Events

The Circus Will “Zing Zang Zoom”
Into Town This March

13^th Annual Children’s Premiere Night
With Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Benefiting the NIH Children’s Charities

This very special show is back again!!! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® and the NIH/NOAA R&W invites Children of All Ages to join the Ringling Bros. team in the ALL-NEW, ALL-LIVE 139^th Edition of The Greatest Show on Earth! This year, through the mystery of magic and mastery of skill, audiences will be spellbound by Zing Zang Zoom a thrill-filled, mind-blowing circus spectacular where family fun is no illusion. Zingmaster Alex and his assistant, the alluring Levitytia, lead audiences through a kaleidoscope of color and imagery revealing worlds of fantasy, flight and phenomena that celebrates the uplifting spirit of the circus while warding off a cynical Mr. Gravity and his team of “heavies’ who try to bring everyone down. Be mesmerized when a four-ton elephant disappears before your eyes, and a gravity-inducing nemesis transforms into a ferocious tiger. Stand in awe as two formidable, female human cannonballs are blasted through the air in a daring display of bravery. Become electrified as the dangerous double wheel of steel, the gasp-inducing high wire and soaring gigantic swings, defy both gravity and logic. Fun-filled magic merges with traditional circus arts to create a world of infinite possibilities where apprentice illusionists levitate their parents with a wave of a wand, and audience spirits keep rising as this high flying circus is (literally) turned upside down. Watch in amazement as a herd Asian elephants, Bengal tigers and Arabian and Friesian horses join forces with human performers to create an experience that will surprise and delight Children of All Ages, render us speechless and remind us that the magic of The Greatest Show on Earth lives forever in our hearts and imaginations.

Your escape from the everyday begins one hour before show time when you make your way to the arena floor. The FREE All-Access Pre-Show allows families to interact with the stars, mingle with an amazing group of acrobats, aerialists, animals, clowns, jugglers and more. You can even step into a circus closet and slip on a costume. There’s so much the Pre-Show has to offer and the show hasn’t even started! So grab your cotton candy and be prepared to be whisked away into a whirlwind of action and adventure. Join us for the 13^th Annual Children’s Premiere Night hosted by the NIH R&W, benefiting the NIH Charities on Wednesday, March 17^th at 7pm with the FREE (pre-show at 6pm). You won’t hear about this on the radio or television because this night is only for special invitees from the NIH R&W…and you and your friends and family are invited!! This event is a fundraiser for the NIH Charities and is a wonderful opportunity for the R&W to provide a magical evening to many special needs children in the local metro area. Over the years, with your help, we have treated over 25,000 deserving children to the circus. The NIH R&W has a goal to fill the entire Verizon Center with friends and family, so we need your help. Pass the word along to all your friends and family and have them join you for this special evening. Tickets are on sale at the R&W Activities Desk in Bldg. 31 Rm. B1W30 or call 301-496-4600. Orders can be placed for tickets at any R&W store. Tickets available include Circus Celebrity - front row/interactive seating where you become part of the show (reg. $115), Front Row (reg. $75), VIP (reg. $52), 100 Level (reg. $35), and 200 Level (reg. $30). Discounted ticket prices will be announced via the R&W ListServ and will be listed in the February R&W Newsletter later this month. Don’t delay…we have the best seats in the house for this special R&W hosted evening, but they won’t last long! We’ll see you at the circus!

1^st Annual RecGov Fair
Discounts, Discounts, Discounts!!!

On May 13^th the R&W will be hosting the 1^st Annual RecGov Fair. Over thirty vendors will be participating, and offering great discounts and special offers to NIH employees. Check out discounts on cell phone services, vacation packages, corporate housing, home services, and more. Chick-Fil-A will be on hand for lunch, and the R&W will also be holding a door prize raffle for all attendees. So come enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, amazing discounts and tons of fun!

