The details are set and the Easton Airport community is ready to kick off the 12^th annual Easton Airport Day, sponsored by Scott & Tracy Wagner, this Saturday, September 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free community event will offer the entire family an opportunity to visit the local airfield and see what flying is all about.

Rare and unique aircraft and military planes will be on display throughout the event. Aircraft expected to attend include the World Word II C-47, Placid Lassie, which dropped paratroopers in France on D-Day in 1944. Socata Epsilons and Beechcraft Mentors will participate in the greatest numbers this year accompanied by North American T-6s, Russian Yak-52s, and Chinese Nanchang CJ-6s. The Maryland Air National Guard will have an A-10 Thunderbolt on display along with the Maryland State Police Helicopter, Trooper 6.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. on the airport’s Terminal Ramp. Members of the Easton VFW will present and display our nation’s colors. Talbot County Sheriff’s Deputy First Class John Coleman will perform the National Anthem.

The Terminal Ramp will host static aircraft displays with great photo-ops, first responders, military displays, non-profit organizations, and the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Tent, sponsored by Sundance, Kitchen, Bath & Exteriors.

The ACE Tent will provide guests an opportunity to learn about aviation from industry experts. Civil Air Patrol, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Aviation Youth Mentorship Program, Chesapeake Sport Pilot, Maryland Air, and Trident Aircraft will all participate. The tent will also serve as the central hub for event information and Easton Airport Day merchandise.

Fly Aloft Aerial Photography and Biplane Rides will raffle a ride in their 1942 Stearman biplane, also on display near the ACE Tent. The first 500 people to visit the ACE Tent, snap a picture, and post it to social media with #EastonAirport will get a free chicken sandwich voucher from Chick-fil-A Easton.

Easton Police will demonstrate their Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Unit around 11 a.m. on the Terminal Ramp. The unit is comprised of newly acquired Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and the licensed officers that operate them.

The Warbird Ramp will be open 10:30-11:45 a.m. for up-close looks at the aircraft participating in formation flying. Warbird pilots will jump in their cockpits at noon for engines start and takeoff. They will spend an hour practicing formation flying with multiple passes over the skies of Easton.

The world-famous Rubber Chicken Drop Contest, sponsored by Bluepoint Hospitality, will delight the crowd around 1 p.m. As the Warbird pilots return to the airport, they skillfully attempt to hit the bed of a pickup truck with a rubber chicken. Pilots look forward to this challenge every year. Some have even custom designed their own “chicken launchers” for their aircraft.

Car enthusiasts will enjoy the Classic & Unique Car Display, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the Easton Airport Terminal. Classic cars, hot rods, and unique vehicles of all types, models, and years will be on display during the event. Local food vendors will be onsite providing lunch, sweets, drinks, and tasty treats for sale. There is no ATM at Easton Airport, so please bring cash.

“The weather is going to be fantastic and we have an awesome event planned,” Easton Airport Manager Micah Risher said. “We have made some changes this year to accommodate more guests and provide all of our visitors a great day at the airport.”

The event is free to attend and there is no fee for parking. Attendants will be onsite to help event guests find appropriate parking spaces on airport property and handing out event maps with schedules. Additional handicapped parking will be provided near the terminal.

Be prepared for long treks, displays and activities are located all over the airport grounds. Appropriate outerwear and apparel is suggested, family fun is expected.

A full schedule of activities, event map, and more details are available online now at www.eastonairportday.com. Follow Easton Airport on Facebook and Instagram @EastonAirport for event information and live updates.

About Easton Airport Day: Easton Airport Day is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. Proceeds from donors and sponsors support the cost of the event with remaining funds supporting Aviation Career Education (ACE) Programs. These programs provide students the opportunity to explore careers in the aerospace industry, and provide resources and support to aid their vocational pursuit.

F3 Tech, an agriculture innovation accelerator program for early-stage companies supported by the nonprofit Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, has selected five companies from the fields of crop and soil health, as well as clean energy storage, to participate in its 2021 program.

The companies were selected from a pool of competitive applications and include:

• Holganix, a manufacturer of proprietary plant probiotics that harness the power of microorganisms to optimize soils and grow healthier, more sustainable plants. This translates to improved yield on crops and a reduced need for fertilizers and pesticides.
• Lepidext, producer of a patented bioinsecticide that is safe, effective, and easy to use to control the corn earworm (aka cotton bollworm) in both the organic and conventional farming of crops affected by the pest.
• Urban Electric Power is a clean energy company spun out of the CUNY Energy Institute. The company offers energy storage with safe and affordable rechargeable alkaline battery technology without any lead or flammable electrolytes. The battery cells are modular, scaling from residential to commercial to utility applications.
• Growbox, a company that produces self-contained, fully automated shippable fodder systems that can match a year’s output of a 50-acre field of hay.
• A newly established fifth company in the field of crop protection will be announced in Q4 2021 as they complete their initial funding round.

