January 2013

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Villages of Urbana, Ijamsville and More
The
TOWN
Vol. 9, No. 1
32 Pages
Pets Learn to
Follow the Rules
By Sally Alt
I
s your dog misbehaving
or out of control? Canine
Obedience
Unlimited
can help. The dog obedience
school in Urbana offers a variety of private and group
classes to help dogs stop all of
the behaviors that drive their
owners crazy.
Owner Andrew Fraser said
what he finds most rewarding about his work is “seeing
the transformation of dogs”
n
Pet obedience
Continued on page 11
Photo | Lisa Lessin
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Gaithersburg MD
Permit #1722
Mack, a 7-month-old dalmatian,
pauses for a photo during his obedience
class at Urbana’s Canine Obedience
Unlimited.
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Courier
January 2013
Local Vigil Honors Newtown Victims
By Kristy Crawford and
Bethany E. Starin
O
n Dec. 17, Urbana neighbors came together for a vigil in honor of the 26
victims of the recent school shooting in
Newtown, Conn.
More than 70 people huddled in the cold
and rainy drizzle in front of Centerville Elementary School. Most held lit candles, sang,
and listened to Bible verses and original poems about the tragic event that occurred Dec
14.
Villages of Urbana resident Noelle Tate organized the event to help herself and others
begin to heal and make sense of the shooting.
“I was absolutely heartbroken,” Tate said, a
sentiment shared by many. “I’ve cried every
day since it happened.”
Tate decorated the site with paper angels she
made, one for each of the 20 children killed,
plus votive candles along the sidewalk. She
brought extra candles for anyone who came
without. “I have two children of my own,”
Tate said, “so I felt the need to do something.”
Tate read a poem written by Pennsylvania
resident Cameo Smith shortly after the shooting and had to pause several times to collect
herself. She also read aloud passages from the
Bible.
Many attendees also cried, prayed and
hugged their families during the vigil. Other
residents contributed to the 40-minute event.
Urbana Middle School eighth-grader Aiden
Sisolak shared a poem he wrote the weekend
after the shootings, and Tate’s sister, Destiny
Photo | Submitted
More than 70 locals gathered at Centerville Elementary School on Dec. 17 for a vigil to honor those killed in the mass shooting.
Locals grieved together and shared poems written in response to the event.
Clark, played guitar and sang with the group.
Ten-year-old Nicholas Zavala sang, “You Are
My Sunshine.”
Robin Lenz brought her two boys, Carter,
8, and Aiden, 6. “We have two candles,” Carter said, “a white one for the shooting victims
and a purple one for our friend that died to-
day.”
The event ended with a quiet rendition of
“Silent Night,” and friends and family hugged
before they left for home.
“I cannot imagine what those parents are
going through. The thought of dropping my
n vigil Continued on page 9
A Tree that Adds Holiday Warmth
By Sally Alt
U
rbana Elementary School
(UES) taught the spirit of
giving during the holiday
season through its Hat and Mitten
Tree. Students donated new hats,
mittens and scarves, which were
placed on a tree in the school’s
front hallway and were distributed before the holidays to help kids
in need.
The Hat and Mitten Tree has
been a tradition at the school for
many years, staff said. Students
always look forward to the tree
project, said school counselor Diane Fike.
“They are so excited to hang
their own personal pair of mittens
on the tree,” she said.
Fifth grader Jackson Shipley
said he brought all of the gloves
that no longer fit him to put on
the tree. He said he thought it was
“cool” that his school asked for
donations of warm clothing items
to help kids. If children don’t
have hats and mittens, “they’ll
be cold, and then they could get
sick,” Jackson said, adding that
they will be “so excited to see
that somebody cares about them.”
Fourth grader Sydney Beth
Clark said she has been bringing
donations for the Hat and Mitten
Tree since second grade and plans
to continue participating in the
future.
Jordan Smith, a third grader, said the Hat and Mitten Tree
“helps a lot of families.” She said
she thought the kids would feel
“very happy” to receive all of the
hats and mittens. Jordan’s sister,
n MITTEN TREE Continued on page 10
Urbana Man
Dies in Crash
By Kristy Crawford
L
Photo | Sally Alt
Students at Urbana Elementary School
brought donations to hang on the Hat and
Mitten Tree to help children in the area.
ong-time Urbana resident Peter Halpert,
47, was killed on the
evening of Dec. 17 when a
minivan traveling south on
I-270 crossed the median
and crashed into his SUV.
Halpert died at the scene.
A driver of another car had
minor injuries, and the driver who caused the accident
was still hospitalized at press
time.
Halpert leaves behind wife
Toni Miller Halpert and
11-year-old twins Lexi and
n
accident Continued on page 21
Page 2
The Town Courier
January 2013
January 2013 The Town Courier
Page 3
Organization: It’s What’s for Dinner
By Julie Virnelson
T
he start of a New Year is often
a time for people to take stock
and reorganize. For Melissa
Kasimatis, resident services administrator for the Villages of Urbana
Community Association, preparing
for the New Year means cleaning out
and putting her organization skills to
work.
Always one to make lists and plan,
Kasimatis’ love of organization took
off when she stumbled upon the popular website, Pinterest, which is like
an e-cork board that appeals to do-ityourselfers, crafters and foodies alike.
The site offers a little bit of everything
— craft ideas, recipes, home decorating ideas and organization tips. As a
working mother of two, Kasimatis
was curious and looking for some
Photo | Julie Virnelson
Melissa Kasimatis, resident services administrator
for the Villages of Urbana Community Association,
uses a Menu Board to organize the food-life of her
family — a place where she organizes menus for
that month, recipes and more in a colorcoded system.
ways to save time and money by planning her meals and grocery shopping
in a new and different way. What she
found has made her life easier, cleaner
and less hectic.
One of her favorite ideas is called
a Menu Board. The Menu Board is a
tool that facilitates meal planning and
helps one organize a month’s worth of
meals. Using a white board, Kasimatis
set up a calendar for the month, using
different colors for each day. Each color represents a different food category — for example, yellow may mean
pasta. Then, using similarly colored
card stock, she made recipe titles and
cards that correspond with the days of
the month. The recipe titles are then
placed on each day of the month, and
the color-coded recipes hang from
the menu board. By simply looking at
the board, she can see what is planned
for any particular day of the month.
“I love the Menu Board because the
n
organization Continued on page 10
UHS Students Vie for Mr. Urbana Title
By Erin Murdock
M
r. Urbana is one of the most
popular events of the school
year at Urbana High School
(UHS). Twelve charismatic senior
males from the student body are
picked by the faculty and students
to compete for the chance to be
crowned Mr. Urbana.
The competition has various sections that are judged: talent portion, seasonal wear, evening wear,
question and answer, and money
collection. At this year’s event, held
on Dec. 6, English teachers Stephen
Ward and Teresa Svincek, foreign
language teacher Ann Beachley, and
business education teacher Cheryl
Duke were judges.
The outcome of December’s
event: Christian Jambora was
Photo | Erin Murdock
Christian Jambora being crowned Mr. Urbana in Urbana High School’s annual competition.
crowned Mr. Urbana, Josh Mejia was the runner-up and Michael
Shearer placed third.
The event was as memorable this
year as it has been in the past with
the creative talents, humorous outfits and, of course, the charming
contestants. Each talent, which varied from Charlie Norris’s unique
n
MR. urbana Continued on page 10
Financial Advice for the New Year
By Sally Alt
F
or those who want to keep their
New Year’s resolution to spend
less and save more, Chris Miller offers some sage advice. Vice president and LPL financial advisor at
Sandy Spring Bank in Urbana, Miller
helps clients in the area manage their
money. Miller shared some tips with
us about how to become more financially healthy.
Courier: Do you have any advice for
creating a budget for the new year?
Miller: As most people know, creating and sticking to a budget is one of
the most important elements to getting ahead financially. The problem
is, it’s not fun, and it takes work. But
if we have learned anything over the
last five years, it is that living within your means/budget is paramount
to getting ahead financially. To get
my clients on track with a budget, I
take a back-to-basics approach. Start
by keeping a written log of all income
and expenditures for one month. This
provides a starting point and will reveal positive or negative cash flow.
Ideally, we all want to get to positive
cash flow (more income than expenses) so that we can save and build
wealth. Once you have a month’s
cash flow logged, break down your
expenses between fixed (things that
must be paid like your mortgage, taxes, etc.) and discretionary (non-essential expenses that can be trimmed if
needed). Work from there to cut back
on unnecessary expenditures and pay
down higher interest debt if you have
the ability to.
Courier: What do you think is most
important for families to focus on with
their finances?
Miller: The most important ele-
ment for financial health is to live
within your means and save as much
as possible.
Courier: Do you have any suggestions
for saving money for college?
Miller: I would consider Maryland’s
529 plan the best college savings
option for Maryland residents with
young children. It has tax-advantaged
qualities with investment options
geared toward long-term growth. For
more information about this option,
please visit www.collegesavingsmd.
org.
Courier: What can people do to save
for retirement?
Miller: Begin by contributing
as much as you can to your retirement plan at work (if you have one),
whether you have a large employer
offering a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or a
n
financial advisor Continued on page 11
shoptalk
By Kristy Crawford
Photo | Kristy Crawford
The Cracked Claw property sale was finalized in early December, and negotiations are underway with potential businesses. An agreement to build
a Rite Aid pharmacy was completed earlier, and construction is scheduled
to begin in early 2013.
Cracked Claw Property Is Sold
The sale of the Peter Pan/Cracked Claw property was finalized in December, and negotiations and
planning for future retail businesses are now underway. The property was purchased by Stanford Properties and Baire Properties, both of Bethesda.
Stanford Properties owner Andrew Brown said
there have been no decisions or agreements on businesses on the property. A Rite Aid pharmacy will be
built soon at a separate lot, on the corner of routes 80
and 355, across from the Urbana Village Center. No
information is available yet on construction and completion of the pharmacy.
“We’re not sure how many or what businesses will
occupy the Cracked Claw property yet,” said Brown.
“We hope to make progress and have more information by spring.”
The recession and financial struggles forced the
owners to close the Cracked Claw in October 2011.
The property has been on the market since then, and
had three separate buyers, who pulled out of the sale
for various reasons. The original Rine-Dixon house
was declared an historic site and will be preserved and
used for a business to be determined.
Jiu Jitsu in Urbana
The Urbana Academy has
opened a martial arts academy
in the town home complex on
Worthington Boulevard, across
from the Giant Food center.
The official opening is scheduled in January, but classes in
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, plus fitness
Photo | Submitted
and self-defense classes were Krav Maga program direcheld in December.
tor and co-owner Andrew
According to co-owner An- Goldfarb of the new Urbana
drew Goldfarb, the martial Academy, kneels over
arts form of Brazilian or “Gra- instructor, Ronnie Russell,
in a recent training semicie” Jiu Jitsu is about grappling nar the Academy held for
and submission as a form of troops at Fort Detrick.
self-protection.
“Law enforcement studies have shown that a majority of criminal incidents involved grappling,” Goldfarb said. “Jiu Jitsu is a non-violent solution to self
defense.”
The Urbana Academy also offers classes in the Krav
Maga, the official self-defense system of the Israeli defense forces. Goldfarb said the Urbana Academy is the
only studio in the Frederick area that is licensed to
teach Krav Maga. Krav Maga is considered a personal
safety and self-defense system, stressing the ability for
someone to react when surprised with conflict. The
system also teaches hand-to-hand combat that focuses
on how to neutralize an opponent quickly and effectively.
Instructors recently visited Fort Detrick and trained
Army personnel on self-defense techniques. Free
n
shop talk Continued on page 12
Page 4
The Town Courier
January 2013
askthe editor
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
For advertising: 301.606.8833
Also on the Web at www.towncourier.com.
Diane Dorney
Publisher
301.330.0132
news@towncourier.com
Matt Danielson
President
301.330.0132
matt@eink.net
Patsy Beckman
Advertising Manager
301.606.8833
patsy@towncourier.com
Sally Alt
Staff Writer
sallyalt@earthlink.net
Sandra Christian
Advertising (Frederick)
sandra@towncourier.com
Student Writers
Erin Murdock
Chase Pyke
Madelyne Xiao
Claire Fleischer
Copy Editor
Staff Photographers
Tracey McCabe
Bethany E. Starin
Managing Editor
240.409.6734
bethany@towncourier.com
Staff Writers
Nora Caplan
Betty Hafner
Sheilah Kaufman
Teresa Bell-Stockman
Julie Virnelson
Kristy Crawford
News Writer
kbcraw@gmail.com
©2012 Courier Communications
The Town Courier is an independent monthly newspaper providing news and information for the communities of Kentlands, Lakelands and Quince Orchard
Park in Gaithersburg, Md. The paper is published by
Courier Communications, which is responsible for the
form, content and policies of the newspaper. The Town
Courier does not espouse any political belief or endorse
any product or service in its news coverage. Articles
and letters submitted for publication must be signed
and may be edited for length or content. The Town
Courier is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers Letters to the Editor and Commentary do not
necessarily ref lect the views of the staff, management
or advertisers of The Town Courier.
Fresh Perspective on Goals
S
trange as it seems,
I love waking up
to Mondays. A hot
cup of coffee in hand, I
always feel that there’s a
charm in knowing there’s
a fresh week ahead. Always a list person, Mondays mean a new to-do By Bethany
list — as does the New
E. Starin
Year. New goals, bullet
points of how to simplify
our life — our marriage, the way I care
for my family, my faith. But I have lately been coming to the realization that my
drive to be productive and vigilantly cross
things off my to-do list is not always the
best gauge of personal success.
In the name of productivity and hard
work, I forget that opportunities to make
a difference in people’s lives are often disguised as interruptions. In the midst of my
lists, I often need perspective. Sadly, many
days I don’t make time for gaining this
perspective. It’s not until an event occurs
that causes me to stop and reconsider. Perhaps an event like the horrific shootings in
Newtown last month.
In response to the tragedy in Connecticut on Dec. 14, I spoke with Frederick-area parents and teachers including Ijamsville
resident Timothy Mellott, who coaches
LOUYAA Predators wrestling in Urbana
and is heavily involved in the community.
“I am overcome with emotion on this
stuff. It is senseless,” he said. “How do [we]
really make a difference? ... At the end of
the day, [what] it comes down to [is] that
the most important things are the relationships we have and the life we share with
one another. A lot of people don’t think
that way.”
While it’s difficult to ever move on from
such a tragedy, Mellott suggested a different response — that our local community
“honor them through our own actions or
kindness and consideration for others,” allowing the tragic events to shape our future actions. For more information on Urbana’s community response, see the front
page of this issue, including a photo from
the vigil that 70 gathered to attend, even in
the rainy weather.
In our own community, there are people
already living out this selfless lifestyle that
Mellott refers to. On page 9, the Windsor
Knolls Middle School poses with its collection of 4,000 food items donated to the
Greater Urbana Area Food Bank. Jo Otsby,
who has hosted the Food Bank in her home
with her husband for many years, talked in
energetic tones about the fact that they are
now able to serve 129 area families, providing them with food. The annual Turkey
Trot (page 24), also donated a carload and
a large sum of money to the Food Bank.
With the New Year in mind, Villages
of Urbana’s Julie Virnelson provides suggestions for how to save time in the New
Year with specifics for how to get organized with your meal planning. See page
3 for details for how to create a system for
meals, grocery lists — as well as a recipe for
craft-room organization. Also, take a minute to read her humorous and well-crafted
column about holding right priorities this
year, on page 17.
While getting in shape is always a topic
of our minds in January, Dr. Jeremy Dunker and Susan Hofstra (page 25) give simple
suggestions for practical goals — way to get
moving without setting one’s sites too high
and falling short. Hofstra encourages readers to think of this new year as a time to
make new habits, rather than resolutions.
On page 28, two articles present local ways
to stay active in chilly weather — and there
are options for the whole family.
For The Town Courier in 2013, I would
like to increase the dialogue with readers
and community at large. To immediately
begin this, I ask that you take a moment
to fill out a five-question survey at http://
www.surveymonkey.com/s/D5DMBDH.
