Youth of St. James Host Spaghetti Dinner this Saturday

By Cassie Felch
Posted: March 13, 2009

The youth of St. James United Methodist Church also plan a fundraiser for Saturday, March 14. They are hosting a lasagna dinner in support of their annual Camp Hope mission trip, where they will perform home repair for needy families in western Maryland. The youth offer two dinner seatings, at 5 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $7 per person and children younger than 5 are free. Call the church office at 442-2020 to make your reservation. St. James is at 12470 Frederick Road, in Marriottsville.

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Visit the Mustang Flea Market this Saturday

By Cassie Felch
Posted: March 5, 2009

This is the weekend for the Marriotts Ridge Music Foundation’s huge Mustang Flea Market! Visit the school cafeteria Saturday, March 7 from 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to browse for furniture, baby items, electronics, collectibles, household and sporting goods, clothes, toys, tools, seasonal items and more. All purchases are cash only, and the school requests no early birds. The address for Marriotts Ridge High School is 12100 Woodford Drive in Marriottsville. E-mail mustangfleamarket@gmail.com for more information.

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Local Family Manages Grief with Help from C.O.P.S.

By Cassie Felch
Posted: February 19, 2009

Everyone has heard about making the best of a bad situation, making lemonade out of lemons or finding the silver lining around the cloud, yet these clichés trivialize true heartbreak. Sorrow and disappointment are an integral part of life, yet how one copes with the negatives reveals much about one’s character. A little more than a year ago, the Geisler family experienced a tragedy that sent their lives in unexpected directions.

Marriottsville residents for more than 35 years, the Geislers have always been hard-working public servants and trustworthy neighbors. Ed, a retired Howard County Police lieutenant and Priscilla, a retired English teacher, raised two equally upstanding daughters. Their youngest, Susan, was building a life in Carroll County together with Courtney Brooks, a corporal with the Maryland Transportation Authority, and their young children.

On New Year’s Eve 2007, Courtney volunteered to work an extra shift to help support his family. However, around 11:20 p.m., a hit-and run driver struck and killed him at the interchange of Interstates 95 and 395 in Baltimore. Police quickly identified the driver, Kerri Joanna King, a woman with prior drunk driving offenses.

Although Courtney’s death and resultant funeral made Baltimore area news, the coverage must have seemed somewhat impersonal to his grieving family and friends. To them, Courtney is not just another statistic, but a beloved person. Fortunately, the Geisler and Brooks families received support from Concerns of Police Survivors, an organization familiar with the issues and emotions surrounding law enforcement deaths.

Priscilla recalls how C.O.P.S. representatives sat with them throughout New Year’s Day and assisted them with everything – finances, funeral arrangements, filling out forms, answering questions, even washing dishes and entertaining the children. They also attended all viewings, memorial services, and court dates with the family and have continued to be on call, as necessary.

Sue Nickerson, President of the Maryland Chapter of C.O.P.S., said the mission of the organization is to help surviving families and co-workers rebuild their shattered lives. She says that the volunteers freely give their time and do so because they truly want to help. All have experienced a law enforcement death or have family members involved in law enforcement.

Nickerson’s son, Patrolman Michael S. Nickerson, died from gunshot wounds after responding to a noise complaint Feb. 13, 2001. She believes that her son would want her to “do this for others who are going through the same grief and pain that we moved through in the beginning.”

Priscilla has been so grateful for and impressed by the support her family has received that she recently completed a three-day C.O.P.S. training program entitled “The Traumas of Law Enforcement.” The purpose of the course, as stated in its brochure, is to educate “America’s law enforcement agencies about the appropriate response to officers and their families affected by line-of-duty traumas.”

C.O.P.S. offers the training at eight locations nationwide, including the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center in Marriottsville. (The street address for the training center is 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, named for a Howard County police corporal who was struck and killed by a speeding vehicle.)

Now that Priscilla has completed The Traumas of Law Enforcement Training, she may consider certification as a Trauma Services Specialist through ATSS, the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists. Priscilla says it feels good to “give back to these associations and people and to be able to help other families who experience this type of tragedy.”

Additionally, she and other survivors have participated in the Polar Bear Plunge in Courtney’s memory. As those who have experienced a loss know, the first anniversary of a death can be traumatic, and many survivors do not yet feel ready to act outside their own loss. Despite their grief, Courtney’s family members already strive to honor his memory by helping others.

To learn more about C.O.P.S. or to make a donation, go to www.nationalcops.org. For more information, call Sue Nickerson at 410-348-5653 or e-mail mikie@atlanticbb.net.

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Manor Woods Celebrates 15th Anniversary March 3

By Cassie Felch
Posted: February 19, 2009

Manor Woods Elementary invites the community, as well as current and former staff, parents and students, to celebrate 15 years of friendship. The school’s anniversary Open House will take place March 3 from 4-6 p.m. (snow date: March 11) and will include music, art displays, and refreshments. Parents must accompany any child younger than 16. The address for Manor Woods is 11575 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, and the phone number is 410-313-7165.

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WFES Presents ‘Willy Wonka’ March 3-4

By Cassie Felch
Posted: February 17, 2009

Since October, many of the fourth- and fifth-graders at West Friendship Elementary School have diligently rehearsed their parts for the school’s production of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” They have sung and danced, recited lines, and practiced their staging directions, often two to three times per week. Imagine the balancing act involved for these students, who must not only complete their homework, but also fulfill other obligations in sports, music, scouts, and so forth.

Now the children and their dedicated teachers welcome the community to view the end result. The school offers two evening performances of Willy Wonka, March 3 and 4, from 7-8 p.m. Come enjoy this free family classic and help the students celebrate their accomplishment!

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