The Historical Society of Kent County is hosting a garden party at historic Reese’s Corner on Sunday, May 21, 2 pm to 5 pm, to support its ongoing projects.

Proceeds help pay the costs of Historical Society exhibits, speakers, brochures, programs, and maintaining its archives and library.  Almost all of these are provided free to residents and visitors.

The May 21 Garden party includes wine, beer, fresh oysters, seasonal appetizers, a walk in the gardens, and a tour of the early 19th century home.

Cost is $60 per person.  The price of each ticket is partially tax-deductible.  Guests and friends of Historical Society members are welcome too.

Make your reservation and pay online at www.kentcountyhistory.org or call the Historical Society office at (410) 778-3499 to pay by check. Site address and directions will be provided by email after a reservation is made.

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For further information:  Historical Society of Kent County, (410) 778-3499, M-F, 9-5 pm.  Site photos available upon request.

In a state of 6 million people, 30% of Marylanders face food insecurity each year, according to the Maryland Food Bank. The Eastern Shore reflects those same needs.

For more than 40 years, The Maryland Food Bank and its regional network providers and community partners have supplied food to food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations for distribution to serve the food insecure.

For Faye Everette, Director of the Millington-Crumpton Food Pantry, the week is filled with food deliveries for distribution to local individuals, families, and countywide food pantries—sometimes 2,500 pounds of food a month.

“A lot of food pantries start as outreach missions from a church or a community group that sees a need, “she says. “When I found out I could get food at a reduced price from the Maryland Food Bank, I called them, and they came out to interview us.”

Everette says that it all started 20 years ago when her church group at Asbury United Methodist Church in Millington focused on serving the community by opening a soup kitchen. With a small donation and help from other volunteers, surplus food from local markets and farmers, they soon served 140 meals a week.

When Everette saw a greater need, she became an accredited distributor for Maryland Food Bank—also affiliated with USDA—and the outreach program grew exponentially to serve up to 600 individuals and families, both delivered and providing days for drive-up distribution.

A creative cook, Everette has become famous for the homemade recipes she provides with the food she dispenses. Foreign to almost everyone, spaghetti squash became a popular meal.
She became so popular for her healthy meal recipes that the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources recently acknowledged her with the Cornerstone Award “in recognition of her contribution to Millington-Crumpton Food Pantry Project for the Healthy system Strategic Initiative.”

The Spy recently met with Faye to talk about her extraordinary service to Eastern Shore communities.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about Millington-Crumpton Food Pantry, see their Facebook page here.

Kent County Food Banks

Chestertown

Kent County Community Food Pantry
Mill St near the corner of Mill and High St; 410-778-0550;
www.kentfoodpantry.org
Contact: Sue Caswell
Hours of Operation: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-noon, Second Wednesday of month, 10-noon
Financial Donations: Donations may be made on our website. Make checks payable to Community Food Pantry; Mail to PO Box 346, Chestertown, Md 21620
In-kind Donations: Drop off during hours of operation
Volunteers: Can use help with transporting and unloading;
Contact Sue Caswell

Chestertown Seventh Day Adventist Church Food Pantry
305 N. Kent Street 443-988-3886
Contact: Jessie Stant
Hours of Operation: Tuesdays, 10:00 to noon
Financial Donations: Make checks payable to SDA Church Food Pantry;
Mail to Jessie Stant, 503 Flat Iron Square Road, Church Hill, Md 21623
In-kind donations: any non-perishable items esp spaghetti and sauce, cereal
Immediate need Clorox wipes
Black drop-off box located outside of pantry on N. Kent St. during hours of operation
Volunteers: Contact jdstant490@gmail.com

Millington

Millington-Crumpton Food Pantry; housed at Asbury United Methodist Church
392 Cypress Street; 443-480-0053
Contact: Faye Everett
Hours of Operation: Mondays, 9-noon
Financial Donations: Make checks payable to Millington-Crumpton Food Pantry
Mail to PO Box 187, Millington, Md 21651
In-kind Donations: Shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving needs
Drop off items at Asbury UMC, 392 Cypress St. Millington; Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11
Volunteers: Need for those who can lift up to 50 lbs;
Volunteers needed on May 19 for Mobile Food Pantry to pre-package food items to be put into clients’ cars; location at former Millington Elementary School; Contact Faye Everett at 443-480-0053

