Resilience and Recovery Prince William Community Guide 2021
After 18 months of turmoil, spotlighting local businesses and organizations that have survived – and thrived
WHERE SHOULD YOU GO? A Quick Guide to Help You Make the Right Decision for Your Health Care.
PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR
URGENT CARE
EMERGENCY ROOM
By Appointment Same/Next Day Prevention & Health Management
Same Day/Extended After Hours Walk-in Service & Short Wait Times
Open 24/7
• Check ups & annual physicals • Flu shots & other vaccines • Common illnesses • • • • • • • • •
(mild flu/cold like symptoms) Ear pain Frequent/painful urination Mild to moderate asthma
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea Migraines/headaches Health screenings & routine tests Mental health concerns Unexplained weight changes Ongoing/chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, COPD, hypertension, etc.
Non-life threatening concerns Cold/flu symptoms Vomiting or diarrhea Cough Sore throat Fever Ear pain Sinus conditions Bug bites or small animal bites Sprains, strains or fractures Simple cuts/lacerations Rashes Minor burns
PRIMARY CARE LOCATIONS
URGENT CARE LOCATION
Sentara Medical Group
Velocity Urgent Care
– 2280 Opitz Blvd., Suite 250 Woodbridge, VA 22191
– 12825 Minnieville Rd., Suite 202 Lake Ridge, VA 22192
– 3600 Pointe Center Ct., Suite 110 Dumfries, VA 22026
– 4500 Pond Way, Suite 170 Woodbridge, VA 22192
– COMING SOON!
95 Dunn Dr., Stafford, VA 22556
iwantsentaramedicalgroup.com
16422 Navigation Dr. Woodbridge, VA 22191 velocityuc.com
571-297-1437
• Serious life or limb threatening emergencies
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Chest pain or difficulty breathing Sudden loss of consciousness Head or eye injury Bluish skin color Numbness in limbs or face Sudden dizziness or confusion Persistent vomiting Open bone fracture/wounds Severe burns Anaphylactic shock Slurred speech Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy Poisoning or overdose Call 911 if you are having a life threatening emergency.
EMERGENCY ROOM LOCATIONS Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center 2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1470
Sentara Lake Ridge 12825 Minnieville Rd. Woodbridge, VA 22192
1-844-615-1237
(across from Tacket’s Mill Shopping Center)
Sentara Family Health Connection
703-523-9800
(Medical services may be available for Qualified Uninsured Patients.)
703-523-0998
sentara.com/getcarenow
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
SENTARA NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL CENTER
IMAGING, LAB & THERAPY LOCATIONS IMAGING SERVICES
LAB SERVICES
THERAPY SERVICES
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center
Sentara Therapy Center Reid’s Prospect
2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1560
2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191
4565 Daisy Reid Ave., Suite 215 Woodbridge, VA 22192 703-523-8750
Sentara Heart & Vascular Center 2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1980
Sentara Advanced Imaging Center Century 2300 Opitz Blvd., Suite 100 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1560
Sentara Advanced Imaging Center Lake Ridge 12825 Minnieville Rd., Suite 100 Woodbridge, VA 22192 703-523-1560
Sentara Lorton Station Women’s Imaging Center 8986 Lorton Station Blvd. Suite 200 Lorton, VA 22079 703-820-8320
Ultrasound Associates 5055 Seminary Rd., Suite 104 Alexandria, VA 22311 703-820-8320
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Mobile Mammography The mobile mammography unit brings mammography to local businesses, churches, and other convenient locations to provide easier access for this important screening tool.
Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. NOTICE: Lab hours may change due to COVID-19. Please call ahead to confirm hours of operation. Holidays may also affect hours. Please call before arriving. For information on Sentara lab services, please call 703-523-1301.
Scheduling Department:
855-852-9066
Sentara Therapy Center Century 2280 Opitz Blvd., Suite 210 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1680 Scheduling Department:
855-852-9066
COMING SOON! Sentara Therapy Center Stafford
• Walk-ins welcome during lab operation hours.
95 Dunn Drive Stafford, VA 22556
• Electrocardiograms (EKGs) are performed here Monday – Friday.
Scheduling Department:
• Last registration 30 minutes prior to closing.
Sentara Lake Ridge 12825 Minnieville Rd. Suite 100 Lake Ridge, VA 22192 Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. • Walk-ins welcome during lab operation hours. • Electrocardiograms (EKGs) are performed here. • Last registration 30 minutes prior to closing.
855-852-9066
Sentara Wound Healing Center 2296 Opitz Blvd., Suite 130 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-0660
Sentara Diabetes & Nutrition Management 2296 Opitz Blvd., Suite 320 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-0590 Fax: 844-812-4052
Cardiac & Pulmonology Rehabilitation at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center 2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1280
Outpatient Infusion Center at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center
For more information or to schedule the mobile mammography van for a specific location, please call 703-523-1997. Information as of August 2021
2300 Opitz Blvd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-0640 Fax: 703-670-4098
sentara.com/getcarenow
SEPTEMBER 2021 • COMMUNITY GUIDE
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Resilience and Recovery
W
hen we produced last year’s Prince William community guide, “Here to Help,” little did we know that a year later the COVID-19 pandemic would still be with us in full force. Of course, nothing about this pandemic has been predictable, which has made operating a business in these times even more challenging than normal. That’s why, when we started talking about a theme for this year’s community guide, it seemed logical to highlight some of the businesses right here in our community that have not only survived but in some cases succeeded in these difficult times. InsideNoVa is a small, locally owned business itself, so we know how challenging the past 18 months have been. Businesses have dealt with uncertainty, closures and mask requirements, and, more recently, supply chain shortages, delivery delays and hiring challenges. We’ve worked hard to keep our customers and employees safe, have pivoted to teleworking and Zoom meetings, and in some cases have implemented whole new business plans. In the pages that follow, you will find stories of resilience and recovery from a number of Prince William businesses and organizations that have done just that. They run the gamut from an event-management company to an indoor play facility and from a brewery to our county school system’s food services team. What they share are leaders with a vision, with persistence and with a willingness to adapt, even when times get tough. This section, of course, is not intended to be all-inclusive. For every business and organization featured in these pages, there are scores of others in our community that have done similar things. We salute them all – they are important parts of what makes our community successful. Our thanks go to the Prince William County Department of Economic Development and the Prince William Chamber of Commerce for connecting us with many of the businesses in this section – and for their dedicated work supporting and helping so many local businesses throughout the pandemic. We’d also like to thank the local businesses that supported this section by advertising in it. One silver lining to come out of the pandemic has been the realization of the importance of local businesses – and we need to support them now, more than ever. They’ve demonstrated they can survive, now let’s help them thrive. -- Bruce Potter, Publisher bpotter@insidenova.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
