Search Results

By Patricia Kovacs, staff writer Reston Station will host a star-spangled community celebration recognizing America's upcoming semiquincentennial on Thursday, July 2. The free pre-Independence Day event, organized by developer Comstock, will transform the plaza into a patriotic gathering place for all ages as the nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary in 2026. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with lawn games, face painting, photo opportunities, inflatables and other family-friendly activities. Food and beverages will be available from Reston Station retailers and the JW Marriott. At 7:20 p.m., a live performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" will kick off an evening of entertainment featuring Bruce in the USA, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band. A fireworks display is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. During the events, visitors can rub shoulders with The Reston Letter staff members, a well-rounded group of volunteers that includes a lifelong champion of the First Amendment; staff writer and career journalist Gene Powell will make an appearance as Benjamin Franklin at The Reston Letter's booth. Guests can pop in for a photo opp with the Founding Father and maybe even chat about our rights as Americans. "We want to create a memorable experience that brings people together through entertainment, civic pride and shared celebration," event organizers said. "The vision is to establish Reston Station as a premier gathering place for the community while honoring America's 250th anniversary in an inclusive and engaging way." The event comes as Reston Station continues to expand as a mixed-use destination with hospitality, residential, dining, office and entertainment offerings. Located along Metro's Silver Line, the district has become a regional hub for residents, workers and visitors. Organizers view the celebration as an opportunity to bring the broader community together around a significant national milestone. When asked whether the event could become an annual tradition, organizers were optimistic. "We certainly hope this becomes a signature tradition for the community," they said. "The enthusiasm and collaboration surrounding the event have been incredibly encouraging." Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Parking will be available in Reston Station garages, and the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station provides direct access to the plaza. Early arrival is recommended, as a large crowd is expected.

By Kaydence Smith, Staff Writer The Crowned Prom King and Queen. Photo by ServiceSource. The CARE Mobile Program, a division of ServiceSource, was developed to help older adults who experience social isolation. The Mobile Program goes directly into the community to interact with older adults and provide engagement opportunities, such as the Senior Prom held at the Lake Anne House. Yashoda Premysler, CARE Mobile Program Manager, says that the impact these events have had is huge. “I always ask residents what they enjoy about the events and why they come. Many tell me that if they didn’t attend these events, they would simply stay in their apartments watching TV,” Premysler states. “They tell me the events make them happy and give them something meaningful to do. It’s also a chance to see neighbors and feel more connected to the community.” Senior Prom attendees pose. Photo by ServiceSource Because Care Mobile visits different communities every month, people get opportunities to learn new skills, meet new people, and become more engaged in their communities. “Over time, people start seeing the same faces at events and become more comfortable with one another. Then, even after I leave, they continue interacting on their own. They meet in the hallways, spend time in the lobby together, go on walks, or play board games. They’re building friendships and support systems so they don’t feel alone.” The Senior Prom took place at the Lake Anne House on May 27, and the turnout shocked even Care Mobile team members. With money given by Fairfax County, Care Mobile and ServiceSource were able to provide the community with a fun event complete with music and dancing, food, games, and prizes, a photobooth, and even a prom king and queen. Premysler expresses her gratitude to both Lake Anne House for hosting, decorating, and catering, as well as the residents and volunteers who showed up for the event. “It’s also exciting to see both familiar faces and new residents attending. Some people have been coming to my events for years, and some join for the first time today,” says Premysler. To attend a Care Mobile Event or volunteer, visit https://servicesource.org/care-mobile/

