Columbia BikeAbout Returns on Saturday, Sept. 23
Columbia Association’s (CA) annual BikeAbout will be held Saturday, Sept. 23, with riders setting off from the dock at Lake Elkhorn. The free tour presents Columbia’s history and showcases the connectivity of its pathway system.
Preregistration is not required but is encouraged via ColumbiaAssociation.org/bikeabout. The ride will begin at 9:30 a.m., with riders able to start up until 10 a.m. They are expected to complete the ride by 1 p.m. Following the ride, participants will have the opportunity to attend the Owen Brown Festival, which begins at noon.
This year’s route is 10 miles long and winds through the villages of Owen Brown, Oakland Mills and Long Reach. In celebration of Columbia’s 50th Birthday, the theme of this year’s BikeAbout is “Appreciate the past and imagine the future.” Along the route, riders will get the answers to why the community’s power lines are mostly underground, as well as questions about Columbia’s street names. They also will visit gravesites that pre-date Columbia, discover the early attempts to manage stormwater and learn how technology has changed current practice.
CA is seeking volunteers to assist with traffic control, directions and registration and act as guides at places of interest along the route. Flexible shifts are available between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Training and a free T-shirt will be provided. For more information, email [email protected] or call 410-715-6781.

Howard County Announces Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class
Howard County’s Department of Recreation & Parks has presented the names of the four newest inductees of the Community Sports Hall of Fame: Walter Brown, Jr.; Jim May; Bill Sanders and Craig Proffen.
• Brown, Jr., has been a staple in the Elkridge sports community. He volunteered with the Elkridge Youth Organization (EYO) softball program from 1974 to 1990, where he coached and recruited players, coaches and umpires to participate in the organization.
• May began volunteering with the Howard County Youth Program (HCYP) in 1982, where he served on the board of directors and was commissioner of the HCYP Fastpitch Program. In 1989, he helped establish HCYP‘s fastpitch girl’s travel softball program.
• Sanders has provided leadership to the EYO during the past decade-and-a-half. He was instrumental in re-establishing the organization’s positive perception in the community in the early 2000s.
• Proffen has volunteered with the Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County, where he has served as a coach, board member and referee coordinator. He has also volunteered his time and held various roles with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

HCAC Garners Arts Appropriation From Howard County
In May 2017, the Howard County Council approved County Executive Allan Kittleman’s fiscal 2018 arts appropriation of $832,000 to the Howard County Arts Council (HCAC).
Of the $832,000, 70% will be used to support the HCAC’s grant programs, including four programs that provide operating and project grants to Howard County arts organizations; Artist-in-Education grants to county schools through Parent Teacher Associations; grants to key Baltimore City arts and cultural organizations; and Outreach Howard grants to encourage Baltimore City grant recipients to provide programming in Howard County.
The arts appropriation also provides general operating funds to support the HCAC and its other principal project, the 27,000-square-foot, multi-purpose Howard County Center for the Arts, in Ellicott City.
In addition to providing a wide variety of arts programs and activities for citizens to enjoy, county arts organizations that received grants from the HCAC in fiscal 2015 generated $4.7 million in revenues. The Maryland State Department of Commerce reports that every dollar of operating generates an estimated $3.94 in spending on goods and services.
Using this indicator, the nonprofit arts organizations in Howard County contributed an extra $18.5 million to the local economy in fiscal 2015, for a total economic impact of $23.2 million.

HCAC Seeks Artists for Head Start in Art Residencies
Visual and performing artists are needed for residencies for the Head StART in ART program for the 2017–18 school year. Residencies will take place at the Ellicott City Head Start Center or the Old Cedar Lane Head Start Center, in Columbia.
Artists seeking a residency must have experience working with children. The performing artist residency will conclude with performances by the Head Start children. The visual artist residency will conclude with the completion of an art project for display at their Head Start Center or individual projects for students to take home.
Applications are available online in the Opportunities for Artists & Arts Groups section at www.hocoarts.org or at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD, 21043. The deadline for proposals is Aug. 21.

HCAS Announces 11th Annual Autism Walk, 5K Run
The Howard County Autism Society (HCAS) will hold its 11th Annual One Step Closer Walk and 5K Run on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Centennial Park, Ellicott City. Proceeds from the event will support HCAS’s programs and services for individuals on the autism spectrum, their families and the local community.
The event will feature a timed 5K run around Centennial Lake, a Lake Walk of the same distance, and a shorter three-quarter mile Piece of Cake Walk. Online registration is available at www.howard-autism.kintera.org/onestepcloser2017 through Oct. 4. Race day registration is available on-site.

NextLOGiK Receives Communitas Award for Work With Nonprofit
Columbia-based NextLOGiK received the 2017 Communitas Award for its work supporting Rebuilding Together Howard County (RTHC), a nonprofit that brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners. The award, given by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, recognizes the efforts of businesses, organizations and individuals who work to help others by supplying resources and guidance to benefit the community.
Kirk Couser, CEO of NextLOGiK, was introduced to RTHC in 2013 while participating in Leadership Howard County. At the time, RTHC was struggling to attract new homeowner applications and needed more donations and corporate sponsors. When paired with RTHC as part of Leadership Howard County, Couser led a team in devising a plan to strengthen RTHC.
The final plan addressed RTHC’s need for a stronger online presence, including a more powerful voice on social media, a new website and online applications for easier access. RTHC’s budget, however, could not cover the plan’s costs. In response, Couser offered to manage and fund the development of a new website for RTHC, as well as provide full-time social media marketing.

