In celebration of National Dance Week, the Loudoun Ballet Company announced its Celebration of Dance Choreography Competition. Now in its 17th year, the competition features professional and non-professional aspiring choreographers who creatively present their choreography to ballet, Irish, jazz, lyrical, modern or tap. The event will take place at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg.
The preliminary phase of the Choreography Competition, free of charge and open to the public will occur on Saturday, April 26 at 3 p.m. Finalists and professionals will dance on Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m., and admission is $5 at the door for the final judging event.
For further details, visit www.loudounballet.org, or contact the competition coordinator at 703-771-1522.
Loudoun County Department of Social Services is in need of donations that will be used to make “Kamp Kits” for campers that benefit from their Summer Camp Program. Items needed include suntan lotion (minimum 15 protection), non-aerosol insect repellent, insulated lunch boxes, freeze packs (blue ice), individually wrapped hand wipes, insulated water bottles and rain ponchos for ages 5-12.
Donations will be collected through the month of April at the Giant stores in Cascades and Leesburg, Sports Authority in Cascades, Dick’s Sporting Goods near Dulles Town Center, the Loudoun County Parks and Recreation office on the fourth floor of the Government Center, Social Services office on the second floor of the Shenandoah Building, and Mental Retardation Services on Trailview Boulevard next to Shenandoah University.
For more information call Loudoun County Department of Social Services at 703-771-5003.
Boy Scout Troop 761 and coed Venturing Crew 761 of Sterling have raised more than $1,000 for the Operation USO Care Package in support of the men and women serving in the Iraq War. Troop 761 and Venturing Crew 761 chartered by the Rotary Club of Sterling.
Care packages contain an assortment of items the military has requested, such as prepaid international calling cards, disposable cameras, toiletries and sunscreen. They also include greetings from the American public, transcribed by hand onto official Operation USO Care Package postcards.
Loudoun citizens can make donations of $25 toward one Operation USO Care Package for a deployed service member by going online, or sending a check payable to USO and greeting to:
USO
Operation USO Care Package
P.O. Box 10835
Arlington, VA 22210
Call 1-866-USO-GIVE for more information about the program.
Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is seeking interested teens and adults to volunteer by becoming a tour guide. The museum is scheduled to open June 2003. Training is provided. Hours are flexible. The farm is located at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. Call Janis Golden at 703-421-5322.
The American Cancer Society is currently signing up local teams for their 2003 fundraising event. “Relay for Life” is an annual community-wide overnight celebration hosted by the American Cancer Society to benefit current and former cancer patients, along with their families, and to raise awareness and funds to fight cancer. Local teams (minimum of 10 people) from corporations, social organizations, civic groups, churches, schools and individuals are invited to participate. Each team member must raise a minimum of $100. All teams will have a member walking or running on the track during the 20-hour event. Campsites are decorated, and there are games, prizes and contests. Call Nikkii Greenleaf at 703-937-1904.
Sponsored by Leadership Loudoun and the Loudoun County Government, Discover Loudoun provides a mix of insight and access to government operations, non-profit groups and emerging leaders and businesses in the county. Discover Loudoun will host four forums in May, providing a sampling of life and government in Loudoun:
v May 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. History and bus tour of Loudoun County
v May 8, 7-9 p.m. Orientation to county government with County Administrator Kirby Bowers and Legislative Liaison Memory Porter
v May 15, 7-9 p.m. Learn more about the resources of county departments and non-profit groups
v May 22, 7-9 p.m. An opportunity to connect with county groups and organizations
For more information, or to receive a program brochure and registration form, contact Meghan Hall, community relations specialist at mhall@loudoun.gov or phone at 703-771-5839.
County residents and businesses are encouraged to recycle their old phonebooks at the following recycling drop-off center locations:
v Arcola Community Center;
v Hillsboro Elementary School;
v Loudoun County Landfill;
v Lovettsville Recycling Center;
v Lucketts Elementary School
(Saturdays only, 8 a.m. -noon);
v Mickie Gordon Memorial Park,
east of Middleburg;
v Park View High School Recycling
Center, Sterling (April);
v Philomont Fire Department; and
v Leesburg Plaza Shopping Center parking lot, across from Kmart (April).
For more information about these and other local recycling opportunities, call the Loudoun County Office of Solid Waste Management at 703-777-0187 or visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm.
Volunteer Day
Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services announces the second annual Volunteer Fun & Service Day on Saturday, May 17.
Volunteer projects will be available at fourteen locations throughout the county from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Individuals, families and organized groups are encouraged to participate.
Volunteer Fun and Service Day is an opportunity for families to volunteer together, meet other members of the community and show support for Parks, Recreation and Community Services. Middle and high school students can earn credit toward their community service hours. Employers can encourage teams of employees to volunteer together. Scouts and other organized groups can adopt a project.
Volunteer opportunities will be available at all Loudoun County community centers and parks. Participants can choose from a variety of projects including, gardening, landscaping, painting, replacing fences, spring cleaning, planting trees and flowers, trail maintenance, preparing swimming pools for the summer, getting ponds ready for fishing, making ice cream and butter the old-fashioned way, and taking care of farm animals. For more information, contact Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services at 703-777-0343.
There are a few seats remaining on the Sterling Playmakers’ New York City trip to see two Broadway shows: “Aida” and “The Producers” on May 2-4. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Cost is $635 per person for double occupancy. For information, call 703-430-2397.
The Douglass Community Center will be sponsoring an overnight trip to New York City on Saturday-Sunday, May 24-25. Cost of the trip is $165 based on double occupancy. Advance registration is required. Call 703-771-5913 or e-mail dcc@loudoun.gov.
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.
The Loudoun Arts Council Web Site offers a page of “Artist Opportunities” designed to inform area artists about programs and events for their participation. Visit the site at www.loudounarts.org.
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 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.
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.