Community Bank of the Chesapeake Waldorf Branch calls for artists

Community Bank of the Chesapeake and the Charles County Art Alliance are accepting submissions for a third art show, a multi-media exhibit, to be held at the main Waldorf branch, 3035 Leonardtown Road, Waldorf, from May 20 to Aug. 19.

Local artists are invited to submit a maximum of two works of art for consideration at no cost. Artwork entries must be submitted electronically as digital images (jpegs) attached to an email sent to waldorfwestgallery@gmail.com. Reference “Community Bank Gallery” in the subject line.

The email must include the artist’s name, mailing address, email address, phone number, biography (half-page max, in Microsoft Word), headshot, title of artwork, medium and materials used, size and dimensions, the year it was created and price if applicable.

The artists will be notified later in May. All artwork must be wired and ready to hang. For more information on the gallery, contact Gale Kladitis at gkladitis@comcast.net.

Charles County Pay It Forward Week encourages acts of kindness

Charles County Pay It For ward Week will take place the week of April 22-28. The county commissioners would like to encourage all citizens to show random acts of kindness and inspire others through their actions. The receiver

Maryland Dog-Fest returns for fifth year of family-friendly fun

The fifth annual Maryland Dog-Fest will take place May 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Charles County Fairgrounds in La Plata. All leashed dogs are invited to attend with their owners.

The event will feature entertainment, dog-related exhibitors and adoptions.

The main stage will host a variety of family-friendly, interactive shows and contests. Events include a dog and owner look-a-like contest, Dogs Got Talent competition, doggy fashion show, training seminars, and a costume contest. Dozens of vendors specializing in an assortment of dog-related products and services will also be at the event.

Last year, more than 100 dogs were adopted at the event. Rescue, shelter, and adoption groups will be on hand in the Adoption Zone to assist individuals who are looking to add a new member to their family.

Opportunities are still available for dog-related vendors and non-profit and rescue groups to showcase their businesses at Maryland Dog-Fest. Interested exhibitors or nonprofit and rescue groups should submit their information online.

Tickets can be purchased at the gates of the event and are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. Children 4-years-old and younger and dogs are admitted for free. Ample parking is available onsite, free of cost.

In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the event, tickets will also be given away in the weeks leading up to the event through the Maryland Dog-Fest Facebook page.

For more information, go to www.marylanddogfest.com.

Blue Crabs to salute troops every Friday night at home games

The St. Charles Companies and Chick-fil-A of Charles County are partnering to welcome all retired and active duty military personnel to Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball games every Friday night when there is a home game at Regency Stadium in St. Charles. Joined by the USO and V Connections, which connects members of the military with programs and benefits for veterans, Salute the Troops nights will feature special jerseys worn by the Blue Crabs’ players honoring military service, recognition of those who have served before and during the game, information about benefits programs available to active duty and separated military, and information from the USO about how to help them support troops stationed overseas and their families. At the end of the season, on Sept. 9, the commemorative uniforms will be auctioned off with proceeds donated to the USO.

On April 22, the Blue Crabs first home Friday night game, all members of the military and their families will receive free admission to the game with their military ID. The USO’s Steve Tomlin will welcome the crowd and attending military families prior to the game and the USO Metro’s Navy Honor Guard, featuring Flag Bearers from every branch of the military, will present colors at the game.

In addition, St. Charles and Chick-fil-a have renewed their sponsorship of a game time moment of silence recognition for POWs/MIAs at every Blue Crabs home game. During the moment of silence fans will turn their attention to a special seat at the stadium designated to remember America’s POW/MIAs.

SMECO Empowers creates comprehensive user experience

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) integrated a customer self-service application from Oracle into its existing customer information system to help satisfy this consumer-centric trend and count itself among those offering a comprehensive user experience.

The co-op recognized that its highest call volumes involved making payments and payment arrangements. With the Oracle solutions in place, the utility was able to automate the payment process, which improves customer service, enables members to engage with SMECO in their channel of choice, and allows the contact center staff to work more efficiently and focus more time on solving complex issues.

To continue its commitment to member satisfaction, SMECO plans to use additional Oracle Utilities Customer Self Service capabilities to expand user options within the co-op’s mobile application. Currently, the mobile application offers outage maps and outage reporting capabilities; SMECO will leverage Oracle Utilities Customer Self Service to add an account management option, enabling customers to securely log in and instantly access even more information and account management tasks via their mobile devices. SMECO is also working on an advanced metering infrastructure project, which will be complete in 2017. As part of that initiative, SMECO will launch an energy portal to show customers their detailed energy information, including high bill alerts, within Oracle Utilities Customer Self Service.

Last day of school for students is June 15

The last day of the 201516 school year for Charles County Public Schools students is Wednesday, June 15. Two-hour early dismissal days are June 10, June 13, June 14 and June 15. The last day of school for students in the Three’s program is Wednesday, June 8. The last day for teachers is Thursday, June 16.

Charles County Public Schools used five of the six inclement weather days built into the school calendar. The school system closed schools five times for inclement weather on Jan. 21, Jan. 22, Jan. 25, Jan. 26 and Feb. 16.

Report cards for students in the Three’s program will be issued on June 8. Morning prekindergarten students will receive their report cards on Wednesday, June 15, and afternoon prekindergarten students receive their report cards on Tuesday, June 14.

All other elementary school students receive report cards on June 15. Report cards for middle and high school students will be mailed on Wednesday, June 22.

Registration for the 2016 Summer School program begins at the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center on Wednesday, June 22, and Thursday, June 23. Classes begin for Summer School on Tuesday, June 28, at Westlake High School.

Mental health film premieres at CSM La Plata

The producers of “Healing Voices,” a new 90-minute social action documentar y about mental health, are rolling out an innovative plan to release the film via community screening partners in a coordinated global event, including screenings at the College of Southern Maryland, La Plata campus. The movie will screen in more than 120 locations across the U.S., Canada, UK, New Zealand, and Australia beginning April 29. Written and Directed by PJ Moynihan of Digital Eyes Film, “Healing Voices” explores the experience commonly labeled as ‘psychosis’ through the stories of real-life individuals. The film follows three subjects – Oryx, Jen, Dan – over nearly five years, and features interviews with notable international experts including Robert Whitaker, Dr. Bruce Levine, Celia Brown, Will Hall, Dr. Marius Romme, and others, on the history of psychiatry and the rise of the ‘medical model’ of mental illness.

Local community screening partners will execute “Healing Voices” premiere events, which will be followed by audience discussion relating to the content of the film. The documentary is ideal for individuals with experience in the mental health system, educators, peer advocates, researchers, psychiatrists, psychologists, healthcare workers, first responders, family members, or anyone who has been touched by mental health issues in their life.

The local community screening partner for Southern Maryland is The International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP) (www. psychintegrity.org) and will be hosting the La Plata screening. The screening is free and open to the public.

Two separate screenings will be held at CSM. The first will be for CSM students only and take place at 9 a.m. on April 29 on the La Plata campus in Building LR, room 102. The second will be open to the public at 6 p.m. May 2 in Building BI, room E. To register, email docruby@me.com or call 301-646-6022.

For more information about the film, go to www. HealingVoicesMovie.com and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-e-levine/ healing-voices-intriguing_b_8817642.html.