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Town Council News

Next meeting: Monday, September 13, 2021, 7:30 pm
The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM at bit.ly/WGCouncilMeeting
Meeting ID: 297 850 640
Password: 074385
Or dial-in to 301-715-8592

Actions at the August meeting included:

  • Approved issuing a Request for Proposal for “Welcome to Washington Grove” signs.
  • Approved timber turnpikes and signs for the East and West woods.
  • Approval of Resolution 2021-10; Authorizing Deer Management Bow Hunting Session.
  • Approved of naming the short path between Hickory Road and WG Lane near the Lake entrance, “Hutch’s Way.”

Maintenance Supervisor Steve Werts to Retire

Sadly for Washington Grove, after 10 years of service, Steve Werts has indicated he plans to turn in his keys and retire as Town Maintenance Supervisor as of December 1, 2021. Most of us have not looked forward to this day.  But I know all of us are grateful for all of Steve’s innumerable contributions to the Town and will wish Steve the very best transition to a well-deserved retirement.

Town Maintenance Supervisor Needed!!

  • Anyone know someone who may be interested?
  • Are you interested in changing gears and taking on an important and challenging job, mostly outdoors, and filled with varied activities and responsibilities?

Please contact Town Clerk Kathy Lehman or Mayor John Compton for more particulars and with potential persons.

New Speed Humps Under Consideration: Request for Public Input

Residents of the 400 block of Brown Street, and on lower Ridge Road (beyond the last curve) have expressed their concern over excessive vehicle speed on their streets and have asked the Town Council to consider installing speed humps on these road segments. The existing speed humps on Ridge Road, Grove Road, and Chestnut Road have proven effective at reducing the incidence of excessive speed on those streets. The Town Council is requesting public input concerning this request by September 13th.

Interested In Renting McCathran Hall?

Please contact the Town Office for more information, including information about current COVID-19 protocols.

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News from Grove Commissions

Historic Preservation Commission News

Next meeting: Tuesday, September 21, 2021, 7:30 pm.
The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM. For a copy of the Agenda, email Chairman Bob Booher ([email protected]).

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3440199688
Meeting ID: 344 019 9688

Washington Grove in the 1890s-1920s

The Historic Context Report researched by Robinson & Associates, Inc., in conjunction with their work in preparation of the Town’s National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, provides perspective on the significant regional and national events and trends that shaped the development, design, and character of Washington Grove.  This month, we focus on Robinson’s research about Washington Grove at the turn of the nineteenth century through the early twentieth century.

Suburbanization in the Progressive Era

Historians continue to debate the nature of progressivism and the Progressive Era, which lasted roughly from 1890 to 1920, but those who identified as progressives in the early twentieth century were generally committed to enacting economic and social reforms at local, state, and federal levels on behalf of the public interest. The depression of the 1890s, increased urbanization, the closing of the American frontier, discoveries by investigative journalists of governments corrupted by the influence of business interests, and the transformation of American society through immigration led Americans to believe that existing institutions could not meet the needs of a rapidly changing country.

Progressives argued that the nineteenth-century faith in unrestrained individualism and an unregulated marketplace had created a nation controlled by greed and blind social forces that were destroying American society and ideals. Progressives broadly favored intervention into economic and social life to bring industrial change under control and alleviate its worst conditions.  A powerful faith in environmental determinism convinced reformers that improving the physical environment would “elevate” rural social life. Society could be improved and government could be reformed to serve the public interest, progressives argued, by employing technocratic experts who could apply their knowledge to specific problems.

At the turn of the twentieth century, American families investing in the suburbs could expect to buy a detached home in a safe and sanitary environment that offered every modern convenience. Across the country and in the region, there was massive public investment in roads, sewers, playgrounds, and other services. As the new language of illness associated with great cities, industrialism, and technological advances entered the American consciousness, historian John Stilgoe notes that reformers advocated for “permanent residence among the trees.” Utilities and essential services became a prerequisite for creating the best environment for suburban living.

The Impact of Infrastructure Improvements at Washington Grove

At Washington Grove, one of the most aggressively pursued undertakings of the Progressive Era was the issue of sanitation. Widespread public belief that disease was caused by dirt, stagnant water, and “miasmas” in the air coupled with the threat of periodic summer outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, and other diseases led the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association to take active measures to maintain a clean well water supply and to drain or dry out low, swampy areas and locations prone to recurring puddling and flooding. Concurrently, the association encouraged growth in undeveloped areas of the grounds, as cramped conditions within the Tent Department were equated with urban overcrowding and raised concerns over the spread of disease and the increased risk of fire.

