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The Glade Valley Food Bank received about 21,500 food items and the Thurmont Food Bank got more than two tons of food, thanks to the annual Scouting for Food drive that Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from across the nation participate in every November.

During the first weekend of the month, Scouts place empty bags on the doorsteps of homes in their region. The next weekend, they go out again to collect the bags, which families have filled with nonperishable food.

"Scouts love doing it," said Russell Winch, Walkersville commissioner and assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 1070 in Walkersville. "It's actually a really fun service project for them."

And local food banks appreciate the help.

"It was a big boost, things had been kind of slow recently" in term of donations, said the Rev. Sally Joyner-Griffin, manager of the Thurmont Food Bank. The drive was a much-needed boost, since the food bank has six times as many people coming in now, compared with 2006, she said.

More than 200 area families have asked to receive Thanksgiving meals, she added.

The Glade Valley Food Bank prepared Thanksgiving baskets for more than 200 families this year, compared with only 150 last year. Baskets included canned goods such as yams, green beans, corn and pie filling, and each one comes with a grocery store gift card meant to go toward the purchase of a turkey or fresh produce, according to Orley Bourland, Glade Valley Food Bank manager.

"The Scouts did their usual outstanding job," he said. "They are our lifeblood, if it wasn't for them we'd be buying food much earlier in the year."

Bourland said the food collected through the drive is expected to last into the spring.

"[The drive] is critical to serve ... needy families," Winch said. "This year, as we found out, the [Glade Valley] food bank was actually down to its last box of food."

For more information on the Thurmont Food Bank, located at St. John's Lutheran Church, 15 N. Church St., call 301-271-4554 or 301-271-2379. The food bank is open 6-7:30 p.m., Tuesdays and 3:30-5 p.m., Fridays. Nonperishable food donations can be made at Thurmont Town Hall's front desk 8 a.m.-4 p.m., weekdays.

For more information about the Glade Valley Food Bank, which serves Walkersville High School feeder pattern, call 301-845-4229. That bank is located in the Walkersville Town Hall basement, 21 W. Frederick St. It is open 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mondays and 1-3 p.m., Thursdays.

Department of Commerce presents area residents with awards

The U.S. Department of Commerce this month presented two Thurmont residents with Gold Medal Awards and one Walkersville resident with a Silver Medal Award for accomplishments made within the department.

Thurmont residents Christopher Johnson and Stephen Quinn, both of the Information Technology Laboratory, received the awards "for significantly improving U.S. computer security by creating the Security Content Automation Protocol and the National Vulnerability Database," according to a press release.

The Gold Medal Award is "the highest honor award conferred upon an employee of the Department of Commerce," the release said, and "is bestowed for ‘distinguished performance characterized by extraordinary, notable or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the Department of Commerce and/or one operating unit and which reflect favorably on the department.'"

Walkersville resident C. Cameron Miller, a research chemist who works in the department's Physics Laboratory, received his award "for developing measurement methods and technical standards to accelerate the commercialization of energy-efficient, solid-state lighting products," the release said.

The Silver Medal Award is "the second-highest honor awarded by the Department of Commerce," according to the release, and "is bestowed for ‘exceptional performance characterized by noteworthy or superlative contributions that have a direct and lasting impact within the department.'"

Johns Hopkins seeks talented youths

Monday is the deadline to enroll a second- through eighth-grade student into a talent search sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. The national program offers special tests that display the child's math and verbal skills and may qualify them for the Center for Talented Youth's summer and online courses for academically gifted children.

Children who are eligible for the test achieve scores at or above the 95th percentile or higher on a nationally normed test, earn scores at advanced levels (advanced proficiency, distinguished, honors, etc.) on state tests and demonstrate superior academic performance.

According to a press release, the center is celebrating 30 years and has administered the tests to more than 1.5 million children worldwide.

The application fee is $37. "Financial aid is available for children eligible for the free- and reduced-price lunch program," the release said.

Visit www.cty.jhu.edu for more information.

Towns plan annual tree lightings

Thurmont and Walkersville will both hold their annual town Christmas tree lightings in the coming week. On Saturday, Thurmont's tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m. at Town Square.

Walkersville invites residents to gather at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, at Creamery Park for the event, which will also feature a local church choir performance and refreshments.

Send items for North County Notes to reporter Courtney Pomeroy at cpomeroy@ gazette.net.

Call 301-846-2127 for more information.