Does the never ending political rancor of the day have you down? Other than turning off Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, I have the perfect antidote for you – volunteering!
There are so many human needs out there, and let’s face it, government can never hope to serve them all, nor should it. That’s where we come in. Endless opportunities await you in Frederick County and beyond, if you have a sincere desire to make a difference.
I know what you’re thinking: “I’d like to volunteer but I just don’t have the time” …or maybe “I don’t know where to start.” If you live here but work in Montgomery County or Washington D.C., you may have a very good point on the first issue. I’ve been there, too. After three or four hours of roundtrip commuting piled on top of your work day, there is little time left for much more than dinner, TV and bedtime. No one can blame you for not getting involved.
But, I’m here to tell you that most volunteer organizations will happily take as much or as little time as you can spare. I can assure you that two hours spent volunteering once a week will feel much better to you than those two hours spent watching TV.
Actually, volunteering just two hours per week would make you a super volunteer. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency, Americans who volunteer average about one hour per week doing so. And, there are a lot of us volunteers. Seventy-seven million adults in the U.S., or about one in three, volunteer in some capacity in 2017.
As for not
being sure about where to start, I can help you there, too.
Like to walk or run? Why not help out with an annual 5K or 10K walk/run to benefit a local health-related charity? There are too many to make a comprehensive list so I’ll mention just two: the annual Walk MS: Frederick will be held April 13 at Fredrick High School was held May 4 at Harry Grove Stadium to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society and people with MS Relay for Life on May 17 and 18 at Frederick Community College benefiting the American Cancer Society and celebrating cancer survivors. Organizations like these always need volunteers to set up, tear down, mark the course, serve refreshments, or to simply cheer on the participants.
Like to clean? Believe it or not this activity is therapeutic for some people including ones like me who sit behind a desk all day. If so, why not volunteer for the annual Bring a Broom Saturday event on April 27 to help clean up downtown Frederick and ready it for tourist season. Sponsored by the Downtown Frederick Partnership, this event is perfect for those of us who burst with pride for downtown Frederick and want it to look its best.
Similar to that event but available on an ongoing basis is the State Highway Administration’s Adopt a Highway program. Since that program started in 1989, 120,000 Marylanders have cleaned over 15,000 miles of roadside. If either of these programs seems a little daunting, you can bet your local homeowners association will have a cleanup day. If not, start one!
Can you speak, write, and read English reasonably well? The Literacy Council of Frederick County is always in need of English tutors. This activity is typically accomplished one-on-one with one or two students and only takes a few hours per week. The staff at the Literacy Council makes it extremely easy to be a tutor. They will train you over two Saturdays and provide all the materials you will need and a step-by-step lesson plan. If you are interested, contact Holly Bohman or Jennifer Szabo at the Council. I can tell you firsthand that being an English tutor is an amazingly rewarding experience.
Can you make more of a commitment? If so, I can recommend any of Frederick’s venerable service clubs. Each has a little different focus, but all are committed to making Frederick County a better place to live and work. For example, the FSK Lions Club, to which I belong, focuses on eye health but also gets involved in many other things such as childhood cancer, diabetes, environmental issues and hunger. Besides the Lions Club, there are the Elks, Kiwanis, Moose, Knights of Columbus, Jaycees, Boys and Girls Club, Frederick Women’s Civic Club, and Rotary Clubs, to name a few. Take a look online at what they do and arrange a visit. They will be happy to see you and will probably invite you to dinner.
Do you have aging parents and care deeply about the Greatest Generation and other seniors? Then reach out to the Frederick Senior Center. They sponsor fitness classes, arts and crafts, health information programs and other special events. They also serve up a nice lunch and support Meals on Wheels. You could also reach out to Hospice of Frederick County, which helps to ensure a gentle passage through the final phase of life. Volunteers can work with terminally ill patients and their families to offer companionship, respite care and other services such as light housekeeping, running errands or pet care.
Want to make sure no one goes hungry? The City of Frederick and the Frederick Community Action Agency needs volunteers to help serve meals at the Community Table and to help gather and stock food items at the Food Bank You’ll be in good company. Collecting, distributing, preparing, and serving food is the No. 1 area of volunteerism in America.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. National organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, and United Way all have numerous local opportunities to help with housing, emergency relief and other human needs. Youth sports leagues need coaches, refs and other helpers. And don’t forget about local churches, volunteer fire associations, hospitals and libraries. All want and need your talents.
I highly recommend volunteermatch.org. Just plug in your zip code and they will serve up to you weekly all the close-in volunteer opportunities for you to consider.
As members of the Affordable Housing Council in Frederick County, we spend lots of time looking at houses on Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and The Frederick News-Post.
This is no news to anyone, but we can assure you that houses are more expensive than ever. Here in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., region, it’s shocking.
In Maryland, according to Zillow, more than half of all buyers in June 2023 paid above list price for their home. Buyers are paying, on average, 1 to 2 percent above asking price now.
That may not sound like a lot, but on a $500,000 home, that may be another $10,000. One Realtor friend told us that for one of her listings, there were 32 offers, all above asking price. That means 31 unhappy, unsuccessful home seekers.
Renters have it no better.
In Maryland, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has found that a renter working 40 hours per week and earning Maryland’s minimum wage of $13.25 per hour must work 79 hours each week to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment and not be cost burdened (not spending more than 33% of income on housing costs).
But it’s not just Maryland and the D.C. area. The lack of affordable housing is a nationwide problem. Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen housing prices reach a level they’ve never reached before.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the median price for a house in America is now $414,000. That is the second highest median price recorded, after June 2022.
In Maryland, it’s worse. Maryland Realtors, a nonprofit membership organization, reports the average sales price in Maryland is up more than 3 percent from last year to over $486,000. Our proximity to Washington, D.C., has a lot to do with this.
That price may not sound like a lot for this region, but keep in mind it includes all areas of Maryland, rural and urban. Those prices make rents more expensive and home ownership unobtainable for millions of Americans.
How did this happen, and how can we fix it?
We can think of today’s exorbitant housing prices as a result of a supply and demand problem. The housing supply isn’t matching demand.
On the demand side, there has been a generational shift in who is buying homes. Millennials are now the largest generation in American history, and they are aging into their prime home-buying years.
