Cecil County Life Fall/Winter 2017

Fall/Winter 2017

Cecil County Life

Magazine

Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center: A spiritual sanctuary Page 72

Inside • Two major companies arrive in Cecil County • Out of tragedy comes a helping hand for teens Complimentary Copy

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APGFCU

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Fall/Winter 2017

Cecil County Life Table of Contents 8 18 26 34

The Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm

42

Miniatures are the specialty of this longtime artist

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This Yuletide Festival is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit

52 70

Q&A with Stephen J. Weaver

Heavy hitters come to Cecil County Taking food truck cuisine to the next level 4-H team makes an impression at national convention

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A light in the darkness 52

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Cover design by Tricia Hoadley Cover photograph by Jie Deng 6

Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

The arrival of two major companies illustrates Cecil County’s vibrancy

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Letter to the Editor: In this issue of Cecil County Life, we write about the arrival of two major companies to Cecil County.

Amazon and Lidl bring new jobs and a promise for some of the extra benefits that accompany big-name commerce, bolstering the area’s economic revitalization efforts. The fact that these companies selected Cecil County for these projects illustrates the vibrancy of the area.

As we were preparing this issue of Cecil County Life, we found all kinds of examples of why Cecil County is such an interesting and wonderful community.

Writer Richard Gaw talks to Steven F. Weaver, the president and CEO of Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center about its mission and intent to introduce visitors to a life with Christ.

We talk to food truck owner Brian Williams about Crave Eatery, a 40-foot mobile restaurant that seems about as big as a building. As the Crave website notes, “It’s designed for both high volume and restaurant quality.” The Crave crew travels to various locations in Cecil County and up into Delaware and Pennsylvania with Tex-Mex chicken rice bowls, pork belly sliders, sweet chili crisp chicken, grilled Italian sandwiches, stuffed meatball sandwiches, Jambalaya eggrolls and much more.

We profile artist Deb Mackie, who meticulously crafts tiny treasures on a trailer studio at her 14-acre Elkton Farm.

We also write about how a Charlestown family lost their daughter in 2006, but are now turning their pain and grief into something positive—they started an organization that helps teens that are aging out of the foster care system.

We also talk with Jim Racine, who has owned an auction house and appraisal service in North East since 1988. Racine is a third-generation auctioneer and appraiser.

This issue features a story about how the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm in Conowingo became a Christmas tradition for many families in the area. We also have a preview of the tenth annual Mount Harmon Yuletide Festival that is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3.

We also write about the members of the Cecil County 4-H who traveled to Indianapolis as part of the Maryland state team to test their knowledge and skills in a horticulture competition.

As always, we hope you enjoy the stories included in this issue of Cecil County Life, and we look forward to receiving your comments and suggestions for future stories. We are already hard at work planning the next issue of Cecil County Life, which will arrive in the summer of 2018.

Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, ext. 13

Cover design by: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: Sandy Cove Ministries, North East

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——————|Around Cecil County|——————

Growing the perfect Christmas tree The story about how the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm in Conowingo became a Christmas tradition for many families in the area

All Photos courtesy unless otherwise noted.

Benjamin learned how to run a Christmas tree farm from Bill Underwood, the owner of the Pine Valley Christmas Tree Farm.

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Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Gary Benjamin utilizes several different tools to trim and shape the trees throughout the year.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

W

hen the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm opens for the season on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it will be the 30th year that Gary Benjamin and his wife, Kelly, have helped bring Christmas cheer to families throughout Cecil County and the surrounding areas. For many of those families, the trip to the tree farm in Conowingo is a holiday tradition, as much a part of the Christmas season as watching Continued on Page 10 www.cecilcountylife.com | Fall/Winter 2017 | Cecil County Life

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Hilltop Continued from Page 9

“It’s a Wonderful Life” or opening gifts on Christmas morning.

For the Benjamins, the busy weekends between Thanksgiving and the middle of December have become a part of their Christmas tradition, too — the satisfying end to a year-long effort. Gary Benjamin plants and cares for the trees himself even though he works full-time for the U.S. Army at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Spending time caring for the Christmas trees on the 25-acre property is a relaxing hobby for Benjamin — but it’s a lot of work, too. It takes about seven years, on average, for a Christmas tree to reach its mature height. Once a field of trees is planted, they need to be watered, especially in the first few weeks. The fields need to be mowed, and the trees must also be protected from weeds, which

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means that herbicides may need to be used. The trees must also be trimmed regularly. All the work keeps Benjamin busy.

“I’ll come out three or more times a week,” he explained.

Benjamin’s roundabout introduction to the Christmas tree business came during the early part of the 1980s. His father-in-law, Doug McGlothlin, owned a piece of property in Conowingo, and he was looking for a new Continued on Page 12

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Everyone enjoys an afternoon spent at the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm.

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Jump

Hilltop

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Continued on Page 12 Courtesy photo

They have a machine to take off the needles and to bale the tree for easier transportation.

use for it. One of the people that McGlothlin had a business connection with was Bill Underwood, the owner of the Pine Valley Christmas Tree Farm. Underwood, who already had two decades of experience in the business, was looking for an opportunity to grow some trees to be sold at wholesale prices to organizations. The property that McGlothlin owned would be perfect for that, so they started a small business, planting the first trees around 1981 or 1982.

Benjamin started helping out in 1984, before the first Christmas trees grown on the property were even big enough to be sold. He learned the business from Underwood, even then an experienced Christmas tree grower. Within a few years, McGlothlin got too busy with other business projects and Benjamin decided that he would take over his share of the business. Underwood and Benjamin continued on as partners, selling the wholesale trees for several years.

“Then, we changed from wholesale to “choose-and-cut” where people could go out in the field and select their own tree,” Benjamin explained.

Benjamin said that it was a great help to have Underwood as a mentor. Underwood taught him the ins and outs of properly caring for the Christmas trees. To this day, Benjamin keeps meticulous notes in a notebook about when and how he cares for the trees he is growing. Some 12

Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

Courtesy photos

The Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm has been selling trees to families in the area for the last 30 years.

of the conversations that he’s had with Underwood through the years are documented in the notebook.

The Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm’s trees are spread out on a 25-acre property. There’s a wooded area in the middle of the property so there are about 18 acres dedicated to the trees. Benjamin plants Douglas Firs, Canaan Firs, Blue Spruce trees, and White Pine trees in the fields. The number of trees that are planted and growing at any one time varies.

The average Christmas trees will take seven years to reach maturity. White Pines are the fastest-growing trees, so they might only take five years to reach the height necessary to be a family’s beautiful Christmas tree.

Each kind of tree has its own characteristics that make it a good tree.

According to Benjamin, Douglas Firs are the preferred choice for most families.

“They are very popular,” he said. “It’s an all-around good Christmas tree.”

Blue Spruce trees are perfect for holding heavy ornaments. White Pines can grow to a height of about 15 feet for people who are looking for a tree that will stand out in a room with taller ceilings. The White Pines have floppy branches, which are pretty, but won’t be useful if a person likes to decorate with heavier ornaments.

As Christmas trees are sold during one holiday season, Benjamin maps out a plan of what to plant so that there is always a good selection of trees available to customers.

April is a good time to plant Christmas trees, but Benjamin explained that it’s critical to the long-term health of the tree to get ample water in the first few weeks after planting.

Rain is best, but if it doesn’t rain enough the trees must be individually watered.

“The trees are very durable,” Benjamin said. “They can survive hot, dry summers.”

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Hilltop Continued from Page 13

They can also survive cold wet winters — although the trees are susceptible to what’s called winter burn. The sun is just as bright in the winter as it is and the summer, and the direct sunlight can burn the trees in the winter.

Is Cecil County a good place to be in the business of growing Christmas trees?

“Is this a good area? I would say so,” Benjamin replied. “There are four tree farms within a half a mile of here.”

Losing a certain number of trees before they reach their maturity and are ready to sell is an inevitable part of the business.

“You have to figure that you’re going to lose 20 to 25 percent to something,” Benjamin explained. Some years, more will be lost. Some years, fewer trees will be lost. The weather can be a big factor, despite the durability of the trees. One year, they planted about 1,300 trees and ended up losing 1,000 of them because of too much rain in the ground was simply too wet to allow the trees to grow properly. Because he’s regularly caring for the trees himself, Benjamin can keep track of their progress and make sure that there’s an adequate inventory come Christmastime. Each year, a few months before Christmas, he will go out and evaluate all the trees in the field, keeping a count of how many that are ready to be sold that year.

In fact, that is one of the most important parts of the job.

Cutting and choosing a Christmas tree is a tradition for a lot of people in the area.

“It’s difficult to manage how many trees we have in the field every year,” Benjamin explained.

All the hard work throughout the year is well worth it when people can start picking out their Christmas trees. The weekends between Thanksgiving and mid-December are extremely busy.

In addition to the Christmas trees, the

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Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm offers some cold-weather favorites like hot chocolate, cookies, and hot dogs. They also offer Christmas wreaths for sale.

The Benjamins get the wreaths from wreath-makers in North Carolina and decorate them themselves. There are also free hayrides through the fields.

As the Christmas season approaches, and it’s time to sell the trees, numerous family members, including nieces and nephews, help out the Benjamins.

