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The Rev. John Wesley Hardy founded the African American Chamber of Commerce in Montgomery County in 1996.

Fourteen years later, Hardy, 75, is set to open a new, non-denominational Christian church in Gaithersburg.

Inner Peace Church Foundation will hold its first service Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of Whetstone Elementary School.

After retiring from the Food and Drug Administration, Hardy opened his own consulting firm which operated for seven years.

In 2005, he was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis and had to use a wheelchair for two years. In 2007, he got a hip replacement, started walking again and decided to start ministering.

"I was called to the church then. I was called to preach and teach God's word to humankind," Hardy said.

He picked the church name hoping he can help others find solace in this hustle and bustle world. "We don't live with an inner peace anymore," he said. "I hope I will be able to teach others how to how to obtain and maintain inner peace."

Weekly services will run from 7 to 9 p.m. and will include time for bible study.

History talk series

starts tonight

A series of three talks discussing the historical significance of the upcounty begins tonight.

At 6:30 p.m., a talk on the legacy of the American Civil War will be held at the Seneca Creek State Park visitor center at 11950 Clopper Road in Gaithersburg. The discussion will focus on the impact of the war on the area in and around the park, including local Civil War and related events.

At noon on Aug. 1, the park staff will host a second talk at the visitor's center. The focus will be the history of Seneca Creek State Park, including its geology.

At 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 21, the third talk will take place at the Black Rock Mill at 16500 Black Rock Road in Germantown. The park's staff will discuss the historic mills in the park and the surrounding area. Visitors will learn how a mill works, as well as the history of the Black Rock Mill and other mills in the upcounty.

The free series is sponsored by Seneca Creek State Park and all ages are invited to attend.

For information, contact Julie Gilson at 301-924-2127 or by e-mail at scspnaturalist@gmail.com.

Golf day for parents and kids

Montgomery Village Foundation and the Montgomery Village Golf Club will host a family golf day Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Free fun at the event includes a moon bounce and golf cart rides for kids, golf clinics for all ages, prizes for the winners of putting contests, chipping contests and a long drive competition.

A nine-hole scramble golf tournament will also be held. Sign-up is $20 per person and includes golf cart, greens fee, practice balls and prizes.

The big winner of the day – the golfer that hits a hole-in-one – could drive home in a new car.

For information about the event, call 301- 948-6204.

Go to the principal's office

Watkins Mill High School will host two meet and greet events Thursday, July 22, so the community can meet Scott W. Murphy, the school's new principal.

The first event will be from 7 to 9 a.m. An evening event will run from 7 to 9 p.m. Refreshments will be served at both.

Murphy replaces Kevin Hobbs who resigned in May to take a job in Houston. Murphy most recently worked as principal of William H. Farquhar Middle School in Olney from 2005 to 2010.

Adrian Talley, community superintendent, and leaders of the school's Parent Teacher Student Association will be at both meetings.

Student raises funds for Haiti earthquake relief

Benjamin Halperin, a rising seventh grader at Robert Frost Middle School, raised more than $1,000 for the Edeyo Foundation to help victims of the Haiti earthquake.

For his efforts, which lasted two months and included letter writing and collection cans, he was honored by the foundation on June 30 with a humanitarian award.

Edeyo runs a school dedicated to educating, clothing and feeding underprivileged children in Haiti. The school was destroyed six months ago in the devastating earthquake. Edeyo is now building a new school.

Benjamin is also planning a larger fundraiser for later this year.

For more information on the foundation, visit edeyo.org.

Farm tour

The county's annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale marks its 21st anniversary this weekend.

Fourteen farms will participate in at least one day of the self-guided tour.

Fresh produce, vegetables, flowers, plants and other local products will be available for purchase and some farms will offer activities such hayrides, pony rides and demonstrations.

About 7,000 people attended last year's event, according to a county statement.

Participating farms in the upcounty include Blue Ribbon Accoyo Alpacas in Gaithersburg, Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Button Farm Living History in Germantown, Fox Hollow Farm in Gaithersburg, Homestead Farm in Poolesville, King Barn Dairy MOOseum in Boyds, Lewis Orchards in Dickerson, Rock Hill Orchard in Mount Airy, Star Gazing Farm in Boyds, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Dickerson, Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Rock Hill Orchard in Mount Airy and Red Wiggler Community Farm in Clarksburg.

Event is rain or shine but participating farms may cancel or delay some activities.

For information, call 301-590-2823 or visit www.montgomery

countymd.gov/farmtour.

Habitat for the hungry

Next week kicks off Montgomery County Habitat for Humanity's restaurant week.

From July 26 through 30, eat at one of several area restaurants and a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit Habitat for Humanity's goal of raising awareness and providing affordable housing.

To participate, print a ticket from the Habitat for Humanity website, www.habitat-mc.org, and bring the ticket to the restaurant on the date and time listed below.

The following restaurants are participating:

-Potomac Pizza in Gaithersburg form 4 to 9 p.m. on July 26

-California Pizza Kitchen at Washingtonian Center all day on July 26, 27

-Growlers in Gaithersburg from 4 to 9 p.m. on July 29

Dean's list laurels

Kamilah P. Lindsey, a 2009 graduate of Watkins Mill High School, was on the spring semester dean's list at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Lindsey finished her freshman year with a 4.0 grade point average.

A number of local students were named to the dean's list at Frostburg State University for the spring semester. To be eligible, a student must undertake a minimum of 12 credit hours and earn a cumulative semester grade point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. The honored students include:

Hiwet Abinet, Alexandra Ferentinos, Samantha Frazee, , Holland Hamilton, Lauren Huyser, Brittany Jeffrey, Kathleen Kline, Austin Litz, Chantelle Montgomery-Tucker, Valerie Rivera, Carla Romo, Mark Rumbaugh, Diarra Sarr, Jake Snow and Maurice Williams of Gaithersburg; Andrew Halley, Sarah Howard, Laure-Ines Nassara-Wellibang, Derek Sheely, Peyman Shirani, Joshua Volpe and Rudy Yung-Hoi of Germantown; Joseph Krofcheck of Montgomery Village and Mallory Veillette of Poolesville.

Earning the distinction of a 4.0 GPA at Frostburg were Brett Halpert of Gaithersburg, Longster Kemngang of Germantown and Michael Privot of Germantown.

Get your parade on

Gaithersburg is looking for groups interested in participating in the 72nd annual Labor Day Parade on Sept. 6. The rain-or-shine parade will wind through the various streets of Olde Towne Gaithersburg, including East Diamond and Russell avenues.

Organizations and individual volunteers are also needed to distribute program booklets, assist with parade line-up duties and serve as balloon handlers.

For information please Dorthy Winder at 301-258-6350 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Items for People and Places must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration for the following week. They can be mailed to The Gaithersburg- Montgomery Village Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; sent by fax to 301-670-7183; or e-mailed to dgaines@gazette.net.