Join the Kent County Chamber of Commerce as we host the 4th annual BrewFest in Historic Downtown Chestertown, MD this Saturday, April 15th, from 12-4!

General Admission tickets are $40 in advance ($45 at the door) and include entry, a souvenir tasting glass, beer tasting tickets, live entertainment, and more.

VIP tickets are $75 and include everything included in a General Admission ticket, plus a 4-pocket drop-in flight paddle, 3 additional tasting glasses, additional beer sample tickets, and early admission at 11:00 am! Tickets are selling fast!  Get yours now at www.kentbrewfest.com.

Enjoy craft beer from DelMarVa and beyond.  Live Music from Heavy Fred Lite and Justin Singleton!Food from Happy Chicken Bakery, Blue Monkey Street Tacos & Walker Family Deep Fried Seafood available for purchase!

Featured Breweries Include:

• Blue Earl Brewing
• Eastern Shore Brewing
• Bold Rock Hard Cider
• Evolution Craft Brewing Company
• Big Truck Farm Brewery
• RAR Brewing
• Cult Classic Brewery
• Ten Eyck Brewing Company

Plus wine from Crow Vineyards & Winery!

The Kent County Chamber would like to thank our Sponsors for this event:

• Chesapeake Family Flooring & Decor – Title Sponsor
• Cross Street Realtors – Tasting Glass Sponsor
• Eastern Shore Tents & Events – Tent Sponsor
• The Peoples Bank&Fleetwood Insurance Group – Flight Sponsors
• Gillespie Precast&Duke Law – Band Sponsors
• Chesapeake Bank & Trust, Washington College&PNC Bank – Food Truck Sponsors
• WCTR Radio, Molly’s Place, H&R Block, Rivers & Roads Consulting, Talkie Communications, and Davis, Moore, Shearon & Associates – Tap Sponsors

Since its inception in 2004, Rebuilding Together Kent County has installed dozens of stick-built wheelchair ramps for neighbors in Kent County, thus contributing to its local reputation as “the ramp people,” despite the many other types of repair work Rebuilding Together has engaged in over nearly 20 years.

At an award luncheon for Qlarant Foundation grantees last year, Rebuilding Together Kent County staff were inspired by an aluminum ramp program offered by Bay Hundred Community Volunteers in Talbot County. With their help and also guidance from Rebuilding Together-Lincoln County in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, who has been installing aluminum ramps for several years, the organization decided to shift its focus from stick-built ramps to aluminum ramps.

(From L to R) Brian and Debbie Toth, Joanne Boyle, Ginny Gorman, Bill Shrieves, Bernie Miller, and Larry Dinoff. Not pictured is Bill Flook. The “50” candles on the cake represent the fact that this was Bay Hundred’s fiftieth aluminum ramp installation!

This was a smart decision for a number of reasons: aluminum ramps offer a high-quality material with a modular design that allows for flexibility and customization; they are durable and require little maintenance; and, they are able to be assembled easily by trained volunteers. Moreover, when the homeowner no longer requires the ramp, Rebuilding Together Kent County can retrieve the parts, clean them thoroughly, and reuse them for another neighbor with mobility challenges, truly making this a gift that keeps on giving!

Bill Shrieves from Bay Hundred Community Volunteers and Ms. F, trying out her new ramp.

Thanks to a Health Disparities Grant from the Kent County Health Department, on Wednesday, March, 22, 2023, Rebuilding Together officially “ramped up” its game when it launched its Lifetime Loaned Ramp Program. Despite a chilly start to the day, eight volunteers gathered to ensure Mrs. F, a Rock Hall neighbor recovering from hip surgery, can get safely in and out of the home where she has lived since it was built 55 years ago.

Bill Shrieves, who spearheads the aluminum ramp builds for Bay Hundred, was joined by his fellow Bay Hundred volunteer, Bernie Miller, to train the local crew on the proper way to get the job done for the Rock Hall homeowner. Larry Dinoff, Vice President of the Board of Rebuilding Together Kent County, took advantage of their expertise by participating in one of their projects last year, and observed them closely as they managed the flow effortlessly on Wednesday. In just two-and-a-half hours, this generous group assembled the ramp and made a huge impact. That pace would not have been possible with wooden construction.

Joanne Boyle, one of the six local volunteers, summed it up by saying, “Thanks to sound planning by Rebuilding Together Kent County and under the expert tutelage of Bill and Bernie from Bay Hundred Community Volunteers, the first aluminum ramp build went without a hitch! As a new volunteer, I found the team work both inspiring and fun. But the best part, by far, was seeing the happy homeowner when we were done.”

Rebuilding Together Kent County’s mission is repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. They leverage gifts of time, money, skill and labor to repair and rehabilitate homes for income-eligible seniors, veterans, those living with disabilities, and families with children in Kent County. They are dedicated to ending substandard housing. All work is done at no cost to homeowners who meet the eligibility criteria. This is an equal opportunity program. Learn more at RebuildingTogetherKCMD.org.

Main Street Historic Chestertown (MSHC) has been awarded for the 5th year an allocation of $20,000 in Maryland state tax credits to support its 2023 fundraising efforts. The Community Investment Tax Credits (CITC) are awarded by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development through a highly competitive application process. The CITC program provides a tax credit to donors equal to 50% of any donation of $500 or greater.

Main Street Historic Chestertown is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to foster an inviting, diverse and prosperous downtown. It is part of a national network founded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to revitalize America’s historic commercial districts.

