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Students at New Market Elementary School have adopted an entire battalion of soldiers as their part of Make a Difference Day, according to Julie Seiler, a vocal music teacher at the school.

Seiler helped children to assemble more than 500 care packages containing toiletries, puzzle books and other items to fill shoe boxes and to send with the U.S. Army Reserve's 392nd Signal Battalion, which is deployed overseas.

"The kids filled eight big boxes," she said, adding that children from all grade levels had been collecting items throughout the months of September and October.

Students partnered with the Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 3285 Ladies Auxiliary and the Frederick Elks Lodge No. 684 Auxiliary.

Make a Difference Day is an annual, nationwide event in its 19th year, and was established by USA Weekend magazine to encourage community service. In 2008 alone, three million people participated, according to its Web site. This year, it was held Oct. 24.

Seiler said this was the first year that students at New Market Elementary School had participated. She said that she had participated in Make a Difference Day while at Hood College, and wanted to give students an opportunity to help out members of the military.

Seiler had collected all of the boxes on Oct. 23 and delivered them to the Elks and VFW.

"The kids really enjoyed helping the military and partnering with the other organizations," Seiler said.

Urbana High grads

awarded scholarships

The Community Foundation of Frederick County presented several Urbana High School graduates with scholarships this year, including:

- Russell Andrews, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Carnegie Mellon University, who received The Elaine A. Heiberg Scholarship for the Arts, which is awarded to students who are interested in a career in visual, performing, literary, or structural arts.

- Haley Ball, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending the University of Maryland, who received The Charles Thomas and Mary Ellen Main Scholarship, which is awarded to Frederick County residents with a financial need and academic promise.

- Rixey Browning, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Bard College, received The Lisa A. Orndorff Lajewski Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to graduates of Brunswick High School or members of All Saints' Episcopal Church.

- Jennifer Caffrey, a 2007 Urbana High School graduate attending College of the Holy Cross, who received The R. Perry and Ethel Beckley Scholarship.

- Jonathan Crandall, a 2008 Urbana High School graduate attending James Madison University, who received The Nancy Watkins Winterberg Memorial Scholarship for New Market United Methodist Church, which is awarded to students who are members of the church.

- Ronjohn Dadd, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Bucknell University, who received The Billy Gaines Athletic Excellence Scholarship awarded to student athletes.

- Hannah Fix, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who received The Michael David Hendrix Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to Urbana High School or Glenelg Country School graduates, especially those studying information technology, science, music, or art.

- Patrick Georgi, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Virginia Tech, who received The Ernest W. Ausherman Scholarship, which is awarded to students residing in Frederick County.

- Rachael Gnatowski, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Mercyhurst College, who received The Christine LaRoi Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to Urbana High School seniors, especially those interested in the performing arts.

- Jennifer Halliday, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Ohio University, who received The Rollins J. and Mary Marceline Atkinson Scholarship, which is awarded to Frederick County residents who pursue a degree in journalism and intend to write professionally.

- Chardae Harris, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Penn State University, who received The Tyler Dane Murray Scholarship, which awarded to Urbana High School seniors who have participated in athletics, excelled in academics and have a financial need.

- Brandon Jones, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Grove City College, who also received The Tyler Dane Murray Scholarship.

- Mary Kneebone, a 2006 Urbana High School graduate attending Salisbury University, who received The Mary E.M and Ruth E. Smith Scholarship awarded to Frederick County residents, especially education majors.

- So Lee, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending the University of Maryland, who received The Anthony M. Natelli Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to Urbana High School graduating seniors who have done exemplary community service.

- Jason Moyer, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending George Washington University, who received The R. Perry and Ethel Beckley Scholarship.

- Benjamin Murphy, a 2007 Urbana High School graduate attending Ohio State University, who received The Frederick County Agriculture Scholarship, which is awarded to Frederick County residents pursuing a degree in agriculture or a related field, and The Ralph and Annabelle Lenhart Scholarship, awarded to Frederick County residents especially those studying the building trades, agriculture, animal science, or architecture, and The Dudrow Scholarship, which is awarded to Frederick County residents studying agriculture or a related field.

- Anna Pampori, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending University of Maryland Baltimore County, who also received The Tyler Dane Murray Scholarship.

- Melanie Patterson, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Frederick Community College, who also received The Tyler Dane Murray Scholarship.

- Leon Straus, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending University of Maryland Baltimore County, who also received The Tyler Dane Murray Scholarship.

- Alexander Utt, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Lehigh University, who received The Frederick County High School Football 110% Scholarship, which is awarded to graduating high school seniors who played high school football.

- Regina Zolbrod, a 2009 Urbana High School graduate attending Catholic University of America, received The Captain John Ryan Dennison Scholarship, which is awarded to graduates of Urbana or Linganore High schools who have played at least one varsity sport during their senior year and have an outstanding record of community service.

Faith Striders' masquerade ball supports breast cancer cause

A Frederick County-based faith-based awareness group will hold a masquerade ball in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and invites the public to come out in costume Halloween night to "unveil their masks for a cure."

The Faith Striders, a group of women who have been working for three years on education and research for curing breast cancer and other forms of illness, will host its 3rd annual "A Toast for the Cure" event Saturday at the American Legion, 1450 Taney Ave., Frederick.

The theme for this year's toast and the group's task is "Unveil the Mask for the Cure." Tickets are $15 per person; food, drinks and door prizes will be available.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Faith Striders' participation in the Avon Walk for the Cure event in Washington, D.C. in May 2010.

This year's benefit is particularly important to the Faith Striders, which lost one of its members, Geri Ellis, earlier this year when her breast cancer spread to her brain.

"My team and I lost a dear team member; but her journey reemphasized the importance of community support, determination, having a will to live and making sure that everyone is educated and aware of programs that are available," said Angela Spencer, team captain of the Faith Striders. "No one has to walk this walk alone."

The group also has two new members who are breast cancer survivors, which also adds to the group's inspiration, she said.

"Just having survivors with us, it inspires us even more to do more for our community, more for your friends, more for our families," Spencer said.

For more information on the Faith Striders, go to, www.faithstriders.com.

Family hosts 10th annual

free haunted house

A Frederick family invites those looking for a good, down-home scare this Halloween to come and enjoy their 10th annual haunted house event in the Old Farm neighborhood near Fort Detrick.

The Campbell family will be hosting the free haunted house this year for adults and children, out of their garage. The haunted house, which they promise will be scarier and more fun than last year, is suitable for both adults and children.

The Campbells' garage will be open from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, at 2179 Ambleside Ct., in Frederick.

Do you have an item for News & Notes? Contact reporter Christian Brown at 301-846-2132 or e-mail chbrown@gazette.net.