“When it comes time to sell trees, that’s when the family gets involved,” Benjamin explained.

Some customers will show up, saw in hand, and walk directly to the field where they want to select their trees. These are the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm veterans who come back year after year. There’s even one larger group of people who return year after year to “tailgate” before they select their trees. They make a day of it. They even had Tree Hunt t-shirts printed for some of the years. The core of the group started the tradition when they were in their twenties, and return year after year. Now, some of the group members have children of their own.

Benjamin said that they try to make the experience as fun as possible for customers.

“One thing I know people like is that we’re very laid back,” he said. “If someone brings a chainsaw — that’s a no-no at a lot of tree farms — they can use it as long as they know how to use it safely.”

Continued on Page 16

The trees are carefully shaped throughout the year so that they are ready for customers.

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Hilltop Continued from Page 15

They have a machine that shakes off the needles and another that bales the tree so that it can be transported home easily.

Benjamin said that they encourage people to saw off a sliver of the tree once they get it home. That’s because, as soon as the tree is initially cut, the sap starts to come out and it starts to seal off the tree. Watering a Christmas tree is crucial to having it look good through the whole holiday season.

This is especially true in the first three or four days when it is absorbing the most water.

“If the tree gets in the water immediately, having it last 30 days is no problem,” Benjamin said.

The Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm is open the first weekend after Thanksgiving — this year Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 — and will be open for several consecutive weekends

The Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm is located at 106 Old Hilltop Road in Conowingo, Maryland.

Visit the farm’s Facebook page for information about the hours for this Christmas season.

after that until all the trees are sold. They also sell pre-cut Christmas trees for anyone who simply wants to buy a tree and doesn’t want to cut it down.

“The people who come early are always the ones who are the happiest,” Benjamin said.

For anyone looking to add a Christmas tradition or anyone who hasn’t had the experience of going out to choose and cut their own Christmas tree, the Hilltop Christmas Tree Farm is a place to get a good tree and to have a fun experience while doing it.

“Our prices are pretty low,” Benjamin explained. “We’re just here to sell you a Christmas tree and maybe some cookies, hot chocolate, or a hot dog.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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—————|Cecil County Business|—————

Heavy hitters come to Cecil County

By Drewe Phinny Staff Writer

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ith two major companies arriving in Cecil County, and two others apparently on the way, there is excitement in the air as Amazon and Lidl bring new jobs and a promise for some of the extra benefits that accompany big-name commerce.

Amazon is the online retail giant that continues to expand its reach into apparel, furniture, food, toys and jewelry. And Lidl (pronounced LEE-duhl) is the German global discount supermarket chain which public relations specialist Jessica Haggard describes as, “operating more than 10,000 stores in 28 countries, offering customers the highest quality fresh produce, meat, bakery items and a wide array of household products at the lowest possible prices.” Lidl has been compared to Aldi, which operates a facility at Route 40 and Chesapeake Boulevard in Elkton.

Amazon’s 1.2-million-square-foot fulfillment center has already started operations at Principio Business Park, off Route 40 in North East. Bruce England, executive director of the Susquehanna Workforce Network, said in an e-mail that Amazon has recruited hundreds of workers to staff their facilities over the past few months.

“SWN and our workforce partners assisted in the recruitment and hiring event activities. Many of these workers started at the Principio Business

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Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

County leaders are bullish about the business boom, with Amazon and Lidl sparking future growth

All photos by Drewe Phinny

Amazon’s fulfillment center has already started operations at Principio Business Park, off Route 40 in North East.

Park on Sept. 10,” he wrote. “Others may likely have differing start dates, depending on their assigned shifts, Amazon’s ramp-up and scheduling plans.”

The plan is to have a workforce of approximately 1,000. “We have been advised that they were very pleased with the quality and quantity of applicants interested in positions,” England wrote. “This employment expansion in the region is a very positive opportunity for area residents.”

Haggard confirmed that Lidl has invested $100 million in the facility at 81 Belvidere Road in Perryville, which will serve as both a regional headquarters and a distribution center.

“The facility is scheduled to open no later than 2018,” Haggard said. The latest projection on job opportunities is between 200 and 250.

Bonnie Grady, in her fourth year as president/CEO of the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce, thinks this area is perfectly suited for new business success. Grady pointed to the wisdom of economist Anirban Basu, Continued on Page 20

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Business Continued from Page 19

chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group. In speaking to the county Chamber of Commerce, Basu stressed the location of Cecil County. “He has always said that Cecil County is the prime real estate, the most developable land between Boston and Richmond, and Philadelphia and Washington,” Grady said. “And that we have more good land to offer for commercial enterprise than any other region. You can just look at a satellite image and see it. And on top of that, we have easy access to millions of people – workers, potential clients and customers. We have rail, deep water and I-95. What more could you want? So we are positioned geographically and infrastructure-wise in a prime place. It makes sense that people are coming here.”

Grady, who has worked with several chambers, feels that a county’s personality is influenced by several variables.

“Each community has its own character, its own culture,” she said. “We’re attracting factories, distribution centers.

A lot of the time, the culture is driven by the county

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Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

planning department and local zoning philosophies. The local government sets the tone. And the types of businesses we’re bringing in right now are very well suited for where we’re located. This works great for us.

“So, of course, we’re excited with Amazon. But with every new achievement, there come challenges and we’ll find out what those are. And we’ll also find solutions because that’s the kind of community we are. When your roots are agricultural, you find a way to get things done. And that’s what’s so exciting about Cecil County.”

As the new business model expands into more mergers and acquisitions (Amazon and Whole Foods; Walmart and Google), Grady noted, “It’s just another wave of how we do things here in America. It’s changing the way we perform as consumers.”

Another aspect of the Amazon/Lidl development is infrastructure improvement.

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“Our folks are working on that,” Grady added. “You can see all the construction going on along Route 40, especially through North East down toward Perryville. We need to close that gap. In order for businesses to come here, and to have them thrive and grow, they need the gas, the fiber and the water, and Cecil County is very proactive about that. I also think it’s going to be the same with rail transportation. At some point we will see a success with that. We just have to keep working on it.

“We are redefining our local economy … moving from our agricultural roots to opportunities with big companies in the manufacturing and distribution fields. It’s a whole new

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approach and it could be the first piece of a much larger puzzle. If a community doesn’t grow, it dies. And if it’s reasonable, responsible, thoughtful, deliberate planned growth, it can make a community better and stronger.”

That same kind of optimism is reflected by others in the business community. Jack Schammel chairs the chamber’s board of directors executive committee and is a business coach for Leading Logic, LLC, a company that provides organizational development services.

Schammel had some observations about the new additions. “When you have distribution centers like that, there’s increasing competition for labor in the area, you have to up your game,” he said. “And that’s what Lidl is doing. Lidl is known worldwide for ‘The employee comes first, period.’

And they want to train people, to invest in them, and they expect them to be around for quite a long time. In fact, I got the distinct impression that the concept of jumping from job to job every two years was an alien concept to European reps.”

Schammel explained that Lidl’s model is based on limited selection and specific products in each category, giving the consumer tremendous buying leverage. Lidl’s investment in continuous product improvement, means employee feedback. “It’s employee-driven, where boots on the ground are providing some of the most valuable feedback,” he said.

The Lidl property is visible from Route 40. “It’s a fairly complex plant, with refrigeration installed,” Schammel said. “The Germans are known for efficiency. So it’ll be a streamlined operation, and they’re using a lot of technology there.

“Amazon is a different kind of operation; they don’t have to worry about things like refrigeration,” he added. “The process is a lot faster …When it comes to huge volumes of pick, pack and ship, nobody does it better. Their error rates are phenomenally low.”

In surveying the big picture of the Amazon/Lidl job projections, Chris Moyer, director of economic development, had a broader view.

“Cecil County is big enough that you can have your cake and eat it, too. You have the growth corridor and [I-95 and Route 40], but there’s plenty of room to spread out either to the north or the south. We have 1,900 jobs coming in the next 17 months. Amazon’s the bulk of that with 1,000 jobs, Lidl and Fortress Steel, TRUaire and two other companies I can’t talk about yet. A lot of great things are going to happen in a short amount of time. So we have 4.5 million square feet coming online in the next 17 months for those jobs.”

In describing Cecil County’s business appeal, Moyer used the same word as Grady – developable. “Cecil County has Continued on Page 24

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developable industrial property and nowhere else nearby really has. Harford County has a bunch of land, but not industrial land anymore. It’s all zoned residential.”

Cecil, on the other hand, has room in its growth corridor.

Of the next four businesses coming to the county, all will be in the current top 12.

So what has led to this upswing? Moyer cited one major factor. “The Stewart family [out of York, Pa.] owns a very large group of properties contiguously between Perryville and North East. They had designs 10 or 15 years ago to build an industrial park, and they started with companies like Restoration Hardware and GE, but in the last eight months, they’ve signed deals that will triple the employment at Principio Business Park, with the addition of Amazon and Lidl.”

To lessen the truck traffic expected on Route 22 and Route 272, Moyer said he is working with the state of Maryland to get an interchange on I-95 for Belvidere Road to directly serve all of Principio.

