Cecil County Life Fall/Winter 2019
Letter from the Editor:
Welcome to the fall/winter edition of Cecil County Life
Timeless Tiffany is one of the quintessential businesses in Cecil County, and one of the things that we like best about publishing a magazine like Cecil County Life is that we can shine a spotlight on a business like this one. Since 1978, Barry Chidester, the man behind Timeless Tiffany, has used a customer-centered approach to build his full-service stained glass studio into what it is today.
This issue features a number of different stories focusing on aspects of life in Cecil County.
We profile local singer/songwriter Scott Seisler, who turned the tragic death of his brother into a song that laments the loss and points the way forward for those suffering from drug addiction. Seisler and his band are working to bring that message to audiences near and far.
We recently visited Chris Davis and Steve Applegate of Bog Turtle Brewery, as they prepare to begin the next chapter of the brewery by relocating to Rising Sun.
We talk to author Corinne Litzenberg, a former Cecil County teacher who has written a series of books that bring the natural world closer to young readers. Her latest is her most heartfelt book, and teaches children how to cope with grief.
For the fifth year in a row, the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office will participate in the No Shave November campaign to benefit Camp Open Arms.
Throughout the year, photographers from all over travel to the Conowingo Dam to capture the grace and beauty of the bald eagle. In this edition’s photo essay titled “The majestic at Conowingo,” photographer Jim Coarse of Moonloop Photography took his camera to nearby Conowingo Dam to capture the hundreds of Bald Eagles that nest there during the late fall and early winter.
We hope you enjoy the stories in this issue of Cecil County Life. As always, we welcome 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 spring of 2020.
Sincerely,
Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553
Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, ext. 13
Cover design: Tricia Hoadley
Cover photo: Jim Coarse
Turning darknes
Scott Seisler makes music to cope with personal loss and a public crisis
ss into light
By John Chambless Staff Writer
Recovering from the weight of almost unimaginable loss, Scott Seisler did the only thing he could. He turned to music, and turned his pain into comfort for others.
In 2012, Seisler got the searing news that his younger brother Shawn, in the grip of a heroin addiction and lost in depression, took his own life. Then, both of his parents passed away from cancer within months of each other. The only way forward was to start putting his feelings into lyrics.
The Scott Seisler Band (with guitarist Bubby Jackson, bass player John Rehfuss and drummer Ben Bramhall) recorded enough material for a debut release, Missed the Last , which has solid rockers and a professional, polished sound. The heart of the album, the title track, zeroes in on Shawn’s death with unsparing openness. An accompanying video follows Seisler through empty homes and a cold warehouse as home movies of his brother flicker on the walls. It’s tough to watch, but ultimately hopeful.
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Scott Seisler
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Now on a campaign to spread the word about the opioid crisis and mental health issues, Seisler teamed with an organization called Bring Change to Mind, donating a portion of his album sales to help end the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Last month, Seisler talked about how Missed the Last came to be, and how funneling his anguish into art has eased his mind and profoundly affected people he will never know.
What’s your connection to Cecil County?
In the early 1950s, my grandfather built a summer home on Elk River. So my dad grew up down here on the water in the summertime and I was fortunate to have the same benefit of coming to Maryland on the weekends to the summer home. In the early 1980s, dad sold the place and wanted a home with a canal view. In 1990, we bought the home that we are currently living in on Courthouse Point Road. My mom and dad retired here full-time in 2006.
After my mom passed away in 2014, and my dad five months later, my wife and I decided to live four days in Maryland and three days in New York City, where we had been based for the last 18 years. Finally, as of August 2018, I am now a full-time Cecil County resident. I have gone back to school, studying music at Cecil College in Elkton Station, thanks to professor Andrew Dickenson, Performing Arts Coordinator. He has been extremely encouraging in this music endeavor.
Growing up, was Shawn a troubled child? When did his opioid addiction begin?
No, Shawn was not a troubled child growing up. As a matter of fact, we were best friends! I believe that when things changed was in 1999 when I moved to New York City and did not see him on a regular basis. I am not 100 percent sure when his addiction began.
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A warehouse in Pennsylvania was the setting for some scenes in the video for ‘Missed the Last.’
New Neighborhood
Community Center, Elkton, Cecil County Maryland
Scott Seisler
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You and your parents obviously tried to help but probably felt overwhelmed. What advice could you offer to families in a similar situation now, with someone who needs help?
We had heard rumors, and people tried to tell us this might be happening. When we confronted Shawn, he had excuses and convinced us it was lies. Of course, us not wanting to believe this was true, we trusted him. Then the day came when I received the phone call from Shawn. He was obviously hallucinating or dreaming and telling me that I told him to “Go back.” I didn’t understand what he was talking about and just went along with it. As soon as that phone call was over, I called my mom and found out that he had some sort of drug episode. And this was the moment when we found out he was using drugs.
It’s truly very hard to know when someone has an addiction problem because they deny it and hide it so well. Unfortunately, I found out after Shawn had passed that he made comments to my mom about taking his own life, but she never told me that he said this until after he died. So, advice I would give to someone and a lesson I have learned at great cost is: Even if you think someone is joking or not serious about saying
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Seisler signs an autograph after a New York concert.
Scott Seisler
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they want to take their life, you have to assume they are serious and in pain, no matter what. Were you pursuing a music career in the years leading up to 2012?
No, I was not actually pursuing a music career, but music was always a part of my life. In elementary school I took up the trumpet and played it through high school and in the marching band, and dabbled playing the piano. In the early 1990s, after watching Nirvana “Unplugged” on MTV, I immediately was inspired and picked up the guitar and started playing.
After the shock of your brother’s death, did you return to Maryland to help your parents?
After the death of my brother, nothing really changed because we always came to Maryland on weekends and I spoke to my mother daily. I felt that my mom carried a tremendous burden of guilt that she never talked about. But I saw her slipping into a depression. We would always talk and I would always encourage her to live a healthier lifestyle because I was here for her. However, that was not enough. I believe that the tragedy of a parent
losing a child is something that is very hard to overcome, and something I will never understand, since I am not a father.
The Scott Seisler Band on stage in New York City.
The double tragedy of your parents’ deaths must have put you at a breaking point. Did you rely on faith to endure it? What pulled you through that time?
