The Fishers of Men program got its start in 1998 to give bass fishing tournament enthusiasts a chance to enjoy their sport while sharing a message of Christianity, and its Legacy Series’ focus on reaching out to young people is coming to Southern Maryland.

The Legacy Series teams an adult with someone younger than 18, perhaps a parent with a son or daughter, but “the relationships may vary,” according to Sharon Shaw, the assistant director for the events scheduled for two Saturdays, April 27 and July 13, at Smallwood State Park in Charles County. The events each will begin on the Friday evening before, at Marbury Baptist Church.

“We provide a really nice meal for the teens,” Shaw said, along with “an inspirational guest speaker who shares the Gospel to all the families.”

The Friday evening meetings also will present the children with door prizes, other giveaways and 50 bonus points toward the next day’s fishing tournament. The teams of adult and child will go home or stay in a nearby motel before arriving on Saturday at the park, where it’s all about the children catching, weighing and claiming prizes on stage for their fish.

“The families all come out because they want to see their children weighing their fish,” Shaw said.

To register, call 301-481-5316 or go online to www.fomntt.com/legacy.

Spring dinner set at firehouse

The Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a spring dinner, featuring stuffed ham and fried oysters, from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, March 2, at the firehouse’s social hall. For more information, call 301-373-2227.

Art show will open on Saturday

An art show opening and reception will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. this Saturday, March 2, at The Furniture Gallery of Prince Frederick. The show featuring artists Lonnie Harkins, Carmelo Ciancio, Beverly Jackson, Mark Hayes, Pam Callen, Linda Sanborn, Iris Hall-Willey and Mary Blumberg will run through May 4, at the Fox Run Shopping Center.

Dance on March 9 in Chaptico

A contra dance sponsored by Southern Maryland Traditional Music and Dance, featuring caller Ann Fallon, will be held on Saturday, March 9, at Christ Episcopal Church’s parish hall at 37497 Zach Fowler Road in Chaptico. The doors will open at 7 p.m., and the dancing will begin at 7:30. Contra is a traditional American style of social dance. Beginners are encouraged to arrive at 7 to get some instruction in the various dances. There will be an ice cream social following the dance. For more information and directions, go online to www.smtmd.org.

Take ‘green card’ class on March 13

The St. Mary’s Soil Conservation District will sponsor the Responsible Personnel Certification for Erosion and Sediment Control “Green Card” Class, to be held at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at the St. Mary’s Agricultural Service Center’s conference room at 26737 Radio Station Way in Leonardtown.

State law requires that any responsible personnel involved in grading or other soil disturbing activities be knowledgeable about erosion and sediment control principles, specifications and implementation, as well as to have a certificate of attendance at a Maryland Department of the Environment’s approved training program.

The registration deadline is Friday, March 8. For more information, call Haley Carter at 301-475-8402, ext. 3, send email to haley.carter@stmarysscd.com or go online to www.stmarysscd.com.

Buy tickets today for women’s banquet

The 2013 Women’s History Month Banquet, featuring keynote speaker Barbara Bell, NAVAIR’s first female program manager, will be presented by the St. Mary’s County Commission for Women at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, at the Dr. James Forrest Career and Technology Center in Leonardtown.

This year’s theme is “Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.”

The commission will recognize outstanding charitable and civic service to the community by awarding the 2013 Woman of the Year and 2013 Woman of Tomorrow awards. Ella May Russell, director of St. Mary’s County Department of Social Services, will be the recipient of the commission’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Russell also serves as president and one of the founders of Health Share of St. Mary’s, which works with the low-income, uninsured and under-insured adult population in St. Mary’s County.

Bell, an engineer and retired Navy captain, worked in air traffic control and combat identification system program. She now specializes in executive coaching and executive leadership consulting.

The deadline for reservations is today, Friday, March 1. To reserve a seat at the banquet, complete a ticket reservation form on the Commission for Women’s website at www.co.saint-marys.md.us/voluntr/women.asp, or call St. Mary’s Department of Aging and Human Services, Division of Human Services, at 301-475-4200, ext. 1849. Proceeds from the banquet will go to the Jane Hale Sypher Scholarship at the College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown campus.

