Ridgely Lions Donate To Local Food Pantries

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Administrator

(Ridgely, MD. March 2012) – As part of the Lions International “Relieving Hunger “ campaign, the Ridgely Lions Club conducted a food drive during the months of January, February and March to support three local food pantries in Ridgely. The Lions collected non-perishable items and sold citrus fruit with the proceeds shared with the food pantries at the Fish Locker Ministries, Ridgely United Methodist Church, and Saint Martin’s Ministries. On March 29th, Lion Dave Davis presented groceries and a check to each food pantry with a promise of continued support from the Lions Club.

L to R – Lion Dave Davis presenting donations to Jean Austin, COO for St. Martin’s Ministries, Cathy Grable with Ridgely UMC, Sister Patricia Gamgort, Exc. Director for St. Martin’s Ministries, Linda Bollinger and Rev. Woodworth with the Fish Locker Ministries.

The “Relieving the Hunger” Campaign, a Lions global initiative that focuses on hunger and malnutrition, took place during the months of January through March .  Lions everywhere share a common belief, “community is what we make it.”  During the “Relieving the Hunger” campaign, Lions are fighting hunger in their communities, while raising awareness of this global problem.  Nearly one billion people do not get enough food to be healthy.  Recently, financial and economic crises have pushed more people into hunger, and many hunger relief organizations are finding it difficult to keep up with demand. “Organizing this project gives us a chance to help families in our community who don’t have enough to eat or can’t afford to buy nutritious food,” said King Lion Ed Miller, President, Ridgely Lions. King Lion reminds everyone that hunger in our communities continues year round and that local food banks and pantries are always in need of more donations.  To assist these local food pantries, contact Linda Bollinger at the Fish Locker Ministries (302) 727-9112 or Cathy Grable at Ridgely UMC (410) 634-2527 and Jean Austin at Saint Martin’s Ministries (410) 634-1397.

The Ridgely Lions Club would like to thank Chris Horvath at Tri-Me Warehouse in Ridgely and Lion Parke Hahn, Branch Manager at Centreville National Bank in Hillsboro for participating as collection sites for the food drive.

In addition to the club’s “Relieving the Hunger” service event, the club conducts a variety of projects, including vision screenings, hearing aid and eye glass donations, pre-school vision screenings, little league sponsorships, the Ridgely Christmas lights and parade, a peace poster contest, the Annual Ridgely Strawberry Festival as well as donations to numerous local charities and non profits.

Lions clubs are groups of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Ridgely Lions Club, please contact Lion John Voshell at 410-634-2214 or jevoshell [at] comcast [dot] net or go to www.ridgelylions.org.  Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.35 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in 206 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to sight preservation and community service throughout the world.  For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org.

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Tara Emory – Featured Speaker at the 2012 Authors’ Luncheon

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Administrator

Tara and Juliana came to Saint Martin’s House at the end of January 2012. Tara’s talk at the Book and Author Luncheon included both a poem and her description of some of the life events that brought her to us.

Juliana is a bright and happy baby, described by her mom as a miracle.

The following is Tara’s speech:

My Name is Tara Emory and I’m here to tell you a little bit about myself and how far I’ve come. My mom was a drug addict and I never met my father, I started drinking, smoking, and having sex at the age of 12, by the time I turned 16 I was smoking and selling crack cocaine, when I turned 22 I was 3 months pregnant with my daughter Juliana, about a month later I got arrested for possession, with intent to distribute, that had been my third charge within 2 years therefore the judge made my bail $100,000 and the bailbondsman was asking for $2,500 to get me out. No one in my family had that kind of money.

Time went by and my due date came closer. I gave birth to Juliana la’Vae Archer, 6lbs 13ozs, perfectly healthy at 12:08pm on November 15, 2011, I had no trouble with her at all. The best days of my life soon turned into the worst. I had to go back to jail.

