News Notes

Volunteers Build Ramp for Local Senior

July 24, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Born and raised in Kent County, Mrs. Scott and her husband raised eight daughters locally. Like many senior citizens in the area, she had worked at the Campbell’s Soup poultry processing plant for several years. She then spent 21 years as Cook at the Chestertown jail where she recalls the men would sometimes ask as she was leaving, “when will you make your delicious fried chicken again?”. Mrs. Scott is now a widow and, in addition to her daughters, she relies on her neighbors and local church as she nears 90 and her mobility decreases. One of her daughters worked at the Department of Social Services and knew Rebuilding Together Kent County might be able to help her mom live more safely in her home, avoiding the costly and often isolating transition to an assisted living facility.

Photo: From L to R: Volunteers Lisa Roemer, Scott Brewer (Rebuilding Together Kent County Construction Manager), Candy Tyrell, Rachel Carter, Amy SIne, and Richard Edwards put in an amazing morning of work for an aging neighbor.

In December of 2020, Rebuilding Together Kent County used funds from their US Department of Agriculture Housing Preservation Grant to contract Alex Reyes of Custom Home Services to perform critical repairs to Mrs. Scott’s bathroom. In the course of his work, it came to light that the tub was draining directly into the crawl space and threatening the home’s foundation. After drying out the area, replacing several joists under the floor, and fixing all the plumbing, Alex proceeded to create a beautiful bathroom for Mrs. Scott, complete with new tile, tub, toilet and fixtures.

With the inside hazards addressed, Rebuilding Together Kent County turned to an external challenge. Mrs. Scott’s daughter reported increased anxiety about her ability to get her mother safely in and out of the house for doctors’ appointments and trips to the store. According to the CDC, each year about $50 billion nationwide is spent on medical costs related to non-fatal fall injuries and $754 million is spent related to fatal falls. Statistics also suggest that more than 40% of those who are hospitalized for hip fractures are unable to return home and live independently.

On Saturday, July 17th, volunteers Rachel Carter, Richard Edwards, Lisa Roemer, Amy Sine, and Candy Tyrell worked alongside Rebuilding Together’s Construction Manager, Scott Brewer, from 8:00 am until noon to construct a wheelchair ramp for Mrs. Scott. Despite the high temperatures and humidity, everyone maintained a cheerful, can-do attitude and the crew ended up getting much further than anticipated. In addition to a generous donation of sandwiches, soup, chips and sweets from Germaine’s Uptown Carryout in Chestertown, Mrs. Scott surprised the group with some of her famous fried chicken and sweet tea! Rebuilding Together Kent County is grateful for the support of the community and also wishes to thank Lowe’s Foundation for donating store gift cards that covered all the materials for this ramp project. As Mrs. Scott’s daughter said to Rebuilding Together Kent County staff that morning, “This is more than just getting work done. This is a relationship.”

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 vulnerable seniors, those living with disabilities, and families with limited resources in Kent County. They are dedicated to ending substandard housing. All work is done at no cost to homeowners who meet the income limits and other criteria. This is an equal opportunity program. Learn more at RebuildingTogetherKCMD.org.

Meditation Groups Meeting in Person

July 20, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Insight Meditation Community of Chestertown is offering two meditation groups each week. The Tuesday evening group meets at 6:00 p.m. at the Unitarian/Universalist Fellowship on Gateway Drive, just North of Chestertown off Route 213. The Friday morning group meets at 9:00 a.m. at Sumner Hall on South Queen Street. Newcomers are welcome to attend either group. It’s a good time for those who are new to meditation, or need a refresher, to join either group. We will be offering guided meditation instructions, and the Friday group will be reading an introductory book: Seeking the Heart of Wisdom, by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield. For further information, check our web site at imc-chestertown.org, or call Anne Briggs at 410-778-1746.

CBMM Offers Fall sessions of STEAM Team Program

July 18, 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Leave a Comment

Photo by George Sass

On four Saturdays this October, young mariners ages 4–9 are invited to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md., to participate in CBMM’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Team. Class sizes are limited, with advanced registration needed.

