Village Insider News for Members & Volunteers July 2022
NEW BOARD MEMBERS & OFFICERS When the Village enters a new fiscal year on July 1st, two new members, Laurie Ekstrand and Beverly Lunsford, will join the board of directors. Before "retiring" to become a social science research methods educator for USAID and the World Bank, Laurie spent most of her career at the Government Accountability Office. She was recently appointed to the Montgomery County Police Advisory Commission. In Village life, Laurie enjoys Poker Dawgs and maintains our "medical equipment library." Beverly is a retired nurse, most recently serving as assistant professor at the George Washington University School of Nursing and director of the university's Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities where she advocated for the integration of humanities and creative arts in healthcare education to teach a more person-centered approach to patient care. Beverly serves on the program committee and is active in several small groups such as walking, gaming, and restaurant outings. This year's board officers are Sue Decker, president; Cheryl Gardner, vice president; Katherine Anderson, treasurer; and Connie Raab, secretary. Additional board members are Jim Gormally, Dion Hamilton, Carolyn Lauer, Gail McDonald, Joe Reinhard, Darren Vieira, and Jacqie Wallen. And finally, special thanks are due to outgoing officers (all of whom will remain on the board) Connie Raab, president; Katherine Anderson, vice president; Sue Decker, treasurer; and Carolyn Lauer, secretary. Their job was made difficult by the on-again-off-again nature of the late pandemic stage, and I'm sure you share in my sense of gratitude for their steadfast leadership throughout the last year.
VILLAGE VIGNETTE DOCUMENTARY FILMS NOW ONLINE If you were unable to attend last month's wonderful screening, the three documentaries featuring life stories of members Rick Foucheux, Bill Schauman, and Pat Tyson are available for viewing on the Village's YouTube site. Just go to youtube.com and enter "Silver Spring Village" in the search box at the top. These films are the product of an intergenerational collaboration between the Village, Docs In Progress, and Montgomery Blair High School. Special thanks to Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. for sponsoring the screening event. Watch for more information about next year's project!
HAVE A SPARE CAR (OR BOAT OR AIRPLANE) SITTING AROUND THE HOUSE? You can now support your Village by donating your used car, truck, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, boat, jet skis, snowmobiles—or even your private airplane—to the Village. Proceeds from your donated vehicle will support the Village's work to provide volunteer services; arrange social, educational, recreational, and cultural events; and so much more! Four easy ways to donate your unwanted vehicle: Visit the Village's website at silverspringvillage.org and click on the "Support" menu tab and then the "Vehicle Donations" tab to submit an online form. Fill out an online form at bit.ly/ssv-vehicle-donation. Call 855-527-2232 to speak to a customer service agent. The call center is open Mon-Thu 8am-7pm, Fri 8am-5pm, an Sat 9am-4pm. Be sure to indicate that you're calling to support Silver Spring Village. Call the Village office at 240-833-5580 for personalized help. FAQs: Q: My car doesn't run/the battery is dead/the tires are flat. Is that a problem? Not at all! We can accept vehicles of all ages and in all conditions. Q: What if I can't find the keys. Also not a problem! Just let the customer service agent know or indicate that you don't have the keys on the donation form. Q: What if I can't find the title. We cannot accept a donated vehicle without the title document. You can order a duplicate title from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Q: How long will it take to get rid of my vehicle? The towing company will pick up your vehicle anywhere in the Washington DC region within 72 hours. You don't even need to be home. Just agree upon a place to leave the keys and paperwork when you speak to the customer service agent. Q: Can I get a tax deduction for donating my vehicle? Every person's tax situation is different, so we recommend you speak to a tax professional. However, donated vehicles do qualify as a charitable donation. You will receive a tax receipt with the sales value of the vehicle shortly after it is sold.
ANNUAL MEMBER SURVEY The Village will launch the 2022 Member Survey on July 11. Member participation is vital! The survey provides an opportunity for members to share their experiences and suggestions. It's an invaluable tool to help Village leaders understand what works well and what doesn't, how we're making a difference in your life and in the community, and where there may be future opportunities for new and improved services or programs. Respondents will be able to complete the survey by email or paper copy, or if needed, by telephone. We will provide additional information soon on Village Chat and by email.
