Potomac Day 2006 is less than three weeks away. The annual parade and outdoor community fair will be on Saturday, Oct. 28, with events beginning at 9 a.m.
The annual celebration includes a children’s fair, 5K race, parade, and numerous local vendors and entertainers setting up outdoor booths. The race will kick off at 8:30 a.m., and parts of River Road and Falls roads will close for the parade at 10 a.m.
The 2006 Grand Marshal is Linda Barlock, director of the Potomac Community Center.
The Potomac Chamber of Commerce has named Carla W. Satinsky as Citizen of the Year; Businessperson of the Year is Steve Krensky of Country Squire Cleaners, and Student of the Year Shaneke "Shani" Weerakoon of the Landon School. They will be honored at a Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner at Normandie Farm on Nov. 17.
FOR 18 YEARS, Satinsky has produced "Montgomery Week in Review," a program on Montgomery Community Television. Access Montgomery’s longest-running program, "Montgomery Week in Review" aired its 800th episode last July. The show brings national, state and local news topics and information to the residents of Montgomery County. For 16 years until 2000, Satinsky served on the Board of Directors of Montgomery Community Television. She is Vice President of the North Bethesda Rotary Club, and a Trustee of the Friends of the Library.
Since Satinsky moved to Potomac in 1970, she has also served in such organizations as the Montgomery County and National Capital United Way, the League of Women Voters, and served on the board of the Montgomery County Youth Orchestra and the Concert Society of Maryland. She helped establish Voices Versus Violence, and chaired the Parent Education Committee.
KRENSKY’S FAMILY has run the Country Squire Cleaners in Potomac Village, one of the Village’s first businesses. Krensky’s father and mother started the business nearly 60 years ago, and his daughter and son work with him now.
Krensky is fond of supporting theater and the visual arts, and helped Friends of the Historic Great Falls Tavern in its successful effort to build a new canal boat.
"No matter what the cause that needs help, Steve always steps forward to support it," said Elie Pisarra Cain, who nominated Krensky for the award.
WEERAKOON, A SENIOR at the Landon School, is the Editor in Chief of the Landon Newspaper, captain of Landon’s varsity squash team, and plays varsity tennis. He has participated on the Youth Advisory Committee to the County Executive for the past two years, and as a graduate of the Youth Leadership in Montgomery County, he helped the "Identity" organization that works to prevent Latino youth gang involvement in Montgomery County. He also tutors underprivileged children to help improve their ability to take standardized tests.
This past summer, Weerakoon earned a fellowship at the Institute for Genomic Research, where he evaluated the effectiveness of a method that scientists use for detecting mutations in DNA. He hopes to enter the field of medicine or research in the future.
LAST YEAR, hundreds turned out for Potomac Day, which featured the Wootton High School marching band, Boy Scout troops, volunteer firefighters and local police.
If interested in participating in Potomac Day, contact Potomac Chamber of Commerce President Andy Ross at 301-299-2170.