Do you love live music? If so, you’ll love the free Summer LakefrontFestival concerts. Live bands will perform at the DowntownColumbia Lakefront every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturdayand Sunday from now until August 19. Info: LakefrontFestival.com

Check out free movies every Monday andFriday from now until August, and then onFridays and Saturdays through September 15at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. Themovies will include The Hunger Games, andCaptain America. Info: LakefrontFestival.com

The Columbia Association (CA) will be hostingseveral summer camps for teens, includingCamp Discovery, Learn2Tri Camp, TeenAdventures, and Modeling and Fashion Camp. Info: ColumbiaCamps.org

Whether you’re interested in calligraphy, ceramics, painting orphotography, the Columbia Art Center can help you get in touch

with your inner artist with classes, seminars and outings this summer. Info: ColumbiaArtCenter.org

Each village in Columbia hosts activities for kids, families and matureadults every month, including game nights, luncheons and pool

parties for residents. See what’s happening inyour village this month on page 8.

Summer is swimsuit season. Lucky for you,CA offers plenty of fitness classes to makesweating fun. All three CA fitness facilitiesoffer classes every day. There’s Zumba®, aquafitness, yoga, Tae Bo® and more. Info: ColumbiaAssociation.org, click on “Get Fit”

Nothing says summertime like hanging bythe pool. Visit one of CA’s 23 outdoor poolsfor a splashing good time in the sun.

Info: ColumbiaPools.org or @Columbia_Pools on Twitter

Stay up-to-date on the events happening around Columbia that aresponsored by CA by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events orfollowing @Columbia_Events on Twitter.

MonthlyA PUBLICATION OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATIONCAJULY 2012

C A M O N T H LY 1

Learn more about summer events atColumbiaAssociation.org/Events.

THIS MONTH ON CA’sTELEVISION SHOW

Facebook.com/CA.ColumbiaAssociation

Issuu.com/CA-ColumbiaAssociation

Twitter.com/Columbia_Events

YouTube.com/CATVchannel

Connectwith CA!It’s easier than ever to find us.

2 Why I Serve: AnInterview With CA BoardChairwoman Shari Zaret

3 New Hobbit’s Glen GolfClub Clubhouse To Be Built

8 Be a Part of YourCommunity Events

By Aria White

Once the summer comes, you probably look forward to taking time to have fun.

There are so many fun things happening, it can be hard to decide what to do.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the awesomest things to do in Columbia this summer.

Experience the

CA!WithSummer

On July’s TV show, learn all

about how the Columbia

Association takes care of

trees in Columbia. The

video focuses on CA’s

management, restoration

and enhancement of trees

in the area.

Watch Columbia Matters

online anytime at

ColumbiaMatters.org and

YouTube.com/CATVchannel.

mazing concertsA

xciting pool timeE

ild movie nightsW

pecial art classesS

ver-the-top village funO

xciting teen funE

ore fitnessM

2 C A M O N T H LY

Shari Zaret, who represents Kings Contrivance on the Columbia Association (CA) Board ofDirectors, was elected this May to serve as the board’s new chairwoman. A Columbiaresident for 25 years, Zaret, 61, is a writer and an organizational development consultant

who served on her village board for three years before joining the CA board about three years ago.

Why I Serve:An Interview With CA BoardChairwoman Shari Zaret By David Greisman

CA Board Chairwoman Shari Zaret

CA Pools MakeColumbia, Columbia!Learn how your CA annual charge makes a splash at WHYIPAYCA.ORG.

What led to your move from the villageboard to the CA board of directors?

“I think there were some important questions comingup before the board. Columbia now is sort of reachingthat middle-age point and our CA representative wouldoften bring the issues and questions to our village board.I saw that there were larger issues coming up that weregoing to affect all of the villages.”

How and why should other Columbiaresidents get involved?

“First of all, we have enormous talent in thiscommunity. I’ve just been so impressed with thebreadth of expertise that people have here. To be ableto maximize that, to be able to use that in thecommunity would just be fantastic. The way our villagesare designed, they’re really designed for input. That'sone of the things the board has really been movingtoward, to find multiple ways of communicating withpeople and hearing from people about what theirconcerns are.”

What motivates you to serve, both forColumbia Association and as a whole?

“I think it’s a question of giving back to thecommunity. I had always been active in communitieswherever I lived, but I think Columbia was very specialin the sense that there was so much here — there was somuch here for the family, so much here in terms of howthe community was a community of activists, really. Ithink I tapped into that as one of the values that sort ofmatched my own values.”

