Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007
Melissa A. Chadwick | People and Places
This story was corrected on Nov. 29, 2007, from its print version.
Ring in the holiday season at three free upcounty Christmas celebrations.
First up is Boyds, which will be a hosting it annual tree lighting ceremony 7 p.m. Friday in front of the Boyds Post Office, located at 15300 Barnesville Road. After the tree is aglow, the festivities move to the Boyds Presbyterian Church at 19901 White Ground Road, where Santa Claus is expected to make an appearance.
On Saturday, Poolesville’s second annual holiday lighting ceremony brightens up Whalen Commons at 6 p.m. Last year more than 4,000 linear feet of festive lights were strung up along Fisher Avenue, and this year the lights will be extended to Cattail Road. Whalen Commons is at 19701 Fisher Ave.
Then on Sunday, Santa will arrive in style at the Waters House.
Cozy up with cookies and warm cocoa in the historic house at 12535 Milestone Manor Way in Germantown. Guests are invited to bring unwrapped toys that will be distributed to the Germantown Boys and Girls Club.
The Gapfillers Jazz Band and the Seneca Valley High School Chamber Singers will perform. Refreshments provided by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Jaycees.
The jolly man will arrive on a horse-drawn wagon. The free event is 4:30-6 p.m. For more information about the Waters House event, call 301-515-2887 or visit www.montgomeryhistory.org.
Welcome to Montgomery
The Montgomery Countryside Alliance unveiled a new sign welcoming visitors to the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve via historic White’s Ferry in Dickerson.
The sign is a color painting by Barnesville artist and designer, Tina Brown, depicting Sugarloaf Mountain and typical scenery seen around the reserve.
‘‘We want to thank Ed Brown, owner of White’s Ferry, for partnering with us to post the sign on his property on White’s Ferry Road” said Mike Rubin, president of the board of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance. ‘‘Tina Brown did a beautiful job portraying the beauty of rural Montgomery — this sign will definitely make people feel welcome as they visit the Agriculture Reserve.”
This is the first gateway welcoming sign to be posted in the reserve and is the result of a partnership between White’s Ferry and Montgomery Countryside Alliance. The County Council voted in January to erect signs welcoming drivers into the
Season of giving
An annual multi-church Thanksgiving service Nov. 18 raised more than $8,500 for local charity, according to the Rev. Ken Fell of Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, which hosted the event.
The other participating Poolesville churches were St. Peter’s Episcopal, Poolesville Presbyterian, Poolesville Baptist and Our Lady of the Presentation.
The money will go to the nonprofit Western Upper Montgomery County Help, which provides emergency assistance to those in need and is projecting a $20,000 deficit this year. To donate, mail checks payable to WUMCO Help to P.O. Box 247, Poolesville, MD 20837.
A Hanukkah wonderland
Come spin some dreidels and experience the Festival of Lights at the annual Chanukah Wonderland that kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Festival at Muddy Branch Shopping Center, 373 Muddy Branch Road, Gaithersburg.
The free event is sponsored by Chabad Lubavitch of Upper Montgomery County.
Visitors can make crafts, an edible Menorah, Hanukkah window decorations and sand art. Learn about Hanukkah through a computer center and demonstrations.
The wonderland begins at 7 p.m. Saturday and runs through Dec. 9. It’s open 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. Sundays through Thursday, and 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. The wonderland opens for the last time at 7 p.m. Dec. 9.
The Menorah Fire Truck Parade begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 6. The fire truck — decorated with a four-foot tall Menorah — will make stops in several neighborhoods. The truck will depart the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department on Hungerford Drive at 6 p.m. and proceed down Shady Grove Road. Dreidels and chocolate Hanukkah coins will be distributed at stops including Fallsgrove, Cavanaugh Drive, Washingtonian Woods, Chanukah Wonderland and Lakelands Park.
The parade ends with the lighting of an outdoor menorah at 7:45 p.m. at Chabad Lubavitch, 11520 Darnestown Road, Gaithersburg.
For more information about both events, call 301-926-3632, e-mail info@OurShul.org. Or visit www.OurShul.org for more information and the complete parade route.
Spice up your latkes
Add some variety to your latkes at the Gourmet Latke Cooking Demonstration hosted by Chabad Lubavitch of Upper Montgomery County 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Harris Teeter Supermarket, 14101 Darnestown Road, Germantown.
Larry and Marian Merewitz will prepare several different latkes — potato pancakes – and teach shortcuts. For more information, call 301-926-3632 or visit www.OurShul.org.
Ladies only
There’s a new space on the Internet for women in need of a break from the daily grind — www.thewomensnest.com — an online community for women of all ages.
Created by Melissa Foster of Boyds, the Web site, which is still in its beginning stages, features forums and blogs for ladies swamped with home or work obligations to connect with women all over the world.
Holiday shopping
Our Lady of Visitation Parish, 14135 Seneca Road, Darnestown, will hold its annual Christmas Shoppe 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Freshly cut Christmas trees and wreaths will be available. For more information, contact Jean Jurgena at 301-840-1187.
This column is for and about you! Submissions, including photographs, for People and Places must be received by 10 a.m. Thursday. Send news tips, story ideas and other items to Melissa Chadwick via e-mail at mchadwick@gazette.net, fax at 301-670-7183 or mail to The Germantown-Boyds-Poolesville Gazette, 1200 Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
