Know of something missing from our community calendar? E-mail it to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6407 with any questions. Photos are welcome. For more volunteer opportunities, classes, announcements visit www.arlingtonconnection.com and click on Community.
<b>Saturday/Oct. 6
</b>E-CARE Event. The Department of Environmental Services will hold an Environmental Collection and Recycling Event from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Household hazardous materials, computers and electronics, shoes and eyeglasses are available for recycling. There is a fee for monitors, televisions and bikes. Located at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 125 S. Old Glebe Road. 703-228-5900.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 10
</b>Retirement Lecture. 7-9 p.m. at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St. Bob Doherty will discuss "Tales from the IRA: A regular guy’s trip to early retirement." Free. Visit http://offices.ext.vt.edu/arlington for more.
<b>Saturday/Oct. 13
</b>Free Paper Shredding. Civitans will provide free paper shredding from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church on Glebe Road at 16th Street in Arlington. Bring personal documents; no limit and no need to remove staples or clips. Baked goods will be available and proceeds will be donated to local services. Contact Helen Kelly at 703-599-9576 or e-mail tysonscivitan@aol.com.
<b>Saturday-Sunday/Oct. 17-18
</b>Collaboration Workshop. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at George Mason University, Arlington Campus. Workshops on talk-to-action methods for cross-community quality of life improvements and the management of programs, agencies, and service systems. To register or for more visit www.resultsleadership.org.
<b>Thursday/Oct. 20
</b>Fall Gala Fundraiser. 7 p.m., take part in the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s "Catsino Nigth" at Historic Lobby A at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. There will be games, auctions, music, food and drink. $10/person or $180/couple. Call 703-931-9241 or visit www.awla.org to download a RSVP card.
<b>Monday/Nov. 5
</b>Public Meeting. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will hold a Public Information Meeting to discuss the proposed Arlington Heights, Virginia Heights, and Monroe Courts Historic Districts, Arlington County at 7 p.m. in the Arlington County Office Building, Arlington County Board room on the third floor at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. For a copy of the district nomination and/or boundary map, contact Jean McRae, Virginia Department of Historic Resources at 804-367-2323 x-102 or E-mail: jean.mcrae@dhr.virginia.gov.
<b>F.Y.I.
</b>In-person absentee balloting is now available for the Nov. 6, 2007 General Election in the Arlington Office of Voter Registration, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 320. The hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with additional hours on Thursdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 until 7 p.m. and Saturdays, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last day to vote absentee in person is Saturday, Nov. 3, when voting ends at 5 p.m.
The office will be closed on Oct. 8 in observance of Columbus Day. The last day to register to vote or update your voter registration address to be eligible to vote on Nov. 6 is Tuesday, Oct. 9.
Qualified registered voters can download the application form at www.arlingtonva.us or contact the Office of Voter Registration at 703-228-3456 or by e-mail at voters@arlingtonva.us to request the application be mailed or faxed to them.
Hoffman-Boston Elementary. 1415 S. Queen St., Arlington, needs volunteers for Book Buddies, a one-to-one reading support program for at-risk first and second grade students. Volunteers tutor two mornings a week, before school, from 8:15-9:15 a.m., Monday-Wednesday or Tuesday -Thursday. The commitment is for the entire school year. All lesson plans and materials are designed individually and prepared in advance by the coordinator. An initial training session takes about an hour. On-going support is provided by the program coordinator. Contact Kim Durand, Volunteer & Partnership Program Specialist, 703-228-6003.
The Arlington Community Foundation awarded more than $195,000 to fund 43 grants to 41 local nonprofit organizations. Grants range from $500 to $10,000 and assist with the improvement of the Arlington community through programs in the arts; the environment; senior enrichment; for children, women and families; immigrants and minority groups; the homeless and malnourished; the mentally ill; those who are in need of legal services; and more. Recipient organizations will be recognized at the Foundation’s annual Spirit of Community Luncheon scheduled for Nov. 14.
For more information about how to apply for Community Enhancement Grant or how to help support the Foundation’s grantmaking, call 703-243-4785.
Hoffman-Boston Elementary School, at 1415 S. Queen St., needs adult volunteers to tutor a first or second grade struggling reader for two mornings a week from 8:15-9:15 a.m. during the school year. On-going support with training, lesson plans and all materials provided. Call Marty Maher, Book Buddies Co-ordinator, at 703-228-5845 or e-mail martha_maher@apsva.edu.
NAMI-Arlington support group for individuals who have a parent or sibling diagnosed with a serious mental illness will meet Thursday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Arlington. For more information and meeting location, contact Christina Kozyn at 703-892-2197 or ckozyn@gmail.com.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Capital Chapter seeks volunteers for the 5th Anniversary MS Challenge Walk pwresented by Security Storage, an endurance walk covering three days and 50 miles on Sept. 28 through 30. Volunteer opportunities include in-office assistance before the event, setting up sites, assisting with participant registration, serving food, and cheering on walkers. Interested individuals can help for a few hours or all three days. To learn more or register as a volunteer, contact the National Capital Chapter at 202-296-5363 or visit www.MSandYOU.org.
Northern Virginia Epilepsy Group meets every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. at Falls Church High School, Entrance 1, Room 100, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church. Free. For adults diagnosed with seizure disorders and caregivers. Call Dana at 703-425-6669.
Do you know a young girl who loves the water, but wants to try something besides racing back and forth? Synchronized swimming may be just the activity for her! NoVa Synchro, an Arlington-based synchronized swimming team, invites all interested girls ages 6-19 to come to two open practices to try the sport for themselves. Stop by either Friday, Sept. 7 from 7-9 p.m. at Providence RECenter (7525 Marc Dr. in Falls Church) or Sunday, Sept. 9 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Wakefield High School (4901 Chesterfield Rd. in Arlington). Visit www.NoVaSynchro.net for more details, or e-mail NoVaSynchro99@yahoo.com with any questions.
Soroptimist International of Arlington started a community-wide campaign to collect used, unwanted cell phones. Proceeds from the collection efforts will be applied to the Women’s Opportunity Award and the Violet Richardson Award, as well as to fund various advocacy and educational programs throughout the community. Contact Sharon Williams, 703-203-3691 or e-mail swilliams@siarlington.org on where to find the drop offs.
The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition offers students interested in Fashion Design or Fashion Marketing, Merchandising or Retail Management an opportunity to compete for a full tuition scholarship to study at one of The Art Institutes schools. Deadline for entries into the competition is Nov. 19. To be eligible, students must be a senior in high school, set to graduate in 2008, complete an entry form, have a minimum G.P.A of 2.0, write a short essay describing their interest in fashion and submit a finished, originally designed eveningwear garment and process book, for the Fashion Design category or a create a product or plan for the Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management category. For more information on how to enter The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/passionforfashion.
Some children in the after school program have difficulty completing their homework assignments and would benefit from a one-on-one tutor. It would also be helpful to read books and assignments with them and help them improve their reading skills. The children are in the after school program from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 2-6 p.m. on Wednesdays. The staff would like to pair an adult (or teen) with one child throughout the school year. Spend one hour with "your" tutee one or more afternoons a week. Minimum age is 14 or completed middle school. Program staff will orient volunteers to their operations. Contact Janice Covert, Volunteer Coordinator, 703-228-4730.