Summer goes very green as the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center sponsors the following events in Queen Anne's County.

The fun begins with the 10th Annual Wade-In Festival on June 7. This event is held each year on the first Saturday of June. Guests can explore native watershed habitats with guided canoe and kayak tours, trail hikes, seining, children's programs and more. The event is free, thanks to support from local organizations.

This annual tradition, followed throughout the region since 1988, was inspired by Bernie Fowler, a fisherman and retired political leader in Maryland and Calvert County.

Prior to being elected to public office, Fowler was an avid fisherman who waded into the Patuxent River to measure the clarity of the water. This inspired him to run for Calvert County Commissioner in 1970, with the health of the Patuxent River a key issue. From there, Fowler went on to serve in the Maryland Senate, until he retired from public office in the mid 1990s.

During his career, Fowler was the leader in a lawsuit filed by downriver Charles, Calvert and St. Mary's counties which forced the state of Maryland, its upriver counties, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact pollution control measures.

Each June Fowler holds a "wade-in" into the Patuxent River at Broomes Island, where he and others will walk into the waters of the Patuxent River until their feet are no longer visible. Other wade-ins now take place elsewhere around the Bay these days, and often include political leaders. This provides photo ops galore plus an evocative, albeit unscientific picture of the Bay’s health.

To mark the event at CBEC, people can bring a picnic to enjoy under the big tent at Lake Knapp while they enjoy music by the Bay Country Gentlemen, from 11 to 2 p.m. Around mid-day, local politicians lead guests to the Salt Panne, for the big wade-in to examine the condition of the bay.

Information: the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, POB 519, 600 Discovery Lane Grasonville, MD 21638 or call 410-827-6694.

While on campus, visit the education pavilion, where river keepers, tributary teams, oyster gardeners, native landscapers, and others will answer questions about the health of Bay tributaries. Learn what can be done to advance environmental health today and for future generations.

Other events include the Eco-Adventure Camp 2008 for Grades k-5, taking place June 16-20, and June 23-27, 2008.June 16th-20/June 23-27, 2008- CBEC is proud to host Eco-Adventure Camp 2008.

Campers will learn important skills and knowledge necessary to make sustainable life choices that impact the future of our world. Exciting and fun environmental education activities focus on Conservation, Stewardship, Bay Restoration, “Green” Practices partnered with problem-solving challenges and interactive games of strategy. Information: Call 410-827-6694.

Finally "Birdies for the Bay 2008" the 5th annual Golf Tournament, July 14, 2008 at the Hunter's Oak Golf Club in Queenstown. Sponsorships are still available, starting at $15,000 for tournament sponsors on down to Hitchcock sponsors at $5 for each birdie recorded.

Sponsors providing goodie bag items are requested to have those items be as “green” as possible. CBEC works to promote sustainability in all its fundraising events and encourages its supporters to join in this effort. If you need a list of suggestions for recycled, biodegradable or reused products pl ...
 
... this is an abbreviated post. Read the entire article.

Queen Anne’s County public schools are in dire need of help. The grim status of funding for our children’s education is apparent with every passing year.

Parents are being asked to supply materials that even five years ago could have been purchased through regular orders by classroom teachers or principals. Notebooks, paper, pencils, erasers, tissues, paper towels, and hand sanitizer are just a few basic things being put on supply lists for fall. Some schools need to ask for much more such as copies of particular books. Soon there will be lab fees and studio fees at every level. And supplies seem to be the least of our worries.

Public schools are supposed to provide a quality, free education for every child in this country. How will we provide for our children’s educational needs if we allow over three million dollars to be cut from the budget?

Class sizes will rise significantly, there will be a shortage of special education teachers and we could loose highly qualified teachers. Not to mention being unable to keep technology in our schools and continue training and professional development for our teachers so they may better help our youngsters.

The libraries will not get new materials. Our children’s textbooks will be out dated. Pre-Kindergarten will not be available to every child. Extra-curricular programs will be cut. This sounds like a school system in trouble to me.

