Monthly News & Updates

March 2024 | Issue 33


Welcome New Members:

Eco-Cool HVAC

Flying Decoy Bar & Grill

Mass Mutual Greater Philadelphia

Seedco

T-Mobile



Thank you to our Renewing Members:

Ashley Insurance Inc.

Blue Heron Contracting, LLC

C Greene Photography

Chester River Chorale

Chester Valley Ministers Association

Corsica River Mental Health Services, Inc.

Crossroads Community, Inc.

Eastern Shore Food Lab

Greenscapes Land Care, LLC

John Hutchison Architecture

KRM Construction Company, LLC (BRONZE SPONSOR)

M&T Bank - Kent Island Branch

Optimal Health Care, Inc.

Prince Limousine Inc

Village Hardware & Garden Center

The Community Food Pantry

Wye Financial Partners



Upcoming Events:

4/18/2024 - 2024 Post-Legislative Session Breakfast Discussion

5/15/2024 - 2024 Annual Regional Chamber Mixer

7/17/2024 - Kent Chamber Inaugural Golf Tournament




Featured News This Month

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Community Excellence Awards held on January 17, 2024 at the Chester River Yacht and Country Club in Chestertown. These awards honor outstanding contributions to our community, through commitment, innovation, and leadership in three distinct categories. Eastern Shore Urgent Care was named the 2024 Business of the Year, Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s was awarded the 2024 Organization of the Year, and Deeann Jones was recognized as the 2024 Individual of the Year.

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Member Updates

Artificial Intelligence Conference Explores Advancements and Challenges

On Friday, April 5, the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board will host a highly anticipated Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College. This event promises a deep dive into the multifaceted landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for government, business, and academia.

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Brenda Price Receives Golden Anchor Award

A special education instructional assistant at Kent County Middle School was honored this month for how she builds strong relationships with students and families. At a meeting Monday, March 11 of the Kent County Board of Education, Brenda Price received the Golden Anchor Award.

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Benedictine Bourbon Street Masquerade to be Held at Trident Aircraft Hanger

Benedictine will hold its annual Spring Gala fundraiser, themed "Benedictine Bourbon Street Masquerade" on Saturday, April 27th at the Trident Aircraft Hangar in Easton. This important fundraiser benefits the students and adults living with developmental or intellectual disabilities and autism that Benedictine supports. Families, staff, community members, and businesses are all invited to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year.

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Schools Announce Winners of Annual Awards

This month, Kent County Public Schools highlighted the work of 14 teachers and staff members as part of its annual awards program. Each school celebrated its Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year on Friday, March 1 with surprise presentations of balloons and flowers. Special recognition also was given this month to the three nominees for the annual Promising Educator award.

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The Garfield Center Calls for Director and Title Submissions for 2025 Season Productions

The Garfield Center for the Arts has opened its annual call for play and musical titles for production consideration. Suggestions and proposals can be made by Directors who would like to present a play or musical in the 2025 season as well as by interested community members, patrons of the Garfield Center and arts participants. All proposals must be received by the Garfield Center by midnight on Sunday, April 21, 2024. 

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Vail Condo Raffle to Benefit Echo Hill Outdoor School

Are you ready for the ultimate mountain retreat? Imagine spending 6 nights and 7 days in the picturesque town of Vail, Colorado, surrounded by breathtaking views and enjoying the luxury of The Wren condo! Thanks to our incredible vacation raffle, you could be the lucky winner of this unforgettable getaway, all for a great cause. Each raffle ticket buys you a chance to win and supports Echo Hill Outdoor School’s environmental education programs.

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Crossroads Community & Corsica River 5K: Promoting Health and Unity in Grasonville, MD

Crossroads Community and Corsica River Mental Health Services is excited to announce the launch of its annual 5K event, scheduled to take place on April 13, 2024. This event promises to be a celebration of health, community, and unity, inviting participants of all ages and fitness levels to join in the fun. Whether walking, jogging, or sprinting to the finish line, every step taken will contribute to the overall sense of camaraderie and accomplishment. 

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Local Volunteers, Former MLBer Celebrate Black History Month at RHES

Rock Hall Elementary School hosted its annual Black History Month celebration Friday, Feb. 23 with volunteer readers coming into the classrooms and an assembly with a local sports legend. In the morning, guest readers gathered in the media center, where they picked out books from the school's library collection and others brought in for the day from the Chestertown-based Sumner Hall organization.

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For All Seasons Offers Focused Staff Trainings Around Trauma

For All Seasons’ Center for Learning has been holding trainings for its staff, focusing on populations who experience trauma such as human trafficking, veterans’ issues, and the stress of being a first responder. Most recently, the Center completed training around the topic of human trafficking. The training, “Polaris Human Trafficking 101,” covered how human trafficking happens, understanding human trafficking victims, and recognizing human trafficking in our communities, as well as featured stories of human trafficking survivors.

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Choptank Health Marks 25 years of School-Based Health During National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month

Choptank Community Health System is celebrating 25 years of providing school-based health services to Mid-Shore students. The milestone was recognized in February as part of the National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month. Choptank Health is celebrating its successes and raising awareness about how school-based health centers improve access to healthcare services for children and adolescents and how they make a difference in their lives today and in the future.

