Potomac - Ellington CMSconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/0… · 25/8/2017 · 2 Potomac Almanac Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 Catering to Potomac

Potomac Almanac ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.comAugust 23-29, 2017

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PotomacPotomac

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Cyclists ride down the path alongthe canal in the Chesapeake & Ohio

Canal National Historical Park.

Newcomers &

Community Guide

Newcomers &

Community Guide2017-20182017-2018

A Glimpse of the EclipseNews, Page 14

Cleaning Up and HonoringA Roadside MemorialNews, Page 14

A Glimpse of the EclipseNews, Page 14

Cleaning Up and HonoringA Roadside MemorialNews, Page 14

2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Newcomers & Community Guide

By Ginny Barnes

Ever wonder why youare attracted toPotomac? Why youchoose to live here

or choose to stay? You may notsee it on first arrival butPotomac has a history definedand shaped by water. Part of along river valley. Its strategicplanning over much of the lastcentury has been urged for-ward by a vital imperative toprotect the water we all needto sustain life.

The geographic area weknow as the Potomac Subre-gion is defined and named for the mightyPotomac River, settled by Paleo-Indianssome 12,000 years ago. Great Falls markedthe fall line; a point in the river where ca-noes had to leave the water and portagearound the powerful falls. It became a gath-ering place for native peoples; a place totrade goods and exchange information. Inthe early 1700s, European explorers arrivedand settled. They cleared the forests andgrew tobacco on large plantations. Tobaccocultivation quickly depleted soil nutrients.Local planters turned to grains. Mills sprungup on streams leading to the Potomac. Ourroads still bear their names. Names such asGlen Mill, Dufief Mill and Query Mill. In1828, President John Quincy Adams brokeground for the C&O Canal near Little Falls.It was envisioned as a major commercialventure. By 1831, there were 20 miles ofcanal in use from Georgetown to SenecaHere, a distinctive red sandstone was quar-ried and the canal facilitated movement ofit down river.

Many canal lock houses and most of theaqueducts were built of Seneca sandstone.Construction of the Washington Aqueductin the 1850s insured clean drinking waterfrom above Great Falls. Also by 1850, theC&O Canal had extended to Cumberland,giving access to rich veins of coal. The ca-nal became a primary transportation corri-dor, supporting a thriving commercial cul-ture of canal boats pulled by mules movingfarm produce, building materials, flour, coal

and finished goods up and down the 180-mile length.

Despite the Civil War, the C&O Canal con-tinued to operate and by the 1870s it be-gan to make some profit in tolls and ton-nage moved. More than 500 boats were ply-ing the canal, carrying mostly coal. But itwas not to last. By the 1880s, railroads hadtaken the lead in transporting goods, andthey could carry coal to the deeper harborin Baltimore. In June of 1889, a devastat-ing flood tore through the Potomac Rivervalley.

The destruction far exceeded any abilityof the canal company to borrow for repairs.Canal boats, lockhouses and the vital infra-structure itself had been swept into the river.The canal lay idle all summer and fall of1889 and didn’t operate at all in 1890. Thencame a savior in the form of the B&O Rail-road which took over and operated the ca-nal into the early 1920s even as profits di-minished. Gradually, it declined and only alower portion was kept watered; justenough to supply water to mills inGeorgetown.

It was 1926 when the idea of a Federalhighway on the canal right-of-way was firstraised but B&O Railway was opposed. TheGreat Depression changed the conversationbecause President Franklin Roosevelt hadan uncle who was chairman of the NationalCapital Park and Planning Commission. Hewanted a project for the Civilian Conserva-tion Corps. B&O owed money and wanted

to borrow further so the Federal govern-ment was able to purchase the canal for $2million in 1938. Work started and the first20 miles was restored. World War II and adevastating flood in 1942 washed away therestoration. When the war ended, the ArmyCorps of Engineers unveiled a plan to builda series of 14 dams to control river flood-ing. One, proposed for just above Great Fallswould have flooded the river valley andbacked up the Potomac nearly to HarpersFerry. Along came another proposal for aparkway similar to Skyline Drive.

Meanwhile, Potomac had remained asmall village reached by dirt roads, initiallyknown as Offutts Crossroads. After WorldWar II a new breed of settlers began to ar-rive. They wanted to get out of the city, raisechildren in the country and were willing toput up with inconveniences like lack of elec-tricity and roads still little more than wagontracks. The land was exhausted by farming.The area had flirted with gold mining afterthe Civil War. Land was inexpensive. Theforests, once cleared for farming were re-turning along stream valleys leading to theriver. Potomac was green, open and appeal-ing to courageous newcomers.

There were still farms and orchards butduring the 1950s and ‘60s many betweenPotomac Village and Rockville were devel-oped for housing. The first vicinity plan forPotomac/Travilah was adopted in 1967. Itwas designed to preserve the rural-residen-tial character with open space and low den-

sity zoning. It recommendedcreating several stream valleyparks. In 1980, a PotomacSubregion Plan was adopted.Most recently revised in 2002,the current plan consistentlyupholds and expands our en-vironmental framework withan imperative to protect andenhance natural resources.

Our subregion is considereda transition between the ur-ban down county and the ag-ricultural lands to our north.We are known as a “greenwedge” Our stream, wetlandand forest resources are criti-cal to protecting the public

water supply. The water filtration plant onRiver Road provides nearly all drinkingwater to Montgomery County. All 68 squaremiles of the Potomac Subregion drain to thePotomac River. The Watts Branch emptiesinto the Potomac just upstream of the fil-tration plant

Today, more than ever before, our livesare bound to the waters of the Potomac. Weare fortunate that in 1954, Supreme CourtJustice William O. Douglas penned his fa-mous letter to the Washington Post afterthey had endorsed the highway plan, invit-ing them to join him on a walking tour ofthe towpath; starting the movement to pre-serve it. Parkways and dam ideas still sur-faced but in January 1971, the C&O Canalwas designated a National Historical Park.We are fortunate. Geology, history, goodplanning and some visionary people makeit possible for us to experience history. Wecan walk or bike to Cumberland orGeorgetown on the towpath. We can kayakand canoe. We can visit the Great Falls; theremains of a red sandstone quarry at Sen-eca and ride a canal boat drawn by mules.We have access to endless trails. There is alifetime of adventures to be found right hereat home.

Ginny Barnes is a weaver, environmental activist,and sometime writer. She served on the 2002 Mas-ter Plan Advisory Group and is currentlyEnvironmental Chair and incoming President of theWest Montgomery County Citizens Association(WMCCA) which was founded in 1947.

The canal and towpath near widewater in autumn.

Weaving Threads of a River, a Canal, a Vision and a Plan

Photos by Ginny Barnes

Potomac Almanac ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


By Gil Jacobson

The Almanac

The 184.5-mile long C&O Canalruns from Georgetown toCumberland and there are manyresources that can be spotted

along the way.“I lived right next to the C&O Canal. I

love the canal,” said Roger Berliner, Mont-gomery County Council President, District1

Squeals on Wheels’ Jill Phillips said walk-ing and hiking along the Canal and thePotomac River is her favorite thing to do inPotomac. “It’s an ever-changing scene basedon the season. It doesn’t matter when yougo there, it’s awesome.”

“Number one on my list would probablybe Great Falls just because there’s a millionthings to do there — hiking, biking, [run-ning], fishing, [kayaking], [canoeing] —anything outdoors over there” said GrantPhillips of Squeals on Wheels.

“I remember when I was growing up, Ialways used to do the [walk for multiplesclerosis] at Great Falls,” said KateBrownstein, Squeals on Wheels. “I don’tbelieve that they do that there anymore, butI just remember having a lot of memorieson the towpath and so now it’s me comingback as an adult. So my favorite thing isjust to walk around. And every season. It’snice in the winter time. It’s nice in the fall.It’s not too hot in the summer. It’s just areally pleasant experience and there’s alsoso many different areas to explore. Eachtime you go in a different entrance, it feelslike a different part.”

Potomac Community Village Vice Presi-dent of Membership and Programming JoanKahn enjoys hiking by the Potomac River.“It’s just great and so close by. So I lovewalking along there,” she said.

❖ Services of the Potomac Library, 10101Glenolden Drive, include a 24-hour bookdrop, a room for meetings and one for quietstudy. Available technology includes acharging station for mobile devices, photo-copying, printing, public computers and

WiFi. Upcoming events include FamilyStorytime on Aug. 24 as well as a perfor-mance from the Alice Gu-Zheng Ensembleand a Potomac Conversation Clubmeeting on Aug. 26.

“It’s working with the com-munity,” Potomac LibraryBranch Manager TinaRawhouser said of the bestpart about the library. “Get-ting to know people thatcome in, seeing the fami-lies come in, kids onstorytime day and seeingthat the community isvery engaged with con-tinuing to learn thingsand have discussionsabout things. That’ssomething that’s alittle bit differentfrom the otherbranches that I’vebeen in is thatlevel of wantinglifelong learningis important tothe area. Butthe best thingreally is being able tomeet and work with the peoplethat are here.”

❖ Shops and restaurants in Potomac Vil-lage, at the intersection of Falls and RiverRoad includes Hunter’s Bar and Grill,Sprinkles Potomac, PRFC Inc, Chico’s andPotomac Promenade.

“There are some good places to eat andsome other interesting shops as you walkthrough. It’s great being so close to all ofthem because I can always

walk somewherenew for lunchwhen I need to”,said TinaR a w h o u s e r ,Branch Man-ager, PotomacLibrary.

❖ Normandie Farm, 10710 Falls Road, in-cludes cathedral beamed ceilings and aFrench decor. It is open for breakfast, lunch,dinner, Sunday brunch and afternoon tea,

Tuesday-Sunday.“Normandy Farm definitely

[has] an older insideto the res-t a u r a n t .

You can seethat horse

culture onthe walls,

with thehounds and

the old decora-tions,” said

Grant Phillips ofSqueals on

Wheels.❖ “There’s al-

ways a lot going onin the schools,

Churchill, and just dif-ferent sporting events

or theater activities,”said Grant Phillips of

Squeals on Wheels. Win-ston Churchill High

School, 11300Gainsborough Road, en-

compasses Herbert HooverMiddle School and part of CabinJohn Middle School. Seewww.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/churchillhs/

❖ Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democ-racy Blvd.includes Abercrombie & Fitch,Apple Store, Arclight Cinemas, Chipotle,Godiva Chocolatier, Hallmark, Macy’s,Sears, Teavana and Tesla Motors.

