Potomac - The Connection Newspapersouting at Travilah Oak Day, 11-month-old Lauren Baptista, of Potomac, shows off her bonnet and big brown eyes. Little Ninja, Michelle Sies, 5, shows

Potomac Almanac ❖ October 14-20, 2009 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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October 14-20, 2009 ❖ Volume LIII, Number 41 online at potomacalmanac.com

PotomacAttention Postmaster:

Time sensitive material.

Requested in home 10-15-09

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Potomac

TravilahOak Day

News, Page 4

TravilahOak Day

News, Page 4

StudentsWalk forHomelessNews, page 3

StudentsWalk forHomelessNews, page 3

Cut Cable RingsNeighbors’ Ire

News, Page 3

Cut Cable RingsNeighbors’ Ire

News, Page 3

Mackenzie Gross andJennifer Clogg — alongwith their two friends— give a sense of scaleto the Travilah Oak. Undefeated

ChurchillHas PaybackOn its Mind

Sports, Page 12

UndefeatedChurchill

Has PaybackOn its Mind

Sports, Page 12

2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ October 14-20, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

On-l ine orderingnow avai lable!

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NewsPotomac Almanac Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or

[email protected]

See www.potomacalmanac.com

See Losing, Page 14

See Avenal, Page 14

See Students Walk, Page 14

By Ansley LaBarre

The Almanac

Jennifer Michael sat in a lawn chair gently mas-saging her feet. The 30-year-old plopped inthe middle of the soccer field at Avenel Park

to tend to her aches.The grassy knolls of Avenel were transformed into

a mobile city last weekend, hosting the base campfor Susan G. Komen’s Breast Cancer Three-Day.Michael and more than 2,000 fel-low walkers dedicated 72 hoursand 60 miles to raise funds andawareness for breast cancer re-search.

“I believe in any cause for end-ing diseases that cause earlydeaths,” said Michael, who, likeall walkers, had to raise the

$2,300 minimum before taking her first step.The Three-Day is an annual event that makes 15

stops across the nation, but this year was the firsttime the walk came to Potomac. Avenel was chosenfor its ability to accommodate the walkers, crew andtheir amenities over the duration of the weekend, aswell as its access to the Washington D.C. walkingroutes.

Participants returned to Avenel each evening, don-ning Crocs and other varieties of massaging san-dals to comfort their exhausted feet. Nearly 1,000

fluorescent pink camping tentsstood in the grass and hot show-ers were located adjacent to thebaseball field, replacing the typi-cal sight of uniforms with flan-nel pants. The camp offered vari

By Ansley LaBarre

The Almanac

For 13 days, Sharon Cayelli’sphone failed to ring. Aftera Verizon contractor cut

two phone cables in herColdspring neighborhood, the dialtone died on Cayelli’s landline.The Potomac resident says shemade futile attempts to have herservice repaired while her con-cerns about neighborhood safetygrew.

“It’s inconve-nient going with-out phone ser-vice,” Cayelli said.“And, it’s danger-ous.”

Cayelli’s con-cerns were sharedwith neighborswho also losttheir service.Harriet Epstein,who went without her landline for11 days, said she and her husbanduse their home phone to keep intouch with their elderly parents ona regular basis.

“Not everyone has a cell phoneor internet,” said Epstein, notingthe lack of communication height-ened her anxiety about potentialemergencies.

A total of 35 homes were af-fected by the Sept. 23 accident thatoccurred during an installation offiber-optics cables. SandraArnette, a spokeswoman for

Verizon, said the ground is typi-cally marked prior to constructionprojects to alert contractors of pre-existing facilities, but there wereno marks to properly identify thephone cables in Coldspring andresulted in the damage to landlineservice.

In the immediate aftermath ofthe incident, Cayelli and herneighbors had neither phone orinternet service. They say aComcast team repaired their

internet connec-tion within hours,but they receivedno response fromVerizon for oneweek.

Arnette said af-ter discoveringthe severedcables, crewswere forced to digin four separatelocations of the

neighborhood to repair and testdamaged lines.

“Unfortunately, this work takestime,” said Arnette.

BUT THE COLDSPRING com-munity feels Verizon took toomuch time. Aggravated by the de-lay, Cayelli organized an Oct. 5neighborhood meeting at herhome. Arnette said landlines hadbeen fully restored by that time,and Verizon made every attempt

By Ansley LaBarre

The Almanac

It was an out-of-the-ordinary recess Monday af-ternoon, Oct. 12, as students at Potomac El-ementary dedicated their daily break fromstudies to the homeless. PES celebrated its

annual Walk for the Homeless this past ColumbusDay, advocating community awareness to help theless fortunate in Montgomery County.

Students followed a trail of signs around the play-ground field and wore t-shirts in honor of their ser-vice event. The walk was a follow-up to a presenta-tion on homelessness by the Interfaith, an organiza-

tion that works with schools and other outlets to edu-cate on local poverty. The students were read a storyof “Saily the Snail” who must cope after losing hisshell of a home.

“The idea is not to make [homelessness] scary, butsomething they understand,” said Chris McClymont,a program coordinator with Interfaith. McClymontsaid the walk was another interactive feature to bringthe concept full-circle with the children.

BEFORE EACH GROUP of students began theirwalk, PES Community Service co-chair and parentKaren Lipson addressed the children.

“Why are we wearing these t-shirts?” Lipson askedthe students. “Why are we doing a special walk atrecess?”

Lipson reminded the children of the people whowent to sleep without roofs over their heads or foodin their bellies. The students were encouraged to take

Students Walk for HomelessPotomac Elementary’sannual event toraise awareness.

From left to right, Emily Moshyedi, Abbie Baldwin, Josie Walker, Karina Perez, JimmyStempien and Halh Farahifa advocate to end homelessness during PotomacElementary’s annual walk by students.

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Breast Cancer Three-Day Camps at Avenel

Tad Hunt inflates an air mattress to rest among the sea ofpink tents that covered Avenel Park last weekend. Aveneloffered a base camp for the Susan G. Komen’s BreastCancer Three-Day, where walkers like Hunt covered 60-miles over the duration of the weekend. Each walkerraised a minimum of $2,300 for breast cancer research;Hunt said he did so in memory of his mother-in-law.

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Cut Cable RingsNeighbors’ IreColdspring community withoutlandline for more than one week.

“It’s so inspiring tohave people cheeringalong the route.”

— Evie Berman

“It’s inconvenientgoing withoutphone service— and, it’sdangerous.”

