HCAC Celebrating National Arts, Humanities Month
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is joining Americans for the Arts in October by encouraging the celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) .
HCAC will participate in NAHM with its public art exhibit, ARTsites 2017, through July 2018, at 12 locations throughout Howard County; and with Selections from The Rouse Company | The Howard Hughes Corporation Art Collection, a special exhibit in celebration of Columbia’s 50th birthday, on display at the Howard County Center for the Arts through Oct. 13.
Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Other Howard County arts events taking place in October include the following.
• Oct. 7: Merriweather Post Pavilion presents “Opus 1 – Experiences in Art + Sound.” OPUS 1 combines art, music and technology to create an evening in the forest. More than 11 art, light and sound installations for all ages. 4–11 p.m. Free admission; reserve tickets for expedited entry. Merriweather Post Pavilion and Symphony Woods, Columbia. www.opusmerriweather.com.
• Oct. 10: HoCoPoLitSo and Columbia Association present “Wilde Readings,” a reading and open mic series, with featured authors Michael Salcman and Lynn Silverman. 7 p.m. Free. Columbia Art Center, Columbia. www.hocopolitso.org.
• Oct. 13–29: Silhouette Stages presents “Cry Baby, The Musical.” This Tony Award-nominated musical, based on the 1990 John Waters cult classic, will be presented Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sun (Oct. 22 and 29, only) at 3 p.m. $15–18. Slayton House, Columbia. www.silhouettestages.com.

Historic Ellicott City Showcases White Hall Estate

Since 1987, the Historic Ellicott City (HEC) Decorator Show House has invited local interior designers to design and decorate the rooms of stately Howard County properties. This year, the 19th-century mansion, White Hall, was featured as the 2017 Decorator Show House.
Nearly 20 local interior designers had complete artistic autonomy over 26 rooms to showcase their expertise and creativity. From choosing upholstery to selecting paintings from local artists, these designers take inspiration from the house, its surrounding grounds and their own imaginations. Most furnishings and accessories are also available for purchase.
Proceeds from this year’s event will serve to fund two significant efforts: The Historic Ellicott Revitalization Grant Program, as well as the restoration of Carrollton Hall, located on the grounds of The Shrine of St. Anthony. The grant program focuses on rebuilding Ellicott City’s Historic Main Street, which was severely devastated by a torrential flood last summer. For more information, hours of operation and to purchase advance tickets, visit www.historicec.com.

PNC Foundation to Upgrade Playground at CLC
The PNC Foundation awarded a grant of $11,000 to Howard Community College’s (HCC) Children’s Learning Center (CLC) to help fund upgrades to the playground, as well as adding new equipment, including outdoor musical instruments and toddler play equipment. The grant will also benefit HCC students in various programs that work in partnership with the CLC to design the playground and create curriculum for new space.
PNC made the grant as part of PNC Grow Up Great, its early childhood education initiative. As part of the Healthy Howard Child Care Initiative, the CLC ensures children spend at least 90 minutes outdoors each day. Design for the upgraded structure begins this fall, with construction and installation to occur in the spring. Others who have helped fund the playground include Columbia Association, the Horizon Foundation and Harkins Builders.

WGC to Hold Annual
Celebration on Oct. 10
The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) Annual Celebration of Women and Girls is set for Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 5–7 p.m., at the Health Sciences Building at Howard Community College.
At the event, author, photojournalist and activist Paola Gianturco will discuss issues that are impacting the well-being of women and girls featured in her new book, “Wonder Girls.” Tickets are $60. For more information, visit www.womensgivingcircle.org.

Gilchrist to Host
Twilight in the Woods
Gilchrist of Howard County is hosting Twilight in the Woods at The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, on Sunday, Oct 22, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. (rain or shine); registration is at 5 p.m. Help light up the night in honor of friends and family we have loved and lost, including those fallen heroes who have proudly served our country and community.
This outdoor event will provide a time for reflection and remembrance, and will embrace attendees in a warm, meaningful glow. There is no fee for this event. To register, contact Gilchrist Grief Services at 443-849-8251 by Monday, Oct. 16. There is a cost of $10 per luminary to purchase a luminary to honor your loved one(s).

Girls on the Run to Hold First Sneaker Soirée on Oct. 12
Girls on the Run of Central Maryland will host its first fundraising event, the Sneaker Soirée, on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 6–9 p.m. at the Howard County Conservancy, 10520 Old Frederick Road, Woodstock. The event, unlike a traditional fundraising gala, will feature guests wearing their sneakers to the event. Attire is casual, with no suits or high heels required.
The Sneaker Soirée is presented by The Wendy Slaughter Team of RE/MAX 100. Tickets for the event cost $65 or $120 for a pair (of tickets), and can be purchased online at www.gotrcentralmd.org or http://bit.ly/sneakersoiree2017.

