Amvets

A retired U.S. Marine Corps major and McConnellsburg resident has been named executive director of AMVETS effective Sept. 1. Stewart Hickey, 53, will spend two weeks with retiring Executive Director Jim King. His responsibilities include working with the elected national commander, overseeing top administrators, testifying in Congress and increasing awareness of the veterans service organization. “I was in the Marine Corps for 22 years, and I never heard of AMVETS. If I didn't know of it, I figure there are a lot of other people who aren't aware of it,” Hickey said.

AMVETS, Department of Maryland, will present the PNC A. Leo Anderson Memorial Free State Award of Excellence to CSM Bran Thompson, president of the Maj. Gen. Boyd Cook Memorial Foundation Inc., at a ceremony April 2 at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Md. The award honors Thompson’s more than 10 years of advocating for veterans and 9/11 military personnel and for those of their family members. Thompson spent more than 38 years in the U.S. Army Air Force Reserves and Army Reserves before retiring.

BASKETBALL Boonsboro Area Boys MCEA Chapter 67, South Mountain 31 MCEA CHAPTER 67 C.J. Saunders 17, E. Gruimm 14, J. Grimm 4, Griffin 4, Nittinger 2. SO. MT. FAMILY PRACTICE Stone 14, Walsh 9, Roy 4, Fishkin 2, Zinaich 2. Woodman Rangers 36, Boonsboro Pharmacy 13 WOODMAN RANGERS Shadoan 12, Mathews 12, Hubbard 6, T. Leone 2, B. Leone 2, Drawbaugh 2. BOONSBORO PHARMACY D. Guiseppi...

David Wayne Brown, 52, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, at City Hospital. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at Brown Funeral Home's South Berkeley Chapel in Inwood, W.Va. The service will immediately follow the visitation at AMVETS 30 in Inwood.

On July 7, a $500 nursing scholarship was given to Brittany Baker of Mount Airy, Md. She is enrolled in the nursing program at Hagerstown Community College. She is starting her second year and is expecting to graduate in December. Presenting the check was Cynthia Weedon of Sad Sacks, the honor and fun group of AMVETS.

Melinda Hodge, a reverse mortgage consultant with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, will be presenting information on the process to senior citizens on Tuesday, April 17, at 1:30 p.m. at the AMVETS, 770 Frederick St. The program is sponsored by Triad of Washington County, a senior citizen advocacy organization. Hodge will be able to answer questions about reverse mortgages including whether they are safe for seniors. There will be refreshment and prizes. Please use the side entrance.

The dangers of combining certain medications with other medications and foods will be illustrated at a free program for seniors on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the AMVETS on Frederick Street. Sponsored by the SALT council/Triad of Washington County, the program will be presented by Jenni Ertter-Prego from the Food and Drug Administration office in Baltimore. Her talk will include information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs, plus dietary supplements and foods.

The new Korean War Veterans Association chapter in Washington County will receive its charter Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m. at the AMVETS on Frederick Street. The charter will be presented by a national director of the Korean War Veterans Association. A number of state officials, members from the sponsoring Frederick chapter and local members will be present. To join, one must have served for at least 30 days in Korea from World War II until the present, or served anywhere between 1950 and 1955.

Chartered in February, the Antietam Chapter 312 of the Korean War Veterans Association has selected its officers for 2008-2009 - its first full year. The new officers are Les Bishop, secretary; Wayne Winebrenner, 1st vice commander; Ned Renner, commander; Jim Ensminger, 2nd vice commander; Don Smith, treasurer; Bob Sandberg, adjutant; Clayton Burkholder, historian; Al Lane, chaplain; and Pat Patterson, sergeant at arms. Last fall, the call went out for any veterans of the Korean War era to help form a veterans group.

David Wayne Brown, 52, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, at City Hospital. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at Brown Funeral Home's South Berkeley Chapel in Inwood, W.Va. The service will immediately follow the visitation at AMVETS 30 in Inwood.

