Local Author Ron Culberson Releases New Book

Local humorist and public speaker Ron Culberson 

Tues, 5/22/2012 – 08:59pm | Herndon Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

Herndon resident Ron Culberson autographed copies of his new book at the Reston Barnes and Noble Friday, May 18. Although Culberson has authored two prior books, this was his first book signing.

Culberson’s first work titled Is Your Glass Laugh Full? Some Thoughts on Seeing the Humor in Life was self-published in 2004 and consisted of personal anecdotes showing how the power of humor allowed him to cope with day-to-day challenges in life. His second book, My Kneecap Seems Loose: 365 Random Thoughts to Inspire Deeply Shallow Thinking, was published in 2010 and contained a daily-dose of random observations on life.

According to Culberson, his third and newest work titled Do It Well. Make It Fun. The Key to Success in Life, Death, and Almost Everything in Between was written as a how-to book to help readers with personal and professional development.

“It has a sort of tongue-in-cheek intro: ‘The only self-help book you’ll ever need.’ The book contains two simple concepts any reader can grasp. First, to take on every task to the best of your ability (i.e. do it well) and second, to make that task as enjoyable as possible,” Culberson said.

There is a running timeline throughout the book consisting of Culberson’s personal stories from his youth into adulthood; however, readers can pick up the book and jump to any chapter without getting lost, says Culberson.

“I’ve included 22 chapters on various subjects (communication, parenting, marriage, even life and death),” Culberson said. “I’m normally only able to cover two or three topics during my usual talks so this book is a nice supplement.”

Not only does he believe in the concept behind the book; he’s passionate about it. Combine that attitude with humor and it helped create a work that’s both insightful but humorous, states Culberson.

Originally from southwestern Virginia, Culberson completed his undergraduate degree at UVA before going on to obtain a graduate’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. His graduate thesis led him to research the therapeutic benefits of humor as it related to depression.

Culberson wanted to expand from his career as a home care social worker at the Hospice of Northern VA (now Capital Hospice) and started doing 30-min presentations at different locations. He eventually submitted a proposal to do a workshop, finding that people found his talks humorous but helpful. He received numerous requests to do presentations outside of his job and decided to leave hospice care in 1996 to speak professionally full-time.

Culberson and his family moved to Reston in 1997 where they lived for 10 years, before finally settling in Herndon. Aside from speaking engagements and writing books, Culberson spends much of his spare time volunteering with various organizations. He also enjoys playing golf and riding on his Harley-Davidson.

Family Pet Finds Stolen Bicycle

Pepper

Sat, 1/7/2012 – 11:00am | Vienna Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

Vienna resident Norma Whittaker has her dog Pepper to thank for tracking down her stolen bicycle.

Whittaker says a coworker was borrowing her mountain bike several weeks ago when it was stolen outside their workplace.

"My only rule was do not leave it outside ever [but my] co-worker rode the bike to work and locked it outside," Whittaker wrote in an email. "It was stolen by the end of his shift."

When her coworker called police, they told her they needed the serial number for the bicycle -- something Whittaker hadn't recorded or even thought about before the incident. Luckily, Whittaker says, she originally purchased the bike from Spokes Etc in Vienna about four years ago; the shop keeps customer receipts that include bike serial numbers. But she couldn't get to the shop for several days because of a packed schedule, so filing the serial number was put on hold.

It was later that week Pepper, a two-year-old border collie/black lab mix dog from the humane society, came to the rescue.

Whittaker had picked Pepper up from daycare and was taking him for a walk when he dragged her off to a remote area in the woods near her house.

“Pepper doesn’t normally roam off during a potty break. This time he seemed almost determined to go off path,” Whittaker said.

In a clearing, there was a lone bike rack.

“He went right to my bike," Whittaker said.

After going to Spokes to verify the serial number and taking the documents to the police, they verified the bike was in fact Whittaker's. The police took the bike to station for fingerprints and returned it to Whittaker.

Whittaker says she'd encourage all residents to keep their serial numbers on file with the Vienna Police Department, or, with the bike shop where they purchased the bike.

"[Pepper] deserves some recognition," Whittaker wrote. "[It was a] happy ending."

Madison Academic Team Headed for TV

Students will compete Saturday on NBC's "It's Academic" (Photo Credit Albert Gunn)

Fri, 12/16/2011 – 10:00am | Vienna Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

James Madison High School’s academic team will show off its quiz skills this Saturday on NBC’s “It’s Academic.”

The program is the longest-running television quiz show in the world, celebrating its 51st anniversary this year, it said on its website.

