Hagerstown Publishing 6 N. East St., Suite 301 Frederick, MD 21701
SEND MAIL TO: P.O. Box 2415 Hagerstown, MD 21741
26 Finding the American Dream
Barbara and Robert Tennor grew up in different parts of the West African nation of Ghana, immigrated separately to the United States then not only found each other but found success, both professionally and personally.
30 Season No. 1
As the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars inaugural season winds down, fans and players reflect on the team’s first year. Although the Boxcars struggled on the field, almost everything else about the team appears to have been a hit.
Look closely and you can find beauty all across Washington County. Here, photographer Jamie Turner captured a gorgeous sunrise over the Antietam Battlefield.
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24 FIRST PERSON
If fall is about endings, why do so many great things begin in Washington County as the season fades away?
39 RECREATION
A new owner is beginning a new beginning at Yingling’s Golf Center on Jefferson Boulevard east of the city, but its lengthy past is deeply embedded in Hagerstown’s sports history.
44 DINING
The authentic Asian flavors of the Silk Thai restaurant on Wesel Boulevard are wrapped in a warm and welcoming atmosphere of entrepreneur Warin “Ammy” Jompakdee.
52 LOCAL FLAVOR
Coffee and chocolate are always a welcome combination, but when you can buy both and support women in their rehabilitation process, it’s a win-win.
58 DINING GUIDE
60 SENIOR CALENDAR
62 GROW-IT-ALL
It’s been a long, hot summer and the drought conditions through a portion of it have probably not done your yard any favors. Here’s some advice on repairing it.
64 A DOSE OF SATIRE
What’s up with that stonewalled creek through parts of Hagerstown? Is it a moat? What’s its purpose?
OUR GREEN ACRES
BOTH OF MY PARENTS GREW UP IN SMALL FARMING TOWNS IN MINNESOTA, BUT LOST IN THE FAMILY HISTORY—OR AT LEAST MY RECOLLECTION OF IT— are the exact details of how they ended up in suburban Washington, D.C. I was a youngster more interested in the batting averages of Major League hitters than caring where I lived or how I got there.
For the entire breadth of my memory, I have been a suburbanite much more closely attuned with the cities I’ve lived near than the rural expanses further out and similar to the areas where my parents grew up.
Maybe I am somehow genetically in tune with the rural life. I love visiting small towns and prefer avoiding the interstates in favor of the two-lane highways that route me through the little hamlets and rural areas. I even like watching a Green Acres rerun every once in a while.
So for me, the annual Washington County Ag Expo and Fair is a much looked-forward to week. I love seeing the youngsters interact with their farm animals, and I wonder if that was once my parents’ destiny in life. I once asked my father why he didn’t become a farmer like his siblings, and he said he would have but his federal loan didn’t get approved. I am thankful, as that would have changed the course of events that created me.
For whatever reason, the ag expo hits home with me. It’s a real-life display of the Mayberry era of America. Based on the Washington County Ag Expo and Fair and the nearby Great Frederick Fair, I’d say that era isn’t relegated to black-and-white reruns but is still thriving in Maryland.
–JeffThoreson
WHO WE ARE
LAURA FORREST HOPFAUF
spent a year living out of a pickup truck driving across North America, hiked across a Caribbean Island, and backpacked through Europe and Northern Africa. But she still feels most at home along the Potomac River with her husband and their two daughters. Her work has been published in Fodor’s Travel, Business Insider, ROVA, Mother Earth News, Motherly, and Blue Ridge Outdoors among others.
CARL SELL
is a retired sportswriter and news editor at the Washington Evening Star. He lives in Northern Virginia but enjoys writing about baseball and the Civil War, so he spends a lot of time in Washington County.
Trail Art?
THE SPRAY PAINT AND GRAFFITI THAT COATS THE NATURAL LANDMARK OF HIGH ROCK IN SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK IS generally an eyesore and a blight on Washington County. But somehow at sunset when the light from the sun’s low angle hits it just right, the vandalism almost passes as “trail art.” High Rock is a short detour off the Appalachian Trail just south of the Pennsylvania state line. It is one of several scenic overlooks along Maryland’s brief portion of the trail. Black Rock, Annapolis Rock, White Rock, and Weverton Cliffs are also popular overlooks for hikers.
Photo Credit: John Brighenti
This
is Washington County
Before the Holiday Tree is Lit
SHORTLY AFTER MARTIN NIKIRK MOVED INTO HIS HOME ON Chestnut Street in 2003 he received a 16-inch potted yellow pine tree as a housewarming gift from one of his parents. He planted the tree in his backyard and watched it grow.
When it got big enough, he and his friends would string holiday lights on it. Now the tree is tall as his two-story house, and its girth is encroaching on the back windows and siding.
“Since the pine tree is getting too large for the lot, and I enjoy the lighted holiday tree in the City Park lake each year, I decided to donate the tree to the city for thousands of people to enjoy,” Nikirk says.
He reached out to Erik Deike, director of public works, who sent a crew out to assess the tree. Turns out his tree looks just right for the city. So, this winter the yellow pine he nurtured for 20 years will be the centerpiece of the city’s annual holiday light display.
But selecting the feature tree isn’t always so easy for city officials. Donation requests have to be assessed by several departments, including the Hagerstown Light Department, the community engagement officer, and the Department of Community and Economic Development. Often, several residents reach out with potential trees and having more options always makes it easier.
Rachel Paul, planning and outreach coordinator for the Department of Community and Economic Development, says that has happened each of the last few years.
“Throughout the year, we will receive inquiries from homeowners about their tree,” Paul says. “Staff from the events, light, and community and economic development departments will visit the site and evaluate the tree.”
If officials do not receive any inquiries from residents for donations, the owners of Good Spirits Tree Farm have been gracious and stepped forward with tree donations.
“If we receive multiple donation requests, it creates less work for the staff,” Paul says. “It definitely helps when the options come to you. Our light department is awesome. Once the tree is identified, they work with the homeowner to schedule pick up and work out any concerns for extraction.”
Perhaps the most significant consideration is transportation. “We try to select a tree that will maintain its shape and fullness from pick-up to installation,” Paul says.
This year, transportation should be relatively easy as Nikirk lives only a half-mile from City Park. Sometime around the end of November the city will extract the tree and move it the short distance to the park.
In the last few years, the tree has been acquired through donation by different residents.
Last year’s tree was donated by Joann Elizabeth King, a long-time city resident who passed in May at the age of 90. She dedicated the tree to her late husband, William Dale King Sr., who served on the Hagerstown City Council from 1981 to 1985.
Among the people vital to the city in selecting the tree are Nathan Fridinger and Kevin Adelsberger of the light department, community engagement officer Brittany Arizmendi, and Paul.
Martin Nikirk is donating the yellow pine that he planted in his backyard 20 years ago to be Hagerstown’s City Park holiday tree.
Chas Rittenhouse, dressed as Hagerstown’s iconic Little Heiskell, along with last year’s tree donor Joann Elizabeth King and her son, William King Jr., and Rachel Paul, planning and outreach coordinator for the Department of Community and Economic Development.
New Store Should Alleviate City’s ‘Food Desert’
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND SHELVES FULL OF HEALTHY food are finally headed to downtown Hagerstown. Horizon Goodwill Industries, with help from many foundations, funds, and local businesses, will create a full-service grocery store on Prospect Street, where a groundbreaking ceremony was held in July.
This venture will offer fresh food and household staples to the entire downtown area, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture has defined as a “food desert.”
“This type of initiative will help the people living and working in the center of Hagerstown, and hopefully, the investment will potentially be the spark to set in motion a considerable economic development comeback for the downtown area,” said Ron Bowers, HGI board chairman.
Many downtown residents face difficulty obtaining healthy groceries, things that residents of suburban communities take for granted because they have cars and easy access to large grocery stores. Being a food desert has a negative impact on community health. Unlike major cities where neighborhood grocery stores are within easy walking distance, Hagerstown does not have traditional grocery stores. Instead, city residents need to navigate public transportation or walk great distances to these suburban stores. Often, they turn to convenience stores or fastfood restaurants where healthy selections are harder to come by.
The Horizon Goodwill market has been talked about for several years, but it was a meeting of the minds between Meritus Health and the Washington County Community Action Council, spurred by the Healthy Washington County Go for Bold initiative launched in early 2020, that made the market a reality.
The store will be located at 200 N. Prospect St. in a portion of the HGI Mission Services building.
“Through its new store, Horizon Goodwill Industries will provide the neighborhood access to healthier options, as well as employment and enrichment opportunities for members of the community,” said Robert Tuggle, western Maryland market president for Truist. “This grant is another way we inspire and build better lives and communities by helping deliver critical services to individuals and families across Maryland.” The Truist Foundation provided a $50,000 grant for the store.
But the project wouldn’t have been possible without support from others, like the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Sylvia and Jacko Frank Family Fund, the Fletcher Foundation, Meritus Health, the Washington County Government, the Albert & Naomi Sinnesen Foundation, and the Kershner Sisters Foundation.
“Equitable access to healthy food is an essential element for members of any community to enjoy healthy, safe, and productive lives. In addition to helping alleviate the food desert condition, the opening of a downtown grocery store will create new jobs and allows us to introduce job training opportunities in grocery retail, creating new career pathways and supporting other employers in this sector,” said Dr. David Shuster, HGI president and CEO.
A rendering of what the Horizon Goodwill Industries food market will look like in downtown Hagerstown.
Historic Scenes from Downtown Hagerstown
THIS MONTH OUR “TIME TRAVELER” TAKES US BACK TO THE EARLY 1900s to see some of great views of Hagerstown. As we know, this magnificent area was settled by Jonathan Hager in 1762 and has grown into the modern small city we see today. To learn about all the historical facts of the past it would serve you well to contact the Washington County Historical Society.
Hotel Dagmar This postcard view shows the magnificent Hotel Dagmar at 50 Summit Ave. right after it was built in 1910 by M.P. Moller, the pipe organ manufacturer. There were two additional floors built on this structure in 1929.
Hotel Colonial As you’re walking down South Potomac Street during the early 1900s you would see this large building known as the Colonial Hotel. This was a very popular hotel in Hagerstown for travelers who wanted a good meal and a convenient city location.
Washington Street In this street scene from 1909 looking up Washington Street you can see the daily activities of the area. In the center of this postcard view you can see the Baldwin Hotel. The original building at this location was built in 1790 and was known as the Globe Tavern. It later became known as the Baldwin House Hotel and eventually it was home to Leiter’s Department Store.
