Donations needed for United Way's book drive

EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Friday, Nov. 27, 2009

The season of giving is officially here.

At this time of year, churches are making an extra push to congregations to dig a little deeper and give to those less fortunate so they can eat a hot meal or put extra clothing on their backs. And, for nearly 20 years, the United Way of Calvert County's Success By 6 initiative has been giving children in need something else — the gift of literacy.

As part of the Angel Tree project, where people in the community select a family off of an angel-shaped ornament from a tree and purchase gifts for them, Success By 6 collects books to give to children through its Angel Tree Book Drive. Each year, Success By 6, in cooperation with the Calvert County Department of Social Services, collects about 500 books to give to children 10 and younger. The children are members of the Angel Tree families.

Lisa Howard, director of initiatives for Success By 6, said the Angel Tree Book Drive is looking to collect 100 more books this year — for a total of 600 — as "a goal we have set for ourselves."

The books "don't necessarily need to be educational books. Some of the older children [in the program] are interested in ‘fantasy' books or fiction books that take them to another place."

Howard said some of the more popular books for younger readers include "Dora the Explorer," "Diego" and "Disney Princesses," while older children in grades 2 through 4 prefer the "Magic Treehouse," or mystery series authored by Cam Jansen and Jenny B. Jones.

"But, the classics are always welcome," Howard said.

Books to be donated should be new and unwrapped. The Angel Tree Book Drive is accepting donations from now until Thursday, Dec. 10, at locations throughout Calvert County, including all Calvert Library branches, the Calvert Pines Senior Center in Prince Frederick, The Calverton School, the Dunkirk Safeway, St. Paul United Methodist Preschool, Calvert Marine Museum, Department of Juvenile Services, the Calvert County Courthouse's lobby, Mt. Hope Community Center, Prime Time Children's Center and the United Way House.

The books will be distributed to children when the rest of the Angel Tree gifts are distributed, Howard said.

Angel Tree locations are as follows: St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church; Jesus the Divine Word Roman Catholic Church; Emmanuel United Methodist Church; St. Paul's United Methodist Church; Trinity United Methodist Church; Smithville United Methodist Church; St. Nicholas Lutheran Church; All Saints Episcopal Church; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant; SMECO; Kiwanis Club; Calvert County Government; United Way of Calvert County.

"We're extremely pleased with the results the Angel Tree Book Drive has produced in the past, and it has become a much anticipated event on our annual calendar. Getting books into the hands of all children is so important for their overall health and future success," Howard wrote in an e-mail.

"It's a very successful program. It is very important that children are raised with books. The more engaged they are with books, the more engaged they are in reading, and they appreciate reading more," Howard said.

Contact the Success By 6 office at 410-286-0101, or go to www.unitedwaycalvert.org for more information.

Help end hunger with food drive

Join the staff of Home Towne Real Estate to help end hunger in Calvert County this year. Home Towne Real Estate will host its annual food drive from Tuesday, Dec. 1, through Friday, Dec. 4. Bring nonperishable food to the office at 111 East Chesapeake Beach Road in Owings. Items should be boxed or in plastic containers (no glass) and can include rice, soup, peanut butter, crackers, cereal, pasta, canned tuna, spaghetti sauce and lentils. All donations will be given to the Calvert County Food Pantry to help feed hungry families here in Calvert County. As a special treat to cap off the week, children can receive a free photo with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. at the office in Owings. For more information, call Kevin Turner at Home Towne Real Estate at 410-286-9632, or e-mail kturner@hometownerealestate.net.

4-H forming air rifle club

The 4-H office of University of Maryland Extension is seeking interested youth, ages 8 to 18, to join a newly organized Air Rifle Shooting Club. The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Extension Conference Room 105 in the Community Resources Building, located at 30 Duke Street in Prince Frederick. Shooting place and date will be decided at the meeting.

Anyone interested can call the University of Maryland Extension at 410-535-3662 or 301-855-1150 to have his or her name placed on the list. University of Maryland Extension programs are equal access programs. However, age and number of participants may be restricted by the number of project leaders available, according to a press release.

Tri-County Youth Services Bureau offers programs

Victim Awareness Program — Tri-County Youth Services Bureau invites youth ages 15 to 18 to a Victim Awareness Program to discuss the impact that crime has on the victim, the victim's family and the community in which the victim lives. Participants will gain knowledge of the impact of crime and violent behavior on others, learn how to eliminate criminal and violent behavior and how to take responsibility for destructive and harmful behavior. The group will meet every other Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Department of Juvenile Services, located at 200 Duke St., Suite 2800 in Prince Frederick. For more information, call 443-550-6275.

Anger Management for Teens — Tri-County Youth Services Bureau invites youth ages 15 to 18 to join an Anger Management Program to learn to manage emotions appropriately. Participants will learn to identify what triggers anger, how to evaluate the impact of their anger and effective ways to manage their anger. The group will meet every other Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Department of Juvenile Services, located at 200 Duke St., Suite 2800 in Prince Frederick. There is a one-time fee of $25. For more information or to register, call 443-550-6275.

Best Foot Forward — Tri-County Youth Services Bureau invites young ladies ages 12 to 18 to join Best Foot Forward, a social skills group that helps young ladies develop proper etiquette, personal image, self-esteem, social skills, healthy relationships and explore career options. The group meets alternating Mondays from 3:40 to 5 p.m. at the Lusby Teen Center in Lusby. There is no fee to participate. For more information, call Patricia Wheeler at 443-550-6275.

