9160.Open to receive donations at 7205Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield.Provides food and financialassistance to those in short-termemergencies, and provides clothingand household goods to low incomefamilies, helping more than 5,000people last year. www.echo-inc.org.

❖ Lorton Community ActionCenter operates the Act ll ThriftShop at 9506 Richmond Highway,Lorton. Sales from the shop generatefunds for LCAC and clients also shopthere. Now collecting gift cards andfood baskets for Christmas, andwarm coats. 703-339-8611www.lortonaction.org.

❖ Comfort for America’sUniformed Services (CAUSE) —

ensures that recuperating servicemembers have opportunities forrecreation and social interaction andreceive concrete signs ofappreciation. 4114 Legato Road SuiteB, Fairfax, VA 22033, 703-591-4968,cause-usa.org

❖ National Capital Food Bank,6833 Hill Park Drive, Lorton, servingall of Northern Virginia, 703-541-3063. www.capitalareafoodbank.org

❖ Western Fairfax ChristianMinistries — food pantry at 13981Metrotech Drive in Chantilly (nearBackyard Grill and Bar). For moreinformation or to sponsor a family,call 703-988-9656, ext. 105. To mailgift cards or send donations by check,add a note saying “food basketprogram” and send them to: WFCM,P.O. Box 220802, Chantilly, VA20153. 703-988-9656.

❖ The Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic,13525 Dulles Technology Drive,Herndon, VA 20171, 571-235-3577.Last year, 139 community volunteersincluding nurses, nurse practitionersand physicians, gave more than1,300 hours of their time to seepatients. jsfreeclinic.org.

❖ Alternative House — Abused andHomeless Children’s Refuge, 2100Gallows Road, Vienna, VA 22182,703-506-9191.www.thealternativehouse.org.

❖ Reston Interfaith, 11150 SunsetHills Road, Suite 210, Reston, servingReston and Herndon. 571-323-9555,www.restoninterfaith.org. Programsand services include the EmbryRucker Community Shelter,Emergency Food Pantry,Hypothermia Prevention Programand holiday food drives.

❖ SHARE of McLean is fully volunteerrun, and seeks donations of grocerygift cards and more. Checks and giftcards can be sent to: Share, Inc. POBox 210, McLean, VA 22101. 703-284-2179. www.SHAREofMcLean.org

❖ LINK, serving Herndon, Chantilly,Loudoun and more, needscontributions of food, coats andholiday toys for children, plusvolunteers. More than 4,000 adultsand children have signed up for helpwith holiday meals. 703-437-1776www.linkagainsthunger.org

❖ FACETS helps parents, their childrenand individuals who suffer the effectsof poverty in the Fairfax area.

FACETS is always in need ofvolunteers, and offers a variety ofone-time and ongoingopportunities. 703-865-4251 [email protected] offers a monthly YouthVolunteer Night.www.facetscares.org. 10640 PageAvenue, Suite 300, Fairfax VA22030

❖ Committee for HelpingOthers (CHO), Vienna,organized in 1969 by a group ofconcerned churches andindividuals in the Dunn Loring,Merrifield, Oakton, Viennacommunity to provide simple,loving charity to those in need.703-281-7614 http://www.cho-va.com

❖ Fairfax City Area FISH (ForImmediate Sympathetic Help),working with the Office ofCoordinated Services Planning,Fairfax County Department ofHuman Services, FISH helps localcitizens who are in temporaryneed of food, clothing andfinancial assistance for rent,mortgage payments, utilities, andmedical treatments. FISH alsoprovides limited transportationfor doctor appointments and fooddelivery. 703-222-0880 http://fairfaxfish.org/

❖ Herndon-Reston FISH (ForImmediate Sympathetic Help),336 Victory Drive, Herndon, 703-391-0105 http://herndonrestonfish.org

❖ Lamb Center,www.thelambcenter.org, Daycenter for homeless, Fairfax 703-691-3178

❖ Northern Virginia FamilyService, 10455 White GraniteDrive Suite 100, Oakton, VA22124 703-385-3267 http://www.nvfs.org/

❖ United CommunityMinistries, Mount Vernon, 703-768-7106, 7511 Fordson Road,Alexandria, 22306 http://www.ucmagency.org/

❖ Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN)of Northern Virginia, 703-820-9001, www.scanva.org, ParentEducation, Public Education-re:child abuse and Court Advocacyfor Abused and NeglectedChildren

Where to Give Locally


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By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

The holidays start witha saucepan of mushr o o m s — u s u a l l yportabella, crimini or

oyster—sautéing in olive oil. Next,sliced onions sizzle in a bath ofbubbling butter and wine untilthey’re caramelized.

