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The Olney Town Center Advisory Committee will gather comments and feedback on a vision of the civic center and town commons proposed for downtown Olney at the next Greater Olney Civic Association meeting, set for 7:45 p.m. Dec. 9 in the Community Room of the Buffington building.

The committee would like to obtain thoughts and suggestions on what features a civic center/town commons should have to accommodate uses by Olney organizations and clubs.

Those wishing to express their views are encouraged to attend the meeting.

For more information, send an e-mail to chairman Jim Smith at info@olneytowncenter.org or visit www.olneytowncenter.org.

Scholar to offer thought

on mysticism

Dr. Zohar Raviv, an expert on mysticism and its implications for Judaism, will speak Friday and Saturday as part of Shaare Tefila Congregation's Scholar in Residence Weekend.

The event will be held at Olney Elementary School, 3401 Queen Mary Drive.

Shaare Tefila is planning a permanent move to Olney.

A Kabbalat Shabbat service will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the lecture at 8 p.m.

Shabbat Services will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by Kiddush co-sponsored by Shaare Tefila Sisterhood and Men's Club.

There is no charge for attending the Saturday morning religious services or Raviv's commentary and lecture. To find out if spaces are available for the Friday night dinner and service, call 301-593-3410, ext. 1104.

For more information about the Scholar in Residence programs, call Adriana Sandler, adult education chair, at 301-871-1164.

Friends House photographer hosts exhibit

Willa Percival, a 92-year-old resident of Friends House in Sandy Spring, is exhibiting some of her photographs at the nursing home through Dec. 15.

Percival is widely traveled and has exhibited her work on several occasions. Her latest showing is titled "Passages and Passers-By Seen through My Lens."

Friends House resident Ben Booz says Percival's photos "not only display her well-known mastery of lighting and composition but, most notably, her gift of timing.

"In each picture, she is able to capture a perfect, unposed moment suggesting a deeper story that excites the imagination."

The 22 black-and-white photographs were lost in storage for more than 20 years and have never been shown before, Booz said. They are the products of two trips to France and Spain that Percival took in the 1960s, he said.

The exhibit is open to the public. Friends House is located at Quaker Lane, off Norwood Road.

Girl Scouts lay wreaths

at Washington's tomb

Ten Derwood Girl Scouts constructed and laid a wreath at the tomb of Gen. George Washington and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon on Nov. 1.

Boy and Girl Scouts are invited to participate in the wreath-laying ceremony through Feb. 15, according to the Mount Vernon Web site (www.mountvernon.org).

Four of the Girl Scouts were permitted to enter the locked tomb structure for the event Heather Levine and Amanda Mayer of Cadette Troop 3798 led by Sue Martin, and Meredith Stephens and Jaclyn Troutner of Junior Troop 6020 led by Nellie Ross and Tam Miller.

The girls, ages 9-12, have been in Girl Scouts for an average of five years each.

Hailing from Parkland, Redland and Shady Grove middle schools, and Clearspring and Sequoyah elementary schools, the other girls who attended are Christina Martin of Troop 3798 and Ingrid Cho, Jordan Greene, Katie Martin, Mae Mae Ross and Morgan Ross of Troop 6020.

Visit Bethlehem

this weekend

The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Olney will present its annual "Bethlehem Marketplace" 7-9 p.m. Saturday and 4-7 p.m. Sunday.

Visited by more than 600 people each year, the interactive play is a journey to the Bethlehem village of over 2000 years ago on the night of Jesus' birth.

More than 100 members of the congregation, 60 of them in full costume, are involved in the presentation. The continuous guided tours through the "town" take 30 minutes, ending with carol singing in the sanctuary.

The church is located at 4200 Olney-Laytonsville Road. There is no charge for admission, but free will offerings will be accepted. For more information, call the church office at 301-774-9125.

Christmas Fest in Laytonsville

St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Laytonsville will hold its 34th annual Christmas Festival from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The festival will have something for everyone, organizers said in an e-mail to The Gazette, including wreaths, poinsettias and table arrangements; a themed silent auction; jewelry made by local artist Rosey Poole; photography by Mike Vore; handcrafted teddy bears from Terry Tunstall of Fuzzy Bear Station; custom work from potter Meredith McEver; and a white elephant sale of parishioner's treasures.

The festival will also feature a raffle of two bronze boy sculptures donated by sculptor Marilyn Carollo and a handcrafted quilt.

Festival admission is free. The church is located at 21611 Laytonsville Road (Route 108). For more information, visit www.saintbartholomews.org or call 301-355-7189.

Lions to offer

Christmas tree sales

The Sandy Spring Lions Club will sell Christmas trees and wreaths Dec. 5-24 at Spring Lake Farm, located between Dr. Bird and Norwood roads in Sandy Spring.

A wide selection of types, sizes and price ranges will be available, and all will be fresh, the club reported.

All proceeds will be used by the Sandy Spring Lions Club to support community programs and local student scholarships.

Scouts to sell

Christmas trees

Boy Scout Troop 89 is selling Fraser fir Christmas trees and decorated evergreen wreaths at St. Peter's Parish 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The tree lot is located outside next to the Parish Hall at 2900 Olney-Sandy Spring Road (Route 108).

Reach out to warm a heart

Hearts & Homes for Youth, a Silver Spring-based nonprofit that counsels and shelters troubled, homeless and abused children in the Washington/Baltimore area, is seeking donations to fulfill the wishes of 150 children who will be without their families this season.

The Wish Makers Holiday Gift Drive, which ends Dec. 15, is seeking toys, clothing, gift certificates or other donations from individuals and groups.

To help, call 301-589-8444, ext. 212, or visit

www.heartsandhomes.org.

Relay for Life is selling ‘Entertainment'

Relay for Life of Olney is selling Entertainment Books, featuring hundreds of family-friendly coupons throughout Maryland and D.C.

The coupons include upscale and fast food restaurants, hotels, sports, car and truck rentals, entertainment, family activities, airlines and a section on Ocean City/Rehoboth.

Olney-area coupons include Olney Theatre (two tickets at 50 percent off), the Inn at Brookeville Farms, Dempseys of Ashton, Julianno's of Laytonsville, Olney Tavern, Safeway ($20 in coupons), Olney Golf Park, Mid-Atlantic Golf, Olney Bagel Bakery, Domino's, Jerry's, Papa John's Pizza, Popeye's, Armand's Chicago Pizzeria, Rita's and Dunkin Donuts.

The books sell for $25 and are available at Curves of Olney or by calling Cynthia Haler at 301-774-4903 or sending an e-mail to achalper@verizon.net.

If you have an interesting note about the people and the events of Olney, Brookeville, Sandy Spring and Ashton, send it to Judith Hruz, Editor, The Olney Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877; or e-mail it to jhruz@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 subject to space availability.