What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to us?

You probably know Dave & Casey. Their house is one of the most popular destinations in Cheverly every Halloween, they are active with the Prince George's Master Gardeners and share their knowledge at the Cheverly Community Market, they are fixtures at the pool, CHVProm, the Garden Club, History Club, Green Infrastructure, and more. Casey is featured in this year's Cheverly Day Art Show & Fair, and Dave was the recipient of the Mayor's Award at Cheverly Day last year and writes for ChvBlog. So even if you don't think you know Dave & Casey, you probably do! They are some of the very special people who make Cheverly what it is, so we were curious to find out just what "Made in Cheverly" means to them.

Dave & Casey in the 2011 Cheverly Day Parade

What does 'Made in Cheverly' mean to us?

When we think of “Made in Cheverly”, we think of all the friends we have made in Cheverly in 25 plus years. There are so many opportunities to meet and learn about our neighbors. Cheverly’s many town organizations give anyone the chance to find others who share common interests. By joining in and volunteering, we have found several occasions to make friends. Cheverly Day itself is a perfect example! We like to think that the community that is Cheverly has helped to make us who we are today.

Thanks, Dave & Casey! We couldn't agree more. 

What do you think? What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you? We'd love to have your voice in this conversation!

Two Weeks from Today...

You'll be getting ready for ChvProm! And you'll need to know what you're supposed to bring for potluck hors d'oeuvres...

If you can help with setup, decorating or cleanup, please contact Emily Tevault. Being part of the decorating team is always a lot of fun! 

Get ready for dancing, photos with fellow party goers, food and a great evening in the Community Center -- just two weeks from today!

What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you?

We're excited to share this perspective from Liz Lescault on our conversation about what "Made in Cheverly" means to the people who live and work here. Liz, a long-time resident is well known for her amazing work as a ceramic artist and painter, and for her art classes for both children and adults.  Wondrous creativity has blossomed under her tutelage, and we are so very lucky to have her in our neighborhood. Here's Liz's take on "Made in Cheverly":

Liz Lescault and Pat Nelson enjoy a laugh at Cheverly Day

We -- my husband, Mike, my son, Matthew, and I -- moved to Cheverly 1986.  I set up my home ceramic studio in 1987.  I hosted my first Holiday Home Show in 1989, and in 1991 I started teaching art classes for children in my Cheverly home studio.  In 1996, I started teaching adult watercolor classes. 

Throughout the years I have organized and staged numerous art exhibits for Cheverly Day, including the 75^th Anniversary Cheverly Day Art Show. It included over 100 exhibitors.

It has been such a joy to live in Cheverly and share my passion for art with the community. I cannot believe that Christian Horchler,  son of Illona Horchler,  the first child of one of my first students, is now in my sketching class this spring. I have watched so many Cheverly children grow up. Gynn Manty and Kayah Manty started with me when they were six years and eight years old and continued to take classes with me until they graduated from high school. I have even had a few of the children join my watercolor class as adults. I feel that I may have a very biased view of the talents and creativity, not to mention the loving kindness of  children from my experience with the extraordinary children of Cheverly, but I am always amazed and humbled by their creations. 
 

Although I have new students in my adult watercolor class and some who do not stay with me long term, I have a devoted core of watercolorists, some who have been with me for ten years. With these talented artists, whom I count as friends, and other friends and acquaintances I have in Cheverly, I feel surrounded by the warmth of the community. Although Cheverly is inhabited by highly accomplished, intelligent, community-minded and committed residents, there seems to be a humility here that does not exist in some other communities of wealth and privilege. In Cheverly, our privilege and wealth are our human resources and a cooperative human spirit where people look out for each other and make living in this world just a little easier.


Cheverly.  "Where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."  (Garrison Keillor)

We still want to hear your story. Let us know: What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you?

We love your "What does 'Made in Cheverly' mean to you?" responses!

