Cecil County Life Spring/Summer 2022 Edition

Spring/Summer 2022

Cecil County Life

Magazine M agazin ne

Good Shepherd Catholic School ‘Be who you are, and be that well’ - Page 44

Inside: • Fair Hill Nature Center's new leader • Bainbridge Logistics Center: Opportunity grows in Port Deposit • West Nottingham Academy

Complimentary Copy

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Cecil County Life Spring/Summer 2022

Cecil County Life 60

Table of Contents 8

Laura Hannan: Fair Hill Nature Society’s new leader

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West Nottingham Academy’s distinguished history

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Bainbridge: The new hub of progress

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6 B’s: A juggernaut of goodwill

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Photo essay: Good Shepherd Catholic School

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Q & A with Sandy Turner, Cecil County Office of Tourism

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The Dolly Parton Imagination Library

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Cecil County Life Spring/Summer 2022 Letter from the Editor: Cecil County is a desirable destination and a great place to call home—as any local resident will tell you.

In this issue, we offer several stories that illustrate some of the exciting things taking place in the county.

Cecil County Life recently met with Sandy Turner, the manager of the Cecil County Office of Tourism, to hear about the exciting new events and traditional favorites that will be attracting visitors to the county this summer and fall.

There has been a lot of news about Cecil County’s growing reputation as a top-notch location for businesses. Construction on the Bainbridge Logistics Center is officially underway, and with it Cecil County is poised to become a major connector for business transportation along the I-95 corridor. The project could bring as many as 1,500 good-paying jobs.

This issue features a story about Laura Hannan, the first full-time executive director of Fair Hill Nature Center and Environmental Foundation. Her first priority is increasing awareness of the center, the foundation and the outdoors.

Not many schools can boast to having taught two signers of the Declaration of Independence or having a teacher who later became president and trustee of one of the nation’s most elite universities. Contributing writer Gene Pisasale explores the distinguished history of West Nottingham Academy, and the impact that some of its students had on the world around them.

This issue features a story about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five. This program grew quickly after launching in 1995, and children around the world have benefitted—including right here in Cecil County.

We also feature a story about the 6B’s, a group that can best be described as a “a juggernaut of goodwill.”

It was founded by two Elkton High School alumni.

Members of the 6 B’s have provided assistance and acts of kindness to many people since the group was formed more than five years ago. They have decided to focus their efforts primarily on Preston & Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger, a food drive to support Philabundance, and the Delaware Special Olympics, including its Polar Bear Plunge.

The subject of the photo essay is the Good Shepherd Catholic School, which has been educating its students under the principles of faith, socialization and character for eight decades.

We hope you enjoy these stories, and we always welcome comments and suggestions for stories to highlight in a future issue of Cecil County Life. We look forward to bringing you the next edition, which will arrive in the fall.

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Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, Ext. 13 Cover design: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: Jim Coarse www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Cecil County Life

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|Cecil County People|

Fair Hill’s new lea Fair Hill Nature Center and Environmental Foundation Executive Director Laura Hannan leads the agency to new heights

The center is a private nonprofit, operating on land in the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

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410-214-2222 The Gardens at Bethlehem Farm

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n Laura Hannan’s first month as the Fair Hill Nature Center and Environmental Foundation’s first full-time executive director, she made a wish list that included a vacuum cleaner. That’s because she thought its vacuum might date back to when its headquarters was built – 75 years ago.

She has a long list of wishes, priorities and tasks.

“Every day, you have eight or 10 things things that you need to do, and I take maybe one thing off the list,” she said. “Then add about 17.”

Her first priority is increasing awareness of the center, the foundation and the outdoors.

“In this day and age, where people can’t get together, and kids are relying on technology more and more often for their entertainment and for their learning, we are still dedicated to getting kids outside and connecting them to the environment that they live in,” she said. “That’s so important because we hope we end up with a future generation of stewards who understand what is so important about Cecil County.”

She is planning a general fundraising campaign and a capital campaign. The wish list offers suggestions for people who like to make tangible donations, such as hats and gloves for schoolchildren who come unprepared for outdoor learning and coffee for teachers and bus drivers.

Continued on Page 10

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eader All photos courtesy of Fair Hill Nature Center and Environmental Foundation

Laura Hannan is the first full-time executive director of the Fair Hill Nature Center and Environmental Foundation.

Behind her are rows of boots that children use when exploring Elk Creek.

Build Diversify Cultivate

BAINBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Bainbridge- the destination where it all comes together.

748 Jacob Tome Memorial Hwy, Port Deposit, MD 21904 410-378-9200 www.bainbridgedevelopment.org

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Laura Hannan Continued from Page 8

She also wants to improve its building (carefully, since it’s historic); go to more schools in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania; have regular public hours; and host more community programs.

One such program will be in yoga. Hannan has run a yoga studio in Elkton and savors the effect of hatha yoga several times a week.

“Focus on your breath and have a little bit of fun,” she said.

“Honestly, it helps keep you limber and strong.”

A lifetime of Fair Hill experiences Hannan’s new job builds on a lifetime with Fair Hill, first as a young student visitor, then a parent of participants and a year and half on its board of directors.

“I’ve always loved the nature center,” she said. “I went to North East Elementary, Middle and High. I came to the nature center as a kid, and I’ve just always loved this institution.”

Her last job was as a vice president and senior government banker for M&T Bank in Wilmington, focused on government lending.

“I covered this area, and they like to see us involved in the community,” she said. “I really wanted to make sure it was a Cecil County nonprofit that I was involved with.”

Continued on Page 12

During a school field trip, children hike by a real covered bridge and get to frolic on a playscape with a smaller replica.

Birthday Parties Corporate Events School Trips Zoo Camps Educational Programs

610.658.6850 1416 Telegraph Rd., Rising Sun, MD 21911

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www.plumptonparkzoo.org

Laura Hannan Continued from Page 10

After almost a year of strategic planning, the board decided it needed a full-time executive director to handle the fundraising, marketing, business operations and community outreach to build upon its decades of programming, said board chair Polly Binns.

“I started to see all kinds of ways where I could add value,” Hannan said, citing relationships with local governments and school districts, 18 years in banking and her business administration degree.

The job was posted. Multiple people applied. Several candidates interviewed. Hannan was hired.

“Laura has a great background in business development, which is critical, plus an entrepreneurial bent,” Binns said of Hannan. “She has an incredible network in three states, and she knows everyone in Cecil County,” Continued on Page 14

Magnifying glasses help visitors learn more as they examine specimens.

