Adventure Park at 16701 Norwood Rd in Sandy Spring has added axe throwing to the list of activities the park offers. The axe throwing lanes are available to rent by the hour and have built in scoring and timers. Axe throwing hours are currently Friday 3-10pm, Saturday 12-10pm, and Sunday 12-7pm. The park also plans on holding special “Glow and Throw” nighttime events in the near future. For more information visit: https://sandyspringadventurepark.org/adventure-axes/
“The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring proudly presents Adventure Axes: the DMV’s premier outdoor Axe Throwing venue! Ever heard of Axe Throwing tic-tac-toe? Our state of the art projected targets have dozens of targets and games to choose. Stick with tradition and throw at a bullseye or rev up the competition with a game of connect four. All skill levels can enjoy this adventurous take on axe throwing, whether it’s your first time picking up an axe or you’re a seasoned pro!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiObcTJpVfN/
About Adventure Park:
Opened in 2011 as one of the first Swiss style Adventure Parks in the country, the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring has grown to become the largest man-made outdoor climbing park in the world. The Adventure Forest and The Labyrinth combine to offer almost 250 unique climbing and zipping challenges.
The Aerial Adventure Forest is essentially an obstacle course in the trees and includes climbing, zip lines and combinations of the challenge bridges and zip lines. The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring has 15 trails, which are color-coded, with purple — the easiest — being a 12- to 20-foot-high course, and double black diamond — the most difficult — being 65 feet in the air. It is the largest aerial climbing course in the US.
The Labyrinth, which opened in 2013, is an innovative pole based climbing structure offering many of the same challenges as the Aerial Adventure Forest, but on a smaller scale. The Labyrinth is unique in that the entire structure is available to rent out privately for groups and parties aged 7 & up.
The Washington Commanders announced today that Katie Feeney will be the team’s first-ever social media correspondent. Feeney graduated from Sherwood High School in 2021 and is a well-known social media personality. She currently has over 6.8 million followers on her TikTok.
Per the Washington Commanders:
LANDOVER, Md., April 13, 2022 – Today the Washington Commanders announced social media influencer and content creator Katie Feeney will be the team’s first-ever “Commanders Social Media Correspondent.” As part of this partnership, Feeney will serve as an extension of the Commanders’ social media presence, providing team coverage and content to her 10+ million total social media followers. With the ever-growing importance of brand authenticity on social media, the team is expanding its social media reach through influencers and content creators to help amplify fan engagement with the organization. This season-long partnership between an NFL team and a social media content creator is believed to be the first of its kind in the NFL.
“We are excited to welcome Katie Feeney into our Burgundy & Gold family, as our first ever Commanders Social Media Correspondent,” said Chief Creative & Digital Officer Will Misselbrook. “We are lucky to be joining forces as she becomes an extension of the Commanders social media team. Katie provides a youthful perspective that will reach new eyes and ears and help cultivate the next generation of fans as we enter the inaugural season of the Washington Commanders.”
A Maryland native, long-time Washington fan and freshman at Penn State University, Feeney has seen explosive growth on her social media channels, including becoming a top YouTube Shorts creator, amassing 2.5 billion views worldwide. Her social footprint includes 2.2 million subscribers on YouTube plus 6.8 million followers on TikTok, 870,000 on Instagram and 825,000 on Snapchat. During her first year on campus, Feeney has provided gameday coverage at home football games and for a variety of women’s sports teams including basketball, hockey, gymnastics, track & field and more.
“Growing up in Maryland, my family and I have always been massive Washington football fans. I am so excited to become part of the Commanders family. This opportunity allows me to create content which combines my passion for storytelling and broadcast sports journalism. I can’t wait to get started,” said Feeney.
Feeney will receive an all-access pass to cover the Commanders on and off the field, including the Commanders Draft Party, rookie minicamp, team minicamp, media day, training camp and select home games throughout the 2022 season. Fans will have access to behind-the-scenes content from Feeney across her social media channels, as well as all Commanders social media accounts.
Excited to welcome Katie to the team as our first-ever Commanders Correspondent!
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) April 13, 2022
Per the Olney Theatre:
Olney, MD — April 4, 2022 — Olney Theatre Center announced a series of events as part of its new “Community Partners” program, planned in conjunction with its first partner, The Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery. The Community Partners program is an annual program whereby two qualified nonprofit organizations get elevated to the position of our Community Partners. The mission and work of these organizations will be amplified in multiple ways by Olney Theatre, not limited to: in-kind donations, on-site conversations, tickets, and marketing opportunities. The organizations are selected based upon a set of criteria, including the value added to the identified community and work in areas relating to themes being presented in each programming season. The Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery is the first such partner and was chosen after consultation with the theatre staff by the Community Engagement Committee.
