Adrian for Laurel

A few years back, a friend first introduced me to the growing tradition of “First Day Hikes”, and our family has been enjoying it as part of our New Years plans ever since. 🙂

First Day Hikes are simply an opportunity to get outdoors into parks on the first day of the year, whether walking, hiking, biking or more – And our family has found it a great way to shake loose the cobwebs from being inside so much during the holidays and experience an energizing jolt from good ol' fashion nature.

Many state parks even sponsor a program with ranger-guided or self-guided hikes, but you can pick wherever your favorite spot is for a breath of fresh air. Here’s First Day Hike pages from the national website as well as the one from Maryland Department of Natural Resources – And a few spots our family likes to visit:

• Of course, Laurel’s own Gude Park around Laurel Lakes, and Riverfront Park along the Patuxent River

• The Patuxent Research Refuge – the South Tract entrance has all levels of walking trails, from short paved trail, to a loop around Cash Lake, to ones winding through woods. And the North Tract is a little less developed but has access to 25 miles of trails.

• Fairland Recreational Park – Perhaps you’ve been to the swimming pool, tennis courts gym, or ice rink at Fairlands, but did you know there’s around 300 acres of paved and unpaved walking and bike paths? That’s where our family went this year (photo below).

• Patapsco Valley State Park is another great option within close reach with 16,043 acres of land along the Patapsco River. Because of it’s size, there are many park entrances for easy access and many skill levels served as well.

• Another of our family’s favorites: Lake Artemesia in College Park. There’s a paved walking path around the lake with a handful of neat viewing spots, plus wooded trails for those who prefer to go off the beaten path some.

These are just a few of the many great outdoor resources a stone’s throw away from Laurel, so whether it’s January 1, this weekend, or throughout the year, an encouragement to take a breath of nature into your day and life and it’ll add a little bounce to your step! 🙂🚶‍➡️

We are truly blessed with so many faith and cultural communities in Laurel, all sharing from their rich heritage and contributing to the good of their neighbors and our City. And this time of year is full of many celebrations, such as Chanukah which runs from December 15 - 22 and Kwanza which runs from December 26 to January 1. Below are public opportunities to join in these celebrations — a great way to showcase your traditions and beliefs or also to appreciate and learn from the traditions of others.

»Public Menorah Lighting & Gelt Drop«

This afternoon at 5 p.m. at the amphitheater next to the Laurel Library there’ll be a public menorah lighting and “gelt” drop. In Jewish tradition, the candles of a menorah are lit over the eight days of Chanukah to recall the miracle connected to the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. This public menorah lighting is hosted by Chabad of Laurel and is very much intended as an invitation for all to come, learn about this tradition, and build community connection, so please feel no hesitation to come! Not to mention, there’ll be hot cocoa, delicious doughnuts, and a chocolate coin “gelt” drop (a fun tradition for kids where chocolate candy coins are dropped for kids to gather up). You can learn more about Chabad of Laurel and their missions to ‘share authentic Judaism and create opportunities to experience its rich heritage in Laurel’ at their website linked above.

»Kwanzaa Celebration on Sat, Dec 27«

And this coming Saturday, December 27 from 2 - 4 p.m. there’ll be a public Kwanza Celebration at the Laurel Multiservice Center to which all are invited. The seven candles of Kwanzaa signify the seven principles of Kwanzaa, including “unity”, “collective work and responsibility”, and “faith”. The event will also feature an African Naming Ceremony and promises to be a meaningful celebration of African heritage for all, so come on out to experience with our City!

»Veterans Day Flag Placement at Ivy Hill Cemetary«

One of the annual Veterans Day traditions here in the City is the placement of American flags at the gravestones of veterans laid to rest in the historic Ivy Hill Cemetery on Sandy Spring Road. The cemetery dates to around the 1850s and there are veterans from the many generations of Americans who have served since that time. Thank you to Lisa and Christa for organizing, and I was glad to bring my family to join with community volunteers, a group of Air Force JROTC students, and a Cub Scout Pack to honor our veterans and know that that we remember and value their service.

»Completion of Municipal Ethics Training Course«

Last week, I went to Annapolis for a Municipal Ethics training course that provides an overview of the unique requirements for elected officials. It outlined the 11 main ethical areas to be alert to in order to maintain the highest level of integrity in office, including: (a) conflict of interest, (b) use of public resources, (c) use of prestige of office, (d) soliciting/ accepting gifts, and (e) use of confidential information. For those curious, the State of Maryland has a state-level ethics code and each municipality can adopt a code that is no less stringent than the State’s. In Laurel’s case, we also have the Laurel Ethics Commission comprised of appointed volunteers that oversee ethics rules as they apply to the City, including things like collecting and review the required financial disclosure forms from elected officials, members of Commissions, and other bodies. Holding ourselves to high ethical standards is what enables public confidence in our work, and educating and revisiting these guardrails is a critical part of serving the public well.

»Laurel Multiservice Center Visit«

There was originally a gathering scheduled for Nov 15, and although plans had to change last-minute, I appreciated the opportunity to connect with the two of the Partner organizations that are a part of making our Laurel Multiservice Center a success. The first was Wanda Fisher of Jobs Have Priority who serves as part of the Center’s transitional housing program – We have around 18 units that can serve as a helping hand and bridge for individuals who need to get back up on their feet and that program went live this year with more to come. The second was Susan and Thomas of Taking Care of Our Neighbors, a program to house those needing shelter overnight during the cold winter months. This will be the second year the program (previously known as “Winter Haven”) will be held at the LMSC and volunteer are still needed for check-in or overnight timeslots starting January and running into March. To sign up, you can reach out to staff at the LMSC at 301-947-3010 or email [email protected].