Touching helps, too.

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A hunting lodge built in the 1940s houses the center.

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Laura Hannan Continued from Page 12

partly from her work at the Cecil County Public Library Business Information Center. “And she’s passionate about our mission of environmental education and vitamin N,” she said, with the “N” referring to Nature.

Six animal ambassadors The history of the property where Fair Hill Nature Center sits traces its origins to 1608, when Europeans first explored the area. The first major event for its site was in 1926, when William du Pont Jr. bought the first farm that became his Fair Hill estate. In 1944-1945, Italian stone masons built the hunting lodge that now houses the center.

In 1974, his heirs sold the 5,700-acre Fair Hill property to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, with 2,000 adjacent acres sold to a neighbor in Pennsylvania.

In 1989, Ralph Young and Linda Bystrak conceived the idea for the private nonprofit, operating on land in the Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area. It opened in 1990.

The center today has a staff of two full-time people (Hannan and education and program director Lisa Ham), Continued on Page 16

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Visitors learn about a weather station managed by the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. The data can be seen by selecting “Fair Hill” at www.deos.udel.edu.

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Laura Hannan Continued from Page 14

six part-time educators and six animal ambassadors. They all have duties in Fair Hill and in outreach programming.

The animal ambassadors are Bernate, a box turtle; Spot, a diamondback terrapin; Ruby, a red-eared slider; Jake, a corn snake; Kai, a king snake; and Axel, an axolotl.

Bernate is the title character in “A Winter’s Tail,” the center’s first book, about surviving winter (his name is a riff on “hibernate”).

“Spot is our most engaging ambassador,” Hannan said.

“She loves people. Every time someone comes over to her enclosure, she gets out of her pond to say ‘hi.’ She’s so active and so beautiful.” During the interview, Spot performs on cue when Hannan walks over. (Alas, no food reward: Spot is on a strict diet.)

All those activities The center offers a dozen summer camps, eight science field trips for students, six outreach programs, varied events (including the Fox Trot 5K, annual Trail Clean-Up Days, Fire Fly Fling and Frog Frenzy), five themed birthday parties

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and traveling naturalists. Its educators see more than 5,000 elementary students from Cecil County schools each year.

Hannan’s son Jack, 8, is a veteran of programming by the center at Fair Hill, including a full summer of weekly camps, which he graded B+. To earn a higher grade, he suggested that the camps have more “action stuff,” such as the tubing, hiking, playing sports and encountering animals that he has enjoyed – and maybe even overnighting there, which would be new.

He became very animated during a Zoom interview when discussing the animals he saw at camp, including the center’s animal ambassadors, foxes, ducks, geese and a giant snapping turtle.

His sister Tori, 6, whose Fair Hill experiences have been largely informal, is looking forward to camp this summer, now that she’s old enough.

Important partners include Cecil College for the summer camps and the Boy Scouts. Scout leader Tom Pahutski is on the board; his Troop 302 meets and volunteers there; and Eagle Scouts have built benches, signs and pavilions.

The center and the Scouts also work together to grow and

release brook trout.

“I couldn’t be happier. This has changed my life,” Hannan said, partly contrasting her old commute from Landenberg (where she lives with her husband Tim and their children) to the one now. “My job is to connect kids in the community to nature.

I just feel blessed, and I work with a tremendous group of people.”

Third graders use STEM skills to build a shelter for an animal.

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|Cecil County History|

West Nottingham Academy: Training ground for a republic

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer

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ot many schools can boast to having taught two signers of the Declaration of Independence or having a teacher who later became president and trustee of one of the nation’s most elite universities. West Nottingham Academy can rightly claim credit for all those and much more. Situated in Cecil County, the Academy has a rich history that dates back to when news traveled slowly, the fastest mode of transportation was a horse and the nation’s roads were not much more than muddy pathways through the woods.

West Nottingham Academy was founded in 1744 by Presbyterian Reverend Samuel Finley. Finley originally spent time in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is believed to be a graduate of William Tennent’s Log College in Warminster.

The college was known as a training ground for evangelical Presbyterian ministers during the period now called The Great Awakening. Finley was asked to lead a new congregation which had formed along the lower branch of Octoraro Creek as settlers developed the Nottingham Lots, around what would later be defined as the Mason-Dixon Line.

The church needed him there to serve the local citizens in all matters religious, including baptizing infants, preaching

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the Gospel and consecrating marriages. Finley felt strongly that to live a good and effective life as Christians, people needed training in all the teachings and concepts of the day, in order to allow them to function effectively in a rapidly changing world. Religious practice was important to the Finley family; his brothers James and Andrew also became ministers.

The Academy first operated in a small log cabin structure at the rear of Finley’s home, near the site of the present Rising Sun Middle School. A few years after its founding, the school was moved to a two-story building. Two tragedies—a fire and a storm—destroyed buildings constructed to house students, but in 1865 the red brick building known as the J. Paul Slaybaugh Old Academy was built and it stands to the present day. The Academy is believed to be the first of some 1,600 Presbyterian preparatory boarding schools built across the country. The school website states that West Nottingham is “the longest-standing boarding and day school in the United States.”

Finley’s teaching methods must have worked. They produced two students who would later shape the history of our young republic. Benjamin Rush, known today as one of the most respected physicians in the Philadelphia area during the American Revolution, was one of Finley’s students.

Continued on Page 20

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PHOTO 1: Painting of Samuel Finley by Charles Walker Lind.

PHOTO 2: A West Nottingham Academy historical marker.

PHOTO 3: The West Nottingham Historic District.

PHOTO 4: Richard Stockton, a former student at West Nottingham Academy, signed the Declaration of Independence.

PHOTO 5: West Nottingham Academy

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West Nottingham Academy Continued from Page 18

Finley’s first wife, Sarah Hall, was the sister of Susannah Hall Harvey, Benjamin Rush’s mother. It is thought by some historians that Finley convinced Rush to become a physician. Rush later studied at the College of New Jersey, today’s Princeton University, where Finley taught as well after leaving the Academy. Rush subsequently studied at the University of Edinburgh, receiving his medical degree. He later became the Surgeon General of the Continental Army. Rush became an influential teacher himself. He was later a professor of chemistry and medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Rush would sign the Declaration of Independence and become a strong supporter of the U.S. Constitution.

