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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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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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CHAMBER NEWS  DECEMBER 2015
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LEADERSHIP
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LORETTA LODGE
PRESIDENT
DIANE BRANDT
CNB
VICE PRESIDENT KEN COLLINS WCTR Radio TREASURER
LINDA DAWSON
Kent Forward
PAST PRESIDENT
DAVID BOWMAN
The Peoples Bank
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SALLY CAMP
The Fiduciary's Friend
DR. KAREN COUCH
Kent County Public Schools
SUZANNE EINSTEIN
Blue Crab Chesapeake Charters
CREG FLEETWOOD
FAM&M Insurance Agency, Inc.
BOB GREENWALD
East Coast Storage
LORI KERN
Chesapeake Benefit Services, Inc.
STEWART SEITZ
UM Shore Nursing
& Rehabilitation Center
LANSING WILLIAMS
Washington College
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Ribbon Cutting & Open House
Physically Fitch
(Ribbon Cutting at 5:30 P.M.)
329 Cannon Street
12/08/2015
Chamber Holiday Gala
Cassinelli Distilling
12/10/2015
Chamber Board Meeting
Chamber Office
122 N. Cross Street
Chestertown, MD
1/11/2016
Pre-Session Legislative Breakfast
Heron Point
Campus Avenue
8:30 A.M.
Chestertown, MD
1/29/2016
2015 Excellence in Business Awards
Garfield Center for the Arts
High Street
Chestertown
6:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Chestertown, MD
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From the Executive Director
Seasons Greetings to All:
The holiday season has arrived and appears to be in full swing. The Chamber will be kicking off the season with our annual Christmas Gala on Tuesday, December 8. This year's event will be held at Cassinelli Distilling in downtown Chestertown, hosted by Al Cassinelli and catered by Occasions. Door prizes have been graciously donated by many of our members and it promises to be a wonderful event. The RSVP deadline for this year's event is this Friday, December 4th. So don't miss out! Get your reservations in. For additional details, see the flyer later in this Newsletter
A big thank you goes out to Jon Coile and Patsy Whiteley, and their associates and staff at Champion Realty for again hosting the Chamber's November Business-After-Hours at their new location on Cross Street in downtown Chestertown. Admission was a donation for our local food pantry. There was a tremendous turn-out with new, old, and potential members. Again, I cannot emphasize enough what great networking opportunities these events are. Sure they're fun and there is always good food and drink, but the networking aspect cannot be overlooked. Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting with a potential customer or referral.
Also in November we welcomed the former Young Professionals of Kent County to the Chamber as the "Kent County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals". We are thrilled to have these young business people as part of our Chamber. Look for information about them and there events soon to be on the Chamber website. Representatives from the KCCC Young Professionals will also be on hand at the Holiday Gala on December 8th - just one more reason to join us that evening!
Don't miss the opportunity to stop in and see Physically Fitch's new digs at 329 Cannon Street this Friday, December 4th when they host their Open House & Ribbon Cutting from 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. The Ribbon Cutting will take place at 5:30 P.M.
The 2016 Chamber of Commerce Kent County Map project has begun and you should be seeing advertising opportunities available to you arriving in your in-boxes this week. Again, this year, the rates are very reasonable, especially considering the extended shelf life and the distribution of the Map through the Chamber, the Visitors Center, the Departments of Tourism and Economic Development and local businesses. So look for the email from the Chamber office with these advertising opportunities. The deadline for orders will be December 15.
January will bring the first Legislative Breakfast of the year on January 11 at Heron Point and the Annual Excellence in Business Awards celebration on Friday, January 29 at the Garfield Center for the Arts. Requests for nominations will be arriving in your in-box soon, so look for those too! Save the dates!
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a wonderful, safe, and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!!
Loretta M. Lodge
Executive Director
The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year.
- John Foster Dulles
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THANKS TO OUR 2015 SPONSORS
(Click on any of the logos below to visit their website!)
