The Arlington County Board is celebrating the commitment of Arlington’s foster parents of the year and praising the efforts of a leader in the local art world.
At a June 18 meeting, Board members also commemorated the life of a civic leader who died earlier in the month and thanked two retiring advisory commission members for their service.
Arlington’s Foster Parents of Year
Melanie and Drew Bond are Arlington’s new Foster Parents of the Year.
They were among foster parents from across the region that the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) recently selected to recognize outstanding efforts.
At the meeting, Board member Julius “JD” Spain Sr. said the Bonds’ work was a testament “to the strength and values of family.”
“Where would we be without foster parents?” Spain asked.
Over the past 18 years, the Bonds have served as foster parents to 14 children while raising six children of their own — four biological and two adopted.
“We didn’t expect that we’d be doing this 20 years. We just took the first child and then we took the next child,” Drew Bond said in a COG video spotlighting their efforts.
“We did babies mostly and toddlers at the beginning, and over the years we’ve had teenagers,” Melanie Bond said.
The Bonds said they appreciate the connections made with other foster parents over the past 18 years. And they anticipate their effort may become a multi-generational endeavor.
“All of our kids say they want to be foster parents when they grow up, which is encouraging to hear,” Drew Bond said. “It’s helped them grow as people and helped them understand what it takes for a family to function well.”
Retiring ‘Embracing Arlington Arts’ head honored
The founder of a local advocacy group has stepped down, but her legacy in boosting the Arlington arts community will continue to have an impact, county and organization leaders say.
Janet Kopenhaver, who for years has been the public face of Embracing Arlington Arts, has turned over the leadership of the organization and will serve as president emeritus.
Co-presidents Eric Rubio and Sara Barker and executive director J. Carlos Velázquez will move the organization to its next phase.
“We continue to build on the mission and vision Janet stewarded for many years, to advance the vibrancy of the arts in Arlington,” Rubio told ARLnow.
Founded in 2017, the organization has lobbied for an increased Arlington commitment to the arts, and has pressed the case for a new performing-arts center. It also has created a series of podcasts to connect the arts world with the broader community.
County Board Chair Takis Karantonis praised Kopenhaver as “a fierce advocate” for arts groups and arts education.
“She has done yeoman’s work,” Karantonis said at the Board’s June 18 meeting. “We thank her for her persistence.”
Rubio said Embracing Arlington Arts plans to continue, and expand, advocacy efforts.
“We are forging new partnerships across disciplines and sectors and having regular conversations with county leadership, and we invite all Arlingtonians to follow our content, and to let us know what they want from their local arts and culture sector, so that we can work to make it reality,” he said.
Honoring Kitty Clark Stevenson
Board members also honored the life of Kitty Clark Stevenson, who died June 4 at age 75.
Stevenson was “a very important presence in our community,” noted Karantonis.
She had worked for the county government as its first Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officer, later serving for more than two decades as an assistant voter registrar.
Stevenson also served on, and chaired, the Arlington Human Rights Commission.
“She really built a legacy based on equal rights and public service,” Karantonis said.
Stevenson played a key role in ensuring Fire Station #8 was not moved from its Halls Hill location, as had been proposed by county staff.
Her commitment as one of the “Fire Station #8 Angels” was personal — Stevenson’s father, Alfred Clark, served at the station and was the first Black fire captain in Arlington’s history.
Illness had prevented Clark from attending the recent dedication of the new fire station on the site. But her role in Arlington will not soon be forgotten, Karantonis said.
“She has been an amazing support for this county,” he said.
Departing commission members honored
Finally, Board members honored Stacy Snyder for six years of service as a member and chair of the Joint Facilities Advisory Commission, and lauded Alexis Mavroidis for 14 years of service on the Disability Advisory Commission.
