Issues and Announcements

DONNA MAKES REMARKS - Addressing a standing-room-only crowd in the Board of Education's auditorium, Donna Brightman thanked her supporters and assured them she would remain independent and continue to work for the betterment of the schools in Washington County.

TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE - Donna Brightman (left) and the three other newly-election members of the Washington County Board of Education take the oath of office, administered by Clerk of the Circuit Court Dennis Weaver. The other new board members are (from right) Wayne Ridenour, Justin Hartings and Ed Forrest.

WIDE ANGLE VIEW - Dennis Weaver (left), clerk of the Circuit Court, administers the oath of office to the four newly-elected Washington County Board of Education members in the board auditorium at the Dec. 2,2008 ceremony. A Herald-Mail reporter (standing, back to camera) records the ceremony for the newspaper's website.

 HAPPY FACES ALL AROUND - Donna celebrates her victory with supporters, Brownsville's Alice Dixon (l), campaign treasurer, and Merry Stinson (r) of Leitersburg. Donna, who will return to the Board of Education for a four-year term, garnered 21,930 votes election day.  There were still approximately 4,000 absentee ballots and 1,000 provisional ballots to count, but Donna's election was not in jeopardy. Swearing in ceremonies are scheduled for Dec. 2. 

SIGNS OF THE TIME - A "Brightman's the One" sign is overshadowed by placards representing the Presidential tickets for both major parties in a yard in Boonsboro. The family might be split on whom should occupy the White House, but they are unanimous in their support of Donna for Washington County Board of Education. (The BOE election is non-partisan.)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT - Donna (second from right) was among the eight Washington County Board of Education candidates participating in the final forum of the campaign season on Oct. 23 at Hagerstown Community College's Kepler Auditorium. The forum was recorded and replayed several times on Antietam Cable Channel 19. Forum moderator was David Warner (left), executive director of the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY - Donna places a "Brightman's the ONE" campaign sign in the yard of a supporter. The small, inexpensive placard packs a powerful punch, though...and gives Donna's website to boot. (It's DonnaBrightman.com,  in case you have forgotten just how you arrived at this site!)

ANSWERS CITIZEN'S QUESTION - Donna discusses transportaton concerns with a citizen at the Boonsboro Middle School PTSA Candidates' Forum on Oct. 9. All eight candidates vying for four seats on the Washington County Board of Education were in attendance. This was the only BOE candidates' forum sponsored by a school organization prior to the Nov. 4, 2008 election.

HAPPY TRIO AFTER FORUM - Donna (left) talks with Boonsboro parent Jenny Sarnecki (center) and Boonsboro Middle School PTSA Co-chair Jen Poffenberger of Boonsboro following the organization's BOE candidates' forum on Oct. 9.

VETERANS TREATMENT DISCUSSED - Donna talks with Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (left) following a press conference on Sept. 23, 2008 to announce a special program for Maryland's veterans. Listening in are Fred N. Shinbur, chairman of the Maryland Veterans Commission from Hagerstown, and Staff Sergeant Ron Pitts, a member of the Maryland National Guard from southern Washington County. Donna serves as chair of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce's Task Force on BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure), while Lt. Gov. Brown heads up Gov. Martin O'Malley's subcabinet on BRAC, which is studying the impact the addition of 50,000 new military-related jobs will have on the state, as other military bases are closed over the next few years.

LAUNCHES VETERANS' PROGRAM IN BOONSBORO - Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown holds a press conference Sept. 23 in front of American Legion Post 10 in Boonsboro to announce the opening of the veterans' service provider location in Western Maryland. 

DISCUSSING EDUCATION ISSUES -- Donna talks with Janeen Solberg (left), of Boonsboro, at Donna's campaign Kick-off Rally at Shafer Park in Boonsboro on Sept. 21. Janeen is president of the Boonsboro Library Board, chair of the Boonsboro Recycling Task Force and member of the Town of Boonsboro's Economic Development Commission. She has also just begun an Environmental Club for students at Boonsboro Middle School. 

DONNA SPEAKS AT RALLY - Supporters Sharon Daly (seated, far left) and Alice Dixon (seated, second from left), campaign treasurer, listen to Donna address the more than 100 supporters who attended the Kick-off Rally. Supporters collected donations and distributed "Brightman's the One" yard signs.

