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Thanks to Mark D. Chilton, team physician for all sports at Frederick Community College, injured student athletes may make a quicker recovery.

Chilton gave $2,000 to the Frederick Community College Foundation Inc., for the purchase of a handheld electrical stimulation machine.

The non-invasive portable device stimulates neurons through the skin to reduce pain for strained or pulled muscles and allows the athlete to engage in active rehabilitation more quickly.

Dr. Chilton is also the president of Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI), an orthopedics practice in Frederick.

Hometown soldiers make the grade

ïArmy Pvt. George T. Mallette recently graduated from the Ammunition Specialist Advanced Individual Training course in Huntsville, Ala.

The course trains soldiers to assist in storage, maintenance, destruction and demilitarization of conventional ammunition, among other technical and safety tasks.

Mallette is a 2006 alumnus of Gov. Thomas Johnson High School and the son of Diana M. Smith of Walkersville.

ïCongratulations to Ashley N. Kelley, who completed the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Leader Development and Assessment Course at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash.

The 32-day course develops and assesses cadets' potential as officers by exercising their intelligence, common sense, ingenuity and physical stamina. Upon successful completion of the course, the ROTC program, and graduation from college, cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army, National Guard or Reserve. Kelley is the daughter of Michael and Kathy Kelley of Frederick.

ïArmy Spc. Christopher A. Miller graduated from the Infantryman One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga.

Miller's training consisted of nine weeks of basic combat training and advanced individual training, during which he learned to perform reconnaissance operations, employ, fire and recover antipersonnel and antitank mines, and locate and neutralize land mines, among other infantry tasks. Miller is the son of Richard and Susan Miller of Frederick.

Art students showcase work in juried exhibit

Today is the last day to see the juried work of visual arts students at the Mary Condon Hodgson Art Gallery at Frederick Community College.

The gallery is open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Students chose their three best pieces from each art class for the juried show and exhibit to conclude the fall semester.

Colleen R. Clapp, a Frederick graphic designer and freelance artist for NBC, judged the entries. Best in show was awarded $75; first-place winners received $50; second place earned $35 and honorable mention recognitions won $25.

These Frederick residents won in the following categories:

Cecilia Morgan, first place in ceramics; Erica Lafferty, second place in sculpture for "Twist;" Jackie Nachlas, first place in the fundamentals of design for "Transformer;" Ben Smith, second place in photography for a collaborative work titled "Duet;" Kyle Dietrich, second place in drawing for "Teletubbies;" Heather Scott, second place in fundamentals of design for "Mask;" William Davy, honorable mention in digital photography for "Adrift;" Amber Haldis, honorable mention in computer graphics for "Diagnosis."

Student earns honor

Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, recently inducted Katherine Siguenza of Frederick, a senior at St. Mary's College of Maryland.

To be eligible for this honor, students must rank in the upper 35 percent at their school and show leadership in one of several disciplines including scholarship, athletics, community service, social activities and others.

New Year's party benefits fallen officer's family

A New Year's Eve benefit for the family of a fallen Frederick Police Department officer saw diminished attendance due to poor weather and power outages, but hundreds of dollars were still raised.

Profits from the New Year's Eve event will be donated to the Mark Bremer Memorial Fund, set up to help the Myersville family of Frederick Police Officer Richard "Mark" Bremer, who died Oct. 22 at the age of 39.

Organizer Ronald Layman said he was expecting as many as 150 people to show up on New Year's Eve, but attendance was limited to only about 50 to 60 people. He said the turnout was lessened because law enforcement officers were unable to get off of work due to chaotic weather and power outages on New Year's Eve.

"We don't know exact figures yet, but I think for the donation we're going to hopefully be around $1,000. We were hoping for about $5,000, but people who attended were very gracious and everyone gave really well," he said.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances of the evening, Layman said that he looks forward to helping out with other events in Frederick.

"Overall it came off well and the people that were here had a good time," he said. "Everybody's just extremely happy knowing that what we raised for [the Bremer fund] will go to a good cause and will help them out."

‘Biggest Winner' contest kicks off

Many make New Year's resolutions to lose weight and focus on healthier living, but the Green Valley Wellness Center is giving local residents a chance to put their money where their mouths are.

The center's weight-loss contest will begin on Jan. 20, and continue through May.

Contestants must be able to be present for a weigh-in at 7 p.m., Jan. 20 at the Green Valley Wellness Center and again on May 5, where the winner will be determined.

Laurie Dilks, a health expert from Mount Airy, and Dr. Leah Griswold of the Green Valley Wellness Center, will teach classes designed to promote a healthier lifestyle in addition to the weight loss contest.

The classes will be broken into weekly installments at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays throughout the course of the contest, according to Dilks. She will be covering a variety of health and wellness topics, including emotional eating, strength training and food toxins. Each session will cost $10, which is payable monthly, according to a flier for the contest.

This will be the third year that the contest has offered a monetary prize – this year's prize is $400 – Griswold said. The first contest offered a prize of $500 to the contestant who lost the most weight and in the second contest the prize was $250. Griswold said that she had hosted the contest for five years total, but has only offered prizes for three years.

Griswold said that weight control was about discipline and was a "numbers game" – as long as contestants reduced their calorie intake through diet and exercise, they would lose weight – she said what the contest also afforded was the opportunity to learn healthier habits which could prevent long-term illness and improve quality of life. Griswold also said that the instructional component of the contest could meet the personal health goals and concerns of contestants. "This is really more tailored [than a weight loss clinic,]" she said.

She said that the biggest winner for the last two years was Monrovia resident Diane Paul, who lost more than 100 pounds.

Dilks, who has been involved in health and wellness instruction for four years, said she was looking forward to talking to members of the community about health and nutrition.

"I find great fulfillment in helping people take control of their health," Dilks said.

For more information on the contest, contact Laurie Dilks at 301-524-5781 or 1-888-406-1187 or e-mail healthy@dilks.com.

Soccer team shows ‘girl power' through food drive

A team on the field and a team off the field, the MAYAA Girl Power Soccer Team collected canned food items for Mount Airy Net and personal items for soldiers serving in Iraq recently. On a freezing cold Saturday in December, the team collected food in the Paddocks and White Oaks Neighborhoods in Mount Airy. The Dec. 7 drive collected more than 500 food items, equaling three car loads of canned goods and food for Mount Airy Net.

"We did this because we want the girls to understand that there are people in our community that need our help. I want them to realize that 10 soccer players can make a difference," said coach Casey Coulehan, who said she hopes the girls are learning about more than soccer.

Coulehan previously hosted a Naval Academy student with her family who is now a general assistant in Iraq. She plans to hand out the items sent to her by the team: shampoos, Body Shop Body Butters, snacks, pencils, a mini Christmas tree and more, said Coulehan.

Coaches Coulehan, Susan Amerena and JoJo Garabedian and parent Leanne Lindsey were involved while the girls went door to door. Girl Power team members include: Colleen Coulehan, Kyla Cumberland, Abby Graham, Stephanie Grimm, Angela Himmelberg, Anna Lindsey, McKenzie McCaull, Molly Pedersen, Erin Stewart, Mackenzie Watson and Jordan Williams.

Send items for City Beat to reporter Erica Green via e-mail at egreen@gazette.net. Fax items to 301-846-2124. Call 301-846-2134 for more information.