Frederick Faces 2023

frederick fAceS

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Frederick is a community full of interesting faces.

Who are the people in your neighborhood, at the shops you visit, the agencies you rely upon, and behind the scenes at the businesses you frequently use?

Though these faces are familiar, many times, we don’t stop to notice the people behind the vital parts of our lives.

Inside the pages of Frederick Faces, we aim to give you an up close look at many of the fascinating faces that make Frederick County, Maryland such an amazing place to live, work and visit.

Our writers and photographers visited local industry leaders and agency representatives to learn about how they work and what they do to make Frederick special. Each photo and story inside these pages will give you a glimpse into businesses, medical offices or agencies, highlighting what makes them tick.

Frederick Faces is a free annual publication of Pulse Publishing, LLC. Customer inquiries should be directed to Pulse Publishing, LLC, 12 S. Market Street, Suite 101, Frederick, MD 21701. All contents of this publication are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part for any reason without prior consent of the publisher.

For information about appearing in an upcoming issue of Frederick Faces, please contact Donna Elbert at 301-662-6050, ext. 11, email donna@pulsepublishing.net.

Pulse Publishing, LLC | 12 S. Market Street, Suite 101, Frederick, MD 21701 p. 301-662-6050

Frederick Faces is an annual sponsored publication that is exclusive –we feature only one person, company or agency per category.

There’s a little bit of everything in Frederick Faces. Turn the page to see the story behind the Frederick faces you know, and discover the stories behind the ones you haven’t yet met.

Donna Elbert donna@pulsepublishing.net

Molly Fellin Spence molly@pulsepublishing.net DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Gabby Mongeau gabby@pulsepublishing.net EDITOR/WRITER Ellyn Wexler WRITER Gina Gallucci-White PHOTOGRAPHY

Sean Reel Jessica Latos David Spence Christina Miller GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ana Lazo Eastep

Molly Fellin Spence, Executive Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

34 Agave 137 Tequila Bar & Kitchen 15 ArtistAngle Gallery 46 Brian Hall, DDS 47 Britain Weyant Videography 39 BSG Law 35 Cellar Door Restaurant 30 City of Brunswick 25 Clustered Spires Golf Club 20 Convoy Creatives 18 Danielle Leonard, State Farm Insurance 6 Dream House Furniture & Design 21 Edgeworks Knife and Supply 31 Frederick County Economic Development and Workforce Services 48 Frederick County Humane Society 26 Frederick Pediatric Associates 50 HeartFields Assisted Living at Frederick 43 Higher Ground Financial Group, Inc. 28 Holtzople Heating and Air Conditioning 7 Hood College 33 Hot Fired Arts 45 Housing Frederick 32 Kika Stretch Studios 24 Law Office of Lena A. Clark, LLC 38 Menocal Family Practice 42 Mobile Community Healthcare Program 16 Molly's Meanderings 40 Northgate Fire & Rescue 5 Right at Home 27 Sage Cakery 44 Sean Reel Photography 49 The Art of Beauty 8 The City of Frederick Parks & Recreation Department 14 The Dapper DJs 36 The Deibler Home Team 12 WLR Automotive Group 10 Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre 22 Westview Promenade

IN HOME CARE

Right At Home

Right at Home is a family affair. And once Steve and Carole Luber researched the business and met its founder, Alan Hager, almost 20 years ago, they knew its mission — delivering the highest quality of essential care to people in their homes — was a perfect fit for them.

The business spoke to their personal experience. At the time, Steve and Carole Luber were “still reeling” from the difficulty of finding quality in-home care for their own parents who were facing illness and aging issues.

The Lubers now have Right at Home offices in Frederick, Carroll, Howard, and Washington counties. The business is truly a family treasure. All three of the couple’s adult children share their parents’ passion for helping people age at home. Mary Beth Burns, the Lubers’ oldest daughter, is the Business Development Manager in the Howard County office; Tricia Luber, their middle child, is the Office Manager and Client Care Manager in the Frederick Office, and their youngest child, Steven Luber, is the Business Development Manager in the Hagerstown Office. Linda Luber King, Steve Luber’s first cousin, is the Chief Operating Officer.

Steve, known for being a funny guy and quick with the one liners says” we are not super serious people, we have a lot of fun at work and at home, but we are profoundly serious about the quality of care we provide our clients. They, (our clients) along with our caregivers, are everything”. Right at Home is known to be a generous employer, retaining many employees who have been with them from the beginning.” I’m a big believer in The Golden Rule” Steve says. “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” Carole adds that “this is a very heartfelt endeavor for me. More than a business” The Husband and wife duo now is a family business and the Lubers love having their grown children part of this legacy.

Right at Home provides expertly trained and skill-certified aides anywhere people need one-on-one care–in their homes or assisted living or nursing facilities, even hospitals. Their services may include bathing, dressing, personal care, medication administration, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation. Care is available around the clock, including weekends and holidays.

Right at Home operates 24/7. “When you call, day or night, you get a live person and an on-call employee who is on duty to help,” Carole said.

Carole explains that “our service benefits both patients and their families. Staff members often help “families overwhelmed with having to make complex decisions, and faced with many difficult choices; especially when unexpected emergencies and hospitalizations arise, or they’re being told a loved one has a terminal illness,”

“Our managers and nurses make sure proper plans of care are put into place by working closely with our clients. Staff members find appropriate and qualified caregivers to ensure the best care possible to suit each individual’s needs,” she added.

In addition, Luber said, “Our office staff and caregivers frequently become the eyes and ears for family members who live out of town, and need to rely on someone trustworthy and compassionate to be there for their family members.”

The Lubers now employ about 30 full-time office staff and managers, including four full-time registered nurses, more than 300 part- and full-time caregivers, and five team members who handle calls on evenings and weekends. Many of these employees have been with the Lubers from the start.

Luber said her family and the Right at Home staff derive great satisfaction from their work. “When a family member calls or sends a note to express their gratitude for their loved one’s high quality of care, it’s a feeling second to none.”

The Luber family is Right at Home with their family legacy of caring and leadership.

340 E. Patrick St., Suite 103 • 301-696-1122 • rightathome.net/central-maryland

INTERIORS

Dream House Furniture & Design

The owners of Dream House Furniture & Design named their business appropriately. Cassandra Vaira and Wendy Flynn use their expertise and experience to help realize the unique vision of every client by creating living spaces that are beautiful, comfortable, fun — and yes, dreamy.

Vaira opened the original store with her mother, Bonnie Kratovil, 18 years ago in Charles Town, West Virginia. Interior Design was a new career for both women; Kratovil had been a lawyer and a judge, and Vaira’s background was in science and public health. “We jumped into a whole new arena,” Vaira recalled, noting that she and her mother shared a natural affinity for design. They hired Flynn who had worked as an Interior Designer for over 25 years.

Nearly 11 years ago, we decided to move the business to a space in historic downtown Frederick. “We thought it would be a better fit for our store, a wonderful opportunity,” Vaira said. “At the time, though, Patrick Street was the end of the end. Now it’s so busy with so many different businesses. I’ve loved watching downtown grow and change.” With the move, Flynn became a full partner.

Rounding out the “small, capable, dynamic team” are Interior Designer Mary Beutler and hands-on coordinator Andie Dennis. “We challenge each other, and

get along well; we are like family,” Vaira said, noting that they are growing and are hiring a junior designer.

Dream House’s 3,500-square-foot showroom displays a variety of vignette-like settings – “arrangements of chairs, sofas, rugs, lighting, art and accessories, lots of eclectic things to look at, try out, and get inspiration from,” Vaira said.

“We are definitely not all gray and white, or absolute. The options are unlimited,” she added. “We do like to push our clients’ boundaries a little, but we work with them to create the design. It’s all about what makes them happy.”

Dream House’s full-service furniture and design services can be for a single room or a whole house. Vaira said they are “extremely busy” right now and enjoy being a brick-and-mortar retailer rather than just online, getting to experience the products in the flesh. The team connects with clients all over the metropolitan area, mostly from Frederick, but also from Montgomery and Loudon counties and the District. “Day visitors to Downtown Frederick stumble on the store, and see that it is different, unique, that we offer curated home décor. Instead of disposable cookie-cutter furniture, we deal exclusively with medium- to highend investment pieces that are stylish and of excellent quality.” 102

Hood College

Chuck Mann, who retired from his position as Hood College’s vice president for finance and treasurer in June, has devoted his 43-year career to higher education.

It all started at Texas Christian University, where he earned a bachelor of business administration degree in finance, intending to work in banking or investment. “At that time in my life, I was unaware of the business side of higher education,” he said.

Mann’s first post-college job was as financial manager for the nonprofit American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. “My boss encouraged me to consider working at a college or university,” he said. “The rest is history.

Mann proceeded to various management positions at Gallaudet University, associate vice president for finance at The Catholic University of America, and senior vice president for finance and administration at Connecticut’s University of Saint Joseph. “Missing the mid-Atlantic region, where I had spent a significant portion of my life, I decided to join Hood College in 2010,” he said. He described Hood as “one of the best higher education communities I have ever been a part of.”

As vice president for finance, Mann said, “I oversaw the allocation of the institution’s financial, human, facility, and information technology resources. More specifically, I provided leadership for the accounting, treasury, endowment management, budget, human resources, capital construction, maintenance, risk management and insurance, information technology, and auxiliary (i.e., food services and bookstore) functions.”

Mann identified his “greatest accomplishment” during his 12-year tenure at Hood as “working with my colleagues to ensure Hood College had the resources to fulfill its mission, and provide students with an outstanding educational experience.” Additional achievements he specified were: “Hood’s finances were strengthened; the endowment grew significantly; we constructed a new athletic center and a new residence hall; we renovated several academic and residential facilities; we developed a compensation system to better attract quality faculty and staff; and we upgraded the technology infrastructure.”

He will continue to teach at Hood. “Teaching students, either in the classroom or through internships, has provided great joy,” Mann said. “Throughout my career, I have enjoyed periodically teaching an economics class. It allowed me to better understand what the faculty experienced in the classroom, and it offered me the opportunity to engage more directly with students.” This fall, he will continue to teach an introduction to macroeconomics course, and will take on a first-year seminar on personal finances.

“As long as the faculty will have me, I will continue to teach, Mann said. “I find it very rewarding to show students the importance of economics, and how they will use theconcepts in their personal and professional lives.”

