Midshore Journal Nov-Dec 2013

Serving the Counties of

Kent • Queen Anne’s • Caroline • Talbot • DorchesterFREE

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DON’T LET REGRET BE YOUR LAST THOUGHT

With the holiday season here, there are so many things people are focused on like decorating, holiday events and activities, last minute shopping. I kept wondering “What would people take a few minutes to stop and read about?” We are a paper that provides news, articles, and events, but we also strive to keep our paper positive and inspiring. So what should I write about?

As the deadline approached, I had nothing. Nothing that is, until a friend shared an article with me on Facebook (which we’re on too, so friend us!) As I read the article it reminded me of my fi rst thoughts as I heard Tim McGraw’s song ‘Live Like You Were Dying’ for the fi rst time. I remember thinking how profound the lyrics of that song were and how true they were, and then I went on about my life not giving it any more thought.The following article was written by a woman named

Karen who was, for lack of a better term, a Hospice caregiver. Her observations are deep and inspiring!

‘For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality.

I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions as was expected. Denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though. Every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do diff erently,

common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the fi ve most common responses:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfi lled. Most people had not honored even half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize until they no longer have it.

~Continued on page 15~

Merry Christmas!

Th ank you for your continued confi dence and support of the MidShore Journal. We wish you the best for this holiday

season and the coming new year!

MidShore Journal • 2013 PAGE 3

I’M JUST SAYIN’…

FACT OR SPECULATION - YOU CAN’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ…

The recent article run in the Baltimore Sun regarding the Bay Bridge charity run scheduled for next year got a lot of tongues wagging. The question is whether their facts were based on reality or speculation?

The article I refer to said the Chesapeake Bay Foundation had been removed as a potential partner/benefi ciary of the race because the organization had come out in opposition to the proposed Four Seasons development on Kent Island. Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past 12+ years, you are undoubtedly aware this development has been a sore subject in Queen Anne’s County.

Sparrow Rogers, speaking on behalf of Chesapeake Bay Run LLC was quoted as saying that run organizers had withdrawn an invitation to the foundation because people “at high levels in Queen Anne’s County” said they would be upset if the environmental advocacy group were allowed to participate. However, further down in the story it quotes Sparrow as saying “There was no direct pressure. I didn’t receive any calls from any elected offi cials.” She said the organizers chose to drop the CBF in order to keep the event apolitical and she declined to identify the individuals who she said had warned organizers about the foundation’s position on the Four Seasons development.

So, let’s dissect this a little bit. First, this event was originally proposed as a way to benefi t organizations in Queen Anne’s County that had not yet been identifi ed, so it obviously started out as a non-political event.

Second, as I said earlier, you’d have to have lived under a rock for the past 12+ years not to know the anti-development position groups like the Kent Island Defense League and CBF have taken regarding this project, so I can’t understand why there would have to be anyone to identify as the ‘informant’ to Sparrow. Third, if the proposal for this event was to benefi t organizations in Queen Anne’s County why was CBF even a considered benefactor of the monies raised?

I’ve spoken directly to several County Commissioners in Queen Anne’s County who have assured me they had no intention of making this a political matter and they had no intention of creating any adverse issues with regard to the permitting process or any other types of approvals that would be required. So, where did this ‘attack’ on Queen Anne’s County come from? A recent correspondence from William C. Baker, President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation stated that ‘We’ve just received word that CBF has been excluded as a potential charity partner in the Chesapeake

Bay Bridge Run. All because we’ve taken a stand against an irresponsible and poorly planned development project on Maryland’s Kent Island that a wide majority of Kent Island voters also oppose.’ I haven’t seen any proof that the majority of Kent Island voters oppose this project. Why has Mr. Baker? (Side note- If there’s any truth to that statement, why is it just opinions of voters on Kent Island that are being taken into consideration? Is it just the people of Kent Island who should have a say in this matter and not everyone in the county? If that’s the case, why does CBF or any other group from outside of the county have any right to put in their two cents?)

Does Mr. Baker know something we don’t or are these infl ammatory comments just another political ploy to garner support for his organization while creating more opposition to this project? And while we’re on the subject, what makes the CBF the ultimate authority on environmental matters in Queen Anne’s County or in the state for that matter? The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is basically a pseudo-governmental agency that has spent hundreds of millions of public and private dollars over the past decades to clean up the bay, yet when you compare the ‘scorecard’ over the past 2 decades you have to ask yourself if the money has been well invested. Not to mention, CBF isn’t

the only environmentally focused organization in the state. Queen Anne’s County has the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center right in Grasonville which is just as committed to a cleaner bay. Were they even considered to be a partner in this venture or are they just not ‘big enough’ to get the support the organizers are looking for?

So, how did something as apolitical as a charity run across the Bay Bridge become such a negative hotbed? There hasn’t been any substantiation to the claim that comments, if there truly were any made from high level governmental offi cials in Queen Anne’s County, were in response to CBF’s position on the Four Seasons project. Who knows? It may have been someone wondering why a huge, government-backed organization like CBF was going to fi nancially benefi t from an event that was initially supposed to benefi t organizations in Queen Anne’s County.

There are lots of questions to be asked and I’m sure lots of REAL answers to be given! Don’t believe everything you read folks. I’m just sayin’…

MidShore Journal • 2013PAGE 4

Benchworks is pleased to announce that the company has been named Agency of Record (AOR) for West Pharmaceutical Services in relation to its Daikyo Crystal Zenith® technology platform. A global company, West is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania and has 32 manufacturing locations worldwide. West provides standard-setting systems and device components for parenterally administered medicines. The company helps improve the safe delivery of pharmaceutical, health care and personal care products.

As AOR for Daikyo Crystal Zenith, Benchworks will provide comprehensive marketing and branding services, including strategic planning and execution.

Melissa Johnston, Benchworks Sr. Vice President, commented on the appointment, saying, “We are very pleased to be selected as the marketing partner for West Pharmaceuticals, a leader in pharmaceutical delivery systems. Benchworks’ extensive experience in the pharmaceutical arena enables us to provide world-class marketing solutions. We are very excited about the opportunity.”

Benchworks, a comprehensive marketing services fi rm headquartered in Chestertown, Maryland, was founded in 1991. The company specializes in the design, production, and launch of complete marketing and branding services. Clients include a wide variety of companies in the pharmaceutical, beverage, manufacturing, marine, tourism and education industries in North America and Europe.

For more information, visit www.benchworks.com, or call 410-810-8862.

Benchworks

Selected By

West

Pharmaceutical

Services

The 2013 Centreville Christmas Parade is scheduled for Friday, December 6th beginning at 6:30 p.m. This year's theme will be Celebrating 200 Years of American Soldiers - 1813-2013.

In keeping with the theme of the parade, this year the Christmas Parade Committee is asking all participants and spectators to donate care package items that will be mailed to our troops currently serving overseas. Suggested items are:

Baby Wipes; Liquid Hand Sanitizer; Body Wash; Deodorant; Lip Balm; Chap Stick; Cereal Bars; Beef Jerkey; Peanuts; Hand/Toe Warmers; Chewing Gum; Crystal Light; Individual Instant Coff ee and/or Hot Chocolate; Powered Creamer; Artifi cal Sweeteners; Ramen Noodles; Magazines (no adult magazines allowed); Socks; International Phone Cards to call home.

The NEW parade route is tentatively (due to road construction) scheduled to leave Queen Anne's County High School at 6:30 p.m., proceed down Ruthsburg Road/Railroad Avenue and take a right onto Banjo Lane; Banjo Lane and turn left onto Turpins Lane, Turpins Lane and turn left onto Commerce Street; Commerce Street and turn left on Kidwell Avenue; Kidwell Avenue and turn right on Ruthsburg Road. The parade will continue on Ruthsburg Road and return and disband at the Queen Anne's County High School.

2013

Centreville

Christmas

Parade


With the success of the 2nd Annual Belgian Beer Fest on High Street during Cambridge’s “Second Saturday” in November, along with Main Street mainstays, Joie de Vivre and Sunnyside celebrating milestone anniversaries, 13 years and 9 years respectively, Cambridge secures its place as one of Maryland’s great small towns.

“While Main Street’s many events typically deliver enthusiastic crowds downtown, the entrepreneurial energy this weekend was contagious,” said Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley. “There was something extra special in the air as about a thousand people fi lled the streets to shop, savor, sip and spend.”

City Commissioners joined the Mayor by dining and shopping downtown on Second Saturday to encourage residents to support the ‘shop local’ eff ort. Council member Robert Hanson was pleased to report that “the event was a success, businesses were full of activity and everyone had a great time.”

Over the past year, as regional and national media from USA Today to Livability.com heralded Cambridge as one of the ‘top 10 towns’ to live and visit, the city continued to focus on small business owners and entrepreneurs as the key to community revitalization. With 13 businesses opening and six expanding, 2013 was a banner year for downtown Cambridge.

According to Cambridge Economic Development Director Natalie Chabot, since being designated both a Maryland Main Street and Arts & Entertainment District 10 years ago, “The City has continued an impressive stride of revitalization. While the recession slowed the pace of activity for a few years, it hasn’t stop progress.”

Saturday morning, Mayor Jackson-Stanley assisted Dorchester native Ashley Banks with a ribbon cutting

at the grand opening of her new children’s boutique, Sur Jeudi. This unique shop, located at 511 Poplar Street, is one of the newest additions to downtown. Meanwhile, work continues at a feverish pace around the corner on Gay Street as Squoze prepares for its mid-December opening.

Ashley Banks joins a growing list of entrepreneurs emerging from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School (CSD) as the millennial dawned. Along with JT Merryweather and Chris Brohawn partners in Realerevival, Amanda Bramble owner of Jimmie & Sooks, and Travis Todd of Ocean Odyssey, CSD graduates have yielded an impressive number of start-ups and new business leaders.

“I’ve always wanted to open my own business,” said Banks who worked previously at two upscale children’s stores in Baltimore. While a series of life altering events led her to open Sur Jeudi, she is grateful for the opportunity and eager to make it the fi rst in her future fashion empire.

Sur Jeudi is the third local retailer to open downtown in the past three months. On October 1, Deborah Benisch and Debbie Jackson cut the ribbon on their vintage furniture and collectibles shop, Heart of Dorchester Antiques, adjacent to Canvasback Restaurant. Two weeks later, George Wright relocated his art and framing shop, renamed Downtown Frame of Mine, next to Dorchester Center for the Arts on High Street.

“I want to see Main Street like it was I was young,” said Dorchester native Debbie Jackson explaining why she decided to open Heart of Dorchester Antiques with Benisch in the 1,000-square foot space they lease from Canvasback’s owner Tony Thomas.

Continuing the ribbon-cutting trend, Chef Patrick Fanning adds another outpost to his growing

culinary cluster with the opening of Squoze at 315 Gay Street. Fanning praises Cambridge’s reputation as a dining destination and believes his newest venture will provide area residents and employees with more healthful options to dine in, carry-out or prepare at home.

“I wanted to have a healthy place in Dorchester for people with a vegetarian lifestyle or dietary restrictions such as celiac disease or gluten intolerance,” adding “there wasn’t a place in our market to provide such options and we saw an opportunity to meet an important quality of life need.”

Other locally grown, locally crafted food and beverage developments during the past year include the opening of Stoked (April) and RealeRevival (August) and expansions of a Few of My Favorite Things (June), Leaky Pete’s (August), and Ocean Odyssey (September). Additionally, fans of Bernie Elliott’s fresh-baked goods are eagerly awaiting the debut of Elliott’s Baking Company on Race Street in early 2014.

Chabot is quick to cite both private investments such as the Cambridge Venture Fund and, public programs like the historic tax credit and façade improvement program for helping

foster the city’s growth. But she credits human capital as the biggest economic benefi t. “Powered by sweat equity and entrepreneurial energy, the greatest revitalization resources responsible for Cambridge’s success are the people.”

After almost three years downtown, Crabi Gras’ owner, Keith Graffi us is expanding to larger quarters on Sunburst Highway/Route 50 across from Ocean Odyssey early next year. As the new business, Slick’s Barbershop, prepares to move into Graffi us’ space, 2014 is shaping up to be another impressive year for openings and expansions.

