February 2015

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Villages of Urbana, Urbana Highlands, Ijamsville and More
The
TOWN
Courier
Vol. 11, No. 2
20 Pages
February 2015
Urbana Neighbors Give Generously
By Kristy Crawford
A
Photo | Jo Ostby
Coffee Cans for the Local Community
The manager of Urbana’s new Starbucks, Rafael Hernandez
(pictured second from left with other Starbucks staff), contacted
the Greater Urbana Food Bank after the company’s Fourth Annual
Coffee, Cans and Community collection of non-perishable foods,
from Thanksgiving through Christmas. The theme is “Together we
can do some good.” Starbucks locations in Frederick, Mt. Airy, Hood
College, Eldersburg and Ellicott City also participated.
s many longtime residents know, Urbana is a
close-knit community where friendly neighbors help each other during times of need. A
cup of sugar, pet sitting or help with the carpool are
easily found. But it is during a serious crisis when
Urbana residents often display the best definition of
a good neighbor.
The Hageman family, who live in the Villages of Urbana, experienced this recently after Cliff
Hageman was in a horrific motorcycle accident. On
Jan. 9, Realtor and Urbana resident Lisa Giuliani
held a large party and silent auction to benefit the
Hagemans at the Urbana Volunteer Fire Department. With the help of many friends, neighbors and
local businesses, Giuliani’s event was a big success
and raised close to $14,000 for the family.
But the Hageman’s story started long before the
New Year. Before leaving for work on Sept. 9,
Hageman posted a Facebook page, “Prayers for the
Hageman Family,” because he was worried about
the lump his wife, Rebecca, had found under her
arm. “Little did we all know that those prayers
would be greatly needed even more just a few minutes later!” she said.
Cliff let their daughter Cassidy, a senior at Urbana
High School, take the car that morning to drive her
brother, Elias, to Urbana Middle School. So, Cliff
got on his motorcycle and made his way to work in
Gaithersburg, where he and his brother own Exit
Realty Plus. As he pulled out of a gas station, Cliff
saw a car coming around the corner and into his
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Gaithersburg MD
Permit #1722
n
Photo | Submitted
The Villages of Urbana’s Hageman family listens as Cliff Hageman
thanks the crowd of who attended a recent fundraiser for the family at
the Urbana Volunteer Fire Department.
Urbana High Teen Working Hard to
Represent Country in Two Sports
By Gina Gallucci-White
B
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
hageman fundraiser Continued on page 8
lane. The driver apparently didn’t see him.
As much as he tried, Cliff couldn’t avoid the approaching vehicle and was struck hard on his left
side and leg. The injury was so severe, Hageman was
at risk of bleeding to death from the severed arteries.
Luckily, bystanders recognized the danger and made
tourniquets out of their own shirts, saving his life.
Cliff was transported to Suburban Hospital in
Bethesda, and then later transferred to Johns Hop-
eing able to represent your
country in a worldwide
sporting event is a feeling
many of us will never know. Urbana High School sophomore Noah
Grove may get the honor in two
different sports.
The 15-year-old recently suited
up as a member of the United States
team at the Amputee Soccer World
Cup and he’s currently working hard as a member of the U.S.
Sled Hockey national development
team. The final team chosen will
compete in the next Paralympics.
“Noah never ceases to amaze
me,” said Rachael Grove, Noah’s
mom. “Anything he does he tends
to excel at.”
At 4.5 years old, Noah was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, bone
cancer, in his left leg. At age 5, he
had to have his left leg removed to
save his life. That procedure was
followed by 10 months of chemotherapy. Since then, he has worn
a prosthetic to compete in sports
including soccer and golf. “I have
been playing soccer all my life,
even before I lost my leg to cancer,”
Noah said.
In the summer of 2013, Noah
decided to go to a Wounded Warrior benefit soccer game in Germantown. Instead of the players
using their prosthetics, they used
crutches for balance and kicking.
“Someone said, ‘Hey. Do you want
to play?’” Noah remembers. “I had
never played on crutches before. I
always just played on my prosthetic.
I went out there and I tried it for
the first time and I love it. It was a
lot of fun. I was on the [same] playn
grove Continued on page 16
Children’s Museum
Inspires Creativity
By Sally Alt
A
Photo | Rachael Grove
Urbana High School sophomore Noah Grove
plays soccer with crutches due to his
emergency amputation when he was 5. He
currently plays for the US National Amputee
Soccer Team and US National Development
Sled Hockey Team.
t the Original Playhouse Children’s Museum in nearby New
Market, kids can learn about
theater, nature, engineering,
water, other cultures and art
through creative play. Started by Frederick resident Ellen Przybocki, the children’s
museum offers six rooms
with different themes for
children ages 2 to 9 to explore.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for learning to be
done with a parent, through
games or through pretend
and imagination,” said Przybocki, a teacher for 17 years
n
Children’s museum
Continued on page 7
Page 2
The Town Courier
February 2015
February 2015
The Town Courier
Page 3
UHS Graduate Grows a Career in
Agricultural Science
By Sally Alt
U
HS graduate Emily Snyder loves
working out in the field. Snyder
works as a nutrient management
advisor at the Frederick County Extension Office for the University of Maryland. She got the job just two months
after earning her bachelor’s degree in
agricultural science and technology at
the university.
“It’s definitely been a good first job
for me,” said Snyder. As part of her
work, Snyder visits farms in Frederick
County to gather information on farmers’ crops, animals, soils and fertilizers.
“I love the farm visits,” Snyder said,
adding, “I just love being outside.”
Snyder said that in spring and fall
months, she conducts soil nitrate tests
to show how much nitrogen exists in
the soil. She also collects samples of
manure, which she sends to the lab to
be analyzed for levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash.
Later, back in her office, Snyder
writes nutrient management plans to
advise farmers which nutrients should
be added to the soil. Snyder helps farmers apply the correct amount nutrients
and save money, as well as prevent pollution of streams and the Chesapeake
Bay due to excessive fertilizer use.
Photo | Sally Alt
Urbana High School graduate Emily Snyder collects
soil samples for her job as nutrient management
advisor at the Frederick County Extension Office for
the University of Maryland.
“Emily is a self-starter who has been
able to hit the ground running with her
job responsibilities,” said her supervisor, Stanley Fultz. “She is comfortable
talking with farmers and understands
the farming community’s needs." He
added that “Emily’s eight years as a 4H
member here in Frederick County provided her with the opportunity to learn
leadership and communication skills
that she has been able to transfer to the
workplace.”
Snyder enjoys learning about the
many ways that farmers work. “I just
love seeing everybody’s different approach,” she said. She recently wrote
her first nutrient management plan for
an organic farm.
One of the challenges of working
for the extension office is the number of regulations with which farmers
in Maryland must comply. “There’s a
lot of regulation in this state, so sometimes people aren’t too happy to have
to comply with that,” said Snyder. “For
the most part, they don’t take it out on
me. They know I’m not the one who
made the law and not the one enforcing
it,” she said.
Snyder completed online training for
her job, as well as hands-on training in
the field. The rest of her training has
been on the job, she said.
Snyder, who currently lives in Middletown, was born in Ijamsville. She
graduated from Urbana High School in
2010, where she learned about agriculture as a possible field to study. At the
University of Maryland, she was initially an animal science major. “I grew
up doing 4H, having animals all my
life,” said Snyder.
“I didn’t really know what I wantn
snyder Continued on page 7
shoptalk
By Kristy Crawford
Perfect Shots 4 You Studio Opens
Urbana resident Lana Larina has completed work
on her home photography studio, Perfect Shots 4 You,
and is now available for professional studio sessions.
Larina’s specialty is portraits of children and families, but she will work with any subjects, including
wedding parties, student school pictures and product
shoots for marketing campaigns.
“Professional portraits are important to remember
special times,” Larina said. “With digital and phone
cameras, some people don’t see the need anymore, but
a private professional session offers a higher quality
choice to preserve precious memories.” Larina does
not limit the time of her photo sessions, so her customers can change clothing, props and background
as often as they like. Vintage costumes and props are
available, and sessions can take place in her home studio or at various outdoor settings.
Larina and her husband, Vadim, moved to the United States from Moscow 10 years ago. “My husband
works at NIH [the National Institutes of Health],”
Larina said, “so we first looked for homes in Germantown. After visiting a friend in Urbana, we fell in
love. I called our Realtor the next day and told him to
drop everything and look here.” Their son, Alex, is 7
years old and attends Carrol Creek Montessori Public
Charter School (CCMPCS) in Frederick. A passion
for photography and desire to spend time with her
son in Urbana made the photography studio an easy
choice for Larina. Photographs and information are
available on the Perfect Shots 4 You Facebook page,
or email lana.larina@comcast.net.
Students address global issues at
Hood College Model U.N.
By Carter Gipson
O
n January 10, the conference
rooms of Hood College were
packed tight with eager young
students looking professional — yet
slightly uncomfortable — in suit jackets and dress shoes. Armed with nothing more than a few pens and a quick
intellect, students took on global issues such as pandemic preparedness
and turmoil in the Middle East.
The Model United Nations conference at Hood College was the culmination of months of preparation by
students from every school in Frederick County. Schools from Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties were
also in attendance.