What issues are important to you right now,and also important to Columbia?

“What we do with the aging infrastructure. I havesome background in strategic planning in working withorganizations. I felt that I’d be able to contribute interms of long-range planning and in terms of having acomprehensive view of what needed to be done. I thinkit's really important to maintain the array of amenitiesthat we have. CA offers something across thegenerations, and I think that has made for anextraordinary way of life.”

C A M O N T H LY 3

By Kathy Huver

By Aria White

CA Gets AnimatedWith New Comic Book!

he Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club soon will have a first-class clubhouse to go with its first-class golf course! The Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors recently approved$5.85 million to go toward the complete rebuilding of the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club

Clubhouse and an additional $250,000 to build a new turn house.According to Acting Chief Operating Officer and CA Vice President Rob Goldman, the

CA Board’s decision to approve the new building is part of its ongoing effort to continue

to maintain and improve all of CA’s facilities to meet the needs of the community.

H. Chambers Company (the architectural engineering and design firm hired by CA,working alongside the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse Redevelopment Work Team) hascompleted the initial design, and engineers are working to hammer out the details. Phase 2 ofthe rebuilding process, which includes design development and the permit application process,is expected to take place between now and September. The last phase, construction, is expectedto take between 10 to 12 months and is projected to wrap up by the fall of 2014.

For those curious about the finished product, large banners featuring the new design will

be displayed in the CA Membership Service Center, as well as Fairway Hills and Hobbit’s

Glen Golf Clubs. Learn more about the project at ColumbiaAssociation.org/HobbitsGlen.

As I’m sure many of you know, the Columbia Association (CA) does a lot

for the community. And yes, you could visit the CA web site to get to

know the services, programs and facilities that CA provides. But now you

can also read a fun comic book to get some of the same

information! If you’re a kid, or just a kid at heart, you can

check out the new comic from CA, Welcome to

Columbia: Getting to Know the Columbia Association.

The comic book features information about CA’s main

facilities, programs and services that are available to

residents in Columbia. Read along as the comic’s

main characters travel through Columbia learning

about CA and the quality-of-life amenities that it

offers.

Visit bit.ly/cacomic to read Welcome to Columbia: Getting to Know the

Columbia Association and be on the lookout for the next comic, featuring

information on summer fun in Columbia.

A round this time of the year, residents in Columbia who live on ColumbiaAssociation (CA)-assessed property receive their assessments bill in the

mail. And it’s at this time of the year that some might be wondering whattheir annual charge dollars are used for.

One of the ways CA uses the annual charge is to provide and maintain morethan 3,600 acres of open space. During the summer, the openspace that CA provides can be especially enjoyable forresidents looking to get outside to have fun, stay fit andtravel the community. The three man-made lakes inColumbia (Wilde Lake, Lake Kittamaqundi and LakeElkhorn) are all maintained by CA, in addition to 41 ponds,167 tot lots and 93.5 miles of pathways. CA also takes care ofparks and basketball and tennis courts in the community for the enjoymentof residents. And all of these amenities and more are made possible, in part,through the annual charge collected from CA residents.

You can learn more about the ways CA uses the money brought in by theannual charge by visiting WhyIPayCA.org.

NewHobbit’sGlenGolf ClubClubhouseTo Be Built

LAKEFRONT

festivalSUMMER

2012

Enjoy nightly outdoor concerts and moviesat the Downtown Columbia Lakefront with the

annual Summer Lakefront Festival. Find a schedule of events at LakefrontFestival.com.

DowntownColumbiaLakefront

Open Space for All, Thanksto the CA Annual Charge

4 C A M O N T H LY

moneymatters

Everything you need to know about the finances of CA are here for your review!*

Columbia Association’s

4thQuarter

REPORTS

Administrative ServicesColumbia Association (CA) finishedFY12 with an increase in net assets ofnearly $6.9 million. Total income of$62.6 million was slightly underbudget for FY12, and 3.8 percenthigher than FY11. Total operating expenses were almost 7.1 percentbelow budget, with a favorable variance of $4.3 million, due todelays in capital spending and lowerthan budgeted short-term interest rates.

CommunityServicesThe Community Services Divisionfinished $140,000 better thanbudget. Total expenses were less than budget but more than last year,mainly associated with morepersonnel for School Age Services,additional entertainment costs associated withfestivals and events and an increase in the village assessment share.

