By Nenita GapudTressle
The season of generosity and giving is coming up and what better way to celebrate than to discover more about your community and give back to local charities?
There is always more to discover about Frederick’s rich artistic and historic background with events run by Visit Frederick and the Downtown Frederick Partnership.
On Sundays in Baker Park, City Carillonneur John Widmann plays in the Bell Tower from 12:30-1:00 PM. The carillon, the instrument that plays the bells, has 49 bronze bells that are played on batons and pedals with feet and fists.
Museum tours are available in many different parts of Frederick. The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society is open for visitors on Sundays from 12:30-3:30 PM at no cost. On Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-4:00 PM the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum is a National Historic Landmark. It tells the story of Frederick County’s pioneer days for a suggested $5 donation. Tours of the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum are available on weekends until December 7, 2019.
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which is connected to the Pry House Field Hospital Museum and the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Museum, has ongoing events throughout the year, often related to current holidays and events.
With a historic past comes a haunted past and Ghost Tours of Historic Frederick are every Saturday in November. After November the schedule changes but private group tours are available all year. There is an $11 charge to join a group tour from 7:15-8:45 and reservations are recommended. The Ghost Tour of Historic Frederick is Maryland’s oldest operating ghost tour in “Maryland’s most haunted city!”
There are always events going on in Frederick and there are always ways to give back. The season of giving is upon us and many people are looking for ways that they can support local charities.
During the 2018/2019 holiday season, the Downtown Frederick Partnership, along with The City of Frederick, the Delaplaine Foundation, the Bettie Delaplaine Memorial Grant and Visit Frederick, implemented a new system of holiday lights. The Community Foundation of Frederick County manages a fund that support the project through community donations which replaced the previous holiday lights with LED strands. The cost of the project this year is $66,000 and covers the installation, removal, and protection of the lights.
The Community Foundation of Frederick County manages funds that support different causes in the county. They currently manage more than 700 funds that support local clubs and projects. A list of their funds, who they support, and how to make donations can be found on their website, https://www.frederickcountygives.org.
WFMD, a local radio station, hosts Christmas Cash 4 Kids, which provides money for families who cannot afford Christmas gifts. The Salvation Army and local Frederick businesses are working with WFMD to raise funds. Donations are used to purchase gifts for children at better rates than individuals which allows them to supply more families with gifts than drives that collect donations of toys rather than money. Donations can be taken to the station or sent in as checks or money orders payable to “Christmas Cash for Kids”. Local businesses can call the WFMD office at 301.663.4181 for posters or information on supporting Christmas Cash 4 Kids.
There are always organizations that support the community all year that you can help this holiday season, such as the Frederick Rescue Mission, the United Way of Frederick County, SHIP of Frederick County, Habitat for Humanity, the Frederick Community Action Agency, among others.
Explore Frederick and support our community during this coming holiday season!
TJ Chronicle 