KBE Building Corp. Donates $22K-Plus, 2,200 Hours of Service
A philanthropic endeavor intended to celebrate its 50th year in business has become a part of the culture at Columbia’s KBE Building Corp.: 50 Ways to Make a Difference is now an annual, year-long community outreach program that supports communities where the firm’s employees work and live.
In 2011, the second year of program, KBE and its employees donated more than $22,000 to local organizations. These funds were generated via company donations, employees’ loose change from their Change Makes a Difference initiative and employees’ “fees” for participating in Jeans Fridays, when they can wear jeans to work in exchange for a $2 donation.
All employee donations were matched by KBE’s owners, Mike Kolakowski, Eric Brown and Simon Etzel, and donated to a local homeless shelter or food pantry.
The endeavor was expanded in 2011 to include not only monetary donations, but also greater hands-on participation from the firm’s 125 employees, who established a 1,200-hour volunteer goal; they eventually logged more than 2,200 hours of community service.
Many of the KBE employees who participated in the program pose with a check representing total donations in 2011.
Artists’ Gallery Hosts Invitational Exhibition
Members of Artists’ Gallery, in Columbia, have invited their favorite regional artists to participate in an invitational exhibition for February. Gallery members will also be exhibiting work.
Those invited include pastel artists Joyce Lister and Maria Marino, watercolor and mixed-media artist Janet Epstein, and fabric artist Etarae Weinstein. Mary Adcock-Ingram will display an oil painting, and nationally known artist Walt Bartman, who has been featured on “CBS Sunday Morning” and is founder of Yellow Barn Studio at Glen Echo Park, will exhibit one of his watercolor paintings.
The show runs until Feb. 24. For more information, call 410-740-8249 or visit www.artistsgallerycolumbia.com.
Apps Available for WGC’s Journey 2012
The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) of Howard County is accepting applications for its residential summer camp, Journey 2012. The camp will include 25 girls entering eighth or ninth grade in the fall of 2012. Maryland Leadership Workshops will operate Journey, as it has since its inception.
It will run from Sunday, June 24, to Saturday, June 30, at Washington College in Chestertown, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The program will include workshops on empowerment and motivation, communication, decision-making skills, group dynamics, self-awareness, goal setting and conflict resolution, among other features and activities.
An applicant should have some previous experience in leading her peers, a willingness to try new experiences in a safe environment and a desire to serve her community.
The camp will be restricted to girls who are living in Howard County; the cost is $600. Financial aid requests must be postmarked by March 17, and applications must be postmarked by March 30. For further information, contact journeydirector@gmail.com.
Orenstein Named MCA Advocate of the Year
Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA) has announced that the 2012 Sue Hess Maryland Arts Advocate of the Year is Toby Orenstein, founder and artistic director of the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA). For more than 50 years, Orenstein has served the arts community of Maryland with a particular emphasis on using theater to better the lives of children.
In 2008 she was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 2005 she was honored for Outstanding Service to Educational Theatre by the Maryland Theatre Association. She was also named as a Howard County Business Volunteer of the Year in 1996 and one of Maryland State Board of Education’s Outstanding Women of the Year in 1998.
‘True Life: I’m a Laurel Mill Worker’ Exhibit Opened at Laurel Museum
A new exhibit, “True Life: I’m a Laurel Mill Worker,” opened Feb. 5 at the Laurel Museum. The exhibit explores a different side of Laurel’s history as Prince George’s County’s only mill town and the community’s early growth between the 1830s and 1929.
The display will include artifacts, diaries, photos and a recreated Laurel mill workers’ home, circa 1870. Admission will be free at the museum, which is located at 817 Main Street in Laurel. For more information, call 301-725-7975 or visit www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org.
Historic District Holiday Window Decorating Contest
The Ellicott City Restoration Foundation (ECRF) has announced the People’s Choice Award winner for 2011 in its annual window decorating contest: It’s Vintage Bliss Boutique, at 8086 Main Street.