ZEMZ Events: Creating community
Page 6
Showcase Dance: Success online
Page 8
Manassas Ballet: Growing audience
Page 10
Mason SBDC: Tools for survival
Page 12
Water’s End Brewery: Tapping into success
Page 14
Food Services: 23 million meals
Page 15
Old School Kitchen: Pivoting to help
Page 16
ZavaZone: Bouncing back
Page 18
Tourism: Long road to recovery
Page 20
Meet our Advertisers
Page 22
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SEPTEMBER 2021 • COMMUNITY GUIDE
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Creating Community
ZEMZ Events helped others pivot during the pandemic
“We had started doing – overnight – virtual events and she was extremely helpful with my office,” Jones said. “She pivoted her business overnight.” Ellie Goldstein, one of Stewart’s clients, said it was not just Yahya’s BY PAUL LARA plara@insidenova.com knowledge of MORE INFORMATION event manageahaira Stewart has a knack for creating communi» Visit zemzevents.com ment that drew ty. Better known to friends as Yahya, Stewart, who her in; it was hails from “the west side” of Manassas, has been something more coordinating gatherings since 2006, when she owned a intimate. company called REC Productions. “She sets up vendor events – which is great – but she Much of her focus then was on planning splashy events goes beyond and introduces you to other incredible and club life at signature Washington establishments. business owners in the area,” Goldstein said. “I’ve made In 2008, a motorcycle accident forced her to reassess so many incredible connections through that.” her life. Goldstein, an oncology nurse who lives in Vienna, no“I had children, yet I’m living like I’m single with no worries,” Stewart said. ticed that many of her recovering chemotherapy patients After a hiatus, she picked up event planning in 2016. were getting amazing results with some skin care prod“Event planning was my passion, and I enjoyed making ucts, and she started selling those, which then led to her Yahya Stewart, owner of ZEMZ Events and More, shows off her teaching her peers how to use social media. But Stewart people happy. It started with weddings and birthdays, 2021 award from the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. and then I pivoted when I realized I was helping other helped her connect with a larger community. ZEMZ Events was named the top emerging business of the year. PROVIDED business owners showcase products to the community.” “She’s one of those people that are less about her As a small-business owner herself, she realized she agenda and more about the people that come to her didn’t want to go to Alexandria or Washington. “I want- of Commerce. She knew how to set up virtual spaces, for help,” Goldstein said. “Yahyah has connected me to a lot of people who needed a lot of coaching. I don’t and the chamber helped get her name out there. ed to do what I did in my backyard, and I saw the need know what it is about her, but she’s so forward about “Had I not had the chamber backing me, it wouldn’t for event vendor showcases here.” ‘let’s all help each other,’ and I’ve watched her grow In 2018, she had her first community event in Manas- have happened,” she said. because of that. She collaborated with people and lifted Her virtual platform mimicked a live vendor showsas. Her outreach was so successful that Stewart said her them up.” entire next year would be booked by August – and then case, and each vendor got a suite with a gallery. Angela Schwartz, a yoga teacher in Bristow, could the pandemic arrived. Debbie Jones, president of the Prince William ChamCOVID-19 caused a need to pivot – and quickly. ber, said she was impressed with Stewart’s ability to turn ZEMZ PAGE 7 Stewart said her savior was the Prince William Chamber on a dime.
Y
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
ZEMZ
FROM PAGE 6
barely contain her excitement when asked to explain what ZEMZ Events and More had done for her. In 2019, Schwartz, who had been a Prince William County Public Schools special educator for years, obtained her certificate to teach yoga, and then signed on with a local studio. Schwartz says she is a habitual list-maker, noting that she likes to turn a to-do list into a “tada” list, and when acronyms pop in her head she adds it to her list. CEO kept appearing, but she didn’t know why. At a retreat with other ZEMZ members, she recalled how Stewart framed the team. “‘Come to my event’ is a totally different feeling than ‘We are CEOS in the community and how are we going to come together?’ That is the essence of connection, engagement and sharing opportunities. At that moment, I realized that it is about CommUnity,” said Schwartz. Thus was born the next iteration of ZEMZ Events: CommUnity CEOs. The continual sharing of ideas within the community is what Schwartz said allowed the unexpected to become possible. “On a Monday, as everyone sheltered at home, I was told I was no longer needed at my studio,” Schwartz said, “but I didn’t want to stop teaching, so I realized ‘meet me on my mat’ means I can continue to serve my existing students. On Wednesday, my students were waiting for class to begin [online]. It happened seamlessly,
“I don’t know what it is about her, but she’s so forward about ‘let’s all help each other,’ and I’ve watched her grow because of that.” —ELLIE GOLDSTEIN, TALKING ABOUT YAHYA STEWART and it’s been continuing for more than a year.” Goldstein said Stewart’s selfless sense of community has allowed her to succeed. “Yahya is particularly helpful to sole proprietors and women of color. She doesn’t oversell people on what they don’t need,” Goldstein said. “She’s is relational over transactional – that’s what I love about her, and that’s who I love to be. I wish more people were like her.” Schwartz said it’s the perfect example of how caring resilience can infect a community – in a wonderful way.
Ellie Goldstein, left, looks at gift boxes, while Angela Schwartz conducts a yoga session at one of ZEMZ Events’ business showcases in August. COURTESY ZEMZ EVENTS AND MORE
“She doesn’t skip a beat; she figures out how to make it work,” she added. “She pulls people together in a way that never feels like we’re working – it feels like a
community coming together, and it’s more about sharing skills and passions and talents than it is selling anything. It’s really beautiful.”
