Village Insider December 2023
HAPPY NEW YEAR! As the Holiday Season crawls to a close, we wish all our members, volunteers, donors, and community partners a very happy year to come. The Holidays are a time for reflecting on the people in our lives and the connectedness with one another that brings us joy through all the rest of the months. Nowhere is that truer than at Silver Spring Village. Thank you to everyone who contributes their time, talent, or treasure to the Village!
TENTH ANNIVERSARY YEAR This month, we start the countdown to the Village's big 10th Anniversary! There will be a swank party in the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building on the evening of Wednesday, October 11. But in the meantime, watch here, in the Vibe, in listserv chats, and in emails for retrospectives about our first decade and information about how you can ensure the Village's wellbeing for many anniversaries to come with a high-impact, tax-smart planned gift. If you are interested in helping plan the October event, or have ideas about additional ways we can celebrate, please contact Peggy Gervasi at 202805-8676 or weanh@yahoo.com.
NEW MEMBERS Please welcome new member Catherine & Virgil Rogers (East Silver Spring), and Steven Goldberg & Susan Schober (Woodside Park) and Daniel
Mesnik (Downtown Silver Spring).
STAR VOLUNTEERS Volunteers keep the Village running! We want to extend a giant "thank you" to the Village's "Top 5" volunteers for November: Jane Brown (17 hrs); Nancy Caporaso (15 hrs); Lucia Fort (14 hrs); Brian Eggleston (12 hrs); and Maryann McGowan (12 hrs).
VOLUNTEER NEWS The Village's liability insurance requires that volunteers who provide services to members and some administrative volunteers complete a background check every five years. This month, Vanessa will email each volunteer who has not completed a background check in the last five years. So we can avoid interrupting the important services we offer our members, please follow the instructions in Vanessa's email as soon as possible. She is also available to answer any questions in advance.
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT: HOME ORGANIZING Do you wish it were easier to find that thing you need in a drawer or pantry? Is your closet bursting with clothes you no longer wear? Do you have a room filled with things that don't seem to belong anywhere? You're in luck! The Village has a crack
team of trained volunteers who can help full members organize their living spaces. For more information, contact Vanessa Ripps.
JANUARY MEMBERS-ONLY EVENTS In the space of a year, the Village hosts nearly 800 one-time and recurring activities! The following is a small sampling of events that are open only to Village members (including trial members) in January. More detailed information is available on the Village's online calendar. Be sure to log in for access to the most important information. We can sometimes accommodate non-member guests who may be interested in joining the Village. If you would like to bring a guest or if you are a nonmember and would like to be a guest, please contact Doug at 240-833-5582 or doug.gaddis@silverspringvillage.org. Fireplace Party Cozy up to a roaring fire with Village friends at the home of Claire and David Maklan. Please RSVP on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Saturday, January 7, 4-6 pm, 1206 Woodside Pkwy. Copper Canyon Grill Dinner Join Village friends for good times and a tasty dinner at Copper Canyon Grill. RSVP on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Sunday, January 15, 5-6:30 pm, 928 Ellsworth Dr. Breast Cancer in Those Age 65+ A breast cancer diagnosis can be a confusing and scary time for anyone, but it may be even more challenging for older people. Join Dr. Mark Johnson in a discussion about developments in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer at a later time in life. Monday, January 16, 7-9 pm, Zoom. Mansion at Strathmore Art Exhibits Enjoy two different exhibits, "Compass Atelier Thesis," highlighting the professional artists working in oils, and "Here We Show Again," celebrating the creativity and resilience of artists at 52 O Studios. Villagers may join others for a nearby lunch at Seasons 52. Please RSVP on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Thursday, January 19, 1-3:30 pm, The Mansion at
Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike. Duckpin Bowling Snacks, drinks, and itsy-bitsy bowling balls all add up to good fun! RSVP on the Village calendar or by calling Marilyn Bate at 301589-7466. Thursday, January 26, 3:30-5:30 pm, The Eleanor, 931 Ellsworth Dr. January Birthdays Celebration Calling all January babies! Join us for celebratory ice cream courtesy of the Village. Members born in other months are welcome to come celebrate, too—just on your own dime. Friday, January 27, 2-3:30 pm, Island Tropical Ice Cream, 9324 Georgia Ave.
UPCOMING SPARKLE EVENT Silver Spring Village and Silver Spring Town Center co-present this series of monthly events to enrich the lives of older adults. The series features guest speakers, musicians, artists, authors, activists, and more. SPARKLE events are open to the public. Some are in person and others are on Zoom. Nonmembers can access the Zoom link by emailing programs@silverspringvillage.org. Reinventing Yourself Later in Life Ready for a change? Whether you're looking to switch careers, re-enter the workforce, or plan a meaningful retirement, presenter Laura Doman can help you avoid common pitfalls and create practical strategies for success. Wednesday, January 11, 2-4 pm, Zoom.
A STAR IS BORN Well, maybe not a star.... But you can still catch executive director Doug Gaddis talking about the Village's impact in a live interview on WUSA9's Great Day Washington. The show will be broadcast on Wednesday, January 4, 9-10 am.
TRY THE VILLAGE EXPERIENCE WITH A NO-RISK TRIAL Do you have friends or family who are curious about how you manage to have so much fun? Ask them to try out the Village with a no-risk trial membership! Residents of any zip code can join as an associate member for three months with NO
UPFRONT COST! At the end of the trial, they can choose to pay the normal fee to make their membership permanent or walk away having invested nothing but a little curiosity. Trial members can also upgrade to full membership if they live in our service area which includes all of zip codes 20901 and 20910, 20815 east of Rock Creek Park, and the Kemp Mill portion of 20902. Contact Doug for more information.
Vanessa Ripps, Director of Volunteer Services 240-833-5580 ext. 4 240-833-5584 (direct) vanessa.ripps@silverspringvillage.org Brooke Kenny, Operations Manager 240-833-5580 ext. 6 240-307-4132 (direct) operations@silverspringvillage.org
OFFICE ADDRESS & STAFF CONTACTS The Village's mailing address is 8700 Georgia Ave, Ste 306, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. If you need to stop by at a different time, please let us know and we will try to accommodate you. The main phone number is 240-833-5580. When you call that number, a "receptionist" will guide you to reach any staff member. You can bypass the receptionist by calling our direct phone numbers below. Outside of normal office hours, please leave a message. If your after-hours call is urgent, dial the main number and when the receptionist answers, press "1." Your call will be directed to Doug's and Vanessa's personal cell phones. Doug Gaddis, Executive Director 240-833-5580 ext. 2 240-833-5582 (direct) doug.gaddis@silverspringvillage.org
Silver Spring Village sustains a robust neighbors-helping-neighbors network that supports older adults who wish to live as independently as possible and be fully engaged in their community as they age. Unless otherwise noted, all activities and services mentioned in the Insider are available only to Village members. The Village's social, educational, recreational, and cultural events are open to associate and full members. Full memberships also include volunteer-provided services, and are availably only to residents of zip codes 20815 east of Rock Creek Park, 20901, 20901 east of Wheaton Regional Park (Kemp Mill), and 20910. Associate memberships are not restricted to these geographic areas. For information about a free trial associate membership, or if you are ready to join as a regular member, become a volunteer, or wish to donate, please call 240-833-5582. Our website is www.silverspringvillage.org and our email is info@silverspringvillage.org.