This year’s popular winner was determined by ballots cast by visitors to the Historic District and submitted to the foundation. This year’s winner will receive a quarter-page ad in a publication by Custom Media Options. This year’s runners up are A Journey from Junk at 8247 Main Street, Attic Antiques and Things at 8241 Main Street, and Sweet Elizabeth Jane at 8125 Main Street.
LHC Establishes Charitable Fund with The Columbia Foundation
The Leadership Howard County (LHC) Premier Class of 2010 has announced establishment of the LHC Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund administered by The Columbia Foundation for the purpose of collecting contributions and directing donations to provide funding for 501(c) (3) nonprofit organizations serving Howard County.
Motivated by their experiences completing the Leadership Premier Program, the Class of 2010 pursued a variety of outlets for their renewed energy to serve the community. For example, recent community service projects include serving a “pre-Thanksgiving” dinner for Howard County’s Grassroots residents and providing holiday gifts for deserving families through the Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family program.
The Class of 2010 also sought a sustainable legacy to commemorate the Leadership Howard County’s 25th anniversary and created a Charitable Fund Committee.
For more information about contributing to the fund, log on to www.columbiafoundation.org. Contributions may be made payable to The Columbia Foundation for the benefit of the LHC Charitable Fund.
AACC Cyber Forensics Team Wins International Competition
An Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) cyber forensics team won first place in the community college division and was among the top 10 teams on the leaders’ board of the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) Digital Forensics Challenge that drew 1,147 teams from all 50 states and 52 countries.
The AACC team of Richard Clark of Glen Burnie, Dina Duncan Haines of Severna Park, London Orcurto of Bowie and Christopher Rollins of Pasadena took first place. A second AACC team of Douglas Hayden of Annapolis, Robert Singleton of Arnold, Jasper Tucker of Annapolis and Carly Wyman of Crownsville took third place.
Scully Named Chair of Heart Ball
Mary Ann Scully, president and CEO of Howard Bank, has been named chair of the 2012 Howard County Heart Ball: “Heal. Help. Hope,” to be hosted by the American Heart Association. The annual gala is set for Saturday, May 5, from 6:30 p.m. to midnight, at Turf Valley in Ellicott City. Tickets are $350.
The focus of the 17th Annual Howard County Heart Ball is women and heart disease. Proceeds from the event are used to fund public health education and research. Last year’s ball garnered more than $180,000 in proceeds from sponsorships, auction sales and tickets.
The black tie event features cocktail hour and silent auction, dinner, dancing to Essence, and a live auction featuring a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas donated by Harkins Builders (among other luxury items). For more information, contact Meghann Liebetreu at 410-637-4523 or Meghann.Liebetreu@heart.org.
Howard County Teachers to Model Science Instruction for Korean Visitors
Elite Korean science teachers recently shadowed their counterparts in Howard County Public School System’s (HCPSS) elementary, middle and high school classrooms. The experience culminates a four-week immersion in the best instructional methods used in American classrooms, led by the National Science Teachers Association and sponsored by the South Korean Minister of Education.
The 88 Korean teachers selected to participate started with a week of lectures and labs at UMBC, followed by two weeks of instruction at the Maryland Science Center. Howard County schools hosted 64 of the Korean teachers, with the remainder visiting Montgomery County schools.
While Korean students rank among the highest in the world in science test achievement, the Korean educational system is heavily geared toward rote memorization in preparation for intensely competitive entrance examinations to elite schools and universities. In contrast, “our curriculum is based much more on inquiry and creativity,” said Mary Weller, coordinator of secondary science for the HCPSS. “We give opportunities for all kids to get hooked on science.”
Network 2000 Requests Grant Proposals
Network 2000 announced a call for grant proposals from eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Maryland that align with its vision of advancing women in professional and executive roles. Eligible projects will prepare and promote women to achieve their full leadership potential.
