Talbot County’s work to help local entrepreneurs build stronger businesses has earned international recognition.

The International Economic Development Council has honored Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism for its Talbot Works Business Academy as part of the 2026 Excellence in Economic Development Awards. The Academy was recognized in IEDC’s Entrepreneurial & Small Business Development category.

The award recognizes a program built around a straightforward economic development strategy: Give established local entrepreneurs access to sophisticated business training, and their growth strengthens the larger Talbot County economy.

“Being instrumental in the development of the Business Academy in Talbot County is about more than creating a program—it is about creating pathways to opportunity,” said Talbot County Councilmember Keasha Haythe, CEcD. “I believe our local entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners, and young people deserve access to the knowledge, resources, mentorship, and connections necessary to turn their ideas into thriving businesses.

“The Business Academy is an investment in the economic future of Talbot County,” she says, “and I am proud to help build an initiative that empowers residents, strengthens our local economy, and creates opportunities for generations to come.”

“This recognition shows what can happen when we invest in the people who are already building businesses here,” Haythe says. “Helping those businesses become stronger, more profitable, and better prepared to grow benefits all of Talbot County.”

Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism created the Talbot Works Business Academy to address a gap facing established small and minority-owned businesses. Many entrepreneurs have customers, revenue, and momentum but lack access to advanced training in financial management, pricing, operations, human resources, marketing, and growth planning.

The intensive, eight-week program helps owners shift their focus from working primarily in their businesses to strategically working on their businesses.

Results demonstrate the Academy’s impact. Fifty business owners have graduated through four cohorts.

Graduates have opened six new businesses and created 15 jobs, while eight have added contractual employees. Participants have reported more than $600,000 in capital investment for growth, equipment, and expansion.

Four graduates secured the largest contracts in their companies’ histories after participating in the program, including one contract valued at nearly $1 million.

“The numbers matter because successful businesses need owners who understand their numbers,” said Will Holmes, founder of Will Holmes Consulting and facilitator of the Talbot Works Business Academy.

“We work with entrepreneurs on pricing, cash flow, revenue goals, hiring capacity, customer acquisition, and profitability using their own businesses as the classroom,” Holmes says. “They leave with practical tools they can use immediately and a clearer understanding of where they want their businesses to go.”

Unlike many entrepreneurship programs centered on start-ups, the Talbot Works Business Academy focuses on established businesses ready for their next stage of growth. Participants generally have operated for at least two years and generate revenue but need stronger systems, financial discipline, or professional support to scale.

The virtual, interactive format also removes travel and scheduling barriers for working entrepreneurs while connecting participants with mentors and professionals in accounting, banking, law, insurance, human resources, marketing, and business operations.

Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism serves as the Academy’s host, convener, recruiter, and primary advocate. Will Holmes Consulting develops the curriculum and facilitates the training.

The Mid-Shore Regional Council provides funding through the Rural Maryland Council’s Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund, allowing participants to attend at no cost. The Maryland Rural Economic Development Fund supported the program’s first two cohorts. The Maryland Small Business Development Center and Talbot County Chamber of Commerce also serve as referral partners.

The Academy supports priorities identified in Talbot County’s Economic Development and Tourism Strategic Plan, including cultivating a strong small-business ecosystem and supporting business retention, expansion, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth.

IEDC’s recognition also places Talbot County’s approach within a broader conversation about rural economic development. The Academy demonstrates how communities outside major metropolitan areas can bring high-level business expertise directly to entrepreneurs through regional partnerships, accessible programming, and sustained local support.

Talbot Works plans to welcome another Business Academy cohort this winter and encourages interested Talbot County business owners and entrepreneurs to sign up for program announcements at www.TalbotWorks.org/BusinessAcademy.

Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism works to strengthen Talbot County’s economy by supporting business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, workforce development, investment, and a vibrant visitor economy. Through Talbot Works, the department connects businesses and entrepreneurs with resources, partnerships, training, and opportunities designed to support long-term economic vitality. More is at www.TalbotWorks.org.

Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage will host its annual Magnificent Monarchs workshop on Sat., Sept. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at Barnstable Hill Farm in Chester. The public is invited to join CWH staff to tag and learn about the migrating habits of Monarch butterflies. Participants will also learn about the Monarch’s life cycle and will help scientists from around the continent track its astounding generational migration. They will leave with milkweed seeds to plant for Monarchs in their own backyards.

