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Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Janet Howell spoke to guests at a recent event in Reston.
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Commentary
Is There a Santa Claus?
Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
In 1897 Francis P. Church wrote for the New York Sun what was to become one of the most famous editorials ever written. His editorial responded to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon who had written to ask for the truth as to whether there was a Santa Claus. Her father had told her that if she read it in the Sun it would be so. The editorial follows:
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
In the meantime, Jane and I wish for you and your family the love and generosity that Santa Claus represents during the holiday season and throughout the New Year. |
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| "Virginia Report"
Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight - Wednesday, December 22 at 10:30 p.m. -- and also --Tuesday, December 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, December 29 at 10:30 p.m. -
Online Viewing:
Watch this month's programming and other "Virginia Report" programs at
Senator Janet Howell - "Challenges of the Upcoming General Assembly Session" |
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In the Spirit of Giving...Ways You Can Help!
Send your suggestions for Holiday Giving to kenplum@aol.com and they will be included in this column each week between now and the end of the year.
The Volunteer Farm in Woodstock, Virginia, as part of the World Foundation for Children, raises vegetables in large quantities and provides them at no cost for distribution by food banks. To learn more about the program and how you might help as a volunteer or contributor, go to www.WorldFoundationForChildren.com or call 540.459.3478.
Give hope this holiday season by supporting the work of Northern Virginia Family Service. This year, more and more families who have never had to ask for help are reaching out. NVFS is providing holiday assistance to nearly 550 families this year and need well over $100,000 in gift cards and cash donations in order to provide meaningful assistance to struggling families and individuals. Call 703.385.3267 or email info@nvfs.org to find out how you can help.
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Delegate Plum to Hold Public Meetings Before the 2011 General Assembly Session Begins in Richmond
Attend one or both of Delegate Ken Plum's pre-session Public Hearings:
Wednesday, January 5, 2011 - 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Fox Mill Elementary School Cafeteria 2601 Viking Drive, Herndon, VA 20171 With Senator Mark Herring
Thursday, January 6, 2011 - 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191 With Senator Janet Howell
Bring your questions and comments about issues of interest or concern. Pre-registration is not required. Come prepared to speak or to listen -- all are welcome! |
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Take Ken's 2011 Pre-Session Survey - Your Views Count!
The 2011 General Assembly session will convene on January 12 in Richmond. Please take a moment to share your views on issues of interest to us all by clicking on the image below, or go to www.kenplum.com. A paper copy of this survey will also be available to all voter households in a newsletter arriving in mailboxes this month. Either way, paperless or paper, please share your opinions with Ken before session begins on January 12.
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Announcements
Holiday gift wrapping will be available today and tomorrow, December 22 and 23, noon to 8:00 p.m. and on December 24, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Reston (entrance off Market Street). This service is presented by and benfiting Kids R First, with wrapping sponsored by Hyatt Regency Reston and Appalachian Spring. The Piedmont Environmental Council will again offer the Piedmont Environmental Council Fellowship, a seven-week educational program that is geared toward college students, recent grads, and graduate students. It is designed to teach students about the many facets of environmental work through hands-on classroom and field activities and provides young people with experience and work in the environmental field. The first four weeks of the program are academic; the last three weeks of the program are dedicated to idividual research projects. Dates for the 2011 program are June 13-July 29, 2011. Completed applications are due by March 11. Go to www.pecva.org for more information about the Fellowship and a downloadable application. Selection for the program is highly competitive; early submission is recommended.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) invites you to sign up for a new service -- E-Renewals. You can sign up to receive your vehicle registration renewal notices via email or phone, rather than by US Mail. Not only is this service convenient and environmentally friendly, you'll also be savings taxpayer dollars by signing up. With more than five million registered vehicles in the Commonwealth, DMV is trying to reduce the more than $2.4 million spent on printing and mailing paper renewal notices. DMV customers can help by establishing an account with DMV and letting them know your preferred method for receiving renewal notifications. Once you've established or updated your DMV personal identification number (PIN) on their website, you can manage your DMV record and complete other transactions without visiting an office. Visit www.dmvNOW.com/myDMV to sign up. |
Calendar of Events
Don't forget to give the gift of life this holiday season by donating blood at the INOVA Blood Drive on Tuesday, December 28, noon to 7:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center next to the Pavilion. Schedule your appointment at 1.866.256.6372 or inova.org/donateblood. You can also register onsite.
