The Kent Association of Riding Therapy (KART) is hosting the Chestertown Challenge Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, October 6, at 9 a.m. at Wilmer Park.

Since 1984, KART has provided a free therapeutic riding program to special needs students from 6 Kent County schools. Recently, they have expanded their services, in partnership with

Bridges at Worthmore, to include adults from the Kent Center and a veteran’s program.  In the summer, they provide therapeutic riding for participants at Camp Fairlee, an Easter Seals respite camp. Last year, over 225 riders in KART programs benefitted from therapeutic horseback riding through physical, cognitive and social improvements.

This fundraiser will not only raise awareness for the organization, but also provide funds necessary for the success of the program:  certified therapeutic riding instructors, horse care and equipment, special lifts and ramps for wheelchair riders, and helmets, harnesses, and safety gear for all riders.

Advanced registration is $25 for the 5K and $50 for the Half Marathon.  The registration increases to $30 and $60 after Sept. 29.  To register on line go to www.trisportsevents.com or www.kentridingtherapy.org.  Packet pick up and race day registration will be available at 8 a.m. Tech shirts, awards and medals will be presented at the race.  The course is part of the Trisports Events Ultimate Challenge Series and both the 5K and Half Marathon courses are USATF certified.

“It is the perfect training run for those planning to participate in a full marathon later this fall and more importantly, it supports an organization that provides such an invaluable service to the special needs community,” said Renee Bench, President of KART.

For more information or learn more about sponsorship opportunities and have your logo on the tech shirts, please contact Renee Bench at rbench@benchworks.com.

KART is a 501c3 non-profit organization and an agency of the United Way of Kent County.

Rebuilding Together offers free home safety checkup on September 21.

Call, click or text! Let us know you want to participate. Please provide your name and address—that’s it! We’ll do the rest! Call us at 410-708-9936. Go online at RebuildingTogetherKCMD.org.

Rebuilding Together’s Health and Safety Priorities

These 25 HEALTH AND SAFETY PRIORITIES focus attention on significant health and safety hazards, inform trade-offs, guide the design of repairs, and provide a means for Rebuilding Together affiliates to report the results of repairs and modifications consistently.

1. The homeowner has safe ingress and egress to the home.
2. The roof is watertight.
3. Rainwater is effectively directed away from the structure.
4. Exterior walls have no gaps, cracks or holes larger than 1/8 inch.
5. Windows and exterior doors open effectively, close and lock securely, and seal well.
6. The home is free of live infestation of pests, and sources of attraction are removed.
7. The numerals in the property’s street address are clearly visible from the street.
8. A working smoke detector is on each floor and in or near each bedroom to meet code.
9. A working CO detector protects homes with combustion appliances or attached garage.
10. A currently dated Class ABC fire extinguisher is available in or near the kitchen.
11. Water heaters, furnaces and space heaters that produce CO exhaust outside.
12. No known electrical hazards are present, and kitchens and baths have GFCIs.
13. The homeowner has access to a working water heater, refrigerator and range.
14. The kitchen and bathrooms have an exhaust fan vented outside.
15. The homeowner has access to a working sink, toilet, and bathtub or shower.
16. Modifications to toilets and tubs assist those who need help using the toilet or bathing.
17. Grab bars are strategically placed for those at risk of falls.
18. Stairs and steps have secure handrails that meet occupants’ needs.
19. Main rooms and stairs are free of tripping hazards.
20. Old, filthy wall-to-wall carpeting has been replaced, preferably with durable flooring.
21. The clothes dryer, if present, vents outside with metal duct and unobstructed airflow.
22. The homeowner can maintain the interior temperature in a comfortable range.
23. Main rooms and stairs have adequate lighting for occupants to move about safely.

This is an equal opportunity program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal Law.

