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!

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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.

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An era ends as Carol Hill move on

By Chuck Gait
Posted: June 26, 2008

Carol Hill, who took over one of the Highland postal routes, has decided to call it quits. She has taken a job at the University of Maryland’s Clarksville Station, located on Sheperd’s Lane, where she’ll be taking care of property requisitions.

“I’m so excited because I love cows and I have them all over my house,” Carol wrote to me in a recent e-mail. There are cows and barn cats up at the station so she’ll be in pig, uh, I mean, cow- heaven.

Carol is very friendly and courteous and she always has a smile on her face and a kind word for everyone. She will be missed by all of her customers on her route. I know she’ll be successful in her new job.

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Clarksville Picnic is this Saturday, June 28

By Chuck Gait
Posted: June 24, 2008

If it’s the last weekend in June, then it must be time for the annual Clarksville Picnic. It’ll take place Saturday, June 28 at St. Louis Catholic Church, in Clarksville. The grounds open at 10 a.m. and the country ham and fried chicken dinner tent opens at noon. I’ll be at the picnic in the early afternoon because of a schedule conflict. Now, don’t forget to stop by the “white elephant” sale where you’ll be able to find some real bargains. My wife, Jennie, and her crew have worked really hard in the Christmas room so stop by.

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Beijo Bag Party

By Chuck Gait
Posted: June 17, 2008

Carol Hill, our intrepid postal carrier, is having a Beijo purse party this Saturday, June 21 at 6 p.m. It’ll be at her house, 7510 Browns Bridge Rd, Highland (just down the street from Mt Zion). Why have a purse party? To quote Carol, “Because they are purses and no one can have enough purses!” She will have snacks, drinks & wine! If you can’t make it and still want to shop, check out the Beijo Bag web site above. Carol can be reached at 301-854-0876 or 301-704-4787 for more information.

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