Poll of Marylanders Reveals Eating Blue Crab as the Perfect Way to Pass Away

Oct 9, 2024

Originally published by Choice Mutual.

Talking about death may not be the ideal dinner conversation, but let’s face it – planning for that final act is something that crosses everyone’s mind at some point. While most people have a vague idea of when they’d like to go (hopefully not too soon!), and how they want to be remembered – whether it’s a dream funeral or deciding who inherits that vintage record collection – there’s one thing we rarely discuss: what would you really want to be doing when you take your last breath?

Choice Mutual, an insurance agency specializing in final expense life insurance, was curious to find out exactly that! Would you prefer to slip away peacefully while tending to your garden, or go out with a bang cheering on your favorite team in the final moments of a nail-biting game? Or perhaps you’d choose something you truly love – like hiking your favorite trail or catching the perfect wave. After all, why not make your last moments the ultimate bucket list experience? Choice Mutual’s survey revealed some fascinating options, a few of which are highlighted below.

First up, Marylanders’ top choice would be to pass away while eating Blue Crab. Digging into a pile of steamed blue crabs, seasoned to perfection, is a beloved Maryland pastime. It’s messy, it’s fun, and it’s oh-so-satisfying. If you’re going to have one last meal, why not make it a crab feast to remember?

For Georgians, the ideal final toast would be with a Georgia Peach Martini in hand. With its sweet, refreshing taste, it’s a delicious way to savor the finer things in life. For them, it would be a tribute to good times and Southern hospitality – a sweet farewell indeed.

Meanwhile, residents of Hawaii would rather indulge in their last meal. They envision their final moments enjoying a plate of kalua pig, with its smoky flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness – a true taste of aloha that encapsulates the spirit of the islands.

Mississippians would prefer to spend their last hours in a dimly lit blues bar, sipping a drink while soaking in the soulful tunes of a live band. It’s the essence of Mississippi’s charm – a place where music tells stories and the drinks flow as smoothly as the melodies.

Unsurprisingly, Nevadans dream of a more thrilling exit – hitting the slot machines or poker tables in a Las Vegas casino. With its bright lights and endless excitement, it’s a final thrill like no other. Whether you’re on a winning streak or just soaking up the atmosphere, it’s all about the gamble. If you’re going to roll the dice one last time, Las Vegas is the place to do it.

In contrast, Granite Staters would choose a more tranquil and reflective departure. Leaf peeping in Franconia Notch State Park, surrounded by vibrant fall colors, is a New England tradition that never disappoints. The crisp air, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and the stunning views make it the perfect setting for a peaceful, picturesque farewell.

Finally, Louisianans would choose to go out with a bang – celebrating at Mardi Gras. With its colorful parades, lively music, and endless festivities, it’s the ultimate way to let the good times roll. For them, it’s all about living life to the fullest. If you’re going to make a grand exit, why not do it in the midst of the biggest party of the year?

As for who they’d want by their side, 50% said they’d prefer to be surrounded by friends and family, while 19% opted for the presence of one special person. Interestingly, 13% would want their pet with them, proving that our four-legged friends hold a special place in our hearts until the very end.

When asked about the vibe they’d want in their last hour, 27% chose to spend it laughing out loud, embracing the joy and humor in life, while nearly 24% preferred a calm and reflective atmosphere. Another 22% hoped for a spiritual journey, focusing on peace, closure, and spirituality.

And how would they like their life to be celebrated afterward? A big party was the top choice for 31% of Marylanders, while a quiet memorial was preferred by 29%. A unique 15% wanted a tree-planting ceremony, symbolizing life, growth, and a lasting legacy.

When it comes to their obituary, 21% hoped it would start with “Always Made People Laugh,” reflecting the importance of humor and joy. Meanwhile, 19% wanted to be remembered as having “Lived Life to the Fullest” or as being “Beloved by Family and Friends.” Each sentiment tells a story of how they wished to be remembered – whether through love, laughter, or a life well-lived.