Finley’s life intersected with another man who would influence the course of our nation. His Academy student Richard Stockton also studied at the College of New Jersey, becoming an attorney and well respected for his legal acumen, as well as a longtime friend of George Washington. Stockton Continued on Page 22

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A portrait of Benjamin Rush by Charles Willson Peale. Rush attended West Nottingham Academy and signed the Declaration of Independence.

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West Nottingham Academy Continued from Page 20

was a member of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia and also signed the Declaration of Independence.

With its rich heritage, West Nottingham Academy proudly anticipates a bright future. The school’s programs encompass a wide range of activities designed to guide students in a number of ways. The school’s website mentions “…from the classroom to the playing fields, art studios and club gatherings, students are exposed to a diverse community… Our environmental sustainability program with its community and global ethic is cutting edge. Our Artist-in-Residence program supported by Eric Fischl, a renowned American painter, is virtually one of a kind.”

West Nottingham Academy feels the school presents the “best of both worlds: a foundation in history and tradition that starts with the founding of the country and… innovation … that will propel us into the future.” Their facilities include the Chesapeake Learning Center with a focus on international students, the Foutz Student Center, Bathon Science Center and Durigg Plaza, an outdoor amphitheater for the school community. The nearby West Nottingham Historic District comprises roughly 85 acres with a stream and small lake and several buildings from the 19th and 20th century.

The Academy’s enrollment is small, at around 130 students, but it offers a wide variety of programs, including sports like soccer, basketball, lacrosse, cross-country and skating. Its figure skating program is renowned, with members of Team USA and Winter Youth Olympics having been on the roster.

Other notable West Nottingham Academy alumni include John Morgan and William Shippen, Jr., co-founders of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Ebenezer Hazard, a U.S. Postmaster General from 1782 to 1789, Alexander Martin, an early governor of North Carolina and Austin Lane Carothers, the governor of Maryland from 1908 to 1912.

Gene Pisasale is an historian and author based In Kennett Square. His ten books focus on Chester County and the mid-Atlantic region. His latest book is titled Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution. His books are available through his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www.Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at: Gene@GenePisasale.com.

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Changing Landscape in Senior Living Options…

Senior Livings Adapting to Future Needs

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enior Housing has become a leading sector for real estate development, and the industry is expected to only become stronger over the next decade. An aging population and longer life expectancy is boosting the demand for expansion of senior living options. Developing high-quality, desirable senior living communities is not just about an attractive place to live; it’s about creating space where people feel safe, supported, connected and cared for. Selecting strategic geographic locations that enable seniors to engage in the surrounding community and experience amenities outside their walls is also becoming key to a successful community. Site selection plays a key role in a successful senior living.

Frank DeMarinis, Leisure Care General Manager (The Vero) When deciding on development opportunities thought was made to not only what senior trends are on a high level but the needs of the local market. Newark downtown is a very attractive and desirable living space, however, seniors often cannot find available housing such as ranch homes or single homes of manageable size and accessibility at reasonable cost. They want to be part of the epicenter but have limited options in a development market heavily focused on townhome and student housing.

Our location is integral to local restaurants and shopping as well as life outside the community living space. We are finding seniors in this market also have appreciation for higher level activities and our locality to the University and programs such as Osher Lifelong Learning.

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According to the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF) 60% of the existing communities are 17-plus years old and not designed to meet customers’ needs. Most senior living communities are 20-plus years old (58%), while only 14.5% are less than five years old. Many older senior living communities were built without the ability to update technology, health, safety or mobility infrastructure, along with smaller units and less of an emphasis on community spaces. New communities are integrating a more hospitality-centered design to facilitate ease of living and social connections, as well as a sense of community among residents and integrate a more hospitality-centered design to facilitate ease of living and social connections, as well as a sense of community among residents.

A growing retirement population and lack of inventory presents opportunities but also challenges due to a new wave of seniors being more selective and discriminating in the services they need and embrace. The baby boomer generation often referred to as the next “wave”. Today the eldest of the group are now 75 and within 10 years even the youngest of that cohort will be at least 65.

Terri Doody, Leisure Care (The Vero) Having worked in the local senior living industry these past 10 years I can attest there is a strong need for new communities. The senior living options are aging more rapidly then the populations they serve. We are in the market of establishing true “communities” not a “facility”

Senior housing generally services those over 75 years and is typically divided into four categories: independent living, assisted living, memory care and nursing care.

A previous model of prevalence has been the Continuing Care Retirement Community Model (CCRC) offering a range of independent living to intermediate care often on a combined campus.

Though historically a popular model some challenges include having to physically move one’s residence as their need(s) increase as well as sometimes having to “buy in” defined as a sizeable community fee in addition to monthly rent.

Frank DeMarinis, Leisure Care General Manager (The Vero) Having a community with multiple care types available requires an in-depth licensing process. As a brand we offer a more modern approach having an integrated living space for both independent living and assisted living allowing residents to age in place without having to physically move as their needs increase. We license the entire community so that we do not have to further disrupt a resident rather dispatch medical staff to where they are needed.

We incorporate hospitality, multifamily and health care all in one. Hospitality services include transportation, housekeeping, entertainment, dining options and other amenities. The multifamily component is focused on a homelike setting and if needed can provide care services such as assistance with bathing, eating and other activities.

The senior living sector was challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic with decreasing occupancy, negative press and increased expense. Some communities went into lockdown mode, allowing only essential team members in the building and implementing quarantine protocols for new residents and any resident having left the building.

During the pandemic, “needs-based” residents moved in at a steadier pace in comparison to independent living seniors that do not need as much care. Post pandemic we are again seeing the trend move toward residents moving not for

necessity alone but social needs, hospitality and lifestyle.

The greatest current and future demand trend for a truly successful community is the High Demand for Direct Care Workers. The senior living industry is already feeling the effects of not having enough direct care workers to provide care to the growing number of seniors.

Frank DeMarinis, Leisure Care General Manager (The Vero) Even before covid we were seeing trendsetters like Amazon raising the bar for the workforce. A paradigm change was already in works for “living wage” over minimum wage.

The antiquated model of high priced living options serviced by one of the lower average wages per sector of non skilled workforce required a shift. Leading operators recognize “you get what you pay for” and competitive wages not only ensure a consistent skilled workforce but a strong product. I am proud we offer a leading wage to our workforce ensuring the best talent. Our proximity and partnership to the University of Delaware not only is a benefit to Seniors but tapping into educated and ambitious labor force with a desire to grow.

As we continue to partner with the University our goal is to give back to the community at large offering internships, educational opportunities and vocational mentorship. Our culinary program offers hospitality opportunities and our wellness program a focus for Health Sciences.