Potomac Avenue This is what Potomac Avenue looked like in 1910, if you were fortunate enough to live in one of these great homes you could walk out of your front door and catch one of the Hagerstown trolley cars to ride to your destination. Most of the homes in this celebrated area were built between 1870 and 1930. Some of the styles represented here are of Victorian Gothic, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and American Foursquare.
| OUR TOWNS
The High Times of Clear Spring
WE KNOW HISTORY RUNS DEEP IN Washington County, but it runs much deeper than what happened on the Antietam battlefield on Sept. 17, 1862. Decades before the Civil War, Clear Spring, now a small town of fewer than 400 people, was a thriving community, serving as a stop-over point for pioneers heading west on the new National Pike.
Sometime around 1818 the road was extended beyond Conocoheague Creek, six miles east of Clear Spring. There, a farmer named Martin Myers was quietly tending his crops and livestock.
When the new road bisected his land, he saw an opportunity and around 1821 began subdividing his farmland into lots on each side of the new road. One of the lots contained the clear spring for which the incorporated town would be named. The spring still flows near the road today.
The fresh water became an appealing place for coaches and wagons carrying west-bound pioneers to stop and refresh.
Myers built a small log cabin from which he sold crocks and jugs so pioneers could fill them with water for their onward journey.
Within a few years the spring became a
nice place to stop for an extended rest, and a small log hotel was built. It became known as the “hotel at the clear spring.”
And then, Clear Spring hit its heyday. From the 1820s to the 1860s Clear Spring was a boom town. The town was incorporated in 1821, and by 1825 there were seven hotels along the National Pike and accompanying restaurants, stores, and shops. Blacksmiths, wheelwrights, saddlers, and other tradesmen who could make repairs to wagons or provide the goods and services needed for the long journey west all
The small town of Clear Spring, west of Hagerstown, has a long and interesting history.
The Wilson School is a historic one-room schoolhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Clear Spring.
had booming businesses.
Dozens of houses were built along the road, so close that their narrow front porches were frontrow seats to the country’s westward expansion.
But the good times lasted only a few decades. When the C&O Canal opened in 1850 and westbound railroads were built, the National Pike slowed dramatically—at least for a while. The hotels and businesses closed and many of the buildings were converted into homes, and Clear Spring became a peaceful small town for the rest of the 19th century, except for the turbulent period during the Civil War.
The town experienced a bit of a resurgence with the onset of the automobile as the National Pike returned as the main highway to the west from Baltimore and Washington. But by the 1960s Interstate 70 was built to mimic the National Pike without stop signs and small towns to travel through. What business the automobile brought now flew by on the interstate, just out of sight of Clear Spring.
The Rufus Wilson building is a complex of mid-late 19th century buildings at the center of a small rural settlement near Clear Spring and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the last half century, Clear Spring has been a pleasant community of a few hundred people, a few interesting places and an eclectic history. A Holiday Inn Express just off the interstate stands as its only hotel, but it’s largely filled with interstate travelers in search of a single night’s sleep. There is a McDonald’s and Al’s Restaurant and Pizzeria near the interstate for hungry travelers but the restaurants and bars in town dried up long ago.
Signs still mark historic places, like the location of the spring between the addresses of 109 and 111 Cumberland Street, as the National Pike is now known on its brief journey through Clear Spring. Historic signs make note of the town’s Civil War history. Four local buildings, including the Rufus Wilson Complex, the Joseph Fiery House, the Wilson School, and Plumb Grove are all close to the pike and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each May the National Pike Festival recreates the wagon ride along the now-paved National Pike. They all call attention to the town’s past, but residents just like moving along in the anonymity of today.
We All Scream for Ice Cream
THERE’S STILL TIME TO COMPLETE THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ICE Cream Trail this summer. Visit each of the county’s 11 locally owned dairy shops and submit a completed map (you can download it from the Washington County website) by Sept. 21 to get a free T-shirt.
Washington County is one of Maryland’s biggest agricultural regions and dairy products account for more than $20 million of the county’s agriculture economy. The shops range from Hancock to Boonsboro, so take a drive, get out and see some of the county, and enjoy an ice cream cone while doing so.
This year’s participating shops are Buddy Lou’s in Hancock, Cow’s Cones in Boonsboro, Deliteful Dairy in Williamsport, Maugansville Creamery in Maugansville, Misty Meadow Farm Creamery in Smithsburg, Mountain Top Ice Cream Shop in Cascade, Nutter’s Ice Cream in Sharpsburg, Potomac Street Creamery in Boonsboro, Scoop-A-Licious & More in Williamsport, Sweetsies’ Eats & Treats in Clear Spring, and The Big Dipper in Hagerstown.
CNB Bank Celebrates 90 Years: CNB Bank opened its third location in Hagerstown in June, this one on Virginia Avenue. This location rounds out their Hagerstown market, and CNB employees and management are looking forward to further serving the community. June 20, 2024, marked the 90th anniversary of CNB Bank.
CNB hosted a grand opening celebration with a visit from Stryker, the mascot for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. Elected officials and representa-
tives from the Washington County Chamber of Commerce were presented citations commemorating the event.
New Parking Garage Opens: The revitalization of Hagerstown continues with the completion of the Hub City Garage parking project at 50 W. Antietam St., situated along the Hagerstown Cultural Trail, adjacent to Meritus Park, home of the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars professional baseball team.
The project provides a five-story parking garage, adding 398 parking spaces downtown. The $11 million investment was built by local contractor Callas Contractors, Inc., with operations of the parking deck managed by the City of Hagerstown Parking System, a division of the Public Works Department.
The Parking System is operated as an enterprise fund, meaning it is a self-sustaining function of the city. This new development will add much needed parking solutions to the growing vitality of the downtown Hagerstown City Center Mixed-Use area.
Hagerstown Woman is Finalist in Modeling Competition: Melissa Wachter, 29, of Hagerstown, is one of 30 finalists of Torrid Holdings largest ever casting call, as the brand searches for their next model to be featured in future campaigns and shown off to the world. The finalists have been narrowed down from more than 11,000 applicants across the United States and Canada.
Torrid Holdings is a direct-to-consumer apparel, intimates, and accessories brand in North America for women sizes 10 to 30. The grand prize winner will be announced on Sept. 4 and featured in a 2025 campaign photoshoot. There is a $2,000 cash prize and a full year’s wardrobe from Torrid and an opportunity to be signed with a global talent management agency.
Vital Care of Hagerstown Opens: Vital Care of Hagerstown, a home infusion and specialty pharmacy, opened on Imperial Drive in August. Home Infusion pharmacies help patients manage medications that are given intravenously. Specialty pharmacies help patients and physicians manage complex disease states, and medications that are difficult to store and/or administer. Disease states that Vital Care helps to manage include MS and other neurological conditions, Crohn’s and other GI conditions, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other autoimmune diseases among others.
Vital Care of Hagerstown’s patients typically have serious conditions causing significant disability. The team helps patients maintain or improve their quality of life. Patients have the choice of receiving their treatment at home or in one of Vital Care’s private infusion suites. Vital Care of Hagerstown was officially approved by the Maryland Board of Pharmacy in December of 2023. Hagerstown was selected for a new location because of its proximity and convenient access to patients in Hagerstown, Frederick, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Hagerstown boasts advanced medical care and a strong workforce to draw from, and limited competition providing infusion services.
Vital Care has two other locations providing similar services in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Gilbertsville, Pa.
Maleko Opens New Office: Maleko Personnel opened a new branch on Dual Highway in Hagerstown in June, celebrating with an official grand opening on July 9. The company was created in 2005 and has been growing through new business development and offering clients creative human capital programs.
Maleko has worked to establish a solid foundation to provide responsive, dependable employment solutions that add value for both employers and employees. Its philosophy is based on their clients’ needs and their employees’ desire to meet those needs. Maleko believes that their employees are their most valuable asset, and that they represent Maleko.
Inspire Car Care Opens: Whether you are a detailer or DIY enthusiast who likes taking care of their vehicle on the weekends, Inspire Car Care is the place for you. You can get the best tools and products that are tried and true and then turn around and use those tools to make a difference. Inspire Car Care operates within the service-based company, Inspire Detailing. The store is owned by detailers that test and use detailing products like brushes, microfiber towels, tools, ceramic coatings, and compounds/polishes every day. Owner Sean Mara is dedicated to sharing that product knowledge, experience, and processes to other detailers and car care enthusiasts to help improve the automotive detailing industry.
CALENDAR
september to october
SEPTEMBER 6
SWEET DREAMS: THE STORY OF THE LEGENDARY SINGER PATSY CLINE
Apollo Civic Theatre, 128 E. Martin St., Martinsburg, W.Va.
Aspiring country singer Patsy Cline (Jessica Lange) is resigned to both her thankless gigs and her unhappy marriage, until she meets the charismatic Charlie Dick (Ed Harris). Eventually leaving her husband to marry Charlie, Patsy temporarily shelves her performing career to be a mother. Later she returns to singing and finds success under manager Randy Hughes (David Clennon). Patsy hits a remarkable stride with a string of hit singles and has become a full-fledged star when tragedy strikes. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 304-263-6766. www.apollocivictheatre.org
5th
OCTOBER 5
QUAD STATE BEER FEST: HALLOWEEN HYSTERIA
Washington County Agricultural Education Center, 7313 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro
This 11th annual event will see more than 35 breweries plus wineries, cideries, distilleries, and seltzeries. All alcohol samples are included in your admission with your festival tasting glass. Take part in numerous games and contests, browse and shop from dozens of vendors, and chow down on some scrumptious grub from the best local food vendors. Don’t forget to dress the part in joining over 2,000 others in the Halloween festivities. 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 240-347-1477 or www.ifg-events.com.
OCTOBER 13-14
CATOCTIN COLORFEST
Thurmont Main Street, 11 Water Street, Thurmont
Explore over 700 arts and crafts vendors throughout the town of Thurmont. In Community Park at Catoctin Colorfest, you will find more than 250 well known and respected artists from the across the United States. Catoctin Colorfest has been recognized in Sunshine Artists Magazine and ranked in the top 35 shows in the United States and one of the largest festivals on the East Coast. You will also enjoy a variety of delicious food vendors throughout the town guaranteed to satisfy everyone’s appetite. Be sure to visit the American Legion, Main Street, Thurmont Carnival Grounds, and Criswell Chevrolet for a couple of hundred other unique vendors. Be sure to visit the Octoberfest Beer Garden and food at the Thurmont American Legion. 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. 301-271-7533 or www.colorfest.org.
SEPTEMBER 7-8
BOONESBOROUGH DAYS FESTIVAL
Shafer Park, 241 Potomac Street, Boonsboro
Boonesborough Days is a festival devoted to showcasing handmade crafts. Visitors browse through historic and picturesque Shafer Park and shop for traditional and Early American handmade crafts, paintings and unique gifts. Experience various historical demonstrations. There will be more than 160 exhibitors, Civil War displays and artifacts, Tri State Astronomers, great food and more. 9 a.m. www.boonsborohistoricalsociety.org.
