At its first meeting of the 2024–2025 year, the Board of Governors (BoG), which manages the operation of the Lyon Park Community House and the park, elected new leadership. The ten BoG members (five representing the LPCA and five from the Woman’s Club) meet monthly to approve repairs and maintenance, review budgets, and manage the calendar of community events, such as the Halloween Bonfire and Chili Cook-off.

After 15 years, Jeannette Wick is stepping down as chairman of the BoG. (See write-up in the September 2024 newsletter.) Jeannette served during a particularly intense period, as the community embarked on a million-dollar renovation. She helped negotiate a creative loan, followed by relentless fundraising that allowed the mortgage to be retired early—just months before the Community Center closed down during Covid. 

The new chairman is David Newman, who first moved to Lyon Park in 1995. He and his wife Sara raised three daughters (Sharon, 24, Emily, 22, and Carolyn, 19), all attending APS. David recently retired after 34 years “lawyering” for the federal government, giving him more time to care for Jethro, the family’s Bagel (Basset Hound/Beagle). He keeps busy as a substitute teacher in APS, as well as volunteering with the Red Cross for deployment across the US in mass disaster care situations. 

Ann Reimers is also new to BoG leadership, elected vice-chairman. She moved to Lyon Park in 2017, living right on the park for five years. She moved a block from the park with her husband, Bruce Pitts, two years ago. Both are engineers, she a mechanical engineer, he a civil engineer. No doubt Ann’s background teaching mechanical/aerospace classes at UVa will come in handy in a century-old building.  

David and Ann are already hard at work, strategizing how to approach Lyon Park concerns for the next 100 years. Their initial goals are:

– Instill a greater sense of ownership of the community center among our Lyon Park neighbors, supported by more transparency and responsiveness on the part of the BoG, and publishing more volunteer opportunities related to community activities at the Community Center

– Improve customer satisfaction with renting the community center

– Continue to act as fiscally responsible stewards of our valuable community-owned property 

– Continue to host more neighborhood activities that build community and a sense of inclusion 

Rounding out the Board of Governors roster: 

LPCA Reps

Woman’s Club Reps

Be sure to thank them all for their service to our very special community!

By Paul Showalter

The 98th Spring Fair was a soggy success. While mother nature kept the park wet all day, the kids (and parents) made the best of it. With reimagined games, 2,400 sq. feet of tents, new food options, and a fabulous volunteer team, the day went off without a hitch. A new addition to the Spring Fair, the “Recycling Parade”, was a big hit with the kids. This was an event created “by kids for kids” by Sara and Sofia Cakici. 

The Rosenbaum’s (Darcy, John, and Benton) once again dug into their bag of tricks and tools and transformed the park into a magical playground for kids. New games like the “Bull Ringer”, “Hole in One” and the “Frog Flinger” were well received by participants as well as old favorites like the “Axe Throw” and the “Bean Bag Toss”.

Inside the community center, the Women’s Club bake sale sold out of all their goodies; we played numerous games of “Prize-A-Bout”, with kids winning baked goods and other prizes (I served as the event’s MC which I enjoyed immensely); we had face painting, cotton candy, popcorn, a huge prize table area, and plenty of seating for people buying lunch (those soft pretzels were tasty). 

This event, like every event at Lyon Park, could not happen without a large group of volunteers. Pat Schuck did an amazing job managing the kitchen and Kim Franklin and Sharon Showalter pitched in to be event cashiers. Many other neighbors stepped up to help and it was appreciated.

We had more than 16 high school volunteers with us on Friday and Saturday. One of your neighbors, Grace Abbott, volunteered for five hours on Friday night and then spent the entire day on Saturday helping with setup, running games, face painting, and then cleaning up. We even had a crew of elementary school students (Alex Peters, Benton Rosenbaum, Zev Keller, and Alexys & Alejandro Linder) running games and painting faces. All volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the rainy day to make sure everyone had fun. We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful neighborhood.

If you have a rising sophomore, junior or senior who wants to volunteer in the community, have them reach out to LyonParkEvents@gmail.com.. 

