OLYMPIC DREAMS: ASHBURN MAN REMEMBERS HIS MEDAL MOMENT
MIGHTY MACHINES AND THE KIDS WHO OPERATE THEM
A BLAST FROM THE PAST AT VIRGINIA’S DINOSAUR LAND
A Chance Encounter
“I have two words for Long Covid: The Worst,” shares Dave A. of Ashburn.
While the initial alarm of the Covid-19 outbreak has subsided, the fallout from the pandemic is ongoing Many continue to feel long-term impacts from their infection. In fact nearly 23 million Americans (and 100 million people globally) have learned that regardless of the severity of their initial infection they may continue to experience debilitating symptoms for weeks, months, or even years. In a number of these cases, symptoms worsen with time, even turning deadly.
“I got Covid early last year and it was pretty bad,” shares Dave. “I was hospitalized for 9 days and there was a point where I wasn’t sure I was going to make it.
I’m still here so I guess God had other plans but months passed and I was still gasping for air.
I couldn’t do everyday tasks like cutting the grass or working in the yard, much less enjoy a quick bike ride. And then there was what my doctor called, ‘brain fog’.
I’d lose my train of thought midsentence or forget words for stupid things like plates and toilet paper. It felt like I’d had a stroke more than it did a virus.”
Officially dubbed Long Covid, the aftermath of the original virus has taken on a life of its own. Dozens of symptoms have been reported and include everything from shortness of breath and cognitive issues to a sudden onset of diabetes and cardiothoracic conditions.
LONG COVID
Local clinic has a modern, medical solution to treat your Long-Haul Covid symptoms and is seeing incredible results!
These symptoms are so welldocumented and common that those suffering now qualify for disability assistance
Unfortunately for Dave and so many others the treatment options thus far have been limited.
“I started with my primary care doctor and saw specialist after specialist. A pulmonologist finally told me, ‘This is the best we can do for you, it’s time you start thinking about how you’re going to live with Long Covid ’ Apparently their best was letting me live what felt like half a life.”
Dave wasn’t satisfied with that and decided to do his own research, which is how he ended up at FAW, Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness in Ashburn, VA.
“I fully believe the human body has the ability to heal itself, but sometimes it needs a little push. I’ve used acupuncture in the past to help me through a bout of sciatica and just knew if anyone could help me with this Long Covid business, it was going to be Rachal Lohr.”
You might think that a novel virus needs a novel solution, but if so, you’d only be half right. While the staff at Firefly Acupuncture does use innovative solutions like ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ to combat Long Covid, because it aids in the healing and repair of specific cells and tissues, it’s a much more timetested science that’s getting patients back to living their lives.
“Our O3 ReBoot Therapy™ has all-encompassing and powerful healing capabilities ” shares Taylor, a Senior Patient Care Coordinator.
“Ozone therapy has been used since the 1800s and was actually a popular tool for Doctors during the First World War because of its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties We use it today to inactivate any residual Covid virus, stimulate oxygen metabolism, and activate the immune system. The whole treatment takes about 15 minutes and is completely noninvasive.”
As with FAW’s other services, O3 ReBoot Therapy™ requires consistent and repeated treatment to achieve measurable and long-lasting results
“I’m in my second month of treatment and back to riding my bike and breathing better than before I even had Covid. Everyone [at FAW] has been amazing! I really feel taken care of every time I walk in the door.”
Rachal Lohr, L.Ac., FAW’s founder and Director has been successfully treating chronic pain and complicated conditions for almost two decades. She has pioneered effective protocols to treat seemingly hopeless conditions like peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and postherpetic neuralgia When COVID-19 emerged over four years ago, she and her team got right to work researching and developing therapies that would effectively address that complex virus. Based on the testimony of patients like Dave, it seems their efforts have been a smashing success
For more information, visit FireflyAcuAndWellness com
In an effort to do their part in helping people through this difficult time, they are waiving the $40 new patient consultation fee for Long Covid patients Call (703) 263-2142 to schedule
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3
PUBLISHER
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Jill Devine
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From the Publisher
HITTING
THE JACKPOT
In our business, it’s sometimes difficult to know how you’re doing. Sure, there is anecdotal evidence, such as readers telling you how much they like the magazine (thank you) and advertisers supporting us (thank you, thank you).
But three years ago, wanting to see how we stack up against other publications in the state, Ashburn Magazine joined the Virginia Press Association and entered the VPA’s annual contest for Editorial and Advertising Excellence.
While VPA is mostly composed of newspapers and news websites (think Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post), there is a category for what are known as “Specialty Publications,” where Ashburn Magazine falls. We compete against other local magazines (Richmond Magazine, Virginia Business Magazine) and other publications that don’t cover general news (the Washington Business Journal, for example).
Trevor Brown
publisher
Bruce Potter, photographer Astri Wee and editor Chris Wadsworth (left to right) at the Virginia Press Association’s awards ceremony in Charlottesville.
The first year we entered, we were delighted to win 16 awards, plus two Best in Show honors. Last year, we won 19. And this year, for work published in 2023, we not only won 21 individual awards and a Best in Show, but we also received the VPA’s Grand Sweepstakes Award among all specialty publications. That’s calculated based on a points system for all individual awards (three points for every first place, two for seconds, one for thirds).
We don’t publish the magazine to win awards. But we did set out to produce a high-quality magazine that reflects the kind of community Ashburn has become, and it’s nice to see our efforts validated. (You can see the complete list of our awards on Page 59.) It’s also a credit to the hard work of editor Chris Wadsworth and his writers; art director Kara Thorpe; our primary photogra-
pher, Astri Wee, and our crack sales team, led by Connie Fields. Many readers are surprised when I tell them we have no employees who work on the magazine full-time. Everyone in the masthead on the left side of this page either has another role with our parent company, Rappahannock Media LLC, or they are independent contractors who have other jobs and interests. We’re truly fortunate that they all have agreed to devote some of their time and talents to Ashburn Magazine. In fact, you could say that with our staff we hit the jackpot – as did Ashburn native Chance Frye, who won over $113,000 worth of prizes on “The Price is Right” earlier this year. You can read about Chance’s moment of fame in our cover story, starting on Page 24. Elsewhere in this issue, we have a timely interview with Ashburn resident Dennis Blake, a former Olympian; a preview of a fun community event – The Big Dig – and a look at a new real estate trend in our area. It’s another great mix of content designed in some small way to help connect you with this community we call home. You might even say the content is award-winning.
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Ashburn Magazine
Uplifting Voices
Local choir group for seniors offers friendships and better health
BY JILL DEVINE
Singing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus on stage at the Kennedy Center before an applauding audience was not something Larry Anderson, 83, had ever imagined doing, but that’s where he found himself back in December 2022.