The workshop is free to the public, but space is limited. Advance registration is required. To register, visit zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-monarch-workshop or call 410-822-5100. Directions will be provided.

Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage is dedicated to designing, restoring and managing wildlife habitat and establishing a more sustainable agriculture. In addition to stewarding 1,150 acres in Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties that it owns and manages as wildlife sanctuary, CWH works daily with private and public landowners to help ensure the future of the region’s wildlife and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Since the organization’s founding in 1980, CWH staff has restored nearly 2,000 acres of wetlands, planted more than 1,000 acres of woodlands and created 6,000 acres of warm season grass meadows. For more information, visit cheswildlife.org. 

Talbot Humane is encouraging parents and guardians to sign up young readers now for its PAWS to Read Challenge, a yearlong program pairing children with shelter animals while building reading skills, confidence, and compassion.

The challenge begins Sept. 1 and continues through Aug. 1, 2027. Children must enroll in Talbot Humane’s PAWS to Read program and complete an orientation with Volunteer Coordinator Megan Dornton before participating.

“PAWS to Read gives parents a wonderful way to help their children practice reading while showing them how even a quiet act of kindness can make a difference for an animal,” said Patty Crankshaw-Quimby, CAWA, executive director of Talbot Humane.

“Shelter animals need more than food, medical care, and a safe place to stay,” she says. “They also need opportunities to decompress and experience positive human interaction. A child sitting nearby and reading aloud can provide exactly the kind of calm companionship some animals need.”

Talbot Humane launched PAWS to Read in 2014 as part of its humane education programming. Reading aloud in a judgment-free setting gives children practice with phonics and comprehension while helping them develop confidence. At the same time, dogs and cats receive quiet companionship and enrichment during what can be a stressful transition.

The challenge also gives children another incentive to keep reading throughout the year. 

Participants earn rewards for every 25 hours logged, including an activity bundle at 25 hours, a pizza gift certificate at 50 hours, and a PAWS to Read T-shirt at 75 hours. Children also can receive recognition on Talbot Humane’s social media channels with parental approval.

“Reading aloud gives children valuable practice while helping them build confidence and discover the joy of reading,” said Dana Newman, director of the Talbot County Free Library.

“Connecting reading with an experience children care about can make those moments even more meaningful,” she says. “Programs such as PAWS to Read also show how literacy can become part of the many ways a community cares for one another.”

Newman says children participating in the challenge can visit any Talbot County Free Library location to find books to read during their PAWS to Read visits and throughout the yearlong challenge.

Parents or guardians accompany participating children and record their reading time during each visit. Children can work toward challenge milestones throughout the program year.

“Humane education gives children an opportunity to understand animals as individuals with physical, behavioral, and emotional needs,” said Dayniese Hurley, animal care director for Talbot Humane.

“Children begin noticing how their voices, movements, and interactions affect an animal,” she says. “Those experiences can help develop empathy and responsible animal care habits they carry with them throughout their lives.”

PAWS to Read forms part of Talbot Humane’s broader approach to advancing animal welfare across the Mid-Shore.

As Talbot County’s only open-admission animal shelter, the nonprofit provides sheltering and adoption services, humane education, animal control, spay-and-neuter programs, medical and behavioral intervention, pet retention resources, and other community services designed to help animals and the people who care for them.

Community support makes programs such as PAWS to Read possible.

“Donors help us provide far more than a temporary place for an animal to stay,” said Lucie Hughes, director of advancement for Talbot Humane.

“Their support provides specialized care, enrichment, education, and community resources that improve animals’ lives before, during, and beyond their time with us,” she says. “Every gift becomes part of building the humane community we want for Talbot County.”

Parents and guardians interested in enrolling a child in PAWS to Read should contact Megan Dornton now at megandornton@gmail.com or 410-822-0107 to complete registration and schedule the required orientation before participating in the challenge.

Talbot Humane serves Talbot County and the Mid-Shore through animal sheltering and adoption, humane education, pet retention and community support, spay-and-neuter initiatives, and regional leadership and collaboration to advance animal welfare.

To learn more about Talbot Humane, support its animal welfare programs, or make a donation, visit www.TalbotHumane.org. 

