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The Mission of the Kent County Chamber of
Commerce is to serve, represent and be the leading advocate for the business
interests of its membership in ways that enhance the environment of the
business community and quality of life and well being of residents and visitors.
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From the Executive Director
How did you use your Chamber Membership yesterday?
Did you ....
- Promote your business to other Chamber businesses in the Newsletter, on the website or in the weekly NewsFlash?
- Attend a Chamber sponsored event?
- Bring a community issue to the Board and/or membership for discussion and/or action?
- Attend a Business Seminar hosted by a Chamber affiliate such as SCORE?
- Save $$ by asking for your Chamber Member-to-Member discount from other participating members?
- Bring your business card or brochure to the Chamber office for display in the Visitors Center and for handout to new residents, visitors and new business owners in our area?
If you answered NO to any of the above and would like to answer YES, please call me at the Kent County Chamber of Commerce office at 410/810-2968 and start to USE your membership today.
What are you waiting for?
Loretta
Loretta M. Lodge
Executive Director
MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DISCOUNTS...
Kent County Chamber of Commerce members prefer to do business with one another whenever possible because it means doing business with people whom you know and trust and, it keeps hard earned dollars at home.
Through the Chamber's NEW Member-to-Member program, you can voluntarily choose to offer discounts to other members. As this service grows, with over 300 Chamber businesses it could significantly increase your business.
To participate contact call Loretta at 410/810-2968.
Below are businesses offering Member-to-Member discounts.
Aquafit 410/778-6555 www.ctownaquafit.com Chester River Yacht & Country Club 410/778-3818 www.crycc.org Eastern Shore Home Cleaners, LLC 410/778-8132 eshomecleaners@hotmail.com ESS - Geiger Promotional Products 800/249-4333 www.ess-geiger.com Sassafras Sailing Excursions & Lessons 443/566-2986 www.sassafrassailing.com Salon 410/810-0009 Be sure to brin your business card! ShoreToBeFun.com 302/464-0313 www.shoretobefun.com
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Member News Bytes
CASA
National CASA Grant Awarded to Local Program
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CASA of Queen Anne's & Kent Counties has been awarded a National CASA expansion grant in the amount of $32,500 to increase the number of local children served by Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs).
CASA's mission is to advocate for the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes and are under the protection of the court system because of abuse, neglect or abandonment. CASA provides trained volunteer advocates to make assessments and recommendations to the court, with the goal of securing a safe, permanent home for every child.
CASA of Queen Anne's began operating in July 2008 and expanded to include Kent County in June 2009. Kathy Sells, president of the Board of Directors of Queen Anne's & Kent Counties, said, "We are pleased to receive this funding from the national CASA organization; it will enable us to expand our program to provide life-changing benefits to even more of the most vulnerable children in our service area."
In Fiscal Year 2010, 22 children were served by CASA of Queen Anne's & Kent Counties. With sixteen CASA volunteers now trained, the program is more than half-way to achieving its goal of providing an advocate for every child in foster care in our two counties.
For more information about becoming a CASA or how to support CASA of Queen Anne's & Kent Counties, visit www.casaqakent.org or call (410) 758-8610.
Chester River Health System
Hospitalist Appointed to Medical Staff at Chester River Hospital Center
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Chestertown, MD - September 2, 2010 - Keri Jacobs, M.D., has joined the medical staff at Chester River Hospital Center. Jacobs recently relocated to Betterton from Baltimore, where she acted as chief resident of the combined emergency medicine/internal medicine program. Jacobs earned her bachelor of science degree from Stevenson University and her medical degree from University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Jacobs will join CRHC's medical staff as director of the hospitalist program. The CRHC's hospitalist program was created in response to the increased demands faced by local physicians during their daily office practices. The hospitalist program allows the primary care physicians to focus on providing high-quality outpatient care to their patients. CRHC's hospitalist program offers a continuum of quality care for patients admitted to their service. And, since hospitalists practice in the hospital they are always on-site-available to patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When she is not working, Jacobs enjoys running and playing in a women's soccer league. She also works at Orioles games throughout the summer. There, she mans the First Aid Station for University of Maryland Medical System and usually sees somewhere between three to 15 patients complaining of, most often, foul-ball related injuries. "I'm glad to make this move to Chester River. I am excited to have the opportunity to practice medicine here.", commented Jacobs.
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Pediatrician Appointed to Medical Staff at Chester River Hospital Center
Chestertown, MD - September 2, 2010 - Ting Li, M.D., has been appointed to the medical staff at Chester River Hospital Center. Li earned her medical degree and MMED of Pediatricsfrom Medical School of Shandong University, China. She completed her residency at Jinan Central Hospital, China and Elmhurst Hospital Center of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Li is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the Chinese Academy of Pediatrics.
