Kangaroo Kids a hit in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade [Glenwood/Glenelg/Dayton]

While you were watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, you might have seen some of our neighbors. Sixteen members of the Kangaroo Kids Precision Jump Rope Team jumped for almost three miles along the parade route from Central Park to Herald Square in front of Macy's.

They were part of Jumpers United for Macy's Parade, or J.U.M.P., a group of 200 jumpers from 45 different jump rope teams from around the country. Maria Ciarrocchi, David Gordon, Cecilia Hartley, Christina Kratzmeier, Michael Laper, Courtney Mann, Megan McGuire, Ryan McGuire, Devin Meek, Mason Rogers, Beth Short, Cameron Simmons, Sophie Skalny, Cassandra Tarash, Lynn Walsh and Aaron Weingrad made up the Kangaroo Kids group.

Once the jumpers reached the front of Macy's flagship store, 72 of them performed a one minute segment for the NBC broadcast. Included in the 72 were eight local jumpers — Cecilia Hartley, Christina Kratzmeier, Mason Rogers, Beth Short, Cameron Simmons, Sophie Skalny, Cassandra Tarash and Aaron Weingrad. Congratulations to the Kangaroo Kids for their great job representing Howard County.

Glenwood Lions Club President William Barnett is excited to share with us news of the club's latest charitable activities. Last summer at the Howard County Fair 4-H Livestock Auction, the Glenwood Lions Club successfully bid on a pig which was raised by Claudia Ennis. Ennis, who is completing her last year as a 4-H member, is a member of the Dayton 4-H Club. She is currently working on her undergraduate degree at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and using the proceeds from the sale of the pig to pay for her education.

The Lions Club paid $1,001 for the 267-pound hog, which was processed at Wagner Meats in Mount Airy. Roughly 200 pounds of pork was then split between two nonprofit organizations.

One hundred pounds will be auctioned at the Lions Club International District 22-A Governor's Social Silent Auction. The funds raised will be used to help poor people with vision needs. The other 100 pounds were delivered to the Howard County Grassroots Homeless Shelter in Columbia, where it will be used to feed the residents. Thus, with their purchase of one pig at the 4-H Livestock Auction, the Glenwood Lions Club supported Claudia Ennis and the Howard County 4-H program, Lions Club International and the Grassroots Homeless Shelter.

If you would like more information about this wonderful community organization which lives by the slogan "We Serve", please contact the recruitment chairperson, Lion Beatrice Tammaro at 410-746-1183 or by email at beatricetammaro@gmail.com

There will be lots of opportunities to enjoy young people performing holiday music over the next few weeks. Folly Quarter Middle School will perform a Winter Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at River Hill High School.

There will be two winter concerts open to the public on Saturday, Dec. 14, at River Hill High School. At 3 p.m. the Elementary School and Middle School Gifted and Talented Sinfonia will perform, and at 7 p.m. the Elementary School and Middle School Orchestra will perform. For more information call the Howard County Public School System Office of Fine Arts at at 410-313-6885

The Gary J. Arthur Glenwood Community Center Holiday Pizza and Movie Night will be Saturday, Dec. 14, at 5:30 p.m. The holiday favorite "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" will be shown. The movie has a PG rating. Tickets will cost $7 for Community Center members and $10 for nonmembers, while children under 5 are free. Ticket price includes pizza and a soda. For information or to preregister, call 410-313-4840. Everyone, even children under 5, must be preregistered.

As a follow up to a previous story about the Bushy Bear Dash fundraiser, the students exceeded the goals that had been set, and Monday, Dec. 2, was the day chosen for the big horse-riding event. Bushy Park Principal Edward Cosentino and physical education teacher Tyson Echentile dressed like cowboys and rode horses around the school to reward the students for the successful fund raiser.

The horses, Mac and Burton, are veteran fox chasing horses belonging to members of the Howard County-Iron Bridge Hounds. The club chases foxes three times a week from September through March. The Bushy Park Parent Teacher Association was very appreciative that the Iron Bridge Hounds were willing to provide the horses to meet the challenge, and Cosentino and Echentile were very appreciative that Kim Egan and Peter Framson stayed around to lead Mac and Burton.