It’s always more than just an outdoor music festival. It’s an experience with bands, artists, activities, food, merchandise, and more. 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. www.uprisefest.com.
SEPTEMBER
21
CITY PARK FALL FEST
Hagerstown City Park, 501 Virginia Avenue, Hagerstown
Come celebrate the fusion of arts, entertainment, and history. Enjoy free, fun family activities including pony rides, museum tours, art activities, and recreation opportunities. Food and craft vending will run all day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. leading up to the fireworks show on City Park Lake. 301-739-8577 or www.hagerstownmd.org.
28th 27th 12th
SEPTEMBER 27
ZOSO THE ULTIMATE LED
The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown ZOSO celebrates 29 years as America’s premier Led Zeppelin tribute band. It’s been more than 29 years and more than 4,500 shows since ZOSO came together as a group in the mid-90s. In the words of the Los Angeles Times, “head and shoulders above all other Led Zeppelin tributes.” The St. Petersburg Times noted that, in addition to their virtuosity and spot on visual presentation, ZOSO is also “the most exacting of all the Led Zeppelin tributes.” The Chicago Sun Times put it even more succinctly “[ZOSO is] the closest to the original of any Led Zeppelin tribute.” 7:30 p.m. 301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org.
SEPTEMBER 28
COLOR SPLASH 5K WALK/RUN
Fairgrounds Park, 351 N. Cleveland Avenue, Hagerstown
This is a unique family event where participants run or walk through five color stations, two wet stations, and a bubble station. This “fun run” is geared toward all fitness levels. There will be a clock but no timing chips. Each participant receives a T-shirt and a finisher’s medal. After the race, enjoy a healthy post-race festival with healthy food samples aligned to the USDA MyPlate, and other helpful resources. This event benefits the HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles) program of the YMCA of Hagerstown. 9 a.m. 301-739-3990 or www.ymcahagerstown.org.
OCTOBER
5
THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION
The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown
If you are looking for a great Queen tribute band, The Ultimate Queen Celebration is the best. The Ultimate Queen Celebration features lead vocalist Yvan Pedneault and MiG Ayesa (both endorsed by Queen) backed by some of the finest musicians on the scene who have toured with the likes of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Cher, and more. This incredible concert produced by Paul Horton and Quinn Lemley has been touring to packed, on-their-feet audiences around the world for the past eight years. 7 p.m. 301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org.
OCTOBER 12
DOGTOBERFEST & PAWS 5K
Downtown Waynesboro, 13 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, Pa.
Join Mainstreet Waynesboro, Antietam Humane Society and Rough Edges for a Fun Walk/Run through Memorial Park followed by food, music and drinks at Main Street Park. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.mainstreetwaynesboro.com.
OCTOBER 17-20
MOUNTAIN STATE APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL
Berkeley County Youth Fairgrounds, 2419 Golf Course Road, Martinsburg, W.Va.
The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival celebrates the apple industry, a valued part of the heritage of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Held every third weekend in October, it has become a treasured homecoming with festivities spanning multiple days. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.msahf.com.
OCTOBER 19
APPLEFEST
Downtown Chambersburg, 100 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, Pa
Downtown Chambersburg will be alive with craft, art, and food vendors throughout Main Street. Our small hometown retail businesses and restaurants are open, too. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.explorefranklincountypa.com/events.
OCTOBER 24
THE AMISH OUTLAWS
Live at Hub City Vinyl, 28 E. Baltimore Street, Hagerstown Straight Outta Lancaster...The Amish Outlaws party away with their vibrant theatrics and captivating performance. 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. www.liveathubcityvinyl.com.
OCTOBER 26
MUMMER’S PARADE
Downtown Hagerstown, 1 E. Franklin Street, Hagerstown
Running for 97 years, this is one of the largest nighttime parades on the East Coast. Spectators can enjoy the Mummers’ Parade almost anywhere alongside the parade route for free. If you would like to purchase tickets for arranged seating, please visit the Maryland Theatre box office. 6 p.m. www.mdtheatre.org.
Embracing Fall
By Laura Forrest Hopfauf
If fall is supposed to be about endings, why do so many good things begin in autumn?
My youngest daughter’s name is Summer. So, it’s safe to say that my favorite time of year is when it’s hot and sticky and the days last forever.
But there’s something about fall.
I guess that fall is supposed to be about endings, about leaves coming down to leave trees bare, fields transitioning from wild green crops to sterile white winter. Fall stands for the passing of time–a visual reminder that nothing lasts forever. But for me, fall never felt like endings; fall always felt like beginnings. When I was nine, I played my first soccer game in Boonsboro. For a long time, I wouldn’t admit soccer was my favorite sport to anyone, most of all myself. I flirted with others: basketball, track, gymnastics, swimming. But the truth was
the first time I ever played a soccer game I was in love. Head over heels, full blown, out of control love. There were other sports, but to me, there was never another sport like soccer.
Soccer went against everything I was as a person: wound tight, trying too hard, fiercely independent, and goal driven. Sure, the goal in soccer is to score goals. But I’d argue with almost anyone that the goal of soccer is cohesion, is unity, is friendship. Soccer is about passing the ball around with your friends while simultaneously passing the ball around other people who just want to pass the same ball around with their friends.
I’m older now and I haven’t played competitively for almost a decade. There was a time when that was unfathomable to me. To go weeks without touching a soccer ball would have felt like certain death. But life moves in ways I never expected as a child, with turns I couldn’t predict. There was an
injury with two surgeries. There was a disappointing college team. There was a dying father. Soccer didn’t disappear from my life with just one thing. It slowly fell away from me the way a first love that you were sure was forever does. It was everything and then there were fissures and then there were breaks and then eventually it was gone.
I spent most of my athletic career trying too hard. I gave every play too much importance. I made myself believe that sports were something that I could control, like one person on a field could ever control everything that happens in a game. I had no chill. I had no sense of just being part of something and letting it play out how it was going to while being in the moment.
By the time I finally understood the act of letting go was actually the key to being a great player, the game moved on without me when my college career was cut short by an injury and an early graduation. I’d finally figured out how
to just be in the moment and the moment was gone.
I don’t know how to explain losing something like that, but I know how to feel it. I know that when I pass by those Washington County high school fields on a cool September day and hear the fuzzy speakers and see the lights blaze out onto a game I’m no longer part of that it’s like looking across the bar to see someone you once loved whispering secrets to someone else without ever noticing you staring right at them.
Maybe that sounds like an ending. Maybe it would be if fall didn’t come every year, if high school sports didn’t return to Washington County every single September. And if every season, a new kid didn’t step out there on some field and find a way to let go and just play the game for a single moment that will pass from their life faster than leaves being blown down the street by a gust of wind.
The thing about fall, the thing that is so stunningly beautiful, is that it is about giving up, giving over, it’s about letting life run its course without fighting it so hard. It’s about being in that moment and letting go, allowing yourself to turn colors outside of the one you’ve always been. Fall is a green leaf turning sunshine yellow and then falling to the ground to be crunched under your feet. Depending how you decide to see it, that could be an ending or that could be one more chance to give yourself over to the moment and embrace the fall.
CHASING THE DREAM
by crystal schelle
One day before Gabby Tennor was barely old enough for school, she was with her family listening to music.
“When I started to sing, my mom was like, ‘Wow, you’re really good,’” says Gabby, now 10 years old.
Recognizing that their daughter had talent, they found an agent and discussed getting her into acting. But Gabby’s mother, Barbara, says the agent also liked her voice and started looking for singing opportunities as well. Like most trying to break into such a competitive field, Gabby had to learn to deal with rejection. But she hung in and late last year got an opportunity most performers only dream about.
Barbara says Gabby’s agent reached out to them about a role with the Metropolitan Opera.
“I did not know anything about the Met Opera,” Barbara says. “I don’t know how big it is. I just said OK, and then here we are.”
Gabby was cast as a young Jesus in the “El Niño” production at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the world’s biggest opera house. The show, which ran from April 23 through May 17, tells the story of the Nativity, along with reflections on the wonders and tribulations of motherhood itself.
Barbara and her husband, Robert, say they don’t push their children into activities they don’t want to do and will often check-in with them to make sure they’re having fun and still enjoying it.
“So, I said, ‘Let’s try it out, and see if you love it,’” Barbara says.
Just auditioning for the role was difficult and expensive. It required staying a week in a hotel in New York City and paying for the other necessities during
that time. Because Barbara is self-employed, she had to arrange for help with her business. But, in the end, she says, it was worth it.
“They picked her out, and she loved it,” she says.
Although Gabby’s part required more acting than singing, she enrolled in voice lessons. Auditions were in December 2023, and in February, Gabby was notified that she was selected for the cast. She says she wasn’t even sure what part she was playing, especially after a second costume fitting when she was put in different outfits.
“Then I went back for my first rehearsal, and I realized that I was playing Jesus, which was great,” she says.
Then came the juggling of schoolwork and rehearsals with a nearly 500-mile roundtrip drive.
“She is so strong,” Barbara says. “I’d pick her up from school at about 1:30. We’d get something to eat, and then we’d drive to New York. We’d get to New York between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. So that’s a five- or six-hour drive. Then she gets on stage and gets dressed, and her show starts at 7 and goes on until 11. And then she has to do homework on the way. So, for me, she has graduated from being my little baby girl that I baby so much to, wow, this girl is stronger than I thought.”
When she got
on the Met Opera stage as Jesus, Gabby didn’t have to do a lot of the singing. It was more of an acting role.
“I wasn’t nervous or anything,” Gabby says of performing on one of the world’s great opera stages. “It just felt normal to me.”
She says it was worth doing homework in the car while her mom drove and taking naps when she could.
“One time I had to go to rehearsals for five days straight,” Gabby says. “Then we got back, and they called me back for Friday. We didn’t go, and they called us for another rehearsal Monday. They can call you for a rehearsal at any time.”
By opening night, Gabby’s extensive rehearsals had prepared her well.
“It felt great to be on the stage in front of that many people, but I wasn’t nervous at all. When I got up there, I just felt like I was doing what God called me to do.”
She has continued to audition for jobs, some of which she didn’t want because they were right after the opera performances and would have required more travel. At each step, Barbara says she and Robert make sure the jobs she is auditioning for are age-appropriate.
“I love traveling because I got to miss school, but it was a lot for my mom because of all the driving. I love sleeping in the back of the car,” Gabby says.
Barbara says she was “very blessed” because she was able to arrange her time around her home health business, GMG Health Care.
As for what her future holds, Gabby says she prefers singing over acting.
“With acting, I know I’m not going to do it for very long because acting isn’t what I actually want to do,” she says. “I’m thinking of stopping acting for now. But singing I could do forever. I could always sing to myself or sing in front of other people or sing at church, which is the best part about singing.”
This fall though she’ll be focusing on being a fifth-grader at Grace Academy. Mom says she has some projects, including some voiceover acting, but she can’t talk about them yet.
