Five Things to Know Today, Dec. 11, in Montgomery County

Today is Friday, Dec. 11, and here are five things to know in Montgomery County.

1. Food Distribution Events: There’s a drive-thru food distribution event happening today at the Bethesda Chevy-Chase Rescue Squad from 1 to 3 p.m. And from 5 to 6 p.m., free prepared meals in to-go boxes are available at Parkland Middle School provided by Shepherd’s Table. Click here for more information on food resources.

2. COVID-19 Testing: Free walk-in and drive-through COVID-19 testing are available throughout the county at nine testing sites today. The schedule of clinics may be found here.

3. Santa’s Coming to Town: Volunteer fire departments in the county continue their annual Santa Runs this year. Of course, expect a few changes due to the pandemic–Santa will not make any stops and will not hand out candy. Here is a list of Santa runs we were able to find:

The Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department will follow the Oakview Drive/Hamptons Route starting at 6:30 p.m.
The Gaithersburg Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department will be visiting neighborhoods tonight.
Here’s the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department schedule. Tonight they are scheduled to visit Derwood.
The Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department begin their Santa visits next Friday, December 18.
The Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department plans to visit Avenel, River Road Estates, Williamsburg Estates, The Village, Williamsburg Gardens, and Concord tonight. Here’s their complete schedule.
The schedule for the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department may be found here.

4. Montgomery Village Food and Toy Drive: The Montgomery Village Foundation will host a food and toy drive Saturday, December 12 to support local families in need for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Stop by the Lake Marion Community Center with your donations in your trunk and volunteers will remove them.

5. Santa’s Holiday Tour: Gaithersburg is the place to be Saturday for a visit with Santa. Appointments are required and may be made online here. Santa is visiting the Casey Community Center and the Aquatic Center.

And one more thing: County officials stress the importance of wearing a mask to protect yourself and others from spreading the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff share their reasons for wearing a mask in this short video.