Haunted Places

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/arlington-va/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

**Save the date:** the Firefly House invites you to join us in-person for our celebration of Ostara the afternoon of March 21st at Lake Accotink Park in Springfield, VA. This is one of our few metro inaccessible locations, so if you need a ride, **[check out our carpool sheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zadmV8M6J4uEPqBARfoOZfeGlMH8dSmBVxIel_W2h1I/edit?usp=sharing)**. Here's a rough schedule for the day: \* 12:00PM - Begin to gather at the park and setup the seed swap. \* 12:30PM - Spring Awakening Walk - enjoy a walk around Lake Accotink park to witness and revel in the burgeoning season. \* 1:45PM - Ritual preparations \* 2:00PM - Ritual begins \* 2:40PM (ish) - Potluck begins So, if you don't want to worry about the Spring Awakening Walk, you don't have to arrive at noon. Those involved with the ritual should arrive around 1:15PM if at all possible. With respect to that feast, we'd love it if you bring a dish to share! **[Let us know what you're bringing here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ChUMS-c5faAeo1lJoZYV6yk8qn9hEF2hpHq6qj-6dhE/edit?usp=sharing)**. \*\*\* Image by [HeungSoon](https://pixabay.com/users/heungsoon-4523762/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=7889717) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com). \*\*\* The Firefly House seeks to provide a friendly, safe environment in which all participants can engage in productive dialogue, sharing, and learning with each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We are committed to providing a harassment-free environment for all, regardless of gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body type, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact the host.

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/rockville-md/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

🗣️Get on the Soul 🚍 and head to Hollywood 🎰 in W.V. with Card Players United to win the 💵! All attendees will receive $20 voucher! On the bus is where the fun 🤩 happens! 50/50 raffle, games, giveaways food and much more! Secure your seat (s) today via CashApp ~ Card Players United. Contact MeMe at 202-413-2495!

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Power of Folk Horror,”** an exploration of an especially creepy subgenre in folklore and film, with Joshua Barton, lecturer in English at Virginia Commonwealth University and scholar of horror. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/arlington-folk-horror](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/arlington-folk-horror) .] What makes a horror film scare really stick with you? Sometimes, it’s not monsters or jump-scares but the eerie feeling that something ancient, something forgotten, is still lurking just under the surface. That’s the heart of folk horror, a subgenre that blends folklore, rural isolation, and rituals gone wrong. It takes the past—the truly forgotten past—and makes it come roaring back to bite us. Venture into the strange and fascinating world of folk horror with Joshua Barton, who has earned a big following among Profs and Pints fans with excellent past talks on cryptids, ghosts, movie monsters, and other things that go bump in the night. We’ll start by digging down to folk horror’s roots in classic British films like *The Wicker Man* and *Witchfinder General*, discussing how these stories introduced us to secretive villages, ominous woods, and old traditions that clash violently with the modern world. We’ll move on to explore how folk horror has reemerged in recent hits like *The Witch,* *Midsommar*, and *Lamb*. What ties them all together? The feeling that history isn’t dead; it’s just been waiting. Beyond the scares, this genre taps into something deeper. Folk horror asks what happens when we lose touch with our roots or when we get too close to them. It reflects fears about identity, nature, belief, and the things we can’t explain. And in an age of environmental anxiety, political division, and cultural upheaval, these stories are more relevant than ever. By the end of the lecture, we’ll see that folk horror goes beyond surface-level eeriness. It’s a mirror for our collective anxieties and a reminder that the past is never as far away as we think. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.

