VillageVibe
Leadership View: Thank you....and Turning 10
THANK YOU donors! We received donations from 138 individuals for a total of about $44,000 during our year-end giving drive (November through mid-January). The budget for the fiscal year ending in June calls for about $76,000 in gifts from individual donors and, as I write this, we are at $62,000, or 82% of that target. (Please see pages 6 and 7 for our donor honor roll.) Every gift is much appreciated and enables us to improve the lives of our Village members.
Our Village will be celebrating our ten-year anniversary in October! We’ve come a long way from a small group of neighbors meeting in a living room to where we are now. We are fortunate that these founding Board members not only built a solid foundational base, but also recognized the need to pass the baton to the next group of leaders. This was and is paramount to our long-term sustainability. In that spirit, the Board of Directors and its governance committee continue to recruit and develop the next group of leaders. Another key to long-term sustainability is to assure we have financial viability. Over the years, the Board and staff have worked to diversify our revenue base and to build an operating reserve in the event of unforeseen disruptions. While these are important Board roles, the sustainability of our organization is also due to the collective individual efforts of our dedicated members, volunteers, and donors who make our Village special.
We are also excited to tell you about a history project that is underway by two Village members. Peggy Gervasi and Tom Diaz are working together on a short video that will document our Village’s early history, and Peggy is writing a more detailed account to supplement this video. We look forward to sharing this with all of you later this year.
In other Board news, recent efforts have been focused on supporting and leading outreach initiatives. This includes supporting recruitment of volunteers and members at community events and at a local apartment complex. We also are getting out into the community. See the article on page 3 about our presence at Silver Spring’s farmer’s market. Come see us!
Sue Decker, President1st Quarter 2023
Volume 10, Number 1
In This Issue
• Village stats
• Pi/Pie Day
• Community events
• Visit us at the market
• Doing good, parts 1 and 2
• Operations manager
• Support teams update
• Village then and now
• Safety contact numbers
• Event sampler
• Donor honor roll
• Volunteer corner
• Donation form
Launched in 2013, Silver Spring Village sustains a robust neighbors-helpingneighbors network that supports older adults who wish to live as independently as possible and be fully engaged in their community as they age.
Village Stats
Totals as of end of March
Members: 271 (122 full, 149 associate)
Volunteers:125
Volunteer hours
October: 522
November: 600
December: 489
January: 582
February: 465
March: 610
Volunteer help OctoberDecember
233 one-way rides
88 friendly calls and visits
72 sessions of tech help
30 household assistance
Volunteer help January-March
314 one-way rides
90 friendly calls and visits
66 sessions of tech help
34 household assistance
Events
• October: 75
• November: 83
• December: 70
• January: 78
• February: 81
• March: 92*
8th Annual Pi/Pie Day
March 14th is a special day in our Village. It is Pi/ Pie Day, in honor of pi (π), which, of course, is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter (approximately 3.14) Each year, we love to acknowledge pi by providing members with a delicious slice of pie! This year, Village volunteers prepared nine varieties: caramel apple, chocolate pecan, “magic” key lime, chocolate lovers’, banana cream, apple, cherry, pecan, and pumpkin. There was even a chocolate version that was gluten-free. Seventy delicious slices of pie were provided to members and volunteers and another ten slices were donated to Shepherds Table.
There was an outpouring of gratitude for this effort:
• I feel grateful beyond measure for all the bakers who participate in this kind endeavor.
• A lovely treat!
• I look forward to this every year.
• Kudos to all the bakers/deliverers!
• Thank you to the Pie lady, her fellow bakers, and the drivers. You make our Village special and bring a smile to our day.
• Pie for breakfast? Why not? It
’s pi day!