R&W Leisure & Travel Expo - April 29^th

Spring is here, summer is right around the corner, and you’ve got vacation time coming up but you don’t know how you want to spend it or where. Come to the R&W Leisure & Travel Expo and get information about local and regional destinations. Vendors will include hotels, car rentals, visitor bureaus, dinner cruise lines, amusement parks, whitewater rafting vendors, mountain resorts and more. This event is FREE and you will be able to register to win a variety of prizes including trips and other great travel items. This year the expo will be taking place on the Bldg. 31 patio on Wednesday, April 29^th from 10am – 2pm, so plan on stopping by. We hope to see you there!

Haiti Relief Fundraiser

The NIH/NOAA R&W has teamed up with several NIH research fellows, some of whom lost friends and relatives in the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12^th to host a special Haiti Relief fundraiser on March 12^th and 13^th. Join us on Friday, March 12^th for “Bar Night” from 6-9pm at BlackFinn Restaurant (4901 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda) for drink and appetizer specials. On Saturday, March 13^th Hard Times Café (4922 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda) will be hosting “Dinner and Auctions” from 4-11pm with drink and food specials; 15% of proceeds go toward relief funds. Auctions items will include baseball tickets, gift baskets, yoga kits and more! Also a Relief Raffle will take place on March 13^thduring Hard Times Cafe event. Tickets can be bought at the events ($5 per ticket, 3 for $10). Prizes include trips to Bear Creek Mountain Resort, movie tickets, gift certificates and more! All proceeds will go directly to Mercy Corps, a humanitarian foundation listed on the White House and State Department websites, assisting survivors on the ground. For more info contact Hayley at 301-496-4600. We’d appreciate your support!

NIH Philharmonia Orchestra Concert

The NIH Philharmonia Orchestra will present its third concert of the season on March 6^th at 7:30pm at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church (917 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD). The concert “Let’s Order American” includes Goldman – “On the Mall,” Copland – “An Outdoor Overture,” Barber – “Capricorn Concerto,” Morgulas – “Sydney the Sea Squid” (world premiere), and Sousa – “Liberty Bell.” Tickets are FREE. For further information visit the orchestra’s website www.NIHPhil.org. Look for more information about their upcoming spring concert “It’s for the Birds.”

1^st Annual Paddies Day - Penguin Plunge

On March 17^th the NIH Charities will be partnering with Ri Ra Irish Pub and Restaurant for the 1^st Annual Paddies Day Penguin Plunge. The “Big Leap” will take place at 7am at our launch point into the Potomac River. Registration is $50 per person, and all proceeds benefit the NIH Charities: The Children’s Inn at NIH, Friends of the Clinical Center, and Special Love/Camp Fantastic. All participants are strongly encouraged to find friends and family to sponsor your leap, and to help you exceed your minimum registration fee. Remember, all funds go to support the great work of the NIH Charities! Please join us on March 4^th from 5pm to 9pm at Ri Ra Bethesda or Ri Ra Clarendon, to kick-off our event. You will be able to register that evening. For more info contact Simon Hewson at simonhewson@rira.com. Slainte!

R&W Spring Bazaar and Home and Garden Show May 5^th - 10am - 3pm - Bldg. 31 Patio

Get ready to shop! The R&W will be hosting a Spring Bazaar and Home and Garden Show on Wednesday, May 5^th on the patio of Bldg. 31 from 10am-3pm Crafters will be selling a variety of handmade crafts such as jewelry, handbags, hand blown crystals, scarves, clothes and much more. This event is perfect timing for your Mother’s Day shopping. At the Garden Show make sure to pick up some fresh plants, gardening materials and other items. Mark your calendar now and plan on attending this popular show. All your favorite vendors will be at one location. It’s a one stop shopping spree!

