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April 30, 2025

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

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Health For All Seasons with Beth Anne Dorman

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“For a long time, we were the best-kept secret in Kent County,” says Beth Anne Dorman, Executive Director of for All Seasons. Though they’ve been present in Kent County for 15 years and  in local schools for over 17 years, the organization recently launched a visible shift: expanded services, increased public access and “bringing mental health to Main Street” to their new office at 315 High Street.

One of the most transformative changes has been the creation of the Open Access program. “People used to call for services and be told there was a waitlist. That’s just how it was,” Dorman says. “We decided to change that.” Working with national consultants, For All Seasons overhauled its service model. Now, anyone can walk into the office—or join via telehealth—five days a week for immediate mental health support, with psychiatry follow-ups available within two weeks. Open Access is for everyone: children, adults, seniors, and is available in over 500 languages via an interpreting app. Services are provided regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

“We’ve looked at all five counties that we serve, and we have decided to bring offices to the main streets of all of our locations, so that when people are driving into town, when the community is spending time in these amazing places that we live, people are seeing that mental health matters, that services are available, that victims don’t have to be ashamed, they don’t have to hide that services are available. The beauty of the Open Access program is that it serves children, adolescents, adults and seniors. We serve everyone from a pregnant mom who wants to figure out how to show up to be the kind of parent that she wants to be to a 95 year old gentleman as our oldest client,” Dorman says.

For All Seasons is also the region’s only certified rape crisis center, operating 24/7 in English and Spanish. They provide advocacy at hospitals, schools, and law enforcement agencies, not just during crisis moments but for ongoing care. “You don’t have to be in a current emergency,” Dorman notes. “We serve people dealing with past trauma, no matter how long ago it happened.”

The organization’s work is grounded in four pillars: therapy, psychiatry, rape crisis support, and community education. As a learning center, For All Seasons provides mental health and trauma-informed training for schools, civic groups, businesses, and municipalities. “We just held a Dare to Lead training based on Brené Brown’s work,” says Dorman. “We’re helping leaders show up for their teams, because the mental health of employees matters too.”

Dorman emphasizes that rural communities experience trauma and mental health differently. “It’s not our job to tell communities what they need, but to ask how we can support them.” In Kent County, that means close collaboration with school administrators, local nonprofits like the United Way, and public agencies to ensure children and families get the care they need.

COVID revealed that mental health isn’t just about diagnoses, but about symptoms—grief, loneliness, uncertainty—that affect everyone. “We’re all carrying things,” Dorman says. “It’s okay to not be okay. What matters is that no one has to go through it alone.”

For All Seasons invites everyone to be part of the solution: check in on a friend, reach out when you’re struggling, and remember that connection—just a call or a card—can make all the difference.

For immediate help or support, For All Seasons provides 24/7 crisis hotlines in English and Spanish, as well as walk-in and telehealth services without waitlists.

24-Hour Crisis Hotline:
English Hotline Tel: 410-820-5600
Español Hotline Tel: 410-829-6143
English or Español Text: 410-829-6143

The Spy recently talked with Beth Anne Dorman  about the For All Seasons services available in Kent County.

For more about For All Seasons, go here.

315 High St Suite 207, Chestertown, MD 21620

410-822-1018

 

This video is approximately nine minutes in length.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the photo

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Happy Mystery Monday!  Can you guess what is pictured below?
The answer to last week’s mystery is white oak, Quercus alba, pictured below:
White oak trees are native to the eastern United States and are usually found in forested areas of dry slopes, valleys, and ravines. It is a large, slow growing, deciduous hardwood tree. White oak does not tolerate wet conditions and is best planted in well-drained sites with rich, moist, acidic loam in full sun.
White oaks are in the beech family, and can reach heights of 135′ with an 80′ spread. These massive and stately shade trees grow in an artistic, wide-spreading habit. The bark of the white oak is light gray, with shallow grooves and flat, loose ridges.
White oak is one of the hardest woods on the planet with beautiful grain. It is very resistant to decay and is one of the best woods for steam bending. A unique feature of the white oak is a honeycomb-shaped film in its cells called “tyloses.” Tyloses swell to fill the vessels of the wood so that they can no longer conduct water, which is why white oak is used to make containers for liquids, like whiskey and wine barrels.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

On point with MD Secretary of Veterans and Military Families Anthony Woods

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Anthony Woods speaks from experience when he talks about his path to becoming Governor Wes Moore’s choice for Maryland Secretary of Veterans and Military Families.