The subject of the Stewart family came up again when

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county executive Alan J. McCarthy was asked about the current increase in jobs. “It didn’t just happen. It was quite purposeful,” he said. “The Stewart family was responsible because they were willing to front-fund the money to put in the infrastructure so we could have these businesses. It’s their land, and they put up the money for the gas lines, sewer lines … they even created their own water company, which has since been sold to Artesian.

Without these things, we would still be where we were 10 years ago. It’s a wonderful family and you couldn’t ask for better corporate partners. They have basically helped take Cecil County out of the Stone Age.” McCarthy confirmed Moyer’s statement that between 1,500 and 2,000 jobs will be created over the next year.

Another Cecil County business that performs a similar function to Amazon and Lidl is the IKEA Distribution Center in Perryville. The center opened in 2002, and now transports products to 39 IKEA stores in the U.S. and Canada. Communications specialist Cara Cordrey pointed out that approximately half of the 600-plus workers have been with the company five years or more. “Our co-workers are our greatest resource and the key to our success,” Cordrey said. In commenting on the addition of Amazon and Lidl, Cordrey said, “With regard to the building of other warehouses in this area. We can only speak to the success of our business.”

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—————|Cecil County Business|——————

Taking food truck cuisine to the next level Crave Eatery provides ‘food solutions’ for events

A fried provolone burger with Italian salsa.

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Cecil County Life | Fall/Winter 2017 | www.cecilcountylife.com

By Drewe Phinny Staff Writer

B The Diablo Cheesesteak.

Bang Bang Shrimp.

rian Williams is not your typical food truck owner, and Crave Eatery is not your typical food truck. It’s a 40-foot mobile restaurant that seems about as big as a building. As the Crave website notes, “It’s designed for both high volume and restaurant quality.”

The Crave crew travels to various locations in Cecil County and up into Delaware and Pennsylvania with Tex-Mex chicken rice bowls, pork belly sliders, sweet chili crisp chicken, grilled Italian sandwiches, stuffed meatball sandwiches, Jambalaya eggrolls and much more.

After graduating from Elkton High School, Williams spent 15 years in real estate, where he realized that he was unable to super-serve his clients the way he wanted to. “A good business person will tell someone why he or she is wrong or why they shouldn’t be doing this, where the cheesy salesperson just tells them what they want to hear,” Williams said. “Sometimes you have to tell people, ‘This isn’t right for you.’ It’s the difference between a food truck and a hot dog cart.”

It is this kind of honesty that gives Williams the freedom to turn down business if he feels it’s not going to work for the client. This rather unconventional approach can lead to solutions that are productive and morally responsible.

As he worked his way into the food truck industry, Williams, now 40, made some keen observations while traveling the United States. “The Texas State Fair and the Ohio State Fair have … an ingenuity with this and that on a stick, and they offer different variations of fun food,” he said. “That’s part of the culture.”

On the other hand, he noticed a lack of creativity around this region. “It was just not the exciting food I would want,” he said. “I thought there was a niche for quality food at a reasonable price. So we had about a two-year gestation period, Continued on Page 28

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Crave Eatery Continued from Page 27

talked to the board of health, et cetera.”

Then he had the food truck custom built in Georgia. The builders “were responsive, willing and kind. We were asking them to build from the ground up, and they had experience doing custom work,” Williams said. “Many builders modify an existing trailer or truck, which limits the possibilities.” Around 2013, Crave Eatery was born.

Facebook is a major part of the marketing process. “With their boosted ads, you can actually pay whatever you want,” Williams explained. “You can pay between $5 and $5 million. When you put in a number, then it returns an estimated reach. So if you want to run a $50 ad, they will predict it will reach between 5,000 and 8,000 people. Move it up to $100 and the reach might increase to 12,000.” Then there are the benefits of going viral, with lots of people sharing a post with their friends.

When asked about some of the more common, everyday food choices people make, Williams has his priorities. For instance, he’s not a big fan of the tuna fish sandwich. “I can’t stand canned tuna,” he said. “I love, love, love raw tuna.”

Is that culinary elitism? “No, no, because I eat canned chicken

Crave Eatery is not your typical food truck. It’s a 40-foot mobile restaurant that seems about as big as a building.

for my own home snack,” he said. “Instead of a tuna sandwich, I would be apt to find sushi or something.”

Before Williams took on the sizable challenge of running a mobile food business, he picked up important information from every stop along the way. “I worked in a small deli, and the cold-cuts guy would come in and sometimes there would be price pressure. You

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would start getting the choices, and he would basically say, ‘This is your premium, this is your mid-grade and this is what we sell if you just want it on the menu.’ One had texture, one was wet.”

And thus began his education about the tricks of the trade. Williams quickly added that he does not subscribe to this “sleight-of-hand” approach.

With the frantic pace of daily fourand eight-hour stops, along with what Williams calls “pop-up” appearances at all sorts of businesses, you might think he’d want to spend his leisure time doing something completely different. Not the case.

“One of my hobbies is molecular gastronomy,” he said. That’s a sub-discipline of food science that investigates the physical and chemical transformation of ingredients that occur in cooking. “It’s a modern style of cooking which takes advantage of technical

For outdoor events, tents are used.

innovations from scientific disciplines.” Williams explained the process with respect to buying sliced ham at the deli counter. “They’re taking parts of the ham and grinding it up and adding a gelatin and water solution. So one pound of meat turns into a pound and a half of meat, and that’s their trick.”

Part of his business success is his constant pursuit of knowledge from established competitors, such as Chick-fil-A, whom he asked for a tour. “They were great. They were very kind. They are a business I really respect,” he said. “Their drive-through is always handled by polite young people who are cheerful and Continued on Page 30

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Crave Eatery Continued from Page 29

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helpful. And with their culture they could probably get a tremendous amount of business after church, but they have chosen not to do that. That’s hard to do.”

Crave Eatery’s core menu consists of cheeseburgers, chicken parm sandwiches and mac n’ cheese bowls.

Daily specials vary, according to what is found in the marketplace. “If we go to the local farmer’s market and find that avocados look great, then we might feature those,” he said. “For our grilled avocado rice bowl, we basically grill the avocado, then serve it with veggies and chipotle rice.”

Williams doesn’t back off a challenge, especially if it’s for the right reasons. He told the story of how he brought an item onto his menu that you wouldn’t normally expect. “Macarons are a French specialty.

They’re little cookies, very rich,” he said. “Every color is a different flavor, and retail, they sell each one for $2.50 to $3 apiece. It’s something you have at weddings. So we went to New York to learn how to make them … At the time, it was rare to see them outside of New York. Then about a year after we were making them, and wholesaling them to local businesses, we started seeing them at grocery stores.”

On a typically busy day for Crave Eatery when events happen simultaneously, the food truck can only be in one spot, so some serving options are in order. “One day last fall, we did catering for 600 with the truck, vending for 2,000 with a tent, and vending for 500 with a tent.” All three of those occasions highlight what Williams calls “solutions” that he is more than happy to address.

The two questions that need to be answered before he arrives are, “How many people” and “How large an area?” After that, Williams decides whether the 40-foot Continued on Page 32

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——————|Cecil County Life|——————

stuffers full page Continued on Page 31

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mobile restaurant is practical or maybe other options are viable, such as a tent or perhaps utilizing something already on the premises for a buffet approach. For all the advantages of such a large food truck, it isn’t always the right answer.

As this interview was being conducted, four of the staff members were feeding a bunch of hungry folks on the campus of Christiana Hospital in Delaware, an event Williams had just left. “We were serving grilled shrimp tacos and chicken tacos, and we know any time we have grilled shrimp tacos, they’re going to be popular,” he said.

Fundraising is an integral part of Williams’ business philosophy, as well as his moral compass. “We do showcase events like the Wilmington Flower Market because they are a great cause, but also because they expose us to new audiences who may become a customer or a future event partner. You can’t always focus on money,” he said. “You need to be a responsible business in your community and give back if you want community support.”

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Crave can also set up indoor catering for special events.

The permanent weekly stops for the Crave Food Truck are: Monday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate Office in Newark, Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Smith Volkswagen on Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington, Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Kilby Cream in Rising Sun, and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Williams Chevrolet, on Route 40 in Elkton.

Contact Crave Eatery at 302-544-2366, or at facebook.com/ CraveEateryMobileRestaurant, or email info@CraveEatery. com. The newest location is 420 N. Bridge St. in Elkton.

——————|Cecil County Life|——————

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——————|Around Cecil County|——————

Ready, Set, Grow!

4-H team makes an impression at national convention

All photos provided by Eileen Boyle

Coach Susan Sprout-Knight, Taylor Knight, Aubrey Cole, Ray Martin IV, Rachael Ward and coach Eileen Boyle.

The team met up with the Maryland Future Farmers of America for some convention fun.

Lisa Fieldman Staff Writer

L

Harlan King is all smiles after winning an award for his demonstration of prepping and cooking vegetables.

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ast month, members of the Cecil County 4-H traveled to Indianapolis as part of the Maryland state team to test their knowledge and skills in a horticulture competition.

The National Junior Horticultural Association holds the annual convention the first week in October. The convention spans four days and draws youth from across the country. In addition to the competition, the schedule includes time for educational tours of local horticulture businesses, ag facilities and spots of cultural interest.