According to Michael Bunitsky,
the social studies curriculum specialist for Frederick County Public
Schools, 215 students in total came to
represent countries all over the world.
The all-day conference was kicked
off with opening remarks from Guy
Djoken, executive director of the
UNESCO Center for Peace; Dr. Edgar Schick, interim provost at Hood
College; Dr. Theresa Alban, superintendent of Frederick County Public
Schools; Dr. Paige Eager, associate
professor of Political Science at Hood
College; Dr. Zakir Bengali, member
of the Frederick County Board of Ed-
Photo | Kristy Crawford
Photo | Michael Bunitsky
Student delegates in General Assembly 1 participate in a moderated caucus to discuss pandemic
preparedness at the Model United Nations conference held at Hood College on January 10.
ucation; and Jan Gardner, a Frederick
County executive.
Afterwards, the conference broke
down into three separate committees:
two General Assemblies discussing
pandemic preparedness and one Security Council negotiating peace between Israel and Palestine. Each committee was headed by a President or
Presidency Council who maintained
the flow of debate.
While in their separate committees, delegates met to deliberate the
merits of opposing arguments on each
aspect of the issue at hand. Debate
was moderated according to parliamentary procedure. Ultimately, the
objective was to pass a resolution that
would address the problem in a way
that would benefit everyone.
Delegates spent hours researching
their country’s position on the issue
beforehand in order to accurately
represent their country in the conference. Based on their research, each
delegate submitted a position paper
that outlined their country’s views.
While in session, delegates worked
collaboratively to offer resolutions,
but in the end, only the Security Council and General Assembly 2
were able to pass a resolution. General
Assembly 1 simply could not reach an
agreement.
Rishub Nahar, a student at Urbana High School, was a delegate in
General Assembly 1. Though his two
resolutions didn’t gain enough votes
for a simple majority, he found other
aspects of the conference much more
n
model un Continued on page 7
Haircuttery’s annual Share a Haircut benefit runs for two days, Monday
and Tuesday, February 2 and 3. For each haircut purchased, another
haircut will be donated to a person in need. From left, store manager, Erin
Keely and stylist Erin Wakefield.
Hair Cuttery Donates Hair Cuts
The spirit of giving doesn’t stop with the holidays.
Hair Cuttery’s annual Share a Haircut program continues this year in February. On Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 2 and 3, local Hair Cuttery salons, including the one in the Giant shopping center, will donate
a free haircut to a homeless person for each haircut
purchased. A certificate will be given to local shelters
and community organizations to distribute to those
in need.
With close to 900 salons, Hair Cuttery is the largest family-owned and operated chain of hair salons in
the United States. The Share a Haircut program also
helps veterans, victims of domestic abuse and children
returning to school in the fall. “Last year’s expanded
Share a Haircut program was an enormous success…
reaching more than 1 million people,” said Dennis
Ratner, Founder and CEO of Hair Cuttery. “This year
we plan to continue that momentum, helping those less
n
shop talk Continued on page 16
Page 4
The Town Courier
February 2015
askthe editor
Editorial: 240.409.6734
Advertising: 301.279.2304
www.towncourier.com/urbana
Diane Dorney
Publisher
news@towncourier.com
Matt Danielson
President
matt@eink.net
Bethany E. Starin
Managing Editor
240.409.6734
bethany@towncourier.com
Virginia Myers
Copy Editor
Debi Rosen
Advertising Manager
301.279.2304
ads@towncourier.com
Dawn Furman Gordon
Advertising Sales
301.674.8010
dawn@towncourier.com
Martin Schipper
Advertising Sales
240.418.4320
martin@towncourier.com
Sally Alt
News Editor
sallyalt@earthlink.net
Kristy Crawford
News Writer
kbcraw@gmail.com
Student Writers
Ridhi Chaudhary
Morgan McGrady
Rishub Nahar
Sirad Hassan
Staff Writers
Nora Caplan
Betty Hafner
Sheilah Kaufman
Gina Gallucci-White
Staff Photographer
Tracey McCabe
©2014 Courier Communications
The Town Courier is an independent monthly newspaper
providing news and information for the communities
of Urbana, Urbana Highlands, Villages of Urbana,
Ijamsville, Green Valley, Monrovia and Kemptown
in Frederick County, Md. The paper is published by
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The Roots of Courage Grow Deep
M
y heart always
catches in my
throat as I round
the bend to the graveyard. This past week was
no exception, as I took
advantage of the sunshine
to take our 4-month-old
son, Nate, to visit his By Bethany
brother, Myles. It takes
E. Starin
courage to turn my car
in that direction and it takes even more
strength to carry my son the grassy steps
toward his twin. But once we’re there,
I’m somehow grateful. Nate started crying simultaneously with me, a coincidence
this time I am sure, but I sometimes think
about the conversation we will have some
day that will find Nate back here, grieving
for the brother he kept alive but never got
to grow up with. Yes, Nate’s vibrant little
body passed amniotic fluid to his brother,
serving in part to keep him alive for the
months he lived in the womb.
While I don’t know, I have this hunch
that Myles’ early passing might be the
transformative event that makes a great
man out of Nate. The painful truth that
forces him to prematurely grapple with
life’s biggest questions. Perhaps it will keep
him from squandering away years he’d regret. I pray over Nate’s little sleeping face
every night that God would make him a
great man. A man of courage.
And perhaps the ongoing and sometimes
haunting ache of losing a son is what will
provoke me to live purposefully myself
and engage every day in a way I otherwise
would neglect.
This month, I’ve booked a lot of space
to highlight young people in Urbana who
stand out in the community as individuals of courage, kids of character. Many of
whom got to where they are because they
chose to be courageous in the face of hardship. Take Noah Grove, for example.
When Noah was almost 5, he was diagnosed with cancer in his bones and according to his mom, Rachael Grove, they were
left with no choice but to remove his leg.
“One surgeon told us, ‘It’s his life or his
leg.’ There is no choice here. That’s a lot
a pressure to put on to parents, when their
child is only 5.” Life or leg.
Noah is now 15. He’s positive, engaging and most amazingly, a great athlete.
Two years ago he began playing soccer
with crutches. Currently, he is part of the
United States team at the Amputee Soccer
World Cup and in addition, he’s a member
of the U.S. Sled Hockey national development team.
Rachael has incredible respect for her
determined son. “Noah never ceases to
amaze me,” she said to one of our news
writers, Gina Gallucci White. When I
asked how she musters up courage, Rachael mentions her own difficult past that
shaped her.
“I grew up in a foster home and I believe
that I gained a lot of strength from that,”
she said. “I have always been positive, so
when we were hit with Noah’s diagnosis, there was no other choice but to live
and with that came the amputation and 10
months of chemo.”
To read more of Noah’s story, flip to the
front page and follow the rest of the story
on page 16.
Also on the front page, the Hageman
family is mentioned. After Cliff lost his leg
in a tragic accident, his children are adapting to living with a new level of selfless
courage — the enduring kind.
“Cass and Eli are incredible help,” said
Rebecca Hageman, Cliff 's wife; she adds
that they help with his medications, his
wheelchair — whatever their dad needs.
“They have seen what perseverance is first
hand.”
See page 3 for a profile on Emily Snyder, an Urbana High School graduate who
launched into the daunting world of first
jobs, finding a good fit for her skills. She
serves as a Nutrient Management Advisor
at the Frederick County Extension Office
for the University of Maryland. She looks
at soil nutrient tests and advises local farmers. Snyder is an Ijamsville native.
Three Centerville Elementary School
kids took the risk of entering their writing
in the Young Author’s Contest — and they
won. Flip to page 5 to read their poems
and hear what motivated them to craft the
poems in the first place.
Violinist Jackie Chen ventured to try out
for the Maryland All-State Junior Orchestra. Because she took this risk, Jackie, an
eighth grader at Urbana Middle School,
set a new record for the school’s music department. No other student in the school’s
history ever qualified to be a member of
the Maryland All-State Junior Orchestra.
For more on Jackie’s story, flip to page 11.
This month, love is also celebrated with
Valentine's Day. Turn to page 13 to find a
number of creative dates that support local
businesses here in Urbana and in nearby
downtown Frederick. Jo Ostby also talks
about a historic, romantic place to eat Valentine’s week. See page 15 for her thoughts
on the Gettysburg spot, and a recipe from
the chef.
If you have particularly creative Valentine’s date ideas, or notice anyone in our
community who stands out for character
or courage, please drop me a note. Contact me at bethany@towncourier.com or
240.409.6734 with article ideas, photos or
profile suggestions. Have a terrific month!
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February 2015
The Town Courier
Page 5
Young Poets Honored in Annual Authors’ Contest
By Bethany E. Starin
E
very winter, students from Centerville
Elementary School (CES) submit short
stories and poems as part of the State of
Maryland International Reading Association
Young Author's Contest. Several weeks later,
the writers wait with bated breath to hear the
list of winners read over the loud speaker.
“I was shocked and couldn’t believe it. I
was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe,” said
Gabi Dwoskin, a third grader at CES who
won for her poem, “Gumball.”