Secretary Woods, a West Point graduate who served for two tours in Iraq, understands the significant challenges of transitioning to civilian life, including physical and mental health concerns, financial struggles, and social reintegration.

Now, two years into his tenure, Woods embraces care for veterans as a moral duty for those who sacrificed for their country and has been focusing on healthcare, employment opportunities, and mental health support to address severe conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and physical disabilities that, without proper care, could lead to unemployment, homelessness, or even suicide.

“First and foremost, we run a service program where we’ve got accredited claims officers who work at 15 different locations across the state and work virtually to help veterans file their claims to gain access to disability compensation or VA health care. That program is so successful, it’s got a 94% claims acceptance rate. So that means, when you sit down with one of our folks and they submit it to the VA on your behalf, 94% of the time the VA says, yes, this is a good claim.” Woods says.

The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs has been renamed the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. Secretary Woods highlights that this name change reflects an expanded mission: the department now formally acknowledges and provides services not only to veterans but also to their families. This shift recognizes the vital role military families play and aims to address their unique needs alongside those of veterans.

“When we say military families, we mean veteran families, of course, active duty military dependents, but also caregivers and survivors. Because we were we have this fundamental belief that if the family thrives, the veteran or the service member thrives too” pointing out that the DoD moves  service members and their families all around the country and all around the world, but it’s up to the state to welcome them into the state and community or the job market.

Recognizing that government alone can’t address every issue, Secretary Woods says that the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families launched Maryland Joins Forces, a partnership initiative with veteran service organizations and military-focused nonprofits. Instead of duplicating efforts at high cost, the program collaborates to tackle key challenges in the veteran community, including employment, education access, housing and food insecurity, and healthcare.

The Spy recently interviewed Secretary Woods about the mission of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families and addressed other significant issues including the impact of punitive DEI and DoD policies on gays and transgenders in the military.

A day after the interview, The Spy reached out to the Secretary to ask if he had a statement about the recent Department of Defense scrubbing of the Arlington National Cemetery website, which removed links to the histories and lives of veterans of color—both men and women—including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the WWII Navajo codebreakers, Colin Powell, and others.

Secretary Woods replied:
“Erasing the stories and experiences of veterans, regardless of their background, dishonors their sacrifices and distorts the history of our military. It not only overlooks vital contributions but also weakens our ability to recruit and support future service members, who must see themselves reflected in the legacy of those who served. By diminishing the role of any veteran, we diminish the service and sacrifices of all.”
For more about the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, go here.
Secretary Woods, a Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient, served two deployments to Iraq and continues as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves, assigned to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon as an Intelligence Analyst. In the private sector, he has held key roles at Cisco Systems, The Boston Consulting Group, and Capital One. His public service includes leadership in mission-driven nonprofits, philanthropy, and a White House Fellowship under President Obama. He holds degrees from West Point, Harvard, and the University of Maryland.
This video is approximately 11 minutes in length.

 

 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Robert Blackson Takes Helm at Washington College’s Kohl Gallery

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Robert Blackson, a stellar arts advocate and educator who has made significant contributions to the intersection of art, education, and community engagement has been recently welcomed as Director and Curator of the Kohl Gallery at Washington College.

Blackson’s forward-thinking approach to contemporary art is perhaps best showcased through his tenure as Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at Temple Contemporary, the art gallery of Temple University. There, he pushed the boundaries of public programming with visionary projects like the widely celebrated Symphony for a Broken Orchestra. This groundbreaking initiative addressed a pressing issue: the lack of functional musical instruments in Philadelphia’s public schools, which had significantly hindered students’ access to music education.

To bring attention to the problem, Blackson and his team collected 1,000 broken instruments from local schools, transforming them into a public exhibition. The project’s highlight was a unique performance featuring a composition by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, performed by local musicians using the damaged instruments. In addition, an ‘adopt an instrument’ campaign was launched, raising funds to repair the instruments and return them to the schools.

This initiative not only restored vital resources for music education but also demonstrated the transformative power of art to rally communities around a common cause.