Join Delegate Ken Plum at one or both of his annual Pre-Session Public Hearings:
Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. with Senator Mark Herring at Fox Mill Elementary School, 2601 Viking Drive, Herndon.
Thursday, January 6, 2011, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. with Senator Janet Howell at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston.
All citizens are welcome; pre-registration is not required.
The House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees will hold a Public Hearing on the 2010-12 State Budget on Thursday, January 6, 2011, 10:00 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center in the Board Auditorium. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the Governor's proposed amendments to the 2010-12 biennial state budget. Those persons wishing to speak may register no earlier than one hour prior to the state of the hearing. Speakers will be taken in the order of registration. Each person may register only one speaker at a time. Speakers are asked to limit their comments to three minutes or less. Speakers representing groups and organizations should consolidate remarks to reduce duplication. Persons unable to attend may comment in writing to either: Delegate Lacey E. Putney, P.O. Box 406, General Assembly Building, Richmond, VA 23218; or Senator Charles J. Colgan, 10th Floor General Assembly Building, Richmond, VA 23219. Accommodations for individuals with hearing impairment may be made by calling 804.698.7480. All requests for individuals with hearing impairment must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2010.
Join your friends and neighbors for a half-day annual bird count throughout Reston's natural areas. Meet local bird experts, learn tips on identification, and have fun while helping obtain important information about our feathered friends on Saturday, January 8, 2011, 7:00 a.m. to noon. Meet at the Walker Nature Education Center, 11450 Glade Drive. After the count, stay for lunch to tally results and swap stories. Sign up by January 5. Call 703.476.9869 and press 5 or email enviroed@reston.org.
Members of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate who represent citizens in Fairfax County will hold their annual Fairfax County Delegation Pre-Session Public Hearing on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center, Board Auditorium. Individuals wishing to speak should call the Office of the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors at 703.324.3151 by noon on Friday, January 7.
Bring your instruments, voices, and friends to a Reston Nature Hosue January 9 Music Jam at the Walker Nature Education Center, 11450 Glade Drive, on Sunday, January 9, 2011, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. There will be lots of playing and singing in the multipurpose room with chairs and refreshments being provided. Share a song -- bring copies of lyrics and chords for 15 participants. Bring a 3-ring binder and start your own Music Jam Collection. Organizers will pass out lyrics and chords to old favorites. Bring a music stand if you have one. To RSVP or for more information, contact Rick and Karen Elliott at klpelliott@verizon.net or 703.476.1191. The Reston Community Orchestra will present its Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday, January 15, 6:00 p.m., at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods. This musical program honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King will feature orchestral music by African American composers in addition to readings, poetry and other spoken words. Go to www.restoncommunityorchestra.org for more information. In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the spirit of service this day represents, Volunteer Fairfax invites you to its second annual "Give Together: A Family Volunteer Day" on Monday, January 17, 2011, at George Mason University. Families can enjoy the opportunity to give back to teh community by working on service projects provided by nonprofits from around the region. Nonprofits participating in the 2011 event include: Fairfax 4-H, FACETS, Herndon Senior Center, Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, Operation Military Kids, and Orphan Foundation of America. Projects range from writing cards to deployed military personnel to beading bracelets for hospital patients. The event will be divided into two shifts: shift 1 from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m.; shift 2 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Families with elementary-aged children are encouraged to attend this event. Register or find out more at www.volunteerfairfax.org.
Let's Help Kids! will celebrate its first annual "Dual" Gala (adults in one room, kids in another!) on Saturday, January 29, 2011, at the Springfield Golf & Country Club. Black tie optional. Visit www.letshelpkids.org to learn more about this wonderful organization. |
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 Go Green - consider the environment! Please print this newsletter only if necessary. | |
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| Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia e-News.
Authorized by Kenneth R. Plum. Paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum. |
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