By Melissa Merson

Lyon Park is home to Arlington’s award-winning school-based youth triathlon program, now celebrating 20 years of teaching the swim-bike-run disciplines of triathlon. The before-school program for 3rd–5th graders at Long Branch Elementary School runs for 10 weeks each Spring. The training encourages children to have fun while participating in physical activities.

“Twenty years ago, triathlon was a new Olympic sport,” according to Melissa Merson, club founder and head coach. “Since then, we’ve trained hundreds of kids of all abilities in our program, which is a national role model for youth sports. We are grateful to Long Branch Elementary, its PTA, and the Lyon Park sponsors who have helped us to ensure no child ever is turned away.” 

The program’s USAT-certified coaches train kids for The Arlington Triathlon in Memory of Anne Viviani. The race is officially sanctioned by USA Triathlon. Arlingtonian Anne Viviani was one of the best triathletes in the world. She represented the U.S. in 37 world championships and three times won the long-course world championship and nine other national titles. Anne died tragically in 2018 while driving home from the USA National Duathlon with her husband Donn. A deer struck their vehicle, killing her instantly. Anne’s funeral at the Lyon Park Community Center drew hundreds of mourners from around the world. Anne’s family members will be presenting medals to the finishers.

The Arlington County Board has issued a proclamation honoring the Arlington Triathlon Club’s 20-year milestone. The Arlington Triathlon draws youth ages 7–15 from across the metropolitan Washington area. Spectators are welcome at the race, which is part of USA Triathlon’s Virginia-Maryland State Youth Triathlon Series. 

For information on race sponsorships contact: arlingtontriathlonclub@gmail.com. Please support the club by purchasing a meal at Troy’s Italian Kitchen all day Sat. June 8th (you are welcome to carry it to join the club lunch in the park at noon.)  Lyon Park kids enjoy 20% off race registration until 6/6 for the triathlon on Sunday, June 9th at W-L Pool. Use code LongBranch20 when you register at:  https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Arlington/ArlingtonTriathlon. 

By Tatiana Baquero Cakici

We are excited to announce that the Recycling Parade, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 2024, has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 18, 2024, which will take place concurrently with the Lyon Park’s Spring Fair for your convenience. We hope that you can join us on the new date!

The Recycling Parade is an environmental conservation project from seven-year-old Sara Cakici, a resident of Lyon Park and a first-grade student of the Arlington Traditional School (ATS). The event will involve encouraging both children and adults to participate in fun activities using recyclable or recycled materials from home, followed by a parade through Lyon Park, where participants will march enthusiastically, displaying their signs promoting recycling and demonstrating their dedication to sustainable living.

The Recycling Parade will feature a variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Sara is especially excited to announce three main activities for kids and their families:

Poster Station: Kids can get creative and design their own posters with eco-friendly messages to promote recycling and sustainability during the parade.

Cute Bunny Crafts Station: A fun crafting station where kids can make adorable bunny-themed crafts using recyclable materials.

The 3 “Rs” Rule Station: Learn about the 3 “Rs” of sustainability—reduce, reuse, recycle—and participate in interactive games and activities to reinforce these concepts.

Sara’s family and friends are supporting her to make this important event a reality; especially her 5-year-old sister, Sofia Cakici, who will be the leader of the Cute Bunny Crafts Station. 

Kids who participate in any of the activities will receive “tickets” that can be exchanged for prizes at the Spring Fair! We encourage everyone to mark their calendars for Saturday, May 18, 2024, and join us for a day of fun, learning, and community spirit at Lyon Park. More details about the event schedule and additional activities will be shared closer to the date.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for making Lyon Park a greener, more sustainable community. We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Fair and the Recycling Parade!  In Sara’s own words: “please come to my event to make the world and Lyon Park a greener place!” 

By Gary Putnam

Well, it’s over for another year! After a very noisy finale, the debacle known as the 2024 Lyon Park Chili Cookoff went off about as feared on Sunday, March 3. The usual raucous and rowdy occasion was probably worse this year. The noise level was so high, it flushed birds from the nearby trees.  Some of that fright came because of the chili pots that neighbors from Ashton Heights and Lyon Park brought to this year’s Cookoff. It was a mixed bag as usual. Some were noteworthy because of unexpected excellence. Some were distinct because they weren’t really that bad and some were…well, as one of the three judges said, “smelled like a damp thrift store!”