Eager to join the enthusiasm and camaraderie of Cambridge’s downtown, with her location across from the soon to be only downtown bakery, Slick’s Barbershop owner/operator, Amy Taylor’s enthusiastic endorsement sums up the environment best: “I love how Cambridge is so pro-small business!”

For information on starting, relocating, expanding or investing in an authentic, historic Chesapeake waterfront town, contact the Cambridge Economic Development Offi ce at 410-221-6074, [email protected] or visit www.ChooseCambridge.com.

Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Owners Key to Cambridge Revitalization

19 Restaurants And Retailers Open Or Expand Downtown In 2013 By Dorchester County Economic Development by Andrea Vernot


Habitat for Humanity marked a major milestone Nov. 6 when it began construction of the 800,000th home that the organization has built, rehabilitated or repaired around the world since it was founded in 1976. The home is being built by Atlanta Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity Choptank, which serves Dorchester and Talbot Counties, is among the more than 2,300 Habitat affi liates worldwide that have made this milestone possible, having built or renovated 59 houses since its founding in 1992.

“Habitat is a win-win for everyone involved,” notes Habitat Choptank board president David DeLuca. “For our home buyers, it’s a chance to build a better future and gain a foothold in the economy. Our volunteers have the chance to get involved in a way that really makes a diff erence in the lives of their hardworking low-income neighbors. And as the community at –large, we all benefi t from the increased tax-base that comes from growing the number of owner occupied homes in struggling neighborhoods.”

With an average of fi ve people per Habitat home, this worldwide milestone house represents an estimated 4 million people who have improved their living conditions through Habitat’s housing solutions in the more than 70 countries around the world where Habitat works.

“This milestone house celebrates the dedication and commitment of many hands and hearts that share our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat is committed to helping more families, partnering and advocating with other groups to create new housing opportunities and inspiring people to take action to end poverty housing. Thank you to our many donors, partners, volunteers and advocates, whose contributions to our ministry have made it possible for millions of people worldwide to have a decent place to call home.”

In its 2013 fi scal year, Habitat for Humanity built, renovated or repaired 124,946 homes, including 3 homes completed locally. Habitat Choptank currently has four more homes under construction and plans to start four more over the coming year. This marks the fi rst time that the global organization has served more than 100,000 families in a single year and equates to a family being served on average every 4 minutes.

Habitat For Humanity Marks Start Of 800,000th Home

Habitat Choptank Joins Worldwide Celebration

The house at 50 Pleasant Alley that Habitat Choptank completed and sold to Lutitia King in December 2012 was one of 124,946 homes built, renovated or repaired by Habitat affi liates worldwide during the last fi scal year. This marks the fi rst time that the global organization has served more than 100,000 families in a single year and equates to a family being served on average every 4 minutes.

L to R Front row - Peggy Sanner (250 hours), Ann Cook (250 hours), Rebecca Bowers (250 hours), Joe Taylor(500 hours) Back row - Janie Hendricks (100 hours), Lynn Mitchell (100 hours), Bonnie Laird (250 hours), Alan Mitchell (100 hours), Jennifer Taylor (750 hours)


Coming Soon...

The Palliative Care Suites at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton recently received a face lift thanks to a generous donation from the Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital at Easton, a volunteer organization which raises funds to benefi t programs and services at the Medical Center.

The Auxiliary contributed $10,000 to the purchase of new furniture and décor for the suites and the family lounge used by family members of palliative care patients being cared for at the Medical Center. The donation was funded by last year’s Tree of Lights Campaign, an annual holiday fundraiser sponsored by the Auxiliary.

“The men and women of the Auxiliary take great pride in our ability to support necessary programs and services at Shore Medical at Easton,” comments Nancy Espenhorst, Tree of Lights Chairman. “Through the generous support of our local community, last year’s 29th Annual Tree of Lights Campaign was able to fund upgrades to the Medical Center’s palliative care areas, which will provide patients and their family members much needed comfort during their hospital stay.”

According to Lakshmi Vaidyanathan, MD, internal medicine and palliative care, UM Shore Regional Health, palliative care focuses on the quality of life and relief of suff ering for patients facing advanced, chronic and life-limiting illnesses. In addition, palliative care addresses not only physical pain, but also emotional, mental, social and spiritual pain, all to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients and their families.

“On behalf of the palliative care team at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, I thank the Auxiliary for their generous support of the palliative care program,” remarks Vaidyanathan. “In the palliative care suites at the Medical Center, patients receive comprehensive care at an important juncture in their lives and families receive much needed comfort and support.”

For additional information about the 30th Annual Tree of Lights Campaign, which kicks off on November 25 to benefi t the funding of pediatric ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) equipment for the Emergency Department at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, contact Nancy Espenhorst, Tree of Lights Chairman, at 443-746-3338 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Terry John, owner of Mid Atlantic Tire Pros in Easton, donated 250 soccer balls to young athletes who played in the 2013 Talbot Soccer Association league. John, in partnership with Michelin Tire, kicked off the soccer ball giveaway program in 2006. In eight years, he has given away 1200 soccer balls to Talbot County soccer players. John also supports the Talbot Soccer Association by earmarking a portion of tire sales from August to October every year. The $300 he will donate to the league for the 2013 season boosts his total cash gifts to more than $2000.

“Supporting the Talbot Soccer Association refl ects our interest in the kids of our community,” explains

John. “All of Mid Atlantic Tire’s community outreach is directed to young people and our commitment to keeping them safe, healthy and happy.”

The other community programs John sponsors include the “K-ID" event, which provides free fi ngerprint and photo kits, and the Koats for Kids holiday coat drive.

Follow Mid Atlantic Tire on Facebook and visit the website at www.midatlantictire.com. Learn more about the Talbot Soccer Association at www.talbotsoccerassociation.org.

Auxiliary Funds Medical Center’s Palliative

Care Areas

Mid Atlantic Tire

Supports Local Soccer League

Members of the Talbot Soccer Association U-12 2013 Season Ledo Pizza team recently visited Mid Atlantic Tire to show off the soccer balls they received through Terry John’s annual soccer ball giveaway. Pictured are (left to right) 1st row, Colt Easterling, Cate Southworth, Morgan Kimminau, Sam Bishop and Abby Farr; 2nd row, Michelin Man, Billy Carrieri, Sierra Roe, Isaiah Whyman, Jack O'Donnell, Caron Easterling and John Carrieri; and 3rd row, Jon Southworth and Mid Atlantic Tire Pros owner Terry John.


The Rotary Club of Easton, Maryland is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for 2013-2014. This year’s Club Offi cers and Directors include C. Albert Pritchett, President; Joseph E. Anthony, President Elect; Thomas D. Lane, Vice President and Club Administration Director; George Hatcher, Secretary; Mike Jacobs, Assistant Secretary; Sarah E. Jones Treasurer; Patti K. Willis, Immediate Past President; Ramon Gras, Club Service Director; F. Graham Lee, Personnel Service Director; Terry John, Community Service Director; Sharon Ritter Beall, International Service Director; and Ronald Flohr, Vocational Service Director.

Founded and chartered in 1921, The Rotary Club of Easton is part of Rotary International, the world’s fi rst service club organization. Its more than 1.2

million members in greater than 200 countries volunteer their time and talents to promote the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”. Volunteer eff orts of the Easton Rotary Club include Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, the Neighborhood Service Center’s Food Pantry and the “Flags for Heroes” fundraiser which aids in the support of local services for veterans, law enforcement and fi re/rescue.

To learn more about the Rotary Club of Easton, Maryland, visit www.eastonrotary.org or Rotary International at www.rotary.org.

CASA of Caroline, Inc. is holding it’s fourth annual Holiday House Tour on December 14, 2013. The cost per ticket is $10.00 and the hours of the tour are from 10:00am – 3:00pm.

Some of the homes on the tour this year will include:* The Little Red Church built in 1874 featuring a quilt display as part as the Caroline’s trail of Quilts.* Another home on the tour has superb craftsmanship in the remarkable brick work of the structure. Especially notable is the belvedere at the very top of the house. From the belvedere one could see for miles on a clear day. The kitchen is modern with granite countertops from Argentina, the paintings of the Great Blue Herons can be seen on the walls.* Some interesting features of one of the other home includes an in-the-wall saltwater aquarium, a glass enclosed patio that overlooks the golf course and fi ve stunning modern art paintings. The owners have remodeled the bathrooms , and the kitchen has 29 linear feet of granite counter space.* An additional home on the tour, features a new brick rancher in a

colonial style designed by the owner, and loaded with surprises. The really open fl oor plan lets your eyes wander all the way through the rear sunroom pleasantly interrupted by a wide angled oak stairway centered in the vaulted foyer directly inside the front entrance.* When entering the cape cod, with the 2-story foyer, the country fl air of the décor welcomes you to come in and relax. The great room features a 16-foot ceiling with a fl oor to ceiling fi replace, large Amish quilt displayed under the clerestory windows, paintings by local and not so local artists, and a 90 year old upright Steinway piano. The 9-foot Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments from countries around the world visited by the owner.* Located along the tour route is a home that was constructed in 1940 on the previous home’s foundation which was made of cement and oyster shells. On the fi rst fl oor you will fi nd 6 charming rooms, upstairs on the second fl oor you will discover 3 attractive bedrooms along with 2 bathrooms.

The self-guided tour featuring several homes beautifully decorated

in holiday splendor, located in the Denton area of Caroline County. Maps are provided with the purchase of tickets for the locations of the homes on the tour. Lunch is available for purchase at the Choptank Grill located at the Caroline Golf Club. Caroline Golf and the Choptank Grill will donate 15% of the tickets holder’s lunch back to CASA of Caroline, Inc.

Tickets may be obtained from the CASA offi ce Tuesday thru Friday 9:00am-4:00pm, on the day of the tour the offi ce will be open for ticket sales. The CASA offi ce is located at 114 Market Street, Suite 100 Denton, MD. 21629. For more information you may call 410.479.8301 or email [email protected]..

The house tour is a fundraiser for CASA of Caroline, Inc. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in the foster care system. CASA’s are adult volunteers trained to advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system. Each child that is removed from their parent’s home at no fault of their own, is involved in a lengthy court

process, which is often scary and confusing for the child. Having a CASA volunteer available to work with all partied involved can provide stability in the child’s life during such a diffi cult time. CASA’s are everyday citizens, men and woman over the age of 21 who want to help children in their community, have a variety of backgrounds, are young and old, working or retired. Become a CASA volunteer and make a diff erence in the life of a child, together we can touch lives forever.

For more information on the CASA Holiday House Tour, becoming a CASA volunteer, a board member, or if you would like to have your home featured or volunteer to help please contact the CASA offi ce.

We express our appreciation to all of the gracious homeowners and the volunteers who help make this 4th Annual House Tour possible.

“Providing Voice for the Abused and Neglected Children of Caroline County.”

CASA Of Caroline Inc. 4th Annual House Tour

Pictured are members of the Rotary Club of Easton’s Board of Directors for 2013-2014 which includes (from left to right) Ron Flohr; Ramon Gras; Thomas Lane; F. Graham Lee; C. Albert Pritchett; Sharon Ritter Beall; George Hatcher; Patti Willis; Joseph Anthony; and Sarah Jones. Not available at the time of photo were Terry John and Mike Jacobs.


It’s been almost nine years since the Layton family fi rst started planning for their now award-winning vineyard. Setting their sights on Maryland’s growing viticulture industry – and on becoming the county’s fi rst winery – they planted their fi rst vines in 2007 and by May of 2010, cut the ribbon on the beautiful new tasting room.

Less than fi ve years since uncorking that fi rst bottle of Layton’s Chance wine, the business continues to thrive, exceeding production and distribution goals in 2013. This year’s harvest produced 12,000 gallons including 29 tons of grapes grown by their farm and another 14 tons from other vineyards around the shore.

“This year’s crops will yield over 60,000 bottles of wine, a signifi cant increase from our fi rst year’s production of 7,000 gallons,” co-owner Jennifer Layton says. She estimates year over year growth has averaged 10% annually.

In 2013, they concentrated on expanding their distribution network both in Maryland and into Delaware. With 55 outlets currently, Jennifer wants to increase their range and add a dozen more stores where customers can purchase their products.

