The Community Resilience Project of Loudoun County will offer free mental health screenings on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 2-7 p.m., at the Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market Street in Leesburg. People who attend the free screenings will have the opportunity to hear an educational presentation on mental disorders, complete a written screening test and talk one-on-one with a mental health professional. Those who appear to need further evaluation will be given referrals to local treatment services.
More information is available online at http://www.mentalhealth screening.org. The Community Resilience Project Web site is http://www.communityresilience.com.
On Thursday, Oct. 10, from 7:30-9 p.m., The League of Women Voters of Loudoun County will hold a public forum on the issue of the Northern Virginia Tax Referendum, at Stone Bridge High School, 43100 Hay Road, Ashburn. Betttina Gregory, Loudoun resident and former senior correspondent with ABC News, will moderate the forum. The four panelists will be Secretary of Natural Resources, W. Tayloe Murphy, Jr., Leonard S. “Hobie” Mitchel, Commonwealth Transportation Board, Mark Tate, Loudoun Taxpayer Coalition, and Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Crafters are needed for this year’s Family Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 12-4 p.m. All crafts must be handmade. A sample must be submitted to Margo Kerns. No electricity or tables will be provided. There is no charge. Call 703-430-0715 with any questions.
The Mom and Tot Playgroup will meet regularly at Sterling Annex, 1115 W. Church Road. Mothers will meet together with their children; space and toys provided. Cost is $2 per session. Call 703-430-6673, for more information.
The La Leche League of Sterling will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 10:15 a.m. The group supports mothers who breastfeed and provides information to women considering nursing their babies. Call Elizabeth for directions and more information at 703-689-0811.
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) invite new membership for a chapter forming in Sterling. For information, call 703-620-2279 or email tward@mmi connect.com.
Loudoun Long Term Care Center, 235 Old Waterford Road in Leesburg, has changed its name to Loudoun Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (LNRC). Call 703-771-2841.
24-hour, seven-day-a-week, full-service emergency department. Visit www.loudounhospital.org.
The Arcola-Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department — Loudoun County Fire-Rescue Stations 9 and 19 — will begin raising funds to purchase a new ambulance, equipment and advanced training for its volunteer and career fire-rescue professionals. Representatives will be visiting homes in Arcola and South Riding in October and November soliciting funds. Each donor family will receive a complimentary family portrait that will be taken in November at the department’s two stations. All representatives will be wearing identification badges and carrying information about the Fire-Rescue Department fund drive. For more information on donating to the Fire-Rescue service, or becoming a volunteer, call 703-327-2222 or visit www.arcolavfd.org.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Program and the USDA Forest Service recently awarded $25,000 to the Loudoun Watershed Watch. The LWW also received an award of $1,000 from The National Park Service and received financial and in-kind support in the amount of $1,000 from the Loudoun County Sanitation Authority. The primary goal of the LWW is to monitor and protect water resources in Loudoun by raising awareness of Loudoun’s water resources and engaging residents into action to clean up, monitor, restore and protect Loudoun’s streams and watersheds.
The LWW will host a celebration of Loudoun’s local watersheds on Oct. 19 at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. For more information, or to find out how to get involved with Loudoun Watershed Watch, contact Linda Erbs at 703-777-0220, or lerbs@loudoun.gov.
Back to School “Apple Tree.” The Salvation Army is taking applications and the names of children from families who need a little help. The names will be placed on tags at Dulles Town Center, Wal-Mart Leesburg and Leesburg Outlet Mall. People can pick up the apple-shaped tags and purchase gifts of new clothes, shoes and school supplies for the children. The Salvation Army is accepting donations or volunteered time to help these children prepare for their first day back at school. Any questions call 703-771-3371..
The Loudoun Arts Council Web site now offers a page of “Artist Opportunities” designed to inform area artists about programs and events for their participation. Information about calls for entries, artist residencies and upcoming art shows are included on the page. Visual, performing and literary artists are encouraged to visit the site at www.loudounarts.org.
The Sterling Annex on West Church Road is seeking vendors for its annual shopping extravaganza on Saturday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Spaces are $30 each and are approximately 8' x 8'. For registration and other information call 703-430-6673.
Three Wishes Program makes power wheelchairs available to senior citizens (65 years and up) and the permanently disabled with no cost to the recipient if they qualify. The power wheelchairs are provided to those who cannot walk and cannot self-propel a manual wheelchair in their home, and who meet the additional guidelines of the program. No deposit is required. Call 800-451-0971 for more information.
Oatlands is now part of the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) reciprocal Gardens program. This means that any AHS member can now visit Oatlands gardens and grounds for free. The gardens at Oatlands cover approximately four-and-a-half acres. They were designed and built by George Carter around 1804. Oatlands, a 261-acre property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is located six miles south of Leesburg, Virginia on Route 15. For additional information call 703-777-3174.
The Northern Virginia Family Service seeks foster families for abused and neglected children. African-American families are particularly needed. Help is needed in both full-time and short-term programs. Training, support and financial compensation will be provided. For more information about the Northern Virginia Family Service call 703-533-9727 or smcallister@nvfs.org.
Loudoun County teens can visit www.loudounteens.org to learn how to get involved in their community and where to go to find information about jobs and other programs and services available to teenagers. Local teen Jon Hughes designed the site with input from teens that serve on the Loudoun County Advisory Commission On Youth (ACOY). For more information, contact the Loudoun County Office on Youth, at 703-777-0358.
