Amy Blades Steward

Haven Ministries’ Hope Warehouse Sponsors Art Auction

March 24, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Haven Ministries’ Hope Warehouse is having an Art Auction benefiting Haven Ministries on Friday, April 28, 2023 at Cascia Vineyard at 1200 Thompson Creek Road in Stevensville starting at 6 p.m. Hope Warehouse offers used appliances, furniture, artwork, and building supplies for purchase in Queenstown. The sale of items at a reduced cost to the public support Haven Ministries’ other ministries in the community, including its homeless shelter, food pantry, street outreach, and resource center. The Art Auction, which will feature live and silent auctions featuring art donated by the community and local artists, will also offer lite fare and libations for guests.

Hope Warehouse often receives donations of all types of quality artwork and crafted pieces to sell to the public. Occasionally, they receive original pieces of artwork which are more valuable.

According to Joni Melotti, Hope Warehouse Manager, and Lorraine Sincavage, Lead Volunteer, who are organizing the event, “It occurred to us that an art auction might be a great way to offer a fun experience while raising money to support Haven Ministries’ many outreach programs that help citizens in our community. It also brings more attention to the presence of Hope Warehouse and Our Daily Thread and the quality donations we receive through both.”

Pictured left to right are Barbara Regalia, Lorraine Sincavage, Lead volunteer, and Joni Melotti, Warehouse Manager, holding a sampling of the artwork to be featured at Haven Ministries’ Hope Warehouse Art Auction on April 28.

“Additionally, we hope that we will gain more visibility as a charity to which members of our community can donate while also shining a light on our dedicated sponsors. The donations of artwork from local artists for the auction also showcase the local talent we have in the area which helps the artists as well. We are so appreciative of the generosity of our community and hope this event will expand our revenue and bring more visibility to the work of Haven Ministries in our community.”

Sponsors of the event to date include Cascia Vineyard, Kent Island Federation of Arts, and Queen Anne County Art Development. The following are sponsors who provide continued support of Haven Ministries: PNC Bank, Miltec Construction Services and Supplies, Inc., The Narrows, Judy Center Early Learning Hub, Marriage Miracles, Waterman Realty Company, Homeland Tile and Escrow, The Shore Update, Social Point Media and Marketing, What’s Up Media, Increte, and the Jacob Sloan Foundation.

Tickets for the Art Auction cost $30 in advance and include a glass of wine at the event. For further information or to buy tickets, visit haven-ministries.org or call 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.

Haven Ministries Hires Cindy Clark as Director of Development

March 23, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Cindy Clark of Stevensville, the new Director of Development at Haven Ministries.

Cindy Clark of Stevensville was recently hired as the Director of Development at Haven Ministries. For the last 23 years, Clark worked in the commercial insurance industry. Her most recent position was with CNR Insurance Inc. in Annapolis.

“I pursued this position with Haven Ministries because of the opportunity it offered me to use my skills and gifts for the greater good of my community,” reflects Clark.

Clark holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland College Park and an Associate of Arts degree from Montgomery College in Rockville. In addition, she completed several courses in commercial insurance over her career and earned accredited designations in the field (CIC, CISR, CLCS).

Her volunteer work has included a number of fundraising activities including organizing events to raise funds and support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – volunteering as a crew member for a number of years; creating a small fundraiser for Busy Bodies Children’s Gym; and recently most recently acting as a co-chair for Lighthouse Christian Academy’s auction gala in 2021. In her new role at Haven Ministries, she will be responsible for raising funds, planning and coordinating fundraising events, as well as developing and overseeing the various community partnership programs and campaigns.

“I have always been passionate about fundraising. My sister is also very passionate about it, raising funds for Special Olympics,” Clark states.

“I like that Haven Ministries is a Christian-based ministry involving local churches. I also like that it is helping people in our community right down the street – we are helping our neighbors.”

Clark is looking forward to meeting with local businesses in the coming days that support Haven Ministries’ many activities and events. The organization’s upcoming events include its Hope Warehouse Art Auction on April 28, Haven Ministries Golf Tournament on September 22 at Queenstown Harbor, and “Beef, Bonfires, and Cigars” at Kent Island Resort on November 4.