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|Cecil County Business|

With the construction of the Bainbridge Logistics Center officially underway, Cecil County is poised to become a major connector for business transportation along the I-95 corridor, as well as bring as many as 1,500 good-paying jobs All photos courtesy of the Bainbridge Development Corporation

Of the four centers, the largest will be more than 1.7 million square feet in size.

Bainbridge: The new hub of progress

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

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n 1999, the Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC) was founded in order to create a strategic and sustainable plan to develop the former Bainbridge Naval Center.

Utilizing the vision of its board of directors, partnering contractors, consultants, area residents and with the help of the U.S. Navy, the BDC introduced a surefire model for the future several years ago that would create a multi-use community of commercial, office and public space that would also include as many as 1,200 housing units. It was a master plan that would bring in every component of smart-growth opportunity needed to stimulate nearby Port Deposit and all of Cecil County – jobs, open space, business and residences.

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When contamination was detected in the soil on the property, however, the original idea was scrapped – to the dismay of the BDC and its many partnering agencies.

The plan that followed became the transformative stuff of what happens when stakeholders erase one idea and build another.

The new Phase 1 project, titled the Bainbridge Logistics Center, located off of Jacob Tome Highway in Port Deposit, received final project sign-off last November and has recently begin construction on what will become a 440acre, four-building complex that will serve as a key logistics and hub for innovative businesses and corporations that will provide up to 3.6 million square feet of Grade A distribution space.

Continued on Page 28

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Bainbridge Continued from Page 26

‘Open for Business’ “The entire mission of our state government continues to be keeping Maryland open for business, and today represents the culmination of literally decades of effort to do just that as we officially kick off the redevelopment of more than 400 acres of land in this key location along the I-95 corridor,” Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said during ceremonies celebrating the beginning of the project on April 28. “There is a major distribution and logistics market in this region, and the development of Bainbridge will be a tremendous asset and help us continue to meet the need for more and more companies seeking to do business in our state.”

Pre-construction meetings have been held, and the construction of two road systems and installation of water and sewer systems are expected to be completed by the Fall of 2022.

Eventually, the Bainbridge Logistics Center will consist of Building A at 1.73 million square feet, Building B at 1.02 million square feet, Building C at 605,280 square feet and Building D, which will be 378,000 square feet (exact square footage subject to change).

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Maryland Governor Larry Hogan celebrated the official launch of the Bainbridge Logistics Center during ceremonies on April 28.

In between the facilities, hundreds of acres of green space will help beautify the site, with long-term plans to provide accessibility to the nearby Tome School and eventually to Port Deposit.

Prior to the transfer, the BDC addressed any environmental concerns, cleared all vegetation, and installed necessary sediment and erosion controls, in partnership with master developer MTPM LLC., the U.S. Navy.

“It was important for us to handle all of those activities up front in order to get us to a point that we could transfer the property and allow the developer to get all of the necessary permits and approvals and start on the project,” said BDC Executive Director Toni Sprenkle. “It was a multi-year process to reach a compromise that best suits all parties. We didn’t want this to be a financial burden on the U.S. Navy, and we also needed to ensure that the developer can have a successful project, that is also productive for the surrounding community.”

OW! ENROLLING N

100 million potential customers along the I-95 corridor While the roster of future tenants at the facility is still in early stages, it’s a win-win for any business who locates its logistics, storage, and distribution operations at Bainbridge. Strategically located along the I-95 corridor, the eventual companies who will develop on the site will have access to East Coast cities like Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City – and nearly 100 million potential customers.

In addition to its $400 capital investment, Baltimorebased MRP Industrial – the project’s Phase I developer – is also making a substantial investment in the facility’s infrastructure.

“For large companies and retailers who want to upgrade their infrastructure to better manage the transportation services of their goods, the Bainbridge Logistics Center’s location is perfect,” Sprenkle said. “When many people think about warehouses and industrial buildings, they think of gray cinder block facilities, but the technology and the sophistication in these centers will be incredible.

The conveyer systems in these buildings can be valued at over $100 million, and most facilities are complimented by training to show staff how to use this sophisticated equipment.”

With over 40 industrial buildings in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey that total nearly 18 million square feet of distribution space, MRP Industrial has become one of the most successful industrial real estate developers in the Mid-Atlantic region.

... because not all great minds think alike.

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Bainbridge Continued from Page 29

In 2017, MRP Industrial served as the project developer for Prudential (PGIM)’s vacant parcel of land located in Aberdeen.

After a joint marketing effort, MRP constructed a 250,000 square-foot facility for PrimeSource, a national building products company with a distribution network throughout North, Central and South America.

A second nearby project is Franklin Square II, a 192,000 square foot facility located within White Marsh Commerce Center in Baltimore County that is used by Industrial Income Trust (IIT), who acquired the approved development parcel as part of a portfolio acquisition in 2012.

Photo courtesy of MRI Industrial

MRI Industrial, the project developer for the Bainbridge Logistics Center, constructed a 250,000 square-foot logistics center for PrimeSource in Aberdeen.

As many as 1,500 sophisticated jobs As the Phase I stage of the Bainbridge Logistics Center was first being unveiled, it was immediately apparent that the project’s transformative development would bring job creation and economic growth to the surrounding community.

Several years ago, MRP Industrial Principal Dr. Reid Townsend gave the BDC board a presentation in which he hinted at the project’s great potential by referring to MRP Industrial’s past successes that have included attracting businesses to their industrial centers.

The Bainbridge Logistics Center will serve as a 440-acre home for innovative businesses and corporations, and bring more than 1,500 jobs to Cecil County.

17,000 square feet of cool things!

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Townsend anticipated that the first phase of the Bainbridge Logistics Center would create up to 1,500 sophisticated jobs for those in the warehouse and logistics industry, not including additional jobs for those who will help in the trucking transportation of goods throughout the Northeast corridor.

While the Bainbridge Logistics Center’s economic impact will be felt throughout the county, there is one town just down the road that may reap the benefits of its close proximity to the center most. Sprenkle said that the Bainbridge Logistics Center will produce the tax base, amenities, resources and the jobs and small business reinvestment that is needed to revitalize Port Deposit, in order to draw new residents and recruit shop owners to open a business along Main Street, for instance.