**Spring Coed Kickball Newbies Open Play 3** **Sunday\, March 22nd \| 1:00pm \- 4:00pm** Henson Creek Park/5601 Temple Hills Rd. Camp Springs, MD 20748 Sunday is kickball day and we're inviting everyone to come out and learn how to play coed kickball at our Newbies Kickball Open Play. All skill level players are welcomed and participants will learn how to kick, catch and run. Please make sure you dress in play clothes and prepare to have fun! *We will also have two more open plays: March 22nd \| March 29th* **OPEN PLAY IS FREE WHEN YOU RSVP AT WWW.GOOMBAY.NET** ***Click the direct link to sign up:*** http://goombaydc.leagueapps.com/events/4943896-spring-coed-kickball-newbies-open-practice-3-2026 **__________________________**  **League Information:** If you're interested in playing in our upcoming Spring Coed Kickball League, go to www.Goombay.net and register as a Free Agent or Team Player if you already know which team you're playing with. The cost is $90 for the season and the league begins on Sunday, April 12th at Tucker Road Sports Complex. Games are 50 minutes and each team will play 7-8 games (1-2 games per week). **For more information contact Butch at (202)210-1957 or Godwin at (240)476-2224**

Join us in celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) by riding your bicycle along any one of several segments between Harpers Ferry and Wilmington, Delaware, from March 22 through April 2. The rides range in length between 16 mi and 41 mi, traveling on packed gravel of the C&O towpath, level off-street paved multi-use trails, and paved roadways. The following are some, but not all of the trips that are open for registration by using the AMC Outdoor connector website, [https://activities.outdoors.org](https://activities.outdoors.org). Search for events by choosing the Potomac Chapter or AMC 150 as Program Type. 3/23/26, Whites Ferry to Great Falls 21 mi 3/27/26, National Mall to Hyattsville 14 mi 3/30/26, W.B.A Trail from Bowie to Baltimore Harbor 25 mi 3/31/26, Greenway Trail from Baltimore Harbor 16 mi 4/1/26, Baltimore to Havre De Grace 41 mi 4/2/26, Perryville Maryland to Wilmington Delaware 40 mi [About the AMC 150th Relay](https://www.outdoors.org/AMC150/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc&utm_campaign=May+2025+VR+Newsletter&utm_content=5/15/2025&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.outdoors.org%2fAMC150&email_audience=Volunteers%20AMC%20-%20Auto%20Refresh): Since 1876, AMC has connected people to the outdoors through recreation, education, and conservation. In 2026, we celebrate 150 years of that legacy with the AMC 150th Relay—a 1,500-mile journey from Virginia to Maine. Each leg of the relay contributes to a continuous route across the Northeast, showcasing the diversity of AMC’s outdoor legacy. Join the celebration by participating in a relay segment, attending a local event, or sharing your AMC story. Together, we’ll honor the past and shape the future of outdoor adventure.

[RESCHEDULED FROM EARLIER IN MARCH] Join us for a hike at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Loudoun County. Banshee Reeks has an extensive network of hiking trails, nearly 20 miles in total, that wind through a variety of habitats — including open meadows, mixed hardwood forests, wetlands, ponds and along Goose Creek, a designated State Scenic River. We’ll hike about 7-8 miles with some minor elevation change along our route. For carpooling, we’ll meet at our usual spot at the Kiss & Ride lot at East Falls Church Metro. This is not the main parking lot but the smaller parking lot located on Sycamore Street (turn right when walking out of the station). Please arrive by 9:15 for departure at 9:30 sharp. There will be a pit stop at Sheetz on the drive to the trailhead. For those meeting us at the trailhead, we’ll meet at the small gazebo next to the visitor center parking lot between 10:30 and 10:45 (note that the visitor center lot is small and fills quickly so you may need to park in the overflow lot a couple hundred yards up the road). Dress appropriately for the conditions and bring lunch, water and sunscreen. The Adventuring Trip fee is $5 and carpool passengers should pay their driver $7 for transportation. There will be an optional stop at Solace Brewery after the hike. We will aim to be back at East Falls Church by 5:00. IMPORTANT NOTE: When you RSVP to an event, you affirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the release. Please **[click here](https://adventuringlgbtq.com/Adventuring_Release_Form.pdf)** to review our release form. Everyone must register on their own behalf.