In 1886, Thomas P. Morgan, president of the association, warned stockholders, “Living as we do – many of us – in closely built avenues, one careless and uncleanly family might cause serious trouble for all.” As a result of increased attention to these issues, the residents of Washington Grove began to reframe their relationship with the built environment. The preference for the shelter, shade, and enclosure of the forest setting was cast aside in favor of open spaces characterized by circulating fresh air and penetrating sunshine.

By 1885, the association had created a Committee on Grounds and Safety, whose most pressing matter was perceived to be “the proper sanitation of the place.” Wells were frequently inspected and the water tested to ensure a clean supply. Work included digging ditches to channel surface water, filling sunken lots and poorly drained sections of the parks, and laying sewer pipes to facilitate drainage. Clearing the drains and culverts was the responsibility of the superintendent of the grounds, and residents were encouraged to properly dispose of their wastewater. The association hired a scavenger service to remove “night soil,” and camp privies were located in the East Woods where the waste was treated with lime. The hotel’s sewerage was deposited in a cesspool in the West Woods.

By 1880, the association had installed an 18-inch drainpipe within the Circle to eliminate standing water around the tabernacle. The pipe channeled water under Grove Road and into the East Woods. Early improvements such as these, however, were found insufficient. In 1905, a sewer was constructed by private means along the west side of Grove Avenue, but it only served a small number of residents. In 1912, the association installed a sewer under Grove Road with professional assistance from a sanitary engineer, and its success triggered more study of the issue.

The following year (June 8, 1913), The Washington Post reported, “At a recent meeting of the stockholders of Washington Grove, Md., new members were elected to the board of trustees on a progressive ticket, and last week the stockholders authorized…the installation of an electric street lighting system and an examination [by] a civil engineer of the present sewage system with a view to making a new system.” Washington Grove, however, would not have a modern water and sewer system until 1927. The design and construction of the sewer system, which would serve Gaithersburg as well as Washington Grove, was the responsibility of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). Water and sewer lines were run under the avenues, the old sewers were disconnected, and a much-needed fire hydrant system was installed. It was the largest engineering project at the Grove to date. Despite the convenience of the modern system, some residents were slow to install indoor plumbing and connections.  The Grove discontinued its scavenger service around 1930, and, by 1938, all the wells were filled and most of the pumps were pulled.

Today, there is still evidence of Washington Grove’s well water system, which supplied water to residents for over fifty years. Examples include the well pumps in the yard of 127 Maple Avenue and under the carport of the house at 201 Grove Avenue. Near the back of the house at 117 Grove Avenue stands a frame well house with a hipped roof, exposed rafters, and wood siding. There is also a well house located at 12 the Circle, at the eastern end of the lot, near the Circle.

As noted in the 1913 Washington Post article, another essential service introduced at Washington Grove during this period was electricity, which was supplied by the Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) and powered an electric street lighting system. The Grove’s first streetlamps burned kerosene (coal oil) and were affixed to roughhewn wood posts. From around 1890 to 1895, gasoline lamps were used, but the cost became prohibitive. In 1896, to save money, the association reinstalled its kerosene lamps so that the oil could be used during the months of May, June, September, and October, when fewer people were living on the grounds. Eventually, all the gasoline lamps were sold at public auction. The Grove also had gas lamps starting in 1891. A newspaper report noted, “In one of the cottages, that of Mr. Cissel, natural gas is employed, and he has connected his machine with two jets in the tabernacle with such satisfactory result that it has been determined to employ the gas next year.” Gas lamps would remain the primary fuel for streetlights until 1914, when they were replaced by the electric streetlights. The new system used iron poles with elegant, curved tops. Power was turned on that July to fifty-one customers, including the association, which lit the assembly hall and the Chautauqua auditorium.  The introduction of electric streetlights was seen as an important step toward a new era of development in Washington Grove.

