Community Update (11/1/22)
Save the Date: Thanksgiving Celebration on Friday, November 18
Please plan on joining ANV friends to celebrate Thanksgiving for dinner on Friday, November 18 at 5pm at St. Andrew’s Church. With your safety in mind, the meal will be catered versus the potluck we have enjoyed in the past. The menu will feature a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Dinner will be at 5pm, but please join us early to enjoy good cheer and thanksgiving wishes. Call the ANV office to register at 703 509-8057 or email office@arlnvil.org. Details below.
Missing Middle Conversation
On Wednesday, November 9, the Committee of 100 is holding an online meeting on Missing Middle housing. In its Missing Middle Housing study, the County Board has proposed modifying regulations to expand the availability of multiple-unit housing styles such as duplex and 4-plexes. In its November program the Committee of 100 will examine the potential impacts on two parts of Arlington’s population: school-age children and seniors. Registration required
ANV Office Closed November 11th
The ANV Office will be closed on Friday November 11 for the Veterans Day Holiday.
Dominion Guild Merry Market
We are pleased to announce that the Dominion Guild has selected ANV and 6 other local non-profit organizations to be the beneficiaries of their Merry Market held on November 15 and 16 at the Knights of Columbus Club, 5115 Little Falls Road, Arlington. This holiday bazaar charity benefit will include 25 specialty boutiques. Tickets are $15 at the door on Wednesday, November 16; a special reception is planned for Tuesday evening, with tickets priced at $35. More information and hours of operation are available at Dominion Guild. Please show your support for non-profits in Arlington by supporting the Merry Market!
COVID Booster Shots and Flu Vaccine for Adults
Now is the time to get your COVID booster shot and flu vaccine. Make an appointment online with Arlington County Public Health though the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS). If you need ADA accommodations or require assistance scheduling your appointment with Arlington County Public Health, call 703-228-7999.
Additional opportunities to get COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available in and around Arlington through pharmacies and other medical providers—visit vaccines.gov to find a location near you.
Medicare Open Enrollment
Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is the one time each year when Medicare beneficiaries can make changes in their Medicare plan enrollment. The OEP is available between October 15-December 7, with plan changes taking effect January 1st. The County VICAP Program offers resources and counselors to help you navigate your choices. Details below.
Early Voting Has Started
Election day is Tuesday, November 8, but you can still vote early in Arlington and cast your ballot at one of three locations: Courthouse, Walter Reed Community Center or Madison Community Center. Check before you head to the polls to be sure that you are familiar with the hours of operation and that you will need some form of ID. More information on hours for these locations can be found here. If you need a ride to the polls, call the office at 703-509-8057 or email Office@arlnvil.org.
ANV Has a New Website and Web Address
We have launched our new website – please visit www.ANVarlington.org. You will notice new content and photos. We are including the Community Updates on the Home Page so you can easily access this publication without searching through your in-box, and there is a new Events calendar where you can easily find ANV event details and Zoom links.
New Members
- Stay Tuned
New Volunteers
- Van Ngo
Activities
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar at www.ANVarlington.org/events so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
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Weekly Events
Zoom Practice Session
If you need some extra help getting familiar with Zoom, just call or email office@arlnvil.org and we will set you up with a volunteer who can help you hone your skills.
Tai Chi: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
ANV Tai Chi is meeting outdoors, or if inclement weather indoors at Saint George’s Episcopal Church in Virginia Square. Outdoors will be at the Maury Park East space on Wilson Blvd. between the vape shop and the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Those who drive may park in the Arlington Arts Center lot towards the rear. If you are interested in joining this practice (not instruction), please contact Anita Wallgren at awallgren@gmail.com or (202) 674-5553 to get weekly emails with the plan for the week.
Bocce: Mondays at 5 pm
Join weekly Bocce on Monday afternoons at 5:00 pm; games last approximately one hour. In addition to the two sets of bocce balls, we now have two new sets of boules. Bocce is played every Monday at the courts on the corner of Randolph St. & N. Glebe Rd. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter parking garage for $1. All levels of bocce skills and experience are welcome. Everyone gets to play. Contact John Thomas for more information at Thomas-johnr@comcast.net.
ANV Board Games Day: Thursday, November 3 at 2pm
Happy Hour: Thursdays, 5–7 pm
Monthly Events
Men’s Lunch Bunch, November 11 at noon
The Men’s Lunch Bunch will get together on Friday, November 11 at noon at the Green Pig Bistro in Clarendon. Green Pig Bistro offers classic bistro fare with an American touch. The lunch menu includes small bites, sandwiches and salads. The complete menu can be found at www.greenpigbistro.com. Green Pig Bistro is located at 1025 North Fillmore Street in the heart of Clarendon. There is limited free parking on level P1 in the building where the restaurant is located. Two-hour metered street parking is also available. Please RSVP to Tim Burns at www.tfxb23@yahoo.com or by calling him at 571-224-4546.
Ladies Lunch
Because of the Holiday season, there will not be a Ladies Lunch in November or December. Instead, we hope that attendees will attend the Thanksgiving celebration on November 18 and Holiday celebration on December 16.
Pop Up Picnic (PPP)
Friday, November 25, location TBD. It looks like there will be one more Pop Up Picnic before the cold weather forces us to hibernate until next spring. Regular attendees are voting with their feet and agree to get together the day after Thanksgiving to enjoy leftovers and get some fresh air. Much appreciation and thanks to John and Mencit Thomas for organizing and entertaining us this year as we discovered gems in Arlington. For more information, contact John Thomas at Thomas-johnr@comcast.net.
