Women's Hall to hold ceremony
County Executive Ken Ulman and the Howard County Commission for Women will host the 12th Women's Hall of Fame Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. March 13 in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City.
This year, the commission has selected four Howard County women for induction into the Women's Hall of Fame: Evelyn Bolduc, Pamela Mack, Ann Mech and Jane Walker. The commission also will honor the late Jeanne M. Simons with the Women's Hall of Fame in History Award.
Bolduc is a volunteer and philanthropic leader in the areas of health care, education and human services.
Mack works to strengthen numerous local nonprofit organizations.
Mech is a registered nurse, educator and lawyer whose passion for providing quality health care has been the cornerstone of her life.
Walker has pioneered local mental health services through organizations and is an advocate for children's mental health issues not only in Howard County, but also throughout Maryland.
The Women's Hall of Fame in History Award honoring Simons will go to a woman who made unique and lasting contributions to the economic, political, cultural, and/or social life of Howard County during her lifetime.
Simons was a pioneer in the treatment of autism. In 1955, she founded the Linwood Center in Ellicott City. She developed the "Linwood Method," which remains the basis for Linwood's philosophy and methods still practiced today.
Her book, The Hidden Child: The Linwood Method for Reaching the Autistic Child, chronicles Simons' work through the years and is used today as a teaching guide for staff members at Linwood and other centers working with people with autism. Simons died in 2005 at her Columbia home at age 95.
The first recipient of this award honor was Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps, headmistress of Patapsco Female Institute beginning in 1841. She was a pioneer in education as well as an advocate and practitioner for women's education.
The event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.
Information:410-313-6400
HCC to show film in honor of 'V-Day'
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of "V-Day," a global movement to stop violence against women and girls, Howard Community College will host two benefit screenings of the film Until the Violence Stops at noon and 7 p.m. on March 5 in the Kittleman Room (ELB-100).
The Domestic Violence Center and Specialized Trauma Treatment and Recovery Center are co-sponsors for the event. Admission is free for students and $8 for general admission. Tickets are available in the HCC Book Store and at the door before each screening. Proceeds benefit the centers and the Women of New Orleans. Information: Tracie Palm at tpalm@howard cc.edu or 410-772-4896.
Until The Violence Stops features playwright and activist Eve Ensler in a film that documents how The Vagina Monologues inspired the international grass-roots movement "V-Day."
In 2002, about 800 cities around the world participated in "V-Day" by staging benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues. Until the Violence Stops explores the impact of this event on five communities affected by violence against women. Featuring interviews and readings by everyday and celebrity women, Until the Violence Stops shows women from New York to Kenya uniting and revealing intimate and painful experiences with abuse.
Library supporters sponsor film night
Friends of the Howard County Library will sponsor a Family Movie Night at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the central library, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway.
A film of the children's classic, Stuart Little, a story about the adventures of an intelligent mouse, will be screened.
Refreshments will be provided. Registration is not needed.
Information: 410-313-7860.
Instrumental groups will perform March 7
The Oakland Nights Music Series, sponsored by the Town Center Community Association, will present a performance by two instrumental groups - Flute Cocktail and Fugitive Brass Quintet - from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. March 7 in the ballroom at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road.
Flute Cocktail, a flute choir, plays classical, popular, Celtic, Latin and Broadway tunes. The Fugitive Brass Quintet, musicians from the Rockville and Columbia areas, consists of two trumpets, a French horn, a trombone and a tuba. Its repertoire ranges from classical to show tunes.
Admission is free; donations for the performers are encouraged.
Information: Patricia Loeber, 410-730-4744.
Seminars planned on emergencies
Free one-hour seminars designed to help older adults prepare for unexpected emergencies will be offered at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Savage Senior Center (410-880-5915); at 1 p.m. March 11 at Ellicott City Senior Center (410-313-1400); and at 10:30 a.m. April 15 at Longwood Senior Center (410-313-7217).
The seminars, "Preparing the Important Document Binder," are sponsored by Community Emergency Response Network and the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program of Howard County, and will include information on documents to have ready if it is necessary to leave home in a hurry.
