March 2014

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Villages of Urbana, Urbana Highlands, Ijamsville and More
The
TOWN
Courier
Vol. 10, No. 3
32 Pages
March 2014
Quince Orchard’s
Loss is Urbana’s Gain
By Kristy Crawford
A
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Gaithersburg MD
Permit #1722
fter a successful 10-year
stint as varsity football
coach for Quince Orchard
High School (QO) in Gaithersburg, Coach Dave Mencarini is
moving to Urbana High School
(UHS), to coach the 2014 season for the Urbana Hawks. An
Urbana resident, Mencarini was
introduced as the newest addition
to Urbana’s athletic staff amid a
cheering crowd in between the
UHS junior varsity and varsity
basketball games on Tuesday evening, Feb. 11.
“We are so very fortunate to
have Dave as our new coach,”
said former Urbana varsity football coach Ryan Hines, who became the UHS athletic director
in January. Hines said he was
very pleased to help bring in
Mencarini as his replacement.
After receiving more than 20 applications and interviewing four
candidates for the position, Hines
said it was an easy decision.
But it wasn’t as simple a decision for Mencarini, known as
“Coach Mac” at QO. “I’m really
excited to be here,” said Menca-
Photo | Tracey McCabe
Coach Ryan Hines (pictured left) with Dave
Mencarini (pictured right), Urbana High
School's new head football coach. Known as
"Coach Mac," Mencarini will be replacing
Coach Hines, who recently became athletic
director for UHS.
rini, “but it was a tough day saying goodbye to my QO Cougars
after such a great experience.” In
late February, he met with school
personnel and students and sent
an e-mail to former players.
“Out of respect to my QO family,” Mencarini said, “I wanted to
make sure they heard the news
from me.”
Mencarini helped the Cougars make the playoffs each year
during his tenure, finish three
seasons undefeated and win the
n
MENCARINI Continued on page 30
Photo | Sally Alt
Urbana’s Kane family (pictured left to right) Kim, Haley, Nathan, Maya and Dan, will be moving to Kampala, Uganda in East Africa sometime
within the next several months. Dan will work as a project manager for Engineering Ministries International (eMi) to help design and manage the
construction of clean water systems, schools, hospitals and orphanages in the area.
Urbana Family Plans to Engage in
Non-Profit Work in East Africa
By Sally Alt
U
rbana residents Dan and Kim Kane are following their dreams to move with their three
children to Kampala, Uganda in East Africa
to help the poor. Dan Kane will work as a project manager for Engineering Ministries International (eMi), a non-profit Christian organization
that helps design and manage the construction of
schools, clean water systems, hospitals and orphanages in the developing world. He will be leaving his
job as a civil engineer at a local government agency
Local Interact Club
Spotlights Dillon Papier
By Morgan McGrady
O
n Sunday, March 30,
the Urbana High School
(UHS) Interact Club
will be hosting a run in honor
of Dillon Papier – a Run for a
Cure. This event will include a
5K hybrid run and a 1K family run. The day will conclude
with a celebratory picnic and
children’s baseball game.
Eleven-year-old Papier has
been living with an extremely rare disease, Niemann-Pick
Type C (NPC), since he was
three. The disease, which includes neurological symptoms,
is so rare that Papier has one of
only 500 known cases in the
n
papier Continued on page 8
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Photo | Submitted
This month, the Urbana High
School Interact Club hosts
Run for a Cure. Held on March
30, this event will raise funds
for the National Niemann-Pick
Disease Foundation, which
honors Urbana resident Dillon
Papier (pictured here), one of
500 people in the world with a
rare strain of this disease.
in the area to work full-time for eMi sometime in
the next several months.
According to Kim, Dan’s wife, residents of rural
East Africa may spend hours every day looking for
water, a task frequently assigned to women. Kim,
who has also worked as a civil engineer, said she
chose her field of study because she thought she
could use her skills to help people. “I’ve always had
the desire to help the poor,” Kim said.
“Water and sanitation are big needs — especially
across the whole central part of Africa,” said Dan.
n
A big move Continued on page 8
Urbana’s Taste of Sochi
By Bethany E. Starin
T
he Sochi Olympics brought
themselves to Urbana a little
early in the 5-foot-3-inch
form of Lillian “Lily” Bass, who
found herself performing four
months ago on the same ice as recent United States gold medalists
Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
“This year, I actually met the
ice dancing Olympians,” Bass
said, adding that when she saw
them win the gold medal for ice
dancing in mid February “it felt
like an honor knowing them.”
Twelve-year-old Bass said her
friend’s dad knows Davis and
White and asked them to come to
an exhibition at a holiday show,
where Bass’s ice skating team was
performing.
“I got to get a picture with
them,” Bass said, growing excited as she talked. “I looked at their
Photo | Submitted
Urbana Middle School student Lily Bass could
hardly breathe when she met her skating heroes and United States Olympians Meryl Davis
and Charlie White on Dec. 16, 2013.
techniques of how they skate and
tried to apply them to my own
skating.”
n
local ice skater
Continued on page 10
Page 2
The Town Courier
March 2014
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 3
shoptalk
By Kristy Crawford
Photo | Submitted
Photo | Brianna Gorman and Courtney Matthews
Dr. Karen Pearson, DVM recently joined Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital
and Pet Resort in Urbana.
Turf Field Moves Forward
Greenbriar Welcomes New Personnel
Local developer Tom Natalli, CEO and president of Natelli Communities, committed to donate $250,000 towards the Urbana High School Stadium Turf Field Capital
Campaign, slated to begin construction this summer if all funding requirements are met. His donation launched the momentum for the project. Here (pictured left
to right) are Tim Mellott, UHS Booster president; Mike Chavez, UHS vice principal; Tom Natelli; Joe Gatewood, former UHS Booster president; and Ryan Hines, UHS
athletic director. “Our schools are at the center of community life in the Urbana region," Natelli said. "It’s important for the families and kids who live here, and
for the future of Frederick County, that we all keep working together and responsibly investing in the great resources we already have.” Hines chimed in: "This is a
great opportunity for all student athletes in the Urbana community, whether the athlete is in 11th grade or third grade, they all will be able to have the privilege of
playing on the best surface possible and in my opinion what will become one of the best high school stadiums in the state of Maryland."
Two new staff members recently joined the Greenbriar Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort in Urbana.
In January, Dr. Karen Pearson, DVM officially joined
the veterinary hospital practice as a general practitioner, specializing in internal medicine and soft tissue
surgery. A Frederick native, Pearson received both her
BS and DVM degrees at Virginia Tech and has been
practicing veterinary medicine since 2004. According
to Pearson, the most important part of her practice is
keeping the lines of communication open.
“I believe it’s crucial to answer any questions a client may have,” Pearson said. Pearson and her husband,
Greg, have two sons, Charlie and Joe, and two dogs,
Lilly and Ruby.
Also new to Greenbriar is lead groomer Heather
Eckert. She is a graduate of the New York School of
Dog Grooming, competed for several years in dog
grooming events throughout the U.S. and has worked
with various grooming salons in the Washington,
D.C. area.
For more information, contact Greenbriar at
301.874.8880, visit www.greenbriarpets.com or go to
its Facebook page.
Delaplaine Hosts Frederick All-County
Student Art Exhibit
By Sally Alt
U
rbana area students were asked
to share their creative talents
with the community in March
at the Frederick All-County Student
Art Exhibit. The free exhibit will be
held at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in downtown Frederick for the entire month. The art
show features more than 300 works of
art created by students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
“It’s just really thrilling,” said Diane Sibbison, the exhibition manager
at the Delaplaine. “These kids are really talented.”
The art exhibit displays a wide variety of art media, including painting,
jewelry, photography, sculpture and
ceramics. Art teachers from schools
throughout the county choose works
of art from their students to show at
the gallery.
“We get the most visitors for this
show,” said Sibbison. The art exhibit, which includes every grade level,
not only recognizes student talent, it
highlights the hard work of art teachers in the community, she said.
The student art exhibit is a great
opportunity for children to see their
own work displayed in a professional setting, said Russell Beaton,
FCPS curriculum specialist, and the
Delaplaine is a good location for the
event.
Urbana Middle School art teacher
n
student exhibit Continued on page 11
Photo| Jennifer Martinez
Nicole Martinez, a sixth grader at Urbana Elementary School, will display her artwork at the Frederick
All-County Student Art Exhibit at the Delaplaine
Visual Arts Education Center this month.
PTSA Meeting Addresses Teen Suicide
By Sally Alt
O
ne in five high school students is considering suicide,
said Jason Barth, coordinator
for Crisis Management Services at
Frederick Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. Barth spoke
about the issue of teen suicide at a
Parent Teacher Student Association
(PTSA) meeting at Urbana High
School (UHS) on Feb. 18.
In crisis situations involving a
teenager’s mental health, community members are often reacting too
late to a problem that they have been
watching develop, said Barth. Instead of intervening when teens first
show signs of having problems, parents or community members often
delay action until young people develop severe behavioral disturbances, perform very poorly in school or
start hurting themselves.
Jonathan Walton, department
chair of school counseling at UHS,
said that teachers and parents can
help prevent teen suicide by showing an interest in young people’s
lives. “Just about every study shows
that teens who feel connected to
family, friends and school are less
likely to feel depressed, alienated or
abandoned, all of which are feelings
strongly aligned with suicidal ideation and attempts,” Walton said.
Walton said that the guidance office at UHS has five counselors who
are trained in suicide prevention and
mental health issues. For students
who need additional support, the
guidance office provides an active
list of therapists who specialize in
specific areas of mental health.
Kim Standing, mother of a UHS
sophomore, attended the meeting.
She said that it is important to address the issue of teen suicide at Urbana High School, because “teen
suicide can happen anywhere.”
Many people have a tendency to
get wrapped up in their day to day
lives and not pay attention to the
n
teen crisis Continued on page 12
Photo | Pam Schipper
Concept plans for the Landon House were recently approved by the
Frederick County Planning Commission. The original house is scheduled
for completion in the fall, and construction will begin later this year on an
additional three smaller buildings on the 5.5 acre property.
Landon House Gets Approval
for Concept Plan
Urbana’s historic Landon House received concept
plan approval on Feb. 12. The Frederick County
Planning Commission approved plans by land owners PRC Ventures LLC. Dr. Praveen Bolarum, Dr.
Rohit Kirbat and Chakri Katepalli are the partners of
PRC, which purchased the property in April, 2013
for $850,000.
The original Landon House building, at the corn
shop talk Continued on page 12
Page 4
The Town Courier
March 2014
askthe editor
Editorial: 240.409.6734
Advertising: 301.606.8833
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
Jennifer Martinez
Advertising Manager
240.899.6703
jennifer@towncourier.com
Sally Alt
News Editor
sallyalt@earthlink.net
Kristy Crawford
News Writer
kbcraw@gmail.com
Student Writers
Morgan McGrady
Madelyne Xiao
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.
Notes from a Home Office
S
ince leaving the
world of magazine
writing when I
moved to Maryland a few
years ago, I have learned
to carve out a nook in
our house for newspaper
work. The Town Courier doesn’t have a working office in Urbana, so By Bethany
E. Starin
our home just a few miles
away became my center
base — and it expanded to become a more
generous traveling “office,” since I would
go to staff meetings at local coffee shops,
go to local residents’ homes for interviews,
stop by events to take photographs and occasionally spend time in local schools giving journalism workshops. This type of
work environment gives The Town Courier a more personal flair, which I love.
But working from home is an adventure.
A self-motivated individual, I thought I
was going to love every aspect of the flexible lifestyle, but quickly learned about my
need for structure. If you work from home
or know someone who does, here are some
tricks that help me be efficient and creative.
Set up work space
Our kitchen table was my first desk. To
keep things a little bit separate, I sat in one
chair for meals and the one to the left for
work — somehow this helped me mentally
keep work times distinct. I loved writing a
column, then throwing in laundry and then
editing for a few hours. It seemed like the
best of both worlds.
Soon, I realized I wasn’t efficient. While
my work still got done, it was taking more
time because I was sitting right next to the
stack of dishes to be put away and bills to be
paid. My mind was divided. So I grabbed
the Target desk I had had since college and
moved it into our guest room — add my
laptop, a bright blue lamp and a slate coaster and I was set. Rough beginnings but it
was just what I needed. Something about
creating a distinct work space separated my
personal life from my work and improved
efficiency immediately.
Set the mood
It might sound ridiculous, but I once read
on a successful business owner’s blog that
she lights a delicious-smelling candle in
her home office to improve her work ethic.
Just as bringing a piping hot cup of coffee
(with a little cream) to my desk motivates
my work, I decided to try the candle idea.
She's right; it provides a friendly warmth.
Vary your schedule
Today, our power has gone out again due
to nearby construction — the third time in
one week — taking our heat and our Internet out with it. This type of challenge
makes it hard to get my to-do list checked
off but it can also help vary my schedule.
Find a nearby coffee shop that makes your
favorite latte or brews a cup of delicious
black iced tea (Frederick’s Baltimore Coffee and Tea makes the best blackberry iced
tea) and make plans to work from there one
day a week.
Lists and More Lists
When I wake up in the morning, my
brain is quickly off in a million directions
and nothing tethers that energy more than
jotting down a list on paper. My most productive days always begin with a plan, so
to get to the planning stage, I begin with
a brain dump. Write down everything you
have to get done that day, that week — just
follow your stream of consciousness. Then
make separate lists and carry just the list of
work items to your office with you.
she uses this saying to prioritize her work
days — “Eat that frog!” In other words, she
said, begin your day by doing the hardest
task first. It works every time.
Exercise
There is truly no excuse for those of us
who work at home for not carving out a
half hour for a jog, a walk or to lift weights.