— Sharon Cayelli


News

See A Discreet Disease, Page 14

By Ansley LaBarre

The Almanac

Donna Driscoll dreads thewalk to her mailbox. It’snot the bills or junk mailthat terrifies her, it’s the

walk itself. The Potomac resident suf-fers from focal dystonia, a neurologicalmovement disorder that crumples herleft foot and makes the 10 steps to thebottom of her driveway more difficultthan a marathon.

The task of walking hasn’t alwaysbeen a chore for Driscoll; it was onceamong her favorite hobbies. Walkingkept the former first grade teacher ac-tive, as did gardening and playing ten-nis. But seven years ago Driscoll reachedfor a drop shot during a game of doublesthat kept her foot rolling long after theball cleared the net.

“From that point on, it just got moredifficult to move,” she said.

It took doctorsover two years tofind the correctd i a g n o s i s .Driscoll was toldshe had MultipleS c l e r o s i s ,Wilson’s Disease,and everythingin between. Itwas not until shesaw a neurolo-gist that Driscolldiscovered she had the third most com-mon movement disorder resulting fromdamage to her basal ganglia — the partof the brain controlling learned move-ments like walking.

Her dystonia forced Driscoll to retirefrom 32 years of teaching. She under-went a six and a half hour brain sur-gery with the hopes of restoring herfoot’s muscle function. Driscoll contin-ues to receive Botox injections in hercalf every three months to make walk-ing easier.

“I’m not going to die from dystonia,”Driscoll said. “But there’s no cure.”

THE DYSTONIA MEDICAL ResearchFoundation identifies 300,000 people inNorth America who suffer from the dis-order. A spokesperson for the DMRFsays the number is underestimated, asdystonia is difficult to diagnose and of-ten goes unnoticed in hindsight of otherconditions. It has proven difficult for re-searchers to attribute the causes of dys-tonia to a specific factor, noting affilia-tion to head trauma, genetic predispo-sitions or environmental influences canall cause the neuron-altering lesions on

Resident pushes fordystonia awareness.

A DiscreetDisease

“I’m not goingto die from

dystonia.But there’s

no cure.”— Donna Driscoll

Celebrating AnnualTravilah Oak Day

Carol Leahy, presidentof the Potomac TheatreCompany, is dressed incolonial attire. The PTCwas the designatedcharity of the TravilahOak Day celebration.

For this sweet 1 1/2 -year-old Alpaca namedGwathmey, Travilah OakDay was a revelation. Thelittle children who lined upto pet her were dazzled byher big stuffed-animalappearance.

All dressed up for herouting at TravilahOak Day, 11-month-old Lauren Baptista,of Potomac, shows offher bonnet and bigbrown eyes.

Little Ninja, Michelle Sies, 5, showspark police pony, Declan, 18, theway to the Karate demonstration“just over there.” Her father,Marco Sies, of North Potomac is a7th degree Grand Master in Karatecan be found at KICKSkarate “justover there” in the mall.

The members of Great Falls Vaulters are a group of young people whoprefer to fly above their horses rather than sit tightly on their backs.Here, Lisa Cebula, 10, of Urbana, Md., shows her form as, Pete, 14, agentle giant of a steed, keeps the pace perfect for her performance.According to Potomac’s Ed Brigham, husband of team manager MarieBrigham, many of the horses are Percheron-crosses and are chosen fortheir steady gait and love of children. “When these horses are groomed,it is by 3 to 4 kids, one on the mane, one on the tail and another on thehoofs,” he said.

Eunice Ahn and Melissa Yu, students at Wootton HighSchool, were doing face painting. Melissa is alreadydecorated.

Kickskaratestudentsperform.Marco Sies isthe karateteacher.

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Alyson Baumann copies apicture of a dog.


ROBERT BERNARDJEWELERS

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WE BUY GOLD & DIAMOND JEWELRY

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LET’S TALKReal Estate

For professional advice on allaspects of buying and sellingreal estate, call:

MICHAEL MATESEWashington Fine

[email protected]

A BREAK FORHIGH-END

HOME BUYERSA recent action by the federal gov-

ernment has raised conforming loanlimits for high end properties. This isgood news for buyers in areas wheremedian priced homes are sellingabove Fannie Mae’s previous$417,000 loan limit. This will alsohelp homeowners of high end proper-ties to refinance their present mort-gage, get a better interest rate, andsignificantly reduce their monthlypayments.The legislation permits Fannie Maeand Freddie Mac to raise their con-forming loan limits in those highpriced areas. It’s part of theEconomic Stimulus Act of 2008 andwill be in effect until December 31 ofthis year. The new jumbo loan limitsare a function of median home pricesas estimated by the Department ofHousing and Urban Development(HUD). The maximum for temporaryjumbo conforming loan limits are ashigh as $729,750 for one-unit homesin the continental U.S. Two, threeand four-unit properties have higherlimits. Seventy-one local areas areaffected by the ruling, includingmetro areas and 245 counties outsideof metro areas that show increases inproperty values. If you are lookingfor a higher end home in one of theseareas, consult your local Realtor ormortgage lender for the local lendinglimit or go towww.ofheo.gov/media/hpi/area_list.pdf.

byMichael Matese

See Bulletin, Page 7

To submit an item for the Civic Calendar,e-mail [email protected]. Deadline is Thursday at noon twoweeks prior to the event. For questions, call703-778-9412.

THURSDAY/OCT. 15Education Forum. 7 p.m. Parents,

staff, students, and communitymembers are invited to share theirviews with the Board of Education atforums at John F. Kennedy HighSchool and at 7 p.m. Communityparticipants will be asked to addressthe question, “During difficulteconomic times, what priorities inthe MCPS strategic plan should wefocus on to improve achievement for

all students?” Register to speak bycalling 301-279-3617.

SATURDAY/OCT. 17Free Practice Tests. 9 a.m. Practice

for the SAT and ACT. Summit’s freepractice tests are an excellentopportunity for students to gaugetheir strengths and weaknesses underrealistic test-taking conditions. Toregister for a practice test, visitwww.mytutor.com or call a SummitProgram Director at 1-800-MYTUTOR(800-698-8867). At WinstonChurchill High School in Potomac.

Community EmergencyPreparedness Fair. Noon-5 p.m.Learn from our county’s rescue

organizations (Red Cross, HomelandSecurity & many more) how toprepare for emergencies. Topics:Shelter-in-place & emergencyevacuation plans, 72 hr survival kits,storing food & water, childfingerprinting, swine flu & more.Moonbounce & obstacle course forchildren. Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints, 11700 Falls Road,Potomac. Free. 301-717-1663 orwww.EmergencyFair.com.