“It was thrilling,” Anderson said. “To be in the middle of that beautiful music, performing with 300 other seniors in front of the Concert Hall’s magnificent organ pipes, was wonderful. We could actually feel the powerful vibration of the pipes.” Anderson, a retired physician from Maine, moved to Ashburn’s Ashby Ponds community in 2018. And his 2022 performance was part of an annual holiday concert put on by members of Encore Creativity for Older Adults.
Encore Creativity is the nation’s largest choral arts organization for people ages 55 and older. Under its umbrella, it offers a variety of musical programs. For example, members in Encore Chorales perform everything from Broadway and the Great American Songbook to classic pieces and opera music. Meanwhile, Encore ROCKS groups sing pop and rock songs from the latter half of the 20th century.
Headquartered in Maryland, the nonprofit oversees a network of choir ensembles in 10 states and the District of Columbia. There are more than 1,600 members nationwide, and Encore has not just one, but two groups here in Ashburn.
SINGING FOR YOUR HEALTH
Encore was founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly, one of the directors of a landmark study on creativity and aging funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The study found that older adults receive important physical, mental and emotional benefits from singing in choral programs.
Participants showed a reduction in loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress and experienced increased cognitive functioning and memory.
Singing also improves lung function and produces endorphins that promote immune responses. Older adults who sang in a choir for 90 minutes a week showed increased interest in daily life and had fewer falls, took fewer prescription medications and had fewer doctor visits compared to seniors who do not sing.
“Working with this group has taught me the importance of life-long learning,” said Mary Ann East, a conductor with one of the Encore choirs in Ashburn. “At all ages and stages of life, it’s healthy to accept challenges.
LARRY ANDERSON
Members from the Ashby Ponds Encore ROCKS ensemble perform at a concert earlier this year.
Singers from Washington-area Encore Creativity choirs perform at the Kennedy Center in December.
Encore emphasizes the importance of selfworth and celebrating accomplishments.”
A
PROGRAM FOR EVERYONE
Encore offers a variety of singing programs, all led by professional conductors. In Ashburn, there is an Encore Chorales group at the Ashburn Senior Center.
Over at Ashby Ponds, there is an Encore ROCKS ensemble currently open only to the community’s residents. Its repertoire includes songs such as “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett, “Every Breath You Take” by Sting, “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder and “Tell Her About It” by Billy Joel.
“I have sung all my life,” said Joann Clemenz who joined Encore ROCKS at Ashby Ponds earlier this year. “I was always in school and church choirs. I love singing – it keeps my mind and body active. We sing songs everyone remembers, mostly from the rock era of the ’60s through the ’90s.”
None of the Encore groups hold auditions, and knowing how to read music is not a requirement. Members pay a registration fee each semester, but scholarships are
available. “We want everyone to have access to this opportunity,” said Joshua Vickery, the organization’s CEO.
ENCORE COMES TO ASHBURN
JOANN CLEMENZ
Laurie Stefanelli helped bring Encore to Ashburn in 2022. There had been an Encore choir here in the past that she was part of, but after it folded, the Sterling resident
Lower left: A performance by the Encore Chorales group at the Ashburn Senior Center. This page: Members and leaders of the Ashburn area ensembles meet for a luncheon at Ted's Bulletin at One Loudoun.
Above: Members from DC area Encore Chorales perform at the DAR Constitution Hall.
after that – it was a collaborative effort.”
Carole Lyman, a retired attorney who lives in Ashburn’s Potomac Green community, had also sung with Encore in the past and joined the new chorale in Ashburn.
“I was excited to learn there was a group at the senior center, just down the street from where I live,” Lyman said. “I’ve been singing in church choirs since I was 7 years old. In high school, I was in an a capella choir that went to state championships. I love singing, especially in large choirs. It’s a great joy to get that back into my life now.”
Rita Gardiner, a retired doctor, moved
to Ashby Ponds in 2021. She credits the Encore ensemble there with helping her through the difficult transition when her husband passed unexpectedly.
“I sang in a church choir for 20 years, but I’m not a music reader. Encore is open to any older adult who is willing to learn, and that suited me perfectly,” Gardiner said. “Encore conductors are wonderful teachers. I’ve
become a better singer, and, as a physician, I appreciate the health benefits.” A Jill Devine is a freelance writer and former magazine editor
For more information about the Encore Chorale groups, visit encorecreativity.org
CAROLE LYMAN
Members from the Ashby Ponds Encore ROCKS ensemble perform at a concert earlier this year.
A new, occasional feature where we update you on people and businesses that have appeared in prior issues of Ashburn Magazine.
Love in the Bullseye
The headline in The Washington Post read “So I Married an Ax Thrower.” It was a clever play on an old Mike Myers movie title and it was also 100 percent true. Suzie Bassett — a nationally renowned axe thrower had indeed met a fellow axe thrower on the circuit and married him last October. The Post wrote about the couple in April.
Longtime readers may remember that Bassett — a lawyer by day and competitive axe thrower by night — was featured on the cover of Ashburn Magazine back in November 2022. Since then, she married her axe-throwing boyfriend, Russ Mur-
phy, a science teacher at Potomac Falls High School.
She and Murphy also competed as a team for the first time at the World Axe and Knife Throwing Championships in April held in Tulsa, Okla.
“We didn’t place in anything, but we still had a really good time,” Bassett said. “We won a few matches that we weren’t expecting to win. It was Russ’ first tournament and I thought the pressure might get to him, but he threw amazing.”
And Bassett herself continues to make her mark in the axe throwing world. She was named the 2023 Top Female hatchet
thrower in the nation by the Women’s Axe Council. And just this June, the World Axe Throwing League announced that Bassett had made the pro league for the second year in a row, meaning she automatically qualifies to the World Championships competition in 2025. L
—Chris Wadsworth
Do you remember playing dress-up with your mother’s jewels or being allowed to borrow her earrings for the school dance? Little girls and grown women alike appreciate and deserve the beauty jewelry offers. Ketterman’s has curated a jewelry selection to serve every age and stage of your life.
The jewelry you wear in high-school may not be the same you’ll wear when you celebrate your 50th birthday, but it can be if well cared for. This it why it is important to start with quality. Building a foundation of appreciation for well made jewelry can start by teaching our girls the value of the pieces we purchase for them and for ourselves. It is important to understand that less expensive pieces are great for special occasions or seasons, and it’s worthwhile to make the investment in a piece to wear for a longer time.