Thanks to all the volunteers who made this year’s Pi/ Pie Day a great success. Our bakers were Fran Sussman, Sarah Nealley, Jim Roumell, Claire Maklan, Pam Zurer, Beadsie Woo, and Mary Fields. Delivery drivers were Claire and David Maklan, Jane Brown, Nancy Horowitz, Debbie Roumell, and Kathy Bell. And, as always, special recognition goes to Mae Novak, our original and constant “Pie Lady,” who not only baked four types of pie, but also organizes this fun project year after year.
*A new record!
Mark your calendars now. Pi/Pie Day will return in 2024!
Silver Spring Village, Inc.
Doug Gaddis, Executive Director
Vanessa Ripps, Director of Volunteer Services
Brooke Kenny, Operations Manager
Board of Directors
Sue Decker, President
Cheryl Gardner, Vice President
Katherine Anderson, Treasurer
Connie Raab, Secretary
Laurie Ekstrand
Jim Gormally
Dion Hamilton
Carolyn Lauer
Beverly Lunsford
Gail McDonald
Joe Reinhard
Darren Vieira
Jacqueline Wallen
Committee Chairs
Finance Katherine Anderson
Governance Martine Brizius
Membership Claire Maklan
Programs Gary Klauber
Vibe Editors
Connie Raab, Erica Summers
Community Events
The Village calendar of events includes something for everyone almost every day. Most events are exclusively for our members, but some, like those below, are also open to the public. Join us! To sign up and for Zoom links as need be, RSVP to programs@silverspringvillage.org. Visit our website to see all of our events.
• Monday, April 24,11 am-noon Encore Chorale of Schweinhaut Center. This free concert will include songs of light and love and will be conducted by Kathryn Harsha. For more information see https:// encorecreativity.org/event/encore-chorale-of-schweinhaut-center-4-24/ At the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center.
• Thursday, April 27, 3-4:30 pm The Silver Spring Book Club at The Charles McGee Library. Join us to discuss Pride Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev. This book is about an Indian American surgeon who falls for a multiracial British chef. At the Silver Spring Library.
• Wednesday, May 10, 2-3:30 pm Healing in the Garden, SPARKLE program. Kathy Jentz, president of the Silver Spring Garden Club, editor of Washington Gardener, and host of the GardenDC podcast will share tips for creating your own healing garden. Via Zoom.
• Thursday, May 25, 3-4:30 pm The Silver Spring Book Club at The Charles McGee Library. Come talk about The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith, part of his critically-acclaimed No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series featuring Precious Ramotswe. At the Silver Spring Library.
Doing Good (Part 1)
Since the fall of 2017, the Village interest group Stitchers for Good has knitted, crocheted, sewed, and donated over 700 blankets, hats, masks, and other items to local charitable organizations! The group also uses their talents to make things for Village members (full and associate) and their immediate families, including comfort or chemo caps; walker caddies that enable walker users to carry things with them; kindness baskets with items like tea bags, lotion, and game books for after surgery or during health challenges; and fidget sleeves that provide tactile stimulation (buttons, zippers, beads, etc.) for individuals with dementia who become easily agitated. The Stitchers love to help people. Sometimes their generosity is noted. See thank you message on the right.
If you are a Village member and are interested in having a handmade walker caddy or other item, please contact Connie Raab at raabcd@gmail.com, Penny Passikoff at ppassikoff@gmail.com, or the Director of Volunteer Services, Vanessa Ripps at vanessa.ripps@silverspringvillage.org. We also have walkers and other equipment to loan (contact Laurie Ekstand at ekstrand99@gmail.com).
Visit Us at the Market!
The Village will have a table once a month at the FRESHFARM Downtown Silver Spring Market. No, we won’t be selling produce, soap, or anything else. The Village is part of the market’s Community Table Partner program. We will be letting people know how the Village helps older adults, getting to know the community better, and maybe even dispensing a little wisdom here and there. Stop by and say hi. We will start April 29 and then be at the market from 9 am to 1 pm one Saturday of the month (including May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 16, and October 14). The market is held on Veterans Plaza at the corner of Fenton and Bonifant every Saturday morning year-round. Thank you to Laurie Ekstrand for leading this project. If you are a Village member or volunteer and want to help out some Saturday, please let Laurie know at ekstrand99@gmail.com
Thank You, Stitchers
Thank you for giving us at Sunrise of Chevy Chase handknitted decorative sleeves for our residents in Reminiscence. They were given out today as Christmas and New Year's presents to our residents. The residents accepted and relished the sleeves gratefully, and there was one for each resident.
