Send your club or organization's 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 two weeks before publication. Photos/artwork encouraged. Questions? Call Bonnie Eaton at 703-917-6449.
Electric Football League. The Washington Dulles EFL is holding its Orientation Meeting on Thursday, Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sterling Annex, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling. Electric football is a classic American board game that has been dramatically improved in recent years. Each player in this league selects a college or NFL team to coach for 8 regular season games (plus play-offs). For more information, visit www.geocities.com/EFL3000 or call Commissioner Tom Houck at 703-858-2891.
Sterling Chapter of the DAR. New membership welcome. For information, call 703-620-2279 or e-mail tward@mmiconnect.com.
Ketoctin Chapter of the DAR. Serves Loudoun County, meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m., except July and August. Members can trace lineage to a Revolutionary War soldier or patriot. The objective of the group is to promote patriotism, education and historic preservation. Call Gail Adams at 703-443-2787.
American Legion. The Ashburn American Legion Post meets every second Thursday of the month at Wingler House located on Gloucester Blvd. in Ashburn Village. All veterans of past periods of hostilities are welcome to attend these meetings and participate in the Post activities. For information, call 703-858-0066.
Junior Woman's Club of Loudoun. They welcome new members, women 18 and over, and meet the third Tuesday of every month. Call 703-609-6500.
Leesburg Civil Air Patrol. Group holds bi-monthly meetings at Loudoun County High School, corner of Dry Mill Road and Catoctin Circle in Leesburg, in room 114. The Civil Air Patrol is a nonprofit organization performing inland search and rescue missions in the continental United States. Visit www.capnhq.gov.
Ruritan Club. The Ashburn Ruritan Club is a community service organization which holds monthly meetings and seeks concerned citizens in the Ashburn area. Call 703-729-2962.
La Leche League of Sterling. Regular meetings on the third Friday of the month at 10:15 a.m. The group supports mothers who breastfeed and provides information to women considering nursing their babies. Call Elizabeth at 703-689-0811, Christine at 703-404-0121, or Meg at 703-467-8341.
Knitting and Crochet Group. For women who are 55 years of age and older. Meet at the Loudoun County Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace each Friday at 10 a.m. to make afghans, lap robes, baby hats and sweaters. The group has donated over 300 items to the Loudoun County Homeless Shelter, the Northern Virginia Ronald McDonald House, the Loudoun Hospital Center and the Long Term Care Unit at Loudoun Hospital. The yarn is donated to the Senior Center from individuals in the community and from the Good Shepherd Alliance Inc. The group is accepting donations of yarn and needles and donations to purchase yarn, that will help continue with the special projects. Drop donations at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling. For more information, call Kim at 703-430-2397.
Stress Management. The Community Resilience Project of Loudoun County offers a Stress Management Skill Practice Group at the Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg. Group meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Free. Call June Eddinger at 703-737-8524.
CountrySide Women's Club. An active group that holds most activities during the daytime. On going special interest groups include: Book Club, Bridge, Day Trippers, Lunch Bunch, Stitchery, Evening Socials, Casual Gourmet, Walking and more. A monthly newsletter is published with club information and events. Call president Janet Gatton at 703-404-0455 or Carol McClellan at 703-433-1960 for information.
King Street Studios. Studios are located in the Art Center at 222 So. King Street in Leesburg has available studio space. The King Street Studio artist association is a group of artists working in oils, pastels, watercolor, jewelry. For information or for an application to apply for the review committee, contact Ann Noel at 703-444-5900 or the Loudoun Academy of the Arts 703-777-8043.
Adoption Support. Bond Between Us, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a monthly support group free of charge. Group addresses issues birth parents and their families face, not only at the time of placement but throughout the lifespan. The next meeting is Tuesday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. Call 703-771-7844 for more information.
