Buy Pumpkins From Our Volunteer Fire Department

The Rockville Volunteer Fire Department’s holding a Halloween Pumpkin Sale right across the street from the fire station at the intersection of Hungerford Drive and Beall Avenue.

Our family loves carving pumpkins on Halloween then roasting the seeds with salt. This snack helps to lower the sugar consumption from Trick or Treating. I always save at least one uncarved pumpkin until Thanksgiving weekend. Autumn with all its bright colors and traditions definitely is a favorite time of year for me.

For over 80 years the RVFD has served the community, Without the support of volunteers and monetary contributions, the four stations would not be here today. Buying pumpkins from the Fire Department is a fun and easy way to help, so stop by and pick out a big one!

The hours of operation are 10 AM to 10 PM.

October Volunteer Highlights And Community Service Day

Each month we describe some of the volunteer openings in Rockville from the Montgomery County Volunteer Center. Right now if you go to the Volunteer Center website, over 275 opportunities are listed for our Fair City. If you want or need (Student Service Learning hours!) to volunteer, plenty of people can use your help.

From the Volunteer Center

One Time Chance
10/17 – Halloween Young Run, (MCPS SSL Approved) The Montgomery County Road Runners need volunteers to help with this popular non-competitive running event for children. They need volunteers to prepare and serve food, to clean up, and to help with kids games. For more information, contact Binni Chadda at bkchadda@gmail.com.

Ongoing Need
Volunteer Shopper, Jewish Social Service Agency. (Approved SSL MCPS) Volunteers are needed to shop for and with frail elders who live in their own homes. Shoppers receive a weekly list (by phone or in person) from the elder, purchase the items, and deliver the groceries. Volunteers will be matched with elders as geographically close possible. Contact Diane Hays-Earp at dhaysearp@jssa.org.

Community Service Day

October also brings Montgomery County’s Community Service Day on the 23rd. You can still:

Sign Up For A Project

or

Plan Your Own Project with your school, neighbors, or other group.

E-Recycle And Help A School

Periodically the City of Rockville collects unwanted electronics for recycling but you need to check for the specific dates. This fundraiser for Twinbrook Elementary School makes it easier.

You can drop these types of electronics into a box in the Twinbrook Elementary Main Office (map) during school hours throughout the school year:

• inkjet/laser cartridges
• cell phones
• ipods
• digital cameras
• GPS devices, and
• laptops (with enough charge to turn on or preferably a power cord to make sure the battery does not die in transit).

Twinbrook PTA President, Susan Pickell, encourages everyone to recycle the unused electronics cluttering up your homes and support the PTA as they strive to lower as many barriers as possible for students at Twinbrook Elementary. Many are on the Free and Reduced Meals program. The school offers two field trips per grade each year and some students can use help paying their way. These important learning opportunities can be expensive, as even renting the buses to the Smith Center in Rockville can cost as much as $300. The PTA offers many services to families. They even provide a vinyl folder for each student to facilitate communication between home and school. All of the money raised will help pay for educational programs. The processing plant pays for each item and even covers the UPS shipping costs.

Recycling at Twinbrook Elementary started during their 2009 Earth Day endeavors which were funded by a grant from the City of Rockville. The school community came together on a Saturday to landscape the property and started recycling. Last spring they also held another green initiative by having a used book drive.

If your church, office, or other group would like to join together for an electronics recycling drive for Twinbrook Elementary contact Susan Pickell at 301-294-6573.

We all know we have them laying around. What a tremendous way to support recycling and Twinbrook ES!

O.A.R. Plays Strathmore

Photo from O.A.R. website by Paul Wochniak

After selling more than a million albums in their career, O.A.R. our biggest Rockville rock stars, are returning home for one night only in a Heard The World Fund charity event at Strathmore Music Center. The show will benefit Neediest Kids, The Community Foundation of Montgomery County ,and the Levine School of Music.

An Evening with O | A | R is presented by Strathmore on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 8:30 PM.
Tickets went on Sale last Friday, September 24th and they cost $125, $99, $89, $79, and $69.

In 1996 O.A.R. was formed by four Wootton High School graduates: lead singer/rhythm guitarist Marc Roberge, lead guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, and drummer Chris Culos. The band has released six studio and three live albums. Their latest, 2008′s All Sides, launched the hit song Shattered [video]. They’ve been in the studio and Billboard announced their next album will be released in early 2011. 

Heard the World Fund was created by O.A.R. to support youth, education and sustainable programs both in the U.S. and abroad. Through music and awareness, the band hopes to give a voice to those in need for a better future.

Each attendee of the Charity Concert will receive a recording of that night’s show as well as a special event poster. In addition, there will be an online ticket auction for front row tickets to the show and an exclusive meet and greet with the band available at www.charityfolks.com/oar.

