Month: July 2022

For All Seasons Sponsors Free Community Talk on Parenting by Author Lynn Sanchez

Pictured are Beth Anne Langrell, CEO, For All Seasons and local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed., who presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today,” at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on YouTube and Facebook Live.
Pictured are Beth Anne Langrell, CEO, For All Seasons and local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed., who presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today,” at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on YouTube and Facebook Live. – Contributed Photo

For All Seasons’ Center for Learning presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today”, presented by local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed. Targeting parents and caregivers with a message of empowerment, this presentation took place at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on Facebook Live. The talk was part of For All Seasons Speakers Series designed to share messages that are reaching people in different ways on a variety of topics. Lynn, the author of the new book, Behind the Brussels Sprouts, used her own, often comical, parenting stories, and her decades of experience to share with parents how to relax, build their self-awareness and confidence, and most importantly, enjoy the amazing parenting journey.

“Especially during the pandemic, our parents have experienced a different way to raise children, and there have been increased stressors in our community as a result. As a behavioral health agency and rape crisis center, we wanted to shine a light on parenting,” commented Beth Anne Langrell, CEO of For All Seasons.

Participants of the talk gained a refreshing perspective, learning new tools and strategies to lighten the parenting load today. Each attendee also received a free copy of Lynn Sanchez’s book.

“I want parents to trust themselves, I want them to relax, and I want them to enjoy parenting,” Lynn stated. “There is lots of competition for children’s minds and spirits today. There are no perfect parents. Every family has its challenges. If you have a family value and you are maintaining it, you are doing a good job.”

Lynn shared some tips on parenting including handling the needs of different-aged children. “Every child is unique. We have to be as flexible as a Slinky and look at what we are doing right. We are the expert on our children,” she added.

About the subject of competition, Lynn shared that children should get three things out of participating in any activities and being able to say to their parents: 1) I came. 2) I participated. 3) I enjoyed it. She commented, “It’s not always about winning. The biggest gift you can give your child is the ability to fail and to get back up and try it again. We have to be cautious about competition and comparison. As I point out in the book, they are rough seas.”

She also shared about providing guidance to our children, stating, “Part of guidance is accountability. We have to make children accountable for their behavior. Discipline is guidance. We want children to learn how to guide their own behavior.”

Other tips she provided were to use anticipation to reduce frustration for children, use active listening with our children when they get home from school to gain insight, limit electronics to engage in family time, and have fun with your children.

The book, Behind the Brussels Sprouts, has appeal for all ages as it awakens reflections in older adults about how they were parented and how that impacted their parenting.

If you missed the talk, please tune into YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZgSkGlwwu8.

For All Seasons is your community behavioral health and rape crisis center offering therapy, psychiatry, advocacy, and education to individuals and families, regardless of one’s ability to pay. For further information, visit www.forallseasonsinc.org.

Caption: Pictured are Beth Anne Langrell, CEO, For All Seasons and local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed., who presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today,” at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on YouTube and Facebook Live.

Peter Grim Appointed New Executive Director of Haven Ministries

Peter Grim of Rock Hall, a non-profit executive, has been appointed the new Executive Director of Haven Ministries. Grim replaces Krista Pettit, who founded the organization 20 years ago in Queen Anne’s County to address the need for a homeless shelter there.

At a recent celebration of Pettit’s achievements, Caroline Aland, Past Board President of Haven Ministries recalled, “Krista was sitting in church and got a calling from God. He told her there was a need in her community. There are people without housing who are struggling to survive. He asked her to do something. To start a shelter.”

Krista created the Queen Anne County Christian Assistance program and pretty soon they had a place to shelter people. The first year the shelter was in the Grasonville Community Center. After the first year, the shelter moved to the Kent Island United Methodist Church where it has remained operating as a seasonal shelter.

“But that’s not all… she then organized the Food Pantry, a Resource Center, transitional housing, a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store, and Hope Warehouse providing sustainable income for Haven Ministries’ programs and goods for its clients. And now we have the Homes for Hope housing program,” added Aland.