This is how Bonita Lillie startsher yuletide feast. Under the guid-ance of her deft hands, such rankand file produce become mush-room soup. Fresh minced pork andcheddar cheese become a recre-ation of her mother’s sausage rolls.She doesn’t measure ingredients,count calories or add flavor-de-pleting substitutes. Only real food makes the cut inher Alexandria kitchen.

“I go with my gut and what feels right. I don’t userecipes,” said Lillie, a registered dietician and nutri-tion instructor at Marymount University in Arling-ton. “If you’re cooking a family dish that you lookforward to every holiday and you substitute a fat-free version of something, it won’t taste right andyou won’t satisfy your memory of that dish.”

During a time of year when it is not uncommon towash down Bûche de Noël with eggnog or to pileone’s plate with slices of crown roast beef drizzledwith merlot cream sauce, Lillie and other local nu-tritionists, food enthusiasts and health gurus say don’tengage in self-deprivation. They emphasize that mod-eration, minor modifications and keeping it real arethe keys to maintaining family traditions in ways thatare healthy.

“Fat, per se, is not evil,” said Nichole Ferrigno, cu-linary director for Tiny Chefs in Great Falls, Alexan-dria, McLean, Oakton, Springfield, Arlington andPotomac. “It really becomes about the type of fat oneis consuming. When we think of . . . eggnog, pepper-mint cake and gingerbread, I would tell folks to havejust a little bit of the real thing. I do not ever, ever

Nutrition experts say moderation,not deprivation,is key.

Teaching Health and HolidayCulinary Traditions

When faced with a widearray of yuletide treats,dietician Jennifer KayNelson advises against“mindlessly grabbingcookies [and] candy . . .here-there-everywhere.”

recommend substituting real foodswith processed look-a-likes.”“[I]t is definitely better to eat realfood,” said Joel Martin, Ph.D., aprofessor of kinesiology at GeorgeMason University in Fairfax. “Ourbodies have been used to eatingreal food for thousands of yearsand only recently have artificialingredients been introduced intoour diets. In the long run, regularlyeating these substitutes may causenumerous undesirable effects.”

Ferrigno, a former restaurantchef, suggests swapping imitationfor moderation. “Even when itcomes to holiday indulgences, onecan partake and still do so withinthe parameters of a healthy diet,”she said. “The key . . . is to stickwith whole, unprocessed foods. Byconsuming the real thing, yourbody is satiated with just a smallamount. When we consume arti-ficial ingredients, it takes much,

much longer and many, many more calories to reachthe same level of satiety.”

Replacing one natural ingredient with another is aflavor-preserving option. “You could substitute . . .an alternative sweetener like honey or agave nectar”for sugar, said Lenora Lawson, a chef instructor atThe Art Institute of Washington’s International Culi-nary Schools in Arlington.

ESCHEWING LARGE cookie cutters for their bite-sized counterparts and baking pies with grahamcracker crusts instead of traditional fat-laden shellsare tactics that Vienna-based culinary instructor Chris-tine Wisnewski employs during the holiday season.“There are lots of ways to go about healthy-ing upthe holidays,” she said. “If the filling is the star of thedessert, fill and bake individual ramekins for a crust-free dessert and significant calorie and fat savings.”

Most importantly, when faced with a dizzying arrayof yuletide treats on a tray or table, think before mak-ing a choice. “Be mindful, be appreciative and awareof what you are eating,” said Jennifer Kay Nelson, di-rector of clinical dietetics and an associate professorof nutrition at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.“Mindlessly grabbing cookies, candy, nuts here-there-everywhere often end up in unexpected pounds.”

Association I was pleased on be-half of the board to recognize theleadership of Secretary LaHood inbringing together the leaders oflocal governments and the state toagree on moving the project for-ward with additional state andfederal monies. Secretary LaHoodkept the parties at the table untilan agreement was reached.

Recently the secretary wrote

about the Silver Line Project,“When it comes to transportation,there is no time like the present toinvest in the future. Transportationprojects take time to complete,and they endure for generations.Because the impacts of theseprojects extend so far into the fu-ture, the infrastructure choices wemake today have huge conse-quences for our nation’s ability toreduce oil consumption, increasesafety, preserve air quality, im-prove public health, and keepmore money in people’s wallets. .

. . The Silver Line will be a gate-way to enormous opportunity andwill help us meet the needs of 21stcentury residents, workers, andvisitors for years to come. In fact,earlier this year Virginia GovernorBob McDonnell called this railtransit line, ‘one of the most im-portant, if not the most important,project in the country.’ And lastmonth, the Silver Line was en-dorsed by the Sierra Club as oneof the best projects in America.”

