Learn a New Skill for the New Year!

The Silver Spring Time Bank (SSTB) is hosting a Skills Share Swap on Sunday, January 8, 2017 from 2-5pm at the Silver Spring Civic Center. Best of all – it is FREE to attend! This is entirely volunteer-run and is open to the general public. You can pop in for one or two talks and visit a few ask-the-expert tables or stay for the entire event to absorb it all.

Continuing to build on the success of our swapping event series (Clothing Swap, Book Swap, Tool Swap, etc,), this SSTB event is a showcase to the entire community of the talents and skills that Time Bank members have to offer. We hope you will be inspired to join the SSTB, but no pressure! We just want you to enjoy yourself and learn something new for the New Year!!!

Here is a tentative list of the Skill Share talks and expert tables. (As with all live events, final details may change. Check our web site, Facebook page, Twitter page, or event signage for any last-minute adjustments.) We bet after reading the list below that you will find at least one topic of interest.

TALK SCHEDULE

2:00pm room opening

2:15-2:30pm Pam Holland “Decluttering & Organizing”

2:35-2:50pm Michele Gordon “Use Svaroopa Yoga to Relieve Back Pain the Easy Way”

2:55-3:10pm David Coleman “Resume Writing Tips”

3:15-3:30pm Denny Shaw “How to Find Funding For Your Non-profit”

3:35-3:50pm Mary Duke Smith “Self-defense Skills: Recognizing Early Warning Signs.”

3:55-4:10pm Kathy Carroll “"From Scattered to Calm:  A Simple Technique”

4:15-4:30pm Patrick Murphy “Residential Energy Efficiency Tips”

4:35-4:50pm Miriam Mohamed “How to Cut and Sew Reversible Tote Bags”

5:00pm room closes

“Ask the Expert” TABLING ROOM – open from 2-5pm

-       Teaching a Child to Read/Supporting a Child Learning to Read ~ Linda Warschoff

-       How to Pack School Lunches Your Kids Will Love ~ Drew Joseph

-       How do Hypnosis and Meditation Work ~ Desiree Holmes Scherini

-       Fitness and Wellness - Figuring out what works for you ~ Mary Duke Smith

-       Cooking with Kids and Families ~ Nancy Marucci

-       Sewing and Mending Basics ~ Mary Campbell

-       Knitting and Crocheting ~ Jodi Bierlair

-       Social Media 101: social media marketing on any platform ~ Jennifer Okosun

-       Swing Dancing ~ Charlotte Schoeneman

-       Using Power Tools: The Basics for Beginners. ~ Jessica Arends

-       Thinking of Getting a Parrot? The Mechanics and Ethics of Keeping a Parrot ~ Bob Kirk

-       How to dissemble, troubleshoot, & repair Home Electronics ~ Jay KapLon

-       Perfect Your Pronunciation of Spanish ~ Emma Muñoz

-       How to change your habits and improve your life through Hypnotherapy ~ Tim Hawk

-       Krav Maga, a self-defense system. ~ Sandra Elvin and Divya MatheFor more details about the SSTB, see:

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SSTimebank

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/SSTimebank/

WEB SITE: http://www.sstimebank.org/

The Silver Spring Civic Building is at the corner of Fenton St & Ellsworth Dr. It is an eight minute walk north from the Silver Spring Metro Station. Many bus routes can take you to and from the building -- Metrobus F4 and Ride-On #16, #17 and #20 pass by on Fenton St.  Metrobus J4 and Ride-On #15 and #19 stop at the corner of Wayne Ave & Fenton St.  Metrobus Z6 and Z8 and Ride-On #9 and #12 stop nearby along Colesville Rd. The Metrobus Q and Y lines stop on Georgia Ave and Wayne Ave.
 
If coming by car, plentiful evening parking is available at the Town Square Garage just across Ellsworth Drive from the Civic Building. Do NOT park in the Whole Foods parking lot or you risk being towed.