Many experience a “Dark Night of the Soul,” as a time of confusion, loss, or deep questioning. But is it a distraction from your purpose, or the path to discovering it? Join Sister Jenna at the [Spring Natural Living Expo](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pathways-spring-2026-natural-living-expo-tickets-1983535880213?msockid=38e8c1e7f18e67c2001dd6fbf02666b8) hosted by our friends at [Pathways Magazine](https://www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com/) as we explore how moments of inner darkness can become opportunities for spiritual awakening and reconnecting with the soul’s natural qualities of peace, love, and clarity. Discover how life’s challenges may be guiding you back to your true purpose. Sister Dr. Jenna is a spiritual mentor, author, radio and TV personality, and speaker. She is the founder of the [Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museums](https://www.meditationmuseum.org) in Silver Spring, Maryland and Chantilly, VA. **The [Spring Expo](https://www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com/expo-speakers/) will be held from 10 AM – 6 PM.** Register for the full day activities at: [https://shorturl.at/wpiaV](https://shorturl.at/wpiaV) **Sister Jenna's talk will be held at 3 pm – 4 pm in** **Room: Continental C.** Pathways Natural Living Expo, Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA.

Some trained COUNT volunteers work together once a month at RMH (http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer.php) as Housewarmers (usually on the 1st Sunday from 1 – 5 PM). Some schedule other shifts at their convenience. You may try this out with less fuss by following a "Fast track" or go through the normal process. Fast track • Arrange a time to shadow a COUNT volunteer. Call Dave Nohle at 614-268-9558 (cell). • Show up and try it out. • Complete application, etc. later. Normal process • Complete an online application (http://rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer/). • Attend orientation in advance. • At orientation you will complete forms agreeing to keep family/patient info private and allowing a background check and tour the facility. • Complete one training shift. Daily shifts are: morning 9 AM - 1 PM, afternoon 1 - 5 PM and evening 5 - 9 PM. • Schedule shifts online using the on the RMH scheduling system (http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=32895). The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides housing and meals for families with sick children. The Columbus RMH is the largest in the world with 137 rooms. COUNT has been volunteering there since May 2014. Housewarmers work with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment - greet, assist with family needs, answer phones, give tours, assist with checkin/checkout, prepare guest rooms after checkout, clean facility, laundry, restock supplies and staff the front desk. RMH Housewarmers volunteer at least one four-hour shift a month. All Housewarmers must complete an application and agree to a background check before they can be full fledged volunteers.

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/columbus-oh/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

Join us as we get together for a Discount Tuesday / Choose Your Movie event to see your choice of the top-reviewed indie drama TOW or the action-comedy-horror THEY WILL KILL YOU! A winner either way! Here are details, trailer and plan for this event: TOW: This drama follows a homeless Seattle woman who fights her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634. The film is directed by Stephanie Laing and stars Rose Byrne, Dominic Sessa, Demi Lovato, Ariana DeBose, Octavia Spencer, Simon Rex, Elsie Fisher and Corbin Bernsen. Tow premiered to rave reviews at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival where critics declared, “Tow is a winner” and called the film “a story of perseverance, heart, and real fight, the kind of small human story we see less frequently these days, but need now more than ever!” TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiUtqgeDVI8 THEY WILL KILL YOU: A woman takes a job as a housekeeper in a NYC high-rise, unaware of the building's history of disappearances. She soon realizes the community is shrouded in mystery. The film is directed by Kirill Sokolov and Zadie Beetz, Myha'la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette. The film is being released immediately following its premiere at this year’s SXSW Festival earlier this month. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYqQPiXpi4w PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing of both films and will meet in the upstairs lobby area about 30 minutes before showtime! Once showtimes are announced, advance ticket purchase via the GFC website is advised! Once you have yours, please list your movie of choice and seat number in the Comments section of this event. Complete details will be confirmed/announced as the date gets closer. PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Younkin Branch Library (Ashville) meeting space is now reserved for any and all interested in or enthused by playing a game of chess. The second Thursday of each month, 6:00pm to 7:50pm. First gathering is Thursday, May 11th. No fees. Chess sets provided; however, you may bring your own if you wish.