Haymarket Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine November 2024 by Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine

A Girl

with Goals

Battlefield junior gives her all on and off the soccer field

Vietnam medevac pilot turned author

Theater teacher tackles live radio musical

Holiday events, recipes & more!

Bringing Quality Care to

Bringing Quality Care to Our Community

Surgical Care in Our Community

Bringing Quality Care to Our Community

Fauquier Health Physician Services has grown the number of primary care and OB/GYN providers in our community to give you access to the care you and your family need. Our practices are all welcoming new patients.

Surgical Care in Our Community

With primary and OB/GYN care, close to home, we’ll help you live your healthiest life.

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Primary Care

Fauquier Health Primary and Specialty Care at Lake Manassas

Internal Medicine

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Internal Medicine

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Medicine

Fauquier Health Primary Care at Culpeper 1100 Sunset Lane, Ste. 1211-A Culpeper, VA 22701 • 540.316.5950

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Tony Fiore, DO Family Medicine Christopher Nagle, MD Internal Medicine

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OB/GYN

Christopher Nagle, MD Internal Medicine

Joseph Brown, MD General Surgery

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Coleman, FNP Internal Medicine

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Nathaniel Saint-Preux, MD General Surgery

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With surgical care

Fauquier Health OB/GYN and Midwifery at Lake Manassas 7915 Lake Manassas Drive, Ste. 101 • Gainesville, VA 20155 • 703.743.7300

Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mohamad Salkini, Urology

Cynthia

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Nchang Azefor, MD General Surgery

Allan Hardy, MD Gastroenterology

Joseph Brown, MD General Surgery

Nathaniel Saint-Preux, MD General Surgery

Olga Mazur, MD General Surgery G. Benjamin Wampler, General Surgery

Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mohamad

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Nchang Azefor, MD General Surgery

Allan Hardy, MD Gastroenterology

Joseph Brown, General Surgery

Nathaniel Saint-Preux, MD General Surgery

Olga Mazur, MD General Surgery G.

Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Victoria McDonald, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Nchang Azefor, MD General Surgery

Allan Hardy, MD Gastroenterology

Nathaniel Saint-Preux, General Surgery

Olga Mazur, MD General Surgery

Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics

Nchang Azefor, General Surgery

Allan Hardy, MD Gastroenterology

Nathaniel Olga Mazur, MD General Surgery

Barry Aron, Obstetrics &

Allan Hardy, MD Gastroenterology

Olga Mazur, General

Allan Hardy, MD

Jae Lee, MD Internal Medicine

Candice Davis, FNP Internal Medicine

Hasina Hamid, MD

Victoria McDonald,

Demetrius Maoury, MD

Mandy Colegrove, WHNP Gynecology Jenna

Tony Fiore, DO

Joseph

Jae Lee, MD Internal Medicine

Candice Davis, FNP Internal Medicine

Hasina Hamid, MD Internal Medicine

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Erica

Demetrius Maoury, MD Internal Medicine

Mandy Colegrove, WHNP Gynecology

Aliona Bortun, MD Family Medicine

Joseph David, MD Internal Medicine

Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Monica Freidline, CNM Obstetrics & Gynecology, Midwife

Gabriela Ammatuna, PhD, CM, IBCLC Obstetrics & Gynecology, Midwife

Candice Davis, FNP Inter nal Medicine

Kearn

Ahmed Fida, MD Family

Hasina Hamid, MD Internal Medicine

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Erica Coleman, FNP Internal Medicine

Lauren Kim, CNM Obstetrics & Gynecology, Midwife

Demetrius Maoury, MD Internal Medicine

Mandy Colegrove, WHNP Gynecology

Aliona Bortun, MD Family Medicine

Joseph David, MD Internal Medicine Barry Aron, MD Obstetrics

Monica Freidline, CNM Obstetrics

Midwife

Jae Lee, MD Internal Medicine

Gabriela Ammatuna, PhD, CM, IBCLC Obstetrics & Gynecology, Midwife

Candice Davis, FNP Internal Medicine

Kearn Ghuman, DO Family Medicine

Ahmed Fida, MD Family Medicine

Hasina Hamid, MD Internal Medicine

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Erica Coleman, FNP Internal Medicine

Lauren Kim, CNM Obstetrics & Gynecology, Midwife

Demetrius Maoury, MD Internal Medicine

Mandy Colegrove, WHNP Gynecology

Jenna Wong, DO Family Medicine

Cynthia Dougherty, MD

Care in Community

Surgical Care in Our Community

When you or a family member needs surgery, we have experts can help. Our surgeons perform advanced, minimally invasive techniques using the latest technology.

family member needs surgery, we have experts Our surgeons perform advanced, minimally invasive using the latest technology.

member needs surgery, we have experts surgeons perform advanced, minimally invasive latest technology.

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MD Gastroenterology

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MD Surgery

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Cynthia Dougherty, MD General Surgery

Joseph Brown, MD General Surgery

Nchang Azefor, MD General Surgery

Joseph Brown, MD General Surgery

Cynthia Dougherty, MD General Surgery

Joseph Brown, MD General Surgery

Cynthia Dougherty, MD General Surgery

Benjamin Wampler, MD General Surgery

Salkini, MD

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Saint-Preux, MD Surgery G. Benjamin Wampler, MD General Surgery

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Nathaniel Saint-Preux, MD General Surgery G. Benjamin Wampler, MD General Surgery

Nathaniel Saint-Preux, MD General Surgery

G. Benjamin Wampler, MD General Surgery

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Wampler, MD Surgery visit

Aron, MD & Gynecology

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Mohamad Salkini, MD Urology

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mohamad Salkini, MD Urology

Victoria McDonald, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mohamad Salkini, MD Urology

EDITOR’S NOTE

Notes on November

Hello friends and neighbors!

I’m sad to see October go, and I’m sure I will keep my pumpkin on my stoop a little too long. At the same time, it is difficult to lament too much the arrival of November. While no one wants to see burnt orange leaves turn brown, we know there is so much to look forward to with Thanksgiving and the holiday season that follows.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This issue focuses on some timely issues. First, November is National Military Appreciation month. Secondly, it signals the end of the fall

sports season. Finally, it leads into a bountiful season of food, entertainment and enjoying friends and family.

Be joyful! Here is a sneak peek.