Each week, STEAM Team participants will join aCBMMeducator in a hands-on exploration incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math with the arts. Two sessions will be held each week, one from 10am–noon for children ages 4 to 6, and another from 1–3pm for children ages 7 to 9.

Program themes include “Oyster Exploration” on Oct. 2, “Digging Geology” on Oct. 9, “Engineering Agents” on Oct. 16, and “Who, What, Where, and Weather” on Oct. 23.

The cost per class is $15, with a 20% discount for CBMM members. Register online for all four sessions for an additional discount. Need-based scholarships for individual classes are available. For more information, and to register, visit cbmm.org/steamteam.

CBMM members play a critical role in supporting CBMM’s rich legacy of educational programs, fascinating and ever-changing exhibitions, and maintenance of the largest collection of Chesapeake Bay watercraft in the world. Benefits of membership include access to exclusive discounts, perks, programming, and CBMM’s new virtual portal. To learn more about becoming a CBMM member, visit cbmm.org/membership.

For All Seasons Welcomes Patti Cannon and Lauren Weber To Its Leadership Team

July 17, 2021 by For All Seasons, Inc. Leave a Comment

With the recent growth of the agency’s services in meeting the growing mental health needs of the Mid-Shore, For All Seasons has expanded its leadership team – appointing Patti Cannon as the Chief Operating Officer and Lauren Kay Weber as Vice President of Philanthropy and Education.

“These two exceptional individuals are helping us address the growth in our organization. We are thrilled to have them both in place as we move our agency forward in delivering services on the Mid-Shore. They both bring strategic experience and leadership qualities which will enhance our administrative team, bringing depth to our organization,” comments CEO Beth Anne Langrell.

Photo: L-R: Patti Cannon of Cambridge has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of For All Seasons. Lauren Kay Weber of Centreville has been appointed as Vice President of Philanthropy and Education at For All Seasons.

Patti Cannon of Cambridge has experience in customer relations, quality initiatives, and project management, providing proven results in process improvements, department and employee development to achieve strategic company goals. She previously worked at Sensata Technologies in Cambridge, formerly Airpax and Philips Technologies, where she gained a wealth of experience in customer service in manufacturing. She later took this production experience to the Whalen Company. In 2018, she joined For All Seasons to help set up the agency’s Electronic Medical Record through Credible and became the organization’s Data Analyst and subsequently its Chief Information Officer.

In her new role as Chief Operating Officer, Patti will be responsible for corporate compliance, data analysis, electronic health record, facilities management, and the agency’s billing department.

“For All Seasons is growing quickly, and it is very rewarding working with a nonprofit organization which is giving back to the community in such an important way,” she comments.

“There is always a challenge to address. A real tribute to the organization’s flexibility and agility was when we had to quickly shift to telehealth during the pandemic. The agency was poised to do that. The leadership and the board made it a seamless transition to continue to serve our mission to provide therapy, advocacy, education, and psychiatric care in a safe environment that nurtures wellness.”

One of Patti’s goals is to continue to enhance current policies and procedures that benefit the client, the agency, and the employee. She is helping to steer the organization in evaluating the data from its service delivery to achieve the net result of its mission – helping to improve the mental health status of the community.

“I think working with people who are behind the organization’s mission is so rewarding. For All Seasons employees give back to the community in so many ways,” Patti adds.

She has an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland and a Master Certificate in Project Management from Villanova University, a B.A. Degree in Business Administration with a Marketing minor from the University of Maryland and an A.A. Degree in Business Management from Chesapeake College, and holds several certifications.

Lauren Kay Weber of Centreville has had a career as a forward-leaning strategist with the ability to generate value through innovation, leadership, and diversification of revenue streams. She joined For All Seasons in early 2021 as Director of Programs and Curriculum Development to address a multi-pronged program that the agency was developing to improve the well-being of children on the Mid-Shore. She was previously Executive Director of Character Counts Mid Shore, Inc., Director of Philanthropy at Wye River Upper School, and President of the Granger Coalition for Equity in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she also had a consulting firm advising nonprofits.

“A lot of my life has been pointing to this agency and the role I will be filling at For All Seasons. Many threads have come together from my varied career experiences and job competencies, and it is very satisfying and confirming to be here,” she comments.