Yet another major infrastructure project of this period involved Washington Grove’s roads. By the 1920s, the condition of the Grove’s streets and alleys had become a critical issue. Increased automobile ownership meant more traffic that required tougher road surfaces. During the nineteenth century, improvements to the roads and paths within Washington Grove occurred as funds became available. However, urban families wishing to relocate to the suburbs had many options, and Washington Grove needed to compete. Thus, by 1928, the Grove had all its roads paved with a thick base of cinders (donated by the B&O Railroad) that was then packed and oiled, which acted as a binder. This vastly improved access and movement through the grounds.

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Planning Commission News

Next meeting: Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 7:30 pm. The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM. As part of the Town’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, this Planning Commission Meeting will be conducted online, rather than in person.

Residents and the public can joining the Zoom videoconference at: https://zoom.us/j/781347688.
Meeting ID: 781 347 688
Or dial in to 301-715-8592 and following the audio instructions.

Please make sure your name is associated with your zoom device in order to be admitted from the Waiting Room.

Building Permit Submission Deadline

The deadline to submit a building permit application for approval by the Planning Commission and review by the Historic Preservation Commission is the 2nd Wednesday of the month prior to the PC meeting at which the permit will be reviewed (this will be in the following month). This timing ensures the HPC will be able to complete a formal review before the PC meeting as this review is required for the PC to approve the permit in a timely fashion. If you are considering any renovation or building project at your house, be sure to get a copy of the procedures to apply for a Town Building Permit which will help you through the Town’s process.

Building Permits Approved in August

  • None

Public Ways and Property Permits (PW&PP) Approved in August

  • 315 Grove Ave. (Seegal):  Brick Walk

2021 Comprehensive Plan

The 2021 DRAFT Comprehensive Plan (CP) for the Town of Washington Grove was submitted for review to the Maryland Department of Planning.

The Public Hearing on the CP originally set for Thursday September 2 has been postponed. The Planning Commission needs to review input from the Maryland Department of Planning and several other State agencies and revise the CP as appropriate. A new Public Hearing date will be announced as soon as possible.

Comprehensive Plan virtual work sessions will be held on September 2 and September 15 at 7:30 pm.

Residents and the public can joining the Zoom videoconference at: https://zoom.us/j/781347688.
Meeting ID: 781 347 688
Or dial in to 301-715-8592 and following the audio instructions.

Please make sure your name is associated with your zoom device in order to be admitted from the Waiting Room.

Residents are encouraged to review the plan and send written comments to the Planning Commission if you have feedback.

The current 2021 DRAFT Comprehensive Plan is available here (PDF).

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News from Grove Committees

Border Committee News

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 9, 2021, 7:30 p.m., via ZOOM Videoconference.
This Committee meets the second Thursday of each month. All are welcome. Contact Peter Nagrod ([email protected]) for information on how to join the meeting.

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Emergency Preparedness and Safety Committee News

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
Join the Zoom meeting by videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89199207143?pwd=aUVsTUpCbTRMWjdMdnZ1aEhLdGwrZz09
By Phone: 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 813 0462 0659
Passcode: 808786

COVID-19 Updates: Please visit the Montgomery County COVID-19 Information Portal for the latest news and information on COVID-19.

We are actively seeking new committee members. One committee goal is to promote a shared sense of preparedness, vigilance, and resilience to help strengthen our community. We welcome your input and ideas on how to achieve this and any other goals related to preparedness and safety. Please join us at our next meeting.

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Forestry and Beautification Committee (F&B) News

The next meeting will be Wednesday, September 8 to plan for fall tree planting. Don’t forget, if you have a suggestion for where a new tree is needed, please contact one of the F&B Co-Chairs Georgette Cole ([email protected]) or Audrey Maskery ([email protected]) or our Council Liaison Barbara Raimondo ([email protected]).

Now that the cicadas are retiring for another 17 years, it’s a great time to plant a new tree. The cooler weather in October/November is ideal for establishing a healthy tree. And Montgomery County has a FREE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM. Tree Montgomery will plant and help maintain a shade tree in your yard. The new tree will be a nice substantial one and they have tools to help you choose the right tree for your space. Many Grovers have already taken advantage of this great program and you can too!

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Lake Committee News

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 16, 2021, 7:30 pm

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Lighting Committee News

Next Meeting: Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, 7:30 pm via ZOOM Video Conferencing. We will continue to meet on the 4th Wednesday of every month. All are welcome to attend! 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81440723712?pwd=eFhEczdzM0lrdDNzM0JXV0VCR1BTdz09
Meeting ID: 814 4072 3712
Passcode: 093180
Questions, ideas or concerns please contact Virginia Quesada at 301-706-7933 (cell) or [email protected], or Robert N. Johnson at [email protected].

