Relay for Life raises $380,000 to battle cancer

EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Friday, June 26, 2009

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The preliminary results are in from last weekend's Calvert County Relay for Life.

According to an e-mail from Relay Co-Chair Paula Rosnage, the unofficial amount of money raised was $380,000.

Donations are still being accepted online at www.calvertcountyrelayforlife.com.

"That is fantastic that persons reached deep into their wallets and their hearts and souls during this economic crisis to contribute to a great cause," Rosnage wrote. "The night was filled with memories, festivities and ways to celebrate our survivors."

The relay committee surpassed its goals with 141 teams, 1,800 participants and more than 1,200 attendees.

There were also 250 survivors honored.

"What a glorious night," Rosnage wrote. "We had over 1,500 luminaries that lit the night as we reflected on our loved ones."

Dunkle honored for long service with LWV

Local resident Elaine Cochran Dunkle was one of 60 Maryland women and men honored at the League of Women Voters State Convention in Silver Spring on May 30. The "Golden Gala Evening" celebrated League members with 50 or more years of LWV service. Local league member Roberta Safer and her committee organized the event.

Dunkle joined the League of Women Voters in Arlington, Va., in 1945. Later, she was among one of the first to help Calvert County's LWV organize in 1967 and served as its president between 1989 and 1991. At age 94, she continues to be an active participant in LWV meetings and local issues. Her family and friends and representatives of Calvert's league were on hand to celebrate with her at this special event.

Dunkle recounted her early league years in her memoirs.

"When World War II ended, my service as a civilian Signal Corps cryptanalyst was complete," she said in a press release. "However, being a housewife and out of the workplace was a let-down with a thud. When a neighbor invited me to a LWV meeting, I couldn't believe my good luck. The women were taking on issues that confronted the free world: starvation in Europe and the advent of the Marshall Plan; shortages, rationing and price controls; migrations of displaced persons worldwide; Russian Communism; and containment of the atomic bomb.

"At one early meeting, leaguers sat on the floor of the Georgetown home of Leon Henderson, head of the Office of Price Administration. What would happen when price controls were lifted and rationing stopped? Would prices skyrocket? Would monopolies be formed? Would there be shortages?

"We decided to form a motorcade with representatives from all 48 states. We would descend upon Congress to request a delay in repealing wartime price controls. Virginia mounted the largest delegation — more than 25 cars. Since I had done the calling, I was put in the first car, directly behind the police escort with sirens blaring. We were the first group to enter the Rotunda and I can testify to the shocked amazement of those legislators. Regular business stopped. So how did it all turn out? Dismantling of price controls was delayed by three months. Moving the power structure was not going to be simple.

"I became an activist to fight for the responsibility of every citizen to participate in political decisions. The League of Women Voters fits this view of mine."

Concerned Black Women elect new officers

Members of Concerned Black Women held its annual meeting on Monday, June 9, at the Calvert Library Prince Frederick.

New officers elected were: President Annette Funn; Recording Secretary Randi Parker; Corresponding Secretary Robin Johnson and Treasurer Nicole Cooksey.

CBW is a nonprofit and tax exempt organization with a mission to address issues including health, education, housing and economic well being of African-American women and their families. Membership is open to all who support its mission.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, CBW will sponsor its second annual Salute to Excellence award program and its fifth anniversary celebration at the Holiday Inn Select-Solomons. More details will follow soon.

For information about CBW programs and joining the organization, call 410-586-8883. Written correspondences may be sent to P.O. Box 927 at Prince Frederick, MD 20678.

Wallville School receives grant for education program

Harry Wedewer, the president of the Friends of the Old Wallville School Inc., a Calvert County nonprofit organization, recently announced that the group had been awarded a $4,000 grant from the PNC Bank Foundation and the Maryland Humanities Council.

According to a press release, the grant has been awarded under the PNC Foundation Legacy Project and will support the implementation by the Friends, in partnership with Calvert County public schools, of an interpretive program at the historic Old Wallville School. The Old Wallville School is the last standing one-room school used to educate African-American students during the period of segregation in Calvert County. Specifically, the grant will support three components of the interpretive program. These include student research on the history of segregation in Calvert County and attending classes at the school, interviews with county citizens who experienced segregation and placement of those interviews in podcast format on the Friends of the Old Wallville School Web site (oldwallvilleschool.org), and development of an interpretive guide for future use.

The interpretive program will commence at the Old Wallville School in the fall semester and will conclude in December. The PNC Foundation Legacy Project grant was awarded to the Friends of the Old Wallville School following competition with other nonprofit organizations throughout Maryland.