Ranking was done by popular vote, notes added are from a veteran team of three chili heads who sampled every single chili—some, more than once when disagreements arose. Tums and Gas-X were generously provided by Paul Showalter who, of course, had to resort to bribes and furnish Tums for anyone to even try his chili. 

Hauling off top honors this year was Sebastian John (Pot # 4) with a very traditional red called “Southern Red”. One of the more serious chilis of the event, it was a standout with multi-layered flavors.

Second place (Pot #17)  was Laureen Daly’s “Silly Chili” which was a dark, “visually interesting” Venison-Chorizo deep red with a pronounced punch of heat.

Third place (Pot # 16) was Mark & Tricia Montgomery’s “Highland Street Classic” traditional style meat and beans with a ketchup-and-taco flavor…in a good way!

(Pot # 18) “Baby Got Chili” by David Morgan was the highest placing veggie chili. Corn, veggies, deep interesting red and sweet. Very notable, according to the judges.

(Pot # 1) “Pork Shoulder” by Dave Schutz, smooth finish, good meat taste. 

(Pot # 2) “Hel Has Fury” by Helen White, very creative, complex, sweet & tangy butternut squash with black beans.

(Pot # 3) “Good ole Fashion Chili” by Ann Reimers, a classic meat,” gluten free, no beans, low fodmap” can’t ask for much more than that!

(Pot # 5) “Reapers Roast” by Murray Jacobson, beef and veggie with a finishing kick.

(Pot # 6) “Eliza’s Famous Cincinnati Chili” by Matt and Eliza Hall. A sweet and smoky version of a famous chili with floral overtones.

(Pot # 7) “Nanna’s Best” by Ethan and Bess Zelle, judges: a mildly seasoned all-day-eating chili.

(Pot # 8) “Better Than Canned” by Paul Showalter. Barely.

(Pot # 9) “The Day After Tomorrow” by Ethan and Bess Zelle. A spicy red with a lingering tingle of heat that danced on the tongue.

(Pot # 10) “Deathbed Chili” by Amanda Hawkins, a spicy red aromatic . Said by the maker to be the one chili you would ask for as your last meal. This recipe is a legend in the mind of it’s maker.

(Pot # 11) “A Mother’s Love” by Gary Putnam. This bowl of red was so subtle that only a mother could love it. It was so underwhelming that it got only one vote (tieing for dead last). That single vote did not come from the maker. He wisely chose someone else’s! How would you feel to know that the world loves EVERYBODY elses more than yours?

(Pot # 12) “Uncontrolled Wildfire” by Elliott and Marlene Mandel. Sweet notes of caramel and lots of beans with an attitude.

(Pot # 13) “Papa’s Campfire Chili” by Dorothy Atewologun. Bison, jalapeños, onions and beans. What more do you need? A very good pot.

(Pot # 14) “Mama And Papa’s Chili” by Tom and Elizabeth Sheehy. Straightforward traditional bowl of well-balanced red. Safe for families.

(Pot # 15) “Drunken Chicken Chili” by John and Kim Franklin. Really sophisticated hints of smoke and cinnamon spiced chicken. The judges noted that most bowls of chili benefit from the proximity of beer and bourbon.

(Pot # 18) “Baby Got Chili” by David Morgan. A veggie chili which placed really high in the popular vote. The judges reluctantly praised it in spite of it being a spin-off from last year’s vegetarian winner. Judges admitted that it looked good and tasted good. Unexpectedly corny, red and sweet.

(Pot # 19) “One Hot Grandma” by Elizabeth Wray. Perfectly done meat, very spicy and aromatic served in an early electric warmer that must be over a half century old. It was so old that Alva Edison had carved his initials in it.

The chili credentials have been awarded for 2024 and so its time to fade back into our double-wides for another year and work on those or hopefully better recipes for next year’s cookoff. 

