We’re moving!
Monthly CA A PUBLICATION OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION
AUG 2015
The new location for CA’s Headquarters and Customer and Member Service Center is 6310 Hillside Court, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21046-1070 OPENS AUGUST 24!
Youth and TeenCombining Center Exciting T
Activities with Positive Influences in Columbia By David Greisman
here is already so much for students to take in when they first walk into Columbia Association’s (CA) Youth and Teen Center, from the video games, computer lab and small basketball court to the recreation room and its pool tables, air hockey, table tennis and board games. And then they quickly learn that the YTC has — and means — so much more. “We provide a fun and safe place for kids between the ages of nine and 18 to be when they are not in school,” said Rene Buckmon, CA’s manager of youth and teen programs. “The Youth and Teen Center also engages them in constructive activities so they can have an opportunity to better themselves, to learn, and to become productive citizens.” Those opportunities come both in and beyond the drop-in recreation program, which runs between Monday and Friday from 2:30 to 6pm during the (See Youth page 5)
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CA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014-2015 Reginald Avery Oakland Mills 443-545-6714 Reginald.Avery@ca-board.org
Alan Klein Harper’s Choice 410-992-3025 Alan.Klein@ca-board.org
Dick Boulton Dorsey’s Search 410-884-2964 Dick.Boulton@ca-board.org
Nancy McCord Wilde Lake 410-730-2309 Nancy.McCord@ca-board.org
Brian Dunn Kings Contrivance 301-473-0077 Brian.Dunn@ca-board.org
Gregg Schwind Hickory Ridge 443-831-8847 Gregg.Schwind@ca-board.org
Janet Evans Long Reach 724-516-0550 Janet.Evans@ca-board.org
Andrew Stack Owen Brown 410-381-8897 Andrew.Stack@ca-board.org
Jeanne Ketley Town Center 301-596-1097 Jeanne.Ketley@ca-board.org
Chao Wu River Hill 240-481-9637 Chao.Wu@ca-board.org
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CA
Board Recap
t the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors meeting held July 9, CA’s Board approved both the Audit Committee Charter as amended and the Office of
Internal Audit Mission Statement and Charter as
amended. The Board also discussed an overview of
CA’s finances and risk management strategies. The next scheduled Board of Directors meetings
are September 10 and 24. Meetings typically begin
at 7:30pm and are held at CA Headquarters, 10221 Wincopin Circle. For current CA Board of Directors meeting minutes and agendas, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Agendas. Podcasts from board meetings are available at ColumbiaAssociation.org/Podcasts. 2 C A M O N T H LY
Letter from Kings Contrivance
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Spotlight on Activities, Outdoor Offerings
ake Broken Land Parkway all the way from The Mall in Columbia for about three miles and you ultimately will arrive in the village of Kings Contrivance, the southernmost of Columbia’s 10 villages. Kings Contrivance borders the Howard County communities of Jessup, North Laurel and Savage and is named after The Kings Contrivance Restaurant, established in 1962 and housed in an historic home on what was once farmland. As with much of Columbia, the names of our neighborhoods and the streets within have historical or literary connections. Brian Dunn Huntington comes from a house dating back to the late 17th Village of Kings Contrivance century, and the street names are primarily from the works of Carl Columbia Council Sandburg. MacGill’s Common was named after the original owners Representative of the land and the street names are taken from the folk songs that appear in The Folk Songs of North America compiled by Alan Lomax. Dickinson and its streets are named after poet Emily Dickinson; our village’s community center, Amherst House, is in tribute to her hometown in Massachusetts. But that is all history. Here is what’s going on today. Like the other villages, Kings Contrivance is attempting to engage with a broad-based group of residents that includes everyone from young children to older adults. Amherst House, which sits in the Kings Contrivance Village Center at 7251 Eden Brook Drive, is where many community events and meetings take place and which may be rented for private events such as weddings. There is a schedule of summer concerts in the village center on Thursday evenings through August 20. Some of the community events held there include our Fall Flea Market and Scarecrow Making on September 12 outside of Amherst