January 2015 - The Town Courier

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Villages of Urbana, Urbana Highlands, Ijamsville and More
Courier
The
TOWN
Vol. 11, No. 1
20 Pages
January 2015
Urbana Trainer
Inspires Locals
By Sally Alt
U
rbana resident Sandi Bourget inspires local residents
to get fit. Bourget is 65 and
works as a personal trainer for X
Project Health and Fitness Lab Per-
Photo | Sally Alt
Urbana resident Sandi Bourget works as a
personal trainer for X Project Health and
Fitness Lab Performance Center in Frederick
and enjoys helping seniors become strong.
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Gaithersburg MD
Permit #1722
formance Center in Frederick. This
month, she offers free introductory
strength training classes.
“What I wanted to do for my retirement was to help women my age
feel comfortable getting strong,”
said Bourget, who retired about a
year ago and earned her personal
trainer certification this past summer. “The X Project mixes weight
training, cardiovascular conditioning, body weight movements and
yoga on a structured and progressive program to ensure safe, effective and efficient results to a wide
variety of its members.”
Bourget said she and other personal trainers at X Project welcome
people at all fitness levels. The personal trainers help each participant
at his or her own level and support
them in moving toward reaching
their fitness goals. Everyone in the
X Project classes tries to “help each
other get better,” Bourget said.
She instructs women in the proper way to do exercises: If participants are not moving correctly, they
are not going to get the benefit from
the exercise, she said. Besides, she
loves watching people’s faces when
they achieve a goal, and seeing their
satisfaction in achieving something
they had not done before.
Rita McLister, a 79-year-old
who participates regularly in a
strength training class at X Project, said Bourget is her inspiration.
“[X Project staff ] made me feel so
welcome,” said McLister, adding
that her time at X Project has been
n
bourget Continued on page 5
On Dec. 13 in downtown Frederick, more than 400 area residents ran in the Santa 5K Fun Run
co-hosted by the Green Valley YMCA. Held at Monocacy Park, the event raised more than $10,000
for the YMCA of Frederick County’s financial assistance program, which allows needy community
members to participate in programs and services.
Jesse Martin Gives to UMS Launches Sign
Urbana’s Community Language Club
By Sally Alt
By Jo Ostby
T
B
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Photo | Submitted
Local Residents Run for a Festive Cause
orn with Amniotic Banding Syndrome, a severe cleft
lip and palate, a club foot,
webbed fingers on her left hand and
missing partial digits on her right,
Buckeystown’s Jesse Martin “came
into the world with many physical
challenges,” said her mother, Michele Martin, “but they don’t seem
to color who she is.” Jesse, now 10,
had her first surgery at eight weeks
old; she has had 10 procedures in
all, and is well aware that there
may be more in her future.
What is striking about this fifth
grader at Urbana Elementary
School (UES) is that while she has
active physical therapy and yearly neurosurgery appointments at
Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., she is consistently giv-
Photo | Sally Alt
Urbana Elementary School 5th grader Jesse
Martin collected and filled 56 stockings for
needy area children last month.
ing to the community.
Jesse has two banks: one for saving and one for giving. Her mom
said she divides any money she
gets. For her birthday, she asked
for donations for Frederick County Animal Control, instead of
n
martin Continued on page 5
he sign language club at Urbana Middle School (UMS)
brings deaf and hearing students together. More than 30 students attend club meetings twice
each month. UMS Social Studies
Department Chair Ellen Georgi
helped start the club in October
and organizes meetings with the
help of students and UMS special education teacher Elizabeth
Mulcahy as well as UMS math
teacher Hannah Hale.
“There are a lot of students at
Urbana who have a huge desire
… to sign,” said Georgi. Most
students in the sign language club
have a connection with someone
who is deaf or profoundly hard of
hearing, she said.
Club advisor Mulcahy is pleased
by the student turnout. “I am just
thrilled with the number of students that are showing up every
time,” she said. The club helps students to understand the deaf community, she added.
Some of the students are hearing impaired themselves. “Since
I’m hearing impaired, I figured it
might … be a good thing if I was
able to do sign language,” said Tylar Matsuo, a sixth grader who attends club meetings. Learning to
sign “would allow me to communicate better with people who are
deaf,” he said.
Club meetings provide an opportunity for students to learn
from each other, Matsuo said, adding, “It’s a great way to learn sign
language.”
Orren Mehan, an eighth
n
sign language club
Continued on page 9
Page 2
The Town Courier
January 2015
January 2015
The Town Courier
Page 3
UES Art Show Supports Creativity
By Ridhi Chaudhary
O
n Dec. 16, Urbana Elementary
School’s (UES) art department
invited the community to appreciate a variety of artworks created
by UES art students at the school’s
fifth annual art show. The event,
which was held in UES’s gymnasium,
attracted more than 50 family members and friends of UES students.
“It’s a great event for the community to come together and see everyone’s work,” said Alexandra Briest, an
art teacher at UES and the organizer of the event. “It’s Pre-K through
5 so no matter what, every student’s
artwork is in here. We’ve been doing
it for five years and every year it has
expanded.”
The art show featured many different art forms in more than 100
Photo | Ridhi Chaudhary
Fourth grader Catie Jamieson poses with her
artwork at the fifth annual UES art show Dec. 16.
pieces, including vibrant drawings,
paintings and pop art, a genre based
on modern popular culture. Students
in Pre-K made paintings with their
own handprints and kindergarten
students depicted the importance of
music in art by placing scraps from
musical pieces in their work. Students
in the first and second grades created
autumn artwork with crayons. Third
graders used their knowledge of geometric figures to create pictures depicting specific objects, such as footballs. Fourth and fifth graders created
a variety of abstract art that included
self-portraits and still life.
One of the students whose work
was displayed was Catie Jamieson, a
UES fourth grader.
“I love art because it’s so creative
and so wonderful to be able to draw
freely – it’s just so much fun!” said
Catie.
Catie said she gets many of her ideas
for art by traveling. “My dad is a pilot
and a lot of times when I travel, I get
a lot of ideas from all the places I go.”
n
art show Continued on page 9
Mister Urbana Competition All in Fun
By Rishub Nahar
O
n Dec. 5, 12 figures launched
themselves exuberantly from
backstage and dove into
an opening performance before a
packed crowd in the Urbana High
School (UHS) auditorium. Thus
began the quest to determine who
would be crowned the class of 2015
Mr. Urbana.
The 12 young men were nominated to represent the senior class
in a competition of wits, talent and
comedy.
“They show how diverse this class
is — how well-rounded and dedicated they are,” said Stephan Ward,
one of the judges of the show and an
English teacher at UHS.
The competition started nearly a
month before the event. Each com-
I
t’s that time of year again: holidays,
new year celebrations and for Urbana High School (UHS) students,
academic tournaments. Academic
team members from UHS, among the
nine other schools in the county, are
By Kristy Crawford
Amy Wolff Returns to Urbana
Senior Loan Officer Amy
Wolff has opened up a new
office in Urbana. Formerly
with NFM, Inc. in a nearby location, the Amy Wolff
Team of Direct Mortgage
Loans is now on the first floor
at 3510 Worthington Blvd.
Direct Mortgage Loans
offers a wide range of loan
products including USDA,
FHA, conventional, VA and
Photo | Submitted
rehab and construction loans. Urbana resident Amy Wolff reWolff ’s “dream team” con- cently opened The Amy Wolff
sists of senior loan officer and Team of Direct Mortgage
Urbana resident Wolff, junior Loans in Urbana.
loan officer Roni Bray, loan officer assistant David
Ayala and production manager Dale Pankow.
“With the addition of the CDA/MD mortgage
program for down payment and closing costs, we
can now offer down payment and closing cost
assistance throughout the entire state of Maryland,”
said Wolff. For more information, visit www.
TheAmyWolff Team.com, or call 443.541.5455.
Photo | Stacy Ukishima
In the Urbana High School (UHS) annual Mister Urbana competition, Win McKeever was crowned the
2015 champ.
petitor was nominated for a specific
month of the year, and contestants
carried specially designed containers to collect donations for the Rock
Creek School.
“You know Mr. Urbana is a lot of
fun by itself, but it is awesome that
by competing we also get to make a
n
mr. urbana Continued on page 10
Academic Tournament to Display Wide
Range of Knowledge Among Local Students
By Sirad Hassan
shoptalk
preparing for a battle of wits in categories from a broad range of topics.
This year’s 34th annual tournament
features Friday night matches, eight
in total, at Linganore High School,
beginning Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. Each night
showcases three different matches,
each with five rounds. The first round
Photo | Sirad Hassan
Members of the Urbana High School (UHS) academic team pose at the end of a regular practice on Dec 18.
is a “grab bag” round, where a selected team requests a lettered bag, each
containing a pre-determined theme
with 10 questions. The second round
allows each competitor to ease the
grip on the buzzer with six questions
from a variety of topics. The infamous
math round comes third, a favorite
amongst mathletes in the county. The
round features 10 questions, five of
which are pure statistics, probability
and quick math. The other five cover
a variety of topics.