On top of that, until recently, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages were at an all-time low, which meant it was relatively cheap to borrow the money to buy a house. That enticed people to buy if they could, making demand for houses even greater.
Over the last two years, interest rates rose past 7 percent, but because of low inventory, that has yet to substantially cool demand in the housing market.
From 2010 to 2019, there were fewer homes built in the U.S. than in any decade since the 1940s. In particular, the construction of smaller, entry-level homes, for first-time home buyers, has dropped more dramatically.
In the 1980s, those “starter” homes made up about 40 percent of homes built. Today, it is closer to 8 percent.
Currently, the National Association of Realtors says the U.S. is down anywhere from 5.5 million to 6.8 million starter homes needed to satisfy demand.
Moreover, according to Pew Research in 2021, 55 percent of adults under age 30 said the lack of affordable housing is a major problem, up from 39 percent in 2018.
This housing shortage drives a big part of the problem for renters and prospective homeowners. It is worse where demand is highest, such as near good jobs, transit and schools like Frederick.
One straightforward solution is to simply build more affordable homes in desirable places. For years, however, there has been one big obstacle — builders aren’t allowed to.
Zoning or local regulations that decide where things can be built overwhelmingly favor single-family homes over multifamily homes. Zoning boards have banned the ability for anyone to build anything other than a single unit of housing on that land.
In many towns, zoning boards exclude all types of multifamily housing from their neighborhoods.
And not just large apartment buildings. Things like duplexes and fourplexes are illegal on most residential land in many American cities.
Single-family housing is the law in 70 percent of Minneapolis, 75 percent of Los Angeles, and 84 percent of Charlotte, N.C., to name a few. This is a huge determining factor for the housing shortage in the U.S.
We need states to step in and preempt municipalities from enacting and enforcing land-use restrictions that raise housing costs. Land-use control is constitutionally guaranteed to states, not municipalities.
States often delegate the authority to municipalities. But they can and should take it back when cities don’t use it for public benefit.
Gary Bennett and Hugh Gordon are longtime Frederick County residents and members of Frederick’s Affordable Housing Council.
With all due respect to the “Best of Frederick” rankings put out by this newspaper and Frederick Magazine, they only list the top three ice cream shops in and around Frederick. With temperatures the way they are and ice cream as delicious as it is, that’s just not enough!
Therefore, I list for you below the top ten ice cream spots in and around Frederick city.
This is not just what I say, but also what hundreds of readers say. No, not my readers, but the readers of all media outlets I could find, both print and online, that rank Frederick’s ice cream offerings. My ranking below averages the rankings from all these sources: Frederick News-Post, Frederick Magazine, Trip Advisor, Yelp, Housewives of Frederick, and Frederick’s Child and adds in mine, too.
You may have your own favorite shop that is much closer to your own neighborhood. Nothing wrong with that. I have my neighborhood Bruster’s, which is great in a pinch. But if I’m out on the town or have a few hours to kill, you better believe I’m doing the mental calculations needed to ascertain the closeness and wonderfulness of my favorite ice cream shops.
Please note that I hold nothing against franchises, and I’m willing to also consider frozen custard and frozen yogurt. As for soft serve vs. regular ice cream, I’m a bit partial to regular but hold nothing against soft serve. You may feel differently on all counts.
I have visited all the shops in my top ten. Not all at one time, of course, but if I wanted to, Google Maps says I can do it in one hour and thirty-five minutes, not counting waiting time.
10. North Market Pop Shop – Ice cream plays second fiddle to the amazing pop selection here, but it is still very good.
9. Little Red Barn – Wonderful selection of ice cream served in a pretty, quaint, cozy shop in Jefferson.
8. Frederick Fudge and Ice Cream – A Frederick institution, but it sometimes can be an afterthought. Ice cream shares equal billing with fudge somehow.
7. Bruster’s – my neighborhood shop where everyone knows my name (not really.) Very nice butter pecan with large pecans.
6. Jimmie Cone – the sprinkles on their delicious soft serve cones are colorful and different but work perfectly.
5. Beef N Buns N Paradise – an old standby that screams “Frederick” and eating ice cream at the beach.
4. Hoffman Brothers – Owned by two young brothers. New in town but very good and worth a try. Terrific chocolate chip cookie dough.
3. South Mountain Creamery – very fresh with a nice sampler platter and perhaps the best ambiance of them all.
2. Rita’s – frozen custard so rich and creamy, you don’t lick, you bite it!
1. Rocky Point Creamery – astonishingly fresh, delicious, and with so many flavors. Wonderful cherry-vanilla ice cream. Worth the drive to Point of Rocks.
Honorable Mentions: Baskin-Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen, Gateway Candyland, Pizza and Pretzel Creations and Sweeties.
No information Available (if you are willing to provide samples so I can properly rank you, I am amenable): Glamourview Creamery – Walkersville, Happy Cow Creamery – Union Bridge, More Ice Cream – Middletown, Ripleigh’s Creamery – Emmitsburg, Sweet Babe’s Creamery – Urbana, and Woodbourne Creamery at Rock Hill Orchard – Mt.Airy.
I am a volunteer with Frederick County’s Office of Highway Operations Adopt-a-Road program. I pick up litter on about a mile stretch of Crestwood Blvd. between Ballenger Creek Pike and New Design Road.
It’s one of the best and worst things I’ve ever done. It is undoubtedly a needed function and I’m proud to help. But trash is never-ending and wearing me down.
I don’t do it to be a hero, although many people honk and yell thanks to me as they drive by. I do it because all this trash truly offends me. I hate looking at it so I try to eliminate it. I know it harms the environment and animals and decreases property values. But, I’m almost ashamed to say that it is mostly aesthetics that gets me out on the highway almost every day.
I also do it for exercise. I know that sounds crazy but my mindset is: “I’m taking daily walks anyway so why not bend over and pick up some trash while I’m at it?” All these ‘bend-overs’ approximate sit ups but accomplish a public good while I’m doing them. You can’t say that about exercising at a gym or in your basement.