Taegan Myers said the food court is thebest part of Westfield Montgomery. “I feellike that’s where all the kids at least frommy school went and we could all meet upthere and just talk,” she said.

Here are some recommendationsfrom community members.Things To Do

The entrance to the Potomac Library onGlenolden Drive.

The entrance to Normandie Farm restaurant onFalls Road.

Winston Churchill HighSchool hosts multipleathletic events andperformances.

Potomac’s C&O Canal has multipleoverlooks of the falls.

Customers can enjoy ice

cream cones at Sprinkles in

Potomac Village.

The Westfield Montgomery foodcourt.

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Opinion POTOMACALMANAC

www.PotomacAlmanac.com

Newspaper of PotomacA Connection Newspaper

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSusan Belford, Carole Dell,

Cissy Finley Grant, Carole Funger,Colleen Healy, Kenny Lourie,Peggy McEwan, Ken Moore

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As your local, weekly newspaper, theAlmanac’s mission is to deliver thelocal news you need, to help makesense of what is happening in your

community, to advocate for community good,to provide a forum for dialogue on local con-cerns, and to record achievements, milestonesand events in the community and people’s lives.

Here in our Newcomers and CommunityGuide, we report on the character of your com-munity, information on local government,nonprofits and business organizations, plus tipsand tidbits from the community.

We invite newcomers and long-time residentsalike to let us know how we’re doing and letus know what is going on in your part of thecommunity. If you have questions or ideas, sendus an email. We invite you to send letters tothe editor or to send an email with feedbackabout our coverage.

We want to know if someone in your familyor your community published a book, starteda business, became an Eagle Scout, raisedmoney for a good cause, accomplished somefeat like running a marathon, supporting acause or having art included in an art show.We publish photos and notes about personalmilestones and community events, including

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It is especially important to us to let peopleknow about events ahead of time in our calen-dar of events. We appreciate getting notice atleast two weeks ahead of the event, and weencourage photos.

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Council’s ClarifyingOf Zoning OrdinanceTo the Editor:

Last week the Potomac Almanac publisheda letter by Sara and Mark Regis, owners of OldAnglers Inn, regarding their conditional useapplication to build a commercial country innon property along MacArthur Boulevard andbehind the restaurant in an otherwise subur-ban, residential neighborhood. The propertyis zoned R-200 meaning that it is intended forsingle-family residential houses on at least20,000 square foot (about 1D2 acre) lots. Theconditional use application requests a specialexception to the zoning so that Mr. Regis canbuild a country inn for hosting private eventsand banquets.

The proposed building would be 8,700square feet, 160 feet long by 54 feet wide by28.5 feet tall, and would include a banquethall, commercial kitchen, and four guest roomsthat can be rented on a nightly basis. Thisbuilding is several times the size of a typicalsingle-family home.

In addition, the proposed new driveway andparking lot would cover over an acre with as-phalt. The proposed building is not an addi-tion or extension to the existing Old AnglersInn.

Rather, it is a new separate structure to beused for private weddings and banquets andwill not be generally open to the public. Asillustrated in the Planning Department reportthis is not a small boutique country inn andcertainly not anything like the Inn at LittleWashington.

The Zoning Ordinance defines a country innas “an establishment for dining in a rural area.”The Potomac area bounded by MacArthur Bou-levard, Brickyard Road, and Falls Road is a

suburban, residential neighborhood with morethan 1,000 homes and several thousand resi-dents. Anyone who drives along MacArthurBoulevard during the morning or evening rushhours or on the weekends when the C&O Ca-nal National Historical Park is in heavy usewould agree that this area is not rural.

The County Council retains the right toamend or clarify the Zoning Ordinance whenit is not properly being interpreted or applied.In June, the County Council introduced Zon-ing Text Amendment 17-04 that would limitconditional use applications for country innson R-200 property to rural areas and not sub-urban, residential neighborhoods. The ZTA willclarify the established historic precedent thatcountry inns in the R-200 zone be adjacent torural zones.

All existing country inns in the R-200 zonemeet the standard required by the proposedZTA. ZTA 17-04 is sponsored or co-sponsoredby all nine councilmembers. Without the ZTA,there are many properties besides Mr. Regis’property that are zoned R-200, are in residen-tial neighborhoods, and may meet the currentZoning Ordinance requirements for a countryinn. ZTA 17-04 would also protect these otherresidential properties throughout MontgomeryCounty.

Mr. Regis is an attorney and he knows thathis due process rights are not being abrogated.The Planning Board is scheduled to hold a hear-ing on ZTA 17-04 on Sept. 7. The County Coun-cil will then hold its hearing on Sept. 12. Afterthat hearing, the council’s Planning, Housing,and Economic Development Committee willhold a work session. The council is expectedto vote on ZTA 17-04 in the fall. Mr. Regis andhis attorney will have an opportunity to tes-tify at these hearings.

Mr. Regis also accuses “rich and powerfulpeople” from opposing his right to build what-

ever he wants on this property. This is poppy-cock. Our coalition represents a diverse groupof Montgomery County stakeholders includinglocal residents, hikers, cyclists, and people whoenjoy the C&O Canal Park.

The Brickyard Coalition, River FallsHomeowners Association, Civic Association ofRiver Falls, Woodrock Homeowners Associa-tion, West Montgomery County Citizens Asso-ciation, and Montgomery Countryside Allianceand their members have very real, legitimateconcerns regarding building a country inn ban-quet hall in this area. The C&O Canal Associa-tion and cycling groups have also expressedtheir concerns. Mr. Regis is welcome to developthe property for its intended use — single-fam-ily residential houses on at least 20,000 squarefoot lots.

This development of the property would beconsistent with the Potomac Master Plan, zon-ing, and newer residential developments alongMacArthur Boulevard. Mr. Regis has chosen notto do this and instead seeks a special excep-tion from the zoning ordinance to build a com-mercial country inn banquet hall for privateevents.

We support ZTA 17-04 that would clarify theCounty Council’s intent that country inns belocated in rural areas. Please go to https://brickyardcoalition.org/petition to sign our pe-tition supporting the ZTA.

Drew Finley, Treasurer, River FallsHomeowners Association; Ted Duncan,

President, Brickyard Coalition; Carol VanDam Falk, President, West Montgomery

County Civic Association; Caroline Taylor,Executive Director, Montgomery Countryside

Alliance; Keith Williams, President, CivicAssociation of River Falls; and MarkMoadel, Board Member, Woodrock

Homeowners Association

Letter to the Editor


By Peggy McEwan

The Almanac

Newcomers to the Potomaccommunity have many op-portunities to learn about thearea and make new friends

as they settle into their new home.One place to start is with the Potomac

Area Neighbors’ Club, formerly the PotomacArea Newcomers’ Club.

“We changed the name because some

people have been in the group for a longtime,” co-president Alexa Kempel said.

Kempel herself has been in the group,which celebrated its 50th anniversary lastyear, for 12 years.

“I have made amazing friends throughthis group,” she said.

Potomac Neighbors’ Club is a women’sclub though some activities include men likethe dining group and the theatre group, shesaid.

With 130 “or so” members, attending clubactivities is a good way to meet new peopleand learn new things all while learningabout Potomac’s neighborhoods and placesof interest.

Among activities offered are book clubs,a walking group, bridge and canasta groups,

Potomac Welcoming to New and Longtime ResidentsNewcomers & Community Guide

Neighbors’ Cluboffers variety ofactivities.

The Montgomery Bird Club is a local group of birders whose mem-bers range from new birders to serious bird enthusiasts. It has regu-lar bird walks at local and regional sites and meet every third Wednes-day at the Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Road for atalk on birding and related topics.

People of all ages and experience levels are welcome to join theclub and its meetings and field trips. Visit its website to find outmore information: www.montgomerybirdclub.org/

Birders Flock Together

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Co-Presidents of PANC KathyKurgan and Alexa Kempel

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a great decisions discussion group andsomething Kempel calls “pop up activi-ties,” one-time offerings.

“One of our members is a trainedcook,” Kempel said. “She holds classesoccasionally, last year we all learned howto make French macarons.” And there isalso a monthly luncheon meeting.

Kempel is proud that the group is sodiverse with members of all ages andethnic heritage, reflecting the commu-nity at large.

“It’s a really nice group,” she said. Youcan be as active as you want to be.”

The main goal is just to have fun, shesaid.

For more information visitpotomacneighbors.com.


Enjoy the Potomac River &Compiled by Ken Moore and

Mary Kimm

The Almanac

Potomac is bordered by morethan 12 miles of the C&O CanalNational Historical Park,including the towpath and the

Potomac River. Living in Potomac pro-vides opportunities to enjoy the sightsand sounds of the river with outdooractivities ranging from an easy stroll to achallenging hike; a flat bike ride of a fewmiles to multi-day bike trip; rock climb-ing; world-class whitewater kayaking or agentle paddle on flatwater. Wildlife isabundant and birders flock to area. Alloutdoor areas of the C&O Canal NationalHistorical Park are open daylight hoursyear round. Visitors pay an entrance feeat the entrance to Great Falls TavernVisitors Center at Falls Road andMacArthur Boulevard, but access every-where else is free. Three-day pass for avehicle is $10; a person on foot is $5;annual pass is $30.See www.nps.gov/choh

Great Falls TavernVisitor Center andOlmsted Overlook

11710 MacArthur Blvd.301-767-3714

If you haven’t seen Great Falls, it’s time.Enter the C&O Canal National Histori-

cal Park here for up close views of GreatFalls by walking 0.2 miles over theOlmsted Island Bridges to the overlook atthe end. Bridges and boardwalks traversea rare floodplain terrace environment,ending with an observation deck over thespectacular views of the Falls and thehead of Mather Gorge.

You can borrow a bike to ride for freehere from the C&O Canal Bike LoanerProgram, weekends and holidays,weather permitting, 10-4.www.facebook.com/bikeloanerprogram

Accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.The tavern is open year round, seven

days per week from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.http://www.nps.gov/archive/choh/

Visitor/Centers/GreatFalls.html

ABOUT THE FALLS, from The GeologicStory of Great Falls and the PotomacRiver Gorge published by the U.S. Geo-logical Survey in 1980:

“In its seaward course, the PotomacRiver crosses many small rapids andcascades, but these are insignificant incomparison with the foaming fury ofGreat Falls, where the river drops 12meters in about 180 meters and is chan-neled into a narrow rock-walled gorgeless than 25 meters wide in places. In thesummer the flow may be less than 38,000liters a second, but during floods the flowcommonly reaches 40 million liters asecond. The average flow pouring overthe falls is 349,000 liters of water everysecond and in a year, more than 9.5trillion liters, enough water to flood theentire District of Columbia to a depth of55 meters, converting the WashingtonMonument into a tall lighthouse.”

