Send announcements, which are open to the public at no or minimal cost, 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 Matthew Razak at 703-917-6457. For additional listings, visit www.connectionnewspapers.com.
La Voz of Loudoun, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, received a $3,000 donation from Amerigroup Foundation.
The Loudoun Country Detachment No. 1205 of the Marine Corps League invites everyone in the community to an all-you-can-eat and drink spaghetti dinner, Saturday, Sept. 8. The doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner will be served from 5-8 p.m. The dinner will be hosted at the American Legion Post No. 239 hall located on 21st Street near Main Street (Route 7) in Purcellville. Cost: $6 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Toys For Tots 2007 Campaign. Everyone is also urged to bring an unwrapped toy donation. Call 540-955-0074.
The book discussion group at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, will meet Tuesday, Sept. 18, 12-1:30 p.m., to discuss "King Solomon's Mines," by H. Rider Haggard. Open to all interested members. Call 703-430-2397.
The three MOMS Clubs of Ashburn including Ashburn Farm Area, Ashburn Village/Belmont Country Club and the Broadlands/Brambleton are joining together to host an open house Friday, Sept. 21, from 3-5 p.m., at Ashburn "Dinosaur" Park, 43645 Partlow Road, Ashburn. Come get information about the clubs and meet members. Visit www.geocities.com/momsclubashburn, www.geocities.com/ashburnmomsclub and www.geocities.com/momsofbroadlands.
Mothers First-Ashburn/Leesburg is a nonprofit support organization dedicated to helping women transition from careers to at-home motherhood. The second meeting of the month will be Sept. 25, at 10:15 a.m., at the Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn. Contact 703-827-5922 or www.mothersfirst.org.
Middle-school book discussion group, Thursday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m., at the Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road. Snacks are provided. Recommended for ages 11-14. September: "No More Dead Dogs" by Gordon Korman. October: "Life As We Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
MOMS Club of Ashburn Village Area, an organization offering support to mothers and children holds meetings on the third Monday of each month. The group also covers Ashbrook, Regency, Cameron Chase, Belmont Country Club, University Center, the Courts and Ridges and more. The club offers play groups, activities, field trips, Moms' Night Out and more. Prospective members always welcome. E-mail ashburnmomsclub@yahoo.com or visit http://www.geocities.com/ashburnmomsclub.
The Loudoun Walking and Volkssport Club invites the public to check out its self-guided year-round walks. The club offers eight walks in the county that can be done any day at just about any time. Each has a choice of distance, 5 and 10 kilometers. The club offers these walks as part of its community outreach efforts. Contact Bob Wright at
703-737-2175 or rwright2@jhu.edu.
The Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, has a walking club, which meets Thursday mornings, at 10:30 a.m. Walks take place outside, so wear loose comfortable clothing and sneakers. In case of inclement weather, walkers will be transported to the Dulles Town Center to walk around the "track."
Help Save Loudoun meets at 7 p.m., the last Wednesday of each month at the Cascades Library, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Visit www.helpsaveloudoun.com.
The Ashburn Ruritan Club is a 501©(3) nonprofit community-service organization focused on community service, fellowship and goodwill. The club aims to improve the Ashburn community by providing merit-based scholarships and support for under-funded educational programs. To join or attend a meeting, contact the club at 866-670-5984 or at ashburnruritan@onebox.com. The meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month in the Ashburn Library.
The South Riding Lions Club, which focuses on helping the vision and hearing impaired in Centreville, Chantilly, Herndon, South Riding, meets the first Thursday of each month at the Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church, 43987 John Mosby Highway, Chantilly. New members welcome. Call Jim Vertrees, 703-327-3538.
Crochet Club, at the Leesburg Senior Activity Center, 215 Depot Court, Leesburg. Meets Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Call 703-737-8039.
Walking club, at the Leesburg Senior Activity Center, 215 Depot Court, Leesburg. Meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Free. Call 703-737-8039.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish-Catholic fraternal organization, visit cunninghamaih.com. Its two main goals are to preserve Irish heritage and to nurture Catholic faith. The club meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Sterling Ruritan Club. Contact Bob Anderson at 703-858-7167 or Ned Woisard at 703-724-0524.
The Ashburn-Sterling Masonic Lodge meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:45 p.m. for dinner at the lodge, located at 43881 Waxpool Road, Ashburn. Visit www.AshburnLodge.org or e-mail info@AshburnLodge.org or call 703-470-2188.
The Loudoun County Public Library Board of Trustees will hold its monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., at the Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn. Call 703-777-0368 V/TTY or visit www.lcpl.lib.va.us.
Ashburn Assembly No. 11, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Ashburn-Sterling Masonic Lodge. Contact the mother advisor, Clarissa Jones, at 703-724-0675 or e-mail momclarissa@vaiorg.org.
The Salvation Army of Loudoun has opened a store and drop-off center at 10 B Cardinal Park Drive, Leesburg. Store hours are Mondays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., call 703-771-8905; donation drop-off hours are Mondays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., call 703-779-2301.
The Loudoun County NAACP meets at 7:30 p.m., on the third Monday of every month, at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 216 Loudoun St., S.W., Leesburg. Contact 540-687-8230 or 703-777-8270.
Countryside Quilters meet the first and third Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m., at the Community Lutheran Church, 21014 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Guild activities include book and fabric exchanges, workshops, speakers, field trips and community service projects. Call Leanne, 703-304-6721.
MADD Loudoun announces the new MADD Loudoun Victim Support Groups for families/significant others who have been impacted by a drunk-driving crash. The group is for families, significant others who lost a loved one, for injured survivors and their families. The MADD Loudoun Victim Support Group will meet on the third Wednesday of each month, 7:30 p.m., at 210 Wirt St., Leesburg.
The Ashburn Ruritan Club is collecting used TI-83 calculators to donate to Ashburn high schools. To donate, contact the club at 866-670-5984 or at ashburnruritan@onebox.com.
La Voz of Loudoun, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, received a $1,000 donation to support the English and Family Integration Program from Dominion Virginia Power. The program provides English language instruction, life skills instruction and information to the parents and family members of at-risk youth. The program helps to provide encouragement and support to recent immigrants as they integrate into the Loudoun Community and is the result of a collaboration between La Voz of Loudoun, the Loudoun Community Services Board (LCCSB) After School Program and the Fields of Leesburg Management Company.
The Virginia Commission for the Arts has awarded more than $71,000 in grants to arts organizations in Loudoun County. Recipients of the grants include the Bluemont Concert Series, the Loudoun Arts Council, the Loudoun Symphony and the Master Singers of Virginia.
The application deadline for the Leadership Loudoun Program Class of 2008 is Sept. 1. Leadership Loudoun is a 10-month program dedicated to developing and engaging leaders who work together to serve the good of Loudoun County. The program begins in October. During the program year, participants explore current challenges facing Loudoun County and learn how to become agents of change. Contact Robin Geiger at 703-771-5511 or by e-mail at rgeiger@loudoun.gov.
La Leche League of Ashburn will hold its next meeting Sept. 7, at 10:15 a.m. The topic is nutrition and weaning. Pregnant and nursing women as well as their children are welcome to attend. Meeting location is the Ashburn Library located at 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn. Call a La Leche League leader at 703-753-3214.