Get your motors running for the 8th annual Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival, set for Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9, and taking place at the waterfront Kent Island Yacht Club, with music, libations, light fare, vendor tents, and more. The event delivers a spectacular showcase of antique, classic, hot rod, and sports cars alongside a collection of classic boats and yachts, all taking place on the yacht club’s picturesque waterfront lawn.

A highlight of this year’s show will be two rare Duesenberg automobiles on special exhibition. The ‘his and hers’ automobiles are owned by Jane and Dwight Schaubach of Suffolk, Virginia, and will not be competing for awards. Jane’s 1929 Model J Roadster Duesenberg features black exterior and interior details, with several unique features noted on this car, including an exposed honeycomb radiator, experimental design bumper, simple gas tank cover, hub medallions, and the under-the-hood horn.

Dwight’s 1930 Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton Duesenberg will also be on display and features a tan interior and a red/burgundy exterior. The Model J packed the largest straight-8 ever mounted in an American car, a Lycoming-built 420 CI powerplant with an aluminum twin-cam head, 4 valves per cylinder, and 265 HP—enough to take a Phaeton-bodied prototype to 116 MPH at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The festival kicks off at 8 a.m. on Saturday with a Cars and Coffee meet-up featuring car clubs, hot rods, muscle cars, modern automobiles, and elegant motorcars from bygone days. The car and boat show opens on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., with Saturday’s and Sunday’s entrants eligible to receive show awards. Saturday’s entrants need not show up on Sunday to receive an award.

On Saturday evening from 4:30 to 6 p.m., entrants and ticket holders are invited to a cocktail party at the yacht club’s waterside tiki bar with live music, and light hors d’oeuvres and drinks available for purchase. The festival concludes on Sunday afternoon with a delightful waterside awards ceremony, featuring unique categories such as “best car to take your momma to church” and “car most inclined to stop for gas.”

The Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival’s People’s Choice award winner also will be showcased at the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on Chesapeake Bay, taking place at the Kent Island Yacht Club on September 27-29, with more at www.smcde.org.

“All types and conditions of cars are welcome to come, entries won’t be competing against either Duesenberg for awards,” said St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance Chair Luke L. Phipps. “Each year just keeps getting better and better with the automobiles and boats that are attracted to this area and festival. We look forward to seeing many familiar faces back at the Yacht Club this year also.”

The Kent Island Yacht Club with support from St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on Chesapeake Bay produces the annual event, with this year’s presenting sponsors Bentley Motors, Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Easton, Maryland, and Shore United Bank. Collaborating for the show includes the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society.

Early sponsors include Preston Automotive Group, and Prestige Auto Vault. Vendors at the festival will include Allen Bentley Studio, American Sentry Solar, American Design and Build, Ltd., Car-toons by Booth, and The Winery.

Entrant registration is free and still open, with entrants receiving a complimentary weekend guest pass for access to all of the yacht club’s amenities. Festival attendees are encouraged to arrive by car or boat, with limited dockage available at the Kent Island Yacht Club and Hyatt Place Marina. Advanced marina reservations can be made by contacting info@smcde.org.

The event is open to the public, with early-bird discounted tickets and more information about the Chesapeake Bay Motoring Festival at www.chesapeakebaymotoringfestival.org.

The St. Michaels Community Center’s Concerts in the Park Series is returning to the waterfront Muskrat Park on Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. beginning May 30 and continuing through Aug. 29.

The sounds of summer begin with Junction 33 (JCT33) performing on May 30. The Eastern Shore-based band JCT 33 plays music from artists as diverse as Little Big Town, Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams, to Hall and Oats and Michael Jackson, from the Allman Brothers to Roseanne Cash, from the Grateful Dead to the Beatles to Norah Jones, and more.

All 13 performances are listed on the St. Michaels Community Center’s website, with performances including Ampersand, The Comfort Zone Band, Black Dog Alley, Home Brew, and more. Local favorite Three Penny Opera will perform on July 18 followed by a special performance by international jazz saxophonist Anthony ‘Turk’ Cannon, who is from St. Michaels and will be returning to perform on July 24.

Muskrat Park features an expansive lawn overlooking St. Michaels Harbor and the Miles River, with limited picnic tables and a covered gazebo for performances. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs, along with friends, family, neighbors, your leashed dog, or just yourself to enjoy the concerts. Picnics are encouraged, with alcohol prohibited.

