Three Great Ways To Get Involved In September

#1 Mentor A Student

With the arrival of the new school year, the City of Rockville needs volunteers for its Mentoring Program. Now entering its 16th year, this program gives adults and high school students a chance to work one-on-one with elementary and middle school students to help them develop their academic and social skills. Volunteers are placed at schools throughout Rockville. Businesses are encouraged to get involved by giving employees the flexibility to serve during the day.

From the City of Rockville’s Community Services:

Mentors are paired with students who share their general interests and strengths. The program is designed to improve the self-esteem and confidence of the students, to motivate them academically and in other avenues, assist them with problem solving, and teach life skills.

“Mentoring provides a wonderful experience for the volunteers and students,” said Cynthia Bangali. “Volunteers do not need any special skills; just a desire to listen and offer guidance, encouragement and friendship.”

The pair meets for one hour, one day each week after school from October through May. The mentors and mentees work in a group setting with other mentors and mentees.

High school students can earn Student Service Learning credit hours for their participation.

For more information, call Cynthia Bangali at 240-314-8317 or e-mail cbangali@rockvillemd.gov.

A an online application  and a video about the program are available.

#2 Volunteer on Patriot Day

President Obama amended the Patriot Day proclamation on September 10, 2009 to officially and permanently make 9/11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Visit the national site and search on Rockville to find participating groups. You can search by the type of organization such as civic, health, human services, or the arts. You can also sign up and share your good deed. “Reignite the spirit of unity and service that inspired Americans in the days after the September 11, 2001 tragedy.”

#3 Provide Ongoing Help To A Local Nonprofit

Community Ministries of Rockville
Community Ministries of Rockville (CMR) improves the quality of life for the most vulnerable residents by providing services to numerous community programs. Volunteers have been essential to providing these basic services. CMR seeks volunteers with many different skills such as for building repairs, computers, or administrative work. For more information please visit the Community Ministries of Rockville webiste or contact Lynn Arndt, the Director of Volunteer Services at (301) 637-0705 or lynnarndt@cmrocks.org

Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy
The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) is looking for a volunteer Professional Development Assistant. They need someone to assist with their Professional Development Institute, which provides training workshops and other support to program staff and instructors of the over fifty programs in Montgomery County that teach adult ESOL. The hours are flexible from home or in their office. The time demands will vary depending on when workshops are scheduled, but would generally be no more than 2-3 hours a week. Contact Rachel Glass at 301-881-1136 or rglass@mcael.org

Volunteers Honored For Their Service

Last night the City of Rockville thanked the volunteers who gave their time to all the many different boards, commissions, task forces, activities, events, and programs offered throughout the City. If you spent any time helping in any way, you received an invitation to the festivities on the lawn of Glenview Mansion.

All of the Mayor and Council were present. Many City staff, including City Manager Scott Ullery and Recreation and Parks Director Burt Hall, took the time to mingle and thank those who have helped. Although many of the efforts are ongoing, some are special one-time initiatives.

After posting yesterday’s Weekend to Weekend Pick, I had the pleasure of meeting the couple who are trying to get Rockville certified as a National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat. What a coincidence and a treat!

About the same time she retired from the federal government, Anne Goodman attended the Legacy Leadership Institute which matched volunteers with a project and she worked with the Environmental Management Division. She and her husband, Jim Farrelly, discovered the National Wildlife Federation website and realized they could certify their backyard as a wildlife habitat. They decided to persuade people to work to clean up the water and raise plants through the program. Anne and Jim will be leading the backyard tour from Cryodon Creek Nature Center on September 11th and their yard will be on the tour. Register here by 9/4.

In order for a backyard to be certified it must have (3) sources of food, (1) source of water, (2) places to raise young, and (2) places to shelter. (The shelter and raising young places can be the same.) It’s that simple. The program encourages sustainable gardening with mulch, compost, and native plants.

