Presented by Friends of Hospice, the 39th annual Festival of Trees is set to bedazzle this holiday season. The fundraiser raises critical funds for Talbot Hospice.

Preview Gala
The Preview Gala will again be a formal affair on Friday, November 29 with the kickoff of the Festival of Trees. From 6 to 8 p.m., guests will have the first opportunity to view 100 exquisitely trimmed trees of varying sizes. Tickets to the Preview Gala are available in advance only for $125 per person or $200 per couple. While the larger trees are sponsored in advance, Preview Gala guests get the first opportunity to purchase the smaller trees, from 12 inches to three feet, in varying price ranges. Guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails in the Gold Ballroom at The Tidewater Inn while listening to piano tunes from the talented Joan Dent. An on-time arrival to the Gala is essential so guests won’t miss out on a beautiful surprise.

Festival of Trees
The Gold Ballroom opens to the public from Saturday, November 30 through December 3. A big highlight for many in the community are the beautifully decorated trees at the Tidewater Inn. As always, local performers will be cycling throughout the event to provide beautiful music and singing.

Keepsake Luminaries
New this year is the debut of one-of-a-kind, keepsake luminaries in honor of a loved one. Designed and created by Pat and Eric Harvey, a limited number of the metal luminaries will be sold online, then displayed in the Gold Ballroom. At the conclusion of the Festival of Trees, the luminaries will be available for pickup in time to enjoy for the holiday season.

Carols by Candlelight
Returning for the fifth year, Carols by Candlelight is a magical holiday event, free for all families on Saturday, November 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. Sing along with choral groups, bell ringers, and musicians while enjoying hot cocoa and holiday treats. Santa will be located on the grounds of The Bullitt House at the corner of Washington and Dover streets in downtown Easton. Other visitors include The Grinch, Elsa, and Buddy the Elf.

Fine Jewelry Raffle
This year, the Festival of Trees introduces a Fine Jewelry Raffle, courtesy of Kyle Edward Fine Jewelry, of Easton. Thanks to this generosity, a beautiful pair of satin ball earrings and a 14k yellow gold, ¼ carat diamond bezel necklace will be offered in the raffle to benefit Talbot Hospice. One raffle ticket costs $25 and is available online at www.festival-of-trees.org. and at Kyle Edward Fine Jewelry, located at 27 South Harrison Street. The raffle will be drawn at 5:30 p.m. on December 3 at the conclusion of Festival of Trees.

Santa’s Workshop
Santa’s Workshop returns on Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Tidewater Inn’s Ballroom Garden. Children will rotate through stations after being greeted by Santa and posing for a photograph. Children will enjoy writing a letter to Santa, craft stations, entertaining games, lively music, and a SELFie Station with fun props for photo opportunities. Santa’s workshop is free with admittance to the Festival of Trees.

Santa 5K Fun Run/Walk
Encouraged to dress with the holiday spirit in mind, participants will hit the pavement on Saturday, November 30 at 9 a.m. at the Santa 5K Fun Run/Walk. There will be on-site registration starting at 8 a.m. at Idlewild Park in Easton and advance sign-ups will be available at festival-of-trees.org.

Poinsettia Tree
As Christmas is a season for remembering, friends and family remember their loved ones in a very special way by purchasing a poinsettia. The name of someone dear is placed on a Memory Scroll next to a stunning 12-foot poinsettia “tree” during the Festival of Trees in the Gold Ballroom at The Tidewater Inn from November 30 through December 3.

Friends of Hospice was formed in 1984 and began hosting the Festival of Trees in 1986 to raise money for the Talbot Hospice Foundation. To date, close to $4 million has been raised by the Festival of Trees to assist with Talbot Hospice’s operating budget.

As a celebration of life for those who have received Hospice care during the past year, the continued success of Festival of Trees is made possible by the generous financial contributions from local individuals and various businesses. To get involved in any capacity, or to inquire about a sponsorship, contact Festival of Trees Co-Chairmen Karla Wieland-Cherry at [email protected] or 410-310-8421 and Denise Haddaway at 443-995-4431 or [email protected].

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through hospice and palliative care, as well as its pathways and bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.talbothospice.org.