Fourth round has eight predetermined categories. Last year, this “category round” proved to be the ladder
towards an undefeated season for the
UHS academic team. Preparation for
the World War I category last year
n
academic tournament
Continued on page 10
Photo | Submitted
The Pediatric Center moves to a bigger Urbana location in February.
Pediatric Center Expands
The Pediatric Center, with six locations around
Frederick, is moving the Urbana location to a larger space to accommodate a growing clientele. As of
February 2015, the Urbana Pediatric Center is in the
same building at 3400 Worthington Blvd., but on
the upper level, accessible at the back of the building. Office hours for all Pediatric Center locations are
8:20 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the Taney Avenue office is
also open for sick and emergency visits only on evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings. More information is available at www.thepedcenter.com or at
301.662.0133.
Smash Burger Open in Frederick
A new choice in burgers is now available at the FSK
Gateway Shops, on Spectrum Drive across from the
Frederick Scott Key Mall. Smash Burger calls itself
a fast, casual better burger restaurant, where burgers
and sandwiches are “smashed, seared and seasoned
to order.” It also offers chicken sandwiches, assorted
toppings and sides, salads, kid’s meals, plus milkshakes
made with Haagen Dazs ice cream. The Denverbased company sells a special regional burger for
each location. For the Maryland-Virginia-D.C. area,
the Capital Burger will have apple smoked bacon,
grilled onions and arugula on a French brioche
bun. Check out the menu and other details online
at www.smashburger.com, or call the restaurant at
240.215.3314.
Page 4
The Town Courier
January 2015
askthe editor
Editorial: 240.409.6734
Advertising: 301.279.2304
www.towncourier.com/urbana
Diane Dorney
Publisher
news@towncourier.com
Matt Danielson
President
matt@eink.net
Bethany E. Starin
Managing Editor
240.409.6734
bethany@towncourier.com
Virginia Myers
Copy Editor
Debi Rosen
Advertising Manager
301.279.2304
ads@towncourier.com
Dawn Furman Gordon
Advertising Sales
301.674.8010
dawn@towncourier.com
Martin Schipper
Advertising Sales
240.418.4320
martin@towncourier.com
Sally Alt
News Editor
sallyalt@earthlink.net
Kristy Crawford
News Writer
kbcraw@gmail.com
Student Writers
Ridhi Chaudhary
Morgan McGrady
Rishub Nahar
Hannah Schipper
Staff Writers
Nora Caplan
Betty Hafner
Sheilah Kaufman
Gina Gallucci-White
Staff Photographers
Tracey McCabe
Shannon Wagner
©2014 Courier Communications
The Town Courier is an independent monthly newspaper
providing news and information for the communities
of Urbana, Urbana Highlands, Villages of Urbana,
Ijamsville, Green Valley, Monrovia and Kemptown
in Frederick County, Md. The paper is published by
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.
Urbana Native Makes, Pours Vino
C
elebrating the New
Year in our house
always involves raising a glass of something
bubbly, or a favorite vino.
The last week of December, Urbana native Daniel
Orrison travels to Urbana
for family festivities — and
to pour locals a taste of his By Bethany
E. Starin
Napa and Portugese made
wine.
You may remember Orrison from an intro
column I wrote, describing his intriguing adventures traveling from Urbana High School
(class of 2005) to New Zealand, where he met
Filipa “Pipa” Fonseca over their mutual love
for making wine. Fast forward several years,
and the Orrisons now doubled t​ he amount of
wine they produce in both Napa and Portugal
(Pipa’s native stomping grounds), and nearly
sold out of the two blends they released this
spring under their label, Orison Wines.
Orrison is the marketing and business director for the Bespoke Collection in Napa
Valley and as of Jan. 1, Pipa will go to work
full-time for t​he Orison b​ rand. The wines
are sold not just in Napa but also in Maryland
at Orion Wine and Spirits, which is owned
by Charlie Seymour — who happens to be
Orrison’s uncle.
“It makes me very proud of my nephew
and I am glad they have such a passion for
something and enjoy their work so much,”
Photo | Submitted
Daniel Orrison and his wife, Pipa, pour tastes of their Orison
Wine blends on Dec. 23 at Urbana's Orion Wine & Spirits.
shop. Orrison is a 2005 graduate of Urbana High School.
Seymour said, adding with a good-hearted
laugh that Orrison’s wines are quality blends.
“It really is delicious.”
Orrison said he gets texts and emails from
Urbana residents commenting on his blends,
which include the 2012 Rowan, a red blend
made in Napa, and the 2013 Pipa, a white
made in Portugal. “There isn’t a better feeling than getting a picture of the wine from
families that they are enjoying it. It keeps us
closer to home,” he said.
Orison Wines annually releases a spring
and a fall wine. For 2015, the duo anticipates
the release of a white in the spring and a red
in the fall. Both will be available at Orion,
Orrison said.
Visits to Urbana bring Orrison back to
his roots. It was at Seymour’s former restaurant, The Turning Point Inn, that he got his
first taste of good wine, and he never looked
back. Seymour, principal of Urbana’s Turning Point Real Estate, ran The Turning Point
Inn for years as a 140-seat restaurant/inn that
won a number of national awards and accreditations, including being noted in Washingtonian Magazine multiple times. Now
the building hosts his real estate company,
but Seymour still carries his love for being a
restaurateur by helping locals select the best
vino to pair with their meals.
On Tuesday, Dec. 23 from 4 to 7 p.m.,
the Orrisons will pour tastes of their wines
and will be present to sign bottles and talk
about the wine making process at Orion. If
the issue isn’t in your hands in time to attend,
Orrison welcomes comments via email. “If
people have favorite restaurants or places
they want to see the wine, they can reach out
and let us know directly,” he said. He noted
that people often say that Rowan is one of
the best reds they have tasted and perhaps the
best $20 bottle of wine in America. Contact
Orrison at daniel@orisonwines.com; for
n
ask the editor Continued on page 7
yourviews
Thanks for Voice on Sexual Assault
Dear Bethany,
I read the article “Local Speaks Out Against
Sexual Assault” in the Urbana Town Courier
and found it thoroughly interesting.
Today, sexual assault is such a prevalent problem yet nobody talks about it. In other words, it
is one of those topics that is kept “hush hush,” it
is viewed more as an indiscretion rather than a
national problem by both victims and civilians.
I am a student at James Madison University and
for educational purposes every student must
complete a course in sexual assault, known
as Haven. It was justly informative and purposeful, yet after it was over that was the last
I heard of it. However, one in four females on
a college campus are reported to be sexually
assaulted, the national average ranges from 2025 percent. In addition, fewer than 5 percent of
females who are victims of rape or attempted
rape report it to authorities. It is quite disturbing to know I have a greater chance of being
raped and remaining silent than I do speaking
up about it. In the article, Brigadier General
Linda Singh, an Assistant Adjutant General in
the Maryland Army National Guard, speaks up
about sexual assault. She states, “We have to
make people aware… young people often don’t
understand when they’ve crossed a boundary
and invaded someone’s space.” Although Haven serves to alert most college students to the
issue, I believe it is going to take more people
like Singh to be willing to use their voices in
order to bring further awareness and put an end
to sexual assault.
Respectfully,
Kate Formeller, a 2014 graduate of Urbana
High School and freshman at James Madison
University
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January 2015
■ martin
from page 1
presents, and got great responses. Currently Jesse volunteers at the Animal Control
facility. She has also worked in the Greater
Urbana Area Food Bank organizing and
stocking shelves.
When she was a 4-year-old and attending Pre-K at Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church in downtown Frederick, Jesse met and became friends with Chuck
Lounsbury, dubbed “Mr. Chuck,” who was
the facilities manager there. Jesse initially
struggled to attend Pre-K but Lounsbury
helped in her transition to being a well-adjusted student; he encouraged her by giving her a lollipop as she walked by. The
family joined the church within a year of
Jesse’s attendance there. The relationship
between Jesse and Lounsbury grew over
the years. Sadly, Lounsbury passed away in
March of this year.
To honor her friend’s memory, Jesse organized a collection of Birthday-in-a-Bag
kits for the Greater Urbana Area Food
Bank, collecting 29 bags full of supplies
to throw a great birthday party. She stood
in front of her church’s members and explained that she wanted to do this because
as much as Lounsbury loved the children
of the church, “what you may not know,
is that we loved him back,” Jesse told the
church members.
This Christmas, Jesse collected 56 filled
stockings for Greater Urbana Area Food
Bank children, something the food bank
rarely gets at holiday time.
