18 minute read
Bulletin Board by Kathleen Donner
Mayor Bowser’s Fresh Start 5k
The mayor invites us to join her in the ninth annual Fresh Start 5k (run and/or walk) on New Year’s Day at running tracks throughout the city. DPR will open athletic tracks and provide other suggested routes. Residents are encouraged to run or walk a 5k at a location of their choice at any time on New Year’s Day. The FITDC Fresh Start 5k is a free event and residents who register at tinyurl. com/2023VirtualFreshStart5K will receive a commemorative T-shirt. Run or walk at one of 11 DC Public Schools sites or in your own neighborhood. Share on social media using the hashtag #FreshStart5K. Runner/walker packets and T-shirts may be picked up on Thursday, Dec. 29 and Friday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard St. NW; Edgewood Recreation Center, 301 Franklin St. NE; Deanwood Community Center, 1350 49th St. NE; and Wilson Aquatic Center, 4551 Fort Dr. NW.
Congress Heights Christmas Tree Lighting
On Friday, Dec. 16, 6 p.m. (rain date, Dec. 17, 6 p.m.), celebrate the holidays with a community tree lighting at Shepherd Park, corner of Malcolm X and MLK SE. facebook. com/Congress-Heights-Community-Association.
Wards 7 & 8 Faith Leaders Second Annual Holiday Prayer Breakfast is on Saturday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m., in the Panorama Room, 1600 Morris Rd. SE. anacostiacc.org/faith-committee.html.
Welcome Wednesdays at THEARC
Join THEARC staff as they welcome individuals or small groups to sign up for one of their monthly tours of THEARC campus, 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE, on the last Wednesday of the month. Guests will gain a rsthand experience of the world class, multi-sector collaboration and expand their understanding of THEARC’s mission and signature programs. All tours begin at noon and end at 1 p.m. Call 202-889-5901 x 111 or email JChevis@thearcdc.org with questions. Register at interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E92754&id=30.
Theater Alliance Announces 20th Season
In celebration of its 20th Anniversary Season, Theater Alliance at the Anacostia Playhouse, has programmed a lineup of innovative, family-friendly, thought-provoking productions. Theater Alliance kicks o its season with This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, Feb. 27 to March 25—a modern-day fairytale by Finnegan Kruckemeyer, exploring the choices young women make, and the consequences of those choices. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye will take the stage May 31 to June 25. Eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove, a Black girl in 1940s Ohio, wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and schoolmates. Blaming her dark skin for the ridicule she endures, she prays for blue eyes, sure that love will follow. To complete the season in late summer, Theater Alliance and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts are collaborating on a co-production of the World Premiere of Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, adapted from Jason Reynolds’ young adult novel by El Chelito and Raymond O. Caldwell. The adaptation will perform rst at The Anacostia Playhouse, then move to the Kennedy Center later in the year. Ten NameYour-Own-Price tickets are available for every performance, ensuring that anyone who wants to experience the work can do so. theateralliance.com.
Photo: Jason Yen
Visit the National Christmas Tree
The National Christmas Tree site is free to visit and open to the public through Jan. 1. Visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lights on the National Christmas Tree and the 58 smaller trees that surround the tree turn on around sunset each evening. 15th and E Streets, NW. thenationaltree.org/visit-the-tree.
DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District. DCHFA, Your Homeownership Resource in the District.