STITCHERS FOR GOOD HELPING MEMBERS IN NEED The Village's interest group, Stitchers for Good, has a long history of knitting, crocheting, and sewing items for local charitable organizations, but now they also want to make things for YOU! Items include: Comfort/chemo caps if you lose your hair from treatment or if you just have a cold head; Walker caddies that attach to a walker and can be used for phones, keys, glasses, medications, etc.; Kindness baskets with a selection life's little luxuries for recovering time after a hospital or rehab stay or at other times when life presents challenges; Fidget sleeves/lap blankets that provide tactile stimulation for people with dementia who become agitated. Items are available for full and associate members, and depending on demand, may also be available for
non-member spouses and other loved ones. Please allow a couple of weeks for items to be completed. To volunteer; offer yarn, fabric or other supplies; or to request an item, please contact Connie Raab at raabcd@gmail.com or 301-467-4201, or Penny Passikoff at ppassikoff@gmail.com or 240-353-8887.
JULY MEMBERS-ONLY EVENTS The following are one-time events open only to Village members. Complete information is available in the Village’s online calendar after you log in with your username and password. We can sometimes accommodate non-member guests who may be interested in joining the Village. If you would like to bring a non-member guest to an event, please call Doug at 240-833-5582 or email doug.gaddis@silverspringvillage.org. AFI Movie Night #1—The Heartbreak Kid follows an upwardly mobile New York Jew who marries within his community only to fall in love with the wrong girl down the line. It's hard to go wrong with Charles Grodin, Sybil Shepherd, Elaine May, and Neil Simon! The cost of tickets ($11) is not included. Reservations are required on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Monday, July 4, 6:45-9 pm, AFI/Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd. Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Game #1—Come out to the ballpark for a pre-pro collegiate game. The Silver Spring-Takoma Park Thunderbolts have sent three former players to the Major Leagues. By the way, Village member Laurie Ekstrand is the coach's mother! The cost of tickets ($6) is not included. Reservations are required on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Sunday, July 10, 5:45-9pm, Montgomery Blair High School Stadium, 51 University Bvd, E. AFI Movie Night #2—Laughter is the best medicine, so you'll be thoroughly healed by Stir Crazy, featuring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder as a pair of jobless guys who are mistakenly framed for a bank robbery. Directed by Sidney Poitier. The cost of tickets ($11) is not included. Reservations are required on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Monday, July 11, 6:30-9 pm, AFI/Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd. Men's Tuesday Breakfast Group—All male-identifying members are welcome to join in good food and conversation the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30am. If you need transportation, please call David Maklan at 301-792-1674. When the weather is nice, the group meets outdoors at Lemon Slice Café, 8737 Colesville Rd. In the case of bad weather, it meets indoors at Tastee Diner, 8601 Cameron St. Zinnia Happy Hour—Join Village friends for happy hour in the garden at Zinnia (formerly Mrs. K's Toll House). Reservations on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org are strongly encouraged. Saturday, July 16, 5-7pm. Zinnia, 9201 Colesville Rd. Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Game #2—See details above. This time, the Thunderbolts will play the DC Grays. The cost of tickets ($6) is not included. Reservations are required on the Village calendar or by email to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Thursday, July 21, 6:45-10:00pm, Montgomery Blair High School Stadium, 51 University Bvd, E. Aging Well Panel Discussion—Psychotherapist and Village member Jacqie Wallen will talk about challenges we face as our age advances and describe techniques that may be helpful to overcome them. Carolyn Lauer will facilitate a panel featuring several Village members discussion how they've been impacted by ageism and how they've overcome challenges. Monday, July 25, 2-3:30pm. Zoom. July Birthdays Celebration—Calling all July babies! Join us for celebratory ice cream courtesy of the Village. Others are welcome, too—you'll just have to buy your own scoop! Friday, July 29, 2-3:30pm, Cold Stone Creamery, 821 Ellsworth Dr.