By Hayley Sherwood, Columnist I recently met with a young dad who asked me how he could better manage his stress. He explained that he has a demanding job in which he is unfulfilled and often comes home frustrated. His partner and children are happy to see him at the end of the day, but because he has not learned how to deal with his feelings, the people he loves most often get the worst of him. He has little patience for the “kid stuff” that can fill an evening: whining, disinterest in dinner, not listening at bedtime and overtired meltdowns. Having grown up with emotionally unreliable adults, he survived by making himself small, meaning he learned to function without expressing emotional needs, overachieving in school and relying only on himself. By the time he met and married his partner decades later, he could comfortably express only two emotions: anger and withdrawal. Every time he experienced sadness, anxiety, disappointment, boredom, loneliness or other difficult emotions, he either became angry or isolated himself. This man is not alone. Many adult men exhibit similar emotional patterns, especially those who grew up with men who modeled the same behaviors. Over time, many men have learned to push down their feelings because it feels safer than experiencing them. When feelings are not released, however, they settle within the body and eventually emerge more loudly and destructively. By the time many men become dads, they have already mastered several essential parenting skills, such as assembling impossible toys without instructions and pretending not to notice Play-Dough permanently embedded in the carpet. What many dads have not mastered is talking openly about their mental health. For decades, psychological research focused primarily on maternal mental health and child development. That work remains critically important. But a growing body of research now makes something abundantly clear: Fathers’ mental health profoundly shapes children’s emotional, cognitive, behavioral and relational development from infancy through adolescence. In other words, dads matter emotionally, not just structurally. Children do not simply need a father who “shows up.” They benefit from a father who is psychologically present. For generations, men were often taught that being a “good dad” meant providing financially, remaining stoic and pushing through stress. Many men were raised with spoken and unspoken messages such as “Be strong,” “Don’t complain,” “Stop crying” and “Don’t ask for help.” In other words, they were taught that vulnerability is weakness. Contemporary research paints a different picture. Children thrive not simply from having an involved father, but from having an emotionally available one. Studies show that dads who enter parenthood with untreated depression, chronic anxiety, unresolved trauma, substance misuse or high levels of stress are at greater risk for difficulties bonding with their children and supporting healthy family relationships. A 2023 meta-analysis in the Journal of Affective Disorders found significant associations between paternal mental health problems and stress surrounding fatherhood, particularly when pregnancies were unintended or dads felt emotionally unprepared. Research increasingly demonstrates that paternal mental health affects children’s emotional and developmental outcomes and has linked paternal depression and chronic distress with increased behavioral difficulties, emotional dysregulation, language delays and social problems in children. Conversely, dads who attend to their own emotional health model something profoundly valuable: that strength includes self-awareness, emotional regulation and the willingness to seek support when needed. Children do not need flawless fathers. In fact, children benefit far more from dads who are authentic, reflective and capable of repairing mistakes than from dads who attempt to appear invulnerable. One of the healthiest messages a father can communicate is: “Feelings are manageable, relationships can heal and asking for help is normal.” For men considering fatherhood, emotional preparation deserves the same seriousness as financial preparation. Therapy, stress management, healthy friendships, treatment for depression or anxiety, reducing substance use, improving communication skills and addressing unresolved childhood wounds are not luxuries. They are investments in future family stability. For dads already raising young children, it is never too late to begin. For dads of tweens and teens, mental health is just as important. Adolescents are highly perceptive and often learn to cope by watching how parents manage stress, anger, disappointment and vulnerability. Dads who can remain emotionally steady, communicative and psychologically engaged during these years help create a home environment where teenagers are more likely to discuss difficult emotions rather than hide them. Sometimes the strongest sentence a father can say is not, “I’ve got this.” Sometimes it is, “I think I need some support.” Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and those who serve as dads! Psych’d to see you next month! -Dr. S. Do you have a question for me? Are there topics you are hoping I will write about? Please submit your suggestions to Dr. Hayley B. Sherwood is a longtime Clinical Psychologist in Reston/Herndon. To learn more, please visit her website at www.oakhillpsychological.com/. Please visit the About Us section on our website to learn more about our team of therapists!

