Highland Man Home From Iraq

By Chuck Gait
Posted: December 22, 2008

Sam Adamcyzk, who lives in Highland with his wife Deanna and sons, Austin and Ian, returned home from a short deployment to Iraq– just in time for Christmas. What a present for his family!

He was gone about four months. I came upon him, standing in a hallway where we both work. He was reading a bulletin board and I was heading to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. His back was to me as I passed by and I stopped and did a double take because I wasn’t expecting to see him. “Sam, you’re back!” I said. “Yea, I just got back Saturday night,” Sam replied. “It was a great experience” he continued.

“Do you think you’d go back?” I asked. “Well, before I left I had a lot of respect for our guys and gals over there. Now, I have even more respect for them — their spartan living conditions. But, to answer your question, I’d have to say no. I missed my family way too much” Sam said. We welcome him back and are glad that he returned safely.

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Local Girl Raises Funds for Ronald McDonald House

By Chuck Gait
Posted: December 4, 2008

Ask any grou of 9-year-olds what kind of birthday party they would have and odds are that they would all they’d want a party where they are given gifts by the kids who come. But how many would opt for a party in which the gifts are given, not to the person whose party it is, but to someone (or, in this case, for someone else).

I know of one such young lady. I was talking to her recently and found out that this is exactly what she requested– that her parents throw her a birthday party and, instead of the kids bringing her gifts, she requested donations for the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore. This special girl is Julia Leishear, daughter of Bill and Erin Leishear of Ellicott City and granddaughter of Bill and Margaret Leishear of Highland. She invited around 45 guests and raised more than $850.

Julia was a little embarrassed by the attention paid to her endeavor. “I’ve got lots of nice things and I didn’t need or want anything for my birthday,” she told me. Julia attends Resurrection-St. Paul Catholic School in Ellicott City. Chris McCabe, the father of one of her guests, told her that she “was one special girl.” Don’t you agree?

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Track County Snowplows During Snowstorms

By Chuck Gait
Posted: December 4, 2008

The Howard County government is offering a really cool service to its residents- the ability to track snow removal equipment during snowstorms. I got the e-mail announcing this service in mid November and thought it would be handy to share with you all. All you have to do is go to the county’s home page and click on the snowflake icon. Now, this only works during a snow event. This all works thanks to global positioning devices mounted on the vehicles. You can also receive updated recorded information on road conditions by calling Howard County’s Citizen Information hot line at 410-313-2900. Remember that primary and secondary routes get plowed first followed by residential and sides streets. For further information please contact the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Highways at 410-313-7450.

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Local Teen Graduates From USAF Basic Training

By Chuck Gait
Posted: November 26, 2008

I love writing about our young men and women who are trying to make a difference in this world. Let me tell you about one such young man, Air Force Airman Rolando V. Garcia. His parents, Rolando and Sandra Garcia, of Fulton, must be very proud of him. He recently graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio. Rolando is a 2006 graduate of Reservoir High School.

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Fulton Teens Work To Support Homeless Mom

By Chuck Gait
Posted: November 26, 2008

I got an e-mail from Mary Ann Souder, mother of Reservoir High School student Marlee Souder. Marlee is in Kerri Midiri’s class, part of the Teacher’s Academy whose aim is to help students that have a desire to become teachers.

Midiri’s class has adopted a homeless family for the holidays and the students are trying to come up with ways to earn money so that they can, in turn, give this single mother of four girls a very, merry Christmas.

Marlee and her friend, Savannah Geyer, came up the with idea of having a bake sale. The postmaster of the Fulton Post Office, Postmaster Barbara Howe, graciously allowed them on the premises for the bake sale, which took place Nov. 15. Mary Ann wrote that “the girls were simply amazed that, in these tough economic times, just how generous the community of Fulton was.”

Not only did they sell out in record time — 2 hours — but also received donations from well wishers. These two young ladies “would like to thank the community for their success” and to “let them know that because of their generosity they will be able to help this family have a nice Christmas”. Ann wrote further, “believe me, the girls were simply amazed and very appreciative of the community support!” I couldn’t have said it any better.

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