Aland pointed out that all of these projects were opened with tremendous prayer and thought. The organization started with a handful of volunteers and has grown to 14 paid staff, hundreds of volunteers, and has helped thousands of residents over the years.

Pictured is Peter Grim, new executive director of Haven Ministries
Pictured is Peter Grim, new executive director of Haven Ministries – Contributed Photo
Grim, who follows Pettit, has had several years of experience in executive leadership, development, and operational oversight of non-profit organizations. Most recently he facilitated a start-up and served as Executive Director of The Common Place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization providing education, social service collaboration, and faith formation to serve resource-challenged children and families. Before that, he managed retirement communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“Peter’s non-profit experience includes faith-based multiple startups, strategic planning, community-based programs that include nutrition education, food pantry operations, after-school programming, technical education, summer camps, fundraising, and construction. He has held general management positions that cover all the critical skill sets needed for success as Executive Director, including community relations, communications, and group leadership,” states Jack Gottschalk, Haven Ministries Board President.

“One of his endearing qualities is that when you meet him you can see straight through to his heart. He is a caring and devoted Christian who like our founder ‘walks the talk.’ What you see is what you get – an honest, personable, and capable executive with a broad skill set that is already making a difference to Haven Ministries.”

Grim brings an entrepreneurial-driven approach to non-profit management to ensure fiscal stability and growth. His father started a retirement community the year he was born, and Grim grew up working at all levels of the operation.

“Throughout my childhood to adulthood, I gained valuable experience with increasing levels of responsibility working in housekeeping, maintenance, kitchen, bookkeeping, nursing home administration, and overall management culminating in a board position, ownership, and eventual sale of the organization. This vast experience carried over to bring much success in future business endeavors,” he reflects.

Grim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and an M.B.A. in Health Care Administration from St. Joseph’s University.

“One of the first things I hope to do is to bring additional stability to the organization in terms of structure and processes. The organization grew quickly and is doing lots of amazing things in the community. I want to look at creating efficiencies in our programs to be even more effective. That is something I’ve done in my past, so that was another thing that drew me to this job with Haven Ministries,” Grim explained.

“As a Christian, I believe that you need to help others while also helping them learn how to help themselves. That will be a principle I follow in working with the community we serve.”

For further information about supporting Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call Peter Grim at 410-827-7194.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center, and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Store in Chester, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Cambridge Harbor REOI Released

CAMBRIDGE, Md. On July 15, 2022 Cambridge Waterfront Development, Inc (CWDI) released a Request for Expressions of Interest for its Cambridge Harbor Development.
Cambridge Harbor is planned as a premier, highly activated mixed-use development and waterfront district to include public spaces, amenities and events focused on creating a strong sense of community in Cambridge, while establishing a desirable destination for regional tourism and visitors alike.
The final Cambridge Harbor plan consists of approximately 30 developable acres along the Choptank River and Cambridge Creek in Cambridge, Maryland, that includes a (A) deep-water port, a 470-foot wharf, (B) a public boat ramp and the foundation of a continuous waterfront promenade. Adjacent to the Development Area and also on the waterfront is (C) Sailwinds Park—public open space that continues the waterfront promenade and includes a beach, a playground and a visitors center with an iconic 100-foot sail. Also adjacent to the site is (D) a gateway with public art, (E) maritime museum with historical boat-building facilities, and (F) a working waterfront. Anticipated uses for the Development Area include hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment and assembly space, retail, mixed-use residential, and possibly office space.
The waterfront will be a robust and activated public space. CWDI is committed to creating and managing an environmentally sustainable, active and enjoyable world-class waterfront experience that is attractive to residents and visitors. An improved continuous public promenade and beach along with public art and educational exhibits will be the foundation of the experience.
“We’re looking for the best partners to help us bring the Cambridge Harbor vision to reality,” says Matt Leonard, CWDI’s Executive Director. “This REOI is a critical step in that search.”
CWDI is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit development corporation formed through joint Agreement of the City of Cambridge, Maryland; Dorchester County, Maryland; and the State of Maryland for purposes of collaboration and cooperation in the comprehensive planning and redevelopment of certain properties along and adjacent to the Cambridge waterfront extending from the Choptank River Bridge Fishing Pier/Gateway to Cambridge Creek for the betterment of Cambridge, Dorchester County, and the region.
CWDI’s mission is to develop the Cambridge Waterfront in partnership with the community to create an inviting, accessible, active and enjoyable place to live, work, play and visit.
The REOI will be open until November 15, 2022. The REOI process will include rolling submissions by interested entities as they complete their proposals. CWDI will evaluate the proposals received throughout the proposal period and during the final quarter of 2022, during which time demolition of the existing buildings will be accomplished.
A pre-submittal meeting is scheduled at the Cambridge Harbor site at 9:00AM on Monday, August 15, 2022. To register for the meeting and/or to receive a copy of the REOI, those interested should email Matt Leonard at matt.leonard@cwdimd.org, with cc to Gwen Fike at gwen.fike@cwdimd.org. The REOI can also be found at the following link (Download REOI).
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Festival of Hope set for August 31, 2022 in Easton

