Summer Virtual Socials 2021

JUNE 2021

The mix of personalities and experiences at a timebank social always makes for a lively event, especially when we touch on a large number of topics.  At the June Virtual Social, the conversation ran the gamut from dog-walking to frugal living; from caregiver support to haircuts during covid; from bike repair to ways to lower the cost of phone plans. We discussed “buy nothing” and “trash nothing” community groups. Oh, and… did someone say there are Singles Nights at the hardware store?!? 

It was a fun time but also with a serious note. One participant shared that she had reached out for help at home following a surgery.  Her recovery was faster than expected, so she didn’t need the help after all.  But she was comforted by the fact that two members she had never met quickly offered to help with meals and other household basics. Though the timebank can never guarantee that a request will be fulfilled, especially on short notice, it’s good to know that we are a community of people who care.

JULY 2021

A friendly, lively group met via Zoom for the SSTB Virtual Social in July.  These socials have no set agenda; they are just a time for timebank members to connect and get to know one another. 

This time, we spent much of the two hours discussing what services we needed, even if we haven’t posted formal requests for them.  These services included computer/printer set-up, repairing vintage knits, dog care, cleaning a car, weeding, painting doors, online sales help, and more.

Live discussion is one of the most successful ways to share and respond to other members’ requests, and we were able to make several timebank “matches” on the spot!

We also discussed how to let the public know about the timebank and how we can show current members all the benefits of getting involved with running the timebank.  

AUGUST 2021

A small but energetic group of members met on zoom for the last virtual social of the summer, on August 21, 2021.  Jonathan Bernstein demonstrated the different styles of immersive “seating” on Zoom, and we opted for the stadium seating so we could see everyone better!  

As in most fun social events, conversations covered a wide range of topics as we shared information about ourselves, our interests, and some of our exchanges.   In timebanking, we don't have to provide a service to the same person who provides a service to us, but sometimes it works out that way. We talked about rides to/from airports; finding someone to teach sewing, and replacing zippers as some recent exchanges. We learned about volunteer editing work, contract tracing for COVID, the return of the hospitality industry, the podcast Club House, and ideas for possible walks.  

Since Jacqie Wallen will host the September virtual social, she was eager to learn about the responsibilities and made a point to attend in August. She will earn timebank hours for her efforts. You too can earn hours by hosting one of these socials (that will remain virtual for the foreseeable future).  No experience is needed, just an interest in spending time getting to know and socializing with other timebank members.  

SSTB members earn hours for all kinds of timebank tasks, including tech help, writing event announcements and summaries, promotion on social media, orienting new members, etc. We’d love to have more members involved!  

Please contact silverspringtimebank@gmail.com to discuss opportunities to help, whether for a single event or a recurring task. If you like, you can even join one of the timebank leadership teams and work on an ongoing basis on event planning, outreach, communications, or member support.

Thank you to Dale Brown, Robin Handleman, and Laura Kranis, for hosting this summer’s socials; Jonathan Bernstein, for coordinating registration and tech; and Charlotte Cook and Laura Kranis, for writing the event summaries.  

More Virtual Socials are on the way!  Put these on your calendar now, and be sure to check the Announcements in the weekly hOurworld email updates for the links to register.

Sun., 9/19/21, 3pm-5pm

Sun., 10/24/21, 3pm-5pm

Sat., 11/13/21, 3pm-5pm

Member Spotlight: Robin Handleman

Robin joined the Silver Spring Timebank soon after it opened its doors.  She had just moved to Silver Spring and was able to get help through the timebank to hang artwork to make her new apartment feel like home. Right from the start, it was a great way to get things done without cash and to meet new people. Soon after, she found herself helping with the timebank’s annual Holiday Social and brainstorming offers to help others. Since her first exchange six years ago, Robin’s life has taken many exciting twists and turns, but throughout her journey she has remained connected and involved with the SSTB. 

With many years of teaching experience, mostly in her home state of Connecticut, Robin came to Maryland and taught 6 years of ESL here before she retired.  She then decided it was time for an adventure, and applied to an organization in Asia to create educational videos. After completing that project, she met a colleague from Malaysia who assisted her in finding work in a soup kitchen. She then worked in Bali for several months teaching children with varying abilities.  

Robin had never before traveled solo and found it to be an eye opening experience. She has since been splitting her time in Connecticut with her two grandsons, in Maryland with her friends, and in Asia with her now “extended family”. 

As soon as she returned to the US, Robin immediately reached out to the SSTB and got involved once again with exchanges. Her offers include taking people to the airport (masked, of course), helping people to sell items on Facebook Marketplace, and hauling discarded electronics for recycling. She has recently joined the SSTB leadership team as the secretary for monthly meetings. 

Robin also spends a great deal of time fundraising for her local Kiwanis club. And, she is spreading the word about the SSTB to the members! She also continues to offer support to children in Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia) by raising money to ship donated books to the schools where she has volunteered. She has also created language libraries in individual schools. 