In addition to his career in education, Mann is active in the Frederick community, where he and his wife plan to remain. He is “honored” to serve on the boards of Heritage Frederick and the Rotary Club of Frederick. Volunteer work is “just part of my DNA,” Mann said. “When my children were young, I coached their various sports teams. Now, I try to give back using my business knowledge.”

Retiring from his administrative position at Hood will allow Mann to “pursue other interests such as spending time with my grandchildren, playing golf, and traveling.”

401 Rosemont Ave., Frederick 301-663-3131 • hood.edu

HIGHER EDUCATION

The City of Frederick Parks & Recreation Department

A trio of City of Frederick Parks & Recreation Department experts –soon to become a quartet – is on a mission. Their goal is to provide “for diverse recreational opportunities and amenities that enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors to the City of Frederick through the creation, operation, and maintenance of a comprehensive parks and recreation department.”

For 80-plus years, the department has provided affordable quality programs for the young and young at heart. It operates five facilities where participants may enjoy offerings focused on sports, fitness, and leisure.

The William R. Talley Recreation Center is a state-of-the-art facility featuring a wide variety of exercise equipment including ellipticals, Concept II rowing machines, stair climbers, and upright bicycles. The center is open 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Annual, semi-annual, and monthly memberships are available for purchase.

The building, nestled beside Baker Park, dates back to 1913 when it was built for the Maryland National Guard. Featuring medieval fortifications, the site is on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was converted to its current use as a community and meeting center in 2001 by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Superintendent of Recreation Sean Poulin, along with Supervisors of Recreation Catherine Effland and Alex Garipay, manage all the programs. They are in the process of adding a third supervisor.

Poulin, formerly a supervisor, took on his new position on July 1; he has been with the department for almost six years, so the process of building relationships was well in place. He works on the department’s shared goals and mission, and expanding its range. In addition to Effland and Garipay, he oversees youth, adult sports, and camps.

Effland’s area is marketing and membership; she manages the Talley Fitness Center, park reservations program registration, facility reservation desk, and rentals at the Bentz Street facility. With nearly 10 years on staff, she also oversees the department’s social media, marketing, and advertising. She is planning new programming — environmental outreach and education — which she expects to be in full operation by spring 2023.

Garipay, a three-year department veteran, is hands-on with day- to day programming, in charge of the five recreation centers — Lincoln, Butterfly Ridge, and Whittier elementary schools, Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle, and Trinity. While her primary duty is organizing the thousands of renters who use the facilities every year for a wide variety of events such as youth and adult sports, she also serves as volunteer coordinator for the department’s nonprofit Celebrate Frederick, movie nights at the park, creating brochures. Having taken on many of the duties for which the third supervisor will be responsible, she eagerly anticipates the arrival of the new supervisor.

To learn more about programs and activities offered, call 301-6001450, visit www.cityoffrederickmd.gov or register online at www. cityoffrederickmd.gov/webtrac.

121 N. Bentz St., Frederick • 301-600-1450

CityOfFrederickMD.gov

PARKS & RECREATION

DINNER THEATRES

Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre

Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre’s goal is to give audiences what they want to see. Especially postpandemic, said Justin Kiska, the organization’s president and managing director, “people just want to be entertained. We give them a magical evening where they can forget about the outside world.”

As such, Way Off Broadway is “your ticket to Broadway in Mid- Maryland,” he added. “We do five mainstage Broadway-style productions a year – classic drama, comedy, and musicals, even some original works – a little bit of everything for every taste,” Kiska said. A two-hour dinner buffet precedes every performance, enhancing the value of the full evening experience. The group also presents special events, including an interactive murder mystery series, “Breakfast with Santa (and Mrs. Claus),” and a surprise or two.

The former Keynote Dinner Theater, founded in late 1990, became Way Off Broadway in 1995. When Justin’s father, Bill, was looking for a post-9/11 alternative to his travel industry career, he learned that the theater where he and his sons had worked in various capacities in the past was on the market. The Kiskas took the reins in early 2002.

The business remains a family affair, with Bill presiding as executive producer and chief executive officer; matriarch Deb as general manager and chief financial officer; and son Trey as associate producer and occasional actor. Rounding out the management team are artistic director and resident musical director Jordan B. Stocksdale, who Justin considers “a second brother.” Bill and Justin Kiska, along with Stocksdale, go through the complex process of putting each season together, narrowing a master list of everyone’s suggestions, including those gleaned from audience surveys, and checking with agents to see which productions are available. The 2023 season will kick off with “Camelot,” which Justin noted, “not everyone can go to New York to see it.” A “smaller” musical comedy, “Church Basement Ladies,” “which our community has been asking for,” he said, will follow in the spring.

The summer, “always a little tricky because of vacations,” has to be a “big-name draw,” Justin said. This time, it will be the “big, bright, fun ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.’” For the fall, Way Off Broadway will present the area premiere of the musical comedy, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” “It’s a dark comedy, unique in that one actor plays 12 characters,” Justin said.

The season’s fifth production is always an original family Christmas show. Justin, also the author of Way Off Broadway’s special two-weekend interactive murder mystery shows as well as the Parker City Mystery Series of novels, has written most of the holiday productions. But the hottest ticket of the year is always the most family-friendly, “Breakfast with Santa (and Mrs. Claus),” featuring the ever-popular Trey Kiska, who has joyfully played the role of Jingles the Elf for the last 20 years.

Willowtree Plaza, 5 Willowdale Drive, Frederick • 301-662-6600 wayoffbroadway.com

AUTOMOTIVE CARE

WLR Automotive Group

WLR Automotive Group recently celebrated 35 years in business. Randall Simpson and his then-business partner bought their first quick lube center, on Frederick's Route 40 in 1987. The business model, which applied quick oil changes, where no appointments are necessary and allows customers to remain in their vehicles during service, appealed to Simpson. During the ensuing 35 years, the company expanded to include additional businesses – lube centers, auto spas, auto spa expresses, and auto repairs. In 2012, Simpson bought out his partner, and became the company’s president and chief executive officer.

For the past decade, WLR has pursued an aggressive growth pattern, starting with 12 employees to now boasting more than 450. Additionally, the company has serviced more than 9.5 million vehicles. WLR has 32 locations located throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania. Frederick is the base of the company, comprising seven of the locations and the corporate office.

The key to WLR’s longevity, Simpson observed, is making sure the customer’s experience is every employee’s top priority. When visiting the various locations, he often sees both customers and staff smiling and engaged in the service experience. “There is a lot of passion for what we do,” he said.

With the current inflation and supply chain issues making both new and used car buying more expensive, Simpson understands people would like to maintain their current vehicles. “If you put a little

bit of money into the preventative maintenance of your car, you will save thousands of dollars down the road, because you don’t have to buy a new car or do major repairs on your existing car,” he said.

WLR celebrated its anniversary in three special ways that benefitted employees, vendors, and customers. “Our community is the heart of who we are, and we strive to always make it better,” Simson explained. All WLR locations were closed for two days during Labor Day weekend, allowing employees to attend festivities in Ocean City. “This gives us a chance to get to know each other a little better while having a great time,” Simpson said. WLR also hosted its first “WLR Open Tournament” last fall for valued vendors at the Maryland National Golf Club.

“The third and most important event is our 35K Giving for Good,” said Simpson, during which WLR gave $35,000 to local charitable organizations. “We could not think of a better way to show our appreciation to our customers than to give back to our communities,” Simpson said.

Simpson hopes customers share their feelings about WLR’s high-quality service by word of mouth, as well as online. “If we’ve done our job right, then successfully, if customers would be willing to take a moment to say, ‘that was a really good experience,’” he said, “that is our goal.”

More about WLR Automotive Group’s 35th Anniversary https://www.washluberepair.com/35-anniversary/

The Dapper DJs

Since then, the business has been growing every year, “and we’ve been making friends everywhere we go.”

Sincevich’s mother nurtured Alex’s interest in jazz and Big Band music by playing classic records on her Victrola in the family home and took him to summer jazz concerts at Hood College. “I loved Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey and Glen Miller,” he recalled.

During his school years, Sincevich studied trumpet and briefly played in a jazz band. In 2011, he was working as a DJ spinning contemporary music, and was a bit short on cash, so he came up with an idea for a Christmas gift he knew his mother would appreciate.

The self-described “tinkerer with a love for music and electronics” proceeded to repair her broken Victrola record player.

After witnessing the delight that the refurbished record player brought to Alex and his mother, Sincevich’s wife, Jen, helped him develop the concept that “turned the table” on his DJ business.

They added classic records and record players as well as vintage attire to the shows. “What I eventually found was that it felt more authentic to me, feeling more like myself and not trying to be like any other DJ,” Sincevich said.

The Dapper DJs travel within a 100-mile radius of Frederick, “showing up to your wedding, soirée, corporate or private event ready to provide hours of entertainment.”

Sincevich works with clients to choose the best match from among the nine DJs whose photos and background descriptions are posted on The Dapper DJs website.

“We welcome potential clients to reach out and chat about their needs and wants, to identify their music sensibilities, so we can pair them up for the best chemistry,” Sincevich said. “We want every client to work with someone they can trust and be proud of to create their ideal experience.”

Every client has access to a portal to select music for their event, where The Dapper DJs will “play the right song at the right time to match the energy of the room,” Sincevich said.

“The client can be fully present with their guests. They don’t have to worry about what is going on in the background. They have hired professionals to show them a great time on their behalf.”

Alex Sincevich credits two women for The Dapper DJs, the unique music business he founded in 2011— his mother and his wife.

FRAME SHOP AND GALLERY

ArtistAngle Gallery

At ArtistAngle Gallery, custom framing means high quality, not high expense.

This statement is the backbone − or framework − that the gallery was built upon nearly 15 years ago. Owner and founder Jennifer Elveton has never wavered in her belief that excellent design, impeccable quality and personal service should be the standard.

“We’ve offered competitive pricing ever since we opened our doors,” Elveton said. And that level of service and design has kept clients coming back for framing projects for years.

“The Frederick community is like no other. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people and local businesses over the years. Even when it seemed the world was coming apart at the seams, clients would call and check on me to make sure not only was the business OK, but that I was OK,” Elveton said.

