With four children, there is always something happening for Cassie and Jerry Thompson and that means constantly getting good news. What a blessing!

Let's start with the eldest. Kathryn, River Hill High School class of 2000, recently received her Doctor of Optometry degree from Pennsylvania College of Optometry. She has accepted a one-year residency at a veteran's hospital in Salem, Va. After that, she might come back here and go into practice with her dad, who is also an optometrist.

Next in line is Rich, River Hill class of 2002. Rich graduated from Illinois State University in 2007 and is a geologist employed by ARM Geophysics. He's always traveling and living in hotels wherever they send him. Currently, Rich is on assignment at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Recently all four Thompson children were home for a celebratory weekend because Billy was graduating with the River Hill class of 2008. Billy will attend Georgia Tech in the fall as a nuclear and radiological engineering major.

That brings us to Liz, who plans to graduate with the River Hill class of 2011. Liz is finishing her freshman year and looking forward to being an "only child" in the fall. Congratulations and best wishes to all as you move onward and upward through life. May you always be a source of good news.

The Korean Baptist Church that meets at Linden-Linthicum United Methodist Church, at Route 108 next to the River Hill Center, will hold a yard sale at the church Saturday, June 7. Stop by to take a look. You might find some interesting treasures.

What do you know about curling? Not curling irons. Not curling hair. Curling is an interesting lifetime sport most popular in Canada, but there are also over 15,000 curlers in the United States.

Bob Pelletier, a member of the Clarksville Rotary, is an avid curler. He hails from Canada where he primarily played hockey in high school, but also learned curling.

Pelletier plays with a club at the Gardens Ice House, on Old Gunpowder Road, in west Laurel, from October to April. Recently, he played on the Clarksville Rotary team in the International Fellowship of Rotary Curling World Competition in Brantford, Ontario, about 65 miles southwest of Toronto. Did you know Alexander Graham Bell placed his first long-distance call from Brantford? It is is also the birthplace of hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky.

There were 10 teams in the championships from Canada, Scotland, England, Florida, Clarksville and the winning team from Madison, Wis. The Elkridge Rotary fielded the first American winners in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2002.

Players can be recruited from other Rotary Clubs, but must all be Rotarians. Since Pelletier is the only curler in the Clarksville Rotary, he recruited a skip captain from Austin, Texas, (a member of the Taylor, Texas Rotary Club) and two Rotarians from Lake Placid, N.Y., and Glen Falls, N.Y. I think the Madison team had an advantage because they skate together on a regular basis unlike the Florida team from all over the country. The Clarksville team had a 3-7 record, but they had a good time. Pelletier reports that there was "keen competition."

Pelletier is just one of the fascinating people you will meet in the diverse Clarksville Rotary Club.

In the small club category, the Clarksville Rotary was named "Top Club in the District." Other honors included Theresa Fodel's Club Service Lane Award, Phyllis Newman's Community Service Award, Niles Morton's International Lane Award and Nancy Szlasa received the Best President Award. Szlasa recently turned over the Rotary Bell and gavel to president-elect Stephanie Gumm.

Local dentist Rashmi Parmar notes that June 1-7 is Headache Awareness Week. You might not think of it, but many migraines, tension headaches and other aches of the head, neck and shoulder are caused by a bad bite. Less than 5 percent of dentists are trained as neuromuscular dentists. Dr. Parmar is one of the elite group. You can learn more at www.ParmarDMD.com or www.leadingdentists.com

Dr. Parmar's mother, Sarla, has completely recovered from her right leg fracture in December. In fact, she was wearing dancing shoes to celebrate her 75th birthday May 28.

"Celebrate Life" was the theme of the surprise party in her honor May 24. The event was a huge success. Sarla's sons, Rajni and Prabodh, and their families came from North Carolina and Georgia. Sisters Rekha, Pramila and brother Ashwin and their families came from Charlotte, N.C. There were cousins, nieces and nephews from all over the country plus more than 150 friends from the local area.

The combination family reunion/birthday celebration was held at the Mangal Mandir Hindu temple on New Hampshire Avenue. Happy birthday, Sarla. Stay well so you can take that trip back to visit India.

You have one final opportunity to hear some fine jazz at Clarksville Middle School this month. The jazz concert is set for Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m.

We missed some special dates in May. Keith and Helen Kozak celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary May 7. Joan Reilly, of Wayside Drive, celebrated her birthday May 12. Rea and Loren Cascioli's daughter, Maureen Marks, celebrated a nice round birthday May 15. Rick and Beth Cascioli celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary May 20. Hope you all enjoyed your special days even if you did have to work that day, Joan. Best wishes and many happy returns.

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