I forward below a note that I just received from Stan Karson of RAFOM which is the neighborhood just across Wilson. Note: residents of North Rosslyn have traditionally been welcome to this event.

Great RAFOM Holiday Party for Lower-Income Families Last Night!

From: "Stan Karson" <dcstan@aol.com>

Last night at Wilson School, RAFOM hosted our annual Holiday Party for our lower-income families, and it was a very great success.

It is estimated we had many more than 200 present, the largest by far for these events in previous years. County Board Members Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada, accompanied by his wife, Robin, attended and made brief remarks. The 2nd District Police officers, led by Captain Andy Penn and Sgt. Charlene Lancaster, were once again enormously helpful, distributing toys from the Marine Corps Toys for Tots and providing a magnificent Santa Claus and elves, which included Capt Penn's wife and three children. Thanks must go as always to Carol Hoover and her staff from the County Parks and Recreation Department for their much needed assistance from the very beginning.

Food was plentiful, donated by the local restaurants listed below. We had numerous volunteers helping with the food and beverage service as well as setting up the large room, and they all deserve our heartfelt appreciation. First and foremost is Patricia Darneille, RAFOM Vice President, who initiated the planning process and kept everything on track, right up to the last minute. Other RAFOM members who helped obtain the food donations and/or served throughout the evening were Leslie Arminski, Bob and Gwen Blakeman and son Paul, David and Mary Jane Bullen, Cathy Crane, Larry Reed, Ken Robinson, Karen Ruckhaus, Stuart and Danielle Stein, David Treworgy and Barbara Wilson. (Patricia, I can't think of the names of the Prospect House couple who helped.)

Following are the restaurants that donated the abundant food, so keep them in mind as you dine out in Arlington: Domino's in Rosslyn, Goodys, Il Radicchio, Ireland's Four Courts, The Liberty Tavern, Santa Fe Cafe and Toscana Grill.

The true worth of the event could only be experienced by being there and seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of the many young children and receiving the thanks of so many families as they were leaving. To say it was heartwarming is to understate the impact.
On behalf of the RAFOM Board, I want to wish you all very Happy Holidays. Our next membership meeting will be in February, and we will look forward to having you join us at our meetings in 2012.

Stan Karson