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Students, alumni, neighbors and friends of Cashell Elementary School are invited to a rededication ceremony of the new school building on Sunday.

The original building, at 17101 Cashell Drive in Olney, was built in 1969. In January 2008, staff and students packed up the school and moved to the North Lake Center, a holding school on Bauer Drive in Rockville used by county public schools when their home site is undergoing major renovations.

The old school was demolished, and students began the school year in a brand new building in August.

"It's been great," Cashell Principal Maureen Ahern-Stamoulis said. "It is exciting to see the students using all the technology, and of course having a gym is a big highlight for everybody."

Ahern-Stamoulis said the school community held a "mini open house" last fall, since so many people had been asking to see the new school.

"I wanted the poor people who had put up with the dust, noise and traffic to have a chance to see it then, although there were still some finishing touches left to do," she said. "Now, everything is done except for our courtyard."

Sunday's formal rededication, set for 2 to 4 p.m., will feature speakers, student performances and tours of the building.

"We will be highlighting all of our green features," Ahern-Stamoulis said. "We've applied for LEED certification, and while we haven't heard yet, we are still a very green school."

LEED is the U.S. Green Building's Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, which gives varying levels of designations to buildings that feature energy-saving measures.

Although it is a new building, Ahearn-Stamoulis said Cashell is still the same school in many ways.

"I think that is because it is such a warm, caring community," she said. "That feeling came with us to North Lake and back to the new building."

Get ready to run for Jeremy

Jeremy's Run, a 5K Walk/Run to benefit drug addiction, will take place on May 31 at Oakdale Emory United Methodist Church.

Registration will begin at 7:15 a.m., and the race and walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The event is held in memory of Jeremy Glass, a 2006 graduate of Sherwood High School and son of Dr. Jim and Cyndi Glass of Brookeville. On Sept. 7, 2008, Jeremy lost his battle with addiction at the age of 20.

"Jeremy was a very kind, intelligent, passionate and sensitive person, much loved by his family and friends," Cyndi Glass said. "He fought what was ultimately a losing battle against a terrible disease that afflicts so many. This race is dedicated to both his memory and to the memory of all who have perished from this tragic illness."

As a way to honor his life, family and friends joined forces last year to create Jeremy's Run.

"We lose too many young people from this horrible disease, whether from an overdose, car accident or other perceptual accidents," Cyndi Glass said.

Last year's inaugural event attracted 500 runners and walkers, raising more than $22,000 for the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

This year's event will again benefit The Partnership for a Drug Free America, as well as Saving Teens in Crisis Collaborative.

The race will begin in the church parking at 3425 Emory Church Road. The race and walk will wind through Olney Manor Park and down Bachellor's Forest Road.

The race, managed by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club, is USATF sanctioned and the course is USATF certified.

The day will also feature an un-timed one-mile fun run.

The event will feature refreshments, music, and complementary massages and acupuncture, as well as a warm-up by professional trainers and a moonbounce for children.

There will be a brief candle-lighting ceremony prior to the race to honor those in recovery and symbolize hope for those suffering from the disease.

Those wishing to honor a person should contact Cyndi Glass at cglass05@netscape.net or by calling 240-498-8479.

Prizes will be awarded for the top male and female finishers in each age category, and a raffle will benefit Stairway to Hope, a foundation to help children whose parents are battling addiction.

For more information and to volunteer, visit the website at www.jeremysrun.com.

Collecting old bikes

The Olney Rotary Club will sponsor a Bikes for the World collection on Saturday at Sherwood High School.

Bikes, along with parts, tools and accessories, will be accepted from 9 a.m. until noon at the school, 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road in Sandy Spring. Donations are encouraged, but not required.

The refurbished bikes will be delivered to programs assisting the poor in developing countries, providing needed and affordable transportation to laborers, businesspeople, farmers, health workers and students.

Bikes for the World also uses the donated bicycles to help set up self-sustaining bicycle repair operations that can make enough money to pay the direct costs for subsequent container shipments of donated bicycles.

Bikes for the World also operates the Rockville Youth Bicycle Project, which offers local youth opportunities to learn about bicycles, fulfill high school community service requirements and earn a reconditioned bicycle.

For more information, visit www.bikesfortheworld.org or http://olney.rotary-clubs.org.

Queen for a day

Regina Alzona-Viqueira of Germantown was the principal queen of the May Flower Procession at St. Rose of Lima Church in Gaithersburg on May 2.

William McNamara of Derwood served as her escort.

The May Procession, held in most Roman Catholic churches, is designed to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. The procession usually features a young woman chosen to place a crown on a statue of Mary.

Alzona-Viqueira and McNamara are seniors at St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C.

Alzona-Viqueira will attend the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., in the fall.

McNamara will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in the fall.

If you have an interesting note about the people and the events of our community, send it to Terri Hogan, Staff Writer, The Olney Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, or e-mail it to thogan@gazette.net. Our fax numbers are 301-670-7182 or 301-670-7183. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration for the following week. All items are subject to space availability.