House; Family Fun Bingo Nights; gardening seminars; and activities centered around holidays, such as Halloween, Christmas and Easter. More information can be found at KingsContrivanceCommunityAssociation.org. In the village of Kings Contrivance, CA owns and maintains 29 tot lots, 17 miles of pathways, three pools, one basketball court (in MacGill’s Common) and 700 acres of open space. Howard County Government owns and maintains Dickinson and Huntington parks located in the village, and nearby also are Gorman Park (Laurel) and Guilford and Savage parks (Savage). Patuxent Branch Trail is the main county trail, running from Lake Elkhorn in the village of Owen Brown through the village of Kings Contrivance, and continues across a historic bridge to Savage Park, near the landmark Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge. The large, mature trees in the wooded area bordering the Middle Patuxent River on the southeast edge of Kings Contrivance provide extensive open space for residents. CA and the village association’s environmental committee are proud to join efforts twice a year to help keep the village clean and beautiful, which makes it one of the many great places in Columbia to live, work and play. Thank you, Brian Dunn
Columbia YouthFit G
Teaches Overall Health for Families, Children By Tripp Laino
etting physically fit can be a challenge, but when the goal is fitness for the whole family the challenge can feel even greater. Columbia YouthFit aims to make that task less challenging, providing information for parents and children about healthier lifestyles — in the kitchen, the gym and beyond. Cappy Hines and her daughter, Abigail, have been YouthFit participants three times, starting after a referral from Abigail’s pediatrician when she was about 12, Cappy said. They were excited about the program as soon as they learned more about it. “We just fell in love,” Cappy said. “It was just perfect — a perfect fit for Abigail as well as our family, and for me.” Shawni Paraska, CA’s director of community health sustainability, oversees YouthFit and helps parents and children navigate the program. Paraska said one of the main goals of the program is to help parents understand how to communicate with their children about health, which can be a challenge. “Often parents are so concerned about their child’s weight that they focus only on that child,” Paraska said. “That one child won’t be able to eat dessert, but the rest of the family will, or that one child is pushed to exercise while the rest of the family watches TV. This approach is rarely effective and
PHOTO BY RICH RIGGINS
Abigail Hines, pictured with her mother, Cappy, called Columbia YouthFit a life changing program, teaching her to eat healthier.
leads to frustration and resentment among family members.” YouthFit’s approach helps solve those problems. Each week, parents and children learn similar nutrition themes and ways to make lifestyle changes. Parents learn through small group activities and discussion and children learn through games and physical activities, Paraska said. The games and activities are in a non-competitive environment, allowing children to enjoy physical activity without concern about
athletic prowess or knowledge of group sports. But it’s more than just physical activity — YouthFit also focuses on nutrition as part of overall health. Cappy said one of the highlights of the program for her was a trip to a grocery store, where participants were shown how to break down the information on the labels. “It was something you could use every day and utilize in your home,” she said. “For me it wasn’t a lot of ‘We have to get rid of this or adjust that.’ It was really not
dieting. Everything is more focused on health.” Abigail Hines said the program has changed her life, helping her focus on a more active, healthy lifestyle. She’s even found a few new favorite foods — zucchini, squash and asparagus — because of the program. Abigail also said she appreciated the support she received in the program from Paraska and other members involved. “Miss Shawni is really nice and supports us, and the stuff we do is really fun,” she said. C A M O N T H LY 3
Summer Fun at CA Camps
It’s never too early to start thinking about summer 2016! CA Camps offer a variety of options for youth and teens. From single-sport offerings like basketball, skating or tennis, to an opportunity to indulge your inner artist at Art Camp, or a mix of activities, like Nature Camp at Wilde Lake (pictured) CA has you covered! For more information about CA Summer Camps, visit ColumbiaCamps.org. PHOTO BY J.M. EDDINS JR.
