Children S Services

Listings are accepted on a space-available basis. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday prior to date of publication at the latest. To submit volunteer items, mail to Volunteers, Patuxent Publishing Co. Editorial, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278; email hccalendar@patuxent.com ; or fax 410-332-6336. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Board - Seeking board members to serve five-year terms, and help review services and need for services relating to alcohol or drug abuse education, treatment and prevention in Howard County.

Editor: With the recent tragedy in Connecticut, many of us are feeling the impact, as we question the safety of our children and loved ones. When a traumatic event occurs, we tend to become overwhelmed with a variety of emotions, including sadness, grief, helplessness and anxiety. In the aftermath of any trauma, there are certain strategies that can be helpful in moving forward: Provide reassurance of safety to children Limit media exposure of the event for yourself and your child In the weeks following a trauma, such as the shooting, children may have difficulty concentrating and remaining focused on their schoolwork.

A jazz trio's rendition of "The Girl From Ipanema" softly played in the background as guests in sophisticated business and cocktail attire swirled through Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn. They tasted carved tenderloin and breast of capon, sipped cocktails and caught up with old friends. Best of all, though, was the elegant adventure of exploring rooms and rooms full of antiques, from more than 50 dealers, and having first dibs on all these goodies at the preview party for the 32nd annual Hunt Valley Antiques Show.

Listings are accepted on a space-available basis. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday prior to date of publication at the latest. To submit volunteer items, mail to Volunteers, Patuxent Publishing Co. Editorial, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278; email hccalendar@patuxent.com ; or fax 410-332-6336. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Board - Seeking board members to serve five-year terms, and help review services and need for services relating to alcohol or drug abuse education, treatment and prevention in Howard County.

About 350 antiques lovers took a stroll down memory lane at the Hunt Valley Antiques Show Preview Party. They meandered along a twisting trail of vintage treasures displayed inside Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn. There was no chance of losing their way. The guests had plenty of guides -- about 60 antiques dealers from across the country and a battery of members of the Auxiliary of Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, sponsors of the 30-year-old show....

Jaycees give $1,500 to Hopkins Children's CenterAt their most recent membership meeting, the Elkridge Area Jaycees presented a check for $1,500 to representatives of the Johns Hopkins Chidren's Center in Baltimore.The money was raised through the organization's annual Santa Visits program. The Jaycees accepted donations for visits by Santa and an elf in December.POLICE* Ellicott City: : 10000 block of Frederick Road: Someone stole four wheels valued at $200 each and four tires valued at $100 each from a 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier between 3 p.m. Friday and 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

A year ago, many of Carroll County's private social services programs were fighting for survival as the Board of County Commissioners considered deep budget cuts to balance a $5 million deficit.Public outcry and a last-minute tax increase kept the providers afloat, but the narrowly averted crisis has left a lasting impression.At a county budget hearing last week, officials from nonprofit groups told the commissioners that they've stretched their resources to the limit during the past year and have worked to become less reliant on county money.

THE GENERAL Accounting Office has confirmed what Maryland already knew: Far too often, a child with severe mental illness must lose his parents to gain access to proper care. The depressing scope of this problem, still grossly underestimated, begins to come to light via a recent GAO survey: In the 19 states and 30 counties that responded to the survey, 12,700 children were turned over to social service agencies or police in 2001 because parents could not afford or find appropriate treatment.

Emily Lincoln wins service award from family agency Emily Lincoln, a real estate agent with Re/Max Columbia, is the 2003 recipient of the Robert B. Russell Distinguished Service Award. The award, bestowed by Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, honors the memory of the agency's former board president, who died in 1995. Lincoln has been a member of the governing board of Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland since 1998, when the Columbia-based Family Life Center merged with the regional nonprofit agency.

`Silly Sing-A-Long' is part of fun at Jewish Family Fest Dean Friedman, a children's concert artist from upstate New York, will present a "Silly Sing-A-Long" at the Jewish Federation of Howard County's First Jewish Family Fun Fest from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Temple Isaiah, 12200 Scaggsville Road, Fulton. The event will include music provided by Doug Sandler, games, food, crafts, a firetruck, a gift boutique and other attractions. The cost is $12 a family at the door. Information: 410-730-4976, Ext. 21, or www.jparents.