SUNDAY/OCT. 1810-Year Anniversary. For Anne

Benefield. 10:30 a.m. Children’s

Bulletin Board

Sunset over Potomac Village onSunday, Oct. 11.

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Snapshot

PART-TIME OR FREELANCE REPORTER NEEDEDGeneral assignment reporter to cover news, busi-ness, feature stories and more. We will consider apart-time reporter who would write a set number ofstories per week, or freelance, paid by the story.Ability to provide digital photos to accompany sto-ries also required. Low pay, but fascinating beat andrare opportunity to work in journalism. Aspiringreporters without published clips can apply for a 4-6week internship (unpaid). Please email cover letter,resume, three clips and a few story ideas to MaryKimm, at [email protected].



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From Page 5

Sabbath service features the voices ofthe Pint-Size Praise Children’s Choirand the ringing of the GenevaChimes by the youth. At GenevaPresbyterian Church, 11931 SevenLocks Road, Potomac. Call 301-424-4346.

Bike Collection. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Donate your bike to Bikes for theWorld, a nonprofit organization thatsends bikes to underprivileged peoplein developing countries. At BethSholom congregation, 11825 SevenLocks Road in Potomac. Acontribution of $10 is recommendedto help in the cost of shipment. All

contribution are tax deductible.Contact Ben at [email protected].

TUESDAY/OCT. 20Community Forum. 6-8 p.m.

Montgomery County Department ofHealth and Human Services isgathering input on the FY2011operating budget. A representativefrom the Office of Management andBudget will present an overview ofthe County’s fiscal forecast forFY2011. At the Children’s ResourceCenter, At 332 W. Edmonston Drivein Rockville. To sign up to speak, call240-777-1211 (voice) or 240-777-1295 (TTY) by Oct. 16.

Bulletin BoardVisit from Ehrlich

Although he did not commit to be aRepublican candidate for governor in2010, Robert Ehrlich did energize morethan 150 guests, state and national po-litical figures at a recent Chevy ChaseRepublican Women’s Club fund-raiser.Held at a Potomac home, Ehrlich statedthat “taxes, as we all know were out ofcontrol in Maryland when I took officein 2007 and I left office with no debt.”At left are: Gov. Robert Ehrlich, JoanMcCain, president of CCWRC, and Mrs.Kendel Ehrlich. CCRWC, the largestmembership club in the MontgomeryFederation of Republican Women, spon-sor many community and politicalevents espousing Republican principles.Visit its Web site @mcfrw.org.


Potomac Village Deli Catering

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Catering

301•299•5770www.potomacvillagedeli.com

Home of YourCorporate & ResidentialCatering Headquarters

Serving theCommunity

for over35 Years

WEDNESDAY/OCT. 14Customer Appreciation Day. 3:30-7

p.m. Free hors d’oeuvres and half-priced drinks. At the Hunter’s Inn,10123 River Road, Potomac. Call 301-299-9300.

THURSDAY/OCT. 15Blues Dance. Beginner workshop 8:15 -

9 p.m. $8 admission. Dancing from 9-11:30 p.m. $8 admission. With rotatingDJs and instructors. At the BallroomAnnex of Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo. Email:[email protected].

FRIDAY/OCT. 16Chiara String Quartet Performs.

7:30 p.m. Featuring music by Debussy,Beethoven, Prokofiev and Webern. AtStrathmore Mansion, Shapiro MusicRoom, 10701 Rockville Pike, NorthBethesda. Tickets are $28. Call 301-581-5100 or www.strathmore.org.

Contra Dance. Dance lesson 7:30-8:15.Called dance from 8:30-11:30 p.m. $9admission. Nils Fredland, with histrombone, calls to Elixir, with EthanHazzard-Watkins on fiddle, AnnaPatton on clarinet, Jesse Hazzard-Watkins on trumpet, and OwenMorrison on guitar. At the SpanishBallroom at Glen Echo. Email:[email protected]

Salsa Dance. 8 p.m. to midnight. $12admission. Salsa lesson from 8-9 p.m.taught by Keith givens followed bydancing to recorded music. At theBumper Car Pavilion of Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. in GlenEcho. Email:[email protected].

La Divina Milonga Party. 8:30-midnight. $15 admission. ArgentineTango dance hosted by Fabio andJennifer Bonini. Beginner’s lesson from8:30-9 p.m. Dancing to recorded musicfrom 9 p.m. to midnight. At Glen EchoPark’s Ballroom Annex, 7300MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo. Email:[email protected].

SATURDAY/OCT. 17The Johnson’s 13th Annual Haunted

Forest. 7-10 p.m. Free admission.Refreshments will be available andcandy will be scattered throughout thehaunted trails. Accepting donations tothese charities: Stop Breast cancerCoalition, the Winston Churchill BosterClub and National Autism Walk. At11930 Cragwood Way, Potomac. Call301-299-9164.

Potomac Fiber Arts Show and Sale.9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Beautiful scarves,shawls, hats, wall hangings, hand-dyedyarns, jewelry, clothing, table linensand more. At St. Mark PresbyterianChurch, 10701 Old Georgetown Road,Rockville.

Helping Your Adopted Dog. 3-5 p.m.Free. How to help your adopted dogbuild trust and confidence; how your

Calendar

dog can learn new habits (and “un-learn” old ones). At the PotomacCommunity Center, 11315 Falls Rd.,Potomac.

Help the Homeless Walkathon andHomecoming Fun Fair. 9:30 a.m.registration. Proceeds go to SamaritanMinistry of Greater Washington. WatchSt. Andrew’s Episcopal student athletescompete while you enjoy games, food,music, face painting and shopping.There are activities for children of allages. At 8804 Post Oak Road inPotomac. Parking is next door atHoover Middle School. Go towww.saes.org or call Brooke Norrett,Director of Special Events, at 301-983– 5200 or [email protected].

Harvest Festival. 1-5 p.m. At NorthBethesda United Methodist Church,10100 Old Georgetown Rd. at LoneOak. Snack bar opens at 12 p.m.Games, moon bounce, petting zoo andpony rides. Call 301-530-4342 or visitwww.northbethesdaumc.org.

Life and Death on the C&O Canal.Cost is $6/adult, $4 for seniors andchildren 4-14. Children under 3 arefree. Tours begin at 6:30 p.m. through9 p.m. Costumed park rangers willpresent the one-hour guided tours.Visitors will witness historical vignettesportraying the life and death strugglesof those who lived and worked alongthe C&O Canal and glimpse the impactof accidents, epidemics and the CivilWar. Call 301-767-3714 to makereservations.

Clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. 8p.m. Will perform the works of Mozart,George Gershwin and Aaron Coplandwith the National Philharmonic. At theMusic Center of Strathmore.Conducted by Piotr Gajewski. Visitwww.nationalphilharmonic.org or callthe Strathmore ticket

office at 301-581-5100.Swing Dance. 8 p.m. to midnight. $13

admission. Beginner swing lesson from8-9 p.m. with Marc Shepanek andEllen Engle followed by dancing toNatty Beaux from 9 p.m. to midnight.Email: [email protected]. At theBumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo,7300 MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo.

OCT. 17-18Fall Dance Festival. Two days of Cajun

and Zydeco Music and Dance. Bandswill include BeauSoleil Cajun Quartet,Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas,Leroy Thomas and the ZydecoRoadrunners, Cedric Watson & BijouCreole, Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew withJoel Savoy, Squeeze Bayou CajunBand, Little Red & the Renegades andmore! Saturday, Oct. 17 from 11 a.m.to midnight, and Sunday, Oct. 18 from11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. At the SpanishBallroom and Bumper Car Pavilion ofGlen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.in Glen Echo. Go to http://mysite.verizon.net/vzev7054/dancingbythebayoufalldancefestival/.

Bike Collection. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Donate your bike to Bikes for theWorld, a nonprofit organization thatsends bikes to underprivileged peoplein developing countries. At BethSholom congregation, 11825 SevenLocks Road in Potomac. A contributionof $10 is recommended to help in thecost of shipment. All contribution aretax deductible. Contact Ben [email protected]

Holocaust Poetry Reading. 2 p.m.Gail Rosen reads from Hilda SternCohen’s Words that Burn Within Me:Faith, Values, Survival, a collection ofpoems, lost in the Auschwitzconcentration camp, which were re-composed along with new poems afterthe war ended. Free and open to thepublic. 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda.Contact 301-654-8664 or visitwww.writer.org.

Washington Conservatory Concert.3 p.m. Features 12 faculty members ofthe Washington Conservatory. Theconcert will feature both solos andchamber music from all musical eras.At Westmoreland Congregational UCCChurch, 1 Westmoreland Circle,Bethesda. All concerts are offered on apay-as-you-can basis. Call 301-320-2770 andwww.washingtonconservatory.org

NASA Federal Credit UnionHalloween Young Run. For kids 12and under. On West Gude Drive (atRoute 355), which will be closed totraffic. Information and registration isavailable on the web sitewww.halloweenyoungrun.org or bycalling the MCRRC Club Line at 301-353-0200.

Potomac River Jam, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. JoinPotomac Conservancy for the PotomacRiver Jam — A day-long celebration ofthe river and canal. Various musicianswill perform acoustic sets throughoutthe afternoon. Enjoy a little sample ofthis summer’s River Center events,such as a morning bird walk andnature photography session as well asa tree identification and medicinalplant walk. Canoe trips over toMinnie’s Island will be offered. Bringthe kids for face-painting and otheractivities. All events are free. AtLockhouse 8 at the River Center, 7906Riverside Ave, Cabin John, MD.Contact Deanna Tricarico, [email protected] or 301-608-1188 x204, or http://www.potomac.org/site/discover-rclh8/

SATURDAY/OCT. 24The Johnson’s 13th Annual Haunted

Forest. 7-10 p.m. Free admission.Refreshments will be available andcandy will be scattered throughout thehaunted trails. Accepting donations tothese charities: Stop Breast cancerCoalition, the Winston Churchill BosterClub and National Autism Walk. At11930 Cragwood Way, Potomac. Call301-299-9164.

Potomac Day. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.Halloween fun, scarecrow making and

OCT. 16-18Middle Eastern Bazaar. Saints Peter

and Paul Antiochian OrthodoxChristian Church will host its 26th

annual Middle Eastern Bazaar andFood Festival. Friday and Saturdayfrom 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday fromnoon to 6 p.m. Live music, arts andcrafts, raffles, jewelry booths,international groceries, religiousitems and children’s activities. Themenu includes kabobs, gyros,marinated baked chicken, hummus,tabooley salad, falafel, kibbee,spinach pies and more. Located at10620 River Road, Potomac. Call301-765-9188 or go to http://www.peterpaul.net.

See Calendar, Page 9SUNDAY, OCT. 18


October 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 & November 17 P.M.–10:30 P.M. Most Nights

$15 Weekends & Halloween • Kids 8 & Under $10

15101 Seneca Road, Darnestown, MDwww.valleymillhalloween.com

•

FRI: 11 AM–9 PMSAT: 11 AM–9 PMSUN: NOON–6 PM

26th ANNUAL FALL

October 16, 17, 18, 2009

The Johnson Family would like to thank the many volunteers and families who have helped to make “theforest” a huge success, including: Barrett; Beauregard; Berney; Boyland; Bowis; Brothers; Brundred;Caulk; Crutchfield/Day; Culleen; Feldstein; Funger; Goss; Green; Gritz;; Hougen; Laurance; Patterson;Pereles; Pingho; Plummer; Raker; Rodman; Settlage; Sickels; Spivak; Tahbaz; Thomas; Thaker; Weissman;and Yaworske families. A special thanks also goes to Sam Lerner and the Potomac Village Deli.

Join the Johnson Family for the 13th Annual Haunted Forest. Refreshments will be avail-able and candy will be scattered throughout the haunted trails.There is no admission charge. However we gladly accept donations for charity and wantto thank all our co-workers, friends and neighbors for their incredible generosity over theyears. This year, we will be splitting the funds and giving donations to Stop Breast CancerCoalition, the Winston Churchill Booster Club and National Autism Walk. You may sendyour donations directly through the links below. Please attribute your donation to "TheJohnson’s Annual Haunted Forest."

www.stopbreastcancer.org http://churchillboosters.org/Links.aspxwww.NationalAutismWalk.org

Saturday, October 17th, and Saturday, October 24th, 7 to 10pm

11930 Cragwood Way, Potomac, MD 20854. For door-to-door directions, visit Google Mapsor Yahoo Maps.

From Beltway 495, exit River Rd. - west, right on Lake Potomac Dr., right on Cragwood Way

If you have any questions, please let me know.

