Talbot Mentors held its annual Spring Brunch fundraiser on Sunday, May 3, and took the opportunity to honor one of its longest-serving volunteers, Al Smith. More than a hundred guests enjoyed the gourmet brunch at Talbot Country Club in support of the organization dedicated to matching Talbot County students with adult volunteer mentors.
Sponsors included Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Wilmington Trust, Wells Fargo Advisors and Dock Street Foundation, in addition to brunch patrons Martha Horner, Irene Schmidt, and Al and Eleanor Smith.
Donors provided more than fifty items for the silent auction, which included handmade jewelry and artwork, gift certificates, golf packages and wine. Guests could further support the organization through a blind wine pick and a raffle. Pianist Abby Cureton provided musical entertainment during the bidding and brunch.
During a brief presentation, Talbot Mentors Board President Gordon Fronk offered special thanks to Marykay Powell and Margot Miller for coordinating the brunch. He recognized the staff and board members for their dedication to the organization and its mission. “I have never worked with such a spirited and energetic group of people,” said Fronk.
Noting the difficulty in measuring the impact mentors have on the students, he said that one indication is the number of high school graduates among the program’s mentees. Fronk said that when Talbot Mentors was founded 18 years ago, none of its students were graduating from high school. Today, virtually all of them do.
The highlight of the event was the recognition for Al Smith, whom Fronk credited for guiding much of the growth and development of Talbot Mentors. After founder Phil Kirby passed away in 2000, Smith served as president through 2005. He has been a mentor to three students over the years and to the organization itself, according to Fronk.
“Al still is working on making sure Talbot Mentors’ legacy is passed on into the future,” he added, presenting Smith with the first Phil Kirby Founders Award, a Waterford crystal bowl and engraved stand.
State Senator Addie Eckardt also was on hand to present Smith with a proclamation from the Senate of Maryland and the Maryland General Assembly.
In accepting the awards, Smith offered his own recognition of Phil Kirby for laying the foundation for the organization, and others for their early guidance. He encouraged everyone to consider becoming mentors, and thanked the brunch guests and families of both the students and the mentors for supporting the efforts of the volunteers.
For more information, to make a contribution, or to volunteer as a mentor, call Talbot Mentors at 410-770-5999 or visit www.talbotmentors.org.
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