Just back from a run, I find myself far more
motivated than if I sit sluggishly all day. My
brain might be working incredibly hard,
but getting your body moving makes all
the difference.
From my home office this month, I interviewed via phone a talented young woman,
Lily Bass, who is our own little taste of the
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Lily, who
lives in the Villages of Urbana and has been
ice skating since she was 4, travels once a
week to practice with her team, Team Delaware, and is off this week to compete in
the Nationals for her age group. Flip to the
front page to hear more about her story and
how she met the gold medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
Also this month, The Town Courier is
thrilled to introduce the newest member
of the Urbana High School (UHS) athletic
staff. Coach Dave Mencarini just came on
board to coach the Hawks football team.
Former Urbana varsity football coach Ryan
Hines, who stepped back from coaching to
become UHS’ Athletic Director, said that
UHS is extremely fortunate to have Mencarini on the team. Mencarini is not only
a longtime Urbana resident and member
of the community, he brings an expansive
experience and a lot of passion. For more
on Mencarini's excitement about UHS and
the legacy and impact he leaves in Gaithersburg, see the front page as well as page 27.
For next month, stay tuned to The Town
Courier for an in-depth article on the
proposed turf field that the Urbana High
School Boosters Club staff hopes to install
in May. Also, see page 3 for tidbits of information on the turf field. For any other topics, letters to the editor or anything
else, please drop me a line any time at
bethany@towncourier.com or reach me at
240.409.6734.
Eat That Frog
A dear friend of mine in Virginia, who
also works from home, laughingly told me
yourviews
Portuguese Connection
Dressed for Success
Complements on a fine article about
Orion and the Portuguese wine connection in the current Courier. Good research,
too. Thanks also to Sally Alt for the companion article. My next beer/wine run will
be to Orion — my favorite constellation,
too. I took my elderly father (late 80s) and
his second wife to the Turning Point wine
cellar to eat. They liked the traditional setting. Congrats again on a fine article. You
are helping make the Courier a substantial
read. Thanks.
— David and Jean Spaans, Villages of
Urbana residents
Editor:
I saw the article about my dress shop in
the Shop Talk in the latest issue of Urbana Town Courier. Thank you so much for
the nice article. I have already gotten a call
from a client because she saw the article
and liked it.
As a resident of Urbana, I really appreciate that we have the Urbana Town Courier
as the newspaper for the community.
Thanks again.
— Margaret Chen, owner of Urbana’s
FashionLib
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 5
localpalate Photos | Sarah Withers
Chipotle mayonnaise makes this 4-ounce filet mignon, served on a toasted bun, especially delicious.
By Sarah Withers
Before jumping into a meal, this Atlantic Grille appetizer is a must-try — the crab pretzel is a
delicious mix of pretzel dough, cheese and tasty crab.
Review: Urbana’s Atlantic Grille
A
s the ercentage of people with dietary restrictions grows, it’s nice to
know where you can grab a bite no
matter what someone in your party can
or can’t eat. The Atlantic Grille in Urbana is one of those neighborhood spots. I
stopped by one Sunday afternoon and was
pleasantly surprised to find a robust menu
and friendly regulars. I was dining solo, so
I bellied up to the bar and ordered myself
what looked like a small feast.
The brunch menu that’s available on
Sundays until 2 p.m. was tempting and
the healthier options section of the menu
sounded great (they include some gluten-free options, as well as choices for
vegetarians), but I opted for something a
little more signature. The crab pretzel and
filet sandwich with sweet potato fries and
house-made coleslaw seemed like it would
satisfy my cravings.
When the pretzel came out, the bartender remarked that mine looked particularly good and I had to agree. It’s hard to go
wrong with carbs, cheese and crab. It was
really tasty, I almost forgot I had a sandwich coming. When my sandwich arrived
however, I was glad I left some room. The
filet mignon was cooked perfectly and the
chipotle mayonnaise provided the perfect
amount of kick.
While I was enjoying lunch, I overheard
the bartender chatting with some other
customers. Turns out they were enjoying
the restaurant for the second time that day,
having already been there for breakfast that
morning. I also noticed a Terrible Towel hanging over the bar (it’s a Pittsburgh
Steelers fan flag) and some Redskins paraphernalia. I mention this for those already
counting down the days until next football
season.
Radio Beast Visits Urbana
For some pre-St. Patrick’s Day fun, head over to the Atlantic
Grille, located in the heart of Urbana on March 15. Radio Beast,
a local band, is scheduled to play live from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
I’m considering a return visit for Sunday
breakfast, or maybe to catch “Radio Beast”
on March 15. The band is scheduled to play
live from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. as part of Saint
Patrick’s Day fun. For more information,
visit www.atlanticgrilleurbana.com or call
301.810.5220. The restaurant is on John
Simmons Street in Frederick.
Editor’s Note: Sarah Withers is the owner of
Taste Frederick Food Tours, the most delicious
way to take a tour of downtown Frederick, Md.
She enjoys eating her way through Frederick
County and you can find her tweeting and instagraming about her Frederick dining adventures
at @tastefrederick.
SAVE THE DATE!
The Second Annual
Sat., April 26th, 2014
11:00 – 4:00
Rain or Shine
$5.00 per Person*
Children 3 and under are FREE
Urbana High School
3471 Campus Drive,
Ijamsville MD, 21754
*Allows unlimited access to inflatable attractions, games, etc.
Some UHS Clubs might charge a nominal fee
*Food and Craft/Business Vendor Prices Will Vary
FEATURING FUN
FOR THE
Live Entertainment and Music
Events from UHS Clubs and Organizations
Mechanical Rides
Face Painting
Rock Climbing Wall
Games
ENTIRE FAMILY!
Petting Zoo
Moon Bounces
Giant Zip Line
Velcro Wall
Silent Auction
Craft/Business Vendors
Over 40+ More Events and Attractions
*All events are subject to change
If you are interested in VOLUNTEERING or For More Information
Contact Stephen Ward @ Stephen.ward@fcps.org
Craft and Business Vendors are invited to attend!
Please contact Cathy Mitchell @ seven_of_us@msn.com if
you are interested in participating in the event.
Special thanks to some of our sponsors: Mediterranean Corner • The Lodge • Pizza Hut • Family Meal • Brian Voltaggio
Page 6
The Town Courier
March 2014
aroundtOWN
By Kristy Crawford
Urbana Art and Soul Benefit
L
ast month, Urbana Art and Soul held a fundraiser workshop to benefit two local children affected
by an autoimmune disorder. Twelve-year-old Sera
Whitt is often an active and happy sixth grader at Oakdale
Middle School. But one evening in November 2011, the
confident and happy girl suddenly broke down crying and
spent several evenings in misery. After meeting with three
specialists and enduring numerous lab tests, Sera was diagnosed with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus, otherwise known as
PANDAS.
PANDAS is an autoimmune disorder triggered by viruses or bacteria such as strep throat. The immune system
of children stricken with the illness releases antibodies to
fight the infection, then the antibodies attack and inflame
the brain. Sera experienced severe neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD), an inability to concentrate and age regression. She
could no longer attend school, and often could not leave
her home.
Conventional treatments were ineffective. Then the
Whitt family learned of intravenous immunoglobulin
treatment, a plasma product containing the antibodies
from thousands of donors, also known as IVIG. Unfortunately, the treatment is not a permanent cure, is very expensive and is not covered by insurance companies. “They
consider IVIG experimental,” Whitt said. The cost for the
treatment was more than $7,000, which the Whitts were
only able to afford by depleting their savings and through
the kindness of family and friends.
After undergoing IVIG treatment in the spring of 2012,
Sera’s condition improved considerably and she was able to
return to school and enjoy life again. Then tragedy struck
the family again.
In the fall of 2012, Sera’s brother,
Jake, then 13, began experiencing
similar symptoms. The honor roll student became depressed and anxious
and couldn’t concentrate in class. He
developed a speech disorder, called
blocking. “His brain knew what he
wanted to say,” said Whitt, “but he
couldn’t get the words out.” Test results were normal at first, until December, when Jake was also diagnosed
with PANDAS. Just recently, Sera’s
symptoms have returned. “It’s possible
that they both will need several IVIG
treatments to correct their immune
system and prevent the antibodies
Photo | Submitted
from attacking their brains and causing years of debilitating symptoms,” Ashlyn White (pictured left) and her friend Sera Whitt (pictured right) display information on PANDAS, a
little-known illness with which both Sera and her brother Jake have been diagnosed. Urbana’s Art and Soul
said Whitt.
Friends and family have rallied to studio recently held a benefit to help the Whitt family pay for very expensive treatments for the disease.
support the Whitts, and two accounts are set up with the
PANDAS is considered a much more prevalent disorder
popular donations website GoFundMe.
that is rarely diagnosed, and many children may be affectIn January, Urbana resident and owner of Urbana Art ed. Whitt and her husband, Russell, created a large inforand Soul Studio Manda Mackintosh learned of the fam- mation display for the event to help others learn about this
ily’s troubles and wanted to help. Mackintosh dedicated disease, which often starts with strep throat. “We want
her annual Valentine’s Day event to the Whitt family. On parents to learn more about PANDAS so more children
Friday, Feb. 14, Art from the Heart invited anyone to the can be helped,” Whitt said.
open-studio workshop to make a valentine heart of their
To learn more about the Sera and Jake Whitt, visit their
own and donate to Sera and Jake’s IVIG fund. Families
pages
at www.gofundme.org. More information on PANcreated plastic heart pins for $5 each, to keep or to donate
to raise funds for the Whitt’s medical fund. “I thought it DAS is available at www.pandasnetwork.org and www.
would be a great way to help this local family,” Mackin- strepmonster.com. Mackintosh plans to hold other events
tosh said, “plus a way to spread the word about PANDAS to benefit the Whitt children. Visit the Art and Soul website at www.urbanaartandsoul.com.
to the community.”
Photo | Submitted
Photo | Pam Schipper
Ice drenches Urbana during one of the many storms to hit the area this winter in February.
Members of the high school orchestra prepare to perform at the All-County Music Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Thomas
Johnson High School. Of the 32 selected orchestra members, 26 were from Urbana High School, four from Linganore High
School and two from Walkersville High School.
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The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 7
aroundtOWN
By Kristy Crawford
Urbana Salon Helping the Homeless
Denise Duvall, owner of Urbana Salon, recently reached out to the Greater Urbana Area
Food Bank to help the community. “Times are
still tough,” Duvall said, “so I wanted to do
something to give back.” Urbana Salon is now
offering free hair services to homeless patrons
of the food bank. Several of the salon’s stylists
will provide haircuts and color services free of
charge, when referred by the food bank. And
customers who bring in canned food donations
will be treated to free deep-conditioning hair
treatments. “We’re so grateful to Denise and
the stylists for their love and attention to the
community,” said Jo Ostby, who runs the food
bank with her husband, Larry.
For more information, visit the Urbana Salon at 3409B Urbana Pike, call 301.874.8600 or
visit the Greater Urbana Food Bank Facebook
page.
Photo | Submitted
Larry and Jo Ostby (pictured left), co-managers of the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank, pose with Denise Duvall, owner of Urbana Salon, who is donating free haircuts to area
homeless people and free hair services to customers who donate to the food bank.
Improved Facilities at the Urbana Food Bank
Community Rallies for Neighbor
Jo and Larry Ostby run the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank from their home
property, serving more than 150 families in need in southern Frederick County.
For a year, the Ostbys have made known their wish for a separate bathroom for
the convenience of their visitors. “We have been praying for a bathroom in the
food bank for a very long time,” said Jo Ostby.
With the help of a fellow parishioner at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Urbana, their prayers have been answered. Steve Benner owns Handcrafters LLC in
Ijamsville, and has been building and renovating homes in Maryland for more
than 20 years. He and his wife, Mary, offered to build the bathroom for free.
With some of their own money and additional donations from the community,
the new bathroom was built for all visitors to use. “Steve and Mary both have
a heart for helping,” Ostby said. “They donated supplies and Steve offered his
handyman skills as a love donation. There’s nothing that guy can’t do!”
For more information on the Greater Urbana Food Bank, visit its Facebook
page. For information on Handcrafters, call 301.471.1637.
As usual, the Urbana community is coming together to help a friend
in need. Longtime Villages of Urbana
resident Tom Villeneuve suffers from a
rare, aggressive form of cancer known
as Sezary syndrome. The cancerous
cells are found in the skin, lymph nodes
and blood, and symptoms first include
an itchy rash, thickened skin and hair
loss. The cancerous cells often spread to
other organs and can cause other types
of cancer.
After numerous chemotherapy and
radiation treatments, the final option
for Villeneuve is a stem cell transplant.
On April 3 from 4 to 8 p.m., the
Natelli Community Center in the
Villages of Urbana will be the site of a
“swab drive.” The event host, Be The
Match, is operated by the National
Bone Marrow Program to maintain
an international registry to match
bone marrow and stem cell patients to
donors. Program volunteers will take
a quick swab of each visitor’s cheek
for information to be entered into
the donor registry. There is no cost
for the event, and for anyone found
to be a match, all costs are covered
for the donation. More information
can be found at www.lymphoma.net,
www.bethematch.org, or contact Sarah
Villeneuve at SwabForTom@gmail.
com.
Photo | Submitted
Mary and Steve Benner pose with Larry Ostby, right, who runs the
Greater Urbana Area Food Bank with his wife, Jo. The Ostbys said they
are grateful for the generous donations of supplies from the
Benners and for Steve’s handiwork in building a bathroom for
visitors and volunteers.
