Tuesday, November 29, 2011

12th Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition - A Great Success!


Congratulations to the After School Dance Fund, Inc. and supporters of the 12 Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition that was held Monday, November 28, 2011 at Stathmore Hall. Hundreds of MCPS students, teachers, parents, friends and fans gathered to see talented dancers from many of Montgomery County's public high schools. Participating schools included Blake HS, Clarksburg HS, Einstein HS, Gaithersburg HS, Rocville HS, Seneca Valley HS, Walter Johnson HS and Watkins Mill HS. Teams competed in eight divisions: Salsa, Cha-Cha, Bachata, Merengue, Parent/Student, Alumni, Jack-n-Jill, and Best-in-Show.

The After School Dance Fund (ASDF) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization created in 2010 in order to offer a meaningful afterschool experience to all Montgomery County Public Schools’ Latin dance club participants. These programs promote cross cultural awareness; bridging the gap between communities, strengthening family values and empower students of all backgrounds, to share their heritage and culture which allows them to communicate better in school and at home, and continue their personal and educational growth in order to become healthy and positive members of our global society. For information about the After School Dance Fund, visit their website at http://afterschooldancefund.org/

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Lisa Martin Named Executive Director of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.


The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Martin as Executive Director of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.

“We are thrilled that Lisa Martin will be joining SSTCi as our Executive Director,” said Alan Bowser, President of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Board of Directors. “Lisa Martin shares our vision of celebrating diversity and creating community, and has the professional experience to creatively advance our agenda to promote cultural understanding through community arts & entertainment programming.”

Ms. Martin has over 10 years of experience working with arts and cultural events primarily in the Nation’s Capital, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as a wide variety of embassy events. Having worked on numerous arts festivals and other large community-based events, both domestically and abroad, she is skilled in all areas of program development, marketing and promotion, membership development, as well as event management. She also has a strong background in volunteer management having recruited, trained and managed hundreds of volunteers for city-wide events, including the 2004 International VSA Arts Festival, a four-day multi-arts event which brought together over 1000 visual and performing artists with a wide array of mental and physical disabilities from all corners of the globe.

For the last several years, she has managed the DC-Brasilia Partners of the Americas’ Lecture Series at George Washington University, which presents artists, scholars and other experts on Brazilian arts and culture. Previously, she managed the National Peace Corps Association’s Embassies Program, which featured an array of speakers and performing artists representing a variety of cultures and disciplines. In addition to this experience, she has an extensive background doing qualitative research and evaluation for museums, science centers, art galleries, historical sites and other places of learning.

"I am very excited to be working with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. and helping to create a vibrant and welcoming place where the arts and culture can shine, said Martin." "I look forward to collaborating with local visual and performing artists, area businesses, other non-profits, and members of our community to ensure that the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza serve as a real 'community living room' where everyone is always welcome."

Ms. Martin served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Estonia. She holds a Masters Degree in Performing Arts Management, a B.S. in Cultural Anthropology and a B.A. in Journalism.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. has been very active in promoting the arts and humanities in Silver Spring and in greater Montgomery County. It has organized the very successful Silver Spring Blues Festivals at Downtown Silver Spring which have entertained thousands of neighbors and visitors, the annual benefit concerts in support of Montgomery County’s veterans, community dance classes, and its popular Plaza Performances on Veterans Plaza. This year, alone, SSTCi’s Plaza Performances have brought more than 50 free musical acts to the public, featuring jazz, blues, folk, classical, and rock music.

SSTCi is a 501(c)3 organization. The members of the SSTCi Board of Directors are: Alan Bowser, Aurelia Martin, Beth Wong, David Fogel, Don Berkemeyer, Graciela Jaschek, Harriet Weil, Jack Hewitt, Jon Lourie, Jose Dominguez, Mark Kozaki, Mary Ann Zimmerman, Reemberto Rodriguez, Sheryl Chapman, and Wanda Whiteside.

For more information, please visit SSTCi’s website at www.silverspringtowncenter.com, its blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/silverspringtowncenter or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter

Friday, November 18, 2011

Silver Spring Town Center Arts Salon - October

The featured speaker at the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.'s October Arts Salon was artist Rosana Azar, who discussed "color." For more information about Rosana, check out her website at http://www.rosanaazar.com/rosanas_studio.html

SSTCi's Arts Salon is held monthly in the Silver Spring Civic Building. For more information about the Arts Salon, visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/111769958927685/







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Saturday, November 12, 2011

2011 Silver Spring Veterans Concert: Tremendous Success!







The 4th Annual Tribute to America's Veterans Concert held in the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building was a tremendous success! Over 200 people enjoyed wonderful performances by Piedmont Blues artist, Warner Williams, and the Greater U Street Jazz Collective.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Maryland State Senator Jamie Raskin and Montgomery County Councilmember March Elrich were among the many distinguished guests during the evening program.

County Executive Leggett presented Certificates of Recognition to singer-songwriter Warner Williams, and Hero Dogs, Inc. and Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 641--two important veterans-serving organizations in Montgomery County.

