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January 2025

Happy New Year!

People across the globe celebrate the start of a new year with traditions as diverse as the communities that honor them. The article below—A World of New Beginnings: Celebrating New Year’s Across Cultures—shares some unique ways people welcome the new year.

—From the Volunteer Center Staff

JOIN US! January 18-19

for 2025 MLK Day(s) of Service!

Join us for Montgomery County’s MLK Day of Service on Saturday and Sunday, January 18-19! Volunteers can participate in various service projects hosted at locations thoughout the county, including lcal Community Recreation Centers, Eastern Middle School or the Bethesda North Marriott location. Students can earn SSL hours for participating.

MLK Day of Service

When: Saturday, January 18, at Community Recreation Centers and other sites.

Click the links to sign up!

• Blankets for Veteran Hospice Patients at North Potomac Community Recreation Center, hosted by Montgomery Hospice, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

⭐See the story below for more about this great project.⭐

• Multiple MLK Day of Service Projects at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center, hosted by Eta Pi Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Multi-Project MLK Volunteer Opportunity at Plum Gar Community Recreation Center, hosted by Xi Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., from noon - 2 p.m.
• Craft for a Cause at Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center, hosted by Only Make Believe, from noon - 2 p.m.
• 12th Annual MLK Day of Service at Eastern Middle School, hosted by the Montgomery County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, from 9:30 a.m. – noon.

MLK Day of Service and Volunteer Fair

When: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 19.

Where: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Rd, Bethesda, MD.

Click here to reserve your volunteer spot now!

Check it out! Click the photo for a short video showing the service and excitement during MLK Day 2019.

Honor Dr. King's life and legacy as we come together to make a difference in our community—and have fun, too! Visit our event page for more information.

Blankets for Vets!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Looking for a fun volunteer activity for the family on Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Then, making fleece blankets for veterans in hospice care might be for you. 

“It’s very easy,” says Lindsey Norris, Director of Volunteer Services & Complementary Therapies at Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice. “All that you have to be able to do is know how to use a pair of scissors to cut and how to tie a knot and that’s it.”

Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice, which has more than 400 patients in care, has organized volunteers on MLK Day for more than a decade to make fleece blankets for veteran patients. This event attracts a wide range of volunteers, especially families looking for an activity that all ages can enjoy.

The patriotically themed blankets—along with a certificate of recognition for service, a “We Honor Veterans” pin and a star from a retired American flag—are presented at pinning ceremonies by a veteran volunteering at the hospice. Norris says blankets are a favorite item from the ceremony and can often be seen on the veterans’ beds. The blanket is given to the veteran’s loved ones after their passing.

“To have your service acknowledged while in hospice care is such a big deal and the blanket is the biggest, most tangible thing that is given to them at this ceremony,” says Norris. 

—Alex Ferguson

The Volunteer Center Welcomes New Staff!

Florence Jewell

Outreach & Engagement Manager

As a resident of Montgomery County for 39 years, Florence is a retired U.S. Army Veteran and a former global leader with 46 years of expertise in telecommunications and technology.

Florence advocates volunteerism, community engagement and civic duty. She serves as Commissioner on the City of Rockville Human Rights Commission and the City of Rockville liaison to the MoCo Remembrance & Reconciliation Commission. Her other volunteering includes work with the Montgomery County Coordinating Criminal Justice Commission, the Montgomery County Human Trafficking Committee, the 50+ Network of the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, Court Watch Montgomery, Future Link of Montgomery County and the Jewish Council on Aging.

Florence is a graduate of the University of Texas-Austin Design Thinking certificate program; John Hopkins University Information Technology Masters Graduate Certification program; Georgetown University, Executive MBA program; and American University Bachelor of Science in General Studies.

Roslyn Houston

Agency Training & Support Manager

Originally from Hampton Roads in Virginia, Roslyn’s career began as an Army officer and has spanned leadership roles across the private, nonprofit and public sectors, as well as academia. 

Before retiring from federal service, she was the Leadership Development Program Manager for the Health Resources and Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She oversaw leadership development for employees and served as President of the Veterans Council employee resource group. More recently, Roslyn taught marketing as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Roslyn views volunteering as enriching individuals and communities. She volunteers at Journey’s Crossing Church, leading a small group and supporting residents at a women’s shelter. From 2020-24, she served on Congressman David Trone’s Service Academy Nominations Panel, interviewing aspiring candidates.



Roslyn holds an MBA from Harvard University and a BS in Engineering Management from West Point, where she was a Dean’s List honoree.

A World of New Beginnings: Celebrating New Year’s Across Cultures

People across the globe celebrate the start of a new year with traditions as diverse as the communities that honor them. While customs vary, the spirit of hope, joy and fresh beginnings is universal—a perfect inspiration for our volunteer community.

In Spain and Latin America, a popular tradition involves eating 12 grapes during the final 12 seconds before midnight, symbolizing good luck for the months ahead. In Brazil, locals wear white clothing to ward off negativity, while in the Philippines, polka dots—representing coins—promise prosperity.

In Denmark, people smash plates on friends’ doorsteps to cast away bad spirits and invite happiness. South Africans toss old furniture out their windows to signify letting go of the past, while in Turkey, smashing a pomegranate at the doorway spreads seeds of good fortune.

Not all cultures celebrate on January 1. The Lunar New Year, observed in East and South Asia, features festive family gatherings, dances and traditional foods. In China, children receive red envelopes filled with money as blessings for the future, while Korean families honor their elders through respectful ceremonies. The Islamic Hijri New Year is the first day of Muharram—it is a day that encourages prayer, reflection and community togetherness.



As we welcome 2025, these global traditions remind us of the power of fresh starts. For the Volunteer Center, the New Year is an opportunity to begin a new tradition: giving back. Consider making 2025 a year of kindness by joining one of our upcoming initiatives. Whether you’re delivering meals, tutoring students or cleaning up parks, your time and effort can make a world of difference.



Let’s ring in the New Year with purpose and positivity. Together, we can make this year brighter for everyone.

—Erica Joo