Farmers Produce Stand Vendors Sought for Governmental Center Campus
St. Mary's County Government seeks to gauge interest from local produce vendors, who may be interested in providing fresh grown produce, and locating intermittently during business hours on the St. Mary's Governmental Center campus in Leonardtown, to offer produce sales and options for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Vendors who accept WIC FMNP/SFMNP & FVC are preferred. The Governmental Center is home to numerous governmental offices and receives many visitors daily.
Interested farmers produce stand operators should call Amber Hebert, Department of Human Resources, at 301 475-4200, ext. *1110. Only actively licensed vendors who carry sufficient auto liability, product liability, and general liability insurance coverages will be considered.
This notification is only seeking interest and is not a formal solicitation or a promise of a business location at the Governmental Center. The address is: St. Mary's County Governmental Center, 23115 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650.
Produce stand operators should provide notification of their interest no later than Friday April 1, 2016.
Healthy St. Mary's Partnership Announces Healthy Food Drive
The Healthy Eating & Active Living (HEAL) action team of the Healthy St. Mary's Partnership invites the community to participate in a Healthy Food Drive to support our local food pantries. The Healthy Food Drive will take place at the 33rd Annual Easter Egg Festival, organized by the St. Mary's County Department of Recreation and Parks, on Saturday, March 19 from 12:00—4:00 p.m. at the St. Mary's County Fairgrounds. Healthy food donations include canned or non-perishable items, such as canned goods that are low sodium or have no added sugars, and whole grain and high fiber food products, such as whole-grain pasta, brown rice, and cereals. Any local pantries that would like to sign up to be on the distribution list should contact Jenna Mulliken at jenna.mulliken@maryland.gov. For more information about the Annual Easter Egg Festival, please visit
www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/easter.
Healthy Eating and Active Living are essential in the prevention and control of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. These chronic diseases contribute to the leading causes of death nationally and here in St. Mary's County. The Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) action team of the Healthy St. Mary's Partnership brings together community organizations and residents to coordinate local action around healthy eating and active living. Joining the Healthy St. Mary's Partnership is free and new members are always welcome. Please visit
www.healthystmarys.com for information on membership or activities.
Commission on Aging to Hold Special Meeting
The Commission on Aging will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, March 15 at 1 p.m. at the Garvey Senior Activity Center in Leonardtown. The topic of discussion will be the new Garvey Senior Activity Center.
For more information about the Commission on Aging, visit
www.co.saint-marys.md.us/voluntr/Commission%20of%20Aging.asp.
Tornado Confirmed Near Beauvue in St. Mary's County
The National Weather Service's Baltimore/Washington Weather Forecast Office has confirmed a tornado touched down along the St. Mary's County shoreline, just south of Beauvue, back on Tuesday February 24, 2016.
A National Weather Service ground survey, along with radar analysis, concluded the Tappahannock Virginia tornado—which created a 30 mile path of damage across the middle peninsula and Northern Neck of Virginia—crossed the Potomac and traveled one mile into St. Mary's County before dissipating. The Tornado which impacted St. Mary's was small. Most of its 6.5 mile path in the county was over the Potomac River. However, once it moved ashore, it produced damage along a 1.1 mile path that was oriented southwest to northeast across Hampton Road. The National Weather Service has classified this Tornado as an EF-0 with peak winds estimated at 65 MPH.
The tornados path was approximately 75 yards. Two large trees were uprooted on private property in the 20500 block of Hampton Road. Two cedar trees sheared in half along Hampton Road, and a tree down in the 20700 block of Hampton Road.
Areas further north, just east of Leonardtown, were also inspected, but no additional tornadic damage was found.
Location: Beauvue in St. Mary's County Maryland
Date: February 24, 2016
Estimated Time: 7:05 to 7:14 PM EST
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF0
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed: 65 MPH
Maximum Path Width: 75 yards
Path Length: 6.5 Miles
RSVP Volunteers Provide Tens of Millions in Service throughout County
Members of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of St. Mary's County—or RSVP—are seniors 55 years of age and older who give their time and talent by volunteering with local county agencies, non-profit groups, and community organizations throughout the year.
More than 300 local RSVP volunteers were recognized at a luncheon for donating 35,207 hours in 2015, valued at $929,817. The figures are calculated using figures from Independent Sector.
"We thank the RSVP volunteers for their efforts in 2015," said Commissioner President Randy Guy. "Their time and talents save the county tens of millions of dollars every year. We are forever grateful for all they provide to our community."
Norine Rowe, RSVP Project Manager, presented Commissioner President Guy with a ceremonial check representing the value of volunteer hours provided by members of RSVP.
RSVP is sponsored by the St. Mary's County Department of Aging and Human Services. The long-standing volunteer program has helped place seniors in volunteer positions for over 30 years.
Student Summit: "Changing Our Culture—Building Resiliency"
Ms. Sarita Lee, Student Board member, and Mr. J. Scott Smith, Superintendent of Schools, are pleased to announce that St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) will host a student sponsored summit, "Changing Our Culture—Building Resiliency", focusing on mental health and substance misuse prevention. The summit will be held on March 18, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center (JAFCTC) located at 24005 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
The purpose of the summit is to improve mental health and build resiliency in our students while increasing awareness and educating our community about the risks and dangers associated with substance misuse. The summit will generate discussion about steps to be taken at the student's school that will serve to bring further understanding about the value of good decision making and personal resiliency. Over 160 middle and high school students representing public and non-public schools in St. Mary's County will attend the summit that will be led and facilitated by fellow students.
The summit will feature a keynote address by Mark Besen, Ph.D. of North Carolina. Mr. Besen is a clinical psychologist who has been involved in leadership and program design in large community behavioral health agencies for over 20 years. He is a national suicide prevention consultant for the QPR institute and has worked with communities, hospitals, behavioral health providers, states, universities and school districts in building cultures of hope and access to treatment. He has trained professionals and advocated for improvement in risk detection and treatment for behavioral health problems including substance use and other psychiatric disorders.
Funding for the summit is provided through a grant provided by the Commissioners of St. Mary's County. The summit is co-sponsored and supported through several community partnerships. Supporting partners include the St. Mary's County Health Department, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, St. Mary's County Department of Aging and Human Services, Walden Behavioral Health of Southern Maryland, and the Behavioral Health Action Team of the Healthy St. Mary's Partnership.
The Board of Education of St. Mary's County has continually supported the education of students, parents, guardians, and the community at large as a key strategy in substance misuse prevention and increasing awareness about the resources available in our community to help prevent other high risks behaviors.
Exhibitors representing community resources available for families and youth will be represented and available during the summit. Exhibitor space for the summit is available, but limited, and will be filled as requests for space are received. If you would like to apply to sponsor an exhibit, please submit the exhibitor registration form available via the SMCPS home page
www.smcps.org/safety-and-security/youth-summit. Exhibitors will be notified when their application has been approved.
For more information on the summit please contact the Department of Safety and Security at 301-475-5511, extension 32235.