I timed it — it should take less than five
minutes to fill out — but will greatly help
me gauge what we are doing right and
where we need to improve coverage. In
particular, I want to hear what columns
and sections of the paper you take time to
read and which ones could use a bit of a
makeover. Thank you in advance for your
participation!
In addition, please note that I accept letters to the editor on an ongoing basis for
publication with reader’s perspectives on
local issues. Also, often it’s through submissions from readers that we find our most
interesting article topics. Please share ideas,
trends and topics with me at 240.409.6734
or jot me a note at bethany@towncourier.
com.
Best wishes for a wonderful 2013 — one
full of productivity but with greater perspective than the bullets on your list.
Town Courier Survey
Please take a moment to fill out the 10-question
online survey. It's anonymous, but your answers
greatly help as I'm making plans to gear The Town
Courier in 2013 to better meet the local
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The link will only be live through Jan. 23, so please take five
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Thank you so much for your participation!
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 5
teacherspotlight
aroundTOWN
Amy Katz: Math Counts at Trinity School
By Bethany E. Starin
W
hen Villages of Urbana family Peter and Elizabeth Cromwell were
transitioning their daughter, Annie, from Urbana Elementary School into
middle school, they considered the variety
of educational options in the Frederick
area.
Annie, now 12 and in seventh grade, was
the driving force in visiting Trinity School
of Frederick, Elizabeth Cromwell said, a
faith-based school located on New Design
Road behind the Frederick Scott Key Memorial Stadium.
“She absolutely from that day wanted to
go there,” Cromwell said. “The thing she
first saw was the seventh and eighth graders were doing a project with the younger
kids. There was a lot of crossover.”
This focus of the school drew both Annie and her parents.
“She came home and said that she
thought middle school was a tough time
for kids and what she saw that day is that
they were going out of their way to make
the kindergarteners and first graders feel
good. She loved that,” Cromwell explained, adding that they decided to enroll
Annie at Trinity.
While the 120-student school is smaller
than most public schools, Cromwell said
she is certain Annie will be academically
prepared for Urbana High School, which
she will begin attending in fall 2014.
Cromwell adds she expects any social adjustment will come quickly.
“I don’t think there has been a day she
has not ben excited to go to school,” she
said. “Annie loves math — she enjoys her
homework which is unusual, too!”
The math teacher who has Annie truly
enjoying her math homework is Amy Katz,
a charismatic math teacher who is passionate about her job.
Katz, who holds a master’s degree in
physics, soon found herself teaching both
physics and math to high schoolers at St.
John’s College High School. After taking
a decade to raise her kids and tutor on the
side, Katz found took a long-term sub position at Trinity in fall 2009, which subsequently turned into a full-time teaching
position — and a personal discovery.
“I made the jump [to middle school] and
n
teacher spotlight Continued on page 14
Photo | Submitted
Amy Katz teaches math at Trinity School of Frederick and teaches a number of Urbana-area students are enrolled. Here,
Katz is shown working with students in a personal growth lab, something Katz also has her hands in at Trinity.
Compiled by Kristy Crawford
Urbana High School Offers Holiday
Shopping for Children
On Dec. 8,
members
of
the
Urbana
High School
(UHS) band
held the annual Winter
Wo n d e r l a n d
Holiday Shop.
Band members
dressed as colorful and enPhoto | Kristy Crawford
thusiastic elves
painted faces, Members of the Urbana High
School Band played elves
helped deco- for the day and helped area
rate
ginger- children shop for holiday
bread houses gifts at the Winter Wonderand escorted land Holiday Shop in early
children for a December.
chance to shop for inexpensive holiday gifts for family and friends.
UHS band coordinator Kathy
Mitchell said the event gets bigger
and more popular every year. “We try
to make it a fun and exciting event
for both children and their parents,”
Mitchell said.
The event helps offset band memn
around town Continued on page 12
show& tell
Young Author’s Contest
By Bethany E. Starin
E
very year, Urbana Elementary School
(UES) participates in the Young
Authors’ Contest sponsored by the
Maryland Reading Association Counsel.
Out of 32 UES student entries, seven were
selected as finalists, which will go on to
the county level and then on to the state
competition. Included in the seven UES finalists are Hasita Madduri and Christopher
Pondoc.
Hasita, in fourth grade, placed as a finalist in the short story genre with her piece
titled, “The Cow and the Tiger.” Christopher wrote a poem titled, “Dream Big,
Work Harder,” which grabbed a finalist
position in poetry.
“They are highly exemplary pieces,” said
Stephanie Hausler, UES literary specialist,
who selected the finalists. “I look at the
pieces and see, did they have all the elements of a story and was it all thought out
and planned?”
Hasita, a beautiful girl with a sweet temperament, explained the thought she put
behind her story.
“In the Indian culture there are a lot of
stories with unknown authors. They are
stories with morals that teach you something, so that inspired me to write it,” she
said, adding that while she was born in the
United States, her family is from Hyder-
Complete outdoor living design/Build serviCes
Photo | Lisa Lessin
Urbana Elementary School students Hasita Madduri and
Christopher Pondoc show off their written works, which
placed in the top of their school’s Young Authors’ Contest.
Hasita and Christopher’s works are now being judged on
the county level.
abad, India.
Christopher, an energetic, motivated
fifth grader, said his poem “came to him.”
“Everybody wants success,” Christopher
said with energy in his voice. “This poem
is expressing what you need to have to be
successful.”
When asked about their future goals,
both students have set their sights high.
“I want to be a basketball player or follow my Dad’s occupation and be a computn
show & tell Continued on page 15
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The Town Courier
January 2013
UHS Student’s Hard Work Pays Off
By Kristy Crawford
B
Photo| Sean Murdock
UHS senior Erin Murdock works on her college
applications online.
Applications
Stress Seniors
By Sally Alt
A
s high schools seniors busily
prepare for their futures, balancing the college application
process with school coursework has
been no easy task.
Urbana High School (UHS) senior
Sarah Xu said she’s found it “hard to
balance everything.” Completing college applications is stressful, she said,
because students also have to stay on
top of their homework for school.
In the past five years, the college
application process has gotten more
stressful, said UHS guidance counseln
college applications Continued on page 16
y early 2013, most high school seniors have completed and sent their
applications, essays and resumes to
their colleges of choice and are waiting to
receive responses and plan for their future.
What may give many applicants an edge
against the ever-growing competition
is school and community involvement.
In particular, one Urbana High School
(UHS) student is actively pursuing community activities that will likely contribute
to a proud future.
UHS senior Yasmin Lachir was one of
five Frederick County Public Schools students selected as a Maryland General Assembly page for the 2013 legislative assembly.
“I was told there was a lot of competition,” Lachir said, “and I’m really excited
for the opportunity.”
Lachir completed a 250-word essay assignment, discussing what she considers
to be the biggest issue that young people
face today. She chose the lack of self esteem
among youth as the biggest concern.
“We are so influenced by what we see
and hear in the media,” Lachir said. “Reality TV shows like ‘Jersey Shore’ can make
people my age feel inadequate and insecure.”
For the final stage of the competition,
Lachir gave a speech on her essay, then defended it and answered questions to school
advisors and students. In November, she
learned that she won; she will travel to An-
Photo | Submitted
Urbana High School senior Yasmin Lachir will serve as a page for the Maryland General Assembly 2013 legislative session.
napolis in January and March to assist state
representatives during the sessions.
During the five-day school week, Lachir
is very busy, taking AP classes, both at the
high school and online, and then traveling to Gaithersburg for an internship with
The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Advanced Technology. Two days a week, she
returns to UHS to participate in mock trials at the school.
Lachir was an intern for NCI last summer and worked on her own project involving cloning, expressing and purifying
bacteria. “Experiments don’t always go the
way you want them to,” she said, “so I keep
trying other methods.” She hopes the project will eventually help NCI in its search
for new cancer treatments.
Lachir has applied for an internship at
Fort Detrick for the summer and has also
applied to several colleges for the fall including Johns Hopkins University, the
University of Maryland and Boston University. (At press time, she was awaiting responses.) She plans to study chemical engineering and then go to medical school, to
work in a neonatal intensive care hospital
unit.
With her academic credentials and
school and community involvement, Lachir will likely have several options for
college but said, “I will go to the school
that gives the best financial aid.” She is
one of six children, and her parents came
to the United States several years ago from
Ghana. Her parents’ struggle has been her
primary motivation for working hard for a
successful future.
“My parents had nothing when they
came to this country,” Lachir said. “They
built from the ground up and have struggled all of their lives. I don’t want them
to ever feel like their efforts were for
nothing.”
firstperson
Tasting the Range
By Sarah Withers
T
he excitement in the atmosphere at a
sneak peak event on Dec. 3 for Chef
Bryan Voltaggio’s newest restaurant,
Range, was almost palatable. In the Chevy
Chase restaurant that evening, the anticipation was heavy. All of the hype, however, tasted very well deserved. And I tasted
as much as I could, all for you, the loyal
reader.
All seven kitchen stations hummed with
activity, as chefs prepared a wide-variety of
menu items for attendees to taste. It was the
first chance to test the careful choreography of cooking in the largest of Voltaggio’s
kitchens that will soon become second nature to the chefs. Having the opportunity
to catch a glimpse of food being prepared is
a hallmark of all of Voltaggio’s restaurants
and is something I’ve come to appreciate
and take note of when dining elsewhere.
Most attendees (myself included) were
immediately drawn to the impressive raw
bar filled with stone crab, Virginia oysters,
and shrimp almost the same size as the lobster tails that were also available. Diners
can expect to enjoy the freshest seafood
available from the Chesapeake.
The bar was also open for business. Bev-
Photo | Sarah Withers
The vibrant kale caesar salad served with a Whitmore
farm egg.
erage Director Owen Thompson seeks to
focus on time-honored traditions and provide historical context to all of his cocktails
while adapting them to new techniques.
He makes all of the ingredients for the
restaurant’s cocktails from scratch including syrups, sodas, garnishes and even some
housemade liqueurs. The punches section
of the beverage menu stood out, however,
with drinks that are designed for sharing.
After I found a seat at one of the low
backed booths, servers made their way
around with small tastes of things like
rib eye, everything mashed potatoes, kale
Caesar salad (I could have eaten a trough of
n
RANGE Continued on page 19
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 7
localpalate By Sarah Withers
Local Lattes for Winter Days
T
this shop to their own customers including Shab Row Bistro, Volt and The Wine
Kitchen on the Creek. The owner, Serina Ray, has been roasting coffee for more
than 15 years. She actually got her start at
Frederick Coffee Company. A great sample of the community is usually at Dublin Roasters. Many groups enjoy meeting
here, job interviews have taken place here,
and many events are hosted at the shop.
he holidays may be over, but there are
still at least two-and-a-half months
of chilly winter temperatures to look
forward to. This is the perfect time of year
to hole up in a favorite coffee shop with a
warm beverage and forget about the cold
elements lurking outside.
Urbana proper may not have a local coffee shop to call its own but, rest assured, the
surrounding area has many to choose from.
(Many of you probably remember, and
may still be lamenting, that the Starbucks
spot in Giant was originally promised to be
an independently owned operation.) Here
is a handy guide to locally owned, area establishments that offers something for everyone, even if coffee isn’t your thing.
Viola in Frederick
Photo | Sarah Withers
• Location: 10 North Market St, Frederick
• Distance from Urbana: 8.1 miles
• What I would order: A Caramel Yerba
Mate Tea to go
For all the non-coffee drinkers, this
charming tea shop sells tea to-go as well
as packaged to take home. This is a great
beverage option for an evening spent wandering and shopping along Market Street.
• Location: 1780 North Market St.,
Frederick
• Distance from Urbana: 9.5 miles
• What I would order: Americano
Even those who have never visited this
artisanal and fair trade coffee shop may
have already had some of its coffee. Several Frederick restaurants serve brews from
Editor’s Note: Sarah Withers is the owner
of Taste Frederick Food Tours, a delicious way
to tour historic, downtown Frederick. She also
writes the Taste Frederick Blog, covering as much
of Frederick’s culinary scene as she can. She enjoys everything foodie and can often be found
experimenting in her own kitchen and reading
cookbooks like they’re novels. A graduate of the
University of Maryland, College Park, Withers
happily calls downtown Frederick home.
The Buzz
• Location: 11801 Fingerboard Road,
Monrovia
• Distance from Urbana: 6 miles
• What I would order: a latte and something from their breakfast menu (it
changes daily)
This cozy café and bakery has a menu
that changes by the week. That would
probably be enough to bring any curious
diners back again and again, but it helps
when the food is fantastic. It’s even been
dubbed as “unusually good” by this very
publication. Everything here is made from
scratch and made with special care either
by or under the direction of local owner
Minda Metz.
Moxie Bakery and Cafe
• Location: 629 North Market St., Frederick
• Distance from Urbana: 8.5 miles
• What I would order: Americano (and
ask for sugar) and the Daily Quiche
This bakery offers a full view of North
Market Street. With lots of windows making up the front wall, this is a great place
to sit inside (aka stay warm) and still soak
up a little Vitamin D. The menu includes
made-from-scratch breads, cookies, sandwiches and a wide variety of other treats
and dishes.
Café Nola
• Location: 4 East Patrick St., Frederick
• Distance from Urbana: 8.3 miles
• What I would order: Chocolate Covered Cherry Latte
This locally owned, eclectic coffeehouse, restaurant and bar combination
quickly became a favorite in downtown
Frederick. The owners strive to use very
local ingredients and provide simple yet
creative dishes. Everyone should be able
to find something pleasing on the menu.
C
A Moxie Bakery and Cafe Americano served with real sugar to sweeten to taste.
In the evening, Café Nola transforms yet
again into a great spot for live music. To
even better accommodate this later crowd,
the restaurant recently started offering a
late night menu.
Frederick Coffee Company & Cafe
• Location: 100 North East St., Frederick
• Distance from Urbana: 8.1 miles
• What I would order: Turtle Latte
This Frederick staple has been around for
20-plus years. The owners, Mike and Terri Winder, also own the Frederick Fudge
and Ice Cream shop located just across East
Street. The menu fairly is fairly new and
features more vegan and vegetarian options
than ever before. When I think of a classic coffee shop, I also think of Open Mic
nights, which happen every Monday at 7
p.m. at the Coffee Co.
The Main Cup
• Location: 14 West Main St., Middletown
• Distance from Urbana: 15 miles
• What I would order: an Old Fashioned cocktail (claimed to be the best
around) and an order of the Haystack
Onions
“Not just a Coffeehouse … Not just a
restaurant ...” Located in the historic building that once housed the landmark Main’s
Ice Cream and Butcher Shop, this eatery
boasts full lunch and dinner menus, a wine
and specialty cocktail list, and their own
Maryland-roasted, private labeled coffee.
There’s even a private book-club nook —
speak to the cafe’s management to reserve
this cozy spot to sip coffee and celebrate all
things literary.
The Town Courier
Stay up to date on our Facebook page.
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Dublin Roasters
J.U.T. Star Students
Kyle Romero, Windsor Knolls MS , 7th grade
Master Jeong’s Urbana Taekwondo builds confidence,
discipline, strength, fitness and self-defense skills.
“As a black belt, Kyle trains in nunchuks, Bo staff, Sword
battle as well as other forms of Taekwondo. He is currently
involved in their “Demonstration Team” that performs at
different local events.”
– Mark & Soledad Romero
Jeong’s Urbana Taekwondo, Kumdo, Yoga
Korean Mixed Martial Arts
www.jeongstkd.com
|
301-874-4706
3506 Worthington blvd,Frederick,MD 21704 (right beside CapitalOne Bank)
We know heating.
Eric Smock Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
301-831-8288
Page 8
The Town Courier
January 2013
Two Wheels for a Cause
By Madelyne Xiao
I
Photo | Lori Saylor
Windsor Knolls Middle School staff delivers donations of food items from their students and colleagues to the
Greater Urbana Area Food Bank.
Windsor Knolls Gathers Food for Hungry
Ijamsville’s Windsor Knolls Middle School conducted a successful food drive this winter that
resulted in student and staff donations totaling at about 4,000 food items for the Greater
Urbana Area Food Bank, which is distributing this to families in need in the local community.
