On Nov. 6, at Bethany Unity Methodist Church, Boy Scout Troop 944 and Scoutmaster John Ritter awarded the rank of Eagle Scout to Life Scout Ian Yorkston of Marriottsville.
This was a proud moment for Ian, fellow scouts, and his parents, George and Donna Yorkston.
Ian is a senior at Mount Hebron High School, where he has been voted Student of the Month. He is a member of the Jazz Band, the Concert Band and the Marching Band units.
Ian is active at his local church, First Lutheran Church in Ellicott City. He has also participated in charitable activities.
As a Scout, Ian was selected a Brotherhood Member of the
Order of the Arrow and has held many significant leadership positions.
For his Eagle project, Ian chose to construct a hiking trail through David Force Park in Turf Valley Overlook.
To see his work, look on the right side of Pebble Beach Drive for the trail's entrance. The completed trail is 250 yards long and includes educational signs at points of significant environmental interest.
The trail will form the basis for a planned network of trails through the park. His project will benefit the community as an ecological awareness area for many years to come.
Eagle Scout is difficult to attain; only 2 percent of all Boy Scouts earn the rank.
Ian planned all aspects of the project, and directed fellow Scouts and friends in more than 150 man-hours of effort. Congratulations to Ian Yorkston on this award and thanks for his contribution to the community.
The stage of Howard High School will be possessed by ghosts Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Noel Coward's most popular play, "Blithe Spirit," is a wonderful comedy about a man who, in order to do research for a book, invites a medium to his house for a seance. To his dismay and the dismay of his current wife, the eccentric psychic brings back the ghost of his fascinating but determined first wife. The resulting confusion is the focal point of this stage classic.
The outstanding cast includes: Ginny MacNemar as the long-suffering second wife, Kelly Tucker as the charming and unscrupulous ghost, and Jacy D'Aiutolo as the husband caught not only between two women but also between two worlds. Brandy Werba plays the not-quite-of-this-world Madame Arcati; Katie George is the eccentric but indomitable maid.
Dr. Bradman, the kindly country doctor, is played by Gabe Cronin and Mrs. Bradman, the small town busybody, is played by Amy Perry.
Tickets are on sale at the school office.
The cost is $3 in advance and $4 at the door. For further information, call the school at 313-2867.
Speaking of high school productions, Thursday night's opening "Godspell" at Mount Hebron High School was faced with divine intervention, as the storm outside knocked out the power at the school and blackened the stage for about half an hour.
The actors didn't miss a beat and continued to perform under a battery-powered spotlight, emergency lights and candles. Special kudos go to Mac Dwyer, who happened to be in the limelight when the blackout occurred and had to sing sans microphone. Congratulations to the entire cast for working under such duress.
Elkridge Elementary School is proud to announce that on Oct. Principal Mary Jane Mitchell received a citation from Gov. William Donald Schaefer's office on behalf of the Maryland Aviation Administration.
To explain this honor, we'd have to look back five years. That was when Mrs. Mitchell initiated a school-business partnership with the neighboring Baltimore-Washington International Airport at the urging of PTA President Susan Ramsey, an employee of Butler Aviation.
Initial contacts with BWI public relations officers Linda Green and Mary Hope led to a meeting with Ted Mathison, BWI's chief administrator, and the partnership began.
Through the partnership the school children have taken multiple field trips and have been exposed to airline careers. BWI employees have helped in other ways, as well. On Environmental Day, they helped the school children plant trees, dedicating an outdoor classroom for former assistant principal Paul Bush, who has since retired. On Mexico Day, Mexicana Airlines contributed cultural information and dancers.
Ms. Mitchell thinks the partnership is a logical one.
"At the old building, we could look out of the second-story windows and see the control tower" of BWI, says Ms. Mitchell. "The partnership has helped the community to view BWI in a more positive light."
BWI's experiences with Elkridge Elementary were so positive that several Anne Arundel County schools have since formed similar partnerships.
Dads, how would you feel about delivering your child at home? Paul Harry got a chance to play obstetrician on Oct. 30, when his second daughter, Rachel Ann, was born. Wife Vicki was in labor for little longer than it would take to watch the evening news.
Rachel Ann was born healthy, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces, as Dad assisted the birth with coaching from Howard County General Hospital employees. Paramedics arrived soon after the baby and took the couple and the new one to the hospital.
How about being nervous? Vicki said that the birth happened so fastthat she didn't have time to be nervous, adding that the young paramedics were probably more nervous than she. And Dad? He was glad to be able to deliver the baby. Having watched the birth of his first daughter, Kelly, was definitely a help.
L The Harry family lives in Woodland Village in Ellicott City.
Trinity Episcopal Church at 7474 Washington Blvd. in Elkridge is sponsoring its annual fried oyster, chicken salad and ham dinner from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $8.50 for adults and $4 for children.
Besides the dinner, there will be a bazaar table, and the parish is raffling a beautiful handmade doll.
Women members of the church have been holding the dinner every year for more than 50 years.
For further information, contact Peggy White at 465-6521.
Junior Girl Scout Troop 1900 of Bethany United Methodist Church is holding a sweater recycling drive to benefit underprivileged children in Baltimore.
The girls have worked throughout the fall to prepare for the drive. They have created a logo, designed and painted signs, and have worked at the Board of Child Care, earning civic Scout badges in the process.
Participating Girl Scouts include Heather Blain, Kelly Cavanaugh, Ellen Cooper, Julie Dauber, Jocelyn Fillmore, Kristen Freed, Meredith Hiley, Amanda Hughes, Amanda Lantz, Stephanie Moller, Kristen Mullikin, Anna Schittino, Amy Siltanen, Sarah Smith and Libby Smith.
Troop leaders are Teresa Moller and Louise Smith.
The community is urged to bring its donations of used, clean sweaters, jackets and sweat suits to Enchanted Forest Shopping Center in Ellicott City from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The sweaters will be donated to the Board of Child Care in Baltimore.
Concerned about single people who may have no family nearby, members of Rockland United Methodist Church are sponsoring a Thanksgiving breakfast on Thanksgiving morning, from 7:30 a.m. 9 a.m.
They ask you to join them as they give thanks to the Lord and enjoy a family-style meal of pancakes, sausage, eggs and hash browns.
The breakfast is a bargain at $4 per person. If you want further information and tickets, call 465-1463.