Nine-year-old Daniella Bowie had a similar experience. “Oh my gosh! I ran up to my
mom and hugged her. I was super excited,”
she said. Daniella was noted for her winning
poem titled “Heaven’s Masterpiece.”
Evan Foster, 10, said he had submitted a
short story last year but didn’t win, which
made this year even more of a thrill. “I felt
extremely happy I had won,” he said.
Each student talked about their writing
process. Foster wrote a draft for his winning
poem, “Changing,” in 20 minutes. He said
he spent time brainstorming by looking at his
surroundings, formulated his thoughts, then
took his work to his parents for critique. He
was also inspired by his favorite author, Shel
Silverstein.
“I wanted to take some of his thoughts and
change them to make them my own,” said
Foster, who is in fifth grade. “I wanted to
start off with a warning and see what I could
make from there… I try to end some of my
things with a positive and happy ending.”
Daniella said she was inspired by a brightly colored sky. “We were just driving home
from the store,” she said. “I was looking out-
side and I was wondering that must be God’s
masterpiece and God’s paint brush painting
the sky… It was blue, pink, yellow and orange.”
This was Daniella’s first time writing a
poem. She said she was also inspired by her
Grandpa, Jave Amir, who is the author of poems and academic writings. In addition, her
own faith motivated her to write.
“I am Catholic and I love God and I just
love going to church,” she said. “So I decided
to write about Him in my poem, and all of
the beauty that He made.”
Excellent writing comes from an avid appetite for reading, which is the case for Evan.
He said Harry Potter and a series called Table Haven are among his favorite books. Evan’s goals include being a park ranger, but he
hopes writing is also in his future.
This is Gabi’s second time to win in the
Young Authors’ Contest. Last year, she won
in the poetry category as well, so she planned
on entering a short story instead. The piece
started getting too long, so Gabi sat in her
room, musing over a poem when her eye fell
on her seventh birthday present — a miniature pink gumball machine.
“I like how you can write whatever is on
your mind or your opinions and you can write
whatever you want,” said 8-year-old Gabi,
about writing poetry. “One of my strengths
is that the words come easily to me.”
In the future, Gabi hopes to have a famous
career on the stage — singing, acting, dancing — and off the stage, both cooking and
writing.
Daniella also loves the stage and said she
hopes to be Miss Maryland, following in her
mother’s footsteps, or perhaps Miss America.
“I want to congratulate everybody who
entered in the poetry contest and I would
like to say that they are all winners,” Daniella
said.
This trio is just a sampling of the 55 CES
students who entered this year. These three
(along with five other CES students) go on to
the state competition.
“We are so proud of our students for taking risks and not letting an opportunity like
this pass them by,” said Susan Verdi, literary
specialist at CES, adding that the education
at CES includes a rigorous writing program.
"The teachers who judged the entries were
amazed by the skills of these young poets!”
To read these student's award-winning poems,
flip to page 10.
Photo | Tracey McCabe
Young writers at Centerville Elementary School celebrate
their win in the Young Author’s Contest. Back row from
left, Evan Foster (fifth grade), Daniella Bowie (fourth
grade), Gemma Gibney (second grade), Madison Mustafa
(fifth grade), Youssef Salem (fourth grade); front row from
left, Gabi Dwoskin (third grade), Sara Patamawenu (third
grade), Riya Khirbat (second grade).
Page 6
The Town Courier
February 2015
aroundtOWN
Local Organizations Support the
Greater Urbana Food Bank
Photo | Submitted
The Urbana High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter received grant funds they are using to grow food for the
Greater Urbana Area Food Bank. From left, Tanjia Mayne, Madison Burley, Amber Smith, Kelley Delacey, Jennifer Delacey,
Allie Kaloss and Cassidy Hageman.
The Greater Urbana Food Bank has been
the fortunate recipient of several recent donations from local communities:
St. Ignatius Catholic Church’s Ladies
Auxiliary has provided Easter baskets for
children from Food Bank families for more
than 10 years. A few years ago, as the numbers of children in need grew, Food Bank
Director Jo Ostby reached out to North
Star Community Church and more recently to Mountain View Community Church.
The churches solicit donations from members, then get together to assemble them.
Each church created about 30 baskets.
When there were more children in need,
Ostby posted a request on the food bank’s
Facebook page. “Thirty names were taken immediately,” Ostby said. “We didn’t
even know some of the generous people. It
makes the families so happy.”
In January, Shockley Honda held a Fill
the Van Food Drive, where non-perishable foods and toiletries were accepted
Kristy Crawford
until a Honda van was filled and then the
non-perishable food and toiletry items
were donated to The Greater Urbana Food
Bank.
The Urbana High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter received
word this week that it has been awarded a
$2,094 Food For All Grant from the National FFA. Urbana High School is using
that grant money to grow hydroponic Bibb
lettuce for the Food Bank families. “This
is such a great thing for our families,” said
Ostby. “To have fresh produce donated in
the winter is a rarity.”
The students, under the direction of
Tanjia Mayne, will plant raised beds outside at UHS in the spring. They will also
hold two workshops for up to 50 families
on container gardening. Topics include
containers, soil, seeds, fertilizer and pest
management. They will also create handouts and a brochure with easy-to-make
vegetable recipes to be given to the families. Participating families will utilize new
skills at home growing vegetables with
supplies given them by the FFA.
It’s Time for Girl Scout Cookies
The holiday treats may be gone, but
now it’s time for Girl Scout Cookies! Thin
Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs and Samoas,
among others, will be available soon from
several troops in the area, knocking at your
door, or selling outside of local stores, including Giant, Dunkin Donuts, 7-11 and
Mangia e Bevi.
This is Aine Taylor’s third year in Girl
Scouts, and as a Brownie with Troop
81537, she has set an ambitious goal to sell
500 boxes. A portion of each cookie box
sale goes to the troop. Aine’s mom, Stefanie Brady, is the troop’s leader and works
with seven other Girl Scouts, ages 7 and 8,
to raise money for service projects, including “adopting” needy children for Christmas and water conservation activities in
the area. Aine’s sister, Saoirse Taylor, 5, is
eager to be a Daisy next year.
Troop 81537 will be at Walmart on
the afternoon of March 1 and at Giant on
March 22. The cost for each box of cookies
is $4, except for the gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookie, which sells for $5. In keeping up
with the 21st century, Girl Scout cookies
can be purchased online (www.gscnc.org):
Enter your zip code for a list of sales in your
Photo | Submitted
The Urbana Feeder Schools Concert was held in early January at Urbana High School. Performers included students
from Centerville, Green Valley, Kemptown and Urbana elementary schools, plus the Urbana Middle School Choir and
the Urbana Concert Choir and Chamber Ensemble. Pictured here, all students came together for a final song.
Photo | Submitted
Eight-year-old Aine Taylor, a Brownie with Urbana/Centerville Troop 81537, hopes to sell a lot of Girl Scout cookies
this year to earn money for various service projects in
the area.
area. If you can, enter the troop number
with your online order, like Troop 81537,
so the girls will get proper sales credit. For
more information on Aine’s troop, email
stefaniebrady@yahoo.com.
Photo | Submitted
The Urbana High School marching band recently held a mattress fundraiser, where new, name-brand mattresses were set
up in the school cafeteria and sold for up to 50 percent off retail prices. Part of the proceeds benefitted the band for the
many costs incurred each year, especially uniforms and instruments. “The fundraiser was very successful, especially for
the band’s first attempt,” said parent Karen Duda, “This is going to be an annual January event for the band.”
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February 2015
■ children’s museum
from page 1
in Frederick County. “There’s something
for almost every child to engage in,” she
said.
Przybocki said that she wanted to give
children a chance to learn “in a playful
way without the pressure of evaluation,
but with positive feedback from their
grownups, who are engaging with them.”
The local community has been very supportive of her work. “It’s so family-friendly
here,” said Przybocki.
Urbana resident and mother Karen Calabrese has brought her 4-year-old daughter
to the children’s museum several times. “I
think it’s good entertainment – especially in the winter months,” said Calabrese.
Her daughter’s favorite room is the theater
room. “She really likes to dress up.”
The children’s museum encourages creativity and keeps kids’ interest because
there are so many activities available, said
Calabrese. “It’s never very crowded,” she
said, so children don’t have to wait in line
to play.
“It’s a good place to grow,” said New
Market resident Maria Gonzales, who
started taking her 4-year-old daughter,
Genevieve, to the children’s museum.
“She loves to play with the water,” Gonzales said.
■ snyder
from page 3
ed to do with my animal science degree, so
I switched over to this [agricultural science
and technology]. It just seemed like a good
fit.”
According to Snyder, it is easy to find a
good job with a degree in agricultural science and technology. “You hear about all
these people coming out of high school or
college…and not being able to find a job,”
she said. “That’s not the case with agricul-
■ model un
from page 3
gratifying anyway. “The most rewarding aspect is when I deliver a speech and other delegates come up to me and say they’d like to
work together,” said Nahar. “I just feel that
means my speech made an actual difference.”
The conference has grown dramatically from the time it began. Djoken said that
it started with about 50 Frederick County
Students. For 10 years, the conference has
gradually grown to the size it is now – with
students filling conference rooms in the
Whittaker Center as well as Rosenstock Hall.
