Sunday, April 13, 2008
Living in LoCo is Erica Garman's blog devoted to all things interesting in Loudoun County. You can find it athttp://www.loudounextra.com. This column of highlights from the blog appears in this space every Sunday.
Last fall, 6-year-old Kailee Vance received a diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that occurs most often in children.
Soon after the diagnosis, a family friend, Catherine Lilley of Ashburn, wanted to help.
"Anytime you see friends in pain it is difficult," she said. "There's so much we don't have control over, but the one thing I do have control over is to help the family in any way I can."
Lilley and her boyfriend are big runners and have participated in several 5Ks -- and the idea for "Kailee's Run/Walk" was born.
On May 10 at 8 a.m., a 5K race will be held to benefit the Vance family and to help pay for Kailee's medical expenses. The event will start at Newton-Lee Elementary, the school Kailee attended before her chemotherapy treatments kept her at home.
"The route was planned so runners will go by Kailee's house twice during the race. Just in case she's not up to going outside that day, she can still look out her window and see us," Lilley said.
I spoke with Kailee's mom, Kari Vance, on Friday. Kailee's illness has undoubtedly taken a toll on her family, both emotionally and financially, but Vance's voice did not project worry.
"Kailee's doing great considering what she's going through. She's got her good days and her low days," she said.
Every Monday, Kailee goes to Georgetown University Hospital for chemotherapy, and once a month she spends the night at the hospital for a more powerful dosage.
The Vances are also busy with two younger daughters, ages 3 and 1.
Organizers of Kailee's Run/Walk are selling raffle tickets for a chance to win goods and services donated by area businesses. To register for the 5K, buy raffle tickets or donate, go to http://web.mac.com/lilleyca/Site/Kailees_Run.html.
Vance says she and her husband have been overwhelmed with the love and support the Loudoun community has shown her family.
"It's sad that it's taken something like Kailee's illness to bring people together like this," she said, "but it's reconfirmed my belief that people really are nice."
Potomac Club's Pool House Set to ReopenA big amenity that draws home buyers to the Lansdowne on the Potomac community is the 30,000-square-foot Potomac Club, which, according to the HOA Web site, features a 25-meter indoor pool, a heated whirlpool, lockers, activity and exercise rooms, an outdoor resort-style pool and business center.
Wait a minute. Back up. The 25-meter indoor pool and whirlpool have been closed for two years. Sorry, folks.
It was two years ago, on April 7, 2006, that the pool house in the $6 million renovated Coton Barn was closed due to mold.
When the mold was initially discovered, the Lansdowne on the Potomac HOA reportedly spent $350,000 on mold analysis and cleanup, in addition to fees for engineers, architects and lawyers.
To help pay the estimated $2.7 million, which includes the indoor pool fix and other Potomac Club incidentals, the HOA went to battle with Hobie Mitchell, the community developer, which agreed to a $650,000 settlement.
The board also took out a $1 million loan to offset the costs.
Now there's talk that an additional homeowner assessment is needed to come up with the remaining money and cover HOA reserves that have been depleted.
Rumors are floating of a one-year, $58-a-month assessment per household or a one-time $700 payment. Residents currently pay HOA dues of $265 a month for a single-family home and $282.50 for an attached home.
John Caron, vice president of the HOA board and a pool committee member, would not comment on the possibility of a community-wide assessment.
Rick Loucks, a Lansdowne resident and mechanical engineer, sits on the HOA's pool committee and, along with four other residents, is overseeing the pool house renovations. "The contractor is estimating a midsummer opening, barring major setbacks," he said.
Lansdowne on the Potomac residents are looking forward to the long-awaited reopening.
Currently, if residents want to swim indoors, they head down Route 7 to Ida Lee Recreation Center -- the community has a per-visit billing arrangement with the indoor pool and recreation facility.
Business as UsualIt was eerily quiet inside the Lansdowne Resort on Wednesday morning, the day after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested 59 immigrant workers who may have gained employment using illegal documents.
I thought I'd check out the resort and find out how they were coping with such a huge cut in staff.
At 9 a.m., a security guard was posted at the driveway to the Lansdowne entrance. I was sure I'd be stopped and turned away, but the guard was busy with another driver and didn't ask me to pull over.
Once inside the hotel, I visited the Riverside Hearth restaurant to grab a cup of coffee.
A few small groups were dining in the restaurant, as was a large gathering of the Potomac BNI networking organization. As I was pouring my coffee, I struck up a conversation with Steve Zarnick, an Aflac agent who lives in South Riding and was part of the BNI gathering. He wasn't aware of the recent ICE roundup and said he didn't notice any lack in service.
"It is a breakfast buffet, after all," he said.
As I was leaving with my coffee, I spied Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott K. York (I) dining at a table with a business associate. He was aware of the incident, he said, "but I don't have any details yet."
Kristi Stavrou, a real estate agent in Ashburn, hadn't heard of the Lansdowne arrests. "Although now that you mention it . . . I did notice less wait staff than usual, and that must be why the security guard is out front," Stavrou said.
At this point, I went to the front desk and asked to speak with a hotel official about how they were making do with the employee loss. The word back was "no comment." I decided to leave.
I'm guessing that's when they called security. For it was in the parking lot that a Lansdowne security guard approached me and said he was to escort me to my vehicle. When asked why, he said he was told that media were not allowed on the property. I heard a voice from his radio say, "Unless they are a guest, no one is allowed on the premises."
The security guard was extremely pleasant. He walked me to my car and I left.
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