With this year’s allocation of tax credits, MSHC is seeking donations in support of its marketing and tourism projects. These include printing of the Chestertown Visitors’ Guide, regional digital and print ads, and other promotional materials and events that attract tourists. Throughout the year, MSHC hosts a variety of well-known events that enhance the experience of residents and visitors alike, including Cars on High and the Chestertown Car Show, Carnival on High, the Tea Party Block Party, and Dickens of a Christmas.

In addition to special events, MSHC also offers a façade improvement grant program, manages streetscape and beautification efforts, assists with special projects such as Aunt Sarah’s Playground, and is working on pedestrian lighting and wayfinding projects.

“Main Street is committed to enhancing the experience of being in Chestertown, both for residents and visitors,” remarked Nina Fleegle, Executive Director. “We are proud to be able to offer these tax credits as an extra incentive to our supporters.”

MHSC has credits available through December 2023. Donors interested in tax credits should contact the Main Street office at 410-778-2991 or director@mainstreetchestertown.org, prior to sending a donation.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that the Kent County Brewfest, now called Rhythm & Brews, will take place on Saturday, April 15th from 12 pm – 4 pm in Downtown Chestertown. Advance General Admission Tickets are $40 and include access to the event, a sampling glass and tasting tickets. New this year, the Chamber will offer VIP tickets, which include access to the event an hour early, a 3-pocket flight paddle, 2 additional sampling glasses, and additional tasting tickets. Tickets are now available and can be purchased at www.kentbrewfest.com.

The fifth annual brewfest will feature beer and cider tastings from more than a dozen popular breweries and cideries from DelMarVa and beyond. The event will also feature live music from Heavy Fred Lite and Justin Singleton, food from Blue Monkey Street Tacos, Phat Daddy’s BBQ and Walker Family Deep Fried Seafood, and outdoor games.

Kent County Chamber of Commerce Rhythm & Brews to be held on Saturday, April 15th

“We are so excited to bring the Rhythm & Brews brewfest experience back to Kent County this year,” says Sarah King, Kent County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “We are expanding the event with a variety of craft beer and cider options, two musical acts, and now a VIP Ticket option, to make it even more entertaining and enjoyable than before.”

The Kent Chamber is grateful to the local businesses that signed on to sponsor the event. We would like to thank Cross Street Realtors as our Tasting Glass Sponsor, Fleetwood Insurance Group and The Peoples Bank as our Flight Sponsor, Eastern Shore Tents and Event as our Tent Sponsor, and WCTR as one of our Tap Sponsors. The Chamber still has sponsorship opportunities for this event. If you would like to become a Rhythm & Brews Sponsor or volunteer to serve beers, please contact Sarah King, Executive Director, at sking@kentchamber.org.

Kent County, MD has been selected to receive $9,392 under Phase 40 of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) based upon the available statistics of its total number of unemployed as compared to the total number of unemployed in all qualifying jurisdictions.

The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) is a Federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) made up of members from the United Way Worldwide, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, USA, The Jewish Federation, the American Red Cross, and The National Council of the Church of Christ.

The United Way of Kent County has coordinated a Local Board made up of fourteen organizations to evaluate requests and determine the distribution of funds. Eligible agencies to apply for funding include those providing shelter, food, supplies (diapers, feminine hygiene products), rental and utility assistance and building code repairs/accessibility improvements.

The Local Board for Kent County members are: Chester Valley Ministers Association, Chestertown Havurah, Kent County Emergency Services, Kent Community Food Pantry, Local Management Board, Mount Olive Church, Rebuilding Together Kent County, American Red Cross of Delmarva, Sacred Heart Church, Salvation Army, Samaritan Group, United Way of Kent County, Upper Shore Aging, and Women in Need.

The National Board has been entrusted through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act “to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services” by local social service organizations for people across our Nation who are hungry, homeless, and in economic crisis. Congress has appropriated $130,000,000 to supplement and expand emergency food and shelter programs. The National Board selects jurisdictions (cities or counties) for funding, not specific agencies. These are not state/county government or United Way funds.

For further information or an application to apply, please contact Hope Clark at executivedirector@unitedwayofkentcounty.org. The application is due on March 2 at 5 pm.

Hope Clark

United Way of Kent County has announced the appointment of Hope Clark as Executive Director.

Clark brings a strong set of skills to the fund-raising organization. After a career as a professional modern dancer in NYC, she received a Master’s in Intercultural Service Leadership and Management from the School for International Training Graduate Institute, with a focus on Social Justice and Conflict Transformation. She moved to Kent County in the mid-eighties and has served on the Board of the African American School House Museum, worked at CommunityMediation Upper Shore, Eastern Shore Health Education Center, and the Local ManagementBoard for Children and Family Services. She volunteered as the coordinator of the DiversityDialogue Group and founded Wheelbarrow Productions, a non-profit organization to partner with communities to create social change and economic opportunities through the arts. Her recent work, as the Maryland Organizer for Climate XChange, coordinated the Rebuild MarylandCoalition to pass equitable and effective climate legislation in the State.

The United Way of Kent County strives to improve our community by building partnerships and bringing together diverse stakeholders from 27 agencies to focus on three areas: Health, Education, and Financial Stability. This is the 65^th year of United Way’s operation in Kent County.

“We are very pleased to welcome her to this position. I am confident that her experience and commitment will help us strengthen our ability to have a positive impact on our focus areas,” said DeLia Shoge, Board President.

The annual fund-raising campaign begins September 1. Donations may be made at any time via the website: unitedwayofkentcounty.org or by mail to United Way of Kent County, P.O. Box 594, Chestertown, MD 21620.