Urbana Food Bank Receives Community Service Award
Photo | Submitted
Jo Ostby, director of the Greater Urbana Food Bank, is the 2014
recipient of the Frederick chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) Community Service Award. Pictured left to right: Susan
Esworthy, science teacher, New Market Middle School; DeeDee Pucino,
parent volunteer, NMMS; Jo Ostby; Larry Ostby; and DAR Community
Service Chair Delores Shade. Not pictured: Regent Oyler; Ronald Regan,owner and chef, Monocacy Crossing Restaurant; and Father Michael
Jendrik, pastor, St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church.
So far, 2014 has been a very good year for the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank.
With the generosity and help of the community, the food bank helps 158 area families in need on a regular basis. Jo Ostby and her husband, Larry, have administered
the food bank for more than 20 years. These days, several area churches, schools,
scouts and other community organizations plus area restaurants work with them to
provide food, toiletries, furniture and medical assistance for needy families.
To recognize their contribution, The Frederick Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Society presented its annual National Community Service
Award to the Ostbys in January. Community Service Committee Chair Delores
Shade and Regent Teresa Oyler presented Jo Ostby with a certificate and pin to
honor her long-time help to the community.
“Mrs. Ostby is a survivor of breast cancer,” exclaimed Shade. “She takes a daily
chemotherapy pill, works several part-time jobs plus coordinates her schedule to be
home to meet families who need assistance every week.”
For more information about the award or the food bank, visit the Greater Urbana
Food Bank Facebook page, or contact the Frederick Chapter DAR at FrederickDAR@gmail.com.
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The Town Courier
■ a big move
from page 1
People can become sick and even die, because of a lack of access to clean water, he
added. It has been hard to ignore the problem in Africa when we know we can be
helping others, he said.
Kim hopes the experience of living in
East Africa will help her children see a
different view of the world and develop a
heart for those in need. “Here we live in
comfort,” she said, adding that “sometimes
it’s easy to forget there’s a world beyond us”
where people live in extreme poverty, and
they “can’t just go to the kitchen to get a
cup of water.”
The couple’s third-grade daughter, Haley, said that even though she feels sad to
leave family and friends, she is excited
about the move to East Africa, because the
experience will be “new and adventurous.”
Her sister, Maya, a fifth grader, said that
she also feels sad about leaving family and
friends, but is looking forward to the hot
weather. Kane’s seventh grade son, Nathan, said he has “mixed feelings” about
the move, expressing concern that he won’t
have access to the Internet or be able to
play football and basketball in Africa.
Dan traveled as an eMi volunteer to help
the people of Kenya for two weeks in 2011
when they were suffering from a devastating drought. He learned that people had to
spend several hours each day walking eight
to 10 kilometers to get enough water for
the family.
Dan had helped to build a bridge in Panama during his junior year in college, and
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he traveled to Uganda as part
of a master’s degree program in
international development. He
has also spent time traveling in
India and Mexico.
“It will be a challenge to
move to a different culture,”
Dan said. Uganda’s motorists
drive on the opposite side of
the road, and the local residents
primarily eat vegetables, fruit
and fish, instead of packaged
foods. In Uganda, the cost of a
box of cereal is about $10.
An eMi staff member sugPhoto | Submitted
gested that the family shut off Water and sanitation are big needs throughout central Africa, and resithe power at home several times dents may spend hours each day looking for water, according to Dan and
each week before traveling to Kim Kane, who plan to move to Uganda to help improve conditions in
Uganda in order to become the region.
accustomed to power outages,
their own salaries. So far, Dan has raised a
which are common in the country.
little more than half of the money he needs
Every family member is limited to tak- in order to move to Uganda and work for
ing three suitcases with them to Uganda. eMi.
Kim said that she has been advised to pack
For Dan, working to help improve congood kitchen tools and Tupperware to ditions in Uganda is more than just a job.
bring with her.
He said, “I feel like we’ve been called to do
Upon their move, the family will not
something about this need.”
need to learn another language. “English
In order to make a donation to eMi for
is one of the official languages of Uganda,”
Dan
Kane, please visit www.emiworld.org/
Dan said, adding that this factor was one
donate.php and
donate to account number
of the reasons why he and his family chose
2133.
To
learn
more
about the Kane’s trip
Uganda as their new home.
to
Africa,
please
visit www.facebook.com/
Because eMi offers its services for free,
staff members need to raise funds to pay kanes2africa.
■ papier
from page 1
world. But Papier is still strong and continues to enjoy his childhood. In fact, he does
not let NPC stop him from living his life
much like any other 11 year old: You can
find him on the baseball field enjoying every
play.
UHS Senior Katherine McKee has known
Papier and his family for many years and
thought of Dillon when planning this year’s
local project for the Interact Club.
Members of the club meet every other
Friday afternoon, and have been putting
many hours of preparation into this anticipated event. McKee, treasurer of the Interact Club, described the preparation as “a lot
of communication with other people.” She
helped create the flyers, design T-shirts and
publicize the event on the radio.
Jeremy Nguyen, also a senior at UHS
and a board member of the Interact Club,
has been a part of the club since his junior
year. He has set up the website for sign ups,
helped create the flyer and researched sources for porta-potties.
Senior Tyler McDonald, a first year member of Interact, helped oversee the logistics
for the event. McDonald is the volunteer organizer and has helped with marketing for
the event. It will be “[a] really fun time, and
if you are not there you will be missing out,”
he said.
McKee, Nguyen and McDonald are all
looking forward to seeing their hard work
come together, and seeing Dillon.
Darrile and Mark Papier, Dillon’s parents,
first heard about this event from McKee
months ago. “[We are] overwhelmed that
Dillon was selected,” said Darrile. She and
her husband are grateful to the community and the students for organizing this event
which, said Darrile, “Provides us [with]
strength and encouragement to continue to
fight for a cure.”
Run for the Cure will feature two races. Starting off the event is the 5K Hybrid
run at 9 a.m., designed to be family friendly.
The run will traverse many terrains, including grass and concrete. At 10 a.m. there will
be a 1K family walk.
A celebratory picnic and a children’s pickup wiffle ball game will be held after the
race. Food for the picnic can be donated on
the day of the race. “It will be very relaxed
atmosphere, so everyone can enjoy their
time,” said McKee.
Raffle tickets will be sold at the event, for
$1 per ticket. Raffle prizes include a monthlong membership at Sarge Athletics training
facility, and two baseball lessons with a pro
baseball player. Each of the prizes are valued
at $100.
All money that is raised from this event
will be donated to the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation. The Interact Club’s goal is to raise $5,000.
The event will be held at the McKeever
land, on 3338-B Prices Distillery Road in
Ijamsville. If the event is rained out, it will
be held on April 6.
To run or walk in one of the events please
visit
www.active.com/ijamsville-md/
running/distance-running-races/5k-fordillon-papier-2014. Sign up before March
29 for an early discount, or sign up at the
event for $30.
If you cannot participate in the race but
still want to donate to the Nieman Pick
Foundation please send checks to UHS Interact Club, Southern Frederick County
Rotary, P.O. Box 41, Monrovia, Md., 21770.
Editor’s Note: Morgan McGrady is a junior at
Urbana High School. McGrady lives in the Urbana Highlands, is involved at Mountain View
Community Church as student leader and is passionate about reporting on community topics.
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 9
show& tell
Aizah Usmani Is a Budding Poet
By Bethany E. Starin
A
izah Usmani is a 10-year-old who
aspires to be a doctor or a dentist,
someone that helps people. But in
her spare time, you can find her writing
poems and often, poems that rhyme.
“I like to rhyme,” Aizah said, who is
in fifth grade at Centerville Elementary
School. “It comes easy to me because I always have liked to rhyme. In school we do
word studies so that help me as well.”
Her first poem was written in second
grade, a poem that won her a first place slot
in the Young Author’s Contest where she
was competing with students across Frederick County.
“It was a contest that was happening in
our school. I just decided to give it a try
and I won it so after that I decided to start
writing poems,” she said.
Her first poem was about flowers, something she loves and a topic that came easily
to her, she said. While Aizah said she does
research for her poems, her favorite topics
to write about are things from her memory.
“I usually write about my experiences,”
she said.
Here is a sampling of Aizah’s poems, which she pens over the weekends from her Urbana
home:
Swinging with the Stars
I like to swing with the sun
But swinging with the star is more fun
I swing, I swing, I swing so high
I swing until I reach the sky
Up high I hear the croaks and ribbits
Down low I see the tiny crickets
In the sky I see Russia and Paris
I see Greece and Italy till I land
on my terrace
I hope that I will have a good sleep
For the memories that I will keep
— Aizah Usmani, Aug. 9, 2011
Summer
Summer, Summer, sharp green grass
Beautiful meadows with amazing mass
Summer, Summer, bright yellow sun
Kids running, playing, having fun
Summer, Summer, crisp cool nights
Crickets chirping noisily until the sun's
first lights
Summer, Summer delicious cold foods
Ice cream, watermelon, inspiring
good moods
Summer, Summer, a joyous time for all
I'll miss you when it's time for fall
— Aizah Usmani, 2013
Poems are her favorite way to write, but
she said it still can be a challenge.
“Sometimes it comes easy to me if it’s a
topic I like to write about, but sometimes it
challenges me,” she said. “If it is something
I don’t know a lot about.”
While Aizah said she doesn’t know any
other poets, she likes to read Emily Dickinson’s poems, which she said are a mix of
funny and serious poems. Aizah also loves
Shel Siverstein's work, a poet who writes
funny pieces.
“I have read poem books and they inspire me,” she said.
Photo | Submitted
Aizah Usmani is just 10 years old but already loves poetry.
A fifth grader at Centeville Elementary School, she lives
in Urbana.
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Young Artist Tanner Rupinta
By Eleanor Crawford
E
ight year old Tanner Rupinta
dreams of being a professional baseball player. Rupinta knows that famous artist Keith Haring got his start by
sketching in his room, and dreams that
he himself, by playing little league style
baseball, might achieve this fantasy of
hitting home runs with major leaguers.
Anyone who makes it anywhere big has
to start small, right?
Tanner, who is in the third grade at
Centerville Elementary, did a tribute
artwork piece in the style of Keith Haring. The colorful piece depicts a figure
with various patterns and the motion
lines that Haring made famous encircling him. Tanner says that his figure is
“doing a disco dance.”
As he was raised with an artistic mother, Adrienne Rupinta, Rupinta most
likely has some experience in addition to
the talent that his third grade art teacher,
Suzanne Thornton, noticed and pointed out. While his aspirations lie more in
sports than art, Tanner wants to continue to do art as he gets older.
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Pictured here is Tanner Rupina's art piece, done as a
tribute to Keith Haring.
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Page 10
■ local ice skater
from page 1
Bass, who is currently in seventh grade at
Urbana Middle School, has been passionate about ice skating since the first time her
teenage sister Jessi helped her put on her
first pair of skates. She was just 4 years old
at the time.
“My older sister took me to the skating
rink for a public session and I kept doing it
from there,” she said. “I knew my older sister could do it, so it gave me confidence.”
After more public skates Bass began
group lessons, and five years ago took on
private lessons held at Frederick area ice
rinks. She practices six days a week during
freestyle sessions, which local rinks limit to
skaters taking private lessons. In between
school and her hours of practice, Bass is
prepping her body through body weight
circuits at home.
“I do a lot of pushups and curl-ups and
planks because you really need good core
strength to have the perfect posture,” she
said, adding that she also spends a lot of
time stretching.
Last April, she auditioned and earned a
The Town Courier
slot on the juvenile team at Team Delaware, a competitive synchronized skating
team based out of the University of Delaware. Being on a team motivates her, she
said.
“Synchronized skating is a team of 16 to
20 girls normally,” Bass said, “We have a
routine that is composed of seven to eight
elements.” She added that her favorite elements are the creative elements where “you
get to show off your spins and some of your
jumps.”
While on this team, the girls have won
one bronze medal and three pewter medals.
The last day of February, they will be competing at the 2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Colorado Springs,
Co. Currently, Bass added, she is working
on her freestyle skills, including jumping
and spinning and also on her synchronized
skating. Her best skill is her jumps, Bass
said, because she has the shorter torso and
long legs that gives them height.
“I like the feeling like you are flying,”
she said. “I remember my first jump. The
first time I actually got to land on my feet.
It felt like you were flying but there was
no end.”
For a skater to get to the point where
she can jump on the ice and land squarely
on her skates, Bass said skaters practice off
ice and on a trampoline. She’s also found a
trick that helps her improve: “I video myself and watch myself and try to critique,”
she said.
In the future, this ice skater said she
would love to make the United States
Olympian team — if they add her favorite
sport.
“If synchronized skating is in the Olympics, I would love to be on that Olympic
team. They are trialing it this year, so we
are hoping [it will be added] at the next
March 2014
Olympics,” she said.
Watching the Olympics this year, two
skaters caught her eye, Bass said — Gracie
Gold and Julia Lipnitskaia.
“They are very young skaters in that
they were able to get this far in only a short
number of years. Julia is 15,” she said of
the Russian ice skater. United States skater
Gracie Gold is 18.
Bass’s future goal is to make the intermediate team at Team Delaware, also based
at the University of Delaware. As for now,
she heads to that national tournament on
Feb. 25 in Colorado Springs.
www.towncourier.com/urbana
Photo | Submitted
Urbana’s Lillian “Lily” Bass, 12, performs with her current ice skating team, Team Delaware, based out of the University of
Delaware. She commutes once a week to practice with her team.
The Town Courier
March 2014
schoolnotes
Compiled By Bethany E. Starin
IB Showcase 2014
Urbana High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program hosted its
annual showcase on Feb. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. Current 11th and 12th grade
students in IB displayed the work they’d produced with the program’s guidance. Displays included art works, musical performances, computer programs
and research papers.
