Park Authority

On, Saturday, October 21, 2017, Historic Oak Hill in Annandale opened its doors to the public for its annual Open House.  Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Park Authority welcomed new owners Joe and Laura Braceland to the neighborhood presenting them with a copy of the “Taste of Braddock” book and flowers.

Oak Hill is an 18th-century Georgian-style mansion, and it is all that remains of the Ravensworth Tract that dates back to the 1670s and once totaled more than 22,000 acres. Today, the home is privately owned but protected through an historic easement requiring that the property and its grounds be open to the public each year.

Pictured left to right: Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Aimee Vosper, Deputy Director, Fairfax County Park Authority; Joe and Laura Braceland, current Oak Hill owners; Scott and Dakota Springston, descendants of William Fitzhugh, the Immigrant (original owner of the Ravensworth Tract); Supervisor John Cook, Braddock District Representative, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. 

See more photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ffxparks/albums/72157665410572009

On, Saturday, October 28, 2017, Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe was on hand at the Reston Farmers Market as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) President Patrick Sturdivant presented a $15,000 check to the Wholesome Wave “VA Fresh Match Program.” Anthem staff also volunteered at the market by assisting with setup, packing and loading food and helping with family activities such as pumpkin painting. 

Wholesome Wave is a chef-founded national non-profit that has perfected and championed “nutrition incentives” for the past 10 years. The VA Fresh Match Program is a statewide network of 60 farmers markets that double the value of SNAP, up to $20, when spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. This helps SNAP shoppers afford healthy choices while increasing sales for local farmers and keeping funds in the area economy. The $15,000 will be doubled by the US Department of Agriculture.

The Reston Farmers Market is one of 11 farmers markets operated by volunteers on behalf of the Fairfax County Park Authority. By providing access to locally grown foods, Fairfax County’s farmers market program strives to improve the health of Fairfax County citizens, support local food producers, and protect the environment.

Pictured left to right:

(Back Row): Chelsea Roseberry, Farmers Market Coordinator, Fairfax County Park Authority; Fran Lovaas, Reston Market Manager;Bill Bouie, Chairman, Park Authority Board; Kenneth Plum, Virginia House of Delegates, 36^th District; Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture;Janet Howell, Virginia Senate, 32^nd District; Patrick Sturdivant, President, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus; Dorothy McAuliffe, Virginia First Lady; Michel Nischan, Founder & CEO, Wholesame Wave; Cathal Armstrong, Chef, Restaurant Eve; Rodney Taylor, Nutrition Director, Fairfax County Public Schools; John Lovaas, Reston Market Manager.

(Front Row): Anthem staff and volunteers

See more photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ffxparks/albums/72157690056762456