Great Falls Mule Drawn Boat Rides:Take a trip back in time to the 1870s Ridealong the historic C&O Canal in a boatpulled by mules. Experience rising 8 feetin a lock. Hear park interpreters in periodclothing describe what life was like forthe families that lived and worked on thecanal. $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $5for children 4-15. Children under three

ride free. The boat runs May to October,with a typical schedule on Saturday &Sunday - 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. Callahead to confirm. 301-767-3714

INSIDER’S TIP: The Gold Mine Trailcan be accessed at the top of the entranceto Great Falls, at the intersection of FallsRoad and MacArthur Boulevard, or nearthe Great Falls Tavern Visitor’s center.Trails, which can be used for running withsome steep inclines, pass the remains ofan old building that was used from 1900-1939 to mine gold.

BILLY GOAT TRAILThousands hike the Billy Goat Trail

every year, with access from the OldAngler’s site or from the Great FallsTavern Visitors Center or Carderock. Theloop between the C&O Canal andPotomac River is less than five miles longbut has steep and rocky sections. Bringwater and wear good walking shoes. Noflip flops or ballet slippers. Allow plentyto time to stop and enjoy spectacularviews of the cliffs, Potomac River passingthrough the gorge and sensitive vegeta-tion and rare plants. This hike that ismarked by light blue trail blazes to keepvisitors from trampling on Bear Island’smany rare plants and sensitive vegetation.The trail can be rough and rocky withsteep climbs. But the trail is one of themost popular hikes in all of the metropoli-tan area, which can be done by people ofall ages.

INSIDER’S TIP: The park serviceseeks volunteer trail stewards willing tohike parts of the trail, educate visitors atthe trailheads, protect the natural re-sources of Bear Island, ensure visitors areprepared for the strenuous hike, sharestories about the sensitive vegetation, andreduce trampling of the Bear Island’s

The canal boat at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

Potomac Almanac Guide to Potomac River

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Swains Lock (Lock 21)

Lock20

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Washington AqueductDam

Lock 16Lock 15

Gold MineTrail

BillyGoat

Trail A

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Lock Island

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Minnehaha Island

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Clara BartonParkway

Clara BartonParkway

Glen Echo Park

Clara Barton National Historic Site

Great Falls Tavern Visitor CenterCanal boat rides


many rare plants. Active trail stewardscarry park radios for emergency commu-nication and receive basic first aid train-ing to help with minor injuries.www.chohvip.org/billy_goats/Carderock Recreation Area

301-767-3731Reach this 200-acre part of the park

from the Clara Barton Parkway at theNaval Surface Warfare exit. Rock climbersvisit Carderock daily for its famous forcliffs. The recreation area includesplaying fields, a large picnic pavilionavailable by reservation and access to thePotomac River and the Billy Goat Trail.

INSIDER’S TIP: Get involved on theriver by joining the Bike Patrol, becominga Billy Goat Trail Steward, or volunteer-ing to help run the Canal Boat, or servingas a docent at the River Center atLockhouse 8. www.chohvip.org

Old Angler’s Inn AccessAcross from 10801 MacArthur Blvd.Between Carderock and Great Falls, you

can also get across the canal to thetowpath and the River across from OldAngler’s Inn on MacArthur Boulevard. Apopular spot for kayakers and stand-uppaddleboarders, and a great spot to findoutdoor adventure companies teachingbeginning to advanced paddleboarding,kayaking and canoeing. Hiking enthusi-asts have quick access to the Billy GoatTrail from here, or those who simply wantto take an evening stroll or bike ridealong the Berma Road or aroundWidewater, the area of the canal used forturning large boats around.

Swain’s LockSwain’s Lock Road (off River Road)

Campsites are available at Swain’s Lock,one of the largest of the canal lockhouses.The lockhouse is named for Jess Swain, alock-keeper in the early 1900s whosefather helped in the excavation andconstruction of the canal. After running aboat rental and refreshment stand atSwain’s Lock for almost a century, thefamily ceased operations in 2006.

Pennyfield LockPennyfield Road (off River Road)The three-mile walk from Pennyfield

Lock to Violette’s Lock takes you throughmany kinds of bird habitat and aroundBlockhouse Point. Pennyfield Lock wasPresident Grover Cleveland’s favoritedestination when he went on fishingexcursions, according to the PotomacMaster Plan. The Pennyfield Lockhouse,built in 1879 inland from the lock house,was the home of lock-keeper Charles W.Pennyfield.

INSIDER’S TIP: Pennyfield Lock isalso home to a lockhouse built in 1830that you can rent by the night. The Canal

Quarters Interpretive Program invitesvisitors to stay in a historic lockhouse fora day and night to learn about the livingconditions of a lockkeeper’s family.www.canalquarters.org/

Blockhouse PointConservation Park

14750 River Road,Darnestown, MD 20854(301) 670-8080www.blockhousepoint.orgThose who know this 630 acres of land

call Blockhouse Point the jewel ofPotomac. The natural and culturalresources at Blockhouse Point areamongst the most valuable in the country.

The park contains a variety of excep-tional and rare habitat, including matureupland forest, floodplain forest, wetlands,streams and river-rock outcrops. Ninespecies of threatened, endangered orwatchlist species of plants have beenidentified in the park, along with 25species of fish, nine species of amphib-ians, four species of reptiles, 39 species ofnesting birds and 10 species of mammals.

During the Civil War, the 19th RegimentMassachusetts Voluntary Infantry builtthree blockhouses in 1862 to guardViolette’s Lock and Pennyfield Lock,taking advantage of panoramic viewsfrom Blockhouse Point. Union sentrieskept watch for Confederate movementsacross the river and at area fords.

Source: National Park Service http://

www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisitNewcomers & Community Guide

C&O Canal National Park

New Mobile App to Help Explore ParkA new mobile app, “C&O Canal Explorer,” can aid users in exploring the 184.5 miles and

20,000 acres of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The app is available for download onboth Android and Apple devices from their respective app stores.

The mobile app includes over 600 points of interest in the park mapped in a searchable for-mat, allowing users to find at a glance hiking trails, historic sites, trailheads, parking, and more.The app also calculates the distance from a user’s location to nearby amenities and points ofinterest, with the ability to view what lies both upstream and downstream of a current loca-tion.

The app was developed by the C&O Canal Trust, the official nonprofit partner of the Chesa-peake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which works in partnership with the NationalPark Service and local communities to raise funds to preserve the park for future generationsand to broaden support through programs that highlight the park’s historical, natural, and cul-tural heritage and recreational opportunities.

C&O Canal Explorer is available for $0.99 a download. The app was developed in partner-ship with Cermak Technologies, Inc., with funding from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.

Future plans include the addition of merchants (hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, andshops) to the map and search features, as well as a downloadable map that will enable the appto work even when the users’ device is out of cellular range.

The app can be downloaded from the Google and Apple App Stores and here:www.canaltrust.org/plan/explorer-mobile-app/.

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Walkers and kayakers make useof the Chesapeake and OhioCanal National Historical Park.

http://www.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/ParkTrails/trails_MAPS/trailmap_pdfs/blockhouse_trails.pdf

INSIDER’S TIP: Montgomery Countydeveloped a brochure so people can walkthe footsteps of Union Soldiers. Block-house Point, often referred to as the jewelof Potomac, is an area to enjoy peace,solitude, and an example of the naturaland cultural resources of Potomac thatrival the most valuable in the country.

http://www.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/Cultural_Resources_Stewardship/heritage/documents/blockhouse_broch_web.pdf

Violette’s LockViolette’s Lock Road (off River Road)Violette’s Lock offers one of the more

beautiful views of the sunset over thePotomac River.

Riley’s LockRiley’s Lock Road (off River Road)Riley’s Lock features a boat ramp on

Seneca Creek, the busiest in MontgomeryCounty, that allows easy access to a quietand inviting part of the Potomac River forcanoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboardsand small motorboats. The Seneca CreekAqueduct, opened in 1833 and made ofred sandstone, allowed thousands ofcanal boats to move across Seneca Creekfrom 1833 to 1924, the year of the canal’sclosing. The aqueduct was protected byUnion garrisons during the Civil War.

Rileys Lockhouse is open for tours on

Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. in Mayand June, and September and October.Volunteers in period costume guide youthrough one of the C&O Canal’s originallockhouses to explore the life of a lock-keeper.

Call the Great Falls Tavern VisitorCenter to confirm, 301-767-3714.

INSIDER’S TIP: You can borrow abike and helmet for free at the Great FallsTavern, courtesy of the volunteer-runC&O Canal Bike Loaner program. Thegroup reports lending bikes to nearly on aweekend of good weather.

The River Center (Lockhouse 8)7906 Riverside Drive, Cabin Johnpotomac.org/river-centerThe River Center at Lockhouse 8,

reached from the Clara Barton Parkwaybetween Carderock and Cabin John, isopen Saturdays and Sundays from Maythrough October, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., oper-ated by volunteers from Potomac Conser-vancy. Stop in for a tour, to browse educa-tional exhibits, and meet volunteer guides.Visit the River Center on select Sundays forVoices of the River to learn more about thehistory, ecology, and diversity of the PotomacRiver, as told by storytellers, musicians, andscientists. Throughout the season, theConservancy also hosts a variety of hands-onappreciation and restoration activities at theRiver Center. Canoes and lifejackets avail-able. All activities are free and open to thepublic. Housed in an historic lockhousealong the C&O Canal, the River Center atLock 8 offers visitors a glimpse into thehistory of the Canal and the future of thePotomac River.

8 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 Potomac Almanac ❖ Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

C.P. HuntingtonMiniature Train

22Buck BranchNeighborhood Park

8704 Bells Mill Road

Playground, lighted ballfield, andlighted tennis court.

40Highland StoneNeighborhood Park

8716 Post Oak

24Heritage FarmNeighborhood Park

9520 Hall Road

Playground, multi-use field, softballfield, two tennis courts, and picnic area.

25Potomac CommunityNeighborhood Park

11301 Falls Rd.

Playground, lighted ballfield, andlighted tennis courts.

26Fox Hills WestNeighborhood Park

12710 North Commons Way

Two-acre park includes playground,tennis courts, multi-use field, and picnicshelter.

27BedfordshireNeighborhood Park

11416 Bedfordshire Ave.

This 7.8-acre park acquired in 1968includes a playground and multi-usefield.