Through the gallery’s repeat customers, referrals, trust and patience, Elveton has started to expand the business. Her team now includes a full-time framer, Ashley Krzanowski, and second design consultant, Tammy O’Connor. Expansion of her original location at 124 S. Carroll St. is complete and a second location alongside the Imagination Center on Church Street now offers specialty printing and moulding options.

ArtistAngle’s custom frame shop has also extended its beautiful selection of wood and metal mouldings to include the top seven frame vendors in the industry. A custom woodshop will be added in the coming months.

Visit Elveton and her team at the ArtistAngle Gallery for your next custom framing project, where all work is completed in-house and every client receives detailed, personal attention.

124 S. Carroll St., Frederick • 240-285-3758 • theartistangle.com

Painting in photo by Rebecca Pearl

BOUTIQUES

Molly’s Meanderings

Leslie Atanasoff, owner

Walking into Molly’s Meanderings, a unique boutique in the heart of Downtown Frederick’s shopping district, is like walking into your best friend’s fabulous closet, filled with stylish clothes and stunning accessories.

Whether you’re looking for a great-fitting outfit for a special event such as a wedding or reunion or just want to find a pair of perfect-fitting jeans, the expert staff at Molly’s can help you look and feel your best.

“We are really good at determining what kind of fit is going to work best for you and what brand is going to work,” said owner Leslie Atanasoff. “Most women hate doing that, and we love to help.”

The focus at Molly’s Meanderings is on American and European-made clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, scarves and other fabulous finds. The boutique has also long been home to a Brighton jewelry boutique-within-a-boutique, a rarity in the region.

The boutique carries a wide array of brands, including several lines of linen clothing made in Italy, as well as a best-selling line of dresses designed by Samuel Dong.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, you look like a million bucks in his dresses,” Atanasoff said.

The staff at Molly’s Meanderings wants to help all women to feel fabulous and comfortable, and will work with you to select beautiful clothing that makes you feel confident and creative.

“We’d love to help you create your own personal style, even if you feel like you don’t have one,” Atanasoff says.

No matter what you walk in to Molly’s Meanderings looking for, you’re sure to walk out with a bag full of fabulous to keep for yourself or gift to a lucky woman in your life.

Leonard, State Farm Insurance

Danielle Leonard and her State Farm Insurance team are there for clients during their best of times – getting married, buying a new piece of jewelry, or a new home – as well as their worst of times – as a result of a car accident or a house fire. “It is very rewarding to be able to help people in those capacities,” Leonard said. “It is a very rewarding feeling that you are making a difference.”

This is Leonard’s 16th year of serving the Frederick community as a State Farm agent. She recently insured a young driver who was in a baby carrier the first time she met her, and marvels at how fast time flies. She is grateful to clients that have stayed with her and the team through the years, and feels great privilege in being a part of their lives. State Farm’s corporate office celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022.

Leonard was a summer intern at State Farm in Frederick while studying business at Towson University. After graduation, she returned to State Farm, and took on various roles, including training area agents and their teams. Attracted mostly to the business aspect, she decided to become an agent in 2007.

The Frederick team help clients navigate through a variety of life events, such as starting a business, damage to their home, accidents, and life insurance options. “It really is a family atmosphere,” Leonard said. “We all pitch in when we need to, and are willing to literally go the mile to support each other and our customers.”

Although a large company backs them, the branch is a small locally-owned business. When clients call, they can expect to talk directly to her or a team member who is based in Frederick — and not passed around on an 800 number. “If people are interested in shopping local and supporting someone small, then I want that choice to be my team,” Leonard said. “I want to leave Frederick County a little better than I found it for future generations.”

Giving back is a priority for Leonard who is a board member for Habitat for Humanity Frederick County and an active member of ImpactClub, the Frederick Chamber of Commerce, and the Frederick County Association of Realtors. She donates annually to the Clutch the Future fundraising auction for Women to Women Mentoring, and is a Good Samaritan for Frederick Health.

Pictured from left to right: Jacqueline Chaney, Jamie Knofczynski, Melissa Poole, Danielle Leonard, Grace Debord-Cisneros, Luis Morales Cabrera, Karen Burns, Litzy Arevalo

1090 W. Patrick St., Suite C, Frederick 301-695-5244 • danielleleonard.com

Danielle

DIGITAL MARKETING

Convoy Creatives

Chris Martin provides his clients with the same high level of expertise he used to launch his own business. Early in 2022, the 36-year-old Frederick native established Convoy Creatives to formalize the social media, digital marketing, and design work he had been doing for a decade. “My freelance jobs multiplied to the point that they blossomed into a business,” Martin said. “I started with one or two clients a month. Right now, I have 15.”

Why choose the name Convoy? In the military context, the word suggests a group traveling together for mutual support and protection. “That’s the relationship I like to have with my clients,” Martin explained. “We work together to meet goals.”

Martin knows that every business is different and each business owner has unique goals.

“Some want top-to-bottom marketing, including maintenance and development of their social media presence, and maximizing their digital marketing – which involves engaging with their followers, and tracking analytics,” he said. “Others may just want me to design an eye-catching label for a new or existing product or brand, an album cover, or a T-shirt.”

Martin prefers to take meetings with potential clients face-to-face, so both parties can evaluate whether the relationship will work. “If we both think it’s a good fit, I proceed to create a plan based on what I’ve heard. I find that most clients know intuitively what they need,” he said.

convoycreatives@gmail.com

“I especially like being involved with a business that is about to open, or one that has been around forever,” Martin said. “It’s never too early or too late to reach a broader audience, expand your brand, rebrand, or modernize to enter the digital age.”

Martin built his expertise through hands-on experience. As a freshman at Frederick Community College, he studied graphic design. He left school to work in the music industry, spending a dozen years touring – primarily as bassist, but also handling his band’s public relations and design needs. Other bands invited him to create artwork for their own albums and T-shirts.

A Chamber of Commerce member, Martin prefers to work with Frederick County businesses who share his love of the community. Five percent of Convoy Creatives’ monthly sales go to Martin’s alma mater, Ballenger Creek Elementary School.

“The funds go to families and students who can’t afford to pay for lunch. I’ve got them covered,” he said.

At quarterly Impact Club meetings, he said, each member donates $100 and votes for one of three nonprofit organization presenters that will receive the total money. In addition, Martin is a newly-appointed member of the board of directors for Housing Frederick, “a nonprofit resource for the housing continuum in Frederick County that will develop partnerships to solve community challenges better served through a united effort.”

When it comes to fine cutlery, knives and darts, Sean Norris has a sharp edge. Not only has he owned Edgeworks Knife and Supply in Downtown Frederick for 14 years, but also he worked in the store before that. Norris bought the business when the original owner retired.

Norris started out with only a mild interest in knives, but has acquired extensive knowledge and an enhanced fascination with them in the 21 years he has worked at Edgeworks.

“It was primarily just a job while I went to college,” said the lifelong area resident. Norris studied computer science at Frederick Community College and also took a few accounting classes, which have been useful in his business career, he says.

Edgeworks “has grown quite a bit” under his ownership, with an “expanded customer base and inventory,” Norris said. He attributes the boost to a little more marketing and positive word-of-mouth.

Another contributing factor, he said, has been an online store launched at the start of the pandemic. “The timing was coincidental,” he said. “We had been planning to go live later in the month. It worked out well.”

Norris offered advice to people interested in purchasing knives. “The knife should have a shape that suits the task it is intended for. It should

be made of quality materials, and comfortable to hold and use. It should look nice, and be affordable, too.”

Edgeworks’ Downtown Collection line of kitchen knives has been a bestseller since its debut four years ago. Norris helped create the line, choosing blade and handle shapes, materials and patterns. The cutting edge of the fishbone-pattern Damascus blade has excellent slicing ability and isn’t difficult to sharpen, and its handles are made of a durable woven type of fiberglass. The line comes with a lifetime warranty and free in-store sharpening.

Keeping cutlery sharp is important for safety, Norris said. Higher-end companies “spend a lot of time engineering balance points and shapes to maximize efficiency, so not only does it stay sharp longer, but it feels more natural and is easier to use,” he explained. “It cuts better, lasts longer, and is more comfortable.”

Edgeworks offers in-store professional sharpening as well as guidance on self-sharpening. Norris’ advises sharpening “when you think you need it.” The store also carries a vast array of darts, dart boards and related accessories.

Westview Promenade

If you’re in the market for one-stop upscale shopping, dining, personal care, or entertainment, Frederick’s Westview Promenade should be your destination.

The 200,000-square-foot open-air shopping center, owned and managed by Hill Management Services, Inc., is conveniently located at the intersection of Route 85 and Crestwood Boulevard, just off Interstate 270.

With ample parking spaces, the pedestrian-friendly center features a wide variety of head-to-toe fashion at Chico’s, Jos. A. Bank, Loft, Francesca’s, White House Black Market, Soma Intimates and Comfort One Shoes.

Dining options range from quick-stop options at McDonald’s, Noodles & Company, Panda Express, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Poke

Bowl; to all-day breakfast at IHOP; pick-me-up fare at Chatime, Kulfi Ice Cream & Treats, and Starbucks; to casual sit-down dining at MOD Pizza, T.G.I. Friday’s, Thai Table, and Matsutake Sushi & Steak.

Pick up healthy fare at MOM’s Organic Market, where organic produce, sustainable seafood, and natural remedies and cosmetics abound. And Olive & Basket offers fine food and gifts, such as oils, vinegars, herbs, and mixes.

Several excellent options for relaxing and personal care are also available. Sola Salons features cosmetology professionals including hairstylists and barbers, estheticians, and nail technicians; Nail Trix offers full-service nail care and waxing; and Evolve Med Spa’s services include skin rejuvenation, body contouring, and injectable treatments.

SHOPPING/DINING/ENTERTAINMENT

For a unique workout, there’s Pure Barre Fitness Studio, which teaches how to use a ballet barre to perform small, isometric movements that work each muscle group and features Lululemon and other premier fitness fashion brands in their retail boutique.

Champion Billiards Sports Cafe combines lunch, dinner and cocktails with games of billiards, and televised sports.

Want to see a first-run movie? Do it in comfort at one of Regal Cinemas Westview’s 16 stadium-style theaters featuring an IMAX auditorium; a 4DX immersive cinematic experience is coming soon.

