To submit an item for the Civic Calendar, e-mail almanac@connectionnewspapers.com or fax the submission to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday at noon two weeks prior to the event. For questions, call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6476.
Thursday/Oct. 5
Public Meeting. The Montgomery County Planning Board seeks public comment on the agency's proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2007 during a public forum at 7:30 p.m. at the M-NCPPC auditorium located at 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-495-4600 to sign up. Written testimony may be sent to the Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson at 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD, 20910, faxed to 301-495-1320 or e-mailed to mcp-chairman@mncppc-mc.org.
Candidate Forum. Learn where the candidates for county council and county executive stand on senior issues, services and priorities. Light refreshments and networking 8:15-8:45 a.m., followed immediately by the speakers at Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton. For more information, contact GROWS at 301-765-3325.
Saturday/Oct. 7
Training Session. Residents who would like to learn how to establish and staff a Volunteer Mobilization Center during a local disaster are invited to attend an Emergency Volunteer Training session from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, 401 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. The deadline for registering for the training is Friday, Sept. 29. For more information and to register, call the Volunteer Center at 240-777-2600.
Housing Fair. Sixth Annual Housing Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park located at Summit Hall Farm, 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. Receive information about financial literacy issues. Workshops will be held hourly about how to get, read and understand credit reports. Entertainment will include an Elvis impersonator, an appearance by Screech, the National’s eagle mascot, and entertainment and surprises for kids. Food will also be included with hourly raffles. For more information about the Fair, call 240-777-3602.
Open House. Attend a graduate education "Fall Open House" 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at John Hopkins University, 9601 Medical Center Drive. Find out more various education programs. To register visit http://spsbe.jhu.edu/calendar or call 800-Go-To-JHU.
Monday/Oct. 9
Transportation Information Session. The Montgomery County Civic Federation presents "Roads and Public Transit: What Can Really Be Done?" 8 p.m. in the 1st Floor Auditorium, Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Topics will include details of the new "Montgomery County 10-Year Transportation Plan," what roads will be improved and added over the next few years and more. Free. Contact Byron Bloch, at 301-299-1801 or byron@autosafetyexpert.com.
Tuesday/Oct.10
County Sponsors Public Forums are seeking input into Comprehensive Plan for Seniors from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Executive Office Building-Lobby Auditorium, 101 Monroe St., Rockville. The forums will offer Montgomery County residents of all ages an opportunity to talk about their plans for the future, what concerns they may have about managing their own aging and suggestions for ways in which Montgomery County can make sure it is an “elder-friendly” community. Free. Call 240-777-1131 for more information or e-mail senior plan@montgomerycountymd.gov. Those requiring special aids or services to participate in a forum should call Gloria Huggins at 240-777-1236. Sign language interpreter services and language interpreter services are available upon request with at least three business days notice.
Public Hearing. Montgomery County’s Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) sponsors a public hearing at 7 p.m. at the Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville, to gather input on community development needs such as housing, employment and homelessness. Input will be used to set priorities on the types of programs that will be funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. To sign up to speak, or for those requiring special aids or services to participate in the hearing, call 240-777-3682 or 240-777-3679 (TTY).
Wednesday/Oct. 11
Brown-bag Daytimers Forum. 12 p.m. at Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Guest speaker Scott Miller, director of curatorial affairs, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Musum, will dissuss "The Fate of the St. Louis Passengers — A Detective Story." Call 301-299-7087. Free.
Thursday, Oct. 12
Budget Forum. Parents, staff and community members are invited to participate in a public forum on the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) strategic plan and FY 2008 operating budget at 7 p.m. at the Carver Educational Services Center at 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville.
Cut Energy Costs. Free workshop that will identify ways to save energy in a building’s lighting, insulation, windows, and heating and cooling systems from 4-5:30 p.m. at Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring. The registration deadline is Oct. 1. RSVP’s should include energy efficiency questions which staff will try to answer at the workshop. Contact Eric R. Coffman, DEP’s senior energy planner, at 240-777-7754 or e-mail eric.coffman@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Saturday/Oct. 14
Hazardous Waste Collection. Drop off household hazardous waste from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Westland Middle School, 5511 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda. The Shady Grove Transfer Station has a permanent household hazardous waste receiving area, open year-round, Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday/Oct. 19
"The Good Enough Child: How to Have an Imperfect Family and be Perfectly Satisfied." From 7-9 p.m. at Suburban Hospital Auditorium, 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Dr. Brad Sachs is a psychologist specializing in clinical work with families. "The Good Enough Child" was named as an editor's choice by Amazon.com and became its best-selling parenting title that year. Registration starts at 6:30 p.m. $15/person, $25/couple with fee waivers available. All proceeds fund the prevention services of YMCA Y&FS. To register for this seminar only, call 301-896-3939, option 1. Contact Pam Mintz at 301-229-1347 by October 13.
Women's Gala. Women Business Owners (WBO) of Montgomery County hosts 10th Annual ìWomen in Business Celebrate Successî Gala at the Pooks Hill Marriott in Bethesda from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. WBO will be celebrating its success and recognizing the contributions of women in business. Included are a luncheon, a business showcase and a silent auction. The cost for advance registrations received by Sept. 30 is $55. After Sept. 30 and before Oct. 13 is $65 (at door $75.) To register go to www.wbo.com/gala.
Housing Seminar. Nehemiah supports a seminar on how to use the Nehemiah Program and its gift money to help renters become homeowners from 6:30-8 p.m. at Silver Spring Library, 8901 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. This seminar is designed to help low to moderate income buyers find an affordable solution in an almost unaffordable marketplace. To attend, call 1-800-523-1069, code 3802, or go to www.thehomebuyingevent.com.