Loudoun County Annual Growth Summary is now accessible on-line at: http://www.loudoun.gov/business/growthsummary2001.htm. The summary provides statistical snapshots of the county and also examines economic and demographic trends for Loudoun County and the Northern Virginia region. The Growth Summary was assembled by the Loudoun County Departments of Economic Development and Planning. Call the Department of Economic Development at 703-777-0426 for more information.
A new Map/Atlas and Resource Guide for Loudoun County is now available from the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. The publication is an 8 1/2 by 11 inch spiral bound book that is designed for easy use while traveling, an improvement on Chamber maps in the past that were “fold-out” style. The map portion is the most recent cartography from the County’s government offices. Copies are available at the Chamber offices. The cost is $5 per map for Chamber Members, $7 for non-members. A mailed copy costs $10. Call the Chamber offices at 703-777-2176 for more information.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants to serve on the county’s Historic District Review Committee. Committee members should be architects, architectural historians, residents owning property on the state or national registers or citizens with demonstrated knowledge of and interest in the preservation of historic structures. Interested citizens should send a letter with resume to: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Attn: Sally Keefer, 1 Harrison St., S.E., 5th floor, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177.
Travelers Aid Washington D.C. is looking for volunteers to help airline passengers have a smooth trip through Washington Dulles International Airport. Travelers Aid volunteers provide assistance with general information about the airport facilities, directions to ground transportation and connect travelers with special assistance if necessary. Call 703-572-7350.
The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is looking for seasoned volunteers to help with archiving material and objects, and scanning 19th and 20th Century family and business documents. For more information call Anna Fasolo at 703-421-5322.
The Loudoun County Office on Youth, in partnership with D.C. United, is pleased to present the MEN (Male Enrichment Network) Series. This free program highlights sports as a way to provide parents and sons (or male mentors and their youth partner) an opportunity to learn strategies for success. D.C. United soccer games will serve as a live demonstration of the teamwork, communication and leadership needed to form positive relationships. Transportation to and from D.C. United games is included in the program. Interested parents and adult male mentors of boys between the ages of 12-17 can call 703-737-8817 for more information and to register.
Meeting room facilities are available after hours to the public at Eastern Loudoun Regional Library, Cascades, and Rust Library, Leesburg. Groups and organizations may book the meeting rooms for after hours use Monday through Saturday. The meeting rooms must be booked 10 business days in advance and only until 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. All groups using the meeting rooms after hours will pay a security fee of $21 per hour with a minimum of two hours. The security fee is in addition to other fees such as AV charges or room-use fees for businesses and for-profit groups. To book meeting rooms, please contact Carolyn Watson at Eastern Loudoun Regional Library at 703-444-3228 or Ellen Henry at Rust Library at 703-771-0541.
Loudoun Cooperative Extension is offering a seminar on “Starting a Family Child Care Business” to provide caregivers with the tools to develop a home-based child care service. The requirements for both business and state licensing will be discussed, as well as voluntary registration, and how to enroll in the USDA Food Program for reimbursements of meals and snacks. The program will take place on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Loudoun Extension Office in Leesburg. The registration fee is $10 to cover the resource manual provided to participants. For more information, contact Beverly Samuel in the Loudoun Cooperative Extension office at 703-777-0373.
September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Loudoun County has a number of organizations that offer help to people in recovery. The Loudoun County Community Services Board’s Division of Mental Health/Substance Abuse Services provides help to individuals and their families. Other organizations include Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance (S.A.A.R.A), Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.), Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), Al-Anon, Alateen and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.). Call Loudoun CSB’s Community Services Resource Center for information about these organizations, including meeting dates and times. Pamphlets available, some in Spanish. Call 703-737-8977.
Performing, visual, and literary arts groups can apply to The Loudoun Arts Council for Artshare funds. An annual regranting program, Artshare contributes to non-profit arts organizations that operate in the Loudoun community. To receive a grant, organizations must demonstrate strong artistic quality and sound management practices. Grant applicants must have completed at least one season of programs and be members of the Loudoun Arts Council. This year, the Arts Council is offering a pre-review process to assist organizations with grant-writing. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications by Oct. 11 in order to receive feedback and proceed with the final application which is due to the Arts Council’s office on Oct. 25. For more information, or to receive an application, contact the Loudoun Arts Council at 703-777-7838.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors seeks citizens to fill vacancies on the following county advisory boards, commissions, and committees:
• The Agricultural District Advisory Committee seeks one landowner representative and one farmer representative to complete four-year terms expiring December 31, 2003.
• The Commission on Women seeks a Sterling District representative to complete a four-year term expiring December 31, 2003.
• Commission on Youth seeks Catoctin, Sterling and Sugarland Run District representatives to complete three, four-year terms.
• The Community Services Board seeks a Dulles District representative to complete a four-year term expiring December 31, 2003. Representatives must be riders of the Loudoun County Commuter Bus Service or commuters.
• The Rural Economic Development Council seeks a banking and finance industry sector representative to complete a two-year term expiring December 31, 2003.
• The Social Services Board seeks an at-large representative to serve a four-year term expiring June 30, 2006.
Interested individuals should send a letter of interest or resume to the Board of Supervisors, 1 Harrison St., S.E., P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177, indicating which committees are of interest and in which supervisor’s district the applicant lives. For more information about the committees or vacancies, call the Board of Supervisors office at 703-777-0204.