Enjoying the Duck Pond!

Saturdays May through November - The Little Farm Stand
Serving customers near the Duck Pond since 2012, The Little Farm Stand offers organic produce, baked goods,, beef, honey, and preserves from the O'Rea family's 25-acre farm near Middleburg, Virginia. Preferred by some shoppers even more than a farmers market because one buys directly from a local farmer, offerings vary week by week. To join the Little Farm Stand's list serve, e-mail farmers Michael and Lori O'Rea at littlefarmstand@yahoo.com.
Serving customers near the Duck Pond since 2012, The Little Farm Stand offers organic produce, baked goods,, beef, honey, and preserves from the O'Rea family's 25-acre farm near Middleburg, Virginia. Preferred by some shoppers even more than a farmers market because one buys directly from a local farmer, offerings vary week by week. To join the Little Farm Stand's list serve, e-mail farmers Michael and Lori O'Rea at littlefarmstand@yahoo.com.
Community Open House & Ice Cream Social
Considered by some to be the year's signature event at the Duck Pond, the Open House welcomed nearly a dozen community volunteer groups offering information displays, fun giveaway items, and treats while the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond hosted a complimentary ice cream station. Participants included Amidon-Bowen Elementary School PTA, Arena Stage, Friends of the SW Library, Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond, PAWS of Southwest, Randall Recreation Center, Shakespeare Theatre Company, the Southwest Playground,
SW Community Gardens, Waterfront Academy Montessori, and the Youth Activities Task Force. Photo Credits: Chris Beck and Saadia Athias.
Tuesday Fitness Classes for Beginners introduced neighborhood residents to yoga (June), tai chi (July), and boot camp (August).

May 8, 2014 - Illumination & Dedication Concert
Handel's "Water Music" performed by The Morpheus Winds Quintet welcomed the pond's fountains for the season, enhanced with a new underwater lighting display dedicated to ANC Commissioner Ronald McBee. Audience members come early to enjoy our newly-restored native plant gardens of azaleas, Virgina blue bells, ferns, and other species underwritten by the Mary Schmitt Memorial Fund.
Handel's "Water Music" performed by The Morpheus Winds Quintet welcomed the pond's fountains for the season, enhanced with a new underwater lighting display dedicated to ANC Commissioner Ronald McBee. Audience members come early to enjoy our newly-restored native plant gardens of azaleas, Virgina blue bells, ferns, and other species underwritten by the Mary Schmitt Memorial Fund.