SEPTEMBER 2021 • COMMUNITY GUIDE
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
needed social interaction with their friends, they needed the physical space to be able to move.” It was heartwarming, Carfagno said, to see almost all of her students, who range from 3 to 18 years old, coming back into the studio over the summer and dancing again. But it was a long road getting there. Toward the beginning of the pandemic, right after Showcase was forced to close, in addition to worrying about her students no longer being able to dance and engage with their peers, Carfagno said she was also concerned with how she was going to keep her small business afloat. She applied for the Paycheck Protection Program and other grants but was denied because in all cases, she was told, the money had already been allocated. Competition for grant money was fierce those first few months of the pandemic. But Carfagno’s luck changed when she received a Capital Investment and Innovation Grant through Prince William County’s Department Economic Development, which allocated approximately $7.2 million from CARES Act funding to 122 businesses in the community that needed to make physical improvements
— CRYSTAL CARFAGNO, OWNER, SHOWCASE DANCE STUDIO
MORE INFORMATION:
» Visit https://showcase.dance/
to adhere to health and safety guidelines to operate safely. “When they first released the grant, they said that they could only cover half of your expenses,” Carfagno said. “And I thought, well, I have no other way forward. So, even though I don't have the other $10,975, I will put it on a credit card, and I will just figure it out.” Then another business owner pointed out that small businesses couldn’t afford to pay for the other half of the projects, she said. “And [the county] came around and said, ‘OK, we’ll actually cover the full amount.’” With the grant, Showcase was able to equip four dance classrooms with a TV, computer and high-definition cameras. From March to July 2020, Showcase SHOWCASE
PAGE 9
SHOWCASE
FROM PAGE 8
offered hybrid classes, where 10 students would be allowed in the studio together spaced 10 feet apart, and the rest could participate from home virtually. “It's something that we have never done in the history of dance inside of our classrooms,” Carfagno said. Having a virtual option made it possible for students with immunocompromised family members, as well as those who had to quarantine, to dance. But virtual dance classes came with their own challenges. “It was difficult when everyone was online because you had dogs going through the background, you had parents, there was dinner being cooked, there were just a lot of distractions,” Carfagno said. “And that made it difficult to hold our students’ attention.” Carfagno said she didn’t blame students who had trouble focusing because by the time they logged into dance class many had already spent the entire day at home doing virtual learning for school. “By that point, their brains are kind of done with Zoom,” she added. So, to help them keep retain their focus, Carfagno would have her students sometimes balance a can of soup or toilet paper on their heads while doing a passé – a difficult ballet technique where the dancer balances on one leg while the other is bent with the foot placed near the other leg’s knee so it looks like a triangle.
“For us, it was more so learning where to stand in the classroom, because each of our TVs had to be put on specific walls where we had outlets,” Carfagno said. “So, if you were teaching in Studio D, one day, you had to face one way. But if you’re teaching in Studio A, you’re facing a completely different way.” But Carfagno said these challenges she, her colleagues and her students faced during the pandemic have only made them stronger. And although Carfagno lost about 30% of her students during the pandemic, going from 250 students to 175, she’s confident they will rebuild. “It's going to be a long road ahead for us,” Carfagno said. “I think it’s going to take at least two years for us to recover.” Carfagno noted she even plans to find a larger studio after her lease expires late next year. The new venue won’t be much larger than her current studio, she said, but big enough to accommodate a few Crystal Carfagno is hoping to move her business, Showcase Dance Studio in Manassas, to a larger more students than she has now. “I don’t base success off of having 1,000 location next year. JAMES JARVIS | INSIDENOVA kids vs. 500 vs. 250,” she said. “I would be Showcase dance instructors also found al students could hear them, but once in a happy having 300 kids, I think that that would be my sweet spot.” other fun and creative ways to engage stu- while the instructor’s mic would die and In the meantime, while the business they had to stop the class to replace the dents online by making up games, such rebuilds, Carfagno said she hopes the batteries. as a version of Jeopardy where students county will continue supporting small Carfagno said it could also sometimes would answer dance trivia questions. be challenging logistically for instructors businesses like Showcase to help them get There were also technical challenges back on their feet. “We need their help too. Dance instructors had to wear micro- to teach students virtually while paying phones when they taught classes so virtu- attention to the students in person as well. now more than ever.”
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SEPTEMBER 2021 • COMMUNITY GUIDE
9
En Pointe
Online shows helped ballet grow its audience BY JARED FORETEK
I
jforetek@insidenova.com
f you ask Artistic Director Amy Wolfe, the Manassas Ballet is coming out of the worst of the pandemic better than before. That isn’t to say anyone would have wanted to relive the last year and a half, but the company has taken some of the changes forced by COVID-19 and made them permanent. For example, after dancers had to cancel in-person shows for more than a year and stream performances such as “The Nutcracker” for online audiences in front of a mostly empty Hylton Performing Arts Center, the ballet is planning to make the virtual viewing option permanent. “We now have audience members … all over the world,” Wolfe said. “Australia, Italy, Brazil, I could go on. So why not?” Similarly, for students who ‘DRACULA’ can’t attend a dance class in DETAILS person, they’ll remain availSee details about the able online, ballet’s performance as became the of “Dracula” in the custom during main newspaper. much of 2020. » Lifestyles, Page 19 But Wolfe says the company takes pride in keeping all employees on payroll through even the worst and most uncertain of times of 2020. With the Hylton Center allowing bigger and bigger crowds in, things are returning to normal for the ballet company, which at one point was facing losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the postponement of shows and the need to move online. It will open its 2021-22 season in October with performances of “Dracula,” which will be followed by “The Nutcracker,” “Gaîté Parisienne” and then “Cinderella” next year. “We really want to stay healthy and it’s very scary as a performer,” Wolfe said. “We are one of the fields at high risk of infection because of what we do. We are performing and therefore breathing hard and a lot of face-to-face. We tried to adjust choreography last year, but generally
Amy Wolfe is artistic director of the Manassas Ballet.
“We now have audience members … all over the world. Australia, Italy, Brazil, I could go on.” — AMY WOLFE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, MANASSAS BALLET ballet has a lot of [close interaction] in it.” For the first time since the pandemic began, the Hylton Center is allowing full capacity crowds this fall with proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test. However, Wolfe and her fully-vaccinated company say they’re determined not to let what they learned during the pre-vaccine period go to waste. That doesn’t mean the company wants to cheapen the in-person experience. After becoming creative to survive 2020 and 2021, Wolfe says the ballet’s in-person patrons are excited to be able to return in droves in person. “I think everyone across the board … has realized just how much human interaction means live and in-person, that it’s not the same on a computer and that also is a huge silver lining,” Wolfe said. “And guess what? We all realized, yeah, we like doing a lot of things on the internet, but in addition to, not instead of.”
WANT TO SUBMIT YOUR NEWS? Email info@insidenova.com
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
S E N TA R A M E D I C A L G RO U P
MEET YOUR NE W PROVIDER PRIMARY CARE
Andrita Shah, D.O. Family Medicine
12825 Minnieville Rd. Suite 202 Lake Ridge, VA 22192 703-523-9840
Nana Owusu-Nyamekye, M.D. Internal Medicine
Benedict Sales, M.D. Family Medicine
Manisha Kunwar, NP Family Medicine
Havya Dave, M.D. Family Medicine
Raenell Williams, M.D. Family Medicine
Karen Holdsworth, MSN, FNP-C Family Medicine
2280 Opitz Blvd. Suite 250 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-1720
3600 Pointe Center Ct. Suite 110 Dumfries, VA 22026 703-523-1750
Milan Patel, D.O. Family Medicine
Gurwinder Singh, M.D. Internal Medicine
Paroni Gupta, NP-C Family Medicine
Cindy Hennigh, CFNP Family Medicine
Shannon Murley, FNP-C Family Medicine
Stephanie Schutter, CFNP Family Medicine
4500 Pond Way Suite 170 Woodbridge, VA 22192 571-542-4950
NEUROLOGY
Brenda Crum, NP
2280 Opitz Blvd. Suite 110 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-8880
WOUND CARE
Carol Shapiro, M.D.
