My Vote Against Rules Suspension at Tonight’s Council Meeting
Those tuning into tonight’s Council Meeting may have seen that I voted three times against suspending rules that safeguard the passage of legislation. Those rules call for two “hearings” before a vote can be taken on Resolutions, and the Council was short-circuiting that to one. For anyone who may be interested further on why, I’ve provided the below.
Big picture:
- Ultimately, our City belongs to the people. And rules around our City’s legislative process are put in place to ensure that all residents: (a) are allowed adequate notice about what’s going on in their city, and (b) are provided adequate time to reach out to their representatives to share their thoughts and have those integrated into the decision-making process.
- Especially when situations impose new requirements on citizens, or when there’s a material commitment being made by the City, these changes are required to have two (2) “hearings” – This means that the agenda item has to appear in two separate meetings and the public provided two separate opportunities to comment, propose changes, disagree, support, etc.
- Occasionally, an emergency or other compelling circumstance may arise where the legislature may consider suspending the rules to avoid adverse impacts that might otherwise occur. To accomplish, a majority of the body must vote in favor to ‘suspend the rules’.
- Absent those types of scenarios, in my opinion, a legislature should not invoke suspension powers out of respect for the prerogative of the people.
Particular to tonight’s agenda:
- I learned 2-3 hours before the meeting that Council would be considering suspending the required two-hearing rule for the four Resolutions on the agenda.
- The circumstance cited was that our normal Second Meeting of the month had been cancelled (and not rescheduled), since it fell on the Monday of Christmas week.
- In my judgment, our resident’s rights aren’t any less in December simply because Council opts to cancel its second meeting.
- In the short time left before the meeting, I was able to confirm from our legal counsel that there would be no adverse impact to taking up the affected Resolutions at our next scheduled Regular Meeting on January 13 as normally required. Two of the Resolutions related to the DROP program, and it was very important to me that Police and City employees rights were protected.
- The DROP program is the Deferred Retirement Option Plan and it was being considered for extension for four years. The final bits of the program had just been shared with me over the weekend, and I was in the process of digesting the information, hearing others’ thoughts, and arriving at a vote decision.
In my opinion, the rules are there for a reason, and that is to ensure the people have their voice. To me, even if many times no one is present in the room, we always need keep them forefront in our mind and protect their space for whenever it is needed.
I like to think of it like the old Motel 6 commercial, grounded in good hospitality: “We’ll keep the light on for you.” To me, when we short-circuit the rules, we usurp the power that is the people’s. And absent a sufficiently compelling reason, we’ve sacrificed for convenience’s sake the very trust we purport to uphold.
Preserving the Beauty of our Night Sky
Earlier this fall, a resident shared with me a resource she found called Dark Sky International – I then ran into it again a month later at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum when I visited with my son for his birthday. Wouldn’t it be cool if our city’s night sky looked like this?
This is Flagstaff, Arizona – The first city certified in the U.S. as a “Dark Sky Community” in 2001. The idea is that with thoughtful lighting both from municipality and residents, we can all look up at night and marvel at the sky. 🙂🔭 (Btw, did anyone catch the aurora borealis earlier this year fall?)
A big part is just knowing the basics, like: (a) what types of lights are best, and (b) the 5 principles of outdoor lighting, as illustrated below:
And there’s absolutely no need to sacrifice safety – In fact, studies show that properly lighted areas that aren’t ‘over-lit’ are actually safer for pedestrians, homeowners, and businesses. (Ever get blinded by a car’s headlight at night and couldn’t see anything around the perimeter of the lit area? – Same thing can happen around your house or business.)
