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Time flies when you're having fun, says Bridget Ryder, executive director of the Kentlands Community Foundation. The Kentlands neighborhood celebrates its 20th anniversary this year as the nation's first New Urbanist community.

"It really has worked for those of us that live and work here," Ryder said last week. "It's not perfect but it is a special place," she said, describing the Kentlands as a "small town within a big town."

New Urbanism, an urban design movement that started in the early 1980s, promotes "walkable" communities where everything one could need is within a stone's throw of home. Residents and city officials took a risk on the concept 20 years ago, Ryder said. Now it's time to celebrate.

The first Celebrate Kentlands Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, in the parking lot near Potomac Pizza, behind Market Square on Centerpoint Way.

Parking is available at the lot, or near Whole Foods Market and Lowe's Home Improvement off Kentlands Boulevard.

More than 100 businesses, most of them Kentlands businesses will hold an exposition. A parade will run at 10 a.m. down Main Street into Market Square Plaza. Jeremy Vest, a longtime resident, and Nora Kaplan, a civic leader, will lead as parade marshals, along with City Councilman Jud Ashman and Councilwoman Cathy Drzyzgula. City Manager Angel Jones, Councilman Michael A. Sesma and the mayor will judge parade-goers riding in cars and on foot.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. comes a host of other fun.

Rachel Carson Elementary School will hold its spring fair. Bumper car rides, a rock climbing wall, trackless train and other carnival fun are promised. Restaurants will hold a Taste of Kentlands. Criswell Chevrolet of Gaithersburg will also hold a car show near Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant on the far side of the parking lot, parallel to Kentlands Boulevard.

On the main stage will be Mark's Music Factory at 11 a.m. followed at 11:30 a.m. with a performance by Impact Performing Arts Dance Troupes.

A noontime award ceremony will celebrate Kentlands pioneers and government leaders.

Following the award ceremony, the Leap on Love Art Dance Crews & Tappers will perform at 1 p.m., Kicks Karate, a Darnestown karate school, will kick things up at 1:30 p.m., Studio-320 dance studio of Rockville will perform at 2 p.m., Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra Flute & Clarinet Choirs at 2:30 p.m.

Things get jiggy at 3:10 p.m. when The Duffy School of Irish Dance of Rockville hits the stage. Two Left Feet, a Kentlands studio, will follow at 3:40 p.m. and Virginia Grace Band blesses the stage at 4:20 p.m.

If it rains, the fair will move to Rachel Carson Elementary at 100 Tschiffely Square Road. 

Adam Greenberg of Potomac Pizza is the "life force" behind Kentlands Day, designed to celebrate community and history, while bringing business in the area, said Ryder. The Kentlands Community Foundation is co-sponsoring the event. Andrew and Paula Roth, who live in the Kentlands and own Andrew's Parties, are coordinating much of the fun.

For more information, visit www.kentlandsday.com.

Fundraising on Facebook

for friends in Kenya

Rachel Wims of Gaithersburg, a 14-year-old youth ambassador for The Victims' Rights Foundation, returned in early April from a week-long humanitarian mission to Kenya. What she saw there has changed her life.

Wims visited the Senator Barack Obama Secondary School in Kogelo, Kenya, where President Barack Obama's father was born. Students asked her to help complete construction of a science building at the school, said Wims' father, W. Gregory Wims, president and founder of The Victims' Rights Foundation in Gaithersburg, a nonprofit volunteer organization that raises money for and provides support to victims of violent crimes and attacks.

About 55 students take classes in the building, which has no windows or main door. It is rainy season in Kenya and the students told Wims that rain and wind destroy their books and homework.

On Easter, Rachel Wims announced a fundraising drive using Facebook, a social networking Web site, to raise money for the building in a drive called "Youth Doing Something Meaningful at Easter." Her goal is to raise $3,200 to complete the science building.

If the drive raises more money than is needed for the building's construction, surplus cash will be used to buy sanitary napkins for female students, Rachel said. On her trip, she learned that 10 to 15 students drop out of the school each year because they cannot afford these personal items.

To help, contact parents of Rachel Wims at 301-351-7028.

Have a heart

House with a Heart, a nonprofit sanctuary for senior pets, is hosting several fundraising events in May.

Professional photographer Beth Lightbody will be doing a pet and family photo shoot at the Laytonsville sanctuary, 6409 Stream Valley Way, from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on May 9. Photo package prices range from $55-$99. Half of the money will go to House with a Heart. To set up an appointment, call 240-631-1743.

