 Image Courtesy McInturff Architects The public is invited to a waterfront dinner and a presentation about the St. Michaels Community Center’s renovations and programs at the Miles River Yacht Club in St. Michaels, Maryland on Thursday, January 11 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The MRYC’s Sail Committee sponsors the speaker series, with January 11 speakers including St. Michaels Community Center Board Chair Langley Shook, Executive Director Patrick Rofe, and renovation project architect Mark McInturff, FAIA. The panelists will provide updates as they discuss and take questions from the audience about SMCC’s current building renovations and what the future holds for community food distribution, a new culinary and hospitality workforce development program, education, technology, and more. The ticket price for the event is $30 per person, which includes dinner and a cash bar. Reservations are required by Monday, January 8 by calling the MRYC at 410-745-9511, extension 6. The renovations on SMCC’s building at 103 Railroad Avenue are expected to be completed in early 2024 and will provide state-of-the-art spaces for more children and adult programs, including a new culinary and hospitality workforce training program. The renovated Community Center will also provide several classrooms and a large common area for community gatherings, complete with audio-visual technology for presentations and screenings. The renovations also will house a modern, well-equipped commercial kitchen, where SMCC will train people for jobs in restaurants and hotels, and from which the Center can continue to serve and deliver prepared meals as well as tens of thousands of bags of groceries to those in need. “We’re grateful to the Miles River Yacht Club and its Sail Committee for opening this event to the public,” said Rofe. “It will be a great evening out with a delicious dinner, and an informative talk about how we will serve our neighbors from the Oak Creek Bridge in Royal Oak all the way down to Tilghman Island through expanded programs and our renovated building.” Rofe says the Community Center serves the community at large with programs and activities for all ages, and that its food distribution services help provide for the area’s low-income workers, homebound and other senior citizens, those facing disabilities, and families in emergencies. Donations to the St. Michaels Community Center’s annual fund and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop, located on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels, help provide essential human services, programs, and community events for people in St. Michaels and from throughout Maryland’s Bay Hundred area, with more at www.stmichaelscc.org. More about SMCC's building renovations and new programming is at www.stmichaelscc.org/future. 
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 November 2023 Dear Neighbors, As we approach the end of another year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible moments of connection and support that have defined the work we do at the St. Michaels Community Center. Your partnership has been instrumental in helping us fulfill our mission to serve, empower, and connect our community. Today, I want to share a story that embodies the impact of your generosity, a story that speaks to the heart of why your continued support is vital. A few months ago, we received a heart-wrenching call from a local resident. The voice on the other end belonged to the daughter of elderly parents who had recently moved to St. Michaels. The challenges they faced were immense—her mother was grappling with dementia, making it impossible for her to be left alone. Meanwhile, her father, dealing with his own health issues, couldn't stand on his feet for extended periods, rendering him unable to prepare meals. In their time of need—like so many that we serve—the daughter turned to us. She asked if we could provide meals for her parents, ensuring they had access to healthy and nutritious food. Your support played a crucial role in making this possible. The meals we delivered weren't just sustenance; they were a lifeline, reducing the risk of accidents that could occur if they tried to cook or went without proper sustenance. Your generosity became a safeguard for their well-being.  But it was more than that. It was a moment of connection, a touch of compassion in their lives. Our delivery driver, funded by your support, brought not only sustenance but also a few minutes of social interaction. He offered a friendly smile, a listening ear, and a warm presence in their home. For this family, the meals delivered through your support represented not just nourishment but a lifeline of human connection in their isolated world. This story is a testament to the transformative power of your generosity. It is a living example of the real change you enable through your commitment to our mission. It is the essence of what we do at SMCC – we serve not just meals but hope, dignity, and a sense of belonging. Your support ensures that our neighbors have the resources they need, especially during challenging times.  