Waterfowl Festival Inc. have recently welcomed new additions to their Boards of Directors in January. Jonathan Rondeau, Kim Newcomb, and Amy Horne have joined the organization this month.

“As we enter into the New Year, we are pleased to have three new board members that have a diverse array of skills and capabilities, each one uniquely important to the continued success of our historic festival, “ remarked Deena Kilmon, Executive Director. “Rondeau and Horne will bring fresh ideas and new energy. Newcomb, a thirty-year chairman and returning board member, will offer a wealth of knowledge and historical perspective.”

Jonathon Rondeau is President & CEO of the Arc Central Chesapeake Region. He partners with The Arc’s board of directors to set the strategic vision and direction of The Arc to make a lasting impact on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Anne Arundel County and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Over the last 6 years, Jonathon has championed transformational change and growth by expanding services, increasing The Arc’s regional presence, and developing leadership at every level of the organization. His past roles include President & CEO of Family League of Baltimore; Vice President, Community Services and then Chief Program Officer of Melwood; and Director of Camping & Therapeutic Recreation, Autism Services & Transportation for The League for People with Disabilities. He is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Maryland and Baltimore’s The Leadership 2017 program.

Rondeau holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and disability studies from Springfield College. Jonathon resides in Catonsville with his husband, Matt and his son.

A native of Easton, Amy Horne is a life-long participant in the festival, having begun her journey as a youth volunteer or “Ducksitter” while still in high school. Horne currently serves as the Executive Director of the St. Michaels Community Center. Her recent past role as the Executive Director of Casa of Caroline showcased her substantial talent in creating a positive impact in the community, an ability to successfully create multi-dimensional fundraising and awareness campaigns for the organization, and a strong ability to create opportunities for volunteers and community partners to participate in the organization’s work.

Horne holds a Master of Social Work degree from Salisbury University. She has served as the President of Denton Rotary and the Shireton Condominium Association. Past board experience includes the Domestic Violence Center of Greater New Haven and the Friends of Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital. She lives in Easton with her husband Ernie Rowe.

Kim Newcomb returns to the board after a few year’s hiatus. She is a native of Talbot County and has a deep love and appreciation for the waterfowling traditions and Eastern Shore lifestyle. Newcomb brings a wealth of industry experience, having worked for many years at Safariland Hunting Corporation. Currently she is the owner of Terry  k & Associates, a real estate appraisal office.

Since 1996 she has been the Waterfowl Festival Artifacts Chairman, spearheading and designing each year’s educational exhibit which has delighted thousands of visitors over the years. Newcomb and her husband Ronnie were inducted into the Waterfowl Festival Hall of Fame in 2016. Her past experiences also include serving on the board and as the interim Deputy Director of the acclaimed Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury, MD. She has served on  the Dorchester County Historical Society Board of Directors (2012-2016) and the Dorchester County Sanitation Board of Trustees (2014-current), serving as President of the Board from 2015-2020. Kim and Ronnie reside in Church Creek, Maryland.

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About Waterfowl Festival Inc.

Waterfowl Festival Inc., a partner of Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc., is dedicated to wildlife conservation, the promotion of wildlife art, and the celebration of life on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The 54th Festival will be held November 14-16, 2025 in historic Easton, Md. General admission tickets are $25 for all three days and VIP packages are also available. For more information, to volunteer, or donate, email [email protected] or call 410-822-4567.

The nonprofit Dorchester Skipjack Committee, the Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester and her crew are looking for active volunteers for the 2025 sailing season. The DSC owns, preserves and operates the Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester to promote mid-shore marine heritage and tourism by offering on-the-water experiences on an authentic Chesapeake Bay sailing vessel. The Nathan serves as an ambassador for the Eastern Shore and is a top regional tourist attraction.