Ketterman’s combination of fashion pieces that last for seasons and heirloom quality fine jewelry that can pass through generations plus our ability to maintain these pieces in our on-site repair shop, offers jewelry suitable for every moment, milestone or occasion. You can start with stackable e.newton stretch bracelets for an eighth grade “graduation” up to a $20,000+ diamond tennis bracelet for the 50th wedding anniversary and every occasion in between.
Jewelry can serve as more than fashion, it can represent history. Ketterman’s recently had the honor of replicating a family crest ring to serve as a college graduation gift. The coat of arms in the custom signet ring represents centuries of heritage and serves as a traditional rite of passage into adulthood for this family. Jewelry represents more than the precious materials it is made of. Jewelry makes memories.
- Bobbi Cockrill (Mrs. Ketterman’s Mom)
Generations and centuries of Swiss heritage in signet rings
Photo Credit: John Manuel
Pod People
Local couple bringing podcasting, content creation to Ashburn
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
Robinson and Estefania Luna-
Content. It’s become a buzzword in so many areas of the business world. It seems everyone needs content – whether it’s streaming shows on Netflix, video clips on an influencer’s social media pages or an article like the one you are reading in this magazine.
Now, a studio has opened in Ashburn that aims to help area businesses create the content they need to market themselves and rise above the competition. It’s called Pax Podcast Studios.
the ground up.
“We want to help people that want to have a voice,” Robinson said. “News and information are more democratized than ever. We want to be the medium for people who want to create their own platform.”
As the name of the company states, a primary focus of Pax Podcast Studios is podcasting. It seems everyone – from bigtime celebrities and sports stars to local real estate agents and maybe even your neighbor down the street – has a podcast. And there’s a reason for this – marketing.
“It’s a great way to connect with people and get your message out to the world and establish trust with the people that you are trying to serve,” Kaylee Tanner said.
Tanner, who lives in Ashburn off Riverside Parkway, works with a firm out of Nashville called the Brand Builders Group. It helps people elevate their reputation and personal brand and turn that into revenue. She says a great way to expand reach is with a podcast.
“I’m developing a podcast as part of my own personal content strategy,” she said.
“I have to do for myself what I tell my
“The idea of creating a podcast doesn’t always feel accessible,” said co-owner Derrick Robinson. “Knowing that there is an emerging audience for podcasts, I saw a business opportunity.”
Pax Podcast Studios is the brainchild of Robinson and his wife, Estefania Luna-Hernandez. The couple live in the Broadlands and set up their studio in an office at Ashburn’s One Loudoun center.
Robinson worked in the Obama White House and with the Democratic National
Committee before launching a communications firm, Pax Consulting, in 2020.
Hernandez was born in Mexico but grew up in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley before attending George Mason University. She has done social work and worked with unaccompanied minors in the U.S. immigration system.
But with four children between them – two teenagers, a grade schooler and a toddler – they jumped at the opportunity to work together and build something from
KAYLEE
TANNER
Guests at the Pax Podcast Studios sit in the colorful studio space that is set up like a lounge.
Derrick
Hernandez, the husband-and-wife team behind the new Pax Podcast Studios in Ashburn.
clients to do.”
She’s been working with the team at Pax Podcast Studios and has already done a test episode in anticipation of launching a regular podcast series soon about being a successful mother and entrepreneur at the same time.
“It was amazing,” she said about her experience at Pax’s studio. “They got me all set up. They were so helpful. It was really seamless.”
One of the key elements in podcasting these days is video. Gone are the days of just listening to the audio of these interviews and discussions. Robinson says today the visual is just as important as the audio. “YouTube is helping redefine what a podcast is,” said Robinson, referring to the mammoth video platform. “The Millennials and Gen Z – we are video first. I have to see [popular podcaster] Joe Rogan on the screen. I don’t just want to hear him. I have to see his facial expressions.”
To this end, the couple is putting their clients’ comfort front and center. They have decked out their Ashburn studio like a miniature lounge – all dark walls, vibrantly colored
furniture, even foliage and mood lighting. This relaxed, chill vibe is calculated.
“It can be nerve-wracking when the camera goes on in front of you,” Hernandez said. “The lights, the ambiance – it’s all just to make people feel comfortable being themselves. Because that’s how they are going to be fully authentic in front of the camera.”
Robinson and Hernandez say they can help anyone from an experienced podcaster who just needs some production assistance to a novice who needs help with the equipment, the topics, the scripts, the website, the hosting, the marketing and more.
And Pax can help clients create other types of content as well.
“Instead of sending a prospectus, you can send it with a welcome video. Instead of static images on social media, we can help you produce video content that looks really good,” Robinson said.
CourtFinder.com, a Tysons-based digital platform that helps people secure sports fields and courts on demand, worked with Pax to promote a 3-on-3 basketball tournament earlier this year.
Estefania LunaHernandez operates a control board at the Pax Podcast Studios.
“The content they produced, especially the short clips and reels for social media, significantly enhanced our visibility,” said Ted Thomas, CourtFinder.com’s CEO. “Their efforts not only captured the excitement of the event, but also effectively conveyed our mission to foster community spirit through sports.”
Robinson and Hernandez know they have a hill to climb. They describe Ashburn as a bit more relaxed compared to places like Washington and Arlington where content creation is more understood and accepted by local businesses. But their hope is that there are enough people – wannabe podcasters, people marketing a business, and maybe that neighbor down the street – who want to start a podcast and create content and be part of a wave that shows no sign of slowing down.
“We want to look back and say we have built a community of creators in Ashburn, Virginia,” Hernandez said. A
Derrick Robinson shows his daughter the ropes of the podcast biz.
TED THOMAS
Mclean Bible Church Leases Building in Ashburn
T
he McLean Bible Church announced it will be opening a new location in Ashburn. The fast-growing church has leased a 30,000-square-foot building near the Ashburn Metro stop.
The building, at 43635 Greenway Corporate Drive, is near the Shoppes at Ryan Park Giant grocery store and the Home Depot.
The building, known as The Pavilion, has space for a commercial kitchen, meeting rooms, offices and more. The church plans to hold worship gatherings and community events in the new space.
“We are thrilled to welcome MBC to Ashburn,” said Buddy Rizer, executive director of Loudoun County Economic Development. “This move will undoubtedly enrich the lives of our residents and enhance the social fabric of our county.”
The Ashburn location will be just the latest for the church, which already has facilities in Tysons, Arlington, Leesburg, Prince William and Montgomery County, Md.
Step Sisters Organization Announces New Executive Director
S
tep Sisters, an Ashburn-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life and providing crisis support services to breast cancer patients in Northern Virginia, has announced the appointment of Destinae Nacin as its new Executive Director.
Nacin joins Step Sisters after 15 years working in education.