CommunityBuilding/SustainabilityThe Community Building and Sustainability Service Bureau (CBS)completed this second year of operationwith a positive variance from thebudget of $80,000 in total operatingexpenses and an increase in net assetsof $92,000. CBS includes the functionsand divisions of Landscape Services,Capital Improvements, CommunityPlanning and Watershed Management.

For further explanation of individual variances, please refer to the FY12 Fourth Quarter Board Report, available at CA Headquarters, 10221 Wincopin Circle, Columbia MD 21044, or online at ColumbiaAssociation.org (click on “Budget”).

Open SpaceManagementThe Open Space Management Divisioncompleted the year better than thebudget in total operating expenses by$2,215,000 and with a decrease in netassets of $11,736,000. This representsa favorable variance of $2,904,000. Allof the departments in the division hadtotal operating expenses less than thebudget through the year.

Sales and MarketingSales of new and renewal Package Planmemberships were up 655 membershipsover the same time last year and 156memberships less than budget. Throughthe fourth quarter of FY12, 6,122 freeColumbia Cards have been issued. Direct mail, e-mail marketing and printadvertising campaigns are expected tocontinue to bring in new members.

Sport and FitnessThe division completed the year 10.5 percent ahead of budget and 3.7 percent lower than FY11. Seven of the Sport and Fitness facilities exceeded budget. They include: Columbia Swim Center, outdoor pools, Columbia Athletic Club, Columbia Gym, Supreme Sports Club, Columbia Ice Rink, ColumbiaSportsPark/SkatePark.

*

!

C A M O N T H LY 5

where the money is used$69,351,000

* Total Capital Expenditures of $9,164,000 have been increased by $2,699 due to certain unallocated non-cash adjustments.

* The most recent financial statements and independent audit report are located at ColumbiaAssociation.org.This data representation is not in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

MORE INFORMATIONcan be found regarding Columbia Associationand the issues on the horizonin Fiscal Year 2013 by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Borrowings$6,117,000 - 8.8%

Commercial Annual Charge$11,693,000 - 16.9%Interest and Others

$426,000 - 0.6%

Community Services Programs$3,982,000 - 5.7%

Residential Annual Charge$21,716,000 - 31.3%

Columbia Association FY 2013 Approved BudgetSummary of Funds, Expenditures and Annual Borrowings

where the money comes from$69,351,000

Sport and Fitness Income$25,417,000 - 36.7%

Capital Expenditures *$11,863,000 - 17.1%

Community Services Programs$6,168,000 - 8.9%

Village Community Associations$4,366,000 - 6.3%

Contingencies/Other$1,909,000 - 2.8%

Sport and Fitness Programs and Facilities

$24,654,000 - 35.5%

Open Space Management$11,150,000 - 16.1%

Administrative Services$1,951,000 - 2.8%

Debt Repayment$6,293,000 - 9.1%

Board of Directors$997,000 - 1.4%

Go to WhyIPayCA.org!

The average Columbia residenthousehold pays an annual charge ofjust $0.64 a day, per person. Thisgives all of us open space, lakes,bridges, pathways, village communitycenters, tot lots and concerts; reducesthe cost for camps, pools, gyms, golfand tennis; helps support projects suchas Symphony Woods Park developmentand improved pathway connectivityaround Columbia; village center masterplanning; watershed protection andrestoration; and more. We invite you to go to WhyIPayCA.orgto learn more about where your annualcharge goes. The more you know, themore we think you’ll feel good knowinghow much you get for your money.

Are you wondering why you pay an annual charge?

Everything you need to know about the finances of CA are here for your review!*

!VideosWorth Watching!Learn about CA’s budgets for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014 at budget1314.blogspot.com. The Behind the Budget blog features CAPresident Phil Nelson’s BudgetPlanning Element document and shortvideos written and produced by CAteam members. The site offersperspective, reason and logic behindwhy CA directs funds where it does.You can also view the videos on CA’sYouTube channel, YouTube.com/CATVchannel.

6 C A M O N T H LY

The Columbia Association(CA) is not only dedicatedto helping Columbiansstay fit; it’s also com mit tedto keeping its employeeshealthy and happy. In 2010and 2011, CA won bronzeHealthy Workplace Awards

from Healthy Howard for continuing efforts to improve the healthand wellness of CA team members.