On Saturday March 15 at 10:00am and Tuesday March 18 at 6:00pm there will be information sessions at the Dorchester County Historical Society Robbins Center. Complimentary refreshments will be served and prospective volunteers will have the opportunity to learn more about volunteering opportunities. Current volunteers and Captains will be on hand to answer any questions during the event.

It takes many different interests and skills to operate the Skipjack. Volunteers interested in sharing their love of the Chesapeake Bay and local history serve on board as docents, and those interested in sailing go through an extensive training program to serve as sail crew carrying passengers under the command of a Coast Guard licensed captain. Volunteers help maintain the wooden boat, register passengers, book charters and assist with the many administrative and marketing tasks that enable the Nathan to be underway 80 to 100 days during the sailing season. All volunteers undergo an extensive training program in their area of interest. No experience is necessary, but an enthusiasm for the Chesapeake, time to train and the willingness to actively help on the boat are essential.

The information sessions will offer plenty of information on the Nathan’s program and how it helps preserve the rich marine heritage, as well as offer a great chance to mix and mingle with current volunteers. New and returning sail crew members train together. To reach and maintain sail crew status, each volunteer must demonstrate the skills needed to sail a wooden boat using the technology of the 1890’s, dredge for oysters, often while under sail, be knowledgeable of all emergency procedures, and know how to keep passengers safe and comfortable during their skipjack experience.

Skipjack information sessions: Advanced registration is recommended by calling 410-228-7141 or email [email protected].  For more information about the Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester, please visit www.skipjack-nathan.org.

 

Gov. Wes Moore Wednesday proposed a budget he said will promote long-term economic growth and provide tax cuts to many, but it will be  balanced on tax increases on high-income earners in the state.

Moore’s proposed $67.3 billion spending plan — a 1% increase compared to the current year — includes $2 billion in cuts and efficiencies to help close projected $3 billion deficit in fiscal 2026. At the same time, it will offer a tax break he hopes will “energize” the state economy.

All of the moves, the governor said, are made with an eye toward needed economic growth in a state where the post-pandemic economy continues to falter. The projected $3 billion budget gap for fiscal 2026 could grow to more than $6 billion by fiscal 2030 if no action is taken, analysts have said.

“We need to grow,” Moore said during a Wednesday news conference. “Growth is the answer.”

Maryland Budget Secretary Helene Grady said the administration’s proposal “flips” the projected $3 billion shortfall into a projected $106 million positive balance at the end of fiscal 2026. It also reduces overall spending in the state’s general fund budget to $27 billion — a decrease of $274 million or 1% from the current year.

The governor’s proposal includes $2 billion in cuts and efficiencies. Moore will also use about $500 million from the Rainy Day Fund, which leaves more than $2 billion in the account or about 8% of revenues — more than the 7.5% recommended by a legislative spending panel in December and well above the 5% balance required by law.

Those actions leave a roughly $1 billion deficit that will mostly be covered by a restructuring of the state tax code.

“The problem hasn’t been that working Marylanders are not contributing,” Moore said in an interview. “It’s one of the reasons why we’ve given two-thirds of all Marylanders a tax cut.”

He said a proposal to cut the corporate tax rate would help attract businesses to the state. Moore also touted a proposed elimination of the inheritance tax, and the fact that his administration was able to hold the line on the state’s sales and property taxes.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) discusses his fiscal 2026 budget, which would give tax cuts to two-thirds of Maryland taxpayers but significant increases for those making $500,000 or more. (Photo by Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters) 

Maryland has not touched the sales tax since it was raised from 5% to 6% in 2008, and the tax rate for properties other than utilities has remained at 11.2 cents per $100 for nearly two decades.

For the most part, Democrats in the legislature praised the plan.

“We appreciate that the governor’s budget takes steps to solve the structural deficit with revenues not just cuts,” House Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) said in a statement. “The problem before us is one the House saw coming last year and we proposed long-term solutions then. We are going to work with the governor to uphold our commitment to lower the cost of living for Marylanders.”

