Send announcements, which are open to the public at no or minimal cost, to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Matthew Razak at 703-917-6457. For additional listings, visit www.connectionnewspapers.com.
Congregation Sha'are Shalom will hold its annual kindergarten open house, Sunday, April 15, from 9-
10 a.m., for children entering kindergarten in fall 2007 and their parents at the synagogue, 19357 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. Parents will be able to meet with Michele Zuckerman, education director of Congregation Sha'are Shalom Shalom’s Religious School, to learn about the synagogue's religious school program, while their children experience a typical kindergarten class. To attend with child, e-mail Michele Zuckerman at eddirector@sha-areshalom.org or call 703-737-0686.
The YMCA Loudoun County is holding summer camp early-bird registrations: Tuesday, April 17; Thursday, April 26; Tuesday, May 15; Wednesday, May 30 and Tuesday, June 12, at the YMCA office, 6 Fairfax St., S.E., Leesburg, from 5-7 p.m.
Register for camp at one of the early-bird dates and have the membership fee waived. Camp locations are Catoctin, Horizon, Hutchison Farm, Round Hill, Selden Landing elementary schools, J.R.’s Festival Lakes and Algonkian Regional Park. Themes include pirate splash, sports mania, thingamajig and all that jazz, land before time and splish splash bash. Call 703-777-9622 or visit www.ymcadc.org.
Sterling United Methodist Church, 304 E. Church Road, will be holding Avalanche Ranch 2007 vacation Bible school, June 25-29, from 9 a.m.-noon. A special family program is planned for June 28, 7-8 p.m., also at the church. Includes Bible-learning activities for children age 3-fifth grade. Registration begins April 1. Fee: $30 per child with a family maximum of $75 and includes crafts, snacks and T-shirt. Call 703-430-6455 or visit www.sterlingumc.org.
The Audubon Naturalist Society’s Rust Nature Sanctuary in Leesburg will offer summer nature camps for children ages 4-11 years old, July 16-Aug. 17. The camps focus on nature and are designed to foster environmental awareness and expand natural and cultural knowledge; featuring hands-on activities, hikes, games, crafts and explorations. Call 703-669-0000 or visit www.audubonnaturalist.org.
Summer Art Camps at Douglass Community Center:
* KidzArt Summer Camp: Ages 3.5-5, designed for both experienced and novice artists. Projects include sketch book design, clay, scratch art, sand art, puzzle art, 3-D projects, drawings and more. Camp runs July 9-13, July 16-20 and July 23-27. Cost $180 plus a $25 supply fee payable to instructor at first class.
* Kidzart Elementary Camp: Ages 6-11, designed for both experienced and novice artists. Projects include sketch book design, clay, scratch art, sand art, puzzle art, 3-D projects, drawings, and much more. Camp runs July 9-13, July 16-20, July 23-27 and July 30-Aug. 8. Cost $180 plus $25 supply fee payable to instructor at first class.
* Abrakadoodle Camp-Twoosy Doodlers: Ages 20 months-3 years. Have fun and acquire new skills using paints, textures, papers, glue and modeling compounds in developmentally appropriate lessons. Camp runs June 26-28, July 17-19 and Aug. 7-9. Cost is $36 plus a $9 supply fee payable to instructor at first class.
* Abrakadoodle Camp-Doodlers: Ages 6-13. Lessons designed to ignite the imagination, foster creativity and develop new skills with paints, water colors, pastels and other materials. Camp runs June 26-28, July 17-19 and Aug. 7-9. Cost $36 plus $9 supply fee payable to instructor at first class.
To register contact the Douglass Community Center at 703-771-5913 or e-mail dcc@loudoun.gov.
The Sterling Annex Community Center, 22084 Shaw Road, is accepting registration for the fall session of My First Preschool. Children must be 2 years old by Sept. 4. Classes are Mondays and Wednesdays, 9-10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Registration required, call 703-430-6673.