“The closer the store is to our Dorchester County location, the more of our wine they sell,” Jennifer says, citing Snow’s Turn on Route 16 and Best Wine & Spirits on Route 50 as their two top outlets.

More than ‘value-added’ agriculture, Laytons – like many wineries throughout the country – has become a thriving destination for tourists and residents alike. At least 30,000 people have visited the Vienna operation to purchase wine, tour the vineyards or attend one of their many festivals and special events.

Next year, Jennifer hopes to experiment with other varietals to see what grapes they may want to plant in the future. “We look at what grows well and have found that hybrid grapes such as Chardonelle, Cabernet Franc (a vinifera) and Marquette are best suited to Dorchester’s soil and weather.”

With room the grow, the vineyard could add eight acres to the 14 existing and another 8,500 gallon tank to more than double their production under the state’s current laws. The family’s farming operation, including the vineyard, employs six people full-time and fi ve part-time tasting room staff . During the harvest, they hire an additional fi ve people.

County business leaders and elected offi cials joined Independent NewsMedia’s Publisher Daryl LaPrade, Advertising Director Dave Cannon, and Dorchester County Economic Development Director Keasha Haythe at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay October 31 to unveil “Choose Dorchester: A County on the Move.”

“Thanks to NewsMedia, The Banner, and each of you in this room, we now have another high-quality, promotional platform featuring profi les of Dorchester’s business, residential, recreational and industrial assets,” said Haythe.

The full-color, 48-page publication was produced and printed by NewsMedia at no cost to the county thanks to the participation of many partners.

Acknowledging both the partners’ contributions and NewsMedia’s leadership, Haythe recognized the independent media company for working with her offi ce to produce their fi rst profi le for a Maryland county.

Haythe pointed to the recently unveiled ‘water moves us’ branding to stress the importance of advocacy and promotion.

“We need to use the many communication vehicles that exist – print and digital, paid and free, direct mail and viral, and trade shows to get our stories of opportunity, industry and quality of life out.”

Attendees at the Hyatt unveiling included representatives from businesses featured in the publication, elected offi cials (Dorchester Councilman Rick Price, Cambridge Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley and Cambridge Councilwoman Jackie Vickers) and members of the Dorchester County Economic Development Advisory Council (Ted Kanatas, Amanda Fenstermaker and Mickey Love). Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Executive Director Pam Ruff also attended and praised the county for its many economic development and marketing initiatives. To read a copy of Choose Dorchester, visit http://www.choosedorchester.org.

Dorchester’s First Family Of Wine

Savors Vineyard Success

2013 Harvest, Production And Distribution Best Ever

Banner Publisher

& DCED Unveil

Choose Dorchester


Ask the nation’s seafood lovers about where the best tasting oysters are found, and choices from Long Island, New England, Prince Edward Island, and the Pacifi c Northwest frequently come to mind. If Dorchester County’s local oyster farmers have their way, bivalves from the waters of the Choptank and Hooper’s Island will soon join that list.

Dorchester County is the hub of Maryland oyster farming. The county outpaces all others with a total of 64 shellfi sh aquaculture leases out of 322 statewide, according to Karl Roscher, Aquaculture Division Director for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Included are 22 leases issued since 2010 for farms coming into production. They represent a quarter of new leases in Maryland. An additional 12 Dorchester County leases are under review.

Dorchester oyster farmers produced approximately 1.025 million oysters in 2012, according to reports maintained by DNR. Roscher expects that number to at least double in 2013 with signifi cant increases to follow as new operations come online.

The leases vary from larger commercial operations looking to sell premium oysters found on the

tables of top restaurants to farmers who sell by the bushel and those raising oysters for canning, stews and shell stock.

According to Stephen Vilnit, DNR fi sheries’ marketing director, several factors are contributing to the growth in Dorchester County oyster farming: the base of watermen looking to continue the tradition of oystering, optimal water quality – the region’s brackish balance of fresh and salt – and access to shipping and major markets.

Pioneering the eff orts is The Choptank Oyster Company (formerly Marinetics) started by Bob Maze and Laurie Landau at Castle Haven. Known for its prized Choptank Sweets, the company has sold oysters for about eight years. Choptank’s early eff orts helped to establish the state’s aquaculture program.

“We were selling oysters before oyster farming really existed in Maryland,” says General Manager Kevin McClarren, a Cambridge resident who came to Choptank in 1999 after growing fi sh in New England. “I think we’ve done more for Maryland aquaculture than anybody.” Purchasing spat from the University of Maryland’s Horn Point Laboratory, Choptank grows its oysters on fl oats along the shores of LeCompte Bay. Throughout their development, the oysters are pulled from their fl oats, washed, and tumbled to clean the shells of fowling organisms and to create the desired deep cup shape.

Mature Choptank Sweets can be found in top restaurants from New York City to North Carolina and as far west as Cleveland. Whole Foods Market shoppers can also purchase them at seafood counters.

Choptank sales total will be just under a million in 2013. The company has four full-time employees with part-time summer help. Choptank also sells oyster fl oats and spat to individuals looking to grow oysters at their dock to fi lter nearby waters, but McClarren keeps his eye on the commercial product.

“We really focus our eff orts on being a great food producer,” he said, “just grinding out the best oysters available.”

Hooper’s Island Oyster Aquaculture Company, branded Chesapeake Gold, was started in 2010 by local waterman Johnny Shockley and business partner Ricky Fitzhugh, a former wholesale fi sh buyer who lives in Cambridge. The company, which employs 12 full-time staff , produced its fi rst 200,000 oysters this year and expects to exceed 1.5 million in 2014 while adding six full-time employees. It is already selling to restaurants throughout the mid-Atlantic.

“We went from 0 to 100 restaurants in one year,” says Shockley, “and we’re going to blow that out of the water in the coming year.” In addition, they have begun to sell direct to consumers through www.ILoveBlueSea.com.

Chesapeake Gold grows triploid oysters, which do not reproduce because they have three sets of chromosomes. Shockley says, “They grow fatter and faster because they don’t get run down as result of the summer spawning process and are available during all seasons.

” The oysters are grown in cages on the bottom of the Chesapeake and are tumbled and cleaned throughout maturation. They are salted to desired levels at a shore facility to make up for the bay’s inconsistent salinity. With the University of Maryland College Park, the company has already developed the industry’s fi rst wet storage system that uses an ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, and the two are working on designing a sorting system. Shockley also hopes to launch aquaculture’s fi rst triploid oyster larvae hatchery.

“We’re developing an entire industry here as well as new equipment to support that industry,” said Shockley. People from as far as Australia have traveled to Dorchester County to see the innovations. Chesapeake Gold is also a tourism attraction. “We’re already working with the Hyatt to bring tours to Hooper’s,” he said. “We

want to off er educational tours just like a winery.”

New to the industry is Barren Island Oysters, owned by Easton native Timothy Devine. Since high school, he dreamed of creating a business that benefi ted the Chesapeake, which led him to sustainable oyster farming. Searching throughout the bay, he settled on Hooper’s Island where his staff of fi ve grows oysters off Barren Island. A loan from the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) helped him get started. Devine also grows triploids which he brought to the tables of several exclusive restaurants in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore for the fi rst time this summer and drew rave reviews.

He likes that oysters can be sustainably raised while providing relief to the wild oyster population. Unlike farm-raised shrimp and salmon that require protein-based feed, oysters are vegetarian, he says, and require less energy and resources because they only eat algae.

A boat ride and words of encouragement from an enthusiastic Johnny Shockley, led Ted Cooney to launch Madhouse Oysters.

A successful health-care fi nance business owner, Cooney originally wanted to grow oysters off his upper Choptank home in Talbot County. After realizing the waters were susceptible to fresh water rains, he also came to Hooper’s Island. With about 50 cages currently in the bay, he hopes to harvest about 100,000 market-sized oysters in 2014 with a goal of one to two million in the next three to four years. For now, it is a part-time operation, but Cooney wants to go full-time next year working with local waterman Captain Scott Robinson, Sr. and Scott, Jr.

For all of Dorchester County’s aquaculture entrepreneurs, there is something bigger at stake than just turning a profi t. It is about bringing new life to the oyster industry. As Shockley says, “If this generation doesn’t do something, it’s gone.”

Dorchester

Leads State in

Oyster Farming Growing

Aquaculture Industry


The Maryland Humanities Council (MHC) elected fi ve new members to its Board of Directors at its October meeting held in Columbia. New members include two attorneys, a University Dean, Marketing and Tourism Professional, the Director of StateStat, appointed by GovernorO’Malley in 2013.

Board members’ primary responsibilities include strategic planning, approving and monitoring the organization’s programs and services, ensuring eff ective fi scal management, fundraising, selecting and orienting new Board members, allocating grant funds, fundraising, and promoting MHC’s activities. Members serve without pay and are eligible to serve up to two three-year terms.

New MHC Board MembersHilary B. Miller is an attorney who specializes in corporate, consumer fi nancial services and intellectual property law. A summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College and its Tuck School of Business, Mr. Miller also holds a law degree from Fordham University. He is the author of numerous articles, including, most recently, “The Future of Tribal Lending Under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” published in Business Law Today. He has served as arbitrator for FiNRA and the American Arbitration Association, and as a mediator and special master in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Mr. Miller is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds an airline transport pilot certifi cate. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Miller is a resident of Montgomery County.

Dr. Maarten Pereboom serves as Dean of the Fulton School of Liberal Arts and Professor of History at Salisbury University (SU). He is also active in integrating the arts and humanities into STEM and health care-related initiatives.

Dr. Pereboom has been active in developing and/or supporting in Latin American, European, East Asian, and South Asian Studies programs at SU. His commitment to international education has been informed by extensive travel in including visits to Ecuador, China, India, France, England, Italy, Estonia, and Spain among other countries. An active supporter of the arts, he is an active champion of the Salisbury Symphony, SU theatre and fi ne arts performances, Delmarva Public Radio, regional fi lm societies, and he has led the successful eff ort to establish an SU gallery space in the Salisbury downtown district.

Dr. Pereboom earned his Ph.D. at Yale University, where he studied the history of twentieth-century international relations, focusing on the United States and Europe. His fi rst book, Democracies at the Turning Point: Britain, France and the End of the Postwar Order, 1928 - 1933, published in 1995, won the Outstanding Academic Book distinction from Choice Magazine. His most recent book, History and Film: Moving Pictures and the Study of the Past was published by Pearson/Prentice-Hall in January 2010. In addition to two books, Dr. Pereboom has published several articles related to 20th Century European and Cold War history. In 1998, he won SU's distinguished faculty award.

Dr. Pereboom is also a member of the Committee on Comprehensive Institutions for the Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences, a national organization that serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and information to support higher education and the integration of liberal arts and sciences at a national policy-making level. Dr. Pereboom lives in Salisbury, Maryland.

Mr. Matthew J.Power was appointed to Governor O’Malley’s executive offi ce in 2013 as the Director of StateStat. StateStat is a performance measurement and management tool to make state government

more accountable and effi cient. In this role, Mr. Power oversees weekly meetings where agency heads meet with executive staff to report and answer questions on agency performance and priority initiatives. Data collected at these meetings with every agency is carefully analyzed, performance trends are closely monitored, and strategies to achieve improved performance are developed.

Mr. Power was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning in 2007. He managed a broad range of operational, management and program functions. In 2010, he enacted the Sustainable Communities Act, which strengthens reinvestment and revitalization in Maryland's older communities. He began his employment with the department in 1999. His professional career started with the Department of Legislative Services, providing legislative oversight to Maryland’s environmental agencies. His roles with the Department of Planning include work as the Director of Policy Evaluation and Development. In 2002, he became Director of Operations for the department, reinvigorating the fi nancial management of the agency and leading the merger of the Maryland Historical Trust into the Maryland Department of Planning.

Mr. Power served as Chairman of the Maryland Heritage Areas and was the Governor’s designee to the Maryland Historical Trust Board of Trustees. He served as a member of the Maryland Green Building Council and the Governor’s alternate on the Appalachian Regional Commission. Mr. Power received a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University of Chicago. He received a Master of Public Management, specializing in Environmental Policy, from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. He also received a Master of Business Administration from Loyola College’s Sellinger School of Business. He is a graduate

of Leadership Maryland, Class of 2011.

