November 23, 2011
Update, Your Free Local Newspaper Since 1987
BITS AND BRIEFS People, Places And Faces Of Our Community Submissions for Bits & Briefs should be emailed to theupdate@verizon.net
TRIO JOINS UNITED WAY BOARD! Paula Warner, President of the United Way of Queen Anne’s County, is pleased to announce the addition of Neil Bourdelaise, Kate Twigg and Francis Roudiez to the Board of Directors. Neil Bourdelaise is a Sales Manager and Top Producer for Metlife Home Loans and has been in the mortgage banking industry for 9 years. He graduated from Roanoke College in Virginia with a Bachelors of Business Administration. While he is a long time resident of Maryland, he and his wife recently bought a home in Grasonville and they love the Eastern Shore. Neil feels his positive outlook and communication skills will be a great asset to the United Way of Queen Anne’s County and his excitement to get involved in the community has already led him to serve on the United Way Golf Tournament Committee. The board is thrilled to have him and look forward to more great things from Mr. Bourdelaise! Kate Twigg and her husband recently moved to Kent Island. With a strong belief in community service, once voted to the board, she immediately already agreed to co-Chair the “Bloom’s for United Way” event held each spring. She is also currently serving on the Board of “Maryland’s Fight Against Cancer” with United Way Vice President, Todd Wilhoit. Ms. Twigg works in Annapolis for Chesapeake BeneÀts, Inc. as an employee beneÀts broker. The United Way is happy to welcome Kate to the board!
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OYSTER COVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH VFW AND QAC FOOD PROGRAM TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND LOCAL FAMILIES The Oyster Cove community in Grasonville has started an outreach program in an effort to give back to the community and become more involved in helping others. Several projects completed so far this year were “Operation Shoebox” and the Thanksgiving Food Program. Operation Shoebox is a non-proÀt organization founded in 2003 to support the men and women deployed outside the USA. Their primary mission according to their website is “to help raise (troops) morale and let them know they are cared about. We accomplish our mission with care packages, letters, and bulk shipping of items that can be beneÀcial to them during their deployment. Our Organization is composed of over 1300 dedicated volunteers in three locations and also volunteers all across the USA that assist in accomplishing our mission...” One of the important ways this organization helps to support the troops is with care packages. Traditionally each care package has been sent in a cloth bag with a draw string handmade by one of the program volunteers. A handwritten letter is usually included along with snacks, hygiene and stationary packets and other small items that might be useful and/or interesting or helpful to the troops. During the Operation Shoebox drive that started in July and ended in September, Oyster Cove households donated over 900 items to be sent in shoe boxes for the troops serving in Afghanistan. Oyster Cove was a collection site for the VFW Memorial Post 7464 in Grasonville. In October the community began collecting food for the Queen Anne’s County Community Thanksgiving Food Program and the Living Water Food Bank and Thrift Shop in Stevensville. Through food donations the Oyster Cove community provided ten families Thanksgiving food boxes consisting of a frozen turkey plus all the trimmings from stufÀng to vegetables, desserts and snacks for kids. The boxes were for families of two all the way up to seven. So much was collected for the Thanksgiving boxes that additional food could be donated to the Living Water Food Bank. Oyster Cove will be continuing their outreach efforts throughout the year. Donations for troops are always welcome at the VFW Post in Grasonville. For more information on the Operation Shoebox program, go to www.operationshoebox.com.
Former United Way Chair Francis Roudiez brings with him a wealth of knowledge regarding non-proÀts and fundraising as he is active with the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department and has served on the Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club of Kent Island boards. Mr. Roudiez owns Healthcare Brokerage Services and lives on Kent Island. We know that Francis will not hesitate to get involved and Ànd his niche at the United Way and we look forward to his support! The United Way of Queen Anne’s County is all about neighbors helping neighbors! They allocate funds to 23 local agencies that serve community needs from children to seniors covering areas from health and human services, to the arts and the environment. If you would like more information about the United Way, please visit their website www.unitedwayqac.org or call Executive Director, Sandra Early at 410-643-6288.
Oyster Cove residents: L to R: Sally Lederer, Georgette Toews, Louise Shapiro, Sue Kamp, Ellen Filer, Kathy Szostak
ANIMAL RESOURCE FOUNDATION’S (ARF) 10th ANNUAL PHOTOS WITH SANTA FUNDRAISER ARF is holding their 10th Annual Photos With Santa Fundraiser at ARF’s Old Adoption Center, 61 Piney Narrows Road, in Chester on Saturday and Sunday, December 3rd and 4th, from 11 am to 5 pm both days. Your $15.00 photo includes a paperboard frame and an e-mail of your photo, along with a patient photographer who wants only the best shot of you and your loved ones. We’ll snap away until we get it right. There will be an exciting New Backdrop this year and delicious complimentary baked goods, desserts and punch. And that is not all! While you wait in line, you can browse through “Santa’s Silpada Workshop” (Sterling Silver Jewelry) 11 am until 3 pm, both days. Also available will be ARF’s 2012 RafÁe Calendars ($10). These calendars make wonderful inexpensive gifts for the holidays and they are so much fun! You have a chance to win between $10 -$100.00 every day of the year. It is a gift that keeps on giving. Most importantly, 100% of the proceeds from both of these events go to supporting ARF and its mission of “Saving and Improving the Lives of Companion Animals through-out the region. For more information call 410-643-8700 or e-mail info@arfusa.org. ARF is a 501c3 non-proÀt organization. Donations can be sent to ARF, P.O. Box 396, Chester, MD 21619. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.