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Good Times of Summer at the Thurmont Senior Center

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by John Dowling

The good times of summer are here once again to enjoy. Now is the time of backyard cookouts, picnics, nature walks, swimming, and so much more. A time to visit and see and breathe in the many sights, smells, and beauty that Mother Nature offers us. 

Flowers in front of the Thurmont Senior Center are adding their beauty to all who enter the front door. We extend a grateful “thank you” to the Rocky Ridge 4-H Club, who donated the beautiful flowers, along with their time spent preparing the ground and doing the planting and mulching. Come by and see their beautiful work, and come check out what we have going on for the seniors to take part in and enjoy this summer.

The Thurmont Senior Center is located at 806 E. Main Street, across the street from the Thurmont Elementary School. Just drop in some time and meet our coordinator, Teresa, and pick up the monthly events calendar, which also has the daily menu on the back.

All of our activities and exercises are geared to the levels and abilities of most active seniors. On every Monday, there is the senior version of Zumba Gold exercises, from 10:15-11:00 a.m. The cost is $24.00 for a punch card for eight sessions, or you can pay $5.00 per session. Also happening every Monday at 1:00 p.m. is a free movie, which will be shown on our large screen TV.  Call the Center to see what movie will be playing at 301-271-7911.

On each Tuesday, from 9:30-10:00 a.m., we have exercise with Alice Eyler (you make a donation). Following exercise with Alice,  you can have fun learning and doing line dancing, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  There are also cards and games each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, July 3, and July 17 for our fun-time Bingo, which starts at 1:00 p.m. The cost to play is $5.00 for a 3-pack of 20 games, and $1.00 for a winner-take-all game. During intermission, there are a variety of free snacks to enjoy. 

Because of the July 4th holiday closure, we will have our Monthly Birthday Party on Tuesday, July 9, at 12:30 p.m., and the Memory Café on Thursday, July 11, at 12:00 p.m., sponsored by Spring Arbor. Call the Center for details at 301-271-7911. 

Bunco will stop for the summer, but will start up again in the fall on Thursday, September 19, at 1:00 p.m., and will always be the third Thursday of each month. From all the laughter and happy chatter that was coming from the Bunco tables, it must really be a fun game! Come and learn how to play; it’s easy.

On Wednesday, July 31, at 1:00 p.m.—since it’s the fifth Wednesday in the month—we will have our Special Benefit Bingo, when our proceeds go to a charity (yet to be decided for July) in the Thurmont area. Our Bingo games are growing and are a very fun time for all who attend. The payouts are getting BIGGER as well! So, come have some fun and see for yourself.  Call us on Tuesdays and order lunch for $6.00 on Bingo Wednesdays at 301-271-7911.

Don’t miss the Pot Luck & General Meeting at the Center on Wednesday, July 24, at noon. Bring a dish to share or pay $6.00. Fried chicken will be provided.

Also, don’t miss a free performance by “Forever Young” with Kip and Dale, from 1:30-2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 30. You will enjoy their great entertainment. There is more parking available across the street at the Thurmont Elementary School and behind the police station next door. 

Please see the Community Calendar in the back of the Banner for dates of our other events.

“Did You Know” that the Thurmont Senior Center building was originally built as an airplane hangar by Victor Leisner, who also started the WTHU Radio Station on Radio Lane, here in Thurmont. I once saw in the late 1960s on the grass runway behind the then-hangar, seven small airplanes, where the Little League ball fields and housing developments are now. My, how things change!

Have a great and safe summer, and may each and every day be a great one.

Rocky Ridge 4-H Club Keeps Busy

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Katie, Club Reporter

Members of the Rocky Ridge 4-H Club clean the flower beds, plant flowers, and mulch at the Thurmont Historical Society.

The Rocky Ridge 4-H Club has been busy. In May, many of our members participated in shows and events in the local area, including Wills Fair, Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, and Jefferson County Spring Classic. Our members always enjoy these events and represent our club well!

Our Community Service project for May was cleaning the flower beds, planting flowers, and mulching at the Thurmont Senior Center and the Thurmont Historical Society. We split our group into two teams and quickly tackled the project. The results will be enjoyed throughout the summer, as the flowers grow and bloom. After finishing the job, we enjoyed pizza at the Thurmont Grange Hall and held our monthly meeting.

Swine, Sheep and Goat weigh-ins for the Great Frederick Fair are right around the corner. We’re all working hard on our projects. Our club will enjoy its annual Club Field Day on Sunday, June 30. At Field Day, members will bring projects that we’ve been working on, to include: cooking, sewing, crafts, photography, and all animal projects. The entries will be judged just like at the Fair and prizes will be awarded. We will enjoy lunch together and play lots of games. It’s a fun day that members look forward to.

Thurmont Community Ambulance Banquet Held

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Deb Spalding

Members of Company 30, also known as the Thurmont Community Ambulance Service, Inc., held their annual awards banquet on January 21, 2017. This banquet was the first event held in their new event facility on Lawyer’s Lane in Thurmont.

Company President Lowman Keeney served as the master of ceremonies during the banquet. The banquet meal was catered by approximately fifty members of the Rocky Ridge 4-H Club and their parents.

Lowman Keeney expressed appreciation to all involved with the progress made by the company throughout 2016, including the demand of the construction of the new facility, and, in spite of that demand, members staying up-to-date on training and conducting the primary day-to-day operations of the busy company. (See article on page 1 about the new event facility for more information about the building.) The building took two and a half tough years to build. “It was a tremendous undertaking. Thank you to all the members,” said Keeney.