Allison Fish, a veteran of the Hood College
conference and founder of the Oakdale High
School Model United Nations program, is
equally impressed with the expansion of the
conference. “It has been amazing to witness
this growth and become a part of a community of students who value politics and international relations,” she said.
For the short periods when delegates
weren’t busy solving the world’s problems,
students had the opportunity to meet new
people from different schools who had similar interests. Caroline Kouneski, who was
visiting from North County High School in
The Town Courier
New Market resident Matthew Gelenian described the children’s museum as “a
nice, comfortable environment.” Gelenian has been coming to the museum with
his 4-year-old son, Razmig, for more
than a year. Razmig especially enjoys the
“Engineerium” room where he can build
a bridge, a skyscraper, a roller coaster or
just about anything. “To watch his mind
at work is my favorite part,” said Gelenian.
Przybocki decided to open the New
Market children’s museum in November
2013 after taking her daughter to visit a
children’s museum in Gettysburg. She
described her husband, Mark, as “a tremendous help” in bringing her dream into
reality. Her husband helped in converting
an old house into the children’s museum
and also serves as a sounding board for her
ideas.
The children’s museum is a technology-free zone. “I feel like there’s so much
opportunity for screen time in other places
[and] this is kind of a step away from that,”
said Przybocki.
Przybocki enjoys being her own boss. “I
just love letting my own ideas come to fruition,” she said. She has learned a lot about
marketing, accounting and other aspects of
running a business. “You have to be willing to work very hard,” she said.
Currently, Przybocki is working on creating a space in the backyard for children
ture.” There is always going to be a job for
people with an agricultural science degree.
Snyder said that her mother is happy that
she found a job that she enjoys, and her
father, who grew up on a farm in Allegheny County, is also supportive of her new
career. Her career goal is to work as a crop
consultant and advise farmers about tillage,
spraying, fertilizing, crop varieties and crop
rotation.
Snyder said that one of the surprises about
her job is how nice the farmers are to her.
“I love my producers, the farmers,” she said,
adding, “They are all great to work with.”
Anne Arundel County, said that it was an
amazing experience to come to a conference
so far from home and meet new people like
me. “It’s also really fantastic because you
never have to learn someone’s real name,
just their country,” she said. “It saves a lot
of time.”
The event concluded in Rosenstock Hall
with an award ceremony followed by closing remarks from Michael Bunitsky. Awards
were given to the best delegates and the
writers of the best position papers from each
committee.
In his closing remarks, Bunitsky reflected
on the many lessons that he hopes students
would take away from this event. By learning from mistakes, Bunitsky believes students are experiencing these lessons in a way
that traditional classrooms can’t simulate.
“We hope [these lessons] will affect our students’ world view for the rest of their lives.”
Editor's Note: Carter Gibson, 15, is a sophomore at Oakdale High School. He's an active
member of the Model United Nations club, the
Mock Trial team, the Oakdale Ambassadors organization and the Academic Team — and he plays
both lacrosse and basketball for Oakdale.
Page 7
to play. She plans to offer what she calls
“outdoor garden play.”
The most popular rooms at the children’s
museum are the Wonders of Water room,
where children can play in the water with
toys and create bubbles, and also the Reader’s Theater room, where kids can dress up
and put on shows for their parents.
Another room in the children’s museum
has the theme of a foreign country. Currently, the room is decorated to look like
China. “I love traveling, and I think it is
an important part of anyone’s education in
life,” she said.
Przybocki recently partnered with Vintage, a restaurant next door to the children’s museum, for a parents’ night out.
Children can engage in free play as well
as story time and a craft. Meanwhile, their
parents can dine next door at Vintage and
receive a complimentary dessert. The cost
is $20 per child and $15 per sibling from 5
to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays once per month.
Przybocki also plans to begin a Top
Scholars program for 4- to 5-year-olds to
help children learn reading skills before
starting kindergarten in the fall.
Devon Watkins, a Mt. Airy resident,
regularly brings her two daughters to the
children’s museum. She loves the fact that
the museum provides all of the art supplies,
and she doesn’t have to clean up afterwards. “It’s a great little gem in the middle of New Market that not a lot of people
know about.”
For more information about the
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The Town Courier
■ hageman fundraiser
from page 1
kins Shock Trauma. Another artery was
severed and once again he almost bled to
death. He endured several surgeries, life
threatening complications and agonizing
pain until Sept. 26, when Rebecca said they
made the difficult decision to undergo another surgery to amputate his leg below the
knee. “He has had several more surgeries
since, for a grand total of 18!” said Rebecca.
In late October, Cliff started rehabilitation, and finally returned home on Nov.
10. “About 150 friends and neighbors were
there to greet us,” Rebecca said. “They
gathered in front of our home with signs
and balloons and whistled and cheered! We
were overwhelmed with love, as we still
are.”
Neighbors created a meal train to organize dinners for the family since the accident. Rebecca’s fifth grade class at Centerville Elementary made a large blanket
and collected a basketful of treats to take
back and forth to the hospital. “The blanket is beautiful,” said Rebecca, “and huge.
It’s large enough to keep the whole family
warm!”
Rebecca still had to undergo surgery
for the lump — with good results — and
neighbors were there to help. “So many
friends,” Hageman said. “Especially Kelly,
Melanie and Terri and their husbands, have
been there for us since day one.” They kept
the Hagemans and their extended families
company, made meals and raised money for
the ever growing medical bills.
Friends made hundreds of wristbands
in Cliff ’s favorite color, orange, engraved,
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“Stand with Cliff,” and sold them for $3.
Neighbor Eric Sheidhauer had a fundraiser at his restaurant, The Lodge, on Buckeystown Pike in Frederick, right before
Christmas.
A few weeks ago, in early January, Lisa
Giuliani hosted a successful fundraiser at
the Urbana Volunteer Fire Department.
The event also coincided with Cliff ’s birthday, so he was surprised with a large cake
and crowd rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
“The evening was fun, light hearted
and a celebration of friends and neighbors
coming together to support a beloved local family,” said Giuliani. “Approximately
300 people spent the evening mingling, enjoying gourmet desserts, sipping cocktails,
dancing to the DJ and bidding on well over
100 auction items. Cliff seemed in great
spirits. There is no question the Hageman’s
could feel the love in the room.”
Rebecca Hageman heartily agreed. “Our
family has been blown away by the love
and support from our friends and neighbors,” she said. “The Urbana community
has reached out and embraced us. It is such
a blessing to live in Urbana!”
Unfortunately, Cliff has a long recovery
ahead. On the day after Christmas, he was
readmitted to shock trauma and required
more surgeries because of an infection. He
stayed in the hospital for more than a week
and is now home on IV antibiotics, special
wound treatment and nurse visits for at least
six weeks. He won’t be able to get a cast or
prosthetic for at least a few months.
After the ordeal, Rebecca says she learned
that the police officer who was on the scene
of Cliff ’s accident never followed up, and
the woman who hit Cliff was never cited.
February 2015
“I had to call the Montgomery County Police Department a couple of times,” Rebecca said, “and two months later, she received
two tickets.”
Rebecca said the family is now looking
forward and focused on Cliff ’s recovery
and is grateful for the kindness of friends
and neighbors. “We really weren’t comfortable asking anyone for financial help,
but since Cliff is self-employed, this has
been very difficult,” Rebecca said. “So our
friends stepped in.” The local fundraising
organization, The Patty Pollatos Fund, is
also helping, as they have helped so many
in the Frederick area over that last 20 years.
(For more information on the fund, see
www.ppfinc.org.)
This month, Manda Mackintosh of Urbana’s Art and Soul set up an event so Friday, Feb. 6, proceeds from Mackintosh’s
annual “Art from the Heart” Valentine’s
event will benefit the Hagemans. All ages
are welcome to the studio at 2510 Urbana
Pike, Suite 104, to create Valentine’s pins
for $5 each, to keep, or to donate to sell
and raise funds for the family. For more information, visit the Urbana Art and Soul
Facebook page, or call 301.418.5458.
Rebecca Hageman said the family has
grown and learned much from the ordeal.
“Cass and Eli are incredible help,” she said.
“They help with his meds, wheelchair,
whatever he needs. They have seen what
perseverance is first hand.”
“The other day, two boys – a current and
former student of mine – came and shoveled our driveway for free. You never know
the hand life will deal you, but having the
love and support from the people in Urbana
really helps us make it through.”
The Town Courier
February 2015
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Page 9
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The Town Courier
February 2015
HAWKTALK By Kate Formeller
Valentine’s Day, from Media Blitz to Meaningful
M
y favorite holiday of the year comes
in just a couple weeks — Valentine’s
day, a day full of romance and bliss.
Perhaps it is my favorite because my dad proposed to my mom on Valentine's Day — but
maybe it's because every year since I can remember, my Dad buys my mom and I roses
or a teddy bear with a personalized card. He
never failed to remind us of how important
we are in his life. He made me feel loved and
cherished. But where do the Valentine's expectations come from anyway? Simple, they
are warped and sensationalized by the media.