Cherelle McKinney, FNP-C
2296 Opitz Blvd. Suite 130 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-0660
SURGERY
Jacqueline Moore, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Steven Nakao, M.D., F.A.C.S.
2280 Opitz Blvd. Suite 320 Woodbridge, VA 22191 703-523-9750
Jeffrey Sinclair, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Arthur Vayer, Jr., M.D. F.A.C.S.
95 Dunn Drive Suite 123 Stafford, VA 22556 703-523-9550
List of providers as of September 2021.
Find your new provider today! sentara.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 • COMMUNITY GUIDE
11
Ashley Abernathy speaks to a client about services provided by the Mason Small Business Development Center. PROVIDED
Tools for Survival
Welcome Back! Our lives have changed over the past year and a half. As we all try to figure out our way forward, know that OmniRide’s family of services are ready to meet your mobility needs.
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
Small Business Development Center helps local companies
MORE INFORMATION:
» Learn more about the Mason SBDC at masonsbdc.org » Numerous grant and loan opportunities are at masonsbdc.org/grants-and-loanscovid/ » Prince William Chamber of Commerce is at pwchamber.org/
BY PAUL LARA
plara@insidenova.com
T
he Virginia Small Business Development Center excels in helping entrepreneurs set up a small business or teaching small-business owners how to set successful benchmarks for future growth, said Timm Johnson, director and business counselor at the Mason SBDC, which serves Fairfax and Prince William counties. The center, based at the Mason Enterprise Center in Fairfax, was established in 2019. It provided in-person counseling in Fairfax, Manassas and Woodbridge, until a global pandemic changed everything we thought we knew about succeeding – and surviving – in business. “We were expected to be the primary resource partner for COVID relief, like the Economic Injury Disaster loan and the Payroll Protection Program,” Johnson said. “Prince William had a technical assistance grant and a business resiliency grant for cash, and third-party assistance to improve a company’s digital footprint that was covered under last fall’s CARES act.” The SBDC is a quasi-governmental agency, created by Congress, and Johnson said it covers small business topics for free, with weekly seminars coordinated through the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. For a year, Johnson was helping regional businesses react to a dramatically altered business climate. The center, working with others throughout Virginia, developed materials to help businesses weather the storm and implement health guidelines. It also conducted a series of statewide workshops
Timm Johnson, director of the Mason Small Business Development Center, regularly conducts virtual workshops to help small business owners survive and thrive. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
with the Small Business Administration, Johnson said. “I did at least a dozen of them, and most of them focused on businesses that were in need.” The center also helped businesses apply for forgiveness of their PPP loans. “We were there to guide them,” he added. We’d encouraged our small businesses to apply to all eligible programs.” While Johnson was helping small businesses pivot, without in-person staff or customers, he had to follow his advice, pivoting to a virtual environment. “Jumping on Zoom, it was as easy to quickly provide info on Zoom as it is faceto-face,” he said. “We used it to fill out applications together, and since we had resources at our fingertips, it also helped SURVIVAL
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SURVIVAL
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Prince William Commons
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George Siragusa, senior business counselor, left, and Timm Johnson, director of the Mason Small Business Development Center, offer guidance for start-ups and small business owners. PROVIDED
people avoid travel.” As the statewide stay-at-home order continued, Johnson said conversations with local businesses honed in on understanding cash flow, which was critical to survival, and helping employees get unemployment when downsizing was the only recourse. “Most banks were accommodating to do loan deferrals, and building owners would defer rent and extend leases to help preserve cash. We were always looking for ways businesses could get through it until they get open again,” Johnson said. Debbie Jones, president of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, agreed that timing is everything, and was grateful the chamber had established a partnership with Mason SBDC in 2019. “We are working with Mason SBDC to help businesses – our members as well as the business community at large – stay in business, by finding incentives and grants that were available from the city of Manassas, Prince William County and the SBA. We spent quite a bit of time helping many businesses fill out the forms,” Jones said. “It was the bridge piece that you needed to get to the other side.” Herve Billiet, the CEO of Ipsun Solar, said working with Mason SBDC was attractive because the mentoring was free. He said Johnson never took his eyes off the ball. “He asked a couple of basic questions, and every time you go back they ask the same basic questions,” Billiet said. “It was very impactful to have to answer those same foundational questions asked when
you lead the company. When you’re the captain of the ship, it’s important to have someone ask, ‘Where are you going?’” Billiet said his business not only survived, but thrived in the past year. The shutdown meant all staff were furloughed because his clients, with a six-month backlog to install solar panels, understandably did not initially want anyone on-site. He reached out to Johnson for guidance. “SBDC gave us some good advice, and luckily we had a support mechanism in place as we already had an extensive crisis plan” ready to execute, Billiet said. Vowing to never let a crisis go to waste, Billiet said he spent that month retooling entire processes. “With a lot of time and no meetings, we started to focus on what we can do to improve and restructure. We improved and had a lot of our guys take required training during the off-time and improve,” Billiet said. Because solar was considered critical infrastructure, the company could continue to operate. Billiet said they staggered crew schedules and changed operations to minimize risk to employees. “Now we are back, and our sales are double what they were before,” he said. “We came out of this stronger.” Billiet said Mason SBDC has been with Ipsun all along, and it’s been a wonderful relationship. “It’s a service more people should know about,” Billiet stressed. “It’s not just a check-box to do, it’s a meaningful service that people should know about, and use it to create stronger growth.”
