Cecil Soil Magazine

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From the Editor’s Desk

C

old weather is coming and it’s a great time to curl up with your copy of Cecil Soil and a warm cup of chocolate, and then settle in as I did for some fine articles. Ed Okonowicz shares his experience with trapshooting, bringing to my mind the memories of crisp air on my face as I hollered “Pull!” and then lead the target with my Remington 870. Although one of America’s oldest sports, it has a freshness and appeal that make it seem like a brand new discovery. Robert Hazel’s saga of Wiggsey’s valiant fight to the death with a “critter” had me on the edge of my seat, while the profile of Wayne Goodman and his birdhouses reminded me that fine American craftsmanship can still be found if we only look. Then there’s the fresh taste of fruit from Milburn Orchards with its dwarf fruit trees and nostalgic hayrides that make us all young again. Sure made me want a piece of apple pie from their bakery to go with my hot chocolate! You know, part of the joy of living in Cecil County is the quality of the people – like Tom Connelly at Sun Pharmacy, or Carol Brown at Perryville Outlet Center. They are great examples of the kind of dedicated hard-working folks you find around here. The Perryville Lions Club, where Oakley Sumpter has been a member for 40 years, or North East’s Women’s Civic League teach us all about charitable giving in the finest spirit. Dixon’s spotlight on the centennial celebration of Union Hospital shows us how a few people with passion for an important cause can make a big difference. Be sure to catch Maggie Creshkoff’s articles on “A Joyful Noise” and “Elkton’s Shopopoly Celebration” because they hold a plethora of really fun things to do all through the holidays. You will enjoy Carol Mangano’s leisurely trip down the C&D Canal aboard the Miss Clair. Afterward, there’s dinner at the Bayard House where those scallops “about the size of my palm” are gently cooked in cilantro, salt, and garlic. The thought of it sure makes me hungry. One final note as Veterans Day approaches, let us all join Charles “Snuffy” Smith as he salutes our veterans. We are so proud of our locals who have chosen to serve and protect our country and they honor us all with their patriotism. Well, my chocolate’s all gone. It’s time to get up and get going. Thanks to these articles, my day is going to be busy! —Anna Lathrop, Interim Editor

Cecil Soil Magazine ~ Down-to-Earth News for the Gentle People of Cecil County Ed and Carol Belote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publishers/ Managing Editors Hugh B. Mulvaney Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features Editor/ Contributor Neeley Spotts/Inkspotts Creative Services . . . . . . Creative Director/Production Manager Kim Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising Sales Bill Belote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Computer Guru Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Our Grandchildren Contributing Writers: “Ranger Rick” Barton, Maggie Creshkoff, JoAnn Dawson, Kyle Dixon, Mike Dixon, Robert Hazel, Paula F. Kelly, Carol Mangano, Linda Wagner Menkins, Apryl Parcher, Ed Okonowicz, Charles “Snuffy” Smith, Brett Spotts, Neeley Spotts, Sandy Turner, Pat Valdata Cecil Soil Magazine is published six times a year by Back Porch Publications, LLC. Estimated readership of 80,000 – 100,000. Distributed to 300 select locations in all of Cecil County, parts of Harford and Kent Counties, Nottingham, Oxford, Avondale, West Grove and Kennett Square. Heavy saturation in the Newark and Middletown areas. You may reach Cecil Soil Magazine at cecilsoilmag@zoominternet.net or by regular mail: Cecil Soil Magazine, P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, Maryland 21911. Phone: 410-658-3244 or Fax: 410-658-3242. We welcome all contributing correspondence and will give due consideration for publishing it — CSM is a gentle voice for all Cecil County residents. Volume 5, Issue 1  •  Contents © 2008 Back Porch Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of publisher.

November/December 2008

Cover story 36 Mike Dixon Union Hospital – A Century of Dedication

features 20 Paula F. Kelly When It Comes to Service, Think Sun Pharmacy 25 Maggie Creshkoff Carol Brown: Perryville Outlet Center’s Biggest Asset 26 Ed Okonowicz Trapshooting Club Welcomes Newcomer & Experts 28 Ed Okonowicz Pulling the Trigger 49 Maggie Creshkoff Elkton’s SHOPOPOLY Celebration 50 Paula F. Kelly Cecil County Solid Waste Management Division 53 Maggie Creshkoff The Women’s Civic League of North East 54 Brett Spotts Wayne Goodman’s Houses are for the Birds 63 Carol Mangano The Best Way to Learn History

COLUMNS: 6 Welcome to Cecil Soil Magazine: Ed Belote Sr. Down-To-Earth News For The Gentle People Of Cecil County 12 Cecil County Farmer: “Ranger Rick” Barton Milburn Orchards, 100+ and Still Growing Strong 14 Life Along The Canal: Robert Hazel Never Eat a Relative or an Old Groundhog 18 Meandering with Muddy Maggie: Maggie Creshkoff A Joyful Noise 30 Military Honors: “Snuffy” Smith A Veterans Day Salute 32 Horse Tales: JoAnn Dawson From Heartache to Hope 35 County Voices: Linda Wagner Menkins Growing Up on The Red Bell Farm 40 The Lion’s Roar: “Ranger Rick” Barton Perryville Lions Club 42 Restaurant Review: Apryl Parcher The Bayard House 44 It’s Your Business: Paula F. Kelly Meet the owners of some Cecil County businesses 46 Haircuts with Herb: Ed Belote Sr, Fishes and Eagles and Deer, oh my!

departments 9 CSM Mailbox 23 Cecil County Critters 48 Calendar of Events 56 Cecil Scrapbook

60 Cecil County Yearbook 64 Where in Cecil County? 66 Cecil Soil Cookbook 68 Word Puzzle

SPECIAL REPORTS 15 Thanksgiving Riddle Poem 62 Scholarship News 30 Ode to America 69 In Memory of Robert Foard Sr.

On the Cover ...

Union Hospital Nursing Students —These capable looking young women were graduates from the nursing school at Union Hospital. The seated nurse is Mabel Larzelere Lynch, Class of 1919. We believe the others graduated in 1920 and the three names on file for that class are Helen Stewart, Elizabeth McDaniel, and Ada Knight See full story on page 36. Photo Courtesy of cecil county Historical society

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Welcome to

“Down-To-Earth News For The Gentle People Of Cecil County”

From The Publisher, Ed Belote Sr.

“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”

I

t was 1932 and we were in the midst of the Great Depression. Bing Crosby sang a song about a down-and-out who was confused because he had worked hard, fought in the war, and now he was standing in a breadline. Here are the lyrics (by Yip Harburg), in part: They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob. When there was earth to plow or guns to bear, I was always there, right on the job. They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead — Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread? Say, don’t you remember they called me Al, It was Al all the time. Why don’t you remember, I’m your pal — Say, buddy, can you spare a dime?

I’m not suggesting we’re heading for another depression, how could that be … all we have to do is print more money. I am suggesting that we have to realize that in these hard financial times we must support each other, keep our money here where we live, and work together for the betterment of our community. More than ever I’m thinking local, and I’m thinking community. And when I say local I’m including areas on the border of our county boundaries; they’re our good neighbors, and we trade business back and forth. I was more a farmer than a businessperson when Carol and I started the Soil. And I learned from some of the best business people in the county. In 2004, I had my artist create a cover mock-up for CSM and an ad rate schedule. The very first place I visited was Western Auto (now Parts Plus) in Rising Sun, where I sat down and talked to the owner, Bud McFadden. I went there first because Bud had treated me like a gentleman every time I walked into his store … I was very comfortable with him. Bud was kind enough to listen to my pitch, and he said, “I love this idea you have, Ed. How much for your back page?” He ran that back page for over two years, but more importantly, we became friends. Bud has been my business mentor since I met him, and he has taught me much. I learned that Bud treats everybody that walks into his store with respect and honesty. That is why he is so successful. People from all over the county pass up those big box-stores and buy their large and small ticket items from Bud. Many of them don’t even set foot in the store; they simply give him a phone call and say something like: “Hi, Bud. Could you get a new refrigerator over here? Mine just died.” If you have a business, you’ll want to take a lesson from Bud. If you want to make a purchase, be smart and do business with a local merchant like my friend, Bud McFadden. I have created a new motto

for this holiday season: Buy from Bud — a metaphorical representation of all the small business owners in our county. It is going to be a terribly tough holiday season for all our local small merchants, and I feel we should give them all the support we can. Believe me, you’ll be paid back in spades. Internet shopping is killing the Mom & Pop stores as well as the bigger establishments. Another one of my heroes is Kathy Bender of Bender Music … she has the heart of a lion. Check out her ad on page 10 and you’ll see where she goes head-to-head with those Internet stores! If I wrote a book about this wonderful business lady, I’d have her photo on the cover with clenched fists, an intimidating smile, and the title would be Bring It On. Another business lady that has as much grit as Kathy Bender is Mary Caldwell of City Pharmacy in Elkton. She runs her business much like Bud McFadden—that is, with heart and honesty. I was in her store one day (Mary didn’t know it) and this elderly little lady came in and timidly waved to Mary, who was working the elevated counter. Mary quickly came from behind the counter and embraced her visitor. The lady said something in serious, hushed tones, and I heard Mary assure her she had nothing to worry about as she guided her to the prescription counter. Gosh! Do you think Wall-to-Wall “Mart” treats their customers in a like manner? Sometimes a decision about where to do business boils down to trust, and few decisions are more important than those regarding our personal health. We know we can trust Sun Pharmacy because we know its owner, Tom Connelly. He is our neighbor. He goes to our church, sings in our choir, volunteers in our community, and buys from our stores— in essence, he cares about us. Check out his ad on page 21, grab your Christmas list, and head over to Sun Pharmacy— his store has thousands of reasonably priced items and you really can find “something for everyone” at Sun Pharmacy. What about the wonderful local restaurants we have? I know Carol and I will be visiting them, especially through the holiday season. Why leave the county for an expensive trip when we have everything here? Save your time and money— wine and dine close to home. I could go on and on about the fine merchants we have in this county— Carol (“Fireball”) Brown at Perryville Outlets, Rich Brooks of R. Brooks Mechanical Inc., Joan Eckman of Hair N’ Things, Dr. Kimberly Packer of Packer Family Dentistry, Debbie Vogelsong of Lighthouse Gifts on Route 213, Cayot’s Corner, Chesapeake City, and so many more brave entrepreneurs—but I’ll have to save something for another column. In this season of giving, please offer your loyalty to our local businesses— the ones who employ our neighbors and support our community—here on Cecil Soil. —CSM

To comment or contribute to Cecil Soil Magazine you may email us at: cecilsoilmag@zoominternet.net, phone us at 410-658-3244, or send regular mail to Publisher, Cecil Soil Magazine, P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911. Subscriptions and back issues are available at www.cecilsoilmagazine.com.

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Mailbox

W

e have been told by many of our readers that the CSM Mailbox is the first thing they read when they open a new issue. Don’t be shy about writing to us … share your thoughts with the entire community. We want to hear from you! And while you are at it, include a picture of yourselves and we’ll publish it along with your letter. Dear Ed and Carol, It was good to talk with you on Tuesday of this week. Ed, I just want to say thanks for the article that you wrote about my bringing up, and life on the Meadow Rock dairy farm, which my grandfather had started years ago. My children and grandchildren thought that Dad and granddad is some kind of celebrity being published in a magazine.

Again, I want to thank you and Carol for the publishing of the Cecil Soil Magazine. I read it from front to back each time that I receive a new issue. As I said before, it brings back memories. Yes, Jean and I did celebrate that 60th anniversary together on December 5th just like we had planned. It was a great day for both of us, with daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A beautiful day was had by all. As I stated the other day, Jean and I plan on being at the class reunion in Rising Sun in May and will look forward to seeing you and Carol again. Sincerely, Wilmer K.B. and Jean Fisher Jacksonville, Florida

nnnnnnnn Dear Cecil Soil, Enclosed is my check to purchase one each of the back issues of Cecil Soil Magazine and one of your premiere issues. I enjoy the magazine very much and I didn’t get a lot of the original issues. I’m having guests in a few weeks from North Carolina. They are natives of Cecil County and it will give them reading material while they are here. If I may ask, please rush my order! Thank you so much — keep up the good job. Doris McDaniel Charlestown, Maryland

nnnnnnnn Wilmer K.B. and Jean Fisher

Dear Carol and Ed, As my best friends from the Port Deposit area gave me the Cecil Soil Magazine this week, I was delighted. There was Circus Park!! When I was 6 or 7, my parents took us to this park and on one occasion I went down the slide and broke my leg. I was born in Havre de Grace in 1933 and have three older sisters. We all remember the park. Thank you for the article. Rosie Evans (74 years old now) Havre de Grace, Maryland

nnnnnnnn I love your magazine - just wish it came out every week! Keep up the good work. Tonya Pierce Earleville, Maryland

nnnnnnnn Dear Cecil Soil Magazine, Cecil Soil Magazine is great! It is filled with historic information about Cecil County along with many current events. I think the advertisements for local businesses are great. I like how you can fill in word puzzles, and figure out where pictures are in Cecil County, and win prizes for finding them. I like the sweatshirt I won in the May/ June puzzle drawing. Thank you for everything, Tony Dill Charlestown, Maryland

nnnnnnnn Ed, I just read the story Maggie did on me. I think she did a great job on it. I emailed her and told her what I thought. She put everything I wanted in the story. Now that my story is out I told Mom that she could go ahead and put up the newsletter from Fons and Porter. I want to thank you for doing the story. It made me feel really good when I read it. Thanks again and thank the lady that delivered them to Mom, too. Thanks, Butch “Biker Dude” Myers Chesapeake City, Maryland

nnnnnnnn Dear Ed, Thank you again for the article you did on my shop. I’ve had great reviews from it and some new clients. Thanks again, Beth Madron Conowingo, Maryland (continued on page 10)

November/December 2008

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Mailbox…

continued from pg 9

To the Publisher, While visiting my niece in Rising Sun this summer, she introduced me to your magazine Cecil Soil. I enjoy history and learning about the various areas of the country my husband and I visit. I don’t know if your magazine is specifically aimed at only the local residents or for tourists such as myself. If it includes the latter, perhaps a map of the county/counties with the location of the various towns/cities in each issue would be most helpful—or the cities that are mentioned in that particular issue. I think CSM is a very interesting magazine. I enjoyed reading all the articles and columns even though I am not familiar with any of the people. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Mrs. Everett (Judy) Flatt LeCenter, Minnesota Publisher’s Note: Thank you Judy for this great idea. Starting in the Jan-Feb ‘09 issue we will publish a Tourism Map in CSM. We will be sending you a “Proud To Be From Cecil Soil” T-shirt.

nnnnnnnn Dear Cecil Soil, So nice to read the article in the Cecil Soil by Mike Dixon, “Saying ‘So Long’ to the Mayor of Main Street”. My late husband (Al

Hamilton) is the man in the picture that Tony is playing music with and also cutting his hair. Al passed away about three years ago. He would go downtown and play music with Tony a lot through the years. Sometimes there would be several guys playing music with them at the same time. It was great just seeing Al and Tony’s picture in Cecil Soil Magazine. Gladys Hamilton Elkton, Maryland

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Dear Folks at Cecil Soil, Hello there! I recently picked up the July/August 2008 issue of your magazine while visiting my sister in Chesapeake City and was pleasantly surprised to read the article on page 60 - “Cecil County Yearbook”. I am a member of the class of 1977 from Perryville High School and I would like to get in contact with some of my former classmates. Last year would have been my 30th reunion, but I was unaware of any celebration due to the fact that I had moved a few times since our 20th reunion. I attended our 10th and 20th reunions, and last year was not a good one for me. I have enclosed a SASE and if there is any way of contacting Robin (Meck) Wein to give my address to the class officers I’d appreciate it. Thank you so much! Betsi Kemp New Freedom, Pennsylvania

nnnnnnnn 9/28/2008 What a great magazine! We have been reading it since its inception. We won a Cecil Soil shirt a couple years ago for your puzzle. Keep up the great work and thanks so much. Rex Moulton Chesapeake City, Maryland —CSM November/December 2008

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cecil county farmer

Milburn Orchards, 100+ and Still Growing Strong By “Ranger Rick” Barton

T

he words “Locally Grown Fresh Food, Family Fun!” reach across the screen near the top of the Milburn Orchards web site. Although that says it all, there is so much more to know about this wonderful family business located on more than 300 acres along appropriately named Appleton Road in northeastern Cecil County. “My grandfather, Esma, moved here in 1902, and planted apple and peach trees as part of his farm. He raised vegetables, cows and pigs, and had a general farm,” said Evan Milburn recently. Five generations of the family have now worked there since those early days. “Esma’s son, my father, John W., started specializing in peaches and apples around 1933. He built the farm up to around 75 acres, and my brother John T. and I took over around 1961. We built the farm to more than 500 acres of fruit. Our aim was to get big, but we could never catch up to the big boys who were out in Washington State where they will have 1,000 acres or so. We still did well, sending a truckload of apples to New York every night. “Starting in the 1980s, wholesale prices began going down. We were working a lot but not making much money. We started looking into more retail and in the late 1980s, we decided to cut back the growing and try to sell all retail. “In 1990 or 1991, my nephew Jay Milburn, got this bright idea, and it was in its infancy then, of what we call ‘agri-tourism’ or ‘agrientertainment.’ In other words, provide entertainment on the farm. To make a long story short, from the first hay ride wagon we built until today, entertainment is why we have six or seven thousand people here on the weekend.” Esma Milburn sits while grading apples in 1938 while his son, John W. Milburn, and grandson, John T. Milburn, stand nearby.