Columbia Orchestra Marks
Fourth Decade
The Columbia Orchestra’s 40th season opens on Saturday, Oct. 7, with travels to the former Czechoslovakia and Finland, and a world premiere to accompany the screening of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant.” Bill Scanlan Murphy, music department faculty member at Howard Community College, will offer a free lecture at 6:30 p.m.
Season subscriptions and single tickets are on sale. Subscription prices range from $40 to $115; single ticket prices are $28/$22 for adults, $24/$18 for seniors and $12/$10 for students. For more information, call 410-465-8777 or visit www.columbiaorchestra.org.

Pink Power Triathlon Set for Oct. 14
Mark your calendar for the 10th annual fun and “perspirational” breast cancer fundraiser, the Pink Power Fitness Triathlon, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event will be held at SynergyFx, at 8815 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 2, Columbia, to raise money for The Red Devils, an organization that funds support services for breast cancer patients and their families; in nine years, the organization has raised $121,930. For more information, call 410-964-9858 or visit https://thereddevilsevents.org/pinkpower.

Executive Alliance Holds 24th Annual Women of Excellence
Executive Alliance, formerly known as Network 2000, will hold its 24th annual Women of Excellence luncheon with speaker Mae Jemison, an American engineer, physician and NASA astronaut. The event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m., at Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood Road, Woodlawn.
Jemison served six years as a NASA astronaut and became the first woman of color in the world to go into space when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. She is an icon of the women’s rights and the civil rights movements, and has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame.
Currently, Jemison leads The 100-Year Starship, an initiative to assure the capability for human interstellar space travel to another star is possible within the next 100 years. Women of Excellence proceeds support the educational and charitable activities of Executive Alliance. Tickets are available for $125. For more information, registration or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.executivealliance.org or call Alice Blayne-Allard at 410-929-4026.

Laurel’s Moe Announces New
Counseling Service
Laurel Mayor Craig Moe has announced the opening of Laurel Helping Hands, the City of Laurel’s youth services bureau. The initiative is designed to provide community-based counseling services to residents of the city and surrounding Prince George’s County communities. Laurel is one of five jurisdictions in Prince George’s County to sponsor a youth services bureau.
Laurel Helping Hands will provide individual, family and group counseling to address various problems, e.g., relationship difficulties; anger management, anxiety, depression, grief and loss; and several others. It also will provide assessment and referral for students suspended from school for Alcohol and Other Drugs (or AOD) infractions.
Laurel Helping Hands will have an office at the Laurel Armory’s Anderson-Murphy Community Center at 422 Montgomery Street. Rosalind Caesar, who is working to complete the process of compliance requirements, will serve as clinical director. She can be reached at 301-725-8088, ext. 2337.

$500 BGE Teachers’ Grants Available for Innovation Projects
BGE is accepting applications for the 2017 inaugural Bright Ideas Teachers’ Grants program. All kindergarten through 12th grade in-classroom teachers within the BGE service area that focus on innovation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) the environment or energy efficiency are eligible to apply at www.bge.com/giving. Applications must be received by Oct. 31.
Eligible teachers can receive a grant of up to $500 for in-classroom use to fund qualifying projects. Twenty grant winners throughout BGE’s service area will be announced in November. BGE provides $1 million annually for education programs across its Central Maryland service area through its charitable contributions programs.

Kittleman Announces Free High Tech Option for Parents
Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman has launched a new program designed to help children from birth to age 5 become better prepared for school, another step in his Achieve 24/7 initiative. The program, called ReadyRosie, provides instructional videos through text messages and emails to help parents work with their children to develop necessary skills prior to entering kindergarten.
The program is being offered to all county families free of charge under the Achieve 24/7 initiative. “ReadyRosie offers easy and enjoyable activities for parents, guardians and caregivers to engage children and teach them important concepts that help them become prepared for school,” Kittleman said. “Parents can teach their children while doing everyday things. While walking to the playground, they can count their steps, or identify colors while waiting in line at the checkout.”
During the coming months, additional Achieve 24/7 initiatives will be rolled out focusing on child mental health and early childhood education. Howard County families can register www.readyrosie.com/howardcounty.

All City of Laurel Employees Complete Disaster Training
Mayor Craig Moe and all City of Laurel employees have completed the required Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Incident Command System (ICS) training courses, making the city the only municipality in Prince George’s County, and possibly the state, to have all its employees complete the training.
On Thursday, Sept. 14, the city participated in a statewide, federally-evaluated exercise involving a simulated incident at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. Employees from every department staffed the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for much of the day, performing emergency support functions in real time.
The ICS is a method of responding to a crisis that relies on standard job roles, forms and terminology. It can be used for short or long-term operations. In Laurel, major flooding and blizzards have necessitated the use of ICS.