“Windsor Knolls families and students and staff have such a heart for the needy and so are
involved in helping us do what we need to do. We could not do it without them,” said Jo Ostby,
who hosts the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank in her home with her husband. “We have 129
families we feed on a regular basis.”
t’s something schoolchildren in the
United States often take for granted:
two wheels (and not of the motorized
variety) — a means for swift travel from
point A to point B, and an indelible childhood memory.
But that’s not the case in every time
and place. In Cambodia and India, young
school children must trek several miles to
reach their classrooms, exposing themselves to untold danger as they make their
way. Female students, in particular, are at
risk of coming to physical harm en route
to class.
This year, the Interact Club of Urbana
High School (UHS) will address this problem with a series of fundraisers for World
Vision International (www.worldvision.
org) in order to support such efforts as the
organization’s bicycle donation program.
“It’s a really influential program,” said
Interact Club President Victoria Glover, a
senior in UHS’s International Baccalaureate Program. “We’ll be able to provide education and safety to these children.”
Though planning for this year’s efforts is
still in its nascent stages, the club members
hope to raise sufficient funds to purchase at
least 10 bicycles — each bicycle has a price
tag of $85.
Students are planning to organize a raffle for a Schwinn bicycle donated by WalMart, with proceeds from raffle ticket sales
going to fund additional fundraising efforts
and purchases of bicycles through World
Vision. Other fundraisers will take place
at Rotary International meetings and the
UHS spring Hawkfest.
The World Vision International project is one of several projects the Interact
Club will be completing this school year.
With one effort in the international arena, students are also organizing a project to
support a local charity, the Boys and Girls
Club of Frederick. The club will play host
to the Harlem Ambassadors in early March
2013. The Ambassadors, a traveling comedy basketball troupe, spreads a message of
positive, drug-free living to its audiences.
For UHS Interact Club members, the
winter holiday will serve as a brief hiatus
before a renewed frenzy of planning and
fundraising.
Don’t Forget!
Please take a moment to fill out the 10-question online survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D5DMBDH
The link will only be live through Jan. 23, so please take five minutes to fill out the survey as
soon as you can. Thank you so much for your participation!
Some of our office listings:
GAITHERSBURG
$929,500
GAMBRILL PARK
$359,900
HAGERSTOWN
$434,900
WALDORF
$279,900
WESTMINSTER
$395,000
MYERSVILLE
$219,900
GERMANTOWN
$214,900
KEEDYSVILLE
$174,900
KEEDYSVILLE
$149,900
BALTIMORE
$139,900
BALTIMORE
$128,500
BALTIMORE
$69,900
January 2013 ■ vigil
from page 1
child off at school, which is supposed to
be the safest place in the world for them,
and never seeing them again ... it moves
me to tears,” said Urbana resident Chandler Schwede, who attended the vigil. “My
heart is broken for the parents and for the
whole town.”
Urbana resident Mark Jafari came with
his children, Natasha, 11, and Cassie, 6.
Jafari said he has been in a funk since the
shooting and hoped the event would give
some comfort to his family.
“I was also looking for some way to remember the victims,” Jafari said. “My children have been wondering why Mommy
and Daddy have been giving them so many
hugs in the last few days.”
Timothy Mellott, an Ijamsville, Md.,
resident who coaches LOUYAA Predators wrestling and is very connected with
elementary-school students and parents,
said that in the past week, the shooting has
been the only topic of conversation. Mellott said he has seen a variety of responses.
“I think the first obvious trend is the self
awareness or observation about how precious life is and the precious nature of our
children — the innocence that exists,” he
The Town Courier
said, adding that his son, Parker, is a highschool freshman. “Everybody is hugging
their kids a little tighter and making sure
they share that love and protect them as
much as they can.”
Scott Schartner, who teaches third grade
at Urbana Elementary School, said from
watching his 8- and 9-year-old students,
he thinks the parents in the Urbana community have handled the situation “fantastically.” He has not had to send any of his
students to the school counselor.
“The fact that the kids are handling it
as well as they are says a lot about how the
parents are handling it at home. We don’t
have kids coming up and asking questions
— ‘Is someone going to break in? Are we
safe?’” he said. “The parents are reinforcing [school administration] by telling their
children that, yes, anything could happen,
but the teachers at your school have steps in
place and they are going to everything they
can to make sure you guys are safe.”
As a community, Mellott suggested that
people respond as a whole to the tragedies
by changing the way they treat others.
“I am overcome with emotion on this
stuff. It is senseless,” Mellott said. “[But]
to honor people that are no longer with us
— and the children especially — it is about
being kind to one another and keeping one
another at the forefront [of our minds].”
FCPS Responds to Shooting
By Bethany E. Starin
While area school administration
handled their individual school’s responses to the shootings in Newtown
in different ways, Urbana Elementary
School (UES) chose as a whole to not
openly discuss the tragic events in
their classrooms. Students at Urbana
Middle School (UMS) said they were
told to not speak about the events
while at school.
“We do not want to instill more fear
than needs to be instilled or even maybe generate fear that was not there
in the first place by discussing it with
the children,” said Scott Schartner,
a third grade teacher at Urbana Elementary School. “I know that some
of the teachers of the older grades
— definitely fifth grade — thought it
might be appropriate to discuss in a
very controlled atmosphere some of
their concerns.”
As with all Frederick County Public
School (FCPS), UES has reviewed its
security measures and has experienced heightened police presence.
Schartner said he was grateful that
UES has excellent security in place
and did not slam security systems
into place in a reactive way.
Police played an added role in the
week following the Connecticut shootings as rumors began to circulate on
social media about threats at local
schools. Cpl. Jennifer Bailey, spokesperson for Frederick County Sheriff’s
Office, said that rumors were not specific to Frederick County — they were
seen at a number of communities
outside Frederick, as well, experiencing similar issues.
“It has caused heightened concern,” Bailey said, “[but] ... we are
just being vigilant and letting the com-
munity know about the rumors.”
At press time, Bailey said that there
was no evidence to indicate any credible threat and that all rumors that
had been investigated stemmed exclusively from social media sites.
In response to the shooting and
threats, FCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Alban released a YouTube video in
which he said, “We have also been
sharing regular updates about our
ongoing cooperation with our law-enforcement partners. ... Open communication is our best tool to help
fight the anxiety and fear that are out
there. I am absolutely confident that
our schools are safe.”
Jay Berno, principal at Urbana High
School, said that on Dec. 20 his
school received some of the viral social media, and he responded by making himself visible the next day.
“I positioned myself by the front of
the school to let parents and folks
know that we are doing everything we
can to provide a safe environment for
their kids,” he said. “Overall, the operation of our school, with everything
considered, has been normal.”
To show their support for Sandy
Hook Elementary School, where the
Newtown shootings occurred, UMS
students are participating in an activity to help encourage Sandy Hook
students. From Jan. 2 to 9, UMS is
collecting handmade snowflakes by
students that will subsequently be
mailed to Sandy Hook. The snowflakes will be set up by Sandy Hook
parent volunteers to make the school
a “Winter Wonderland” when their
students resume school again.
For more information on FCPS and
their response to the shootings,
please visit www.fcps.org.
Page 9
Everybody is hugging
their kids a little
tighter and making
sure they share that
love and protect them
as much as they can.
— Timothy Mellott, Ijamsville resident
and a head coach with LOUYAA
Predators wrestling
Mellott said he has seen locals already
doing this. For instance, one of the young
boys who was shot — Jack Pinto — was
a wrestler. In response, the commissioner
of the LOUYAA Predators sent back the
new T-shirt shipment he had just received
to have them changed. The T-shirts now
say: “We Wrestle for Jack Pinto, Newtown, CT.”
“He was going to wrestle his very first
wrestling match the next day, and obviously that never happened,” Mellott said,
his voice breaking with emotion. “It comes
down to honoring one of our wrestling
brothers. I thought it was an incredibly
brilliant idea.”
Schartner, who lives in New Market,
said one of his main responses was treasuring a daily task — walking his son into
school every morning.
“I have a unique perspective because
I have a kindergartner. My son comes
to school here with me every morning,”
Schartner said. “It has made me appreciate
the fact that he was still here, that I still
had the chance to walk him into the school
with me.”
Page 10
The Town Courier
■ mitten tree
Friends Meeting School
Nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit
January Open Houses:
Thursday, January 17th
9 – 11 a.m.
Saturday, January 26th
9 – 11 a.m.
Come see why students thrive here…
Now Serving Ages 3 through Grade 12
301.798.0288
3232 Green Valley Road
Ijamsville, MD 21754
www.friendsmeetingschool.org
from page 1
Hannah, who is in kindergarten, said every time she walks past the tree, more hats
and mittens are hanging on it. The Hat and
Mitten Tree is important, she said, because
it “helps needy kids who don’t have that
much.”
Fike said students bring a lot of donations for the tree. “We usually fill up about
three boxes full,” she said. She said that 150
to 200 children in Frederick County and
■ organization
from page 3
family can easily know what we are having
for dinner each night. Even if I am out at
a meeting, anyone can take a look at the
board and pick up the recipes for that day,”
Kasimatis said. “The kids like it and, because we take turns planning the monthly
menu, they feel more included in the planning process. Not only that, it is fun!”
Kasimatis said the Menu Board is a huge
time saver. When it is time to go grocery
shopping, she only needs to take a look at
the menu for the week and shop accordingly.
In addition to her Menu Board, Melissa
has created a freezer inventory spreadsheet.
The spreadsheet helps her know exactly
what she has in the freezer and what she
needs or may not need at the grocery store.
When she uses an item, she crosses it off of
the inventory and replaces it at a later date.
January 2013
out of state “receive warmth” through the
hats, mittens and scarves.
This year, the school collected donations
for the tree, which was donated by a former
UES teacher, from Dec. 3 to 14. In addition to elementary school-aged children,
some of the large-sized items are given to
middle school and high school students in
the area.
The tree is decorated with a lot of
“unique hats and gloves,” and students enjoy seeing it change and become fuller each
day, said Fike.
The Hat and Mitten Tree gives a valuable lesson, said Fike, because it “teaches
the children that it’s important to give to
others and show caring and compassion beyond their own families.”
Parents are also very supportive, she said.
“This is a very giving, caring community,”
said Fike, and “the families are always very
supportive of helping others. Parents start
buying hats, mittens and scarves before we
even put up the tree up.”
Another Pinterest idea Kasimatis has
adopted is freezer meals. Once or twice a
month, using the recipes from the Menu
Board, Kasimatis spends time cooking and,
by the end of the day, has 13 complete premade meals ready to go into the freezer.
While this may seem like a lot of work, she
says it is worth the effort. Twice a week,
when Kasimatis consults the Menu Board,
she sees that she only needs to pull a homemade meal out of the freezer. What could
be easier than pulling a meal out the night
before and, in the morning, dropping it in
the crock pot before leaving for the day?
“Coming home to a delicious, homecooked meal that I didn’t have to fix when
I walked in from work is wonderful.”
Saving time and energy has always been
a goal for Kasimatis. Another way to do
this was with an organization project she
undertook in preparation for the New
Year: creating a craft room. Consolidating
all of the craft items that were previously
stored in different places in her house, she
now has a central craft room housing all
her crafting tools.
“It’s a great place for the kids when they
are working on any homework projects
because everything is right there — beads,
glue, scissors, jewels, paper, fabric, yarn,
buttons and magnets.
Because everything is neatly organized
in a central location, when the kids are
inspired to create something, they do not
have to search for just the right item and
lose this inspiration.
Kasimatis is an organized person in general, but the beauty of Pinterest is that anyone can become an organized person by
leveraging the ideas of other people on the
site. Ideas for just about any home decorating, cooking, crafting and organizing
project are there for the taking, and anyone with a little time and a little effort can
make it happen.
Taking the time to plan ahead and using
the organizational tips she has learned on
Pinterest, Kasimatis has been able to carve
out more time for herself and her family.
She has seen lower grocery bills and never has to answer the question, “What’s for
Dinner.”
For more organizational inspiration in
this New Year, visit www.pinterest.com.
■ mister urbana
the show the best because all of the acts
were so funny and creative. Some of their
dance skills were surprisingly good,” Robinson said.
Following the talent portion was the
seasonal wear in which contestants were
escorted by a female of their choice. The
escorts had about 30 seconds to talk about
their contestant’s attributes and what set
them apart from the other candidates.
Jambora had an interesting choice of
escort — Spanish teacher Ally Vasquez.
Vasquez chose a different route for her
speech and, rather than talking about Jambora’s excellence in school and personal accomplishments, she talked about his eccentric personality. Jambora had a few reasons
for picking Vasquez as his escort.
“I tried to think of who could best talk
about me. I didn’t want to pick and choose
between my friends, but I still wanted
someone who was close to me,” he said.
The overall experience was thoroughly
enjoyed by everyone.
“I am grateful that Mr. Urbana got to
happen,” Shearer said.
Mejia enjoyed spending time with his
friends. “Goofing off with my friends at
practice and during the acts made it fun,”
he said.
Jambora liked showing Urbana students
his quirky personality. “I’m glad that Mr.
Urbana gave me the opportunity to show
how weird I am and to show other kids that
you can be weird,” he said.
from page 3
dance to Billy Harper’s recorder playing,
evoked laughter from the crowd.
The contestants walked around with
self-designed boxes to collect money for
Rock Creek School. UHS began donating to Rock Creek School after the theatre
production put on the play “Flowers for
Algernon” in 1998. This year’s contestants
raised $3,400 for the school.
Jambora was awarded $100, which he
selflessly donated to Rock Creek School.
“The kids there need it more than I would
need a new rice cooker,” he said.
The competition did have him slightly
nervous.
“At first I was scared; I knew from years
past that it was usually jocks and athletic
kids. I didn’t think I would be on par with
them,” he said.
Runner-up Mejia enjoyed the group of
contestants he was with.
“We were all friends before the competition, but during the competition we definitely bonded more,” Mejia said.
Everyone had his or her own favorite
moments from the event. Shearer particularly enjoyed the opening act. “After the
opening number, it was fun, I wasn’t nervous anymore,” he said.
Senior Lindsey Robinson, a member of
the dance company, enjoyed the talent portion. “I definitely liked the talent part of
The Town Courier
January 2013 ■ pet obedience
from page 1
and then watching people enjoy their pets
in a way they did not think was possible.
Lisa Lessin was struggling to train her
dalmatian puppy, Mack, who put its front
paws on the kitchen counter, nipped and
bit her, and even dragged one of her cats
around the room. She enrolled her dog in
the “board and train” class, in which she
boarded her dog for two weeks, because
she had to go out of town for business. She
said the training program “worked wonders.”
“It really has changed our life for the
better because we really needed some
help,” she said. Now, Mack is calm and
will sit down next to her while she watches
television, which he would not do before
the training program. “He is all around a
better dog.”
Fraser said Canine Obedience Unlimited is unique, because its training programs
are customized for each individual dog.
Staff members complete an initial evaluation with a dog to determine which training programs will be most helpful.
He also said the four staff members come
from a lot of different backgrounds and together have more than 100 years of experi-
■ financial advisor
from page 3
smaller employer offering a SEP IRA or
SIMPLE IRA. Most of these plans allow
you to add contributions pre-tax. Also,
many employers will match your contributions up to a certain point. Take advantage
of this! Beyond your employer plan, I recommend that everyone have an IRA (Individual Retirement Account). Traditional
IRAs allow anyone under the age of 70 ½
with earned income and their non-working spouses filing taxes jointly to contribute up to $5,000 per year ($6,000 for individuals age 50+). An IRA will provide
tax-deferral on your savings and a wide
variety of investment options to allow you
to pursue your needs for growth, income,
capital preservation, etc.
Courier: Do you have any recommendations for people with debt?
Miller: Most people have some debt. But
when you live beyond your means for too
long, the amount of debt can become overwhelming. My best advice would be to sit
down and create a plan toward paying off
your debts. Start with the debt that must be
paid to meet your monthly required obligations. Next, prioritize paying down high
interest loans first. One positive note for
borrowers today is that we are currently in
the lowest interest rate environment ever.