Dark Sky’s website has a plethora of resources, like:
- A list of lighting products
- Helpful fact sheets to educate yourself
- Sample municipal codes
- Success stories
- And more …
So hopefully something in here has sparked your interest too, to search for and help preserve our ability to wonder at the sparks of beauty in our night sky! 🌃
Gorgeous Sunset Skies this Past Weekend
For those out-and-about as the sun set Saturday evening, you were in for quite a treat — I just happened to be walking from the Winter Market on Main Street to the Armory on Montgomery for the tree lighting ceremony, and it was drop-dead gorgeous. Multiple times, I couldn’t take any more than 10 steps and I just had to stop, admire, marvel, and smile. 😀
I tried to capture a few photos shared here below, but believe it or not, these don’t do it a full justice. In any event, I hope you enjoy, and it was beautiful reminder to me always look up to appreciate! :)
Info for City Council Meeting - 9 Dec 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.
AGENDA
- Call to Order - Council President Kyla Clark
- Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, CMC, City Clerk
- Approval of Minutes: November 25, 2024 Regular Meeting; December 4, 2024 Work Session
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Mayoral Appointments: Michael Gray, Tree Board, 12/09/2024-12/09/2026; Donica Sutton, Education Advisory Committee, 12/09/2024-12/09/2026
- General Public Hearing
- Bid Recommendation- First Street Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Sole Source Purchase Recommendation-Ongoing City-wide Replacement of Existing Street Lighting Project- Department of Public Works
- Bid Recommendation- Lafayette Avenue Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Architectural and Engineering Firms Contract Continuation Recommendation- Department of Public Works
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Resolution No. 5-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Creating the Master Plan Review Committee and Providing an Effective Date
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Resolution No. 6-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Declaring a Temporary Moratorium Regarding the Processing of Zoning Matters within the City of Laurel, Maryland and Providing an Effective Date
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 2033- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Police Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 2034- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Employees Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Adjournment
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Tomorrow, Dec 7!
Don’t forget that tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 7 is the annual City Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting!
The parade kicks off at 3:45 p.m. from the Municipal Center on Sandy Spring Road, will wrap around onto Montgomery Street, then end at the Laurel Amory at 4th & Montgomery. (Rumor has it that City Council has mini-candy canes for kids, so come see us on the parade route for your Christmas sugar boost!) 😉
And the tree lighting/ Armory illumination will happen at 5:15 p.m., marking the official start to the season for Laurel! :) But you’ll want to definitely take part in the photos with Santa, Christmas music, kids games, treats and more – so stick around for a spell and soak up some Christmas magic. 🎄✨
More details below and from Laurel Parks & Rec – See you there! 🎅
LARS Turkey Trot / Blessing Baskets / Small Biz Saturday Highlight & Pics
Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) 20th Annual Turkey Trot
One thing I learned for sure: Rain cannot dampen the spirits of the dedicated runners nor the LARS volunteers for their annual Turkey Trot, a Laurel tradition now reaching it’s 20th year. I was all prepared to steel myself against the elements and grind through lending a hand awarding medals at the finish line, but I got so pumped and buoyed seeing the energy, enthusiasm, and fun that was being had that I left the morning with more energy than I started and a great way to kick off Thanksgiving morning with the fam'. :) Thanks LARS for the invitation to come out and join you, thank you runners for your support of this great organization – you all are making a difference our community! (Check out the LARS website for the multitude of ways you can join forces to help them combat hunger and homelessness in our community.)
(Photo credit: LARS)
Blessing Baskets
A shout to Mike Mondy of Moving in Maryland realty for his initiative and happy to have been just a small part of his huge effort in organizing the 2nd annual Blessing Baskets campaign. Coordinating with local schools, friends, businesses and community members across town, the campaign was able to assemble over 200 baskets to share with local families in need during the holidays. There was great energy and great people making a great impact – what being a good neighbor is all about. I also got to meet LaNita Cousin, the small business owner of KB Karnival Hall off Main Street where Blessing Baskets was hosted – she’s renovated the space over the last few years and provides a great venue to birthday parties, sweet 16s, small wedding receptions, and more, so be sure to check out the link if you’re in need!