“The show is an opportunity for IB juniors and seniors to share all their hard
work and talents with the Frederick community,” said IB coordinator Helen
Golibart. “It’s also a time for families to come to the school to learn about the
program and to support the program through our silent auction.”
Silent auction items are donated by local families and businesses. This
year’s sponsors included items from Café Rio, Four Streams Golf Club, Frederick Sport and Spine Clinic, Linganore Wine Cellars, River Riders Adventure
Park, Jazzercise Green Valley and Community Bridge.
Proceeds from the silent auction fund Urbana High School scholarships.
The auction raises about $2,000 each year. These funds cover the costs of IB
exams. To donate to the IB scholarship fund, please send checks to Urbana
High School in care of Helen Golibart.
— By Madelyne Xiao
High School Students Explore
Legal Careers
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS)
features a free seminar on Civics and Law
on March 8. This event, from 8:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m., offers students opportunities
to explore legal jobs by interacting with
and engaging local attorneys and judges.
To register, go to www.frederickbar.
org. The sponsors for this event include
the Bar Association of Frederick County,
Citizenship Law Related Education
Program and FCPS.
UHS Interact Club 5K to Benefit
Dillon Papier
The Urbana High School Interact
Club hosts a 5K run for Urbana’s Dillon
Papier, a local child diagnosed with the
rare Niemann-Pick Disease. The race will
be held on March 30 with all proceeds
■ student exhibit
from page 3
Timothy Snyder selected a drawing made
by sixth grader Nicole Martinez for the
show. For a class assignment, Martinez
Nicole used charcoal to draw a deer skull
with vines, an image that was inspired by
a Georgia O’Keefe painting. “It was really
fun to do,” Nicole said.
Jennifer Martinez, Nicole’s mother, said
that Snyder is very supportive of his students and loves his job. “He’s inspiring creativity in students,” she event.
Urbana Middle School art teacher Timothy Snyder selected a drawing made by
sixth grader Nicole Martinez for the show.
For a class assignment, Martinez used charcoal to draw a deer skull with vines, an image that was inspired by a Georgia O'Keefe
painting. “It was really fun to do,” Nicole
said.
Jennifer Martinez, Nicole's mother, said
that Snyder is very supportive of his students and loves his job. “He's inspiring creativity in students,” she said. Nicole, who
wants to be an artist when she grows up,
said that seeing Snyder’s own artwork on
the classroom walls has provided inspiration for her art projects. She added that he
has helped her to use different kinds of art
benefitting the Niemann-Pick Foundation.
For more information, visit www.active.
com/ijamsville-md/running/distancerunning-races/5k-for-dillon-papier-2014,
and see the story on page 1.
Judges Needed for UMS
Science Fair
If you are a science enthusiast, consider
being a judge for Urbana Middle School’s
(UMS) Eighth Annual UMS Science Fair
on Wednesday, March 19. Judging will begin with an orientation at 2:30 pm. The
goal is to have 120 student projects from
all grades, based on categories from animal
sciences and engineering to microbiology,
earth science and more.
Contact
Dave
Adamiak,
UMS
enrichment specialist, regarding what
category or categories you want to
judge. He can be reached at 240.566.9294
or at david.adamiak@fcps.org.
media and improve her artistic skills.
Nicole, who displayed her artwork at
The Buzz cafe in Monrovia in the fourth
grade, said that she most enjoys drawing
pictures of dragons and creating other fantasy drawings. She also likes to paint and
make clay sculptures for her family and
teachers. Nicole attends art class every day
at Urbana Middle School and is currently
working on a pointillism art piece by using
small dots of color to create a picture.
Nicole said that her parents support her
artistic endeavors by enrolling her in pottery classes and buying her art supplies.
Her parents also took Nicole and her twin
brother to visit the Louvre in Paris. Jennifer Martinez said that Nicole and her
brother really enjoyed seeing the art. “The
kids didn’t want to leave,” she said.
Nicole was “really happy” to be included
in the Delaplaine exhibit. She has wanted
to display her work ever since she had a
birthday party at the Delaplaine and saw
other students’ art on exhibit there.
The student art exhibit allows parents
and other community members to see what
students are creating in visual arts classes,
Russell said. He added, “It’s a unique opportunity to really appreciate the creative
expression that students have, and we look
forward to it every year.”
Page 11
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Page 12
The Town Courier
policeblotter Dangerous Substance Arrest
At about 2:34 p.m. on Feb. 18, members
of the Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office
P.A.C.E. unit charged two Virginia residents with narcotics possession.
Adam Ritenour, 29, of Edinburg, Va.,
was arrested and charged with possession
of heroin. It was later determined that
Adam Ritenour had two active warrants
for his arrest, one through Virginia and the
other through Howard County, Md.
Kristie Ellison, 31, of Woodstock, Va.,
was issued a criminal citation for possession
of drug paraphernalia and then released
from the scene.
The arrests occurred after members of
the P.A.C.E. unit conducted a traffic stop
on Interstate 70, just west of Route 180.
Subsequently, a sheriff ’s K-9 unit responded and conducted a scan of the vehicle. After a positive alert by the K-9 unit, a search
of the vehicle and occupants was conducted. The search resulted in deputies seizing
heroin and drug paraphernalia.
Ritenour is currently being held at the
Frederick County Adult Detention Center
on a $6,000 bond.
Death Investigation
On Feb. 16 at about 7:48 a.m. deputies
and EMS personnel were dispatched to
the 5900 block of Picnic Woods Road in
Jefferson for an unresponsive 3-month-old
infant boy. EMS initially transported the
infant to Frederick Memorial Hospital.
Later he was flown to Children’s National
Medical Center.
On Feb. 17, the hospital notified the
Sheriff ’s Office that the infant child had
died that morning. His body was to be
transported to Office of the Chief Medical
Examiner in Washington, D.C. where an
autopsy was to be conducted to determine
the cause and manner of death. Frederick
County Bureau of Investigation (FCBI)
Investigator Dan Romeril is handling the
ongoing investigation.
Heroin, Paraphernalia Seized
On Wednesday, Feb. 12, at about 4:32
p.m. members of the Frederick County
■ teen crisis
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www.GreenValleyMontessori.com
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.
from page 3
needs of teens, said Standing. It is important to be observant and to listen to young
people.
Barth said that many people are not aware
of the variety of mental health care services
available to teens. He said that it is best to
avoid bringing a suicidal teen to the emergency room “when there may be a better or
more effective option.”
Parents, friends and suicidal teens can dial
2-1-1 for help 24 hours a day, any day of the
year. “You can reach somebody within seconds who is right here in the county and able
to answer your questions,” said Barth.
In addition, the Children’s Mobile Crisis Program will respond to a mental health
crisis for free, said Barth. A mental health
professional can meet young people who
need support at a location of their choice.
The program is a “tremendous asset,” he
said. In addition, teens in crisis can contact
the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(800.273.8255).
Mental health programs are available for
young people with problems that are significant yet do not require full hospitalization,
according to Barth. In these programs, teens
go to a hospital during the day on weekdays,
because their symptoms are so severe that
they can’t be managed by standard therapy or
monthly doctor visits. Teens who need men-
March 2014
Compiled by Bethany E. Starin
Sheriff ’s Office P.A.C.E. unit conducted
a traffic stop on eastbound Interstate 70 at
exit 56. The P.A.C.E. unit members detected an odor of a controlled dangerous
substance coming from the vehicle. They
conducted a search of the vehicle and
seized heroin and drug paraphernalia.
The driver, identified as Danielle Elizabeth Lengyel of Middletown, was arrested
and transported to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. Lengyel was
charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The day before, on Tuesday, Feb. 11,
at about 11:35 pm, a deputy from the
n
police blotter Continued on page 18
tal health care also have the option of participating in intensive outpatient programs
three days every week.
The Guide to Mental Health and Community Support Services is another useful
resource that provides current information
about psychologists, psychiatrists and other
mental health caregivers in Frederick County, said Barth. The guide is available online
at the Mental Health Association of Frederick County web site.
“We need to take more time with our
kids,” said Monique Rubert, director of Behavioral Health Services at Frederick Memorial Hospital, who also spoke at the PTSA
meeting. She said that many parents aren’t
listening to their children and added that
teens aren’t getting enough “family time.”
If a young person seems withdrawn or loses interest in his or her activities, a family or
community member should try to help, said
Rubert. “You are the voice for them,” she
said. “You have to take a proactive role of
reaching them and helping them.”
To reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, please call 800.273.8255. For
more information about mental health services provided in Frederick County, please
visit www.fcmha.org. To learn more about
the Children’s Mobile Crisis Program, call
303.600.3536. To find the Guide to Mental Health and Community Support Services, visit www.fcmha.org/files/2013%20
GUIDE_FINAL.pdf.
shoptalk
from page 3
ner of Routes 355 and 80, was the location for the 1862 Sabers and Roses Ball,
held by Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart.
Renovations are underway on the house
for a restaurant and bar, offices and two
small residential apartments. More than
45,000 square feet of mixed use development is planned for the site, which is more
than 5.5 acres and includes three two-story
buildings for office and retail space and a
small, one-story building for the service
needs of the development. The Commission’s approval was unanimous, except for
requesting an alternate elevation of the
smaller building. “They wanted the roof
to match the pitch of the Landon House,
and we agreed to an alternate appearance
for a panoramic view of the property,” said
architect Alan Clapp.
There is no set time line for the development, but work on the original building is
scheduled for completion in October.
Shop Notes
There has been a great deal of business
activity around Frederick’s Francis Scott
Key Mall (FSK) this winter, especially
considering disruptions from the weather. Car Max is now open on Urbana Pike,
across from Panera Bread. Across Lowe’s
Lane, Tendo Buffet is now closed and initial construction has begun a block south
for a new WaWa, across from Target. FSK
Mall announced in mid-February that a
new Dick’s Sporting Goods will open near
the FMH Wellness Center at the end of
2013.
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 13
monthlyagenda Local Events
Sheriff Meeting
Retired Frederick Police Department
Deputy Chief Kevin Grubb, who is running for Sheriff on the Republican ticket,
will be hosting a meet and greet event from
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. March 30 at the Urbana
District Library in the second floor conference room.
Frederick Restaurant Week
Calling all foodies! This month, from
March 3-9, Frederick County features its
Frederick Restaurant Week, seven days
of price-fixed meals. This year, 18 restaurants are participating, including Family
Meal, co-owned by Urbana resident Bryan Voltaggio. Family Meal will offer lunch
and dinner. A nearby Buckeystown foodie
stop, Alexanders Restaurant, is also offering lunch and dinner at the set price.
A variety of cuisine is available, from
Italian fare at Il Porto Italian Restaurant
to tapas at Isabella’s Taverna and Tapas Bar
and Thai dishes at Sumittra Thai Cuisine.
If the spring weather arrives, you can dine
outdoors on the patio at The Wine Kitchen on Carroll Creek. In addition, Acacia,
Ayse Meze Lounge, Brewer’s Alley, Bushwaller’s, Casa Rico, The Cellar Door, Firestone’s Culinary Tavern, JoJo’s Restaurant
and Tap House, Madrones, The Orchard,
The Red Horse and The Tasting Room are
participating.
Lunch prices are set at $15.14 for a two-
Seussical Jr.
Beloved Dr. Seuss characters such as Horton the
Elephant, JoJo, the Cat in
the Hat, Mayzie and Gertrude hit the stage at the
Weinberg Center for the
Arts in downtown Frederick on March 16 at 2
p.m. One hundred percent
of the proceeds will go to
benefit the Frederick Community Action Agency’s
Photo | Submitted
food bank program. The
Ijamsville’s Friends Meeting School is performing Seussical Jr. at the
Maryland School for the Weinberg Center for the Arts in downtown Frederick on March 16. This
Deaf and Banner School production benefits the Frederick Community Action Agency’s Food
will also perform at this Bank program. Here, members of the Seussical Jr. cast volunteer at the
benefit event, sponsored Frederick Food Bank in costume including (pictured left to right) Rachel
by Friends Meeting School Curtis, who plays Mayzie; Jacob Sanford, who plays The Cat in The Hat;
in Ijamsville. Tickets are Savanna Branham, who plays Gertrude; Maya Brady, who plays as Horton
$7 for students and se- the Elephant; and Ember Carrera, cast as the Sour Kangaroo.
niors, $10 for adults, plus a canned or boxed food item. Tickets are available
through the box office at 301.600.2828. Community groups interested in joining in this event to help the local needy, and those interested in group ticket
prices, can contact byankaskas@friendsmeetingschool.org. For more information, go to www.weinbergcenter.org.
course meal and $20.14 for a three-course
meal. Dinners come in at $20.14 for a
two-course meal and $30.14 if you select
the three-course meal. All costs are exclusive of tax, beverages and gratuity. Some
restaurants may participate in just the lunch
or dinner portion or both, and may offer
just one course option.
No tickets are needed for the meals,
but reservations are highly recommended. Reservations are booked directly with
the restaurant of your choice. Visit www.
frederickrestaurantweek.com for details,
restaurant menus and more.
To join in the local foodie fun, share
your experiences during Frederick Restau-
Compiled by Bethany E. Starin
rant Week by using #FredRestWK.
Frederick Restaurant Week is active on
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Frederick Restaurant Week is presented by the
Downtown Frederick Partnership, Visit Frederick and participating restaurants.
Sponsors include Frederick Magazine, Jean
Peterson Design and Orases.
Used Book Sale at the
Urbana Regional Library
Friends of the Urbana Regional Library
will hold its spring used book sale from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 and
from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. The
sale will be hosted in the community room
on the lower level of the library, located
at 9020 Amelung Street in Urbana. Snow
dates are Saturday, March 15 and Sunday,
March 16. More than 3,000 used books
will be offered, organized by subject category, as well as CDs, DVDs, books on tape
and children’s books. For information, call
301.600.7000.
