Olney Mill Community Association

Mill House Lighting:   Sunday December 6, 2009,  7:00 – 9:00 p.m. 

Olney Mill residents young and old are invited to help celebrate one of Olney Mill’s oldest traditions… Come gather around the Mill House to feast on delicious cookies and warm drinks, enjoy holiday music and caroling, and start the holiday season off right ~ with friends and neighbors.   Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive via fire truck around 7:30 p.m. to meet with the children.  Santa makes sure to talk with every child before he leaves – so get your lists ready…

Those who are  planning to attend are asked not to park in front of the Mill House, as it is a “No Parking” zone and Santa’s arrival spot.   Volunteers are needed to set up, serve refreshments, and clean up after the event, as well as help take down the lights after the holiday season.  Community Service Hours (SSL) are available to MS/HS student volunteers.   Anyone wishing to help out should contact Dennis at (301) 570-0394 or datwombly@verizon.net.

See you all there !!

Join your Olney Mill neighbors to celebrate our nation’s independence!  

This year’s fun includes the Olney Community Band, Waterslides, Magician, Moonbounce, the “Mighty Water Balloon Toss,” and lots of great food! The picnic will be held in the northeastern-most area of the Olney Family Park between the two main ponds.  Details and map are included in the July Mill Stream. Given the limited parking, residents are asked to walk if at all possible. The park can be reached via sidewalks from Mt. Olney Lane, Falling Green, the Willow Grove parking lot, and Roseneath. Treadway Rd will be blocked off to allow parking for the Olney Orchestra, handicapped residents, and delivery trucks.  

The picnic will begin at 12:00 noon. We will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, side-dishes, and drinks. There will be plenty of food, so there is no need to stand in line at 12:00 noon. The ice cream vendor will arrive after 1:00. Please only take one item per person so there is enough for everyone. 

The Olney Orchestra will begin playing patriotic music at 12:30.   This year, our 2009 scholarship winner, Jeremy Milliner, will be playing some of his own selections after 2:00.   Be sure to be there for the presentation of his award and to hear him play. Due to rains this week, some of the grassy areas are expected to be soggy. Residents are advised to wear suitable footwear (boots, flip-flops, sandals). Be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen to your children before they come to the picnic!

We need volunteers to help with a number of the activities. Students can earn SSL hours for their efforts!   Please see Maryland Lehmann or Dennis Twombly to see what things you can do.

We’re looking forward to a great day. Hope to see you there!

This coming Saturday, March 28, the Olney Mill Community Association (OMCA) will be sponsoring its 6th OMCA Spring Clean-up. Last year, nearly 70 volunteers collected litter, cans, bottles, and other items throughout our local parks. Maryland National Capital Parks & Planning (M-NCPPC) will provide permits, gloves, and trash bags, and they will give Student Service Learning (SSL) hour credits for our student volunteers. Remember, community service is an important factor in selecting our annual $1,000 OMCA scholarship winner!

We will meet at 9:00 am at three different staging areas: 1) the Olney Mill House on the corner of Olney Mill Rd and 108, 2) the Olney Family Park on Willow Grove, 3) The Olney Neighborhood Park on Charline Manor. You should wear jeans and long-sleeved shirts to avoid scratches from branches. Wear waterproof boots even if it’s clear because many of the grassy areas may be swampy. Be sure to bring a rain coat if the weather looks at all threatening. If it’s just drizzling lightly by 8:30 Saturday morning, we will go ahead that day as scheduled. The next day (Sunday) is the rain date. Any last minute announcements or postponements will be posted on our web site by 8:00 am on Saturday morning (www.olneymill.net).

After the Clean-up, we invite everyone to join us at the Oakley Cabin on Brookeville Rd (100 yds east of Grayheaven) for a pizza lunch, compliments of OMCA. I will need a count by about 11:00 of who will plans to join us there. Please call or send an email if you plan to attend so we can distribute the volunteers appropriately. At this point, it looks like we need more volunteers for the Charline Manor park group.

Dennis Twombly: (Office: 301-443-9334) or (Cell: 301-461-4357) or send email from this web site via “Contacts” (parks and common areas).

The annual Olney Mill Easter Egg hunt will be held Monday, April 13 in the Family Park.  The fun starts at Noon, so be sure to come to the Park a few minutes early.  And Parents:  Have those cameras ready!

The Family Park is the one with the ponds and has its main entrance on Willow Grove Road. In the event of rain, check back at this website for cancellation or postponement news.

The Olney Mill Scholarship Program recognizes and rewards an Olney Mill high school senior for outstanding achievement during his/her high school years (grades 9-12), with an emphasis on service in the Olney Mill and greater Olney community.

Award and Basis

The Board of Directors wishes to recognize an outstanding applicant with the $1,000 award. The Scholarship Committee will submit its recommendations from the field of applicants to the OMCA Board of Directors in a closed session. Should there be multiple applicants with equally strong achievements, the Board may choose to split the award accordingly.

Eligibility

Graduating high school seniors of OMCA families in good standing (dues current and no existing violations) are eligible. Immediate family members of the active OMCA Board, its officers or agents are not eligible.

Categories and Criteria

Scholarship decisions include three elements:

1. involvement with the Olney community, where Olney Mill is given greater consideration;
2. academic accomplishment; and
3. athletic or other extracurricular accomplishments.