Robin is always delighted to do exchanges and meet timebank members. Send her a message via Hour World to see how she can help you.  You’ll definitely enjoy the experience of getting to know her!

Many thanks to SSTB member Connie Bevitt for writing this Member Spotlight.  

robin handleman

Robin’s first library in Nepal.

Robin teaching simon says in nepal.

Exchange story with a twist

From Laura Kranis

I ordered a specialty medical gizmo for dogs from a company in California, and I needed it fast.  Too many days later, it was still "In Transit" (per the tracking number).  Then, I got a message from another of the company's customers. She tracked me down because she had received my item instead of her own:  My item, my name, but her address (several hours away). She kindly offered to mail it to me, but I didn't want to wait. 

I considered driving there, but maybe an SSTB member would want to earn a bunch of hours in one day by picking it up? I wrote to a few members who had posted transportation offers and quickly heard back from Christine Tetrault who was game to make the trip. We agreed: She would earn hours, of course, and I would reimburse her for gas and tolls -- and let's throw in a Starbuck's Venti for each leg of the trip. 

I called the woman who had my package to let her know a friend from my community timebank would come the next day. 

"Great... Wait. What is this 'time bank' of which you speak?"  

I gave her my usual timebank "elevator pitch."  

"Why haven't I heard about this before?!" she asked. "I need to do this." 

So we checked the timebank directories for the ones closest to her. There were three -- all just a little too far north, east, or west to be practical for her to join. I told her she could start a new one, not expecting much of a response, but she said, "I can get my neighbor to help me do that."  I sent her all kinds of resource links and told her to hang onto my name and number for questions or support. 

The next day, she welcomed Christine and invited her inside (masked and socially distanced) to play catch with her dogs. Before heading back out, with my package, Christine did yoga stretches on the living room floor as the dogs looked on with great interest. She made one quick stop on the way back: the new Shiatsu massage chair available for use at one of the rest stops. That and audio books made it a more pleasant trip.

After her long day of driving, Christine brought the package right to my door. I'm so grateful. And who knows? Maybe someday there will be a whole new timebank community, thanks, in part, to Christine's willingness to help.

Making a house a home

From Dale Brown

I moved into my new apartment, and I had blown my budget. But, I still had a few things left I really wanted done. SSTB member Holly Eaton had written an offer to do home repairs, so I called her. Well, it turned out, she was better than my contractors. She has a decorator’s eye and she helped me figure out where my pictures should go. And she put them up! 

She also put up a doorbell and some closet shelves, and she fixed my portable air conditioner attachment so it goes in all of my windows. Best of all, Holly put my clock up in a place she selected that makes my home look great.

I earned the hours I paid to Holly by calling voters for a political cause I believe in. SSTB member, Laura Kranis offered her hours for making phone calls. Ordinarily, I would not make phone calls using a computer, because I don’t like doing it.  But, the timebank hours were a good incentive for me to do what I “should” have done anyway.  Laura and I may have helped voters in Georgia and it certainly pushed me way past my comfort zone.  Way to go, Silver Spring Timebank!

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Member Spotlight: Making connections and building community

Oswaldo Montoya: Educator and Social Justice Consultant

Oswaldo has been a member of the Silver Spring Timebank since 2015 when he joined with a friend from Nicaragua who was looking for a way to practice his English skills. Oswaldo joined in support of his friend, but he also really liked the idea of finding a group that values local community and provides mutual support for each other. It is nice to have a way to reach out to neighbors for help and to offer help. The timebank makes it easy to do this.

He also quickly learned that being a member of the timebank reduces the feeling of isolation. Even though he lives with his partner and children, his family can feel alone. This is especially true for an immigrant person. Joining the timebank offered a good way to expand his connections beyond his immediate community. His partner soon joined the time bank, and now his oldest child has applied and is planning to attend an orientation.

Soon after joining, Oswaldo participated in some wonderful exchanges. He offered Spanish lessons, provided translation services, and helped with gardening. Most recently (last November), Oswaldo led the timebank’s first Social Walk in Rock Creek Park while honoring the social-distancing required. This was a great experience for all who attended. Oswaldo was also part of the leadership team in the early years the timebank, providing valuable time, energy and ideas to get the timebank off the ground and growing.

In return, he and his family have received tremendous help from the timebank. They have gotten several rides to the airport, the family’s bikes were tuned up, and they got help moving to their new home. Oswaldo worked with a member to revise his professional resume, and he learned how to put together IKEA furniture. His family is vegetarian and a member prepared a meal for them including delicious roasted vegetables. As they shared the meal together, they talked about ways to diversify their usual vegetarian menu.

Oswaldo is grateful for these wonderful exchanges, and he is also grateful for the chance to meet and learn from others. As he says, “It is a very expanding experience. Giving and receiving. I am sure other members have learned from me, especially about my culture and background.”