 

2016 Exchange Stories

My dog's tether kept getting caught between the boards on the edge of our deck.  So frustrating!  I saw that timebank member Jonathan C. offered home repair, and we exchanged emails about possible solutions.  I bought some wooden slats and screws, and he brought his tools.  He quickly cut the slats to size and attached them to the edge of the deck to cover the gaps between the boards.  Problem solved!  

Laura K. 4/13/2016


Years ago Tina found these Japanese zabuton floor cushions in her parents' storage unit. She bought beautiful fabrics 4-5 years ago to fix them up, but the cushions remained in her attic. Tina recently connected with Cynthia, a new SSTB member who had mentioned sewing in her profile bio. Cynthia said YES to Tina's request for help to repair the cushions, and it was no small task to sew seven new covers. Now these gorgeous zabutons are ready for a party! And Cynthia has a nice chunk of hours to use for a service she's been hoping to receive.

Contribute to our Upcoming Skill Swap!

Continuing to build on the success of our swapping event series, the SSTB is hosting a Skills Share Swap on Sunday, January 8 from 2-5pm at the Silver Spring Civic Center. We are looking for SSTB members to present 15-minute short sessions on a quick, teachable skill. We will put out a call for presenters soon, so please start thinking about what you might share. This event will act as promotion to the entire community of what talents and skills our Time Bank has to offer. Examples of short, shareable skills would include: knitting a scarf, choppng veggies like a chef, and designing a logo. Most of all, we are looking for skills that people WANT to learn -- think about what will draw a crowd. Please save the date and plan to attend either as a presenter or learner!

Tool Swap: August 2016

LOTS OF TOOLS FOUND NEW HOMES, BUT WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?

  • "I brought part of a tool kit my mother gave my husband as an engagement gift. The gift she gave me was something for the kitchen. It's fun that they were such "gendered" gifts but my husband wouldn't use the tools. I'm the one who's the carpenter!"
  • "I brought a tool my sister got as a gift for being a good customer at Home Depot."
  • "My dad was going to build a house so he collected every tool under the sun. I brought three of the eight axes I have from him. His tool boxes weigh a ton.  But I don't have a wood clamp and I hope to find one today."
  • "I do remodeling. Here are some tools gathered from older homes where people were downsizing."
  • "I realized that these tools actually belong to an ex-boyfriend, so I'm texting him now to see if it's really okay to leave them here!"

The SSTB was pleased to donate any remaining tools to Community Forklift.

Card Swap & Crafting: May 2016

CARD SWAP TESTIMONIALS

  • "When I got home and started integrating my finds into my stash, I wrote four cards--two thank you notes, an anniversary card, and a birthday card for my sister. What fun!"
  • "I think people just enjoyed taking a break from walking around, sitting down and creating something to take with them. Suspect a lot of people enjoyed selecting cards, too!  It is kind of crazy how much greeting cards cost these days --- 1.99, 2.99. OUCH! The swap fits right in with our sharing economy!"
  • One little girl made a birthday card for her dog that had a giraffe. When asked why she included the giraffe, she said “Oh my dog likes giraffes!”
  • Another little girl made a Mother’s Day card for her Mom that included a cow, and she declared, “I’m making a Mother's day card and the cow is because my Mom likes cows.”
  • "People were surprised when we invited them to help themselves to cards and giftwrap. For Free?? Yep! We said some folks donated cards they no longer needed, so you're free to pick out as many as you'd like. Wow!! They were pleased and several said 'What a great idea!’"  

The SSTB was happy to donate any remaining greeting cards and wrapping paper to the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) to share with senior residents.  

A great turnout for our spring happy hour!

Over two dozen members and others interested in learning more about timebanking came to our spring happy hour on Friday, March 18.  There was lots of good food and drink, including a delicious cake to celebrate our first year anniversary!  Current members shared some wonderful stories about recent unique and valuable exchanges.  

Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more details about our welcoming summer gathering on Thursday, May 26 from 6-8PM at the Rivendell Center located at 9335 Fraser Avenue in Silver Spring.  

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