Did you ever think about how much our veterans have seen, yet most never retell their stories? That is why Col. Doug Moore’s memoir, “A Bullet Through the Helmet,” is so important. The Haymarket hero is even providing first-hand information on the Vietnam War to novelists to ensure accuracy for perpetuity.

Like so many local girls, Battlefield High School’s Kyndal Shuler grew up playing recreational youth soccer. Unlike most young athletes, she was selected for a national team and

HAYMARKET / GAINESVILLE LIFESTYLE

Celebrating Western Prince William County

The Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to over 15,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration, or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2024 Rappahannock Media LLC.

The Lifestyle magazines are sister publications with Northern Virginia’s Leading News Source, INSIDENOVA.COM

competed in Germany; however, what really sets her apart is her dedication to her goals. The holidays are really just around the corner. In fact, Rooftop actors are already rehearsing a musical that is a radio-play version of “A Miracle on 34th Street.” With Haymarket’s Deb Hansen directing the production, expect the unexpected.

Speaking of holidays, we have included everything you need to know to plan two months ahead. In this magazine you will find Thanksgiving recipes, Turkey Trots, veterans events and even a preview of Christmas and holiday events in December.

Enjoy!

– Stacy Shaw CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Stacy Shaw is the contributing editor of Haymarket-Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine, publisher/ owner of BristowBeat.com, autumn aficionado and soccer mom. stacy@whglifestyle.com

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BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

That’s right!... IT’S TIME FOR THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE’S ANNUAL PET CONTEST!

CONTEST OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS: November 1

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: November 30

VOTING PERIOD: December 1-31

ENTER AND VOTE:

The winning pet (by popular vote) will receive a professional photoshoot and be on the cover of our February 2025 Pet Issue!

to do list

PERFORMANCES

Nothing short of spectacular

Looking for some excitement? Cirque Kalabanté invites people of all ages to experience the fusion of African arts and European circus traditions in AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE, Nov 16 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. See acrobats perform gravity-defying feats. Colorful scenery and a live Afro jazz ensemble create a multi-sensory extravaganza.

Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960

George Mason Circle, Manassas

Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised among Santa’s elves. As an adult he travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. Relive this heartwarming holiday classic on a giant screen as the National Symphony Orchestra plays the score. It’s “ELF” IN CONCERT! See it from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC.

Virginia National Ballet’s gorgeous production of “THE NUTCRACKER” is the perfect way to start the holiday season. The whole family will enjoy the spectacular backdrops, beautiful costumes, world-class choreography and dancing. Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas

When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case is taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the “miracle.” Rooftop’s “MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: LIVE MUSICAL RADIO PLAY,” opens Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 8, with evening shows and matinees.

ARTfactory, 9419 Battle St., Manassas

STAND UP COMEDY

By Veterans for everyone

Clean Comedy Connection presents “LAUGH IT OFF” LIVE, Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m., featuring PT Bratton with special guests Nick Baskerville and Nikkie Knowles. A former pastor and military veteran, PT’s comedy connects with a wide range of audiences. He has performed on television networks, at the Kennedy Center and even at the White House.

ARTfactory, 9419 Battle St., Manassas.

Enjoy an evening of wine with some of the country's top comedians; it’s VETERAN’S DAY WINE & COMEDY NIGHT at Bull Run Winery, Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

Emcee Robert Mac hosts performances by military veterans/comedians

Donna Lewis and Steve Mazan. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Bull Run Winery 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville.

TURKEY TROTS

Runs that support local veterans

Register to run the DOMINION VALLEY TURKEY TROT 5K on Nov. 23 to benefit Serve Our Willing Warriors. Runners will enjoy a mostly flat course with a few rolling hills. It is a timed event, but walkers and strollers are welcome, and there is also a 1-mile fun run. Register by Nov. 14 to receive a commemorative t-shirt. Dominion Valley Country Club, 15200 Arnold Palmer Drive, Haymarket.

HERO’S BRIDGE PRINCE WILLIAM TURKEY TROT is a huge Thanksgiving celebration complete with music and turkey-day themed costumes. The timed 5K “Turkey Trot” begins Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 28, at 8:30 a.m., followed by the “Mashed Potato mile” run/walk. All ages can participate. Runners will receive medals and t-shirts. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Hero’s Bridge, a veteran's organization. Register online.

Freedom Fitness and Aquatic Center, 9100 Freedom Center Blvd, Manassas.

For an up-to-date list of events around the region, visit InsideNoVa.com/calendar

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On Building–On Stage and Off

Tethering the joys of performance arts to the joys of self-confidence

TUTT STAPP-MCKIERNAN

Wakefield School in The Plains has a long history of celebrating the performing arts and their invaluable role in education, but for many years, one of the key lessons was, Hey, who needs a fancy facility? Great theater can be made ANYWHERE! As the school combatted its lack of a stage or auditorium with imaginatively-staged performances in gyms, dining halls, outdoors, and even in various parking lots, intrepid thespians certainly proved this statement to be true, and lessons about perseverance, creativity, and, yes, great theater, were learned well by students who will certainly never forget them.

With the completion nearly three years ago of its new state-of-the-art theater and auditorium, though, Wakefield has had the opportunity to expand the experiences it can offer its students: more main-stage shows for a broader range of ages, technical theater opportunities that could only have been dreamed of in the past, more performing arts courses available in all three divisions, and a rising tide of excitement among students about every aspect of bringing performance to an audience. And Wakefield performing arts faculty are equally enthusiastic about the benefits of the school’s energetic new approaches and opportunities, starting with their youngest beneficiaries.

In 4th and 5th grades, students have a new twist this year: each week there is one traditional music class and a new performing arts class. Combined with the addition to the year’s mainstage performances of a 4th-8th grade musical, the new class allows these youngest thespians not only to learn one of the numbers from the upcoming musical and perform it in the show, but also to begin participating in the endless behindthe-scenes skills of technical theater, from scene painting to props creation and beyond.

By sixth grade, students who have gotten hooked in Lower School can choose from a range of Middle School performing arts courses and clubs, focused on both on- and off-stage roles–and growing numbers are more than eager to do so.

“There is SO much excitement building up from the younger grades,” says Katy Miner, music and theater teacher and stage director at Wakefield. “It’s exciting for us as faculty!”

“Sixth graders built functional stairs for our Addams Family set. Were they perfectly square? No. But they were square and plumb enough…and after the show, those sixth graders brought their parents on stage and said, ‘Dad, I built this!’”