Her husband is an assistant professor in management information systems at Coppin State University in Baltimore. Li has two children, a nine-year old son and a 3-year old daughter. "I feel as though Chester River is a great place to begin my practice career," says Li.
Li has joined the medical practice of Freddy O. Araujo, M.D., at 100 Brown Street in Chestertown. Araujo has been in practice for 17 years. Patients can schedule an appointment with Li by calling 410.778.1420.
Mid-Shore Community Foundation
The Fund for Kent County Assists Kent County NonProfits
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For local businessman Mickey Elsberg, serving on the board of directors of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation (MSCF) is one of many ways he supports Kent County nonprofits. Since moving to Chestertown 12 years ago, he has served on the boards of several local nonprofits as well as on Kent County's Economic Advisory Board and Ethics Commission.
Elsberg has been board chair of For All Seasons and serves on the boards of Sultana Projects, Rebuilding Together Kent County, Chester Valley Ministers' Association, Horizons at Radcliffe School, and Junior Achievement of Kent County. His commitment to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation over the past five years, however, may be having the greatest impact on the nonprofits of Kent County.
That's because Elsberg was instrumental in starting the Foundation's new Fund for Kent County, which allows donors to focus on the Kent County community. Contributions to the new fund will support the needs of the county and its citizens. The Fund for Kent County is one of five new county funds at the Foundation.
"The development of county-specific funds at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation has enabled residents of Kent County to pool their donations for the benefit of the county's nonprofits," Elsberg explains. "People have allegiance to their own neighborhoods and want to help the people they see regularly, and the Fund for Kent County makes it easy to do that."
Elsberg says that there is no minimum or maximum amount of money required to be a donor to the Fund for Kent County.
"People can contribute to the Fund for Kent County at all levels," Elsberg continues. "Because individual gifts are combined in an endowment fund with gifts from other donors, every gift keeps on giving. In addition, the gift can be as public or private as donors prefer. Anonymous gifts are welcome."
To date, more than 42 nonprofit organizations in Kent County have received grants from the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Last year, MSCF gave more than $1 million to meet a variety of community needs in the five-county Mid Shore region.
Elsberg says his parents passed on the philanthropy tradition to him. Before moving to Kent County, Elsberg and his wife, Margie, were involved with a number of community organizations in the Washington, DC, area and were eager to become active in and around Chestertown.
"Kent County residents made us feel at home from the start, so we instantly wanted to do what we could to support the community," says Elsberg. "I like serving on these boards and working hands-on for the organizations because through them, others may have the some of the security and opportunities I have been able to enjoy in my life-a warm, safe home, access to social services and an appreciation of the Chesapeake Bay and its history."
Serving on the Grants and Nominating Committees for MSCF, Elsberg says he has realized the importance of the regional approach to fundraising throughout the Mid-Shore. As a board member, he brings the interests and needs of Kent County to MSCF and helps channel support back to his county.
"If you love living in Kent County and it's been good to you, you should be good to Kent County," Elsberg adds. "Through this Fund, you can see your charity working to improve the voice and life of the residents who live here."
For further information about the Fund for Kent County, contact Stuart Bounds at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation at 410-820-8175 or visit www.mscf.org.
Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area
Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area Awards Grants to Four Recipients ___________________________________________________________________
Chestertown, MD - September 1, 2010 - In a series of appearances before the Commissioners of Caroline and Kent Counties and the Talbot County Council today, Eastern Shore Heritage, Inc. (ESHI) announced that it has awarded $7,500 in small grants to five nonprofit recipients in those counties. ESHI is the managing entity of the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area, which serves Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne's, and Talbot Counties.
The five recipients, their award amounts, and a description of their projects are as follows:
- Adkins Arboretum, Ridgley area, Caroline County ($1,200) - for continued work on a program to explore the role of nature in the pre-Civil War "Underground Railroad" that operated on the Eastern Shore in support of the abolition of slavery.
