The Columbia Association (CA) plays a large role in the economy,both directly and indirectly, with its employees (up to 1,600 of themat the seasonal peak) spending their money locally and statewide.Columbia has become an attractive place to learn, live, work, play andage — in large part because of what CA began to create more than 45years ago and has continued to sustain and improve ever since.

That’s according to Howard S. Kohn, president of TheChesapeake Group Inc., whichrecently completed a CA-commissioned study of CA’seconomic impact.

CA employees residing inColumbia have an annualeconomic impact of nearly $9.7million, Kohn said. Thoseresiding in Howard County,including Columbia, have animpact of more than $15.5million. And those residingoutside of the county have animpact of more than $13.6million, for a total impactstatewide of more than $29million.

CA also affects property values, Kohn said, noting that hecompared home values in Columbia to those in other locations inHoward County — places that also have quality schools and astrategic location.

Being in Columbia, he determined, adds a minimum of 3.9percent more to the average sale price of a home, or about $12,340.Based on the average sale price in 2011 of more than $316,000, the

minimum impact CA has onhousing values in total inColumbia is more than $328.5million.

There’s another $664million impact on commercialproperties, Kohn said, and$47.5 million on industrialproperty.

“You are a very big business,and you have a tremendousimpact as a result of that,” hesaid. “If you weren’tintrinsically linked toColumbia and said you wantedto move…you’d be gettingoffers all over the place.”

MonthlyA PUBLICATION OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATIONCAAUG 2012

CA MON TH LY 1

Learn more about CA atColumbiaAssociation.org.

THIS MONTH ON CA’sTELEVISION SHOW

Facebook.com/CA.ColumbiaAssociation

Issuu.com/CA-ColumbiaAssociation

Twitter.com/Columbia_Events

YouTube.com/CATVchannel

ConnectwithCA!It’s easier than ever to find us.

2 Why I Serve: An InterviewWith Village Board MemberKecia Rome

3 Paddle Boats Are Backat Lake Kittamaqundi

8 Be a Part of YourCommunity Events

By David Greisman

When it comes to defining just what makes Columbia — and, by extension, Howard

County — such a good place to live, it’s not just the camps, gyms and lakes, plus the

pathways, ponds, pools and programs. It’s also the thriving economy.

TheEconomic Impact of

On August’s TV show, learn

about CA’s Before and After

School Care programs, get

information about the

Columbia Community

Exchange, learn more about

CA’s Community Health and

Sustainability Division and

get details about preventing

heat-related illnesses.

Watch Columbia Matters

online anytime at

ColumbiaMatters.org and

YouTube.com/CATVchannel.

ColumbiaAssociation

2 CA MON TH LY

Kecia Rome had been a Columbia resident for less than a year when she joined the OwenBrown Village Board in 2010. Rome, 32, is now the vice chairwoman and is entering her third

year on the board. She and her husband, Roger Rome Jr., have a son and a daughter.

Why I Serve:

An Interview WithOwen Brown VillageBoard Member Kecia Rome

Learn about Columbia Associationwith CA At A Glance

By David Greisman

As I’m sure many of you know, it’s assessments

time in Columbia. Each year, when property

owners receive their Columbia Association (CA)

assessment invoice, we also include some

information about the Columbia Association and

what people get for their investment when they

pay that annual charge.

This year, we’ve changed things up a bit and

created a new publication called CA At A Glance.This 12-page document includes information about

CA, our accomplishments during the past fiscal

year, our plans for the upcoming year, CA’s budget,

the Columbia village community associations, the

CA annual charge and more. In addition to this

piece being mailed to all property owners on CA-

assessed land, we’ll also have copies of CA At AGlance available in the Membership Service Center,at the village community association buildings and

online (issuu.com/ca-columbiaassociation/docs/

ataglance-fy13).

Get more information about the Columbia

Association annual charge at WhyIPayCA.org.

You had barely arrived in Columbia when you joined the Owen Brown

Village Board. What motivated you to serve?

“I’ve always been interested in serving. I worked in Columbia; I met my husband in

Columbia, and he was raised in Owen Brown, two streets from where we live now. I’ve

always had a sense of what Columbia does and what made Columbia

so great. I had an inside scoop of how Columbia functioned, so once

we moved here, I was equipped to jump in.”

What do you get out of being on the village board?

“Where much is given, much is required. People have always given

back and dedicated themselves to their community to make it better

and better and better. It’s fulfilling to be the advocate for residents

and really be engaged and have a sense of pride in caring about

where you live and making it better. We just celebrated 45 years of

Columbia. I think it’s our duty to make the next 45 years as good,

if not better, than the previous 45 years. You can only do that if you

serve, if you volunteer and just are actively engaged.”

