CHESTERTOWN, Md. (September 13, 2023) – Members of the Chester River Yacht & Country Club organized and participated in the 12th annual Pink Polar Bear Golf Tournament this summer, raising a record $10,200 to benefit patients served at the Eleanor & Ethel Leh Women’s Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

This year’s event attracted nearly 90 club members and guests. Since 2015, the event has raised over $30,000 to support breast cancer detection at the hospital.

“We call it the Pink Polar Bear tournament because finding breast cancer can be a little like trying to find a polar bear in a blizzard,” said Kelly Bottomley, Manager of Outpatient Radiology Services for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. “Our tomosynthesis mammography technology takes breast images in ‘slices,’ much like a CT scanner, and makes it possible to detect breast cancer at the earliest possible stage. Expanding our diagnostic breast services here though MRI technology puts our capabilities at best-in-class.”

“We are grateful beyond words,” said Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director, UM Chester River Health Foundation. “I hope participants will take great pride in knowing that the tournament’s proceeds will be designated for our upcoming campaign hoping to raise $1.3 million for new MRI equipment, including a special coil needed to perform MRI studies of the breast, which will soon be offered at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.”

Opened in 2013, the Eleanor & Ethel Leh Women’s Center was the first facility on the Delmarva Peninsula to offer 3-D digital mammography with tomosynthesis, which can find breast cancer at the earliest possible stage. This capability is now available throughout the five-county area served by UM Shore Regional Health.

The Leh Center performs more than 2,800 mammograms each year, offers bone density evaluation services and consultation and follow-up appointments related to breast surgery. Breast surgery, reconstruction and plastic surgery takes place at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

CUTLINE: Shown are Pink Polar Bear Golf Tournament participants and organizers at the Chester River Yacht & Country Club. (Polar Bear Golf.jpeg)

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Sept. 14, 2023 – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum hosts Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival on Friday-Sunday, Oct. 6-8, welcoming one of the nation’s largest gatherings of small boat enthusiasts and unique watercraft back to its waterfront campus.

Hundreds of amateur and professional boatbuilders and enthusiasts will come from all over the region to display their one-of-a-kind kayaks, canoes, and other traditional small craft at the 40^th edition of the annual festival, which runs 10am–5pm all three days.

Public entrance to the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival is included with CBMM’s general admission, which is good for two consecutive days and free for CBMM members.

Head to cbmm.org/MASCF to learn more about the three-day event. Anyone looking to register as a participant and gain access to the full slate of events can get more info at cbmm.org/MASCFparticipants.

A family-friendly fall staple, MASCF invites guests to marvel at the craftsmanship and innovation used in traditional and contemporary small craft, showcased both on land and in the water, while enjoying all that CBMM has to offer across its 18-acre campus. Throughout the weekend, boat owners are encouraged to share their knowledge and boating experiences with guests.

Saturday offers a full slate of MASCF activities. CBMM Shipyard staff and Chesapeake Wooden Boat Builders School instructors will offer boatbuilding and maritime demonstrations that day, and Chesapeake Light Craft will be on site with a selection of vessels from its fleet for guests to demo.

That afternoon, there will be a spirited small craft race on the Miles River. Guests are encouraged to watch all the action from CBMM’s waterfront and docks.

Also on Saturday, guests are invited to a special presentation in CBMM’s Shipyard. A weeklong workshop on traditional Japanese boatbuilding, led by author, boatbuilder, and educator Douglas Brooks, concludes with a traditional Shinto launching ceremony to celebrate the completion of a 21-foot Japanese river boat. That evening, Brooks will be the keynote speaker at the dinner for MASCF participants.

Everyone on campus for MASCF will be able to vote for their favorite boat, with the People’s Choice award and others announced among participants on Saturday evening. Limited offerings will be available for the public to see on Sunday.

For safety reasons, non-service dogs need to be kept home during CBMM festivals, including the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft

Queenstown, Md. (September 7, 2023) – Final preparations are now under way for “Claws for a Cause,” a crab feast fundraiser set for Thursday, September 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Fisherman’s Crab Deck in Grasonville. The annual event will benefit patient care services at University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown.

Tickets are $100 for adults and $20 for children 13 and under. The buffet will feature all-you-can-eat steamed crabs, fried chicken, pork barbeque and assorted sides. The event will also include a silent auction featuring items such as a raw seafood bar feast for 20 and Baltimore Ravens tickets.

“The Claws for a Cause crab feast has become a wonderful tradition in this community, bringing people out to support our emergency center and the quality care we provide,” said Mary Alice Vanhoy, Manager, UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown. “Over the years, the Claws event has raised funds that have enabled us to purchase state-of-the-art diagnostic technology and to make needed equipment upgrades.”

