Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
November 29-December 5, 2017
Cal
endar
, Pag
e 2 v
R
eal
Est
ate, P
age
6 v
C
lass
ified
s, P
age
7Photo b
y Peg
gy
McEw
an/T
he
Alm
anac
online at potomacalmanac.com
Chamber Honors People of the Year News, Page 4
Launching ‘A Drive For More Drivers’ News, Page 5
Helping Others News, Page 3
Bullis School seniors John Sita and William Evans
help Abel Habte from Martha’s Table load pies for
the organization’s Harvest Dinner on Nov. 18.
2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.
ONGOINGTownscapes: Sketching as a Way
of Life. Through Dec. 2, 1:30-4:30p.m. at the VisArts Center, 155 GibbsSt., Rockville. Class will be sketchingin the blocks surrounding VisArts,weather permitting. In inclementweather, sketching is done inside.Saturday classes. Call 301-315-8200.
Christmas Tree Sale. Cabin JohnPark Volunteer Fire Department,Station 10, 8001 River Road. Call301-365-2255 or visitwww.cjpvfd.org.
Santa on Fire Engines ToyCollection. A procession of fireengines run by the Cabin John ParkVolunteer Fire Department, carrySanta on a tour of Potomacneighborhoods over the course ofseveral evenings in December,collecting unwrapped new toys forneedy children. Call 301-365-2255 orvisit www.cjpvfd.org.
Winter Lights Festival. Through Dec.31, Sunday-Thursday, 6-9 p.m.;Friday-Saturday, 6-10 p.m. at SenecaCreek Park, 11950 Clopper Road,Gaithersburg. Winter Lights is a 3.5-mile drive through a holiday lightshow at Seneca Creek Park with morethan 360 illuminated displays.Additional events include WineUnder the Lights, Run Under theLights, Leashes ’n’ Lights, and, S’MoreLights & Trolley Rides. Visitwww.gaithersburgmd.gov/leisure/special-events/winter-lights-festival.
DEC. 1-23Friends of the Yellow Barn. The
Yellow Barn Studio gives annualmembers show. Visitwww.glenechopark.org orwww.yellowbarnstudio.com. Call301-634-2222.
SATURDAY/DEC. 2German Christmas Market. 10 a.m.-
5 p.m. at 8617 Chateau Drive,Rockville. Traditional German foodand gifts. Visit nextdoor.com/events/476521/.
Holiday Craft Show. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.at the Bauer Community RecreationCenter, 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville.Local and regional artists exhibitoriginal art, photography, fabric arts,jewelry, candles, holiday decorations,wood work and more. Admission andparking is free. Call 240-777-6922.
Montgomery Community MediaPresents the Nutcracker. Noonat the Robert E. Parilla PerformingArts Center, Montgomery College, 51Manakee St., Rockville. Visitwww.montgomerycollege.edu/.
Winter Wonderland. 1-4 p.m. atdowntown Bethesda. Santa will be inVeterans Park, 7800 Woodmont Ave.The celebration features holidayperformances, a live ice sculptingpresentation and a visit from SantaClaus. Call 301-215-6660 or visitwww.bethesda.org.
Pressenda Chamber PlayersConcert. 8 p.m. at theWestmoreland Congregational UCCChurch, 1 Westmoreland Circle,Bethesda. Washington Conservatoryof Music Piano Trio Concert. Visitwww.westmorelanducc.org/.
The National PhilharmonicSingers. 8 p.m. at Christ EpiscopalChurch, 109 S. Washington St.,Rockville. Under the direction ofconductors Stan Engebretson andVictoria Gau, will present a holiday
concert. Call 301-762-2191 or [email protected].
SUNDAY/DEC. 3Breakfast with Santa. 9-11:30 a.m.
at the Nancy H. Dacek NorthPotomac Community Center, 13850Travilah Road, Rockville. $5 perperson-includes a photo with Santa, asmall gift, breakfast and a craft. VisitActiveMONTGOMERY.org.
