--Tree ID'ing: Identifying and learning more about trees in Patapsco Valley State Park. Fri., Aug. 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $2. Meet at area 600, follow signs. 3001 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville. 410-461-5005.

Classes/Seminars

--Babysitter's Training offered by Red Cross. Sat., Aug. 9, 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m. For youth ages 11-15. $65. First Presbyterian Church, 9325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia. 410-624-2000.

Dance

--Free Studio Concert, presented by Misako Ballet Company. Aug 18, 12:30 p.m. 5485 Harpers Farm Road, Suite 203, Columbia. 410-884-9690.

Fundraisers

--"Family to Family." To benefit the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore. Tue., Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. $10. Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia. 410-655-8361. www.FamilyToFamilyConcerts.org.

Health

--Blood drive Aug. 14, 1-4 p.m., MedStar Health, 5565 Sterrett Place, Columbia. Fifth floor. 410-772-6920.

--Healthy Kids Clinic at the Columbia mall. Aug. 16, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Vision, asthma, height and weight, and scoliosis screenings and other services and programs. Lord and Taylor court, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. 410-740-7601.

Library

--Children's programs. A Story, A Story. Introduce yourself to "Readers' Theatre." Read the story, write the script, and act it out. Participants need to attend all four sessions. Ages 9-11; 50 minutes. Thu., Aug. 7, 1:30 p.m. Registration required. East Columbia Branch Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. 410-313-7700.

--Children's programs. I Didn't Know That! (to Bee Or Not To Bee). Fun and hands-on science with a special theme. Ages 6 & up; 45 minutes. Fri., Aug. 8, 2 p.m. Registration required. Savage Branch Library, 9525 Durness Lane, Laurel. 410-880-5980.

--Children's programs. Eric Carle's Bugs. Learn about "The Very Lonely Firefly" using the literature and art of Eric Carle. Ages 4-6; 45 minutes. Thu., Aug. 7, 10 a.m. Registration required. Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City. 410-313-1950.

Miscellaneous

--Open House for Longfellow Cooperative Nursery. Thu., Aug. 7, 6:30-8 p.m. For ages 2, 3 and 4. 5267 Eliots Oak Road, Columbia. 410-964-2490.

--Back to School Bag Sale Sat., Aug. 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $3 per bag. There will be backpacks, school supplies, shoes and more available also. Poplar Springs United Methodist Church, 915 Watersville Road, Mount Airy. 410-489-7072.

--Author Mona Kirby will read and sign "Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch." Sat., Aug. 9, 11 a.m. Barnes & Noble, 4300 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City. 410-203-9006.

--Book signing for Jeannine Reardon's book "Confidential Communications." Aug. 30, 2-4 p.m. Borders, the Columbia Mall, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. jrreardon@comcast.net.

Music

--Jazz in the Mills: Felicia Carter and the Shook/Russo Young Quartet. Sun., Aug. 10, 5-7 p.m. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Oakland Mills Village Center, 5851 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia. 410-730-4610.

--Jazz under the Stars. Aug. 16, 6-8 p.m. $10; kids under 5 free. Bring your lawn chairs. Mt. Gregory United Methodist Church, 2325 Route 97, Cookesville. 301-467-1647.

Religion

--Meet and greet for the community to meet clergy and congregational leaders from Columbia Jewish Congregation and Columbia Jewish Community School. Aug. 24, 3-5 p.m. Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, Room 100, 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia. 410-730-6044, Ext. 317.

--Vacation Bible School will Beach Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures for pre-school through 6th grade (registration limited to 24); and Call of the Deep: Diving into God's Way of Life for 7th grade through Adult (registration limited to 12). Aug. 18 - 22, 6-8 p.m. at Alberta Gary Memorial United Methodist Church, 9405 Guilford Road, Columbia. www.agmumc.com.

Teens

--The Columbia Association Teen Advisory Committee is hosting a charity walk. Aug. 17, 1-4 p.m. $20 donation will help raise funds for UNICEF. Lake Elkhorn, Columbia. 410-715-5523.

--Freestyle, a teen drop-in program. Thu., Aug. 7, 6-9:30 p.m. $5. Ridgley's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Road, Jessup. 410-313-1693.

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