Barnes and his committee will get a first crack at the budget this year before sending it to the Senate.

Senate Budget and Taxation Committee Chair Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) called Moore’s proposal “thoughtful.”

“There are a few parts that I know that will cause some concern to some of our members,” Guzzone said during a meeting with reporters. “We’re going to work through those just like we do every year.”

Among those concerns are cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration and for crime victims.

Republican reaction ranged from praise for a focus on growth to opposition to tax increases. A small group of hard-line conservatives had harsh words for the proposal.

“Maryland families will face additional fees on grocery and Amazon deliveries, as well as higher emission inspection fees, further increasing the already high cost of living in the state,” the House Freedom Caucus said in a statement. “This budget isn’t balanced — it’s a deceptive scheme dressed up as reform that shifts the burden onto average residents.

“Marylanders will reject this plan. They deserve real relief, not a gaslighting budget designed to mislead and overburden families,” the caucus statement said.

Republicans make up less than one-third of the 188-member General Assembly.

The “growth agenda”

Moore talked as much about the budget’s spending as its cut, including a proposed $128 million in targeted spending on “industries of the future.”

That includes $27.5 million for a joint venture with IonQ, a cutting-edge computing technology firm and $15 million to redevelop a 168-acre parcel at Tradepoint Atlantic into a container terminal, a project expected to attract $1 billion in private investment. It also includes $25 million for the state’s “sunny day” fund, focused on attracting businesses to the state — the state used that fund in 2016 to provide forgivable loans to Northrop Grumman in what was the largest deal of its kind in the history of the state.

Money for the initiative comes from a proposed 1% surcharge on capital gains for households earning more than $350,000 annually. The administration proposed a  sunset provision to end that tax after four years.

Moore also called for reducing the state’s corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 7.99% over a two-year period. The reduction would be “beginning of fiscal 2028 commensurate with closing the combined reporting loophole,” Grady said.

Moore proposes tax cuts, increases

Moore said his plan targets tax relief to low- and middle-income families with an eye toward growing the state economy and solving a crippling budget deficit. Grady said the aerage family would see a tax reduction of about $173, money that Moore said they would use “to continue to energize Maryland’s economy.”

“They’re going to go and buy things for their families. They’re going to go out and maybe spend an evening out,” Moore said in an interview with Maryland Matters. “They’re going to go out and maybe take a vacation in our state. They’re going to go out and do things. That’s going to continue to harness a measure of activity for both small businesses within the state and the entities that call the state of Maryland home.”

The plan would eliminate itemized deductions on state income taxes, but double the standard deduction. It would also compress the lowest four tiers of taxpayers and create two new upper-income tax brackets: Individuals earning $500,000 would pay 6.25% and those earning $1 million or more would pay 6.5%%

Grady said the state would raise more than $800 million from what some Republicans were already calling “the half-millionaire’s tax.”

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) said raising the tax on high-income earners could drive people out of the state.

“There are states south of us that have much better tax climates, and it is not too difficult for people that have the means to be able to leave Maryland because of tax policies, and move to other states,” Hershey said. “So, it’s very concerning, because a lot of times those individuals bring jobs with them, and we again want to make sure that if we’re making some efforts to stimulate the economy, we’re also not seeing a negative result and losing jobs as a result of the budget too.”

The budget’s plan for combined reporting and capital gains surcharges pull, in part, from last year’s Fair Share Act, which had the support of House Democrats but stalled in the Senate.

Benjamin Orr, president and CEO of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, said Moore’s proposals would “create equity and fairness” in the state’s tax structure.

“Maryland’s tax system has been upside down with working families bearing too much of the responsibility for funding public services,” Orr said in a statement. “Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed budget moves toward righting how we pay for what we value in our state and communities.”

The plan also met with the approval of House progressives who have previously backed parts of Moore’s proposal. Del. Vaughn Stewart (D-Montgomery) said he and other House progressives are pleased the governor is keeping struggling Marylanders top of mind in his budget.