The Second Annual HawkFest
Save the date for Urbana High School’s
second annual Hawkfest event, to be held
Saturday, April 26. The school-wide event
is open to the public and will be held rain
or shine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event,
$5 per person, includes unlimited access to
inflatable attractions, games, petting zoo,
zip line and more; children age 3 and unn
monthly agenda Continued on page 18
Page 14
The Town Courier
March 2014
localvoices
Participation — And Lack Thereof
P
articipation
isn’t
voluntary for many
things in our lives. If
you are involved in a forpay occupation and don’t
have the option of working from home, you have
to make the trek to jobs.
Similarly, parents have
By Rich
demands for numerous
Terselic
participations in the lives
of their children along a
spectrum from simply meeting their children’s daily needs to being actively involved
in their academic and recreational pursuits.
Beyond the “musts” in life, people can exercise considerable discretion regarding participation in civic and community activities.
With only 24 hours in a day, the competition
for allocations of time can become quite difficult and choices have to be made.
I can probably be accused of “harping” on
the subject of participation in local volunteer activities since I have written numerous
times on the subject.
Voting and Community
Meeting Attendance
My wife and I serve as elections workers.
Election participation, as in presidential,
and those involving important local offices
and issues are sometimes predicted to produce large voter turnouts and election officers gear up accordingly. However, turnouts
rarely come close to predicted levels. Urbana
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precinct participants rarely reach 40 percent.
Recently, in Frederick City, the Democratic
primary had three strong candidates vying.
Another who previously ran as a Democrat,
Jennifer Dougherty, ran an as an Independent. The voter turnout was, as I recall, a
dismal 15 percent. What did this say about
the interest of voters in influencing who
would compete in the general election? I
can’t offer a credible explanation, however,
it seems a shame to me that so many residents
opted not to vote.
In November 2013, the Villages of Urbana Homeowners Association, held its annual
meeting along with election of two Board
of Directors members. Seeking to influence
greater resident participation, on-line voting
was introduced. While the necessary minimum voting quorum of 17 percent voting
was achieved, this represented no material
change from earlier years. Attendance at the
annual meeting was about 100. Notwithstanding the night of the meeting was quite
chilly, this attendance seemed amazingly low
for a community of more than 2600 homes.
What might explain residents opting to
not participate in voting and/or attending
the meeting? Was it that there were no
controversial issues being decided? Does
it suggest that residents are so pleased with
how the community is being administered
that they felt no need to attend? Will levels
increase when the developer’s voting rights
further decline?
Resident attendance at monthly Board of
Directors meetings is also low, usually between one and five. Numbers do increase
when residents attend to appeal community
decisions specific to them.
While I can’t speak about comparative
volunteer committee participation levels in
Urbana Highlands or the greater Urbana
area, the Villages has continuing problems
in attracting and retaining residents for its
volunteer committees. Time demands for
the latter may be as little as attendance at one
monthly meeting, lasting an hour or less.
If you would like to volunteer, the process
starts with a call to 301.874.0487.
Volunteer Participation
There are examples of organizations that
have successfully dealt with the volunteer
participation issue, such as the Southern
Frederick County Rotary Club. However,
most organizations with which I am familiar
have not.
The Urbana Fire and Rescue Department
and its affiliated Auxiliary group have been
experiencing a progressive decline in participation. The time commitment and nature of
participation can vary widely, at the discretion of the volunteer. Sadly, while the Fire/
Rescue Company takes in numbers of probationary members, a substantial percentage
fail to meet minimal participation demands
and are dropped within the first year.
The question is often raised within the
n
local voices Continued on page 22
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 15
Bringing Homes & Families Together
Ajay Kasana
Broker, S4 Realty
Buying • Selling • Rental • Property Management
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Seema Sharma
Agent, S4 Realty
9394 Penrose St.
Urbana • $2,000/mo
917 Russell Ave. Suite B • Gaithersburg, MD 20879
(240) 668-0999 (O) • (301) 792-5112 (C)• (240) 345-1509 (F)
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Page 16
The Town Courier
March 2014
www.UrbanaRidingClub.com
301 874-2000
*Lessons*
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Congratulations to
Katie Nicholson!!
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Hill Dr.
Villages of
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$275,000
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Villages of Urbana - $459,900
Urbana Highlands - $595,000
LISTED AND SOLD BY KATIE!
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Katie is a top producing, award winning agent. She works in every price range and is committed to excellence for all
of her clients. She is a long time Southern Frederick County resident who knows what it takes to sell and/or buy in the
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The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 17
nora’scorner
Black Beasts — Real and Imaginary
T
he French have an
expression – “bête
noir” – that comes
easily to me when I’m
talking about a special
fear of mine when I was
young. The word “fear”
takes on a deeper, more
sinister meaning when
By Nora
I use “bete noir” to deCaplan
scribe particular memories of my childhood.
For the first 13 years of my life, my home
was my parents’ restaurant and nightclub
called Half-A-Hill. In the basement underneath the lobby between the dining
room and the dance hall was a ladies’ restroom. It also contained a smaller room
for taking showers. I have no idea now why
a place for taking showers was in the ladies’
restroom, unless it was a cooler place for us
to take a shower in the summer. My family
and the live-in help had a bathroom on the
second floor, but we only had a tub with a
handheld shower. It was what lurked in the
shower room when the lights were out that
was my bête noir, even when I was as old
as eight or nine years.
To get to the restroom, everyone had to
walk down a long flight of stairs into total darkness at the bottom before she could
turn on the light switch. Instantly a row
of blindingly bright electric bulbs blazed
over a long vanity counter with flowered,
ruffled stools underneath and an equally long mirror above the counter. Sometimes, to our delight, we discovered a left
behind cobalt blue glass, tasseled flacon of
“Evening in Paris” perfume or a tube of
Tangee lipstick we were forbidden to use
on our mouths. A faint odor of damp concrete, “eau de toilet” with a potpourri of
perfumes and face powder permeated the
restroom. It had an atmosphere of decayed,
dime store glamour that excited us . . . until
someone turned off a matching switch to
the restroom upstairs in the dining room.
The total darkness immediately activated the Black Beast in the shower room. It
opened the door slowly and crept straight
for us, we were sure. We screamed, “Turn
on the lights!” as we scrambled up the
stairs, falling over each other in our haste
to escape. A few times I heard my father
laugh, and I became furious with him
for deliberately turning off the lights upstairs to hear us scream. But sometimes
the switch was turned off accidentally by
someone in the dining room. We never
told the grownups why we were so afraid.
We knew they would never believe an actual beast lived in the shower room.
Another night terror happened to me,
fortunately only once in my childhood. I
was quite young –probably a preschooler.
I may have been sick and running a fever.
My mother had left me alone and had gone
downstairs to oversee a Saturday night
dance in our dance pavilion. She was the
unofficial “bouncer” in case there was any
trouble with the customers. Suddenly a
fragmented, blurry, pulsating white face
appeared on the open door to my room.
It grinned hideously at me as it faded in
and out. I must have screamed, “Mother ...
Mother” with such intensity that she came
running. She stayed with me until I fell
asleep.
My bête noirs nowadays aren’t so imaginative or frightening as they were many
years ago. For instance, my fear of heights
kicked in once when I was driving up
Capulin, an extinct volcano in northeastern New Mexico. A one-way drive with
no guard rails wound around and around
up to the crater. I semi-hugged the left
side with my rented car and prayed another
vehicle wouldn’t descend at the same time.
Once I safely reached the peak, I said to
myself, I’m supposed to be on vacation.
Why do I make myself scared to death?
Since then, I’m better about thinking
ahead and remembering with respect how
to avoid my black beasts.
Happy Saint Patricks Day!
FRANKLIN LIQUORS
Frederick’s Premium Wine, High
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Every Monday is a Senior Day!
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Must be 65 years or older. No coupons needed!
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Sat: 10:00am-9:00pm • Sun: 11:00am-6:30pm
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Excludes sale items.
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Smithwicks
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Become a “Franklin’s Club Card
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towards your next purchase.
Page 18
The Town Courier
March 2014
monthlyagenda
from page 13
der attend free. Food prices will vary. One
hundred percent of the proceeds from this
event will benefit Urbana community
youth in crisis and create general scholarships. This event will be held at Urbana
High School in Ijamsville.
Plant a Flower Day and
International Earth Day
With spring just around the corner,
the Urbana Senior Center gives you the
opportunity to plant seeds to jump start
your spring garden, with a class on flower
gardening, Wednesday, March 12. On
March 20, the center offers another session
focused on planting vegetable seeds. Both
classes are free and you are welcome to stop
by any time to plant seeds. Both events are
held at The Urbana Senior Center (9020
Amelung Street; bottom floor of Urbana’s
library building). For more information
call 301.600.7020 or go to www.
FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
St. Patrick’s Day Lunch
No matter what your nationality, St.
Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday to celebrate.
A festive lunch on Monday, March 17 will
include corned beef, boiled red potatoes,
cabbage, carrots, corn muffins and cake.
Sign up by Wednesday, March 12; $4.80 per
person. Held at The Urbana Senior Center.
For more information call 301.600.7020
or go to www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/
aging.
Breakfast for Lunch and Ask Nurse Steve
The Urbana Senior Center hosts a
delicious breakfast for lunch on March 13
at noon. This event, $4.80 per person,
includes a talk by Nurse Steve, “Is it
just old age or should I be concerned?
A discussion on signs and symptoms
that need medical attention.” Held at
the Urbana Senior Center. For more
information call 301.600.7020 or go to
www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
The Lucky Leprechaun Fun Run
The Green Valley YMCA hosts The
Lucky Leprechaun Fun Run on March 22
at 9 a.m. for all ages. The event includes
a one mile Fun Run for ages 6 to 12 and
a 5K for ages 10 and up, all to be held at
12406 Old National Pike in Mt. Airy.
Register for the one mile race and 5K at
www.active.com. For more information,
contact the YMCA (located at 11791
Fingerboard Road in Monrovia) at www.
frederickymca.org or call 301.607.6900.
International Waffle Day
Come enjoy waffles (and sides) for dinner at the Urbana Senior Center on Tuesday, March 25. This meal will be held at
5:30 p.m. and costs $4.80 per person. Sign
up by Monday, March 24. For more information call 301.600.7020 or go to www.
FrederickCountyMD.gov/aging.
Theatre, Arts and Music
The Americana Festival
The Weinberg Center for the Arts in
downtown Frederick hosts a two day
Americana Festival featuring five bands.
Held March 7 and 8 (both performances
at 8 p.m.), performances include Grammy
Award-winning band Steep Canyon Rangers as well as performances by The Steel
Wheels, The Honeycutters, The Howlin’
Brothers and The Black Lillies. Tickets are
$25 per night in advance, $30 per night at
the door or $40 for both nights. For more
information, go to www.weinbergcenter.
org.
policeblotter
from page 12
Frederick County Sheriff ’s Office Patrol
Division observed and began to investigate
two suspicious vehicles in the parking lot
of the 7-Eleven at 5703 Buckeystown Pike
in Frederick County.
The deputy followed a tan 2004 Chevrolet Impala from the parking lot. After
observing a traffic violation the deputy
conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle on
Route 85 near Executive Way. The deputy
called for the assistance of the FCSO K-9
unit. A K-9 scan of the vehicle was completed and the K-9 alerted to the odor of
drugs coming from the vehicle.
A passenger in the vehicle, Abu Boaki
Kiawu, 20, of Frederick, was found to be
in possession of marijuana and related paraphernalia. Kiawu was charged with criminal citations and released from the scene.
The driver was released from the scene
without charges.
The Town Courier
March 2014
firstperson
Stereo-typing by Phone
I
t seemed to happen in
super slow motion, like
a scene from “The Six
Million Dollar Man” featuring Steve Austin running, complete with the
time warp digital music.
The speed was so incredible that your mind had to
By Maureen
slow it down for the huStiles
man eye to process it correctly.
My son Drew’s water glass, nearly full,
teetered slightly before landing on its side
with a thud. Then the liquid made a beeline
for my phone, which was nestled among the
salt, pepper and grated cheese on the edge
of the table.
My adrenaline kicked in, and I snatched
up the phone as the liquid ran off the table
and dripped onto my jacket and jeans. I am
sure it was cold, but I felt nothing as I stared
at my phone in horror, silencing the table.
I mean, is there any moment worse than
the realization that you damaged your
phone in a totally preventable situation?
I took off the beautiful peach and blue
case with the big, curly “S” in the middle.
I then peeled off the clear screen saver with
the matching blue trim and only allowed
myself to exhale when I found the screen
and case were fairly dry. I even managed
a half-smile at Drew, who looked like he
might throw up in a restaurant full of people.
The phone was then passed around the
table as everyone took turns grumbling at
Drew while drying it in some fashion. Wiping with napkins, rubbing against a warm
jacket, blowing repeatedly into the various
holes for charging and ear buds all in the
hopes of containing the damage.
I took a moment to mop up my lap and
jacket and reassure Drew, who was now
fearing for his life and his own iPhone 4s—
thinking his working model would be replacing mine should it stop.
So, I abandoned my meal and tested my
phone until we paid the check. I made calls
just fine. I received calls just fine. I could
read the screen. But there were dead spots
on the touch pad. Some apps worked and
others did not. I kept tap, tap, tapping on
the unresponsive icons like one would the
button of a slow elevator. Even though you
know it is not going to bring about anything, it feels really good to do it.