This is only one example of how residents are volunteering. There are hundreds of different examples. Jim also sings in the Rockville Chorus, Rockville Singers, and the Men’s Chorus. Volunteers talked about helping at the Senior Center with bingo and the Young At Heart Club. Former City Councilmember Bob Dorsey serves on the Human Service Advisory Commission. Chas Hausheer works hard to bring information to the East Rockville Citizen’s Association. When you look out over the large crowd, the realization of how many volunteer hours have been contributed is always astounding.

As Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio said, “Thank you so much.”

Although the event is rain or shine, the evening’s weather was as pleasant as possible. Everyone was treated to a spectacular sunset on the way home. Did you see it?

Fire and Rescue Volunteer Recruiting Station Is First In Country

Newly Opened MCVFRA Recruiting Station

Since 1922, the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association (MCVFRA) has been without a home. If you wanted to volunteer, you could call a hotline or a leader, but there was no central place to learn about the possibility of serving your community through one of the 19 separate, independent, fire and rescue corporations. When potential volunteers visited fire stations, career firefighters weren’t always able to direct them to the right source. All this has changed.

After looking for over two years for an appropriate space, MCVFRA opened a Recruiting Station in the heart of Rockville at 230 North Washington Street. Highly visible in the Town Center and centrally located in the County, the brand new Station acts as its own billboard to the community. In addition to the 1000 square foot Station on street level, the space includes 1500 square feet of offices on the 4th floor.

Executive Director Eric N. Bernard explained the Station is the first in the Country for recruiting volunteers and it’s working:

Our numbers are going up. They’re bucking a national trend. Since Memorial Day we have a couple of people a day stopping by. We’re receiving 10 to 12 applications a week.

The need for volunteers is never ending. Most serve for 3 to 5 years. Changing life situations create a revolving door. Volunteers get married or go to school. There’s always a need and this volunteer job takes a great deal of dedication.

Buddy Sutton and Eric Bernard

Board member Buddy Sutton from Laytonsville is an exception. He credit his 27 years of service to a “willingness to help people”. Many of the men in his family volunteered and he followed their lead. At first he only wanted to drive and serve on the fire truck but then he saw the opportunity to be a line officer. Volunteering can be fulfilling and help develop broader leadership skills:

If you want to be the best, you can do it.

The Cab Inside the Building

The Recruiting Station includes the front cab section of a real fire truck and soon the lights will be working. Two large screens show recruiting videos and fire scenes. Recruits can try on a full set of gear and attach a hose to a fire hydrant. The Station gives a recruit a feel for the job as well as the chance to speak with a volunteer about what it’s really like.

Young recruit

The office space on the upper floor allows for the storage of files and data on the number of volunteer hours logged, which can now be routinely collected. The space was necessary to provide an office for a new Recruitment and Retention Coordinator. MCVFRA received a four-year federal SAFER (Staffing Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant which enabled the Association to hire Jason Goldberg full-time.

Mr. Bernard summed up the meaning of volunteering with MCVFRA:

It’s all about tradition, service and honor.

Over 90% of the volunteer fire and rescue workers live in Montgomery County. These men and women are dedicated to our community because they live in our community. They spend their time helping neighbors when the worst happens.

The “boot camp for volunteers” is a nine-week basic training course with a full graduation ceremony. Held on Friday nights from 6:30 until 11:30 PM, the training covers EMT, driving, trucks, officers … everything.

If you’re interested in volunteering, stop by the Recruitment Station or call the hotline at 301-942-0100. As it says on the banner in the window “Heroes Needed”.

Everyone Meets At The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Be prepared to “Barnyard Boogie” during the largest county fair in the State of Maryland. From Friday, August 13th through Saturday, August 21st, 2010, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair will include all of the time-tested favorites at the fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. You can expect the pig races, animal barns, and home project competitions along with the thrilling carnival rides. Ever since I moved to Montgomery County 18 years ago, I’ve always sought out this community gathering.