(Photo credit: Voices of Laurel)
Small Business Saturday
And last Saturday I headed on out to Laurel’s Small Business Saturday event at the Quill Lot on Main Street hosted by the Economic & Community Development department – There I was able to pickup the Small Business Passport book, where residents can collect stamps from small businesses around town and enter the completed book for prizes. (Don’t forget to drop yours off at the Municipal Center by this weekend to count!) Thanks Director Burrough and Economic Development Coordinator Sadaf Parveen for braving the cold. And I was so lucky to be walking down Main Street right after and wander into the awesome candy shop Gladley’s who are open special for the holiday season with all their delicious treats – You just gotta try their Chew La La (caramel taken to another level) or their Laddie cookie or their My Oh Mys, and more. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with anything you get there! 🍬🍫
Maryland Municipal League (MML) follow-up
Lastly (and if you’ve read this far, thank you!) :), MML released some additional photos from the Leadership Conference I was at earlier this fall that I just had to share – Both for the education sessions I was in (I think the one I’m pictured asking a question in was on ‘Risk Management for Municipalities’) and for the time to connect with municipal leaders both inside and outside Laurel.
(Photo credit: MML)
Nominate Your Neighbors for Christmas Decorating Contest!
We all love homes that go all-out decorating for Christmas 🎄✨🎅🦌– Let’s show them our love by submitting their name to Laurel Parks & Rec so they’ll be entered for some recognition! :)
Notice a great-looking house as you drive or walk by? – Then send an email to parks@laurel.md.us or give a ring to 301-725-7800. And no need to be a Grinch – nominate as many folks as you see & like! 😀 (Note: They do need to be within the City limits.)
More details below, and remember – get those nominations in before Dec 13 to be in time for the judging!
Info for Council Work Session - 4 Dec 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself and members of the Council as we want to serve you and the people of Laurel.
AGENDA
- Call to Order - Kyla Clark, Council President
- Bid Recommendation- First Street Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Sole Source Purchase Recommendation-Ongoing City-wide Replacement of Existing Street Lighting Project- Department of Public Works
- Bid Recommendation- Lafayette Avenue Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Architectural and Engineering Firms Contract Continuation Recommendation- Department of Public Works
- Resolution No. 5-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Creating the Master Plan Review Committee and Providing an Effective Date
- Resolution No. 6-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Declaring a Temporary Moratorium Regarding the Processing of Zoning Matters within the City of Laurel, Maryland and Providing an Effective Date.
- Ordinance No. 2033- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Police Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Ordinance No. 2034- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Employees Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
“Thank God for this Thanksgiving Day” song
Over the last few years, my family has adopted a new small part into our Thanksgiving traditions of watching Ben Rector’s “The Thanksgiving Song”. He’s an artist we’ve really enjoyed as a family, and he wrote this song during COVID - It expresses so many sentiments from then and now that help set the stage and day for Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy it too, and all your family’s Thanksgiving traditions as well!
Grab hot drink + Small Business Passport this Saturday!
Come on out to Laurel’s Quill Lot (378 Main Street) this Saturday to grab a hot drink, some snacks, and most importantly: your Small Business Passport book!
Say “hi” to neighbors while enjoying this holiday weekend, then over the course of the coming weeks, stop in at Laurel small businesses for your shopping (Christmas or other) and get your passport book stamped. Collect enough stamps and you can submit for a prize – And in the process, discover some new gems we have here in town!
It’s a great way to celebrate the shops that make Laurel unique, to let them know we value what they bring to our town, and to support them so they can stay and be a part of the fabric that is our community – So stop by and I’ll see you there! 😀
(And thank you to Laurel’s Economic and Community Development team for making this possible + all the participating Laurel retail businesses!)
Cautionary words from Laurel Police Chief
At last night’s Council Meeting, Laurel Police Chief Hamill shared notes and important reminders based on recent events and the upcoming holiday season, including:
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Never hesitate to call Laurel Police right away if you ever see something suspicious – You are part of their eyes and ears into what is going on around town, and they’d much rather send a police cruiser over to drive through an area and potentially prevent something that may happen (e.g., car theft, property damage, etc.) than have something happen and only learn after-the-fact. It’s a really a service to all of us as neighbors help keep each other safe – And you can post the Laurel “non-emergency” number right on your refrigerator or store in cell phone: 301-498-0092.
