June 2007
Planning a summer family day trip
This and other issues...
Take a day trip with your family or a friend
Sponsor a Naval Academy mid
Summertime Maritime Concert Series
Report that pothole
Here's a thought!
Dear Constituent,
Summer is here, so let's plan some awesome day trips with our families and friends! There are some incredible things to do and see just a short drive from Annapolis. A great article on the subject by Dana Joseph follows.
Volunteers are still needed to give a few minutes one day a week to watering plants at Back Creek Nature Park. Click here for a description of volunteer needs and contact phone numbers.
We wish all our Naval Academy graduates in the Class of 2007 a great future, and we thank them for their commitment to defend our nation. May God bless them as they serve our country!
The Naval Academy is looking for local families and individuals to provide incoming plebes with a home way from home. Participating in the Academy's sponsorship program can be a very rewarding experience.
I have sponsored more than 20 midshipmen since moving to Annapolis in 1987. Just about all of my mids, even after graduation, phone me on a regular basis to let me know where they are and how they're doing. And my daughter always enjoyed having some big brothers around.
While I currently officially sponsor three midshipmen, during the past two years that number has swollen to eight including roommates and "strays" that seem to have wandered in or taken up.
This program is a great opportunity for you to provide a few minutes each week to a midshipman who needs a little transportation or a break from Academy life. To find out how you can become a sponsor read the article below.
Upcoming City Council Meetings:
June 11th, 7:30 p.m., City Council Legislative Meeting
June 18th, 7:00 p.m., City Council Public Hearing
(The Thursday prior to each meeting agendas will be posted on the City of Annapolis website.)
Planning A Family Day Trip
Keep spirits alive with great weekend road trips! Here are some good ideas.
by Dana Joseph
Your own backyard and beyond are full of possibilities for family fun. No matter where you live -- big city, small town, out in the country -- there's plenty to explore. Firsthand experiences nourish your child's imagination and intelligence. Give your kids hands-on travel and exposure to adventures and you'll equip them with curious, bright minds for life.
- Plan a routine. Once a month, declare a family trip day. If it's the first Sunday of every month, try to stick with it. Of course, you can't ignore soccer practice or a best friend's birthday party. But you can make the Family Day plan a firm one most of the time by planning activities your kids will enjoy. Even if everyone wants to sack out with a rented movie, that counts. Being consistent about taking special family day trips tells your kids that time together matters. The regular rhythm of the monthly plan will contribute to your family's fun factor and to the stability of your emotional connection as a unit.
- Brainstorm ideas. First, get a local city or county map and, with your kids at your side, use a compass to draw a circle with a 5-mile radius around the dot that represents exactly where you live. Get out a magnifying glass and take a good look. What's nearby that looks interesting in any direction? It might be the woods across the street or a nature preserve you've never been to. If so, get tree, flower, and bird identification books and spend some afternoons learning about the flora and fauna in your area. Is there a river or stream that looks like a good picnic site? If so, pack a Frisbee and the family pet and off you go. How about that catfish restaurant a couple of miles away that people drive to from miles around? If you've never been, mark it on the list. The same goes for fishing holes, swimming holes or county parks that may offer a range of recreational activities. Use a colored highlighter pen to note any spot on the map that seems like a possible destination. Increase the radius of your day-tripping possibilities until you've exhausted what's realistic for your family!
To read the rest of this article click here!
More links for short road trip ideas:
Fort McHenry
Maryland Zoo at Baltimore
Maryland Science Center
Find prehistoric shark teeth at Calvert Cliffs
Smithsonian Institute and Washington Museums
Other road trips within one hour from Annapolis
Become a Midshipman Sponsor
The Midshipman Sponsorship Program provides students of the Naval Academy an opportunity to develop and benefit from an informal environment with local families and individuals.
Sponsors provide a home away from home for Academy students. For many midshipmen who may be away from home for their first time, sponsorship can make the difference on their success at the Academy. Sponsorship can involve providing transportation, sharing home cooked meals and allowing privacy for midshipmen to nap, study, use the telephone, listen to music or watch TV or a video in a private home away from the strictly regimented life on base. And sponsors develop long lasting, rewarding friendships with midshipmen. Sponsors are invited to sporting events, concerts and other activities at the Academy throughout the year.
Sponsorship Eligibility
Do you live within 25 miles of the Naval Academy, and are you able to pass a background check? Are you willing to spend a modest amount of time with a midshipman, provide him or her with some transportation to BWI during holiday breaks, withstand an occasional raid on your refrigerator or provide a place for some much needed rest and sleep on weekends. Well then, you're most likely qualified.
Training for sponsors will be provided by the Academy during July.
You'll find midshipmen to be interesting, fun and, above all, respectful of your house rules. And when their families are in town, you'll find their parents and siblings are extremely appreciative of your support.
To learn more about the Naval Academy's sponsorship progam and to download a sponsorship application click here.
Annapolis Maritme Museum's Summertime Maritime Concert Series Announced
Raw Hands, an Annapolis-based rhythm-and-blues band with roots in Carr's Beach, will kick off the Annapolis Maritime Museum's popular Summertime Maritime Concert Series with a free concert on Wednesday evening, June 6, at the Museum campus in Eastport from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Museum is located at 723 Second Street in the great Maritime Republic of Eastport.
The Raw Hands quartet is comprised of Lloyd Fowlkes on bass, Mack Seay on keyboard, David Queen on drums and George "Chicky" Johnson on guitar. They will reprise some of the music played in the 1950s and 1960s at Carr's Beach, the renowned African-American beachfront resort located on the current site of the Chesapeake Harbour development on Annapolis Neck.
Fowlkes and Seay both performed with the Pipe Dreamers, the house band at the resort, backing the likes of Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Mary Wells, Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding and many other superstars. "Back in the day, there were buses full of people coming to Carr's Beach to hear the music," Fowlkes recalls. "The buses would be lined up for miles, all through the City."
Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and get set for a spectacular evening," advises Museum Director Jeff Holland. "The Museum is just across the mouth of Back Creek from Carr's Beach. This is going to be an historic concert, indeed, rocking the banks of the Bay with music that was heard here more than forty years ago." Beer, wine, and soft drinks are available for a nominal donation.
This program has won an award for Best Heritage Event by Four Rivers, the Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town and South County, and one concert has been featured on the NBC Today Show. The series is made possible by generous support of the City of Annapolis, the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Eastport Business Association, Boatyard Bar & Grill, Sarles Boatyard and other sponsors.
For more info about the Annapolis Maritime Museum's Summertime Concert Series click here.
By the way, the museum is raffling off a pair of Featherlite™ 9.5 Kayaks by Heritage Kayaks, with paddles life jackets, and color-coordinated AMM hats! The drawing will be held at the 11th Annual Eastport-a-Rockin' music festival on June 23, at 6 p.m. For more info on the raffle visit the Annapolis Maritime Museum website by clicking here.
_________________________________
Want to report a pothole or a street light that's out?
The Annapolis Department of Public Works is directed by John Patmore and a very qualified staff. You can get information about how to report potholes. You can learn about the City's mosquito management program, get recycling hints, or find out about the many other services offered by John's department by clicking here!
_________________________________
Now here's a thought!
"If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless...if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment (and not given him or her comfort)...if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court (where I could have made a difference), then let my arm fall from the shoulder, and let it be broken off at the joint." (Old Testament / Job 31:16 - 23)
(used here with permission)
Quick Links...
Register to Vote!
Alderman Sam Website
Annapolis City Council
Back Creek Nature Park
Annapolis Maritime Museum
Bay Theatre
