To help make the area roadways a little less frightening this Halloween, the nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program will be offering free cab rides to prevent drunken driving.

The “SoberRide” program will be in operation from 10 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday and available to all Prince George’s County residents ages 21 and older celebrating the holiday with alcohol consumption. During this eight-hour time frame, residents can call the toll-free number at 800-200-TAXI and be given a no cost (up to $30 regular fare) safe ride home.

WRAP states that the purpose of “SoberRide” is to prevent would-be drunk drivers from endangering local roads during the normally high-risk period.

“The scary fact is that nearly half of all U.S. traffic deaths occurring during Halloween are caused by drunk drivers,” said WRAP President Kurt Erickson.

According to WRAP, since 1993, “SoberRide” has given more than 52,000 free cab rides home to potential drunk drivers in the metropolitan area. The organization is credited with keeping the area’s alcohol related traffic deaths consistently lower than the national average.

For more information regarding WRAP and the upcoming Halloween “SoberRide” program, visit www.soberride.com.

WSSC holding second annual calendar art contest

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission is hosting its second annual calendar art contest and is accepting submissions until Friday.

The theme for this year is “Our Part of the Chesapeake Bay: Let’s Keep Our Water Clean.”

The contest is open to students in second through fifth grades living in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Students can use any form of media for their art; however, no 3-D submissions will be accepted. The entries must also be between 8.5-by-11 inches as a maximum and 5.5-by-11 inches as a minimum in size.

Of the submissions, 12 winners will be selected and each will receive $100 and be featured in WSSC’s 2012 calendar, said Kimberly Knox, WSSC’s community outreach manager.

“It was exciting to have the opportunity to see their art last year when we began the contest,” she said. “We know that the counties’ talented artists will do a great job this year as well.”

The WSSC is the eighth largest water and wastewater utility in the nation. Knox said that the contest is a way for the company to reach out to the counties’ young students about the Chesapeake Bay.

“One of the core values of WSSC is environmentalism, so the contest helps promote ways of protecting the bay,” she said.

Students interested in entering the contest must send or deliver their entries to the WSSC, 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel by Friday. Each entry must have the artist’s name, grade, school, school address, teacher’s name and teacher’s e-mail address on the back. Only one entry per student is permitted.

Seniors gain skills, confidence to stand against bullying

To stand against abuse and bullying toward seniors and equip residents with confidence, a Bladensburg support group held a motivational and instructional event for seniors Oct. 10 at the Bladensburg Community Center.

The Seniors Against Stalking and Domestic Violence Support group brought Washington, D.C.-based motivational speaker Baron Howard and martial arts instructor Clifford Thomas to speak to a group of local seniors about ways to protect themselves and encouraged them to stand up against those who abuse senior citizens.

“The event was great. We had two fantastic speakers,” said Barbara Givens, executive director of the group. “We plan to do this again because both professionals were very good.”

Thomas, a Bladensburg resident, speaks to schools and organizations about bullying problems and regularly teaches Tae Kwon Do classes at the Bladensburg Community Center.

He said the bullying prevention event was a great success.

“A lot of these seniors are locked up in their houses because they’re afraid to come out,” he said. “I think they gained sense of confidence. They learned from it. There was a lot of positive input.”

Thomas said bullying against seniors has been a growing problem in today’s society. He said the younger generation does not have the same respect toward seniors as they used to years ago.

During the event, seniors were specifically taught how to best use their cane or walker as a defense weapon and how to best avoid an attack or abusive situation.

Cottage City hosts Halloween party as trick-or-treat substitute

Cottage City will host a Halloween party Saturday as part of the town’s effort to provide a safe, fun activity for children for Halloween.

The event will feature a parade led by the Cottage City Volunteer Fire Department that travels to the town hall, where various activities such as a magic show and candy giveaways will take place.

Cottage City Commission Chairwoman Aileen McChesney said the town does not allow trick-or-treating in the neighborhoods, so they host a Halloween party in its place.

“We do not have trick-or-treating, so we always do a children’s party,” she said. “We give a bag of treats so there’s no lack of sugar.”

McChesney said they began the tradition of hosting a Halloween party in response to a scare in the 1970s when there was a concern in Cottage City about a needle found in a piece of candy. She said the fire department hosted activities for the next several years, until the city assumed responsibility for the Halloween parties.

The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 3820 40th Ave.

Bladensburg to offer free HIV/AIDS testing at Magic Johnson Foundation center

Selected to take part in the Magic Johnson Foundation’s 20th anniversary campaign, Bladensburg will host free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services Nov. 7 during a day of community events.

Free testing and other activities will be held at the Magic Johnson Foundation Autumn Woods Community Empowerment Center. Bladensburg High School’s color guard and marching band will give live performances, and additional health-based seminars will be offered through Kaiser Permanente, ECO City Farms, the American Diabetes Association and other local and national organizations.

In addition, the Prince George’s Health Department will be administering flu shot vaccinations, and Kaiser will administer blood pressure screenings. A free fitness class will also be offered inside the center.

Vonnette Larkin, the event coordinator and representative of Landex Management, which manages Autumn Woods, said they tried to incorporate every aspect of healthy living when planning the event.