Adopt-a-Road Stats
Highway Operations staff tells me that approximately 85 miles of county roads have been adopted. That means volunteers (individuals and teams) have agreed to pick up trash on their adopted roads at least four times per year and report their efforts back to the county. This sounds impressive until you consider that the county maintains over 1,300 miles of roadway. Unfortunately, we’re picking up just a drop in the bucket of the available roadway trash.
If you are so inclined, you may volunteer to adopt a stretch of road in Frederick County by contacting the Department of Highway Operations at 301-600-1564 or by emailing extremely helpful staffers Mike Ramsburg (mramsburg@frederickcountymd.gov) or Casandra Fitzpatrick (cfitzpatrick@frederickcoungtymd.gov). Both can explain the program and help you get started.
There are currently 45 teams in the program which are comprised of hundreds of volunteers. Approximately 70 percent of the teams are civic or neighborhood groups and about 20 percent are religious groups. Ten percent are families or individuals like me.
My experience
Some stretches of road are easier to pick up than others. Judging from what I’ve seen, mine is not so bad.
It helps if your road is close to a residential area. Residents, at least in fairly affluent areas, tend to pick up their own trash or not throw it in the first place. Much of my road is residential but is unfortunately bookended by two strip shopping centers with a Wawa and an Auto Zone along the way. Trash from these establishments is plentiful, to say the least.
I also have several schools nearby. I’m not blaming all students who walk this stretch. I know many are fine, young people. But I have personally seen some go into Wawa for a drink and candy bar, finish it, and promptly throw their trash on the ground. They don’t even try to hide it. It seems second-nature to them.
When people honk to thank me, I usually don’t pay too much attention. My feeling is I’m going for a walk anyway. Why would I not pick up trash along the way? Other times I am annoyed because I don’t want thanks, I want help. Or better yet, I want people to stop throwing their trash out. Unfortunately, I am beginning to see most people as potential trash throwers, not thankful citizens.
A few walkers I pass by when picking up trash thank me and claim to do the same thing in their own neighborhoods or in a past locale. I find this sad and funny at the same time because I’ve never, ever seen anyone bend over to pick up any trash they are walking over. Not once.
Why is this? Such a simple act could help so much.
Could it be that there is a sense of futility in picking up litter?After all, as soon as you pick up one batch a new one blows in. I frequently feel this futility. Could it also be the old elementary school mindset that “I didn’t do it!” Most likely, people just don’t notice trash like I do, or they don’t care. I probably expect too much.
The author by his Adopt-a-Road sign in Frederick.
The psychology of littering
The psychology of littering fascinates me. And why not? I can’t figure out what could possibly motivate us to do such an antisocial thing when it is so easy to do the right thing.
Studies show that some littering is accidental – like the trash that blows out of dumpsters and garbage trucks – but most is indeed intentional.
This fact is stupefying to me. I can think of nothing simpler than bringing my trash home and throwing it in the garbage can where it belongs. It is second nature. I do this not because I am some kind of do-gooder, but because, to me, this is the simple nature of things. At the risk of sounding terribly old-fashioned, I don’t have other people shop for me, clean my house or deliver my food. Those are my jobs. And I sure don’t want other people picking up my trash for me.
According to a report done by Keep America Beautiful, people are more likely to litter when they feel “no sense of ownerships for parks, walkways, beaches, and other public spaces.” This sense of ownership, instead, is found around people’s homes and neighborhoods.
“It seems the reason people litter is not because they think it’s OK,” says Joshua Rottman, assistant professor of psychology at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “It’s because they think it’s the easy thing to do. It’s a moral hypocrisy. People know it’s wrong, but they do it because it’s easy.”
Who are these trash throwers? (Litterbug is too cute and polite a term)
In the 1980s, the Institute for Applied Research found that people most likely to litter were 18-to 35-year-old males. Not a big surprise, right?
In more recent surveys, this finding was corroborated. Seventy-two percent of people observed in the act of deliberate littering were found to be under the age of 30. Nationally, males were found to be responsible for 72 percent of all intentional littering.
What could be driving this young male carelessness?
Could it be a youthful disdain for authority? A not yet fully developed brain? The lack of consequences for this seemingly minor act of civil disobedience? The inability to trace their actions to eventually harming the environment? A sort of hopelessness to ever being a functioning part of society? Unfortunately, pinpointing the reasons for littering have proved elusive to the research.
Observations
I hate to say this but my findings are iron-clad, largely corroborated by the available research and were developed over several years of picking up trash along my stretch of highway: the lower the economic status of the area, the more trash is strewn about. There is much more trash around apartments than around single-family homes or townhouses in my area. And there’s much more around subsidized housing.
I drive around Frederick quite a bit for my part-time job. Obvious lower-income areas have much more trash than their share. Psychologists have observed that the presence of existing litter was strongly predictive of littering behavior. It’s a vicious circle—if you’re in a place that’s already got a lot of litter, you’re much more likely to litter. That’s one reason I’m out there almost every single day. I hope to make littering stand out and perpetrators feel just a little bit bad.
Of course, before people can throw out their trash, they need trash to throw.
I’ve had my hands on what seems like tons of trash, and I can tell you one of the biggest sources of trash is our old friend McDonald’s. It seems intuitive. The food at McDonald’s is among the cheapest and lowest quality available so of course the folks at the lower ends of the economic spectrum disproportionately get much of their food there and are disproportionately willing to throw the residual trash on the ground.
In my little area I’ve got two liquor stores nearby and they are the next biggest offenders. Miniature bottles of liquor seem especially made to be thrown out. They are not very visible, consumed quickly and may not be welcome at home in the trash. I’d like to see them outlawed.
I even stopped in at one of the liquor stores on my route to ask if they would be interested in helping me pick up the trash their customers make. They looked at me like I had two heads.
Other major offending items are plastic grocery bags, napkins, fast food bags, soda cups and bottles, beer cans, cigarette packs, water bottles, Slim Jim wrappers (of all things) and candy bar wrappers. It’s probably not a coincidence that many of these items aren’t good for you.
One person on my route is so brazen they tear up their junk mail with name and address clearly visible and throw it in the median of Crestwood Blvd. in the very same spot every day. Naturally, I’ve called the sheriff’s department on this person many times. Deputies are sympathetic and try to talk with this person, but when they show up at his door, he simply refuses to answer. The deputies tell me there is nothing they can do in that case. I don’t particularly want to get this person in trouble, I just want him to stop.