Dive with Scuba Santa. Noon - 4p.m. at the Olney Swim Center,16605 Georgia Ave., Olney. 10+ mayuse provided scuba equipment afterreceiving instruction. Those 9 andyounger can hold their breath andswim down for a quick action shotwith Santa. Bring a non perishablefood or a donation of $5 or more. Allcontributions benefit MUM CaptainJoseph A. Mattingly Jr. food pantry.Co-sponsored by the Olney ScubaAdventure Dive Club. Call 240-777-4995.
MONDAY/DEC. 4Christmas Concert. 7 p.m. at the
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,North Bethesda. R&B-jazz singerSelina Albright is heading your wayas a featured performer on the DaveKoz 20thAnniversary Christmas Tourwith fellow smooth/contemporaryjazz icons David Benoit, Rick Braunand Peter White. Visitwww.SelinaAlbright.com.
WEDNESDAY/DEC. 6Mystery in the Library. 4-6 p.m. at
the Potomac Library, 10101Glenolden Drive, Potomac. A mysterywhere the king is missing andeveryone can play a part. Call 240-777-0690.
FRIDAY/DEC. 8Meet the Artist. 6-8 p.m. at at Gallery
B, 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E,Bethesda. Loriann Signori presentsher exhibition, “between silences,”featuring her landscape paintings.Call 301-215-7990.
SATURDAY/DEC. 9Montgomery Community Media
Presents the Nutcracker. 4 p.m.at the Robert E. Parilla PerformingArts Center, Montgomery College, 51Manakee St., Rockville. Visitwww.montgomerycollege.edu/.
A Winter Concert. 7 p.m. at the atCedar Lane Unitarian Church, 9601Cedar Lane, Bethesda. Presented bythe National Institutes of HealthCommunity Orchestra and Chorus.Free. Visit www.nihco.org.
DEC. 9-10The Mini-Nut. 8 p.m. at Montgomery
College Cultural Arts Center, 7995Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. An
abbreviated version of TheNutcracker, designed to introducechildren to the performance by theMaryland Youth Ballet. $18 children,$23 adults. At-the-Door: $20children, $25 adults. Visitwww.marylandyouthballet.org.
SUNDAY/DEC. 10Jingle Bell Jog. 9-10:30 a.m. at the
Rockville Senior Center, 1150Carnation Drive. Registration is freefor Montgomery County RoadRunners Club, $10 for non-membersand $5 for non-members under 18.See www.mcrrc.org.
Jazz Jam Session. 3-5:30 p.m. at thePotomac River Jazz Club, atNormandie Farm Restaurant, 10710Falls Road, Rockville. Bringinstruments and sit in with theConservatory Classic Jazz Bandduring the first set. Or just drop in tolisten to the great sounds of classicjazz, Dixieland, and swing. $10admission, free for jammers andstudents. Call 301-762-3323, or visitprjc.org.
‘BetweenSilences’Loriann Signoripresents herexhibition, “be-tween silences,”on Friday, Dec. 8from 6-8 p.m. at atGallery B, 7700Wisconsin Ave.,Suite E, Bethesda,Call 301-215-7990.
Painting by
Loriann Signori
Entertainment
Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
NewsPotomac Almanac Editor Steven Mauren
703-778-9415 or [email protected]
See www.potomacalmanac.com
By Peggy McEwan
The Almanac
For hours the Saturday morning beforeThanksgiving, the smell of apple pies bak-ing filled the cafeteria of Bullis School. Itwas the annual Apple Pie Bake at the school
when students peeled and cored fresh apples, mixedthem with sugar and spice while others rolled pastryand cut fancy lattice tops toweave over the filling beforeeach creation went into theoven for baking.
“We are aiming to bake 200pies,” said Julie Finnegan,Upper School English teacherand community service coor-dinator. “Every year it’s more[pies], it just kind of happens.”
Finnegan said 122 pies,along with baskets of food and a gift card for a tur-key, went to Montgomery County Housing Opportu-nities Commission to be given to families in need.
The remainder of the pies were picked up by AbelHabte, a driver from Martha’s Table in Washington,D.C.
“I will take them right down to the Harvest Din-ner,” Habte said. “They will be served with the din-ner.”
