Ebca Aug/sept 2009 Newsletter

Neighborhood News WWW.EBCA.ORG

AUG/SEPT 2009

Representing the 1200 households North of East-West Highway, South of Jones Bridge Road, East of Wisconsin Avenue and West of Columbia Country Club.

President’s Notebook By Greg Volz, President Summer is over and school has started. This can only mean that the EBCA Labor Day picnic is right around the corner and the first general meeting of the new fiscal year will soon follow. The Halloween parade is set for Sunday, October 25th. There is a lot going on over the next several weeks. The annual Labor Picnic will be held on Monday, September 7th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. We still need a bunch of volunteers to help collect money, serve pizza and sodas, monitor the moon bounce, help with games, and membership. Liz Perara and Gwen McWhorter have done a great job organizing this event. You can check out the website, www.ebca.org, for a link to the volunteer spreadsheet. Please sign up and help make this event a big success. The first general membership meeting of the new fiscal year will be held on Wednesday, September 16th at 8:00 p.m. at the Lynnbrook Recreation Center. It is the

building east of the playground at 8008 Newdale Road. We will have a lot of information to cover on a variety of issues. Come early and get your front row seat. We have included the BethesdaChevy Chase High School fall home sports calendar. One of the benefits of our community is the proximity to the high school. Where I was raised in Columbus, Ohio, attending local sporting events was always a great way to meet neighbors and catch some amazing athletes in action. I hope you can make it to some games and help support B-CC athletics. I will close with a reminder to complete the membership coupon in this newsletter and send in your dues for the coming year. Our budget is not large, but the money does help support the different events like the Labor Day Picnic, Halloween Parade, and the newsletter. If you have already sent in your dues, we thank you and will acknowledge you by name in an upcoming newsletter.

General Membership Meeting Wednesday, September 16th, 8:00 p.m. Lynnbrook Recreation Center, 8008 Newdale 8:00 Introductions 8:10 Finance and Budget 8:30 BRAC Update 8:40 Purple Line Update

8:50 B-CC Cluster Update 9:00 Old Business 9:15 New Business 9:30 Adjourn

Annual Labor Day Picnic at Lynnbrook By Liz Perara & Gwen McWhorter The Annual EBCA Labor Day picnic is shaping up to be a wonderful event! This year the Great Zucchini will perform at the picnic. He’s a spectacular magician that is a crowd pleaser all over the Washington DC area!

We will also have two moon bounces, games for the whole family and a special visit from the local fire department with their fire truck! Feel free to bring your own picnic but there will be pizza served from our local Besta Pizza restaurant and sodas for a small charge. To volunteer, go to the EBCA website to sign up to help out. Come on by Lynnbrook Park anytime between 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. You won’t want to miss the fun!

PAGE 2

Neighborhood News

a/s 2009

Weeds Be Gone! ARE YOU READING THIS? SO ARE OVER 1200 HOUSEOLD S IN EAST BETHESDA! COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS ARE AMONG THE MOST READ PIECES OF MAIL. AND NOW YOU CAN SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ADVERTISING IN THIS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER, EMAIL SPONSORSHIP@ EBCA.ORG

By Christie Wagner, Kristen Mosbaek & the East Bethesda Garden Club The rains this spring did wonders for out water table, and our yards. However, you may be pulling your hair out with all the weeds that sprouted. But help is on the way. Here are six ways to organically kill weeds quick. Mulch: Use two or three inches of shredded bark, wood chips, straw, cocoa bean hulls, gravel, or rocks on your garden. The mulches will also keep moisture in the soil, and you can save on your water bill. But do not follow the "volcano" method that you see up the base of trees around town. Mulch that is more than three inches high, and right up to the base of the trunk, makes a great home for things you do not want. Boiling Water: Weeds will burn if exposed to boiling water. This method also kills weed seeds. Soap: Mix five tablespoons of liquid soap (such as dishwashing liquid) in one quart (four cups) of water in a spray bottle. Coat the weeds with the soapy water. Works best on hot days. Vinegar: Pour household vinegar into a spray bottle and evenly coat weeds with it. Vinegar is really five percent acetic acid in water, and it burns the plant, especially on

