Group hosts rally for more mentors

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011

Each year since its start in 2005, the Calvert County Mentoring Partnership has held a breakfast event inviting more community members to become mentors for young people. This year, the group is switching from a casual breakfast to an evening rally, past chairwoman and current member Lorraine Joyner said.

"While we've been successful in getting the word out, we also want to say we've increased our mentors in the county," Joyner said. "Right now at this point we can't say we've done that. So it's kind of been a mixed success. We feel like we can probably do more."

The mentoring partnership is a working committee that includes representatives from a variety of local nonprofits, public agencies and private citizens that meets monthly to discuss the benefits and impact of mentoring on youth and to develop strategies to provide additional mentoring opportunities, according to the Calvert County Web page for the group.

Joyner called the current state of the group "a loose-knit coalition" because most of its members, from 18 different community nonprofit and government agencies, balance their volunteerism with full-time jobs.

"A lot of people can't take the time off work," she said.

That is another reason this year's sixth annual mentoring rally will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 23 at Greater Mount Zion Church, located on German Chapel Road in Prince Frederick.

"It's just a way to let the community know how they can get involved, why it's a good idea, and it's a celebration of mentoring," Joyner said. "We're hoping to attract people from the business community, faith community and retired citizens. Older high school students would also be great because they're at an age where they can help younger children."

Most importantly, she continued, the group is looking for stronger leadership, particularly from a retired executive who can dedicate more time and "help fine-tune our objectives."

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners honored the partnership by proclaiming January National Mentoring Month in Calvert County at its Jan. 4 meeting, and Sheriff Mike Evans, this year's honorary chairman for the partnership, expressed his passion for mentoring.

"It's really important. In mentoring, we make a difference in these young people's lives," Evans said.

Joyner said Evans takes his role as a mentor seriously, which is why he was selected this year's chairman.

"He really is passionate about mentoring," she said. "We are lucky to have him."

In addition to the Calvert County Sheriff's Office, the partnership currently consists of: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maryland, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland; Calvert County Circuit Court; Calvert County Family Network; Calvert County Minority Business Alliance; Calvert County Parks and Recreation Therapeutic Recreation Services; Calvert County Public Schools; Calvert County Substance Abuse Services; Calvert Crusade for Children and Youth Inc.; Circle of Angels Initiative Inc.; Concerned Black Women of Calvert County; Core Service Agency; Department of Juvenile Services; Department of Social Services; Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital; Tri-County Youth Services Bureau and United Way of Calvert County.

Anyone interested in joining the mentoring partnership organization should contact Joyner at joynerlr@co.cal.md.us, or call the Calvert County Family Network, 410-414-5997.

LWV website offers health care info

The Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council will be issuing its final report to Gov. O'Malley soon regarding how to implement federal funding Maryland received under the Health Care Reform Act. To read the various work group reports for the committee go to the Maryland League of Women Voters website, www.lwvmd.org, under "Community News."

Available committee work group reports include: exchanges and insurance markets, entry into coverage, education and outreach, public health, safety net and special populations and health care work force and health care delivery system. There also will be a link from the LWVMD website to the committee's final report later.

Alumni Players announce winter production

The Alumni Players of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Solomons will perform "Murder is a Game" by Fred Carmichael, Jan. 28 and 29 and Feb. 4 and 5. The action takes place in the living room of a dilapidated mansion high on a hill. It originally had been a movie set, but what is left is sparse and in bad condition. The Bigelows are "abandoned" there by their publisher to get their creative juices flowing again. It becomes a complex, crazy comedy mystery from that point on.

All proceeds go to Our Lady Star of the Sea School. Tickets are $32 per person. That includes the show and a buffet dinner catered by Thompson's Seafood. Call 410-326-3008 for reservations.

mrussell@somdnews.com