Right after my brother passed away, I immediately went into counseling for myself. I continued that right up until (and after) my parents had both passed away. When my mom got sick after my brother died, I went into survival mode, doing whatever was necessary for both of them. Then my mom passed away and my focus became my dad. Then he was diagnosed with cancer, too, and chose not to fight it and wanted to be home to live out his last days in Maryland and not in a hospital. I spent those four months, every minute I could, getting to know my dad again because I felt like I was cheated by losing my mom so quick. Those last four months with my father were amazing because I felt like I got to know him all over again. It was the greatest time of my life but also the most painful, knowing what the outcome would be. After that, I became numb and felt like my memories were lost. So, I created a huge photo collage from one end of our garage to the other end, with about 1,000 pictures of family and
friends, spanning our lifetime. Every time I walk into the garage, I feel like I am with them again and find peace. I believe I lot of things pulled me through this time in my life. One was the amazing support of my dear friends who surrounded me with a tremendous amount of love. Yes, I relied on my faith and listened to a lot Joel Osteen! But, most importantly, the thing that held me together the
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The band plays in New York City.
Scott Seisler
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most, was my wife, Christine. Her unshakable faith and unconditional love gave me strength and hope.
When did you write the material for the debut album?
After Shawn died, that is when the music and lyrics of Missed the Last came to me. Then I just started writing songs based on what I was feeling and what was happening, or had happened, in my life. I found it very therapeutic and couldn’t stop writing.
The title track must have been a catharsis to write, but how did you summon the courage to record it, and to perform it regularly?
“Missed the Last” came to me while I was sitting in my office in New York City and all of a sudden, a gush of emotion came to me and I frantically put it down on paper. It was so spontaneous. That’s how it started. It was my story of what had happened to my brother.
Recording it was probably harder than performing it live. In the recording studio, you are alone, and that’s the moment when you let the emotions flow. I found it much more difficult to get through the song in that setting. When I’m performing it live, I close my eyes,
because if I make eye contact with the audience, I will cry.
How did you select Bring Change to Mind as an organization to work with?
One day while in New York City at a business meeting with some clients, somehow my brother’s tragedy came up and I started talking about the song “Missed the Last”
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The Scott Seisler Band opened for the Bacon Brothers at a concert in New York City’s Sony Hall.
Scott Seisler
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and what I was doing. One of the colleagues I was with told me about one of his best friends who works with Bring Change to Mind and he thought we could be a good partnership. He made the introduction and BCTM was on board.
It’s important to remind people that the album is more than the heartbreaking title track. There’s also some other material that points to optimism. How have the live shows been received?
Yes, there are some fun songs on the album that tell other true stores! For example, “New Girl.” This is one of my favorites! This tells the story of how I fell in love with New York City and what it was like to live there. “Red Summer” is a song no one will ever figure out. I wrote it about my wife, who played Lady Macbeth in an Off-Off Broadway play, and this is about that character. “Curly Chris” is the funny story about how my wife and I met. Another interesting song is “I Don’t Mind.” I wrote this one after my parents passed away to say that I am going to be OK because -- and I’m going to quote the lyrics from the song -- “I don’t mind because the memories are mine and no one can take them away, no matter what you do, the ones that love you may still leave you, I can’t go on but I still try.” Other songs I wrote were just fun and dirty and about real-life experiences and having fun!
Our live shows have been amazing! The two that stand out in my mind were when we opened for Sister Hazel in New York City, and also when we recently opened for The Bacon Brothers. We were amazed at the engagement of the audience and how much fun they really had. It made us feel so good because they seemed to truly connect with the songs.
The video for “Missed the Last” is beautifully done. Were you actually in your childhood home, and the home of your parents in Maryland?
Ahhh, the magic of film and television! Yes, I am very proud of the video. We had some incredibly talented people working on it. Mark Russell of Iron Pixel Media was our director of photography and editor, and Bryan Santiago of
Looker Lab was our creator and director. No, it was not shot in my childhood home. We did not have access to that. Mayor Joe Zang of Cecilton was able to secure the store front and the exterior location of the house. The home interior shot was at an abandoned house near Harbor North Marina. The warehouse shots took place at my aunt and uncle’s building in Pennsylvania.
What were those experiences like?
The experience was actually kind of fun, and also very difficult, as I had to relive it over and over. I am very grateful for Bryan Santiago who directed me, and knew how to get the emotion out and bring the video to life. Another interesting note about the video is at the last minute we had an actor cancel who was to play my brother’s part. So I called
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Performing ‘Missed the Last’ and filming the video for the song were a catharsis for Seisler.
Scott Seisler
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my bassist, John Rehfuss, and said, “Dude I need you to come over right away!” He said “No problem.” He showed up with his bass guitar. I said, “No John, go to hair and makeup because you are going to be in the video.” He did an amazing job. During the shoot, we realized that John actually had an uncanny resemblance to my brother. So much so we no longer worried about people making the connection between John and Shawn when mixing the new footage with the home videos of the past. Also, a couple months after shooting, we were talking about birthdays and guess when John’s birthday is? The exact same day as my brother’s – Feb. 3! Now tell me that’s a coincidence. The opioid crisis is so large that people may feel overwhelmed by it, and at a loss over how to help. What can people do to combat this crisis?
it really is OK to talk about it.
As you talk about Shawn, and perform the song over and over, does the pain decrease? Are you focused on the future? Does the pain decrease? No, you just learn how to live with it and manage it. You have good days and bad days. Mostly my days are good now.
I have been overwhelmed by the reaction of “Missed the Last” on social media platforms and when performing it. The comments that people say to me in person and have been sending to me online are humbling, because I didn’t know that the words of the song related to so many other people’s lives and situations. This tells me that we are all not alone, and I believe that is the message that needs to be said. We are not alone, and it’s OK to talk about this crisis.
Wow, isn’t that the million dollar question! I believe awareness is the key. Also, we need to try to create dialogue about mental illness and that it’s not taboo and that
For information, and a link to the “Missed the Last” video, visit www.scottseisler.com.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.
The Scott Seisler Band.
Lessons i
All photos by John Chambless unless noted
Author Corinne Litzenberg with some of her previous books, and the manuscript for her latest, ‘Ice Cream Cones and Heart Stones: A Child’s Grief Journey.’
in nature and history
Corinne Litzenberg’s long teaching career leads to books that teach respect for the environment
By John Chambless Staff Writer
When she was growing up on Delaware Avenue in Elkton, “right in the middle of the hill,” Corinne Litzenberg spent her days roaming the undeveloped land around her family home, Sunnycroft, building forts, swimming and catching tadpoles in the creek. That early love of nature has followed her through her long teaching career and through her many books for young readers, all of which instill a respect for the natural world.
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In 2014, Litzenberg wrote and photographed a book about sea glass.
Corinne Litzenberg
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“My mother raised six of us by herself,” Litzenberg said during an interview at the home she shares with her husband, Dale. Her mother, Dorothy, went back to school and got her BS from the University of Delaware. “She instilled in me the value of a great education,” Litzenberg said.
