BECAUSE THE BOY Scouts of Troop 9 sleep outdoors in all sorts of weather, they know the discomfort of being cold at night. The Scouts also know how to do a good turn.
Last winter, the troop collected blankets for distribution by Shepherd's Staff of Westminster. About 50 blankets were collected, cleaned and donated.
The troop numbers about 12 boys this year. Again, they are collecting usable blankets for those without them.
The Scouts are also collecting disposable diapers of all sizes.
Two Hampstead businesses are repeating their good turns. True Value Hardware, next to the post office, is accepting donations of blankets and diapers. The Soap Opera laundry in Hampstead has offered to clean the blankets.
Boy Scout Troop 9 is sponsored by Emory United Methodist Church. Ben Ward is Scoutmaster.
Blanket and diaper collections are being taken until Jan. 5. After-hours donations: Maureen Laderer, 410-239-7398.
Fun for teen-agers
Every Tuesday night, about 15 teen-agers meet in the gym at Grace United Methodist Church, two miles east of Hampstead on Black Rock Road, to toss basketballs and play dodge ball. The "open gym" night offers adult supervision for teens from sixth through 12th grade, who play games in the gym from 6:30 to 8:30.
Since Sept. 1, about 20 teens have attended each Tuesday. The program is considered a success by the volunteer adults who run it, and they're hoping more teen-agers will join.
"We've built this big new gym, and we'd like everyone to come use it. The open gym is open to the whole community. There's a lot of kids out there that could really use this," said Kym Cavey, who with her husband, David, has volunteered at Grace United Methodist since 1988.
Because the church borders Baltimore County, teen-agers from different school systems can become friends.
In addition to Tuesday gym nights, the last Friday night each month is "teen night," with games in the gym, with pizza, snacks and board games.
The next teen night will be a Christmas party Dec. 29.
"We'll have cookies and stuff like that, and listen to very loud music, Christian, rock and secular, as long as it's not anything negative," Cavey said.
She also offers a sharing time during Friday "hang out" nights.
"It's just a time for kids to be together in a wholesome atmosphere. Kids are inviting their friends. It's been very successful so far," Cavey said. She said a couple of other adults join her and her husband to supervise the teen-agers.
Information: Kym Cavey, 410-374-0195.
Links to careers
Teen-agers who want to know how to prepare for a career while completing high school will likely find the Career Connections presentation at 7 p.m. today to be helpful. The presentation takes place in the auditorium at North Carroll High School, off Hampstead-Mexico Road, Hampstead.
The 45-minute program will explain opportunities for teens to get hands-on work experience. The goal of the program is to combine career options with personal interests and high school course selections.
Opportunities such as cooperative work experience, paid or unpaid internships and concurrent college enrollment will be discussed. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Through Career Connections at North Carroll High School, 35 students in the program have been placed in internship programs, and 19 of them were in the Hampstead and Manchester areas.
Career Connections is a program of Carroll County public schools. Information: 410-751-3000.
Pat Brodowski's North neighborhood column appears each Wednesday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.