The pie baking was mostly a student-driven activ-ity, said Dede Schumacher, PTA member and motherof three Bullis students. “We make sure all the sup-plies are here like the apples and the [pie] boxes,”she said.
Seniors Sophie McIntyre and Rachel Gordonhelped organize student involvement.
“This is part of a Humanities Capstone project onhomelessness in the U.S. for me,” Sophie said.
Bullis students have been baking Thanksgiving piesfor 22 years. They use the same recipe each year,one developed by now retired teacher Marty Berger.
The lattice tops seem to be a point of pride for thestudents.
“I made some really beautiful pies,” senior KatieMorris said.
So are the boxes the pies are delivered in.Rows of pie boxes lined cafeteria tables, all deco-
rated by students with individual Thanksgivingthemes. There were boxes with pictures of turkeys,pumpkins, hearts and many with the simple mes-sage, “Happy Thanksgiving,”
Though most of the work was done by upper schoolstudents, middle school students were invited to joinin the project.
“I did it last year because I thought it would befun and it’s for a good cause,” sixth grader SamanthaPepper said. “My job was to mix the filling.”
And there was no tasting, she said.Laura Simpson helped along with her three chil-
dren — ninth grader Meghan, sixth grader Will andfirst grader Tommy.
As the morning passed and all the pies were cool-ing or baking, the Simpsons worked together to cleanone of the kitchen work tables.
They would repeat the assignment at home beforeThanksgiving, making both apple and pumpkin pies,but not on such a large scale, Laura Simpson said.
Senior Brett Guterman said he has helped with thebaking for two or three years.
“I like to improve the lives of others,” he said.“These two hours might be meaningless to me but toothers it can make a difference.”
His friend David Kavteladze, also a senior, said hethinks the activity is a great one for Bullis students.
“I feel like we made a lot of pies,” he said.Not everyone comes to the pie bake, Brett said,
but everyone donates to the baskets. Everyone.That includes all levels of the school from lower
school up, Finnegan said. Each class brings in cannedgoods, stuffing mixes, boxes of macaroni and cheese,
crackers and condiments dur-ing the week before Thanks-giving, she said.
PTA members created the122 baskets, adding fall deco-rations for the tables, even alarge aluminum baking pan forthe turkey. They then wrappedthe baskets in clear cellophaneand topped it with a big or-ange bow.
“Every month we have community service and stu-dents prepare a meal for homeless men at the[county] shelter,” Finnegan said. ” My point is thereis a real commitment to serve the homeless in Mont-gomery County.”
“One hundred and twenty-two baskets shows whata heart we have,” she added.
Bullis School studentscontinue tradition of piebaking for those in need.
Baking ‘To Improve the Lives of Others’
“This is part of aHumanities Capstoneproject on homelessnessin the U.S. for me.”
— Senior Sophie McIntyre
Photos by Peggy McEwan/The Almanac
Bullis School seniors Samantha Durham, Jessica Ravitch,Kate Morris, Sophie McIntyre, and Rachel Gordon showoff two of the pies students baked Saturday.
Bullis School staff member Sara Romeynand sixth grader Samantha Pepper mixsugar and spices with apples to make piefilling.
Rows of baked pies cool in the Bullis School cafeteriaSaturday. Students baked almost 200 apples pies todonate along with food baskets to Montgomery CountyHousing Opportunities Commission and Martha’s Table.
4 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
POTOMACALMANAC
www.PotomacAlmanac.com
Newspaper of PotomacA Connection Newspaper
An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered
to homes and businesses.