The phrase “learning experience” can be tossed around when participating in show business for the first time, but in this case, Gabby’s time was truly educational.
“I learned a lot of new Spanish words. And I’ve also learned how to sing opera, which was great. And I’ve also learned how to open up to people a little bit easier because almost all the kids I was performing with were so outgoing. They weren’t shy at all.”
An Extraordinary Journey
For Gabby to have such an opportunity required an extraordinary journey on the part of her parents. Barbara and Robert each grew up in Ghana, a West African country of about 34 million, but it wouldn’t be until they were adults that they found each
other on the other side of the world, where each was pursuing the American dream on their own.
Barbara, 40, and her family emigrated to the U.S. when she was 12, while Robert, 47, came over roughly 19 years ago. And yet, somehow, decades later and 6,100 miles from their native country, the young couple met, fell in love, and were married 11 years ago.
One of their shared aspirations was that they wanted the quintessential American dream, especially knowing their families sacrificed so much to get to the U.S.
Through hard work and determination, they have accomplished that. They live in a beautiful home in a quiet subdivision near a good school for their daughters, Gabrielle, 10, and Gia, 5. Barbara owns her own healthcare company, and Robert works as an engineer for Comcast.
Barbara says life could be challenging in Ghana.
“There are times when you have to walk miles to get something to eat; or walk from school when your uncle forgets to pick you up. So (my daughters) have a very easy life. We tried to let them know that we worked hard to get here. So, you
see this big house? It’s not because your parents are rich, right? It’s because your parents are hard workers.”
Now the couple is instilling the things they learned growing up in Ghana in their daughters—a strong work ethic, faith, and humility—as they help the girls pursue their own dreams as well.
The couple want their girls to know that life isn’t all roses and opera; things don’t come easy.
“I feel like my parents sacrificed so much to come here just so we can have a better life,” Barbara said.
Robert agreed, “I think there is a cultural difference in how kids are raised here compared to back home.”
Religion plays a big part in the Tennor household. Barbara says they are a faithful family and attend Covenant Family Church in Frederick, where Gabby sings in the choir.
Their belief in God comes from the way they were raised in Ghana and the things they were taught. “Respect, respecting elders, accountability, chores,” Barbara says. “Of course, religion, to each his own as to how other parents do it. Love. Family time. And just be you because you’re always going to be African. It doesn’t matter if you’re born here or not, know your roots and know that someone sacrificed for you to be here.”
Robert was in his 20s when he made the trip to the United States. “They have this thing called the American lottery, and that visa is written.” He won a visa, and after a couple of years, he says, he could apply for citizenship.
Both Barbara and Robert have passed the citizenship test to become Americans.
“I worked hard for that,” Barbara says. She became a citizen before she and Robert even met.
Robert had been in the country for 11 years before she encouraged him to take the test. She says because she had already been through it, she was able to help him study and go through the six months of preparing. The American citizenship test is notoriously
hard, but Robert says with the sample questions he was supplied and studying, he was able to pass in 2012.
“I think if you’re well prepared, you know, you can always get that (test),” he says.
Robert recalls the day he took the oath as a citizen as “exciting.”
“But when I finally went in that day to take the oath, that’s when I really thought about it. Because in the process, you know, it’s like, you’re denouncing where you came from,” he says, noting Ghana does not allow for dual citizenship. “So now I was standing there thinking about the stuff that he was saying. I’m like, ‘You know, you come from somewhere, and then now you’re gonna be somebody else…that was a tough process:”
Barbara, too, called becoming a citizen an “exciting process.”
“For any immigrant that comes in it is such an honor,” she says. “To stand up there and say ‘Finally, whatever I came here for, I got.’ And there are so many opportunities out there for scholarships…so there’s more opportunities in becoming an American citizen, as opposed to having just a green card.”
Just like the previous generation’s sacrifices, Barbara and Robert hope their sacrifices and work on bettering themselves will impact their girls’ future.
Robert says he wants them “to grow to be very responsible adults and like we say, Great, respectful. You know, grow up to be what they want to be and be humble; just enjoy life.”
Barbara echoes her husband’s wishes.
“My hope is for them to follow their heart and their gifts,” she says. “So, I’m praying that while they do this in a way, they’re paying for their college, so they know they had to work hard for it. We’re just praying that whatever it is God will use them.”
Flying into a New Era
Hagerstown’s Boxcars may have struggled on the field this season, but off the field they have been a big hit
By Carl Sell
Photography by Bill Kamenjar
Hagerstown Boxcars infielder Osvaldo Abreu leads off second during action on July 5, 2024. He is the only current member of the Flying Boxcars who played for the Hagerstown Suns in the city’s old ballpark.
Hagerstown baseball fans spent the summer celebrating their new professional team and enjoying the city’s fancy new downtown ballpark while work progressed on a large indoor fieldhouse at the site of the old Municipal Stadium.
The success of the Flying Boxcars and the momentum toward turning the site of the decaying stadium into a 114,000-square-foot recreational center show the city is dedicated to turning the loss of its Major League Baseball-affiliated Hagerstown Suns into a positive attribute of the town’s growing economy.
When Major League baseball decided to abandon Hagerstown’s Class A franchise, the city, state, and local fans combined efforts to begin a new era for the sport that has been a part of the city’s fabric for more than 100 years. As the Boxcars wind down their inaugural season at Meritus Park, a magnificent downtown ballpark that is the envy of almost every other minor league city in the country, the new team, league, and stadium have been a hit with fans, even if the team itself struggled on the field.
The Boxcars, named in tribute to the workhorse airplane developed by Fairchild Aircraft Industries at its local Dome Hanger, opened the season with a multi-pitcher no-hitter but ended up in last place in the Atlantic League North Division. Still, the team’s success showed off the field.
City administrator Scott Nicewarmer is excited about what is going on in Hagerstown. He says the new stadium and team have started to revitalize downtown and the new fieldhouse will add to the city’s vitality. Nicewarmer says the fireworks displays after baseball games are “first class.”
“Meritus Park is the transformational change project we have been working and hoping for in the downtown for decades,” he said. “With over 100,000 visitors to our downtown in the first three months of operations of baseball and other events, the economic development opportunities for small and large businesses as well as the prime residential opportunities are boundless.”
Chick Meehan, long-time baseball season ticket holder for the defunct Suns, says the new stadium is “better than I ever expected.” Meehan, a former coach and teacher at Hagerstown’s St. James School, and his wife, Mary, watch the new team from seats on the first-base line.
The Meehans marvel at the level of play by both the Flying Boxcars and their league rivals. The Boxcars are in the North Division with teams the Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers, York (Pa.) Revolution, Long Island (N.Y.) Ferryhawks and Staten Island (N.Y.) Ducks.
Southern Division teams include Southern Maryland’s Blue Crabs, High Point (N.C.) Rockers, Gastonia (N.C.) Baseball Club, Charleston (W.Va.) Dirty Birds, and Lexington (Ky.) Legends.
Meehan is also greatly impressed by the stadium and Flying Boxcars staff for their cheerful and helpful interaction with fans. At this point, the stadium and staff are far ahead of the team on the field as far as performance is concerned, but that is not unexpected from a first-year franchise.
Infielder Osvaldo Abreu is the only current member of the Flying Boxcars who played for the Hagerstown Suns in the old ballpark. Abreu played for the Suns in 2015. He later played for Class A Potomac in 2016 and Harrisburg in 2017 and 2018 at the Class AA level. He continues to live in the Hagerstown area.
“The new stadium really feels professional,” Abreau said. “The other stadium wasn’t the best for a professional team. We’ve got everything we need in this stadium, and the clubhouse is really nice, very big, a lot of space.”
Meanwhile, the new fieldhouse is nearing completion on the site of the former municipal ballpark abandoned by Major League baseball. The city, which owns the land, is constructing the indoor recreation facility designed to serve community youth and young adults with a secondary benefit for sports tourism.
The fieldhouse will include two turf fields, four hardwood multi-use courts, a fitness area, restaurant, kids’ zone and multipurpose rooms. Nicewarmer said city officials hope the facility can be ready by the end of the year.
The new stadium and the old stadium site ad fuel to the economic expansion going on in Hagerstown.
Special promotions at almost every game help draw fans downtown. On wrestling night earlier this season a record crowd of 4,600 was treated to pro exhibitions between innings and a post-game bout featuring fan favorite Jake Hager. There are 3,800 fixed seats for baseball but the capacity can be raised to 8,000 for concerts. A Boxcar Buddies Kids Club offers special discounts for youngsters.
Another hometown touch is the listing of the season
ticket holders in the game program, which is distributed free to all fans entering the stadium. In addition to business and corporate season ticket holders, there are many female fans among the listing.
The stadium includes a picnic area behind the left field fence, a pub in left center and a family zone behind the right field foul line. Perhaps one of the best features of the park are the concession stands. The regular ballpark fare of hot dogs, soft drinks, Cracker Jack and popcorn are tasty and reasonably priced. What sets the stadium aside are the crab cake sandwiches
offered by the local Gordon Grocery store, located on the concourse behind first base.
Other popular concession items are pizza, chicken Chesapeake sandwiches, pulled pork, and beef brisket sandwiches. Access to the stadium’s downtown location is easy and parking is available in honor-system paid church lots and those operated by entrepreneurs on private property as well as a public parking garage and on street parking.
The entire atmosphere is referred by manager Mark Mason as “a carnival with a baseball team.” His description fits the new Hagerstown franchise perfectly.
And Mason should know. He previously managed the York team to three championships and has won more than 600 Atlantic League games.
The Atlantic League is in its 26th season and plans to expand to 12 teams over the next few seasons. It is regarded as the highest level of professional baseball other than the Major Leagues. The Hagerstown team is owned by a local group headed by Don Bowman, Linda Ebersole, Jim Hollzapel and Blackie Bower. Among the owners is Frank Boulton, who also is affiliated with the League and the Long Island franchise. General Manager David Blenkstone and his staff have put the front office team together for an exciting first season.
The home season concludes with a series against York Sept. 13-15 with fireworks after the game on Friday, Sept. 13.
EXTRA INNINGS…
OFF THE FIELD: Hagerstown’s aviation history is the impetus for the team’s name, and the Hagerstown Aviation Museum is open at Hagerstown Regional Airport; another of the attractions the city hopes will draw visitors to the area. A vintage airplane flyover recently took place over Meritus Stadium prior to a game.
• After the July 5 game, a 7-2 loss to Long Island, fans left buzzing about the post-game fireworks. Loud cheers greeted the show throughout and fans were still excited as they left the stadium and headed for their cars.
“I never imagined the show would be that good,” a wife said to her husband as they walked away, two kids in tow. Don’t miss the show on Sept. 13.
