Many exciting things have kept the staff busy at Virginia Tech's Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Middleburg. Delegations from Wakefield School and another from Oman have visited to learn about the important agricultural and equine work done at MARE, and the Center participated in Loudoun County's Volunteer Fair where they explained their many volunteer programs.

Nine students from Wakefield School visited the Center as part of the school's Discovery Week. Sixth, seventh and eighth graders who are studying Hands on Horses made the MARE center part of tours to many horse facilities in the county under the direction of Brenna Gran and Imogen Rex. Shea Port, equine Extension Agent for Virginia Cooperative Extension Northern District explained aspects of equine research and education. Students were keenly interested in the mares and in a honeybee swarm that has taken up residence in one of the barns.

On their way to attend a business meeting at the Virginia Tech campus, members of the OTW Group of Companies from Oman stopped for an informal visit at the MARE Center. OTE is a consortium that includes financial service, commercial vehicle, special equipment, electronics and home appliance companies. OTE members Said Al Rabie, director general of private universities and colleges in the ministry of higher education; OTE Chairman Shekh Saad Suhail Bahwan Al-Mukhaini; OTE Managing Director Cyrus Vevaina and General Manager OTE Group Anirudha Sen were escorted to the MARE Center by John E. Dooley, vice president for outreach and international affairs at the University. Virginia Tech is partnering with OTE to establish a university in Muskat, Oman with a science and technology-based curriculum for undergraduate and graduate studies. The visit was arranged by Dooley and Shelley Duke, chairperson for Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia as a courtesy to Sheikh Bahwan who has a personal interest in equine care and innovation.

The MARE Center's participation in Loudoun County's Volunteer Fair provided an opportunity to give volunteers a closer look at the many programs the center runs that provide volunteer positions. The Center is honored to welcome volunteers who wish to support research and extension activities.