By Morgan Fecto

It’s a Thursday night in early December, and although the days are darker, things are light at April Blum’s Adelphi home. That is, Contra dancers are light on their feet.

“The hall we’re usually in wasn’t available, but as it happens, I have a 25 foot by 50 foot ballroom in my house,” said Blum, who is president of the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. “We call it ‘Ballroom Blum,’ and we even have a Facebook page.”

Blum lends her home to the arts, and as a part of FSGW, she gives her time to sharing folk arts with the community. Of the 200 annual FSGW-sponsored events, the Mini Fest at Takoma Park Middle School is especially significant to those who organize it.

“It’s just an absolutely joyous way to spend a cold and grey February day — regardless of the weather, it’s warm inside,” said Blum. “My favorite is walking the hallway and hearing music coming from the stairwell or people singing acapella.”

Spontaneity and participation are cornerstones of Mini Fest’s fun. Morris Dancers break into “Morris Choruses,” Flamenco dancers and cigar box guitar makers give workshops, and singers from every folk tradition fill the middle school’s cafeteria, the craft-lined hallways, and five adjacent classrooms with a cacophony of sound.

“It’s a blast is what it is,” said Mini Fest programmer Mike Livingston. “Being able to share stuff with the community and have it be well received, that’s exhilarating.

Organizers finalize the Fest’s program schedule in midJanuary, but attendees can bank on harmony workshops, a “Jams Room,” banjo, English Country dancing, storytellers spinning tall tales, and of course, Subway sandwiches. They can also expect something new: a room dedicated to participatory programs for families with children.

“You or I, if we’re not into a performance then we can walk down the hall, but kids can’t if they’re not excited,” Livingston said. “That’s why we’re going to give them an opportunity to do something.”

Since Blum started organizing the Mini Fest with Charlie Baum in 2006, she’s wanted to expand the children’s programming at Mini Fest. The hope is that expanding the variety of workshops and demos will introduce them to a lifelong passion.

“Dancing brings us together, and children get it,” said Blum. “They see that you’re more powerful in a group, and they see those crisp moments in a group dance when everyone reaches out their hands to simultaneously make a star. Dance is ephemeral. It’s passing beauty.”

It’s that kind of zeal for the arts that keeps the all-volunteer FSGW running. “The key word in the FSGW is ‘society.’ It’s everyone stepping up to make this happen,” Livingston said.

When it comes time to schedule the Fest’s programs, stepping up kicks into high gear.

“What happens in a community like this — with talented people who are so engaged — is that many of the performers are involved with more than one thing — a musician in one group, a dancer in another, with a thing on the side,” Livingston said. “It’s about navigating schedule conflicts. Charlie does a really good job of organizing things so that people don’t have to be in three places at once.”

When past Mini Fest schedules have included 300 performers, this can be quite a juggling act. Even with such a robust program, Blum said that the Fest is always affordable. “FSGW was founded 50 years ago at the height of the folk music revival. There’s a certain philanthropic idea that making music and dance available to the community at large and paying musicians for their talents is an important thing for a society to do,” Blum said. “Our ticket prices are low so that people can afford to come.”

Experiencing art and kinship is more vital in such dark winter days, too. “When you dance down the line at Contra and someone swings you, it’s like getting a hug every time,” Blum said. “We’re primates — we need to be touched, but most of us sit at computers all day, so dancing brings us together.”

Livingston echoed Blum: “It’s also true, as Abe JoynerMeyers [of fiddle ensemble Maelstrom] has pointed out, ‘In dark or difficult times, we need to put some energy into our culture, and the arts and humanities create community and promote inclusiveness.’”

The 2017 Mini Fest is on Feb. 4 and runs from noon until 10:30 p.m. with a break from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from eight dollars to 55 dollars, varying based on group size, time frame of attendance, and FSGW membership statues. To learn more about Mini Fest, visit fsgw. org. To inquire about volunteering or becoming an FSGW member, contact April Blum at president@fsgw.org.

