REALTORS® Host Thanksgiving Meal Give-Away Drive-by Event in Partnership With Phoenix Sun’s Damion Lee, The L.E.E. Way Foundation, and Wegmans
By ANIYAH WASHINGTON
PGCAR
Landover, Md. (Nov. 21, 2023)—On Saturday, November 18, the Prince George’s County Association of REALTORS® (PGCAR) hosted a Thanksgiving Meal Drive-By co-sponsored by Damion Lee and Michelle Riddick of The L.E.E. Way Foundation and Wegmans. Members of the Association’s Community Service Committee joined volunteers from The L.E.E. Way Foundation on Friday (11/17/2023) to prepare and pack holiday food gift bags; these holiday food bags were given away to over 150 families in need at a drive-by event held at PGCAR’s offices in Landover, MD.
PGCAR’s Community Service Committee Vice Chair, Shameeka Price shared, “It’s a whirlwind effort pulling this together through our REALTOR® committee alongside our partner volunteers. REALTORS® find great reward in giving back to the communities that we serve.
The L.E.E. Way Foundation was founded by NBA’s Damion Lee of the Phoenix Suns and Michelle Riddick, the foundations’ goal is “to provide a sense of community and safe environment for the youth around the world. Focusing on self-esteem, teamwork, relationship building, communication, and leadership skills. They strive to give youth an opportunity to be heard and room to grow.”
The Prince George’s County Association of REALTORS® is the voice for real estate in Prince George’s County, Maryland, representing more than 3,500 real estate professionals in the national capital area. PGCAR is an affiliate of the Maryland and National Association of REALTORS®. We are proud to serve our members and our community and work to ensure professionalism in the industry. Our volunteers and staff work to offer services to real estate professionals and to provide avenues for our members to become more successful. We proudly work to promote and protect home ownership and private property rights.
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Governor Moore Announces Appointment of The Honorable Cheri Nicole Simpkins to the Prince George’s County Circuit Court
By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Governor News
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Nov. 21, 2023)—Governor Wes Moore today announced the elevation of The Honorable Cheri Nicole Simpkins to the Prince George’s County Circuit Court.
“I am proud to announce the appointment of the Honorable Cheri Nicole Simpkins to serve on the Prince George’s County Circuit Court,” said Gov. Moore. “She has repeatedly answered the call to serve and I am confident that she will be an inspirational leader while enhancing the lives of Prince George’s County residents.”
The Honorable Cheri Nicole Simpkins has served for six years as an associate judge on the District Court for Prince George’s County. She was appointed to the District Court by Governor Hogan in 2017. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she served for 15 years as a prosecutor with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, ultimately serving as the Chief of the Juvenile Division. As a prosecutor she handled cases involving child sexual and physical abuse and neglect, child pornography, and sexual assault. She also handled vehicular homicides, major felonies and narcotics cases earlier in her career and worked in private practice as a family law attorney with Butler, McKeon and Associates.
Simpkins received her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
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Maryland Department of the Environment Honors Student Artists at “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest
Suitland High School students win top prizes; annual awards promote recycling, creativity among students
By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Department of the Environment
BALTIMORE (Nov. 17, 2023)—Maya Glass, a student at Jemicy School in Baltimore County, won the grand prize of a Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ Tablet and two passes to the National Aquarium at the Maryland Department of the Environment’s 22nd annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest today at Montgomery Park in Baltimore City. The winning entry, made from shoes, was entitled “Trampled.”
Students from Carroll, Queen Anne’s and Prince George’s counties won the top prizes in four other categories. This year, 62 entries from 20 high schools were on display. The students made their sculptures from reused materials.
“These sculptures bring the benefits of recycling to life in a beautiful way,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. “Waste diversion reduces the amount of material going into landfills, and that helps us reduce greenhouse gasses and fight climate change.”