“I love Mr. Chuck and I know what I
did will make him smile in the afterlife. I
The Town Courier
started this thing, but all of Urbana and my
church did all of this,” Jesse said.
Lounsbury’s wife, Jan Lounsbury, said
the bond between her husband and Jesse
was very special. Lounsbury called Jesse a
“powerhouse of love and kindness,” and
added that, “little did Jesse know that she
brought a smile to Chuck’s face and made
his day brighter during his three and a half
year battle with cancer. She has a deep
compassion to help others that is contagious.”
Jesse’s pastor Mark Huffman agreed.
“Twice in the past several months, Jesse has
organized efforts to help those in need in
memory of Chuck,” he said. “Jesse writes,
speaks and lives very much from the heart
and in so doing moves the hearts of others
to join her in her efforts to make this world
a more just and compassionate place. Good
Shepherd is a much more whole and holy
place because Jesse is a part of our family
of faith.”
Jesse’s mother said she wants to be Jesse
when she “grows up.” “People born with
physical deficits auto-adjust to find their
own way to do things,” Michele said. Jesse is active in gymnastics at the YMCA, is
in the Tailwaggers Club of 4H, practices
showmanship and participates in the Dog
Bowl, which is like Jeopardy with questions about dog facts. She is currently in
fifth grade with teacher Beverly Phillips,
who Jesse said is her “absolute favorite
teacher so far.” Jesse recently found out
that she will represent UES in the FCPS
Martin Luther King observance at TJ High
School in January.
“I love my life. I wouldn’t change anything,” said Jesse.
■ bourget
from page 1
among the happiest in her life. “I recommend
it for all seniors.”
Every Thanksgiving, McLister and her
family take part in a one-mile race. McLister
has always participated by walking the entire
route, but the personal trainers at X Project
encouraged her to start running. This year,
she was able to run the race with her family.
Before she started training at X Project,
McLister attended many exercise classes, and
she often found herself watching the clock.
But during the classes at X Project, she feels
much more engaged, she said.
“Working out touches every facet of a person’s being,” said Bourget, who works out
every day. She has seen people who initially
seem withdrawn join X Project and become
more confident and gregarious. During the
Page 5
time she has participated in the X Project
classes, Bourget said her stress level has decreased and she finds more humor in her life.
Head Coach Michael Gaines said that X
Project is different from other fitness programs. “We teach you how your exercise is
actually impacting your body, instead of just
blindly having you burn calories,” he said.
Bourget, who started working out four
years ago, has been working out at X Project
for about a year and a half. When she started
there, her goal was to be able to do 10 pushups. “Now I can do that,” she said. Bourget’s next goal is to be able to do a handstand
push-up.
Bourget’s advice for people who want to
start a new fitness routine for the new year
is “Just do it! Just come in and see what it is
all about.”
For more information about classes at X
Project, visit www.xprojectfrederick.com.
Page 6
The Town Courier
January 2015
aroundtOWN
Kristy Crawford
Joyful Jingles Brings Festivities to Urbana's Library
The Urbana Regional Library held the annual Joyful Jingles family event on
Dec. 6 and 7, including musical entertainment by local performers, holiday crafts
and pictures with favorite characters and props. Entertainers included a string octet
and guitar ensemble from Urbana High School. For most of the month of December, children were invited to create a gingerbread house to display in the library,
for a contest to be decided at the end of the month. The library will be closed on
Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 24 and 25 and will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 and
all day Jan. 1.
Photo | Submitted
Jessica Sexton, owner of Ijamsville’s Ultimate Stitch, LLC embroidered and filled 45 stockings for families of the Greater
Urbana Food Bank.
Embroidered Stockings Donated to Food Pantry Children
Jessica Sexton, owner of Ultimate Stitch, LLC of Ijamsville donated 45 Christmas
stockings to families at the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank. Each stocking is filled with
toys, books and candy and embroidered with the first name of the children.
Sexton said she wanted the kids to have something especially for them. “It gives me a
great feeling to know these kids will have this for Christmas,” she said. “I don’t believe
any child should go without, especially on Christmas.” Sexton said she plans on doing
this every year.
Ultimate Stitch provides embroidery for many clothing items including jackets, shirts
and hats. Visit its website at www.ultimatestitchllc.com, its Facebook page, or call
301.674.8483. See more on the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank on its Facebook page or
call 240.529.4815.
Photo | Kristy Crawford
Urbana High School 11th grader Nicole Benner, dressed as Olaf from the movie “Frozen,” poses for pictures with
Kayla Dickens, a first grader at Centerville Elementary School and her mother, Nazarene, at the annual library event
Joyful Jingles.
Photos | Tracey McCabe
The annual Urbana Fire Department's Breakfast with Santa
catered to a full house in December.
Photos | Kristy Crawford
Visitors to the annual live nativity by Wesley Chapel get up close to Mariah the camel after one of the evening shows in
early December.
The Christmas Story Comes Alive
The Aguilar family ventured from Germantown to
see the annual live nativity, performed annually by
Urbana’s Wesley Chapel. From left, Charlie, 7;
father Wil, Benjamin, 4; Joseph, 3; and mother
Rosie Aguilar.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, the annual live nativity was performed on the Urbana Volunteer Fire
Department grounds by members of Urbana’s Wesley Chapel Church. At three separate
times, visitors heard the story of Jesus’ birth, through narration and performances by church
members plus animals from the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in Thurmont.
Mariah the camel made her annual visit and was available in between shows to pet and
pose for photos. Also on hand were four-horned sheep. Church and fire department members
handed out hot chocolate and cookies throughout the evening at this popular local event.
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www.atlanticgrilleurbana.com
The Town Courier
January 2015
Page 7
aroundtOWN
A Winter Wonderland in Urbana
By Ridhi Chaudhary
O
n Dec. 6, Urbana High School’s
(UHS) auditorium swarmed with local
residents shopping for holiday presents
and members of the Mighty Hawks Marching Band assisting them, dressed head to toe
in elf costumes. The band’s annual Winter
Wonderland fundraiser included elves inviting children to go Christmas shopping with
members of the marching band, picking from
presents such as ornaments, photo frames,
stuffed toys, key chains and blankets.
“I enjoy seeing the kids and the joy they
get in making special decisions for their parents,” said Beth Gura, the main organizer
of the fundraiser. “I also think that the craft
vendors are great as well. They really make
a special effort to have merchandise that appeals to every price range and every style of
taste.”
In addition to the holiday shop, there was
face painting, gingerbread cookie decorating
and a wreath raffle. Baked goods, including
sugar cookies, key lime cupcakes, cinnamon
chocolate fudge and pumpkin Nutella bars
enticed the crowd. More than 30 craft vendors were also present selling all sorts of festive holiday items including jewelry, winter
wear and home decor. A new addition to this
year’s event was a photo booth, where kids
could take photos with Santa.
“I’ve watched this event grow tremendously,” said Pam Holcomb, who has attended every year. “I just love the sense of community
that surrounds Urbana High School and I
Photo | Ridhi Chaudhary
The annual Winter Wonderland holiday shop held at Urbana High School raised funds for the UHS Mighty Hawks Marching
Band. Pictured here, children enjoy festive activities including face painting and gingerbread cookie decorating.
just didn’t want to miss it. What I really like
the most is how all the elves and the helpers
are so festive and dress up. I remember back
in the day when they just wore the hats and
the shoes. Now it’s the whole deal, and that’s
what makes it so precious,” said Holcomb.
All of the funds collected from the event
went to the Mighty Hawks Marching Band
to defray costs of instruments and music, as
well as to reduce the annual costs required for
the students to participate — about $1,000
a year for each student. The marching band
celebrated many successes this year, including a trip to a national competition in New
Jersey.
“I love the feeling of playing the last note
and finishing off an awesome show knowing that we did it all together as a team,” said
Smaraki Dash, a member of the marching
band and a senior at UHS.
Every year before the band season begins,
band members go through a rigorous twoweek band camp that consists of 12 hours of
practice each day. All the practicing definitely paid off for UHS’s Mighty Hawks Marching Band, as they have risen to become one
of the best high school bands in the state of
Maryland. Although the marching band season is over for this year, the Mighty Hawks
are still busy participating in the symphonic band, indoor percussion and indoor color
guard.
To learn more about UHS’s Marching
Band, please visit: www.urbanahsband.org
Editor’s Note: Ridhi Chaudhary is a freshman
at Urbana High School.
askthe editor
from page 4
more information, go to www.orisonwines.
com or www.iloveorion.com.
Also notable this month is the Jan. 9 fundraiser at the Urbana Fire and Rescue Hall for
the Hageman family. Cliff Hageman lost his
leg after a car accident this fall, resulting in
overwhelming medical bills. Consider attending the event for an evening to connect
with neighbors and to raise funds for this beloved family.
