Bethesda, MD – May 23, 2011 – Graceful Growing Together, Inc. a Maryland incorporated 501 c 3 non profit subsidiary of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bethesda-Chevy Chase, announced the election of a four new Board members to assume leadership roles effective immediately.

Community leaders Ken Hartman, Melanie Folstad, Paula Mathis and Rev. Tim Warner have been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors to serve on the Board. Graceful Growing Together and Christ Lutheran have been community leaders for over 76 years and have championed the growth of the non-profit direct services and collaboration facilities to those living, frequenting or working in Bethesda since 1934.

“While the initial leadership of Graceful Growing Together has long been driven by church members, it has always sought community input and collaboration to strengthen its mission. The formal inclusion of new board members with strong community ties is an important progression in the growth of our many social services” said Board President and Executive Director Barry Lemley.

High among the Graceful Growing Together successes touted by Lemley include:

New Board member Ken Hartman, Director, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, said “Bethesda clearly will clearly need more community amenity space and intergenerational services to meet the needs of our growing and diverse community. I am strongly encouraged by the community vision of GGT that not only meets many current needs but has significant plans to sustain and enhance them”.

In her recent testimony before the County Hearing Examiner in support of the rezoning to enable the proposed new community project, new Board member Melanie Folstad, Assistant VP Merrill Lynch and Vice President of the Greater B-CC Chamber of Commerce and Chair Elect of Lutheran Social Services said of the project, “the design is especially attentive to green space and environmental considerations. The design also addresses ability to provide expanded capability for a wide variety of needed county quality of life services for the Montgomery County community for future generations. It is a carefully and well considered plan and I hope, with your support, it will move forward”.

“I am here to add my energy to the group and our efforts as we encourage the community in the giving of resources, talent, energy and spiritual gifts” added new board member and HR consultant at Sodexo, Paula Mathis. My board vision is to work towards the bonding of the community and church in the continual enhancement of the lives we touch through our actions, faith and prayers”.

Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships and new GGT Board member Reverend Tim Warner, as quoted in the April 2001 Washingtonian lead article on poverty in Montgomery County, Out From the Shadows, said “the challenge in a county of extremes is getting the people who aren’t in need to notice those who are. GGT has long been an advocate in this addressing this issue and building awareness and implementing solutions”.

“Graceful Growing Together works with a network of community leaders to create an organization that will continue to generate social value for the County's diverse residents,” Lemley said. “The Board fully supports its ongoing development as evidenced by these four outstanding new board members.”

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Graceful Growing Together Board Officers

President & Executive Director, Barry Lemley, Community Advocate, Chevy Chase, MD

Vice President, Paula Mathis, Human Resources Consultant, Sodexo, Gaithersburg, MD

Treasurer, Andrew Masetti, CFO, Remedi Senior Care, Baltimore, MD

Secretary, Mark Miller, Greenberg Traurig, Washington, DC

Directors

Dr. Raymond Albright, Senior US Government Officer (retired) Chevy Chase, MD

Donald Cuming, BRAC Project Manager, Booz Allen, McLean, VA

Melanie Folstad., Assistant VP Merrill Lynch, Bethesda, MD

Kenneth Hartman, Director, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, Bethesda, MD

Rev. Jonathan Hundt, Senior Pastor Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bethesda, MD

Rev. Timothy Warner, Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, Rockville, MD