The following businesses have recently made an important investment in their future and a significant commitment to the community by joining the

Kent County Chamber of Commerce

  _________________________ 

 

Custom Embroidery 

 

Cheryl Hurd
301 Morgnec Road 

Chestertown MD  21620 

410-778-4272 Tel  |   410-778-4084 Fax

cheryl.hurd@hrblock.com 
www.hrblock.com 

I am a highly trained and extremely motivated tax professional.  I am also dedicated to finding every single, last tax deduction you have coming. With nine years of experience as a tax professional, I have taken the H&R Block Basic 69 hour course, yearly continuing education courses and most recently, passed the IRS Enrolled Agent Exam, receiving my Enrolled Agent (EA) Certification.  My areas of expertise are Real Estate, Retirement, Farming, Small Business, Tax Planning, partnerships and IRS/State Notices/Audits 

 

 
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TRACY'S SMOOTHIE PLACE 

503 Washington Avenue 

Chestertown, MD  21620
410-778-2203 

 

Tracy's Smoothie Place is a one-of-a-kind in Kent County, offering healthy take-out options and a fun family outing. The eight smoothies offered are made of fresh fruit and different choices of milk. The business is the brainchild of Tracy Davenport. Tracy has a Doctorate Degree in Human Growth and Development from the University of Delaware and is a former professor of integrated healthcare. "I loved teaching about health in the classroom, but I am even more excited about implementing some of the latest research in healthy eating into our community. Food is fuel and the better we eat, the better we feel and perform throughout the day. Tracy's Smoothie Place allows you to still eat on the run, or get a treat with your family, but still eat healthy food without any additives, artificial flavors or extra fat and sugar. I think those who have not yet tried smoothies will really like the way real feels."

 

Open six days a week, closed on Mondays.

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110 South Queen Street

P.O. Box 204 

Chestertown MD  21620 

410-810-0800Tel  |   410-810-1372 Fax
www.valliantinvesting.com
Bruce.Valliant@RaymondJames.com 

  

Valliant & Associates, LLC. is an independent private wealth management office of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. www.raymondjames.com located in the historical district at 110 S. Queen Street, Chestertown.

  

The firm and its associates offer investment management and financial planning services to the private client, charitable foundations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm's managing partners, Bruce and Mary Ellen Valliant have over 30 years of experience in wealth management and investment services. www.valliantinvesting.com 

 

  

  __________  

    

 

Please join us in welcoming our newest

Chamber members

Beve's Creations, H&R Block & Tracy's Smoothie Place 

and our returning member

 Valliant & Associates, LLC !  

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 16, 2014

HAVEN HARBOUR MARINA WINS BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE MARINA

IN 5^TH ANNUAL 2014 BEST MARINA CONTEST

Baltimore, MD - Marinalife is pleased to announce the winners of the 5^th Annual 2014 Best Marina Contest. Congratulations  to Haven Harbour Marina in Rock Hall, MD who was voted 2014 Best Customer Service Marina.

Tucked into the protected cove of The Haven on beautiful Swan Creek, Haven Harbour Marina is a complete yachting center and full service boatyard for those who want a family-oriented marina, resort amenities and transient dockage. Voted Best Customer Service Marina, The owner and staff strive for perfection, anticipating all your needs by creating an environment to make your boating a pleasurable experience.

"At Haven Harbour Marina we strive daily to make every customer's experience a positive one," says Woody Loller, General Manager. "We are very honored to receive this award and wish to thank all of our customers for their support."

Congratulations to Newport Marina in Newport, RI who came in a close as the runner-up for Best Customer Service Marina.  

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Joy McPeters- President/CEO of Marinalife, LLC

1414 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD 21230

410-752-0505; info@marinalife.com; marinalife.com

About Marinalife

Founded in 2000, Marinalife (marinalife.com) brings together the boating community through a comprehensive membership program offering boaters online marina reservation services and information, trip planning and travel tools and boaters insurance. Marinalife publishes a quarterly magazine highlighting marina and boating destinations, members' cruising stories and captain's tips. Marinalife's mission is to make boating easy by providing services and information to simplify logistics and alleviate stress for all types of boaters.

October 25, 2014 

Bloomin' Wild Holds Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting

L-R: Cabot Lodge, Jennifer MacPherson (owner - holding scissors), Mary Burton, Amy Hague (owner - holding ribbon), Mark Mumford (Kent County Clerk of Court), Jeannette Darling (Alton E. Darling Construction), Ralph Dowling (The Peoples Bank), Marty Stetson (Chestertown Town Council), Loretta Lodge, (Chamber of Commerce), Josie Wiltbank (BB&T)

Bloomin' Wild is an elegant modern florist and gift shop dedicated to providing quality products and outstanding personal service.  In addition to their beautiful floral designs, they also provide garden consulting and a wide range of bedding plants and house plants, including succulents.  

CNB Announces new Chief Financial Officer 

Lynn P. Payne  CNB Chief Financial Officer

Lynn will be responsible for managing the finance function to ensure the proper control of all bank accounting and finance activities at CNB. 

Ms. Payne earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from University of Maryland in 1989 and holds a Maryland CPA license.

Prior to joining CNB, Ms. Payne worked for Prince George's Federal Savings Bank for over 20 years serving as Controller and then Chief Financial Officer.  During her tenure, Ms. Payne was responsible for filing regulatory reports, supervising the accounting department, writing financial policies, and coordinating annual audit and supervisory exams among many other duties.

"I am excited to join the executive team at CNB," said Ms. Payne.  "I really enjoy community banking and look forward to being a part of a great institution."

Ms. Payne resides in Centreville with her husband Gregory and their two sons, Sean and Eric.  She is an active member of Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Centreville and has also supported the community as a volunteer at the Welfare League of Queen Anne's County as a "cat cuddler."  

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COMFORT KEEPERS CELEBRATES NEW LOCATION

WITH TRI-COUNTY CHAMBER RIBBON CUTTING  

Comfort Keepers celebrated the Grand Opening of their new location at 8103 Ocean Gateway in Easton, MD on October 28, along with the Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Chambers of Commerce

Mary Chvostal - Clinical Nurse Manager

Loving Touch Home Care Welcomes New Hire Mary Chvostal, Clinical Nurse Manager 

CHESTERTOWN -Loving Touch Home Care, LLC recently hired Mary Chvostal as its new clinical nurse manager.  Her experience includes extensive in-home heathcare and acute care, including time spent with the Johns Hopkins Hospital, according to a news release.

Chvostal said she is excited to start with the agency and looks forward to working with the team.

"I am fortunate to be joining such a respected agency that prides itself on providing quality care, " she said in a statement.  

Loving Touch Owner Barbara Reed said Chvostal's experience will make her an excellent asset.

#              #              #              #

Linda Mastro, Director, Marketing and Communications

443-262-4117, lmastro@hospiceofqueenannes.org

For immediate release - November 3, 2014

Hospice of Queen Anne's changes name to Compass Regional Hospice  

The staff of Hospice of Queen Anne's marked a new chapter in the organization's history as they changed their name to Compass Regional Hospice on November 3.

Hospice of Queen Anne's has a new name: Compass Regional Hospice. The name Compass Regional Hospice symbolizes that Hospice of Queen Anne's is setting off on a new course, one that includes a larger geographic region and that builds on nearly 30 years as a respected provider of hospice care and grief support.

The image of a compass reflects the organization's mission of helping patients and families set their own direction as they choose how to live with a life-limiting illness.

Compass Regional Hospice Executive Director Heather Guerieri says, "Now that we are the sole provider of hospice services in Queen Anne's, Kent and Caroline Counties, we need a name that describes our wider geographic reach in the community."

Guerieri adds, "A compass is a navigational tool that anyone can use to set a course and change direction in the same way that we help patients and families receive care on their terms. Also, a moral compass guides every member of our staff and each volunteer to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right person, every day of the year."

In July, the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) approved Hospice of Queen Anne's as the hospice provider in Kent County. The MHCC added Caroline County to HQA's service area in September. At the same time the MHCC approved Hospice of Queen Anne's to provide hospice care in Talbot County.

"We will partner with Talbot Hospice until they become a fully licensed and independent hospice agency," Guerieri explains. "Compass Regional Hospice will continue to be an approved hospice provider in Talbot County for specific referrals, such as hospice care for children." 

Guerieri adds, "As we take on a new name we do so with great respect for our heritage in Queen Anne's County and with appreciation for the people who will be welcoming us into their homes in Kent, Caroline and Talbot Counties."

Kathy Deoudes, chair of the Compass Regional Hospice Board of Directors, says, "As Compass Regional Hospice we pledge to retain our roots in Queen Anne's County while we build new relationships in the communities that we now serve. This expansion of our services has been a long and carefully considered process. With every step along the way we have focused on two things - the memory of the patients we have served for almost 30 years and the well-being of the people for whom we will continue to provide the highest level of hospice care and bereavement services." 

For more information about Compass Regional Hospice, call 443-262-4100 or visit www.compassregionalhospice.org.

# # # #

About Compass Regional Hospice (formerly Hospice of Queen Anne's)

Since 1985, Compass Regional Hospice (formerly Hospice of Queen Anne's) has been dedicated to supporting and helping people through the challenge of living with a life-limiting illness. What began as an all-volunteer community service for residents of Queen Anne's County has since developed into a visionary, state-of-the-art organization recognized locally, regionally and statewide for its excellence in quality patient care and compassion for people of all ages. Compass Regional Hospice now provides home hospice care and grief support services in Queen Anne's, Kent and Caroline Counties.

