Monday November 3rd from 3:00pm – 5:00pm
$1 for every pound of candy!
Support the troops and your community!
In an effort to promote a safe and healthy Halloween for children, Krause Pediatric & Orthodontic Dental Care will buy back the candy that young trick-or-treaters collect this year and donate the candy to the troops serving our country overseas.

Candy can be brought to Krause Pediatric & Orthodontic Dental Care at 560 Riverside Drive, A 205, Salisbury, MD 21801 on Monday, November 3rd between the hours of 3:00 pm– 5:00pm. Krause Pediatric & Orthodontic Dental Care will pay $1 for each pound of candy that is brought in (10 pound maximum per child). Children can write personal messages to the U.S. troops that will be included into the boxed candy that we will send overseas. Everyone wins at this event that is put together by Dr. Jerry & Dr. Mark.

A group of local citizens has organized an effort to raise seed money for a skatepark in Wicomico County. They have established a presence online to promote their cause at SalisburySK8Park.com. The initial goal of Salisbury Skatepark supporters is to raise $30,000 in order to qualify for a grant from Maryland’s Program Open Space.

A Salisbury Skatepark Fundraiser has been scheduled for Sunday, March 30th, at the Wicomico Civic Center. The event will include live music and skateboarding for an admission fee of $10. Details about the fundraiser are available on the Salisbury Skatepark web site. Friends of the Salisbury Skatepark can also pay a visit to MySpace.

The issue of a skatepark in Wicomico County has been discussed at various times over the past several years. One of the first actions of the current Wicomico County Council was to remove funding for a skatepark from their inaugural budget. That action leads me to question a statement made on the Salisbury Skatepark web site.

“Both the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County are in favor of this project, and are willing to donate the land for the skatepark. If the matching funds can be raised, either the City or the County will submit the grant application to the state and work together with us on the construction of the park.”

If the current County Council did not support funding of the skatepark, then I would say that it is stretching it to say that Wicomico County supports a public skatepark. I also wonder why a staff member of the Wicomico County Parks & Recreations Department is listed as a contributor/contact on the Salisbury Skatepark site.

Salisbury Skatepark also claims that “the act of skateboarding is illegal within city limits.” I think the act of skateboarding is probably illegal on private property that prohibits skateboarding and in public areas that are not meant for skateboarding like stairways and railings, but skateboarding as a means of transportation is not illegal.

Salisbury Skatepark needs to stick to the facts, or they will only undermine their effort before it gets off the ground. The biggest obstacle to a public skatepark is the risk of liability that must be taken on by the government entity that owns the park. This same risk of liability is what keeps local governments out of the swimming pool business. Both the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County need to publicly clarify their stand on the issue of a public skatepark to avoid any misconception about their involvement in the Salisbury Skatepark project.

The March calendar is full of opportunities to support local organizations while you follow the 5K courses laid out for upcoming events. Four weekends in March will be occupied by 5K events in the Salisbury area including the 5th Annual Tim Kennard 10 Mile River Run and 5K Run/Walk which will kickoff the month on Sunday, March 2nd. The race is named for a man who lost a courageous battle with cancer, and loyal friends have carried on the cause which benefits Coastal Hospice programs for pediatric cancer care as well as programs for grieving children who have lost a sibling or parent to cancer. The River Run starts at the Maggs Gym on the campus of Salisbury University with 10 mile runners leading the way at 8:30 AM. The event is preceded on Saturday with a Family Sports and Fitness Expo along with registration at the Maggs gym and a pasta dinner at the SU Commons. Registration forms are available online, or you can register at Charmcityrun.com or Active.com.

The Mid-Shore Family YMCA will host the Funny Bunny 5K Run/Walk on March 8th with a starting time of 9:00 AM. The morning will also include a 100yd Bunny Dash, 1/2 Mile Kids Run and an Easter Egg Hunt. Your $15 registration includes a Funny Bunny t-shirt. The registration form can be printed online or you can register on the YMCA web site.

The 9th Annual St. Paddy’s Day 5K Run and 2 Mile Walk will take place on Saturday, March 15th, at the Salisbury Elks Club. The St. Paddy’s Day Run supports the Alzheimer’s Programs & Services of MAC, Inc. The first 200 entries will receive a race t-shirt, and the event will be concluded with a post race awards party. Registration is available on Active.com, or you can sign up on race day. Registration begins at 2:00 PM followed by the start of the run at 3:00 PM.

Rounding out the 5K events for March is the Bennett Middle PTA Viking 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 29th, at Pemberton Historical Park. The Viking 5K is a departure from the normal road races in the area. The Viking 5K will take place on the woodland trails of Pemberton Park with scenic views of the Wicomico River and Pemberton Hall. The first 100 entries for the Viking 5K will receive a free t-shirt. Registration forms for the Viking 5K can be printed online, or you can sign up on race day. The Viking 5K is part of an effort to promote exercise and fitness at Bennett Middle School. Race day registration will start at 9:00 AM followed by the 5K start at 10:00 AM.

The Eastern Shore Running Club is an active supporter of all of these local events, and the ESRC web site is an excellent source for information on local and regional running events.

The Optimist Club of Salisbury is known in the community as a “friend of youth”. The Optimist Club supports many local programs including an oratorical contest for middle and high school students as well as junior golf and girls softball. This weekend the Optimist Club will be raising funds to continue these efforts with the 2008 Home, Garden and Family Show. The show will begins today from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The show continues on Saturday, February 23rd, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and again on Sunday the 24th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Wicomico Civic Center will be filled with over 100 vendors along with dozens of booths displaying the work of local crafters. Admission for the show is $4 and children 12 and under are free. Support the Salisbury Optimist Club and our local youth with a visit to the 2008 Home, Garden and Family Show.