Gift Cards

A Frederick, Md., police officer has been charged with using stolen gift cards to purchase merchandise from a store in the Centre at Hagerstown shopping plaza. Charity F. Hoxie, 37, of 221 E. Third St. in Waynesboro, Pa., was charged with theft of less than $1,000, according to the statement of charges obtained Wednesday from Washington County District Court. Hoxie is accused of using five gift cards to pay $125 of a $127.16 purchase from Bed, Bath & Beyond at 17716 Garland Groh Blvd., the statement of probable cause said.

Tyler Clipp, 20, of Hagerstown said he waited in line all night from 6 p.m. Wednesday for the new Sheetz gas station and convenience store to open on Eastern Boulevard Thursday morning. He and his girlfriend, Kayla Butts, 21, were the first of about 50 people to gather outside the store before the grand opening at 11 a.m. The reason? The first 50 people in line were given store gift cards worth $100. "When the store opens I will have been out here for 16 hours," Clipp said.

More than 100 employees at Washington County Hospital donated $15 Weis gift cards to Food Resources Inc., a local nonprofit organization that provides food to individuals in the Tri-State area to combat hunger. Ruth Anne Callaham, executive director of Food Resources, was presented with $1,665 in gift cards, just in time for the holidays, she said. "The demand in our community is huge during this week alone," said Callaham. "When I heard what the hospital employees were doing, I was amazed.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -Grove Family Library is offering Giant grocery store gift cards as a fundraiser through the "Cash for Causes" program. The cards can be purchased at the library, at 101 Ragged Edge Road South, in values of $25 or $50. The library makes 5 percent from every card purchased in support of its building fund. A balance of $625,000 remains on the newly built library, according to a news release.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- A Berkeley County man and woman are accused of pawning Lowe's home improvement store gift cards they received after returning merchandise they took off shelves but didn't pay for at stores in three states. John Franklin Collins III, 28, and Nicole Marie Shifflett, 22, of 762 Pitzer Chapel Road in Martinsburg, were arraigned Friday by Magistrate Sandra L. Miller on charges of committing a fraudulent scheme and conspiracy to commit a fraudulent scheme, according to court records.

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of stories about summer activities for children. HAGERSTOWN - During the summer, many young people spend their days hanging out at the mall or seeing the newest movies. But these outings can become expensive after awhile, and Kelli Meyer, 11, says she would rather do something for free. At Washington County Free Library, she's having fun and earning the chance to enjoy other summer activities at no cost. Kelli recently joined the library's summer reading program, "N2 BKS. " Like similar programs, it encourages summer reading.

HAGERSTOWN Weis Markets is donating $28,520 in gift cards to the Maryland Food Bank to help feed the state's hungry during the holiday season. Officials say they hope thousands of dollars in cards will come to a Hagerstown-based organization that distributes food to numerous local pantries. During September, Weis Markets, which has several stores in Washington County, launched a food drive to fight hunger and customers donated 50,000 pounds of food, said Weis Markets spokesman Dennis Curtin.

For more information Verizon has said anyone whose private information was printed in Ogden Directories' 2008-09 EZ To Use Big Book can call Verizon at 301-954-6260 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information about how people can return a copy of the directory in exchange for a gift card can be found at www.getgreengetcash.com or by calling 301-766-4331. HAGERSTOWN -- Washington County residents are being offered $5 gift cards to return a phone directory in which thousands of private listings were accidentally published.

The concept of the gift card isn't new to Frank Emery, who discovered the plastic variant of the traditional gift certificate while Christmas shopping at Lowe's last year. The Waynesboro, Pa., resident figured a gift card, which works like a debit card with a line of merchandise credit, would come in handy for the big do-it-yourselfer on his gift list. It was such a hit, Emery went back to Lowe's this year and bought another one for the same person. He also bought one from JC Penney, which he noticed had started offering gift cards this year.

More than $3,000 in Lowe's, Home Depot and Wal-Mart gift cards are headed to Alabama for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Pastor Torben Aarsand of Hagerstown left Dec. 15 to deliver the gift cards. The gift cards were donated by parishioners of Lutheran churches in Washington County. The project was the idea of Pastor Gerry Johnson of Trinity Lutheran Church in Smithsburg. Johnson is organizing a mission trip in late January of volunteers who are willing to help with relief efforts in Gulf Shores, Ala. Volunteers will drive down as a group and take donated supplies.

