Barbara Barr's Column

Election: Don't forget to get out and vote. There are quite a few important issues on the ballot as well at the candidates.

Senior citizens: The senior citizens in the Taylorstown and Lovettsville area love to get together to have a good time. Recently the seniors met at the Lovettsville Community Center with approximately 25 in attendance for their regular scheduled luncheon and while there decided to celebrate the birthdays of Phyllis Spinks and Joan Walls. We never get too old to joke and have fun. Joan turned 90 and is indeed a delight. Another friend, Walter, who attends the dinners also turned 90 in October, and he decided to serenade Joan and the group with songs from back in the 1970s.

Fall dinner: Mount Pleasant is preparing for its fall dinner on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 5 p.m. The public is invited to this country ham-and-turkey dinner served family style. This is a fundraiser for the church.

Anniversary: Happy anniversary to Jim and Emilie Towe, Rex and Kathy Shipley, and Roger and Bonnie Lanham.

Birthday: Happy birthday to Neil Miller and Katie Merchant.

Get-well-wishes: Get-well wishes are extended to Thomas Fletcher, Leo Virts and Brad Bretzin.

Tamar Datan to Speak about the Amazon

Tamar Datan is the next guest speaker in the Taylorstown Community Association Speakers Series. Come hear her at the Taylorstown Store on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.

Tami Carlow's Letter to the Editor

Residents of Taylorstown are not happy to hear about the recent "conditional approval" of a subdivision of 79 lots at Waterford Downs along Catoctin Creek, a state scenic river. It's quite simple, this development will take more drinking water and more groundwater from an area that already can't handle it. This will not help the "family" when it comes to the quality and quantity of their future water.

Catoctin Creek is already in trouble with its base flow down by 79 percent since 1930, and many wells in Taylorstown went dry in the drought of 1999.

Who's in charge of protecting this river and our groundwater supply? A USGS study in Loudoun County showed that the water in our well is only five years old. In the not-too-distant future, will we be relying on just rainwater?The term "conditional" sounds suspicious in itself. Who's going to keep the whole process in check? It would benefit the entire community and the family so much more if they decided to put the land into conservation easement. It would benefit Catoctin Creek immensely, and they would get a big tax break. If it were not for a group of Taylorstown residents, Waterford Downs would be under water. In the 1970s, a dam was to be built on the river that would have flooded Taylorstown and surrounding areas. The local citizens stopped that from happening.

Ah, the good old days when citizens' voices were actually heard, and people cared about what happened to the creek and surrounding lands.

Tami Carlow

Taylorstown Community Association president

Barbara Barr's Column

Harvest party: Mount Pleasant UMC will sponsor its annual Harvest Hayride and wiener roast on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m. Hayride begins at 4 with wiener roast to follow. Please bring a friend and a snack.

Slide show: On Sunday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m., Tamar Datan will give a presentation slide show about the Amazon. The presentation will be held at the Taylorstown Store, and everyone is invited to attend.Jam session: On Friday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. there will be a music jam session at the Taylorstown Store. Bring your music instrument and join in the fun.

Harvest party: Mount Pleasant UMC will sponsor its annual Harvest Hayride and wiener roast on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m. Hayride begins at 4 with wiener roast to follow. Please bring a friend and a snack.

Slide show: On Sunday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m., Tamar Datan will give a presentation slide show about the Amazon. The presentation will be held at the Taylorstown Store, and everyone is invited to attend.Jam session: On Friday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. there will be a music jam session at the Taylorstown Store. Bring your music instrument and join in the fun.

Fall dinner: The public is invited to Mount Pleasant's last dinner of the year on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served family style. A freewill offering will be accepted to benefit the church.Happy birthday: Happy birthday to Madison Fatz, Maryanne Williams, Jim VanWagoner and Johnny Potts.Happy anniversary: Happy anniversary to Kevin and Debbie Barr, Harry and Donna Loy, and Marty and Becky Hile. Fall dinner: The public is invited to Mount Pleasant's last dinner of the year on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served family style. A freewill offering will be accepted to benefit the church.

Happy birthday: Happy birthday to Madison Fatz, Maryanne Williams, Jim VanWagoner and Johnny Potts.Happy anniversary: Happy anniversary to Kevin and Debbie Barr, Harry and Donna Loy, and Marty and Becky Hile.