Litzenberg graduated from The Tome School and then the University of Delaware, Loyola College and Wilmington University with a Doctorate of Education in environmental education. She was a teacher in Elkton from 1987 to 2016. During her years at Elk Neck Elementary School, she led the way on environmental projects that made the school the first self-sustained “Maryland Green School” in Cecil County.
“For each level, we integrated a project with the science program,” she said. “At the time, I was teaching third grade, and we were learning about plants and ecosystems. So the children actually wrote the grant for materials to build bluebird boxes, and all of the parents helped. Other grade levels got involved. We wrote a grant for a bird garden and an outdoor classroom and a trail, because Elk Neck Elementary has 29 acres.
“If the class put forth their best efforts, we could all go eat lunch outside. Frankly, I would much rather eat lunch with the kids and see the butterflies and look at the sky,” she said. “And the kids were well behaved because they loved it, too.”
While her teaching duties were keeping her busy,
Courtesy photo
Litzenberg with her dog, George, who works as a therapy dog.
Litzenberg found a new direction when she spotted a book about Robert G. Litzenberg Sr., her great uncle, in the window of Stanley’s NewsStand.
“We really didn’t know this part of the family, even though we lived in Elkton and they lived in Elkton,” she said. “He was a decoy carver on the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay Flats. I didn’t meet him until I was 34 years old. I went to a decoy show to meet him. I wanted to get to know him and his wife, so I would go over to his house and bring him pumpkin bread,” she said,
laughing. “So he inspired me. I said, ‘You know, Uncle Bob, I am going to write a book.’ He had these stories about how he made coffee from river water, and how the sky was black with ducks, and how different it is now.”
Litzenberg delved into research, and soon realized “I couldn’t do it all in one book,” so she launched a series of books for young readers in 1995. Close Duck Calls, set in 1910, was the first of a series that focused on different eras of conservation on the Chesapeake Bay. Using ducks
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Courtesy photo
Some of the sea glass hearts that have figured in Litzenberg’s books.
Corinne Litzenberg
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as the central characters, each subsequent story – set in 1930, 1950 and the present day – teaches gentle lessons and explores environmental and conservation issues.
Litzenberg went on hunting trips to absorb the sensory details for her stories, and started to carve her own decoys, which are displayed in her home, along with many made by Robert Litzenberg, Sr.
Her 2007 book, Grandpa’s Basement, is based on stories from her great uncle. “This illustration is of his workshop, down in the basement,” she said, pointing to the page. “And it looked just like that.”
Her fascination with the past sparked two books, The Sand Lady: A Cape May Tale, and The Sand Lady, an Ocean City, Maryland Tale, published in 2006 and 2007. In each, a young girl makes a sand sculpture of a woman that comes to life and takes the girl on a tour of the two beach towns at the turn of the century. Each book has a timeline, glossary and an emphasis on the natural world, in addition to the charming seaside architecture and longgone places.
Having spent decades visiting the beaches of Delaware and the Chesapeake Bay, Litzenberg has a lifelong love of sea glass, and compiled her photos and text in S is for Sea Glass, an A to Z Book, published in 2014. Drawn to the way the softly polished glass shards are both pretty and produced by natural forces, she made crafts with sea glass and photographed them for the book. And the book has a point to make about the environment – as plastics replace glass, the oceans are holding less and less sea glass, and the crisis of plastic pollution is ever growing.
In many ways, Litzenberg’s new book, being published in November 2019, may be her most important. Ice Cream Cones and Heart Stones: A Child’s Grief Journey grew out of the loss of Litzenberg’s son, Todd, in 2017.
“My husband and I went to Griefshare, and it was very helpful,” she said. “I thought there needed to be more books for children about issues like this. They need tools to manage
their grief. Everybody needs to find a place of solace, whether it’s a city park, the beach, the woods. And I thought, ‘How do you teach children about death without mentioning God?’”
The semi-fictionalized story centers on a young girl, Madison, and her beloved grandfather. “My daughter, Natalie, has two children –John and Madison,” Litzenberg said of her inspiration for the character. Set at the beach, the
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Some of the decoys Litzenberg has made, inspired by her great uncle, Robert J. Litzenberg Sr.
Photo by John Chambless
Litzenberg
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character. Set at the beach, the story follows Madison as she copes with the death of her grandfather.
“She’s thinking about the memories of the things she did with her granddad,” Litzenberg said, “and that the memories of our loved ones are a gift from God. She goes through the stages of grief and eventually sees beyond her own sorrow. She goes to the beach to talk to God and her granddad, because that’s where they spent so much time together.”
When Madison finds a white heart-shaped stone on the beach, it echoes an experience Litzenberg herself had. “When Todd died, it was the first September I didn’t have to go back to school,” she said. “I went for a walk on the beach and I found a white heart stone. I wanted to go back and show Dale what I found, but then I thought, ‘No, this was meant for me.’”
There is a section in the back of the book meant to spark discussions between a child and a parent or caregiver, asking questions such as, “How did Maddie change, and find her new normal?”
There’s a list of eight ways to help children through the loss of a loved one, such as making a memory box. “You can share the box at a family gathering, maybe,” Litzenberg said. “Everybody grieves in different ways, and there’s no time limit.”
Having taught for so long, there were several instances during her career when a student lost a parent. “Books like this are going to help children,” she said. “They need these kind of tools.”
Having processed her own grief in the form of a book that will help others, Litzenberg said she is enjoying writing again. “It’s been exciting to do this book. It was good to get back into it,” she said, smiling. Her next faith-based book will take place at a lifesaving station where the main character is a 10-year-old boy. It will focus on the biblical Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Corinne Litzenberg’s books are available through her website, www.corinnelitzenberg.com.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com. Corinne
Timeless
Since 1978, Barry Chidester has used a customer-centered approach to build his fullservice stained glass studio into what it is today
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Timeless Tiffany is a full-service stained glass studio so during the course of a typical week Barry Chidester might find himself restoring damaged or worn stained glass windows from several different churches, creating custom and original works for homes, or assisting customers who want to design their own custom creations. The shop on Pulaski Highway in Elkton is also a supply store, and the business is packed with more than 9,000 items. Timeless Tiffany stocks a variety of glass and mirrored glass—the glass selection alone features more than 2,800 colors. Customers come from throughout the
Mid-Atlantic region to shop at Timeless Tiffany, and Chidester ships supplies to customers from all over.
After more than four decades in the business, Chidester is known far and wide for delivering topnotch work to customers, always delivering a little bit more than what they might expect so that Timeless Tiffany remains a trusted name in the industry. This occurs one job at a time.
“You’re always excited about the next job and the people that you meet,” Chidester explained during an interview in his shop. “Each job is going to be different. We only do it one way—the best way that I know how to do it after more than 40 years in the business.”