Join fire and rescue responders

St. Mary’s residents who have what it takes to be a volunteer member of their fire department or rescue squad are being sought by St. Mary’s County Emergency Services to help give back to their community through critical, life-saving services.

A recruitment drive will be held this month for anyone who wants to learn how to help. The drive will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Station 22 firehouse on Therese Road in Golden Beach, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad’s building on Old Flora Corner Road, and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 15, at the fire department’s firehouse on Hills Club Road in Mechanicsville.

For more information about the drive or becoming a volunteer member, call the St. Mary’s County Emergency Services recruiter at 301-475-4200, ext. 2114, or send email to emergencyservices@stmarysmd.com.

Marathon returns March 10 by Potomac

The Lower Potomac River Marathon, presented by the Chesapeake Bay Running Club and hosted by the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, will return for its ninth running on March 10.

The event’s organizers report that they expect 200 runners and their supporters to arrive from around the country, as well as from overseas, to compete in the scenic race along the Potomac River, and enjoy the best of Southern Maryland hospitality. This year’s field includes runners from England and Bermuda.

Top runners will compete for modest cash prizes, and age-group awards will be presented to the top three finishers in 10-year divisions. The field is approaching capacity and is expected to fill before race day.

Three-time and defending champion Michael Wardian, 38, of Arlington, Va., will be back at the starting line, along with defending bronze medalist John Piggott, 47, of Williamsburg, Va.

Wardian, an Olympic trials qualifier, made running news with his 2011 win at Piney Point. Fully decked out as Spiderman, he finished the marathon in 2 hours, 34 minutes and 56 seconds, setting a new Guinness World Record for Fastest Marathon in a Superhero Costume.

Piggott logged three consecutive wins in the marathon’s first three years and held the course record of 2:33:05 until 2010, when Paul Riley of Madison, Wis., won the race in 2:31:28.

Top local runners include Brandon Demers of Leonardtown, making his marathon debut. Demers will be challenged by David Raley of Mechanicsville, running his third marathon. Demers outkicked Raley by 58 seconds at the Lower Potomac River Ten-Mile Run last October, to win the race in 56:59.

The top-seeded female runner is Katie Ogden of Owings, who ran 3:07 at the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon.

The Lower Potomac River Marathon benefits the Chesapeake Bay Field Lab and Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, and is supported by Pax Velo, Pax Tri Club, St. Mary’s County Amateur Radio Association, St. Mary’s County Emergency Medical Services and the 2nd District Volunteer Rescue Squad.

For more information, go online to Chesapeake Bay Running Club’s website, at www.cbrcmd.org.

Academy’s trustees back yearbook work

The Charlotte Hall School Board of Trustees recently donated $5,000 to the College of Southern Maryland’s Southern Maryland Studies Center for its efforts to digitize the Charlotte Hall Military Academy’s yearbooks from 1909 through 1976. The yearbooks from 1954 through 1976 have been completed and will be available to view through the academy’s Alumni Association website, www.chma.org, in October. The studies center also has a collection on the academy that dates back to its establishment in 1774.

Don’t send fire into the skies

The state fire marshal’s office reports that airborne “sky lanterns” are prohibited in Maryland, a warning issued by the agency in light of the calls it regularly receives from the public concerning the use of the aerial luminaries.

Typically constructed with oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, the lanterns are released into the atmosphere after a candle or fuel cell is ignited, the agency reports, causing the trapped air inside the device to become heated and the lantern to rise upward and float away with the upper air currents. Once aloft, the lanterns may travel significant distances away from their release site and return to earth, often before the flame is fully extinguished.

The lanterns can land on ignitable materials, the agency reports, and the potential for an uncontrolled fire to occur involving a structure or vegetation poses a serious threat to safety.

jwharton@somdnews.com