Send announcements, which are open to the public at no or minimal cost, to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102 or e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454. For additional listings, visit www.connectionnewspapers.com.
MADD Loudoun County chapter is accepting entries for its 2008 poster/essay contest. This year's theme is "Drunks Don't Think, Thinkers, Don't Drink." All entries must appropriately communicate the theme, although the theme doesn't have to be written on the entry.
Categories include design a poster, write an essay, produce a public service announcement video or take a black and white photograph. The poster category is open to all Loudoun County children in grades one through high school, divided into age divisions. The other categories are for grades four through high school, also divided into age divisions.
Prizes consist of a $100 saving bond for first place, $75 savings bond for second place, $50 savings bond for third and honorable mention. Winners announced in April.
Deadline is Feb. 29. Mail entries to MADD Loudoun County, P.O. Box 4252, Leesburg, VA 2077 or drop off in person to 45282 Persimmon Lane, Sterling. Complete rules and entry forms available at www.maddloudounva.org. For more information, e-mail maddloudoun@aol.com or call 703-771-8127.
The Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District is accepting orders for its annual tree seedling sale. The young, bare-rooted seedlings are well suited to Virginia soils and climate. Call 703-771-8395 or stop by the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District office on Catoctin Circle in Leesburg for an order form. Prepaid orders will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis. The deadline for prepaid orders will be March 28.
Tree species available include white pine, Norway spruce, white dogwood, redbud, river birch, blackgum, southern red oak, redbud, and gobbler sawtooth oak. the shrub species this year are buttonbush and red osier dogwood. The white pine are $20 for a bundle of 50 seedlings and the Norway spruce are $30 for a bundle of 50 seedlings. The hardwood species, as well as the shrub, are offered at $6 for five seedlings; $12 for 10 seedlings. Sales tax of 5 percent must be included.
The Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging VITA tax assistance program will offer tax preparation assistance from late February through mid-April. Persons whose income is $39,000 or less and file a standard form, call 703-737-8037 after Feb. 1 to make an appointment.
AAPR is offering free tax aide assistance through April 15, at Falcon’s Landing. Call 703-404-5216 for an appointment.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announces applications are being accepted for the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute Scholarship Program. Scholarships are awarded to students studying law enforcement or criminal justice at Virginia colleges and universities. Applications are available at the administration building located at 39 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg. They can also be downloaded at www.virginiasheriffs.org or picked up at a guidance counselor’s office. Applications must be received by April 18.
The Loudoun Continuum of Care, in conjunction with the Loudoun County Department of Family Services, the Loudoun County Division of Mental Health, and a number of faith-based and nonprofit organizations, will open its emergency winter shelter Thursday, Nov. 15. The purpose of the program is to provide an emergency overnight shelter for adults age 18 and over to prevent hypothermia-related health problems or injury. The program will provide shelter nightly through March 31, 2008.
Individuals do not need a referral to use the shelter. They simply need to be at the designated bus stop by 9:30 p.m. any night between through March 31. Transportation will be provided to and from the shelter for all persons in need of the program. The bus stop will be at the Shenandoah Office Building, 102 Heritage Way, N.E., in Leesburg.
The Salvation Army of Loudoun County, under contract with the Loudoun County government, will staff the shelter and oversee day-to-day operation of the program. Additional information can be obtained at the following phone numbers:
703-771-3371: Mondays-Fridays, from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
571-436-1506: after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends.
The Loudoun County affordable dwelling unit (ADU) program is accepting applications for 22 units available for adults age 55 and over at Potomac Green, an adult retirement planned community in Ashburn. Contact the ADU program of the Department of Family Services, 703-737-8043.
SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) of Northern Virginia is seeking nominations for the 2008 Ally in Prevention Awards. The annual honors, given to individuals from each of Northern Virginia ’s regions, including Loudoun, were created to recognize the unsung heroes who go above and beyond everyday in their efforts to support and protect our community’s children. To submit a nomination, visit SCAN’s Web site at www.scanva.org or contact the SCAN office at 703-820-9001.
The 2008 edition of the Loudoun County "Guide to Services" is now available. Produced by the Office of Public Information, the guide is a comprehensive handbook of information about services provided by the county government, as well as services provided by other governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Copies of the guide are available at Loudoun County community centers, public libraries and at the front counters of county government departments and agencies. Copies of the guide are also available by contacting the Office of Public Information at pivs@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0113. The guide also is available online at www.loudoun.gov/guide.
The Loudoun County Animal Shelter reports that 45 cats and kittens found new homes in time for the holidays thanks to the "12 Days of Cat-mas" promotion. This represents a 105 percent increase over the number of cats and kittens (22) adopted over the same time period in 2006.
Governor Timothy M. Kaine issued Executive Order 59 establishing the Commission on Climate Change. In establishing this Commission, Governor Kaine is fulfilling one of the recommendations of the Virginia Energy Plan, which was completed in September of this year.
The Virginia Energy Plan identified four overall goals, one of which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2025, bringing emissions back to 2000 levels. The reduction in emissions will be partially achieved through energy conservation and renewable energy actions identified in the Energy Plan. The Commission on Climate Change will further study and formulate an action plan to fully achieve this goal.