Mulch loading ends Oct. 27 at Piney Church Road facility

Saturday, Oct. 27, will be the last day residents can have mulch loaded at the Piney Church Road Mulch Facility for the season. Residents can continue to self-load mulch while supplies last:

• Breeze Farm Recycling Center, 15950 Cobb Island Road, Cobb Island: Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Pisgah Recycling Center, 6645 Mason Springs Road, La Plata: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Piney Church Road Mulch Facility, 5370 Piney Church Road: Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works, Environmental Resources Division, at 301-932-3599 or 301-870-2778. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-7352258.

Health department announces flu immunization clinics

The Charles County Department of Health has released its schedule for free flu immunization clinics. Flu Mist will not be available, according to a news release.

Additional evening clinics in schools throughout the county have been scheduled in order to accommodate those parents that wish to have their children immunized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible, according to the release.

The remaining clinics are as follows:

• Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, 2040 St. Thomas Drive, Waldorf.

• Thursday, Oct. 18, 3 to 7 p.m., La Plata High School, 6035 Radio Station Road, La Plata.

• Thursday, Nov. 1, 3 to 7 p.m., Piccowaxen Middle School, 12834 Rock Point Road, Newburg.

• Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Charles County Dept. of Health, 4545 Crain Highway, White Plains.

• Thursday, Nov. 8, 4 to 7 p.m., Smallwood Middle School, 4990 Indian Head Highway, Indian Head.

• Tuesday, Nov. 13, 3 to 7 p.m., Thomas Stone High School, 3785 Leonardtown Road, Waldorf.

• Thursday, Dec. 13, 3 to 7 p.m., Charles County Dept. of Health, 4545 Crain Highway, White Plains.

For additional information about flu clinics, go to www.CharlesCountyHealth.org, or call the Charles County Department of Health at 301-609-6900.

Colonial Faire planned to celebrate 250 years of Maxwell Hall

The Crossroads of Hughesville Garden Club has announced a Colonial Faire to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the historic Maxwell Hall property in Charles County at 17388 Teagues Point Road in Hughesville on Saturday, Oct. 13, according to a news release.

The celebration will begin with family-friendly activities at 10 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. Daytime events are free to the public. The evening event, Tavern Night, begins at 5 p.m. and is for adults only. The Tavern Night is a fundraiser for the Hughesville Garden Club. Tickets for the Tavern Night must be purchased by Sept. 28.

The schedule of events includes a history of Maxwell Hall at 11 a.m.; colonial period music at 11:30; First Maryland Regiment of the Continental Line demonstration, noon; a Hessian reenactment, 12:30; Calvert Arundel Swordsmen demonstration, 1 p.m.; and Native American storytelling, 1:30. There will be other ongoing demonstrations as well as food and a marketplace.

For more information, contact Rose Gazarek at rosegazarek@gmail.com, or phone 585-233-6265. Checks for Tavern Night at $60 per person can be mailed to Hughesville Garden Club, P.O. Box 403, Hughesville, MD 20637.

The Crossroads of Hughesville Garden Club supports home gardening, floral design, civic beautification, conservation, and the environment in the Southern Maryland region including Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s and Prince George’s counties. Among the projects supported are Meals on Wheels, Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, College of Southern Maryland Scholarship Program, Gardens of Maxwell Hall, and many more throughout the region. For more information, go to http:// www.hughesvillegardenclub.org.

Business network brings Speed to fundraiser

The Southern Maryland Business Network is hosting High Energy and Comedy with Speed to raise money for Charles County Crime Solvers.

Speed, the original “high energy magician and illusionist,” is known for his hyperactive and fun modern performance style. He has performed over 4,200 live shows up and down the East Coast and Canada over the past 23 years.

The event will include heavy hors d’oeuvres by Apple Spice Junction, desserts by Spring Dell Center and a cash bar.

The fundraising show is Oct. 20 at the Family Life Center, Grace Lutheran Church/School, at 1200 Charles St. in La Plata. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at smbn.org or by calling Cindy at 301-3749059.

Volunteers needed for Christmas Connection program

Christmas Connection is a volunteer and interagency partnership providing holiday cheer to seniors and families in need. The Charles County Department of Community Services leads the “Adopt-a-Senior” portion of the project and is seeking volunteers to prepare and deliver holiday food baskets to seniors who have been determined to be financially needy and without support of family at the holiday time, according to a news release.