ON THE FIELD: Pitchers routinely throw close to 90 mph and rely on breaking balls and change ups to keep the hitters off stride. There are three umpires, and fans are close enough to the third-base umpire to watch him set the pitch clock. Field dimensions are 365 feet to left field, 400 to center, and 322 to right.
The playing surface is all synthetic turf, which makes all ground balls fast and true. Seats behind the infield portion of the field are covered. Team stores are located at the centerfield gate and behind home plate inside the ballpark.
SPONSORS: Meritus Health, the largest health care provider in the tristate area that includes parts of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, signed a naming rights contract for the stadium in February 2024. Meritus also provides health care for the Flying Boxcars players and operates a large medical center in the city.
– Carl Sell
Downtown Hagerstown came alive once again on Friday, July 5, 2024, as fans came to cheer on their new hometown baseball team. Fans down the third-base line look on as the squad took on the visiting Long Island Ducks.
Financial Planning and Your Mortgage:
Pros and cons of an early payoff.
You might know someone who paid off their mortgage early, and you are questioning if you should do the same. In making the decision, you should consider your overall financial situation, risk tolerance, and long-term goals.
Paying off your mortgage early has benefits, like allowing you to build home equity more quickly, which can be beneficial if you need to access funds in the future.
Other benefits include:
• Financial freedom –Paying off your mortgage early can free up a portion of your monthly income and provide more financial flexibility.
• Potential interest savings –You can save a substantial amount in interest payments over the life of your mortgage by paying it off early.
• Peace of mind –Owning your home outright can provide a sense of security and reduce the stress that often accompanies financial obligations.
Early payment of your mortgage also has drawbacks. For instance, the money used for prepayment could yield higher returns if invested elsewhere, especially in a strong market.
Other drawbacks include:
• Liquidity concerns –Prepayment of your mortgage ties up your money in
your home, leaving you with less cash for other financial needs or opportunities.
• Lost tax benefits –If you are a homeowner who deducts mortgage interest from your taxes, you could lose that benefit by paying off your loan early.
• Prepayment penalties –Depending on the terms of your mortgage, you could face a penalty if you pay off your loan in the first three years.
If you’re considering this decision, it might be beneficial to speak with a financial advisor.
F&M Trust’s Wealth Management team strives to provide practical advice, and we continue to build relationships and solve complex problems for our clients. Helping you to protect your investments so you have something to pass on is our job.
F&M Trust also provides a full range of trustee services, from financial powers of attorney to guardianships and special needs trusts.
Give us a call or stop into a nearby location. Our website also offers a wealth of information about investing based on where you are in your life’s journey. Learn more about how we have been defining what it means to be a community bank for more than 115 years at fmtrust.bank.
ON THE ROAD
Carousel of Progress
By Jeanne Blackburn
Glen
Echo Park
Reimagines its Past By Offering Attractions for All Ages
GLEN ECHO—Who doesn’t like a carousel? What about a puppet show for small children or a summer art camp for the older ones? And how does a Saturday night swing dance class or a hands-on intro to blown glass for adults sound?
This is just a smattering of the attractions that abound throughout the year at Glen Echo Park in southern Montgomery County.
Initially developed in 1891 as a National Chautauqua Assembly in Glen Echo, the site was reconfigured in 1911 by real estate developer brothers Edwin and Edward Baltzley to include an amusement park. Hoping to provide a respite from the oppressive Washington, D.C., summers, the park boasted a swimming pool with a sand beach, a game arcade, rides, the Spanish Ballroom with a stage for music productions, picnic grounds and a handsome Dentzel carousel.
For decades, it drew visitors not only to its summertime leisure attractions, but also to artistic endeavors, learning and music. But civil unrest in the 1960s at the formerly racially segregated park led to its eventual closure. The iconic Art Deco-designed buildings fell into disrepair, the swimming pool was filled in and the parts from the shuttered rides were sold. What was once a busy, loud place turned empty and quiet.
In 1970, the National Park Service began a years-long restoration project to return the park to its former relevance to the community--as a destination for families, a venue for music and dance, and a hub of artistic creativity and learning. The grounds were re-land-
scaped, the once-stunning buildings repainted and repurposed and the beautiful 1921 Dentzel menagerie carousel was refurbished, eventually returning a sense of festivity and enjoyment to the park. (The carousel is the only ride still standing and in use from the former amusement park.)
Today, Glen Echo Park offers something of interest to everyone, kids and adults alike.
Pack a picnic lunch or check out the menu at the cafe, relax under the trees in the park and marvel at the curvilinear Art Deco commercial architecture of the early 20th century all around. Time your visit right and there might be an art, glass or pottery gallery or
The lone surviving ride from the amusement park days (and nights) is the 1921 Dentzel menagerie carousel, refurbished to its original glory and providing a sense of festivity amid the arts.
two open in the old Arcade Building or Yellow Barn.
Check the park’s website (www. glenechopark.org) for special events and classes for the children. Among the most popular ones are the puppet show productions at Adventure Theatre (tickets are required). There are also summer art camps in painting, drawing, ceramics and fused glass, and Saturday classes in painting and drawing for kids ages 5-17.
Toddlers and small children will be enchanted by the tanks full of fish and
other Chesapeake Bay area marine life at the Glen Echo Park Aquarium.
But classes aren’t just for kids. There’s a dizzying array of creative instruction for adults by the talented and experienced instructors at Glen Echo. Here you will find painting in several media, photography, silver-smithing/jewelry-making, glass-blowing and fused glass, and ceramics and pottery, among other crafts.
Or just for fun, join the spirited groups that gather in the Spanish Ballroom on Saturday evenings for a short lesson before the swing, ballroom, contra or zydeco dances begin.
Coming up soon is the annual Labor Day Art Show and sale from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. Think ahead to holiday shopping, or just come and browse the wealth of original art available in framed paintings, jewelry, glass and pottery.
Glen Echo Park is also a charming setting for special events, too. The spacious Bumper Car Pavilion building is available to rent for parties, reunions, weddings and other events.
Less than an hour’s drive from most parts of Frederick County, Glen Echo Park is convenient and fun. For everyone.
More than half a century since its use as a bustling amusement park, Glen Echo Park today is restored and re-envisioned as a center of arts, events and architecture.
All in the Family
The Grier family legacy at Yingling’s Golf Center continues into a more modern future
By Bill Kamenjar
Less than two miles short of the one-horse town of Chewsville and directly across Route 64 from the Wooden Keg Beer, Wine and Liquor Store hangs a sign (with an ancient golf ball globe on top) that partially belies the changes that are taking place beyond it.
Though modernization of the facility is at the forefront these days, Yingling’s Golf Center–as its dated-yet-original entrance sign would attest–remains rooted in the past. And a big part of its legacy can be attributed to David Grier, a PGA teaching pro, and his golf-devoted family.
Last year Grier sold the golf facility that includes a driving range, nine-hole par 3 course and miniature golf, to Logan Kerns and his parents, ending the family ownership but not the family legacy that has touched many of Washington County’s golfers. The Wenatchee, Washington, native, who moved across
the country at a young age, attended Chambersburg High School and then Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. He bought Yingling’s (named for the original 1970s owner Bert Yingling) in 1990 and along with his wife Judy owned and operated it for local golfers to afford and enjoy.
While Kerns is modernizing the facility, Grier and the oldest of his three golf-playing daughters still teach lessons at Yingling’s, which keeps a marvelous small-town tradition alive and the Grier-family stamp preserved.
“Dave has a tremendous legacy in this town,” says Kerns, who since taking over at Yingling’s has implemented a technological and aesthetic transformation that even Grier himself categorizes as nothing short of sensational. “Anybody who is a golfer from Hagerstown has heard of Dave Grier and probably has even gotten a lesson from him at some point.”
Grier got hooked on golf early by caddying at Chambersburg Country Club as a youngster. He later started working in the business, first as a part-timer at Penn National Golf Club in nearby Fayetteville then as an assistant pro at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown. After leaving the area to become the director of golf at Mid Pines Resort in Southern Pines, North Carolina, for a year in 1983, he returned home as the director of golf at Carroll Valley Resort in Fairfield, Pennsylvania. Then he bought Yingling’s in 1990 and established himself as the local golf authority.
The new ownership trio has reconfigured Yingling’s driving range with a covered practice tee and 18 Trackman (ball flight) technology-enhanced hitting stations, Kerns said they have consciously tried to keep some of the Grier inspiration intact.
Ashley Grier, daughter of former Yingling’s owner Dave Grier, still teachings at the driving range.
“We try to keep as much history as we can,” says the Boonsboro native, “and keep many of the things Dave established. For instance, there are no reservations, just come out and play. Taking responsibility for Yingling’s, I knew the burden I inherited from Dave. There’s a lot of land here [and moving parts] to oversee. I look at it like a blue-collar, Hagerstown version of those other guys (Top Golf).”
One of Grier’s greatest contributions over the years has been his commitment to all areas of junior golf. His programs have produced multiple Maryland State High School champions and his own three daughters–Ashley, Andrea and Alicia–went on to play major college golf. In addition to promoting the game of golf to junior players, he has been influential in teaching lessons to all ages and levels of players looking to enhance their lifetime involvement in the game.
Grier met his wife, Judy, in 1980 while teaching a YMCA golf class. For nearly 34 years, the two ran the show at Yingling’s.
“Without her, it wouldn’t have worked,” Grier says. “She ran the golf shop, got to know the regulars and was definitely the face of Yingling’s.”
His daughter Ashley (Lintelman) is a two-time Middle Atlantic Section Titleist Junior Tour champion, a Maryland State High School champion and graduate of the University of Central Florida. She has played on professional tours, competed in some of golf’s top events and teaches both in Florida during the winter and at home in Maryland during the summer.
All three of Grier’s daughters played junior golf with success. In addition to Ashley’s collegiate career, Andrea went on to compete at Marshall University and Alicia at Coastal Carolina University. But it’s Ashley who has stayed engaged within the newly refined confines known simply as Yingling’s. That’s where she honed her talented short game by playing late into the long summer nights at Yingling’s par-3 course. So, in essence, she remains loyal to it.
“A playground,” as Grier has described Yingling’s in the past.
A playground and a family affair that has helped spread golf to many Washington County residents. And now, in a more modern style, Kerns will keep the six-decade tradition moving forward.
“We kind of went with keeping the family friendly vibe, just upgraded the place with the technological aspect, adding extra layers of entertainment and practice incentives,” Kerns says.
Logan Kerns and his parents bought Yingling’s Golf Center and are in the process of modernizing it.
The new technology at Yingling’s allows players to track their shots and their progress.
A Blooming Business
By Laura Forrest Hopfauf
Kayla Crigger may be young, but she’s already doing something that plenty of people dream of doing, running her own small business. Just five years ago, flowers weren’t really on Crigger’s mind.
