HHF Garners $30K Contribution
Howard Hospital Foundation received a $30,000 gift from the Kahlert Foundation to support the hospital’s Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center. The center offers a full-service salon, lending library, exercise classes, complementary medicine, counseling and support groups.
“We wanted to help fund the excellent support the center provides to cancer patients and their families,” said Greg Kahlert, president of The Kahlert Foundation, a private family foundation based in Maryland. “By giving to the cancer center, we are helping people who have cancer.”
It’s a cause familiar to Kahlert, whose father had cancer for 12 years before he died. Cancer services extended his father’s life and helped him endure a difficult disease in a healthy and positive manner, Kahlert said. One of Kahlert’s friends also benefited from services provided by the center.
The Kahlert Foundation provides grants to nonprofit charities primarily in the mid-Atlantic region in the areas of health care, education, youth programs, veterans and general well-being.
Getting Ahead Achieves Major Milestone in Howard County
The Howard County Board to Promote Self Sufficiency (BPSS) has announced that 100 people have graduated from its groundbreaking Getting Ahead program. Launched in November 2013, Getting Ahead is a county-wide BPSS initiative designed to help people in poverty learn about the resources and strategies that can help them gain stability.
Participants work in groups with a trained facilitator to explore the impact that poverty has had on them, while they investigate economic realities, complete an assessment of their own resources and make plans to build on those resources. Howard Community College, Healthy Howard, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Corrections are among the organizations planning to launch new Getting Ahead groups this spring.
In conjunction with the Getting Ahead groups, BPSS also holds community-wide training sessions on the related “Bridges Out of Poverty” framework. This gives service providers and advocates who work with people in poverty a deeper understanding of socioeconomic class and strategies for improving outcomes for those they serve.
“We have witnessed some truly amazing transformations since launching both the Getting Ahead program and the Bridges Out of Poverty training,” said Mike Couch, chairman of the Board to Promote Self Sufficiency. “Lives are being changed. Our challenge is to find ways to support our graduates once they leave the program and continue working to improve their lives and the lives of their families.”
CA Seeking Reflections of Sister Cities Summer Exchange Alumni
Columbia Association (CA) wants to hear from the hundreds of people who have traveled to Columbia’s sister cities of Cergy-Pontoise, France, and Tres Cantos, Spain, as part of CA’s longstanding summer student exchange program.
Alumni of all ages who participated in the student exchanges are encouraged to submit written memories or other accounts on the impact that the program had on their lives, and/or they can choose to be interviewed about their experiences on video. These writings and interviews will be compiled on CA’s web site and in a video about the sister cities student exchanges.
CA added a third sister city, Tema, Ghana, in 2014 and is in the process of expanding that relationship. CA is also exploring the possibility of a sister city relationship between Columbia and the coastal community of Cap-Haitien in Haiti. Learn more online at ColumbiaAssociation.org/Multicultural.
Those interested in participating may contact Laura Smit by calling 410-715-3162 or sending an e-mail to [email protected].
Crime, Violence and Mental Illness Focus of Conference
You hear the news. It’s happened again. Someone with a mental illness has committed a violent act, and families’ lives are changed forever. To discuss how to identify those at risk and proven ways to reduce the likelihood of these tragic events, Anne Arundel Community College has gathered experts in public safety, psychology, mental illness and criminal justice for a daylong conference, “Crime, Violence and Mental Illness” on May 28 on the Arnold campus, 101 College Parkway.
The conference, sponsored by the college’s Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute, is aimed at educators, health and mental health professionals, social workers, public safety officers, first responders, attorneys and criminal justice workers. To register, visit www.aacc.edu/conferences/mentalillness.cfm.
Keynote speaker Philip Leaf will be the culminating speaker at 2 p.m., with a reception afterward. Leaf is director of the Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Center for Adolescent Health and a professor in the department of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has conducted extensive epidemiologic and services research on mental disorders, substance abuse and violence prevention.
Conference partners include the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and AACC’s School of Health Sciences. The $95 fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch and an afternoon reception. Continuing education units are available for social workers. For questions about the event, call 410-777-2790.