“Planning for the end of life can feel daunting, but it’s also an opportunity to think about how we want to be remembered and what truly matters to us,” says Anthony Martin, CEO & Founder of Choice Mutual. “Our survey revealed that people want their final moments to reflect their passions and joys, whether that’s enjoying a favorite meal, celebrating at a festival, or simply being surrounded by nature. It’s a reminder that life is about making the most of every moment – even the very last one.”

Police Providing Presents: Bringing Joy to Underprivileged Children This Holiday Season

Oct 9, 2024

For many years, law enforcement officers throughout the United States have participated in a volunteer program during the Christmas season where police officers take underprivileged children shopping for gifts. Many of our officers had the privilege of participating ni our 2016 inaugural “Police Providing Presents” event and saw the excitement generated in children and wanted to make this an annual event in Garrett County.

On the day of the event, uniformed officers from various local and state offices volunteer their time to be with children. The purpose of the event is to foster positive relationships between youth and officers. Garrett County children will shop with an assigned officer at Walmart in Oakland to purchase gifts for members of their immediate family and for themselves. Each child is given an amount of money to spend, around two hundred fifty (250) dollars. Approximately one (1) and sometimes two (2) children are assigned to each police officer. The officers will then escort their “partner for the day” around the store and assist in selecting appropriate gifts for each family member and the child. After shopping, the children will continue to get to know the police officers in a fun environment, attend a luncheon party, and have their gifts wrapped and ready to take home. This unique December shopping experience assists children and deters them from choosing a life of crime or violence.

As police officers, we know firsthand the look in a child’s eyes when we have to take their parents or other loved ones out of the home. We want to help change that view of police officers, for them to know we are the ‘good guys’ and we care about them.

We are graciously asking for donations ni support of this program to provide each child with the opportunity to make their holidays a little brighter. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Businesses wil be recognized. Because the program is funded entirely by donations, the generosity of our donors is essential to the program’s success. Would you please assist in making Christmas special for Garrett County children?

All donations can be dropped off in person or mailed to the Department of Social Services, attention “Finance Office” located at 12578 Garrett Highway, Oakland, Maryland 21550. The office si open Monday through Friday 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. All checks and money orders need to be made out to GCDSS and noted in the comments, “Police Providing Presents.” Any questions can be directed to F/Sgt. B. Williams, Maryland State Police – McHenry Barrack at 301-387-1101.

Thank you again for your interest and helping to make this program a success and placing a smile on a child’s face!

Respectfully, Police Providing Presents Committee

Casselman and Café Renovation get Rave Reviews

Oct 9, 2024

Garrett College student Eugenia Rosa, right, is served by Rebekah Geasey last Thursday at the Casselman Café at Garrett College.

The staff at Casselman’s new café location at Garrett College hit the ground running – largely because they had no other choice.

“The Health Department gave the go-ahead on a Thursday afternoon and we started serving food on a Monday,” said Casselman Market General Manager Aaron Lapp, recalling the Labor Day opening necessary to support the start of the fall semester.

“It was only possible because of our great staff,” added Lapp. “The College staff was also very helpful in making that happen.”

Casselman’s launch certainly met with the approval of Garrett College students.

“The food selection is really good and the people who work there are really nice,” said sophomore Courtney Milner, who also praised the $2.5 million renovation of the College’s kitchen and café.

“It seems a lot more spacious,” she said. “A lot of students go there and it [the renovation] created a much nicer space.”

Another sophomore, Musulyn Pinney, is also excited about the renovation of the 42-year-old facility and the Casselman launch.

“When I heard the café was being renovated, I couldn’t have been happier,” said Pinney. “Compared to last year, the renovated café is welcoming and cozy.”

Pinney said the café menu “is filled with healthy food choices,” noting the new salad bar “is particularly my favorite.”

“The food is good – but the staff is even better,” added Pinney.

“We really felt having fresh and simple food needed to be an option for the café,” said Lapp, noting that is a philosophy in all of the Casselman sites.

Garrett College students Antonio Adams, left, and Marqui Olds take a break in the Casselman Café at Garrett College. The College’s kitchen and café underwent a complete renovation over the summer.

The café and kitchen renovation was completed under a challenging time frame, according to GC Director of Campus Facilities Chris Painter.

