20080430 This week in The Tentacle

20080430 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Seeing Red-Eye in the Camera

Kevin E. Dayhoff

The discussion and debate over speed and red light cameras continues to reverberate. It is one of a number of headaches lingering in the aftermath of the recent and unusual session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Las Vegas Finale

Tom McLaughlin

“Las Vegas was built and runs on tips” was the advice given to the bus load of passengers as we returned from the Grand Canyon in a not so subtle hint. To make sure we got the point, on the “menu” at the National Geographic Center where we were served the most god- awful lunch probably prepared from the remains of animals on failed expeditions, was advice on how much to tip him, which was between $5-$10 depending on the service.

---

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

New Know-Nothings

Roy Meachum

When the county commissioners overwhelmingly rejected the notion of adopting English as Frederick's official language, I could but stand and cheer. The proposal came from Charles Jenkins, and I have no reason to doubt his motives.

Hardly Ablesons

Nick Diaz

I’m an ardent admirer of the United States of America, my adopted country, which welcomed me to these shores a half century ago. This great country has provided me with opportunities I wouldn’t have faced, had I remained in Communist Cuba.

---

Monday, April 28, 2008

General Assembly Journal 2008 – Volume 11

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Any General Assembly wrap-up would be incomplete without a scorecard of the work of the Frederick County Delegation. Normally, this column avoids conflict with other delegation members, and focuses on the back-and-forth with the county. Not this time, kiddies! Ahead: some serious onion peeling!

Free Money!

Steven R. Berryman

Congratulations for being smart enough to be in the United States of America. Everything is free here. And when you run out of money to spend, we’ll give you some of that, too. In Frederick County, if you can’t read this, I’ll bet there will be a sign on a bus in Espanol repeating it soon.

---

Friday, April 25, 2008

Why the Uproar?

Roy Meachum

Reading closely the Pennsylvania Democratic primaries this week, it's difficult to see why the Clinton camp is in such a joyous uproar.

---

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Republican of the Year

Patricia A. Kelly

My mom, Dorothy Kelly, recently featured in the Frederick News Post with a headline that included the word “Opinion,” was born in Tioga, Texas, on April 14 1925 to Raymond and Dovie Bodovsky, farmers, is the 2007 Republican of the Year for Frederick County.

A Prime Example

Chris Cavey

Last week was quite an adventure…a two-day trip to St. Paul, Minnesota – site of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The goal for the trip was to “scout out” the city, the Maryland Delegation’s hotel accommodations, and available venues. The best part, however, was my side trip to the State Capitol.

Order from The Smorgasbord

Joan McIntyre

The newest trend is mini burgers. I’m going one better and giving you four mini-articles this week. Would you like bacon, or cheese, or fries on the side?

---

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Winds of Darkness

Kevin E. Dayhoff

On April 12, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his administration’s opposition to the construction of wind power generators on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Days in The Desert

Tom McLaughlin

"Good luck to you" is the farewell greeting stated to people when used instead of "bye" or "have a nice day" here at Sam’s Town Casino and R.V. Park.

---

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

"Mr. Inside" Out

Roy Meachum

For a little shy of 25 years, Josef Ratzinger furnished John Paul II a strong base. While the ebullient Polish prelate toured the outside world, kissing earth and babies by the score, the man who would become Benedict XVI tended to inside chores.

Keeping the Basket Full

Farrell Keough

I have the great privilege of enjoying a variety of friends. It is likely that my ability to keep and keep up with these people is more a tribute to my wife, (She Who Must Be Obeyed), than to my sterling personality.

This is NOT a Test! – Part 2

Steven R. Berryman

Now that you have been exposed to the various levels of potential hazards hanging over us all like Damocles’ sword in Part 1 on yesterday’s TheTentacle.com, the onus to take action now lies squarely on you.

