NEWS & EVENTS AROUND THE REGION
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Save Time - Vote Early!
Montgomery County will open Early Voting Centers from October 25 to November 1, from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Any registered voter may cast a ballot at any one of these sites on the same voting equipment used on Election Day. Many voters find that early voting is more convenient than voting at their assigned polling place on Election Day.
For information on the location of all Montgomery County Early Voting Centers please visit our website at 777vote.org . During Early Voting hours of operation you may visit 777vote.org to view more information on early voting, including wait times for each center, updated hourly during voting hours.
For more information, call 240-777-VOTE, visit www.777vote.org, the Maryland State Board of Elections' website, or follow the Montgomery County Board of Elections on Facebook or Twitter.
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Community Grants Program Public Forum
The Montgomery County Council will hold a public forum on Tuesday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. on the Community Grants Program. The forum will offer a chance for stakeholders to comment on the Office of Legislative Oversight's Report on the Community Grants Program that includes recommended changes to the program (read the report here). All stakeholders are encouraged to share their experience with the Community Grants program and make recommendations on program changes. Nonprofit organizations, Grants Advisory Group members, County staff and other grant-making departments, and outside agencies are invited to participate.
The public forum will be held in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building, which is located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM) on Xfinity channels 6 and 996, RCN channels 6 and 1056; and FiOS channel 30. It also will be available live via streaming through the Council website.
Those interested in testifying at the public forum can sign up online or call 240-777-7803. The deadline to sign up is Tuesday, October 9 at 10 a.m.
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Councilmember Craig Rice will host an Economic Development Forum
County Councilmember Craig Rice will host an Economic Development Forum in Rockville on October 8. The meeting will focus on Countywide efforts to support the local business community, as well as enhancing talent development and offering broader career pathways to young people entering the workforce. Residents will hear about County initiatives in these areas and have the chance to provide feedback and share their thoughts. The meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Universities at Shady Grove. It will be preceded by a Business Resource Fair from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., where government organizations and local chambers of commerce will be available to provide resources and answer questions. See Press Release for more details.
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Public Meeting - Capital Crescent Trail Crossing at Little Falls Parkway
Tuesday Oct 9 Montgomery Parks will present concept alternatives for the Capital Crescent Trail Crossing at Little Falls Parkway in the B-CC HS Cafeteria, 4301 East West Highway, in Bethesda from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Click here to see more.
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Grand Opening Ceremony & Open House for the New Thomas Edison High School of Technology
Wednesday October 10
6:00-6:30 PM Grand Opening Ceremony
6:30-8:00 PM Open House
Tour the school, meet students and staff, and learn about the school's programs, which allow for hands-on learning that prepares students for college and career.
12501 Dalewood Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland 20906
Please
click here to RSVP by Oct 3.
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Residents Invited to Participate in County Executive Leggett's Final Live Online Discussion
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett will hold his final "virtual" town hall meeting on Thursday, October 11, from 1 to 2 p.m. County residents may submit questions to the County Executive before and during the chat at
Live Discussion with Ike Leggett
.
Questions and answers will be posted both during and after the chat.
For more information, call the Office of Public Information at 240-777-6507.
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Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Friday October 12. 4-7 PM at Rio Lakefront Plaza. Music, dancing, family fun activities, voter registration, health awareness information.
See flier for details.
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Asian American Business Summit & Expo
Tuesday October 16, 10am - 3 pm. Silver Spring Civic Building hosted by Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Business Expo, Power Networking; Panel; Speakers. See
website for more information or call 571-633-9754.
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County's Office of Human Rights Seeks Nominations for Hall of Fame
The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights is accepting
nominations for its Human Rights Hall of Fame. Nominations should be individuals - either living or deceased - whose ongoing work, service and contributions have positively impacted human and civil rights in the county.
The deadline for nominations is October 17.
Nomination forms
are available online, or by calling the Office of Human Rights at 240-777-8450.
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Councilmember Sidney Katz to host free
Senior Forum and Resource Fair at Twinbrook Community Recreation Center
Senior Forum and Resource Fair at the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville on
Friday, October 19. The forum, entitled "Senior Safety," will focus on four major areas: avoiding senior scams, fire prevention and safety, public safety in the senior community and spotting elder abuse. It will be accompanied by an informational resource fair showcasing a wide range of senior service providers.
The event is free and open to the public. The resource fair opens at 9:30 am. The tables will close when the speakers begin at 10 a.m. - their presentations will continue until 11:30 a.m. Attendees are invited to continue to visit with the resource fair providers until 12:15 p.m. See
press release for more information.
