Purcellville-area resident Mallory Rosetti won big on Wheel of Fortune taking home $81,000 and a trip to England, Scotland and Wales. The episode aired Monday night.
Rosetti said she and her grandmother have been long-time fans of the show and when the opportunity came up to try out, she did. She said the network called her the day after submitting her video, which was then followed by two more interviews over the next four days. It didn’t take them long to invite her to Los Angelos to film the episode, she said.
“I think I had big energy,” she laughed.
The episode was recorded in August and Rosetti took two of her six children on the quick 48-hour cross-country trip.
“It was the fastest 22 minutes of my life,” Rosetti said.
Seeing Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest in person was a dream come true.
“Did I fangirl over both of them? Yes, I did. I’m going to make a total crazy person of myself tonight,” she said before the show aired.
Family and friends gathered at their home Monday night to watch the episode. Rosetti said her grandmother, who lived with them until recently, was diagnosed with dementia and the family will gather at her assisted living facility for a private watch party soon.
“The coolest part was I think the experience overall, because just the exposure to LA, the filming, how they do it, and the people were all just high energy. It was fun,” she said.
Rosetti said answering the questions on TV is harder than she thought.
“It is one thing to watch it on the couch, it's another thing to do it live in person,” she said. “I really thought I would, stumble on my words up there, stumble on my letters, but I was hyper focused somehow. I don't know how.”
But Rosetti said the most important part to her was winning the vacation.
“My husband is active duty Navy. And so the second reason I applied was because I just wanted to win a vacation. That was my main goal. I wanted a paid for vacation, guilt free,” she said.
Once the winnings are transferred to her in February, Rosetti said she is planning the getaway with her entire family.
Apply to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune at wheeloffortune.com.
Loudoun County’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Service’s Adaptive Recreation program yesterday held a sensory friendly Halloween event with the help of Arts for All, Special Olympics, and the Sheriff’s Office.
The parking lot of PRCS’s Leesburg headquarters office parking lot was set up with trick or treat tents, a moon bounce house and a touch-a-truck station.
“It’s an opportunity for folks to come out and have a safe place for their kids to come and have a great time,” PRCS Director Steve Torpy said. “Whether its moon bouncing or interacting with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office that’s here, we’re just in a safe manner, being able to go around and trick or treat. Parents, I think, just love these programs.”
Among the participants were a mother and her daughter who has Angelman syndrome.
“Trick or treating is pretty hard, she can’t say trick or treat,” the mother said. “She’s on a special diet. She can’t eat any candy. A lot of times there’s stairs to different people’s houses. She can’t necessarily get close enough to even go up the stairs. It’s also getting dark, and she has a sleep disorder.”
Tents at the event provided non-edible treats including bracelets, bubble blowers, stickers, glowsticks and fidget toys.
The moon bounce allowed entry for kids with orthotics, footwear designed with additional support in mind. Parents said not all bounce houses provided that.
The Arts for All tent gave away allergy-free candy, hair chalk for children to let out their artistic side and bookmarks with information on its upcoming Marry Poppins Jr. theatrical performance. Arts for All is a program that provides opportunities for artists and performers with disabilities to participate in creative spaces.
Adaptive Recreation is a Loudoun County program that fosters inclusion through recreational activities. Throughout the year, it offers after-school activities for disabled children, as well as a five-week summer camp.
Jen Lupo Reese, a disability rights advocate, said her child attends the summer camp.
“It’s some place where I know that she’s safe and I know they can take care of her,” Reese said.
Adaptive Recreation also sponsors events for adults, including trips to Disneyland and bowling nights on Fridays. The program is supported by fundraisers and grants and provides scholarships for participants to attend the programs and camps.
“We’re very much into fulfilling our mission which is to create a community for everyone,” Torpy said. “Our Adaptive Recreation program here has been going strong for many, many years and is one that other jurisdictions try to emulate, because it is such a strong program here.”