Kent Attainable Housing holds orientation meetings to introduce potential homebuyer applicants to the selection criteria and process of being approved to buy a Kent Attainable home.  Two upcoming sessions are scheduled for 6 pm at the Yellow Building behind the main building of the Kent County Public Library – Chestertown branch.  The first is Thursday, April 22 and the second is Monday, September 2.  Attendees should use the library’s back parking lot for easiest access to the yellow building.

Kent Attainable Housing, is a new local nonprofit that builds affordable homes for families whose household income is not less than $24,000 and not more than 50% of the Kent County median income as defined by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.  For example, a family of four cannot make more than $37,850 to be eligible for a Kent Attainable home.  The range of maximum income begins at $26,500 for a family of one up to $43,450 for a family of eight.

Applicants are not offered a specific home until the selection committee reviews their application, verifies they meet all criteria and recommends their approval by the board.

To qualify to be a buyer for a Kent Attainable Housing home, applicants must meet three criteria:

1) Have a need for a safe, decent and affordable home

2) Be able to pay an affordable mortgage

3) Be willing to partner with Kent Attainable Housing by volunteering 50 hours of time that needs to include a homeownership workshop, financial literacy counseling and participation on the building and landscaping of their new home or another Kent Attainable home.

Applicants who are interested in buying a Kent Attainable Housing home but cannot attend an orientation meeting should call 443 282 0622 to find out when future orientation sessions will be scheduled.

Rebuilding Together Kent County, the affiliate of the leading national nonprofit organization Rebuilding Together, announced the reception of a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grant will allow Rebuilding Together Kent County to build capacity and sustainability in order to provide quality home repair and rehabilitation and community revitalization services to neighbors in need.

The four-year grant will help develop and implement a model program of rural capacity building through customized needs assessment, board and organizational development, funding and manpower resources, engaging the community, and community revitalization. The $125,000 grant was secured through Rebuilding Together’s national office.

“As we work to ensure everyone can live in a safe home and community, we must not forget about our rural neighbors who face unique housing challenges,” said Caroline Blakely, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. “Through this grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Rebuilding Together affiliates in rural areas will be well positioned to provide critical home repairs in their service territory for years to come.”

In our local community, Rebuilding Together Kent County has helped repair many homes to keep our residents safe, warm, and dry since its creation in 2004. We focus on impacting the homeowner in a holistic manner, with a program that enriches their physical environment and personal health while promoting self-sufficiency and independence. A healthy home is clean, dry, pest-free, safe, thermally controlled, maintained, ventilated, and contaminant-free. We are often asked to help with repairs such as leaks in the roof, adding wheelchair ramps and grab bars, and fixing leaks around windows and door; but there are many other repairs that our volunteers help with. If you need assistance with repairs or want to volunteer, contact us

For more information about Rebuilding Together Kent County, visit www.rebuildingtogetherkcmd.org or call or text 410-708-9936.

The non-partisan group “Your Vote, Your Voice”, formed in Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties in 2017, is now planning its 2019-2020 activities to register, educate, and encourage local citizens to be engaged. The non-partisan group is a coalition of members of local civic groups.

“Your vote is literally your voice in the forward progress of our community, our state, and our country,” according to Muriel Cole, Steering Committee member. She notes that in Kent County one out of five citizens is not registered to vote. The group hopes to increase participation among young people, the disenfranchised, and those who are not now involved in the political process.

Voter registration is open now for Maryland citizens 18 and over, with pre-registration open to those over 16. Students attending college in Maryland who use their college address and former convicts, even if on probation, are eligible to vote. Any voter may vote by absentee ballot.

On-line registration is available at elections.state.md.us if you have a valid Maryland driver’s license or identification, or download an English or Spanish registration application and complete and return it. Citizens may also call 410-778-0038 to request a form. Your Vote Your Voice will also have a registration and information table at Legacy Day in Fountain Park from 5-7pm.

For those interested in volunteering for 2019-2020 activities, email yourvoiceyourvotemd@gmail.com.