If you are eligible to refinance your debt,
now is a good time to reduce your rates.
Chris Miller can be reached at the Urbana
branch of Sandy Spring Bank at 301.695.0786,
ext. 6574. A list of free 2013 trust and investment seminars is available at the Urbana branch.
LPL Financial Disclaimer: Not FDIC insured; no bank guarantee; not a bank deposit;
not insured by any government agency; may lose
value.
ence. Because the staff is very experienced,
“It gives us the ability to handle just about
any type of dog or any situation,” said Fraser.
The basic obedience programs offered
at Canine Obedience Unlimited also tend
to be a little more advanced than most
high-level programs taught at other dog
obedience schools, he said.
Canine Obedience Unlimited begins
training dogs as early as 8 weeks old in
their puppy classes to prevent problems in
behavior. The school accepts all dogs of
any age — even dogs that are 9 or 10 years
old.
Fraser said the school’s programs teach
dogs basic commands such as “come,” “sit,”
“stay,” “down,” “heel,” and “place” (which
means “go to bed”). Classes also help solve
simple behavior issues such as jumping,
housebreaking, and running away.
After teaching the basics, Canine Obedience Unlimited provides training for
advanced techniques that includes getting
dogs to obey a command such as “sit”
while the owner is walking or standing
at a distance from the dog. This kind of
training helps to make it safe to have a dog
off-leash.
The dog obedience group classes vary in
Page 11
size with an average enrollment of six to
12 dogs. Canine Obedience also offers the
“board and train” classes Lessin used, in
which owners can board their dogs for one
to four weeks and have their dog trained
for them. In addition, trainers offer private
classes at people’s homes within a 50-mile
radius of the school. After a class is completed, Canine Obedience provides a lifetime of follow up classes four days a week
where owners can bring their dogs in as
often as desired.
Fraser first became interested in obedience training when, as a student in high
school, he adopted a dog from a shelter
that misbehaved and destroyed the house
and yard. He took his dog to classes at a
PetSmart store. Then Frasier completed
an apprenticeship with two professional
dog obedience trainers. Later, he attend-
ed National K-9 Learning Center, a school
for professional dog trainers in Columbus,
Ohio. Frasier founded Canine Obedience
in 2004.
While obedience and behavior modification are “the heart and soul of our business,” said Fraser, the school also offers
classes in agility training for dogs, as well
as classes that teach tricks to dogs. Fraser
said that in 2013, he will start a school to
train professional dog trainers.
Many people feel they have a dog that
isn’t trainable, which is not really true, said
Fraser. While he advises people to start as
soon as they get a dog, Fraser said it’s never
too late to start obedience training.
For more information about Canine
Obedience Unlimited, please visit http://
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Local Financial Classes
F
By Sally Alt
or locals who would like to learn
more about how to improve their
finances, classes are available
in the Urbana and Frederick area.
St. Ignatius of Loyola church offers
classes in personal finance based on
the teachings of Dave Ramsey. The
nine-week Financial Peace University course provides help with paying
off debt, saving for college and retirement, and creating an emergency
fund, as well as cash flow planning.
The classes, which start Jan. 21, will
be held on Monday evenings at St.
Ignatius located at 4103 Prices Distillery Road in Ijamsville, Md. To find
out more about the course, please
contact coordinator Paul Meade at
paultmeade@aol.com.
The Maryland CASH (Creating
Assets, Savings and Hope) Campaign
nonprofit organization helps families
with low and moderate income. The
nonprofit offers finance classes
that are free or low cost through
partnerships with credit unions,
banks, educational institutions, and
non-profits. The Maryland CASH
Campaign provides courses on topics
such as buying a home, budgeting,
and managing credit and debt. For
more information about classes,
please call 410.528.8006 or visit
http://mdcashacademy.org.
Frederick Community College offers the personal finance class, “Couponing Strategies to Save Money.”
The course will teach students how
to save $25 a week, which could add
up to a savings of $1,200 a year. In
the class, participants will learn how
to find and save coupons and start
saving money. The course, which
costs $40, starts from Feb. 26 to
April 2. For more information, please
call 301.846.2400.
Rachel Shifaraw
(301) 502-1500
villagepetaupair@gmail.com
www.villagepetaupair.com
Page 12
The Town Courier
January 2013
Shoptalk
from page 3
self-defense classes for women are available at the Urbana Academy, as well as
kick-boxing and yoga classes for adults
and children. For more information, call
301.529.6289, or visit www.urbanaacademy.com.
Jimmy John’s Opening Soon
The final space has been leased in the Urbana Village Center — between the Black
Hog restaurant and the Urbana Dance studio — and Jimmy John’s sandwich restaurant will open in February. Owner A.J.
Condon, who also owns a Jimmy Johns
franchise in Frederick’s Westview Shop-
ping Center, said he felt an Urbana location
would be popular.
“Our current location is doing well,”
said Condon, “and we’re looking forward
to serving the Urbana area soon.”
Jimmy John’s restaurants started in the
Midwest and were prevalent on college
campuses. The first Jimmy John’s on the
East Coast opened in College Park, Md., in
2002 and has been popular with students at
the University of Maryland.
Construction is expected to begin in
January, and the restaurant is scheduled
to open in February. Condon said he will
also open a Walkserville, Md., location this
year in the new center next to the Weg-
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man’s shopping complex.
“Jimmy John’s has really grown in the
East Coast,” said Condon, “and we are excited by the brand.” For more information,
visit www.jimmyjohns.com.
New Yoga Class in VOU
Beginning Jan. 6, Villages of Urbana
Yoga will add a new class every Sunday
evening from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Natelli
Community Center. Classes run in a sixweek series for $60 — or drop-ins are welcome at $12 per class. Continuing classes
include Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.,
and Friday morning, at 9 a.m., also at the
community center. For more information,
visit www.villagesofurbanayoga.com or
email vouyoga@gmail.com.
DC Cosmetics Plastic Surgery
in Urbana
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery provider DC
Cosmetics (of Chevy Chase) recently
opened a new facility at 3370 Urbana Pike,
part of the old section of Route 355. Services for men and women are provided by
board-certified plastic surgeons and include
laser liposuction, facial and body plastic
surgery, and Botox and other anti-aging
products and procedures. For more information, call 301.244.0148, or visit www.
DCCosmetics.com.
aroundtown
from page 5
bers’ expenses, but the event is primarily a
service for the community.
“Each band member must pay $650
for equipment and expenses each year,”
Mitchell said, “but we don’t make a lot of
money for this event. It is more a way to
give back to the community.”
Jacob Kelly, 5, perused items for sale
with his sister, Winnie, 3, on the school
auditorium stage, cheerfully adorned with
trees and shiny decorations. “We had fun,”
said Jacob, “and we got a lot of cool stuff
for my family.”
Timmy Farley, 5, and his brother, Ethan,
3, were all smiles after having their faces
painted with a Santa hat and candy cane.
Urbana senior Caitlyn Cooke, who plays
the flute in the band, offered warm drinks
for visitors during the event. “The band
has given me a real sense of community and belonging,” Cooke said, “and I’ve
made a lot of friends.”
The full UHS marching band is finished
for this school year, but the “Pep Band”
will play at indoor sporting events, and
band, jazz and orchestra ensembles will
perform for concerts and the annual musical in the spring.
sponsorships and donations of food and
prizes for the event. We want to offer as
much as we can for the students, so we
need as much help from volunteers and as
many donations as we can get.”
At the shopping event, Glitzy Garb representative Roselle Pacuette offered all
kinds of jewelry and accessories for shoppers. Katie Busick sold women’s personal
safety and self-defense products for relatively new company Damsel in Distress.
Items included key chains equipped with
an alarm and small pepper spray containers
designed to look like a lipstick.
Busick’s mother, Pam Holcomb, is vice
president of Safe and Sane, and helped
Price organize the event, which also offered door prizes from each vendor. For
more information, or to help with the Urbana Safe and Sane event, visit http://urbanasafeandsane.shutterfly.com.
Villages of Urbana Holiday Shopping
On Dec. 1, more than a dozen vendors
set up shop at the Natelli Community
Center to offer holiday gift and personal
items for sale, including jewelry and accessories, crafts, food and services to Urbana
area shoppers.
The event was a fundraiser for the Urbana Safe and Sane, an annual event held on
the night after graduation to provide a safe
alternative for graduates to socialize with
friends and have fun. The Urbana event is
held at the Frederick Indoor Sports Center in Walkersville. The young adults must
commit to staying at the fun-filled event
until 5 a.m. and are supervised by parent
volunteers, who serve plenty of food and
run multiple games and activities, including sporting games provided by professional entertainment services.
Safe and Sane President Jane Price said
her dedicated group of volunteers works
tirelessly all year on the monumental task
of producing the popular event.
“We canvass any and all business during
the school year,” Price said, “asking for
Photo | Kristy Crawford
Fifth grader, Soujanya Viswanathan, and her sister, Sanjanoa, in 2nd grade, show their drawings at the
UES Art Show.
Urbana Elementary Art Show
On Dec. 18, Urbana Elementary School
(UES) hosted an Art Show, which included an exhibit of work done by all grade
levels, followed by a festive choral concert
put on by the fourth and fifth grade chorus. Pictured, fifth grader Soujanya Viswanathan, and her sister, second grader Sanjanoa, show their drawings at the Urbana
Elementary School Art Show.
The Town Courier
January 2013 schoolnotes Community Conversations
with Alban
Frederick County Public Schools
(FCPS) Superintendent Dr. Terry Alban
asks the public to join her community
conversations taking place during Community Night Town Hall meetings on Jan.
3 at Crestwood Middle School and Jan. 7
at Walkersville High. Each gathering will
begin at 7 p.m.
“Please bring your ideas, and ask questions. These are opportunities for me
to listen and respond to what Frederick
County residents have to say about your
schools and funding priorities. I know that
we all have a stake in public education,”
Alban said. “Your feedback will help me
prepare a 2013-14 budget proposal responsive to community needs.”
Alban’s emphasis is on starting the public budget conversation earlier than usual. During the coming weeks, she plans
to attend several school-based and other
community events to share brief remarks
and hear feedback. She also encourages
the public to contribute to the community
dialog via Facebook, e-mail and Twitter.
Visit www.fcps.org/thepromise for details.
The culmination of these meetings will
take place Jan. 17 at a countywide Rally
Around the Promise at 7 p.m. at Tuscarora High School. There, Alban will present
her first budget draft and listen further to
community priorities. The snow date for
the rally is Jan. 24.
UHS Students Win Awards
Two Urbana High School students
earned the Statesman Award at the SkillsUSA Maryland Fall Leadership Conference in Ocean City — Paige Alexander and Gabriela Navarro. Oakdale High
School student Johanny Moreno also won
the award.
At the SkillsUSA conference, the students trained in team-building and professional organizational skills including
collaborative goal planning and implementation. To earn the Maryland Statesman
or Advanced Statesman Award, each student was required to develop a professional
portfolio and demonstrate competency in
civics and knowledge of the local, state and
national organization.
SkillsUSA activities contribute to student development through the National
Program of Work, which provides professional development curriculum and activities including community service, social
and employment skills, championships,
public relations and leadership training.
For additional information, please contact FCPS Career and Technology Center
SkillsUSA advisor Martha Lowry, Martha.
lowry@fcps.org or 240.236.8515.
Board of Education Gets
New Members
Dec. 12 marked the swearing-in of three
new Board of Education members. Newly
elected members Dr. Zakir Bengali and Joy
Schaefer and reelected incumbent Kathryn
B. Groth took the oath of office in the
boardroom at the Frederick County Public
Schools headquarters building in Frederick.
All three were elected to four-year terms.
After the swearing-in ceremony, conducted by Clerk of the Circuit Court Sandra
K. Dalton, the Board convened its annual meeting to elect officers for the coming
year. Jean A. Smith was elected president
and Schaefer vice president.
Other Board members are April F.
Miller, James C. Reeder Jr. and Brad W.
Young. Brandon Wharton serves as student member.
Board of Education Meeting Change
The Board of Education meeting orig-
Page 13
Compiled by Bethany E. Starin
inally scheduled for Jan. 9 is moved up a
week to Jan. 2. FCPS has posted the proposed schedule changes online and encourages public comment: http://www.fcps.
org/msschedule
Restricted School Transfers
In early December, it was announced
that Frederick County Public Schools
(FCPS) is restricting out-of-district transfers at 14 schools in the 2013-14 school
year, in accordance with FCPS regulation
400-78. Last year transfers were restricted
at 16 schools.
Based on enrollment projections, 14
schools — including Centerville and Urbana elementary schools and Urbana Midn
school notes Continued on page 14
Page 14
The Town Courier
January 2013
teacherspotlight
from page 5
tried it. The most interesting thing happened: I realized I was spending my day
laughing with them,” she said, smiling.
She added that she discovered this is her
favorite age to teach.
At the high school level, Katz said she
found it was more difficult to truly help
students to learn to love math if they had
already written themselves off as “bad at
math,” etc. In middle school, it’s different,
she said.
“Their brains are exploding and they
are learning. It’s not too late. ... No matter
where they have come from, I build a good
foundations and fill in any gaps and get
them to flourish and expand their mind,”
Katz said. “I love to turn them into [kids]
who [love] math.”
Katz’ classroom is energetic and full of
constant dialogue. Another thing she loves
about this age? They still have a silly sense
of humor.
“They are willing to stand and be the
line,” she said, pointing at her line graph
on a pad on the floor of her classroom —
something she uses to teach lessons. It helps
them to learn to physically use their bodies, Katz added.
Katz also builds rapport with her students
by being honest with them, something she
saw in her eighth grade teacher, Mr. Sharp,
who taught her at Southern Middle School
near Annapolis, Md. Like Mr. Sharp, Katz
is willing to tell her students when she does
not know the answer. She is also transparent about the lack of practical math application.
“I am willing to admit that, yeah, you
might not use this, but the reason why we
are doing it is because it is making your
mind grow. I think they are excited by it,”
she said enthusiastically. “I feel like math is
gymnastics for the mind.”
Cromwell affirms Katz’ ability to keep
her daughter’s mind engaged.
“The teachers there are dedicated and
imaginative and manage to keep the kids
engaged and enthusiastic all year long,”
Cromwell said.
One way Trinity staff does this is through
small class sizes. Katz teaches a number of
math classes of a variety of levels, but this
year, her classes include from just three
to 10 students. In her portable classroom,
Katz has the desks arranged on two sides of
the classroom facing each other so she can
see the faces of all her students all the time.
“I know the instant they stop following
me,” she said, adding that she uses a teaching method of constant review and one test
per week, which ensures students are truly
grasping each math concept.
“For a parent, the size of the school is
a real asset. Classes are tailored to [their]
needs,” Cromwell said.
The faith component at Trinity allows
Katz to have a basis and a vocabulary for
speaking to students about honesty and
ethics, Katz said. But that does not mean
Trinity is limited in diversity, Katz said,
adding that the school welcomes it.
“My family is both Jewish and Christian,
and [Trinity makes] sure the number one
thing that children learn here is to respect
one another,” she said.
The largest component of the school atmosphere is community service projects,
said Cynthia Piazza, Trinity’s director of
marketing. For example, Katz accompanied students on a December afternoon to
sing Christmas carols at a local assisted living facility. Ongoing projects include the
lower school overseeing a food drive for
the local humane society, fifth graders who
are in charge of a recycling program, and
the eighth graders who help serve lunch at
the Frederick Rescue Mission, just to name
a few.
“It’s part of their curriculum to provide
community service,” Katz said. “It’s part of
our culture.”
When not teaching at Trinity, Katz is
busy with her two sons (who both attend
Trinity) and said she also has her hands
in arts and crafts — or in dough in the
kitchen. She is teaching a cupcake decorating class at Trinity as part of the personal
growth lab, and in her spare time in the
summer enjoys teaching arts and crafts at
Camp Airy and Louise near Thurmont,
Md.
Katz, who lives in the Ballenger Creek
area, said, “Math is so cerebral, I love to
make things.”