---

Monday, April 21, 2008

General Assembly Journal 2008 – Volume 10

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Last week, we spent some time considering the end of the General Assembly session. The conclusion: Rest easy Marylanders, the legislature has gone home for the year.

This is NOT a Test! – Part 1

Steven R. Berryman

Your radio or television begins the strange squealing, coded sounds you have heard so often before. “Here we go again” is the first thought that comes to mind. Programming is instantly interrupted. In disbelief, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) continues with “This is NOT a Test!”

20080429 Carrie Knauer and Johnny Depp in Westminster

20080429 Carrie Knauer and Johnny Depp in Westminster

Carrie Knauer and Johnny Depp

April 29, 2008

Carrie Ann Knauer, the Dean of the Carroll County Times’ newsroom is pictured above on April 14th, 2008, at her desk at the Carroll County Times when Johnny Depp, a past flame visited with her...

She has been writing for the newspaper since Feb. 2002.

She received her BA in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, in December 2001. She has made her home in Westminster and may very well be the longest serving Times reporter at this point…

For more posts on Soundtrack on Carrie Ann Knauer – the Rachael Ray of Westminster click on: or type in Knauer in the search engine box in the upper left hand top of the blog…

Picture by Kevin Dayhoff 04/14/2008 www.kevindayhoff.net

20080428 The Havenator

20080428 The Havenator

The Havenator

April 28, 2008

In a recent phone call to a certain quintessential town in Carroll, I was greeted on the phone by the friendliest and perkiest town official, who put me through to the “MML Employee of the Year.” (“Meoy” – for short. Pronounced ‘meow.’)

As I chatted with Meoy, WAB, I remembered that I have had a number of requests to post the “Havenator Series” on the blog.

Soooo, without further adieu – here goes:

_____

“Q” May 10, 2008

Hampstead Mayor Havenator Q. Shoemaker and former-Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff share a moment as they reminisce about the “old days.” October 10, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff (with a Chris Ammann photo.)

“The Operation on Q.” May 13, 2004 Hampstead Mayor “The Havenator” Q. Shoemaker undergoes an “operation at the hands of his family and Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff.

*****

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

http://gizmosart.com/dayhoff.html

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook photo album

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook page

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

20080428 The Havenator

The Havenator

April 28, 2008

In a recent phone call to a certain quintessential town in Carroll, I was greeted on the phone by the friendliest and perkiest town official, who put me through to the “MML Employee of the Year.” (“Meoy” – for short. Pronounced ‘meow.’)

As I chatted with Meoy, WAB, I remembered that I have had a number of requests to post the “Havenator Series” on the blog.

Soooo, without further adieu – here goes:

_____

“Q” May 10, 2008

Hampstead Mayor Havenator Q. Shoemaker and former-Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff share a moment as they reminisce about the “old days.” October 10, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff (with a Chris Ammann photo.)

“The Operation on Q.” May 13, 2004 Hampstead Mayor “The Havenator” Q. Shoemaker undergoes an “operation at the hands of his family and Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff.

*****

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

http://gizmosart.com/dayhoff.html

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook photo album

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook page

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

20080426 The Sunday Carroll Eagle

Sunday Carroll Eagle on "Soundtrack"

Saturday, April 26

Westminster came of age by following railroad tracks

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=895826&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

04/21/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by Kevin Dayhoff

One of my fondest memories of growing up in Westminster is the railroad. More than 50 years later I still live within easy earshot of the train whistle as the train chugs its way through town.

The railroad is interwoven throughout much of the fabric of Westminster history.

Joseph... [Read full story]

---

Fire in Westminster and a hunk-a hunk-a burning love in Hampstead

04/13/2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

---

King’s sad anniversary reminds us of Carroll’s own history

04/06/2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

---

Parades, impact fees, mail service ... and Dwight Dingle in a bathtub?

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=890542&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

04/02/08 by Kevin Dayhoff

EAGLE ARCHIVE

Time for a little spring-cleaning, in which we'll catch up with answering some readers' questions.

