Around Hancock

Sponsorships and donations are also welcome. Already, 100 race participants have registered. Registration is also available on race day for $60 for runners or $20 for walkers. 

Top sponsors of the event are NBC-25, Weaver's Restaurant & Bakery, and JLG Industries. 

Habitat will open a ReStore in Hagerstown by spring in the old Coca-Cola bottling building at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Charles Street. 

ReStore is a home improvement store that sells donated new and gently used building materials, appliances, home fixtures, and other home improvement products to the public at reduced prices. 

For more information, contact Kathy Powderly at 301-791-9009, Kathy.hfhwc@verizon.net or Tara Horst at 301-797-6883, tara_horst@hotmail.com.

Curves collecting items for food bank

The local Curves women's exercise center is sponsoring a food drive for the month of October. 

We often think of food drives around Thanksgiving or Christmas, but this year the food bank is in critical need now. 

Already, the small table in the center of the exercise machines is full and the bags are spilling onto the floor. 

If all goes well, we will fill the circle with food to be given to the food bank in Hancock run by the Interfaith Service Coalition. Thank you to this local business that has responded to this local need!

Lions to barbecue chicken at Apple Butter Festival

In your travels this weekend, look for the Hancock Lions at the 35th annual Apple Butter Festival in nearby Berkeley Springs, W.Va.  The Lions will host their last barbecue chicken event of the season. All proceeds benefit local programs that help the Hancock area.  Several other Hancock organizations take part in this two-day festival held just six or seven miles south of town. 

'Sound of Music' at Southern Fulton

Our neighbor to the north, Southern Fulton High School, is presenting another wonderful family musical.  Last year they "wowed" us with "Oklahoma!," and this year's offering is everybody's favorite, "The Sound of Music."  Performances are coming up Oct. 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $5 per adult and $3 per student.  Contact Southern Fulton High School at 717-294-3251.

'Breaking the Silence'

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month across America.  Local minister Anne O. Weatherholt (yes, yours truly) has written a book on this difficult subject. Titled "Breaking the Silence," the work is a handbook which will be useful for church leaders and members. Its goal is to teach about the prevalence of domestic violence and ways the church can be a safe place for victims, as well as helping to prevent members from becoming victims.

A book-signing at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church is in the works for November. The book is available from Morehouse Publishing, a division of the Episcopal Church Publishing Group and also at Amazon.com. 

Wear pink to work

The pink ribbons are on the streets in Hancock. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the ribbons remind us of the effort to assist those with this disease and support to eradicate cancer. Tomorrow is "casual day," if your boss allows, a day to wear pink to work and donate $5 toward breast cancer awareness programs sponsored by the Cumberland Valley Chapter. For more information, call 800-963-0101.