301.299.9164

What

When

Where

Directions

Fine Arts

OCT. 17-18Landscape artist, Kesra

Hoffman, brings a uniqueperception of mother nature tothe Yellow Barn Gallery at GlenEcho Park, from noon to 5 p.m.The public is invited to meet theartist during the reception onSaturday, Oct. 17, from 5-7 p.m.Kesra Hoffman, a native ofMiddletown, Maryland, has beenpainting landscapes of her homeand travels since 1996. Growingup in an area rich with farmlandand forests cultivated within hera passion for the natural world.At 7300 MacArthur Blvd. in GlenEcho. Call 301-492-6229 or goto www.yellowbarnstudio.com.

pumpkin decorating, money machine, inflatableobstacle course, face painting, giant tricycle races, apetting zoo, grilled hotdogs and hamburgers, and aReggae band. In the Potomac Place ShoppingCenter, located in Potomac Village.

30th Anniversary of Imagination Stage. 6:30p.m. Silent auction, one-hour performance of anoriginal musical show, and a buffet supper. TheGala, titled “Once Upon a Time...Into the Future” isImagination Stage’s only fund-raising event of theyear. First Lady Michelle Obama is the honorarychair. For more information about the Gala, visitwww.imaginationstage.org.

Community Emergency Preparedness Fair.Noon-5 p.m. Saturday. Learn from our county’srescue organizations (Red Cross, Homeland Security& many more) how to prepare for emergencies.Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 11700Falls Road, Potomac. Free. Call 301-717-1663 orwww.EmergencyFair.com.

From Page 8

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See ‘Chicago,’ Page 15

Schools

By Susan Belford

The Almanac

Murder, corruption,glamour and loveabound in the play“Chicago – The

Musical” soon to be showcased bythe Drama Department ofChurchill High School. “Chicago”is still playing on Broadway andholds the record as the longest-running musical revival on Broad-way. This Kander and Ebb musi-cal features a universal story offame and fortune, dancing andone memorable song after another.Sixty of Churchill’s most talentedsingers and dancers will be prac-ticing and preparing for this chal-lenging show — one that theaterteacher/director Jessica Speck haswanted to perform for the past sixyears. Performances will be heldNov. 13, 14, 21,and 22 at 7:30p.m. (unless the Churchill footballteam goes to Maryland State Play-offs. If so, the curtain time will beadjusted.)

“Auditions were quite rigorous,”Speck said, “They included twodays of singing, one day of danc-

ing, and call-backs for certainroles. I wanted to see the studentsplay specific character types as

well as observe the relationshipbetween the characters. Sixty stu-dents were selected for the cast.

The entire production will includeover 100 students including theorchestra and production crews. I

am fortunate to have a large groupof talented kids and a wonderfulorchestra conductor, Kris Sand.Nancy Newell will do the chore-ography.”

The play incorporates songssuch as “All That Jazz,” “WhenYou’re Good To Mama,” and “ MyOwn Best Friend” along withdance routines performed in avaudeville style. This play becamean Oscar award-winning movie in2002.

The leads are Ashley Austin asVelma Kelly, Alexandra Levensonas Roxie Hart, Steven Rigaux asBilly Flynn and Josh Simon asAmos Hart — all experienced ac-tors and actresses with theChurchill drama program. Notonly must they shine in acting andsinging, they must all be able toexecute precision dancing. Thetraining ground for these talentedperformers has beenShowstoppers, Blast from the Pastand previous musicals. In the pastthree years, Churchill studentdrama productions have beennominated for 12 CAPPIE awards.

‘Chicago’ Brings ‘All That Jazz’ to Churchill High

Josh Simon (left) and Steven Rigaux while Alex Levenson looks on.


Pets

Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW) is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit group. Toadopt an animal, volunteer or make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.paw-rescue.org, call 301-572-4729 or write to PAW, P.O. Box 1074, Greenbelt, MD 20768.

Gremlin is a 1 1/2-year-oldfemale DSH cat. She isnamed for impish spiritsthat love to pull pranks andshe definitely fits the name.She likes to cuddle but alsolikes to romp and play withactive playmates. Gremlinwould love to give a kindadopter love nips andwrestle the hand of a kindcat lover.

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Sports

Churchill Wins in Double OTThe Churchill football team needed double overtime to remain

undefeated as the Bulldogs defeated Magruder, 33-27 on Friday.Churchill quarterback Alex Kantor completed 5 of 16 passes

for 71 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 13 times for 50yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Ryan Quinn finished with 114 yards and a touch-down on the ground, and Marcus Brown also scored a rushingtouchdown.

Bret Sickels led Churchill (6-0) with 11 tackles and DanialDadkhoo finished with 10.

The Bulldogs host Wootton on Friday.

Churchill Girls SoccerClinches Division

The Churchill girls soccer team defeated Gaithersburg, 1-0, onThursday, wrapping up its first division title in 12 years.

Whitman Football Beats WoottonThe Whitman football team defeated Wootton 6-0 on Friday.Whitman’s Sassan Nejad scored the game’s lone touchdown on

a 1-yard run in the second quarter.Whitman quarterback Henry Kuhn completed 9 of 20 passes

for 115 yards. Miles Davis rushed 28 times for 160 yards for theVikings.

Whitman improved to 5-1 while Wootton dropped to 2-4.Whitman travels to play Gaithersburg on Friday and Wootton trav-els to play Churchill.

Sports Briefs

By Jared Wasserman

The Almanac

In a battle for MontgomeryCounty supremacy, the 10-1Churchill girls tennis team

narrowly defeated the previouslyundefeated Whitman Vikings by ascore of 4-3 on Thursday.Churchill’s top two singles players— junior Lauren Pinsky and seniorRobyn Baird — won their matches,while Whitman’s three and fourseeds emerged victorious fromtheir singles contests.

Senior Robyn Baird improvedher record to 11-1 following hertightly contested second singlesmatch, winning two sets to one (6-4, 2-6, 6-3).

Baird’s steady ability to dictatepoints from the baseline and herexcellent touch near the net

proved too much for her oppo-nent. Baird attributes her on-courtsuccess to her “positive attitudeand aggressiveness.”

A member of the Churchill ten-nis team since her freshman year,Baird has gradually increased herrole each season. As a freshmanand sophomore, she played third-seeded doubles. As a junior sheadvanced to third singles, andreached the second singles title asa senior.

“It’s a good feeling to have madea contribution to the team becauseI’ve been working really hard onmy game for the last four years,”Baird said, “and I feel that I canleave Churchill with a sense ofaccomplishment.”

Churchill head coach Ben Woodscited strong first and secondsingles play as a key to victory in

the match against Whitman.The Bulldogs took on Sidwell

Friends on Oct. 13. Results werenot available as of press time.

Baird’s Sense of AccomplishmentChurchill’s second singles playerwins match against Whitman.

Churchill senior RobynBaird improved to 11-1 insingles play with a winagainst Whitman.

