The Barcroft News
September, 1996 - Volume 94, Number 1
Group Home Asks for Special Use Permit
A special BSCL meeting was scheduled to be held late in August
on the subject of a proposal by Vanguard Services to operate a
group home at 4317 S. Sixth Street.
Vanguard contacted the BSCL to tell us they want to buy the house
for a program for women recovering from substance abuse. The house
is a large white one on a pipestem lot near the corner of Sixth
and Taylor.
The program would need a special use permit, which would be voted
on by the Arlington County Board of Commissioners; probably later
this fall.
Members of the BSCL board checked and found that Vanguard has
been well received in the neighborhood where they are now operating.
The 6th Street house would have about 15 mothers and 5 to 7 children,
with as many as 22 total residents, plus staff in three shifts,
around the clock.
Vanguard officials said the residents do not have cars and would
not receive visitors at the house.
The News went to press a week before the scheduled meeting, but
we are printing articles presenting two opposing viewpoints on
page 3. The question could come up again at the September BSCL
meeting, which is ostensibly an open house for new neighbors.
For more meeting information, please call BSCL President Jim Kerr.
Barcrofters Give Opposing Perspectives on Home
Structured Program Deserves Consideration
by Eileen Melia, Sixth Street
I have always seen group homes as a source of hope, strength and
support for the individuals who are in need. To me, group homes
are built around the premise that clients are seeking a way of
bettering themselves. (A Demeter client said so succinctly: "We
are not bad people. We are sick people trying to get well.")
Therefore, when I heard that a house on my block was being considered
for a group home use permit, I wanted to seek the actual facts
and details of the program and the clients it would serve.
Vanguard staff and the clients of Demeter House have welcomed
my inquiries with both warmth and openness. They have listened
to both my questions and concerns. I actually have spent over
eight hours in this process and viewed the program for two hours.
This is what I found:
· Demeter House is a residential program addressing the needs
of mothers with a substance abuse problem. It is staffed 24 hours
a day. Emphasis of the program is "to empower our clients
to reenter the community as responsible parents and citizens,
to reduce their reliance upon government support and to break
the cycle of addiction."
· The client is in a highly structured daily program. (They
are never free to roam in the neighborhood.) There is peer group
support and in-house community accountability
· Clients may have one child with them during their
stay. The house maintains a healthy environment for both mother
and child. There is parenting education, communication techniques,
nutrition counseling and life skills training.
· No on-site visitation is allowed.
Now, why does Demeter House want to relocate?
· The current program is housed in two houses separated by
an alley and kitchen facilities are in only one of the houses.
The alley is a public right-of-way.
· The land available at the present site is not enough to
build an adequate facility. The houses are old, do not have central
air conditioning and require more staff.
As a mother myself, if I had to choose where I would raise my
family, I would consider one large house to be superior.
The other night when I spoke (at a mid-August meeting on the proposed
group home), a number of questions came up. I am currently trying
to research some answers. What I have found out so far is:
· Realtors must indeed reveal that there is a group home
in the area.
· National trends do not support the belief that property
values decrease when a group home is in the neighborhood.
· The two new homes that abut Demeter House on South Monroe
Street sold for prices in the mid-$230,000s.
· The process that Vanguard is involved with is the process
required of all seeking this type of use permit.
· Perhaps we have a misperception of where group homes are
located -- it might well be that North Arlington currently has
more group homes than South Arlington.
While there are legitimate concerns regarding the number of clients
in the house and the environmental impact (i.e., cars, trash,
upkeep of property), these are concerns that the neighborhood
can negotiate. For me personally, people have always been of the
utmost importance. My faith leads me to ask myself: "What
is the decent human thing to do?"
At the mid-August meeting, the question of compassion arose. Webster
defines compassion as "the deep feeling of sharing the suffering
of another, together with the inclination to give aid or support
or to show mercy." Is Barcroft willing to be a compassionate
neighbor and be part of the solution to the substance abuse problem?
Demeter House is Too Big for Sixth Street
by a group of Sixth Street Residents
Many of us Barcrofters are opposed to the special use permit being
proposed for the new location of Demeter House. We are highly
supportive of rehabilitation programs like that at Demeter House
-- we support our community through taxes, charitable contributions,
and involvement in countless civic, religious and charitable organizations.
