Upcoming Event on Sunday May 22

George & Cindy Waters and along with our fabulous host committee members are holding a fundraising barbecue this coming weekend at Lake Barcroft--complete with pontoon boat rides. Everyone, of course, is welcome to join us.

Please RSVP so we have enough barbecue to go around! Plus, if you have any questions or would like directions or more information, please call us at 703-323-0202. See you on Sunday!

Cheers!

Janet

You are cordially invited to attend a Fundraising BBQ in honor of Janet Oleszek Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates District 37 At the Home of George & Cindy Waters 6328 Lakeview Drive On Beautiful Lake Barcroft Map Sunday, May 22 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Pontoon Boat Rides to Follow! Suggested Donations: $50 Friends $100 Great Friends $250 Grandchildren may be named after you! Please make checks payable to: Friends of Janet Oleszek PO Box 1047, Fairfax, VA 22038 or contribute online PLEASE RSVP: 703/323-0202 or victory05@janetforfairfax.com

Metro to Dulles and Real Traffic Solutions

The last large infusion of cash for funding Virginia's roads and highways was in 1987. I and about 100 others were reminded of this fact this morning at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce meeting on the Dulles corridor metrorail project. No wonder we're in such a mess every morning on our way to work! And no wonder that at almost every door I knock someone complains about the problems of getting from here to there. Every day. The "Friday effect" doesn't even always work on Fridays any longer. Rush hour now begins at 6am and doesn't end until 10pm. It is absolute madness to think we can continue to ignore the obvious.

The Commonwealth has the third largest highway system in the United States which contributes to the mobility and flexibility of the workforce. Unfortunately, like so many other state mandates, our transportation is under-funded. In addition, the money designated for the Transportation Fund is frequently diverted to shore up other shortfalls in the budget, or for porkbarrel political projects.

I support extending Metro to Dulles. It is a great, common-sense approach to take commuters off the roads and reduce our traffic mess. However, we can't fund Dulles metro or other critical transportation projects when state government keeps misappropriating transportation funds. I will fight for legislation in Richmond to protect the Transportation Fund, so we can start addressing the root causes of our traffic problems. The transportation mess is far too big to ignore, at least for those of us who drive in it every day, and Virginia residents deserve real traffic solutions.

Meet & Greet on Wednesday May 11

Terry Mansberger has been kind enough to host a meet & greet for me next Wednesday night, and I really hope you can join us!

Meet & Greet in honor of Janet Oleszek
Democratic Candidate
House of Delegates, District 37

Home of Terry Mansberger
7800 Antiopi Street Map

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Wednesday, May 11

Everyone is welcome. Bring your friends!

For directions or more information, contact us at 703-323-0202 or victory05@janetforfairfax.com.

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Cheers!

Janet

It's yard sign time again!

It is time, once again, to unleash our red and yellow yard signs.

Putting up a sign in your yard or business is a great way to show your support for the campaign. To get your own yard sign, just fill out a yard sign request or give us a call at 703-323-0202. It's that easy!

And, if you'd like to help us deliver yard signs, drop us a line or give us a call.

We'd love to see how good the sign looks in your yard. Send us a digital picture of your sign on display to webteam@janetforfairfax.com. And go on and get in the picture, too!

The yard signs were a really fun and exciting part of my school board campaign in 2003. I can't thank everyone enough who displayed a sign in their yard or helped us put up signs, and especially my husband Walter, who was a sign captain extraordinaire. It feels good to know that those red and yellow signs are going to start popping up everywhere again.

Politics as Child's Play

In the course of campaigning, things sometimes happen that really make the effort seem like child's play. Today was one of those days when I attended Delegate Chap Petersen's Fairfax City kickoff of his statewide RV tour for Lt. Governor.

Chap had his beautiful RV prominently displayed, with doors open to allow supporters to tour the interior. Reverend Ron Christian, a resident of the 37th offered a blessing, and Chap began his address to the crowd. Standing on the steps up to the "living room" of the RV, Chap's beautiful daughters Ava and Mary Walton played behind him. As Chap was warming up the crowd, Mary Walton was too!

Mary Walton was out-talking her dad at every sentence as she let it be known that a birthday was in the offing and she was expecting to open quite a few gifts. As the competition grew between dad and daughter, it became clear that Mary Walton had charmed the crowd totally and Chap, good father that he is, relented and offered her the stage. It was just then that Mary Walton made a mad dash to the RV's radio and turned it on full blast so that any further speechifying would be impossible.

Mary Walton was the star of the show, and the interaction between the two was so endearing that everyone left the event confident that in the Petersen family, the entire family is appreciated even when it is not terribly convenient. Actually, child's play can be very instructive!

One of the pleasures in my own campaign for the House of Delegates is the support of Walter and our boys. It is amazing how a campaign can bring out the real strength (not to mention the showmanship!) in a family.