NW 12-26-2012 1

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Northwest Real Estate SOLAR: Panels to be installed From Page 1

in Maryland, in University Park and Greenbelt. In both of those projects, community-based groups joined to ask local institutions with large buildings to serve as host sites for solar-generating electrical systems — a commonly used approach that is becoming more popular across the country. What’s different about the Shepherd Park project is that all members of the investment group, Ethical Community Solar, also happen to be members of the Washington Ethical Society. “This has been a homegrown effort within the congregation,� said Poppei. “Many members wanted to invest in solar personally, and they saw this as an opportunity to fund a renewable source of energy and to do so as a congregation.� All the members benefit indirectly as well, since the electricity will help power their building’s lights, computers and heating system, thereby reducing operating costs. The investment group, formed as a limited liability corporation, is legally a separate entity from the Washington Ethical Society. Under their arrangement, the corporation will own and maintain the solar panels and will sell back electricity at a discounted rate to the Washington Ethical Society, which maintains ownership of the roof. Heading up the technical side is Steve Skolnik, an ethical society member who also worked on the Greenbelt solar project. A former vice president of John E. Kelly and Sons, Electrical Construction in Upper Marlboro, Md., Skolnik is a master electrician who became increasingly interested in solar energy over the last decade. “The environment is warming like crazy as we pour more and more carbon dioxide from fossil fuels into

the atmosphere,� Skolnik said. “We need to change the way that we do business.� Installation will begin next month, when 126 solar panels will be placed on top of Washington Ethical Society’s roof. The flat pitch of the roof and the lack of trees directly surrounding the building offer ideal circumstances for the solar electric generating plant. On sunny days, the panels could produce more energy than the building needs, so that electricity will flow back to the power grid; but on days when snow might be covering the panels, the building will draw its electricity from Pepco, as it always did. A “net meter� installed on the building by Pepco will measure the backward and forward flow of energy to and from its power lines. Skolnik is eager to see more efforts like the one in Shepherd Park — and on a larger scale. “This is a 30-kilowatt system on the roof of the Washington Ethical Society. We need to be thinking in the megawatts in order to seriously reduce carbon emissions,� he said. New legislation will be necessary to encourage larger solar electric generating systems, Skolnik said. Key to that would be “feed-in� tariffs — in place in countries such as Germany — whereby power companies are forced to buy back excess energy produced from solar panels, making the technology more attractive to investors. Locally, Ward 7 D.C. Council member Yvette Alexander and Mary Cheh introduced legislation in March that would have established community solar facilities where residents could buy or lease panels that would offset their use of standard electricity. The council’s Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs held a hearing on the bill in June but did not act on the measure.

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SINgER: Local senior records Brazilian music From Page 3

While she may stick to the oldies, both Boechat and Sobin are tech-savvy — Sobin has uploaded dozens of videos to YouTube of small episodes in their daily lives, and Boechat checks out her Brazilian hometown newspaper on her iPad. Boechat has lived at St. Mary’s Court for the past seven years; previously, she lived in an apartment on Wisconsin Avenue near the Georgetown hair salon where she worked for many years. Growing up in Brazil, Boechat was always a music enthusiast, but her parents discouraged her hobby. She was married and widowed young — to a husband who also disapproved of her interest in music, and went so far as to sell her violin without her knowledge. In Brazil, Boechat became close friends with a married couple who worked for the U.S. State Department; they eventually invited her to live with them in Washington, and helped her secure dual citizenship. She then attended cosmetology school, and went on to work for 40 years as a hairstylist. Since moving to St. Mary’s, she has performed at an annual Foggy Bottom block party, a reception at the World Health Organization for senior health awareness, and even the Kennedy Center during an intermission at

its “Page-to-Stageâ€? festival. Boechat and Sobin are something of an unusual couple. Sobin said they have been together since he moved in next door to her at St. Mary’s five years ago. Less than a decade ago, Sobin was still finishing up 12 years in prison on charges of racketeering, fraud and promoting the sexual performance of a child. He owned strip clubs and brothels in D.C., and produced and starred in pornographic films. After his release, Sobin ran for mayor and founded the Safe Streets Arts Foundation, which encourages art and music programs in prisons, and exhibits and sells artworks by prisoners. Sobin said he sees a connection between his work with prisoners and his encouragement of seniors like Boechat. “People, when getting older, become depressed and anxious — similar to those incarcerated,â€? he said. “Music is very liberating. It puts you in another world. ‌ I very much wanted to transfer that to other situations where people are in need of hope and uplifting.â€? Boechat and Sobin said they would like to cut one or two more albums, and at the end of January, they will host a CD release party at St. Mary’s Court. Albums are available for purchase by contacting argentilha@me.com.