“When the Naval Center closed, it devastated Port Deposit, because at one time, there were 38,000 people on the base and it produced 70 percent of the local economy,” Sprenkle said. “The primary goal of the BDC is to provide financial opportunities while at the same time maintain Port Deposit as an historic town, but in order to do that, there needs to be job creation and tax revenue to invest in improvements and amenities.

“With Phase I, Port Deposit could potentially double their operating budget in just one year, which will allow them to invest in properties and clean up a park in order to slowly make the town more appealing for folks to visit here and potentially relocate here.”

Continued on Page 32

Toni Sprenkle, executive director of the Bainbridge Development Corporation.

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Bainbridge |Cecil County Continued from Page 31

Life|

When Sprenkle first arrived at the BDC in 2014, the non-profit group was in the thick of maneuvering itself past environmental findings, potential liabilities while at the same time seeing the goalposts of a project to bring a mixed-use development to Bainbridge move farther and farther away from their sights.

Now, with the start of the Bainbridge Logistics Center now moving ahead, Sprenkle reflected on what it took the BDC to get here.

“It took years of thinking outside of the box in order to reimagine the future,” she said. “We would not have been able to persevere without the input from our elected officials, who have facilitated discussions with leadership in the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense.

“Years ago, Maryland was never looked at as development friendly, but over the past five years, we have taken on the mantle of being more open for development and progress. The Bainbridge Logistics Center will become a part of that development, and I think many will be surprised to see the ripple effect that this project will have, not just on the local community, but across the state and the region.

“Collectively, we will begin to reap the benefits of development, new jobs, updated road systems and small business development

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

An overview of Phase I of the Bainbridge Center.

in Port Deposit. In terms of potential, the sky is the limit.”

To learn more about the Bainbridge Logistics Center in Port Deposit, visit the Bainbridge Development Corporation’s website at www.

BainbridgeDevelopment.org., or follow them on Twitter: @BainbridgeDevCorp.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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|Around Cecil County|

6 B’s

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

T

wo men who met at Elkton High School have created an impressive network of people who agree on what’s important in life and often help out each other – and their communities.

Sturdy Wengen said he and Mike McCarter were “two kids from Cecil who only had what we could hustle.” Now they own businesses and are rich with a network of more than 5,000 mostly local guys, but also women and people living far away.

The group is called 6 B’s, which stands for bikes, boats, babes, bad-ass rides, bullets and beer.

It’s a private Facebook group (you can ask to join by heading to its public group, 6B Network). In the real world, members often display the group logo – those six terms, surrounding a feisty bee.

Continued on Page 36

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

A network created by 2 Elkton H thousands. ‘It’s debauchery with one founder said. ‘A juggernaut

ton High alumni unites with a good cause,’ naut of goodwill.’

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s

(right) Mike McCarter (at the microphone) and Sturdy Wengen attend an event where they dropped off donations to Preston & Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger, a food drive to support Philabundance.

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6 B’s Continued from Page 34

Its approval process asks potential members if they support local charities and first responders and, in somewhat saltier language, if they’re good people.

“It’s debauchery with a good cause,” McCarter said. “A juggernaut of goodwill.”

‘Humble beginnings’ The 6 B’s spell out their shared fun, and the application process bakes in a wholesome stance.

“We’re not just about charity,” Wengen said, although later noting that “Mike and I have always allied themselves with people who like to help. I’ve had money, and I’ve been really broke and had to rely upon the charity of others. I’ve learned to be humble.”

“We grew up with humble beginnings,” McCarter said. “We know what it’s like to be in need.”

McCarter said the community “needed a group like this, but nobody knew how do it.” They applied their business and marketing skills. Wengen, 51, owns Elkton-based Forever Clean.

McCarter, a 50-year-old who lives in Pike Creek, owns the Lawn Doctor of Wilmington franchise. They also perform in Shotgun Betty, which McCarter called “a blue-collar rock band.”

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s

Sturdy Wengen (left) and Mike McCarter founded 6 B’s.

Photo by William Scarborough

Mike McCarter, Sturdy Wengen and other members of 6 B’s during an event at Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle.

The 6 B’s began early in the winter of 2016-17, as sort of joke, McCarter said. The lawn business was slow, and he has lots of time to share photos online of things he liked, like bikes, cars and models posing with either.

“My phone was blowing up with hundreds of likes and notifications,” Wengen recalled, so to create some sort of order they formed the Facebook group to share similar photos, and then activities.

Continued on Page 38

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6 B’s Continued from Page 37

They were also concerned about “a lot of political unrest and that great divide all over social media,” Wengen said. “No in between. Absolutely zero compromise.”

‘Conservative values’ The 6 B’s are “rooted in the same conservative values, but we have friends on both sides of the aisle,” he said. “We all drink beer.” And, it turns out group members are united in other pursuits (“Here are things we can all agree on as men”), like gun ranges and ways to travel in style.

Wengen, for instance, owns a 1954 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery, a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville, a 2013 Road King and a 1982 Shovelhead.

“It’s more of a garden gnome that hangs out in the yard,” he said of the last vehicle. “I’ve had it longer than my first wife.”

After building up to 40,000 members, their Facebook group was shut down for too many content violations. Facebook’s algorithm had issues with all the pinup photos, McCarter recalled, and they didn’t want to become “keyboard warriors,” Wengen said of the time suck of monitoring.

They quickly set up to a private group in Facebook and set up guidelines for members, who often are friends of friends of friends. And as members have moved and people in the military are transferred overseas, membership has Continued on Page 40

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s

(top left) Delaware’s Special Olympics – including its Polar Bear Plunge fundraiser – is one of the two nonprofits that members of 6 B’s have decided to focus on.

Photo courtesy of Mike Clark

(left) A trick-or-trunk entertains the children of members of 6 B’s.

Photo courtesy of Mike Clark

(above) Members of 6 B’s collected more than a ton of food one year for Preston & Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger, a food drive to support Philabundance.

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|Cecil County Life|

6 B’s Continued from Page 38

Jump Continued from Page 40

broadened substantially, but it’s still predominantly in this region.

The group’s newsfeed mixes memes, rants, notices and requests.

“We try to be apolitical, but in this day and age, you can’t,” McCarter said, later calling it “a fun page that’s not politically correct.”

On the Sunday morning this paragraph was first drafted, the top posts included a request for an enclosed trailer to help out a domestic situation and this: “So my brothers and sisters and friends of my circle. I am in need to borrow a wheel chair for a brother of mine. Just for a couple of weeks. Is there anyone out here that could help?”

Within an hour, someone responded with a private message leading to a wheelchair.

