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Celebrate the lunar New Year with a traditional Chinese lion dance performed by the Washington, D.C. Chinese Youth Club. The festivities will start 1 p.m. Saturday at the White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Ave. in White Oak. Call 240-773-9555 for more information.

East County

board meeting tonight

The East County Citizens Advisory Board will meet 7:15 tonight at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring. During the first fifteen minutes, residents are welcome to bring up any questions or concerns. For more information, call 240-777-8400.

New York Times best-selling author to visit Praisner Library

Connie Briscoe, the New York Times best-selling author behind five novels about black women's lives and loves, will speak 2 p.m. Saturday at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library, 14910 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. Briscoe's novels include Sisters and Husbands, Sisters and Lovers, Big Girls Don't Cry, P.G. County, Can't Get Enough and Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50. The special program is funded through a grant by the Friends of the Library. For more information, call Michele Sellars at 240-777-0196.

Maryland Senior Winter Olympics at Fairland Regional Park

Seniors, start practicing your ice hockey and curling skills! The Maryland Senior Olympics is partnering with the Gardens Ice House and the National Capital Curling Center to present the 2010 Winter Olympics Saturday, Feb. 13 at Fairland Regional Park, 13800 Old Gunpowder Road in Fairland. Events include figure skating, ice hockey and curling, and are open to participants ages 50 and older. Hockey players can register as individuals, and evenly-matched teams will be chosen. Event times will be posted on the Ice House Web site as the event nears. For more information, or to register, visit www.thegardensicehouse.com. For information on curling, contact Ann Drummie at secretary@curldc.org; for ice hockey, contact John Buchleitner at jbuch@verizon.net; and for figure skating, contact Linda Monney at 410-672-7013 or icecoach1@aol.com.

Seeking Miss Preteen Burtonsville International 2010

The Miss Teen Maryland International Pageant is seeking entrants for their Burtonsville pageant. Future beauty queens must be between ages 9 and 12 and attend school in Maryland. The pageant will be held April 9 and April 10, with competition categories of introduction, fashion, two-minute speech, aerobic wear and formal wear. The winner will receive a free entry into the Miss Teen Maryland International Pageant when they are of eligible age. Interested in competing? Call 410-490-0879 or e-mail mrsmaryland@msn.com.

Tax aid for low and moderate income residents

Tax preparation assistance is being offered to residents with low or moderate incomes, with special attention given to East County senior citizens. Those in need of help filling out tax forms can schedule appointments between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through Apr. 13 at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring. Call 240-777-2577 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. after Jan. 25 to schedule your appointment.

Childcare for

kids' days off school

If school is out for the day, but you still have to work, consider dropping your child at Kidz Days Out. For $45 per child, kids can spend the day making crafts or playing sports, games and video games. Snacks are also provided. Kidz Days Out will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 6 at the Marilyn J. Praisner Community Center, 14906 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. To register, call James at the East County Community Center at 240-777-8090 or James at the Praisner Community Center at 240-777-4970.

Free legal advice clinics

Residents in need of aid on legal matters can attend free legal advice consultations 6 to 9 p.m. the first and second Thursdays of each month at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring. Clients must sign in before 6 p.m. in order to participate. For more information, call the Montgomery County Pro Bono Program Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 301-424-7651.

Wanted: snacks for backpacks

Nonperishable snack items are needed for the Valley Brook Community Church's project to supply five low-income families with backpacks full of snack items. The project gives donations monthly and organizers hope to expand their efforts throughout the school year. Donors can bring nonperishable snack items to the church at 3333 Spencerville Road in Burtonsville. Drop-off times are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. For more information, call the church at 301-476-9499.

Montgomery College Spanish classes continue through spring

Enrollment is now open for Spanish classes held through Montgomery College at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center. Residents can improve their Spanish-speaking skills at the convenient 3300 Briggs Chaney Road location. Spanish I Part 1 and Spanish I Part 2 are both available. The course fee is $190 for residents and $310 for non-residents. Register by calling 240-567-5188.

Evening English classes open to Montgomery Residents

Interested Montgomery County residents can register for English classes, which will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Episcopal Church of our Savior at 1700 Powder Mill Road in Hillandale.

The course, offered by the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, in partnership with Crossway Community Center and CASA of Maryland, costs $20, but scholarships are available. Students are accepted on a rolling basis and can register by arriving 15 minutes early to the class location.

Silver Spring learning center looking for high school tutors

The Gapbuster Learning Center in Silver Spring is looking for high school and adult volunteers to tutor young students.

Volunteers are needed from 3 to 6 p.m. High school students should be in grades 10 to 12.

The Gapbuster Learning Center is a community-based program dedicated to closing the academic performance gap of students in Montgomery County. For information on how to volunteer, contact Sheila Clyburn at 301-779-4252 or at gblc_office@yahoo.com.

For more information on Gapbuster Learning Center, visit www.gapbuster.org.

Items for People and Places may be sent to Jeanette Der Bedrosian, The Gazette, 13501 Virginia Manor Road, Laurel, MD 20707. The fax line is 240-473-7501; or e-mail jderbedrosian@gazette.net. Call 240-473-7505. Deadline is one week prior to publication for consideration.