The organization will award grants in amounts up to $17,500. The deadline for applications is 4 p.m. on March 16. Winners will be announced in May. For more information and to download the guidelines and grant application, visit www.network2000md.org/philanthropy.
Network 2000 is also accepting applications for the 2012–13 class of Effective Impact, a year-long mentoring program for mid-career professional women designed to enhance their expertise in key business areas and maintain life balance. The cost is $1,500 per mentee. The deadline to submit applications is Feb. 14 and applications are available at www.network2000md.org.
2012 Maryland Calendar of Events Available
The Maryland Calendar of Events will guide the user through Maryland’s annual events, fairs, festivals and commemorative celebrations. Comprehensive lists of welcome centers, county tourism contacts and farmers’ markets are also included.
To get a free copy of the calendar, call 800-719-5900 or order online at www.VisitMaryland.org by selecting either the calendar or the travel kit, which includes Destination Maryland (the state’s official travel guide), the Maryland State Highway Map and the calendar. The calendar is also available at Maryland welcome centers and local tourism offices.
ECRF to Hold Annual Mardi Gras Benefit
The Ellicott City Restoration Foundation (ECRF) will hold its sixth annual Mardi Gras Magnifique benefit on Sunday, Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Rumor Mill Fusion Bar & Restaurant in Ellicott City’s historic district.
Music will be provided by the Cypress Trio Cajun Band. Tickets are $40 in advance and include a New Orleans-style, seated three-course lunch. Proceeds from the event will benefit the ECRF’s programs for the historic district.
Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20. They are also available at the Howard County Tourism & Promotion Welcome Center at 8267 Main Street in Ellicott City. For additional information, call 410-303-2959 or visit www.ecrestoration.org.
STEM Careers Expo for Girls at APL on March 11
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), with support from the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland Space Business Roundtable and Multinational Development of Women in Technology, is holding “Girl Power: Reach For the Stars.” The free introduction to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for middle and high school girls will be held on Sunday, March 11, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Attendees will be offered opportunities to meet and talk with professional women in their fields of interest, participate in hands-on STEM activities and visit displays on careers in aerospace, computer science and electrical engineering, among many others.
The expo will be held in APL’s Kossiakoff Center at 11100 Johns Hopkins Road in North Laurel; directions can be found at www.jhuapl.edu. For information, contact womensgivingcircle@verizon.net.
Higgins-Hussman Foundation Awards $100K-plus to The Arc
The Lisa Higgins-Hussman Foundation has awarded The Arc of Howard County $101,000 to help renovate one of its residences and to establish two matching funds. Of the total grant, $71,000 will be used for renovations of a home for people served by the nonprofit.
Major funding for the project comes from a bond bill supported by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and members of the Howard County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. With the help of volunteers from DreamBuilders, the interfaith coalition whose mission is to provide housing for those in need, the residence is being completely renovated and will include many universal design and “green” features that make the house more comfortable for people with mobility impairment.
The donation also includes a challenge grant of $10,000 to be matched for The Arc’s web site redevelopment and a challenge grant of $20,000 to be matched for the Silver Arc Legacy Fund endowment, which is nearing $1 million in contributions from dozens of supporters. For information, visit www.archoward.org.
HCC Raising Awareness About Dating Violence
The Domestic Violence Center of Howard County (DVC), in partnership with Howard Community College (HCC), will host “It’s Time to Talk: A Forum on Dating Violence” at the college’s Duncan Hall on Friday, Feb. 17, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
During this free community forum, participants will learn about this serious and preventable public health problem. Panel members will include survivors and intimate partner violence experts, including, Denise McCain, WHUR-FM host of “Sighlent Storm”; Dave Thomas of The John Hopkins University; Patricia English with PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays); and Kathy Ferguson from the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
For more information, contact Vanita Leatherwood at 410-997-0304 or vleatherwood@dvcenter.org.