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All photos by Steven Hoffman unless noted Barry Chidester displays a piece that he has worked on.
Timeless Tiffany
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Chidester has been dedicated to serving the community of people who like stained glass since 1978. That’s when he started working with stained glass as a hobby, not knowing that it would develop into his life’s work.
“I really got into the stained glass business as a hobby,” Chidester recalled, explaining that he was still a student at Elkton High School when he made a terrarium for a school project. He really liked the experience of building something.
A
"We only do it one way—the best way that I know how to do it after more than 40 years in the business."
~ Barry Chidester
“I’m one of those people who likes to take things and tear them apart and then put them back together again,” he explained. “It’s in my DNA.”
After graduating from Elkton High School, Chidester was in Nebraska when he saw some examples of stained glass that he really liked.
Once he tried working with stained glass himself, he found that he really liked it. According to Chidester, it
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Some of the restoration projects will require a lot of work because of the dilapidated condition of the original glass. Barry Chidester displays a piece that he just picked up so that he can begin work on it.
restored piece really stands out.
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Courtesy photo
Many churches will enlist Timeless Tiffany to do work on
stained glass window
Timeless Tiffany
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When he returned to Maryland from Nebraska, he took part in the Brandywine Arts Festival, where he was selling some stained glass. When he was talking with some other crafters in the area, he realized that it made sense for him and some of the other crafters to order supplies together so that they could save on shipping costs. And just like that, he incorporated a new aspect of the stained glass business into his work.
Chidester began networking with others—stained glass buyers, suppliers, and people who
Continued on Page 36 didn’t take too long to learn the basics of the craft, but it did take patience. He has that, as well as the creativity necessary to work with stained glass.
Timeless Tiffany
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are involved in related businesses. This networking helped him build his client base, just as he helped others.
He decided to open a shop. Timeless Tiffany was first located near Fair Hill, and eventually moved to Main Street in Elkton. The shop has been located at its present location on Pulaski Highway for more than a decade.
Chidester learned very early on about the importance of quality customer service. That ensured that customers would come back time after time—he proudly noted that he still does business with customers and suppliers that he first met in the early years of running his business. A satisfied customer is also much more likely to share their experiences with others. This helped Chidester build the business one customer at a time.
Chidester and his wife, Deb, live in Zion, Md., but they both spend a considerable amount of time at the shop in Elkton, overseeing the various aspects of the business. It is very much a family business. Deb’s
mother, Louise Banick, helps out a lot at the shop. The Chidesters’ four children also know the business, although they now have their own careers that they focus on.
That family atmosphere at Timeless Tiffany really resonates with customers.
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Courtesy photo
Piece by piece, a project is completed.
Crushed Stone Showers By Home Smart Industries
Home
Timeless Tiffany
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Chidester readily admits that he loves talking with customers, whether it’s in the shop or on the telephone.
Sometimes, a customer will come in and spend hours selecting just the right combination of colors and designs for a piece. If a customer wants to browse around, that’s fine. Chidester will just work on the project in front of him and wait to see how he can assist the customer.
“It’s not like a big box store where your choices are limited,” Chidester explained. “Some people get pretty involved in what they like. We always try to make our customers feel welcome.”
Even those customers who place orders online enjoy the benefits of dealing with a family business.
“We know our customers,” Chidester explained. “For most of our orders, we have to call them for one thing or another so we get to talk to them and get to know them a little bit.”
Chidester estimates that 40 percent of the work that Timeless Tiffany does is for churches that need new stained glass or stained glass restorations. Another 40 percent is comprised of online orders. The remaining 20 percent is
work for walk-in customers. Through the years, Chidester has also taught about 12,000 people how to work with stained glass.
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Each job is different, and there is a wide array of details to each project.
Timeless Tiffany
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Chidester is one of those people who just loves his job. He will sometimes be in the shop or working at home until midnight—or later.
He has built his business on honesty and integrity. That means doing work at a fair price that meets the customer’s needs. That means always being honest with a customer about the project. Sometimes, it makes sense to preserve a piece of stained glass that is in need of repair. Other times, the piece of glass might be in such poor condition that restoration doesn’t make sense because of the amount of time and money that it would take to restore it. Sometimes, it would be impossible to restore the piece to its prior condition, no matter what. Chidester explained that he always like to preserve the old glass whenever possible, but he’s always going to be honest with the customer and offer his best suggestion, based on his ample experience in the business.
Timeless Tiffany offers such a wide selection, and the quality of the work is always top-notch. That’s why the
This is one of the pieces that Chidester was working on at the time of the interview.
business has been able to survive as a regional business. Chidester estimates that the industry as a whole has probably lost about 75 percent of the businesses through the years.
“There’s just not a lot of people getting into,” he explained.
What started out more than four decades ago as a hobby for Chidester has grown into one of Cecil County’s quintessential businesses. Cecil County has changed a lot since 1978, and there aren’t very many businesses that are still around and thriving after all this time.
Timeless Tiffany is as busy as ever.
One project that Chidester is working on is a stained glass window that was originally built in 1852. After 41 years in the business, he has become much more
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Timeless Tiffany
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aware of being able to preserve and protect historic items. He said that he has become much more aware of the quality of the craftsmanship that went into originally making the glass. When he restores these precious pieces, he likes nothing more than delivering a finished project to a customer and seeing their pleased reactions.
“It’s pretty cool to be able to restore stained glass windows,” Chidester explained. “It’s time-consuming work. We’re always busy. We have years of work to do right now.”
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor @ chestercounty .com.
Rising Sun resident earns law enforcement scholarship
Katherine Eisenhuth (right) was named as one of this year’s recipients of the Maryland Law Enforcement Officers organization scholarship. That organization has been offering scholarships to train the next generation of law enforcement officials for more than 20 years. Eisenhuth is from Rising Sun, Md. and is in Cecil College’s cybersecurity program. She is pictured with Ashley Fundack, Ph.D., an assistant professor of criminal justice at Cecil College.
Courtesy photo
Maryland law enforcement officers support Cecil College students
For more than 20 years, the Maryland Law Enforcement Officers (MLEO) organization has been paying it forward to the next generation in the form of financial scholarships to community college students pursuing careers in criminal justice. This year’s scholarship recipient from Cecil College is Katherine Eisenhuth from Rising Sun, Md., who is in the cybersecurity program.
“The MLEO Scholarship helped me in so many ways. I work full time to pay my way through college, and this scholarship helped take a load off of my shoulders,” said Eisenhuth. “It also opened my eyes to cybersecurity careers in Maryland law enforcement.”