Towne Group Wins for PSA of the Year
The National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) has awarded a 2015 award for excellence in Public Service Announcements (PSA) for “That Guy: First Impressions,” created by the Columbia-based Towne Group.
Towne Group produced a series of 11 “That Guy” PSAs to support a public information campaign created by global communications firm FleishmanHillard for TRICARE, a DoD health care program benefiting service members, retirees and military families. The goal of the campaign is to reduce binge drinking by young service members. Towne Group’s winning PSA can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/townegroup/review/123335459/1db2793b34.
Weinstein Joins Howard County Elementary Students at JA BizTown
Howard County Council Vice Chair Jon Weinstein recently joined 100 Howard County fifth-graders at Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Maryland’s JA BizTown.
During the field trip to the Owings Mills experiential learning facility, students from Cradlerock, Running Brook and Talbott Springs elementary schools took part in a “real life” economic simulation where they played different roles in the JA BizTown microeconomy — such as CEO, CFO, bank teller, salesperson, radio station DJ and mayor — and learned how their decisions affect each other.
“The opportunity for kids to experience, first-hand, how an economy works and learn just how interconnected people and their work and their roles in the community [are] is quite powerful,” said Weinstein. “I’m so impressed by the observations the kids made as they voted, operated companies, conducted bank business, participated in commerce and faced the challenges that are part of navigating JA BizTown.”
Anne Arundel Community Action Celebrates 50 Years
The Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary by hosting an event showcasing its history and service. The celebration will take place on May 15 at the Doubletree Annapolis, from 6–10 p.m., and will feature national recording artist Art Sherrod, Jr., with Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh as the guest of honor.
Community Action was incorporated in 1965 as a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency to administer a community action program in Anne Arundel County under the auspices of the Federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. In May 1968, then-County Executive Joe Alton designated the organization (then known as the Economic Opportunity Committee) as the anti-poverty agency to serve the needs of the county.
Tickets for the event are $50 per person and can be purchased by visiting www.CAA50.org or the agency’s office at 251 West Street, Annapolis. For more information, call 410-626-1900, ext. 1019.
Howard County Holds 8th Annual Career Exploration Day
Howard County Government’s Department of Citizen Services, Howard County Office of Workforce Development, Howard County Public School System and the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services recently hosted the county’s eighth annual Career Exploration Day for 35 high school students with disabilities.
The students shadowed employees for half of the day to learn about the diverse opportunities available in local government and private sector businesses.
Students began their day with a morning ceremony at the Howard County Public School System’s Homewood Center, where they were welcomed by Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman and Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol Beatty. Following the ceremony, students traveled to their assigned work sites, which were chosen based on a student’s area of vocational interest.
Government hosts for the day included Howard County’s departments of County Administration; Corrections; Fire and Rescue Services; Recreation & Parks; Citizen Services; Technology and Communications; Inspections; Licenses and Permits; Planning and Zoning; and Police.
Also hosting were the Howard County Office of Workforce Development; the Howard County Public School System; and the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services. Local business hosts for the day included: Nightmare Graphics; Sims Recycling Solutions; Columbia Association; The Arc of Howard County; Howard Community College’s World Languages Department; and the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts.
Arundel Aging Transportation Program Relocated to Glen Burnie
The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Transportation Program has relocated to 7409 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, Glen Burnie.
The Transportation Program, managed by the Department of Aging and Disabilities, and operated by First Transit, is a fully accessible, curb-to-curb, donation-supported para-transit service. Adults 55 and older and adults 18 and older with a disability may schedule trips to medical appointments and to Anne Arundel County’s seven senior activity centers.
Services are available Monday through Friday and must be scheduled in advance. Vans are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Donations are encouraged and should be sent to the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities Transportation Program at 2666 Riva Road, Suite 400, Annapolis, MD 21401.
The new phone number is 410-222-0022, with the new fax number 410-222-0016. For more information, contact Rodney Tasker, director of the program, at 410-222-4464, ext. 3018, or [email protected].
HCGH Receives Awards for Stroke Program
Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) has received two awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines program.
