by Teresa Kempisty
Hello, to everyone. I miss you all so very much. I want you to know that I appreciate and miss each and every one of you. Many of you have asked, “Do you think we will ever be open again?” And the answer is a definite, “YES!” My guess would be not until spring, but it will be when Gov. Hogan allows senior centers to reopen. For your information, with the rise in COVID-19 cases, we have decided not to rent out the Thurmont Senior Center to any groups until we reopen.
Unfortunately, we aren’t able to have our Christmas Party this year, but we want to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas.
As I am writing this, it is 75 degrees outside, so to be wishing you season’s greetings seems surreal. Living in Maryland, as we all know, the weather can change rapidly, so who knows, maybe we will have a White Christmas after all! I know some of you are thinking, Hush, Teresa, but I really do like the snow!
If you can, please come through the drive-thru at Roy Rogers in Thurmont on Thursday, December 10, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Mention the Thurmont Senior Center for our fundraiser night, and we will receive 25 percent of the total sales. Due to COVID-19 regulations, it is drive-thru only at this time, but it will always be the second Thursday of each month, same time and place. Thank you.
A huge thank you goes out to all of our Veterans, to those presently serving, and to all their families for their service and sacrifices. Every one of you is a hero for selflessly serving to protect us and our country. We hope you had a Happy Veterans Day, and we hope to be able to have our Veteran’s Day open house next fall or in 2022. We were supposed to have the open house this fall, but couldn’t due to COVID.
Congratulations to Barbara Ritenour (second-prize winner) and Caythee Ruby (first-prize winner) of the free Halloween Basket Raffle. Carol Long put together the raffle using names of people on the sign-in sheets and volunteer sign-in sheets from 2020. More free drawings will be coming.
Another big thank you goes out to Winterbrook Farms, who donated treats that we were able to distribute to seniors and our volunteers.
If you have a birthday coming up and you are registered with the Thurmont Senior Center, don’t be surprised when you get a call and visit from the “Birthday Quackers.”
We had our last Drive-by Greetings Parade on November 5, and it was the longest one yet at 2 hours and 22 minutes. We are stopping for the winter. We really enjoyed seeing our senior friends in Rocky Ridge, Keymar, Woodsboro, and Thurmont.
In closing, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!
Take care, and if you need to call the center, the phone number is 301-271-7911.
Photo by John Kempisty
Ron and Marie Free all dressed up for the Drive-by Greeting Parade on November 5, 2020.