—Michael

Does youthful experience with the performing arts help students gain confidence? According to Mrs. Miner, the answer is an emphatic “Yes!”

“I believe incredibly in how being in performing arts shapes you,” says Mrs. Miner. “After being here for several years and knowing these kids and watching them grow and change, I think some of the kids who have gravitated towards theater you could absolutely say that that was their personality, they were very outgoing, very confident, but actually it [can be even] more exciting to see how it has brought kids out of their shells, kids who were more quiet and not as confident who came to be more outgoing and confident.”

But it’s more than just what they do on stage that makes the difference, she says. “Theater is a family, and it’s a place to fit in…here, what we have really tried so hard to do is create an environment that not only allows the kids to be super proud of the product they’re putting on, but also ensures that the kids genuinely enjoy being together…Anybody who is willing to put in the effort, 100% we will take them and teach them and help them. We find a place for everybody.”

Michael “Jonz” Jones, Wakefield’s Director of the Arts and technical theater guru, agrees that the department is building more than just sets.

“Jonz” Jones

“We’re building a family–the entire theater group is a family,” he says.”We have 70+ students who come to our theater clubs on a regular basis. I have close to 16 kids every Wednesday [for open tech call] to help build things. [This week] I had 8th graders decorating and dressing out props for the Haunted House, 7th graders were cutting lumber for me, while my 6th graders were screwing things together. They were working together–I have 8th graders supporting 6th graders because they’ve never done this before. I have Upper Schoolers who come here on a regular basis to be leaders to 4th and 5th graders and to Middle Schoolers.”

And, he says, everyone, of every age, has grown: “Sometimes if I talk about one of the Upper Schoolers to other faculty members, they will say, ‘Are we talking about the same student?’”

Helping every student find that niche is everybody’s business in the performing arts. “I’ve worked a lot in private training with individual students over my career,” says Mrs. Miner, “and I’m really good at pulling the best out of people–seeing that every single person has their strengths and their talent, and it’s helping get that out of them, so each kid can shine in their own way.”

Playing by Ear

How the freedom to explore grows confident musicians–and confident kids

TUTT STAPP-MCKIERNAN

Bess Putnam, the second-year Lower School music teacher at Wakefield School who was named Lower School Educator of the Year last spring, has designed a classroom environment so inviting as to make anyone want to start singing, dancing, and playing some music–all of which her students are invited to do each class period. Gazing around her room filled with color, texture, soft light, and especially, musical instruments, she says, “Most children are ready to jump in!”

Each music class for grades JK-3rd grade involves four typical, required elements–instrument exploration, vocal technique, body rhythm, and classical appreciation–but delivered with Ms. Putnam’s unique perspectives and priorities. Both as a professional musician and as a lover of old-time bluegrass and string-band music, Ms. Putnam shapes her students’ experiences to share the fun and empowerment she herself enjoys through music and performance.

Music studies for Ms. Putnam’s K through 3rd grade classes are themed (currently they are learning about the music of the Farm Aid movement of the 1980s), and “jumping in” can involve either small group work at one of the room’s Research Centers, featuring both books and manipulatives around the current theme, or time to explore musically on any of the room’s many instruments–yes, the students are free to play piano, banjo, a recently-acquired upright bass, a washboard, or whatever the special “instrument of the day” is.

All instrumental learning is done “by ear,” meaning that students are figuring out for themselves how to make the instruments make the sounds they want them to. All students get a chance each class period at playing in a trio, with Ms. Putnam on guitar, while each child is given individual instruction. A long-term ambition of Ms. Putnam’s is for each student to be part of a string-band trio, with all of the groups getting to perform at a Farmer’s Market in honor of their Farm Aid theme!

“My goal for every student is to connect to the music. So, whether we are singing about potato farmers, listening to Chopin, or perform-

“If I asked the faculty to come in my classroom and do even half of what I ask the kids to do, they’d fight me all day! But the kids? They just come in and do it!”

—Bess Putnam

ing a Chickasaw stomp dance, foundational understanding is crucial to those connections,” Ms. Putnam says. “I want them to touch and hold as many [instruments] as possible, so they don’t imagine that these are sacred objects that are not for them…It’s lovely that music is revered, but we don’t want it revered so much

that we think we can’t participate in it!”

On rare occasions, the amount of “jumping in” that Ms. Putnam’s class encourages can feel a bit overwhelming for some students–but in those cases, she says, the music usually shows the way to confidence.

When a couple of students felt some hesitation last year, for example, that feeling unexpectedly disappeared for good when the class sang the song “Country Roads” together for Earth Day. For whatever reason, she says, that song “reached into those children and completely got rid of any distrust they had had…and suddenly they were asking to sing songs, and asking to play instruments…That tells me, number one, there’s something very special about that song, but number two, the power that there is for music to really change [a child’s] heart and open something up.”

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Holiday Event Guide Your Local

Holiday Parades & Tree Lightings

Nokesville Community Tree Lighting

FRI., NOV. 29, 6 P.M.

12923 FITZWATER DRIVE, NOKESVILLE

A festive evening filled with holiday cheer! The Claus family will be there to spread the joy of the season, followed by caroling.

Old Town Warrenton

Christmas Parade

FRI., DEC. 6, 6 P.M. | MAIN STREET, WARRENTON

This nighttime event by Premiere Hospitality features over 125 local businesses and nonprofit organizations with floats, decorated vehicles, pets, and marchers. Proceeds to benefit Hero’s Bridge.

Christmas in Candyland

FRI., DEC. 6, 5 P.M.

HARRIS PAVILION AND HISTORIC

DISTRICT 9201 CENTER ST., CITY OF MANASSAS

Santa Lights Manassas will include free wagon rides and access to the Manassas ice rink, the Manassas Museum and downtown shops and restaurants.

Greater Manassas

78th Annual

Christmas Parade

SAT., DEC. 7, 10 A.M.

MATHIS AVE. – CENTER STREET, MANASSAS

For more than three quarters of a century, Manassas has delivered a delightful holiday themed parade, featuring floats, bands, dancers, local businesses and organizations – and, of course, Santa Claus.

Nokesville

Community

Christmas Parade

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 4-5 P.M. 13102 FITZWATER DRIVE, NOKESVILLE

Celebrate the holiday season in Nokesville as the parade travels through the heart of town. Santa will be there, too.

