Woman's Club of Chevy Chase to host antique, design shows

The 60-year-old clubhouse will host the Woman's Club 48th annual Antiques Show on Sept. 5-6.

More than 30 exhibitors from more than 10 states will take part in the event, which will feature paintings, oriental rugs, silver, jewelry, Chinese and Japanese export porcelain, ceramics, linens, folk art and period English and American furniture.

There will be an invitation-only preview party Sept. 4. Regular show hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 5 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 6. Admission is $10 or $9 with an ad. For more information call 301-654-8480.

The Antiques Show is the Club's largest fundraiser, providing support for Bethesda Cares, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, the Betty Ann Krahnke Center for Domestic Violence, Hearts & Homes for Youth, Shepherd's Table, and Sibley Hospital's Elderwell Program, among others. Significant financial support is directed to the Over-60 Counseling and Employment Service.

In October, the talent of 10 interior designers will be on display at the clubhouse during "Beyond Dragons: An East-West Fusion of Interior Design." The event, sponsored by the Women's Committee for the National Symphony Orchestra, is set for Oct. 22-26, and will raise money for the NSO.

Each of the designers will team up with the wives of diplomats and ambassadors from 10 Asian countries to create vignettes that reflect "East-West" style and design.

Some of the rooms planned include a "Sensual Meditation" bedroom by designer Camille Beers; a dressing suite featuring a artistic shoe showcase inspired by the Chinese custom of foot binding by Janet Morais and Anna Bimba and a dining room featuring vintage Chinese Chippendale furniture and Asian-inspired wallpaper by Sally Steponkus.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For more information, visit www.kennedy-center.org/celebrations.

The clubhouse is located at 7931 Connecticut Ave.

On campus

Zach Klitzman, a 2006 graduate of Walt Whitman High School, was named to the Dean's List for the 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences, where he is a rising junior and history major. In June and July, he studied Spanish history and Spanish literature at the University of Alicante in Alicante, Spain where one weekend he went to Pamplona in northern Spain and to run with the bulls through the city streets on their way to the city bull ring. This month he is working as an interpretive guide at the recently restored Victorian "Lincoln's Cottage," where President Lincoln lived with his family during the Civil War and where Lincoln plotted war strategy and wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.

First Book names

grant recipients

First Book, an international nonprofit, has a single mission: to provide children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. In Montgomery County alone, donations to First Book from individuals, companies, community groups and publishers have allowed First Book to distribute thousands of books to children from low-income families. Volunteers of the grant committee for First Book-Montgomery County recently reviewed applications from nonprofit literacy groups and announced awards of 4,000 new books to serve 750 Montgomery County children throughout the year.

The 2008 Grantees include: Linkages to Learning; Family Services Agency, Inc.; Healthy Families; Housing Opportunities; Community Partners; La Escuelita de Centro Familia; Interages; GUIDE Program Inc.; Montgomery Housing Partnership Preschool & Homework Club; Mental Health Association/Bridges to Pals; Community Ministries of Rockville's Latino Outreach Program; and Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless.

Community sponsors include the Junior Woman's Club of Chevy Chase, Kiwanis Club of Montgomery Village, and A Wider Circle of Bethesda, which contributes temporary storage space. For more info, go to www.firstbook.org.

This column is for you. Share your good news! Feel free to send press releases and news tips. Contact Stephanie Siegel via e-mail at ssiegel@gazette.net, phone at 301-280-3006, fax at 301-670-7183, or snail mail at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

Bethesda singer

makes opera debut

Bethesda classical singer Ian McEuen, 20, made his operatic debut in June at the Stageworks Festival in Charles County. McEuen, a tenor, performed the role of Tamino in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" (Die Zauberflàte) under the baton of William Vendice, head of music and chorus master at the Los Angeles Opera, and the stage direction of Cynthia Edwards of the New York City Opera. This was his first full operatic role; in 2007 he had performed a program of opera scenes at the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy.

McEuen, a junior at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music in Pittsburgh, will appear in two operas at CMU during the 2008–09 season: as Amore (Cupid, the God of Love) in Claudio Monteverdi's "The Coronation of Poppaea" (L'incoronazione di Poppea) in October, and as Sam Kaplan in Kurt Weill's "Street Scene: An American Opera" in January. Both will be directed by Grammy-winning conductor Robert Page.

McEuen is a former first-place winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) mid-Atlantic regional student auditions and is a graduate of Walt Whitman High School, where he sang in the Men's Chorus and Chamber Choir under the direction of Jeffrey Davidson. At CMU he holds the Carnegie Mellon Scholarship and has been named to the Dean's List of the College of Fine Arts for four consecutive semesters.

County fire officials recognized

Three county fire service leaders were recently recognized at the 2008 International Association of Fire Chiefs Conference in Denver, Colo.

