The Barcroft News
January, 2001 - Volume 98, Number 5
January Meeting: County Board
Start the New Year off right on Thursday evening, January 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Barcroft Community House! Our first 2001 Barcroft community meeting will offer every neighbor the opportunity to speak directly with members of the County Board on the issues that are of greatest importance to us. We have invited all five members of the Board. Bring all your questions about the planning for Columbia Pike project, crime, County budget and bond issues, and of course, TRAFFIC! Jay Fisette and Paul Ferguson have already accepted. As County Board liaison to the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee Jay can directly address our questions about this important new process and hear the very real concerns we have about the streets in our Barcroft neighborhood. By Pat Williamson Edwards
It's Spaghetti Time!
On Sunday, January 14th the BSCL will be holding it's famous spaghetti supper from 5 - 7 p.m., featuring delicious spaghetti sauce from Grandma Palance's family recipe. This year Tom Palance's sister Rosina volunteered to help with the cooking. Tom and Rosina may add a new feature to the supper; papettes, otherwise known as meatballs. Additionally there will be delicious crisp Italian salad, warm bread and plenty to drink. The evening will include Italian music and dessert. Tom Palance will need volunteers to help prepare, serve, cleanup, and also to donate your favorite dessert . If you are interested in helping with the supper or baking a cake (or both!), call Tom at 703-979-8366. The cost is only $6 for adults, $4 for kids 6-12 years old and under 6 years old will be free. If you can't stay and eat at the Community House take out will be available, all you have to do is call 703-521-1116 between 5 and 7 p.m. and your dinner will be ready for pick up within minutes! The proceeds will help support the Community House renovation fund. Come eat all you can, meet the neighbors, and join in on the fun. Bon Appetit!
The Barcroft Theater Needs You!
Ever want to be in a play, but have no experience? Ever want to direct a play, but have no group to direct? Well, don't let these details slow you down. Now that we have a renovated stage in the community house, all it lacks is a theater group. So let's gather at the community house on January 29th at 7:30 p.m. to jump start the Barcroft Players. All are welcome, experienced or not. Let's have some fun and see where our imaginations might take us. If you are interested in participating, but can't make it in January, please leave a message on the Barcroft neighbor line at 703-521-1116.
Grab Your Shovel - Help a Neighbor
With the forecast for more snow this year and colder temperatures, volunteers are needed to participate in the Barcroft Snow Shoveling Brigade. If you are interested in being part of a "rapid response" snow shoveling team or if you know of anyone that needs assistance in keeping their steps and walk-ways safe and clear of ice and snow this season, please contact Don Vardell at 703-553-0322 (400 S. Wakefield St). Once we have a snowfall and based on the number of individuals who need assistance, Don will activate the phone list of volunteers. The plan is to have volunteers support the needs of their block/street. If you have any questions or ideas please contact Don.
Barcroft History Committee Forming
This month we start on our Barcroft History book! We are forming a BSCL committee to do the research, interview long-time residents, collect the photos and publish a neighborhood history in time for our Centennial Celebration in 2003. We have lots of material to build on. Please come to the first History Committee meeting at our historic Community House on Monday, January 22nd at 7:30 p.m. If you have old photos, old memories or anything else you think would help, please call Randy Swart at 703-521-2080 or send him an email at randy@BSCL.org.
Community House Rentals by Email
The BSCL now has an email address for Community House rentals. Just send your email to rentals@BSCL.org and one of our facility managers will respond. Or you can still call 703-521-1116 and leave a message. The Community House is ideal for parties and events during the snow season, when your Barcroft neighbors can just walk over if the streets are snowy. See below for a story about holding a family Thanksgiving there.
Arlingtones Announce Open House
The Arlington Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America is holding an open house on Tuesday, January 23 at the Gunston Performing Arts Center from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to inform our community what the singing Society and our Chapter are about. The Chorus and quartets will perform, everyone will have an opportunity to sing, and light refreshments will be served. Young and old, male and female, wives and sweethearts, and friends are invited to attend. For additional information contact Carl Costanzo, 703-521-9331, E-mail: bsbass@aol.com.
House Tour Organizer Sought
One of the pleasures of living in Barcroft is strolling the neighborhood to look at the wide variety of interesting houses. While some Arlington neighborhoods look they were stamped from a cookie-cutter, Barcroft boasts a wide variety of styles, from bungalows to turn-of-the-century farm houses to moderns to, yes, Colonials, some of them grand ones. Now, you may have a chance to go inside. The BSCL is looking for someone to organize a Barcroft house tour. The tour would function as a way for us to raise money for our historic community house and a fun neighborhood event where you can learn more about that house you've always admired at a distance. One person has already stepped forward to help, but wants to work with someone with a bit more experience. If you're interested in helping out, or in offering your house for the tour, please contact BSCL President Mark Wigfield at 703-979-0339, or at mark@bscl.org.