This year, Rachael Ward of Elkton and Taylor Knight from Rising Sun won spots on the Maryland team. Aubrey Cole and Ray Martin IV, both from Frederick County, took the remaining two spots on the four-person team. Rachael, Taylor and Aubrey all competed in horticultural identification and quality judging in four categories: Woody plants and shrubs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers and bulbs.

Ray chose to compete in public speaking and delivered a speech on the benefit of honeybees in the garden.

Rachael is following in the footsteps of her seven siblings by competing at Nationals. As a family, the Wards have been involved with

4-H and the horticulture competition for more than 20 years. According to her mother, Rachael has been accompanying her older siblings to 4-H meetings since she was a baby. “I think she learned it all by osmosis,” her mother said with a laugh. “We have the best coaches in the area. There are five coaches -- one for each subject area of the state contest,” she explained. “Almost every year we’ve sent people to Nationals. Cecil County students have always done very, very well.”

The Maryland team has a reputation for being victorious at this competition, and this year was no different. The team placed fourth overall, and won many individuals prizes. Rachael Ward placed second, winning a $2,000 scholarship to the University of Maryland. Others came home with cash prizes. Ray Martin IV captured a National Award for his honeybee speech.

Once you have been a team competitor, you are eligible to return and compete as an individual in an open division. Cecil County 4-H members Seth Donnelly and Melinda Ward both traveled to Indianapolis to compete in the open honors division. Seventeen-year-old Seth continued his winning streak. Last year, he accomplished an almost perfect score in the competition, and this year he earned a Grand National award. Harlan King and William Donnelly, while not old enough to make the state team, attended to compete as juniors. Harlan, who is 7, won a Grand National award for his demonstration of the prepping and cooking of vegetables.

Seth Donnelly agrees that the team’s continued success is due to their excellent coaches.

“The Cecil County horticulture group is lucky compared to other groups,” he explained, “because we have coaches who are specific to each area of the competition.”

The coaches are all volunteers and spend countless hours working with the team. Susan Sprout-Knight teaches the group about fruit, Eileen Boyle coaches for the written exam, Sam Brown of Foxfire Nursery instructs ornamentals, Angie Darsney teaches vegetables, Connie King handles weeds, pests, and plant disease, and David Shortall of Fairhill Florist coaches the team on flowers. Many of the coaches competed at this competition in their youth, and they continue to attend the event to support the team.

Continued on Page 36

The team makes a pit stop at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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Eileen Boyle sits on the national board of the NJHA, and has been involved with the Cecil County 4-H team since 2001. She is impressed and inspired by the dedication shown by the youth.

“Most of these kids started studying for this competition when they were 8 years old,” she said. From ages 8 to 10, children are eligible to compete at a county level in the junior division.

They are required to identify 25 specimens in each category. The specimens can be any part of a plant, such as a tiny seed, bark, a leaf, or even a dried flower head. At age 11, they move into the intermediate group and they must be able to identify 45 specimens. Senior members, ages 15 to 19, compete to win a spot on the state team and go to nationals.

At nationals, the competition consists of plant identification, quality judging of specimens, and an 80-question written exam.

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The team takes a break to tour Damman’s Nursery.

“Each step you progress, the more difficult the test,” Eileen said.

“I’ve had master gardeners take this exam so they can see what the kids are up against, and they come out shaking their heads. It’s extremely challenging.”

The contestants are allowed to look and even smell the items, but are forbidden to touch them. “I once had a team member crawl under a table to look through the slats so she could see the underside of the vegetable,” Eileen said. “It was a softball-sized black radish and she was the only competitor to guess correctly.”

The young people prepare for the written exam by studying an extensive manual that covers a range of topics such as green- Taylor Knight checks out orchids at a local nursery. house structures, plant nomenclature, cultivars, soil types, growing methods, and propagation. This year, the test was prepared by a Purdue University professor.

“The questions are not easy,” said coach Boyle. “You may be asked how to prevent your crop in Florida from freezing when the temperature drops to 30 degrees. Or ‘What is the pH of corn growing in zone seven?’”

Part three of the exam is quality judging. Again, each category of fruits, vegetables, woody shrubs and plants, and flowers are presented. “You may see four potted chrysanthemums and you have to decide which has the best quality,” Eileen said. While a consumer may choose the largest mum, the students may notice that the large one is pot-bound and therefore not the best. They will look for leaf damage, disease, pest infestation or evidence of weeds.

The 4-H members start preparing for the competition in May, with weekly study sessions running through September. It’s a huge commitment for the students, their families and the coaches. Each week, one of the coaches will present their topic for the team to review.

This continues until mid-August, when they compete at the Maryland State Fair. Here, the top four students are chosen for the Maryland state team. The team then continues to meet and study once or twice a week until the Nationals in October.

Continued on Page 38

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4-H Continued from Page 37

The Cecil County community is very supportive of the 4-H team. “Both Harmony Masonic Lodge in Port Deposit and Rosebank church have been extremely generous in allowing our team to meet in their facilities,” said coach Boyle. “Country Thyme Garden Club has continually provided financial support for our open division competitors.”

In return for the support, the kids give a demonstration at a club meeting. “Our rule is that you can’t accept money without giving something back,” Boyle said. This year, both Melinda Ward and Seth Donnelly also received scholarship money from the National Junior Horticultural Association to help with expenses. The state team’s expenses are fully covered by the University of Maryland and the Maryland Extension Office.

Not only did the Maryland team place well, but they also won first place for their state booth. The theme of this year’s event was “Ready, Set, Grow!” Each team booth represented their state, and also highlighted any similarities between their home and the host state. The team’s booth replicated Route 70, which runs directly from

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Maryland to Indiana. They marked every state you pass through along the route with a water tower featuring the products of that particular state. The team created tiny race cars featuring ads from all their sponsors, such as Herr’s, and pointed out how auto racing is a favored sport in both states. The youth also gave out apples and Cow Tail candy as examples of products produced in Maryland.

The highlight for the team was winning the muchcoveted Spirit Stick. This award is given to the team that embodies a spirit of friendliness, positivity and the willingness to help others. “I don’t think they cared if they won or lost as team, they just wanted to win the Spirit Stick,” Eileen said with a laugh. Along with the closing of the convention comes some downtime for the kids and the coaches. But next April they will gear back up and start preparing for the county, state and national competitions.

“People ask me why I spend so much time doing this,” Eileen said. “The kids come back so inspired and excited.

The devotion they show amazes me.”

There were a lot of people in Eileen’s life that inspired her as she was growing up, and she is happy to have the opportunity to pass it along.

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4-H Continued from Page 38

“I can only share my knowledge and hope to inspire them,” she said. One of the most gratifying things Eileen has seen is the desire of former team members to come back to 4-H as volunteers. She routinely hears from young people how the skills they learned in 4-H have helped them personally and professionally. “They go to college, and then come back and say, ‘I’m comfortable speaking in public or doing a demonstration at work because I had to do it in 4-H,’” The National Junior Horticultural Association works to interest today’s youth in horticulture and possibly provide the industry with future professionals. “The NJHA is a great organization for kids,” said Eileen Boyle, “even if they do not plan to major in horticulture, it encompasses so many aspects of agriculture.”

College reps routinely attend the convention because they know they are seeing the cream of the crop. Through the program, and especially the convention, a lot of the kids will make new friends.

“Once they meet through their shared interest in horticulture, they realize they have much more in common and forge lifelong relationships,” Boyle said.

For more information on the NJHA or 4-H in Cecil County, contact Eileen Boyle at 302 892-2645 (www.njha.org), or April Barcewzski at the Cecil County Extension office (410-996-5280).

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Harlan King with his grandmother (and team coach) Connie King on a bio-fuel tour.

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——————|Cecil County Arts|——————

The small worlds of Deb Mackie Miniatures are the specialty of this longtime artist

Mackie’s miniature saddles have working buckles.

All photos courtesy unless otherwise noted

A gleaming mermaid and seahorse.

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This ‘White Lady’ doll was a past creation that glows in the dark.

This is Mackie in miniature, done by another artist with a 3-D printer.

Mackie makes full-scale purses, as well as miniature versions with just as much detail.

By John Chambless Staff Writer

M

ost young people go through a phase of model-making, dollhouses and miniatures.

Deb Mackie is happy to say she never grew out of it.

For her, meticulously crafting a tiny treasure is a way of making her own little world. Working out of a trailer studio at her 14-acre Elkton farm, Mackie said she was first inspired by her family. “My mom was an elementary school teacher and she always had all kinds of fun projects to do,” she said. “We lived in upstate New York, and we didn’t grow up in front of the TV, that’s for sure.”

Mackie’s father was a model train enthusiast, her mother made terrariums, her grandmother crafted leather, and young Deb had a passion for horses and gardening. “I think all kids are wildly creative, but somewhere along the line someone tells them what they did wasn’t good, so they never create another thing,” she said.

When Mackie was 12, her grandmother agreed to buy her a leather crafting kit that she’d been admiring.

She still has the miniature leather saddle she tooled back then. “She loaned me her tools to do it,” Mackie said. “The Tandy company still makes the kit, too, so I had to buy another one, just for fun.

