Click here to download a PDF of the July-August Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• A new affinity group—focused on issues with hearing—is starting up in early September. It will be an opportunity for members to receive and share information about getting assistance and the kinds of devices available. See page 1.
  
• There is also a new Grief Support Group that will meet on Tuesdays at Capitol Hill Towers. Contact Alex Smith with questions: asmith@capitolhillvillage.org

• Executive Director Judy Berman thanks members for completing the recent survey and explains how the information will assist CHV in helping members avoid hospital readmissions, 79 percent of which are preventable according to the NIH. See pages 1, 3, and 4.

• Members and friends are having fun—see pictures of members and staff participating in Pride events, the Capitol Hill Village happy hour, and four Salon Events. See photos on pages 6, 11, and 13.

• Green burials are gaining interest, and we sort out the various options and what’s available in the DC area. See pages 8–9.

Please note: This issue of the News is a combined July/August issue. The next issue will be available September 1. Have a great summer!

Click here to download a PDF of the June Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• Measurement and assessment are on the front burner: Executive Director Judy Berman looks at the need for determining the value of Villages as a first step in demonstrating that value. A number of research initiatives are underway including a CHV Member survey that opened June 1. See page 1.
  
• If you wondered how Capitol Hill Village uses social media to reach a wider audience, Sophia Ross explains the platforms and how you can use them as they aim to make you a social media expert. See page 8.
  
• Transportation is a critical need for many CHV members, and we are embarking on an education and awareness campaign to get people up to speed on what’s available and how to access it. See pages 10 – 11.

• CHV members are seen and being seen: attending Gala Salon Events for discussions with interesting guests (see pages 1 and 12); exhibiting in the juried art exhibition at the Hill Center (see page 15); providing their insights on participation in Pride Month (see pages 14–15).

Are you ready for Pride month? Join Capitol Hill Village throughout June for tons of exciting events—we’ve got something for everyone.

June 5th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, Celebrate Pride: Gay Trivia Night

Come celebrate pride month with your fellow DC Villagers! The Dupont Circle Village and its LGBTQ Friends group are hosting a Gay Pride Trivia Party on June 5th at the Duplex Diner (2004 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009). Prizes will be awarded. Appetizers, drinks, and dinner are available for purchase. The dress is fun and festive! The event is open to LGBTQ DC Village members (allies or prospective members are invite only and space permitting).

June 18th from 6:00pm to 7:15pm, Virtual LGBTQ Social Hour

Join us for a virtual LGBTQ Social Hour on June 18th from 6:00pm to 7:15pm (for LGBTQ individuals only). Come together to connect, combat isolation, and foster relationships.

June 23rd at 11:00am Museum Scavenger Hunt at the Renwick

Join Capitol Hill Village on June 23rd at the Renwick Gallery (1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW #1, Washington, DC 20006) for a museum scavenger hunt! Get to experience the Renwick in a whole new light. Join us for an optional pay for yourself lunch afterwards at the Cheesecake Factory. For this event attendees are encouraged to take a rapid covid test beforehand and will have access to N95 masks if needed.

To get more information or register for any of these events contact sross@capitolhillvillage.org or call 202-543-1778 x204. Our LGBTQ programs are funded by the DC Department of Aging and Community Living and are open to all DC residents.

Click here to download a PDF of the May Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• Walk in the shoes of the CHV Care Services staff for a week. Read about how the staff organizes its work, keeps tabs on member needs, provides advice and information, and much more. See pages 1, 6, and 7.
  
• The Membership Drive is in full swing, and we have ideas for how you can help out: join the Membership Committee, help with data entry and follow-up to prospective members, make presentations, host small get-togethers with prospective members. See pages 1 and 7.
  
• We salute a lineup of stellar Gala sponsors, whose support was the key to a successful evening of fundraising and fun. Impresario Sponsor the Jean-Phil-Meg team; Superstars National Capital Bank and Yarmouth Management; and more than 30 others at the Rockstar, Grammy, and Fan levels. Pictures from the event are evidence of a good time for all. See pages 8 – 11.

• The Gala is over, but some hard-to-get seats remain for the intimate Salon Events where you can enjoy an evening with Capitol Hill friends, good food, and conversation with an interesting speaker. Tickets are available from the CHV on-line calendar. See pages 10 – 11.

Click here to download a PDF of the April Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• CHV is rolling out a new membership and fee structure after hearing from members and other sources. Check out the changes that begin April 1 for new members and May 1 for renewals. See pages 1 and 6. FAQs about the changes are on page 7.
  
• The CHV Gala is Saturday, April 20, and the on-line Silent Auction opens April 1. Get information on buying tickets and bidding in the auction as well as on the Gala festivities at St. Mark’s Church. See pages 1, 8–9, and 22.
  
