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For more than 70 years, Graeves Auto & Tire has been a cornerstone of the Olney community. Since 1952, three generations of the Graeves family have been the friendly faces behind the counter—first Ralph, then Scott, and now Kyle. Kyle grew up in Olney and has watched Olney Days grow “exponentially” over the years. To him, Olney Days is more than a collection of events—it’s about bringing people together. “Olney Days is a great event,” Kyle says. “It provides a great sense of community. That’s why Olney Days is put on.” That sense of community is something Kyle knows well. In Olney, he says, “everybody knows everybody.” And, just like Olney Days brings people back year after year, he believes that when you treat customers the right way, “they keep coming back.” Family-owned businesses like Graeves Auto & Tire are an important part of what gives Olney its small-town character. Olney Civic Fund is grateful to Graeves for being a longtime supporter of Olney Days and for helping make our community celebrations possible. Thank you, Graeves Auto & Tire, for being part of the Olney community for more than seven decades—and for helping keep the Olney tradition going!
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Some people volunteer because they love community events. Others volunteer because they enjoy working with a great team. And then there are the truly dedicated volunteers who discover they have a hidden talent for popping balloons at precisely the wrong time. Meet one of our longtime Olney Days volunteers – Sue Strosnider! Her first encounter with the volunteer call for Olney Days came through the Olney/Brookeville Exchange. She saw the request for volunteers, thought about it…and promptly waited until the event was over. The following year, when the volunteer request appeared again, she decided it was time to “get up off the couch” and add her name to the list. Thankfully for all of us, she did. She has been volunteering ever since. Her Olney Days résumé includes vendor setup, selling beer tickets, working at the bounce house table, and pitching in wherever an extra pair of hands is needed. She particularly enjoys the teamwork that happens behind the scenes. “I get a lot of satisfaction when I work with a team toward a common goal.” And there is definitely a lot of teamwork involved. Olney Days doesn’t just happen—it takes an army of volunteers willing to arrive early, stay late, solve unexpected problems, and occasionally figure out what to do when a balloon has become a hazard. Speaking of balloons… She has discovered that she has an excellent balloon-popping ability. In her role to assist vendors to their assigned locations, she would “wear” a balloon floating 4 ft above her head so vendors could find her in a crowd. The system worked beautifully—until she walked underneath a tree with a low branch. POP! The balloon met its leafy nemesis. Now balloons only float 2 ft above her head. Behind the scenes, there are plenty of other things people might not know about volunteering at Olney Days. For example, volunteers may discover that organizers throw an epic party before and after the event. After spending years volunteering at her children’s schools, she eventually took a break after retirement to enjoy her hobbies. But after a few years, she decided it was time to roll up her sleeves again. “I’m truly happy that I did,” she says. That may be one of the best things about volunteering: you never quite know what you’ll find. You might discover a new group of friends, learn a new skill, become an expert balloon popper—or simply find the satisfaction that comes from being part of a team working toward something bigger than any one person. And her advice to anyone considering volunteering? “Don’t be afraid to join in—we don’t bite.” Well…unless you count the balloons.  Tami Abramowitz (left) and Sue Strosnider (right) Imagine you’re shopping, grabbing a bite to eat, or simply out and about in Olney when someone nearby suddenly suffers a cardiac arrest. Now imagine that a life-saving AED is just steps away. That’s exactly why the Rotary Club of Olney set out to place Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) where they can be quickly accessed throughout the community—with support from a grant from the Olney Civic Fund, the Olney Lions, and private donors. The goal is simple: put an AED nearby when every second counts. Rotary Past-President Michael Weiner explains that the funding “will allow us to complete the project to install an AED at each of the shopping centers in town.” The idea grew out of a 2015 Rotary meeting, when a speaker shared the importance of having AEDs readily available during a cardiac emergency. Rotary members recognized that having an AED nearby could make a tremendous difference. They decided to take the next step and install AEDs on the outside walls of shopping centers, where they can be accessed even when businesses are closed. So far, AEDs have been installed at Olney Village Mart (two), Fair Hill Shopping Center (two), and Ashton Village Shopping Center, with two more planned for the Olney Shopping Center pending approval. Each wall-mounted AED costs approximately $2,000—a significant investment, but one that could make an enormous difference when a cardiac emergency occurs. And there is good reason to have them close at hand. Nearly 90% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the United States are fatal. But when a bystander uses an AED before EMS arrives, survival rates improve substantially. The American Heart Association reports that when a person receives an AED shock within the first minute, about 9 out of 10 survive. That’s a pretty powerful reason to know where the nearest AED is located! The Rotary Club of Olney hopes its project will continue to grow, and the newly formed Leisure World Rotary Club is looking at bringing a similar project to its community. A big thank-you to the Rotary Club of Olney for helping make Olney a safer community—and to the Olney Civic Fund and other supporters whose contributions are helping put potentially life-saving equipment within reach when it matters most. AEDs can save lives. Having one nearby could make all the difference.  The Olney Rotary outside the Carpet and Vacuum Expo where an AED was installed. Meet the Groups That Make Olney Happen!
Sunday, October 4 | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | Olney Farmers & Artists Market Ever wonder who makes things happen in Olney? Here’s your chance to find out! Stop by the Olney Farmers & Artists Market on Sunday, October 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to meet representatives from organizations and nonprofits that help make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Come say hello, learn about the good work these groups are doing, and discover how you can get involved. And there’s a little extra fun: each organization you visit will give you a raffle ticket for a chance to win some great prizes! Who will you meet? We’re bringing together a terrific collection of organizations serving the Olney area, including:
So, who makes Olney happen? Who puts on events like Olney Days, National Night Out, the Strawberry Festival, and Community Night? Who keeps an eye on development plans in and around our community? Who provides food, transportation, activities, support, and opportunities for people who need them? Who helps maintain the Welcome to Olney sign at Routes 108 and 97? The answer is: a whole lot of volunteers and community organizations! This is your opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes, learn about their missions, and find out how you can lend a hand. Bring a friend, grab a coffee, stroll through the market, and discover the many ways you can be part of making Olney happen. |
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