Season's Greetings, and may you continue in your good works for our neighborhood elderly.
Meet Our Operations Manager
Brooke Kenny comes to Silver Spring Village after taking a brief hiatus from work to care for her two kids, now ages 9 and 5. Prior to this, she worked for 10 years at a small, local, non-profit social day program for men with early-stage memory loss. She was the program director and office manager and became the executive director. She helped build membership and develop charitable giving while also helping to run the daily programming.
Brooke has extensive experience caring for aging family members and was a certified dementia practitioner for many years. She is interested in shifting her focus away from memory loss and to the broader issue of aging in place. She has seen what happens when seniors are isolated in their homes, and notes that the effect of loneliness in the senior population only seem to have expanded during Covid. Helping seniors to stay active, connected, and thriving is a passion for Brooke, and she is thrilled to help Silver Spring Village in the Operations Manager role.
When she’s not working at the Village, Brooke enjoys spending time with her husband, Ed, and their children, Maya and Riley. She is active in the elementary school PTA and
Continued at right
Support Team Program Update
Silver Spring Village helps its members age in place. This includes having our volunteers respond to requests from our full members for support services such as rides, friendly visits, grocery shopping, light household chores, and other assistance. In some cases, a member’ s need for Village services can temporarily increase dramatically because of surgery, illness, or the loss of a caregiver. Our Support Team Program is designed to address those situations with a coordinated team approach. Since the program began last summer, four members have benefitted from it, including two members who had hip surgery and another who had knee replacement surgery.
At present, four volunteers have been trained to serve as Support Coordinators. A member facing temporary challenges begins by meeting with a Support Coordinator to help identify upcoming needs and develop a support plan. In some cases, a Support Team may be needed. This is a group of people selected by the member and Support Coordinator who can provide the services needed. The team can include family members, neighbors, friends, or Village volunteers. The Support Coordinator is the point of contact between the member and the Support Team and coordinates with additional service providers from other organizations as needed. The Support Coordinator keeps track of the member’s needs, ensures service requests are filled, and stays in touch with the member.
The Support Team Program offers a coordinated approach to providing the full range of Village services during a period when a member needs more help than usual. The Village is not able to provide any home health services (such as help with medications, bathing, or dressing) or professional services (such as medical or therapeutic treatments). However, we can help members locate some of those services if needed.
For more information about the Village’s Support Team Program or if you are a full member interested in meeting with a Support Coordinator, please contact our Director of Volunteer Services, Vanessa Ripps, at (240) 833-5584 or vanessa.ripps@silverspringvillage.org.
About the Support Team Program, members say:
What a great concept. Very comforting to know this sort of coordinated, temporary, intense support is available
This is so greatI Instead of having to ask people for help I just let the Support Coordinator know what I need and it all gets taken care of
loves to swim and take walks. In addition, she is an avid gardener and bird watcher and, as a former journalist, is a bona fide news junky. She also enjoys creative writing and had her first novel (Echoes of Her) published in 2011. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University.
The Village—Then and Now
On September 29, 2023, the Village will be exactly 10 years old! How have things changed? In terms of pure numbers: a lot! Here is a comparison of our first fiscal year to our ninth fiscal year.*
Event Sampler
*The Village’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. However, the first year of Village operations (fiscal year 2014) was only 9 months long, from September 29, 2013, to June 30, 2014.
Safety-Related Contact Numbers
Montgomery County Police spoke to Village members recently about personal and property safety for seniors. Some helpful information from that session included these phone numbers:
• If you just want to let the police know about something suspicious or worrisome, call their non-emergency number (301) 279-8000.