Wizard Tickets
The Washington Wizards is offering community organizations tickets at bargain-basement rates. These $40 seats could be available to Barcroft residents for $15, with $5 of that going to community house renovations. The games would be Saturday, January 27 at 8 p.m. (Wizards vs. Phoenix Suns) and Thursday, February 22, 7 p.m. (v. Sacramento Kings). Interested? Call Mark Wigfield at 703-979-0339, or at mark@bscl.org. Reservations needed by January 13 for the January game, and February 8 for the February game. Checks should be made out to the Barcroft Community House Fund, and addressed to Mark Wigfield at 624 S. Buchanan St.
CPRO February Meeting
Officials involved in the Columbia Pike revitalization will be presenting a detailed draft plan to Barcroft on Thursday, Feb. 1 at the Community House. The plan is complete with the drawings and specifics that were lacking in the last presentation made to the BSCL in September. This is a critically important meeting. It will allow the neighborhood to be heard and to form positions on density, design, transportation, traffic and other issues involved in Pike revitalization prior to the final session of regional meetings. Save the date!
Volunteer of the Month: Elaine Squeri
Elaine Squeri was a Latin teacher by profession, but these days, she's been thinking more about math as she examines data and statistics regarding the traffic speeding through our neighborhood. For several years now, Elaine has been our Traffic Committee chair, resurrecting traffic calming efforts from the ashes of our failed traffic circle at 3rd and Pershing. Elaine took over the job just at the time the county was re-creating its entire traffic-calming program. So first things first, she worked with other volunteers around the county to put the county-wide program together. At the same time, she's been a visible force in the neighborhood, cheerfully counting cars from a lawn chair on the sidewalk of her S. Abingdon Street home. (If those drivers would just slow down, they might be able to catch a glimpse of her beautifully landscaped front yard). She has spent countless hours pouring over statistics in traffic committee meetings, explaining the findings at BSCL meetings, and getting the groundwork done so we can develop a plan that will pass muster both in Barcroft and before the County Board. Until then, our persistent Latin teacher will be delivering this message: Aurigo lente. (I hope that means ``drive slowly''.)
Happy New Year!
Arlington Bicentennial Celebration 200 Years of Community
In the year 2001, Arlington County will commemorate 200 years as a separate and distinct county. Arlington's past laid a solid foundation for the community we know today a place rich in historic value, cultural diversity and economic vitality. In recognition of the need to celebrate our history, the Arlington County Board has established the Arlington Bicentennial Celebration Task Force. The Task Force is charged with planning, coordinating and promoting activities in celebration of Arlington's 200th anniversary.
The Task Force will engage in a wide variety of activities, including event planning, coalition building, memorabilia designing (i.e., seal or logo, license plates, videotape, etc.); author a special commemorative webpage at Arlington's website detailing Arlington's history and upcoming events; develop a media/communications strategy; and suggest ways to broaden community interest and support. The Task Force is encouraged to integrate the commemorative activities into the existing life and events of the community and to be creative and forward thinking in ways that excite the heart and spirit of the community, and conveys the pride Arlingtonians share in their community's heritage. For more information please contact, Debbie Powers, 703-228-3314 or send an email to: dpower@co.arlington.va.us
BSCL Membership!
Our Membership Secretary reports that about 80 of you have not renewed your membership. Dues are only $3 per adult, so it's your support we crave, not your purse. A membership form was printed in last month's newsletter. It's also available on the Barcroft web page (www.bscl.org). Or you can get one from Peg Lefebvre 703-521-0184. If you are new to the neighborhood, or just haven't joined yet, we need your support too!
Trav Fick is Crossed....
fingers, toes, legs and arms (not eyes) in the hopes of possible Traffic Calming in Barcroft.
On December 4th, we received from the Department of Public Works, Traffic Calming Office, the data print-out WITH Priority Points for our neighborhood. The top five streets using these points that were outlined last month are Buchanan Street (112 points), Wakefield (78), S. Pershing (56), 3rd East of Abingdon (50),and Taylor south of 8th (49). In addition, 4th east of Abingdon has an 85% speed of 38 mph and vehicular volume of 217 (45 points) and Abingdon (44) has daily vehicular count of 1845 and 85% speed of 31 mph. Buchanan stands out because of accidents, traffic throughout the day, and because 85% of its traffic moves at 35 mph, with 9% more drivers driving OVER 35 mph. Remember that Pershing/Buchanan is the neighborhood principal street and so volumes are higher but this designation is no permission for speeding. Safety is in jeopardy here. So, while awaiting NTCC determination, set the speed yourself: Drive 25. Remember the age-old advice about the safest way to proceed driving or living: festina lente, hasten slowly. (Editor: So that's how you say it in Latin!)