The Town Council approved our recommendation to do a trial installation of three bollard, low-voltage lights along the pathways by McCathran Hall.   These bollard lights have been installed by Steve Werts.  We hope that residents will go by one evening and check them out.  We would like to hear feedback about these light fixtures.

Please see the two pictures below.   These are 27-inch-tall fixtures that are low voltage lights and that use a transformer.  These fixtures are from WAC Lighting and they use 1600 – Lumen – 3000K LED bulbs.  Many thanks to Steve Werts for the installation!!

Questions, ideas or concerns? Please contact Virginia Quesada at 301-706-7933 (cell) or [email protected], or Robert N. Johnson at [email protected].

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Racial Equity Committee News

Next meeting: Sunday, October 10, 2021, 2:00 pm
All are welcome! There will NOT be meeting in September. Please join us when we resume on October 10th at 2:00 p.m. Folks who would like to attend should email [email protected] to get the Zoom link.

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Recreation Committee News

Next meeting: Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 7:30 pm. Residents and the public can joining the Zoom videoconference at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84478068374?pwd=NzdaTHdlUXFPZGtNVk1yVEo4RFRXZz09.
Meeting ID: 844 7806 8374

YES! THERE WILL BE LABOR DAY EVENTS!!

  • Sat. Sept. 4th: Field Day Events, Starts at 10:00 am
  • Sun. Sept. 5th: Softball – All Ages Starts at 2:00 pm
  • Monday. Sept. 6th:
    • Tennis – Social Doubles Starts at 10:00 AM
    • Annual Croquet Tournament Starts at 3:00 PM – All are welcome!
    • Sweet Treats and Awards Starts at 6:00 PM

For more information contact Joey Fones at [email protected].

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Woods Committee News

Next meeting: Monday, September 7, 2021, 7:30 pm via Zoom Video Conference.
Join the Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82405334979?pwd=WG9YdVR1U2lSWDlXMHpWaFlyNzRXdz09
By Phone: 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 899 1661 3781
Passcode: 782572

Our meetings are regularly held on the first Monday of each month. The September meeting was rescheduled to accommodate the Labor Day holiday. Our October meeting will be held on Monday, October 4th at 7:30 pm.

The WC is discussing the benefit to Town residents of posting trail signs at the East Woods trail entrances to better identify trail names and trail etiquette with markers such as ‘no bicycles’ and ‘dogs on leash’ to maintain trail and public safety. Please stay on the walking trails to protect understory native plant vegetation and avoid tick exposure to you and your pets.

Here is a timely article on increased tick encounters this season and tick-borne diseases.

The Town Council approved continuation this Fall-Winter season of the Town’s deer management program in the East and West Woods with our volunteer Bow Hunter Fire Fighters of Maryland (BHFFMD). Members of BHFFMD are EMTs and firefighters who and are vigilant about public safety.  They will bow hunt at sunrise and sunset. The archery season extends from September 10, 2021 through January 31, 2022. Please contact Joan Mahaffey or Pat Klein if you have any questions.

Stay healthy and safe and enjoy the beauty of nature in our East and West Woods Preserves.

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News From Other Grove Organizations

Film Society News

Join us for fascinating movies and stimulating discussions at home or in McCathran Hall, as the pandemic allows, all without charge. We’ll start off the Film Society’s 2021-2022 season with Oliver Sacks: His Own Life. Stream this documentary at home on the Kanopy streaming service and watch this groundbreaking neurologist and author share his life story in his own words. Then join your neighbors for a discussion on Zoom on Sunday, October 17. Look for more details on this movie and the Zoom link in the October Bulletin and on the town listserv.

Kanopy is a streaming service provided by Montgomery County Public Libraries to its cardholders, who can view up to 10 films per month free. Kanopy offers independent features, foreign and classic films, and documentaries.  Any Internet-connected device, including computers, tablets, and televisions with streaming capability or streaming sticks will work. If you don’t have a library card, you can get one online.  Visit Kanopy.

Mimi Bolotin, 301-977-7331, will happily help anyone get a card or use Kanopy.