12 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Evan Milburn and his son Nathan show off some of the red delicious apples grown in their “pedestrian” orchard

Today, Milburn Orchards grows a wide variety of fruits and berries. They have a marvelous bakery that sells donuts, pies and other treats. A retail store sells the products grown on the property. A large area features dozens of activities for children, teens, and parents. Programs, special events, and tours are offered throughout the year, and everything is listed on their web site www.milburnorchards.com.

In 1943 John W. Milburn sprays trees while using a 1020 McCorming/Deering tractor with his son, John T. Milburn. Esma Milburn is standing on the back.

Nathan Milburn prepares to pour a load of apples into a truck for shipping.

“We are extremely diversified now,” Evan continued. “Apples and peaches are still our main crop, but we grow almost anything that will grow in this part of the country. All of it is sold in our retail store. “We started You-Pick in the middle ‘90s and it is increasing every year. It is fascinating because most You-Pick operations are going downhill. Ours is going up. People are not just picking fruit, they go out and pick for entertainment. “What sets us apart from other fruit growers, especially on the east coast, is that we were the first ones on the east coast, if not in the United States, to have a complete pedestrian orchard. Of all the fruit trees we have, we don’t have a ladder on the place. You can pick everything while standing on the ground. We plant dwarf fruit stock and we train them to grow the right way,” Evan said. The trees stay low, enhancing programs that bring children into the orchard. Four Milburn cousins are now directing the operation. David manages the entertainment, Jay manages the retail operation, and Melinda is in charge of the bakery and is the business manager. Evan’s son Nathan manages the orchard. “We are all together equal and we help each other in the different departments. Each of us has our own thing and we work as partners,” Nathan

said recently. When asked why he has stayed involved with the farm he replied, “Farming is in my blood. I don’t know what else I would do.” Reflecting on his years on the farm, Evan said, “My brother and I are supposed to be retired but we both still work here. The family calls me a consultant. That sounded good because I consulted all up and down the east coast. But, then they said ‘free consultant.’ ” Evan still visits and works on the farm almost every day of the week. “My brother and I made some huge changes but there is more coming, more diversification. My wife asked me why I go to work every day, even as a ‘free consultant.’ When you put that much of your life into something it is just hard to let go. I see my son doing the planting now and taking out trees that I planted years ago.” The high quality of their work was recognized when Milburn Orchards received The Apple Grower of the Year Award in August 2008, presented by American Fruit Grower Magazine. The award recognizes a variety of management factors that set a standard for their peers. When Evan looks at more than 100 years of Milburn Orchards, from his grandfather to his son and grandchildren, he sees the progress and the future. “I guess I’m just a link in the chain.” —CSM

The retail store sells the fruits and other products grown at Milburn Orchards.

Five-year-old Brooke Jackson and her two-year-old sister Sarah enjoy the goats.

November/December 2008

The pumpkin house is one of the popular autumn attractions in the fun area of the farm.

13

Life along the canal

Never Eat a Relative or an Old Groundhog By Robert Hazel

N

Wiggsey, a dog for all seasons, o matter how old a guy gets, he never forgets his boyhood dog. with friend. Mine was Wiggsey, a big, gentle Chesapeake Bay retriever. That was back in the mid forties when, at suppertime, Wiggsey would always be under our table, thumping the chair legs and ours with the wag of his anticipating tail. He was on the alert for scraps that I’d toss under to him as I bent over to see him catch them with a snap of his jaws before they hit the floor. Near supper’s end he’d lick my offered plate so clean that (as my ten-year-old mind imagined) it made less work for Granny since she could place it right back on the shelf, clean as a whistle. Wiggsey had other fine under-table advantages; he was a handy, thick-coated, portable napkin that I could reach down to wipe my hands on whenever we had ribs or fried chicken. Besides being a domestic marvel, he was a terrific fighter. Let me take you back to a day just after Hitler and Tojo’s war, when Wiggsey executed a battle that dog owners dream about even today. I had mounted my bike from behind with a leap that would have made Tom Mix envious, and sped so fast through the garden path that the napkin could fight. It was a long, furious encounter and I was amazed chicken house and corn crib were peripheral blurs. I entered the that a groundhog, considerably outweighed, could fight so valiantly, woods near our ancestral dump and burned weeds and grass as I slid not giving in until Wiggsey pounced to deliver a crunchto a stop. But even at full speed I trailed Wiggsey, who had beaten me ing shake of death. to the deep woods. So, winded, I sat there for a while looking up at our hickory tree, just soaking up the sounds and smells of the woods. A bloody yet jubilant Wiggsey, delighted Then I saw him, a large squirrel, scampering from one branch to with his conquest, circled and snapped at the another. And there I was without my shotgun. Squirrel stew— dead warrior as, with effort, I lugged the Granny’s specialty—was a treat in those glory days of youth. carcass up to the house. And do you know that after skinning, gutting, and cutting him up, and Surprisingly, he hadn’t seen me yet, so he flicked his tail and after pleading my heart out with Granny, she darted his head back and forth with quick, twitching movements. finally agreed to bake him for dinner. And yet, Then he descended head first and jumped effortlessly ahead thirty regretfully, I must tell you gastronomically astute feet into the brush. He leaped up onto a sapling and started spinning readers that I do not recommend the flesh of a large around sideways, a gray blur of fur. He stopped and scratched his An old Groundhog, groundhog; if it’s ever offered to you, pass it by because, side ritualistically with his hind foot, and crouched absolutely quite a fighter. if my pallet is any judge, it’s the strongest taste of any motionless for a while, with his tail curled up like a question mark wild game by far. We fed the remains of the meal to Wiggsey who, and his mid-section bent double. employing the practice of certain primitive tribes of ingesting the flesh When I moved my handlebars, snapping a twig, he jumped to of their defeated yet formidable enemies in order to take on their another tree and skittered up into the leaves like a bullet. He leapt combative traits, ate gleefully the portions that we doled out to him from high branch to high branch in his retreat and over the next few days. every time the branch would sag with his Besides the woods themselves, I loved to play in the streams that weight and spring back as he bounded off. crisscrossed through them. There were frogs aplenty living in the The result was a frenzy of tremulous water and I had great fun trying to catch them. I’d sneak up to the leaves, as he withdrew deeper and stream and hear a sudden plop, and I’d know that I’d scared one of deeper into the woods until he them from the bank or shore line. I’d watch the circle widen where he disappeared from view. Even if had entered and knew that he’d come up somewhere on the other Wiggsey could climb trees he’d never side. And, sure enough, after a catch that beauty. while when he ran out of air, if I Then I entered the deep woods looked closely I’d see those frog and came upon a Wiggsey I hadn’t eyes and that frog nose emerge seen before. He was weaving back and just where the water met the forth with his tail in the air and emitting a shore. Then, if I was quiet and ferocious growl that told me he meant Wary Squirrel quick enough, I could catch business. Then I saw why. He had a huge, him, play with him for a while, menacing groundhog up against the trunk of a dead and then let him leap off my chestnut tree. Then the battle began, with Wiggsey lunging in and the palm back into the stream. hog standing his ground with bared, snapping teeth and raking claws. One time, in one of the The savage sounds of battle startled my senses—the hissing, snapping dammed-up areas of the stream, and grunting of the hog combined with Wiggsey’s snarling, growling I caught an enormous bullfrog, and battering. I had no idea how violently my gentle, under-table Frog—legs like magic.

14 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

one whose legs I knew would make good eating. But I must tell you to brace yourself for what happened when Granny placed the dressed legs into the sizzling lard of the frying pan. Well, those legs started quivering and twitching to beat the band, and within just a few seconds they hopped out onto the kitchen floor, one after the other. And as they hopped around Granny and I hopped after them. I had never seen Granny hop like that before, so, distracted by the spectacle, my heart really wasn’t into the chase. Pretty soon those legs found an open window and vaulted out through it, side by side. Granny and I looked at each other and then dashed out through the door after them. But do you know that we never did find those clever legs. Till this day I don’t know where they went, and if any of you concerned readers who might understand frogs could help me solve the mystery, I’d be extremely grateful. But you should know that I’ve learned to live with the distress of being outsmarted by that pair of disembodied legs, and recently I was telling my sister-in-law about eating squirrels, groundhogs, frog legs, and other exotic dishes. She listened with interest as I finished by making a remark about monkeys. And then, sensitive reader, she replied with a quip that I know you’d never make to a family member. In fact, my ears still smart from the audacity of her retort, one that reduced me to a sad and humble guy. What I said was: “I’d eat almost any animal but never a monkey because it would be like eating a relative.� Her reply was as quick as the twitch of a squirrel’s tail. “That’s right,� she A close relative, said. “Yours!� —CSM not for consumption

The Chubby Guy A riddle poem for children Thanksgiving, 2008 by Robert Hazel His neck is long and His chin dangles and Sways beneath his throat As he struts. Sometimes all fluffed-up Are his clothes, But he wears no Shoes on his long, Skinny feet, with Such funny toenails. He should have speech Lessons because his talking Is so silly sounding. The echoing, guttural voice You remember and chuckle at. But only his family Follows his throaty gurgle, Not you nor I. November/December 2008

At Thanksgiving time He’s the special guest Who’s always well prepared For the holiday feast, Even though he has Never learned how To dress himself! The children all know He has a gravy job. And unlike you and me He’s much more stuffed Before dinner than after, Because he gobbles up His food ahead of time. So sad, but he never Learned not to eat Between meals. Still he’s a great, Likable, chubby guy, Whom people never Mistake for another, Because his chest is Tanned brown and Bulged with pride. And we never, ever Call him “Chicken!�

Merry Christmas from the staff of Wishing you, and all those you love,

all the blessings of this beautiful season,

with peace, prosperity, and happiness in the New Year.

,

Tracy Hartgrove Sara Dudley Lisa Wyatt Betsy Hilaman Diane Wishowsky Joan and Al Eckman

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17

Meandering with muddy maggie

A Joyful Noise

By Maggie Creshkoff

“M

usic is the universal language of mankind”, wrote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and you can join any number of harmonious conversations these winter months in and around Cecil County. Sun Pharmacy’s Tom Connelly reminds us that rehearsals of the Northern Delaware Oratorio Society take place every Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall at 2106 St. James Church Road off Kirkwood Highway between Newark and Wilmington. The first concert, “Echoes in D from the 18th Century,” is scheduled for November 23rd and will include the other “Gloria in D” by Vivaldi, Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” (the Mass in D Minor) and “The Hallelujah Chorus.” They welcome new singers, so email Sheila at bourgeault@kennett.net or call Judy Fullhart at (302) 239-5950 for more information. Don’t forget the Community Sing in Rising Sun’s Center Square on December 2nd at 7:00 p.m., it’s an unforgettable half-hour of carols and songs. The Cecil County Choral Society has winter concerts lined up in Elkton, Cecilton and North East; check out their spiffy new web site: www.cecilchoral.org. Please join them on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in Weldin Hall, Elkton UMC, 219 East Main Street; the CCCS is audition-free and even provides scholarships for a number of high school and college singers.

smorgasbord of musical offerings: from classical to country, piano to percussion, blues to brass to baroque. Ernie Hawkins Tom Connelly’s returns on Sunday, grandfather’s November 16th at 3:00 well-worn copy of the score of Handel’s Messiah p.m. for the first concert of their 2008-2009 season, which is sponsored in part by NBRS and the Cecil County Arts Council. All the performances at Music at Nottingham are completely free of charge, and just one of the many ways in which this historic educational institution gives back to the county and the community.

University of Delaware’s Collegium

Cecil County Choral Society at rehearsal

Lift up your voice in a less formal venue with Rick Waterhouse every third Saturday at the North Elk Coffeehouse, which is located in the Parish House of St Mary Anne’s Episcopal Church, 315 South Main Street in North East. For the full list of upcoming talent see www. stmaryanne.org/coffeehouse.htm. In addition, the Adult Choir of Saint Mary Anne’s will celebrate Advent with a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols featuring the music of Peter Tchaikovsky on Sunday, December 7th at 10:30 a.m. The Brandywine Baroque has been a featured performer for Music at Nottingham, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The musical series has been held at West Nottingham Academy in Colora for the past decade and has offered a 18 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

The University of Delaware Music Department has wonderful concerts with both student and faculty performers: see http://ravel. music.udel.edu/calendar/. One performance will feature recorders, the instrument nearly everyone learned to play in grade school, so come to the Collegium’s recital on Saturday December 6th at 8:00 p.m. in Gore Recital Hall. Two of those performers will be playing on November 21 with the Collegium Musicum at the Barn in Flintwoods, Greenville DE; one of the recorder players, Masaaki Fujiki, played at Elk Landing’s Hollingsworth House in 2006. He and Dina Goldberg-Strassler will play in the April 2009 concert with the Brandywine Baroque, a troupe of talented musicians playing baroque music on period instruments by great composers. “Without music life would be a mistake,” noted the grumpy philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Don’t let that happen to you! Try one, some or all of the preceding opportunities to make your own joyful noise this holiday season! —CSM A collection of Music at Nottingham performances past

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When It Comes to Service, Think Sun Pharmacy By Paula F. Kelly

A

slow evening prompted a Sun Pharmacy worker to suggest they close early. Owner Tom Connelly wouldn’t hear of it. No surprise. “You put the hours on the door, and you make a contract with the community that you will be here,” the 51-year-old said to the employee. Connelly fell into that “taking care of folks” philosophy when he became a Sun Pharmacy stock boy at age 15 for the original storeowner, Jay Brinsfield. In the ninth grade, Connelly’s aptitude test steered him toward the pharmaceutical field. It was suggested that he interview someone in the profession and he chose Joe England, the pharmacist at Sun Pharmacy at the time. England’s mother was the principal at Rising Sun Elementary School where Connelly had attended, a connection and conversation starter. Connelly hit it off with Joe England immediately and a relationship began that soon led to his stock boy job. A pharmacy career promised appealing elements of service and science. The more he thought about it, the more he knew it was something he wanted to get into. Connelly attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, now the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. During the summers, he continued working at the pharmacy then owned by England who bought the store in 1979. After graduation, England invited Connelly to return as a pharmacist. England decided to sell the store in 1981 and by this time, Connelly had a “good feel for the behind-the-scenes stuff.” The 24-year-old sought Brinsfield’s advice. He and Connelly’s stepfather loaned money to the young man for the store purchase. Even though the pharmacist became the boss, he knew he couldn’t use that approach with the staff with whom he had worked for years. He implemented a team approach that still works today. “He’s an all-around good guy,” said Frank Lubejko, a Sun pharmacist for 17 years. Lubejko has known Connelly’s bigheartedness beyond a paycheck. When Lubejko’s parents died, Connelly understood his employee’s need to travel and be away. Connelly reassured him there was no hurry to return and when he did, Lubejko could work at his own pace. Connelly again went the extra mile for his employee when Lubejko was in an auto accident. The owner worked for Lubejko for three-and-a-half months and never pressured him about returning.

Wendy O’Rourke and Frank Lubejko

20 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

The gift-laden shelves shown here behind Tom Connelly stand in stark contrast to those shown in the 1960 interior photo below. Today, the accessibility of many collectable product lines, as well as a huge selection of other unique items in addition to basic necessities, has made Sun Pharmacy a “one stop shop” for many local residents.

For many years, the only physician in town was Dr. Neil Taylor with whom Connelly had a good working relationship. Taylor had evening hours, and patients signed in on a steno pad in the waiting room. When it was apparent that appointments would exceed the 9 p.m. pharmacy closing time, Taylor would phone Connelly. The pharmacist kept the store open for patients needing prescriptions. “He’s a modest man, but a very generous man to the community,” said Bud McFadden of Parts Plus. “He gives back.” Connelly, who sings with the Northern Delaware Oratorio Society, leads the yearly Christmas caroling in Rising Sun. An avid golfer, he organizes the annual golf tournament for Janes Methodist Church where he teaches Sunday school. Connelly also bought the old school house in Colora to save it from demolition, McFadden said. “I feel I am right where the Lord wants me,” Connelly said. “He engineered this whole thing. He’s got a plan; I’m basically (continued on page 61) working for Him.”

November/December 2008

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5“MY PET MOLLY IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE” Says Mildred Letts of Elkton, Maryland. This photo was taken when MOLLY was two years old.

5”LET’S GO HOME AND CHASE SOME SQUIRRELS!” STEWIE is a three-year-old miniature Doberman Pincher owned by Peggy Townsend from Perryville, Maryland. Squirrel chasing is his favorite pastime.

5Fearless explorers MAC, shown here in his home hunting grounds, loves his frequent visits to Cecil County. His owners are Frank and Anna Lathrop of Hertford, North Carolina.

5“STUMPY” — Gets around faster on three legs than most animals do on four! Stumpy lives with Maggie Creshkoff.

Would you like to see your critter here? E-mail your color photo with a detailed caption to CCCritters@zoominternet.net or mail it to Cecil County Critters, P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911. If CSM publishes the photo, the proud owner submitting it may stop by our CSM office and pick up one free “Proud to be from Cecil Soil” Tee Shirt. We select photos that are “cute & whimsical” and can be clearly printed. If you will be scanning your photo to send via email, please be sure to scan in color and at 300dpi. If you are mailing your photo, please be sure to keep the original snapshot and send in a duplicate print — we are sorry, but due to the volume of pictures we receive, we cannot return any photos. Thank You.

