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The Baden Community Center celebrated its 40th anniversary with a community day Saturday.

The center is part of a complex that includes Baden Elementary School, the public library branch and the Greater Baden Health Clinic. Residents were treated to live music, food, school tours, health screenings and historical presentations.

Community center director Shawn Hinely said the land was originally purchased in 1910 for about $73 and was originally used for an agricultural school. The new complex was built in 1970.

Hinely said she enjoys interacting with young people whose grandparents or even great-grandparents are still involved in the community.

"It's fun to have that kind of history," she said.

The center is planning a small facelift this year, including the construction of an outdoor pavilion and renovations planned for teen recreational areas, Hinely said.

Upper Marlboro woman collects school supplies

Sandra Bryan-Greer of Upper Marlboro recently collected 59 backpacks full of school supplies to donate to area shelters as part of a regular "Girls' Night Party with a Purpose" event she hosts at her home.

Bryan-Greer, 46, said she has hosted almost a dozen of the community service-oriented parties for her friends since 2006.

On Aug. 21, she and five friends brought school supplies they had purchased or collected from other friends, coworkers and neighbors to sort at Bryan-Greer's home.

The backpacks of supplies were donated to the Shepherd's Cove Shelter in Capitol Heights and the Family Crisis Center of Prince George's County in Brentwood.

Airman graduates

from academy

Air Force Tech Sgt. Jermaine Young recently graduated from the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu.

Young, who has served in the military for 15 years, is the son of Garfield Jenkins of Upper Marlboro and Alice Young of Orangeburg, S.C.

Students with local ties

earn degrees

Brittney Johnson of Upper Marlboro recently graduated from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C. Johnson received a master's degree in accounting.

Albert Smokes of Accokeek recently received an associate's degree in science from Excelsior College in Albany, N.Y.

Oxon Hill gallery to display

at Yards Park

A group of artists from the Art Whino gallery in Oxon Hill are set to perform live scale painting at the Yards Park waterfront development in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11.

The event is part of the Beautiful Minds, an art exhibit curated by Art Whino, which will premiere its show as part of the grand opening weekend celebration of The Yards Park. The event will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at 10 Water St. in Southeast.

Cirque du Soleil returns

to National Harbor

Cirque du Soleil is set to return to the National Harbor in Oxon Hill on Sept. 9.

The show called, "Ovo," is the first of its kind created by a woman at Cirque du Soleil. Organizers bill the show is as "a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love. The insects' home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion."

The show will run at the Plateau from Sept. 9 to Oct. 24.

Fort Washington student graduates from military training

A Fort Washington resident has graduated from basic military training in Lawton, Okla.

Antoine A. Reeves graduated from the Basic Field Artillery Cannon Crewmember Advanced Individual Training course.

Reeves is the son of William B. Reeves Jr. of Fort Washington. He is a 2007 graduate of Crossland High School in Temple Hills.

Early voting starts Friday

Prince George's County voters can cast their primary election ballots early from Friday through Sept. 9 at five county locations.

Early voting was approved statewide in a 2008 referendum, and residents can vote at any one of five early voting sites from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The sites will be closed Sunday, but will be re-open Labor Day. Registered voters must provide their names and have them checked against the voter rolls before they can cast a ballot.

The five locations are the College Park Community Center at 5051 Pierce Ave., the Wayne K. Curry Sports & Learning Center at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover, the Bowie Library at 15210 Annapolis Road, the Upper Marlboro Community Center at 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road and the Oxon Hill Library at 6200 Oxon Hill Road.

Primary day voting will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at 223 locations in the county. Unlike early voting, registered voters must go to their assigned poll site to vote on Election Day.

While independent voters can vote in the primary for candidates for county school board, most of the primary elections are restricted to registered Democrats and Republicans. The winner of each party race will appear on the Nov. 2 general ballot. In Prince George's, there are 400,574 registered Democrats and 46,360 registered Republicans. None of the GOP primaries are contested.

County elections director Alisha Alexander said she hopes the early voting window will boost the turnout in the county, where many workers commute to Washington, D.C., and other areas outside Prince George's on a typical weekday.

"Not everyone may have a chance to vote on a typical Tuesday election," she said. "Now, the hope is they can fit voting into their schedule."

Among the positions up for election are county executive, state senators and delegates, County Council members, school board members, governor and congressional seats.

For information on polling locations, early voting and other election questions, visit the county board of elections at www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/elections.

5K run/walk to be held at

Watkins Regional Park

The 15th annual "For the Health of It" 5K run/walk is at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 at Watkins Regional Park at 301 Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro.

The event is sponsored by the Ivy Community Charities of Prince George's County, Inc. and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Iota Gamma Omega Chapter.

To register, visit www.iccpgc.org.

The cost is $35 for participants who register by Sept. 11.

Event proceeds will benefit organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the Bowie-based nonprofit All Shades of Pink, a Bowie-based nonprofit organization that assists women and their families diagnosed with breast cancer with resource referrals, non-medical advice and/or emergency financial assistance during their treatment period.

School supply drive

coming to Largo

The Prince George's County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. invites residents to donate school supplies for its "Back to School Supplies Drive" scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sept. 11 inside the Queen Anne Auditorium of Prince George's Community College at 301 Largo Road. Call 301-736-3250 or e-mail president@pgcacdst.org.

Capitol Heights fraternity stages college prep program

The Capitol-Heights Gamma Pi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is sponsoring Project ENRICH, a four-year college preparatory program for high school freshmen.

To be eligible, applicants must be in the ninth grade and Prince George's County residents and have an interest in attending college. There are no grade point average requirements.

Participants are exposed to college preparation through workshops, seminars, writing competitions, projects and college visits.

Students can receive scholarships, based on their level of participation and performance in the program. Project ENRICH is a three-hour commitment, one Saturday a month from October to May at Bowie State University.

For information, call Pete Ford at 301-704-0144. For registration materials, visit www.gammapi.org.

Breast cancer fundraiser comes to District Heights

The "A Splash of Pink" Breast Cancer Fundraiser Cabaret is scheduled for 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sept. 11 at the District Heights Municipal Building, 2000 Marbury Drive. The event is sponsored by District Heights Mayor James L. Walls Jr. and the Frederick Douglass Lodge #10 International Free and Accepted Masons. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Call 202-627-8735.

Forums scheduled to discuss parks and recreation budget

The Prince George's County Planning Board plans to hold two public forums to discuss the fiscal 2012 budget.

The first is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 20 inside the multipurpose room of Fort Washington's Harmony Hall Regional Center at 10701 Livingston Road. The second is planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 4 inside the Landover A and B rooms of the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover.

Residents who want to speak publicly at either meeting can call 301-952-4584 or visit www.pgplanning.org to register in advance.

Written comments must be submitted by the close of business Oct. 8 to Samuel J. Parker Jr., chairman, Prince George's County Planning Board, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772; or faxed to Parker at 301-952-5074; or e-mailed to publicaffairs@ppd.mncppc.org.

Community advocates group seeks volunteers

The Community Advocates for Family and Youth, which serves Prince George's County residents who need help surviving the trauma of being a victim of crime, is seeking volunteers.

For information, call Lizet Porter at 301-390-4092 or e-mail lporter@cafyonline.org or visit www.cafyonline.org.