Morgan’s resolution for the New Year is to do a cartwheel really casually, and to not make a big deal out of it. Although, she wants to know in her heart that everyone saw it — just one stunning, gorgeous cartwheel.

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Apryl Motley

With the Montgomery County Board of Education’s appointment of the architectural firm of SmolenEmr-Ilkovitch Architects Inc. on Nov. 15, 2016, the feasibility study at Piney Branch Elementary School officially got under way. The primary focus of the study is to determine the feasibility for a classroom addition to alleviate overcrowding at the school and address the projected need for even more space in the future.

Architects have started the due diligence phase of the study, which, according to Seth Adams, director of the division of construction for Montgomery County Public Schools, “focuses on looking at the building as a whole in terms of both civil and structural engineering.”

Adams stressed that this is not a decision-making process. “Part of due diligence is understanding what’s there,” he said. “This is a data collection and fact-finding process to look at the feasibility of all options, including maintaining or not maintaining the pool. Information will be collected about the pros and cons of each option.”

From the City’s perspective, “the ideal outcome is that the needed classroom space is added, but not necessarily to the detriment of the existing pool,” noted Deputy City Manager Jason Damweber. “Acknowledging the need for classroom space is paramount. If something has to happen with the pool at PBES, then we hope our partners — namely at the County, the school system, Washington Adventist Hospital, Montgomery College — step up and help advocate for and/or finance construction of a new pool/ aquatics center locally.”

Once the due diligence phase is complete, the community feedback process will begin giving City leadership and residents the opportunity to share their concerns. “The community will have multiple opportunities for feedback,” Adams said. The first of four meetings will be scheduled for the end of this month or the beginning of February.

“At the first meeting, what we’re trying to accomplish is showing some initial concepts [for a classroom addition] and getting feedback about the community’s priorities,” he explained. “Then, the second meeting is typically scheduled two weeks after the first giving us time to revise the concepts based on the community’s feedback.”

In terms of the overall timeline for the study, the goal is finalize the report in the spring. With that report in hand, the superintendent will make a recommendation to the board of education, and should they act on that recommendation, the Montgomery County Council will make the final decision about whether to move forward with a classroom addition at Piney Branch. “The feasibility study does not mean there will be a project at Piney Branch,” Adams said. “It will be determined whether this is a priority from a capital project perspective.”

The first meeting to solicit community feedback will be advertised via cards sent to parents via mail and also sent home with students. This information will also be posted on the construction division’s website when it becomes available: www. montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/ facilities/construction/index.aspx.

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Takoma Park Welcoming Committee for Syrian Families has been actively working since November 2015 to support resettlement of Syrian families in Takoma Park. We are working with resettlement agencies to meet this goal. Our top priority is to identify safe and affordable rental housing options for new families in Takoma Park.

If you are a home owner and interested in supporting this effort by offering your home or part of your home as a rental property, please review the federal requirements listed below to ensure that it meets the required criteria, so housing is safe, sanitary and in good repair:

• There must be an appropriate number of bedrooms.
• All areas and components of the housing (interior and exterior) are free of visible health and safety hazards, and in good repair. (Specifics range from ensuring there is no mold, that emergency escape route(s) have been identified and are accessible, windows and outside doors have working locks, heat, ventilation, lighting and hot and cold running water are adequate. There is no evidence of current rodent or insect infestation.)
• The kitchen should be equipped with a stove, oven and refrigerator in good repair, and bathrooms should be equipped with sink, flush toilet, and shower or bath in good repair.

If your home is not licensed to rent but meets the criteria, please let us know and we will work with you to coordinate that need with the City of Takoma Park. Please also note that the resettlement agency offers financial support to be used for housing as well. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact Takoma Park City Councilmember Terry Seamens (terrys@takomaparkmd. gov) or Shruti Bhatnagar (shruti_bhatnagar@yahoo.com).