1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314
Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to
connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe
PUBLISHERMary Kimm
[email protected]@MaryKimm
EDITORIALPHONE: 703-778-9415
E-MAIL:[email protected]
EDITORSteven Mauren, 703-778-9415
ASSISTANT EDITORMike Salmon
CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSusan Belford, Carole Dell,
Cissy Finley Grant, Carole Funger,Colleen Healy, Kenny Lourie,Peggy McEwan, Ken Moore
ContributingPhotographers
Harvey Levine, Deborah Stevens
Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly,
Ali KhalighProduction Manager
Geovani Flores
ADVERTISINGFor advertising information
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESDisplay Advertising:
Kenny Lourie [email protected]
Debbie FunkNational Sales & real Estate
David GriffinMarketing Assistant
Jerry VernonExecutive Vice President
Potomac Almanac is publishedby Local Media Connection LLC
Five Time First PlaceAward-WinnerPublic Service
MDDC Press Association
Four TimeNewspaper of the Year
An Award-winning Newspaperin Writing, Photography, Editing,
Graphics and Design
Dozens of people gath-ered at NormandieFarm restaurant inPotomac on Thursday,
Nov. 16, to honor Potomac’s“people of the year,” named by thePotomac Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. John Sever, Potomac Citizenof the Year for 2017, served aschief of infectious diseases at theNational Institutes of Health, andas a Rotarian was instrumental incombining forces between Rotaryvolunteers and major health orga-nizations in efforts to eradicatepolio. That effort began in 1978.Polio cases have decreased bymore than 99 percent since 1988,from an estimated 350 000 cases,to 37 reported cases in 2016, ac-cording to the World Health Or-ganization. Only three countriesremain where the disease is en-demic — Afghanistan, Pakistanand Nigeria.
Read an interview with Dr. Sever inNational Geographic here: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/12/polio-60th/
Harrison Smith, 17 and a stu-dent at Landon, was named 2017Youth of the Year. Harrison hasbeen a force in the study of sci-ence at Landon, and has alsoworked on many community ser-vice projects. An excellent student,he also helped repair a homelessshelter in Ohio, and packaged re-lief supplies for victims HurricaneSandy, among other activities. Hehopes to study engineering at col-lege next fall.
Jim McWhorter, named PotomacBusiness Person of the Year, pur-chased the Market at River Fallsin 2014 and has made theMarket an important part ofthe community. McWhorterand his wife YasminAbadian are both longtimePotomac residents and pa-trons of the market beforethey purchased it. They holdregular “community days”during which they contrib-ute 25 percent of proceedsto local charities, donatingmore than $60,000 so far.
Dr. John Sever, Harrison Smith andJim McWhorter honored on Nov. 16at Normandie Farm.
Chamber Honors People of the Year
Potomac Chamber 2017 Citizen of the Year Dr. John Severwith his wife and granddaughters. Sever, as both aRotarian and head of infectious disease at NIH, has beeninstrumental in a worldwide effort to eradicate poliosince 1978.
Photos by Mary Kimm/The Almanac
Potomac Chamber 2017 Business Person of the Year JimMcWhorter of the Market at River Falls receives his awardfrom Adam Greenberg.
Potomac Chamber 2017 Youth of the Year Harrison Smith,17, a student at Landon was honored for his intenseinterest in science and his community service work.Award given by Steve Ornstein
Potomac Chamber Board members Steven Ornstein,Tris Kruger, Adam Greenberg and Fred Goldman.
PotomacChamber
President AdamGreenberg of
Potomac Pizzaand long-time
board memberTristram
Kruger, DDS.
Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Potomac Community Village(PCV), with a mission of empow-ering older Potomac residents toage in place in their existinghomes, strengthen existing socialconnections and build new ones,is starting a “Drive for More Driv-ers” campaign. The goal is two-fold: inform community membersabout PCV’s need for volunteerdrivers, and encourage peoplewho already know about it to stepup and volunteer.
Volunteer drivers are asked tocommit to driving a minimum ofthree times over the course of oneyear, but driving more frequentlyis welcomed. Volunteer driversundergo training and a back-ground check. Drivers can choosehow often, where and when theywill drive. All riders are able to getinto and out of a car on their own.Drivers are not expected to pro-vide medical assistance and areinstructed to call 911 in case ofemergency.
“We have more than two dozen
volunteer drivers now, but asmembership in PCV grows, ourneed for more drivers also grows,”PCV President Barry Perlis said.“We very much appreciate the timeour drivers give to PCV, but also
Launching ‘A Drive for More Drivers’
Sheila Taylor,PotomacCommunityVillage’s ridescoordinatorand one of itsvolunteerdrivers.