In her new role as Vice President of Philanthropy and Education, Lauren’s role is two-fold. She will lead the agency’s Center for Learning through strategic programmatic growth aimed at increasing community resilience, as well as deepening existing school and business partnerships. She will also guide For All Seasons’ fundraising program to ensure that the agency can continue to deliver on its founding promise to the community – to provide services to anyone who needs them, regardless of ability to pay. This will include overseeing the agency’s major gifts, monthly giving, planned giving, and corporate giving programs.

“The two components of my position are interrelated. For All Seasons’ Center for Learning has a significant role to play in helping our region to rebuild as we emerge from the pandemic. On the same token, I am eager to welcome supporters into the forward momentum of the agency’s proactive approach to meeting the community’s needs. I see this new leadership role as an amazing opportunity to develop innovative strategies toward the goal of preventing the escalation of mental health crises in our community,” Lauren comments.

Lauren is currently working on her M.B.A at York St. John University and has Post-Baccalaureate Studies from Brigham Young University. She has a B.A. in Communications Studies, with a minor in leadership studies, from American University and also holds several certifications.

“My job as CEO is to bring the best employees to our team so that their expertise can lead the agency to the next level,” adds Beth Anne Langrell. “Both of these women fit right in with our staff and will have a significant role in helping us manage the organization’s growth.”

For All Seasons provides the highest level of mental health and victim services to children, adults and families across the Mid-Shore. Services are offered in both English and Spanish and include therapy, psychiatry, victim advocacy and 24-hour crisis hotlines.

KART Resumes Therapeutic Horseback Riding for Special Needs Community

July 16, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Kent Association of Riding Therapy (KART) is pleased to announce the start up their therapeutic horseback riding program after a year of forced closure due to COVID. KART provides two services for the summer program for Camp Fairlee, an Easterseals respite camp: equine assisted activities at the camp and therapeutic horseback riding at Worthmore Equestrian Center. “It is so nice to be able to serve this community again with this important therapeutic horseback riding program. The benefits and joy it brings to the riders and campers are heartwarming,” said Renée Bench, President.

KART trailers special therapeutic horses once a week to the camp so that campers can visit, groom, pet and bond with the horses. The visits provide a positive and calming experience as the campers interact with the horses.

Twice a week for 6 weeks, campers attend riding sessions with Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) certified instructors. With the help of trained therapeutic horses and dedicated volunteers, the rewarding benefits to the riders can be seen through physical, emotional, cognitive and social improvements. Horseback riding rhythmically moves the riders in a manner similar to a human’s regular gait which provides improvements in flexibility, balance and muscle strength. To ensure a safe riding session, a camper is assisted by their one-on-one Camp Fairlee counselor and KART sidewalkers and horse leaders.

KART hopes to resume its services in the fall for the students with special needs in the Kent County Schools. They provide this service at no cost to the schools or families.

Since 1984, as a Premier Accredited Center by PATH, KART has helped children and adults with special needs enhance their developmental growth physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. KART uses a multi-faceted program involving therapeutic horseback riding, grooming and caring for the horse, and comprehensive classroom instruction.

To learn more about KART or to donate or volunteer, please visit their website at www.kentridingtherapy.org.

Rock Hall Pirates and Wenches Weekend – Back in Port!

July 14, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Rock Hall Pirates and Wenches Weekend is Back in Port!! On the weekend of August 13-15, 2021, landlubbers and buccaneers, young and old, will once again set sail to Rock Hall, MD for the town’s FOURTEENTH “Best of the Bay” award winning, Pirates and Wenches Weekend! Come by land or come by sea to the Town of Rock Hall on the Isle of Delmarva located on the Upper Chesapeake Bay for a town wide family event that you will never forget! This is a great opportunity to bring your boat, anchor out or raft up with your mates. There is plenty of anchorage, dockage and raft-up space available, as well as free parking for those arriving by land. Rock Hall is less than a tank of gas from Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C and Northern Virginia.