29GregerscroftNeighborhood Park

12021 Gregerscroft Rd.

One-acre park with playground, pic-nic area, and open space.

Neighborhood ParksPotomac has many small neighborhood that offer hiking trails, basketball and

tennis courts, playgrounds and sports fields, picnic areas, paths suitable for tricyclesand more.

23Avenel Local Park10551 Oaklyn Drive

Playground, softball field, multi-usefields, and tennis courts. Paths suitablefor bikes or children’s tricycles. The20.7-acre park was established in 1989.

28Glen Hills Local Park12511 Circle Drive

This 25.2-acre park, with land ac-quired in 1966, features a playground,softball field, baseball field and twolighted tennis courts and a picnic area.

30Tilden WoodsLocal Park

6800 Tilden Lane

Playground area, ballfield, lightedtennis courts, and picnic area.

31Seven LocksLocal Park

6922 Seven Locks Road, Cabin John

11.6 acres with playground, openshelter, lighted baseball field, andlighted tennis courts.

32Cabin JohnLocal Park

7401 MacArthur Boulevard, Cabin John

Six-acre park established in 1933 in-cludes playground, multi-use field,lighted tennis court, basketball court,and picnic area.

41GreenbriarLocal Park

12525 Glen Road

Features of the park include a regu-lation soccer/football field withspectator areas, a single basketball/multi-use court, a single grass volleyballcourt, a multi-age, interpretive play-ground, an asphalt loop path andpedestrian connections, entrance fea-tures, a picnic shelter, two stonepergolas, a parking area with 70 spaces.The park also preserves large portions ofthe site adjacent to the stream valley.

42Beverly FarmsLocal Park

8505 Post Oak Road, Potomac

Beverly Farms Local Park is on 9.4acres located behind the Beverly FarmsElementary School. The park featurestwo playgrounds, a softball field, a base-ball field, and a multi-use field. Thereare also two lighted tennis courts and apicnic area,

10Falls RoadLocal Park

12600 Falls Road

Including Hadley’s PlaygroundSee 19

Local ParksLocal parks serve a wider area and offer more facilities.

Blockhouse Point Conservation Park

1CarderockRecreation Area

301-767-3731

Reach this 200-acre part of the parkfrom the Clara Barton Parkway at theNaval Surface Warfare exit.

2Old Angler’s Inn AccessAcross from 10801 MacArthur Blvd.

Between Carderock and Great Falls,you can also get across the canal to thetowpath and the River across from OldAngler’s Inn on MacArthur Boulevard.

3BILLY GOAT TRAILAccess from the Old Angler’s site or

from the Great Falls Tavern VisitorsCenter or Carderock. The loop betweenthe C&O Canal and Potomac River is lessthan five miles long but has steep androcky sections.

4Great Falls TavernVisitor Center andOlmsted Overlook

11710 MacArthur Blvd.301-767-3714

5Swain’s LockSwain’s Lock Road (off River Road)

6Pennyfield LockPennyfield Road (off River Road)

7The River Center(Lockhouse 8)

7906 Riverside Drive, Cabin Johnhttp://potomac.org/river-center

The River Center at Lockhouse 8,reached from the Clara Barton Parkwaybetween Carderock and Cabin John, isopen Saturdays and Sundays from Maythrough October, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

8Blockhouse PointConservation Park

14750 River Road, Darnestown, MD20854

(301) 670-8080www.blockhousepoint.orghttp://www.montgomeryparks.org/

PPSD/ParkTrails/trails_MAPS/trailmap_pdfs/blockhouse_trails.pdf

9Violette’s LockViolette’s Lock Road (off RiverRoad)

10Riley’s LockRiley’s Lock Road (off RiverRoad)

11AdventureConservation Park

10801 Glen Road, PotomacThis 14-acre neighborhood conserva-

tion area established in 1969, includesareas set aside for bird-banding.

12Falls RoadGolf Course

10800 Falls Rd.301-299-5156www.montgomerycountygolf.com

Falls Road Golf Course was com-pleted in 1961 on 150 acres of formerfarmland, and includes an 18-holecourse renovated in 2003, plus a club-house and driving range. Reserve teetimes online.

13Cabin JohnRegional Park

7400 Tuckerman Lanewww.montgomeryparks.org/facilities/

regional_parks/cabinjohn/

This 528-acre park centrally locatedoffers an Adventure playground, minia-ture train rides, dog park, picnic areas,campgrounds, nature center, a Tai Chicourt, hiking and nature trails.

Shirley Povich Field, one of severalball fields, is home to the Bethesda BigTrain team and the Georgetown Univer-sity baseball team, and seats 750.

Other sports facilities include alighted baseball field, 5 softball fields (1lighted), 4 lighted tennis practice walls,9 lighted tennis courts, a pee-wee soc-cer field, 4 single wall handball courtsand one volleyball court.

14Locust GroveNature Center

7777 Democracy Boulevard301-765-8660www.montgomeryparks.org/

nature_centers/locust/VirtualTour.shtm

Hike the upper meadow of the LocustGrove Nature Center and look for mon-arch butterflies and caterpillars, listenfor wrens and bluebirds, or watch forbox turtles crossing the path in the earlymorning. Wander to the Lower Meadowand watch bats in the late afternoon, sit

under the shade of a 200-year-old sy-camore and spot minnows, crayfish,bathing birds or beaver activity in theCabin John Creek. Locust Grove offersprograms featuring local natural andcultural history for children, teens andadults. Currently, naturalists teach totsa class on “Bugs, Slugs and OtherThugs,”12-16 year olds how to becomea virtual wildlife rehabilitator and treat-ment methods for injured and orphanedwildlife.

15Robert C. McDonellCampground

7701 Tuckerman Lane,301-495-2525 (for permits)

16Cabin John Ice Skating Rink10610 Westlake Drive301-765-8620

Ice skating in August? Yes indeed. Anassortment of programs including les-sons and rental times. Sessions areavailable for the general public, adultsonly and family time. Rental skates anda snack bar are located within the facil-ity. Call for schedules and fees. http://www.cabinjohnice.org/

17Pauline Betz AddieTennis Center

7801 Democracy Boulevard301-765-8650

Features six indoor tennis courts, alounge area, and two locker rooms withshowers. Professional on-site racquetrestringing and regripping is also avail-able. Private and group lessons andseasonal court rentals.

18C.P. HuntingtonMiniature Train

7410 Tuckerman Lane301-765-8670 Train Information; call

301-650-2880 Party RoomReservations

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The miniature train is a replica of an1863 C.P. Huntington, a locomotivepurchased by the Southern Pacific Rail-road, with five passenger cars, andcarries visitors on a ten-minute, two-mile ride thorugh the park.Aug. 25 - 29, ClosedAug. 30 & 31, Open 10a.m.-6p.m.September, Open Saturdays, Sundays

and Labor Day, 10a.m.-6p.m.

Dog Park10900 Westlake Drive

Located near the miniature train, thishalf-acre dog park is enclosed with a 6-foot chain link fence, allowing dogs torun and exercise off-leash. The facility isopen for use sunrise to sunset except onTuesdays from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. forweekly park maintenance. Dog-parkusers are encouraged to use theWestlake Drive parking lot. Please re-member that all dogs should be on aleash before entering and exiting thepark.

Tai Chi Court7400 Tuckerman Lane

The Tai Chi Court at Cabin John Re-gional Park is the first Tai Chi court inMontgomery County and joins only fewof its kind in the nation. Built througha public/private partnership between M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks and the WuWei Tai Chi Club, the Tai Chi court is a48-foot-diameter circle of flagstone in-corporating the shape of a yin/yangsymbol and surrounded by benches in aserene natural setting. It is located nearthe dog park and miniature train atCabin John Regional Park.

Potomac is home to a remarkable diversity of parks — na-tional parks, state parkland, county parks, conservationparks, equestrian parks, parks with adaptive playgrounds,parks with trains, dog parks, parks with ice skating rinks,

parks that offer access to the Potomac River where the water is flatand inviting and parks that offer access to the Potomac River wherethe water can be deadly. Here, in an annual tradition, is our guide tomuch of what Potomac’s parks have to offer.

Potomac AlmanacGuide to Parks


33PotomacCommunity Center

11315 Falls Road240-777-6960www.montgomerycounty.gov/rec

This is Montgomery County’s busiestcommunity center, providing a varietyof recreation activities for all ages suchas open gym, arts and crafts, exercise/leisure classes, group support meetingsand socials, senior adult activitiesthrough the Potomac neighborhood,Senior program, area and county-widesports programs, summer camps, pro-grams for individuals with specialneeds, children and adult holiday par-ties, volunteer opportunities and more.Facilities include a gymnasium, exerciseroom, meeting rooms, art room, loungearea, community room and social hall.The outdoor area includes two baseballfields, lighted basketball and tenniscourts, and a former in-line hockey rink.The Center offers table tennis, billiardsand foosball, a gymnasium, weightroom, social room, meeting rooms, and

19Hadley’s Playgroundat Falls Road Local Park

12600 Falls Rd.Park Manager: 301-299-0024

Falls Road Local Park, which show-cases the award-winning Hadley’s Park,

former country estate of CarolynGangwer Caughey. Set on 30 acres ofwoods and adjacent to the C&O Canal,Rockwood Manor offers a secluded andnaturally beautiful venue.

Rockwood Manor’s overnight lodg-ings are available for destinationweddings, multi-day business retreats ortraining sessions, family reunions, work-shops, weekend or weekday getawaysand other events.

Facilities for weddings, meetings,with overnight accommodations anddormitories for youth groups.

hundreds of classes through the Mont-gomery County Recreation Department.The Montgomery County RecreationDept., along with the Friends of thePCC, Inc. has opened the outside inlinerink for children and adults with specialneeds.

34Bette CarolThompson ScotlandCommunity Center7700 Scotland Drive301-983-4455

Now named the Bette Carol Thomp-son Scotland Community Center, therebuilt facility opened in November2014. A larger gymnasium and moderninteriors are a focal point. Upgrades tothe site include improved landscapingand parking, meeting green buildingand sustainability goals; energy guide-lines, and the Americans withDisabilities Act.

35Glen Echo Park7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo

www.glenechopark.org

Originally a Chautauqua retreat, thenan amusement park, Glen Echo NationalPark now hosts a variety of arts, envi-ronmental and history programs.

Classes are offered in pottery, paint-ing, photography, glass art,

silversmithing, textiles and other arts, aswell as in dance, writing and music.

The famous 1921 Dentzel Carousel inthe center of the park has been givingrides to the public for 90 years.