The Gold Plus Achievement Award recognizes hospitals that have reached a goal of treating stroke patients with 85% or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for 12 consecutive months. In addition, the hospitals have demonstrated 75% compliance to seven out of 10 stroke quality measures during the 12-month period.
The Target: Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Quality Achievement Award recognizes hospitals’ commitment and success ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. To receive the award, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator (or tPA), the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of a stroke every four minutes and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
Howard Welcomes 50 New Citizens in Naturalization Ceremony
Fifty immigrants, representing 24 nations, recently became United States citizens in a special naturalization ceremony held at the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.
Juliet Choi, the chief of staff for the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services, administered the Oath of Allegiance and welcomed the new citizens. The 24 nations represented during the ceremony were Cameroon, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Latvia, Mali, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
FIRN Executive Director Hector Garcia emphasized that the naturalization ceremony is always an emotional event. “I always have a hard time holding back my emotions,” he said, “when I look out and see all the different faces and cultures. I am incredibly grateful that these individuals are now a part of the United States and no longer living on the sidelines.”
The ceremony was videotaped and is available on YouTube at http://youtu.be/FChsuoBcrKE and on Howard County Government’s Facebook page.
In addition, FIRN announced its 2015 American Success Award Winners. They are Diane Li, Howard County Library System; Battalion Chief José Sánchez, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services; and Jahantab Siddiqui, Howard County Government, Office of the County Executive. Also, FIRN’s 2015 Pat Hatch Award Winner is Tim Siemens, Grace Community Church.
The Children’s Cancer Foundation Moves Office to Columbia
The Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF) has relocated its office from Owings Mills to 5570 Sterrett Place, Suite 204, Columbia. The CCF is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to regional hospitals in the Baltimore-Washington area for cancer research, for improving pediatric facilities and for improving quality of care for pediatric cancer patients.
“As a regional charity serving Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, our new location positions us more centrally to the hospitals we serve and affords us the opportunity to be part of the dynamic nonprofit community of Howard County,” said Board President Dr. Jerrold Chadwick, Jr.
Howard Conservancy Celebrating Quarter Century Mark
The Howard County Conservancy will celebrate its 25th anniversary at its ninth annual Wine in the Garden/Beer in the Barn fundraiser. The event will be held at the Howard County Conservancy–Mt. Pleasant, 10520 Old Frederick Road, Woodstock, on Thursday, May 28, from 5–8 p.m.
Listen to bluegrass music performed by Dean Sapp and the Hartford Express and revelers will be able to find treasures and bargains as they browse the large silent auction of artwork, getaways and experiences, dining and themed packages, and much more.
Proceeds benefit the conservancy’s array of environmental education and preservation programs that help individuals of all ages and interests connect with nature throughout the year. The event will be held in the Gudulesky Gallery in the event of rain. Visit www.hcconservancy.org/wine for details/tickets or contact Allison Anderson at 410-465-8877 or [email protected].
Laurel Museum Presenting the ‘Inside Scoop’
“Local Media: The Inside Scoop on What’s Covered & Why” is the first in a five-part series called: “The Rest of the Story,” designed to complement the Laurel Museum’s current exhibit: “Ripped From The Headlines: Laurel in the News,” which runs through Dec. 20.
Future programs include the following. May 14: “Laurel Remembers the Wallace Assassination”; July 9: “Cold Case Solved: The Stephanie Watson Murder”; Sept. 10: “Reporting on Integration at Laurel’s Schools”; and Oct. 8: “Flu, Measles and More: Vaccinations and Epidemics Then and Now.”
The Laurel Museum is open Wednesdays and Fridays 10–2, Sundays 1–4. The John Calder Brennan research library, which includes newly digitized copies of the Laurel Leader from 1897–2008, is open, by appointment, Monday–Friday.
The museum is located at 817 Main Street, Laurel. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org.
Atholton High Fills Empty Bowls for Grassroots
The National Art Honor Society at Atholton High School is hosting “Empty Bowls 2015 & Student Art Show,” a community fundraiser for Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, on Friday, May 15, from 5 to 8 p.m., in the cafeteria.
