She’s a philanthropy powerhouse
Two years after meeting Helene on a blind date, Louis Galen proposed in front of 3,000 people at a USC-Notre Dame football rally. On their wedding day, strategically scheduled after the conclusion of the 1975 football season, he presented her with a Trojan marching band helmet, which she wore at their reception. They danced their first dance as husband and wife to the wedding band’s... READ MORE
Empowering Afghan schools
In the remote region of Afghanistan that Qayum Safi once called home, the odds are still stacked against children getting an education.Youngsters in mountainous Khas Kunar, which borders Pakistan, may be from families too poor to spare them each school day. In addition, spots at schools often go to children of privileged families or clans. And many girls are not given the opportunity to... READ MORE
Candidates court older voters
If Democratic candidate Courtney Watson is elected Howard County executive, residents 65 and over will get free transportation on regional buses, the county’s six senior centers will be transformed into centers for lifelong learning, and new programs will ease the burden on caregivers for the elderly and disabled.The election of Republican Allan Kittleman as county executive will see... READ MORE
Going back to school is cool
You can often find Charlie Smith in the cafeteria at College of the Desert, sitting at a table with his laptop, reading his class notes or a textbook. Smith is the one with the gray mustache and receding hairline. At age 54, he is changing careers while the younger students around him are hoping to begin theirs.After 30 years in construction work, Smith decided to become a full-time... READ MORE
A couple of city leaders, literally
After 10 years of marriage, Milton Matthews and his wife Barbara are once again scheduling mid-week date-nights. Otherwise, they tend to see each other only on weekends: Barbara lives in Rockville, Md., and Milton lives in Columbia.The reason for their two households is not personal but business. They both live where they do because their jobs require it.Milton was recently named president... READ MORE
Retiring south of the border
With a 10-year age difference between them, Paul and Gloria Yeatman decided that retirement should be on their radar earlier rather than later.“We’ve been together for 13 years, and early in our relationship we talked about retiring early,” said Paul, 68. But they realized his post-retirement income alone wouldn’t cover all of their expenses, and Gloria would have to ... READ MORE
Long modeling career by design
“Yves was a gentle soul. A quiet genius…polite, kind, elegant, sophisticated,” recalled model William Squire of Palm Springs.If things went wrong, Yves Saint Laurent didn’t scream and scapegoat the models, as some other designers might, he said. Squire, tall and trim — in fact Y-shaped — has positive memories of his days in Paris walking for the house of ... READ MORE
Art and music erase limitations
With a flourish of his bow, Anthony Hyatt segues from playing an Irish jig on his violin to “The William Tell Overture,” whose galloping tune is perhaps better known as “The Lone Ranger” theme. Next, he plays some golden oldies.Just a few notes into the songs, many of the participants of the Kensington Club, a program for those with early memory loss, join in,... READ MORE
County’s sports hall of famers
Shantha Chandra’s love of tennis began when she was living in North Carolina. As a Duke University faculty wife, she began playing at different clubs. But when the local country club told her she could not play there — due to her race — Chandra said she “got really competitive,” working extra hard to show the club the talent they had missed out on. She moved to Columbia in 1997 ... READ MORE
Giving circles for greater good
When Penny Wald and her husband moved to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor eight years ago, she began looking for a way to become involved not only in her new city, but in the philanthropic community as well.A retired educational consultant and professor of education, Wald had become involved in a “giving circle” when she lived in Alexandria, Va., prior to moving to Baltimore. Such ... READ MORE