“My parents never gave me grief about going to art school,” Mackie said. She went to Rochester Institute of Technology and spent 30 years as a graphic designer and a web designer.

Jobs came and went, but she kept working at her art. Now she’s at the Delaware Museum of Natural History as the membership coordinator and occasional graphic designer.

Scattered around her tightly packed studio are examples of Mackie’s fanciful work. There’s a sinuous mermaid

Photo by John Chambless

Artist Deb Mackie at her workbench, where she crafts tiny leather purses and saddles, dolls and dioramas.

on her work table, larger dolls posed on a higher shelf, and a diorama box across the room that was a winner at the Philadelphia Flower Show, where she regularly competes. The miniature scenes are built on a yearly theme, and must incorporate at least eight species of appropriately scaled living plants. It’s a challenge Mackie welcomes.

She has recently focused more on miniature leather work, turning large hides into purses that are only a couple of inches high, with working buckles Continued on Page 44 www.cecilcountylife.com | Fall/Winter 2017 | Cecil County Life

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Deb Mackie Continued from Page 43

and straps. She has made saddles for scale model horses, putting the same kind of attention into each strap and stirrup.

She’s a regular exhibitor at miniature shows, which draw collectors whose interests divide them into broad categories. Some of those who collect horse models insist on microscopic detail and even pedigrees of the horse being depicted. There are doll collectors and dollhouse enthusiasts as well. Mackie likes to use toy Breyer horses that are detailed enough for her saddles and figural work, This miniature setting won first place at the Philadelphia Flower Show. without getting too obsessive.

“I buy them in lots on Ebay,” she said, adding that she paints and embellishes them before displaying and selling them, complete with her handmade saddles. “There’s something kind of fun about taking a beat-up old Breyer model and giving it a new life.”

The world of miniaturists can extend to extreme examples. “Some artists create whole scenes on a grain of rice,” she said. “That’s not really our world. There’s a slew of artists who do scenic things in miniature, photograph them and destroy the scene. Their finished product is the photograph itself. To them, it’s a stage set.”

Other artists work so small that their work can be seen only through a This diorama of a scene from ‘South Pacific’ won first place at the Philadelphia Flower Show. magnifier. Prices can range into the thousands of dollars.

Mackie works mostly in 1:12 scale, sometimes referred to as “dollhouse scale.” There’s also 1:24, “a half-inch equals a foot,” she said. “The model railroad people have a whole different range of scales. The biggest thing they do is what we call half-scale, 1:24. Then the model horse people are a whole other thing. I sometimes work in half-scale, but only if I have to, and it’s enough to make me lose my mind,” Mackie said.

For her dioramas, she uses curved backgrounds in the boxes to create the sense of depth, and paints the scenes. Each part is carefully scaled.

“If there’s one little thing that’s out of scale, it blows the whole scene,” she said, laughing. “I show them to my husband, Jim, because he’s brutally honest. He’ll say, ‘It’s really cool, but that thing in the corner is just wrong.’ I have a friend who also does the Flower Show every year, and at some point we’ll each say, ‘This looks awful! I’m going to take it apart!’

And I’ll come over and look at hers and be able to see what’s wrong. And she does the same for me. Sometimes you look at something so long that you can’t see what’s wrong with it.”

Mackie’s leather work – including leather journal covers and flask covers – is carried at the Palette and the Page in Elkton, and she sells at shows and through her website. While working full-time as an office administrator, her hours at home can easily be swallowed up by her miniatures, or in tending to the animals that live on the couple’s farm.

There are currently five cats that have arrived and decided to stay, along with two rescue horses and a rescue donkey. They were all down on their luck when Mackie opened her heart to them. Doogie, a three-legged Photo by John Chambless black cat, now occupies her studio most days, contentedly curled up in One of Mackie’s miniature figures on her workbench. an armchair.

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piece. But if you start mass-producing them, Mackie’s schedule was dominated for about then you’re going to get in trouble.” the past 10 months by a film project that will Mackie works with a table-mounted magnibe unveiled in November. “With the help fying glass, but her tools are simple. There’s of a friend, I worked with Something’s Awry an awl, an X-acto knife that belonged to her Productions in Landenberg on a set of 12 father, and an Osborne round knife from the stop-motion commercials for action figures in 1800s that she uses to cut leather. It works association with Warner Brothers,” she said. just fine.

There were 12 miniature sets to build, rangPhoto by John Chambless For several years, Mackie was involved with ing from a forest to a swamp to a kitchen, Mackie’s tools are simple, in various scales. She doesn’t want to reveal including an awl and a community theaters in the area, designing and building sets and costumes, as well as what the action figures are until the films are vintage X-acto knife. appearing on stage. The work gave her satisreleased, but said the project was a big one.

She will exhibit in November at the largest miniatures faction that she was creating worlds in a large scale, she show on the East Coast, Philadelphia Miniaturia, and said, “but doing these miniatures is still theater, in a way. she’s putting together items to sell. One of her big sell- But you can do this at your workbench, instead of up on ers is a miniature Ouija board that collectors use in their a rickety scaffold.”

Mackie’s work has even taken her to Singapore after dollhouses.

The issue of copyright is one that model makers have to she took “Best in Show” at the Philadelphia Flower Show tread carefully around, Mackie said. “I’ve never had copy- with her Pegasus miniature horse scene. “The people from right problems – but you don’t want to mess with Disney,” the Singapore Garden Festival came over to Philadelphia she said of the company that fiercely protects its products and asked three of us to come over and set up their own from any competitors or copies. “So many people have miniature settings event at their show,” she said. “We Continued on Page 46 made Harry Potter dolls, but they make one. It’s an art

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American Miniaturist, for which she wrote managed to ship six full Flower Show sets several articles and how-to pieces. She has over there. They paid for everything, flew also been featured in Miniature Collector, us over there, and we were there for two Dollhouse Miniatures and Dolls House weeks. We taught classes on miniatures.

World. She was curator of the Delaware It was an adventure,” she said. “The Prime Art Museum’s “Masterpieces in Miniature” Minister made a special trip to the show to exhibition for several years. She is also on see our work.” the board of trustees of the International Mackie is open and honest about her Guild of Miniature Artisans. work, and she gladly shares tips in classes “I’m always learning, you can always do she presents. That openness is a trait of better the next time,” she said. She regumost miniature makers she knows, with a larly takes apart her dioramas and reworks few exceptions. “Some of them get a niche Photo by John Chambless the elements into new pieces, sometimes in a certain medium, and they’re mad if someone else steps in,” she said. “But most An antique leather-cutting tool cuts to the consternation of her buyers. “People hides for Mackie’s leatherwork. tell me, ‘I can’t believe you took that apart!’ are willing to share. I seem to have become But I like to take parts and move on to the the miniature leather person, so I’m focusing more on that now. So far, nobody else is doing it the next thing,” she said with a smile.

For more information, visit www.whitehorsestudio.com. way I do it. When I start getting cross-eyed from doing the To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambminiatures, I do something full-scale.”

Her work has been featured in magazines including less@chestercounty.com.

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——————|Cecil County Events|——————

This Yuletide Festival is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

T

here will be plenty of holiday splendor on full display when the Mount Harmon Yuletide Festival returns for its tenth year on Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3.

“The Yuletide Festival is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and celebrate colonial Yuletide traditions,” explained Paige Howard, the executive director of Mount Harmon Plantation. “The historic manor house is decorated with greens, wreaths, swags, centerpieces, and other decorative arrangements that are inspired

by Colonial Williamburg.”

The Yuletide Festival, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, includes holiday fun for the entire family.

“There is a decorations and greens sale so you can get beautiful handmade, one of a kind arrangements to deck your halls,” Howard explained.

“Plus, there are hearth-cooked holiday treats to sample in the colonial kitchen, including Wassail punch, ginger drops, and other holidays treats.”

Howard explained that the festival started in partnership with the Greenfingers Garden Club as a Yuletide Manor House Tour in

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The manor house will be beautifully decorated.

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2008, but it has grown and expanded each year since to now include the decorations and greens sale, hearth cooking, colonial crafts, holiday gift shops, and more.

The Greenfingers Garden Club makes the holiday decorations using greens from Mount Harmon’s grounds, including boxwood, magnolia, pine, holly, and other seasonal favorites.

Visitors to the festival will also be able to enjoy hearth-cooking demonstrations in the plantation kitchen, and a sampling of freshly made holiday treats and Mount Harmon’s special Wassail Punch. Children’s holiday craft-making is also a favorite activity for visitors.

Howard said that some of her personal favorite things about the Yuletide Festival include seeing what the Greenfingers Garden Club members create each year for their decorations.

“Each arrangement is handmade, one of a kind, and so beautifully and creatively done,” Howard said.

“Every year the creations are different, and each year the Greenfingers out do themselves with ever more gorgeous decorations. I also love the hearth cooking in our colonial kitchen, and sampling the colonial treats from the hearth.”

Visitors to the festival will also be able to enjoy hearth-cooking demonstrations in the plantation kitchen, and a sampling of freshly made holiday treats and Mount Harmon’s special Wassail Punch.

The Friends of Mount Harmon group works with the Greenfingers Garden Club to co-host and organize the festival each year. Howard explained the collaboration.