Keeney also acknowledged Venturing Crew 270 for completing a substantial stonework project in December 2016 that took 25 days and 739 volunteer hours. The stonework project was spear-headed by Keegan Coolidge. Another project by Venturing Crew 270 was led by its president, Devon Stafford, during which 112 trees were planted on the property.

Company 30’s secretary, Joyce Stitely, worked diligently over the course of a full year, from February 2016 to January 2017, to make 300 hand-made baskets to commemorate the opening of the new Thurmont Ambulance Company Event Complex. The sight of the baskets lined up for distribution at the banquet was worthy of appreciation and awe. Each attendee was able to exit the event with one in hand, as a commemorative gift.

Lowman introduced the recipient of the President’s Award, James Wolf, stating, “He’ll do anything in the world for you.”

Chief Dennis “DJ” Ott reviewed that Company 30 responded to 1,258 calls for the year 2016. “We’re busy. We run a lot of calls.” He reviewed that, in addition, members participate in, and conduct, a lot of training. They had just sent two ambulances to Washington D.C., and had helped prior to that with the Marine Corp Marathon. He reviewed that an ambulance was purchased by Company 30 in 2016. It cost $271,000, empty, before adding top-of-the-line equipment. He said, “We had a good year, but we can absolutely do better.” He thanked the Town of Thurmont employees and police for their support.

Chief Ott acknowledged the Top Five Responders: Jen Frushour (416), Rose Latini (188), Brooke Kennedy (184), Lisa Eichelberger (95), and Jared Snyder (93). He awarded individuals for operational support: Lowman Keeney, Denny Ott, Glenn Muth, Bob Lookingbill, and Walt Kelch were acknowledged. He also cited Joyce Stitely and Shirley Stackhouse for their dedication to the company.

Chief Ott presented the Chief’s Award to Judy White. About her, he said, “Without this person, we wouldn’t be sitting in this building. She stops what she’s doing at any time to help.”

Incoming officers were sworn in by the president of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association, Mike Davis. He said, “The camaraderie found in this community shows what it used to be about for other communities (that have since grown large and lost the small-town closeness). We’ve wained from that, especially when we have to have 350 hours to be an EMT.” He assured, “I am behind you.” 2017 Company officers include: President Lowman Keeney, Vice-President Bob Lookingbill; Secretary Joyce Stitely; Assistant Secretary Shirley Stackhouse; Treasurer Judy White; Assistant Treasurer Dennis Ott, Sr.; and Board of Directors, Glenn Muth, Jim Wolf, Tim Wiltrout, and Dave Place. Operational Officers include: Chief D.J. Ott; Assistant Chief Rose Latini; Lieutenants, Brooke Kennedy and Renea Coolidge; and Sergeant Jen Frushour.

Life memberships were awarded to Kevin Albaugh, Sue Moss, Jason West, Sarah Pigula, Dan Harbaugh, and Eugene “Sonny” Grimes (recently deceased).

The invocation and memorial for active member, Franklin Lee Shriner, who passed recently, was given by Pastor Ben Hays of Life and Liberty Baptist Church in Walkersville.

Honored guests included Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird and his wife, Karen; Thurmont CAO Jim Humerick and his wife, Lisa; Thurmont Commissioner Wes Hamrick and his wife, Kim; Thurmont Public Works Butch West; Thurmont Chief of Police, Greg Eyler and his wife, Brenda; John and Maggie Doll of Gateway Farm Candyland and Liquors; Frannie Black of Catoctin Mountain Orchard; Frederick County Councilman Bud Otis and his wife, Rose; Frederick County Sheriff Tim Clarke and his wife, Becky, and Jason West; Medic 30’s Walt Kelch and Steve Adams; Frederick County Fire and Rescue’s Michael Davis and his wife, Ann; Mount Carmel Church’s John and Kathy Dowling; Guardian Hose Company’s Vice President Terry Frushour, Treasurer Bev Frushour, and Doc Simmers and his wife, Pat; Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire Company’s Dennis and Paulette Mathias, and Alan and Ethel Brauer; Wolfsville Fire Company’s Steve Nalborczyk and Tammy; and Vigilant Hose Company’s Carl White and Karyn Myers. The Middletown Fire Company was acknowledged as the fill-in crew during the banquet.

Thank you to local businesses for their support of Company 30 and donation of door prizes: Bollinger’s Restaurant, Hobb’s Hardware, Cousins ACE Hardware, Mountain Gate Restaurant, Weis, Jen’s Cutting Edge, Food Lion, At Home Primitives, No. 1 Nails, Direct To You Gas Station, Wendy’s, Gateway Candyland, Rocky’s Pizza, and Fratelli’s Pizza.

Company Officers are shown (top to bottom): (left) Vice-President Bob Lookingbill; Secretary Joyce Stitely; Assistant Secretary Shirley Stackhouse; Treasurer Judy White; Assistant Treasurer Dennis Ott, Sr.; (center) President Lowman Keeney; Board of Directors, Jim Wolf, Glenn Muth, Tim Wiltrout, and Dave Place; (right) Operational Officers: Chief D.J. Ott; Assistant Chief Rose Latini; Lieutenants, Brooke Kennedy and Renee Coolidge; and Sergeant Jen Frushour.

Top Five Responders are pictured top to bottom: Jen Frushour (416 incidents), Rose Latini (188 incidents), Brooke Kennedy (184 incidents), Lisa Eichelberger (95 incidents), and Jared Snyder (93 incidents).

Company 30’s Secretary, Joyce Stitely, made 300 baskets by hand to commemorate the opening of the Thurmont Ambulance Company’s Event Facility. A basket was given to each banquet attendee as a gift.