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Friends and family of North Bethesda resident Norman Abramson will gather this weekend to celebrate his 100th birthday with a brunch at Woodmont Country Club.

Abramson has lived in the Washington, D.C. area his entire life and has resided in the county for 23 years. Born March 9, 1909 in Washington, D.C., Abramson received a law degree from George Washington University. He owned and ran a department store, H Abramson, near 7th and L streets, northwest until the 1968 riots, when it was burned. After that, he opened Décor Limited, a gift shop near Dupont Circle, which he ran until he retired at age 76.

An enthusiastic golfer, Abramson played until he was 93 years old, winning with his foursome a senior nine-hole golf tournament at age 90.

Abramson attributes his longevity to having a drink of vodka at lunch every day since he was 90 years old and a scotch before dinner, but his daughter Nancy thinks it is due to having two loving wives who took wonderful care of him and having his two daughters, two granddaughters, two great granddaughters and two great grandsons living within three miles and spending lots of time together and also having many friends.

While Abramson is happy to reach the century mark, he said he would rather be 18 years old again. Passing along some words of wisdom, he said: "The most important thing in life is to have a happy association with friends and family."

Baking up funds for charities

Florence Greenberg, a fifth-grader at Bethesda Elementary, recently raised nearly $350 for various charities by organizing and hosting a bake sale where she sold homemade, wheat-free cookies.

Florence first held a bake sale several years ago as a wheat-free alternative to selling Girl Scout cookies, according to her mom, Liza.

The money from the sale went to the Washington Animal Rescue League, the Montgomery County Humane Society, the Red Cross, the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, Last Chance Pet Rescue and a donation to her Girl Scout troop, which supports a scholarship to a girl in Africa.

This year was the fourth annual bake sale, and each year, Florence has chosen the charities and has done more of the planning and baking, her mother said. The event is also a family affair. During the sale, Florence's sisters, Cassidy and Elizabeth sell hot chocolate, and friends from her Girl Scout troop also help out.

Brownies send cookies

to troops

Every year, the third grade Brownies in Troop 6002 get excited to sell Girl Scout cookies to send to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year, they shared that excitement with the first grade Brownies in their sister troop, Troop 4952, who sold cookies for the first time. Together, the two troops sold 504 boxes of cookies to send overseas.

The Brownies, from Wyngate Elementary School in Bethesda, are committed to undertaking service projects. So far this year, both troops have participated in a fall clean-up at Wyngate; collected stuffed animals to send to Project Smile, an organization that share the toys with children in need through police and fire departments; colored pictures for Color-A-Smile; and sang holiday carols with the residents at the Kensington Park Retirement Community. But showing their appreciation to U.S. troops abroad is always at the top of the list.

Cookies are sent to servicemen and servicewomen with whom the Brownie troops have a personal connection, either friends or relatives. In past years, the third-graders have received photos, heartfelt thank you notes, and an official certificate of appreciation from the troops abroad after the shipments of cookies arrived. This year, cookies will be sent to five units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The third grade Brownies in Troop 6002 who sold 294 boxes of cookies for the project, are: Katie Cannon, Clare Cawley, Catherine Gardiner, Anna, Gefke, Claire Guion, Madison Kemp, Jessica Lee, Beatrice McDermott, Lana Newman, Lily Parker, Nolwenn Raballand, Katie Ripley, Elena Ugarte and Lydia Wang.

The first grade Brownies in Troop 4952, who sold 210 boxes of cookies in their first year effort for the troops are: Ava Barrios, Abbie Cannon, Isabelle Carlisle, Eilis Cawley, Sophie DiFrank, Julia Hananel, Eve Heisel, Caroline Kennon, Lydia Levy, Skye Levy, Sara Reff, Sophia Sarnowski, and Isabella Zavareei.

Both troops are Honor Troops, a special recognition from the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital that is given to approximately just 10 percent of Girl Scouts in the region.

