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Potomac Almanac ❖ December 5-11, 2012 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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December 5-11, 2012 online at potomacalmanac.com

PotomacPotomac

Churchill’s SingerSongwriterPeople, Page 2

River Needs HelpNews, Page 4

‘Jolly Fat Man’s Run’News, Page 8

Churchill’s SingerSongwriterPeople, Page 2

River Needs HelpNews, Page 4

‘Jolly Fat Man’s Run’News, Page 8

A Salute toAmerican Bandstand

News, Page 3

A Salute toAmerican Bandstand

News, Page 3

Amy Dalrymple, Max Wolpoff, GabeSnider, Mark Spang, Kathryn Kunkle,Sarah Eisler and Nick Tondravi performin Blast 24: American Bandstand atWinston Churchill High School duringthe next two weekends.

Amy Dalrymple, Max Wolpoff, GabeSnider, Mark Spang, Kathryn Kunkle,Sarah Eisler and Nick Tondravi performin Blast 24: American Bandstand atWinston Churchill High School duringthe next two weekends.

2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ December 5-11, 2012 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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People

By Tazeen Ahmad

The Almanac

Mackenzie Testa, aChurchill High Schoolsophomore, is gearing

up to make it big in the pop musicindustry. Mackenzie, 15, whowrites her own songs, recently re-leased three new singles on iTunesand says she draws from things happening in herlife for her songs.

“I write about the typical high school stuff, dramawith friends, and drama with guys. I also write aboutmy family,” Mackenzie said.

Mackenzie’s friends at Churchill are very support-ive of her work. Sara McAlister, who cheers for thevarsity team, says that when she thinks of Mackenzieshe thinks of determination.

“When she wants something she is going to get itand she earns it 150 percent,” McAlister said. “Eversince she decided to pursue her singing and dancingcareer she has worked tremendously and so hard andI think it’s great. She is going to go so far withthis, you can just tell,” McAlistersaid.

Mackenzie’s mom,Betsy Testa, takescare of everythingbehind the scenes.Until they find amanager forM a c k e n z i e ,Betsy Testa isfilling that role.

“I am justthere to support. It is greatwatching her develop. I am learningas we go,” Betsy Testa said.

“Mackenzie is establishing her presence in the in-dustry with her specific genre. This area lends itselfto so much opportunity for music and the arts,” BetsyTesta said. She says programs like the StrathmoreCityDance program, which Mackenzie joined in sev-

enth grade, make this area a greatplace to be for what Mackenzie istrying to do.

The Strathmore CityDance is aprogram in which talented stu-dents from multiple genres cancome into the program and ad-vance. Lorraine Spiegler, directorof CityDance, says Mackenzie is ahighly talented student and ishappy that Mackenzie has beenable to be with the program.

“Mackenzie is a student thatcame in with a passion for hip hopbut also a wonderful facility forcontemporary dance. She loves toperform. She really comes alivewhen she is asked to learn new

choreography and to perform in front of a live audi-ence. She is beginning to combine her dance skillsand her performance skills with her love of musicand is looking forward to making some music vid-eos,” Spiegler said.

Mackenzie has been dancing since she was 4-years-old but over the last couple of years she says thatshe has developed a love for singing and song-writ-ing. Mackenzie gets inspiration from artists like Tay-lor Swift and Demi Lovato.

“Taylor Swift is one of my favorite artists right now.Definitely because she writes all her own stuff,”Mackenzie said. Demi Lovato is another favorite, “Shejust has an outstanding voice. I love her mu-sic too,” say Mackenzie.

Mackenzie dancesfive days a weekfor two hours ormore. She takesFridays off to bewith her friendsor take in afootball game.Sundays aremostly dedi-cated to

homework. Apart fromsinging, songwriting, dancing and

homework Mackenzie also babysits one night aweek.

“I know I need to start paying for my own stuff. Iasked my parents for a lot when I was little so I amlearning the value of money along with all of this,”Mackenzie said.

Churchill’s Own Singer SongwriterMackenzie Testapursues singingand dancingcareer.

This month Mackenzie will per-form in the Churchill High Schoolproduction of American Band-stand, a Blast tribute in honor ofDick Clark. The show will be heldthis weekend.

Mackenzie plans to release herfirst album and a music video nextsummer. She plans to work on thealbum and video after the Blast isover.

“I want to keep performing,keep recording music and pursu-ing my dance because they areboth just as important,” Mackenziesaid.

Mackenzie Testa

MackenzieTesta with hermother Betsy.


News

Potomac Almanac Editor Steven Mauren

703-778-9415 or [email protected]

See www.potomacalmanac.com

By Susan Belford

The Almanac

American Bandstand — the TVshow that legitimized rock androll, turned new artists intohousehold names, and made the

iconic Dick Clark famous — will be cel-ebrated this December by Winston ChurchillHigh School’s Blast 24: American Band-stand. The production will include memo-rable music from all aspects of the Ameri-can Bandstand era. The show ran from 1957through 1987 and became the longest run-ning variety show on television with an es-timated audience of 50 million.

The show was popular for many reasons.It created a youth culture. It introducedrecording personalities such as Ike and TinaTurner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles,Stevie Wonder, Talking Heads, Paul Anka,Simon and Garfunkel, Frankie Avalon andmany more vocalists and groups to nationalaudiences. Blacks and whites performed onthe same stage — and the live audience wasdesegregated. The show originally tookplace in South Philly and then moved toLos Angeles. Couples who danced daily be-came teen idols — and afforded America’steenagers and pre-teens the opportunity tolearn the latest dances. Dick Clark, some-

times referred to as “America’s Oldest Teen-ager” was able to present rock and roll toparents in a non-threatening style.

When Dick Clark died in April 2012,Carlos Barillo, Churchill choral director andBlast director, knew immediately what hehad to do this year for Blast. “I am excitedthat we can bring American Bandstand tothe stage and pay tribute to Dick Clark’svision,” said Barillo. “It’s really my love let-ter to the parents because American Band-stand holds a huge place in the hearts of somany.”

