The seventh annual Herndon Blues Fest will be held on Saturday, July 19, from noon-8 p.m., at Frying Pan Park, 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon inside the 4-U building. The family event is produced by the Council for the Arts of Herndon. Donations are requested and sponsors and volunteers are needed. Call the Council for the Arts at 703-689-9535 or e-mail at karenc@herndonarts.org.
The English as a Second Language (ESL) and Immigrant Ministries program has an immediate need for teaching volunteers. The time commitment is two hours, one day/night per week or Saturday mornings, September through December. Teacher training is being offered on either Saturday, Aug. 9 (8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) or Sunday, Aug. 24 (1-5:30 p.m.) and on Sunday, Sept. 7 (1-5:30 p.m.).
Persons interested in helping immigrants improve their quality of life are urged to contact Campbell immediately at 703-271-8341.
Last year, the ESL program had more the 1,700 students registered with an annual teaching and volunteer staff of more than 300.
Classes will be offered at 19 different locations and at various times. Visit wwww.eslim.org.
Voce, a choral ensemble, is holding auditions for 2003-2004 concert series during the last week of June. The season will include a concert of Christmas music in December, a concert of settings from Songs of Solomon in mid-winter, a spring concert of American poetry and a "Gala Concert" of popular and Broadway songs in October. The group rehearses Monday evenings, September-May, in western Fairfax County and Eastern Loudoun County and performs in Reston, Sterling, Herndon and other northern Virginia locations. Call 703-277-7772. Visit www.voce.org.
Inova VNA Home Health needs volunteers to visit homebound patients. Volunteers spend one to two hours a week talking to the patients, running errands and doing odd jobs. Visits are made during the day, evening or on weekends. Training is provided. Call 703-642-9041.
Seniors seeking employment in Northern Virginia are encouraged to call Senior Employment Resources at 703-750-1936, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., for an interview.
The Northern Virginia Family Service is looking for foster families for abused and neglected children. African-American families are particularly needed. Training, support and financial compensation will be provided for both full-time and short-term programs. For more information, call 703-533-9727 or visit smcallister@nvfs.org.
Homeless pets at Fancy Cats Rescue Team in Herndon, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, and the Humane Society of Fairfax County Inc. can find homes with the help of Petfinder.com. Potential adopters should visit the Web site, enter their zip code and find a list of pets that are available for adoption in their area.
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.
Volunteers play a key role in the Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's provision of advocacy services to recipients of long-term care in the region. The volunteer is assigned to a specific nursing home or assisted living facility, and makes weekly visits. Using the skills of listening, observing and mediating, the ombudsman works with the residents, their families and the staff of the facility to ensure that the residents' rights are being protected. Applicants must successfully complete a training session and must be available to volunteer four hours per week, primarily during business hours. Call 703-324-5435 for further information and an application. Visit www.co.fairfax.va.us/service/aaa/html/ombud_main.htm.
The Herndon Parks and Recreation Department is offering an opportunity to learn the basics of outdoor rock climbing with an expert rock-climber on Sunday, July 13. The trip costs $57, which includes a rock-climbing guide, equipment, bottled water, transportation, and a group leader. Each participant should bring a bag lunch. Vans leave the Herndon Community Center at 8 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. Must be registered by June 27. Call 703-435-6868.