“We knew we had only from mid-May to late August to completely renovate that space,” said Painter. “Our contractor [Daikin Applied] and their subcontractors started demolition the morning after the spring semester ended and had the building ready for operation two days before fall classes started.”

Lapp said Casselman was “originally planning on a minimum of two weeks to set things up and get things in order,” but launched with about 72 hours prep time.

“I honestly don’t even know how it was possible,” said Lapp.

“It was definitely a team effort,” said GC Dean of Business & Finance Dallas Ouellette, who is the College liaison to Casselman Café. “Facilities, our custodial staff, our contractor, and Casselman’s staff really worked together so that we were ready to serve students when they arrived.”

Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College’s president, noted that the bulk of the renovation project’s funding came from Garrett County Government and Garrett College fund balance via a Board of Trustees authorization.

“This renovation would never have happened without the support of the Commissioners and our Trustees’ commitment to this project,” said Midcap. “This was a project that really uplifts our students’ experience – I think that’s why everyone who has been involved has been focused on making this work. It was a stressful project that produce a great result.”

Garrett College’s NRWT program turns 50

Oct 9, 2024

Garrett College Professor Kevin Dodge, center, and students Kevin Cervantes, left, and Zach Wood take part in a Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology program field trip.

Garrett College’s Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology (NRWT) program is turning 50 – but the program definitely isn’t showing its age.

“Our program is vibrant,” said Professor Kevin Dodge, NRWT’s program director. “It continues to meet the needs of a variety of employers, as evidenced by the different jobs our students are getting.”

Dodge said the program’s success goes well beyond its official curriculum.

“We’ve created a culture where new students come into the program and they know they’re part of our family,” said Dodge. “We connect them with returning students, and a long line of former students who have stayed connected with the College.”

Dodge, who joined the Garrett College faculty in 1987, said one of the keys to the program’s ongoing success has been a commitment to staying current.

“We’re always seeking to respond to the changing needs of our field while adhering to our bedrock principles,” said Dodge. He added that those principles center around ensuring students have a solid background in the technical skills required in wildlife and natural resources careers.

“Our students need solid field skills,” Dodge said. “An NRWT graduate knows their plants and animals, and they have good geospatial technology skills.”

Dodge said the changing profile of students entering the natural resources field has made NRWT’s commitment to teaching field skills even more crucial.

“Fifty years ago, a student going to college in this field was typically male, white, and grew up on a farm,” said Dodge. “They came into the field with a lot of hands-on, practical skills. Today’s students are more diverse, and more come from suburbia, often without significant outdoor experience.

“That’s one reason we emphasize the practical, hands-on skills that are so important in the field and less likely to be covered by four-year universities,” explained Dodge. “We’re training technicians – and they need those field experiences, even if they transfer on to a four-year program.”

Jeremy Plauger, a graduate of Garrett College’s Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology program, works as a project manager with Resource+Land Consultants, an environmental consulting firm based in Savannah, GA. Since leaving GC, Plauger has earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University. Plauger is pictured with a gopher tortoise, a declining species in the southeastern United States.

Dodge said the post-graduate success of Garrett College’s NRWT students illustrates the value of the education they receive. Sarah Milbourne, western region manager of the Maryland Park Service; and Greg Short, senior environmental scientist and co-owner of AllStar Ecology, are just two of the NRWT graduates who used the program to launch highly successful careers in the field.

“It’s probably one of the most rigorous programs in the nation,” said Milbourne. “It’s challenging, but it’s applicable to what a professional actually does in the field.

“You don’t waste time on fluff,” added Milbourne. “You do hands-on applications that prepare you for the workforce, or to go on and get a bachelor’s or master’s degree or even a doctorate.”

Short – whose company is a turn-key permitting firm that contracts with private industry as well as state and local government agencies – echoed Milbourne’s remarks.

‘I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for that program,” said Short. “It provided me with the essential tools I needed for this career.

“The great thing about the program is that you’re armed with so many tools to do various types of work,” Short continued. “You’re not pigeon-holed into one career. You get a lot of different aspects of the field and come out with a lot of different skill sets that are attractive in the work force.”

