‘Butterfly' to Encore next week before state festival

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

"Butterfly," voted the best among a collection of one-act plays performed earlier this year at Three Notch Theatre in Lexington Park, will be presented for free next week at St. Mary's College of Maryland.

The show at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, at the college's Bruce Davis Theater is in advance of the play's inclusion in the Maryland State Theater Festival on Jan. 15 and 16 in Silver Spring.

Trish Cole's play performed by The Newtowne Players received the most votes from theatergoers earlier this year. Its stark portrayal of a young woman's personal and familial strife contrasted with the more comedic entries in the local competition.

"It's the young woman's struggle about identity and defining identity for oneself," Cole said this week. "The other story in the play is the mother and her inability to allow the child to become the person the child's going to be. It's about the universal theme of identity."

Next week's production presented by The Newtowne Players and STARS of SMCM will include actors Gloria Ranta, Missy Bell and Jessica Magno. No reservations are required for the 30-minute performance. A discussion with the author and actors will take place afterward.

First Fridays resume today in Leonardtown

Leonardtown's First Friday events resume from 5 to 8 p.m. today, including a holiday raffle with a Fuji Crosstown bicycle as the grand prize. For more information, go online to www.leonardtownfirstfridays.com.

Women's commission symposium Saturday

The Maryland Commission for Women will present a symposium titled "Empowering Women in this Economy" from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, at the Prince George's Community College main campus at 301 Largo Road in Largo.

Workshops, panel discussions, keynote addresses, exhibitors and individual counselors will provide women with economic information and resources.

The keynote speakers will be Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, Chief Judge Robert Bell and Sarah Bloom Raskin, Maryland's commissioner of financial regulation. Rep. Donna Edwards will be the opening speaker. For more information, call 410-767-3049 or send e-mail to ptolson@dhr.state.md.us.

Insurance workshop planned for Dec. 7

The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission will hold an insurance workshop for farming families at 6 p.m. next Monday, Dec. 7, at Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School in Mechanicsville.

The program on life insurance and long-term care insurance will help participants learn how to choose insurance and avoid being sold a product they may not need. Joyce Cool and Robert Ramos of Wealth Management Partners will discuss the uses of life insurance, the difference between term and permanent life insurance, benefits of life insurance, tax implications, long-term care expenses that are covered through Medicare and Medicaid, and features and benefit amounts to consider in purchasing a long-term care policy.

Specific companies and their products will not be mentioned. The workshop is free to the public, and registration is requested. The workshop is co-sponsored by Colonial Farm Credit and Country Mortgages. To register and get more information on future workshops, call the commission at 301-274-1922 or see www.somarylandsogood.com.

Nursing center

to display tree

of remembrance

The St. Mary's Nursing Center Foundation is selling a five-point stained glass star ornament for $18, in advance of its annual Tree of Remembrance celebration to be held at 5 p.m. next Thursday, Dec. 10, at the facility in Leonardtown. The 200 ornaments made by local artist Nancy Wathen for the foundation are this year the color of amethyst edged in silver.

During the tree celebration, residents' names are read and the ornaments are given to family members and friends. A buffet will be served. Anyone ordering an ornament who is not able to attend the celebration can pick it up at the front desk at the nursing center after Dec. 11. Donations in lieu of having an ornament are appreciated. The donation will go to a fund to support projects that enhance the residents' quality of life. For more information, call Brenda Pruett at 240-298-5019.

Church to host crafts and baked goods sale

A craft vendors and bake sale to benefit the Hollywood United Methodist Church preschool will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the church's social hall. Tables are available for rent. Call 301-373-2500, ext. 204.

Chaptico Chargers donate bike helmets

The Chaptico Chargers 4-H Club donated 21 new bicycle helmets this month to the St. Mary's sheriff's office, to be distributed to children in need of a new helmet who participate in the sheriff's office bicycle safety rodeos.

The Chaptico Chargers have participated in additional community service projects throughout the year, including offering assistance to the Cedar Lane senior living community last January when its residents lost elevator service. The 4-H members helped the residents navigate the stairs and carried their packages.

The 4-H club also organized bingo for the St. Mary's Nursing Center, and collects food for the Our Lady of the Wayside Church's food pantry.

The club members decided to each personally donate a helmet to promote bicycle safety for other St. Mary's youth. Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron accepted the helmet donations and commended the club members for their commitment to community service.

For information on 4-H clubs in St. Mary's County, call 301-475-4478 or go online to http://extension.umd.edu/local/SaintMarys.

For further information on the St. Mary's sheriff's office bicycle safety rodeos, call Sgt. Gerald Johnson at 301-475-4200, ext. 9041.

Celebrate 375

ornaments for sale

Celebrate 375 Christmas ornaments are available for purchase at Hallmark stores in St. Mary's and Cecil's Country Store in Great Mills for $10, with proceeds going to the Kiwanis Club of St. Mary's County. The ornaments are made from 24-karat gold flashed brass, and feature a three-dimensional version of the Celebrate 375 logo, commemorating the anniversary of the arrival of English colonists. Call Rebecca Deprey at 301-475-4200, ext. 1404, or e-mail rebec-

ca.deprey@stmarysmd.com.

Church to hold crafts and cookie sale

The Episcopal Church Women of the Church of the Ascension will hold its annual Christmas cookie sale and craft sale from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the church in Lexington Park.

The cookies will be all homemade and sold in boxes and platters in a variety of sizes. For advance orders, call Margaret Jarboe at 301-862-9610 or send e-mail to docjarbo@erols.com. A 78-inch cathedral rose window afghan and a 42-by-50-inch sunflower afghan will be raffled, along with homemade crafts and ornaments.

Winter wonderland coming Dec. 12

The Bay District Volunteer Fire Department will host its Winter Wonderland Festival from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Co. 3 firehouse in Lexington Park.

The firefighters will be lighting a Christmas tree at 6:15 p.m., and Santa Claus will be joined by Mr. Magic, DJ Donnie Carter and Sparky the fire dog. The event also will feature Christmas carols, moon bounces, face painting and crafts. Food and drinks will be sold for a small fee.

Free fire truck rides will be offered, and if the weather allows, there will be opportunities to go up in a fire truck bucket.

Christmas Gospel

concert set for Dec. 12

The New Briscoe Brothers gospel group will host a Christmas gospel program to benefit the Southern Maryland Food Bank from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, in the Loffler center at Chancellor's Run Regional Park. Admission is $8 if accompanied with a donation of canned or nonperishable food items, or $12 without food items. There will be dinners on sale and special giveaways. Contact Oscar Briscoe at 301-884-2977 or e-mail briscoeso@juno.com.

COSMIC to present Handel's ‘Messiah'

A Christmas performance by the Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland in Concert and the Community Chorus featuring Handel's "Messiah" will be presented at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Patuxent Presbyterian Church in California.

A second performance will be at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, at Crossroad Christian Church in St. Leonard. Seating is limited. Tickets may be purchased at Stevens Studio, Allegro Music and Pax River MWR in St. Mary's, and at Educate & Celebrate and Martens Jewelry and Gifts in Calvert. Individual tickets cost $10, while tickets for students, seniors, military and special needs guests cost $8.

For more information see www.cosmicmusic.com.

jwharton@somdnews.com