The six-bed residential Hospice Center located at 255 Comet Drive in Centreville is a home-like setting where clinical care is provided around the clock. The Hospice Center is also the region's only free-standing licensed general inpatient facility for hospice patients who need continual nursing care. Compass Regional Hospice provides pediatric hospice care under the umbrella of Compass Kids, a member of the region's Hospice Alliance Kids network.

The Compass Regional Hospice Bridges program provides non-medical supportive care for individuals who are transitioning to the next level of care or who are not yet ready for hospice.

Compass Regional Hospice is a fully licensed, independent, community-based non-profit organization certified by Medicare and the State of Maryland, and accredited by the Joint Commission. It is affiliated with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Network and the Hospice Network of Maryland.

A NOTE FROM THE COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE 

Good Afternoon,

There will be a Bridge Painting Stakeholders meeting on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the County Commissioners' Hearing Room, R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr. Government Center, 400 High Street, Chestertown, MD.  

Regards,

Sondra

Sondra M. Blackiston

Office of the Kent County Commissioners

410-778-4600 office

410-778-7482 fax

sblackiston@kentgov.org 

JOIN US FOR FIRST FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Bordley History Center

301 High Street

Have you ever had a time when you had to leave your house in a hurry? There's always those last details that get in the way or bog us down. Imagine, having a whole army march into your home town, and not a friendly army, but a hostile one. How would you keep your wits about you? Imagine leaving your home, not knowing if you would see it or the ones you love again. Compound that by trying to avoid the raging destruction of battle. How would you respond? Meet Tillie Pierce, a 15 year old girl whose experiences of the great Battle of Gettysburg were chronicled in "What a Girl Heard and Saw of the Battle". Listen as she remembers the harrowing week leading up to and encompassing the fight that raged around her little home town on July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of 1863, and the grueling aftermath that confronted her and the other citizens of Gettysburg.

Abigail Harting is an interpreter and historian. She has been interpreting history, and specifically Ms. Pierce's story, for more than 10 years in sundry locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. Ms. Harting graduated from University of Delaware in 2009 with a BA in History, Art History, and Art Conservation. She is currently working on a dual Masters degree in Museum Studies and Nonprofit Business Management, from Johns Hopkins University.

Sandy and Steve Frohock, who sponsor our First Friday Events, we will have wine and cheese.  Please join us between 4 and 6 PM for the perfect start to your First Friday.

Phone: 410-822-1000, extension 5507                                                                  

Fax: 410-770- 8603

twilliamson@shorehealth.org              

www.umshoreregional.org

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (October 30, 2014)

Dr. Lilly to Speak at the Open Meeting of the Cancer Support Group

Roberta Lilly, M.D., MPH, FACS, medical director, Comprehensive Breast Center, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), will be the guest speaker at an open meeting of the Cancer Support Groupon November 11, 2014. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Conference Center at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown (UM SMC at Chestertown). Lilly will discuss the benefits of early screening for breast cancer and the use of breast tomosynthesis using 3D mammography.

Dr. Lilly has fellowship training in surgical oncology of the breast. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgeons and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. As medical director of the Comprehensive Breast Center at UM Shore Regional Health, located at UM SMC at Easton, she provides a broad range of diagnostic and treatment options for all benign and malignant diseases of the breast. Lilly also provides clinic services in Queen Anne's County at University of Maryland Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown and in Kent County at the Eleanor and Ethel Leh Women's Center, located at UM SMC at Chestertown.

The meeting is open to all cancer patients, their families, caregivers and friends, and persons interested in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Attendance is free, but reservation is encouraged; seating is limited. To reserve your seat or for more information about the Cancer Support Group, please contact Chrissy Nelson, RN, CDE, at 410-778-7668, extension 2175 or cnelson@chesterriverhealth.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FIRST FRIDAY AT KENT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY:

PHOTOGRAPHY, STUDENT ART, & 5^TH GRADE PROJECTS

Photography Showcase & Student Art

The work of photographer Matthew Lane will be exhibited during the month of November at Kent County Public Library's Chestertown Branch.  Stop by 5-8pm on First Friday, November 7th for a first look at this show and a meet-and-greet with the creative mind behind it.

Matthew Lane grew up in Florida and is a two-time graduate of the University of Florida.  A new resident of Chestertown, Matthew has been taking photographs for twelve years and his favorite type of photography is street photography.  He enjoys the creativity involved in taking a picture and the ability to use photography to show people the beauty that can be found in the everyday. Matthew is a member of the Chestertown Photography Club.