Jim Mullan, who studied in the Wildlife Technology Program in 1977-78, eventually returned to teach in the program.

“I felt blessed to share my passion for wildlife with the next generation of biologists and technicians,” recalled Mullan. “I am still amazed that I had the opportunity to teach alongside some of my favorite teachers, such as Joan Crawford, Drew Ferrier, Dave Slagle, and Randall Harmon. The Tech Center coordinator, Ed Norman, was a tremendous help in facilitating field trips and hands-on activities.”

Mullan credited the low student-to-faculty ratio, the programmatic expansion in the 1990s, and the College’s “easy access to outdoor learning opportunities” as keys to the program’s enduring success. He also praised Dodge and retired faculty member Peter Skylstad for their leadership in building and maintaining a high-quality curriculum.

“Both are experts in their field and give – or, in Peter’s case, gave – 100 percent effort to each student,” said the retired Mullan, who now works for CAMO HOPE, a non-profit that makes home repairs for people in need.

Annie Martin, a 2024 Garrett College graduate, is one of the most recent NRWT success stories. Martin shared the 2024 Garrett College commencement award for highest grade-point average (a perfect 4.0). She was subsequently awarded a University System of Maryland Regents scholarship to cover her tuition, fees, meal plan, and board as she pursues a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries at Frostburg State University.

Dodge said the program reached a critical inflection point in the early 1990s, leading to a renewed emphasis on technical skills and a key programmatic expansion.

Dodge and Director of Technical/Career Programs Jim Allen conducted a rigorous review using a model – called Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) – that examined every aspect of the program’s curriculum.

“We had employers who were really good partners in that process and made valuable contributions,” said Dodge. “Instead of thinking about it academically, we thought about it in terms of what made sense from an employment perspective. We asked natural resources technicians to tell us what actual, everyday tasks and duties they performed – and then found ways to make their input the core of our coursework.”

Dodge also emphasized the roles Allen and Ed Norman, an NRWT graduate who worked at the time to support the College’s technical programs, played in retaining the practical, technical nature of the program.

“Ed Norman and Jim Allen kept hammering on me about the importance of technical education,” recalled Dodge. “They patiently helped me to understand what a technical degree is all about.

“We also realized if we just trained people for wildlife, it would be hard to grow the program,” Dodge continued. “We needed to expand what we trained for – and intentionally expanded what we were doing from wildlife technology to include all areas of the natural resources field. Our goal became to train natural resources super-technicians.”

In addition to Allen and Norman, Dodge credited Dean of Academic & Student Affairs Emeritus Lillian Mitchell with playing a critical role in supporting NRWT. Mitchell indicated geography and leadership have both important ingredients in the program’s success.

“Fifty years ago, the College recognized that its special environment would serve as a perfect outdoor lab to provide this unique technical program that focused on addressing the management of natural resources and wildlife,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell said Dodge’s commitment to keeping the program academically relevant has also had a great deal to do with its success.

“NRWT has always been recognized for integrating rigorous academic coursework with relevant and interesting field experiences and research,” said Mitchell.

Dodge also highlighted the efforts of Skylstad, who served two decades as an NRWT faculty member before retiring in 2021, and Amo Oliverio, an NRWT graduate who took Skylstad’s place as an NRWT faculty member.

“There are so many people whose hard work and ongoing support made NRWT’s success possible,” said Dodge, who also recognized the part-time adjunct instructors – all professionals in the field – who are crucial to the program’s success.

“We’ve always relied on a cadre of really great adjunct instructors to teach in multiple content areas . . . fisheries, water quality, wildlife, forestry,” observed Dodge. “We couldn’t do it without those people.”

Dodge also credited earlier faculty with helping establish the program, including Natural Resources Technology Professor Hugh Trimble and Biology Professor Dr. Drew Ferrier, who is now a professor of biology at Hood College.

“It’s been a very resilient program that’s changed over time,” Ferrier said of the NRWT program. “Garrett’s bringing in a good crop of students every year, which is a credit to Kevin’s leadership.”