Events
Festival of Trees is comprised of the following events in Easton:
Preview Gala • November 29 • Tidewater Inn’s Gold Room • 6 p.m.
Festival of Trees • November 30-December 3 • Tidewater Inn’s Gold Room • Hours vary
Carols by Candlelight • November 30 • Harrison Street • 5-7 p.m.
Santa’s 5K Fun Run • November 30 • Idlewild Park • 9 a.m.
Santa’s Workshop • November 30-December 1 • Tidewater Inn’s Ballroom Garden • 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Residents of Tilghman Island can find local behavioral peer support each Wednesday at Tilghman Methodist Church Annex via a new partnership between Grace Street of Easton and “Healthy Tilghman,” a community outreach of the Tilghman Methodist Church.

Healthy Tilghman seeks to improve the health and well-being of people in the Bay Hundred area. Its services are generally free. Healthy Tilghman works alongside other church outreach programs including weekly exercise classes and regular food distributions from the church’s Helping Hands Outreach. This past Summer the church and community held a very successful first 5k/1K Run/Walk on Tilghman in support of Healthy Tilghman. The new collaboration with Grace Street will add additional opportunities for community members to find personal assistance, outreach and mental health/substance use treatment and services connectivity, including beyond Tilghman.

“We are thrilled to bring Grace Street into our community,” said Michael Flaherty, head of Healthy Tilghman for the Church and community. “Their enthusiasm, personal experience and knowledge of broader health resources will greatly aid our neighbors and assist them in accessing the services so often scarce or non-existent here. The personal experience they bring will be priceless. We are so grateful to have them.”

The Tilghman Methodist Church began Healthy Tilghman in 2017. It quickly expanded to include mental health and substance use support groups, on-site counseling, and community outreach and education, including Naloxone training and distribution. The new community collaboration with Grace Street will bring trained peer support to Tilghman. Peers are people with lived experience in recovery who support others seeking or sustaining that recovery.

“The Tilghman Methodist Church is pleased to support this new partnership for the health and welfare of all in our community,” said Pastor David Kelley. “Healthy Tilghman can make a difference for all.”

Anyone seeking mental health and/or substance use resources and support can come to the Church Annex on Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. A Grace Street trained peer will offer non-clinical, free support, resource information and connection, including facilitating transporation to inpatient treatment. Grace Street itself does not provide counseling but can be the one person or call to connect people with necessary services.

Grace Street opened in Easton in August 2023 as the sole recovery community organization (RCO) on the Mid-Shore. An RCO is a non-profit organization that is driven by people with direct lived experience with substance use challenges and recovery.

As an RCO, Grace Street provides peer-based and other recovery support services; operates the region’s only harm reduction vending machine that includes Narcan, Fentanyl and Xylazine test strips; offers free harm reduction materials and services, including wound care; conducts weekly street outreach; provides resource connection and supports; provides life skills and workforce development, including peer recovery support training for certification; hosts support groups and fosters recovery-focused community awareness and education.

Grace Street serves people across the Mid-Shore. Referrals are not necessary, and services are free. Visit www.gracestreetrecovery.org for information or contact 443-439-1820 to connect with a peer.

Grace Street is a component fund of Chesapeake Charities, a community foundation based in Stevensville. All donations are tax deductible.

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Grace Street is supported by the Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response and the Center for Harm Reduction Services of the Maryland Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of MOOR, its Executive Director, or its staff; or of MDH, BHA, CHRS or its staff. 

The steering committee of Talbot FiRST™ First Responder Support Team recently presented its program to the Talbot County Council. Talbot FiRST™ brings together multiple agencies and partners to support the mental health of all its first responders in Talbot County − launching a robust peer support team that creates a pathway for immediate access to For All Seasons’ trauma-certified mental health services and works intentionally to build in proactive resiliency training.

“This is groundbreaking work for the state and the country, bringing resources together like this to take care of our first responders who never hesitate to take care of us,” commented Beth Anne Dorman, President & CEO of For All Seasons.

“We are really talking about how we infuse mental health services so that it is a daily conversation versus just being a reactive approach when someone is struggling,” she adds.

Matt Watkins, retired EMS Division Chief for Talbot County Emergency Services and Team Leader for Talbot FiRST™, added, “For All Seasons provides clinical expertise and the innovative programming design that we need to make this dream a reality. Beth Anne and Lesa Mulcahy have been champions for us, both on the steering committee for this program and during real-world responses to critical events in our community. For All Seasons’ response is always immediate, and that response time is critical. What we are creating here in Talbot County does not exist anywhere else in the state and is rarely found in the country – a multidisciplinary team solely focused on the well-being of first responders.”