By Sean Joyner, Reston lawyer and guest writer Once you turn 18, your parents lose the automatic legal authority to make decisions for you, even in an emergency. If a sudden medical crisis or accident leaves you unconscious or unable to communicate, you may be considered legally incapacitated. In that situation, your family cannot automatically step in on your behalf. Without the proper legal documents in place, your family’s hands could be tied, even if they are standing beside you in the emergency room. To help ensure your loved ones can assist you if needed, consider putting these two documents in place: A financial power of attorney (POA) allows you to name a trusted person to handle financial matters if you become unable to do so yourself. This could include accessing your bank account to pay rent or resolving an insurance issue while you recover. An immediate POA takes effect right away, while a “springing” POA only takes effect if a doctor certifies incapacity. For many young adults, naming a parent as an agent under an immediate POA can simplify matters by avoiding delays during a medical emergency. Whoever you choose should be someone mature, trustworthy and capable of acting in your best interests under pressure. In Virginia, a medical power of attorney and living will are often combined into a single legal document called an Advance Medical Directive. This document serves two purposes: It appoints a health care agent to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, and it outlines your wishes regarding life-prolonging procedures in the event of a terminal or vegetative condition. Putting these wishes in writing can help spare family members from having to guess about your preferences during a crisis. As with a financial POA, choosing a health care agent requires careful thought. The role calls for someone who can advocate for your wishes and make difficult decisions under stressful circumstances. For many young adults, a parent or close family member is the most practical choice. Once your documents are signed and notarized, scan them and share digital copies with your designated agents. Provide a copy of your Advance Medical Directive to your primary care physician. Your agent also may need access to your smartphone or digital accounts in an emergency, so make sure they know how to access important information if necessary. Keep the original documents in a safe place, such as a waterproof and fireproof box, alongside other important family records. Taking care of these documents can be an important first step into adulthood and may also open the door to conversations about your family’s broader estate planning needs. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state, and readers should consult a qualified estate planning attorney regarding their specific legal needs and circumstances. Sean Joyner is an estate planning attorney at Joyner Trust Law (joynertrustlaw.com/, 703.485.8995), helping Northern Virginia families protect what matters most.

By Alexis Estep, mom, chef, Restonian Quinn putting the finishing touches on our batch of cookie dough bark! Summertime is the best! We love biking/hiking local trails and especially swimming. With the longer days, there are more activities going on and so appetites and snacking are at an all time high. I usually like baking treats but in the summer no one wants to turn on the oven! That’s where no-bake snacks come in. This recipe has been making the rounds and it's not hard to see why it is so popular. Cookie Dough Bark is a slam dunk recipe, simple ingredients that are interchangeable to suit likes/dietary restrictions and ready in a flash. We hope you enjoy our adaptation! Cookie Dough Bark adapted from yummytoddlerfood.com/ Ingredients: 1⁄2 cup peanut butter or cashew/almond butter or melted unsalted butter 1⁄4 cup honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 1⁄4 cups almond flour 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 cup dark chocolate chips 1⁄4 cup sprinkles Topping: 1⁄4 cup dark chocolate chips 1 tsp coconut oil Sprinkles or flakey salt 1. If your peanut butter and/or honey are firm, warm them for 15 seconds in the microwave in a heat-safe container to make them easier to stir. 2. Add the ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir well with a spoon to make the batter evenly combined. 3. Use clean hands to spread the dough onto a parchment-lined baking pan to about 1/2-inch thick. 4. Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil, then spread over the top. Top with sprinkles or flaky sea salt, if desired, and freeze for at least 20 minutes to set firm enough to snap into pieces. Store in the fridge or freezer in a storage bag after breaking.

Mystery Fiction by Arthur Semicolon Doyle Middle-school mystery solver, Sage Greene, is babysitting her neighbor Cassie on a warm but cloudy day. They strolled to the Walker Nature Center and Cassie joined a group of kids doing activities. Sage waits near the seven-foot-wide Memorial Sun Dial, near the entrance to the center. Cassie runs to Sage with a paper in her hand. “What’s that?” Cassie asks. Sage replies, “This is a sundial. It tells the time of day.” Cassie says, “Oh, what time does it say?” There is no shadow on the sundial. Sage looks up at the clouds. “It only works when the sun is out.” “That’s useless,” says Cassie, “Don’t they know that people have phones?” Before Sage can argue about that, Cassie shows her the paper and says, “This is a map for a scavenger hunt. The X’s show where the treasure is.” Cassie frowns at the map and turns it around and around. “Which way is up?” Sage points to a letter N and an arrow on the map. “You want to hold the map so that arrow is pointing north.” “Which way is north?” Cassie asks. Sage asks back, “They didn’t give you a compass?” “No. But, oooh! I have a compass app on my phone!” Cassie pulls out her phone and sees that the battery is at 1%. “Oh, no!” she says and she frantically flips through app icons on the phone looking for the compass app. As soon as she presses the Compass app, the screen goes dark. “Ahhh!” Casssie screams. “Sage, use your phone!” Sage smiles and points. “North is that way, and I know thanks to this.” She pats the sundial. Cassie looks up at the cloudy sky. “But there’s no sun,” she says, “So it’s as dead as my phone.” How did Sage know which way was north? Solution: Sage points to the metal triangle on the sundial. “The part of the sundial that casts a shadow is called the gnomon and it points north. That’s how I knew. Also, the angle of the gnomon matches the latitude of where it is on Earth.” As if on cue, the sun peeks out from the clouds and the gnomon casts a crisp shadow on the sundial. Sage puts an acorn on the dial at the shadow. Then Sage and Cassie follow the map for the scavenger hunt, hiking around the grounds of the Walker Nature Center. Later, as they are leaving, Sage shows Cassie that the shadow on the sundial moved since she put the acorn on it. Based on the dial lines, they figure that one hour has passed. “So it's a timer too?” says Cassie. “Who knew sundials had so many apps!”

