Social Scene

Jade Floyd • April 17, 2012

The District is home to the nation?s highest percentage of urban green space. In fact, major parks like Rock Creek Park, the C & O Canal National Historical Park and the National Mall account for nearly 20 percent of the land in the city. Hundreds of Washingtonians will join together to beautify these spaces on global Earth Day on April 22nd. In the last Beltway of Giving, I highlighted a number of upcoming awareness months that give citizens a reason to unite for a cause ? but why limit these good efforts to just one day or one month? Throughout the year you can take the time to reduce our carbon footprint ? from installing a green roof to recycling wine bottles and corks. The Beltway of Giving is not just about donating your money to a worthy cause, but also your time and becoming a well-educated citizen that can be a steward for a cause.

Inside the classroom has proven to be the perfect setting to cultivate those stewards. The D.C.-based National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is working to increase environmental education within our nation?s schools through programs like Classroom Earth (www.classroomearth.org), an online resource designed to help high school teachers include environmental content in their daily lesson plans, and Environmental Education Week taking place April 15 ? 21st. Through these efforts, NEEF has created a network of teachers working to not only increase learning for their students, but also encourage more youth to explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). In fact, this year?s National Environmental Education Week?s 2012 theme is Greening STEM: The Environment as Inspiration for 21st Century Learning.

Part of NEEF?s environmental education outreach in the district includes a ***Be Water Wise*** partnership with 13 D.C. public schools that was launched in 2011. ***Be Water Wise*** engages partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to raise awareness of local water challenges and improve water conservation and stormwater management in school buildings and grounds. Diane Wood, President of NEEF, says the program has been a resounding success. ?We want children to be more aware of how they are connected to the environment in the classroom and take those practices home,? said Wood. ?Teachers are being rewarded for engaging their kids in the environment. If you offer something educational and fun to young people it hooks them and they want to learn more.?

Jami Dunham, Head of School at Paul Public Charter School in northwest D.C. agrees. ?Currently schools are emphasizing environmental education in the curriculum of life science classes, through after-school clubs and activities, and by developing community service projects that promote going green,? said Dunham. ?At Paul, we have had a GreenSchools! Club for several years, students have planted trees on campus, built garden beds during a community service day and we have hosted an all-school assembly to inform students about their carbon footprint.?

Dunham encourages parents to focus on increasing their children?s awareness by using their everyday routines to explore environmental education issues.? She recommends taking children to local farmers markets to discuss organic fruits and vegetables and create opportunities for their entire family to volunteer at community gardens.? Consider taking the family for an environmental outing at a D.C.-area park this Earth Day or volunteer your time at one of the many local recycling and clean-up events.

**How You Can Get Involved on Earth Day in D.C.**

On Saturday, April 21st from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. join the Anacostia Watershed Society and other local organizations as they work to cleanup the Anacostia River and its tributaries in honor of Earth Day. Last year, more than 2,000 volunteers helped remove more than 42 tons of trash from the river. More details at [potomacriverkeeper.org](http://www.potomacriverkeeper.org/event/2012-earth-day-cleanup-celebration)

On Saturday, April 21st from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. join the Student Conservation Association for an Earth Day clean-up at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Volunteers will plant 40 trees and remove invasive plant species at the Gardens, as well as assist with trash removal along the Anacostia watershed. Learn more at [members.thesca.org](http://members.thesca.org/site/Calendar?id=105601&view=Detail)

On Sunday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. celebrate Earth Day on the National Mall: Mobilize the Earth. Visitors will hear top musical talent and view renewable energy demonstrations and interactive exhibits . Learn more at [earthday.org](http://www.earthday.org/mall)

***Jade Floyd is a managing associate at a D.C.-based international public relations firm and has served on the board of directors for the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative for nearly five years. She is a frequent volunteer and host of fundraising events across the District, supporting arts, animal welfare and education programs.***

Robert Devaney • April 16, 2012

Georgetown House Tour 2012 leaders and volunteers as well as those opening their homes to the public for the April 28 event, one of the oldest of its kind in the nation, met March 15 at tour co-chair Frank Babb Randolph’s 34th Street house. The Patrons’ Party will be held April 25 at house tour champion Frida Burling’s 29th Street home. Those whose homes are on the tour: Cherry and Peter Baumbusch; Kristin and John Cecchi; Pat Dixon; Michele and Jack Evans; Hugh Newell Jacobsen; Kristin and Greg Muhlner; Dale and Melissa Overmyer; Alice Hill and Peter Starr; Christian Zapatka.