November/December 2008

23

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24 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Carol Brown: Perryville Outlet Center’s Biggest Asset By Maggie Creshkoff

C

arol Brown is the site manager of Perryville Outlets, and she goes Carol Brown 90 mph (by her own estimation) every day of the week. She answers phones and redirects truck drivers, plans cooking events and administers first aid. She juggles more tasks and events at the Perryville Outlets than a seal does balls at a three ring circus, and all this without raising her voice, ruffling her pixie cut or chewing one of her polished fingernails down to a stub. She knows intuitively what the Center needs to succeed. She ought to; she’s been there since 1990, running the clothing store Peruvian Connection with her sister Sharon. It is her mission to make the Perryville Outlet Center an integral part of the community, one that reflects all the various talents, passions and interests of the people of the region. To accomplish that she’s donated store space to a number Paw Paw of non-profit organizations; now Museum while you’re shopping and Carol arranges two or three events a month, and always with a snacking at the Center, you can local organization as a partner. She teams up with groups like the take a break to view old medicine SPCA, the HELP Center, the Ray of Hope Mission and bottles from the Rising Sun Perryville Elementary School for the twin purposes of having Historical Society, decoys from fun and financially benefiting the many worthy causes Cecil HDG Havre de Grace Decoy Decoy County holds dear. She has “Cruise Night” on Fridays for Museum and BainbridgeMuseum classic car owners and awards a trophy every month. She’s related material from the RD Historical partnered with local radio stations. So far they’ve given Paw Paw Museum as well as Museum away tickets for a Jonas Brother Concert, original works by local a Hershey Park extravaganza, a artists from the Cecil NASCAR package as well as a County Arts Council. Stop by The “Super Chevy Mother’s Day Shopping Spree. In Show” and monthly the Cecil County Visitors Center “Cruise Night” trophies that last event the winning Mom was where Dale Underwood, Della Lied and Sandy picked up in a limo and given $1,000 to Maruchi-Turner of the Tourism Office agree that the spend at the Outlets in just 30 minutes. location at the Outlet Center is invaluable in presenting Cecil Talk about power shopping! There have County to the wider public, so much so that they named Perryville been cooking demonstrations at the Outlet Outlet Center as the Cecil County Tourism 2007/2008 “Partner of Center, the quintessential animal lover’s the Year. They see over 250 people each month and some from as far “Paws on Parade”, gingerbread house contests, away as New Zealand, Peru and Japan. a Not So Haunted Haunted house, photographs taken with the Wicked Witch…and that’s just in the last few months! And you can get a look at the dizzying array of upcoming events and happenings either right there at the Center or at their website www.perryvilleoutletcenter.com. Let’s go back for a moment to her store, the Peruvian Connection. I love that place. From the first moment I walked into it, the alpaca sweaters and round brimmed felt hats brought back memories of an Andean odyssey I’d made when I was much younger and infinitely braver than I am now. Lots of customers felt the same way I did, including the wife of one of the major investors; in fact, that’s how Carol ended up managing the Center. “I heard we’d been sold, again,” she told me, “so I called her and said ‘Did you buy my mall?’ she said ‘Yes, honey,’ then I just told her if you’re in need of a property manager, I’d love to do it.” Two weeks later, the job was hers. They hadn’t intended on having an on-site property manager, Rod Sparr tells me. He’s the general manager of the Outlets and a long Kim Good (center) was the lucky winner of the $1000 Mother’s Day time employee of the Lancelotta Investment Group. But Lancelotta Shopping Spree. She was nominated by her daughter Jenny Taylor (left) (continued on page 31)

November/December 2008

25

Trapshooting Club Welcomes Newcomers & Experts Story and photos by Ed Okonowicz

“A

lot of people will pull the trigger and hit their first target, and they’re hooked!” So said Ed Walker (71, of Bear, Del., director and life member of the Wilmington Trapshooting Association) when asked to describe the attraction of trapshooting. “It’s like eating popcorn. You taste it, and you’ve got to have another,” he added noting he has been shooting more than 60 years. “Since I was old enough to pick up a gun.” Even non-participants are aware of the sport where a shooter tries to hit a small, fast moving, clay target using only a keen eye, quick reflexes, a steady trigger finger and a long-barreled shotgun. Fortunately, Cecil County residents don’t have to travel far to watch or participate in this centuries-old sport. Each Saturday afternoon, along Route 40 near Glasgow at the Maryland-Delaware border and just west of Kohl’s department store, the Wilmington Trapshooting Association is open to its members and the public. On 42 acres of open space bordered by mature trees, shooters socialize, talk about trap and pull the triggers of their shotguns aimed at small, orange clay targets as they soar rapidly across the sky. Bill Trone of Elkton is president of the club, which claims 105 life members and about 80 annual members from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The original organization was formed in nearby Wilmington in 1910. It merged with the Frenchtown Sportsmen’s Association and moved to its present site in 1959. And while most of the members and shooters are men, there are a few ladies among its membership. It’s common knowledge that the focus of the weekly gatherings is on shooting and socializing. And nearly every member interviewed stressed that the camaraderie and friendship each has experienced during many years of shooting is more important than participating in the sport itself. From about 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday, regulars, newcomers and visitors are welcome. “Most of the shooters are over 50 and a lot are over 60,” Trone said. But one’s health and physical condition, as opposed to age, are the sport’s limiting factors, as exemplified by John Farrell, 81, of Elkton. With more than seven decades of shooting, he’s sometimes referred to as the local “poster boy” of trapshooting. Farrell said he still shoots three times a week at the Wilmington and Oxford, Pa. clubs.

Bill Trone, Association president

26 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Four-time Delaware State Champion Bob Higgins at left Below, Ed Walker, life member and director

For Allan Brown, 64, of Newark and a 40-year club member, the Saturday session is a social event where he does a little shooting but primarily helps others by sharing his experience and techniques. Trone, other club officers and directors, and even long time members enjoy talking about the sport and helping newcomers who show the least amount of interest. This welcoming attitude extends far beyond a verbal greeting and friendly advice. Club members provide individual instruction on gun safety and shooting, as well as recommendations on how to find, purchase and safely use a trap gun. Bob Higgins, 64, of Newark and an 18-year club member, is a four-time Delaware State Trap Champion. “I love shooting,” he said. “I think you’ve got to love the outdoors. Shooting is like golf or any other sport, with the competition and the people. You meet a lot of nice people in this sport.” Attracting younger members is something every organization tries to do. This year, Trone said the club’s efforts were rewarded in a big way. The newly formed University of Delaware Trap and Skeet Team will be headquartered at the Wilmington Trapshooting Association. On a warm day in mid September, Trone spent nearly six hours Taking a break (from left) Allan Brown, John Farrell and Dirk Harrington

T. E. (“Ted”) Doremus duPont GC

Wayne Carter (left) and Tom Habel

presenting a gun safety session to the 22 member student group, which will meet weekly to practice at the Glasgow area location. Two members that offered off-the-chart enthusiastic comments about the benefits of trapshooting were Wayne Carter, 57, of St. Georges, Del., and Tom Habel, 57, of Wilmington, Del. Both long time shooters, they shoot and compete on an equal level with fellow members, except these two men do it from wheelchairs. Carter, executive director of the Delaware Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, said, “Trapshooting is the only sport where someone in a wheelchair can compete on an equal level with an able-bodied person.” Smiling, Habel added, “Some of the able-bodied people would love to have our high scores.” The two men said they have traveled to trap shoots in Florida, South Dakota, Wisconsin and California as members of a sevenperson trap shooting team. Carter explained that when someone is seriously injured and paralyzed, it’s a natural reaction for that person to give up on an active lifestyle. His organization has “saved lives” by helping paralyzed persons become involved in a number of different activities, and trap shooting is one of many options that helps improve one’s self esteem, he said. Many years ago, the association events would attract so many participants, Trone recalled, that cars would be lined up along the entrance road back to Route 40. Today, the numbers are less, but enthusiasm is just as high. Surprisingly, more shooters arrive in the fall and winter months than during the summer. Trone explained that during the colder weather there are less outdoor chores, such as grass cutting and house maintenance, than in the summer months. Operating the association is more than a one-person job, Trone said. Several youngsters are hired to prepare and conduct the weekend shooting operation. However, during the week, several active volunteers are responsible for important behind-the-scene chores, which include cutting grass, painting, maintaining the clubhouse, buildings and equipment, scheduling events, completing paperwork and paying the bills. This core group of active members includes Allan Brown, second vice president; Ken Petonke, vice president; Kent Brown, director; Steve Hastings, treasurer; Roy Lindsey, director and life member; and Dirk Harrington, member. Trapshooting originated in England in the 1790s, when live birds were the targets. It is one of America’s oldest organized sports, dating back to 1831. Of local interest, the first Women’s Trapshooting Club was formed at the DuPont Gun Club in Wilmington in 1913. Today, trap has 55,000 active shooters, with registered events held around the country. The small clay disk is about 4-1/2 inches across and released from a trap house 16 yards in front of the shooter. When the shooter shouts “PULL!” the target is released at varying angles, which imitate the flight of a startled bird ascending from the brush. During a regulation round, shooters attempt to hit as many of the 25 targets as possible. Naturally, inexperienced but interested visitors arrive with a list of questions: How much does it cost to join? What kind of gun do I November/December 2008

Crowd watching Eastern Handicap 1913, duPont Gun Club

Red & Blue Shoot, April 12, 1958 (L-R) Isaac Turner, Clarence Walker, Daniel M. Pierce, Frank L Ferschlie

W.T.A. Clubhouse, 1936

need? How much does a shotgun cost? Where do I get ammunition, and what kind do I buy? Do I have to be a member? Will I be embarrassed among the experienced regular shooters? Trone nodded, saying he has heard these questions and others more times than he can recall. “I tell people to come over on a Saturday, and they can see what goes on. They shouldn’t feel awkward. We have guys who will help new or mid-level shooters get better. We will coach and help people who are interested.” —CSM Editor’s note: In addition to the Saturday open session (weather permitting), the club sponsors Amateur Trapshooting Association registered meets and league competitions. For information on membership cost, non-member charges and other details, visit the Web site at www.wiltrapshoot.org or call 302-834-9320. Read on to see Ed’s follow-up to this story.

27

Pulling the Trigger By Ed Okonowicz

A

fter completing interviews with Bill Trone and his club members, I decided to return and see if, as Bill had said, once you hit your first target you become “bitten by the bug.” Along with four, recently cleaned, hand-me-down, 12-gauge shotguns that my grandfather had used for rabbit hunting, I arrived at the clubhouse. Bill looked the guns over and selected the best of the lot—an old Remington 870 Wingmaster. He said it would do for my entry into the trapshooting world. During a phone call to set up our private meeting, I had taken notes on what to buy and bring—four boxes of shells, earplugs, safety glasses and a positive attitude. Ever the patient instructor, Bill spent time reviewing the nomenclature of the weapon, the importance of following safety rules, how to hold and aim the gun and proper procedures at the firing positions. The trap shooting process centers around a trap hut, located about 16 yards in front of the shooter. A small microphone, mounted on a knee-high stand, transmits the shooter’s command—PULL!—to a hidden machine (in the trap hut) that tosses out a small clay “bird.” The shooter watches for his target’s release and, before it flies too far away, pulls the trigger attempting to destroy the fake bird. A hit can range from nicking the target (a glancing strike) or blasting it into a puff of smoke (a direct hit). Unlike a rifle, which shoots a single projectile, the shotgun shell contains dozens of small pellets. As the shell exits the barrel the pellets spread out as they travel farther away. This allows the shooter a fairly good chance to hit the moving target. Mounting the gun was one of the most important parts of Bill’s training. He stressed how tight contact with the side of the face and pressing the gun’s butt into the indentation between the shoulder and torso would improve accuracy and minimize soreness from the weapon’s recoil. Like any novice of any sport, my mind was on information overload. Trying to remember, process and follow all these instructions—along with the pounding recoil of the rifle butt into my body and shoulder after each trigger pull—resulted in an intensive two-hour mental and physical “bug biting” experience. Yes, I missed a fair number of targets. But I also hit a good amount as well. Several successful shots clipped off the edge of the bird. Initially, these shots were satisfying. But when a direct hit blasted that little orange clay disc into a puff of smoke, my sense of satisfaction was immediate.

28 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Ed receives expert instruction from Bill Trone Photo by Greg Doyle

At that moment, I thought of what club member Ed Walker had said a week earlier, “Very few people walk away from trap shooting with a negative attitude. Once they shoot the gun, they’re really involved when the clay pigeon breaks into pieces or disappears into a puff of smoke if you hit it just right.” Bill seemed to be smiling more than I was. But, like any good teacher of any subject, he stressed my positive actions while offering corrections to improve my upcoming shots. One thing surprised me about the session. I was not bothered by the sounds of the shots, which I thought would be noticeably loud. Certainly, earplugs helped, but my focus on the flight of the target overshadowed any intrusion on my sense of hearing. After shooting about 40 rounds, I began to tire. With my fading physical stamina, my accuracy dropped dramatically. I was pushing my arm and shoulder muscles to work in a way they were not accustomed. As in any sport, one has to work up to longer periods of activity. Bill suggested we call it a day, saying, “I don’t want you to leave with a bad feeling, and all banged up.” When I got home, I discovered what he meant. Several bright red marks were imprinted on my right shoulder. Over the next few days these red marks would progress to blue and then turn black, eventually returning to normal. But that was a small price to pay for my entry into the world of trapshooting. The following week I mailed in my membership application and $25 annual dues to the Wilmington Trapshooting Association. I’ve visited several gun stores, looking for a trap gun. (They range from $250 to handmade, custom-fitted, one-of-a-kind works of art costing $25,000.) I’m looking at the way lower end of the scale. This winter, I’m planning to shoot a few rounds of birds, take breaks and sit on one of the benches and tell lies, and pick up some pointers from former state trap champions. Who knows, next spring I might be ready to participate in the club’s annual Twilight League; if not, there’s the Delaware State Championship next May; if not, there’s always the Olympics in 2012 in London; if not . . . —CSM The Boston Athletic Association B.A.A. Team shot with DuPont Gun Club team at Wilmington in 1912

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29

military honors

A Veterans Day Salute By Charles “Snuffy” Smith

W

hen Ed asked me to write about our veterans and the military for the Cecil Soil Magazine, I was thrilled. We think along the same lines when it comes to honoring our service personnel. We have both served in the military and know the comradeship and brotherhood of being part of the greatest profession in the world. Every veteran has a special pride in knowing they served this great nation. As we were honored, we will also honor those who have followed. On this Veterans Day, it is extremely important that we remember our country is in a real war against radical fundamentalism. It is not a wrong war somewhere around the world and thousands of miles away. It is a war held over there instead of on the streets of our country. We fight against an enemy that wishes to repeat the same horror of New York in city after city in America. We are winning this war on two fronts simultaneously, Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe not as fast as we all would like, but we must stay the course. Anyone who has studied the history of the United States knows that after our revolution it was years before all of the states came together to form a Union of States. Each state had its own ideas for governing. It’s no different in Iraq. The surge has worked. Now we need to give the different factions in Iraq time to come together as we did. We need to patiently wait on them. We should offer positive support, not criticism because they aren’t doing it the way we would. Remember, they have a very different mindset than we do. Our oppression under English rule was never anything like what they suffered under Saddam Hussein. The Iraq people want to be sure that no new regime or government will take them back into oppression. Military Honors go to all who will serve in our nation’s military. This includes all the young men and women who will choose to join one of this nation’s military branches of service. This commitment to serve will be the biggest and proudest step in their lives. They will join the ranks of those who have seen the extreme value of serving this country to protect its freedoms and freeing oppressed peoples around the world. High Military Honors go to all the men and women who have served in one of the branches of our military since our country was founded. They enjoy the pride and satisfaction of knowing their service has had a tremendous affect on this nation and the people of the world. Higher Military Honors go to the men and women who are currently serving in the military. They are in harm’s way every minute, every day. But, they also know their cause is just and good. They put the welfare of others above themselves to protect and free the oppressed and to preserve our freedoms. Highest Military Honors go to those men and women who have been injured serving in the military. They risked their lives for others and paid the price. Supreme Military Honors go to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives serving in the military. Every American owes their continued freedom to the price these veterans paid. As we celebrate this Veteran’s Day, let’s be grateful that on September 11, 2001, it was planes and not nuclear weapons that were unleashed on America. Had nuclear weapons been available they would have been used since these weapons are being pursued by our adversaries for use on America and Israel right now. Please continue to pray for our troops, for an end to this war and the safe return of all. —CSM 30 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Our friend Mihaela Godby of North East asked us to share this article with our readers. Mihaela is from Romania. —ETB

We rarely get a chance to see another country’s editorial about the USA . It took a person on the outside –looking in–to see what we take for granted! This excerpt from the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei (“The Daily Event” or “News of the Day”) was written by the managing editor, and published under the title “C’ntarea Americii” (meaning “Ode To America”). The following is quoted from the author’s translation.