What issues do you feel are important for Owen Brown?

“What’s dear to my heart is Lake Elkhorn. I think it’s a beautiful place to go. It has a sense

of community; it just fosters that inclusion you so often need. You know the people on your

street, but how often do you meet different people from Owen Brown or Columbia and just

find out who they are? I think we need to get through the dredging

process so we can get more people back there. I’d like to see that

project come to fruition, and I believe it will in the near future.”

And what issues are important to Columbia?

“I think it’s good for us to look at all ages and all stages of people’s

lives and make sure we have something targeted for them. I think we

do a great job with youth, infants, teenagers and seniors. We need to

keep that the focus. It’s important, because everyone has needs,

wants and desires. I think it’s good to address what we can in order

to make Columbia a great place to live, work and play. Everybody has

a voice, and we need to hear that voice and listen and react as

appropriate, because they’re members of the community.”Owen Brown Village BoardMember Kecia Rome

CA MON TH LY 3

By Mark Scott

By Anita Baxter

The aroma of funnel cakes filled the evening air atthe lakefront celebration of Columbia’s 45thbirthday in June. And if that wasn’t enough to

attract people to the lakefront celebration, there wasanother alluring attraction: paddle boats! They’re back,and with plenty of time for their use during the manygorgeous summer nights at Lake Kittamaqundi.

Take a visit to the booth across from Clyde’s andyou’ll discover that just $15 gets you a sparkle-bluepaddle boat for a half hour. These traditional paddleboats seat up to four people — two pedalers and tworiders. Once the supplied life vest is on, you can get thevoyage under way. The front two passengers can pedalwhile the two in the back do the really hard job ofworking the smartphones to get some happy pictures,post ‘em and capture another happy memory! Lakefront paddle boats can be rented during the

following times:• Monday-Friday from 4-8:30 p.m.• Saturday and Sunday from noon-8:30 p.m.

One person per boat must be at least 18 years old, andall paddle boat riders must be at least a year old. Planan evening out on the lake while summer’s still here!Call 301-370-5105 for more information.

Paddle Boats Are Backat Lake Kittamaqundi

DíadelaFamiliaSaturday, September 29 •3-6pm •Columbia SportsPark • FREE!

Come celebrate HispanicHeritage Month at this year’sDia de la Familia event. The event will feature Latinmusic, salsa dancing, Zumba®,food, games, crafts, a moonbounce, mini golf,batting cages and more!

Call 410-715-3162for more information.

Last month was unbelievably hot here in Maryland, and temperatures pushed the triple digits onmore than one occasion. This is a time when having access to a cool, crisp and clean swimming poolis most welcome. Part of the fee that Columbia residents pay annually enables them to receive discounted admissionand membership to the 23 Columbia Association (CA) outdoor pools.This is just one of the many ways that the CA annual charge is used to benefit Columbia and its residents. The

assessment fee that property owners on CA-assessed land pay each year was part of the initial planning ofColumbia. The goal was for Columbia to be a self-sustaining city; maintaining the community centers, walking andbiking pathways, open spaces and ecological beauty of Columbia.For more information on the Columbia Association annual charge, visit WhyIPayCA.org. You can also watch an

informational video on the annual charge at bit.ly/caannualcharge.

CA Annual Charge KeepingColumbia Cool by the Pool

4 CA MON TH LY

funndkoi sf

4 CA MON TH LY

CA MON TH LY 5

nStay connected with KidSpace at Facebook.com/CA.KidSpace!

• 10,000 children participate in KidSpace each month.• KidSpace classes include Zumba®, Recess & Results®, Mommy and Me, ballet, hip hop, boot camp and more.• The average cost for a child to attend KidSpace for two hours a day, seven days a week is 29 cents an hour.• “Magic Shows” is the most popular party at Columbia Gym.• Kids can also cook their own birthday cake with a Columbia Athletic Club cooking party.• Supreme Sports Club has an iDance machine and each evening scores of preteens are dancing in the court.• Toddlers love the GerstungTM climbing equipment and Supreme Sports Club’s rock climbing wall is a favoriteof the preteens.

• Supreme Sports Club’s KidSpace has an annual Ladies Nite. Last year’s event featured 25 vendors, 200 women, food and wine.

KidSpace!

• CA’s School Age Services (SAS) are offered at 19 elementary schools, 3 middle schools• 800 children in the SAS AM Program (7-9AM)• 1,200 children in the SAS PM Program (3-6PM)• 2,000 snacks served every day at SAS Programs

there’s lots of ways for kids tohave funatColumbiaAssociation!F About School Age Services• Program provides kids with Zumba®, Recess & Results®

and art classes taught by Columbia Art Center staff.