Sea food feast to benefit rescue squad

Dine on all-you-can-eat oysters, clams on the half shell, fried oysters, spiced shrimp, sliced baked ham, potato salad, baked beans, apple sauce and rolls at the annual Shrimp and Oyster Feast to Benefit the B-CC Rescue Squad.  

The tasty fundraiser, sponsored by the Alumni Association of the B-CC Rescue Squad will take place from 1-5 p.m., March 29, at the squad's Anastasi Room, 5020 Battery Lane, Bethesda. Tickets, which cost $40, must be purchased in advance. For tickets or further information, call 301-977-6634 or visit www.bccrs.org.

In 1978, current and former members of the rescue squad founded the Alumni Association of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad to preserve the squad's history, support the operations of the Rescue Squad and perpetuate the bonds of friendship among long-time squad members. Through its annual Crab Feasts, Oyster/Shrimp Feasts and other events, the association has raised more than $200,000 for the benefit of the Rescue Squad.  The Rescue Squad uses these funds for its operating and capital costs.

Montgomery Women honors stars at the Annual Power Tea

Montgomery Women, a leadership and political action committee for women, presented two awards honoring Montgomery County women at its annual Power Tea held March 8 at the Strathmore Mansion.

Nancy Floreen, Chair of Montgomery Women and a member of the County Council, presented the first Shining Star award to Carol Trawick of Bethesda, a veteran Montgomery County leader and head of the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation, which also presented a $1,000 scholarship to Montgomery College to be given to an outstanding female student. It was the fifth such scholarship to be awarded by the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation.

Dr. Yvette Butler, of Silver Spring, received the Rising Star Award for her work as founder and CEO of GapBuster Learning Center, Inc., a non-profit educational enrichment program designed to close the achievement gap for students from kindergarten to eighth grade.

Butler was presented with the Rising Star by Pilar Torres of Silver Spring, co-founder of Centro Familia and a past recipient. The award was established in honor of the memory of activist Phyllis Campbell Newsome who bettered the lives of countless families as Director of Community Advocacy for the Washington Council of Agencies. Butler told the 115-member audience her journey to help others began with a promise to her mother—who died of breast cancer when she was nine—to become a doctor.

Both women were presented with engraved glass trophies to commemorate the honor.

In accepting the first Shining Star award, created in memory of two Montgomery Women founders, Delegate Jane Lawton and Councilmember Marilyn Praisner, Trawick paid tribute to women activist leaders she met when she first came to Montgomery County 30 years ago: Rosalie Silverman, Betty Mae Kramer and Esther Gelman.

Prepare to miss the bus

in Kensington

Bad news for Kensington Ride On riders: On April 5, service will be cut on Route 4, which goes from Kensington to the Silver Spring Metro Station, and Route 6, which starts at the Wheaton Metro Station and runs through Kensington, Garrett Park and North Bethesda to Montgomery Mall. Weekday services between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. will be eliminated on both routes.

According to a release issued by the county executive's office, the changes are just two of many to Ride On service that come as a result of a $450 million projected budget shortfall next year.

Short stories

from small presses

The Kensington Row Bookshop will host author Sean Brijbasi, of the small press pretend genius, Saturday to read from his new book of short stories "The Unknowed Things."

Brijbasi is the author of two other collections of short stories, "One Note Symphonies" and "Still Life in Motion." Critics have called his work "completely original," "captivating," "innovative" and "deeply intelligent." The event is free to the public. Refreshments will be served. The event will kick off at 7 p.m. at 3786 Howard Ave. in Kensington. The event was incorrectly listed in a previous People and Places as happening Feb. 21.

This column is for you. Share your good news! Feel free to send press releases and news tips. For Bethesda and Chevy Chase items, contact Stephanie Siegel via e-mail at ssiegel@gazette.net or phone at 301-280-3006. For Kensington and Garrett Park items, contact Jen Beasley via e-mail at jbeasley@gazette.net or phone at 301-280-3005. You can also send information by fax at 301-670-7183, or snail mail at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.