Authors Claudia Kalb and John A. O’Brien entertained guests at Saint Martin’s Ministries’ 20^th anniversary author’s luncheon on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at the Prospect Bay Country Club.

L-R Author – Johnny O’Brien, Emcee – Ben Tilghman, SMM CEO – Jean Austin, Author – Claudia Kalb and SMM Chair of the Board of Directors – Mark Freestate.

Claudia Kalb, whose book Andy Warhol was a Hoarder, shared stories about eccentricities of such famous persons as Marilyn Monroe and George Gershwin, in addition to Warhol. A question about whether Gershwin would have written Rhapsody in Blue if he had been medicated for attention deficit disorder provided an opportunity for the enthusiastic audience to offer their input.

Author John A. O’Brien’s story of his childhood at the Hershey School and journey through adulthood engaged the audience completely. His work, Semisweet: An Orphan’s journey Through the School the Hershey’s Built, details many twists and turns in his life including the discovery that he is not truly an orphan. O’Brien’s keen insight into how individuals react to institutional settings was clearly illustrated by the examples he shared.

SMM 20th Anniversary Luncheon Committee and Volunteers from L-R Renee Waldron, Mary Helen Friel, Betty Barbe, Deborah Hudson Vornbrock, Jean Austin, Maggie Lewis, Sister Catherine Higley, OSB, Margie Callahan Palazzola, Ellen Foster and Diane Pappas.

Guests bid on a variety of silent auction items including an original wooden sculpture by Baltimore artist H. Lee Hirsche and a vacation rental in Naples, Florida. Books were available for purchase and signing by the authors.  The event occurs the first Saturday in March each year.

The 2oth Anniversary celebration featured books and memories from the prior nineteen years and also featured remarks from Sister Patricia Gamgort, Executive Director Emerita of Saint Martin’s.

The event benefits Saint Martin’s Ministries in Ridgely Maryland. Saint Martin’s helps low income families facing the trauma of hunger and homelessness. Providing services to more than 300 families each month the organization has acted as a safety net for low income families in the mid-shore region for more than 30 years. Each year the Book and Authors’ Luncheon raises funds to support Saint Martin’s House program for homeless women and children and the Emergency Food Pantry. For more information please contact Deborah Hudson Vornbrock at devdirector@stmartinsministries.org or at 410.634.2537 x 102.

Local author Johnny A. O’Brien and his book, Semisweet: An Orphan’s Journey Through the School the Hershey’s Built will be one of the two featured authors at Saint Martin’s Ministries 20th Annual Book and Author Luncheon. The event, begun in 1998, has featured 65 authors of children’s books, cookbooks, and contemporary politics and current events. Also speaking at this year’s event will be Claudia Kalb whose most recent book is Andy Warhol was a Hoarder: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities.

Photos: Mary Helen Friel and Diane Pappas, committee members for the Saint Martin’s Ministries Author’s Luncheon (left), Ben TIlghman, emcee for Saint Martin’s Ministries 20th Anniversary Authors’ Luncheon and Mark Freestate, Chair of Saint Martin’s Ministries Board of Directors (right).

Prospect Bay Country Club is the site for this year’s event. A silent auction and talks by the two authors offering insight into the creative process are the luncheon’s agenda. The authors are available to sign their works and will answer questions from the audience about the inspiration for their works.

This year’s silent auction items include an original sculpture by Baltimore artist H. Lee Hirsche, and several rental property opportunities including downtown Philadelphia, NYC, Reboth Beach, and Naples, Florida. Hand-crafted necklaces and bracelets, made by residents of Saint Martin’s house are a favorite auction item each year.

The event benefits Saint Martin’s Ministries in Ridgely Maryland. Saint Martin’s helps low income families facing the trauma of hunger and homelessness. Providing services to more than 300 families each month the organization has acted as a safety net for low income families in the mid-shore region for more than 30 years. Each year the Book and Author raises funds to support Saint Martin’s House program for homeless women and children and the Emergency Food Pantry.

Rebecca Lepter has recently joined the staff of Saint Martin’s Ministries as Director of Programming. Rebecca’s responsibilities include developing and implementing programs for Saint Martin’s Barn and Food Pantry. Rebecca comes to Saint Martin’s from the Family & Community Partnerships of Kent County, a Maryland Local Management Board, where she was the Director.

Board Changes

Nick Iliff has joined the Saint Martin’s Board as it’s newest member. Nick is an attorney from Denton and works as a public defender in Caroline County.

Joanne Rich, owner of Inn at Huntingfield Creek and Java Rock, is finishing her term as Chairperson for the Board. The New Officers of the Board are Mark Freestate, Chairman, Kevin Daney, Vice Chairman, Marck Callahan, Treasurer, and Sara Rich, Secretary. Chris Maxwell is finishing nine years of service on the Saint Martin’s Board of Directors. Saint Martin’s Ministries would like to recognize and thank him for his term of faithful service.