Healthy Workplaces is an accreditation program recognizingHoward County businesses that are dedicated to improvingemployee health and well-being. There are three levels ofaccreditation in recognition of overall commitment to workplacewellness: bronze, silver and gold. All businesses with employeesin Howard County are eligible to apply, and there are many waysto qualify, so workplaces of all sizes and business models areeligible. As an added bonus, certified workplaces are eligible toreceive a monetary Innovation Award to help further theirwellness efforts.

Nominations are now open for the 2012 Healthy WorkplaceAwards. To learn more about Healthy Workplaces and how toapply, visit HealthyHowardMD.org.

HealthyWorkplaces

AwardsCA AnnouncesSix Winnersof The Maggie J. BrownSpirit of ColumbiaScholarship Award

CA Awards $246,000in Grants in FY 2012 By Kelly Cooper

The Columbia Association (CA) has been

rewarding outstanding high school seniors

for their dedication to community service for more than 20 years. Earlier this

year, CA awarded the Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award,

a $2,500 scholarship, to six high school seniors who have shown extraordinary

dedication to performing community service.

This year’s winners were Garrett Breeden, from McDonogh School; Raynna

Nkwanyuo, from Glenelg High School; Timothy Sylvester, from Mount Saint

Joseph High School; Jennifer Warner, from River Hill High School; Hope Williams,

from Long Reach High School; and Audrey Zahlis, from Hammond High School.

CA awarded $246,000 in FY12 (May 2011-April 2012) tohelp meet important community needs throughpartnerships with nonprofit organizations.

CA has developed strong partnerships with organizationsthat provide popular events serving the wholecommunity. CA is a major supporter of theColumbia Festival of the Arts and contributed$95,000 in 2011. CA also supported theannual 4th of July Celebration, organized bythe Howard County Department of Recreationand Parks, with a $6,500 grant. In addition tofinancial support, CA also provides the venueand significant in-kind support for both events.

Through a proactive grant process, CA is ableto use its funds to form strategic alliances withorganizations that benefit the social welfare of

Columbia’s residents. The Columbia Foundation wasgranted $75,000 in support of its mission to inspire lifelonggiving and connect people, places and organizations toworthy causes across Howard County. A $15,000 grant to

the Howard County EconomicDevelopment Authority will support itsgoals to market Columbia to businesses.Neighbor Ride was granted $6,000 toaid in its efforts to provide supplementaltransportation for seniors. And $30,000was granted to the Howard CountyDepartment of Citizen Services’ Officeon Aging to provide home repair andmodifications to lower-income residents.

Projects that may seem small oftenmake a big impact. In FY12, CA gave

$1,000 to help fund the Bicycling Advocates of HowardCounty’s project to supply 50 bike helmets to students at theCradlerock Elementary School in support of their “Bike toSchool Day.”

CA also awarded, through its Maggie J. Brown Spirit ofColumbia Scholarship program, six $2,500 scholarships toHoward County seniors who exhibited exceptional efforts inproviding community service to Columbia area residents. (Seethe article on this page to learn more about the scholarshipprogram.)

Lastly, in honor of the passing of Patty Rouse, wife ofColumbia founder James Rouse, CA contributed $2,500 to thePatty Rouse Fund at the Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.

Nonprofits interested in applying for a grant should contactCA Director of Community Services Michelle Miller at 410-715-3170.

The Columbia Association (CA) works to enhance the quality of life for people who live, workand play in Columbia through its many facilities, programs and services. While the majorityof CA’s charitable community contributions come in the form of in-kind services, CA does

occasionally provide grants to support other organizations. Through the City-Wide Grants Program,

Projectsthat may

seem small,often make

a bigimpact

C A M O N T H LY 7

Columbia LakeDredging Continues

The dredging of Columbia’s three lakes continues with the anticipatedcompletion of the last project, Lake Elkhorn, by early November.

Contractor JND Thomas was expected to finish work on Wilde Lake in late June. Asof June 2, workers had removed approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sediment whileworking seven days a week, 13 hours a day. Workers made every effort to stay onschedule and did so withoutissues with the neighborsand without significantlyaffecting the wildlife in andaround the lake.

