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The fifth-grade class at Riverdale Baptist School will help people in need by donating 65 new and gently used coats, 37 pairs of gloves, 12 scarves, 13 hats and 25 pairs of new socks collected during the Upper Marlboro school's first annual coat drive this week.

The items are being donated this week to the Family Crisis Center of Prince George's County, Shepherds Cove Shelter in Capitol Heights and the Family Emergency Shelter in Adelphi. The campaign ran Nov. 3 through Friday.

The 57 fifth-graders encouraged the entire school — from pre-kindergartners to 12th-graders — to participate.

Fifth-grade teacher Brooke Starghill and Tonya Anderson, the mother of fifth-grader Tamy'a Anderson, organized the event.

"The fifth-graders wanted to do something to give a little bit back to the community. We picked the coat drive for homeless shelters to help others in their times of struggle," Starghill said. "We hope that our small contribution of coats, mittens, scarves and hats can keep fellow brothers and sisters warm this winter."

Help needed in creating resident holiday baskets

The Prince George's County Public Safety Assistance Program Inc. is seeking donations to create 2,600 Christmas food baskets for residents in need this holiday season.

The group will accept monetary and non-perishable food donations. Residents can mail tax-deductible monetary donations to: FOOD, P.O. Box 548, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773, and make checks out to the Public Safety Assistance Program Inc. or FOOD.

Food items must be received by Monday at the following locations: the County Administration Building at 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive in Upper Marlboro; the Sasscer Administration Building at 14201 School Lane in Upper Marlboro, the Prince George's County Office of the Sheriff at 1601 McCormick Drive in Largo; the Department of Corrections at 13400 Dille Drive in Upper Marlboro; Largo West at 425 Brightseat Road, Suite 101 in Landover, the Largo Government Center at 6201 Basil Court in Largo, the County Courthouse at 14735 Main St. in Upper Marlboro; Inglewood Center III at 9400 Peppercorn Place in Largo and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89 at 2905 Old Largo Road in Upper Marlboro. Contact Bill Milligan, program coordinator, at 240-508-9080 for more information.

Free computer training offered to seniors in New Carrollton

There are free computer training classes open to adults ages 60 and older from 9 to 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays at the New Carrollton Library at 7414 Riverdale Road. Call New Carrollton Library's adult services office 301-459-6900.

Flowers High School alumnus completes basic training

Army Reserve Pvt. Phillip Smith, a 2008 graduate of Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale and the son of Gail Smith of Mitchellville, recently completed basic combat training at Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla.

During the nine weeks of training, Smith studied the Army's mission and received instruction and training exercises in drill and ceremonies, Army history, core values and traditions, military courtesy, military justice and physical fitness, among other things.

Holiday party for

county programs

The Prince George's County Infants and Toddlers Program and The Parents of Children with Down Syndrome of Prince George's County and The Arc of Prince George's County are hosting "A Family Holiday Celebration" from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 13 in the fellowship hall at the Holy Family Catholic Church at 12010 Woodmore Road in Mitchellville.

There will be caroling, games, music and food. The event is open to the public.

To RSVP, call Marie Brayman at 301-883-7428 or e-mail FSNCoordinator@co.pg.md.us.

Kettering collecting charity donations at winter celebration

The Kettering Civic Federation is hosting its annual Kettering WinterFest from 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Kettering Community Center at 11801 Chesterton Drive in Kettering.

There will be food, entertainment, dancing, door prizes and children's craft activities.

Canned goods will be accepted for donation to a charitable organization. Each family is asked to bring one canned good.

New Carrollton seeks

residents with green thumbs

The city of New Carrollton will hold an informational meeting for residents interested in having a community garden. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. today at the New Carrollton City Hall at 6016 Princess Garden Parkway.

Call Graham Waters at 301-459-6100 for more information.

Last community market

rings in the holiday season

The Cheverly Community Market will hold a Holiday Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Cheverly Community Center at 6401 Forest Road. This is the last market of the season. Christmas trees and wreaths will be available. Visit www.cheverly

communitymarket.com.

Historic Property Grant program returns

Residents have until Jan. 16 to turn in applications for the Prince George's County Historic Property Grant Program for money to restore the county's historic properties.

The program is open to cities, towns, nonprofits, individuals and foundations and is run by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's Prince George's County Planning Department.

The properties must be within Prince George's County, eligible for historic designation and receive renovations that fall in line with the U.S. Department of the Interior guidelines for historic restoration.

Any individual, city, or group interested in restoring a property must present a preservation easement to Park and Planning and match at least 10 percent of the fees associated with renovations. The Prince George's County Historic Preservation Commission will make recommendations to the Prince George's Planning Board for who should receive grant funding.

Residents can get applications via www.pgplanning.org/hpgrants.htm or at the Park and Planning Information Counter on the lower level of the County Administration Building at 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive in Upper Marlboro.

Call 301-952-3680 or e-mail

propertygrant@ppd.mncppc.org for more information.

Lanham hospital offering diabetes education

Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham is holding the "Insulin Pump Therapy Orientation" session from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 17 and 28 in the Joslin Diabetes Center on the fifth floor of the hospital's medical office building, at 8118 Good Luck Road.

The free orientation discusses how insulin pumps help people with diabetes and how to decide if an insulin pump fits into a diabetes health care plan.

The hospital also is holding a program for people diagnosed with diabetes within the past six months or who have never met with a diabetes educator.

A three-day series is offered from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 28 and 29, and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Dec. 30.

The program serves as an overview for how to effectively manage diabetes. Participants will learn basic diabetes self-management skills for medication, nutrition, meal planning, physical activity and blood glucose monitoring.

Participants must register and submit a signed referral form from their doctor before entering the program. Most insurance companies cover program costs.

For information or to register, call the Joslin Diabetes Center at

301-552-8661.

County-based breast cancer fundraising campaign ending

All Shades of Pink Inc., a Glenn Dale-based nonprofit organization that works to assist women and their families diagnosed with breast cancer with resource referrals, non-medical advice and/or emergency financial assistance during their treatment period, is holding a "Change for Breast Cancer" campaign through Tuesday.

Interested participants can request their pink coin purse at www.allshadesofpink.org to collect loose change.

Once the coin purse is filled, participants can make a contribution to ASOP by check, money order or online donation in the amount of change collected.

Visit www.allshadesofpink.org or www.allshadesofpink.org/uploads/

c4bc-brochure.pdf.

County providing

H1N1 vaccinations

Prince George's County is providing H1N1 shots to all school children at their schools and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention priority groups from 9 a.m. to noon every Thursday at the Cheverly Health Clinic at 3003 Hospital Drive in Cheverly. The program began Oct. 27 and will continue until further notice.

Priority groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants under 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, all people ages 6 months through 24 years, and people age 25 to 64 with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.

For information, visit www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/

Government/AgencyIndex/Health/

flu-vaccination-info.asp.