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Kevin Adler

Although it’s the middle of winter, the Takoma Park Folk Festival is not in hibernation. The Festival’s leadership team will be holding a kickoff meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and all members of the community are invited.

After missing last year for the first time since its creation in 1978, the Festival’s organizers are preparing a full-scale event and considering ways to add new activities. The Festival is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2017, at Takoma Park Middle School.

“We’ve got an energetic group of new volunteers,” said Sarah Lanning, Festival co-chair and a new festival committee member herself. “But there’s always more to do. This meeting will be a great time to share ideas and to tell us how you want to help.”

Applications for performers, crafters, community tables, food vendors and beneficiary groups will be made available early in the year. Discussions have been underway about how the Festival can stay true to its traditions, while also reach out to new audiences, too, said Rob Hinkal, the Festival’s program chair.

As part of its outreach, the Festival will host fundraisers or community events in the spring and summer. “We’re going to be busy,” said Walter Mulbry, committee member.

For information about the exact time and location of the meeting on Jan. 24, check out the Festival’s website at www. tpff.org or its Facebook page.

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

In response to the need to expand access to affordable homeownership, the City set aside $50,000 in the FY17 budget to pilot a down payment assistance program. The program, called “The Home Stretch,” is projected to assist up to five eligible individuals or families in achieving homeownership. Eligibility requirements include:

• Applicant must be a “first-time homebuyer.” For the purposes of this program, a first-time homebuyer is defined as one who has not owned property in the past five (5) years.
• Applicant’s income must not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Montgomery County. For a family of four, for example, the maximum allowable income is $86,600 for 2016. The median income for the County is $108,600.
• Applicant must successfully complete a homebuyer education course approved by the City of Takoma Park prior to receiving assistance.
• The home must be located in the City of Takoma Park.
• The home must serve as the applicant’s principal residence.

Interested applicants must submit an online interest form, available on the City’s website starting Jan. 6, 2017. For additional information, please visit the City’s website.

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

A long anticipated ban on the use of plastic single-use bags at point of sale went into effect in Takoma Park on December 1. The City Council, known for its progressive stance when it comes to sustainable policies and practices, passed the ordinance earlier this year after much consideration and discussion about the ban.

“We in Takoma Park, Md., have been a national leader in the preservation of natural resources and the environment,” said Councilmember Jarrett Smith who initially proposed the ban. “With this plastic bag ban, our tenacity for all things that protect the environment continues… Sligo Creek, the Chesapeake Bay, and other environmental treasures will always be a priority for our city.”

Mayor Kate Stewart echoed these sentiments: “Takoma Park is proud of its dedication to protect the environment and create a sustainable community. Our deep commitment is exemplified by our willingness to pioneer new programs, stemming back to the early days of recycling and tree protection laws.”

The plastic bag ban does provide a few exceptions, including dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags where newspapers are delivered by the publisher, and non-point of sale plastic bags, such as those used for raw or bulk items like produce, grains, candy and small hardware items. Farmers markets within the city are exempt from the ban for the first year until December 1, 2017, at which point they may provide compostable plastic bags to customers.

The emphasis for the first 90 days of the new ordinance will be on education and outreach to local business. For full text of the ordinance, please visit https:// documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/ordinances/2016/ordinance-2016-31.pdf.

This article appeared in the January 2017 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Helen Lyons

Four decades ago, Sierra Leoneans arriving in the Washington metro area of the United States found a country that was “cold,” and unwelcoming. “People here go to work, go home, and close their doors,” Al-Hassan Korona said.

It was difficult for the newly arrived immigrants to assimilate into a culture where they didn’t know anyone and didn’t speak the language, which is one of the reasons that Tegloma was formed.

“It’s a local culture organization for Sierra Leoneans who are living here in the United States,” Korona, who serves as chairman of the organization’s board, explained. “When people came here, they were very lonesome; they were far away from home. They didn’t have local support.”