HOT DOGS BIG HIT - Donna's husband Courtney Hirsh (under umbrella) mans the Weenie Wagon at the Rally. In addition to hot dogs, attendees also enjoyed ice cream and lemonade. 

MORE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION - Donna discusses education in Washington County Public Schools with Nicki Woodhams (right) of Rohrersville. Nicki's son, Cory, and husband Keith (background)  contemplate what flavor of ice cream to order from the Antietam Dairy ice cream truck. "Brightman's the One" yard signs are piled on the picnic table.

MINT-CHOCOLATE CHIP....YUM - Cory Woodhams attacks a double dip of his favorite flavor served up by Antietam Dairy. The traveling ice cream parlor offered several flavors of delicious homemade ice cream to those in attending the Rally. 

LISTENING TO THE MASTER - Bobby Fouche, Washington County's best-known labor leader, holds court, as Donna listens intently to Bobby's stories about the Central Maryland Labor Council.

FROM NEAR AND FAR - Donna's supporters at the Rally came from all over Washington County. Judy Lyons Wolf, of Knoxville, in South County, talks with R. Lee Downey, a former Washington County Commissioner from Williamsport, while enjoying some homemade ice cream.

PICK UP YARD SIGNS -- Vaughn Crowl (left), a professor at Hagerstown Community College, and Patricia Cushwa, a former Maryland state senator,  show off the "Brightman's the One" yard signs as Sharon Leatherman (right), president of Women at The Table (WATT), looks on. Vaughn lives in South County, while Pat and Sharon reside in Williamsport. WATT endorsed Donna for Board of Education.

SLOGAN ENGRAVED ON PLAQUE - Barbara Wetzel (left), of Boonsboro, presents Donna with a plaque bearing Donna's campaign slogan, "Brightman's the One" and the date of the upcoming election. Donna, who is the current Vice President of the Washington County Board of Education, is one of eight candidates vying for four seats on the board. No other local races will be on the ballot.

SOUTH COUNTY SUPPORTERS - Long-time friends of Donna's -- Karen Reilly (left), of rural Knoxville, and Sandy Ferris (right), of the Rohrersville area -- catch up on South County news during the Rally.

NETWORKING - Sally Hatch, of Hagerstown, president of the Antietam Creek Watershed Alliance, shares a brochure about the environmental organization with Justin Hartings, of Keedysville, another candidate for Board of Education, who attended Donna's campaign Kick-off Rally. Others present were BOE candidates Meredith Fouche and Margaret Lowery, and current board member Bill Staley.

TREATS FOR THE TEACHERS - Jack and Debbie Weihl, both retired Washington County teachers, get a treat from the traveling ice cream parlor from Waynesboro, Pa.

MEET UP AT WEENIE WAGON - Todd and Katie Hershey, of rural Keedysville, greet long-time friend Patricia Cushwa, of Williamsport, in front of the hot dog stand. Todd is Washington County treasurer.

DONNA BRIGHTMAN'S THE ONE

WAGON HEADS HOME - After receiving high marks for a job well done, the world-class Weenie Wagon is loaded for its trip back to Garretts Mill Road in Southern Washington County, where it will have a much-deserved rest before its next assignment - Donna's election victory party on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008.

                                                                    --Onward and Upward

Donna Brightman (kneeling, left) donated the trees and her time on Saturday, April 19, 2008, in an Earth Day weekend tree planting project sponsored by the Antietam Creek Watershed Alliance (ACWA, pronounced "a-qua"). The group of ACWA members and veterans from the Funkstown American Legion planted the trees along the banks of the Antietam on the grounds of the Funkstown Legion. The area is in a floodplain. The added trees will help protect the banks. The site was used for Rubbish Round #2, sponsored last September by ACWA. Funkstown's historic stone bridge can be seen in the background at left. (Photo by Merry Stinson, ACWA member)

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (Dec. 3, 2007) – Donna L. Brightman, who has served on the Washington County Board of Education since May of this year, announced today her intentions to seek a four-year term.

View Archives