Robert Devaney • April 13, 2012

The Library of Congress hosted “the Department of the Navy’s Commemoration Honoring the Bicentennial of the War of 1812” March 13 at its Thomas Jefferson Building. With Jay DeLoach, director of Naval History and Heritage Command, as master of ceremonies, Librarian of Congress James Billington welcomed the crowd and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. Billington noted the library’s link to the war and the Burning of Washington in 1814 with its first replacement volumes from Thomas Jefferson. Mabus said that the War of 1812 is “overlooked and least remembered” of America’s war but has “an outsized impact” on its history. As the 75th Secretary of the Navy, Mabus recalled that the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert — who built and lived in Halcyon House on Prospect Street in Georgetown — had no ships to begin with. The war “confirmed our independence,” Mabus said, and was “fought over the idea of the freedom of the seas . . . not just for ourselves but for all.” Navy events for the War of 1812 begin in New Orleans in April and continue on the East Coast through the year. For details, visit www.OurFlagWasStillThere.org. [gallery ids="100638,100639" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • April 12, 2012

The Georgetown University Medical Center held its first annual event to support new cures and treatments for neurological diseases on May 13 at the Kennedy Center. Proceeds will support a Young Investigators Fund. Guests enjoyed a cocktail buffet reception followed by the NSO Pops performance highlighting Jon Secada and Tito Puente, Jr. with Marvin Hamlisch at the podium. Francine and Mel Levinson co-chaired the event. Mark and Jeanne Shriver were honorary co-chairs and Mark spoke movingly of his famed parents’ later years. He recalled his father’s words “I’m doing the best I can with what God’s given me.” Dr. Howard J. Federoff spoke of “the silver tsunami of aging and neurological disease.” At the concert, conductor Hamlisch quipped “just conducting this brings out the passion in me.” Major supporters returned to the roof terrace for a post-performance reception with the stars. [gallery ids="99713,99714,99715,99716,99717,99718,99719,99720" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • April 5, 2012

On Mar. 31, supporters of the Georgetown University Medical Center gathered at the Kennedy Center for a cocktail reception buffet, performance by Wayne Brady with the NSO Pops and post-performance reception. The entertainer sang the ?Sammys? featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. The evening?s proceeds benefit GUMC neuroscientists seeking treatments and cures for Alzheimer?s and other neurological diseases. Citing their work, Mark Shriver quoted Winston Churchill ?never, never, never, never give up.?

Georgetowner •

The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), a national nonprofit dedicated to sight-saving research, honored Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and author Tom Clancy at the D.C. For the Love of Sight Visionary Awards Dinner on March 28 at the downtown Ritz-Carlton. Alison Starling, news anchor at WJLA-TV, emceed. The tenth annual event raised more than $375,000 toward research for vision-robbing retinal degenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome and related conditions. [gallery ids="100726,120803,120795,120790" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

On March 27, representatives of the Provence Wine Council stopped in Washington on their promotional tour of several U.S. cities. They held a lunchtime tasting at Againn restaurant. Guests could sample wines from the recognized rosé center of the world. Provence rosé is by definition not sweet. Rosé outsells white wine in France today, and dry rosé sales in this country are skyrocketing. [gallery ids="100724,120780,120773" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

The Washington Concert Opera celebrated its 25th anniversary at a black-tie gala under the auspices of Ambassador of the Russian Federation and Mrs. Sergey Kislyak at the embassy on March 28. Guests enjoyed a musicale and seated dinner with WCO alums, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and Aleksey Bogdanov. The evening honored WCO benefactors Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock, WCO Founder Stephen Crout and Former Artistic Advisor Peter Russell. “Weather Conductor” Bob Ryan emceed the evening noting that “music and art enrich our lives and I think that’s why we’re here. [gallery ids="100723,120784,120738,120777,120747,120771,120756,120765" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced the 2012 RAMMY award nominees at a reception at the downtown Ritz-Carlton on March 26. This year’s theme for the June 14 RAMMY Gala is Hats Off to Restaurants. The nominations party featured hors d’oeuvres by the nominees for Best New restaurant and cocktails by the nominees for the Beverage/Mixology Program as well as a video tribute to Rich Massabny as he marks his 25th anniversary as theatre and restaurant critic and cable TV host. [gallery ids="100722,120716,120731,120708,120736,120701,120743,120693,120750,120724" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Mayor Vincent Gray recently spoke at a breakfast program of the INFO Public Policy Roundtable series hosted by IFE Diplomatic Steward Jan Matthysen, Ambassador of Belgium. The mayor outlined his plan to bring vitality back to the city and its budget.  Along with full democracy, including voting rights in Congress, housing and education remain central to the mayor’s agenda. Many ambassadors, Judge William Webster and a diverse group of IFE interns and fellows attended. [gallery ids="100725,120786,120781" nav="thumbs"]