For more information on Trinity, visit www.trinityschooloffrederick.org. The
school will host a middle school open
house on Jan. 29 from 9:30 – 11 a.m. with
opportunities to visit classrooms and talk
to teachers and students. In addition, two
all-school Admission Open Houses are being held Jan. 9 and 25 from 9:30 – 11 a.m.
schoolnotes
from page 13
dle School — will be at or are already at
more than 100 percent capacity when
school opens in August 2013. Consequently, their enrollment is limited only to those
students who reside within each school’s
respective attendance area.
Parents and guardians must renew outof-district transfers for students when they
transition from prekindergarten to elemen-
tary, elementary to middle school or from
middle to high school. Parents or guardians who wish to request an out-of-district
transfer may apply by completing the appropriate form, available at all local public
schools, online at www.fcps.org/forms or
at the FCPS Student Services office, 191
South East St, Frederick. The Student Services Office will accept requests beginning
Feb. 1.
January 2013 The Town Courier
Page 15
show& tell
from page 5
er programmer,” Christopher said, adding
that computer programming “helps me
to express my ideas and it also helps other
people, too.”
Hasita, who enjoys teaching her twin
siblings — who turn 5 this month — to
play games, such as chess, said she sees a
future for herself with caring for children.
“I want to be a doctor. I like helping
people,” she said. “I like babies, and I am
good at handling them.”
In his spare time, Christopher plays basketball for the Ballenger Creek U12 club
team. Hasita said she enjoys time with her
siblings as well as doing crafts.
Both Christopher and Hasita’s pieces are
currently being judged at the county level,
Hausler said. If they are selected, they will
move on to the state level.
“The Cow and the Tiger”
By Hasita Madduri
Once upon a time there was a farmer
that had a barn with many cows. Every
morning the farmer would let the cow out
for grazing; the cows would go far into
the woods so they can get fresh grass. One
day one of the cows went too far into the
woods and lost track of time. To her surprise, she ran into a hungry Tiger hoping
to catch prey. The Cow got very scared
because the tiger was about to eat her, but
finally decided to speak up for her life.
She said to the hungry Tiger, “Please
leave me alone; I did nothing wrong.” But
that did not help, the tiger tried to attack
the cow but he missed it to the Cow’s luck.
He was getting ready to attack again when
the Cow pleaded, “Oh your highness! I
have a hungry newborn calf that has to be
fed at this time. May I please go feed it,
say my goodbyes and come back to be your
meal?”
The Tiger laughed “Ha ha ha, are you
trying to fool me? I will not let this chance
of eating such [a] stuffed cow go away.”
Then the Cow said humbly, “I’m sure
you have children back at your home and
you understand the importance of feed-
ing them in a timely manner. I promise I
will be back in no time, please let me go,
please!”
The Cow worked very hard to convince
the Tiger, and finally succeeded. Without
wasting any time the Cow went back to its
stable, fed her Calf for the last time, put her
to sleep and gave her a goodbye kiss with
a heavy heart.
Meanwhile the Tiger was busy making
lunch plans and waiting for what seemed
like hours to him. On the back of his
mind, he started to think that the Cow lied
about everything she said. But he had been
keeping track of time that would be up in
10 … 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 … 2 ...
1 seconds. Just then he saw the Cow walking back into the woods. The Tiger was
very impressed by how the Cow kept her
promise.
“Thank you for letting me feed my baby.
Am I late?” she asked softly.
“No, just in time,” the Tiger said with
his deep voice, that was followed up by,
“I’m very impressed by your honesty, at
one point I thought you lied to me.”
“I am a mother dear Tiger and mothers
don’t lie,” said the Cow.
“Dream Big, Work Harder”
By Christopher Pondoc
When somebody thinks or sleeps,
they could envision or dream of
anything.
Fame, glory, greatness, recognition.
But when you come back to reality,
the vision is gone.
Some people just dream and do
nothing,
waiting for their prayers to be answered,
but the achievers don’t just want a
vision or a dream,
but a reality and an amazing memory.
That’s determination.
It’s when you realize that something
has to be done
In order to achieve it!
It’s when you go from uncertainty to
a fresh, new start.
It’s what happens when instead of
saying, “I can’t do it!”
to “I must do it!”
Realizing a vision or a dream is
a mixture of hard work, discipline,
determination, drive, and loyalty.
When that mixture gels,
and is up and running, and finally
working,
you will then see your vision come
to a reality.
When do you think people first
realize
that they have become successful or
achieve their dreams?
Looking at their money? Seeing
their fancy cars and mansions?
Buying and wearing expensive jewelry and clothes?
NO! You’re WRONG!
It is when you do something to
make a difference on other people’s
lives.
Remember, everybody can dream
and have a vision of greatness
But it’s up to you to make it happen...
Life is too short to waste all the opportunities presented to us...
Take risks, have faith
Dream BIG, but work HARDER!
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Page 16
The Town Courier
■ college applications
According to Walton, 450 schools use the
Common Application online. Students can fill out
this one online application, which can be sent to
any of these colleges.
from page 6
or Jonathan Walton. More kids are applying to college, he said, so applicants “are
competing against more students.”
Also a UHS senior and a student writer
for The Town Courier, Erin Murdock thinks
there’s a good reason that the college application process is stressful. “It is an important decision in your life,” she said.
Murdock said she received help from her
older brother and sister for the essay section
of the applications. She said she also used
the College Board website to find schools
with majors and locations she wants.
Many students have found that the ability to apply to schools online has made the
application process easier overall. According to Walton, 450 schools use the Common Application online. Students can fill
out this one online application, which can
be sent to any of these colleges. Because
many UHS students are tech-savvy, they
feel pretty comfortable with applying online, he said.
UHS senior Terez Lambert said she loves
LOUYAA
LINGANORE OAKDALE URBANA YOUTH
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Youth teams are forming now for the Spring 2013 season!
•
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Indoor Football
Baseball
Field Hockey
•
•
Golf
Lacrosse
•
•
•
Softball
Soccer
Spring Basketball
Ongoing Registration is now Open
the online format. “It is so much easier,”
she said. “It’s all in one place.”
Walton said the staff in the guidance
counseling department tries meet with
each member of the senior class before
Oct. 15 to support students as they apply
to colleges.
To get a head start in the process, Xu began working on applications in the summer. She said that in the course of applying to colleges, she has improved her time
management skills and has become more
open to feedback and criticism about her
writing.
One of the most challenging aspects of
applying to college is finances, according
to UHS Principal Jay Berno. “It is a tremendous cost to go to college,” he said.
In order to save money, more students
are applying to two-year colleges, said
Walton.
Murdock said she applied to fewer colleges so she would not have to spend as
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January 2013
much on application fees.
The selection process varies widely
among the different colleges, said Berno.
The most competitive schools such as Ivy
League schools, Duke University, John
Hopkins University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have a selection process that is very stringent, he said.
Other schools are less competitive, and it is
much easier to get accepted.
This year, a lot of students have applied
to in-state colleges, said Walton. Fewer students are applying to New England
schools and more are applying to colleges
in southern states such as North Carolina
and South Carolina, he said.
Berno said he thinks students should actually visit the colleges they are applying to
and talk to people on campus. Many colleges allow students who are applying to
spend a weekend and tour the facility.
Walton’s advice to students is to “start
early.” He recommends students begin
thinking about the college application process in their sophomore year and make a
list of 10 to 15 schools they are interested
in during their junior year of high school.
For seniors, the stress doesn’t end after
they submit the college applications. The
most difficult part of the application process is, as Yasmin Lachir puts it, “waiting
to hear back from the schools.”
www.towncourier.com/urbana
Frederick Primary Care Associates
Walk-in hours for our existing acute sick patients.
Flu vaccines are now available.
Please contact our office for more information.
•
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Diana Juliano, MD •
Evening and saturday appointments available
Most insurance plans accepted
Hospital care at Frederick Memorial Hospital
Wellness Care and Physical Exams
Accepting New Patients
Integrative Physician Care
•
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Acupuncture
Massage
Yoga
Stress Management
Nutrition
Biofeedback
Bonnie Fitleberg, MD • Terri Strobel, PA • Heather Hall, PA
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 17
myfamily circus
Coming Undone
O
n Thanksgiving
morning, my husband and I were
at a friend’s house for
brunch. In talking with
the ladies about our plans
for the day, I could tell
the women who were
hosting at their house beBy Julie
cause they had a slightly,
Virnelson
frantic deer-in-the headlights look in their eyes.
One friend mentioned she was expecting 25 people to her house in less than four
hours, and yet she was eerily calm. She attributed her Zen state to the yoga session
she had attended that morning. She also
mentioned that the day before, when she
had set aside time specifically to clean and
ready the house, her husband had asked her
out to lunch. He had some free time that
afternoon as well and was hoping to treat
her to a nice lunch.
My question to her was, “Why, in God’s
name, would he do that? Was he trying to
upset you? And why wouldn’t he know
that if he really wanted to make you happy,
all he would do is show up and say, ‘What
can I clean?’”
Housework is a necessary evil, yes, but
how necessary is subject to interpretation.
If there are things living in your fridge
and the stench when you open the door is
so thick you can almost see it, it may be
necessary to clean it out. If there are no
clean clothes and your washing machine is
dusty and lost under a pile of dirty clothes,
paperwork, uniforms and the roasting pan
that never fit in any of the kitchen cabinets,
it may be time to put the machine to work.
There are also the everyday messes —
backpacks and shoes strewn about, dishes
left, piles of paperwork and mail littering
the countertops. Now that I work fulltime, I have learned to let it go, big time.
To the dismay of my family, I have learned
not to look at it. I figure, if it doesn’t bother
them, why should it bother me?
All of my newfound enlightenment and
serenity goes out the window, however,
when we are expecting guests for dinner. Like so many other women I know,
I will quickly unravel with the stress of
an impending visit. This natural phenomenon occurs in households all over the
country — probably the world. I daresay
it is a global issue. Women who were just
hours before rational, calm, sane people
are reduced to screaming lunatics who just
might hand their 3-year-old a mop if they
thought he could help her cross something
off her to-do list.
This transformation starts out slowly and
builds until the woman realizes there is
only an hour left before the guests arrive,
at which point she becomes completely irrational and begins yelling at everyone to
do something! In many families, the husband and children have learned to decipher the signs and run for cover at the first
hint of mom’s undoing. They know that
anyone left in her path while in entertainment-prep mode will be conscripted into
doing the same frenzied work that she is
racing to get through.
Now, truly, does every candle have
to be lit? Does every blanket have to be
folded just so? Must every bathroom have
perfectly folded hand towels and filled-tothe-brim soap dispensers? Will people really run screaming into the night if they
see a speck of dust on the floor? And, if so,
are they really your friends? And yet, we
women persist in this madness.
Early in our marriage, my husband and I
had my cousin and his wife over for dinner,
our first guests in our new home. I worked
all day on our small townhouse, making
sure everything was just so and that every nook and cranny was clean and spotless. (Looking back on it, what did I have
to clean? We had no kids, no dogs and a
tiny little townhouse!) I was just finishing
up and finally felt the house looked good
when my husband reminded me that our
guests were due to arrive in 20 minutes.
He noted that the one thing I may have
overlooked in all of my preparations was
the food. I had been so focused on making
sure the house looked good that I literally
forgot to cook the dinner.
I’d like to think I’ve learned a thing or
two since then. Immaculate is not a word
I would use to describe my house. I like
to say its “lived in” and that it has character. I should learn to embrace it and accept it for what it is — a great old house
that holds us all together even with all our
mess. I can work toward being more prepared for entertaining and being less of a
crazy person when the doorbell is about to
ring. I’ll try to remember that the people
coming over are not even going to notice
half of the things I obsess about. I’ll save
my coming undone for something a little
more substantial and try to remember what
is really important.
And if you are coming for dinner, you
can bring the salad — and the tranquilizers.
Julie Virnelson lives in Urbana, her home for
11 years, with her husband and five children.
She has always loved writing and enjoys recounting the everyday humor, joy and sometimes trouble that occur in everyday life as a mother. With
kids ranging in age from 7 to 18 years, she finds
material for her writing readily available. Julie
also works full-time as the assistant manager at
the Villages of Urbana homeowners’ association.
Page 18
The Town Courier
January 2013
localvoices
The Frederick County Council
F
rederick
County
voters took an historic step in November when they approved the adoption of the
Charter as developed and
proposed by the Charter
Board established to draft
the document by the
By Fred
Board of County ComUgast
missioners in March 2011.
Under the Charter, the current five-member BOCC will cease to exist shortly after
the election in November 2014 and be replaced by an elected county executive and
seven-member County Council. Five of
the seven Council members will be elected
from districts whose boundaries are specified in the Charter, and two will be elected
at-large by all voters in the County.
While there has been much chatter about
who may or may not run for county executive, the new County Council has received
relatively little attention. The Southeastern
portion of Frederick County, including
most of Urbana, Ijamsville and Monrovia
will be in Council District 2. Council
District 2 will also include New Market,
Mount Airy and Libertytown, as well as
unincorporated areas on both sides of Md.
Route 75. The Western border of the District follows Md. Route 355 so those residents on the east side of Urbana Pike will
be in Council District 1, which covers the
Southwest portion of the county extending
west to the Washington County line and
north of Middletown.
Almost half of the voters in Council District 2 are registered Republicans — nearly 15,000 out of 32,000 registered voters.
Just over 10,000 Democrats, 7,000 unaffiliated voters and less than 200 registered
members of other parties round out the
District. As such, the district leans significantly more Republican than the county
as a whole, which has 61,000 Republicans,
54,000 Democrats and 31,000 unaffiliated
voters.
Although the winner of the Republican primary would appear to have a strong
advantage in the District 2 Council race,
county issues tend to be less partisan than
national races. The current all-Republican
BOCC has strongly tilted in favor of policies that have benefited land development
interests, but it’s not clear that those issues
have a particularly partisan flavor. Historically, Republicans like former Com-
missioner Lenny Thompson and current
commissioner David Gray have attracted
significant support by promoting policies
much more restrictive of development interests. Likely issues such as school overcrowding, inadequate funding for fire and
rescue services and the degree to which the
county should resist state mandates on environmental and development issues break
down more along rural-suburban lines than
partisan ones. The Republican advantage
in registrations masks what is likely to be
a more evenly divided electorate on those
particular issues and may make District 2
an important battleground in determining
the direction the new Council takes.
There is a good chance that the individual
Council district races will be drowned out
by media coverage of the executive contest and the races for the 2 at-large Council
seats. Given the success of the Republican
commissioners slate led by Blaine Young in
2010, there’s a pretty good chance that we
will see one or more slates again in 2014.
So although many of us would rather
not think about politics and elections for a
while, next year will be a crucial time for
those would-be candidates thinking about
running for the County Council in 2014.
Editor’s Note: Fred Ugast lives in Urbana and
has been active in the community since 2001.
Ugast can be reached at fju7@yahoo.com.
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 19
firstperson
from page 6
this!) and more.
A selection of charcuterie included dry
cured meats (many of which will be cured
in-house), hams, terrines and pates, as well
as some local cheeses to pair with.
The wood oven cranked out thin crust
pizzas, though they had a bacon and
charred onion pizza and a mozzarella, preserved tomato and basil pizza to try. I went
for the sweet and smoky bacon-topped pie.
The selection from the bakery was a little
hidden from view, but I managed to seek
out the carbohydrate station and sample
the skillet corn bread with bacon marmalade and cheddar chive biscuits with pepper jelly. I went back for a second cheddar
chive biscuit; they were perfectly crumbly,
melt-in-your-mouth delightful and just
ever-so-slightly spicy.
The most unusual item I sampled was
the kimchi linguini with uni, bay scallops
and nasturtium. There was an incredible
amount of flavor to this dish, though possibly a bit on the fishy side for some; I could
have certainly gone for more.
Once I didn’t think there could be any
more to taste, a waiter mentioned that I
should go sample the candy counter while
I waited for dessert. Yes, there’s a full candy
counter full of delicious handmade treats
in addition to everything else.
I tried a sesame truffle, made-fromscratch marshmallow, toffee and peppermint bark. I recommend all of these things!