During the month of November, artwork created by students at Worton, Galena, and Garnett elementary schools will also be on display at KCPL.

4^th & 5^th Grade Coastal Clean-Up Projects

During September and October, 4^th & 5^th grade students and teachers in Kent County collected trash and recorded information about marine debris from numerous stream and coastal locations in Kent County.  The schools worked with the Sassafras Environmental Education Center, Sassafras River Association, Kent County Public Works, Chester River Association and community volunteers to conduct the clean-ups, which were part of an international effort that the Ocean Conservancy holds every fall.  Stop by on First Friday to see the projects the 5th graders have created based on their experiences.

For more information about these events or to learn how to apply to be a featured artist at KCPL, please call 410.778.3636 or visit the Chestertown Branch at 408 High Street, Chestertown.

TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AT KENT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY:

COMPUTER CONNECTIONS & DIGITAL DROP-IN

KCPL offers monthly classes designed to help people become more comfortable using technology.

Computer Connections is an ongoing series of hands-on, beginner-level classes designed to make using technology a comfortable and positive experience.  The class is held at 10am on the 3^rd Thursday of the month and topics rotate based on interest.

The November Computer Connections class, Beyond the Basics with Email, will teach skills that are needed to share holiday photos, greetings, and good cheer via email, including: sending documents & photos via email; downloading & saving email attachments; creating email groups; and using advanced address book features. Registration is required and participants must already have an active email account and familiarity with basic email functions. The class will be taught using the library's laptops, so there is no need to own or bring a computer or other device to class.

Digital Drop-In is generally offered at 3pm on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays of the month and is an opportunity to ask technology questions in a casual and supportive small group setting. Participants are encouraged to bring their devices (laptops, tablets, or other devices) along with any questions about how they work or how to use them to access library resources.

This month, Digital Drop-In will be held November 10^th & 24^th. On the 24^th, we'll start the session with a quick overview of popular features of the Windows 7 operating system. Other questions are welcome, too, but this is a great opportunity to learn more about using Windows 7 effectively.

For more information about technology classes at KCPL or to register for Beyond the Basics with Email, please call 410.778.3636.

 ~ ~ ~

TEEN BOOK GROUP AT KENT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

WHO:                    Kent County Public Library

WHAT:                  Teen Book Group

WHEN:                  Tuesday, November 18 2014 * 5 p.m.

WHERE:                Kent County Public Library, Chestertown

WHY:                     Kent County Public Library has created a new group where book-loving teens can meet up for great conversations about characters, stories, and what to read next.

There is no pressure to attend every meeting and teens age 13 and up are welcome to check it out even if they haven't read the book that's being discussed.

For more information or to request a copy of November's book, please contact the library at 410.778.3636.

***

CONTACT:  Julie Oberg

410-841-5889

Vanessa Orlando

410-841-5889 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MDA Deadline for Planting Cover Crops Extended to November 14

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 30, 2014) Due to a late harvest, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has extended the November 5 planting deadline for farmers who have signed up to plant cover crops this fall with the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. 

Farmers now have until November 14, 2014 to plant qualifying small grains and brassicas (plants in the cabbage family) on their fields to help control soil erosion and recover any unused plant nutrients remaining on their fields from summer crops.  The extension is only available to farmers who use the following planting methods:  no till, conventional, or broadcast with light, minimum or vertical tillage. Farmers must certify their cover crop acreage with the local soil conservation district by November 21, 2014 in order to be reimbursed for associated seed, labor and equipment costs.

"Heavy rains delayed the spring planting this year," explained Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. "As a result, farmers are only just now harvesting their summer corn crops. Extending the planting deadline will allow farmers to plant more acres of protective cover crops on their fields to achieve greater water quality benefits for streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay."

Cover crops are cereal grains that grow in cool weather. They help slow down rainwater runoff during the winter, when the soil would otherwise be exposed, while recycling any nutrients remaining in the soil from the previous summer crop.  During the 2013-2014 planting season, Maryland farmers planted 423,212 acres of cover crops on their fields statewide.  The planting helped prevent an estimated 2.5 million pounds of nitrogen and 84,600 pounds of phosphorus from reaching waterways. Approximately 97 percent of these cover crops were planted in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Earlier this summer, Maryland farmers signed up to plant a record 641,400 acres of cover crops this fall. Maryland farmers exceeded the Phase I and II Watershed Implementation Plan milestone for cover crops in 2011 and 2013 and are on track to exceed it again next year with this new record enrollment acreage. 

Maryland's Cover Crop program is funded by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund. For additional information on the Cover Crop Program, farmers should visit their local soil conservation district or contact the MACS office at 410-841-5864.

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