Carmello’s of Historic Manassas, Va. was awarded City Beat New’s Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Service.  For more information, go to www.carmellos.com.

“We’re honored to be noted for our customer service, we’ve been around for 30 years because of our wonderful patrons” said Alice Pires, owner of Carmello’s and Monza of Historic Manassas, Va.

Cook in Tuscany, of Haymarket, Va. donated an all-expenses paid Tuscan culinary tour for the Colon Cancer Alliance Blue Hope Bash held in Washington, D.C. at the Fairmont Hotel. The live and silent auctions offered several trips and luxury packages. For more information about the tour, go to www.cookintuscany.com.  

The winner will be able treat themselves in the Tuscan lifestyle and discover the region’s passion for food and fun. The tour provides daily cooking lessons from local “Nonnas”, first class accommodations in the medieval hill-top village of Montefollonico, visits to regional wineries and cheese makers, tours of local and historic sites and many recreational activities.

Paul VI Catholic high school of Fairfax, Va. has a history of a strong culture of inclusion, reflective of the current reigning homecoming queen and king, Shaylyn Smith, 18, of Bristow, Va. and Zach Fowler, 18, of Vienna, Va., who both happen to have an intellectual disability. 

Smith and Fowler were selected through the standard process of selecting a homecoming king and queen with no special circumstances or special efforts to ensure that they were the ones selected. For the first time, Paul VI has voted both homecoming king and queen from Paul VI’s Options Program. For more information on the school, go to www.paulvi.net.