J. Adam Fenster/The Gazette

Go to www.northpotomacnews.org to catch up on upcoming events and find the status of ongoing projects such as improvements to Quince Orchard Road.

"Davis Lee, our Web master, worked hard on improving the site," said Jonathon Putnam, association president.

That hard work paid off. The site is easy to navigate and provides helpful links to everything from the association's newsletters to the Montgomery County homepage.

The association holds board meetings, open to the public, the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the media center at Travilah Elementary School, 13801 Dufief Mill Road.

Tune into Wootton radio show

Radio is not dead, at least not among a group of radio enthusiasts at Thomas S. Wootton High School.

On Thursday, a show called "Globehead Radio" produced by the school's Radio Broadcasting Club can be heard at 6:30 p.m. via the Internet at www.globehead.org.

"It's an hour-long show modeled on similar programs on NPR [National Public Radio]," said Adam Susser, 16, of Potomac. "We call it an audio magazine."

Susser and about 10 other students produced the show but only five will be heard on Thursday's episode called "The Lowdown on the Download."

The show explores music downloading and features interviews with two groups with differing views on the subject: the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which considers the practice a basic right, and the Recording Industry Association of America, which considers it piracy.

"This is our first show but we hope to produce at least one a month," Susser said.

Congressman lauds

Bullis students

Ellie Prince and Samantha Havas, The Bullis School juniors that organized a fund-raising campaign for tsunami victims in India, received a Congressional recognition award on Feb. 22 from U. S. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington.

As reported in the Jan. 12 edition of the Gazette, Prince, 16, and Havas, 17, led their school community in an effort to raise money to buy boats and nets for Indian fishing villages. They collected more than $80,000 to aid the devastated villages.

Our congrats to ...

*Vinayak Sathyamoorthy, of Rockville, for making the dean's list this fall at the College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ill.

*Jodie Gittleson, of Rockville, was named to the Jewish Sport Review 2004 All-America College Soccer Team. Gittleson, a junior at Frostburg State College, is a midfielder on the school's Bobcats soccer team. This year, the Bobcats won the AMCC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. She is the daughter of Debbie and Garry Gittleson, of Rockville.

A book signing with all the comforts of home

The recent publication of "Black Horse Cavalry Defend Our Beloved Country" will be celebrated at a book signing from 4-6 p.m. on March 13 at the Potomac home of Patrick Lacefield and Dinah Leventhal.

The book by Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Lewis M. Helm tells how the Black Horse Troop of the 4th Virginia Cavalry, which served as Gen. Stonewall Jackson's scouts and bodyguards, saved his life and then scouted for and led his famous march to the second Battle of Manassas. After Jackson was mortally wounded in battle, the unit refused to surrender to the North and instead marched to North Carolina to join Gen. Joe Johnston.

Call 301-983-0987 or e-mail dinah@erols.com for more details about the event. The book costs $40 and all proceeds of the first edition are being donated by Helm to the Fauquier Historical Society of Warrenton, Va., home of the Black Horse.

The book also can be purchased at www.hakenson.net.

Volunteers needed

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is seeking senior volunteers for computer database entry and light marketing research at its Rockville offices. Training will be provided and benefits include a comfortable, casual office environment with flexible hours and loads of camaraderie. For more information, call Eytan Gess at 301- 348-7308 or e-mail eytan.gess@shalomdc.org.

The Jewish Federation is a community-building organization that raises and allocates funds to care for those in need, deepens engagement in Jewish life, and strengthens the bonds among Jews locally, in Israel, and throughout the world.

Tasting Europe

Rockville's Sister City Corporation will hold its 13th annual Wine Tasting Social, featuring the white wines of Southern Europe, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday at Glenview Mansion at Rockville Civic Center Park. Theo's Restaurant will provide appetizers. The Sister City Corporation works to promote cultural, educational and social connections to Rockville's sister city of Pinneberg, Germany. Cost is $25. For more information, call 240-314-5029.

High school sets dates for annual mulch sale

Thomas S. Wootton High School's annual mulch sale will be April 8 and 9. A 3-cubic-foot bag is $3.85. Orders must be made two weeks in advance to mulch@yahoo.com or by calling Becky Canter, 301-762-1844.

Har Shalom seeks founding fathers (and mothers)

As Congregation Har Shalom prepares for its 40th anniversary celebration in March, it's looking for a few special people credited with getting the synagogue going in 1965. At that time, members met in private homes and local schools. About 50 founding members - many of whom have since left the area - acquired a farmhouse at 11510 Falls Road in1969 and a couple of years later, began construction of new synagogue. Most of those original members know about the special celebration planned for mid-March, including a concert, dinner and photo exhibit of the history of Har Shalom. And on March 12, founding members will be honored during a special Sabbath Morning Service. But several founding members have still not been reached and the congregation is hoping someone in the community may be able to provide contact information. The three "missing" members are Nathan Schnall and Gladys and Don Winston.

If anyone can help, call Har Shalom at 301-299-7087.

Kick it around at Maryland SoccerPlex

With spring on its way, The Maryland SoccerPlex/Discovery Sports Center in Germantown is busy planning spring and summer sessions and camps for fans of soccer, basketball and kickball. Call 301-528-1480 for more information or go to www.mdsoccerplex.org.

The Gazette wants you to remember that this column is for you. Send press releases, news tips and other information to Peggy Vaughn by phone to 301-280-3007, by e-mail at pvaughn@gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 1200 Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.