A young entrepreneur finds a way to “grow” her business
As a sophomore in high school, she wanted to be an event planner because she loved working with others and enjoyed coordinating projects. But when she accidentally ended up in an advanced horticulture class her senior year, she fell in love. And soon thereafter 4065 Florals began.
Having a teacher that encouraged her creative talent and leadership abilities, Crigger began to do some of the planning for designs for her class and delegate tasks to her peers for their own floral creations. Eventually, she began working for her teacher’s floral business, helping to create arrangements for weddings
while still in high school. She even took the lead on one wedding which built her confidence and planted a seed that maybe she could do this on her own as a business.
When her cousin got married in 2022, Crigger did all of the florals herself, from ordering flowers, to creating designs, and arranging. From there, she says “the rest is history.”
Crigger booked her first gig from the work she did at her cousin’s wedding and then funneled the money and the connections from that back into her budding business, a practice she has continued as she’s grown larger in scale and concept. So far, 4065 Florals has arranged weddings, corporate events, and hosted floral workshops, like paint and sips, but with flowers where each guest gets to take home their own creation.
Owning a small business, even with flowers, isn’t all roses, and like with any endeavor, Kayla has had her challenges.
“Managing all of it on top of working at Green Hill Farms and as a Future Farmers of America state officer has been hard,” she says.
But through these hardships, she has learned the biggest lesson that owning her own business has taught her so far—and that’s that her community is there for her.
“I don’t have to do it all on my own,” she says. “My family has been so supportive, and the girls I have working for me are great and so talented.”
Her family has given her space in their garage and basement to work from, while the young women working for her have helped run workshops and create arrangements for events— a fact that Crigger doesn’t take for granted.
“It means a lot that I get to pay the girls who work for me what they deserve based on their skill and experience
instead of their age,” she says.
As a young woman working on her own, Crigger understands how much experience and talent really do matter. She isn’t just bringing herself forward with her floral business but is helping young entrepreneurs as she creates space for other young women to do what they love and get what they deserve.
Ultimately, Crigger wants to own and operate her own event venue on land that’s been in her family for generations. She hopes to provide all-inclusive event packages that include florals. But for right now, she just wants her floral business to continue to grow.
“I want to be booked every weekend,” she says. “Doing bigger installations, not just bridal parties and center pieces, but even bigger creative arrangements.”
Starting a business is intimating. There is so much that goes into owning and running your own company and the prospect of opening your own business, even if it’s your dream, can be overwhelming. But the advice Crigger has for others chasing the same dream is to “just do it. Don’t let fear hold you back. It doesn’t have to be on a big
scale. You don’t have to jump right in and make it a huge thing. Just take it a day at a time. Grow it like you want to. Take whatever opportunities you can get and roll with it.”
Floral 4065 started as an unexpected class in high school that turned into a love that turned into a small business for a young woman who just had the guts to do it. It seems like Kayla Crigger has been learning something from those flowers she’s been arranging so beautifully: maybe the best thing we can do is take what the world gives us and find a way to bloom.
Kayla Crigger is still in high school, but has her own flower business.
Smooth as Silk
By April and Andrew Bartel
Authentic Thai favorites wrapped with warm hospitality and community connection
Thai food seems to be everywhere these days, taking tables by storm with its reputation for being (potentially) healthy, quick, customizable, competitively priced, and alluringly “exotic” with plenty of familiar ingredients, too. The cuisine incorporates a hallmark zing of sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and umami in just a few bites. Now, it ranks among the top choices for American dining dollars, standing shoulder to shoulder with enduring favorites like Italian, Mexican, and Chinese when folks ask, “What do you want to eat?”
With thousands of restaurants popping up all over the U.S., Hagerstown’s Silk Thai restaurant at 1580 Wesel Boulevard showcases the culture and flavors of Thai food with gracious style. The place is bright and spacious, with understated décor and a full bar. It’s comfortable enough for business luncheons,
Silk Thai owner and entrepreneur Warin “Ammy” Jompakdee.
family meals, casual gatherings, or date night. The menu boasts popular highlights like Pad Thai, crispy duck, fried bean curd, drunken noodles, and a variety of curries.
HEARTFELT HOSPITALITY
We caught up with the owner, Warin “Ammy” Jompakdee, a serial entrepreneur, world traveler, and recent immigrant. Bubbly and outgoing, she’s quick with a smile to make customers feel right at home. Born in Chiang Mai, the historic capital of the Lanna Thai kingdom, her background includes running a family restaurant, an antique shop, and an inn in Thailand, as well as working at J. Walter Thompson in their tourism marketing department. She also served as a cabin crew member for Japan Airlines, eventually becoming a trainer for other employees.
“My father inspired my move to America,” says Jompakdee, who came here in September 2023. “He was an exchange student in Ohio and had a really good experience.”
She evaluated U.S. business opportunities from Oregon to Connecticut before connecting with Silk Thai’s original owner,
Food is artfully arranged at Silk Thai.
Mongkhol “TK Chin” Chinsetthagit, through friends on Facebook. He wanted to sell; she wanted a fresh start. The restaurant became the perfect place to merge her hospitality industry skills, entrepreneurial drive, and love for people into one enterprise.
“We made a few changes and additions, like our made-to-order spring rolls,” says Jompakdee, who meticulously reviewed the original menu for authenticity and appeal against her knowledge of regional Thai favorites and family recipes. She lowered the sodium content of some dishes in response to market demand and added more fresh options.
“But most of the recipes are the ones people already know and love,” she says.
SPICE OF LIFE
Her favorite dish on the menu is Massaman Curry, an exacting and beloved dish from her hometown. Jompakdee explains that Massaman Curry was created for royalty, blending influences from India and Malaysia.
The dish features a deep, complex base that takes several days to prepare. Its flavors pop with coconut milk and palm sugar for sweetness against salty shrimp paste and tangy tamarind.
“The time and effort result in a really intense flavor,” she says.
Curries are usually classified by color, based on the chilies used: red, green, or yellow. Red is typically the spiciest, followed by yellow, which is blended with golden turmeric. Green Curry is popular for its comparatively mild warmth and additions like basil, coriander, and kaffir leaf.
We tried the Panang Curry during an unannounced visit, toned down to the mildest heat setting, and found it luscious and nutty from roasted peanuts and coconut milk. There are savory stir-fries, refreshing salads, and oodles of noodle dishes. Classic Tom Yum soup
Silk Thai has a variety of tasty appetizers.
Warin Jompakdee says “Making sure everything is the best quality is the number one thing.”
stands alongside Silk Thai’s version of Vietnamese pho. It’s a generous portion of delicate rice noodles, fresh herbs and vegetables, and long-simmered broth, served with side sauces for personalizing the dish.
We recommend the classic mango sticky rice dessert, with fresh, silky mango slices over steamed, slightly chewy rice, and a drizzle of creamy coconut sauce. For drinks, there’s sweet Thai tea, potent Thai coffee, or boba teas in flavors like melon and taro.
Jompakdee highlights one fan favorite: “Our pad Thai is very authentic. We order dried tamarind and make our own sauce,” she says. They hand-cut meats and veggies, blend seasonings, and make stock from scratch instead of relying on premade ingredients from a distributor.
The Silk Thai kitchen also avoids a common flavor shortcut in America: adding vinegar. “This is not traditional,” she insists. “Making sure everything is the best quality is the number one thing—the way Thai food should be. It’s the attention to detail, the harmony, that makes Thai food what it is.”
PART OF THE COMMUNITY
Community spirit is a big part of Thai culture, too, and Jompakdee embodies this. She makes fast friends with customers and has regulars who travel from D.C. to dine with her. As a proud ambassador for her culture, she brings back treats from her trips to Thailand, like handmade scarves and jewelry, as gifts for friends and special guests.
Chiang Mai has a rich tradition of handcrafts created by its surrounding
hill tribes. “I want to support the indigenous people and encourage others to remember the folkways. It honors our history,” she says.
Eventually, she’d like to sell imported goods from native artisans in the restaurant. She sees the exchange as a way to support disadvantaged communities while giving local people an opportunity to personally connect with the beauty of a far-away culture.
Jompakdee finds the idea of a melting pot an appealing analogy for her restaurant. “I want to create an atmosphere where all people are welcome,” she says. “They can have food and enjoy things. It’s not just business. We support each other.”
Sweet Sanctuary
By April Bartel
Brooke’s House Coffee and Chocolate offers tasty treats full of hope and promise
Who doesn’t like chocolate and coffee–especially when it comes with a side of service to humanity? Brooke’s House Coffee and Chocolate is more than just a place to indulge in delightful treats and warm beverages. It is a sanctuary of hope and transformation, where women in recovery find solace, structure, and a new beginning.
Opened in December 2021, this unique establishment grew from a modest fundraising project into a thriving enterprise that supports women on their journey to sobriety and self-reliance.
Brooke’s House Coffee and Chocolates is 6,000 square feet of sweet treats, smooth drinks and community unity.
MEANING & PURPOSE
The inception of Brooke’s House Coffee and Chocolate is as heartwarming as its mission. Dana and Kevin Simmers founded Brooke’s House in honor of their daughter who struggled with substance abuse and ultimately died from a heroin overdose in 2015. Out of that heart-rending tragedy, they sought to give others a path to triumph in recovery. Brooke’s House is a longterm residential addiction treatment center providing a safe and supportive environment where women can remake their lives.
The initial idea for the shop came from a small fundraising project. Residents of Brooke’s House began crafting chocolates, such as nonpareil chocolates and chocolate-dipped pretzels, from their place on Downsville Pike. The effort was a success, leading to pop-up shops in the local mall.
With enthusiastic encouragement of supporters, they decided to establish a permanent storefront to create a stable and independent revenue stream for Brooke’s House. Even sweeter, the coffee shop and chocolate-making process offer therapeutic and rewarding experiences that help build participants’ self-esteem, job skills, and hope.
TASTE AND TRANSFORMATION
Now, the space at 1083 Maryland Ave. in the South Side Plaza offers guests a warm welcome. To the left, an open kitchen dominates the front windows. To the right, is a bright and airy seating area that can accommodate 50 to 60 people, with an additional patio space for about 30 guests. There’s a drive-thru, too, and a gift nook that features pre-boxed candies for easy grab-and-go, greeting cards, sturdy briefcases and bags, photo frames, mugs, artwork, and branded merchandise in support of the organization.
Candy cases are loaded with their original dipped pretzels and a changing retinue of other handmade chocolates and confections, created with all-natural ingredients. From coconut clusters and chocolate-dipped Oreos to sea salt caramels and jumbo s’mores, the array of goodies is both extensive and enticing.
The chocolate turtles, cranberry almond clusters, and home-style treats like Ritz crackers with peanut butter enrobed in chocolate are particularly popular among patrons. About 90 percent of the chocolates are made in-house,
Handcrafted chocolates of rich flavor and bright designs.