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Bethesda Cares Charity Golf Tournament
October 19, 2018
at 10:30 at the Bretton Woods Golf Club to support programs to help homeless veterans.
All of Bethesda Cares programs seek to relieve the distress of the homeless individuals and to end homelessness throughout Montgomery County.
Click
here
to register for the tournament.
If you have any questions, please call: 301-907-9244 or email.
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Montgomery County Villages 3rd Annual Gathering
Monday October 22, 9 am - 2 pm at Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg.
Community leaders from active and developing villages will spend a day of learning and information sharing at Bohrer Park Activity Center. This event serves as an opportunity for growth and learning as well as a catalyst for new villages. See flier for more information.
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County Council to Host Youth Town Hall
The Montgomery County Council wants to know what is on the minds of young residents when it hosts its eighth annual youth town hall on Wednesday, October 24 at the Council Office Building in Rockville. The meeting, which will be held in the Council's third floor hearing room, will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a pre-meeting pizza reception for students and Councilmembers in the building's second-floor cafeteria. See press release for details.
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Celebrate Giving - The Community Foundation in Montgomery County
Celebrate the growing spirit of giving throughout our community and salute the 2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Linda Youngentob.
Thursday November 1, 6:30 - 9:30 PM. Hyatt Regency Bethesda. See details on
website or call 301-496-3036x169.
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Celebrate Democracy Concert with The Civic Circle
Renowned vocalist LEA and popular entertainer Nick Newlin will perform songs from "I Sing America!" an all-new, original children's show that celebrates voting and other civic values.
Saturday, November 3,
7
p.m.
Seekers Church, 276 Carroll St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Reserve your seat online or email for more information.
Children are invited!
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Save the Date for the Promise of Latino Youth Forum
Join
Identity on
November 15 at Universities at Shady Grove as they kick off their 20th anniversary year with a report on youth in Montgomery County in the context of national, state, and regional trends.
Register
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Heritage Harvest Festival
1st Annual Heritage Harvest Festival on
Saturday, October 20, 2018
12 noon to 4 pm - FREE!
at locations throughout the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.
Celebrate autumn and the fall harvest in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve! Come and explore a farm market and winery, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms, animal sanctuary, living history farm, lavender farm, and much more.
Fun family activities will include farm tours, markets, crafts for kids, adorable farm animals, historic structures, and food for sale.
For details see website or call
301-515-0753.
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Stories of Women: Immigration Film Fest's 5th Annual Film Festival
The Immigration Film Fest will take place at the Washington Ethical Society on Saturday, October 27 and at The Washington National Cathedral on Sunday, October 28. The Immigration Film Fest is joining the International Cinema Series and the Films Across Borders consortium to bring you Stories of Women, immigration films by and about women.
For tickets and more information:
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Join us for World of Montgomery Festival and Community Service Week
Celebrating Diversity and Community Service
I hope you will join County Executive Ike Leggett this month as we celebrate two of my favorite events for the final time under his watch.
I believe Montgomery County is the wonderful place it is today because of our diversity and our commitment to service. By working hard for decades to become a welcoming place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect - from back in the early days of the civil rights movement and right up to today - we have become a magnet for talented people from across the country and around the world. Part of our secret sauce is our commitment to helping others through community service.
Please join us on Sunday October 21 from noon to 4 p.m. on the Rockville Campus of Montgomery College for our tenth annual World of Montgomery Festival. We organize dozens of heritage events throughout the year, but the World of Montgomery Festival is special because it brings people together across all of our differences and reveals the full splendor of multicultural Montgomery. It is the perfect setting to educate our youth about what it means to be a global citizen.
We will kickoff Community Service Week at the World of Montgomery Festival. Our annual Community Service Day was a campaign pledge I made while running for County Council in 1986. So this is our 32nd year. The purpose was to create an opportunity to introduce people to the satisfaction of serving others by providing multiple service opportunities throughout the county with the hope that they would make service an ongoing part of their lives. We have extended the concept to run for a week from October 21 to 28 to make it easier for people to find a time and place to serve.
Bruce Adams
Director, Office of Community Partnerships
P.S. Check out this great series of interviews with County Executive Ike Leggett "
The Leggett Legacy
" by Montgomery Community Media.
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Launch of Countywide Citizenship Corners
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Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett participates in ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rockville Memorial Library on Citizenship Day
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Montgomery County
announced
a partnership between the Montgomery County Public Libraries and the Charles W. Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center to launch
Countywide Citizenship Corners in recognition of Citizenship Day on September 17, 2018 as part of a national bipartisan effort to encourage eligible immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship. This comes at a time when a backlog in processing applications may be discouraging permanent residents from applying for citizenship.