All weekend, the whole town will be in the pirate spirit as merchants, re-enactors, musicians and other performers take you to the Golden Age of piracy on the high seas. Main Street will be alive with vendors, music, pirate performers, and plenty of grub and grog, Jump start the weekend on Friday with an evening Rum Tasting at Osprey Point or the Sea Shanty Sing – A- Long hosted by the American Legion Post 228. Dine at one of the many award-winning restaurants, settle in and enjoy the night’s live entertainment offered at many of the town’s local watering holes, or just relax under the stars. On Saturday afternoon, visit Rock Hall Harbor for a magnificent view of the Chesapeake Bay and be sure to get your dinghy or small boat decorated for the Decorated Flotilla and Pirate Poker Run organized by the Rock Hall Yacht Club! Enjoy some grub and grog at Harbor Shack Waterfront Bar and Grill as you watch the flotilla of tiny ships.

Rock Hall’s public beach will be home to the annual Beach Party hosted by the Rock Hall Lions Club and featuring music by Triple Play. Graybeard’s trophy will be handed down to the Best Decorated Boat and prizes will be awarded to the winners. Before the party begins, kids are encouraged to come and plunder the treasures of Graybeard on Rock Hall’s beach. Pirate attire is strongly encouraged! Don’t forget to get your raffle tickets for a chance to win lots of local treasure or the 50/50 to win lots of cash! Tickets can be purchased on Saturday all day on Main Street, Beach Party and in the evening during the Buccaneer’s Ball at Waterman’s Crab House. The drawing will be held during the Buccaneer’s Ball. You don’t have to be present to win and proceeds go back to support local non- profits. Official Pirates and Wenches souvenir merchandise will be available for purchase during the weekend on Main Street, Beach Party and Sea Shanty Sing A Long.

Some of the pirate performers offering up music and mayhem will include Bedlum Bones, Bone and String, Brigands, Brinjali and Aubergine Belly Dancers, Circus Siren Mermaids, Evan Young’s Kapow Show, Grace O’Malley the Pirate Queen, Pineland Puppets, Pirates for Sail, Pirates of Fortunes Folly, Pirates of the Approaching Storm, Skullduggery Cannon Crew, Johnny Strum and Valhallas Pirates. Public parking and transportation will make getting around safe and worry free. For ye old salts, the Buccaneer’s Ball will take place at Waterman’s Crab House on Saturday night with live music, contests, prizes and seafood. Pirate attire is requested for the evening. The little scallywags will find much to do all weekend with entertainment, games, puppet shows, treasure hunt, boat building, pirate encampment and more! The party doesn’t end on Saturday – so be sure to stick around for more music and fun Sunday on Main Street

For more information visit www.rockhallpirates.com

Sacred Heart Parish to Change Mass and Office Location

July 14, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

According to Mary Jo Frohlich, Business Manager for Sacred Heart Parish, a new roof and HVAC system will be replaced at 508 High Street beginning July 19 and extending until August 13. During this time, the parish office will be moved to the hall and all Masses will be celebrated at St. John Roman Catholic Church, Main and Catholic Avenues, Rock Hall. The Mass schedule will remain the same with a 4PM Mass on Saturday and an 8AM Mass and 10AM Mass on Sunday. Weekday Masses (Monday through Thursday at 8:30AM) will be celebrated in the parish hall.

The parking lot at 508 High Street will be closed and unavailable for parking during this time.

Sacred Heart Parish was founded in 1876; St. John the Evangelist Church in Rock Hall was founded in 1890 as a mission of Sacred Heart as it remains to this day.

Get Hands On with the Construction of Maryland Dove

July 11, 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Leave a Comment

Photo by George Sass

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is pleased to offer the public a chance to be a part of history and join CBMM shipwrights this fall as they build Maryland Dove, a reproduction of the vessel that accompanied the first European settlers to Maryland in 1634.

Scheduled for Saturdays Aug. 21, Oct. 16, Nov. 13, and Dec. 18, from 10am–4pm, guests are invited to CBMM’s working Shipyard to hone their woodworking skills while helping to craft pieces of the new Maryland Dove. Currently under construction at CBMM, the vessel is owned by the state of Maryland and operated and maintained by Historic St. Mary’s City. To learn more about the project, visit marylanddove.org.

