Say What! by Mike Cady
June 18, 2010
SAY WHAT! By Mike Cady
We are one step closer to Socialized Medicine!
Yes, it is true; with the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as ObamaCare) our country moved one monster step closer to having socialized medicine. However, the socialization of our health care delivery and finance system did not start with President Obama. In fact, for the past sixty-four years, our government (at every level) steadily worked toward the elimination of the “fee for service” payment system and doctor / patient relationship we once knew and valued.
To better understand how we got to where we are today, a brief review of key legislation may be helpful.
Hill-Burton Act (The Hospital Survey & Construction Act of 1946) - The Act provided federal grants and guaranteed loans to improve the physical plant of the nation’s hospital system. Money was designated to the states to achieve 4.5 beds per 1,000 people. Facilities that received Hill-Burton funding had to adhere to several requirements that included the provision of free care. The cost of such services was then built into hospital rates for others to pay.
Social Security Act (Title XVIII and XIX) in 1967, Medicare was implemented. It provides comprehensive health care services to disabled citizens and those 65 and older provided they are otherwise eligible for Social Security benefits. While providing needed coverage to a huge population, Medicare also controls participating physicians’ fees, length of hospital stays and what treatment may be rendered. Starting the following year, Medicaid was initiated in many states (including Maryland). It provides limited services to indigent families with greater government imposed restrictions on health care providers than Medicare.
Health Services Cost Review Commission In 1974, Maryland was one of the first states to enact a cost review commission. The Commission sets the rates that hospitals charge.
Health System Agency(HAS) In 1975, a HSA that served a specific geographic region was delegated a role in determining whether the state will approve an application for a new or converted, expanded, or otherwise significantly modified health facility. In other words, the state government controlled if a hospital could expand or modernize, and what services it may offer its community.
With these legislative initiatives came an abundance of allied groups that added layers of bureaucracy to the delivery of health care services and further imposed upon the doctor / patient relationship. They included: Utilization Review Committees, Medical Care Foundations, Peer Review Committees, Quality Assurance Programs, etc. However, for the past twenty-five years, the health care system was void of any additional major government intrusion into our health care. In fact, with the passage of HIPAA (Health Information Privacy Act), the government guaranteed that our medical history would be protected and shared only with entities we expressly approved. In this electronic era, this legislation was sorely needed.
Then came ObamaCare. On March 23 of this year, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Beware, the more endearing the title of legislation, the more suspect it is. The question asked and not yet answered is, affordable for whom - probably not the taxpayers or employers. In the words of Kathleen Sebelius (Secretary of Health & Human Services), ObamaCare “will provide you and your family greater savings and increased quality health care”. If this turns out to be true, to my knowledge it will be the first federal entitlement program to achieve such lofty goals. Certainly, Medicare and Medicaid missed this mark since health care costs have escalated faster than any other industry since their inception.
It is very difficult to wrap your arms around the ObamaCare Program and succinctly define its components. Core concepts include:
- All individuals will be required to obtain health care coverage or pay penalties. Empolyer provided coverage will generally meet this requirement.
- Lower income will receive a credit or voucher to help pay for health insurance.
- Employers currently offering health insurance can elect to continue offering coverage as long as their plans meet certain minimum requirements.
- Employers electing to not offer qualifying coverage will be subject to additional taxes. Exceptions will be made for small businesses.
As we all know, the devil is in the detail. Here are just a few concerns that you may wish to monitor to ensure that you do not end up with less coverage for more money.
Lose your current insurance and doctor - CNN reported that some large employers may drop their current health care plans they now offer their respective employees because ObamaCare makes it much cheaper for these employers to convert their employees into the government controlled health exchanges and pay a penalty for not insuring them.
Children covered up to age 26 - Most insurance coverage covers children up to the age of 19 or up to 25 if they are a full-time student or disabled. However, ObamaCare extends coverage of children up to age 26, regardless of student status. As a result, just from this provision, insurance rates will increase a minimum of one percent. Associated Press reported that it will cost $3,380 for each adult dependent in 2011.