When they sing “It’s always back to you”, luckily they’ll mean Rockville for this show.

Join The Citizens Police Academy

You never know where signing up for something will lead you. Back in 2002 Corporal Karl Plitt attended the Rockville Citizen Police Academy then decided to become a police officer. His father had been an officer with Montgomery County. The idea to join was in the back of his mind, but exploring Rockville’s police department and meeting people made all the difference.

Even though he was familiar with police work, he found the Academy very beneficial. The session on search and seizure was a real eye opener. He learned when the police can and can’t pull a car over. During the Academy everyone always has a lot of questions, often the same questions, and they answer them well. For him, the Academy reinforced information and provided specifics. In dangerous situations it’s helpful to know the police will first get control of the situation and make sure everyone is safe before they determine the specifics. Having citizens familiar with such procedures can only help everyone involved.

Corporal Ken Matney, the program leader, explained that although Cpt. Plitt became an officer:

The Rockville Citizens Police Academy is a tool for the citizens of Rockville to learn about the police department and different aspects of police work, and get to know the officers in Rockville.

Residents often see police activity and wonder what is happening. Rockville’s Citizens Police Academy is one way to gain a new perspective on what the police are doing. This free annual Academy is now in its 20th year. The nine-week program will be held from 6:30 to 9 PM on Wednesdays from October 6 to December 8, 2010.

Riding along in a police car with the officers on duty is a big draw of the program. They highly encourage people to ride along during the class, but they can do it at anytime. Spending this time together helps citizens understand what is required of police officers in order for them to perform their duties effectively.

Today, the use of NIH’s brand-new Fire Arm Training Simulator (FATS) was confirmed for the Academy. Participants will experience firearms training with a simulator gun. The firearm functions like a real gun when you pull the trigger and it recoils, but you are firing at a screen. While shooting in different scenarios and giving commands like an officer, participants will be videotaped. The new fire arm uses a paintball and compressed air and will allow jumping and ducking during the simulations. NIH will be using the new system to train real officers so this will be quite an experience for the citizens participating in the program. 

The purpose of the academy is to “increase citizen awareness of the functions of the police department by presenting topics such as criminal law, Maryland traffic law, drug investigation, evidence and crime scene investigation, crime prevention, and firearm safety.”

The deadline to register for the program is October 4th. To register call 240-314-8922 or e-mail Corporal Ken Matney at kmatney@rockvillemd.gov.

Certify Your Property As a Wildlife Habitat [UPDATED]

Photo from Anne Goodman

Last Saturday Croydon Creek Nature Center and the Rockville Community Wildlife Habitat team co-sponsored a tour of some local backyards. Rockville is on a quest to certify as many yards as possible as wildlife habitat. The leaders of the tour wanted to show how easy it is to provide for neighborhood wildlife in your very own backyard. The tour was led by Julie Super, a naturalist with Croydon Creek Nature Center, and Anne Goodman and Jim Farrelly, co-leaders of the Habitat team.

Photo from Anne Goodman

Anne Goodman was happy with the participation.

It was a rousing success, in my view. The weather was perfect. We had 14 people who were interested and interactive. Several mentioned that they got some good ideas from what they saw, and they seemed to enjoy the experience. We visited 5 homes: Audra and Bryan Lew, Mark Pierczhala and his wife Lesley Cross, Joe Andrews, Ruth Hanessian, and us.

Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

At each home, the participants observed food, water, cover, places to raise young as well as sustainable gardening practices. All yards contained beautiful native plants. The Lew yard had lots of compost, wood features that provided shelter and places to raise young for insects, and unusual and attractive rain barrels. The Pierczhala/Cross yard was beautifully designed for enjoyment and to slow heavy water running through the property. One item in the chain of water runoff retention was a rain garden. The Andrews home was a townhouse. The plantings were nicely structured, and there were some unusual and lovely water features for birds. The Hanessian home was relatively wooded, had a very interesting low technology bird bath (a pail of water with a large rock on which the birds could sit), and a brush pile owned by a catbird. Our Goodman/Farrelly yard featured sunflowers, a fish pond, a home-made rat-proof bird feeder, and a solar fountain.

Photo from Anne Goodman

In order for the City of Rockville to be recognized, 200 residential certifications will need to be issued by the National Wildlife Federation. Right now, 110 have completed the process which involves filling out a form and paying a $20 fee. In addition to the residential certifications the City needs a minimum of 5 schools (we have 4) and 3 public places (we have 4). The certification is done on a points system with an individual home worth a point, a school 5 points, and a public area 3 points for a grand total of 300 points.