~ Ode to America ~ Why are Americans so united? They don’t resemble one another even if you paint them! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations. Some of them are nearly extinct, others are incompatible with one another, and in matters of religious beliefs, not even God can count how many they are. Still, on 9/11 the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, the secret services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed on the streets nearby to gape about. The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand. After the first moments of panic, they raised the flag on the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colours of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a [government official] or the President was passing. On every occasion they started singing their traditional song: “God Bless America!”. Silent as a rock, I watched the charity concert broadcast once, twice, three times, on different tv channels. The Americans’ solidarity spirit turned them into a choir. Actually, choir is not the word. What you could hear was the heavy artillery of the American soul. I watched the live broadcast and the rerun of its rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who fought with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that would have killed other hundreds or thousands of people. How on earth were they able to sacrifice for their fellow humans? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put in a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit which no amount of money can buy. What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping history? Their economic power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases which risk sounding commonplace. I thought things over, but I reached only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles! —Cornel Nistorescu

Carol Brown …

continued from pg 25

believes that the properties they own should be an asset to the community in which they are based, and Carol’s ideas and “unlimited energy” (N.B. Rod is a master of understatement) were a perfect fit. “Before she started, the events attracted 10, maybe 11 people,” he said. “Her first event was held close to Valentine’s Day and it was a cooking demonstration geared towards the guys.” Eric Lidums, chef of the Grist Mill in Perryville and son of Judge O. Lidums showed men how to win and woo their wives and sweethearts with a seductive oyster stew and a smooth crème brulee…to over 110 people, a ten-fold increase in attendance! How does she do it? Carol admits a serious addiction to Post-It notes, but that hardly explains it; most people would be frazzled if they had to arrange two things simultaneously, let alone a half dozen each day. I asked her mother Dottie Miller, who laughed and said, “Even as a child, her playpen was organized. Each toy had its proper place, and anything extra would get thrown out!” Penny, she said (so called by the family because she was premature, and so small that when he first saw her, her older brother Randy said in disgust, “Mom, she’s no bigger than a penny!”) is like all her kids: “If you pinched one of them, they’d all yell out.” Empathetic to a fault, they share the family trait of doing good works in an understated way towards the betterment of all. More and more people are drawn to Perryville Outlet Center these days to have fun, to shop, and to see just what Carol Brown’s come up with next. As Della told me, “She’s absolutely fantastic! She’s high energy, she’s creative, and as manager of the center, she takes us all with her!” —CSM

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31

Horse tales

From Heartache to Hope By JoAnn Dawson

T

urning heartache into hope - something we all need these days – is a concept that has been realized by Karen Brooks of Rising Sun through her horses. Karen’s story begins as a child living next to a horse farm. “I remember hanging on the fence from the time I could walk, watching their every move, and petting the ponies,” she says. “Then a wonderful woman named Winnie Frank let me ride her quarter horse, Flicka.” Karen’s lifelong love of horses had begun. “My mom enrolled my older brother in 4-H, and I went with Karen with Sandy’s Diversity, Winston’s dam them to the meetings,” Karen continues. There she met Emily Kilby, who offered to start her in lessons at age five at Hopewell Training Rich and Karen married and Karen finished nursing school. They Center. “My first mount was a ten-hand pony named Trixie with her moved to Little New York Road in Rising Sun and had their first son, ear half bitten off.” Nick. But for Karen, something was missing. “When Nick was a year Boarders and students at the stable recognized Karen’s dedicaold, I remember thinking, “I gotta get back with horses,” Karen tion and over the years she was offered three free horses. But her admits. “I told myself it would be mostly for him.” So she bought a parents had other ideas. “They told them, ‘she doesn’t need a horse.’ I Bargaineer, found a pony for Nick, and went to see it. “I came home was heartbroken each time.” So Karen had to be satisfied with her with a paint mare for myself instead,” she says sheepishly. leased pony, Gray Ghost. She showed him at Hopewell, “We eventually sold the mare - she wasn’t good but always with a red ribbon in his tail signifying For around kids,” Karen continues. “Then I started Sale. “Every time I won a ribbon on him, they would collecting.” Karen bought a 21 year old quarter announce he was for sale,” Karen says wistfully. “I horse gelding named Too Tough Wimpy, but remember running down to the barn after each Nick was intimidated by large horses. “I spied a show and bawling my eyes out.” miniature horse at a sale and brought it home At age fourteen, she abandoned her for him,” she says. Then came Joey, a Morgan dream of horses. By age nineteen she says, “I cross, followed by Flame, another quarter couldn’t stand it any more. I got my first loan horse. “We finally convinced my dad to sell us and bought a quarter horse mare named eleven acres on Stevens Road, and we built my Moolah Bucks Bailey. I called her Bucksy and dream barn.” The nine-stall knotty pine barn is I loved her more than life.” Karen boarded the beautiful, with acres of adjoining pasture. mare at Hopewell, but then realized “I needed But the story doesn’t end there. The to get an education and a decent job.” She Brooks’ second son, Lucas, four, loves the horses entered nursing school at Cecil College and and Karen hopes that he might someday compete milked cows to support her horse habit. Even so, she with her on the western show circuit. She also realized she couldn’t afford Bucksy and sold her to a Nick, age 13, with hopes Rich would come along, so she bought a 4 year family in Churchville. “It was the worst thing I ever had to his “mini” Gee Whiz old quarter horse nicknamed Winston for him. “Winston do,” she remembers. This is where Karen’s husband Rich became the love of my life,” Karen says. “I competed in the continues the story, “On one of our first dates, here I was in Cecil County Fair western show and he won Champion and Reserve the middle of a horse pasture at 2 am, petting this horse while she Champion. I thought I was on my way.” cried.” “I used to visit Bucksy all the time,” Karen laughs. “I really introduced Rich to the horse world early on.” The next day, however, Winston couldn’t walk. Hobbling on three legs, he was trailered to Dr. Riddle’s and treated for a hoof Lucas leading “Wimpy” abscess. The next day, Karen discovered an empty stall in her barn where Winston should have been. Then we saw him out in a patch of woods.” Winston was dripping sweat and immovable, sore all over and in great pain. He was seen by several vets and eventually taken to New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania. But his malady was never diagnosed and Karen made the gut-wrenching decision to have him put down. Through her grief, Karen began a search. She was determined to find any of Winston’s full siblings. “I found his full brother in Canada. He had also been put down after an injury. But the owner still had his mother.” Karen didn’t hesitate. She made an offer and Winston’s dam, Sandy’s Diversity, was delivered on February 12th. Karen had her artificially inseminated by Winston’s sire, Selection So Simple. The Brooks family now eagerly awaits the April 1st birth of Winston’s full sibling! —CSM 32 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

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county voices

Growing Up on The Red Bell Farm By Linda Wagner Menkins

D

uring the summer of 1943, while traveling from Johnson City, Tennessee, my father, Roby Wagner, Sr., passed through Calvert on his way to visit his brother in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It was then that he decided to bring his family and move to the area. Roby and his wife, Fannie, and children—Roby (called R.B.)Wagner, Jr., Dan and Peggy—settled down on a farm on Doctor Miller Road. During the next ten years, Roby and Fannie had four more children— Margaret (called Beverly), Judy, Roy, and me. Roby and Fannie were involved in a lot of activities in the community. They both belonged to the Calvert Grange and worked at the booth every summer at the Cecil County Fair. They were also members of the Grace Bible Chapel in Zion, Maryland, where we worshiped as a family every Sunday. There was an old bell on the farm used to call my dad in from the fields for dinner. That is how the farm came to be known as The Red Bell Farm. Back in the early 1900s, most barns were made of wood and were large enough to provide a milking parlor, a place for stacking bales of hay, feed rooms, equipment, etc. There were places for the Wagner children to play and hide as well. There was work to be done, but it was also fun growing up on the farm. One night in May of 1968, while the family was having dinner, one of the children looked out the kitchen window to find the barn on fire. Of course the fire department needed to be called, but back then we didn’t have 911. We had party lines that you shared with two or three people in your neighborhood. When my brother Roy picked up the phone to call the fire department, someone was talking and he politely told them he needed to use the phone. The fire department didn’t arrive in time to save the barn and it was completely destroyed. It was determined that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction. A metal barn was built in place of our old wooden barn. However, it just wasn’t the same. As we children grew up, got married, and started our own lives, we moved off the farm. It became too much for Roby to manage by

Roby Wagner on the farm, circa late 1940s Below left, Roby & Fannie Wagner

himself, so he decided to sell and build a rancher up the road. As we sorted through the old relics preparing for the sale of the farm, we were flooded with many emotions. One thing stuck in my mind, and that was that I wanted the old dinner bell. I cherished the memories of ringing it to bring in my dad from the field. I would ring it, and then my dad would lift his hat and wave it in the air to say he had heard it and would be in shortly. So I got that old bell and it resides with me in Rising Sun on my property known as The Red Bell Country Manor. It is still painted red, and from time to time you can still hear it ringing in Cecil County as I reminisce about my dad. Although both my parents are gone now, the memories of growing up on The Red Bell Farm live on. —CSM Newspaper clipping about the barn fire. Machinery and equipment were pulled from the burning building by the Wagner family and only hay and straw were lost in addition to the barn. Wind-driven rain kept the blaze, which was ruled as an electrical fire, from spreading to the Wagner house and adjoining buildings.

Growing Up On The Red Bell Farm By Linda Wagner Menkins Growing up on The Red Bell Farm Had its charm Like swinging from a tire hung in a tree Giving you that feeling of being fancy free Building tunnels through the bales of hay And sticking your feet in the creek on a hot summer’s day The smell of homemade bread And going down snow hills on an old wooden sled Learning to always laugh and smile And always going that extra mile To trust and love each other As shown by my father and mother

December 2000 family photo (L-R): R.B. Wagner (D), Linda Wagner Menkins, Roy Wagner, Beverly (D), Peggy Wagner Horton, Judy Wagner Thomas, Dan Wagner

November/December 2008

I may not have seen all the city’s frills But I’m glad I was raised as an old country farm girl.

The old red bell

35

A look back with dixon

Union Hospital: A Century of Dedication By Mike Dixon

A

t the dawn of the 20th century, the seriously ill in Cecil County had few healthcare options available to them. Physicians provided whatever care they could in the home, including surgery. There were city hospitals, of course, but they were crowded and involved considerable red tape, not to mention a long journey by train, which surely didn’t help gravely ill patients. Diseases and injury were a serious problem in Cecil County. Typhoid fever caused the death of many children. Pneumonia, appendicitis, and tuberculosis were lethal, and fracture wounds and amputations were all too common. “Making these cases all the worse was the lack of a nearby hospital,” said the county Health Officer, Dr. Howard Bratton. He even knew of cases where hot baths, “an impossibility in many homes,” were an indispensable life saving measure. This, coupled with the need for a sterile surgical environment and microscopical and chemical instruments, made a healthcare center essential, asserted Dr. Bratton. To discuss Cecil’s need for a hospital, community leaders met as Christmas 1902 neared. Dr. Bratton had surveyed physicians, finding out that there were 23 cases in the county that needed inpatient assistance. These cases failed to receive the treatment their conditions made urgently necessary “owing to the difficulty of getting to a hospital.” Rising Sun physician, Dr. George S. Dare, president of the medical society, added that people in the upper section of the county were willing to cooperate with those in the lower and Elkton districts to establish such a haven. He too knew of suffering that was going on in, where an institution would materially alleviate the condition. Someone added that by having a hospital at home, local physicians

The First County Ambulance. Purchased by the American Legion in 1927 for $5000, the ambulance was driven and maintained by American Legion members. Nurses from the Union Hospital in Elkton rode as attendants. Pictured with the ambulance, left to right: Carol Eder, Legionnaire, Nurse Ida Laird Masemore, Nurse Louisa Wallis, and John J. Maloney, Legionnaire.

could keep in closer contact with the different classes of diseases. When serious cases weren’t taken out of their hands, they increased their medical and surgical knowledge. Everyone agreed that the county needed a hospital. To push the project forward, they incorporated the institution but six years of hard work would pass before it opened. After looking around for a home, they settled on “the most eligible and convenient site in Elkton, a handsome cottage” at Singerly Avenue and Cathedral Street, for which they paid a little more than $6,000. On this tree-lined corner a Philadelphia industrialist, William S. Singerly, had built his “cottage” in 1888. (continued on page 38)

The Singerly “Cottage”, 1908

36 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Hospital Auxiliary Hospitality Cart, 1970s

Dr. Stravakis and Louise Schmusher (?) in new Union Hospital ER, circa 1975

Moving in, 1973

Catherine George and Mrs. Dixon, 25th anniversary of hospital shop

Union Hospital, November 1971

November/December 2008

37

Union Hospital ... continued from pg 37 The week the hospital opened, in December 1908, the Cecil County news told about an operation in Dr. L. G. Taylor’s Office. A man who was “returning from a ducking trip to the Susquehanna flats had his gun fire prematurely. The charge badly mangled his leg.” Having determined that surgery was necessary, Dr. Taylor amputated the injured extremity in his office. With the great scientific advances that were taking place in medicine, it was procedures like this one that forced physicians into makeshift operating rooms wherever they were. This practice soon showed that the hospital was the safest and most convenient place for an operation. On a balmy December day, Union Hospital opened its doors to patients, but then they waited for a week for a patient. When it looked as if another week would go by, Dr. Dare arrived from Rising Sun with a lady suffering from anemia and general debility. Though the staff may have anxiously anticipated the first arrival they didn’t have a reason to worry for things picked up steadily after that as physician started hospitalizing their serious cases. In the first year of operation (1909), 125 patients were treated. Fifty-six of these admissions were surgical cases, one was an obstetrical patient and 24 were accidents. By the way, charges were $7 to $10 for a ward and $10 to $20 for a private room. Providing around-the-clock care and keeping things in shape was a house staff, which consisted of an assistant nurse, a night nurse, and an orderly. At the head of the group was the superintendent, Maida G. Campbell, a Canadian nurse who graduated in 1900. Photographs of that first hospital that opened at the dawn of the twentieth century contrast sharply with the modern medical center that now dominates downtown Elkton, providing a testament, in a world of rapid medical advances and shifting healthcare economics, to the continued growth and development of an important Cecil County institution. —CSM

While today’s modern staff may look a lot different than those from yesteryear—such as this group of 1930s hospital staff members (right)—they are no less dedicated to providing excellent care to their patients. Pictured below (L-R): Elizabeth Lowe, MD, Jose Ma, MD, Kenneth Lewis, MD, JD, Jeffrey Tiongson, MD, & Cydney Teal, MD

38 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Union Hospital is publishing a book commemorating our first 100 years of service to the community. The book is due out the first week in December and can be purchased in Union Hospital’s Gift Shoppe, or you can contact Kathryn McKinney, Director of Public Relations and Marketing at 410-392-7002. It will be a wonderful Christmas gift for those interested in Cecil County’s history.

On Saturday, October 4, 2008, the Belote siblings and their

Ben and Lillian Belote Christmas 1974

families gathered at the Cape Charles Cemetery, in Virginia, for a private ceremony to bury the ashes of their beloved father, Ben Grice Belote, and mother, Lillian Petryk Belote.

Belote siblings: left, Bill Belote, Albert Belote, Linda Ricks, Ed Belote Sr., June Hall, and Nancy Simpkins. Not pictured: Ben Belote Jr.

The Hall family

Some of our parents’ grandchildren

Everyone enjoyed lunch together at Bay Creek Country Club, Cape Charles, Va.

November/December 2008

Ford Hall (left) from Georgetown, Md. and Linda Ricks from Shannon Hill, Va. with her son Cody

Bobby and Nancy Simpkins from LaGrange, Ga.

A family gathers ‌

39

the Lion’s roar

Perryville Lions Club By “Ranger Rick” Barton Ranger Rick Barton, a dedicated member of the Ridgely Lions Club in Ridgely, Maryland, in Caroline County, writes a regular column in Cecil Soil Magazine about the Lions Clubs in District 22B, an area that covers all of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. CSM feels that all the Lions Clubs nationwide do so much good for their communities that we want to recognize our local individual community Clubs by lauding their accomplishments and spirit.

F

orty years is a long time to be perfect. Forty-four years to be exact. That is how many years Oakley Sumpter has been a member of the Perryville Lions Club. Over the span of those forty-four years he has maintained a perfect perryville Maryland attendance record at the club meetings. No wonder that people said he is the man to talk with about the Perryville Lions. “Many years ago, when I worked on the railroad, I got into the Lions with a friend,” Oakely said recently. “That was when I was 29 years-old. Now, I am 72 and will be 73 soon.” The years were filled with dedication to the Lions. Besides holding numerous offices in the club, he also got involved at the district level. He was Zone Chairman; then served as the Deputy District Governor, and then as the District Governor. “I met folks from all over the Eastern Shore and elsewhere, and made lifetime friends. I was able to see some of the work that the Lions have done worldwide. I have been to Florida, Hong Kong, Washington, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, and other places. Next I may go to Minneapolis and Australia.” When he went to China he was able to travel with Colleen Chamberlain, also a longstanding member of the Perryville Lions Club. Like Oakley, Colleen has held numerous offices in the club and continues to serve. She easily recites the many activities that her club supports or sponsors and the way they get the job done. Still, when asked about the club, Colleen quickly said, “You should talk with Oakley.” Although the club has just twenty members, they produce remarkable results. Colleen attributes that success to dedicated members but also to their effort to start early on nearly every project. For example, clubs are expected to reach defined goals for visiting other clubs. The Perryville Lions start visiting other clubs in September and are usually finished when other clubs are just getting started with visitations. They have also attended the events of other clubs as part of their visits.

The Perryville Lions are able to press forward by forming committees strongly dedicated to their goals. They have committees for pre-school vision screening, for their photos with Santa and the Easter Bunny, to support a local triathlon, providing food baskets for families at Christmas, collecting donations on vision day, providing transportation to and from doctors or stores or church, delivering Liberty Day booklets to middle schools, and much more. Oakley Sumpter has seen all of their programs develop over the years, including the club fundraising dinners. “Our turkey dinners are totally homemade. That includes real potatoes and homemade desserts. We offer the dinners twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall at the Principio United Methodist Church.” As with all Lions Club public fundraisers, the profits are donated to an array of activities and charities. “The biggest challenge for our club is membership as it is for most clubs,” Oakely said. “Young people have so much to do in their lives. They just may not have the extra time and money to put into something like a Lions Club. We need people to replace us as we get older.” As the Club’s Membership Chair, Oakely clearly sees the challenge. Past 22B District Governor Dalton Mann shares the same concern. He recently commented, “Almost every club faces the same membership situation. There are so many other things for people to do with their time. We all have to work together.” The Perryville Lions Club seems to have no problem working together. They meet the second and fourth Monday of each month at the Perryville Outlets (above Joseph Banks) at 6:44 p.m. Colleen Chamberlain wrote a description of their meetings in a district newsletter last year, “We work hard and we play hard! WE SERVE!” Oakley Sumpter will be there waiting for you. —CSM

Colleen Chamberlain presents Liberty Day booklets to Rising Sun Middle School teacher Curtis Shober. The booklets promote the knowledge of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Ray Leonard of Darlington, Maryland makes a donation on Candy Day to Lion Colleen Chamberlain. The funds are donated to the Lions Vision Center at the Wilmer Eye Institute.