The category first-place winners, each of whom received Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds and two passes to the National Aquarium were:
• Creativity: Ashlynn Kief, Manchester Valley High School, for “Lady Dale & Milkbone”
• Workmanship: Kyra Stefanoski, Century High School, for “Bernard the Boysenberry Octopus”
• Use of Materials: Lexi Harris, Kent Island High School, for “Precious Peacock”
• People’s Choice: Samina Nelson, Suitland High School, for “The Royal”
The second-place winners in each category, who received $100 Amazon gift cards and two passes to the National Aquarium, were:
• Creativity: Samadhi Jones, Suitland High School, for “The Departure”
• Workmanship: Azera Graham, Suitland High School, for “Esterfester”
• Use of Materials: Santania Vo, Century High School, for “Tree of Life”
• People’s Choice: Ryli Standcliff, South Carroll High School, for “CDs with a Porpoise”
To see photos of the winning entries, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdenvironment/sets/72177720312758378/with/53337290387/
Sponsors of the event were the American Cleaning Institute, Waste Management, the Maryland Recycling Network, made+ and the National Aquarium. Sponsors donated prizes, funding and refreshments for this year’s contest.
“ACI is proud to support this effort to bring greater attention to recycling,” said Ana Fraisse, Manager, Sustainability Engagement at the American Cleaning Institute. “Our goals to reduce waste from cleaning product packaging won’t be met without greater understanding of how to recycle, so we thank the Maryland Department of the Environment and the contest participants for their hard work in this event!”
Contest judges were: Chelsea Anspach, communications manager for the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore; Rahne Alexander, an intermedia artist, writer and senior publicist Johns Hopkins University Press; and Juliet Ames, who makes jewelry and art using recycled china and glass.
Since 2001, MDE has celebrated America Recycles Day by hosting the annual “Rethink Recycling” Sculpture Contest. High school students from across Maryland are invited to participate by creating sculptures made of recycled and reusable materials. The competition is just one way MDE educates and empowers the public to reuse and recycle materials that would have otherwise gone into landfills.
To find out what you can do to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled products, visit MDE’s recycling webpage. The department’s mission is to protect and restore the environment for the health and well-being of all Marylanders.
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The Lights Are up and Washington’s Downtown Holiday Market Is Open
By PARKER LEIPZIG
Capital News Service
WASHINGTON (Nov. 17, 2023)—The Downtown Holiday Market opened on Friday in the nation’s capital.
Located along F Street N.W. between 7th and 9th Streets, next to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, the market is celebrating its 19th year and features more than 70 vendors.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser joined the vendors, performers and attendees in celebration of the opening day. Shoppers were entertained by singer Jennifer Holliday, the Washington Ballet and the Washington National Opera.
Michael Berman, the operator of the Downtown Holiday Market and owner of Diverse Markets Management, said planning for the weeks-long market usually starts in April.
Berman’s company also puts on the flea market at the Washington’s Eastern Market and farmers markets in the city’s Southwest and NoMa neighborhoods.
“So when we put out a call for small businesses and vendors to participate in this we get an international, actually, response,” he told Capital News Service. “So, we have a lot to choose from, but this is such an extraordinary event and it’s so busy and they are here for such a long time that it’s almost like they open a little store here.”
Most of the vendors offer handmade products or are representing consumer homemade products from a specific country, so tourists and Washington residents alike will find unique gifts such as crafts, art, clothing and jewelry.
The Downtown Holiday Market is unusual because of its size and how long the market is open, Berman said.
“This is the one that has the most infrastructure built in to really put on a show and a special event. I mean, we live here for 40 days non-stop,” Berman said. “So these businesses really go all out in their display and in their store that they build in the tent.”
Visitors will be treated to daily performances and activities in partnership with local restaurants and museums.
The market will open daily in all weather from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. until its closing on Dec. 23.
The market opens just ahead of DC Cocktail week, scheduled Nov. 28–Dec. 5. Presented by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, more than 100 eateries and bars will be offering special cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks paired with food items.
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