Admission to the art show is free and admission to the dinner is $10 and includes soup and bread and a handmade ceramic bowl. Soups are made fresh and donated by faculty, students and parents. Student artwork will be on display.
The ceramic soup bowls have been created by Atholton High School students. All of the proceeds from the event go to Grassroots, Howard County’s only 24-hour crisis center and homeless shelter. No reservations are necessary, and attendees pay at the door. Atholton High School is located at 6520 Freetown Road in Columbia. For information, call 410-313-7065.
CA to Consider Minor Change to Charter at May 14 Meeting
The annual meeting of Columbia Association’s (CA) corporate members on May 14 will include a discussion of a minor change to CA’s charter and by-laws.
The proposed change is replacing CA’s current headquarters address (10221 Wincopin Circle, Columbia) with its new headquarters address (6310 Hillside Court, Columbia). CA is scheduled to move to its new headquarters at the end of August. The change will become effective following the move.
The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a meeting of CA’s board of directors and the annual meeting of the Columbia Council. A draft of the proposed change can be seen at Columbiaassociation.org/home/showdocument?id=6762.
The Arc Hosts Annual Awards Event
The Arc of Howard County will host its Celebration of Excellence awards event on Wednesday, May 13, at The Gathering Place in Clarksville. The Celebration of Excellence reception begins at 7:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony will begin at 8 p.m.
Award presentations will be made to individuals and groups that promote The Arc’s mission of achieving full community life for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Six categories of achievement will be recognized at the awards ceremony: employment, schools, professional services, community, public service and self-advocacy.
The Gathering Place is located at 6129 Day Long Lane in Clarksville. Make reservations at arcawards.eventbrite.com b.y May 8. For more information, contact Kierra Kimmie at [email protected].
HCAC Announces Two New Exhibits
The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) has opened two new exhibits: Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2015 and Shimmer: Steven Durow & Jeff Hensley.
In its 31st year at the HCAC, Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2015 features recent work created by artists who have studios at the Center for the Arts: James Adkins, Joan Bevelaqua, Michael Brown, Myungsook Ryu Kim, Art Landerman, Diana Marta, Amanda Gordon Miller, Joyce Ritter, Jereme Scott, Alice St. Germain-Gray, Andrei Trach, Jamie Travers, Mary Jo Tydlacka and David Zuccarini. The artists work in a variety of media including oil and watercolor painting, woodblock printmaking, drawing, fiber art and glass bead-making.
In Shimmer: Steven Durow & Jeff Hensley, Durow’s cast glass and iron sculptures play with the two divergent materials to accentuate the dichotomy of lightness and weight, transparency and opacity. Hensley’s multi-component installations make use of light as well as paint, gold leaf, graphite and even mud to create elegant and reflective compositions.
A free reception will be held on June 18 from 6–8 p.m. Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2015 and Shimmer run through June 26. For more information about HCAC programs and exhibits, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit www.hocoarts.org.
Jewish Federation of Howard County Presents Live Cabaret & Casino
Tickets are now on sale for Jewish Federation of Howard County’s annual fundraiser, Federation Live. This year’s gala will be held at Horowitz Visual & Performing Arts Center at Howard Community College on Thursday, May 28, from 6–10 p.m. The evening features music, food and wine, casino tables, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle, with dietary laws observed.
The evening spotlights five honorees: Nicole Pilevsky, M.D., in the Medical Professional category; Martin Leshin in the Business Leader category; Susan Gordon in the Woman of Valor category; Jonathan Goldberg in the Community Builder category; and Jeremy Goldman in the Young Leadership category.
For information, contact Meghann Schwartz at 410-730-4976, ext.106, or [email protected] Event co-chairs are Sue Green and Jodie Limsky. All proceeds from Federation Live benefit Jewish Federation of Howard County.
SECU, Terps Support Children’s Hospital
A memorable regular season for the University of Maryland men’s basketball team is turning into a record-breaking year for Points for Pediatrics. Through the program, SECU teamed up with the team before last season to donate $5 to the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital for every point scored by the Terps during the regular season schedule.
The Terps finished the 2014–15 regular season with 2,160 points scored, bringing SECU’s total donation to the hospital to $10,800. This marks the third consecutive year that SECU and the UMD men’s basketball team have partnered to support the program. During these three years, SECU has donated more than $33,000 to the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital.
