Neighborhood news: Ghost walks, eerie stories in Dumfries

The Weems-Botts Museum will host October ghost walks and lock-ins as fundraisers. Friday and Saturday nights, starting Oct. 9. This year the events will include evidence (photographs and audio recordings) of the haunting of the museum. Staff particularly enjoys a woman’s voice saying, “Can you hear me? I’m not dead,” on a tape from a recent investigation.

The 30- to 45-minute walking tour through Dumfries’ Haunted Heights includes the ghostly cemetery dating to the 1600s, where stories of hair-raising adventures of past grave-diggers are told.

Participants will pass haunted buildings, hearing local tales of spectral wonder and mystery along the way, and finish with hot chocolate and cider by the campfire in the eerie — and haunted — Merchant Park. Perhaps participants will see the Civil War soldier who haunts the grounds.

Tours start every half hour between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

For those willing to test their bravery, the Haunted Museum Lock-Ins offer the chance to stay overnight in “the most haunted house in Dumfries,” the Weems-Botts Museum. The events begin at 9 p.m.
with the Haunted Heights Ghost Walk, followed by entry into the museum, where staff members relay stories of supernatural events, the shadowy past and the findings of previous groups of ghost hunters. If you still dare, you may spend the evening in the museum waiting for a ghostly appearance to experience yourself. Officially, the lock-in ends at 6 a.m., but some don’t last that long …

All proceeds of the event benefit Historic Dumfries, Virginia and the Weems-Botts Museum. For more information, call 703-221-2218.

Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day is Sept. 26. This one-day event invites individuals and groups to join an effort to work on volunteer projects within Prince William Forest Park. Projects include cabin repair, trail maintenance and tree planting. Volunteers will work alongside rangers and park personnel, making improvements and major contributions to the natural and cultural resources of the park.

The event will take place at Cabin Camp 4 (Camp Pleasant), which is located off Va. 234 on Pleasant Road. A light breakfast and registration will begin at 9 a.m. Work will take place until noon, ending with a pizza lunch.

Volunteers should bring water, sunscreen, gloves, hats and sturdy shoes. To volunteer, contact Jenn at 703-221-7181 or jenn_kays@nps.gov.

For more information on National Public Lands Day, visit www.publiclandsday.org.

Park seeks public comment

Through Sept. 19, Prince William Forest Park is seeking public comment on an Environmental Assessment for a project that will update 14 historic park cabins. Visit www.nps.gov/prwi/park mgmt/publicinvolvement.htm to read the EA and offer your comments on the project.

Eat pizza, help ACTS

Eat at CiCi’s Pizza and help the ACTS Emergency Homeless Shelter. CiCi’s will donate a portion of sales from 4 to 8 p.m. on certain days to ACTS’ Homeless Shelter. Just drop your receipt in the bucket at the front counter Sept. 17.

Operation Turkey

ACTS Operation Turkey 2009 is nearing. Last year, ACTS distributed more than 1,300 Operation Turkey Thanksgiving food baskets, ensuring that nearly 1,089 families in eastern Prince William County were able to celebrate with a Thanksgiving meal. This year ACTS expects to feed nearly 2,100 families.

There are three ways to help:

- Bring items to fill baskets. Bring food to the garage door of the ACTS Family Services Center at 3900 ACTS Lane by Nov. 19.

- Make a financial donation. Make checks payable to ACTS-Operation Turkey and mail to ACTS, P. O. Box 74, Dumfries, VA 22026.

- Volunteer your time. E-mail Michael Hinz at actsea_foodpantry@com cast.net or call 703-221-3186, Ext. 240. For more information, visit twww.actspwc.org.

‘Aladdin Jr.’ auditions

The Center for the Arts Pied Piper Theatre is having auditions for “Aladdin Jr.,” its opening musical theatre production of the 2009-10 season. Director Vince Worthington will cast actors, singers and dancers ages 8 to 18 for Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.” on Sept. 11 and 12 with callbacks on Sept. 13. Performances are scheduled for Nov. 14-22 in Manassas.

Auditions are by appointment only and will be at the Center for the Arts at 9419 Battle St. How to Audition classes are available Sept. 8, 9 and 10 for those needing to brush up on their auditioning skills.
Call the Center for the Arts at 703-330-2787 to schedule an audition appointment or sign up for audition classes. For more information on auditions for the upcoming Pied Piper Theatre productions of Disney’s “Gepetto & Son” and “Beauty and the Beast,” check online at www.center-for-the-arts.org.