Proceeds from this year’s event will fund the purchase of two electric recliner lift chairs. It will also help fund staff training necessary for Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation for UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown.

This year’s event sponsors are Whiting-Turner, Maryland Primary Care, Benedict A. Andrew American Legion Post #296, Kent Island American Legion Post #278, R. Baker & Son, PepUp, DiDonato Property Management, Central Sod Farms, Coldwell Banker Waterman Realty, Shore United Bank, Kathy & Nicholas Deoudes, Tidewater Anesthesia Associates, Laurie Plemons, Chesapeake Investment Planning LLC, Kent Island B.P.O.E. #2576, Sara Jane Davidson, Queenstown Bank, Benoit Development LLC, Kelly Distributors, Arthur B. Cecil, Art & Karen Oertel, Pixel Print & Post and Gary and Sonia Mangum.

Since its opening in 2010, more than 200,000 patients have been treated for acute illnesses, injuries and trauma at UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown. The Center is staffed by board certified emergency medicine physicians, experienced nurses, radiology technicians and medical technologists.

For more information about Claws for a Cause sponsorships, or to purchase tickets, please visit umshoreregional.org/Claws-for-a-Cause or email Stephanie.bryan@umm.edu.

Tidewater Rotary is pleased to announce its collaboration with Chesapeake Conservancy for the 2023 Bay Bridge Run, a 10k race across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Club members will run or walk as part of Chesapeake Conservancy’s Charity Team to raise both awareness and funds for the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the promotion of equitable access for all.

The Bay Bridge Run is a unique mid-distance event that takes place over the bay on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on November 12. The 10k race only happens once a year and is a rare opportunity for participants to walk or run the 4.35-mile-long bridge, which is typically closed to pedestrians.

Chesapeake Conservancy, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, was selected as an official charity partner of the Bay Bridge Run. Their vision includes creating more parks, trails, and public access sites to ensure that the Chesapeake Bay remains accessible to everyone while promoting thriving wildlife habitats. Funds raised through this event will directly contribute to advancing their goals and Tidewater Rotary is excited to partner with them to protect this national treasure.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Chesapeake Conservancy and promote the protection and accessibility of the Chesapeake Bay,” Tidewater Rotary Club President Childlene Brooks said. “Our club has worked on clean-up efforts of local streams and rivers, and this endeavor is a continuation of our efforts to preserve our precious natural resource. We invite our community to support our team by visiting www.tidewaterrotary.org/10k.”

Tidewater Rotary, established in 2011, is part of a global network of over 1.4 million volunteers dedicated to the Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self.” Their participation in the Bay Bridge Run demonstrates their commitment to making a positive impact in their community and beyond. Follow the club on Facebook @TidewaterRotary and visit www.tidewaterrotary.org to learn more and join.

The Departments of Social Services in Caroline, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties recently hosted an appreciation event for area foster parents at the Tuckahoe State Park Lake Pavilion in Ridgely, Maryland. In addition to providing steamed crabs, the event included lunch, a DJ, face painting, and access to the park’s playground and trails.

“Our resource parents always enjoy this event with their families. This year, we had approximately 65 family members from across the Mid-Shore in attendance. This is one way that we can say ‘thank you’ to our resource families for their dedication throughout the year,” states Paris Quillet, Special Projects Coordinator for the Talbot County Department of Social Services.

For further information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent in Talbot County, call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 or visit midshoreresourceparents.com.

Captions: 

Our library is a learning hub for locals big and small; beyond books they do everything from arts and crafts to 3-D printing. Locals love our library so much they created The Friends of QAC Library, a non-profit that supports our local libraries. I had the chance to talk to one of their board members, Ashley MacLeay, to learn about their book sales program, what she’s been reading lately and more! 

For those who don’t know… what is Friends of QAC Library?

The Friends of Queen Anne’s County Library is comprised of individuals and organizations who advocate for the library. Friends volunteer their time and talents to build valuable bridges between our library and community. It is a non-profit that generates financial support for library programs, increases community awareness of the library, and encourages greater use of the library and its resources. Friends’ support is crucial to ensuring that the programs our community has come to appreciate will endure into the future and that new opportunities can be realized.

How did you get involved?

I got involved through the Kent Island Library Expansion Capital Campaign. Growing up on Kent Island, I was a young girl when the Kent Island branch first opened, and my mother was a strong advocate for the library. Now that my three sons use the library, and after seeing the new and improved Kent Island Branch, I wanted to continue to lend my experience to expand the many programs and resources available to residents through the library.

Could you tell me about the used book sale program?