Arundel Department on Aging Offers Virtual Dementia Tour
To help family caregivers understand the physical and mental challenges of those with dementia, the National Family Caregiver Support Program at the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities has scheduled a free Virtual Dementia Tour education workshop for family caregivers.
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 6–8 p.m., at the Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie. The tour is a scientifically proven method designed to build sensitivity and awareness in individuals caring for those with dementia.
There are approximately 35 million Americans age 65 and older, and more than 5.4 million suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is the overriding diagnosis for cognitive impairments and the largest category under dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.
Anyone needing special accommodations can contact Mary Chaput at 410-222-4464, ext. 3045, or [email protected] at least seven days in advance of the event.
Annual Matzohball 5K Set for June 7
Temple Isaiah is sponsoring the 11th Annual Matzohball 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run on Sunday, June 7, 9 a.m., at Centennial Park in Ellicott City. The course starts and finishes near Pavilions A, B and C at the South Entrance and follows the paved foot paths around the lake.
Awards will be given for age group winners, and prizes and giveaways have been provided by sponsors and local businesses. Music and entertainment will be featured. The free Howard County Family Wellness Day follows the race.
The entry fee is $25 for individuals and $40 for families (limited to six related people) before May 15; fees are $30 per individual and $45 per family if registration if after May 15. One Matzohball T-shirt is included for each individual or family registration. Additional shirts are available for $10, if ordered by May 15.
Proceeds benefit DreamBuilders, Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Hope Works and Temple Isaiah. Register at www.matzohballrun.com. For more information, contact Barry Dubin at [email protected].
Howard County to Host Veterans Resource Fair
The Howard County Veterans and Military Families Commission will host a Veterans Resource Fair on Tuesday, May 19, from 5 to 8:45 p.m., at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City. While geared towards veterans living in Howard County, all veterans are invited to attend. Admission is free.
The fair will offer attendees the opportunity to talk face-to-face with more than 25 businesses, organizations and nonprofits dedicated to providing services, support and jobs to veterans.
The Howard County Veterans and Military Families Commission was established in 2011 to enhance public awareness and support to veterans and military families who reside and/or work within Howard County. For more information, contact Lisa Terry with the Howard County Office of Military Affairs at 410-313-0821.
Whole Foods Donates Nickels to Local Nonprofits
Whole Foods Market in Downtown Columbia is hosting a “Nickels for Nonprofits” drive, which will provide donations to The Arc of Howard County and the Friends of the Howard County Library System (HCLS). Every time a customer refuses a shopping bag, the store will donate a nickel to one of the two nonprofits. The customer chooses which beneficiary.
The campaign encourages shoppers to reuse their Whole Foods shopping bags while also supporting local organizations. The drive runs through July 6, when Whole Foods will donate the proceeds to the two organizations.
The Arc of Howard County provides vocational and residential supports and services, respite care and other programs and services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Friends of the HCLS is a nonprofit organization that supports HCLS in its mission to deliver high quality education for all ages.
Providence Center’s 23rd Annual Golf Classic Set for June 1
Providence Center, a nonprofit organization that serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Anne Arundel County, will hold its 23rd Annual Moran Golf Classic on June 1 at Queenstown Harbor in Queenstown.
The Classic will once again be presented by Severna Park-based Moran Insurance and Chiron Technology Services, a Columbia-based cybersecurity and technology company, with the addition of long-time sponsor but first time presenting sponsor, Reliable Contracting Co., a Gambrills-based construction company.
The shotgun start begins at 10 a.m. with food catered by The Grill at Quarterfield Station. For more information, visit www.providencecenter.com. Sponsorships are still available, and sponsors can register online.
HCLS Administrative Branch Moving to New Headquarters
The Howard County Library System (HCLS) completed the relocation of administrative and operational support staff to its new HCLS Administrative Branch, located at 9411 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, on Monday, May 4. The move consolidates all non-branch-specific employees into the newly-renovated facility that once housed the original Miller Branch. All phone numbers remain the same.