Citizenship Corners provide information in a variety of languages that can help guide permanent residents toward applying for citizenship. In addition to the corner launched on September 17 in the Rockville Memorial Library, Citizenship Corners are being established at the Long Branch and Silver Spring libraries, the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center in Wheaton, the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center at the Gaithersburg Library, at Gaithersburg City Hall and at the Gaithersburg Parents Resource Center.
Additional sites will be added in the near future. Updates on the locations will be available on the website of the Gilchrist Center or by calling 240-777-4940.
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October Workshops and Information Sessions
Citizenship Information Sessions Presented by Montgomery College and Catholic Charities
Are you a legal, permanent resident preparing for the U.S. citizenship test and interview? Come to an information session and discover how Montgomery College and Catholic Charities may be able to help you for free! Information sessions: October 9, October 13. See
website for more
information.
Free Citizenship Preparation Classes in Montgomery County
- Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) provides FREE citizenship preparation classes throughout Montgomery County, including locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton. Multi-level classes are funded through a grant from United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) at various schedules to meet the needs of learners.
Fall classes and registration will begin on October 1. To register, please, bring your green card and social security card to any class location. Walk-ins are welcome. Please check the BCCC website for more information and to access the class schedule.
- Association of Vietnamese Americans provides free citizenship preparation classes in Gaithersburg and in Silver Spring at the White Oak Library. Fall classes run through November. For more information or to register, please contact the office at 301-588-6862.
Citizenship Classes and Workshops through CASA
Do you have a green card? Come to CASA's workshop to apply for American Citizenship. You will have the chance to talk to an immigration attorney when required, to prepare your application (N-400 form), to learn about classes to prepare for the naturalization interview, to apply for a USCIS fee waiver (when eligible), and financial assistance opportunities.
NEW: If you are a County resident and your household income is under the 300% of the poverty line for your household size, you can apply for a scholarship of up to $300.00 to help you afford the USCIS naturalization fee.
When: Saturday, October 13, 2018, 9am-12noon. Where: 14645 Rothgeb Dr., Rockville, MD 20850. No pre-registration required. Consults 240-560-2272.
CASA also offers citizenship classes across the County. See below for detailed class schedule for October-December 2018. New students can register through Saturday, October 13. For more information, call 240-491-5765.
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Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC)
APALRC Citizenship Workshop
Attorneys from the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) and trained bilingual volunteers will assist participants with completing naturalization applications. Call the APALRC at (202) 393-3572 for additional information and to register. During the call, the APALRC will conduct an initial eligibility screening and provide instructions on what documents to bring to the workshop.
October 20, 2018 - from 10 am to 2:00 pm at the Twinbrook Library,
202 Meadow Hall Dr, Rockville, MD 20851.
9366 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Mondays 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
847-J Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Every second and fourth Friday of the month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Every first and third Wednesdays of the month from 2:30pm - 4:30pm.
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Citizenship Information Sessions Presented by Montgomery College
Are you a legal, permanent resident preparing for the U.S. citizenship test and interview? Come to an information session and discover how Montgomery College and Catholic Charities may be able to help you for free! Information sessions: October 9, October 13.
See website for more
information.
Ayuda Hosting Free Immigration Consultation Clinic October 5
Oct 5, 10 AM to 12 PM at Honduran Consulate 1990 M Street NW, Suite 104, Washington, DC. This
clinic is part of Ayuda's ongoing effort to provide free, low-barrier consultations for clients who want immigration screening, brief advice, and referrals. Potential clients can be seen regardless of where they live. See flier for more information.
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Upcoming Meetings of County Executive's Ethnic & Faith Advisory Groups
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African Affairs Advisory Group (AAAG) Monthly Meeting will be held on
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Asian Pacific American Advisory Group will meet on October 16 at 6:30 pm, in the OCP Suite, 3rd floor Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Ave, Rockville, MD 20850. Contact Diane Vu at
Diane.Vu@montgomerycountymd.gov
for additional information.
