Eagle Scout builds basketball court for riding center

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: June 30, 2008

Mahesh Shirole, a member of Boy Scout Troop 874, built this basketball court for the Therapeutic and Recreational Riding Center, in Glenwood, for his Eagle Scout project.

Mahesh Shirole, from Boy Scout Troop 874, recently joined the honored rank of Eagle Scout by building a basketball court at the Therapeutic and Recreational Riding Center, in Glenwood. The center provides physical and occupational therapy on horseback, treating people with a range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities, and provides recreational riding opportunities for clients without disabilities.

When Mahesh visited the center, Dr. Helen Tuel, its owner/founder, told him the children wanted a place to shoot hoops. Mahesh said “I wanted my project to be outdoors and somehow benefit kids, so I knew that building a decent sized concrete pad to play basketball on would be perfect.”

He worked with Rick MacInnes, the troop’s Eagle Scout project coordinator, to raise money and organize volunteers. The project took more than 300 man-hours and about three days of work to dig the 21- by 22-foot rectangle, level the ground, pour 6 inches of rock and a 4-inch layer of concrete. They also built a fence around two sides of the court to prevent the ball from rolling in the horse pasture or behind a barn.

Mahesh raised money for materials through donations from family and friends, but he said, “Amazingly enough, the companies I wrote to explaining my project, donated all the materials and tools I needed.” He was able to give the $535 he raised to the riding center for its scholarship fund.

The recent graduate of Centennial High School started scouting when he was 6 years old and has been very involved with Troop 874 the past few years. He became Senior Patrol Leader in 2006 and participated in backpacking trips to Philmont camp in New Mexico and the Appalachian mountains.

Troop 874 meets at Glenmar United Methodist church and has 110 registered scouts which meet weekly on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and has many adult volunteers. The troop is led by Scoutmaster Kevin McGovern.

Mahesh, who is planning to study engineering at Virginia Tech this fall, encourages boys to join the scouts.

“Since the Boy Scouts of America focuses on leadership, the scouts became trained and very qualified to be leaders not only in the troop, but also in the real world,” he said.

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Peg Browning earns Appreciation Award

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: June 24, 2008

Congratulations to Margaret “Peg” Browning for receiving the Community Appreciation Award from The Horizon Foundation for her decades of volunteer service in Howard County. The Horizon awards are designed to recognize those who have contributed in a great way to the community health and wellness of Howard County.

A cancer survivor, Browning is a laryngectomy patient who has worked for the American Cancer Society visiting elementary and middle school students to discuss the dangers of smoking. The 78-year-old began her volunteer service decades ago in her children’s classrooms and with their swim teams. She is also a member of the Howard County Republican Woman’s Club, the Republican Central Committee and many other service organizations. When Steve Adler, a member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, presented her with the award he said, “(Browning) is a generous, loving, funny person and a dear friend to many.”

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Local fruit and vegetable stand opens June 26

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: June 24, 2008

Now that summer’s officially here I had a hankering for Baugher’s corn, strawberries and tomatoes (thought they’d be safe to eat) but they were still closed. The sign on the front of the fruit and vegetable stand on New Cut Road read “We’ll be open on June 26. See you then, Joan.” I can’t wait until Thursday.

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“One-Eyed Horse” Opens July 22

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: June 24, 2008

“One-Eyed Horse” opens July 22

Lee Doll, in costume for the Saloon scene in his movie “One-Eyed Horse,”poses behind The Good Life Market on Tongue Row, in Historic Ellicott City. “One-Eyed Horse” premieres at the Diamond Cinemas Westview July 22. Lee is using props from Cottage Antiques on Main Street, where he works as a furniture refinisher, and wearing an apron from long time Main Street resident John Beck. For more information about Lee or the movie‚s limited run go to www.leedoll.com.

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Veterans Elementary School teachers cut their hair for a good cause

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: June 12, 2008

Veterans Elementary PE teachers

Rod Pratesi, left, and Rob Richardson, two Physical Education teachers at Veterans Elementary School, promised students that they’d shave their head and a get Mohawk haircut, respectively, if students raised more than $1,500. After the last envelope was counted, the tally exceeded $7,000–sending the two teachers off to the barber.

The American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart program engages elementary students in a physical activity while raising funds to support lifesaving heart and stroke research. Students jumped rope in teams of six for more than two hours total. Almost 180 Veterans students from kindergarten through fifth grade participated, enabling a $7,032.83 donation. Top fundraisers were first-grader Amelia Brinkley, who raised $335, and fifth-grader Sarah Seen, who raised $300.

“The more students hear the message about leading a healthy lifestyle from a young age, the more likely they are to embrace lifelong activity,” said Lauren Heisey, related arts team leader and physical wducation teacher at Veterans Elementary.

A special thank you goes out to the following dedicated group of parent volunteers who helped keep students jumping and enjoying the afternoon - Ivy Allen, David Brandhorst, Rachel Brinkley, Julie Eckley, Romel and Argelia Garcia-Moya, Karen Good, Sharon Harman, Timothy Janiszewski, Wendi Loraine, Leah McIlvain, Ana Ruth Mejia, Peggi Mentges, Teri Michel, Karen Mitchell, Sima Narron, Hansa Paloprakarn, Debbie Shissler, Nancy Smith, Julie Souder, Li Tang, Robyn Tanski, Denise Veres and Xueging Xu.

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