Flip to the front page and read the profile of
Jesse Martin, written by Greater Urbana Area
Food Bank founder Jo Ostby. Even though
10-year-old Jesse was born with a number of
physical difficulties, she gives continuously
to the local community. This year, take time
to notice other stand-out members of our
community and let the Town Courier know
about them. These are the types of articles
we love to write. Contact me at bethany@
towncourier.com or 240.409.6734 with
holiday photos, notes about topics you would
like covered and more.
Have a happy New Year!
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Page 8
The Town Courier
January 2015
chef’ssecrets By Jo Ostby
DJ’s Catering was Blessed from the Start
S
ince January is a time of new beginnings, this month immediately
made me think of Chef David Jones.
“Think of several major life changes and
in the past 12 months, I’ve gone through
them,” said Jones. He closed a restaurant in
April, had a baby born and launched a new
restaurant in October — and those are just
a few of the items on Jones’ list.
After Jones’ restaurant, Lohr’s, closed
in July his wife, Rachel, found an open
space for a restaurant in Buckeystown. Interestingly enough, the new place is three
doors down from our son Dean’s house.
Dean and his buddies are regulars and have
brought others of us along to discover DJ’s
Catering and Services (stands for David
Jones' Catering and Services).
Despite the name, you can go there and
eat in or carry out. The dining area is small,
but friendly and welcoming. Jones offered
chicken and waffles on a Saturday dinner
special once and our son and his friends
were hooked. This southern specialty features a dish Jones dubbed Broasted Chicken. Try it and you’ll be hooked, too. You
get a half chicken and waffles perfectly
crisp and delicious. Or, try the Reuben.
“It’s the best Reuben sandwich I’ve ever
had,” said Paul Tellock, our neighbor. He
thought he was telling me about a new
place he had discovered. Too late. We had
already been introduced to DJ’s.
Curt Meyer, who works alongside Jones
and was with him for three years at Lohr’s,
said that after Lohr’s closed, they both
knew they wanted to go forward together,
but didn’t really know exactly what that
meant. I say God had plans for this David Jones and intended to prosper him and
give him this new beginning in light of his
major life changes.
Meyer was riding his bike near the Frederick Church of the Brethren and saw two
professional convection ovens sitting outside uncovered. He contacted a friend on
the church board. One thing led to another and Meyer had two convection ovens previously intended for the recycling
center covered carefully in his backyard.
They had no definite plan as yet but the
two restaurateurs had their ovens. “These
ovens fell from heaven,” Meyer beamed.
Fast forward to August and the move to
Buckeystown. People have been discovering DJ’s slowly. The eatery has a Facebook
presence and the chef personally responds
to comments posted there. I enjoy seeing
the daily specials pictured and reading
other patrons’ comments.
It is clear to me that there is a heavenly push for this place to succeed. Being in
Photo | Jo Ostby
From left, David Jones and Curt Meyer of DJ’s Catering
and Services, pose with their “fall from heaven”
convection ovens.
there and seeing the staff prepare everything from box lunches to wedding feasts
shows me they have a bright future in their
new location.
Our family has decided DJ’s will now
be a part of a long-standing Thanksgiving weekend tradition. While the women
head off to the Frederick Fairgrounds for
the Maryland Christmas Show, the men
will go to DJ’s for chicken and waffles. It’s
fun to watch and listen as people embrace
a new local restaurant. Who knows, the
way it’s going in my family, I may be there
on your maiden visit.
Chef David Jones’ Chili
From DJ’s Catering and Services
5 lbs 81/19 hamburger
1 white onion, chopped
Half stalk of celery, chopped
2 T Montreal steak seasoning
1.5 T crushed red pepper
1.5 T Cajun seasoning
1 T garlic
1.5 T Italian seasoning
2 T chili powder
1 C beef stock
2 C diced tomatoes in juice
1 can red kidney beans, do not
drain or rinse
1 can black beans, do not drain
or rinse
Chop onion and celery and cook
together with hamburger until
burger is 3/4 of the way done.
Then add spices. Stir. Simmer five
minutes.
Add tomatoes, beans and stock.
Let it all cook together for an hour.
It should be slightly thick and ready
to serve.
Best of wishes to Chef David Jones and
Curt Meyer as the new year gets underway
at DJ’s Catering and Services.
Included in this month’s column is
Jones’ recipe for chili: It is the best chili
I’ve made.
monthlyagenda
Compiled by Bethany E. Starin
Local Events
Hageman Fundraiser
This month, Urbana’s realtor Lisa Giuliani is hosting a fundraiser for Cliff and
Rebecca Hageman and their two children,
Cassidy and Eli. In September, Cliff was in
a car accident that led to 14 surgeries and
the loss of his leg. On Jan. 9, at the Urbana
Fire and Rescue Hall, the event will include free beer and wine, a silent auction,
dessert table, 50/50 drawings throughout the event and more. Event begins at
7:30 p.m. and includes a $20 donation at
n
monthly agenda Continued on page 13
Photo | Submitted
On January 9, Urbana resident Lisa Giuliani hosts a
fundraiser for the Hageman family.
“Quality care for furry babies”
I am an experienced dog owner, animal lover & VOU resident offering quality dog
walking and pet sitting services.
*Always Reliable, Super Responsible, Very Reasonable Rates*
Please call or email for more information:
Rachel Shifaraw
(301) 502-1500
villagepetaupair@gmail.com
www.villagepetaupair.com
The Town Courier
January 2015
schoolnotes
Budget Meeting with
Superintendent Alban
Frederick County Public Schools
Superintendent Dr. Theresa Alban will speak
about school operating budget priorities
for the 2015-2016 school year (FY2016)
on Jan. 7, and invites the public to attend.
This event is slated for 7 to 8 p.m. with a
snow date of Jan. 13 and will be held in the
Tuscarora High School auditorium. If unable
to attend, the community may send feedback
to ThePromise@fcps.org.
Parent Involvement Matters Award
Through Jan. 30, The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is accepting
nominations for the eighth annual Parent Involvement Matters Awards (PIMA). Nominations are for parents and guardians whose
exemplary contributions to public education
have led to improvements for Maryland’s
Compiled By Bethany E. Starin
public school children, teachers, schools,
programs or policies.
“Frederick County is fortunate to have so
many parents who volunteer their time and
talents to support our students and schools.
The PIMA award is a wonderful opportunity to honor one of these parents for their outstanding service and also highlight the impact of parent involvement in our schools,”
stated Donna Quatman-Wilder, FCPS Family and Community Involvement teacher
specialist.
There will be 24 semifinalists picked —
one parent from each of Maryland’s 24 public
school districts. Five finalists will be selected
from this pool and one state winner will be
announced in the spring. Go to www.fcps.
org/awards for eligibility, criteria, process
information and nomination guidelines.
Mail nomination packages to Maryland State
n
school notes Continued on page 15
■ sign language club
from page 1
grader at UMS who was born hard of hearing and knows sign language, said that Georgi asked him to teach other students to sign
at club meetings. Mehan described teaching
sign language as a good experience with
some challenges.
Mehan arrived at UMS last year after attending a school for deaf students in California. “At deaf school, it’s easier to communicate because everyone signs,” he said.
At UMS, Mehan finds it more difficult to
converse because he has to use an interpreter.
Texting is one way he communicates with
other students, he said.
If a child is born into a deaf family, sign
language is the child’s first language, so it is
easier to learn, Mehan said. Mehan, who has
parents and a sister who are deaf, said that
he enjoys the sign language club because the
club makes it easier to communicate with
other students.
Elizabeth Voss, a seventh grader at UMS
who is deaf, said that Georgi asked her to
help lead sign language club meetings because she knew how to sign. During a club
meeting, Voss, Mehan and sixth grader
Alexis Fleming taught students how to use
sign language for the words to the song “Let
it Go” from the movie “Frozen.”
“I like signing songs,” said Voss, who used
to sign songs at Parkway Elementary School.
Voss has a cochlear implant, a surgically
implanted device that helps her hear what
teachers and students are saying. She also has
a personal interpreter who accompanies her
to classes.
Fleming grew up with a father who is
hearing impaired. “I’ve learned a lot from
my dad, because he’s deaf and can’t hear,”
■ art show
from page 3
Catie also said that her favorite art medium
is drawing.
“I love seeing the families and how the
kids are able to be inspired by each other’s
work,” said Briest, who was also very involved in art throughout her high school
and college days. “I think art is a great
Photo | Sally Alt
During a sign language club meeting at Urbana Middle
School, eighth grader Orren Mehan (pictured left) and seventh grader Elizabeth Voss (pictured right) lead students
in signing the song “Let it Go” from the movie “Frozen.”
she said. Fleming said that it was nice to have
hearing students learn sign language, so that
they can speak to the hearing impaired. “I
think that means a lot to deaf people,” she
said.