Ms. Cynthia Raposo is SVP, Legal of Under Armour, Inc., located in Baltimore, Maryland where she has worked since 2005. She is responsible for all litigation and IP matters globally, including early assessment of IP disputes, counseling business executives on dispute resolution, litigation strategy and management, and representing the company in mediations and arbitrations worldwide. She has more than 25 years of litigation and ADR experience and has worked both in-house and in private practice. She began her legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. H. Chester Goudy at the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis, Maryland. She was a partner at Gill & Sippel (Rockville, Maryland) where she litigated a variety of state and federal cases at the trial and appellate level and practiced IP and business law. She also served as litigation counsel for MCI Communications, where she represented MCI in numerous commercial litigations, mediations, and domestic and international arbitrations, and managed the company’s in-house commercial arbitration program. She is a member of the International Trademark Association and the American Corporate Counsel Association. She is a graduate of the University Of Baltimore School Of Law, and also holds a MA degree from Brown University and a BA degree from Emmanuel College.

She lives in Montgomery County with her husband, Joseph Furey and two daughters, Daniella andMariana.

Mr. Thomas B. Riford is the President and CEO of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Riford is a graduate of Cornell University and a decorated veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Riford served as Marketing Director of the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic

Maryland Humanities Council Welcomes Five Local

Leaders To 2014 Board Of Directors

Development Commission, Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc., and Intrepid Technologies. Riford is the past chairman of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce's Business and Community Development Committee. His CVB organization was twice awarded the Maryland Cultural Heritage Tourism Award from Governor Martin O'Malley. He served as the Chief Operating Offi cer for an Internet Service Provider/Top Level Domain Registrar. Riford was an active journalist for many years, and worked for several radio stations. In 1989 Tom was awarded the CBS Radio News Affi liate Reporter of the Year. He was awarded a Top Tourism Professional Award from Rejuvenate Magazine, the only Marylander named.

Riford serves on many Boards, including the Board of Directors of the Black Rock Golf Course, the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, of Breast Cancer Awareness of the Cumberland Valley, and the Miss Washington County/Miss Western Maryland Scholarship Foundation. He also serves on the Boards of the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the Discovery Station Museum. Riford is a board member and the Washington County Chairman of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, a three county-wide Certifi ed Maryland Heritage Area.

He is a board member of the Maryland Tourism Council and of the Maryland Film Industry Coalition, and also an advisory committee member of the C&O Canal Trust. He is the President of the Maryland International Film Festival. Riford is a life-time member of the Friends of Fort Frederick, the Friends of the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum, and an advisory board member of the Washington County Association of Museums and Historical Sites.

He is a member of the American Legion. A former accomplished professional skier, Tom Riford competed in US and Australian Pro Ski Tour races, and assisted the US Ski Team Development Team camps. He set the world record for most vertical

feet skied in a four-hour period, was named Racer of the Year in 1994, and still is a part-time trainer and ski instructor.

New Board members join the 20 members who currently comprise MHC’s Board of Directors. They are: Lenneal J. Henderson, Jr. (Chair), Diedre Badejo, Baltimore City; Elizabeth Cannon (Vice Chair), Garrett County; Alex Castro, Kent County; Gordon Cooley, Frederick County; Rhonda Dallas*, Prince George’s County; Monique Dixon, Baltimore City; Albert Feldstein, Allegany County; Michael S. Glaser, St. Mary’s County; Lauren Dugas Glover*, Prince George’s County; Silvia Golombek (Secretary), Baltimore County; Dr. Joseph E. Harris, Anne Arundel County; Baltimore City; O.F. Makarah, Prince George’s County; Adrianne Noe, Montgomery County; David Phillips (Immediate Past Chair and Government Liaison), Howard County; Heather Sarkissian, Baltimore City; Stephen Sfekas, Baltimore City; Davis Sherman (Treasurer), Baltimore City; Lindsay Thompson, Baltimore City; Yolanda Maria Vazquez, Baltimore County. *Indicates a Gubernatorial Appointee MHC is a statewide, educational, 501(c)(3) nonprofi t organization. The purpose of MHC is to stimulate and promote informed dialogue and civic engagement on issues critical to Marylanders. For more information about MHC, please visit www.mdhc.org. The Maryland Humanities Council is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Maryland, and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Awards www.bakerartistawards.org/.


Take a photographic journey of American Bald Eagles during nesting season. Through 160 breathtaking images captured in eagles’ natural habitats, this factual account off ers a rare glimpse into the behaviors and activities of America’s national symbol as it prepares a nest, mates, lays eggs, and raises its young. Travel with adult eagles as they gather nest materials, forage for prey, and ward off intruders into their territory. Inside the nest, observe how eaglets grow from hatchlings into fl edglings, and experience fi rst fl ight. Included are tips for observing eagles and a glossary of terms. This is a perfect book for eagle enthusiasts and eagle nest cam viewers, nature and wildlife lovers, bird watchers, conservationists, scientists, teachers, children, and photographers. The one-of-a-kind photographs and comprehensive descriptions make

this a must-have treasure to be enjoyed by all ages. It is sure to become the go-to reference on bald eagles.

Visit www.schiff erbooks.com to explore our backlist of 5,000+ titles and learn about Schiff er's exciting new releases. Whatever your passions are, Schiff er Publishing welcomes you to fi nd your niche and scratch it with books from our catalog of specialized titles.

For press inquiries, or to request a review copy, please contact Elizabeth Knauss at 610-593-1777 or ElizabethK@schiff erbooks.com

Inside a Bald Eagle’s Nest: A Photographic Journey Through

the American Bald Eagle Nesting Season By Teena Ruark Gorrow


Garden Puppet Theatre

Mini-Museum Exhibit

•Sunday, December 1•Kent County Visitor Center122 N. Cross St. Chest•Patsy •410-778-5841• [email protected]• Ongoing exhibit throughout the year. Promoting the arts of puppetry and gardening in Kent County and the Martha Washington garden at the Visitor Center located in Chestertown at Cross & Maple Streets.

Live Playwrights' Society

•Monday, December 2 | 7:30pm•Garfi eld Center for the Arts at the Prince Theatre, 210 High St•Lucia Foster •410-810-2060•lfoster@garfi eldcenter.org•www.garfi eldcenter.org•The Live Playwrights' Society for Play Writers, Readers, Observers & Critics aims to foster a community of playwrights, actors and critics. This group meets the fi rst Monday of every month at 7:30pm and is open to all ages. (Free!) New plays are read and critiqued each month!

Chestertown's 1st Fridays

•Friday, December 6 | 5-8pm•Downtown Chestertown•www.kentcounty.com/artsenter-tainment•Meander the red-brick, tree-lined sidewalks of Historic Chestertown, while enjoying extended shop hours and arts and entertainment throughout Downtown. Luminary bags are being decorated by local school children. Kristen Owen will need assistance in placing and collecting bags around town on Friday.Santa will stroll around town and visit stores. Kent School students will be caroling. For a list of activities, please check this calendar for specifi c listings.

Small Jewels / Large Gems Art

Show

•Friday, December 6 | 5 -8pm•Chestertown RiverArts•Contact: Chestertown RiverArts•410 778-6300•[email protected]•www.RiverArts.org•Art jewelry, beautiful scarves, wraps and hats; richly colored pottery, wooden vessels, paintings, pastels, cards, and more: the Holiday Show and Sale provides an abundance of creative and unique gifts perfect for the giving season. With most items priced under $100, there is something for every budget and every style.

Featuring Artist : Barbara Zuehlke

•Friday, December 6 | Reception 5-8pm.•239 High St Chestertown, Md•Contact: The Artists' Gallery•410-778-2425•[email protected]•Show hangs through Jan. 2014

Tidewater Tranquility

•Friday, December 6 | Rec'n 5-8pm. Show hangs thru' Feb.2014•The Artists’ Gallery, 239 High St. Chestertown.•Barbara Zuehlke• 410-820-8926•www.barbarazuehlke.com•Barbara's new show of paintings of the Tidewater region in watercolor, and pastels

Colonial Chestertown’s Holiday

House Tour

•Saturday, December 7 Noon-3pm•Emmanuel Church101 N. Cross Street, Chestertown•Deeann Jones•410-810-3990•[email protected]•Step back in time for the day and come to beautiful and historic Chestertown to experience the holiday season in true colonial style. On this self-paced tour, docents will guide you through several of Chestertown’s most historic and signifi cant buildings decorated in their holiday best. Tickets are available online or order by mail. Send a check and ticket request information to : 2013 Holiday House Tour, P.O. Box 771, Chestertown, MD. 21620.

Chester River Chorale's "A Chester

River Holiday"

•Friday, December 6 | 8pm. Fri. and 3pm. Sun.•runs Fri. Dec. 6, Sun. Dec. 8•Presbyterian Churchof Chestertown•Bentley Orrick •410-928-5566•[email protected]•chesterriverchorale.org•Voices span the generations as the Chorale is joined by Bay Area youth choruses to sing in Christmas and Chanukah accompanied by a small chamber orchestra. Works by Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel honoring the Nativity are featured, along with music commonly heard in Synagogue, led by Chestertown Cantor Gary Schiff . The chorale reprises its show-stopping rendition of 'Chanukah, Oh Chanukah', along with familiar carols and holiday tunes such as 'White Christmas' on which the audience can croon along.

Santa's Workshop

•Saturday, December 7 | 1-4pm•Kent County Community Center•410-778-1948•[email protected]•www.kentparksandrec.org•Children and families will love to participate in this seasonal gathering featuring Santa! Come enjoy crafts, refreshment and don't forget your list! All crafts, refreshments, and pictures with Santa are included in the cost. $7 ($9 if registered late) Registration November 1st - 26th, 2013 For more information call 410-778-1948 or email [email protected]. Snow Date December 8.

Holiday Happenings Kent County

and critiqued eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaach month! •Artandwoocardandof cfor itemsomeve

2nd Annual Reindeer Stampede

5K Run/Walk & Reindeer Dash

•Saturday, December 7 | 10am•Main Street, Rock Hall•Krista Batchelor•410-810-2622•[email protected]•www.facebook.com/events/511437312219929/•Come Run/Walk with us though the Winter Wonderland of Rock Hall on December 7th! This is a 5K Walk/Run that will lead in to the festivities planned for the town that day. There will be a RHES Reindeer Dash that will be Free for all children 10 yrs and under. All fi nishers will receive a medal.

Holiday Happening On The Flower

Farm

•Sunday, December 8 | 11am-5pm•Galena Blooms Farm589 Mill Lane Galena, MD•Don Biggar•443-480-2740•[email protected]•www.galenablooms.com•Come shop and relax at the farm! We will have many local and out of town quality vendors, holiday music, great food, hot drinks, local wine, a bon-fi re, Santa will be here, and much much more! A great event that gets better every year!

Seasonal Sensation

Holiday Dinner

•Tuesday, December 10 | 6:30pm•Kent County High School•Betsy Skinner•410-810-0602•[email protected]•KCHS students from the music and culinary arts departments combine their talents for an evening of holiday music and food. A silent auction will accompany the event. Please contact for ticket information. Limited tickets available.

Eastern Shore Wind Ensemble -

Band Concert

•Sunday, December 15 | 4pm•Emmanuel Church101 N. Cross St. Chestertown.•410-778-2829•This free-admission program of holiday-season music will appeal to listeners of all ages. The audience is also invited to a post-concert†reception for refreshments and socializing. The ESWE is an all-ages community concert band based in Chestertown and is directed by Dr. Keith Wharton. New members are welcome to join at any time, without audition or fee.

•Messiah Sing-In

•Thursday, December 19 | 8pm•The Garfi eld Center for the Arts at The Prince Theatre•Bentley Orrick•410-928-5566•[email protected]•chesterriverchorale.org•The Messiah Sing-In is a cherished annual community singing event, featuring professional soloists, the glorious voices of the audience, and a string quartet. This year's Sing-In is sponsored by the Chester River Chorale, the Garfi eld Center, and the Kent County Food Pantry. In keeping with the premier of Handelís beloved oratorio, this year's Sing-in is a fundraiser with contributions going to the Food Pantry. Recommended donation for audience members--singing or not--is $20.

