School's Out!

Howard County Schools will be closed on February 17 for Parent/Teacher conferences, so we are celebrating with a School's Out Lunch for elementary and preschool age children and their families at The Hawthorn Center.

We will be serving a pizza lunch and providing entertainment by Daisy the Clown. What's so special about Daisy? She shows the kids how she transforms into a clown using makeup, so they won't be afraid!

The event will be held from 12 noon - 1:30 pm on Friday, February 17. Tickets must be purchased in advance at The Hawthorn Center for $5 per person. For more information, call 410-730-7327.

April 21st Election

Village Election Day will be held on Saturday, April 21st, 2012. Residents will elect one member to serve on the CA Board of Directors and five to sit on the Hickory Ridge Village Board. CA's Board meets on Thursdays, and our Village Board meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. All candidates must be members of the village association (live on CA-assessed property in Hickory Ridge Village).

Candidates must submit to the Village Manager by March 17 at noon a statement of not more than 150 words. The statements will be published in a special election supplement of The Flier and in our village newsletter.

If you have questions about this process, please call the Village Manager at 410-730-7327 or email jduvall@hickoryridgevillage.org.

The Columbia Home Tour committee is seeking volunteers to act as docents at the various homes along the tour on Sunday, June 3, 2012. Docents will be assigned a station at one home during an allotted shift between the hours of 11 am - 5 pm. Docents will also receive a free ticket to the event. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Susie Jordan at hcevents@columbiavillages.org, or at 410-730-3888. To learn more about The Columbia Home Tour, visit www.columbiahometour.org or join us on Facebook: "Columbia Home Tour 2012."

Mock SAT Exams

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Howard County is sponsoring a practice SAT exam for Howard County high school students on Saturday, February 12 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.  The Princeton Review will administer the exam, which will be held in the auditorium of the Vantage House Senior Living Community, located at 5400 Vantage Point Road, Columbia, MD 21044. The cost for the practice exam is $15.00.

Volunteers are needed to check in the students, monitor the room, and help clean up the room after the exam is finished. Parents/students and volunteers may register by contacting Jennifer Ingram at 410-740-4276 or aauwhocomembers@gmail.com.

Legislative Update

Delegate Liz Bobo will hold her Annual Legislative Update on Thursday February 16th, 2012 from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Kahler Hall in the Harper's Choice Village Center. Liz will discuss issues that are before the Maryland Legislature in Annapolis.

CA $cholarship

CA's "Spirit of Columbia Scholarship" program offers up to six $2,500 education awards to graduating high school seniors who exhibit exceptional efforts in providing community service to benefit Columbia residents and those in the Columbia area.

Students who attend a Howard County public or private school or live in Columbia and maintain a C average are eligible to apply. Applications are available online at www.columbiaassociation.org/scholarship or by calling 410-715-3175. The application deadline is March 15th.

Inclement Weather

During inclement weather, trash and recycling

trucks must travel slowly and safely.

They may pick up as late as 7pm. Remember that receptacles must be placed at the curb free of snow and ice, so that the contractors can access them. Workers will not dig containers out from under snow or ice.

Lamp Posts

All homes in Columbia have front yard lamp posts. If your bulb has burned out, replace it with an energy-saving florescent or LED bulb. It will last a long time and make your neighborhood a safer place.

Open Space Input

The Hickory Ridge Village Board wants your input on proposed uses for a 3-acre parcel of land owned by Columbia Association that sits adjacent to the Hickory Ridge Village Center.

The Board requested funds to be set aside in Columbia Association's FY13/FY14 budget to create a "gathering place" for residents, to include amenities like a bocce ball court, grills, picnic area, and bandstand. The area has also been considered as a site for a dog park, outdoor exercise facility, playfield, or community building.

Please visit www.hickoryridgevillage.org for a link to an online survey (which will also be distributed to our e-mail list) and a description of the parcel under discussion. Questions? Call the village office.

Tutors Needed

A-OK (Assist Our Kids) Mentoring-Tutoring, Inc. is recruiting adult volunteers to be mentor-tutors to Howard County public school students who need extra support and encouragement to succeed. A-OK is seeking dependable community members who enjoy interacting with children and have a strong interest in the success of each student. Volunteers meet with students individually or in small groups during the school day and in after school programs. A-OK asks for a commitment of one hour/week for one school year. 

Participating elementary schools are Atholton, Bryant Woods, Cradlerock, Deep Run, Forest Ridge, Guilford, Longfellow, Phelps Luck, Running Brook, and Stevens Forest. There are also limited opportunities to meet with older students. For more information, contact aokmentor@gmail.com or 410-730-6030.