Island Rock Band plays Schooley Mill Park this Saturday

By Chuck Gait
Posted: July 29, 2008

If you like island music, the kind with steel pans (or drums), then you might want to visit Schooley Mill Park, in Highland, this Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. for a free concert featuring The Geckos, an island rock band.

The Geckos are a five-piece band encompassing electric guitar, steel pans (or drums), electric bass and drums with the occasional trumpet. I logged onto their Web site (www.thegeckos.com) and had a listen to their music. I’m not much of a music critic, but I know what I like and I enjoyed what I heard. You might too.

The concert is sponsored by the Howard County Recreation and Parks. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and a picnic supper and non-alcoholic beverates and enjoy the music. For more information, you can call 410-313-7275. In the event of inclement weather, call 410-313-4452 after 4 p.m. on Saturday. I’m not sure I’ll be back from Philly, but I may see you there.

Comment on this entry • No responses

Near-nonagenarian beats cancer - again

By Chuck Gait
Posted: July 23, 2008

Mrs. Jennie Thompson of Highland, is now officially a two-time cancer survivor. Dr. Thomas Jarrett of the George Washington University Medical Center performed the surgery July 22. After the surgery, he came out to speak with her family and told them the surgery was successful and they were able to remove the diseased kidney.

The relief in the room was almost audible. Dr. Jarrett also told the family it did not appear that the cancer had spread, pending lab results.

Jennie will be staying in the hospital for a few days and may be home by the weekend.

Comment on this entry • No responses

Pary joins U.S. National Fencing Team

By Chuck Gait
Posted: July 9, 2008

Theo Pary did it! He took third in his division and made the U.S. National Fencing team. We found out about his triumph when his wife, Mira Picou, called to us from their yard to give us the news. He and his family will be traveling to Limoges, France where he will represent the United States at the World Championships. The irony of this is that Theo was born in Germany and was raised in Paris where his parents lived up until their deaths a few years back. Pary became a naturalized U.S. citizen several years ago. Congratulations, Theo! Woo-hoo!

Comment on this entry • No responses

Local fencer tries for spot on national team

By Chuck Gait
Posted: July 8, 2008

Theo Pary, a Howard County businessman, Highland resident and member of the U.S. Fencing Association, is in sunny San Jose, Calif. where he is competing in the Summer National Fencing Championships. Pary has been fencing for several years and got started when his two sons, Romain and Anton, took up the sport.

He enrolled them in fencing as a way to develop coordination, athletic ability and to train their minds. Since he had to take the boys to Chevy Chase for lessons, he started also as a way to exercise and burn off stress.

Pary will be competing for a place on the U.S. National Fencing team. If he places high enough in the standings, he will be traveling to Limoges, France later on this summer where the world championships will be held.

He’ll be competing tomorrow morning, July 8. I told him that we’ll have a big party for him when he returns as a member of the US National team. But, no pressure. We wish him well!

Comment on this entry • No responses

Clarksville Picnic a Rousing Success

By Chuck Gait
Posted: July 1, 2008

Well, the 130th Clarksville Picnic is in the history books. It was a very nice day, weather-wise. It did get hot, but we had an afternoon rain storm that cooled things down for a time. The parking lots were full and people were coming and going all day. The dinner tent was busy and the patronage was steady. There were only a handful of times when there was a line that took more than 10 to 15 minutes to work through. I never got to wander the midway because I was so wiped out from working under the dinner tent.

I also missed out on the book sale. I got to the room 10 minutes after they closed. I begged Bev Gerhardt, the book lady, to please open the room for just a couple minutes so that I could get a couple books. “Look,” she said, giving me a look that said, don’t mess with me — I’m tired. “I’ve been here since 9 this morning. It’s now after 8 at night. Come back on Monday,” she said. “Yes ma’am!,” I replied. I’m familiar with “that look”, so off I went.

One place that I spent a lot of time was the Christmas room. My wife Jennie, her sister Margaret Leishear, her mom Jennie Thompson, Elly Young and Connie Shemansky all worked very hard at decorating the room to make it look very appealing and on the day of the picnic.

Now, I may have spent a lot of time there but I didn’t do anything, except sit in the cool of the air conditioner. We never made it into the bingo room — it got too late, too fast. At the first worker’s Mass, the Rev. Joe Luca thanked the volunteers who made the day the success that it was. He recognized the several picnic committee people and also spoke about the sense of community that the picnic engenders. Just to put the scope of work involved to put this event on, it takes more than 1,000 volunteers to put the picnic on.

Comment on this entry • No responses