Physician owned hospitals will suffer - Frederick County is blessed with a single outstanding hospital (Frederick Memorial) and its complete system that provides outpatient laboratory, radiology, surgical, physical therapy, home health and other services. This is very unique as most communities rely on a variety of facilities, including physician owned hospitals. Under ObamaCare, physician owned hospitals are subjected to restrictive regulations that include a ban on expansion, limitations on new investments, additional reporting requirements and fines for failure to comply with new transparency rules that apply only to them.
Shortage of physicians, especially general practitioners - Obamacare does absolutely nothing to address doctors’ ever growing and legitimate concerns about the cost of malpractice insurance, substantially low reimbursement rates for government sponsored programs, and the never ending paper-work required of them. The results of which may drive more general doctors out of their offices like we have already witnessed in some specialties (e.g., OB / Gyn).
Employers may be fined for providing current coverage - Under ObamaCare, employers may be fined for not providing their employees with what the government defines as an appropriate level of coverage. According to Mercer (a human resource consultancy) “38% of the nation’s employers have at least some employees for whom coverage would be considered unaffordable under the newly enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”. So, what do they do to avoid penalties? One option is to cancel their current high-end coverage and go with the ObamaCare option with fewer benefits. However, because all of the regulations are not yet promulgated, many details are not yet know.
Thus, the debate about the delivery and financing of our national health care system is not over. The enactment of ObamaCare was Phase one and two phases remain to be formed. The next two phases are how the state and local governments will reform health care in their jurisdictions. These debates will provide all of us with an opportunity to let our thoughts be known and impact the outcome.
Senior Moments-By the Grace of God! by Carol Hutson
May 15, 2010
You often hear the phrase, “By the Grace of God!”… I truly believe God sends his graces in many forms to guide and enhance our lives. His grace leads us to that special person, you want to spend the rest of your life with. Being guided by his graces to meet wonderful people who genuinely care about the people they meet and who go out of their way to make you feel welcome, and with whom you know you have a dear friend for life.
One couple in particular fits all of the above - Jo Ann and Paul Cannada. We met this dear couple two years ago when Paul was serving as the Thurmont Lion’s club president. Lovingly referred to as “Pilot” this reference fits him exactly as he guided the Lion’s through an exciting year of service to the Thurmont community, with his loving wife Jo Ann always at his side to do whatever was needed to get the job done.
Jo Ann and Paul met in 1959, while Paul worked at a George Washington University deli named Leo’s. They were introduced by a mutual friend. Jo Ann said with a giggle “The first time I saw him I said, Oh my gosh, I’m going to get that guy.. and I did!” Paul said jokingly, “She lived 2 blocks away- she came in 6 times a day!”
Paul was born July 6 1942, in Durham, North Carolina. His family moved to DC when he was three. Jo Ann, a native of DC was born June 12, 1944, They were married on August 25, 1962, and have been blessed with two beautiful daughters: Deborah Ann and Mary Catherine; five wonderful grandchildren, James Patrick, Paul Michael, Ashley Lynn, Mathew Brian and Thomas Carl and three adorable great grandchildren Andruw , Emily and J T- James Thomas. Paul was in the Navy, stationed at Norfolk and had to report to his ship while they were still on their honeymoon, but knowing he had a weekend pass he took Jo Ann along. Prior to their leaving, Jo Ann being a dutiful new bride pressed his white uniform so Paul would be ready to board ship on Friday. As Paul was dressing to leave he noticed she had pressed the pants on the outside making the creases point out rather than in (as per Navy protocol pressing them inside out). On the bus ride to the ship the other crew members jokingly asked him “What man’s Navy are you in?”
After the Navy, Paul went to work for PEPCO as a helper in the substation test department. Hard work and dedication moved Paul up the ladder to Division Manager of the Distribution Systems Operations where he retired. Jo Ann went to work after high school for the Board of Governors at the Federal Reserve System and after their daughters were grown she worked at the Bureau of National Affairs in Gaithersburg, MD where she retired.