Just think of it as a palate-cleansing course
before the real dessert.
What the waiter delivered for dessert
would satisfy any chocoholic: a chocolate
ganache tart with seckle pear, clove, white
chocolate and sheep yogurt sorbet. The ganache was very rich, so the pear and yogurt
sorbet provided a great light counter. The
yogurt tasted slightly pear-flavored, and
the texture was actually very similar to the
pear as well.
I continue to be blown away by the
incredible food Voltaggio produces every time I dine at one of his restaurants.
Range was no exception. This is sure to
be another culinary success for the Urbana
resident and Frederick native. I am itching
with anticipation to go back and try more
of the menu, possibly the whole rabbit
hunter-style, definitely the mother-in-law
cocktail.
Range opened to the public on Dec.
18, and reservations can be made directly at www.VoltRange.com or by phone at
202.803.8020. The restaurant is open from
11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday – Thursday, and
11 – 2 a.m., Friday – Saturday. Range is
located within Chevy Chase Pavilion at
5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The Friendship
Heights Metro station is directly across the
street for easy access.
If you find yourself in the area without
a reservation (which are highly recommended), the restaurant is still 100 percent
worth checking out. The candy bar offers
treats that can be purchased a la carte, and
Range features a 1,200-square-foot retail space that will showcase a selection of
kitchenwares and handcrafted provisions.
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Page 20
The Town Courier
January 2013
January 2013 The Town Courier
Page 21
POLICEBLOTTER Compiled By Bethany E. Starin
Rumors on Social Media
In light of recent national events and the
heightened concern for school safety, the
Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office sent a
notification on Dec. 19 to citizens about
rumors circulating on students’ social media sites about threats to several Frederick
County Schools. Corp. Jennifer Bailey said
on Dec. 20 that the Sheriff ’s Office has
been working with school administrators
to thoroughly follow up and investigate
the rumors. She stated at press time that
there is no evidence to substantiate these
concerns. Bailey affirmed that the Sheriff ’s Office will continue to monitor the
rumors and follow up on every lead. Citizens can do their part by being alert in their
communities, reporting suspicious activity
or threats to their local law enforcement
agency and monitoring their children’s use
of social media.
Traffic Stop
The Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office is
working to identify a driver who failed to
stop for a traffic stop on Dec. 13. At about
9:19 p.m. on that date, Dfc. Daniel McDowell observed a vehicle speeding was
in the area of Jefferson Pike and Feagaville
Lane. McDowell activated his emergency
equipment in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The vehicle initially slowed and pulled
into a driveway on Jefferson Pike but then
accelerated and rolled over.
Within seconds, multiple people exited
the vehicle. Three people fled across a field
toward US 340. Two males remained at the
scene. One 16-year-old male was transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital as a
precautionary measure. Deputies canvassed
the area, but the individuals who fled the
vehicle were not located. The investigation
was ongoing at press time.
Fatal Car Accident
The Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office Traffic Unit was investigating at press
time a fatal crash that occurred early on
the morning of Dec. 13. At about 4:30
a.m. deputies responded to southbound
Gambrill Park Road just south of Coxey
Brown Road for a single vehicle crash. The
preliminary investigation has revealed that
a passenger vehicle was traveling south on
Gambrill Park Road when it failed to negotiate a turn and left the roadway. The
vehicle struck a tree and caught on fire.
The two passengers were able to exit the
vehicle and call 911 for help. The driver
was unable to exit the vehicle and died on
the scene.
One of the passengers was flown to John
Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The
other passenger was transported by ambulance to Meritus Medical Center.
Armed Robbery in Walkersville
On Nov. 11, troopers from the Maryland
State Police Frederick Barrack were dispatched to an armed robbery at Walkersville Liquors, located at 25 Maple Avenue
in Walkersville, Md.
Police state that the liquor store’s owner
was in his office working when he heard
the front door to the business open. The
owner then looked at the surveillance cameras in his office and noticed that a person was holding the front door wide open,
while another person walked through the
store. The owner then exited his office, at
which time he was confronted by a male
suspect wearing gray sweat pants, a gray
sweatshirt and a mask covering his entire head. The suspect began yelling and
then pointed a chrome-plated handgun at
the owner, who then retreated back into
his office and locked himself inside before
calling 9-1-1. The owner then watched the
gunman and his accomplice steal two boxes of Patron liquor from a shelf before fleeing on foot in a northern direction from
the store.
The man seen holding the door open for
the gunman was described as wearing a
black sweatshirt and gray sweat pants. The
owner of the store was unable to provide a
detailed physical description of either suspect due to him monitoring the majority of
this incident over his surveillance system.
While an extensive search was done by
the Maryland State Police and Frederick
County Sheriff ’s Office, they were unsuccessful in locating the suspects. Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Frederick Barrack
at 301.600.4150, or the Tfc. J. White at
301.600.4175.
Shoplifting Incident
The Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office
is investigating a shoplifting incident that
occurred at Best Buy on Guilford Drive
in Frederick, Md. On Dec. 5, shortly after
noon, the store’s loss prevention personnel
observed a man remove the plastic packaging off of two Xbox games and then place
the games into his pocket. When they confronted the man, he ran out of the store to
a Blue Toyota Avalon and drove away. The
total value of the Xbox games is $120.
The suspect is described as a black male
with a mustache and stocky build. He was
wearing jeans, a brown stocking hat and
a black North Face jacket. Anyone with
information about this crime or who can
identify the suspect should contact Dep.
Eric Hamrick at 301.600.7143.
Don
Hoffacker’s
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& Heating, Inc.
“We have been given top ratings for both price
& quality by a local, prominent consumer group.”
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Trinity School of Frederick
■ accident
from page 1
Jacob. Family members were not available
for comment but stated the following in
Halpert’s obituary:
“You have been the most amazing and
giving husband, father and son to us. You
always gave so much of yourself, and we
hold our memories of you in our hearts
forever. Your presence has always been
larger than life not only to your family
but to co-workers and friends. You will be
missed more than words could ever say.”
The Halperts’ neighbor, Celeste Greaves,
agreed. She has played in a neighborhood
Bunco group with Peter Halpert’s wife for
the last five years and regards the family
highly.
“A huge number of people showed up for
his funeral,” Greaves said. “Several people
got up to speak, and everyone said the same
thing: Peter was a wonderful man who always put everyone else first.
Halpert worked at Hann and Hann Construction in Rockville, was a very involved
Peter was a
wonderful man
who always put
everyone else
first.
— Celeste Greaves, neighbor
to the Halpert family
parent and often helped with his children’s
extracurricular activities when he could.
“He was a wonder father,” Greaves said.
“He really loved his kids and loved to spoil
them.”
Donations in Halpert’s memory can be
made to the Peter Halpert Memorial Fund,
and sent to PNC Bank, in care of Jeannie
Fawley, 5279 Buckeystown, Md. 21704.
Close friend and neighbor Andrew Bernstein has offered for anyone with questions to contact him on Facebook.
Inspiring Confidence, Character, Compassion, Community
Trinity School of Frederick offers a
stimulating hands-on curriculum,
enriching field trips, small class sizes,
and top-notch faculty for grades K-8.
At Trinity, students are challenged to
reach their full potential while building
confidence, character, compassion,
and community. Trinity was founded
through an Episcopal/Lutheran
partnership.
Open Houses:
January 9th & 25th
From 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Contact info@trinityschooloffrederick.org
or call 301-228-2333 today.
Trinity School of Frederick
6040 New Design Road • Frederick, MD 21703
www.TrinitySchoolofFrederick.org • 301-228-2333
Page 22
The Town Courier
January 2013
kaufman’skitchen
A New Start for a New Year
T
he year is filled with
occasions to entertain, whether it’s a
Sunday football lunch,
summer cocktail party
or intimate holiday feast.
But now, it’s cold! I need
comforting and comfort
By Sheilah
foods as I wait for dpring
Kaufman
and warmer days. It is a
great time for me to eat
and test “comfort food” recipes and stay
warm. Here are some for you to try and
enjoy too.Happy healthful New Year.
Mac and Cheese Canapes
In her book, Mac and Cheese Canapés Recipe (2012), Ellen Brown describes creamy,
cheesy, rich and comforting macaroni and
cheese as the favorite side dish for all generations! From classics with various cheeses
to more exotic fare — with lobster, vegetables, pancetta, beef and many more combinations — this timeless standard deserves
a second look. Consider the Goat Cheese
and Boursin Mac and Cheese, Chesapeake
Crab Mac and Cheese, or Mac and Cheese
Soufflé with Country Ham for any party
or event. There are more than 80 recipes,
most of which are adapted from beloved
dishes from restaurants around the country. Recreate your favorite cheesy restaurant dishes at home: The sky’s the limit for
the humble mac & cheese.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus
more for the pans
1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs (optional)
1/4 pound ditalini, which are essentially mini macaroni shapes, or other
small, similarly shaped pasta
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole milk, warmed
2 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces Gruyère, grated
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste
Preheat the oven to 425º F. Generously
butter 24 mini muffin cups and, if desired,
sprinkle with breadcrumbs. (If you’re baking the canapés in batches, reserve some of
the butter and breadcrumbs, if desired, for
the second batch.)
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the pasta until it’s just barely beginning to soften and is at the early stages of al
dente. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold
water, and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, melt the 1 tablespoon butter
in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Stir in the flour and cook, still stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until the mixture
turns slightly beige and is bubbly. Increase
the heat to medium and slowly whisk in
the warm milk. Bring to a boil, whisking
almost constantly. Reduce the heat to low
and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cheeses
to the sauce in 1/2-cup increments, stirring until the cheese melts before making
another addition. Pour the sauce over the
pasta and stir well.
Beat the egg yolk with the cream and
mustard, if using, and stir it into the pasta.
Season with salt and pepper, and press the
mixture into the prepared cups. (You may
not fill all 24 of the cups.)
Bake the mini canapés for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is bubbly and
the tops are light brown. Let them rest for
5 minutes in the pan, then turn them out
onto a platter and pass ASAP. The canapés can be baked, cooled and refrigerated,
tightly covered, for up to two days. Reheat
them in a 375º F until warmed through, 7
to 10 minutes.
Parmesan French Toast and
Garlic Spinach
Sherron Goldstein of Birmingham, Ala.,
is a fabulous cook, author and hostess. Here
is a new recipe she recently shared with me.
6 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 loaf fresh Italian bread (from a good
bakery) a cut in 8 (1/2-inch thick)
slices
8 tablespoons butter
Worship Directory
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
4 tablespoons butter
10 ounces baby spinach washed, and
drained
8 ounces smoked salmon slices
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lemon, for garnish
Place the eggs, Parmesan cheese, halfand-half cream, melted butter, and salt and
pepper to taste in a mixing bowl. Beat very
well, until you see no egg whites unbeaten.
Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture and place on baking sheet. Place 2
tablespoons butter in fry pan, heat to medium hot, and fry battered bread in two
batches of 4 slices per batch, adding 2 more
tablespoons butter for the second batch.
Cook until golden brown in color on each
side. Remove from pan and set on clean
baking sheet.
In a large fry pan, melt the last 4 tablespoons of butter and add the chopped
garlic. Sauté for one minute, and add the
spinach a little at a time. Cook spinach until just wilted and still retaining the wonderful green color. Remove from heat immediately.
Heap spinach on top of each slice of
French Toast, lay a slice of smoked salmon
over the top, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Using a micro plane grater
(or other fine grater), grate some lemon
zest over the top. Serve slightly warmed.
Serves 4 or 8.
n kaufman’s kitchen Continued on page 23
The Town Courier
January 2013 out& about New Year’s Eve with the Deanna
Bogart Band
Start your New
Year’s Eve celebration
a little early! The
Weinberg
Center
for the Arts in
Frederick
presents
Instrumentalist
s i n g e r - s on g w r it e r
Deanna Bogart. Join
the Deanna Bogart
Band for a New
Photo | Submitted
Year’s Eve Shebang The Deanna Bogart
and listen to Deanna’s Band will perform at the
mesmerizing mix of Weinberg Center for the
Arts on Dec. 29.
1930s-style
boogie
piano and contemporary blues, featuring
Scott Ambush, Dan Leonard and Mike
Aubin. The show starts at 8 p.m. on
Dec. 29 at the Weinberg Center for the
Arts, 20 West Patrick St. in Frederick,
Md. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25
the day of the show. For information,
please call 301.600.2828 or visit www.
weinbergcenter.org/2138/deanna-bogartband/.
Café Rio Mexican Grill
Grand Opening
On Jan. 16, the Café Rio Mexican Grill
will open its newest location at 5100 Buckeystown Pike. After a ribbon-cutting, a
check in the amount of $2,500 will be donated to the Frederick Educational Foundation. Café Rio offers a new alternative
for Mexican food in the Urbana/Frederick
area. For more information, please visit
www.frederickmarylandonline.com.
Commedia ‘Puss and Boots’
Through Jan. 6, The Fun Company
Family Theatre presents the classic story
of the foolish youngest son of a miller,
who follows the advice of a clever cat in
extraordinary footwear to achieve nobility
Page 23
Compiled by Julie Virnelson
and a fine marriage. The Commedia
players (Columbine, Arlequin, Punchin,
Scaramouch, Rosetta and Pantalone) make
the story their own with their own special
type of magic. Showings on Saturdays
at 2 p.m. through Jan. 5 and on Dec.
30 and Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Maryland
Ensemble Theatre, 31 West Patrick St.
in Frederick, Md. All tickets are $13.50,
which includes a $1.50 service charge. Call
for information at 301.694.4744 or visit
http://marylandensemble.org/.
Model Train Open House
For the model train aficionado, stop by
the Model Train Open House on Jan. 6,
13, 20 and 27 or Feb. 3 for a real treat.
Come watch the operation of a large HO
and Hon3 scale model railroad built inside
a real Chesapeake and Ohio horse and baggage car, with an outdoor G-Scale model
railroad also. Hours are from 1-4 p.m. at the
Frederick County Society of Model Railroad Engineers, 423-A East Patrick Street,
Frederick, Md. Please call 240.731.0844 or
visit http://fcsme.com/main.htm with any
questions.
Montessori Preschool in Southern Frederick County
OPEN HOUSE: January 12, 11:00 AM – 2:00PM
Now Enrolling for Fall 2013…
• Montessori Primary Program – Age 3-6
• Montessori Toddler Program – Age 2-3
• Summer Camps (Jun – Aug 2013)
admin@GreenValleyMontessori.com | 301.874.1896
www.GreenValleyMontessori.com
Dawn of the Space Age
Head over to the Ausherman Planetarium at the Earth and Space Science Laboratory for an exciting trip back in time.
Relive the amazing early years of space exploration — the launch of the Sputnik satellite, the lunar landings and the incredible
space flights. Learn about the first historic
steps into space. Jan. 15 and 24, at 5:30,
6:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Earth and Space
Science Laboratory located at 210 Madison
Street, Frederick, Md. Tickets are $5 each
and ninety are available online for each
show. Online sales will end at 4:00 p.m.
on the day of the show. Remaining tickets
not sold online will be available at the door
starting at 5 p.m. For more information,
call 240.236.2694 or visit https://sites.fcps.
org/essl.
At Hyatt Center. Hyattstown (1896 Urbana Pike, Clarksburg MD 20871) ~ 3.5
miles south of Urbana at the intersection of Route 355 and Route 75.
Exit 22 off of I-270
Serving families from Frederick and Montgomery Counties.
Building Durable Hardscapes
Tailored to your Enjoyment
PATIOS ◆ WALKS ◆ FIREPITS ◆ SEAT WALLS
kaufman’skitchen
from page 22
Cream of Almond Soup
I have been making this for more than
40 years, since my first French cooking
teacher taught it to me.
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon potato starch
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
Pinch of mace
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon slice
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
(can be bought in Mediterranean/
Middle Eastern markets, or grind
them yourself with a hand held Mouli
grater)
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
Place flour, butter and potato starch in
a large bowl. Cream until flour and starch
are thoroughly incorporated into the butter. Form into a ball and set the bowl aside.