January 30, 2014 - Chinese New Year's Eve Celebration and Winter Fundraiser
A Southwest dining tradition comes to a close. With The Wharf development project imminent, friends of the park gathered for a final family-style dinner with Henry and Jenny Liu on the waterfront at Jenny's Asian Fusion. The dinner was the culmination of our Winter Fundraising effort which raised over $1,400 to support our 2014 programming series at the park.
A Southwest dining tradition comes to a close. With The Wharf development project imminent, friends of the park gathered for a final family-style dinner with Henry and Jenny Liu on the waterfront at Jenny's Asian Fusion. The dinner was the culmination of our Winter Fundraising effort which raised over $1,400 to support our 2014 programming series at the park.
January 23, 2014 Annual Public Meeting
Our community volunteers, donors, and supporters' annual meeting with District agencies to learn about the park's upkeep challenges and future operations. Presentations were made by the District Department of General Services, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Southwest Business Improvement District (SW BID).
Our community volunteers, donors, and supporters' annual meeting with District agencies to learn about the park's upkeep challenges and future operations. Presentations were made by the District Department of General Services, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Southwest Business Improvement District (SW BID).
Southwest Salutes it's Veterans - November 9, 2013
Our annual pet parade took a patriotic turn as we saluted our local veterans from War World II through the Afghanistan misson. Our judges included Major Preston Davis (World War II and Korean), Captain Lynn Burnett (Viet Nam), and Sergeant David Patten (Iraq). Grand prize winner Caesar (upper left) with his human "Bridget." Cosponsored with PAWS of Southwest.
Our annual pet parade took a patriotic turn as we saluted our local veterans from War World II through the Afghanistan misson. Our judges included Major Preston Davis (World War II and Korean), Captain Lynn Burnett (Viet Nam), and Sergeant David Patten (Iraq). Grand prize winner Caesar (upper left) with his human "Bridget." Cosponsored with PAWS of Southwest.
Nightmare at the Duck Pond - October 31, 2013
A scary-fun Halloween evening with DC Sail, Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond, Randall Recreation Center, and Waterfront Academy drew an all-time record 150+ neighbors to the Duck Pond, our most successful event in four years.
A scary-fun Halloween evening with DC Sail, Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond, Randall Recreation Center, and Waterfront Academy drew an all-time record 150+ neighbors to the Duck Pond, our most successful event in four years.
Let's Paint at the Duck Pond! - September 28, 2013
Cosponsored with the Amidon-Bowen Elementary School PTA, water-color painting lessons were offered to children while adults enjoyed an Autumn vegetables cooking demonstration from produce available at The Little Farm Stand during the SW ArtsFest. A surprise visit from the Washington Nationals' mascot "Abe" and storytelling offered by Zoobean moms made for a perfect afternoon.
Cosponsored with the Amidon-Bowen Elementary School PTA, water-color painting lessons were offered to children while adults enjoyed an Autumn vegetables cooking demonstration from produce available at The Little Farm Stand during the SW ArtsFest. A surprise visit from the Washington Nationals' mascot "Abe" and storytelling offered by Zoobean moms made for a perfect afternoon.

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE & ICE CREAM SOCIAL - July 25, 2013
14 community-based volunteer groups joined the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond with informational displays to recruit volunteers and share their visions of a better Southwest D.C., including Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D, Amidon-Bowen Elementary School PTA, Arena Stage, DC Sail, Environmental Conservation Corps. Friends of the SW Library, PAWS of Southwest, Randall Recreation Center, Southwest Chamber Orchestra, Southwest Playground, SW Community Gardens, Waterfront Academy, and the Youth Activities Task Force.
14 community-based volunteer groups joined the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond with informational displays to recruit volunteers and share their visions of a better Southwest D.C., including Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D, Amidon-Bowen Elementary School PTA, Arena Stage, DC Sail, Environmental Conservation Corps. Friends of the SW Library, PAWS of Southwest, Randall Recreation Center, Southwest Chamber Orchestra, Southwest Playground, SW Community Gardens, Waterfront Academy, and the Youth Activities Task Force.
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AND FOUNTAIN INAUGURATION - March 30, 2013
Celebrity host Tom Sherwood of NBC4 and the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond recognize Olga Stopher as 2012 Volunteer of the Year, Anne Phelps of Councilmember Tommy Wells' office as 2012 District Employee of the Year, and the Sloan Family and their Subway franchise at 1101 Fourth Street, S.W., as the 2012 Community Business of the Year at the annual recognition event, and then turn on the pond's fountains for 2013!
Celebrity host Tom Sherwood of NBC4 and the Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond recognize Olga Stopher as 2012 Volunteer of the Year, Anne Phelps of Councilmember Tommy Wells' office as 2012 District Employee of the Year, and the Sloan Family and their Subway franchise at 1101 Fourth Street, S.W., as the 2012 Community Business of the Year at the annual recognition event, and then turn on the pond's fountains for 2013!
Thank You, Volunteers!
Thank you for celebrating our 2011 Volunteer of the Year, Carol Hedgpath, and our new sign unveiling.
We look forward to an exciting summer of events and hope you will join us. Special thank you to Arena Stage, Station 4, Z-Burger, PN Hoffman, JBG Group, Safeway, Frager's Just Ask Rentals, and our volunteers and donators for making this moment possible. |
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Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond's mission is to improve the quality of life in our community by enhancing the work of the District of Columbia to restore and maintain the Southwest Duck Pond as a neighborhood oasis for residents and waterfowl.
Our vision:
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