Classic romance movies like “The Notebook” or “Titanic” set the bar very high
when it comes to love. For instance, writing
a girl a letter today is unheard of, especially 365 of them. Even a simple text everyday
seems a bit too much to ask for. Therefore,
the notion of risking one’s life in freezing
waters to save your one true love, is just
completely out of the question. Thus, the bar
has become distorted and unreachable. Not
to mention, teddy bears, chocolates, flowers
and everything pink begin to bombard you
in the beginning of January, in a store near
n
hawk talk Continued on page 12
Student Poems Continued from page 5
“Heaven’s Masterpiece”
By Daniella Bowie
Have you ever wondered why the sky is
so pink, orange, red or blue?
It might just be God’s masterpiece calling out to you.
I take a peek out my window and I see
the trees blowing in the breeze.
I see a bird, flying high all the way up in
the light blue sky.
I hear the drops of rain hit
my windowpane.
I feel God’s love through the
rainbow above.
These small miracles like a pink sky, a
bird in flight,
leaves turning colors, raindrops at night,
makes me have faith that our world
is all right.
A smile to a stranger, a kind word to
a friend,
helps me believe that the world can be a
better place if we put God first in our lives
and not at the end.
“Gumball”
By Gabi Dwoskin
Here I am,
Lying in the clear ball.
I’m pink and I’m round,
And I have loads and loads of colorful,
sphere friends.
Wait! Who’s that?
Oh, a creature that’s large.
Wait, who’s that silver disc?
Goodbye, one friend.
Wait, why am I sliding?
On a twisty slide?
Will this be a delightful ride?
Where did I just fall?
Why am I sweaty and hot?
Is this delightful?
Probably n-n-n
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Maybe a lion’s roar.
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Turn them to
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A walk on a cool fall day or
A pup’s tail wagging around or
A new pet fish swimming in acrobatic
circles or
A cat’s content purr.
And now look upon what you can change
And the world will be changed.
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The Town Courier
February 2015
Photo | Sirad Hassan
Urbana High School’s Science Academic team strikes a pose outside Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus after a
morning of competition.
Much Ado about Science
By Sirad Hassan
S
tudents from Urbana High School
(UHS) woke up bright and early on
Jan. 17, a Saturday morning, to participate in the Department of Energy’s 25th
annual regional Science Bowl competition
at Montgomery College. This competition,
different from the academic tournament
held in Frederick County, exclusively features science questions from chemistry and
astronomy to physics and biology. Twenty
different schools from Maryland sent a total of 40 teams to participate in this year’s
competition. UHS, however, was the only
representative from Frederick County.
Dr. Suzanne Dashiell, an AP Biology
teacher at UHS, is the original and current
coach of the UHS Science Academic team.
The team has been in existence for nine
years, starting with a single team of five players and growing to a total of 15 players.
“We have an academic team at Urbana
— so why not a science one?” said Dashiell.
“Participating in the team can serve as a
learning experience.”
Only one team regionally is eligible to
move on to the national arena. This year,
the Maryland trophy went to Montgomery
n
academic team Continued on page 12
UMS Student is First in School
Selected for State Orchestra
By Ridhi Chaudhary
J
ackie Chen, an eighth grader at Urbana
Middle School (UMS), set a new record
for the school’s music department. No
other student in the school’s history has ever
qualified to be a member of the Maryland
All-State Junior Orchestra — until now.
“I was so shocked! It was an unbelievable
feeling,” said Chen. “I wasn’t really expecting
to get in. I just wanted to give it a try.” The
All-State Junior Orchestra includes students
in grades seven through nine, from all across
Maryland. Chen is part of the first violin section which is comprised of 28 students. Most
of the other students are from Howard and
Montgomery counties. Chen was one out of
two students selected from Frederick County. The other student was Alex Chen, a 12
year old seventh grader at Monocacy Middle
School.
“I am very proud of Jackie for this accomplishment," said Tom Mitchell, Chen’s instructor at UMS. “She has been a dedicated
and hard-working student from the first day
she came to the orchestra class in 6th grade.”
Jackie has been playing the violin and performing for four years. She started in the
fourth grade and has also been taking private
lessons outside of school. “My private teacher
helps me a lot. He teaches me a lot of things
and I’ve been improving based on him,” said
Chen.
Chen is also proud of making All-County
and the first violin chair for all three years of
middle school. “Being a part of the school orchestra helped me a lot, too, because they perform in a lot of recitals as well,” said Chen. In
addition, Chen is a part of the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra (FRYO) and had the
honor of being a concert master for the Symphonia Orchestra for one year in the FRYO.
Chen performs five to six times a year with
Photo | Submitted
Jackie Chen, 14 and an eighth grader from UMS, was
recently selected for the All-State Junior Orchestra. She
was one of only two students from Frederick County to
receive this honor. This month, the orchestra performs at
Towson University.
the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra.
Chen said she typically practices four days
a week for three to four hours total. “Practice — I mean practice make perfect!” Chen
also offered some helpful advice to other budding musicians who aspire to become a part of
the All-State Orchestra, “If you practice and
work really hard on your technique, then you
could probably get in too. I mean anyone who
practices seriously can get in.”
Jackie specifically wanted to thank her
parents for getting her into violin, and her
orchestra teachers for further enriching her
playing abilities. “I would never have been
able to make it without their support and encouragement,” said Chen.
Although Chen does not want to become
a musician when she grows up, she believes
that music will stay with her throughout her
life, whether or not she makes it a profession.
“Playing an instrument is so great because of
how nice the pieces sound, and how it always
makes me feel so relaxed,” said Chen.
The All-State Junior Orchestra will perform on March 13-15 at Towson University.
Editor’s Note: Ridhi Chaudhary is a freshman
at Urbana High School.
Page 11
Page 12
The Town Courier
February 2015
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from page 11
Blair High School from Silver Spring. The
National Science Bowl competition is held at
Washington, D.C. in April. UHS was just shy
of advancing to the playoff matches.
“I’m a competitor at heart and science is
generally my favorite subject,” said Dinakar
Chappa, a junior at UHS. “I’d definitely join
the team again next year; it was fun preparing
with a team of close friends for a competition.” Chappa, 16, typically specializes in biology, but is well-versed in chemistry as well.
After lunch, participants heard from guest
speaker Ashley Llorens, an electrical engineer
at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. Llorens’ speech wasn’t entirely about science, it was also about music. In
addition to his work in the field of science,
Llorens has a music career as a lyricist, producer and hip hop artist known as SoulStice.
His song “That Thang” is featured in the
movie “The Blind Side.”
“I used to think that music and science
were so different that it was comical,” said
Llorens, “but it actually isn’t. If you truly love
two subjects, there is always a way to integrate the two.”
After receiving a warm welcome, Llorens
opened the floor up to questions and answers,
and offered an album of his to anyone brave
enough to ask a question.
“Meeting SoulStice was really inspiring as
a high schooler,” said Sid Vanam, a junior at
UHS. “Most high schoolers are faced with
the discussion between passion and money as
a career path. SoulStice gave hope to those
confused high schoolers that you can make
the best of two totally different worlds.”
Vanam is skilled in chemistry and strongly urges others to participate in science bowl
next year.
Even with a loss this year, the camaraderie
among team members is strong. Many still
want to participate next year – they are close
friends with a common passion for science.
Editor’s Note: Sirad Hassan is a junior at Urbana High School and member of the UHS Science
Academic Team.
hawktalk
from page 10
you. The cherry on top is the relentless commercials for chocolate-covered strawberries
or jewelry that is now on sale.
Americans spend more than $220 billion on Valentine’s Day with an estimated
35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate
sold. Valentine’s Day has become a commercialized day full of expectations that may or
may not be reached. So, for the sake of this
column, let’s bring it back to its roots.
The first “valentine” was written in 1415
by Charles, Duke of Orleans. He was writing
to his wife while being held prisoner in the
Tower of London during the Hundred Year’s
War. He wrote her 60 letters while imprisoned, yearning for her love. This has certainly
sparked interest throughout America, including in Urbana, with the popular tradition of
handing out Valentine’s Day cards by all ages.
In elementary schools, Valentine’s Day is
celebrated by passing out handmade or storebought Valentines to your classmates. The
children look forward to giving and receiving
their cards along with the candy that is often
attached. In middle school, Valentine’s Day is
often celebrated by bringing edible treats to
in-school festivities. When I attended Urbana
High School (class of 2014), Valentine’s Day
was celebrated and cherished. Candy grams
were sold at lunch – one could buy a bag of
candy with a personalized note which would
be delivered to a significant other or crush.
This brought a celebratory, caring atmosphere
to school. Many students also brought flowers
to give to their significant other or friend before school as a reminder of how they appreciate one another.
However, as you get older Valentine’s Day
remains just as important and anticipated. I
encourage you to put the customary commercialized, media-warped Valentine’s Day aside.
Chocolate-covered strawberries and jewelry
do not have the sentimental value as a simple
but meaningful “I Love You.” When I was a
sophomore at UHS, I made my boyfriend a
giant Valentine out of poster board and spray
painted it hot pink. It is important to let everyone in your life know how much you care
and appreciate them. It is not about just receiving. Communicate the love and respect
you have for your loved one whether it be
through a letter, text, or word of mouth, or
even a candy gram. Relish the moment, and
the meaning of a Valentine’s Day: A day to
celebrate your love, full of romance and bliss!
