Playhouses on sale to benefit Habitat

Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005

by Angela Moxley

Staff Writer

Habitat for Humanity will auction two playhouses and raffle off a third at the Francis Scott Key Mall through Dec. 22, as a fund-raising effort.

According to a Habitat press release, three local builders made the custom-built houses, one with a working sink, and three local real estate companies are ‘‘listing” them. A silent auction will be held on two of the units, and raffle tickets will be sold for the third. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20 for the raffle.

In the press release, event coordinator Steve Schleupner said the managers of the mall donated the space near the Value City entrance. Movers have also offered to deliver the playhouses at no cost within a 40-mile radius in time for Christmas.

About 50 volunteers are part of the month-long raffle and silent auction that will last until mid-afternoon on Dec. 22. At that time, Habitat will announce the raffle and silent auction winners.

For more information, visit www.frederickhabitat.org.

Firefighters to graduate

The Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services will hold a graduation ceremony for Firefighter Recruit Class No. 9 at 7 p.m., Dec. 16, at Knott Auditorium, Mount St. Mary’s University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg.

The class has 27 recruits, who will be assigned to stations throughout Frederick County.

The graduation ‘‘will move the division closer to its authorized level of personnel and will enhance our overall combined volunteer and career fire and rescue service,” division Director Walter Murray said in a press release.

Recruits must complete 816 hours of educational and skills training to achieve state certification as an Emergency Medical Technician-B. They also complete courses on vehicle machinery, hazardous materials, emergency vehicle operations and weapons of mass destruction.

Deadline extended for housing repair program

Rebuilding Together Frederick County has extended the deadline for applications for its program rehabilitating homes of low-income homeowners.

The deadline for the organization’s April program is today.

The program takes place the last Saturday in April, with volunteers repairing homes of Frederick County residents unable to do the work themselves, such as repairing and replacing shingles, windows, doors, gutters and downspouts; building ramps; painting walls; and doing plumbing and electrical work.

The program is free for qualified homeowners.

For more information, call 301-620-8620.