Postponing No Impact Man
The screening of No Impact Man, planned for September in McCathran Hall, has been postponed indefinitely due to the recent rapid rise of COVID cases. We plan to show this provocative movie in the Hall when it is safe for us all to congregate there.

Finally, Film Society members believe that watching and talking about movies will continue to bring us together and help us get through tough times. We hope you’ll join us this season.

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Sustainability Group: Climate Action News

Next meeting: Tuesday, September 20, 2021, 7:30 pm
Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3440199688
Meeting ID: 344 019 9688

IPCC Report – a Wake Up Call.  On August 9, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a landmark report stating that the climate is changing in unprecedented ways; human influence is clearly responsible for many of these changes; and catastrophic events will happen in the future if greenhouse gas emissions are not sharply reduced. Here is more information about the report and comments on it by Christiana Figueres, a former town resident and an internationally recognized leader on climate change.

The IPCC Report: Climate Change Is Widespread, Rapid, and Intensifying
On August 9, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a comprehensive summary of current knowledge on climate change. The report, bringing together the latest advances in climate science, draws on 14,000 studies and involved 234 authors from 66 countries. Results are based on improved datasets used to assess warming trends and on advances in scientific understanding of the ways that climate systems worldwide respond to greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity.

Conclusions from the report’s Summary for Policymakers (PDF) include these:

  • “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.”
  • “Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region of the globe.”
  • “From a physical science perspective, limiting human-induced global warming to a specific level requires limiting cumulative CO2 emissions, reaching at least net zero CO2 emissions, along with strong reductions in other greenhouse gas emissions.”

The report makes clear that human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of climate, but there is no time for delay. Commenting on the report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it “…a code red for humanity.  The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable:  greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.”

Comments on the IPCC Report from Christiana Figueres
Many Grovers knew Christiana Figueres and her family when they lived in town. Since then, she has become an internationally recognized leader on climate change. As Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to 2016, she focused on rebuilding the global climate change negotiating process, working with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver the historic 2015 Paris Agreement. As a co-founder of Global Optimism, author, and podcaster, she continues to inspire urgency and achievement in the global response to climate change.

Here are excerpts from Christiana’s article of August 10 responding to the IPCC report (some sections have been omitted for the purpose of brevity.)

“Danger of irreversibility. This is the big message from Monday’s new IPCC report. We’re reaching irreversible tipping points that will lead to drastic changes in ecosystems with devastating effects for all life on this planet. This report is yet another wakeup call and it is finally time for a different response.

“For some time now, many of us focused on solutions to the climate crisis have worked on the basis that if we keep going in the right direction: away from fossil fuels, away from industrial agriculture, away from mindless consumption and decisively towards clean energy, regenerative farming and a circular economy we’d be able to pull back from some of the dangers in front of us. But the damages are coming much quicker than we thought. The curve of impacts is increasing exponentially, taking us dangerously near irreversible shifts in ecosystems. We have not yet matched that curve with equivalent speed and scale in all the solutions we need.

“The IPCC is clear: significant and decisive reductions in emissions would limit climate change. We must achieve this.  This unique moment in history is all about breaking boundaries. We know we have already broken, or are about to break, many of the planetary boundaries that keep us safe. In light of the stark warning from the IPCC this week – and indeed from nature herself – the correct response must be to break through the mental boundaries that are now preventing us from doing what is necessary: exponentially scaling all solutions and stopping emissions from entering our atmosphere. We are going to have to pull out, from deep within ourselves, extraordinary strength, and endurance now. We have to go far beyond what we think we can achieve, at speed.”
— In Stubborn Optimism, Christiana Figueres

The Sustainability Group is working on ways the Grove can meet this existential challenge; we hope you will join this generational effort. Our next meeting is September 20, 7:30 pm. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3440199688

Postponing No Impact Man. The screening of No Impact Man, planned for September 19 in McCathran Hall, has been postponed indefinitely due to the recent rapid rise in COVID cases. We plan to show this provocative movie in the Hall when it is safe for us all to congregate there.

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Washington Grove Cares News

Town residents can reach Washington Grove Cares to make requests for neighborly assistance in three ways:

  • Email us at [email protected],
  • Fill out a request form on our website at washingtongrovecares.org, or
  • Call and leave a message at 301-944-2962, and someone will return your call shortly.

