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Eleven members of Junior Girl Scout Troop 3193 of Germantown collected towels, blankets and other items for the Montgomery County Humane Society in Rockville late last year.

Members of the troop are working toward their Bronze Award by completing pet-related activities to help the community, particularly the Montgomery County Humane Society, according to a statement from troop member Yesenia Bonilla, 11.

The Bronze Award is the highest earned award in the Junior level of Girl Scouts. The girls must complete 15 hours of service related to their project.

Troop 3193, which includes girls who attend Kingsview, Roberto Clemente and Mary of Nazareth Catholic middle schools, designed and distributed the flyers and collected the items.

In December, the girls completed community service projects including making dog treats and T-shirt tug toys for animals at the Montgomery County Human Society. The girls will continue to work on pet related projects, including making and stuffing catnip toys and no-sew cat and dog beds.

They've got game

The Knights of Columbus Council #6901 will host an adult basketball tournament and youth free throw contest at the Poolesville Baptist Church, 17550 W. Willard Road, on Saturday.

The annual Knights of Columbus Basketball Shootout includes a free throw contest for ages 6-14 from 2:30-5 p.m. Children ages 6-9 will vie for council awards and youths ages 10-14 will shoot for the chance to compete at the district and state level. There will also be a half-court three-on-three basketball tournament for ages 18 and older.

 "We decided we wanted to give the older generations an opportunity to prove they still have game," Donald Patti, activity coordinator for the council, said in a statement. The council includes three Catholic parishes in the upcounty — Our Lady of the Presentation in Poolesville, St. Mary's Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Barnesville and Our Lady of the Visitation in Darnestown. "You don't have to be a member of our council or our member parishes to participate — you just have to be ready to play."

For more information, contact Patti at 866-478-8080 or

nash_rambler@yahoo.com.

Celebrate King with a musical tribute

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is back at the Music Center at Strathmore, with this year's multicultural musical gala themed with the handle "Honoring Heritage, Inspiring change!" The program will feature contemporary gospel stylings of The Choir Boyz, as well as local performers.

As always, tickets are free, and up to four tickets can be obtained per-person online at www.strathmore.org or at the Strathmore ticket office, 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda. Tickets are not available by phone. The performance will take place Monday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 4 p.m. at the same address.

To honor King's legacy, everyone who attends is asked to bring non-perishable food items to be distributed by Manna Food Center.

Tickets will be valid until 15 minutes prior to the performance, at which time all tickets become void and remaining seats will be filled in with guests in the stand-by queue. The stand-by line will begin at 3:15 p.m., outside the Music Center. Lines will not be allowed to form before 3:15 p.m.

More King celebrations

Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by donating food and volunteering this weekend.

Food collection drives for Manna Food Center are planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 20 Giant Food Stores across the county.

Non-perishable food items can also be donated at any one of the volunteer sites or the musical tribute at Strathmore. For specific store locations and dates of collections, visit www

.montgomerycountymd.gov/mlk.

Sponsors for the food drive include Montgomery County Government, Census2010, Neighbors in Need Montgomery, Manna Food Center, Jewish Community Relations Council and Giant Food Stores.

Montgomery County's Volunteer Center is organizing volunteer projects along with the canned food drive around the county. Pre-registration is requested at www.montgomerycounty

md.gov/mlk. For details, call Nadji Kirby at 240-777-2600.

-From 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, volunteers can decorate bookmarks and cards for children with cancer and other terminal illnesses, pack snow-day baskets for Meals on Wheels programs, learn how to register as a bone marrow donor and attend sessions by the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County. There will be agencies at a volunteer fair. Call 240-777-2600.

-From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the AFI Theatre and Cultural Arts Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, there will be two showings of a movie related to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. The Silver Spring and Eastern Montgomery regional services centers will host a volunteer fair at AFI to give participants a chance to talk with nonprofits and learn about ways to get involved.  Call 240-777-8400.

-From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the Gapbuster Learning Center, City Place Mall, 4th Floor, 8661 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, volunteers can participate in arts and crafts projects, a health expo, watch and discuss a movie about civil rights and King, and pledge 40 days of non-violence.  Call 301-779-4252.

-And from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the Mid-County Regional Services Center, 2424 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, visitors can donate blood.  Call Gwen Haney at 240-777-8114 to register.

Sponsors for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service include Comcast, The Gazette, M&T Bank, Whole Foods Market, Marriott International, City Place Mall and the HandsOn Network.

For more information, call the Office of Community Partnerships at 240-777-2570, or visit

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mlk.

Academy of Fine Arts names executive director

Stephanie Bonte-Lebair has been named to the newly created position of executive director of The Academy of Fine Arts in Gaithersburg.

"Stephanie possesses a unique blend of talents and abilities," founder Phil Hosford said in a prepared statement. "She is well known throughout the Washington area as a singer, actress and teacher."

Bonte-Lebair currently serves as president of the Damascus Theatre Company and is the co-conductor of the Kentland's Children's Chorus.

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS

Holiday closings for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18:

- Federal, state and county offices are closed.

- Banks, libraries and courts are closed.

- Montgomery County Public Schools administrative offices are closed.

- Recycling and trash pickup — no collection. Collections provided one day later for the remainder of the week. County's waste transfer station is closed.

- Ride On and Metrobus will operate on weekday schedule. Metrorail will operate 5 a.m. to midnight.

- MARC trains will not run.

- County liquor stores are open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the exception of Cabin John, Diamond Square and Twinbrook, which will be closed.

- Parking is free at county lots, meters and garages.

Send items to Melissa A. Chadwick via e-mail at mchadwick@gazette.net, fax at 301-670-7183 or mail to The Germantown-Boyds-Poolesville Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.