Ferrier said he was pleased that the College has kept in place several of the innovations developed in the early days of the program, including regular field trips to Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the annual wild game dinner.

“The first wild game dinner started in the late 1970s at Hugh Trimble’s house,” noted Ferrier, who taught at GC from 1977 to 1985.

Dodge credited Ashley Ruby, currently GC’s learning commons and academic success director, with helping train NRWT students to obtain employment. Ruby conducts a seminar on job search skills as part of NRWT’s academic program.

“Ashley does a great job with our students,” said Dodge. “She teaches them how to develop resumes and cover letters, complete online applications, conduct a job search, how to network and how to interview. Ashley’s seminar plays a crucial role in preparing our students to seek employment.”

“Kevin asked me several years ago to speak in his Seminar I class about the job search process, including resume development for seasonal positions,” said Ruby, who has special training in the job development field. “In the students’ final semester, I teach Seminar II, where we talk more deeply about developing a career vision and turning their experiences at Garrett College into a meaningful career. By that time, many students already have a position lined up!”

Ruby said Dodge’s emphasis on connecting his students with industry professionals supports the program’s educational mission by providing ready-made networking opportunities.

“He brings in a lot of guest speakers, we organize mock interviews, and he has industry professionals who teach courses in the program as well,” said Ruby. “Former NRWT students also come back and speak to his classes about the exciting work they are doing. All of this adds value to the program.”

Ruby said NRWT students “know and understand what it takes to be successful in their chosen profession basically from Day 1.”

“They know how rigorous the program is; they are excited to do the work, and they all take it seriously,” added Ruby.

Dodge – who came to Garrett College with a background in university-level research – freely admits he “didn’t know what two-year degrees were all about” when he arrived at Garrett.

“It’s a learning curve, especially if you’re doing a technical program,” said Dodge, who remains thankful his journey brought him to the College and this program.

“I couldn’t ask for a better job,” said Dodge.

Milbourne – who said she is “so proud of the program’s continued excellence” – indicated she’s always looking to hire Garrett College graduates.

“If they can get through Kevin’s program,” said Milbourne, “that tells me they’re a highly qualified candidate.”

2024 Autumn Glory Parades Traffic Detours

Oct 8, 2024

For more information or for any questions, please contact Paul Harvey at 301-334-7488 or pharvey@garrettcountymd.gov.

Your Voice Matters! Join Focus Groups Across Garrett County in October

Oct 8, 2024

Hearing directly from local residents is vital to ensuring that local programs and services are culturally competent and reflect the needs of our community. To achieve this mission, Garrett County develops a Community Health Assessment (CHA) once every three years.

A Community Health Assessment is a collaborative process that gathers and analyzes data from various sources to identify health needs and issues in the community. A vital step in the process is talking with community members in focus groups about health factors and outcomes, as well as the social determinants of health, such as housing, income, employment, and access to healthcare. These conversations help shape a community-driven strategy that guides Garrett County’s local health department, hospital, federally qualified health center, and community agencies.

More than 1,500 of your friends, family members, and neighbors have completed the recent Garrett County Community Health Assessment survey, prioritizing issues for further discussion in focus groups held across Garrett County’s many communities.

The top priorities identified include:

• Access to Healthcare
• Jobs, Wages, and Economic Development
• Affordable Housing
• Mental Health
• Health Insurance

“The Population Health, Innovation & Informatics Unit within the Garrett County Health Department champions this effort and works closely with Garrett Regional Medical Center, Mountain Laurel Medical Center, Community Action, the Garrett County Local Behavioral Health Authority, and the Garrett County Local Management Board to ensure scientific rigor and produce a dynamic Community Health Assessment that guides strategy across the county,” said Jennifer Hare, Interim Health Officer.

You are invited to join Shelley Argabrite, MA, and Fred Polce, Jr., MS, for a free meal as they facilitate engaging discussions to help our community explore these issues more deeply. There are several focus group locations throughout the county, but only ten seats are available in each group. Please reserve a spot and participate in the discussion at one of the groups closest to your community. In addition to the meal, you will earn ten chances in a prize drawing for additional incentives. The link to sign up for a focus group is https://garretthealth.org/focus-groups/.