“Sandy Simonson of Greenfingers Garden Club chairs and helped to found this event,” she said. “Sandy and the Greenfingers collect greens from Mount Harmon’s grounds, including holly, box wood, magnolia, and yew, to create arrangements inspired by Colonial Williamsburg, all for sale to benefit Mount Harmon. Mount Harmon docents and volunteers are on hand to share Mount Harmon’s history for the Yuletide Manor House tours. They also greet visitors in the colonial kitchen hearth, and visitor center, where families can enjoy colonial craft-making.”

Proceeds from the festival benefit both the Mount Harmon Plantation and the Greenfingers Garden Club.

Mount Harmon Plantation in Earleville is one of Maryland’s most beautiful historic sites. It features a restored 18th century manor house,

The Yuletide Festival, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, includes holiday fun for the entire family.

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a colonial kitchen, a formal boxwood garden, an Education & Discovery Center, a tobacco prize house, 200 acres of pristine open space, nature trails, and a spectacular waterfront setting.

Among its many programs, the plantation hosts guided manor house tours, self-guided nature tours, school field trips, a special event series, special programs and lectures, bird-watching, hiking, picnicking, as well as weddings and receptions, community and private events.

The Yuletide Festival helps raise money for those activities, and it’s a fun holiday event, too.

“The Mount Harmon Yuletide Festival is a favorite event of the holiday season and a great way to get into the holiday spirit,” Howard said. “Visitors of all ages enjoy experiencing colonial holiday traditions and our beautiful Yuletide Manor House Tour, hearth cooking in the colonial kitchen, Holiday craft-making in our visitor center, and shopping at Mount Harmon‘s Decorations & Greens Sale and Gift Shop — all great places to find that perfect gift.”

Tickets for the festival are $10 each, while tickets for the Friends Of Mount Harmon members are $5. Children 12 and

T L

The historic manor house is decorated with greens, wreaths, swags, centerpieces, and other decorative arrangements that are inspired by Colonial Williamburg.”

under can enjoy the festival for free.

For tickets and more information about the Yuletide Festival, call Mount Harmon Plantation at 410-275-8819 or email at info@mountharmon.org.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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————|Cecil County Life Q&A|————

Q&A

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Stephen J. Weaver, president and CEO of Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center in North East.

Stephen J. Weaver President & CEO Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center

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Every year, on its stunning 219-acre campus in North East, Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center hosts thousands of groups and individuals who seek spiritual growth, guidance and healing. In a busy and sometimes not so pretty world, the peace and serenity of this beautiful spot in Cecil County serves as a reminder that the best decisions we make come from our relationship with Jesus. Recently, Cecil County Life met with Sandy Cove Ministries President and CEO Stephen Weaver to talk about the mission of the ministry, what defines “spirituality,” and who he would like to have at his dinner party.

How long have you been associated with Sandy Cove Ministries?

Weaver: My history with Sandy Cove goes back quite a ways. I grew up about an hour north of here, but this feels like a second home for me. I was a camper at Sandy Hill for two summers, and when I turned 16 years old/or of age, I came on the staff each summer between high school and college. I moved out of the area for about nine years after college, but have been working here consecutively for the past nine years and have been the president and CEO for the past three years. Sometimes it feels like I’ve been here forever, but it remains fresh all of the time.

Individuals and groups come to Sandy Cove for many reasons, but there are so many different categories of people who do arrive here – women’s groups, youth groups, men’s groups and special events. What’s the commonality that draws so many people here? Sandy Cove is not just bricks and walls.

It’s a blessing and a curse, because to be all things to all people can be difficult. We struggle with that ourselves and ask, ‘How diverse can we be and still be good at what we do?’ We try to arrive at a commonality through two broad strokes – the programmed events that we’re hosting, where we bring in speakers and entertainers, as well as our other events. On the other side, we provide opportunities for group ministries who rent our facilities.

The commonality for us and our focal points is the experience, and the experience rests on who is delivering it. I will always tell you that our secret sauce is our people. It’s having good, mission-minded, practicing Christians whom we hire and train and support, in order to allow them to

deliver a consistent experience to whomever walks on the property. We are a mission-driven organization, and we want to see that happen for whomever we say ‘Yes’ to.

Define “Spirituality,” in terms of how it applies to the Sandy Cove mission.

We’re a faith-based organization, but it’s about the Bible and Gospel and Jesus Christ. We were founded by Dr. George A. Palmer, who had several ministries he was involved in, as well as a popular radio broadcast 70 or so years ago during the Great Depression. This property was purchased and intended for people who were listening to Dr. Palmer on the radio. The beginning and end of the broadcast said, ‘Jesus Never Fails.’ This was being heard at a time when people were watching everything around them fail – a message of hope that said that Jesus Christ can provide that hope. So for us today, everything still revolves around that foundation. The issue of spirituality for us is that we believe we’re all spiritual beings on a journey, and that our ultimate hopes can be found through Jesus Christ. Our faith helps us make decisions. It affects everything we do and how we do it.

We live in a time of great political, spiritual and philosophic division. Sandy Cove’s message, “Jesus Never Fails,” seems to be taking on an entirely new definition now.

I say quite often that this message is as necessary now as it has ever been. Yes, it fell on ears that needed to hear it 70 years ago because of the conditions of the Great Depression, but now, we live in a world where there are so many places to hear messages of fear. Even if we look at what motivates marketing, at the core of the message is that you’re afraid that you’re missing out if you don’t choose a particular product; or if you don’t attend a particular school. It’s a whole, compounded idea that fear is the right message to impart.

In contrast, those who have experienced the life change that is available through Jesus Christ know that living in fear is not their only option, and sometimes, it takes a place like Sandy Cove to serve as a place for conversations – to sit down and be quiet and listen. I feel the need that we are meeting now is as great as when we started.

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As you said, the key to spiritual growth is often more about listening than it is about speaking. I’d like you to talk about the programming at Sandy Cove Ministries that encourages groups and individuals to hear their own voice, in order to create a foundation for their own growth.

One of the signs on our campus reads, “Hoping that you pause long enough to hear God.” A big part of any kind of camping or conference ministry talks to the value of rest and retreat, and a lot of that happens through a counter-culture idea, which is silence.

The opportunity to go down to the pier and do a wilderness walk here are opportunities that a lot of people who come to us don’t have in their every day lives. We get letters from those who come here from inner cities, who tell us that they can’t get over how quiet it is when they arrive here. There’s a camping phrase around here that says, “God doesn’t talk louder here. It’s just that when you become quiet, it’s easier to hear Him.”

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What led you to a spiritual life?

I was grateful to grow up in a home where the church and the Bible mattered. I understood the basic Bible stories from going to church as a kid, but the difference for me was going to Campy Sandy Hill, and listening to a counselor who talked about setting up Jesus as the lord of his life. I’m sure I was taught in the church I grew up in, but it wasn’t something I understood at the time, but as an 10- or 11-year-old at Camp Sandy Hill, I realized that my faith journey was beginning – a time when I first understood that my journey was about a relationship and not just a transactional, free ticket to Heaven.

It’s the idea that it was the promise and hope and freedom of eternal life, but that the eternal life needs to start now.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s the message that gets linked with Christianity and spirituality. Often times, they are thrown into the category of what makes us divisive. It’s unfortunate, because the true message of the Gospel is freedom and hope.

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Everyone who thinks of themselves as spiritual – in the broad definition of the word – has moments where they experience doubt; where they ask questions of their purpose and question their deity, God or holy entity. Do you have those moments?

I grew up inside the church. Most of my work has been within the church. I’ve been involved in church leadership for many years. I have all of the credentials and the story line that would say that there is no room for doubt in my life, but I can say that as recently as a year or two ago, there were strong issues going on in my life that were causing me to have doubt. It was going through that process that God revealed to me that doubt is one of those tools that can be used to bring me back to what I believe.

We work with a lot of college-age kids who are experiencing those transitions, and we tell them that doubt and questioning are great, but don’t give up until you get the answer. Fight for the answer.

For me, I don’t know that I’ve ever lived in a time where

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I haven’t been on the continuum of ‘I know for sure’ and ‘Doubt.’

Share the moments in your memory that, in your view, have helped crystallize and connect the enlightenment or growth of an individual with the overall mission of Sandy Cove Ministries.

The reality is that we hear countless stories in the context of what we do and how we do it. Earlier today, one of our employees who has worked here for five years with his wife came up to me and said, “Whether I work here forever or not does not matter. Being here is changing who I am. I am becoming a better person because of my time here.” I keep impressing upon our staff that if the mission of Sandy Cove is not happening in our own lives, it can’t happen in the lives of the guests we’re inviting here.

Last week, we hosted a men’s event that drew more than 400 men of every color, race, socioeconomic background and situation, and every kind of denomination you can

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imagine. They were all in the same room together, singing and worshiping, taking Communion and hearing from the word of God. For a world that is so divided, it was a glimpse of unity into what we believe is what the world is supposed to be like.

What is your favorite spot in Cecil County?