Demand that your child be given a chance to succeed. The only way to make sure our children have the same opportunities as students in other counties of Maryland is to contact our five county commissioners at the Queen Anne's county web site.

Let them know that your child is just as important as any other (and to you, the most important). Please help our children succeed.

*This statement comes from an anonymous teacher here on Kent Island. The opinions expressed belong to the writer alone. They should not be construed as any sort of statement from either myself or the Annapolis Capital.

Contrary to popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks, even if its only to work and play well with others. All it takes is kindness, patience, praise, and a few doggie treats don’t either.

That’s where ARF, the private Chester-based Animal Rescue Foundation steps in. As part of the process, every Tuesday from one to two pm, there is a weekly trip to the Kent Island Dog Park in Stevensville, for six or seven dogs at a time. Even though these trips are strictly for the dogs, they are a lot of fun.

ARF is located in the old outlet center at Kent Narrows. It’s basically an indoor operation, with at most a regular walk on the leash. It holds about 25 to 30 animals.

Center Director Susan Beall says her charges really look forward to the weekly trip when some of them “can get out and act like dogs. Every Tuesday as we roll up in the van about 12:30 they get very excited and know they are going to be running.”

The cats at the shelter, on the other hand tend to prefer to stay indoors. Mrs. Beall says the cats “have nice big rooms at our adoption center, and cat trees and nice big sunny windows,” so they see no reason to go outdoors.

The weekly trips are an important part of what is called a socialization process, “not only with other dogs but with people.” They teach shy and sometimes traumatized animals to be more comfortable with strangers or new environments.

It should be noted that unvaccinated puppies are not part of the weekly trips, but once that’s done, they can come out as long as they get along with the other dogs or the people they encounter. Older dogs are also part of the mix, and as long as they are treated with kindness, can easily learn new tricks of behavior.

There were four volunteers also out that day. All devoted animal lovers they made the time from their own schedules to share their own dogs with the shelter animals, as well as to enjoy each other’s company

Overall Laura Roane even calls the process “addicting.” She talked about her experience of fostering or teaching animals how to get along with future owners, calling it a part-time effort that easily turned into a 50 hour a week lifestyle. Lately, however she has cut back to around 15 to 20 hours in order to look after the rest of her life, which includes real estate.

Concerning the weekly romps, program volunteer and professional dog trainer Allison Beaulieu candidly said, “I love it. I can’t believe more people don’t get involved because I get so much from it.”

She was looking after a border collie mix that day named Tristan, who, like several other rescued dogs who was especially shy around men, either from not being used to them or because of past abuse.

Eventually, she took time out from romping with the other dogs and being rude to the trees to sniff a visitor’s hand. Another dog even insisted on a brief game of catch with his favorite tennis ball. All the dogs were rewarded with pats and treats when they came up to the volunteers working with them that day.

“We give the dogs exercise and mental stimulation they need to keep them well mannered dogs” Mrs. Beall said. “We work with every dog that comes into our organization, starting with basic obedience and house training.”

Donna Cox, who has had as many as nine dogs but now down to three, including one fostered animal. She says “I love fostering puppies, they are so cute. They are all such different characters. ” Her goal is “to get them off on the right foot. I try to get them house broken, and to understand basic commands like ‘sit,’ and ‘lie down.’”

It’s a real labor of love ...
 
... this is an abbreviated post. Read the entire article.

The Bay City Property Owners Association 's monthly meeting takes place June 5, 2008 at the Kent Island library.

Bay City is a covenanted community located in Stevensville, MD. The community ammenities include two waterfront parks, boat dock, boat ramp, and a playground. Each resident pays an annual BCPOA fee to maintain the community infastructure and cover additional costs.
dock.

Do you have any ideas on how we can make the community better? Do you want to voice your opinion about the community? Are you wondering why the board wants to increase the HOA fees? Then join the e-mail list and attend the BCPOA meetings every first Thursday of the month.

Information: www.baycityneighbors.org or 410-253-5652