Northern Virginia’s young people will join millions of others around the world for Global Youth Service Day, April 26 to 28th, 2013. Now in its 25th year, Global Service Day recognizes the positive impact that young people have their communities 365 days a year. As the largest service event in the world, Global Youth Service Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries and all 50 states.

Volunteer Fairfax was selected to serve as a Global Youth Service Day Lead Agency by YSA (Youth Service America), the founder and chief convener of Global Youth Service Day. The designation includes a $2,000 planning grant from YSA and State Farm®, as well as ongoing support, technical assistance, and networking opportunities with other youth-service leaders across the nation.

Volunteer Fairfax is a nonprofit organization that reaches out to other nonprofits around Northern Virginia that intertwines volunteers and resources to meet community needs. The mission of this organization is to meet community needs through utilizing values including people, integrity, diversity, excellence and collaboration.

Learn more and browse service activities around the world on the GYSD Map at www.GYSD.org. Follow Global Youth Service Day activities on Twitter @YouthService and #GYSD.

Every two years, the Friends of Falls Church Homeless Shelter hold a FUNdraiser and AUCTION in the community to raise awareness of the Friends’ work and to help defray the cost of operating the Falls Church Homeless Shelter and Case Management services. Enjoy live music by Blue Pop & the Plucker and Suden M band! Featuring vocalist Andre Jackson!

Saturday, March 2, 2013 @ 6:30pm
National Rural Electric Cooperative Building
4301 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA

Pre-Sale Tickets $35/person or $60 for two.  Pre-sale tickets can be purchased either online by clicking the link below or by mail.  If purchasing by mail, make your check payable to: Falls Church Shelter & mail your check to: C/O Sophie Darling, 305 Kent St. Falls Church, VA. 22046.

 In 2005, CPT Jaspen Boothe was a single mom in the Army Reserves living in New Orleans. In July 2005, she learned that she would soon be deploying to Iraq. Shortly after, her life was torn apart by two significant events.

In August, she lost everything she owned due to Hurricane Katrina. Not letting material loss get her down, she tried to shift her focus to her platoon that was counting on her for leadership through the upcoming deployment. A few weeks later in September, Jaspen received a diagnosis of an aggressive head, neck, and throat cancer that would prevent her from deploying.

Jaspen’s options were limited, but because of the illness, the military was willing to discharge her. However, she needed medical care, a job, and a place to live with her child.

When searching for what assistance might be available, Jaspen found welfare and food stamps were the only options presented. Jaspen found these options unacceptable for a woman who had honorably served her country.  After six months at Brooke Army Medical Center, she was found fit for duty and immediately began looking for employment and a place for her and her son to live.

Four years later, CPT Jaspen Boothe founded non-profit organization Final Salute so that women who have honorably served their country could seek assistance with dignity and respect -- and not be subject to the process of humiliation that welfare provides.

Jaspen’s motivation lives in knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of women veterans and their children.

Describe yourself in three words:
Proud. Faithful. Resilient.

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement?
Opening 3 homes in less than 3 years for homeless female Veterans and their children. We are the only organization in the DC Metro Area that provides this service.            

What are your professional goals for the next six months?        
To open another home for women Veterans and their children, the need is great. I also plan to finally start to write a book about my life.   

How does your company stay connected through social media?
Social Media has been the backbone of gaining support and spreading the word about our organization. It works!

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Talk show host!

How do you maintain a work/life balance?        
The work life balance is a myth. I am A Soldier, Mother, Wife and Non-Profit Leader. I don’t wake up and 25% is magically sprinkled across the balance. The balance is to keep your life organized so that you can give 100% to what you are doing in the moment. When I am with my kids, they receive 100%. When I am with my husband, he received 100% of a wife.

What websites do you visit every day?                
Among the many other things I have started, I created the Miss USA equivalent for women who have served our country.  Who doesn't love a women who can strut her stuff and kick your a$$!
Ms. Veteran America 2013 will be held at the National Conference Center on October 13th. http://www.msveteranamerica.org/

What is your favorite drink – and where can you find it in Northern Virginia?   
Wine! I prefer moscato hands done, but live just a hop, skip and a jump from LaGrange Winery in Haymarket.

What are your favorite people/places/things in Northern Virginia?       
1.       La Grange Winery
2.       My family
3.       Networking with women through social media and sites like Real Housewives of Northern Virginia

What is your goal for retirement?          
I will retire when every homeless female Veteran and their children have a home. My work isn't done until then.

Do you have any advice for women who would like to start their own company?            
People do not look at a non-profit as a business; it is! It takes a unique entrepreneurial spirit to start, run and maintain a non-profit organization. How do you get someone to write a check and what he or she receives in return is knowing they helped someone? You have to sell your cause!

Join the Tigerlily Foundation on March 9, 2013, from 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites, Convention Center, 900 10th Street Northwest  Washington, DC, for a girl's "night" out to remember! Don your jammies (pink, purple or red), bring your daughters, nieces, sisters and friends, and enjoy fun activities including glam sessions, nail painting, makeovers, Wii game playing, styling, dress up, dancing, pillow fighting, and more.  Tickets are $40 for little girls (8-18) and $55 (18+) and include food, drinks and fun treats (chocolate fountains, cupcakes +).  There are only three pre-requisites - wear bling, come in your cutest pjs and be prepared to have fun!

Just received an email from Eme's Mom -- and EmesArmy needs YOU.

Eme is a sweet little girl from Prince William County who is being robbed of her sight by CRB1-LCA, a very rare genetic disease. She is 6 and she is already blind. Join EmesArmy & FIGHT for her SIGHT!! For each new "LIKE" on the EmesArmy facebook page, a local IT company will donate $1.

Please Check out EmesArmy and help support Eme's fight to cure retinal blindness.

Early Sunday morning, I hosted the Sensory-Friendly Santa event at Fair Oaks Mall. The event could not have been possible with out the gracious support of Fair Oaks Mall (thanks, Ed!). The children and families were so wonderful!

Thank you to Corner Bakery, Sears, and Dunkin Donuts for helping make the event possible. There was such a great turn out - I hope that we can make it an annual event. Special thank you to Valerie Bey Photography for donating your time to photograph the event.

I'm happy to announce that at the request of some of my loyal readers who have children with Autism, I have been able to connect with Fair Oaks Mall to bring you a sensory-friendly Santa! This event will be THIS Sunday, 12/16 @ the Ice Palace. The event is reserved only for children with Autism and their families.  I reached out to Parents of Autistic Children - Northern Virginia to partner with me for this event. If you know a family that would like to attend this event, please share the information! You must register for the event - space is limited.  Register online via Eventbrite.

On Wednesday, Nov. 14 until 2 p.m., visit Bruegger’s Bagels for a free medium drip coffee and a chance to donate spare change – or more – to support your local Children’s Hospital.

Bruegger’s “Free Coffee Day” is part of a national fundraising program to benefit nearly 50 children’s hospitals across the country through the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Through the end of the year, Bruegger’s will also donate a portion of proceeds from its annual Bottomless Mug sales to the Children’s Hospital. Guests who purchase a Bottomless Mug will receive free coffee, tea or soft drinks for a full year – and help the sick and injured children of their community.

This is Bruegger’s third annual National Free Coffee Day. The bakery café operator hopes to donate a total of $100,000 to children’s hospitals in the neighborhoods it serves.

Free Coffee Day will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 14 until 2 p.m. Bakery opening hours vary by location.
Visit http://www.brueggers.com/locator/ to find a location near you.