•Rock Hall Crawl

•Tuesday, December 31 | 6pm•Rt. 20 and Main Street•410-639-7611•www.rockhallmd.com•Bring in the new year...Eastern Shore (Mardi Gras) style. Parade of crazy hats: 6pm. Cash prize hat contest. Street Music throughout the night at several venues. Count down the new year, with the famous “Rockfi sh Drop” at midnight, Rock Hall Harbor Bulkhead. Rock Hall will host Annual Hat Competition. 7:30pm. Prizes awarded on Main St. 11:45pm Don long johns, bundle up and gather at the Bulkhead! 12 midnight STRAIGHT UP!


2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realize the full benefi ts of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and

eff ort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their fi nancial aff airs in order if possible but it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefi t of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the fi nal weeks.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overfl owed into their emotions as well as their physical lives.

Fear of change had them pretending to others and to themselves that they were content when deep within they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again long before you are dying.’

As we look toward the holiday season I hope each and every one of you take a few minutes to REALLY read this, preferably over and over again. Regret is one of the most damaging emotions, yet it is one of the easiest to eliminate.

Here’s wishing you a great Thanksgiving, the merriest of Christmas’, and a hope-fi lled, event-fi lled, opportunity-fi lled 2014.

DON’T LET REGRET BE YOUR LAST THOUGHT

Continued from page 1

Once again, the Queen Anne's County Chamber of Commerce pulled out all the stops as they highlighted outstanding county businesses and business representatives at their annual Excellence in Business awards.

Recently held at the beautiful Chesapeake Bay Beach Club prior to the start of the 6th Annual Business and Home Expo, the Chamber recognized the best of the best. Nominees were submitted by the Chamber membership and reviewed by the Selection Committee prior to the October 19th presentation.

Presented by Chamber Chairman Jesse Parks of KRM Development, those honored for their commitment and success in the Queen Anne's County business community were:

Dan Bungori of the Chesterwye Center in Grasonville - Business Leader of the Year. In Parks' comments he stated, "Dan has demonstrated

exceptional qualities that are needed in manager a successful business organization throughout the year. A visionary who possesses outstanding leadership attributes that include an ethical business practice, a record of outstanding corporate citizenship, a proven record of business accomplishments and a commitment to the highest standards of management. Dan's leadership and commitment has taken his organization to new levels."

The Public Servant Award was presented to Jill Hite of Keep the Beat Training. Parks noted during the presentation that "Jill has demonstrated a strong record of community involvement throughout the year. She has spent many years working with those many groups and organizations who need CPR training including charter boat captains who are now required to have CPR training." The Entrepreneur Award was presented to Doug McCartin of

Capriotti's Kent Island and Easton. This award is presented to a business that demonstrates outstanding leadership and management in all facets of business the include growth, profi t, and staffi ng. Doug's fi rst location which opened on Kent Island 2 years ago met with resounding success. The following year he opened a store in Easton and has a couple other locations in mind.

Volunteer of the Year went to Matt Albers of LCM Private Client Group. Matt has supported the Chamber staff throughout the year and has hosted the Chamber's leads group for the past 2 years. Parks said, "He has been committed on a weekly basis in providing leadership to the very successful leads group. This is a huge responsibility and we thank him."

This was the fi rst time the Chamber has recognized a business owner or representative by presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award. This

inaugural award was presented to Oscar 'Sonny' Schulz of Fisherman's Inn. This award honors an individual who has made a diff erence through outstanding service throughout their lifetime and professional career to the Queen Anne's County business community. "In addition to his many achievements including being the driving force behind several successful businesses, Sonny and his family have been very supportive of Chesapeake Community College's culinary program, not to mention Sonny served as a Queen Anne's County Commissioner for many years" said Parks, "not to forget, Sonny was one of the founders of the QAC Chamber of Commerce." In his acceptance speech, Schulz commented on the precariousness of starting the chamber 30 years ago and how proud he is of the current leadership, success, and respect the Chamber enjoys in the county.


QAC Chamber of Commerce 6th Annual Excellence in Business Awards


Pictured above Oscar “Sonny” Schulz receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from chamber chairman Jesse Parks. Pictured top left, Dan Bungori, Business Leader of the Year; Jill Hite, Public Servant; Doug McCartin, Entrepreneur of the Year, Matt Albers, Chamber Volunteer of the Year. Pictured below from left to right Oscar “Sonny” Schulz, Doug McCartin, Matt Albers, Dan Bungori, Jesse Parks, Jill Lite. Bottom row of pictures from the QAC Business & Home Expo from left: Susan, Sweitzer, Victoria Luff and Linda Friday of the QAC Chamber of Commerce; Doug Sossi & QAC Commissioner Phil Dumenil; Casey & Jason Palmer of Palmer’s Plumbing; Diana Carlson and Merry Tobin of Chesapeake Real Estate Associates.


Sunday ServicesAdult Sunday School at 9:00am

Service at 10:00am

Church Address: 403 Hollyday Street Easton, MD 21601 Tel: 410-822-5023 • Email: [email protected]

Auxiliary Recognizes

Service Award

Recipients

The Memorial Hospital Auxiliary recently held its annual service awards luncheon at the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford. The Auxiliary celebrated 216,750 hours of service volunteered by 100 members who reached service milestones in 2013.

The Memorial Hospital Auxiliary service award program recognizes members’ volunteer milestones. During the ceremony Marion Miller and Julie Wojcik were each honored for volunteering 18,000 hours. Other distinguished honorees were Pauline Lane and Elizabeth Lechthaler for 13,000 hours, Dolores Mothershead for 11,500 hours and Margaret Blair for 11,000 hours.

Other service awards were presented to Carolyn Behr, Codie Codispoti, Ernest Fisher, Joyce Kent, Ellicott McConnell, Sabine Simonson and Bertha Wilson (4500 hours); Else Ross (4000 hours); Iris Fricker, Janet Granger and Edith Hayman (3500 hours); Doralice Cassidy, Joyce Cohee, Alex Collins, Williams Jenkins,

Carol O’Hare and Frances Sloane (3000 hours); Virginia Blades, Barbara Brown, Lorraine Kelly, Nan Newcomb, Irene Phillips and Mary Turkington (2500 hours); Janette Black, Juanita Haddaway, Virginia Lemon, Jackie Martino, Beverly Micklus and Barbara Reinhardt (2000 hours); Celia Bodmer, Bill Bruckner, Ruth Cecil, Karalene Councell, Sandle Engle, Nancy Espenhorst, Regina Holland, Valery Miller, Dorothy Palmer, Anita Rowan and Nancy Wolf (1500 hours); Anna “Polly” Carroll, Sonja Eades, Carolyn Gillman, Audrey Luetters and Florence Tarleton (1000 hours); Gail Black, Thomas Cronshaw, Joyce Doebler, Alice Engle, Lillian Hall, William Hough, George King, Christina O’Hara, Edna Pettit, Joan Sellers, Susan Silver and Noel Slattery (750 hours); Myrna Darragh, Pauline Figliozzi, Cecelia Laufert, Leslie Leadbeater, Joe Murphy, Ethel Palmer, Robert Savoie, Mary Seiter, Bernadette Serie, Joyce Wilhelm, Penny Womack and Eleanor Woolford (500 hours); Kathy Busen, Sandra Dunker, Elaine Eveland, Robert Gretzinger, Jean Hobbs, Norman Klug, Eileen Kornas, Mary Elizabeth Lacy, Annabel Lesher, Muriel Murphy, Barbara Runz, Eleanor Spurry, Elmira Weber, Ronald Weber and Gracie Wilson (250 hours); and Anna Brennan, Diane Daffi n, Richard Douma, Erin Fee, Virginia Ann

Harvey, Jane Hopkins, Mary McArtor, Genenieve Murray, Barbara Nickerson and Gretchen Smith (100 hours).

Since its establishment, the Auxiliary has been instrumental in raising funds for various hospital projects and services at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. Auxiliary funds are primarily raised through sales at Maggie’s Gift Shop, located at the hospital, and at the Bazaar at 121 Federal Street, which accepts donations of gently used clothing, accessories and small household items that are

resold at reasonable prices. Both retail establishments are managed and staff ed by auxiliary volunteers. In addition, auxiliary volunteers are a resource in clinical areas both at the hospital and off site, providing assistance to staff members, patients and visitors in multiple areas. Free blood pressure screenings are also provided to the community by Auxiliary volunteers every Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. until Noon at the Diagnostic and Imaging Center located at 10 Martin Court in Easton.

Beginning December 2nd!


New business introduces innovative fl oating island technology to the Mid-Shore

Chesapeake Bay Floating Islands (CBFI) launched its fi rst fl oating island in Talbot County Friday at the Bay Street Ponds in Easton. The installation is a partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Talbot County, the Town of Easton, the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. and Chesapeake Bay Floating Islands.

Floating islands, also known as fl oating treatment wetlands, are versatile man-made structures that combine innovative engineering with the natural fi ltering power of wetlands to improve water quality, reduce pollutants and prevent land erosion. The Biohaven® Floating Islands off ered by CBFI are constructed from post-industrial recycled materials that are woven into a matrix that supports the growth of wetland plants and the important microbes that break down and fi lter out pollutants such as nitrate, phosphate and ammonia to improve water quality. Because of their versatile design, islands such as

these are able to fi lter out more than ten times the amount of pollutants as traditional wetland surface while providing vibrant wildlife habitat.

“All of the partners of Chesapeake Bay Floating Islands are proud to launch our fi rst fl oating island in partnership with our local governments and like-minded non-profi t organizations,” said Brian Gearhart, one of CBFI’s Directors. “We are a local business owned by life-long Eastern Shore residents that are all committed to improving the Chesapeake Bay. We are excited to introduce innovative and versatile technology that has numerous applications for governments, conservation organizations and landowners throughout the region.”

Biohaven® Floating Islands have been installed in locations including Walt Disney World, the Virginia Zoo, and Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal. They will soon be deployed in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

This particular project at the Bay Street Ponds is one of the top priorities in the Town of Easton’s Tanyard Branch Watershed Planning Project and is expected to enhance

the restoration of the site completed by Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. in 2011. The addition of the fl oating island is designed to complement the existing wetland shoreline to fi lter even more pollutants from the Tanyard Branch before they would ultimately reach the Chesapeake Bay. According to multiple studies, most recently one completed by the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, the Tred Avon watershed continues to be a critical area of focus for the Town of Easton and Talbot County.

“The installation of this fl oating island is a great opportunity to explore the possibilities and cost-eff ectiveness of this technology in meeting nutrient and sediment

load reductions as part of the Talbot County Watershed Implementation Plan,” commented William Wollinski, Talbot County Environmental Engineer. “This partnership is also a great example of what public, private and non-profi t organizations can achieve when they work together to leverage their resources to make a signifi cant, collective impact.”

The fl oating island installation was funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund. The wetland plants as well as an interpretive sign at the location were donated by CBFI.

Hospital Auxiliary Kicks of

30th Annual

Tree of Lights Campaign

The Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital at Easton will kick off its 30th Annual Tree of Lights Campaign on November 25.

According to Nancy Espenhorst, Tree of Lights Chairman, contributions this year will support the funding of new Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) equipment for emergency pediatric airway management. “Use of such specialized equipment is essential in treating pediatric patients in the Emergency Department at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton,” comments Espenhorst. “Our goal is to raise $12,000 for this

ENT equipment which will provide our physicians with the latest technology when performing life saving procedures to clear pediatric airways.”

For a contribution of $5 or more, a red or gold light can be purchased for the holiday tree in front of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. Red lights are tributes to family members and friends, living or deceased. Gold lights honor loved ones serving in the military. A donation of $100 or more will purchase a white Life Light, which will be illuminated every year. The name of each person recognized through the purchase of any light will appear on scrolls displayed in the Medical Center throughout the holiday season.

The Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital at Easton is a volunteer organization that raises funds to benefi t programs and services at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. For additional information about the 30th Annual Tree of Lights, contact Nancy Espenhorst at 443-746-3338 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Chesapeake Bay Floating Islands

Launches at Bay Street Ponds


Talbot County

Arts Council

EXHIBITIONS

The following exhibitions are sponsored by the Talbot County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council.

