Friends of Olney Theatre makes its encore

The program had once been quite active in providing many services at Olney Theatre Center for the Arts.

McKillop's first priority is to resurrect three committees — housing, welcoming and opening night.

Some productions require Olney Theatre Center to find local accommodations (no food needs to be provided) for cast and crew members for four to six weeks. That's where the Housing Committee comes in. The committee would seek community members who would be willing to house cast members, then would coordinate this effort with theater officials.

The Welcoming Committee welcomes incoming cast members to their first lunch together and provides small baskets of items for their rooms, such as shampoo, soap, a Chamber of Commerce directory, maps of the area and coupons for local stores. The Olney Chamber of Commerce will serve as a drop-off location for baskets, toiletries and coupons for the welcome baskets. The chamber is located at 3460 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Suite 211.

The Opening Night Committee will help set up, serve, tend bar and clean up after all opening night receptions, held the first Saturday of each performance. Sometimes a pre-show party and a post-show party are scheduled. In addition, a volunteer receptionist is needed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crawford House, the main administrative building.

Anyone interested in serving on any of these committees or obtaining more information about FOOT is asked to contact Valerie Shipman at 301-924-4485, Ext. 103, or vshipman@olneytheatre.org or Lisa McKillop at 301-854-0771 or lisamamck@aol.com.

Volunteers help

at the Hebrew Home

Apparently you cannot miss seeing the more than 125 student volunteers at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington in Rockville this summer.

Not just because they are wearing royal-blue T-shirts with the word "VOLUNTEER" emblazoned on the back, but because they are helping out everywhere, volunteer Laura Chin reported to The Gazette.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us, and the residents appreciate seeing the young people," volunteer Megan Yen said.

Students range from ages 12 to 22 and come from Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Washington, D.C., and even from other states.

It may be hot outside, but the work and activities the students do are "cool," from conducting "summer camp" sessions for residents to leading word games and exercise groups, Chin said. They also train new volunteers; deliver flowers; assist on resident trips such as intergenerational bowling; escort residents to therapy, synagogue or the home's gardens; help residents compose ethical wills and run the soda shop, she said. There is even a team of troubadours, performing music for residents throughout the campus.

"These are wonderful giving children," said Linda Cohen, assistant director of volunteers. "It's heartwarming to see them working together – older kids helping younger kids — and to see them with our residents. This summer's group is a most outstanding group."

Students enjoy and appreciate their experiences at the Hebrew Home, Chin reported.

"It's nice to help out here and to know that the residents like to see us," said volunteer Sarah Rubinsten, a freshman at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville.

Scouts continue to collect school supplies

Girl Scout Troop 4058 is holding a School Supply Drive for the homeless and disadvantaged to benefit Happy Helpers for the Homeless and local charities in the community.

Donations such as notebooks, binders, folders, paper, pencils, pens, new backpacks, new lunch boxes, crayons, markers, colored pencils, rulers and calculators can be dropped off through Thursday at Fletcher's BP, located at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spartan Road in Olney.

For additional information or to arrange a pickup of school supplies, send an e-mail to akbrady@aol.com or call 301-943-6902.

Volunteers needed to help adults learn English

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County will hold information sessions for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write and speak English beginning next week.

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 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 3 and 10:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 8 at the Rockville Library in Rockville Town Square.

Sessions are also scheduled for Oct. 2, Oct. 6, Oct. 29 and Nov. 4.

Registration is required. Call 301-610-0030 or e-mail info@

literacycouncilmcmd.org

A golden opportunity

to celebrate

The Connecticut Belair Swim & Tennis Club in Wheaton will celebrate its 50th anniversary Saturday and is inviting former members to join in the festivities.

Those attending should take their memories and mementos to share with others, organizers said.

For more information, visit www.cbpool.org and click on "50th Anniversary Feast" on the left side, or call 301-946-4500.

In salute

ÔAlexander D. Tolbert has graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) Leader's Training Course at Fort Knox, Ky. The four-week course is a leadership internship for cadets that can lead to the ultimate goal of becoming an Army officer. The cadet is a student at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama. He is the son of Gary D. and Laura S. Tolbert of Alfalfa Terrace in Olney and is a 2008 graduate of Col. Zadok Magruder High School in Derwood.

Class reunions

ÔSherwood High School's Class of 1988 will hold its 20th-year reunion Oct. 4 from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Turf Valley in Ellicott City. Cost is $85 per person. For information, call Stacy Segal Hart at 701-594-3394 or send an e-mail to stacy.hart@comcast.net. Additional information can be found on www.Classmates.com.

ÔRobert E. Peary Class of 1973 will hold its 35th-year reunion on Oct. 4. For details, send an e-mail to peary73@yahoo.com.

ÔWheaton High School Class of 1973 will hold its 35th-year reunion Oct. 25 at the Willow Tree Inn in Montgomery Village. For information, send an e-mail to WHSClassof1973@gmail.com.

On campus

ÔSeveral area residents were named to the Dean's List for the spring semester at the University of Delaware. They include: Christina Gabrielle Bryant, a sophomore psychology major from Derwood; Natalie Ayres Shroyer, a senior psychology major from Derwood; Casey Butler Tilton, a junior English major from Derwood; Joanna Sarah Reese, a sophomore psychology major from Sandy Spring; Michael Joseph Gardner, a junior finance major from Ashton; Michael Joseph Gardner, a junior management information systems major from Ashton; and Jennifer Elizabeth Olkewicz, a junior psychology major from Ashton.

If you have an interesting note about the people and the events of Olney, Brookeville, Sandy Spring and Ashton, send it to Judith Hruz, Editor, The Olney Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877; or e-mail it to jhruz@gazette.net. Our fax numbers are 301-670-7182 or 301-670-7183. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration. All items subject to editing and space availability.