But that’s not all. There’s even more at Westview Promenade: A LensCrafters to fill your vision needs, The UPS Store for printing, packaging shipping, mailbox service, passport photos and notary

services; and a convenient PNC Bank location, as well as a Bank of America kiosk. Coming soon to Westview Promenade is F45 Training and Firebirds Woodfired Grill!

Free concerts on the Promenade take place monthly, from May through October. One of the best spots in the promenade is a centrally located fountain, where patrons can soak up the sun, snack, and mingle on temperate days. During late fall and early winter, the area is transformed into a holiday wonderland where shoppers stop for selfies in front of a giant fall display for the annual fall festival event held in October of each year and from November through the New Year for the annual Santa Visit and Toys for Tots event held each November and December.

5223 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick • shopwestview.com

ESTATE PLANNING

Law Office of Lena A. Clark, LLC

There are two certainties in life: death and taxes. Our lives are finite, and sometimes end unpredictably. Perhaps the best way to alleviate anxiety about such dismal realities is to plan ahead and do the legal work necessary to ensure all is in order for our loved ones.

The Law Office of Lena A. Clark, LLC helps clients make the processes of Estate Planning and Probate easy and as painless as possible.

Attorney Lena (pronounced LAY-na) Clark, who opened her downtown Frederick office in 2015, grew up in Estonia and has lived in the United States for 23 years. About eight years ago, she moved to Frederick from Northern Virginia.

“I was amazed at how beautiful Frederick is,” she recalled.

Clark started working in Trusts and Estates law in Washington, DC in 2004, before earning a Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

The firm’s practice focuses on preparation of last wills and testaments, trusts, special needs trusts, estate planning, trust and estate administration, family trust matters, and on related areas of federal and state tax laws involving transfers of family wealth to succeeding generations, and planning for after-death disposition of property. The law firm also works closely with fiduciaries handling probate, estate and trust administration matters.

Clark is proud of having created a “streamlined process of making a will,” the prospect of which is “dreadful to most people” due to the time, expense and psychological implications.

“When the documents have been prepared and executed, it’s like having insurance in place … and we make it easy and fast,” Clark said.

Give your relatives a gift of love and set up your estate plan as soon as possible.

129 W. Patrick St., #11, Frederick lenaclarklegal.com • 301-696-0567

Clustered Spires Golf Club

When looking for pristine courses at an affordable price, golfers would be hard pressed to find a better spot than the Clustered Spires Golf Club.

Owned by the City of Frederick, the 185-acre club is the first public golf course in the county. The facility, located about two miles outside Downtown Frederick, is open to all skill levels. It features an 18-hole course; a three-tier, all-natural turf tee area; a practice bunker; two practice putting greens; hitting mats; as well as a pro shop replete with anything a golfer might need for a day on the greens.

Serving the public for more than 30 years, the club’s name reflects the grouping of five distinct church steeples in the Frederick skyline. Whether working on lowering their handicap, or perfecting their form, guests will enjoy the club’s location; it’s close to the city while also providing a quiet refuge surrounded on three sides by the Monocacy River.

Guests may pay per visit, with discounts offered to City residents as well as seniors, women, juniors, and military. Folks coming after 4 p.m. for twilight hours also receive a lower rate. A yearly greens fee is available to those who plan on coming more frequently.

The club offers lessons – a single session or packages with multiple sessions -- to golfers who want to hone their skills. According to Scott Peterson, the club’s general manager and head golf professional, lessons can be a great investment for players, so they learn the proper fundamentals and techniques of the game. “It makes it more fun down the road,” he noted.

Peterson is self-taught; hard work and practice created his passion for the game. When instructing others to improve their game, he works with the unique attributes each player brings. Leading the facility since 2015, he oversees all golf course operations, camps, clinics, inventory, tournament operations, merchandise, grounds and greenkeeping operations, food and beverages, and a staff of more than 50 employees.

In June, the club hosted a Junior Golf Clinic that focused on skills for children, ages 7 to 17. Once a week for four weeks, Peterson met with 10 participants for an hour-long session. “[The clinic] teaches them sportsmanship, camaraderie, and competition at an early age,” he said. “My key to [keeping kids engaged] is to keep it positive for them, so they will stick to the game.”

The club also runs a snack bar to refresh golfers before, during, or after their day on the greens. The onsite eatery is a wonderful place to have a cocktail or a beer, a hot dog or a burger and fries, and most of all, to relax and recharge.

8415 Gas House Pike, Frederick 301-600-1295 • clusteredspiresgolf.com

Frederick Pediatric Associates

For more than 30 years, Frederick Pediatric Associates has provided quality, compassionate, patient-centered primary medical care for children, ages birth to 21. The practice has four convenient locations: two in Frederick, and one each in Mount Airy and Urbana, as well as a telemedicine option.

“Pediatrics is really different from family medicine or internal medicine,” said Dr. Brian Swinton. “A child is not a small adult. Treating a child is unlike treating an adult. Having the expertise, the knowledge, and the personality to care for children is definitely a unique thing. It is something, I think, that people are more born with than [something] they acquire.

“When I have [medical] students in, I always let them know that pediatrics is a calling. It is not something you aspire to do. It is just what you are — or are not. We try to make the children the center of what we do in terms of our interactions and treatments.”

Offering outpatient treatment, Frederick Pediatric sees children for regular well visits to assess their growth and other milestones, as well as for sick appointments. Staff also provide referrals to specialists when additional medical care is warranted. With the uptick in adolescent

behavioral health concerns since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, doctors are providing families with guidance in that sphere.

Frederick Pediatrics upgraded its patient portal during the past two years. Families can access a wealth of information from visits, including notes taken during the sessions, vitals, and immunization records. The portal also allows parents to submit questions to the providers and staff. About a year ago, the practice added a text system, so that families may text questions, request prescription refills, and make or change appointments.

The thing Dr. Swinton enjoys most about being a pediatrician is the continuous relationships built with patients and their families. In pediatrics, he has the advantage of seeing patients grow up over time, allowing for personal connection and interaction. Dr. Swinton feels it is important that parents and children who come to appointments with questions, leave the appointments with the answers they need and a clear plan as to what to do next. Families should feel comforted that they can contact the practice if the need arises or if something changes so they can work together for the ultimate care and happiness of the children.

87 Thomas Johnson Drive, #101, Frederick • 301-694-0606 6550 Mercantile Drive, #106, Frederick • 301-668-6347 1311 S. Main St., #304, Mt. Airy • 301-829-6146 3500 Campus Drive, #101, Urbana • 301-874-6107

BAKED GOODS

Sage Cakery

Sage Cakery owner Nikkie Byrd hopes her customers react to her baked creations with delight, that they leave the shop happier than when they came in. “That is my life goal,” she says. “I want people not only to love the product they are eating, (but also) the interaction they have with our team, our customer service. I just want it to be an overall joyful experience for people to have this bakery in the community.”

After two decades of baking and decorating cakes as a hobbyist, Byrd opened the Urbana-based artisan bake shop and cafe in May 2019. On staff are a two-time ‘Chopped’ winner as well a ‘Cake Hunters’ winner along with award-winning cake decorators and culinary school graduates.

Every dessert is baked entirely from scratch. Specializing in custom cakes for a variety of events, especially weddings, staff members may find inspiration for their sweet confections from the event’s theme or color palette. Collaborations between customer and staff offer a delicious way to match an event’s aesthetic, and bring the spirit of an event to life.

The business requests at least two weeks’ notice for its pre-designed options; four to six weeks for custom orders, and nine to 18 months for weddings. For those who need a cake faster, cakes are on hand in the shop daily – in addition to other sinfully delicious treats like cookies, cake pops, macarons, and cupcakes. Best-sellers include s’more bars, snickerdoodle apple pie cookie sandwiches, lemon bars and cookies, and ice cream sandwiches. Both vegan and gluten-free options are available.

Sage Cakery’s array of traditional flavor favorites includes vanilla, carrot cake, red velvet, cinnamon bun swirl, and almond. Unique flavors such as blackberry sage, orange ginger, peach coriander, apple cinnamon, and rosemary fig are on the menu as well. To accompany the sweets, locallyroasted artisan espresso is available as well.

Their environmentally-friendly practices include composting and recycling, and they use organic and non-GMO ingredients whenever possible. Strawberries, apples, honey, and pumpkins are among the products they buy from local farms. “We try really hard to be sustainable, and have a positive impact on our environment and our community,” Byrd says. They donate more than 100 cakes a year to the Urbana Food Bank to help children supported by the nonprofit.

In late summer, Sage Cakery will start holding workshops and classes onsite, for bakers of all skill levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Byrd has always wanted to offer educational opportunities for customers as a way to have fun with family and friends as well as learn something new. Workshop topics may include frosting cupcakes; the basics of buttercream frosting; creating buttercream flowers; and making unicorn cupcakes.

Folks may purchase Sage Cakery’s products at the Urbana store as well as at the Frederick-based Dublin Roasters, North Market Street Pop Shop, and Fetch Thrift Shop.

HEATING AND AIR

Holtzople Heating and Air Conditioning

Jerred and Vicki Holtzople, owners of Holtzople Heating and Air Conditioning, feel privileged when residential and commercial clients call their Emmitsburg-based company. They know how to help if mechanical issues in their home are making them uncomfortable, or when they are looking for ways to save money on utility bills.

The Holtzople team of nearly 50 staff members make service calls, and provide maintenance plans to keep heating and cooling systems operating efficiently, and make complete system replacements when necessary. They also provide a wide variety of indoor air quality products that have become increasingly popular during the past couple of years.

With a dedicated customer base, the company focuses on unparalleled customer service, and exceptional attention to detail in repairing, maintaining and/or installing systems. Their service area

includes Frederick, Carroll, and Washington counties in Maryland, as well as Adams and most of Franklin counties in Pennsylvania.

Holtzople's most popular services are: 24-hour emergency service, high efficiency system replacements including geothermal systems, and preventative maintenance checkups to keep systems running at optimal levels. The company carries the industry’s top name systems including Trane, Mitsubishi, Carrier, Daikin, Armstrong, Burnham, NTI and Ducane, and staff members receive training on installing and maintaining all these brands.