Chul Hyun Ahn: Perceiving Infi nity

Through January 26, 2014

Chul Hyun Ahn was born in Busan, South Korea. He received a Master of Fine Arts from the Mount Royal School at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore. Ahn creates sculptures utilizing light, color, and illusion as physical representations of his investigation of infi nite space. He achieves this through the use of electrical light sources including Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), fl uorescent, and black lights set between mirrors and one-way mirrors combined with housings made of plywood, cast concrete, or cast acrylic materials. Ahn’s mirrored light sculptures arose out of his background as a painter. In 2011, Ahn began a new body of work entitled “Mirror Drawings” which re- introduced his own painterly hand to the work. The drawings are made by scratching into the back of the mirror layer to create line-based, abstract images instead of allowing the construction of lights themselves to form that image. Ahn’s fi rst solo exhibition was with C. Grimaldis Gallery in 2003 and his works are in numerous private and public collections in Paris, Karlsruhe, Seoul, Istanbul, Dubai and closer to home at the Delaware Art Museum, amongst many others. The exhibition will be accompanied by a small publication and has been made possible with the generous support of the C. Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore.

Eva Lundsager: Elsewhere


Eva Lundsager’s paintings “sing beautifully of landscape without ever describing one.” Inventing a vivid unreal world, her abstract canvases teeter on the edge of recognition. Growing up in semi-rural Maryland

in the '60s and ‘70s, Lundsager freely roamed the farms, woods, and caves along the Patuxent River and made frequent visits to the museums of Washington, DC. Lundsager received a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Maryland, where she studied with artists Ann Truitt, Sam Gilliam, Claudia DeMonte and the art historian and theorist Jack Burnham. Moving to New York in 1985 to attend the MFA program at Hunter College, Lundsager studied with the painters Ralph Humphrey, Susan Crile, and Marcia Hafi f, and the ceramicist Susan Peterson. Lundsager’s work is in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and the St. Louis Art Museum. She has completed two public artworks, one a billboard-sized outdoor painting for Public Notice, an exhibition at Laumeier Sculpture Park, now permanently installed at the City Academy in St. Louis. The exhibition will be accompanied by a small publication and has been made possible with the generous support of the Van Doren Waxter Gallery, New York.

Eva Lundsager, The Surrender, 2013 Oil on canvas, 54 x 66 inches (137.2 x 167.6 cm) Courtesy of Van Doren Waxter Gallery, New York

Anne Truitt at the Academy Art

Museum


The artist Anne Truitt was born in Baltimore in 1921 and spent her childhood in Easton. She lived in a house on South Street, just a block from the Academy Art Museum. She travelled extensively before eventually settling in Washington, DC. Her paintings and sculpture are noted for their simple linear qualities and investigation of color relationships. Critics have

often associated her with both Minimalism and the Washington Color Field artists, although like many artists she rejected reductive classifi cations. She had a successful career showing her work extensively in New York City and across the country. Along with her art Truitt was noted as a teacher and as an author of memoirs: Daybook (1982), Turn (1986), and Prospect (1996). She died in Washington in 2004. In 2009 the Hirshhorn Museum mounted a major retrospective of Truitt’s career.

Academy Art Museum Faculty

Exhibition


For many years members and non-members of the Academy Art Museum have taken classes in a wide variety of media. This year the Museum will have the premier of a Faculty Exhibition, featuring the best work of its instructors. Participating faculty include Roberta Seger, Diane DuBois Mullaly, Heather Crow, Paul Aspell, Sahm Doherty-Sefton, George Holzer, Rita Curtis, Patrick Meehan, Kevin Garber, Ebby Malgren, Jen Wagner, Laura Rankin,Katie Cassidy, Margery Caggiano and Constance Del Nero.

Sahm Doherty-Sefton, Photograph, Collection of the artist.

Melo Minnella: Siciliana


For more than fi ve decades the Italian photographer Melo Minnella has travelled the world to focus his empathetic lens on the activities and places of everyday people. He has a longstanding interest in folklore and folk art and an acute sensitivity for traditions of work, play, and worship. This exhibition presents a selection of black and white photographs recording his explorations in his home region, Sicily. Since the start

of his career, Minnella has given special attention to the landscapes and ways of living that are gradually vanishing from the Island.

LECTURES

Kittredge-Wilson Lecture Series

December 12, 2013, 6 p.m.

Easton’s Infl uence: A Sense of Place in Anne Truitt’s Art

Kristen Hileman, Curator of Contemporary Art, Baltimore Museum of Art

Cost: $15 Members; $20 for Non-members

ARTS EXPRESS TRIPS

HOLIDAY DAY TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Fee: $95 Members, $115 Non-members (includes transportation & driver tip)

Registration Deadline: November 27, 2013

Leave the driving to us! Board the bus at Creamery Lane at 7am and arrive in New York at 11 a.m. Plan your day around visiting the museums, taking in a Broadway Show, shopping, or just experiencing the Big Apple during the holiday season. The bus will leave the city at 7 p.m. for the return trip to Easton. Can't go this time....the Museum plans to go again in Spring 2014!

For further information or to register for these programs, classes and event, visit www.academyartmuseum.org or call 410-822-2787.


University of Maryland Shore Regional Health recently held its annual Golf Invitational at the Talbot Country Club in Easton. This year’s tournament netted $60,000 for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services at UM Shore Regional Health, the benefi ciary of the event.

Joining the presenting sponsor, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, Inc., in sponsoring the annual event were Masters Sponsor: Clark Charitable Foundation, Inc.; Birdie Sponsors: Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC, Sysco Eastern Maryland, KPMG, Eastern Shore Emergency Medicine Physicians, LLC, Bruce and Sandy Hammonds and Clark Construction Group, LLC; and Pro Sponsors: Bob and Ruth Carmean and Hearthstone Health & Fitness. Hole-in-One sponsors for the Invitational were Aqua Pool & Spas and Hertrich of Easton.

“The Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services department at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health has always been very appreciative of the support of the University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation and the generosity of our local community,” says Gary

Jones, Director of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services, UM Shore Regional Health. “Funds given this department as a result of this year’s Shore Regional Health Golf Invitational will be used to enhance our Holter/event monitoring systems which are used to evaluate patients’ heart rate and rhythm disturbances.”

The following is a list of tournament winners:

• Low Gross Score First Place: Shore Bancshares, Inc. Team (Scott Beatty, Will Shannahan, Butch Townsend and Moorhead Vermilye);• Low Gross Score Second Place: Choptank Transport Team (Steve Ford, Steve Covey, Geoff Turner and Al Turner);• Low Gross Score Third Place: Pepsi Team (Mike Harvis, Mike Roberts, Daryl Gregory and Eddie Morris);• Net Score First Place: Aramark Team (Keith Gould, Michael Zimmerman, Brian Leutner and Mike D’Arcangelo);• Net Score Second Place: Pepsi Team (Brian Biggs, Greg Stutzman, David Goslee and Mark Christensen);• Net Score Third Place: Advisory Group Team (Doug James, Ron Young, Steve Hershey and Chris Runz);

• Net Score Fourth Place: Best Care Ambulance Team (Wayne Gardner, Brenan Cole, Dan Jewell and Shirley Gardner);• Closest to the Pin – Hole No. 16 Ladies: Mindy Goodroe;• Closest to the Pin – Hole No. 4 Men: Steve Ochse;• Closest to the Pin – Hole No. 8 Men: Scott Beatty;• Closest to the Pin – Hole No. 18 Men: Matt Brooks;• All Ladies Foursome Low Score: Delia Denny, Ann White, Polly Watts and Linda Roughley.

The UM Memorial Hospital Foundation is a private, nonprofi t organization serving the fundraising needs of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton and UM Shore Regional Health. Through its philanthropic eff orts, the Foundation supports UM Shore Regional Health’s ability to provide quality healthcare to the local community by contributing to hospital programs and services. For additional information contact Joanna Pierce, development specialist, at 410-822-1000, extension 5481 or e-mail [email protected].

Hertrich Honda of Easton was a hole-in-one sponsor for the annual UM Shore Regional Health Golf Invitational. Pictured are (left to right) Joanna Pierce, development specialist, UM Memorial Hospital Foundation; F. Graham Lee, vice president for philanthropy, UM Shore Regional Health; and Paul Longaker, general manager, Hertrich Honda of Easton.

The Shore Bancshares team won fi rst place in the Invitational’s Low Gross Score category. The team consisted of (left to right) Butch Townsend, Golf Invitational Chair; Scott Beatty; Will Shannahan; and Moorhead Vermilye.

Shore Regional Health Golf Invitational Nets $60,000

for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services

The Bazaar at 121 Federal Street recently held its annual fashion show in conjunction with the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary’s annual service awards luncheon and meeting.

Operated by the Auxiliary, the Bazaar accepts donations of gently used clothing ranging from casual attire to eveningwear, accessories and small household items that are resold at reasonable prices. The shop is managed and staff ed by Auxiliary volunteers and raises funds to benefi t programs and services at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton.

For additional information about the Bazaar at 121 Federal Street, which is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm, or volunteer opportunities, call 410-822-2031.

Bazaar at

121 Federal Street Holds

Annual Fashion Show


Wednesday Morning

Artists To Stage

Another Opening

Night

Wednesday Morning Artists of Cambridge will present another Opening Night on Friday, December 6, at the Dorchester Center for the Arts.

Opening Night is a one-evening gala. It is designed to enhance the visitor's experience with the art exhibit in the Main Gallery of the Art Center by providing education, opportunities to talk with the artists, special décor, unique appetizers, hands-on activities, silent auctions, and more.

Previous Opening Night events were staged around the shows of other exhibitors. On this occasion, however, Opening Night will expand the Wednesday Morning Artists' own 7th annual December show to include a holiday wonderland

of lavish and glistening décor, specially prepared appetizers, fun and educational activities, a silent auction, and drawings for new memberships to the Art Center. This event will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Art Center at 410.228.7782.

The exhibit, Small Works and Other Good Things, highlights exquisite original art that is priced for gift-giving. Paintings, jewelry, books, pottery, fabric art, photography, basketry, and other creative art forms will be off ered.

Wednesday Morning Artists is a well-known group around the Cambridge area and comprises many art disciplines and levels of skill. Artists interested in any art form and at any level of accomplishment are welcome. See Wednesday Morning Artists on FaceBook, Opening Night on FaceBook, WednesdayMorningArtists.com, or contact Nancy at [email protected].

Caroline Economic Development Corp. (CEDC) has launched a new website that will serve as a resource for existing businesses, startups, and companies that are considering expanding or relocating to Caroline County. The web address for the new site is www.CarolineBusiness.com.

The new site features several tools that will make it easier for businesses to access important information. The Resources & Incentives section provides a summary of tax credits, loan programs, and business services that are available to Caroline-based companies. The Property Search feature allows users to fi nd available properties based on square footage, zoning, ceiling height, and other key criteria. A collection of case studies highlight examples of Caroline companies that the CEDC has worked with on a wide variety of projects.

CEDC Director Angela Visintainer says that the site was designed to be a platform for ongoing content development. “This is just the beginning,” says Visintainer. “We’ll be updating the site regularly with new information that is useful to the businesses we serve.” Visintainer says

that the site also allows the CEDC to engage with its clients in new ways. “The site allows people to subscribe to our newsletter, comment on blog posts, connect with us through social media, and email us directly from any section of the site. You can also see photos and bios for our entire team,” she says.

The new CEDC site was designed by local freelance web designer Danielle Darling. Christina Lippincott, Assistant Director of Tourism for Caroline County, managed the graphics and photography for the site. “We had a very aggressive timeline for the launch of the new website,” says Visintainer. “Thanks to the eff orts of Danielle and Christina, we were able to develop and launch a world class site in just over two months.”

To view the new CEDC website, please visit www.CarolineBusiness.com.