40 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Oakley Sumpter drives a decorated Jeep Scrambler in the Perryville Fall Fest parade.

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41

Restaurant review

The Bayard House: Something Old and Something New By Apryl Parcher

I

nspecting a container of fresh scallops in the kitchen of the Bayard House in Chesapeake City, Chef Mike Hutton selected six fat ones to prepare for searing. Usually reserved for “specials” because he never knows when he’ll get them from the seafood vendors at a good price, these scallops were about the size of my palm and at least an inch thick; five were pearly white, and one was a creamy orange. “That’s a female,” he told me, popping them all into a pie plate, adding a pinch of cilantro, a sprinkling of salt and minced garlic, and spraying them with cooking oil. Hutton then transferred the prepared scallops to a hot searing pan, where they spent a few aromatic moments hissing before he turned them onto a platter to finish off in Chef Mike Hutton the oven, looking and smelling oh-so-tasty along the way. Behind him, the rest of the kitchen staff joked with each other as they prepared for the evening, giving the kitchen a pleasant air of excitement and camaraderie. It’s obvious that the employees like working here. “Everybody gets along so well,” said our server, Alicia Foore, a long-time Cecil resident. “We have a great time together.” As Ken and I settled at our table on the enclosed porch overlooking the canal, we enjoyed the early evening watching tugs ply the waters. Some pulled barges and others pushed, sometimes fast enough to make the orange pilot boats across the canal dance in their slips. “When the big ships come through we dim the lights,” said General Manager Natalie Gentry. “People love to watch them, and sometimes they’ll take bets as to whether or not the tall ones will ‘make it’ under the bridge.” Although The Bayard House lawn slopes right down to the banks of the canal, it was not always waterfront property. When Samuel Bayard built the original manor in the 1780s, the building sat a block or so away from the canal, and gradually moved closer to the water’s edge every time the canal was “widened.” Once known as Chick’s Tavern (1829), then Hariott’s Hotel (1899), The Bayard House has seen some changes over the years, but one mainstay is The Hole-in-the-Wall Lounge, located at ground level below the main entrance to the restaurant, where drinks were once served outside through a hole in the wall (hence the name). Bayard House patrons enjoying the newly renovated Hole In The Wall Lounge

Located right on the C&D Canal, The Bayard House is the oldest restaurant in Historic Chesapeake City.

A recent chimney fire and the resulting water damage brought about a complete renovation of the lounge this year, which now sports a beautiful, circular bar and expanded seating. Also new this year is a more relaxed, expanded menu, which includes a broader array of items priced for every budget—everything from Old View of the tug Bohemia Bay fries and sandwiches to surf-and-turf from the porch entrees—and a healthy wine list to match. windows To start off, Ken and I shared a tasty plate of Prince Edward Island “Drunken Mussels” steamed with andouille sausage in Tequila lime butter, and smothered in melted pepper jack cheese and tomatoes, followed by a beautiful Pear and Walnut Salad; tender young spinach dressed with Bartlett pears, sugared walnuts, crumbled bleu cheese and a tangy raspberry vinaigrette. We also sampled the famous Bayard House Maryland Crab Soup (which has won more awards than I can count). It’s very crabby, and pretty, too—with a dark, rich vegetable base, and just the right amount of spice. The sun set behind the C&D Canal Bridge while we enjoyed a pleasantly light wine, Kris Pinot Grigio. It went perfectly with both our entrees: a Crab Melt with lots of lump crab, bacon and Provolone cheese on toasted sourdough for Ken, and Tournedos Baltimore for me; melt-in-your-mouth twin filets grilled rare and topped with crab cake and lobster cake, seafood champagne sauce, and a garnish of tiny red lumpfish caviar. For desert we tried the new Carrot Cake (made by Fay, a long-time server who works the day shift) and an old favorite, Kentucky Pie, a heavenly concoction of chocolate, pecans, vanilla and coconut served warm with vanilla ice cream from a local creamery. Both were delicious endings, enjoyed while the sky deepened to indigo and lights reflecting the canal surface shimmered with the swift-moving current. “This makes a very nice evening,” said Ken as he sipped his coffee. “Good food…watching the ships go by…how can you beat that?” —CSM Please see The Bayard House’s display ad on page 69. Make reservations at The Bayard House for Thanksgiving or New Year’s Eve by calling 877-582-4049…and check out their specials at www.bayardhouse.com.

42 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

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43

shop local

It’s Your Business By Paula F. Kelly

Oxford Paint & Wallpaper Penny Housekeeper, Manager

Y

ou may not want to paint the town red, but with the help of Oxford Paint & Wallpaper, you can decorate it and your home any color imaginable. “We have 5,000 paint colors to choose from and if that doesn’t do it, we can match other brands of paint,” said manager Penny Housekeeper. “We have a spectrophotometer that can match anything the size of a quarter.” The 1200-square-foot store, located on Baltimore Pike on the outskirts of Oxford, has two rooms that are filled from floor to ceiling with decorating products. Customers can find eclectic and historical paints by Benjamin Moore, California (rated the No. 1 exterior paint by Consumer Reports for nine years), Old Village, the Old Fashioned Milk brand and the supplies needed to apply them. Other products include shelves bursting with wallpaper books, borders, displays of Wallpops (removable, reusable and washable vinyl wall decorations), Laure’y hardware, four-ounce paint samples and Stoner Car Care Products. Customers from as far away as Baltimore and Cochranville, Pa., seek their unique merchandise such as Old Village latex paint and Old Fashioned Milk Paint. Water is added to the powdered milk base of the latter to create the covering. “It’s the real deal,” Housekeeper said. “It has a distinguished texture.”

“We pride ourselves on taking care of the customer from start to finish, and hope they leave totally satisfied.”

Elvie Kirby, left, and Penny Housekeeper

usually has an answer for a problem. But when employees don’t, they send the customer in the right direction. In the 11 years since the present owner bought the store, decorating has changed, Housekeeper said, and the staff can keep customers up to date with trends. Borders remain popular while wallpaper and faux finishing are less so. Bright colors and Wallpops rate as popular choices for children. Earth tones and dark ceilings have become the latest thing for the interior, she said, while exterior stains have grown from about five choices to a palette of shades from which they can help you narrow your selection. “We pride ourselves on taking care of the customer from start to finish,” Housekeeper said, “and hope they leave totally satisfied.” Oxford Paint & Wallpaper is located at 2256 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, Pa. Hours: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Call 610-932-8118. See their display ad on page 16.

nnnnnnn

Orange Cans, Inc., and Bunker Hill Services, Inc. Gail and John Cochran, owners

Barney Quigley of Blue Ox Painting in Oxford doesn’t buy his supplies anywhere else. There’s no substitution for experience, he said, and the Oxford Paint staff can’t be beaten. They are exceptional in providing helpful hints about which products will work best to ensure a successful project. “They are phenomenal with matching colors to fabrics and furniture that will really pull a room together to create an outstanding showplace,” he said. The four employees – Matt Root, Elvie Kirby, Lesley McGhee and Housekeeper – make good on their logo of “decorating made easy”. They offer one-on-one education for any project that a customer – even a novice – wants to tackle. Deck season brings out many first-time do-it-yourselfers. The staff can walk someone through each step of any job such as distressing furniture and faux finishing until the project is complete, Housekeeper said. Chris Wise, who owns Cristos Contracting in North East, has had an account at Oxford Paint for eight years. Their high quality merchandise such as the Benjamin Moore Line and the fact that the store stands behind their products makes Wise a constant patron. Friendly, courteous and helpful, the staff also has kept him informed of new applications. People frequent the store, Housekeeper said, because the staff 44 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

G

ail Cochran can’t sleep at night. She blames her husband. While John Cochran seems to be sleeping, Gail hears the wheels spinning in his head. But she’s not complaining because that’s when some of his best ideas surface. Case in point – their two family businesses - Orange Cans, Inc., and Bunker Hill Services Inc. that happen to go hand-in-hand. Orange Cans - with its self-evident advertising - opened in September 2007. It’s a roll-off container service, John said. Their more than 40 cans hold debris from cleaned-out houses, attics, demolitions, construction sites and recycling. They also carry bulk material. The containers come in 10, 20 and 30-yard sizes and are stored in Elkton and Middletown, De., John said. “We don’t tell people what they need [in terms of size],” he said. “We don’t try to oversell or undersell.” The quoted price allows for a certain tonnage for a specific container volume. Any weight over that tonnage results in an extra charge, he said. Before delivery, plywood is placed for protection on the driveway. The couple believe in the Golden Rule of business; they deliver and set up a dumpster as they would at their home.

Customers have included homeowners, contractors, the Cecil County Department of Social Services, other state agencies and fire companies when they hold events. “We’ll try to dispose of anything you have,” John said, “but we need to know about it so we can dispose of it properly.” But don’t let the orange color fool you. The container and Bunker Hill businesses support a green effort. Whether the material is concrete, asphalt, brush or plastic, the Cochrans recycle about 25 percent of the gathered debris, John said. They also have donated containers to the Cecil County Fair.

“It’s important to recycle. Inquire about the recycling process and find out what you can do with it instead of putting in the landfill.” “It’s important to recycle,” John said. “Inquire about the recycling process and find out what you can do with it instead of putting in the landfill.” Orange Cans was created to complement Bunker Hill, their excavating and demolition operation that started as a landscaping and grass cutting business in 1988. Space is never a job concern, John said, whether it means digging a crawl space, a basement under an existing house or footers. No matter the job size, they have the equipment to deal with it. Not only does Bunker Hill deal with the practical but also the environmental. They provided a new dock and rock berm at the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, De., in 2002. They have done reforestation and wetland and upland plantings to promote wildlife habitats while minimizing damage to the surroundings. On the home front, Bunker Hill staff combines the practical with the esthetic. Putting in ponds, removing brush and excavating and installing a driveway or improving an existing one upgrade the appearance of a home. If you want a new house, they can clear the lot, install the septic system, put in walkways and do the final grading and lawn installation. Relying on past skills, mulch, topsoil, fill dirt and stone can be delivered and spread. No job is too small, John said. They want to do the kind of job that will relieve you of any sleepless nights. Just ask Gail. Orange Cans, Inc.: Call 410-620-9395 or 302-378-9395 or log on to www.orangecans.com. Bunker Hill Services Inc.: Call 410-755-6019 or log on to www.bunkerhillservices.com. See their display ad to the right of this story.

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45

haircuts with herb

Fishes and Eagles and Deer, oh my! By Ed Belote Sr. Herb Benjamin has been cutting hair in the town of North East, Maryland for more than forty-five years. His barbershop (just off the side of his tackle shop) has become a landmark, and all who visit appreciate Herb’s affable, witty personality. Getting a cut at Herb’s is like stepping back in time; almost like being in Mayberry—the friendship and laughter beckon you to come back for more. Push open that squeaky screen door—come on in and listen…

A

s I stepped into Herb’s shop, he immediately introduced me to a distinguished gentleman sitting in his chair. “Ed, I would like you to meet Mr. Dan Bolt. Now Dan here, is quite the philosopher … he thinks a little differently than the average man. We’ve been friends for a long time.” I found out that Dan is 75 years old and lives near North East, but more important than that, according to Herb, Dan has a large, 10-acre pond loaded with largemouth bass, pike, crappie, and bluegill. “A company out of Baltimore, called ’Clay Company‘, mined gravel and clay out of this site from 1933 to around 1938,” explained Mr. Bolt. Right beside this site there was a spur off the Pennsylvania railroad where they loaded it up into train cars and took it to Baltimore. It was around 1938 that my father bought the property.” “I fished that pond when I was just a kid,” said Herb. “We called that pond the Bo-Fritz Pond back then. I’m not sure why. But now, of course, it’s referred to as the Bolts Pond.” “Just a little bit of a fish story,” continued Herb. “After the War, our family took in boarders, like many families did during those times. I remember this one fellow that stayed with us, loved to fish that pond, and he came back one day with the biggest largemouth bass any of us had ever seen. I figured it was at least a 10-pounder and was a bit disappointed to learn from this fellow that he guessed it was a good 5-pounder. Back then, even as a kid, I thought, ‘what kind of a fisherman is this guy … being so honest.’ The fisherman put that bass in a big tub of water and kept him alive for a number of days, so folks could stop by and marvel at him.” Mr. Bolt went on to say that they stocked that pond themselves by hauling in bucket-loads of fish caught from the North East River. And when I asked Mr. Bolt if he still lets people fish his pond, he said, “No, only people I know.” I guess we were done fishing … someone asked Herb if he has gotten out to do any deer hunting. Suddenly coming alive, Herb

46 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Mr. Dan Bolt

quickly responded, “Why yes, I have. I got out the other day with my bow. Sometimes I think people think that all us hunters go out into the wood with a blood lust ... that we just got to kill something. When I go hunting it’s more like therapy; I let the peacefulness of the woods soak in—the dank woodsy smells, the beautiful fall colors.” Suddenly Herb was jarred awake when someone loudly said, “Herb, I thought you were going to tell us a hunting story.” “Oh yeah, yeah,” Herb said. “Anyhow, I was up in my stand sitting on a bucket when I heard a large branch break. You know how it is; you hear a noise and can’t figure out where it came from. After four hours on that bucket, half asleep, things were finally starting to get exciting. Well this fat little spike buck walks right under my stand, within 15 foot. He circled underneath my stand a couple times, and then slowly walked back the way he came.” When someone asked why Herb didn’t shoot, he replied, “Well, I didn’t feel like it … I just enjoyed watching him.” After just the right length of pause, he added, “Now towards the end of the season, this very well could be a much different story.” The shop broke up into a knowing laugh. Gary Pete Crouch from North East joined in on the hunting tales, and with a very soft voice told us stories how back in the old days he would hunt with Pip Pratt (better known as Captain Pratt). “I remember the first time I went bushwhacking for ducks,” he started. I interrupted to ask Mr. Crouch to explain bushwhacking; “You first lay out a line of decoys … maybe up to 150. You then back

off with your sneak-boat … say, 200 yards, and start calling them in. And when a good bunch of ducks, usually canvasbacks, pitch in among the decoys, you would quietly scull towards them, hoping to get close enough for a shot.

Mr. Gary Crouch

“The first time I went bushwhacking was around 1953. Pip Pratt and I borrowed my father’s sneak-boat, and we went out and set up the decoys. We pulled in a bunch of canvasbacks, and managed to get close enough to shoot at them. My first single shot killed two of them. I was young, and I thought, ‘Well this is easy’. You know, I hunted for another 30 years after that, and never shot another double. And something else I want you to know, something that is important to me: I hunted over thirty years with Captain Pratt, and we never had a cross word. He is a good man, and is my friend to this day.” “There’s one more story,” Herb said with a big grin, “And it’s about Gary Crouch’s six year old granddaughter, Julia. An eagle had landed in their yard (Cara Cove, Elk Neck) trying to catch a squirrel. Little Julia was witness to this amazing event, and she went running to her mother, screaming, “Momma, Momma, the national bird is in our yard!” The shop broke up in laughter. Herb added, “This little girl is smart and pretty as a penny, and so is her sister.” —CSM

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Cecil county

Calendar of Events If you have a community event that needs to be announced, do not hesitate to fax or email us so that we may include it in our Calendar of Events. The deadline for our January/February issue is December 2nd. Fax: 410-658-3242 • E-mail: calendar.of.events@zoominternet.net

November November 1 Hollingsworth House Tours 10AM-2PM; Come learn about the history of the family, house & site; Historic Elk Landing, Elkton; 410-620-6400 or www.elklanding.org; H November 2 36th Antique Bottle Show & Sale 9AM-3PM; Antique bottles, collectibles, & table top antiques; Singerly Fire Hall, Rts 279 & 213, Elkton; 302-738-9960; H, $

November 8 Christmas Bazaar 9AM-4PM; Includes Christmas decorations, stain glass, woodworking, handsewn purses and totes, and embroidered items. Portraits taken by a professional photographer will be ready before Christmas; Lunch and tea available; Janes United Methodist Church (213 N Walnut Street) Rising Sun; More info 410-378-2176; H, $

November 8 Veterans Day Parade 12PM; Parade honoring our veterans; Downtown Elkton; 410-398-5076; H 48 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