Heat the broth in a medium saucepan
over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the broth
to the butter mixture, stirring constantly;
then add the remaining hot broth to the
bowl, stirring constantly. Stir in the salt,
mustard, mace, ginger, garlic and lemon
slice.
Return mixture to the pan, and bring to
a boil, still stirring; reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove garlic cloves
and lemon slice, and discard. Add the pepper to taste, and cayenne to the soup. Stir
in the almonds and simmer another 2 minutes, stirring.
Add 1/2 cup of cream to the soup. If you
desire a richer soup, add the remaining 1/2
cup cream. Mix well and bring soup just to
the boiling point, but do not boil. Serve an
once. Serves 6 to 8.
For more recipes or details about Sheilah
Kaufman, visit www.cookingwithsheilah.com.
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Page 24
The Town Courier
January 2013
Photo | S. Nicole Davis
Trots on Turkey Day
On Thanksgiving morning, more than 230 people lined the streets of Urbana to participate in the annual VOU Turkey Trot 5K. All race proceeds went to the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank, totaling
$2,800, as well as enough canned food to fill the trunk, backseat and floorboard of a Toyota Camry. Matt Berman placed as the first-place male overall (20:49), with Kim Lockett (23:24) coming in
less than three minutes later as the first-place female overall. The first place team went to the Urbana Sole Sisters, comprised of Patricia Paredes, Courtney Chase, Jennifer Lange, Christie Roberts
and Dana Holman.
— By Bethany E. Starin
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Weight Loss Program
3430 Worthington Blvd. Suite 202
Urbana, MD 21704
301-663-6171
www.cwcare.net
Other locations:
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 25
vitalsigns
Don’t Fall Off the Physical Cliff
W
e are all at a
crossroads. The
decisions
we
make today affect our
short-term prospects and
our long-term wellbeing, not unlike our government. In terms of our
physical health, we are eiBy Jeremy
ther moving forward, or
Dunker
we are stagnant and falling behind.
This is especially true as we age. Every
day of inactivity leads to decreased muscle mass, decreased cardiovascular health,
decreased energy, and decreased immune
system response. The importance of maintaining and improving these systems is vital to our overall health and longevity as
well as short-term benefits.
Physical activity is the only thing that
directly affects all these systems in a positive manner. Medicine can effectively treat
disease processes, and supplements may
be able to improve some of these systems;
however, the no-brain, natural, and most
effective approach is simply being more
physically active.
I prefer to use the term physical activity
as opposed to “exercise.” The main reason
is that when you realize that every step
counts as physical activity, it seems easier
to start and maintain a regular program as
compared to “exercise,” which implies 30
minutes of running or biking among other
things.
Don’t get me wrong, the old standard
of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise
three to five times per week is still considered optimal for cardiovascular health,
but due to time constraints and availability,
this schedule does not work for everyone.
Everyone, regardless of age, schedules and
even physical limitations can and should
add more physical activity to their day.
Humans have had to be on their feet and
moving throughout their entire history
— that is, until Western society advanced
seniormoments
Resolutions or Habits
I
t’s the New Year! The
traditional time to
make some new resolutions! The dictionary
says that a resolution is:
“to reach a firm decision
about something (i.e. resolve to get more sleep).”
How many of us have
By Susan
broken our resolutions
Hofstra
shortly after the New
Year, before the end of January?
Maybe a resolution isn’t what we really
wanted to make; maybe what we wanted
was to develop a new habit. The dictionary
says that a habit is: “a settled tendency or
usual manner of behavior; a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or
physiologic exposure that shows itself in
regularity or increased facility of performance; an acquired mode of behavior that
has become nearly or completely involuntary.”
Our habits determine our quality of life.
For example, many — if not all – of us
make it a habit to brush our teeth, wear
our seatbelts, lock our front doors and turn
off the lights when leaving a room. We do
it automatically, without a second thought.
In this New Year I challenge you to
make new habits — think of it as cultivating a new flower. When we grow flowers
in our yard, we add nutrients to the soil;
we plant seeds; we water and weed; we
plant the seeds where they get the proper
amount of sunlight. We care and tend the
young seedlings, watching them flourish
and become healthy plants. As we develop
our new habits, we need to give them the
same care and attention we would newly
planted seeds. In the same way we culti-
vate seeds we need to cultivate our “new
and young” habits.
It generally it takes about 28 days to
make a new habit or change a current habit. This means that you must consciously
cultivate the new habit for four weeks. At
times you may falter (you may forget to
“water” your new habit) but as you make
adjustments you’ll soon be back on track.
You just have to do it once.
And then do it once more… and then
again… and again… and again.
The key here is to realize that you only
need to do it once; and then once you do it
one time, all you have to do is do it again
and again. By doing it over and over, you’ll
eventually fall into a pattern where you’ll
do it without thinking. It will become automatic, just like a habit should be.
The wonder of habits is that they occur
almost automatically, just like turning off
the lights before going to bed. Once habits are developed they are easy and require
very little willpower to continue. For example, people with a habit to walk every
day don’t have to talk themselves into going on that walk, they just go. It’s a part of
their everyday life.
Habits, not resolutions, are excellent
tools to use in your everyday life.
If you want to make new habits of having more friends, exercising your mind
and body, developing new skills, or eating
more nutritiously, you are welcome to stop
by the Urbana Senior Center. At the senior
center, you’ll be sure to find ways to cultivate your new habits.
Editor’s Note: Susan Hofstra is coordinator
of the Urbana Senior Center, Frederick County
Department of the Aging.
technology and industry to do most of the
hard work for us. The result is a reduction
of physical activity by about 75 percent. In
an agricultural-based society, people’s days
consisted of being on their feet and doing
physical labor from dawn to dusk. Today
we spend a majority of that time sitting in
a car, at a desk, or in front of a TV, thus
accelerating the detrimental effects of aging, weight gain, and setting the stage for
chronic disease to take hold on us.
So how do we avoid falling off this
“physical cliff ”? It’s simple: Just get moving. The easiest start is to get a pedometer
to track your daily steps. Remember, every step counts, and a good goal is about
10,000 steps per day which is about 2 to 3
miles depending on your stride length. If
you have any pain or physical limitation,
check with your physician or physical therapist to see if you are safe to progress or
need treatment prior to starting a walking
program.
Walking around the Giant grocery store
for about 45 minutes can add up to a couple
of thousand steps. By tracking your daily
number of steps, you can find easy ways to
add steps, such as not fighting for the closest parking spot in the parking lot, taking
the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking
the long way around. If there are time constraints, walk faster. Studies have found a
strong correlation between walking speed
and onset of Alzheimer’s disease, people
that walk slower are more likely to develop mental decline. So pick up the pace and
save your brain!
Find a motivated and willing partner to
exercise with. Joining a gym together or
even employing a personal trainer are great
ways to make peer pressure and accountability work in your favor. Be sure that
you get proper instruction before starting
a weight-training program, especially if it
is something new to you. Weight training
has been shown to decrease the risk of osteoporosis, improve metabolism, and potentially decrease certain types of cancer
risks. We lose muscle mass at an alarming
rate as we age unless we are actively challenging our muscles. Increasing muscle
mass is a much more effective way to lose
weight because muscle burns calories even
at rest, therefore maximizing your efforts
throughout the day and night.
We are all at a crossroads. Choose to
move forward today in order to increase
your energy, lose weight, and improve
your health over the long term. It’s as easy
as putting one foot in front of the other.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Jeremy Dunker co-owns
Urbana’s Sage Orthopedic Physical Therapy
with his wife, Stephanie Dunker, MSPT.
Page 26
The Town Courier
January 2013
arts& entertainment Compiled by Sally Alt
The Weinberg Center for the Arts presents “1964” The
Tribute, a recreation of a live Beatles concert, Jan. 18
at 8 p.m.
concert in the early 1960s with clothing,
hairstyles, instruments and banter from the
period.
The Tribute has performed for audiences
around the globe since the 1980s with what
Rolling Stone Magazine has called the “Best
Beatles Tribute on Earth.”
The performance is scheduled for Jan.
18 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $22.50 to
$32.50. For more information, please call
301.600.2828.
‘1964: The Tribute’
‘Freedom Train’
The production of “1964: The Tribute”
at Frederick’s Weinberg Center for the
Arts takes the audience on a journey to an
era in rock history that will always live in
our hearts. The show recreates a Beatles
The Weinberg Center for the Arts presents “Freedom Train,” which tells the story
of Harriet Tubman with dialogue, dance
and music. Harriet Tubman, born a slave,
escaped from a plantation in Maryland
Photo | Submitted
when she was 25. She left her family behind
and followed an escape route planned by
the Quakers with hiding places in homes,
churches, barns and cellars.
Harriet guided more than 300 slaves to
freedom using this escape route that became known as the Underground Railroad. Freedom Train is a universal story of
dedication and self-sacrifice with humor
and warmth. Performances are on Jan. 11
at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. For more information, please call 301.600.2828.
Sketch Show! The Comedy Pigs
The Maryland Ensemble Theatre features The Comedy Pigs, an improv/sketch
comedy troupe that is back with a new season of fun. The shows are for those who
are worried about the dreary days of January getting them down. The Comedy Pigs
have two weekends of original sketch comedy. The audience will see how to survive
the first day on a job, how Mary become
Jesus’ mother, and an authentic Canadian
Soap Opera. Shows are scheduled Jan. 11,
12, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. For more information, please call 301.694.4744.
‘Steel Magnolias’
The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre
in Frederick presents “Steel Magnolias,” a
story about trust and friendship. Six women share their love, secrets and fears while
engaging the audience in hysterical gossip.
They share moments of their lives with
heart from divorces to weddings, funerals
to babies, and new beginnings to endings.
Performances are from Jan. 11 - March 9.
For more information, call the box office
at 301.662.6600.
Photography and Watercolor Exhibit
at the Arts Barn
The Arts Barn Gallery in Gaithersburg,
Md., presents an art exhibit with watercolors by Vian Shamounki Borchert and
photography by Howard Clark, Richard
Weiblinger and Phil Fabrizio (long-time
photographer for the Gaithersburg The
Town Courier) through Jan. 21. Viewing
hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The gallery is at 311 Kent Square Road
in Gaithersburg. For more information,
please call 301.258.6394.
Frederick County Art Association
Art Show
The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education
Center presents a showcase of works in
a variety of mediums by members of the
Frederick County Art Association from
Jan. 5 – 27. The Delaplaine, located at 40
South Carroll Street in Frederick, is open
Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. For more information, please call
301.698.0656.
reader’schoice
“The Widower’s Tale”
Written by Julia Glass
N
ational
Book
Award winner Julia Glass’s fourth
novel, “The Widower’s
Tale” (2010), is a perfect
choice for readers looking
for a good, old-fashioned,
plot-driven novel. Don’t
get me wrong, though.
By Betty
There is nothing out-ofHafner
date about the dynamic,
messy world Glass pulls
readers into. She has said in an NPR interview, “I see life as increasingly complex,
vivid, colorful, crazy, chaotic, and that’s
the world I write about: the world that I
live in.”
At the center of the action is the titular
widower, 70-year-old Percy Darling, who
has retired from a long career at Harvard’s
Widener Library and settles into his new
lifestyle in his deep-rooted farmhouse in
the suburban Boston town of Matlock.
He’s something of a curmudgeon, lambasting the showy additions to neighbors’
homes, calling one “a cardinal sin against
the soul of that fine, stoic saltbox.”
But Percy shows a more compliant side
when he allows a preschool director to take
over and renovate his barn for use as the
Elves and Fairies preschool. This generous gesture was also prompted by the job
it provides for Percy’s wayward 40-something daughter, Clover.
Everyone in Percy’s world has a story. Robert, Percy’s beloved grandson and
confidante, is a junior at Harvard with a
half- Filipino, half-Guatemalan roommate
named Turo who is influencing Robert in
a dangerous direction. Robert’s mother,
Trudy, Percy’s younger daughter, is a brilliant, ultra-busy oncologist who is drawn
into a family drama when her loyalty to
family and her responsibility to a patient
collide. Her flighty sister, Clover, is capably teaching the youngsters at the school
but is involved in a custody battle with her
ex-husband for the two children she had
left behind years before.
The range of characters allows Glass to
introduce up-to-the-minute issues like
healthcare, immigration and marriage
equality. Percy falls for a stained-glass artist, Sarah, who has recently moved into
town, but their passionate involvement
stops abruptly because of an illness. Celestino is an apprehensive, undocumented
worker from Guatemala with a complicated past in the U.S. Ira, a teacher of the
3-year-olds at the school, and his partner
can’t agree on whether to marry.
The overall spirit of the story is one of
optimism about the human race, but none
of Glass’s characters are one-dimensional.
Good people step over lines, keep secrets
and have bad days. They feel like real people who populate my world, too, and they
kept me longing to grab “The Widower’s
Tale” to see what lies in store for the good
folks of Matlock.
Editor’s Note: Go to www.bettyhafner.com to
see what Betty has been reading.
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 27
offthe shelf
The Book Box Project
By Laura Cergol
T
he house is quiet. Everyone is winding down for the night. The curtains
draw shut, and a small child, snuggled in pajamas, the smell of bubblegum
toothpaste on their breath, crawls under
the sheets. He beams up at his parent, who
takes a seat on the bed next to him, a storybook in hand. The child eagerly eyes the
glossy, illustrated cover, anticipating the
nightly ritual of a bedtime story.
For many children, reading played a
huge role in their lives from early on.
“When I was younger, I remember loving a book so much that I wasn’t going to
let the inability to read stop me. I practically made my parents read some books for
me so much that I memorized them cover
to cover,” said Jennifer Bui, a ninth grader
at Urbana High School (UHS).
Some children cherish books that their
parents or relatives buy for them; some
check out favorite stories from the library
over and over. However, many families hit
hard by the economic recession cannot afford to buy books. Some may have to work
two or three jobs and don’t have the time
or the means to bring their child to a public
library. For these children, the joy of books
may be out of reach.
This year, Bui and other teen volunteers
at the Urbana Regional Library, led by Urbana Regional Library Teen Services Coordinator Mary Ann Foltz, decided to start
a service project that would bring books to
these children. While last year’s Operation
Paperback project to send books to troops
overseas was a great success, said Foltz, she
wanted this year’s service project to have a
more local focus.
The Book Box Project, as the volunteers
dubbed it, aims to bring books into the
homes of low-income families by placing
books in waiting rooms of service agencies,
where children can find the books and take
them home as their own.
“I feel like this project addresses a need
not many people think about,” said Chris
DeFrancisci, a teen volunteer from Linganore High School. “When someone says
‘a project to help less fortunate people,’ you
would generally assume this project has to
do with assisting them having basic physical needs, like food, clothing and shelter.”
The Book Box Project addresses needs
that don’t always take the highest priority — the needs of the developing mind to
explore new ideas and to learn through experience, which books can provide.
The teen volunteers have been very involved in the project, DeFrancisci said
“We created a logo to put on stickers in
the books,” said Rachel Walker, a UHS
senior who has volunteered at the library
for about a year. “We researched different
agencies around Frederick, and then contacted some to see if they’d be okay with
us leaving a box of books in their waiting
room.”
The volunteers sorted books into boxes
by reading level, then labeled them with
stickers that said, “Take me home!” or, “I
want a friend!”
“We’ve been getting some books in
great condition,” said Akash Menon, a
10th grader at UHS. “They’re just like
books you would pick up at the library, or
a bookstore even.”
After sorting the books, the volunteers
delivered them to the first two agencies to
take part in the project: the Department of
Social Services and the Frederick Community Action Agency (FCAA). The DSS offered the volunteers a bookshelf in the children’s waiting room to fill, and the FCAA
accepted boxes for their downtown their
health clinic and tutoring room as well as
the health clinic at Hillcrest Elementary
School.
“I think kids — young kids — are really happy when their parents sit down with
them and read them a book, and it’s really
sad that some kids can’t have that opportunity,” said Soham Roy, a UHS 10th grader.
“We want to donate these books to them
so that they can experience the joy that we
felt when we were young. I know I’d be
really sad if someone didn’t get the chance
to read books.”