“We want to educate and bring awareness about general health issues. It’s a chance for folks to learn and gain an understanding about their health,” she said.

She said Bladensburg was selected as one of nine Magic Johnson Foundation centers in the nation to host such an event. She said there are 18 centers in the nation.

“We were selected because of the activities and things we’re doing with the center. We’re responsible with the resources foundation gives to us,” she said.

Free gifts will be given out to everyone who receives testing, and participants will also be eligible to win raffle prizes such as gaming systems and flat screen TVs.

Autumn Woods is seeking additional local and national sponsors for the event. To inquire about sponsorships or seek additional information, contact Larkin at vonnette@landex.org or 443-451-1272.

Port Towns celebrate National Food Day by debating obesity and nutrition

Tackling the issue of obesity in Prince George’s County and promoting healthy eating, the Port Towns Community Health Partnership celebrated National Food Day with a youth debate by the Port Towns Youth Council’s Wellness Ambassadors.

The Port Towns CHP is a collaboration of community residents, organizations and funders, who work together to support healthy living in the Port Towns by creating advocacy programs and partnering with health-based organizations.

Monday’s youth debate at the New Covenant Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Colmar Manor consisted of two teams of three debating the topic, “parents of obese children should be jailed.”

The Rev. Gail Addison, director of End Times Harvest Ministries, which runs the PTYC, said about 140 people attended the event to learn more about healthy eating and receive information about active lifestyles.

“It was fabulous. The kids were very eloquent in their presentation of what the Port Towns Community Health Partnership is doing in the Port Towns to promote healthy eating and active living,” she said. “The primary goal last night was for the youth to lead in educating the community in how they can be a part of this movement.”

The Port Towns Youth Council has been meeting to identify a health and wellness advocacy plan that consists of issues such as increasing nutritious meals in schools, increasing physical activities in schools, creating community farmer’s markets, improving park spaces and others.

David Harrington is the senior policy adviser with Common Health Action, a Washington, D.C.-based health and wellness nonprofit organization, but also chairs the Port Towns CHP and was the keynote speaker at the three-hour event.

“I really talked about how chronic illness and obesity is less to do about individual behavior and a lot to do about where people live and what they have access to,” he said. “Neighborhoods that don’t have access to parks and healthier food options tend to have a chronic illness of obesity.”

Harrington said 66 percent of the population in Prince George’s County is either overweight or obese.

“And the epidemic can get larger if we don’t have an intervention,” he said.

Each student on the debate teams was awarded either a $500 or $250 educational scholarship to go toward their college tuition when they apply.

Ensure tricks, not treats, with Halloween safety tips

As Halloween approaches, officials for the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department are urging residents to be cautious as they engage in trick-or-treating or other Halloween-related parties and activities.

Mark Brady, a spokesman for the department, said in a statement that when children trick-or-treat, between 4 and 10 p.m. Monday, there is a significant increase in falls and burn-related and pedestrian injuries. The following tips, Brady said, can help ensure residents have fun while staying safe:

ŸCostumes should have some reflective qualities so drivers may more easily see pedestrians.

ŸCostumes should be short enough to prevent children from tripping or getting caught in a bike chain, and face paint is preferable over masks, so children can see easily.

ŸChildren should use flashlights instead of candles or torches. Adults should always accompany younger children while trick-or-treating, or adults should discuss the duration, companions and proposed route of more mature youngsters, and children should stay in familiar neighborhoods, visiting only well lit houses.

ŸChildren should also avoid busy streets, and always use sidewalks and follow traffic rules. Drivers should drive slowly and be mindful of possible child pedestrians, and avoid unnecessary travel Halloween night.

ŸBefore allowing children to consume their candy, parents should inspect all sweets collected along the route. Candy that has been unwrapped or appears to have been tampered with should be thrown out, while fruit should be sliced into small pieces and inspected for foreign objects.

ŸResidents planning to receive trick-or-treaters should keep a light on and ensure any obstacles to the door are picked up. Jack-o’-lanterns should be removed from doors or landings, or use flashlights instead of candles.

ŸKeep dogs away from doors to avoid scaring approaching children.

Laurel mentor honored for closing the achievement gap

Laurel resident Joseph Fisher was given top honors from the Maryland State Education Association in September for his work closing the achievement gaps in the education of minority and low-income students.

Fisher received the award for his efforts through First Generation College Bound, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping students become the first in their families to go to college.

Fisher, a social studies teacher at Harper’s Choice Middle School in Howard County, started his Laurel-based nonprofit in 1990, giving students and their families guidance in the college admission and financial aid application processes.

Fischer’s nonprofit operates in five high schools in Prince George’s County, including Laurel High School. The organization has helped more than 1,100 students get into college, 94 percent of whom are minorities.

The contest, which had 48 nominees, is intended to facilitate the exchange of ideas about how to improve academic outcomes for minority and low-income students around the state, said Pat Alexander of the Maryland State Education Association.

‘It’s all about closing the achievement gap,” Alexander said. “We believe there are great things going on in Laurel that Alleghany doesn’t know about, and great things in Salisbury that Baltimore doesn’t know.”