Have you ever noticed the radio antennas that suddenly start appearing in the field near Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School at the end of June every year, and wondered what was going on?
On the weekend of Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, members of the Columbia Amateur Radio Association will be setting up their antennas as part of the Amateur Radio Relay League Field Day.
This popular event is held every year at the end of June throughout the United States and Canada. Ham radio operators will demonstrate how they operate from remote locations to provide emergency radio communication, as they do in disaster situations. Visitors are welcome. There will be a special Get On The Air (GOTA) station where anyone can talk on the radio, under the supervision of a licensed ham. Hams, or amateur radio operators, will be happy to talk to you and explain what they are doing throughout the weekend.
According to Dave Prestel of the Columbia group, the best times to visit are on Saturday from 2:30 p.m. until dark and on Sunday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. At other times throughout the weekend, the radio operators will be setting up and taking down antennas, and it would not be safe for visitors. This is a great opportunity to learn more about amateur radio.
Our neighborhood will become part of a world-wide communication system, which can still operate when cell phones and the Internet can’t work.
On Sunday, June 17, the Glenelg Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Columbia Festival of the Arts from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Lakefront in Columbia. The ensemble is directed by Christopher Winters, who was a member of the Jazz Ensemble from 1990 to 1994 under the direction of Barry Enzman. This will be your last chance to hear the ensemble before they leave for Europe. The group will be performing in three internationally-renowned jazz festivals, including the Montreux, Jazz a Vienne and Jazz a Juan festivals in Switzerland and France. While the group is in Germany, it will be hosted by the Freiburger Schuler Jazzorchester and perform at the Freiburg JazzHaus.
Come to the Columbia Lakefront and wish them a “Bon Voyage.”
Edward Kaplan, the group facilitator for Seniors Together wants you to know about the Glenwood Men’s Roundtable, which meets on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the Gary Arthur Glenwood Community Center. Join this weekly group and enjoy lively discussions on different topics while you make new friends. Pre-register by calling 410-313-4846, or ask at the front desk for the room location. There is no fee to join the group.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will host an Italian Feast on Thursday, June 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Brett Arnold of Smokin’ Hot Bar & Grille in Glenwood. Dinner features spaghetti with sauces, salads, garlic bread and delicious desserts. You can eat in the Parish House or take the meal home with you. Dinner is $10 per person, with a cap of $35 for a family of four. As always, children 5 and under are free. Proceeds from this month’s feast will go to support this summer’s Vacation Bible School which will be held at the end of July.
The St. Andrew’s Parish Hall may be available for your special event. Contact the church office at 410-489-4035 for information on space rentals. All rental requests are fulfilled at the discretion of the rector and the vestry.
