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Well, the Great Gourd Goodbye was perfect. Thanks to Mount Rainier Public Works for scooping up the compost, and thanks to all the volunteers that made this magical event happen.
📣 Welcome
📣 Welcome
Date 11/7/2025
Issue 16
I have an uncle who experiences the weather in Top 5s. On any beautiful day (or, truthfully, some semi-beautiful days) he’ll greet you with a peppy ‘Now this is a Top 5 Morning.’ It’s turned into a family joke: Now this is a Top 5 Cup of Coffee. Now that was a Top 5 Baby Giggle. I’m about to Top 5 Parallel Park this car.
Once, after four Top 5 Mornings in a row, I asked my uncle just how many Top 5 Days there are. His answer? As many as we can get.
Ranking things is tempting and arguably a mistake. Such a black and white exercise can flatten our world, and yet our brains crave it. We’re busy. We’re tired. We don’t know where to look. So moving forward, I’m offering my Top 5 Newsletter Notes for a quick glance at some things I’m paying attention to. The Lower Gateway has an infinite number of Top 5s; below are a few of mine. As always, take it or leave it.
My Top 5 Newsletter Notes
#Free Food - Thanksgiving baskets, Farmer’s Markets credits, Neighborhood Food pantries. Lots of mutual aid and community care throughout this edition
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day Community Walk at TSE and MRES schools
Rachel Bush
LGN Editor
rsbush01@gmail.com
🏛️ City Updates
🏛️ City Updates
Prince George's County Rain Check Rebate Program Webinar
Brentwood:
WSSC Water (the Town of Brentwood’s water provider) will be rehabilitating sewers in our area from November 2025- August 2027
#Free Thanksgiving Food Baskets (Brentwood residents only)
Call 301-927-3344 to sign up before November 10th
11/11 - Veterans Day Event - Brentwood Townhall
9-11 AM
Colmar Manor:
11/8 Sa - Camping
11/11 Tu - Rise and Shine Seniors
11/11, 13, 18, 20 - Zumba
11/18 Tu - Town Council Meeting
11/20, 27 - Dance Dance Party
Cottage City:
11/11 - Care Package for Veterans
11/12 - Regular Town Meeting
7 PM
11/18 - Green Team Meeting
11/22 - Free Yoga Classes
Mount Rainier:
11/11 Tu - Veterans Day Flag Ceremony and Brunch
11/13 Th - Recreation Committee Meeting
11/14 Fr - Recreation Activities Grant Application Deadline 1
11/18 Tu - Work Session of the Mayor and Council
11/25 Tu - Thanksgiving Food Basket Distribution (Mount Rainier residents only)
North Brentwood:
Keep an eye out for their November Newsletter
11/8 - Alzheimer's Informational Seminar
10-12:30 pm North Brentwood Community Center
11/17 - Town Meeting
🎒 School News
🎒 School News
Hard work at MRES’ Clean & Green event.
💜 Community Ask! Help us celebrate Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Thursday, 11/14 at 7:00 AM! Ruby Bridges was only six years old when she bravely integrated an all-white elementary school in 1960, paving the way for equal education for all children. Let’s honor her legacy by cheering on our students as they walk into school — showing them they are welcomed, valued, and supported. More details to come on social media, but mark your calendars now!
📅 Upcoming Dates
11/11: Parent Teacher Conferences, no school for students
11/13: Parent Café, RSVP
11/14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day 💜
11/26-28: Thanksgiving Break
Here are upcoming events and opportunities to get involved:
🗓️ Important Dates & Events
By 11/10 - As the weather gets colder we are having a Hoodies Sale!
11/10 📚 TSES Book Club –
5:30pm- 6:30pm. We will be reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar / La Oruga Muy Hambrienta. Come out to read, interact, and eat together! 🐛🍎
11/14 - Book Fair
11/14 - Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, come dressed in your shades of purple. We will have special guest readers throughout the day.
