Photography by Steve Buchanan
TOWNE SALUTE
Charlene Rhodes Channel Marker, Inc. By Lisa A. Lewis
After Charlene Rhodes’ daughter-in-law, Amy Stoops Rhodes, passed away under tragic circumstances, Rhodes was determined to keep Amy’s memory alive and honor her legacy. During a touching memorial service organized by Amy’s employer, Channel Marker, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides mental health services and support for adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, Rhodes felt a sense of kinship with Amy’s Channel Marker family. Deeply moved by the outpouring of love, she decided that she wanted to become a volunteer for the organization that had been such an important part of Amy’s life. Since that time, Rhodes has become a true ambassador—working tirelessly to pay tribute to her daughter-in-law’s memory. 16
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“Amy was a wonderful, loving person who brought so much joy to the world,” Rhodes says. “She was passionate about her job as a social worker/Talbot program manager at Channel Marker and loved working with her clients and helping improve their lives. Since Amy had been dating my son, Jason, for several years before they got married on October 10, 2015, she already felt like part of our family, and we adored her. But then tragedy struck, and her life was cut short. Sadly, she passed away on December 24, 2015. Amy was so young, and her future had seemed bright. She and Jason had so much to look forward to and were just starting their life together as a married couple. Everyone who knew Amy was grief-stricken, and it was difficult to imagine life without her.” Becoming a volunteer for Channel Marker helped Rhodes find some comfort and offered a way for her to honor Amy’s memory. Although the organization has locations in Cambridge and Denton, the administrative office and Wellness Center are located in Easton. A courtyard at the Wellness Center showcases beautiful flowering plants as well as the Dulin-Rhodes Memorial Garden, which includes a koi pond with a waterfall/ fountain feature and benches. Dedicated to the memory of Beth Dulin, a Channel Marker employee whose life was also tragically cut short, and Amy Stoops Rhodes, the garden is especially dear to Rhodes’ heart. She lovingly cares for and maintains it to
“Volunteering provides a sense of satisfaction and makes me feel good. Channel Marker is such an important organization because it helps clients who are dealing with mental illness and offers them a safe space and a support network. “ ensure that the area exudes a welcoming and peaceful setting for the clients. During the holidays, she even decorates the garden to make it festive. Rhodes also prepares food for Channel Marker’s fundraising events and decorates the Wellness Center. She generously devotes her time and is always willing to lend a helping hand. “Volunteering provides a sense of satisfaction and makes me feel good,” Rhodes says. “Channel Marker is such an important organization because it helps clients who are dealing with mental illness and offers them a safe space and a support network. The staff is a phenomenal group of people who are so wonderful that they make volunteering easy, and I want to help them in any way that I can. But I think what makes Channel Marker truly special is how much the clients appreciate everything that the staff does to help them. They also genuinely appreciate the extra touches, such as the holiday decorations in the garden.