“This show is also a history lesson for mystudents,” said Barillo. “Some students haveno idea who Clark was — or that AmericanBandstand even existed. They had neverheard of some of the songs, nor did theyknow that this was an era where dances hadnames — the mashed potato, the twist, thelocomotion, the hop. This show is a historyof pop culture. It spans very important, yetcontroversial times in U.S. history — andthe music reflects all that was taking placein these changing times. The ‘50s were asimpler time for everyone, but life quicklybecame more and more difficult and com-

plicated in the ‘60s and ‘70s.”The show will include songs from “Teen

Idols” such as Ricky Nelson, Shawn Cassidy,Dion, Connie Stevens, Leslie Gore and oth-ers, “It’s All Relative” (Everly Brothers, theJackson 5, Beach Boys, Osmond Brothersand more), “Girl Groups” (Chiffons,Supremes, Pointer Sis-ters and others), “Color-Blind” (Commodores,Dionne Warwick, StevieWonder, James Brown,Temptations, WhitneyHouston, etc.), “The Brit-ish Invasion” (DustySpringfield, Lulu, TheWho and more), “TheAmerican Revolution”(The Village People, TheMamas and The Papas,Melanie, Jefferson Air-plane, The Doors, etc).The American Revolu-tion includes musicabout the War on Drugs, the War on War,Women’s Rights, Civil Rights and the SexualRevolution. Another segment will include

dances of the era or as Barillo calls them —“dances with names.”

Senior Chani Wereley has performed inBlast for the past three years. She will besinging several songs that she was not fa-miliar with: “To Sir With Love,” “House ofthe Rising Sun” and “The Greatest Love ofAll.” She said, “I love these songs now. I’mglad I had a chance to learn and sing them.My mom loves all of them and is happy thatI know them now.”

It takes 175 students to produce Blast.Besides the students who sing in dance inthe production, the technical crew buildsthe set, operates the microphones and thelighting and works “behind the scene.”Other students perform in the band, helpwith publicity and the business end of theproduction. Some choreograph; others helpwith the costumes. Seniors Evan Cook andEmily Potter are the technical directors forBlast. Both plan to major in technical the-ater after graduation. “Being involved withtech direction at Churchill truly changed mylife,” said Cook. “I want to study sound de-sign — and I have gained real-world expe-rience here at Churchill. Blast required a

lot of dimensions that wehad to figure out — with-out a lot of time.”

Potter explained thatthe design of the set wasall about balance: “Wemade the set asymmetri-cal to make it more in-teresting. We also have tobe careful not to over-shadow the performersbut to show them off. Wealso had to keep in mindthat this is a very dance-centered production.”

Barillo said, “Thisshow is wholesome,

makes you smile, and is just fun. It takesme back in time — and reminds me of theage of innocence.”

Blast 24 To Salute American BandstandChristina Hnatov, Jessica Gold, Shelley Austin, Rachel Weinstein andAnna Votaw.

Jessica Gold, Miranda Catsambas, Amanda Lotwin, Lindsay Feldsteinand Michelle Ahn.

A tribute byChurchill’s studentsto an icon.

MackenzieTesta,ChrissyLorica,JackieSpang andStephanieRosenbloom.

DetailsBlast 24: American Bandstand at Winston

Churchill High School on Friday and Saturday, Dec.7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec.9 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be found online atwww.wchsarts.com or in the lobby box office out-side the Bish Auditorium, 11300 GainsboroughRoad, Potomac. Tickets are $20. The box office willbe open one hour before each performance.

“It’s really my loveletter to the parentsbecause AmericanBandstand holds ahuge place in thehearts of so many.”

— Carlos Barillo, choraldirector, Winston Churchill

High School


News

The Potomac Conservancy re-leased its sixth annual State ofthe Nation’s River on Nov. 15,handing the Potomac River’s

health a “D” or “barely passing grade.”The report identifies consequences of the

pollutants of the 405-mile-long waterway,and offers solutions for stronger protectionof the river.

The Potomac Conservancy is a nonprofitwhose mission is to safeguard the PotomacRiver and surrounding watershed. ThePotomac River supplies drinking water tomore than 5 million people and is “exquis-itely sensitive” to events over a 14,700square mile watershed.

While past pollution came primarily fromfactories and industrial sites, “today’s pol-lutants have various sources, usually enter-ing our waterways in the form of runofffrom land,” according to the Potomac Con-servancy report.

“From farmers fertilizing crops tohomeowners greening up their yards,people are pouring too many nutrients ontothe landscape,” according to the report.

And the region will add 2 million peoplefor the next 20 years — with more build-ings, road and homes — according to the“2012 Potomac Agenda,” a companiondocument to the report. “We must take stepsto ensure high water quality by preventingpolluted runoff before development, bydecreasing land disturbance, preservingvegetation and minimizing imperviouscover,” said Hedrick Belin, president of thePotomac Conservancy. “No one has a rightto pollute someone else’s water.”

THE CONSERVANCY urges increasingfunding for clean water programs, provid-ing incentives and technical assistance toindividual homeowners and strengtheningregulations at the state and local level.

Watersheds in Montgomery County, forexample, suffer from impairments caused

by harmful nutrients, poor habitats andPCBs in fish.

Poorly planned construction can causesediments that bury fish spawning grounds,block sunlight and suffocate healthy organ-isms. The removal of streamside vegetationand forested tracks that soak up such sedi-ments along the river and its streams makeexisting problems worse.

Recent studies show that widespread useof antibiotics in people and farm animalsare making some bacteria resistant to treat-ment, causing “unintentional super bugs.”

And a growing number of “exotic” chemi-cals from drugs, cosmetics and the indus-trial process have only recently begun tobe tracked and researched, according to thereport, including dozens of pesticides andherbicides, pharmaceuticals, and residuesfrom shampoos and perfumes. Low levelsof these chemicals can disrupt the endocrinesystem and appear to be contributing to thedevelopment of intersex fish in the PotomacRiver, including male fish carrying eggs.

The federal Clean Water Act celebratesits 40th anniversary this year and mandatesaction to create and maintain water qual-ity needed to support the highest designateduse. “The Clean Water Act has catalyzeddramatic water quality improvementsacross the nation,” according to the report,but major challenges remain.

The report suggests that state and localgovernments take action by strengtheningstream buffer ordinances and enactingstrong storm water pollution controls.

Incentives and technical assistance to in-dividual property owners would showhomeowners and businesses how they canreduce impervious surfaces — such as theRainScapes program in MontgomeryCounty. Educating farmers on how to bestapply fertilizer to protect water quality andenhance their crops could reduce unwantednutrients in the river.

Officials “have an obligation to providesufficient financial resources to stop pol-luted runoff,” said Belin.

River Needs HelpPollutants identified, solutions mandated forPotomac River with ‘barely passing’ grade.

The Potomac Conservancy reported on the health of the PotomacRiver, giving it a “barely passing” grade.