When asked about future plans for the sign
language club, Georgi said that she hopes
students will be able to go on field trips to
the Maryland School of the Deaf in Frederick and Gallaudet University, a school for
the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington,
D.C. Visiting the school campuses will give
UMS students the opportunity to practice
signing with other students, she said.
The group is also considering performing
at the UMS talent show and signing a song
together. They may also plan student competitions in signing, she said.
“It’s been awesome having a sign language
club in Urbana Middle School,” said Fleming.
For more information about the sign
language club, please email Ellen Georgi at
ellen.georgi@fcps.org.
outlet for kids to express themselves when
they can’t do it in other ways.”
“It’s always a wonderful event because all
the families are here to support us. And I
think that it is extra special that we have
the chorus concert right afterwards so
younger students are able to see the older
students perform,” she added.
Following the art show, there was a winter chorus concert with UES’s choir.
Page 9
Page 10
■ MR. URBANA
from page 3
positive impact on the community,” said
Emmanuel Apea (Mr. June).
According to Brian Dailey (Mr. July),
this year almost $7,900 was raised for the
Rock Creek school. “That is an all time
record, no other class has raised that much
in one year,” he said.
The competition intensified three days
before the main event, when contestants
dressed up for three different days: Inanimate Object Day, Movie Star Day and
Spirit Wear Day. The general consensus
from the candidates was that Inanimate
Object Day involved the most creative use
of costume, including Joey Mejia’s (Mr.
■ Academic TOURNAMENT
from page 3
gave UHS an early lead in the championship round. This year, the agreed categories are anatomy, sub-Saharan Africa,
British Invasion, comparative religions,
1965 history, Italian Renaissance, Disney
villains and for the championship round,
Shakespeare.
The final round, similar to Final Jeopardy, is the deciding factor for each team.
There are 20 questions on a potpourri of
topics and each team, whether trailing by a
few or leading by a lot, has an opportunity
to add a win.
The Town Courier
January 2015
January) boombox outfit complete with
lights and speakers.
“To try and figure out what to wear and
how to perform I looked into who I really
was and tried to represent my class and my
month the best I could,” said JP Kim (Mr.
December), who dressed as a Dell computer. Greg Kuver (Mr. March) jokingly
said that his beard inspired him. His facial
hair is iconic throughout the school, and
he dressed as a beard-grooming kit.
The crowning jewel of the competition
was the talent section where` competitors
performed their own renditions of popular
songs and dances. Andy Moss (Mr. February) performed a solo interpretation of
“Let it Go” from Disney’s “Frozen.” Apea
played a virtuosic rendition of “Por Tí
Volaré,” by Bocelli, on his violin. “There
was more of a wide variety of talents this
year — not just boys dancing in spandex,”
Ward said.
Humor aside, one of the more serious
parts of the competition was a question
and answer session about the contestants’
high school experiences. In response to a
question about the most valuable lesson
learned in high school, both Greg Kuver
and Cody Wilcox (Mr. September) advised future high school students to not
procrastinate.
The candidates agreed that although the
competition was exhilarating they didn’t
really care about the outcome. “We’ve
been friends all during high school,” said
Jacob Mittereder (Mr. May). “The fact
that we are all going against each other
makes it all the more memorable.” Zach
Cummings (Mr. August) said “This is like
our final passage, our final impression on
the school. It’s the most fun I’ve had.”
In the end, Win McKeever (Mr. November) was crowned the 2015 Mr. Urbana. “Win participates in a variety of UHS
sports and organizations; he demonstrates
himself to be a kind, well-rounded individual, something a Mr. Urbana should aspire to be,” said Ward. Connor Wills (Mr.
October) came in as a first runner up and
Joey Mejia came as the second runner up.
Victory or not, all 12 candidates showed
themselves to be outstanding individuals
and many observers felt they gave a performance that makes them all worthy of
the title, “Mr. Urbana.”
“This season is going to be nice,” said
UHS senior and team member Bhas Portlanka. “I’ll get a chance to help captain the
team, and I’m looking forward to the experience.” Portlanka, 17, typically specializes in the math rounds, but it is open to
playing in other topics as well.
“It’ll be hard, but I hope we get a repeat of last year,” said Anmol Srivastava,
17. “I’m really looking forward to the rest
of the season.”
Urbana is fortunate to have a solid team
of coaches to help prepare the local academic team for competition. Current
coaches Mark Kavanaugh, Barbara Tarrant-Coleman and Del Hayes help prepare
the team during two hour-long practices
each week. The practices are slated even
more frequently in the weeks prior to the
first match.
“There are going to be high expectations throughout the community,” said
Hayes. “It is always hard to replace strong
players from previous seasons, but it will
work out fine since the team currently has
a fresh bunch of talented, young players to
fill in former rolls.”
“We’ll be a competitive team this year,”
said Kavanaugh. “It was a great feeling to
win last year, but we did have some close
matches. I’m proud of how the team was
able to come back several times after those
matches.”
The last time Urbana won the county
tournament before last year was in 2002,
when the team was in seventh place at the
end of the season. “It’s rare that the first
place team wins the entire tournament, so
I was extremely thrilled,” said Kavanaugh.
Currently, UHS showcases the tournament trophy from last year’s competition
- but this year, it’s up for grabs again. Academic team members are buzzing for a repeat of last year’s season.
Editor’s Note: Sirad Hassan is a junior at
Urbana High School and member of the UHS
Academic Team.
The Town Courier
January 2015
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Broker, S4 Realty
Page 11
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The Town Courier
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The Town Courier
January 2015
Page 13
monthlyagenda
from page 8
the door. For more information, contact
Giuliani at lisajgiuliani@comcast.net or
call 240.447.5766.
Green Valley YMCA Youth Classes
The Green Valley YMCA is now offering
youth and teen fitness programs including
Kids Boot Camp, Ultimate Conditioning
and Strength Training for teens and TeenTrax, a computerized personal training
program for youth. Also, for the month of
January the joiner’s fee is being waived. For
more information, contact Jennifer Coppit
at jcoppit@frederickymca.org.
Red Cross CPR/AED Class
The Green Valley YMCA is hosting
a Red Cross CPR/AED class for adults
and children on Feb. 21. That same day,
a Red Cross First Aid certification will
also be held. Classes begin at 9 a.m. For
more information, contact Christine
Rachel at 301.607.6900 or at crachel@
frederickymca.org.
Breakfast for Lunch with Nurse Steve
On Thursday, Jan. 8, the Urbana Senior Center hosts Breakfast for Lunch with
Nurse Steve. Held at noon, a variety of
breakfast foods will be offered while Nurse
Steve talks about “When is good food not
good for me: A discussion of the myths and
truths about foods and their benefits.” For
more information call 301.600.7020 or go
to www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Fall Prevention and Balance Screening
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Urbana
Senior Center hosts an event for anyone
worried about their balance. A discussion
about reducing your risk of falling will
be followed by free balance screenings
by staff from Superior Physical Therapy.
This event is held at 6:30 p.m. For more
information call 301.600.7020 or go to
www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Arts hosts a live stage show for kids. This
performance engages the curious scientist
in every child and is a journey through all
five senses — sight, sound, taste, smell and
touch, as well as the discovery that there’s a
very special sixth sense. This show includes
a musical adventure with tunes from the
hit PBS Kids television series. Shows are at
12:15 and 5 p.m. For more information, go
to www.weinbergcenter.org.
Stitching Post
On January Monday mornings and
Tuesday afternoons, come knit, crochet or
just chat with members of the community.
The Urbana Senior Center hosts these
informal events where members help each
other with projects, patterns and learning
new skills. Held Mondays at 10 a.m. and
Tuesdays at 1 p.m. For more information
call 301.600.7020 or go to www.
FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
in Frederick
On Jan. 23, the Weinberg Center for
the Arts hosts the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performing Brahms’ Violin
Concerto with Concertmaster Jonathan
Carney taking the stage. Also featuring
conductor Tito Munoz. Event runs from
8 to 11 p.m.; for more information, go to
www.weinbergcenter.org.
Ivy + Bean
On Jan. 31, a musical story hits the
stage at the Weinberg Center for the Arts
in downtown Frederick, a show for ages
4 and up. Based on the New York Times
best-selling children’s book series by Annie
Barrows, the performance tells the story of
an unexpected friendship. Shows are at 1
and 4 p.m. For more information, go to
www.weinbergcenter.org.
Theatre, Arts and Music
Wine Down Downtown
On Jan. 3 from 3 to 9 p.m., downtown
Frederick hosts a Wine Down Downtown.