Definitely! The Friends have been holding book sales in the county for almost ten years. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends to provide support to Queen Anne’s County Library for projects and programs developed for our community. Since its inception, the Friends have provided Queen Anne’s County Library with more than $150,000 to support library favorites like the Summer Reading Program, arts programs, and youth STEM events. The Friends have also provided essential funding for major improvement projects, including the Kent Island Branch renovation and acquisition of the County’s Mobile Library.

How can locals support our library and the Friends of the Library?

The Friends of QAC Library is a member-based organization with annual membership fees starting at $25. Current members of the Friends receive discounts, and new members can join at any time at any of Queen Anne’s County Library’s branches or online at https://friendsofqaclibrary.org/membership. We also welcome interested individuals to participate in our fundraisers and donate gently used books to the Friends.

Any recent projects you all have been working on or upcoming projects in the future?

Friends just finished up a successful used book sale in August. This sale offers something for everyone, thousands of gently-used fiction and non-fiction books in all genres and from hundreds of authors. Shoppers were also able to select from a huge collection of DVDs. For the first time this year, we offered pre-owned jigsaw puzzles for sale at the event.

We will be celebrating National Friends of the Libraries Week October 15-21, 2023 with a fun restaurant giveback fundraiser in the county. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks! We will be posting more on our Facebook page soon. 

I’m guessing you’re a reader? Any favorite books you’d like to recommend that can be checked out at our local libraries?

I just finished White House by the Sea : A Century of the Kennedys at Hyannis Port by Kate Storey. It is a well-researched and interesting new nonfiction read that was released this summer. I highly recommend it! The Friends of QAC Library also stocks a Book Nook at each of our branches where you can find many gently used books for purchase. Recent fiction favorites I stocked include It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover. Books purchased at the Book Nook and funds raised go directly back to support the library.

Who is on the board of the organization?

The Friends organization is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Current board members include:

Kerry Harris – President 

Elizabeth Cockey – Vice President 

Joan Moored – Treasurer 

Melinda Smith – Secretary 

Ashley MacLeay 

Debbie Oleisky

Directors develop and implement fundraising plans, conduct community outreach to increase awareness about Queen Anne’s County Library programs and resources (as well as about the Friends of the Library), and work to effectively fulfill funding requests from library leadership.

The Friends look to welcome up to four new Directors to the Board in 2024 and can form committees with additional interested Friends’ members.  if you have experience in social media, graphic design, community outreach or fundraising and are interested in joining the board, please email friendsofqaclibrary@gmail.com

If you would like to learn more about the Friends of QAC Library you can go to their website here: https://friendsofqaclibrary.org/. You can also see upcoming library events and read about all the services they offer here: https://www.qaclibrary.org/

On Wednesday, October 4, Kent School will host a secondary school fair for students in Grades Six, Seven and Eight and their parents or guardians. Kent School’s secondary school fair is open to all families in the area and there is no fee to attend. The event will be held in the M. V. “Mike” Williams Gymnasium from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Several independent and area public schools, both day schools and boarding schools are participating including The Gunston School, The Hill School, McDonogh School, Mercersburg Academy, Oldfields School, Pomfret School, St. Andrew’s School, St. James School, St. Timothy’s School, Woodberry Forest School, and Kent County High School.

According to Tricia Cammerzell, Assistant Head of School for Advancement, “this year, we are delighted to welcome secondary schools from Virginia to Massachusetts. The purpose of the fair is to bring as many secondary schools together in one place at one time so students and parents can get an overview of the wonderful regional options for high school. This is an opportunity for families to speak with admission representatives and decide if they want to delve further into the admission process for a particular school.”

The secondary school process at Kent School is an intentional one that includes an academically rigorous program coupled with faculty support, small class discussions and student accountability. Nancy Mugele, Head of Kent School said, “At Kent School we are proud of the work we do for each student to prepare them for success in their chosen high school. We conduct mock interviews, create classroom situations similar to high school classes and write in-depth recommendations. As stated in our mission, ‘We are research-driven and committed to nurturing our students’ potential for active citizenship in a connected world through academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence.’The secondary school fair is an important tool to help guide students and parents through the discovery, application and enrollment process.”

For more information about Kent School’s Secondary School Fair, please email Tricia Cammerzell, Assistant Head of School for Advancement at tcammerzell@kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110. Kent School, located on the bank of the Chester River in historic Chestertown is an independent school serving boys and girls in Preschool through Grade Eight.

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Sept. 8, 2023 – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is partnering with Temple B’nai Israel of Easton on Wednesday, Oct. 11 to present “S.S. President Warfield to Exodus 1947: The Chesapeake Steamship That Launched Israel.”