I may be biased, but because of the amount of significant moments in my life that have happened here, Sandy Cove will always mean the world to me. My wife and I have had the opportunity to travel, but there’s something about the sunsets here in the summer. There is a view, a spirit, that’s hard to compare. Each part of this property has a special place for me. We hear from a lot of people who tell us, “The moment I turned into Sandy Cove off of Route 272, something happened to me.” It’s a spiritual thing that tells people that they have arrived to somewhere else.

Cecil County gives us the opportunity to enjoy beautiful waterfronts, and then be able to travel country roads and see horse farms. It’s a county of many diverse pictures.

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Who would you invite to your dinner party?

How could I not invite Jesus to this table to get all of my questions answered? My mother has been in Heaven for five years, so if you could say I could get to sit down with my mother for dinner and go over the last ten years that were weren’t able to communicate due to her health issues, I’d give anything for that.

The two living people I’d like to eat with are both British and both unabashedly truth-tellers: Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsay. Whether you love them or hate them, you know what you’re going to get.

What can always be found in your refrigerator?

It’s cheese, always cheese. My wife is obsessed with cheese, so there are always a lot of options in our refrigerator.

In addition to a full calendar of programs and activities, Sandy Cove Ministries and Conference Center provides three camps – Camp Sandy Cove in High Point, W. Va; and the Marsh Day Camp and Family Camp in North East.

To learn more about these camps and other events, visit www.sandycove.org. To reserve your group or schedule your conference, call 800-234-2683(COVE), or email info@ sandycove.org.

- Richard L. Gaw

—————|Cecil County Photo Essay|————— Text by Richard L. Gaw Photos courtesy of Sandy Cove Ministries Located at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay in North East, the 219 acres that make up Sandy Cove Ministries has become many things to many people. With a year-round calendar of womens’ events, couples getaways, mens’ weekend retreats, ministry leader sabbaticals, seniors programs and summer family camp – it is a place of welcome, but it also serves as a place to connect with God, with family, with community, and with one’s self.

Continued on Page 62

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What makes Sandy Cove the sanctuary that it has become is simple: It does not dictate how a person develops a relationship with God. Rather, it quietly reveals its beauty and gives groups, families and individuals the chance to make the journey on their own time – along pathways and in lighthouses and gazebos and on piers, and gives them the gift of watching the golden glory of sunsets on the water.

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To look at the many events at Sandy Cove Ministries is to open up a book of possibilities, and while its diverse curriculum and activities both honor and protect our journeys, it also allows us the freedom to reflect upon the canvases of natural beauty, the sights and sounds of which make for a better walk toward our discoveries.

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——————|Cecil County Life|——————

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——————|Cecil County People|——————

A light in the darkness

Ashley Nicole Tucker died in an accident in 2006, just after her 16th birthday.

A Charlestown family moves from tragedy to helping young people

By John Chambless Staff Writer

T

he darkness came without warning. It swallowed up the Tucker family for eight long years.

However, the light that is now leading the family is making life better not only for them, but for dozens of young people who are seeing the kindness of Ashley Nicole Tucker live on.

On the sunny afternoon of June 16, 2006, the Tucker family was setting up for Ashley’s belated 16th birthday party in their Charlestown home. Ashley stepped into the room where the family stored household items near the washer and dryer. She fell into a 20-foot-deep unused well shaft that the family had carefully covered with wood as they were renovating the home. No one saw her fall. No one can say how it happened. But Ashley died.

That horrifying instant shattered the lives of Susan and Frank Tucker, and the lives of their two young children, Megan and Grant.

Photo by John Chambless

The Tucker family, with the memorial wall in their home dedicated to Ashley Nicole.

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Sitting at the kitchen table in scarred by the lack of a stable October, in the same home where home life, are chaotic. Sometimes, Ashley died, Susan Tucker said they have children of their own. that the depression and guilt Susan had found her cause. and emotional paralysis of the There were endless discussions years that followed were endured of how to set up a non-profit orgathrough therapy and the boundless nization, a maze of paperwork help of a counselor at Charlestown to become part of the foster care Elementary School who worked chain that begins at birth and ends with the two younger Tucker chilat age 21. Eventually, the organizadren. Today, like their mother tion that became ANT’s Army got and father, they carry the scar underway. It’s named for Ashley’s of Ashley’s loss, but are moving initials, but also suggests the tiny forward. force that’s working on a huge Susan said the moment that Some of the teens helped by ANT’s Army created problem. this painting as a thank-you gift to the family. began to lift the crippling sorrow Susan and her family, though, are was hearing the song “I Believe,” undeterred.

by Diamond Rio, that had been performed at Ashley’s In November 2014, ANT’s Army started organizing memorial service, on the radio one day. “I started bawl- grassroots fundraisers. That Christmas, there were small ing,” she said. “My husband, Frank, came home from gifts for those in foster care who were still in school. work and I said, ‘That’s it. We have to do something to Those who were older got clothing, modestly priced stop grieving her every single day.’ It had been seven jewelry, soaps, and winter hats, scarves and gloves. At years.”

Easter, Susan organized gifts of paper products, soap and The Tuckers felt that they had do something – anything toothpaste, and a little bit of candy. And there is always – to refocus their lives and pay tribute to Ashley, who a chocolate Easter bunny, a family tradition from when had always loved children and wanted to be a child Susan herself was a child. psychologist.

There was a painting project in 2015 with a volunteer “I asked my friend Nicole Meekins, who was also a instructor who worked with the teens to paint whatever social worker at the time, what we could do,” Susan they wanted. Every June, there’s a cookout for the teens recalled. “I had thought about adopting foster kids, but and their children, where ANT’s Army provides food and we decided that if I knew the mother was still on drugs, I fellowship and a chance to relax. There have been 5K was not going to give the kid back. She said, ‘I don’t think runs and letters sent to local businesses and ongoing profostering is for you,’” Susan said, laughing. “But she said motional efforts, all of which are limited by the donations there were other things we could do. Finally, we decided on hand. But word is spreading. that it’s the 16- to 21-year-old kids that get forgotten. So Susan gets a list of young people living in Cecil County we help the ones that are not with a family. They rent a or nearby from Social Services – just their first name and room from someone, or they rent an apartment if they’re last initial. From that list of needed items, she works to 18.” get donations, particularly for Christmas, but also as Teens are often in limbo, with some support from Social needs arise.

Services, but still facing the challenges of adulthood, “I got a call a few months ago from a girl who said she Continued on Page 72 often without any sort of preparation. Their lives, already

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didn’t have any food in the house and her baby needed diapers,” Susan said. “I texted Kim, the social worker, crying because I didn’t get paid for a week and we didn’t have the money, and ANT’s Army had like $7 in the account. Susan said, ‘Give her credit for reaching out to you. But this is life. They have to learn to deal with these things. You can text her back and say you don’t have it this week. She has other resources.’ It turned out OK, but these are my kids, you know?”

While the holiday fundraisers are a primary focus, the Tucker family’s garage and spare rooms are stuffed with items that could be needed at any time, donated by friends or people they don’t even know. Clothing, appliances, small furniture – there’s everything you’d need in setting up an apartment.

“We give out toiletries, or if they’re moving to their first apartment, we get pots and pans, a mixer, or dishes,” Susan said. “Sometimes a church pantry here in town will have extra items donated. I’ll get a call from them and Continued on Page 74

Ashley Nicole Tucker (center), with a young Grant and Megan Tucker.

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they’ll say they have three sets of dishes, but they’re all mismatched. I’ll say, ‘I want them!’

“The first year we went to the Christmas party for the older kids, I gave one girl her Christmas gifts and she looked at me and said, ‘What do you want from me? Why would you do this?’” Susan said. “Later, we had her over to the house to make Christmas cookies and that kind of stuff. She looked through the recipe and asked, ‘What’s a tsp?’ These kids don’t have that background. I asked, ‘Honey, what do you make at home?’ She said, ‘Frozen pizzas.’ They have no wooden spoons, no spatulas, any of that stuff.”

Friends will buy a few extra items at the supermarket to donate to the cause. Once, Frank went to open the front door to go to work in the morning, but it was blocked by bags of donated clothing. He laughed at the memory, grateful for the kindness of unseen people who want to help.

“I definitely help out with getting stuff on the truck,” he

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said. “We can pick up things like furniture and deliver it different places.” Most times, the family doesn’t see the recipients of their gifts. “There’s a handful we deal with personally,” he said. “They’ve been to our house, we’ve been to their places.”

This Christmas, Susan said, there are 19 young people on the gift list, along with nine of their young children, including three who have officially aged out of the system but remain family friends. Susan can’t resist getting them a little something as well.

The Tuckers are not wealthy, and they give out 100 percent of what is donated, either to the teens or to another local charity if they can’t use something. “It’s actually more than 100 percent,” Frank said, smiling and looking at Susan, who acknowledged spending their own money.

“That’s the reason we don’t have money for a storage place, because there’s no way we could do that. I’m not going to bring in $500 and give a storage place $200,” he said.

“One girl who has aged out has been with us since day one,” Susan said. “I texted her one day and she said her prepaid phone was out of minutes. It was Christmas and she said her son’s holiday was more important than her

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One of the young women helped by the Tucker famikly painted this tree to say thanks.

phone. I asked her to meet me at Walmart. I had six bags of clothes for her in my car. I went into the store.