Grants Up to $75K Available for Community-Based Resource Projects in Howard County
The Howard County Office of Community Sustainability and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announce grant opportunities to fund projects that improve communities and improve local natural resources within the county, such as green spaces, parks, tree canopy, waterways and more.
A variety of project types will be funded, including educating community residents about natural resources and stormwater improvement practices, like downspout disconnection and rain barrels, proper pet waste management, rain gardens, tree planting and pervious pavement through demonstration projects.
Visit https://cbtrust.org/outreach-and-restoration or contact Abbi Huntzinger at 410-974-2941, ext. 106, to learn more and review the request for proposals. Applications are due on Sept. 11.

LMD Accepting Applications for Class of 2018
Leadership Maryland (LMD) is accepting applications for the Class of 2018. LMD’s selection committee will choose 52 applicants to complete an eight-month, hands-on learning program focused on the state’s most vital social, economic and environmental issues.
To be considered for the Class of 2018, application packages must include the following.
• Completed application, available online only at www.LeadershipMD.org
• Paid application fee of $250
• Two references
• One letter of recommendation
• Authorizing official statement from applicant’s supervisor or CEO (unless applicant is self-employed or is his or her own supervisor)
• A professional color photo
Completed application packages and registration fees must be received by Leadership Maryland (134 Holiday Court, Suite 318, Annapolis, MD 21401) by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31. The selected Class of 2018 will be announced in early February 2018.
Questions? Contact Leadership Maryland at 410-841-2101 or [email protected].

Discover Downtown Columbia 5K, Fun Run Set for Sept. 10
The Downtown Columbia Partnership is hosting the fourth annual Discover Downtown Columbia 5K and Fun Run on Sunday, Sept. 10, starting at 9 a.m., at the AMC Theatre promenade at The Mall in Columbia.
The 5K course takes runners and walkers through the landmarks of Downtown Columbia, highlighting its 50 years of history. It starts at The Mall in Columbia and winds past The Metropolitan apartments, through Symphony Woods and across the stage of Merriweather Post Pavilion. It continues past Toby’s Dinner Theatre and the Central Branch of the Howard County Library and around the Lakefront path, finishing at the People Tree.
The 1-Mile Fun Run will also start at The Mall and take the runners and walkers past Symphony Woods, onto the Lakefront path and also finishes at the People Tree.
A live band and complimentary post-race refreshments await runners at the finish. Registration fees are $35 for the 5K and $10 for the 1-mile Fun Run. Runners and walkers are welcome. Register at discoverdowntown5k.com.
Maryland Horse Industry Board 2018 Grants Application Period Opens
The Maryland Horse Industry Board has begun accepting grant applications for research, educational and promotional projects that support horses or the equestrian community, or develop new opportunities for the Maryland horse industry. The application deadline is Oct. 2.
Among the organizations eligible for grants are nonprofit organizations, clubs and associations, businesses, licensed farms and stables, government entities, schools and educational institutions. Projects of interest to the board include (but are not limited to) those that develop new opportunities for the Maryland horse industry.
Grant recipients will be announced no later than Jan. 1, 2018. For guidelines, applications or more information on MHIB or the Feed Fund, contact Executive Director Ross Peddicord at 410-841-5798 or [email protected].

HCCA to Premier Columbia 50th Anniversary Doc on Sept. 13
The Howard County Citizens Association (HCCA) has announced the Sept.13 film premiere of its documentary, “Columbia at 50 — A Bridge to the Future,” at 7 p.m., at the Smith Theatre-Horowitz Center at Howard Community College.
The event is free to the public and will include an introduction from film director Richard Krantz of Pilot Productions. Krantz produced a documentary video for Columbia’s 20th anniversary, which will also be screened at the event. Josh Olson, James Rouse’s biographer, will be an additional featured speaker. Additionally, the HCCA film committee is finalizing the schedule for a panel discussion on the vision for the future of Columbia that will close out the event. Panelists will include Del. Terri Hill and other notable Columbians.
The film was made possible by contributions from major backers including the HCCA, Columbia Association, British American Auto Care and the state of Maryland.
“We were really excited to reach our first funding milestone of $20,000 supported by several individual donors, as well as our big funders. They have all made the production of this important film possible. Now, we have completed most of the filming, are well into production and on schedule to meet the Sept. 13 launch date,” Brian England, president of British American Auto Care and member of the HCCA Board of Directors. “This is an important film, because Columbia has succeeded where many other planned communities have floundered.”
The HCCA is still accepting donations to help fund promotion of the event at columbia50movie.com. People interested in attending the event can get free tickets at www.columbia50movie.eventbrite.com.

The Arc of Howard County Elects Officers, New Board Members
The Arc of Howard County has elected officers and directors for the coming fiscal year.
William Erskine, of Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law, was elected president of the board of directors; Pam Guzzone, of Goddard Employees Welfare Association at NASA, is the new vice president; Cathy Cope, of the Division of State Coverage Programs at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, was elected secretary; and Annette Hinkle, of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, was elected treasurer.
Elected to three-year terms on the board were Joseph Geld, of PNC Wealth Management; Phil Kiracofe, of Gooseworks Consulting; Michael Lewis, of Ourisman Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram; Tracey Millings, of G.R.O.W. By Networking; and Theresa Ballinger, of the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Neighbor Ride Welcomes New Board Members
Neighbor Ride has welcomed four new members to its board of directors. They are Mary Aquino, senior attorney for elder law, Baltimore County; Richard Fornadel, retired physician and health care administrator; David Nitkin, Howard County General Hospital; and Donna Snyder, Miller’s Grant.
In addition to welcoming new members to the board, Neighbor Ride expressed gratitude for the contributions of retiring board members Andy Carmer (president), Bill Howard (treasurer) and Sharon Rossi.