DC Open DoorsDC Open Doors
DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia. DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia. DC Open Doors DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership inthe city. is programo ers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on rst trust DC Open Doors is your key to homeownership in the city. This program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages. You are not required to be a firsttime homebuyer or a D.C. resident to qualify for DCOD. You must, however, be purchasing HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down District of Columbia. a home in the District of Columbia. serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program.HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program. HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down homebuyer or a D.C. resident , be purchasing a home in the District of Columbia. Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) HPAP provides interest free deferred loans for down payment and closing cost assistance years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to program. years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) rst-time home buyer program. up to $202,000 combined. DCHFA serves as a co-administrator of this DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) first-time home buyer program. years or older who have fallen behind on insurance Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. down payment assistance to D.C. government Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to DC4ME employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, years or older who have fallen behind on insurance and tax payments as a result of their reverse mortgage. Quali ed District homeowners can receive up to DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is offered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District District government employees, including employees and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's government-based instrumentalities, COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months. of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months. DC4ME provides mortgage assistance with optional down payment assistance to D.C. government employees. DC4ME is o ered to current full-time District government employees, including employees of District government-based instrumentalities, independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower's employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. independent agencies, D.C. Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia. Homebuyers Info Sessions are Back at DCHFA Visit www.DCHFA.org how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months.COVID-19 DC MAP COVID-19 provides nancial assistance to Register at bit.ly/dcopendoors 815 FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC20001•202.777.1Visit www.DCHFA.org those a ected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quali ed borrowers can receive a loan of 600 • WWW.DCHFA.ORG how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs. up to $5,000 per month to put toward their mortgage for up to six months. 815 Visit www.DCHFA.org FLORIDA AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, DC20001•202.777.1 EAST OF 600 •THE RIVERWWW.DCHFA.ORG MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2022 29 how to apply to any of DCHFA’s homeownership programs.
NMAAHC Debuts Freedmen’s Bureau Search Portal
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) announces the launch of the Freedmen’s Bureau Search Portal. The search platform is designed to help family historians and genealogists search for their ancestors and for scholars and students to research various topics found in over 1.7 million pages of Freedmen’s Bureau records. The portal allows users to search records from the United States Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, commonly known as the Freedmen’s Bureau. Congress created the Freedmen’s Bureau after the Civil War to assist in the political and social reconstruction of post-war Southern states and to help formerly enslaved African Americans transition from slavery to freedom and citizenship. From 1865 to 1872, the Freedmen’s Bureau created and collected over 1.7 million handwritten records containing the names and information of hundreds of thousands of formerly enslaved individuals and Southern white refugees. nmaahc.si.edu/explore/freedmens-bureau.
In the Conservatory, view holiday decorations including nearly 2,000 poinsettias and the Garden’s collection of DC monuments and landmarks, such as the US Capitol building and the Washington Monument, all made from plant parts.
The Botanic Garden offers a garden-wide “Season’s Greenings” holiday display this year, running through Monday, Jan. 2 (closed on Dec. 25). As part of the festivities, G-gauge model trains run between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day in the gated outdoor gardens and the Conservatory features poinsettias, holiday decor, and DC landmarks made from plants. A gift store run by the Friends of the US Botanic Garden and local DC small business Rewild o ers botanically themed gifts for purchase in the Conservatory’s West Gallery. Zeke’s Co ee o ers co ee and hot chocolate for sale just inside the gated outdoor garden near the trains. The Garden has extended evening hours each Tuesday in December when the Conservatory and train display will be open until 8 p.m. USBG.gov/ SeasonsGreenings.
Temporary Closures on Kenilworth
Avenue NE Service Road
DDOT needs to periodically close the southbound service road of Kenilworth Avenue NE between Nash Street NE between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; weather permitting. The closures, which started Nov. 21, will be in place for approximately two months. ddot.dc.gov.
Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena to Operate Canal Park Ice Rink
Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena (FDIA), the non-pro t organization that operates the only public indoor ice-skating rink in Washington, DC, has been selected to operate the outdoor ice-skating rink, located in Canal Park in the Capitol Riverfront district, for the 2022-23 outdoor skating season. A portion of revenue from the Canal Park Ice Rink will help to support FDIA’s KIDS ON ICE programming, which provides ice sports instruction accessible to all DC youth, regardless of ability to pay.
2023 Fringe Festival Applications Open
Capital Fringe was founded in 2005 with a mission to celebrate cultural democracy and art for everyone. By embracing diversity and a spirit of independence, they create earning opportunities for artists. They aim to challenge perceptions, shake up the institutionalized hierarchy, be brave and unafraid, and serve as a launching pad for unseasoned and established artists. The 2023 Capital Fringe is from July 13 to 16 and 20 to 23. Applications are open through Dec. 28. Read more and apply at capitalfringe.org/artist.