“This year’s candidates are more advanced than any we have previously admitted,” said F3 Tech Program Director Chris Hlubb. “Our team looks forward to working with them to expedite advances in their respective fields and realize their full commercial potential.”

Over the course of the three-month accelerator that starts in September, the companies will receive expert guidance from F3 Tech mentors in business development, marketing, legal and finance. The accelerator requires no equity from participants, a unique value proposition for many early-stage companies.

About F3 Tech

The F3 Tech Accelerator Program provides funding and support for early-stage companies to prepare them for potential investment from the future F3 Tech Seed Fund, industry partners, and investors. For more information, please visit: https://f3tech.org/.

The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) supports Rural Maryland Council’s activities including the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), and the State’s five Regional Councils. RMPIF is designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. MAERDAF provides capacity building grants to rural serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges that promote statewide and regional planning, health care, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education.

Total Requested:	141 Applications	$11,180,214
Total Awarded:	59 Grants	$6,150,000

Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund: 29 Grants = $5,239,212

Rural Maryland Council: 1 Grant = Disbursement: $500,000

Awardee	Total Award
Rural Maryland Council	$500,000

Founded in 1994, the Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the state’s federally designated rural development council and functions as a voice for Rural Maryland – advocating, educating, and helping rural communities and businesses across the state to flourish and to gain equity to its suburban and urban counterparts. The Council administers the RMPIF and MAERDAF grant programs. Additionally, the Council conducts research activities to understand rural challenges and outreach to engage rural residents in developing solutions to these challenges and convenes groups to identify solutions through consensus and coalition building.

RMC operates under the direction of a 40-member Executive Board in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. The Council’s vision is a future where all of Rural Maryland is prosperous with thriving resources, vibrant economies, and healthy, connected communities. The organizational goals are to:

• Encourage healthy, connected communities throughout Rural Maryland through convening stakeholders, education, public relations, and advocacy;
• Support the development and growth of vibrant economies in Rural Maryland;
• Foster stewardship of Maryland’s natural resources; and,
• Maximize outreach, resources, and mission through financial and organizational

Regional Councils: 5 Grants = Disbursement: $2,000,000

One-third of RMPIF supports the State’s five regional councils:

Awardee	Total Award
Tri-County Council for Western Maryland	$400,000
Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland	$400,000
Upper Shore Regional Council	$400,000
Mid-Shore Regional Council	$400,000
Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore	$400,000

Regional Council activities funded through RMPIF, include:

• Equity lending
• Transportation software and systems
• Regional agricultural development and education

• Economic and small business development activities
• Rural economic research

Examples of projects funded include the following:

• The Tri-County Council for Western Maryland has developed a successful lending program for small businesses and entrepreneurs in their region, named Summit Financing Solutions. This program uses Federal, State, and local dollars to operate a number of loan funds that allow the Council to provide gap-financing and direct
• The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland directs the Skillup® Southern Maryland, which is a program designed to help their region build a workforce ecosystem that supports positive economic development. Through this program and wraparound Federal supportive services, job seekers can explore career pathways, view local job postings, register for free online learning, and receive workforce services. Employers can search for qualified candidates, post jobs, and receive in-depth consulting to address hiring and training needs.
• The Upper Shore Regional Council will continue to support the Upper Shore Career Technical Liaison position and program for Kent and Queen Anne’s As well as provide micro grants that allows teachers and mentors to assist high school seniors graduating from qualifying technical programs in their region to purchase the necessary tools and equipment to begin at their career.
• The Mid-Shore Regional Council will fund the People for Change Coalition, Inc. to implement a summer career enrichment program for middle school students in partnership with the Dorchester Career and Technology The Youth Cyber Security Program is designed to lead to career paths in computer science, engineering, and project management.
• The Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore will co-sponsor the Worcester County Skilled Trades, Agriculture, Technology and Tourism Internship Program (WSTATT-IP). This is a work-based learning experience that provides high school students and recent graduates from Worcester County paid internships that focus in the STATT sectors.

The RMPIF grant program has three focus areas-Health Care, Entrepreneurship, and Infrastructure. In FY2022, this program received 56 applications totaling $6,231,452 in requests. Of these requests, 23 grants totaling $2,739,212 were awarded.