STAR VOLUNTEERS A giant "thank you" is due to all the volunteers who keep the Village running—especially to those who reach out to help Village members directly. In May, 42 volunteers provided nearly 170 hours of direct service (grocery shopping, transportation, friendly visits, household tasks, technology coaching, etc.). That's an average of 4 hours per month for each volunteer. The Village's "Top 5" volunteers for May were Jane Brown (30 hours), Steve Durako (13 hours), Nancy Caporaso (9 hours), Cheryl Gardner (8 hours), and Mary Millar (8 hours).
NEW VOLUNTEERS Please welcome new volunteers Mary Campbell and Doug Reynolds. Mary is interested in assisting members with home organizing and Doug is interested in helping with technology.
HELP WANTED: VILLAGE VOLUNTEERS Now that the pandemic is easing and more members are asking for more assistance, we are looking for volunteers who have time to spare. Just one or two hours a week can make a big difference! Call Vanessa at 240-833-5584 to learn how you can experience that special feeling that only comes from helping a Village member.
NEW MEMBERS Please welcome new members Shirley Grant (Rock Creek Forest), Laura Mol (Sligo Woods) and Christine Skarbek (Sligo Woods).
MEMBERSHIP DUES CHANGE REMINDER The Board of Directors recently approved an increase in Village membership fees—the first since we opened in 2013. The increase will apply to memberships expiring on or after August 1, 2022. If you are unsure of your renewal date, you can find that information in your member account on the Village’s website, or you may call Will at 240-833-5580 x6 for assistance. The new membership rates will be: Associate Individual—$180 Full Individual—$380 Associate Couple—$295 Full Couple—$495
MEMBERS ONLY SECTION OF THE VILLAGE WEBSITE If you're not using the Members Only section of the Village's website regularly, you're not getting the best value for your membership dollar! Do you know how to reserve for a Village event, reset your password, find a copy of a recent newsletter, renew your membership, make a donation, or fix your settings to reduce the number of Village Chat emails you receive each day? If not, please email Will at will.tiwari@silverspringvillage.org to arrange a time to learn how to do so.
TRY THE VILLAGE EXPERIENCE WITH A NO-RISK TRIAL MEMBERSHIP The Village is open to new members in all parts of our service area zip codes—20815 east of Rock Creek Park, 20901, 20902 east of Wheaton Regional Park (Kemp Mill), and 20910. If you have a friend or neighbor who might be curious about Village life, please let them know about our trial membership program. Trial members get all the benefits of Associate Membership for three months at no upfront cost. For information, contact membership chair Claire Maklan at membership@silverspringvillage.org or at 301-588-5535.
OFFICE ADDRESS & STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION The Village's mailing address is 8700 Georgia Avenue, Suite 306, Silver Spring, MD 20910. To reach us by phone, please call 240-833-5580. A virtual receptionist will guide you to reach any staff member, or you can dial any of us directly. Office hours are M-F, 9 am-5 pm. When the office is closed, please leave a voice message for us. If your after-hours call is urgent, dial the main number and press "1" when the virtual receptionist answers to redirect your call to both Doug's and Vanessa's private mobile phones. Doug Gaddis, Executive Director 240-833-5582 (direct) | 240-833-5580 ext. 2 | doug.gaddis@silverspringvillage.org Vanessa Ripps, Volunteer Services Director 240-833-5584 (direct) | 240-833-5580 ext. 4 | vanessa.ripps@silverspringvillage.org Will Tiwari, Operations Manager 240-833-5580 ext. 6 | will.tiwari@silverspringvillage.org Best wishes,
Doug Gaddis
Executive Director
Silver Spring Village harnesses the power of local volunteerism to support older adults who wish to continue living in their homes and neighborhoods of choice and to be engaged in their communities as they age. Each year, we provide more than 3,000 volunteer services and host more than 600 social, educational, recreational, and cultural activities. Unless otherwise noted, 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 both associate and full members. Full memberships that also include volunteer services are available only to residents of zip codes 20815 east of Rock Creek Park, 20901, 20902 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.