• Middle school children in the program have 4-H and weekly trips to the Youth & Teen Center @ The Barn.

• All programs are licensed and all staff are individually licensed.

• Kids in the program enjoy daily arts and craft projects, such as puppets and holiday decorations.

• During November, “Litter to Glitter” Month, kids turnrecycled materials into craft projects (e.g. piggy banks, pillows, handbags) that are sold and the money is donated to the local charity FISH of Howard County, Inc., which provides emergency food and financial support to Howard County residents in need. More than $2,000 was donated in 2011.

• The spring project,“10 Cents for the Environment,”raised enough money to adopt a giraffe at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.

• The Cat in the Hat visited the programs in April for Dr. Seuss Day.

Learn more about SchoolAgeServices at bit.ly/SchoolAgeServices.

School’s Out Programs• 200 SAS children are taken on field trips on days when schools are closed. • Activities have included laser tag, museums, boat trips (ride the ducks), Port Discovery, Maryland Science Center and the Robinson Nature Center.

• 60 children participate in School’s Out days at the three KidSpace programs at CA fitness facilities.• As part of the programs, kids enjoy swimming, bowling and skating.

funfacts

goodthingsknow

✿rs

to

fyi

CA MON TH LY 5

THAT’S R IGHT, THE RUMORS ARE TRUE—

“Columbia Matters” has done it again! The Columbia

Association’s (CA) monthly television program has won two

bronze Telly Awards in this year’s competition. Telly Awards are the highest

awards honoring the best in film and video productions; web commercials;

and local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs. The two

bronze awards were for the May 2011 episode in the “Information”

category and the September 2011 episode in the “Entertainment”

category. This makes a lifetime total of 15 awards for “Columbia Matters.”

Fourteen of those awards were received under

the direction of producer Mary Weeks.

As a lifelong resident of Columbia,

Weeks has one main goal: to let Columbia

residents know how wonderful Columbia

and the entire Howard County region are,

as well as show what CA has to offer to the

community, through the “Columbia

Matters” program.

“The show is a team effort. I get a tremendous amount of support from

CA team members throughout the organization,” Weeks says. “I work with

extremely talented people. The production crew, Digital Cave Media, is

very professional and creative. The show hosts are just as passionate about

the community as I am. I would like to give a special thanks to the original

show producer, Garret Tache, and the first host, Barbara Kellner, director

of the Columbia Archives, for setting up a solid foundation for the show.”

“Columbia Matters” is a 30-minute show that plays on

ColumbiaMatters.org, on CA’s YouTube channel (YouTube.com/

CATVChannel), on local public access channels through Comcast and

Verizon cable providers and at all three of CA’s fitness facilities.

“Columbia Matters” is a service CA offers to residents,” Weeks states.

“Columbia is a special place, and I am proud to work for an organization whose

mission is to enhance the quality of life for people living or working in the area.”6 CA MON TH LY

ColumbiaMattersWinsAgain!By Erin McPhail

The 31stAnnual

WINNER

BikeAb ut Downtown Columbia Lakefront

Registration: ColumbiaArchives.org,or 410-715-6781.

Enjoy a self-paced ride on Columbia’s pathways andstreets as you learn more about Columbia’s history.

Saturday, September 15,9:30-10:30am (staggered start)

August 18

NIGHT!

Presented by Columbia Association’s KidSpace!FREE EVENT • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Send your kids back-to-school in style!Join Columbia Association’s KidSpace for a free, fun-filled event for the whole family. Refreshments will be available forpurchase. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CA.KidSpace for moredetails. Columbia Athletic Club • 5435 Beaverkill Rd • Columbia, 21044 • 410-730-6744

Saturday,AUGUST18•4:30-6:30PM

Columbia Athletic Clubjust forkidsactivities include:moonbounceface paintingKidSpace activitiesvariety of vendors with family-oriented items and more!

CA MON TH LY 7

CA Strives to Be Inclusive:A Closer Look at CA’s Income-Qualified Programs

The Columbia Association (CA) is committed to ensuring accessto services and facilities that meet the diverse needs of

individuals and groups in the community. In fact, CA offers income-qualified programs that are available to Columbia residents tohelp them obtain access to CA facilities and programs. Check outCA’s programs below.• Income-Qualified Discounts: Reduced rates for facilitymemberships and program fees for School Age Services and campsare available for residents who live or work full-time on CA-assessedproperty and whose household income is within the ColumbiaAssociation’s income guidelines.• Earn-A-Membership Program: The Earn-A-Membership programprovides the opportunity for residents to earn a membership byvolunteering at CA and CA-managed facilities. There are two existing

programs: one for adults/families and one for teens ages 14-18.• Operation Homefront Heroes: A free Package Plan membership isawarded to the dependents of CA residents who are currently deployedin support of combat missions as designated on official orders andwhose dependents (spouse and/or children under the age of 23)remain in Columbia.• Emergency Assistance: Assistance is provided to a resident orfamily that resides on CA-assessed property that is faced with adisastrous circumstance and/ or a financial situation that does notpermit full payment for Columbia Association child care programsand/or facility memberships.For more information about CA’s income-qualified programs, visit

ColumbiaAssociation.org/income-qualified or contact theCommunity Services Department at 410-715-3161.

