ROTARY CLUB OF SALISBURY RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL CITATION AWARD

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

ROTARY CLUB OF SALISBURY RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL CITATION AWARD

The Rotary Club of Salisbury was recently presented a 2012-2013 Presidential Citation
Award in appreciation of the club’s commitment to The Rotary Foundation and to furthering
membership in the service organization.

The recognition from Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka is presented to less than 10% of all Rotary clubs worldwide. “The Presidential Citation recognizes Rotary clubs for achieving an array of accomplishments that help them become stronger, deliver more effective service and enhance their public image,” said Tanaka. “By qualifying for the Presidential Citation, clubs-like the Rotary Club of Salisbury-contribute to Rotary’s organizational goals and multiply the impact of their good work through the collective focus of 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.”

Club President Hugh Livingston, Jr. and President-Elect George Whitehead were instrumental in creating a strategic plan for the club that focused on leadership development and involvement in club activities. “The Rotary Club of Salisbury has been very supportive of both the Foundation, exceeding our contribution of $100 per member, and also of the Polio Plus initiative to rid the world of the disease, where we surpassed our goal by nearly four times the amount we had pledged,” added Livingston.

The club has also been involved in numerous community activities including the construction of wheelchair ramps, the distribution of book bags and supplies to underprivileged kids, a clean-up and maintenance day at Easter Seals Camp Fairlee in Chestertown, MD and in partnering with the Salisbury Sunrise Rotary Club in the creation of a Rotaract Club at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD.

The Rotary Club of Salisbury meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Rotary Scout and Community Center at 1715 Riverside Drive in Salisbury. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Salisbury or to obtain membership information, please contact Membership Committee Chairman Bob Brown at 410-749-3873 or visit the website at www.rotarysalisbury.org.

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DR. CHRIS SNYDER APPOINTED TO HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL QUALITY FORUM FOR A SECOND TERM

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

DR. CHRIS SNYDER APPOINTED TO HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL QUALITY FORUM FOR A SECOND TERM

The Board of the National Quality Forum (NQF), a nonprofit, organization with a mission to improve the quality of health care for all Americans, has approved the nomination of Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) hospitalist and Chief Medical Informatics Officer Chris Snyder, DO to serve a second term on their Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC). This national appointment of Dr. Snyder to the HITAC is for a three year term to conclude in June of 2016.

“It’s an honor to be asked to serve for a second term on the HITAC because it validates PRMC’s efforts at a national level,” said Dr. Snyder. “The focus of our health information technology (HIT) initiative at Peninsula Regional remains patient safety. Continuing to have a voice on this committee provides us another venue in which to share what we’ve experienced and to learn from the successes of others. Ultimately, that exchange of knowledge makes Peninsula Regional as well as other hospitals much more efficient and safer.” The HITAC is a standing committee of the Board that provides strategic guidance and input into NQF matters and activities that involve health information technology.

Dr. Snyder has been in primary care and hospital medicine for 16 years. He graduated from Kirksville college of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in St. Petersburg, Florida in family practice. He is board certified in Family Practice since 1996. He practiced primary care for five years then became a hospitalist at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in 2002. He is a past recipient of the AMDIS award for his efforts in using clinical informatics to promote patient safety, and has been recognized as one of the nation’s top 25 clinical informatics officers by Modern Healthcare Magazine.

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Worcester County schedules last three 2013 spring Rabies Clinics

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

SNOW HILL, Md. –Pet owners, mark your calendars and take advantage of the inexpensive rabies vaccination clinics offered this spring by the Worcester County Health Department and Animal Control.

Rabies is a dangerous fatal disease and ongoing problem in the county. People and animals can be infected by the virus if they are exposed to the saliva of an infected animal. Low-cost rabies clinics are offered to help residents protect their dogs, cats and ferrets.

The scheduled clinics will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at:

· Wednesday, May 8, WORCESTER COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL, 6207 Timmons Road (east side Rt. 113, just north of Snow Hill), Snow Hill, MD.

· Thursday, May 9, BISHOPVILLE VOL. FIRE DEPARTMENT, 10709 Bishopville Road, Bishopville, MD.

· Wednesday, June 12, WORCESTER COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL, 6207 Timmons Road, Snow Hill, MD.

The cost for a rabies vaccination is $5 per pet for Worcester County residents and $10 per pet for non-Worcester County residents. Proof of residency is required. Vaccinations are available for dogs, cats and ferrets. Below are additional requirements for the clinics:

● If this is not the pet’s first rabies vaccination, written proof of the previous shot in the form of a rabies certificate must be provided in order to receive a three-year booster shot. Otherwise, a one-year shot will be given.