Popcorn, ice pops, bottled water, and other treats will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the neighbors in need served by the St. Michaels Community Center. Plenty of locally owned restaurants and parking are also nearby.

The free concert series is made possible through the generous sponsorship of local businesses acknowledged at each concert.

The St. Michaels Community Center’s newly renovated building at 103 Railroad Ave. is opening by late May, with expanded programs and services to include a new culinary arts and hospitality workforce training program.

The renovations support SMCC’s mission to serve, empower, and connect the community, with year-round programs and activities. More about SMCC’s capital improvements are at www.stmichaelscc.org/future.

Donations to SMCC and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels help the nonprofit ensure children and adults from the Newcomb Bridge to Tilghman Island have the resources they need. More is at www.stmichaelscc.org.

Scheduled for Saturday, June 29, at Wilmer Park in Chestertown, ShoreRivers’ annual Solstice Celebration includes an open bar with Ten Eyck beer, Crow Vineyards wine, and a signature cocktail; hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet dinner with dessert; and live music and dancing. The celebration begins at 6pm and continues through dusk with a rousing live auction where guests will bid on exceptional artwork, trips to enticing destinations, and more.

“The solstice indicates the start to summer when so many people flock to the river,” says Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director of ShoreRivers. “We love being able to celebrate the season with the stunning backdrop of the Chester, and it’s important to gather our supporters together to enjoy what our waterways bring to our communities. We look forward to this opportunity to see our long-time members and to welcome new friends to ShoreRivers!”

This year’s celebration will feature the culinary talents of Chesapeake Chef Service, a regional caterer who provides an “Eastern Shore to fork experience” and strives to showcase the bounty our region provides. Executive Chef and Owner Kurt Peter’s culinary education began by hunting and fishing in his own backyard and working at various private clubs and restaurants on the Eastern Shore. His cooking style mirrors this passion for the outdoors, with rustic menus and ingredients drawn fresh from our rivers and fields.

Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy live music by local band Fog After Midnight, and admire stunning floral arrangements courtesy of Wildly Native, a family farm in Chestertown, Md., that focuses on hand-selected, in season flowers that are harvested locally at the peak of bloom.

All funds raised during this event will go directly to support ShoreRivers’ work for healthy waterways. In addition to the live auction offerings, guests will be invited to raise their paddle during a reverse auction in support of environmental education programming that helps young people develop a connection with our rivers. Help ShoreRivers protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways by becoming a sponsor for the Solstice Celebration, and joining a cadre of committed environmental stewards.

For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit shorerivers.org/events.

The Department of Parks and Recreation, alongside the County Commissioners, are excited to announce the construction of a new skatepark. The skatepark will be located in Stevensville on Cockey Lane behind Business Parkway and promises to be a dynamic addition to the recreational amenities of Queen Anne’s County.

Construction of the skatepark started in mid-April, with the American Ramp Company (ARC). The project is estimated to last between 10 to 12 weeks and is subject to weather conditions. Work is scheduled for Monday through Friday and will be complemented by plantings along the site’s perimeter.

Here are some key features:

Size: Spanning 10,000 square feet, the skatepark will offer ample space for enthusiasts to hone their skills.
Features: The skatepark will feature a diverse range of elements designed to challenge and inspire skaters of all levels, including:
Quarterpipes: Ideal for practicing transitions and gaining momentum.
Hubba Ledges: Perfect for executing grinds and tricks.
Bank Ramps: Offering opportunities for flip tricks and beginner transitions.
Bank Kicker: Providing speed and airtime for learning and practicing tricks.
Grind Box, Rails, and Ledges: Designed for various grinding and sliding maneuvers.
A-Frame Bank: Offering speed, momentum, and opportunities for air tricks.
Manual Pad: Perfect for mastering manuals or wheelies.
Skate Bowl: Featuring drop-ins, air tricks, grinds, and carving opportunities.

“We are thrilled to see this desired community amenity brought to life,” remarked Steve Chandlee, Director for Department of Parks and Recreation. “The skatepark represents a space where creativity, athleticism, and camaraderie can come together.”

As construction progresses, we will provide additional updates. For inquiries or concerns, please contact the Department at 410-758-0835.