• For downtown Silver Spring, there is an “Urban District Hotline that you can use to call one of the “Red Shirts comfortable and would like to be accompanied to a parking garage, a parking lot, or other destination downtown. The number is 240-876-2911. (To see all the things that the Red Shirts do, https:// www.montgomerycountymd.gov/silverspring/ redshirts.html provides a full list.)
• You can call 311, the county’s customer service line, to report things like trash not being picked up or bulbs being out on light poles. For information on county customer services visit https:// montgomerycountymd.gov/mc311/.
• And, of course, call 911 in an emergency.
On a recent stroll in downtown Silver Spring we met Biram, who works as a Red Shirt (and also wears red shoes and a red hat). He confirmed that he and other Red Shirts are very happy to walk people to their cars. He was also familiar with the Village photo by Connie Raab.
Well once again, we have been offering our members a great many things to do. We even set a record in March with 92 activities to choose from! Some of our events are on Zoom, but many are in person. For example, our weekly hiking group, led by Joanne Thacker, keeps going strong. Usually, the group walks on different segments of Sligo Creek Park, but on two glorious spring days they took special trips to the Kenwood neighborhood of Bethesda to stroll underneath their splendid blooming cherry trees. We also offer wonderful patio parties in warm weather and fireplace parties in cold weather. Interested in these or dozens of other events available to members? Take a look at the calendar on our web site. Anyone can join as an associate member and come to these events. Call us if you want to try an event or even consider a
How to . . .
...join: We offer two levels of membership, Full and Associate. Both levels include invitations to all Village events, exclusive discounts, and access to Washington Consumers’ CHECKBOOK. Full members (only) can receive volunteer services like transportation, home assistance, tech support, and friendly visits and calls. Full membership is for residents of zip codes 20815 east of Rock Creek Park, all of 20901, 20902 east of Wheaton Regional Park ("Kemp Mill"), and all of 20910. Associate membership is open to all. Annual dues: Full - $380/individual, $495/ couple; Associate - $180/ individual, $295/couple. Reduced cost memberships (Full - $60, Associate - $25) are available for those who qualify. For information, please email membership@silverspringvillage.org.
...volunteer: We welcome volunteers 18 or older who support our mission of assisting seniors to age in their homes and communities of choice. Whatever your skills or interests, we have a place for you!
Our volunteer program allows you to help as much as you want, when you want. Potential volunteers can find application materials on our website. We will do a brief interview. After your initial application is approved, you’ ve cleared a simple background check, and you’ve attended our orientation training,
Continued on page 7, left
Donor Honor Roll (July 1, 2022-April 20, 2023)
$10,000 and above
The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz
Foundation
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
$5,000 $9,999
Marjorie Hirano
$2,500 $4,999
Martine Brizius & Ben Lin
Jane Faulman
Anne Gavin & Sandy Kemper
Peggy Gervasi
Claire & David Maklan
Anne McHenry
Raab Spirit Fund
$1,000—$2,499
Joe & Katherine Anderson
Stacy Burdett & Tom Diaz
Gladys Cohen
Sue Decker
Laurie Ekstrand
Laura Farmelo
Cheryl Gardner
Gary Klauber
The Charles & Margaret Levin Family Foundation
Gail McDonald
Carroll McKown
Blake & Mae Novak
Judith Nyquist
Hoang Anh Lam-Vieira & Darren
Vieira
Barbara & David Warner
$500—$999
Allison & Shirley Blakely
Johanne Boyer
Marta Brenden & Bill Schauman
Doug Gaddis
Debbie & Nick Gilbert
Evelyn Goldstein
Jim Gormally & Clara Hill
Judy & Menahem Herman
Carolyn Lauer
Patrick & Vicki Malone
Rita Naimoli
Nan Shellabarger
Chuck & Denise Sherer
Jurg & Linda Siegenthaler
$250 $499
Chris Alhambra & Ed McCord
Stuart Barkley
Lisa Bontempo & William Pierce
Cecile Brach & David Neufeld
Jane Brown
Carolyn Clancy & Bill Kaplan
Frith Crandall
Dennis Gosier
Elizabeth Joyce
Catherine & Isiah Leggett
Beverly Lunsford
Lisa Meister
Gail Polivy
Carlene Roberts
Debbie Roumell
Don & Tina Slater
Village Scrabble Group
$100 $249
Deanna & Jim Anderson
Sharon Atteh-Chi
David & Naomi Balto
Isaac & May Benatar
Joanne Bender
Catherine Berry
Carol Blimline
Robert Bradford & Ana Carrion
Maria & Richard Burcroff
James Burke
Mary Campbell & Bill Strein
Nancy Caporaso
Suzana Cooper
Rich Coughlan & Debbie Helfeld
Sara Anne Daines
Matthew & Zoe Davis
David Dorsey
Ellen Dreyer
Lynne Ebner
James Ehrman
Lara Eisenberg
EM Evans Painting, Inc.
