One hundred and twenty singers registered for the Chester River Chorale fall semester, including 21 new members! New and returning singers, professionally trained to amateurs, under the direction of Artistic Director Alexis Ward and Assistant Director Stephanie LaMotte, are joyfully preparing A Celtic Christmas program, a celebration of the sacred and storied holiday traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Chorale’s spring and summer “Dude Drive” increased the ranks of male singers, adding depth and richness to the lower voice parts. These 100-plus singers will join forces with a professional chamber orchestra featuring traditional Celtic instruments including bodhrán, fiddle, Irish whistles, flute, harp, guitar, celesta, strings, and more – creating an immersive soundscape that bridges centuries and cultures. A Celtic Christmas concerts are on December 12 and 13. Concert tickets go on sale in early November!

River Voices, the Chorale’s community outreach ensemble, is back in action this fall. On Saturday, October 4, River Voices will sing for the NAACP’s Annual Scholarship Banquet fundraiser banquet. Then, on Friday, December 5, River Voices will once again be singing for Chestertown’s “Dickens of a Christmas.” They will be caroling around town and throughout businesses in full Dickens attire as well as performing on the outdoor High Street stage. Come out to hear them!

On Saturday, September 27, Easton’s historic downtown will once again come alive as the Talbot County community gathers to celebrate the incredible legacy of Frederick Douglass, one of the county’s most inspiring historical figures. Born into slavery near Easton in 1818, Douglass rose to prominence as a powerful orator, writer, and abolitionist after publishing his groundbreaking autobiography. Frederick Douglass Day 2025 promises a full day of celebration and education with uplifting speeches, live music, engaging activities, and unforgettable experiences for all ages.

The festivities begin at 10am with a vibrant parade led by Grand Marshal Childene Brooks, former president of the Frederick Douglass Honor Society, and Community Marshals from the family of former FDHS president Brenda Wooden. Joining them will be local organizations such as BAAM (Building African American Minds), the Easton High School NJROTC Color Guard, Polaris Village Academy, the Easton and Oxford Fire Departments, and the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. The parade will also feature performances by the Easton Middle School and White Marsh Elementary School bands, along with the celebrated local bagpiper Randy Welch. The procession sets off from Easton Elementary School on Glenwood Avenue and makes its way to the Talbot County Courthouse on Washington Street.

At 10:30am, the celebration continues with a Welcome Ceremony on the courthouse lawn, hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Gabriella Thompson. The program opens with an invocation by 15-year-old minister Javion Jones of Union Baptist Church, followed by remarks from community leaders including Easton Town Council President Don Abbatielo, Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, Talbot County Free Library Director Dana Newman, Washington College’s Jaelon T. Moaney, and student leader Giuliana Thompson. Music for the ceremony will include the Mid-Shore Community Band under Matthew Fullerton’s direction, with special performances by Randy Welch and Dana Bowser.

Children won’t want to miss the always-popular Children’s Village outside the Talbot County Free Library. From face painting and Frederick Douglass–themed coloring books to a prize wheel, photo booth, and story time with Shauna Beulah at 11:30am and 12:30pm, the activities are sure to delight. Inside the library, families can explore multimedia exhibits on Douglass’s life and legacy, as well as view historic artifacts on loan from the National Park Service.

At 1pm, the library will host an engaging lecture by Nicholas Buccola, professor of humanism and ethics at Claremont McKenna College. His talk, “Frederick Douglass, American Revolutionary,” will explore how Douglass reimagined the ideals of America’s founding fathers to address the struggles of his time. Buccola, widely recognized for his scholarship on figures such as James Baldwin and Abraham Lincoln, is also the author of the forthcoming book One Man’s Freedom, which examines the ideological clash between Martin Luther King Jr. and conservative politician Barry Goldwater.

New this year is a special walking tour of The Hill, the oldest free African American community in the nation. Beginning at 3pm at Harrison and Dover Streets, historian Yvonne Freeman will guide participants through historic sites including the Hambleton House, James Freeman Home, and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. This fascinating tour offers a unique chance to step into history and learn more about a community dating back to the 1780s.

