Project Linus has kids covered with warmth

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Submitted photo Blankeeters participate in the Charles County Project Linus Make a Blanket Day on Feb. 15 at the Richard R. Clark Senior Center in La Plata. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

At the end of the day, there were more than 370 blankets assembled, some finished that day with the 28 blanketeers attending and some finished at home and dropped off prior to the event. Blankets were then ready to be given to organizations across the county and sometimes beyond.

According to a press release, the fun started at 9 a.m., when sewing machines started to buzz in the sewing room, where batting was cut to fit, quilt ‘‘sandwiches” were put together, stitched on the sewing machines, turned, smoothed, top-stitched and finally the official Project Linus label was attached.

In the meantime, other blanketeers had arrived and were setting up shop across the hall to tie and label blankets, and also where participant Kaye Webb was in her usual spot with her sewing machine whipping up some fleece blankets to add to the growing number.

In attendance were Lona Boggs and Carol Eppley, both Maryland Senior Citizen Hall of Fame inductees.

Charles County Project Linus is honored to have them as blanketeers, said the press release. At some point, 21 machine-knitted blankets were delivered by participant Carol Fortier, and no one could resist ‘‘oohing” and ‘‘aahing” over her ‘‘perfectly” created pastel baby blankets.

Lunch was served at noon, donated and catered by Apple Spice Junction.

Prizes were won and each blanketeer was the recipient of a volunteer survival kit. When Mary Hancock, coordinator, and Cairna Bode, volunteer from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, had counted, listed and bagged all of the blankets, the grand total came to 374.

Project Linus thanked Vernon Monday of Charles County emergency services for picking up 144 blankets, 12 bags, to be distributed to the various rescue squads to be placed on each ambulance in the county, according to the release.

Charles County Project Linus is one of 406 Project Linus chapters nationwide.

Since its inception in September 2002, the group has donated more than 8,000 blankets to children, mostly in Charles County. Charles County Project Linus has a sewing group that meets from 9 a.m. to noon Fridays at the Clark center and also meets at 1 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Material Girls Quilt Boutique in La Plata to prepare finished blankets for delivery and to discuss chapter business.

Call Mary Hancock at 301-743-2114 or e-mailCharlesCounty.MD@projectlinus.org for more information.

Get more for lessat amusement parks

Discount amusement park tickets will be available for purchase through the Charles County Department of Community Services beginning April 14.

There will be tickets from Kings Dominion, Six Flags America, Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, Hershey Park, Sesame Place, Six Flags Great Adventure-New Jersey, Dutch Wonderland and Dorney Park. Prices for tickets are typically discounted 10 to 15 percent off the regular gate prices.

To view the latest discount ticket prices offered by community services, go to www.charlescounty.org⁄cs⁄recreation⁄discounttickets.htm.Ticket sales run from April through August. MasterCard, Visa, cash or money orders only; no checks accepted. Groups of 20 or more can be accommodated by calling one week in advance. No refunds or exchanges on tickets. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Tickets may be purchased in person at the department of community services at 8190 Port Tobacco Road in Port Tobacco. The hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will be closed May 26 and July 4.

Before visiting community services for tickets, it is suggested that visitors call to confirm availability of tickets. Call 301-934-9305 or 301-870-3388, Ext. 5152.

Have a summer discovery

The Humane Society of Charles County is now accepting registrations for its annual Summer Discovery program at Hard Bargain Farm in Accokeek.

The kid-friendly program will be held from June 30 to July 3 and will teach kids about the cycles of nature, the evolution of farming and all that the farm has to offer.

Children 5 to 13 are welcome to join in the fun.

The cost is $50 per child.

Call Stacy Cage at 301-645-1063, Ext. 1 or go tohumanesocietycc.org for moreinformation.

A fun eveningfor a great cause

Joseph ‘‘Jakie” Strickland has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and needs some extra help and support. His sisters, Debbie McGuigan and Betty Tilley, are hoping to make a dinner and dance fundraiser a success for their brother.

The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. April 26 at the Marbury Volunteer Fire Department on Poor House Road in Pisgah. Tickets will be $20 per person.

To participate, arrive by the 6 p.m. dinner hour and be entertained by the country band Southbound of St. Mary’s County, win a few door prizes, bid on some auction items and taste a couple of the baked goods that will be for sale.

To donate to the auction or to purchase tickets, call McGuigan at 301-743-2216 or Tilley at 301-743-3820.

Doors wide openat Mount Aventine

Mount Aventine’s 2008 season of monthly open house events will begin April 13.

The historic manor house will begin its season from noon to 5 p.m. April 13 on the Potomac River at Chapman State Park. In observance of Charles County’s 350th anniversary, the monthly history talks at 2 p.m. will follow a chronology of county history, presented by Elmer Biles. On April 13, Biles will speak on ‘‘The History of Charles County, 1607-1658: Maryland, The Early Years from Capt. John Smith to Colonial Governor Josias Fendall.”

Volunteer naturalist Jim Long will salute spring with a presentation on woodland wildflowers at 1 p.m. and a wildflower nature walk at 3 p.m. Children’s activities, walks to the river and Chapman Family cemetery are monthly features.

Events are free.

The park is on Chapman’s Landing Road, Ferry Place, off Route 210 between Bryans Road and Indian Head.

Call 301-753-6754 or go to www.chapmanforest.org.

Topics for the May to October presentation can be found at www.visitcharlescounty.com⁄350th.

Seamen graduate

Navy Reserve Seaman Matthew M. Romeo, Navy Seaman Apprentice William D. Peterson, Navy Seaman Recruit Dazzamon McClendon and Navy Seaman Recruit Joseph B. Davis recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill.

Romeo is a 2001 graduate of Westlake High School.

Peterson, the son of Rose M. Carroll of Port Tobacco, is a 2005 graduate of Maurice J. McDonough High School.

McClendon is a 2007 graduate of Gwynn Park High School.

Davis, a 2004 graduate of Westlake, is the son of Pamela D. Edmonds of Waldorf and Joseph Davis of Chesapeake, Va.