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The Power of Community Collaboration 

Friday, June 16, 2023

Dear Friends,

I’ve always been fascinated by how easy it is to instantly say no, but how much we can accomplish by taking the time to understand and get to "yes."  I was able to celebrate the culmination of multiple entities coming together to get to "yes" on a solar energy project that will benefit the entire community as we work diligently to combat the escalating effects of climate change. 

The Sandy Spring Friends Meeting House and adjacent property contain historical structures and a cemetery and the organization is a steady force for the collective good in our community. By way of background, the Sandy Spring Meeting House was constructed in 1817, and the Meeting’s Community House was built in 1859. A new Community House, completed in 2018 as a LEED-certified building, is home to classrooms and meeting rooms. 

With collaboration from the Montgomery County Green Bank, Interfaith Power & Light, and Re-volv, Sandy Spring Friends held a recent ribbon cutting event to inform and inspire others about the power of solar energy.

The event featured education on pollinator plants and native plants so that gardeners of all ages could pick up some seeds and help our ecosystem, and plenty of popsicles that were very popular with the youngest attendees!

Celebrating the Sandy Spring Friends solar partnership

The solar project will produce 22 kW of clean, renewable energy through the first year of use. Over the next 20 years, the project will avoid the consumption of 735,025 kWh of energy not sourced from the local utility provider, mitigating 521 metric tons of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

That is the power of "yes."

Celebrate & Honor Juneteenth! 

There will be a host of events this weekend celebrating Juneteenth and our community's African-American culture and heritage. It's also a time to reflect on why Juneteenth is viewed as “America’s Second Independence Day.”  Here are a few chances for community participation to celebrate, elevate, and connect taking place throughout District 7 and Montgomery County: 

Saturday, June 17 (12:00 p.m.-5 p.m.):  Come join the annual Sandy Spring Community Day Celebration at the Ross Body Community Recreation Center, 18429 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring. This event features fun for the whole family and an annual open house at the Sandy Spring Slave Museum across the street from the recreation center. 

Sunday, June 18  (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) Join the third annual Juneteenth Black Business Expo featuring more than 60 Black-owned businesses, live entertainment, food, drinks, and more at Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring.

Monday, June 19 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.):  As part of the historic Scotland community’s festival of events, check out Juneteenth’s Got Talent at Cabin John Village, 11325 Seven Locks Road, Potomac.

Monday, June 19 (7 p.m.): The Bethesda Big Train summer collegiate baseball team will host its second annual Clarence "Pint" Isreal Juneteenth Classic to honor and celebrate the rich history of Black baseball in Montgomery County. The game is just one of a series of events the Big Train are hosting throughout the day.

Monday, June 19 (6:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m.):  A Family Interfaith Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 11900 Darnestown Road, Gaithersburg. The event is free to attend and all are welcome, but please register here so that they can make sure to have enough ice cream! Many thanks to Shaare Torah, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Fairhaven Church, and the neighboring Route 28 faith communities for putting together this event. 

Public Safety Town Hall

Thank you to all who have already signed up for our public safety town hall later this month at Sherwood High School. Email councilmember.luedtke@montgomerycountymd.gov to RSVP and let your community know about this event!