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 Friday, 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.
Virginia Reader's Choice book club for middle-schoolers at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, 7 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 14 and Oct. 12. Join the club on the second Thursday of each month to discuss a book from the Virginia Young Reader's Choice list for middle school. The library will provide refreshments. Recommended for ages 12-18. Advance registration required, call 703-737-8100, Ext. 4.
All girls ages 5-18 and parents interested in Daisies, Brownies or Girl Scouts are invited to attend a registration open house at River Bend Middle School cafeteria, 46240 Algonkian Parkway, Sterling, 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14. Registration is $10 per year. E-mail Laura Garrett at schlpng@yahoo.com or Laura Garofolo at zoegarf@msn.com.
Children's and infant's clothing, toys and equipment sale, Saturday, Sept. 16, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Belmont Station Elementary School, 20235 Nightwatch St., Ashburn.
Deals on gently used clothing, toys and equipment; one room dedicated to everything baby; second room will focus from toddlers on up. Sponsored by Loudoun-Fairfax Mothers of Multiples Club. Visit www.lfmomc.com.
Ashburn Library Advisory Board is holding an open house, Monday, Sept. 18, at the Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, between 7-8:30 p.m. ALAB, a nonprofit, charitable organization that exists solely to support the library, is seeking area residents to help with its work. ALAB members will be available to answer questions and distribute application forms. Members attend monthly meetings on the third Tuesday evening of each month and help with the planning and execution of fund raising and library staff appreciation events. Contact Larry Stepnick, president, at 703-858-9066 or at severyngroup@msn.com, or stop by the information desk at the library to pick up an application form. Applications are due by Sept. 30.
All girls ages 5-18 and parents interested in Daisies, Brownies or Girl Scouts are invited to attend a registration open house at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Sept. 18, from 7-8:30 p.m. Registration is $10 per year. Call 703-777-5644.
The next monthly membership meeting of the Potomac Valley Shetland Sheepdog Club (PVSSC) is Monday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m., in the meeting room of the Dunn Loring Firehouse, 2148 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring. Free and open to the public. Guest speaker is trainer Pat Schaap. Refreshments. Bring your dog and meet other Sheltie owners and breeders. Visit the clubÕs Web site at http://www.shetlandsheepdog.us.
Sterling Library will be holding an after-school book club, Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Sept. 19 and Oct. 17. Includes books, crafts and fun. Learn about the latest must reads or bring a book to recommend to others. A different theme will be featured each month. Recommended for ages 6-10. Advance registration required at 703-430-9500.
Mothers First-Leesburg is dedicated to supporting women who have chosen to alter their careers to raise their children at home. Activities include parent/child morning meetings and field trips, moms' nights out and lectures. Septmber's meeting is Sept. 19, at 10 a.m., at the Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Road. Call 703-827-5922 or visit www.mothersfirst.org.
The Loudoun Walking Club will meet Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the Potomac River Running shoe store, 20630 Ashburn Road, Ashburn. The meeting will be an opportunity for walkers to get shoe questions answered, have their gait evaluated for optimal shoe fit and socialize. Refreshments.
For those who would like to walk before the meeting, meet at 6 p.m., at the store for a 5-kilometer, or 3-mile, group walk on the W&OD Trail and through Ashburn neighborhoods. Contact Bob at 703-737-2175 or rwright2@jhu.edu.
Guys Read is a book club for guys Thursdays, Sept. 21, Oct. 26, Nov. 30, at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, 7 p.m. Upcoming books: September, "The Day My Butt Went Psycho;" October, "Henry and the Clubhouse," and November, "Knights of the Kitchen Table." Free books will be available to participants before each program. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Registration is required prior to the program, 703-737-8105.
Countryside Women's Club will be hosting a fall welcoming coffee Thursday, Sept. 21, at 10 a.m. Contact Marla Brenner at 571-434-0667 by Sept. 19.
Countryside Women's Club is open to all women. There are many special interest groups. Call Teresa Bettec at 703-444-3035.
The Virginia Readers' Choice book club, Mondays, Sept. 25 and Oct. 23, 7 p.m., at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road. Read "Hunter's Best Friend at School," by Laura Malone Elliot in September and "Epossumondas," by Coleen Salley and "Manana Iguana," by Ann Whitford Paul in October. Learn about the authors and illustrators of the books and do activities. In the spring, VRC Primary book club participants who read at least four of the 2006-2007 selections will vote for their favorite and the votes will be submitted to the Virginia State Reading Association. Recommended for children in grades kindergarten-second grade. Advance registration required, call 703-737-8105.
Loudoun County Cub Scout Night, Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Every public elementary school in the county will have representatives from the Cub Scouts available to register boys in first-fifth grades. Contact Jake Allred, 703-554-3380 or Brian McGuire, 703-434-2833.