Editor's Note: Kate Formeller, 19, is a 2014
Urbana High School graduate and a freshman
at James Madison University. She studies social
work and hopes to become a cognitive behavioral
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The Town Courier
February 2015
Page 13
Area Treats for a Special Valentine’s Day
By Sally Alt
V
alentine’s Day is just a couple weeks
away, so here’s a sampling of ideas for
dates in Frederick County.
Aubrey Rogers, co-owner of City Magnolia Day Spa in Urbana, likes to celebrate
Valentine’s Day by going to Mangia e Bevi
on Fingerboard Road. “I just really enjoy a
good dinner,” she said, adding that her go-to
dish is chicken al limone.
Mangia e Bevi is owned by a husband and
wife team and has a romantic Italian ambiance with candlelight dinners.
“Most of our pastas are made at the
restaurant from scratch,” said co-owner
Mary Cinquepalmi. All of the pizzas are
also handmade. For reservations, call
301.874.0338, and visit www.mangiaebevi.
us for more information.
For a Valentine's treat, Rogers recommends Zoe’s Chocolate Co. in downtown
Frederick, which offers Mediterranean inspired signature chocolates. Zoe's staff said
they also have a variety of special chocolates
for Valentine’s Day. More info on Zoe's can
be found at www.zoeschocolate.com.
Also in downtown Frederick is Serenity
Tearoom, which hosts three tea menus,
including a traditional afternoon tea with
scones, tea sandwiches, fruit tarts, cookies or
pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, tea
bread and an endless pot of tea. The tearoom
provides what owner Blanch Henry calls
“southern hospitality” in a cozy and romantic
environment. Royal tea is served with soup
and salad, a glass of sparkling fruit cider and
sorbet in addition to all of the afternoon tea
offerings. For Valentine’s Day, guests can also
take their teacups home for an extra charge.
The first seating for tea is from 11 a.m. – 1
p.m., and the second seating is from 3 – 5
p.m. For reservations, call 301.695.8327 or
visit www.serenitytearoom.com.
Urbana resident Steve Osbon said he enjoys
taking his wife to quiet, romantic restaurants
such as the Salamander Resort and Spa in
Middleburg, Va. “We don’t mind traveling
a little bit,” he said, describing the resort set
on 340 acres in the Virginia countryside. In
addition, Osbon has taken his wife, as well
as his two daughters to Clyde’s Tower Oaks
Lodge in Rockville, Md., for Valentine’s
Day. “It’s become fun to include them,” he
said. For information on the Salamander
Resort and Spa visit www.salamanderresort.
com; for information on Clyde’s go to www.
clydes.com/tower.
Couples who need something relaxing
could book a couple’s massage at Urbana's
City Magnolia Day Spa or Massage Envy in
Frederick. Both locations offer the popular
Swedish massage with medium pressure
for flexibility and relaxation and cranial
sacral therapy, a combination of gliding
and kneading movements with a focus on
the head, neck and shoulders. For more
information, call 240.397.2333 or visit
www.massageenvy.com.
For coffee and dessert, couples can head
to The Buzz, a café and bakery, in nearby
Monrovia. On Valentine’s Day, the Buzz
will offer a variety of treats such as chocolate
dipped strawberries, red velvet cake, Valen-
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Urbana's family-owned Italian restaurant, Mangia e Bevi, offers a three-course menu with authentic Italian dishes for
Valentine's Day.
tine’s cookies, brownies and cupcakes. The
café, which serves Italian coffee, lattes and
cappuccinos, also offers three meals a day,
including a lobster lasagna entree for the
holiday.
“Everything we do here is with love and
passion,” said owner Minda Metz. For more
information about The Buzz, visit www.
thebuzzgreenvalley.com.
For a Valentine’s outing, couples can go
bowling at Terrace Lanes in Frederick. The
bowling alley offers 36 lanes, a snack bar and
a full-service bar. On Valentine’s Day, Terrace Lanes will be open from 9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
The Rock and Bowl special, available from
10 p.m. until closing time, offers three hours
of bowling and shoe rental for $15. For reservations, call 301.662.2777.
Page 14
The Town Courier
February 2015
monthlyagendaCompiled by Bethany E. Starin
Local Events
Art and Soul for the Hagemans
Manda Mackintosh of Urbana’s Art and
Soul is directing all proceeds from her annual
“Art from the Heart” Valentine’s event, this
year on Friday, Feb. 6, to benefit the Hageman family, as father Cliff Hageman recovers
from a serious accident (see front page story).
All ages will be welcome to the studio at 2510
Urbana Pike, Suite 104 to create Valentine’s
pins for $5 each, to keep or to donate to sell
and raise funds for the family. For more information, visit the Urbana Art and Soul Facebook page, or call 301.418.5458.
Hair Cuttery Donates Hair Cuts
On Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 2 and 3,
Urbana’s Hair Cuttery salon in the Giant
shopping center will donate a free haircut to
a homeless person for each haircut purchased.
This community service is part of the annual
Share a Haircut program. For each haircut
purchased, a certificate for a free cut will
be given to local shelters and community
organizations to distribute to those in need.
For more information, contact the Urbana
Hair Cuttery at 301.874.0630, or visit www.
haircuttery.com.
Urbana Regional Library Annual Book Sale
The Friends of the Urbana Regional Library (FURL), will hold its spring used book
sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March
7, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 8,
in the community room on the lower level of
the Urbana Regional Library. There will be
hundreds of books organized by subject cat-
egory, as well as CDs, DVDs, books on tape
and children’s books. Funds from this book
sale go to support the many programs and activities of the Urbana Regional Library.
Pop-Up Lab at Urbana Library
This month the Urbana Regional Library
will host a new, hands-on science and technology program. The Pop-Up Lab will be
open on days when school is closed and allow elementary-aged students explore science
with hands-on experiments. On Feb. 13,
the Lab will feature Vintage Technology including vinyl music albums and LPs, the first
gameboy and more. On Feb. 16, students can
become engineers with Cup Architecture.
You’ll be amazed at what your student can
create with just a stack of plastic cups. Events
are held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No registration is required. For more information, call
301.600.7000.
Green Valley YMCA Parents Night Out
On Feb. 14, the Green Valley YMCA will
host Parents Night Out childcare so that
parents can enjoy a Valentine’s Day date. The
event, from 6 to 10 p.m., is $15 per child
and includes activities and snacks. For more
information, call 301.607.6900 or email
Jennifer Coppit at jcoppit@frederickymca.
org.
Free Family Yoga
On Feb. 24, Family Yoga will be held at
6:30 p.m. at the Green Valley YMCA. This
event is free and open to the public. For more
information, call 301.607.6900 or email Jennifer Coppit at jcoppit@frederickymca.org.
Free Zumba Class
A Zumba Master Class will be open to the
community, free of charge on Feb. 26, at the
Green Valley YMCA from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To
reserve your spot, or for more information,
call 301.607.6900 or email Jennifer Coppit at
jcoppit@frederickymca.org.
Red Cross CPR/AED Class
The Green Valley YMCA will host a Red
Cross CPR/AED Class for adults and children on Feb. 21. Also on Feb. 21 and Feb.
24, a Red Cross First Aid certification will
be held. Classes are $45 for YMCA members
and $58 for community members, or take
both classes for $72 (YMCA members) or $90
(for the public). For more information, contact Christine Rachel at 301.607.6900 or at
crachel@frederickymca.org.
Pancake Supper and Mardi Gras Party
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, the Urbana Senior
Center will host a Pancake Supper and
Mardis Gras Party. Held at 5:30 p.m., the
event includes pancakes, ice cream, trivia
and the history of Mardis Gras. For more
information call 301.600.7020 or go to www.
FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Cabin Fever Day
The Urbana Senior Center will host a day
of fun to help local residents through the
Maryland winter weather. The event includes
fitness classes, art, new hobbies and more, and
will be held Feb. 27, beginning at 10 a.m. For
more information call 301.600.7020 or go to
www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Valentine’s Lunch with Nurse Steve
On Thursday, Feb. 12, the Urbana Senior Center will host a luncheon with Nurse
Steve. The menu includes tossed salad, prime
rib, green bean casserole, baked potato and
cherry pie. Nurse Steve will discuss, “How
do I exercise my brain to stay at the top of my
game?” The event will be held at noon. For
more information call 301.600.7020 or go to
www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
FCPS Technology Fair
To see all-wound-up cars, hovercraft, a
straw bridge engineering challenge and more,
attend the Frederick County Public Schools
(FCPS) 22nd Countywide Technology Fair
this month. Slated for Feb. 24 (snow date Feb.
26), this event will be held at the Francis Scott
Key Mall from 6 to 8 p.m. and will showcase
middle school students and their technology
skills. Winners from all events will receive
recognition during an awards ceremony beginning at 8 p.m. in the center court. For
more information, contact Brenda Blumenauer at 301.644.5188.