AWARDS: Mayor recognizes local volunteers From Page 1

and inspire all residents to do their part in making Washington, D.C. a world-class city for all.� For DC SCORES, a nonprofit that started in the District in the 1990s and has since expanded nationally, Amorosino stood out as a volunteer. “One of things I really appreciate about Francesco is dedication to go wherever we need help,� said Sean Hinkle, associate program director at DC SCORES. “He never turns down an assignment and always goes above and beyond.� “He’s always laughing and joking with the kids and is really warm, but then he can be serious when needed as well,� Hinkle added. The organization uses soccer, poetry and service learning to enrich the lives of more than 1,450 lowincome children at 42 schools across the city. Amorosino, who lives in American University Park, volunteers weekly as a referee at local elementary schools, where he is particularly committed to working with students in wards 7 and 8. He also works at the organization’s summer camp and helps out around the DC SCORES office at 1224 M St. NW. A desire to know more about all areas of the city led Amorosino to seek out volunteer opportunities at schools east of the Anacostia River. “The kids over there have so much passion and pride in playing for their team,� he said. “It’s really rewarding.� Amorosino is also an accomplished soccer player. A midfielder, he recently committed to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The mayor’s community service

award went to Carolyn Cook, a native Washingtonian, American University graduate and Chevy Chase advisory neighborhood commissioner. A women’s rights advocate, Cook founded United for Equality LLC in 2010 to help ratify the Equal Rights Amendment so that the U.S. Constitution explicitly

â??Service can unite people across geographic and identity barriers.â?ž — Jeffrey Richardson states that all women are entitled to the same inalienable rights as men. The deadline for ratification of the ERA expired in 1982, leaving women facing gender discrimination with insufficient protection under the law with which to fight their grievances, Cook said. She is also working with the nonprofit Cultural Tourism DC to establish a women’s history trail in the city. Cook was inspired to become an advisory neighborhood commissioner in 2009, after Hillary Clinton lost her bid to become president. “There is a dearth of women in political office, and during Hillary’s concession speech I decided to see what I could do to contribute to public office,â€? Cook said. As commissioner, one of Cook’s goals is to improve the quality of life for her community, from improving access to public parking for people with disabilities to installing bus shelters in Chevy Chase and advocating for senior citizens. Michael O’Neill, a volunteer tutor with local nonprofit For Love of Children, located at 1763 Columbia Road, won this year’s

education award. The longest-serving volunteer at the organization, O’Neill has tutored low-income students one-on-one for 12 years, working primarily in Shaw and Columbia Heights, according to the mayor’s Serve DC office. Kevin Johnson, a volunteer with the District’s Community Service Response Team since 2007, was recognized for emergency preparedness and public safety. Serve DC noted that Johnson has participated in the city’s response to several significant storms, including Hurricane Irene in 2011, “Snowmageddon� in 2010, and “Snowpocalypse� in 2009. He’s also a member of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team. Stefanie Vestal was recognized for national service. A City Year senior corps member, Vestal worked at Garrison Elementary School in Logan Circle as a third-grade teacher’s assistant in 2006. Vestal also implemented “Heroes,� a weekend service-learning and leadershipdevelopment program for middle and high school students in the District. She continues to volunteer with City Year as the co-chair of its alumni association. Januari McKay was honored for her work in HIV/AIDS advocacy, including her focus on educating young people in the District, according to Serve DC. She currently works at Metro TeenAIDS as an AmeriCorps education and curriculum coordinator, and volunteers with local nonprofits, including The Women’s Collective, on HIV/AIDS programming. McKay is also the founder of “Rubber Runway,� an event that uses visual arts, fashion and music to raise awareness about condom use, healthy relationships and reproductive health.

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