Recently I was asked about Easter parades in Westminster. I have no recollection of any such parades, but local historian Joe Getty noted in an article he wrote a number of years ago for the Historical Society of Carroll County that, "Easter Monday parades were held in Westminster in 1884, 1885, and 1887. After a short lapse, a large parade was held in 1892"

---

Rolling out a few good eggs, and our Easter Sunday best

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=888582&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

03/26/08 by Kevin Dayhoff

EAGLE ARCHIVE

Happy Easter. Yes it's not quite warm outside, although warmer weather should be around the corner. And yes, it seems like Christmas was just yesterday.

We all have favorite Easter memories. For those of us who grew up in a church, Easter marked the opportunity to wear our "Easter Sunday best," i.e. new clothes.

---

Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=885695&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

03/14/08 by Kevin Dayhoff

EAGLE ARCHIVE

Many people have been commenting about how early Easter is this year. In fact, the last time Easter was as early as March 23 was 1913.

But a later Easter doesn't ensure good weather for Holy Week. I wonder how many readers remember the Palm Sunday blizzard of 1942. It was the fifth worse snowstorm in Carroll County history, as folks were greeted by 22 inches of snow on March 29, 1942.

20080316 The Carroll Sunday Eagle: Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety by Kevin Dayhoff

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080316-carroll-sunday-eagle-palm.html

---

20080309 The Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080309-sunday-carroll-eagle-history.html

Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”

Sunday Carroll Eagle March 9, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

I cannot find my March 9^th, 2008 Sunday Carroll Eagle column on the Westminster Eagle web site.

Pasted below, please find the column as it was written. It is my understanding that the column was altered for publication…

Ever since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, many of us has felt that the best management approach to solid waste was source reduction and recycling. It would take 18 long years to get the Maryland Recycling Act passed in 1988. That legislation required a recycling rate of 20 percent.

Twenty years later, getting the recycling rate increased is still illusive. In 1998, on the 10-year anniversary of the law, the Baltimore Sun ran a lengthy analysis in which the Maryland General Assembly member who spearheaded the recycling initiative, Montgomery County Sen. Brian Frosh, admitted “that recycling has been costlier than expected. His 1988 bill predicted significant cost savings…”

Later in the article, the $250 million cost of recycling 2.5 million tons was compared to the $83 million it would’ve cost to landfill it instead. The rest of the article went downhill from there.

Those of us who are opposed to landfilling were less than pleased. Four decades after the first Earth Day, the recycling rate in Carroll County is only around 30 percent.

20080309 The Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080309-sunday-carroll-eagle-history.html

---

Traffic always made us see red

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=881679&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

Traffic always made us see red

02/29/08 By Kevin Dayhoff

EAGLE ARCHIVE

The concern over traffic congestion, safety and speeding tend to surface with every discussion of growth and quality of life in Carroll County. I was recently approached by folks and asked how I felt about red light and speeding cameras, and it got me thinking about Carroll County's past attempts to marry growth and speed control.

Perhaps the first mention of an effort to address the problem of speeding in our county came on or about June 20, 1839. According to a history of the Westminster Police Department, it was then that a speeding ordinance was passed stating:

"No person shall run or drive through the town of Westminster at an improper gait except in case of necessity."

---

The life, and the lasting local influence, of Robert Moton

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=873699&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

02/01/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by Kevin Dayhoff

Construction continues these days at the site of the 28,000-square-foot former Robert Moton School on S. Center Street in Westminster -- it's across from the Carroll County Health Department.

After approximately $2.3 million in renovations, the Carroll County Board of Elections, Carroll Department of Recreation and Parks and Change Inc., a nonprofit that works with the developmentally disabled, are slated to move their offices there.

Questions about the old school building are posed to me from time to time, but the question I'm asked most frequently, especially from younger folks who are new to Carroll County, is "Who was Robert Moton, anyway?"