- C.V. Starr Center for the American Experience, Washington College, Kent County ($2,000) - to continue the Center's work to develop audio tours on Chestertown's waterfront and at the Custom House;
- Historical Society of Kent County, Chestertown ($1,200) - for the development of a War of 1812 driving tour in Kent County and site interpretation at Caulk's Field, a War of 1812 battlefield;
- Main Street Historic Chestertown, Inc., Kent County ($500) - for the development of a web site to support this new downtown group; and
- Tilghman Watermen's Museum, Talbot County ($2,000) - for continued work on a project to document the traditions of the watermen of Tilghman Island through oral history and a video production
Funding for the Small Grants Program comes from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, which allows heritage areas to spend a portion of their operating fund grant for distribution to local partners. Unlike previous years, no local government support is available to match ESHI's operating grant for $40,000 for the fiscal year that began July 1. The required cash match for this year's grant, $30,00, must be raised from private sources.
The Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area was begun in the late 1990's by a group of citizens and public officials seeking ways for Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's, and Talbot counties to enjoy the benefits of the state's heritage tourism program. In the six years since the program began, more than 30 organizations throughout the four counties have benefited from more than $1.3 million in statewide and small grants, stimulating more than $5.5 million local private and public cash investment in heritage development projects. Combined with donated services and materials, the total value of projects stimulated by heritage area's grant programs to date is more than $7 million. Competition for the grants is annual, beginning in January with a deadline in March for statewide competition and in April with a deadline in May for the small grants. For more information about the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area, visit www.storiesofthechesapeake.org.
Sultana Projects & Kent County Public School & Town of Chestertown
Sultana Projects and Kent County Public Schools & the Town of Chestertown Partner with Chesapeake Trust for Wilmer Park Waterfront Cleanup
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Fourth-Grade Students from Kent County Learn About Chesapeake Wetlands by Helping to Maintain the Town of Chestertown's "Living Shoreline" at Wilmer Park
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Chestertown, Maryland: Through a program organized by Sultana Projects in partnership with the Town of Chestertown and funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust, more than 150 fourth-grade students from Kent County Public Schools will be working this week to help maintain Chestertown's new "Living Shoreline" at Wilmer Park. The Living Shoreline was installed last fall by a partnership of the Town of Chestertown, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Students from H.H. Garnett Elementary School, Millington Elementary School, Rock Hall Elementary School, and Worton Elementary School will each spend a full day on the Chestertown Waterfront with Sultana Projects' educational staff. Students will split their time between a 2.5-hour environmental educational program on the schooner SULTANA and a 2.5-hour wetlands-restoration program in Wilmer Park. The work performed by the Kent County fourth grade at Wilmer Park will consist primarily of removing invasive and undesired species of plants from over 4,000 square feet of marsh grasses planted last fall. The students will also work on a new "Rain Garden" that is being installed by the Town of Chestertown at Wilmer Park this week.
"Sultana Projects has provided under-sail environmental education programs onboard the schooner SULTANA for every fourth-grade student in Kent County since 2001," commented Sultana Vice President Chris Cerino. "This year's wetlands restoration programs at Wilmer Park mark a meaningful expansion of this relationship - one that we hope to see ongoing for many years to come."
For additional information, please contact Sultana Projects at 410-778-5954 or ccerino@sultanaprojects.org.
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If you or a member you know is making headlines, please submit a brief description to Loretta at kentchamber@verizon.net
Please be sure to use the subject line: "members in the news."
Send it to us and we'll include it in our next issue!
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Focus on New Members
Welcome to our New Members in September!
Atlantek Computer Systems
301 Morgnec Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
Owner: Alex Smolens
Atlantek Computer Systems provides PC and Apple Sales & Service. They also provide service for residential consumers as well as small businesses.
Chester River Bike and Paddle, LLC214 Cannon Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
Owner: Willy Agee
Phone: 410/778-6940
Fax: 410/778-5381
Email: chesterriveroutfitters@gmail.com
Website: www.chesterriverbikeandpaddle.com
Located in downtown Chestertown, Chester River Bike and Paddle provides bicycle and kayak rentals.
Joseph Nolan, Inc.
Owner: Joe Nolan
21476 Sharp
Rock Hall, MD 21661
Phone: 410/708-1946
Fax: 410/639-7764
Email: nolanj64@yahoo.com
Joseph Nolan specializes in removal, installation and compliance of storage tank for petroleum products. Remediation of contaminated sites. Joe has 15 years of experience with underground tank removal and installation. State Certified. Soil and water samples analyzed.
Yerkes Construction
Owner: Jay Yerkes
112-C South Cross Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
Phone: 410/810-2580
Fax: 410/810-2581
Email: jay@yerkesconstruction.com
Website: www.yerkesconstruciton.com
Joseph Nolan specializes in removal, installation and compliance of storage tank for petroleum products. Remediation of contaminated sites. Joe has 15 years of experience with underground tank removal and installation. State Certified. Soil and water samples analyzed.