Holiday Music & Shows

A Chanticleer Christmas

SUN., DEC. 1, 4 P.M.

HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, MERCHANT HALL, 10960 GEORGE MASON CIRCLE, MANASSAS

Welcome the “world’s reigning male chorus” (New Yorker) back in this rich and varied program of holiday wonders, including traditional carols as well as gospel numbers, in addition to music from around the world that spans centuries.

Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra’s Handel’s ‘Messiah’

FRI., DEC. 6, 8 P.M.

HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, MERCHANT HALL, 10960 GEORGE MASON CIRCLE, MANASSAS

Get into the spirit of the season and join the orchestra for its annual sing-along performance of the Christmas oratorio from Handel’s Messiah, including the famous “The Hallelujah Chorus.”

‘Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play’

WEEKENDS OF NOV. 29 - DEC. 8, EVENING AND MATINEE SHOWS WIND RIVER CHIMES THEATER AT THE ARTFACTORY, 9419 BATTLE ST., MANASSAS

When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case gets taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the “miracle.”

‘Christmas Carol,’ a Pied Piper Theatre intensive student performance

DEC. 13 & 14 AT 7 P.M., DEC. 14 & 15, 2 P.M. ARTFACTORY AT 9419 BATTLE ST., MANASSAS

Pied Piper’s talented young actors will transport you to bustling Victorian London, where you’ll meet the iconic characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and the unforgettable trio of Christmas spirits.

Shopping

Patriot High School PTSA Holiday Market

DEC. 7, 10 A.M.-3 P.M.

PATRIOT HIGH SCHOOL, 10504 KETTLE RUN ROAD, NOKESVILLE

Shop 80+ regional vendors and artisans for gifts, holiday, door and more! On site food trucks available. A portion of proceeds benefit the Patriot High School PTSA.

Prince William Little Theater presents ‘Christmas Belles’

DECEMBER 13 - 22

HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 10960 GEORGE MASON CIRCLE, MANASSAS

A church Christmas program spins hilariously out of control in this southern farce about squabbling sisters, family secrets, a surly Santa, a vengeful sheep and a reluctant Elvis impersonator.

‘Scrooge!

The Musical’

DEC. 6-15, 7:30 P.M. & 2 P.M. FAUQUIER COMMUNITY THEATER, 4225 AIKEN DRIVE, WARRENTON

In this timeless musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” miserly Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a profound experience of redemption over the course of a Christmas Eve night, after being visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.

Manassas Ballet Theatre presents ‘The Nutcracker’

DEC. 19-23 WITH SHOWS AT 3 AND 7:30 P.M.

HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER’S MERCHANT HALL, 10960 GEORGE MASON CIRCLE, MANASSAS

Experience whimsy and magic as you travel with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince in the beloved holiday show, for all ages, featuring an international cast of company dancers accompanied by the Manassas Ballet Theatre Orchestra.

‘The Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever’

WEEKENDS DEC. 20-29, EVENINGS AND MATINEES 4175 BLUDAU DRIVE, WARRENTON

In this funny and touching musical adaptation of the holiday classic presented by Triune Entertainment, the difficult Herdman children demand parts in a Sunday school Christmas pageant with hilarious results.

Old Bust Head Holiday Market

SAT., DEC. 7, NOON- 5 P.M. OLD BUST HEAD BREWERY, 7134 FARM STATION ROAD, WARRENTON

Enjoy a festive day of shopping, sipping and celebrating at a Germanstyle Holiday Market with live music, baby goats, food trucks and more.

Haymarket Christmas Celebration and Craft Bazaar

SAT. DEC. 14, 2-6 P.M. 15000 WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 100, HAYMARKET

Santa and Mrs. Claus, Santa’s workshop, kids’ activities, carols, live music, marshmallow roasting as well as shopping at the Christmas Bazaar. L

From Country Boy to Country Hero

Decorated veteran recounts life as a Vietnam medevac pilot

BY SUE BALDANI

Col. Douglas E. Moore of Haymarket considers himself a country boy from Arkansas, but there’s more to him.

Not only did he serve his country honorably as a pilot and soldier, but he also wrote a book about his experiences in Vietnam and helped a famous author with her novel. Moore joined the U.S. Army in 1959.

“When I had the chance to go to flight school, I took it,” he said. In 1964, he was

sent to Vietnam for a year. He was deployed again in 1968, as a “dustoff,” or medevac, pilot, tasked with rescuing soldiers. He captured his experiences in his book, “A Bullet Through the Helmet: A Vietnam Dustoff Pilot’s Memoir,” published in 2019. The title of the book is especially meaningful to him. While evacuating soldiers, his helicopter was hit 37 times by the enemy. One round tore through his helmet, knocking him sideways and sending the aircraft into a steep bank. Although injured and unable to see out of one eye, he managed to right the helicopter and deliver the

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Debbie and Douglas Moore attend a Veterans Day affair; A young Douglas Moore pilots a medevac helicopter in Vietnam; Douglas Moore’s memoir recounts his experiences as a Dustoff pilot.

soldiers and himself to safety.

In Vietnam, he flew 1,874 combat missions, evacuated 2,782 patients and piloted an aircraft that recovered three American prisoners of war.

“It was difficult, but we just did it,” Moore said. “We knew the guys on the ground had been wounded and in some cases killed. It was our responsibility to get in and try to save their lives if we could, while the bad

guys wanted nothing else than to shoot down a medevac helicopter.”

Their combat loss rate, he explained, was three times higher than the rest of the Army’s aviation units. “But we just accepted it and went on with it.”

His flying skills were also put to the test in Japan and many other international theaters. Moore went wherever he was needed – 43 different countries over the years.

Back in the states, his dedication to helping others did not falter. During the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington, he served as Air Mission Commander for the rescue effort. He also served at the Pentagon and was executive officer for the Army’s Surgeon General when he retired.

During his 30-year career, Moore received a multitude of commendations and awards, including the Distinguished Service Crosso for heroism, along with two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Purple Heart.

After his retirement in 1989, Moore was inducted into the Dustoff Association’s Hall of Fame, which honors medical evacuation helicopter crew members. He was later inducted into the Army Aviation Association of America’s Hall of Fame and then into the Army ROTC Hall of Fame.

