THE GAZETTE
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 g
Page A-5
At Bethesda eatery, Perez pushes higher wages Labor secretary, CEO tout benefits of raising the minimum
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BY
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Grace De Oro, 19, of Montgomery Village, sews a dress Saturday in Project G Street at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg.
Fashion designers make it work at the fair Teams compete in Project G Street, a one-day sewing contest n
BY
ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
Shadee Perry modeled a blue mermaid-style evening gown with an embellished bodice and coordinating scarf as she walked the runway Saturday evening. An aisle between cakes and quilts entered in competition at the Montgomery County fairgrounds may not have been the most conventional spot for a fashion show, but onlookers lining the runway didn’t seem to mind. That morning, the blue dress was just fabric. Faith Patino, Shadee Perry and Kenya Perry, all from the Gaithersburg area, started sewing at 9 a.m. to finish their creation in time for the runway show at 6 p.m. The trio was one of five teams competing in Project G Street at this year’s Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. Groups got a country music CD, fabric and nine hours to sew a complete outfit inspired by country music and the fair’s theme this year, “Country in the Air.” For Christine and Emily Evans, who were on a team with their mother, Kathy Evans, a break-up song by Sarah Evans was the inspiration for combining a blue shimmery tunic and white capris. “Our outfit is supposed to be for a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man,” Emily said with a laugh. Christine said the team wanted to sew something with strong contrasts between the top and the bottom to project confidence. Her team was also the only group that made pants, rather than a skirt, for its outfit, but it was still meant to look grown-up and professional. “It’s the opposite of cutesy,” Christine said. The Evans family has participated in the contest in all three years it has been held, and Kathy said her daughters had progressed from her teaching them about patterns to them running the show. “It’s been three years of growth in sewing,” she said. When the results came in, Team Pin It to Win It took first place for a little black dress with a removable sheer overskirt inspired by a Martina McBride song. Shelly Geasler of Frederick County, who was on the team with her daughters, Bailey and Jamie Roe, said this was their first year in the Project G Street contest, but the girls had participated in 4-H in the past. “Usually they do 4-H projects and I can’t help them,” she said. In addition to the dress, the group made a coordinating necklace and hair accessory, which the judges said they liked. “We were done early, but we
kept working,” Jamie said. For their first-place win, the team took home a $300 gift certificate to G Street Fabrics, which provided fabric for the contest. The runners-up also received gift certificates. The Evans family placed third, and Patino’s team came in fifth. The fair runs through Saturday. ewaibel@gazette.net
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Boloco, a burrito eatery in downtown Bethesda, had some guest workers helping out behind the counter Thursday afternoon. They might have picked up a few tips on making guacamole, but that’s not why U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez of Takoma Park, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) were there. They were there to talk about the minimum wage. “I applaud the efforts of the governor and the county executive for their work on the minimum wage,” Perez said. “Maryland is one of 13 states and the District of Columbia that have raised the minimum wage.” Perez is helping with President Barack Obama’s effort to raise the national minimum wage, now $7.24 per hour, to $10.10, with future increases indexed to inflation. O’Malley signed legislation this year to increase Maryland’s minimum wage to $10.10 through a series of increases beginning Jan. 1, and reaching $10.10 in 2018. And in November, the Montgomery County Council went further, increasing the county’s minimum wage to $11.50 per hour. That increase will be phased in, starting in
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
(From left) Employee Kelsey Neydorff of Bethesda watches U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett make guacamole Thursday at Boloco in Bethesda. October and completed in 2017. Boloco of Boston, which has a chain of burrito restaurants, has a starting salary of $9 per hour and an average salary of $11.50, said CEO Patrick Renna.
“We pay what we feel is the right amount to start people in the job and the right amount to meet their needs,” Renna said. “Our mission is to positively impact [workers’] lives.” The upside for Boloco is more engaged employees and
lower turnover, Renna said. “The true benefit is they’re happy and they’re providing great service,” he said. Kelsey Neydorff recently moved to Bethesda from New Hampshire where, she said, she worked for Boloco. She was happy to be able to transfer to the Bethesda restaurant. “They just treat everyone fabulous,” she said. “Everyone is a team.” Linda Hudson of Silver Spring said she found her job online and has been with Boloco since it opened two years ago. “My spirit said this is where I should be,” she said. Boloco is a model for the rest of the nation, Perez said, emphasizing the benefits of higher wages and what they mean to the local economy. “We are here today to say, ‘Look what they’ve done ... look at Montgomery County, look at Maryland,’” he said. The restaurant seems to have earned the national attention it is getting. Avory Joseph of Silver Spring said he has worked there for about a year, and the higher wages allowed him to quit a second job and concentrate more on this one. “What they pay you, it makes you feel good,” he said. “It gives you a sense of responsibility. You have to own up to what you are worth.” pmcewan@gazette.net