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Caribbean American Advisory Group (CAAG)
will meet on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD from 7-8:30 pm. For more information, please contact Joanne.Antoine@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Interfaith Working Group Meetings
FCWG Steering Committee - Thursday, October 11 (10-12 PM Rockville Library)
NINWG - Thursday, October 11 (12-1 PM Rockville Library)
Education Committee - Monday, October 15 (6-8 PM Rockville Library)
RLUWG - Wednesday, October 24 (2-3 PM Upcounty Regional Services Center) Contact Sierra Smith at
Sierra.Smith@montgomerycountymd.gov
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The Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG) will meet on Monday, October 8th, at the Rockville Library, 3d floor, Mediation Room, 7 - 9 pm. Youth and adults are welcome. Contact Mimi Hassanein at Mimi.Hassanein@montgomerycountymd.gov for more information.
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Plan Now for Community Service Week
Get ready for a week full of volunteer opportunities across our region during Montgomery County's 32nd annual Community Service Week, running Oct. 22-29. No matter what your interests, there's a service project you'll enjoy--everything from cleaning up parks to making scarves for homeless individuals to building computers for needy residents.
Visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's online volunteer calendar to see the latest list of projects and sign up to help (and check back frequently as projects are added regularly). Pick one volunteer activity, or pick many, and help our community thrive!
If you're with a nonprofit or school that is planning or would like to plan a volunteer project during the week, let the Volunteer Center know by completing our project interest form. Please fill it out even if you already have all the volunteers you need, so the Volunteer Center can track all the great service being performed.
Questions?
Email us
or call 240-777-2600
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Register for Saturday English Class on October 6
The Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center in Wheaton will hold registration for Saturday English classes on Saturday, October 6, at 9:30am. Registration is first come, first served, and there is always a high demand. Students will take a placement test and should allow approximately 2 hours. The class meets once a week for 8 weeks, and there is no charge. Registration and classes held at the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, Westfield South Building, 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 506, Wheaton, MD 20902.
For more details see flier or
call us at 240-777-4940.
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Gilchrist Center Welcomes Yunie Hong!
Yunie Hong is the new Program Manager for the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center's Upcounty region, which includes the Gaithersburg and Germantown sites. She acts as the Center's subject matter expert on immigration. Yunie was raised by immigrant parents in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, which is home to many immigrant communities. She witnessed firsthand the personal struggles and institutional barriers that immigrants face in trying to achieve stability for themselves and their families, and has devoted her career to serving immigrant and refugee communities. Prior to joining the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, Yunie practiced law in both the private and nonprofit sectors. See her full bio on OCP website
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Celebrating Welcoming Week
The Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center joined the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy, the Latino Economic Development Center and others to participate in Welcoming America's Welcoming Week on September 17. ESOL students, teachers, and colleagues gathered to share food from their home countries and get to know each other at a lively gathering in Wheaton.
In 2018, Welcoming Week was celebrated September 14-23. During this annual series of events, communities bring together immigrants and U.S.-born residents in a spirit of unity to build strong connections across the community and affirm the benefits of welcoming everyone - including new Americans. Welcoming America believes that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of both our communities and our shared future. To learn more about Welcoming Week and see photos of events across the country, visit website.
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AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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Button Farm Living History Center Honored with Governor's Proclamation
On September 26th, Button Farm Living History Center in Germantown was presented a proclamation by Governor Hogan in illustrating the Farm as a heritage destination. Present at the presentation were representatives from the Governor's Commission for African American History Culture, Department of Natural Resources, Heritage Tourism, Councilmembers Rice and Reimer, and staff from County Executive Leggett's office.
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Montgomery County Diwali Celebration on October 23
Montgomery County Ike Leggett will host the County's annual Diwali Celebration on October 23 at 6:30 pm in the Executive Office Building Cafeteria. Known as the "Festival of Lights," Diwali is a holiday observed worldwide between mid-October and November by people of Indian and South Asian heritage. The observance marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and celebrates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required due to limited space. Please RSVP to
diane.vu@montgomerycountymd.gov
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Asian American LEAD 20th Anniversary Celebration
Asian American LEAD invites you to join us in celebrating 20 years of supporting low - income and underserved Asian Pacific American youth with educational empowerment, identity development, and leadership opportunities through after school, summer and mentoring programs.
Please join us on Saturday, October 27, 2018, to celebrate 20 years of empowering confident youth leaders at our Anniversary Gala. Over 300 individuals - business and nonprofit leaders, public officials, educators, and AALEAD supporters and friends - will come together to celebrate 20 years of empowering confident youth leaders!
7th Annual Asian Pacific American Youth Summit
Asian American LEAD (AALEAD) is hosting its 7th Annual Youth Summit on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery! AALEAD invites high school youth or youth between the ages of 14-18 of all identities to come out and join the exciting event!