11/11- Parent-Teacher Conferences – Schools Closed for Students
11/18 - PGCPS : Navigating Your Child’s Math Journey: Pre-K to Middle School | Financial Literacy-6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Virtual/Zoom
Subscribe to PTO updates: http://eepurl.com/g2gQLj
🌎 Stay Local
🌎 Stay Local
:🌠 Neighbor Spotlight
:🌠 Neighbor Spotlight
Meren Hoffpauir - Mary Cavanagh
Several decades ago Mount Rainier Councilmember Carol Gandee declared November 1st “Mary Cavanagh Day”. Mrs. Cavanagh turns 90 years old on Nov 1! Mrs. Cavanagh was born in County Donegal, Ireland. After emigrating to Scotland for some years, she then immigrated to the US. She married William Cavanagh, who hails from Roosky, County Roscommon, Ireland, and is currently 92 years old! The Cavanaghs made Mount Rainier their home in 1962. They attended Saint James Church and raised five children here. Many of the southside neighborhood children were cared for by Mrs. Cavanagh, including all of her grandchildren and my son, Jonathan. In the 1990s, Former Councilmember Carol Gandee had the proclamation of November 1 be known as Mary Cavanagh Day in the City for all the good she has done for her neighbors. Mrs. Cavanagh is the newest nonagenarian in our community! Let’s wish her a wonderful happy birthday! 🎈
🎭 Neighborhood Happenings
🎭 Neighborhood Happenings
11/8 - ⚖️ Art Law Clinic with Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
11/8 - 🆘 #Free Narcan Training
10-12 PM at the Mount Rainier Police Department
11/8 - 🏕️ Let’s Go Camping - Latino Outdoors Event
Email info@colmarmanor.com #Free
11/8-9 - 🎨Glass Lovers Weekend at the Washington Glass School
11/9 Su - Red Dirt Open Studio + Bike Safety Fundraiser
1-4 PM at Red Dirt Studio
11/12 - 🌱 Seed Saving Fundamentals - Station 3510 #Free
11/15 - 🌱Succulent & Sand Terrarium
Ages 4-15 $10
☮️ Volunteering and Mutual Aid
We Elevate Our Own shutdown relief donation information
Indivisible Route 1 Corridor is partnering with the PG & MoCo Immigrant Rights Collectives to support local immigrant families whose loved ones have been detained by ICE by providing weekly food deliveries funded by community donations, and you can help by dropping off requested grocery items at the Lustine Center over the next two weeks and signing up for Route 1 Food Task Force emails at https://forms.gle/ZCd14rfFkynBUihMA.
Have Used Eyeglasses? Deposit your used eyeglasses at The Town of Brentwood Town Hall. The collection box is located in the lobby.
🧑🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature
🧑🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature
💰#FREE GROCERY MONEY - $20 market bucks for anyone impacted by the longest shutdown in history, no questions asked. ANDDDD the Farmer’s Market is still providing SNAP & WIC matching funds. Head to the peach info booth for more information.
🎸🎤The Fretters are playing. Come see Neighbor Leah Douglas and buy some carrots.
🩰 Joe’s Movement Emporium Feature
🩰 Joe’s Movement Emporium Feature
12/6 - Mount Rainier Holiday Craft Fair at Joe’s Movement Emporium
12/3 - Heauxs of Hogwarts: A Burlesque Variety Show
Tickets are selling fast!
🎭 Nearby Happenings
🎭 Nearby Happenings
DC Brau Beer2k: A Fun Run benefitting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Sun Nov 16
☕ Etc.
☕ Etc.
Studios 3711 offering some free joy at the Gateway Farmer's Market.
Happy Halloween, Lower Gateway!
Gabe Popkins talks Pawpaw trees with neighbors. Stay tuned for the next tree walk!
Celebrating Officer Martha Aguilar – A Brentwood Success Story.
Some pink joy captured at the Barbie STEM event at the Mount Rainier Nature Center.
Good luck out there, everyone.
In response to the ongoing government shutdown and increasing ICE detainments, neighbors offer Popup Porch Pantries. Keep an eye out, help stock when you can, and take care of your neighbors.
This edition was developed by Amy Sawyer, Jessica LaGarde, Kameka Harris, Nicole de la Torre, Serenella Linares, Philippa Gasnier, Megan Abbot, Leah Douglas, Heather Ware, Trish Roberts, Becca Solow, Sara Prigan and Rachel Bush.
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