Adventure Theatre (www.adventuretheater.org, 301-634-2270) is one of thearea’s longest running children’s theatercompanies, and the Puppet Co. Play-house (www.puppetco.org) offersshows as well as was for children to beinvolved.

36McKee BeshersWildlifeManagement Area

Located on River Road in WesternMontgomery County, McKee-BeshersWMA is a 2,000-acre tract in a mixtureof woodlands, fields, wooded bottom-land and managed wetlandimpoundments (green-tree reservoirs).The wildlife management area shares acommon boundary with the NationalPark Service Chesapeake and Ohio Ca-nal to the south and borders SenecaCreek State Park, a 1,200-acre publichunting area, on the east.

McKee-Beshers WMA provides habi-tat for a great diversity of wildlifespecies including deer, wild turkey, wa-terfowl, over 200 species of songbirds,and numerous reptiles and amphibians.Biologists deliberately flood forests dur-ing the fall and winter in “greentreereservoirs.” These attract colorful woodducks as well as other waterfowl whichmigrate through or spend the winterhere. Hikers will find trails for miles andmiles, meandering through the forests,fields and wetlands. Hunters enjoy thepursuit of white-tailed deer, wild turkey,woodcock, squirrels, waterfowl andmany other species.

Roads are maintained and suitable forhiking, nature photography, birding,hunting and other recreational activi-ties. Visitors to the management areashould be aware of biting insects, mos-quitoes and ticks from April-December.Area is wet most of the year, wear ap-propriate footwear.

37Serpentine BarrensConservationPark North

12860 Piney Meeting House Road

38Serpentine BarrensConservationPark South

11825 Glen Road

The Serpentine Barrens Natural Areais considered one of the most importantnatural areas in the county because of itsunique geology and plant community.Serpentine ecosystems are globally rareand occur intermittently in an arc eastof the Appalachian Mountains from Ala-bama to Maine. The trees are unusuallysmall relative to their age because of thechallenging growing conditions of ser-pentine soils. Therefore, forests appearto be early successional, but in realityare in a climax condition. Oaks as oldas 175 years old will have a diameter oftrees you would expect to be one or twodecades old.

More than 60 species of birds havebeen detected in the park, including asignificant number of forest interiordwelling species such as Louisiana wa-terthrush, scarlet tanager, ovenbird,pileated woodpecker, and barred owl.

39Callithea FarmSpecial Park

15000 River Road

Callithea Farm Park is a 97 acre prop-erty located adjacent to the M-NCPPCequestrian trails at Blockhouse PointConservation Park and the C&O Canal.Horse boarding is available. Contact thefarm manager at 301-977-7682.

allows all kids to play together. In 1986,the park system acquired the 20-acrepark, including soccer, baseball andother sports fields. Hadley’s Park, and itsaccessible theme, equipment, designand surface, have been emulated byapproximately 250 playgrounds acrossthe country. The park is the brainchildof a Potomac family whose daughter,Hadley, uses a wheel chair. The familyenvisioned an accessible playground af-ter watching her daughter’s wheelchairget stuck in playground mulch as sheplayed with her sibling and friends.

20PotomacHorse Center

14211 Quince Orchard Rd.301-208-0200potomachorse.com

County-owned and privately run, thislarge facility offers lessons at all levelsyear round, summer camp, birthdayparties and special events. Featuringriding classes for “Mini Mites” (5-8 yearold children) through adults of all lev-els. Classical Dressage, CombinedTraining, and a Hunter/Jumper pro-gram are available with riderscompeting under different trainers. Va-riety of activities with approximately 12horse shows a year, as well as clinics fea-turing many disciplines, and otherrecreational opportunities such as birth-day pony parties, individual pony rides,trail riding classes through woodedparkland, open houses, a summer horsecamp program, therapeutic horsebackriding, and more.

21Rockwood ManorEducational Centerand Special Park

11001 MacArthur Boulevard, Potomac301-563-7510http://www.montgomeryparks.org/

event_centers/rockwood.shtm

Built in the 1920s, the Manor was the


Viewpoints

What Are Your Thoughts on Living in Potomac?Roger Berliner, Mont-gomery County CouncilPresident, District 1

“I lived in Potomac for over22 years. I lived right next tothe C&O Canal. I love the ca-nal. I love the river. I love theneighborhood. I love theschools. Potomac is a lovelyplace to live.”

Taegan MyersWinston Churchill HighSchool Class of 2017

“I like the area. I think it’spretty. I like the people inPotomac. I like that it’s closeto D.C., and it’s close toBethesda and Rockville. Sothere are a lot of places togo and a lot of places to shopand there’s a lot of good foodaround.”

Tina Rawhouser, BranchManager, Potomac Library

“Potomac is a small communitywith a big heart. That’s what I seein the library — people who havea sense of community in the areaand they’re very supportive of thelibrary, which we appreciate. It’sa nice place to be. I didn’t knowanything about Potomac myselfuntil I started here as the branchmanager last year. And it’s beenlovely getting to know the areaand the people in the community.I have found since I’ve been herethat when I say I work in Potomac,people think it’s so far away fromanything else in MontgomeryCounty. It’s really not. We’re justa few minutes from Rockville, andRockville is the heart of theCounty so getting to Potomac isnot as terrible or as far as peopleperceive it to be. So I think it’sprobably more convenient thanpeople realize it is. But hopefullythey’ll take time to find their wayout here.”

Jill Phillips, Squeals on Wheels;Administrative Vice President,Potomac Community Village;Board Member, Potomac Cham-ber of Commerce; Board Mem-ber, West Montgomery CountyCitizens Association

“I think this area is amazing. I thinkit’s amazing to live in this whole Mont-gomery County area. Potomac is locatedvery close to some of the most beauti-ful parts of Montgomery County. Sowe’re close to Great Falls and the C&OCanal and the Agricultural Reserve. Theschools are strong, the neighborhoodsare lovely, it’s a safe place to live andthere are so many things to do. It’s soclose to Washington D.C. — you can getto D.C. in 20 minutes from here. It’s alovely place with a lot of lovely, lovelyneighbors. Because the homes arespread out a little bit, you have to in-tentionally get to know your neighbors.And that is part of the reason I workwith Potomac Community Village: tohelp people get to know their neighborsand to connect with them. And I thinkPotomac is an amazing place to live andwe feel very fortunate.”

Grant Phillips,Squeals on Wheels

“I think it’s a great area.I love its old horse culturethat you can see in thisarea. You can see it in TheSurrey, which used to bein the Village, but you stillsee some old horse signshere and there. Peoplestill have some land withsome animals on RiverRoad. So you definitelysee the old charm that ithas, but it also is a placewhere there are stillthings to do and a goodplace to raise kids.”

Kate Brownstein, Squealson Wheels

“I actually grew up in Potomacas well. I grew up here when I wasyounger, and then I went away toschool, and Grant [Phillips] and Ilive in D.C. but obviously we workin Potomac. I think it’s a really niceplace to live because I think thereare a lot of different kinds of op-portunities here. My favorite thingwould be Great Falls. But I thinkjust going from Great Falls to rightbefore Poolesville to right beforeRockville, you can get a lot of dif-ferent experiences within onesmall town. Even though it’s big,it feels like a very small town witha lot of things to do.”

Mark Ross, Founderand Chief Farmer MetroMicrogreens

“It’s a great place to growup, to live [and] a nice placeto raise children. It’s a verywell-to-do community. Veryfew complaints. I would sayit’s close to ideal. People arevery friendly and they havedisposable income so it’sgood for small businesses.”

Joan Kahn, Vice Presidentof Membership forPotomac Community Vil-lage.

“Potomac is a great communityand I’ve been really overwhelmedby the support that we’ve gottenfor the Village. I honestly wouldnot have expected it in a commu-nity like Potomac where I didn’tthink as many people were ascommunity-oriented. And especially for these kinds of is-sues of helping each other out. And we are obviously onlyseeing one slice of Potomac, of people who really do enjoyhelping others. But we’ve got upwards of 200 members …and then we get anywhere from 35-70 people at a monthlymeeting and these are people who hear about us and they’reinterested, and I think we do offer something that is ap-pealing. Everybody wants to be able to stay independent.The challenge is how long can they do that? And so it’s notfor everybody.”

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Adoptorama2017

ZIP Code: 20854Population: 46,475Race: White- (67.3%), Black/African American-

(5.0%), American Indian and Alaska Native- (0.1%),Asian- (17.1%), Hispanic or Latino (of any race)- (8.3%)

Total housing units: 17,132Owner occupied housing units: (87.1%)Households with individuals under 18 years:

6,862Individuals 65 years and over: 5,659Median household income: $181,385Population 5 years and over who speaks a lan-

guage other than English at home: 34.9%

Source: U.S. Census 2010; American Community Survey2014

Potomac Demographics

By Peggy McEwan

The Almanac

Members of the Potomacbusiness communitymake up the Potomac

Chamber of Commerce. Therethey have an opportunity to meetother local business men andwomen to network and socialize.

The chamber organizes the an-nual Potomac Day celebrationwhich includes a parade,children’s festival, business fair,petting zoo and car show. PotomacDay will be held Oct. 21 this year,celebrating the 35th anniversary ofthe annual celebration.

Potomac still has the feel of asmall town according to JenniferMatheson, director of operationsfor the Potomac Chamber.

“There is a solid foundation inPotomac,” she said. “It’s nice to beable to go into a little town andknow it.”

Nothing much changes, she said,adding that recently Starbucksexpanded and that a new coffeeshop is opening soon.

Complaints from residents arefew, as are problems other thanparking in the shopping centers at

Keeping an Eye on BusinessPotomacChamber ofCommerceorganizes annualPotomac Day.


Huckle Cat with Marty Johnson and Edie Wingate fromFriends of the Library along with 3-year-old DominiWhitney at last year’s Potomac Day celebration.

the intersection of River and Fallsroads. “Parking is always going tobe an issue,” she said. “Dead deerare always a problem and I getcomplaints about the man whopanhandles on the corner.”

Still it’s nice to have a commu-nity with so few problems, shesaid.

“Everything is so fast paced inthis world,” she said. “You feelgood here.”

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August 2017Great Falls Tavern, Mule-Drawn

Canal Boat Rides. Friday-Sundays,through Sept. 3, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m.,and 3 p.m. at Great Falls TavernVisitors Center, 11710 MacArthurBlvd. Take a boat ride along thehistoric C&O Canal. Tickets are $8for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 forchildren, and children 3 and underride for free. Visit www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/great-falls-canal-boat-rides.htm.