By Jeannette Wick

The annual Valentine’s Day Cupcake Sale was a roaring success on February 10th, 2024. Neighbors appeared as soon as we opened the door on Friday afternoon for our early bird sales, and more than half of our cupcakes evaporated before the 7:00 PM closing time. Members of the not-just-for-Woman’s club opened the doors again at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning and declared the sale closed shortly after 11 when almost all of the cupcakes had been sold. Two students from Yorktown High School, Catalina and Emily, also helped, and those kids could sell honey to a bee. As always, the Red Velvet Chip cupcakes were best sellers for this romantic holiday, and this year’s surprise early sellout was the Cookies ‘n Cream cupcake.

We hear the same questions all the time, with the most frequently asked question being, “Did you bake all of these cupcakes?” Of course we did! This year a team of approximately 10 people shopped for, mixed, baked, frosted, and sold the 900 cupcakes that the neighborhood demands on such an occasion. It took roughly seven hours. The large kitchen at the Community Center becomes a veritable cloud of confectioner’s sugar perfused with the aroma of whatever variety of cupcake is parked in the ovens at the moment.

One of the biggest issues with the cupcake sale or almost any event in Lyon Park is our reliance on volunteers. For this event, the event organizer was a little bit nervous until the day before we were scheduled to bake. We were fortunate enough to have a sufficient number of volunteers. Our biggest need is for people who can frost. Handling a frosting bag is a mechanical art that takes a little bit of practice, so if you are a candidate to frost a few 100 cupcakes for the next cupcake sale, speak up!

Speaking of the next cupcake sale, we need to ensure that we have volunteers lined up. Be on the lookout for emails asking for help. The next cupcake sale will be March 30th! 

Two important issues were discussed at the January 10 LPCA meeting, held at 7:00 pm at the Lyon Park Community Center. Members were given a comprehensive review of the work of the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and we had an in-depth discussion of the new stormwater fee that took effect 12/31/2023.

First up, representing the Community Engagement Division (CED) of the ACPD, Officer Hicken reviewed statistics for the county over the past year. Though crime stats are up in Arlington, crime is actually down in Lyon Park and its neighboring areas, notably lower in destruction of property and auto break-ins. Officer Hicken stressed the importance of locking your car and not leaving garage door openers or extra house keys where thieves can access them. Seems so basic, but it happens all too frequently. Auto thefts remain higher than in previous years, many involving delivery drivers who leave vehicles unattended. 

The officer opened the floor to questions, and the members present had plenty of them. In response to comments about specific dangerous intersections and/or traffic spots, Hicken recommends citizens request support for a Traffic Accident Reduction Program study, for which it receives grants from the state. Arlington has been quite successful in reducing traffic incidents through this program, which is part of the county’s Vision Zero project. Here is the link to request support: https://arlingtonva.qscend.com/311/request/add
Some issues, such as live/double parking, fall under the jurisdiction of transportation and parking, while ACPD focuses on emergencies. 

In response to questions about smash-and-grab shoplifting incidents, which are certainly on the rise, the officer shared that many retailers choose not to report these thefts, handling them internally, so the data is incomplete. Responding to a question about recent incidents at W-L, Hicken noted that the ACPD has less visibility of the issues as School Resource Officers are no longer on campus. Through the CED, Arlington Police encourage school engagement, including school visits, coffee with a cop, and ride-alongs, which can be requested through the website. 

Our guest speaker from Ashton Heights had to reschedule the presentation on the new stormwater fees until February, but neighbors Elaine Simmons and John Ausink, familiar with the program’s features, were able to step in and answer questions. Most homes in Lyon Park will be assessed at $258 (or one ERU), while homes with oversized footprints will be assessed higher. This fee replaces the Sanitary District Tax. Since it is a fee, the burden will hit tax-exempt entities, such as religious institutions, charities, and even the Lyon Park Community Center, which will now pay $774 per year. You can find your home’s ERU value on the county website here: https://arlgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=00ea7985a519498ba8da3f2b52bd5b43

Lots of other issues discussed, so join us in February for more great neighborhood updates.