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Always keep alert to your surroundings as you’re out-and-about – For example, as you go to an ATM, take stock of what’s around as you approach, keep a sense of your environment while you’re there, and avoid walking away from the ATM looking down while counting your withdrawal, but keep your head and eyes up as great preventative measure.
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If you remember you left something of value on your car seat at night, it’s a good idea to go out and get it. Visible items are an easy mark. And just being sure to lock your car doors is important too. The Chief shared a story on how officers tracking suspicious individuals late at night simply going from car door to car door, until they found one that opened – Just a little bit of friction can go a long way.
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The Police Department will also be stepping up traffic enforcement from now through New Years – It’s notoriously the time of year the most accidents from being under the influence happen and they want to stay ahead of the curve. (Just this past week one of the officers himself was hit by a driver allegedly under the influence, totaling the police cruiser and sending the officer to the hospital, though thankfully recovering at home now.) So be smart and lets all help our friends and family be smart too – celebrating the holidays is so much better when we’re all together! :)
Thank you Chief Hamill for these helpful and important reminders and for your and your team’s work to keep our community safe!
Stretch those legs at the LARS Turkey Trot this Thursday!
What would Thanksgiving be without a jaunt for the Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) annual Turkey Trot – Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year! You can run, you can walk, and you’ll get a special commemorative 20th anniversary finisher medal (sure to be a collectible). 🏅😀
So head on over to the LARS Turkey Trot registration page, get yourself registered, and start the day off right on Thanksgiving helping others in need – it’s guaranteed to enhance the flavor your turkey and gravy when you sit down to dinner later in the day. 🦃🍗
The race starts at 8 a.m. at the McCullough Field in Old Town and afterwards you can even pop on over to Ragamuffins Coffee House on Main Street for a FREE drip coffee for showing your race bib ☕ – Now can’t beat that!
Our first snow of the season here in Laurel! ❄️☃️🌨️
Don’t want to get too ahead of the holiday seasons, but perhaps a snowy white Christmas is in our future! 😃
Breakdown of New proposed Council Standing Rules
At the coming Council Meeting on Monday, Nov 25, the Council will potentially vote on adopting new “Standing Rules” that govern the basic operations of the City Council and its meetings. Many of the items are heavily procedural, but there’s a couple items with impact to residents that I wanted to highlight for you:
- The section for Rules 36-46 relate to those around Public Hearings.
- Rule 40 provides each member of the public three (3) minutes to share on their topic. (This is an increase from 2 minutes previously and reflects feedback from residents received over the past year.)
- Rule 40 also describes a new mechanism where, if 5 or more members of the public are present to speak on the same subject, they can designate one member representative to speak for a longer five (5) minutes.
For reference, the sections of the document are:
- Rules of Order
- Open Meetings
- Notice of Special Meeting or Work Sessions
- Election of President
- Duties - President of the Council
- Agendas
- Conduct & Decorum of Members
- Standing Committees – City Council
- Order of Business
- Public Hearing
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Legislative Proceedings
- Introduction and Passage of Legislation
- Appeal
- Virtual & Video Meetings
- Filling a Vacancy of the Council
- City Council - Boards/ Commissions/ Committees
- Miscellaneous
You can download a copy of the latest version as of today, and also look to the City of Laurel Official Meetings page for any updates that are included for consideration in future meetings.
Please reach out to me directly with any thoughts or feedback, and feel free to join us on Monday, Nov 25 to share your thoughts for Council on any item as well.
Council Meeting - 25 Nov 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself and members of the Council as we want to serve you and the people of Laurel.