---

For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters

January 13, 2008 EAGLE ARCHIVE by Kevin Dayhoff

20080113 Westminster Municipal Band: For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/01/20080113-westminster-municipal-band-for.html

For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters

Sunday Carroll Eagle

01/11/08 by Kevin E. Dayhoff

EAGLE ARCHIVE

Below please find the long – unedited version of the column…

Just before the holidays got into full swing, I had the pleasure of attending the Westminster Municipal Band’s end of the year Christmas party and annual meeting.

It is certainly not a very well kept secret that this former Westminster Mayor and his family are madly in love with the Westminster Municipal Band. And it's not just because I'm a washed-up trumpet player.

Usually when one thinks of the Westminster Municipal Band, visions of “Mom, Country, and Apple Pie” come to mind.

The purpose of leadership today is to build community. Certainly one of the chief builders of our community has been the Westminster Municipal Band.

However, the rich history of the band includes being part of rapid deployment force to hotspots around the globe, a machine gun section, and a rumored reputation of being a heavy metal grudge-garage band. Who knew?

If a Greek mythologist were to write the history of the Westminster Municipal Band, they would write the Band's Mother is the history and tradition of the Westminster Community and the Father is the 29^th Division National Guard Regimental Band. That Greek mythologist would also want to write that the band's ancestral home is Belle Grove Square and that it's midwife was Mayor Joseph L. Mathias.

The roots of the present Westminster Municipal Band are found in 1920, but “there are records of a Westminster Band dating back as far as 1860,” according to the band’s director, Sandy Miller, in a July 2004 interview.

However, to the best of our knowledge, it was 1893 when it was first incorporated as the Westminster City Band of Carroll County.

It was around this time that Company H First Infantry Maryland National Guard was organized in Frizzleburg in 1898. This unit later evolved into the famous 29^th Division of the Maryland National Guard. Part of the Westminster Municipal Band's lineage can be traced back to the First Maryland Infantry Band consisting of the Westminster Units of the Maryland National Guard.

20080113 Westminster Municipal Band: For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/01/20080113-westminster-municipal-band-for.html

---

Shedding a little light on early Christmas tree decorations

December 23, 2007 EAGLE ARCHIVE by Kevin Dayhoff

---

Christmas reminds us of worry, and glory, of downtown business

December 16, 2007 EAGLE ARCHIVE by Kevin Dayhoff

---

20071104 The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/11/20071104-sunday-carroll-eagle-column-of.html

Gist worried about being forgotten but not quite gone

The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007

Below please find my October 28^th, 2007 column and it was submitted.

Sunday Eagle

Ghost Stories in Carroll County

October 28^th, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

Of the horror stories of Carroll’s yesteryear, none was greater than the very real fear of being buried alive. In today’s world, society’s collective faith in the modern advances of the medical arts has gone a long way in alleviating the fear of being buried alive; a fear which was rampant in the 1800s.

A few years ago, local historian Jay Graybeal retold an account by Ruth Gist Pickens about the fear of being buried alive held by one of Carroll County’s most prominent citizens in the 1700s, Colonel Joshua Gist.

It seems that Colonel Gist maintained a coffin in a portion of his bedroom for the last years of his life; “into which he would have his personal servant lay him out and then call the family to comment on his appearance. Each time he would ask them to promise not to bury him until the third day after his death.”

20071104 The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/11/20071104-sunday-carroll-eagle-column-of.html

---

---

When it comes to beets, timing is everything

IN THE GARDEN WITH MR. BEE

I haven't grown beets for a while. So when I mentioned to Judy, my wife, that I'd learned of a variety -- "Lutz Green Leaf" -- that remains tender as it grows larger, she suggested that I sow some seeds right away.

Timing is important, you see, especially when it comes... [Read full story]

---

Two for the Show

They come from opposite ends of the county and their sports are as different as night and day, but Tyler Mullen of South Carroll High School and Cammeron Woodyard of Winters Mill have one thing in common -- they each ended their high school careers as state champs.

