Today in Cumberland at the annual meeting of the Western District, Greater Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), 13 members of the Women's Club of Hampstead are receiving commendations for civic programs the club completed this year. It's an impressive list.
Also taking place will be the installation of Hannah Stevens as president of the Western District. Ms. Stevens is well known in North Carroll for civic work, including holding various offices at local and district levels.
Ms. Stevens was co-president of the Hampstead club this year.
The Hampstead club is in the Western District, which has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
At the district meeting, the Hampstead club will receive a certificate for outstanding service in project SOAR, Stories Offer Adventure -- Read. This federation project collects books for children.
About 300 books, including 20 from the Hampstead club, were collected from clubs in the Western District and given to Baltimore City Social Services this year. Donations are still being accepted.
"The program includes giving books to the very young with new mothers as they leave the hospital," said Carolyn Ratcliffe, publicist for the Hampstead club. "We will be collecting more, to possibly donate locally."
The Women's Club of Hampstead is receiving a certificate of appreciation from the Hugh O'Brien Foundation. (Hugh O'Brien, the actor who portrayed Wyatt Earp on television, created the foundation in 1968.)
For more than 10 years, one sophomore from North Carroll High School has been sent to a Hugh O'Brien Foundation weekend leadership conference each spring. Attendance previously was sponsored by the Vaughn Women's Club; the Women's Club of Hampstead has sponsored a student for two years.
Student Gini Marie Tripani was selected this spring on the basis of her essays demonstrating her leadership, sensitivity and concern for others, and how she would share her knowledge and experience with others.
At the conference, she met students from every high school in Carroll County and high schools from throughout Maryland.
"It's a leadership seminar and an opportunity to meet tomorrow's and today's leaders, in business, education, the sciences, arts and government, through informal group meetings and discussions," said Carol Westcott, North Carroll guidance counselor.
"The idea is to give young people the opportunity to have a realistic look at the nation, people, and what their role in the world community should or could be.
"It's excellent because kids meet kids from across the state of Maryland, and a lot of them make lifelong friends and friends they meet again at college," she said.
For a presentation on preserving women's history, the Hampstead club is receiving a second-place state women's club award.
Cindy Swanson, director, and Lisa Mangiafico, archivist, both of the GFWC Women's History and Resource Center in Washington, presented a history of the federation and its national headquarters during a club meeting in Hampstead.
"They emphasized the care it takes to preserve artifacts for any group, and were encouraging each club to do the same," Mrs. Ratcliffe said. "They spent time explaining how to preserve, and what things should be preserved.
"During the meeting, we had two members of our club reminisce. Both were about 50-year members. This was one thing the [specialists] were pointing out: We should have taped [the members] informally talking, because they'll give your best record."
The Hampstead club is also being commended for financial support by the Save the Bay Foundation, which has named the Hampstead club "Honorary Bay Watchers," and by the GFWC.
During the past four years, the Hampstead club has given $700 to endow the headquarters building in Washington, which is undergoing renovation.
Another award will acknowledge the Women's Club of Hampstead as a member of the GFWC for 65 years.
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During the annual luncheon meeting by the Women's Club of Hampstead, held at A Grand Affair on May 3, officers were installed and members recognized.
Receiving gold cards for 50 years of membership were Elsie Arbaugh, Ruth Hartman and Ione Tillinghast.
Mrs. Arbaugh, past Western District president, installed officers for the next two years. The club will resume monthly meetings in the fall.
Sandy Yospa was installed as club president; the vice president will be Ruthe Kraus.
Phyllis Osborne will serve as recording secretary and May Clagett as corresponding secretary. Marylin Gill will serve as treasurer and Louise Uhler as custodian. Charlotte Ratcliffe will be in charge of publicity.
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It's National Nursing Home Week. At Longview Nursing Home in Manchester, activity director Jeanie Reiter has a full-scale celebration under way.
"To any of these programs, we encourage the public to attend so they can see what kind of activities we provide at the nursing home," Mrs. Reiter said. "We like the family members and friends to be involved with our residents.
"To a couple of our special entertainments we've had lately in the evening hours, our [volunteer middle school] students were asking if they could come. . . .
"We had an Elvis Presley impersonator two months ago and [many] young students asked to come. They came to visit with their resident friends and stayed with them the whole time," she said.
There's an activity every day at Longview and special programs at least once a month. For this week, both day and evening programs are scheduled.
On Monday, Grace United Methodist Church had a birthday party for those born in May. The "All That Glitters" dance troupe performed.
Yesterday, Janice Smith, a one-woman vocalist and karaoke-style performer from Baltimore, led a solo and sing-along variety show.
"She tries to get the patients involved in the songs. She even comes dressed in costume," Mrs. Reiter said.
"This time the songs were a variety from the '20s to the '90s; most of it's the old-timey stuff the patients have heard before."
Today the public is encouraged to learn about mammograms and register to have one.
Representatives from the University of Maryland Cancer Program will show a video and answer questions. On June 17, they will return to administer mammograms to those who register today. The mammogram is free to any woman over 50 who meets certain criteria, or $65 if not covered by insurance.
"The mammogram van will come to our site to make it convenient for an older person," Mrs. Reiter said. "We encourage the public, [Longview] residents and family members to get involved."
Tomorrow at 2 p.m., Longview holds a pizza party. Pizzas are made by Billie Carr.
"She's our cook," Mrs. Reiter said. "Gosh, it's good."
String Band America performs tomorrow from 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This band includes 12 to 15 string instrumentalists from Carroll County who strum banjos, guitars, string basses and mandolins, and throw in the harmonica from time to time.
Some members of the group provide vocals. This is a large and very popular production, Mrs. Reiter said.
On Friday, Longview will have a bingo social at 1:30 p.m. That evening, Miss Carroll County, Sarah Greensfelder, will sing and act as host for a show at 7 p.m. Her entourage includes performers who sing, play guitar and perform tap, ballet and jazz dance.
Also on Friday, Mrs. Reiter and a group of Longview residents will have lunch at the Community Jubilee at the Farm Museum.
On Saturday, the week of special activities concludes with a program of song and brief inspirational service by the Rev. Maurice Shaffer.
Information: Jeanie Reiter, 239-7139.