“The Democratic Party should be a party that prioritizes the needs of working people over more successful people,” he said. “We have a structural deficit — are we going to balance it on the backs of people who have been struggling to afford their basis needs? Or are we going to do it on the backs of people who have gotten more wealthy, even during the pandemic?”

Transportation gets a revenue bump

The budget calls for $420 million in new revenue to bolster the state’s flagging Transportation Trust Fund. Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said that funding will allow the state to leverage federal funds and add $695 million annually to transportation needs.

That includes seeking federal funding to improve Baltimore City’s light rail, beginning work on highway safety projects on Interstate 81 and Route 15 in Western Maryland, and continuing work on the Route 90 Bridge in Worcester County.

“We were going to basically have to defer any planning, environmental, and utility work projects across the state, so that allows us to move that project back into that phase of development over at (Route) 90 so it will be back in from that perspective,” Wiedefeld said.

The transportation proposal would be funded through a 75-cent fee on retail deliveries that would only be imposed on companies with annual earnings of $500,000 or more “so you’re not impacting small businesses.”

Among other revenues that would be dedicated to transportation, Wiedefeld is seeking a reduction in the trade-in allowance on vehicle purchases. Currently, if a motorist has a $10,000 trade-in on a $50,000 car, the tax is figured on $40,000. Wiedefeld wants to limit that allowance to car sales costing no more than $15,000.

The department will also seek permission to impose a surcharge on motorists who opt to pay their registration fees annually instead of every two years. When lawmakers last year imposed new registration fees on electric vehicles and higher fees on gas-powered vehicles, they allowed owners to pay once for the two-year renewal or divide it over two years.

 Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) said lawmakers are likely to be concerned by proposed cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration and programs for crime victims. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

Guzzone, the Senate budget chair, said the intent was to ease imposition of the fee on motorists and that he is “uncomfortable” with the surcharge plan. He told Maryland Matters he is considering a proposal to do away with the two-year option altogether.

Tough pill to swallow

Moore repeatedly stressed a need for a deficit solution that included a tough look at government spending.

“We need to rein in spending,” he said. “We need to tighten our belts. We need to spend wisely.”

Included in those cuts are $50 million in “efficiencies” in state fleet and real estate management, information technology. The state will also trim more than $100 million from the University System of Maryland, which Grady said has seen “significant growth in state funding” since fiscal 2022.

“It is not sustainable for the general fund to continue to support these levels of growth going forward, and we are proposing just a slight bending of the cost curve next year that we believe is fair and reasonable for the institutions to manage,” Grady said.

Moore’s plan also relies on pulling money from reserve funds. He would double money earmarked for climate change, to $180 million, with funding from the Strategic Energy Initiative Fund. That fund would also be used to offset expenses including rising Medicaid costs.

The budget would cap enrollment in the expanded child care subsidy program, which offers financial assistance for more than 43,000 children. The program has grown exponentially, and administration officials said that in addition to a freeze on enrollment, the state will also prioritize aid to low-income families and those in job-training programs.

Possibly the hardest pill to swallow is a proposal to cut millions from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which provides support and services to help those with disabilities go about their day-to-day lives. Grady said spending “has grown significantly from $850 million in fiscal 2023 to nearly $1.5 billion over just two years.”

The fiscal 2026 budget calls for a $200 million reduction in DDA funding, which Grady characterized as “cost containment” that would bring the agency’s budget back to fiscal 2024 levels. She said it was “one of the most difficult proposals in the budget.”

Guzzone told reporters Wednesday that some senators will likely struggle with those cuts and others to programs helping crime victims.

“We’ll look at those very carefully,” he said. “We know how important that is to a number of constituencies, and we’ll do our very best to see if we can help accommodate some of those cuts.”

The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition said the cuts would be devastating to Marylanders with disabilities.