RMPIF Health Care: 12 Grants = $966,449

Awardee	Total Award
Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission	$60,000
Channel Marker, Inc	$125,000
Corsica River Mental Health Services, Inc.	$7,500
For All Seasons, Inc.	$72,225
Fort Ritchie Community Center, Inc.	$25,000
Garrett County Memorial Hospital DBA Garrett Regional Medical Center	$143,000
Health Partners Inc.	$129,300
Maintaining Active Citizens, Inc.	$50,000
TidalHealth	$125,000
Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland	$87,500
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health at Chestertown	$125,000
Women Supporting Women, Inc.	$16,924

RMPIF Entrepreneurship: 5 Grants = $647,763

Awardee	Total Award
Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.	$160,000
Maryland Small Business Development Center, Northern Region at Harford Community College	$142,763
People for Change Coalition	$70,000
The Greater Cumberland Committee	$175,000
University of Maryland Eastern Shore-Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences	$100,000

RMPIF Infrastructure: 6 Grants = $1,125,000

Awardee	Total Award
End Hunger in Calvert County	$250,000
Fair Hill Foundation	$50,000
It Takes a Village to Help Our Children, Inc.	$200,000
Maryland Rural Development Corporation	$25,000
Town of Rising Sun	$300,000
United States Bomb Technician Association	$300,000

Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund: 30 Grants = $910,788

The MAERDAF grant program has five focus areas-Agricultural and Forestry Education, Community and Economic Development, Rural Broadband, Energy, and Youth Engagement. In FY2022, this program received 79 applications totaling $2,448,763 in requests. Of these requests, 30 grants totaling $910,788 were awarded.

MAERDAF Agricultural and Forestry Education: 6 Grants = $133,140

Awardee	Total Award
Allegany College of Maryland	$40,000
Chesapeake Culinary Center	$13,000
LEAD Maryland Foundation, Inc.	$30,000
Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation	$10,390
Steam Onward, Inc.	$13,450
Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council	$26,300

MAERDAF Community and Economic Development: 19 Grants = $608,633

Awardee	Total Award
Bay Community Support Services, Inc.	$27,200
Beach to Bay Heritage Area	$40,000
Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc	$40,000
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum	$34,535
Chesapeake Housing Mission Inc.	$30,000
Community Mediation Maryland	$40,000
Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation	$25,000
For All Seasons, Inc.	$38,682
Forever Maryland Foundation	$28,600
Garrett College	$40,000
Habitat for Humanity Choptank, Inc.	$29,202
Habitat For Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc.	$40,000
Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, Inc.	$20,000
Maryland Rural Development Corporation	$40,000
Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory	$15,414
Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Inc.	$21,000
The Greater Cumberland Committee	$40,000
Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council	$40,000
Western Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Council	$19,000

MAERDAF Energy: 2 Grants = $62,000

Awardee	Total Award
Adkins Arboretum	$40,000
Forest Glen Commonwealth, Inc.	$22,000

MAERDAF Youth Engagement: 3 Grants = $107,015

Awardee	Total Award
Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education	$30,000
Preservation Maryland	$37,015
The Parents’ Place of Maryland	$40,000

For More Information, visit the RMC website: www.rural.maryland.gov

Robotic students at Salisbury University have a lot to look forward to when they had back to campus this fall. The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) has donated a professional, 3D printer that will allow students to turn 3D CAD files into functional, durable 3Dobjects such as Arduino driven 3D printed Robots, small four- wheeled robots, even electronic tools.

“Training students to use next-generation technology like this reductive 3D printer is absolutely critical to develop the STEM workforce of the 21^st century,” said Michael Scott, Dean of the Henson School of Science and Technology at Salisbury University. “This donation will immediately allow us to meet that demand.”

The printer will be housed in the university’s Robotics Lab and will be free to students enrolled in robotics courses and all Computer Science students working on a research project. It will also be available to other Salisbury students who only need to pay for materials. Dr. Giulia Franchi, who teaches robotics and supervises the VexU Robotics Club, will also be using the printer for the Vex Competition, the Agriculture Robotics project and research on drones.

“Our mission is to support and advance entrepreneurship in Eastern Maryland, and it starts right here with these university students and their faculty,” said Mike Thielke, executive director of ESEC. “We are excited to see what they are able to produce with this highly sophisticated piece of equipment.”

About ESEC:

Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created in 2004 to help advance an entrepreneurship ecosystem on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. ESEC’s initiatives include the Chesapeake Agricultural Innovation Center (CAIC), CyberAg Symposium, F3 Tech, and hot Desks co-working. The programs encourage the organic development of high-growth, innovative, and scalable businesses and the jobs they create, with an emphasis on the region’s traditional industries of agriculture and seafood.