The museum is a private non-profit organization located in historic Sandy Spring, MD in the “Freedman’s Settlement” on Brooke Road. The museum does not receive local, state, or federal funding. The museum is a labor of love run 100% by volunteers. The Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery, Inc. (SSSM) was founded in 1988 by Dr. Winston Anderson, Ph.D., Presidential Award for Excellence recipient, with the following mission:
- Focus on the heritage of Blacks from their origin through the Middle passage, the salvation the Underground Railroad provided, the struggle for civil rights, and their accomplishments in the United States and African Diaspora;
- Bridge the information gap and inform all ethnic groups about the advantages of cross-cultural communication and diversity, as expressed through history, the arts and the humanities;
- Highlight the heritage of the African American families for whom Montgomery County is home; and
- Display the rich and significant contributions that Africans and African Americans have made in the building of America.
COMMUNITY PARTNER EVENTS WITH THE SANDY SPRING SLAVE MUSEUM
Local History Hour: Stories of Women on the Underground Railroad
Sunday, April 24, 4:00pm-5:00pm
Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab Lobby
Local History Hour: Stories of Men on the Underground Railroad Stories
Saturday, May 21, 5:00pm-6:00
Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab Lobby
Local History Hour: Black Churches in the Area
Friday, June 10, 5:00pm-6:00pm
Bank of America Plaza
Visit olneytheatre.org/whats-playing for event details and registration
Humanities Truck
The American University Humanities Truck, in conjunction with the Sandy Spring Slave Museum, is visiting the Olney Theatre Center campus to collect oral histories of the area. Community members and audiences are invited to stop by the truck on the dates below to share their stories.
- Saturday, April 23
- Saturday, May 21
- Friday, June 10
- Saturday July 23
- Saturday, July 30th
VACCINATION POLICY
Masks and proof of COVID vaccination are currently required to attend for all patrons. Exceptions may be made for those who are not vaccinated, such as children under 5, people with certain medical conditions preventing vaccination, or those with closely held religious beliefs. These patrons must provide proof of a timely negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours or a professionally administered rapid antigen test taken within six hours of showtime. Please note, we do not accept home test results. These procedures are in place through at least April 30, 2022. Visit olneytheatre.org/covid for changes and updates to Covid procedures..
ABOUT OLNEY THEATRE CENTER
Mission
Olney Theatre Center for the Arts produces and curates theatrical performance for the diverse audiences in our community, and educates, learns from, supports and inspires a more inclusive generation of theater-makers.
Vision
We strive to become an arts and culture powerhouse, redefining the American regional theater movement by cultivating and sharing the creativity of our community.
History
Founded in 1938 as a summer playhouse, Olney Theatre Center (OTC) now produces world and American premieres of plays and musicals, and reimaginings of familiar titles year-round; presents the work of leading companies and artists; tours nationally and locally; teaches students of all ages; and mentors a more inclusive generation of theatremakers. For more than 8 decades, OTC has brought impactful theater performance and education to our community, helping to grow the vibrancy and vitality of our home in the Washington, DC region.
Over the years, some of the biggest names in theater and film have appeared on our stages, including Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Bob Fosse, Phillip Bosco, Eve Arden, Eva Gabor, Burl Ives, Jose Ferrer, Carol Channing, Olivia d’Havilland, Tony Randall, Paulette Goddard, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Jane Seymour, Anne Revere, Frances Sternhagen, Arthur Treacher, James Broderick, Olympia Dukakis, Sir Ian McKellen, Marica Gay Harden, John Colicos, Uzo Aduba, Alan Cumming, Cheyenne Jackson, Robin de Jesus, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, among many, many others.
Olney Theatre is now the cultural anchor of a rapidly changing region and serves one of the most diverse, best educated, and wealthiest counties in the country. Situated on the unceded land of the Piscataway-Conoy people, the Olney area was once a rural farming community with a unique Quaker heritage. Now the area is occupied by every kind of family that makes up 21st Century America, along with major corporations, shopping districts, civic associations, non profit organizations and a diverse collection of houses of worship. Montgomery County’s 1 million residents play a dynamic role in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and are a driving force behind the region’s creative economy.
Olney Theatre Center employs 40 full time staff, 20 part-time positions, 26 early career apprentices and players, and more than 400 professional artists annually. The Theatre intends to continue expanding to better meet the needs of our community.