As Temperance Blalock told me,

Every year I see at least one person there that I haven’t seen for a long time; it’s one place that almost everyone in the area visits at least once during the fair, so it’s definitely a thing that brings together the community.

Beyond the rides and attractions, the Fair seeks to educate everyone about agriculture and encourage future generations to farm. Although growing up a city girl right outside of New York, I spent many of my summers working at my Uncle Woodrow’s dairy farm. The Fair brings back memories of caring for the cows, pigs, and ducks. I love the smell of the hay even after all those hot days in the barn loft! Since many people don’t have the opportunity to work on a family farm, visiting the Fair is a perfect way to teach kids about the lifestyle. The little ones love the animals so much.

Behind the scenes, the agricultural center helps terminally ill children with a special VIP program. A group of 4-H and FFA members along with staff and volunteers bring the fair to Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville. Young patients who can’t attend are treated to a fair like atmosphere in the hospital. This program also brings children facing life-threatening illnesses to the Fair to be treated like royalty for a day.

Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, depends on more than 2,000 volunteers to make the Fair successful. The business community also sponsors programs providing financial relief for the VIP Terminally Ill Program, Senior Citizen’s Day, and the entertainment. Since the first group of people began the Fair in 1945, volunteers make it happen. In 1949 they had a good, old-fashioned barn raising but today volunteers are needed for clerical work in the office, ground maintenance, concession stands, off-season rentals, banquets, and committee service. To become a volunteer, call (301) 926-3100.

Who’s going to the Fair?

Participating at the Fair is a tradition for many Rockvillians. Please let us know in the comments if you are competing, performing or volunteering. We’d love to know!

Animal Exchange

Photo of the 2009 Hermit Crab Races from the Animal Exchange

Every year you can count on Ruth Hanessian’s Hermit Crab Race from the Animal Exchange. Stop by the competition (next to the pig race) on Wednesday, August 18th at 3:30PM. This is serious competition with engraved cups for the fastest and the funniest. If you don’t have a crab, she’ll rent one to you for the competition. One year the Kensington Fire Department came and raced their crabs. Usually the “king and queen” come to the races, and Ruth always likes to see the royal court. This year, as she did last year, she’ll assign a crab to each of the court members.

Ruth also has fond memories which lead her to the Fair each year:

I love the Fair because when you grow up in a no-pet apartment in New York, this is the most wonderful exposure to the real world that I can possibly imagine. As a child, I traveled to my Aunt Mary’s farm and had never seen a ground frog or chickens before the visit. Of course I had to go across the barbed-wire fence. I was so amazed at what animals really are.

Last week my kids and their friends caught crabs while on vacation in Maine and released them by having a race across the beach. Everyone was yelling at the top of their lungs for a winner so I know the hermit crab races will be a highlight of the Fair.

Temperance Blalock

Double Blind Brew

Regular Rockville Central contributor, Temperance Blalock, won first place in the “spice/herb/vegetable” category for her Holiday brew last year and she’s back for the homebrewing competition. She’s submitted 13 batches of Double Blind Brew. When asked about the experience, she explained:

I love the fair so much!! I love the food, the smell of horse manure, the loud noises, the people wandering around in huge packs, the sun beating down during the day, and then the hypnotic lights of the thrill rides in the evening and the night.

And, I LOVE the high of winning a competition. It was so exciting when I won a blue ribbon last year, and now this year it’s not just myself, there are three of us “brewers” now in Double Blind Brewery, and Andy and Lucie are tremendously excited about winning. Actually, the most fun part is receiving back the “notes’ from the professional judges. We learn a lot from those.

She tells us a “closed” brewing was done this past weekend. They’ve already picked the 20 semi-finalists, which will be judged publicly this coming Saturday at the fairgrounds.

Rockville Swing Band

Photo from the Rockville Swing Band

The entertainment schedule packs a big boogie punch with our own Rockville Swing Band taking the stage at 7 PM on Tuesday, August 17th. The Band will perform contemporary jazz big band arrangements as well as traditional swing charts from the Golden Era. The talented members of the band come from all over the DC metro area for weekly rehearsals in the cottage of the Rockville Mansion and this promises to be a real crowd pleaser.

