It’s that time of year again! Throw everyone in the car and head to Centreville for the Bull Run Festival of Lights! This has become a family tradition for us,  my kids love to go drive through all the light displays and listen to holiday music at the same time.  The light show is open every evening between now and January 10th (excluding Christmas and New Year’s), from 5:30 to 9:30 Monday to Thursday, and 5;30 to 10 on Friday through Sunday, and also Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.  There is also a holiday village at the end of the route, which is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday  in December, plus Monday, December 21st. The village has food, carnival rides, and gifts.  Admission is $15 per carload on weekdays (up to 14 people in the vehicle) and $20 on weekends.

Happy Holidays!

Cheers,
Heather

(photo credit teejayhanton)

Donations From the 2008 Drive

Century 21 Redwood Realty, the office where I hang my hat, is once again doing their holiday Toys for Tots Program! Starting November 1st, we will be accepting donations of unwrapped toys until December 16th, when Santa will stop by with the Ashburn Volunteer Fire Department to collect them.

Here’s the word from Redwood on the annual effort:

Please join us in supporting the annual Toys for Tots Program to provide for our local children in need. This event has become an annual event that we here at Century 21 Redwood Realty choose to partake in as it is near and dear to our hearts. If you are not familiar with the Foundation, it was originally created at the request of the U.S. Marine Corps. The mission of the Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted…..in our case, Loudoun County.

As previous years have proven to be extremely successful, we are kicking off our annual drive for collecting toys in our Ashburn office on November 1, 2009. Please feel free to drop off your donations during the office hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday at our office located at 44075 Pipeline Plaza, Suite 215, Ashburn, VA 20147 (at the corner of Ashburn Village and Farmwell Road.)

We will accept donations through December 16, 2009, at which time we will celebrate the toy drive with a spectacular event. The celebration will include lots of goodies, such as cookies, candy, and hot cocoa. Santa will be making his appearance via a shiny fire truck to assist the local children with the loading of gifts for delivery and distribution.

If you would like to make a donation, and can’t get by to drop it off, please let me know and I’ll come pick it up myself!

Cheers,
Heather

Happy Halloween!

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, the Loudoun Museum is once again doing their Hauntings tours of downtown Leesburg, on Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th from 6 to 10 pm.  Meet at the Town Hall to tour historic homes, businesses, and town buildings, getting the ghost stories from each site. Included on the tour is the Lynch House (where a ghost named Eliza is reported to show up on the second floor in a white dress), the Town Hall and the courthouse. Tours are an hour and a half long, and are geared to ages 12 and up. Tickets are $20 at the door; you can call 703-777-7427 or email hauntings@loudounmuseum.org for more information.

Happy haunting!

~Heather

(photo credit…it’s not a Leesburg house, but Shane Gorski took it, so it rocks.. <smile>)

Van Stemple Wins Inaugural LoCo Open at Westpark

Van Stemple was crowned the champion of the Inaugural LoCo Open Amateur Championship at Westpark Golf Club, with a two day total score of 153.  Second place in the championship flight went to Rex Close, at 161.   Mike Lucchino placed third, finishing at 165.  Jonathan Ford won the first flight, Butch Parish took the honors in the second flight, and Bobby Stowers claimed the title in the third flight.

The two day tournament was organized by PGA Head Professional Michael W. Elias Sr (yes, that’s my husband!) and was proudly sponsored by LoCoMusings.  Proceeds from the event will be donated to support junior golf initiatives in Loudoun County, a cause near and dear to both of our hearts.

The tournament included two days of golf, lunch, a Saturday shootout sponsored by Cheers Sports, won by Nigel McWilliam, closest to the hole contests sponsored by Mid Atlantic Settlement Services, and a Sunday putting contest.

Flights were determined by Saturday’s scores; here are the final results:

Championship Flight

1. Van Stemple          153
2. Rex Close              161
3. Mike Lucchino        165

First Flight

1. Jonathan Ford        161
2. Andy Smigelski       168
3. Bill Kakuka             169

Second Flight

1. Butch Parish          172
2. Paul Boyer             175

Third Flight

1. Bobby Stowers      208
2. Pavan Anumula      219

Are we in Ireland? Blustery in Leesburg today...

Congratulations to Nigel McWilliam for winning the Cheers Saturday Shootout, beating out eight other golfers by knocking a wedge shot 8 feet 6 inches from the hole.  Closest to the pin winners for today were Van Stemple, Mike Lucchino, San Sridharan, Rex Close, and Manny Singh, with prizes sponsored by Mid-Atlantic  Settlement Services.

Today’s results determined Sunday’s pairings, which are as follows:

• 8:00   Rob Dellett, Pavan Anumula, Dennis Dipp

• 8:10    Phil Marshall, Bobby Stowers, Mike Fixx, Butch Parish

• 8:20    Randy Boyer, Paul Boyer, Manny Singh, Nigel McWilliam

• 8:30    Mark Skosich, Brad Bauder, Bill Kakuka

• 8:40    Jonathan Ford, San Sridharan, Andy Smigelski

• 8:50    Brian Fixx, Jim Burton, Mike Lucchino

• 9:00    Van Stemple, Rex Close, Jack Peyton, Jay Brawley

See you at Westpark!

Cheers,
Heather