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By Jared Wasserman

The Almanac

A team two games below .500 vis-iting an undefeated squad maynot seem like the most intrigu-ing of matchups — unless those

two teams are the Wootton Patriots and theChurchill Bulldogs.

This rivalry, one filled with rich history,geographic proximity, and general dislikewas revitalized two years ago whenChurchill eliminated Wootton from playoffcontention, and then most recently on Nov.7 of last year. The Patriots emerged victori-ous from this late season contest by a scoreof 37-27, securing their place in the play-offs for the first time in 17 years, while si-multaneously ending the Bulldogs’postseason aspirations.

“It makes our team even more excited toplay this game,” Churchill senior quarter-back Alex Kantor said. “It adds extra incen-tive to win the game.”

BOTH TEAMS feature first-year startingquarterbacks, but they are utilized differ-ently. Churchill runs a more conservativeoffense, one that relies heavily on the powerinside game of senior running back RyanQuinn as well as Kantor’s elusiveness on theedge. Wootton implements a spread-of-

fense, one that utilizes senior quarterbackAlex Kelly’s play-making capabilities and adeep receiving corps.

The Patriots welcome the challenge ofhanding Churchill its first loss of the sea-son Friday, despite relenting winnable earlyseason games en route to a 2-4 record.

“Coming in as the underdog or the favor-ite in this matchup wouldn’t matter,” Kelly

said. “It’s Churchill week, everyone will begiving 110 percent — end of story.”

Wootton has struggled to compensate forthe losses of its top offensive and defensivecontributors from a year ago, namely quar-terback Mike Mooney, wide receiverStephane N’goumou, and linebackers MikeCresham and Justin Dhyani. Conversely,

Churchill has reloaded its talent and im-proved on last season’s near playoff appear-ance.

“They’re clearly well-coached and verydisciplined out there,” Wootton head coachGreg Malling said. “We have to do a betterjob as a coaching staff to eliminate all thelittle mistakes that have haunted us thisseason. Kantor, Quinn, and that group re-ally make teams pay for mistakes — add inthe confidence level they are playing withright now, and we really have our handsfull this week.”

WHILE PREPARING for this annualmatch up, each team’s record is largely for-gotten due to their uncommon familiaritywith one another.

“This rivalry is so special because so manyof the players on each team know each otherand some went to middle school together,”Kantor said. “The two schools are so closeto each other that a lot of players see eachother regularly.”

One team’s playoff appearance and theother team’s unblemished regular seasonrecord are irrelevant. It’s Wootton vs.Churchill week, and each team is affordeda clean slate.

“Last year was last year,” Kelly said. “Un-til 6:30 on Friday, everything is even, andwhen the game is over, the team who playsharder and executes will come out on top.”

“We don’t want to end our undefeatedseason, and we really don’t want to lose toWootton,” Kantor said.

Undefeated Bulldogs Have Payback on Their MindsWootton win keptChurchill out ofplayoffs last season.

Churchill quarterback Alex Kantor,left, fakes a handoff to Kyle Shil-ling earlier this season. Kantor andthe Bulldogs enter Friday’s gameagainst Wootton undefeated.

Quarterback Alex Kelly and theWootton football team hope toupset Churchill.

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Potomac Almanac Sports Editor Jon Roetman

703-224-3015 or [email protected]

See www.potomacalmanac.com


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Mr. and Mrs. Leon Weintraub ofPotomac announce the engage-ment of their daughter, Ruth EllenWeintraub to Evan Howard Katzof Manhattan, son of Mr. LewisKatz and the late Libby Katz ofLong Island, N.Y.

The bride-to-be is a graduateof Winston Churchill High Schoolin Potomac. She graduated withhonors from Clark University inWorcester, Mass., where she also

RuthWeintrauband EvanKatz

received an MBA. She is work-ing as a corporate event plannerwith Morgan Stanley in Manhat-tan.

The prospective groom gradu-ated with honors from the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania’s WhartonSchool and received a law degreefrom Harvard University. He doesmarketing and investor relationsfor a hedge fund in New York.

A May 2010 wedding is planned.

By Marcia Hillary Kay

The Almanac

What was the inspi-ration behind thesermons somePotomac rabbis

imparted on their congregationsthis past High Holiday season? Areevents of the past year includedin their 20 or 25 minute talks?What then motivates rabbis, manyof whom see the same congregantsweek after week, to speak on asubject many worshippers havealready heard?

Discussing a host of topics wasthe mission of Rabbi StuartWeinblatt, spiritual leader andfounding rabbi at CongregationB’nai Tzedek of Potomac. A con-servative congregation near FallsRoad, Weinblatt said he preparedsix sermons for the holidays andwas finishing up his final RoshHashanah sermon days before theholiday, which began at sundownon Friday, Sept. 18 and ended atsundown on Sunday, Sept. 20. Hehad compiled subjects throughoutthe year, one of which focused onhow the world had changed sinceRosh Hashanah of 2008.

“I wanted to set the mood forthe holiday,” he said. Noting howthe world has changed in the past12 months, Weinblatt said hewould talk about the “fragility oflife,” relating it to the economicdownturn and the effect it hashad on the world as a whole andperhaps congregants in particu-lar.

Weinblatt’s sermons coveredpersonal events as well. He com-mented about the joys of becom-ing a grandparent and said thatthis topic was something to whichmany in his congregation couldrelate.

The rabbi also said his sermonsrevolve around the theme of“keeping Judaism relevant” in day-to-day lives.

On Yom Kippur, a fast-day,Weinblatt spoke about the Holo-caust and the founding of Israel.

At the Chabad House on SevenLocks Road in Potomac, RabbiMendel Bluming spoke about the“bold new world” that was createdafter the Ark. “It was a neweconomy,” said Bluming. “Wedidn’t go back to the old.”

On Yom Kippur, Bluming’s intentwas to provide “guidance “ to his

congregants.Bluming said the downturn in

the economy has trickled down toall segments of his congregationand in some cases has caused fearand instability.

Congregants at Beth Shalomand Talmud Torah, an Orthodoxsynagogue also on Seven LocksRoad, listened as Rabbi Joel

Deciding on the Message for the High HolidaysFaith

Tessler spoke about “the soundsof silence” and why the Shofar isnot blown on Shabbat. The si-lence, he said, “can be more pow-erful” in some respects. “Silencemay be stronger than the noise,”he said.

Tessler acknowledged thatthese are “difficult times” formany members of his congrega-

tion but he did not deal with theBernard Madoff scandal due tothe fact that for some it is “toopainful and close to home. Manypeople are still feeling the ef-fects,” he said.