November 8 Annual Art Auction & Gala 6PM; Dinner, dance, auction & live music to benefit the Cecil County Arts Council; Location: TBA; 410-392-5740; H, $ November 8 “Hope for the Homeless” Benefit Concert 7-9PM; Featuring “Back Porch Revival” plus special guest appearances by Michael Foresteri and a Christian Dance Troupe, Free Admission (Donations gratefully accepted); Fundraiser sponsored by Wesley UMC and First Assembly of God to benefit Meeting Ground (a non-profit organization serving the homeless in our communities); First Assembly of God, 290 Whitehall Rd, Elkton November 8 “Honoring Our Military” Second Annual Dance 8PM-Midnight; Dance to music from the 50s to the 80s with Rosemary & Have of Kruisin’ Karaoke, with special appearances by “The Epics” (Butch Brumfield, Kenny Pearson, Cheryl Slonecker & Lowell White); Cash bar, hor d’oeuvres, snacks; Community Fire Co. Banquet Hall, Biggs Hwy, Rising Sun; For more info call Diane Ehrhart 443-350-5351 or 410-658-6905; H, $ November 14 & 16 Rising Sun Historical Museum 1-4PM; Open the second Friday of each month and the following Sunday; One East Main Street, Rising Sun, Maryland; Private tours of three or more people please call 443-350-5351; H November 21 Buffet Dinner 5:30-7:30PM; All you can eat delicious buffet dinner; $10 per

person; American Legion Auxiliary Post 194, East Main Street, Rising Sun, Maryland; Buffet dinners are held the third Friday of each month except December, from September through May; H, $ November 21-Dec 19 “8th Annual Photography Show” Opening Reception: Nov 21 5-7PM; Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 10AM-4PM; CC Arts Council, 135 E. Main Street, Elkton; 410-392-5740; H November 22 Christmas Bazaar 9AM-3PM; Bake sale, Soup and Sandwich sale, Silent Auction & Vendors; Proceeds help benefit the Sunday school, Youth Group and the community through these programs. Ebenezer UMC, 1072 Ebenezer Church Rd off Route 274; Call Mabel 410-6585525 for vendor tables; To donate items for the silent auction call Bea 410-658-3075; More info call Shelley 443-655-2787; H, $ November 23 Annual Homecoming Service 12:30PM Hymn Sing; 1PM Homecoming Service; Service will feature our own Asbury Praise Singers, Homecoming Sermon and other local praise singers/groups. Following the festivities, all are invited to stay for our complimentary Fellowship Dinner; Asbury UMC, 21 Craigtown Rd, Port Deposit, MD November 28 Christmas Tree Lighting 5:30PM; Tree lighting with Santa and music; Walnut Street, North East Community Park; 410-287-5801; H November 28 Holiday Lighting Ceremony 5PM; Begin at Union Hospital with carolers & continue on to the Elkton Chamber & Alliance for the lighting of the town tree & Santa; Downtown Elkton; 410-398-5076; H November 28, 29, 30 Open House Weekend 10AM-5PM; Merchants host open house; holiday decorations and special refreshments served;

Downtown North East; 410-287-5801; H November 29 – Dec 24 Santa House Fri. 6:00-7:30PM; Sat. 10AMNoon & 1PM-3PM; Sun 1-3PM; Visit with Santa, pictures permitted; 122 S. Main Street, North East; 410-287-5801; H

December December 2 Community Carol Sing 7PM; Annual carol sing with Santa and refreshments; Center Square in Rising Sun; 410-658-5353; H December 5 Old Fashioned Christmas with “The Hollingsworths” 6:30-8:30PM; Come celebrate Christmas the way the Hollingsworth family did, complete with decorations & food; Historic Elk Landing, Elkton; 410-620-6400 or www.elklanding.org; H, $ December 6 Hollingsworth House Tours 10AM-2PM; Enjoy the holiday decorations while learning about the history of the Hollingsworth family; Historic Elk Landing, Elkton; 410-620-6400 or www.elklanding.org; H, $ (continued on page 65)

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Shop, Play, Win! Elkton’s Shopopoly Celebration By Maggie Creshkoff

I

t’s a triple play of toys, trinkets and tannenbaum; it’s a hat trick of holiday happenings; it’s nearly a month of power shopping possibilities in Elkton, what with all the trees and tools, autos and artwork, gems and jewelry and greenery galore, and all of it on Main Street! There’s so much going on in town right now that you won’t want to miss a moment of the fun! First there’s the opening reception on Friday November 14th from 5-7 pm for the Cecil County Arts Council’s 9th Annual Photography Show. See the show of extraordinary photography in the galleries at 135 E. Main Street; applaud the prizewinners chosen by juror Jim Donatello, and partake in the various forms of festive cheer available while local musician Bobby D and John Grimsley make mellifluous music with their own special brand of soft jazz. Park your car and walk to the exhibition because all up and down Main Street you can marvel at Elkton’s Festival of Trees, and see how the local merchants have decorated their trees in unique and unusual ways. You (yes, you!) could own one of these balsam beauties! The trees are part of an ongoing silent auction that benefits the CCAC Arts Scholarship and the Elkton Arts & Entertainment District. Bidding ends promptly on Friday December 12th at 7 pm sharp, so make sure you return to town that evening to check on your bid; while there you can enjoy the carolers, refreshments and horse and buggy rides being offered by the Elkton Alliance. One of the event’s major contributors hasn’t been located on Main Street for more than 7 years, but Williams Used 2007 Festival of Trees

November/December 2008

for tying perfect bows every time has passed straight on to her daughter Dawn Schwartz. (As of this writing, they’re keeping the subject matter of their own coniferous Christmas creation close to the chest, but it’s bound to be magnificent, whatever it is). But wait, there’s more! You can Shop, Play, and Win in Elkton’s real time game of Shopopoly. Pick up a board in any participating business, and with Cars (now on Automotive no purchase necessary Boulevard, just east of Elkton you can start to play the on Route 40) remembers its game as the merchants roots and supports the Elkton fill in your board! Visit business community any way every Shopopoly store, it can. Last year they trimmed complete every square a “Cecil County” tree using and be eligible for the See you old images gleaned from the November drawing for one of Cecil County Historical 14th! three fabulous prizes: a Society; this year, Linda merchant gift basket LeBrun tells me confidentially, worth well over $500; a they plan the Ultimate Santa $400 travel voucher; and dinner for two at Claus Tree! the Howard House plus a night’s stay at the luxurious Hawthorne Suites. Come see Geraldine McKeown’s work at Artopoly! Be a canny Christmas shopper; buy your holiday gifts locally during this event and get a wild card, good for either a discount or an honest-to-goodness freebie at one of the other participating shops! The CCAC has crafted an artistic variation on the Shopopoly theme by having a concurrent one dubbed Artopoly; yours truly will be there for the kick-off on November 14th, so please stop by to see me in a rare unMuddy moment. Mary Jo American Home and Hardware asked Jablonski, the kindergarteners of Holly Hall Executive Elementary to decorate their tree, harnessDirector of ing the energetic imagination of all those the Elkton pint-sized Picassos and budding baby Alliance and O’Keefes, while their proud parents can Main Street replenish supplies at the CCAC’s Art Tree Manager which is festooned with all manner of fine welcomes art materials: paints, pastels, charcoals, everyone to crayons and more. Union Hospital’s town for this Kathryn McKinney celebrates the hospital’s combination 100th Anniversary by trimming their tree Third Annual My “rusty angel” will also with a Victorian theme, while Jeff Siedel of Shopopoly and be on display Colonial Jewelers tells me that theirs will be Festival of Trees garnished with gems and absolutely dripping on Main Street. Remember, there’s no way with jewels…fake jewels, that is. Elkton you can lose at this game so hurry down to Florist aids all of them with a certain Elkton, Md. and Shop, Play, Win! —CSM insouciant flair, and Diane Hair’s aptitude 49

Keeping it Clean: Cecil County Solid Waste Management Division

By Paula F. Kelly

P

ity the fool who tells Pete Bieniek that he works at the dump. His temper will flare like the central landfill methane flame. “Modern technologies are used here at the landfill,” said the chief of the Cecil County Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD). “This is a highly regulated industry. Nothing is just dumped here.” Twenty-five employees work at the SWMD, the second-largest operating division within the Department of Public Works. They oversee the county process of waste reduction and recycling at three sites: the central landfill on Old Philadelphia Road in Elkton; Stemmer’s Road Transfer Station in Earleville; and Woodlawn Transfer Station on Fire Tower Road in Colora. Whether disposal is done by curbside pick-up or a trip to the landfill, all refuse must be dealt with in an environmentally conscious, safe and economical manner. The four-letter word “dump” more accurately describes past behavior of how people discarded everything from their garbage to the proverbial kitchen sink at the central landfill. The refuse created a stench that sometimes reached Route 40 and Marley Road, threequarters of a mile away. Fortunately, those memories are quickly being replaced by recycling. “An increasing population has created more garbage and long disposal lines at the landfill,” said transfer operator Tim Adams. A new Homeowners Convenience Center has replaced two smaller areas where residents formerly waited for nearly an hour to discard their refuse. A fresh blacktop surface allows people to pull in and throw away their trash and recyclables with a waiting time of about five minutes or less, Bieniek said, while a green shelter offers protection from the weather. Newspapers, narrow-neck plastic bottles (codes one through seven), clear and colored glass, cardboard, office paper, aluminum, steel and bi-metal cans can find another life through the process. A $5 fee and a Maryland driver’s license with a valid county address allow residents to dispose of refuse at any of the sites. The charge can be waived, Adams said, but residents must single stream recycle – mix all their recyclables in one container. Other substances such as antifreeze, motor oil, scrap metal, batteries and fluorescent lights also can be recycled at all three sites, Sgt. Dennis Campbell and DFC Matt Purfield of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Department collect medications for proper disposal on Household Hazardous Waste Day 4/19/08

50 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Tanya Adams (left) and Pete Bieniek accept the Maryland Recyclers Coalition 2008 Small Government Leadership Award from Bob Stumpff, Chairman of the MRC Awards Committee and Director of Public Works for the City of College Park, Maryland.

but they are not part of the single stream practice. Twice a year, Household Hazardous Waste Day invites residents to unload other items such as expired medications, paints, car fluids and swimming pool chemicals. “You need to be making the effort to recycle,” Bieniek said. The landfill staff practices what they preach. They recycle blacktop and concrete for road base. Vegetation is composted. Wood is mulched and both are available to the public for a $5 truckload. From 2005 to 2007, the Cecil County recycling rate jumped from 17 percent – the lowest statewide – to 54.8 percent and that makes SWMD one of the state’s leaders, Bieniek said. Those efforts have not gone unnoticed. On June 25, the SWMD received the 2008 Outstanding Small Government Award from the Maryland Recyclers Coalition. The organization recognizes municipalities and counties with populations less than 150,000 residents for excellence in recycling in the past year. They also garnered a Silver Recycling Excellence Award from the Solid Waste Association of North America on October 23 in Tampa, Fla. People recycle to avoid the fee, Tim Adams said, but other reasons exist as well. “The public’s knowledge of environmental issues is improving,” said Recycling Coordinator Tanya Adams, “and I see that they are more prone to recycle and participate in environmental events.” Tanya fosters that reuse message through education programs at schools such as Perryville Middle. When single stream recycling went into effect, Tanya spoke to the sixth-graders about the process and where the materials go, said Tim Magee, Perryville Middle science lead teacher. Magee’s school Environmental Club also won the Cecil County Solid Waste Management logo and slogan contests “Working Together To Keep It Clean – Cecil County – The Recycling Team”. In August, a free Recycling Bin Loan Program for Municipalities and Recognized Community Groups was started. SWMD provides the bins and bags that are available on a first-come, first served basis, Tanya said. The supplies can be picked up the day before an event and returned the day after by the groups.

Chief Pete Bieniek presenting Alexsis Conway with awards for creating SWMD Recycling Slogan, November 2007

Cliff Boothe, Operator II, helps out on Household Hazardous Waste Day

Tim Adams, Transfer Station Operator, Stemmers Run, builds shelves in the shed that holds fluorescent lamps for recycling. Fluorescent lamps are accepted at all 3 SWMD facilities.

People who use syringes, she said, also can dispose of them through the agency’s Sharps Disposal Program that began in May. The needles are collected only at the central landfill and sent to a biomedical company for incineration. Most people don’t think about their trash past their curb, Bieniek said. But when a resident makes a complaint, he invites the individual to the landfill and takes them on a personal tour. “If I teach one,” Bieniek said, “they’ll tell 10 others what we do.” John and Gail Cochran of Orange Cans, Inc., utilize the central site for their roll-off container business. They have been impressed by the landfill road and equipment improvements but especially by the

recycling efforts. When Gail had numerous questions, the staff was pleasant, patient and cooperative. “I feel we are on the cutting edge of being an example for other landfills,” Bieniek said. “There was a time when I would ask others how to do something; now they ask us. We were able to learn from them now they can learn from us.” —CSM The central landfill, located at 758 E. Old Philadelphia Rd, Elkton, is open from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Stemmer’s Run Transfer Station, located on Stemmer’s Run Road in Earleville, and Woodlawn Transfer Station, off Firetower Road in Colora, are open from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. All three stations are open Monday – Saturday. For more information, call 410-996-6275 or log onto www.ccgov.org/dept_works/solidwastediv.cfm

Recycle your used vegetable oil

at any of these Solid Waste Facilities: Cecil County Central Landfill 758 E. Old Philadelphia Rd. Elkton, MD

Woodlawn Transfer Station 565 Waibel Rd. Port Deposit, MD

Stemmers Run Transfer Station 45 Stemmers Run Rd. Earleville, MD

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November/December 2008

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Charity Begins at Home: The Women’s Civic League of North East By Maggie Creshkoff

I

t’s amazing what a handful of women can do! Five young wives and mothers began the group back in 1951, a year in which Harry Truman was President, Joseph McCarthy was just rising to power, and I Love Lucy debuted on television. They called themselves the Young Women’s Civic Club, and they decided to do what they could to improve the quality of life in the town. They started with the idea of a library of their very own, right in the heart of North East…in the old Lock-up, to be exact. Constructed in the late 1880s as a dualpurpose building (both Town Hall and jail cell for the occasional rambunctious railroad laborer), by the 1950s the second story was so dilapidated that the town band had deserted it. Katherine Wein, mother of Cecil County Administrator Al Wein and one of the Club’s founders, remembers “turning that upstairs into a library was quite a challenge…all the husbands kicked in and did the carpentry!” The League members patched, painted, sanded and scraped; they installed flooring, built shelves and begged books from the townspeople to open the library in 1952. The North East library’s humble beginnings

It was a snug, cozy place, positively tiny in fact: Librarian Kathryn Styer, who began working there in 1982, remembers that her desk was at the top of the stairs. “I could reach nearly every book in the collection without getting up from my chair!” she chuckled. Despite those cramped conditions the library proved so popular that the League raised funds and supported efforts to build a full service branch in 1991. In the 57 years since their founding, the Women’s Civic League has obtained home mail delivery for town residents, had a

In September, WCLNE gave $1500 each to two local libraries. Above, to North East Elementary for their library. Pictured L-R are Georgia Clark, principal, Joy Jackson, the school’s media specialist, and Bobbie Hess, Executive Board Member. Below, to the North East Library. Pictured are Josie Dallas ,President of WCLNE and Betsy Schroeder, Branch Manager.

bridge built over the railroad tracks, registered voters, and improved signage for the town of North East. As long time members of the town’s Chamber of Commerce they know how to sustain their own community. Their Chamber liaison, Dottie Witmer, tells me they support the Upper Bay Museum, the Water Festival and the Salute to Veterans Day, and have done so with cold hard cash. They’ve run cooking demos, book and bake sales to fund their yearly choice of projects; and their most recent fundraising event was the wildly successful “Secret Gardens” tour that Susan van Hagen spearheaded in 2008. The League is planning another Tour for ’09, and will incorporate the visual arts with the floral ones as they partner with the Cecil County Arts Council to present the June Exhibition “Secret Gardens” at the Elkton Arts Center. Something else unites them, of course; a group that works this hard for this long shares core values and strong beliefs. President Josie (continued on page 59)

Above, the old Lock-Up and Town Hall (with Dorothy and “Curly” Reynolds parked out front in their 1914 Model T Ford) which served as the home of the North East Library from 1952 until 1991 when the new library (left) was built. The WCLNE has donated $5000 towards the repair and renovation of the historic building.

November/December 2008

53

This Carpenter’s Houses are for the Birds By Brett Spotts

I

t seems like wherever you go to vacation these days you can find little shops with handmade crafts. Often, the crafts are constructed of old barn boards or materials otherwise distressed to give them a look and feel of antiquity, and quite often these items fetch top dollar. Wayne Goodman and his wife, Arlene, came upon such a shop while vacationing in Myrtle Beach several years ago. They saw a decorative bench that was selling for more than $300. They thought about purchasing the bench, but it would not fit into their car. Wayne, a retired carpenter, looked at how it was put together and decided to build one of his own. In fact, Wayne has spent his retirement building wooden crafts such as benches, magazine racks in the shape of swans, snowmen, and other various and sundry wooden decorations. Did I mention birdhouses? The term birdhouse doesn’t quite do them justice. They are actually more like bird mansions. Ornate and meticulously detailed, they reflect the care and craftsmanship of a master builder. A carpenter for most of his life, Wayne worked for a building contractor in Delaware, as well as working thirteen years as a maintenance carpenter at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. He also spent ten years

driving a truck. Wayne and Arlene married in 1950 and raised their two children in Rising Sun. Now they have three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Still very active at 82, Wayne puts his time and skill into his birdhouses and other crafts. He Ice skate also continues to walk two and a birdhouse half miles a day, as he has for the past 18 years. Maybe you’ve seen him walking between his home near the firehouse on Biggs Highway and Farmington. I had the privilege of meeting with Wayne and Arlene in their home where they’ve lived since 1982. They have a variety of examples of his handiwork on display. He has birdhouses in the shapes of schoolhouses, cottages, and train cabooses. He has Arlene’s some on pedestals, some larger favorite and some smaller. Hanging in his trees are birdhouses that were made from boots. Wayne estimated that he had at least a hundred birdhouses. I believe it. Arlene showed me her favorite, a rustic cottage style birdhouse that she keeps on the hearth of their brick fireplace. Wayne’s birdhouses and other crafts are the nicest I’ve seen. The detail work makes them special. He showed me one in the shape of an outhouse, correct right down to the Inside the miniature roll of toilet paper. I outhouse know a little bit about the kinds of things that are popular because of

Some of the enormous collection

These “crooked” birdhouses are Wayne’s latest creation

my wife’s interest in folk art and crafts. In fact, my wife collects birdhouses. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so I asked Wayne if any of them were for sale. For the time and effort it must have taken, I doubt very much that he charged enough. For several years, Wayne donated birdhouses to sell to raise money for the public library. He has occasional yard sales and the money that he gets from selling these items goes into a fund for his great grandchildren. He indicated that he would be happy to donate birdhouses for a worthy cause, and he has many that he would sell. As I drove away from this interview, I realized that I was leaving with much more than I brought. I had my notebook and my camera, but they were no longer empty. Instead, they were filled with thoughts and pictures of the love of a true craftsman. I had the birdhouse that Wayne was willing to sell to me, a handsome model with four different holes for birds. I had a unique looking gourd that Arlene gave to me just because I admired it. They told me that the vine had come up wild. I also had the honor of having shared an hour with Wayne Goodman, a carpenter, an artisan and, as his name suggests, a good man. —CSM If you are interested in inquiring about Wayne’s birdhouses, feel free to call him at 410-658-5465

54 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Robert E. Rapp, Jr., MD

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55

k o o b p Scra Cecil

In this 1975 photo, the publisher’s older brother, Ben Belote Jr., proudly displays his catch of largemouth bass, caught in one of the many Sussex County, Delaware ponds he often frequents. This was before the importance of ‘catch and release’ was practiced; 67 year old Ben still haunts these waters with a passion, and religiously releases his catch. And his younger 64 year-old brother wishes he could be with him.