Now at Washington College, Blackson is set to bring his expertise and passion to the Kohl Gallery, an integral part of the college and Chestertown’s vibrant arts scene. His vision for the gallery includes fostering connections between contemporary art and the local community, ensuring that the space serves as both a cultural hub and a platform for meaningful dialogue.

The gallery is named in honor of Ben and Judy Kohl who supported its creation and has been central to showcasing contemporary art while also engaging with historical and cultural themes. It frequently collaborates with other academic departments, fostering interdisciplinary exploration. Additionally, Kohl Gallery has been instrumental in providing students hands-on experience in curating, art handling, and gallery management.

Here, Rob Blackson discusses his vision of the Kohl Gallery’s role in arts education and curation of the exhibits to come.

Located in Gibson Center for the Arts, Kohl Gallery is Washington College’s flagship venue for visual arts programming.

For more about Kohl Gallery, go here.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Pic!

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The answer to last week’s mystery is damselfly, pictured below:
Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies, but these insects are smaller, slimmer, and fold their wings against their bodies while at rest.
Damselflies are admired for their beautiful colors and forms, making them a popular insect to photograph. They are large, easy to observe, and have exceptionally charming, playful antics. Damselflies do not sting or bite, making them completely harmless to humans.
In its larval stage, a damselfly molts many times under water before moving on to land, where it transforms into a winged adult. Adult damselflies eat mainly flying insects, like gnats and mosquitos.
Damselflies live for a few weeks during the summer and fall, and fly mainly during the day. They have existed since the Late Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Sophie to Sophie: A Chat with Sophie Kerr Prize Winner Sophie Foster

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Graduating from college is a standout achievement in anyone’s life. Graduating with a check for $77,000 for artistic promise borders on experiencing life in a parallel universe that bestows unimaginable gifts designed to shock the senses.

That’s what happened to Sophie Foster at Sunday’s Washington College Commencement as she received her diploma and a check for becoming the 2024 recipient of the Sophie Kerr Prize, an award given annually since 1968 to the senior showing “the most ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor.”

The award is the nation’s largest undergraduate writing prize.

Foster, from Reisterstown, Maryland, found Washington College’s creative writing milieu while attending the Rose O’Neil Literary House summer Cherry Tree Young Writers’ Conference, a weeklong immersion in creative writing workshops, and a glimpse into what the college offers to budding writers.

The poet says that her previous writing experiences in high school were too personally competitive, fracturing any sense of a shared writing community, and she became wary of duplicating that experience in college. At Washington College, she found what she was looking for.

“It has been the honor of my life to come here and be among the impossibly rare community I’ve been granted here,” she said during her acceptance speech Friday night.

Washington College News Service writes, “Lauded by her professors as one of the strongest editors and literary citizens at Washington College, Foster has been praised for her consistent encouragement and support of her fellow writers. An English major minoring in creative writing and journalism, editing and publishing, Foster has been editor-in-chief of the College’s literary magazine, president of the on-campus Writers’ Union, and opinion editor of the school newspaper.”

For more about Sophie Foster, see the Spy article here.    

The Spy caught up with Sophie Foster the day after the award was presented.

This video is approximately five minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

“No Child Left Indoors” at Radcliffe Creek School

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One critical lesson from the pandemic’s dire years of isolating and monotonous shutdowns was the positive mental health results of reconnecting to the natural world beyond cell phones and computer screens.

This did not go unnoticed by educators, who are already aware of social media’s addictive nature and seeing it compounded by the pandemic. According to Annie E. Casey Foundation research, 95% of teens 13-17 use social media, with 1 in 3 reporting “almost constantly.”

Noticing these trends, Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown, known for its commitment to environmental education and working with students from kindergarten through 8th grade who have been diagnosed with learning differences, such as dyslexia, ADHD, and other language-based learning difficulties, has announced the launch of a new outdoor education project titled “No Child Left Indoors.” 

Inspired by Richard Louv’s concept of nature-deficit disorder, the “No Child Left Indoors” project aims to ensure every child has meaningful experiences in nature each year. Louv’s book The Last Child in the Woods points out that today’s digital native generation lacks exposure to nature, which he calls “nature-deficit disorder.” He advocates that direct exposure to nature is crucial for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional well-being of both children and adults.