By Bob Welland, Kids Section Editor Reston has more than 20 underpasses that allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross under busy roads like Reston Parkway, Colts Neck Road and North Shore Drive without worrying about traffic or waiting for lights. They connect our trails and footpaths so we can walk around our community safely and conveniently. Plus there’s art under there. Under where? I just made you say “underwear.” These tunnels don’t have to be dim and drab. Five underpasses in Reston are sites of beautiful public art. Three are located in northern Reston along North Shore Drive near Lake Anne. Two others are near Hunters Woods Village Center in south Reston. Use the maps to plan a visit with your family! The first art site was installed in 1965 by Gonzalo Fonseca at the North Shore Drive Underpass. It’s a set of concrete geometric shapes dispersed around the area. This creative work has the less creative name, “The Underpass.” Then in 1967, Baltimore-based potter, Olin Russum, made a textured ceramic mosaic on the walls of the Moorings Drive Underpass. Its bumpy chunks look like rocks, roots and branches. Much more recently in 2010, Valerie Theberge decorated the Glade Drive Underpass with “Emerge,” a vast collection of colorful glass tile mosaics. Many are circles with tiles radiating out from the center, called mandelas. Other shapes are squished and stretched like amoebae. In 2018, Lake Anne Elementary School students painted “Community Circles” in the nearby Fairway Drive Underpass. These are also colorful mandelas painted along the walls. Then in 2019, the Colts Neck Road Underpass was wrapped with an energetic mural called “Thoreau’s Ensemble” by Ben Volta. The overlapping colorful lines are a combination of more than 700 individual drawings by local students and seniors. It takes a lot of work and planning by artists and community groups such as Public Art Reston to beautify an underpass in Reston. Let’s hope that in the future there will be many more underpasses with art. In the meantime, let’s celebrate the five sites we have. Don’t pass over these underpasses. Wander through the wander-passes. Wonder at the art in the wonder-passes. Because missing them would be a blunder-pass.

By Shanen Elliott, guest writer 31 track and field South Lakes athletes competed at the state tournament. Photo by Shanen Elliott The South Lakes Seahawks track and field team capped another successful Virginia season by sweeping Regionals (5th straight girls title/2nd straight boys), then adding to it with 3rd (45 points) and 5th place (37 points) finishes respectively at VHSL States. Seniors Aya Ryan and Caroline Elliott anchored the girls as the dynamic duo paired with Quinn Jackson and Sarah Ghantiwala to finish second in the 4x800m (USA 11th best time of 8:56.03). They added 2nd place finishes in the 1600m (Elliott) and 800m (Ryan, Elliott 5th), before Ryan closed her career with an outstanding 4x400m final leg (Anya Catto, Olivia Friends, Karletta Webb, Ryan, 4th). Additional girls scoring came from Catto (300m Hurdles, 5th), Tia Tuffour (100m Hurdles, 7th), Collins Han (100m, 4th), and the 4x100m relay team (Melanie Velasco, Friends, Suriah Fornah, Han). Meanwhile, the boys' squad was highlighted by a couple of school-record-breaking performances from seniors. Blake Jackson established the new school benchmark in the triple jump (2nd place), before finishing 2nd in the long jump, while Milo Wilkins put himself atop the SLHS record board in the shot put (6th). Alex Guthrie continued his hot streak with 2nd and 3rd place finishes in the 200m and 100m, then joined Jackson to anchor the 4x100m alongside Joshua Dagne and Brooks Ross (5th). This wrapped up an action-packed week at South Lakes that saw multiple track & field seniors walk first at their Friday graduation, before boarding buses to compete that same day at States. The team was also strongly represented at the annual "The Lakes Show Awards Ceremony!" Award winners included: Elliott & Guthrie (Female & Male Athletes of the year), Ryan & Wilkins (Tri-Sport Athletes), Q.Jackson (Top Rookie), Guthrie (Top Record Breaker), Scott Raczko (Coach of the Year), and South Lakes Track & Field (Team of the Year).