During this Speaker Event hosted in the Van Lennep Auditorium, CBMM’s Chief Historian Pete Lesher and University of Maryland Distinguished Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Herf share the story of a Chesapeake packet steamship with a symbolic role in the formation of Israel 75 years ago. Light refreshments will be served at 5pm, and the talk will begin promptly at 5:30pm. 

The suggested ticket price is $8 per participant with both in-person and virtual options available. To register and get more information, visit cbmm.org/ShipThatLaunchedIsrael.

This program is made possible in part through the generosity of Marlene and Phil Feldman.

“The history of this steamship is familiar to many of us—its story was made famous both in books and in the movies,” Temple B’nai Israel Rabbi Peter Hyman said. “What may be less well known is that Exodusfirst sailed on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This, for many of us living here, intensifies and makes more poignant our connection to this ship and to the role it played in post-World War II history.”

This program will trace the vessel’s interesting journey to its place in history.

S.S. President Warfield was the largest and last steamboat built for the Baltimore Steam Packet Company, nicknamed the “Old Bay Line.” The luxury liner ran overnight express service between Baltimore and Norfolk beginning in 1928.

Like several other Bay steamboats, President Warfield was requisitioned for service in World War II, and after surviving the war, it was ultimately sold via auction to a Zionist organization seeking to take European Jewish refugees displaced by the war to Palestine.

Despite opposition from the British government that controlled Palestine, President Warfield recrossed the Atlantic Ocean, took refugees aboard in southern France, and headed on.

British naval vessels followed and ultimately stopped the steamship just short of its destination. Amid the melee, new nameboards were revealed, dubbing the vessel Exodus 1947.

The international attention that ensued around the plight of the Jewish refugees ultimately led to the establishment of the State of Israel. While the venerable steamship saw no more use, it was called by some “the ship that launched a nation” and its story inspired Leon Uris’ novel “Exodus.”

CBMM’s collection features two models of the steamship, numerous historic photographs, and several related artifacts, including a brass state room key and a dinner menu from its maiden voyage.

During next month’s program, Lesher will share the history of the vessel through World War II, while Herf, an authority on modern European history, will speak about the international impact of the Exodus 1947incident.

“It’s an extraordinary story, and because of its international dimensions, President Warfield was among the best-known Chesapeake Bay steamboats,” Lesher said. “We think this program will appeal both to those interested in Chesapeake Bay maritime history and 20^th century Jewish history, the founding of the State of Israel, and international relations in the aftermath of World War II.”

Find more information about CBMM’s fall series of Speaker Events at cbmm.org/speakerseries and all of its upcoming events at cbmm.org/events.

In a joint effort with the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority, we are excited to announce a new initiative to help keep summer beach traffic on US 50/301.  This new pilot program is aimed at enhancing traffic flow and ensuring the safety and mobility for local services by reducing congestion on MD Route 18 and other adjacent local roadways. Following the success of a similar program in Anne Arundel County earlier this summer, Queen Anne’s County in partnership with the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority, will be launching this program on the eastern shore which will close or restrict access onto US 50/301 from several on-off ramps along the heavily traveled corridor. 

The temporary entrance ramp closures are scheduled to begin in mid-September.

County Commissioner Jim Moran expressed his enthusiasm for the program, saying, “we understand the impact these unprecedented traffic backups are causing the citizens of Queen Anne’s County and we remain committed to finding solutions to alleviate some of the impacts to our residents. The County has been working on our own “Beach to Bridge Plan” and are pleased to be partners with the state to be in a proactive position to launch our own pilot. This has been a complicated exercise as we have 15 ramps along a 9 mile stretch of US 50/301. We also have the Kent Narrows, multiple shopping centers, gas/convenience stores, and schools to take into consideration. Comparing our situation to Anne Arundel County’s 2.5 mile corridor with 3 ramps has made our proposal more challenging and we understand that refinements will be likely be needed going forward.  After this year’s pilot program is concluded, we are planning to hold some Town Hall meetings to receive comments and suggestions that can help us all prepare for next year’s beach traffic season”.

To ensure smooth travel during the closure period, drivers are encouraged to plan their routes ahead of time. Visitors heading to or from the beach are advised to stay on Route 50, which will remain unaffected by the ramp closures.

Queen Anne’s County and the State Highway Administration are working diligently on the final details of the program. Prior to its official launch, comprehensive information about the closures and alternative routes will be released. This will enable residents to plan their travels during the affected period and minimize any potential inconveniences.

To stay updated on the latest developments and receive timely announcements regarding the temporary entrance ramp closures, residents are encouraged to follow Queen Anne’s County Government on social media @QACGOV and visit the official website at www.qac.org.