Festival of Hope - Logo
Talbot Goes Purple kicks off year six with partners

EASTON – The second annual Festival of Hope is set for Augut 31, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and includes the six-year kick-off for Talbot Goes Purple.

The festival is a partnership between Talbot Goes Purple, Mid-Shore Restoring Hope in Women and Christ Church of Easton and coincides with international overdose awareness day. The evening event will include free food; live music with Alive @Five; family fun including a dunking booth, bounce house, face painting, games and prizes; activities with the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office including K-9 demonstrations; resource tables; and a memorial for those lost.

Talbot Goes Purple will officially kick-off year six at the festival at 7:45 p.m., followed with a memorial for those lost to overdoses.

“Overdose deaths have reached record levels in our country in the past few years and now, perhaps more than ever, we need to educate our young people about the realities of substance use,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “We want families to come out and have fun, but most important we want them to: Get the Facts, Get Involved and Get Talking.”

Sherry Collier, founder of Mid-Shore Restoring Hope in Women, has organized overdose awareness day events in Easton since 2017. Her non-profit supports women in need of recovery services.

“Festival of Hope, as well as the past events like the FedUp Rally, have made it possible for us to bring awareness to the substance abuse issue we have in this community as well as others,” said Collier. “Our organization has been able to help place 200 women into local recovery houses, so we greatly appreciate the help from our community. Look forward to seeing everyone this year.”

Bruce Strazza, a local recovery advocate and Alive @5 worship leader at Christ Church, has served on the Mid-Shore opioid task force and has twice spoken for the Lt. Governor of Maryland. He also serves as an active member with Talbot Goes Purple and a resource for Gamble.

“Entering 2022 I was hopeful for a better year, but that doesn’t seem to be the case,” said Strazza. “With so many unreported overdoses, who can really tell if we are making progress? What I do know is that Fentanyl is wreaking havoc all over this country, and more and more secular drugs are being laced with it. This could prove to be the most important year for awareness on record. We have to inform children of the risks of even trying opioids one time.”

Drug overdoses killed more than 100,000 people last year, including more than 2,200 people in Maryland who died of opioid-related overdoses. In Talbot County, 12 people died.

Talbot Goes Purple is an awareness and educational prevention program that empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse. The initiative includes purple clubs in our through which students learn they do not need drugs or alcohol to meet life’s challenges. The purpose of the project is to promote the ‘new conversation’ – one that includes prescription drugs, alcohol, marijuana and e-cigarettes.

For more information on festival sponsorships or resource tables, or you’d like to include someone in the memorial, email talbotgoespurple@gmail.com.

The community can again display purple lights and gear starting Sept. 1 and throughout the month as a show of taking a stand against substance abuse. For purple gear, visit our online store at www.TalbotGoesPurple.org. Get your lights and turn them on starting Sept. 1 and throughout the month.

More information is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find TGP on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or email talbotgoespurple@gmail.com.

Talbot Goes Purple is in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools and Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Generous support for the project this year includes: Qlarant, Preston Automotive Group, Chesapeake Parties, Eastpoint Church, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Sound Stage Presents and Spring & Associates.

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

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~ Talbot Goes Purple