Watkins continued, “I believe it’s incumbent upon leadership to take care of our people. This team is going to provide support for first responders in doing their jobs. Having For All Seasons support us and spearhead this program is invaluable.”

The Talbot FiRST™ initiative has been building for nearly 18 months, supported by national expert Dr. Jeff Thompson, a clinical research psychologist from Columbia University and retired NYPD detective. With extensive experience in suicide prevention and crisis intervention for first responders, Jeff has been instrumental in training the Talbot FiRST™ peer support team, ensuring our local experts are grounded in evidence-based practices that prioritize the mental health of our first responders.

“Peer support programs create a space where individuals can support each other in real-time, offering immediate comfort and solidarity during crises or stressful life events. Sitting side-by-side with peers who understand their unique experiences makes individuals feel more supported and validated. These peer interactions can also act as a bridge to connect individuals with additional resources or professional help when necessary. Everyone deserves to have positive mental health, and that certainly includes our first responders,” commented Thompson.

Talbot FiRST™ ensures that first responders have the mental health support they need. This program is not just addressing an immediate need – it’s creating a foundation for a healthier, more resilient community. As the initiative grows, its success will be felt far beyond the first responders it serves, benefiting the entire region and ensuring that those who protect us are also protected.

“First responders are always rushing in to help the people and we often don’t talk about the things we have experienced. There has always been a stigma that you don’t want to tell anybody you aren’t doing well. This program puts into place peers who can talk with each other and relate to one another throughout the ranks,” commented Tina Kintop, EMS Division Chief, Talbot County Department of Emergency Management Services.

Talbot County Council member Pete Lesher thanked For All Seasons for normalizing first responders’ and veterans’ need for mental health services, stating, “I appreciate what you are doing, not only in raising the recognition but in delivery of the services.”

Talbot County Council member Keasha Haythe, added, “I am really impressed by this program. This has to get out as an approach for other counties to take hold of.”

Talbot County Manager Clay Stamp, who is also the current Chairman of the EMS Board for the State of Maryland, concluded, “Maryland leads the nation, if not the world, in EMS services. The things we expose our 18-year-old kids who become EMTs, dispatchers, or police officers, are horrendous. We have got to come up with a better way to arm these individuals to deal with these things in a healthy manner and give them a support system. Right here in Talbot County, they have stepped up and they are making it happen first. I am very proud of our team.”

Initial funding to launch Talbot FiRST™ has been generously provided in part by the Wyman Family Foundation and the Rural Maryland Council, helping make this critical program a reality.

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For All Seasons provides the highest quality mental health and victim services to children, adults, and families across the Mid-Shore and throughout the state of Maryland. Services are offered in both English and Spanish and include therapy, psychiatry, victim advocacy, 24-hour crisis hotlines, outreach, and community education. For information about For All Seasons walk-in hours, contact For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsInc.org.

The Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) recently welcomed a new surgeon, Kathryn Kelley, MD. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Kelley joined the Breast Center in early October after completing a breast surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles, California. Previously, she spent three years as a general surgery resident at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Kelley earned her medical degree from Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, where she was a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She has co-authored articles book chapters and articles in medical journals on varied topics, including the impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer patients’ screening, time to treatment and effects of vaccination. She also has presented at national medical and scientific conferences.

Dr. Kelley’s professional memberships include the American College of Surgeons and the Southeastern Surgical Congress, and she holds multiple certifications, including Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

“Dr. Kelley is a welcome addition to the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center team,” said Timothy Shanahan, MD, Medical Director, University of Maryland Shore Medical Group. “Her talents and medical training are an excellent match for the needs of the center and the more than 800 patients it serves every year.”

 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 A community conversation about stigma and recovery is set for noon on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Talbot County Senior Center in Easton.

The lunch and learn event is part of Talbot Goes Purple and focuses on how people can challenge stigma within themselves and support those in recovery for substance use disorder. Intended as an informal discussion, this community conversation will include Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble and local people in recovery. An interactive recovery portrait exhibit, ‘Stigma Highlight,’ will display throughout the event and includes personal stories of recovery journeys.

Lunch is available with a suggested donation of $5.50 for non-seniors and $2.75 for seniors. Please call 410-822-2869 by Oct. 24 to sign up for lunch, or bring your own.

“Part of our message with Talbot Goes Purple is for people to get the facts about substance use, which includes learning that people do recover,” said Gamble, who founded Talbot Goes Purple in 2016. “We hope people will come out, join the conversation, and see what we as a community can do to support people in recovery.”

