To the Cumberland City Council:
Just a quick note to each of you and the residents of Cumberland, Md. We visited your city this past weekend and were so very impressed with your hospitality!
My husband, his sister and brother and their spouses picked Cumberland as a geographically central location from our home states of Ohio, North Carolina and New York. We really had no idea of the treat we were in for during our mini-reunion. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn because they had a handicap facility vacancy. The staff and accommodations absolutely could not have been better for our occasion.
On Friday evening, we had a tasty meal at the Crabby Pig and enjoyed our leisurely stroll along your safe boardwalk to the unique shops. Saturday morning we were curious as to the canopy at the end of the bridge — so, walked over to check out the activity. What a welcoming encounter we had with a gentleman and his crew who were cleaning up the river. You could not have had a better ambassador for Cumberland than this gentleman — he gave us wonderful dining recommendations, made us aware of the walking mall (as did the lady in the art gallery in the Canal Shops) and certainly did an excellent job of promoting the overall town of Cumberland.
On Saturday we visited the walking mall, enjoyed the activities of the young trick-or-treaters, the carriage ride and the festive decorations, etc. We had lunch at the Queen City Creamery after being highly recommended by several people we encountered in the mall area — young and old alike. Then shopped in the shops — at each one, greeted graciously by the shopkeepers. Saturday evening was dinner at Oscar’s, where we could not have been better served than by the Indian Princess. How proud you should be of what was a wonderful experience by each one of us on this visit. We will certainly keep your town in mind as we plan future get-togethers. We felt welcome and safe — can’t always say that today in all of our cities.
Respectfully,
Sharon Pepper
P.S. The only disappointment was the beautiful historic churches on the hill not being open on Saturday morning for our viewing — but, we certainly do understand the sad need in our society today to keep the churches locked. We still enjoyed the architecture from the outside and the historic markers we encountered along our walk. You should be so proud!
Mrs. Pepper:
What a nice note on your recent visit to Cumberland. I’m so glad you had a good week end get-away here. You mention many of the fine things we put together for just that reason — to enchant visitors.
As you say — we are very proud of our community and hope your family will come visit again and enjoy more of our Mountain Maryland hospitality! Thank you so much!
I’m forwarding your e-mail to our Cumberland Times-News editor for possible inclusion in the Letters to the Editor. It’s such a nice feel-good story I think others will want to hear.
Butch Hendershot
Cumberland City Council
