(Enlarge) Elkridge Landing Middle School students, under the leadership of Patti Battaglia and Mary Deacon Opasik, created this mosaic, which is displayed on the outside wall at the Elkridge Branch Library. (Photo by Ed Sawyer).

Have you seen the beautiful mosaic masterpiece on the outside wall of the Elkridge Branch Library?

A group of middle school students from Elkridge Landing under the direction of school art instructor Patti Battaglia, and artist Mary Deacon Opasik, from Catonsville, have been enthusiastically awaiting the final presentation and installation of the giant mosaic.

This is the ultimate conclusion of the hard work and dedication these students and adult leaders have shown. Stop by and admire the amazing ocean scene up close while visiting the library this summer. It is a sight to behold!

The art project, created with broken glass and dishes, has been underway for an entire year. Battaglia began organizing this huge art venture, along with her supervisor, Mark Coates, last summer. The project is entitled, "Elkridge Branch Library Beautification Mosaic."

"I am happy to announce that the county executive, the Howard County Arts Council and the Howard County Library system have teamed up with our school to sponsor an Artist in Residence program for our students," said Tom Saunders, principal of Elkridge Landing Middle School. "The purpose of this program is to provide an opportunity for our students to help beautify our community, and in particular, the Elkridge Library."

I am declaring Battaglia this week's friendliest neighbor of Elkridge! She used perseverance to arrange and oversee this art venture to its glorious finishing point. She can share this honor with the numerous students, community members, parents, and library staff that leant a hand along the way.

On June 18, The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department's Junior Firefighter Program won the second place trophy for the "Best Appearing Junior or Cadet Group" at the 116th annual Maryland State Firefighters Convention, in Ocean City. The group was lead by Junior Chief Amy Barnett and Junior President Amanda Summers.

The annual Maryland State Firemen's Parade is a three-hour event that started at the inlet of the boardwalk in Ocean City and consists of fire equipment and emergency service personnel from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The Junior Firefighter Program of the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department includes youth ages 9 to 15 and is designed to teach safety and basic skills required for firefighting.

Congratulations to these Junior Firefighters who attended the parade in Ocean City: Barnett, Summers, Brittany Casey, Daniel Casey, Kara Lehr, Kelsey Lehr, Nicholas Pecoraro, Sammie Reed, Christopher Sherman, Hannah Summers and Alexis Wise.

This summer the Junior Firefighters also are proud to announce being the winners of the Best Appearing Junior Firefighters Award at the Riviera Beach VFC Parade and the Best Appearing Color Guard at the Arbutus VFC Parade.

The Community Sports Hall of Fame recently announced the 2008 induction class, and one of our own Elkridge legends is on the list! Everyone and anyone involved with the Elkridge Youth Organization throughout the years most likely have heard the name Chick Nedzel.

I know a year or so ago, I was researching the EYO history and his name came up frequently, always with a smile and a story to go along with it. We had a meeting at the Merson home on Bonnie View Lane and it ended up being a trip down memory lane with John Merson Sr., and J.B. Meyer and others recalling the good ole times.

The award reads, "Stanley 'Chick' Nedzel, along with other local sport enthusiasts, founded and organized the Elkridge Youth Organization in 1956. He was the driving force in the early development of EYO and spent his evenings and weekends maintaining the fields.

Throughout his years with EYO, Netzel served as coach, manager, head umpire and commissioner and will always be remembered for the way he ended arguments over umpire calls with his own call -- 'let's play ball'!"

His award will be presented posthumously.

Bob Carter clearly remembers those days of ending squabbles on the ball field.

"Chick was a real Elkridge supporter and did not tolerate fights, but was more inclined to shout, 'let's play ball' right in the middle of an argument and all parties knew they had to clear out at that time," Carter said.

This tribute is well deserved and it will probably bring about many more gatherings of old Elkridge friends and EYO players, along with tales of homeruns, hot summer evenings filled with baseball games and families cheering from the sidelines.

"One afternoon, when I saw his truck head down to the Levering Avenue flood plain, I wandered over to give Chick a hand. His first order for me was to move his truck. I was about 13 years old and the clutch was a mystery. He howled as he watched me jerk that truck and my neck across the field until I got where he wanted it. He never criticized, just had a huge laugh." Carter fondly recalled.

"I'm sure Chick Nedzel bought equipment, bases and all kinds of stuff out of his own pocket because he was just that kind of guy. Chick belongs in the EYO and Elkridge Hall of Fame," he added.

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