Barbara Barr's Column

This past Sunday, stream monitoring was held at the Taylorstown bridge. This project was headed by Kristi Larson.

Historic scrapbook: Everyone in the area is encouraged to bring their historic photographs to Ann Larson at the Taylorstown Frame Shop. These will be put in a scrapbook, which will be for sale at the craft show the first weekend in December. Also, individual photographs will be available for sale. The Waterford Historic Group recently invited the Taylorstown Historic Group to its meeting at the Old Waterford School. The two groups have decided to develop and inactive Web site.

Successful mission: the Mission Team from Mount Pleasant UMC met at the home of Johnny Wilt in Taylorstown to construct a ramp and walkway for him so that he would be much safer when using his motorized wheelchair. Johnny is unable to walk; however, he "supervised" the construction work by watching from the porch. He truly enjoyed having the people around and the camaraderie and teamwork during the construction, the lunch and the cleanup was great. Lesson learned is that you are never too young to help. One little guy, Byrce Lang, about 5 years old, came prepared to help with his "own" shovel.

Operation Teddy Bear: Operation Teddy Bear was a success and because of the article in the newspaper since people in other local towns called and asked to participate in the donation of stuffed animals to the orphanages. More than 300 stuffed animals were collected and hand delivered to Richmond.

Town council: If you are interested in holding a position in the Taylorstown Citizens Association, please contact Tammy Carlow at 540-822-5939.

Happy birthday: Happy birthday to Phyllis Spinks and Joe Tyrrell.

Barbara Barr's Column

Girl Scouts: Girl Scout Troop 5912 participated in the Oktoberfest in Lovettsville. Their project was "Recycling Education Display" to make people more aware of the benefits of recycling.

Budget for Mount Pleasant UMC: Mount Pleasant will be having their administrative council meeting on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. to adopt its budget for 2007. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Lilly's return: Karen Lilly from New Albany, Miss., recently spent 10 days in the area visiting old friends and former neighbors. Her daughter, Sarah, is in the area until Thanksgiving, her son Sale Lilly IV is attending Oxford University in England after graduating from the Naval Academy, and her son Reid is attending culinary school.

Birthdays: Rose Coates, who attends JMU, and Brittany Loy, who attends Virginia Tech, were both home to celebrate their birthdays this past weekend with their families. Happy birthday wishes also go to Kris Blieka, Kathleen Potts, Darren Ridgeway, Carrie Merchant, Junior Wilt, Daniel Sixma, Amy Capilongo, Beth Wenner and Joyce Lively.

Anniversary: Happy anniversary to Chip and Barbara Talbott, and J.J. and Michelle Merchant.

Barbara Barr's Column

TCA board meeting: The Taylorstown Citizens Association's board meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Taylorstown Store. One of the items on the agenda will be a discussion about whether or not to proceed again this year with the Taylorstown calendar for 2007. Please express your opinion to members of the board before Oct. 10.

Families stick together: After Tami Carlow's recent surgery, she and the girls went to New Jersey to stay with her parents for three weeks. Now, Tami's parents and her husband's parents are visiting with her in Taylorstown in help with the girls among other things. Of course, the parents also enjoy being able to spend time with their grandchildren.

Support group: The support group for those who have lost a loved one recently had a delightful lunch at The Grill in Purcellville. This is a group lead by the Rev. Armstrong of Zion and Bethel (Tankerville) churches. This is a time for sharing and caring about one another. This group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month and all are welcome.

Harvest party: Mark your calendar for the Harvest Party sponsored by Mount Pleasant on Sunday, Oct. 29, for a hayride and weenie roast. Everyone must be at the church at 4 p.m. for the hayride. The church will provide the hot dogs and drinks. Please bring a snack to share.In sympathy:

Sympathy and prayers are extended to the family and friends of Regina (Jean) Stine Demory who passed away on Sept. 22. Jean and her husband, Floyd, were married for 65 years and lived in Taylorstown. The Demory family would like to thank the Mount Pleasant Church, neighbors and friends for all their love and support.

Happy birthday: Happy birthday to Isabella Fletcher, Rick Ryker, Eugene Ayers, Carol Whitmer, Briana Biggs, Kathy Wilt, Levi Shipley, Rose Coates, Brittany Loy and Brian Biggs.