Ridgley

St. Martin’s Ministries
14374 Benedictine Lane 410-634-2537 ext. 111
www.stmartinministries.org
Contact: Odette Boyce-Galvez
Hours of Operation: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30-11:30am, Wednesday, 6-7:30pm
Financial Donations: Donations needed immediately due to increased
demand; on-line donations – go to www.stmartinministries.org then click on get involved and donate now.
Make checks payable to St. Martin’s Ministries, Mail to PO Box 996, 14374 Benedictine Lane, Ridgley, Md 21660
In-kind Donations: Immediate need for diapers, gloves, hand sanitizers, wipes, toilet paper, all cleaning products, face masks; Contact Odette Boyce-Galvez to arrange for delivery
Volunteers: Due to social distancing guidelines we are not working with volunteers at this time.

Rock Hall

Rock Hall Community Food Pantry
Rock Hall Civic Center 410-639-2351
www.yourrockhall.church/post/rock-hall-food-pantry
Contact: Sue Becker
Hours of Operation: First and third Saturdays of the month; 10-noon thru the summer
Financial Donations: Make checks out to Rock Hall Food Pantry,
Mail to PO Box 166, Rock Hall, Md 21661, Attn: Sue Becker
In-kind Donations: Non perishable items; Call for appointment for drop-off
Volunteers: Currently staffed up

Worton

Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church
24840 Lambs Meadow Road; 410-778-3328
Contact: Rev. Mary Walker
Hours of Operation: Third Friday of the month; 1-3pm
Financial Donations: Make checks out to Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church; write Food Pantry Donation on memo line
Mail to PO Box 77, 24840 Lambs Meadow Road, Worton, Md 21678In-kind Donations: Food boxes, packing tape, sturdy plastic bags for packing fruits and vegetables, re-usable shopping bags. Also need 2-3 carts on wheels on which to places boxes to move food from Life Center to cars. Donations can be dropped off Tues or Wed on third week of the month, noon-1pm; Call to schedule another time, if needed
Volunteers: Need help during hours of operation to pack and load food
Contact Rev. Mary Walker at 443-480-5634

The decision by the Historic District Committee to approve the demolition of the Chestertown Armory has been rescinded and will be addressed at their next meeting on December 7, 2022.

At Monday Night’s town council meeting, Mayor David Foster reviewed the history of the College’s acquisition of the Armory, the environmental assessment presented to the Town Council and Historic District Committee.

Because a procedural error made by the HDC—a 25 day public review period—and a question on whether there was a waiver of the review period, the referral for demolition is now back on the HDC’s desk.

Ward 1 Councilman Tim O’Brien pushed for clarification, asking “Just on that one procedural error of not giving a waiver and not respecting the 25-day review period, does the nullify both our vote the Historic District Committee vote, or if this that a great enough error that we have to review it.”

Foster said that the town council had not given a permit for the structure’s demolition and that the process required plans for a new building before granting a permit.

O’Brien raised an additional question about the property’s covenant clause in the, an agreement between the Grantor and Grantee, that “property shall be used solely for governmental and/or education purposes, said governmental and/or educational purposes hereby being defined as (a) government businesses and/or office and/or (b) college and/or university uses. This provision shall be a restrictive covenant running with the land and binding on the Grantee, its successors and assigns.”

The question becomes: is the covenant clause in the transfer of the Armory from the State to the Town carried from Town to Washington College.

Barbara Jorgenson, Vice President of Kent County Historical Society, told the Council that the Historic District Commission had not been informed about the covenant clause and the procedures from College to HDC and town council had not been transparent.

Foster said that, in retrospect, the Council was not as transparent as it could have been. “I want to emphasize that there has never been any intent to hide something.” He also mentioned that the original HDC’s agenda listing of the Armory’s proposed demolition by it Cross Street’s address, although standard practice, did not inform the public the property was the Armory.

