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For saving lives, busting drug dealers, investigating fraud and other commendable acts, 58 public safety employees in Gaithersburg and Germantown were honored recently by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce.

Awards went to officers with the Gaithersburg Police Department and Montgomery County Police 5th and 6th districts, and rescuers with Montgomery County Department of Fire and Rescue and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association.

The annual awards program was held at the opening day of the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. A selection of the winners:

From the Gaithersburg Police Department: Officers John Duke and Christopher Jones were cited for bravery for saving a man as he tried to jump off the Washingtonian bridge over Sam Eig Highway in March. The officers saved the man by handcuffing him to the fence.

Cpl. Dwight Lumsden and Officer Matthew Bellard received a distinguished service citation for responding to a shooting call at Washingtonian Towers on May 23. Lumsden and Bellard found a victim in a 12th floor apartment and the suspect. Officer Herbert Ackermann received a meritorious service citation for his involvement in the incident, helping to treat the victim with his first aid kit.

Officer Jesse Argueta was cited for bravery for an off-duty action. On Jan. 14, Argueta was driving on University Boulevard when he noticed a woman in a wheelchair stuck in a lane of rush-hour traffic. The woman, attempting to commit suicide, resisted Argueta's help. She was taken by to a hospital for evaluation.

From Montgomery County Fire and Rescue:

Sixteen members of Company 17 in Laytonsville received a meritorious service citation for rescuing a trapped driver from a crashed car on Route 108 in front of Johnson's Nursery in November 2009. The car was on its side and wrapped around an electrical pole, with live wires down. The responders moved the car and helped the driver out. Honored were: Mike Close, Buddy Sutton, Mike Glazier, Thomas Baker, David Berk, Ryan Gaskell, Scott Kramer, Christopher Rivera, Jason Kessler, Roger Fails, Timothy Whirley, David Reidman, Robert Hilleary, Scott Henry, William Holsinger and Tesa Baker.

Lt. Donald Yingling and firefighters Sean Sandifer, Damien Madamba, Kyle Helmer, Ellis Murphy and Bradley Logsdon were given a distinguished service citation for responding to a Gaithersburg crash in July. Three people in a minivan off the road near Brink Road and Brink Court were unable to respond to rescuers because of exposure to gasoline fumes and carbon monoxide. Responders broke a window and treated the three with oxygen before they were taken to Shady Grove Adventist.

From Montgomery County Police, Sixth District:

Officers Scott Feldman, David Mitchell and Justin Hair received a citation of bravery for responding to a report of suicide by firearm.

Officers Diane Tillery and Marisol Orlina earned a meritorious service citation for investigating a scam in Gaithersburg in which 52 Latino residents paid large sums to a fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. More than 396 people could have been defrauded in the crime, according to the police.

Sgt. Matthew Domer and Officer Megan Eaton received a distinguished service citation for seizing drugs, two semiautomatic handguns and $7,000 cash from a Gaithersburg hotel room after receiving a complaint about the smell of marijuana. One of those arrested was wanted on warrants for attempted murder and first-degree murder in Rockville and another warrant in Texas. The second arrest uncovered a warrant from Texas as well.

From the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association:

Marcine Goodloe received the distinguished service citation for serving eight years as the association's president and leading more than 1,600 volunteers. Goodloe has been a volunteer for more than 20 years. After Hurricane Katrina, she led a fundraising effort that sent more than $20,000 and a chief's vehicle to New Orleans.

Fire Chief Herbert Leusch of the Glen Echo Fire Department received a distinguished service citation for helping to create the Bicycle Emergency Response Team.

Vice President of the Conduit Fire Board Jane Callen received a meritorious service citation for promoting the establishment of an advanced life support program at the Glen Echo department.

Church supper planned

for this weekend

Celebrate the closing days of summer Saturday with an All-You-Can Eat Fried Chicken and Ham Dinner at the Wesley Grove United Methodist Church.