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Tapping into Success Water’s End Brewery grew during the pandemic BY NOLAN STOUT
nstout@insidenova.com
S
wing a stick around the business community and you’ll hear dozens of stories of hardship, struggle and uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic. But one business you won’t hear about is Water’s End Brewery. Not only did the Lake Ridge-based brewery keep operations running during the pandemic, but it also opened a second location and keeps growing. Water’s End opened its original taproom in September 2016 and was planning to open its second location in late 2019 or early 2020 before the pandemic took hold. Like nearly all businesses, the brewery had to halt most operations for about a month in spring 2020, but then it pivoted “aggressively” to drive-through sales and picked up its marketing, said its president, Zach Mote. The response was positive, and demand was quickly on track to outpace supply. “We just weren’t able to keep up with demand at our first location,” Mote said. “We needed that brewhouse to start pumping out beer so we could sell it at our first location.” Getting beer out the door was essential for craft breweries during the pandemic. Danelle Kosmal, vice president of beverage alcohol practice for Chicago-based NielsenIQ, told Beverage Industry that off-premise sales grew 14% in 2020 compared to 2019. The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority loosened restrictions on alcohol sales throughout the state during the pandemic to help breweries, wineries, restaurants and related businesses. In October, Water’s End opened its second location near Potomac Mills with the purposes of at least supporting production at Lake Ridge. Supply chain issues were typical across all types of businesses at the height of pandemic shutdowns, but Water’s End was able to open on schedule. Rather than worrying about stock, the real uncertainty for the new taproom remained with the virus and mandated public safety measures. “The biggest challenge was not knowing what conditions the COVID restrictions and the economy would be when we went to open the second location,” Mote said. The brewery had to essentially guess how much seating to expect because of social distancing limits and put in a bar without allowing people to sit at it. The brewery’s
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“Trying to manage getting people there, but not too many, that was a really tricky thing to balance.” – ZACH MOTE, PRESIDENT, WATER’S END BREWERY opening was a stark contrast to the first location, when lines were out the door. “It was certainly a different feel,” Mote said. “It was very difficult to do that when not only was it unsafe to try to create a crowd and really drive traffic, but it also was not allowed, period. Trying to manage getting people there, but not too many, that was a really tricky thing to balance.” Over the months, however, the Potomac Mills location has grown in popularity. It’s only a few miles from the first location, but it’s not splitting customers. “It’s just been a slower build,” Mote said. “But there’s completely new customers who haven’t experienced Water’s End before.” Earlier this summer, the brewery added two large brewing tanks at the Potomac Mills location to keep up with current and future demand. Jeremy Hunt, who was hired as head brewer during the pandemic, said the amount of beer Water’s End was making remained steady or increased throughout the pandemic. Hunt said the industry is “nimble” and able to adapt quickly to change, which served it well during the pandemic. For example, Hunt said it was clear that securing cans would be difficult throughout the pandemic, so the brewery placed orders well ahead of time and before they were needed. Water’s End also flipflopped between using primarily bottles and cans, depending on supply. “One of the wonderful things about craft beer,” he added, “is we’re able to roll with the punches pretty well.”
Water’s End Brewery’s “Don’t Haze Me Bro” juicy IPA is canned at the company’s new location near Potomac Mills. NOLAN STOUT | INSIDENOVA
Ryan Sharkey, co-owner of Water’s End Brewery, cans “Don’t Haze Me Bro” juicy IPA at the company’s recently opened location near Potomac Mills. NOLAN STOUT|INSIDENOVA
MORE INFORMATION :
» Water’s End Brewery has two locations in Prince William County offering a variety of beers, including the Damn Beer golden ale and the Don’t Haze Me, Bro! juicy IPA. » Lake Ridge taproom: 12425 Dillingham Square » Potomac Mills taproom: 14397 Potomac Mills Road » Each location is open Sunday through Tuesday noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday noon to 10 p.m.
COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
Water’s End Brewery offers a wide selection of beers at its new location.
NOLAN STOUT|INSIDENOVA
Over 23 Million Served
County’s food services team adapts on the fly BY JARED FORETEK
I
jforetek@insidenova.com
f there’s one thing that Adam Russo – the director of food and nutrition services for Prince William County Public Schools – has learned over the past two school years, it’s how to adjust on the fly. The way the school system distributed food already changed almost overnight in March 2020, when classes went online and schools set up to-go meal distribution at buildings around the county, moving most of the process for feeding roughly 90,000 students out of the traditional cafeteria setting for the first time. Then, for the 2020-21 school year, things had to completely shift again. In addition to the free meal service for students the division was carrying out at school buildings, Russo and his team devised a plan to feed kids who weren’t able to return to their classrooms until the spring term, as well as their families. Once a week, the food distribution team – about 800 employees at the division’s 97 schools – was giving out bags of groceries meant to serve as the equivalent of 28 meals per student in bulk, with things like bread, milk, fruits, vegetables and protein. “Our staff was really switching from
making fresh, beautiful prepared meals … to more of a bulk service,” Russo said. He estimates the division served over 23 million meals during the pandemic. “And we were doing that 28 meals at a time. Rain, sleet, snow, wind, anything you can think of.…,” he added. “Any given week you were talking about hundreds of thousands of tons of food being distributed by our passionate food service professionals.” By year end, the food service teams were once again making major shifts in how they operated with the return of many students to hybrid in-person learning. For school systems around the country, there wasn’t much of a playbook for how to shift gears in operations like food distribution in the middle of a pandemic. And as a federal entitlement program, the county’s school system food distribution has to follow a certain set of rules. So Russo and his team needed to be creative in how to properly claim the additional meals it was distributing, using a classification similar to what the division did for a pre-pandemic Saturday meal service at Fred Lynn Middle School. Russo also secured waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2020 and again this school year to make all the
Prince William County Public School’s food services director Adam Russo and his team have provided over 23 million meals since the pandemic began. PROVIDED
division’s meals free for students. “Our interpretation of the federal regulations, I liken it to whenever I play a game, I read the rules from the book and then I play the game right to the edge of the rules, because we’re … always playing to win for our kids,” Russo said. “So we interpreted the rules one way, and I don’t think anyone had ever previously interpreted the rules that way. We asked the Department of Education and the USDA to approve our interpretation of the rules, and they did. The rest is history.”
In the process, Russo and the PWCS Nutrition Services staff won national honors, becoming one of four groups to win the 2021 Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence award in January. “Through what was, and still is, a very challenging time emotionally and every other thing people are experiencing, these folks put on their work boots, put on their fireman’s hats and they came out and they did hero’s work,” Russo said of the county food service staff. “And we just couldn’t be more proud of the team.”
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Catering business pivots to helping feed the community BY JAMES JARVIS
jjarvis@insidenova.com
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Going Old School
COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
W
hen the COVID-19 pandemic forced restaurants to close, Miguel Pires, owner of Zandra’s Taqueria and Georgetown Caterers in Haymarket faced the possibility of having to lay off kitchen and wait staff. “Our business pretty much dried up 100%,” Pires said. But in late March 2020, Pires sat down with Zandra’s executive chef, Clarke Congdon, and their landlord, QBE Foundation, a nonprofit based in Haymarket, and together they hashed out a plan to both keep their staff employed and help the community in the process. What they developed was the idea for Old School Kitchen. “We had employees that needed work, and we quickly saw a need in the community where food insecurities were becoming a huge issue,” Pires said. “And we just started kind of reaching out to local partners like Prince William Food Rescue...churches and other local leaders to see what they needed.” As luck would have it, QBE offered to let Pires and Congdon use its commercial kitchen – behind Zandra’s Haymarket location – which had recently been vacated by another catering company. Partnering with Prince William Food Rescue and other local restaurants, Pires and Congdon received an abundance of food that turned into hot meals to feed those in need of nutrition assistance. Georgetown Catering also received SBAbacked loans from the federal government through the Paycheck Protection Program, which helped him keep his staff working. “As restaurants were closing, we were getting their leftover food...and turning it into meals,” Pires said. “And volunteers were coming here and picking those meals up and distributing them out to local churches, local neighborhoods, pretty much anybody that needed help.” Old School Kitchen became a kind of middleman, Pires said. Food banks, such as Prince William Food Rescue, would receive pallets of liquid eggs, tomatoes or frozen fruits from donors, and Congdon’s kitchen staff would find a way to make full or partial meals out of whatever they had. “Prince William County Food Rescue ended up with 20 cases of tomatoes and didn't know what to do with all the tomatoes,” Congdon said. Old School Kitchen turned it into spaghetti sauce, which they jarred and redistributed to food pantries. “We’re kind of a partner in this like global food chain, where if there's a challenge, like we’re here to kind of solve it,” he added.