The St. Michaels Community Center’s Community Café and Community Pantry—made possible by your generosity—provide more than 2,500 meals every week. These meals aren't just numbers; they are tangible expressions of care for our community. As we move forward, we are excited about the completion of our building renovation, which will further extend SMCC's impact. This renovated space will not only serve as a hub for our programs but will also be available to our nonprofit partners, broadening our reach and strengthening our ability to serve. We are ready and eager to reunite with our community, offering programs for seniors, youth, after-school initiatives, and adults. Your ongoing support is instrumental in making these programs possible, creating a ripple effect of positive change in the lives of those we serve. In closing, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your partnership. Your support serves as a beacon of kindness and a testament to the positive change that can be achieved when individuals like you join our mission. As we look toward the future, we do so with hope and confidence, knowing that, together, we are creating a brighter, more inclusive future for our community. Thank you for being a vital part of the St. Michaels Community Center family. With heartfelt appreciation, Patrick Rofe Executive Director P.S. Your support makes a big difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. Please donate by using the enclosed envelope, or you can stop by our office, give us a call, or visit our website to donate online at www.stmichaelscc.org/donate. Thank you! The St. Michaels Community Center is a 501(C)(3) registered non-profit, with your donations deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Please consider helping our neighbors in need as part of your legacy by including the St. Michaels Community Center in your estate plans. Watch: 2023 Year in Review Join author Joe Koper this Saturday, November 18 beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Union United Methodist Church in St. Michaels, Maryland for this important community conversation on the Isaiah Fountain case that took place in Talbot County in the early 20th century. Koper's award-winning book, The Isaiah Fountain Case, is the first detailed account of the mostly-forgotten story that outraged Talbot County, Maryland a century ago during the Jim Crow era. His book documents dubious investigative and judicial actions and raises questions about Isaiah Fountain's guilt and the Jim Crow legal system that convicted him. The program is sponsored by the St. Michaels Community Center and the American Association of University Women, with a light lunch provided by the St. Michaels Community Center. Donations to the St. Michaels Community Center’s annual fund and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop, located on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels, help provide essential human services, programs, and community events for people in St. Michaels and from throughout Maryland’s Bay Hundred area, with more at www.stmichaelscc.org. More about SMCC's building renovations and new programming is at www.stmichaelscc.org/future.   Sewall Cox of St. Michaels, Maryland has joined the St. Michaels Community Center as a part-time bookkeeper. In this new role, Cox is responsible for the day-to-day financial transactions of SMCC and the nonprofit’s Treasure Cove Thrift Shop. Her duties include documenting financial transaction details and monitoring the transactions, preparing and filing financial documents, processing accounts payable and accounts receivable, processing payroll and tracking payroll data, and assisting with tax payments and returns. Cox is a Talbot County native, who spent her childhood sailing on the Tred Avon River and later as crew on the Chesapeake Bay sailing log canoe Island Blossom. She moved away to Annapolis, and then Colorado to be in the mountains for 10 years before returning to the Eastern Shore in 2019. “I am very excited to work with good people doing amazing things for the community that I call home,” says Cox, who recalls visiting her late mother Julie Cox, when her office with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum was at SMCC’s building on Railroad Avenue, now under renovation. Cox had served in the restaurant industry for nearly 25 years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to change gears and started working as a contractor in the financial department of a New England-based company, handling accounts receivable and collections. Now, she works with other local businesses in St. Michaels along with SMCC. “Sewall is a great addition to the St. Michaels Community Center’s team,” said SMCC Executive Director Patrick Rofe. “Her bookkeeping and local knowledge will help us further our mission of helping our neighbors in need while preparing our organization for growth in the number of people we will serve in our renovated building.” Rofe says the addition of Cox on the team also enables SMCC Operations Manager Stephanie Pritchard to focus more on operations, which will be especially important as SMCC relocates its Community Café and Pantry and children and adult programs to its renovated spaces in early 2024. SMCC’s current renovations will provide state-of-the-art spaces for more children and adult programs including a new culinary and hospitality workforce training program. The renovated Community Center will provide several classrooms and a large common area for community gatherings, complete with audio-visual technology for presentations and screenings. The renovations also will house a modern, well-equipped commercial kitchen, where SMCC will train people for jobs in restaurants and hotels, and from which the Center can continue to serve and deliver prepared meals as well as tens of thousands of bags of groceries to those in need. “Our work serves people in need from the Oak Creek Bridge down to Tilghman Island, with more than 2,200 meals provided each week,” said Rofe. “Sewall’s help in bookkeeping will help strengthen our organization and ability to meet the needs of our neighbors.” Rofe says the Community Center serves the community at large with programs and activities for all ages, and that its food distribution services help provide for the area’s low-income workers, homebound and other senior citizens, those facing disabilities, and families in emergencies.
Donations to the St. Michaels Community Center’s annual fund and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop, located on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels, help provide essential human services, programs, and community events for people in St. Michaels and from throughout Maryland’s Bay Hundred area, with more at www.stmichaelscc.org. More about SMCC's building renovations and new programming is at www.stmichaelscc.org/future. |
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