This event features drinks and snacks at
local shops and late shopping hours. Also
included is the first-ever Walk of Lights,
an illuminating experience through downtown Frederick. For more information, go
to www.downtownfrederick.org.
• Doggy Day Care
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Jim Henson’s Sid the Science Kid: Live!
On Jan. 22, the Weinberg Center for the
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Page 14
The Town Courier
January 2015
localvoices
Retirement Comes in Many Flavors
D
ecember and January are popular
months for retirements. I retired in 1993
at age 56 and have some
thoughts to share on this
important life event. I
hope these thoughts will
be helpful to both fellow
By Rich
retirees and people conTerselic
sidering joining us.
Retirement counselors highly recommend planning for retirement and experimenting before retiring, trying different
activities and settings. The federal government is even experimenting with parttime retirement that permits a transition
over a period of time.
People thinking about retirement should
definitely consider getting their feet wet,
trying out the things they anticipate doing
after they retire. One example: A person
who has lived in a locale with cold and
snowy winters and has thought of moving,
might spend time in a warmer climate before making a full commitment to moving there. People sometimes reverse their
thinking after gaining some experience.
Eyebrow Threading
Eyelash Extension
Nail Art Parties
Henna Tattoos
MANISHA
301-514-4024
mstewari@msn.com
Urbana Pike • Frederick MD, 21704
Also available, chess lessons from ages 5 and up.
A person’s temperament also influences
their attitude toward retirement. Someone
who is insecure might be troubled by the
implications of breaking the predictable
daily pattern associated with a job. On the
other hand an avid seeker of experiences
may be quite comfortable with a change.
A high-energy achiever may also welcome
new opportunities to pursue. I have known
people whose retirement goal was simply
to do whatever they wanted — including
nothing. It seemed to me that doing nothing could be satisfying for only a limited
time.
Much is written about meeting financial
demands in retirement. Over the past couple of decades, retirements with a guaranteed stream of pension checks plus social
security have declined. Many retirees now
leave with a pot of money that has to be
self-managed to provide a long term income stream. Accomplishing this can be
a source of continuing worry, sometimes
prompting a search for a new, paying job to
supplement retirement income.
Retirement may not provide full freedom, and a new retiree may confront
unexpected boundaries. For example, if
a spouse continues to work it may pose
problems for the retiree waiting long days
for the spouse’s return from work. Alternatively, when a new retiree’s spouse has
been at home, turf problems may devel-
op as the two adjust to being together full
time. Family and friends may also have unwelcome expectations that can pose limits
on the new retiree’s freedom to travel or
to choose a different location to live. Poor
health may also limit full freedom.
It is now harder for an employer to require that an employee retire solely on
the basis of age. For people who love their
work, being forced to retire can be very
disappointing. My father was a meat cutter
for most of his career, but spent his final
working years in an office. He loved everything about working in the office, except the mandatory age 65 retirement policy. His retirement party was a bittersweet
event.
For people who have hobbies or other
recreational interests they greatly enjoy, retirement can be quite welcome. In the early 1960s I worked for NASA in Cleveland
and shared an office with another engineer
who was a gun enthusiast. He counted the
years and days to his eligibility date for retirement, planning full-time involvement
with guns. Sadly, he died shortly after retiring.
Recreational travel is another popular
activity for retirees. The travel industry
has expanded and now has more sophisticated offerings. My wife and a nursing
n
local voices Continued on page 17
Some of our office listings:
BOYDS • $1,599,000
Troyce Gatewood - (301) 379-9441
OWINGS MILL • $549,900
Keith Litchauer • (410) 591-4360
FREDERICK • $435,000
GAITHERSBURG • $399,999
Debra Murray • (301) 639-7730
Lisa Cairns • (301) 748-2834
BELTSVILLE • $324,900
FROSTBURG • $179,500
Ron Alexander • (410) 446-3606
Deb Bargeski • (301) 748-6719
MT AIRY • $169,900
Robert Krop • (301) 524-2887
HAGERSTOWN • $169,900
Deb Bargeski • (301) 748-6719
WOODBINE • $474,900
Ron Alexander • (410) 446-3606
MONROVIA • $450,000
Robert Krop • (301) 524-2887
GERMANTOWN • $329,500
John Rasoulpour • (301) 404-5646
BRADDOCK HTS • $325,000
Lisa Cairns • (301) 748-2834
SHARPSBURG • $150,000
Stephenie Stadtler • NEED PHONE
Sara Morris • (301) 514-6888
MIDDLETOWN • $130,000
FREDERICK • $1,270/mo
Sara Morris • (301) 514-6888
Bob Dent • (240) 409-9300
FREDERICK • $215,900
The Town Courier
January 2015
Page 15
nora’scorner
Winter is Time for Hygge*
A
sign above a book
display near the
children’s room in
the Olney Library reads:
“Hygge with a Good
Book.” I thought, “Oh,
no, not another new acronym I’m supposed to
By Nora
know and I don’t.” Then
Caplan
I noticed another sign on
the other side of the table: “Hygge is a Danish word for Coziness,
Warmth” and other related adjectives. It
made me conjure up a vision of a white
kiva fireplace in Taos, N.M. emitting the
fragrance of blazing piñon logs, with a Navajo rug by the fireside. Feeling the bite
of the icy air outside, then entering the
warmth inside an adobe home epitomizes
coziness.
It’s no wonder the Danes have a special
word like hygge that conveys even more
than the words we use to translate this particular feeling. The Olney librarian told
me that the Danes create hygge in their
lives year round. They love clusters of candles that light up their long winter nights.
Get-togethers with family and friends in a
friendly atmosphere is hygge as well. Perhaps taking time for hygge is one reason
the Danes are considered to be among the
happiest people in the world.
Hygge made me remember the stone
fireplace at Half-A-Hill, the country inn
and my childhood home in southwestern Missouri, with the model of Columbus’ship, “The Santa Maria,” on the mantel where I hung my long white stocking
each Christmas Eve. A few years later on
another Dec. 24 there was a coal-burning
fireplace in our house on Walnut Street
in Springfield, Mo., where I toasted my
toes as I was reading “A Christmas Carol.”
There seemed to be castles and cottages
that appeared in the glowing coals. My face
felt sunburned from the heat, yet there was
a cold draft on my back. I snuggled down
into my mother’s hand-crocheted afghan
and soon I was comfy all around.
In January after a deep snowfall, I used
to tuck a bowl and spoon into the crook of
my arm and stomp out to the back yard to
fill the bowl with freshly fallen snow. (My
mother didn’t seem to worry about pollution or other kinds of disgusting waste deposited on the surface.) When I had filled
it, I lugged the bowl inside our kitchen,
added a teaspoon of vanilla, sugar, and a bit
of milk to the mixture. It turned to slush
as I stirred in all the ingredients, and then
I slurped it up with gusto. Meanwhile, the
windows steamed up from a kettle boiling
on top the stove, yet here I was, bringing
winter inside while feeling cozily warm.
Sometimes at twilight I would feel uneasy when the sky was streaked with gold,
orange, violet and pale blue ribbons layering low in the sky. The dark was approaching and it seemed menacing until we
turned on the lamps in the dining and living rooms. It reminded me of the comforting feeling the pioneers might have had as
they circled their wagons around a blazing
cooking fire at the end of a long, grueling,
daily trek westward.
For me, hygge comes when it’s snowing.
I have a pot of vegetable soup simmering
on the stove and there’s a Penelope Lively
novel I haven’t yet read, just waiting for me
to begin. I’m sitting in my favorite chair
with a lap rug tucked snugly around me
and a Bach Brandenburg concerto is on the
CD player.
For Town Courier readers: What is hygge for you?
*Pronounced a bit like “hooga.”
schoolnotes
from page 9
Department of Education, Office of Communications, Partnerships and Grants, 7th
Floor, ATTN: PIMA, 200 West Baltimore
Street, Baltimore, Md. 21201.
School Community Meeting
On Dec. 17, Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner held a community meeting on at 7 p.m. at Winchester Hall in
downtown Frederick. The meeting’s agenda covered her Fiscal Year 2016 operating
budget and six-year capital improvement
program. This meeting provided opportunity for locals to advocate for funding Urbana’s new Sugarloaf Elementary School.
Design for Sugarloaf is nearly complete and
local residents are requesting construction
funding for Fiscal Year 2017. Send written
comments to Jan Gardner at jgardner@
frederickcountymd.gov.
Homeschool Education Enrichment
Frederick Community College is host-
ing Homeschool Educational Enrichment
events in spring 2015. Registration is now
open for these classes. The classes are for ages
6 to 16. A spring class schedule is available
at http://bit.ly/13kyFxY and registration is
online at www.Frederick.edu/QuickEnroll.
To subscribe for home education enews,
email kfreeman@frederick.edu. For more
information, contact Karen Freeman at
301.846.2661 or kfreeman@frederick.edu.