CAROLINE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

Recently Benedictine individuals were asked to pose for photos featuring new accessibility improvements made to Martinak State Park. In two phases over three years, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received approximately $640,000 in funding from the Maryland Department of Disability’s (MDOD) Access Maryland grant. The grant paid for improved access to the camping, fi shing and picnic areas, the park amphitheater, boat ramps, information kiosk and a fi tness trail among other modifi cations. Ranger Callahan with DNR gave a tour of the Nature Center and the group enjoyed a picnic lunch before posing for photos at the boat ramp to be used in the MDOD’s Annual Report for Access Maryland. Josh Maloney expressed appreciation. “I think it was great that they’ve done things to help me get around—I want to go back again.”

Additional improvements connect trails to various buildings, site features and amenities as well as renovation of the cabin’s kitchen and bathroom areas with an added elevated deck and timber access

ramp providing an accessible entrance to the cabin. Marisa Burnett enjoyed the accessible paths and picnic area. “I like the park; they have ramps and things that made it easier for me.” Debbie Coles-Gray, Benedictine job coach was encouraged by the improvements. “Marisa is so outgoing and capable—I’d love to see her have the opportunity to explore the world as freely as those of us do who do not use a wheelchair to get around. It’s great to see her relax with her friends at the park.” Martinak State Park, bordered by the Choptank River and Watts Creek, off ers a variety of activities including hiking, fi shing, boating, camping, picnicking and a nature center.

Providing opportunity to live meaningful, productive lives in communities of choice, Benedictine helps children and adults with disabilities reach their greatest potential without regard to race, color, national origin, or age. For more information please call 410-634-2292, visit online at www.benschool.org, or like Benedictine School on Facebook.

Benedictine Models Accessibility at Martinak State Park


Back row from left to right: Mary Nelson, Andrea Harrison, Debbie Coles-Gray, Sherry Sharp, Dale Skinner, Phil Maloney, Teddy Grigonis, Ranger Callahan; Front row: Marisa Burnett, Josh Maloney

Counter clockwise from left: Josh Maloney, Mary Nelson, Teddy Grigonis, Marisa Burnett

Marisa Burnett taking in the fall colors.Andrea Harrison and Josh Maloney Teddy Grigonis enjoys the park.


DCA Community

Photography

Show Winners

Announced

The Dorchester Center for the Arts announced the winners of the Community Photography Show at the Second Saturday reception. Approximately 119 photos are in the exhibit, the largest number entered in the show to date. The show was judged by Sahm Doherty-Sefton. The exhibit continues through November 30. Winners are as follows:

Youth1st Abigail Simmons “Lions make Leopards tame, but not change his spots”2nd Steffi Brielle Webster “Iggy Pool Time”3rd Amy Wood “The Key”Honorable Mention Kayla Cannon “Beach Walkin’ “

Amateur Adult1st Larry C. Reese “Overfl ow” 2nd Steve Del Sordo “Blackwater Flight” 3rd Karen Simmons “Mischievous Monkey”Honorable Mention Heidi Wetzel “Refl ecting on Zebras” Honorable Mention Patti Glessner “Capture a Moment”Honorable Mention Cameron Smith “The Yellow Skiff : View from Sand Beach”Honorable Mention Gail Bounds “Huh?”

Professional Adult1st Frank Deak “Inquisitor”2nd Graham Slaughter “Harvest Moon” 3rd Fran Saunders “Me + My Shadow”Honorable Mention Graham Slaughter “Black Swallowtail” Honorable Mention Fran Saunders “A Rhapsody in Blue”Honorable Mention Lynne Browne “Ready for My Centerfold”

Best Travel Photo Karen Simmons “Mischievous Monkey”

People’s Choice Shelby Glessner “Chesney Surprise”

Best in Show Larry C. Reese “Overfl ow”

The Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Baltimore Business Journal awarded the Maryland Business Philanthropy Awards today during the annual Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) - Maryland Chapter Philanthropy Day Luncheon in Baltimore. The awards program honored four businesses, whose philanthropic eff orts have made Maryland a better place to live, work and do business.

“This awards program provides well deserved recognition to businesses that not only provide jobs and pay taxes, but who also support a wide variety of educational, health-related, homeless and youth activities in our neighborhoods,” said Sheela Murthy, Vice Chair of the Maryland Chamber and President of Murthy Law Firm.

This year's winners are:Small Employer Winner (100 or fewer employees)

Chesapeake Environmental Management

The company has built its philanthropic program on critical community needs such as education and health. Five percent of its profi ts are donated each year to nonprofi t organizations, including Boys and Girls Club of Harford County, Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding, Habitat for Humanity, Kennedy Krieger Institute and more. Chesapeake Environmental Management recently contributed neo-puff s to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sinai Hospital to help the smallest of patients breathe. Julie Cox of LifeBridge Health, who nominated the company, said “During the past year, this small organization has provided more than $75,000 in monetary donations and many man hours to helping make its community a better place to live and work.”

Mid-Size Employer Winner (101 to 500 employees)

Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Fund (formerly IWIF)

For nearly 100 years, the company has been an exceptional community partner with organizations such as Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Greater Baltimore Urban League, Healthcare for the Homeless, Living Classrooms and more. Cash donations over the past year totaled $200,000, with additional in-kind donations of $15,000 more. One of the charities supported by this employer is the Franciscan Center who noted the company has provided “countless hours of volunteer service – both on the food line and other program areas – and in the board room”. In fact, Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Fund raised $400,000 in cash and in-kind donations to support the Franciscan Center alone.

Mid-Size Employer Winner (101 to 500 employees)

Merritt Properties

Merritt Properties consistently ranks among the most philanthropic corporations in the Baltimore area by the Baltimore Business Journal. In 2012, this company gave a total of $1.2 million in cash and in-kind donations to various charities including the Salvation Army, Maryland Food Bank, House of Ruth, CASA and more. Its employees donated 3,149 hours through several community service days and by service on a number of local nonprofi t boards. In a letter of support, Jon Fichman of The Samaritan Women expressed gratitude for the annual $11,000 grant this company provides as well as for the 15 employees who spent two entire days helping with renovations, construction and maintenance on a 2.5 acre urban farm.

Large Employer Winner (More than 500 employees)

BGE

For nearly 200 years, BGE has played an integral role in helping its communities address economic, public safety, civic and other issues. Whether it be through programs like KaBoom! that resulted in a new playground for twelve hundred kids or its new Green Grants program to help 501(c)(3)s focus on conservation, education, and pollution prevention, BGE has long been an exemplary corporate citizen at every level. In 2013, the company has contributed $2.4 million to 186 nonprofi ts in its service area. In addition, the company’s employees have provided more than 18,000 man hours of volunteering with more than 60 community organizations. Mark Furst of United Way of Central Maryland said “They embrace the philosophy that corporate vitality depends on the well-being of the communities they serve. Through thoughtful social investments of time and money, BGE has strived to enhance the quality of life where their employees, customers and families live.”

This is the 13th year the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Baltimore Business Journal have partnered to present the Maryland Business Philanthropy Awards. All Maryland-based businesses that have made a positive contribution to Maryland residents through fi nancial support, in-kind donations or volunteer eff orts were eligible for nomination. A panel of business and community leaders judge the nominees based on the extent of the service provided to the community, the impact on the community and the commitment the business has shown to the community over time. Judges also take into consideration the size of the business relative to their corporate giving.

Maryland Companies Honored for Corporate Philanthropy


Young Gentlemen’s Club

Participate in Hurlock Fall

Festival Parade

The North Dorchester Middle and High Schools’ Young Gentlemen’s Club participated in Hurlock Fall Festival Parade. Our Mission is to be more active in our school, community and family lives. We strive to be more positive and better role models to our young future men in this world. Our Vision is to inspire other young men and lead by example. We seek to not only help ourselves but to help others achieve success and leave a lasting impact on others, and lead them to a better future. The North Dorchester High Advisor is Mr. Dwayne Lovett and North Dorchester Middle School Advisor is Ms. Karlene Walker - both staff members of Dorchester County Public Schools.

One of the largest purveyors of

LOCAL produce and goods in Talbot County!

Located in St. Michael’s • (410) 745-3537Order your Honey Baked Hams

for the Holidays TODAY!

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Victoria Moore, a 2013 graduate of Cambridge-South Dorchester High School is the fi rst student from the Cosmetology Program at DCTC to take her state boards. She passed her licensing examination with an 89%.

Victoria, a native of Cambridge, has always known that cosmetology was her passion and would be her career goal. She began her cosmetology training in the fi rst year the program was off ered to DCPS students.

Her natural raw talent was obvious when she entered the Cosmetology program. She made good use of her time at DCTC to prefect her skills.

While enrolled in the cosmetology program, she competed in our Maryland Skills USA competition in 2012 and placed fi rst in the state for Esthetics. Her fi rst place fi nish allowed her to participate in the national competition in Kansas City

during summer of 2012. In Kansas City she competed against students from all 50 states and several U.S. territories. Although she did not take fi rst place, she had an experience that will last a lifetime.

In her senior year, she dedicated herself to her studies while working hand-in-hand with Mrs. Donna James on the senior class play, Hair Spray, all while working in the salon, To Dye For, to earn hours towards the 1500 hours required to take the Maryland State Cosmetologist’s license exam.

Victoria will begin her “real world” employment as a Junior Stylist at Elizabeth Claire Salon in Easton. Her dedication to the vocation and personal drive will insure her success as a professional cosmetologist.

Congratulations, Victoria!

Choptank Transport is pleased to announce that Doug VanDerveer has joined Choptank Transport as Director of Specialized Logistics.

VanDerveer brings to the position a vast knowledge of transportation and logistics. As the National Distribution Manager for Boater’s World in Denton, Maryland, from 1990 to 2009, VanDerveer was responsible for arranging, tracking and cross-docking all inbound and outbound shipments. He also provided outstanding customer service and sales until they closed their doors in 2009.

Most recently, VanDerveer held the title of Operations and Facilities Manager at A.W. Sisk & Sons in Preston, Maryland.

“I am really excited and look forward to tackling the challenges of growing Choptank Transport’s

new refrigerated LTL division,” says VanDerveer. “Choptank Transport is known for excellent service and I am confi dent we will take care of all our customers’ refrigerated and or frozen LTL shipment needs.”

Choptank Transport’s President and CEO, Geoff Turner comments, “We are fortunate to bring on board someone like Doug; his experience, professionalism and enthusiasm are qualities that will help us succeed in a very competitive refrigerated LTL market.”

DCTC Program Produces

First Licensed Cosmetologist

VanDerveer Heads

Choptank Transport’s Reefer LTL Division


Gold Award is Girl Scouts’ Highest Honor; On My Honor Awards Ceremony Scheduled for December 1

Today Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay congratulates 20 teen Girl Scouts for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the girls have become community leaders. Their accomplishments refl ect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart. Only about 5 percent of Girl Scouts achieve this designation.

"Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award designation is truly a remarkable achievement, and these young women exemplify leadership in all its forms," said Anne T. Hogan, Chief Executive Offi cer of Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay. "They saw a need in their communities and around the world and took action. Their extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and leadership, is making the world a better place."

These young ladies will be recognized on Sunday, December 1, 2013 at the On My Honor: A Celebration of Achievement event at Smyrna High School at 2 p.m. The keynote speaker will be

Ashley Bosché who is an attorney at Cockey, Brennan & Maloney, P.C., in Salisbury, Maryland. She is President of the Lower Eastern Shore Women’s Bar Association, a member of Wicomico County Bar Association and Maryland Employment Lawyers Association, and Vice Chair of the Delmarva Zoological Society. Ashley is a member of the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Lower Shore Advisory Council and Co-chair for the Lower Shore Woman of Distinction. This year, Ashley, on behalf of the Lower Eastern Shore Women’s Bar Association, partnered with Girl Scouts for an event called Law Day, which taught girls about equality.

Also recognized will be Girl Scouts achieving the Girl Scout Silver and Bronze Awards, graduating high school seniors, and 10 and 13 year Girl Scouts. About 1,000 guests, including the girls honored, are expected to attend.Genevieve Johnson, Easton, MD. Genevieve’s project, “Breast Cancer Awareness and Intervention” included an information booth at the Choices Pregnancy Center 5k Walk/Run. Genevieve had videos playing and interactive games and activities to get people involved.