And without their leadership and... [Read full story]

---

Stream is proving ground for healthy water

On a chilly late March morning, Ted Hogan, an environmental scientist with Hunt Valley-based URS Corp., threads his way through briar patches, bogs, locust groves and back yards as he follows a meandering stream that runs through several Eldersburg subdivisions.

Now and then, Hogan, a cont... [Read full story]

---

Spring is a great time to get kids reacquainted with outdoor Carroll
MOM ON A MISSION

It's taken some time, but spring appears to finally be arriving. The days are getting warmer, my weeping cherry is turning into a beautiful fountain of pink and the birds are flocking to our feeders.

Hearing the kids' faint voices outside on the swing set while I'm making dinner...
[Read full story]

---

More Headlines News Briefs

Movies

Honorable Mentions

Greenmount Station on a fast track after expansion

Education Notes

Greenmount Station's Crab and Cheddar Quiche

Stage Presents

Parades, impact fees, mail service ... and Dwight Dingle in a bathtub?

New Windsor agency helps distribute life-saving device

News Briefs

Movies

I wanted to teach about 911, but instead I dialed a wrong number

'Hotel' Reservations

For pages, Annapolis is an open book

Education Briefs

Your Top 10 ...

Rolling out a few good eggs, and our Easter Sunday best

Rejoice, Christ is Risen

Oh deer, spring is here

News Briefs

Movies

Local acts soar to Top 10 in Carroll's 'Idol' competition

Fighting the urge for an Easter bonnet and all the thrills upon it

Education Briefs

Captain Dan rides on the seafood wave

'Sitting' pretty means having faith in who's watching the kids

Reaching Out

Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety

News Briefs

Movies

Helping people kick butts

Fighting the 'Fix'

Eye of the Beholder

Bevy of basket cases

Asking 'why' should come before offering 'what I think'

Traffic always made us see red

Toy show, auction connects with childhood memories

Our 'cherry-ice' trees offer a delicious winter scene

News Briefs

Museum unveils Taylor's 'wild' vision

Movies

Display of Pride

Birthday gifts? Tread lightly ... in high heels and boxing gloves

A turtle's pace, but a day of reckoning for Solomon

Working on the Railroad

To raise healthier kids, should we get more physical in school?

Researching a few 'first class' experiences in Carroll County

News Briefs

Movies

Maggie's continues to grow on Westminster

Chicken Champagne

All Aboard!

What the wiki?!

Web series helps teens connect to the world

The life, and the lasting local influence, of Robert Moton

Sportsman's Hall ... and airplane hangar

Skating history, from party 'crashing' to fitness

Reaching Out

News Briefs

Movies

Mason bees buzz in as honeybees buzz out

Education Notes

Coming clean to ease pain of cancer

All Skate!

We can't understand the kids, but in this case it's a good thing

20080423 An apparition of Governor Robert L. Ehrlich

An apparition of Governor Robert L. Ehrlich

April 23, 2008

Yesterday, as I walked down Fourth Street in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; I happened to look up at the building at One West Fourth Street, where the offices of “Womble Carlyle” are located and there it was…

It was, well, it was, ah – Gov. Bob.

He’s everywhere… He’s everywhere - - but where we sorely need him these days – in the statehouse in Annapolis, Maryland.

Fortunately I had my camera readily available and snapped a photo. See for yourself.

####

See also:

My columns on The Tentacle…

Recently…

April 23, 2008

The Winds of Darkness

Kevin E. Dayhoff

On April 12, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his administration’s opposition to the construction of wind power generators on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

April 9, 2008

Wendi Peters – Mount Airy’s Steel Magnolia

Kevin E. Dayhoff

People were delighted to see former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., last Friday when he came to Frederick County in support of Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Wagner Peter’s re-election bid.

Laura Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

04/23/08 By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently I had an opportunity to catch-up with one of Carroll County's true whirlwinds, Laura Rhodes.