Jerred Holtzople noted that customers that have their systems maintained every six months, like manufacturers recommend, have fewer breakdowns and issues. The company offers a three-tiered planned maintenance agreement they call their Comfort Club, and there is a plan to fit everyone's budget. Regular scheduled

16424 Old Frederick Road, Emmitsburg (Main Showroom)

maintenance helps avoid system failures, keeps systems operating at peak efficiencies, and extends the life of equipment. Participants receive 24-hour priority response and 24/7/365 emergency service at the best possible rates, even during high-demand seasons.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air quality has become a common concern. Holtzople offers services to help purify the air, including air scrubbers, whole-house humidifiers, and high-efficiency media air cleaners. They also install smart home technology products like video doorbells, locks, and thermostats controlled through a cellphone app, as well as indoor and outdoor video cameras.

The family-owned and operated company celebrated 20 years of keeping homes cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and

comfortable in between in 2022, and treated their amazing staff and spouses to an employee appreciation weekend at a resort in Leesburg to help celebrate the milestone.

The dedication of Holtzople employees sets the business above others in the industry. The company’s prevailing philosophy—to lead rather than manage employees to succeed—and policies that ensure effective communication and support, keep employees happy to work there. At Holtzople, the average employee tenure is eight years, far longer than the industry standard.

Jerred and Vicki Holtzople hope their clients come away confident of having made an excellent decision in choosing a company whose owners and employees care about quality, and that they could not have gotten better service anywhere else.

SMALL TOWN LIVING

City of Brunswick

A whole lot of constructive projects are underway at Brunswick Main Street [BMS], as BMS Manager Carmen Hilton and City of Brunswick Economic Development Coordinator Julie Martorana forge ahead with big plans.

“We have so many irons in the fire,” Hilton said about the nonprofit organization whose mission is to revitalize downtown Brunswick while protecting its historic architecture and green spaces and strengthening its businesses. BMS is part of Main Street America, a National Trust for Historic Preservation program.

Hilton and Martorana work together to improve Brunswick’s economic and revitalization efforts. While Hilton focuses on the downtown district’s old and vacant buildings, most of Martorana’s work involves grants for the city.

Both attribute a big part of their success to Mayor Nathan Brown. “He’s an area native, knows everyone, and enlists the right people,” Martorana said. “He’s the perfect blend, balancing progressive ideas with historic perspectives.”

BMS faces a myriad of challenges. “Many aspects of economic revitalization and historic preservation often don’t come together, so we struggle to achieve a balance,” Hilton said. The pandemic made “the whole landscape” even more complex because “we couldn’t hold events for income.”

With federal money more readily available, “we want to make the most of it,” Martorana said. “We have to get water and wastewater to the new developments, and to attract new employers to move here.”

BMS received $300,000 to administer a program that will make its historic buildings more “lease-able,” Hilton noted. “Owners can apply for

grants to help get their historic buildings up to code – in terms of health, safety, viability and livability.” They secured $75,000 in state funding that can be used for façade items like new windows, HVAC, or a roof, or interior improvements.

A key BMS goal is to help make users of the area’s outdoor recreation –such as C&O Canal hikers and bikers – aware of the downtown businesses. Recent grants funded an architect to create renderings of what Brunswick’s Kaplon building could look like; an engineer to work on connecting downtown with the area’s natural resources; and the installation of parking lot lighting and a pedestrian crossing.

As a participant in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities [RERC] program, experts work with the Brunswick community to determine strategies and develop an action plan. “All this translates to economic development gains,” Hilton said. “It’s a cornerstone that ties all our efforts together, making sure we haven’t left out anything that will attract new residents and keep our current ones.”

To give visitors a reason to stay downtown, BMS added free concerts to the farmers’ markets held on the second and last Fridays of each month, May through September. They also initiated a program in which people purchase gift cards that can be used at participating downtown businesses. In the first 15 months of the program, $70,000 worth of gift cards were sold and about $45,000 have been redeemed at local businesses.

“Now, that’s economic development!” Hilton said.

8 N. Maple Ave., Brunswick • 301-834-7500, ext. 124 • brunswickmainstreet.org

WHERE PASSION DRIVES PROGRESS

Frederick County Economic Development and Workforce Services

A passionate team of economic development experts helps companies succeed in Frederick County. The growing, thriving, vibrant, and diverse area is ideal for starting, expanding, or relocating a business.

The leaders of the Frederick County Economic and Workforce Division — made up of the Frederick County Office of Economic Development (FCOED) and Frederick County Workforce Services (FCWS) — bring substantial experience and knowledge to the county’s economic and workforce development.

The four strong, professional women that lead these agencies champion Frederick County’s growth. For FCOED, they are Jodie Bollinger, Acting Executive Director; Katie Stevens, Director of Workforce Development and Agriculture Business, and Beth Woodring, Director of Business Attraction and Finance. Michelle Day serves as Director of FCWS.

Bollinger strives to make a positive difference in the business community by leading, connecting, and offering solutions to assist businesses interested in starting, expanding, or relocating in Frederick. Woodring’s passion is fostering and maintaining a strong relationship with clients based on trust, integrity, and commitment to outstanding customer service. Stevens is guided by a desire to help the business community continue to grow and diversify operations, and to ensure that agriculture remains a viable industry for the next generation of farmers. Day’s motivations are learning and public service. “I feel fortunate to lead a department that makes a difference for Frederick County residents and businesses,” she said.

Economic development encourages business and job growth, while workforce development ensures individuals have the education, skills, and training needed to get jobs. Together, the divisions work closely with Frederick County businesses and job seekers to remain and sustain a strong economic position in the region.

FCOED and FCWS go hand in hand, with FCOED both attracting and retaining businesses and FCWS working with the businesses to assist in getting the employees they need to be up and running, and providing training programs to enhance and retain the workforce.

Together, they have worked to attract, retain and grow our business community including such companies as Kite Pharma, Ellume, Kroger/Ocado, Costco eCommerce, Flying Dog Brewery and Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies. This team’s passion drives progress for Frederick County.

Pictured: Michelle Day, Director, Frederick County Workforce Services; Jodie Bollinger, Acting Executive Director, Frederick County Office of Economic Development and Workforce Development; Katie Stevens, Director of Workforce Development and Agriculture Business, Frederick County Office of Economic Development; Beth Woodring, Director of Business Attraction and Finance, Frederick County Office of Economic Development.

Frederick County Office of Economic Development • 118 N. Market St., Frederick • 301-600-1058 • DiscoverFrederickMD.com

Frederick County Workforce Services • 200 Monroe Ave., Frederick • 301-600-2761 • FrederickWorks.com

Kika Stretch Studios

Patty Beall knows the importance of stretching firsthand. A combination of experience, research, and evaluation led her to a method with the potential to benefit not only herself, but also people of all ages and abilities.

In the months since Beall opened her own Kika Stretch Studios in downtown Frederick, the value of its gentle assisted stretching process has become evident to a wide range of clients who want to move naturally. This includes young and old, elite athletes, people with disabilities or injuries, and those who have lost mobility from surgery, said the non-practicing attorney and mother of three. People who are anxious or depressed, she added, benefit from the combination of tension release, and being touched and social. The goal is to loosen tight muscles, freeing the body from pain and stress, and helping to increase flexibility and overall ability. Kika also reversed the difficulty Beall’s 77-year-old father encountered in turning his neck while driving. Kika is unlike massage where the client is passive and in prone position, Beall said. In contrast, Kika clients are relaxed yet still engaged – moving from standing, then seated and finally prone positions. “The coach works slowly and methodically toward extending, or lengthening, the muscles while they are relaxed,” she explained. Kika is also unlike physical therapy, which is targeted to an injury. “Kika is whole body

every time because tension in one part of the body can affect other body parts,” Beall said.

Beall was first exposed to assisted stretching in 2019 after taking part in a 36-hour endurance event in Stratton, Vermont. “I could really use this, especially in my quads,” she remembers thinking. She returned home, bent on finding something comparable in Maryland – but there was nothing of the kind.

Considering filling the gap herself, Beall had “ample time to reflect” and bounce around ideas while she and the rest of the world were confined to home during the pandemic. After evaluating three available franchises, she said, “Kika appealed to me most, with its one-on-one model, and more private spaces.”

Kika coach candidates must have a “body knowledge background, a basic understanding of how the body works,” Beall said. “They also have to be ‘people-people,’ with excellent communication skills.” Coaches must undergo an intensive 20 hours of in-house training where they learn Kika methods such as proper alignment for the client and following the client’s breathing pattern.

For newbies, Kika offers a free 30-minute introductory session. Regular sessions are 45 or 60 minutes long. At least one session a week is recommended for optimal results.

54 E. Patrick St., Frederick • kikastretchstudios.com/stretch-studio/maryland/frederick

STUDIO ART EXPERIENCE

Hot Fired Arts

At Hot Fired Arts, everyone can create their own masterpiece. The “you-makeit” art studio offers children and adults a variety of unique art experiences in fused glass, pottery pinting, canvas painting, and wet clay.

Michelle Brown was filling out an application for a part-time job at Hot Fired Arts when its owner proposed that the veteran art teacher may want to buy the business instead. Both Brown’s education and experience qualified her for the undertaking; she had studied art education at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and spent 19 years teaching art to middle- and high-school students at Rockville’s Montrose Christian School, and to kindergartners through eighth-graders at Frederick’s Trinity School.

Brown took the reins of Hot Fired Arts on July 1, 2016. Since then she has been proudly “dedicated to providing a safe, fun atmosphere for all ages to explore their creative side.” To that end, the studio offers a wide variety of classes and workshops, walk-in opportunities, and parties.

Hot Fired Arts posts a calendar of classes and workshops on its website and Facebook page. Pre-registration is required to ensure the studio is prepared with sufficient space, supplies, and instructors. The main studio accommodates 35 artists. Offerings have included seasonal and holiday-oriented projects in various media for children and adults, as well as sessions specifically for home-schoolers.

Walk-ins are always welcome at Hot Fired Arts. Each aspiring artist can choose from an array of paint-your-own pottery pieces, glass fusing projects, wet clay, or canvas painting designs.

“We’ll set you up, help with ideas, teach you the techniques,” Brown said, adding that while typical sessions are 1-1/2 to two hours, sometimes people “get lost in their work for as many as three to five hours. They become so absorbed that they don’t notice how much time has passed until they get hungry.” And those longer sessions help support the studio’s goal.

“We want the experience to provide a kind of art therapy, an opportunity to explore your creative side, to relax and de-stress,” Brown said.

