Dylan Evans, 38, works at Parks and Recreation of Loudoun County. He coaches the Reflection Riptides and is pictured here holding 11-year-old swimmers, sixth graders Grace Dowell and Caitlyn Allain. Photo by Colin Stoecker/The Connection

Bill Liedtke, founder and commissioner of the Herndon Swim League, was at the 35th Anniversary swim meet in Herndon to hand out scholarships and watch his life’s work.

Kathryn Sandercock (right), a senior at Bishop O’Connell High School, poses with a current McLean Allstar player, Maddie White, 12, a rising eighth grader at Saint Luke in McLean. Sandercock gives back to her old team by helping coach future pitchers.

Jessica Honesty and her mother Pamela Honesty flip through old newspaper clippings on the set of “The J-Hon Show,” at Fairfax Public Access on Sunday. Colin Stoecker/Connection Newspapers

The Vienna Youth Players cast performs the Off-Broadway production of “Hair” at Vienna Baptist Church Friday night. Photo by Colin Stoecker/The Connection

This ancient watch tower on the hill is from the Long Beard culture in the middle ages. During World War II, it divided the Gothic Line between the allied and axis territory. It overlooks Casanina, a small town in the Le Marche region of Italy. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

This ancient watch tower from the Long Beard culture divided the Gothic Line between the allied and axis territory during World War II. It sits on a hill overlooking Tovoleto and Casanina in the Le Marche region of Italy. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

The ANPI or Association of National Partisans Italy is a World War II veterans association for Italian Partisans who fought for Italy's freedom from the Germans. This is a page spread from one of their monthly magazine publications. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

This is a picture of deceased American soldiers during World War II from one of ANPI's monthly magazine publications. The ANPI or Association of National Partisans Italy is a World War II veterans association for Italian Partisans who fought for Italy's freedom from the Germans. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

Signorotti Luigi, a retired teacher walks through a wheat field to get to a left over Nazi Bunker outside of Tavoleto in the countryside of the Le Marche region of Italy.

Signorotti Luigi, points out towards Tavoleto as he explains the battle that happened there in 1944. He is a retired teacher who walks wth me to left over Nazi bunker outside of Tavoleto in the countryside of the Le Marche region of Italy.

Hidden in the rolling hills of the Le Marche countryside in Italy, this Nazi pillbox style machine gun bunker remains overlooking a valley that delineated the Gothic Line. There are thousdands of these in fields across the country of Italy as they dotted the landscape that was the Gothic Line, separating the Allies from the Axis powers in Italy towards the end of World War II.

Signorotti Luigi, emerges from a Nazi pill box style bunker which is hidden in the hills of the Le Marche region by the town of Tavoleto, Italy. He is a retired teacher who writes World War II history and testimonies of Italian Partisan fighters who resisted Nazi control towards the end of World War II.

Signorotti Luigi, emerges from a Nazi pill box style bunker hidden in a hill in the Le Marche region of Italy. He is a retired teacher who writes World War II history and testimonies of Italian Partisan fighters who resisted Nazi control towards the end of World War II.

Spiked Club used by the German Nazi's as a torture device. Picture is from inside the Association of National Partisans of Italy headquarters in Pesaro, Italy.

Maltilde De Fornace, the daughter of an Italian Partisan discusses with Gustavo Ferretti, the President of the National History Association for Pesaro Italy and President of ANPI, how to get in touch with a surviving Partisan from World War II. They decide to contact Umberto Palmetti who is 92 and lives in Gabicce Monte, Italy.

Paulo Sorcinelli is an author and historian. He wrote one of the only books on the Gothic Line during World War II in Italy called, "Linea Gotica 1944: Armies. People. Partisans." He wrote the book in 1986, and an English version has yet to be translated.

Mauro Annoni shows the front cover photo of  Paolo Sorcinelli's book, "Linea Gotica 1944: Armies. People. Partisans." He is the President of of the Contemporary History Organization of Pesaro and has an interest in World War II history and keeping it's study alive in Pesaro, Italy.

Umberto Palmetti, 92 rides an exercise bike on his front porch. He is one of the last surviving Partiagani, Italian freedom fighters who resisted their Nazi occupiers during World War II. He has written over a thousand poems on the subject of WWII. "I never fell into pessimism, it's about war but it's also about nature, that we will come back after the war," he said. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

Umberto Palmetti, 92 He tells me about a time when the Germans issued a death warrant for him to be shot by shot gun. He is one of the last surviving Partiagani, Italian freedom fighters who resisted their Nazi occupiers during World War II. He has written over a thousand poems on the subject of WWII. Photo by Colin Stoecker.

This momunment is at the front entrance of the Gradara War Cemetary in Gradara, Italy. It holds grave stones of fallen British soldiers who died fighting in battles towards the end of World War II. These soldiers are British, Scottish, Irish, and even British Indian from the Jalabad Unit. It hold the bodys of those who died fighting so far from their homes to end World War II.

Pentax K50

18-55mm lens

Pentax K50

18-55mm lens

Pentak K50

18-55mm lens

Benita Park’s son, Kendall holds a finished package of Rise Against Hunger packaged meals. The volunteers met their goal of packaging 50,000 meals this year, 20,000 more meals than last year. Photo by Colin Stoecker