St. Mary's County to Host Track and Field Meet
St. Mary's County Recreation and Parks will host an invitational track meet on Sunday, June 7 at Leonardtown High School, 23995 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD.
The meet will run from 1 - 4 p.m. with registration available from 12 - 1 p.m. A birth certificate for each participant is required for proof of age. This fun event is open to kids ages 8 to 14 years as of April 1, 2015.
Enter at least one field event and two track events OR two field events and one track event. Spikes are not allowed and each competitor will receive a ribbon. There is no cost to participate in this event.
Events include 100 Meter Dash, 200 Meter Dash, 400 Meter Dash, 800 Meter Run, Long Jump, and Softball Throw.
For additional information regarding this event, please contact Kenny Sothoron, at 301-475-4200 ext. 1830.
St. Mary's County Recertified as a StormReady County
St. Mary's County has successfully completed the StormReady recertification process. This continued recognition is indicative of the county's dedication to providing the residents of St. Mary's County exceptional preparedness for weather events.
The National Weather Service (NWS) first recognized St. Mary's County, Maryland as a StormReady Community on March 17, 2009.
Bob Kelly, St. Mary's County Director of Emergency Services and Technology, Gerald Gardiner, St. Mary's County Emergency Management Manager and Chris Strong from the National Weather Service briefed the Commissioners of St. Mary's County about the StormReady program and the recertification process.
StormReady encourages communities to take a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness. A StormReady designation does not mean that a community is storm proof, but better prepared to save lives affected by severe weather through better planning, education and awareness. The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather threats.
To be recognized as Storm Ready, a community must:
-- Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
-- Have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public.
-- Create a system that monitors local weather conditions.
-- Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
-- Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
Volunteers Still Sought for Boards, Commissions and Committees
St. Mary's County residents, looking for an opportunity to take a more active role in the community, still have an opportunity to serve.
The Commissioners of St. Mary's County is continuing to seek citizens interested in volunteering to serve on various Boards, Committees and Commissions. Detailed descriptions of the various boards and application can be found at www.stmarysmd.com/voluntr/. Applications must include a resume and be submitted by May 29, 2015.
Some of the Boards, Commissions and Committees with vacancies include:
Airport Advisory Committee; Commission for Women; Agriculture, Seafood & Forestry Comm.; Commission on Aging; Board of Trustees, Museum Division; Commission on the Environment; Social Services Board; Housing Authority Board; Building Code of Appeals; and Transportation Advisory Commission.
The following vacancies have special requirements:
-- Adult Public Guardianship Board - Registered Nurse
-- Electrical Examiners Board - Licensed Electrician
-- Family Violence Coordinating Council - Family or Survivor of Violence, Member of the Clergy and Advocate Member
-- Historic Preservation Commission - At least two shall be appointed from among the disciplines of architecture, architectural history, history, or archaeology. All other members shall have a demonstrated special interest, experience, or knowledge in architecture, history, architectural history, planning, archaeology, or related disciplines, such as urban planning, American civilization, law, or cultural anthropology.
-- Length of Service Award Program for Fire/Rescue/ALS Volunteers - Must have financial/investment experience
-- Metropolitan Commission Board - Must live in the 3rd District
-- Tri County Community Action - Must attend classes while sitting on this board. Call Swynice Hawkins at 301-274-4474 ext. 253 for more information.
Citizens with questions or need for additional information can call Diane Gleissner at 301-475-4200 ext. 1700.
Commissioners Honor Historic Preservation Award Winners
Recognizing the role historic preservation plays in enhancing the quality of life, while providing local residents with a greater understanding of the richness and diversity of their cultural and architectural heritage, the Commissioners of St. Mary's County honored a number of people for their work in celebrating and preserving the cultural heritage of the county.
St. Mary's County Sheriff Tim Cameron was honored for his years of work in researching the 375 year history of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office.
St. Mary's County Tourism Manager Carolyn Laray, Leonardtown Town Administrator Laschelle McKay and Leonardtown Events Coordinator Maria Fleming were recognized for organizing the War of 1812 event which attracted upwards of 10,000 people to Leonardtown last June.
