Bowie Insider Issue #318

💬 QOD, National Wellness Month, Take Our Quick Survey, Support Bowie Students, 90% of Brain Growth Happens by Age 5, History in Your Backyard, Maryland’s Tax‐Free Shopping Ending, Bowie Directory Launching, What We’re Listening To 🎼, Events and Activities 🗓️, 🤣Meme

Author

Bowie Insider
August 14, 2025

In this issue of the Bowie Insider…

💬 Quote of the Day
📰 Bowie Embraces National Wellness Month with a Focus on Mind and Body
📰 Take the Bowie Insider Quick Survey
📰 Support Bowie Students at a Day of Fun and Giving - August 16
📰 90% of Brain Growth Happens by Age 5—Storytime Helps
📰 History in Your Backyard: The Legacy of the Pullman Porter
📰 Maryland’s Tax‑Free Shopping Week Ends August 16
📰 Bowie Directory Coming Soon
📰 What We’re Listening To 🎼 
🗓️ Events and Activities
🤣 Meme of the Day
📍 Having an Event? List it for free
📣 Local Business & Organization Spotlight Apply Here or Nominate one

Quote of the Day

“We may never understand If love just happens or it's planned, We must believe our spirits know somehow.” ~ Anita Baker, Lead Me to Love

Bowie Embraces National Wellness Month with a Focus on Mind and Body

Image Credit: NCCU

August is National Wellness Month—a time to prioritize self-care, build healthy habits, and embrace a balanced lifestyle. For residents of Bowie, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the many local resources that support both mental and physical well-being.

Start with a stroll through one of Bowie’s scenic parks or bike the city’s extensive trails at Allen Pond or Fairwood Park. Join a fitness class at the Bowie Gym or try yoga at a local studio. Fit Body Boot Camp, Gold's Gym, Mayweather Boxing + Fitness and HOTWORX, offer diverse fitness class options like HIIT, boxing, cycling, and more.

For mental wellness, the city offers counseling services, support groups, and meditation workshops through community centers and local organizations.

Whether it’s a morning walk, a new healthy recipe, or simply taking time to unwind, National Wellness Month is a reminder that small daily actions can lead to lasting health and happiness.

Take the Bowie Insider Quick Survey

As a valued reader of the Bowie Insider, your feedback is essential in helping us create content that truly reflects what matters most to our community. We’re inviting you to take a quick, 3-minute survey to share your thoughts on the types of stories you enjoy, the topics you'd like to see more of, and how we can better serve your interests. Whether you’re passionate about local government, community events, schools, or neighborhood spotlights, your input will help us shape future coverage. Your voice counts—and it only takes a moment to make a big difference. Click the link below to get started. Thank you for helping us keep the Bowie Insider truly local and reader-focused!

Support Bowie Students at a Day of Fun and Giving - August 16

Image Credit: City of Bowie

Join the City of Bowie for a lively day filled with music, games, and community spirit—and help local students start the school year strong. This family-friendly event will feature carnival games, moon bounces, cornhole, a DJ, and a dedicated community resource area for all ages to enjoy.

While you’re soaking in the fun, bring along school supplies to support students in need. Donations can be dropped off at the City Gymnasium, located at 4100 Northview Drive. Items needed include book bags, nylon drawstring bags, composition books, notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, calculators, and scissors.

Your generous contributions will go directly to local students, helping them head into the school year confident and prepared. Sponsored by Darcars Automotive Group of Bowie, this is more than just a day of fun—it’s a chance to give back and make a difference.

90% of Brain Growth Happens by Age 5—Storytime Helps

Image Credit: Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

On our events calendar we always include dates for the Ready 2 Read Storytime program, offered by Prince George’s County Memorial Library System because readying plays a vital role in preparing young children for lifelong learning.

The Ready 2 Read Storytime program is more than a fun half hour of stories—it’s a powerful investment in a child’s future. Designed for infants through preschoolers, the program blends books, songs, rhymes, and play to lay the foundation for early literacy. Research shows that 90% of brain development happens before age 5, and children who are read to at least three times a week are almost twice as likely to recognize all the letters of the alphabet and count to 20 compared to those who are not.