CHESTERTOWN, Md. (May 14, 2024) – The African American Women’s Health Advisory Committee (AAWHAC) has changed its name to the African American Health Advisory Committee (AAHAC). This group was formed in September 2022 as a collaborative effort between University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT), the hospital’s health educator, and women from the local African American community. Its purpose was to address healthcare inequalities faced by women in Kent County’s African American community.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown is part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, which is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

The new name reflects the group’s recent decision to focus on health concerns impacting the entire African American population in Kent County. The AAHAC is seeking to expand its membership and identify new ideas for future programming. “We’d love to have some men, as well as more women, join the group,” said Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, SCOT Nurse Coordinator. “Bringing new experience and perspectives to the committee would definitely support out mission.”

The AAHAC meets monthly to plan and develop meaningful health-related programs. Committee member Faye Little retired from the state of Maryland after working as a certified addition counselor for 23 years. “Being a member of AAWHAC is important to me because it enables me to get information out to African Americans in our community, especially seniors, who may not be aware of health care services and programs available to them,” Little said. “Working with a hospital-based program also allows us to share information with residents about health care providers and resources.”

Past programs organized by the AAHAC and offered as free educational opportunities to all community members include “Mind, Body and Soul: Exploring Mental Health in the African American Community” and “Dementia Caregiving in the African American Community: What You Need to Know.”

The AAHAC meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 11 a.m. in the Cafeteria Meeting Room at UM Shore Medical Center in Chestertown. Committee members include: Community residents Faye Little, Carolyn Brooks, Cynthia Oakley, Reverend Mary Walker, Reverend Sheila Lomax, Terwana Brown and Gaynette Gleaves; SCOT members Emily Welsh and Serenity Kelly; and Sandy Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator for UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

For more information about the AAHAC or becoming a member, contact Serenity Kelly, 410-778-3300, ext. 5647.

EASTON, Md. (May 13, 2024) – Stephanie Saffran, BSN, RN, clinical nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), has been named SRH’s Nurse of the Year. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.
Saffran was chosen by an independent panel of judges from over 70 nominations made by team members. The annual award recognizes nursing excellence achieved through leadership, professionalism, commitment to others and commitment to patient experience.
“I am deeply honored to be selected as Nurse of the Year for Shore Regional Health,” said Saffran. “As nurses, we touch the lives of so many patients and their families, whether it’s through direct care, listening, educating, or simply being a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. As I continue my career in nursing, I plan to continue to promote innovative strategies to advance patient care.”
“I am incredibly proud and honored to announce our 9 category winners and our overall Nurse of the Year Award,” said Ken Kozel, CEO and President of UM SRH. “These exceptional nurses exemplify leadership in action, teamwork, professionalism and compassionate care.”
Eight additional nurses received awards in nine categories:
Excellence in the Art of Caring, Relationship-based Care – Juan Vazquez, BSN, RN, JET Team
Excellence in Leadership-Clinical Nurse – Ashley Higgs, BSN, RN, 2 East
Excellence in Leadership-Nurse Manager/Supervisor – Brandi Covey, MSN, RN, Ambulatory Surgery Center
Excellence in Professionalism – Jaimi Hall, MSN, RN, Birthing Center
Excellence in Teamwork/Positive Attitude – Shannon Phoenix, BSN, RN, 2 East
Excellence as Preceptor/Mentor/Educator-Clinical Nurse – Sara Andrews, RN, Acute Care Unit, Chestertown
Excellence as Preceptor/Mentor/Educator-Nurse Educator – Stephanie Blades, BSN, RN, Birthing Center/Women and Children
Excellence as a Promising Professional – Samantha Lyons, RN, 3 East

Upper Shore Aging (USA) recently honored its volunteers from Caroline and Talbot counties at its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the Easton Volunteer Fire Department. The programs honored included the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP), Senior Center volunteers, and Meals on Wheels volunteers.

Corey Pack, Vice President of the Board of Directors for USA, welcomed guests stating, “There is not an agency that I can think of that will not or cannot effectively do its job without volunteers. So the role that the volunteer plays in the agency is very, very crucial. So, whether it be an hour of your time a week, or whether it be 50 hours of your time a month, we thank you for that because the agency could not fulfill its mission without the volunteers. What you do allows our doors to stay open, what you do allows those citizens who need services to be served, and it allows those citizens who are hungry to be fed.”