Other winners included:
-- Jeanne Pirtle received a service award for producing a pictorial book entitled "Sotterley Plantation" and researched Sotterley's archives and local resources to tell the stories of all who lived and worked there
-- Nancy D. Wolfe of Chaptico was honored for her work in establishing the Wicomico Valley Foundation of Southern Maryland which placed more than 850 acres (Lower Brambly, Chaptico; Little Hackley in Colton's Point and Wicomico Fields in Chaptico) in preservation. She has also placed 750 acres (at Allen's Fresh) in the same Foundation thus setting aside and preserving over 1,600 acres for future generations
-- Edward Lawrence was posthumously awarded a lifetime service award for maintaining the historic structure and fabric of Tudor Hall, which houses the St. Mary's County Historical Society
-- David Brown was recognized for his study of George Plater, the owner of Sotterley Plantation from 1755 to 1792. Mr. Brown's study, which looked at the Sotterley enterprise as a whole, was published in November, 2014. He has also placed some of George Plater's letters online
-- Archaeologist Dr. Timothy Riordan received a lifetime achievement award for providing lectures and demonstrations to Historic St. Mary's City and across the state for over 30 years. He was also recognized for publishing Plundering Times, the story of Ingles Revolt during Colonial Times, one of the most significant studies of early Maryland. Dr. Riordan has broadened the world's knowledge of 17th century Maryland and has mentored young archaeologists or anyone with an interest in Archaeology or the history of Maryland.
Commissioners Hold Ceremony to Recognize Small Businesses
Acknowledging the vital contributions made by small businesses to the economic growth and quality of life in the county, the Commissioners of St. Mary's County have declared the month of May Small Business Month.
In partnership with local organizations, St. Mary's County provides support for small businesses which represents major opportunities for economic development, innovation, growth, and expansion in the community.
"Small businesses generate a large percentage of jobs in St. Mary's County," said Commissioner Todd Morgan (4th District). "A large majority of our small businesses employ fewer than five people and government contributes to small business growth through its economic growth strategy and various business growth incentive programs."
Joining the commissioners for the ceremony were Margaret Sawyer, Board Chair, St. Mary's Chamber of Commerce and Bill Scarafia, Chamber President and CEO.
The commissioners urge all citizens to continue their support of the numerous small businesses that form the heart of the St. Mary's County business community.
Registration Open for Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership Inaugural Meeting
The Healthy St. Mary's Partnership (HSMP) will host its first annual meeting on Thursday June 4, 2015 from 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center in Leonardtown. This meeting will be an opportunity for participants to network, learn from public health experts and receive updates on coalition-wide business. This event is free and open to all community members with an interest in improving health in our community; however, registration is required.
The Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership (HSMP) is a community-driven coalition of partners working together to improve health in St. Mary's County. The coalition mobilizes members to address local priority health issues through four action teams, including Access to Care, Behavioral Health, Healthy Eating and Active Living, and Tobacco Free Living.
“By partnering with organizations in the public and private sector, we are working together to better address priority health issues for St. Mary’s County,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, Health Officer. “The Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership provides a blueprint for local action and public engagement to improve the health of its residents.”
The lineup of distinguished speakers for this meeting includes:
-- Kathleen Connors, MSW, LCSW-C, Project Director, Family Informed Trauma Treatment (FITT) Center
-- Kathleen Hoke, JD, Law School Professor and Director, Legal Resource Center for Public Health Policy
-- Henry Bogdan, Director of Public Policy, Maryland Non-Profits
-- Jacob R. Day, Assoc. AIA, City Council President, Salisbury, Maryland
-- Mary Ann Thompson, RN, BSN, Director of Nursing, Queen Anne’s County Health Department
-- Meenakshi G. Brewster, MD, MPH, St. Mary’s County Health Officer and HSMP Chair
These speakers will cover a range of topics, including planning for local health, trauma-informed care, electronic cigarettes, advocacy, smart growth and mobile integrated health. For more information on the speakers and forum sessions, or to register for the meeting, visit the HSMP website at http://healthystmarys.com/inaugural-meeting/