Kentlands Foundation Update
July 2022 KCF Article
Summer is Heating Up and so is the Kentlands Community Foundation
THE KENTLANDS/LAKELANDS 5K is the highlight of every Labor Day weekend in the Kentlands and Lakelands. This year the race will be held on Saturday, September 3, with the start sounding off at 8 am. It is not too early to sign up for the race. Unsure of your plans? We have you covered – you can sign up as late as the morning of the race. Out of town? No problem – we are continuing to offer the virtual race option again this year. As a virtual racer, your 5K happens wherever you are—at the beach, visiting friends, or anywhere in the world. Runners receive a one-of-a-kind race shirt and once again, it will be a great technical shirt with a custom design.
Each year artists from age 5 to 11 are asked to provide their design ideas for the kids’ shirt and the design competition for the KIDS’ FUN RUN shirt is almost over. The winning artist is announced at the end of July and will receive a $35 gift card at the runners’ award ceremony. Each young participant receives this fun cotton shirt. Submission rules can be found at kentlands.org.
Volunteers are the heart of our 5K– more than 260 volunteers are required to have a safe, fun race. If you are new to the Kentlands and Lakelands or a long-time resident, volunteering to help on race day is a great way to get out and greet and meet your neighbors. Erin Cristy, our volunteer coordinator, and Bret Esders, our volunteer dinner coordinator, both decided to volunteer for the 5K when they first moved into the neighborhood. Erin shared that it has been a rewarding experience for her and she has been helping for several years now. Because each task is broken down into many smaller tasks, no volunteer role feels overwhelming. Other benefits of volunteering include a volunteer shirt and an invitation to the volunteer dinner, always a fun night with camaraderie, food and wine, plus prizes for volunteers. For the last 27 years, volunteers have answered the call and staffed the race. This year will be no different.
As a charitable race, each year we turn to our local businesses to help sponsor the race. If you would like to find out more about sponsorship opportunities for the race and other Foundation programs, visit our website and click on “sponsorship” or email kentlands@kentlands.org. We have so many opportunities to help.
The KENTLANDS FILM SOCIETY has opened its subscriptions for next year’s film series. Beginning in the Fall, the Film Society will show five films at 7 pm at the Kentlands Arts Barn. A subscription is $50. For information on the films for the 2022-2023 season and a link to subscribe, please visit the Film Society page on our website.
Join the VILLAGE for an informative discussion with Joe and Sue Palka. One of the first residents of the Kentlands, the Palka’s share their extraordinary experiences in broadcasting. “Joe & Sue Palka: Unplugged” will be held on Tuesday, July 12 at 3 pm at the Kentlands Manor.
During the summer, keep a look out for ARTISTS ON MARKET popping up around Gaithersburg. While their storefront in Crown is closed for the summer, the artists are busy appearing at area events and are creating wonderful new art pieces in their studios. Items for sale appear on our website. We expect the Artists’ storefront to be open again in the Fall.
Looking ahead, mark your calendar for MUSICA VIVA KENTLANDS on September 17. Join the Musica Viva Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Simeone Tartaglione on the Kentlands Clubhouse lawn in the early evening. Plan for a wonderful musical evening under the stars.
We also wanted to let you know that the Board of the Foundation will be meeting in July to update our strategic plan. Our programming is growing and changing and we want to take a look at our short and long-term goals and our operations. Do you have ideas you would like to share? Please be sure to share them with us at kentlands@kentlands.org.
To keep up with the latest of all the events follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out the new contact forms on our website. Let us know what you are interested in finding out about and get added to our mailing list.