“Our purpose is to ensure that every child has a series of meaningful experiences in nature each year at RCS that will help them be better citizens in their communities and better stewards of their environment,” says Head of School Peter Thayer.

With a generous grant from the Robert F. Schumann Foundation, the project aligns with the Foundation’s mission to improve the planet through environmental education. Radcliffe Creek School has a long-standing commitment to educating children about nature and the importance of environmental stewardship.

To implement the project, Radcliffe Creek School has designated Outdoor Education Coordinators for different grade levels. These coordinators work with teachers to plan educational field trips that tie directly to the academic experience. They also ensure that every excursion is safe, engaging, and educational.

Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences in nature and document them in their Nature Portfolio. This work is cross-curricular, engaging students’ skills in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.

The spy recently interviewed Head of School Peter Thayer, Discovery Department Head Simone Vagnoni, and Discovery Teacher Amanda Stubbs.

 

This video is approximately thirteen minutes in length. For more about Radcliffe Creek School, go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

The Eastern Shore Trail Network Vision with ESLC’s Owen Bailey

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The Eastern Shore Trail Network steering committee, led by Owen Bailey, Director of Land Use and Policy at the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, has announced its participation in Celebrate Trails Day on April 27. Over the past year, the committee has collaborated with the National Park Service, receiving a technical assistance grant to advance their trail initiatives.

Their efforts focus on three main goals: creating a greenway plan and trail map for the Eastern Shore, expanding outreach for a connected trail system, and establishing a trail coalition to support local governments in trail planning and development. The trail map, sponsored by the Midshore Regional Council and the Rural Maryland Council, highlights existing and planned trails, showcasing the region’s potential for a robust trail network.

Bailey emphasizes the importance of trails in promoting healthier lifestyles, economic development, tourism, and equity. He noted the challenges faced by smaller Eastern Shore communities in trail planning due to limited resources and highlights the benefits of trails in connecting people to parks, schools, and essential services.

Celebrate Trails Day will feature events across the Eastern Shore, including in Snow Hill, Oxford, Cambridge, and two locations in Chestertown. These events aim to raise awareness of the benefits of trails and encourage community engagement in trail development and utilization. Trails, Bailey argued, are essential in correcting community design that discourages walking and promotes automobile dependence.

The Spy recently interviewed Own Bailey to talk about the trail enhancement project.

To view The Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network map, go here.

For the Eastern Shore Trail Vision, go here.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. To find out more about the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, go here.

 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

On Writers and Writing: A Chat With Spy Columnist Laura Oliver

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In Thomas Mann’s novel Tristan, one of his characters, said, “A writer is one to whom writing comes harder than to anybody else.” A comic barb, but, as Mann suggested later, it holds some truth.

Readers certainly don’t sense that Laura Oliver struggles with her well-crafted columns appearing each Sunday in the Spy, but that’s the trick of artistic labor: for the final product to read as though it arrives trippingly off the tongue. Oliver writes every day of her life: writes books, articles, stories, lectures about the writing process, and teaches writing at colleges and workshops, and has a popular radio spot on NPR member station WHCP 91.7.

As a graduate of Washington College and the Bennington College MFA program, Oliver has significantly contributed to the writing community. Her book, The Story Within: New Insights and Inspiration for Writers (Penguin Random House), has been hailed by “The Writer Magazine” as one of the best books about the craft of writing. For a decade, it has been a trusted companion for writers seeking fresh perspectives on their writing journey.

On the rare occasion when Oliver is not writing, she plans to write or observes something she will file away to write about. “It’s not a hobby,” she says. And while that sounds strict and Spartan, you would find that in her classes and workshops at St. John’s College and other writing centers, her true default teaching persona is encouraging and helping students find their “story within.”

Don’t miss the chance to engage with Laura Oliver’s insights at noon on April 9 in the Hynson Lounge. She will be part of Washington College’s Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) Learn at Lunch programs, discussing “Practical Magic: Change Your Story, Change Your Life.” This is a unique opportunity to learn from a seasoned writer.

And on April 24, Oliver will take to the Stoltz Listening Room stage for the Spy Writers series at the Avalon Theatre for a public reading from her collection.

The Spy recently interviewed Laura Oliver about writers and writing and how the craft of writing has defined her life. For more about Laura, go here.

This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For information and tickets for Laura Oliver’s Spy Night on April 24, please go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.