By Matt Reider, staff writer Reston Master Swim Team has thrived for 25 years under the leadership of Coach Frank Koval. Photo contributed by Reston Masters Swim Team The Reston Masters Swim Team brings together about 120 adult swimmers of all ages and abilities for four weekly practices focused on fitness, endurance and technique. Members train year-round at the Reston Community Center and in Reston outdoor pools during the summer. Founded in the mid-1970s, RMST operates under United States Masters Swimming and competes in local, regional, national and international meets. RMST has a strong record of success and sent 29 swimmers to the regional competition at George Mason University during the weekend of April 10. The team placed second among nearly 60 teams in the Colonies Zone, which stretches from Virginia to upstate New York and Maine. Nationals were held April 30 through May 3 in North Carolina, where the team finished 11th out of more than 250 teams from across the country. Like many adult sports organizations, RMST relies on experienced leadership. Coach Frank Koval has led the program for more than 25 years and has coached both youth and adult swim programs. Kim Brightwell, a longtime RMST swimmer, has known him for much of that time, dating back to their days swimming on early Reston teams. Brightwell specializes in the backstroke and has earned All-American honors in the 50- and 100-meter events. Brightwell praised Koval’s ability to unite swimmers of varying backgrounds and abilities. Participants range from triathletes to beginners and span ages 18 to 95. “The coach does a great job creating a team environment from a diverse group,” she said. “Masters swimming is a great place to interact with people across age groups.” She described meets as reunions where swimmers reconnect with longtime friends. Rob Stites, a seven-year member, competes on a successful relay team and continues working to improve his butterfly technique. After retiring a few years ago, he said swimming has helped him maintain his health. Tony Wynes has been with the club for 12 years and jokes that he “isn’t fast,” so he enters multiple events at meets to maximize points. Larry Paulson, a long-distance butterfly specialist, joined the team more than 20 years ago, while Margaret Shapiro competed professionally in triathlons before joining RMST. In addition to practices and meets, RMST organizes the Jim McDonnell Lake Swim, featuring 1- and 2-mile open-water races held each Memorial Day weekend. Lynn Hazelwood helped organize the first event in 1988 and remains involved today. “It was right around the time when triathlons were becoming popular, and we wanted to do an open-water swim,” she said. Hazelwood worked with the Reston Association to secure access to Lake Audubon and coordinate the race. With as many as 300 swimmers participating, safety remains a priority. Nearly 20 lifeguards and what Hazelwood described as “a small armada” of watercraft monitor the course, with assistance from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. The event is divided into categories based on swimsuit type, with Category I requiring specific swimwear and Category II being less restrictive. This year’s event took place May 24, and drew more than 100 swimmers in the Category II 1-mile race and nearly 100 more in the 2-mile event. Elizabeth Wood of Herndon won the Category I 1-mile race with a chip time of 23:32.2, while Bryan Rivera of Maryland won the Category II 1-mile race in 22:26.2. In the 2-mile races, Thomas Dion of Virginia led the Category I field with a chip time of 44:41.3, and Kempsey Clark of Maryland won the Category II race in 48:07.7. Although many participants came from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., the event also attracted swimmers from Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The program welcomes new members, and interested adults may try two free practices before joining. More information is available through the Reston Masters Swim Team.

