News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Wednesday, December 9, 1998
Contact:	Diane C. Cabe, City Manager's Office

Alexandria City Hall Sparkles for Holidays; Old Town Festive with Holiday Concerts and White Lights on King Street Garder Clubs Hang Traditional Holiday Wreaths; Campagna Center and Lions Club Decorate Christmas Trees

Alexandria's City Hall, at 301 King Street in Old Town Alexandria, sparkles with holiday decorations to delight residents and visitors alike, thanks to the creative efforts of local organizations.

"Alexandria's beauty shines especially bright during December," said City Manager Vola Lawson. "I hope that everyone will include in their holiday plans a visit downtown to see the decorations that brighten Alexandria for the season," she said.

"We are fortunate to have the Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs, including the Beverly Hills Garden Club, lend their support and creative talents in decorating City Hall for the December holidays," said Mrs. Lawson. "The beautiful wreaths and greenery with their traditional southern magnolia, nandina, and Osage oranges have set the standard for traditional holiday decorations in Old Town," added Mrs. Lawson.

Members of the Beverly Hills Garden Club, with financial support from the Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs, decorated the exterior of City Hall with balsam wreaths that hang above the building's six doorways. The City Hall decorations, as well as the City's own illuminated tree and kissing balls in Market Square, will remain on display through January 4, 1999.

Magnolia leaves, Osage oranges, and nandina berries garnish the balsam wreaths andgarlands that garden club members Betty Dols, Barbara Gerrity, Nellie Greaves, Gloria Houser, Kay Menendhall, Greta Stovall, and Lynne Winter created to adorn the exterior of City Hall. Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs, lead by President Carr Spitler, provided major funding for the project.

Holiday trees in the lobbies of City Hall also greet hundreds of daily visitors. City Hall is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Holiday tree in the Cameron Street lobby is decorated with ornaments created by youngsters in the Head Start and Campagna Kids programs of the Campagna Center. The Supporting Friends, a group of volunteers who lend their time and talents to support Center programs, decorated the tree with the theme "For the Kids' Sake" to remind all who view the tree of the Center's mission of helping Alexandria's children become productive adults. In addition to the Campagna Kids program -- a quality enrichment before-and after-school day care program, and Head Start -- a national pre-school program, other activities sponsored by the Campagna Center include: Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Wright to Read tutoring program to encourage reading skills, and This Way House, a temporary shelter for troubled, abused, and runaway teenagers.

The theme of the tree in the King Street lobby is "A Vision Presented to the City of Alexandria by the Alexandria Evening Lions Club." The colorful decorations were made by Frances Mohr, an Alexandria Evening Lions Club member. Lions Clubs throughout the nation devote their service to helping in the fight against visual impairment. Locally, Lions own and operate vans equipped to test hearing and vision for the public free of charge at schools and throughout the community.

White twinkling lights strung by City crews along King Street from the King Street Metro Station to the waterfront adds a glow to the nightscape in the downtown shopping district. The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is sponsoring a series of evening outdoor concerts through December 20 at the Marina Gazebo (behind the Torpedo Factory at Cameron Street), at Food Court Pavilion (5 Cameron Street), and at the King Street Gardens Park (1806 King Street across from the King Street Metro Station). For concert schedule information, please call the Events hotline (703) 883-4686.