Attendees really enjoyed the dunk tank, including yours truly! We sold tickets for throws with the proceeds going to the Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network (FIRN). Part of the ticket sales also went to a 50/50 raffle. The raffle winner promptly donated the winnings to FIRN! A very generous gesture and greatly appreciated by all. The dunk tank generated $190.00 in donations for FIRN. The dunker participants deserve a big round of applause! They were great sports and made it fun for everyone. The "dunkees" were Terry McAndrews, Eric Ebersole, , Deb Jung, Alan McLaine, and Jim Smith. A special thank you to Jim Smith and the Neighbors for a Vibrant Harper's Choice Committee. This idea was borne by Jim and the committee members, many of whom participated in NNO and helped with the dunk tank.

A big thank you to all of the local organizations and businesses that set up informational tables. The organizations that participated included Hope Works, Howard County Health & Wellness, Jet Driving School, Winter Growth, and SMART Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Former HCCA Board Member and chef-owner of AllSpice Hospitality returned this year to prepare all of the burgers, hot dogs, and pork bbq sandwiches. Thank you Ben! 

Thank you to all of the very generous local food establishments for your support of gift certificates. They include Maggiano's, The Walrus, Cheesecake Factory, Seasons 52, and Uncle Julio. Our Village McDonald's donated 100 apple pies!

 

Extensive repair work began on Harper's Farm Rd overpass on the week of July 16th, 2018. This project will take approximately six weeks to complete, weather permitting. The overpass will be closed to the public for the duration of this project. 

Columbia Association's (CA) annual BikeAbout will be held Saturday, September 29, with riders setting off from Oakland Mills Village Center. The free, fun and informative tour presents Columbia's history and showcases the connectivity of its pathway system.

Preregistration is not required but is encouraged via  ColumbiaAssociation.org/bikeabout. Columbia BikeAbout will begin at 9:30am, with riders able to start up until 10am. They are expected to complete the ride by 1pm.

This year's 13-mile route starts at Oakland Mills Village Center and crosses the pedestrian bridge over Route 29 twice, winding through the villages of Town Center, Wilde Lake, Owen Brown and Long Reach, before returning to Oakland Mills Village Center. Riders looking for a shorter ride - including families with young children - can complete the first half of the ride, ending at Oakland Mills Village Center.

This year's Columbia BikeAbout has a theme of "Ride the Vision," with interpretive signs featuring quotes from Columbia's founder, James Rouse, from his papers held at Columbia Archives. Riders are encouraged to stop at sites along the way to discover the history of Wilde Lake Rock, check out the interesting poster trees at Lake Kittamaqundi, and get a firsthand view of the original village/neighborhood concept and land purchases Columbia was built upon.

An important aspect of Columbia's design was preservation of the land. The topography, stream beds and heavily wooded areas were preserved as much as possible. Lakes were created and pathways built to make the natural environment accessible. Columbia BikeAbout is an easy way to explore the extensive 95-mile pathway system, which contributes to the high quality of life that defines Columbia.

Columbia Association also is seeking volunteers, needed to assist with traffic control, directions, registration, and to act as guides at places of interest along the route. Flexible shifts are available between the hours of 8:30am and 2pm. Training and a free T-shirt will be provided. For more information, email  [email protected] or call 410-715-6781.

Columbia BikeAbout is brought to you by Columbia Association's (CA) Columbia Archives and Open Space Management Division.

Columbia Archives, which collects and preserves the history of Columbia, is located in CA Headquarters at 6310 Hillside Court, off Stevens Forest Road. It is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. The collection covers the planning and development of Columbia as well as the extensive James Rouse Collection, which chronicles Rouse's long career that influenced urban and suburban development in the United States and around the world. It is rich with correspondence, speeches, photographs and memorabilia. The public is welcome to visit and spend time researching to get a deeper understanding of the history of Columbia. Appointments are encouraged. For more information, call 410-715-3103 or visit  ColumbiaArchives.org.

Help local students in need by providing donations to Prepare for Success Backpacks for Students. Collection bins can be found at Columbia Gym, Supreme Sports Club, Haven on the Lake, CA Headquarters, the different Villages of Columbia, and various other locations throughout Howard County. Donations are being accepted through Friday, August 24.

The following school supplies are needed:  

• Backpacks
• Three-hole lined paper
• Highlighters
• Colored pencils
• Marble composition books
• Pocket folders
• Pencil boxes or bags
• Two-inch three-ring binders
• Glue sticks
• #2 pencils
• One-subject spiral notebooks

For more information, call 443-535-1625, visit PrepareForSuccess.org or email [email protected].

     

Many villages feed students to W ilde L ake H igh S chool (WLHS) and Harper's Choice is one of them!

 

WLHS is looking for volunteers from the community who would be interested, willing, and able to give of their time during lunch shifts.  The goal is to staff a "Lunch Help" room during lunch which would run from 10:10am - 12:20pm (four 30 minute lunch periods).  T he vision of "Lunch Help" is cross-curricular ; r etired teachers and professors are highly requested as lunch help is part content , but also part delivery of instruction.  However, we certainly won't turn away anyone who is willing to assist us.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jennie Hill at [email protected]?

     

ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE NEWS AND NOTES

ONLY ONE MEETING IN AUGUST

Get your applications in for those late summer projects! The Architectural Committee will meet on August 21. The deadline for application submissions will be Tuesday, August 7. If you miss that deadline, your application will not be able to be reviewed until September 11 when the AC resumes their regular bi-weekly meeting schedule.  

DO YOU WANT TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?

If you have a desire to have a positive impact in Harper's Choice, this could be the opportunity for you. We are seeking interested individuals who are available the second and fourth Tuesday evening each month to serve on the Architectural Committee. The AC meets twice monthly at 7:30 p.m. to review architectural change applications, discuss covenant violations and keep the guidelines current. Note: persons wishing to serve on the AC must be able to obtain a Letter of Compliance from this office stating that their property is free of covenant violations.  Contact the Covenant Advisor for more information.    

T rees and Tree Maintenance

The trees on our property add to the value of our homes, but without regular maintenance, they can become a liability. Trees should be assessed for health and safety every few years. Proper care and pruning can keep limbs from damaging your home and add valuable sunlight to that shady lawn or garden. If you determine that a tree must be removed, an application is required to be submitted to the Village Architectural Committee for approval. Applications are available on our website.