Training Classes for Volunteer Museum Guides -- Homewood House Museum is offering a five-week training course for anyone interested in becoming a Homewood museum guide.

Training sessions will cover the history of Homewood House and the Carroll family, the history of Baltimore in the early 19th century and the furnishings and decorative arts popular in the 1800s. Learning diverse ways of presenting history will be part of the course.

In addition to giving tours, Homewood's volunteer guides also have the opportunity to join study trips to other historic homes and participate in special events at the museum.

Training sessions run from Oct. 5 through Nov. 2, Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon. Those interested in learning more about volunteer guide training opportunities at the Homewood House Museum should call 410-516-5589.

English as a Second Language Classes -- The International Society of JHMI will hold registration for its English as a Second Language classes for the fall semester.

Classes are held at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and stress conversational skills, grammar, writing and familiarity with American culture. Classes will take place at Homewood and in East Baltimore at various times.

Registration will take place on Sept. 11, 12 and 13, from 9 to 11 a.m. in 3 Reed Hall, 1620 McElderry St. Registration is in-person only. Classes cost $45 for a two-hour class per week, beginning the week of Sept. 25 and continuing through Dec. 16.

Seeking University Employees Involved with United Way -- Are you currently volunteering or receiving services at a United Way agency, or know someone at Hopkins who is? If so, would you be willing to share some of this information with your colleagues so that many can better understand the importance of the United Way in our Central Maryland community?

Local agencies such as Meals on Wheels, The Family Tree and Big Brothers, Big Sisters are just three of the praiseworthy examples of your campaign contributions at work. To participate, contact Judy Peregoff at 410-516-6060 or jperegoff@jhu.edu.

Runners Wanted -- This year's Maryland Race for the Cure is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Inner Harbor's Rash Field, and organizers of the Johns Hopkins team are hoping once again to have the largest number of participants.

Monies raised from the race, which is sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, provide free mammogram screening for underserved women, patient education, clinical research and survivorship programs for women in Maryland.

To join the Hopkins team, contact Lillie Shockney at 410-614-2853 by Sept. 10.

Hopkins Night at Camden Yards -- Join friends and colleagues for an evening of fun at the ballpark as the Orioles take on the Seattle Mariners, Sept. 15, 16 and 17. A limited number of tickets are available.

To reserve tickets, call Eden Blum at 410-516-6060.

Fall Fitness Classes -- The Department of Occupational Health Services, in conjunction with the Office of Benefits Administration, is offering the following fall classes for JHU faculty and staff.

Yoga will be offered on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings beginning Sept. 12. The cost is $25 and $45. Muscle conditioning and toning will be offered on the Homewood campus on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:15 to 1 p.m. beginning Sept. 19. The cost is $20 and $40. Seated massages will be offered on both the Homewood and East Baltimore campuses. A 15-minute seated massage will be given by a certified massage therapist for a reasonable fee.

Occupational Health Services is also offering a "Weight Watchers at Work" class for Hopkins faculty and staff on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. on the Homewood campus. The class will begin Sept. 27. An informational meeting will be held Wed., Sept. 20. Cost for the 10-week session is $80.

For more information, call Occupational Health Services at 410-516-0450.

Hazard Communication Training -- The Office of Health, Safety and Environment offers training programs to educate Hopkins personnel about maintaining safe work environments. Two programs are offered on a routine basis on the Homewood campus.

Hazard communication training helps employees find information associated with any material in their workplace. The training is required by federal and state law for all employees on a onetime basis. Employees hired in 1998, 1999 and 2000 received the training if they attended new employee orientation. All other employees should attend one of the hazard communication training sessions, scheduled to take place on the second Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. in the Arellano Theater in Levering Union.

JHU employees who handle or are exposed to materials containing blood or body fluids as part of their normally assigned duties must attend a bloodborne pathogen training session once a year. This training is also mandated by federal and state law and Johns Hopkins University policy. The training is offered on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in Arellano Theater in Levering Union.

The following are scheduled dates for the hazard communication and bloodborne pathogen safety training programs: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, and in 2001, Jan. 10, Feb. 14, March 14, April 11 and May 9.

For more information, call the Office of Health, Safety and Environment at 410-516-8798.