We simply believe that use of a single family home for this large
institution is inappropriate and will adversely and permanently
affect the nature of our community as we know it.
Our opposition to the plan is based on several concerns. First,
the plan has far too many people for a single-family dwelling.
Demeter House's plan calls for 22 residents in a six-month program
supported by a permanent staff. The result will be at least 44
new neighbors (22 for two six-month periods) in a single home,
each year. Add to this the resident staff required to support
a 24-hour facility, plus visiting administrative or management
staff, and we face an enormous impact on the population of South
6th Street. Fewer than 60 residents now occupy homes on the block
of South 6th Street bounded by Taylor and Wakefield. At any given
time, the residents and staff of Demeter House will increase our
population by 40 percent. This is simply too many people for one
house in the middle of a quiet neighborhood with single-family
homes.
Second, Demeter House will cause a fundamental change in the character
of our neighborhood. The people who live near the property proposed
for Demeter House chose their homes because they were situated
in a quiet, residential area. Demeter House will place a large
institution in the middle of our single family neighborhood. The
appearance of our neighborhood will change as the house and grounds
are modified to accommodate residents and staff. Unquestionably,
traffic and activity in our neighborhood will increase significantly
with all the support (trash, food service, care givers, administrators,
etc.) needed to operate and maintain such a large institution.
Finally, we believe Demeter House poses risks to the safety and
stability of our modest, middle-class neighborhood and threatens
property values. Many here have established roots in Barcroft,
formed friendships with neighbors and spent much time and money
to buy and improve our homes. Some neighbors, uncomfortable with
the use of the house and the increased density, will move out,
altering long-time friendships forever. As property values fall,
home improvements will cease and many Barcrofters will experience
financial losses they simply cannot afford or recover from. The
risks are real: If we lose the character of the neighborhood,
friends and neighbors depart, and our property values decline,
there is no one to help us or replace our loss. The r1~trim~ntal
effect and risks associated with this plan are unacceptable to
our neighborhood.
Fall Festival to Feature Music, Dunking Tank
A neighborhood festival featuring live music, children's games,
food and a dunking tank will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, at the
Barcroft Community House.
The first annual Fall Festival, sponsored by the Barcroft School
and Civic League, will begin at 4 p.m. and is a fund-raising event
to benefit the renovation fund for the Community House.
Some of the finest chefs in Barcroft will prepare roasted pork,
barbecued chicken and hot dogs. Beans, salad, soda and beer also
will be included.
Entertainment will include live music, children's games and face
painting. A special attraction will be a dunking tank where you
will have the opportunity to dunk your favorite (least-favorite?)
BSCL officer.
For those with a creative flair, there will be a cake decorating
contest and cake raffle to follow. The decoration should represent
a Barcroft or Washington-area theme. Cakes will be judged and
then raffled off to benefit the renovation fund.
Admission will be $8 for adults, $4 for children under 12. In
addition, tickets will be sold at $1 each for the dunking
booth and the cake raffle.
To make this event a success, we need your help! We need neighbors
to donate food: coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni
salad, cakes or other desserts. In addition, we need volunteers
to help: two adults to supervise children's games, six adults
or teenagers to help set up and six adults or teenagers to help
clean up. To volunteer, call Tom Palance before Sept. 12.
Date: Sunday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m.
$3 Dues for BSCL Members -- Pay Now!
With September upon us, it's time again to pay dues for the Barcroft
School and Civic League. Dues this year have increased to $3 per
person ($6 per couple).
Use the enclosed insert and mail your dues or drop a check off
at the home of BSCL Treasurer Dave Voorhees, 201 S. Pershing.
Or bring your dues to the first meeting in September.
Dues-paying members can vote on election of officers. In addition,
the larger our paid membership, the more easily BSCL can claim
to represent the neighborhood when dealing with county or other
officials.
Community House for Rent; Rates Listed
Looking for a place to hold a meeting, class or wedding? The Community
House, located at the corner of South Buchanan and South Eighth
Street, is available for rent to Barcroft residents. Tom Palance,
activities manager of the Community House, should be contacted
if interested in making a reservation. His email address is jzflug@aol.com.
The money raised helps to pay for the restoration of the Community
House.