‘Beginnings’ on Exhibit at The Meeting House Gallery
A new exhibit, “Beginnings,” features the works of Maryland artists Joan Bevelaqua, Nancy Linden and John Brandon Sills. It runs until March 18 at The Meeting House Gallery, located in The Oakland Mills Interfaith Center at 5885 Robert Oliver Place in Columbia. It is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For additional information, call 410-730-4090.
CCTA to Celebrate 40 Years of Educating Through the Arts
The Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA) will host a 40th Anniversary Gala on April 30 to celebrate four decades of educating children through the arts in Central Maryland.
The event will be held at Toby’s Dinner Theatre-Baltimore with a cocktail reception and dinner followed by an original production, featuring performances by CCTA students past and present. Proceeds from the event will support CCTA and its Outreach Programs that make quality arts programming accessible to low income and special needs youth.
During the past year alone, CCTA served more than 26,000 children, provided work for 84 artists, awarded $23,000 in scholarships and provided free performances, after-school programs and a summer camp to 2,725 Baltimore City students.
Individual tickets to the event are $75 and a variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. For additional information, call 410-381-0700 or e-mail info@CCTArts.com.
Vino Scholastico Set to Raise a Glass for HCC Scholarships
Vino Scholastico, a distinctive wine tasting event that raises funds for student scholarships, will be held Friday, April 27, at Howard Community College (HCC).
The 2012 Vino Scholastico will feature Maryland’s award-winning Black Ankle Vineyards. Black Ankle co-founder Sarah O’Herron will be on hand to cover the history of the vineyard and discuss key elements that go into making a world-class wine in Maryland.
The pre-event will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The main event, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., will offer tastings of numerous distinctive wines, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, desserts, raffle prizes and discount prices for on-site wine orders.
Tickets are $50 for the pre-event, $75 for the main tasting event and $100 for both events. All proceeds benefit the HCC Educational Foundation Scholarship Endowment Fund. Tickets are available at www.howardcc.edu/vino or by calling 443-518-1970. Tickets also can be purchased at Decanter Fine Wines, 6420 Freetown Road in Columbia.
Howard County Rec & Parks Wins LERN Programming Award
Howard County’s Department of Recreation & Parks has been honored for Excellence in Programming by the Learning Resources Network (LERN), an international association in lifelong learning.
The department’s Adventure, Nature and Outdoors Division was recognized for its Extreme Recess: Sports & Adventure Camp, a program designed to mix structured and unstructured activities.
Extreme Recess takes “the best part of a kid’s school day” and “pumps it up” with old-school-style games, sports and adventures, and then gives campers enough free, unstructured play time to pursue the activities that interest them most, such as basketball, capture the flag and fishing.
Salute to Senior Service Search on for Senior Volunteers
The Home Instead Senior Care office serving seniors in Howard and Anne Arundel counties has announced the Salute to Senior Service program. It will honor senior volunteers for their contributions to their local communities.
The program will include a search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in each state and culminate with the selection of a national Salute to Senior Service winner during Older Americans Month in May. Nominees must be 65 years of age or older and volunteer at least 15 hours a month.
Nominations will be accepted at www.SalutetoSeniorService.com through March 15. Nomination forms also can be requested at ckoehler@homeinsteadinc.com. For more information, call 410-349-2320.
Rep Stage Continues 19th Season with Dael Orlandersmith’s ‘Yellowman’
Rep Stage, the professional equity theater in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), continues its 19th season with “Yellowman,” Dael Orlandersmith’s tragic, beautifully-drawn love story about two childhood friends who struggle with issues of race, class and family loyalties in the complex and idiosyncratic Gullah community in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Post-show discussions follow the Friday, Feb. 17, and Friday, Feb. 24, performances. A pre-show lecture entitled “The Gullah People of South Carolina” will precede the February 25 matinee performance, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. in Monteabaro Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.repstage.org or call 443-518-1500.