I was surprised to discover our property already qualifies, perhaps yours does too. The National Wildlife Federation explains the requirements on their website. All you need is provide elements from each of the following areas:

Photo from Anne Goodman

• Food Sources – For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
• Water Sources – For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
• Places for Cover – For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
• Places to Raise Young – For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
• Sustainable Gardening – For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

Rat-proof bird feeder photo from Anne Goodman

If you register your backyard with the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program, please let us know.

Farmers Market Offers A Full Plate And Much More

Did you know you can create complete gourmet meals from our Farmers Market? You can, and chefs from Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge showed everyone how by preparing signature dishes from the restaurant using fresh vegetables, meats, fish, and wine from the Farmers Market. They even crumbled the available baked goods on top.

To demonstrate how impressive our Saturday Farmers Market has become, the City invited chefs from Clyde’s to give a cooking demonstration last Saturday, September 11, 2010. Clyde’s buys their local ingredients from the Farmers Market twice each week on Wednesday and Saturday. Getting into the spirit of the invitation, head chef Jeff Eng suggested a cook off between his chefs. The result was a fast-paced and creative competition which had the audience watching three teams quickly prepare three-course feasts using the ingredients they had just purchased.

These were the menus:

Clark and Maura’s Menu
Clyde’s Crab cake with tomato, cucumber, radish salad with Old Bay Vinagrette
Roasted Duck Heart (not from the market)
Carmelized Apple Crepe with cinnamon cream

Daniel’s Menu
Pear Salad with green onion, Sheperds Delight Cheese
Seared Cod topped with Arugozo Apple Salad
Plum Parfait with maple yogurt, Rosemary short bread and local honey

Jeff’s Menu
Chilled Cantelope
Crispy Pork Belly
Farmers Market Mason Jar Pear, maple yogurt, whipped cream, and shortbread

The demonstration attracted quite a crowd, even more than the seating available. The challenge was picking only one chef to watch in the half-hour time period. If you were watching how Clyde’s makes their crab cakes, you might not be able to pay full attention to the cod searing method on the opposite end of the table.

Four people in the audience volunteered to be judges and pick the winner. Mike Coppersmith, the City’s Special Operations Supervisor, said the judges struggled a bit as they continued eating. In the end, it was a three way tie. As for the duck heart, he heard one of the judges say she would never order it if she saw it on the menu, but it was delicious.

Manna Food Center regularly has volunteers collect food at the Farmers Market. Donations to the Manna Food Center insure everyone in Montgomery County has food to eat. Ritchie Park Elementary School’s Brownie Troop 3459 volunteered to collect on Saturday. How could you turn them down? They collected a grand total of ‎686 pounds of food!

They all send a special thank you to everyone who came out out to support the Troop, the local farmers, and Manna.

This past Saturday, Elk Run Vineyards from Mount Airy offered tastes and had full bottles for sale. This was the first summer a wineries participated in the Farmers Market. Elk Run had non-stop customers on Saturday and they’ll be celebrating their 30th anniversary next month.

If you haven’t been to the Farmers Market lately, you haven’t been to the Farmers Market.

The Saturday Farmers Market will be open until November 20, 2010, 9 AM – 1 PM at the corner of Route 28 and Monroe Street.

Registration Opens For Rockville University

Two years ago I enrolled in Rockville University and I can’t recommend it enough. As I explained,

You may not need to know how many street lights stand in Rockville or how many arrests were made for burglary, but the whole Rockville University experience will make you feel more connected. Places, names, and faces will be familiar. When you turn on the tap, you’ll picture exactly where that water has traveled since it left the Potomac River. You’ll know why the police reach out to our community and how inspection services protects you (even when they constantly tell you “no”). When you study the population trends and learn about zoning with the planning department, you’ll picture the Rockville of the future. If you have ever wondered about something in Rockville, you can find out more by enrolling in Rockville University.

One of my fellow classmates, Mary Hillstrom summed it up best:

Sitting in on this Commission meeting, as well as attending Rockville University, transformed my impression of the city government from a huge anonymous entity to a collection of caring individuals, similar to me. My image of the commission members went from “Commissioners,” with a capital C, to citizens and neighbors – regular everyday people. The city became human-size in my mind. Now I can see myself volunteering for a Rockville commission or joining my neighborhood association or getting involved in some other aspect of Rockville city life. I’m excited. Watch out Rockville, here I come!

The new Rockville Latino Alliance was spearheaded with the help of two Rockville University graduates. This is a true example of residents finding out how to get involved and meeting a need in our community.

If you want to learn and be inspired, register for Rockville University. It’s a free citizen-awareness program run by the City of Rockville. Anyone can join as long as you are older than 16 years.

Registration is available online or via phone at 240-314-8344.