Note that our telephone number has recently changed. 301-944-2962 is the new number.  Please correct our telephone number on page 3 of your 2020-2022 Washington Grove Directory.  We will deliver Washington Grove Cares refrigerator magnets, updated with the new telephone number. To request one, call us at 301-944-2962, leaving your name and street address.

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WG United Methodist Church (WGUMC) News

Sunday, October 3rd will be our annual Blessing of the Animals. Please bring your leashed or caged pets out front of the church at 9:30 AM on Sunday, October 3rd while we give thanks for our animals as part of God’s creation. If your animal isn’t inclined to join us, bring a picture of them or even just their favorite toy to carry the blessing back to them 😊. One way or another, all pets will be blessed!

We will be taking up a special collection for the Animal Rescue League.

Please join us as we meet at the church at 9:30 AM Sunday mornings!  We are meeting at the Church, Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM. Weather permitting, we will be outside, under the maple tree. Otherwise, we’ll socially distance in the sanctuary. Everyone should plan to wear a mask. If you prefer, you can still join us over Zoom. Please just contact Pastor Andrew Peck-McClain at [email protected] to be included.

We continue to collect non-perishable food donations to support the St. Martin’s food bank. Your contributions can be dropped off on the screened-in porch at Peggy Hansen’s house, 201 Chestnut Avenue, in Washington Grove, or bring them when you join us on Sunday mornings.

WGUMC is a Reconciling Congregation, which means we believe that each person is a precious creation of God and is of sacred worth. We welcome and celebrate persons of every gender identity, racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, and physical or mental ability into full participation in the life of this faith community. We celebrate the gift of love and affirm all loving relations and marriages.

Our mission is To follow Jesus, worship God, and provide loving service to our community and the world. 

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Woman’s Club News

Choosing an Electricity Provider to Save Money and Save the Planet

On Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm, the Woman’s Club will host Tom Land’s encore presentation of Maryland Electricity Choice Program – Save Money and Protect Our Climate.  Residents of Washington Grove can choose their electricity supplier to save money and to select electricity generated from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. Since 2004, households in Maryland have been able to choose a contract for their electricity supplier through the state-regulated competitive market. Tom Land will show how to navigate the selection of an electric supplier using on-line resources. It is easy to choose an electricity supplier!

Join our Zoom Meeting on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 7:00 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81338410996?pwd=ZEFwZ2dBNS8zblpkclVqSDJZaGxYQT09
Meeting ID: 813 3841 0996
Passcode: WGWC
One tap mobile +13017158592,81338410996#,*746262# US (Washington DC)

Our September Program has been Postponed

Due to our concerns over renewed social distancing and mask mandates, we have decided to postpone our planned September program, featuring Alan DeValerio giving us the inside details about all of the preparations involved in White House entertaining and his first-hand experiences with history. We will reschedule it as soon as it is safe to again meet at our Clubhouse for such a fun and informative evening.

Washington Grove Elementary School Needs Our Help!

The Teachers’ Supply Closet Needs Restocking!

As students head back to School for the 2021-2022 school year, we are focusing on one of our Club’s outreach programs, which is to keep the Teachers Supply Closet well stocked. Without community support, the teachers end up buying needed supplies for the less fortunate children out of their own pockets!

During the pandemic, while in-person learning was shut down, teachers did their best to get needed supplies to children who otherwise would not be able to keep up with their classes, and these efforts depleted their Supply Closet. So, to start this new school year, we hope to get their Closet restocked! Many stores still have Back to School sales going on! The things most needed are:

  • Glue sticks
  • Pencils and sharpeners
  • Paper
  • Hand sanitizers
  • Tissues

Winter Coats, Hats, Scarves and Gloves for WGES Kids

As part of the Teacher’s Supply Closet, we are again starting to collect hats, coats, gloves, scares and other winterwear for the needy children of Washington Grove and the surrounding schools. Our local schools work together to try to ensure that no students go through the winter without adequate winter clothing. They are in contact with each other, and trade around as needed to secure the right sizes. So, as you sort your closets this fall, please consider donating any outgrown or out loved winterwear that you could donate to these kids.

Bringing Music to the Students

As the new school year gets underway, our Club is again seeking donations to help support the instrumental music program for the fourth and fifth grade students at Washington Grove Elementary. Both L&L Music in Walnut Hill Shopping Center and Lashoff Violins on East Diamond Avenue work closely with Ms. Moraca, the music teacher. You can purchase needed items from them or give a check to the Woman’s Club for us to make the purchases.