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Why Does This Matter?More acres of parks, more trees, more open space, protected stream valleys and stream valley

parks are all a part of what gives Potomac its character. But these aren’t here because this is wherethe money is. These amenities that residents enjoy are designed to protect the water quality inthe Potomac River.

A 125-foot hole in the towpath at Anglers hasbeen filled with 69,454 square feet of PVCliner and 1,007 yards of concrete during 335

days in the last year. The park service and C&O CanalTrust held a celebration of the completed at Anglerson Saturday, Nov. 17. The repairs — completed 31 daysahead of schedule — were finished in late October.

The breach occurred at Anglers on Sept. 5-6, 2008when a sinkhole grew to a full-scale breach duringTropical Storm Hannah’s downpours and runoff fromthe surrounding hillside.

“The park implemented a long-term sustainable so-lution to limit problems in an area where leaks havebeen a long-standing issue,” according to the CanalTrust.

Funding received in September 2011 to repair thebreach at Anglers was the product of a three-year col-laboration of park staff, elected officials, the C&O Ca-nal Trust and the community. The project became eli-gible for funding because of a $100,000 donation givenby the Trust, the park’s official non-profit partner, onbehalf of the community.

Maryland’s Transportation Enhancement Programaccounted for $1.1 million of the total $3.3 million re-quired for the repairs, and the additional $2.2 millionnecessary came from the National Park Service construc-tion program.

“The restoration of the historical towpath and therewatering of the canal, and thus the return of scenicviews and recreational opportunities at Anglers, show-cases the significant impact a community of supporterscan have on the preservation and conservation of thisnational treasure in our backyard,” said officials of thepark service.

Bikers, joggers, walkers, huskies, beagles, trav-eled Sunday from Anglers to widewater andGreat Falls without interruption after repairswere completed to the towpath damaged by2008 Tropical Storm Hannah.

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Breach Repaired

By Ken Moore

The Almanac


•Beautiful efficient Heat

10%*

No Power? No Problem. Gas Logs on Sale for Immediate Installation

12/15/12. PA

Call for Free In-Home Professional Estimate!People

Zoe Vincent made a greeting card with a photo of herfamily dressed in Victorian outfits.

From left: Anna, Jillian andFaith Holmes Lauren and Brad Holmes

Victorian Workshops

The Clara Barton NationalHistoric Site in Glen Echooffered free Victorian holi-

day greeting card workshops last

weekend. Participants dressed inperiod clothing and were photo-graphed. Photos were then usedto make holiday cards.

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Sophia Maravell, founder ofBrickyard EducationalFarm, was honored with the

Community Hero Award for themonth of December from theMontgomery County Civic Federa-tion.

Montgomery County Civic Fed-eration President Peggy Dennisnominated Maravell: “It is rarethat we have a young personwhose vision and passion and en-ergy have created a new and ex-citing resource for the county andparticularly for our children. Dur-ing its first year, the BrickyardEducational Farm has served over1,600 children in public and pri-vate schools, homeschooling coop-eratives, civic organizations andreligious institutions through itson-farm programming, familyfarm volunteer days, and in classpresentations.”

Maravell’s vision for BrickyardEducational Farm is to expand its

farm-to-schoolprogram toserve 5,400students annu-ally, grow9 0 , 0 0 0pounds offresh, locallygrown, or-ganic produce

for school cafeterias, continue sav-ing rare varieties of organic, heir-loom, and GMO-free seed stock,and help train the next generationof young farmers. Save This Soil(www.savethissoil.org) is a citizencampaign established by Mary-landers seeking to preserve theorganic farm that has been safe-guarding the 20-acre plot of schoolland along Brickyard Road inPotomac for the past 32 years.Save This Soil is working withBrickyard Educational Farm todevelop agricultural educationprojects at the Brickyard site.

Maravell Receives Federation’sCommunity Hero Award


People

By Susan Belford

The Almanac

How much is 12,000? While searching for a bar mitzvah project,Mory Gould of Potomac discov-

ered that more than 12,000 rockets havefallen on Israel since 2001. That numberwas heartbreaking to him — and he becamedetermined to do something to show thepeople in Israel that he cared “so they don’tfeel so alone and helpless.”

During his research for his project, 13-year-old Mory and his mom Robin askedthemselves how much the number 12,000really represented.

They discovered that 12,000 rubber bandswould stretch over 10 football fields. Thereare 12,000 minutes in 8.3 days.

Twelve thousand quarters would stack 69feet high. Twelve thousand average-sized13 year-old boys standing on one another’s

shoulders would reach 62,000 feet. Twelvethousand minivans would stretch 38 miles.Twelve thousand basketballs would over-

flow an Olympic-sized swimming pool.“After I found out that there had been

more than 12,000 rockets causing so muchdamage to Israel, my goal became to col-lect 12,000 rubber bands and to make agiant chain to show people just how much12,000 is and to make them aware of theterrible damage that the rockets havecaused in Israel,” he said.

“I am collecting the rubber bands forOperation Embrace, a non-profit organiza-tion that helps injured survivors of terrorattacks in Israel.” Instead of gifts for his barmitzvah on Oct. 27, 2012, Mory asked thathis guests make donations to OperationEmbrace.

Since the beginning of June, Mory hascollected more than 6,000 rubber bands.He’s hoping to meet his goal by the end ofnext summer.

He placed boxes in his school, synagogueand solicited relatives, friends and neigh-bors for rubber bands. He created a signwhich demonstrates how huge the number12,000 really is — to make people under-stand how devastating the number of rock-ets has been to the victims of terror in Is-

rael.“I hope to place my chain of rubber bands

on display where others can see it and un-derstand the terrible effects of the rocketattacks and how much of Israel has beendestroyed.” Mory said.

“The idea of the rubber bands is that wewill ‘band’ together like a rubber band doesto support these people and give themstrength to live their lives. We are also‘stretching out’ to help Israel.”

Mory, the son of Robin and David Gouldof Potomac, is an eighth grade student atthe Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Heloves sports and participates in soccer, bas-ketball and diving. He traveled with his fam-ily to Israel several years ago where theyvisited Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Wail-ing Wall and many of sites of Israel — andhis favorite part of the trip was the archeo-logical dig.

Through his project, Mory has learned,“that one person, no matter how small youare, can make a big difference in the world.I want the Israelis to realize that we are notgoing to leave them out to dry — that wewill always follow through to help them.”

Youth Promotes Awareness of Rocket Attacks in IsraelProject seeks 12,000rubber bands.