The Silver Line is quite a holi-day present for the region!

From Page 5

Plum


From Page 9

We had seen a lot of things. Whenever I see war-torn scenes ofLibya or Syria, it brings back flashes of memory. I never saw ac-tual tanks roll in, but we heard bombs going off. There were timeswhen we would go through the markets of Vietnam, and we hadseen Buddhist monks self-immolating in political protests — justawful.

After seeing things like that, it wasn’t real to us until that daymy mom said ‘pack up.’

The families at the compound got in the cars, and drove to thislittle airport. As we’re leaving in the helicopter, we look back andI see my dad standing behind the chicken-wire fence.

KEAM SAID HE EVENTUALLY reconstructed what happened tohis father through relative’s stories and his father’s testimony.

My father was stranded on the rooftop, and he was arrested bythe Viet Cong. He had two marks against him. One was that hewas a religious leader in a communist country. Another mark wasthat he served in the South Korean military, even though he wasa chaplain.

We were taken back to Seoul, and there were so many rumors.We heard that my father was killed, or that he was in prison, orthat he made it but he’s not coming back. We had absolutely noway to understand this. …

When we arrived back in Korea, we had zero, nothing. No onewas doing well. My mother found a one-bedroom apartment inSeoul. My mom had never finished high school let alone college.As a woman, she had no way of having meaningful employment,being a single mother with three kids. … So my mother went tochurches and to ex-military friends and it was those people whosupported us, not the government. I never asked her, and shenever talks about it, but I believe the only way she fed us everysingle day, is that she begged and went to charities and welfaregroups. That was the year I became an adult and lost my child-hood innocence.”

KEAM SPOKE ENGLISH AND FRENCH, but not much Korean.Back at school in Seoul, he was bullied and treated as a special-needs student. He said that terrible year transformed him in waysthat make him the person he is today.

I preach this all the time, discrimination is discrimination nomatter who is doing it to whom. My life’s mission is to fight againstdiscrimination. I am also passionate about literacy. I serve on theboard of Virginia Literacy Foundation, a nonprofit founded byformer Virginia First Lady Jeannie Baliles to ensure that every-one has essential reading and writing skills they need to succeed.

After what Keam considers the worst year of his life, assuminghis father was never coming home, feeling out of place in hisnative country, his family got another surprise. His father returnedhome, showing up on their doorstep out of the blue.

“That’s a story for another time, how we eventually got here.”Keam said.

THE REST OF THE STORY, ABRIDGED: After reuniting withhis father, Keam’s family then moved to Australia, where his fatherestablished another church before eventually moving to California.

Keam received a political science degree from the University ofCalifornia at Irvine, and had a chance to live in Falls Church whileworking as a college intern. After receiving a law degree fromHastings College of the Law, Keam returned to Virginia where hemet and married Alex Seong Keam, also an attorney. The Keamshave two children, Tyler, a Cub Scout, and Brenna, a Brownie. Bothchildren attend Mosby Woods Elementary School in Fairfax.

As a part-time citizen-legislator, Keam, who is known as the mostprolific member of the General Assembly on Twitter @markkeam,maintains a year-round office in Vienna in addition to his Rich-mond office. When the General Assembly is not in session, Keamserves as senior advisor for strategic affairs at Verizon; he has workedat Verizon since 2007. Before that, for six years, he served as ChiefCounsel to the Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin on theSenate Judiciary Committee. Before working on Capitol Hill, Keamwas worked at the Small Business Administration, and had alsoserved as an attorney with the Federal CommunicationsCommission’s Wireless Bureau.

Overcoming Barriers

From Page 9

sors were willing to spend targeting our community.”Lopez pointed out that since 2000 Latino voter

participation in the Commonwealth of Virginia hasgone up between 1 and 3 percent every election cycle.Currently, there are 683,000 Latinos in Virginia, andapproximately 183,000 of those are eligible voters,according to the State Board of Elections.

According to the 2010 decennial census, between2000 and 2010, Latino voter registration increasedby 75 percent in Virginia, one of highest increases incountry.

“This is something that really blew me away,” Lopezsaid. “The average age of the Latino citizen is 15 yearsold. Think about what that means in two years andfour years and eight years. You’re going to see a hugeincrease in Latino registered voters.”

Lopez said the increasing percentage of Virginia’sLatinos and immigrant voters make him hopeful thatthe political polarization regarding immigration re-form will diminish.