WEDNESDAYS-SUNDAYS IN AUGUSTCarousel Rides. Wednesday-Friday,

10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 11a.m.-5 p.m. Take a ride on thehistoric 1921 Dentzel Carousel atGlen Echo Park. Tickets are $1.25 perride. Visit glenechopark.org/carousel.

DEADLINE AUG. 27National Parks Pass. A senior

lifetime National Parks pass is $10through Aug. 28. On Aug. 28, feegoes up to $80. Age 62 or older toqualify as a senior. Visitstore.usgs.gov/senior-pass for more.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 23Tom Saputo on Piano. 7-10:30 p.m.

at Margery’s Lounge at NormandieFarm Restaurant, 10710 Falls Road.Call 301-983-8838, or visitpopovers.com

FRIDAY/AUG. 25Bob Smith and Rob Vetter in

Concert. 7-11 p.m. at Margery’sLounge at Normandie FarmRestaurant, 10710 Falls Road. Call301-983-8838, or visit popovers.com

SUNDAY/AUG. 27Dixieland Jazz Jam. 6 p.m. at

Margery’s Lounge at NormandieFarm Restaurant, 10710 Falls Road.Presented by the Potomac River JazzClub. Bring a instrument and sit inwith the Conservatory Classic JazzBand during the first set. Or just dropin to listen to the great sounds ofclassic jazz, Dixieland, and swing.$10. Call 301-762-3323, or visitprjc.org.

THURSDAY/AUG. 31Potomac Community Village

Party. 3:30-5 p.m. in Potomac. Anopportunity to meet neighbors.Location of the party will be at aprivate Potomac home, with location

and directions provided when RSVPby Saturday, Aug. 25. [email protected],or call 240-221-1370 for more.

Bob Smith and Rob Vetter inConcert. 7-10:30 p.m. at Margery’sLounge at Normandie FarmRestaurant, 10710 Falls Road. Call301-983-8838, or visit popovers.com

September 2017FRIDAY-MONDAY/SEPT. 1-4Labor Day Art Show. Friday, 7 p.m.;

Saturday-Monday, 12-6 p.m. atSpanish Ballroom – Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo.Find art of various media. “Cash andcarry” jewelry available for the thethird consecutive year. Free. Visitwww.glenechopark.org.

FRIDAY/SEPT. 1Art Walk in the Park. First Fridays

through Sept. 6-8 p.m. at Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Enjoy pottery, glass work,photography, and much more. Visitwww.glenechopark.org.

SATURDAY-MONDAY/SEPT. 2-4Annual Yellow Barn Studio and

Gallery Drawing Exhibition. 12-5 p.m. at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Incooperation with the Friends of theYellow Barn, an exhibition open toall members of the Yellow Barn. Aclosing reception will be held onMonday, Sept. 7, 5-6:30 p.m. Visitwww.yellowbarnstudio.com.

Labor Day Art Show. 12-6 p.m. atSpanish Ballroom – Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo.Find art of various media as well assome children’s work. Free. Visitwww.glenechopark.org.

MONDAY/SEPT. 4Irish Music and Dance Showcase.

1-5 p.m. at 7300 MacArthur Blvd.Attend a day of Irish music anddance presented by the Glen EchoPark Partnership for Arts and Cultureand the Irish Inn at Glen Echo. Free.Visit www.glenechopark.org.

MONDAY/SEPT. 4Labor Day Parade. 1 p.m. in the

streets of Olde Towne Gaithersburg.Celebrate Labor Day withperformances, antique cars, marchingbands, and more. Free. Visitwww.gaithersburgmd.gov/leisure/labor-day-parade.

SEPT. 6-30The Trawick Prize Exhibition.

Wednesday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m. atGallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Ave.,Bethesda. This exhibition featuresThe Trawick Prize finalists for the

Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. Thepublic opening reception will be heldFriday, Sept. 8 from 6-8 p.m. Visitwww.bethesda.org.

SEPT. 9-OCT. 15Great Falls Tavern, Mule-Drawn

Canal Boat Rides. 11 a.m., 1:30p.m., and 3 p.m. at Great FallsTavern Visitor Center, 11710MacArthur Blvd. Take a boat ridealong the historic C&O Canal. Ticketsare $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5for children, and children 3 andunder ride for free. Visitwww.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/great-falls-canal-boat-rides.htm.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 9Potomac Library Book Sale. 10

a.m.-1 p.m. at 10101 GlenoldenDrive. Sponsored by the Friends ofthe Library, Potomac Chapter.Monthly. Most hardbacks are $1 andpaperbacks are $.50. Visitwww.montgomerycountymd.gov/library/branches/potomac.html.

Carnival of Chocolates. 11 a.m.-3p.m. at Rockville Town Square. Thisyear’s event will include chocolatetastings from local chocolatiers, achildren’s fun run (100 yard dash),live music, games, and children’sstory times. Proceeds benefit TheDwelling Place, a non-profitdedicated to homeless families. Freeto attend. Visit www.tdp-inc.org.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 10Parks Half Marathon. 7-10 a.m. Run

from Rockville to Bethesda.Showcases Montgomery County’spark system. Sponsored byMontgomery County Road RunnersClub. Registration is $69 until Sept. 5and $80 Sept. 6-8. Visitwww.mcrrc.org.

SATURDAY/SEPT. 16Days End Farm Horse Rescue Fall

Festival. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at 1372Woodbine Road, Woodbine. Theevent will include a horse costumecontest, children’s pony rides, music,and vendors. Admission is $2 foradults, $1 for children under 18, andfree for children under 5. Visitwww.defhr.org.

Park After Dark. 6 p.m. at C&O Canal

National Historical Park – Great FallsTavern, 11710 MacArthur Blvd.,Potomac. Attendees enjoy live music,food, libations, auction items,desserts, a campfire and more. Theevening’s dress is “Canal Chic.” Thisis the seventh annual Park After Darkand there are no other events like onthe C&O Canal National Historic Parkgrounds. Event tickets are $200. Visitwww.parkafterdark.org.

SUNDAY/SEPT. 24Cabin John Kids Run. 9-10 a.m. at

Cabin John Regional Park. Sunday,Sept. 24. A mile run, half-mile youngrun and quarter mile young run isoffered. Registration is race-day only.Free for runners 17 and under. Seewww.mcrrc.org.

F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2017. 11:30a.m.-4 p.m. at VisArts at Rockville,155 Gibbs St., Rockville. Continuingin the spirit of sustainable creativepractices that define, reflect on, andstimulate action in the community,F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2017 (FundingEmerging Artists with SustainableTactics) features proposals on thetheme “Future Framers: EnvisioningRockville in 2040.” A picnic oflocally-prepared food will be servedon the Rooftop at VisArts. Artists andthinkers will present their projectproposals to the gathering of ticketholders who will vote for a winningproject. An immediate grant from aportion of the ticket price will beawarded to the winner. Tickets are$30, $15 for students. Visitwww.visartsatrockville.org.

October 2017FRIDAY-SUNDAY/OCT. 6-8SerbFest. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and

Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday, SaintLuke Serbian Orthodox Church,10660 River Road, Potomac. Serbiandishes, beverages, dance and musicperformances, gifts and boutiqueitems and family-friendly activities.Visit www.serbfestdc.com.

SATURDAY/OCT. 7Taste of Bethesda. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

along Norfolk, St. Elmo, Cordell, DelRay, and Auburn avenues. Localrestaurants and entertainment cometogether for the 26th Annual Taste ofBethesda. Admission to the festival isfree, taste tickets are sold in bundlesof four for $5. Visitwww.bethesda.org.

Bethesda Rescue Day. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase RescueSquad, 5020 Battery Lane. The

Rescue Squad’s most advancedfirefighting and rescue equipment,including emergency vehicles, will beon display. Visit www.bccrs.org orcall 301-652-0077.

FRIDAY/OCT. 13Youth Activity Club. 7-9 p.m. at the

Potomac Community Center, 11315Falls Road. for grades 3 through 6.Meets Friday evenings through March23, 2018. Activities include sports,arts and crafts, bingo, movies, dj,games, etc. Call the communitycenter, 240-777-6960.

SATURDAY/OCT. 14Potomac Library Book Sale. 10

a.m.-1 p.m. at 10101 GlenoldenDrive, Potomac. Sponsored by theFriends of the Library, PotomacChapter. Monthly. Most hardbacksare $1 and paperbacks are $.50. Visitwww.montgomerycountymd.gov/library/branches/potomac.html.

Antique and Classic Car Show. 11a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Rockville CivicCenter Park, 603 Edmonston Drive,Rockville. Find more than 500antique and classic cars. Free. Visitwww.rockvillemd.gov.

SATURDAY/OCT. 21Taste in Potomac. 6:30-11:30 p.m. at

Bolger Center, 9600 NewbridgeDrive, Potomac. The Taste inPotomac is a community event thatraises funds to help children in fostercare find adoptive families. Ticketsare $185. Visitwww.adoptionstogether.org.

Potomac Day. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at 9812Falls Road, Potomac. Arts andentertainment for all ages, rangingfrom rides for children to a classic carshow and business fair. The highlightis the Potomac Day Parade at 10:30a.m., featuring hundreds of entrants,including bands, horses, classic cars,school groups, scoutingorganizations, and candidates forelected office. This is the 35th annualPotomac Day. Free. Call the PotomacChamber of Commerce at 301-299-2170 or visitwww.potomacchamber.org.

SUNDAY/OCT. 22All-You-Can-Eat Crab Feast

Fundraiser. 1-5 p.m. at 5020Battery Lane. The Bethesda-ChevyChase Rescue Squad AlumniAssociation will hold a crab feastfundraiser – all-you-can-eat steamedcrabs, fried chicken, potato salad,baked beans, applesauce, and rolls,

Squeals on Wheels at Potomac Day 2016.Cabin John Volunteer Fire Department at Potomac Day 2016.

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along with beer and soda. Tickets cost$45 per person in advance (or $50after Sept. 5). Visit www.bccrs.org.

Montgomery County Out of theDarkness Community Walk.8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. in Silver Spring(location to be announced). Thiswalk, in conjunction with over 300communities across the country thisfall, benefits the AmericanFoundation for Suicide Prevention.Visit www.afsp.org.

November 2017NOV. 2-5Lessans Family Annual Book

Festival. Bender JCC of GreaterWashington, 6125 Montrose Road,Rockville. The Festival will kick-offwith our opening event featuring thebestselling author, Jennifer Weiner.Call 301-881-0100.