Judy Musch, Secretary of the Board of Directors for USA, reflected on the USA Board and its role, stating, “There are 12 members of the Board – four from each county. Your Board is a very active Board – one of the most active I’ve seen.”

Jennifer Neal, Director of Senior Centers for USA, who has been at USA for 12 years, gave an overview of Upper Shore Aging’s Meals on Wheels program, volunteering, and honored Wynona “Nonie” Thomas who was Caroline’s Meals on Wheels coordinator for many years before passing away last June. She reflected, “Upper Shore Aging currently has 275 Meals on Wheels participants – 66 in Kent County, 131 in Talbot County, and 78 in Caroline County. While Kent and Talbot have an abundance of volunteers, Caroline has two regular volunteers for Meals on Wheels to deliver to 78 people. We do have an extra three that occasionally can come in and drive for us if they’re not working. So, to say that Caroline is in dire need of delivery drivers is an understatement.”

“Over the time I watched Nonie take route after route in Caroline County – some days using her rollator. Regardless of how hard it was for her to get around, she told me. ‘I still need to make sure these meals get out – help or no help.’ In the summers and when school was out, her granddaughters helped pack and deliver meals.”

Jennifer shared that since Nonie passed away, she delivers meals weekly and has also gotten her family involved and her children deliver meals. She added, “I want to leave you with this – even if you can’t volunteer yourself, get your family involved, get your neighbors involved, get your local businesses involved. To feed our most vulnerable population is something you’ll never forget.”

Childlene Brooks, Manager of the Talbot County Senior Center at Brookletts, shared, “I just want to say thank you to all of our volunteers. From April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024, we had 45 volunteers who reported 4570 hours to our Meals on Wheels program. There were 23 additional volunteers who gave 1675 hours to other aspects of the senior centers. This does not include the volunteers from St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Fishes and Loaves Program who help us with our food pantry every Friday.”

Andy Hollis, Upper Shore Aging’s Executive Director, commented, “Your willingness to share your time and your talents speaks volumes about each of you in terms of giving of yourself to your fellow human beings, to your community, and to each one of us. Every one of you has some other choice that you can make about volunteering, but thank goodness you choose to help out Upper Shore Aging.”

Hollis reported that for Talbot County alone, the volunteer hours would have cost USA over $75,000 in wages. When he added in all of the contributions from Caroline County, that number was over $100,000.

“We would not have the program if you all were not helping us. So, from the bottom of my heart again, and from those on the board, we thank you very, very much,” he added.

Sandra Owen, Project Director for the Caroline County Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) shared that in addition to the Meals on Wheels volunteers in Caroline County, seniors volunteer for His Hope Ministries – the local homeless shelter; at the Samaritan House – a thrift shop and food pantry in Denton; and at Positive Strides – a therapeutic equestrian riding center in Preston.

Meals on Wheels Volunteer Ron Kornas, a retired contractor, of Easton has been volunteering three days a week packaging meals and delivering them throughout Talbot County for the last five years. He has met new volunteer Kenneth Fisher, a retired FedEx driver, who also delivers meals two days a week and the two have become friends and like working together at Brookletts Place packaging the meals.

Kornas states, “I like helping people and talking to them, providing socialization.”

Fisher adds, “I like meeting new people through volunteering.

St. Marks’ Fishes and Loaves Volunteers John Morris and Tom Barwick said that the ministry started as St. Mark’s COVID Fund five years ago. It currently has a crew of 11 people who pack food from the Food Bank on Thursdays and they distribute 85 to 90 bags through a drive through process at the Talbot County Senior Center on Fridays. About 35% of the bags go to seniors and the rest go to individuals and families. Participants get two meats and a full bag of groceries a week.

Morris comments, “When we started this program five years ago, we were doing 35 bags a week. Right now we’re doing 85 and 90 bags a week and for Thanksgiving we did 100 bags and for Christmas we did 110 bags.”

Tanya Sherwood of Trappe has been volunteering at the Talbot Senior Center for three year, helping with the craft activity every month, assisting at the desk, and helping with the dining room set-up. She stated, “I get to meet people from all walks of life. It also gives me a place to be social. I love older people and guess I am an ‘old soul’.”

“It’s good to help other people – some day I might need someone to help me,” shared Bessie Faulkner of Marydel.

