(8/2021) Summer has flown by this year! In less than three weeks, children will be heading back to school. Make the most of these last few days of summer by exploring Frederick County’s great parks and trails. Stop by the newly renovated Fountain Rock Nature Center in Walkersville to check out the snakes, turtles, and of course the massive bee hive! If you are feeling adventurous, try completing the "Hit the Trail" passport that takes you to parks all across Frederick County, including several in the North County area, such as Emmitsburg Community Park, Utica District Park and Loys Station Park. Visit 20 sites and you might win prizes. Visit recreater.com or call the Division of Parks and Recreation at 301-600-1646 to learn more.
For those who want to do some back-to-school shopping, the week of August 8-14 is Tax-Free Week in Maryland. It is a great time to support local businesses. Our business community has been incredibly resilient throughout the past 16 months. Frederick County Government has distributed more than $17 million in grants to our small businesses, restaurants, farmers, childcare providers, and hospitality industries. We will have another round of payments deposited in businesses’ bank accounts by the end of this month. To date, the County’s Office of Economic Development has awarded approximately 2,500 grants to local businesses. In addition, the Division of Citizens Services issued grants to our nonprofit organizations, who have done such an amazing job supporting our communities during difficult times. It takes all of us working together to ensure everyone can enjoy the high quality of life Frederick County offers.
One factor in our high quality of life is our health. I’m pleased to share that earlier this summer, Frederick County was named one of the nation’s Healthiest Communities, according to a ranking by U.S. News & World Report. Our county ranked among the top 10 percent in the United States. Communities were ranked based on several criteria, including access to housing, food, and care. They looked at our economy, equity, health, environment, and community vitality. Frederick County scored a full 10 points higher than the average Maryland County in the 2021 listing, with a score of 70 out of 100. The U.S. average score was 48. Top performance measures for Frederick County included economy, public safety, and education. This honor is a testament to our commitment to ensure that all of our residents have access to top-notch health care and a high quality of life.
We know that not everyone enjoys good health. To find out what is leading to poor health outcomes, the Frederick County Health Department is partnering with Frederick Health Hospital and the Frederick County Health Care Coalition to conduct a short survey about community health issues. All residents are encouraged to take the Community Health Needs Assessment survey, which can be found at www.FrederickHealth.org/CHNASurvey. Responses are anonymous. Results will help our public health team to identify priorities and focus their efforts on the most pressing needs in the coming years. The survey will remain open until August 11th.
Volunteer Fire & Rescue Services
Congratulations to Guardian Hose and Walkersville for their successful carnivals last month. Our carnivals are an important way to support the 2,000 men and women who volunteer their time to serve us, and are great fun community-building events. These volunteers care about our community, they put themselves in harm’s way, and they provide top-notch service. At the same time, they are saving taxpayers millions of dollars. If you are a member of a volunteer fire-rescue company, you have my heartfelt thanks!
Our volunteer companies recently received great news. The Maryland Emergency Management Agency distributed $4 million to volunteer companies across the state, and Frederick County’s companies received $629,566 - far more than any other county! Twenty local companies received a share of our total, which tied with Allegany and Baltimore Counties for the most individual grants in the state. The amounts ranged from $5,900 to $107,500, based on the applications submitted. North County companies receiving funds included Guardian Hose, New Midway, Rocky Ridge, Vigilant Hose, Thurmont Ambulance, Walkersville Rescue, Walkersville Fire, and Woodsboro.
COVID-19
As you head out to work, shop, or enjoy the beautiful weather, keep in mind that COVID is still with us. In fact, the number of new cases in Frederick County has been gradually rising over the last few weeks. New variants are proving to be more contagious. Over 70% of adults in our community are fully vaccinated, which has substantially reduced the number of people who need to be hospitalized. The best defense against the virus is to get vaccinated. Vaccines work! If you need to schedule a vaccine, contact your physician or come to the County’s vaccination clinic. Visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/CovidVaccine for details.
Stay safe and enjoy your summer!