Communities can help combat stigma in many ways, including revising words and terms used to discuss substance use disorder; recognizing that treatment, including medications, works; learning about substance use disorder; and by promoting community spaces where people can recover.

Stigma is a major barrier for people trying to overcome the challenges of addiction and overdose. Labeling, stereotyping and discrimination are all types of stigma that can damage the health and well-being of people with substance use disorder.

‘Stigma Highlighted,’ done in partnership with Talbot Goes Purple, Worcester Goes Purple and the Ocean City Art League, addresses negativity and bias toward people with substance use challenges. The exhibit has traveled to several high school schools across the Delmarva Peninsula; Salisbury University; and the National Institute for Drug Abuse. A copy currently displays at Grace Street, a recovery community organization in Easton. Each portrait includes a scannable QR code that shows a two-minute clip of the person’s interview, which is part of a 15-minute documentary.

Overdose deaths in Maryland declined last year for the first time since 2018. But overdose deaths in adults aged 55 and older have rapidly risen since 2016, killing 873 in 2023. Medicare does not cover substance use treatment, and a variety of factors including isolation and lower rates of screenings remain persistent barriers to care.

There is a relative lack of overdose prevention research; still, communities can help destigmatize substance use disorder and learn about Naloxone, medication disposal and other prevention measures.

Talbot Goes Purple is a substance use 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 local schools, through which students learn they do not need drugs or alcohol to meet life’s challenges. Talbot Goes Purple is in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter and Paul Schools, and Mid-Shore Community Foundation.

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For more information email [email protected]. Find TGP on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple.

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.

For All Seasons recently hosted two Human Trafficking roundtable discussions for professionals in child advocacy, law enforcement, and social services in the Mid-Shore region.  One session took place at the new Talbot County Health Department in Easton for participants from Talbot, Caroline, and Dorchester counties. The second was held at Queen Anne’s County Library for participants in Queen Anne’s and Kent counties.

According to Susan Ahlstrom, Human Trafficking Regional Navigator, “The goal of the roundtables was to bring our partners together to discuss state legislation and policies around the crime of Human Trafficking, as well as to address related challenges, barriers, or gaps in providing services and adequate response for victims. The group also explored opportunities for further training and technical assistance.”

Statewide representatives in attendance included Heather Amador, Director of Victim Services Policy Programs from the Governor’s Office of Crime, Prevention & Policy (GOCPP); Neil Mallon, Senior Research Specialist at the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work (UMB SSW); and Antwan Chambers, Human Trafficking Administrator for the Maryland Department of Human Services/Social Services Administration (DHS SSA). These speakers shared information about the importance of the Regional Navigator Program and how the program has been implemented in Maryland. The Regional Navigator Program was born out of the Child Sex Trafficking Screening and Services Act of 2019. It was designed to respond to the rising trend in child sex trafficking and to improve networks for assisting survivors and their families.

“I don’t think that it would surprise anybody to hear that sometimes children who are involved with the Department of Social Services or Law Enforcement, have fears and have a variety of barriers to accessing resources and services. Because we understand that there is such a critical need for connection between those youth and the services that would help to prevent trafficking or intercept a victim who is being trafficked, the Navigator role was really designed to be in a neutral role like a rape crisis center or some type of a community center,” commented Heather Amador.

“It absolutely happens everywhere in the state. It’s just looking at it under the right lens sometimes.  Although the Regional Navigator Program was established to deal with child cases, it’s absolutely not just a child issue. Trafficking transcends all age groups. It doesn’t have any socioeconomic or racial boundaries.”

Beth Anne Dorman, President & CEO of For All Seasons, introduced the state representatives and emphasized the important role of For All Seasons, and stated, “We’re here to support you and to not only share about what your role is as a mandated reporter, but to give you a lens into the Human Trafficking multidisciplinary team approach. Our program is designed to address the full spectrum of care, support, and prevention.”

“We’re not only committed to educating professionals and the general public, but we also are really helping folks to recognize the signs of trafficking. Our marketing and outreach campaign has been one of the most visible parts of the anti-human trafficking program and you’ve likely seen rack cards and billboards on Route 50. Within our education program, we really emphasize the importance of eliminating the stigmatization that happens for trafficking survivors; helping community members understand that victims often come from vulnerable, marginalized groups.  It’s crucial to be able to approach the issue with a comprehensive, trauma-informed understanding.”