Another person (or maybe the same one) disposes of a Wawa coffee cup, a Sizzli ™ package, two or three empty snack pie packages, napkins, and get this—a bottle of laxatives—every single day. I’m sympathetic but fearful. This person has some serious problems and may not be around much longer to litter. How do I know it’s the same person? The same items are in the very same spot every day. They must walk to work and gleefully eat and dispose of breakfast packaging along the way.
I do get a little humor out of this.
One time I found a shopping cart along my route so I just started pushing it and throwing my trash in there instead of the kitchen garbage bags I usually carry. I was dressed in my rattiest clothes of course, so I’m sure I must have looked homeless. Wouldn’t you know it that about that time my son drove by and honked. Later, I found out he asked my wife if I was okay.
I suppose I’ve made my corner of the earth a little better. My stretch of highway is in pretty good shape and better than most but never perfect. The truth is, before I started doing this, I was pretty much oblivious to all the trash along the highways. I suppose most people are. Now I am super-sensitive to it and it disgusts me. I guess I’ll keep doing it, but I have to say I’m a bit sorry I ever started this in the first place.
Five Facts about Littering
1. U.S. roadways accumulate over 51 billion pieces of litter per year.
2. There are an estimated 6,729 pieces of litter per roadway mile.
3. On average, there are 152 pieces of litter for every U.S. resident.
4. Litter cleanups cost the U.S. an estimated $11.5 billion annually.
5. The presence of litter in your neighborhood or community lowers property values by 7%.
Can there be any doubt that Frederick is indelibly linked to Francis Scott Key and vice-versa?
He lies in eternal rest at Mount Olivet cemetery in Frederick, was born at Terra Rubra in then-Frederick County (now Carroll County), practiced law in Frederick and was a parishioner at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Frederick.
Sure, he did his best work in Baltimore on that fateful night in 1812, but you must admit, he plays a decidedly second-fiddle role to Edgar Allen Poe in Charm City. But in Frederick, he’s the man!
Although Key wasn’t around 275 years ago when Frederick County was founded, the upcoming celebrations culminating in the 275th Jubilee on June 10 https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8454/Frederick-Countys-275th-Jubilee got me thinking about Frederick’s most famous native son and the mark he left.
He didn’t become famous until some years after he penned what become our Star-Spangled Banner so it’s unlikely Frederick could ever have been “Key City.” But we did the next best thing.
I’m not sure he would be altogether pleased, but quite a few things in Frederick are named for our favorite son. My top ten are:
Francis Scott Key Mall The mall on the south side of Frederick has seen better days, but it endures. Sears is gone but Macy’s, JC Penney and Dick’s are still around to serve our shopping needs.
Francis Scott Key Hotel Now the Francis Scott Key Apartments, this stately hotel was a grand Frederick achievement in its day, operating successfully from 1923 until 1975 on West Patrick Street. It was the place to be.
Francis Scott Key Apartments This historic structure and former Francis Scott Key Hotel was purchased from Homewood Retirement Center and completely refurbished in 2002 as elegant apartments in downtown Frederick. I’ve been inside; they are very nice!
Frederick Keys Frederick’s very own minor league baseball team began play in 1989 just a long fly ball from where Key is buried. Was there ever any doubt about the Frederick team’s nickname?
Scott Key Center This well-respected institution on Rocky Springs Road serves intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals by providing employment opportunities and community involvement.
FSK Post 11 The American Legion Post on Taney Avenue recently celebrated its 100th anniversary and has been welcoming and serving veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces since 1919.
FSK Lions Club This venerable service club recently celebrated its 60th year of service to Frederick. They loan medical equipment, provide vision screening and help feed the hungry. Full disclosure—I’m a proud member.
Key 103 Our community radio station with the call letters WAFY plays top-40 music and supports Frederick with contests, events, and charitable donations. If only they aired the Orioles!
Key Parkway This Frederick thoroughfare parallels the Golden Mile and provides a respite from all the traffic signals and retail establishments. It goes on for miles and serves several Frederick neighborhoods.
Francis Scott Key Drive This winding commercial thoroughfare just south of Frederick’s downtown area features Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Econo Lodge, Sheetz, car dealerships and other small businesses.
Plenty of Frederick-area businesses have also attached themselves to Key.
They are, in no particular order: Key City Tattoo, Key Pilates, Key City Foundation, FSK Audi Lincoln Mercury, FSK Beauty and Wig Supply, Key Elements Counseling, Key Courrier, Key Environmental, Key Financial Group, Key Maritime, Key Neurology, Key Solar, Key Me, Key Visual Solutions and Key Pest Control.
Special mention goes to Keymar, MD and Francis Scott Key High School in Union Bridge, MD. Did I miss any of your favorites?
As we all know, we live in a very high cost-of-living area. Our incomes, however, have not kept pace.
In 2020, United Way of Frederick County completed its ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-constrained, Employed) report. It is almost inconceivable, but they found that a third of our families really can’t afford to live here.
The struggle is even worse for seniors.
According to the same report, 47 percent of those 65 or older have difficulty living in Frederick County and must make tough choices every day on how to juggle paying for medicine, housing, taxes and food.
Housing, as virtually everyone’s largest individual expense, drives this struggle. It is no secret that finding safe, decent and affordable housing for many seniors is often a challenge.
Retired Frederick County school teacher Judy Kendro shared her struggle in the 2018 video The Faces of Affordable Housing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixwW4onCtUk] produced by Frederick County Government.
“My story could be anyone’s story. It could be you mother’s, your aunt’s, your sister’s, your friend’s, your neighbor’s or even you. My story happens to numerous seniors every month.”
“Three years ago, my best friend, my husband of 44 years, died. While grieving, I had to deal with paperwork, bills, medical bills and finances. My income was cut in half. Then, Uncle Sam said now you are one, which further reduced my income. However, my bills remained the same. In fact, some went up like heat, gasoline, car insurance, taxes and medical insurance. I had to adjust to a new lifestyle and budget.”