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Columbia Art Center
School’s Out Series Offers Creative Learning By Tripp Laino
hen school is out of session for a holiday or in-service day, it can be a challenge to find fun activities for students. But Columbia Art Center’s School’s Out series aims to help by providing single-day sessions where students can learn art history and create their own pieces to take home. Monica Herber, daytime and youth program coordinator for Columbia Art Center, said the goal of the School’s Out series is to provide a range of styles and media for budding artists. “We come up with a theme for each session — we try to differentiate the skill sets as much as possible and give students a wide variety of 4 C A M O N T H LY
activities that they wouldn’t necessarily do at home,” Herber said. August’s session, “Teach Us How To Fly,” is for children in first through eighth grades, runs Aug. 17 through 21, and includes papier-mache sculpture, mixed media sculpture, sand paintings, self portraits, and other options. Similar one-day classes will be offered throughout the school year. “The emphasis is on learning something about culture and art history and tying that into the project,” Herber said. Manique Buckmon, a youth program assistant at the Art Center, said the lessons start with an introduction to an artist, including their style of work and how they create, and then introducing children to materials in order to emulate it.
For Teach Us How To Fly’s mixed media bird sculptures, students will learn about Barbara Kobylinska’s bird sculptures before emulating them using water bottles and papier-mache. The birds tie into the “Up, Up and Away” session’s theme of air and space adventures. “That’s connected with how we study birds, how they fly — it’s a way of connecting birds and aviation and flight by studying these particular bird sculptures,” Buckmon said. School’s Out is just one of many programs Columbia Art Center offers for youth and teens to explore their creativity. For more about Columbia Art Center, or to learn about upcoming School’s Out sessions or youth-oriented programming, visit ColumbiaArtCenter.org.
Youth (from page 1)
school year and from 2 to 7pm during the summer. While the YTC is a CA facility located in the Oakland Mills Village Center — in “The Barn” at 5853 Robert Oliver Place — it is open to all of Columbia and Howard County, with an annual registration fee of just $25. Throughout the year, kids from CA’s middle school and teen advisory committees plan for and then put on events such as pool parties, singing competitions, video game contests, basketball skills challenges and other activities. In the summer, a series of trips takes students to amusement parks, beaches, cities and other places to enjoy and relax. There are enrichment programs that give kids exposure to the arts, as well as the “For G.I.R.L.S. (Growing Inspiring Responsible young Ladies for Success) Only” and “Boys To Men” mentoring programs. And there are volunteer opportunities as well, whether it’s helping people at the East Columbia 50+ Center learn how to use iPads and other technological devices, running an annual clothing drive that distributes much-needed, gently-used items to more than 1,000 area families, or assisting with distributing food to elderly residents. “I never thought about how there were people who didn’t have clothes to wear,” said Kevin Baker, a 16-year-old from Kings Contrivance. “That was the first time I saw I was making a difference as a result of my involvement.” Baker is now chairman of CA’s Teen Advisory Committee, which organizes activities and community service projects. “We basically help teens in Columbia feel like there are events for them and a place where they can come and hang out,” he said. Lisa Minney’s family, including her son Enosh, moved to Wilde Lake from New Jersey in 2014 and soon learned about the YTC. Enosh, now 11, has been involved in its programming ever since and is looking forward to the events, particularly those for middle schoolers, once he begins 8th grade this fall. “We didn’t have anything like this where we lived before,” Lisa Minney said. “I love what they’re doing for my son. He’s gone there and has blossomed even more than he had before.” Buckmon noted that the YTC seeks to do more than just sponsor fun activities and events in a safe atmosphere. There’s also a goal of influencing these youth and teens in the years beyond. “We want them to be successful, however they define success,” she said. “Hopefully we steered them in that direction.” For more information, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/YTC or call 410-992-3726.
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CA Guest Policy olumbia Association members are welcome to bring guests with them to use our facilities and participate in group fitness classes (on a space available basis). There are a few things you need to remember when bringing a guest with you: 1. If you plan to redeem a guest pass, please make sure you have electronic passes on your membership prior to your arrival. You can check these through your online account by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org/login. Remember, guest passes once redeemed, cannot be refunded. 2. All guests age 18 or older must provide a drivers license or some form of ID, and sign a copy of our guest waiver which can be found online at ColumbiaAssociation.org/GuestWaiver. 3. If you are planning to take a group fitness class with your guest, plan to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the class. This will give us enough time to greet your guest, have them sign the waiver and check the class roster to verify if there is space in the class to accommodate you and your guest.