East Bethesda Citizens Association, Inc. PO Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 www.ebca.org Neighborhood News Jay Briar, Editor [email protected] Sponsorship, Vacant [email protected]

sunny days. For extra strength weed killer, look for pickling vinegar, which is nine percent acetic acid. Do not get the vinegar on your garden plants, as it can kill them too. Alcohol: Mix one to five tablespoons of alcohol, depending on how stubborn the weeds are with one quart (four cups) of water in a spray bottle. Shower weeds with the spray. Do not let the alcohol get on garden plants as it may damage their leaves. Corn Meal Gluten: Corn meal gluten, a pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer, prevents weeds from growing, then breaks down to provide nitrogen to your plants or lawn. Use it on lawns or established perennial beds, as it won't kill already growing plants. That does mean, of course, that it will not work on already existing weeds. Also, don't spread in the spring if you are reseeding your lawn; fall is a better time. Thanks to WebMD.com for these ideas. The East Bethesda Garden Club meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. Guests are always welcome. For more information, contact Nancy at 301-656-8754. Greg Volz, President Kevin Kraus, 1st Vice President Rebecca Fayed, 2nd Vice President A.B. Carneal, Recording Secretary Jack Hayes, Treasurer Ilaya Hopkins, Past President Andy O’Hare, Crescent Trail Monica Hayes, Education Eleanor Rice, NIH Liaison Carmen Abrams, Website Dorian Patchin, Website Leslie Weber, Welcome Packets Membership, Vacant Parks & Playgrounds, Vacant Social Events, Vacant

PAGE 3

Neighborhood News

Useful Phone Numbers General Information & Referral: 240-777-1000 Abandoned Vehicles:301-840-2454 Cable Complaints: 240-773-2288 Public Facilities Use: 240-777-2706 Consumer Protection: 240-777-3636 Crisis Center: 240-777-4000 Noise Control: 240-777-7770 Parks: 301-495-2525 Pet Licenses: 240-773-5946 Police Non-Emergency: 301-279-8000 Potholes: 240-777-6000 Street Lights & Snow Removal: 240-777-6000 Volunteer Center: 240-777-2600

a/s 2009

B-CC Barons Fall Home Games Varsity Football Friday, September 11 @ 6:30 - Paint Branch Friday, September 25 @ 6:30 - Whitman Friday, October 9 @ 6:30 - Walter Johnson Friday, October 23 @ 6:30 - Watkins Mill Friday, October 30 @ 6:30 - Churchill Junior Varsity Football Saturday, September 12 @ 10 - Paint Branch Saturday, September 26 @ 10 - Whitman Saturday, October 10 @ 10 - Walter Johnson Saturday, October 24 @ 10 - Watkins Mill Thursday, October 29 @ 5:30 - Churchill Soccer – Mens Wednesday, September 9 - Northwest - V@7/JV@5 Thursday, September 17 - Quince Orchard - V@7/JV@5 Wednesday, September 30 - Magruder - V@5/JV@3:30 Friday, October 2 - Wootton - JV@5:30 Tuesday, October 6 - Sherwood - V@7/JV@5:30 Monday, October 12 - Springbrook - V@7/JV@5:30 Wednesday, October 21 - Whitman - V@7/JV@5 Soccer – Womens Tuesday, September 15 - Walter Johnson - V@7/JV@5 Wednesday, September 30 - Magruder - V@7/JV@MA 5:30 Friday, October 2 Wootton JV@3:30 Tuesday, October 6 Sherwood V@5/JV@SP 3:30 Monday, October 19 Gaithersburg V@7/JV@5 Monday, October 26 Damascus V@7 Tennis – Womens Tuesday, September 8 Sherwood 3:30 Monday, September 14 Wootton 3:30 Wednesday, September 16 Northwood 3:30 Wednesday, September 23 Richard Montgomery 3:30 Saturday, September 26 Wheaton @ 10am Tuesday, October 6 Magruder @ 3:30 Volleyball – Womens Friday, September 4 Paint Branch JV@5:30/V@6:30 Tuesday, September 22 Walter Johnson V@3:30/JV@ 4:30 Wednesday, September 30 Gaithersburg JV@5:30/V@6:30 Monday, October 12 Wootton JV@5:30/V@6:30 Wednesday, October 21 Einstein JV@5:30/V@6:30 Monday, October 26 Watkins Mill JV@5:30/V@6:30 Double check game times and locations on the B-CC High School website: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bcchs.

It is a new year in EBCA! Time to renew your membership for 20092010. Get your voice is heard! Please support our neighborhood activities, this newsletter, and the community activism that makes East Bethesda one of the most desirable places in which to invest and raise a family. $15 per member, but additional contributions are always welcome. EBCA - Membership P.O. Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 Members _____________________________________ Address _____________________________________ Phone _____________________________________ E-mail _____________________________________ Number of Members _____ x $15 each = $_____ EBCA will not share your contact information with anyone outside of the organization.

Inside This Issue Labor Day Picnic ...................... 1 Weeds Be Gone!........................ 2 B-CC Fall Schedule .................. 3 Useful Phone Numbers ............ 3

It is time to renew your EBCA membership. Clip the coupon and mail it today! Next General Membership Meeting: Wednesday, September 16th at 8 p.m.