We first compared notes on the Rock Ball, this week's fund-raiser for Granite House, one of the largest nonprofit mental health care organizations in Carroll County.

Rhodes is currently program development manager at Granite House.

However, for much of our visit we talked about a relatively new initiative, Respite Connection of Carroll County.

First, when I arrived at her closet-sized office, she was doing what she does best -- multi-tasking in a number of different directions, all at break-neck speed.

To make up for the lack of floor space, Ms. Rhodes uses the "stack-it-high" method of organization.

If you're not familiar with Granite House; it was established in 1979 as critical resource in Carroll County's social-welfare safety net to assist folks with mental illness.

Granite House's network of psychiatrists, clinical social workers, nurses and licensed counselors assist members of the community to receive the necessary guidance and support to make a fresh start.

Proceeds from the "Rock Ball" benefit Granite House's Charitable Fund, which was created to help subsidize the cost of mental health care for those who cannot afford it.

"We strongly believe that all people should be able to receive the metal health care they need," Laura said. "Simply put, É mentally healthy people are more productive community members."

Many folks know Rhodes from when she served on the Carroll County Board of Education (2002 to 2005).

Others remember when she was manager of an initiative to improve community health for the Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County.

A few years before she and her family moved to Carroll County from Florida in 1986, she earned her bachelor's degree in criminology and psychology from Florida State University and a master's in counseling psychology from the University of West Florida in 1984.

As soon as she made Mount Airy her home, she threw herself into working for children and our community.

"I always felt that you have no right to criticize unless you're willing to be part of the solution," said Laura. "I wanted to be part of the solution."

Speaking of doing her homework and identifying needs in the community, Rhodes was excited to tell me all about Respite Connection -- a new collaboration to help provide respite care for families with children with disabilities and mental health challenges.

In layperson's terms, this is about giving folks who have a family member who needs constant care a break by identifying a network of caregivers and providing them with appropriate training.

The idea is to team up with community leaders and advocacy organizations -- such as Eldersburg's Mona Freedman and her Caring Communities of Carroll County; Sharon Glass and Families of Children with Autism Support Group; Heather Powell of Change Inc.; Lynne Humphries-Russ of the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health; and Karen Koenigsberg of Get Connected Family Resource Center.

Rhodes said the goal of Respite Connection is to increase the number of trained individuals to provide respite to families with children (birth-25) with mental health disabilities or developmental disabilities in Carroll, and to promote awareness of and access to the new centralized list/registry of respite providers.

This list is called the Caring Network Respite Care Registry offered by Caring Communities.

The measure of any community is how we take care of our friends and neighbors in times of need.

Most of us agree that the best social-welfare safety net is provided by nonprofits.

Hats off to Laura Rhodes and the many other folks who roll up their sleeves to make a difference and help sustain Carroll County as a wonderful place to raise a family.

If you'd like more information about contributing to Granite House's Charitable Fund or learning more about Respite Connection, or any of the services provided by Granite House, call 410-876-3007, Ext. 140, or visit http://www.granitehouse.org/.

By the way, Granite House's annual Rock Ball is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m., at St. John's Portico in Westminster.

The event features dinner, music, a silent auction, art exhibit and more. Tickets are $100. Call Laura at the number above to see if any seats are still available.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at: kevindayhoff AT gmail.com.

Copyright 1998-2007 All rights reserved.

All other trademarks and Registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

20080423 WE Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need weked

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/
Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/

People Rhodes Laura, Medicine Health Mental Illness, Medicine Health Mental Health, Dayhoff writing essays, Dayhoff writing essays medicine health, Dayhoff writing essays metal health, People Carroll Co, Dayhoff Media Westminster Eagle,

Kevin Dayhoff: http://www.westgov.net/ Westminster Maryland Online http://www.westminstermarylandonline.net/ http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Art: www.kevindayhoff.com (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/)