Once a pottery, glass, or clay project is complete, Hot Fired Arts will fire it. Pottery pieces have a seven-day turnaround, and glass or clay takes about 14 days. Canvas paintings can go home with the artist the same day they are painted.

The Party Room, a separate space in the rear of the studio, offers celebration options for children and adults. For children, there’s a 90-minute session for ages 3-5 with a story and pottery painting; for ages 5-8, with pottery, canvas painting, or the new glitter tumblers, and for ages 8-12, with canvas painting, fused glass, or clay pinch pots. The studio asks for two weeks’ notice, and encourages that cake and food be brought in. Additional alternatives include a patio party, weather permitting, and off-site and online sessions. The handicapaccessible main studio is used for large family groups or corporate parties.

“We are open to requests, and always do our best to accommodate, and are always happy to do fundraisers, especially for kid-oriented groups,” Brown said.

Fairview Center, 1003-D W. 7th St., Frederick • 301-732-6943 • hotfiredarts.com

TEQUILA BARS

Tequila Bar & Kitchen

Agave 137 tequila bar and kitchen celebrated its grand opening in September during Downtown Frederick’s annual In the Street festival. Owner Richard Zane Belles is delighted with the reception his new restaurant has received.

Agave is more than a unique dining spot. Its tequila bar boasts more than 70 brands of tequila as well as multiple mezcals. As a casual hangout, it is perfect for happy hour celebrants and sports fans – with eight TVs (and two more coming soon). And it’s also a nightlife hotspot that showcases live music and DJs.

“I wanted to offer something nobody else on this street offers,” Belles said. “Agave 137 brings together people, culture, and food.”

Along with Sam Chaffiotte, a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who works with him at Cellar Door, Belles combines traditional taco-

making techniques with ingredients from a variety of culinary cultures to create Agave’s menu.

The bestseller, Belles says, is the chicken tinga taco, with diced white onion, cotija cheese, cilantro, and crema. Other taco options include Korean beef, chorizo, pork belly, citrus shrimp, and Zaney (slow braised brisket).

A wide array of drinks is available, too, including tequila and mezcal flights; specially crafted creative cocktails; spectacular “best in town” margaritas; frozen drinks; orange or grapefruit tequila crushes, as well as South American wines and an extensive selection of beers.

Agave 137 provides an exciting weekend nightlife with live music, late night DJ, and sporting events.

Cellar Door Restaurant

Richard Zane Belles set a high bar for Cellar Door, the modern industrial-style cocktail lounge he opened in 2009. When the spot once occupied by the long-gone area staple, The Brown Pelican, became available, the seasoned restaurateur jumped at the opportunity. After renovating the subterranean space, he created a Maryland Chesapeake-influenced menu along with a well-stocked bar, and a unique schedule of entertainment.

The main menu's two most popular appetizers are the Maryland crab dip (lump and claw, with cheddar jack cheese, scallions, Romano crostini, carrots and celery), and the seafood empanadas (Old Bay glazed, crab dip, shrimp scampi, cheddar jack cheese and ancho chili crema). Among the outstanding entrees is Belles’ favorite: Brisket Zane, which is slow roasted with a bourbon glaze, smoked gouda, pickled red onion, and a grilled brioche bun. There’s also the Saint Street Smash Burger, consisting of two ground beef patties, sautéed onions, cheddar cheese, Bibb lettuce, Cellar sauce on a grilled brioche bun).

All Cellar’s burgers and sliders, Belles noted, use locally-sourced beef from Shuff’s Meat Market in Thurmont, and all the salmon they serve is exclusively wild-caught.

In addition, the menu features two homemade soups, four fresh salads, three varieties of loaded fries, chicken wings and tenders and six scrumptious handheld sandwiches.

Cellar Door’s popular Sunday brunch has its own menu featuring eight made-to-order options including the very popular Chicken and Waffles with whipped cream and bacon bourbon maple, and Brisket and Eggs with tiger sauce and brunch potatoes. Bottomless Sangria, Blood Marys, Mimosas, and Orange and Grapefruit Crushes are available for $25 per person.

A special Drag Brunch, featuring drag dance performers. The popular event, especially with women, has completely sold out on every occasion, so Belles recommends buying tickets a month in advance.

The separate drinks menu for happy hour, has eight handcrafted cocktails, red and white wines, craft cans, and domestic and imported draft beers.

Nightly entertainment ranges from local musicians, open mic nights, and even comedy shows every Sunday. Cellar Door also specializes in accommodating private events for all occasions.

5 E. Church St., Frederick 301-695-8460 • Cellardoorfrederick.com

HOME MORTGAGES AND REFINANCING

The Deibler Home Team — Frederick Mortgage Division

Paul Deibler, The Deibler Home Team’s branch manager and mortgage banker, hopes his clients come away confident that his staff provided them with the facts essential to making sound real estate decisions. The team, Shore United’s Frederick Mortgage Division, handles mostly residential mortgage loans and refinancing.

“Our job is to get (clients) pre-qualified, and get them out shopping, but also give them information they need to make decisions,” Deibler said. His team members look at a variety of factors, including monthly payment amount, how much money a client will have after closing, as well as their budget. They also offer programs that help buyers with downpayment assistance, construction and renovation loans, and portfolio bank products.

“Those (factors) are things that we want to review with the clients before making offers,” Deibler said. “There are plenty of loan officers out there that just say ‘You qualify for $400,000. Here is your $400,000 approval. Go shop’.”

“That is not all that is important,” he added. “I want to understand: What is your budget you want to stay under? How much money do you have to put out? What are your goals in the next five to 10 years?

“That will tell me [that] they qualify for a $400,000 house, but maybe they should only be shopping at $300,000 because that will put them in a good financial situation now and help them with their goals in the long-term.

“We really try to understand people’s goals along with their qualifications and support them through the process.”

Deibler, who has been in the mortgage business for nearly 20 years, was drawn to the field because of his mother, Bonnie, who has been involved in mortgage lending for 35 years. In his early 20s, Deibler would help her with office tasks on his days off. Today, his team is a family affair; his mom, brother, and sister all work at the office. He also hires and trains individuals that have a passion for helping clients with mortgages and refinancing.

Buying a home is typically the biggest purchase an individual or family will make, so Deibler enjoys assisting clients in achieving this milestone. “We really help people day-to-day accomplish their dreams with buying their own home, or moving into their dream home, or refinancing and helping them pay off debt, or putting them into a better financial position,” he said. “There are lots of things I like about my business, but the best part is that I get to help people every single day.”

Menocal Family Practice

Dr. Julio J. Menocal had one goal when he started his family medicine practice more than 16 years ago.

“My main purpose was vaccinating the children of undocumented immigrants,” said the physician, who earned his doctor of medicine degree from Universidad Javeriana School of Medicine, in Bogota, Colombia, and completed his internship and residency at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C.

After practicing medicine in Frederick County for over 20 years, Dr. Menocal observed that the area did not have enough physicians to serve its large community of Hispanic immigrants. To fill that gap, he founded Menocal Family Practice, which provides affordable managed primary healthcare to patients with no insurance, those who have Medicaid and Medicare, and those who have commercial insurance.

“Everybody gets the same excellent healthcare they deserve, regardless of what kind of insurance they have,” explained Michelle Restani, the practice’s provider coordinator who also serves as office manager and handles marketing, advertising, and social media.

The Affordable Care Act and its Medicaid expansion to adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level have contributed to the success of the practice.

“Every commercial insurance patient helps cover the cost of oneand-a-half medical assistance visits,” Dr. Menocal pointed out.

Most of the recently relocated and expanded office’s patients live in the Golden Mile corridor. The practice has four additional offices – in Salisbury, Elkridge, Pine Heights, and as of four months ago, Hagerstown, they all share Dr. Menocal’s main objectives: to achieve high vaccination rates in children and underserved populations; and to attain the best clinical outcomes for diabetic adults.

One of Dr. Menocal’s primary focuses has been on vaccinating children enrolled in the Maryland Children’s Health Program program. As a result, the practice has administered more than 115,000 free vaccines, increasing the vaccination rate of the community’s children from 13% to 58%.

Based on his performance in the vaccine rollout and administration, the State of Maryland Covid 19 Vaccination Equity Task Force chose Dr. Menocal to staff and run several vaccination clinics during the pandemic, resulting in more than 14,000 Covid 19 vaccines administered to members of the Frederick community and the City of Baltimore.

Along with six staff nurse practitioners in the Frederick office, Dr. Menocal provides wellness exams and preventive health care for all ages, allergy testing and immunotherapy, and control and management for diabetics and people with other chronic diseases.

PERSONAL INJURY AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

BSG Law

Matthew Engler, Esq. and Allyson Bloom, Esq. are attorneys in BSG Law’s Frederick office and are proud to serve Frederick and other communities in Western Maryland. Their practice primarily deals with workers’ compensation and personal injury, but the firm also handles medical malpractice, social security disability, and trusts and estates cases. The 31-yearold firm started with three lawyers sharing a single telephone line in Gaithersburg and has expanded to 25 lawyers in three fully staffed offices in Gaithersburg, Frederick and Baltimore.

They represent public safety employees, truck drivers, teachers and other injured workers but will gladly represent “anyone with a legitimate injury that needs our help,” Engler said. “We ensure that our clients receive the appropriate medical care and monetary compensation for their injuries.”

Engler explained that the firm has a particular expertise in public safety cases. “We deal with thousands of cases on behalf of police officers, firefighters and corrections officers, but we are by no means limited to them. We also represent a wide variety of professions, including teachers and nurses,” he said.

Engler joined the firm as an associate in 2016 and became a partner in January, while Bloom has been an associate with the firm since 2017 and just celebrated her five-year work anniversary. A Frederick resident and Maryland native, Engler graduated from The George Washington University Law School. He once prosecuted criminal cases for the State’s Attorney’s Office in Frederick, which prepared him well for his BSG position. Bloom, a graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, grew up in Frederick and specializes in workers’ compensation cases for firefighters, teachers, and delivery drivers.

Engler said, “clients who get hurt are stressed, scared to have a potentially career-limiting or career-ending injury. They’re worried about whether they can support their families at the same level.” Workers’ compensation and personal injury cases can go on for several years and as such, Engler said, “We get to know clients well; they are like extended family. We are their partners, their zealous advocates. We understand that they need to get back to work safely.”