Please join us in welcoming these new members!
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Chamber News & Events Calendar
~~~ REMINDERS & NOTICES ~~~
Member-To-Member Benefits Program
The Chamber and our members are always looking for ways to help member businesses (and in many cases, their employees) save money! To that end, we have established our Member-To-Member Benefits Program.
This program allows any Chamber member to offer discounts on their products and services to other Chamber members and their employees. Even if you do not offer a discount to fellow members, as a Chamber member, you may take advantage of the discounts offered by other members.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Loretta at 410/810-2968 or kentchamber@verizon.net
Your business name will be included in a list of businesses that offer discounts to fellow members. This list will be published on the Chamber website and in our Newsletters.
Let's help support each other!
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- A HUGE THANK YOU!! to Judy & Roy Crow for hosting the Ag Mixer on September 16 at their home CrowFarmStay. In spite of the torrential rains that arrived minutes before the event, Judy and Roy welcomed upwards of 60 Chamber members and guests for a wonderful evening of food, drink and friendship. Dr. Joe Fiolla, Viticulture and Small Fruit Specialist with the Maryland Cooperative Extension was there to give an interesting and "tasty" presentation of local grapes, with samplings of several local wines. Thanks also to our Chamber members, Village Bakery, Colchester Farm and the Imperial Hotel who, along with other area businesses, graciously provided food and drink. Thanks again Judy & Roy for a great evening!
- SCORE (Senior Core of Retired Executives) Invites retired executives to become counselors for new and existing local businesses. Contact Bart Stolp at S.C.O.R.E. to get more information: bartstolp@gmail.com
- Help Us Help You. Keep Your Business information Current! Please remember to contact Loretta in the Chamber office if you have any changes or updates to your business contact information. We want to keep all of our members' information current.
- The 27th Annual Small Business Week 2011 Sponsored by the U. S. Small Business Administration Know a Biz Whiz? A real champion of small business? If so, take part in National Small Business Week by nominating an outstanding entrepreneur or advocate in the annual awards competition.
Award categories and nomination guidelines are available at www.sba.gov/md Nominations are due in early December 2010. Winners will be honored at a special ceremony Friday, May 20, 2011. Get the recognition you deserve or nominate a client, resource partner or employee! For more information, see www.sba.gov/md or call 410/962-6195, ext. 330 or email rachel.howard@sba.gov
~~~ UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS ~~~
Kent County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, October 14, 2010
12:00 P.M.
Chamber Office, 122 N. Cross Street, Chestertown
The meeting is open to all members. Please contact Loretta at 410/810-2968 or kentchamber@verizon.net in advance if you plan on attending.
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Kent School
Open House & Chamber Mixer
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Open House:
9:00 A. M. - 5:00 P.M.
Chamber Mixer:
5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Please invite family, friends, and neighbors to discover our Eastern Shore Community of Learners
RSVP: Beth Collins - admissions@kentschool.org
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Member News & Events
Artworks
TENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTYSunday, October 10, 2010 Arts at Still Pond Station Worton, MD 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.
The public is invited to mark all that Artworks has accomplished. There will be live music, demonstrations of many art and craft activities, and tours of Artworks clay studio.
STUDIO TOUR Two Consecutive Weekends October 30-31, 2010 & November 6-7, 2010
The Studio Tour this year features 51 artists who genuinely enjoy the opportunity to talk about their work. A range of art and craft is included - Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Metal Work, Pottery, Fiber Art, Woodcraft, Jewelry, Furniture, Stained Glass and more. This self-guided tour includes artists located in Chestertown and throughout Kent County as well as several in nearby Queen Anne's County. .
Chesapeake College
Announces
FALL COMPUTER COURSES
All classes meet 9 am to 4 pm in the
Economic Development Center - EDC 26
Chesapeake College, Wye Mills Campus
Course fee $99 - handouts included
All courses are now using MS Office 2007
Hands-on Computer use and significant opportunity for questions and group interaction
Excel - Level I
CEI 065 B
Wednesday, 10/6/10
Excel - Level II
CEI 066 A
Wednesday, 10/13/10
Mail Merge
CEI 231 B
Wednesday, 10/20/10
Access - Level I
CEI 682 B
Wednesday, 10/27/10
Access - Level II
CEX 095 B
W, 11/3/10
QuickBooks - Level I
CEI 274 A
Wednesday, 11/10/10
QuickBooks - Level II
CEI 230 A
Wednesday, 11/17/10
Microsoft Outlook
CEI 079 B
Wednesday, 12/1/10
PowerPoint - Level I
CEX 600 B
W, 12/8/10
Introduction to Social Networking
CEI 416 B
Wednesday, 12/15/10
Courses are also available to be customized for companies. Maryland Business Works funding may be available.