The structure of the criminal justice program at Cecil College focuses on the study of crime, deviance, and forensics. It grounds students with an understanding of criminal behavior and official reactions to criminal behavior in society. Criminal justice majors gain the skills and the depth of knowledge that enable them to understand, interpret, and explain a wide range of criminal behavior.
“Our criminal justice curriculum prepares and empowers students to be critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and to analyze criminal and social behavior from a deeper perspective. They learn to analyze criminal behavior and its motivation, as the criminal justice program draws on social science disciplines including sociology and psychology as well as related field experiences,” said Ashley Fundack, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice at Cecil College. “The Criminal Justice program provides students with an opportunity to pursue studies leading to four-year degree programs, graduate school, or careers within the field of Criminal Justice.”
Cecil College’s cybersecurity program was recently designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS). Cecil is the seventh community college in the State of Maryland to hold this certification. Institutions are designated based on their robust degree programs and close alignment to specific cybersecurity-related knowledge units, which are validated by top subject matter experts in the field.
“Because of this scholarship, I was able to take my mind off of the stress of paying for college, and I did not have to pick up extra shifts at my job. This allows me to have more time to focus on my classes and join the Cybersecurity club! I am so thankful to have been the recipient of this scholarship,” said Eisenhuth.
MLEO has been a longtime advocate of furthering the Foundation’s charge to support the College’s mission by bringing together community leaders of affluence and influence in all areas of Cecil County who will create a development plan to bridge any funding shortfall in the College’s ability to reach its vision.
“The Cecil College Foundation expresses its sincere appreciation and gratitude to MLEO for being a valued Friend and Community Partner over the past 15 years. To date, MLEO has donated a total of $18,500 which has provided numerous students with life-changing financial assistance. The foundation would not be able to achieve such goals without their generous support,” said Executive Director of the Cecil College Foundation and Alumni Development Lisa Wainwright. “In partnership with MLEO, we look forward to the future successes of scholarship recipients such as Katherine Eisenhuth.”
MLEO is one of the oldest and largest law enforcement organizations in Maryland, consisting of more than 600 active and retired members. The MLEO Scholarship Fund provides annual, need-based financial assistance to a student from Maryland planning a career in law enforcement.
The Palette & The Page plans tenth anniversary celebration
The Palette & The Page is inviting the community to celebrate its tenth anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The birthday celebration features live music from two singer-songwriters, refreshments, and the opportunity to enter some raffle drawings.
The door to The Palette & The Page opened for the first time on Nov. 9, 2009. Ten years later, the community is invited to celebrate the gallery’s tenth anniversary. Beginning at 10 a.m., the birthday party will welcome Em McKeever to share her music from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Box Turtle Bob will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. Both of these singer-songwriters have been a part of the First Friday musical offerings almost since the beginning.
Every attendee will be entered in an hourly raffle which will give them the opportunity to win a piece of art by one of the gallery’s artists. When customers bring in a receipt dated 11/9/19 from any other downtown Elkton merchant during the open hours of Nov. 9, another raffle ticket will be awarded to that person
Following the gallery closing at 4 p.m., all are invited to Elk River Brewing Company for games and to enjoy the beer tapped in honor of The Palette & The Page’s tenth birthday. Bring a game to enjoy.
Established in November 2009, The Palette & The Page is a woman-owned gallery that carries art by local artists, books by local authors, the music of local singer-songwriters, and gently used books. The gallery also offers workshops in the arts. The gallery is located in Elkton, Maryland, a designated Arts and Entertainment District in the state of Maryland.
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The Palette & The Page is inviting the community to celebrate its tenth anniversary on Nov. 9.
Throughout the month of November, Cecil County residents may notice that the deputies at the Cecil County Sheriffs Office will appear a bit scruffier than usual, but thanks to a good cause, they are actually encouraged to abandon the office’s code of proper grooming for the entire month. For the fifth year in a row, the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) will soon kick off their No Shave November campaign, For the fifth year in a row,
By Richard L. Gaw
A recent example of a “No Shave November” t-shirt, that entitles a Cecil County Sheriff to abandon the Office’s normal grooming guidelines for the entire month.
that will allow deputies to violate their grooming policy for the entire month after making a voluntary contribution for Camp Open Arms.
The Maryland-based camp, geared towards children ages four and up who are faced with limb differences, was started in 2015 by University of Maryland School of Medicine pediatric orthopedist Dr. Joshua Abzug. The camp’s goal is to help kids with limb challenges build strength and self confidence and connect with others who are faced with similar abilities and experiences.
In 2017, donations from the CCSO’s No Shave November campaign raised over $17,000 and helped more than 20 children born with limb disabilities attend the camp for free. In 2018, that number soared to $27,000. Every dollar raised is tax deductible and goes directly to assist with camp operations.
Several deputies, including Sheriff Scott Adams, had the opportunity to listen to both parents and kids who have attended the camp talk about how their lives had been changed forever because of the generosity of donations. One camper shared, “I finally have friends who are like me.”
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This past August, members of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office visited campers at Camp Open Arms, for a full day of fun and connection.
Some members of the Sheriff’s Office choose to take selfies with family members and pets.
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Now in its sixth year, the camp is held during the third week in August. It’s a full week of activities, and on Aug.14, deputies with the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office joined other law enforcement officers in a visit to Camp Open Arms.
“We got to spend the entire day with the kids,” said Deputy Max Vivino, who along with Deputy Kasey Lindecamp is coordinating this year’s participation in the No Shave November event at the Sheriff’s Office. “Each officer paired with a camper through the obstacle courses. We also participated in karaoke, tug-of-war and then had an ice cream social with them.”
While it is not mandatory for the male contingent of the Sheriff’s Office to grow facial hair for the month, about half actually do, Vivino said. It’s part of what Vivino calls a “total involvement” by all officers in all three phases of the office: law enforcement, community corrections, and the correctional division.
“Even if they don’t grow facial hair, almost everyone purchases a No Shave November t-shirt (a $30 donation), and we have full involvement in volunteering at Camp Open Arms,” he said. “It also provides for a lot of fun throughout the month, because several of our deputies post the progression of their beards, goatees and mustaches on our Facebook page. Some post selfie photographs with their children. Others post photos of themselves with their pets, or with their colleagues.”
While the temporary growth of facial hair at the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office is confined to just one month a year, Vivino said that the truest impact of the Sheriff’s Office’s involvement in Camp Open Arms is felt during their annual visit there.
Holistic, Compassionate Care
“When we go down there, it’s a completely different environment, and we look forward to it every year,” Deputy Vivino said. “When we arrive at the camp, we turn on our lights and sirens, and to see all of the kids running up to our cars and extended high-fives is such a great feeling.
