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| Kent County Chamber of Commerce Newsletter |
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Kent County Chamber of Commerce
122 North Cross Street
P. O. Box 146
Chestertown,MD 21620
410.810.2968 Tel | 410.778.1406 Fax
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CHAMBER NEWS  FEBRUARY 2014
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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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LEADERSHIP
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LORETTA LODGE
PRESIDENT
DAVID BOWMAN
The Peoples Bank
TREASURER
DIANE BRANDT
CNB Bank
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
KEN COLLINS
WCTR Broadcasting
LINDA DAWSON
Kent Forward
CREG FLEETWOOD
FAM&M Insurance Agency, Inc.
BOB GRACE
Dixon Valve & Coupling Company
BOB GREENWALD
East Coast Storage
LARRY HOUCK
Houck's Menswear
JIM RICH
Inn at Huntingfield Creek
BILL RUCKELSHAUS
Champion Realty, Inc.
KATIE WARRINGTON
Horizon Organic Dairy
LANSING WILLIAMS
Washington College
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CHAMBER EVENTS
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2/13/2014
Chamber Board Meeting
12:00 P.M.
FAM&M Insurance Agency,
100 Talbot Boulevard
Chestertown, MD 21620
02/13/2014
Business-After-Hours
5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Kent County Public Library
408 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
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L-R: Loretta Lodge, Executive Director Kent County Chamber of Commerce; Doug Camp, The Investor's Friend, Business Leader of the Year; Senator Stephen S. Hershey Jr.; Doug Carter, Judy & Roy Crow, Crow Vineyard & Winery, Outstanding Business of the Year; Larry Houck, Houck's Menswear, New Business of the Year; J.R. Alfree, Lemon Leaf Cafe & J.R.'s Past Time Pub, Community Service Award; Inki & Bob Greenwald, East Coast Shredding, Environmental Awareness Award; David Bowman, The Peoples Bank, Chamber Board President
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From the Executive Director
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
The Kent County Chamber of Commerce 44th Annual Excellence in Business Awards Gala was held this past Friday evening at the Prince Theatre at the Garfield Center for the Arts. ...and what a gala it was!
The theme this year was an "Evening in Tuscany" with Tuscan fare and strains of music reminiscent of Italian courtyards, against a backdrop of beautiful images of Tuscany.
With nearly 100 in attendance, the Chamber celebrated the "Best of our Best".
Following introductions of the Chamber Board members and the Chamber's Sponsors, we were honored to have Dr. Karen Couch, Superintendent of Kent County School Public Schools address the crowd. She spoke of three leadership principles: Structure, Leadership & Culture and elaborated on how these pertain to every business owner. Thank you Dr. Couch!
The 2013-2014 Kent County Public School Teacher of the Year, Ellen Chamberlin was recognized for her years of leadership and dedication to the students of Kent County. I am reminded of a quote I heard many years ago, "A good teacher is like a candle. It consumes itself to light the way for others." Ellen has truly lighted the way for so many students in Kent County. Congratulations Ellen!
36th District Senator, Stephen S. Hershey, Jr. was also on hand to present the Maryland General Assembly's Senatorial Citations and the House of Delegates Citations to the evening's award recipients.
Then it was on to the awards!
And the winners of the
2013 Excellence in Business Awards
are:
Environmental Awareness Award
East Coast Shredding
with Bob & Inki Greenwald accepting the award
Community Service Award
J.R. Alfree
of the Lemon Leaf Café & J.R.'s Past Time Pub
Best New Business of the Year
Houck's Menswear
with Larry Houck accepting the award
Outstanding Business of the Year
Crow Vineyard & Winery
with Judy & Roy Crow accepting the award
Business Leader of the Year
Doug Camp
of The Investor's Friend
Congratulations to all of our Award Winners, as well as the twenty other businesses and individuals who were nominated! To be nominated by your peers is an honor in itself and something not to be taken lightly. We are all proud of your accomplishments, efforts and the pride you take, not only in your businesses, but also in Kent County. We applaud each of you!
In addition to recognizing our award winners and nominees, I don't want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge those businesses and individuals who were instrumental in making this year's Award Gala such a success.
The Evening's Event Sponsors
- The Peoples Bank
- Upper Shore Regional Council
- Eastern Shore Tents & Events
The Prince Theatre at the Garfield Center for the Arts
Andy Goddard, Sam Little, Lucia Foster and all the others at The Prince for providing the beautiful venue, and logistical and technical set-up for the evening
The Imperial Hotel & Front Room Restaurant
Joe Dolce and his staff for providing the fabulous authentic Tuscan fare
The Finishing Touch
Bob Ramsey for again creating our beautiful awards
The Sultana Projects
Drew McMullen for the donation of the Sultana Book for the Teacher of the Year recognition
Donato Soviero for providing such beautiful music
And last, but not least, I want to thank all of our members and guests who joined us to celebrate and honor the "Best of our Best" and who helped make the evening such a grand success.
Thank you to all of you, and again, congratulations to all of our Award Winners!!
Loretta
Loretta M. Lodge
Executive Director
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New Member Welcome
The following business has recently made an important investment in their future and a significant commitment to the community by joining the Kent County Chamber of Commerce _________________________ University of Maryland
Chester River Health Foundation
Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director
100 Brown Street
Chestertown, MD 21620410.810.5660 Tel | 410.810.7198 Fax mruehrmund@chesterriverhealth.org www.chesterriverhealth.orgBecause of the vital importance of the availability of excellent healthcare services in Kent and Queen Anne's Counties, the University of Maryland Chester River Health Foundation raises charitable funds to support and enhance services provided by University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, University of Maryland Chester River Home Care & Hospice and University of Maryland Shore Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the benefit of the people who live in or visit our community.
_________________________
Please join us in welcoming our newest
Chamber member!
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Chamber Board Meeting
Thursday, February 13, 2014
100 Talbot Boulevard, Chestertown, MD
The meeting is open to all members. Please contact Loretta at 410/810-2968 or kentchamber@verizon.net if you plan on attending.
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Business-After-Hours
Thursday, February 13, 2014
5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Kent County Public Library
408 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
Please RSVP
ADMISSION: Members Free. Guests $5
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Send Us News of Your Business and We Will Publish It for FREE!
You are invited to submit a FREE announcement about your business for each weekly Chamber NewsFlash. The content of your message should be about something that's happening in your business, announcement about an employee, an award that your business has won, etc. This space is not intended to be used for advertising. Please limit your message to 100 words or fewer. It's a great way to get your business noticed! Please note that your article may be edited for spelling, grammatical errors and/or length. Photos are welcomed. Submit your announcement to kentchamber@verizon.net.
Chamber NewsFlashes are published every Tuesday.
Deadline for submission is Friday to be included in the following Tuesday's NewsFlash.
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NEWS FROM & FOR OUR MEMBERS
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The draft report prepared by the Waterfront Task Force was delivered to the Mayor's office on Friday January 18, 2014. Below are links to the report and to the cover letter from John Moag, chairman of the committee.
Public Forum-Monday February 10, 2014
On Monday, February 10th at 7 P.M. upstairs in Town Hall, there will be a public meeting with time for attendees to submit their verbal thoughts.
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For Immediate Release | Jan. 30, 2014
Media Contact: Matt Likovich
Office 410-860-6203 | 24/7 Media Hotline 1-866-655-2237 | matthew.likovich@delmarva.com
Delmarva Power Helps Customers Plan for Potential High Winter Bills
SALISBURY, Md. - Delmarva Power wants to remind customers who are having
trouble keeping their accounts current through these cold weather stretches and higher energy use periods that resources are available to them.
"We have a wide range of payment options that we offer customers and also offer to work individually with any customer on ways they can better manage their energy expenses," said Gary Stockbridge, president, Delmarva Power Region. "We want them to know they can always call us for help."
Standard bill payment options Delmarva Power offers include:
* Special Payment Arrangements: For our customers who may be experiencing difficulties keeping their accounts current, Delmarva Power offers a variety of individually tailored payment arrangements aimed at bringing their accounts up-to-date over a mutually agreeable period of time. Many of these arrangements can be made by calling 1-800-375-7117 and speaking with a customer service representative. Delmarva Power will be glad to provide help through difficult periods.
* Budget Billing: Customers can avoid seasonal peaks in electric bills by dividing their payments evenly over the course of the entire year. This plan makes it easier to budget and pay electric bills each month, because customers know their regular payment amount. To sign up for budget billing, customers can register either by calling customer service at 1-800-375-7117 or online through My Account, a secure self-service option that will allow customers to:
o View and pay their bills;
o Sign up for eBill (paperless billing);
o Get e-mail notification when bills are ready;
o Take advantage of features that can help save energy.
Once customers register for My Account, they just need to log in and click on the "Budget Billing" button.
* Extended Payment Date Plan: This allows residential customers whose main source of total household income is from government or other low-income entitlement programs to request a regular extension of their bill due dates without incurring a late charge so their bill due dates align with the dates they get their checks. To apply, call Delmarva Power at 1-800-375-7117 or submit the enrollment form online at www.delmarva.com. * Energy Assistance Programs: Customers may be eligible for financial assistance through programs offered by the state in which they live. Delaware customers can get more information by clicking onto ( http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dssc/liheap.html) while Maryland customers should click onto ( http://www.dhr.state.md.us/blog/?page_id=5433). In addition to state-specific programs, Delmarva Power partners with various agencies to offer energy assistance to low-income customers. For more information, contact: - The Salvation Army (Wilmington, Del.) - 302-472-0750
- The Salvation Army (Salisbury, Md.) - 410-749-7771
- Cecil Heating Assistance Program (Elkton, Md.) - 410-996-0241
- Harford Community Action Agency (Edgewood, Md.) - 410-612-9909
Delmarva Power also has conservation programs and tips for customers to reduce
energy consumption, which can mean lower monthly bills. Our smart meters can help customers save energy and money and help lower their bills during these high usage periods. The new technology allows customers to log in to Delmarva Power's My Account web portal and and see energy use data in easy-to-read graphs. The smart meter data can help customers make informed choices about controlling energy consumption. Customers also can call and speak with Delmarva Power's Energy Advisors who are qualified to have in-depth energy conservation discussions and provide advice on how to lower bills.
"We want to help customers take control of their energy usage," Stockbridge said.
"Saving energy will also save them money."
Customers can call customer service at 1-800-375-7117 or visit our website at
www.delmarva.com to learn more about programs to help pay for more energy efficient products, simple steps they can can take to conserve energy usage and how to monitor their energy consumption.
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COMING EVENTS
UME Kent County Agriculture ..............................................................FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Every TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY, 8:30 a.m.-Noon, Sabine Harvey, Horticulture Program Assistant & Master Gardener. Free service. Help with home horticulture problems & questions. Call 410-778-1661 or stop in and talk to Sabine. Bring plant samples with you for cultivar & disease identification. University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all persons and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.
Blvd., Elkton, MD. Register by calling 410-996-5280 and ask for Doris or Patty. FEBRUARY 2014: 04 - MD Agricultural Pesticide Conference, Legends Restaurant in the Frederick Hampton Inn. Call Extension office for details. 04 - Grain Marketing, 6:30 a.m., Sudlersville Methodist Church Hall, 103 N. Church Street, Sudlersville, MD. $10 breakfast buffet. 06 - Taste of MD Agriculture, 6:30 p.m., Glen Burnie, MD. Call Extension Office for details. 08 - Mid-Atlantic Small Flock Poultry Mini-Expo, UMD Montgomery Co Office, Derwood, MD. Register & details at: www.smallflockpoultryexpo.eventbrite.com See details: http://extension. umd.edu/poultry/small-flock-production/mid-atlantic-small-flock-poultry-expo 18 - Grain Marketing, 6:30 a.m., Sudlersville Methodist Church Hall, 103 N. Church Street, Sudlersville, MD. $10 breakfast buffet. 20 - Women In Ag Regional Conference, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, Dover, DE. Details enclosed. 22 - Maryland Dairy Convention, 8:30 a.m.; Registration, 9:20 a.m.; Program, 6:30 p.m. Holiday Inn and Conference Center at the FSK Mall, Frederick, MD. 26 - 2014 Bay Area Fruit Meeting, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Pesticide and CCA credits offered. For program questions contact Mike Newell, mnewell@umd.edu; 410-827-7388 28 - Queen Anne's Co. Agronomy Day, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. 410-758-0166. Get your Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification and renew your Nutrient Management Voucher Certificate. # # # # # |
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HORTICULTURE NEWS
BY SABINE HARVEY, Extension Program Assistant, Horticulture.... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Edible and Medicinal Native Plants in your Back Yard
On Friday, March 7,
Dr. Susan Yost will come to Chestertown to give a talk about "Edible and Medicinal Plant: In the Wild & Your Back Yard." This talk will focus on native and naturalized plants in our forests, fields and backyards. Dr. Yost will show us how these plants can be used as food and how they were once used as traditional folk remedies. This talk is open to all.