Preliminary work onthe Lake Elkhorn projectbegan near the end ofJune with preparation ofhundreds of feet of piping,which is scheduled toremove around 40,000cubic yards of sediment.JND Thomas is using thesame process at Elkhornas it used at Wilde Lake.Sediment will be dredged from the lake and piped to a staging area where debris,including trash and vegetation, is removed. At the next stage sand is removed, andat the final stage silt is removed. Remaining water is clarified and returned to thelake. The total cost of the projects is more than $10 million.

Dredging improves the overall health of Columbia’s lakes. CA’s efforts atwatershed improvement will assist in keeping the lakes healthy and will stabilizethe amount of sediment and debris that collects in them. For periodic updates onCA’s dredging efforts, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Dredging.

IN MAY, TWO COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION (CA) TEAM MEMBERS RECEIVEDRecognition of Superior Effort (ROSE) awards. Sundus Saleh and Karen Hinton were

honored at the annual ROSE dinner/awards ceremony, sponsored by the Maryland School-

Age Child Care Alliance. The ROSE awards offer an opportunity to show outstanding

employees how much their service is valued. Nominees were recommended by

supervisors, co-workers and parents.

Saleh has been a CA team member since 2007 and is a licensed teacher through the

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). She currently works for CA’s School

Age Services at the Running Brook Elementary Before and After School Care program.

Hinton, also a licensed teacher with MSDE, has been working with CA since 2009. She

works with CA’s School Age Services at the Swansfield Elementary Before and After

School Care program.

For more information on CA’s School Age Services, please visithttp://bit.ly/SchoolAgeServices.

CA Staff Honored with Recognition of Superior Effort Awards

CA Awards $246,000in Grants in FY 2012 By Suzanne Zolnick

NATIONAL

DAY

Celebrate National Dance Day

Sat, July 28 12-1pmSupreme Sports Club

Help supportthe Coalition fora Healthy Maryland:Celebrate NationalDance Daywith a specialZumba® class!Call 410-381-5355for moreinformation.

July Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events to learn about more great events happening in Columbia!

8 C A M O N T H LY

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Hickory Ridge VillageBoard MeetingMon, July 16 • 7:30pm • TheHawthorn Center • 410-730-7327.

Introduction to China Painting

Wed, July 18 • 6:30-9pm Columbia Art CenterPre-registration required

410-730-0075.

50+ BBQ and BingoThu, July 19 • 11:30am-1pm

Owen Brown Community Center410-381-0202.

Family Pool Party for Town Center and Wilde LakeThu, July 19 • 6-8pm Bryant Woods Pool410-730-4744.

50+ LunchThu, July 19 (register by Wed,

July 11) • 11:30am • Amherst House410-381-9600.

Owen Brown ResidentArchitectural CommitteeMeeting

Wed, July 25 • 7:30pmOwen Brown Community Center410-381-0202.

Girls’ Night Out: Artful BookmarksFri, July 27 • 6:30-8:30pm Columbia Art Center • Preregistrationrequired • 410-730-0075.

National Dance DaySat, July 28 • 12-1pm • SupremeSports Club • 410-381-5355.

Oakland Mills Pool PartyTue, July 31 • 6:30-8:30pmThe Other Barn • 410-730-4610.

Save the Date: NationalNight Out/Pool PartyTue, Aug 7 • 6-9pm • Dasher GreenPool • 410-381-0202.

Have a question or comment? E-mail

CAmonthly@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Summer LakefrontFestivalNow through Sat, Sep 15 • NightlyDowntown Columbia Lakefront410-715-3161 orLakefrontFestival.com.

Oakland Mills Farmer’s MarketSun through Nov 189am-1pm • Oakland Mills Village Center410-730-4610.

Independence DayParadeWed, July 4 • 9amGreat Star Drive in River Hill410-531-1749.

FREE FamilyGame NightsThu, July 5, 12, 19 and 267pm • Kahler Hall410-730-0770.

Sunset Music in theParkTue, July 10 • 7-8:30pm Vantage Point Road Park410-730-4744.

CA Board MeetingThu, July 12 • 7:30pm • CAHeadquarters • For updated datesand times, please visitColumbiaAssociation.org.

Courtyard Concerts: The MudbugsThu, July 12 • 6-8pm • Dorsey’sSearch Village Courtyard410-427-4485.

Zumba® Under the StarsSun, July 15 (rain date: Sun, July22) • 7-8:30pm • Swansfield Mini-WaterPark • 410-730-6744.

Long Reach Pool PartiesMon, July 16 and Tues, July 17Tickets required • Long Reachresidents only • 410-730-8113.