ORP Partners With Dunloggin, Mount View Middle Schools
The Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) is partnering with Dunloggin and Mount View middle schools to educate students about shellfish ecological restoration and its importance to the local environment.
Under the terms of the agreement, ORP will collaborate with school staff to develop classroom programming and hands-on activities on topics including the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay and the oyster habitat ecosystem. ORP will supply schools with oyster larvae, or spat, for their oyster gardening programs, and provide technical expertise about raising and caring for spat.
ORP will also provide support for school programs focused on improving the Chesapeake environment. For more information, contact Mary Schiller at 410-313-6655 or [email protected].

Exelon Generation Donates $1.28M to Anne Arundel County Parks
Kennett Square, Pa.-based Exelon Generation is providing a $1.28 million grant to Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks to fund significant renovations and upgrades of the multi-purpose fields at Tick Neck Park, in Pasadena. The grant comes as a result of the sale of Exelon Generation’s Chestnut Hill Farm property that included the Brandon Woods Park, located in Glen Burnie.
As part of the sale of the property, the company agreed to fund the development of a new or upgraded recreational facility at another location in Anne Arundel County. In 2016, company employees spent more than 3,200 volunteer hours in the county for projects that benefit the local community, with a particular focus on education, conservation, arts and community health and safety.

This Year’s Symphony of Lights Goes Live on Nov. 19
The Symphony of Lights, a family-oriented display of more than 100 larger-than-life animated and stationary holiday light creations that is made up of approximately 300,000 bulbs will return this fall and early winter to Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, Tuesdays through Sundays, from Tuesday, Nov. 21, through Monday, Jan. 1.
A highlight of the event, as always, will be the Dazzle Dash, which is set for opening day, Sunday, Nov. 19 (rain or shine). Bring friends and family to experience the lighting ceremony, entertainment, giveaways and activities.
The Symphony of Lights offers sponsorships that equate to direct exposure to more than 130,000 attendees. During the past 20-plus years, nearly 2 million individuals have visited the spectacle, and proceeds from the event have raised more than $8 million to benefit Howard County General Hospital.
For more information or to become a sponsor, contact Amanda Pizzurro at 410-740-7570 or email [email protected].

Howard County Conservancy Meets Capital Campaign Goal
The Howard County Conservancy has reached its $1.8 million campaign goal for its recently expanded nature center. Executive Director Meg Boyd announced a $100,000 bequest from an anonymous donor was the gift that pushed the Conservancy over its goal.
The expanded Gudelsky Environmental Education Center reopened in May and more than doubled programming space. A covered outdoor classroom, community meeting room, volunteer work room, dedicated animal care room and exhibits on native plants, animals and watersheds round out the new space. Visitors can now enter the three-acre native plant garden directly from the new nature center and can also view the garden from a large, covered terrace above.
Major donors to the project include The France-Merrick Foundation; The Homer and Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation; The Kahlert Foundation; Howard County Government; the State of Maryland; Ken Clark and Arden Blair; the James Moxley, Jr. Family; Stacia and Gary Smith and W.R. Grace.
Main Street Ellicott City
Repaving to Begin
The road work on Ellicott City’s Main Street, from the Patapsco River to Ellicott Mills Drive, is underway. The milling and repaving is necessary to repair multiple utility trench cuts related to the recovery effort following the July 30, 2016, flood.
To limit the impact to local businesses and for safety reasons, work will occur between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by mid-October.
During construction hours, the aforementioned stretch of Main Street will be closed to traffic, which will follow a marked detour using U.S. Route 40, Rolling Road and Frederick Road in Baltimore County.
Howard County traffic will detour using Maryland Avenue, St. Paul Street, New Cut Road, Route 103, Toll House Road and Main Street. Side streets will be open to local traffic only. A recorded message at 410-313-3637 will carry project details and updates. For more information, call 410-313-3440 or email [email protected].

Chesapeake Conservancy Joins 1% for the Planet Network
Chesapeake Conservancy was accepted as a nonprofit partner of the 1% for the Planet Network, an initiative that connects businesses, individuals and nonprofits to accelerate environmental giving. The 1% for the Planet Network includes more than 1,200 member businesses, hundreds of individual members and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 40 countries.
After vetting environmental nonprofits, 1% for the Planet connects them to business members aligned with their business goals. The network’s business and individual members engage directly with approved nonprofit partners, providing financial donations, volunteer time, in-kind donations and other shared-value collaborations.
For more information on 1% for the Planet, visit www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.