2015 PLATINUM SPONSOR
2015 SILVER SPONSORS
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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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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.
We urge the membership to use the goods and services of other Chamber members.
This is what the Kent County Chamber of Commerce is all about.
RIVERSIDE GIFTS & MORE
Mike & Anna Riggin
227 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
410.778.2073
Skippy's Riverside Gifts & More is a retail store offering handmade items and is home of DOC Merchandising for all of your banners, promotional items, and printing needs.
Please join us in welcoming our newest
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| Ken Fry
COO of Willard Agri-Service |
Thursday December 3rd,
Ken Fry, COO of Willard Agri-Service will present topics of interest to all our local residents. Are you concerned with the health of the Bay? Are you concerned with water and soil pollution management? Get the truth about how Maryland manages the many nutrients and pest management materials used in Kent County and our nearby region.
CBG meets for breakfast every Thursday at 7:30AM at the Holiday Inn Express in Chestertown. Our meetings start promptly at 7:30AM, so you may want to come at 7:15AM to get your breakfast before the meeting. Our web site is www.kentcbg.org. If you have any suggestions for a program you would like to see, please send us an email message at d.atlas.co@gmail.com
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We are having Wassail! 
Stop in on December 4th for our Winterfest Wassail Party! Where you can....... Indulge in a Winterfest cup of Wassail at the Bordley History Center, buy a raffle ticket to win a vintage wooden rocking horse, browse the Little Shop on the Corner for unique holiday and hostess gift ideas, and at 6pm enjoy holiday songs and dramatic monologues performed by the Kent County High School Drama Club. We've got fun for everyone here at the Bordley History Center! 301 High Street.
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RIBBON CUTTING AT 5:30 P.M.
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December 4th, 2015 - FIRST FRIDAY!
Visit our office for a hot or cold beverage & to try one of the cookie varieties
our agents will be providing (there may even be some secret family recipes)!
We can't wait to celebrate the season with you!  Stacy Kendall Joe Hickman Clint Evans Liddy Campbell Sarah Dean
Yvonne Andres Jody Baker Andrew Batch Andy Andrews Amy Schauber
Cross Street Realtors is locally owned and operated by nine diverse Realtors with strong ties to the Eastern Shore, particularly Kent and Queen Anne's Counties. We are dedicated to offering everyone professional service in a personalized manner, providing buyers & sellers insight about the Eastern Shore, the history of its local towns and communities and the traditions of the tidewater area. Please feel free to reach out to us by phone or email if you have any questions, or if we can help with any of your Real Estate needs!
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The Chestertown Rotary Club is pleased to announce upcoming presentations
that those interested in the Rotary or the topics are welcome to attend
December 15, 2015 - we will have Leslie Sea and Brian Moore, of Hometown Media,
owners of WCTR talk about their new operations and the decision to purchase
a Chestertown radio station
January 5, 2016 - Scott Budden, owner of Oyster Point Oysters shellfish farm
will present an overview of his operation and how it benefits the health of our
local waterways .
The Chestertown Rotary club meets weekly
at the Fish Whistle at noon on Tuesdays
The charge for the lunch cost is $14
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Featured December Events
Opening Reception
Friday Morning Artists
Wednesday, December 2 | 5-6:30pm
Chestertown Branch
During the month of December, the Friday Morning Artists, an eclectic group of artists mainly from Talbot, Dorchester, and Queen Anne's counties, will exhibit selections of members' artwork, including paintings, photographs, and three-dimensional works.
The exhibit will remain on display through December 30th and can be viewed anytime the library is open.
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First Friday Winterfest Weekend
3rd Annual Toy Train
& Model Railroad Expo
First Friday, December 4 | 4-7pm
Chestertown Branch
Kent County Public Library hosts its 3rd Annual Toy Train & Model Railroad Exhibit, featuring tinplate trains from the 1920s & 1930s and magnificent operating layouts in O and Standard Gauge.