Kent County Public Schools
*Kent County High School Marching Band
to Play at The Gator Bowl!*
January 1, 2011
Jacksonville, Florida
The Kent County High School Marching Band, under the direction of Dr. Keith Wharton, will be traveling to Jacksonville, Florida to participate in the 5 mile Wynn Dixie Parade on December 31, 2010. The highlight of the trip will be the band's halftime performance on the field during the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day.
The KCHS Music Boosters are currently in the process of raising money to cover the cost of the trip, including over $10,000 for transportation. As a result of their "Cow Plop Bingo" event held during Rock Hall's 4th of July Celebration at the Civic Center, they raised over $5,500 towards the trip. As you can see, they still have a long way to go in their fund-raising efforts. They are asking local businesses and organizations for contributions so that their students can experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity & represent Kent County with Pride! Contributions are being accepted at: KCHS Music Boosters c/o Grace Eyler, Treasurer P.O. Box 210 Chestertown, MD 21620
Checks can be made payable to: KCHS Music Boosters Sultana ProjectsDOWNRIGGING WEEKEND
October 28 - 31
Chestertown, MD
Downrigging Weekend marks the close of the schooner Sultana's sailing season and the beginnng of Downrigging for many of the region's tall ships and traditional sailng vessels. The public will be able to view, board and sail on the assembled fleet while joining in the maritime heritage of the region. For more information call 410/778-5954 or email dmcmullen@sultanaprojects.org or visit www.sultanaprojects.org
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A LETTER FROM RURAL MARYLAND COUNCIL
Dear Rural Health Stakeholders, The Rural Maryland Council will host a Rural Roundtable on Maryland Telehealth on December 6 in Annapolis to discuss the final results of the Maryland Telehealth/Telemedicine Survey and to develop recommendations and next steps for going forward. The survey - which has been shortened to its most important 20 questions -- is still underway, and we encourage all those involved in either receiving or providing telehealth/telemedicine services in Maryland to take the survey. It will be on our website through November at: www.rural.state.md.us. (Note: To bypass our website and take the survey, paste this URL in your browser: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2zumlgigcyttf6q/a0159gd089yqq/greeting We have prepared an Interim Report, based on the responses we have received to date, and will use that, along with the updated results, as a starting point for the discussion on December 6. The report is available at: http://www.rural.state.md.us/Publications/Interim_Telehealth_Report.pdf In addition, representatives from the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore will join us to discuss some of the legal impediments to implementing telehealth programs, especially as they pertain to licensing and credentialing providers across state lines. More information about the Roundtable, including a tentative agenda, is available on our website at: http://www.rural.state.md.us/Roundtables/RRT10_Telehealth.htm We will be charging a nominal registration fee to cover the cost of lunch and materials; however, registration will not open until October. Please encourage your colleagues to complete the survey and save the date (December 6) now! In the meantime, don't forget to register for the Maryland Rural Health Association's Rural Health Summit, which will be held Oct. 21-22 at Rocky Gap. For information, see: http://mdruralhealth.org/rural_health_conference_2010.html Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Vanessa Orlando Executive Director Rural Maryland Council 50 Harry S Truman Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401 Direct: 410-841-5774 Cell: 443-370-9758 Email: orlandva@mda.state.md.us www.rural.state.md.us
MARYLAND SMALL BUSINESS NO-INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), in consultation with the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), is currently accepting applications for no-interest loans via the Military Personnel and Service-Disabled Veterans No-Interest Loan Program for the following categories:
- A business owned by a military reservist or a National Guard member called to Active Duty.
- A Small Business that employs a military reservist or National Guard member called to Active Duty.
- A Service-Disabled Veteran.
- A business that employs a Service-Disabled Veteran.
The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to disabled veterans and activated members of the armed forces reserves and Maryland National Guard and to small businesses that employ members of the armed forces reserves or Maryland National Guard members that are called to active duty. Loan Amount: Loans range from $1,000 to $50,000. Terms: Loan maturity will be from one year to eight years. The loan repayment period usually will not exceed the useful life expectancy of the equipment to be purchased. Interest Rate: No interest For more information, eligibility details about the program and to obtain an application, please visit www.mdva.state.md.us/state/employment.html#mrlp or contact:
Jerry Boden
Chief of Staff
Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs
(410) 260-3841
jboden@mdva.state.md.us
www.mdva.state.md.us
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