Page Turners
Page Turners will be on hiatus for November due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Educational Offerings
Arlington Public Library Programs
The Library has several events planned for November; please visit their website to see the calendar of events. The Library staff have curated events from the 55+ Program, Encore Learning and elsewhere to make it easy to find something that will pique your interest.
Museums and Other Exhibits
It’s Fall and there are many new shows and special exhibits happening/opening in our culturally-rich metropolitan area. You can catch up on the latest exhibits which are listed in the Friday Weekend section of the Washington Post.
National Museum of the American Indian: Preston Singletary: “Raven and the Box of Daylight” through January 29. Learn the story of the Raven, the creator of the world and giver of the stars, moon, and sun, through an immersive exhibition of glass artwork and projected images paired with original music and Pacific Northwest soundscapes. Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW.
Get Ready for the Holidays
The US Army Band will be in-person for this year’s US Army American Holiday Festival at DAR Constitution Hall, December 2, 3, and 4.
Free tickets available November 1 at 10 AM while supplies last.
Wellness
Where to Go for Care: November 18 at 11am on Zoom
Have an Urgent Medical Need? Knowing where to go for care when you’re not feeling well, and arriving at the right medical facility can make a difference in your recovery. Learn the differences between receiving care at an ER, trauma center, urgent care, immediate care, and primary care. Where should you go and why? What services can you expect and what is each facility equipped to handle? When should you call 911 rather than drive yourself? Explore all of these questions with Antonio Eppolito, MD, family practice physician who has extensive experience in outpatient, inpatient, and active duty medical settings. Register for this VHC November Healthy Aging Lecture.
Medicare Open Enrollment
Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is the one time each year when Medicare beneficiaries can make changes in their Medicare plan enrollment. The OEP is available between October 15-December 7, with plan changes taking effect January 1st. Why should you pay attention to this?
- Plans may change their costs, the drugs they cover, or withdraw out of Medicare entirely each calendar year. When a plan stops covering a drug, it shifts the financial cost to the client, leaving the client responsible for the full cost of the drug, if they remain enrolled in the same plan.
- During OEP, using the Medicare Plan Finder, beneficiaries can assess and make changes to their health insurance coverage, to include adding, dropping, or changing their Medicare Advantage or Part D Prescription Drug Plan. They can also assess Medigap policies.
- The Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) can help beneficiaries navigate the information provided on the Medicare Plan Finder and select a plan that is best for them. Get in Touch with VICAP 1 of 3 ways:
- By calling 703-228-1725
- By visiting their website
- By sending an email to MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
VICAP is hosting several workshops through the 55+ Program. Please see Page 11 of the Fall Guide for a class near you.
Achoo! Seasonal allergies are here!
Those of you who have been cleaning up your gardens, perhaps raking leaves, and then began to sneeze, may be experiencing fall allergies. While spring is the biggest culprit, bringing on sniffles, itchy eyes, stuffed up nose, be aware that fall allergies are surging says Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist from NYU Health. Other allergists point out that the biggest trigger seems to be ragweed, which blooms in August and peaks in mid-September but can grow into November. Apparently just one plant can release one billion grains of pollen, which can irritate and inflame the sinuses. And guess what? The East Coast is a favored place for ragweed to grow.
But, don’t underestimate fallen leaves! Leaf mold, on leaves that fall and decay, can bring on the same annoying symptoms. The symptoms sound very similar to a cold or Covid-19; if you are not sure, do a home Covid test. And while cold symptoms come on suddenly, run its course then go, allergies can stay on for 4 to 8 weeks. Allergies do not usually cause fever, body aches or gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea (unlike colds or Covid or the flu). A telltale allergy sign is itchiness, in ears, eyes, throats and noses, and sometimes, skin rashes.
While allergies generally are just annoying, it is important to monitor your symptoms, especially because allergies can trigger asthma, a very serious respiratory condition. Be aware, and if allergies are interfering with your daily like, please seek professional medical assessment. Allergy tests to determine what your personal allergies are may reveal that you would benefit from allergy medicine ranging from over-the-counter nasal sprays and eye drops, oral antihistamines to in more intense cases, under the tongue immunotherapy wafers or even allergy injections for longer term relief. Be guided by your health care provider.
One new, not-so-fun fact about allergies is that the allergy seasons have “almost doubled” in length and gotten more intense because of climate change!! Higher carbon dioxide emissions push plants to release larger amounts of pollen, thus allergies are feeling a lot worse than they used to according to Kenneth Mendez of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. As temperatures stay warmer longer, plants can continue to grow and release pollen. Cities usually are warmer than outlying areas, due to the “urban heat island effect” of close buildings and pavements, thus allergies may be worse in cities wherever ragweed flourishes.
What strategies can we use to cope with allergies? Basically, by keeping the pollen outside of the house. Changing clothes after gardening/raking. Keeping windows closed, especially on sunny, windy days when pollen counts are high. Remove your shoes at the door. Showering. Special filters called HEPA air filters can help clean indoor air and remove mold and dander. Vacuuming more frequently. Washing sheets and pillow cases more often. Use aloe tissues!
(The above facts were relayed as reported in the New York Times, 10/18/22)
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