Send 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 Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.
Ceramics class at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, Thursday, Aug. 3, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Cost $21 for members, $22 for nonmembers. Registration required, call 703-430-2397.
Loudoun Cooperative Extension is offering a seminar on "The Business of Family Child Care" to provide caregivers with the tools to develop a successful home based child-care service held Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the Loudoun Extension Office in Leesburg. Registration fee is $10 and covers materials. Contact Beverly Samuel in the Loudoun County Extension Office at 703-777-0373.
The workshop "Acrobatics and Karate" will be held at the Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise St., Thursdays, Aug. 10 and 17, 5:45-7:30 p.m. Cost: $10 for both nights. To register, call 540-338-7973.
Manga workshop with Manga artist Austell Callwood. Ages 12-18. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2 p.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, 703-737-8100. Advanced registration required.
Abrakadoodle-Doodlers for ages 6-13 years, at the Douglass Center, 407 E. Market St., Leesburg. Designed to ignite the imagination, foster creativity and develop new skills with paints, water colors, pastels and other materials. Each session is $30, plus $8 supply fee payable to instructor at first class. Sessions are Aug. 8-10, 1:30-2:15 p.m. Call 703-771-5913.
Abrakadoodle-Twoosy Doodlers for ages 20 months-3 years, at the Douglass Center, 407 E. Market St., Leesburg. Use paints, textures, papers, glue and modeling compounds in developmentally-appropriate lessons. Each session is $30, plus $8 supply fee payable to instructor at first class. Sessions are Aug. 8-10, 12:30-1:15 p.m. Call 703-771-5913.
Great Wall China Adoption Agency is hosting a China adoption workshop, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls. The workshop is free and attendees will receive a coupon for $25 off the adoption application fee. Call 1-888-GWFAMILY or locally at 540-710-0005 or liz.va@gwca.org. Visit www.gwca.org.
The Banshee Reeks Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program. to become a certified master naturalist, begins in the fall. The program, a 12-week course, covers topics in Virginia biogeography, ornithology, ecology, botany, management and conservation and interpretive skills. Cost $200 and includes all books and materials. Open to anyone 18 years or older as of Sept. 1. Orientation Thursday, Aug. 29. Visit virginiamasternaturalist.org or e-mail bansheereeks@starpower.net.
Next Level 4 Teens (NXL), a nonprofit youth organization in Ashburn, is offering several programs this fall. Including teen girls group, hands-on computer training, leadership and character development class, mother-daughter workshop.
There is a $39 nonrefundable registration fee for each program. Classes begin in late August. Call 703-724-0404, e-mail office@NextLevel4Teens.org or visit www.NextLevel4Teens.org.
AARP driving safety class at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, Wednesday, Oct. 25 and Friday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day and attendance both days required to receive certificate. Cost $10 for members, additional $1 each day for nonmembers. Registration required, call 703-430-2397.
The Loudoun Cooperative Extension is offering a Virginia gardener short course, which will run throughout the year as a series of sessions Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. The course will be held at the Extension Office, 30 B Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, from 6-8 p.m., on those dates.
Participants can choose to attend one session or all eight. Cost is $10 per session or $65 to register to attend all eight sessions. Those who complete all eight sessions will receive a certificate of completion at the closing of the short course in November. A registration flyer can be downloaded from the Loudoun County Extension Web site http://www.loudoun.gov/services/agri.htm or it is also available at local libraries. Call or e-mail the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpline Office and ask to have a registration flyer mailed, 703-771-5150, Ext. 107mg@vt.edu.
On every first and third Tuesday of the month at 9 a.m., Sterling Library, 120 Enterprise St., offers ESL basic computer skills needed for Internet, e-mail and word processing. Recommended for speakers of English as a second language. Limit 10 students per session. Register by calling 703-430-9500 V/TYY.