● To receive a vaccination, dogs must be on a leash under the control of an adult, and cats and ferrets must be in a carrier or box with air holes.

Keeping pets’ required rabies vaccinations current is the best way to prevent the spread of rabies from the wild animal population to the domestic animal population.

For more information on the clinics or to report animal bites or possible rabies exposures to pets from wild animals contact the Worcester County Health Department at 410-352-3234 or410-641-9559. If an incident occurs after normal business hours, contact your local law enforcement or the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.

The health department recommends the following tips to protect your pets and family from rabies exposure:

· Have your dogs, cats, and ferrets vaccinated regularly and keep those vaccinations current in accordance with the law. (Especially outdoor cats).

· Do not let your pets roam free – they are more likely to have contact with a rabid wild animal.

· Avoid feeding your animals outside; this draws stray and wild animals to your doorstep. (If you must feed outdoors, do not leave the food out overnight and clean up any spillage.)

· Cover your garbage cans securely.

· Avoid sick animals and those acting in an unusual manner and teach your children not to approach wild animals and animals they don’t know.

· If your pet has contact with a wild animal, avoid touching your pet with bare hands (wear gloves or other protective barrier) and do not touch the wild animal. Report the incident immediately to the Health Department or your local police in order to arrange testing of the wild animal, if available, and consult your veterinarian.

For more information about rabies visit our website http://worcesterhealth.org.

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University of Maryland Eastern Shore Celebrity Golf

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

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University of Maryland Eastern Shore Celebrity Golf

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

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University of Maryland Eastern Shore Celebrity Golf

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

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LOWER SHORE LAND TRUST’S KATE PATTON TO SPEAK AT MAY 23 ROTARY CLUB OF SALISBURY MEETING

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

The Rotary Club of Salisbury is pleased to welcome Kate Patton as its guest speaker at the service organization’s May 23, 2013 meeting.

The mission of the Lower Shore Land Trust is to assist landowners and communities to conserve land for the enjoyment and well-being of present and future generations by protecting forests and farmlands for strong local economies; natural resources for diverse wildlife and clean water, and rural landscapes in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.

Patton has been Executive Director of Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) since 2006. Prior to joining LSLT, she owned and operated the Globe Theater for 17 years. Her experiences in the business community include serving as President of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Worcester County Arts Council and she was instrumental in developing longstanding Berlin events, including the monthly Arts Night and the successful application for Berlin’s designation as an Arts and Entertainment District.

In 2002 she received the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Small Business in the Arts. Kate’s environmental background includes working with the citizen’s group Clean Water Action after graduating from University of Richmond in 1986.

The Rotary Club of Salisbury meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Rotary Scout and Community Center on Riverside Drive in Salisbury. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Salisbury or to obtain membership information, please contact Membership Committee Chairman Bob Brown at 410-749-3873 or visit the website at www.rotarysalisbury.org.

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Governor O’Malley Signs Sustainable Communities Financing Bill Into Law

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

Governor O’Malley Signs Sustainable Communities Financing Bill Into Law

2013 tax increment financing law enhances authority for local government funding for
community revitalization and economic development

From Maryland Department of Planning

BALTIMORE, MD (May 16, 2013) - Governor Martin O’Malley today signed into law a bill passed by the Maryland General Assembly that expands municipalities’ and counties’ authority to finance costs for infrastructure improvements located in or supporting a Sustainable Community through tax increment financing (TIF).Sustainable Communities are areas that local jurisdictions select as their highest priority areas for redevelopment, revitalization and economic development. The new law, passed as House Bill 613, “Sustainable Communities – Designation and Financing” in the 2013 legislative session, authorizes local government to finance the cost of infrastructure improvements in a Sustainable Community in the same manner as Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) designated Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD).

“The 2013 TIF law makes a good tool even better by allowing local governments to finance expanded infrastructure and asset investments in Sustainable Community areas. This encourages growth into our existing towns and communities and ensures a high quality of life for those choosing to live in them,” said Secretary of Planning, Richard E. Hall. ”Now historic preservation, environmental remediation, demolition, site preparation, parking lots, facilities, highways or transit that support Sustainable Community areas, schools and affordable or mixed use housing are allowed uses of tax increment financing. All important for community vitality, smart growth and economic prosperity”

This legislation was the result of recommendations by the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission to enable local governments to make important infrastructure and asset investments in their Sustainable Community areas to spur smart growth, economic development and to ensure quality of life and livable communities for their residents.