Mory Gould demonstrates hisrubber band chain.

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By Susan Belford

The Almanac

On the evening of Dec. 6, theAlef Bet Montessori Schoolwill present “Education –Passport to the World” — a

gala which will be held at the Potomac homeof Amy and Alan Meltzer. The event willrecognize the innovative program at AlefBet – the only Jewish Montessori School inthe area. The theme is also a salute to theschool for the support they are giving Is-raeli Montessori schools by partnering tolearn best practices from one another,through teacher and student cultural ex-changes and through supporting Montessoriteacher training in Israel.

Sally Oren, wife of the Israeli Ambassa-dor H.E. Dr. Michael B. Oren, will be thehonoree of the evening. Oren is involved ininternational aid and issues regardingwomen’s health and education in Israel. Sheserves as an advocate for children and forimproved teacher training in Israel.

Alef Bet integrates a traditionalMontessori curriculum with Judaic studiesthat include a Hebrew language program.Each classroom has a certified Montessoriinstructor along with an assistant whospeaks fluent Hebrew. The school celebratesall the Jewish celebrations through whichthe children learn the meaning, the historyand all the traditions of each holiday. The

program is for children 18 months through6th grade.

Executive Director Ayelet “Ellie” Lichtashfounded the school eight years ago. An at-torney by training, Lichtash resided in Is-rael until she came to the U.S. with herhusband when she was 30. After she ob-served her daughter’s success at the KMMSKehilet Montessori, Silver Spring, she de-cided to establish Alef Bet because she feltit was what the community needed.

“I wanted to bring together Jewish peopleof all denominations to experience Jewishlife through the Montessori Method,” saidLichtash.

According to its website,www.alefbetmontessori.org, “Alef Bet is thefirst of its kind in Maryland to offerMontessori education in the two curricula.

The program includes math, English, sci-ence, geography, art and music, along withHebrew language, Chumash (Torah study),Mishna (Oral Law) and Tefila (prayer) inthe hands-on, individualized, child-directedapproach for which Montessori is known.”

There are 30 Montessori schools in Israel.Lichtash has been instrumental in startingthe Montessori Administrative Associationand through this group she has been in con-tact with administrators from the Israelischools, discussing best practices, staffingissues and other educational and adminis-trative topics. She is also working to createan affordable Montessori teacher trainingcenter in Israel. Lichtash has partnered withRuth Yakir, director of international andgraduate studies at Seminar Hakibutizmand Sally Oren in this effort.

“This is the first step in Alef Bet’s GlobalEducation initiative to give students andteachers the opportunity for cultural explo-ration and development through exchangeprograms,” Lichtash said. “Alef Bet will bethe model school and teachers from the Is-raeli programs will come here to learn. Weare excited about the exchange program —within 5 years, you will see 5th and 6thgraders traveling to Israel to study and livewith an Israeli family for a few weeks.Teachers will come here to learn, and wewill send our teachers there. The future ofthe program is going to be amazing.”

The gala will raise funds to support themission of Alef Bet and will include a silentauction and an international cuisine. Formore information and to register, go to theAlef Bet website or call Janel Herman at301-881-9010 x 18, or Golda Rivkah Sand-ers at x 23.

Gala To Support Israeli Montessori SchoolsAlef Bet MontessoriSchool mergeslanguages, cultures. Ayelet

“Ellie”Lichtash,executivedirector andfounder ofAlef BetMontessoriSchool, withShayaRatner andMeirHerman, 18months old.

Ellie Lichtash


1079 Seven Locks RoadPotomac, Maryland 20854

Potomac Woods Plaza

301.838.9696

Season Greetings

ROBERT BERNARDJEWELERS

from

Your Neighborhood Jewlers

See Entertainment, Page 9

Email community entertainment eventsto [email protected] is Thursday at noon. Photos andartwork encouraged.

ONGOINGHoliday Art Show and Sale.

Saturdays and Sundays through Jan.6, 2013, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Browseand buy fine artworks at Glen EchoPark’s annual Holiday Art Show andSale, presented by the Glen EchoPark Partnership for Arts andCulture. The exhibition will featureworks by resident artists, instructorsand invited artists and will includeglass, ceramics, jewelry,photography, painting, crafts andmore. In Glen Echo’s Popcorn Galleryat 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Call 301-634-2222 or visit glenechopark.org.

The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park hasannounced its 2012-2013 season.There are favorite fairytaleprincesses, an annual holidaytradition, and a special guest artistwith a bilingual twist. 301-634-5380or www.thepuppetco.org. TheNutcracker, through Dec. 30,Thursdays and Fridays at 10 and11:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays at11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Toyland,Jan. 18-Feb. 10, 2013, Fridays at 10and 11:30 a.m. Saturdays andSundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.;

THURSDAY/DEC. 6Natalie Macmaster: Christmas in

Cape Breton. 8 p.m. Music Centerat Strathmore, 5301 TuckermanLane. Tickets $28-$58. Canadianfiddler MacMaster performstraditional Scottish and Irish holidaytunes. Call 301-581-5100 or visitwww.strathmore.org.

Blues Dance. 8:15-11:30 p.m. CapitalBlues proudly presents weeklyThursday night blues dances. Abeginner workshop from 8:15-9 p.m.offers partnering basics for newdancers. The class is included withadmission; no partner necessary.Dancing runs 9-11:30 p.m. to bluesmusic from every corner of the genre.At Ballroom Annex at 7300MacArthur Blvd. Admission is $8.Email [email protected].

THURSDAY-FRIDAY/DEC. 6-7Annual Landon Greens Sale and

Holiday Boutique. 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.Come celebrate the holiday season atLandon School located at 6101

Wilson Lane, Bethesda. Specialtywreaths and greens arrangements,boxwood, and holiday shopping. Thisyear’s Holiday Boutique will featuremore than 40 vendors. Enjoy a treatfrom the Bake Sale and Café and visitthe Landon Farmhouse, listed onMontgomery County’s HistoricRegistry. General admission andparking are free.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY/DEC. 6-9Tree Sales. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Find a

Christmas tree at the Landon BearTree Lot located near the footballstadium, 6101 Wilson Lane,Bethesda. On Thursday and Friday,tree sales begin at noon and go until8 p.m. General admission andparking are free.

DEC. 7, 8, 9, 14 AND 15Annual Production of Blast. Blast

24: American Bandstand will beperformed at Winston Churchill HighSchool Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7,8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. andSunday, Dec. 9 at 2:30 p.m. Ticketscan be purchased atwww.wchsarts.com or in the boxoffice outside the Bish Auditorium,11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac.