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
NOTE: Included among the items the Council may vote on are the proposed changes to the Council Standing Rules (which includes updates to public hearing time limits). To share your thoughts, please be sure to reach out to the Clerk and/or join us in-person at the meeting. :)
- Call to Order - James Kole, President
- Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America- Mayor Keith R. Sydnor
- Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, CMC, City Clerk
- Laurel University Graduation Ceremony
- Approval of Minutes: November 4, 2024 Regular Meeting; November 13, 2024 Special Meeting; November 13, 2024 Closed Session
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Mayoral Appointments: Tiara Matthews, Education Advisory Committee 11/25/2024-11/25/2026; Rubama Patwary, Art Council 11/25/2024-11/25/2026 ; Roy Smith II, Planning Commission 11/25/2024-11/25/2029
- General Public Hearing
- Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Resolution No. 4-2024- A Resolution of the Laurel City Council to Approve the Rewrite of the Council Standing Rules
- Possible Adjournment to Closed Session Under the Open Meetings Act Provisions Section 3-305 (b) (3) to consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related thereto in order to protect the Mayor and City Council’s bargaining power and Section 3- 305 (b) (7) to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice regarding the potential purchase of real property
- Election of the Council President
- Election or Selection of President Pro-Tem
- Adjournment
My Learnings from Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference
The week before last, I attended the Maryland Municipal League’s (MML) fall conference - Titled “Excellence in Leadership”, it was held in Cambridge, Maryland Nov 6-8 and was a great opportunity to: (a) further equip in my role as Councilman, (b) be briefed on the latest updates happening in our state, and (c) connect with hundreds of municipal leaders from around Maryland.
I enrolled in the Academy for Excellence certification program and over the course of the three days took classes including: Structures of Municipal Government; MD State Budget Outlook; Rising costs of electricity & how to support residents; and more. Some takeaways to pass on:
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Maryland only generates about 30% of its own electrical energy and is also in the process of closing down old coal plants, all at a time when the demand for electricity is increasing. This means it has to purchase power from other states like Pennsylvania and Ohio and is causing the outlook for electricity prices to be headed strongly higher.
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Maryland Comptroller Liermann shared the results of various reports her office has issued (such as on MD’s lagging labor force participation) and outreaches her office has done. One tip: Her office has partnered with the IRS to offer an integrated FREE federal - state tax preparation software for this coming season called DirectFile, so be on the lookout for that come January.
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State Delegate Barnes, State Senator Augustine, and Governor Moore’s legislative aid Luedtke shared about the upcoming ~$2 billion state budget crunch expected to be a huge issue this coming MD legislative session - Deficits arising from spending commitments made the last few years are anticipated to reach $4 billion and grow to $8 billion in the coming years as well without changes. An implication for Laurel: “bond bill” initiatives and Highway User Revenues (both of which contribute funding to cities like Laurel) are potentially in the crosshairs.
I also connected with Mayors, Councilmembers, and Staff from municipalities including Cambridge, Mount Airy, Greenbelt, Takoma Park, Denton, Forest Heights, Berwyn Heigts, Union Bridge, Eagle Harbor, Frederick, La Plata, Taneytown, Leonardtown, Hagerstown, and more. It was helpful to hear what other cities are doing, to make connections, to share knowledge and resources, and more.
A big memory for me was also the ability to visit the Harriet Tubman (Ross) museum, hear local Cambridge resident and historian share about his life experience growing up in Cambridge (which was sadly marred by prejudice), and about the life of the tenacious Harriet Ross who led so many of her family to freedom in the North. Myself and fellow members of Laurel City Council (Councilmembers Clark and Mills) were also able to take a picture in front of the new and now famous mural, “Take My Hand” (pictured below).
The MML Fall Conference was packed full of information and connections and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to join with other municipal leaders as we all strive to help our city’s flourish in the years to come!
