To submit an item for the Civic Calendar, e-mail almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon two weeks prior to the event. For questions, call 703-778-9412.

Thursday/Oct. 29
Preschool Open House. Tour the building, observe classes in progress, meet the director. At Har Shalom Early Childhood Education Center, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Call 301-299-7087, ext. 244. Email: llaor@harshalom.org

Saturday/Nov. 7
Scouting for Food Program. Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts will leave an empty bag on doors to collect food in the Potomac neighborhood. They will return on Saturday, Nov. 14 to collect the bags. The food will be taken to Manna Food Center in Rockville. Go to www.mannafood.org.

Talk on Utilities. 7:45-10 p.m. What do you need to know about Maryland’s Public Service Commission (PSC) – especially its role on the rates you pay for utilities? PSC’s Executive Director will be the featured speaker at the next monthly meeting of the Montgomery County Civic Federation. Following the program, there will be question/answer period as well as reports on other County issues of interest to local residents. At County Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville (free parking in adjacent garage). All County residents and representatives of civic associations welcome. Visit: www.montgomerycivic.org.

Tuesday/Nov. 10
Free Stroke Survivor and Support Group. 7-8 p.m. A program by attorney Marcia Fidis entitled, "Legal Problems After a Stroke: How to Plan Ahead of Time" from 8 to 9 p.m. at Suburban Hospital (8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Visit www.mcstroke.org or call 301-681-6272.

Wednesday/Nov. 11
Preschool Open House. Tour the building, observe classes in progress, meet the director. At Har Shalom Early Childhood Education Center, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Call 301-299-7087, ext. 244. Email: llaor@harshalom.org

Free Stroke Survivor and Support Group. 7-8 p.m. A stroke education program by Corda Johnson, R.N., entitled, "Avoiding Another Stroke" from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland (9909 Medical Center Drive, Rockville. Call 301-681-6272 or visit www.mcstroke.org.

Tuesday/Dec. 1
Evening of Beauty Patient Seminar. 6-8 p.m. Free. Learn how Fraxel and Thermage can refresh, rejuvenate and tighten skin with minimal to no downtime. Hosted by the Dermatology & Clinical Skin Care Center of Bethesda, 6410 Rockledge Dr., #201, Bethesda. Call 301-968-1299. RSVP at www.dermskin.com.

Ongoing
CANTER-Mid Atlantic to open a racehorse rehabilitation program with donations from Delaware Park and the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association earmarked to serve Delaware Park trainers and owners. To find an ex-race horse, volunteer, or to make a donation, visit www.canterusa.org/midatlantic.

To become a volunteer Bike Patrol on the C & O Canal, send an e-mail to Norman Liebow at Liebow@comcast.net or 301-714-2218.

The Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to assist its blood collections staff at blood drives and blood donor centers. To register for training, or for more information, call the American Red Cross Volunteer Office at 1-800-272-0094, ext. 1, or e-mail karlofft@usa.redcross.org.
Volunteers are needed to assist sexual assault victims and their families through the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. To schedule an interview visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/vasap or 240-777-1355.