The Madison team typically competes on the show once a year, said coach Albert Gunn, but if they win the qualifying match, the team will go back to compete at semi-finals. A team can appear on the show up to four times in a year if they make it to finals. The Madison team won the district’s championship in the 1990s.

The first round will air Saturday morning. A regional competition takes place in January, in which teams compete within their high school’s normal district. Madison is part of the Liberty district and often competes against Langley and McLean.

This year’s team consists of coach Albert Gunn and students Alex Russell (captain, senior); John Nothaft (senior); and Patrick Hansen (senior). The two alternates are Sepehr Sobhani (senior) and Harry Hild (senior). Alex, Patrick and John are longtime members of the team.

The students who compete on the team also participate in other extracurricular activities: Russell runs track and plays on the tennis team; Nothaft is an accomplished musician, playing both the piano and organ. He also plays on the tennis team and in the orchestra. Hansen is the team’s math expert, as well as being an endurance athlete on the cross country team.

“’It’s Academic’ is a perfect application of the Jeopardy skills that Alex [Williams] and I practice on a weekly basis,” Hansen said. “Success in ‘It’s Academic’ competitions relies on a broad base of knowledge that ranges from Ancient World history, to Modern American Literature. Math Calculations are a special treat!”

Getting on the team requires a student who is interested in competing in an academic environment, Gunn said, but also those involved in school and local communities and can deal with the pressure of being in the public eye.

“It’s Academic is a truly enriching experience,” Sobhani said. “I learned the true value of competition because in It’s Academic, it is not enough to simply win, the opposition must be thoroughly demoralized in order to ensure victory.”

The first round begins at 11 a.m. Saturday on NBC 4. For more information on It’s Academic, visit their website.

Skatepark Planners Meet With Residents For Design Input

Skatepark design for Lake Fairfax Park (Photo Credit Amanda Hamm)

Thurs, 06/16/2011 – 11:00 | Reston Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

Local residents met with skatepark designers at Aldrin Elementary School on Wednesday to discuss opinions and ideas  on designs for a to-be-built facility.

The skatepark in the works for Lake Fairfax Park is expected to be a community-friendly facility where skaters, rollerbladers, and BMX riders alike will be welcome.

The project has already been approved and funded by the Fairfax County Park Authority. The next step is designing the layout of the skatepark. The county has hired Spohn Ranch, a California skatepark design firm.

Among community members’ concerns –  lighting after dark and noise from skaters.

Jason Baldessari, director of sales for Spohn Ranch, said noise shouldn’t be an issue as the skatepark is going to be made out of concrete, which is quieter than other materials.

Community members filled out questionnaires with their thoughts.

Designs for the skatepark will be reviewed and revised throughout the summer. There is a tentative follow-up meeting planned for September.

Construction is set to begin in 2012.

Playing for Kicks

Adult Kickball in Season at Lake Fairfax Park (Photo Credit Amanda Hamm)

Wed, 06/15/2011 – 09:00 | Reston Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

This is not your elementary school kickball game.

Kickball has made its way to a nationally recognized sport, where adults meet at Reston’s Lake Fairfax Park on Thursdays (as well as all over the country this time of year) to  play with a big, red, rubber ball.

The World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) has leagues in more than 30 states. A WAKA kickball league contains between four and 16 co-ed teams – or around 100 to 400 players per league.

Joel Dusoe, spokesman for the DC League, says kickball has been growing since the WAKA was formed in 1998. There are eight regular-season games and a championship tournament.

And each league has a designated bar, which makes it the perfect summer sport. The Dominion League, which plays at Lake Fairfax, meets up at Carpool in Herndon.

Even though the WAKA games are meant as a way for adults to stay active and meet new friends, there are perks to being the best team in the country. More than $20,000 in prizes is awarded each year at the World Championship Weekend Founders Cup Tournament and Kickball Games in Las Vegas. This year’s  tournament will take place  Oct. 7 to 9.

“For Founders Cup, the more competitive tournament, a team must be the League Tournament champion, or League tournament runner-up, or have received a special invitation from WAKA,” said Dusoe.

Less-experienced players can join in the fun too.  They can take part in World Kickball Championship weekend in a relaxed, pool-play WAKA Kickball tournament held in Las Vegas on the same day as the Founders Cup Tournament.

The Dominion League is in the midst of spring season, which ends in July. The fall season starts in August and ends in late October.

Interested in joining a team? Click here to find one nearby.

New Tall Oaks Doggie Day Care Offers Free-Range Fun

Dog Play Afternoon owner Cheryl Smith and her dog Stella welcome visitors to Dog Play Afternoon. (Photo by Amanda Hamm)

Mon, 05/16/2011 – 07:00 | Reston Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

Cheryl Smith has spent her life surrounded by stray and adopted pets.