“After a year I found that my family house was too big for little old me. So, I did some looking around on my own and then contacted realtors. I thought it would be easy to find desirable, affordable options for senior living in Frederick County. Boy, was I wrong! What I have seen in Frederick County is out of my price range which affects my budget. Or, [I’ve found] fixer uppers, which affects my budget.”
“I am disappointed and discouraged but still looking. So, we need to address affordable, desirable housing for all our seniors and the baby boomers who are becoming seniors.”
Ms. Kendro’s story is not unique.
Frederick County is woefully behind in its housing inventory to serve all who want to live here, and that is especially true for seniors. According to the 2016 Frederick County Affordable Housing Needs Assessment, the housing gap for households making $50,000 per year or less— where most retirees fall—is 11,000 units.
The older population is projected to grow rapidly, and although many seniors wish to remain in their homes for as long as possible, challenges related to affordability, accessibility, and poor access to health services can make doing that difficult.
All is not doom and gloom, however. Seniors do have some affordable housing options they should consider, if at all feasible:
Stay in your own home
This option works well if you are in good health and plan to stay that way. Even if your mortgage is not paid in full you can consider a reverse mortgage, which means you can take some of the equity out of your home in the form of additional monthly income. Or you can consider selling your home to a company like Sell2rent.com who will rent it back to you and possibly include home maintenance as part of the deal.
Live with family
Sharing a home with loved ones if often free or low-cost and has the added advantage of having family members around to help you when needed. Both Frederick city and county have revised their Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinances to make it easier for “granny flats” or “in-law suites” to be built.
Look into public or subsidized senior housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers affordable public housing apartments and even single-family homes for seniors in need. They often come with accessibility features and are priced at 30 percent of your income. Be forewarned, however, that wait lists are often very long, sometimes months or even years.
Consider assisted living and residential care options
This is a good option if you need help with daily activities such as bathing and getting dressed. These facilities offer meals, activities, and help with medication. The average cost across the U.S. is $4,000 a month but the price in Maryland is often more. Frederick offers many reputable facilities:
Buckingham’s Choice
Country Meadows
Edenton
HeartFields
Homewood at Crumland Farms
Montevue
Record Street Home
Somerford House & Place
Spring Arbor
Sunrise
Tranquility
Take advantage of government assistance
Low-income seniors can qualify for HUD’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, which helps people afford their rent.
HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program provides rental assistance for older adults.
The Section 504 Home Repair Program helps pay for repairs and upgrades to your home so you can age in place.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps cover the cost of heating and cooling your home.
Ask for help from charitable organizations
Several nonprofits are available to help qualifying seniors such as Good Samaritan Society, HumanGood, Mercy Housing and Volunteers of America.
In the Frederick area, check out Habitat for Humanity, Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Interfaith Housing Alliance, Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs, and United Way of Frederick County.
Frederick County also offers a variety of housing programs seniors can take advantage of. (This may not be a complete list.)
Frederick County Senior Tax Credit
Enacted by the Board of County Commissioners in 2012, the amount of the credit is 40% or 20% of net county real property taxes for qualifying homeowners depending on income.
Bell Court Senior Apartments
Owned by Frederick County and located in Woodsboro, the apartments provide affordable rental housing for the low-income elderly.
Accessible Homes for Seniors
Offers seniors low- and no-interest loan options for home renovations such as grab bars, railing and ramps and has recently been expanded to include grant money for those who do not qualify for the loans.
Maryland’s Renters’ Tax Credit Program
Provides property tax credits for renters who meet certain requirements, with deeper subsidies available to those individuals over the age of 60 or 100% disabled.
Senior Rehabilitation Grant Program
This program provides grants up to $15,000 for emergency repairs and accessibility modifications to very low-income senior homeowners.
Emergency Rehab Loan Program
Provides zero interest, deferred loans up to $15,000 for emergency repairs.
Special Targeted Applicant Rehabilitation Program (STAR)
Preserves and improves single-family properties by rehabilitating the property and updating it to applicable building codes.
Lead Hazard Reduction Grant and Loan Program
Provides funds to assist homeowner and landlords lessen the risk of lead poisoning and preserve the housing stock by reducing or eliminating lead-based paint hazards.
Indoor Plumbing Program (IPP)
Designed to provide indoor plumbing to residential properties. The properties may be single-family, owner-occupied homes as well as rental properties with one to twenty units.
Frederick County offers many apartment housing options geared to seniors. Some are county-funded and some are privately funded:
520 North Market Apartments, 520 North Market Street
Brooklawn Apartments, 1001 Carroll Parkway
Brunswick House, Brunswick, MD
Catoctin Manor/View Apartments, 798 and 800 Motter Ave.
Creekside at Tasker’s Chance, 100 Burgess Hill Way
Lincoln on the Park Apartments, Emmitsburg, MD
Orchard Park @ Ballenger Run, 5234 Black Locust Drive
Ox Fibre Apartments, 400 East Church Street
Seton Village Apartments, Emmitsburg, MD
Sharpe Square Senior Apartments, 820 Motter Ave.
Spring Ridge Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway
Parkview Apartments, 750 Carroll Parkway
Taney Village Apartments, 1421 Taney Avenue
Victoria Park, Walkersville, MD
The Village at Worman’s Mill 55+ Apartments, 2470 Merchant Street
Weinberg House, 222 Broadway Street
Gary Bennett is a member of Frederick’s Affordable Housing Council and a board member for Advocates for Homeless Families.
Daniel and Kayla Bennett and Jasper enjoy a fun event!
Several hundred people took to Carroll Creek on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, October 22, to enjoy FSK Lions Club’s third annual Canines on the Creek. This celebration of Fredrick’s dog-loving past and present featured a parade and Halloween costume contest for dogs and owners, exhibits from dog-friendly businesses, prizes, giveaways and demonstrations. The event was held in conjunction with the Downtown Frederick Partnership in support of the nonprofit group Leader Dogs for the Blind (www.leaderdog.org).
Nearly $2,500 was raised for Leader Dogs, an organization the Lions founded and are intimately involved. Leader Dogs for the Blind provides guide dog training, matching services and client orientation and mobility training leading to a life of independence and confidence for blind and low-sight individuals. Training and providing Leader Dogs for the blind community is very expensive but very much needed. Lions have always been especially supportive of this group.