DC Streetcar’s Inaugural Winter Wonder Ride
For the rst time, DC Streetcar has been wrapped for the Winter Wonder season alongside DC Circulator. This year’s Winter Wonder Ride theme is, “Spreading Joy Around the District.” The holiday rides are decorated with a multi-colored, pastel wrap featuring various animals participating in fun snow activities. Residents and visitors are welcome to take a Winter Wonder Ride on DC Streetcar along the H St./ Benning Corridor. DC Circulator’s Winter Wonder Ride will be present at the Downtown DC Holiday Market on Saturday, Dec. 17, noon to 3 p.m., at F Street NW between Seventh and Ninth. dcstreetcar.com and dccirculator.com.
RFK Seats and Memorabilia Sale
All orange seats and turnstiles on the sale website will be available for in-person pick up on Dec. 16 to 18 at RFK Stadium. After purchase, information with speci c details regarding the pickup location, dates and times will be coming from Events DC via email. All seats come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Stadium seats are sold in authentic asis condition and will show signs consistent with outdoor stadium usage. The seats being sold in this rst sale are the best ones in terms of overall condition and have little to no sun fading. A portion of the proceeds will bene t The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington and St. Coletta of Greater Washington. stadiumseatdepot.com/RFK_Stadium_Seat_and_Memorabilia_Sale.aspx.
American History Museum’s Entertainment Nation Festival
On Dec. 9, the National Museum of American History unveiled the new permanent exhibition Entertainment Nation/Nación del espectáculo. From Dec. 9 to 18, visitors can enjoy dynamic conversations about the cultural impact of entertainment, intimate talks with curators, sneak peeks at objects from the national collection, lm screenings of pop culture classics, free activities, and musical performances that bring entertainment history to life. Visit americanhistory.si.edu for the full schedule.
9:30 Club Kicks off 21st Holiday Raf e
The 9:30 Club’s annual Holiday Ra e--now in its 21st year--continues the momentum gained by o ering two different ways to enter. There will also be two di erent winners, each receiving the Grand Prize of a pair of tickets to every 9:30 Club show in 2023. To enter, donate canned goods/non-perishable food items and/or clean, gently worn clothing at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. One entry per item donated, up to 10 entries per day (though you can donate more than 10 items per day). Donations can be made during the 9:30 Club’s regular box o ce hours or at any show during the month of December. You can also make a monetary donation online through BetterWorld page at 930club.betterworld.org. Each entry is $5, and there’s no limit to the number of entries. Online donations close Dec. 31, at 11:59 pm. 930.com/HolidayRa e.
Canal Park Ice Rink Opens for Season
Canal Park Ice Rink is now open Monday to Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday, noon to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Adult admission,
Stefan Lockridge, the son of Wanda and William Lockridge, delivers the keynote address at Dancing With the Scholars XII (DWTS) on November 19, 2022. DWTS is the annual fundraiser of the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation (WOLCF).
$12; kids and seniors, $10; skate rental, $5. Canal Park, 200 N St. SW. skatecanalpark.com.
National Shrine Christmas Dinner Registration
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception provides meals for hundreds of poor, homeless, elderly, and needy individuals living in the District of Columbia and surrounding areas on Christmas Day. Meals are available for pick-up or delivery only. To request a Christmas Day dinner, call 202-526-8300. All meal requests must be received by Friday, Dec. 16.
Volunteers are needed to fill many different positions. To register as a volunteer, visit nationalshrine.org/ event/2022-christmas-dinner-registration. For more information, contact rsvp@bnsic.org or 202-526-8300.
DC Snow Preparations
Call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093 if you see a person who is experiencing homelessness and outside during extreme temperatures. Join Serve DC’s Volunteer Snow Team, which helps clear sidewalks for registered seniors who are 65 and older and residents with access functionality needs. Sign-up at servedc.galaxydigital.com. For more information about DC’s snow program, preparing for winter weather, or to see where District Snow Team plows are during a storm, visit snow.dc.gov.
