Shoe and Coat Fund Needs Support

The Jefferson County Shoe and Coat Fund does largely what it’s named for—it gives away shoes and coats to children in need. One hundred percent of the donations go to purchase clothing and emergency items. Lisa Carper, coordinator of student support and services for Jefferson County Schools, has administered the fund since 1995. When she gets a referral from staff, parents, or other service providers, she purchases the clothing and gets the items where they are needed. She never tires, or takes for granted, the glee on a child’s face when they receive something new. As she said, “Most of these kids never get anything with tags on it. It is a real treat for them.”

Normally Carper receives enough donations by the first of January to last her throughout the year. This year, however, the Jefferson County Shoe and Coat Fund has only received one-third of its typical donations, and is sorely in need of more. To donate to the fund send checks to Jefferson County Shoe and Coat Fund, c/o Lisa Carper, Jefferson County Board of Education, P.O. Box 987, Charles Town, WV 25414.


Soup for You, Help for Others

The Good Shepherd Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers are holding their annual Potter’s Bowl March 8 at the Men’s Club in Shepherdstown, from 6 to 8 pm. Attendees buy their handmade bowls and fill them up as many times as they want with a variety of delicious soups donated by area restaurants and volunteers. Pottery artists donate most of the bowls; the rest are purchased to make sure enough are available for the expected crowd of 200.

“We provide neighborly services,” explained Connie Shaffer, volunteer coordinator for the organization. “We transport individuals who have no other means to go to the doctor, shopping, keep appointments, etc. We may do light housework or snow removal, for instance. With our help they can remain independent in their own homes.”

Bowls are $25 for adults (additional bowls are $20); children 10 and under are free, but will be given a disposable bowl. Tickets are available at the Good Shepherd offices in Shepherdstown, at 101 S. Princess St. Or call (304) 876-3325. In Charles Town, visit 221 E. Washington St. (in the rear of Zion Episcopal Church), or call (304) 725-2262.


AARP Tax-Aide Provides Free Help and E-Filing

AARP Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest volunteer-run tax service. From February 1 to April 15, 2008, AARP Tax-Aide will provide free tax counseling, preparation, and e-filing for middle and low income workers and retirees. AARP membership is not required. AARP Tax-Aide volunteers, trained in conjunction with the IRS, will offer help with federal and state personal income tax returns at nine locations in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. According to Tax-Aide’s Lex Miller, 25 local volunteers handle about 4,000 customers each year. Said Miller, “Last year we completed 2,980 Federal returns and e-filed 94 percent of them.” For questions about the AARP Tax-Aide program, contact toll-free 888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669) or www.aarp.org/taxaide


Award-winning Photographers Lead Seminar
Tickets are available for a two-day nature photography seminar at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, March 22–23, conducted by award-winning wildlife photographers Joe and Mary Ann McDonald. The event is open to photographers of all skill levels. The McDonalds will share their extensive experience covering topics ranging from the philosophical to the practical—from the ethics of nature photography to composition to digital techniques and digital file management. Enrollment is limited. Joe has been photographing wildlife and nature since 1966. He has been published in every natural history magazine in the United States. He is also the author of seven books. His Designing Wildlife Photographs was judged best book by the Outdoor Writers Association of America in 1994.

To purchase tickets and information, www.eventbrite.com/event/84093526. For information about the McDonalds’ work, www.hoothollow.com.


Manchin Picks Eros for Shepherd Board
Mary Clare Eros of Shepherdstown has been named to the Shepherd University Board of Governors by Governor Joe Manchin, III. A retired lawyer, Eros completed her second term on the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) in 2007, and served for two years as HEPC chair. She has been active in the West Virginia and Berkeley County bar associations, the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, and Rotary Club. She is a member of the board of the Contemporary American Theater Festival, and served in the Peace Corps in South Korea from 1969 to 1971.


Free Events at Harmony Healing Arts Center

Harmony Healing Arts in Shepherdstown is offering a range of free classes throughout February. From yoga to meditation to a spirited dance-yoga combination. For information, visit www.ssyoga.org, or call JiJi at 304-283-6188. No registration necessary for free events; arrive early to assure space. 207 East New Street, Shepherdstown.



Condos in Shepherdstown

The Shepherdstown Town Council has approved a change to the town’s ordinance to allow condominiums within the corporate limits. The first reading of the ordinance change was heard in January 22, with the second and final reading scheduled for February 12. If approved, the ordinance will be enacted immediately. The amended ordinance will refer to the “Unit Property Act,” set forth in Chapter 36A of the West Virginia Code.

According to Shepherdstown zoning officer John Mathews, qualifying property must be located within the town’s second residential district (R2). Mathews added that condos would also be allowable in the residential/commercial district (RC), but that commercial condos will not be allowed under these rule changes.

Mathews said that Piedmont Properties, owned by former Shepherdstown planning commission chair Roger Munro and local realtor Dan Anderson, is likely to be the first applicant for condo status. Piedmont is developing a four-unit apartment building next to the Sheetz store on Route 45. The Piedmont property was annexed into Shepherdstown in late 2007, zoned as R2. Mathews said that while it is typically presumed that all land is zoned R1 when annexed into Shepherdstown, the Piedmont property was annexed as R2 because it was already a multi-family building. Mathews said that so far no one has opposed the condominium ordinance.

Councilman Jim Ford said that the new ordinance would not encourage people to carve up old buildings. He said that the council sought legal opinion before voting on the ordinance, and that, from a legal perspective, there were no negative impacts of condos. “You could argue instead that people who own condos will be more stable than those who rent apartments,” he said.