Here’s all the details:

FAIR HOURS (Gates close at 11PM for entry)
Friday August 13th: 3 PM-12 Midnight
Saturday, August 14th – Saturday, August 21st 10 AM-12 Midnight
Animal & barn exhibits, Home Arts, Arts & Crafts and Old Timers not open until Sunday, August 15th at 12 Noon!!

CARNIVAL HOURS
Friday August 13th: 3 PM- 12 Midnight
Saturday, August 14th-Saturday, August 21st: 12 Noon-12 Midnight

How much is this going to cost?

General Admission: $10.00 per person. Children 11 and Under are FREE. Free same-day re-entry is available with hand stamping at the gate

Parking: $5.00 per car. My son’s Boy Scout Troop 447  from Rockville works to park the cars. When you go, please be careful not to run over my son and husband! Please be courteous and pay attention to everyone in the red hats. The Troop has been parking cars for over 40 years and their system works if everyone cooperates!

Free parking at Lake Forest Mall with a free shuttle to the Fairgrounds stop at Lost Knife Road and Odendhal Avenue.

If you want to go on the rides, the Carnival Mega-Pass one-day ride wristband: $25.00

Wristband discounts:

On Friday, August 13, Opening Day, Carnival Mega-Pass one-day ride wristband
will be $9.95 from 3pm to Midnight.

Monday, August 16 & Wednesday, August 18, Family Day, purchase Carnival Mega-Pass
one-day ride wristband for $15.00 from 12 noon until 5pm, ride until midnight.

Tuesday, August 17, Senior Citizen’s Day, Free admission to all ages 62 and over
from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

You must pay extra for the Grandstand shows including the Rodeo, Tractor Pull, Monster Truck Madness and Demolition Derby. But, you can even ride in a monster truck! Info on discounts is in the brochure.

Meet you at the Fair!

Comcast Free Film Festival To Benefit NIH Charities

Comcast’s 14th annual Film Festival to benefit NIH Charities begins this week: August 13 – 20, 2010 at the Universities at Shady Grove. Funds will benefit the Children’s Inn at NIH, Specialove, and Friends of the Clinical Center (FOCC).

The schedule includes something for everyone:

Friday, August 13 – The Blind Side
Saturday, August 14 – Twilight: New Moon
Sunday, August 15 – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Monday, August 16 – Jerry McGuire
Tuesday, August 17 – Valentine’s Day
Wednesday, August 18 – Up In The Air
Thursday, August 19 – Julie & Julia
Friday, August 20 – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Since the movies will be shown for free, you may wonder how the Film Festival will help these organizations. NIH Charities receives proceeds from the restaurants which will open at 6:30 PM before the movies start at 8:15 PM. Since it’s too hot to cook this summer, take a night off to enjoy a movie and treat yourself to something to eat:

Popcorn, candy & soft drinks – fresh popcorn popped served in two sizes – Large (85oz) and Jumbo (130oz.), movie candy, fresh squeezed lemonade, cotton candy, assorted soft drinks and bottled water

Potomac Pizza – Back for the 12th year serving hot, fresh Potomac Pizza, plain & pepperoni, turkey and Italian subs, fresh green and Greek salads, cold soft drinks, and shaved ice.

Baja Fresh – Always the freshest high quality ingredients. Nothing frozen or microwaved. Enjoy the area’s best burritos, quesadillas, guacamole, fresh chips & salsa, and churros for something sweet.

Hard Times Cafe of Bethesda – Yowee! Back for the 11th year. The area’s favorite chili house is back with Cincinnati chili, veggie chili, plus their fresh grilled burgers, fresh grilled burgers, fries and nachos (all with or without chili & cheese), fresh baked corn bread and bottled root beer.