We've been asking friends and neighbors in town what "Made in Cheverly" means to them, and we've had some great conversations as a result. Today, Barbara Michelman shares her view:

"Made in Cheverly" makes me think of all the factors responsible for making this town the type of place where you want to put down roots and raise a family, such as: 

Barbara's daughter, Ava, in the 2011 Cheverly Day Parade

• A police chief who personally answers your emails.
• The public works employees who take your trash cans to the street when you are physically unable to do so.
• Neighbors who sign up to deliver home-cooked meals to families with new babies--families that they don't even know personally. 
• The women who open their homes to run daycare centers and help us raise confident, happy kids who are ready and excited to enter preschool. 
• The volutneer coaches, directors, artisans who introduce--and give our kids an appreciation for--the arts, music, theater, sports. 
• Citizens who fill in the gaps with their own time, talents and money when budget shortfalls cannot meet all the needs of our local public schools.  
• A community market that not only supports local farmers but showcases the beautiful, creative and/or delicious handmade crafts of our neighbors.

It's true. We make this town into a neighborhood. It's all of us -- families, neighbors, police, public works, volunteers. We all imagine what we want our home to be. And we make that home every day, right here in Cheverly.

So what about you? What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you? We want to know!

The Arts Are Alive & Well in Cheverly!

 We're adding more artists' bios and photographs to our 2012 Cheverly Day Art Show! From handmade walking sticks and juggling gear by Deciduous Dave Konieczk in the Art Fair on the Lawn to gorgeous photography from Teresa Castracane in the Art Show inside the Community Center, there will be a lot of wonderful work to see and share this Cheverly Day!

We Love Our Sponsoring Advertisers!

Thanks again to all of our wonderful sponsoring advertisers! Show that you appreciate their support of Cheverly Day activities by doing business with these great companies and community groups!


Interested in becoming a sponsoring advertiser? There's still time! Visit our website for all the details.

Become a Sponsor of Cheverly Day!

Interested in learning how you can join your friends and neighbors in showing your support of Cheverly Day through a sponsorship? Email Micah Watson for details. 

We'll include you on an illustrious roster of people who make Cheverly Day a very special event.

3 on 3 Basketball Tourney!

Have you signed up for the Annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney yet? The deadline is May 6, so get busy. These spirited games are full of great players every year -- fun to play or to watch!

Details -- and the application -- are available on our website.

The Couch to 5K Group Is Going Strong!

We happened to be at Town Park yesterday as the Cicada Crunch Couch to 5K runners gathered. They're going strong and well on the way to their goal of running the 2012 Cicada Crunch on Saturday, May 12. 


Still want to get involved? You can! E-mail the organizers for information and to get signed up, and "like" the Cicada Crunch 5K Facebook page to stay up to date on race information. and, of course, learn all about the 2012 Cicada Crunch on our website!

What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you?

Kelly Fisher, known to many in Cheverly through her yoga practice her music has a wonderful take on our question, "What does 'Made in Cheverly' mean to you?" -- read on to find out how she celebrates this very special community.

Cheverly in springtime reminds me of the shire. Everything is so green and when the azaleas and dogwoods bloom it is a sight to behold. For nine years I have had the honor of teaching yoga classes here in Cheverly. It began as one all-levels class per week and has grown into six classes per week, beginner to more seasoned practitioner. It is fulfilling to see a student stand on her hands when she never even imagined that was something to do. (Don't worry, that does not happen in the beginner classes!)  It is equally fulfilling to see the smiles on people's faces at the end of class after a particularly satisfying deep relaxation pose.

And I must say, the sense of community is inspiring. This was one of the things that drew my husband and I to Cheverly in the first place. It is convenient to DC, livable, and neighbors talk to each other. I love that about my street and I love that about my yoga students. Many students walk to class and over the years have made good friends with each other. The yogis who joined me in the parade celebrating Cheverly's 80th birthday last year formed a real bond as we developed our ideas for the spectacle and then marched together.

So, "Made in Cheverly" to me means coming together to celebrate each person's unique talents. We practice yoga to reduce stress and better integrate body, mind, and heart, and that can assist anyone to feel more creative in pursuing their own interests. Made in Cheverly is the wealth of human resource we have to come together to live meaningful lives, participating in community activities like the Cheverly Community Garden or the Cheverly Community Market, and of course Cheverly Day.