FRIDAY/DEC. 7Contra Dance. 7:30-11:30 p.m. The

Friday Night Dancers present Contradancing as well as some square

dances and waltzes. Contra dancelesson 7:30-8:15 p.m., followed bythe called dance to live music 8:30-11:30 pm. Beginners are welcome. AtSpanish Ballroom at 7300 MacArthurBlvd. Admission is $9. [email protected].

SATURDAY/DEC. 8Concert. Stan Engebretson will conduct

the National Philharmonic inHandel’s Messiah on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.,Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 23 at 3p.m. at the Music Center atStrathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane).A free pre-concert lecture will beoffered at 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 8. Visitwww.nationalphilharmonic.org orcall 301-581-5100. Tickets are $28-$81; children age 7-17 are free, mustbe purchased in person or by phone.

Swing Dance. 8 p.m.-midnight.Beginning with a Swing lesson from8 to 9 p.m. with Marc Shepanek andEllen Engle, followed by dancing. AtSpanish Ballroom at 7300 MacArthurBlvd. Admission is $15. [email protected].

Used Book Sale. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Allproceeds are for the library. At thePotomac Library located at 10101Glenolden Drive, Potomac.

SUNDAY/DEC. 9Kids Sunday Workshop. 9:30 a.m.-

12:30 p.m. Ages 7-11. The Mansion

Maryland Youth Ballet’s professional students and children from the academyare preparing for the 23rd season of The Nutcracker. There is something for ev-eryone in this engaging, classic version of The Nutcracker — giant mice, dancingsnowflakes, cute little Ginger Snaps peeking out of a huge Mother Ginger skirt, alovely Sugar Plum dancing with her handsome Prince, and many more charactersin the Kingdom of Sweets. This year MYB will debut a new Christmas tree adornedwith beautiful ornaments and sparkling lights that grows to high heights.

MYB also presents The Mini-Nut, an abbreviated version designed to introducechildren to the magic of this family favorite. This holiday tradition with soaringmusic by Tchaikovsky promises to hold the attention of even the youngesttheatergoer. Come see the Nutcracker turn into a handsome Prince, see the battlebetween the Nutcracker and the Seven Headed Mouse King, watch the sparklingSnow Queen float through her kingdom, and see the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairyand the magical residents of The Kingdom of Sweets. Suitable for all ages, thisversion is less than an hour and performed by cast members from MYB’s full-lengthproduction.

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Clara and the Nutcracker.

Holiday Entertainment

Calendar

Maryland Youth Ballet Presents The Nutcracker

THE NUTCRACKERDec. 14 and 21 at 7 p.m.Dec. 15,16, 22 and 23 at 1 p.m. and 5

p.m.Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts CenterMontgomery College Rockville Campus,

51 Mannakee StreetTickets are $28 adults; $23 children,

students and seniors in advance; atthe door, $33 adults; $28 children,students and seniors

To purchase, call the Box Office at 240-567-5301 or online at

www.montgomerycollege.edu/PAC

THE MINI-NUTDec. 8-9 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.Montgomery College Cultural Arts

CenterTakoma Park/Silver Spring Campus7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

20910Tickets are $18 adults, students and

seniors; $12 children 12 and underAvailable in advance at MYB studios or

by mail:926 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD

20910 (Cash or Check only)


News

By Susan Belford

The Almanac

For the past 17 years,Capital Crescent Trailenthusiasts have beenshocked to see the “Jolly

Fat Man” — and a pack of his fol-lowers — racing and walkingdown the trail. This year will beno different as The Sergeant’s Pro-gram inspires recruits, friends andtheir hero — the “Jolly Fat Man”— to “give it their best” at its funrun/walk to benefit OperationSecond Chance.

The holiday run/walk will beginat 8 a.m. on Dec. 15 when run-ners/walkers gather in front ofMon Ami Gabi, 7239 WoodmontAve., Bethesda, for warm-up ex-ercises and stretches. Unlike mostcharity races, participants canchoose their distance. They canrun or walk as far as they want onthe Capital Crescent Trail — 3miles, 7 miles or even 14 miles allthe way to Georgetown and back.When they return, a hot breakfastwill be provided by RiRa Restau-rant in Bethesda — just a blockfrom the start/finish.

It’s just $34 to register for thisfun charity event and all partici-pants will receive a long-sleeve teeshirt, a hot breakfast and a post-run party at RiRa. Raffle ticketswill be available for $5 for achance to win prizes provided bysponsors and local merchants. TheEarly Packet Pick-up/Happy Houris on Thursday, Dec. 13 at RiRafrom 6-9 p.m. The restaurant is

offering dinner and drink specialsfor all run attendees. On the run-day, the packet pick-up will be af-ter the race.

Headquartered in Potomac, theSergeant’s Program is the originaland oldest civilian bootcamp pro-gram in the country. It operatescivilian military-style bootcampclasses throughout the Washing-ton D.C. area. For 17 years, theorganization has always selectedand supported a charity that isconnected to the military.

This year’s charity, OperationSecond Chance provides assis-tance to wounded, injured or illcombat veterans and their familieswhile they recover in military hos-pitals. The organization builds re-lationships and supports the im-mediate needs of the Veterans andtheir families. It also promotes

public awareness of the many sac-rifices made by members and fami-lies of our Armed Forces.

Adam Kisielewski, OperationSecond Chance vice president, ispleased that the Sergeant’s Pro-gram is helping their cause: “Op-eration Second Chance does all itcan to help wounded veterans andtheir families during their time ofneed. Through partnerships, likethe one we have with the Jolly FatMan, Operation Second Chance isable to focus on the veterans, in-stead of fundraising.”

Rob Grimes, CEO and presidentof The Sergeant’s Program said,“This is our first year supportingOperation Second Chance. Thereare many worthy causes that TheSergeant’s Program could support,but we really wanted to focus onsomething that was based here inthe Washington area and sup-ported the local community. Wealso wanted to support a causethat we felt we could make a dif-ference to by bringing attention toit through The Jolly Fat Man’s Run,and that we could work withthroughout the year.”

Grimes added, “Operation Sec-ond Chance was a perfect choicefor us and while it is not as well-known as some of the larger pro-grams supporting our woundedsoldiers, it fills a much needed gapin providing support and servicesas they go through rehabilitationwhich can take several years aftertheir initial hospital treatments.”