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LET CA HOST YOUR NEXT
PARTY! ou don’t need to wait until your birthday to celebrate! CA offers dozens of theme options ranging from sports to superheroes to jewelry making and painting that can be tailored for birthdays, graduations, report card celebrations or any other reason to celebrate! Parties generally include invitations, sheet cake, pizza, juice and activities, as well as set up and clean up! For more information, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/CAParties. C A M O N T H LY 5
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olumbia Association completed fiscal year 2015 $3.7 million above the budgeted increase in net assets. While these results are very favorable, it is entirely attributable to lower than budgeted expenses, of which more than $2.3 million, or 60 percent, is related to staffing issues that are temporary. Total income of nearly $65.6 million was $849,000, or 1.3 percent, under budget for the year, and approximately $2.3 million, or 3.6 percent, higher than FY 14. Total operating expenses of almost $59 million were 7 percent below budget, and $993,000, or 1.7 percent, higher than last year. Highlights from several of CA’s department directors are below.
Communications and Marketing The name of the former Membership Service Center has been changed to Customer and Member Service Center to emphasize that CA serves all residents regardless of whether they are CA members or not. The Communications and Marketing Department held several major events in the fourth quarter of FY15, including open houses for CA Camps, Excite Columbia, the Biggest Winner Success Celebration and Columbia Cleanup Day. The department also had multiple successful media campaigns, including the annual Sister Cities exchange, Dog Day Afternoon and online memberships, among others, in publications including Business Monthly, Chesapeake Home and Living, FOX 45, The Washington Post and Howard Magazine.
2015
COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION RELEASES FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR
Administrative Services FY15 fourth quarter highlights for the Administrative Services Department include the achievement of the Aa1 issuer credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service, an upgrade from the previous rating of Aa2; implementation of a pay card program for team members; design, development and implementation of online membership enrollment; installation and testing of the Inter-County Broadband Network high speed fiber network at the Athletic Club, Supreme Sports Club, Columbia Gym, Haven on the Lake and the Maintenance Facility; implementation of a major upgrade to the membership system; and a reverse auction for supply of electricity resulting in electricity pricing 6 percent lower than the current contract and for 100 percent renewable energy.
Open Space and Facility Services The Open Space and Facility Services Department completed the year $2.7 million under the FY15 budgeted amount for Increase/Decrease in Net Assets. Noteworthy accomplishments during the fourth quarter of FY15 included the opening of the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse in April, beginning
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construction activities associated with the Dorsey Hall Meeting Room Expansion in March, constructing the first two Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant wading pools at Longfellow and Faulkner Ridge and completing ADA renovations to the Hawthorn and River Hill outdoor pool bathhouses. Additionally, the department facilitated four Weed Warrior invasive plant projects that included replacement of invasive species with native vegetation, completed bathymetric surveys associated with the long-term lake management plan and received an Energy Star Partner of the Year award for work in the Columbia community. Sport and Fitness The Sport and Fitness Department completed fiscal year 2015 at $876,000 below budget and $108,000 lower than fiscal year 2014. The shortfall compared to budget and last year is mainly due to the delayed opening of Haven on the Lake as fees income was less than budget and operating supplies and repairs and maintenance were over budget. The outdoor pools, Athletic Club, Columbia Gym, Supreme Sports Club, Ice Rink, and SportsPark all had strong fiscal performances and achieved budget. Department highlights for the fourth quarter of FY15 include the opening of the new Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse for operations, with very positive feedback from golfers, Columbia SportsPark and SkatePark opened for the season with new equipment and a new Learn to Skateboard Program, and preparations for the outdoor pools season were completed for the Memorial Day weekend opening. Community Services The Community Services Department finished FY15 $258,000 better than budget. The positive variance over budget is primarily due to small savings throughout many of the expense lines as well as increased tuition and enrollment income from School Age Services due to increased enrollment. Some program highlights from FY15 include the Youth and Teen Center, participating in the Supper Club Program managed by the Maryland Food Bank, a federally funded program that provides children with a nutritious meal as part of participation in after-school activities, Columbia Archives’ ongoing celebration of the Life and Legacy of Jim Rouse on his centenary through exhibits, lectures, programs and publicity, and signing the formal Sister City Agreement with Tema, Ghana. A nine-person delegation came to Columbia from Tema in November 2014, after visiting Norfolk, its other sister city. Milton Matthews and the Mayor of Tema signed the Sister Cities Agreement on November 11 at an event at Historic Oakland.