30 W. Patrick St., Suite 105, Frederick 301-668-2100 | 800-827-2667 marylandworkerscompensationlaw.com

Berman Sobin Gross, LLP

FIRST RESPONDERS

Northgate Fire Station #29

After nearly 20 years of planning, the brand-new, stateof-the-art Northgate Fire Station 29 officially opened its bay doors on June 27, 2022. “We have been extremely well-received by the community, and the station is very busy,” said Steve Leatherman, Frederick County’s Deputy Chief of Administrative Services.

The Northgate Fire Station site was selected in 2006 in conjunction with the area’s forecasted commercial and residential growth. With that selection came a lengthy process of budgeting, designing, permitting, transferring of properties, and construction. Strategically selected, the new station assists in serving the medical facilities along Thomas Johnson Drive in northern Frederick. “The station will serve as a beacon of the great things and great spaces that we have collectively created for the citizens of North Frederick,” Leatherman said.

The 18,700 square-foot single-story facility is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year by a total of 8 personnel comprised of an engine and ambulance crew, a paramedic, an EMS Supervisor, and a Battalion Chief. It’s five drive-through apparatus bays house an Engine, Ambulance, Paramedic chase car, the EMS Supervisor, and both the Battalion Chief and Technical Rescue Team units. Separate from the main fire station building stands a tower that was constructed to provide multi-faceted training space for on duty personnel including members of the Technical Rescue Team, all of whom are assigned to the Northgate Fire Station. “It’s going to allow our firefighters to constantly train and maintain a state of readiness where we don’t have to remain dependent on some of the other training facilities throughout the county,” said Leatherman.

The building’s layout was designed to accommodate the type of personnel it houses – such as administrative areas for the station’s officer, who oversees the firehouse’s day-to-day operations. A large training room that seats up to 30, serves for daily training activities and is also available for public use. A bunkroom, fitness room, laundry area, and locker rooms are situated around the main focal points of the kitchen and day room.

With safety and health at the forefront of decisions made by Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services, advanced cancer prevention technology was incorporated into the facility to protect firefighters, whose occupational exposure increases the risk of certain cancers. Its air filtration systems create positive pressure between the living and administrative areas and the apparatus bay, this keeps the particles and carcinogenic gases from the diesel engines out of those areas. The apparatus bay has a decontamination room in with extractors that remove contaminants from the firefighter personal protective equipment. In addition, you will find handwashing stations throughout the facility.

The Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services is eager to demonstrate the improved response capabilities and improved response times this new facility provides. They are proud to be a part of the Northgate community and excited to integrate their new home into the beautiful landscape of North Frederick.

37 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick 301-600-9290

FIRE & RESCUE

Mobile Community Healthcare Program

Frederick County’s Mobile Community Healthcare Program [MCH] has given its paramedic Matthew Burgan “a whole new appreciation for the way we do healthcare.”

“Providing preventative measures not only minimizes crisis situations for patients, but also makes sense in terms of dollars and cents,” he said. Reducing the public’s use of ambulances and emergency rooms is a “much more effective and affordable way to deliver services.”

Launched in 2018, MCH is a partnership between the county’s Division of Fire and Rescue Services, Health Department, and Frederick Health Hospital. It was designed to connect patients with the medical care they need, thereby reducing the stress on emergency medical services. The program has decreased both the number of calls to 911 for non-emergencies and hospital emergency room visits for regular health care, Burgan said.

MCH does not replace a patient’s need for primary health care or the roles of clinicians, he emphasized. Instead, it works with the patient’s healthcare team to implement and maintain existing care, and supports clinicians with enhanced assessments and individualized home patient care.

Prior to launching MCH, planners evaluated data to determine what populations to serve, and the best ways to help them. The initial task was to identify residents who had made “disproportionately high numbers of calls for service,” Burgan said. Since its inception, the program grew to include specialized responses related to the COVID pandemic and people who use drugs.

MCH has three main components: the high utilizer program, an in-home Covid vaccine clinic, and the Community Outreach and Support Team [COAST], Burgan said. The “neat thing about the three programs is that there is a lot of overlap between them.”

“The Covid pandemic had a tremendous role in shaping our operation,” Burgan observed. “Early on, like everyone else, we were faced with the challenges of not understanding the disease. It took time to assess by monitoring the data and instituting public health measures not paid attention to in the past.”

With the pandemic raging, the MCH program proceeded to give COVID-19 tests and vaccines. In 2021, 2,300 doses of vaccine were administered to people in their homes, many of whom were either homebound or residing in senior living facilities. “We think of it as 2,300 people who didn’t have to go to the hospital for care,” Burgan said.

Among the most pressing problems the team identified was “an increase in calls from the substance use population,” Burgan recalled. COAST was developed to respond to the situation. Operating two days a week with a focus on prevention; along with partners like the Frederick County Health Department’s addiction specialists, it provides this population with appropriate resources. The work includes responding to overdoses, linking patients to treatment and other resources, and supporting family members.

While anyone can refer a patient by contacting MCH, the “lion’s share of referrals come from Emergency Medical Service clinicians,” professionals who work in the field, responding to 9-1-1 calls and interacting directly with patients, Burgan said. “They have an uncanny sixth sense for identifying problems and can make a referral by simply checking a box on their report,” he noted. “When the information comes to us, we intervene by offering the patients resources before the situation becomes a crisis. We tackle every case at the earliest convenience.” At the start of 2023, Burgan said, “We will double our presence in the field by adding a second uniformed EMS clinician.” In only four years, all three MCH programs – high-utilizer, vaccine clinic, and community outreach -have proven their value to the community.

Higher Ground Financial Group, Inc.

Imran “Raz” Razvi and Daniel Razvi want to put their clients on higher ground – that is why the father-and-son partners decided to use the title of the classic Christian hymn as the name of the financial services companies they founded in 2014.

Faithful to their motto, “to honor God by serving others,” both men are fiduciaries, “required to act in our clients’ best interest at all times,” Raz said. “We put our commitment to morals and ethics in writing for all our clients. It’s the right thing to do.”

Higher Ground Financial and Higher Ground Legal are separate businesses that jointly assist clients. Through their shared areas of expertise, the partners are able to serve clients in triple capacities: as retirement planner, estate planner and tax attorney.

Higher Ground Financial is geared toward clients who are either approaching retirement or are already retired. The partners develop a comprehensive strategy for clients, with clear objectives, including reducing taxes, risks and fees; protecting wealth; and increasing income.

“Retirees need to know that their money will last for the rest of their lives,” Raz said. “We educate our clients on the best ways to manage their legacy, and how to minimize deferred taxes and any other risks that may impact their wealth and the ability to use their assets effectively in retirement.”

The duo specializes in dispelling financial myths and dispensing uncommon knowledge, Daniel added.

“We help clients find money they might be unknowingly losing,” he said. “We focus on maximizing cash flow; you do not want to have to reduce your lifestyle in retirement.”

Since market volatility is a concern for many these days, Raz and Daniel guide clients to strategies that eliminate market risk. "Modest gains that never suffer a loss will outperform a volatile market," Daniel said.

Father and son also work together as officers of Conquered By Love Ministries, which provides parents with practical resources – including 45 books written by Raz and his wife Tami – to strengthen family relationships. Daniel, the oldest of the couple’s 13 children, 8 of whom are adopted, lives in Thurmont with his wife Alicia and their children.

When the Father and Son duo isn't serving their clients, they enjoy spending time on their family farm, where their children enjoy the horses, dogs and other farm animals.

Since the onset of the pandemic, Higher Ground has conducted all client meetings via Zoom. Not only does this eliminate travel time, but it can also make everyone more comfortable. And when clients have questions or concerns, both Daniel and Raz are accessible.

“We respond within a few hours, if not a few minutes,” Raz said.

888-263-HGFG • hgfg.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sean Reel Photography

Photographer Sean Reel finds joy in his artful business. One likely reason is that weddings, both ceremonies and receptions, comprise 80 percent of Sean Reel Photography’s work.

“Long story short, being able to document people on one of their happiest and most important days is something that’s really special to me,” Reel said. “Don’t judge me too hard if you catch me wiping tears from my eyes during a father-daughter dance … I think becoming a dad myself has made me a little soft (but I’m not complaining). “It’s sweet to witness that kind of stuff.”

Many contemporary couples opt for a nontraditional elopement, Reel said. “That’s one of my favorite things. It’s so much fun to go somewhere scenic and intimate – just the two of them plus a witness, an officiant, and me, the photographer who will document their time together.”

He keeps the “focus on how the couple wants their special day to look like – not necessarily what it is supposed to look like.”

Ideally, Reel meets with a couple as soon as the planning begins – when they have set a date – to ensure his availability. “I ask them to tell me what is important to them. Since most of my job is documenting, I need to know more about them, and what gets them excited,” he says. “I want to take photographs that tell your stories the way you’d tell your stories.”

Genetics may well be a factor in Reel’s talents. “My whole family is artistic,” he said. His father and grandmother are musicians, and both his grandfather and aunt were photographers, a professional, and a hobbyist, respectively.

Reel’s first two cameras were gifts. “Mom got me a DSLR at about age 15 (2009), and Dad gave me my grandfather’s Yashica FX 2 35mm film camera when I was 18,” he recalled. Those cameras, especially the 1970s-era Yashica, were responsible for “getting me going. I was becoming more and more interested, and learned a lot really fast.”

Reel started his business officially in 2014. While working a few “unrelated day jobs” after high school, Reel used photography for fun and as a way to earn extra money. He did mostly family photographs and “awesome” band tours. “I was picking up more and more little photography jobs here and there. It was snowballing every year. It got to the point where I was very confident about my skills,” he said. “That’s when I started calling it my business, and pursuing it 100 percent.”

“Becoming a wedding photographer was the most unexpected but important thing I’ve ever done in my photography career. I’m lucky enough to meet some of the coolest people and use the one thing I can confidently say I’m good at to help them remember huge moments and milestones,” Reel said.

As for the future, he added, “I’m open to new opportunities in this ever-evolving business, but at the same time, very happy with exactly what I am doing.”

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Housing Frederick

Back in 2019, Mary Ellen Mitchell saw a need to support affordable housing in Frederick County. Equipped with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit community, she created Housing Frederick to provide the collaboration, education and advocacy she believed would help address housing issues here.