Paul and Jo Ann moved to Thurmont in 2003, and Paul joined the Lions club in June 2004. A few months after joining the Thurmont Lions club, Paul was asked if he would consider going to the Multiple District Leadership Institute. A few months later, he received a call asking if he wanted to be Second Vice President for 2005/2006. He served as First Vice President, in 2006/2007, and as President 2007/2008. Paul moved up to Zone Chair 2008/2009. This year 2009/2010, he is serving as Cabinet Secretary for District 22 W. If elected at the District Convention on May 21, 2010, he will be Second Vice District Governor. Pretty impressive as his only goal was to help serve his community when he joined.
Jo Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. They caught it just when it broke, three lymph nodes were removed and she had a lumpectomy. After 33 radiation treatments Jo Ann was on the road to recovery. During her two year checkup in May 2009, the doctors discovered something in the other breast, a MRI reviled a much more aggressive form of cancer had developed in the right breast, this time she would need chemotherapy. “I have had so much support from our church , Lions and community.” Lynn Stewart was always there to hold her hand with words of encouragement. “You can beat this! You will beat this! “Sharon Windsor made bread pudding for me each time I had chemo. I knew that a big bowl would be waiting for me, she never let me down.” “My neighbor in JerMae Villas, Paul Moss and I rode to and from radiation treatments together. Jo Ann, stated warmly. I asked Jo Ann what would you say to someone who was just diagnosed with cancer. She responded with conviction. ” You are going to be ok, with God’s help and good doctors you will be ok, you can do it, you will be fine! ,
Jo Ann’s Treasured Moment: “My mother brought home a puppy named Fluffy. She was a feisty little thing. She was my best buddy, she went everywhere with me .”
Jo Ann and Paul shared with me one of many Treasured Moments: When they were about sixteen/seventeen they went to channel 5- Milt Grant’s show where Annette Funacello was performing. Paul was smitten with Annette, his eyes still lite up and a boyish grin crossed his face at the mention of her name. As a teen, “A friend and I attended a concert at the Carter Barron Amphitheater where Annette was performing. Afterwards, we saw her leaving- we decided to follow her limo. They drove up and down DC streets, Annette smiled and waved out of the back window as her driver tried to lose us, he finally did,” Paul recounted smiling. Who knew-Our Paul- a teen idol stalker!!!
Paul’s Treasured Moment: “The birth of our two daughters. With the first came the shock of all of a sudden I was responsible for someone, When our second daughter was born I was so grateful there was nothing wrong.”
Jo Ann’s Senior Moment: “At Our Lady of Mount Carmel the Second Chance were being honored , I met a wounded serviceman, Robert Bartlett who had returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. He introduced himself and asked “How are you,” I guess because he saw I was bald. We had a wonderful talk, he touched my heart. We have kept in touch, he sent me holy water from Our Lady of Fatima, in France and a beautiful letter. The police Ride-A-Long with officer Danny Fitzgerald, that was super exciting! And winning the battle with cancer- I AM A SURVIVOR!”
Paul’s Senior Moment :”Being in the Lions Club, at my first benefit breakfast seeing so many people show up on a cold rainy March morning for a man with terminal cancer. I could not believe the number of people that showed up. That was the day I knew- I was a Lion, and would never leave the club.
If you have a senior moment you would like to share contact me at carol@thurmonttimes.com
Emmitsburg Times by Mayor Jim Hoover
April 21, 2010
The Emmitsburg Town staff and elected officials have received several questions about the status of the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project.
Recently the State of Maryland established a new permit requirement which the Town and our contractors were not aware of. To the best of our knowledge all permits were applied for and approved. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) agreed that the Town could proceed with the job as designed, halfway through the project, MDE issued a stop work order for failing to obtain the proper permits. In additional to the stop work order, MDE also issued a $10,000 dollar fine, which was paid by our engineering firm.