Columbia Association Awards Scholarships to Five Students
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or more than 25 years, CA has recognized high school seniors for outstanding service to their community. This year, the Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award, a $2,500 scholarship, was awarded to five graduating high school seniors who have shown extraordinary dedication to performing community service. They are: Athena Kan, from River Hill High School, co-founded the nonprofit CHOICE (Coalition Halting Obesity in Children Everywhere) and also co-organized River Hill’s first health fair. Kan will attend Harvard in the fall. Andrew Liu, from Marriotts Ridge High School, founded the Social Contract Corporation, a nonprofit that recovers leftover food from five stores in Columbia and donates it to local shelters, churches and food distributors. Liu will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. Meena Sengottuvelu, from River Hill High School, co-founded TRUST (Together we Rise Up to Stop Trafficking), an organization that works to raise awareness and holds fundraisers to support existing anti-trafficking initiatives. Sengottuvelu will attend the University of Maryland in the fall. Katherine Swanson, from Hammond High School, has been in the Girl Scouts for more than a decade and offered her assistance to a new Daisy Troop that was forming in Columbia, helping new leaders who had no prior experience with the organization. Swanson will attend Wheeling Jesuit University in the fall. Maria Viera Cuellar, from Long Reach High School, became a Club Leap Tutor through the Foreign born Information and Referral Network, or FIRN, and tutored three fifth-grade ESOL students at Talbott Springs Elementary School. Viera Cuellar will attend the University of Maryland in the fall.
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CA Headquarters .........................................410-715-3000 CA Membership Service Center.................410-730-1801 Aquatics Office ............................................410-312-6332 Columbia Art Center....................................410-730-0075 Columbia Association Camps ....................410-715-3165 Columbia Athletic Club ...............................410-730-6744 Columbia Gym.............................................410-531-0800 Columbia Horse Center...............................301-776-5850 Columbia Ice Rink.......................................410-730-0322 Columbia SportsPark/SkatePark................410-715-3054 Columbia Swim Center...............................410-730-7000 Columbia Youth and Teen Center...............410-992-3726 Fairway Hills Golf Club...............................410-730-1112 Haven on the Lake ......................................410-715-3020 Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club...............................410-730-5980 Inclement Weather Hotline ........................410-715-3154
CA Honors Vivian Bailey
olumbia Association President and CEO Milton W. Matthews presents a citation to long-time Columbia resident Vivian Bailey in recognition of “the extraordinary contributions” she has made to Columbia for 45 years. The Wilde Lake Village Board designated June 22 to be “Vivian Bailey Day.”
CA PHONE NUMBERS
Indoor Tennis, Columbia Athletic Club........410-720-0149 Owen Brown Tennis Bubble........................410-381-7255 The Racquet Club at Hobbit’s Glen ............410-715-3080 School Age Services ...................................410-715-3164 Supreme Sports Club..................................410-381-5355 Wilde Lake Tennis Club .............................410-730-3767
PHOTO BY JEFF FRIEDHOFFER C A M O N T H LY 7
August Community Events Member Appreciation Days at the Outdoor Pools: Family Game Night Wed. Aug 12 • 4-8pm Join us as we celebrate you! Throughout the summer, we will have a series of events at each pool with different themes, events, games, special offerings and more! • MacGill’s Common • 10025 Shaker Drive • For more information, contact CA’s Aquatics Office at 410-312-6332 or visit the Aquatics events calendar at ColumbiaPools.org.
