The Thurmont office of Miracle Ear, which opened recently, is the seventh location for franchisee owner and licensed hearing specialist Doug Shepard. The office is located in the Wellness Center at 112 East Main Street in Thurmont. Mr. Shepard also owns franchises in Frederick (at Sears); Hagerstown, Westminster and Cumberland, MD; as well as Winchester, VA; and Martinsburg, WV. Miracle Ear has over 1,200 locations nationwide.

The Thurmont office will be staffed by hearing aid consultant Cindy Jacobs, a former registered nurse and a Miracle- Ear patient. "Cindy’s personal experience as a patient, coupled with her background in patient care, makes her an excellent consultant," said Mr. Shepard.

Mr. Shepard encourages those who think they may have hearing loss to visit the Thurmont location for a free hearing test. "Our main goal is not to sell hearing aids, but to try and improve people’s lifestyle. Statistics show that only 50% of people who have hearing loss do something about it and of those 50%, a full 80% wish they had done it sooner," said Mr. Shepard. "Hearing loss can push people into isolation when the listener can’t fully hear or understand what’s being said. Furthermore, it affects those around you," he added. "Something as simple as a hearing aid can make your life easier and happier. It’s very rewarding to us to see the look on people’s faces when they hear well again," said Mr. Shepard.

Miracle-Ear offers complete hearing testing as well as hearing aid service and cleaning for all makes of hearing aids. Miracle-Ear in Thurmont is open Mondays and Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, however appointments are accepted. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 301-271-2229.

Acupuncture Office Opens

Fred Wolfson, a former counselor who worked for 11 years in the physical rehabilitation counseling field, became an acupuncturist after many years of interest in the field of Eastern medicine. "I became fascinated with Chinese medicine in college and it’s always been my dream to become a practitioner in the field," said Mr. Wolfson.

Wolfson is a licensed acupuncturist with the state of Maryland and has received training in Chinese Medicine as well as western medical pathology, anatomy, physiology, orthopedics, neurology, and nutrition. He is also a certified massage therapist. He also holds a Masters Degree in counseling psychology.

Acupuncture uses sterile, hair-like fine needles that are placed gently into the skin to help alleviate a variety of mental and physical health issues. "Acupuncture addresses your body’s energetic pathways. These pathways can be adjusted to create balance within the body," said Mr. Wolfson.

Wolfson says it is important for acupuncture to work in combination with other physicians and health care providers for a comprehensive health care program. "Acupuncture is not an alternative medicine; it’s a complimentary process. In China, for example, acupuncture is done in the same hospitals as traditional Western medicine," he said.

Acupuncture treatments are usually a one hour and according to Wolfson, "the treatments provide a deep relaxation in the body and are very enjoyable." "You don’t have to believe in Chinese medicine or acupuncture to give it a try," said Wolfson. "There are no major risks, no negative side effects, just wonderful benefits," he added.

For a free consultation about acupuncture and how it might be beneficial in your health care program, call Fred Wolfson at 301-271-4870 to make an appointment. The office is located in the Wellness Center at 112 East Main Street in Thurmont.

Gateway Printing, Inc., Adds New Equipment and More Color Options

Gateway Printing, Inc., of Thurmont announced recently the addition of new state-of–the-art equipment in their printing departments and direct mail processing center, which will help them better serve customers needs.

A new Savin SDC555 will allow Gateway Printing the ability to produce high-resolution color copies at 55ppm, which means "a quick turnaround for their customers at an affordable cost" said company production manager Eddie Ridenour. The SDC555 also has the ability to produce high-resolution full-color scans for immediate distribution.

Gateway Printing’s mail processing center has also taken a huge step in technology, according to Mr. Ridenour, with the recent implementation of a Pitney Bowes digital mail metering system. The Pitney Bowes mail system automatically feeds, seals and imprints postage at incredible speeds, getting customer jobs done quickly and efficiently with the correct postage printed each time. With advanced mailing software, the system allows GPI to process mailing lists to meet all USPS (United States Postal Service) postal regulations and earn the maximum postal discounts. "We can now take the extra steps needed to ensure we pinpoint your exact customer by comparing your mail list with the National Change of Address (NCOA) filed with the USPS by customers who want their mail forwarded to their new address," said Ridenour.

Gateway Printing has also installed a Kirk Rudy tabbing machine that has the ability to perform single or double tabbing allowing improved turnaround time when tabbing, applying stamps and labels to direct mail and printed media. GPI can now offer their clients the ability to apply all types of tabs as well as pressure sensitive stamps and labels of various shapes and sizes to all forms of media.

For additional information on Gateway Printing, Inc.’s enhanced services and color printing options, visit www.gateprint.com or call 301-271-4685.