Learning Disabilities. LDSocial Sisters meets at the Eastern Loudoun Regional Library in Cascades, 21030 Whitfield Place, Sterling. The group welcomes young women, ages 17 to 30, who share a common bond in learning differences. Gatherings are primarily for social events, with future volunteer activities. For additional information, e-mail "LDSocial Sisters@aol.com"
Mom and Tot Playgroup. Meets at Sterling Annex, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, meets regularly. Spend a morning with children and other moms. Space and toys provided. Cost is $2 per session. Call 703-430-6673.
No Names Writers Group. Group provides a creative outlet for area writers of many genres, including sword-and-sorcery, contemporary and dark fantasy, science fiction, and suspense, as well as mainstream. Members include published and unpublished authors. Meets monthly at Eastern Loudoun Regional Library in Sterling on the second Tuesday of each month when members can present and critique each other's work. Prospective new members are asked to submit a letter of introduction and writing samples to the group. Contact Meg Kermon at 703-430-2431 or meg_kermon@hotmail.com for more information.
Big Brothers Big Sisters. Organization is seeking volunteers who are looking to change a child's life. Agency programs aim to positively and profoundly affect a child's self-esteem, self confidence, academic performance and relationship-building skills, while instilling new hope for the future. For more information, call Michelle St. John at 703-444-0671.
Moms In Touch International. A group of mothers who gather to pray for students, teachers and schools. To obtain a listing of MITI nearby groups praying for schools visit the ministry's Web site at www.MomsInTouch.org. The Web site also offers instructional materials, as well as videos and leadership resources to help mothers start MITI groups for schools that don't already have one. For more information, contact the ministry at 1-800-949-MOMS or info@MomsInTouch.org or in Virginia call 1-757-482-5882 or miti4va@erols.com.
Eastern Loudoun Civil War Roundtable. Group meets at the Sterling Annex in Sterling the third Tuesday of every month, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Non-members are welcome. Call Steve Meserve at 703-404-0542 or Rebecca Fitzgerald at 703-430-4367.
Depression and Manic Depression Support Group. The Sterling/Reston Chapter of DRADA meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month, from 7-9 p.m. For location, contact Traci 703-433-1448; or Jan 703-669-5177. DRADA stands for Depressive and Related Affective Disorders Association, a non-profit self-help group sponsored by Johns Hopkins that has been in existence for over 20 years.
Great Falls Women's Club. New members who live in Fairfax or Loudoun counties are welcome. The club's activities include cultural tours, Bridge groups, a garden group, a book discussion group, a knitting group that makes blankets for hurt and abused children, and dinner groups that dine together in restaurants or in each others' homes. Tennis and golf groups are available to start. The club awards scholarships to college students and is actively involved in improving the Great Falls Firehouse. Annual dues is $35. Send checks to Karen Magley, membership chairman. Call 703-430-8488.
Birthday Blessing, Inc. A nonprofit organization created to deliver gifts to needy children who might not receive a gift on their birthday. Birthday Blessing finds these children through social services, homeless shelters, youth shelters and prison ministries. The organization is looking for sponsors, new toys for children 3-16 years old, new books, wrapping paper, birthday cards and shipping boxes. Monetary donations can be made to sponsor children or can be made in the honor of a friend or relative. Call Sharon Hough at 703-481-8180, or visit www.BirthdayBlessing.org.
The Loudoun County Chapter of CHADD. Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held in the Lower Level Conference Room of the Town of Leesburg Town Hall at 25 Market St.
The Loudoun Family Child Care Coalition LFCCC meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The LFCCC's goal is to provide support for child care providers by raising awareness of the unique experience of quality home-based family child care through advocacy, training and education. In cooperation with Child Nutrition, Inc. and Loudoun County Social Services, LFCCC covers the Leesburg, Sterling, Ashburn and neighboring communities to provide on-going advocacy. Call 703-715-6656.
Amputee Support Group Of Northern Virginia. A support group for amputees, their families and friends, meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9 p.m., at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation Gym Area, Women & Children's Center, First Floor, 3300 Gallows Road in Falls Church. The cost is free and parking is provided in the garage for all cars displaying handicapped placards or license plates. For more information, contact Irvin Axelrod at 703-222-7120 or e-mail asgnva@earthlink.net.