Ready 2 Read helps children build critical vocabulary, listening, and social skills in a nurturing, engaging environment. It also gives parents and caregivers the tools to support learning at home. In a diverse and growing community like Prince George’s County, this free program ensures all children have access to essential early education—igniting curiosity and confidence from the very beginning.

It’s never too early to start learning to read.

Reach one, teach one.

History in Your Backyard: The Legacy of the Pullman Porter

This August, the Old Bowie Welcome Center invites the community to a powerful edition of its History in Your Backyard lecture series: The Pullman Porter. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters—the first African American labor union—this talk sheds light on the men who helped shape both transportation and civil rights history.

Led by Kevin Tankersley of the National Railway Historical Society’s D.C. Chapter, the lecture will explore the role of Pullman porters, nearly all African American, who worked tirelessly on sleeping car trains. Tankersley will delve into their daily duties, working conditions, and the broader significance of their contributions within the Pullman Company’s century-long story.

Held at the Old Bowie Welcome Center, this event offers a chance to connect with an often-overlooked chapter of American history—right in the heart of Bowie. Don’t miss it.

Maryland’s Tax‑Free Shopping Week Ends August 16

Don’t miss out on Maryland’s Tax‑Free Week which ends on August 16th. Maryland Tax‑Free Week that offered a six‑day break from the state’s 6 percent sales tax on select back‑to‑school items is coming to an end.

Shoppers can still purchase clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per item tax‑free. That includes everyday apparel such as sweaters, shirts, jeans, dresses, shoes, and boots. Additionally, the first $40 of each backpack or bookbag purchase is exempt from sales tax—no cap on the number of items you can buy.

Excluded from the exemption are accessories (such as jewelry, handbags, umbrellas), athletic or protective gear (for example, cleats or steel‑toe boots), alteration services, and other school supplies.

Whether shopping in person or online (if paid for and shipped during the week), this is a prime opportunity to stock up on essentials—just time your purchases carefully and double‑check your items fall within the qualifying limits.

Maryland Comptroller Frequently Asked Questions

Attention Bowie Business Owners, Non-profits, Civic Organizations: Get Ready for the Bowie Directory Launch!

The Bowie’s business landscape is always evolving—just think of once-popular businesses like Old Bowie Town Grille, Sears, GameStop, and Pier 1 Imports that have come and gone. Now more than ever, it’s vital for local businesses to stay visible and connected. That’s why we’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of the Bowie Directory—a new online resource designed to spotlight businesses right here in our community. With a free basic listing, the Bowie Directory will help residents discover local shops, services, and entrepreneurs with ease. Businesses will gain greater exposure, improved search visibility, and local customers. Don’t be a best kept secret in Bowie and miss your chance to be part of this powerful local resource. Sign up now to be notified when the directory goes live and secure your free listing.

We want to hear from you…

Tell us what you want to read more about in the Bowie Insider. From more about how the city runs, sports, local taxes, business spotlights, how to start a business in Bowie, schools, colleges, shopping and more.

Click here to send us an email and let us know, we’d love to hear from you.

 

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What We’re Listening To…An oldie but goodie from a fav

“We may never understand If love just happens or it's planned, We must believe our spirits know somehow.” ~ Anita Baker, Lead Me to Love

Click the Link for more information

August 14

August 15

August 16

August 17

August 18

August 19

  • Kids Create: Color Wheel, South Bowie Library 15210 Annapolis Rd, Bowie 6:30pm - 7:30pm

  • Smokey Karaoke, Smokey Bones 15209 Major Lansdale Blvd, Bowie 7:00pm - 11:00pm

  • Film Discussion: "Hundreds of Beavers", South Bowie Library 15210 Annapolis Rd, Bowie 5:30pm - 7:45pm

August 20

🗓️ Know of other Bowie events not listed? 🗓️

👉Click Here to send us an email about the event.

Schedules for Local Pro Sports Teams

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