Tessler said his sermons aremeant to “touch the lives spiritu-ally beyond the burning issues ofthe day.”

Weintraub and Katz Are Engaged

Laura M. Eull has graduated fromthe Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Train-ing Corps) Leader’s Training Course atFort Knox, Ky. The cadet is a student atLehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. Eullis the daughter of Walter S. and MaryAnn Eull of Bedfordshire Ave., Potomac.

Dake E. Williams has entered Ba-sic Cadet Training at the U.S. Air Force

Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., inpreparation to enter the first academicyear at the academy. The six-week, two-phased orientation program must besuccessfully completed by the cadetsprior to entering their freshman year. Heis the son of John and Karlene Williamsof Peach Leaf Court, North Potomac.Williams is a 2009 graduate of QuinceOrchard High School, Gaithersburg.

People Notes


From Page 4

From Page 3

From Page 3

News

From Page 3

ous comfortslike karaoke andan endless buffetfor walkers towind down aftercompleting eachday’s 20-milestretch.

The Three-Day’s spokes-woman JeneéFromm saidAvenel not onlyoffered walkers abeautiful camp-site, but also en-c o u r a g e m e n tfrom the Potomaccommunity.

“People havebeen cheering on the walkers,leaning out their windows and offporches,” said Fromm. “It goes toshow what a supportive commu-nity they are.”

TO MANY WALKERS, the sup-port was motivational. EvieBerman, a Baltimore resident, saidshe chose to walk for the benefitof her daughters, granddaughtersand future generations. Bermansays walking was her way of reach-ing out, and she observed thePotomac community doing thesame through its role as host.

“It’s so inspiring to have peoplecheering along the route,” saidBerman.

The routes extended throughD.C. on Friday, Bethesda on Sat-urday, and ended with closing cer-emonies at the Lincoln Memorialafter another walk through thenation’s capitol on Sunday. Walk-ers were encouraged to begin 16to 24-week training program be-fore tackling the Three-Day.

Walkers from across the nationcamped at Avenel, like JosieSeneta who brought her team of“Pink Angels” from Boston. Senetagathers the group of breast can-cer survivors to walk each year. Asher team assembled their tents onthe high slope of Avenel in Friday’stwilight, Seneta said the day’swalk hadn’t been an easy one.

“We want to keep walking untila cure is found,” said Seneta of theAngel’s effort. She and her 12teammates were looking forwardto climbing inside their pink tentsbefore rising at dawn to walkagain.

The D.C. walk alone raised $7.3million in 2008 for Komen’s cause,and plans to return in 2010 for afourth year on the nation’s capi-tol. Fromm said Avenel offered anenvironment conducive to thecomfort of walkers, and the eventis looking to return.

“It ’s a beautiful campsite,said Fromm. “We hope to havea long relationship with thecommunity.”

to get their customers back in ser-vice as quickly as possible. At themeeting, homeowner Eric Yamsaid he was still waiting for hislandline to ring after 17 days ofsilence.

The neighbors are outraged bythe lack of communication withVerizon, saying their multiple re-quests for help were answered byautomated emails and robotic re-ceptionists.

“It was such a helpless situa-tion,” said Epstein, who was alsodispleased by the increasedminute use on her cell phone.

In hopes of eliciting the responseshe said Verizon did not offer,Cayelli contacted CountyCouncilmembers Phil Andrewsand Roger Berliner. She was re-ferred to the county’s Office ofCable and Communications Ser-vices and Verizon’s Intergovern-

mental Relations Office, both es-tablished to handle complaints likethose of the Coldspring commu-nity. Cayelli says there is no directoutlet for homeowners to contactwhen confronted with such an in-cident.

The neighbors believe they de-serve compensation from Verizonfor putting them in what they calla precarious situation. The com-munity fears lines may be cutagain in future constructionprojects, and their concerns willremain unheard by a mega-corpo-ration like Verizon. They say theloss of landline use presents anemergency that deserves immedi-ate response and direct contactwith the provider.

“We’re not an activist commu-nity, but this got our hairs up,” saidCayelli’s husband Dan. “It is amajor breakdown in customer ser-vice.”

a moment during their out-door walk to reflect on the pros-pect of being outside indefi-nitely without a place to callhome. Emma Bomfim, a third-grader at PES, said she enjoyedtheir walk.

“I like it because we’re help-ing people that have no homes,”she said.

Bomfim and all 570 of herfellow students at PES broughtforms home to their parentsenabling them to participate inthe walk and raising donations.They were given the option ofdonating their free t-shirts to aperson in need, and Bomfim’sfather says he was impressedwith the response his child gaveto the cause.

“Kids go home enthusiasticthat they’ve done something,

and parents jump on that,” saidMcClymont. Interfaith donated100 percent of their proceeds fromthe day to the homeless.

“They really understand the

Students Walk for Homeless

Avenel Plays Role in Komen Walk

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Students at Potomac Elementary lead their annual walkfor the homeless.

whole idea of community service,”PES principal Linda Goldberg saidof her students and their Walk forthe Homeless. “It’s a win-win situ-ation.”

Losing Telephone ServiceJosie Seneta, far right, and the “Pink Angels” assemble their tent onAvenel’s high field. Avenel hosted the camp site to the Susan G. KomenBreast Cancer Three-Day in D.C. last weekend.

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the brain. As with her game of ten-nis, patients like Driscoll find theirreversible condition hits withoutwarning.

In spite of the circumstances,Driscoll says she considers herselflucky. Her focal dystonia is limitedto her foot, causing her toes curland her arch to collapse under herweight. Although her dystoniamakes walking painful and callsfor the use of a cane, Driscoll saysit could be worse. In the conditionof generalized dystonia, patientslose whole-body control of musclefunction in what Driscoll comparesto the twisting of a pretzel.

Sally Presti knows such twisting,the involuntary muscle spasmsfrom her generalized dystoniacause pain in every limb. After hit-ting her head over 19 years ago,Presti has been coping with thedebilitating disease that alsoforced her into an early retire-ment. “I had gotten so bad, I justcouldn’t do it anymore,” said theformer special education teacher.

Presti became the leader of theDystonia Support Group ofGreater Washington D.C. in 1994,an organization Driscoll laterturned to while coping with dys-tonia. In light of both of their con-ditions, the two women work withthe support group to bring aware-ness to the disorder.

“Awareness is difficult becausenobody’s ever heard of it,” saidPresti, who admits she had alsonever heard of the illness prior toher own diagnosis. “I wish wecould get dystonia out there as amore common word.”