A seven-year breast cancer survivor, she has served on the organization’s executive committee since 2018.
The transition marks a major milestone for the organization as its co-founders – Ashley Campolattaro and Angela Fuentes – step aside from day-to-day leadership after having expanded Step Sisters to include 13 medical partners throughout the region.
“Over the past 10 years, Step Sisters has evolved into a cornerstone of support for breast cancer patients in Northern Virginia,” the duo said in a joint statement. “It has been a privilege to witness the resilience and strength of the individuals we’ve served.”
Campolattaro and Fuentes will remain on the board in perpetuity as the organization’s founders.
Inova Health System Helps Fund Loudoun Nonprofits
Each year health system operator Inova provides over $1 million to nonprofit organizations that address health and health-related issues in Northern Virginia.
In June, Inova’s Division of Community Health and Health Equity announced the funding of 23 community organizations.
Among them were four nonprofits based in Loudoun County – including Loudoun Hunger Relief, the Ryan Bartel Foundation, The Links Inc. (Loudoun chapter) and Women Giving Back.
Selected from more than 100 applications, these local nonprofits provide vital services to address essential health needs of under-resourced communities, Inova reps said.
“These colleagues have aligned with us to reduce health disparities for communities throughout Northern Virginia,” said Dr. J. Stephen Jones, president and CEO at Inova. “We thank and support each for their com-
mitment and service.”
Applicants must propose impactful projects in their community that address issues
identified in the Inova Community Health Needs Assessments and demonstrate good stewardship of resources.
The future home of the McLean Bible Church in Ashburn on Greenway Corporate Drive.
Inova’s Division of Community Health and Health Equity celebrated 23 community partners that received Inova’s Health Equity Opportunities funding.
Destinae Nacin, the new executive director of Step Sisters.
hance Frye loves competition. The Ashburn native played football for Stone Bridge High School. After he graduated in 2015, he played college ball for two years at the University of Virginia-Wise.
Now the 27-year-old lives in Vienna, where he’s an accountant by day and a high school football coach by night.
This love of competition also extends to television game shows. Frye has been a fan of them since he was a little kid, and he admits to regularly watching the Game Show Network on cable. That’s how Frye recently found himself on the stage and winning big on America’s longest-running game show, “The Price is Right.”
The adventure began when Frye and his buddy, Julian Albizo, headed off to Los Angeles to attend the Rose Bowl. It’s helpful if you know that Frye is the type of guy who plans things in great detail.
Besides the Rose Bowl, they had tickets to an L.A. Kings hockey game and some other sporting events. But their schedule wasn’t quite full.
“We had an open day on Wednesday,” Frye said. “And I looked at what type of things were available and saw ‘The Price is Right,’ and I said, ‘We are going to get those tickets.’”
They got what are called priority tickets, which guaranteed them a spot in the studio audience. But as regular viewers know, there’s no guarantee you will be called on stage. It’s the luck of the draw, and only a handful of audience members are chosen to play “The Price is Right.”
It was Jan. 3 – and luck was with Chance Frye that day. He was the second to last person called – toward the end of the show.
“I couldn’t really hear my name,” Frye said. “So, they have someone up front holding up a poster with your name on it. I saw my name and immediately jumped up and ran down there.”
On TV, Frye can be seen high-fiving other audience members on his way to the con-
A Chance Encounter
testants’ row. That’s where Frye and three other contestants had to guess the price of an all-inclusive trip to Cancun, Mexico, without guessing too much – what’s known as “going over” in the show’s parlance.
“When you’re up there, it’s a bit different from what you see on TV,” Frye said. “On TV, they are showing you slides and images, but you don’t see those in the studio, so you’re trying to listen to the guy over the
loudspeaker and put the details together.”
Frye bid $6,200, and the actual retail price of the trip was $6,400. A couple of contestants had “gone over,” and Frye’s guess was the closest. He won the trip to Cancun and headed onto the stage with host Drew Carey to play an even bigger game.
“Hilarious to have someone named ‘Chance’ on ‘The Price is Right,’” Carey quipped.
If you’ve watched the show, you might guess what Frye heard next – four of the most famous words in the show’s history. Yep, the prize he was playing for was “a brand-new car.”
It was a red 2024 Lexus ES350.
“My first reaction was – I don’t know what a Lexus costs. I was trying to crunch numbers in my brain and they’re going over the specs on the loudspeaker and Drew Carey is trying to explain the game,” Frye recalled. “At that point, you kind of just black out and try to roll with it.”
The game Frye had to play was the “Range Game.” It’s an oldie, but a goodie –appearing on the show for decades. Basically, a range of possible prices for the Lexus is shown and the contestant has to stop the arrow when they think it lines up with the price of the car. The guess has to be within $150 of the actual price to win.
“I let it go a little bit and then clicked ‘Stop,’ and I ended up clicking pretty much right in the middle of the range,” he said of the moment the green light lit up showing the value of the car was $46,730. Frye had now won a car and a trip to Cancun, if you’re keeping track. His pal, Albizo, sitting in the audience, sure was –and he was losing his mind.
“It all felt like a fever dream. It was totally unreal,” Albizo said. “I was laughing at first,
Images from Chance Frye's appearance on "The Price is Right" above a photo of him holding up a license plate frame touting the new car he won on the show. However, he ended up getting a check for the value of the car because the show told him it was too expensive to ship it to Virginia.
but once he started to win I could tell that he was really focused. I started to think he could win the whole thing. I felt like his coach — giving him a fist bump from the audience and being all dialed in and serious. I was like, ‘You got this.’”
From this point, contestants spin the Big Wheel in what’s called the Showcase Showdown. The wheel is covered in numbers representing 5 cents to $1. The contestants have up to two spins, and the one who gets closest to $1 without going over moves on to the final Showcase event.
Frye says the famous wheel is heavier than it looks. “You’ve got to give it a little bit of effort,” he said. “One woman had to spin it five or six times because she could not get it to go all the way around, but they cut that from the show.”
Of the three contestants standing at the wheel, Frye was the third to spin. The first contestant got 50 cents and stopped there. The next contestant got 55 cents and also stopped. If you know anything about “The Price is Right,” you know that our local boy was in a pretty good spot.
“At that point, I just had to beat 55. I gave it a little spin and I got a 70,” he said with a laugh. “I feel like the people in front
of me kind of did it for me because they had low numbers that I just had to beat.”
Frye was now headed to the Showcase – the show’s grand finale, where the two Showcase Showdown winners of the day face off. They are presented with two showcases rich with prizes and have to guess the value.