Calling All ‘Mompreneurs’
On March 16 to18, more than 200 “mompreneurs” will convene at The Hotel at the Arundel Preserve and Arundel Mills for the Fabulous Moms: Women’s Small Business Expo & Conference. This event features mom-owned businesses, a fashion show, a jazz band, interactive workshops geared toward varying levels of mom entrepreneurs and keynote speakers, such as Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank; Amy Abrams, co-author of The Big Enough Company; and Chandra Pitts, One World Alliance.
The event, sponsored by ABC 2, The Baltimore Sun Media Group, Baltimore Style Magazine, The Daily Record and The Business Monthly, will feature an expo with highlights, such as the vendor showcase at the mall on Saturday and Sunday.
Artists’ Gallery Displays at AIDA Bistro
Three members of Artists’ Gallery, in Columbia, are displaying paintings and photographs with the theme “Food & Travel” at AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar. The show will run through the end of March at AIDA Bistro’s new location at 6741 Columbia Gateway Drive.
Diane Dunn and Joan Forester have a collection of paintings, photographs and hand-colored photographs in the Aida Room that will inspire visitors and diners with their interpretations of the beauty and joy of fruits and vegetables in their natural state. Also, local photographer John Steir exhibits several photographs in the Wine Bar room.
Additional gallery members’ work can be seen at the gallery, which is in the American City Building at 10227 Wincopin Circle in Columbia. For more information, call 410-953-0500 or visit www.aidabistro.com.
HCAC Offers Employment Through Summer Camp
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is currently accepting applications for Camp Assistants (paid) and Camp Volunteers (unpaid) for the 2012 Visual and Performing Arts Summer Camps. Downloadable applications are available on the Getting Involved page of www.hocoarts.org.
Duties of the assistant and volunteer positions include preparing classrooms and materials for the day’s activities, supervising campers in art-related activities as directed by the classroom instructor, and monitoring campers during breaks, lunch times, etc.
Camps are offered June 25 to Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and before- and after-care is offered from 8 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 6 p.m. Application deadline for priority consideration is March 1.
PNC-Triadelphia Ridge Elementary Collaborate On Financial Skills
PNC Bank and Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School will work together to help students learn the importance of personal financial planning, and to develop the mathematical and economics skills needed for daily life.
Under the terms of the agreement, PNC will create an in-school bank for Triadelphia Ridge students and staff. Selected fourth- and fifth-grade students will be trained as tellers, and will tour a bank to learn how the institution operates. Bank representatives will also collaborate with teachers to give students additional opportunities to practice math skills related to money, decimals and fractions, and to share information about careers in the financial industry.
ACS Fundraising Series: Growing Donor Support
The Association of Community Services (ACS) is offering a three-part series that will help organizations increase donations and identify new financial supporters. Growing Donor Support will explore fundraising basics; transforming donors to long-term supporters; and inspiring donors of different ages, genders and ethnicities.
The three half-day sessions will be held on Feb. 16, March 1 and March 15. Registration for the complete series is $105 for ACS members and $165 for non-members. Individual sessions are $40 for members, $60 for non-members.
Sessions will be held from 8:30 to11:30 a.m. at the ACS offices in Columbia, which are located at 10480 Little Patuxent Parkway. Register online at http://bit.ly/2012FundAll; for more information, e-mail Joan.Driessen@acshoco.org or call 410-715-9545.
Women’s Giving Circle Celebrates Decade of Accomplishments
The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) of Howard County will celebrate a decade of accomplishments at its 2012 Annual Meeting, “Generations of Giving: Moving Forward Together,” set for Monday, March 19, from 4:30 to 6:30p.m., at the Howard County Conservancy. The meeting will feature speakers and a video spotlighting WGC’s activities for the past 10 years.
The WGC is a fund at The Columbia Foundation, Howard County’s Community Foundation. Tickets for the meeting are $50. Register online at http://bit.ly/WGCAnnualMeeting2012.