“While we appreciate the thoughtfulness behind these deliberations … we are deeply concerned about the extensive proposed budget cuts that threaten vital services for people with disabilities and their families,” according to a statement Wednesday. “The proposed FY 26 budget, combined with proposed cuts to the current year operating budget, will devastate supports for Marylanders with developmental disabilities, and impact family stability, and the Direct Support Professional workforce that has never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, with continuing healthcare staffing shortages.”

Mat Rice, executive director for People on the Go of Maryland, said in a statement that a $200 million cut would “risk turning back the clock on the civil rights gains that Marylanders with disabilities have made due to access to community supports.”

Moore taps hospitals and health insurers for $100 million

The governor’s proposal would increase the Maryland Deficit Assessment fund and charge Maryland hospitals and health insurers more to help fund Medicaid, the joint federal-state health care plan for low-income households and other vulnerable populations.

Maryland’s hospitals and insurance companies already collectively contribute hundreds of millions to the fund, according to documents from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission. Moore’s proposal taps hospitals and insurer for an additional $100 million in both the current budget year and in fiscal 2026.

The Maryland Hospital Association did not provide an immediate opinion what the proposed increases to the deficit assessment means for the association, but it appears to have resisted assessment increases in past budgets under the previous CEO.

“We received the Governor’s budget but haven’t had time to discuss it with our members,” hospital association spokesperson Amy Goodwin said in an email Wednesday.

 

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by Bryan P. Sears and Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters
January 16, 2025

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected].

Delmarva Community Services (DCS) in Cambridge is in need of a paid shelter manager and paid shelter monitors for the Dorchester County Cold Weather through March 31, 2025, at the Salvation Army Site at 200 Washington Street in Cambridge. Weeknight and weekend evening and overnight shifts are available. 

“DCS is partnering with the Salvation Army, the City of Cambridge, and Dorchester County community volunteers to provide this critical service during the winter months. Many of our neighbors in Dorchester County require the shelter’s support,” comments Michelle L. Nichols, Community Action Program Director, Delmarva Community Services, Inc.

For further information or to donate to support the Cold Weather Shelter, contact Michelle Nichols at 410-901-2991 or [email protected].

Delmarva Community Services Inc. (DCS) is a multi-service organization founded in 1974 that serves individuals with developmental disabilities, seniors, and individuals living in poverty, as well as provides childcare and transportation services. Donations can be made at www.dcsdct.org by clicking the Give to DCS link. For services, please call 410-221-1900.

Baywater Animal Rescue is proud to announce that it has received a generous grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and a matching grant from the Albert W. Turner Charitable Lead Annuity Trust. These allow Baywater to offer free spay and neuter surgeries to low-income pet owners in Dorchester County. This initiative aims to reduce the number of unwanted litters and improve the health of pets in the community, furthering Baywater Animal Rescue’s mission of promoting humane care and preventing animal overpopulation.

“We are deeply grateful for the support of the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Tuner Trust,” said Carly Stockus, Executive Director of Baywater Animal Rescue. “This funding will make a lasting impact by removing financial barriers to spay and neuter services and ensuring that more families can provide their pets with a healthier, happier life.”

How to Apply

Low-income pet owners in Dorchester County can sign up for the program by visiting Baywater Animal Rescue’s website at www.baywateranimalrescue.org/md2025 or calling 410-228-3090.

Appointments are limited, so early registration is encouraged. Spaying and neutering pets not only prevents unwanted litters but also reduces the risk of certain diseases and improves pets’ behavior, making it a vital step in responsible pet ownership.

About Baywater Animal Rescue

Baywater Animal Rescue has been saving lives since 1947 and is the leading no-kill animal welfare organization on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. With a save rate of 98.5%, the organization has rescued countless animals and provided them with loving homes. Baywater is a grassroots organization, relying on the support of individuals and grants to continue its lifesaving work. They hope to help create a healthier and more compassionate community for pets and their families.