The first showcase was $3,000 plus three exotic, all-expense paid trips – to Finland, Singapore and the Galapagos Islands. Frye’s opponent was in the lead position and chose to pass the showcase onto Frye. He bid $45,000.
Left: Friends and family gathered at Chance Frye's family home in Ashburn for a surprise watch party of his appearance on "The Price is Right."
mom, Leslie McMahon, threw a barbecue at her home in Ashburn’s Village of Waxpool neighborhood and invited a couple dozen family friends over. But other than Frye himself, most of the guests were perplexed when McMahon insisted that everyone come inside at 8 p.m. to watch a TV game show. That was not a normal part of their barbecues.
“They were like, ‘Why are we watching “The Price is Right”?’ It was hysterical,” McMahon said. “Then someone saw Chance sitting in the audience and they started screaming.”
For Frye, going to Los Angeles, having that free Wednesday, snagging the priority tickets to the show – it was a series of lucky decisions that added up to a memory he will never forget.
“It was just an awesome experience,” he said. “I always said if I ever made it on a game show, that I had to do well. And everything aligned just the way I had always imagined. It was surreal – and it was a blast.” A
As a child growing up in rural Jamaica, Dennis Blake knew one thing – he liked to run, and he liked to run fast. When he saw runners on TV at a friend’s house, he set some pretty heady goals for himself. One, get on TV. Two, run in the Olympics. And, three, win an Olympic medal.
Spoiler alert – the Broadlands resident achieved all three.
Today, after several years working at Briar Woods High School as a resource teacher and track coach, Blake is a private mentor and coach and also does public speaking.
Ashburn Magazine sat down with Blake, 53, at a local coffee shop to talk about his life and his goals – and whether he will be watching the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Another spoiler alert – the answer is yes, and possibly for a very special reason. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Going back to childhood, all kids like to run – when did you first figure out that you were fast? That you were a good runner?
BLAKE: “As a little kid in primary school – elementary school – I would run for fun. I would compete against my peers, and I would be the winner most of the time. It was then the principal and the vice principal of the primary school saw some talent and started taking me places for competition.”
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
You had a childhood dream to go to the Olympics and to win an Olympic medal. How old were you when you set these goals? And where do you think the idea to go to the Olympics came from?
BLAKE: “Maybe around fifth or sixth grade, I didn’t have a television at home to watch TV, so I would go to my friend’s house. I would always watch athletes running on TV, and I thought it was exciting. I created my own dreams, my own goals, at that time, but I kept them to myself.”
What were those goals?
BLAKE: “The first goal was I wanted to be on TV. I thought it would be cool to be on TV and for my friends and family to see me. My second goal was I wanted to run in the Olympics and have the whole world watching. And then my dream, my last goal, was to win an Olympic medal.”
Lots of kids have big dreams – why do you think you pursued yours so determinedly?
BLAKE: “I think from the time I was a little kid, I recognized that I was different. I never wanted to do things the way other people did things. The way I carried myself, the way I talked – it always drew attention and that was a motivator for me. Couple that with my talent for running fast and I think that’s what gave me the drive.”
You made it to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. You were competing in the 400 meters and the 4x400 relay. Tell us about that.
BLAKE: “I remember running the 400, and I ran out too hard. I think I was a little bit excited and anxious. I ran out too hard. But I made it as far as the second round – the quarterfinals. But that was still a great experience.”
Ashburn man achieves lifelong Olympic dreams
Dennis Blake, photographed wearing the bronze medal he won at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
How about the 4x400 relay?
BLAKE: “I ran the first leg of the 4x400 in a qualifying round. We won, but then we were disqualified. The person I handed off the baton to accidentally stepped on the inside of the lane three times, so that was grounds for disqualification.”
You then set your sights on the 1996 Olympics –what made you feel you wanted to try again?
BLAKE: “My goal was not yet achieved. My dream to win an Olympic medal was not yet achieved. I left [Barcelona] fully focused.”
When the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta were approaching, you were finishing up college and had a decision to make.
BLAKE: “I was at Alabama A&M University, and I would be the first to graduate with a college degree in my family – but I had to make a decision: Am I going to stay in school and try to train and hopefully somehow still make the team or am I going to go home to Jamaica and focus solely on training and making the team? My decision was that I was going to take off and go home because I promised myself that the next Olympics,
I was going, and I was going to win a medal and the only way to do that was to go full force.” [Editor’s Note: Blake went back and finished his degree after the Olympics.]
And you made the team — but it was a close call.
BLAKE: “I was four years older, and I was blessed to make the team. I was the last qualifier – you are barely hanging on to the tail of the plane, so I had to stay really focused.”
Tell me about your race – the 4x400 relay – and ultimately winning a bronze medal for Jamaica. You ran in earlier qualifying heats, but not the final. But that final had some drama, didn’t it?
BLAKE: “I knew we had a strong group of guys – strong enough to possibly win the gold medal. But in the final, one of the athletes fell and did an acrobatic roll. He fell right over and got up and kept running. I don’t know, if it was me, if I would have gotten up and kept running. And we got third place.”
What was that experience like? How did you feel when you got your medal?
BLAKE: “It was an ‘a-ha’ moment. That was ‘dream accomplished.’ My final dream was
Dennis Blake has written a memoir about achieving his Olympic dreams called "Secrets Behind the Flags." It's available from Amazon.
accomplished. The feeling of winning a medal at the Olympics is unexplainable.”
Let’s flash forward a number of years – what brought you to Ashburn and Briar Woods?
BLAKE: “We were living in New York, and my wife and I were trying to make a decision on what state we were going to move to. My wife knew a pastor here – they were my wife’s close friends from Jamaica – so it wasn’t hard to fit in and make friends because we knew them. That was in 2016.”
How do your Olympic experiences play into how you coach or teach today?
BLAKE: “I tell kids that playing sports – any sports at all, not just track – is a good thing for all kids because it’s a life-building mech anism that teaches you teamwork and how to deal with people from different back grounds and cultures, which is something that everyone needs to learn when they go into the job market.”
I understand you will be watching the Olympics this summer for a very special reason.
“I am definitely going to be watching because my son is hopefully going to be there competing. His name is JuVaughn Harrison, and he competes in both the long jump and the high jump. He competed in Japan [the 2020 Olympics, which were actually held in 2021] – he didn’t medal, but he was the first athlete to make the Olympics in both the high jump and the long jump since 1912.” [Editor’s note: At press time, the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials were still underway, and the final team lineup hadn’t been announced, so we’ll all have to check online to see whether Harrison made Team USA.] A
Dennis Blake has a coaching and mentoring business in Northern Virginia called CrossOver Mentoring. Learn more about it at crossovermentoring.com
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Your child was born with curiosity. Now is the best time to nurture it.