Both county Fire Chief Tom Carr and Hal Bruno, retired chair of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and a board member of the Chevy Chase Fire Department, received the President's Recognition Award.

County Fire and Rescue Division Chief Mike Love was presented with the Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award.

Carr was honored for his commitment to firefighter safety and his tireless support of the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System.

Bruno was recognized for his steadfast leadership in the fight against line-of-duty deaths and injuries.

Love was recognized for service, professional abilities and leadership that have been exemplary in promoting the development of life-safety codes.

To busy to diet?

A 1995 graduate of Winston Churchill high school has written a book aimed at teaching busy professionals how to eat right. Heather Bauer will appear at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 12, at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 4801 Bethesda Ave. in Bethesda to discuss her book, the Wall Street Diet.

Bauer is nutritionist who owns a private nutritional practice called Nu-train in New York City. Her book aims to give practical diet tips to people with high-pressure jobs for eating in situations like the office, business meetings and even on airplanes. To learn more about the book, visit www.wallstreetdiet.com.

Literacy Council to hold tutor training sessions

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County will hold information sessions for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write, and speak English. No foreign language skills are necessary. Tutors work one-on-one or with small groups, and typically meet with students in libraries or community centers at mutually convenient times. Tutor orientations will be held at the Rockville Library from 7:30-9 p.m., Sept. 3 and from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Sept. 8. Sessions are also scheduled for Oct. 2, 6, 29, and Nov. 4. Registration is required. Call 301-610-0030 or email info@literacycouncilmcmd.org

Bethesda businesspeople get locked up – for good

Bethesda attorney John Wolf, was recently locked up – for good. Wolf took part in the Bethesda Lockup, a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Jerry's Kids that took place at Morton's Steakhouse in Bethesda Aug. 13.

The event invited area business and community leaders to serve one hour "behind bars" at the restaurant and then to phone their friends and associates in order to raise "bail money" and be released. All of the money raised went to the local chapter of the MDA.

Wolf, who raised more than $1,800, said he wasn't exactly sure what he was getting into when he was approached to be part of the event.

"I didn't know what I signed up for," he said.

Wolf truly got into the spirit of the day, showing up in a full black-and-white-striped jailbird costume.

"There was a real variety of people from around Bethesda," Wolf said.

About 40 jailbirds participated and raised more than $44,000.

The top two fundraisers were Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association with $3,600 and Anton Cohen, a principal at The Reznick Group with $3,000.

The event was meant to lead up to the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, which will air over Labor Day weekend.

Back-to-School Classic coming up

The 21st annual Back-to-School Classic, a race benefitting Somerset Elementary School will take place at 8 a.m., Sept. 21 in Chevy Chase. Participants can register now for the event, which includes an 8K, 2K and Fun run.

Nearly 800 runners compete in the 8K and 2K races, running through the neighborhoods of Somerset, Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights. The course has rolling hills, and hundreds of children and area residents cheering from the sidelines. The 8K is USTAF-certified, with Capital Running Co. managing race logistics and time keeping.

The Classic also features Kids' Fun Runs in many different age categories and a brunch for all participants after the race. The top three male and female finishers in the 8K and 2K races will win prizes. Age group prizes will be awarded for the top three male and female finishers for the 8K. In addition, the Back-to-School Classic is renowned for its abundance of great random prizes —including the top prize of a Giant MTX 225 24-inch bicycle donated by Griffin Cycle— drawn at the conclusion of the races. You must be registered by Sept. 12 to be eligible for the random prize drawings.

Proceeds from the race help Somerset Elementary School provide scholarships for the after-school programs, build its library collections and classroom resources and offer a rich cultural arts program. The Classic is the school's largest fundraiser. For more information and to register online, visit www.runwashington.com.

OWL comes to county

OWL, a national grassroots organization that focuses exclusively on issues unique to aging women, has formed a Montgomery County chapter of the Midlife and Older Women's League. The nonprofit organization has chapters across the country that conduct research, education and advocacy activities to improve the status and quality of the lives of midlife and older women. For information, call 301-951-3920.

Tutor program needs volunteers

The OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring Program is looking for tutors at its 27 Montgomery County Public Schools. OASIS, a national senior organization, provides volunteer tutors for students in kindergarten through third grade reading.

Fall training will be held at Macy's Home Store in Montgomery Mall Sept. 9-10 and later in September or early October at North Creek Community Center in Montgomery Village.

Call OASIS Tutor Coordinator, Kay Meek at 301-588-5416 or e-mail at krm5416@aol.com or call Marge Feldman at 301-869-1638 to sign up for training or for more information.

Register for American Odyssey Relay Race

Bethesda resident Bob Fleshner is looking for teams to participate in the inaugural American Odyssey Relay Race, which he has organized for April 24-25, 2009.