 The public is invited to a waterfront dinner at the Miles River Yacht Club on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 6 p.m. A trio of veteran sailors will follow dinner and offer insights into long-distance sailing preparations, rigors, and rewards, which fascinate both sailors and nonsailors.

The Yacht Club’s Sail Committee hosts the annual Speakers’ Series each winter. The event is $30 per person, including dinner and a cash bar. Reservations must be made by Monday, January 6th, by calling 410-745-9511, ext. 6.

Today’s long-distance sailing has thrills and dangers but is more structured and safer than historic voyages. However, it remains one of the most challenging for advanced sailors and not without risks.

The talk will include three pros, each in different areas of preparation for racing:

Matt Beck’s Trans Pac victory is just one of his many offshore race victories. On board, he specializes in tactics, mainsail trimming, and driving. By day, he is the Director of Business Development at WTW Marine Sporting Yachts in Annapolis.

Mike Beasley, a native of Australia and the owner of Beasley Marine in Annapolis, skippered America’s Cup campaigns with Aloha, Le Defi, and Alinghi in 2000 and 2003. He sailed Around the World in 58 days with Steve Fossett on Cheyenne, setting seven world records along the way and breaking the old record by six days. He was the CRW and Palmetto Cup winners in 2018 and 2019 and the J80 NOOD winner in 2023.

Joe Gibson has twenty years of experience in sailmaking and twenty-five years of experience in professional sailing. He was the sailmaker for Brunel Sunergy and Swedish Match for the 87-98 Whitbread race and the Aloha Challenge 2000 Americas Cup. He heads the rigging shop for the US Naval Academy.

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The Miles River Yacht Club was founded in 1921.  Its proud heritage includes supporting the historic Chesapeake Bay Sailing Log Canoe Races, and adult and junior sailing instruction.

On Tuesday, December 3rd, Mid-Shore Community Foundation hosted Mid-Shore Gives 2024, an online Giving Day Event to benefit nonprofit organizations in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties. 355 donors joined together to support 68 participating organizations and raised a total of $101,748 in 24 hours!

Thanks to generous sponsors, time-based challenges and incentives boosted fundraising efforts throughout the day. This year’s sponsors include Easton Utilities, Envision Wealth Planning, Mason Investment Advisory Services, Nagel Farm Service, Queenstown Bank, RBC Wealth Management, Shore United Bank, The People’s Bank, and The SRPA Group at Baird.

“Mid-Shore Gives is a way for us to support our nonprofits, while engaging the community,” said Buck Duncan, President of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. “It is a fun event for both donors and nonprofits, and 100% of all gifts go to local charities.”

Since inception in 2022, Mid-Shore Gives has raised a total of $252,000 for local charities. To learn more about Mid-Shore Gives, visit www.midshoregives.org.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is excited to be a destination for summer fun and exploration with the return of its popular summer camps for children ages 4-15.

 Registration for these weeklong camps sharing the magic of the Chesapeake Bay’s people, animals, traditions, and environment is set to open on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, with a two-week sign-up period exclusively for CBMM members. Open registration will begin on Thursday, Jan. 16, and continue until camps are filled.

 CBMM will offer eight weeks of camps, beginning June 23, with a variety of offerings and themes to fit the interests and needs of our camp community. These include Sea Squirts (ages 4-6), Terrapins (grades 1-3), Summer Workshop (grades 4-6 & 6-9), Museum Masters (grades 4-6), and Inspiration Chesapeake (grades 6-9) camps.

 Capacity is limited for these camps, so early registration is encouraged. Learn more about all the fun planned and how to register at cbmm.org/summercamps.

 This year, we’re pleased to share a streamlined registration process via the Campwise platform. CBMM members will receive a registration link and access code via email, and once open registration begins, the link will be posted on the CBMM Summer Camp webpage.