She needed $50 for the phone. The cards are sold for $45. I knew she was going to be $5 short, so I bought her two cards. She cried when I gave them to her. She hugged me and thanked me and drew me this wonderful picture. She’s got a job now, she’s doing very well.”

Megan is a strong supporter of ANT’s Army, and helps at events. “People will ask me to get up and explain what ANT’s Army is about,” Susan said. “When I start to say something, my voice will crack, and then she’ll try to take over, and she’ll start to cry. This year at the 5K, though, I was so proud because it was the first time my voice didn’t crack.”

“A lot of my friends from school will help, and mom will sign papers for their volunteer hours,” Megan said.

“It helps everybody. A lot of them come to every event.

The first year we did the Christmas party, we gave one of the guys his presents, and he said, ‘Sorry, but can I open these on Christmas Day?’ Without our stuff, there wasn’t going to be a Christmas for him.”

Susan especially thanked the Market Street Cafe in Charlestown, the hub of the community where ANT’s Army holds vendor fundraisers, and where the paper stockings are put up every holiday season so patrons can pick one or two up and buy gifts, in a method similar to how the Angel Tree prison ministry works.

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several points. Cash donations must be turned into gift cards so they cannot be abused, she realized. “I live under a rock,” she said, smiling. “So when I heard that we can’t give people razors, I had no idea what that meant … And last year, a lot of people gave us cleaning supplies and bleach. Well, I didn’t even think of what you could do with that.” Last year, Susan put a $10 bill in an Easter egg for each teen because she can’t say no all the time, she admitted.

Both Megan and Grant nodded and said they have seen a big difference in the family since ANT’s Army has become the focus for their parents. “Now they have something to put their emotions towards,” Megan said.

The outreach, the young people they have helped, the way Susan and Frank have a purpose, have brought fresh air to the family dynamic. And the community is the beneficiary.

While Susan said she appreciates the donations and occasional responses to emergency requests, what ANT’s

Army needs now is a storage space that’s not the family’s garage. If they had more space to keep supplies until they’re needed, they could respond to more needy young people and accept even more donations. So far, a space hasn’t been found, but the family is hopeful about getting some location that is either free or very low cost.

Susan keeps the organization in the public eye as much as she can, and high-visibility events like the 5K races and T-shirts help spread the word.

Through it all, she keeps the wishes of Ashley, who would be 27 now, foremost in her mind. “Whenever I meet with Stephanie Astle, my tax lady, she asks, ‘Would Ashley want you to do this?’” Susan said, smiling. “And I think this is exactly what Ashley would want to be part of.”

For more information, visit www.ants-army.weebly. com, or find ANT’s Army on Facebook.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

Calendar of events North East Tree Lighting Nov. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Cecil County Annual Christmas Parade in North East Festival of Trees Nov. 3 to Dec. 2, West Street Village, North East. On Dec. 2 at 4 p.m., there will be a silent auction of the trees. All proceeds benefit Casa Cecil County.

Christmas Bazaar Nov. 17, 4 to 8:30 p.m. Held at Good Shepherd Catholic School. There will be a spaghetti dinner, vendors and games of chance.

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Dec. 2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be floats, marching bands, displays from local animal rescues, antique and classic cars, and an appearance by Santa. Arrive early to enjoy the goodies and deals from Main Street merchants. Call 410-287-5801 if you would like to register your float/organization in the parade.

Christmas Tree Lighting in Perryville Dec. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Lower Ferry Park (Broad Street and Roundhouse Drive, Perryville).

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——————|Around Cecil County|—————— In many ways, the auction house Jim Racine has owned since 1999 with his sister Donna Racine is a reflection of what their grandfather Gene began in 1904 and what their father David continued: To be a treasure trove of unique finds, both arriving and departing

North East’s showroom of comings and goings

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

I

n the showroom of Racine Auctions in North East, there can be found a tightly-bound and plentiful supply of World War II documentary CDS, an American flag, a pair of oversized large black boots, a Coors Light poster, a Michael Kors bag, and a porcelain horse. And that’s just in a ten-foot square radius.

There are no typical days in the life of an auctioneer and appraiser, but on a recent Fall afternoon, the world of Racine Auctions was running according to its usual pattern. Four delivery men were putting the final

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strapping and protective cloth around an antique dining set for delivery to a home nearby. At the rear of the storeroom, several items from an estate sale in Chesapeake City waited to be cleaned and dusted in preparation for an auction in November. Jim Racine’s wife Elisa asked her husband about other appraisals that have recently dotted his calendar, and of course – and as in every auction house – small pockets of the curious poked and prodded through the 50 lots of antiques, collectibles, jewelry, military items and Americana that has found its way into the showroom from homes and barns and sales and collections.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life, and it’s all I’ve ever known,” Jim said, smiling at the accumulation of a life’s

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Jim and Elisa Racine in their North East showroom.

work up and down the rows of the auction house.

To anyone who has ever been associated with Racine Auctions as a friend or a business associate will attest to the truth of the statement, and for good reason. Siblings Jim and Donna Racine are the third generation in a family of Racines who have been auctioneers and appraisers in North East since 1904, when their grandfather Gene began holding auctions around Cecil County. After Gene passed in 1955, the family trade was turned over to Gene’s son, David, who in addition to serving as a County Commissioner, ran the business until 1994, when the Racines took over for their father.

“There used to be a farm next door, and sales happened right in the barn,” Jim said. “Dad built this current location in 1965, and it became the first building on the East Coast to be strictly used as an auction house. Up until that time, auction houses were converted warehouses and barns.”

By the time the Racines were old enough to follow their father, they were helping out the family business. They helped move merchandise and furniture from estate appraisal to auction to storeroom and into new homes. They worked in the kitchen of the auction house with their mother, and when Jim turned 12, he began ringing up sales while at the same time helping to arrange auctions and estate sales.

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“One time, I think it was in 1969 when I was about nine years old, my father dropped me off at an auction house in Oxford to do some bidding for him,” Jim said. “He had to make some other calls to clients, so he gave me a number and I went around buying picture frames and old doors. He came back later to pick me up, but even then, he was allowing me the freedom to let me wander around to see what I could learn about the business.”

Throughout its rich history, the auction and appraisal industry has been known as a center of transience – where the generous turnover of arriving and departing merchandise, furniture, trinkets, heirlooms, household items and appliances is met by a coming and going clientele that includes movers, down-sizers, liquidators, those who are coordinating estate sales for the departed, and the forever curious.

Jim knows them all. Traveling everywhere between Baltimore and Philadelphia and all along Maryland’s Eastern Shore, he specializes in personal property appraisals for estate purposes, insurance, and divorces for families negotiating the estate of a loved one.

Creating an itemized list of every item and its appraised value, Jim provides his clients with a guideline that gives a fair dollar value for each item he appraises.

Often, he said, appraising is the art of convincing a family’s that it’s own definition of “value” may conflict with what an item sells for in the current marketplace.

“When I go to do an estate appraisal, my job is to identify the items of value in today’s market, and a lot of times, an estate’s assessment of value for a particular item is nowhere near its actual value,” he said. “For instance, the spinning wheel that sold for $400 back in the 1970s may be worth only about $25 today in its current market value. I am 80

there to distinguish the current market value difference between a silver plate bowl and a sterling plate bowl. I let the estate know where the highend merchandise is located within the estate, so they’re not giving away the valuable heirloom in a yard sale.

“I’ll occasionally have someone tell me that they paid $2,500 for an entertainment center back in 1985,” he said. “I’ll tell them that was valuable back then, but now, people hang their TVs on the wall.”

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Racine Auctions offers a unique blend of merchandise that includes glassware, household items, ornamantal arrangements and jewelry.

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Occasionally – as is the hope for any appraiser – Jim will stumble upon an absolute goldmine. While cleaning out a Maryland home during an estate sale a few years ago, he found a box in the corner of the home’s basement. He opened the box, and there it was, a Chinese wine vessel dating back to 5000 B.C. It later fetched $60,000 at auction.

“The woman’s husband was a consulate in Norway and a five-star general, and he entertained visitors from countries around the world, and a dignitary must have presented the man with this gift,” he said. “It’s a treasure hunt. Some houses, you know what you’re going to find – nothing. But other houses have an aura to them, sending me the thought that there may be something very valuable there. Wishful thinking may get me in trouble, but sometimes the biggest values we find can be found in a shack or a barn.”

In addition to appraisal services, Jim, who graduated from The Mendenhall School of Auctioneering in Highpoint, N.C., supervises auctions about twice a month on Saturdays throughout the year, the items of which come from consignment sales, moving arrangements, downsizing and clean outs.

Jim looks around the ever-changing inventory of the large showroom, where the business he has known all of his life reverberates with the steady flow of merchandise coming in, and merchandise moving out. Some days, they work long hours, and the necessary evil of moving furniture from storage to auction is losing its grandeur with each passing year, and yet, “There will always be a need for auction houses, because things need to find a home,” he said. “It may not bring in top dollars, but if you get three or four people bidding on the right item, it very well might.”

Racine Auctions is located on 2741 Biggs Highway, North East, Md. 21901.

Tel.: 410-658-9720. To learn more about Racine Auctions and upcoming auctions and events, visit www.racineauction.com.

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

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