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December 25th Day of Service (D25) is the DMV’s largest volunteer event on Christmas Day.

Over 350 volunteers come out to pack homemade treats, deliver food packages, sing carols to hospice patients, play BINGO at nursing homes and homeless shelters, do crafts with children transitioning out of homelessness, and serve meals to folks in need. Now, in its 38th year, this is a Christmas tradition for individuals and families alike.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, we invite you to join us for a few hours to do something good and bring some warmth and cheer to people who may not have anyone else to wish them a merry Christmas. All instructions and supplies are provided, along with a volunteer lead to serve as point person for each site.

Choose your project based on location, type of activity, or time of day — we have something for people of all ages and abilities! Volunteer spots go fast but we still have a number of projects that need your help.

Along with sending teams of volunteers out to serve folks in need, we also host a blood drive at our community center, located in Dupont Circle.

Advance registration is required for all D25 volunteer projects, except the blood drive, although making an appointment to donate blood is highly encouraged.

We can all agree that the plunger is gross; figuring out what to do with it after clearing a clogged toilet is another matter.

You know what I am talking about, you plunge your toilet and then look at the plunger afterward and wonder: “Do I just put
it on the floor and hope the germs on it die on their own? Should I rinse it in the tub or sink and hope the germs aren’t transferred there?” Suffice it to say, regardless of what you do, the traditional plunger is a germ spreader.

But does it have to be that way?

That’s not what longtime Arlington resident and Schoon™ inventor Elaine Steele thinks!

The idea for Schoon came to Elaine one morning in January 2020 after plunging yet another clog in her bathroom in her old house in Arlington. A search of the internet for a plunger that has a way to clean itself yielded no results. After an exhaustive
search of the Patent and Trademark site to find an invention that solves this problem, she found that there were none. Elaine realized that a self-cleaning plunger did not exist.

Elaine approached her longtime friend, Pierre, about the idea of a self-cleaning plunger. Being a germaphobe, he was intrigued, and the two started collaborating on the idea that February. Several designs, a few prototypes, lots of testing, and a patent
application later, Schoon was born!

Making Schoon a reality required more elbow grease! Researching and dealing with several manufacturers, part suppliers, and assembly vendors to get a quality product at the right price point was a long journey.

So how does Schoon work? After unclogging your toilet, Schoon allows you to use the included wand to spray disinfectant over the top and the underneath of the plunger cup, cleaning the plunger immediately after use. You can also use Schoon to disinfect
the toilet and surrounding area. Elaine says, “Pierre and I intentionally created a sleek design, so that you can leave your Schoon out and at the ready for use when you need it.”

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