BIG CREATURES
A VISIT TO NEARBY DINOSAUR LAND IS A
RETRO TRIP THROUGH TIME
BY JILL DEVINE
f you saw a 35-foot Tyrannosaurus rex standing by the road, would you pull the car over for a better
After stuffing the gift shop’s shelves with dinosaur-themed memorabilia, Dinosaur Land was officially launched in 1967.
Ashburn native Samantha Bourdelais remembers visiting Dinosaur Land as a child, and on a recent drive through the area, she visited again with her sons, Jackson, 3, and Walker, 1. “When I saw those dinosaurs, I had to stop,” she said.
TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Bourdelais and her family entered the gift shop through doors framed by the wide, toothy jaws of a prehistoric beast.
Inside, they took a cave-like tunnel into the park, where they spent the next hour wandering a forested maze of paths lined with giant dinosaur replicas and other prehistoric and fantastical creatures.
Exhibits display varying degrees of wear and tear, and experts might question some of the zoological accuracy –but there’s no denying it’s a lot of fun.
“This place is really not just Dinosaur Land – it’s more like ‘Big Creature Land,’” Bourdelais observed. She’s
and family snapshots.
Vintage images from Dinosaur Land's past, including postcard images
referring to the 60-foot shark, 70-foot octopus and giant praying mantis, king cobra, ground sloth and saber-toothed tiger sculptures that share space with a velociraptor, brachiosaurus, stegosaurus and other usual dinosaur suspects.
In fact, one of the park’s most quirky and popular structures isn’t a dinosaur at all – it’s a 20-foot tall, Cessna-gripping King Kong that stands near the exit.
Nearby, a wooly mammoth, which long ago had a thick fur coat with moving ears and trunk, is now immobile and bald after 60 years of exposure to the elements and occasional vandalism by pranksters.
“You can tell Dinosaur Land is an older park as soon as you walk in, and that’s what’s endearing,” Bourdelais said. “I can forgive that one of the octopus’ long legs is broken and that the paint on several
dinosaurs has faded. Some are oddly proportioned or have strange faces. The whole experience is a little cheesy, but in the best of ways, and it’s so fun to explore.”
Over the decades, dozens of subsequent fiberglass dinosaurs were hand-crafted by Rockbridge County artist Mark Cline, who still drops by occasionally to check on his creations. The newest additions, made of more durable resin, were commercially manufactured, bringing the current number of dinosaurs and assorted fauna to more than 50 figures.
“People know a lot more about dinosaurs today than they did in 1963,” said Shelly Hamby, one of the Geracis’ now-grown grandchildren who works in the gift shop. That explains why the earliest versions of the park’s many T-rex dinosaurs look nothing like those added more recently.
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED
At one time, Viola and Joseph Geraci lived onsite in an apartment in the back of their gift shop. Viola died in 1981, and Joseph followed in 1987. Their four daughters, Gloria, Grace, Barbara and Joann, inherited the business. Three of the sisters have since passed away, with only Joann Leight remaining. Today, she’s 85 and still on the job, running the park with members of the family’s third generation.
A former kindergarten teacher, Leight believes children need access to attractions like Dinosaur Land that encourage imagination.
“I see so many 5-year-olds playing on cell phones today. Our dinosaurs don’t move or make sounds. Nothing here requires punching a keypad or looking at a screen,”
she said. “Kids enjoy just walking around our dinosaurs, comparing how little they are next to these big creatures. There aren’t many places like this anymore.”
These kinds of mid-20th century roadside attractions are few and far between these days. Land is often snapped up by developers who envision more lucrative uses of prime properties. But the family behind Dinosaur Land says it has no plans to sell.
“No one in our family is interested in selling to developers,” said Sam Seldon, a grandson of the Geracis. “We want Dinosaur Land to stay.”
Indeed, attractions like this have a sort of retro, kitschy magnetism to them that seems to keep drawing visitors no matter how modern the rest of the world becomes.
“A lot of people who walk in with their kids tell me they used to come here when they were little,” Hamby said. “Engagements happen here, and people pose for selfies, Christmas cards and high school graduation pictures. One day a lady walked in dressed up like Wilma Flintstone. She brought a tripod and took all kinds of photos. I
LIVIN ' IT UP IN LOUDOUN
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH
AUGUST 3 | 12-5PM
Our popular Back-To-School celebration, Livin’ It Up in Loudoun, is back for another amazing year — and better than ever! With moon bounces & a foam pit, dance performances & a DJ, face painting, and more, Dulles Town Center is the best place to kick off the new school year right with exclusive savings!
SCAN HERE FOR EVENT DETAILS
Far right: Joanne Leight, daughter of the couple that founded Dinosaur Land, in the attraction's gift shop. Other photos depict some of the mega fauna — real and imagined — at the vintage theme park in Clarke County.
don’t know who she was, but it was funny.”
Samantha Bourdelais knows she will definitely be back with her children. Her baby, Walker, was too young on their last visit, but soon, he can make his own memories to go alongside those of his big brother, Jackson, who now carries a toy dinosaur from the Dinosaur Land gift shop wherever he goes. “I hope the owners never give way to developers,” Bourdelais said. “Places like this are disappearing fast. It’s a little piece of America’s past that’s worth keeping.” A
Jill Devine is a freelance writer and former magazine editor from Loudoun County who writes for a variety of Virginia publications.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Dinosaur Land WHERE: 3848 Stonewall Jackson Highway, White Post, Va.
WHEN: Summer hours, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Last admission to see dinosaurs at 4:30 p.m.
MORE INFORMATION: (540) 869-2222 or dinosaurlandva.com
BuildTo-Rent
A new type of community takes shape in Ashburn
BY TRACY OWENS
When John Leonard and his wife, Melanie, moved to Ashburn from Leesburg in April, they wanted to wait out the wild housing market before they tried to buy.
Leonard, who works in software deployment for Microsoft, wasn’t looking for a cookie-cutter rental home or apartment.
“I wanted something unique,” he said. He and Melanie, who works in finance, happened upon CityHouse Ashburn Station, near the intersection of Waxpool Road and Ashburn Village Boulevard. The couple met with the onsite property management team, and when they got a load of a home with a rooftop terrace, they were in.
“It is amazing up there,” Leonard says of the terrace. “It was good vibes.”
Rooftop terraces – available in some homes at CityHouse Ashburn Station – are just one of the amenities in this build-to-
rent community of townhomes. You read that correctly – not the more familiar buildto-own concept, but a new kind of project that is growing in popularity: the build-torent community.
“They are becoming fairly popular throughout the country,” said Mike Severin, a real estate broker with The Ashburn Group.