Those who attend are asked to take key documents, such as a copy of a driver's license, marriage license and deed to the house that they are willing to copy at the workshop to begin to create their own "Important Document Binder."
Student film festival seeks submissions
The fourth Howard County Student Film Festival, created through the Howard County school system's Gifted and Talented Intern/Mentor Program, is seeking original film submissions from high school students from public and private schools in the county.
The films must be three to 10 minutes long, original and family-friendly. Additional guidelines are at www.hocofilm festival.com.
The deadline for submissions is Friday.
Information: hocofilmfestival @gmail.com.
Midwinter meeting on agriculture set
The Howard Soil Conservation District, Maryland Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service will sponsor the Howard County Mid-Winter Agriculture Meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Lisbon Fire Hall.
The meeting will begin with a light meal at 6:30 p.m.
Topics will include agricultural nutrient trading and the business side of farming.
Admission is free, but registration is required.
Information: 410-489-7987.
AARP, IRS to help with tax filing
The AARP and the Internal Revenue Service will sponsor free personal income tax preparation for low- and middle-income Howard County residents, with emphasis on those ages 60 and older, at more than 10 county locations.
Self-employment returns with more than $5,000 in expenses and other complex returns are not eligible for the service.
To schedule an appointment, call:
Ellicott City Senior Center (410-313-1400), Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings, and some Tuesday evenings.
Glenwood Community Center (410-313-5440), some Wednesdays.
East Columbia Senior Center (410-313-7680), selected Thursdays.
Bain Center (410-313-7387), Monday, Tuesday afternoons; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday mornings; selected Saturdays.
Elkridge and Savage Senior Centers (410-313-7387), alternate Wednesdays.
Nomination sought for Sports Hall
County Executive Ken Ulman has announced that nomination forms are available for the county's 2008 Community Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Department of Recreation and Parks.
The hall celebrates people who have gained prominence or who have, as athletes, coaches, managers, officials or behind-the-scenes contributors, made substantial contributions to community recreational sports in Howard County.
The deadline for nominations is March 17.
Nominees must have lived in Howard County while they made their contributions to sports in the county or have devoted their efforts to community sports primarily in the county.
Forms are available at 410-313-4711, at county library branches or at www.howard countymd.gov/RAP. They must be postmarked by March 17 and mailed or delivered to Recreation and Parks Sports Hall of Fame, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia 21046-1677.
The Community Sports Hall of Fame at Recreation and Parks Headquarters is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Program encourages physical activity
Registration for the fourth "Get Active Howard County" program is open. The 10-week health initiative is designed to encourage residents to become more active and to make them aware of the benefits of including 30 minutes of physical activity in their day at least five days a week.
The program, which will begin with an event from noon to 4 p.m. April 5 at Supreme Sports Club, is free and open to anyone living or working in the county. The program runs from April 7 through June 15.
Participants will be asked to keep track of their physical activity minutes online (www.getactive howardcounty.org) or on a paper log, available at Howard County library branches and at village centers.
Information: Carol Wasser, 410-715-5523.
HCC sponsoring trip to New York City
The Howard Community College Office of Student Life will sponsor a trip March 8 to New York City. Riders who purchase tickets in advance should arrive no later than 7:45 a.m. at the Smith Theatre parking lot; the bus will return by midnight.
The trip, which costs $35 for students and $45 for others, is open to everyone. Tickets to the Broadway play Legally Blonde are available for $125 for HCC students and $140 for nonstudents (price includes the cost of transportation). College alumni with a valid lifetime membership card are eligible to receive student prices.
Tickets are available at the HCC Bookstore. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Information or to check availability of tickets: 410-772-4896.
Group offers caregiver support
Jewish Family Services in Howard County offers a support group for adults who are caring for an elderly family member or friend. The group meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at Federation offices, Century Plaza 1000, 10630 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 401, Columbia.
The support group, which will provide an opportunity for caregivers to share concerns and resources, will meet March 10, April 14, May 12 and June 9. The cost is $5 a session.
Information registration: Liz Schoen, 410-730-4976, Ext. 25.