I had to say goodbye and give my miracle away to my aunt. That was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my entire life. I cried for a week straight, I wouldn’t eat anything or sleep until they had breakfast at 4am. All I would do was read my bible, ask God to give me strength and send me home with my daughter. On December 7 I went to court and there by my side was my aunt and my baby girl. That was the first time I had seen her since I gave birth to her.

The judge gave me time served and that dropped my bail to $50,000. God was definitely in the building that day. When my daughter turned a month old I was walking out of the gates to hold my miracle and go home. I needed to turn my life all the way around and stay home for my daughter. I checked into the Whitsitt Center on Dec 29 and left with a certificate of completion on Jan 25.  I came to the St. Martins house on the 30th and still remain there. Since my arrival I have enrolled into parenting and GED classes and I also attend AA meetings every other day. I plan on getting my license, a job and a better future for myself and my daughter. The best part of all of this is …..Juliana is right by my side every day! So every day when I wake up I give my daughter a kiss, Thank God for being in the St. Martins house and giving me my second chance at life. Thank you!!

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15th Annual Authors’ Luncheon – Thank You

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Administrator

The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, venue for the Fifteen Annual Authors’ Luncheon, as always, lived up to our expectations. How could you go wrong listening to fascinating authors, enjoying a lovely lunch with new and old friends, and at the same taking in the panoramic views of the fantastic Chesapeake Bay?  Now that’s multi-tasking!

The luncheon was preceded by the silent auction. We heard many friends say how great the silent auction was this year, the quality items were varied and beautifully displayed.

Our authors, Adam Goodheart, “1861: The Civil War Awakening“; Darlene Friedman and Roger Roth, “Star of the Week“; Caroline Preston, “The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt,” patiently signed books while taking questions and exchanging stories with our guests. We can’t thank them enough for the time they took out of their busy schedules to spend the day with us.

We would be remiss if we didn’t thank YOU for your participation.  You make everything the Ministry does possible. Many, many thank you’s for your generosity and support.

 

We are already in the planning stages for the Sixteenth Annual Authors’ Luncheon, March 2, 2013. Mark your calendars, we keep improving and we know you will not be disappointed.

Submitted by:

Gennie Lalle, Committee Member

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How are we keeping up with the demand?

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Administrator

In the past seven months Saint Martin’s Ministries has distributed food to an average of 317 families each month, a 14% increase over the last FY average of 278 families per month.

How are we keeping up with the demand?

A sixth-grade class at Lockerman Middle School recently collected and donated more than 50 jars of peanut butter to a local food pantry.

From the Caroline County Times-Record:
Daniel Kotyk said his first-period language arts class was inspired by a tip from its Character Counts! coach, Caroline County Commissioner Jeff Ghrist, that food pantries need peanut butter because it is a good source of protein, a nutrient often lacking in other commonly donated food items.  Continue reading →

So, why did Mr. Koytk’s language arts students collect peanut butter? There are several reasons. Peanut butter is something that a family can almost always use – on toast for a quick breakfast, at lunch in a PBJ or if food is not plentiful, that toast or sandwich may need to be dinner.  TEFAP distributions don’t often include peanut butter.  Peanut butter is expensive, about $3 a jar.

By collecting a single food item the students had fun and learned something about packaging. In order to determine whether the boys or the girls collected more peanut butter they had to look at each jar carefully and add up the ounces, not the number of jars. But even more importantly, by donating a single item in quantity we are able to add it to the food box for a large number of families. One of a kind donations are difficult to incorporate into a program where we pack 50 boxes at a time.

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Our Food Donation Policy

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Administrator

If your class, club, church or other organization would like to conduct a food drive to help us fill our food boxes, here is a list of foods that we would love to have more of.  These items are all nutritious, family friendly and can help stretch the family meal plan when food is scarce.

  • Canned or packaged tuna fish
  • Peanut butter (and jelly)
  • Canned soups
  • Packaged pasta
  • Tomato sauce (cans or plastic jars, no glass jars please)
  • Mac’n cheese
  • Packaged rice mixes
  • Beans (dry or canned)
  • Cereal (low sugar please)

Not to eat, but always needed – diapers, especially sizes 4, 5, and 6

Let us know if you plan to do a food drive, and we can tell you what we need the most and even give you some suggestions on how to organize the drive and make it fun!