Looking back on his career, he said the people with whom he served made it meaningful.

“There were a small group of us who came into the military together and served in the same units across the years. We, our wives and our kids all became great friends,” Moore said.

Moore is also thankful for the blessings in his personal life. “I was married to a beautiful woman I met in college, and

On Veterans Day last year, Douglas and Debby Moore (right) met with Kristen Hannah (second from left), author of “The Women,” and Diane Carlson-Evans (far left), who spearheaded the effort to build the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall.

unfortunately I lost her many years ago, but she gave me two wonderful kids, Lizbeth and Keith,” he said.

About 11 years ago, he was – in his own words – running around single and intending to remain that way for the rest of my life. Then, Debby Alexander came into his life, again.

They had met many years earlier in Vietnam, where she served as a civilian in the Army Special Services helping soldiers who needed a respite from combat.

Debby recalled that in January 1969, Moore, then a major, flew her from Soc Trang to Cu Chi when she was transferred there. “I flew with him and his pilots for the next six months until I went home from my first tour. After that, I didn’t see him again for 45 years until we met at the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on Veterans Day in 2013. We were married two years later.”

The combination of Moore's experiences in Vietnam coupled with the writing of his memoir has afforded him other opportunities in recent years. Most notably, it led to him helping Kristin Hannah, a New York Times bestselling author, in proofreading and editing her book, “The Women,” for accuracy regarding the Vietnam War.

The fictitious historic novel tells the tale of one woman who went to war in Vietnam; however the story pays tribute to the women who served bravely in Vietnam but often were forgotten by history. Hannah included an acknowledgement to Moore and his wife for their help.

Despite the dangers and heartache, Moore said he never regretted entering the military. “There's just something about serving your country.” L

Susan Baldani writes articles about small town life, local businesses and interesting people for various publications. Her website is mywritingwall.com and she can be reached at suebaldani@yahoo.com.

Doug Moore’s “A Bullet Through the Helmet” can be found on Amazon. Proceeds will be donated to the Grissom Air Museum in Indiana, which honors soldiers who served as well as died during the Vietnam War.

“Women” by Kristin Hannah is carried by most major booksellers.

Sue Baldani’s article on Debby Alexander Moore, “From College Campus to War Zone, Bringing comfort, compassion, and joy to the soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War,” can be read on InsideNoVa.

amazingkids GoalOriented

Battlefield’s national soccer star gives her all on and off the field

BY DAVID FAWCETT

On a rainy Tuesday afternoon in September, Kyndal Shuler sits at the Starbucks, fully immersed in work. Tucked in a corner atop a stool, the Battlefield High School junior intensely scans her laptop.

She doesn’t look at her phone but rather glances at a yellow sticky pad inscribed with her to-do list: complete an English assignment, study for an AP psychology test, write a biographical essay for a soccer organization.

Finally, prepare for her referee recertification class. “It’s the only way I can get money,” Shuler said.

The 16-year-old’s time is tight. She even avoids studying at cafes closer to school. Shuler prefers no distractions during the 2½ hours she sets aside to complete her work before heading home to Warrenton for dinner and then back to Prince William for soccer practice with Virginia Development Academy, an elite soccer travel team.

To say Shuler makes the most of her time is an understatement; it may just be the secret to her success.

Shuler is a high achieving student, a twotime all-state selection soccer player and, most notably, a U-16 U.S. Youth National Girls Soccer Team participant.

Routine matters to her. Her time at home is for family and relaxation. When on the soccer field, she is focused on improving her game and helping her teammates.

And her time at Starbucks is for homework and other tasks.

“I look forward to the end of the day and getting everything done,” Shuler said. “That way I don’t have to worry about anything until the next day.”

Oriented

Shuler took the same approach in selecting a college. To avoid the last-minute rush and to ensure roster spots were still available, Shuler decided to commit to a school by the fall of her junior year.

In August, she visited Texas Christian University, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. She also had other visits scheduled, but U.Va. was her dream school.

The Charlottesville university offers a reputable kinesiology program and a renowned soccer program. In his 35th year at the helm, Steve Swanson has guided the Cavaliers to three College Cup appearances and produced 22 National Women’s Soccer League draft picks.

Shuler announced her commitment to U.Va. on Sept. 19, making her the first Battlefield girls soccer player to do so since the school opened in 2004.

None of this is surprising to those who know Shuler. They know she is extremely motivated. Shuler sees a goal and does her best to accomplish it. She carries a 4.2 grade point average, while continuing to dominate on the soccer field.

Kyndal Shuler scores a goal for the Bobcats in March against Colgan High School. Below: Shuler began her soccer career playing with the Fauquier County Soccer Club.

It is not superhuman talent, she credits, rather hard work and dedication.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had to tell [Kyndal] to do her homework,” said her father, David. Seeking challenges

Shuler grew up in Fauquier County, where she attended C.M. Bradley Elementary and Marshall Middle School. She began her soccer career competing with the Fauquier County Soccer Club.

For high school, though, Shuler chose Battlefield for its challenging classes and successful girls soccer team. Under head coach Kevin Hilton, the Bobcats have gone 272-48-16 and won three state titles over the past 17 seasons. Shuler’s parents pay out-ofcounty tuition for her to attend Battlefield.

David Shuler, who has been Battlefield’s Air Force Junior ROTC instructor since 2010, never mentioned to Hilton how good his daughter was in soccer when she arrived her freshman year.

However, Hilton learned of Shuler while attending his son’s youth soccer games in Stafford and Loudoun. Two sets of parents let him know the school was getting a special player. Shuler has lived up to the hype.

Shuler tallied 20 goals and eight assists to help lead Battlefield to the Class 6 state final as a freshman. As a sophomore, she tallied 13 goals and 12 assists, before joining the U.S. U-16 Youth Women’s National Team for a training camp in June in Aschaffenburg, Germany.

Shuler started both games that the U.S. team won against Germany and scored one goal. Afterward, she received feedback through a three-page evaluation by the coaching staff.

“It was a big shock to be invited,” Shuler said. “It was always a big dream and obviously a goal of mine. I was grateful for the opportunity. I grew and matured as a player … I want to use it as a motivator to keep going and keep driving for more.”

In her zone

The chance to compete with the U-16’s meant Shuler’s Battlefield season ended in the district tournament final. Shuler did not want to leave before her high school season finished. She is the type of person who likes to set up her teammates as much as scoring goals. But everyone understood she needed to take advantage of her first youth national team call-up.

