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Health & Fitness

No Sound for Big Celebration at Lake Anne

We invited friends to join us yesterday for the wonderful celebration of Reston's 50th and Robert Simon's 100th birthday.  On a gorgeous cool day with Washington Plaza decorated for the big event, we sat at a table outside the Kalypso Sports Bar and ordered good food to enjoy while we watched and listened to the festivities and speakers on the nearby stage.

Unfortunately, we could hear very little of what was said into the microphone on stage because the sound system was woefully inadequate.  Even people standing a only a couple of rows behind the reserved seating area could not hear what was being said 50 feet  away.  Seriously, we did not hear a word that State Senator Howell or Chairman Bulova said, and less than half of what Supervisor Hudgins and Congressman Connolly said.  For some reason--perhaps they spoke more loudly--we heard more of Delegate Plum, Senator Kaine, and Governor MacAuliffe.  Not enough to fully appreciate their messages either, however.

What a shame for such an important event that most of the people on the Plaza who came to share the celebration could not hear what was said. 

And the stage was not elevated enough for the people in the restaurants or on the main Plaza for the hundreds of people present to be able to see the people actually speaking or performing on the stage.

This was hardly the first large event at Lake Anne's Washington Plaza staged by the Reston Community Center and Reston Association.  So, it is a little hard to understand why the sound and staging were not up to what was needed for such an important event.  It was a beautiful day, Lake Anne looked its best, and dining at the Kalypso was enjoyable.  Too bad we could neither see nor hear the event we all came for!

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