Theatre, Arts and Music
Downtown Cooking School
On Feb. 21 and 22, hands-on classes will be
offered at restaurants in downtown Frederick.
This includes a flatbreads and wine class, a
pairing wine with food class, instructions on
how to shuck oysters, mozzarella making and
more. Ticket sales benefit Downtown Frederick Partnership. For more information and to
register, go to www.downtownfrederick.org.
February 2015
The Town Courier
Page 15
chef’ssecrets By Jo Ostby
Dobbins House Tavern
Worth the Trip
T
he Dobbins House Springhouse
Tavern, a Registered Historic Landmark, is our favorite place to eat in
nearby Gettysburg, Pa., a 25-minute drive
from Urbana. We have never been disappointed with our meals, the staff or the
ambiance. Completely lit by real candlelight, the character and charm of the environment would make it a great place to go
for a Valentine’s Day lunch or dinner.
Some would go there just for the King’s
Baked French Onion Soup, which is my
featured recipe this month. I encourage
you to save room to experience the Warm
Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce for dessert.
Be sure to have the locally pressed sparkling cider, which is the best I’ve had.
“It's cozy and quaint and takes you back
to a different era; back in history,” said
Linda Sheffield, assistant manager.
The restaurant is set in Gettysburg’s oldest, most historic home. It’s been authentically restored and is open to the public
as a colonial restaurant and bed and breakfast. Dobbins House Tavern overlooks the
spot where Lincoln gave his Gettysburg
Address. Interestingly enough, Dobbins
House Tavern also hosts a slaves’ hideaway
for what is believed to be the first station
of the Underground Railroad north of the
Mason-Dixon Line. Free house tours on
various weekends of the year feature the
hideaway, three natural springs and two
glowing fireplaces. In addition, the spot
once housed a field hospital for both Union
and Confederate casualties and later the
Reverend Alexander Dobbins’ Classical
School, the first of its kind in America west
of the Susquehanna River.
All this said, we find the atmosphere romantic and delightfully warm and charming and can’t help stepping back in our
minds to when taverns were not only an
integral part of colonial life, but a necessity. The modes of travel and transportation
back in that day mandated the location of
taverns every few miles on the main thoroughfares. Taverns were the only public
meeting places in early American towns
Dobbins House King’s Baked
Onion Soup
6 cups beef stock
2 T butter
6 medium onions, diced
1 cup stewing beef, cut into 1/2
inch cubes
1 cup dry sherry
6 slices good white bread
12 slices Swiss cheese
12 slices provolone cheese
Bring stock to a boil. In skillet,
melt butter; saute onions and brown
beef. Add to stock and pour in sherry. Simmer 30 minutes. When ready,
fill six bowls. Place slice of bread, two
slices Swiss and two slices provolone
on top. Broil until cheese is browned.
Serves six.
and countrysides. People from all walks of
life met in taverns to transact business, discuss politics, gamble and talk over hearty
food, a bottle of wine, a bowl of punch or
a tankard of ale. Taverns served as town
halls, news centers, general stores and military stations. You can almost imagine all of
this happening on a busy night at Dobbins
House Springhouse Tavern.
Dobbins House Springhouse Tavern and
the Abigail Adams Ballroom, large enough
to accommodate up to 130 guests, are located at 89 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg,
Pa. Call 717.253.9393 for reservations. The
downstairs Tavern is open 11:30 a.m. to
9 p.m. daily. There is a children’s menu and
the restaurant is family friendly.
Editor’s Note: Jo Ostby is the founder and
director of the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank.
She writes this column from her home, just outside Urbana. Visit her blog at www.Iloverestaurantrecipes.wordpress.com or the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank Facebook page to see what
Ostby does in her spare time from her home just
outside of Urbana.
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Page 16
The Town Courier
■ grove
from page 1
ing ground as everyone else.”
After the game, he was asked to come to
the national amputee soccer team’s training
camp. He was offered a spot on the team
at the camp’s conclusion. “I was extremely
proud that he is 15 years old and made the
national team,” Rachael said. Noah took on
the challenge of adjusting to a new way of
playing a game he already loved. He had to
learn to balance on the crutches, kicking the
ball with one leg and striking the ball properly. It took him a year of playing every day
to get a good feel for the new way he was
playing soccer.
The team’s roster was filled by 14 players
February 2015
from across the country who ranged in age
from 53 to 15 — Noah's age, the youngest.
“Noah brought a sense of determination [to
the team],” said Eric Lamberg, head coach.
“Noah was determined to play on the world
stage and proved that he had the ability to do
it. All the guys on the team took to Noah and
joked around with him in a big brother/little brother way. ... Noah not only fit in with
the team but earned everyone’s respect.” The
team met for three training camps in Texas,
South Carolina and Washington, D.C. before
the World Cup began in early December.
The World Cup rules state players must be
over the age of 16. In order for Noah to play,
every country had to sign a waiver allowing
him to play against them. The tournament,
held in Mexico, was the first time Noah had
been to a foreign country.
“Before each game, each country would
walk out and they would play the [country’s]
national anthem and have the flag,” Rachael
remembers. “It was very touching, watching, knowing he was the youngest player out
there.”
The U.S. played games against multiple
opponents including Japan, Turkey and Poland. Noah scored two goals against Germany and one versus Argentina. “I was screaming,” Rachael said. “We had a videographer
with us. So of course I’m screaming in the
background when he scored.” The team
earned a ranking of 12th out of 30 teams by
the end of the competition.
“Playing for your country means a lot,”
Noah said. “It’s definitely great.”
Noah is currently training hard in sled
hockey. He first tried the sport when he was
13. “I just really liked it,” he said. “I’ve been
playing ever since.” This month, he will head
to North Carolina for a four-day training
camp with the development team. He will
also be competing in tournaments coming
up in April and May. “His training for sled
hockey is going to be very intense over the
next couple months,” Rachael said.
Locally, Noah served this year as the team
manager for Urbana High’s soccer team. He
trained with them on his crutches and he
played during the final game of the year. He
is also a volunteer coach with FC Frederick’s Golden Mile program and plays on the
Wounded Warriors soccer team.
that were not in the plans,” said Andy
Brown, of property developer Stanford
Properties. “We found an underground
vault, a large underground cistern for storing 10,000 gallons of water, an exposed
bathroom and several openings, none of
which were on the plans we were given.”
The developers are trying to determine
the best way to stabilize and strengthen the
remaining structure and make sure it is
watertight. Work is also underway to build
a Dash-In store and Shell gas station,
an Advanced Auto Parts store and on the
355 side of the site, near CVS, a Burger
King. “We tried for months, repeatedly, to
solicit other businesses, too,” Brown said.
“We called places like Panera and Chipotle
over and over, but they all feel there are
not enough residents yet to support their
business.
Although the vendor has not been chosen, a grocery store is also planned on the
land between Bank of America, near Buffalo Wild Wings, and Urbana High School
property. Preparations are also underway
for Urban Green, on the south side of
CVS, a mixture of apartment homes and
commercial space.
Brown said Stanford Properties is always open to serious leads on businesses on
these business sites. Call Leasing Broker,
Bob Shwenger, JBG Rosenfeld Retail at
301.657.7331.
Renovations of the Landon House are
progressing slowly, but according to architect Alan Clapp of Urbana’s Architectural
Concepts Group Inc., many of the difficult
processes are complete. “The floors have
been levelled, walls plumbed and the entire building has been stabilized,” Clapp
said. “The cellar has been excavated and
is ready for plumbing and a concrete slab.
The design of the ballroom is complete and
the restaurant and first and second floors
are scheduled for a June completion.”
The Landon House and Silk Mill
Restaurant is scheduling future events
now. Look for new signs in the near future,
complete with a rendering of the finished
project. For more information, visit www.
silkmillurbana.com.
shoptalk
from page 3
fortunate the best way we know how, with
a haircut. Our stylists hope to help inspire
confidence by giving back in this way.”
For more information, contact the Urbana
Hair Cuttery at 301.874.0630, or visit the
company’s website at www.haircuttery.
com.
Shop Notes:
There has been a lot of work along with
a lot of surprises in tearing down old materials at the former Cracked Claw site
to prepare for new businesses. “It has been
quite an experience finding the multiple
additions in multiple architectural styles
Eyebrow Threading
Eyelash Extension
Nail Art Parties
Henna Tattoos
MANISHA
301-514-4024
mstewari@msn.com
Urbana Pike • Frederick MD, 21704
Also available, chess lessons from ages 5 and up.
Photo | Kristy Crawford
The Landon House renovations are proceeding slowly but surely. The Silk Mill restaurant and the first and second floors of
the house are scheduled to open in June.
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www.UrbanaDayCare.com
The Town Courier
February 2015
Page 17
coach’scorner By Justin Krop
Urbana High School Wrestling Team Wins Baurline Duels
T
he Baurline wrestling duel tournament pits a field of nine high school
teams against each other, and over
the course of two days they clash through
a round-robin format. Every team has the
opportunity to wrestle one another. The
team with the best record at the conclusion
of the event takes home the team title.
This year’s Baurline Duels featured Silver Oak Academy, Manchester Valley,
Catoctin, Hereford, Glenelg, North Carroll, James Bennet, F.S.K and Urbana high
schools.
