Bowling Down Memory Lane

Remember Thurmont’s bowling alley on Frederick Road? Remember meeting the guy or girl of your dreams there? Remember the feeling of watching your child roll that pint-sized bowling ball down that long, long lane for the very first time? What about all of those times that you and your friends would hang out there after school and get into some innocent trouble? Those were all some great times, weren’t they?

The bowling alley is now a thing of the past now, but its memories – and there are many – linger on!

Structural Systems Inc., the new owner of the bowling alley building, doesn’t want those memories to be lost. The company has purchased the Bowling Alley and is renovating it into a satellite office location. Structural Systems Inc. would like you to share your recollections with the rest of the community!

The first 100 people to email or mail their reminiscences to Structural Systems, Inc. will receive a memento from the bowling alley – an actual duckpin! Your memories will be published in the near future.

Please send or email your 500 or less word stories by September1, 2006 to: Duckpin Memories, c/o Structural Systems Inc. 201 Poplar Avenue, Thurmont, MD 21788, eparker@structuralsystems.com

Food Lion Celebrates Makeover with Grand Re-Opening

Food Lion hosted a grand reopening and a customer appreciation day in June in celebration of their recent makeover and product expansion.

The store recently underwent a four month renovation to update its décor and to introduce the new Nature’s Place organic line. The Thurmont store now has several thousand new items on its shelf in the Nature’s Place produce, packaged food, and personal hygiene line. The store also added customer service conveniences such as Western Union and money orders.

Store manager John Early is working on several community-oriented projects. The first of several planned community appreciation days was held in June with free hot dogs and soda. The store is also helping organizations with fundraising. By collecting donations at the community appreciation day, the store raised several hundred dollars to benefit the Catoctin Safe and Sane graduation program. Now, the store is collecting at the registers to benefit the Guardian Hose Co. building campaign.

Thurmont Branch Library Begins New Art Club for Teens

Clare Bush of the Teen Department at the Thurmont Branch Library recently launched a new series of programs through  The Artsy Teen Society. This brand new library group welcomes young people from grades 6 and up who are interested in learning about different styles of art from real artists.  The first meeting held in June featured loom weaving with Cynthia and Grace Wintermyer of Emmitsburg. Teens were able to weave a small pouches using yarns, fibers, ribbons and beads .

In July, the Artsy Teen Society welcomed a watercolor and drawing session with Maryland artist, Rebecca Pearl. Rebecca owns her own gallery at 3 East Main Street, Thurmont. She has exhibited on the east coast and received many awards for her paintings. Her formal training is from the Schuler School of Fine Art and the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She is also a member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. 

The last summer session of The Society will be a cartooning workshop on Monday, August 21 at 1:00 p.m. with John Nickerson of Thurmont’s Gnarly Artly Graphic Design Shop.

John, who specializes in screen printing, sign painting and murals will share the essentials of cartooning. He is well-known for his public art sculptures. In 2004, his panda sculpture was part of the Washington D.C.’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities exhibit. From April through September of this year, his 4½ foot tall fiberglass terrapin sculpture is included in the University of Maryland’s 150th anniversary celebration, Fear the Turtle.

Space at the Thurmont Branch is limited so call today to reserve a seat at 301-271-7721.

UpCounty Family Center Awarded Foundation Grant

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy announced recently that it has awarded a grant to the UpCounty Family Center of Emmitsburg to fund the development of the Family Literacy Initiative. The Family Literacy Initiative will provide additional educational programs, introduce English as a Second Language instruction and will contain a literacy home visiting component. This year the Foundation awarded a total of $437,511.00 to eleven Maryland programs. Ranging in size from $10,532 to $50,000, the eleven winning grant applications were chosen from among a variety of grant proposals from non-profit organizations and public institutions.

Since Barbara Bush launched her foundation in 1989, it has awarded over $17 million to more than 500 family literacy programs in 47 different states and the District of Columbia. In addition to its national grant program, the Foundation also has four statewide initiatives in Maine, Texas, Florida, and now Maryland.

UpCounty Family Center provides many learning opportunities to connect with other parents and children. These services include: Education- GED, Flex high and ESL, Employment readiness, Child Health and development- art, music, literacy, and social skills are nurtured, computer classes, basic life skills, Participant Leadership, and internship and Volunteer opportunities. Also, there are in-homes services as well as transportation services. All of these services are free of charge for participants.

UpCounty Family Center is located at 303 West Lincoln Avenue in Emmitsburg. For more information on the programs and services provided by the Center, call 301-447-2810.

Well-Fit Aerobics and Fitness Center of Thurmont

Well-Fit Aerobics and Fitness Center of Thurmont Now Open Around the Clock, 24-7
Gretchen Smith, owner of Well-Fit Aerobics and Fitness Center, is making it impossible for you to say you don’t have time to exercise! She recently decided to make her center open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now, you can exercise on your schedule, day or night.

Now, Well-Fit members have a personal I.D. code that gives them access to the studio’s lock on the front door. Simply enter your code and you can come and go as you please.
Well-Fit is a unique fitness center that offers you not only a fitness center with cardiovascular equipment and weight training equipment, but also the personalized service of fitness monitoring. Upon your membership, Gretchen will specially design a fitness program to help you meet your goals. Then, she’ll monitor your progress for you along the way. There are no membership fees and no long-term membership agreements. Start and stop your membership whenever you want.

The Well-Fit Center offers cardio training equipment such as treadmills, stair climbers, recumbent and regular stationery bikes, elliptical training machines, free weights and a Universal weight station. Also included in your monthly membership are a variety of free fitness classes held throughout the week.

Well-Fit Aerobic and Fitness Center is located at 15 Water Street in Thurmont. For more information call 301-271-6926.

Register Now for the Fall CYA Soccer Program

The Catoctin Youth Association Soccer Club, a recreational soccer club, is now accepting registration for any child interested in playing soccer. The program is open to girls and boys ages 4 through 14 years old, who live in Catoctin feeder school district of Thurmont, Lewistown, Emmitsburg or Sabillasville.

For the younger players (under 6) the progam offers a U6 Camp and an in-house (under 8) U8 program. For the older players, U10, U12 and U14 age groups, there are both coed or all girls’ teams. The older age teams are traveling teams and compete against other teams throughout Frederick County.

To register for the fall soccer season, log onto www.cyasoccer.com or call 301-271-2256 to register.

Enroll for Kindergarten Today!

If your child will turn age 5 by September 1, 2006 then please register her/him for kindergarten as soon as possible at the elementary school in your residential area. For more information contact your school: Thurmont Primary, 240-236-2800; Emmitsburg Elementary, 240-236-1750; Lewistown Elementary, 240-236-3750; Sabillasville Elementary, 240-236-6000. Registration has been in progress since March and school begins August 28, 2006.

Vacation Bible Schools

• Graceham Moravian Church, 8231A Rocky Ridge Road, Thurmont, will host Vacation Bible School nightly at 6:30 p.m. June 24 through 28, 2006. Fiesta – Where Children are Fired Up About Jesus is for children ages 3 through completed grade 5. To register call 301-271-2379.

• Trading Places Vacation Bible School will be held July 31 through August 4, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 10625 Old Frederick Road (Utica) Thurmont. Children in kindergarten through grade 6 will learn that "Jesus Makes a World of Difference" through songs, games, snacks, crafts, skits, bible stories and the church’s mission project. To register call 301-271-3165.

Hahn Reunion

The 75th Jacob Hahn Family Reunion will be held August 6, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Tabor Park, Motter Station Road, Rocky Ridge. Group picture will be taken at 12:30 p.m. Activities and special entertainment are planned.