Dr. Yost is the educator at the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium at Delaware State University. The Herbarium houses about 150,000 specimens of flowering plants, gymnosperms, ferns, mosses,algae, and lichens. It also functions as an active center for education and research on the world's botanical diversity. This lecture is organized by the University of Maryland, Kent County incooperation with the Kent County Public Library. The lecture will take place at the Kent CountyLibrary in Chestertown starting at 10 am. Please call 410-778-1661 to register.
University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all persons and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.
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SAMARITAN GROUP ANNOUNCES
2014 WINTER SHELTER
Kent County's only emergency homeless shelter will be open January 2 - March 30. In January, we are housed at the Presbyterian Church and move to First United Methodist Church for February and March.
Men, women, and children needing temporary shelter are referred through the Kent County Department of Social Services. The shelter is open from 5:30 P.M. until 8:00 A.M. and provides a warm, dry bed and three meals.
We rely on community support for funds and volunteers. Donations are desperately needed - send to P.O. Box 934, Chestertown 21620.
For more information contact Carol Droge at droge52@yahoo.com. Samaritan Group is an agency of the United Way of Kent County. |
IN THE NEWS
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AROUND THE STATE
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From Capital Gazette - the Maryland Chamber is part of a coalition of organizations to oppose these bills. O'Malley's minimum wage hike proposal to get first hearing Feb. 11 By ALEX JACKSON ajackson@capgaznews.com | Posted: Thursday, January 30, 2014 2:09 pm A House of Delegates committee will be the first to hear from supporters and opponents of a proposal by Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016. The House Economic Matters Committee is scheduled to hear House Bill 295 on Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. Two days later on Feb. 13 at 1 p.m., the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to hear its companion bill, Senate Bill 331. The Maryland Minimum Wage Act, as the proposal is called, would hike the state's hourly wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour by July 1, 2016. After that, the state's minimum hourly wage would be tied to inflation. The proposal also would increase the cash wage rate that business would pay to tipped workers from 50 percent to 70 percent of the state's minimum wage. In the Senate, the bill will be heard and voted on by both the Finance and Budget and Taxation committees. Earlier this month, the top economist for a leading economic forecaster told the Budget and Taxation Committee that raising the minimum wage will not have a "meaningful" economic impact. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said raising the minimum hourly wage to $10.10 an hour would reduce employment for the lowest-skilled workers. The overall impact on jobs, Zandi said, would be a "minus." But O'Malley and legislative leaders have made raising the minimum wage their top priority during the 2014 General Assembly session. Kathy Snyder, CCE, President/CEO Maryland Chamber of Commerce 60 West Street, Suite 100 Annapolis, MD 21401 Washington area: 301-261-2858 x130 Baltimore area: 410-269-0642 x130 Fax: 410-269-5247 Twitter: @kathysnyder ksnyder@mdchamber.org www.mdchamber.org Leading partner of the Maryland Competitiveness Coalition, a statewide network of 60 organizations dedicated to creating a new vision for Maryland in order to create more private sector jobs through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. http://bit.ly/1hkJjVX
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Send Us News of Your Business and We Will Publish It for FREE!
You are invited to submit a FREE announcement about your business for each weekly Chamber NewsFlash. The content of your message should be about something that's happening in your business, announcement about an employee, an award that your business has won, etc. This space is not intended to be used for advertising. Please limit your message to 100 words or fewer. It's a great way to get your business noticed! Please note that your article may be edited for spelling, grammatical errors and/or length. Photos are welcomed. Submit your announcement to kentchamber@verizon.net.
Chamber NewsFlashes are published every Tuesday.
Deadline for submission is Friday to be included in the following Tuesday's NewsFlash.
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- NEW!!! Notary Service Now Available!
Notary services are now available at the Chamber by appointment. Please contact the Chamber office to schedule an appointment. There is no fee for Chamber members. $10 per document for non-members.
- E-Blasts - Broadcast E-Mail Service Available!
The Chamber offers an E-Blast service to all of our members. In an effort to help you build your business and get your message out efficiently and cost effectively, the Chamber office will send an email specifically on your behalf to all Chamber members and non-members who have signed up for our mailing list. This is an excellent way to announce new products, services or events. As a Chamber member, you can take advantage of this service at a very reasonable cost of $25. Please contact the Chamber office for further details.
- SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives)
Invites retired executives to become counselors for new and existing local businesses. Contact Bill Noll at SCORE to get more information: wbnoll@yahoo.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.
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Member-To-Member Benefit 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.
Don't miss out! Sign up for this program today!!
The following businesses are participating members.
Please support these businesses!
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