Hourly Rates for 1996 are as follows:
Community Event, proceeds to Community House: FREE
Weddings, receptions, private party: $45 (members), $75 (non-members)
Business meeting, class, recital: $20 (members), $35 (non-members)
Deadline for Voter Registration is Oct. 5
Neighborhoods with lots of nonvoters somehow tend to be ignored.
If you are not registered, or have just moved here, now is the
time to register at your Barcroft address. Call the county's voter
registration office at 358-3456 for information. The deadline
to be registered for the fall election is Oct. 5.
Barcroft News Staff
Editor: Phil Cackley
Publisher/Mailing: Angie Woodward
Advertising Manager: Alicia P. Cackley
Neighborhood News: Kathy Kerr
Contributions Editor: Barbara Guglielmo
Deadlines: 1st (ads) or 10th (editorial material) day of
the month preceding the issue month.
BSCL Officers for 1996-97
President Jim Kerr
Vice President David Michaelson
Recording Secy.: Lisa Palance
Treasurer: Dave Voorhees,
Corres. Secy.: Mark Wigfield,
Membership Secy.: Peg Lefebvre
Board Members: Scott Allard, Scott Brinitzer, Tom Palance, Randy Swart
Community House Facility Mgr.: Tom Palance
Crime Resistance: Chris Monek
Landscaping: Scott Brinitzer
Neigh. Conserv.: David Michaelson
Restoration: Jim Kerr
Restoration Funding Drive: Bill Huddleston
Signs Manager: Jack Turner
Traffic: Vincent Millin
The Barcroft News is printed by the Stanley Adams Printing
Company.
Call the Barcroft Neighborline
521-1116
Get the latest information
Barcroft on the Internet: http://www.bhsi.org/index.htm
4th of July Parade is Cool, For A Change
The parade this year was a smashing success, helped along by the
coolest July 4th anyone could remember. We paraded, with Ellen
Bozman of the Arlington County Board as our official reviewer.
Then we ate and drank, with food organized by David Michaelson,
with help from our State Assembly Delegate Karen Darner and whole
crew of others.
With Kathy Kerr MC-ing, we heard music, a reading of the Declaration
of Independence by Richard Slater and the Star Spangled Banner
sung by Elizabeth Keller.
-Bill Huddleston told us all about the fundraising drive that
is getting underway for the Community House restoration. Susan
Christopher presented a check for $500 that she donated to the
Community House Fund when she sold her house to Alicia and Phil
Cackley, who themselves donated another $200!
Barbara Swart sold the new cookbook, the new note cards and our
red Barcroft tee shirts to help with the fundraising. There was
face painting and indoors we had a Parade Mural done by the kids,
led by Nancy Tankersley (whose watercolor "Before the Parade"
graces our new note cards).
We also had a demo of the Barcroft Neighborhood Home Page on the
Internet. Then a quick cleanup and we were all gone by about 2
p.m., leaving behind a lot of lifetime childhood memories.
Thanks to Mary Anne O'Rourke and her many helpers for a great
parade! There are parade pictures up on our Web page at http://www.bhsi.org/index.htm.
Many Thanks Go to 4th of July Parade Donors
Once again this year, many lucky parade attendees went home with
a little more than they came with, thanks to the generosity of
local merchants who donated raffle prizes. Prizes ranged from
practical items such as lawn mowing, dry cleaning or an oil change
to treats like ice cream cake or dinner for two.
The merchants who donated are listed below. Please be sure to
patronize them whenever possible and let them know we appreciate
their support of the BSCL. The following businesses donated items:
Atlacatl restaurant, Brenners Bakery, Colour Oasis. Columbia Pike
Automotive, Country Curtains, Cowboy Cafe, Crystal Thai, Green
Acres yard service, Ledo Pizza-Columbia Pike, Outback Steakhouse,
Partyline Ice Cream, and New Forest Valet cleaners.
Essay Writer Says Barcroft is Friendly
The 4th of July Parade featured an essay contest on the theme,
"Why I Like Barcroft." Here is one of the winners. Additional
winners will be printed in succeeding Barcroft News issues
through the rest of the fall.
Barcroft is a very special place to be with so many neat things
to do. But why is it a special place to be? And what neat things
do we do? These questions and more will be answered in the following
essay.