The stop work order was issued on or about March 1, 2010 and was expected to last approximately six weeks. As of April 20, 2010 the Town has been unable to get a status from MDE on when we can expect the permit to be released which also determines when the stop work order will be lifted.
With a stop work order in place the Town is unable to make more suitable repairs to the roads without risking additional fines and penalties being assessed directly against the Town. The Town staff continues to fill pot holes but, the stone is easily washed out by the rain and constant flow of traffic. With South Seton Avenue closed, the Town knows how critical it is that Lincoln Avenue and Creamery Road remain accessible.
Town staff and I will continue to work with several agencies at the County and State levels to have work resumed on the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project and to get South Seton Avenue reopened as soon as possible. Until the County determines that the building on the square is structural sound, the State Highway (SHA) can not reopen South Seton Avenue.
On a positive note; the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project is a project that is long over. It may be hard to realize right now but, the short term inconveniences that we are currently experiencing is absolutely out weighed by the long term effects this project will have on our community. The scope of work for this project upgrades the sewer and water lines the entire length of East and West Lincoln Avenue including new piping under Toms Creek. The upgrade to the water line will improve the quality and volume of water available to the residents, businesses and fire hydrants. The upgrade to the sewer line will reduce the infiltration of “wild water” in to the sewer lines and reduce the risk of overloading our pump station which causes raw sewage spills.
Without the stop work order and the closing of a major road, the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project is very similar to the projects that were completed on the west end of town and on South Seton Avenue. These projects also created an inconvenience to the community but, as designed, those projects also provided a significant resource for fire protection. Prior to those projects being completed several fire hydrants on the west end of town and along South Seton Avenue was unusable because the water lines did not have adequate volume. The water lines were old, leaking and not properly sized for current demands. Without those improvements, the recent fire on the square may have burned out of control longer and caused damage to the adjacent buildings.
Government does work.
April 21, 2010
Government does work. by Frederick County Commissioner President Jan Gardner
Every day we get in our cars and we drive to work, to school, to visit friends or to run errands. We take for granted that we have the ability to readily travel wherever we want! We are able to get from one place to another using a road network provided by government. Depending upon where you live and where you are going, you are likely to drive on some combination of municipal, county, state, or federal roads. We get where we want and need to go because we have a functional network of well maintained roads and bridges. While our transportation network is not perfect, we do have the ability to travel just about anywhere at any time because of our road and highway system.
Each and every day, over 40,000 children in Frederick County attend our public schools. Most are picked up near their homes by a school bus and are delivered back home later in the day. Our children are provided the opportunity to learn and have access to a wide variety of educational choices including advanced placement classes, foreign languages, calculus and physics, agriculture education and much more. We are fortunate in Frederick County to have excellent public schools. Our children have the opportunity to excel and are well prepared to attend some of the best colleges in the country.
If you have a medical emergency, a fire, or another type of emergency, you can call 911 to access help. A well prepared 911 call taker will answer the phone and will dispatch law enforcement or fire and emergency rescue staff who will respond quickly to provide needed assistance. A few weeks ago, one of my friends called 911 at two o’clock in the morning because her husband was experiencing chest pain and thought he was having a heart attack. The 911 operator calmly provided instructions. The ambulance arrived, first responders provided care and quick transport to the hospital, and hospital staff was ready and waiting in the emergency room. This timely and professional response resulted in a positive outcome and a good prognosis for my friend’s husband. This government service works well for many people in need every single day.
Most of us feel safe in our homes and in our community and go about our daily activities with little thought about our personal safety. Crime in Frederick County has decreased 13% over the past year due to the efforts of our Sheriff and all the members of the Sheriff’s Office. These statistics reflect positively on the work of our men and women in law enforcement. We are fortunate to live in a safe place.
Calls for service to 911 have increased steadily over time. In 2009, total calls handled both inbound and outbound were 345,541 calls with 199,556 dispatches to all agencies including law enforcement, fire and EMS dispatch, and animal control. This compares to 88,823 dispatches to all agencies in 2000. The calls for service have increased as the population of the county has increased. County public safety agencies do an outstanding job of providing responses to all of these calls for service. Public safety agencies provide an essential government service that works.