• The CHV Membership Committee is embarking on a spring campaign with the goal of adding 75 new members. Volunteers are needed to staff a table at Eastern Market on Saturdays in April, make presentations at local venues, and help identify potential members.

• CHV member Lula Thomas is the proud author of a memoir, which is in bookstores now. She touts the support she received from others in the CHV community who helped her reach the finish line. See pages 1 (for photo) and 4 (for her story).
  
• Get information on dealing with hearing loss and on hearing aids at the April Wellness Café. See page 11.

Click here to download a PDF of the March Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• Ready to Groove with the Village? The CHV Gala is just seven weeks away; look for details on fun activities planned for the evening, how you can contribute, the current list of salon guests and vacation homes that will be available for bidding, and the link to buy tickets so you won’t miss out on anything. The auction preview opens March 15! See pages 1-2 for more information and link to the auction preview and tickets.
  
• CHV doesn’t miss an opportunity to let the DC Council know member views. We closely follow progress on legislation to help address the shortage of home health aides, and will testify at a March 24 Council hearing. Also, read the report on last month’s testimony on sidewalk safety and the comprehensive Sidewalk Safety Report. See pages 1, 5, and 7.
  
• The newly-formed DC Villages Collaborative links the city’s Villages to improve operations, serve more adults, and expand into under-served neighborhoods. Meet Dr. Katrina Polk, the first Executive director, who brings her lifetime experiences of multi-generational living and, since she was four-years-old, service to older adults. See page 6.

• CHV has a goal of 75 new members for its spring Membership Drive.  Plan to attend a member meeting on March 21 to learn details about fee structure initiatives and the Drive, including how you can get involved. See page 18 (back cover).

We now have a webpage about the Capitol Hill Village Sidewalk Safety Team! You can view the Capitol Hill Village Sidewalk Safety Report and check out recent news articles about the Team and their work. Go to https://capitolhillvillage.org/sidewalksafety/.

Click here to download a PDF of the February Village News.

Here are just some of the stories in this issue:

• We’ll be Dancing in the Street on April 20 at the 2024 CHV Gala at St. Mark’s Church. The Gala Committee is planning a fun evening of music, dancing, trivia games, and more. Check out the plans and how you can get involved. See page 5 for more information and contacts.
  
• Music is good for the brain and body as members at the January Wellness Café learned. And, the Second Wind Chorus, coming off a winter hiatus, offers weekly opportunities to exercise your voice. See pages 1 and 6.
  
• The CHV Sidewalk Safety Team was in the news this month as Washington Post columnist Theresa Vargas explored the team’s work on sidewalk hazards. See pages 1 and 2. Plus, if you are injured in a fall on a sidewalk, see what to do after on page 2.

• There are lots of reasons for sidewalk falls, and CHV addresses one of them with a new program “A Matter of Balance,” designed to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels. See pages 1 and 2.

Click here to download a PDF of the January Village News.

• CHV members enjoyed the holiday month—at the annual holiday party and as recipients of cookies, which, for some, were accompanied by carolers from the St. Peter School. See photos on pages 1, 4, 11 and 12.
  
• CHV membership numbers are up; we hosted over 1,200 events in the last fiscal year; financially, we’re doing fine. All that and a rundown of program highlights in the annual report from Executive Director Judy Berman. See pages 1, 2, and 3.
  
• The CHV Advocacy team never rests. They heard from the “Hidden Voices,” people who suffer from the shortage of direct care workers. In DC Council hearings, they will be supporting the proposed Direct Care Worker Amendment Act, which would bolster wages and streamline hiring. See page 5.

• Norm Metzger ponders the positives of getting older, including enjoying some of those things that people try to convince you aren’t good for you: bring on the cake and steak and other delectables! See page 6.

• Thanks to a George Washington University intern, the Sidewalk Safety Team has new data that clearly illustrates the city is doing much better on pothole repair than on fixing sidewalks. See page 7.

Click here to download a PDF of the December Village News

• Don Hefferman may call himself an amateur astronomer, but with his backyard telescope  and some useful software, he has stunning pictures from the galaxies. See pages 1 & 2.
  
• Legislation to address the shortage of direct care workers will be the subject of CHV testimony before a DC Council hearing in December. See pages 1 & 2.

• Meet new CHV Care Services Manager Elizabeth Schachter and read about other staff changes at CHV. See page 5.

• CHV members and volunteers prepared and delivered Thanksgiving dinners for members across Capitol Hill. See page 11.

• Join friends and neighbors for the CHV Holiday Party December 12 at St. Mark’s Church. See pages 9, 14, and 20.