“There’s something huge about what’s happeningin the Commonwealth,” Lopez said. “The demo-graphic shifts coming to Virginia will wipe out theeffects of the short-sighted anti-immigrant politick-ing we see now.”

Chavez said it’s just smart — politically and eco-nomically — to create a pathway to citizenship foryoung immigrants. “We’re relying on their talent andskills. It’s not just a Latino concern. … It helps theeconomy and makes America stronger for everyone.”

“Like the program says ‘it’s the new normal.’ Getused to it. Embrace it,” Chavez said.

who are Latino, Asians speakmany different languages andcome from a wide variety of cul-tures, making it more difficult topolitically mobilize the populationas a whole.

Regardless, political leaders areincreasingly tuned in to the con-cerns of immigrants, and the num-ber of immigrant community-based organizations is increasing.In 2000, according to the UrbanInstitute, there were 90 such or-ganizations in Fairfax County; in2009, the number was up to 149.

“The number of organizationsdevoted to the interest of membersof the immigrant community hasbeen increasing just as the num-ber of immigrants has been in-creasing,” said Del. Ken Plum (D-36). “I try to attend as many meet-ings of groups with immigrantmembers to demonstrate to themthat they can have a say in gov-ernment and that there are thosein elective office who value thecontributions.”

At the 24th annual Candidates’Night Dinner, hosted by the ArabAmerican Republicans and theArab American Democratic Caucusof Virginia on Sept. 30, nearly ev-ery Fairfax County Democrat run-ning for office was there, courting voters, includingKaine, U.S. Rep. James Moran (D-8) and U.S. Rep.Gerry Connolly (D-11). Former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis,(R), who served eight terms in Congress, was MittRomney’s surrogate.

Launched in 1987 by the Arab American Institute(AAI), the event is a forum for campaigning politi-cians, and a place where the Arab-American com-munity can engage in the political process.

“Candidates’ Night, by admission of most politi-cians attending the forum, has been praised as oneof the best ethnic political forums,” said event co-chair Saba L. Shami. “It’s become an institution,bringing candidates together with the Arab Ameri-can community as an integral part of the Americanpolitical process.”

Del. Mark Keam (D-35), the first Korean Ameri-can and the first Asian-born immigrant to serve inthe Virginia General Assembly, said Asian immigrantsare beginning to see unprecedented growth in bothpopulation and political clout.

“In 2000, I was the convention chair of the Na-tional Asian American Bar Association. It was heldin D.C., and we broke all records. We had 500 law-yers getting together in the same town, and we hada budget of over $300,000. We thought that was bigtime,” Keam said.

“In 2012, same town, same convention, but thisyear the event drew 1,700 lawyers and had a budgetof $1.6 million,” Keam said. “What that tells you issomething about both the physical growth and theeconomic clout of Asians, because of the money spon-

Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49) at the Democratic CommitteeHeadquarters in Annandale.

Immigrants GainInfluence in Virginia

Focus On Immigration

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Sports

By Jon Roetman

The Connection

South Lakes boys’ basket-ball Coach AndrewDuggan was left to pon-der what could have been

after his team’s loss against Lan-gley on Dec. 14.

“It’s a different game if we makefree throws,” Duggan said after theSeahawks connected on just six of21 attempts. “Free throws, un-forced errors—we’re just throwingthe ball away. It’s the right ideawith some of the passes we’re try-ing to make, especially against thatzone, [but] we just threw the ballaway too many times withoutmuch pressure on us.”

The Seahawks trailed by asmany as 15 points in the first half,but cut the deficit to five late inthe third quarter. However, missedfree throws and missed opportu-nities were too much to overcomeon this night as a 14-2 Langley runpropelled the Saxons to a 49-33victory at Langley High School.

A free throw by Brandon Kamga

capped a 7-1 South Lakes run thatpulled the Seahawks within five at33-28 with less than a minute re-maining in the third quarter.Langley’s Garrett Collier ended the

period with a buzzer-beatingjumper and the Saxons started topull away.

“To get within five, we wereplaying as a team,” Kamga said.“We weren’t forcing anything. We

didn’t turn over the ball [and] wewere finishing at the rim. Whatmade [Langley pull] away is Ithink we got too comfortable; wewere like, yeah, we’re getting backin this.”

South Lakes’ 33 points were aseason low. The Seahawks pro-duced 12 field goals and 28 turn-overs against a Langley team thatoften played a stifling 2-3 zonedefense.