Many residents in Frederick County are connected to public water and sewer provided by the county or one of the municipal governments. For those of us connected to public water and sewer, we do not worry about whether the water is safe to drink and we take for granted that we can cook, do laundry, take a shower, and flush our toilets every day for a relatively inexpensive cost. Public water and sewer is one of the few utilities that work continuously even when there are electricity outages. Public water and sewer systems protect public health and extend longevity. Water and sewer is a government service that works.
These are just a few examples of government services that work well. In our current economic climate, there has been a lot of public debate about what services government provides, the ability of government to provide these services, and whether these services are valued by the community.
The next time you visit the library, see an ambulance or fire truck drive by with its sirens on, or pass a local school, take a moment to be thankful that we live and call Frederick County home.
Government does work!
New & Noteworthy at The Thurmont Regional Library
April 20, 2010
By Erin Dingle, Administrator (edingle@FrederickCountyMD.gov)
The library has several interesting events coming up and as always, the public is invited to come over and participate at no cost.
Vic Jagow Day is May 15! The library is joining together with several organizations to honor Mr. Jagow for his long-standing commitment to our community. An early supporter of the library, Vic has donated his time, energy and goodwill to this library and we owe him a great deal of gratitude. Join us on the library deck at 1 pm for a special presentation to Vic plus the reunion ‘The Coachmen’, the band Vic managed and who played at local dances and parties in the 1960’s. This is a once in a lifetime reunion and something you don’t want to miss.
The library will also be participating in ART (Art Along the Trail) on Saturday, May 22. The festival will feature art, music, exhibits, food and more along the Trolley Trail. Stop by the library to visit our gallery for the final day of the David Fair exhibit. The library will also be displaying the winning entries of the ‘Welcome to My World’ student art contest. Registration forms are available at the library.
The summer exhibit at the Thurmont Regional Library Art Gallery will feature a variety of works by local artists, Emily Sloviko and Nancy Houston. The gallery is free and open to the public every Sunday from 1-4.
And finally, don’t forget to bring your kids to the library to Make a Splash in the annual Summer Reading Club. There are going to be lots of fun activities and events for kids of all ages, plus prices galore. This is something the kids look forward to every year so be sure you stop in for more details or visit www.fcpl.org after May 1 to register on
I Want You (and your dog) To Give Blood by Dr “JB” Bramson
April 20, 2010
Blood donation is a gift of life, whether you are a human, dog or cat.
When I look at my blood donation card, it tells me:
1) 1 human blood donation can save up to 3 lives.
2) less than 30% of those who give once give again.
3) a person can give up to 6 times per year
4) every 2 seconds a person needs blood
5) donated blood lasts 42 days
Pets Need Blood Transfusions Too
Whole blood and blood components are utilized in transfusion medicine. When blood is separated, it yields packed red blood cells (RBC’s) which carry oxygen to tissues in the body, fresh frozen plasma, or frozen plasma, and platelets. The shelf lives of those products are:
packed RBC’s - 35 days
fresh frozen plasma (FFP) - 1 year
frozen plasma (FP) - 5 years
Reasons for cats and dogs to need transfusions
1) blood loss from major trauma, bleeding internal tumors, even heavy parasite loads especially in young animals or very small sized animals. For example: internal parasites - especially hookworms, and external parasites - fleas and ticks in high numbers.
2) decreased production of RBC’s from bone marrow due to:
a) cancer of the bone marrow
b) infections i.e., Feline Leukemia virus in cats
3) coagulation disorders:
a) inherited disorders such as hemophilia (dogs can get this condition and there are different varieties)
b) acquired - ingestion of rodent bait/ poisons - most often these baits act as anti-coagulants to cause bleeding to death; pets find these baits delicious too and can be harmed (or killed) by them.