Books Are Fun Book Fair
South Lobby of Bldg. 10 & Bldg 31

Books Are Fun will be holding a book fair in the South lobby on the first floor of Bldg. 10 from Wednesday, March 3^rd – Friday, March 5^th. Books Are Fun will also be holding a book fair in the South lobby on the first floor of Bldg. 31 on Thurs., May 6^th and Fri., May 7^th. Come to the Book Fair and shop in the convenience of your workplace. Save up to 70% off retail prices on an incredible selection of books for all interests and ages and fine gift items. Many items will be themed towards Black History Month and will feature African American books (biographies, novels, etc.), and gifts. You can also choose from a large selection of sports, educational and children’s books. The book fair will take place daily from 9am – 2pm.

Hair Today, Change Tomorrow
Buzzing For Change

Students from George Washington University will host their fifth annual head-shaving marathon to benefit Special Love, an NIH related charity for children with cancer. Buzzing for Change is a one-day student-run charity extravaganza at colleges and universities around the country. Participants shave their heads for money (pledges you collect), buzz their head for free (supporting the cause), or just cut off enough (8” or more) to donate to Locks of Love. Not sure about the hair cut…you can always volunteer. Money raised from the event will be given to Special Love to help support children living with cancer. So if you are looking to get a hair cut why not head over to GWU and see what the buzz is all about!

When: Sunday, April 18, 2010
Where: Kogan Plaza (H St. between 21^st and 22^nd)
Time: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Buzz your head! Cut your hair! Make a difference!

There will be Haircuts, Entertainment, Free Pizza, and More! For more information about Buzzing for Change visit www.buzzing4change.org.

Food Drive

Did you know that 1 in 4 Montgomery County residents are at risk of hunger? Good nutrition is essential to good health, so when people experience hunger, they are at greater risk for poor health outcomes. To help fight hunger in our community, your support is requested. In honor of National Nutrition Month, the NIH Recreation & Welfare Association and Eurest Dining Services will be collecting food to benefit Manna Food Center in Montgomery County. Collection boxes will be available March 1^st through March 19^th at all R&W store locations and fitness centers and cafeterias in Bldg. 31 and Bldg. 10, B1 Level. Donations of pasta, rice, beans, soup, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, tuna fish and other canned meat/fish, canned pasta, macaroni and cheese, baby food, cereal, and oatmeal are highly encouraged.

NIH Charities 5K Race

This race, sponsored by the R&W and the NIH Health’s Angels, will take place on Wednesday, April 14^th at 11am. More info can be found in the April R&W Newsletter, by calling the R&W office at 301-496-6061 or by emailing David Kosub at kosubd@mail.nih.gov.

Focus on You Wellness Lecture Series
March 10^th – Fishers Lane

The Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of Amenities and Transportation Services, and the NIH R&W Fitness Center are proud to announce the continuation of our new interactive wellness initiative, "Focus on You: Promoting Employee Health and Well-being at NIH." On Wednesday, March 10^th from 1pm - 2pm, the NIH Wellness Series comes to 5635 Fishers Lane, Conference Room T 508 with an interactive lecture entitled Optimal Health: Self-Esteem, Physical Activity & Nutrition, presented by Ms. JaWanna Henry, NIH R&W Fitness Center. The NIH is committed to promoting and protecting the health of our employees as we work to further the NIH mission of extending healthy life and reducing the burden of disease and disability for people around the world. For future topics and lecture locations, please go to http://dats.ors.od.nih.gov/wellness/lecture.htm or contact Chris Gaines at 301-451-3631.

Sign Language Interpreters will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact Chris Gaines, Division of Amenities and Transportation Services, ORS at 301-451-3631 and/or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).

R&W Seminar Series

Manage Your Taxes. Use the Opportunities in Current Tax Laws – March 4^th – 12pm-1pm RKL II Rm. 9100, and March 18^th – 12pm-1pm Bldg. 10 Rm. 2C116 - Presented by Brian Thoms, CFP®. During this complimentary seminar, you’ll learn ways to: Manage the amount you pay to the government in taxes, Align tax treatments with your investment objectives, and Find the right balance of before- and after-tax investments for your situation. RSVP to Alicia Burrell at alicia.k.burrell@ampf.com or 240-314-4339.

