Deadline is Nearing for Spring Sports
Rockville offers spring sports leagues for youth and adults. Registration is open now.

Rockville offers youth sports programs for T-Ball, Baseball: Co-Rec Coach Pitch, Girls Softball, Track and Field and Middle School Basketball. You can register through Rockville’s online recreation registration system, Rock Enroll, at www.rockvillemd.gov/receration and click on Rock Enroll. If you need assistance with pin numbers call 240-314-8620.

Registrations are also accepted at most Rockville facilities.

Rockville also offers adult sports leagues. So now is your chance to grab some friends, form a team and sign up to participate in Men’s Softball or Basketball, or Co-Ed Softball.

To learn more about the leagues, programs or coaching, call 240-314-8620 or email sports@rockvillemd.gov.

Take a Photo to Celebrate Earth Day
To celebrate Earth Day, Rockville will host its fourth annual environmental photo contest. Winners in three categories will be announced on Earth Day, and winning photos will be displayed at VisArts in Rockville Town Square.

Photographers of all ages are invited to submit photos that highlight the beauty and importance of nature in Rockville. Submit your photos, taken in the city limits of Rockville, which capture what it is you value about Rockville’s environment.

Up to three photos may be emailed to Heather Gewandter at hgewandter@rockvillemd.gov or saved to a CD and mailed or dropped off to Environmental Management Division, 30 Courthouse Square, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850, Attn. Photo Contest.

The deadline for submissions is March 26.

Include with your photos, your name, age, location where the photo was taken and a short description to accompany and explain the photo.

For guidelines and official rules, go to www.rockville md.gov/environment.

The Rockville Environment Commission is accepting nominations for Environmental Excellence Awards in four categories:

• Carl Henn Outstanding Individual Environmental Achievement Award: Recognizes the achievements of an individual who undertakes a project or an ongoing effort to improve the environment, address a specific environmental problem or increase public understanding of or participation in environmental issues.
• Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Practices Award: Recognizes businesses, groups or organizations that successfully undertake a project or other initiative to produce significant,
  measurable environmental benefits in Rockville.
• Outstanding Achievement in Green Building Technology/Design Award: Recognizes the design,
  construction or substantial renovation of a building in Rockville that provides significant environmental
  benefits.
• Outstanding Environmental Education and Academic Achievement Award: Recognizes outstanding
  efforts by a student or teacher, either residing in Rockville or attending a Rockville school.

Rockville Park Neighborhood Recognized Historic
National Park Service Named Subdivision to National Register

The Rockville Park subdivision was named to a coveted place on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service Dec. 31, 2011.

The City’s Historic District Commission on Feb. 17, recommended a National Register listing based on Rockville Park’s significance as a late-19th century suburban development close to public transit that showcases architectural styles from Victorian to mid-20 century.

“The neighborhood is a wonderful example of how Rockville and other suburban Washington, DC communities
grew in the late 1800s,” said Robin Ziek, historic preservation planner. “The different architectural styles, proximity to the railroad, open landscape, and grid of streets and alleys are typical of early middle class suburbs.”

The Mayor and Council, the State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. National Park Service all considered and endorsed the Historic District Commission’s recommendation.

Residential properties in Rockville Park may be eligible for a state tax credit of 20 percent for property maintenance.

For more information contact Robin Ziek at rziek@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8236.

Community Supports Rockville Neighbors in Need

Thanks to the generous volunteer efforts and donations of more than 300 individuals and businesses, $27,000 was raised to help over 1,000 residents during the 2011 holiday season.

For more than 40 years the Rockville Holiday Drive, which is operated through the City’s Community Services Division, has been helping families in need, thanks to the generosity of the Rockville community.

At Thanksgiving, the contributions and hard work of 120 volunteers enabled the City to distribute Thanksgiving food baskets to 566 Rockville households and treat 96 Rockville seniors to a Thanksgiving dinner.

In addition to individual volunteers, nonprofit organizations and businesses served as partners for the distribution of Thanksgiving baskets. They are Cas & Associates, Inc., St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Montrose Baptist Church and Rockville Church of Christ.

During the holiday season, six Rockville schools conducted major food and toy drives. Those schools are Robert Frost Middle School, Christ Episcopal School, Maryvale Elementary School, Richard Montgomery High School, St. Mary’s School and the Franklin Schools. Robert Frost Middle School held its annual Turkey Trot and donated the proceeds, which totaled $920.

As a result of so many generous donations, 284 teens received a $15 gift card to a local retailer and 188 seniors and households without children received a gift card to a local grocery store during the December holidays. In addition to cash and gift card donations, 955 children received toys in December from the City’s Toy Shop.

The Family Sponsorship Program, also operated through the Rockville Community Services Division, matched 53 Rockville families with sponsors who provided food and gifts tailored to each family’s specific needs.The Rockville Community Services Division is located in Rockville Town Center at 30 Courthouse Square, Suite 100. The hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.