UMS Student Selected for Orchestra
Eighth grader Jackie Chen, from the music department at Urbana Middle School,
has been selected for Maryland All-State
Junior Orchestra, the first UMS student to
receive this very special honor. The Junior
Orchestra includes students from all across
Maryland in grades seven to nine. Chen is
part of the first violin section which has 28
members, most of them from Howard and
Montgomery Counties. There was only
one other Frederick County student who
was accepted. The orchestra will perform in
Towson in mid March.
Frederick county
3409 A Urbana Pike
Frederick, MD 21704
MontgoMery county
451 Hungerford Drive, Suite 750
Rockville, MD 20850
www.stevecampenlaw.com • steve_campen@yahoo.com
Opening in January
Page 16
The Town Courier
January 2015
mikeat the movies
The Theory of Everything
[PG-13] ****
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Urbana’s Professional
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ads@towncourier.com
Everything you have
heard about Eddie Redmayne’s
performance
in this film is correct. It
is beyond correct, it is
mind-blowing. Dr. Stephen Hawking’s story is
so unlikely that it beggars
belief to begin with, but
By Mike
this film and Redmayne’s
Cuthbert
performance strain the
likelihood that you’ll ever see a more riveting portrayal of a man with every advantage except one: his health.
Hawking is a victim of ALS, one of the
most severe of a group of motor-neuron
diseases. Striking him at 21, just as he was
focusing on the main subject of his life —
time — it soon incapacitated him but left
him alive. This was startling because he
was given a two-year life expectancy at the
time of his diagnosis. He lives on at 72.
The story is actually equally about his
first wife, Jane. She knew his diagnosis
when she married him and she bore him
three children. The disease does not entirely disable the victim, as Hawking points
out to a curious friend.
Felicity Jones is perfect in the part of
Jane. Her loyalty eventually wears out as
her duties multiply. Those duties include
everything you can imagine dealing with
a totally disabled person while tending to
numerous children and trying to forge her
own career.
In the meantime, Hawking was writing his seminal work, “A Brief History of
Time,” which focuses on the origins of the
universe. Hawking was awkward and socially inept even before the ALS, but that is
probably part of his charm, a charm he has
maintained outwardly ever since.
Eventually, Jane joins the local church
choir. She is a believer and Hawking is not
but he offers no objections and she sings
and also starts falling for the choir director, Jonathan Hellyer Jones. The film hints
at Hawking’s collusion in regard to the
relationship but never states directly that
he approves. Whatever the real reasons,
Hawking eventually sheds Jane and their
children, and meets and eventually marries
his therapist, Elaine Mason.
All through this action Hawking is
struggling just to stay alive. His visit to
France where he attends an opera and almost dies is the most vivid example of his
fight. The emotional wallop of the film is
in its portrayal of the fight to keep Hawking alive and functional through the agonizing physical therapy regime he undergoes. Meantime, his mental faculties
remain sharp. At one point Jane says: “I
love you.” Hawking replies: “That’s a false
conclusion.”
It is not false but sadly true. One can get
the feeling that Hawking used all of Jane’s
energy to sustain himself and his effort to
write — he uses specially-designed computer programs to write with — but she
is a cooperative victim. It is therefore sad
when they break up, but somehow inevitable. Jane is happily married to Jones to
this day while Hawking is now single again
after reports of physical and mental abuse
swirled about the couple, including a story
that she left him outside, unattended, on
the hottest day of summer, leading to serious burns and dehydration. That part of
the story is not told in the film since this is
really about Jane and Hawking, and Jane’s
account of their relationship served as the
basis for the screenplay.
This is a remarkably strong film about
an incredible couple whose life together
was supposed to be short and passionate. It
turned out to be long and passionate until
the passion burned out and they became
two people no longer able to live together.
As a film, it’s almost overwhelming. Leave
the little ones home. The message is too
complex for them.
Horrible Bosses [R] ***
Watching this movie gave me the same
feelings I used to have watching Steve
Carell and the cast of “The Office”: Everybody was so stupid that it got me irritated at the same time I was laughing myself
silly.
Nick, Kurt and Dale, ( Jason Bateman,
Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day), the “heroes” of the first edition of the franchise,
are trying to find a foolproof way of getting
wealthy and settle on an automatic shower
system that they plan to manufacture and
market. Alas, they run into Bert Hanson
(Christoph Waltz), tycoon and cheat, and
his son, Rex, also a cheat (Chris Pine). The
cheats, as usual, prosper and the boys are
left on the outside looking at another total
failure.
Then the real madness begins as they try
to get their money and their pride back.
The witless schemes start to multiply so
they turn to Dave (Kevin Spacey) who is
in jail for previous scams but finds time and
energy enough to insult the trio while offering to “help” them. Sure. Lacking sensible advice from Dave, they turn at last for
detailed help to Dean “MF” Jones ( Jamie
Foxx) for a planned snatch of Rex Hanson.
The ransom is supposed to solve all their
problems.
By now, however, even the dullest audience member has to realize that nothing
these hapless amateurs are going to come
up with is going to go the way they want
it to go. The only character dumber than
Nick, Kurt and Dale is Dean Jones. His
stupidity is covered by his arrogance.
There are more than enough idiotic suggestions from the trio, including an idea
of using golf gloves to cover fingerprints
during the snatch. Nobody seems to realize that golfers wear only one glove so
the fingerprinting is protected by a golf
glove on the left hand and wood-covers
on the right. Jennifer Aniston reprises her
role — the first sequel she has participated
in during the course of her career — and
the scene at her Sex Addicts Anonymous
meeting is more than usually hysterical.
Meanwhile Dale rationalizes having sex
with her character, dentist Julia Harris:
“It’s not really adultery if you’re doing it to
save your family,” he says.
n
mike at the movies Continued on page 17
The Town Courier
January 2015
offthe shelf
Cosmic Coin Orbiter at the Library
T
he Friends of the
Urbana Regional
Library
(FURL)
just unveiled its newest
fundraiser for the Library
— a Cosmic Coin Orbiter. The Orbiter serves
two worthy purposes: It
By Amy
gives kids a fun way to
Whitney
learn about the solar system and it supports the library at the same time. Kids can even challenge each other by placing two coins in
the orbiter to see which coin denomination
wins the race to the center.
The Friends were looking for a way to
raise funds that would also be a fun addition to the library, and Robyn Monaco
suggested that these spiral coin wishing
wells allow kids to explore science concepts while having fun. All it takes is a coin
of any denomination.
“The funnel in the wishing well is a
working model of the solar system and
demonstrates Kepler’s laws of planetary
motion,” Monaco said. “A coin rolling
around the drum represents a planet in orbit around the sun. As the coin approaches
the center hole (the sun), the gravitational
pull on the coin increases and its energy
of position is replaced by energy of motion
— that’s why planets orbit at greater speeds
as they near the sun and slow down when
they move further away.” Be sure to drop
by the library and try out the Orbiter for
yourself — it’s mesmerizing!
The Friends are offering local businesses
the opportunity to market their businesses by placing their logo on the orbiter. If
you’re interested in reaching our 15,000
visitors a month and letting them know
about your business, contact Friends treasurer David Spaans at spaansd@aol.com.
The Friends offer us so much support in
the form of programming supplies, furnishings for the children’s and adult areas, and
funding for the summer reading program.
If you use the library and are interested in
becoming involved in this organization,
you’re invited to attend the FURL annual
meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m.
in the small conference room on the upper level of the library. Call 301.600.7004
for more information or visit the library at
www.fcpl.org.
Editor’s Note: Amy Whitney is the branch
administrator for the Urbana Regional Library.
Photo | Submitted
Urbana children enjoy playing with the Cosmic Coin Orbiter, which educates kids on the solar system and raises funds for
the Urbana Regional Library.
localvoices
from page 14
school classmate greatly enjoyed numerous
cruises. Some travelers they met connected cruises that kept them on ships for extended periods, even taking them around
the world. Cruising can also accommodate
people with varying levels of disability and
health issues.
For people with personal and family
demands that conflict with working, retirement can provide relief. Grandparents
are increasingly engaged in care of grand
children. For retirees who have a spouse
or other person in need of care, being free
each day may be welcome.
Engaging in community and other volunteer activities in or out of the home is
another popular activity for retirees. There
are numerous volunteer organizations that
welcome additional help, including homeowner associations. I have volunteered
with a number of groups since retiring.
Some proved good matches for my interests but others didn’t. Experimenting with
volunteering before retiring is a good idea.
Best wishes to my fellow retirees and
those considering joining us.
mikeat the movies
from page 16
Some of the action scenes are dumb and
insipid while there are flashes of inspired
madness, especially in the last scene. Much
of the dialogue appears to have been improvised, leading to a mish-mash of lines
occasionally, making them hard to follow,
but what you pick up will be enough to
make you shake your head and groan a lot.
