Know of something missing from our community calendar? E-mail it to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6407 with any questions. Photos are welcome. For more volunteer opportunities, classes, announcements visit www.arlingtonconnection.com and click on Community.
<b>Saturday/Nov. 3
</b>Storm Drain Marking. 2-4 p.m. Help mark storm drains in Arlington's Virginia Square and Cherrydale neighborhoods with a message to protect local streams. Meet at Daily Grind, 933 N. Quincy St. or the Cherrydale Library, 2190 N. Military Road. Register at 703-228-6406 or volunteer@arlingtonenvironment.org.
Auto Theft Deterrence. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Arlington Assembly of God Church, 4501 N. Pershing Drive. Get your VIN number etched into the windows for free, participate in activities and more.
Nov. 3
<b>Monday/Nov. 5
</b>Public Meeting. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will hold a Public Information Meeting to discuss the proposed Arlington Heights, Virginia Heights, and Monroe Courts Historic Districts, Arlington County at 7 p.m. in the Arlington County Office Building, Arlington County Board room on the third floor at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. For a copy of the district nomination and/or boundary map, contact Jean McRae, Virginia Department of Historic Resources at 804-367-2323 x-102 or E-mail: jean.mcrae@dhr.virginia.gov.
<b>Holiday Sharing
</b>The Salvation Army is seeking gift givers to provide clothing and/or toys for children under 13 years old from families that have applied for Christmas assistance. The Salvation Army provides Angel Tags listing first name, age, and gender and clothing sizes of children from the community. The tags may be collected from The Salvation Army at 518 South Glebe Road, Arlington or we can mail you the tags. Return the gifts to The Salvation Army by Dec. 8. Indra Corea, Caseworker, 703-979-3380 x102, or visit www.virginiasalvationarmy.org/ for more.
<b>F.Y.I.
</b>Yorktown High School class of 1967 will have a reunion on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 6-11 p.m. Contact Steve Holmes at 703-597-3050 or e-mail stephenholmes1@hotmail.com.
Assist with monthly Family Fun Nights at Langston Community Center, 2121 N. Culpeper St. — a drop-in program for families with children and teens on the autism spectrum. Volunteers will assist with crafts, help to lead games and sports and generally try to engage the children and parents in the activities that are offered. Every third Friday from 6:30-9 p.m. Contact Janice Covert at 703-228-4730.
The Parkinson’s Disease Support Groups (Patient Discussion, Carepartners and Wilber McBay Exercise Program) meet weekday mornings at the Cherrydale Baptist Church, 3910 Lorcom Lane, Arlington. The Parkinson Foundation (PFNCA) invites people with PD and their carepartners. Interested participants must call ahead. For schedules and more information, contact Leon Paparella at 202-966-4450.
The Arlington County Police Department is now accepting applications for the next session of its Citizen's Police Academy. The 14-week program begins Nov. 7 and space is limited. Classes will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every Wednesday except Nov. 21 and Dec. 26. Graduation is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. Citizens interested in attending the Academy should complete an application and mail it to the Training and Career Development Unit, Arlington County Police Department, 1425 N. Courthouse Road, Arlington, VA 22201. The application forms are available at www.arlingtonva.us/police. Contact Sgt. Darrin Cassedy at 703-228-4247.
The East African Center is seeking motivated volunteers to help in a variety of ways in the Arlington area. They are an international development organization that works with women and children in very poor rural communities in Kenya. Seeking volunteers to work with our local staff (in the Arlington area) to help with outreach and communications, web-design, grants development and administrative tasks. Contact Theresa Wilson, President, 703-845-0208 or visit www.eastafricancenter.org for more.
Kettler Capitals Iceplex is now enrolling for the November/December session of Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to-Play Hockey classes for Youth & Adults. Classes are offered every day of the week. Visit www.KettlerCapitalsIceplex.com for schedules and pricing.
Sign up now to be a Classroom Assistant in one of the Child & Family Network Centers (CFNC) preschool classrooms. The students are 4-year-olds. You will assist a teacher in guiding the children through new adventures in reading, science, art, music and computer basics, among other skills. And of course, there’s play, games, field trips and much more. Call Patricia Chapman, 703-836-0214 or send an e-mail to pchapman@cfnc-online.org to set up a time.
VFW Post 3150 has authorized the formation of a Men’s Auxiliary to assist the Post in carrying out its mission among its fellow veterans and their families and the community of Arlington. Membership in the Men’s Auxiliary requires that the applicant be the husband, father, grandfather, son, grandson, brother or half-brother (who attained that status prior to age 16) of a veteran who was or is eligible for membership in the VFW. Those interested should contact the Post at 703-525-0108, e-mail cdrpost3150@va.vfwwebmail.com or Ernie Deal at 540-522-1158 or 703-979-5268.