“We are excited to have Cindy come on board. She brings enthusiasm and energy to the position which will enable us to get back to in-person events with our friends and supporters in the coming months,” adds Peter Grim, Executive Director of Haven Ministries.

Clark lives in Stevensville with her husband and son.

To reach Clark, email her at cindy@haven-ministries.com or call her at 443-239-4739.

Local Earth Data Employee Supports Guatemalan Project While Mountain Biking

March 9, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward

Jeff Chipman, a geologist with Earth Data, Inc. in Centreville, recently left his comfort zone to go on a mountain biking trip in Guatemala which benefitted women in third-world countries. Although he was raised in Utah and accustomed to outdoor sports, including whitewater rafting, he was relatively new to mountain biking.

“This part of the world really interests me. I like the people, I like the culture, and I like the food of Central America. Specifically, as a geologist, there are also several active volcanoes throughout this region,” Chipman states.

Jeff Chipman and fellow bikers taking a break outside of a rural Escuela school.

He had been looking to book a trip to Guatemala in December of 2022 when his sister contacted him to tell him that there was a women’s nonprofit group, World Ride, that was offering a co-ed mountain biking trip in Guatemala that same month. World Ride works to empower women globally through mountain biking. They have established programs around the world where they work with local women to create bike libraries, assist women with leadership and guide training, and support women with their race goals.

Jeff Chipman watching an Eruption of Vulcan de Fuego, known as “the fire volcano,” from a base camp on a neighboring volcano.

“What was neat about this nonprofit is that it trains local women in third world countries to be mountain bike guides in these eco-tourism destinations and the proceeds from the trips get funneled back to the local communities for women’s rights groups and women’s causes,” Chipman adds.

“Although I wasn’t down there like building schools or anything like that, it was rewarding to see my trip support a good cause.”

According to Chipman, who took the trip in December, the people live a very isolated life in the mountains of Guatemala. He observed that it was not an everyday occurrence for the people he encountered on the trails each day to see mountain bikes.

“In addition, I was made aware of the repressed, traditional culture for women in the mountains of Guatemala. These women are expected to make textiles and farm, but not do mountain biking. Mountain biking is a male sport there. Although the people had very few resources in the mountains, including water or electricity, they were some of the happiest people I have ever seen,” he adds.

“Travel is a good thing for everyone to do. Whether that’s traveling outside of your state, or outside of your country, experiencing different people and cultures is a very beneficial thing for many, many different reasons. Going into a third-world country especially gives you that huge perspective that ‘stuff’ doesn’t matter. For the overwhelming majority of the people I met and talked to, you could tell that they were more than willing and happy to talk to you and help you in any way – even if they didn’t have resources.”

In thinking about future opportunities to travel and contribute to the world, Chipman hoped to find future opportunities like World Ride. He concludes, “Supporting women in these third-world countries makes me want to find and do more. There is work to be done in these places and I’d like to a part of it.”

“Seeing our employees take trips like this for their vacations is very heartwarming for me. Our company embraces community service throughout the year. I believe we need to leave the world a better place than we found it. We are people who work hard and want to help, not only our clients but our community,” comments Mark Williams, President of Earth Data, Inc.

For more than 48 years, Earth Data, Inc. has been providing field-oriented water resources and geospatial consulting services using high-tech tools to collect, analyze, manage, and distribute data in sophisticated ways. For further information, visit earthdatainc.com.

Talbot Foster Parents Help Support Region’s Foster Children

January 26, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward

Talbot County foster parents Jess Flaherty and Jeanne Scharf, who have become friends and support one another, as they care for youth across the state who are placed in foster care.

Talbot County’s foster parents are stepping up to the plate in helping Maryland’s foster children have safe and loving homes when their lives have been disrupted Many of these children come from other counties across Maryland and are facing a variety of challenges.

According to Paris Quillet, Special Projects Coordinator for the Talbot County Department of Social Services, approximately 73 percent of the children placed in Talbot County Resource Homes are children from other local departments across the state.

“We are focused on caring for children and supporting both resource parents, birth parents, and our sister agencies,” states Linda Webb, Director of Talbot County Department of Social Services. “We all work together to provide a safe and loving environment for each child for as long as it is needed.”