FreshPaper products

Ridgely, MD, August 18, 2016–Saint Martin’s Food Pantry is a happening place this summer. And it is exciting! The Food Pantry is more than just a place for food, many other beneficial activities are taking place. Through the generosity of donations, backpacks and supplies were purchased and made available to elementary school children – 100 backpacks, filled with supplies, were distributed. On August 10 Carrie Davis Murphy visited the Food Pantry to talk about FreshPaper, an exciting product designed to keep produce fresh for longer periods of time. FreshPaper by Fenugreen is committed to ending hunger by preventing universal food spoilage, through organic, simple methods. The Food Pantry is passing out free FreshPaper with fresh produce for the rest of August.

School children receiving backpacks

Saint Martin’s Food Pantry is also participating in the University of Maryland’s Market to Mealtime food stamp education program. Through a series of evening programs, clients receive recipe cards and an opportunity to taste the described food. Previous tastings include strawberry s’mores and walnut hummus. The next tasting is scheduled for August 17. This is an on-going free program that encourages clients to taste new foods using fresh, healthy ingredients.

Saint Martin’s and Choptank Health Services have partnered to provide dental hygiene information and referrals to clients. Since the 1st dental hygiene night, individuals have received education and support to help them improve their dental health. The next dental hygiene night will take place at Saint Martin’s on September 7, 2016

These types of outreach enhance the services provided to the families who come to Saint Martin’s for help. There is a lot happening at Saint Martin’s Food Pantry to assist families on the Eastern Shore in a variety of ways. Please check our Facebook page for upcoming scheduled activities.

For the past 17 years, Saint Martin’s Ministries Annual Authors’ Luncheon has brought top nationally bestselling authors to the Eastern Shore for an afternoon of discussions with the authors, book signings, and a silent auction. This enlightening afternoon is a key fundraiser for the work of Saint Martin’s Ministries.

This year’s authors include Joan Biskupic whose biography of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Breaking In: The Rise of Sonia Sotomayor and The Politics of Justice looks at Sonia Sotomayor’s rise from poverty to Supreme Court Justice. Ms. Biskupic has been featured in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and NPR and is the editor in charge for legal affairs at Reuters News. Elaine Eff’s book, The Painted Screens of Baltimore documents a beloved folk art of Baltimore. Local poet Meredith Davies Hadaway’s two collections of poems, At the Narrows and The River is a Reason explores the beauty of local places and emphasizes the sense of place that is the Eastern Shore.

For over 30 years SMM has helped low income families on the Eastern Shore meet their basic needs of food, clothing and housing. Services offered by Saint Martin’s Ministries include an emergency food program, eviction assistance, a thrift store and a 2 year transitional housing program for women and their children.

Saint Martin’s receives support from United Way and United Fund. Numerous women and children from the Eastern Shore have benefited from the work of Saint Martin’s Ministries. Tickets are still available. For more information about Saint Martin’s Ministries and this year’s Authors’ Luncheon please visit www.stmartinsministries.org or contact Deborah Hudson Vornbrock at 410.634.2537 ext. 102.

On March 8, 2014 Saint Martin’s Ministries will hold their 17th Annual Authors’ Luncheon at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville. This year’s luncheon will feature three engaging authors as well as many exciting silent auction items.

Marvin Kalb, Reporter

Marvin Kalb spent 30 years as an award-winning reporter for CBS and NBC News. His most recent book, The Road To War: Presidential Commitments Honored and Betrayed, explores why presidents have sidestepped official declarations of war.

Elliott Holt’s first novel, You Are One of Them, was chosen by Amazon as one of the 10 best books for the month of June. This novel was inspired by Samantha Smith the American girl who became famous for writing a letter to Yuri Andropov asking for peace in 1982. The setting is 1980s Washington and 1990s Moscow and deals with the power of allegiance, the mysteries of friendship, and the nature of truth.

Ron Culberson’s Do It Well. Make It Fun, is based on his belief that life is a series of processes. Every process has steps, each step has the potential to be improved and made more fun. As the recent president of the National Speakers Association he is a nationally recognized expert on the benefits of humor and laughter.

All proceeds support the programs offered at Saint Martin’s Ministries. Located in Ridgely, Maryland, Saint Martin’s Ministries has been helping low income mid-shore families meet their basic needs of food, clothing and housing while respecting and affirming their dignity for more than 30 years. The food pantry provides supplemental emergency food, helping almost 400 families each month have enough to eat. Six women and eleven children, ranging in age from 3 months to eight years, are currently living at Saint Martin’s House where they receive the support and services needed to transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency.