SAVE THE DATE!!!

The Annual Kent County Chamber of Commerce

Excellence in Business Awards Event

Friday, January 28, 2011

6:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.

at the

Chester River Yacht & Country Club

Heavy Hors D'oeuvres & Cash Bar

Come out and join us in celebrating the best of the best of our Chamber Members!

& meet our newest Board Members.

 
Award Categories are:

Business Leader of the Year

Outstanding Business of the Year

Environmental Awareness

Community Service

Best New Business

Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber at 410.810.2968 or kentchamber@verizon.net

Look for your invitation coming to your in-box or mail box soon!

 imPRESSive Printing Inducted into Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP)

ImPRESSive Printing in Hillsboro was recently certified as a member of Maryland Occupational Safety and Health's (MOSH) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, one of only five businesses in Maryland to do so. MOSH representatives visited the business Nov. 8 to present a banner and certificate. Pictured left to right are Allen Stump, MOSH safety consultant; Richard Harfeld, ImPRESSive Printing president; David Harfeld, ImPRESSive Printing vice president; Eric Uttenreither, MOSH assistant commissioner; Nancy MacFetrich, MOSH industrial hygiene consultant; Marie Harfeld, employee; Stephen Miller, MOSH consultation superviser; and Janice Moody, employee.

Photo by Abby Andrews

A Hillsboro business joined a select group of small businesses across Maryland when it was inducted into a program recognizing its exemplary safety program.

ImPRESSive Printing was officially recognized for its achievement Nov. 8, when representatives of Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) visited the business to present a banner and a certificate proclaiming its induction into the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP.)  ImPRESSive Printing is one of only five small businesses in Maryland that currently qualifies for the designation.

"We're thrilled," said Richard Harfeld, president of ImPRESSive Printing. "That's a pretty big achievement."

Vice President David Harfeld said the four-employee company shows the same commitment to safety as it does to the work it does for its customers.  "It's the exact same idea, just applied to safety," David Harfeld said.

Eric Uttenreither, assistant commissioner for MOSH, said SHARP was implemented seven years ago to recognize small businesses whose safety programs go well beyond what is required, by volunteering to work with MOSH consultants to identify and improve weak spots in its existing program.  "It's assuring they (the business) have a good, quality safety program," said Uttenreither. "It's something they don't have to do."

The Harfelds said they first learned of SHARP at a vendor night last year. In Aug. 2009, Allen Stump, a MOSH safety consultant, and Nancy MacFetrich, MOSH industrial hygiene consultant, first visited the printing business and conducted an initial inspection.  By June of this year, the improved safety plan had been implemented and ImPRESSive Printing was certified, though MOSH representatives could not make the trip to officially recognize the business until recently.

Stump and MacFetrich both traveled to Hillsboro for the presentation.

"They were very enthusiastic about doing this," Stump said. "Anything we found, they fixed right away."  "They were great," MacFetrich added. "This (SHARP) is such a great program; I wish more businesses would take advantage of it."

ImPRESSive Printing's current certification is good until June of next year. It can be recertified annually after an inspection.

"These folks just go above and beyond what they have to do," Uttenreither said. "They have taken steps to assure workplace safety, and treat them as necessities, to create a safer, healthier, better place to work."

The Harfelds opened ImPRESSive Printing in 1975.

For information on SHARP, visit MOSH's website, http://dllr.maryland.gov/labor/mosh/sharp.shtml.

Chester River Health System

announces

Chester River Primary Care Opening

in Galena

          Chestertown, MD - December 27, 2010 - Chester River Health System is pleased to announce the opening of Chester River Primary Care (previously Chestertown Family Medicine). Additionally, Chester River Health System is proud to welcome Rolando Najera, MD, a specialist in family practice, as a new addition to our medical staff. Dr. Najera graduated from University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. He completed his residency at Wilmington General Hospital in Delaware, Benedictine Hospital in Kingston, New York, and Washington Hospital in Pennsylvania. He then went on to Union Hospital in Elkton, Maryland where he worked as a house physician. Previous to moving to the Galena office, Dr. Najera was in private practice for 35 years in Elkton, MD.

Chester River Primary Care is located at 119 North Main Street in Galena, MD. Dr. Rolando is available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Lab services are also available Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 10:00 am. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Najera or at the lab, please call 410-648-6100.