There are animal blood banks throughout the USA. One of the closest to us is Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank in Annapolis, Maryland. One of their blood donation centers is at Kingsbrook Animal Hospital in Frederick Maryland. Only “volunteer” dogs are used for donations.
Your dog can be considered for blood donating if it is:
1) a healthy 9 months to 7 1/2 year old that is at least 35 pounds.
2) available to donate every 2 months
3) on regular heartworm prevention
4) up to date on preventive health care (vaccines)
5) not taking any medicines which may preclude it from being a donor
As a donor, your dog receives:
1) blood typing
2) complete blood cell counts and chemistry panels yearly
3) heartworm and tick disease screening every 6 to 12 months
4)other testing for disorders
5) an examination at each donation
A single dog donation can save 4 lives. Donation only takes 3 to 5 minutes and no sedation is needed. Only a small amount of blood is collected and the body starts to replace it immediately.
blood typing and cross matching ( between donors and recipients) is a good idea before a transfusion. In dogs, it can be risky not to do so. In cats, it can be fatal.
Dogs and cats have their own blood groups. Dogs have 3 blood groups and cats have 2 blood groups. Blood type refers to an antigen on the surface of the RBC’s. In dogs, one major distinction is DEA 1.1 positive vs. negative. If you know that your dog is positive, it saves money on the cost for compatible blood and it saves the negative blood supply for those that really do need it.
So give blood if you’re a dog and save lives. Give blood if you’re a person and feel good knowing that you’re saving lives.
Contact the Red Cross at: 1-800-REDCROSS to schedule a donation
Call Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank at 1-800-949-3822
LOCAL GROOMER OPENS NEW BUSINESS
April 20, 2010
C&K GROOMERS has recently opened in Thurmont. Cheryl Bottomly, along with her daughter Kaylia, has opened her own small breed dog grooming business in her home. Their hours are 9am-1pm Wednesday through Saturday.
Cheryl and Kaylia love dogs. They have three-Buddy, a Toy Poodle puppy, Angel, a Bichon Frise, and Sabrina, a toy Chihuahua. For ten years, Cheryl groomed dogs for her family and friends. She has had her grooming license for five years, and groomed for Main Street Groomers for four years. She also took one semester of veterinary assistant schooling. Wanting to open her own business, Cheryl obtained her business license in 2009. Kaylia assists her Mom by bathing and blowing dry the dogs, which she has done for ten years. Kaylia is an artist-she does comic book and graphic novel forms, web design, and is writing a novel that she hopes to have published.
To schedule an appointment, call C&K Groomers at 201-271-7813. References are available upon request.
Visit Mountain Memories
April 20, 2010
Visit Mountain Memories by Eleanor Crampton
A Hodgepodge of Goods
Mountain Memories is a gift shop located at 102 Frederick Road, Thurmont; it is owned and operated by Pat Manahan. Pat rented the building that she occupies 12 years ago when her daughter-in-law told her that Cozy had a vacancy at one of its Cozy Shops. Mary Portner, Pat’s good friend, helps her in the store.
The shop’s signature items are the artwork hand painted by Pat. The shop carries a variety of unique items, including glassware, cobalt-blue and antique glassware, animal figurines, other figurines, hand painted gores and slates, teapots, cookie jars, aprons, plastic bag holders, pillows, candles, candleholders, estate sale merchandise, Biblical plates, clocks, planters, baskets, stuffed animals, silk flowers, jams, jellies, plaques, new and used clothing (some Western), chairs, benches, tapestry, swags, shelves, etc. Handmade cabinets, made by Pat’s husband, are also available for sale. A jewelry collection has just been added to the inventory. Mountain Memories is a gift shop with a distinctive assortment of treasures.
Pat accepts credit cards and cash. Store hours are Monday through Friday 10am-2pm during the winter and 10am-4pm during the summer, Saturdays 10am-2pm, and Sundays Noon-3pm. Mountain Memories phone number is 301-271-9100. So, support your local businesses and stop by and say hello to Pat while you browse this special shop.