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggettand Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) Acting Director Patty Bubar haslaunched the county’s “Gift Outside the Box”holiday campaign at Pike & Rose located at11920 Grand Avenue in North Bethesda.
The DEP public awareness campaign aimsto help residents make sustainable choices toreduce waste, support local businesses andencourage volunteerism during the holidayseason.
The Gift Outside the Box campaign has five
stuff.❖ Buy Local: Support county businesses
and purchase locally made products.The five “Gift Outside the Box” themes will
be displayed on RideOn buses and in countybuildings and featured on county social mediaand at events through the end of December.DEP has launched a Gift Outside of the Boxwebpage, which provides information and re-sources for residents looking to “green” theholidays. Visitwww.montgomerycountymd.gov.
County Introduces ‘Gift Outside the Box’
St. James’ Episcopal Churchyouth group will recreate thestory of the Nativity on Sunday,Dec. 10 with carols, cider, cook-
ies and a petting zoo. Visit theLiving Nativity scene on churchlawn, 11815 Seven Locks Road,Potomac, from 6-7:30 p.m.
CorrectionIn “Helping at Library, Girl Scouts Plant Fall Bulbs” (The Almanac,
Nov. 15-21), the Potomac Village Garden Club supports its plantings atthe library garden by holding a Holiday Greens Arrangement sale onWednesday, Dec. 13 in the Potomac library community room from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. The date was incorrect in the article.
Cookies, Carols and Critters
News
main themes:❖ Give to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle:
Reduce waste by buying gifts made from re-cycled or reused materials, and minimizingwrapping.
❖ Gift Greener: Help the environment bygreening how you buy and what you buy.
❖ Give Back: Instead of a traditional gift,donate to charity or volunteer with others.
❖ Gift Experiences: From theater ticketsto Montgomery Parks classes, give loved ones’activities and experiences, instead of more
understand that they have otherobligations, such as work, traveland their own family needs. “
PCV’s service area is the 20854zip code. Volunteers of all ages,and from all zip codes, are wel-
come. For information, to volun-teer or join, email [email protected], call 240-221-1370, or visit facebook.com/PotomacCommunityVillage orPotomacCommunityVillage.org.
Democra cy Blvd.
Tucker man
MacAthur Blvd.
Falls
Road
Falls
Ro
ad
Brickyar d
Bradley B
lvd.
Oaklyn
Persimm
ion
River Road
Piney
Mee
tingh
ouse
Rd
Glen
Road
Quer y Mill Ro
ad
Travilah
Dufief
Qui nce Orchardd
Jones
Turkey Foot R oad
Esworthy
Seneca
Stoney Creek Roa d
Darnestown
Glen M
ill R
oad
Montrose Road
Clara Barton Rd.
495
495
270
495
Seven Locks Road
8
7 6
5
42
1
3
Qui nceOrcrcrharddd
Jones
Turkey
DDDarnestown
Address ...............................BR FB HB .Postal City ...Sold Price .....Type........Lot AC .Postal Code...... Subdivision....... Date Sold
1 10404 OVERGATE PL ..........4 ... 3 ... 1 ....POTOMAC ...... $739,800 ..... Townhouse .0.05 .........20854 .... PINEY GLEN VILLAGE ..09/29/17
2 7 EAGLEBROOK CT ............4 ... 3 ... 1 ....POTOMAC ...... $735,000 ..... Detached ....0.31 .........20854 . POTOMAC WOODS EAST 09/05/17
3 11401 BEECHGROVE LN ....4 ... 3 ... 0 ....POTOMAC ...... $720,000 ..... Detached ....0.30 .........20854 ........ BEDFORDSHIRE ......09/14/17
4 12333 OLD CANAL RD .......5 ... 3 ... 0 ....POTOMAC ...... $718,000 ..... Detached ....0.27 .........20854 ..MONTGOMERY SQUARE 09/14/17
5 8709 LIBERTY LN ...............4 ... 2 ... 1 ....POTOMAC ...... $712,000 ..... Detached ....0.23 .........20854 ...... HIGHLAND STONE ....09/15/17
6 1791 MILBORO DR .............4 ... 2 ... 1 ....POTOMAC ...... $680,000 ..... Detached ....0.26 .........20854 ...... POTOMAC WOODS ....09/06/17
7 1916 FALLSMEAD WAY ......4 ... 3 ... 1 ...ROCKVILLE ...... $671,500 ..... Detached ....0.19 .........20854 ......... HORIZON HILL .......09/29/17
8 607 WATTS BRANCH PKWY .4 ... 3 ... 1 ....POTOMAC ...... $668,000 ..... Detached ....0.24 .........20854 ......... SADDLEBROOK .......09/11/17 Copyright 2017 MarketStats for ShowingTime. Source: Bright MLS as of October 13, 2017.