Urbana High School (UHS) entered the
Dec. 12-13 event with some unknowns
about individuals in their line-up.
The team features four battle-tested seniors and the rest of its line-up is rounded out with new freshmen, rising sophomores, and others who have been a part of
the team for the past few years, but only
recently earned the chance to represent the
varsity squad.
The Baurline Duels is a grind, but we
love it. Through the course of eight matches in two days it exploits weaknesses in your
team and clearly pronounces the strengths.
Head Coach Ben Arneson agrees with
me. “At the end of this event, we as a
coaching staff know what to address not
only in our line-up, but in practice,” he
told me. “Going forward the event teaches
us what we need to do to prime each individual athlete mentally and physically, so
that they can compete at the highest level.”
However, UHS did not show much
weakness as the team beat each of the eight
other teams by a margin of 17 points or
more. Its closest match came against county rival Catoctin High School, which
would eventually take second at the event.
These teams are quite familiar with each
other and over the course of the past few
years have developed a special bond that
is uncommon among most rivals. When
these two teams wrestle, a healthy mix
We learned this weekend that our guys
know how to embrace a good fight and
that toughness stems from the hard-nosed
culture that has been created in the practice room. We know that victories as well
as defeats this early in the season need to be
taken in stride so that athletes can peak at
the end of the season. We will stay humble
and continue to improve.
Congratulations to the Urbana wrestling
team on a great performance. We know
you will continue to make your community proud.
Photo | Submitted
Urbana High School wrestling coach Justin Krop coaches
state finalist Morgan Way at Cole Field House in 2014.
of camaraderie and fierce competitiveness
makes the intensity of the match palpable
throughout the gym.
It has become a tradition that before
this match, Catoctin’s head coach, Ryan
Green, and Urbana’s Ben Arneson, meet
to ensure that Catoctin’s best wrestlers are
competing against Urbana’s best wrestlers.
This forces the wrestlers to beat quality opponents in order to determine the outcome
of the match, said Arneson, plus it makes
for some great, fan-pleasing wrestling.
This year’s featured match-up was Catoctin’s two-time state champ Charlie
Perrella versus Urbana’s two-time state finalist Morgan Way. Perrella was victorious
through a close 3-2 decision, but Urbana
would win the overall match 41-24.
The Baurline title is a great start to the
season and will serve as a great foundation
to build from, but Urbana is not satisfied.
localvoices
Getting Involved: from
Traffic to Dogs
L
ate last year I had two
unusual experiences — at least unusual
for me — that I would like
to share.
I try to be a cautious
driver who avoids doing
things that would earn a
traffic citation. Any trip to
By Rich
Montgomery County or
Terselic
the District of Columbia,
with their numerous traffic
enforcement cameras, is very tension-provoking for me. Recently I was returning
home from an event held in Montgomery
County on a rainy Saturday evening. At
a particularly complicated intersection I
wanted to turn right and observed a “no
right turn on red” sign. I waited through a
full light cycle without getting a green light.
I waited through the better part of another cycle before concluding the signal light
was malfunctioning and decided to proceed
with the turn on red. However, after doing
so, it struck me that I was in the “land of
many traffic enforcement cameras.”
Being compulsive, and worried about the
prospect of receiving a violation citation in
the mail, upon returning home I checked
the Montgomery County website that lists
enforcement camera locations. The intersection at which I had turned was listed as
having one or more cameras, but the website wasn’t functioning fully and I couldn’t
n
police blotter Continued on page 18
Editor’s Note: Justin Krop is entering his
third season as the Assistant Wrestling Coach at
Urbana High School. Krop graduated from Urbana in 2007 before going on to wrestle Division
I at Liberty University for four years. After college, Krop went on to receive his Master’s degree
in education and now teaches special education
at Einstein High School in Montgomery County. Krop’s coaching philosophy is geared toward
helping high school boys grow up to be men who
do not make excuses or quit, but to be men who
strive to be the best future husbands, fathers and
employees.
Page 18
The Town Courier
February 2015
localvoices
from page 17
determine what functions were being monitored.
On Monday, I called the Montgomery
County police and the traffic camera enforcement office. Neither could tell me what
the camera(s) at the particular intersection
were monitoring. This surprised me, and left
me wondering whether there was some kind
of “Great Spirit” that mysteriously controls
their camera system. Another call was to the
town manager of the community in which
the intersection is located. Relieving my
concerns, he assured me that, “unless you
had been stopped by a man in blue driving
a car with flashing lights” I need not worry about receiving a violation letter. Right
turns at the intersection were not monitored
by camera. He also suggested an alternative
routing to avoid the turn in the future.
The second experience occurred in the
Villages of Urbana. Hopefully my understanding of the facts of the situation is accurate.
The Villages operates a message board
permitting residents to post subjects or questions of their choice. Early on a December
weekend, a new post reported that a jogger
had been bitten by a large dog on one of the
community trails. The post, seeking help,
was from the wife of the jogger.
The lady accompanying the dog did not
have it leashed. While the jogger exchanged
words with the lady about the unleashed dog
after the incident, he did not raise the leg of
his trousers to check if the bite had drawn
blood. When he got home, he did check
and observed blood. Unfortunately, he
hadn’t acquired the lady’s name. The jogger
checked with a doctor and was advised that
unless he could confirm that the dog had rabies shots he would have to start the painful
anti- rabies injection series. This prospect
was very troubling to me.
I contacted the Villages Community
Manager and asked that she issue an email
bulletin seeking information on the identity
and ownership of the dog. It hadn’t dawned
on me that the dog companion might not
live in the Villages and would not see the
bulletin.
The message board post as well the email
bulletin prompted action by numerous people, and before the weekend ended, the
identity of the biting dog and owner were
discovered. The dog had the needed shots
and the jogger was saved from starting the
anti-rabies shots.
I did not know the jogger. My participation
in the situation was my concern for him
as well as other people (of varying ages)
who use the community trails. The two
experiences I’ve described were not of earthshaking consequence. My compulsiveness
prompted the first. My concern for a fellow
human being prompted my involvement in
the second — and, I believe, was well worth
the effort invested.
I’ll end with a message for dog walkers.
Please keep your animal companions under
full control when out walking, and should
an incident occur such as I described, proactively provide your contact information.
VeyePeyecare.com
301-874-5777
Located in the Villages of Urbana
WHO WE ARE:
Dr. Robert Gertz, Dr. Hediyeh Arjomandi and Optical Manager Michael Coghill have
provided eye care to the Washington Metro Area for a combined 40+ years.
We are proud to announce the opening of our 2nd office in the new
Downtown Crown shopping district in Gaithersburg.
Free Eye Exam
for a child
Robert Gertz OD
Optometrist
Michael Coghill
Optical Manager
with an adult exam
Free Lenses
with purchase of frame
Basic single vision lens only.
Dr. Hediyeh Arjomandi
WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE
V.eye.P. eyecare is proud to team up with the Monocacy Community Lions Club for
the inaugural Urbana Winter Clothing Drive.
V.eye.P. eyecare will be accepting any winter clothing donations for the entire month
of January at our Villages of Urbana location. Any unwanted coats, hats and gloves
will be donated to a local shelter to help the residents of Frederick in need.
The Town Courier
February 2015
Eric Steinhoff
Page 19
with
Realtor®
240.818.5744 (c)
301.831.8232 (o)
Amy Steinhoff
Realtor®
(740) 816-1408 (c)
(301) 831-8232 (o)
amysteinhoff@gmail.com
SteinhoffProperties.com
Steinhoff.Sales@gmail.com
LE
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9660 ETHAN RIDGE DR.
VILLAGES OF URBANA
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9658 ETHAN RIDGE DR.
VILLAGES OF URBANA
3843 BRAVEHEART DR.
URBANA HIGHLANDS
3581 SPRIGG STREET SOUTH
VILLAGES OF URBANA
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www.SteinhoffProperties.com
BACKS TO WOODS
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9113 BRIEN PL.
VILLAGES OF URBANA
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3820 BRAVEHEART LN.
URBANA HIGHLANDS
3964 MOUNT NEVIS PASS
URBANA HIGHLANDS
CALL FOR A FREE
HOME EVALUATION!
To stay current with happenings in and around Urbana,
visit our new blog at UrbanaLife.com!
Page 20
The Town Courier
February 2015
Thinking of Buying or Selling?
CALL ELAINE.
RED
U
T
A
FE PERTY
PRO
RED
U
T
FEA PERTY
PRO
4026 Broadstone Circle
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $800,000
SOLD
SOLD
3641 Byron Place
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $535,000
3619 Byron Circle
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $499,900
IVE
IVE
ACT
9606 Brigadoon Place
HIGHLANDS • $367,500
ACT
3593 Holborn Place
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $264,900
9360 Slate Quarry Road
DICKERSON • $699,900
Make the Right Move in 2015.
Call me to find out how I can get your home SOLD!
Experience Matters
The #1 RE/MAX Metropolitan Agent
301.840.7320
elaine@elainekoch.com
www.elainekoch.com
KENTLANDS OFFICE
345 Main Street
North Potomac, MD 20878
301-947-6500