Senior Moments-Lifetime of Civic Duty by Carol Hutson
April 3, 2010
We often hear of people who go above and beyond for their community; those who always put the needs of others before their own. We have many such people in “Our Town,” people who first and foremost truly want to make Thurmont, a better place to live. One such person is our own James Mackley.
James H. Mackley, born on January 3, 1929, to Lloyd and Ruth Mackley. Jim being the fourth generation volunteer firefighter, followed in his great-grandfather James C. Mackley, grandfather Irvin Mackley, and father Lloyd Mackley’s footsteps when he joined the Guardian Hose Company volunteer fire department on December 6, 1945, at the tender age of 16, he was one of the youngest volunteer firefighters at the time.
“Because so many men were in the military they lowered the age limit which allowed Jim and others to join.” noted president of the Guardian Hose Co. Wayne Stackhouse.
“December 6, 2010, will commemorate his 65 years of dedicated service, Jim has served the fire co. and the Thurmont Ambulance Co. with dedication unlike any other.” he added. Trustee, Terry Frushour advises, “Jim took his fire training course in 1946, served as Assistant Fire Chief and as Fire Chief from 1978-1987 and received the Special Life Member award on February 15, 1975. He was inducted into the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Association Hall of Fame in 1997.” Assistant Treasurer Bill Zentz added, “What is important to know about Jim, he remained an important member of the company long after many people burned out, he is phenomenal.” Wayne advised, “Jim Mackley came up through the ranks, starting as a line officer hanging off the back-end of the truck, all the way through to chief. He is well respected. I call it, a PILLAR, if you wanted to build a foundation for a fire company, he would be the COLUMN you would build around. He has been instrumental in every aspect of the fire co. He still takes active interest in the meetings and fund raisers.” Terry adds, “Jim has always been a mentor for many in the co. He is someone to look up to if you wanted to set goals. He was an assistant Boy Scout leader and very active in his church and on the church council, Jim and Dot have served Meals on Wheels for years to seniors in our community.”
Jim has seen many changes in the fire company, “When I started they did not have turn-out gear. My first big fire, cinder sparks filtered down burning holes in my coat,” Jim remembers. Jim was an active member of the fire co. until he had a very bad spill on his scooter while responding to the fire alarm, hitting his head on the curb he was flown to Hagerstown for treatment, which ended his career otherwise at 81 he would still be gearing up at the sound of the alarm.
One important aspect I took away from my interview with these very active- life long dedicated members of our Guardian Hose Company is, they are not only a ‘brotherhood of firefighters,’ they are family! None, taking credit or trying to standout above the rest. A foundation as President Stackhouse said, that has built this fire company into the most active VOLUNTEER fire company in Frederick County!
Jim served in the Navy after he graduated from high school in 1946, his tour of duty took him to the Mediterranean for two years, after which his adventurous spirit lead him to Alaska where he worked for a gold mining company for two years.
It was on one of his visits home in 1951, that fate intervened, while driving his Chevy a pretty young nursing student riding in a Model A Ford called out, “I like Chevy’s.”
That was the beginning of their love story. Dorothy grew up on a farm in Bedford, PA and was training at Victor Cullen’s Sanatorium to be a nurse. Jim and Dorothy dated for three years. Jim knew that Dorothy was the one he wanted to spend his life with, they were married on June 5, 1954. They moved into their home on Main Street five months after their marriage and has lived there ever since. Dorothy worked as an in-home nurse until retirement. They have been blessed with three wonderful children: Mike (Chuck), Ruth and Sally, and have seven beautiful grandchildren: Ryan, Sarah, Meghan, Emily, Matthew, Elizabeth and Christopher. Jim loves it when his twin granddaughter’s, Sarah and Meghan say “Oh, pappy your so cute!”