Another volunteer from Caroline County, Doretha Cook Greensboro, added, “It makes (me) feel good that I am doing something for others.”

“It makes me happy to volunteer – it’s fun and it makes me feel good helping others,” shared Veronica Hendrix of Seaford, Delaware.

Upper Shore Aging is looking for volunteers in Caroline, Kent, and Talbot counties. For further information, visit uppershoreaging.org/volunteer or call (410) 778-6000.

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is the designated Area Agency on Aging for Talbot, Caroline, and Kent counties, Maryland, serving a potential market of nearly 31,000 persons over the age of sixty years. Our organization develops and manages a coordinated program of services that work together to help elders to remain, and live well, in the community as long as possible. Upper Shore Aging, Inc. works closely with the Maryland Department of Aging to serve the needs of its clients.

For All Seasons Center for Learning is offering an in-person training program for professional clinicians in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) taught by the founder of the DDP modality, Dan Hughes, PhD on June 24 – 27, 2024 at Anchor Church in Easton, Maryland. Participating clinicians will receive 28 Category I CEUs for the training. Participants must fully participate in the entire training to be certified. The program is part of the Reactive Attachment Disorder Training in Maryland and has been generously supported by the Maryland Health Resources Commission.

This Level I experiential training is based on and brings together attachment theory, what is known about developmental trauma, the neurobiology of trauma, attachment and caregiving, intersubjectivity theory, and child development.

“Children who have been hurt and/or neglected within their families in their early years of development can be traumatized by these experiences and find it difficult to feel safe and secure within their families. This is sometimes called developmental trauma. To help local therapists have the tools they need to deal with this trauma, For All Seasons’ Center for Learning is offering the certification training to increase the region’s capacity to serve and support youth and families affected by early childhood trauma,” states Lauren Weber, Vice President for Philanthropy and Education at For All Seasons.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is a treatment approach to trauma, loss, and/or other dysregulating experiences. DDP is based on principles derived from the theories and research of attachment, attunement, and the knowledge of trauma and interpersonal neurobiology. Dr. Hughes, a clinical psychologist from South Portland, Maine, founded and developed DDP. This psychotherapy treatment occurs in a family setting, with caregivers and youth working side-by-side to form healthy attachments.

“DDP is conversational and involves both the child and the parent. It’s based on attachment principles whereas many other therapies are not. These principles, I think, are basic to human nature. Children who are successful in life have secure attachments to their parents. If a child has been traumatized by parents early in life, they have to learn how to trust parents who are now taking care of them,” Dr. Hughes comments.

“A child may struggle with attachments, not necessarily because they experienced child abuse, for example, but because of stresses in the family. These could be related to family moves, changes in employment, or a divorce. There may also have been intense relationship stresses the child has had to deal with which have undermined their ability to feel safe.”

For nearly 40 years, this model has been used by therapists throughout the United States and Canada, as well as countries in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to help children and youth reach their full potential and reconnect with others in their lives.

For questions about registration and training logistics, contact Kelsey Trumbull-Meyers at CenterforLearning@forallseasonsinc.org or call 410-822-1018. To register online visithttps://supportforallseasonsinc.org/DDPLevel1-2024.

You can lose yourself in Kellen McCluskey’s large-scale photographs of bees, blossoms, birds and trees. In her show The Secret Life of Adkins, on view in the Visitor’s Center at Adkins Arboretum through June 29, this Centreville artist captures stunningly intimate views of the Arboretum through all the seasons of the year. There will be a reception to meet the artist on Saturday, May 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The reception also marks the launch of My Covert Home, a new book featuring McCluskey’s photographs and a collection of 14 poems by environmental artist and writer Mary McCoy. A gentle and meditative study, this collaborative project explores the forest’s beauty and ecology.

McCluskey has been shooting photographs at the Arboretum ever since she joined its staff in 2015. Although she has held several positions over the years, she currently serves in Development and is the Arboretum’s first Staff Photographer, a role she relishes because it gives her the unique opportunity to take photographs in nature at all times of day and in every season.

“My interest in nature photography has been a long, slow burn,” she said. “I had access to a ‘Brownie’ camera when I was young and loved taking pictures of my surroundings.”