Ben & Jerry’s – Everybody’s favorite ice cream, root beer floats, and frozen ice cream bars. And new for 2008, Fresh Fruit Smoothies!

These organizations help families through difficult times:

The Children’s Inn at NIH helps to keep children together with their families during serious illness, to reduce their stress, and facilitate their healing through mutual support. organization where children with cancer are given a chance to enjoy normal activities-to laugh, run, jump, swim, learn, and make friends.

Special Love enrichs the lives of young cancer patients and their family members through programs offered annually.

The Friends of the Clinical Center helps to relieve patients of financial burdens so they can participate in clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health.

Parking is free at the Universities at Shady Grove. No alcohol, smoking or pets at the Film Fest. Please don’t bring your own food as this is a fundraiser! Lightning or winds over 15 mph will cause a cancellation (check the website).

In case you are wondering, the Film Festival was previously held on the grounds of Strathmore Hall so this is a new location this summer.

Get Out And Volunteer In August

Summer’s here but the need for volunteers never goes on vacation.

Collect Food
The Manna Food Center needs volunteers to help for 2 hour shifts starting at 10 AM through 8 PM at the entrance gates at the 2010 Montgomery County Agricultural Fair from August 13 -21, 2010. Volunteers will collect nonperishable food donations from visitors when they enter the fair grounds. High school students may receive SSL hours for the activity, but if they are under 18 they must attend a volunteer training meeting. Volunteers under 16 must volunteer with an adult. If interested, please email which date and time of day to Kim, kim@mannafood.org.

Pianist Needed
Hebrew Home is looking for an accomplished pianist to perform for residents at Ring House in Rockville, from 4-5 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and/or Sundays. For more information, contact Hedy Peyser, Director of Volunteers at 301-770-8332, or by e-mail at volunteers@hebrew-home.org

Donate School Supplies
If you have extra supplies or can afford to buy some extra when you purchase them for your kids, local organizations need school supplies for their clients. The Volunteer Center tells us that Montgomery County Public Schools has already collected, sorted, and distributed the 24,968 lbs. of school supplies donated by their students at the end of the last school year but more are still needed. Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless and Interfaith Works are looking for new backpacks, and supplies to put in them such as calculators and binders. Help a child start off the school year prepared. It could make a big difference.

Check out past opportunities to help in our Volunteer Section and make our community a better place.

Prepare For The Weekend Of Service

Most >Rockville Central readers know that there is a big push going on to make this Inauguration Weekend one that highlights a call to service.

Montgomery County has established “Yes Montgomery Can” as a way for people to connect to service opportunities this weekend. (Warning: that link has irritating sound you can’t turn off.)

In particular, we encourage readers to donate food to Manna Food Center, the largest food bank in the county and located right here in Our Fair City. Just take your food items to the Giant on Rockville Pike (next to Flagship Car Wash) between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on Saturday or Sunday.

(Here’s the food most needed: peanut butter, tuna fish, canned fruit, baby formula, baby food,shelf-stable milk, cereal and oatmeal, rice, canned and dried beans, tomato sauce, pasta, macaroni and cheese, and canned soup.)

In addition, please consider volunteering to help out. You can sign up easily here. (No sound at this link.) Many of our neighbors will be going door to door, canvassing to raise funds to match an anonymous gift.

Serenading Rockville’s “Unsung Heroes”

>Councilmember Piotr Gajewski presided over the City’s annual presentation of its Good Neighbor Awards tonight. Glenview Mansion was as decked out as the award recipients on this balmy summer evening when honorees, friends, family and their neighbors gathered for a reception and awards ceremony. The crowd cheered for the men and women who improve the quality of life in their communities in big and small ways – from advice and guidance to community activism to leaf raking and snow shoveling for neighbors in need to “creating, managing and implementing memorable community events with good humor and hard work” to reaching out to new neighbors with generosity and kindness “that makes more people willing to move out of our comfort zones” to a network of ten families who together provided food, flowers, clothing, cards, and entertainment for a neighbor who had become wheelchair bound.