‘Jolly Fat Man’s Run’ To Benefit Operation Second ChanceGet Involved

Help make this year’s “Jolly FatMan’s Run” a success. Register atwww.sarge.com or [email protected] for more in-formation.

Annual fun run/walk returnsDec. 15.

Participants from an earlier “Jolly Fat Man’s Run.”

Prior to the fun run/walk, participants warm up withpush-ups.

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Basketball SeasonOpeners

Local basketball teams will open theirrespective seasons this week. The Churchillboys’ basketball team will host Damascusat 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The Bull-dogs will also travel to face Sherwood at 7p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8. Churchill reachedthe 4A West region championship game forthe first time in more than 30 years last sea-son. The Churchill girls’ basketball team willtravel to face Damascus at 7 p.m. on Fridayand will host Sherwood at 7 p.m. on Fri-day, Dec. 7.

The Whitman boys’ basketball team willhost Poolesville at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec.6 and will travel to face Wheaton at 3 p.m.on Saturday, Dec. 8. The Whitman girls’team will travel to face Poolesville at 7 p.m.

on Thursday and host Wheaton at 3 p.m.on Saturday. The Wootton girls’ basket-ball team will host Quince Orchard at 7p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5 and will hostPaint Branch at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec.8. The Wootton boys’ basketball teamwill travel to face Quince Orchard onThursday and host Paint Branch on Sat-urday. The Bullis girls’ basketball teamwill host Georgetown Day at 6 p.m. onThursday, Dec. 6.

Bullis off toWinning Start

The Bullis boys’ basketball team de-feated Glenelg, 62-56, on Dec. 1 to im-prove to 1-0. The Bulldogs will face Ro-man Catholic on Friday, Dec. 7 duringthe DC Classic at Gonzaga.

The Churchill junior varsity cheerleaders won “Best Overall Perfor-mance” at the Montgomery County Cheerleading Exhibition held atMagruder High School on Nov. 3. They competed against seven localhigh schools.

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Sports Briefs


LET’S TALKReal Estate

For professional advice on all aspectsof buying and selling real estate, call:

MICHAEL MATESELong & Foster Realtors

[email protected]

by Michael Matese

Questions to AskBefore You Hire a

Home Staging®

ProfessionalSo you want your home staged, but youdon’t think you could do it yourself. Howdo you find a Home Staging® profes-sional? Here are some questions to askonce you’ve compiled your list of possibleoptions.

1. Can I see your portfolio? Are the pic-tures attractive and presented well?Does the stylist’s vision mesh with yourhome owners? Are many different stylespresented across a range of homes? Doyou feel the staging professional’s workexhibits the ambiance you’re looking tocreate in your home while it’s on themarket? How many of the homes pre-sented in the portfolio closed quickly, andfor what price?

2. What kind of training do you have?Largely unregulated, it’s important tofind out if the stager has any formaltraining and what kind of certification aswell. Home stagers who carry the HomeStaging® professional certification addan element of authenticity and peace ofmind to their clients, who are able totrust in the stager’s skills, experience andtraining.

3. Do you have a specialty? Many stagershave a specialty, whether it is lofts or con-dos, starter or luxury homes. Do yourhomework to make sure the stager’s spe-cialty is what both you and yourRealtor® are looking for.

4. How do you communicate with homeowners? Make sure you and the stagerhave a sense of diplomacy. Co-operation isgoing to be key in this endeavor, so it’simportant to establish an open, honestand tactful line of communication.

5. Do you have any other ideas to bring tothe table? Some stagers see their role asgoing beyond just prepping a home andhave other thoughts on strategies forstimulating sales. Ask if there are otherways of working together, if perhapsthey’d be interested in co-hosting a stag-ing class as a way to interest potentialbuyers.

From

Entertainment

at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike.Call 301-581-5200 or visitwww.strathmore.org. Go Crazy withHenna; Artist Trading Cards: MiniMasterpiece or Black & WhitePrintmaking.

Holiday Glass Plate Workshops.11 a.m.-1 p.m. Design and create acurved 5-inch square plate that isfunctional and decorative. $40.Registration required. VisArts islocated at 155 Gibbs St., Rockville.Visit www.visartscenter.org or call301-315-8200.

English Country Dance. 2:30-5:30p.m. Instruction and dancing torecorded music. Dancing runs 2:30-5:30 p.m. No partner required;newcomers are encouraged to bepresent at 2:30 p.m. At BallroomAnnex at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. [email protected].

Argentine Tango. 6:30-11:15 p.m.Cost is $15 for lesson and includesthe Milonga that follows. Fordancers who wish to attend just theMilonga, cost is $10. Dance runs8:15-11:15 p.m. No partnerrequired. At Ballroom Annex at 7300MacArthur Blvd. [email protected].

Contra and Square Dance. 7:30-11:30 p.m. There is a lesson at 7p.m. At Spanish Ballroom at 7300MacArthur Blvd. Admission is $12for non-members, $9 for FSGWmember. Visit www.fsgw.org.

Christmas Concert. 5:30 p.m. TheMany Moods of Christmas concert atSaints Peter and Paul Church, 10620River Road. Donation $25. Call 301-765-3400 ext. 0 or [email protected].

Sing Along at Great Falls Tavern.1-4 p.m. Drop in at the Tavern atGreat Falls Park to hear Gilmore’sLight Ensemble play period musicand sing along to holiday favorites.11710 MacArthur Blvd. Call 301-767-3714. Visit www.nps.gov/choh.

MCYO: Classical Joy. 3 p.m. TheMCYO Junior Winter Concert Series,featuring Chamber Strings, YoungArtists and Symphony Orchestra.Enjoy a pre-concert performance bythe Harp Ensemble in OrchestraLobby. The Music Center atStrathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane.Visit http://mcyo.org/.

MCYO: A Daring Duo. 7 p.m. Mozartwith NSO & BSO Concertmasters,Nurit Bar-Josef and Jonathan

Carney. Music from Mozart, Mahlerand Tan Dun. The Music Center atStrathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane.Visit http://mcyo.org/.

MONDAY/DEC. 10Crowfoot 7:30 p.m. Crowfoot weaves

musical influences from England,Ireland, Quebec, and the AppalachianMountains. At Saint MarkPresbyterian Church located at 10701Old Georgetown Road in Rockville.Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 atthe door, $9 for students with ID inadvance, $12 at the door. Call 301-960-3655 or visit www.imtfolk.org.