One of the things that makes Barcroft great is that it has a lot
of fun things to do. For example: there's a lot of shady woods
where kids can play by the creek. It is also fun because many
of the streets aren't busy. You can go riding your bike almost
any time you want. Barcroft is fun with so many neat things to
do.
Barcroft is also great for all the people. There are so many kids
to play with and so much room for the kids to play in. It's always
great at parties and other special occasions because of all the
people that come. Barcroft is a very friendly place to be.
Barcroft is also nice because of all of the parties. Some of the
best ones are the Christmas party, the Spaghetti Dinner and the
4th of July. The Christmas party is nice because we get candy
canes and get to play around outside. The spaghetti dinner is
great because of the delicious spaghetti. The 4th of July is the
best. It has all kinds of fun games that everyone can play and
we get to go on a really fun march around the neighborhood.
Barcroft is a really special place to be.
Caroline Kerr, age 9
Around the Neighborhood with Kathy Kerr
Congratulations to rising scientist Veronica Moreno, who lives
on South Buchanan Street. Veronica's research about seed germination
took second place at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Science
Fair last spring. Later, her paper was submitted to and accepted
by the Junior Honor Science Academy.
Along with other selected middle school and high school students
from across the state, Veronica journeyed to the University of
Virginia. There, she presented her paper, "Too Wet to Grow,"
to scientists. This fall, Veronica is starting 9th Grade at Washington-Lee
High School. She is the daughter of Cathy and Osman Moreno.
*********
Welcome to some of Barcroft's newest neighbors, the Rev. Mason
Cosby and family, who moved this summer onto 3rd Street South.
Cosby is the new pastor at Arlington Forest Methvvvodist Church,
across the "street" from Barcroft on Arlington Boulevard.
His wife, Claire, is a school psychologist in Fairfax.
The Cosbys have three children. Sarah, 23, is completing her degree
in religion at Virginia Commonwealth University. Sallie, 21, attends
Hollins College in Roanoke. James, 18, is starting this fall at
East Carolina University.
Rev. Cosby comes to Arlington after having served at the Great
Falls United Methodist Church. He is originally from Chesterfield
County, Virginia and received degrees from Ferrum, Randolph Macon
College, Duke Divinity School and Scarritt College. He has been
involved in building and expanding facilities in six churches.
The Cosby family enjoys picnics, fishing, sightseeing, singing,
and playing Scrabble.
Contributions Editor Seeks Articles, Letters
Barbara Guglielmo has graciously volunteered to serve as Contributions
Editor for the Barcroft News. She and her husband, Daniel, moved
into the neighborhood three months ago.
When not working on the newsletter, Barbara splits her time between
the public policy office of the American Psychological Association
and pursuing a doctorate in sociology at Catholic University.
If you are interested in contributing articles for upcoming editions
of the News, call Barbara.
Foxes Trapped, Moved Out of North Barcroft
Barcroft neighbors in the vicinity of Pershing Drive and First
Street noted a sudden increase in the fox population, with two
adults and cubs appearing in early summer.
Concern about possible threats to children playing outdoors and
to pets led a number of Barcrofters to call the Animal Welfare League, which
initially was reluctant to intervene but eventually permitted
trapping of the adults and moving them. (They told some callers
that children outdoors should be supervised if they are too young
to know better than to approach a fox, and that pets should not
be wandering around outside unsupervised either. Bet you didn't
know that.) If you see wild animals in the neighborhood that are
incompatible with normal urban living, please call the League
at 931-9241.
Barcroft Cookbook Is Great for Gift-giving
The new Barcroft Cookbook has sold well with its great color cover
designed by Sara Leigh Merrey, featuring pictures of many Barcrofters
at community events. The cookbook has over 130 favorite recipes
from more than 60 Barcrofters, stories about the neighborhood,
and even a food poem for good measure. The cookbooks make great
gifts -- don't forget that there are only 100 shopping days until
Christmas!
All proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the Community House
restoration fund.
"Barcroft Store" Selling Cards, T-shirts, Books (photos added on the Web)
It has been a long time since we had Haring's country store down
at the Pike, 
but the "Barcroft Store" is open again
at neighborhood events and BSCL meetings with our new cookbook,
note cards and tee shirts.
