Send announcements to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.
The trustees of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation have concluded their grant distribution cycle for 2005, making gifts totaling more than $4 million to various charities, including $374,500 to Loudoun-based charities this year. The foundation is accepting grant applications for 2006, visit the Web site www.claudemoorefoundation.org, the deadline for applications is Sept. 1.
Safeway Inc. announces the 10% Back to Schools program, where Safeway will join with 40 food manufacturers and suppliers to donate 10 percent of the sale price of 1,000 selected products to schools chosen by the customers. Through the program, Safeway and its vendor partners are committed to giving an additional $10 million. The program runs through Sept. 6. When customers purchase any of the 1,000 eligible products using a Safeway Club Card, the customer will accumulate Òschool dollarsÓ for the school of his/her choice. The products will be marked with a special 10% Back to Schools icon on store shelves. At the end of the program, customers will receive a final donation receipt with their cumulative total of Òschool dollars.Ó They can then take or mail the receipt to their school, which then redeems it online. There is no per-school cap on donations.
Leadership Loudoun, a nonprofit organization that trains current and emerging leaders in Loudoun County, is accepting applications for the Class of 2006. Call 703-771-5511 or download the application at www.leadershiploudoun.org. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 1. The class year, which runs from October through June, includes topical forums, networking events, individual leadership development and hands-on community change projects.
The Loudoun Symphony, under the direction of Mark Allen McCoy, has performing opportunities for paid principal string positions and for non-paid Ñ volunteer Ñ section strings and brass positions for the 2005-2006 season. Paid principal string positions are assistant concertmaster, assistant principal second violin, principal viola and assistant principal bass. Non-paid positions are second trumpet, third trumpet, bass trombone and section strings. Auditions will take place in the morning of Saturday, Sept. 10, in Leesburg. The orchestra rehearsals for the 2005-2006 season are Wednesday evenings September-May.
Individuals interested in auditioning should specify the instrument and send name, address and daytime phone number along with a $5 non-refundable fee payable to: Loudoun Symphony, P.O. Box 4478, Leesburg, VA 20177. Repertoire and an audition time slot will be forwarded by mail. For more information call the Loudoun Symphony office at 703-771-8287.
The Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services is accepting applications and petitions for the establishment of pilot parking districts in accordance with the provisions of the recently enacted Residential Parking District Ordinance. Applications in the form of petitions are available at the front counter of the Office of Transportation Services, 1 Harrison St., S.E., third floor, Leesburg; by telephone at 703-737-8624; by e-mail at OTS@loudoun.gov or online at www.loudoun.gov/transportation/office.htm. Applications should be received by the Office of Transportation Services on or before Sept. 12.
Artists living within a 75-mile radius of Leesburg are
invited to submit artwork to the third annual "Fall Into the Arts" festival Saturday, Oct. 15 in downtown historic Leesburg.
To be eligible, artists should mail photographs of up to three pieces of original art, a $20 fee and a self-addressed-stamped envelope to Fall Into the Artsâ Jury, c/o the Loudoun Academy of the Arts, 222 South King St., Leesburg, VA 20175.
The deadline for photo submissions is Friday, Sept. 16, and a panel of jurors will respond to submissions by Monday, Sept. 26.
School-aged artists are also welcome to display their work at the Loudoun Academy of the Arts at 222 South King St. To participate in the student show, contact Karen Hassinger at 703-669-2357. There is no fee for student submissions.
The "Fall Into the Artsâ" festival is hosted by The Town of Leesburg and Leesburg Crossroads Inc., which operates as a Main Street program for Leesburg. Visit www.fallintothearts.org or contact Lisa Capraro, downtown coordinator, at 703-737-7084.
The Waterford Foundation announces the return of the $2,500 Florence Kiley Fellowship awarded each year to a Loudoun County artist who has just graduated or is entering his/her senior year of high school. The award, established in memory of a dedicated teacher and artist, is given to provide young artists the time and opportunity to explore the depth and potential of their talent and to encourage them to pursue its development.
The fellowship is awarded based on quality of work submitted and the judgesÕ assessment of the artistÕs talent. The prize money may be used for study at any institution or with any teacher of the winnerÕs choice. Entry is limited to two works per artist, which must be submitted to the Tin Shop in Waterford Saturday, Oct. 1, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The work must be ready to hang with screw eyes and wires attached. Entries will be exhibited at this yearÕs Waterford Fair.
Artists and photographers throughout the region are invited to enter their work in the 62nd annual Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit that takes place in Waterford Oct. 7-9. The three-day festival is held throughout the National Historic Landmark Village of Waterford and is the oldest juried crafts fair in the state. Two of the highlights of the weekend are the Art Exhibit and the Photography Exhibit.Ê Both offer awards. For details on awards, entry requirements and deadlines visit the Web at www.waterfordva.org.
The Arts Council of Fairfax County is calling for Washington, D.C., metropolitan-area youth performing arts groups for the annual International ChildrenÕs Festival at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18.
International performers will come from different parts of the world to represent their country, history and culture. The talented students from these countries are given the chance to experience American culture, while sharing their own. Through music, dance and storytelling, the local culture of the D.C. region will also be well represented.
For further information and an application, contact the Arts Council by e-mail, sfridy@artsfairfax.org, or call 703-642-0862, Ext. 3. For festival information, visit www.artsfairfax.org.