This was not our first rodeo so, sadly,
we had a Tupperware bin full of rice in the
pantry for just such an occasion (the rice is
the generally accepted drying agent for wet
cell phones). I sent up a prayer as I snapped
the air-tight lid and then proceeded to reach
for my phone at least 50 times in the ensuing hours as I repeatedly forgot that it was
convalescing.
The next morning, I unearthed my poor
baby from its rice prison and my heart sank
when I realized that there had been little
improvement. To make matters worse, I
knew we had months to go before we were
due for an upgrade on our account, as we
had purchased a phone for my son, Mac,
recently.
So, I opened the drawer in the center is-
land that serves as our cell phone graveyard
and perused my choices. My eyes fell upon
my old BlackBerry, which I still miss occasionally just for its simplicity and durability.
A little water never would have dampened
my BlackBerry’s spirits or capabilities. I had
all but destroyed that phone, and it had continued to work perfectly.
There was Mac’s old iPhone 3 with the
cracked screen. Hmmm, if the 3 worked,
then I could give it to Drew and take his 4s
until it was time for an upgrade. With the
upgrade I would get a new one, give Drew
back his, and outfit the 3 for my other son,
Reed, as a lame re-gift for his birthday after
repairing the screen.
Genius, but AT&T was going to hate us.
I moved to my phone to text Mac and ask
him if there was anything else wrong with
the old phone other than the cracked screen.
Arrgh! I stared at the microphone icon and
groaned. Without a working keyboard, I
was left to recite all texts and emails.
Over the next few days while I tried —
to no avail — to finagle a new phone out
of AT&T and Apple, I was forced to speak
every single bit of communication without
punctuation, capitalization or any semblance of basic grammar rules.
It made my head want to explode. The
format is like torture for a writer with all
the words just spilling into the text box
with no ability to add punctuation.
A random sampling? “I am going to the
store do you need anything make sure that
you leave the door unlocked or I will make
you carry all the bags haha”
I tried saying the words “period” or
“comma,” but the words were just added to
the run-on sentence, leaving me to try to
delete them or start over.
I also discovered that if you have to say
everything out loud, you censor your words
and choose your location carefully or other’s
words will be interjected into the middle of
your message. In fact, Mark kept trying to
word-bomb my messages. As I was carefully speaking into the phone, he would come
up behind me and shout random unrelated
words into the phone so I would have to begin again. As usual, my pain and inconvenience were a great source of entertainment
to my family.
I resorted to calling people when I could
recite no more, and everyone seemed genuinely surprised and alarmed. Surely I
would only actually speak to them if there
were something seriously wrong. The only
hitch in that plan was that the END button
for calls was located in one of the big, old
dead spots on the screen. As a result, I often wound up with an open line long after
the conversation was over, which requires a
whole different kind of censoring.
Finally my friend, Randi, took pity on
me. She had a similar phone graveyard and
offered me her 4s model until we got our
upgrade. I think she just wanted me to
stop calling her to handle things that could
have been conveyed in one-line texts, but I
didn’t care!
Because like “The Six Million Dollar
Man,” we had the technology and it was
time to rebuild me. Faster, stronger, and in
my case, typing better than before.
Page 19
Page 20
The Town Courier
March 2014
March 2014
The Town Courier
Page 21
vitalsigns
The Hidden Link Between Sleep and Pain
W
ith spring just
around the corner, many people are trying to live a
healthier lifestyle. For
most individuals, this
involves exercising and
healthy eating, but sleep
is equally (if not more) By Stephanie
Dunker
important. One of the
best things you can do for
yourself this year is to try and get enough
sleep. In fact, did you know that there is a
correlation between sleep and pain?
Some people sleep longer because they
are in pain, while others cannot sleep at all.
Pain affects the way a person sleeps and a
lack of sleep can intensify pain. Individuals
who suffer from chronic pain may experience sleep disorders. In fact, pain is one of
the causes of insomnia.
Sleep disorder symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, waking up early in the
morning, restless sleep, and overall dissatisfaction with the quality of sleep. The
consistent interruption of sleep triggers a
vicious cycle of sleep deprivation and increased pain. The less sleep a person gets,
the more intense the pain can become.
Strategies for Improved Sleep
Don’t Lose Sleep Over It
If pain (or any other reason) is affecting
the quality of your sleep, start by identifying the cause of the problem. The first
step is an assessment of the sleeping environment and lifestyle habits. Here are some
questions to consider:
• Is the bedroom a quiet place and are
all lights switched off? Is there a television or laptop (and associated glare)
in the bedroom?
• What are you sleeping on? How old
is the mattress? Does your pillow provide enough support for your neck and
head?
• What are you eating and drinking before you go to sleep? Are you consuming caffeinated beverages late in the
day? Are you eating big meals close to
bedtime?
• Are you sleeping at the same time every day? Are you avoiding stressful
conversations or situations before going to bed?
If pain is affecting your sleep patterns,
physical therapy can play a big role in the
recovery process. The combination of pain
and lack of sleep creates a vicious cycle that
can get progressively worse, if left untreated.
Fortunately, a physical therapist can
identify the underlying cause of pain and
create a plan for lasting pain relief. Using
a combination of hands-on techniques (including joint mobilizations and massage),
the therapist will help reduce muscle tension. This will help you sleep better. A
therapist will also design a stretching and
strengthening program to restore muscle
balance and reduce pain, restoring normal
sleep patterns.
If you have pain and are losing sleep
over it, reach out to your physical therapy
providers. We’ll help you reduce pain and
sleep better. We don’t want you to lose any
more sleep over this and it is time for you
to start living a pain-free life.
By facilitating an environment that is
quiet and comfortable, you will set the
stage for sound sleep. A physical therapist
can also help you sleep better by teaching
you techniques such as progressive muscle
relaxation and visualization.
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.
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Page 22
The Town Courier
March 2014
reader’schoice
“Life After Life”
Written by Kate Atkinson
W
hen you pick up
British
writer
Kate Atkinson’s
popular 2013 novel “Life
After Life,” you have to
be willing to enter a new
world of storytelling. As
Atkinson casually says
in interviews, it has a
By Betty
“high-concept” structure.
Hafner
One look at the table of
contents will show you
what that means. Her story of Ursula Todd
is told in 30 chapters which move us back
and forth in time. Many of the chapters are
short and each one is dated.
Once you accept that you are in the hands
of a talented and imaginative author you
can relax and enjoy her irresistible writing. Simply said, Atkinson allows her heroine to live her life over and over again. At
the opening, Ursula is born at home in the
British countryside village of Fox Corner
in February 1910 but the umbilical cord is
wrapped around her neck and because of a
snow storm the physician cannot be there to
help. Sadly she cannot take in a first breath.
In her next birth on that same snowy night
on that same date, there is a better outcome.
Each subsequent life allows her to live
J.U.T. Star Students
Kevin (UES, 1st grade), Maria & Alex Duhovich
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Jeong’s Taekwondo gives my wife and I a challenging and competitive activity, which we can
do together. Our son is learning self defense and
discipline, both of which apply to his daily life.
Because we all study together, it is more fun,
and we can help each other learn quicker.”
Jeong’s Urbana Taekwondo, Kumdo, Yoga
www.jeongstkd.com
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3506 Worthington Blvd, Frederick, MD 21704 (right beside CapitalOne Bank)
longer and longer so Atkinson is able to
take us through World War I, the 1920s and
1930s and eventually World War II. It also
means Ursula dies of influenza, suicide and
German bombing in London. The deaths
aren’t occasions for sadness, though. Just
turn the page and Ursula will be following
a new path. It’s fun to be reminded how just
one small thing that occurs can take a life in
a completely different direction.
Ursula’s family members are appealing and their personalities remain constant
throughout, even if their fates do not. Her
father, Hugh, is a banker who has a warm
spot in his heart for Ursula, his “little bear.”
Her mother, Sylvie, manages the home and
her five children with varying degrees of
attention and criticism. Sister Pamela is a
confidante but older brother Maurice is a
localvoices
from page 14
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Villages of Urbana, Urbana Highlands,
Ijamsville, Monrovia and the surrounding
communities don’t become members.
The presence of controversy can influence
participation levels in civic and community activities, as evidenced by the high levels
among opponents of the proposed Monrovia
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nuisance and is sent off to boarding school
early. Her kooky Aunt Izzie steps in to help
Ursula life after life.
Some of the longer, later chapters are unforgettable. Ursula studies in Germany and
joins a rescue team to clean up the streets
after the Allied bombing raids. In another
life she suffers through the Blitz in London.
The drama and details of those two longer
chapters are superb.
Dozens of editors have put “Life After
Life” on their Best Books of 2013 lists. I
would guess in some part they are acknowledging the creative framework of the book
but the book’s popularity is also due to the
appealing, witty and informative story that
Atkinson tells. It’s up to us readers to decide
if Ursula learns more with each new chance
she is given.
www.capitalwomenscarefrederickobgyn.com
Other locations:
My closing requests are simple. First, if
you have skipped voting in the past, assign a
high priority to voting in the next election.
Second, consider volunteering with a local
civic or community organization. I can assure you that you will meet some really great
people and will form new friendships.
Editor’s Note: Rich Terselic is a member of the
board of directors of the Villages of Urbana Homeowners’ Association.
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 23
offthe shelf
New Children’s Manager at
Urbana Regional Library
T
he
New
Year
brought us a new
staff member at
Urbana Regional Library — Melissa Minsker. Minsker heads up
the Children’s Services
department here, coordinating all of the chilBy Amy
dren’s programming and
Whitney
collections. Please stop by
and meet her soon! Here’s
what Minsker has to say about her love of
libraries and the value of reading:
I wasn’t always so sure what I wanted to do
with my life. Mostly, I just loved to read. That
love of reading kept me going through my undergraduate career, when I studied English Literature. It kept me going through graduate school,
when I worked to get my Master of Fine Arts in
Creative Writing. It even kept me going when I
took my first real job as an English teacher at St.
John’s Catholic Prep. I loved all of those things:
reading and learning and teaching and writing. I
couldn’t help feeling, though, that I’d never really chosen a career for myself.
In 2010, I decided to go back to school. This
time, I wanted to select a career that would allow
me to keep spreading my love of reading but that
would also allow me time to pursue my writing. I
had always loved the library. I never forgot about
going, with my kindergarten class, to the Up-
shur County Public Library (in my hometown
of Buckhannon, W.Va.) to learn how to use the
card catalog and to get my very first library card.
It was the very first building I looked for on my
college campus. When I moved to a new place, I
was always sure to get a new library card. So, I
decided on a library science degree.
Four years later, I’m pretty relieved that I finally figured out what to do with my life! Working in a public library allows me to do all of the
things I know how to do. I get to teach, I get to
write, I get to read. In short, I get to spend each
day doing what I love.
In January of this year, I started working at
the Urbana Regional Library as the Children’s
Services Supervisor. Although I lived in Frederick County for seven years while I was teaching
at Saint John’s, I had moved away to take a job
in my home state of West Virginia in 2012.
I’m so happy to be back in Frederick, though,
because it means I’ve got an amazing new job,
I get to be back with old friends, and I have the
opportunity to work with a whole new generation
of Frederick County children here at the Urbana
library.
Come meet Minsker at the Urbana Regional Library at 9020 Amelung Street.
Editor’s Note: Amy Whitney is director of the
Urbana Regional Library. She can be reached
at AWhitney@FrederickCountyMD.gov or
301.600.7012.
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Page 24
The Town Courier
March 2014
kaufman’skitchen
Comfort Foods for March
M
zest of 1 Meyer lemon
fine sea salt
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk, lightly
beaten
generous 2 pinches of raw sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place a wire rack over a baking sheet
lined with paper towels, a set of tongs, a
By Sheilah
slotted spoon and a splatter guard near the
Kaufman
stove.
Zest one lemon and set aside for the batter.
Juice the lemons into a medium bowl.
Ricotta Fritters with
Whisk
together the confectioners’ sugar and
Meyer Lemon Glaze
about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice
Nature’s bounty never tasted better than in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap
in the richly flavored, satisfying vegetari- while you make the fritters.
an meals from “Feast: Generous Vegetarian
In a large, deep frying pan or heavy pan,
Meals for Any Eater and Every Appetite,” heat 4 inches of oil over medium-high heat
by Sarah Copeland (Chronicle Books). until it reaches 350F on a deep-fry therThey showcase a global range of flavors, mometer. Keep hot over a steady low flame,
from Hungarian to Korean, with more
letting it reach about 365F but no higher.
than 140 recipes that are electric with flaWhisk together the flour, baking powder,
vor and loaded with nutrients. This is the
zest and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk tosimplest little beignet, drizzled or dunked
gether the ricotta, egg, yolk, sugar and vain a lemony glaze.
nilla in another medium bowl. Add to the
Glaze:
flour mixture and whisk to combine. Test
2 Meyer lemons
the temperature of the oil by spooning
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
a drop or two of the batter into the pan;
the oil should sizzle and the batter should
Fritters:
brown slowly and evenly and rise to the top.
vegetable oil for frying
Working in batches of three to four frit1/2 cup flour
ters, gently drop 1 tablespoon of batter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
arch means the
beginning
of
spring in some
parts of the world, but
it is still winter in other
areas. While the March
winds are still blowing,
enjoy these comfort foods.
Then, as spring begins,
enjoy the refreshing flavor of lemon thrown into
dishes and desserts.
into the hot oil at a time, giving each one
space to set its shape before adding more.
Fry until the batter puffs and is crisp and
golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Flip
the fritters in the oil with a slotted spoon
until golden brown on both sides, another
2 minutes. Transfer fritters to the rack over
the baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Repeat until all fritters are fried. Drizzle the
warm fritters with the glaze, stack fritters
high and serve warm. Makes 12.