Chester River Health System, part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), was formed in 1997 to offer state-of-the-art health care to the residents of Kent and Queen Anne's counties, as well as portions of Caroline and Cecil counties. Chester River Health System includes Chester River Hospital Center, Chester River Home Care & Hospice, Chester River Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Chester River Health Foundation.

 ~~~~~

Artworks and the Art League

Showcase Young Artists

The Artworks Gallery and the Chestertown Arts League open their galleries to young artists in January, celebrating the creativity of the younger generation. Seven local elementary schools-- Garnett, Worton, Millington, Rock Hall, Galena, Radcliffe Creek and Kent School -- are participating, with each school submitting work from students in grades K-5.

The show will open on First Friday, January 7, with receptions at both galleries from 5-8 pm. 

 For more information, call 410-778-6300, e-mail artworkschestertown@gmail.com, or visit www.artworkschestertown.org.

Chester River Chorale

Spring Season Begins

Now in its 12^th year, the Chester River Chorale is directed by Douglas D. Cox, former Assistant Director of the Soldiers' Chorus of the United States Army Band. Sammy Marshall, who continues to work with the Field Band, worked with Cox for 12 years as accompanist for the Soldiers' Chorus and serves as the CRC's Accompanist.

On Friday, March 18, the CRC will present Welcome Spring! at Kent County High School. Falling on the weekend of the vernal equinox, the program will celebrate the reawakening of spring-and, of course, the season of love. The CRC will be joined by several guest artists performing "The Spring," the first movement of Joseph Haydn's oratorio The Seasons. The subject of courtly love will add a little heat to the evening with the music of Richard Rodgers, Leonard Bernstein, and others.

On Friday, May 27, the CRC will help kick off the Chestertown Tea Party with a concert at the Prince Theatre on the theme of Independence Forever! This performance will feature diverse music of our national political and cultural heritage and will include a special guest artist-local Gospel singer, Karen Somerville.

For student singers, the CRC offers two kinds of scholarships. Scholarships for high school and college students are available without audition to cover the membership fee of $40 per semester. Larger scholarships are also available for qualified college students by audition. Interested students should contact CRC for

for more information.

Enhance your skills, build a career, expand your business!

Free Training in the field of solar and renewable energy is available through a grant from the US Dept. of Labor!

Solar and Renewable Energy: Opportunity for Career Advancement & Business Promotion
 

Date:          Wednesday, January 19, 2011 

Location:  Chesapeake College, Caroline College Center

Time:         1:00 - 4:00 P.M.

Cost:          No Charge!  Lunch will be provided

RSVP:        By January 14 at 410/714-9436 or helenmurphy@skipjack.chesapeake.edu

Speakers & Topics include: 

Timothy L. Fluharty, Licensed Electrician - The voice of experience; crossroads ahead, codes and certification

Ryk Lesser, Owner Green Energy Design, BFA Architectural Design, NABCEP trained - Growth and development of the solar industry; marketing an educated, profit-based approach

Dave Hoffman, P.E., LEED-AP, Gipe Associates,  Inc.  -  Marketing of conservation and money saving ideas to the residential consumer

Grant Schmeltzer, Executive Director, IEC-Chesapeake - Nationally recognized training for NABCEP certification

Dan McDermott, Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board - opportunities for reimbursements for training programs you need for your employees using Maryland Business Works

Chesapeake College Initiative - efforts on campus for a green building and other demonstrated technologies

For more information about Maryland Energy Sector Partnership Grants, visit www.bewhatiwantotbe.com/greenjobs or visit http://mdworkforce.com/pub/pdf/greenjobsbrochure.pdf for more information.

Eight local notables pair with eight local dance professionals to compete for the coveted mirror-ball trophy and earn donations for the Horizons at Radcliffe School summer enrichment program for low-income Kent County students, K-4. Glitz it up and wear your dancing shoes!

• Preview the 2011 General Assembly session with the legislature's most influential leaders.
• Promote the Business Agenda.
• Interact with your elected officials.
• Network with hundreds of Maryland business leaders.

Chester River Hospital Center is offering a two-day Safe Sitter® program for young people, ages 11 to 13 years of age.    The program focuses on first aid, rescue skills and behavior management techniques necessary for handling medical or household emergencies, which may occur while caring for a young child. The session includes two classes held on consecutive Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The instructors are nurses from the hospital's pediatric department. The fee for the course is $40, which includes an instructional manual and book bag. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Classes are held in the Education Center at Chester River Hospital Center. To register and for more information, please call (410) 778-3300, extension 2175 or email cnelson@chesterriverhealth.org.