Olney Mill Community Association

AWARD AND BASIS. The OMCA Board of Directors will award an Olney Mill high school senior with a $1,000 scholarship. Should there be multiple applicants with equally strong achievements, the Board may choose to split the award accordingly. It is the OMCA Board of Directors that makes the final determination of the scholarship recipient(s). The scholarship will be awarded at the end of the school year and the recipient will be recognized in The Mill Stream and at OMCA’s Annual 4th of July Picnic.

ELIGIBILITY. Graduating high school seniors of Olney Mill families in good standing (annual assessments are current with no existing violations) are eligible. Immediate family members of the current OMCA Board of Directors, its officers and agents are not eligible.

CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA. The determination of the scholarship recipient(s) will be based on three criteria:
• Academic Accomplishment;
• Community Involvement;
• Extracurricular & Athletic Achievements.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. Involvement in the community is defined as volunteer, non-paid efforts by the applicant that demonstrate a sustained, positive contribution to the welfare of the community during the applicant’s high school years. Involvement within the Olney Mill Community is given greater consideration.

HOW TO APPLY. Interested individuals may obtain an application by clicking on the following link, emailing olneymill@yahoo.com or calling the Hotline at (301) 231-3739 to request an application. Completed applications must be postmarked prior to May 1, 2012. 2012 Scholarship Application

December 5, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Start your holiday season off right with one of Olney Mill’s oldest traditions! Gather around the Mill House and enjoy some delicious treats, holiday music and great company with your Olney Mill friends and neighbors.

Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive around 7:30 p.m., so get your cameras ready…
Residents planning to come are asked not to park in front of the Mill House, as it is a “No Parking” zone and Santa’s arrival spot.

Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact the Hotline at (301) 231-3739 prior to the event. SSL hours are available.

strong>November 10 at 7 PM.
Buffington/ReMax Building
Community Room

AGENDA
¨ Welcome
¨ Nominations / Board of Director Elections
¨ Minutes from 2009 Annual Meeting
¨ Committee Annual Reports
¨ Treasurer’s Report and 2011 Budget
¨ Other Business
Come find out what’s going on in Olney Mill at the OMCA Annual Meeting. This concise meeting will give you the opportunity to find out what’s happening in our neighborhood without taking too much time. You can even bring the kids! It will be an informative and enjoyable meeting for everyone!

An absentee ballot and a short biography for each candidate received thus far are located on Page 5. If you cannot attend the Annual Meeting, please be sure to mail your ballot for arrival by November 8, 2010. Mailed ballots will only be valid if they are sent in a sealed envelope with a return name and address on the envelope. Mail your official ballot to: OMCA BALLOTS, P.O. Box 217, Olney, MD 20830. 2010_Ballot<

If you have questions, want to nominate someone or would like additional information about the meeting, please call the OMCA Hotline at (301) 231-3739.

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.

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.

Yes, there is a little rain as of 8:30 am Saturday morning. Nevertheless, we will hold the Yard Sale as scheduled. Larry Van Druff is already handing out red balloons at the Mill House. So plan to get just a little wet and we’ll hope for a good turnout today.

Urgent Notice for Olney Mill Residents: Sometime from April 28 to May 10, Montgomery County will be spraying insecticide to control gypsy moth caterpillars. The gypsy moth is the most serious pest of hardwood trees in Montgomery County and state wide. The caterpillars feed on the leaves, often causing defoliation that damages trees and sometimes causes trees to die. Only areas with high numbers of gypsy moths are being treated. The date of the application will depend on weather conditions. M-NCPPC plans to have staff in the Family Park to keep residents off the trails and out of the park during the spraying.

The insecticide B.t. will be applied by a helicopter flying approximately 50 feet above tree top level. Applications will begin at dawn and continue as long as weather conditions are favorable for spraying. Application to a specific area is usually completed in 15-30 minutes. The spray dries on leaves in approximately 30 minutes. The spray contains the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.). To be effective, B.t. must be eaten as the caterpillar feeds on leaves. There is no evidence that the use of B.t. poses any risk to humans, domestic animals, or the environment. A good source of information about the insecticide is available on the internet at http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet.

Please avoid touching the wet leaves
Be aware of & avoid the helicopters

For more information about the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program, please see the website: Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Gypsy Moth Suppression Program: Daytime phone (240) 777-7700; 24-hour hotline (240) 777-7788. E-mail: AskDEP@montgomerycountymd.gov

Olney Mill Volunteers,

The weather services are predicting rain starting at 5:00 pm on Friday evening and continuing throughout the day Saturday. We are therefore postponing the OMCA Spring Cleanup to the following day, SUNDAY, April 6, from 8:30 until noon. Other than the change in date, all of the activities will be as described below, including the pizza lunch at Oakley Cabin. Sunday is expected to be clear all day, but be sure to wear boots because the fields will probably be muddy!

Hope to see you all Sunday,

Dennis Twombly

This coming Saturday, April 5, the Olney Mill Community Association (OMCA) will be sponsoring its 5th OMCA Spring Clean-up. Bring your families and friends to join us for our annual celebration of Earth Day! Last year, nearly 70 volunteers collected litter, cans, bottles, and other items throughout our local parks and along roads and trails. Maryland National Capital Parks & Planning (M-NCPPC) will provide gloves and trash bags, and they will give Student Service Learning (SSL) hour credits for student volunteers. 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.

We will meet at 8:30 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. We need 2-3 people helping at the Mill House location. The rest should go either to the Family Park or Charline Manor Park where much larger areas need to be covered.

Be sure to bring a rain coat if the weather looks at all threatening. You should also 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. We will be asking for a few adventurous individuals to collect trash from the stream-beds and ponds. If you are interested, dress accordingly and please let us know if you can do this when you arrive at the staging area.

Please pass the word to anyone you think might be able to participate, even if they are not Olney Mill residents. The more people who join us, the more we can accomplish! Please contact Dennis Twombly by phone (office, 301-443-9334; cell, 301-461-4357) or by email if you plan to attend so we can distribute the volunteers appropriately. Sunday is our official “rain date”. If it’s just drizzling lightly by 8:30 Saturday morning, we will go ahead that day as scheduled. Any last minute announcements or postponements will be posted to the web sited by 8:00 am on Saturday morning.

We hope you can join us for this worthwhile and enjoyable experience. Please write down the above contact numbers so you call us about any last-minute changes.

See you Saturday!

The Olney Mill Community Association Board announces the launch of the new OMCA website:

olneymill.net

The new website will be the Community Bulletin Board for upcoming activities and the primary means of contacting the OMCA Board regarding Community concerns.

See this space for upcoming events. View Color Versions of The Millstream! And check this website for photos of our community events!