Jim is well known for his sense of humor and pranks. In his younger days while trying to attract Dot’s attention as she and her friends were swimming, Jim and his mischievous pals hooked firecrackers to the spark plugs of their car, it startled the girls when it gave a loud bang when they started it. Jim recounts the time Dot and her friends were bowling, he and his playful pals placed a bucket under the back axle of their car, when the girls tried to leave the back tires only spun. “Jim and the chief of Rocky Ridge fire company have always try to outdo each other,” states Trustee Frushour, “I remember the time Jim presented the chief with an agitator from a wash machine.” he laughs.
Jim’s Treasured Moment: Getting married and the birth of their children and grandchildren.
Jim’s Senior Moment: Being honored in 2005 for his 60 years of service to the fire company.
Dorothy’s Treasured Moment: When their son Chuck was ordained 25 years ago, he is currently serving as minister to the United Church of Christ in Clear Spring.
To share your senior moment contact me at carol@thurmonttimes.com
Thanks to Thurmont Town Staff by Kenny Oland
April 3, 2010
The snow storms of February 2010 will not be soon forgotten. 40+ inches of snow within 10 days is more than we have had in a long time. I’m sure that there are a number of people who are hoping that it will be a long time before we experience it again.
A little information about the Town of Thurmont, which you may not be aware of, the area of the corporate limits is about 4 square miles, about 28 miles of streets, about 1 ½ miles of sidewalks, 6 parking lots, and 10 parks which are maintained by the 5 member staff, including the Superintendent Butch West, of the Streets and Parks Department.
During snow and ice events the Streets and Parks Department must call on other departments for manpower to assist in clearing the streets and sidewalks of snow and ice and the spreading of salt. During the February 2010 blizzard the Town of Thurmont had 10 Town employees working around the clock to open the streets and then attempt to keep them open while the wind blew, the snow drifted and more snow fell. Before it was over these 10 men put in over 1,200 hours, not getting home to take care of their own families until the Town streets were passable and safe.
During these storms the Town had two large dump trucks, 2 medium dump trucks, 5 pick-up trucks, 2 backhoes, 1 bobcat with a snow blower attachment, and 2 walk behind snow blowers working to open the streets, Town maintained sidewalks, and parking lots, while using over 63 tons of salt.
Assisting the Town was W. F. Delauter & Son, Inc. by providing 2 large rubber tire loaders, 1 bobcat loader, and 3 tandem axle dump trucks. Kirby Delauter, working with Butch West, made the clearing of the streets of Thurmont a priority.
Mr. West stated that as they worked to open the streets the Town began to run out of fuel. Mr. Delauter was not able to get his fuel truck to Town so the Town called upon Bernie Sweeney, Direct-To-You Gas on North Church Street, who made his way to his gas station, opened it to allow the Town to purchase fuel to continue in their efforts to clear the streets.
As we not reflect on those 10 days, we can be thankful to the few dedicated, hard working town employees that go unnoticed as they go about their daily tasks of making Thurmont the place we chose to call home.
We should also be thankful for people like Kirby Delauter, W. F. Delauter & Son, for his assistance in opening streets and clearing the downtown area of snow. To Bernie Sweeney, Direct-To-You Gas, for coming out during the storm to open his station so the equipment could obtain fuel to keep going.
Last, but not least, the Town employees who worked all those hours to clear the streets so we could get back to “normal” as soon as we did.
They are, Left side, back row: Tim Eyler, Streets/Parks, Brad Weddle, Electric, Gary Hodges, Electric. Front Row: Butch West, Superintendent Streets/Parks, Jeff Kilby, Sewer.
Right side, back row: Danny Miller, Streets/Parks, Jim Brown, Zoning. Front row: Dave Grimm, Streets/Parks, and Lee Hanvey, Streets/Parks. Not present Troy Wastler, Sewer.
After pushing all that snow, clearing the streets, parking lots, and sidewalks Mr. West is proud to report no one was injured.
With the information presented in this article, the next time you see one of these hard working, dedicated employees quietly going about their daily tasks, you might want to stop and thank them. Thank them, not only for what they did during the blizzard but what they do every day to make Thurmont the Town you call home.
Thank you guys for all you do every day.
Kenny Oland
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