Officials to Welcome Opening of New Utica District Park

Join the Board of County Commissioners and Frederick County Parks and Recreation for the official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of Utica District Park on Thursday, April 26, at 2:00 p.m. The event will also include tree plantings in honor of Earth Day.

The park site is located along Route 15 approximately 3 miles north of the Frederick city limits, with the park entrance just off of Old Frederick Road. Phase I development included multi-purpose athletic fields, a softball field, little league fields, a special events area, parking, trails, a large pavilion, a maintenance building, lighting, and playground.

Future phases of the park will include an agricultural education area utilizing the existing historic farmhouse and outbuildings. The farm area will include community gardens, a tractor pull area, and open farm fields. Other future proposed park amenities include additional pavilions of various sizes, nature trails, paved trails, a fishing pond, visitor’s center, playgrounds, a multi-purpose building, a swimming pool, restrooms, and concession building.

The park will continue to capitalize on the natural beauty of the site, and provide varied recreational opportunities, as well as the amenities needed to make visits enjoyable. The agricultural education area will provide opportunities to help preserve and promote Frederick County’s agricultural heritage.

For more information on Utica District Park, please call 301-600-1646 or email parksandrecreation@fredco-md.net.

FMH Seeks Nomination for Good Samaritan Award for 2007

Frederick Memorial Healthcare System is accepting nominations for the Good Samaritan of the Year Award, the highest recognition conveyed upon an individual by the organization. This marks the 17th year for the award that was created by the Special Gifts Committee of the Development Council to recognize extraordinary commitment and community involvement.

Criteria for nominations are as follows: actions or achievements that substantially help FMH fulfill its goals; long-term involvement in charitable or community service activities; actions or achievements that substantially advance patient care, the economic health of FMH, or the physical safety of its personnel or patients; and performance of a distinguished act in the interest of humanity that epitomizes excellence and leadership.

Past winners include: Alden Fisher, Charles Snyder, Nancy Szymanski, Julia Etchison Hanna, Charles W. Hoff, III, Eugene Johnson, Charles Main, Al Shockley, Dr. Albert Powell, Barbara Rickman, Charles and Kathryn Nicodemus, Dr. Henry and Page Laughlin, Debbie Williams, Pat Throne, Donald C. Linton, Peter H. Plamondon, Dr. Harvey Levy, Gail T. Guyton, Carl & Norma Miller, Frank and Bess Gladhill, Kathryn M. "Kitty" Reed and Sue Scott Nisenfeld.

Nominations must be in writing and forms are available from the Office of Development. Nominations can also be made online by going to the hospital website www.fmh.org. In the upper left hand of the homepage, type "Good Samaritan 2007" in the "Search" box. Next, click on the "Good Samaritan Nomination Form" when it appears on the screen. Your nomination form will be e-mailed directly to a secure mailbox when you click on "Send." Nominations must be submitted by March 31, 2007. All nominations are confidential and selection will be made by secret ballot by members of a committee composed of: Jeff Hurwitz, chairman of the Selection Committee; Rocky Mackintosh, chairman of the FMH Board of Directors; Thomas A. Kleinhanzl, president of FMH; James K. Kluttz, chairman of the FMH Development Council; Farhad Memarsadeghi at-large member; Manuel Casiano, M.D., chief of the FMH Medical Staff; and Jan Bianchi, president of the FMH Auxiliary.

The award will be presented at the annual Good Samaritan of the Year program to be held on May 4, 2007 at the Lynfield Event Complex. For more information, or to request a nomination form, call the Office of Development at 240-566-3478.

Walkersville Southern Railroad To Celebrate 16th Season 

Established in 1991, Walkersville Southern Railroad will begin their 16th Anniversary season on Saturday, May 5th. To celebrate, they have a full schedule of events planned for the 2007 train season.

Operating on the old Pennsylvania Railroad’s Frederick Secondary Line, built in 1869, Walkersville Southern has become a very active tourist railroad, providing vintage equipment and rail excursions through Frederick County’s picturesque farm country.

This year’s special events include Operation Lifesaver, Salute to the Military, Zoo Choo Trains, Circus Trains, Jesse James Day, Civil War Day, Museum Day, Fall Foliage Trains, and Santa Trains in December.  The very popular Mystery Dinner Trains are back with nine scheduled departures for this year.  Special holidays such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day will be celebrated with special excursions.

Educational exhibits and railroad equipment are featured in the museum as well as an operating model railroad layout.  Special charter trains and caboose parties are available.

For further information regarding regular excursions, charter trains or special events, call 301-898-0899 or 1-877-363-WSRR or visit www.wsrr.org.

Boy Scout Troop 270

Members of Boy Scout Troop 270 were honored recently by the Thurmont Lions Club for obtaining the Eagle Scout rank within Boy Scouts.

Scouts Andrew Phillips, Joel Portier, Garrett Miller, Jeremy Bailey, Christopher Vaughn and Robert Vaughn were each presented with a Certificate of Achievement from Lions Clubs International and a $100 savings bond from the local club for their accomplishment in attaining Eagle Scout.

This year, the Lions Club introduced the Ross Smith Sr. Scouting Award. The award is named after Ross Smith, Sr., the Scoutmaster of Troop 11 of Thurmont in 1931. Troop 11 eventually became Troop 270. This scouting award will annually recognize outstanding local scouts with a savings bond, a trophy and the award recipient’s name engraved on a permanent plaque in the Lions Club display window at Cozy restaurant in Thurmont. Jeremy Bailey became the first scout to receive the new Ross Smith Sr. Scouting Award.

Buckle up, Thurmont!

Thurmont Police Department will join more than 100 law enforcement agencies throughout Maryland for the annual Maryland Chief’s Challenge April 3 through June 3, 2007. This challenge is an intensive, highly publicized and competitive annual effort to educate people about the lifesaving and injury-reducing benefits of safety seat belt use.

The overall goal of the program is to save lives and achieve a 92% seat belt usage rate statewide by the end of 2007. This will be achieved through enforcement and education about seat belts and properly using child safety restraints.

According to Thurmont Police Chief Greg Eyler, Thurmont officers will be committed to this program by enforcing safety belt laws and participating in educational programs throughout the community. A child safety seat check will also be held one day during the program.

Historical Society Open House and Plant Swap

Three local groups have joined together to welcome spring and celebrate the first anniversary of the Friends of the Thurmont Regional Library.

On April 21, 2007, the Library’s "Friends" group, the Thurmont Historical Society and the Thurmont Gardeners Club will provide an opportunity for the community to view the historical society’s home, the Creeger House, as well as trade and buy plants. Bring your plants to trade with other gardeners or come buy plants for your garden.

This event will take place in the backyard of the Creeger House at 11 North Church Street from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. In addition to plants there will also be seeds, garden supplies, books, horticultural information and pamphlets and a raffle of garden items.

Area gardeners may bring plants to trade (be sure to label your plants so others will know what they are). For each plant you will get a ticket to trade for a different plant. Those bringing plants may temporarily park beside the Creeger House to unload plants.

The Friends of the Thurmont Regional Library will be accepting used books for the annual Library book sale in the fall. These may also be unloaded beside the Creeger House.

Any proceeds from this event will be used to fund a community beautification project.