Holiday Shopping Event for Ellicott City Neighbors

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: November 26, 2008

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St. John’s Lane Elementary School does the Turkey Trot

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: November 26, 2008

Christina Bodziak, Maddie Hammond and Danielle Bodziak, from left, enjoy the second annual St. John’s Lane Elementary Turkey Trot Nov. 9, which also helped collect canned food for the Maryland Food Bank.

St. John’s Lane Elementary School’s second annual Turkey Trot was a huge success with over five hundred family members participating Nov. 9 to walk, run, and waddle around the track to promote healthy living within our community.

The event, sponsored by the school’s PTA, was organized by Caroline Bodziak, Health and Wellness Committee chairwoman, and committee members Chris Campbell, Laurie and Matt Zuiderhof, Stella Hoffman, Amy Cargiulo, Patti LeConte, Terry Purnell, Bob Betlejewski, Amy Holland, Amy Hammond, Sonya Vasilios, Beth Snyder, Jill Hodge and Christa Kampert; with help from school Principal Deborah Jagoda, Assistant Principal Vicky Sarro and staff members Carl Frantz, Tina Harkness and Keri Esposito. Special thanks also go out to Cub Scout Pack 944 and the school’s fifth-grade choir.

The Turkey Trot included a half-hour fun run/walk, dancing, raffle prizes and announcement of the Golden Turkey Award Winners for each grade that collected the most canned food for the Maryland Food Bank. This year’s canned food drive doubled the school’s efforts from last year with 2,121 food items collected.

Golden Turkey Award winners were Penny Wright’s kindergarten class, Suzy Pino’s first-grade class, Valerie DeVincent’s second-grade class, Aimee Kirby’s third-grade class, Kelly Rippeon’s fourth-grade and Lauren Beaman’s fifth-grade class.

The students trained for the event during their Walking Wednesday program, a year-long activity where students can run or walk during recess and challenge themselves to “Race Across the States.” The runners and walkers are working toward completing their own personal 26.2-mile marathons. Incentives, in the form of plastic charms, are given at mileage markers that represent typical race lengths 1 mile, 5k, 10k, etc. with the goal to reach a full marathon of 26.2 miles.

“The students love to rack up the Walking Wednesday charms and wear them proudly to school and throughout the community,” committee member Laurie Zuiderhof said.

Each student who participated in the Turkey Trot received a turkey charm to add to their Walking Wednesday chain. The student body’s cumulative miles will take them around U.S. cities that play host to fun, famous or unusual marathons. The kids started their journey in Baltimore, highlighting the Baltimore Marathon that took place in October.

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Ulman to Announce Holiday Parking Changes This Tuesday

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: November 24, 2008

County Executive Ken Ulman will be holding a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 25, in front of the B&O Museum, 2711 Maryland Ave., in Ellicott City, to announce changes in the holiday parking situation in downtown Ellicott City.

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Howard High School Craft Show Dec. 5

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: November 19, 2008

Howard High School has many creative crafters on staff and among the student body and invite the public to their first-ever Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Craft Show and Sale Dec. 5 from 2:15-4:30 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria.

You can purchase unique handmade crafts created by school staff, National Art Honor Society students, various student clubs, and Howard High parents for your holiday gifts. Among the offerings will be necklaces and earrings; candy creations, photo greeting cards, kitty blankets, original artwork, maple syrup, hand-painted glassware, and more.

In addition you can own a piece of Howard High School history, an actual piece of the school’s original stage. Visitors can also have a photograph taken with Leo Claws, the school mascot. Call 410-313-2867 for more information.

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Erickson Retirement Communities hosting information session Dec. 2

By Cathi Higgins
Posted: November 18, 2008

Erickson Retirement Communities is hosting an information session Dec. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. for the general public to learn more about their proposed campus style, continuing care retirement community on the historic Doughoregan Manor property adjacent to the Kiwanis-Wallis Park.

The session, held at the Ellicott City Senior Center, will be open house-style where interested people can come and go at any time. Erickson representatives will be available to discuss various topics of interest and the public will also have an opportunity to ask questions and to share comments on the proposal

For more information call Chris Siciliano at 410-242-2880, Ext. 2218 or e-mail csiciliano@erickson.com.

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