“It’s happening in our communities and in our neighborhoods. This comprehensive approach between the reporting, outreach, education, and care coordination, along with For All Seasons’ established Rape Crisis Center, therapy, and psychiatry services – that’s really what allows us to be a part of a comprehensive response,” stated Neil Mallon who helped the participants to understand the mandated reporter role in Maryland, where any professional that suspects child abuse or neglect is mandated to report that abuse to the local departments of social services.

Antwan Chambers explained that force, fraud, and coercion are the three things to look for. He added, “Getting people to talk about anything like that is not easy.  Creating trust and asking questions like, is there ever any physical abuse or threat of physical violence in the home or relationship? Being trauma-informed when asking the type of questions to help draw it out is important. Survivors often don’t identify as victims of trafficking.”

“A person is not going to come up and openly identify a certain situation directly as trafficking. It’s kind of like looking under a rock a little bit for some of those other things that they may not realize are a problem. I think everybody has this stereotypical image of sex trafficking in their heads, and for some people, it involves tractor trailers and people being held captive, and white vans and things like that. Looking for the less obvious signs that there is some type of force, fraud, or coercion, and asking questions is what is important.”

Before closing the session, Dorman announced the upcoming launch of the For All Seasons self-paced, online Mandated Reporter course that will be released in October. She stated, “This will allow all partners involved in serving our vulnerable citizens to have free access to vital human trafficking information. The course is free and will offer CEUs for professionals who complete the program.”

The session also shared that as of October 1, 2024, mandated reporters will be required to report on labor trafficking. For further information about human trafficking and the For All Seasons Regional Navigator Program, visit https://forallseasonsinc.org/what-we-do-how-we-help/services/anti-human-trafficking/.

Choptank Community Health System’s dental practice recently welcomed Andrés Álvarez-Deal, DMD, and Megan Patterson Poteat, DDS to its Cambridge Dental Center and David Martin, DDS to its Federalsburg Dental Center.

Dr. Álvarez-Deal received his certification through the NYU Langone Advance Education in General Dentistry program at Choptank Health and his Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry from the University of Puerto Rico, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in general sciences.

He is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Dental Education Association, specializing in treating Spanish and English-speaking patients in rural settings.

Dr. Patterson Poteat received her certification for advanced training in General Dentistry from the NYU Langone AEGD residency program at Choptank Community Health. She is a proud graduate of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee where she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Before practicing dentistry, Dr. Patterson Poteat was a science teacher in both Maryland and the District of Columbia Public Schools. During that time, she completed a Master of Arts degree in teaching from American University in Washington D.C.

She is an active member of the Maryland Academy of General Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry, and maintains membership in the American Dental Association, American Association of Women Dentists, American Dental Education Association, and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Martin earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Hampton University. His experience includes providing oral health care in underserved environments, with diagnostic and clinical skills including prevention, periodontal, oral surgery, restorative, emergency, and pediatric dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association; Maryland Academy of General Dentistry; Academy of General Dentistry.

The AEGD residency program at Choptank Health is part of NYU Langone Dental Medicine’s training program and provides academic and clinical interactions between the preceptees and the AEGD residents.

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Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties to more than 30,000 adults and children, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all, with more at www.choptankhealth.org

The Talbot County Health Department (TCHD) announces a significant leadership transition as Dr. Maria Maguire, Health Officer, departs after 5 years of dedicated service. Dr. Maguire has been instrumental in leading several key public health initiatives during her tenure, leaving an enduring impact on the health and well-being of our community.

“Dr. Maguire’s commitment and dedication to public health on behalf of Talbot County residents is commendable,” says Talbot County Council President, Chuck Callahan. “She guided the Health Department through challenging times and ensured that our citizens had access to vital healthcare information, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, her vision for expanding the Health Department’s reach and improving access to care through their new facility will leave a lasting legacy. We are grateful for her service and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

In the interim, Karine Ireland will serve as Interim Health Officer. Ireland brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as the Deputy Health Officer of Operations at TCHD. With over 20 years of experience in finance and administration, she has overseen the department’s budget, accounting, and payroll functions. Ireland’s strong background in fiscal management and systems administration, coupled with her deep commitment to community health, positions her well to lead the department through this transitional period. Known for her collaborative leadership style, innovative approach, and integrity, Ireland is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

“I am honored to serve as the Interim Health Officer and look forward to working alongside the dedicated team at TCHD as we continue our mission to promote a healthy community,” said Ireland. “We will remain focused on safeguarding the health of Talbot County by ensuring access to essential services, strengthening community partnerships, and remaining prepared to address evolving public health needs.”

