Mark your calendar for the annual University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Open House , Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center, 4240 Folly Quarter Road in Ellicott City.The family-friendly, admission free, event has something for everyone. Cows and calves, bird watching, beautiful butterflies, chicks hatching out of eggs, hay wagon rides and dozens of hands-on activities. Food tents, chats with master gardeners, scavenger hunts and more. Don't miss this local day of nature which celebrates all that is best about our county.The annual West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department Open House will be Oct. 16, from noon to 4 p.m. Fire prevention activities, demonstrations, equipment displays and loads of kids activities. Station 3 Fire Chief Mickey Day reminds the community that new members to the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department are always welcome to join the company and serve our community. The volunteers also remind the community "to check the date on your smoke alarms and replace every 10 years."Howard High Class of 1961 donation to the ECPartnership. Members left to right back row: Steve Dawson, Lou Brown, Joe Goins, Earl Maisel and John DuVall Members left to right front row: Joan Mobley Harkum, Maureen Sweeney Smith (ECPartnership), Warren McKinney and Marilyn Moxley Embrey. Reunion members not pictured: Janet Aist Horan, Ed Daniels, Mona Jestes Hatfield and JoAnn Smith WoltzeThe members of the Hare Raisers 4-H have had a busy season. According to club reporter Maoliosa Wilson, the club members showed their rabbits to the summer campers at the Howard County Nature Conservancy before preparations for the Howard County Fair. Many hours were spent learning the intricacies of rabbit breed identification and color variations of the 49 breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. During the Maryland State Fair, the Howard County team placed first for the senior and intermediate teams and second for the junior team. Well done Hare Raisers.John Goodman is a man of many talents. Aside from antique cars, a love of his western Howard County gardens and a faithful contributor to the momentum of the Howard High School alumni association, lately he has been amazed at the beauty of the Swallow Tail Butterflies which have visited his sunflower patch.Mark your calendar for upcoming events at Saint James United Methodist Church. A 'shredding even' takes place on Nov. 5, from 7 to 9 a.m., where all unwanted papers will be shredded into oblivion. Following the shredding event is the annual Holiday Bazaar and Flea Market with both breakfast and lunch served. The Bazaar is set fro 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features lovely handmade crafts, a Christmas shop, pies, cakes, cookies and more. Interested in acting as a vendor? Call Janet at 410-442-2020.The production may not be opening until November, but rehearsals are well under way for the Marriotts Ridge Theatre production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Thanks to a grant from the Howard County Arts Council, teaching artist Molly Moores of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, has joined director Jason Beall and the student cast for a 10- session residency. The play will be performed on Nov. 17, 18, and 19 at 7 p.m. and on Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.seatyourself.biz/marriottsridge.