This month’s spotlight is on John Doherty. John has been married for 49 years to VAS member Yoshiko Doherty, and while he’s not a “formal” member of VAS, John is a member in our hearts. Over many years, John has used his woodworking and handyman skills to help VAS in a multitude of ways. We often see him on a ladder or with hammer in hand, and we love his helpfulness, can-do attitude, and great sense of humor. What many don’t know is that he’s also a scientist of repute, retiring in 2012 after a long career with the Environmental Protection Agency specializing in neurotoxicology.
John loves creative workworking, and started helping VAS by updating our wood sign when VAS moved to its Windover location. Since then, he has helped construct several of our Halloween floats, set up for our fall and spring markets, and built the wooden VAS Santa that made its way around the Town of Vienna in 2020 when Covid 19 kept the real Santa from visiting kids. In 2021, working with Doré Skidmore, John figured out how to craft and attach wings to a dragonfly bench symbolizing “new beginnings”. That bench has been donated on behalf of VAS and “Off The Charts” to the Inova Schar Cancer Institute as a piece of interactive art to bring smiles to kids with cancer.
VAS is lucky to have John’s support and friendship!