Pam & Rich Feinstein
James Frank & Jutta Hennig
Brian & Marcy Frosh
Raymond Fudge
Anthony & Karen Gervasi
Shelley Gillon
Amy Gordon
Alan Gregerman & Lisa Otterstrom
Leslie Hansley
Frances & Timothy Hester
Making Silver Spring a great place to age in place!
Donor Honor Roll (July 1, 2022-April 20, 2023)
$100 $249, continued
Bill Hole & Penny Passikoff
Mary Kave
Brooke Kenny
Vicki Lipov
Roy Lykes
Caren Madsen
Dhunji & Sandra Master
Linda Mathes
Susan McCauley & Michael Ussery
Sandy Morris
Judith Perry
Alicia Pfund
Barbara Pliskin
Adrienne Price & John Sines
Elizabeth Ray
Chris Reese
Gerald Reichlin
Vanessa Ripps
Bonnie Rosenthal
Judy & Stuart Rosenthal
Max & Debi Rudmann
Tony Sarmiento & Janet Silva
Carol Schaffer & Randy Swisher
Kimberly & Peter Scull
Ronald & Susan Shapiro
Grace Sicard
Eric & Madeline Svendson
Janet Swope
Rita Sykes
Dona Teplitz
Barbara Tomar
Kim Wilson
Norma Wilson
Martha Wittman
Burt & Pam Zurer
Up to $99
AmazonSmile Foundation
Ken Cantor & Carol Lite
Maria Carmona & Ari Fitzgerald
Sue Carroll & Ray Donnelly
Maddalena Comune & Nicola
Mariotti
Ruth Conlon
Belle Davis
Deb Fagan
Saundra & Stanley Feinstein
Georgina Finan
Megan Foley
Lucia Fort
Cynthia Goodman
Minnedore Green
Up to $99, continued
Elliott & Rosa Greher
Rosetta Holmes
Kay Johnson
Jackie & Kevin Kelley
Andrea Kline
Shannah Koss
Jonathan & Laura Kravis
Nadine Leavitt
Ed Lee & Alice Richey
Phyllis & Richard Lindsay
Greg & Lois McBride
Maryann McGowan
Terry & Tom Melo
Sheldon Meltzer
Carolyn Michell
Beverly Moss
Marilyn Munder & Jim Wesley
Stephen Murphy
Thomas O'Toole & Sarah Stevens
Judy Pegues
June Peters
Catharine Ratiner
James Riley
Ghassan & Mary Rubeiz
Karen Schafer
David & Rosemary Schaffer
Laurel Scheeler
Sharron Silva
George Singleton & Jane Williams
Ann Smith
David Stevens & Linda Wymbs
Elizabeth Sutherland
Chris & Jessica Swope
Robin Talbert
Laurie Trippett
Pat Tyson
Jacqueline Wallen
NOTE: If you believe there is an error in this donor listing, please contact Doug Gaddis at doug.gaddis@silverspringvillage.org
1st Quarter 2023
How to, continued from page 6 you ’ll be able to start making a difference in our community.