“The parade and costume contest are a lot of fun,” according to FSK Lions event chair Gary Bennett. “The last two years the event has featured a St. Patrick’s Day theme and 4th of July these, respectively. We decided to move our event to Halloween this year because it’s pretty easy to come up with a Halloween costume and to take advantage of Frederick’s usually spectacular weather in October. We plan to do this next Halloween, too.”
“Lion” Gary Bennett leads the parade.
Monetary and pet food donations were also collected to support the Humane Society of Frederick County. Other businesses that exhibited at the event or provided financial support included: BYD Pet Services, Camp Bow Wow, Catoctin Mountain Bark Busters, Doggy Donuts, Dogtopia, Dublin Roasters, Frederick Friends of Our County Animal Shelter, Green K9, Green Valley Animal Hospital, MD Insurance Administration, Megan Purtell Photography, Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue, Oliver’s Hometown Bakery and Pet Smart.
Judging categories for the costume contest were best owner and dog look-alikes, best small breed costume, and best large breed costumes. Lion leaders Jeremy Bair. Jim Corely and John Aulls served as judges. Lions District Governor Nadja Munchow addressed the crowd, extolling the virtues on Lionism. Lois Barb, a local Leader Dog trainer, described the rigors of training the dogs. Sponsors and exhibitors provided over $3,000 worth of prizes.
“We were also happy to have Go Team Therapy Dogs in attendance and available for hugging and cuddling,” according to Bennett. “All in all, it was a great day to be a dog. The Lions were very happy to bring the community together for such a good cause on this beautiful day.”
Visit fsklions.org/canines to see the many photos that were taken at the event.
Lions Club International is the world’s largest service club organization with over 1.4 million members in approximately 48,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions Clubs have assisted the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth. Lions Clubs are comprised of individuals who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs.
If you are community-minded, consider joining FSK Lions Club or any local Lions Club. FSK Lions Club meets second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm at Frederick Elks Lodge on Willowdale Road in Frederick. For reservations, contact membership chair Sue Everhart at 301-514-6030. You can also visit fsklions.org or send an email to membership@fsklions.
If you’re a kid, parent or a doting grandparent, there’s nothing as satisfying or efficient as a good public playground. Laid out before you are free, shiny attractions—climbing equipment, swings, merry-go-rounds, monkey bars, see-saws and the ever-present sliding boards. Who could ask for more?
Indeed, Frederick is blessed to have more than its share of public parks, playgrounds and open spaces to call our own.
According to Bob Smith, Frederick’s deputy director of Parks and Recreation, Frederick city has 75 public parks, totaling 807 acres. With an average size of 10.7 acres, this equates to approximately 11 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents, exceeding the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) guidelines of 9.9 acres per 1,000 residents.
Said another way, Frederick city has roughly one park for every 1,000 residents. According to the 2020 NRPA Agency Performance Review, the target ratio for a city the size of Frederick is one park for every 2,500 residents.
We are doing quite well.
The future looks bright, too. Frederick city’s projected 2045 population of about 93,000 residents (currently 72,000) requires at least 921 acres of parkland to comfortably serve us. According to Smith, it is anticipated that the city will add as much as 300 additional acres of parkland in the next 5 to 10 years, putting it well over 1,000 acres of parkland 10 years ahead of schedule.
Because I frequently take my grandkids to local parks, I got to wondering about these 75 city parks. I’d only been to a few, and I’d venture to guess the same is true for you.
Many of these parks feature ball fields, basketball courts, picnic pavilions, hiking trails, or are simply open green spaces. That is all great if that’s what you’re looking for, but I was more interested in the 38 parks that feature playgrounds and play structures. After all, that’s what the kids really love.
So, in June and July, I set out – usually with my grandkids – to visit and rate all 38.
A word about my methodology: I visited each park in the morning or evening before sunset so I could observe them in action, always carefully explaining to parents what I was doing. In the summer, parents with younger kids tend to visit in the morning. In the evenings before sundown, the older kids come out, usually unattended.
I rated each playground on the following criteria: fun, safety, variety, upkeep, and shade. Each criterion was held to be equally important.
I did not attempt to visit and rate county parks, any other municipal parks in Frederick County, school parks, private community or HOA parks, dog parks; pools; or indoor rec centers. I was purely focused on outdoor parks in the city with playgrounds designed for the enjoyment of kids.
Here is my list of the top 10 Frederick city public playgrounds. To the great credit of the city’s Parks and Rec Department, most are very well maintained, and in many cases, absolutely immaculate. Most serve children between 2 and 12 years of age. Is your favorite here?
10. Amber Meadows Park, 201 Amber Drive
This park serves the Amber Meadows community across from Ft. Detrick on Opposumtown Pike. It’s very shady with four benches and two large play structures. Other amenities include a shelter with several tables, six swings, a free-standing faux rock-climbing structure, balance beam and other built-in climbing items. The park spans both sides of Amber Drive and has two basketball courts, two tennis courts, a large ball field and walking trail. Go for the faux rock climbing. Kids loved this. Score: 37 out of 50
9. Cobblestone Park, 2401 Cobblestone Way This very attractive park serves the Whittier community near Cobblestone, Greenleaf and Whittier Lake. It is adjacent to a pool serving this community. The park features a handsome bridge spanning a quiet stream, many shady trees, a walking trail, several benches, a basketball court and four swings. The large royal blue play structure has a bridge, swirly sliding board, tic-tac-toe game, monkey bars, a flip bar, rocking horses, climbing items and a firefighter’s pole. Go for the flip bar and pole. This one is well worth a visit.
Score: 38 out of 50.
8. Jimmy McGee Memorial Park, 2051 Old Farm Drive This well-manicured park serves the Old Farm neighborhood off of Rosemont. It features two large distinct play areas each with a play structure. The park is ringed with shady trees and has a very inviting walking trail. There are two small shelters with tables; four swings; two very long slides, one inside a tunnel; and two unique climbing structures, one that looks like a spider’s web and one made from large blocks. Go for the shady walking trails and the very long sliding boards.
Score: 38.5 out of 50.