“I would really take issue with the idea that there was any intent anywhere along the line to mislead in this course. There was a procedural error, and we will do everything to correct that and move forward,” Foster said.

In a copy of an email given to the Spy and sent to the State of Maryland Military Department and Board of Public Works, Jorgenson asked “if they been informed of Washington College’s efforts to terminate this covenant? Are they aware of the interpretation of “college and/or university uses”? Do they agree with either a termination or this interpretation?”

Richard Grieves, a member of the 2016 citizen’s committee “Save the Armory” said that many opportunities to preserve the structure had been offered, but the constant flooding without maintenance has left the building unrecoverable.

“I get the death of a building is a big deal, but what you’re fighting for, you’re fighting for a tombstone that will sit there for the next fifty years and not be used…you can fight; everyone in this town can fight, but what you’re fighting for is zero because there isn’t enough money with anybody to fix this armory.”

This video is approximately thirteen minutes in length. 

 

The League of Women Voters of Kent County (with the Chestertown Spy’s assistance)  sponsored a forum Thursday night, for candidates running for Kent County Commission. The forum took place at Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department.

Republicans Ron Fithian (Incumbent), Albert Nickerson, John F. Price and Democrats Ted Gallo, Tom Herz and Thomas Timberman fielded questions prepared by the League of Women Voters and questions offered by the audience.

Questions ranged from raising property taxes, how to address affordable housing, funding Kent County schools, and the tax differential between town and county.

This video is approximately 90 minutes in length.

 

To vote in the 2022 Election, you must be registered to vote. To learn more about who can register to vote, click here.

The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration information is June 28, 2022 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election; and October 18, 2022 for the Gubernatorial General Election. To register to vote or to check your registration status, click here. Your voter registration must be up to date with your current address. To update your voter registration, click here.

You may also register to vote or update your voter registration information in person during early voting or on election day. If you update your address on election day, you will be asked to complete a provisional ballot. An election judge will assist you with this process.

In other election news, the League of Women Voters of Kent County will host an election forum for the Board of Education primary election.  It will be held at Minary’s Dream in Chestertown. Please give the LWVKC website for more information.

The Chestertown Car Show will cruise into the heart of downtown Chestertown on Saturday, October 2 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., complete with judges’ awards and a beverage tent.

The rain date for the event is Sunday, October 3.

Sponsored by Main Street Chestertown, the show will display cars in and around Fountain Park and along the 200 & 300 blocks of High Street. All years, makes and models are welcome, and trophies will be awarded in 10 categories:

Vintage Cars or Trucks: 1940 and older.

Modern Domestic Cars: 1976 and newer.

Classic Domestic Cars: 1941 to 1975.

Modern Imported Cars: 1976 and newer.

Classic Imported Cars: 1941 to 1975.

Trucks and Off-Road: Trucks, Jeeps, sport utility vehicles, and any vehicle designed for work or off-road use, of any year and brand.

Pro Street: vehicles of any year and brand that have been modified for drag racing.

Rat Rod: vehicles of any year and brand that exhibit patina or finish and modifications such as lowering, chop tops, and other features of the functional hot rods of the 30s, 40s and 50s.

Survivor: Substantially original and unmodified vehicles of any brand, manufactured for the model year 1989 and older. Minor paintwork and cosmetic or mechanical repairs allowed, but not significant restorations.

Work in Progress: Cars that run and drive but are still projects under construction.

Register online at ChestertownCarShow.com where more detailed information about the event and the judging categories is posted. Day-of registrations will be accepted, as space allows, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the event headquarters tent at Memorial Park. Registration fee is $20 in advance and $25 the day of the show.

The Car Show is being organized by a volunteer committee led by Jon and Barbara Slocum, who also founded Main Street Chestertown’s monthly Cars on High gatherings on the third Thursday of each month from April through September.

The Chestertown Car Show is free to spectators and all are welcome. For more information visit ChestertownCarShow.com or email carshow@chestertowncarshow.com.