For more information, please visit olneytheatre.org/history
Follow Olney Theatre Center on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @olneytheatre and on Facebook at facebook.com/olneytheatre.
Per MCPD:
For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 27, 2022
Gaithersburg, MD – Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 4th District Investigative Section continue to investigate the October 2021 residential burglary that occurred in the 1700 block of Hickory Knoll Road of Sandy Spring. Investigators are releasing surveillance video of the suspects and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying them.
On October 19, 2021, 4th District Officers responded to the location for the report of a residential burglary that occurred earlier.
The investigation by detectives determined that unknown suspects entered the victim’s residence during the overnight hours in October, 2021. The suspects stole property and credit cards prior to fleeing the scene.
Detectives obtained video surveillance of the suspects from area businesses where the victim’s stolen property was used to purchase items.
Anyone with information regarding these suspects or this crime is asked to call the 4th District Investigative Section at 240-773-5530 or 240-773-TIPS, or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects. Callers can remain anonymous.
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The Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department will be conducting its Santa On a fire truck runs around Olney and surrounding area neighborhoods.
Check out Santa’s schedule, courtesy of the SSVFD.
YOU CAN TRACK SANTA ON A FIRE TRUCK via http://www.glympse.com/!ssvfdsantarun (will be updated closer to the start date)
NOTE: Santa tracking only active between 6:00 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the dates below.
No need to “JOIN GROUP” on Glympse to track Santa
If you are in the Holiday spirit and wish to make a donation to SSVFD go to: https://www.ssvfd.org/donate/
The Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department (SSVFD) will once again be giving Santa a ride through neighborhoods this year in our response area to help him prepare for the big night on Christmas eve. Below is the planned Santa run schedule.
Come to your window or come to the curb and wave to Santa as we pass by your neighborhood. Be sure to wear a mask and maintain your distance to keep everyone safe!
Also, remember to keep your street clear! Santa and his entourage of fire trucks cannot visit houses where the streets (especially cul-de-sacs) are blocked by vehicles! Santa also cannot visit streets without a turn-around (i.e. Dead End Streets). Watch for Santa on the following evenings between 6:00 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Saturday, December 18th
ASHTON MEADOWS, ASHTON MANOR, EDNOR ACRES, CLIFTONBROOK, ASHTON PRESERVE, HAMPSHIRE GREENS, LLEWELLYN FIELDS, NORWOOD VILLAGE, ASHLEY MANOR
Sunday, December 19th
VICTORIA SPRINGS, BROOKE MANOR, THE PRESERVE, SYCAMORE ACRES, NORBECK MANOR, NORBECK MEADOWS, CHERRYWOOD, CHERRY VALLEY
Monday, December 20th
MANOR OAKS, GOLDMINE CROSSING, DELLABROOKE FOREST, TOWN OF BROOKEVILLE, BORDLEY ESTATES, BRINKLOW, ASHTON (North & West), SANDY SPRING, THE ORCHARDS OF SANDY SPRING, BANCROFT, ARDEN WOODS, BATCHELLOR’S FOREST
Tuesday, December 21st
OLNEY MILL, BROOKEVILLE KNOLLS, TANTERRA, OLNEY VILLAGE
Wednesday, December 22nd
WILLIAMSBURG VILLAGE, CASHELL MANOR, BARNSLEY MANOR ESTATES, NORBECK GROVE, OATLANDS, OLNEY SQUARE, HOMELAND VILLAGE, OLNEY OAKS, OLNEY ACRES, BRIARS ACRES, OLNEY SPRINGS
Thursday, December 23rd
JAMES CREEK, BROOKE GROVE, ENVIRON, HALLOWELL, LAKE HALLOWELL, HIGHLANDS OF OLNEY, OLNEY ESTATES
The annual SSVFD Chanukah Fire Truck Parade and Menorah lighting will take place Tuesday, November 30th. Details below courtesy of the SSVFD:
Chanukah Fire Truck Parade Route & Times
The SSVFD Chanukah Parade will be Tuesday, November 30, 2021, the first night of Chanukah. A link to the route is provided below:
Chanukah Fire Truck Parade Route
You will be able to follow the parade progress live via:
Chanukah Fire Truck Parade Tracking
Here is the 2021 schedule (one added stop from prior years):
1st Stop: Norbeck Grove [will be there at approximately 5:25-5:40 pm] Norbeck Community Room/Swimming Pool
2nd Stop: Olney Mill [will be there at approximately 5:50-6:05 pm] Parking lot of Rosa Parks Middle School
3rd Stop: B’nai Shalom of Olney [will be there at approximately 6:10-6:25 pm] Parking Lot / Entrance
4th Stop: Fair Hill Shopping Center [will be there at approximately 6:40-6:55 pm] Parking lot in front of Harris Teeter
5th/ Final stop: Sandy Spring Fire Station #4, 17921 Brooke Rd, Sandy Spring [will be there at approximately 7:05 pm] for the large Menorah lighting with the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department (SSVFD) personnel. Latkes and doughnuts will be provided, social distancing will be in effect. Please pay attention to the signs.
Also enjoy Chanukah Treats, Music, and a Fire Juggling Show at each stop!
NOTE: The SSVFD Santa Runs will take place on December 18-23, 2021. See 2021 Santa Run Schedule
Sandy Spring Slave Museum Presents Blank N Black Film Screening and Panel Discussion
The Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery will be presenting it’s inaugural, virtual event of their Building Bridges Initiative, Black N Black Film and Panel Discussion on Sunday May 16th at 5PM.
Black N Black is a 2018 Roxbury International Film Festival, Henry Hampton Award for Documentary Excellence film by Zadi Zakou, an Ivorian film maker, who explores the relationship between African Americans and African immigrants in the United States. Zadi Zakou’s Black N Black was filmed in the US, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, withFrench subtitles. Mr. Zakou is a multi-awarded screenwriter and film maker whose works have beenfeatured at Morgan State University, WBALTV and across the US.
Preview below:
The event will attract 100 viewers from Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. There will be an
opportunity to speak with the film maker and academia notables.
Register on EventBrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-n-black-film-panel-discussion-tickets-152289817945.
Tickets are $20.
The first part of the program (5pm – 7pm) will introduce the audience to the unique, 33-year old,
Sandy Spring Slave Museum, drawing attention to its collections with a brief tour highlighting objects
with cultural connections to the film’s focus. Mr. Zakou will share film highlights followed by viewing
of the 90-minute film.
In the second part of the program (7pm – 8pm), the film maker will be joined by expert panelists and
scholars, Dr. Wendy Wilson-Fall, Chair, Africana Studies, Lafayette College; Dr. Stephanie Shonekan,
University of Missouri; Dr. Ama Aduonum, Illinois State University and Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo, University
of British Columbia. The audience will be lead in guiding thought questions by SSSM board member
and Ethnomusicologist, Maya Cunningham. The Sandy Spring Slave Museum’s mission for this
program is to inspire hearts, especially of those in the African American and African Immigrant
community towards sharing experiences and strengthening cultural bridges.
This program is made possible in part by the Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery, Inc.
Programming Committee and the Sandy Spring Friends School.
Tim Britton Officially Appointed as Principal of Sherwood High School
Tim Britton, who has been serving as acting principal at Sherwood this school year, was officially appointed to the position by the Montgomery County Board of Education yesterday.
Britton has previously served as an assistant principal at Sherwood for 3 School years before taking on the acting principal role after Dr. Eric Minus left MCPS for an executive level position with Baltimore County Public Schools.
He has been with MCPS for nearly three decades and has served as an assistant principal at B-CC and Northwest High Schools in the past.
“Tip Your Cap” Negro League Exhibit Comes to Sandy Spring Slave Museum
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Negro League Baseball, the Sandy Spring Slave Museum will host a new exhibit about the Negro Leagues as part of the “Tip Your Cap” initiative.
The exhibit contains numerous artifacts, documents, and photographs from the era of Negro League baseball. Many artifacts are specifically focused on local Negro League players from Maryland.
“Tip Your Cap” is a nationwide initiative that sheds more light on the history of the Negro Leagues between the late 1800s and the integration of Major League Baseball, and the contributions that the leagues made to baseball, such as batting helmets, shin guards, and night games.
The artifacts were donated to the museum by Negro League collector and historian Don Conway, a native of Burtonsville. Conway played and coached baseball when he was younger, and now focuses on preserving the history of the Negro Leagues. 30+ artifacts in the exhibit were donated by him.
Conway is hopeful that visitors to the museum will gain a better knowledge of the history of the Negro Leagues and will come away from their experience with greater recognition of the contributions of African Americans in the last 100 years.
“I hope they will gain some knowledge of the history of the Negro Leagues,” Conway said. “And that they will walk away knowing at least two new things they didn’t know when they first arrived.”
The exhibit is currently closed to the public due to the ongoing pandemic, but the Slave Museum hopes to open its doors to the public as soon as COVID-19 precautions are put in place.
By Isaac Donsky