6 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Photos by Deb Stevens/The Almanac
September, 2017 Sales, $668,000~$739,800In September 2017, 44 Potomac homes sold
between $3,350,000-$495,000.
Potomac REAL ESTATE
8 607 Watts Branch Parkway — $668,000
7 1916 Fallsmead Way — $671,500
2 1523 7 Eaglebrook Court — $735,000
6 1791 Milboro Drive — $680,000
5 8709 Liberty Lane — $712,000
3 11401 Beechgrove Lane — $720,000
Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
‘Invent theFuture’
Council Vice President HansRiemer and Dr. Jack Smith, su-perintendent of MontgomeryCounty Public Schools (MCPS),will be among the featuredspeakers at the kick-off eventfor the “Invent the Future Chal-lenge” on Thursday, Nov. 30 at11:30 a.m. at KID Museum inBethesda.
This public-private partner-ship brings together the county,MCPS, and KID Museum tomake a long-term investment instudent engagement with theScience, Technology, Engineer-ing, and Mathematics (STEM)fields. It will bring hands-onSTEM learning opportunities tochildren at every middle schoolin the MCPS system.
Cara Lesser, founder and CEOof KID Museum, and AntonioTijerino, president and CEO ofthe Hispanic Heritage Founda-tion, are also featured speakersat the launch. KID Museum islocated at 6400 DemocracyBoulevard, Bethesda.
The “Invent the Future Chal-lenge” is a competition whichwill engage middle school students in theSTEM fields and 21st century technologyand professional skills, with emphasis onthe areas of design/engineering and elec-tronics/coding. Teams of middle schoolersled by adult coordinators will compete forprizes using Challenge Starter Kits whichinclude the Arduino electronics platform.
Free parking is available on-site. For in-formation about transit to the event, visithttp://kid-museum.org/location/.
LearningExpressLibrary
Montgomery County Public Libraries(MCPL) has launched LearningExpress Li-brary offering free access to hundreds ofonline resources for academic and careersuccess. The digital resources assist resi-dents to improve basic skills, pass a careerlicensing exam, achieve a high schoolequivalency credential and prepare for col-lege admissions tests.
LearningExpress Library includes morethan 1,000 resources. Customers can learnabout careers and prepare for occupationallicensing exams in allied health, civil ser-vice, law enforcement, nursing, teaching,and other top fields. There is academic skillbuilding (reading, writing, and math) forstudents and adults, including resources inSpanish.
College-bound students can practice forAdvanced Placement (AP), college admis-sions, college placement, and graduateschool exams. Customers also gain accessto test prep for the WorkKeys Assessmentsand the GED, HiSET, and TASC tests, andmore.
The resources include interactive tutori-
als, practice tests and exercises, and morethan 200 downloadable eBooks.
Michaelson NamedCouncil Administrator
The Montgomery County Council has se-lected Marlene Michaelson as the next coun-cil administrator, effective Feb. 1, 2018.Michaelson, who has served for 29 years asthe council’s senior analyst for planning is-sues, will succeed retiring Council Admin-istrator Steve Farber, who was appointedin October 1991.
The council administrator, the principaladviser to the council, helps develop andimplement the council’s policies and workprogram, oversees the council staff, andrepresents the council on several countyboards, including the investment boards ofthe county’s retirement plans.
As a senior legislative analyst for thecouncil, Michaelson is responsible for ad-vising the council on land use and park is-sues, including master plans. She also rep-resents the council on state and regionalissues related to land use at organizationsincluding the Council of Governments Re-gion Forward Coalition.