We were pleased to welcome many members of our Veterans Concert Host Committee--Alan Friedman, Althea Grey-McKenzie, Bill Gray, Charlotte Coffield, Don Slater, Evan Glass, Gloria Bonilla, Jamie Raskin, Joyce Ettingoff, Karen Goozner, Kathleen Samiy, Lorrie Knight-Major, Michael Gonzales, Naomi Bloch, Norma Wilson, Ricardo Loaiza, Richard Jaeggi, Rickey Payton, Sr., Sandra Fair, Sharon Dooley, Ted & Carol Power, and Woody Brosnan.

We had a record number of SSTCi Board members attend our 4th Annual Veterans Concert--Don Berkemeyer, Alan Bowser, Sheryl Brissett-Chapman, Jose Dominguez, David Fogel, Graciela Jaschek, Mark Kozaki, Aurelia Martin, Harriet Weil, Mary Ann Zimmerman, and Reemberto Rodriguez.

The Veterans Tribute Concert was a benefit program for Montgomery County's veterans-serving organizations--Hero Dogs, Inc, and Vietnam Veterans of America. The public is invited to support these organizations by contributing online at http://www.silverspringtowncenter.com/veterans-concert-2011/

Friday, November 11, 2011

Warner Williams, Greater U Street Jazz Collective to perform at Silver Spring’s Tribute to American Veterans Concert, Friday, November 11, 2011

Please join your neighbors at this year’s “Tribute to America’s Veterans” Concert in the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building.

The Concert featuring Warner Williams—this year’s National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow—and the Greater U Street Jazz Collective—will be held on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7 pm in the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building. There will be a reception with light refreshments from 6 to 7 pm in the Civic Building Atrium.

Tickets are only $20 and the proceeds will benefit two great Montgomery County veterans-serving organizations: Hero Dogs, Inc. and Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 641.

For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit http://www.silverspringtowncenter.com/veterans-concert-2011/ Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

Warner Williams is one of America’s greatest acoustic blues singer/songwriters, recently acknowledged by the National Endowment of the Arts as a national treasure in traditional American music.

The Greater U Street Jazz Collective is a Washington DC based jazz collective that is inspired by the great jazz tradition of the historic Greater U Street section of the city. In the days during segregation, jazz music from the likes of Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane was played in the jazz clubs that lined the streets of U Street.

Many thanks to our 2011 Veterans Tribute Concert Host Committee for their generous support. Alan Friedman–Althea Grey-McKenzie–Bill Gray–Bruce Lee–Busy Graham–Caren Madsen–Carole Barth–Charlotte Coffield–Dale Tibbitts–Don Hague–Don Slater–Honorable Duchy Trachtenberg–Evan Glass–Gloria Bonilla–Gregory Hamilton–Jackie Greenbaum–Honorable Jamie Raskin–Jennifer Chambers–Jim Zepp–Jonathan Bernstein–Joyce Ettingoff–Karen Goozner–Kathleen Samiy–Kathy Stevens–Lorrie Knight-Major–Michael Gonzalez–Mike Diegel–Naomi Bloch–Norma Wilson–Ricardo Loaiza–Richard Jaeggi–Rickey Payton, Sr.–Sandra Fair–Sharon Dooley–Ted & Carol Power–Honorable Tom Hucker–Tony Hausner–Victor Salazar–William Smith, Jr.–Yvette Butler–Woody Brosnan

The Tribute to America’s Veterans Concert is a production of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Visit our blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/8305814081/

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Make an Online Contribution to Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to Silver Spring Town Center during the first annual "Give to the Max" Day in metro Washington.

The Silver Spring Town Center was proud to participate in this very successful event.

Thanks to Razoo, 17,839 people gave "to the Max" on November 9th! Their incredible generosity helped raise $1,886,584 and strengthen the nonprofits who make our community a great place to live and work.

You can still make a tax-deductible contribution to Silver Spring Town Center, by click on this link: http://www.razoo.com/story/Silverspring

Your support is welcome, your generosity is appreciated and will strengthen SSTCi's many community-serving programs.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Give to the Max, Support Silver Spring Town Center


On Wednesday, November 9, from 12:01am - 11:59am, residents of Maryland, DC and Virginia will join together online to donate and raise millions of dollars for local nonprofits, as part of the 1st annual Give to the Max Day.

Dear Friend of the Silver Spring Town Center,

Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. has joined up with the "Give to the Max" campaign. The goal is to get thousands of local residents to support their favorite regional charity, raising millions of dollars in donations and grants in just 24 hours.

As part of Give to the Max Day, nonprofits can earn a share of $125,000 in cash awards. There are awards for organizations that earn the most donations, as well as awards for organizations receiving the most individual donations within each hour from 2 PM to midnight. There are even awards for 12th and 44th places!

You can check out our page and what your donations could go towards by visiting http://www.razoo.com/story/silverspring. Of course, any donation you make will be appreciated and will help fund a variety of performance and education goals.

Make sure to become a fan on our "Give to the Max" page, and to post our "Give to the Max" link (http://give2max.razoo.com/story/silverspring) on your FaceBook and Twitter pages - and talk it up among your friends and colleagues ... and don't forget to donate!

Thank you for your support and generosity.

Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.