This exhibit is made possible thanks to the enthusiasm, knowledge, and generosity of father-son team of Bob and David Singer.
Kids can make a conductor hat craft and light refreshments will be provided for all.
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Good Eats:
Looking at Food and What We Eat
& Model Railroad Expo
Saturday, December 5 | 12pm
Chestertown Branch
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Dr. Jay Guben of Fresh Start Foods facilitates a lunch and learning program designed too introduce new ideas about food, to offer guidance on how to update your food choices, and to encourage reflection on how you think and feel about food.
Enjoy a small plates meal and take part in a conversation about the experience of eating. A light luncheon will be provided to inspire conversation and introduce you to new experiences with food.
Free and open to all. Space is limited. Please register.
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Kids & Teens
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Baby & toddler Storytime
Tuesdays | 11am
Chestertown Branch
Preschool Storytime
Tuesdays | 10am
Chestertown Branch
Wednesdays | 10:30am
Rock Hall Branch
Thursdays | 10:30am
North County Branch
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Gingerbread Houses
Wednesday, December 2 | 3:30pm
Chestertown Branch
Friday, December 11 | 3:30pm
North County Branch
Saturday, December 19 | 10am
Rock Hall Branch
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Build a gingerbread house and fill your home with sugar plums and gumdrops!
All ages welcome at this family program. Space is limited.
Ready to register?
Click the session you want to attend:
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On Display: 5th Grade Students'
Environmental Projects
Friday, December 4 | 5-7pm
Chestertown Branch
This fall, 5th 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 projects students created based on their experiences will be exhibited at Kent County Public Library's Chestertown Branch.
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COMING EVENTS BY AG DEPARMENT, UME Kent Co.  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. The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources programs are open to all 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. La Universidad de Maryland es una institución con Igualdad de Oportunidades de Empleo y con Igualdad de Acceso a Programas. If you need special assistance to participate in the (meeting/program), please contact the University of Maryland Extension Kent County Office at 410-778-1661. DECEMBER 2015: 01 - Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification and Nutrient Management Voucher Training, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Kent County Extension Office, Chestertown. Must pre-register by calling 410-778-1661. 01 - Timely Ag Issues, 7:30 a.m., Tilghman Terrace, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee, donuts, etc. 01 - Lawn Fertilizer Blackout Date begins for Lawn Care Pros. 03 - Estate Planning, Chesapeake College, Wye Mills. 04 - Private Pesticide Applicator Training, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Queen Anne's County Extension Office, Centreville, MD. Pre-register by calling 410-758-0166. 6-8 - Maryland Farm Bureau Convention/Centennial Celebration, Clarion Resort Hotel, Ocean City, MD. 08 - New Poultry Grower Workshop, Caroline County 4-H Park, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 08 - Profitability With Specialty Fruits and Vegetables, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., Wye Res. & Ed Center, Queenstown, MD. Call by Nov. 24 to register: 410-827-8056 x115. 10 - Farm Transition Workshop, 8:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m., Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, MD. To register: or 410-822-1244. 15 - Timely Ag Issues, 7:30 a.m., Tilghman Terrace, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee, donuts, etc. 16 - Ag Outlooks and Policy Conference, 8:30 a.m., Double Tree Hotel, Annapolis, MD. 18 - Private Pesticide Applicator Exam, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Queen Anne's County Extension Office, Centreville, MD. Pre-register by calling 410-758-0166. 24-25 UME Kent Office Closed. JANUARY 2016: 05 - Timely Ag Issues, 7:30 a.m., Tilghman Terrace, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee, donuts, etc. 13 - Wheat Quality and Marketing Opportunities: Maximizing Profits, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Harrington, DE, Delaware State Fairgrounds,
Exhibit Hall. Credits: DE & MD Pesticide and CCA. 19 - Timely Ag Issues, 7:30 a.m., Tilghman Terrace, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee, donuts, etc. 23 - Bee Keeping 101, Talbot Extension Office, Easton, MD, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon. Registration fee is $125 which includes "The Beekeepers Handbook - Fourth Edition". Register with Pam Chollet, 410-822-1244. For more info contact Mike Embrey, 410-924-0028. 24-25 - UME Kent office closed.
