🌱 Virginia Task Force 1 Returns Home + Ellucian Wins 2023 Cloud Award

Hey, friends. It's Friday in Reston and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Winds subsiding and cooler. High: 56 Low: 30.

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Here are the top three stories in Reston today:

1. The Fairfax County-based search and rescue team Virginia Task Force 1 had members return home from Turkey this past Monday after being deployed 11 days prior. A catastrophic earthquake rattled southern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6, and within days, the death toll increased to tens of thousands. Virginia Task Force 1 and other teams around the world immediately responded to assist, saving as many survivors as possible trapped under the rubble. The force comprises about 200 specially trained career and volunteer fire and rescue personnel specializing in these situations. (Reston Patch)
2. A new vitamin therapy business is opening soon within the Reston's Home Depot Center at 1675 Reston Pkwy., according to Renauld Consulting. "The DRIPBaR" uses intravenous therapy and boosting cellular health through IV drips made by the order, not premixed. Customers make appointments for specific "drips" for various benefits, such as "lifestyle" drips targeting vitamins and nutrition to cells, "health support" drips engineered to help the body heal, and "IM" shots that include full vitamin transfusions. The company has multiple Virginia locations as well as throughout the country and also offers services like botox, red light therapy, and hydrafacials. (Reston Now)
3. The higher education technology solutions provider leader Ellucian based in Fairfax was awarded the 2023 Cloud Awards in the Best Hybrid Cloud Solution category. Ellucian provides multiple paths for education institutions to meet where they are with the cloud providing in-house expertise, partner networks, and capabilities and solutions throughout the process. With everything transitioning to cloud services, it can be discouraging for those who feel behind the curve, and Ellucian has been recognized for its efforts to cater to all parties. (PR Newswire)

Today in and around Reston:

• TOBYMAC's Hit Deep Tour At EagleBank Arena (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• This Saturday (Feb. 25), join Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art and Mēlani N. Douglass, director of public programs at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and founder of the Family Arts Museum, from 5-7 p.m. for their closing program "Insights." You can RSVP for the event, and if you cannot make the in-person event, it will be live-streamed at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. (Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art via Instagram)
• Fairfax County Police Department's Chief Kevin Davis provided a quick update on the status of the officer involved in a shooting on Fashion Boulevard in McLean. You can watch the update at the link. (Fairfax County Police Department via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Reston area at the link! (Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Foley Academy of Irish Dance — (Visit website)
• Amelia Vallone Interiors — (Visit Website)

Featured events:

• XP League Open House (February 25)
• Color Trends and Setting the Right Mood for your Home (March 3)
• Master Singers of VA Presents Sing Her Song (March 4)
• Fairfax Choral Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala (March 11)

Free stuff:

• Good furniture, household, vintage & miscellaneous (Details)

Featured housing:

• NEW all-inclusive Senior Community in Ashburn (Details)

Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you soon.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.