Donated by Stephen Berte
Join me in my Orionis Observatory in Middletown for an evening of enjoying the beauty of the night sky. We'll use my 11 inch telescope (and maybe others) to look at stars, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, planets (Uranus & Neptune) and even the Moon (the latter if on the rain date). This is a single night event and the date is fixed at Friday Nov 22nd with a rain date of Friday Dec 6th. If the weather does not cooperate on the primary or rain dates, I will discuss the structures of the Moon and Sun inside our home on the rain date. I can accommodate no more than 10 people. Bidding starts @ $25/person. Donor: Stephen Berte, atnberte@gmail.com, 301-788-4101
Donated by Juliet Hutchings
We all have stories to tell. But sometimes, we do not know where to begin. This class is designed to facilitate the live, true storytelling process, from beginning to end, starting from nothing and ending up with one performance-ready story. There will be five classes, 2 hours at a time. Each class will focus on a specific step in the process, starting with finding, then crafting, editing, practicing and, finally, performing the story. A performance night will be mutually chosen and agreed to by class members and UUCF staff. If you like The Moth or StoryCorps, you will love this! Every Saturday March 7 through April 4 18 years and older are welcome to participate. Juliet Hutchings has been telling and teaching live true stories since 2010. Trained by the good folks at Story District in Washington, DC, Juliet took those skills to Rwanda and taught live storytelling in Kigali and then in Cape Town, South Africa. She looks very forward to helping guide you on your storytelling journey!
Donated by Rev. Carl
Your chance to hear Rev. Carl preach a sermon on whatever subject you are passionate about, or think would be particularly significant or meaningful for the congregation. The highest bidder chooses a sermon topic to be preached on a Sunday morning sometime before next year's auction.
Donated by Kevin & Ashley Lynn
Kevin Lynn will take you out and teach you how to fly his Mavic 2 Zoom and then let you fly it for up to 3 batteries (up to 90 minutes) worth of time. You'll be able to take photos or video that will be provided to you later for you to keep. Want video of you riding your bike with the drone following, video of your family frollicking, or just always wanted some aerial views of your property? You can do that! *Must be flown within FAA regulations.
Donated by Sandra Smith-Gill
Climate change and the enormous rise in environmental toxicity, due to primarily to widespread use of pesticides, has caused sharp declines in bees, butterflies, and other pollinators as well as birds. Learn how you can help make a difference by creating a pollinator and wildlife habitat in your garden, backyard or balcony. It is simple, provide the essentials; food, shelter, and water in an eco friendly landscape. I will help you plan a pollinator garden, including planting layouts, and help you with sourcing native pollinator plants, including cuttings or divisions from my pollinator garden (note: I cannot help you with the actual construction or planting of your garden!). Includes a 16 plug flat of season-spanning pollinator plants from Prairie Nursery (a $79 value), and a copy of the book Pollinator Friendly Gardening: Gardening for Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators by Rhonda Fleming Hayes ($17 value).
Donated by Leah Mack
Come see the adorable lambs (and cattle, horses, chickens) next spring at Grazy Days Family Farm in Eastern Frederick County. We can also tour the orchard with lots of unusual fruits and / or see the regenerative practices that make this farm a haven for wildlife and a carbon sink. Included is a sample of our 100% grassfed lamb or beef for each attendee.
Donated by Lisa and Bill Bromfield
What do you need to know in order to write a song? How do you create music for your words? How do you create words for your music? How do you tap into sources of inspiration? The answers to these and other questions may be different for each person. But whether you have experience or not we will have some fun writing a song together and each attendee will walk out with the mental tools to keep writing songs on their own or with others. Participant minimum = 5 people, maximum 14. Date: Saturday January 18 from 2 - 4 pm. Snacks provided.
Donated by Nancy and Dick Roblin
An all-day-Saturday session (9-4) for intermediate, experienced cooks. In A.M., we'll plan and make special dishes for our lunch, then create a full dinner that each of us can take home. This class will be tailored to the needs and interests of the participants, as we refine techniques, share tricks and ideas, and cook together. All ingredients provided. June 6, 2020. Maximum of 3 participants.
Donated by George Ruszat & Jennifer Boston
A slow paced, nine mile ride in the historic district of downtown Frederick stopping at 15 historic points of interest including such places as the Hessian Barracks, Francis Scott Key's Memorial, Barbara Fritchie House and the Community Bridge. See and learn about the 266 year old history of the "City of Clustered Spires". The ride is led by the creator of the History Loop; the recipient of a Maryland Tourism Award in 2012. The ride will take about 2 1/2 hours with light refreshments served. Bike and helmets are required. Date to be decided later.
Donated by Nancy R Roblin
An all-day-Saturday session (9-4) for intermediate, experienced cooks. In A.M. we'll plan and make special dishes for our lunch, then create a full dinner that each of us can take home. This class will be tailored to the needs and interests of the participants, as we refine techniques, share tricks and ideas, and cook together. All ingredients provided. May 30. Maximum of 3 participants.
Donated by Pinoake Browning & Carole Larsen
Explore with lifelong resident, Pinoake, and land use planner, Carole. Included: Lunch at the Comus Inn, Sugarloaf Mountain, hopefully when Rhododendron are in bloom, Monocacy Aqueduct, White's Ferry (if river conditions are ok), Point of Rocks RR station, and local ice cream dairy. Not much walking required unless desired. Rain Date 4/25/2020 Included; Sugarloaf Mountain hopefully with Azaleas and Rhododendron in bloom, lunch at the Comus Inn, check out historic Monocacy Aqueduct (C&O canal), cross the Potomac on the only remaining car ferry (water conditions permitting, with Ice Cream at Point of Rocks.
Donated by Carole Larsen & Pinoake Browning
While the Fall color lasts, a ride in northern Frederick County to see the three covered bridges, our only stone arch bridge, historic iron truss bridges,an historic iron furnace, and brunch at The Shamrock restaurant. Minimal walking as desired. Alternate dates 11/10/19
Donated by Mary Klotz
Shaping glass in a torch flame is called Lampwork. At Mary's studio in Woodsboro, she will guide you through making basic beads by winding softened glass onto wire mandrels, and decorating them- all at 1200-1400°! You are bidding for one 2-3 hour session, scheduled at our mutual convenience. Two spots are available (can do the class for 2 at once), bid is per person. This activity requires good focus, ability to stand for a couple hours, good vision, good fine motor control, and patience. You will make 6-8 beads. (They must cool slowly before you take them home, so they will be delivered to you sometime after the class. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool!) Mary has been doing lampwork for about 25 years.Examples of her work appear in Making Glass Beads by Cindy Jenkins 1996, and More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Glass Beadmaking by James Kervin 1999. Glass beads from ancient Rome are known. The beads you make will outlive you! If you wear glasses - Bring them!
Donated by Barbara Trader and Meg Menke
What better way to honor women's right to vote than registering new voters? Join us on Saturday morning, August 15, 2020 to register voters in Frederick. Then off we go for lunch and cheers.
Donated by John Beutler
Starting with a brief talk about how to identify mushrooms, and avoid accidental poisonings, John will lead an informative Mushroom Walk in the Thorpewood woods. We will hope to see a variety of mushroom types, but circumstances beyond our immediate control, (like the weather and climate change) will have the final say on what we see on any given day. Walk will be re-scheduled in the case of totally unacceptable weather.