7. Catoctin Park, 421 Columbus Avenue This small park is a hidden gem. It is tucked in behind single-family homes on Catoctin Avenue, just off South Jefferson. Catoctin Park is supremely shady, the most shady of all the parks I visited. It includes a shelter with tables, a half-court basketball court, eight swings, one large play structure with monkey bars, several climbing features, a tunnel slide and tunnel and racing slides. Go for the shadiness at any time of day.
Score: 39 out of 50.
6. Carrollton Park, 455 Center Street This large park at the intersection of Center Street and Prospect Boulevard serves the Fieldpoint area. It features a lively basketball court, ball field, six swings, free-standing plastic rock-climbing features, a walking trail, large shelter with tables and a merry-go-round. Many large trees within provide fine shade. The one play structure is designed for the 2-5 set and has a bumpy slide, two racing slides and several climbing features. Go for the basketball and climbing features.
Score: 39 out of 50
5. East Third Street Park, 252 East Third Street This urban oasis at the corner of East Third and East Streets is beautifully maintained and very shady. It is adjacent to Pistarros and was full of families eating pizza on round tables under large shady trees when I visited. There is also a shelter with traditional picnic tables, a large playing area with many distinct play stations such as traditional free-standing monkey bars, a large traditional merry-go-round and a real “up and down” see-saw. The small play structure is designed for very young children and has a swirly slide, racing slide and climbing features. Go for a shady lunch that you can linger over and to watch your kids enjoy the old-time amenities.
Score: 43 out of 50
4. Staley Park, 11 West Tenth Street This wonderfully maintained 20+ acre park sits at the corner of Motter Avenue and West Tenth Street adjacent to Staley Field and across from North Frederick Elementary School. The park includes a basketball court, ball field, two large shelters and two distinct playing areas for the older and younger sets. The many large trees sprinkled throughout the park make it very shady. There are plenty of benches for parents to watch their young ones. There is a free-standing, swirly sliding board, a sand pit, rocking animals and ten swings. The play structures feature racing slides, monkey bars, a faux drawbridge, multiple climbing features and tunnel slides. Go for the variety of play, shade, and space.
Score: 45 out of 50
3. Greenleaf Park, 1950 East Greenleaf Drive This large, immaculate, shady park serves the Whittier community near Greenleaf Drive. It is adjacent to an attractive community pool and very near Whittier Lake. It features multiple soccer fields, a large shelter with tables and four swings and rocking animals. There are two play structures, one for older kids and one for younger ones. The smaller structure has multiple slides. The larger structure is the highest and most elaborate of all the structures I visited. It has multiple, very high slides including racing slides, tunnels, bridges and various challenging climbing items including faux rock climbing. Go for the challenging play structure for your older children.
Score: 46 out of 50
2. Baker Park 1, North Bentz and West Second Streets This varied, destination park in the heart of Frederick is just steps from downtown, Carroll Creek, bell tower, bandshell and Talley Rec Center. It’s many tall, established trees provide plenty of shade. Numerous nearby benches make it easy for parents to lounge and spend hours. Park features acres of fun that kids will sprint to: a faux zip line; a modern, four-person see-saw; merry-go-round; sand pit; rock climbing structures; spider web climber; and an unforgettable life-size Candy Land game. The play structure for the older set is close to perfect: multiple climbing features, a faux drawbridge, monkey bars, four different slides including a racing slide, tunnel slide, and swirly slide. Go for the variety, hours of fun (if you so choose), side trips to the creek, and enchanting Candy Land game.
Score: 48 out of 50
Baker Park 2, College and Fleming Avenues Frederick’s top park is probably no surprise to you. The newer of Baker Park’s two play parks beats out the older, more historic park by an eyelash mostly due to its proximity to the Thomas public pool and Carroll Creek and by its sheer variety. This beautiful, mostly shady destination park is bordered by the pool, Carroll Creek and the tri-tunnels under College Avenue. Kids can look in any direction and be tempted by an irresistible attraction. But they’ll mostly want to stay in the play area. It features not just one or two play structures, but four play structures, mostly for the younger kids. The one structure devoted to the older kids rivals any of the others I saw. The park has 12 small shelters with tables that make it perfect for picnicking, a bench swing, a rock-climbing feature whimsically shaped like a dinosaur, eight swings, a zip line, a real “up and down” see-saw and a self-turner. Ducks and geese wander by freely. Go for the variety of play possibilities, a picnic lunch and sheer beauty.
Score: 49 out of 50.
Kids having fun at #1 park — Baker Park 2.
Honorable Mention
Baughman’s Babee Park, Madison Street and Burck Street Small urban park with smallish play structures, but very shady and inviting.
Kidwiler Park, 551 Schley Avenue Sprawling neighborhood park has lots of amenities but the lack of variety on the play structure holds it back a bit. Still worth a visit.
Maryvale Park, 529 Mary Street Large, varied neighborhood park behind China Garden on West Patrick and next to the Keilholtz Horseshoe Complex. Real climbing boulders and a nearby culvert to explore!
Mullinix Park, 16 South Bentz Street next to Diggs Pool Urban oasis park greets you with large, real boulders to climb on but a structure that is difficult for kids to navigate and dedicated to climbing which is already well covered. Could use more variety.
Willowdale Park, 158 Willowdale Drive This woodsy, seemingly country park is small, varied and well shaded, but the real attraction is the ability to wade in nearby Rock Creek, which many kids were doing when I visited.
Grove Park, 36 Hamilton Avenue across from Fairgrounds Very attractive playground is shady but not too varied. Seems like an afterthought to the ball field, which is home to East Frederick Little League.
Riverwalk Park, 1901 Schifferstadt Boulevard Attractive park, but play structure is small, not too varied, and a long walk from parking.
Stonegate Park, 1565 Andover Lane Large, well-maintained park with shelter, lively basketball court, and two play structures. Varied play items but absolutely no shade brings it down a bit and limits when you can play.
Special Note on Sophie & Madigan’s Playground
This park is not specifically a city park although the city does help maintain it and provide restrooms and water. Located within city limits in the West Side Regional Park just off of Butterfly Lane, it is a privately designed park in honor of Sophie and Madigan Lillard, two young children who were tragically killed in a fire a few years ago. If this were a city park it would rival the top city parks for best playground. It is whimsically designed and inclusive of special needs children with a castle-themed play structure, multiple swings, merry-go-round, a people-powered carousel and other structures. Their website (https://sophieandmadigansplayground.com) promises many more features to come, too.
