Send announcements or events, which are open to the public at no or minimal cost, to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102 or e-mail <a href="mailto:loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com">loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com</a>. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call 703-917-6454.
The adult book club meets at Rust Library, 34D Catoctin Circle, Leesburg, Monday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m., to discuss "Snow in August," by Pete Hamill. Call 703-737-8100.
The Newbery or Not? children�s book club meets at Rust Library, 34D Catoctin Circle, Leesburg, Thursday, Dec. 4, at 4:30 p.m. Ages 9-11. Call 703-737-8100 for book selection.
The adult book club meets at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn, Monday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., to discuss "Consumption," by Kevin Patterson. Call 703-737-8100.
The magic tree house children�s book club meets at Rust Library, 34D Catoctin Circle, Leesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 9, or Thursday, Dec. 11, at 4 p.m. Ages 7-9. "Day of the Dragon King," by Mary Pope Osborne. Call 703-737-8100.
The Loudoun Education Alliance of Parents is holding its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m., at the LCPS Administration Building, 12000 Education Court, Ashburn. This month�s topic is Your Opinion Counts: How to Express Your Opinion Properly and Effectively. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month.
The Ashburn Classics will hold its annual Christmas brunch at the Holiday Inn-Dulles, 45425 Holiday Drive, Dulles, Dec. 13, with a reception at 11:30 a.m. and lunch at 12:30 p.m. Reservations required; call 703-723-3056.
The active retirees program at Congregation Sha'are Shalom, 19357 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg, will host monthly programs. All are welcome. There is no charge. Attendees may bring a brown-bag lunch.
On Monday, Dec. 15, Barry Nove, senior development officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, will speak on the Ellis Island experience. After the talk, attendees are invited to an informal, kosher luncheon featuring latkes, the traditional potato pancakes eaten at Hanukkah. RSVP by Dec. 1, 703-737-6500.
The book chat for busy parents meets at Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn, Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m., to discuss "My Antonia," by Willa Cather while keeping an eye on their children. Call 703-737-8100.
The MOMS Club of Ashburn Village Area will hold a member's meet and greet open to current and potential members Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. in Ashburn. The club includes members from Belmont Country Club, Ashburn Village, and several other Ashburn neighborhoods. Visit www.geocities.com/ashburnmomsclub/ or email ashburnmomsclub@yahoo.com.
The National League of Junior Cotillions (NLJC), recently honored its Loudoun County Chapter with several awards for the 2008 business year. The local chapter has offered the Junior Cotillion program throughout the County for the past five years.
The three citations include, "Best Public Relations," "The �2000� Club Award," having achieved total enrolment of more than 2,000 students and the "President�s Award of Excellence," directly recognizing the efforts of Jean Ann Michie, Loudoun director, for having personally shown superior efforts and results in all phases of the program.
The Loudoun Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable homes for those in need, has moved its offices to 109 Harrison St., N.E., Leesburg. It is near the ReStore facility, which will be selling new and used materials to the public and give the proceeds to help build affordable homes for local families, that will be opening in downtown Leesburg. The move was facilitated and overseen by JK Moving & Storage Inc. in Sterling. For more, visit www.loudounhabitat.org.
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 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 Ashburn Ruritan Club is a 501C(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.
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.