Smith’s mother was the inspiration behind her desire to train and rescue animals. Smith remembers her mother always wanting to adopt the oldest, sickest dog in the shelter that no one else wanted.

Smith has taken her passion for animals to the next step by opening a doggy day care center as a way of caring for dogs and keeping them well trained and out of the animal shelter.

Her business, Dog Play Afternoon, opened its doors to the canine public on Feb 1. Dog Play Afternoon is located in the Tall Oaks Shopping Center, close to walking trails. That makes it a perfect place for dogs to get much needed exercise.

“It is important to keep dogs on a regular schedule,” said Smith. “Taking the dogs outside reinforces training the owners have already established. If dogs are taught to relieve themselves outdoors, it can be confusing for them to be in a place where they aren’t taken out during the day.”

Smith said she wanted to set herself apart from other dog care centers, where pets are sometimes kept in cages. Her center has one cage, but it is only used as a quiet place for dogs who might be tired or agitated, and need some alone time.

Otherwise, all of the dogs are allowed to roam free in a large communal area with toys to play with and boxes to jump over. The center provides beds for the dogs to sleep on during nap time, which takes place each day from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Smith also said there weren’t any small dog day care services in Reston when she made plans to start her business. There were several larger franchises and some in-home pet walkers, but there was no place an owner could drop off their pet on their way to work.

Smith can take her dog to work with her, too. Smith’s pet Cocker Spaniel, Stella, is a fixture at the center. Smith says Stella loves making new friends.

New patrons are required to schedule an initial three-hour appointment where the dog is monitored for aggressiveness and their reaction to the other animals at the center. Dog Play Afternoon has a page on Facebook where owners can watch videos and see pictures of their pet’s first day.

“There is a huge overpopulation issue in shelters and 95 percent of those animals are left by people who don’t have the time or patience to take care of the pet,” said Smith. “If I can make one difference and offer a place where dogs can learn to socialize, then that pet won’t end up in a shelter.”

Reston Resident Turns Disability Into New Life Path

Luehrs is conquering vision loss one step at a time. (Photo Courtesy of Davida Luehrs)

Fri, 05/06/2011 – 07:00 | Reston Patch Contributor Amanda Hamm

Davida Luehrs, a longtime resident of Reston, knows firsthand the challenges that come with losing one’s sight.

She has been visually impaired since the late 1980s, when she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at age 28. The disease causes a gradual loss of peripheral vision – a sighted person has 180 degrees of vision; Luehrs is down to less than five degrees.

Luehrs was living in Bethesda, MD, when she began having problems with her vision. She had just left a radio station to pursue a career in advertising when she had trouble reading through the classifieds. She thought she just needed reading glasses.

Luehrs went to see an ophthalmologist and was told she had a degenerative retina disease, which could result in the loss of her vision.

Luehrs, along with husband Jim and their three children, moved to Reston in 1991. She and Jim decided that Reston would be the perfect place to live as it was a planned community, which would make things easier for Luehrs since she could no longer drive.

Luehrs was the first person in her family to be diagnosed with RP, but her daughter Rachel also has the condition. Rachel, 21, was diagnosed with RP in 2005. Leuhrs’ other children, Jimmy and Jessica, have not shown signs of RP.

Luehrs is now 52. She says she refuses to let RP keep her from living her life. She uses the Metro Access Program, a shared-ride service available for individuals who have a variety of disabilities, as a means of travel. She said that it takes time and planning to get around to all the places she needs to go.

“Adjusting to not being as mobile was a huge challenge at first,” said Luehrs. “I gave up my license in 1988 as a result of the disease.”

Luehrs considered forming a support group in the early 1990s as a way to reach out to others. That desire eventually led Davida to contact theFoundation Fighting Blindness in April 2005. Her goal was to start a Northern Virginia chapter.

“Macular degeneration is growing and it’s the sister disease to RP,” said Luehrs. “It is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.”

Inspired by her children’s physically active lifestyles, Luehrs became motivated to set a goal for herself. She has personally challenged herself to walk 175 miles – one mile for each degree of vision she has lost. She plans to meet her goal by this Saturday, before the Sixth Annual 5K VisionWalk takes place in Reston. Luehrs’ team has raised more than $15k for the event.

Overall, the Foundation Fighting Blindness has a goal of raising $150k this year.  Luehrs also wants to raise awareness of the organization, both nationally and locally.

“I consider working for the Foundation Fighting Blindness as an absolute labor of love,” said Luehrs.