Thanksgiving in Barcroft
We held Thanksgiving dinner at the Community House. Before the event, I was worried: it is a big room. Our family would be little specks the corner of a cavern, competing with the echoes and the dust bunnies. Such fears were unfounded. We served 27 for dinner. We had originally planned for 35, but Oscar's mother fell ill. Also, the handicap ramp isn't built yet, so Dave bowed out.
We arrived early to prepare. The hall has plenty of folding tables. We assembled six into a single large table stretching the length of the hall. (Later, at dinner, he nine-year-old cousins seated themselves as far away possible from their Moms) The tabletops show some wear. We covered them with a 100-foot roll of plastic tablecloth. Along with placemats, paper plates and napkins in fall colors; this warmed the room up wonderfully.
Another long table was the buffet table. Oscar's Mom had promised a turkey. As she was ill, Teresa called her brother John, a former chef of the Four Seasons. No, he said he couldn't make another turkey; he had already bought one turkey as well as pie fixings. At last, however, Consuelo consented to make the second turkey. And so, the table was heavily laden. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, ham, turkey, dressing (John explains that only if it is cooked inside the turkey is it called 'stuffing'). There was a carrot dish, rice, stuffed shells, a spinach casserole, a broccoli, cauliflower and yam dish, plus several salads.
A smaller table displayed the desserts. A tin of homemade fudge was while the foil was removed from the apple and pumpkin pies. The Community House has two coffeepots. One is absolutely huge. We shied away from it, but used the other one, which holds 30 cups. We brought our small maker from home for the decaf plus our whistling teapot.
Two or three helpings later, people eased back their chairs and stretched out their legs, gently waiting for the food to settle, catching up on old stories. Others stood surveying the remaining desserts. We strolled around serving coffee.
The young cousins discovered a better use for plastic soda cups. The new wooden floor is ideal for sliding beanbags. With an expert flick, the Bowler shuttles the beanbags half the length of the hall into cups held against the floor by the Catcher. I half-heartedly scolded them, but they took no notice. Besides, but for the waste of a few good cups, nothing was hurt. The parents stood, sipping coffee, telling stories and remaining pointedly oblivious of the beanbags whizzing past their ankles.
Although a chilly night had fallen, the hall was warm and cozy. Most of the food had disappeared. The kids set up a card game up on the stage. Jim and his son were talking down at the far end of the table with Walt and Sarah. I sat with my brother Jules and his wife Maria. Teresa was back in the kitchen, catching up with her sister Carolyn, who had flown in from Seattle.
The evening was getting on so I started putting things away: sweeping up the crumbs, snatching up forgotten silverware, paper plates and scuttled them to the back room. Teresa and her Mom divided the leftovers. Soon others pitched in. Jules put away the chairs. These aren't some awful folding metal chairs that are put away with a clank and a bang. They are nicely upholstered vinyl covered chairs. It is good to be an Uncle sometimes. When I asked my nephew Kevin to help stack the chairs, he jumped right to it. When I suggested that he not drag them across the floor, he marched like a soldier, carefully hefted them high. Within a few feet though he realized that one could not possibly lug three at once without great calamity. He saw fit to bear them one at a time.
Jim and John put away the tables. There is a cart that slides under the stage. They stacked as many tables as could fit there. The rest were leaned against a wall up on the stage. Back in the kitchen, people rinsed the silverware, bagged trash and scrubbed down the counters.
Too soon, the last of our family trickled out into the night and chugged off in their cars. Teresa and I mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors, locked the doors and called it a night.
In case you are thinking of using the community house for your gathering, here is some practical information:
1) The new floor makes it a warm and cozy venue. It doesn't feel like a cavern.
2) The stage doesn't have a curtain. A valance is draped over the corners of the arch. It didn't detract from the festivities though. No one took notice.
3) There are plenty of electrical outlets spaced at even intervals along each wall.
4) The hall has eight 8-ft tables, one 6-ft table and one 5-ft table. Each is 28 inches deep. There are also two 4-ft tables. Each is 24 inches deep.
5) There is a coat rack. You must provide hangers.
6) Two coffeepots are available, one is Really Big, and the other holds 30 cups.
7) There is one stove/oven unit. It is the same sort that is in most homes. This actually is a minus. It would have been better had we had two ovens.
8) The kitchen has one refrigerator. We didn't check the size. It might be about 20 or 25 cubic feet. I suppose some people might prefer a bigger one.
9) Heat is plentiful. We were toasty even though the night was around 30 degrees.
10) There is no handicap ramp yet.
11) For additional parking, you can rent the Women's Center lot next door.
To rent the Community House for your own special event, call 703-521-1116 or send your email to rentals@bscl.org.
Soft Touch Hardware
Have you ever made three trips to the hardware store because you didn't get everything you needed the first two trips because you couldn't find anyone at the store to tell you exactly what you needed?
Admit it.