Squash Pear Soup
If soup is in order, and pears are still available from winter storage, try this version
to warm you up. The pears add a mellow,
sweet taste to this soup that compliments
the squash really well. If you are freezing
the soup, omit the cream or milk and add it
after reheating, right before serving.
This is from “Cooking Inspired: Bringing Creativity and Passion Back into the
Kitchen” by Estee Kafra, Feldheim Publishers. Kafra, founder of the website KosherScoop.com, believes, “food is the way
we nurture both ourselves and the people
around us,” and wants to make cooking
easier and more creative for home cooks.
This book is a collection of the best recipes
from this fast growing site. More than 200
beautifully photographed recipes create a
visual feast for the eyes and palate.
3 tablespoons butter or oil
2 onions, diced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded
and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 pears, peeled and chopped into
roughly 1-inch pieces
4 cups chicken broth or enough to
cover
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup whipping cream, milk, or
coconut milk
salt
freshly ground pepper
Melt butter in a 4-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook
for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Reduce heat to medium. Add squash
and pears; cook for 10 minutes. Watch to
make sure the mixture does not burn. If it
starts to dry out, add about 1/4 cup of water, mix well.
Pour in just enough broth to cover the
vegetables and fruit. Add the thyme, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Bring to a
simmer. Cook 15 to 18 minutes or until squash is fork-tender. Using an immersion blender, puree. Stir in the cream
and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Editor’s Note: For more recipes, go to www.
cookingwithsheilah.com.
Sugarloaf Parkway • Frederick, MD 21704
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 25
MIKEAT THE MOVIES
The Monuments Men-PG-13 ****
George Clooney gambled on his audience and
their patience in this odd
war film. Many critics
find it too episodic and
slight for true praise, and
episodic it is. Perhaps
Clooney, who wrote and
By Mike
directed the film, gambled
Cuthbert
on too much knowledge
on the part of the audience to fill in gaps in the story but what he
ended up with is an evenly paced story of a
band of art historians and architecture academics who were called into service near
the end of WWII to locate and return to
private hands a huge cache of masterpieces that the Nazis stole in order to destroy
all Western art. They stashed the works in
salt mines in Germany, for the most part,
though some nestled in the homes of German officers.
The cast is a stunning one with fine performances by Bob Balaban (Preston Savits)
and Cate Blanchett as Claire Simone. Simone worked as a secretary for the Germans
and secretly kept a meticulous log of which
paintings and sculptures went where.
When she hears that James Granger (Matt
Damon) is a curator for the Met in New
York, she logically suspects that his real
purpose is not to return the found pieces to their owners but is, instead, finding
new acquisitions for the Met. Her trust is
hard to win but she eventually turns over a
catalogue that assists the Monuments Men
mightily in their search.
The suspense in the film comes from
several sources. The action takes place near
the end of the war, in 1944 and 1945. The
men are therefore fighting for time before
the Soviet troops arrive with less intrinsic
motives for capturing the works and the
remaining Nazis would like to pick off as
many Americans as possible. In fact, not
all the Monument Men make it home.
The collection of the monuments results
in some 5 million works discovered and
restored to their rightful place and untold
millions of dollars worth of gold, both in
bullion and in dental fillings.
The action is very episodic but not hard
to follow, the cast is fantastic and the motivation for the Monument Men admirable.
Was it worth a life to capture works of art?
The answer of the film is a strict affirmative. How you see the question might depend on how you see and value art itself.
(Will Arnett voicing Batman is an example)
the film never lags in pace or energetic manipulation of its world. The lead character
is a hapless dullard named Emmet (Chris
Pratt), distinguished by nobody knowing
who he is. He is selected as “Special,” the
designated Super Leader of the Regular People who are being disciplined by Lord Business (aka President Business, played by Will
Ferrell) into being robot-like nothings like
Emmet. Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks) urges
Emmet to find his better self, especially once
he is alleged to be the all-powerful “Special”
since her boyfriend, Batman (Will Arnett) is
not selected. The cast of voice-over stars is
remarkable and all are convincing. In addition to the already mentioned, Alison Brie,
Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Jonah Hill,
Shaquille O’Neal, Nick Offerman, Cobie
Smulders and Channing Tatum contribute.
Don’t be surprised if the adults in your family enjoy the movie more than the kids — the
script is very sophisticated and fast.
The Lego Movie-PG ****
Winter’s Tale-PG-13 **
I never took part in the Psychedelic Movement, but if I did, this film might have become one of my favorites. Swooping at
breakneck speed from a western setting to
a futuristic metropolis to a mindless factory
to a pirate lair, the dialogue moves as fast as
the change in setting. Filled with puns, double-entendre one-liners, esoteric references
to popular and ancient culture and laced with
every color in the palette, using fast action
and imaginative introduction of old favorites
There are some stories that should remain
novels. This is a prime example. A religious
fantasy by Mark Halpern, it involves Colin
Farrell as Peter Lake, an orphan who came
to America Moses-like as the sole passenger of a toy schooner, “The City of Justice.” Oddly enough, he retained a strong
Irish accent though thoroughly American.
He falls in love at first sight with the defunct Lady Sibyl from “Downton Abbey,”
Jessica Brown Findlay as heiress Beverly
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Penn. It is appropriate that her character
died on Downton Abbey because Beverly
Penn has a limited time on Earth as well —
she’s consumptive. She is also the target of
Russell Crowe, the arch-villain Pearly Soames, aka the Demon. His master on Earth
is Will Smith as “The Judge,” aka Lucifer.
The Judge and Pearly want Peter’s soul
as well as those of the rest of humanity, but
they’re losing because this is a story of hope
and resurrection. The Good Guys are assisted by a miraculous Horse of White (!)
who has a mind of his own and can fly. Sick
girl, cute little sister (Mckayla Twiggs),
flying horse, glittering gems, other light
effects, isolated sleeping quarters (to fight
off the consumption) and every other trick
of psychology and emotional manipulation
and you have the toolbox from which this
movie was made.
If you believe in resurrection and don’t
mind that it’s for box office reasons, you
may like this movie. If you dislike films
that use magic to bail themselves out of
mastery of plot detail, you’ll hate it. William Hurt, as Beverly’s father, has a good
turn, Eva Marie Saint is fine in her cameo
as the old Willa (sister of Beverly) and it is
a surprise to see Will Smith with a Darth
Vader voice, but too much of this movie
relies on magic anyway; the Star Magic of
these appearances are not enough to save
the film from mawkishness in the extreme.
Enjoy more of Mike's reviews at www.
towncourier.com
Page 26
The Town Courier
March 2014
HAWKTALK
As high schoolers,
we can get caught
up in our own world,
sometimes unaware
of what is going on
around us. ... What
if we strive to be the
people who randomly
held the door open
for strangers and felt
the need to help other
people before thinking
of ourselves?
Taking the Time to Serve
H
ave you ever had
a bad day, when
everything seems
to fall apart? Then luckily there is that random
stranger who holds the
door open for you, and he
or she gives you a smile
that brightens your day. It By Morgan
is then that you rememMcGrady
ber how a simple act of
kindness can change everything.
As high schoolers, we can get caught up
in our own world, sometimes unaware of
what is going on around us. We get caught
up in getting our homework done, making
sure we are first string in the next game,
and keeping up with the latest on social
media. Time starts to dwindle with the
new responsibilities that come with high
school.
But what if we strive to be the people
who randomly hold open the door for
strangers and feel the need to help other
people before thinking of ourselves?
With the time we have left in school,
what do we do? Watch hours of Netflix?
Read a book? Work on more homework?
When was the last time we spent our free
time doing something not for ourselves
but for others? What if we choose to look
up from our screens and take a break from
homework? We could see what is truly going on around us in our community. Better
yet we could act on what we see. There
are hurting people in this community and
we have the power to help make their lives
better.
Serving in the community can be a big
leap but serving comes in many forms.
Helping another student pick up his or her
dropped books and holding the door open
are examples of ways we can serve others
right in our school, every day.
Beyond the walls of our school, there are
countless opportunities to serve others in
Frederick County.
The Greater Urbana Area Food
Bank is always in need of food, clothing,
household items and furniture. With the
goods donated it provides for 158 local
families on a regular basis.
The Frederick Rescue Mission offers
countless opportunities to volunteer for
people over the age of 12. Volunteering to
hand out meals and donating clothes and
food items are acts that are always welcome. The Frederick Rescue Mission has
served the Frederick County area for the
past 50 years.
With so many ways to serve in the Urbana area, there is a great chance that we
each can find something we are passionate
about contributing. Consider brainstorming about your passions and seeing where
those line up with a need — if you like
soccer, help a local soccer camp during the
summer. If you like to read, ask the Urbana
library if you can set up a time to come and
read to younger kids.
Helping the community can not only
have an impact on the people we are helping but it can impact our own lives. Serving in the community does not have to be
something that you push yourself to do, instead it should be something that you want
to do. We should serve because we want to
put others before ourselves. By serving we
are able to bring light to a place that may
have been dark and in need.
For more information on helping the
Urbana Food Bank, check out their
Facebook page, Greater Urbana Area Food
Bank. Information about volunteering
and donating items at The Frederick
Rescue Mission can be found at www.
therescuemission.org.
Editor’s Note: Morgan McGrady is a junior
at Urbana High School. McGrady lives in the
Urbana Highlands, is involved at Mountain
View Community Church as student leader and
is passionate about reporting on community topics.
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The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 27
UrbanaSports
Urbana High School Athletes Bring Their Game to College
and two of his grandparents attended the
college. His brother is currently a sophomore
at William and Mary.
“I think it’s going to be really different
from the level I’m playing at now. It will be
a lot higher and a lot more competitive, but
I’m ready for the challenge and excited to see
what the next level has in store,” said Eskay.
Eskay, who has a dream to play soccer professionally after college, plans to study math
or computer science at William and Mary.
Hines says that the soccer player’s character and personal qualities will help him to
succeed. “The work ethic and selflessness
that he puts into his play are really going to
carry him through his college career,” said
Hines.
Scott Schartner, the Head Coach for the
UHS boys’ soccer team, said that the high
school does a great job of emphasizing academics over athletics, and that helps student
athletes to be successful. As a coach, Schartner said that he focuses on developing character as well as athletic ability.
Hines praised the athletic ability of all four
students, but explained that their athletic
success has been linked to their academic
achievements at UHS. Hines said, “Everything they’ve done on the field wouldn’t
have been possible without all of the things
they’ve accomplished in the classroom.”
By Sally Alt
A
Thursday morning in February found
four Urbana High School (UHS) seniors signing away their collegiate future, committing to college athletic teams
— and they were thrilled about it.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Kate Zimmerman, who will become a member of the
women’s swimming team at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. “I’m really
excited.”
UHS Athletic Director Ryan Hines had
high praise for the young athletes. “They are
all great students,” he said.
Zimmerman, a UHS senior, said that she
“fell in love” with the college, the swimming team and the coaching staff on a visit
to the campus. The culture of “team support” shared by the members of the UHS
swim team helped her to be a good swimmer, she said.
UHS senior Claire McIlmail will join the
women’s swim team at Princeton University
in the fall.
“It’s a beautiful campus. I’m super excited,” she said, adding that having many other
talented swimmers on the team will help her
to be a better swimmer. “I’m hoping to be
able to swim all four years that I’m there.”
Athletic director Hines believes that the
dedication that McIlmail and Zimmerman
Photo | Tracey McCabe
On Feb. 6, four Urbana High School students signing onto collegiate teams include (pictured left to right) Meg Stuart with
her mom/coach A.J. Stuart, and Dad, Stephen Stuart; William Eskay with parents Bo and Jackie Eskay; Kate Zimmerman
and mom Margaret Zimmerman and local swimming coach Bill Shechtman; and Claire McIlmail and parents Jody and
Tim McIlmail.
demonstrated as swimmers at UHS will pay
off in college. He said, “Their level of commitment to the sport …is really going to help
them succeed in college.”
UHS senior Meg Stuart plans to play on
the women’s field hockey team at Towson
University. She selected Towson because she
could live close to home and see her mother,
who comes to all of her games. Stuart also
likes the campus and has a lot of friends who
attend Towson.
Stuart, who plans to major in nursing,
said, “I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Hines believes that Stuart is ready for both
the athletic and academic challenges of college. “Meg’s tenacity and level of competitiveness are going to allow her to be successful in anything she does,” he said.
UHS senior William Eskay will be playing
on the men’s soccer team at the College of
William and Mary. “I have a lot of family
history there,” he said. Both of his parents
After Mac: Well-Wishers in Gaithersburg
and a Look to Urbana’s Future
Eugene L. Souder, Jr.
By Syl Sobel
A
t some high schools, the sudden departure of a successful coach sets off
waves of shock, anger, soul-searching and intrigue. At Quince Orchard
High School (QO), Coach Dave Mencarini’s blockbuster departure last week
to become head football coach at Urbana
High School (UHS) so he can work closer
to home and spend more time with his
family released an outpouring of support,
appreciation, well-wishers and confidence
in the future. And that, perhaps, says everything about “Coach Mac’s” most important legacy at QO — what he accomplished is about much more than wins and
losses.
“We’re gonna miss him,” said QO Athletic Director George Awkard, emphasizing Mencarini’s achievements on and
off the field. “He created a tradition here
of winning and producing good young
men.”
“Coach Mac has impacted so many
lives, and our entire community loved
who he was and what he did for Quince
Orchard,” said former player Alex Twine,
now a linebacker for the University of
Maryland football team. “Coach Mac is
more than a coach to me. … He is a guy
that’s changed my life, and I could never
repay him.”
“He has been very successful not only
on the field but helping to promote ac-
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winning the Maryland 4A State Football Championship
in 2007.