 The full day camps cost $375 per week, while the half-day Sea Squirts camp cost is $165 per week. (Note: There is special pricing for the week of the Fourth of July of $300 and $130, respectively, because there is no camp on the holiday.) CBMM members enjoy a 20% discount on tuition. Scholarships are available for campers with financial need.

 To become a CBMM member and access early registration as well as the tuition discount, visit cbmm.org/membership or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or [email protected].

 CBMM summer campers explore Bay-themed topics through age-appropriate lesson plans in a small group setting and experience all that CBMM’s 18-acre waterfront campus has to offer. The programs put an emphasis on creating a fun, hands-on learning environment that includes stories, games, crafts, environmental and on-the-water activities, and creative projects.

 The Sea Squirts camp, open to children 4-6 years old, will be offered on a weekly schedule throughout the summer from 9am-noon Monday-Friday, while the full-day Terrapins camp, for children entering grades 1-3, runs from 9am-4pm.

Both camps will follow a different theme weekly, including Chesapeake Critters: Land & Sky  (June 23-27), Red, White, & Bay (June 30, July 1-3), Way Back When (July 7-11), Bay Scientists (July 14-18), Feathers, Fins, & Furs (July 21-25), Inspiration Chesapeake (July 28-Aug. 1), Adventure on the Bay (Aug. 4-8) and Chesapeake Critters: Aquatic Animals (Aug. 11-15).

Geared toward older campers, the Summer Workshops offer an expansion of CBMM’s Rising Tide after-school program by mixing traditional camp fun and workshop-based projects. 

This program will be offered for campers in grades 4-6 during the weeks of June 30, July 7, July 14, and July 21, July 28, and Aug. 4, and grades 6-9 during the weeks of June 23 and Aug. 11. These sessions run Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm.

The Museum Masters camp offers a behind-the-scenes pass to CBMM to learn all that goes into a museum and its exhibitions. Open to grades 4-6 the week of June 23, this camp presents a unique opportunity to explore CBMM’s collection and help create a special group exhibit. One project from last summer’s camp is featured in the Sailing to Freedom special exhibition currently running in the Changing Exhibitions Gallery and another remains on display in the Coulbourne & Jewett Education Center.

New this year, the Inspiration Chesapeake art camp runs July 14-18 for grades 6-9. This is an opportunity for campers to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of our region and reflect their experiences through various art forms.

Contact [email protected] with further questions about this year’s camp offerings or for registration support.

Building African American Minds (BAAM), Inc. is thrilled to announce the official ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Academic Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance learning, creativity, and community engagement for youth and families. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 10 a.m.

The event will kick off at the BAAM Athletic Center with a special program featuring remarks from organizational leaders, community partners, and other distinguished guests. Following the ribbon cutting, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the Academic Center, gaining a first-hand look at the innovative spaces where BAAM students will learn, grow, and thrive during after-school and summer enrichment programs. The Academic Center will also serve as the new home of local private school, Polaris Village Academy.

“This new Academic Center represents a significant milestone in BAAM’s 20-year journey of empowering our youth and lifting our community from within,” said Dina Gomes Daly, Executive Director and BAAM co-founder. “It is more than just a building— it’s a space where learning, growth, and community come alive.”

The public is warmly invited to celebrate this momentous occasion, explore the new facility, and learn more about how BAAM is making a difference in the lives of students and families across the community.

Event Details:

• What: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for BAAM Academic Center

• When: Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 10 a.m.

• Where: BAAM Athletic Center (Program start), followed by tours of the Academic Center

For more information, please contact Dina Gomes Daly at 410-310-8984 or [email protected].

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About BAAM:
Building African American Minds (BAAM), Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to creating educational, social, and cultural opportunities for under-resourced youth and adults. Through programs focused on academic enrichment, personal growth, and community building, BAAM inspires and empowers the next generation of leaders. Learn more about BAAM at www.baaminc.org.