Gavin Bennett enjoying the rocking horse at Sophie & Madigan’s Playground
Francis Scott Key Lions Club, in conjunction with Downtown Frederick Partnership and Leader Dogs for the Blind, is hosting its second annual Canines on the Creek event, Saturday, July 3, 3 – 5 pm in the trellis area of Carroll Creek.
The event features a dog and owner patriotic-themed costume contest and parade, a dog training demonstration from Sit Means Sit of Frederick, speakers, giveaways, and discounts from exhibitors. Some of the dog-friendly exhibitors scheduled to attend are Sit Means Sit, Camp Bow Wow, Pet Smart, My Pet Store and More, Happy Dog Groomers, Green Canine, T and L Company, Viatoris Dog Training, Megan Purtell Photography and Frederick Friends of Our County Animal Shelter. Businesses serving dogs and their owners that wish to exhibit should contact FSK Lion Gary Bennett at 301-606-3012 or gabennet01@comcast.net.
Last year’s event was held on March 7 and featured a St. Patrick’s Day- themed costume context and parade. Due to Covid, this year’s event was moved to July 3 and will kick off the long Fourth of July weekend.
According to event chair Lion Gary Bennett, the highlight of the day’s activities is the costume contest and parade. “Watching the parade is free but if you wish to participate, we ask for a small donation to the nonprofit organization Leader Dogs for the Blind,” said Bennett. Dog owners can sign up at fsklions.org/canines. “The costume contest and parade are loads of fun. We judge the entries and have prizes for best owner and dog look-alikes, best small breed costume and best large breed costume.”
Along with the costume contest, parade and demonstrations, attendees will have the chance to speak to vendors that provide services to dogs and their owners and can take advantage of event discounts. The event will take place rain or shine.
“Frederick’s dog friendliness is well known and observed everyday downtown,” Bennett said. “And since Leader Dogs for the Blind is a key organization that Lions support, the idea for this event seemed to be a no-brainer. We hope it takes off in years to come and becomes a draw for Carroll Creek and downtown Frederick and at the same time helps support this worthwhile organization.”
Leader Dogs for the Blind raises and provides leader dogs for blind and low-sight individuals all over the world at no cost to the recipient helping them live a life of independence and mobility. FSK Lions Club serves the Frederick community through eyeglass donations, free used medical equipment lending, and sponsorships.
For more information on this event and to sign up to participate in the costume contest and parade, visit fsklions.org/canines.
If you agree with me that we could all use a little more courtesy in our lives, then we are indeed fortunate to have right in our midst a bridge that reminds us every day to be just that: courteous.
Frederick’s iconic “Courtesy Bridge” is the one-lane bridge situated on Shookstown Road just to the west of Rosemont Avenue, spanning an unassuming section of Carroll Creek just before it winds itself toward downtown Frederick and fame as the main attraction in Maryland’s second largest city. While many larger bridges are named after politicians or fallen service members, this humble bridge sports a sign at either end designating it the symbol of this noble human trait that may have seen better days.
One-lane bridges aren’t unique to Frederick County or any other country setting, for that matter. Frederick County has more than its share sprinkled throughout. What makes this one-lane bridge unique is its location. It is smack dab in the middle of Frederick city, connecting the city’s western “Golden Mile” area with Baker Park and its central business district. As you come upon the bridge, it appears to be in a rural section of Frederick, but nothing could be further from the truth. The bridge is just yards away from banks, restaurants, nursing homes, and an imposing Sheetz convenience store.
If you have traveled Shookstown Road, you know the bridge has a long history of people alternating the direction of travel; you go first, then the other side comes across. In this day and age, you might think this is a recipe for disaster. If it is, I haven’t seen it. I estimate I have traversed this bridge over 500 times in my 35 years in Frederick without incident, accident, or even undue delay.
And it’s not just me. According to city police, accidents and incidents at the bridge are exceedingly rare. There have been no documented accidents the last 10 years. It helps that the sight lines are very good. You can see opposing vehicles from over 1,000 feet away. The courtesy signs also help. But we citizens should take some credit, too. Frederick is mostly a polite, progressive city and we show that every day with how we conduct ourselves.
The bridge was built in 1911 when Frederick was a much smaller city and refurbished in 1988. As the city grew, however, engineers did not feel a burning need to enlarge the bridge. In the last few years, however, nearby road improvements have taken some of the traffic load away from the bridge. Still, the bridge successfully handles about 2,100 trips per day according to Frederick’s Street Maintenance Dept.
Things aren’t always courteous on the bridge, of course. Occasionally, manners do go missing. There have been sporadic reports of stare-downs in the middle of the bridge and, on at least one occasion, police were summoned to de-escalate a situation where neither car would budge from the bridge, causing a traffic backup that forced unlucky fellow motorists to have to back up and find another route to their destinations. Driver impairment played a part in this incident.
But consensus holds that these instances are the exception. Residents of the homes lining Shookstown Road near the bridge generally have good things to say. Ariah Holland, who is a frequent walker over the bridge since a sidewalk was added a few years back, appreciates friendly waves from passing motorists. David Maloney, who has lived in his home just yards from the bridge for over 40 years can recall no major problems because of the narrow passage but blames the few accidents he is aware of on speed. “It’s generally understood that you wait your turn although some people still fly if they see the bridge is open.” Phil Pople, who has lived in the area for 25 years, finds the bridge charming and quaint and can recall no serious issues. He does appreciate that recent improvements to nearby roads have decreased traffic on the bridge enough that it is now easy for him to turn into his driveway.
It’s true that we are in fact forced to be courteous at the bridge to some extent in order to minimize the risk of a head on collision. As I recently sat behind a short line of cars waiting to take my turn on the bridge, I got to thinking about forced courtesy. Certainly, it would be better if we could just be courteous on our own, but I suppose being forced to be courteous is better than nothing. So, Frederick, join me at the Courtesy Bridge for a moment of Zen and a friendly wave at your fellow motorists. And don’t forget to take advantage of this rare opportunity to be recognized for your courtesy.