The final report will analyze the data collected, including the qualitative data from the focus groups, and provide the foundation to empower our community to make informed, data-driven decisions. These conversations will help the Garrett County Health Department and our partners understand the individual experiences of community members and discuss gaps in services and solutions.

“This outstanding turnout of community participation in our primary data collection enables us to develop a robust and dynamic report that guides strategy and helps our community secure essential grant funding,” said Shelley Argabrite, MA, Director of the Population Health, Innovation & Informatics Unit. “We appreciate everyone who participates in this endeavor by filling out surveys and attending focus groups to provide the rich local data that we depend on as we seek to make a meaningful difference in Garrett County.”

For more information, visit the Garrett County Health Department’s website at garretthealth.org or email Shelley Argabrite at shelley.argabrite@maryland.gov.

Garrett Regional Medical Center celebrates Pink Out Day for Breast and Lung Cancer Awareness

Oct 8, 2024

Garrett Regional Medical Center team members wore their pink and pearls for Pink Out Day to promote both Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is recognized in October, and Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which is observed in November. The Pink and Pearl campaign’s goal is to bring awareness to both breast and lung cancer and to encourage everyone to get their recommended cancer screenings. The color pink is associated with breast cancer awareness, while white (or pearl) is a symbol of lung cancer awareness.

Health Department Retirees Swap Stories and Laughter

Oct 8, 2024

A group of Health Department retirees gather for a group picture after the luncheon in September. From left to right are Carolyn Warnick, Marina Getz, Kim Powell, Janet Mosser, Shelby Paugh, and Peggy Chappell.

Retirees from the Garrett County Health Department gathered at the McHenry Uno Pizzeria and Grill on September 18th to mingle and catch up.

As the microphone was passed around the group for introductions, it became a comic storytelling session for some, with laughter abounding!

The group chuckled as Pauline Faucette (retired nurse) claimed she started the Health Department. Many younger retirees remembered that Pauline gave them vaccinations in their youth, either at school or at one of the Health Department’s offices.

Later, when it was Dr. William Pope’s (retired Health Officer/Deputy Health Officer) turn at the mic, he drew laughs when he said he helped Pauline start the Health Department. But, of course, Shelby Paugh had them all beat. She was the attendee who had retired the longest, having begun working at the Health Department when she was just 17 years old in 1955 and retired in 1996 as Director of Administration after 41 years of working with seven different health officers.

Anyone who worked with Brenda Pike remembers the hilarious stories from her Health Department days. Retirement has not dampened her humor. She recounted the day she was parking the mobile clinic van, a large RV, and its rooftop air conditioning unit, which didn’t fit under the overhang of the hospital/health department building. Her retelling of Dr. Pope’s reaction when he came out to see what shook the building probably left the patrons upstairs in Unos wondering about the uproar downstairs!

“It is always a nice time to see our Garrett County Health Department retirees and hear those memories,” said Donna McClintock Fost. “If we are missing any retirees, please join the Garrett County Health Department Retirement Luncheon group on Facebook. And, mark your calendars for September 17, 2025, for next year’s luncheon at Unos.”

“I think that the 31 retirees who attended this year had a great time,” said retiree Kathy Skipper. “We always made sure to hold it on a Wednesday so everyone can take advantage of the senior discount.”

“We sure had fun at the luncheon and missed the ones who couldn’t be there,” said retiree Kim Powell. Several attendees mentioned missing Norma Bolding at the event, who passed away two weeks earlier, and Martha Layton, who passed away in February.

The luncheon was organized by a small committee of retirees, including Kim Powell, Donna McClintock-Fost, Peggy Chappell, and Kathy Skipper. Please reach out to one of them if you want to be included on the list of invitees for the luncheon next year.

Garrett County Hosts Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller

Oct 8, 2024

Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller visited Garrett County to complete local site visits as a kickoff for her state-wide tour in honor of Recovery Month. Pictured left to right at the Garrett County Emergency Operation Center, the first stop on the tour, are Justin Orendorf, Communications Chief; Vicki Whitacre, Emergency Services Lieutenant; Secretary Keller; Jennifer Hare, Garrett County Interim Health Officer; and Chelsie Dever, Health Education and Outreach Director.