By Chuck Cascio, author and former South Lakes teacher The following information about Erika Reinfeld, a member of the South Lakes High School Class of 1997, is not AI-generated, though it may seem too good to be true. Erika is the public engagement officer for the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. Prior to that, she was a lecturer and Communication Lab manager for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Before that, she spent 10 years managing outreach programs at MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and three years as education coordinator at the MIT Museum. Her first job after college was as an education specialist for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She is also an elected school committee member for Medford Public Schools in Massachusetts, and she and her wife have two children. With that background, it is not surprising that Erika says, “My big thing is interdisciplinary education, trying to make connections between different ways of thinking, which the world desperately needs right now. It’s where we make the most progress as a society.” Erika regularly promotes interdisciplinary thought and activity. At MIT, she is devoted to expanding connections among science, education and public discourse. “They all tend to get siloed, but astrophysics is an exciting field that combines physics, chemistry, math and computing, and there’s also room for art, culture and humanities,” she said. “I am inspired by how enthusiastic the astronomers I work with are about finding interesting ways to share what they love with the public.” Erika said the Reston community’s “live, work, play” motto “was well embedded in my 18 years growing up there.” At South Lakes, major influences on her thinking were class projects and enrichment activities she described as “extended learning opportunities that let us explore things beyond state standards and formal curricula. I really appreciate the ownership those experiences gave us. They helped me feel more confident, in direct contrast to how socially insecure I was.” Her appreciation of diverse areas of knowledge was fueled by many influences, but one she recalls fondly from South Lakes was when physics teacher Dr. Faruk El-Yussef “told me with absolute confidence that I would become ‘Dr. Erika’ and ‘take the physics world by storm someday.’” “I might not have become ‘Dr. Erika,’ but I did find my way back to physics. Astronomy, after all, is just physics in ‘de skies,’” she said with a chuckle. Erika’s wide-ranging background helped her realize that “I was never going to be happy just doing astrophysics. I need to engage other parts of my brain too. Living in Reston allowed me to explore multiple fields broadly and deeply, and what I want in my career and in life is to maintain that balance and to give other people, kids especially, those opportunities.” At MIT, Erika promotes exploration and learning in fields that may not immediately seem related. She and the astronomers she works with call astronomy a “gateway science” because, she said, “It is often people’s first entry point to STEM learning. Astrophysics is not an applied science that is necessarily going to impact people’s daily lives, but it offers inspiration and opportunities for critical thinking, which are both essential to positive engagement with the world.” Another major influence on Erika’s interest in connecting seemingly different aspects of life was the Reston Community Center Young Actors Theatre. “Being on stage, learning how to communicate in different ways, surrounding myself with creative people and seeing how teams work together to bring a project to life were skills that allowed me to build my career and my personal support network,” she said. “Being a camp counselor with Reston Association also helped me become a better leader and program developer more attuned to the wide range of students’ needs.” The importance of Erika’s work is evident as liberal arts increasingly become separated from the growing emphasis on technology and science. Erika is dedicated to demonstrating the importance of tying these seemingly different fields together. “I want to be a connector, bringing people and ideas together in ways that empower them,” she said. “I help my astronomers share their research with new audiences through things like planetarium shows and community events. As an elected official, I listen to what people in different parts of the school system are telling me about their experience and try to find common ground for improvements to policies and practices, structures that will allow us to customize learning experiences for every student.” Not surprisingly, Erika has even more plans. For the past year, she has been working to start the Medford School Arts Alliance, a nonprofit “friends” organization that supports visual and performing arts in and beyond the classroom. “Our driving goal is to give students positive experiences they might not otherwise have,” she said. “To me, the most rewarding moments are when someone tries something new and discovers something about themselves or the world that they maybe didn’t expect.”