A Frederick, Md., police officer has been charged with using stolen gift cards to purchase merchandise from a store in the Centre at Hagerstown shopping plaza. Charity F. Hoxie, 37, of 221 E. Third St. in Waynesboro, Pa., was charged with theft of less than $1,000, according to the statement of charges obtained Wednesday from Washington County District Court. Hoxie is accused of using five gift cards to pay $125 of a $127.16 purchase from Bed, Bath & Beyond at 17716 Garland Groh Blvd., the statement of probable cause said.

Williamsport High School's Physical Education Department, which includes faculty Adrian Custer, Larnie Vickers and Jackie Semler Row, will hold the third annual “Holiday Helpers for WHS Families in Need” event at WHS. In the past three years, the program has given more than 25 students and their families gifts of food, clothing and gift cards to make happy and memorable holidays. They will be collecting monetary donations, nonperishable food items and gifts for WHS students in need and their families beginning Monday, Nov. 19, and continuing through Wednesday,  Dec. 12. Checks should be made payable to Williamsport High School and gifts and food can be dropped off at WHS, in care of the Physical Education Department.

Dozens of people were in search of treasure Friday night at the Washington Co. Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown's City Park. Hosted by the museum's volunteer Singer Society, the 13th annual Treasure Sale features hundreds of donated items, ranging from pieces of artwork to fine china to festive holiday decorations. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Tanya Burnham, president of the Singer Society, said merchandise for the sale comes from individuals in the community and area merchants, with all the proceeds going to the museum that has remained free to visit since it was established in 1929.

The United Way of Franklin County's 250-ticket bonanza and silent auction will be held on Sunday, Nov. 4, from noon until 4 p.m. at Green Grove Gardens. A $20 ticket provides one entry into the drawing to win the $1,000 grand prize sponsored by CenturyLink, a barbecue dinner for two provided by CM Pig Out, and beverages, including Coors Light, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Raffles, fishbowls, games and the opportunity to bid on silent auction items will continue throughout the afternoon.

Police seek information on Purdy Creek Store robbery SCOTLAND, Pa. - Franklin County (Pa.) Crime Solvers are seeking information about a robbery from a store Tuesday at Chambersburg Mall. Pennsylvania State Police said one person requested assistance from an employee at Purdy Creek Store at about 3:45 p.m., while two other suspects removed cash from the cash register. “Suspect one physically stopped the employee from going towards the cash register,” police wrote in a news release.

Maryland Food Bank officials accepted a $25,000 donation from Weis Markets during a Sept. 6 during a ceremony at the Maryland Food Bank - Western Branch. The donation, which will be converted into Weis Markets gift cards, will be used to purchase nonperishable foods like canned vegetables, canned fruit, tuna fish and peanut butter. Food will be distributed by the Maryland Food Bank to soup kitchens, pantries and shelters in communities where Weis Markets operates. The donation comes as the company kicks off its fifth annual Fight Hunger Food Drive.

Most racers train. They adopt a strict workout regimen, monitor nutrition and take pains to stay on top of their mental game. Not so for the competitors Saturday in the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Co.'s duck race. These orange-billed contenders just chilled on the bridge until, at last, they were dumped into the water. Then, they floated with blank-eyed stares down Antietam Creek, occasionally bumping mindlessly into rocks or getting hung up on sticks. Though they were sponsored for five bucks a pop, they exhibited no sense of urgency or pressure.

The second annual Walk to End Child Abuse in Hancock raised more than $11,000, money that was distributed recently to organizations that benefit children and help fight child abuse in the Tri-State area, according to Dee Myers. The Walk to End Child Abuse was organized by family members of Justice Christopher Calvin Myers-Cannon and Bella Appel, both of whom died as a result of child abuse. Dee Myers is the grandmother of Justice. The walk took place on April 28 and more than 350 people participated, said Dianne McCusker, the great-grandmother of Bella.

Robert Priest was featured as a mentalist at an all-night Waynesboro(Pa.) Area Senior High School graduation party hosted by Communities That Care. The organization throws the party each year after graduation to ensure youths have a safe place to spend the night without alcohol or driving. Communities That Care gave away a television, mini-refrigerator, and computer and gift cards, and had swimming, a caricature artist, food, volleyball and T-shirt painting available to the 78 graduates in attendance.

A Penn State-themed quilt made by Debbie Martz will be auctioned off Sunday, March 25, at the Franklin County 4-H Therapeutic Riding Center's live and silent auction. The fundraiser, titled “Save A Horse, Hire a Cowboy,” will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at  Orchards Restaurant in Chambersburg, with music by Tuckahoe Ridge. The quilt is just one of the items to be auctioned. Other items are golf and horse riding lessons, health care and beauty products, photography, fly fishing, gift cards from the construction and food industry, jewelry and home decoration, children's summer camps and entertainment tickets.