From noon to 3pm, the Entertainment Stage at Dover and West Streets will feature an exciting lineup of performers. Soloists include American Idol contestant Ayla Dennis, Ruby Fisher, and Sofia Fernandez, while group acts such as the Asbury United Methodist Choir, New St. John’s United Methodist Men’s Choir, the Allegra Academy Choir, and the Bay Country Chorus will lift their voices in harmony. The celebration will close with a lively block party set from Allan Butler, ensuring the day ends on a high note. A bustling marketplace nearby will showcase local food vendors and community groups throughout the afternoon.

Since its debut in 2011, Frederick Douglass Day has become one of Talbot County’s most treasured traditions, blending history, culture, and community pride into one unforgettable celebration. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, so mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27, and join us in honoring the life and legacy of one of our country’s greatest minds.

The Kent County Local Management Board (KCLMB) invites the public to share ideas and perspectives on how to best reinvest in low income communities thanks to new funding from the Maryland Office of Social Equity. The forum will be held on Wednesday September 24th at 6pm at Washington College’s Innovation Plant (800 High St.)

The Cannabis Reform Act legalized adult-use recreational cannabis and led to the establishment of the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF). A portion of the sales tax from adult-use recreational cannabis sales is allocated to the CRRF.

The purpose of the fund is to address the impact of past cannabis prohibition on communities such as those disproportionately affected by the war on drugs, and the repercussions that this had on individuals, their families, and our communities. The Kent County Commissioners have tasked the Local Management Board (KCLMB) to manage Kent County’s local allocation of these funds, guided by community input.*

Local Management Boards are designed to work with communities to set goals, align efforts, and invest in strategies to support children and families. The current set of goals** was built this year through door knocking interviews, student engaged research at Washington College, and a series of community conversations, much of which complements the spirit and purpose of the CRRF. We will be building on this and other community input to develop a grant application to be released in the coming months.

The legislation requires that CRRF funds be used for the following purposes:

• Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services
• Education and After-School programs
• Truancy and Absenteeism Intervention
• Housing and Homelessness Prevention
• Job Training and Workforce Development
• Community Childcare and Recreational Services
• Programs that Benefit Individuals and Families Impacted by Incarceration

Uses of the funds can include capital expenses, services, programming, transportation, and materials and vendors for community events. Funds may not be used for law enforcement activities or for uses already budgeted from other grants or revenue.

KCLMB is seeking input on which of these uses are priorities for residents and what kinds of investments would make the most impact. During the forum we will discuss issues and strategies, as well as the grant application structure and requirements. Dinner and a kids corner will be included.

*The KCLMB was designated to make recommendations for the use of, and to administer the funds in Kent County, as established through County Ordinance Bill No. 2-2025, passed on May 6th 2025 and effective as of June 20th 2025.

Contact: Rosemary Ramsey Granillo, Director, KCLMB

[email protected]

410-810-2673

**https://sites.google.com/everydaycanvassing.org/knockcommunityconvos/home?authuser=0

The Rev. Chris J. Antal, who became minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton on Aug. 1, will lead the first Sunday service and deliver the first sermon of his new ministry on Sept. 14.

Rev. Chris J. Antal

Antal and his wife XingQin Feng moved into what he calls a “small ranchhouse” located a few miles east of Oxford, west of Easton, and north of Trappe. He is the father of five adult children – Justin, Eliot, Yuna, Sulhee and Makoto – by a previous marriage. Chris and XingQin visited the Eastern Shore for the first time while he was interviewing for the UUFE opening.

“We both felt immediately drawn to the natural beauty and historic significance of the region,” he said, adding that he was impressed with the UUFE leadership in sharing how the fellowship acted with what he gathered is “a fierce commitment to spiritual values and meaningful engagement with the surrounding community.”

Joy Gaddy, a member of the leadership team who interviewed Antal and traveled to Philadelphia with another member to witness his ministry as a Veterans Administration chaplain, shared her impressions: “Throughout our search process for a new minister, what impressed us most was Rev. Chris’ depth of knowledge and the way he spoke about Unitarian Universalism and issues of interest to our congregants. We felt that his manner and approach would be an excellent fit for our fellowship.”