“That’s what our page does,” McCarter said of the fast connection. “That’s the beauty of it.”

Photo courtesy of Mike Clark

Members of 6 B’s are united by their love of bikes and five other terms beginning with B. 40

Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

‘Brothers and sisters and family’ Members of the 6 B’s have also helped each other out with business referrals and roadside emergencies. And they’ve also united behind individual causes (such as a jobless leukemia patient, veterans who need work done on their houses, people who lost their home in a fire) and multiple local charities (such as Firebase Lloyd, food banks in Delaware and Maryland, the Ronald McDonald house for families at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Faithful Friends).

They have decided to focus their efforts on Preston & Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger, a food drive to support Philabundance; and Delaware Special Olympics, including its Polar Bear Plunge.

In 2019, in the last holiday drive before coronavirus restrictions, they delivered 6,200 pounds of food for Philabundance.

Continued on Page 42

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s

Members of 6 B’s support Motorcycle Santa’s efforts for families staying in the Ronald McDonald House in Rockland while their children are hospitalized across the street.

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6 B’s Continued from Page 41

Member Drew Beideman was the impetus for supporting Special Olympics. “It’s something true to my heart,” he said of the program for people who have intellectual and physical challenges.

As for 6 B’s, “at first it was a fun Facebook page, a bunch of guys joking around,” he said. “As it grew, I realized how it benefited the community.” And himself. “I consider them brothers and sisters and family.”

McCarter, Wengen and all the members have devoted a lot of time to charities, but the co-founders did not want to give dollar figures on donations. “We don’t want any credit,” McCarter said. “We’re just a conduit to get help where it needs to be.”

Just say “We’re a big community,” Wengen said.

“Sturdy always says ‘Do great things,’” McCarter said. “And I’m always for going above and beyond.”

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Photo by Nick Remick

Members of 6 B’s support a breast cancer patient, whose children painted and sold positivity rocks that declared “you can do it,” “you’re awesome” and other sayings.

Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Cecil County Life

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|Cecil County Photo Essay| For the past eight decades, Good Shepherd Catholic School has been educating its students under the principles of faith, socialization and character

‘Be who you are, and be that well’

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Good Shepherd Catholic School Principal Jenifer Pileggi.

Text by Richard L. Gaw What began as the dream of Father William R. Couming 64 years ago to bring Catholic education to the young people of Cecil and Harford counties is today a dream realized.

Over the past eight decades, Good Shepherd Catholic School has grown from two classes taught by two nuns to a community of 90 students who receive an education grounded in the principles of the Catholic faith.

The magic of Good Shepherd Catholic School begins with its dedicated staff of 20 educators and the support of parishioners, friends and family and extends to a comprehensive curriculum that combines a modern education with the principles of faith, socialization and service.

“Seeing us in action is the best way to feel the best part of our school -- our community,” said Principal Jenifer Pileggi. “Our mission is to build a safe and nurturing environment, where our educators care for their students like they are their own, and parent involvement is very high. Within the framework of this community, we give our students what they need to succeed.”

Continued on Page 46

Photos by Jim Coarse

The 90 students currently enrolled at the school receive an education that offers a comprehensive curriculum and one that is also grounded in the principles of the Catholic faith. www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Cecil County Life

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Good Shepherd Catholic School Continued from Page 45

Beyond the classroom interaction they have with their educators, Good Shepherd Catholic School students participate in annual events like Christmas bazaars, silent auctions, spaghetti dinners, Strawberry festivals and field days, geography and spelling bees and band concerts. They work together – older students assist younger students through a “buddy program” and provide after-school tutoring. From a young age, students develop their public speaking skills and embrace their faith through class prayer services, honors breakfasts, sacramental preparation and charitable outreach efforts.

“Because we have small class sizes, we are able to give a lot of one-on-one attention to our students, and they receive a lot of hands-on learning, so they get to experience what they are learning instead of just reading about it,” Pileggi said. “With the help of funding, we have been able to improve the technology we bring to each classroom.

“We also get to incorporate faith into our daily routine as well, which helps provide a nurturing environment.

Continued on Page 49 The latest in educational technology is a part of every classroom learning environment.

Good Shepherd students receive hands-on learning, in order to sharpen their problem-solving skills.

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Good Shepherd Catholic School Continued from Page 46

If there is a spiritual guidepost that underlies the mission of Good Shepherd Catholic School, it can be found in a quote by Saint Francis De Sales, the patron saint of the diocese the school belongs to.

Be who you are, and be that well.

The quote is on the signature line of Pileggi’s e-mail.

“It is what I also want our students to embrace,” she said. “A Good Shepherd graduate is well-rounded academically, socially and spiritually, and I want them to take those skills with them to the next level and be confident enough to use them and be successful as they continue through their life.”

Good Shepherd Catholic School is located at 800 Aiken Avenue in Perryville. To learn more, visit www.goodshepherdschool.net.

Principal Jenifer Pileggi: “A Good Shepherd graduate is well-rounded academically, socially and spiritually.” www.cecilcountylife.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Cecil County Life

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|Cecil County Life Q&A| Photos courtesy of Cecil County Office of Tourism

Sandy Turner Manager, Cecil County Office of Tourism After a worldwide pandemic, the beauty of Cecil County – its landscapes, its views, its attractions and its people – is on full display again. Cecil County Life recently met with Sandy Turner, the manager of the Cecil County Office of Tourism, to hear about new events and traditional favorites.

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Cecil County Life: This edition of Cecil County Life arrives at residents’ homes just as the summer event season fully gets underway in Cecil County. Give our readers a snapshot of some of the top events, destinations and activities they can look forward to attending this summer.

Sandy Turner: Our tourist season has already begun!

It generally kicks off with St. Mary Anne’s Garden Market, a two-day event that happens in late April or early May and puts everyone in the mood of Spring.

The Scottish Games at Fair Hill returned on May 21, and the historic Mount Harmon Plantation had its National Revolutionary War reenactment on May 21 and 22.

We’re also looking forward to hosting a Bassmaster Open from September 8-10 and of course we’re excited about the next chapter of the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in October, because it shines an incredible international spotlight on Cecil County and Maryland.

Continued on Page 52

4 $

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Sandy Turner Continued from Page 50

For you and your staff, 2022 must feel like a homecoming – a return to some degree of normalcy after two years of cancellations, postponements and virtual tourism. In terms of what the office does to promote Cecil County as a destination, what are you most looking forward to being a part of this summer – and being able to see again?

