Franklin News

FRANKLIN AREA CITIZEN'S ASSOCIATION * SPRING 2009

YOU ARE INVITED ~ PLEASE COME

FACA ANNUAL MEETING

Thursday, April 2^nd at 7:30 pm

Vinson Hall 5^th Floor Penthouse

Featured Speaker: VA State Senator Janet Howell

Senator Howell will update us on the recent legislative session in Richmond and will respond to questions about what is happening within our state that affects us. We hope you will attend.

Save this date!

100^TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRANKLIN PARK

A CELEBRATION and PARTY

May 16^th - 10 am to 1 pm

Franklin Park predates the establishment of McLean (which will celebrate its 100^th next year). While Colonel George Minor and other notables settled the Franklin Park area in pre-revolutionary times it was 100 years ago, in 1909, that Franklin Park was first subdivided into what is now our lovely neighborhood.

FACA neighbors are planning a celebration of this historic occasion on May 16th. We plan to gather at the intersection of Virginia Ave. and Nottingham St. at 10 am for a parade which will represent the flight of our 4^th President, James Madison, and his wife, Dolley, as they fled from the White House to the protection of Minor's Hill during the British invasion and burning of the capital in 1814. The McLean High School's Project Enlightenment will help us remember those historic times. Following the parade neighbors will celebrate with entertainment and refreshments on Massachusetts Avenue starting at 11 am until 1 pm.

We need plenty of volunteers and attendees to make this important celebration a success. If you can help, please call or email Julia and Bob Nelson [email protected] or 703 534-2611.

For more information on our neighborhood and the flight of the Madison's please read Sue Neal's excellent early history of the area at our web site www.geocities.com/franklinarea

President's Thoughts:

Time flies and it is already FACA annual meeting time (for all of you who are new to the neighborhood, FACA stands for the Franklin Area Citizen's Association). The Franklin Area includes Franklin Park and Franklin Forest. FACA is interested in a variety of issues such as planning and zoning, land use, community services and interacting with the county government. FACA projects quite often are determined by the interests of Board members but if anyone is interested in a topic and are ready to provide leadership on it, the Board is willing to explore it. The Board is composed of volunteers and always welcomes new members.

Presently, we are in need of new Board members so if you are interested in joining the Board, please indicate your interest to me. Barring pressing issues, which require immediate attention, the Board meets every other month. Please call prior to the annual meeting to indicate if you wish to serve as a Board member so that I can include your name on the slate of nominees. Alternatively, you can be nominated from the floor.

Several long-term projects are coming to fruition this year:

• We have been planning the 100^th anniversary for 4-5 years and it is finally coming together. I hope you will join us on May 16^th for this festive event.
• We are proud to have secured the donation of a parcel of land originally owned by Arlington Attorney Howard Brock. This land runs along the creek that flows behind Chesterbrook Elementary School. While not buildable, it provides a needed buffer for the creek and the land nearby and is actually part of the land that we dedicated twenty years ago as a park memorializing the 1814 flight of President and Mrs. Madison. We hope that securing this generous donation from the Brock family will encourage the county to maintain this park.
• Another issue in our neighborhood is the recent increase of crime and vandalism. The police have been contacted and we hope to work with them to prevent further incidents.

Jim Meehan,FACA President - 703-237-2715 - [email protected]

JOIN FACA

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Franklin Area Citizen's Association

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To our neighbors at