“It is very rewarding for us to play a role in young peoples lives, and to see them go out of their way to make us feel welcome is a huge moment for all of us.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
These photographs were among the many posted on the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page, that allows deputies to chart the progress of their facial hair throughout the campaign.
Cecil County is fortunate to have its own version of a Broadway theater, close to home at Cecil College in North East. The Milburn Stone Theatre showcases full-scale musical productions throughout the year, and the 2019-2020 season is packed with attractions for the whole family. The season includes:
Disney’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame”
Nov. 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 & Dec. 1
Based on the 1831 Victor Hugo novel and songs from the 1996 Disney animated feature film, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” showcases the only stage collaboration between two giants of American musical theater -- Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”) and Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Pippin”.) “Hunchback” features a new book by Peter Parnell which embraces story, theater, and verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.
A sweeping score and powerful story make “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this musical as it explores hope, acceptance and what it means to be a hero.
Independent Film Festival
Dec. 6, 7 and 8
The North East Independent Film Festival is a one-day celebration for filmmakers and film lovers in the greater Cecil County area. We aim to bring new voices and bold choices to the community with selections from this festival, be it in narrative, short form, documentarian and everything in between. A schedule for the film festival will be announced on Nov. 18.
Cult Classic Film Series
The Milburn Stone Theatre’s 2019/2020 Film Series offers something for everyone. You can attend each individual film for $7 each ($12 for double features), and a full season movie pass for only $30. The season includes screenings of “How the Grinch
Milburn Stone
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Stole Christmas” and “Die Hard” double feature (Dec. 13, 8 p.m.); “Beyond the Black Rainbow” and “Mandy” (Jan. 31, 8 p.m.); “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Godzilla vs. Monster Zero” (June 5, 8 p.m.)
Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”
Jan. 17, 18, 19
What if your first true love was someone you’d been told to hate? The most famous love story in the world and one of Shakespeare’s early poetic masterworks, “Romeo & Juliet” follows two star-crossed lovers from love at first sight to eternal life hereafter. Tragically ripped apart by the bitter divisions of their two feuding families, alike in dignity and in enmity, Shakespeare’s immortal young lovers risk everything to try and fashion a new world amid the violence of the old, but cataclysmic choices and tragic twists propel them toward a final confrontation with fate.
“Chicago”
Feb. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23
With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb, this musical is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. Directed by Andrew John
Mitchell, the show has choreography by Katie Gordon, and music direction by Matt Casarino.
Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
MST In Concert:
“Titanic the Musical” (ensemble version)
March 13, 14, 15
In the final hours of April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg and “the unsinkable ship” slowly sank. Based on the true story of the great ship’s maiden voyage, the story focuses on the real passengers and crew members who traveled aboard the doomed ship. Act I details their dreams and their wonder as they travel aboard the grand ship, while Act II focuses on their desperation and attempts to survive as the ship sinks. In telling their stories, the show touches on issues such as class, the American dream, and mankind’s vulnerability in the face of nature. “Titanic” swept the 1997 musical Tony Awards, winning all five nominations including Best Musical and Best Score.
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First Responders Appreciation Dinner Recognizing our Local Heroes Thurs, No14 vember 5—7:30 PM $30 per person
6th Annual Business Spotlight Luncheon March 12, 202011:30 AM - 1:30 PM • Cecil Night in Annapolis January 9, 2020 Miller Senate Building President's Conference Center West For organizations doing business in Cecil County who need a network of services and resources, The Cecil County Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization that supports, connects and advocates. We Are Your County-wide Connection.
2nd Annual Wonderland of Wreaths Friday, December 6Thursday, Dec 12 Create a Wreath. Bid on a Wreath!
Networking - Over 50 events per year - Cecil County’s voice of business Advocacy - Low-cost/No-cost methods Marketing - Seminars, workshops, issues updates Education - Cutting costs for you and your team Savings
Milburn Stone
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“Matilda the Musical”
April 24, 25, 26, and May 1, 2 and 3
Roald Dahl’s famous story has become a Broadway smash musical, with book by Dennis Kelly, and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. The story of the plucky girl and her magical powers has enchanted generations of readers.
Show are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
“Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic”
June 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world, this comedy gives you a front row seat to the sidelines of the world’s most famous magical journey. Follow the story of a young wizard named Wayne and the Puffs–a group of well-meaning, loyal rejects with a thing for badgers–in this laugh-out-loud comedy that’s “packed with knowing winks to its source material and a heart all its own!”
Shows are Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Milburn Stone Theatre is at Cecil College (1 Seahawk Drive, North East, Md.). Call the box office at 410-287-1037, or visit www.millburnstone.com.
The majestic at Conowingo
Text by Richard L. Gaw
Throughout the year, photographers of all skill levels travel to the nearby Conowingo Dam in Darlington to capture the grace and beauty of the Bald Eagle. Recently, Cecil County Life sent professional photographer Jim Coarse there to do the same
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Photos by Jim Coarse
Conowingo
How many of us in our lifetimes have witnessed the flight of a Bald Eagle, and how many of us on those rare occasions have stopped our lives in a momentary standstill, straining our eyesight toward a soaring dot on the horizon – a brief, almost magical illusion that holds us still and spellbound?
We hold the Bald Eagle not just as an emblem or a logo but as an elusive and alluring spectacle. For the thousands who have traveled the short distance form Cecil County to the Fisherman’s Park and Wharf at the Conowingo Dam every year, that symbol of freedom is everywhere. The Conowingo Dam is among the world’s leading places to watch the Bald Eagle in flight or nesting.
Along the lower Susquehanna River, hundreds of Bald Eagles feast on fish that are sucked through the giant hydroelectric turbines of the dam. It is a feeding frenzy and a flying circus with every flight, a step-by-step mission of grace and the act of a carnivore. The show begins with a few flaps of the Bald Eagle’s wings, which are used as a drag chute to slow the bird in flight so that it can pluck a fish from the water.
For the past six years, hundreds of recreational and professional photographers arrive in Darlington to participate in the annual Conowingo Eagles Day, which will be held this year on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Conowingo Dam Pavilion is located at 2569 Shures Landing Road, Darlington, Md. 21034.
Whether you are able to participate in Conowingo Eagles Day or not, visiting the Bald Eagles at the Conowingo Dam is an opportunity to witness the majestic, and remain spellbound by the experience.
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Immaculate Conception Church 44th Annual Bazaar
Nov. 9 and 10
Shopping with 60 vendors, photos with Santa, children’s crafts, breakfast and lunch, reffles and silent auction, gift wrapping, “Book Nook” and entertainment. Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 11 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mount Harmon Paper Chase
Nov. 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Calling all horseback riders -- come and enjoy riding on some of Maryland’s most scenic and historic trails at the Mount Harmon Paper Chase! There will be tours of the Manor House, refreshments in the colonial kitchen, and prizes to top competitors. The fee is $30 per rider ($5 for guests). Visit www.mountharmon.org.
