THE THIRD ANNUAL MIDDLERIDGE
NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT OUT!

On a hot (but dry!!!) Tuesday evening Middleridge celebrated its THIRD annual Neighborhood Night Out. Lots of people pitched in to make this event possible. Over 250 people attended this year’s event, where they were met by live entertainment from MAD SCIENCE and the ROCKIN’ BONES, face painting, a moon bounce, food from Red, Hot, and Blue, and displays by our local civic organizations, Fairfax County Police, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, Fairfax County Public Schools, INOVA Tobacco Awareness, and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

The entire MCA Board provided wonderful support. Special thanks to our MCA President Carole Rodero, Paul Armstrong, and Kathy Burrus for soliciting local businesses for great prizes and for all-around help. Thanks to Lori Bassford and Darrell and Carolyn Walker for donating additional door prizes. Helping to promote the event before hand were Sandy Obuchowski and her fantastic crew of block captains, MCA newsletter editor John Valenti, MCA web master Paul Armstrong, and John Mitros, who put up signs before the event. The Sunday before the event, Mike Proffitt, Carole Rodero, and Cheryl, Danny, Michael, and Abigail Clark, as well as Alex and Josette Bulova helped make sure that our park was ready for prime time by picking up trash (and other items!), and washing down the play equipment. Evan Young and Eric Rabung mowed the park between rain storms.

Thanks to Carole Rodero, Kathy Burrus, and Al Obuchowski for staffing the Middleridge Civic Association booth. Lucia Boger and Dianne Donovan staffed the Middleridge Women’s Club and the Middleridge Book Club booths. Mike and Mary Proffitt encouraged participation in the Neighborhood Watch Program. Kathy Tedrick organized the Girl Scout information while Rick Brannan and Jane Cerami of Cub Scout Pack 41 staffed the Scouting Booth. Roseanne Jones once again organized an eye opening INOVA table on tobacco awareness. Sarah Mayhew put together a wonderful display to promote Audubon at Home. Thanks to Gerald and Claudia Reynolds for working with Sarah, Bill and Chris Mayhew.

MCA Vice President Russ Klosk kept the program moving along seamlessly as MC. Keeping everyone hydrated by working the drink table were Lori Bassford and Raul and Mary Lou Barbara. Thanks to Jennifer Dills for making the pre-event ice run to keep things cool. Olga Drew, making a repeat performance with the help of Kathleen Fuller welcomed residents to the festivities, while Cheryl Clark, Linda Martin, and Sandy Obuchowski distributed name tags and flashing safety lights at the welcome station table. Helping to keep things in order at the moon bounces were Ingrid Calarco, Gloria Ward, Amy Young, and Sue Tracey. Our talented crew of face painters was organized by Eileen Willson and her friends. New this year was a table for the Middleridge Directory Cover Contest. Thanks to Jean Koszycki and Holly Jones for coordinating the table.

Elected officials who attended included Congressman Tom Davis, State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, Delegate Chap Petersen, Chairman of the Board of Supervisor Gerry Connolly, Supervisor Sharon Bulova, and School Board Members Tessie Wilson and Janet Olezsek. We were delighted to see the new Fairfax County Chief of Police David Rohrer attend our event as well as the West Springfield Station Commander Captain Jack Hurlock and PFC Rex Pagerie of the Crime Prevention Unit.

Helping with cleanup were Chris Dills, Paul Armstrong, Bill and Sarah Mayhew, Charlie and Janet Reimer, Stuart Stallman, Carole Rodero and several others who joined in the fray. Much thanks!

Many local businesses contributed great door prizes for the evening’s events - Personal Touch House Cleaning, Hopsfrog Tavern, Stonewall Golf Club, and Kilroy’s. Please keep those businesses that support our community in mind when doing your shopping! Finally, none of this would have been possible without the help of the crew of the County’s Showmobile, which provided the stage and electricity.

To everyone else who helped (and especially anyone we missed mentioning above), and to everyone who attended the event, thank you! What a wonderful community Middleridge is to live in!

David and Gretchen Bulova
NNO Co-Chairs