We really felt like we came back during the Summer of 2021, with the exception that many people were required to wear masks at certain places. Because we have a lot of outdoor recreation --- a lot of fabulous restaurants that offered outdoor dining – many people began to re-find us last year. We are a very short drive to a huge population base, so it was easy for people to come here and hike our trails, and paddle our shorelines, and fish, and go horseback riding and visit our wineries and breweries.

We recently received statistics from the State Office of Tourism that looked at hotel revenue from around the state, and not only did 2021 increase in hotel revenues 50 percent from the year before, but we were also up nine percent from 2019. That is an indicating factor that people are returning.

With each visit to www.Seececil.org., there is a new tourism initiative, a new destination and a new event added to the website and the calendar. Is there a new addition that you wish to mention here, as well as give a taste of what visitors can look forward to?

We have a couple of new attractions this year. Bohemia Rive State Park on Route 213 and along the banks of Great Bohemia Creek has just opened. It is about 460 acres with beautiful scenery and trails, and we truly hope that people discover it.

On the North East River, we’re going to have a new boat ride called North East River Cruises, which is part of Coastal Boat Cruises. We also want to spread the word about our new visitor center on the banks of the North East River at North East Community Park. It gives us a chance to continue to educate people face to face about the many things to do in our county.

What factors continue to drive tourism dollars to Cecil County?

While our partners have had to deal with complications related to COVID-19 over the past few years, they have been doing well in other regards, because we are such a short drive to a large population. It is easy to get here from major population areas. When you ask people why they choose to spend a day or a weekend in Cecil County, they Continued on Page 54 52

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Sandy Turner Continued from Page 52

often tell us that they wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of their everyday life, get away from the congestion and traffic and arrive at a place that offers them a breath of fresh air, relaxation, beautiful scenery, and the friendliness of small towns.

That’s why they come here, and that’s what we have to offer. It’s a good match.

Over the past several years, one of the largest drivers of local economies has been in the growing popularity of independently-owned breweries and wineries, and Cecil County is certainly no exception. A recent count shows that there are six breweries and five wineries here. Talk about the role they continue to play in drawing visitors to Cecil County.

Bayheads Brewing Company is relocating to downtown Chesapeake City, and two new breweries will open soon in the Perryville area – 5th Company Brewing, and Susky River Beverage, which is located on a farm. We’re thrilled to have such a great group of wine and beer destinations, each with its own unique character. When

making travel decisions, visitors look for local and authentic experiences like those offered at our wineries and breweries.

Add in our fabulous food, specialty shops, attractions, events, and scenic beauty, and you have a Cecil County that visitors want to come back to over and over again.

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

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Sandy Turner |Cecil County Life| Continued from Page 54

You have been involved with the Cecil County Office of Tourism for the past 25 years. Can you recall an event or an experience that crystallizes some of the best work that you, your department and your many partners have done for Cecil County?

As winter approaches in Cecil County, the tourism industry struggles because people aren’t thinking much about visiting many of our small businesses, but in the Winter of 2020, there was the added impact that COVID-19 had on everyone. As 2020 became 2021, we began to get really worried, but during January and February of last year, we created “Winter Nights, Cecil Nights,” partnering with Chesapeake City, Elkton, North East and Port Deposit. We lit up these towns, encouraged shop window and house decorations, and restaurants featured cozy Winter dishes. Each town created COVID-19-friendly activities such as snowmanmaking activities and carriage rides and a sip n’ stroll and light decorating competitions.

Everybody – every town – pulled together as a team and created this event that took on a life of its own. It

was so popular we brought it back earlier this year and grew it from four towns to eight towns.

Continued on Page 58

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

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Sandy Turner Continued from Page 56

This may be a challenging question for a tourism manager to answer, but what is your favorite place in Cecil County?

You can’t ask a tourism person that question and expect an answer! There is no way I can pick just one. There is so much to love about Cecil County.

You host a dinner party and can invite anyone – living or not, famous or not. Who will be sitting around that dining room table?

I would love to invite a world traveler who can tell me tales of visits to off-the-beaten-path places and hidden gems in every corner of the globe.

Finally, what food, beverage or item can always be found in your refrigerator?

From Spring through Fall, predictable items in my refrigerator include plenty of produce and fruit from local farm stands throughout Cecil County. ~ Richard L. Gaw

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Summer 2022 Cecil County

CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUNE 24–25 Annual Mid-Atlantic Chevelle Show, North East 26 Air National Guard Band of the North East, North East JULY 2 Fireworks at Chateau Bu-De, Chesapeake City 3 Salute to Veterans & Fireworks, North East 22-30 Cecil County Fair, Fair Hill AUGUST 27 Chesapeake City Lion’s Club Car Show, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a town-wide display of cars, with entertainment, food, and shopping 28 Tap into the Tavern, Perryville To learn more about events and activities in Cecil County, visit www.Seececil.org.

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|Around Cecil County|

Hundreds of local kids benefit from Dolly Parton’s vision Volunteers work to increase awareness, raise funds for Cecil County ‘Imagination Library’ program

By Natalie Smith Contributing Writer

prepared for school.

Intrigued, Rosenberg went online and researched the Imagination Library, and discovered that the program was here is nothing like cozying up with a good book, not only in Tennessee, but nationwide, and now worldwide. regardless of your age. For the littlest of budding book- Since its inception, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has worms, that experience often includes snuggling with gifted more than 180 million books, adding 1 million every a parent, grandparent or sibling. The joys of being read to month. In the U.S., the individual affiliates are statewide – like has numerous benefits for children, and study upon study in Delaware and Arkansas – or within communities. The program has also gone international, to areas shows that the younger a child is exposed to including Canada, the United Kingdom, books, the sooner the gains take hold.

Australia and the Republic of Ireland.

Sharon Rosenberg didn’t have to be convinced of the importance of early book Calls to established Imagination Library introduction. As a former high school English affiliates, like the one in Talbot County, teacher, “books are my life,” the North East answered her questions, but Rosenberg resident said. It was this affinity for the bound realized she needed more help, so she and printed word that led to participation tapped Donna Bitely, whom she knew from in a program which to date is providing the Women’s Civic League of North East. free personal libraries for nearly 800 Cecil Eventually an advisory committee of eight County children, from newborns to age 5. volunteers was formed. Other members Rosenberg was inspired after visiting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Cecil include Jessica Kaley, Jan Fraser, Donna volunteer Sharon Rosenberg, Rice, Linda Elwood, Elaine Gwiazdowski family. “I have a granddaughter living in County standing in the background, helps Tennessee,” she said. “When she was born, Lorelei and her mom register at an event and Cathleen Zang. In 2019, Dolly Parton’s we went down and someone mentioned that held in conjunction with the Conowingo Imagination Library of Cecil County started Lions Club. giving away its first books. the new Dolly Parton book had arrived.”