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow - March 9^th – 12pm-1pm Bldg. 31 Rm. 2 - Did you know that 9 out of 10 women manage their finances alone at some point in their lives? That’s why it’s essential that women be knowledgeable and confident about their personal and family finances. This seminar, presented by First Command Financial Services, is an engaging, informative presentation on personal financial planning that looks into the individual financial situations of four women in different life circumstances and provides participants the opportunity to interactively discuss solutions for each. Topics include: financial challenges women face and the opportunities they enjoy, the three cornerstones of financial management , the importance of having a financial plan to pursue your goals and how thoughtful planning can help enhance quality of life. RSVP to 703-418-9360.

Road To Retirement – March 25^th – 12pm-1pm Bldg. 31 Rm. 2 -Plan for your retirement during these tough economic times. Attend “Road to Retirement,” sponsored by the NIH Federal Credit Union. This complimentary seminar will teach attendees how to develop their own personal retirement goals, implement a retirement income plan and navigate retirement income obstacles. Please RSVP to mcruz@nihfcu.org.

Managing the Risk of an Income Shortfall In Retirement –April 1st – 12pm-1pm RKL II Rm. 9100 -Whatever your vision of retirement, it requires a combination of planning and smart income, investment, and distribution strategies to achieve and sustain it. During this seminar we will discuss three of the critical risks investors face when they begin taking distributions from the savings they have accumulated for retirement. These risks include: longevity risk, inflation or purchasing power risk, sequence of returns risk (risk of early losses at the beginning of retirement). After we define and examine these risks, the second half of the seminar will discuss several strategies to mitigate the risk of a shortfall of income in retirement. The seminar will be given by Jeff Seitz, CRPC®, First Vice President - Investments Matthew Bosley, CFP® Financial Advisor. RSVP to Christine Mantich 301-230-5776 or Christine_Mantich@ml.com.

Why Financial Planning? - April 6^th – 12pm-1pm Bldg. 31 Rm. 2 What’s your net worth? What are your total assets…and liabilities? Not sure? Uncertain of where you stand in the pursuit of financial goals like your retirement and your family’s long-term financial security? Join First Command for “Why Financial Planning?” This presentation will help you discover why financial terms like “assets,” “liabilities,” “net worth” and others need not be confusing. And you can relax in the knowledge that your financial situation need not be worrisome. We’ll explain in simple, non-technical terms: how to evaluate your financial situation, how to identify your priorities for today and tomorrow, and how a financial plan can help you pursue your goals. You’ll walk away more confident in your knowledge and better prepared to identify your priorities and begin planning for your financial future. RSVP to 703-418-9360.

Turning your Savings into a Retirement Paycheck – April 22^nd – 12pm-1pm Bldg. 31 Rm. 2 - Most Americans work over 90,000 hours during their lives so it is important to spend some time on the retirement planning process. This seminar provides a straightforward and graphic approach to explaining retirement plan distribution options, the fundamentals of investing when approaching retirement, and some strategies to help one efficiently turn their retirement savings into a income stream for the rest of their life. The seminar will be given by Jeff Seitz, CRPC ® | First Vice President –Investments and Matthew Bosley, CFP® | Financial Advisor.
RSVP to Christine Mantich Christine_Mantich@ml.com, 301-230-5776.

Sign Language Interpreters will be provided for all seminars on this page. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact Kallie Wasserman 301-496-6061 or wassermankt@mail.nih.gov and/or the Federal Relay 1-800-877-8339 5 days in advance.

Manchester String Quartet
Concerts in Building 10

Please join us for the twentieth seasonal performance of the Manchester String Quartet. The concerts are free and begin at 12:30 pm in the Masur Auditorium, Bldg 10. Future concert dates include:

Monday, March 8
Monday, April 5
Monday, May 10

This series is made possible by The Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES). For reasonable accommodation needs, please contact Sharon Greenwell at 301-496-4713 or email sg115f@nih.gov.