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While most towns like to reminisce about better days, Garrett Park used Jan. 29 to celebrate the hard times; a town tradition that celebrates is Depression-era history.

The potluck dinner – held annually with a variety of themes was as a way to share stories about making the best out of the worst and enjoying a meal as a town.

"It was a lot of fun," said Town Councilman Jack Mandel, who attended the dinner along with about 60 other residents.

Residents shared stories of recent hardships too; about losing power during January's snow storms and heavy winds as well as stories on dealing with auto-mechanics. Mandel said he shared his experience with losing power; fearing for the lives of the fish he keeps in a heated aquarium.

In addition to bringing wine, salads, mashed potatoes and other potluck staples, residents brought chipped china, cups without handles and wore worn-cut clothes and dressed as hobos.

Kensington MOMS

help at Children's Inn

The Kensington Park MOMS Club is trying to start an annual tradition of serving dinners for families staying at The Children's Inn, a free place for children being treated at the National Institutes of Health.

The MOMS Club is the local chapter of the national group of the same name. The clubs support charity groups and each other.

The club visited the inn Jan. 30 and served taco supper for about 60 people. The effort was supported by Whole Foods of Rockville, which donated $200 of groceries.

Cara Jackson, a member of the club, said her group has visited the inn twice and hopes to make it a regular event, as the club works to benefit women and children.

For details, visit www.kensingtonparkmoms.com.

Donate soap to help Haiti

MoverMoms, a Bethesda-based nonprofit, is collecting soap for its Hope & Soap for Haiti project.

The group will be sending bars of soap to Haiti to help the nation combat a deadly cholera outbreak.

Thousands people have died or been sickened by cholera after an earthquake devastated the country in January 2010.

On Jan. 29, MoverMoms held a bake sale outside a Bethesda Giant Food store and raised $600 toward the project.

New bars of soap and new or gently used blankets are being accepted through Feb. 16. Donations can be dropped off at a dozen locations in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase, Cabin John and Clarksburg.

For details on drop-off locations, visit www.movermoms.org or e-mail info@MoverMoms.org .

Recycling 2.0

Washington Metropolitan OASIS, a nonprofit designed to enhance the quality of life for seniors, is recycling old computers to donate to low-income seniors.

The RecycleMyComputer program has donated 40 computers since December, Executive Director Marcy Drozdowicz said.

Computers don't have to be working, but must be capable of running Windows 2002, Windows XP, or Windows Vista. Monitors, printers, scanners, and other accessories are accepted.

All personal data will be removed from the computers and new software will be installed, Drozdowicz said.

Equipment can be dropped off at the RecycleMyComputer office at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane.

To schedule a drop off time, call the OASIS office at 301-469-6800 extension 211.

Glen Echo ambulance gets a seal

The Glen Echo Fire Department Station No. 11 was awarded the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems Seal of Excellence for its ambulance after passing a rigorous inspection Dec. 21.

The ambulance became the first in Montgomery County to receive the designation after meeting expectations for staff and equipment set by the statewide Voluntary Ambulance Inspection Program, said Marie Warner-Crosson, a regional administrator with MIEMSS.

Glen Echo is the first department in the county to apply for the Seal of Excellence since it was created in 1981, Warner-Crosson said. The seal formally recognizes that the ambulance meets state standards, which are similar to county standards.

The fire department received an decal to display on its ambulance for two years.

Breast cancer bake sale

Volunteers will be outside the Garrett Park Post Office, 4600 Waverly Ave., Saturday to sell baked goods and coffee. They will also offer information to support this year's Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, held annually to raise money for oncology research.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. volunteers will be selling food, coffee, and knitted goods to raise money for breast cancer research and draw support for the 39-mile walk, scheduled to take place in NW Washington D.C. April 30 to May 1.

Jeanne Mendelblatt, a researcher with Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center will be on hand to provide information about breast cancer.

Campus Congratulations

Emily Uhar of Bethesda was named to the dean's list for the fall 2010 semester a Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.

Derek Chiu of North Potomac, and Erik Mulchandani of Potomac made the fall 2010 dean's list at the Georgia Institute of Technology

Michael DiLima of Kensington was named to the dean's list with honors at the University of New Hampshire for the fall 2010 semester.

Share your good news! Send items to Bethesda/Potomac reporter Cody Calamaio at ccalamaio@gazette.net, Bethesda/Chevy Chase reporter Sarah Gantz at sgantz@gazette.net and Kensington/Garrett Park reporter Alex Ruoff at aruoff@gazette.net. They can be reached via fax at 301-670-7183 or snail mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Don't forget to send us photos!