Jess Flaherty of Easton is a mother of five children; four are her biological children, and one of them has Down’s Syndrome. She and her husband adopted a daughter from Carroll County who has Cerebral Palsy, is blind, and is tube-fed. They hope to adopt another daughter who is currently in foster care from Allegany County and who has a rare form of epilepsy.

“Talbot County is always trying to match foster children to the best families to get the best fit for the children,” Flaherty comments.

“In particular, there is a need for foster parents for special needs and medically fragile children across the state. Talbot County’s foster parents have always been willing to take children from other counties to help meet the needs of children regardless of what county they originate in,” Quillet adds.

To stay encouraged, Flaherty relies on other foster parents who are called to do the same thing to provide support. In addition, when caring for a particularly difficult case, she will ask her social worker to give the family space for things to settle down before they are available to help more children.

“It is rewarding to work with professionals who want to do the right thing and who respect your boundaries. It is a collective effort to meet the ideal care for these children,” she adds. “Talbot DSS advocates for me when I have a child from another county and helps facilitate the communication and care even though I am working with social workers in other counties.”

Jeanne and Jeff Scharf of Ridgely, who have been foster parents since 1998, have four biological children and have adopted six foster children. The family’s children range in age from 10 to 32. The Scharf’s oldest son was a “Special Delivery” from Baltimore County and became family in 2005. Recently, the Scharfs had an 11-year-old foster child from a different county who had been with them before.

“We try and empathize with kids no matter where they are from and try and figure out a commonality we share. We are trying to put tools in their toolboxes that they can use the rest of their lives whether they are in our home or not,” Jeanne Scharf states.

“Our goal with respite and short-term placements is to keep children safe before they go with their next placement.”

Jeanne and Jeff are a spiritual couple and believe that there are higher reasons for children being placed with them. “We believe that there is something God wants us to teach these children or things for them to teach us,” she adds.

Jeanne’s passion for foster care comes from her childhood living with a father who had mental health issues. She shares that she and her siblings should have been in foster care for the complex trauma of that experience. She credits the care of her grandmother and aunts in helping the family survive it.

“I keep doing this because if we can instill in our children their worth, not just for a moment, but for the rest of their lives – they will have the strength and courage to move forward in life,” Scharf reflects.

According to Jeanne Scharf and Jess Flaherty, who have become supports for one another through their foster parent journeys, “There are still so many children out there hurting and there need to be people bridging the gap like foster parents.”

Talbot County continues to need more foster and adoptive parents to help meet the needs of children of all ages, most recently including infants and school-aged children. The agency also gets requests from time to time for sibling groups and older teens who are soon aging out of foster care and need guidance in transitioning into adulthood. For further information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent, call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 or visit midshoreresourceparents.com.

Earth Data Employees Pass Association of State Boards of Geology Exam

January 25, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward

Two employees of Earth Data, Inc., Ben Gemballa, Project Geologist, and Kayla Warhola, Geologist, both of Chestertown recently passed the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®) Fundamentals of Geology Examination. The examination is the first step for a person seeking to become a Licensed Professional Geologist. Employees must work five years in the field before taking the Professional Geologist Exam.

According to ASBOG, much of today’s geological practice affects the health, safety, and welfare of the public, the environment, and the economy and the feasibility of engineered works. Geologists make use of their special knowledge for the benefit of the public: from the obvious, e.g., exploration and development of mineral resources plus the development of water resources, to the less obvious, e.g., evaluating the stability of foundations for buildings, dams, bridges, and roadways, plus many others.

Pictured left to right are Kayla Warhola, Geologist, and Ben Gemballa, Project Geologist, and both of Chestertown and employees of Earth Data, Inc. The two recently passed the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®) Fundamentals of Geology Examination.