The Outta the Way Café in Derwood, 17503 Redland Road, will host a benefit concert from 1-5 p.m. on May 9. Donations will be accepted at the door. There will be a raffle, and performers include The Janglebachs, Mike Westcott and Roger Edsall and Boomerang. For more information, contact chagypeen68@yahoo.com.

House with a Heart will host a spring yard sale from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on May 16 at the sanctuary. The rain date is May 17. To donate items or learn more, contact hsackler@comcast.net.

For more information on House with a Heart, visit

www.housewithaheart.com.

Plant sale

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Parish will hold its annual plant sale from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the church, 11701 Clopper Road in Gaithersburg. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets and plant accessories will be on sale. For more information, call the church at 301-948-7545.

Masters of the garden

The Montgomery County Master Gardeners from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension will offer their popular plant clinics at two Gaithersburg libraries from April through September.

Gardeners will answer gardening questions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays through September at the Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Blvd. Gardeners will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through September at the Gaithersburg Library at 18330 Montgomery Village Ave.

The trained volunteer gardeners will provide answers to questions about — but not limited to — indoor or outdoor plants, mystery insects, plant diseases and wildlife management. They will help determine if soils need to be tested, teach homeowners correct pruning techniques, supply helpful Internet sources and provide gardening fact sheets.

For more information on the Maryland Master Gardener Program, call the University of Maryland's Home and Garden Information Center at 410-531-5556 or

www.mastergardener.umd.edu.

‘They're Playing Our Song'

to open Friday

Damascus Theatre Company will present its spring musical, "They're Playing Our Song," the weekends of May 1, 8 and 15 at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road in Gaithersburg.

The musical is based on the real-life relationship of Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager. A wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat lyricist, but initially the match is not one made in heaven. The two undergo a series of trials and overcome a number of hurdles before finding true love by the final curtain.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $16, or $14 for Gaithersburg residents. To purchase tickets, call 301-258-6394 or use RecXpress online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/RecXpress.

Lace up for the animals

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary will hold its 6th annual Run for the Animals in May at Wheaton Regional Park, 2002 Shorefield Road.

The day will kick-off at 8:30 a.m. on May 17 at the Wheaton park and will include food and raffles with prizes for dogs and humans. The event is a fundraiser for the Poolesville-based nonprofit.

Registration for the 5K Run and Fun Walk is $20 before Friday, $25 beginning Friday or $28 on the day of the race. Walkers can choose to hoof it for 1 mile or 1.7 miles, and dogs are welcome to join but are not permitted in the 5K run.

For more information, contact poplarspringrun@yahoo.com or visit www.animalsanctuary.org.

Rabies clinic

Gaithersburg is co-sponsoring a free rabies clinic for cats and dogs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on May 17 at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter at 14645 Rothgeb Drive in Rockville.

By law, all domestic pets in Gaithersburg must be accompanied by an adult, all dogs must be kept on a leash, all cats must be contained.

Rabies shots are free. Residents may buy the city license at the shelter. For more information, visit www.

mchumane.org or call 240-773-5960.

Community chorus

The Gaithersburg Community Chorus will present Maurice Durufle's "Requiem" in their spring concert at 7 p.m. on May 16 at Watkins Mill High School at 10301 Apple Ridge Road in Montgomery Village.

"Requiem," written in memory of the composer's father, is set in nine movements and uses many themes from the Gregorian Mass for the Dead.

The concert will also feature a unique interpretation of "Maryland, My Maryland," with lyrics by David DeBoy and arrangement by former Gaithersburg resident, Chappell Kingsland. The piece was commissioned for the Gaithersburg Community Chorus.

Concert admission is free. Donations are accepted. For more information, call Nansie Wilde at 301-58-6350 or e-mail wilde@gaithersburgmd.gov.

City celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

The City of Gaithersburg's multicultural affairs committee will host a reception featuring hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The reception will be held from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on May 18 at Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 S. Summit Ave., in the second floor gallery. Members of the Nova Music and Arts Academy Children's Choir will perform three selections.

Register with Shanthi Srinivasachar at 301-258-6395, ext. 3 or e-mail ssrinivasachar@

gaithersburgmd.gov.

Send submissions to Patricia M. Murret via e-mail at pmurret@

gazette.net, fax at 301-670-7183 or mail to The Gaithersburg-Montgomery Village Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.