Vets pivot to serving community
It took three days and a lot of sweat, but last September, 15 volunteers hauled 12,000 tires out of a wooded area in a National Park site in Washington, D.C. They also pulled out sinks, toilets, rusty pipes and other debris that had been illegally dumped in the city’s Fort Dupont community gardens. In addition, they’ve spread compost, prepared garden beds and cleaned chicken coops.... READ MORE
Funky art museum’s new leader
If you have ever asked, “What is the meaning of art and why should I care?” then Jenenne Whitfield, the new executive director of Baltimore’s popular American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), has the answers for you. Whitfield believes that the creation and appreciation of art can lead to a fuller life. “The key for me,” Whitfield told the Beacon in a recent interview, “is the ... READ MORE
A passion for teaching technology
Say you call a loved one who lives alone, just to check in, but they don’t pick up the phone. As it rings and rings, you wonder if they’re okay. What if the worst has happened? At times like those, technology may save the day, or at least save an in-person safety visit. A quick video call to a device called an Amazon Echo Show, for instance, can give you a live view inside your loved ... READ MORE
Pickleball craze picks up speed in Howard County
Pickleball — a game that early on attracted mostly older adults at senior centers — is now the fastest-growing sport in America and the country’s newest major league sport. It’s attracting the rich and famous: George Clooney, Stephen Colbert and author Brené Brown are avid picklers, along with other celebrities like Phil Mickelson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Larry David, Melinda Gates,... READ MORE
New sports memoir hits home
“I saw Brooks Robinson dive to his right, I saw Cal Ripken Jr. dive to his left” in magical fielding plays for the Baltimore Orioles, writes Baltimore-raised Tom Callahan in his latest book, Gods at Play: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports. “I saw [Johnny] Unitas hand the ball off and still go through his many fakes” to fool would-be tacklers, Callahan... READ MORE
Granny nannies who love their jobs
Call it good timing. Seven years ago, Silver Spring resident Margaret McDermott was expecting her first grandchild. At the same time, her longtime job as an event planner fizzled out. When she realized she could spend her empty days with her baby grandson, McDermott jumped at the chance, much to her surprise. “I thought, ‘I’ll just try it for a day,’ and I was hooked,” said... READ MORE
Pickleball craze picks up speed in Baltimore
Pickleball — a game that early on attracted mostly older adults at senior centers — is now the fastest-growing sport in America and the country’s newest major league sport. It’s attracting the rich and famous: George Clooney, Stephen Colbert and author Brené Brown are avid picklers, along with other celebrities like Phil Mickelson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Larry David, Melinda Gates,... READ MORE
More than half his life at the Post
John Kelly, the intrepid writer of a daily column for the Washington Post for almost two decades, can’t quite believe he’s turning 60 this year. After all, he plays in a rock ‘n’ roll band and works as hard as ever. “I remember when I first started at the Post when I was 26, seeing the grizzled old newsroom people and thinking, ‘Oh man they’re just so out of... READ MORE
Join the club — so many options in Howard County
When Marge Ewertz was working full-time as a nurse at Johns Hopkins, she started taking Mondays and Fridays off so she could go on bike rides with an over-60 cycling group. “I had to retire because I was having way too much fun biking,” Ewertz said. Now 70, Ewertz bikes with three groups, including Cycle2Health, a peer-led club coordinated by Howard County’s Office on Aging and ... READ MORE
Join the club — so many options in Baltimore
When Marge Ewertz was working full-time as a nurse at Johns Hopkins, she started taking Mondays and Fridays off so she could bike with Cycling Seniors of Baltimore County, a group of about 150 bikers who are over age 60. “I had to retire because I was having way too much fun biking,” Ewertz said. Now 70, she rides 3,600 miles per year and leads fellow bikers on rides each... READ MORE
Cover Stories 2024