If you want to help Saint Martin’s emergency food program, but aren’t interested in conducting a food drive, go to the donate button on our web site and indicate EF in the purpose area.  Donations will be used for purchases from the Maryland Food Bank or to support the overhead costs of our food program.

Listed above are the food items we are always happy to receive.

Here are some guidelines for things we do not accept.

  • Beverages  – no soda, sports drinks or energy drinks, nothing in glass bottles
  • Prepared or cooked foods — nothing home cooked or left over from a dinner or event
  • Refrigerated foods – no salads such as potato or chicken salad; nothing past a “Use BY” date
  • Baby foods – nothing past expiration date
  • Damaged packaging – cans, boxes or other paperboard packages with dents, rips, tears, dirt, rust or other forms of damage to the packaging
  • Bulk Items – no restaurant pack staples or large size cans (No. 10 or 3 quart size)
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The Emergency Food Pantry

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Administrator

The emergency food pantry at Saint Martin’s Barn is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 8:30 to 11:30 am and Wednesday evening from 6-7:30 pm.  The thrift store is open when the food pantry is open.

To qualify for emergency food you must be a resident of Caroline County.  New customers may demonstrate residence by a driver’s license or other document that shows their address.  In addition the new customer must provide proof of birth date for all household members and proof of household income.  If you already qualify for Temporary Cash Assistance, Food Stamps, Medical Assistance, or Unemployment you are most likely within the income guidelines.

The amount of income varies by the size of the household. If qualified size of household also determines the amount of food you will receive.  Qualified clients may receive food once each month.

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Where does Saint Martin’s Barn get the food that it gives out?

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Administrator

The food we distribute comes from 3 sources.  About 80% of the food is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), via The Emergency Food Assistance Program referred to as TEFAP. This program is administered locally for the state of Maryland by the Department of Human Resources.

About 10% of our food is purchased, usually from the Maryland Food Bank and the remaining 10% comes from donations.

Each month SMM tries to provide a food package that provides nutritious choices and variety.  The TEFAP foods include canned fruits and vegetables, juice, some protein foods such as beef stew or canned salmon, and frozen meats. Each family receives a box of dry or canned foods, a frozen bag that includes meat and often frozen pasta, bread and baked goods as available, and a personal care product such as mouthwash or toothpaste.

The purchased and donated foods supplement the TEFAP foods. These foods make the overall food box friendlier, no one wants all canned vegetables! To increase the amount of dairy foods and calcium we purchase yogurt or cheese from MFB when available.  MFB and Panera Bread both provide donated breads and desserts.  Each winter we also receive donated venison. Donations are an important part of what we put into our food box each month.

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Save the Date – Seventh Annual Arts Event Dinner and Auctions

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Administrator

Save the Date!

October 12, 2012
Seventh Annual Arts Event Dinner and Auctions
The Chesapeake Room
Rock Hall, MD
6:00 – 10:00 pm

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Authors’ Luncheon – March 3, 2012

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Administrator

15th Annual Authors’ Luncheon
Saturday, March 3, 2012
10:00 am – 2:30 pm
The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club
Stevensville, MD * 410.604.1933
Directions here

Schedule of Events
Reception & Silent Auction 10:00 – 11:30
Book Signings: 10:30 – 11:30
Lunch & Authors’ Presentations 11:45 – 2:30

Please call Saint Martin’s Ministries at 410.634.2497 or email Sister Patricia at srpatricia [at] stmartinsministries [dot] org for an invitation.  A few tickets are still available for the event.

If you cannot attend the luncheon, but wish to make a donation online, click here.  Please indicate “A L support” in the purpose area of the donation screen.  We are not able to accept online reservations.

