Meal

The Washington County Commission on Aging is looking for more volunteers for its Meals on Wheels program, which includes delivering hot meals to around 130 seniors at home each day around noon, according to Hilary Lo, community educator for the commission. “Around the holidays when we're feasting with our families, it's a time when we also think of our neighbors who are in need,” she said. “Most of the volunteers are seniors, so sometimes they can stop volunteering when they get to a certain age where they can't drive, so we need to recruit new drivers.” Six different routes need drivers.

When most people think of tea rooms, they might envision dainty sandwiches and finger foods, a light meal with light conversation. So when Jewel Rosenberry opened a tea room in the dining room of her rural St. Thomas-area home, she wanted to change that image. "I told (my husband), if I'm going to do this, I want people to get full," she said, while sitting near the fireplace of her business, Annie's Country's Fixins'. And Rosenberry strives to do just that, by, in addition to serving tea, providing a four-course meal to those who come to her tea room.

The free Thanksgiving dinner at the Boonsboro Bible Church has been a community tradition for almost a decade. It's a place where those away from their families or anyone in the community can come for home-cooked food and fellowship. By 3 p.m. Thursday, more than 70 residents visited the church on the Old National Pike for this year's dinner - a choice of deep-fried or smoked turkey, stuffing, glazed carrots mashed potatoes, green beans casserole, sweet potato casserole and an assortment of desserts.

Howard Hawkins said he was working as a banker in Richmond, Va., when his wife died of heart and lung complications in 2007. He said the loss caused him to suffer an emotional collapse. “I didn't respond well,” Hawkins said. “Material things didn't mean much to me. I gave up my cars, house and money. I gave it to the church and became homeless.” On Thursday, Hawkins told his story to about 280 people who gathered to share a free Thanksgiving meal sponsored by The Hope Center Rescue Mission off North Prospect Street in Hagerstown.

The aroma of baked ham, roast turkey and other gastronomic delights filled the Memorial Recreation Center in Hagerstown on Thursday during a free Thanksgiving dinner. Carolyn Sterling, a volunteer who helped organize the meal, said the inaugural Community Partnership Event was hosted by a number of local churches and nonprofit organizations as a way to unite people on one of the most charitable days of the year. “This was a perfect place to have it - right in the middle of everything,” Sterling said.

What began as a way for Mark and Jayne Metcalfe of Mercersburg, Pa., to give back to the community has grown into one of the largest, free Thanksgiving Day dinners in the area. “It's a way to give back to the community. There's a need with the economy the way it is. Plus we have a family that comes every year with 24 in their family. They have no houses big enough where they can gather for Thanksgiving dinner so they come here,” Jayne Metcalfe said Thursday. “And I don't like to eat alone, so my family has grown to 1,000,” she said with a chuckle.

Following is a list of organizations that are providing Thanksgiving dinners: Nov. 21 -  The Salvation Army will provide a meal for the needy at the Daily Feeding Program on Wednesday. Students from Hagerstown Community College will assist. The meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wise Street facility. Nov. 22 - Bethel United Methodist Church, 21006 Twin Springs Drive, Chewsville, will serve a free Thanksgiving dinner with trimmings for people of all ages Thursday from noon to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Linda Warehime at 301-733-8387 or lindawarehime@myactv.net.

Broadfording Church of the Brethren, at 14010 Greencastle Pike, welcomes those who do not have a place to go for the holiday to attend a community Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17.  If you know of someone who would like a Thanksgiving meal, meals will be available for carryout between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.   Country western dance The Country Western Dance Association will hold a dance to celebrates...

Are you eating as healthfully as you think you are? If your weight loss has slowed, or even stopped, then there's a good chance that you haven't been. I'm going to end the confusion, and guessing, once and for all. In this week's column, I'm going to share my five steps to building a healthful meal. If you stick to this plan you'll know that your meals are healthful and goal supportive. And as a result, you can expect consistent, and healthy weight loss. Here are my five steps to building a better meal: Step 1: quality ingredients These are the building blocks to a healthful meal.

A program that serves meals to senior citizens at Walnut Towers in Hagerstown is expected to resume in a few weeks. Susan MacDonald, executive director of the Washington County Commission on Aging, said the program was put on hold at the end of July because the site manager resigned. The Commission on Aging had to close the site while officials searched for a qualified site manager, MacDonald said. Although a new manager had not been found as of Tuesday, several applicants are in the running.