In a build-to-rent development, a developer constructs individual homes to be rented, not purchased. For someone looking for something outside an apartment complex, but not ready to buy, it has the advantages of single-family-home living with the added bonus of professional property management.
“Many people in Ashburn are in transition,” Severin said. “They are not looking for that permanent move. They need something that’s ‘in between’ – that will work for a year or two. This gives them an option to rent something that’s more appealing.”
In addition to rooftop terraces, many of the build-to-rent residences have luxurious interior finishes, smart-home features, enclosed carports, off-street parking and more.
This could include families saving money to buy a house, families downsizing but not ready to leave Ashburn and government employees in the area for just a few years between assignments.
“[Ashburn] is a high-growth market, which we love,” said Mark Taylor. He is the managing director of CityHouse Ashburn’s developer, American Real Estate Partners, based in Tysons. Ashburn’s high average household income – about $154,000 – and growing need for housing made this the perfect place for
TAYLOR
A rendering of the community recreation space at CityHouse Ashburn (far left) amidst photos of the various spaces in typical homes at the build-torent community.
CityHouse Ashburn Station.
Buying a home in this market is more difficult now due to high interest rates, Taylor said. The cost for a similar Ashburn home might be $600,000. With $60,000 down, you would need a household income of at least $160,000 to qualify for a mortgage and would be spending nearly $5,000 a month in principal, interest and taxes.
“That’s a heavy lift,” he said.
Taylor says that residents also get “more bang for their buck” in a build-to-rent townhome development because there aren’t the kind of non-income-generating spaces an apartment complex might have – such as hallways, leasing offices or indoor gyms and clubrooms.
For developers and investors, a buildto-rent community of townhomes gives a faster return on investment than apartment homes. American Real Estate Partners completed 100 homes at CityHouse and is leasing them before finishing the final 100 or so units in first quarter 2025. That’s a different timeline from a 200-unit apartment development, which might take 15 to 18 months to complete and is accruing construction costs until it is filled.
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PREMIUM PACKAGES & DAILY TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Young families, single professionals and empty-nesters downsizing are among those who have leased homes at CityHouse Ashburn Station. Some are new to the area, and some are moving from elsewhere in the area. What Taylor and the on-site management team hear from most people who move there is that they are looking for “a good quality of life.”
People want to live somewhere they enjoy, and they want to feel at home there, Taylor says. That’s why the language the developers and property managers use is about “home and community,” not rentals and units.
Leonard says he and his wife have made friends in the neighborhood. He loves sitting on the rooftop terrace at night and feeling the breeze and looking across at the mountains in the distance during the day.
He also enjoys coming home at the end of the day and seeing neighbors hanging out together.
“It’s a very welcoming community,” he said. “This is home.” A
Tracy Owens is a former magazine editor who writes about arts, businesses and people in the Southeast. Her work has appeared in Salon, Gulfshore Life, Islandia Journal and many other publications.
ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF CLUB 2024
Ashburn’s
The Big Picture
Home sales declined slightly in the two Ashburn ZIP codes combined in May, compared with May 2023, as the real estate market remains tight. Countywide in May, home sales were down 3.1% compared with the prior year.
More inventory coming online… New listings in May were up 38.8% in the 20147 ZIP code, but down 2.1% in 20148, according to the latest data from the Dulles Area Association of Realtors. Countywide, listings were up 18.4%
The May Details
• Down 2.6% in 20147 ZIP code
• Down 9.9% in 20148 ZIP
• Combined sales totaled 156, down from 167 a year earlier.
Pending sales:
• Up 16.3% in 20147
• Down 15.1% in 20148
Median sales price:
• Up 6.1% to $742,500 in 20147
• Up 5.6% to $818,750 in 20148
Average days on market
(homes sold in May):
• 9 in 20147
• 12 in 20148
Top sales: The five highest-priced homes that sold in each of Ashburn’s two ZIP codes between mid-April and mid-June. Data and photos from Realtor.com.
A
POLO IN THE PARK
Morven Park International Equestrian Center
BUY TICKETS HERE
41580 Sunday Morning Lane, Leesburg
Saturdays — July 13, 20, 27, 6 p.m.
Polo in the Park brings fast-paced arena polo action to Loudoun. This unique event is the place to go for your date night or family outing.
NOOKS & CRANNIES TOUR
The Davis Mansion at Morven Park
17269 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg Sunday, July 14, 4 to 5 p.m.
Ever wanted to peek behind the closed doors? Or see the rooms that are not on the regular tour?
Explore all the nooks and crannies of the Davis Mansion with Jana Shafagoj, Morven Park’s director of preservation & history.
A CELEBRATION OF TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS WITH LEBA HIBBERT
Tally Ho Theater
19 West Market Street, Leesburg Sunday, July 14, 7 p.m.
Events WANT MORE?
For a complete list of events around Northern Virginia, visit InsideNoVa.com/calendar
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and daughter of the legendary Frederick “Toots” Hibbert performs as the lead singer of the new “Toots and the Maytals” band.
D.C. CAR SCENE PRESENTS CARS AND CRUISERS
Along Central Station Drive Loudoun Station, 43751 Central Station Drive, Ashburn Saturday, July 27, and Saturday, August 31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Connecting local automotive enthusiasts and featuring some of the best cars in the D.C. Metro area.
CARNIVAL AT ONE LOUDOUN
One Loudoun 20280 Exchange Street, Ashburn Daily Aug. 7–18: Mondays to Fridays, 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, 1 to 11 p.m.; Sundays, 3 to 11p.m.
Carnival at One Loudoun returns for a second time this summer. All your favorite rides, carnival food, games, prizes and more. Admission is free. Ride tickets can be purchased on site or online.
2024 10X10 NEW PLAY FESTIVAL
ARTfactory, 9419 Battle St., Manassas Thursday, Aug. 22-Saturday Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.
Join community theater group Rooftop Production in this celebration of shortform storytelling. This festival features 10 new works from playwrights across the nation.
’80S MAYHEM FEATURING THE LEGWARMERS
Loudoun Station District Park Loudoun Station, 43751 Central Station Drive, Ashburn Saturday, August 24, 7 to 9 p.m.
Get your popped collars and pegged jeans ready. Live music from the ultimate ’80s tribute band. Free to the public.
Dig This!
Kids get their hands on some big machines –all for a good cause
BY PAUL ANTHONY ARCO
This September, a little boy named Zachary is planning on coming to Ashburn, climbing into the seat of a giant backhoe and operating the very grown-up machinery like a champ. It will be a moment his parents could scarcely have imagined three years ago.