…support: To keep our Village strong, we need funding from organizational and individual donors, in-kind contributions, and grants. Your contribution in any amount will be gratefully accepted. Checks should be payable to Silver Spring Village and mailed to Silver Spring Village, 8700 Georgia Ave., Suite 306, Silver Spring MD 20910; or donate online via our website. Also consider donating appreciated stock, including the Village in your will or other estate plans, or making contributions in someone ’s honor. We also love to hear from local businesses that wish to contribute or provide in-kind contributions or member discounts. Contact us!
Village Member Laura Farmelo was very happy to get a lot of help from a Village Support Team after her knee surgery, as well as a walker from the Village equipment closet, and a walker caddy by the Village’s Stitchers for Good group photo by Connie Raab.
Doing Good (Part 2)
Village members help support Shepherd’s Table, which provides free meals to people in need 365 days a year. Every week a volunteer picks up and delivers donations of food and other supplies. We usually provide about a half bin or so of food. At the end of March, we went well over the bin with about 225 pounds of food and other items. Thanks to Penny Passikoff for her coordinating and to our drivers and donors. We welcome more participation. Members can contact Penny at ppassikoff@gmail.com.
Silver Spring Village is a member of the Washington Area Village Exchange, the national Village-to-Village Network, and the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce.
Volunteer Corner: Nancy Caporaso
Our most recent Roberta Gosier Award* winner, Nancy Caporaso, is from Oklahoma. She went to college in California and taught in Colorado for a year. After teaching, Nancy decided to travel for a year. While she was traveling in Italy she met her husband Neil, who was entering medical school. Nancy stayed and taught English, worked in a winery (giving tours and translations), and studied voice with a professor at the university. The voice lessons started her career as a singer and, when she returned to the US, she began working in the music field. Nancy sang in the Washington National Opera chorus and also was the Music Director of St. Matthew Presbyterian Church in Silver Spring, leading both the adult and children’s choir. She co-owned a local sheet music store, The Musical Source, for 23 years. Nancy continues to sing, currently with the Washington Master Chorale. Nancy met Executive Director Doug Gaddis through singing; he is also in the Master Chorale. Believing that “aging in place” is the healthiest and best way to grow, Nancy feels that taking care of each other is a win/ win situation. Nancy became a volunteer in early 2020, making wellness calls to members and providing rides. Nancy has enjoyed getting to know all the Silver Spring members she has met, especially Judy Pegues, who has become a special friend.
Vanessa Ripps, Director of Volunteer Services
*The Roberta Gosier Volunteer Service Award was designed to honor and memorialize our first president, and to recognize her contributions to our Village. This competition is open to volunteers who provide direct services to our members. The volunteer with the most direct service hours in a given fiscal year is recognized by the award.
DONATE NOW Help Silver Spring Village continue to provide programs and services that strengthen our community while helping neighbors age in place. Your contribution is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Name: __________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________
Phone: _____________ E-mail: _____________________
Amount: __$500 __$250 __$100 __$50 __$25 __Other: _____
Please make your check payable to Silver Spring Village and mail it to Silver Spring Village, 8700 Georgia Ave., Suite 306, Silver Spring MD
To contribute by credit card, please visit the donations page on the Village website. If you would like information about how to leave a legacy gift, please contact Doug Gaddis at (240) 833-5580.
Silver Spring Village, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Maryland corporation; the EIN is 460723926. You will receive no goods or services in exchange for this contribution, so it is taxdeductible as allowed by law. A copy of the organization’s financial statements may be examined upon written request to Silver Spring Village, 8700 Georgia Ave., Suite 306, Silver Spring MD 20910. Documents required by the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available for the cost of copying and postage from the Secretary of State, 16 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD 21061.
Making Silver Spring a great place to age in place!