In-person absentee balloting is now available for the Nov. 6, 2007 General Election in the Arlington Office of Voter Registration, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 320. The hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with additional hours on Thursdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 until 7 p.m. and Saturdays, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last day to vote absentee in person is Saturday, Nov. 3, when voting ends at 5 p.m.
The office will be closed on Oct. 8 in observance of Columbus Day. The last day to register to vote or update your voter registration address to be eligible to vote on Nov. 6 is Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Qualified registered voters can download the application form at www.arlingtonva.us or contact the Office of Voter Registration at 703-228-3456 or by e-mail at voters@arlingtonva.us to request the application be mailed or faxed to them.
Project Acorn is a fall giveaway of approximately 750-1000 JamestownCherrybark Oak trees for the purpose of enhancing Arlington's environment and providing a living legacy of how our country was founded in 1607 at Jamestown. These trees are intended for planting primarily on private residential properties or in school yards.
To sign up as a coordinator for your Civic Association, send an e-mail to Alison Davis-Holland from the Maywood Community Association at thriftonhillpark@gmail.com with your name, phone number, street address, and the name of your Civic Association. For more information, visit the Friends of Thrifton Hill Park Web site at: http://thriftonhillpark.googlepages.com/projectacorn.
For breast cancer support or information including publications and newsletters, visit www.y-me.org or call the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Hotline at 1-800-221-2141 (English, with interpreters available in 150 languages) or 1-800-986-9505 (Spanish).v
Hoffman-Boston Elementary. 1415 S. Queen St., Arlington, needs volunteers for Book Buddies, a one-to-one reading support program for at-risk first and second grade students. Volunteers tutor two mornings a week, before school, from 8:15-9:15 a.m., Monday-Wednesday or Tuesday -Thursday. The commitment is for the entire school year. All lesson plans and materials are designed individually and prepared in advance by the coordinator. An initial training session takes about an hour. On-going support is provided by the program coordinator. Contact Kim Durand, Volunteer & Partnership Program Specialist, 703-228-6003.
The Arlington Community Foundation awarded more than $195,000 to fund 43 grants to 41 local nonprofit organizations. Grants range from $500 to $10,000 and assist with the improvement of the Arlington community through programs in the arts; the environment; senior enrichment; for children, women and families; immigrants and minority groups; the homeless and malnourished; the mentally ill; those who are in need of legal services; and more. Recipient organizations will be recognized at the Foundation’s annual Spirit of Community Luncheon scheduled for Nov. 14.
For more information about how to apply for Community Enhancement Grant or how to help support the Foundation’s grantmaking, call 703-243-4785.
Hoffman-Boston Elementary School, at 1415 S. Queen St., needs adult volunteers to tutor a first or second grade struggling reader for two mornings a week from 8:15-9:15 a.m. during the school year. On-going support with training, lesson plans and all materials provided. Call Marty Maher, Book Buddies Co-ordinator, at 703-228-5845 or e-mail martha_maher@apsva.edu.
NAMI-Arlington support group for individuals who have a parent or sibling diagnosed with a serious mental illness will meet Thursday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Arlington. For more information and meeting location, contact Christina Kozyn at 703-892-2197 or ckozyn@gmail.com.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Capital Chapter seeks volunteers for the 5th Anniversary MS Challenge Walk pwresented by Security Storage, an endurance walk covering three days and 50 miles on Sept. 28 through 30. Volunteer opportunities include in-office assistance before the event, setting up sites, assisting with participant registration, serving food, and cheering on walkers. Interested individuals can help for a few hours or all three days. To learn more or register as a volunteer, contact the National Capital Chapter at 202-296-5363 or visit www.MSandYOU.org.
Northern Virginia Epilepsy Group meets every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. at Falls Church High School, Entrance 1, Room 100, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church. Free. For adults diagnosed with seizure disorders and caregivers. Call Dana at 703-425-6669.
Do you know a young girl who loves the water, but wants to try something besides racing back and forth? Synchronized swimming may be just the activity for her! NoVa Synchro, an Arlington-based synchronized swimming team, invites all interested girls ages 6-19 to come to two open practices to try the sport for themselves. Stop by either Friday, Sept. 7 from 7-9 p.m. at Providence RECenter (7525 Marc Dr. in Falls Church) or Sunday, Sept. 9 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Wakefield High School (4901 Chesterfield Rd. in Arlington). Visit www.NoVaSynchro.net for more details, or e-mail NoVaSynchro99@yahoo.com with any questions.
Soroptimist International of Arlington started a community-wide campaign to collect used, unwanted cell phones. Proceeds from the collection efforts will be applied to the Women’s Opportunity Award and the Violet Richardson Award, as well as to fund various advocacy and educational programs throughout the community. Contact Sharon Williams, 703-203-3691 or e-mail swilliams@siarlington.org on where to find the drop offs.