Mikulski nominates Lusby youth to Air Force Academy

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

After a rigorous application and interview process, Mikulski nominated the students, who will begin instruction this fall.

More than 200 Maryland students sought Mikulski’s nomination to one of the military academies this year.

Competition for academy appointments is intense among the high school seniors throughout the state of Maryland who rank in the top 10 percent of their class academically. Each student seeking an appointment must submit an application. This application is examined by Mikulski and by an independent review panel assembled by her for this purpose, according to a press release from the senator’s office.

After this review process, Mikulski recommends 10 names for each academy vacancy. The academy then makes an offer of appointment to as many of Mikulski’s nominees as space permits. An applicant must have a nomination and an offer of appointment to gain entry into one of the four competitive service academies.

Land preservation boardto meet July 24

A meeting of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation will be held on Tuesday, July 24, at 9 a.m. in the Maryland Department of Agriculture headquarters, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway in Annapolis.

The agenda will consist of general board business.

For further information about the meeting or the agenda, contact the MALPF office at 410-841-5860.

Annmarie Garden offers summer camps

There is still time to register for Annmarie Garden’s upcoming summer camps for middle and high school students. Designed for all levels of ability, these camps are open to students entering sixth through 10th grades.

For students who enjoy painting, Annmarie Garden is offering ‘‘The Mural Project” on July 16 to 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In this workshop, students will learn how to plan and implement a large mural as a collaborative project. This year’s mural will be titled ‘‘The Enchanted Garden.” Students will incorporate themselves into the mural as fairies, gnomes, warlocks and trolls. They will work together to create a 6-foot by 18-foot mural, learning about successful muralists, the history of mural art and ‘‘tricks of the trade” along the way. They will be challenged to work as a collective whole while remaining true to their individual style. Together they will write an artists’ statement as a means of educating the public about the inspiration behind the artwork. The mural will remain on exhibit at Annmarie Garden throughout the summer. Cost is $90.

For students who wish to try something altogether different, Annmarie Garden is offering ‘‘The Encaustics Mini-camp.” In this three-day intensive camp, students will be introduced to the medium of encaustic paint. Students will learn about the tools and methods of encaustic painting, and will design and implement their own masterpiece. The history of the medium and famous encaustic painters will be discussed. Various mixed media techniques will be introduced. Students come away with a finished painting. ‘‘The Encaustics Mini-camp” runs from July 23 to 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $60.

Finally, for students wishing to learn basic painting skills, ‘‘The Self Expression Camp” will be offered on July 30 to Aug. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students will determine their greatest sources of inspiration as they compose a unique artwork and paint it on a large canvas. Various exercises and games will encourage students to rethink their definition of art and teach them to tap into their individuality to find ways to better express themselves through their artwork. On the last day, the class will hold an opening reception for the public as they unveil their paintings in a gallery show. They will write artists’ statements for the show. The final artwork will remain on exhibit at Annmarie Garden until ArtsFest in September. Cost is $90. For middle-school students only. No previous painting experience is necessary.

For more information and registration, call 410-326-4640 or e-mail gardeninfo@chesapeake.net.

Boating foundation starts monofilament recyclingprogram

Thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water hopes to reduce the amount of monofilament fishing line in the water by enlisting individuals or local fishing and boating groups to install, monitor and periodically empty recycling bins and return their contents to a recycler.

‘‘Discarded fishing line can last for hundreds of years, harming marine life and damaging boat propulsion systems,” said BoatU.S. Foundation Environment Program Director Susan Shingledecker. ‘‘We’re looking to provide groups who have access to popular fishing spots, launch ramps or marinas, a free pre-made PVC monofilament bin and signage suitable for mounting outdoors. In return, all we ask is that you agree to keep an eye on the bin, keep track of how many containers get filled and when full, return the collected line to the recycler, Berkley Conservation.”