Queen Anne’s County residents are invited to provide input on the proposed Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF) Distribution Plan during a public hearing on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

The public hearing will be held at the Kramer Center, 104 Powell Street, Centreville, MD 21617.

The Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund was established through the Maryland Cannabis Reform Act to reinvest a portion of the State’s cannabis tax revenue into communities through initiatives that support economic development, education, housing, public health and other programs that strengthen communities.

Queen Anne’s County’s proposed Distribution Plan identifies and ranks community needs and establishes priorities for how CRRF funding will be allocated. The current draft identifies four priority areas:

• Youth Development and Academic Success through after-school programming
• Housing Stability and Homelessness Prevention through stabilization funding
• Economic Opportunity and Entrepreneurship through the Minority Entrepreneur Training Accelerator (META) Program
• Emerging and Changing Community Needs through ad-hoc grant opportunities

The proposed plan was developed using local data, community input, existing community resources and an assessment of where CRRF investments may have the greatest impact. The plan will serve as the County’s framework for guiding CRRF investments while promoting transparency and accountability in funding decisions.

The public hearing will provide residents with an opportunity to comment on the proposed plan, ask questions and provide feedback that will help inform future CRRF funding priorities.

The proposed CRRF Distribution Plan, Queen Anne’s County CRRF Ordinance, applicable regulations and supporting documents are available for public inspection at the Local Management Board’s office, 104 Powell Street in Centreville, and online at communitypartnerships.info.

Residents who are unable to attend the hearing may submit written comments through September 14, 2026, by email to QALMB@qac.org or by mail or in person to:

Queen Anne’s County Local Management Board
104 Powell Street
Centreville, MD 21617

Efforts will be made to accommodate individuals with disabilities and non-English-speaking residents with five days’ advance notice. To request accommodations or for additional information, contact the Queen Anne’s County Local Management Board at 410-758-6677 or QALMB@qac.org.

Queen Anne’s County recently provided an update on its new Public Safety Peer Support, Mental Health & Wellness Program, known as R.I.S.E., during a meeting of the County Commissioners.

R.I.S.E., which stands for Resilience, Integrity, Strength and Empowerment, was created to strengthen the mental health, resilience and overall well-being of Queen Anne’s County public safety professionals and their families. The program provides a safe, judgment-free peer support resource for personnel across six public safety agencies: Volunteer Fire, the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff, Department of Emergency Services, Department of Corrections, 911 Communications and Centreville Police Department.

Public safety professionals routinely encounter traumatic events and high-stress situations that can have a lasting impact on emotional and psychological health. R.I.S.E. provides a coordinated approach that incorporates mental health awareness, early intervention and confidential peer support into the public safety community.

Members of the R.I.S.E. team volunteered from participating agencies and went through an intensive interview and selection process with For All Seasons before completing a mandatory four-day training program. Since completing their training, team members have already responded to at least four critical incidents involving multiple fatalities and internal emergencies.

The program is designed around the understanding that public safety professionals often rely on one another during difficult situations, but those in leadership positions also need somewhere to turn. By creating a trained peer network across multiple disciplines, R.I.S.E. gives members of the public safety community access to colleagues who understand the unique challenges of their work and are prepared to provide support. The partnership with For All Seasons ensures that responders have access to confidential professional mental health services as a compliment to the peer-to-peer support network.

During the presentation, Queen Anne’s County also recognized CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland for its generous support of the program. CareFirst donated 24 backpacks and accessories for members of the R.I.S.E. Peer Support Team. These “go packs” will equip team members with essential supplies and resources when responding to critical incidents and supporting individuals in need.

The goal of R.I.S.E. is not only to respond following difficult events, but to build a public safety culture where seeking support is normalized, peers look out for one another and mental wellness is considered an important part of overall readiness.

The County extends its appreciation to the R.I.S.E. team members, participating public safety agencies, For All Seasons and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland for their commitment to supporting those who serve the Queen Anne’s County community.