Presti says there are times whenpassersby assume she is drunkfrom her involuntary musclespasms. Both she and Driscoll say

the lack of awareness about thedisease causes many sufferers tobe embarrassed and uncomfort-able with the lack of control thataccompanies their dystonia.

LIMITED AWARENESS makesdystonia harder for doctors to di-agnose, and harder for insurancecompanies to cover. Driscoll saysthe number of attending physi-cians is limited and treatments areexpensive. The support group ofGreater Washington is compiled ofa few dozen individuals who joinadvocates each spring to make acase before Congress for extendeddystonia research.

“They put a lot of money andcare into things that kill people,so [dystonia] gets secondary atten-tion,” said Presti, who noted dys-tonia is overshadowed byParkinsons Disease although thetwo conditions take a similar tollon the body.

Driscoll, who is now a sittingboard member with the DMRF,made a mission out of increasingawareness. She is holding the Dys-tonia Golf and Tennis Classic andBanquet at the Kenwood Golf andCountry Club on Oct. 26 to raiseproceeds for research foundations.She says she is concerned for re-turning soldiers and other headtrauma victims who may be de-prived of necessary treatment ifknowledge of dystonia remainsminimal. Although she finds herown condition exhausting, Driscollhas learned to manage the abruptchange dystonia brought upon herlifestyle. She pushes her brain tore-learn it’s natural muscle move-ment, and starts by duck walkingto her mailbox each day.

“I try not to let it stop me,” shesaid.

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So far, I don’t mind living with cancer(heck, consider the alternatives; beingdeceased, having had cancer), but what I domind is being reminded of it when I’m mind-ing my own business. And by minding myown business, I mean, doing the normal-typethings in life that have nothing at all to dowith cancer. Everyday-type things like readingthe newspaper, watching television, listeningto the radio, talking with friends and familymembers about home, work, play, hobbies,etc. Invariably, and not even unexpectedlyanymore, a lung cancer connection isrevealed: a former Iranian leader (one of themany with whom I’m not familiar) dies fromlung cancer (as reported by The WashingtonPost); Merle Haggard, in an interview in theSept. 13 Parade magazine discusses his lungcancer diagnosis from last year; KaraKennedy, Senator Ted Kennedy’s daughter,appearing frail at her father’s funeral, I learn,has been battling lung cancer since her May‘03 diagnosis; and on and on and on. As mymother would say, “It’s enough already.”

Everywhere I look (and often even withoutlooking), I bump into lung cancer. And so far,I must tell you, it’s not bumping back.However, I have plenty of reminders in mydaily/weekly routine: doctor’s appointments,miscellaneous scans, weekly lab work, every-three-week chemotherapy, daily pills, dietrestrictions/modifications, chronic neuropathyin my extremities, muscle weakness/sorenessand an inability to work in my primary joband/or earn a regular income, that I don’tneed any more reminders; especially whenfor that particular moment/interval of time,I’m not in a cancer mode. Nevertheless, ithappens all the time. It doesn’t seem to mat-ter where I am, what I’m doing or with whomI’m doing it. How and why matters not. Thelung cancer reference/coincidence will rear itsextremely ugly head.

It’s reminiscent of whenever we’ve boughta new car (different make and model than wepreviously had owned). Once in our posses-sion, all of a sudden, or so it seemed, wecouldn’t avoid seeing that make/model.Before we owned the car, we never saw onelike it anywhere; now, we see them – orreminders of them, everywhere.

It’s just so ironic that one day somethingdoesn’t really exist (in your world, anyway)and the next day, it’s all over the place.Obviously, the world didn’t change in thatone day – you did. And my previous lack ofawareness and recognition of something asserious as lung cancer not ever being a part ofmy world to now dominating it, is so strikingand so surprising, quite frankly, that I’mbeginning to doubt my self-proclaimed pow-ers of observation.

How could I be so clueless? How could Ibe so insular? How could something so bigeffect someone so little (figuratively speaking)?I’m just one of millions out here trying tomake a living, provide for my family and stayout of trouble; shouldn’t cancer pick onsomeone its own size?

I realize cancer is indiscriminate and I’mnot really taking it personally or bemoaningthe fact that it is yours truly who has beendiagnosed, I’m more railing at the constantreminders. Cancer is bad enough without itnagging at you. I got it already. I don’t need toget it anymore.

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

RandomThoughtsBy KENNETH B. LOURIE

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Schools

From Page 10

CAPPIE’s — much like the Tony Awards— are awarded for high school productionsin the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area.

The Churchill Drama Department waschosen from over 1,600 nominations toparticipate in the 2009 American HighSchool Theatre Festival in Edinburgh Scot-land. Many of the student performers hadthe opportunity to travel for two weeks lastsummer to Edinburgh, Scotland to perform“RENT.”

“After much fund-raising and a lot of sup-port from the Churchill community, 20 stu-dents were able to travel to Scotland to par-ticipate in and view some of the two thou-sand shows that are performed during thefestival,” said Speck. Senior Josh Simonsaid, “It was the most amazing experience.We saw plays, performed in ice cream shopsand just everywhere.” Other students addedthat they had opportunities to meet otherstudents from everywhere, to make lastingfriends and to view some amazing actingand plays.

Tickets can be purchased on-line atwww.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/churchillhs/ or by e-mailing Speck [email protected]. Chicago-The Musical sweatshirts and tee shirts willalso be available on-line.

‘Chicago’

Photo by Susan Belford/The Almanac

Ashley Austin (left) and AlexLevenson.

School Notes

Thomas S. Wootton High School inRockville is staging “You Can’t Take It With You”Thursday, Nov. 5, Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday,Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5/students and$10/adults and can be purchased at the WoottonBox office Nov. 2-4 from 3-6 p.m. and two hoursbefore show times. Call 301-279-8581. WoottonHigh is located at 2100 Wootton Pkwy., Rockville.

Collin Fishman, son of Cynthia Manion ofBethesda, began his first year at Saint Michael’sCollege this semester. Fishman graduated from OurLady of Good Counsel High School before comingto Saint Michael’s, which is located in Burlington,Vt.

Kelly Bies of Potomac is a winner of theRensselaer Medal for Holton-Arms School. To behonored with the Rensselaer Medal, a student mustbe a member of the junior class and the highschool’s single most promising science and math-ematics student. Each medalist who is acceptedand subsequently enrolls at Rensselaer receives ascholarship of $60,000 payable in four yearlyawards of $15,000 each.


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Potomac - The Connection Newspapersouting at Travilah Oak Day, 11-month-old Lauren Baptista, of Potomac, shows off her bonnet and big brown eyes. Little Ninja, Michelle Sies, 5, shows