TUESDAY/DEC. 11DIY Assemblage Brooch and

Drinks. 7-8:30 p.m. Make funaccessories, plus red and white wineand snacks. Materials are provided.Bring ID to drink. Each workshop is$15. At VisArts located at 155 GibbsSt., Rockville. Call 301-315-8200 orvisit www.visartscenter.org.

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 12Charm City Klezmer Band. 7:30

p.m. Mansion at Strathmore, 10701Rockville Pike. Tickets: $15. Call301-581-5100 or visitwww.strathmore.org.

Children’s Ceramic OrnamentsWorkshop. 4-5:15 p.m. Get clayand the tools to create ornaments.Glaze them and pick them up a weeklater. For children of grades K-5.Tuition is $15. At VisArts is located at155 Gibbs St., Rockville. Visitwww.visartscenter.org or call 301-315-8200.

THURSDAY/DEC. 13Violin Concert. 8 p.m. Music Center at

Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane.Tickets $25-$55. Mark O’Connorshares the holiday songs of hischildhood. Call 301-581-5100 or visitwww.strathmore.org.

Mark O’connor Strings MethodFor String Teachers. 2-3:30 p.m.For orchestra directors and stringteachers. Mansion at Strathmore(Shapiro Music Room), 5301Tuckerman Lane. Free, butregistration required atwww.strathmore.org.

Blues Dance. A beginner workshopfrom 8:15-9 p.m. offers partneringbasics for new dancers. Dancing 9-11:30 p.m. At Ballroom Annex at7300 MacArthur Blvd. $8. [email protected].

Email announcements to [email protected]. Deadline isThursday at noon.

TUESDAY/DEC. 11Bereavement Workshop. 1-2:30

p.m. “Winter Blues: BalancingSorrow and Celebration whilegrieving.” For anyone grieving thedeath of a loved one. Free and opento any Montgomery County residents.Montgomery Hospice, 1355 PiccardDrive, Rockville. Registrationrequired by calling 301-921-4400.

SATURDAY/DEC. 15Pet Connect Rescue Adoption Cat

Event. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. BARK!(Congressional Plaza) 1643 RockvillePike. Visitwww.petconnectrescue.org.

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 19Bereavement Workshop. 6:30-8

p.m. “Winter Blues: BalancingSorrow and Celebration whilegrieving.” For anyone grieving thedeath of a loved one. Free and opento any Montgomery County residents.Montgomery Hospice, 1355 PiccardDrive, Rockville. Registrationrequired by calling 301-921-4400.

MONDAY/JAN. 14Job Search Training for Seniors.

The Career Gateway, Jewish Councilfor the Aging’s innovative job searchtraining program, kicks off its nextsession. The Career Gateway is opento job seekers age 50 and over.Classes are held at the Ann L.Bronfman Center, 12320 ParklawnDr., Rockville. Register for Februaryor March classes also. Call 301-255-4215 or visit www.AccessJCA.org.

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Danish/modernteak furniture, STERLING, MEN'S WATCHES, jewelry

and costume jewelry,paintings/art glass/clocks.

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Email:[email protected]

As a stage IV non-small cell lung cancerdiagnosee/patient/survivor/anomaly, livinglong – whether prospering or not, is not thesimple and presumptive proposition I hadanticipated. No more do I anticipate livingthe same number of years and in the samerelative good health that my parents (bothdeceased), experienced well into their 80s.Now, my life revolves around my oncologistand the CT Scans and lab work that pre-cede our recurring appointments. WhetherI think I feel, or hope I don’t feel, or worryabout what I do feel, or wonder if what Ifelt meant that my greatest fear has beenrealized: tumors growing, moving, medica-tion not working and/or causing collateraldamage to internal organs, visits (and I usethat term loosely) with my oncologist willcertainly cut through any emotional clutter.

Presuming that this cancer thing (routineI now live) is unlikely to change, I probablyneed to enjoy the good reports/ appoint-ments as much as possible, because let’sface it: this is an extremely serious situationI find myself in. However, just as it is saidthat fame is fleeting and money can’t buyhappiness, one “stable” CT Scan followedup by a widely grinning oncologist sayinghow “pleased” he is with my results doesnot a future guarantee or remission make. Itis what it is: good, make that excellentnews, but it’s hardly a corner that’s beingturned, it’s simply a road less traveled: thatbeing a lung cancer patient outliving hisoriginal prognosis and beyond any proto-cols/clinical studies available to determine aprescribed/acceptable course of treatment.The short version: I’m still alive. Now what?

“Now what,” for me, since I don’t worryor second guess what my oncologist isadvising/how I am being treated, is toembrace the highs more (and no, I’ve neverbeen prescribed medical marijuana) andstop being so damn neutral anticipating thenext low (tumors growing/moving) trying tomaintain my even disposition. Intellectually,logically, it makes sense. Still, I can’t get aparticular Henny Youngman joke out of myhead, that in my head, seems/feels relevant,especially given the various intervals ofscans and appointments and all the associ-ated medical expenses that I incur: “A doc-tor gave a man six months to live. The mancouldn’t pay his bill; the doctor gave himanother six months.”

Every day, every symptom, every labresult, every diagnostic scan might causemy doctor to tell me – as he did originallyback in late February, 2009 (“13 months totwo years”) that I only have so many moremonths to live. And presumably, he won’tbe joking. For me however, finding humorsomewhere, anywhere, during this wholecancer business has been how I’ve rolled.Perhaps it’s time, 45 months post diagnosis,to consider the seriousness of my situationand when I receive some less-than-distressing-better-than-I have-a-right-to-expect scan results: love it, live it, appreci-ate it; don’t joke about it. My oncologistwas smiling when he saw me. That’s notfunny. That’s amazing. I can worry – and benegative about, later – later. Right now iswhat counts. Tomorrow is promised to noone, especially terminal cancer patients.The future will get here soon enough. Ineed to savor the present. It probably won’tkill me to do so.

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

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Present Needingto beAccounted For

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I'am a slow walker, but I never walk back.