Holiday
pet parade and Santa’s arrival in Chesapeake City
Nov. 16, noon to 1 p.m.
Parade registration is at 10:30 a.m., under the bridge in South Chesapeake City near the elementary school. The parade starts at noon and travels down Bohemia Avenue to Pell Gardens. Prizes will be awarded in Pell Gardens. Santa will be on hand to mingle with parade attendees, both two-legged and four-legged.
Holiday High Tea at The Blue Max Inn
Nov. 24, 1 to 3 p.m.
Celebrate the holidays and join a traditional high tea, which includes a pot of tea, assorted sandwiches, English scones and cream, and a unique assortment of pastries, all served in a beautifully decorated country inn. Tickets $28. Call 410-885-2781.
Lions Club Annual Tree Lighting in Chesapeake City
Dec. 1, p.m.
Seasonal musical entertainment will be provided by students from Bohemia Manor Chorus. Santa arrives by Clydesdale carriage to throw the switch, lighting the tree and all the Winterfest lights. Santa will also draw the Stash of Cash ($500) winner.
Winterfest of Lights in Chesapeake City
Dec. 1 to Jan. 6 at dusk
Both the north and south sides of town are decked out for the holidays with large, lighted seasonal figures. Accenting the Winterfest Lights are a multitude of businesses and residents that help create a Christmas wonderland.
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Calendar of Events
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Christmas in the Park
Dec. 7, 2 to 6 p.m.
Lower Ferry Park (104 Roundhouse Drive, Perryville).
There will be a Christmas market from 2 to 6 p.m. with local crafters. The parade will be from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., beginning at the Perryville Community Fire Department and concluding at Lower Ferry Park. The tree lighting will be at 5 p.m., with children’s activities, refreshments and a visit with Santa. The event is free.
Yuletide Festival at Mount Harmon Plantation
Dec. 7 and 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mount Harmon Plantation (600 Mount Harmon Rd., Earleville)
The festival features holiday decorations inspired by Colonial Williamsburg, hearth cooking demonstrations, children’s holiday craft activities, and a holiday decorations and greens sale. There will be hearth-made gingerbread and wassail punch served in the kitchen.
Poplar Hall European style Christmas market
Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pell Gardens
A European-inspired Christmas market will be set up in the streets of Historic Chesapeake City, which was selected by Food and Wine Magazine as one the 50 top Christmas markets in America. There will be crafts by local artisans, European-style fare, craft wines, biergartens selling beer, Father Christmas storytelling, live music, and displays of British cars and vintage British bikes. Find Chesapeake City, Md., on Facebook for more information.
Christmas at Milburn Orchards
Dec. 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Milburn Orchards (1495 Appleton Rd., Elkton)
There will be a petting zoo for children, as well as a playground. There will be photos with Santa (one free photo per family, with extra photos available). Bring your own camera as well.
Breakfast With Santa
Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to noon
Plumpton Park Zoo (1416 Telegraph Rd., Rising Sun, Md.)
Cecil Dance Theatre presents ‘The Nutcracker’
Dec. 14, 3 to 5 p.m.
Milburn Stone Theatre (1 Seahawk Drive, North East)
Candlelight Tour
Dec. 14, 6 to 9 p.m.
Take a holiday decor tour of Chesapeake City’s historic district through homes, B&Bs, and churches. Horse and carriage rides set the mood for this evening of yuletide hospitality. Advance tickets are $15 (night of the event, $20). Ticket sales start at 4 p.m. on Dec. 8 at Franklin Hall (98 Bohemia Ave.), where the self-guided tour runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Hot cider and cookies will be served. Bring a new toy for Toys for Tots. Call 443-553-0071.
Santa’s Workshop
Dec. 14 and 21, 2 to 5 p.m.
Chesapeake City Town Hall
Visit with Santa and his elves, make a craft, dress up and snap a selfie at the Elf-Yourself-ie Station. Pets are welcome.
Santa Night at the Holly Tree
Dec. 21, 5 to 8 p.m.
Holly Tree Park (1 Holly Tree Lane, Perryville)
Rising Sun Chamber donates $5,000 to Cecil College Healthcare Programs scholarships
The Rising Sun Chamber of Commerce demonstrated its commitment to supporting higher education with a $5,000 donation to the Cecil College Foundation, which will be used to provide scholarships for students in the healthcare programs.
The Chamber of Commerce raised the funds by hosting the 12th Annual Health Fair, held Nov. 6, at the Grace Bible Chapel, 1949 Biggs Highway in Rising Sun. This event provided health screenings, promoted regional healthcare resources and encouraged healthy lifestyles.
“There continues to be a need in the county to provide healthcare services, and Cecil College is working to meet those needs through programs like Nursing and Physical Therapist Assistant,” said Cecil College President, Mary Way Bolt, Ed.D.
Cecil College offers health profession associate degrees
in Exercise Science, Health Information Technology, Healthcare Sciences, Paramedic, Public Health, Physical Therapist Assistant, along with RN and LPN Nursing. There is also a certificate program for Personal Trainer/Fitness Manager.
“Originally, we teamed up with the Cecil County Health Department to host flu clinics. As a physician, it is important to live in a place where people can grow and learn. Anything we can do to create healthy lifestyle opportunities within the community and meet the needs of the county through programs such as those at Cecil College is vital,” said Dr. Joseph K. Weidner, Jr., of Stone Run Family Medicine in Rising Sun.
The 12th Annual Health Fair featured dozens of healthcare related vendors, activities to promote healthcare screenings, exercise demonstrations, lectures, and entertainment.
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Rising Sun Chamber of
After nearly five successful years in nearby Oxford, Bog Turtle Brewery is about to begin a new chapter in Rising Sun, with a promise that what made the brewery so popular – great beer and a superb social atmosphere – will travel well
Chris and Steve’s next excellent adventure
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
From Friday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Oct. 13, Bog Turtle Brewery on 14 South Third Street in Oxford held a funeral mass of sorts – termed a Final Weekend – but unlike what is normally seen at solemn occasions that say good-bye to the dearly departed, tears were nowhere to be found. Instead, the place was packed with friends and family, and filled with the music of The Blue
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Chris Davis and Steve Applegate of Bog Turtle Brewery, at what will soon become the brewery’s new location in Rising Sun.
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Saturday
Sunday
Bog Turtle Brewery
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Ridge Mountain Cut Ups, Name that Song!, outdoor grilling and lawn games, and of course, the names that allowed Bog Turtle Brewery to quickly rise in the ranks of local breweries: Devil’s Nine Ball, Rochambeau and Bristol Witch.