Picture L-R: Jessica Appenzeller, Department of Emergency Services R.I.S.E. Team Coordinator, Pat Keller, QACSO R.I.S.E. Peer, Beverly Churchill, Director of Human Resources, Briana Cottman, Department of Corrections R.I.S.E. Corrections Team Lead, Nikki Strickler, Senior Consultant, Public Sector, CareFirst, Kelley Payne, Department of Emergency Services R.I.S.E. EMS Team Lead, Laura Anthony, Centreville Police Department R.I.S.E. CPD Team Lead, Kim Schmidt, Account Manager, Client Delivery Solutions, CareFirst, Back Row, Mike Jarboe, Fire and EMS Commission R.I.S.E. Peer

Imagine owning a bottle of the “World’s Best Tasting Honey. ” The Wye River Beekeepers are raffling off a bottle of Sourwood Honey that won the Grand Prize at the 14th Annual International Black Jar Honey Tasting Contest, 2025. This bottle of honey beat out more than 2000 entries to earn the title.

The prize-winning beekeeper, Virginia Webb of Clarksville, Georgia, gifted the bottle of honey to the Wye River Beekeepers, which will be raffled off. Funds raised will be used to further beekeeping education in the Central Eastern Shore area. Webb has an international reputation as a leading expert in bees and honey. She has won more than 100 first-place awards for her honey show entries, including four gold medals at the World Honey Show for Best Honey in the World (2005 in Dublin, Ireland; 2009 in

Montpellier, France; 2013 in Kiev, Ukraine; 2015 Daejeon, South Korea.) The Wye River Beekeepers provides a forum for beekeepers of all levels in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne and Talbot Counties to meet, share and learn, and to promote honeybee-friendly environments and better beekeeping practices. They meet on the third Wednesday of each month at Chesapeake College. Information is posted on the

Wye River Beekeepers Facebook page or on the website, www.wyeriverbeekeepers.org. Tickets are $2 and can be obtained from any member of Wye River Beekeepers or texting to 443-994-2669 or 410-279-9886. The drawing will take place at the Wye River Beekeepers’ annual meeting, which will be held November 18th at Chesapeake College. Need not be present to win. The estimated value of this bottle of prize-winning honey is $2000.

Join us for our “Kool Yule”

Though we are in the heat of Summer, The Queen Anne’s Chorale is looking forward to Fall. Now in its 39th year, the Chorale continues to bring together singers of all backgrounds, united by a love of music and performance. Community members interested in joining are invited to participate in the upcoming fall season. No auditions are required, and an open rehearsal will be held on September 14, 2026 at 6:30. (Centreville Methodist Church – no audition required).

The Chorale will return to the TPAC stage for its next concert, “Kool Yule,” on December 5. Music lovers and families are encouraged to attend—and perhaps even consider raising their own voices with the group in the months ahead.

The Queen Anne’s Chorale is an all-volunteer, non-auditioned community chorus dedicated to “Entertaining, Engaging, and Educating since 1989.” While the ability to read music is helpful, it is not required. Come check us out on September 14 and join the fun. Group choral singing provides joy and healthy outcomes for singers of all ages and experience.

Support for the Chorale is made possible in part through grants from the United Way of Queen Anne’s County, the Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts, the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, and the Maryland State Arts Council, as well as generous corporate sponsorships from Shore United Bank, Coastal Pools, Preston Toyota Easton and Chesapeake Hearing Centers.

For more information, ticket purchases, or to learn about sponsorship and donation opportunities, visit www.qachorale.org or follow Queen Anne’s Chorale on Facebook and Instagram (@queen_annes_chorale).

At a recent Queen Anne’s County Commissioners meeting, the Commissioners voted to extend an existing Public Works Agreement associated with the Chesterhaven Beach property in Chester.

The property was originally platted in 1959, before the existence of modern County zoning and subdivision regulations. The property received sewer allocation in 2011 for 178 lots, with the agreement requiring the property owner to meet certain construction milestones and pay a deposit toward the sewer allocation.

When required milestones were not met, additional non-refundable deposits were made to maintain the sewer allocation. An additional deposit was paid in 2019, and in 2020, the property owner requested additional time to begin construction and made another deposit. To date, $315,060 in non-refundable sewer allocation deposits has been paid to the County.

In 2023, the Public Works Agreement was amended again, reducing the sewer allocation from 178 lots to no more than 90 lots. This allowed the County to recapture 22,500 gallons per day of sewer capacity, which was reserved for future commercial uses.