27 - UME Cecil County Winter Agronomy Meeting, 8:30 a.m., Calvert Grange, 2357 Telegraph Rd., Rising Sun, MD.
PRE-REGISTER BY JANUARY 20 at 410-996-5280. Lunch provided. Cost of materials and lunch is $5.00. # # # # # |
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NEWS FROM & FOR OUR MEMBERS
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UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION NEWS
By Aly J. Valentine, UME Area Extension Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Verna Clarkston UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION KENT COUNTY WELCOMES ASHLEY McLAUGHLIN
 ASHLEY McLAUGHLIN - is the new Food Supplement Nutrition Education Project Leader and Educator for the Mid-Shore which covers Kent, Caroline, and Queen Anne Counties. Educational Background: Ashley is a 2012 graduate of West Virginia University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition & Foods with an emphasis in Nutrition Biochemistry.
Last professional position: After college, Ashley started her own Nutrition Education Program where she coordinated wellness committees and hosted corporate wellness events. She was then discovered by the owner of a growing online fitness company called Complete Physique. As the first person hired onto the company, she created the nutrition content for clients all over the country by providing hundreds of her own healthy recipes along with cooking demo videos. Soon after, Ashley started working for an organization very similar to FSNE in Pittsburgh, PA where she traveled to all the inner city public schools to teach nutrition lessons. Over the years she has hosted many live audience cooking demonstrations and because of her nutrition education efforts in the city she had the opportunity to be featured as a guest speaker on local radio and TV, published a small cookbook, and was on the cover of a local Pittsburgh magazine.
Favorite Hobby or Interesting Fact: Ashley is a classically trained pianist, an amateur artist, and a kickboxing instructor. She is excited to continue her passion in nutrition education with FSNE.
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Business Development Council On the Road
Lockheed Martin
The Business Development Council (BDC) On The Road series introduces Maryland Chamber members to the procurement processes of the area's top organizations.
For December, the spotlight is on Lockheed Martin. Attendees will learn about Lockheed Martin's procurement process, teaming needs and upcoming opportunities.
Registration is open to members of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and members of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce at $10.00 per person.
If you are a not a member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce nor the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and you would like to attend a BDC On The Road please contact Kathleen McNally at kmcnally@mdchamber.org or call (410) 269-0642 x115 or (301) 261-2858 x115.
To register, contact Kristen Solis at (410) 269-0642 x111, (301) 261-2858 x111 or ksolis@mdchamber.org.
While all organizations are welcome to attend, there is a particular interest in federal/Department of Defense technology, engineering, research and development capabilities.
Please note, this is NOT a classified event. Clearances are not required in order to attend.
We would like to thank the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce for partnering with the Maryland Chamber of Commerce to host this event.
Date/Time:
December 2, 2015
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Location:
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
51 Monroe Street
Suite 1800
Rockville, MD 20850
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STEP UP TO THE MIC!
Don't miss out on this
marketing opportunity
Exclusively for Chamber Members!
Every Thursday morning at 8:30 A.M. a Chamber Member will be featured on WCTR Radio 1530 AM and 102.3 FM to talk about their business at NO COST to the Chamber Member.
Please call or email Loretta at the Chamber office to set up a date today! 410-810-2968 OR kentchamber@verizon.net
WCTR - The Voice of Kent & Queen Anne's Counties
Listen to WCTR online: www.wctr.com
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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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Notary Service Now Available!
Notary services are now available free to our members at the Chamber by appointment. Please contact the Chamber office to schedule an appointment.
- 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.
For details about discounts offered by participating members, please contact them directly.
Don't miss out! Sign up for this program today!!
The following businesses are participating members.
Please support these businesses!
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