The unique team relay event will span approximately 200 miles, starting in historic Gettysburg and ending at the monuments in Washington, D.C. During the race, runners will cross the Mason-Dixon Line, celebrate at a mid-race festival, run along the C&O Canal and the Appalachian Trail, and see other historic and scenic sights.

The race is limited to 150 teams, each consisting of 12 runners. Each participant will run three separate legs of the 36-segment course, and each team will be equipped with two vans to transport teammates throughout the race. It is expected the winning team will finish in 24 hours, although many teams are likely to take between 30 and 36 hours.

"We've spent close to a year constructing a course that will be incredibly scenic, safe and simple to follow," Fleshner said in a statement. "Whether you've done other relays or this will be your first, you'll absolutely love running where the locals run."

Part of the proceeds from the event will go to The Wellness Community-DC, a charity devoted to helping people affected by cancer.

Visit www.americanodysseyrelay.com to register.

Davis Library welcomes book donations

The Davis Library, located at 6400 Democracy Blvd., accepts donations of gently used books and audio-visual materials that are then sold at the library's book sale to raise money to support the library.

Donations to the book sale usually come from community members who bring a bag or box of books to the staff at the Davis checkout counter. All donations are tax-deductible and staff members will give donors tax-deductible receipts on request. Davis depends on donations to stock their sale shelves.

Paperbacks sell for 50 cents each and hard covers sell for $1. The profits from the sale support children's library programs, book talks for adults, and the purchase of shelving, signage, and other items to augment library services.

Caring volunteers needed at local hospice

Montgomery Hospice, a nonprofit hospice that provides end-of-life services to residents of Montgomery County, is looking for volunteers to help support terminally ill patients and their families and caregivers. Patient Care Volunteers provide patients with in-home visits and everyday support, such as running errands. Bereavement Care Volunteers are also needed to provide emotional support to loved ones of hospice patients who have passed away. Applicants must be interviewed and complete a training session before volunteering at Montgomery Hospice. The next three-day training session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 22 and 29, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 1. The training will be held at the hospice, located at 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville. To request a volunteer application, contact Terry Stewart at 301-921-4400 or visit www.montgomeryhospice.org

Volunteers sought for English classes

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County is recruiting volunteer teachers for the new "English for Daily Living" classes it hopes to offer to adult students. The classes help students develop basic English skills for daily living.

Volunteers should have some experience working with adult learners or other classroom teaching experience. The classes run one to two hours per week for eight to 10 weeks at various locations in the county.

For information, call 301-610-0030 or e-mail info@literacycouncilmcmd.org.  

Bethesda Library needs book sale donations

Need to clear some space on your bookshelves? The Bethesda Friends of the Library Used Book Sale will gladly take donations of new and used books in good condition.

You can drop off books at the library tub next to the circulation desk and get a receipt for your tax records.

Donated books may be added to the library collections, sold at the book sale to raise money for Friends of the Library programs, gathered for a donation at the Paddington Square apartment complex library in Silver Spring or donated to Friends in Action to help young readers who need books.

Textbooks, out-of-date travel books and torn or damaged books will not be accepted.

The Bethesda Library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.

Casey House needs hospice volunteers

Casey House, Montgomery County's only in-patient medical hospice facility, is recruiting volunteers to work with terminally ill patients and their families.

Run by Montgomery Hospice, Casey House seeks volunteers to visit with patients and families, serve and feed patients, offer spiritual support or help with administrative duties. Volunteers are also needed to provide companionship for patients by reading books, playing games and writing letters for them.

Volunteer applicants are interviewed before they are trained in listening skills, family dynamics and the right words to say to patients and their family members. To request a volunteer application, call Montgomery Hospice Volunteer Services Office at 301-921-4400 or download an application from www.montgomeryhospice.org.  

Montgomery Hospice, the oldest and largest medical hospice in Montgomery County, served nearly 1,500 patients last year with a staff of about 350 doctors, nurses, social workers and community volunteers. More than 4,160 county residents took part in Montgomery Hospice's grief support groups, workshops, and memorial services and events.

HELP! Bethesda Help needs volunteers

Bethesda Help, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that provides emergency, short-term financial aid and food to the working poor of southern Montgomery County is looking for volunteers. 

Volunteers work one day a month or less frequently as substitutes and training is provided.

Positions include:

ÔOfficer of the Day, which requires calling an answering service, talking to clients and social workers and making follow-up phone calls. Volunteers can work from home or use cell-phones.

ÔDriver, which requires volunteers to use their own vehicles to drive clients to medical appointments and/or deliver food bags to needy families.

For more information, contact Nancy Horton, 301-654-1559 or mnhorton@comcast.net.