Gemballa completed his Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and his Master of Science in Geophysics at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. His work at Earth Data has involved drilling and sampling monitoring wells, overseeing pumping tests in high-capacity groundwater production wells, and performing borehole video surveys and specialized geophysical logging on a variety of Earth Data projects. He has also provided construction administration and construction inspection work on Earth Data’s SWIFT® project in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Warhola completed her Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania. Her work has primarily involved collecting and analyzing surface and groundwater samples on some large, ongoing projects and providing detailed sediment descriptions from deep drilling projects. Ms. Warhola also utilizes her previous construction inspection experience on various projects and is currently training to learn to operate Earth Data’s geophysical logging equipment.

“We are proud of the accomplishments of these two employees who have been with us a little over a year and their initiative to further their professional certifications. Having licensed professional geologists is not only a standard for the industry but a standard for our company as well,” states Mark Williams, President of Earth Data, Inc.

Mid-Atlantic TirePros Collects Coats for 16th Annual Coats for Kids Drive

January 23, 2023 by Amy Blades Steward

Mid-Atlantic TirePros in Easton recently sponsored its 16th Annual Arlene M. John Koats for Kids Drive, collecting over 559 coats and dozens of gloves, knit hats, mittens, and scarves for underprivileged children on the Mid-Shore. The drive began in 2007 in honor of Terry John’s wife Arlene.

“We continue to be blessed in our community by generous businesses and citizens who work to make this event a success year after year. We are grateful for everyone who participated this year,” comments Terry John, owner of Mid-Atlantic TirePros.

Pictured left to right are Terry John, owner of Mid-Atlantic TirePros; Terry Hines, Manager of Admiral Cleaners; Linda Laramey, owner of Crackerjacks; Matt Spence, Manager of WCEI; and Marilyn Neal, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Service Center.

Partners in this year’s event include WCEI/WINX, Crackerjacks, Admiral Cleaners in Easton, Michelin, The Star Democrat, Neighborhood Service Center, and SSJ Web Consultants, LLC. Admiral Cleaners provided complimentary coat cleaning. The first 200 people who donated received a gift certificate to Crackerjacks and Mid-Atlantic TirePros.

Special thanks to both the Interact and the Student Government clubs at Easton High School for their participation. Mid-Atlantic TirePros is located at the corner of Dover Road and Teal Drive in Easton. For further information, contact Terry John at 410-770-3337.

Mid-Atlantic TirePros and Hybrid Shop in Easton is an independently owned and operated automotive repair shop, which also provides expert care for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Earth Data Employees Help For All Seasons Get Ready for Frosty’s Arrival in Easton

December 21, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Employees of Earth Data, Inc. had a special task this holiday season to help For All Seasons set up for their expanded second annual Frosty’s Holiday Village event on Friday, December 2 on the Talbot County Courthouse Lawn at 11 North Washington Street in Easton.

“Earth Data stepped up to help For All Seasons with the setup for this year’s Frosty event and were also kind enough to provide a trailer and generator for our float in the Easton Christmas Parade. For the Frosty event, we have 17 inflatables – three of which are over 10 feet tall – that will fill the Courthouse lawn and Earth Data has been helping us with coordinating them all. One of the biggest challenges we are facing is the inability to stake the inflatables to the ground, so the Earth Data staff has helped us come up with a creative solution with sandbags and water buckets so that whatever the weather does, the inflatables will be secured,” stated Kelsey Trumbull, Philanthropy & Education Associate at For All Seasons.

Pictured left to right are Mark Williams, CEO of Earth Data, Jonathan Qvarnstrom, Marketing & Outreach Associate at For All Seasons, Kelsey Trumbull, Philanthropy & Education Associate at For All Seasons, and Ted Trumbull, Operations Manager at Earth Data.

“The event has grown exponentially. When we first started last year, it was predominantly confined to the front lawn of the courthouse. This year it has doubled in size and spreads out onto the back lawn as well.”

Guests at the free community event strolled through the holiday displays and enjoyed free activities, including professional photos with Frosty, holiday crafts, complimentary cocoa, cider, and winter treats, winter storytime, and a continuous showing of “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland” on the big screen. Even Bumble the Abominable Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and the Grinch were on hand.

“What better way to get into the holiday spirit than helping the community to set up for their holiday event, seeing everyone’s smile as they enjoy the event is amazing!” added Tina Wright, Administrative Assistant, Earth Data, Inc.