If you live in DC, are 60+ and income eligible, you may be able to receive free legal services through Legal Counsel for the Elderly. Free Legal Clinics for Veterans & Surviving Spouses are on Tuesdays, Dec. 13, Jan. 10 and Feb. 14; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the 202-K Consultation Room at MLK Library, 901 G St. NW. dclibrary.org/mlk.
The Allen Lee Hughes BIPOC Fellowship Program is a professional training program for individuals who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). The program o ers personalized training and in-depth, handson experience with top-tier professionals in artistic development, production, arts administration, arts education and community outreach. Fellows receive a weekly stipend of $600. The Fellowship Program applications will be accepted through Feb. 20, 2023. Interviews with select applicants will take place in April 2023. Applicants selected for the fellowship will be noti ed by phone and email by mid-May 2023. Read more at arenastage.org/opportunities.
Arboretum Community Center Opens
On Nov. 5, Mayor Bowser, Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of General Services and community members cut the ribbon on the new Arboretum Community Center. The $10.8 million, LEED-certi ed facility, at 2412 Rand Pl. NE, incorporates and expands on the historic eld house while adding many new amenities. The center includes a gym, community room, tech lounge, tness center, patio, and green roof.
Big Objects, Big Stories at the NMAAHC
On Dec. 11, 15, 27 and 29, “The Paradox of Liberty” talk takes place at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. On Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 29, “The Paradox of Liberty” talk takes place at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. On Dec. 15, “Angola Prison Guard Tower” talk takes place at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. On Dec. 13 and 20, “Angola Prison Guard Tower” talk takes place at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. On Dec. 12, 15 and 27, “I Go To Prepare A Place For You (Harriet Tubman Quilt) by Bisa Butler” talk takes place at 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15 p.m. On Dec. 22 and 29, “I Go To Prepare A Place For You (Harriet Tubman Quilt) by Bisa Butler” talk takes place at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. On Dec. 15, “Southern Railway Car No. 1200” talk takes place at 11 a.m. and noon. On Dec. 18, “A charred penny from the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921” talk takes places at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tours are free and walk-in. All visitors, regardless of age, must have a timed-entry pass to enter the building. Same-day timed-entry passes are released online only at 8:15 a.m. nmaahc.si.edu/visit/plan-your-visit.
DC Health Link Enrollment Opens
DC Health Link is the District’s state-based health insurance exchange established under the A ordable Care Act and provides health insurance to more than 14,000 residents through the individual marketplace and more than 87,000 people through the small business marketplace. Open Enrollment for individuals and families ends January 31, 2023. Plan selections made by Dec. 15 will be e ective on January 1, 2023. Small businesses—as well as individuals and families eligible for Medicaid—can enroll through DCHealthLink.com at any point.
Christmas Illuminations (and fireworks) at Mount Vernon
On Friday, Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 17, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., join Mount Vernon for a family-friendly celebration of the holiday season with an evening of Christmas Illuminations. Tour the Mansion to get an up-close look at the Washington home. See the lantern-lit Historic Area, the Mansion aglow in beautiful amber light, and the Upper Garden and Greenhouse dazzling in blue and lavender with moving wintry light patterns. Enjoy the atmospheric setting of an 18th-century winter encampment, the working Blacksmith Shop, Christmas carolers, and Aladdin the Camel. Watch holiday reworks over the Potomac River. The reworks begin at approximately 8 to 8:30 p.m. Adult admission with mansion tour, $60, youth with mansion tour, $38. mountvernon.org.
DOEE Launches Reuse DC Website
The Department of Energy and Environment has announced the launch of Reuse DC, a rst-of-its-kind website to help District residents get centralized information on how to repair, donate, and shop secondhand items ranging from furniture, clothing and other household items. Through the website, the public can search an online map-based directory, explore how to exchange items with neighbors, learn about the importance of food recovery, nd an upcoming Fix-It event, discover grant programs, and more. reuse.dc.gov. ◆