There was no promenade of vehicles with their headlights on, no final prayers and not even a trace of a eulogy. Instead, the weekend served as a three-day toast to a new beginning for founders Chris Davis and Steve Applegate, because in all of the frivolity of that final weekend in Oxford, the simple truth was that Bog Turtle was simply moving a short drive away to Rising Sun.
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The Rising Sun brewery will offer the same packed calendar of events that were featured at the Oxford location.
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“The final weekend was less a good-bye as it was ‘Come and visit us ten minutes down the road,’” Davis said.
“It made great sense to come here, because Rising Sun is a mere ten minutes away from Oxford, and a very good portion of our customers live very near here,” Applegate said from the brewery’s new location on 10 East Main Street, which is currently under construction.
“We knew that there has been a movement to rejuvenate the downtown area, so we just saw it as an opportunity. Everyone here has been super positive since we’ve come here. We’ve been getting nice notes on Facebook about the relocation,
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Jeremy Vanderhoff of Vanderhoff Builders considers the look of a lighting fixture at the new location, which is scheduled to open in January 2020.
and local residents have been stopping us on the street to welcome us.”
The new location – which Davis and Applegate said is scheduled to open in January 2020 – will have a “retro industrial” design, and at 4,000 square feet, it dwarfs the size of the Oxford location, which had only 2,500 square feet. The East Main Street location will provide seating for 80, provide a comfy section that will include couches, offer local entrepreneurs a long captain’s table at which they can
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The brewing tanks and other items are now in place at the Rising Sun location.
Bog Turtle Brewery
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hold business meetings, and a 40-foot-long bar.
In addition to maintaining the usual schedule of events that made their Oxford location popular, the Rising Sun brewery will include a performance stage that will be used for live bands, games and also double as a place for children to play, while their parents enjoy the company of friends and family nearby.
For those patrons who had to leave the Oxford brewery in search of food, their worries will soon be over, as the Rising Sun location will serve a wide variety of appetizers, all made
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Bog Turtle Brewery
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in a kitchen at the rear of the brewery and served right to them.
Jeremy Vanderhoff of Vanderhoff Builders – who is doing the construction on the project and owns the brewery location on East Main Street – believes that the addition of the brewery is the next step in a continuing revitalization of downtown Rising Sun.
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The Rising Sun brewery will feature a 40-foot bar.
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“Bog Turtle will likely become the staple of Rising Sun,” Vanderhoff said. “They’re going to be the business that everyone recognizes. When you think of Rising Sun, you’ll think of Bog Turtle Brewery. Business is starting to want to return to Rising Sun. Since the opening of the Rise N’ Grind Cafe next door, we’ve seen three other businesses open up – all within the past year-and-a-half.”
Applegate sees the same sense of commitment to business growth in Rising Sun as he and Davis did in Oxford when they first opened their South Third Street brewery nearly five years ago.
“We see a lot of parallels between Oxford and Rising Sun,” he said. “About 15 years ago, Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. began as a way stimulate business growth in the town, and as a result, the towns saw new businesses, they helped to widen sidewalks, they helped to improve street lighting and bring the town back to where it used to be.
“That’s where Rising Sun is right now. They’re starting to recruit new businesses here and hold a lot of community events, so it’s an exciting time for us to make the move.”
For the first-time visitor, listening to Davis and Applegate talk about their vision for the new chapter of Bog Turtle Brewery is challenging to visualize through the supporting beams, tools and work stations. Through the necessary and temporary dust of construction, they see the next chapter with clarity and anticipation. Friends gathering in the comfortable couch area over to the left. A young business owner holding an informal meeting with her staff at the captain’s table to the right. Groups of families enjoying food, pints, growlers and conversation at a several tables. Children playing board games on the performance stage while their parents sit nearby. An ever-changing calendar of musical acts and events.
Mostly, Davis and Applegate see the seamless continuation of what they began nearly five years ago – a thirst-quenching recipe of success born in Oxford that has been moved ten minutes south.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Cecil County joins Economic Development week
During the week of Oct. 20-26, the Cecil County Office of Economic Development (OED) joined with the Maryland Economic Development Association’s (MEDA) in the celebration of Economic Development Week.
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The Cecil County Office of Economic Development (OED) joined with the Maryland Economic Development Association’s (MEDA) in the celebration of Economic Development Week, which was held Oct. 20-26.
Economic Development
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The week-long celebration emphasized the importance of economic development, and showcased the efforts and initiatives which improve business retention, job growth and quality of life for all Maryland residents.
Cecil County is currently ranked second for best job growth and has the third-best wage growth in the state of Maryland in the last year. Cecil County also boasts the highest percentage of manufacturers in the Mid-Atlantic region.
In a proclamation given by County Executive Alan McCarthy recently, he stated, “The Cecil County Office of Economic Development, in partnership with industries, educators, the eight municipalities within the County, the Cecil County Economic Development Commission, and other key allies, cultivates and nurtures entrepreneurship that helps to secure the next generation of new businesses, fosters an effective business climate and meets the increasingly critical need for a skilled and competitive workforce.
“There has never been a more exciting time than right now to support economic development in Cecil County,” said McCarthy. “A strong economy, once established, becomes the springboard for new companies to launch in the area, bringing with them a variety of abundant jobs, the need for a capable workforce and a better quality of life for everyone.”
The OED celebrated Economic Development Week by focusing on local businesses and achievements in economic development being made throughout the county and state. On Oct. 20, the staff attended Fair Hill International and participated in closing ceremonies and the trophy presentation. On Oct. 21, Director Chris Moyer and Manager Sandra Edwards attended the MEDA Conference where the focus was on “Defining Your Community Identity.”
On Oct. 22, OED traveled throughout the county to visit small businesses. On Oct. 23, McCarthy joined the OED team as they embarked on a tour of manufacturing sites and agricultural locations throughout the county. On Oct. 24, Cecil County’s OED hosted the 2019 Growth & Development Symposium at the Chesapeake Inn. More than 130 participants attended the all-day event which featured Q&A panels to discuss the “Changing Face of Manufacturing,”
Cecil County’s high quality of life, small business growth and support resources, and opportunities and partnerships available in the county. Steve Jacobsen, Vice President of Domestic Development for Great Wolf Resorts, served as the event’s keynote speaker.
“It’s been said that ‘the most powerful force for change is a job,’ said Moyer. “Cecil County Economic Development works tirelessly across Cecil County’s business community to create jobs. This week is a celebration of that hard work and the hard work that our businesses do to provide jobs throughout the county.”
The OED will play host to the “Start & Fund Your New Business in Cecil County” seminar on Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Technology Center at Cecil College.