Community Contribution

Involvement is “Support of the Olney Mill Community or the Olney area.” It is further demonstrated by sustained, positive contributions to the welfare of Olney Mill or the local community during the applicant’s high school years.

Application Guidelines

Applications must be postmarked prior to May 1, 2009, limited to two typed pages describing the applicant’s achievements, plus the verifying information, as required. The Scholarship Committee will process the applications and recommend awards to the Board.

Download the scholarship application.

The Olney Mill Swim Club (OMSC, “Pool”), located at 3611 Briars Road, is an organization independent from the Olney Mill Community Association (OMCA). According to the Pool By-laws, Olney Mill residents are to be given preference for membership openings. Over the years, however, many Olney Mill residents have applied for pool membership, only to have their names remain on a “waiting list” for several years. There have, evidently, been a number of problems in tracking and approving applications, as well as verifying whether or not applicants are officially residents of Olney Mill.

The OMCA Board of Directors does not participate in the Pool membership process and has no way of keeping track of applications. However, they are interested in helping to identify and address some of the issues involved. If you have experienced problems in applying for pool membership, or if you believe you are presently on the waiting list for membership, please contact both OMCA and the OMSC to provide details of your situation. Please send your input via email with the following information: name, address, phone, email, date of application for membership, date of receipt of membership (or “pending”), and any other membership problems you would like to bring to their attention. The email contacts are listed below. Both of our organizations are eager to assure that the membership procedures are efficient and fair! Again, please send your input to both addresses:

• OMCA (Dennis Twombly, President):
dtwombly@mail.nih.gov

• Olney Swim Club (Steve Ornstein, President):
plantdoctor1@verizon.net

The annual Holiday Tree Lighting will be held Sunday, December 7. Gather with your neighbors at the newly renovated Mill House for songs, cocoa and Holiday Cheer!

Calling all Olney Mill ghosts, goblins, mummies, pirates and witches (any child in costume) to join in the Olney Mill Halloween Parade! Come march around with us and show everyone how scary Olney Mill kids can really be! We will meet at the Olney Mill Park on Charline Manor Road on Sunday, October 26th at 3 p.m. We will parade around the block and then play some games and eat some special ghostly treats. There will be prizes for the prettiest, scariest, and funniest costumes, compliments of Good Earth and Cold Stone Creamery!

Be sure to bring all of the ghouls, ghosts and goblins at your house. All ages welcome. We are looking for volunteers to help out with the event. Community service hours are available! For more information about the event or to volunteer, call the Hotline at (301) 231-3739. There is no rain date for this event.

Montgomery County Council President Mike Knapp will be attending our OMCA Board meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 7:00 pm (Community Room, Buffington/ReMax Building, Olney). For many years, Mr. Knapp has assisted Olney Mill with a variety of problems and issues, including Verizon’s installation of fiber-optic cables, flooding from leaking or ruptured WSSC supply lines, and maintenance of M-NCPPC administered park areas. He has also been a big supporter of our OMCA clean-up activities.

Mr. Knapp will be on-hand to discuss any issues of concern to our Olney Mill residents. Reserve the date! This is your opportunity to meet and voice your opinions with one of the County’s most influential leaders. If possible, please let us know by e-mail if you will be attending. This will allow us to plan the evening’s schedule.

Olney Mill Residents,

The following information has been extracted from a Montgomery County advisory on Hurricane Hanna, which arrives late Friday night (9/5) and reaches a peak mid-day Saturday (9/6). For more information, see http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/PIO/news/preparedness.asp

With Hurricane Hanna threatening areas along the East Coast, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has placed emergency workers on standby and is urging residents to prepare for the possibility of flooding and power outages. The County will communicate with the public through the news media, the County home page, and emails.

The effects of a hurricane or tropical storm can be far-reaching. Areas impacted directly by a hurricane or tropical storm can be affected by high winds and flooding, especially along waterways and in low-lying areas. Fringe areas of these storms are vulnerable to tornadoes and in-land flooding caused by heavy rain.

Hurricane Preparedness Tips

• Keep flashlights and battery-powered radios with extra batteries on hand, along with a basic first aid kit, emergency food and water, and a non-electric can opener.
• Listen to the radio or television for hurricane progress reports.
• Remove outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools; or anchor objects that cannot be brought inside but that could be wind-tossed.
• Clean out gutters.
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting in anticipation of a power outage. Open the door only when necessary and close quickly.
• Refrain from putting out trash cans the night before the regular pickup.

During Power Outages

• Avoid using candles for lighting. Use a battery-powered flashlight.
• Never use a candle when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern, since the candle flame can ignite fumes from the fuel.

Flooding

• Store valuables and personal papers in a waterproof container; and avoid areas subject to flooding, including low spots, canals and streams. Do not attempt to drive over a flooded road – you can be stranded or trapped.

High Winds

• For downed trees on public property, residents should call the County’s Department of Transportation at 240-777-6000 during work hours (7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday–Friday). After hours calls should be directed to the Police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000. To report trees that have fallen on utility lines, contact the local utility companies. “Hot” wires or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, may be reported by calling 9-1-1.
• Trees that have fallen on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. The County’s Office of Consumer Protection advises homeowners to deal with established businesses only, and to call Consumer Protection first to check on a business complaint record. Consumer Protection can be reached at 240-777-3636.