Definitely not one for the younger set: Like
the first episode in the series, this one is
extremely gross in language and pathetic
in its plot twists and turns. Best for a rainy
day with other teenagers.
Page 17
Page 18
The Town Courier
January 2015
UrbanaSports
Get Fit with Recreational Winter Sports
By Sally Alt
E
ven when the weather is cold outside,
fitness-seekers can dance their way to
becoming fit by taking Zumba classes
at the Green Valley YMCA.
“It’s a great way to work out,” said Tony
Edghill, one of the Zumba instructors.
“You can lose weight, you can get yourself back in shape, and you’ll definitely see
changes in your body.”
Class participants learn Latin dances,
including salsa, meringue, samba and flamenco, while moving to Latin music. The
music is what distinguishes a Zumba class
from regular aerobic classes. Edghill describes Zumba music as “exhilarating” and
“exciting.”
The Green Valley YMCA offers two
evening and three morning Zumba classes
every week. Anyone who is 11 years of age
or older can attend classes. “No dance experience is needed,” said Edghill. Dancing
in a Zumba class is a way to “let go” and
have fun after a long, stressful day at work,
he said.
“You look forward to coming to exercise,” said Lisa Montrose, a Monrovia
resident, who has been coming to Zumba
classes for a year and a half.
“I’ve lost weight and had fun doing it,”
said Monrovia resident Sue Redding, who
Photo | Submitted
Skiing and snowboarding are two great ways to embrace the cold weather and stay active this winter. Liberty Mountain
Resort is less than an hour's drive from Urbana.
attends class three times each week.
For locals who enjoy the winter
outdoors, Liberty Mountain Resort offers
skiing and snowboarding lessons for adults
and children ages 3 and older. Located
in Carroll Valley, Pa., Liberty Mountain
is less than an hour’s drive from Urbana.
“We can teach anyone to ski or snowboard.
You are never too old to learn,” said Anne
Weimer, the marketing director at Liberty
Mountain Resort.
A lot of people, Weimer said, are anxious
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A House To A Home
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23341 Frederick Road
Clarksburg, MD 20871
Saturday January 3, 2015
1:00 – 3:00pm
about learning to ski and are afraid that
they will get too cold or hurt themselves.
For anyone who wants to learn to ski,
Weimer recommends taking a lesson and
just giving it a try. Trained instructors, she
said, “can help conquer all of those fears
and hesitations.”
The ski resort, which is open every
weekday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on
weekends from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., provides
ski lessons multiple times each day. The resort also offers night skiing as well as rental
of ski and snowboard equipment, including
equipment for women and children.
Skiing is “active, healthy and social,”
said Weimer. She added that the sports activity also offers “a nice break from electronic devices.”
In January, Liberty Mountain Resort is
offering a $49 Thursday special that includes a ski or snowboard lesson, lift ticket
and equipment rental.
For those who would like to learn weight
lifting, In Fitness in Urbana provides oneon-one training in using free weights,
dumbbells and a full circuit of Nautilus
machines. Weight lifting can help increase
bone density, strength and endurance,
as well as prevent osteoporosis, said Kirk
Reynolds, manager and personal trainer at
In Fitness.
Personal trainers at In Fitness teach
members how to use weights and give feedback to lifters. Healthy adults can work out
with free weights, which use more muscles
than other lifting techniques, according to
Reynolds. A back squat, when performed
with free weights, uses more muscles than
any other weight lift. People with medical
conditions or those who have little experience with weight lifting can use the circuit
of Nautilus machines.
No experience in weight lifting is required before starting training at In Fitness,
and people at all fitness levels are welcome.
Personal trainers are available to help people achieve their fitness goals such as losing
weight or strengthening backs.
For anyone who wants to start weight
lifting for the new year, personal trainers
can help them to start at an appropriate level and gradually build up their strength. At
In Fitness, which is open 24 hours per day,
both men and women trainers are available
to work with participants.
For more information about Zumba
classes at Green Valley YMCA, call
301.607.6900. For more information about
ski lessons at Liberty Mountain Resort, visit
www.libertymountainresort.com. To learn
about the first timer’s guide to skiing, go to
www.libertymountainresort.com/learnto-ski-ride/f irst-timer’s-guide/what-toknow.aspx. For more information about In
Fitness, visit www.infitnessurbana.com.
301.972.3060
pat@anovelbookshop.com
$1.00 from ea. book sold will be donated to help in the fight to stop human trafficking
Don
Hoffacker’s
Air Conditioning
& Heating, Inc.
“We have been given top ratings for both price
& quality by a local, prominent consumer group.”
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check us out on angieslist.com
301-972-0017
Photo | Stacy Ukishima
Urbana Wrestles Westminster to the Ground
Urbana High School's Jarrett Jacobs makes short work of Westminster’s Mike Thomas —
pinning him in 28 seconds. Jacobs’ pin helped Urbana top Westminster in their Dec. 6 season
opener, 45-25.
The Town Courier
January 2015
Page 19
vitalsigns
Can Cold Weather Hurt Your Lower Back?
A
s the temperature
drops, aches and
pains become a frequent occurrence. Without proper warm up and
stretching, activities like
snow shoveling and even
prolonged standing can
trigger low back pain, By Stephanie
knee pain and other inDunker
juries.
It is important to remember that blood
flow to muscles and joints decreases as a direct result of reduced activity. In addition,
the abundance of food during the holidays
results in weight gain for most individuals.
Therefore, it is crucial to stay active, keep
the blood circulation going, and burn extra
calories during winter.
Treatment of injuries is a no-brainer, but
did you know that injury prevention is also
crucial, especially during winter?
Injury Prevention 101 for Winter
If you are going to be lifting and moving
things, shoveling snow or engaging in other forms of exercise, make sure to warm up
and stretch before you begin. Start slowly
and maintain the right posture as you in-
crease the intensity of exercise over 10 to15
minutes. Take short breaks and give your
muscles and joints a chance to adjust to the
task. Use your knees rather than your lower back to lift heavy objects, avoid twisting movements and breathe normally at all
times.
Hold heavy objects close to the body
to reduce strain on the lumbar spine. The
feet should be kept wide apart to increase
the base of support, and the knees must
be slightly bent. Use your entire body to
move objects rather than twisting your
back. If you are shoveling snow, you must
avoid twisting motions of the lower back
such as throwing the snow over the shoulder behind you.
With the right combination of breathing, warm up and the correct technique,
you can reduce the probability of injury
significantly. If you have aches and pains
that get worse during the winter, it may be
time to see a physical therapist. Your therapist will assess your current activity levels
and functional limitations and discuss your
short term and long term goals. All this information will be used to devise a plan of
action to treat the underlying cause of pain
as quickly as possible.
It is important to maintain strength and
stability in the muscles of the torso and
lower back, especially during the winter.
As the snow melts to ice, the risk of slips
and falls increases. Maintaining and improving balance and stability, especially
for seniors, is an important part of physical
therapy and wellness.
Winter is associated with a surge in the
number of persons visiting the emergency room for snow shoveling and fall-related injuries, which is why prevention is so
important. Some simple prevention tech-
niques to maintain posture, improve balance and prevent injuries, combined with
good old fashioned common sense, will
help you enjoy a healthy, happy winter season.
Editor’s Note: Stephanie Dunker co-owns
Urbana’s Sage Orthopedic Physical Therapy
with her husband Dr. Jeremy Dunker. The
Dunkers write Vital Signs on a bi-monthly
basis for The Town Courier. Content for this
column was condensed from Sage Orthopedic’s
newsletter.
www.towncourier.com/urbana
VeyePeyecare.com
301-874-5777
Located in the Villages of Urbana
WHO WE ARE:
Dr. Robert Gertz, Dr. Hediyeh Arjomandi and Optical Manager Michael Coghill have
provided eye care to the Washington Metro Area for a combined 40+ years.
We are proud to announce the opening of our 2nd office in the new
Downtown Crown shopping district in Gaithersburg.
Free Eye Exam
for a child
Robert Gertz OD
Optometrist
Michael Coghill
Optical Manager
with an adult exam
Free Lenses
with purchase of frame
Basic single vision lens only.
Dr. Hediyeh Arjomandi
WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE
V.eye.P. eyecare is proud to team up with the Monocacy Community Lions Club for
the inaugural Urbana Winter Clothing Drive.
V.eye.P. eyecare will be accepting any winter clothing donations for the entire month
of January at our Villages of Urbana location. Any unwanted coats, hats and gloves
will be donated to a local shelter to help the residents of Frederick in need.
Page 20
The Town Courier
January 2015
Happy Holidays
from Elaine Koch
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301-947-6500