Boosted by a stalwart board of directors, the nonprofit organization’s founder and CEO has worked during the last several years to develop partnerships with other nonprofit groups and legislators to address affordable housing challenges; foster efforts to reshape public perception of affordable housing; host educational programs for civic, social justice and church groups, as well as people threatened with housing insecurity; and function as an advocate for legislation at meetings of local, regional and state government officials.

“As a single entity, I can move swiftly to create something to give direction to people in the community, to fulfill a need or respond to a developing issue,” Mitchell said. “ I can focus fully on issues like the eviction prevention crisis that was a part of the pandemic and affected thousands of families and individuals in Frederick County.”

As such, Mitchell created a video series, presented in both English and Spanish, that directed people in danger of losing their housing to available resources, such as Maryland Legal Aid and The Religious Coalition. The series has received 20,000 views on Facebook.

Currently, Housing Frederick is working on two main projects. The first, a financial education program, teaches money management – including how to obtain credit and improve credit scores – to clients of about 10 regular nonprofit partners. Since these sessions are grant-funded, Mitchell is able to provide them free of charge. An additional benefit is the classes are held at the nonprofits’ offices, where clients have formed trusting relationships. Often, Mitchell noted, the nonprofits have specific meeting times already in place and can provide their clients with childcare during sessions.

The second project is creating a comprehensive list of rental housing options, including details on rent, credit score and background check requirements, and mobility access.

“It’s a lengthy job to get all the information, and assemble it,” Mitchell said. “Our board members and volunteers are helping with research and phone calls.”

The list will facilitate the challenging process of trying to find housing for people who are in “a state of chaos” – people with job and family responsibilities who may have only 60 to 90 days to find housing they can afford with amenities that will accommodate their needs.

“When the list is completed – in the spring of 2023 – we will maintain it, and share it both on our website, and with the county and other local nonprofit groups,” she said.

ENDODONTICS

Most people panic when their dentist says, “You may need a root canal.” Brian Hall, DDS, contends that his endodontic practice flips that grim mindset.

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with diseases and disorders of the tooth root, dental pulp, and surrounding tissue. The endodontist’s goal is to relieve pain and save the natural tooth.

“We are here to help people with pain, not inflict it,” Dr. Hall said. Alleviating patients’ anxiety is also his objective. “My technical skills are good, and I have a knack for establishing an immediate rapport with people,” he explained. “Saving your smile with a rock ‘n’ roll style” is his motto.

As such, Dr. Hall designed his Frederick office with the intention of figuratively transporting his patients to a different place. The former DJ and casual musician decorated his office’s ample wall space with music memorabilia. The ambience is complete with the sounds of a Sirius classic rock station – or whatever genre the patient prefers.

“Imagine listening to Led Zeppelin during a root canal,” he said. “The power of music fosters a positive vibe, and this music is not stereotypical for a dentist’s office. It helps patients relax during what can be a stressful time.”

The music is often the first talking point for the conversation Dr. Hall initiates with every patient. His wall-mounted Woodstock poster, for example, has been the impetus for exchanging memories of the fabled rock festival – from those who went, who wanted to go, or who have heard its tales.

“I want to make patients feel at ease,” said Dr. Hall, who describes himself as “laid back and jovial.” His work “uniform” consists of a T-shirt with the practice’s logo, khaki pants, and Chuck Taylors.

In addition to taking the extra time for congenial small talk, “I pride myself on educating (patients), explaining the procedure in detail. It’s a nice way of freeing patients of preconceived notions. A root canal is really not a painful procedure, and most of my patients are happy with their treatment.”

While Dr. Hall acknowledges that creating a positive experience for his patients takes more time and effort, he believes “it’s what sets me apart. And it makes me feel good as a practitioner and as a person,” he said.

“You can bring positive energy to whatever you do. It's a shame it’s not the norm for all doctors and dentists.”

Brian Hall, DDS

Britain Weyant Videography

Four years of steadfast practice and research, along with the guidance of a close friend, contributed to getting Britain Weyant on his feet in his chosen field. With all the essential skills honed to a professional level since he started his business in 2015, his one-man production service creates all kinds of videos “from head to toe.”

“I do all the filming, editing, and post-production work – like coloring and motion graphics,” Weyant said. So far, he has met with success by “saying ‘yes’ to everything possible. “I know I can do pretty much anything in this field,” he added.

Weyant specializes in documentary work. “That doesn’t mean filming birds in the wild,” he said. Instead, he prefers to do interviews with people, often musicians like the one he recently completed for the D.C.-based band Scream, which is still being edited.

Since 2019, Weyant has done political work, some on behalf of a digital marketing agency, as well as a campaign video for former Maryland congressman and presidential candidate John Delaney.

As his videography business grows, Weyant would like to do more documentaries as well as commercial work. Collaboration is key to his style, he said. “If someone has an idea for a project, I would love to sit down and chat with them” to develop their concept.

In the future, Weyant envisions running a full production company, sending out his team to do the filming. He is happy to continue working from his Market Street base. “I love the area, and it’s close enough to D.C. and other major cities,” enabling him to do more work in music and politics.

ANIMAL WELFARE

Frederick County Humane Society

As director of the Frederick County Humane Society, Connie Graf has spent the last decade helping area residents and their pets.

The 112-year-old nonprofit’s mission is “to advocate for animal welfare in the community, and provide affordable services, resources and programs to help responsible pet owners keep their pets healthy, happy and in lifelong homes.”

Graf emphasizes that the humane society isn’t affiliated with the county’s animal shelter and does not accept pets for surrender or offer pets for adoption. The humane society is a private entity that receives no city, state or federal funding; it relies exclusively on grants and private donations for its operating expenses.

FCHS does share resources and work with the county’s animal shelter to promote animal adoptions, though.

Graf previously worked for the National Humane Education Society and loves her current position because she knows “we make a difference in the lives of people and their animals,” she said.

In 2022, FCHS covered more than $100,000 in veterinary bills, attended to 251 emergency cases, and spayed or neutered 521 pets.

FCHS offers a variety of community programs, including pet-related seminars that teach children and adults how to treat and care for animals. The Well-Care Assistance Program offers a voucher to those with limited incomes that can be used at participating veterinary offices for basic pet care. A Quick Fix Cat Clinic is provided each February and September for reduced prices on neuters, spays and rabies vaccinations.

The Unsung K9 Hero Project secures donations to support local law enforcement agencies with expenses for their working dogs. Recently, Graf said, the project funded the purchase of cat and dog oxygen masks to be carried in all Frederick County ambulances.

FCHS helps to administer other programs funded by local families, as well. They include the Shanklin Fund for Seniors, which helps pet owners who are 65 years or older and on a limited income, by paying expenses for annual veterinarian wellness visits; and the Wolfe Military Assistance Program, for current and recently separated military families who need assistance for their pets.

Pictured from left: Mark Hughes, Danielle Lewis, Connie Graf, Eileen Weber

550 Highland St., Frederick • 301-694-8300 • fchs.org

SKIN AND BODY CARE

The Art of Beauty

Beauty, harmony and rejuvenation come together at The Art of Beauty in Frederick.

That was the goal for estheticians Laura Charuhas, Becky Carr and Connie Sell when they joined forces to open the cozy full-service skin and body care day spa in 2011.

Open Monday through Saturday by appointment, the spa boasts “a peaceful, relaxing environment.”

Soft and pretty, with sage green walls and hardwood floors, the spa “feels like a quaint little inn, tucked away just across from the park,” Charuhas said. “It’s very inviting and approachable, soft and pretty, feminine, but not uncomfortably so for our male clients.”

Sell recently retired, but both Charuhas and Carr perform four different customized facials, all using professional products. Clients may opt for the signature European treatment, which lasts more than an hour, or a condensed half-hour version. The Art of Beauty offers a deep cleansing facial, with moisturizer and sunscreen, which is a favorite for

teens and college students, Charuhas said. A lunchtime facial is popular for moms on the go.

The owners take pride in adhering to “the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness,” no matter the service, she said, and also provide clients with guidance for home care maintenance.

With Art of Beauty’s online boutique now up and running, clients can purchase a variety of professional skincare products from exclusive brands such as Dermalogica, Dr. Temt, and Jane Iredale. Gift certificates are available for any of the spa’s services or products.

The spa also has two wonderful massage therapists who offer Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, and prenatal treatments.

The spa also provides face and full-body waxing services, as well as manicures and pedicures, brow and lash tinting, and eyelash extensions.

And a brand-new addition – custom airbrush tanning in a wide range of colors – “is a great little pick-me-up, even in winter,” Charuhas said.

ASSISTED LIVING

Heartfields Assisted Living at Frederick

During its 24-year existence, HeartFields Assisted Living at Frederick has earned a reputation for offering outstanding care to older adults in a warm, homelike setting.

Sales Director Jennifer Minnick says families should consider assisted living for their loved ones when the activities of daily living, such as caring for personal hygiene, managing prescriptions, housekeeping, laundry and cooking become too much to handle or there is a fear of being alone. In an assisted living environment, residents may need help with transportation, medication management, meal preparation, specific daily activities, but can still live independently.

Families trust HeartFields to provide loving, compassionate and expert care for their loved ones. At the community, residents are safe, free from chores and errands, and have access to full-service medical resources, delicious meals, and social activities, Minnick said. Knowing this reduces anxiety for family members.

Executive Director Anita Evans has been working at the community for over 23 years. First as a nurse then Director of Resident Care and has

been the Executive Director for a majority of her time at the community. Activities Director Melissa Hanshew has been working at HeartFields Assisted Living community from its start. They are supported by a team of 40-plus staff members, including caregivers, nurses, medication technicians and an internal rehabilitation therapy team.

HeartFields’ one-level accommodations include 36 suites in assisted living, and 16 in memory care, with a capacity for 52 residents. Each resident receives a personalized care plan regardless of the level of care needed. Short-term stay options are available for families that may need a break from caregiving, for an older person undergoing rehabilitation after surgery, or for prospective residents to try out the lifestyle, Minnick said.

HeartFields presents a smaller, homelike cozy feel, which is comforting for many residents who may feel overwhelmed in larger settings. Minnick said, the memory care neighborhood has a private, secured courtyard, which enables residents to enjoy the outdoors safely.