“We’re kind of a partner in this like global food chain, where if there’s a challenge, like we’re here to kind of solve it.” – CLARKE CONGDON, EXECUTIVE CHEF, ZANDRA’S TAQUERIA AND GEORGETOWN CATERERS HOW TO HELP:
» To donate or volunteer to Old School Kitchen, visit oldschoolkitchen. org or contact Clarke Congdon at superchef5000@gmail.com. Pires said that what makes Old School Kitchen unique is that it’s one of the few commercial kitchens in the community producing mass quantities of prepared to-go meals to those in need. But Pires and Congdon were not the first people in the community to do this kind of work. Initially, they were inspired by other local residents in the community who were making meals in their kitchens at home to serve to families. “And some people were making these meals for people like in their ovens, in their stoves... making 10 meals at a time,” Pires said. “But at the same time, they do that, we can make the same amount for 150 people. So that's kind of the role that we’ve played.” Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park, as well as the Centreville and Chantilly areas of Fairfax County, among other northern Virginia jurisdictions, all benefit from Old School Kitchen’s services. Since starting the project in April 2020, Old School Kitchen has made and distributed over 37,000 meals – and counting – to those considered food insecure and people affected by the pandemic. The highest demand occurred in the summer of 2020, when about 1,600 meals were distributed every week. Currently, Pires says the kitchen is serving between 400-500 meals a week. After 30 years working in a kitchen, Congdon said this experience has by far been the most impactful because of the difference he feels he’s making in people’s lives. “I’m always happy to serve a customer and have them be grateful for the meal and say, ‘Wow, that was really good and OLD SCHOOL
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OLD SCHOOL
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Miguel Pires (second from left), owner of Zandra’s Taqueria and Georgetown Caterers, and executive chef Clarke Congdon oversee work in the kitchen. JAMES JARVIS | INSIDENOVA
everything else,’” he said. “But it’s a completely different set of feelings, knowing that you’re feeding somebody who really needs the meal, not someone who’s just coming out for a cocktail and dinner,” Congdon added.
“But you’re really filling a void for whether it's an individual or a family to really get them through the day.” While it’s true, Congdon said, that not as many people need food assistance anymore, both he and Pires not-
ed that the issue of food insecurity still persists, with or without the pandemic. They plan to continue raising money to keep Old School Kitchen around in the community long after the pandemic.
“In the beginning there was maximum support,” Pires said. “But then, as time goes on, I think people move on to something else and they forget...but this is not something that ever goes away.”
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Bouncing Back
ZavaZone adjusts after opening just months before pandemic BY GIANNA JIRAK
I
For InsideNoVA
n December 2020, Prince William County received an exciting addition to its growing family fun entertainment scene – ZavaZone. The 30,000-square-foot indoor adventure park, complete with trampolines and a high ropes course, was set to be an absolute hit. But COVID-19 had other ideas. As many such businesses did, ZavaZone struggled. Customers were few and far between, the owners were struggling to obtain supplies, and bills were piling up. To make things worse, many GPS devices directed customers who were trying to find ZavaZone to the entrance of Potomac Mills Mall instead of ZavaZone’s entrance, which is outside the mall. Even with those struggles, franchise owner Rich Eitzel didn’t give up. Instead, he reworked the adventure park’s business model. “We had to re-work our entire firstyear plan and financial projections. We hoped to employ as many as 50 team members but had to scale that down to 30 or so,” he said. Although he could not employ as many people as he initially wanted, Eitzel believes that being able to employ as many as he was is an accomplishment. Many of the employees he brought on had been laid off or were given reduced hours, and he was delighted to be able to help them get back on their feet. “Some of our team had been previously laid off due to the pandemic or forced to deal with significantly
“It was very rewarding for me to help those residents of our community get back to their potential.” – RICH EITZEL, FRANCHISE OWNER, ZAVAZONE MORE INFORMATION:
» Location: 2700 Potomac Mills Circle, Suite 711, Woodbridge » Hours: Monday, noon-8 p.m. Tuesday, closed Wednesday/Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, noon- 6 p.m. » Admission: one hour, $19.50; two hours, $34; three-hours, $44 » More details: www.zavazone.com/ potomacmills/ reduced hours,” Eitzel said. “It was very rewarding for me to help those residents of our community get back to their potential.” In addition to reducing the number of employees he planned to hire, Eitzel also reworked ZavaZone’s building. Walls were knocked down to make
ZavaZone’s attractions include an obstacle course with a rock wall.
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
BOUNCING BACK
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PROVIDED
BOUNCING BACK
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ZavaZone at Potomac Mills Mall reconfigured its space and attractions to adapt to the pandemic.
PROVIDED
the space more open and COVID-19 friendly, and some attractions were eliminated due to supply shortages and costs. The missing attractions were, however, replaced with something of a fan favorite at ZavaZone – a giant inflatable. The inflatable is not just one giant inflatable, but instead seven inflatables connected to each other. Eitzel said he has been told it is Virginia’s largest indoor inflatable. Although it only came about due to the inability to acquire other attractions, it has been quite a success, especially among some of ZavaZone’s younger patrons. “For toddler-age kids the inflatable is probably their favorite,” said Tara Croce, the communications coordinator at ZavaZone. “We have two different obstacle courses on each side [of the inflatable], it also comes with a rock wall that you can jump off of and a giant slide.” Now that the nature of the pandemic has changed and more businesses have regained their bearings, ZavaZone is making a comeback from its pandemic
struggles. Although employee numbers have not gone up, it is getting more customers than previously and frequently hosts group events. Even with this customer increase, ZavaZone is still ensuring COVID-19 safety measures. While social distancing is not required within the park, capacity is limited within the building, employees are disinfecting equipment constantly, and patrons are required to wear masks to ensure that everyone has a safe time. “We constantly wipe everything down,” Croce said. “Doors, handles, handlebars, railings. Everything is sprayed with sanitizer.” Although these safety measures are heavily enforced for the wellbeing of ZavaZone’s customers, it does not get in the way of any fun whatsoever. “Loved this place! Took my step-daughter and she had a blast!” one reviewer wrote on Google.”There is so much to do from wall climbing, to trampoline dodgeball, trampoline basketball, to the ninja course and the staff was great!”
