Adrian for Laurel

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of touring the Fidos for Freedom facility on Sandy Spring Road and meeting with Executive Director Diane Bernier.

Fidos' non-profit mission is: to enhance quality of life for veterans experiencing PTSD, those who are mobility impaired, and those who are hearing impaired with dogs that are specially trained to provide companionship, service, and therapy.

Check out this 1-minute video to see an example of just some of the things they can do:

What a great organization impacting the lives of others for the better. Diane and her team would love for you to connect to learn more about Fidos for Freedom, such as:

• If you’re a dog lover and would like to be a part, such as being part of the puppy-raising team (a joy!) :)
• If you’re a veteran or mobility/ hearing-impaired and would like to benefit from the companionship of a specially trained dog just for you
• If you’re age 12 - 17 and want to join the “Juniors” program to learn more (plus earn school service hours along the way) - a great way also for those interested in a veterinary path
• If you’d like to donate to the cause to help others
• Would just like to learn more

And mark your calendars because Fidos for Freedom’s annual Bow Wow Bash fundraising banquet is coming up on October 25 with all-you-can eat buffet, music, live & silent auction, and more!

So check out the links above for how you can get involved, and thank you Fidos for Freedom for your service to the people of Laurel and our region!

2024 is the fifth anniversary year of Faith & Blue – locally organized community-officer engagement that’s a part of the nation’s largest annual collaborative policing initiative. It’s mission:

“National Faith & Blue Weekend facilitates safer and stronger communities by engaging law enforcement officers and local residents through the connections of faith-based organizations."

And in Laurel, the Faith & Blue event will be hosted by St. Mark’s U.M.C. with Rev. Walter L. Smith Jr. who will be joined by Rev. Jerry Colbert of Mt. Zion U.M.C..

Join them this Saturday, October 5 starting at 11 a.m. for an ecumenical faith service which’ll also feature members of our Laurel Police Department such as Chief Hamill.

See the graphic below for additional information, including the perfect encapsulation of the event: “Join your local law enforcement and members of your community for a weekend of resolution and reconciliation. National Faith & Blue Weekend is a collaborative effort to build bridges and break biases.”

Thank you St. Mark’s & Rev. Smith for hosting for Laurel!

Laurel Park, 113-year home of horse racing in Laurel (and the state), will be closing in 2027. Join the crew behind Voices of Laurel to make some last connections to this soon-to-be part of Laurel’s history by coming out for their FREE “Day at the Races” event on Saturday, October 26 from 12 - 5p.m.

Tickets are free, but spaces are limited, so be sure to register. From the event listing:

Watch a full slate of exciting horse racing, patronize the food and beverage venues in the grandstand, and walk around the grounds to get a sense of the rich history of this storied facility. If you want to try your hand at betting on a race but don’t know where to start, we will have people who can help you out. The first $2 bet is on the house!

More details are on the event page linked above, and this promises to be a great afternoon, whether you’ve visited before or it’s your first time. And I will add that the racetrack has many kid-friendly areas, including viewing the track from ground level, (I’ve visited before with my kiddos), so if you want them to see it too, this can be a great chance.

Thanks VoL for sponsoring! 🐎

We had a small oven fire in our home last year 🔥 – Grease from a turkey spilled over the drip pan onto the bottom of the oven and caught flame. Thankfully, we had an extinguisher nearby and were able to keep calm and snuff it out before it got out of hand – We were certainly glad to have on hand, and definitely felt the heart rate spike up in the process.

But wanted to share a new tip my wife picked up at the Laurel Police’s “Coffee with a Cop” event at Ragamuffins Coffee last weekend, where they also hosted PG County Fire/EMS – There’s a new product out there called EZ Fire Spray by First Alert that’s: (a) easier to hold and use, (b) discharges 4x longer than traditional extinguishers (which are often only 20 seconds +/-), and (c) uses a biodegradable easy-to-clean formula.

I know we’ll be getting one for the kitchen, and it’s also handy to have around grills, RV, garage, and similar areas. Thank you Renee Wasco of PG County Fire/EMS for visiting our town and helping make our homes another step safer!

For those in Facebookland, wanted to announce that I recently launched an ‘elected official’ Facebook page. It’s the best place to follow me on that platform and’ll feature cross-posts from my main site here at AdrianForLaurel plus some shares of other posts from across Facebook. And I certainly appreciate you sharing with friends and neighbors to spread the word whenever you have a chance.

Of course, just let me know any feedback on what you see here or on Facebook to make it most helpful to you as a resident of our town here in Laurel – And thank you for helping making our town a community!

Here’s two events going on this weekend I recommend you check-out🌞 –>

The PG County Fire Department will be joining the Laurel Police Department for “Coffee with A Cop” at Ragamuffins on Main Street from 9 - 11 a.m. Not only is it a free cuppa courtesy of Laurel Police, the PG County Fire Dept will also be handing out free fire detectors (I know we certainly could use another one at our house). :) Come on out to meet these first responders, let them know we appreciate their service, and leave having made a new friend and sweet deal.

Once you’re done, swing on over to Scotchtown Elementary for the annual fundraiser for the Women’s Club of Laurel – It’s a yard sale featuring clothes, accessories, games, books, household items, and more: There’s always something good to walk away with at a yard sale. Plus the proceeds will go towards all the community service and outreach the Women’s Club does for our town.

So there’s plenty of reasons to come on out, enjoy your Saturday mingling a little, and be a part of building our community along the way! 🏘️ 😃

With September in full swing, it’s that time of year where everything kicks into full gear! 😀 Among the many highlights from the past week for me were:

Picking up some fresh tomatoes and bell peppers from the Farmers Market for dinner — My wife loves tomatoes and said these were especially great!

Participating in the Emancipation Day 1k Fun Walk with my kiddos sponsored by the historic St. Mark’s United Methodist church on 8th street. I also really enjoyed marching in the parade and feasting on the fried fish at the festivities that same afternoon.

Getting a tour of the new Craig A. Moe Multi-Service Center and participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Helping recognize dedicated Laurel volunteer Andy Kostas who is now headed off to join the U.S. Navy.

There’s certainly a lot of good going on here in Laurel and thank you for being part of building community in all the streets, and homes, and schools, and churches, and more all around town!

We probably all remember where we were on 9/11 – I was working in downtown Baltimore at the time, and there was initially confusion among my co-workers about whether it was the World Trade Center in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. The disbelief and distraught-ness of the ensuing hours, days, and more is hard to describe, and certainly pales in comparison to all who were directly impacted.

The unity we embraced as a nation was also so encouraging and uplifting. And the bravery of so many of our emergency personnel. Preserving the memory of 9/11 is difficult but important, and Mission BBQ wants to join that effort by honoring all fire, police, and first responders with a free sandwich that day.

If you know someone or you yourself are one, please take this opportunity to share, avail, and to recall, so that we never forget.