HCA HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN CONTEST TONIGHT

As recently announced on flyers distributed throughout Hickory Cluster, judging of the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest at your front door, balcony, or window is from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. tonight.  First Prize is $15, Second Prize is $10, and Third Prize is $5, funded by HCA.  Results will be published here on the official HCA website.

The NOAA National Weather Service forecast, as of 10:30 a.m. this morning for Fairfax County tonight, is for a 70 percent chance of rain, but mainly after midnight, with south winds from 15-25 mph, and lows in the mid-60F range.  So keep an eye on your masterpieces and try to illuminate and photograph them earlier rather than later this evening.  Good luck!

UPDATE ... Hickory Cluster residents put on a great show for trick-or-treaters, parents, friends, and neighbors, despite a chilly, rainy evening.

First Place was awarded to the Wolcott Family in Block 3 for pumpkins custom-carved and decorated as Minion characters from the popular Universal Studios animated comedy Despicable Me films.

Second Place was awarded to the Barnett Family in Block 1 for a custom-carved pumpkin perched high up on their second floor balcony.

Third Place was awarded to the Ikhide Family in Block 2 for a pumpkin cleverly disguised as a mummy character lurking in the shadows near their front door.

And there were lots of other well-carved and brightly-lit jack-o'-lanterns throughout the cluster to enjoy.

Thanks to all the 2013 creative pumpkin artists for their hard work, and especially to Bob Anderson and Lani Young for organizing the event again this year.

HCA OCTOBER MEETING UPDATE

The HCA Board of Directors meeting will be held as usual on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at TWC Association Management offices, 397 Herndon Parkway, Suite 100, Herndon, VA 20170.  Members can attend the meeting starting at 7:30 p.m., however effective with this meeting the Member Forum will be held at or about 8:30 p.m. rather than previously as the first agenda item.

RESTON STORY TO FILM HICKORY CLUSTER

Storycatcher Productions advised HCA recently that they hope to include video footage and still images of Hickory Cluster in their upcoming film entitled The Reston Story by local Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, and USC School of Cinema-TV Master of Fine Arts graduate, Rebekah Winger-Jabi.  Local cinematographer Ross Kirby will film Goodman House exteriors and cluster grounds from public Common Areas during the next few days and evenings of good weather, hopefully before all the leaves fall.  The film will premiere on April 5, 2014 as part of Reston 50th Anniversary Celebration activities.  Tax-deductible donations through the Reston Museum fund the project.

RELAC 2013 COOLING SEASON ENDS

Reston RELAC President Mark Waddell advised that yesterday, October 9, 2013 was the official end of the 2013 Cooling Season when RELAC turned off its chillers and pumps at 12:00 noon.  Community air-conditioning chilled water will be available again in May 2014.  As noted in 1974 RELAC guidance, and to avoid over-pressurizing and bursting summer cooling coils, customers should not turn off both RELAC valves when using their winter furnace heating system.  Always leave the return valve open.