Blood Drives

Three times each year, usually in February, June and October, the Cabin John Citizens Association organizes a blood drive at the community center. In 2019, in honor of CJCA 100th anniversary, the community set a goal of collecting at least 100 pints over the course of the three 2019 CJ Blood Drives. That goal was exceed by eight pints, bringing the total number of pints collected since the community drives started in 2001 to more than 2,100 pints! Just goes to show how each and everyone of us can make a difference over time.

If you would like to get on the mailing list to be contacted when the blood drive is coming, or if you would be willing to volunteer at a drive, please send a note to the Blood Drive Coordinator, Karen Melchar.

The Latest

- CJ Residents Enthused About Minnie’s Island Non-Profit
  April 16, 2021The CJ founders of a newly created entity that aims to assume control of Minnie’s Island, received near universal support from the roughly 50 people who listened to their plans at the March 24 CJCA Zoom meeting. Minnie’s Island, located in the Potomac River about 100 yards off-shore from Lockhouse 8 on the C&O Canal, is roughly eight acres of wild habitat with a dilapidated wooden lodge and large deck at one end. Led by Pascal Pittman of 80th Place, the Minnie’s Island Community Conservancy (MICC) is being formed to receive ownership of the island from the Potomac Conservancy. The other founding members of MICC are CJ residents Burr Gray, Jack Mandel, and Mac Thornton. A day after the meeting MICC became a registered corporation, allowing it to begin working on its 501(c)(3) status. The organization “is dedicated to the preservation of the ecological, architectural, scientific, and humanist legacy of Minnie’s Island,” according to its mission statement. To achieve its aims, MICC is counting on community awareness, volunteerism, and donations to support the refurbishment of the cabin, the removal of non-invasive species from the island, and on-going maintenance, Pascal told meeting participants. For the structure, he envisions bringing to working order the composting toilet, a woodburning stove, and a well. The addition of solar panels would allow for electricity. It will take a couple of years, he noted. But then the island would be ready to host six to eight people at a time for recreation, educational programs, conservation, and scientific research. MICC also is in discussions with the National Park Service to take on maintenance responsibility for Lockhouse 8. Pascal explained that its role would be two-fold: the lockhouse would serve as a staging area for access to Minnie’s, primarily by enabling the canoes and kayaks needed to reach the island to be stored in its basement. It would also allow the group to schedule more educational programs as they would be able to use the lockhouse as meeting space if inclement weather kept the group from transporting people to the island. Pascal said they are hoping to raise funds initially by having folks donate $250 a year and volunteer time working on island projects. But he stressed that Minnie’s would not be “a Sycamore Island private club” and that its fundraising is not part of a “pay to play” plan. He assured meeting attendees that the public would have access to the island “in a controlled manner.” To find out more about MICC, email Pascal Pittman at pascaldpittman@gmail.com. By Susan Shipp, CJCA President... Read more...