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.
Northern Virginia Community Foundation’s Loudoun Office raised $22,000 at its May 10 fund-raiser, For the Love of Loudoun Arts. The money will be divided up in four $5,000 grants and one $2,000 grant available only to nonprofits in Loudoun County. The grants will go toward arts education for children who can't afford lessons in either visual or performing arts and child and youth development programs. The request for proposals (RFPs) will go out in July and will be posted at www.novacf.org.
The Sterling Volunteer Fire Department is offering children's birthday packages at the firehouse. All parties include a tour of the station and equipment. For more information visit www.SterlingFire.org and click on birthday parties.
The Ruritan Club in association with the Sài Long Martial Arts Academy will be offering free classes in Intuitive Response Training (IRT) to past victims of crime. This training is designed to teach the student how to effectively respond to a threat, recognizing a potential one and avoidance of such. This is a reality-based system of eight-weekly classes, which serves to re-empower a person who has been a victim of a crime. Contact: Sifu@sai-long.org with "Ruritan IRT" as the subject line for more specifics.
The CountrySide Women's Club announces its new officers for 2008-2009: Allyson Burns, president; Pam Lynn Tucker, first vice president; Anita Jones, second vice president; Sally Velt, treasurer and Betsy Meunier, secretary.
Adult book discussions occur every month at Ashburn, Cascades and Sterling Library. Each library has a different book to read each month. For a listing of books and how to join visit www.lcpl.lib.va.us.
Join the NAACP Loudoun chapter by visiting www.naacploudoun.org or visit the national site at https://www.naacp.org/contribute/join.php. Contact the group by mail at, Loudoun Branch NAACP, P. O. Box 2439, Leesburg, VA 20177 or call 703-779-2990. All are welcome and needed.
Cascades Communicators Toastmasters Club meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, at 7:15 p.m., at Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Toastmasters can help you lose the fear of speaking in public by providing a supportive and friendly learning environment. Call 202-262-8204. Walk ins are always welcome.
The Sterling Women's Social Group is a group of women who just love to have fun. They are of all races/nationalities. Their future plans include their favorite foods (dining out), and also going to the movies, dancing, going to the casinos, wine-tastings, day trips, etc. Visit http://women.meetup.com/519/.
The Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace's Vintage Golf Club for people 55 and older. The club will play at various courses in the area. Senior rates apply and discounts will be available as membership grows. Contact Erik, loudounvintagegolf@verizon.net.
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.
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 Dulles Area Kiwanis Club meets at 4 p.m. the first and third Sunday of the month at the Cascades Library in Sterling. All are welcome to attend and dessert is provided. The group holds fund-raisers to help local students and organizations. The club contributes to three high school Key Clubs — Park View, Potomac Falls and Dominion, K-Kids Club at Hillside Elementary, March of Dimes and more. Some group activities include bingo at Monroe House Assisted Living plus much more. Contact 703-448-1917 for the next meeting date.
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.
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 Sterling Silvers at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, meet Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. Call 703-430-2397.
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.