Mothers First-Ashburn is dedicated to supporting women who have chosen to alter their careers to raise their children at home. Activities include parent/child morning meetings and field trips, moms' nights out and lectures. September's meeting is Sept. 26, at 10:15 a.m., at the Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn. Call 703-827-5922 or visit www.mothersfirst.org.
The Loudoun County Democratic Committee will hold its monthly meeting Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7-9 p.m., at the Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg. Call 703-771-3366.
Baka Club at Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg. Tuesday, Oct. 3, 6:45 p.m. Interested in anime and comics? See the library's expanding collection and bring own favorites to watch, read and share. Drawing, discussion, screenings, sharing and soda each month. Recommended for teens ages 12-18. Sponsored by the Rust Library Advisory Board. Call 703-771-5624.
The Welcome Club of Northern Virginia invites community residents to attend its monthly luncheon at That's Amore in Vienna, Thursday, Oct. 5. The speaker will be Dr. Nancy Spruill, director of acquisition, resources and analyses, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Registrations begins at 11 a.m. Call 703-281-6225 or e-mail dlboguts@cox.net. The deadline for reservations is Monday, Oct. 2.
There will be a new friends coffee Friday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m. for new and prospective members. Contact 703-242-0217 or Jtowers39@cox.net for further information.
The MOMS Club of Ashburn Village Area, covers Ashbrook, Regency, Cameron Chase, Belmont Country Club, University Center, the Courts and Ridges, and more. It is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization with chapters all over the world. It offers age-appropriate play groups, field trips to fun and exciting places, "Momsâ Night Out" volunteer opportunities and more. Business meetings on the third Monday of each month at 10:30 a.m., at the Ashburn Library or visit the Web site at http://www.geocities.com/ashburnmomsclub or e-mail ashburnmomsclub@yahoo.com.
The Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, has a walking club, which meets Thursday mornings, at 10:30 a.m. Walks take place outside, so wear loose comfortable clothing and sneakers. In case of inclement weather, walkers will be transported to the Dulles Town Center to walk around the "track."
Help Save Loudoun meets at 7 p.m., the last Wednesday of each month at the Cascades Library, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Visit www.helpsaveloudoun.com.
Are you a Virginia 4-H All Star? The Loudoun County 4-H program is trying to contact past All Star recipients who now live in Loudoun County. Contact the Loudoun County Extension Office at 703-777-0373 or by e-mail at kred@vt.edu.
S.T.O.P.S (Survivors Together Offering Personal Support) will meet Mondays, at Broadlands Nature Center, 21907 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn, at 6:30-8 p.m.
ST.O.P.S is a fellowship of young girls and women who may share their experience, strength and hope with each other, so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from the trauma of being sexually abused. Primary purpose is to heal and help other victims of sexual assault become survivors.
Weekly Master Gardener Volunteer's Lunch and Learn at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden, Ida Lee Park, Leesburg. Every Tuesday, at noon, beginning in May, Loudoun County Master Gardener Volunteers will make a 20- to 30-minute educational presentation followed by a question-and-answer session and a tour of the Ida Lee Demonstration Garden. The public is invited to attend these programs free, no registration is required. In case of rain, the program will be held, Thursday evening, at 7 p.m.
Call the Loudoun Extension Office at 703-777-0373.
The book discussion group at the Senior center at Cascades marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, meets the third Tuesday of each month at noon. Open to interested members. 703-430-2397.
The Ashburn-Sterling Masonic Lodge meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:45 p.m. for dinner at the lodge. Call Russ Baneck at 703-470-2188 or Charles Maranto at 703-868-7896. The lodge is located at 43881 Waxpool Road in Ashburn.
Virginia Reader's Choice Book Club at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road. This book club will read one-two books each month from the elementary-school level Ñ grades three-five Ñ that were nominated by the Virginia Reader's Choice Program for the 2006-2007 school year. This monthly meeting will include a book discussion, games and refreshments.
Parents are welcome to join with their children in the reading of the books. Advance registration required, call 703-737-8105. Participants will receive a free copy of the book upon sign up. Sponsored by the Ashburn Library Advisory Board.
MOPS is a program designed to nurture mothers with children from infancy through kindergarten. MOPS meets the second and fourth Friday of each month at Crossroads United Methodist Church, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Child care is provided. Call CUMC at 703-729-5100, Ext. 202 or visit www.mops.org.
Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at Capital Community Church is now taking registration for the 2006-07 year. MOPS provides mothers with the support they need through resources and relationships. It meets the second and fourth Friday of each month, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., at Capital Community Church in Ashburn Village. Child care is provided. Call 703-404-3977 or 703-430-9398.