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Long Road to Recovery
County’s tourism industry starting to come back BY NOLAN STOUT
nstout@insidenova.com
F
ew industries look the same since the coronavirus pandemic began, and tourism is no different. Sweeping shutdowns and stay-at-home orders had massive impacts on the tourism industry and, although some aspects are improving, there’s still a long road to recovery. Prince William County’s biggest draws typically include Manassas National Battlefield Park, Jiffy Lube Live and the waterfront along the Potomac and Occoquan rivers. Acting Prince William County Tourism Director Dan Cook said travel and safety restrictions have had an “insurmountable” impact on the overall tourism and hospitality industry. At the height of shutdowns in April 2020, occupancy rates at the county’s more than 4,700 hotel rooms were at a “historic low” of 33.9%. Occupancy rates have recovered, but are still not at pre-pandemic levels. Revenue from retail, restaurants and at-
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“There was no game plan, manual or guidebook that could have prepared the industry for something of this magnitude to occur so rapidly.” – DAN COOK, ACTING DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY tractions was virtually nonexistent other than carryout and delivery and donations to local businesses. Economic recessions are nothing new, but Cook said they typically come in cycles and trickle through different industries.
COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
TOURISM
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Employees of the LaQuinta Inn & Suites on Centreville Road in Manassas with some of the signage provided by the county’s tourism department. PROVIDED
TOURISM
FROM PAGE 20
“COVID was anything but a trickle, it was a tsunami that took with it tourism jobs, visitor spending, working capital and so much more overnight,” he said. “There was no game plan, manual or guidebook that could have prepared the industry for something of this magnitude to occur so rapidly.” According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Virginia hotel industry is expected to take a $1.5 billion loss this year, mostly driven by reduced business and government travel. Nationally, business travel revenue was down $49 billion in 2020 and not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. Leisure travel is nearing pre-pandemic levels, but the problems remain with corporate meetings, conventions, business trips, group travel and social events, all of which represent a large portion of hotel revenue. The county provided small-business grants throughout the pandemic and is planning more moving forward. County staff is recommending using $16 million for economic recovery initiatives and $10 million to support community organizations from its allocation of federal stimulus funding through the American Rescue Plan, approved by Congress earlier this year. The economic initiatives would cover a slew of proposed programs aimed at covering operating costs, supporting startups and job training. The county is also considering grants to hospitality and tourism-related businesses for rent relief, working capital and operating costs. The county created the #PrinceWilliamStrong business pledge program to connect the county government with businesses and initiatives to keep the community safe throughout the pandemic. Businesses that pledged to follow state and federal health guidelines were given free personal protective equipment, “We’re Open For Business” signs, digital resources and signs to promote
The Passport to Prince William is an online program that provides free offers from area businesses to visitors and residents.
NICOLE WARNER
social-distancing measures. More than 200 businesses and organizations participated by its end in early 2021. The Passport to Prince William also provides free offers from area businesses to visitors and residents. It’s an online platform at pwcdeals.com, and more than 130 businesses and 1,900 customers have signed up for it. The deals range from hotel packages to craft brewery tastings. In fall 2020, the county used an advertising campaign to boost its tourism industry highlighting its 38 square miles of open space. Cook said many businesses were creative in adapting to the pandemic. Some hotels created private offices in vacant rooms to allow people to take a break from their home office. Murlarkey Distilled Spirits created outside tasting options, and breweries and wineries had drivethrough options. Restaurants provided food to those in need, and retailers offered local deliveries. Restaurants locally also benefited from the expansion
of outdoor dining options. “If our residents didn’t step up, a lot of our businesses may have closed – and I am so appreciative for their support to keep our industry alive,” Cook said. Cook said investment in outdoor options, particularly with sports, will be important moving forward. He highlighted the USA BMX national competition held in the county in August. “These types of investments are a great tourism opportunity going forward and with the foresight of our leagues, elected leadership, and community investments – I am very excited for our future in sports tourism,” he said. Cook sees the “era of the great road trip” as a lasting impact of the pandemic. He said the county is geographically situated to benefit from travel because of its location along interstates 66 and 95. “Air travel continues to be challenging and frustrating,” he said. “And with our location halfway between Maine and Florida, we have millions within a day’s drive to capture domestic and Canadian visitors on their road trips.”
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More businesses, organizations that adapted during the pandemic OMNIRIDE CONTINUES TO PUT HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST After living a very sheltered life for the past year and a half, we’re embarking on a return to normal. If you’re starting to venture out again and need transportation, OmniRide wants you to know that the health and safety of its passengers remains OmniRide’s number one priority. OmniRide began preparing for COVID-19 safety protocols before the lockdown and continues to follow COVID-19 mitigation steps/protocols. This includes stringent cleaning of bus interiors daily. The service is also performing enhanced cleaning once a week on all buses and has upgraded the strength of cleaning products used on the bus fleet. On-board air filters are cleaned and replaced frequently. All passengers and the bus operator are required to wear face coverings while on OmniRide buses. This requirement is in compliance with the Transportation Security Administration mandate on wearing face coverings on all public transit.