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore will break ground today for a $29.5 million expansion of its Herman & Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital. A two-story wing and related upgrades were designed to help Sinai improve the range of services it provides for patients from birth to age 18. When complete in March 2012, the facility will feature a larger children's diagnostic center and all-private inpatient rooms with space for parents to sleep overnight....

Anthony and Iris Thorpe adopted their first child nearly 16 years ago, a 6-week-old girl whose mother had been given a diagnosis of HIV-positive. With two other children of their own, the couple figured that the infant made their family circle complete. Since then, the circle has ballooned, with 48 foster children, five adoptions and one foster child whose adoption is in the works. The Thorpes, of Port Deposit, have opened their arms to infants and toddlers from Baltimore who make up some of city's most disheartening child statistics: the offspring of drug-afflicted, HIV-infected parents.

James C. Holman, an attorney who represented corporate and banking clients and had been board chairman of a children's charity, died of congestive heart failure Monday at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The Timonium resident was 61. Born in Springfield, Mo., he earned a bachelor's degree in history from Drury University, a law degree at Vanderbilt University in 1971 and a master's degree in law from George Washington University. After law school, Mr. Holman served in the Army at Fort Holabird.

Caretakers' workshop set for Tuesday The Howard County Office of Children's Services will sponsor "Think Differently: Appreciating Multiple Intelligences," a workshop for parents, and child care and early childhood professionals, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Office of Children's Offices, 3300 N. Ridge Road, Suite 380, Ellicott City. The workshop on diverse learning styles includes strategies for teaching to children's strengths. The cost is $20. "Helping Children Learn Self-Management," a workshop on helping children gain control of their own behavior, will be offered from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the same location.

Nonprofit returns to Wilde Lake building Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland has returned to its facility in the Village of Wilde Lake after a four-month absence while its building was being renovated. In January, the staff of the nonprofit organization moved to the basement of the Rose Price House, the building next to Oakland Manor in Town Center. Renovations to the Wilde Lake building, which 40 years ago served as Howard County Library's first Columbia branch, included a new sprinkler system, new acoustical ceiling tiles, new carpeting, paint and windows.

The Coalition of Geriatric Services (COGS) and the Howard County Office on Aging will present Senior Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 17 at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way in Columbia. Panels will discuss "Essential Legal Documents" from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; "Looking at the Next Stage" from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; "Senior Care Programs at the Office on Aging" from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.; and "Aging: What's Normal, What's Not" from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Providers of senior services will have booths offering free information.

South Laurel Recreation Council volunteers will present a free children's show in the multipurpose room of Deerfield Run Elementary School and Community Center, 13000 Laurel-Bowie Road, Laurel. DinoRock will present original music and puppets in a show about dinosaurs at 1 p.m. Thursday. The interactive musical show will present seven Mesozoic-era creatures. Admission and parking are free. Information: 301-776-2805. Historical society meeting is Aug. 21 The Savage Historical Society will not meet this month.

There are chairs lined up in the waiting area. There are toys for children. There are rooms for counselors to see clients and pamphlets on the front desk, offering free help from nonprofit organizations. But unlike most social services agency offices, the North Laurel office of Family and Children's Services has attracted very few people seeking help, which is jeopardizing the office's funding. The North Laurel office of Family and Children's Services provides free or inexpensive help such as counseling, employment assistance, help for the disabled, aid to pay energy bills and assistance for immigrants -- but very few people are taking advantage of the services.

Sallie Ann Hedenstad, former director of elder services at Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, died of breast cancer Wednesday at her Severna Park home. She was 75. For 23 years until retiring in January because of failing health, Mrs. Hedenstad oversaw programs for the elderly and disabled, some of which included senior assisted-living facilities, a community services employment program for low-income seniors and in-home care. "She was [a] very even-tempered and strong person.