Projects will include the construction of the interior cabin doors, the grated hatch cover, and the binnacle. The cost to participate in any of these workdays is $55, with a 20% discount offered to CBMM members. For additional details and to register, visit cbmm.org/shipyardprograms.

CBMM members play a critical role in supporting CBMM’s rich legacy of educational programs, fascinating and ever-changing exhibitions, and maintenance of the largest collection of Chesapeake Bay watercraft in the world, and have access to exclusive discounts, perks, and programming. To learn more about becoming a CBMM member, visit cbmm.org/membership.

Meet the Candidate: Brooke Lierman for MD Comptroller

July 10, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Brooke Lierman

The public is invited to attend the next meeting of the Democratic Club of Kent County on Thursday, July 15 via Zoom, for another session of our 2021 “Meet the Candidates” series. We’ll hear from Brooke Lierman, candidate for Comptroller of Maryland.

Brooke Lierman currently serves in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 46 since 2015. An effective and passionate legislator, a mother of two, she is a disability and civil rights attorney. Delegate Lierman has successfully passed landmark legislation to invest in and improve public transit; end suspension and expulsion of young students; fund evidence-based gun violence prevention programs; aid sex trafficking victims; close loopholes in our family and paid leave laws and much more. In 2019, working with environmental groups and small businesses around the state, she passed the nation’s first statewide ban on Styrofoam food and beverage containers, and in 2020 she passed the HOME Act, banning housing discrimination based on the renter’s source of income. More information is available on her website,https://www.brookelierman.com/.

The meeting will open for a social time at 6:30 pm, including by a brief business meeting. At 7:00 we’ll hear from Delegate Lierman, with an extended opportunity for questions and discussion. Members will receive the Zoom link prior to the meeting – others please contact the club at info@dckcmd.comfor an invitation to attend.

Adkins Arboretum Receives Network to Freedom Grant

July 9, 2021 by Adkins Arboretum Leave a Comment

Historian Anthony Cohen

Adkins Arboretum has been awarded a National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom (NTF) grant to develop and produce a self-guided virtual tour and interpretive storytelling experience. The project will increase the awareness of the link between nature and the Underground Railroad and will highlight ways the environment helped and hindered those who resisted enslavement through their flight to freedom. It will debut this fall.

Through a combination of video, articles, audio clips, historical photos and resource links, the NTF project will complement and build upon the Arboretum’s existing A Journey Begins: Nature’s Role in the Flight to Freedom audio tour. Visitors—both onsite and online—will be invited to explore a landscape that has been shaped by and still bears witness to history. Through accounts of freedom seekers intuiting the environment while pursuing a path out of bondage, visitors will learn how freedom seekers’ methods for hiding, communication, navigation and finding nourishment reveal a deep connection to and understanding of the landscape. They will also be encouraged to explore these accounts further, to learn more about the plant and animal species mentioned and to visit related NTF sites to continue their own journey of discovery.

Visitors will travel through the Arboretum with Anthony Cohen, a historian, author and explorer of the American past. As founder and president of The Menare Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of Underground Railroad history, Cohen creates vibrant educational programs and works with individuals, organizations and communities to use history as a spark for human potential. In addition to operating Button Farm Living History Center in Germantown, Md., he has served as a consultant to the National Parks Conservation Association, Maryland Public Television and NASA, among others, and he trained Oprah Winfrey for her role as Sethe in the 1998 motion picture based on Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. Along with current Adkins trustee Damika Baker-Wilson and historian Kate Clifford Larson, Cohen was instrumental in developing the Arboretum’s Underground Railroad programming.

The Arboretum has contracted with Schoolhouse Farmhouse to produce the guided experience. Based in Cordova, Schoolhouse Farmhouse focuses on projects that explore nature and humans’ relationship with the environment. The principals, George Burroughs and Lauren Giordano, have partnered previously with the Arboretum on a series of field guides and other education resources.

The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom was established in 1998. Its mission, through collaboration with individuals, organizations, and local, state and federal entities, is to honor, preserve and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight. Through its mission, the NTF helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression. The program consists of sites with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad, educational and interpretive programs that pertain to the Underground Railroad and facilities, either research, educational or interpretive. The network currently comprises more than 680 locations in 39 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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