Michaelina F. Jones, Wilmington, DE. Mikey’s project, “R.I.P. – Removal of Invasive Plants” involved educating more than 70 people about non-native invasive plants, and organizing work days at Bellevue State Park to remove Garlic Mustard. Garlic Mustard is a spring European plant brought over by settlers as an herb. In four work days, Mikey organized 228 volunteer hours to remove 105 – 55 gallon bags of Garlic Mustard. The plant had to be bagged up because each plant produces 2000 seeds. Because it is so prolifi c it over takes the native spring plants. Mikey’s project was completed in May of 2013 with 95% of the garlic mustard plants removed from the park.

Heather Moore, Chesapeake City, MD. Heather’s project involved bringing awareness to Black Dog Syndrome, when dogs with a black coat are harder to adopt out then dogs with a lighter coat color. Heather revamped the room where the dogs are kept at House of Hope animal shelter, painting the walls a lighter color and adding more lighting, allowing visitors to better see the dogs.

Kara Paige Zaback, Wilmington, DE. Kara made holiday activity packets for children hospitalized at A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children.

The Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to go gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. Some universities and colleges off er scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.

A leading advocate for and expert on girls, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay builds girls of courage, confi dence and character by providing personal leadership development and programs that teach skills for the real world. To learn more about Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, visit www.GSCB.org or call 1-800-341-4007 or 1-800-374-9811.

TWENTY TEEN GIRL SCOUTS EARN THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD IN 2013

Along with the changing of seasons, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake (BBBSGC) has had some recent changes on the Advisory Board. John Allen (Vice President of Delmarva Power) has fi nished his term as President on the Board. After joining the BBBSGC Advisory Board in 2009, Mr. Allen was voted on as Board President in 2011. Mr. Allen has done a terrifi c job leading with the organization to accomplish many goals. Mr. Allen also served as chair in many of our local golf tournaments that help raise funds for youth programs.

Working very close with Mr. Allen was Jimmy Sweet. Board Member since 2008, Mr. Sweet has shared a lot of time and responsibility

with Mr. Allen. Being familiar with the responsibilities, Mr. Sweet has accepted and taken the responsibility of becoming the new Advisory Board President. Mr. Sweet was excited to take on the new position. Mr. Allen states that “I won’t be far and plan to continue working with the Advisory Board.” Mr. Allen praised the rest of the Board for all of their hard work.

Outside of Big Brothers Big Sisters, you can fi nd Mr. Sweet at the ballpark. Mr. Sweet is the Assistant General Manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds and has been on their staff since October of 2003. Mr. Sweet was awarded Board Member of the Year in 2010 and is looking forward to helping the agency grow

even more in the years to come.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake is a nonprofi t, youth development organization, which is committed to helping children reach their fullest potential through professional supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships and a full range of youth mentoring programs

and trainings with measurable impact. The programs are tailored to the needs of the children and the availability of the volunteers. Research proves that through Big Brothers Big Sisters, children facing overwhelming odds can thrive with positive adult role models who provide guidance and friendship.

Seat Changes on the Advisory Board

at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake


Benchworks is pleased to announce promotions for two of its staff members. Erika Thompson has been promoted to Account Executive, and Michelle Jamison will now hold the position of Senior Project Manager.

In her new role, Erika (pictured below left) will guide strategic planning and marketing for her clients which include Supernus Pharmaceuticals, CBRE and venturing and emerging brands such as ZICO and Core Power.

Michelle Jamison (pictured below right) will serve as Senior Project Manager for a variety of pharmaceutical accounts, including Pfi zer. She will be responsible for the planning and daily execution of marketing tactics.

Thad Bench, CEO, explained that these two appointments are well deserved. “Both Erika and Michelle

work incredibly hard to ensure that we meet our clients’ goals and expectations. Their understanding of client objectives and creativity in being able to meet and deliver on our very high standards is notable. I am proud to have them on the Benchworks team.”

Benchworks, a comprehensive marketing services fi rm headquartered in Chestertown, Maryland, was founded in 1991. The company specializes in the design, production, and launch of complete marketing and branding services. Clients include a wide variety of companies in the pharmaceutical, beverage, manufacturing, marine, tourism and education industries in North America and Europe.

For more information, visit www.benchworks.com, or call 410-810-8862.

The United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore recently recognized Interstate Container for their generous support during their annual United Way campaign. Employee and corporate contributions totaled $39,608 making Interstate Container the largest employee campaign in Dorchester County for the 2013-2014 United Way campaign season.

Interstate Container has partnered with United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore with annual campaigns since 2007 raising a total of $205,962 to date. Pete Bugas, General Manager of Interstate Container shared, “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our employees. They represent everything that is good on the Eastern Shore. From the pride they

put into their work and the products they manufacture, to the benevolent contributions for the United Way, it certainly makes me proud to their leader”.

As the largest non-governmental source of funding for 56 critical programs in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset and Dorchester Counties, United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore helps Eastern Shore residents achieve educational success, income stability and good health. This year alone, United Way is impacting local lives by providing over $1 million to community programs and helping over 70,000 individuals. To learn more about United Way visit www.unitedway4us.org or call 410-742-5143.

Benchworks Promotes Thompson, Jamison Interstate Container Donates to United Way

Representatives from Interstate Container present United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore with their generous campaign contributions totaling $39,608. Pictured (L-R) Interstate Container General Manager Pete Bugas, United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore Community Impact Manager Pam Gregory and Interstate Container Human Resources Manager Lisa Fatica.

Jacob Griffi th is one of several Choptank Transport employees who volunteer once a week at Preston Elementary School as a Character Coach. Recently Griffi th helped the children in Ms. Fazenbaker's kindergarten class to decorate a food donation box with old-fashioned hand drawn turkeys. It was a perfect way to teach November's Pillar of the Month- Citizenship.

For more information on how to volunteer, contact Character Counts Mid Shore at 410-819-0386.

Character

Counts

November

Pillar

Citizenship


Queenstown Bank of Maryland is kicking off the 2013 holiday shopping season with tips to manage holiday spending and avoid a post-holiday credit hangover.

“Consumers spreading holiday cheer should keep in mind that January bills are right around the corner,” says Tom Rhodes, President and CEO. “If consumers are not budgeting for their holiday purchases, people will fi nd themselves bringing in the New Year with last year’s debt.”

Queenstown Bank recommends that customers manage their fi nances this holiday season with the following spending tips:

· Create a budget and stick to it. Set a dollar amount based on what you can aff ord this holiday season considering your current savings, income and other expenses. Be sure to include a $20 to $100 cushion for unexpected expenses.

· Make a list. Write down the names of the people you plan to buy gifts for and how much you can aff ord to spend on each person. Don’t forget to save some

of your budget for expenses other than gifts including wrapping paper, cards and postage.

· Bakes some cookies. That’s right, if you can’t aff ord to buy gifts for everyone on your list, bake some holiday goodies and wrap them in cellophane with a holiday bow. Handmade gifts are a special way to say ‘Happy Holidays’ without overspending. Be sure to include these costs in your budget.

· Donate, donate, donate. Not only does donating give you that warm and fuzzy feeling, a small donation or two greatly benefi ts those in need. Remember, certain donations are tax deductible so be sure to consult your tax professional to get more information.

· Use credit wisely. Your credit card balance shouldn’t be a complete surprise when you open your statement in January. Take only the credit cards you need when holiday shopping and try to use the card with the lowest interest rate.

· Save your receipts. Keep track of your expenses and add them up weekly to be sure you’re sticking

to your budget. If you’re getting close to your spending limit, reevaluate your list and bake more cookies!

· Shop around. Start your holiday shopping early to give yourself time to comparison shop. Take time to do some research before you hit the stores by going online or looking at your local newspaper circulars.

“Holding true to one’s budget during the busy holiday season is an excellent jumpstart to healthy year-long budgeting habits,” said Rhodes.

Anyone who falls deep in debt and is late on their payments should inform creditors so they can work on a resolution plan with you. Banks and other lenders are often willing to help extend payment periods, consolidate debts or assist in refi nancing.

A pattern of late payments in a credit report could make attaining future loans or credit diffi cult. Consumers in need of help with debt problems should contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.nfcc.org or 1-800-388-2227.

The holidays are much more enjoyable when expenses don’t indicate deeper debt. Keep the spending in check and you’ll be sure to enjoy the season without suff ering any fi nancial hangovers.

Queenstown Bank of Maryland is your local, community bank. Their eight branch locations within Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Caroline Counties, off er convenience with award winning customer service. For more information about Queenstown Bank and the services they off er, please call (410) 827-8881 or visit www.queenstownbank.com.

QUEENSTOWN BANK ENCOURAGES CONSUMERS TO

PREVENT A HOLIDAY SPENDING HANGOVER

Black Friday

shopping

shouldn’t leave

black marks

on your

credit report.

Coming Soon...


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Through a simple act of giving this holiday season, you could win a great Christmas gift and help your community in the process. The Cambridge Adventist Church is partnering with the nonprofi t Cambridge Main Street and local businesses in the coming weeks in a joint eff ort to support neighbors in need of a little extra help this winter.

“The idea here is to help the entire community, ” says Cesar Gonzalez, pastor of the Cambridge Adventist Church. “We want to help our neighbors who are so obviously in need of assistance during this season, but we’d really like to do it in a way that also helps the businesses that are the heart of our local community.”

Following the success of previous drives, Rev. Gonzalez is once again partnering with Main Street and downtown businesses on a project that will run through December 21 with the goal

of supplying food for church outreach to neighbors in need—and doing so in a way that increases foot traffi c in downtown businesses.

“We could have just bought things with our project budget, but we are trying to do something bigger,” said Rev. Gonzalez, “We want to give everyone an opportunity to serve others, and this seems like a good start.”

Here is how it works: Anyone can drop off non-perishable food at participating downtown stores and restaurants beginning on Monday, December 2. You can tell which businesses are participating by the colorful posters in the window saying, “Win an I-Pad Here! And Help a Needy Family!”

For every three items donated, one raffl e ticket is issued—and each ticket represents a chance to win an Apple

iPad 2! The winning ticket will be chosen at the church on Saturday, December 21.

“Our downtown business community is a generous one, and the folks here are eager to help the Adventist Church help our neighbors in need,” said Mari Stanley, the executive director of Cambridge Main Street. “The cool thing about this is the way it’s set up to bring people into local stores to see what downtown has to off er.”

Area residents who haven’t visited downtown lately will have a lot to see—lots of new or expanded stores, brightly decorated businesses, thriving restaurants, and brand new holiday decorations.

“The downtown community is deeply appreciative of the way the Cambridge Adventist Church set out to organize this drive in a way that encourages area

residents to discover and celebrate this growing downtown economy of ours,” Stanley added.

“Acts of charity like this are at the heart of our church,” says Pastor Gonzalez. “We want to imitate Christ and to serve others like he did and in so doing become more like him.”

The December 21 drawing for the iPad will be held at 11 am at the Cambridge Adventist Church, 3105 Mallard Court Cambridge (visible from the north side of Route 50, turn onto Bonnie Brook Road). The winner need not be present.

More information is available from the church at www.cambridgesdachurch.org and 410.357.1463 and from Cambridge Main Street at www.cambridgemainstreet.com and 443-477-0843.

Adventist Church, Downtown Cambridge Merchants Join Forces On Holiday Raffl e and Food Drive ProjectDonate non-perishable food items at downtown businesses and earn chances to win a free iPad in time for Christmas.


Delmarva Community Services' Chef Larry Roberts and his crew had a busy day, preparing a delicious meal for almost 200 diners at the Cambridge Senior Center, with the same menu transported to guests at the Hurlock and Talbot County senior centers.

Delmarva Community Services, Inc.'S Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon For Senior Citizens

The Cambridge Senior Center Choir entertained with a Gospel selection during the Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday.

Members of the Cambridge Rotary Club were happy to serve their neighbors. From the left, Nancy Potter, Jessica Dukes, Allen Nelson, Jay Harrington, Phil Reed and Pat Nield donated their time, eff ort, goodwill and holiday cheerful to help make the lunch a great success.

December 14, 20131:30-3:30 PM

Talbot Community CenterKids - $10 Adults - FreeScholarships Available

All children will receive a gift and a professional photograph with Santa!

Gift s Sponsored By:

Documents

Midshore Journal Nov-Dec 2013