After he signed a two-year contract as minister, the empty-nesters moved into their new home. XingQin’s son, Yang, a teenager when she and Antal married in 2023, is now in college. The couple has another home in Narberth, a suburb of Philadelphia, where since 2015 he has served at the VA hospital – now a part-time job as chaplain since starting his new ministry. XingQin, a native of China, is studying for a certified public accountant exam after a 22-year career as a financial adviser. Immigrating to the U.S., she and her son were both granted permanent U.S. residency last year.

In his time off between jobs, Antal says he enjoys cycling, hiking, paddling, yoga, beekeeping and sampling craft beers. Among his chief goals in ministry is, he says, “a passion about creating a sanctuary space that fosters spiritual health, moral engagement, and prophetic witness,” adding that he “strives to embody the values of honesty, respect, fairness, responsibility and compassion.” Among his major concerns, he says, is finding the right balance between human activity and preserving the planet.

Antal was born in 1972 near Niagara Falls, but spent most of his early years on the coast of Maine, later working as dishwasher/housekeeper in a family-run B&B. He recalls being “unaffiliated with any religion” while growing up. Antal attended college at Rhode Island School of Design and Cooper Union and earned a Master’s of Arts degree from South Korea’s Yonsei University in 2003, and a Masters of Divinity from the Unification Theological Seminary the following year.

By that time, Antal says he felt a calling to ordained ministry. He joined the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, New York and then interned at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany. He was ordained in March 2011 and hired as a contract minister by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern, a Hudson Valley community.

Taking a leave of absence in 2012 to deploy in Afghanistan as a U.S. Army battalion chaplain, Antal established the Kandahar Crossroad Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where he delivered a controversial sermon on Veterans Day and was reprimanded by a general for “politically inflammatory” speech. After his release from active duty for “retraining,” Antal, who had been promoted to captain, made national headlines when he resigned his commission in a 2016 letter to President Barack Obama, who released it in redacted form. The letter read, in part, “I resign because I refuse to support the U.S. armed drone policy . . . of unaccountable killing.” He left with an honorable discharge.

The Rev. Dr. Chris J. Antal earned his doctorate at Hartford (Connecticut) International University for Religion & Peace during his return to the UU Congregation at Rock Tavern, where he had served since 2011. In 2018, he became a fulltime staff chaplain at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia.

Antal succeeds the Rev. Sue Browning, who moved on in late June after 12 years as UUFE’s minister. Established in 1960, the UU Fellowship at Easton is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which Antal describes as “a liberal religion that is welcoming to all people who covenant to live well in right relationship with people and the planet.” According to UUA’s “What We Believe” statement of faith: “We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice in our own lives and in the world.”

Sunday services begin at 10 a.m. at the Fellowship, 7401 Ocean Gateway (U.S. 50), Easton; uufeaston.org, 410-822-8103

Evergreen Cyano-phtogram, Diptych 2024

Adkins Arboretum is pleased to present Actinic Traces, an exhibition of chlorophyll prints and phytograms by artist Laurie Beck Peterson, on view in the Arboretum’s Visitor’s Center Art Gallery from September 2 through October 31. A public reception will be held on Saturday, September 13, from 2 to 4 pm. 

Laurie Beck Peterson works in close collaboration with plants, sunlight, and time to create images that seem to levitate off their surfaces. Using the natural chemistry of leaves and the UV rays of the sun, her chlorophyll prints and phytograms capture fragile impressions of the plant 

world. Chlorophyll printing is a sustainable photographic process that replaces traditional darkroom chemicals with living leaves and sunlight. Phytograms are made by pressing plants onto light-sensitive paper or film, where their oils and moisture leave behind delicate, abstract patterns. 