There are a limited number of bins, and bin locations will be determined by geographic area and demonstrated demand for monofilament recycling. For more information, please contact CleanWater@ BoatUS.com or visit BoatUS.com⁄foundation⁄Monofilament⁄.

Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum to host Capt. John Smith event

‘‘Patuxent Encounters: The Patuxent Indians and Captain John Smith,” a festival to celebrate and embrace the rich culture and history of American Indians, will take place at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard on Aug. 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advance tickets cost, for adults, a two-day pass is $10, one-day pass, $6. Children 12 and younger, free. Seniors, two-day pass, $8; one-day pass $5. Tickets at the gate on the day of the event are $10 per day.

Patuxent Encounters is a two-day festival focused on the lasting contributions that American Indians have made, and continue to make, to the social, political, technological and cultural fabric of the U.S. The festival features traditional dance, music, storytelling, demonstrations, exhibits, hands-on learning activities, vendors and more. On Saturday, Aug. 4, Grammy Award winning American Indian singer and songwriter Joanne Shenandoah will be in concert. Sunday heralds the landing of Sultana Projects Inc.’s recreated shallop, a boat modeled after John Smith’s original vessel, where the crew will be greeted by Maryland’s indigenous people. Visit the Web site, www.jefpat.org, or call 410-586-8501 for tickets and information. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster.

Lions give raffle prize

The Northern Calvert Lions club recently held a raffle with the winner receiving an overnight stay at the Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Chesapeake Beach on the night of the July 3 fireworks display. Dinner at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant was also included for the winner. Keith Clifton from Upper Marlboro held the winning ticket and said he was delighted that he and his wife would be enjoying the waterfront events.

The Northern Calvert Lions is a service-minded organization that has been in existence since 1947. They meet twice monthly on the first and third Tuesday at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach and always welcome potential new members at their meetings.

For more information, e-mail the club at NCALVERT- LIONS@aol.com, or call Jim at 301-494-3173.

Farm tour site set

Reverie Acres Riding Academy will host visitors from around the region at the 2007 Calvert County Farm Tour on July 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. Located on Parkers Creek Road in Port Republic, Reverie Acres is a 20-acre equine boarding and instructional facility with 10 school horses, more than 50 students, nine acres of board fenced fields, five barns, indoor and outdoor arenas, stables and a new cross-country course.

There are several retired horses on the farm ranging in age from 27 to 36 years old. The farm is licensed with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, was entered in the Agriculture Preservation Program in 2002, is a member of the National Capital Equitation League and is a recognized United States Pony Club Riding Center (the first and only one in Maryland, according to a press release).

The 2007 Farm Tour, with its many horse-related activities and demonstrations, is designed for family fun and education and will enlighten visitors about Calvert County’s rich agrarian history, including:

* Informational booths staffed by volunteers from the U.S. Pony Club, feral cat rescue and rabbit rescue organizations;

* Horse-drawn wagon rides;

* Musical entertainment from 1 to 4 p.m. by Fair Warning and Joe Norris;

* Kids Korral featuring animal crafts, Farmer-for-a-Day exhibit, horse sense quizzes and horse giveaways;

* Freedom Hill Horse rescue display;

* Pony rides, potbelly pigs, goats and chickens; and

* Summer food favorites and a produce sale.

To find Reverie Acres Riding Academy, take Route 4 and turn onto Parkers Creek Road (near the intersection of Route 4 and Broomes Island Road.

Proceed .7 miles to parking and Reverie Acres is on the left (look for parking sign on the left).

The annual Calvert County Farm Tour is coordinated by the Calvert County Department of Economic Development and the Calvert County Agriculture Commission. The agriculture commission conducts the Farm Tour to educate Calvert residents about traditional farming and to provide the public with an opportunity to interact with the farming community.

For more information or to receive a brochure online, visit www.calvertag.com, or contact the Calvert County Department of Economic Development at 410-535-4583, 800-331-9771 or 301-855-1880.