LPD Awards / Diwali / Veteran's Day Highlights & Pics
Laurel Police Department
Yesterday, I was pleased to be with the Laurel Police Department for their awards ceremony honoring officers and citizen employees who have helped make Laurel a safer place over this past year and a half. To be honest, it was quite an experience to hear story-after-story of how our officers over different times of the year placed themselves in danger or proactively acted to apprehend threats or also saved lives around town. Whether pursuing armed suspects in the woods, negotiating down someone who was in hiding, rendering life-saving first aid to a father who was wounded, going undercover to breakup a crime ring, or the support functions rendered with excellence that make it possible – thank you to all who protect and serve us!
Diwali Festival at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
On November 2, I was able to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir to help mark the Diwali Festival (translated, ‘festival of light’) which is an annual Hindu celebration of the conquest of light over darkness. It was a good opportunity to connect with members of a different faith, learn about their commitment to serving the community, and celebrate the rich tapestry of our area.
Veteran’s Day Flag Placements
Lastly, in the beautiful weather of this past Monday on November 11, I joined with residents from around town to help place flags at the gravestones of U.S. military veterans reposed at historic Ivy Hill cemetery here in town. It was a reminder of the many who have served, both past and present, to preserve for us today our freedoms, and at no small cost to themselves. This selflessness is what makes our society possible, and we deeply thank them for their service.
(Photo credit: City of Laurel)
Meet the new PG Education Board Member Andorful on Nov 20 in Laurel
In the just-completed election, a new PG County Board of Education member was elected to represent our district, District 1 – Dr. Tiffini Andorful. And she’ll be coming to Laurel on Wednesday, Nov 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Laurel Branch Library hosted by our PG County Councilmember Tom Dernoga.
From the event description:
Council Member Dernoga invites you to join him for a community conversation at the Laurel Branch Library, which will take place after a Meet & Greet with Dr. Tiffini Andorful, District 1 School Board Member Elect. Light refreshments will be served to anyone that RSVPs by filling out this form. Please do not forget to submit any questions you have for the Council Member ahead of time by recording them at the bottom of this form.
This is a great opportunity for parents, students, teachers, and other interested folks to come out and learn and share firsthand with our elected school officials – For more details and the link to RSVP, check out the event registration page.
Spread Thanksgiving Blessings with Blessing Baskets
Thanksgiving is approaching quickly and is a great time of year to reflect on all the many true blessings we have that are so easy to forget in the hustle-and-bustle of day-to-day – things like food, shelter, family, community, health, freedom, faith, and more.
From that well of thankfulness, it’s only natural to want to give and share – The original Thanksgiving itself was in its ideal form a coming together of peoples to share what they had in the common fellowship of life. Your church and many of our Laurel-based non-profits have great outlets to link arms with community to do so, and I also wanted to share about a newer one organized by Mike Mondy and The Moving in Maryland Group of Keller Williams Realty: Laurel Blessing Baskets.
The Laurel Blessing Baskets drive encourages folks to assemble a laundry basket of goods for a Thanksgiving meal (and optionally, some helpful home items) to help families in need. You can assemble and/or drop-off your basket of goods on Wednesday, Nov 20 from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. at KB Karnival Hall located at 555 Main Street (drive around to the backside off Main Street) where others will also be mingling. And if you’re unable to make it but still want to be a part, you can also contribute to the drive’s GoFundMe campaign.
“A thankful heart is a happy heart” ❤️ - I guarantee finding a way, small or big, to bless someone this Thanksgiving will help make your family’s Thanksgiving all the more full as well. 🙂🦃
Honor Veterans by Placing Flags Today at 2 p.m. at Ivy Hill
If you’re free this afternoon, I’d encourage you to consider taking an hour to mark Veteran’s Day by helping place flags on graves at the Ivy Hill Cemetary. 🇺🇸 You’ll be joining with others in our community helping to honor veterans for their service and expressing our thanks as a community for their sacrifice that has made possible the freedoms we enjoy today as a nation.
Thank you to all who have served! - We treasure your service. 🫡❤️🙏