Rosenberg was eager to present the DPIL to the children of The book was from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a program started by the country music superstar in Cecil County.

“I know there’s a need,” she said. “Cecil County is in large 1995 in honor of her father, who couldn’t read. Parton, one of 10 children, knew how important books were for a child’s part a lot of Title 1 schools schools receiving federal funding development, whether being read to or reading themselves. which have a high percentage of economically disadvanShe initially wanted a way to provide one book a month to taged students. I mentored in elementary schools after I babies through preschoolers free of charge and regardless retired and I could see that these little children were already of income in her native East Tennessee, so by the time they behind in grade 1 and grade 2.

Continued on Page 62 were 5, they’d have a library of their own and be better

T

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All photos courtesy DPIL Cecil County

Volunteers Sharon Rosenberg (left) and Elaine Gwiazdowski are ready to meet all the Cecil County kids.

Baby Alfred and his parents are so excited to sign up for his free, monthly books!

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“If, by age 3, 85 percent of our brain is developed and if there’s no stimulation at age 1, 2 or 3 then you’re already behind. So the research tells us how important this is. Schools do a great job, but they start at age 5. And this program starts at birth.”

The DPIL of Cecil County started with 22 children. A pilot program was developed to serve four towns in the county to see how the program was going to be accepted. Once the group realized the popularity and had some donations coming in, they were able to increase their coverage area throughout the county.

The Penguin Random House age-appropriate titles are chosen by a panel of experts, which include educators, librarians and psychologists. The books are sent every month from a warehouse in Knoxville, Tenn. and mailed via the U.S. Postal Service.

“They do select the books annually,” explained Jessica Kaley, who handles public relations and event planning for the Cecil County group. “Sometimes it’s the same one. Sometimes there are new ones. But this year, every 4-year-old in the U.S., will get the same set of books. Next year, the 4-year-olds might get a different set of books, but the 5-year-olds will all get the same set of books.

“The books grow with the children and there’s a specific set of messages and themes that the books need to encompass, like inclusivity and respect,” Kaley said. “They’re not just popular books, but these are meaningful books.”

Each book also carries a message from Dolly Parton. There are also instructions about a conversation to have with the child about the book they were just read.

The goal for DPIL Cecil County in 2022 is to register 1,000 kids. But of course, operating the program takes money.

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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gets bulk discounting on publishing and mailing and the administration of both, but it’s the volunteers at affiliates such as Cecil County who must register the local children and fundraise to pay for the books.

“If we are in a registration event, the parents [sometimes] find it hard to believe that they don’t have to pay for this program,” said group leader Bitely. “And we stress to them, ‘No, there is no cost for this program. It’s free to everyone.’ We are responsible for funding the cost, which is $25 dollars a year for each child registered. That’s what our committee has to come up with. They get a book a month for one year and it’s $25 that we must raise. So, that’s our goal to keep the funding going so that we can keep registering kids.”

The DPIL of Cecil County is hoping to make more connections with service clubs, businesses and corporations. A particularly satisfying partnership has been with the Conowingo Lions Club.

“They were actually one of our very first contributors,” Bitely said. “And when we met with them we explained that there were close to 200 children available in the town of Conowingo that would be eligible for the program and they gave us a very nice donation to get our program started. And they have kept in touch with us.” A recent Saturday registration event in Conowingo was

also sponsored by the Lions. “We wanted to get more children from that area aware of the program,” she said.

Kaley added, “And they happily said that they would love to do it every year for us. That’s the kind of partnership that we need with more organizations, both service organizations like the Lions as well as corporations. There are plenty of businesses -- both small, local businesses as well as larger ones like the banks and Walmart – that have grant programs, that do donations to local community organizations, and we need to get our voice out there.”

One fortunate turn of events for the Imagination Libraries state-wide is Gov. Larry Hogan’s recent signing of HB 383 into law. The Young Readers Program Expansion Act, which in addition to providing books for some children in Baltimore, establishes “the Young Readers Matching Grant Program to provide matching grants to counties affiliated services to support the establishment and operation of book gifting services.”

Plans are also in the works for a fundraising event in September 2023. “it’s going to be at the Fair Winds Farm and Stables in North East and we’re very excited about it,” Kaley said. “It’s going to be a Sunday afternoon; a family-friendly event with

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Cecil County Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.cecilcountylife.com

all kinds of games, pony rides and Bitely related an experience she had things for the grown-ups. We’re with someone registering a child. just now starting to work on things “A grandmother called me on the like entertainment for the event phone and she said that she had two and food options. We want the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Cecil County daughters, one lived in Baltimore ticket price to be affordable so that volunteers are (from left) Donna Bitely, advisory County and one in Cecil County. ‘I’d we get everybody to come and as committee head, Sharon Rosenberg, local affiliate founder, like to register my grandchild in Cecil we start booking the entertain- and Jessica Kaley, social media and event planner.

County,’ she said, ‘I have to tell you that ment and catering options, we’re going to look for corporate growing up, my parents had books in the home, but we did not sponsors for some of these things. So that’s also going to have children’s books. And when I saw that my grandchildren affect the price, but that’s one of the ways will be working to were getting these books in the mail, it just did my heart good.’ keep [the price] low. We want it to be affordable.”

“This actually brought me to tears and she was tearful as The women are also hopeful about boosting traffic on the well. She said, ‘I never had a person read me a children’s story group’s Facebook page, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of until I was in first grade and it just touched me. So when I saw Cecil County. “There are instructions on how to donate, how to that these little grandchildren of mine were getting books every single month. I can’t thank you enough for what you’re doing register and everything else they may need,” Kaley said. for these young children.’”

She reflected on what they’ve accomplished in four years.

More information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in “We’ve had 188 5-year-olds graduate from our program locally here in Cecil County and have mailed out 12,800 books Cecil County is available on their Facebook page. Information in Cecil County alone,” she said. “ So we’re really excited about about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available at imagihow we’ve grown from nothing. We’re ready, now, to take it to nationlibrary.com. the next step.”

Natalie Smith may be contacted at natalie@DoubleSMedia.com.

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