“Maryland’s policy is that growth should be concentrated in existing population and business centers and growth areas must have the infrastructure to accommodate population and business expansion,” noted Jon Laria, Chairman of the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission. ”Local jurisdictions should have the tools to help ensure that these policies can be achieved and the state should do everything possible to provide local governments with necessary and useful tools. The 2013 TIF law provides an important tool in our smart growth toolkit.”

By enabling local government to usean enhanced TIF they can fund much needed infrastructure and amenities in Sustainable Communities necessary for revitalization and economic prosperity.

The 2013 TIF law is “enabling” to local governments and they are not required to use it in their Sustainable Community areas. It provides for new uses for tax increment financing that include historic preservation, environmental remediation, demolition, site preparation, parking lots, facilities, highways or transit that support SC areas, schools and affordable or mixed use housing. The law directs state funding to be prioritized in a specific SustainableCommunity when a jurisdiction has taken advantage of this expanded TIF funding or provided other infrastructure funding to support revitalization of that Sustainable Community. The law goes into effect October 1, 2013.

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ATLANTIC GENERAL ANNOUNCES EDUCATION CALENDAR FOR JUNE 2013

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

Monday, June 3, 2013

AGH Hypertension Clinic 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Apple Drug, Berlin, Md.

Free blood pressure screening and health information. Contact Dawn Denton at 410-641-9268.

AGH Hypertension Clinic 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Walgreen’s, Ocean Pines, Md.

Free blood pressure screening and health information. Contact Dawn Denton at 410-641-9268.

CPAP Mask Fitting – appointment necessary

Atlantic General Hospital Sleep Disorders Diagnostic Center
Atlantic General Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Diagnostic Center hosts a monthly mask fitting clinic for patients who are having trouble adjusting to their CPAP equipment. This is a completely FREE service, but requires the patient to call ahead to set up an appointment. To make an appointment, contact Robin Rohlfing at 410-641-9726.

Weight Loss Surgery Seminar 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Atlantic Bariatric Center, Berlin Main Place Complex, Berlin, Md.

Receive information about the lap band and gastric sleeve weight loss procedures. Those wishing to attend must pre-register to guarantee a seat by calling 410-641-3960.

Atlantic General Hospital Diabetes Support Group 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Berlin, Md.
Sponsored by Atlantic General Hospital.

The speaker will be Dr. Lucy Van Voorhees. The topic will be on “Heart Disease & Diabetes”. The support group is open to the public and meets the first Monday of every month. For more information contact Darlene Jameson at 410-629-6877 or the AGH Diabetes Outpatient Education program at 410-641-9703.

T.O.P.S. of Berlin – Group #169 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Atlantic General Hospital, Conference Room 1

Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a support and educational group promoting weight loss and healthy lifestyle. They meet weekly. For more information, contact Edna Berkey at 410-251-2083.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

AGH Hypertension Clinic 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Rite Aid, Selbyville, Del.

Free blood pressure screening and health information. For more information, contact Dawn Denton at 410-641-9268.

AGH Hypertension Clinic 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Walgreens, Clarksville, Del.

Free blood pressure screening and health information. For more information, contact Dawn Denton at 410-641-9268.

YOGA 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM

James G. Barrett Medical Office Building, Rotunda, Berlin, Md.

All levels welcome. Contact Georgette Rhoads at 410-641-9734 or grhoads@atlanticgeneral.org with any questions. Cost: $72 for 8 sessions, or $10 drop-in fee for first time.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

AGH Hypertension Clinic 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Rite Aid, Ocean Pines, Md.

Free blood pressure screening and health information. For more information, contact Dawn Denton at 410-641-9268.

Atlantic General Hospital Diabetes Support Group 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Ocean Pines Library, Ocean Pines, Md.

Atlantic General Hospital’s Auxiliary donated $40,000 to the Atlantic General Hospital Foundation’s Annual Appeal

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce

Berlin, Md. – During the annual Auxiliary awards luncheon, Atlantic General Hospital’s Auxiliary donated $40,000 to the Atlantic General Hospital Foundation’s Annual Appeal. This donation follows their recent contribution of $50,000 toward a $150,000 pledge to the Healthy Café campaign.

In addition to their generous donations, which are the proceeds of fundraisers and merchandise sales at the hospital gift shop and thrift shop, the Auxiliary gives more than 35,000 hours of their time and expertise volunteering in Atlantic General Hospital and Health System each year.

From left to right:

Betty Franke, Auxiliary, Corresponding Secretary
Jane Bartolomeo, Auxiliary, Recording Secretary
Jane Wolnik, Auxiliary, Vice President
Michael Franklin, President and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital
Sue Harting, Auxiliary, President
Ann Hamilton, Auxiliary, Treasurer

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