SUNDAY/NOV. 5Rockville 10K/5K. 8:30 a.m. at King

Farm Village Center, King FarmBoulevard and Pleasant Drive,Rockville. Annual race. Visitwww.rockville10k5k.com.

THURSDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBERPotomac Village Farmers Market.

2-6:30 p.m. at Potomac UnitedMethodist Church, 9908 S. GlenRoad. Visit www.potomacvillagefarmersmarket.net.

SATURDAY/NOV. 18Dinner of Champions. 7 p.m. at JCC

of Greater Washington, 6125Montrose Road, Rockville. Theannual event honors those who haveachieved success in the world ofsports, and those who have madeextraordinary contributions to thecommunity. The dinner benefits theJewish Community inclusionprograms for individuals with specialneeds. Individual tickets are $275.Visit www.jccgw.org.

THURSDAY/NOV. 23Turkey Chase. 8:30 a.m. at 9401 Old

Georgetown Road at Spruce Street.The Turkey Chase 10K Run benefitsthe YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase,YMCA’s Youth and Family Servicesand the Bethesda-Chevy ChaseRotary Club Foundation. Includes atwo-mile walk/run; wheelchairswelcome. Registration is $10 for theKid’s Run, $20 for the 2 mile race,and $35 for the 10K. Seewww.turkeychase.com.

NOV. 25-DEC. 31Winter Lights Festival. Sunday-

Thursday, 6-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday,6-10 p.m. at Seneca Creek Park,11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg.Winter Lights is a 3.5-mile drivethrough a holiday light show atSeneca Creek Park with more than360 illuminated displays. Additionalevents include Wine Under theLights, Run Under the Lights, Leashes’n’ Lights, and, S’More Lights &Trolley Rides. Visitwww.gaithersburgmd.gov/leisure/special-events/winter-lights-festival.

December 2017Christmas Tree Sale. Cabin John

Park 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.

Clara Barton Holiday Craft Show.Takes place in early December at theClara Barton Community RecreationCenter, 7425 MacArthur Blvd., CabinJohn. Free admission and parking.Visit www.Friends CBCC.org.

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. 2Bethesda’s Winter Wonderland.

This seasonal event takes place inmultiple locations, including concertsat Imagination Stage and inBethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Theevent, so far unconfirmed for 2017,has featured caroling, ice sculpting,storytelling, holiday performancesand hands-on craft activities forchildren. Call 301-215-6660 or visitwww.bethesda.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.

January 2018The Maryland General Assembly

meets in Annapolis each year for 90days to act on more than 2,500 billsincluding the state’s annual budget.Potomac falls into two districts,District 15 and District 16, each onewith one senator and three delegates.Visit www.mlis.state.md.us.

West Montgomery County CitizensAssociation. Second Wednesday,7:15-9 p.m. at Potomac CommunityCenter, 11315 Falls Road. Attend thegeneral meeting. Seewww.wmcca.org.

February 2018THURSDAY-SUNDAY/FEB. 16-19Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. 1750

Rockville Pike, Rockville. The festivalprovides live musical performances,workshops and seminars. Seewww.midatlanticjazzfestival.org.

West Montgomery County CitizensAssociation. Second Wednesday,7:15-9 p.m. at Potomac CommunityCenter, 11315 Falls Road. Attend thegeneral meeting. See wmcca.org.

March 2018West Montgomery County Citizens

Association. Second Wednesday,

7:15-9 p.m. at Potomac CommunityCenter, 11315 Falls Road. Attend thegeneral meeting. Seewww.wmcca.org.

April 2018APRIL-AUG.Mule-Drawn Canal Boat Rides,

Great Falls Tavern. Call the C&OCanal National Historical Park atGreat Falls visitor center, 301-767-3714 or visit www.nps.gov.

The Bethesda Literary Festival isheld annually in April. Featurespoets, authors, journalists, novelists,poetry slams, essay contests andyouth book parties. Literary eventstake place in downtown Bethesda’sbookstores, galleries and retailbusinesses, as well as the library andelementary school. Visitwww.bethesda.org.

Pike’s Peek 10K. 7:50 a.m. at theShady Grove Metro Station. Seewww.pikespeek10k.org.

LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY“Blast from the Past.” Winston

Churchill High School, 11300Gainsborough Road, Potomac. Attendan annual musical revue featuringstudent cast members, musicians andstage crew. Call 301-469-1200 orvisit www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/churchillhs for dates and moreinformation.

The Annual C&O Canal Pride Days.This is a joint effort between the parkand C&O Canal Trust that bringshundreds of volunteers into the parkto conduct maintenance projects.Work at C&O Canal NationalHistorical Park at Great Falls(Maryland) and other sites along thePotomac River and C&O Canaltowpath. Call the Canal Trust at 301-714-2233, www.canaltrust.org, orsee the park website atwww.nps.gov/choh

Potomac Watershed Cleanup. Thisvolunteer event is sponsoredannually by Alice FergusonFoundation. Last year, more than23,898 volunteers picked up1,203,543 pounds of trash including1,328 tires, 13,214 cigarette butts,17,594 plastic bags, and 251,100beverage containers. Volunteershelped at many sites along thePotomac River in Potomac. Seewww.fergusonfoundation.org.

West Montgomery County CitizensAssociation. Second Wednesday,7:15-9 p.m. at Potomac CommunityCenter, 11315 Falls Road. Attend thegeneral meeting. Seewww.wmcca.org.

May 2018Potomac Horse Center Annual

Spring Open House. Seewww.PotomacHorse.com.

Run Aware 5K. Race through woods,trails, and, if lucky, mud. Along withthe 5K (Cross Country Series) race,

there will be a 1K (JuniorParticipation Series) race. Seewww.mcrrc.org.

Potomac Village Farmers Market.Through October (and sometimesinto November), Thursdays, 2-6:30p.m. Potomac United MethodistChurch, 9908 S. Glen Road at cornerof Falls Road and DemocracyBoulevard. Visitwww.potomacvillagefarmersmarket.net.

Spring Festival. Greek OrthodoxChurch of St. George, 7701 BradleyBlvd., Bethesda. The annual festivalincludes traditional Greek cuisine,outdoor/indoor dining, Greekdancing, church tours and Greekpastries. Call 301-469-7990 or visitwww.stgeorge.org.

The Potomac Hunt Races. 10 a.m.-7p.m. at 14401B Partnership Road,Poolesville. This annual Maytradition celebrates the sport ofsteeplechase racing and benefitinglocal charities. Race day festivitiesinclude steeplechase racing,thoroughbreds and festival tailgateparties, a car show, pony rides andmore. Seewww.potomachuntraces.com.

Strawberry Festival. Potomac UnitedMethodist Church, 9908 S. GlenRoad, Potomac. This festivaldedicated to all things strawberry istraditionally held the weekend beforeMemorial Day. Berries, a silentauction, bake sale, rummage sale,craft fair, dollar items and games andactivities for children. Call the churchat 301-299-9383 or visitwww.potomac-umc.org.

The Bethesda Big Train begins itsseason at the Shirley Povich Field inCabin John Regional Park, 10600Westlake Drive. The Big Train playsin the Cal Ripken Collegiate BaseballLeague, a wooden-bat collegiateleague that has sent athletes to MajorLeague Baseball. Seewww.bigtrain.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/MAY 5-7The Landon Azalea Garden

Festival. Perkins Garden and theLandon campus, 6101 Wilson Lane,Bethesda. The annual festival datesback to the mid-1950s whenLandon’s founders, Paul and MaryLee Banfield opened the newlyacquired azalea garden to the public.Call 301-320-3200 or visitwww.landon.net.

SUNDAY/MAY 7Mark’s Run. 8-10 a.m. at Triplett

Field, Bordley Stadium. a 5-K raceand one-mile run also takes placeduring the Landon Azalea Gardenfestival. Mark’s Run is held each yearin memory of alumnus Mark Ferris’94, who lost his battle with juvenilediabetes. The run raises more than$50,000 for the Mark FerrisScholarship Fund and $75,000 to theJoslin Diabetes Center. Call 301-320-3200 or visit www.landon.net.

SATURDAY-MONDAY/MAY 27-29Hometown Holidays is a Memorial

Day festival and parade in the City ofRockville with concerts, children’scrafts and games. Call 240-314-5022or visit www.rockvillemd.gov.

MAY-JULYBethesda Summer Concert Series.

Free. Last year’s Thursday concertstook place at Veterans Park, at thecorner of Norfolk and Woodmontavenues. See www.bethesda.org.

West Montgomery County CitizensAssociation, general meeting,second Wednesday, PotomacCommunity Center, 7:15-9 p.m.Public is welcome. Seewww.wmcca.org.

June 2018Imagination Bethesda, annual

children’s street festival celebratingthe arts. The festival featurescostume characters, face painters,international dance troupes, theaterperformances, a moon bounce and avariety of hands-on arts activities.Call 301-215-6660 or seewww.bethesda.org.

Glen Echo Park’s Summer ConcertSeries begins in June on Thursdayevenings. Free. Seewww.glenechopark.org. 301-634-2222.

Quicken Loans National. This eventfeatures 120 PGA Tour professionalsat Congressional Country Club inBethesda who will compete formillions. The event raises funds andawareness for the Tiger WoodsFoundation while paying tribute toU.S. armed forces. Seewww.tigerwoodsfoundation.org.

July 2018Autism Speaks Annual 5K run and

one-mile walk benefits research onautism. Last year’s event raised morethan $230,000. Seewww.autismspeaks.org or [email protected].

Montgomery County Fairgrounds4th of July Fireworks activitiesinclude live music, games and food.Call 301-258-6350. Seewww.gaithersburgmd.gov

Montgomery College RockvilleCampus 4th of July Fireworks,Rockville. Activities include livemusic and food. Call 240-314-5022.See www.rockvillemd.gov.

The Potomac Whitewater Festivalin late June or early July is an annualfundraising event that celebrateskayaking in the Potomac River.Offers races for kayakers and clinicsand activities for the public. Seewww.potomacfest.com oranadventures.com.

Bethesda Outdoor Movies. Annualoutdoor movie series at corner ofNorfolk and Auburn avenues. Contact301-215-6660 or visitwww.bethesda.org for movieschedule.

Farm Tour & Harvest Sale. Varioustimes at various locations inMontgomery County. MontgomeryCounty celebrates its agriculturalheritage by promoting local farms,and inviting patrons to partake inseasonally fresh food. Admissionprices vary based on farm. Visitwww.montgomercountrymd.gov/agservices/agfarmtour.html for a fullschedule.