Individuals wishing to volunteer should call the Department of Aging at 1-855-843-9725 or 301-9349305 ext. 5737 by Friday, Nov. 2. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.

CSM gets $33K from trust for Project SUCCESS

The Charles County Charitable Trust recently awarded the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) $33,112 to expand CSM’s Project SUCCESS — a reading, writing and math tutoring program for students who need to improve their skills to continue enrollment to college-level courses, according to a news release. CSM’s Project SUCCESS also addresses academic preparation by helping those students in CSM’s developmental courses achieve success through academic and student support services.

The Charles County Charitable Trust funding will be used to purchase hardware and software for the Project SUCCESS resource room and enable at least 250 students entering the college at the remedial level improve their reading, writing and math skills through the use of 20 new computers, equipped with scanners and assistive reading, writing and math software.

“This Charles County Charitable Trust grant gives us a tremendous boost for our Project SUCCESS program which is aimed at helping our students who are struggling academically,” said Robert Farinelli, assistant vice president of academic affairs.

According to a preliminary report published in July by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, a City University of New York initiative that provides a semester of intense remedial instruction before students enroll in a degree program is key to helping students overcome academic shortcomings, and ultimately finish their college pursuits.

To learn more about Project SUCCESS, talk to a CSM academic advisor, or to enroll at CSM, visit www.csmd.edu. Learn more about the Charles County Charitable Trust online at www.charlesnonprofits.org/grants.

Charles Regional’s Hunt earns master PIO designation

In September, University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center (UM CRMC) Director of Marketing and Communications Crystal N. Hunt earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s highest public information officer certification — Master Public Information Officer (MPIO). Hunt is now one of just 60 public information officers nationwide who have completed the MPIO Program, according to a news release.

The MPIO program prepares public information officers for an expanded role in delivering public information and warnings using a strategic, whole community approach. Hunt completed the threeweek course of study at the Homeland Security Department’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg.

The MPIO program requirements include designing and developing a nine-month capstone research project that contributes to the body

of knowledge for emergency management-related public information. Hunt’s paper, “PIOs Networking Together: An Analysis of Peer-to-Peer Professional Interpersonal Engagement and Its Impact on Emergency Public Information,” along with those of her fellow graduates, will be published in the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Emergency Training Center library. The library houses more than 200,000 resources on fire, emergency management and other all-hazards subjects.

Hunt, who serves as UM CRMC’s primar y spokesperson and public information officer, was chosen after a rigorous application process, requiring an essay and recommendation letters from peers.

Commissioners to review legislative proposals Nov. 14

The Charles County Board of Commissioners will review legislative proposals submitted by county government departments and affiliated agencies (Charles County Sheriff’s Office, State’s Attorney’s Office, and Health Department) on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 2:30 p.m.

The final 2019 legislative package will be submitted to the Charles County Delegation in December or January by the incoming Board of Commissioners. The current board will not vote on any legislative proposals.

Citizens that desire to submit legislative proposals should send their proposals directly to the Charles County Delegation at the following address: The Honorable Edith J. Patterson, Maryland State Delegate, 221 House Office Building, 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 20646.

Any citizen proposals received by the county will be forwarded directly to the delegation. Citizen proposals will not be considered on Wednesday, Nov. 14.

For more information, call the Office of the County Attorney at 301-645-0555. Citizens with special needs may contact the Mar yland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800735-2258.

Salvation Army seeks volunteers for Red Kettles

The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle season kicks off Nov. 11, and the group is looking for foot soldiers, aka Red Kettle Bell Ringers, according to a news release. Individuals, families, groups and teams are welcome.

This is the Salvation Army’s biggest fundraising initiative every year. When people volunteer and donate at a Red Kettle they should expect change. Their change makes it possible to provide programs and services that change lives in the community.

Each of Red Kettle location needs a warm heart to ring the bell, according to the release. The hands may be cold, but being a Red Kettle Ringer can be a heartwarming experience.

How many warm hearts and cold hands are needed? It takes 3,475, two hour shifts to be able cover all of the 19 Red Kettle locations in the Southern Maryland area.

Each two-hour timeslot generates approximately $80 — that provides 80 meals, a month of heat for a family, three days of camp for an underprivileged child and a whole lot of hope during challenging times, according to the release. Funds donated at a Red Kettle stay in Southern Maryland.

Sign up for a couple of hours, a morning or adopt a Red Kettle for the day. Register now and make some joyful noise. Call 301-638-9532, or email Christopher.Pachik@uss. salvationarmy.org.