Towne Spotlight Local

 Harvest Thyme Celebrates Five Years!

Davidsonville chef/owner Rik Squillari and the devoted staff of Harvest Thyme recently celebrated the restaurant’s 5th anniversary with a community fundraising dinner event, “Thyme Flies at Harvest Thyme.” The celebration featured a ribbon cutting, live music, anniversary merch, and a specially-priced menu, including five entrees priced at $20.17 to commemorate the restaurant’s inaugural year. Local dignitaries, including Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, attended the evening. All proceeds from the event were donated to The Davidsonville Athletic Association, a local champion for youth sports in our area. Learn more about Harvest Thyme at harvestthymetavern.com. Photography courtesy Harvest Thyme/For Brandkind.

ANNAPOLIS OPERA’S NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

The Annapolis Opera Company announced that Jane Weaver, of Weaver & Weaver, is its new Director of Development. “We are pleased to have the addition of this opera and nonprofit professional to the AOC team as we move forward celebrating our 50th Anniversary and into the years beyond,” says General Director Kathy Swekel. Weaver brings a wealth of experience, ideas, and energy from all areas of opera and nonprofit management, particularly fundraising. Her work with Houston Grand Opera, Texas Opera Theater in Houston, Community School of the Arts, and Operation Homefront in Charlotte included successes in annual gifts, corporate partnerships, events, and galas. “I moved to Annapolis because I loved the city, its size, intimacy, and active community; and to add to that the opportunity to continue my work and love of opera, will make my stay here especially rewarding,” Weaver says. Learn more at annapolisopera.org.

Bello Machre To Build Fully Accessible Home

Bello Machre recently began construction on its newest wheelchair accessible home in the community. When complete (expected this Fall), the home on Wright Road in Hanover, Maryland, will welcome four women in need of around-theclock loving care. Funding of this home is, in part, due to The Phillips Charitable Foundation. Bello Machre was awarded a grant of $116,500 from The Foundation as down payment for the home. The home will be named in honor of Howard Phillips, Jr., the namesake of the Foundation. Bello Machre President & CEO Dr. Robert Ireland says, “Our excitement is growing, and the four women who will be moving into The Phillips Home are thrilled. The generosity of the Phillips Charitable Foundation will have a profound impact on the lives of these women for years to come.” Learn more at bellomachre.org. Photography courtesy Bello Machre.

 NEW OWNERS OF ANNAPOLIS MARINE ART GALLERY

Annapolis Marine Art Gallery is now under new ownership. Owners Samantha and Kate Wilkerson are committed to keeping the maritime spirit that has been the foundation of the gallery for the past 44 years. Samantha and Kate are a mother-daughter duo from Crofton, Maryland, and are looking forward to continuing the AMAG legacy. Located at 110 Dock Street, the Annapolis Marine Art Gallery features original art from well-known artists including John Barber, Willard Bond, Tim Thompson, Paul Landry, and Joyful Enriquez. After a brief hiatus to remodel and reorganize, the gallery reopened this past July. Learn more at annapolismarineart.com.

City Awards Local Conservationists

The Annapolis City Council recently honored the work of Blacks of the Chesapeake President & Founder Vince Leggett (pictured left) and Chesapeake Conservancy President Joel Dunn (right) for their collaboration to conserve the Elktonia/Carr’s Beach property and other conservation endeavors throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The two were awarded citations by the City at a ceremony earlier this fall. The City of Annapolis, Blacks of the Chesapeake, Chesapeake Conservancy, and the State of Maryland entered into an agreement with The Conservation Fund to acquire the property through a patchwork of funding including federal, state, and city Program Open Space funds. With this acquisition and its planned uses, everyone will be able to access Elktonia Beach’s natural resources and learn more about Black history on the Chesapeake. Elktonia Beach, a five-acre waterfront parcel on Chesapeake Bay, is the last remnant of the original 180-acre property purchased by Fred Carr in 1902. Carr’s and Sparrow’s Beaches were privately-owned and operated by Fred Carr’s daughters, Elizabeth Carr Smith and Florence Carr Sparrow’s. The “Beaches” (1930s–1970s), as they were called, represented the heart of entertainment throughout the mid-Atlantic region and welcomed Blacks during a time of segregation. Learn more at blacksofthechesapeake. wildapricot.org or chesapeakeconservancy.org. Photograph courtesy Chesapeake Conservancy.

 LUMINIS HEALTH CEO JOINS AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Tori Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health, has been elected to the Board of Trustees for the American Hospital Association (AHA). Luminis Health was formed in 2019 when Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Medical Center merged to provide even greater access to high quality, specialized care to the communities served. The AHA Board of Trustees is the highest policymaking body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its directions and finances. Bayless will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2023. Learn more at luminishealth.org.

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