"A rolling stone gathers no moss." Especially if you are West Friendship musician Al McKegg. Al is back and better than ever.

Singer, songwriter, journalist, local rollerblader and devoted family man, Al has put his music on the back burner for the last four years while caring for family members.

The hiatus is over and Al is returning to the performing scene Wednesday,Nov. 18, 8 p.m., at Bistro Blanc in Glenelg.

McKegg will perform new songs as well as favorites from his acclaimed 2006 CD "Al's All- Nite Diner." Blues, country ballads and modern folk are his mainstay. During the 1960s, Al's folk trio played venues in Washington and Baltimore. For five decades, his "roots" music could be heard up and down the East Coast. Come out and welcome Al back Nov. 18.

Just talking to Lynne Quinn makes me hungry. Did you realize that local entrepreneurs Brett Arnold and Scott Quinn have opened up a wonderful food business in Glenwood?

I didn't realize that Brett, a professionally trained cook from Glenwood, and Scott, a businessman from Woodbine, had opened up "Smokin' Hot! Pit Beef and Q" right behind St. Andrews Episcopal Church, on Route 97, in Glenwood.

The menu is enough to make you drool. The restaurant team has joined forces with St. Andrews Episcopal, where both are parishioners, and donates part of their profits to the church. The menu is smokin' good beef, pork, barbecue, ribs, salads, panini sandwiches, soups, daily specials and more.

This is just the thing for our area. Fast, but well prepared foods. Brett, Scott and Lynne are hoping that the community will come out and give them a try.

The Quinns and Arnold are all active members of the community. Both of the Quinn's children attend schools in the area. Lynne mentions that catering is part of the business, too.

Picnic tables for fair weather are part of the draw as well as easy hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. An extensive carry out menu is available, too. Call 410-292-9706. Stop by and tell them you heard about them through the Howard County Times.

Word of good deeds and community outreach are at a high at this time of year. Here are just a few of the good things that are happening in our region.

What a special Brownie Troop our community has in Troop 1948. These first-, second- and third-grade students from Clarksville Elementary collected 112 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for donation to the Domestic Violence Center.

The youngsters, along with leaders Janet Lam, Radhika Joglekar, Robin Evans and troop mom Kathleen Blackman, not only delivered the boxes to the Domestic Violence Center but also earned a badge for community caring and sharing.

These girls include Gracie Barrett, Julianne Blackman, Katelyn Chan-Tack, Ann Marie Ching, Sophie Dubin, Tori Evans, Tara Joglekar-Tremper, Tara Lui, Julia McCanna, Anabel McCullough, Hope Rovansek and Cindy Tian.

The Brownie Troop has been active since September and has managed in just three months to launch a successful cookie drive, earn the first of three keys in the Brownie Girl's Quest leadership journey and participated in a drive sponsored by the Pediatric Ambulatory Center to collect winter clothing and non-perishable goods for local needy families.

These young scouts are also planning a roller skating outing and a trip to Port Discovery, in Baltimore. Kudos to the kids for their community support and for their continued contributions to the less fortunate in our community.

The youth ministry at Resurrection Parish, in Ellicott City, is collecting blankets and sleeping bags for the homeless of Baltimore. If you would like to contribute a warm item, bring the blanket or sleeping bag to the "link" area between the church and the school.

The blanket drive will continue until Sunday, Nov. 15.

The students at West Friendship Elementary have been collecting canned goods for donation to FISH of Howard County. Donated non-perishable food items will be accepted through Nov. 19.

The exercise divas of Curves of Glenelg have gotten into the holiday spirit with a canned food drive of their own. Curves members have been filling up carton after carton for donation to area needy during the Thanksgiving season.

More giving neighbors are found, filling boxes and bags of food items over at The Pink Cabbage on Triadelphia Road. Marcie Barnard and the Cabbage Gals are planning a contribution of turkey, ham, holiday pies and loads of donated non-perishables which have been supplied by the Pink Cabbage customers.

If you would like to participate, bring a canned good by the Pink Cabbage before Nov. 22. For all those who contribute, the Pink Cabbage will offer a 15 percent discount on a regularly priced item.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, Nov. 14, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., for St. James United Methodist Church's Shop for the Holidays and Pancake Breakfast.

The lively holiday event will feature a line of craft vendors, scrapbooking, cosmetics, home goods, jewelry and cutlery for shopping and browsing. Proceeds from the holiday sale will benefit the youth group's Camp Hope mission. St. James is at 12470 Old Frederick Road (Route 99).

Congratulations to West Friendship's Brian Morrison of Morrison Chiropractic. He reports that his practice was voted "Best in Howard County" by the readers of Howard magazine. Morrison Chiropractic has been in Ellicott City for 21 years.

Head over to the Franciscan Friary, on Folly Quarter Road, this weekend where local West Friendship artist Shyami Codippily is enjoying a temporary gallery space for an exhibit of her oil paintings.

During November Shyami's collection of oil paintings "Churches Never to be Forgotten" will be on exhibit, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. The 14 paintings are done in oil paint on cross shaped canvasses and depict fourteen churches located in Howard County. One of the paintings depicts the Grotto at the Franciscan Friary.

The community is encouraged to attend the exhibit and to enjoy the beauty of the Franciscan Friary as well. The address of the manor house is 12280 Folly Quarter Road.

Parents are reminded that the next West Friendship Elementary PTA meeting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. in the media center.

Marriotts Ridge High School invites the community to a performance of "Twelfth Night" Nov. 19-21 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. The drama students are presenting Shakespeare's romantic comedy as a modern day version set in Hollywood.

Just a reminder. The Brass of the Potomac will perform a free community concert at the Glenelg United Methodist Church Sunday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.

The Brass of the Potomac is comprised of 30 professional musicians from the Washington area. The musical group includes musicians from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

The free musical evening will include patriotic music, traditional hymn settings and challenging original works written specifically for this ensemble.

Questions about the concert? Call Doug Burian, director of music for the Glenelg United Methodist Church at 301-807-8232.

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