It’s my town: VFW, Legion co-host DC trip for WWII vets

A trip to long remember…

Two Manassas veterans' organizations are teaming up to sponsor a memorable trip to Washington for local World War II veterans to view the WWII Memorial and other sites.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Francis Cannon Post 7589, in conjunction with American Legion Post 10, is sponsoring the bus trip on June 9.

The veterans will gather at the VFW Post at 9304 Centreville Road at 9 a.m. and each one will be presented with a collared shirt embroidered with "Manassas WWII Vet." They will also be given the opportunity to place their names in the World War II Registry of Remembrances, an individual listing of Americans who contributed to the war effort.

"With Memorial Day and D-Day anniversaries being celebrated shortly, these veterans will be thinking of fallen comrades. We want them to know someone is thinking of them," said VFW Post 7589 Commander Steve Meade.

"I am proud of the part our VFW Post played in organizing this trip. I'm also very grateful for the financial and logistical assistance provided by Post 10, as well as for the grants from Delta Resources of Arlington and New World Tours of Bristow."

"Gunny" Lewis, Post 10 Commander, said he is "hopeful that this trip and the Veterans Day parade in November will help everyone remember the accomplishments of these men and remind us all once again how different the world might have been if they had been less capable and devoted."

Along with visiting the WW II Memorial, the veterans will tour the Korean and Vietnam memorials and witness the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery.

The public is invited to see the veterans off when the bus departs at 10 a.m.

Entries will be sought for the fifth annual Chocolate Challenge (previously the Cocoa Classic) at the Prince William County Fair on Aug. 9. This is an all-chocolate dessert contest that is judged separately from the other entries. All participants' entries are sold after judging to benefit the Prince William Chapter of the American Red Cross. Additionally, the Fair matches all donations up to $200.

Prizes are awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners in both the children and adult categories.

A Neighborhood Improvement Circles Auction Forum will take place on Saturday from 8:30 to noon in the Bull Run Hall, Room 130 of the Prince William Campus of George Mason University, 10900 University Blvd., Manas-sas.

The form is open to the public, specifically to volunteers who want to work to make their neighborhoods better.

Participants include Georgetown South, Lindendale, Pilot Circle, Point of Woods, Cannon Ridge, Weems, Welling-ton, Westgate and Wildwood.

For more information or to register, call Kisha Sogunro at 703-257-8200 or Cindy Brookshire at 703-361-6941.

Austin Kane, with the National Wildlife Federation, will give a presentation about the effects global climate change will have on wildlife and habitats in Virginia and Prince William County on June 4 at 7:30 p.m. at a meeting of the Prince William Conservation Alliance at Bull Run Universalist Unitarian Church, 9350 Main St., Manassas.

… the title of the program is "Climate Change Close to Home."