(4/2014) March 20th is when Spring sprung! Hope by the time you read this column the weather has warmed up. It seemed that winter did not want to go away, especially the snow. Some of the special dates in April are the 5th, 15th,, 19th, 22nd, and 26th. Hopefully, you changed your clocks and Sprang Forward otherwise that is why you have been late to all of your appointments. But the question is did you also use this event to change all your smoke alarm batteries. You should test your alarms monthly. The entire smoke alarm system (all units) whether battery-powered or hardwired in the home’s electrical system should be replaced every 8-10 years. While you are at it, you should also check your carbon monoxide detector too. Check out www.Carbonmon -oxidekills.com for understanding the dangers of carbon monoxide.

A number of Fairfield High School graduating seniors briefed the Carroll Valley Council on their senior projects. Trisha Zimmerman is holding the first community "Tell Every Amazing Lady" (TEAL) 5k Walk at the Carroll Valley Commons on Saturday, April 5th at 9:00 am. Registration begins at 8:00 am and the registration costs $20.00. All the proceeds benefit the Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer Organization. The TEAL organization mission is to promote public awareness and education of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of Ovarian Cancer, while providing support to survivors and raising funds for research in order to find a cure for Ovarian Cancer. If you need more information, contact Trisha at tkzetter18@yahoo.com. Also, on April 5th at 1:00 pm a Senior Project Golf Tournament will be held at Mountain View Golf Club. The purpose of the tournament is to raise money for an outfield fence at the baseball field located in the Ranch section of Carroll Valley. The seniors working on this project are Chase Senseney, Brett Harris, Dalton Carbaugh, and David Stone. Admission is $240.00 for a 4 person team. It is a Best Ball tournament with a shotgun start. Come out, play and help these students help their community. Dave Hazlett, our borough manager, is a mentor to these young people performing these Senior Projects being performed in Carroll Valley. Thank you for your involvement.

If you are just starting to prepare your taxes to meet the April 15th deadline, there are a couple of places that may offer you some help. The Adams County Office for Aging (ACOFA) tax aide volunteers provide Tax Counseling for the Elderly to older citizens of Adams County. The tax assistance program is in cooperation with the IRS and the ACOFA. It is a free service that can address tax issues for most middle to low-income taxpayers. The office is located at 318 West Middle Street, Gettysburg. Their phone number is (717) 334-9296. Your 2013 Individual Earned Income Tax (EIT) Return is also due to be filed with the York Adams Tax Bureau (YATB). If you have questions or need assistance in preparing the EIT submission, YATB is offering "free of charge" assistance. No appointment is necessary. The office hours are Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. They have two offices. The Gettysburg Office is located at 240 West Street in Gettysburg. Their phone number is (717) 334-4000. The York Office is located at 1405 North Duke Street in York. Their phone number is (717) 845-1584. Online filing is available on their website at www.yatb.com.

The Carroll Valley Citizens Association (CVCA) is holding their Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19th at Carroll Valley Commons from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Earth Day is April 22nd. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson is considered the "Father of Earth Day". The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970.

On Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Fairfield Fire & EMS Department on Steelman Street, the Carroll Valley Borough Police and Liberty Township Police Departments along with the State Police will be partnering with Collaborating For Youth and Fairfield Fire & EMS fire department to carry out the sixth Adams County "Take Back" medicine collection. This medicine collection provides an opportunity for Adams County residents to dispose of unused or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications safely and free of charge. Pills, liquids, creams, and pill bubble-packs will be accepted. No needles or sharps will be accepted. Seventy percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers get them (take) from family and friends. In fact, more teens abuse prescription drugs than any illicit drug except marijuana (SAMHSA 2011). In addition, safely disposing of prescription drugs and unused OTC medications helps reduce the damage to groundwater and the environment. Adams County’s medication collection and disposal is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration in partnership with local and State Police, local fire departments, Collaborating For Youth, and the Adams County Department of Environmental Services. For more information regarding the Adams County TAKE BACK, please contact Eileen Grenell, 717-338-0300 x 24, or drugfree@cfygettysburg.com.

Are you aware of the PennDOT "Yellow Dot" program? A yellow dot decal is placed on the lower left corner of participant’s vehicle’s rear windshield. The decal alerts first responders that vital information can be found in the vehicle’s glove compartment. If you are interested, go to PennDOT’s website www.yellowdot.pa.gov. When you visit the site, you will be asked to fill out a form that documents your emergency contact information, medications, allergies and your doctor’s name. Why participate? If you are in an accident and unconscious, the first responder is aware of your personal health needs at the site and will be able to communicate that information to medical personnel. You also may be interested in acquiring the Blue Medical History Card from WellSpan. This foldable card allows individuals to record their medical record information (allergies, medications, past surgeries and important phone numbers). Please consider it.

The Borough meetings in April are: Planning Commission (April 7th); Finance Committee (April 14th); Council Meeting (April 15th); Parks/Recreation Committee (April 23rd) and Sewer/Water Authority (April 28th). Please watch your speed when driving. There will be more residents walking the trails. If you have any questions, please contact me by calling me at (301) 606-2021. Keep dry!