Columbia Solar Cooperative — Free Information Session Wed. Aug 12 • 7pm The Other Barn • 5851 Robert Oliver Place 410-730-4610 • oaklandmills.org Contact Sandy Cederbaum: manager@oaklandmills.org.
Thank You Card-making Workshop
KidSpace Healthy Hero Fun Run/Walk
Fall Flea Market and Scarecrow Making
Tue. Sep 1 • 10am-Noon Make and take home three thank you projects. Advance registration required. Fee is $10 and includes supplies and light refreshments. Kahler Hall • 5440 Old Tucker Row 410-730-0770 • Contact Susan Coghlan: events@harperschoice.org.
Sat. Sep 5 • 8-11am Free admission for ages 13 and under; $10 for ages 14 and up • A stroller-friendly, 1.5-mile race ends with giveaways, face painting, balloons, music, nutritious snacks and beverages (while supplies last). Children are encouraged to dress up as their favorite hero. Register by Sat. Aug 15, and receive one child-sized T-shirt (late registrations will not receive shirts). The first 60 people to register will also receive a free day pass to Haven on the Lake Mind Body wellness retreat • Downtown Columbia Lakefront Register by calling or visiting any KidSpace location. ColumbiaAssociation.org/Kidspace.
Sat. Sep 12 • 9am-Noon Free Scarecrow making; bring old clothes and two pairs of pantyhose. Flea Market spaces available: one space for $10, two spaces for $15. Preference given to KC residents. Amherst House parking lot 7251 Eden Brook Drive • 410-381-9600 Visit kcevents@columbiavillages.org.
e omo! h t d a sitthing to t ’ n Do th no wi
Labor Day Aqua Fitness Class Mon. Sep 7 • 10:30am-12pm Drop in for a free end-of-summer aqua fitness class! Stevens Forest Pool 6061 Stevens Forest Road Group.Fitness@ ColumbiaAssociation.org.
Friday Night Live Fri. Aug 28 • 7-10pm For Columbia and Howard County Middle and High School youth — Don’t sit at home with nothing to do! The free evening features special activities, basketball, pool, tournaments, contests, door prizes, DJ and more! Must be a registered YTC participant. The Barn, Oakland Mills Village Center 5853 Robert Oliver Place 410 992-3726 • Safire.Windley@ ColumbiaAssociation.org.
Jazz in the Mills Presents Kristine Key Sun. Aug 30 • 5-7:30pm $15 in advance or $20 at the door • The Other Barn 5851 Robert Oliver Place 410-730-4610 • Contact Sandy Cederbaum: manager@oaklandmills.org.
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Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events to learn more about great events happening in Columbia!
3rd Annual River Hill Health Fair Sat. Sep 12 • 11am-2pm Free • Health screenings (BMI, blood pressure, vision, dental, bone density), demonstrations, kids games/activities and door prizes. Claret Hall • 6020 Daybreak Circle, Clarksville • 410-531-1749 • Contact Jennifer Lynott: newsletter@ villageofriverhill.org.
Rainbow Theatre: “Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall” with Pam Kindersinger and Rascal Sat. Sep 12 • 10am 10400 Cross Fox Lane • 410-730-3987 Tickets $5 • Contact Carol Hobelmann: events@ wildelake.org.
Dorsey’s Search Village 35th Birthday Celebration Sat. Sep 19 • 10am-2pm Come celebrate Dorsey’s Search’s 35th birthday with a free rain-or-shine event featuring food, entertainment, giveaways, face painting and more! Linden Hall, Dorsey Search Village Center 410-730-4005
Wilde Lake “Natural Rhythms” Paintings by Kay Sandler and Photographs by Roderick Barr Opening Reception, Sun. Sep 20 • 3-5pm Fri. Sep 11- Sat. Oct 24 The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House 10400 Cross Fox Lane • 410-730-3987 Contact Carole Black: Gallery Director gallery@wildelake.org.