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.

Click here to download the November Village News.

• Sidewalk Safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among people 65 and older. The CHV Sidewalk Safety Team is making progress in getting the city to remove hazards to walkers, but is asking for more volunteers for the project. See pages 1 & 2.

• Dominic Elliott has arrived with his guitar; meet CHV’s new social work intern. See page 6.

• The question of whether Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) make LGBT folks feel welcome and safe has led to a panel discussion with three of the city’s CCRCs. See page 9.

• The History & Biography book Group has a full schedule of books for the year and also plans to hear from prominent authors. See page 5.

Click here to download the October Village News.

• CHV begins its 16th year with a new slate of officers ready to build on accomplishments of the past year and encouraging members to get involved with the Board committees. See pages 1 & 4.

• Executive Director Judy Berman cautions that COVID is still with us, and encourages members to stay up-to-date on their vaccines. Two vaccine clinics—for COVID, flu, and RSV—are scheduled in October with more planned. See pages 1–2 and 3–4.

• When you get a donation request from CHV, it’s good to know why. Board member Bruce Brennan explains the organization’s finances and how support and endorsement from members and the Capitol Hill community are instrumental in securing grants from government agencies and philanthropic foundations, an important income source for CHV. See page 6.

• Villagers didn’t stop moving in September when they racked up points in search of one of the prizes awarded at the Genderson Fund Wine Reception. Get Your Move On! hasn’t ended, however; CHV affinity groups and other activities offer plenty of opportunity for continuing to stay active. See page 8 for GYMO! and the October events list starting on page 12.

Click here to download the September Village News.
In this issue, we are looking out for your physical and mental well-being:

• It’s time to GET YOUR MOVE ON! Start your Wellness Journey on the CHRS Art Walk, pages 6-7, (featuring many CHV members), take advantage of activities offered through CHV affinity groups, start your own activity, or join friends to get moving. We have ideas and information about signing up for the Walker Tracker app. See Pages 1–2 and 26.
  
• The CHV Theater Group is introducing a new format focusing on discussions around selected plays. The plays have been selected for the upcoming year. See the Sept. 26 entry on page 21.
  
• The Second Wind chorus has a good time singing, and research indicates that choral singing and participation in arts programs generally bring other benefits leading to better health outcomes. See Pages 12–13.
  
• Two old favorites—Potluck dinners (page 14) and Wellness Cafés (page 16)—are back on the calendar!

Join Capitol Hill Village on November 2^nd from 1pm to 3pm for an informative and engaging virtual panel discussion on LGBT+ inclusion in senior living communities and CCRCs! We will have representatives from three communities: Riderwood (Silver Spring, Maryland), Ingleside (NW DC), and Sunrise on Connecticut Avenue (NW DC) participating in our panel. This panel will address what these communities doing and working on to ensure LGBT+ residents are welcomed and affirmed. Attendees will have the opportunity for Q and A. Our moderater will be Amera Bilal, the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Broadmead retirement community in Maryland.

This event is part of Capitol Hill Village’s multi-year project focused on LGBT inclusion among long-term care communities in the DC area. To learn more go to: https://capitolhillvillage.org/ccrc-lgbt-inclusion-project/ 

Capitol Hill Village is holding our first vaccine clinic of the season on October 6th from 10am to 3pm at Eastern Market’s North Hall (located at 225 7th St SE). The clinic is open to all and we will have Safeway professionals on site administering vaccines. COVID-19 booster, Flu shots, and RSV vaccines will be available.

Please note: the RSV vaccine is not currently covered by all insurances: only certain Medicare Part D plans are covering it, and neither DC Medicaid nor Medicare Part B are confirmed. A Safeway representative will check to see if your insurance will cover before the vaccine is administered, so you can choose if you prefer to pay out of pocket ($322) or wait until coverage can be confirmed. You can also check with your insurance plan directly and plan accordingly. We have asked Safeway to conduct this check before hand but they’re not able to do so. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

Sign up for the clinic by contacting us at 202-543-1778 or email info@capitolhillvillage.org.

Registration is now open for the Capitol Hill Village 2023 LGBTQ Intergenerational Symposium!

Anyone is welcome to attend this free virtual event—which includes an array of fantastic LGBT+ speakers and session leaders. The Symposium kicks off the night before, on September 22nd, with an evening full of fun featuring the marvelous Tara Hoot. Our main event will be from 11:00am to 3:30pm on September 23rd via Zoom and consists of a keynote speaker, a wellness session, a panel, and a breakout session.

You can register here and can learn more about our speakers by going to: https://capitolhillvillage.org/programs-advocacy/pride/lgbtq-symposium/

Click here to download the July-August 2023 News.

• Get Your Move On! Is back and better than ever! Signups begin August 1. The kickoff party is Sept. 9, preceding two weeks of individual—and possibly team—physical activities that we hope will add a new source of movement and joy to your routines. See Pages 3–4 and 24.
  
• The CHV Theater Group is introducing a new format focusing on discussions around selected plays. The plays have been selected for the upcoming year. See page 8.
  
• Yes, it’s not too early to think about snow shoveling. If you are 65 or older and would like an exemption from the shoveling requirements at your home, now is the time to think about submitting an application. See page 13.
  
• The Southeast Library is scheduled to closed for renovation, and we have information on Library by Mail that can take up slack the in checking out books. See pages 1–2.
  
• CHV and the National Council on Aging are teaming up in a campaign to increase vaccination rates among older adults. See pages 1–2.

Click here to download the June 2023 News.

• Villages Have Impact: across the city, Village volunteers are providing critical services that engage and inform older Americans, provide in-home support, and in other ways address social isolation. The numbers are in the DC Villages FY2022 impact report. See page 1.
  
• Lots of opportunities for CHV members to engage: the Advocacy Team is looking for a researcher and help with Parks advocacy; join others to check out pickleball; the Friends of Virginia Avenue Park are looking for help.
  
• And take a look at these new activities: the NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) group is having its first meeting, and a solo aging program opens in June.
  
• Get details for the all-member meeting June 20 where more of the new Strategic Plan will be discussed.