-Abraham Lincoln


POTOMACALMANAC

www.PotomacAlmanac.com

Newspaper of PotomacA Connection Newspaper

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

PUBLISHERMary Kimm

[email protected]

@MaryKimm

EDITORIALPHONE: 703-821-5050

E-MAIL:[email protected]

EDITORSteven Mauren, 703-778-9415

[email protected]

SPORTS EDITORJon Roetman,703-224-3015

[email protected]@jonroetman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCissy Finley Grant, Carole Dell,

Kenny Lourie, Ken Moore,Susan Belford, Colleen Healy

ContributingPhotographers

Harvey Levine, Deborah Stevens

Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly

Production ManagerJean Card

Geovani Flores

Special Assistant tothe Publisher

Jeanne Theismann703-778-9436

[email protected]@TheismannMedia

ADVERTISINGFor advertising information

e-mail:[email protected]

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESDisplay Advertising:

Kenny Lourie [email protected]

Andrea Smith 703-778-9411Classified Advertising

[email protected]

Debbie FunkNational Sales & real Estate

[email protected]

Jerry VernonExecutive Vice President

[email protected]

Potomac Almanac is publishedby Local Media Connection LLC

Five Time First PlaceAward-WinnerPublic Service

MDDC Press Association

Four TimeNewspaper of the Year

An Award-winning Newspaperin Writing, Photography, Editing,

Graphics and Design

By Marilyn Campbell

The Almanac

Whether you need to ful-fill the wishes of eachperson on your gift list

or find the time to decorate yourhome, the festive yuletide seasoncan be stressful. In fact, a surveyby the American Psychological As-sociation showed that that 61 per-cent of Americans listed lack ofmoney as the top cause of holidaystress, followed by the pressuresof gift giving and a lack of time.

“The holidays can cause a lot ofstress and anxiety,” MichelleWalters-Edwards, Ph.D., depart-ment chair and associate profes-sor of health and human perfor-mance at Marymount University inArlington.

Indulging in excess food or al-cohol is a stress-relieving strategyfor some, say experts, but instead,Walters-Edwards suggests, “Try toremain on track … by designating

time to relax and unwind.”Walters-Edwards and other ex-

perts offer suggestions for gettingrid of stress in a hurry.

Turn on the tunes. “Play yourfavorite music all day,” said LindaBerg-Cross, Ph.D., a Potomac, Md.,resident. “Have dancing breakswith whoever is in the room withyou – ‘Gangnam Style’ or other-wise.”

“Listen to your favorite relax-ation music on your iPod as youshop,” Walters-Edwards added. “Itcan help reduce anxiety in over-crowded shops. Reserve time torelax or meditate at peak times ofstress. Find a quiet location awayfrom the holiday rush to calmyourself and relax those over-shopped muscles.”

Pound the pavement. “Going for

a run outside may be a good solu-tion,” said Joel Martin, Ph.D. anassistant professor of kinesiologyat George Mason University inFairfax.

“It does not require any equip-ment and allows you to escape thestress at your home for a bit. Plusyou get some fresh air.”

Berg-Cross agrees that gettingoutside can reduce tension. “Tryto learn something new abouteach guest or family member shar-ing the holiday with you with one-on-one walks or talks,” she said.

Walters-Edwards underscoresthe importance of exercise andfinding creative way to incorpo-rate it into one’s schedule, espe-cially during the holidays: “Exer-cise is a proven way to reduce ten-sion and stress in the body as wellas prevent the onset of other ad-verse health issues,” she said.“There are many apps available todownload for exercise videos thatyou can take on the go [and] medi-tation timers to remind you to stepout of the chaos and take time tounwind.”

And finally, say experts, grati-tude can relieve stress. “Go to bedthinking of what you are gratefulfor during the day, no matter howstressed you are walking into thebedroom,” said Berg.

Wellbeing

Quick Relief for Holiday StressSimple strategiesfor bringingdown anxietylevels in a hurry. Listening to

music on anMP3 playerduringholidayshoppingcan helpreduceanxiety inover-crowdedstores.

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By Marilyn Campbell

The Almanac

Festive holidays are filledwith sweet treats from eggnog and cider to fruitcake

and chocolate bonbons. Unfortu-nately, there’s a downside to con-suming holiday treats: potentialweight gain.

A recent study by the NationalInstitute of Child Health and Hu-man Development and the Na-tional Institute of Diabetes andDigestive and Kidney Diseasesshowed that during the holidayseason, people who are over-weight gain about five pounds,while those of normal weight gainone pound. The same studyshowed that most people neverlose those pounds, and in fact,they accumulate over the yearsand could contribute to obesity.

Local nutrition experts under-score the importance of avoidingthe slippery slope of holidayweight gain, and offer a few tools

in the battle of the holiday bulge.Avoid missing meals to save

calories. “Try not to skip meals forthe sake of being able to indulgemore at holiday parties,” said JoelMartin, an assistant professor ofkinesiology at George Mason Uni-versity in Fairfax. “The drasticchange in calorie intake will causeadverse effects to your metabolismthat will contribute to the weightgain. Eating 3,000 calories spreadout during the day is better thaneating 3,000 calories all at once.”

Avoid completely letting go ofyour healthy eating habits. “Don’tplan to diet in the new year be-cause it gives you the mental ex-cuse to eat whatever you wantduring the last few weeks of theyear,” said Rosa Ganey, a nursehealth educator for Fairfax CountyHealth Network and a Burke, resi-dent.

Beware of holiday drinks. “Makesmart drink choices. Alcohol usu-ally has empty calories and egg-nog can be fattening,” said Ganey.

“Try adding diet soda or tonic as amixer to your alcoholic beverageor stick to wine or light beer. Thereare also low-fat eggnog recipesyou can try.”

Check your holiday calendarand plan ahead. “If you know that

you will indulge at a holiday func-tion, exercise before the event.This will help speed up your me-tabolism and can also help reduceyour appetite,” said MichelleWalters-Edwards, departmentchair and associate professor ofHealth and Human Performance atMarymount University in Arling-ton.

Don’t arrive at holiday celebra-tions on an empty stomach. “Ithelps if you eat something beforegoing to a holiday party, even ifit’s a light snack, so you don’t ar-rive starving,” said Ganey. “Drink-ing water during your meal willmake you feel fuller faster and willhelp you eat less.”

Registered dietician Bonita Lillieof Dietetic Consultants of North-ern Virginia in Alexandria said, “Atthe party, pick out 4-6 foods toenjoy in small portions. If you needto bring a dish, take somethinghealthy and ask a friend to do like-wise.”

Finally, experts say to keepplenty of nutritious foods on hand.“Stock the kitchen with healthyquick meals, fruits and veg-etables,” said Lillie.

Preventing Holiday Weight GainNutritionists say merrimentdoesn’t have to lead to bulge.

Nutrition experts saykeeping healthy snacks onhand will help you resistthe urge to load-up onsweets during the holidays.

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