By the Friends of the Reston Regional Library Staff at Reston Regional Library are all abuzz preparing for this year's Summer Reading Adventure. We caught up with the library's mascots, Beeatrix and Bobbee, to learn more about the program and what's happening at the library this summer. FRRL: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. Can you tell our readers a little about yourselves? Beeatrix: I'm Beeatrix, named after children's author Beatrix Potter. Bobbee: And I'm Bobbee, named after Reston founder Bob E. Simon. FRRL: For readers who can't see you right now, you're both bees. Beeatrix: We are. We've been the official mascots of Reston Regional Library for a couple of years. We think we were chosen because we love books almost as much as we love flowers. The staff has decorated the library with flowers, so it feels like home. We love seeing people check out books, attend programs, use the 3D printer and preserve family memories at the Memory Depot. There's always something happening here. FRRL: Tell us about the Summer Reading Adventure. We hear it has a paleontology and archaeology theme. Beeatrix: That's right. This year's theme is Unearth a Story™. Reading lets you dig into new ideas, places and people. You never know what you'll discover. FRRL: How does it work? Bobbee: Readers sign up, work toward reading goals and earn prizes. Local businesses have donated prize coupons, and participants can enter drawings for gift cards to Scrawl Books. FRRL: Can adults participate? Bobbee: Absolutely. Adults enjoy books, too, and they can earn prizes. The library is for everyone. FRRL: Are there special programs tied to the theme? Bobbee: Tons. There's the Subterranean Scavenger Hunt, Sew Your Own Dinosaur, Didgeridoo Down Under, the Really Big Dinosaur Puppet Show, Uno, Dos, Trés Andrés!, Ship Science and a Chinese dance performance. There's something for every age and interest. From Aug. 20-23, the Friends of the Library will host its Back-to-School Book Sale for children, teens and teachers. Summer readers can redeem coupons for free books during the sale. Then on Aug. 22, the library will celebrate with its End of Summer Reading and Back-to-School Bash, featuring crafts, music and family activities. Beeatrix: This year also marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the library is celebrating all summer long. June's theme is Voices of Pride and Progress, July's is Celebrate Independence, and August's is Youth and Education in America. There's also a separate America 250 reading challenge. Participants can complete an America 250 Bingo board by reading, listening to books and taking part in activities. Those who fill an entire card will be entered into prize drawings, including a Kindle and LEGO sets. FRRL: It sounds like there's something for everyone this summer. Any final thoughts? Bobbee: We hope people get excited about reading and all the discoveries waiting for them. Every book has something new to reveal, just like every person has a story to tell. Beeatrix: People and bees.

by Taruna Rijhwani, Health Watchers PT Each summer, many people become more active and begin noticing aches and stiffness that were easy to ignore during colder months. It often starts with mild back tightness, knee pain or soreness after a long walk. But as activity increases through travel, golf, tennis, hiking or other outdoor recreation, those small discomforts can become more noticeable. According to mobility and rehabilitation specialists, the activity itself is not always the cause of the problem. More often, increased movement exposes underlying issues that may have developed gradually over time. Long flights, road trips, sightseeing and extended time on your feet can place added stress on the body, especially for adults who have spent much of the year in less active routines. Common complaints include lower back pain after travel, sciatica symptoms and knee discomfort during exercise or walking. Many people respond by reducing activity altogether. While temporary rest may ease symptoms, experts say avoiding movement for long periods can contribute to increased stiffness, weakness and reduced mobility. Instead, specialists recommend addressing the underlying causes of pain early before they begin limiting daily activities. For active adults, particularly those older than 40, treatment often focuses on identifying mobility restrictions, correcting strength imbalances and improving movement patterns. In some cases, modifying activities temporarily can help reduce strain while maintaining overall fitness. Health professionals say mobility plays a critical role in maintaining independence and quality of life. As pain or stiffness worsens, people often begin limiting activities gradually, avoiding longer walks, travel or recreational sports. Experts encourage people experiencing persistent discomfort to seek evaluation before symptoms interfere with summer plans and everyday movement. Many clinics offer introductory consultations or mobility assessments designed to identify potential problem areas and recommend treatment or exercise strategies. The goal, specialists say, is not simply pain reduction but helping people stay active, travel comfortably and continue participating in the activities they enjoy. Health Watchers Physical Therapy & Wellness offers a complimentary Discovery Visit to help identify the root cause of aches or stiffness and give you a clear plan to stay active and pain-free this summer. Call or text 571-308-8252 to schedule.