Thanks, Kelly! We agree 100%. What's your take? What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you? We'd love to include take on this ongoing conversation here on the blog.


Kelly Fisher, E-RYT 500, has been teaching yoga for over ten years.  She holds classes at the Cheverly United Methodist Church as well as in Capitol Hill and Silver Spring.  You can find her on the web at Wildflower Yoga.

On the Stage at Cheverly Day: The 8 Ohms Band

We've got a great lineup of musicians and entertainers coming your way on May 12! Start your weekend a little early by litening to The 8 Ohms Band at Baltimore's Ottobar in this clip, and get ready for a great Cheverly Day!

CHVProm...The Hottest Ticket in Town!

Did you manage to secure a table for this year's CHVProm? Tickets went on sale on April 2, and tables have already sold out. This is a first!  "Mingling room" tickets are now available -- they will not have table seating, but you'll still be at the very best party in town! 


All ticket requests from this point forward should be directed to Glen Barton. Please do not go to Town Hall and leave a check as Town Hall does not have any more tickets, will not be receiving any more tickets, and is not maintaining the ticket list.


Thanks to everyone for the unprecedented response! We can't wait to get on the dance floor on May 11!

Another Take on "What does 'Made in Cheverly' mean to you?"

We're still asking...what does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you? We make art, food, community groups, families...the idea of "Made in Cheverly" is pretty broad and the conversation can move in many directions. 


Today, Father Kevin Kennedy of St. Ambrose Catholic Church shares his thoughts:


"Made in Cheverly – To me it means creating and being a community where we live by virtues such as honesty, integrity and the common good."


Thanks for your thoughts, Father Kennedy. Community is definitely something made special in Cheverly.

What's YOUR story? What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to YOU?

JohnStone Reggae Band to Play Cheverly Day!

We are thrilled to have the JohnStone Reggae Band with us at Cheverly Day this year! JohnStone performs all over the east coast and supports some of the biggest acts in reggae, including Yellowman, Toots and the Maytals, and Yellow Spear.

Here JohnStone is performing at the 2010 Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC: 

Learn about our great lineup of 2012 Cheverly Day performers on our website!

Cicada Crunch Fundraiser at Franklins Tomorrow!

Join us this Tuesday at Franklins for a fundraiser to benefit the Cicada Crunch 5K Race. Proceeds from this year's race will benefit VineCorps. Have lunch or dinner at Franklins (or shop in the store!) and remember to give a copy of your check to the hostess on your way out. We will receive 20% of the check totals pre-tax.

See you at Franklins on Tuesday!

We asked "What does 'Made in Cheverly' mean to you?"

We've put the question to you...what does "Made in Cheverly" mean to you? It's an interesting conversation: We make art, food, community groups, families... Councilmember Carolyn Cook shares her thoughts here:

I am made in Cheverly, at least the most meaningful part of me is. I planted roots here in 1999 when my husband James and I bought our first home. A month later our oldest son was born and I started to grow into someone more. The new journey of motherhood, along with the nurturing of family and friends, helped me to blossom. Thirteen years later, I feel settled in my community with my husband, my two sons, and a continuous flow of support from our neighbors in town. For me, the most important phase of my life was made in Cheverly -- becoming a mom.

Thanks for sharing, Carolyn. We love this story!

What's YOUR story? What does "Made in Cheverly" mean to YOU?

Thank You to Our Advertising Sponsors

We want to extend a special thanks to all of our advertising sponsors -- both community groups and Cheverly businesses. Please show your appreciation of their support of Cheverly Day by supporting them!

Interested in advertising on our blog or website? Learn how here.

Another Artist at Cheverly Day: Helen Crosskey

Helen Crosskey may, in fact, be the person who came up with the idea for Made in Cheverly at Cheverly Community Market last year. She makes wonderful jewelry, hats and clothing. Make sure to visit her among the artists this year at Cheverly Day, and see our growing artist page on the Cheverly Day website!