August 2018Riley’s Rumble Half-Marathon. See

www.mcrrc.org.Montgomery County Agricultural

Fair is a favorite destination eachAugust. See www.mcagfair.com.


CraftShowClara BartonCraft Show inDecember2016 drew acrowd.


News

A Glimpse of the EclipseSearching through the clouds for aglimpse of the solar eclipse on Monday,Aug. 21, is Semiti Rashidi, manager ofthe Rite Aid store in Potomac Village.Waiting for a turn to use the glasses areRachel Quinn and Susan Harris.

Michael Joseph waits his turn to use thesolstice viewing glasses while ChristineKoons-Byrne takes in the show. Theywatched the moon block the sun fromjust outside the Long and Foster officeon River Road.

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Submit civic/community announce-ments at ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos and artwork welcome.Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

DATES FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEARThe Montgomery County school year

will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017,and the last day of school will be nolater than Friday, June 15, 2018.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 23Community Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in

the cafeteria at Richard MontgomeryHigh School, 250 RichardMontgomery Drive, Rockville.Councilmember Craig Rice, whoserves as chair of the Council’sEducation Committee, will host acommunity meeting withMontgomery County Public Schools

(MCPS) Superintendent Jack Smithto discuss universal pre-kindergartenprograms. The purpose of thiscommunity meeting is to seek inputfrom the community about what theyare looking for in terms of earlychildhood education both in currentprogramming and possibleimplementation of universal pre-kindergarten programs. Visitwww.montgomerycountymd.gov/rice/

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 30Dementia-Related Behavior. 2-3:30

p.m. at Arden Courts of Potomac,10718 Potomac Tennis Lane,Potomac. To help caregivers decipherbehaviors and determine how best torespond, the Alzheimer’s Associationoffers the Understanding andResponding to Dementia-RelatedBehavior program. Visitwww.alz.org/nca/in_my_community_64062.asp.

Email announcements [email protected] is Thursday at noon. Photos arewelcome.

The following Potomac students wereawarded academic honors for the spring2017 semester at Clemson University(Clemson, S.C.):

❖ Julianna Leslie Klein, majoringin secondary education

❖ Kaitlyn J. Hillard, majoring inmechanical engineering

❖ Brittany Renee Testa, majoringin parks, recreation and tourism man-agement

❖ Jenna Anne Levenson, major-ing in secondary education

The following Potomac-area residentsmade the dean’s list for the 2017 springsemester at Rochester Institute of Tech-nology (Rochester, N.Y.):

❖ Christian Vaughan, who isstudying computer science.

❖ Sebastian Serrano-Berthet,who is studying computer science.

❖ Corry Straathof, who is studyingmechanical engineering.

❖ Samuel Washburn , who isstudying physics.

School Notes

Bulletin Board

By Peggy McEwan

The Almanac

Members of the Cabin JohnPark Volunteer Fire Depart-ment Station 10 on RiverRoad took time this month

to clean up the site of a memorial to aBethesda family killed in an accident in Feb-ruary 2016.

“I’ve been driving past that scene weeklyfor a while and it had gotten to the pointwhere you couldn’t even see it, so we de-cided to clean it up,” said Greg Bastien, whodrives the ambulance for the station’s Sun-day day crew. Other members of the crewMatthew Kubler, Meghan Leahy andAndreas Lair-Ferrari, all volunteers at thestation like Bastien, helped clear trash thatcollected near the site and pulled weedsgrowing over the small white crosses deco-rated with artificial flowers.

The accident at River Road and BraeburnParkway killed three members of theBuarque DeMarco family who were on theirway to a play at Walt Whitman High Schoolwhere Thomas Buarque De Marco, 18, wasa senior. In addition to Thomas, his fatherMichael, 52, and mother Alessandra, 53,also died when a car traveling west on RiverRoad hit the Buarque De Marco auto as itmade a left turn from eastbound River Road.

Helena Buarque De Marco, 15, was alsoin the car but survived the accident.

Bastien said he was not on duty for theaccident call but he felt it was important toclean up the site.

“We notice it,” he said.

Volunteers Clean Up Memorial to Accident Victims

Photos by Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department

After passing by the memorial for the family killed in the fatal crash on Pyle Road of February 2016, CabinJohn Park Volunteer Fire Department’s Sunday day crew decided to honor those lost by cleaning up the memo-rial.


Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Being diagnosed with cancer; then havingcancer/living with cancer, is like having a sec-ond job. A job that unlike many, requiresand/or imposes a ‘round the clock-type 24/7adherence to protocol, policy, procedure, pre-sumptions and principle. To live not like you’redying takes more than scoffing at a countrymusic song that twangs an alternative vision.Believing in what routines you’re following andany lifestyle changes you’ve made allows (I did-n’t say enables) a cancer survivor to thriveunder the most difficult and demanding ofcircumstances.

Unfortunately for those reading this columnlooking for answers/guarantees, there aren’tany other than: if you abuse the privilege ofpost-cancer-diagnosis survival, the ends willlikely justify the means; meaning, you areresponsible for your own actions and “ina-ctions.” The prognosis one is given at diagnosisis a reasonably thought out prediction.However, as grim as those words sound andseem at that moment, that prediction is notcast in stone. I’m living proof of that. Thewords you hear are based on the past. Yourensuing treatment is more about the presentand future and what you decide to do livingforward. Being open and unassuming, and by‘unassuming’ I mean: not taking anything forgranted, presuming facts not in evidence, con-sidering that which has happened to somebodyelse – either good or bad, could happen to youand of course, asking as many questions in asmany ways as necessary to get the answers youneed, will help you co-exist with this terribleburden. Being diagnosed with a heretofore “te-rminal” disease presents one with innumerablechallenges but not the slim pickin’s (choices notthe actor) of yesteryear.

Integrating/assimilating all of the facts, fic-tion and philosophy into one’s daily cancerconundrum is a task often complicated byone’s day job/intention to remain on that job.The thinking being, at least in mymind/experience: living as normal a life as pos-sible and staying as true to one’s usual and cus-tomary self as well as to one’s wishes, desires,hopes, prayers, etc., will enable (not ‘allow’this time) you potentially to live longer andprosper more and trek “where no man hasgone before.” For us cancer survivors/patients,where we hope to ‘trek’ is beyond the progno-sis given to us by our oncologist.

I can boast of such an accomplishment, butI’d rather write it quietly and consistently asencouragement to others similarly diagnosedand “prognosed” than brag about it loudly.However, the changes/choices I’ve made mightnot suit another’s personality. I regularly receivesuggestions about additional anti-cancer pur-suits. Some I embrace, some I don’t. Some areconventional (Western), some are alternative(Non-Western). Many sound reasonable and“integratable” into my lifestyle. Many othersdon’t. But given that my life is at stake, howcan a suggestion’s incompatibility with my per-sonality matter? We’re talking life versus pre-mature death here; not sit-down Italian versustake-out Chinese. And though food certainlymatters, it is of course to no comparison to liv-ing versus dying. Still, I don’t always say “yes.”

This is the yin and yang of my life andprobably the lives of many other survivors ofserious/terminal-type diseases. I want to feellike I’m winning. But I’m deathly afraid oflosing.

Moreover, I want to live my life as normallyas possible, but not if it has adverse conse-quence. And how would I know anyway?Symptoms can be misleading and scans arequarterly. And though I remain positive aboutmy very negative circumstances, occasionallythe reality of those circumstances interfere withthat normalcy. When that happens, I usuallyput pen to paper and try to write myself out ofit.

Two, Hopefullyfor Won

High School SportsCompiled by Ted Crawley

CHURCHILLMascot: BulldogsSchool Colors: Blue and GreenAthletic Director: Jessie SmithFootball Coach: Willie WilliamsGirls’ Soccer Coach: Haroot HakopianBoys’ Soccer Coach: Arnold TarzyGirls’ Basketball Coach: Kate BlankenBoys’ Basketball Coach: David BlumenthalGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Mike SchweizerBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Jeff FritzBaseball Coach: Scott BlackwoodSoftball Coach: Sharon MorrisRival Schools: WoottonWhat happened last year: The Boys’ La-

crosse team made a run for the state championshipbut were defeated (7-6) in the last seconds of thefinal game against defending state championSeverna Park. Gwenyth Asbury won the indoortrack and field state championship for her perfor-mance in the 800 Meter run.

WHITMANMascot: VikingsSchool Colors: White and Carolina BlueAthletic Director: Andrew WetzelFootball Coach: Dave FyockGirls’ Soccer Coach: Greg HerbertBoys’ Soccer Coach: Dave GreeneGirls’ Basketball Coach: Pete KenahBoys’ Basketball Coach: Chris LunGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Katie BitontiBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Tommy RothertBaseball Coach: Joe CassidySoftball Coach: Annemarie O’DonoghueRival Schools: WoottonWhat happened last year: The Girls’ basket-

ball team secured its position in the Maryland 4AState Championship, hoping to bring home theirsecond state championship after winning the 2015-2016 season. They would fall short of this goal,losing to Catonsville 49-46 in the state finals.

WOOTTONMascot: PatriotsSchool Colors: Red, Navy BlueAthletic Director: Christopher ThompsonFootball Coach: Eddie TolliverGirls’ Soccer Coach: Liz SeligmanBoys’ Soccer Coach: Doug SchuesslerGirls’ Basketball Coach: Maggie DryerBoys’ Basketball Coach: Erick GravesGirls’ Lacrosse Coach: Casey FletcherBoys’ Lacrosse Coach: Colin ThompsonBaseball Coach: JD MarchandSoftball Coach: Al LightsleyRival Schools: WhitmanWhat happened last year: The tennis team

would for the 9th year in a row, bring home themost points of any other team competing at thestate championship. Joseph Brailovsky had a text-book win during the tournament, defeating hisopponent in two sets.

Newcomers

Support LibraryThe Friends of the Library Potomac Chap-

ter is an organization that supports thePotomac Community Library by raisingfunds through it’s book sales and donationsfrom members. It provides funding for nu-merous programs for children, and for adultprograms like Great Decisions and AuthorTalks. It gives money for the upkeep andbeautification of the library grounds in con-junction with the Potomac Village GardenClub. It funds purchases for upgrades to theinterior of the library such as tables andchairs, shelving, lighting and new carpeting.

The Friends of the Library Potomac Chap-ter has made it possible for the library topurchase additional books and subscriptionsfor magazines and data bases.

If interested in joining or in finding moreinformation, email [email protected].


Documents

Potomac - Ellington CMSconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/documents/2017/0… · 25/8/2017 · 2 Potomac Almanac Newcomers & Community Guide 2017-18 Catering to Potomac