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Kyndal Shuler does her homework at Starbucks.

BY DAVE FAWCETT

“It was a no-brainer,” said Hilton. “How many kids get to wear the jersey for the U-16’s? That’s a lifetime memory. That’s hard to pass up.”

It’s tough to break Shuler out of a mindset. For every game Battlefield wins she wears the same gray pre-wrap headband to keep her hair out of her eyes. She only replaces it if the Bobcats lose.

Here’s another example of her reliance on ritual. If there’s no game, she’s as talkative as they come. But on game day, Shuler goes into the zone. She follows the same pregame tradition. Her parents drive her to a home or away contest, while she sits in the back with her Beats headphones listening to her playlist.

Once they drop Shuler at her destination, David and his wife, Kim, tell their daughter to play hard and have a good game. Shuler thanks them and tells them she loves them. Then, she’s back in her zone.

“I need that routine,” Shuler said. “If I don’t have that, it would drive me crazy.” L

David Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa. Reach him at dfawcett@insidenova.com.

Kyndal Shuler (front row, second from left) with her U.S. Nationals Girls Soccer team in Aschaffenburg, Germany, in June.

Changing Directions

Haymarket director encourages everyone to play their part

BY STACY SHAW

Deb Hansen believes people do not perform their best when they are too busy taking direction. So as a director of local theater productions, while she makes big-picture decisions, she also encourages her cast and crew to make creative choices.

Hansen, of Haymarket, has directed about 150 plays over her career, including musicals and student productions, and acted in more than 30 shows.

She never tires of it.

“I just love telling stories,” Hansen said. “I love being a performer and being able to bring a story to life, and trying to make the playwright’s story reverberate the way that they intended when they told the story. It’s always a unique experience, which is interesting to me, too.”

In 2021, Hansen was hired to teach theater at Gainesville High School when it

opened. However, shortly thereafter, her parents needed care, so after producing “Clue,” she resigned to help them.

The following year, she began working at the ARTfactory in Manassas as a theater instructor and also assumed the responsibility of directing various shows for Rooftop Productions, one of the ARTfactory’s theater companies.

The position may not have been the one she was seeking, but it was right for her. She had always tried to help develop student actors, but now she could also draw upon her peers for their creative input.

And the talent pool was deep. Hansen said she was “blown away,” when she auditioned 34 people for four roles in Rooftop’s produc-

tion of “Doubt: A Parable” earlier this year.

“Everybody was really good,” said Hansen. “I’ve seen a lot of community theater; sometimes it kind of has a bad reputation. I don’t really find that to be true in the Northern Virginia area. I think the quality of the actors and the crews and the directors are just phenomenal and that makes me especially want to be part of that community.”

Hansen grew up in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Ill. Her parents weren’t theater folk, but they were looking for an activity for their two daughters. The family decided to perform in their first play together, “Fiddler on the Roof.” That experience sparked in Hansen a love for theater that still burns strong.

Clockwise from left: Theater instructor and actress Deb Hansen of Haymarket; Hansen during a backstage tour of “A Soldier’s Play” on Broadway; Hansen and her Colonial Forge High School cast of “Full Bloom,” which won several 2015 Virginia Theater Association awards.

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Hansen became an educator and moved to Northern Virginia in 1995. For most of her career, 2007-21, she taught at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, directing six or more student performances each year.

In 2012, she was one of only 15 educators nationwide selected to participate in the Juilliard Director Summer Fellowship program in New York. There she learned a valuable lesson – one she now brings to Rooftop Productions: Empower your actors.

“A lot of times young directors or first-time directors – you make the mistake of getting very picky, ‘Now, I want you to take three steps to the right.’ It’s too much instruction, and it doesn’t really allow for any growth for the people who are doing the acting,” Hansen said. “I really try to bring out and collaborate with the actors’ ideas. I really wanted my actors to feel ownership of what they are working on. A lot of times it helps me too.”

And her actors have noticed.

“I can honestly say that she is one of the best directors I've worked with in my nearly 40 years on the stage,” said Carolyn Wong, who starred in “Doubt: A Parable.”

Wong appreciated the freedom Hansen afforded her and her castmates.

“She never told you what to do, but first allowed all actors to explore, to develop their character and motivations, which in the end created very authentic and grounded portrayals, because the actor was allowed to use themselves in the creation of character,” Wong said.

Performing a Radio Show

For a holiday show this year, Hansen decided to direct the musical “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play,” but not in the traditional manner. Rather than having the cast of 19 adults and four children just stand at microphones, Hansen plans to have them move about the intimate space.

“I just think for the sake of the audience, and for the sake of us, that it’s going to be much more entertaining to have some of the pieces acted out,” Hansen said.

Radio plays were often performed in front of a live studio audience, and she wants to mimic that experience. During the performance, crew members will hold signs, signaling the audience to react. There will be

Left to right: Deb Hansen makes her ARTfactory debut as the eccentric Gloria Mitchell in “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark”; A young Deb makes her first-ever acting debut in “Fiddler on the Roof” alongside her parents, Carol and Richard Hedke, and younger sister, Kristen Hedke; Hansen and fellow NYU Atlantic Acting School students return from seeing the off-Broadway show, “Awesome 80’s Prom.”

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a radio announcer and a sound effects person and maybe even costume changes in view.

“All of those things will be present and visible,” Hansen said. “It’s a little bit more fun for the audience to watch.”

Karina Jimenez acted alongside Hansen in Rooftop’s 2023 production of “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark,” attended a director group led by Hansen and relied on her advice when directing a one-act play at the ARTfactory this summer.

Jimenez fully expects that Hansen’s direction will elevate the production of “Miracle.”

“If Deb is involved with a project – in any capacity – it will be great,” Jimenez said. “She’s a dedicated actor, an innovative director and a great friend. Her knowledge and ideas really add another layer to every production that I’ve been a part of with her.”

Recreating the Magic

While people know “Miracle on 34th Street" as a black-and-white Christmas classic, Hansen thinks it is unexpectedly modern.

“The mom character is a badass. She’s in charge of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Hansen. “A single mom in the ’40s, which was almost unheard of, so clearly, she’s been hurt, so has a pretty big chip on her shoulder.”