In addition to giving back through its environmental work, the Earth Data Giving Program encourages all Earth Data Incorporated employees to help others. It provides employees with paid public-service hours for volunteer work done to support local charities and others, such as helping feed school kids on the weekends, cleaning hiking trails, supporting elementary school reading programs, and teaching kids about the world around them by using maps and GIS.

For 47 years, Earth Data, Inc. has been providing field-oriented water resources and geospatial consulting services using high-tech tools to collect, analyze, manage, and distribute data in sophisticated ways. For further information, visit earthdatainc.com.

Volunteers Show Love at One Mission Cambridge

December 6, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

One Mission Cambridge in Cambridge has a heart for service all year round. As we enter into the holiday season, however, the organization is focusing on its volunteers who are at the heart of its mission – showing the love of Jesus to every client who visits its location at 614 Race Street. The range of services offered by One Mission Cambridge are diverse and include food items, counseling, and connection to resources such as health care, financial assistance, and jobs.

“I was looking for places to volunteer when I retired. One Mission Cambridge just seemed like a natural fit for me. I love people and I love doing things for people. That’s why I became a teacher because I enjoy helping in that respect,” states volunteer Joanne Rue of Cambridge, a member of Grace United Methodist Church and a retired teacher.

“While I teach the Bible studies and I was involved in small group activities at church, that’s giving to people who are more familiar to me. I wanted to reach out and do something to meet a greater need. The community needed a central place for resources. The joy of volunteering here, besides just helping, has been meeting people from other churches, other denominations who have a similar heart.”

Rue credits the safe, peaceful, and welcoming environment with helping build trust with the clients who come. She adds, “I see a lot of familiar faces, so our clients become like close acquaintances, so there’s a connection. Many people just stop in to touch base.”

Pictured left to right are One Mission Cambridge volunteers Miala Harper of Cambridge, Joanne Rue of Cambridge, and Vicki Hayden of Cambridge.

Volunteer Vicki Hayden of Cambridge, also a member of Grace United Methodist Church, and a retired nurse, states, “We are asked to love God and love others – this is an avenue to do God’s work. I hope I am making them feel better. It’s very rewarding.”

“I feel like God blessed me that I can retire and do things like this. The people are so wonderful. It’s wonderful to be able to pray with them. Most all of them are receptive to that, but we’re not going to force anything on anyone.”

Clients mainly come to One Mission Cambridge for its food pantry, but there are occasional needs for connections to other resources.

“If they come in hungry, we can fix meals for our clients,” Hayden adds.

Volunteer Miala Harper, a new resident of Cambridge and previously of Harford County, who started in October and volunteers every other week, states that she saw One Mission Cambridge on Facebook and thought it was interesting what they do. She comments, “This gives back to people in need. I know what it’s like to have needs. My mom and dad occasionally needed help. So, I think it’s very important that everybody at some point in their life volunteers. This is a good way to give back. It gives you insight into how blessed you are.”

“People leave here happy. They have the security that they can get out of bed and have another meal waiting for them.”

“It’s needed here. Resources like food, mental health services, and housing are scarce. I am happy to see them being offered. I am also seeing the difference it makes. It’s good that One Mission Cambridge is in town and walkable for people. Most of the other food pantries in Cambridge are on the outskirts of town,” she adds.

“We are so fortunate to have such giving volunteers. We can’t thank our volunteers, financial supporters, and churches enough for helping to meet the needs of an average of 245 people a month and for keeping food on the pantry shelves,” states Krista Pettit, leader of One Mission Cambridge’s efforts.

Rue adds, “Most of the people are coming in for food, but every once in a while somebody will come in who needs a listening ear. It’s more than just handing them a bag.”

The organization is still in need of volunteers and volunteer training is available for a variety of shifts. To date, over 15 churches are now working with One Mission Cambridge. All Christian Churches are invited to participate. Individuals and organizations can support One Mission Cambridge through its Showing the Love Program for as little as $10 a month on the organization’s website onemissioncambridge.org.

One Mission Cambridge is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The next Community Dinner will be held on December 5 at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. Visit One Mission Cambridge on Facebook at OneMissionCam or Instagram or their website at onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

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