May letter from the GM

Letter from General Manager Jennifer Pastora
May 2024

We are so excited to share that we remain on track and are in our critical 90-day window to opening The Carnegie at Washingtonian Center. We officially start moving furniture and fixtures in on May 20 and will close our beloved discovery center on June 30. As our community commitments and job site demands increase, we want to share a few housekeeping items and recent changes.

1. Town Hall Meetings
   1. May Town Hall has been moved to Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

1. In-person 10:30 am

1. 1. 1. 1. Discovery Center- 129 Ellington Blvd, Gaithersburg

1. Zoom Meeting 4:00 pm on May 28

1. 1. 1. 1. Computer Link:
            1. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4593866656?pwd=dzRQbFMvTlJ5VkpjaDUxMy8yYXFxQT09&omn=83829232627
            2. Meeting ID: 459 386 6656
            3. Passcode: Xh480M

• One tap mobile

1. 1. 1. 1. +13017158592,4593866656# *574628# US (Washington DC)
   2. June & July Town Hall Zoom Meeting only.

1. We will not be hosting an in-person meeting as we will be in transition. Dates and times will vary for June/July based on competing priorities; advance notification will be sent via the Carnegie Courier and posted on Touchtown.

 

1. Community Tours
   1. Founding members are eligible for one escorted residence walk-through and community tour with Mayela Ngimbi, Residency Coordinator, before opening. These walks begin between July 11 and end on August 9. Due to the high volume of support Mayela is managing, we will not be able to support multiple visits, if your support team (family, move manager, designer) are unable to visit at your prescheduled 2-hour meeting please reach out to Mayela as soon as possible to reschedule. These meetings are subject to change on our end depending on community needs or member safety concerns. All residence modifications will be completed prior to your walk-through to ensure you can provide feedback and have a smooth move-in experience. Mayela will be getting final bids to those of you who have requested modifications by June 1 for final approval. As a reminder, for those of you who have committed to making modifications before opening, your financial move-in date will be August 15, and your physical move-in date may differ. Lastly, we will not allow for any residence modification requests that are not deemed life safety the first 30 days after opening. If you have any questions or changes, please call Mayela directly.
   2. The sales team will continue to focus on our pre-opening sales and will begin providing new prospective member tours as of July 1. We are so grateful for the overwhelming response in making The Carnegie the place to call home, but as we navigate this last pre-opening phase, we need to keep the tiny and mighty team focused on new experiences. Founding members will not be eligible for drop-in access or community tours with the sales team.
2. Member Councils
   1. I want to thank each of you for taking the time to meet with Amanda McPherson, our Art of Living Well Director. Your feedback about programming is essential to creating an engaging environment. As we get closer to opening, we would also like to hear from you about joining a few of our member councils.

1. Member Council

1. 1. 1. 1. We are looking for prospective officers for elected positions that would support 1 full-year term.

1. Sunshine Committee

1. 1. 1. 1. Managed through the member council, this committee helps support the internal ambassador program for members.

• Ambassador Council

1. 1. 1. 1. Led by Amanda, this council supports the move-in and welcome process for new members.

 

Lastly, as many of you know, we have a wonderful partnership with the City of Gaithersburg and are this year’s title sponsor again for the incredible Gaithersburg Book Festival. This is a special year for the city as they celebrate 15 years of bringing the literary arts to Montogomery County. We have two opportunities for you to participate in this celebration this year. We have the honor of hosting the VIP Author’s Reception at the Marriot on Washingtonian Blvd on Friday, May 17, 2024, and I would love to have our members join this esteemed crowd. A personal invite from our city Mayor Jud Ashman was sent a few weeks ago, if you have not done so already, please RSVP with Mayor Jud or Courtney Heyboer by calling the discovery center.

 

Our second opportunity is in partnership with the Gaithersburg Book Festival and GPARC as a volunteer on the day of. We encourage you to come and spend time with friends while supporting your community on this treasured day of showcasing the best authors of 2024. The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an enormous undertaking that would not be possible without the generous assistance of numerous volunteers and supporters. The festival will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Bohrer Park from 10 am-6:00 pm. Listed below are the volunteer opportunities and requirements.

 

************************

Requirements for volunteering at GBF:

• Must attend a volunteer training in early May (multiple session options will be offered)
• If you have questions about volunteering, please email Kathleen Benson at benson@gaithersburgmd.gov

VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTIONS

AUTHOR PRESENTATION TENT ASSISTANT

• Support set up, maintenance, and clean up site
• Assist manager with preparing stage/tent for each presentation
• Manage seating/Q&A lines
• Other jobs as needed

INFORMATION BOOTH/ATTENDEE GREETER

• Answer questions about festival activities and locations
• Help with any problems brought to your attention
• Retain lost and found items
• Pass out festival programs

BOOK SIGNING ASSISTANT

• Support set up, maintenance and clean up site
• Assist Author with signing, as needed
• Manage signing line

WRITING WORKSHOPS ASSISTANT

• Support set up, maintenance and clean up site
• Assist instructors and attendees as needed

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES ASSISTANT

• Support set up, maintenance and cleaning site
• Assist with activities as needed
• Welcome and assist children and families

FLOATER

• Relieve volunteers as needed.
• Must be knowledgeable and flexible to work in any job area.

CLICK Here to Sign Up!

 

Once again, thank you for your commitment and support. We can not wait to welcome you home! If you have any further concerns or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact David, Salome, or me.

 

Warm regards,

Jennifer

 

Jennifer Pastora, General Manager

Salome Yahaya, Assistant General Manager

David Zoutendam, Assistant General Manager