To shield her daughter from pain, the mother doesn’t want her to engage in make-believe. And to her, that includes Santa Claus.

Hansen said it is a “a beautiful story of the community getting behind Santa, and what Santa represents,” which is, “getting behind something bigger than yourself.”

“The heart of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is that it is important for us to have something to believe in,” Hansen said. “It’s very sweet.”

Hansen said she grew up watching the Macy’s parade and attending had been on her bucket list. Last year she and her husband went to the parade in Manhattan.

“It was awesome,” Hansen said. “It was everything you wanted it to be.” L

Stacy Shaw is the contributing editor of Haymarket-Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine and publisher/owner of BristowBeat.com.

Left to right: Deb Hansen and husband, David Moore, attend the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; Hansen takes the stage while visiting Radio City Music Hall; Father and daughter, Michael and Naomi Lane, perform as Kris Kringle and Susan Walker in Rooftop’s “Miracle on 34th Street.”

‘34th Street’ Details

Where:

ARTfactory’s Wind

Chimes River Theater, 9419 Battle St., Manassas.

When:

Nov 29 and 30; Dec. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Thursday and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Synopsis:

When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case gets taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the “miracle.”

Featured vocalists:

Talya Conroy

Kimberly Geipel

Chris Maulden

Patrick Mulhern

Garth Poston

Additional players:

Michael Lane

Savannah Lagana

Noemi Lane

Chris Beatley

Mitchell Hansen

Beatrice Armstrong

Kennedy Calavas

Gracie Chacon

Noah Delaune

Beckie Echegaray

Julianna Gedney

Robert Poston

Jessie Scalph

Ahryel Tinker

MarketPlace at Madison Crescent

H&G’s

TOP 10

The five highest-priced homes that sold in each of the two ZIP codes between mid-September and mid-October. Photos and home data from Realtor.com.

20155 Gainesville

7342 SUGAR MAGNOLIA LOOP

$1,240,000

Sold: Sept. 19

6 bedrooms

5½ bathrooms

5,477 square feet

14113 MURPHY TERRACE

$930,000

Sold: Oct. 15

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

4,192 square feet

8831 BARN OWL COURT

$917,500

Sold: Oct. 4

4 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,123 square feet

14183 SNICKERSVILLE DRIVE

$910,000

Sold: Sept. 12

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,096 square feet

8159 TENBROOK DRIVE

$855,000

Sold: Oct. 15

4 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

3,248 square feet

The Big Picture:

After two months of increases, home sales declined in both the Haymarket and Gainesville ZIP codes in September, compared with September 2023. However, median sales prices remained strong, and homes continued to sell quickly.

And… New listings in September were down 17.5% in Haymarket and up only 3.5% in Gainesville, and pending sales were mixed, as lack of inventory continues to be an issue heading into fall, according to the latest data from the Prince William Association of Realtors.

The September Details:

Closed sales:

• Down 20.9% in Gainesville to 34 units

• Down 5.9% in Haymarket to 32 units

• Combined sales totaled 66, down from 77 a year earlier

New Pending sales:

• Up 12.5% in Gainesville

• Down 25.6% in Haymarket

Median sales price:

• Up 6.3% to $695,952 in Gainesville

• Up 10.6% to $717,000 in Haymarket

Average days on market (homes sold in September):

• 14 in Gainesville

• 15 in Haymarket

20169 Haymarket

5477 SHERMAN OAKS COURT

$1,120,000

Sold: Oct. 7

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,651 square feet

5022 GRAND BEECH COURT

$995,000

Sold: Sept. 27

4 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,848 square feet

13842 PIEDMONT VISTA DRIVE

$879,000

Sold: Sept. 30

3 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

3,641 square feet

14285 BAKERWOOD PLACE

$850,000

Sold: Sept. 25

5 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

4,078 square feet

15012 GOSSOM MANOR PLACE

$815,000

Sold: Sept. 19

5 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

3,744 square feet

It’s Not Thanksgiving Without the Cranberries!

Side dish recipes for your holiday feast

BY KARLA JONES SEIDITA

Does your Thanks giving dinner cranberry sauce come out of a can? Noth ing wrong with that. It’s an American classic!

But this year, add spar kle and panache to your table with a luscious home made cranberry sauce. Making cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries is easier than you think. Quick, too. Make it days ahead to take the pressure off all that last minute dinner prep. These recipes will keep about a week in the fridge (and get better tasting).

About the Home Economist: Karla Jones Seidita has cooked up a very tasty life. She has been a restaurant and bakery owner, award-winning food writer, lifestyle radio host, cookbook author, country inn proprietor, and farmto-table teacher. Currently she spends her days at her laptop and in her garden in Sumerduck. Find her at cheesecakefarms.com

No-Cook Fresh Cranberry and Orange Relish

This is my favorite cranberry sauce recipe. Since it isn’t cooked, it’s technically a relish but that doesn’t make it any less the perfect accompaniment to turkey. I make it every year and hope there are enough leftovers from dinner to top the turkey sandwiches that follow.

Ordinarily, using the skin of an orange with its white pith yields a bitter taste but, in combination with fresh cranberries, a magical mix of deliciousness is the result. It’s quick to make. Easy, too. I like it with only ¼ cup sugar but you might like it sweeter.

MAKES 3 CUPS

INGREDIENTS

1 large, seed-free, thick-skinned orange

1 (12 - 16 oz.) bag fresh cranberries

Sugar to taste (¼ - 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the orange and cut in half. Discard any remaining white membrane in the center.

2. Cut orange into chunks

3. Put the chunks (yes, with the peel) into the food processor. Pulse till finely chopped.

4. Add washed and drained cranberries.

5. Pulse briefly to chop cranberries. (Don’t over process or the cranberries will liquify.)

6. Remove from processor.

7. Stir in sugar to taste.

8. Chill.

Doesn’t your Thanksgiving feast deserve homemade cranberry sauce?

Let’s get into the kitchen.

Cranberry Sauce

While the turkey may take the most cooking time, it’s really the easiest part of Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the rest of the meal that requires work. With the oven occupied for hours it’s difficult to juggle side dishes, casseroles and pies that also need oven time. Make this yummy cranberry sauce a few days in advance and that’s one less thing you’ll have to do on Thanksgiving Day.