“Defensively, I couldn’t be hap-pier with holding them to 33points,” Langley Head CoachTravis Hess said. “Offensively, Ithought we could have taken careof the ball a little better, I thoughtwe could have executed a littlebetter, I thought we could have fin-ished in transition a little better,

Seahawks go 6-for-21 at the line against Langley.Missed Free Throws Haunt South Lakes in Defeat

Sophomore point guardBrandon Kamga led SouthLakes with 11 pointsagainst Langley on Dec. 14.

South Lakes junior EthanClark goes up for a shotagainst Langley on Dec. 14.

but to hold a team to 33 points ina high school basketball game;you’re going to win a lot of gamesif you can do that.”

Kamga led South Lakes with 11points and six rebounds. Thesophomore is playing point guardfor the first time in his career andis still trying to get used to thebalance between distributing theball and maintaining a scorer’smentality.

“At the beginning of the year,even my teammates told me Iwasn’t very good at distributingthe ball,” he said. “I really thoughtabout it and I watched film. I waslike, yeah, I’m not good at it. It’ssomething I’d like to improve on.I think I’ve been improving everygame.”

Evan Keys scored eight pointsfor South Lakes and ClaytonO’Neill added five.

Collier led Langley with 23points. The Saxons improved to 6-0.

South Lakes dropped to 2-4, in-cluding 1-2 in the Liberty District.The Seahawks will host Herndonat 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

“It’s a differentgame if we makefree throws.”— South Lakes boys’ basket-

ball Coach Andrew Duggan

Pho

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s by C

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ABC LICENSEKC Thai, LLC trading as

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LANDSCAPING LANDSCAPINGUsually, but not always, when I show for my

scheduled post-chemotherapy/post-scanappointment with my oncologist, I am physi-cally examined (touching, feeling). Recently,due to some enhanced computer and facilityupgrades, I was shown the actual scans, digit-ized. However, on more than one occasionover the last 18 months or so, after we dis-cussed the results of my most recent CT Scan –and lab work, no physical exam was per-formed. Apparently, as I later learned, the goodresults from my scan sort of trumps any need tofeel for physical manifestations. Meaning, that ifthe scan shows no tumor growth or movement,it stands to reason – medically speaking, thatcorollary-type symptoms/indications/ abnormali-ties would not occur/be present. To simplifyeven more, there’s no need for a “pre-opera-tive grope,” to quote Dr. Hawkeye Pierce froman episode of M*A*S*H, if the diagnostic testshows there’s nothing to “grope.”

On balance then, the doctor’s not examin-ing me is good news, generally, presumably; atleast that’s how he explained it to me. It’s aprofessional version of “Why bother?” There’snothing to see so he doesn’t have to take alook. I can live with that. Still, I remember thefirst appointment I had with my oncologistwhen he didn’t examine me (he always asksquestions though); before I sort of realized thatI hadn’t been examined, I was already in mycar driving home. I said aloud to my wife,Dina: “He didn’t even examine me!” I feltcheated somehow, as if I didn’t get my co-pay’sworth. I called my nurse the next day to com-plain and express my curiosity/anxiety aboutwhy it was that my oncologist had not touched/tested me for any physical reactions/signs as hehad on all previous appointments.

My doctor did not call back if I recall, but Ibelieve my nurse did, with some tepid reassur-ance. However, on my next appointment withmy oncologist, we discussed the reason why Ihadn’t been examined during the previousappointment. He said there is a debate withinthe medical profession about this very subject.If the scans are encouraging and show noappreciable tumor growth and/or movement,the patient’s body will likely not exhibit anysigns to the contrary. Ergo, physically examiningthe patient is sort of redundant. However, myconcern that something wasn’t done to me(physically examined by my doctor) is notuncommon, my doctor said, and causespatients to have a not-unexpected reaction:skepticism. The perception by us patients isthat the doctors are not in fact doing everythingthey’re supposed to be doing, “Hippocrat-ically” speaking. The doctors might know bet-ter, and know the facts, but when dealing withus patients, there are feelings to consider. Andif the patient’s feelings are not considered dur-ing this fairly intimate doctor-patient relation-ship, then the facts, clear as they may be, mayfall on deaf ears. This is the quandary – as itwas explained to me; examine a patient whoyou know (from their most recent diagnosticscan) is not experiencing any negative reactions(to their disease) or, don’t examine the patientand cause a negative emotional reaction by notphysically examining them. And as any of usterminal patients will attest, there’s a fine lineto be straddled between positive and negativethoughts and interpretations and how theyaffect the patient. Maybe, reassuring the patientmight be more important than followingprotocol?

As much as I want to be a patient patient,the longer I survive, the more impatient andparanoid I’m becoming. I want to enjoy thegood news, really I do, but sometimes I can’t.Damn cancer.

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Touching For Sure,But Not Always

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