We would love to publish your old family photos and share them with the community. Give us a call at 410-658-3244, and we’ll stop by and pick them up. After we make copies, we will return them to you the next day. You can also send them as an e-mail attachment (scan them in at 300 dpi) to cecilsoilmag@zoominternet.net. Please include all information for the caption. Owners of published photos will receive a “Proud to be from Cecil Soil” T-shirt. Please call our office for details — be sure to state size.

Vince & Sid LaMonica of Elkton, Oct. ‘08 –   “Don’t sit under the apple banana tree with anyone else but me”   Vince dug up the parent banana tree and overwintered it and put it back out the spring of this year. These are the biggest bananas I have seen grown in Cecil County.

Oct. 08 - Apryl Parcher of Chesapeake City planted this hardy variety banana tree in the spring of last year and wintered it over. This year it re-grew and gave birth to 7 pups. This is actually a clump of banana trees. Wow! look at the size of these plants! Middletown Blackbirds: Hundreds of Blackbirds perched on the roof of Money’s Market in Middletown, De. Cars pulling up and people activity did not scare them away. The proprietor said she had never seen it before. They stayed for just that one day.)

56 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Mr. & Mrs. Claus (Barry & Judy Montgomery) wish everyone the happiest of holidays!

Eddie Belote III caught his first fish after being schooled by the Master himself, Herb Benjamin. This momentous occasion took place September, 2008, on Herb’s boathouse porch in North East, Maryland. July 15-North East won the District 5 Major Softball Championship at Perryville Little League’s Trego Field; July 23-North East won the Maryland State Title also played at Trego Field; July 25-The team traveled to Albany New York to compete in the East Regional Tournament where they placed 3rd. Team photo, top row:Coach Dave Stacy, Jaclyn Janney, Casie Preish, Madison Smith, Breanna Owens, Morgan Pyle, Taylor Allen, Manager Scott Cochran. Bottom row: Sam Snyder, Natalie Hoober, Leslie Thomas, Morgan Cochran, Michela Stacy; Not Pictured: Averie Lyon

The North East Star was first published by George O. Garey in July, 1882. Mr. Garey was editor until his death in 1926. The pictured office was in the building now housing Herb Benjamin’s Barber and Tackle Shops. The man in the photo is Horace Lilley who was the printer for the Star and later became an Episcopal rector.

 Joyce and Al Miller enjoy themselves at the 2008 Hogfest, hosted by the Galvinell Meat Company, Conowingo, September 27th. This event was for the benefit of the Cecil County 4-H clubs. Check out www.cecilsoilmagazine.com to see many more photos from this event.

photo courtesy of Dorothy P. Witmer

Gunning Guide Joe Heisler is shown poling a rail bird rig. The man with the gun is Mr. Eisenlohn a cigar manufacturer from Philadelphia who later died on the Titanic.

November/December 2008

Eyes ... just for you. While we were having breakfast the other day at Pier I, in the town of North East, Anthony Cirino, Manager/Chef of Pier I, and wife Tracy, brought out their brand new daughter, Madilyn, to show off. Beautiful Madilyn was born on July 23rd ... and she never took her eyes off her father. 57

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(410)658-CAKE www.us1bakerymarket.com “You can get your kicks on Route 66, But get your cakes on Route 1!”

58 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Civic League ... continued from pg 53 Dallas joined five years ago after she retired from her job as school nurse at North East Elementary School. “When I worked there,” she said, “someone from the League would call every year to see if there was anything the children needed, practical things like underwear, socks, shoes or school supplies—and all this was in addition to the books they purchased for our school library.” Many of the League’s long-time members like Nancy Ball served as mentors to individual students, and two families are chosen every year to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas through the group’s generosity and charity. Charity is a misunderstood word these days, sometimes used disparagingly to describe a handout to those too lazy or unlucky to earn their way in the world. But at its best, charity is one of the main pillars of an unselfish faith, and an act that says more about the giver than the recipient. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, charity is kind, is not puffed up, charity rejoices in the truth…a fitting testimony to the work of the Women’s Civic League of North East. —CSM

WCLNE members at their 50th Anniversary Celebration October 2001 Standing, Joan Nadeau; Seated (L-R), Harriot Gibson, Lucia Demond, Katherine Wein

Members greet one another at the September meeting

The League meets the 3rd Friday of every month (excepting July and August) at 12:30 pm in the North East Library meeting room at 106 W. Cecil Avenue. Refreshments are served. New members are welcome! Call 410-287-7242 for more information.

It’s tough doing business right now, but you know you’ll weather this storm, and I want to help you.

“I’m Tough … Are You?”

I have committed myself, and Cecil Soil Magazine, to help your business prosper by offering “Tough Times” ad rates to all new advertisers – no punches pulled!

Cecil Soil Magazine is glossy and hot. Our Web site www.cecilsoilmagazine.com is glossy and hot.

Between these two quality mediums, an estimated 120,000+ readers would love to see your ad.

For more advertising information, get on our Web site. Then give Ed a call at 410-658-3244 and find out how gentle he can be with you. To better understand Ed’s passion for helping small businesses, especially during these tough times, see his message on page 6: “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” November/December 2008

59

Cecil County Yearbook

By Kyle Dixon

THEN . . .

duating One high point for the gra last year senior is the arrival of their , the book, and as decades zip by sured even more. valued publications are trea the A look back at shots of rleaders, prom, a football game, chee photos of friends the band, school antics or and teachers, helps recall d in these cherished times you ha hope you Cecil County high school. I look enjoy this installment as we feel free back together, and please d to email me with photos an icbb.net. suggestions at dix onk@atlant

Kyle Dixon

Larry Williams Elkton High School Class of 1971

Sandy Barnett Elkton High School Class of 1965

Bill Short Bohemia Manor High School Class of 1960

Debbie (Stanley) Storke Elkton High School Class of 1968

Charles “Chip” Helm Perryville High School Class of 1992

Anne Gellrich Perryville High School Class of 1979

Debbie (Stanley) Storke graduated from Elkton High School in 1968. She was active in the student government, prom committee, and the Future Nurses of America. After graduating, her father told her that she should go to school and learn something, so she went and took classes at Goldy Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware. She spent most of her life working in the family business, Stanley’s Newsstand. She currently devotes much of her time to her grandsons William and Reilly.

Charles “Chip” Helm, the principal of Bohemia Manor High School, is a proud member of the Perryville High School class of 1992. Mr. Helm was active in athletics and his best memory was when the basketball team got to play at Cole Field, at the University of Maryland. He still has fond memories of his World History teacher, Sean Cannon, who is currently the principal of North East High School. Mr. Helm, who was the first Student Member of the School Board, has been an educator in the school system since 1998, and was promoted to his current post in 2007.

Anne Gellrich, assistant principal at Rising Sun High School, graduated from Perryville in 1979. Ms. Gellrich knew even then that she wanted to teach and coach. She was active in athletics, playing field hockey and basketball. When she was a junior, Perryville High School moved to its current location off of Perryville Road. She still recalls the athletic fields not being complete and having to pick the stones out of the field hockey field before they could play. Her class valedictorian, she has been with the school system since 1983.

And Now. . .

Larry Williams owns the Ranger Station, an auto repair shop, in Elkton. Socializing, he says, was the best part of school for him. He loved going to the dances, goofing off, and telling jokes. All you have to do is run into him these days and you’ll know what he means. When asked if we could put him in Cecil Soil, he said sure because he’d been in the soil all day anyway. He originally wanted to go into law enforcement, but it wasn’t too many years before he owned a garage and service station, which is the line of work that he continues with today.

Forty three years later, Sandy Barnett still says that 1965 was the best of years for her because her class was made up of a great group of enjoyable people. Sandy and the current Superintendent of Schools, Henry Shaffer, were voted the best all around in 1965. “So they put the two of us in a barrel for a yearbook shot. They had trouble getting Henry out of the barrel,” she remarks. After graduating, she worked as a legal secretary for a few years before coming to Lyon’s Drug Store in 1968 where customers enjoy visiting with Sandy still today.

60 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

Bill Short was a member of Bohemia Manor High School’s class of 1960. He enjoyed history studies, completed his undergraduate work at Washington College and his graduate work at the University of Massachusetts. He was a history teacher at Aberdeen High School until 1969 when he was hired as a history professor at the newly opened Cecil College. He retired a few years ago, having taught a generation of Cecil College students.

Sun Pharmacy …

continued from pg 20

During his first two years as owner, Connelly worked solo as a pharmacist. Then he began sharing a professional with the Elkton Pharmacy. That extra pair of hands allowed Connelly to focus more on the retail aspect of the business. Although his aptitude test didn’t show it, Connelly possesses natural business acumen. He also operates as bookkeeper and chief gift buyer. Charlotte Zepp has patronized the store for decades and likes its gifts especially the Precious Moments and handbags, as well as the Yankee Candle scents. The pharmacists know all the customers and take the time to answer questions, she said, as do the friendly and dependable staff, and that’s because Connelly sets the tone. “If you shop here, we won’t gouge you and we will be pleasant to you and do our best to try to take care of your needs,” he said. “That’s the way I understand the deal.” —CSM

Above, the same building with an “updated” facade, circa 1963. This building was demolished in 1969 and the pharmacy moved to its current location on the other side of Queen Street. According to Tom Connelly, the debris was bulldozed into the basement of the building and then covered with dirt. Although this was standard operating procedure at the time, it likely contributed to later sinkhole problems. The lot remained vacant and much became part of Queen Street when what was once a square corner was rounded off some time in the mid 1980s. Thanks to Diane Ehrhart and the Rising Sun Historical Museum for their assistance in locating and identifying historical photos for this story. —NS

This building, formerly located at the corner of West Pearl and Queen Streets, was the original home of Sun Pharmacy. This 1902 photo shows W. B. Cooney’s Bakery. Later the building would house The Village Restaurant (above left) and Dodson’s Pharmacy, before being renamed Sun Pharmacy by a later owner.

November/December 2008

61

CCEA’s New Robert “Bud” McKee Scholarship

NEHS Alumni Seeking Scholarship Donations

A

The Cecil College Foundation, Inc. has selected Steven Stanley (center) of Port Deposit, Md. as the first recipient of the Robert “Bud” McKee Scholarship. He is shown here with several members of the Chesapeake City Ecumenical Association, which has funded the scholarship, including CCEA President Deborah Forsythe (left), Barbara Buck, Marilyn McKee and Eileen Viars.

R

obert “Bud” McKee was one of the founders of the Chesapeake City Ecumenical Association (CCEA) of North East, serving in some capacity throughout the CCEA’s 23 year existence. “Bud McKee was a beloved friend and mentor to many throughout Cecil County, including myself and my husband,” said Deborah Forsythe, CCEA president. “He lived and taught by example, and left shoes that no one person is able to fill. Part of his mentoring included the belief that we could not improve the earning abilities of those we serve through the ministries of the CCEA if we did not provide educational tools and opportunities. Those tools are found both within the educational system and service to community.” In the original formation of the CCEA, five churches of various denominations in Chesapeake City came together to address issues of aid, both financial and supportive, for residents residing in and around Chesapeake City. With McKee’s help and direction, the CCEA moved from an informal gathering of churches, to a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. McKee also headed the Pastoral Care Program at Union Hospital. In that capacity he helped train laypersons to make patient and family visits providing friendship, comfort and spiritual support as required. Those who knew him referred to him as the “President of Everything” because of his extensive involvement in community service. Today, the Chesapeake City Ecumenical Association continues providing aid to help with rents, mortgage payments and utilities to prevent evictions, foreclosures and shutoffs, while expanding the base of services now offered to include payments for medicine, transportation to medical appointments, and lodging for one to three nights for homeless, abused and abandoned people. “Since the majority of clients seeking help through the CCEA are employed in lower paying positions, enabling them to seek out courses at Cecil College would allow them the opportunities Bud envisioned,” said Forsythe. The scholarship was established with a $500 donation by the Chesapeake City Ecumenical Association and provides financial assistance to an adult who is currently in the workforce or returning to the workforce as a continuing education student with the intent of increasing his or her ability to attain skills to raise earning potential. The scholarship is open to residents of Cecil County who have demonstrated involvement in community service and have a desire to further their education. Scholarship winners are eligible to enroll in any of the college’s continuing education programs. —CSM 62 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

mid the noise and chaos, the hand-shakes, the neck hugs, the “where have you been” and “what have you been doing,” the meeting came to order. The class of ‘52 was celebrating their 50 year reunion at the 2002 North East High School Alumni Banquet. For the second year in a row, Dan Bolt made the motion to have the Alumni Association solicit funds and award scholarships to NEHS graduating seniors. This time Jo Ann Stoppel moved the motion along for a vote and the motion was passed unanimously. The first official act for Mary Ann Cavender, the new 2003 President of the Class of ‘52, was to appoint Hanne Sten as head of the scholarship committee. In 2007, the IRS approved the foundation as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Thus, the NEHS Scholarship Foundation was officially established with the mission of providing scholarship funds to North East High School students. The first scholarships were awarded to two graduates of North East High School during the 2004 North East High School Alumni Banquet. Through 2008, a total of 22 scholarships have been awarded during five sessions of the annual Alumni Banquet. Each scholarship is for $1,000 towards the first year at a school of higher learning. During December the foundation’s school liaison committee develops the plans for the year’s scholarship program with the North East High School Guidance Office who then distributes applications to graduating seniors. In April, students submit application packages to the Guidance Office. After review by the Guidance Office they are forwarded to The Foundation. The committee makes the selection without discrimination based on academic achievement, need, community services and leadership activities. In June, the winners are awarded their scholarships at the annual NEHS Alumni Banquet and checks are mailed directly to the universities/colleges. The current officers of The Foundation, all past graduates of NEHS, are President Dan Bolt, Treasurer Elizabeth Bolt, Secretary Mary Ann Cavender, and Directors Shirley Andrews, Beverly Gatchell, Susan Tull Wilson, Charlie Viars, and Hanne Sten. As the Class of ’52 begins to shrink in size, the cost of higher education is rapidly increasing. The NEHS Scholarship Foundation is seeking outside contributions to keep this vital scholarship program alive. Any investment in this worthy cause is an investment in the future of this community that we all enjoy. All donations for scholarships are tax exempt under EIN-81-0630721. Please send any contribution to: The NEHS Scholarship Foundation, Inc, Box 558, North East, MD 21901. —CSM 2007 scholarship presentations at the North East Alumni Banquet: Presenting the certificates are North East High School Assistant Principals Kathleen Kist and Frank Cardo. The recipients (L-R): Kristin Hollenbaugh, Kenneth Vaughn, Jennifer Dietz, Lauren Hatfield, Krystal Credille

The Best Way to Learn History —From Daylight to Sunset By Carol Mangano

A

cool September afternoon launched a historical moment on the C&D canal for a group of RSMS art students. Miss Clair’s captain, Ralph Hazel, and first mate, Clare Hazel, were eager to set sail with their twenty-six passengers. All were excited about the trip ahead, a trip into history, art and storytelling. Preserving history simply means listening to other people’s stories from their own accounts of events, conversations, and activities and recording or passing on that information. Books, stories, pictures, paintings, needlework and sculpture are only a few ways history can be preserved. Cecil County has a rich history of artists and writers who continue to record the timeline of historical information. Everyone contributes to these records of events in one-way or another.