The Barbie Doll Project — Tri-County Youth Services Bureau invites young ladies ages 8 to 14 to participate in "The Barbie Doll Project," a social skills group that shatters the perfect body myth and explores media influences on body image. Young ladies will learn the relationship between body image and self-esteem and they will explore the relationship between negative self-image and the prevalence of eating disorders. The group meets weekly on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Yardley Hills Community Center in Prince Frederick. There is no fee to participate. For more information, call Patricia Wheeler at 443-550-6275. The Barbie Doll Project is made possible through funding from the Women's Initiative of the Calvert County United Way.

Solomons fundraiser set for Dec. 7

The annual Solomons Business Association Community Fundraiser Silent Auction will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at the Naughty Gull Restaurant and Pub in Solomons. This event is a fundraiser for the entire community. The money raised from this event is used for the annual Solomons Fourth of July fireworks, the Solomons Christmas Walk, A Taste of Solomons and Solomons Paint the Town. Heavy appetizers of crab, shrimp and chicken and complementary beer and wine will be served. Save some Christmas shopping for the silent auction. The cost is $25 per person in advance, and $35 at the door. Seating is limited so be sure to make a reservation. For more information or reservations, call 410-326-4855.

Sheriff's office needs help with Toys for Tots campaign

This year, the Calvert County Sheriff's Office is participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Each year, this program brings a new toy to needy children throughout Calvert County.

The sheriff's office lobby will be a drop off location for the toys.

The toys must be new and unwrapped and will be collected by Dec. 18.

Help make a child's Christmas a little more special and bring a new, unwrapped toy to the sheriff's office lobby. For further information, contact Dfc. Michael Naecker at 410-535-2800, or e-mail naeckermp@co.cal.md.us.

Guide offers local gift ideas

Green up winter shopping, dining and decorating with a little help from the free 2009/2010 So. Maryland, So Good Winter Farm Guide, "Farms for the Holidays." The guide is a mini-directory of regional farms in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties featuring locally grown or produced products and seasonal activities.

As the holidays approach, the Winter Farm Guide offers a "home-grown" alternative to malls and stores. Organized by category of items (greenery and home decor; gifts; wine; poultry; meat and seafood; winter vegetables and holiday farm events) the guide lists farms where shoppers can find ideas for gifts, food and family entertainment as well as locally grown Christmas trees, festive garlands and wreaths.

The guide also includes farm hosted family events featuring live nativity scenes, "how-to" workshops for holiday decorations, candlelit caroling walks and nature walks through Christmas tree farms.

To view or download "Farms for the Holidays," go to www.somarylandsogoodcom. Click on "news and media information" for a list of regional pick up sites.

To find out more about the guides or to learn more about additional programs and resources, contact SMADC, P.O. Box 745 Hughesville, MD 20637; call, 301-274-1922; fax, 301-274-1924; e-mail cbergmark@somarylandsogood.com; or go to www.smadc.com, www.somdtrails.com or www.somarylandsogood.com.

Event to honor priest

There will be a reception and book signing to celebrate the publication of the Rev. Dr. Ira L. Fetterhoff's biography, "A Life of Devotion: To Family, the Church and Medicine," by Margaret W. Mann, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the clubhouse at 11740 Asbury Circle in the Asbury-Solomons Island Retirement Community.

According to a press release, Fetterhoff has taken many different and unusual career paths in his lifetime. His religious background and interests, plus economic necessity for his education, led him into the Episcopal priesthood, where he was ordained in 1955. Then, continuing his family's long tradition as physicians, he enrolled in medical school and specialized in the practice of psychiatry, in which he made many contributions to his patients and to the body of knowledge. He conducted both careers concurrently.

During his career as a psychiatrist employed in various state-operated mental institutions, he became a valuable resource to the courts in Washington and Allegany counties, the sheriff's office in Washington County and the Maryland State Police. The biography includes some of his accounts about his role in resolving hostage situations, inmate evaluations and suicide interventions, as well as stories from his private practice.

As an Episcopal priest, he has served in more than half of the churches in the Diocese of Maryland.

The Rev. David G. Showers, rector at Middleham and St. Peter's Parish, said the following in the press release regarding the book: "This biography is a work about devotion and sacrifice. The author has captured the Rev. Dr. Ira Fetterhoff's skill as a psychiatrist and his humanity as a priest."

Marine museum offers fun during break

The holiday school break is here and in addition to all the pressures of the season, parents have to think about what to do with the kids. Come to the Calvert Marine Museum for entertainment and a little stealth education.

Friday, Nov. 27: The Magic and Mystery of Jellyfish —Know that jellyfish are critical to the oyster population in the Bay? Want to know where they go in the winter and how they sting? Join the museum's interpreter at the Jellyfish Tank for a special 15 minute program every hour on the hour from 1 to 4 p.m. Participants can also make a jellyfish to take home out of recycled materials in the Discovery Room loft from 2 to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 28: Things You Otter Know — The museum's river otters are its most popular exhibit. In this entertaining live program, an interpreter will share the secrets of the otters' playful games, and invite participants to play a game as well to see who knows the most about river otters. Join others for this special 15-minute program every hour on the hour from 1 to 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 29: Oyster Wars! — These days, people mostly hear about the disappearing oyster, but back in the boom years, there were literally oyster wars going on right here on the Patuxent River. Learn about this fascinating chapter of history in a program that also explores the extraordinary biology of the oyster. This 30-minute program will take place every hour starting at 1 p.m.