The Commissioners’ recent vote extends the timeframe for the property owner to meet the “under construction” milestone, allowing additional time for the project to proceed through the required development review process while maintaining the existing sewer allocation.

There has also been some confusion regarding the property because of a separate court case decided in 2025. The property was not included in the Chester Growth Area when the County adopted its Comprehensive Plan in 2022. In 2024, at the request of the property owner, the Commissioners voted to re-include the property in the Growth Area. Inclusion in the Growth Area would have allowed the property owner to pursue access to public water in addition to the public sewer allocation already associated with the property.

That 2024 decision was challenged, and in December 2025, the Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court declared the Commissioners’ action to re-include the property in the Growth Area void. Specifically, the Court found that the Commissioners should have given the Critical Area Commission the required notice before acting on the request and that the Commissioners’ 2024 decision to reconsider and partly approve the request was outside their authority. The reconsideration occurred outside the prescribed time limit, and changes to the County’s growth-area maps needed to proceed through the Planning Commission.

Because of these procedural issues, the Court voided the Commissioners’ 2024 decision to add Chesterhaven Beach to the growth area. The Court specifically clarified that the separate question of whether the historic platted lots are legal or “grandfathered” was not before the Court to decide.

As a result of the Circuit Court decision, Chesterhaven Beach is not included in the Growth Area and cannot pursue public water through that Growth Area designation. The decision did not eliminate the sewer allocation that has been associated with the property since 2011. It simply means the property returns to the status it had before the 2024 decision.

The Commissioners’ recent vote does not approve the proposed development, place the property back into the Growth Area or provide access to public water. The action only extends the “under construction” milestone associated with the existing sewer allocation from September 10, 2026, to September 10, 2030. The property owner must still proceed through the applicable development review and approval processes. If the project does not move forward and the allocation ultimately expires, the $315,060 in sewer allocation deposits previously paid to the County remain non-refundable.

The recent County Commissioners meeting and discussion can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/oBUp6Ac6jck?si=TVMibtKo7zm5QHiC

The Queen Anne’s County Board of Education adopted an updated Policy 603 – Personal Electronic Communication Device and Regulation 603.1 on August 5, 2026, establishing expectations for the use and storage of personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day.

Under the updated policy, students are prohibited from using personal electronic communication devices during the academic school day, which is defined as the period beginning with the first bell and ending with the dismissal bell. This includes instructional periods as well as lunch, recess, passing periods, and transitional periods. The policy applies broadly to personal electronic communication devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, wireless headphones and earbuds, tablets, personal laptops or gaming devices, geolocation devices, smart glasses, and other portable devices capable of receiving, sending, or recording voice, image, or text content.

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, students are expected to turn off and store personal electronic communication devices before entering the school building. Students may not use electronic communication devices during the academic school day and may not access or use social media platforms during that time. The regulation also establishes specific exceptions to ensure that students’ educational, medical, accessibility, language, and caregiving needs continue to be supported.

QACPS’s updated policy is being implemented in alignment with House Bill 525, the Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act, which was approved by Governor Wes Moore on May 26, 2026, and takes effect July 1, 2026. The law requires every Maryland county board of education to develop and implement, no later than the 2027–2028 school year, a policy limiting the use of electronic communication devices by students during the academic school day.

Although Maryland school systems have until the 2027–2028 school year to implement policies required under the new law, QACPS is implementing its updated policy beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. QACPS joins other Maryland school districts that are moving forward with local phone-free or electronic-device policies ahead of the statewide deadline.

QACPS recognizes that changes to expectations surrounding personal electronic devices represent an adjustment for students, families, and staff. The school system will work to communicate the policy and implementation procedures clearly and consistently throughout the school year.

For additional information regarding Policy 603 and Regulation 603.1, families may contact their child’s school or the Queen Anne’s County Public Schools central office.

For the past 10 years, each September, For All Seasons has launched its annual “No Matter What… You Matter” suicide prevention campaign. The agency is holding several events in September to educate the community about suicide prevention, focusing on this year’s theme, “What if ‘I’m Fine’ isn’t the whole story?”