However, over the years Tegloma has become so much more than that. While the nonprofit, which takes its name from a Mende word for “progress,” has had its roots in Takoma Park, since its inception, the organization has always kept close ties to home by sending money, food and medical and school supplies to the country over the decades as well as sponsoring the education of orphans.

Through the financial support of its members and donors, Tegloma has assisted in the resettlement of refugees, rebuilt medical clinics, helped with water well projects in villages and issued over 250 scholarships to Sierra Leonean students.

Now Tegloma embarks upon its most ambitious aid project yet—the construction of Tegloma International School in Bo, Sierra Leone, to educate underprivileged children from the elementary to high school grades. Korona estimates they’ll need to raise at least $650,000 to construct the school, and the group also aims to establish a scholarship fund of $350,000.

“After the rebel war, some of the parents died,” said Braima Moiforay, Tegloma’s president. “Some of the children were left on their own. If you don’t pay school fees, they don’t allow you in school. It’s not like over here.”

This was one of the reasons that Tegloma began its sponsorship of orphans. “Tegloma had to adopt those kids,” Moiforay said, “to help with their education, and now we want to build a structure for it, a school for them to go to.”

It’s an ambitious goal—raising a million dollars—but Korona is hopeful. “The most rewarding aspect is the community aspect,” he said. “The friends we make, the relationships we build, that kind of dedication to others… When things happen in the community, we’re able to raise funds.”

This article appeared in the December 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

“I needed a job, and I wasn’t interested in working in an office,” said Takoma Park resident Gabe Hutter, better known around town as Mr. Gabe, of his motivation for becoming a musician and performer. Hutter has lived in the Long Branch-Sligo neighborhood with his wife Jennifer Ruark since 1997. In 2012, Mr. Gabe released his first CD, Play Date.

Send your suggestions for future interviews to tpnewseditor@takomaparkmd.gov.

He has performed at libraries, cafés, pre-schools and performing arts centers throughout suburban Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia. One of the biggest lessons he’s learned from his audiences is patience. “It’s a lesson I’m still learning,” he said. “It’s easy to get irritated sometimes when grown-ups at my shows act as though I’m not really there or don’t keep an eye on their kids, but it’s never helpful. I also have to remind myself that for the most part, everybody is doing the best they can.”

Mr. Gabe is featured in the third of our series of periodic “quick-question” interviews.

1. Favorite Place/Activity in Takoma Park: Community Circle Time at the Takoma Park Maryland Library. “It’s maybe the happiest place on earth.”
2. Best Thing about Living in Takoma Park: Being part of a real community
3. On My Desk Right Now: An expired laptop and a pile of papers
4. In My “Spare Time” I Do: A lot of crossword puzzles and watch German soccer
5. Best Advice I Ever Got (and from whom): Do what you love! This idea was driven home to me in reading a memoir by Marcel Reich-Ranicki, perhaps the most famous postwar German literary critic. In the 1930s, he had to leave Germany to flee from the Nazis and then lived through the Warsaw Ghetto and waited out the end of the war on a small farm in the Polish countryside. He ended up in East Germany after the war and was able to defect to the West in the late 1950s. What impressed me about his story was that he never gave up on his passion for German literature. At nearly every step of his tumultuous journey, when somebody asked him what he wanted to do to earn a living, he always answered: “Something with German literature.”

BONUS: If I had a magic wand for a day, I would go back to a time before cell phones and the Internet just to remind myself what it was like.

For more information about Mr. Gabe, visit mrgabemusic.com.

This article appeared in the December 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

We will gather with friends and family and hug them even more this year. Some of us will travel out of the area while others will stay here as guests or hosts. We’ll be doing Holiday shopping, and so will the scammers, pickpockets, and burglars. Here are some frequently asked questions, this time of year:

Q: I’m going away over Christmas for eight days. My nephew was going to stay here, but he now has another obligation. So the house will be empty. My neighbor said something about help from the Takoma Park Police Dept.