Brooke’s House handbags and greeting cards.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
• Located in the South End Shopping Center, the same plaza as Brooke’s House Thrift Store and their counseling center.
• The shop is run entirely by women in recovery and only women from Brooke’s House can be hired as the venture is aimed at empowering women and making a difference in their lives.
• Look for performances in September by Will Wright and The Tans.
offering something for every taste. But the delights don’t end with chocolates. Brooke’s favorite flavor combination inspired the coffee shop’s chocolate peanut butter latte. Its diverse menu boasts a variety of coffee preparations, spiced chai, protein shakes, smoothies,
and frappes along with breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and homemade soups.
The tomato basil bisque is a consistent favorite. It’s a classic pairing with the indulgent grilled cheese made with provolone, Swiss, and cheddar on a panini. Breakfast sandwiches come with options like bacon, ham, or sausage, served on a bagel, English muffin, or potato roll. The cinnamon rolls and chocolate or raspberry “cigars” are standout pastries that keep customers coming back for more.
COMMUNITY AND UNITY
Brooke’s House Coffee and Chocolate is a place where the community gathers, shares, and supports one another. The shop sources its coffee beans from River Bottom Roasters, a local supporter, and its pastries from a nearby distribution center.
There is live music on Saturdays featuring local artists, with the establishment also serving as a venue for events like baby showers and retirement parties to birthday and holiday celebrations.
Catering is available, allowing customers to enjoy Brooke’s House delicacies at their own events.
Manager Courtney Gunter is a graduate of Brooke’s House program and sees its transformative power at work. “We’re all in recovery and the support means the world to us. We appreciate being able to have a safe environment, that’s filled with love to work in,” she says, adding that some of the women have never had jobs before. “They may have been lost, so it’s really cool for me to see them grow and be productive members of society…You could say, anything is possible as love and support.”
That’s the best excuse for stopping by to grab a treat, a special gift, or to meet up with friends. Every purchase and donation contributes to the ongoing mission of Brooke’s House, making a difference in the lives of the people it serves…on both sides of the counter.
DINING GUIDE
28 SOUTH
28 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 240.347.4932
Locally sourced contemporary American fare. $–$$$
ALEKOS 2 GO
511 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, 240.313.4976
Freshly prepared and cooked Greek food made daily. $
AMERICAN PIE PIZZERIA
17520 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, 301.582.6281
Family run business that serves not only pizza but several authentic Italian dishes as well. $$
BENNY’S PUB
49 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 301.791.5915
Relaxed venue serving specialty burgers and other pub grub, plus bespoke beers in convivial surrounds. $–$$
BISTRO 11
13208 Fountain Head Plaza, Hagerstown, 301.733.2222
Relaxed and refined cuisine. Full menu of specialties, steaks, and seafood. $$–$$$
BJ’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE
17318 Valley Mall Road, Suite C, Hagerstown, 240.513.4040
Handcrafted beer, Chicago-style pizza with a Southern California twist, and Pizookies. $$-$$$
BLACK ROCK BAR & GRILL
17301 Valley Mall Road, Hagerstown, 240.850.3365
An award-winning steakhouse specializing in Certified Angus Beef steaks served and cooked to perfection by you on a 755-degree volcanic sizzling rock. $$-$$$
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are covered with a wide selection of sandwiches and entrees. $–$$
THE BROAD AXE
28 W. Franklin St., Hagerstown, 301.733.8454
Daily specials featuring top-notch pub fare and a quickly rotating tap list. $–$$
BROTHER’S PIZZA
75 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 240.625.9215
Fresh, fast, and affordable pizza, sandwiches, and Italian classics. $–$$
BULLS & BEARS
38 S. Potomac St., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.791.0370
American cuisine in a New York style atmosphere. $$–$$$
CACIQUE
1101 Opal Court, Hagerstown, 301.739.7207
Fresh, creative, and classic Mexican, Spanish, and Latin American cuisine. $$
CAFÉ DEL SOL
1481 Salem Ave., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.739.3072
Gourmet pizza, flatbreads, and pasta with a California twist. $$–$$$
CAFÉ ITALIA
935 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.420.6677
Classic Italian dishes, and they offer one of the biggest pizzas in town. $–$$
CHIC’S SEAFOOD
300 Summit Ave., Hagerstown, 301.739.8220
Daily specials featuring some of the freshest seafood around. $–$$$
COLONIAL SPORTS BAR AND GRILL
14130 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.203.6206
The best game-day food at the best prices around. $–$$
THE DOG HOUSE CAFÉ
53 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 240.850.2883
Family-owned and operated restaurant that specializes in dozens of unique hot dog creations, great fries, and more. $
DISTRICT PROVISION & SUPPLY CO.
6 Rochester Place, Hagerstown, 301.791.1717
Open for breakfast and lunch, featuring gourmet sandwiches, salads, and soups. $
DOLCE PIZZA GOURMET
792 Frederick St., Hagerstown, 301.745.6300
Italian flavors complemented by Eastern European dishes. $–$$
EL CASTELLO PIZZERIA & TEX MEX
15616 National Pike, Hagerstown, 301.582.4727
Pizza, salads, lunch specials, and a spicy array of Tex Mex. $–$$
EL RANCHERO MEXICAN
RESTAURANT
1481 Wesel Blvd., Hagerstown, 240.420.2842
1715 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.797.7589
Fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine using the highest-quality ingredients available. $$
FAJITA GRANDE MEXICAN
RESTAURANT
12818 Shank Farm Way, Hagerstown, 240.707.6333
Where the fiesta never ends. $
FOSTER’S ON THE POINT
1437 Salem Ave., Hagerstown, 301.739.7182
Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and a rotating list of entrées and specials offered in an inviting rustic atmosphere. $$–$$$
FRATELLI PIZZERIA AND GRILL
120 E. Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, 301.393.8733
Italian specialties like pasta, pizza, in addition to Mexican options. $–$$
FREE RANGE CAFÉ
520 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, 240.513.6070
Food that makes you feel good! $-$$
FUJI ASIAN FOOD & SUSHI BAR
11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Suite 205, Hagerstown, 301.393.9099
Authentic traditional Chinese cuisine options and sushi. $–$$
GREENLEE’S FIRESIDE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
1716 Underpass Way, Hagerstown, 301.733.4800
A full menu of steaks, seafood, and other American specialties. $$–$$$
THE GRILLE AT RUNWAYS
18421 Henson Blvd., Hagerstown, 240.707.6996
Traditional American dining with a quiet and relaxing view of the airstrip. $–$$
HAGERSTOWN FAMILY DINER
431 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 240.707.6330
Great hidden gem of Hagerstown. $
HOFFMAN’S ALL AMERICAN GRILL
18203 Mason Dixon Road, Hagerstown, 240.707.6600
Casual dining at its finest featuring burgers, steaks, salads, and seafood. $$–$$$
HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT
1075 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, 301.733.1292
Veteran eatery serving familiar Chinese dishes in an informal setting. $$
HOUSE OF KOBE
757 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.797.6979
Fine dining featuring sushi and hibachi cooking right in front of you. $$–$$$
HUB CITY DINER
190 Railway Ln., Hagerstown, 240.707.6638
Comfort food served hot and fresh in a family friendly atmosphere. $
HUMMUS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
11205 John F. Kennedy Dr., Unit 108A, Hagerstown, 240.513.6020
A blend of authentic Mediterranean recipes with modern flavors. $–$$
J’S DINER
43 Eastern Blvd N, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 301.745.3091
Innovative breakfast destination for those in search of an unpretentious place to begin the day. Everything they offer is made from scratch, so you can feel good about what you’re eating. $$
LEDO PIZZA
1423 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.766.4900
Creative flavor combinations and lots of sandwich and gluten-free options. $–$$
LOS AMIGOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT
29 N. Burhans Blvd, Hagerstown, 240.420.8000
18330 Spark Dr., Hagerstown, 240.707.6250
The finest authentic Mexican food prepared just the way you like it. $
LOTUS MOON CAFÉ
16 Conococheague St., Williamsport, 240.366.1335 Unique sandwich and salad creations to please any taste. $-$$
MANGO GRILL INDIAN & THAI CUISINE
11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Suite 201, Hagerstown, 240.707.6220 Experience the flavors of India and Thailand with daily lunch buffet deals. $$
Dine in and carry out Vietnamese cuisine. Small venue but the portions are authentic and large. $
POKÉ & SUSHI
11347 Robinwood Dr. Hagerstown, 301.393.8833
Refreshing Asian alternative. Choose your own ingredients for soups, Poké, rice bowls and sushi. Boba (bubble) tea. $$.
PRETZEL & PIZZA CREATIONS
20 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, 301.733.7795 Calzones, sandwiches, hot dogs, and of course pizza featuring pretzel dough as the star. $–$$
PRIMANTI BROS.
17301 Valley Mall, Hagerstown, 301.228.0933
High-piled sandwiches equipped to quell the heartiest of hungers. $
PURA VIDA COFFEE
14035 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.707.6540
Costa Rican inspired coffee shop/restaurant featuring craft coffees/teas, onsite baked goods, breakfasts, and lunches. $
RAD PIES
10210 Governor Lane Blvd., Williamsport, 240.366.8634
Unique, wood-fired pizza options for the adventurous. $$
REAL DEAL JAMAICAN RESTAURANT
71 W. Franklin St., Hagerstown, 240.513.6393
A concise menu of classic Jamaican comfort foods & soft drinks amid casual digs. $
RHUBARB HOUSE
12 Public Square, Hagerstown, 301.733.4399
Sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, and soups with a unique touch. $–$$
RICE THAI DINING
40 N. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 301.766.9559
A taste of authentic Thailand, without needing a passport $$-$$$
RIK’S CAFE
1065 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown, 301.302.7541
California-inspired contemporary American cuisine featuring sandwiches, hearty soups, small plates, and salads. $$–$$$
ROCKY’S NEW YORK PIZZA
907 S. Potomac St., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.791.6810
Great pizza in addition to other classic Italian fare. $–$$
ROCKY’S PIZZA ROBINWOOD
11351 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown, 301.790.3853
Delicious Italian cuisine at an affordable price $-$$
ROOSTER MOON COFFEEHOUSE
Longmeadow Shopping Center, 1551 Potomac Ave., Hagerstown, 301.790.5040
Fine coffee, espresso drinks, organic teas, with a full breakfast and lunch menu. $
SAKURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
102 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 301.393.8680
Part Japanese steakhouse, part sushi bar, featuring hibachi dining. $$–$$$
SARDI’S POLLO A LA BRASA
100 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 240.382.1214
Casual Peruvian chain serving charbroiled chicken, ceviche, and other traditional dishes. $–$$$
SCHMANKERL STUBE
58 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 301.797.3354
Old World-style Bavarian dining with an emphasis on German traditions. $$$
SCHULA’S GRILL AND CRAB HOUSE
11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Hagerstown, 301.714.1397
Seafood and sandwiches are served in a casual setting with polished wood tables and a bar. $$–$$$
SILK THAI RESTAURANT AND BAR
1580 Wesel Blvd. K, Hagerstown, 240.267.2142
Spreading good vibes of Thai culture by introducing the wonderful food and scenery of the land of smiles. $$–$$$
SITAR OF INDIA
110 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 301.733.8223
A contemporary atmosphere that complements their traditional Northern Indian specialties. $-$$
STADIUM TAVERN
401 S. Cannon Ave., Hagerstown, 301.714.0849
Crabs and steam buckets, shrimp, and oysters, and don’t forget the wings. $–$$
TACOS CARLITOS
Food Court, Valley Mall, Hagerstown, 240.452.1888
100% authentic genuine Mexican food – the best in town! Daily specials and delivery available. $
TASTE OF REGGAE
40 E Washington St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 240.513.1101
Authentic Jamaican restaurant specializing in made-to-order Caribbean and Jamaican food. Packed with flavor and cooked the way it is done in Jamaica. $$
TAQUERIA JALISCO AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GRILL
1037 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown, 301.797.2000
Authentic Mexican cuisine with the experience of being in Mexico. $
THE CRAB 99
116 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 240.452.1937
Tasty seafood dishes with a wide range of flavors. Make your own seafood combinations. $$
SENIOR LIVING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Every Wednesday CONTEMPORARY RETIREMENT
9:06 a.m. to 10 a.m., WJEJ Radio
Tune in for topical discussions on issues affecting retirees.