For All Seasons’ free community Speaker Series will be the centerpiece for September activities. This year, acclaimed guest speaker and author Annie Brewster, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and founder of Health Story Collaborative, will be speaking at the Ebenezer Theatre at 17 S. Washington Street in Easton, MD, on September 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Dr. Brewster’s talk, “Reclaiming Our Stories, Reclaiming Ourselves,” will explore how personal stories can foster connection and resilience. Her book, “The Healing Power of Storytelling: Using Personal Narrative to Navigate Illness, Trauma, and Loss,” draws on her work with individuals and communities navigating these challenges and explores how sharing and listening to stories can support healing. Her talk will also highlight the social science research on the health benefits of storytelling and offer practical ways to apply these insights in everyday life. A question-and-answer period and book signing will follow the talk.

With the evening’s focus on stories, the September 16 program will begin close to home by recognizing first responders whose actions have made a meaningful difference in suicide prevention. The program will open with a brief presentation of the HOPE Awards, a nationally recognized initiative established in 2019 to honor individuals who have saved lives, supported people in crisis, and advanced awareness around mental health and hope. For the first time, For All Seasons and Talbot FiRST™ are bringing the HOPE Awards to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, recognizing law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and 9-1-1 operators whose actions have positively impacted individuals experiencing mental health challenges and suicidal crises.

Young people are another critical focus of For All Seasons’ suicide prevention work. Mental Health America reported that 51% of individuals under age 18 experienced frequent suicidal thoughts in 2025, marking the highest level recorded since their screening program began in 2014. For All Seasons is expanding its prevention efforts with a new self-paced online course, Real Talk: Conversations that Save Lives, created to help trusted adults better understand and respond to the mental health needs of middle and high school students. The course combines suicide prevention education with practical guidance for educators, counselors, coaches, youth leaders, parents, and other adults who play an important role in young people’s lives. The course includes three types of video lessons. Some build participants’ understanding of suicide prevention and mental health topics that commonly affect adolescents. Others focus on how adults can “show up” as trusted adults by listening, recognizing when a young person may be struggling, responding without judgment, and knowing when additional support is needed. A third group of video lessons is designed to be shown directly to teens as a way to open conversations about difficult topics. The lessons incorporating these video messages are accompanied by discussion guides that help adults continue the conversation and explore the issues more deeply. Local youth volunteered to appear in several of the video lessons, bringing their own voices and perspectives to topics such as social media, rumors and group chats, isolation and belonging, anger as a possible sign of emotional distress, reaching out when a friend is struggling, and telling a trusted adult when something does not feel right.

On September 30 from 12 to 1:30 p.m., the For All Seasons Center for Learning will host “Time + Space + Safety: An Introduction to CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means),” led by Lauren Weber, Chief Strategy Officer, and Lesa Mulcahy, Chief Clinical Officer. Access to lethal means can turn a temporary suicidal crisis into a permanent outcome, and CALM offers an evidence-informed approach to reducing that risk by creating time, space, and safety during periods of crisis. Designed for mental health professionals and other caring adults who may encounter individuals at risk for suicide, the presentation will explore how conversations grounded in empathy and respect can open the door to meaningful safety planning and practical approaches for discussing firearms, medications, and other lethal means. 

The September 30 Lunch and Learn will serve as a one-hour introduction to CALM and its core principles. For those seeking a deeper understanding, For All Seasons will also offer a self-paced online course, Real Talk: Suicide Prevention Through Lethal Means Safety, beginning in mid-September. The online course provides a more comprehensive look at the CALM approach and how its principles can be applied in real-world conversations about firearms, medications, and other lethal means.

For All Seasons’ “No Matter What… You Matter” suicide prevention campaign reminds the community that starting a conversation with someone who is struggling can be difficult, but you don’t need to have the perfect words. What matters is reaching out, asking directly if someone feels suicidal when you’re concerned, listening without judgment, and helping connect someone to support. Most importantly, keep checking in and stay connected; always letting someone know they matter can make a meaningful difference.

For more information about the month’s activities, please visit www.NoMatterWhatYouMatter.org or https://centerforlearning.forallseasonsinc.org/education/. 

For All Seasons Behavioral Health & Rape Crisis Center offers mental health services, victim and crisis support, and education and outreach on Maryland’s Mid-Shore and throughout the state. The agency’s unique model of care ensures anyone can receive high-quality, trauma-certified mental health care when they need it – regardless of language or ability to pay. For information about For All Seasons’ walk-in hours, call 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsinc.org.