A: Yes, the TP Police Department can help. For those who are away 4-30 days, the police will do a “house check” (for free) to make sure no one has tampered with windows, doors, set a ladder, etc. Contact them in advance at 301-270-1100. If you are away up to three days, especially if there were problems in the area, call the TP Police–same number–for information on what you can do.

Q: I’m going to be away for several days three times this month. In addition to contacting the police, is there any other advice?

A: Let a neighbor, family member or friend in the area know you will be away and how to reach you. Use timers, so lights go on/off overnight at different times in the house and on the front porch.

Q: I have some jewelry from my mother and grandmother, tablecloths that my grandparents bought when they first came to the U.S., and other items that aren’t financially valuable but very special to me. How can I protect these valuables, such as jewelry, laptops, phones, etc., while I’m away or during the day when I’m at work?

A: Make an inventory of these valuables and take pictures. Then engrave them and record serial numbers. Put all this information in a safe place, and tell someone you trust how to access it in case you are away. Note: If these items are pawned, it’s legal in Maryland for police to go to pawn shops and check.

Q: I like to order online. I’ve learned about scammers and data breaches from the news. What can I do?

A: (1) Use a credit card, instead of debit card because there are more protections with credit cards, and the money isn’t instantly taken from your bank account. (2) If you have two credit cards, use one for onsite shopping only and a different one for online shopping. In case of a credit breach or abuse of your online card, you would still have the onsite card. This also gives you an easy way to track your online purchases on one statement. (3) According to www.marketwatch.com, “E-cards, fake advertisements for deals, infected attachments and links to phony websites disguised as Christmas cards: Scammers have many routes to attack your devices. Fake notifications about package delivery problems are common during the holidays.” Do not click on these email messages. Instead go back to your original site and put in the tracking number you received. (4) Be sure to let the credit card company know if you are traveling, and where you are going, so use of the card can be pre-approved.

Remember: Being prepared prevents being scared! Have a wonderful holiday season.

This article appeared in the December 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

By Rick Henry

In a hyper plugged-in world, can there still be value in a hand-written letter?

“Yes and the impact can be so great,” said Randy Marks of the Amnesty International Group 297 based in Takoma Park/Silver Spring. On Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. at Capital City Cheesecake, he and other members of the chapter will demonstrate that impact by participating in “Write for Rights,” an annual event sponsored by Amnesty International.

Every year to mark Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, hundreds of thousands of people around the world write letters and sign online petitions on behalf of 12 prisoners of conscience and victims of human rights abuse. Letters generated at each local event are combined together and sent to government officials to help convince them to free the chosen 12.

To learn more about “Write for Rights” and the 12 cases, visit http:// write.amnestyusa.org. To participate in the event, visit Capital City Cheesecake on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

According to Marks, letter writing has always been a core of Amnesty International’s work, and its power is undiminished. “Now everything is online, which is easier and more efficient, but actually delivering handwritten letters sends a powerful message,” he said.

“The idea is that the volume of cards and letters sent will show the jailers that the world is watching and let the prisoners of conscience know that the world cares what happens to them,” said Connie Johnson, a Group 297 member, who has been involved with Amnesty International for more than 15 years.

By holding the event in a public space, Group 297 hopes to increase participation in the event and visibility for Amnesty International. “We like to hold the event in public, so people see us and learn that there is an organization in their community working on human rights,” Marks said.

The group has held the events at various venues in Takoma Park and Silver Spring over the years, but for the last few years has staged it at Capital City Cheesecake. “Meaghan (Murphy, co-owner of the cafe and bakery) has always been very generous about letting us hold the event,” Marks said.

Both Marks and Johnson say they participate in the event and in Amnesty International because they have a calling for human rights. They hope the Write for Rights event will inspire others to join the cause. “Writing letters and signing cards is something that anyone can do,” Johnson said. “Amnesty International provides all the information needed. We will have materials on hand for anyone who wants to join the effort.”

This article appeared in the December 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.