Wednesdays, September 4 and October 2
NEW TO MEDICARE WORKSHOP
1 p.m.–3 p.m., 6 p.m-8 p.m. 535 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown
Hosted by the Washington County Commission on Aging. To register call 301.790.0275.
Tuesdays, September 3 and October 1
ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP
4:30–5:30 p.m., Somerford Place
Hosted by Somerford Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s Care. For more information, call 301.791.9221.
Tuesdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24 & 30 and October 1, 7, 14, 21 & 28
HEALTH MATTERS RADIO SHOW
9:30–10 a.m., WJEJ radio (1240 am)
Tune in for information on health topics that matter. Call 301.739.2323 during broadcast times with your health questions.
Thursdays, September 5 and October 2
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP
11:45 a.m.–3 p.m., Western Sizzlin Steakhouse, 17567 York Road, Hagerstown
Parkinson’s Disease patients and caregivers meet to hear a variety of speakers and enjoy lunch and conversation. Call Judy Fiery at 301.797.7373 or visit www.hagerstownparkinsonsupport.org.
Mondays, September 9 and October 14
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
2–3 p.m., LIFE Lutheran Services, 840 Fifth Ave., Chambersburg, Pa.
Covers a new topic each week. Free; light refreshments served. Call 717.709.2342.
Mondays, September 9 and October 14
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
7 p.m., Breast Cancer Awareness — Cumberland Valley, 12916 Conamar Dr., Suite 201, Hagerstown Call 301.791.5843 or visit www.bcacv.org.
Mondays, September 16 and October 21
SPINAL CORD INJURY SUPPORT
3–4 p.m., Robinwood Medical Center, Suite 201 Education and support for those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and are now adjusting to their disabilities. Call 301.714.4070.
Tuesdays, September 17 and October 22
SMART SENIORS
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Diakon Senior Living — Robinwood Campus
Educational forum about topics of interest to older adults; sit-down meal served. $9. For reservations, call 240.420.4119.
Tuesdays, September 17 and October 22
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA
6 p.m., Robinwood Medical Center, Suite 129 Open to those affected by leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, MDS or myeloma. Call 301.665.4650.
Family and friends of those suffering from dementia are invited to network with others who are experiencing similar situations in a safe, non-judgmental setting. Call 301.733.3353.
Lunch and educational seminar for people ages 55 and UP. $13. Call 301.790.8907.
grow-it-all
Use the cool fall to repair your drought-damaged lawn and plant drought-resistant trees.
Deborah Smith Fiola is a professional horticultural consultant who lives in Keedysville. A former university professor/ Extension agent, she has a B.S. in horticulture and an M.S. in entomology/ pest management (from the University of Maryland). Email your questions to: landscapeipm@gmail.com.
Fall is the best time of year to both repair the lawn and to plant trees. This is fortunate, since two back-to-back summer droughts have taken their toll. Some local areas had more than six weeks without rain…again.
Although most lawns have recovered, many of us have bare, weedy, or thin lawn patches. Repairing more than six-inch patches will result in fewer weeds and a healthier lawn next year. (Note: if more than 50 percent of your lawn is dead, complete renovation is best. Google: “UMd lawn renovation”). The timing sweet spot for any lawn repair is now through Oct. 10.
Lawn patch repair is hard work. First, remove debris and weeds with a spade or heavy rake. Loosen the soil (ideally while digging in one inch of compost three to four inches deep). Seed with drought tolerant Tall Fescue. (Note: avoid “quick-grow” turfgrass mixes containing predominantly drought intolerant perennial ryegrass). Lightly rake in the seed and press into the soil using a roller (or stomping with your feet). For best success, topdress with one-quarter inch of compost or potting soil (or cover patches with Reemay).
Finally, fertilize and water. Frequent, daily watering is super important, since the tiny germinating seedlings will die if the soil surface dries out. Set a timer and water lightly (two to four time per day if it’s hot and sunny) to keep patches continually moist for two weeks. Once seedlings are one inch tall, decrease watering to 15 minutes daily, then every other day, to once a week. Mow once the grass is three inches tall.
Keep drought tolerance in mind when choosing new trees. Think twice about planting drought sensitive trees such as serviceberry (Amelanchier), flowering cherry, hemlock, and Japanese/sugar maple. Native plants are considered more drought tolerant, but this depends on your selected site since even a native plant indigenous to shade won’t thrive in full sun, and vice versa.
My top three drought resistant tree recommendations are:
1. Ginko: Slow-growing 50- to 60-foot tree with fan-shaped leaves and brilliant yellow-gold fall color. It is pest and deer resistant. Be sure to plant a male clone (females have foul-smelling fruit).
2. Blackgum (Black Tupelo, Sourgum–Nyssa sylvatica): Native, 50- to -75-foot tree tolerating wet sites as well as droughty sites. Choose cultivars with outstanding red fall color: ‘Wildfire’; ‘Red Rage’; ‘Firestarter’.
3. Willow Oak (Quercus phellos): Tough (50- to 75-foot) shade tree with slender three- to five-inch leaves that blow away in the fall (so no raking hassle).
My runners up would be American Hornbeam, Atlas Cedar, Crepe Myrtle, and Zelova.
Plant deciduous trees now through frost. Just recognize that newly planted trees with reduced root systems require daily watering. After two weeks, decrease watering to twice a week, then once a week through Thanksgiving.
There’s also a tree you must remove this fall. Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus) is a weedy invasive tree that looks like black walnut but supports the loathsome Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). Adult SLFs are congregating now to feed and breed on this tree. Yet, if you just chop it down, multiple new trees regrow from the roots.
Instead, treat less-than 10-foot trees with a non-selective herbicide now (through mid-October). For larger trees, apply a non-selective herbicide to downward-angled cuts spaced evenly around the stem. Wait 30 days to remove dead trees. (Google: “Controlling Tree-of-Heaven”). Good luck.
ELDER LIFE
Navigating Your Life’s Next Chapter
COMING THIS FALL
Welcome to ELDER LIFE, your ultimate guide to navigating the exciting next chapter of your life!
ELDER LIFE is more than just a publication, it’s your trusted companion as you embark on new adventures and opportunities. Whether you’re exploring healthcare options, considering living arrangements, or seeking out social activities, we’ve got you covered!
We’re all about making life easier for you and your loved ones. Say goodbye to decision overwhelm— ELDER LIFE simplifies the process so you can focus on what matters most: living life to the fullest!
But wait, there’s more! We’re not just here to provide information; we’re here to build a vibrant community. Get ready to dive into local events, discover exciting services, and connect with likeminded individuals. Let’s turn the page together and embrace the joy of community engagement, social interaction, and endless possibilities!
This is your audience! Space is limited – call today to reserve your ad space.
a dose of satire
Each issue Kenneth Buckler offers a satirical look at some aspect of Washington County. This time he looks at summer construction in Hagerstown.
HAGERSTOWN MOAT A REMINDER OF CITY’S POSSIBLE EXTRATERRESTRIAL ORIGINS
One of the more interesting features of Hagerstown is a 1.3-mile structure commonly referred to as the “Hagerstown Moat,” adorned with stonework and even ornamental spikes. Often, you’ll see this moat filled with water, especially after a long rainstorm. This has even led to wild conspiracy theories that the moat leads to tunnels and a complete underground society living beneath Hagerstown.
Many locals remain baffled as to the true purpose of the moat, but finally the truth will be revealed. Recent research has come to light that the moat may indeed be the unfinished surroundings of an intended medieval castle pre-dating Hagerstown by approximately 400 years.
Historians and archeologists have been puzzled by the recent carbon dating of organic material found in the Hagerstown moat during recent construction of the field house, showing that the moat was possibly built between 1275 and 1350 AD. While this small splinter of wood could possibly have come from a fallen tree which never fully decomposed, it is also quite possible that this piece of wood was from the original bracing used to build the moat, making the moat much older than is currently believed.
But you might ask, how would this be possible, since Columbus didn’t discover the Americas until 1492? The answer is simple. Aliens.
From 10,000-year-old cave drawings to Egyptian hieroglyphs to the mid 20th century Project Blue Book, we have documented visitors from other plants helping to develop our society and inspiring the
construction of massive buildings and societies. The medieval moat and society which predated Hagerstown is further proof that these visitors from other planets have influenced our society.
But the moat never circled all of Hagerstown, and there is no castle built in Hagerstown (although 170 W. Washington St. might look like one). So what happened?
One theory is that the extraterrestrials realized they had made a mistake, that humans weren’t supposed to be building such structures on this part of the world, and quickly halted construction. Another theory is that some catastrophe fell upon the civilization, for example the accidental introduction of a non-native species destroying the local ecosystem, such as the spotted lanternfly or maybe even alligators.
A further speculative theory regarding the abandonment of the moat is that the society building it was in fact time travelers who meant to build the structure at the site of Stonehenge, but due to the Earth’s rotation their arrival was off by a few hours of when they intended to arrive.
The true origins of the Hagerstown moat may never be revealed, but we have many theories available to choose from. One final theory to consider is that maybe, just maybe, the moat was built for stormwater drainage. But perhaps like many of the great mysteries of this world, we’ll never know the full truth of the past. .
No archaeologists were abducted by time traveling extraterrestrials while writing the article. This is a satire article by Ken Buckler.
