The Great Falls Art Center holds weekly art classes for all ages and stages at the Fouquet Art Studio on Walker Road in Great Falls. Children, ages 6 and up, teens, adults, and senior citizens, beginners and advanced may enroll for once weekly classes in drawing, oil painting, pottery, sculpture, and art history. All teachers are trained and experienced with college degrees in art and teaching. For a schedule of classes call 703-759-3867 or E-mail greatfallsart@yahoo.com.
Beginning Irish fiddle classes from Sept. 21-Oct. 26 5-6 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. No experience required but must furnish own fiddles, which can be rented from area stores. $31/resident $39/non-resident. 703-255-6360 or www.viennava.gov for more.
Itsy Bitsy Yoga classes now forming for a September start at: East Meets West Center, 144 Church St., Vienna. Itsy Bitsy Yoga is a developmentally-centered program for young children and their parents. There are three class options: Six weeks - pre-crawling, almost crawling to 24 months, and 21 months - four years. Instructor Mary Marchetti, was trained and certified by Helen Garabedian, founder of Itsy Bitsy Yoga. In addition to being one of the few IBY facilitators, Marchetti is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in infants and toddlers, and a certified infant massage instructor. Call 703-675-9991 for more information.
English classes. McLean Baptist Church is offering free conversational English classes on Monday mornings. Classes include beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Advanced electives are Literature, U.S. Government, World Religions, and current events. There is no cost for the class or registration, however students must buy their own books. Classes begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at noon. New student registration begins at 9 a.m., until Oct. 30. McLean Baptist Church is located at 1367 Chain Bridge Road. Call 703-356-8080 or visit www.mcleanbaptist.org.
English classes. McLean Presbyterian Church, 1020 Balls Hill Road in McLean, will offer tuition free English as a Second Language to adults on Wednesday mornings 9:30-11:45 a.m. beginning Sept. 20 and on Thursdays 7-9 p.m. beginning Sept. 21. Registration for the classes will be Sept. 13 from 9:30-11 a.m. and Sept. 14, 7-8:30 p.m. A one-time $15 fee is required to register. Students may also pay $15-$25 for their text books, depending on class level. Call 703-394-0593.
Free seminars are offered in Fairfax County for caregivers of older adults. Registration not required, but to request reasonable ADA accommodations, call 703-324-5205 or TTY 703-449-1186.
* When More Help Is Needed With Caregiving Tuesday, Sept. 19 7-8:30 p.m. at Braddock Glen Adult Health Care Center, 4029 Olley Lane, Fairfax.
* Elder Care and Work: Finding the Balance Tuesday, Sept. 26 7-8:30 p.m. Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace St., Herndon.
* Caregiving Can Be Expensive: Do You Have a Plan? Tuesday, Oct. 3 7-8:30 p.m. Lewinsville Adult Day Health Care Center 1609 Great Falls St., McLean.
* Is It Time to Give Up the Keys and the Credit Card? Tuesday, Oct. 10 7-8:30 p.m. Little River Glen Senior Center, 4001 Barker Court, Fairfax.
* Navigating the Legal and Medicaid Maze of Long-Term Care Thursday, Oct. 12 Noon-1:30 p.m. Pennino Building, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.
* Understanding Communication and Behavior in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Thursday, Oct. 19 10-11:30 a.m. Alzheimer’s Family Day Center, 2812 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.
* Humor for the Caregiver’s Soul: Surviving the Holidays Wednesday, Nov. 1 10-11:30 a.m. Alzheimer’s Family Day Center 2812 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.
* When Your Loved One Is Anxious, Angry or Depressed Thursday, Nov. 2 7-8:30 p.m. Little River Glen Senior Center 4001 Barker Court, Fairfax.
A free T'ai Chi beginners practice is held every Saturday morning, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., outdoors, at McLean Central Park, behind the Dolley Madison Library, on Ingleside Drive (no street number), McLean. Meets every Saturday through Oct. 28, the practice is open to all and to all ages, including those who are brand new beginners. Any comfortable, casual clothing and footwear are fine. Visit www.TaiChiCenter.com or call Warren at 703-759-9141.
Foster Family Training. Northern Virginia Family Service offers summertime training for prospective foster families. NVFS foster and respite families receive: intensive training, certification, continuing education, child/parent matching, ongoing assistance and 24-hour support from professional social workers, financial reimbursement, help locating support services for foster/respite children, foster/respite parent support groups, and family activities. Call Ginny Snaider at 703-219-2184, e-mail gsnaider@nvfs.org, or go to www.nvfs.org.
"Writing Your Personal History," an informal, group-run class for people interested in documenting their life stories, will be held each Thursday through March 29, 2007 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Class is free; a donation of $5 will be used to provide beverages at each class. Space is limited, and advanced registration is required. Call 703-255-6063 or visit www.viennava.gov.
"Estate Planning Made Simple" will be presented Monday, Sept. 11 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Attorney David Hoffman will explain the fundamental laws behind estate planning. Free of charge, no registration required. Call 703-255-6360.
"Strollercize," a new exercise program for mothers and their stroller-age children, will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays, Sept. 13-Oct. 20, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Total body workout includes cardio conditioning, strength training and toning exercises. Fee for 12 classes is $120 for town residents and $138 for nonresidents. Call 703-255-6360 or visit www.viennava.gov.
"How to Get Asked to the Dance," a class designed to help single women ages 30 and up return to the dating scene with confidence, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Life coach Marcy Kelly will discuss how to establish safe relationships, body language, dating etiquette and how personality type affects relationships. Fee is $34 for town residents and $43.50 for nonresidents. Call 703-255-6360 or visit www.viennava.gov.
Equipping Teens is a seven-week class that begins Thursday, Sept. 21 at the Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) Oakton office, 10455 White Granite Drive, Suite 100. Based on the nationally known Equip model, this class integrates anger management with other life skills. Teens learn to improve their social and communications skills, as well as stress reduction techniques and how to make good decisions. Youth between the ages of 15 and 18 who are currently enrolled in high school can attend. Cost is $175 for all seven classes; $150 if paid in advance. A sliding scale is available to those who qualify. An intake interview is required and can be conducted by phone or in person. There is an additional $25 charge for a 50-minute, in-person intake interview. Call 703-219-2116.