Rockville University allows residents to:

• Hear about the history and demographics of Rockville.
• Learn about the Council/Manager form of government.
• Visit City facilities such as the Water Treatment Plant, Gude Drive Maintenance Facility, Rockville Senior Center, Rockville Swim and Fitness Center, community recreation centers, and City parks.
• Discover ways to get involved in the community and City Hall.
• Find out what each City departments does and how it impacts residents.

Because of safety concerns, you really can’t visit the Water Treatment Plant any other way. The tour really gives you a complete understanding of the challenges involved with bringing water to our residents. As I read the Municipal Growth Element report, I knew exactly what our City is facing.

The next session of Rockville University begins Wednesday, October 13, 2010. Classes will be held on October 13, 23, 26, and November 6, 10, and 17. Wednesday classes will be held in the evening and most classes last two hours. The time flies!

Rockville University is only offered once per year with a class limit of 25 people.

For more information about Rockville University visit the website or contact Hjarman Cordero, neighborhood resources coordinator, at

Drivers Needed For Primary Election Day

Although this call for volunteers is not specifically in Rockville because the Montgomery County Board of Elections is up the road in Gaithersburg, we want to help facilitate our elections in every way possible.
Volunteer drivers are needed early in the morning on Primary Election Day to transport miscellaneous items such as computer or printer power cords, various types of papers, etc. from the Board of Elections office to various precincts around the County on Tuesday, September 14, 2010.

Early Tuesday morning, volunteers would need to arrive at 6:00 AM and stay until assigned a delivery to a precinct, which could take until 9 AM. The Board of Election is located at 18753-210 North Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20879.

If you are willing to volunteer, you must send an email ASAP but no later than noon on Monday, September 13th, to Thomas Street, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer at Thomas.Street@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Volunteers will be contacted by close of business on Monday with the logistics for Tuesday morning.

New Human Rights Forums Begin With Families

Guest speakers from the Human Rights Campaign and Healthy Families will discuss family dynamics, including single-parent homes and same-sex parents at a community forum entitled Human Rights and America’s Changing Families. It promises to be an educational and informative session with safe, honest, and open discussions. Sponsored by the Human Rights Commission and the Mayor and Council, the free community event will be held on Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 7 PM at Rockville’s VisArts Center at Town Square.

In May the Human Rights Commission decided to begin conducting community forums every 3 or 4 months. This is the first in a series of four such forums planned during the next year. Timely and thought-provoking topics will be presented by experienced community speakers followed by an open, moderated discussion.

Human Rights Commission chair, Debbie Dwyer, explains:

As a Commission, we are encouraging people to attend so that they can not only meet neighbors they might not otherwise meet, but hopefully be encouraged by the discussion to think about human rights issues on a more local scale and understand how local individuals are living their lives in ways that are unique and diverse.

The Human Rights Campaign envisions an America where “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of the American family at home, at work and in every community.” The number of LGBT-headed families continues to grow and this organization unites diverse communities to work together toward equality. HRC provides resources for parents and addresses issues around LGBT youth and families in schools.

HRC also publishes a Welcoming Schools Guide aimed at creating elementary school environments that support and affirm the children of LGBT families:

The Guide provides administrators, educators and parents/guardians with a full range of materials to empower and encourage everyone to create learning environments in which all learners are welcome and respected. Topics addressed in the Welcoming Schools Guide include family diversity, gender stereotyping and name-calling.

Healthy Families is a local organization which educates and provides resources to single parent homes.

Light refreshments will be provided at this kickoff event for the forum series.

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?

Montgomery County Humane Society Seeks Board Members

Montgomery County Humane Society seeks board members

The Montgomery County Humane Society is looking for board members for the 2011-2013 term.

MCHS has served the community since 1958, working to create a community that supports animals and their value to human well-being, addresses animal mistreatment and overpopulation, and reduces reliance on institutional sheltering through responsible alternatives. MCHS handled more than 9,000 animals in 2009.

If you are interested in serving, you should submit a letter of application and resume to MCHS by Friday, September 24, 2010. Experience in strategic fundraising, capital campaigns, finance, law, and governance preferred. Plus, you need to be a MCHS member in good standing.

To apply or for more information, contact Stephanie Keyes, 14645 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 or skeyes@mchumane.org or 240-773-5973.

Food Drive For Manna Food Center At Montgomery County Fair

Manna Food Center, Montgomery County's food bank

There’s a countywide food drive at the Montgomery County Fair in Gaitherburg Aug 13-21 for Manna Food Center.

Volunteers are collecting non-perishable food items at the entrance between the parking lot and the carnival area. Contributions will help re-stock the Manna Food Center, our local food bank, which fights hunger and feeds hope in Montgomery County. The need is greater than ever before.

If you forget to pick something up at the market, they’ll accept funds too!

“Please help us restock our shelves to prepare for what is predicted to be the most challenging winter yet for families in need of food assistance,” said Kim Damion, Manna’s executive director.

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”.