This will not happen to you (I predict) if you shop at one of our amazing community institutions, Arlington Hardware. Though not actually in the Barcroft neighborhood (it is located further down, at 2920 Columbia Pike, 703-920-2448), it treats its customers as if they were all neighbors (or well meaning, if not entirely skilled, friends). Each and every time I have walked through their doors, an employee greets me and asks if I need help. (Yes.) I have always gotten an answer for my questions (though, as a relatively small store, it might not have everything you need) and assistance finding even the tiniest items (my smallest purchase has been about 38 cents). Locally and family-owned and operated, I highly recommend this store that sells hardware with a soft touch.
Rom's Reflections
Do you ever wonder how the NEWS winds up on your doorstep every month? Well, early each month I send out an email to our crack team of contributors, begging them for material. To my perpetual amazement, they begin sending me announcements about the upcoming meeting, dances, and other community events. Elaine Squeri usually persuades Trav Fick to write an article. In addition to all his other duties, the President (aka the Contributions Editor) always writes several articles on issues of common concern; most of the unsigned articles are thus by Mark Wigfield. Kathy Kerr tracks down the News of the Neighborhood. Members of the Barcroft PTA send me hot tips about the school. Peg Lefebvre will drop me a note reminding us to renew our memberships (or to sign up for the first time.) Community activists send news of their activities. Jim Kerr drops by with his newest stack of advertisements. A neighbor will write an article of special concern. I'd be delighted to receive items from you, too!
I then take all these items (trying to misplace as few as possible) and work to fit them into the NEWS format using the Word program. (If you know an easier way, please let me know!) With luck, I'll deliver the NEWS to the Stanley Adams printing company by the middle of the month. FYI, each issue of the NEWS costs between about $200 and $300.
Next, the publisher, Lisa Rom, picks up the copies, counts them out into stacks for her delivery team, and delivers them to the 20 or so members of that team. Each team member has a specified number of papers to deliver (usually to those who live around the block) and hand carries the NEWS to your door.
This is an all volunteer effort, involving perhaps 40 or so community members each month. Amazing!
Our Advertisers
Please support these good people who advertised in the Barcroft News this month:
- Cowboy Cafe - 2421 Columbia Pike - 703-486-3467
- The Big Guy & the Little Guy Home Improvement, Todd Otto 703-553-TODD
- Gary Lefebvre - Tax Preparation and Accounting -
- The Casey O'Neal Team - Real Estate - 703-824-4196
The Barcroft Community House can be rented for your
special event. Call 521-1116 for more information or send an email to rentals@bscl.org.
Calendar
For the most up-to-date listing of Barcroft events, please consult our Web page Calendar.
All Barcroft News phone numbers are area code 703 unless indicated.
Barcroft News Staff
Editors - Mark Rom, 486-2983 editor@bscl.org
Publisher/Mailing - Lisa Rom, 486-2983 editor@bscl.org
Contributions - Mark Wigfield, 979-0339 mark@bscl.org
Advertising Manager - Jim Kerr, 892-6458 jim@bscl.org
Neighborhood News - Kathy Kerr, 892-6458 kathy@bscl.org
Deadlines: 1st (ads) or 10th (editorial material) day of the month preceding the issue month.
BSCL Officers for 2000-2001
President - Mark Wigfield, 979-0339 mark@bscl.org
Vice President - Pat Williamson Edwards, 521-1082 pat@bscl.org
Recording Secretary - Bruce Atkinson, 979-4868
Treasurer - Gary Lefebvre, 521-0184 gary@bscl.org
Corresponding Secretary - Sharon Tope, 920-2567
Membership Secretary - Peg Lefebvre, 521-0184 peg@bscl.org
Board Members
Community House
Facility Managers - Steve Reiss, 553-0909 and Lori Fitchett 979-3920
Restoration - Jim Kerr, 892-6458 jim@bscl.org
Fundraising - JoAnne Barnhart, 920-0821
Landscaping - Scott Brinitzer, 892-0308 scott@bscl.org
Traffic Committee - Elaine Squeri 920-7014
Parade - Andrew Hunter 979-8247
Columbia Pike - Bryant Monroe, 271-0944
Demeter House Liaison Committee - Daphne Miller 920-5681
Crime - vacant
Parks - vacant
Volunteers - Scott Royal 553-0909 volunteers@bscl.org
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The paper version of the Barcroft News is printed on recycled paper with
vegetable-based ink by the Stanley Adams Printing Company. This Web page is put
up by Randy Swart using recycled bits and bytes,
and it is not absolutely identical to the paper one, but pretty close.
Barcroft School and Civic League
800 South Buchanan Street
Arlington, VA 22204
Neighborline: (24 hr. announcements, Community House rentals) 521-1116
Email: info@bscl.org
Web: www.bscl.org
This page was last revised on: December 20, 2000.
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