November/December 2008

Remember When the Bridge Fell into the Canal? The captain showed the large photographs and reminded everybody that “Mrs. Esther Lupfer documented the progress of the C&D canal bridge by taking pictures of the work done every day.” The storyteller can make the meaning of the pictures more interesting by adding a bit of humor. “The bridge fell into the water! What is so funny about that? Well, that never happened, but the kids used to joke about it because the school was on the other side of the canal! But, not to worry, there was always the foot ferry,” Captain Hazel laughed. The people and places we visit become our friends for life. William Stubbs, county historian and retired high school history teacher explains, “It’s true that you won’t understand what’s happening today unless you know what happened in the past.” History becomes real and a part of the story of these students as the cruise and lectures continue. Memories from the past were brought to life on that Saturday evening along the Back Creek, the Elk River and the canal. Another day of the present passed into history with the sunset’s reflection dancing on the sparkling waters of the canal. Meanwhile, history continues in the Brandywine Valley. Claude Monet, French Impressionist, inspired the young artists as they drew the lily pads at another historical institution: Longwood Gardens. This horticultural wonderland started when Pierre S. du Pont (1870 – 1954) purchased the property in 1906 to save the majestic trees. Our community provides a wealth of resources for writers and artists. Cecil College, North Bay, and Longwood Gardens have become a part of these students’ inspiration for future works. Students seemed to thoroughly enjoy the North Bay experiences. “The zip line and the ropes course; thrilling, scary at first,” Sean Goodie announces. “Paddling with seaweed on the paddles of the canoe as they strike the water and being stuck in the ground. It was great!” Nick Koermer remembers. Jennifer Rineholt reports, “During our middle school years, we go from one experience to another. I am ready to travel to Longwood Gardens again!” As she recalls her own accounts of events and activities from her visit at Longwood, she continues to record the timeline for historical informa-

tion in her journal, “Remember when we went to Longwood...” —CSM Photo credits: Richard LeGates, Chesapeake City; Jennifer Rineholt, Tyler Peterson, Erin Rush, RSMS students

Harvesting Our Resources If your school would like to take part in the quality learning opportunities at Longwood Gardens, contact Kate Wachtmeister, Education Specialist for the School & Youth Programs. Teachers are encouraged to explore the Longwood Gardens website for the Arts & Humanities, Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science & Technology programs, as well as, Longwood’s Teacher Feature and the video of our school’s field trips. The curriculum content for the youth programs at Longwood Gardens introduces students and teachers to additional exciting experiences that we can bring back to our classrooms.

63

Where in Cecil County is this?

Accurately identify where this shot was taken and earn a chance to win a “Proud to be from Cecil Soil” sweatshirt. A drawing from all correct entries received by midnight on 12/2/08 will determine the winner.

Get more for your advertising dollar!

See our display ad on page 58.

Send your entry with a specific and accurate location to: whereinthecounty@zoominternet.net OR to: Where In The County P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911 (Be sure to include your sweatshirt size!) The winner’s name & photo will appear in our next issue. Cecil Soil Magazine welcomes everyone to participate.

“I advertise in CSM because we both believe in our strong community. We are local and we both have a passion to live and work here in this wonderful county.” — Mark Hyman, Ramsey Ford Lincoln Mercury 64 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

We Have A Winner! Aidan Healey from Chesapeake City, Maryland correctly identified the location of our last photo as the Blue Max Inn on Bohemia Avenue in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

Congratulations, Aidan!

Events ... cont’d from pg 48 December 6 24th Annual Candlelight Tour Noon-6PM; Annual event allowing visitors to see inside many historic homes & buildings; Historic Port Deposit; 410-378-2121; $ December 6 Cecil County Christmas Parade Noon; Bands, floats, Santa, antique vehicles, & more; Main Street, North East; 410-287-5801; H December 6 Unity In The Community Open House Noon-6 PM; We invite everyone to come and join us for a day of fellowship, food and fun; Activities will include a Bake Sale, White Elephant Table, Children’s Activities and Special Music throughout the day; A complimentary beverage and hot dog will be available to all who attend; Asbury United Methodist Church, 21 Craigtown Rd, Port Deposit, MD; For further details

or inclement weather policy for the day of event, please call 410-808-7914 December 6 61st Holly Tree Lighting Ceremony 4-6PM; B&O Railroad’s Travelers Christmas Tree; Holly Tree Park, off Jackson Station Rd., Perryville; 410-996-8104; H December 6 Holiday Dinner & Silent Auction 6:30-11PM; Benefit Moore’s Chapel Educational Building Fund, 392 Blake Road, Elkton, Maryland; Music from the 50s, 60s &70s provided by The Perfect Beat; 6:30 – Check In & Preview Silent Auction Items; 7:30 – Sit-Down Dinner (reserved seating $30); 8:15_11PM – Dancing and drawing for door prize; Info call Mie Mie 302-743-2267 or e-mail: mie98@msn.com; $ December 12 & 14 Rising Sun Historical Museum 1-4PM; Open the second Friday

Hogfest 2008

November/December 2008

of each month and the following Sunday; One East Main Street, Rising Sun, Maryland; Private tours of three or more people please call 443-350-5351; H December 12 Christmas Walk Final Night of Shopopoly 4-8PM; Entertainment, holiday treats, & food; Main & North Street, Elkton; 410-398-5076; H December 13 Public Christmas Concert 2PM; Upper Chesapeake Community Band; Rising Sun American Legion; 310-658-4534 December 13 Candlelight House Tour 6-9PM; 19th Century holiday walking tour of homes and inns, Victorian carolers, refreshments, special displays; Historic South Chesapeake City, Town Hall, Bohemia Ave; 443-553-0071 H, $ December 13 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

4-6PM; Lighting of the town tree, caroling, Santa, light refreshments; adjacent to Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, 410-642-6066; H December 13, 14 Cecil Dance Presents: “The Spirit of Christmas” 13-2PM & 7PM, 14-2PM: This holiday spectacular offers dynamic performances with all the trimmings; Cecil College, Seahawk Drive, North East; 410-287-3546; H, $ December 21 Christmas Party 2-4PM; Children up to 10 are invited to visit with Santa; American Legion Auxiliary Post 194, East Main Street, Rising Sun, Maryland; H December 21 Live Nativity 6-8PM; Reading of the Christmas Story in the stable with music and animals; FairWinds Farm, Rt 272, between North East & Rising Sun; 410-658-8187; Donations appreciated; H —CSM

September 27, 2008 An all-you-can-eat pork BBQ cook-off was held at Galvinell Meat Company, Conowingo, Md. to benefit the Cecil County 4-H. The steady rain did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the contestants, or the appetites of the crowd. In the “Whole Hog” competition,taking the Grand Champion Award was the team of Off The Hoof. Taking Reserve Champion was the team of Mason Dixon Smokers. Third place was won by Hog Feathers. Other teams that won awards were; Broken Arrow, Rib n It, Lo n Slow, Saucy Butts, Grand Dad’s BBQ, Mutha Chicken, Captain Dick’s, and Big Ugly-Pot Belly. To see more pictures from this great event, visit www.cecilsoilmagazine.com 65

by Neeley Spotts

D Cecil Soil Cookbook F 66

D

uring her 35 year career, Mrs. Melanie Peddicord made quite a name for herself. Not only did she develop a reputation for being just the kind of loving and gentle kindergarten teacher that every parent would hope for their child to have in their first school experience, but she made a lasting impression on many of the grandparents of the more than 1200 Cecil County students she taught over the years as well. It wasn’t just the songs that the children sang during the annual Grandparents Day at Calvert Elementary, but also the special sugar cookies to which Mrs. Peddicord always treated her guests. According to Mrs. Peddicord, “Grandparents Day was always one of my favorite days during the school year. The students would beam with pride as they showed their grandparents the classroom. The sugar cookies were always a hit, and often times, the grandparents would ask for the recipe years later when I would have another grandchild in my classroom.” I was lucky enough to be the parent of a child in Mrs. Peddicord’s kindergarten class and I know that her excellent care played a big part in developing my daughter’s love and enthusiasm for school. My daughter now is also very excited about making “Mrs. Peddicord’s Grandparent Cookies” for friends and family this holiday season. Try this practically famous recipe with your family, too, and tell us what you think!

VBest Sugar Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs Pinch of salt 1 cup of salad oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 cups of flour 2 teaspoons of baking soda 2 teaspoons cream of tartar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together using a mixer. Add eggs, salt, oil and vanilla. Blend well. Sift together cream of tartar, flour and baking soda and add to butter mixture. Blend well using low speed with a mixer. With your hands or cookie scoop, roll dough into walnut size balls. Roll the balls in regular sugar and place on increased cookie sheet. Flatten balls with a bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes. (My daughter and I like to substitute almond extract for the vanilla. —MP)

Calling all cooks! Whether you have a treasured family favorite recipe, or you are a chef with a signature dish, Cecil Soil Magazine would like to honor you! Just email your recipe to me at CSMcookbook@zoominternet.net or log on to our web site www.cecilsoilmagazine.com and fill out the new cookbook entry form. If you prefer, you can mail your recipe to P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911. Be sure to include your contact info! If your recipe is selected for publication you will receive a “Proud to be from Cecil Soil” t-shirt! Thanks! Neeley

W

hen Mike Andrews went to culinary school, he never dreamed that he would end up working just a mile away from the home he grew up in. After completing his schooling, he worked in Baltimore for three years before working as a general manager of Woody’s in North East for eight years. These experiences prepared him well for the challenge of opening his own place. He and his business partner Erik Lidums, with whom Mike says he’s “been friends forever”, opened The Grist Mill Tavern in Perryville three years ago. (You might recognize Erik’s name from the cooking demonstrations he sometimes conducts at Perryville Outlet Center. Don’t miss the next one on November 18th!) When I stopped in, Mike was preparing for a busy lunch crowd, and this savory selection was the soup of the day. This is not your mother’s chicken and corn chowder! The unexpected addition of cilantro and jalapeño gives it a Southwestern flair. “I think fall soups should have a little spice to them to combat the colder temperatures,” Mike said. But don’t worry; it’s not too spicy, and—as Mike and I both agreed—everything is better with bacon.

V Chicken & Corn Chowder Ingredients: 6 slices of bacon, diced 2 ribs of celery, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 onion, diced 1 jalapeño, diced 1 quart chicken stock 3 tbsp. flour 3 cups frozen corn 1 lb. boneless chicken breast, grilled and chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Render bacon and remove. Sauté celery, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño until softened. Whisk flour into chicken stock and add to vegetables. Add corn; simmer for 40 minutes. Add cream and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield 10 cups. The Grist Mill Tavern is located at 648 Broad Street in Perryville. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Visit www.thegristmilltavern.com or call 410-642-9292.

the

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CSM’s Find 40 Last Minute Christmas Shopping Items Word Puzzle

Puzzle created by Carol Belote

Don’t rip your puzzle page from the magazine – print it from our Web site: www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

H T F I G S M R A F Y R O K C I H R E P A P G N I P P A R W R E C D E F F G H E S S T O C K I N G S T U F F E R S F S A E G D V F D G D K H D D R D F Y T R E E O R N A M E N T N S W F O G W D C A Y R E C O O K I E S C M Y H G F H P W D O D Q L F A R S C C R E R E S K N I L F F U C N N G H L E E I F G Z T D F T R E I D G I E Y V U D G D F I G D A G K S R T E D C G F I Y F T H S H V W H G I E R G R T F T D F J L G P T H Q H U D G D K G A U O S E L D N A C E E K N A Y H E H I A M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S A N D H A P P Y N E W Y E A R C

Congratulations to CSM’s Find the the 40 Occupations Puzzle Winners!

N F E T W F S N A C S Q C F E P R W O Q R E D S I G P G C I V I R G S E T A L O C O H C D E D I T W E D N A N V W F S F B C P U R C V G X D D W K S E R N F R S F S T S E N E D B I C R U R I A O T C A E T H D R S E G E D E T W L E B A W U T

PAT STRACKA Newark, Delaware V. A. POWELL Elkton, Maryland

S U Z R E T N T V Q I E V G E H C F D M S E R A T T R B S R Z Y Z E V T B U C E R S D T G I K A A G A D R E L G R X M E M N L W E S T A B H G T T J H R L G S T R R K F K L T S S C

JEANNE MINSHALL from Avondale, PA found the Hidden Message: “LET’S GET TO WORK”

H R E G K E B A S E T I X O J T A W E D I C W G R D E W C T Y E D E O R F K C K A A V U O V C R T N A S R F E A Y T F F T U S D O G C H R S E H P J S B E D G J E E F D W S C R T I F R X C B R A C E L E T N E C S R S L I P P E R S W P S G G

FIND 40 last minute christmas shopping items & FILL IN THE BLANKS BELOW N _ P _ C _ C _ M _ N B _ W

_ R _ R _ O _ E _ E _ _ W _

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_ T _ E I _ C _ K _ _ S _ T _ I _ I _ B _ S _ E _ _ O _ A _ E _ I _ C _ _ I _ S F _ M _ _ C C _ S _ T _ L _ C _ _ E _ E _ A _ E _ _ E _

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hidden message:

Please send one completed entry to CSM Puzzle, PO Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911. A drawing from all correct entries received by midnight 12/2/08 will determine two winners that will receive a “Proud To Be From Cecil Soil” Sweatshirt. Find the hidden message and we will have a second drawing for a CSM t-shirt. Single source multiple entries disqualifies all. 68 www.cecilsoilmagazine.com

An Entertainer at Heart: Robert T. Foard Sr. A 23, 1929 – O pril

ctober

02, 2008

By Apryl Parcher

O

ne of Robert Foard Sr.’s friends in Chesapeake City and longtime fellow Lions Club member, Birdie Battersby, said recently that “Robert had a joke for everything—and he told them well.” Of course, his family and friends knew that—but Robert was a very private and humble man, so casual acquaintances might have missed his lighter side. Recently I had a chance to visit with his family, beginning with his wife Jayne, who shared some of her fondest memories. “We were High School sweethearts,” said Jayne, laughing as she looked at a photograph (right) of Robert holding her in his arms outside Chesapeake City High School. “Our first date was at the Halloween Dance. He was very popular, played baseball and was a wonderful roller skater. All the girls wanted him—so I was very pleased and proud that he chose me. Robert was my rock,” she said, “and the wind beneath my sails.” Born in Chesapeake City and raised on his parents’ farm, Robert stayed close to the canal, founding the Foard Funeral Home in Chesapeake City. However, he and Jayne became Florida snow birds in retirement almost 20 years ago, and enjoyed every minute of it.

At their second home on Marco Island, the Foards grew a steady crop of friends and had fun taking cruises, where Robert was especially drawn to entertainment. “He loved music, magic shows—all kinds of things like that—and we made many, many friends that way,” said Jayne. “My Dad had a real Robert and Jayne enjoy a romantic passion for making moment on a recent cruise. The people laugh,” remembers Foards enjoyed a 59-year marriage. his son, Robert Jr. “Some of my favorite memories are the joke sessions—he could spend hours telling jokes with friends. When we were kids, he always had a joke at the dinner table for us. He kept us laughing.” Robert Jr’s sister Paula Lutz said her father deeply loved his grandchildren, too: “He made time for them,” she said. “He was really tuned into them even as babies and loved being involved with them as they grew.” A fun-loving and supportive husband, father and grandfather, and a stalwart community servant who was passionate about his work, Robert T. Foard Sr. will certainly be missed, and fondly remembered by all. —CSM

Keeping watch over the Canal for over 200 years... Surround yourself with the rich history of beautiful Chesapeake City as you enjoy elegant waterfront dining on the C&D Canal

The Bayard House Restaurant

Serving Lunch and Dinner 7 Days a Week FTSSX]Vb } aTWTPabP[ SX]]Tab } \TTcX]Vb } b_TRXP[ TeT]cb

www.bayardhouse.com

∑ #PIFNJB "WFOVF t )JTUPSJD $IFTBQFBLF $JUZ .BSZMBOE

410.885.5040

∑

Just below the main entrance to the restaurant, visit

Hole in the Wall Bar

Featuring casual dining and drinks 1/2 price Burgers on Wednesday Nights November/December 2008

69

Dedicated to your Satisfaction Family Owned and Operated We carry a full line of medical equipment and supplies. Unit Dosing • Pharmacy Counseling Prescriptions • Respiratory Equipment Wigs • Post-mastectomy Clothing Nursing Bras • Breast Pumps Surgical appliances are fitted by our staff of professional fitters. Orthotics • Prosthetics Prefabricated or Custom FREE DELIVERY AND SET-UP • THIRD PARTY BILLING PROVIDED

723 Bridge Street Elkton, Maryland 21921

410-398-4383 or toll free

800-728-4374 Monday through Friday 9 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. Saturday 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. Sunday 9 A.M. to 6 P.M

OUR

THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR

Union Hospital—1908

100

Y E A R S O F U N WAV E R I N G S U P P O R T .

Union Hospital—2008

Our facilities and medical technology have improved over the years. But one thing will always stay the same—our commitment to quality care. United in Quality | www.uhcc.com | 410-398-4000 106 Bow Street, Elkton, Maryland (located in the heart of Elkton)

C onsidering cremation?

Cremation is a simple, affordable, and ecologically-sound alternative to traditional burial.

The cremated remains can be buried, scattered, or memorialized in a niche or mausoleum. Prior to or following the cremation, families can choose to have a service or gathering. In fact, we encourage it. For many families, this service is the first step toward moving ahead after a loss. Our cremation facility, located at our funeral home, is designed to accommodate those wishes.

Choosing a crematory that you can trust is a very important part of the process.

Many funeral homes advertise “cremation services,” but here at R. T. Foard Funeral Home we own and operate our own crematory located at our Rising Sun location. Since all cremations are done on-site, your loved one never leaves our care. Our exacting standards ensure the integrity of the entire cremation process.

We have an open door policy because we have nothing to hide.

We are very proud of our crematory and our procedures. Our crematory is open for your inspection at any time.

Call today with any questions and request a free copy of our informational brochure “Cremation Options” or visit our web site

www.rtfoard.com

Chesapeake City, MD

Elkton, MD

410-885-5916

410-398-0002

Newark, DE

Rising Sun, MD

302-731-4627

410-658-6030 ©2008 CSM Advertising

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