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In order to minimize interactions between bus operators and riders and allow customers to board quickly and self-distance more effectively, OmniRide instituted free fares on local and Metro Express services. (Commuters on OmniRide Express buses will continue paying fares using a SmarTrip card – no cash fares.) When you’re ready to get back on public transportation, OmniRide is ready to welcome you onboard! One way to get to know the service …consider a spin on a local bus while fares are free. For more information, visit OmniRide. com. SENTARA NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL CENTER Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is a Level III trauma-designated, 183-bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving Prince William County and its surrounding communities. The medical center combines the resources of a major health system with the compassionate, personalized care of a community hospital. Sentara offers
COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
quiet, private rooms and high-quality care focused on safety and patient satisfaction. The hospital offers a wide range of medical specialties, a highly qualified medical and clinical staff and state-of-the-art technology. Clinical services include advanced imaging, cancer services, diabetes management, emergency care, heart and vascular care, lab services, neurosurgery, primary care, orthopedics, trauma, urology, weight loss surgery, women’s services and more. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center also offers free educational classes, support groups and community events. Visit sentara.com/events for more information about upcoming events. ‘PLEDGE OF LOVE’ HELPED HARBORCHASE OVERCOME PANDEMIC CHALLENGES There’s no question that the pandemic has been challenging for all of us. HarborChase of Prince William Commons navigated this difficult period and kept its commitment to the safety and security of its residents and
associates as its top priority. One of the facility’s goals was to open its community fully and safely, and its associates played a key role in helping to accomplish this objective. As part of its dedicated commitment to safely reopening, HarborChase introduced a “Pledge of Love” initiative to its associates. Signers of the pledge agreed to maintain social-distancing, wash their hands several times a day, stay home if sick, wear a protective mask in public and follow new guidelines as they are introduced. As an additional component to the pledge, associates were encouraged to get vaccinated. With employee vaccination averages hovering around 50% across the senior living industry, HarborChase is proud to announce that 100% of its associates have been vaccinated against COVID-19. By combining its pledge with vaccinations, HarborChase has been able to successfully stay afloat, thrive and reopen during this pandemic. BUSINESSES
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BUSINESSES
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For more information, visit www.HarborChase.com. PRINCE WILLIAM PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE OPEN Whether you’re looking for the newest best seller, want to use a computer for browsing or need a quiet space and free wi-fi for studying, Prince William Public Libraries’ 12 branches are all open to the public. Not only are the libraries open, but the system is bringing back programs for the community to enjoy in person, including baby story times, Reading to Dogs, craft programs, and more. The library staff has heard from many people over the past year that having libraries open has been a morale-booster during the pandemic. One patron shared with Bull Run Library staff: “I want you to know that coming to work every day as you have done through the COVID pandemic makes a difference in people’s lives every day. Because you came to work, I have been able to study and become a certified nurse-midwife." Another patron at Haymarket Gainesville Library remarked how the library staff has “done a wonderful job of adapting and overcoming the constant changes. We are so thankful.” Prince William’s public libraries look forward to seeing you soon! To learn more about library services and current hours of operation, visit pwcva.gov/library. CAPT. WILLIE HARDEMAN: BEST IN PRINCE WILLIAM The Prince William County Sheriff ’s Office congratulates Capt. Willie Hardeman on being selected as Inside NoVa/ Prince Wiliam’s 2021 “Best Law Enforcement Officer” in the emergency services category. Capt. Hardeman is a dedicated worker who cares about the office mission and our community. He works diligently to make a positive difference in people’s lives through his drive and never-quit attitude. On a typical workday, you can find him moving through the courthouse interacting with attorneys, judges, court staff, and the public. You can also find him respectfully joking around with people, hoping to cheer them up. Capt. Hardeman said, “I understand being in a courthouse can be stressful at times, so my goal is to alleviate some of that stress.” His passion to help others shows in his work – he mentors at-risk youth through the restorative justice program and gives tours of the courthouse and holding cells. Through the restorative justice program, Capt. Hardeman has candid conversations with the students and their parents. He reminds the students of their behaviors and how it could lead to possible incarceration. He also stresses their potential to succeed in life if they stay in school, work hard and avoid negative
influences. Participants who successfully complete the program often visit to share their success stories with other participants. Capt. Hardeman is the epitome of what the Sheriff ’s Office stands for – integrity, respect, public service and professional standing. Congratulations Capt. Hardeman on your well-deserved award! DIDLAKE OPERATES THREE UPS STORES Didlake Inc., a nonprofit that creates opportunities for people with disabilities, owns and operates three UPS Stores in the local area. These include locations in the Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge (store #6656), Center at Innovation in Bristow (#6631) and on George Mason University’s Manassas campus (store #6272). The UPS Stores offer a wide range of products and services for individuals and small businesses. While they are your local packing and shipping experts, they do much more. The UPS Store provides professional printing services to market your small business or to help you complete your personal project or presentation. They offer secure mailbox and package acceptance services, document shredding, office and mailing supplies, faxing, scanning and more. When you open a mailbox at The UPS Store, you get a lot more than a box with a key. You'll get package acceptance from all shipping carriers, mail receipt notifications and a real street address, not just a PO Box number. “Every ‘-ing’ you need, all in one place.”
cloud-based document management and storage, and document data capture and indexing. Didlake Document Imaging is owned and operated by Didlake Inc., a nonprofit that creates opportunities for people with disabilities. Learn more at didlakeimaging.com. DIDLAKE PHOTO IMAGING PRESERVES MEMORIES Didlake Photo Imaging provides high-quality digitized images that preserve memories for generations. Your old photos are in danger of fading away, being forgotten or being lost or damaged in a natural disaster. After Didlake has scanned your photos, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your photos are safeguarded and saved digitally for generations. Didlake Photo Imaging brings 20 years of imaging experience and expertise to your photo scanning order. Didlake Photo Imaging offers an easy, fast, affordable way to digitize your photographs. Simply complete the order form on our website at didlakeimaging.com/ photo-scanning. Select a box size for your needs. Whether you want to digitize a few or a lot of photos, Didlake has a box for you. They will ship you the box to fill with your photos and return using a prepaid label. Didlake will return
the photos after scanning and deliver the 600 dpi JPG digitized images in your selected delivery method – digital download (cloud access), DVD or thumb drive. You can then easily share your digitized photos with family and friends. Didlake Photo Imaging is owned and operated by Didlake Inc., a nonprofit that creates opportunities for people with disabilities. APPLIANCE CONNECTION SERVES REGION’S NEEDS For over 36 years, Appliance Connection has served the needs of the greater Washington area. Founded in 1985 by Mark and Pam Tonnesen, Appliance Connection has grown to be the 95th largest appliance retailer in the country. Its location at 13851 Telegraph Road in Woodbridge, with over 20,000 square feet of display space, is the largest store in the Mid-Atlantic. Its accomplished staff receive extensive training directly from major brand manufactures and provide remarkable service by tailoring each interaction carefully to the customer’s needs. For more information, visit www. ApplianceConnection.net Editor’s note: These write-ups were provided by some of the businesses and organizations that supported this section through advertising.
DIDLAKE DOCUMENT IMAGING TRANSFORMS PAPER Didlake Document Imaging transforms paper documents into digital format with simple and seamless document scanning and management. Didlake has provided imaging services for more than 20 years, tracing its roots to microfilm. The organization is committed to providing the highest level of service, delivering a final product that is clear, legible, accurate and complete. From an entire records retention storage room to a few file boxes, Didlake is ready to support you in transitioning your files to digital. Didlake Document Imaging scans documents for a variety of customers – individuals, nonprofits, medical and law practices, small businesses and government agencies and is HIPAA compliant. They offer a variety of delivery methods, including cloud download, DVDs and flash drives. They use optical character recognition to capture text for easy keyword search. Didlake also offers digital mailroom services, or scanning and indexing mail for automated mail distribution, photo scanning, microfilm and microfiche scanning, digital document preservation and archiving, PDF and document redaction services, large format scanning,
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9-30-21 Community Guide _APC Best OF Tab 9/27/21 10:28 PM Page 1
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COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2021