  • Resin and violin bows
  • Reeds for the woodwind instruments
  • Instruction books

Helping Archways Kids and Their Families

The six Archways families are in need of all of the non-SNAP necessities, plus things like towels and wash clothes.

We’re also asking for treats for the kids.  There are 13 children in the program, ranging in age from two to 18 years old and a 10-month old baby. Their social worker likes to bring them something when she does her visits. Our goal is to provide at least one treat and one non snap item a month. The next Archways pickup will be September 9th.

We’re Helping Out Where SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Leaves Off

As the needs of those around us continue, our Club is collecting some of the much-needed items that SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) doesn’t pay for. We are collecting these items for the apartment residents of the Archways program and those who depend on the help of the Interfaith Food Hub.

  • Similac – especially the blue boxes of powder
  • Pedialyte – any flavor
  • Diapers – sizes 3 and up
  • Diaper wipes
  • Laundry detergent
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towels
  • Deodorant
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Feminine hygiene products

Please Remember the Men of Our Local Shelters Who Always Need Socks!

The brutal cold of winter is hard enough for the homeless without being sockless! We continue to collect new white socks, which are always the most requested items at all shelters.

Where to Drop Off Your Donations

 Monetary donation checks should be made-out to the Woman’s Club with a notation in the Memo if you want it to go towards a specific project, such as:

  • Snap Plus
  • Archways or Shelter Projects
  • School Supplies
  • Music program
  • Socks

All donations can be dropped off either in the boxes on the Clubhouse porch or in the painted can on Wendy Weisbard’s porch at 119 Grove Road.

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Other Notices

Shared Use Bike Path Connection Task Force

The Shared Use Pathway Task Force (TF) is holding two virtual open meetings for public appearances before the Task Force:
1. An Open Meeting Wednesday, September 1st, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
2. A second Open Meeting will be held Thursday, September 30th, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Zoom Access to Task Force Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83372833857?pwd=U0NOc2lnbVU5TFJyeVM0VkQ4QzkrUT09
Dial-in: 301 715 8592, Meeting ID: 833 7283 3857, Passcode: 807962

  • Residents wishing to present to the Task Force should also submit their comments using the TF Inquiry Form ( if possible, prior to the meeting) to Kriss Grisham ([email protected]) and Gary Temple ([email protected]).  View and complete the Inquiry Form.
  • Each speaker will have 2 minutes for their comments, followed by a brief response from the TF members.
  • All inquiries/comments will be documented/recorded for future use by the TF
  • Fact-based comments and questions focused on one or more of the Evaluation Criteria assigned to the TF (Evaluation Criteria document) are strongly encouraged, as these can be more readily incorporated into the November 8 TF report to the Town and Town Council.
  • Please arrive at least 10 min before the start of the meeting.
  • Please check that your Zoom moniker displays your name, to ensure your admission to the meeting.

Agenda for Task Force Meeting, September 1, 2021, 7:30-9:30 pm

1.  Welcome to Town residents (1-2 min)
2.  Slide presentation of TF progress to Date (15 min)
3.  Open forum for comments and questions from Town residents (Max 1.5 hr.):
4.  Brief discussion of plans for TF Survey (5 min)
5.  Adjourn

The Task Force continues its weekly virtual meetings on Mondays at 7:30.

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September Coming Events Calendar

(All meetings via ZOOM Conference unless otherwise indicated)

Sept. 1 >> Planning Commission 7:30 pm
Sept. 1 >> Shared Use Bike Path Connection TF 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 >> LABOR DAY EVENTS – ALL DAY
Sept. 7 >> Woods Committee 7:30 pm
Sept. 8 >> Forestry & Beautification 7:30 pm
Sept. 8 >> BUILDING PERMIT SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Sept. 9 >> Border Committee 7:30 pm
Sept. 12 >> Racial Equity Committee 2:00 pm
Sept. 13 >> Town Council 7:30 pm
Sept. 16 >> Lake Committee 7:30 pm – Contact John Hutchinson for location
Sept. 21 >> Historic Preservation Commission 7:30 pm
Sept. 22 >> Lighting Committee 7:30 pm
Sept. 23 >> Emergency Preparedness & Safety 7:30 pm

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