THE DATE:    July 25, 2009

**Rain Date - August 1, 2009**

THE PLACE:   North Capital Business District

(Along 1st Street, NW between R Street and Rhode Island Avenue)  

Details to come!

NCMS has been awarded a one-year grant for A Clean and Safe Ambassador Program, from the Office of Small and Local Business Development. The program will bring maintenance ambassadors into the corridor 3-4 days a week to keep the area clean and free from trash, debris and other blemishes, like graffiti. Ambassadors would also power wash public sidewalks and help with landscaping as well as act as community liaisons to business owners, police department and residents. 
 
"North Capitol is an area on the rise and this Clean and Safe program is one of many steps we're taking to get to that next level," said Patricia Mitchell, President of NCMS.

The Clean and Safe Ambassador Program has also served other D.C. areas including Historic Dupont Circle, Historic Barracks Row in Capitol Hill and Shaw Main Street.  

The First of Its Kind for the NCMS District

Even bigger changes are coming to the North Capitol business district. Thanks to a grant awarded to NCMS by DSLBD's Commercial Revitalization Division, business owners will have an opportunity to spruce up their storefronts at no cost, beginning in mid July.

The pilot Storefront Improvement Program (SIP) provides yet another resource for NCMS to shepherd the revitalization of the retail area by offering business owners an opportunity to enhance their signage, windows, lighting, exterior paint and ultimately their bottom line. The SIP is also a win for local residents as the corridor emerges into a cleaner, safer area with a stronger identity as a retail shopping district.    

"We're excited about the Storefront Improvement Program because it's a tangible way for businesses and community residents to experience the transition of the North Capitol area," explained Arlene Didier, Architect and Chair of NCMS' Design Committee.  "The changes won't end there. We're committed to creating and sustaining a vibrant commercial district that suits the needs of business owners and area residents."

All businesses within the North Capitol service area are eligible and encouraged to apply for SIP funding.  To be considered, business owners must be able to produce a Clean Hands certificate from the Office of Tax and Revenue and a Letter of Good Standing from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).  

The pilot program runs from July through September. For more information, contact Jonathan Taylor TODAY at jtaylor@ncmsinc.org or 202-905-6039.    

Encourage your favorite business to participate in the program!

The North Capitol business corridor is striving to become THE eco-friendly place to live, work and shop in D.C. But we need your help to boost community and corporate support and gather information to convince our local businesses that GOING GREEN is the ticket to $UCE$$.

As an NCMS volunteer you could:

• Conduct research on grants and other funding that may be available to the business community
• Conduct surveys with business and residents for input on new business-generating tools 
• Work closely with the community to choose a new "brand" slogan for the North Capitol business district and
• Design marketing campaigns to promote businesses and events   
  

Join us to help make North Capitol Main Street the GREEN place to do business.

For more information or to get started, email info@ncmsinc.org or call Jonathan Taylor at (202) 905-6039.

 
After working as a lobbyist on education and workforce issues for women and underrepresented minorities, Karla Saunders searched for a new personal and professional challenge. She had joined Curves as a member in 2004 and finally found a program that worked. At the same time, she read reports about the alarming increase in chronic illness as well as average weights for D.C. residents and thought the best way to affect change and help women and their families would be to acquire a Curves franchise.

Specially designed for women, Curves provides a complete cardio and strength training workout in just 30 minutes. The system helps members burn up to 500 calories and work every major muscle group for an effective workout every visit. The workout program also includes CurvesSmart, a state-of-the-art personal coaching system, which allows members to monitor their muscle strength, calories burned and how close they are to reaching their goals from moment-to-moment during the workout and in detailed reports.

The club itself exudes the welcoming environment Saunders has created for girls and women of all ages, shapes, sizes and personal goals. Members range in age from 11 to 75 with varying weights of just over 100 pounds to weights higher than the club's 400-pound scale can measure. Some members primarily focus on the numbers reflected on the scale, while others focus more on health goals like lowering their blood pressure (BP) and glucose levels.

Regardless of the goals, Saunders is lobbying her Curves members for their health. She makes a point to talk to them regularly not only about eating healthy but also the negative effects of not eating enough. 

The successful results speak for themselves through members, including a 75-year-old who has normalized her BP, while losing weight and a 72-year-old who no longer needs prescription medications to lower her BP and cholesterol. A member also recently reached a milestone of being the first to complete 300 workouts.

"Our members' accomplishments prove that there is no age or time limit for starting a healthy lifestyle," emphasized Saunders. "All of us can stand to move a little more and be a lot more conscious of what we eat."

Visit Curves on North Capitol Street to begin your plan towards a life of better health and fitness.