Loudoun County Government will observe National Customer Service Week Oct. 6-10. Various county agencies, and the services they provide, will be spotlighted, and training classes for customer service representatives offered. Visitors to the lobby of the Government Center in Leesburg will be greeted by exhibits that display information about various county departments and their programs.
BSA Troop 761 Scouts and coed 761 Venturers of Sterling will hold an Autumn fundraising, selling premium top quality shredded hardwood mulch to area residents and businesses. Priced at $4 per 3 cubic foot bag with a 10 bag minimum order, Scouts are now accepting orders. Mulch will be delivered to homes or businesses the weekend of Oct. 11.
Mulch can be ordered by sending a note with name, address and telephone number along with the quantity desired and a check to BSA Troop 761, c/o Brad Scales, 313 Bradford Court, Sterling, VA 20164. For more information, call 703-481-9188 or e-mail bobbis@wans.net.
Sterlingfest 2003 will be held Columbus Day weekend on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Sterling Community Center. The event includes arts and crafts, business vendors, non-profit organizations, a kid's marketplace, fire station open house, entertainment and children's activities. Sponsored by the Sterling Foundation, proceeds benefit the beautification of Sterling. Vendor registration is now open. Contact Sky Dantinne at 703-430-9480 or at sdantinn@loudoun.va.us.
The League of Women Voters Loudoun County provides information about the 60 candidates running for office on the Loudoun County November ballot on their Web site at www.loudoun.va.lwvnet.org. Click on "Elections" and scroll down through the various candidates for each office. The information is also posted at each of the county's public libraries. For more information, contact Sheryl Wolfe at 540-439-9501.
The Beacon Hill Golf Course designed by Johnny Miller on the 1,100-acre Arthur Godfrey estate in Leesburg will host the "Putts for Paws" tournament and silent auction benefiting the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 6, followed by a silent auction and awards luncheon. Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. Entrance fees are $140 per player, or $500 for a foursome. To sign up to participate, visit www.lostdogrescue.org.
The Loudoun Academy of the Arts will host its annual Art Show and Sale at Breaux Vineyards in Hillsboro on Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 18-19. Hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days.
Carmen Howell, an instructor at the Academy and an exhibiting artist at Gallery 222 in Leesburg, is the coordinator. In addition to the exhibit, Howell said the Academy will host an arts competition this year.
To enter the competition, interested artists should visit Breaux Vineyards to paint a landscape. Artists will then submit their work to the Art Show on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. Entries will be judged by a professional juror.
Breaux Vineyards is open daily from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and is located west of Hillsboro on Route 9. For directions, visit breauxvineyards.com. For more information about the art show and competition, contact the Loudoun Academy of the Arts at 703-777-8043.
Serving all of Northern Virginia, the English as a Second Language (ESL) and Immigrant Ministries program provides English classes in 21 locations including Loudoun County. There is a $15 processing charge due at registration. Scholarships are available for those unable to pay. Free babysitting is also available at some locations. Registration dates and class times will vary according to location. For more information in English, Spanish, Korean or Vietnamese, call 703-841-0292 or visit www.eslim.org.
Persons interested in helping immigrants improve their quality of life should call 703-271-8341.
The Loudoun County Solid Waste Management Facility accepts and processes used appliances (i.e. refrigerators, stoves, dehumidifiers); tree limbs/branches, bags of grass/lawn clippings; propane cylinders; tires; furniture; and scrap metal (i.e. sheet metal roofing, drained lawn mowers, bicycles, even steel security safes). The landfill is located at 20939 Evergreen Mills Road and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. There is a disposal fee of $55 per ton or roughly 55 cents per 20 pounds.
The landfill has a recycling center where residents can recycle used motor oil, antifreeze, automobile batteries, white office paper, commingled containers, newsprint and cardboard.
Residents may also pick up free mulch at the facility. The mulch is from shredding tree limbs, branches and stumps only; no lumber is mixed into the mulch. Residents have to load their own, so bring a shovel or pitch fork.
For more information, visit www.loudoun.gov/oswm.
Loudoun County Free Clinic needs volunteers for Wednesday and Thursday nights from 5:30-9 p.m. Needed are administrative, Spanish interpreters, physicians, nurses, lab tech and pharmacist volunteers. The non-profit clinic provides acute, non-emergency quality health care services to uninsured Loudoun County residents. Call Lyle Werner at 703-779-5412. E-mail LoudounCommunityFreeClinic@lh.org.
Volunteers are needed to deliver home-delivered meals and to assist in the Cafe at the Loudoun County Senior Center, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling. If you are interested in volunteering for a couple of hours one day a week or once or twice a month, contact Beth Mills at 703-430-2397.
Volunteers are needed to teach adult English as a Second Language classes in Sterling for the summer. Classes are offered by Hogar Hispano of Catholic Charities. No experience or second language is required. Call 703-534-9805, Ext. 222.
Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is seeking interested teens and adults to volunteer by becoming a tour guide. Training is provided. Hours are flexible. The farm is located at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. Call Janis Golden at 703-421-5322.
Loudoun County teens can visit www.loudounteens.org to learn how to get involved in their community and where to go to find information about jobs and other programs and services available to teenagers. Local teen Jon Hughes designed the site with input from teens that serve on the Loudoun County Advisory Commission On Youth (ACOY). For more information, contact the Loudoun County Office on Youth, at 703-777-0358.
The Loudoun Arts Council Web Site offers a page of "Artist Opportunities" designed to inform area artists about programs and events for their participation. Visit the site at www.loudounarts.org.
Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association has released its Fall Seasonal Guide for 2003 outlining county events and activities from September through November. The guide can be obtained at the Visitors Center at 222 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Suite 100, Leesburg.
The Northern Virginia Family Service seeks foster families for abused and neglected children. African-American families are particularly needed. Help is needed in both full-time and short-term programs. Training, support and financial compensation will be provided. For more information about the Northern Virginia Family Service call 703-533-9727 or smcallister@nvfs.org.
VSA arts of Loudoun County has opened the DaVinci Open Studio Visual Arts Project for individuals with disabilities. The studio, housed in the Round Hill Arts Center, will provide instruction and art supplies. The goal is to offer participants the support they need to express themselves through art. For additional information, contact Hope Hanes at 540-338-5050 or Pam Oliver at 540-338-3353.
Sterling Singles provides a non-dating, social organization with a membership that plans and attends a vast array of activities and functions such as dinner, dancing, bowling, concerts, camping, barbecues and Wolf Trap. Group is for singles over 21. Write to P.O. Box 42, Sterling, VA 20167. Call 703-444-5534, e-mail sterlingsingles@sterlingsingles.org or visit www.sterlingsingles.org.