Voce Chamber Singers, a 20-member, mixed-choral ensemble, announces auditions for its 2005-2006 concert series. There are openings in all voice parts, and all soloists are selected from within the ensemble.
Under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Nafziger, Voce will present in its 16th subscription season including Daniel PinkhamÕs Christmas Cantata with organ and brass ensemble in December; choral settings of dance music including BrahmÕs Liebeslieder Waltzes in March; and a semi-staged presentation of Gilbert and SullivanÕs Trial by Jury as well as PDQ BachÕs Liebeslieder Polkas in May.
Voce rehearses on Monday evenings, September-May, in Vienna, and performs in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Auditions will be scheduled by appointment, leave a message at 703-277-7772 or send an e-mail to VoceVA@hotmail.com. Further information is available by request or by visiting VoceÕs Web site at www.voce.org.
Expanded information about the Probate Department of the Circuit Court Clerk's Office, including dozens of forms, answers to frequently asked questions, and a glossary of probate terms, is now available on the Loudoun County Government Web site.
By visiting www.loudoun.gov/clerk/probate, residents will find
substantial and detailed information on probating wills, appointing and qualifying executors and administrators of estates, testamentary trustees, conservators, guardians for incapacitated adults, and guardians for minors.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is looking for responsible and energetic people for crossing guards. Duties include escorting children across busy crosswalks and/or intersections, monitoring the flow of traffic to ensure safe passage, and interacting with parents, school personnel, city employees and others. A number of openings, including several opportunities in South Riding for people who are available between 7:20-9 a.m. and 2:30-4 p.m., weekdays. Call Willy Stevenson at 703-771-5735 or get an application online at www.loudoun.gov and click on jobs.
The Sterling Annex Community Center, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, is recruiting facility supervisors and instructors. These are part-time positions and are on an as-needed basis. Call China Nicholson or Barbara Smith at 703-430-6673.
The Master Singers of Virginia is holding auditions for its 11th season. Singers in all voice parts are encouraged to audition. The Master Singers of Virginia, directed by Erik Reid Jones, is the premiere a cappella choral ensemble in Northern Virginia concentrating in 20th and 21st century choral music. and is a 28-voice ensemble that performs three major concert programs each season, each of which is performed three-four times, as well as other engagements throughout Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. area. Visit the Web site at www.msva.org. To schedule an audition call Diana Manfredi, president, at 571-213-6306.
The 2005 Annual Loudoun Farms Product Guide, which will assist consumers in finding local farm products and services
throughout the growing season, is available. Among the goods included are eggs, meats, flowers and plants, fruits and vegetables, plus salsas, wool products, soaps, herbs, and grains. To receive a copy of the guide, call the Loudoun
County Department of Economic Development at 703-777-0426 or e-mail info@LoudounFarms.org.
Loudoun Volunteer Services seeks nominations for Student Volunteer of the Month. Loudoun students will be recognized for their volunteer efforts during the 2004-2005 school year. Nominate students, or groups of students, elementary-12th grade, who volunteer their time in a variety of ways in their schools, churches, and towns. A one-page narrative may be sent to the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board at pivs@loudoun.gov or to 1 Harrison St., S.E., P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177.
The one-page narrative should include the student's name, address, telephone number, school and a description, including length of service of the exemplary volunteer efforts of the student. Contact information for the person nominating the student should also be included.
Volunteers will be featured in the Loudoun Volunteer Services Newsletter and on the Loudoun County Government Web site. Contact Lisa Rose, volunteer coordinator, at
703-777-0113.
Instead of throwing away old phone books with the trash, Loudoun County residents can recycle them and help save landfill space and reduce the number of trees cut down to make new paper. The Loudoun County Office of Solid Waste Management encourages residents and businesses to deposit phone books at any of the 11 Recycling Drop-off Centers in the county. For more information about these and other local recycling opportunities, call the Loudoun County Recycling Hotline at 703-771-5318 or visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm.
Plant-A-Memory is a countywide program that provides a living, growing, memorial to a loved one or special event. By emphasizing trees native to the Piedmont region of Virginia, the program supports ongoing beautification of the countyÕs parks. The trees selected for the program also benefit wildlife preservation efforts in Loudoun County. All donated trees will be marked with Plant-A-Memory plaques with a loved oneÕs name.
Trees will be planted in the park of the purchaser's choice. Tree selection and planting location will be administered by the staff at the park. Claude Moore Park, Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, Franklin Park or Potomack Lakes Sportsplex are available as planting location.
Prices include the 3-inch-square plaque, mounting post, mulch, and maintenance: $150 for a tree up to 1.5 inches diameter, and $300 for a tree up to 2.5 inches diameter. The next round of trees will be planted in November, so orders must be received by Oct. 1. Contact Claude Moore Park at 703-444-1275.
Loudoun MADD is selling the new red MADD CHOOSE COURAGE community awareness wristbands for $1, which can be mailed for an additional $.50 each. The wristbands can be purchased by sending a check to Loudoun MADD at P.O. Box 4252, Leesburg, VA 20177, with the number of wristbands for purchase. Visit the Loudoun MADD Web site at www.maddloudounva.org to see a picture of the wristbands. For questions send an e-mail to maddloudoun@aol.com.