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Fans of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal know that the canal has a long and storied history, but what they may not know is that the canal has a unique tie to America's presidents. In honor of the inauguration of the country's newest president, Barack Obama, a new exhibit at Great Falls details the stories that link some of the country's past leaders to the canal.

There are six, to be exact. "I want visitors to identify that a long time ago these presidents had something to do with the canal, and [learn about] the indelible stamp they left here," said Harry Hagen, a park ranger who developed the exhibit. The stories, highlighted through text and photographs, will be displayed at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center until Feb. 20.

The stories begin with the man for whom the canal was a brainchild — George Washington.

"He's almost known as the father of the canal," Hagen said. "He felt the need to connect the western end of our country to commerce." The western end at the time was the Ohio River Valley, Hagen said.

Washington envisioned the canal as a way for boats to transport goods down the Potomac River while being able to skirt obstacles such as Great Falls. As many know, the canal never made it that far — only to Cumberland. "It never really panned out the way he envisioned it," Hagen said. However, the canal was nonetheless utilized for years as an important means of transporting goods to Washington, D.C.

The second president detailed is John Quincy Adams. Adams turned the first shovel of dirt in 1828 that began construction of the canal at Little Falls, a ceremonial gesture set to the backdrop of the Marine Corps band, marking the first time the band had played for a sitting president, Hagen said. Grover Cleveland — the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms, from 1885-1889 and 1893-1897 — also had a special connection with the canal. Cleveland often used the canal as a retreat from the pressures of the presidency, and used to stay in a house at Pennyfield Lock while he fished there, Hagen said. His favorite was eel. "He would tell the lady of the house to skin them for him and cook them up," Hagen said.

Following Cleveland was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who ordered several building projects along the canal through the Civilian Conservation Corps, an effort part of the 32nd president's "New Deal" to help the country recover from the Great Depression. The last two presidents detailed are Dwight D. Eisenhower – who designated the canal a national monument, protecting it from being developed into a parkway — and finally, Richard Nixon. "He signed legislation making it a National Historical Park, thereby really protecting it for future generations," Hagen said.

Visitors can view the exhibit at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, located at 11710 MacArthur Blvd. in Potomac. For more information call the tavern at 301-767-3714.

Potomac group

receives grant to battle pain

The Potomac-based Pain Connection, an organization geared toward chronic pain sufferers, has been awarded a grant from the Healthcare Initiative Foundation to allow people afflicted with pain more access to mental health professionals to help them deal with the psychological impact of pain. Some of the techniques used will include meditation, guided imagery and other coping skills. The grant will also apply toward the creation of a chronic pain training manual and CD for health care professionals who deal with patients with pain, along with training sessions, support groups and educational seminars for county and local agencies.

According to Pain Connection, 76 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and it can have devastating emotional and physical effects. Pain Connection was started by Potomac resident Gwen Herman, herself a chronic pain sufferer, and serves people in Montgomery, Prince George's, Howard and Baltimore Counties through pain support groups and a speaker series.

The Healthcare Initiative Foundation is a Montgomery County based group that supports efforts that will improve the health of county residents. To learn more about Pain Connection, visit www.painconnection.org.

Kudos …

-Congratulations to James Riviere, an Arlington resident and 2002 graduate of St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, who was named one of the 10 winners of an inaugural essay contest that posed the question, "What does this inauguration mean to you?" Riviere's essay was chosen out of a quarter-million essay entries.

In his essay, Riviere contrasted the aftermath of last year's Kenyan election with the results of Barack Obama's election in the United States. Riviere's service in the Peace Corps in Kenya was cut short during the election there. He attended Obama's historic inauguration after winning two tickets.

Riviere works in health care policy.

-Congratulations to Katherine Wright Consroe, who has been named to the Dean's List for the fall 2009 semester at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. Consroe, a graduate of Thomas S. Wootton High School, is a rising senior majoring in environmental science. Students who earn a position on the Dean's List must have a grade point average of 3.7 or above on a 4.0 scale.

Consroe is the daughter of Bob and Leslie Consroe of Potomac.

-Congratulations to Jack Lunenfeld, a North Potomac native who has been named to the Dean's List at Towson University for the fall 2008 semester. Lunenfeld, 21, is majoring in cultural studies at Towson. He will graduate from the university in May.

Spend Valentine's Day shopping

For those residents looking for a way to celebrate Valentine's Day that doesn't involve hearts and flowers, check out the 19th annual "Garage-to-Attic" sale, a wide-scale rummage sale event that will cover more than a 10,000-square-foot display area. The event will take place Feb. 14 at St. Raphael Catholic School, 1513 Dunster Road, Potomac. The event is sponsored yearly by the Mater Dei Council of Knights of Columbus. This year, more than 200 volunteers are helping to make the event a reality. Money raised from the sale of household goods over the years has totaled $200,000 and has been donated to local charities. Household items can also be donated to the Garage-to-Attic sale. Donations to the Mater Dei Charities, Inc., a nonprofit organization, are tax deductible. Items can be brought to the St. Raphael Catholic School any time Friday, Feb. 13. To arrange for a piece of furniture to be picked up, call 301-762-8969.

Calling all tutors!

Montgomery County Public Schools are in need of a few good tutors to help Potomac Elementary second-graders excel at reading. Tutors will work with the same child for one hour a week, any day of the week, from 11:45a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Training, tutoring materials and on-site support will be provided. To learn more about volunteering, contact Peggy Graham at 301-279-3890 or visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/readingnetwork.

Caring at Kohl's

The Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship program is gearing up to award nearly $350,000 in scholarships and prizes to recognize 2,000 youth — ages 6-18 — who are making a difference in their community, and nominations for the awardees are being accepted.

The program, run through the Kohl's department store and aimed to help youth and families afford rising tuition costs, has been in existence since 2001 and has awarded more than 9,000 scholarships to youth volunteers nationwide, totaling more than $1.8 million.

Scholarship winners last year included a 10-year-old student who helped provide 250 Afghan children with school supplies; a 13-year-old student who raised more than $25,000 for epilepsy support; and an 18-year-old who raised $150,000 to go toward sports equipment for the needy. The program aims to highlight youth who are making an impact in their own community to encourage them to continue their service.

Nominations will be accepted through March 15. To nominate a youth volunteer, visit www.kohlskids.com. Ten national winners will be awarded with $5,000 towards post-secondary education, and Kohl's will also donate $1,000 to a non-profit group on each winner's behalf. Two nominees from each of Kohl's 1,004 stores countrywide will win a $50 Kohl's gift card and of those, more than 190 will also receive $1000 worth of regional scholarships towards post-secondary education.

This column is for you. Send press releases, news tips and other information to Erin Donaghue by phone to 301-280-3007, by e-mail edonaghue@ gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.