The volunteers plan to continue and expand the Book Box Project in the future,
refilling the boxes at the DSS and FCAA
when they empty and bringing boxes to
additional agencies. “I hope the people we
help will feel a little happier because they
can have books to read and to call their
own,” said Lisa Wu, a senior at UHS with
five years of experience volunteering at the
library. “It’s a great way to directly help
our community.”
Wu, along with Foltz and all the student
volunteers, had high hopes for the project.
“There are so many things going on at the
library,” Walker said. “It’s shown me that
libraries do much more than just lend out
books.”
Editor’s note: Laura Cergol is a student at
Urbana High School as well as a volunteer at
Urbana Regional Library.
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Page 28
The Town Courier
January 2013
UrbanaSports
Keep the Kids
Active with
Indoor Sports
By Teresa Bell-Stockman
W
hen it’s too cold to play outside, keep your kids energized
with indoor sports activities.
Here in Urbana, Centerville Elementary School is a Frederick County Rec
Center and as such offers many classes
and leagues through Frederick County Parks and Recreation. Sports fun
and instruction range from basketball
and soccer to tumbling and flag football. Most classes run for about five to
eight weeks.
• Basketball Prep for ages 5 and 6
— geared to beginners, this class
teaches the basic fundamentals
while playing fun, small-sided
games to reinforce the skills they
learn. Held on Monday evenings
beginning Jan. 28 from 4:30 to
5:15 p.m.
• Basketball Prep for ages 6 to 8 —
a more games-based class with
focus on drills, skill development
and game rules with small-sided
games to prepare them for league
play. Held on Monday evenings
beginning Jan. 28 from 5:30 to
6:15 p.m.
• Flag Football Prep for ages 5 and
6 — geared to beginners, this
class focuses on basic fundamentals and on developing the gross
motor skills associated with flag
football, with small-sided games
to reinforce the skills they learn.
Held on Wednesday evenings beginning Jan. 16 from 4:30 to 5:15
p.m.
• Flag Football Prep for ages 6 to 8
— a more games-based class with
focus on drills, skill development
and game rules with small-sided
games to prepare them for league
play. Held on Wednesday evenings beginning Jan. 16 from 5:30
to 6:15 p.m.
• Gymnastics for ages 4 to 14 — this
class is for beginners and the more
advanced with work on the bars,
beam, floor and springboard. Participants are grouped by age and
skill level. Held on Tuesdays beginning Jan. 15 from 5 to 6 p.m.
• Soccer Prep for ages 5 and 6 —
geared to beginners, this class
teaches the basic fundamentals
while playing fun, small-sided
games to reinforce the skills they
learn. Held on Fridays evenings
beginning Jan. 18 from 4:30 to
5:15 p.m.
n
indoor sports Continued on page 30
UHS Winter Sports Preview
By Chase Pyke
A
s the bitterness of winter weather
approaches, Urbana High School
(UHS) athletes will pack the gym
and indoor facilities to hone their skills
and participate in the winter sports season.
Athletes and coaches alike prepare for the
season ahead.
Girls’ Basketball
The UHS girls, led by Head Coach Jessica Mills, carry the same expectations every
season since Mills took the job three years
ago.
“Every game I expect my team to give
100 percent all the time,” she said. “[Our]
goals every year are to win the conference
and make it to the state tournament.”
With a majority of the roster unchanged
and two returning starters, the team will
depend on its familiarity with one another this season. “Our team strengths are the
team mentality and chemistry,” said Mills.
The team went 19-5 last year, reaching the regional semifinals before losing
to Frederick. The Hawks relied heavily
on then-seniors Cara Mason and Peyton
Carper to carry the load offensively. Mills
wants this year’s team to “focus on playing
as a team with no established superstars.”
She describes the team as “a group willing to work hard,” featuring returning
Photo | Erin Murdock
Head Coach Jessica Mills talks to Urbana High School’s (UHS) varsity girls’ basketball team during a time out in their
game against Frederick High School on Dec. 14. UHS lost 57-52. Pictured from left: senior Samie Abernethy, junior Bailey
Bresee, freshman Regan Lohr, senior Claudia Lohr and freshman Madeline Cederdahl.
starters in senior guard Claudia Lohr and
senior forward Samie Abernathy. Mills
also expects junior forward Bailey Breese
to contribute offensively.
Games to attend this season are the boys’
and girls’ varsity double header against
Linganore on Jan. 4, with the girls’ game
tipping off at 5:30 p.m.
“Linganore is always a big rivalry, and
we’re hoping to get a big crowd for those
games,” Mills said.
Boys’ Basketball
Five players return from last year’s boys’
team — with all of them fixated on one
goal: “Go to Comcast [Center],” said senior guard Thomas Utt.
Utt’s reference is to the state semifinals held at the Comcast Center in College Park, Md., which UHS last reached
in 2010. This year the team is not focused
on duplicating last year’s regular season
n
winter preview Continued on page 29
Indoor Tennis League a Way to Keep Fit in the Cold
By Teresa Bell-Stockman
T
hese cold, wet and often dreary
months can present a challenge to
those looking to keep active and
stay fit. While many will force themselves
into utilitarian gyms in early January, that
somehow frequently fades away to failed
resolutions by Valentine’s Day.
Locals Jennifer Wooden and Christina
Mills present a great new way to stay fit
— sports participation. Avid tennis players, Wooden and Mills decided not to let
cold winter weather curtail their love of
the game.
Mills, who lives in the Villages of Urbana, has been playing tennis for years and
is involved in the outdoor tennis program
there. She has also been a member of the
Frederick County United States Tennis Association (USTA) for more than 10
years.
“USTA plays year round,” she said. “In
the winter time we play inside.”
Mills said the league plays at Westwinds, Tuscarora Tennis Barns and also
Montgomery County’s newest facility, the
Montgomery TennisPlex, located in nearby Boyds, Md. The two Frederick County
indoor tennis courts are private; however
the Montgomery TennisPlex is open to the
public.
Photo | Shannon Wagner
Christina Mills and Jen Wooden serve up exciting exercise
options for the New Year.
“Jen and I are co-coordinators for the
USTA in Frederick,” she said.
Wooden, who lives in the Highlands,
met Mills through a friend of a friend —
and the love of tennis. Wooden had been
playing outdoors at the Villages for about
two years before joining USTA, she said.
Co-coordinating the indoor leagues is
something the duo decided to take on together in early fall.
Indoor leagues started in early October
with a tri-level, she said, which finished up
in mid-December. Another indoor season
starts the first week of January for adult
mixed doubles and should finish up about
the end of March, she said. Participants
must play at least two matches. Interested
players can register online, and teams are
put together based on enrollment and self
ratings.
Combo, another indoor league, offers
coaching on a different level, and league
teams have the chance to advance to district, sectional and national tournaments.
The majority of matches finish in about an
hour and a half, said Wooden.
Basically, indoor and outdoor tennis are
almost identical. Court size is the same,
equipment is the same, rules are the same.
“Everything is regulation,” said Wooden.
However, when you are playing indoors,
she said, “You don’t have to deal with the
wind [or the] sun in your eyes.” There is
no weather, so to speak, to contend with,
impact or cancel your game.
Wooden estimated USTA has about 750
members in Frederick County.
“One of our goals,” she said, “is to definitely increase the participation in Frederick County.”
She encouraged anyone with an interest
or love of tennis to join. “Even beginners
can join,” she said. “There’s a place for everyone.”
For more information, visit www.
fredericktennis.com or USTA.com.
The Town Courier
January 2013 Page 29
playbook
Living the Dream
By Rick Zagone
F
irst of all, I’ll start off by introducing myself. My name is Rick Zagone,
and I pitch in the Minor Leagues for
the Baltimore Orioles. I grew up in Crystal
Lake, Illinois (an hour northwest of Chicago), and I attended the University of Missouri. I have lived in Urbana on and off for
the past four years.
My college days ended my junior year
when I was selected in the sixth round of
the 2008 Major League Draft. Since then,
I have played for the Orioles minor league
affiliates: the Aberdeen Ironbirds, Delmarva Shorebirds, Frederick Keys, Bowie
Baysox and Norfolk Tides. My beautiful
wife, Stephanie, has been on this crazy
journey with me since the beginning, and I
don’t know how she does it. Let me throw
you a glimpse of our world in the minors.
In this game, which I call my career,
my hours typically range from noon until
11 p.m., followed by an overnight bus ride
twice a week. There are 144 regular season
games starting in April and ending in September. Our salaries range from $1,400 to
$2,300 a month depending on what level
we’re playing, and we have to find random
jobs in the off-season because we don’t get
paid. We average one off day per month
that we usually spend trying to stay off our
feet.
Teams travel from town-to-town in
■ Winter Preview
from page 28
success, but on improving upon its playoff
result. After running through the regular
season with a record of 18-4, the Hawks
saw their season end at the hands of Frederick High School in the playoff opener. A
floater from the foul line in the game’s final
seconds gave Frederick the upset win.
“You want to win, and we gave a good
effort. Hopefully the guys learn it’s about
getting better every game,” Head Coach
John Cooper said.
“We knew over the off season we had to
work,” said senior forward Cole Burdette.
According to Cooper, the team has lost
skill from last season but makes up for it
with “physicality and athleticism.”
Due to an extended football season and
sickness, the team is at a distinct disadvantage to start the season, but Cooper said
he is not worried about a possible sluggish
start. “By late January, early February we’ll
be pretty good.”
Players to look out for this winter include all five returners, senior guards Darren Ambush, Riley Spain and Utt, and senior forwards Brendan Wharton and Cole
Burdette.
“Different nights, different players step
up,” Cooper said.
Urbana hosts defending regional champion Tuscarora on Jan. 2, rival Linganore
High School on Jan. 4, and Frederick on
Jan. 22.
Indoor Track
The boys’ and girls’ indoor track teams
large coach buses and stay in hotels sometimes in the middle of nowhere. I joke with
the guys about how we’re bums during the
day because we walk along highways looking for restaurants at which to eat, and by
nighttime we are signing autographs for
fans.
Stability is not a word you will find in
the baseball dictionary. There are usually
six or seven minor league teams in every
organization, which players are constantly
moving throughout. For example, players
drafted out of high school and college usually start off at short-season A ball in Aberdeen, Md. There are two levels below Aberdeen, which are the Golf Coast League
and the Dominican Summer league (usually the first stop for younger players selected
from foreign countries). After Aberdeen,
the players have to make it past four more
teams in order to get to the Majors: Low A
— Delmarva Shorebirds, High A — Frederick Keys, Double A — Bowie Baysox,
and Triple A — Norfolk Tides.
The contract players sign out of college
is for six full-seasons. I just completed my
fourth. At the end of the sixth full-season,
if the player still has not been called up to
the Big Leagues, they get to test the market
of free agency.
Throughout my career of playing America’s pastime, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many exceptional athletes, people and
families. One huge way minor leaguers
have a different mentality than most other
winter sports teams.
“Indoor is a training season. We build
strength, base endurance, and when spring
comes that’s our time to shine,” said C.J.
Ecalono, coach of both teams. “We want
to compete but stay smart for the outdoor
season.”
On the boys’ side, the team has seen a
lot of turnover from last season. “We lost a
bunch of seniors and had a lot of new guys
step up,” Ecalono said.
Athletes expected to excel are Troy
Schuman, Nick Noble, Christian Diaz and
Colin Sipe. Ecalono cites the strengths of
the team as the throwers and mid-distance
runners.
The girls’ team has stayed the same for
the most part, according to Ecalono, and
features “a lot of young talent.”
Along with the addition of young talent
are veterans Drew Ballow and Jahan Francois who look to lead the team. Ecalono
and the team are looking forward to championship season, including the Frederick
County Championship on Jan. 11 and the
Regional Meet on Feb. 6. Ecalono also
plans to break new ground and see runners
selected to the Virginia Tech High School
Invitational for the first time in early February.
Swimming
Regular state finalists, both UHS boys’
and girls’ swimming are on the verge of
another winter full of accomplishment.
The girls’ team is only two years removed
from a state title and returns with key conn
winter preview Continued on page 30
survive is through the generosity of host
families. During our time in Frederick
(and recurring times after), Tim, Beth Ann
and Parker Mellott opened up their home
and hearts for us. They fully accepted us
into their family, and we couldn’t feel more
at home. While living with them, we were
introduced to many wonderful people in
this area, all of whom have been a true
blessing. We are so thankful for the lasting
relationships that have been made, all because of one family’s bigheartedness.
As part of this community, I’ve loved
helping coach local pitchers here and there,
attending an FCA Huddle at Dynamic Fitness in Urbana — and cheering on
our Urbana High School (UHS) Hawks at
all their playoff games this season, as well
as the UHS wrestling match last month
against South River. I love this community.
A select few know what it’s like trying
to live a life in Minor League Baseball, but
many wonder what it’s all about. To my
dear wife, I don’t think you fully knew the
kind of lifestyle you signed up for when you
decided to marry me, but you have been
nothing but supportive. We have grown so
much as a couple and I wouldn’t trade a
second of it. To everyone else, I hope you
caught a glimpse.
Editor’s Note: Rick Zagone wrote this column as a special to The Town Courier.
Photo | Submitted
Rick Zagone, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, here with
his wife, Stephanie, talks about his experiences as a Minor
League Baseball player and his love for Frederick County
and Urbana locals.
Pre-K – 8th Grade
Join Us for Walk-in
Wednesdays 9am-11am
Open House
January 30th
9am-1pm
Archdiocese of Baltimore STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering
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Bus Service Available from Urbana, Mt.
Airy, Harpers Ferry, Brunswick, Jefferson,
Middletown and Fort Detrick
Karen O’Boyle, Admissions Director
301-662-6722
8414 Opossumtown Pike
Frederick, MD
www.sjrcs.org
Page 30
The Town Courier
Hardwood Floors
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from page 28
■ winter preview
from page 29
tributing juniors Sydney Williams and
Claire McIlmail. Last year the team won
another county title and finished fifth at
the state meet.
The boys’ are led by seniors Tyler Hammett and Kyle Knapp and coached by Jim
Kinsey. Last season the boys qualified for
the state tournament once again, and they
return with many members from last year’s
team.
Swimming meets to attend this winter
are against Oakdale on Jan. 16 and against
Linganore on Jan. 24, both at Walkersville
High School.
Wrestling
A year removed from the school’s first
state duals title, UHS wrestling is hoping
to continue on its run of recent success.
“I do think we can duplicate what we
did last year,” said Head Coach Ben Arne-
January 2013
play, Frederick County Parks and Rec
also offers a winter indoor soccer league at
Centerville for ages 4 to 6. Boys and girls
can play co-ed recreational soccer indoors
while honing their skills, staying in shape
and having fun. The Division of Parks and
Rec forms the teams and children are required to have sneakers and shin guards
to play. League play begins Jan 20, from
12:30 to 4 p.m.
For more information and/or to register
online, go to www.recreater.com.
son. “The goal is not to win [ just] the duals
meet, but the individual title as well.”
The team defeated River Hill in February and saw several wrestlers finish high in
the state individual tournament. Current
seniors J.T. Freeze and Nick Frank finish
sixth and thirrd respectively at the state
tournament at the University of Maryland.
Sophomore Morgan Way also captured a
third place finish in the 106 weight class.
“Hopefully the seniors finish higher at
states and leave Urbana with [possibly]
three state titles,” Arneson said.
Arneson’s goals not only include winning, but also making sure the team enjoys
itself. “Wrestling is a hard sport that they
choose to do, and with all the intensity
they find happiness,” he said.
Key meets this season include the team’s
first meeting at Oakdale, with an Oakdale
assistant leaving the school for UHS. “I’m
excited for him to go back to Oakdale
with a new look and a new team,” Arneson
sums.
January 2013 The Town Courier
Page 31
24
Ac -Ho
ce ur
ss
!
arts& entertainment Compiled by Sally Alt
Make a 2013
Resolution You Can Keep
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Staffed Hours | M-F: 8am-12pm;12:30pm-7pm, Sat: 10am-2pm
3280 Urbana Pike, Suite 102 • Urbana, MD 21754 • www.infitnessurbana.com • 301-685-5066
Page 32
The Town Courier
January 2013
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