MAKES 4 CUPS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups apple cider

1 cup brown sugar

1 (12 - 16 oz.) bag fresh cranberries

½ cup dried apples (cut into ½ inch pieces)

1/3 cup raisins (dark or light)

¼ cup walnuts (halves and pieces)

DIRECTIONS

1. Put cider and brown sugar into a medium pot. Bring to a boil.

2. Stir to dissolve sugar.

3. Add cranberries, dried apples and raisins.

4. Cook (uncovered) till cranberries pop – about 5 minutes.

5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fruit to a heat safe container.

6. Continue cooking (uncovered) until liquid is syrupy and reduced by half – about 10 minutes.

7. Pour reduced syrup over cooked fruit. Stir.

8. Cool to room temperature –about 1 hour.

9. Chill.

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Ported Cranberry Sauce

Fresh cranberries poached in port wine and brown sugar. Could anything be more delicious with your Thanksgiving turkey? But don’t stop there. These ported cranberries are also terrific with ham, roast pork, chops, duck and game.

Need more ideas?

Spoon the ported cranberries over a nice, warm, melting brie. Use to top vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, or toasted pound cake.

Stir into plain yogurt.

Serve Ported Cranberries Jubilee instead of Cherries Jubilee.

Make Ported Cranberry Gingerbread (recipe follows)

You’ll think of a thousand ways to serve these divine cranberries!

MAKES 3 CUPS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups port wine

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar

1 (12 - 16 oz.) bag fresh cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix wine and brown sugar in a medium pot.

2. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

3. Add the washed and drained cranberries.

4. Cook until they all pop – about 5 minutes.

5. Using a slotted spoon, remove popped cranberries and place into a heat safe container.

6. Continuing boiling the liquid (uncovered) until syrupy and reduced by half – about 10 minutes.

7. Pour reduced syrup over the popped cranberries. Stir.

8. Cool to room temperature – about 1 hour.

9. Chill.

Ported Cranberry Gingerbread

Rich and dark and oh-so-moist. The addition of Ported Cranberry Sauce to this not-too-spicy gingerbread romances it into a love affair of yumminess. Makes a lovely, unexpected addition to your Thanksgiving dessert selection and leftovers (if there are any!) make a wonderful breakfast. Spread slices thickly with butter and enjoy with your morning coffee or tea. YUM!

SERVES 6 TO 9

PAN SIZE: 1 (8 -INCH SQUARE)

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sugar

1 stick butter (softened)

1 teaspoon dried ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/3 cup ported cranberries (room temperature)

½ cup molasses

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

½ cup boiling water

FOR SERVING

Additional ported cranberries Whipped cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan or coat with baking spray.

2. Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, cream sugar, butter, ginger, salt and baking soda.

3. Add egg and whip till fluffy – about 1 minute.

4. Stir in cranberries and molasses. (Mixture may look curdled. That’s OK.)

5. Add flour and boiling water. Mix well.

6. Pour into prepared pan. Bake till gingerbread is firm to a light touch in the center, pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake.

7. Cool in pan.

8. Serve with additional ported cranberries (room temperature or slightly warmed) and whipped cream. L

Keep up with all the news from around your county: SUBSCRIBE! To InsideNoVa/Prince William, $49/year, delivered weekly www.insidenova.com/subscribe VISIT! InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for daily headlines and our weekly Gainesville/Haymarket-only e-newsletter FOLLOW! InsideNoVa on Facebook and Twitter @InsideNoVa

Dog found alive in rubble six days after explosion

In an incredible story of hope and survival, Brandy the dog emerged from the rubble of her family's Haymarket home on Oct. 21, six days after a gas explosion leveled the house in the Piedmont community.

Firefighters had prevented her owners, Megan Schnapp and Joshua Jeffries, from going back to get her when they evacuated the home before the Oct. 14 explosion caused by a plumbing contractor cutting a natural gas line.

Days later, an insurance investigator heard barking from the rubble and, after a 30-minute rescue involving firefighters, heavy equipment and slices of ham, Brandy was reunited with her family. She suffered some minor cuts and burns, but is expected to be fine.

The house explosion and ensuing two-alarm fire rocked Haymarket, drawing firefighters from around the region and displacing two families who lived in the home.

After Brandy's rescue, Schnapp told InsideNoVa she was still in shock, but happy to have her whole family together again.

Tesla dealership coming to Haymarket?

A$17 million Tesla dealership is being eyed for James Madison Marketplace along John Marshall Highway in Haymarket.

The Prince William Planning Commission unanimously approved a special use permit for the project last month. Measuring 50,215 square feet, the dealership is planned for a 7.9-acre pad site west of Home Depot and will include over 300 surface parking spaces. The project has yet to appear on a Board of County Supervisors agenda.

An affiliate of Charlotte, N.C.-based Pavilion Development Co. is the owner and developer of the land, according to public documents. Divaris Real Estate Inc. leases James Madison Marketplace and has listed the pad site for sale.

County seeks grant for vehicle charging stations

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Oct. 8 approved the submission of a grant application to a federal program that would bring 26 new electric vehicle charging stations to the county.

The board voted 6-1-1 in favor of the proposal. Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega cast a dissenting vote on the proposal, while Gainesville Supervisor Bob Weir abstained. The submitted grant request consists of $2 million, with an additional $500,000 coming from the county to meet the required 20% local match.

Under the second round of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program, up to $350 million will be allotted to regional jurisdictions nationwide for increased electric vehicle use and alternative fueling infrastructure through a competitive grant initiative.

Shane Donohue

Girl leading change

Aformer Battlefield High School student was recently honored at the White House as a "Girl Leading Change" for her work as a disability rights activist.

Kira Tiller was one of 10 young women honored by first lady Jill Biden in recognition of their work as changemakers in their communities.

“Today we say proudly for all to hear that girls are powerful and that no one is too young to lead,” Biden said.

Tiller, 18, is a freshman at the University of North Carolina and a 2024 graduate of Battlefield.

The gathering was the second “Girls Leading Change” event, which commemorated the International Day of the Girl, an observance day declared by the United Nations. International Day of the Girl is Oct. 11.

Kira Tiller, left, and fellow honoree Morgaine Wilkins-Dean, right, speak after being honored as Girls Leading Change by First Lady Jill Biden.

Joshua Jeffries hugs his dog, Brandy, after firefighters found her alive in the rubble on Oct. 21, six days after the family’s house in Piedmont exploded during a gas leak.

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