Announcingthe New

CA Today Blog

By Keithan Samuels

By Aria White

Enjoy theEnd of Summerat the Lakefront

connect with Columbia residents and CA facilityusers. CA Today will inform the community aboutthe news, programs, initiatives, activities andservices provided by the Columbia Association.And blog posts will not only include CA news, butalso occasionally touch on Columbia-wide newsand news about Columbia’s villages.

Please check out CA’s new blog atColumbiaAssociation.org/CAToday.

Shadows, True Grit and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. All movies start at dusk,

around 8:30pm, at the Lake Kittamaqundi lakefront in Downtown Columbia.

Learn more about the Summer Lakefront Festival at

LakefrontFestival.com.

The annual Summer Lakefront Festival is continuing this month with movies

and concerts every evening at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront.

Concerts will be held at the lakefront on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays,

Thursdays and Saturdays through August 19. Movies will be shown every

Monday and Friday through August 24 and then on Fridays and Saturdays

from August 25-September 15.

Some of the movies being featured this month include The Artist,

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of

Most of you are well aware that the ColumbiaAssociation (CA) is super busy with its

facilities, programs and services that it provides toColumbia residents. But have you ever wondered ifthere was a way to stay more connected andinformed about the goings on at CA? CA is proud toannounce the launch of its new blog, CA Today,your connection to the Columbia Association.

The blog was created by CA to communicate and

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

8 CA MON TH LY

COMMUNITY EVENTS

KidSpace Back to School NightSat, August 18 • 4:30-6:30pmColumbia Athletic Club410-730-6744 orFacebook.com/CA.KidSpace.

Movie NightSat, August 18 • 6-9pmColumbia Gym’s KidSpace410-531-8984.

Final Summer LakefrontFestival Concert: Old Man BrownSun, August 19 • 6:30-8:30pmDowntown Columbia LakefrontLakefrontFestival.com.

FREE Trivia NightFri, August 24 • 7-9pm • HistoricOakland Manor • 410-730-4744 orTCVillage@ColumbiaVillages.org.

Girls’ Night Out: ChinaPlate Pendants andEarrings with Tara BellFri, August 24 • 6:30-8:30pmColumbia Art Center410-730-0075 orArt.Staff@ColumbiaAssociation.com.

Martha Cargo Concert:Crazy EightsSun, August 26 • 5-7pm • TheOther Barn • 410-730-1129 orOMCommunityOrganizer@ColumbiaVillages.org.

Save the Date:BikeAboutSat, September 15 • 9:30am Downtown Columbia Lakefront 410-715-6781 orColumbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Save the Date: Reptile WondersSun, September 23 • 3pmOwen Brown Community Center410-381-0202 orOBEvents@ColumbiaVillages.org.

������������������������������������������������������������ �

Summer LakefrontFestivalNow through Sat, September 15Nightly • Downtown ColumbiaLakefront • 410-715-3161 orLakefrontFestival.com.

Movie NightSat, August 4 • 6-9pmSupreme Sports Club’sKidSpace410-381-7559.

National Night OutCelebrationTue, August 7 • 6pmThe Village Plaza in Harper’s Choice410-730-0770 orHCEvents@ColumbiaVillages.org.

International Book Club:“Cutting for Stone” byAbraham VergheseWed, August 8 • 7:30-9pmCA HeadquartersColumbiaAssociation.org/SisterCities.

CA Board MeetingThu, August 9 • 7:30-11pmCA HeadquartersFor updated dates and times, pleasevisit ColumbiaAssociation.org

Child and Parent and/orGrandparent TeaSat, August 11 • 12-1:30pm Historic Oakland Manor410-730-4744 orTCVillage@ColumbiaVillages.org.

Movie NightSat, August 11 • 6-9pm • ColumbiaAthletic Club’s KidSpace410-730-6755.

Fashion Sewing Class(For Ages 13-17) withMattie HayesMon, August 13-Fri, August 179:30am-12:30pmColumbia Art Center410-730-0075 or Art.Staff@ColumbiaAssociation.com.