TCHD extends its sincere gratitude to Dr. Maguire and is excited to welcome Karine as the new interim leader. In the coming months, further updates regarding the search for a permanent Health Officer will be announced.

Families are invited to a frightfully fun evening at the Talbot County Community Center’s annual “BOOnanza” event on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This year’s event features ice skating, trick-or-treating, face painting, fun photo opportunities and the exciting addition of new bouncy inflatables.

Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their best costumes for a chance to show off their Halloween spirit while enjoying the night’s festivities. The event is sure to delight both children and adults, making it a perfect night for families to enjoy together.

“BOOnanza is one of our favorite community events because it brings families together for a night of Halloween fun. The mix of skating, trick-or-treating, and other activities ensures there’s something for everyone,” said Chance Congleton, Recreation Program Coordinator at Talbot County Parks and Recreation. “We can’t wait to see all the creative costumes and the smiles on everyone’s faces!”

No pre-registration is required, and entry is just $10 per child (children 2 and under are free). Payments will be accepted at the door.

Talbot County Parks and Recreation is seeking community vendors to join the fun by handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Local businesses and organizations interested in participating are encouraged to contact the department to reserve a spot.

This year’s event is proudly sponsored by Jason’s Computers, whose generous support helps make the event possible.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Location: Talbot County Community Center
• Fee: $10 per child (2 & under free) – pay at the door

For more information or sign up as a candy vendor, contact Talbot County Parks and Recreation at 410-770-8050 or visit talbotparks.com.

Renowned physician, scientist, and gerontologist, Mark Lachs, MD, MPH, will discuss “The Changing Face of Aging – High Tech Meets High Touch” in two free talks on October 23 in Easton and October 24 in Chestertown.   Brought to the Shore by Upper Shore Aging (USA), a nonprofit serving Talbot, Caroline, and Kent Counties, Dr. Lachs is a dynamic speaker who has appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, The Today Show and Good Morning America, and written pieces on aging for the Wall Street Journal and other lay publications.

Free and open to the public, the talks will be held on Wednesday, October 23 at the Ebenezer Theater in Easton and Thursday, October 24 at the Garfield Center for the Arts at the Prince Theater in Chestertown, both from 7 to 8 p.m.

A resident of Connecticut, Dr. Lachs is the Irene F. and I. Roy Psaty Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Co-Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and Director of Geriatrics for the New York Presbyterian Health System. 

 Dr. Lachs’ major area of interest is the disenfranchised elderly, and he has published widely in the areas of elder abuse and neglect, the epidemiology and neuroscience of financial vulnerability of older adults, and the assessment of decision-making ability as people age.  He has lectured internationally on these topics. 

“USA is hosting these seminars because we are the voice for seniors in the communities we serve. We hope seniors, their family caregivers, and those who work with seniors will join us to learn about the new technologies available to help seniors age in place, remain safe in their homes, and thrive in their communities,” comments Herb Cain, Executive Director of USA.

“USA operates five senior centers on the Mid-Shore. During the pandemic, videoconferencing helped seniors become more comfortable with new technology to stay connected. In the “High Touch” component of his lecture, Dr. Lachs will point out that new technologies for seniors allow things like monitoring chronic medical conditions in a home environment and do not replace the need for human interaction. Social isolation and loneliness remain critical issues that the elderly face today.”

Dr. Lachs is the founder and Medical Director of the New York City Elder Abuse Center (www.nyceac.org), a WCM community-academic partnership of senior centers, adult protective service professionals, law enforcement providers, governmental agencies, and others that seek to protect the rights and dignity of elder abuse victims through direct service, advocacy, case coordination, and research. His book, Treat Me, Not My Age, (Viking Penguin) was named among the best consumer health books of 2010. 

“With the number of seniors growing in Maryland and our counties on the Eastern Shore, we have an obligation to address some of the key issues facing seniors today. We are thrilled that Dr. Lachs is coming to share his research and groundbreaking work throughout the country,” adds Kay Brodie, President of the USA Board of Directors.

The event is sponsored by The Grayce B. Kerr Fund. To register for the events, visit https://crm.nonprofiteasy.com//12012/Pages/Events/#/.