Thinking of the future of the Silver Spring Timebank, Oswaldo would love to have more diverse members of the community join. Efforts could target more Latinos and also engage more younger people. He’s excited for his son to be a member, and hopes his friends will also join. Oswaldo believes, “The more diverse the group, the more rewarding it will be.”

When asked to sum up his over 5 years experience with timebank, Oswaldo said “it’s been outstanding. It’s all about building community and personal connections. The Silver Spring Timebank is here to stay and will continue to grow in the future. I am looking forward to having more timebank interactions, and learning new skills over time.”

Many thanks to SSTB founding member Connie Bevitt for writing this Member Spotlight.

Member Spotlight: Mindy and Fred Shuback

Mindy and Fred Shuback have been a part of the Silver Spring Timebank for about a year, which is also how long they’ve been in Maryland. They moved to Silver Spring from Detroit, Michigan back in June, 2019 to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. The change was a big one, but being close to family is a huge priority for both of them, and they’ve been able to spend a lot of time with theirs since moving here.

Mindy and Fred found out about the timebank through the treasurer of their homeowners’ association, Connie Bevitt. Connie is a founding member of the Silver Spring Timebank, and she loves talking about it. Right away Mindy and Fred thought the concept was a great one! They did many exchanges when they first signed up, including baking, driving people to the airport and receiving advice about their lawn.

The couple have many skills to share, and hope they can use them to help others after the pandemic is over. Mindy loves to cook and has taken several culinary courses. She is especially interested in keeping kosher, and has a lot of pointers to share. Before retirement, she was a pharmacist, so she knows a lot about medicine. She is willing to help folks clean out their medicine cabinets and can even share some details about different medications.

Fred is a pro at finding unclaimed property. He has helped his son-in-law find a significant amount of money just by pointing him in the right direction. He also is proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, and has taught classes on utilizing the various programs.

Since the pandemic hit, Mindy and Fred have taken a break from time banking. They are in the high risk category and want to make sure they stay safe and healthy during this dangerous time. They still manage to keep busy though while self isolating! They both take classes at Montgomery College. Fred is taking a stand up comedy class and a comedy writing course. Mindy is learning to appreciate art, analyze elections based on current events, and perfect her piano playing. They are also avid bridge players and enjoy exercising regularly. 

Spending time with family is still a high priority for the couple, and they have managed to see them, just at a distance. They’ve had family dinners on the porch and went on outings to apple orchards. There is still a lot they can do together while staying safe. 

Mindy and Fred are looking forward to participating in timebank exchanges again soon. But in the meantime, they will spread the word about the Silver Spring Timebank. They’ve had a great experience and think others would too!

Secure Remote Technology Can Support Timebank Exchanges

With more people than ever working from home, children learning at virtual schools, and doctors offering telemedicine appointments, the technology in our homes is clearly a critical component of our daily lives. Timebank members have always been available to offer technology support exchanges, usually with someone coming to your home. 

But, there are free remote support options that allow you to get or give technology assistance without leaving your home. These are software packages that allow for a person at a remote location to see and interact with your computer screen to offer technology support you need.

Here are some free remote-control options

• TeamViewer - https://www.teamviewer.com/en-us/

  • Allows for a simple way to remotely support someone’s computer

  • Offers a free version for non-commercial and private use

• Zoom – https://Zoom.US

  • Allows for a remote support via the screen sharing option

  • Share your entire screen and grant a person in the conference remote control rights

Go to the support sections of each website for more details on how to utilize the remote control options.

Here are some best practices for using them securely:

• Do not leave the software running when not in use.

  • Unless you use the software consistently, it’s best to not leave any remote-control software running on your computer all the time. Only run the software when giving or receiving remote support.  For TeamViewer the default security options are configured for ease of use and quick connection, not long term secure use. 

• Use Strong Passwords & Password Managers

  • Strong passwords are ones that are not only hard to guess, but ones you can also remember. Longer passwords are always better, so use multiple words together replacing letters with numbers or special characters. Using a phrase or sentence that is easy to remember helps a lot. Something funny or catchy or important to you personally will help in remembering them.

  • Password Managers are applications that securely store all your passwords and make it easier for you to organize and use those passwords. Many provide a password auto-fill feature for many devices.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication

  • This is when a code is emailed or texted to you that you must use in addition to your password. This is important to use for anyone giving remote support.  If your password was ever compromised, the account could not be accessed without the secondary code.

• Update, Update, Update

  • No one enjoys waiting for software updates to complete but keeping software up to date is critical component in keeping them secure. The key ones are your operating system, anti-virus/security software and anything used for remote support of your computer.

Using these remote-control options and security practices can help timebank members provide safe technology support exchanges.

What about when your computer doesn’t work well enough to run remote control software? In this case, a drop off and pickup approach for a timebank exchange is best. 

Many thanks to SSTB member Dwight Sowers for writing this article.