McCluskey has developed a knack for zeroing in on the beauty of the moment, however fleeting. The large scale, rich color and drama of her photographs swiftly draw you into the enticing realization that there are worlds within worlds to be discovered. Thousands of tiny redbud blossoms dance across a blue April sky, a bee feasts on the golden yellow nectar of a brilliant pink aster in September and frosty winter light shines through the orange of the crinkled beech leaves surrounding a perky white-breasted nuthatch.

“Color! I love color,” McCluskey explained, “and I’m always on the hunt for anything that deviates from leaf green or bark brown.”

For more than 25 years, she has been taking photos of the natural world with a digital camera using available light without artificial enhancements or specialized equipment. While her photographs are featured in the Arboretum’s brochures, calendars and weekly newsletter emails, this first solo exhibition of her work offers a chance to see how her skills, sensitivity and knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Adkins landscape have coalesced to create a breathtaking portrait of the richness and bounty of the natural world.

Fascinated with the vibrant seasonal changes she finds in that landscape, McCluskey titled each image with both the subject and the date it was photographed. A shy owl stares from just beyond some branches where tiny green buds are sprouting in “April 20: Barred owl (Strix varia),” while “October 14: Morning dew on spiderweb” reveals the stunning intricacy of a spiderweb where dewdrops are strung like pearls, and in “November 1: Sunny Little bluestem grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium),” airborne seeds catch the light so that they resemble a flurry of snow or perhaps bright sunshine sparkling on water.

There’s magic in McCluskey’s photos, as there is in all of nature, and The Secret Life of Adkins is a show that stirs a sense of wonder and curiosity about what’s to be discovered when you slow down and really look. No one who hasn’t been spending most of her days at the Arboretum could have such an intimate knowledge of its varied landscapes and the cycles of its seasons, but this show is an invitation to take the time to search them out for yourself.

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists. It is on view through June 29 at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847, ext. 100 or info@adkinsarboretum.org for gallery hours.
A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.

CHESTERTOWN, MD (May 7, 2024) – As part of a spring campaign celebrating National Doctors’ Day, Nurses Week and Hospital Week, local community members and patients are honoring team members members at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown as Everyday Heroes. The hospital is part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, which is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

The Everyday Hero program enables patients and community members to honor and thank team members for excellent care through a donation to UM Chester River Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital. Honorees are presented with an “Everyday Hero” lapel pin and hand-written notes of appreciation from the donor as well as their manager.

Cassandra Bilbrough, MSN, RN, Acute Care Clinical Coordinator, and Andi Lloyd, RT(R), CT, Radiographer II, were recognized by a patient who also is one of the hospital’s retired nurse managers, Rita Kulley. Kulley wrote: “Thank you so much for your compassion and caring attitude when I needed it most! You should go far in your future careers!”

Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT), Nurse Coordinator, was recognized by her in-laws for her extraordinary efforts to improve the health of Kent County citizens by bring health care services and support out into the community.

Brady Shortall, RT(R) CT Radiographer II, was recognized by a patient who wanted him to know “just how special he is.”

Also named Everyday Heroes were Chestertown team members Sally Worm, RN, Manager, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation; Sherrie Hill, RN, Coordinator, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation; Wendy Barnette, RN; Molly Busick, RN and Robin Parker, RN. They were recognized by Helen Taylor, who donated in recognition of their help during her recovery after a heart attack.

“I am here because of these ladies, and I am so grateful to them,” Taylor said. “They are caregivers to all of us but also, we are friends.”

“Any team member can be a hero,” said Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director & Chief Development Officer, UM Chester River Health Foundation. “For example, Everyday Heroes could include environmental services team members who take extra care while cleaning a room, emergency department physicians who save lives, or an exceptionally compassionate volunteer who transports a patient by wheelchair.”

Donations may be dedicated to a team member or an entire department. Everyday Hero displays and donation envelopes are located throughout the hospital.

For more information contact Maryann Ruehrmund, executive director & CDO, at the Foundation or visit https://umcrhf.org/honoracaregiver/.

CUTLINE:

Shown at their Everyday Heroes award presentation are (l. to r.) Sally Worm, RN, Manager, Cardiopulmonary Rehab Program at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown; Sherrie Hill, RN, Program Coordinator; Wendy Barnette, RN; Helen Taylor; and Robin Parker, RN. Not shown: Molly Busick, RN.