-Authors-

Adam Goodheart

ADAM GOODHEART, historian, journalist, travel writer and author of the New York Times best selling book 1861: The Civil War Awakening.  As America marks the 151st anniversary of our defining national event, 1861: The Civil War Awakening presents a gripping and original account of how it all began. 1861, by Adam Goodheart, a historian, journalist and Washington College professor, is an epic of both courage and heroism beyond the battlefields.

Early in 1861, a second American revolution unfolded, inspiring a new generation to reject their parents’ faith in compromise and appeasement, to do the unthinkable in the name of an ideal. It set Abraham Lincoln on the path to greatness, and millions of slaves on the road to freedom. Goodheart’s book introduces us to a little-known cast of heroes — an acrobatic militia colonel, an explorer’s wife, a close-knit band of German immigrants, a regiment of New York City firemen, and a young college professor who would one day become president.

Adam Goodheart is the director of Washington College’s C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, an institute for fostering innovative approaches to history and culture through a range of writing fellowships, prizes, public events, teacher seminars, and student programs. 1861 was inspired in part by a trove of historic letters that he and his undergraduate students uncovered in a 250-year old plantation house near Chestertown.

_______________________________

Darlene Friedman

First time children’s author DARLENE FRIEDMAN and her husband, author illustrator ROGER ROTH, are the parents of an adopted daughter from China. Star of the Week: A Story of Love, Adoption, Brownies with Sprinkles draws upon their family’s adoption experience in an appealing and insightful children’s book that combines the Star of the Week school ritual with a story about an adopted girl from China.

Cassidy Li is going to be Star of the Week in her kindergarten class, and that means she gets to bring a snack (brownies) and chronicle her life story on a poster. As she looks at snapshots depicting favorite activities, pets, friends and family, she also realizes that, as a baby adopted in China, “something is missing. I don’t have any photos of my birthparents.” Her solution is to add a hand-drawn portrait of them to the photographic collage. Her class applauds her presentation, and her solution makes it clear that she is proud of her Chinese heritage.

Roger Roth

Darlene Friedman, an award-wining writer and editor, works for an international women’s organization in Philadelphia. She lives with her husband, Roger; their daughter, Eden; and their dogs, Dobo and Drizzle, in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Roger Roth is the awardwinning author and illustrator of The Sign Painter’s Dream and Fishing for Methuselah. He has illustrated dozens of children’s books, including The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History and the Unsolved Mystery from History. Roger hopes this is the first of many collaborations with his wife, Darlene.

_______________________________

Caroline Preston

Pulling from her extraordinary collection of vintage memorabilia, CAROLINE PRESTON creates the first ever scrapbook novel. The author transports us back to the vibrant, burgeoning Bohemian culture of the 1920’s and introduces the reader to an unforgettable heroine, the spirited, ambitious, and lovely Frankie Pratt. In The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt we are introduced to an array of flapper-era postcards, letters, magazine ads, ticket stubs, catalog pages, fabric swatches, candy wrappers, fashion spreads, menus, and other memorabilia featured on every page. Through these visuals, we meet and follow Frankie on her journey in search of success and love. Caroline Preston is the author of three other novels, Jackie by Josie, Lucy Crocker 2.0, and Gatsby’s Girl. She has collected antique scrapbooks since she was in high school, and has become an expert on the history of the scrapbook and the valentine in America. She has worked as an archivist at the Peabody/Essex Museum and Harvard’s Houghton Library. She and her husband, the writer Christopher Tilghman, live in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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Saint Martin’s Brings Food and Safe Haven for Shore Families

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Administrator

From The Talbot Spy (reproduced with permission):

February 8, 2012 by Liz Richards Janega

At the end of a long, tree-lined lane in Ridgely, Maryland, is the remarkable Saint Martin’s Ministries (http://stmartinsministries.org/), that provides basic human needs for the impoverished. Created twenty-eight years ago by the Benedictine Sisters of Ridgely, this outreach to the poor and homeless began with the Emergency Food Pantry, which started in the (now-renovated) Saint Martin’s Barn.

Continue reading →

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