The fabulous
cookbook (a great gift!)
is $10, the lovely and elegant note cards, featuring a watercolor
by Barcroft artist Nancy Tankersley titled "Before the Parade"
are $8 for 5, and the tee shirts are $8 for extra large, or $10
for extra extra large (no smaller sizes). Proceeds benefit the
restoration fund. 
Rehab Bids are High for Community House
Preliminary bids are in for the renovation work intended for the
Barcroft Community House. Bids to redo heating and electrical
systems, the kitchen, bathroom and main hall total over $100,000.
Even with anticipated fundraising efforts, this is beyond our
means to accomplish in one phase.
We are now considering dividing the work up into smaller phases
and managing the sub-contractors ourselves. The initial phase
would entail the renovation of only the heating, and electrical,
the kitchen and bathroom portions, leaving the main hall for a
later phase.
Call Jim Kerr if you are interested in helping and wish to attend
a renovation meeting.
CPRO Yard Sale Date is Sept. 28 in 22204
Yard sales mania will reign throughout the 22204 zip code area
on Saturday, Sept. 28, under the sponsorship of the Columbia Pike
Revitalization Organization.
CPRO is publishing a list of residents and businesses holding
yard sales that day. People who want to be included on the list
can pay $10, which goes to benefit the group, by Sept. 11. Call
CPRO at 892-2776.
The list of participating yard sales will be available on Sept.
28 at Columbia Pike Library or the week of the sales by calling
CPRO.
Hazardous Waste Due for Special Drop-off
Household hazardous wastes can be safely disposed of during a
special dropoff day at two Arlington County fire stations, Saturday,
Sept. 28.
The drop-off, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will give county
residents the opportunity to get rid of potentially hazardous
materials such as flammable solvents, old lawn or garden chemicals,
bug sprays, or automotive fluids.
Materials should be in the original containers or properly labeled.
Leaking containers should be packed in other containers to prevent
spills. People bringing wastes should bring ID to verify Arlington
residency.
Take hazardous wastes to Fire Station No. 1, 500 S. Glebe, or
Fire Station No. 2, 4805 Wilson. For information, call 358~2
Barcroft Exchange
FOR SALE. Bed-- Antique mahogany twin poster and dresser--dark
walnut, traditional 6 drawer with brass handles. Call the Galloways.
HELP WANTED. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, Computer/organizational/detail
skills needed. People oriented. 24-hour week. Salary negotiable.
Send resume to Rev. Dr. Tim Gerde, Pastor, Arlington United Methodist
Church, 716 S. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22204 or call 9797527.
FOR SALE. Little Tykes toddler ride-on train and tracks. No battery.
$10.
WANTED. High school or mature junior high student as mother's
helper to help care for 3 year old and newborn in our home. A
few days a week, after school. Begin in September.
EventsEventsEventsSeptemberEventsEventsEvents
Sept. 3, 1 Tuesday -- First Day of school.
Sept. 5, Thursday -- BSCL Meeting. 7:30 p.m. Barcroft Community
House, 800 S. Buchanan St. "Open house" meeting, especially
for newer Barcroft residents to meet neighbors and hear about
the Civic League.
Sept. 15, Sunday -- Barcroft Fall Festival. 4 p.m. Barcroft
Community House. Food, live music, a cake decorating contest and
raffle, children's games, and a dunking tank featuring BSCL officers.
Proceeds to the Community House renovation fund. $8 for adults,
$4 for children under 12.
Sept. 28, Saturday -- Arlington County Household Hazardous
Waste Drop-off. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fire Station No. 1, 500
S. Glebe Road or Fire Station No. 2, intersection of Wilson Boulevard
and George Mason Drive. Dispose of flammable solvents, poisons
(bug sprays), household cleaners, etc. For more information, call
358-6832.
We are grateful to our advertisers, who were:
Bobbi Bradley, ReMax Properties of Distinction
The Uncommon Market - Food co-op
Crystal Thai Restaurant
Scott Designs Landscape Design and Installation
Laura Devin, Artist specialzing in painted finishes, murals, stenciling, and more
**********************************
Barcroft School and Civic League
800 South Buchanan Street
Arlington, VA 22204
This page was last revised on: September 15, 2000.
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