In 2021, Jesse and Emily Vizcaino of Chantilly were busy raising their three young boys during the COVID pandemic. Despite being careful, Zachary, their middle child, became tired and pale and experienced an occasional low-grade fever for nearly three weeks. The couple became more concerned when their pediatrician sent Zachary to the emergency department for additional testing.
The results rocked Zachary’s parents, who called the news soul-crushing. But it wasn’t COVID-related.
Three-year-old Zachary was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common type of leukemia in children, which happens when the bone marrow produces too many abnormal B-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.
“There was the shock of the diagnosis, and then fear and worry set in,” Emily Vizcaino said. “Fortunately, we had the support of so many people – friends, family – by our side.”
According to the American Cancer Society, about 9,600 children in the United
Above: An excited child operates a piece of construction equipment at last year's The Big Dig in Ashburn. Right: Photos of
States under age 15 will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and about 1,190 children are expected to die from the disease. The encouraging news is that thanks to major treatment advances, 85% of children with cancer now survive five years or more. Zachary spent nearly 2½ years fighting the cancer, including several hospital stays at Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital in Falls Church and months of chemotherapy at Inova Schar Cancer’s Pediatric Infusion Clinic in Fairfax. His parents say Zachary, 7, is now in remission and looking
Zachary Vizcaino, undergoing treatment and playing at a Big Dig event.
forward to second grade this fall.
Dozens of children like Zachary will be honored this fall at The Big Dig of the National Capital Area in Ashburn, the fourth annual event benefiting local children and families affected by pediatric cancer.
The fundraiser gives people of all ages the chance to operate real, honest-to-goodness construction equipment and heavy machinery, including excavators and scissor lifts. Plus, they can rub elbows with local construction professionals and ask all types of mighty machine questions. There are also games, crafts, music and food trucks.
The Big Dig has raised more than $315,000 since its first event in 2021. The
Scenes from past Big Dig events in Ashburn. The 2024 event is scheduled for Sept. 28.
money raised helps support pediatric cancer research grants funded by the American Cancer Society as well as the oncology program at Inova’s pediatric hospital, where Zachary was treated.
This year’s goal is $125,000. The founding sponsors of The Big Dig are Merritt Cos., Veatch Commercial Real Estate, Van Metre Cos., Easterns Automotive Group and Capretti Land.
“All of our contractors are competitors, but this is the one day they all come together on the same playing field to help local children who’ve been touched by cancer,” said Tom Marable, senior vice president of land development for Van Metre. “It’s amazing to see the stories shared during the event. It’s a very heartfelt day.”
The first Big Dig/construction event was in 2017 in Reno, Nev. Similar events are now held around the country – in places such as Nevada, Colorado, Michigan, California, Nebraska, Utah and Idaho.
Last year, about 500 people turned out for the local Big Dig. Organizers
expect a larger showing this year.
Zachary Vizcaino and his family will be there. The grade-schooler and his two brothers look forward to spending the day at The Big Dig, sitting behind the controls of some impressive machinery.
“Our oldest son, Joshua, wants to be a civil engineer and build buildings and drive trucks,” Jesse Vizcaino said. “The first time we attended he got to drive an excavator. When he climbed out, he said, ‘That was a dream come true.’ The Big Dig creates a sense of community and connectedness.”
Casey Veatch, one of the founding committee members, agrees. “People go through hard times and many of us don’t know what to do,” he said. “The Big Dig is an event that offers hope. It’s an opportunity for us to say, ‘We’re in the fight with you.’ It’s an honor to help these families.” A
Paul Anthony Arco is a longtime journalist and freelance writer who has written for publications around the country.
IF YOU GO
What: 4th Annual The Big Dig
When: Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 43045 Van Metre Drive, Ashburn
Cost: $20. Open to the public. Info: BigDigDC24.givesmart.com
Top: Zachary Vizcaino (left) enjoys a popsicle with his brothers at The Big Dig in Ashburn. Bottom: Representatives from the sponsoring organizations behind The Big Dig present a check to help fight pediatric cancer in Northern Virginia.
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A round-up of the latest restaurant, retail, and other cool news from Ashburn and beyond. Check out The Burn at TheBurn.com and follow it on Facebook, and Instagram.
1 THE CONTAINER STORE AIMING FOR JULY OPENING AT ONE LOUDOUN
The new Container Store coming to Ashburn’s One Loudoun center is planning a July opening, according to signage on the store’s façade.
The national chain –known for its storage solutions for homes and offices – has taken over a roughly 17,000-squarefoot space that was previously the Great Gatherings furniture store. This will be the first Container Store in Loudoun County.
2 DUCK DONUTS
CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING IN THE BROADLANDS
Loudoun County’s second Duck Donuts store officially opened for business in June.
The latest donut shop from the North Carolina-based brand opened
in the Broadlands Village Center. Duck Donuts is known for its cake-style donuts that are then topped with various frostings and other sweets. The first Duck Donuts in the county opened last year in South Riding.
3 ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE MOVIE THEATER CHAIN SOLD TO SONY
Sony Pictures announced in June it had reached a deal to buy the Austin, Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain. There are multiple Alamo theater locations in Northern Virginia, including one at One Loudoun. Managers at the local theater told The Burn that they are part of an independently owned franchise group and plan no changes due to the sale. This includes maintaining their regular line-up of special events and showings for movie buffs.
4 BKD BAGELS PLANS TO START BRAMBLETON CONSTRUCTION IN AUGUST
The latest BKD Bagels location is coming to Ashburn’s Brambleton
community, and the management team told The Burn they hope to start construction in August. The new bagel shop will be in a small retail center called Brambleton Corner Plaza at Evergreen Mill Road and Northstar Boulevard. The Leesburg-based brand already has three other locations – two in Leesburg and one in Purcellville.
5 OHANA POKE OPENS IN ASHBURN VILLAGE
A new poke restaurant officially opened in May. It’s called Ohana Poke, and it’s in the Ashburn Village Shopping Center. The fast casual restaurant features a long counter where customers can customize poke bowls or order a signature bowl from the menu. Ohana Poke is next door to its sister restaurant, Thai Ashburn, and a doorway connects the two establishments.
6 GASTRO RESTAURANT DEBUTING INSIDE ASHBURN C-STORE
It seems convenience stores featuring full fast-food restaurants are all the rage in the area right now. Ashburn and nearby communities already have Royal Farm, Dash-In, The Filling Co., Sheetz and Wawa. Now, we can add Gastro to the list. Gastro High Octane Eats is a homegrown start-up brand from the locally based Schmitz Service station group. The company opened its first Gastro location inside the A-Plus convenience store at Loudoun County Parkway and Russell Branch Parkway. The menu includes breakfast and lunch
pizzas and more.
