Michael Toms, Thurmont

The bowling alley and skating rink were a big part of my childhood. I have so many lasting memories that I don’t know where to start. But, to begin, my first memory of the bowling alley was when I was seven years old. I bowled on the Kids Youth League on Saturday mornings. At that time, the owners, Frank and Rosie, catered to 12 kids’ teams and about 60 bowlers.

I continued to bowl as the skating rink reopened below the bowling alley, for the second time. I skated every Friday and Saturday night. When I was 16, Frank and Rosie asked me if I would help run the rink. I accepted with my payment being $10 a night, pizza and, the best of all, I skated for free! As the years passed, the rink grew popular with the town locals. Several kids, myself included, ruled the rink; with our Chicago Skates, we would burn the hardwood nightly. I also remember the night Hoke Furniture burned down. Frank and Rosie stayed open late for the kids, while the town streets were crippled with fire trucks. But, the most memorable moment at the rink was one night when a girl played a song for me and poked fun at me. Admittedly, I liked her, as well. So I chased her around the rink, until she decided to make a sudden right turn. I was unable to turn and my left arm went through a glass door. "Rosie and Frank," I yelled. They came and cleaned me up and I was back to skating in about ten minutes. And, after the bloodshed, I did finally get the girl! And, by the way, the song she had played for me was Aerosmith’s "Dude Looks Like a Lady."

Many years have passed. Frank and Rosie have both passed on. In 2004, Flashbacks opened the skating rink for the third time. And, once again, I found myself back on the hardwood. Many things had changed: the ownership, the rink—and I was not 17 anymore. Now, my six-year-old son was taking his first roll on the hardwood. But the rolling rink closed its doors for the final time when Flashbacks closed a year later.

Hats off to everyone who made possible these memories and countless other memories of fun at the bowling alley.

George & Bonnie Green

We met at the Thurmont Bowling Alley and Roller Skating Rink. It was a cool day — about March 15, 1955.

I went skating on the 15th of March with one of my cousins. She was already dating, so she came and picked me up to go skating, because she was mad at her boyfriend. She just wanted to get away from him and have some space.

Well, she knew George and his brother Billy. She wasn’t skating, but I was, so she hung around outside and saw Billy and George. She came back in and she drug me off skates to go with her, Billy and George, of course. She put me in the back seat with George and she sat in the front with Billy, and they were both drinking beer. I was scared half to death, but I stayed with her. She was used to all this trouble and nonsense, but I wasn’t. Well, that was the beginning of our love life.

It wasn’t long after that, that we started dating. He even came down to my house and asked my parents if he could take me out.

Can you believe that?

Well, guess what? Sixteen months later, we were married. We got married on July 7, 1956. He even took me to the Walkersville Carnival that night after we were married. And, guess what, after 50 years of marriage we are still going strong.

So what would you call that? Love at first sight, or not?

We’ve had our share of good times, bad times, happy times and sad times; laughter and crying, spits and spats, but it all worked out the way it should.

Thanks to the Bowling Alley,

George & Bonnie Green