The meal will also include summer vegetables and salads. Baked goods will be sold.

Dinner will be served starting at 1 p.m. in the church hall, 23640 Woodfield Road, Gaithersburg. Cost is $12 for adults, $5.50 for children between 5 and 12 and younger children eat for free. Carryouts are available for $12. For information, call 301-253-2894 or visit www.wesley

groveumc.org.

Meet the candidates

The Montgomery Village Foundation is hosting a Pre-Primary Meet & Greet for all federal, state and county candidates whose names appear on the Sept. 14 primary ballot and who, if elected, will represent Montgomery Village residents.

The meet and greet is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road, Montgomery Village.

This column is for you! Send news of Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Laytonsville and Washington Grove to Danielle Gaines at dgaines@gazette.net or mail to The Gaithersburg-Montgomery Village Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Items for People and Places must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday for consideration for the following week. Don't forget to send us photos!

Annual Run coming soon

The Kentlands Community Foundation and city of Gaithersburg host the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K run on Sept. 4 at 8 a.m. The event also includes a post-race expo and festival.

Half the proceeds will be donated to three charities: the Dolores C. Swoyer Scholarship Fund to give children in need the opportunity to attend Gaithersburg summer camps; The Dwelling Place, which provides transitional housing for families in Montgomery County; and the Maryland Senior Olympics.

Registration fees vary. For information, call 301-926-6636 or go to www.kentlands.org.

Campus congratulations

Cameron Rhode, of Gaithersburg, completed a seven-day educational course in business leadership at Susquehanna University's Sigmund Weis School of Business from July 11 to 17.

Faculty from the business school and working professionals and entrepreneurs served as guest speakers and advisers.

Rhode will be a junior at Poolesville High School in the fall.

Kaplan University awarded degrees to several local residents:

- Dionne Jenkins of Gaithersburg, bachelor's degree in management.

- Stacie Laufer of Gaithersburg, bachelor's degree in information technology.

- Kevin Milner of Germantown, master's degree in legal studies

Grant Goldsmith of North Potomac was named to the spring 2010 dean's list at California State University at Los Angeles. Goldsmith is a communications major.

Arts Barn offers classes for children

The Arts Barn has scheduled several classes and workshops this fall. Four-year-olds to teenagers can explore drawing, painting, collage, musical theatre, sewing, digital photography and other courses.

Six-session classes and one-day workshops are available.

Registration is open now.

All classes are held at the Arts Barn, a restored horse barn that was once part of the turn-of-the century Tschiffely estate. The barn is at 311 Kent Square Road in the Kentlands.

For a complete schedule, go to gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn or call 301-285-6394.

Election judges needed

More bilingual, Republican and unaffiliated election judges are needed for the Sept. 14 and Nov. 2 elections.

Judges must be registered to vote in Maryland and be able to speak, read and write in English. Judges cannot hold or be a candidate for a party or public office or serve as a campaign manager for a candidate or as treasurer for any campaign financial entity at the time of the elections. All Democratic judge positions are filled.

For information, go to www.777vote.org.

Gaithersburg honors employees

Gaithersburg recently presented Trudy Schwarz, community planning director with the Planning and Code Administration, and Demetria Good, recreation site leader with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, with Employee of the Quarter Awards for the second quarter of 2010.

Schwarz was nominated for modifying several city ordinances to conform to Maryland's new storm water management laws.

Good, as a mentor at the Robertson Park Youth Center, put together an outing for young ladies to enjoy a formal tea at Kentlands Mansion. She also created "Good Grief," which helps children coping with the loss of a loved one to gather and share their experiences.

For more information, call 301-258-6310 or go to www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

This column is for you! Send news of Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Laytonsville and Washington Grove to Danielle Gaines at dgaines@gazette.net or mail to The Gaithersburg-Montgomery Village Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Items for People and Places must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday for consideration for the following week. Don't forget to send us photos!