Before coming to the council, Michaelsonserved from 1982-1988 as a senior finan-cial analyst for Lane and Edson, P.C. inWashington, D.C. She has a Master’s degreein city and regional planning with a con-centration in finance from the KennedySchool of Government at Harvard Univer-sity and a Bachelor of Arts degree in geog-raphy from State University of New York atAlbany. She served for many years as presi-dent of the board of directors for Red Wig-gler Community Farm.
Artist’s PerspectiveThe antique cars on display at Potomac Dayon Oct. 21 were captured in a drawing bylocal artist Leila Cabib.
News Briefs
Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
By KENNETH B. LOURIE
Four hours up north with moderate hasslefirst thing Thanksgiving-Thursday morning.Dinner and all the fixings with family andfriends upon arrival, after a midday break.Conversations and such with young, mediumand old (with yours truly being the oldest ofour generation) until 1:15 a.m., (a recent timerecord for many). Up at 7:30 a.m. for break-fast with more casual talk and noshing. Outthe door at 9:15-ish heading back for animmediate day-after return trip home sched-uled to make an early Friday afternoon che-motherapy infusion. Infusion completed andon the final way home, a stop at the super-market at 4 p.m. – since we had noThanksgiving leftovers (turkey sandwiches inparticular) to satiate the deprived. Dinner assoon as possible since we were both hungryand tired after our up-and-back. Turkeybreast, mashed potatoes and peas for our ownleftovers, off-and-on television and nappingand then we both called it at 9:15 p.m. or so.
Twelve hours later, we were both awake.What a sleep! What a 24 hours! What a won-derful holiday! I wouldn’t characterize it as anordeal. However, it was a bit of an undertak-ing given my Friday afternoon commitment;my first-ever, post-holiday, having-to-rush-back-from-out-of-town excursion. Though inprevious years, we may have occasionallytravelled up and back in the same day, whenour route was two-hours to Pennsylvaniawhere the in-laws lived, we are older and pre-sumably wiser now and somewhat less ableand inclined to travel with as little margin andrest.
Compounded of course with Kenny-with-cancer being mostly behind the wheel, a per-manent designated driver since I don’t drinkand still see pretty well at night. Still, I’mhardly the driver I used to be and the affect ofthe holiday festivities on my fellow drivers isalways cause for concern.
But all’s well that ends well, except for thepiles of Thanksgiving day-afters left where welast saw them, miles away. Nevertheless, weare happy to have made the effort, despite theless-than-ideal timing. As difficult as this kindof schedule was/had to be, I can’t let, as muchas possible anyway, my cancer stuff: infusions,24-hour urine collection, pre-chemotherapylab work, quarterly scans and yearly MRIs andquarterly appointments with my oncologistimpact my semi-normal life. In fact, myoncologist has been a major proponent of my“quality of life,” an advisory he has regularlyencouraged.
I’ve always felt, from the beginning of mydiagnosis/prognosis, that I was not going tolive my life any differently than I had previousto 2/27/09. As challenging as that proved tobe on many occasions, my goal has been totry and integrate my life around my chemo-therapy – and vice versa, and to not let toomany chips fall along the wayside. Moreover,my philosophy has been not to bucket a listeither, but rather to simply live my usual andcustomary life and not be affected by my “13-month to two-year prognosis.” If I was doingbucket list-type things, things that I wouldordinarily not be doing, I felt that would bereinforcing a negative: that I was going to dieprematurely, rather than encouraging a posi-tive: that I am going to live.
For me, maintaining the status quo andcontinuing to do the little things that charac-terize who I am and what I value seemedmore appropriate and more Kenny-like. Notsharing Thanksgiving dinner with relatives withwhom I’ve shared a table going on nearly 40years wouldn’t have helped at all. Not now, orever.
Finding balance – and sanity in the midstof a battle royal – vs a “terminal” diagnosis,stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, is all it’scracked up to be. A little fun, make that a lotof fun, never hurt anyone, especially those ofus fighting for our lives.
Giving Thanksfor the Going
8 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ November 29 - December 5, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