The 2008 Recipients include: Wilma Bell of Lincoln Park, Marshall Fisher of College Gardens, Chas Hausheer of East Rockville, Joseph McClane of Cambridge Walk II, Paul O’Brien of College Gardens, Shari Perry of College Gardens, Andreas Vassilas of Twinbrook, James Wilburn of Lincoln Park, and Jack and Priscilla Baublitz, Michael and Jeanine Hartnett, Haywood and Lorraine Hughes, George and Roberta Margolies, Jim and Mary Martin, Jesse and Mary Meneses, Dave and Anne McBain, Gerry McDonald, Gram and Diane Paules, Mildred Shields, and Lois Wilson all of College Gardens who were honored together for their support of an ill neighbor. Rockville Central’s founder Brad Rourke was also honored for launching Rockville Central.

If you know someone who makes your neighborhood a better place, you can nominate them next year through the City Manager’s Department.

Two Ways to Make History as a Volunteer

When I was a docent at the >Montgomery County Historical Society, one of the most common things heard after a tour was “I’ve lived here my whole life and I didn’t know any of that.” Montgomery County is rich in history and we are lucky to have MCHS to document and preserve this past.

Museum Guide

You can become a museum guide for the Beall-Dawson House and Stonestreet Medical Museums. Imagine explaining the medical use for leeches and pointing out the chamber pot under the bed. A training session will be offered on Monday, February 25, 2008 from 10 AM – 3 PM. If you like to talk to people and are available to work two weekday afternoons or one weekend afternoon per month, then register for this training by calling 301-340-2825 or kylottes@montgomeryhistory.org.

History Day Competition Judge

Help change the way students learn history! On Saturday, March 15, 2008, students in grades 6-12 will be judged for the National History Day competition. This year’s theme is “Conflict and Compromise”. MCHS needs judges to choose the winners in the following categories: papers, exhibits, media presentations, performances, and websites. Volunteers should be able to give positive comments for improvement. Call 301-340-2825 or ecorrell@montgomeryhistory.org.

Consider Serving on a City Board or Commission

In October I was appointed to Rockville’s Human Services Advisory Commission. With my background it is a good fit. Since it has been so rewarding to me, I’d like to encourage others to think about whether you can contribute to our City on a >board or commission.

There are quite a few openings right now and the City Clerk’s office is working to fill these vacancies.

• Board of Appeals (1)
• Compensation Commission (1)
• Cultural Arts Commission (1)
• Historic District Commission (1)
• Human Rights Commission (3)
• Human Services Advisory Commission (1)
• Personnel Appeals Board (1)
• Recreation and Park Advisory Board (2)
• Retirement Board (1)
• Rockville Scholarship Foundation (1)
• Rockville Sister City (1)
• Sign Review Board (2)

The time commitment is typically a once-a-month meeting and any follow up work you might volunteer to do. Although, some members have relevant experience, you don’t necessarily need to have an expertise in any of these areas. The Mayor and Council are looking for feedback from regular citizens to determine policy.

Often when serving on a Commission, you are included in presentations and forums on broader issues too, such as the Rockville Pike Revisioning or the Parks and Recreation Program. By joining a commission, you are easily connected to many of Rockville’s issues.

The Human Services Advisory Commission is seeking a member-at-large. We would like to continue to include a diversity of members from different backgrounds. I could give you the official description but we are looking for someone that cares about youth and families in need and the organizations that work to help them, especially someone with knowledge or contacts with the residents we serve.

If you are interested in this or any one of these vacancies, fill out an Interest Form and return it to City Hall. You’ll receive an acknowledgement. The Mayor, Council, Commission Chair, and Staff Liason will be informed of your interest. You’ll be invited to attend a meeting to find out if the commission is right for you and if you are right for the commission.

Rockville Holiday Drive: Many Ways to Help

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