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KCMS Highlights 'Elements' of Black History

Kent County Middle School has taken the most famous chart in science and turned it into a celebration of Black History Month. A wall near the school's office and entryway has what appears to be a large hand-made version of the Periodic Table of Elements, but it is not about the atomic building blocks. The Periodic Table of Influential African Americans highlights Black leaders, scientists, artists and activists throughout history.

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Kent Attainable Housing Celebrates Sale of Conley Drive Home to Janay Smith and Family

Kent Attainable Housing is thrilled to announce the successful sale of the Conley Drive home to Janay Smith and her family, marking a significant achievement in our ongoing mission to provide affordable housing solutions in Kent County, Maryland.

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The Garfield Center Opens Registration for its 2024 Playmakers Youth Theatre Camp

The Garfield Center has announced the 2024 Playmakers Director and production title and the date of open registration for this summer’s camp. For scheduling reasons, the camp starts a little earlier this year, with the first date of camp beginning June 24th and the camp-ending performance weekend on July 19, 20 and 21. A well-loved and successful theatrecraft and acting camp for young aspiring performers ages 8 through 15.

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Upper Shore Community Development Partners Announces Collaborations and Projects ARPA-Funded Project in Collaboration with the Town of Chestertown

Upper Shore Community Development Partners (USCDP) is proud to announce new collaborations and projects aimed at collaborating with Chestertown area nonprofit organizations, the Queen Anne’s County Office of Economic Development, and the Town of Chestertown.

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2024 YMCA Summer Camp Registration is Open

Registration for 2024 YMCA of the Chesapeake youth summer camps is open. YMCA of the Chesapeake day camps are centered around improving the well-being of children, with the programs focusing on three areas of development: friendship, accomplishment and belonging. Participating youth will have the opportunity to explore nature, find new talents, try new activities, gain independence, and make lasting friendships along the way with the opportunities the Y provides. 

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Using Science and Reading to Build Strong Literacy Foundations

More and more school systems are adopting an approach already entrenched in Kent County Public Schools to build strong literacy foundations in students. In January, the Maryland State Board of Education issued a resolution calling for a comprehensive literacy policy aligned with the Science of Reading.

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The Garfield Center Postpones Their March Gala to July 13, 2024

The Garfield Center for the Arts regrets to announce the postponement of their planned 2024 Gala from its March 9 date to Saturday, July 13th. The postponement has been caused by Covid affecting the availability of the presentation scheduled for the event.

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2024-25 KCPS Calendar Approved

The Kent County Board of Education has approved the calendar for the 2024-25 school year. As required by the State of Maryland, the approved calendar includes 180 instruction days for students. Two inclement weather days are built into the calendar. The 2024-25 school year will begin with a staggered start. 

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Derricott Receives Gold Star Award for Volunteer Work with Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary

Gwinn Derricott, an 18-year member of the Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary, was honored with her 10th Gold Star Award at the auxiliary’s recent annual meeting and luncheon. Gold stars are awarded for every 500 hours volunteered for the benefit of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown.

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Holiday for Hospice: Belly Bustin Grill Owners Raise $20,000 for Compass

On December 16, 2023 Vickie and Jake Sizemore, owners of Belly Bustin Grill food trailer, brought together family, friends, and members of the community for an unforgettable night of giving at their annual event, Holiday for Hospice. With their warm hospitality and commitment to Compass’s mission, the Sizemore's set the stage for a memorable event. 

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Do you have news to share? Send us a press release detailing your success and we will publish it on our website, social media, and newsletter--for free! Send us an email at [email protected] with your press release and a corresponding photo(s). Need help writing a press release? Consult this guide.

The Chamber at Work - UPCOMING EVENTS




2024 Post-Legislative Session Breakfast Discussion


April 18th @ 8:30 am

Register Here!




2024 Annual Regional Chamber Mixer



May 15th @ 5:30 pm

Register Here!




Kent Chamber Inaugural Golf Tournament



June 17th @ 11:00 am

Register Here!
Sponsorship Information
Information Updates

LOCAL EVENTS (Provided by Kent County):


Kent County Maryland Calendar of Events



AROUND THE WEB:


New Kent County Business Mentoring Program


What Is a Stay Interview? 13 Questions to Ask


How Hard Should a Hiring Process Be? (Hint: Not Very)


How to Speed Up the Hiring Process and Secure Top Talent


Success Tips for Business Owners


8 Low-Cost Ways to Show Employee Appreciation


13 Sales Pitch Techniques To Better Connect With Customers


10 Facebook Best Practices for Nonprofits


Work Ethic Scholarship Program



WEBINARS:


Increase Your Sales by Attracting Your Target Market (Recorded)


Maryland Capital Enterprises Upcoming Business Classes


Learn how to use the new Maryland Tax Connect Webinar (Multiple Dates)


America's SBDC Maryland Upcoming Events


Learn more about Exciting Sponsorship Opportunities
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