The making of these works is often invisible to the eye. Exposures take place over long periods, shaped by weather and light. Development depends on the plant’s own cellular structure, and in the case of chlorophyll prints, the images continue to shift even after they are first revealed. Each work becomes a record of time and change, holding onto the subtle traces of natural processes. 

“I create images that resist permanence and precision, favoring instead ephemerality, decay, and organic authorship,” Peterson explains. “These works are not static artifacts; they are temporal surfaces, slowly fading, reminding us of our shared fragility and deep entwinement with the ecologies we often overlook.” 

For this exhibition, Peterson also explores new ways of presenting her work. Some phytograms are mounted inside clear acrylic boxes, while the chlorophyll leaf prints are displayed atop pedestals that evoke both scientific specimens and fragile jewelry. Other prints are illuminated from behind, their glowing exteriors recalling the experience of looking through a microscope into the hidden cross-sections of plants. These varied presentations highlight the dual identity of the images as both specimen and artwork, encouraging viewers to reflect on the interconnections between humans and the natural world. 

Actinic Traces highlights Peterson’s ongoing interest in impermanence, ecological awareness, and the role of natural systems in shaping images. Her work asks viewers to slow down, notice subtle changes, and see photography not as control over materials but as a partnership with the forces that sustain life. 

Laurie Beck Peterson (b. 1962) is recognized for her innovative use of 19th-century photographic processes in contemporary contexts. Her work explores themes of impermanence, ephemerality, and the natural cycles of growth and decay. Currently a faculty member at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia, she has exhibited nationally and internationally, with recent highlights including her selection for the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition 164 at the Fox Talbot Museum, Lacock Abbey, UK. She is represented by UpStart Modern Gallery in Sausalito, California.

This exhibition is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing series highlighting regional artists whose work engages with natural themes. The Arboretum is located at 12610 Eveland Road in Ridgely, Maryland. 

For gallery hours or more information, contact Adkins Arboretum at 410-634-2847, or visit adkinsarboretum.org. 

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship. 

The Neighborhood Service Center invites community members, businesses, faith groups, and organizations to make a difference by contributing much-needed personal and household items for the upcoming 2025 Talbot Resource Expo, taking place Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Easton Elementary School.

The Talbot Resource Expo is more than a single day of services — it is a bridge to self-sufficiency for individuals and families in need. Each year, the Expo connects residents with vital resources such as energy assistance, health screenings, veteran services, educational programs, food distribution, and more. These services help people stabilize their immediate situations and take the next steps toward independence and long-term well-being.

The need in Talbot County is growing, particularly among seniors. Rising costs for housing, utilities, food, and healthcare mean many older adults are struggling to make ends meet — often for the first time in their lives. Families with children, single adults, and seniors alike turn to the Expo to access essentials they might otherwise go without.

How You Can Help
The Expo is seeking donations of new, unopened cleaning products, hygiene items, paper goods, and socks, including:

• Cleaning Products: Laundry detergent, bleach, all-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, trash bags, dish detergent, dish cloths, scrubbers/sponges
• Hygiene Products: Toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, body wash, bar soap, lotion, deodorant, wash cloths, towels, baby and adult diapers, wipes
• Paper Goods: Paper towels, toilet paper
• Miscellaneous: Socks

The Talbot Resource Expo is powered by community generosity — your contribution helps create a stronger, more resilient Talbot County.

Donation Drop-off & Pick-up Options

• Drop Talbot Resource Expo donations at Neighborhood Service Center, 126 Port Street, Easton, MD
• Leave donations at one of these drop-off sites during September 2025:
  • Brookletts Place, 400 Brookletts Avenue, Easton
  • St. Michaels Community Center, 103 Railroad Avenue, St. Michaels
  • Talbot County Free Library, 100 W. Dover Street, Easton

“By donating essential items, you’re not only helping meet immediate needs, you’re empowering our neighbors to work toward stability and self-reliance,” said Cardeaner Robinson, Maryland Energy Assistance Program Director for Neighborhood Service Center. “Your support can make all the difference for a family, a senior, or an individual who just needs a helping hand to move forward.”

For more information, call Cardeaner Robinson at 410-763-6746.