Discover your passions and explore new passions through interactive workshops. We are excited to bring workshops and activities to reflect this sense of passion-driven practice, shared community, and inspiration. Throughout the day, you will be participating in workshops that emphasize creative arts and expression, community- and self- empowerment, and identity. There will be food, games, music and much more!
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African Affairs Advisory Group
Montgomery County Celebrates African Heritage Month
One way that the
Montgomery County Government honors individuals, residents, movements, groups and organizations in the county is through celebrating and embracing their heritage. For the many meaningful contributions made by the African immigrant community of Montgomery County, September 2018 was proclaimed by County Executive Isiah Leggett as African Heritage Month. Montgomery County's African Affairs Advisory Group (AAAG) organized a Proclamation event on September 6th to recognize this important recognition. Most importantly, 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of the African Affairs Advisory Group. This year's Proclamation event saw participants from various government and non-government organizations. The theme for the program was "The Status of African Immigrant Health". See report and images online.
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Upcoming Events
Security at Our Worship Centers - Monday, October 1 (7-9 PM Islamic Center of Maryland) See flier for details..
Third Annual Multicultural Dialogue - Sunday, October 7 (6:30-9 PM Upcounty Regional Services Center) See flier for details.
IFC Unity Walk - Sunday, October 14 (1:45-6 PM Embassy Row) See website for details.
Empowering Houses of Worship - Tuesday, October 16 (7-9 PM Kamran Dar-e Mehr, A Zoroastrian Center) See flier for details..
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Friendship Picnic
The Friendship Picnic on September 23 was enjoyed in spite of the rain thanks to hearty volunteers, great musicians, fun face painters, clowns, food vendors, carousel and umbrellas.
This celebration of our diverse faiths and cultures was done during the Welcoming America Week when we also celebrate the contributions of immigrants and refugees.
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JSS Spiritual Mission
His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deskhidendra Mahaswamiji of the JSS Spiritual Mission in Kamatake, India was hosted by County Executive, Ike Leggett, and County officials related to Montgomery County being the first location of the JSS Spiritual Mission in America.
The JSS Spiritual Mission has over a million adherents, runs over 300 schools and has a medical school serving those unable to pay tuition. The Department of Permitting Services, Upcounty Regional Director, Interfaith Community Liaison and Religious Land Use Working Group are working together to accommodate the JSS Spiritual Mission.
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October 12 - Closing Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
Save the Date! October 12, 2018, Montgomery County Government will host their Closing Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month at Rio in Gaithersburg, Maryland from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Enjoy live music, dancing and community resources from county agencies. Partnering with Telemundo 44 with live news cast show starting at 5:00 p.m. See flier for details.
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MEAAG Meeting with Rotary Leaders
On September 26th, Bruce Adams, MEAAG and Greg Wims -- local Rotary leader -- met with Dr. Omneya Darwish, a physical medicine, rheumatologist, and rehabilitative therapy specialist who is also an official of the Rotary Club in Alexandria, Egypt. Discussions are ongoing about a proposal for training Egyptian nurses.
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Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG)
- October display at the Germantown Library will feature various books, stories, and recipes from across the Middle East in the lobby of the library.
- Annual Lebanese Festival: We hope you will join several members of the Middle Eastern American Advisory Group at the Annual Lebanese Festival hosted by Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church in Washington, DC. This event will run from noon to 11 PM on Saturday, October 6th, and will feature activities, music, and games for people of all ages! Both lunch and dinner will be provided, so we hope you'll come to experience some warm Lebanese hospitality! Info is at http://ololdc.org/parish/
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American Turkish Friendship Association of Maryland (ATFA-MD) & Rumi Forum of Maryland`s Turkish Coffee Night
On September 6, 2018, "Turkish coffee and table conversations" event took place to
offer a cross-cultural friendship and to explore
the meaning and importance of "kindness" together and find out how vital kindness is in our daily lives. Kindness, a virtue involving concern for others, is valued by many religions and sects and it affects us all and many believe that is capable of curing many ills in society.
American Turkish Friendship Association of Maryland (ATFA-MD) and White Tulip Health Foundation`s Blood Drive
On Saturday, September 29, 2018, a community blood drive was organized with American Red Cross from Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region as part of the Day to Serve initiative to collect lifesaving donations. Each year, Marylanders from across the state join our neighbors in Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington to participate in Day to Serve, a month-long initiative encouraging citizens to choose a day to participate in a volunteer activity in their community. Last year 20,000 Marylanders dedicated over 100,000 volunteer hours.
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Have News to Share?
To submit your news and events of interest to those in and serving Montgomery County's emerging communities and neighbors in need, email complete details and/or a press release to the OCP Newsletter.
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