In early September, Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller visited Garrett County to complete site visits in honor of Recovery Month. Secretary Keller and her team conducted visits throughout Maryland in September, starting with Garrett County.

The five key policy pillars guiding the Moore-Miller Administration’s approach to reducing overdoses are prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and public safety. Secretary Keller’s Team worked with the Garrett County Health Department’s Health Education and Outreach Director, Chelsie Dever, to coordinate visits to a few organizations providing services and addressing needs associated with the five key pillars outside the services the Health Department currently provides.

Dever escorted Secretary Keller, her Executive Associate Cassandra Hershberg, and Garrett County Interim Health Officer Jennifer Hare to three locations in Garrett County to hear about the work those groups are doing for the citizens of Garrett County.

First, they met with members of the Emergency Medical Services Community Resource Team (CRT). Team members reviewed the services they offer, including a 24-hour hotline to people who need to access information about treatment and recovery resources, as well as for assistance to enter treatment. The team also provides help to the families of loved ones struggling with opioid addiction. The CRT program is a partnership with the Health Department. To contact the Community Resource Team Hotline, call 301-334-7249.

Next, the group visited Mountain Laurel Medical Center and met with CEO Brian Bailey, CFO James Mou, and Manager of Business & Community Development Corey Edmonds to hear about the behavioral health counseling services and the Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program they offer to their patients. Mountain Laurel also shared that as a newly certified Overdose Response Program for the state, they are able to now provide Naloxone.

The last stop was at Reflection House, a Level 2 residential recovery program, and the first-ever women’s recovery residence in Garrett County. Program Coordinator and President of the Board Jamie Bell, and House Manager Angelia Thomas gave a tour of the home. Reflection House also provides addiction counseling services, and linkages to health and behavioral health services to women with substance use disorder in Western Maryland. Using a social enterprise model, residents of the home will receive training in life and relationship skills, job skills, and real-world coping skills to support their sustained recovery. Reflection House officially opened its doors on September 25th. To contact Reflection House call 240-321-6723, or to join the waitlist visit https://reflectionhousegc.org/.

“It was an honor to show Secretary Keller the valuable programs being implemented by our partners in the community, connecting people to care and making a difference in people’s lives,” said Hare.

To learn more about the services the Garrett County Health Department provides for harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and recovery, call 301-334-7730.

Calendar Update: Early Student Dismissal and Holiday

Oct 8, 2024

Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) will dismiss students three (3) hours early on Thursday, October 10, 2024, for staff development in the afternoon. Elementary staff will participate in county-wide training, while secondary staff will participate in various school-based opportunities. Additionally, all GCPS schools and administrative offices will be closed for the Autumn Glory Festival on Friday, October 11, 2024. All facilities are expected to reopen on Monday, October 14, 2024.

Myers to Present at Inaugural Maryland DNR Outdoor Recreation Summit

Oct 7, 2024

Sarah Myers, founder of the Deep Creek Adventure Bureau (DCAB), is thrilled to announce her participation as a speaker at the first-ever Maryland Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Summit next week. The event will bring together regional outdoor recreation professionals, including local organizations such as NICA Garrett County Coyotes Mountain bike team, Chris Nichols from Narrows Hill, and High Mountain Sports.

In the session titled “Storytelling: Your Outdoor Experience,” moderator Racheal Pacella will join Winn Brewer of the Department of Natural Resources and Sarah Myers from DCAB for a dynamic discussion on the power of storytelling in the outdoor recreation community. Attendees will explore how engaging narratives can foster curiosity, build community, and inspire others to connect with the outdoors.

Details of the session:

• Title: Storytelling: Your Outdoor Experience
• Date: Friday, October 11
• Time: Breakout Session 6 at 10:45 – 11:45 AM
• Location: Rocky Gap State Park

I am excited for this session to share how storytelling can transform any outdoor experience and strengthen connections within the community.

If the session is recorded, it will be shared at a later date.