On July 7, a $500 nursing scholarship was given to Brittany Baker of Mount Airy, Md. She is enrolled in the nursing program at Hagerstown Community College. She is starting her second year and is expecting to graduate in December. Presenting the check was Cynthia Weedon of Sad Sacks, the honor and fun group of AMVETS.

Approximately 200 AMVETS, AMVETS Auxiliary and Sons of AMVETS members are expected to attend the annual AMVETS, Department of Maryland Convention, Friday and Saturday in Hagerstown. The convention will be held at the Hagerstown Hotel and Conference Center on the Dual Highway. The agenda for the AMVETS convention will include business meetings, and speakers on veterans' issues and benefits. The AMVETS will award eight $1,000 scholarships during the convention. On Friday night, the attendees will gather from 7 to 9 p.m. to auction donated items.

Monday, March 5, 2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL VERO BEACH, Fla. - Thomas Rose pitched a three-hitter and Eric Schanzenbacher had three hits and an RBI for Hagerstown Community College as the Hawks defeated Penn State-Greater Allegheny 6-3 on Monday at the Vero Beach Collegiate Challenge. Rose (2-0) allowed no earned runs and only one walk while striking out four in seven innings. Andrew Zeger had two hits and Cole Sellers had two RBIs for HCC (6-1). HCC    303    000    0    -     6    9    2 PSU-GA    000    210    0    -     3    3    2 Rose and Torres.

Members of AMVETS Riders Chapter 10 gathered Nov. 27 to send food baskets to a rider friend's son who is serving overseas. Twenty-four food baskets were made and shipped out to Marine Sgt. Kenton Shatzer, a nine-year member of the Marines, who is serving in Afghanistan and is the son of Peggy and Vaughn Shatzer of Hagerstown.

Merle Luther Houpt, 84, of Hagerstown, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Born Dec. 27, 1926, in Boonsboro, he was the son of the late Harvey Edgar and Esta May (McCauley) Houpt. He was a graduate of Boonsboro High School. Merle was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a member of Beaver Creek Christian Church and also attended Hancock United Methodist Church. Merle loved flying airplanes, music, traveling in a motor home with his family, as well as fishing and hunting.

On Nov. 10, 1775, the Continental Congress formed two battalions of Continental Marines. Since 1921, it has been a Marine custom to celebrate that date as the Marine Corps birthday. The Marine Corps League Antietam Detachment honored that tradition Saturday with a ceremony celebrating the Marine Corps' 236th birthday at AMVETS on Frederick Street in Hagerstown. About 80 people participated in the observance. Retired Marine Maj. Stewart Hickey was the featured speaker. Hickey said though Marines have served in far-flung sites including Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Korea and beyond, they always honor the birthday of the corps.

The second annual Birthday Ball will be hosted locally by the Marine Corps League Saturday, Nov. 5, at AMVETS Post 10 on Frederick Street in Hagerstown. The guest speaker will be retired Marine Maj. Stewart Hickey, a 22-year veteran who recently became the national executive director of AMVETS in Washington, D.C. Activities will include the banquet, cake cutting and awards presentation. Music will be provided by The Holders.   Tickets cost $16 per person or $30 per couple.

The second annual Birthday Ball will be hosted locally by the Marine Corps League on Saturday, Nov. 5, at AMVETS Post 10 on Frederick Street in Hagerstown. The guest speaker will be Maj. Stewart Hickey USMC (Ret.), a 22-year veteran who recently became the national executive director of AMVETS in Washington, D.C. Activities will include a banquet, cake cutting and awards presentation. Music will be provided by The Holders.   Tickets cost $16 per person or $30 per couple.

For much of his young life, Cory Remsburg chose the more adventurous path. He liked skydiving, rock climbing and water sports. He was a runner, a competitive athlete at his high school near St. Louis, Mo., and active in the Civil Air Patrol. So it didn't surprise people who knew Cory, that upon graduation he would join the Army Rangers. His reasoning was simple, he said: "I wanted to be the best. " Cory said he knew the dangers of being a Ranger - a special operations soldier.