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ademic achievement, helping players realize that they are college material, surrounding himself with a great group of
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and mother of a former player.
Bradley Walker, whose career with
Mencarini began as a 10-year-old ball
boy in 2006 and continued through this
season as a Cougar captain, said, “We had
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Page 28
The Town Courier
March 2014
coach’scorner
By CJ Ecalono
3A West Track and Field Regional Champions: A Night to Remember
L
ast month, Urbana High School’s girls’
and boys’ track and field teams stood
alone at the top once all 13 events were
scored at their 3A West Regional Championship meet, held Feb. 10. The Urbana
Hawks stole the show.
Before the meet began, I told the assembled teams that they had a chance to sweep
the region. The girls were favored and the
boys would have to step up; apparently the
boys didn’t want to let the girls have all the
glory. Four and a half hours later the party began. No, there wasn’t graffiti falling
from the ceiling or even a water/Gatorade cooler bath; but there was cheering,
hugging, videos, a victory lap and lots of
pictures to go along with a night that will
never be forgotten.
To each athlete on my teams: This win
has nothing to do with me or any of the
other coaches on staff. This win is a true
testament to how hard you all work and
your never-give-up mentality. Great outcomes are born of great opportunity and
great preparation; we prepared and when
the opportunity came we seized. Here is
a sampling of the teammates’ accomplishments:
3A West Individual
Regional Champions
Delia Sipe (Shot-Put): 36’5”
Sipe’s 36-5 heave gave her rank as the
best freshman female in the country.
Morgan Guzman (high jump): 4’11”
This event was Guzman’s first time winning a meet.
Emily Mulhern (1600 and 3200 meters):
5:15 and 11:35 minutes
Mulhern continues to come up big and
stack on individual titles to her resume.
Colin Sipe (shot-put): 51’11”
Sipe has yet to lose a meet in Maryland
this season.
Nick Nobile (500 meter run): 1:08.80
Nobile continues to shine in the 500 and
he will look to make some more noise at
states.
Other State Qualifiers
55-meter hurdles:
Brittany Taylor, Shawana Lachir and
Chris Jackson: All three of them put up
there fastest times of their career, by at least
20 seconds, which is huge in a 55-meter
race.
Photo | Submitted
Urbana High School's girls and boys track and field teams celebrate a fantastic season.
Miller is going to states.
300-meter dash: Nick Nobile
He took fourth in the 300 to advance to
states.
1600-meter run: Kelly Winklbauer
She finished third in the 1600 and third
in the 3200; her 1600 time is what is impressive — 5:32.4.
500-meter run: Anna Miller
She won her heat (the second of the three
heats) and her time was good enough that
only three other people in the heat after
her (the fast heat) beat her. The freshman
3200-meter run: Kelly Winklbauer and
Troy Shuman.
Shuman took seventh, but hit the automatic advancement time to qualify for
states.
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4x400-meter relay
Brittany Taylor (1:04), Erika Nepomuceno (1:05), Maddie Sarro (1:06) and Abby
Grabowski (1:04) took second and ran a
new person record of exactly 2 seconds
faster than her previous best time: her new
time was 4:21.13.
Nick Nobile (53), Chris Jackson (55),
Hamad Usmani (53) and Troy Shuman
(55) took fourth in a very exciting tight
finish.
4x800-meter relay
Caroline Abel (2:35), Kara O’Neill
(2:41), Madison Burley (2:36) and Anna
Miller (2:38) took third overall.
Nicholas Danner (2:10), Hamad Usmani (2:08), Vergil Bandini (2:14) and Troy
Shuman (2:12) took second overall.
Pole vault
Brittany Taylor (8’7”) and Kelley
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by going third and fourth place. Christian Diaz (11’4”) and Pascal Utiger (11’4”)
both qualified for States by going third and
fourth place.
High jump: Mitch Holson (5’8”)
Holson is a school record holder! He
took fourth overall in the high jump competition and looked the best he has all season long. He also was a member of the 4 x
200 team, which took sixth place.
In my running days and my coaching
days, I have won regional championships
before, but this is by far my favorite. Why?
From day one, the teams have labored together and not given up. We have gone
through our struggles even as late as the
week before regionals. We’ve had athletes step up and even more kids deliver.
When one kid falls, seemingly the next
leg of the relay team (or next event on the
track) seems to have the race of their life
or the throw, vault or jump of their life.
The Hawks were firing on all cylinders and
nothing could beat the Hawks as we soared
all the way to the top, relying on our depth
and ability to score in any event.
Congrats, teams, you all just made history!
Editor’s Note: CJ Ecalono is Urbana High
School’s girls and boys cross country, indoor
and outdoor track and field coach. He is United
States Track and Field Level One Certified.
The Town Courier
March 2014
■ new coach
from page 27
and will continue to have a great relationship that was far more important than football. He didn’t just shape me as a football
player. He shaped me as a young man.”
Walker’s father, Kyle, added, “Mac did
many things to help kids that nobody ever
sees on Fridays. He has affected many young
men in a positive way and given them memories that they will keep for the rest of their
lives.”
Mencarini announced his decision to his
team members on Tuesday and followed it
quickly with an emotional letter addressed
to parents, students and the Quince Orchard community. He said his decision to
leave QO was motivated by one thing: “It
is strictly based on what I feel is best for my
family, specifically my daughters.”
The Urbana job opened in December
when the previous coach stepped aside to
become the school’s athletic director. Mencarini, who lives near UHS, which his girls
will attend in a few years, said the move
would “allow me to accomplish two things:
continue to do what I love and be a better
dad.”
“I’m happy for him and glad he made the
decision that he did. I know it wasn’t easy
for him, but we all know how important his
girls and family are to him,” said Kyle Gregory, a senior on this year’s team who recently committed to play football at Monmouth
University.
Twine added, “Those who know his little
girls know how important they are to him
and will support him with his decision.”
Matter said, “We’re very proud of him for
choosing his wife and daughters first.”
Mencarini leaves QO after 10 years as
head coach with a record of 107 wins and 18
losses. The Cougars won the Maryland 4A
State Football Championship in 2007 and
were runners up in 2011 and 2012, suffering heartbreaking, last-minute defeats both
times. This season QO went 10-2, losing
both its games, including the region final,
to eventual state champion, Northwest. His
teams won at least one playoff game each
season except his first, and the Washington
Post named him All-Met Coach of the year
in 2011.
“He’s a legend at QO and will be one of
the greatest coaches wherever he goes,” said
Tommy Addison, star running back on the
2007 state champs and now a professional
football player in Europe.
Mencarini’s strong influence on the
young men he coached was a common
theme among former players and parents.
“He taught the boys some important life
skills, such as discipline and integrity,” said
Bonnie Richter, whose son, Jonathan Levin,
played center on the 2007 team.
“He had high expectations for his players, on and off the field” concurred Levin,
who completed his college football career
last season at Washington University in St.
Louis and is graduating in May. “I’ll never
forget the lessons he taught.”
Bradley Walker, who plans to play football at Gettysburg College next year, said,
“He brought out the toughness in me.”
Page 29
Mencarini also understood that while
football was the primary attraction on Friday nights at the Cougar Dome, it was just
part of the experience for the students and
their families, who participated in the band,
as cheerleaders or poms, or in the fabled
red-clad rooting section known as the Red
Army. Izzy Sobel, a former Cougar pom
captain, remembers how after one playoff defeat Mencarini saw her at school and
said, “Hey, pom captain! Sorry we lost. You
guys deserved a chance to perform at states.
You’re great!”
“Mac and his success created a program
that garnered support from not only his
players, but from students, parents and the
community,” said Kyle Walker. “Every kid
either wanted to play for him or to be part
of the Red Army. He made Friday nights at
QO special.”
Indeed, it was that Friday Night Lights
atmosphere that became a focal point for
the Quince Orchard community. Nick Bobruska, a longtime supporter of the program
whose loving care makes the Cougar Dome
turf one of the best natural playing surfaces in Maryland, said: “It was easy for me to
become so involved in the program when
I saw the commitment, drive, devotion and
attention he gave to the student athlete. He
has created a program that is loved and supported immensely in the community and
will last for years to come.”
QO faithful know that the Urbana community is getting more than just a new
coach. “I’m happy for Coach Mac and his
family to have the opportunity to benefit
another program, community and group of
players,” said Malcolm Brown, a team captain this past season and recently committed
to University of Delaware.
Twine said, “Urbana has a great coach but
a better leader for that community to follow.”
What happens next to QO football?
“Aside from all the great victories and
agonizing defeats, I’m most proud of how
Quince Orchard football is now synonymous with the elite programs in the state
of Maryland,” Mencarini said in his letter.
“This will continue moving forward ... This
program is very stable.”
Attf hletic Director Awkard said the
school plans to hire a new head coach as
soon as possible and has already posted the
vacancy announcement. He said QO will
be looking for someone who can continue
“producing great student athletes.” Speculation is centering on John Kelley, current
Cougar defensive coordinator and very popular with players and parents. Kelley’s Black
Paw Defense last season shut opponents out
five times and allowed less than seven points
per game.
Jack Webster, a junior now working out
with other team members for next season,
said, “Our program is forever thankful for
what Coach Mac has accomplished here and
I respect his decision and will miss him, but
we have to work hard in the off-season and
focus on next year.”
His dad, Bob, added, “With any new season there’s uncertainty, but the coaching
staff at QO is strong and they have the respect of a talented team. I wish Mac well and
look forward to next season.”
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Urbana High School Ice Hockey Team Takes Number One
“The season was a huge success,” said Toby Heusser, head coach for the Urbana High School (UHS)
ice hockey team. The team finished first place in the season and seventh place in the state going into
the playoffs. The ice hockey team also scored the most goals in the county. In the state playoffs, the
team lost 5-4. “Although it was a tough defeat, we had another great year,” said Heusser. Seniors Jeff
Matrone, Eric Dann and JT Ketzenberger were selected for the All-County Ice Hockey first team. Junior
Chris Gallo was chose for the All-County second team. Gallo, a defenseman on the UHS hockey team,
said, “I am proud to say that I was selected for the All-County second team this year, but our entire
season as a whole was a great success. I loved seeing some of my friends that haven’t played hockey
for very long really show improvement in their abilities. Every single player on our team was able to
contribute to this great season, and I wouldn’t have wanted to play with anyone else.”
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Page 30
The Town Courier
■ MENCARINI
from page 1
state championship title in 2007. Mencarini was named Maryland’s Coach of the
Year that same year, and the team was
runner-up in both the 2011 and 2012 season. Fifty-two players from Mencarini’s
QO teams have gone on to play football
in college; 10 have played for Division 1
teams. Four of Mencarini’s assistant coaches also went on to coach at other schools
in Montgomery County. Mencarini leaves
the Cougars after a 10-year record of 107
wins and 18 losses.
In the summers of 2012 and 2013, Mencarini coached Team Maryland against
Pennsylvania in the annual Big 33 Football Classic scholastic all-star game, widely
considered the super bowl of high school
football, in Hershey, Pa. Since 1957, the
event has brought together some of the best
high school players, coaches and cheerleaders from as far as Texas, and Maryland returned to prominence in the event in 2012
after 20 years.
“As far as I’m concerned,” Hines said,
“the state coach’s association selected the
best coach for our all-star team, and now
he is coming to Urbana.”
Mencarini, a Maryland native, graduated from Rockville High School in 1992.
He received his degree at Millersville
University in Pennsylvania. He currently
teaches accounting for work-study students
at Quince Orchard, and will teach either
math or physical education at Urbana.
Although it was difficult to leave what
he considers part of his family at Quince
March 2014
Orchard, Mencarini said family was the
biggest reason for the switch.
“We have lived in Urbana for 12 years,”
Mencarini said, “and now I can be closer
to my girls.”
Mencarini and his wife, Brynn, have
two daughters, Courtney, a sixth grader at Urbana Middle School and Camille,
in fourth grade at Centerville Elementary
School. Although he admits his schedule
will likely be just as demanding as before,
Mencarini said eliminating the 20-plus
minute commute will help.
“It’s important to be around as our girls
grow up,” he said. “We have two great
daughters and I consider the football players
my sons.” Courtney and Camille are active
with cheerleading and pom-pom teams,
so Brynn Mencarini, a real-estate agent in
Gaithersburg, said the move will make life
much easier on Friday nights in the fall.
“Hopefully,” Mencarini said, “when the
girls go to high school, the whole family
can just go across the street for games.”
Mencarini said his family is closely tied
to Urbana and has great respect for the
Hawks community. “I look forward to
building relationships with all of you,” he
said.
He said he will never forget walking out
onto the Hawks field in 2001, as an assistant coach for Seneca Valley High School.
“The crowd was one of the largest and
most enthusiastic I’ve ever seen. We went
to triple overtime in that game.” He hopes
to continue the tradition. “In 269 days,
the Urbana Hawks will walk out onto the
football field,” Mencarini said, “and take
back the I-70 trophy!”
The Town Courier
March 2014
Page 31
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The Town Courier
March 2014
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VILLAGES OF URBANA • $679,900
3835 Sugarloaf Parkway
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $329,900
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9501 Burgee Place
VILLAGES OF URBANA • $419,000
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Contract in 5 Days
Contract in 11 Days
Found the Buyer
Listed &
Found Buyer
Elaine Did it Again
98.7% of List Price
5202 Mussetter Road
IJAMSVILLE • $469,900
2677 Brook Valley Road
WORKMANS MILL • $499,900
2613 Mae Wade Avenue
ADAMSTOWN • $515,000
5106 Garland Court
IJAMSVILLE • $415,000
5215 Fairgreene Way
IJAMSVILLE • $492,000
10 Jennifer Lynne Drive
BRUNSWICK • $296,000
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