Help Calvert Crusade continue its mission for children

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

The Calvert Crusade for Children Inc. and collaborating agencies and organizations welcomed more than 100 youth and adults to the Citizen Summit II in Support of Children and Youth.

Local professional organizations manned booths providing information to parents and youth regarding services and resources available for a variety of issues common to families and neighborhoods.

We give thanks for the generosity of business owners, service provider professionals, youth and individuals without whom this event could not have occurred, with specific appreciation to PNC Bank, ShowPlace Arena, Elks Lodge No. 2620, Mike King and Radio Shack, to local food providers Bob Evans and Crystal Palace restaurants, Dreamweaver Cafe and Catering, Du Paul's Catering, Expressions Catering, Jerry's Place and Saphron Restaurants, Taco Bell, Pat Gitlin and Starbucks.

Service providers included Alternatives for Youth; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Calvert County Public Library; Calvert Hospice and Judy Fields, photographer; Career Puppy and Gwen Schiada and Stephanie Cosby; Crisis Intervention Center; Even Start; Family Resource Center; Head Start; Southern Maryland Child Care Resource Center; Southern Maryland Community Network and service clubs; American Association of University Women; Circle of Angels; League of Women Voters; Optimist Club of Solomons.

Youth representatives included Justin Astafanous, Isaiah Brewer, Kayla Bush, Christopher Crunkleton, Craig Fabina, Marie Fields, G.S. Fraher, Darius Garner, T.J. Garner, Jessica Jefferson, Maryn Jordan, Meah McCoy, Steven Messink, Jessica Norwood, Jessica Phelps, Kristen Sellers, Shlanda Stewart, Shonda Stewart, Chasity Tyson, Nicole Wedge and Briana Wilkerson.

The Youth Choir of Brooks United Methodist Church, with Larraine Jones, choir director, provided uplifting song and music; Emily Bowen led participants in joyful noise.

A panel of Calvert County students and former students, beginning with Chasity Tyson, Calvert High School and Kayla Bush, Calvert Middle School students, spoke about their experiences growing up in Calvert County and attending CCPS; to Justin Astafanous, elected student member of the Calvert County Board of Education, to Ashley Stewart, a former Calvert Crusade Youth Council member and 1998 Calvert County public schools graduate who graduated from Georgetown University and became a Department of State Foreign Service Officer, now with Johns Hopkins University; to a 1961 Calvert County public schools graduate, Robert Poling, who has retired from his career as a CIA analyst.

Poling contrasted his time of graduation when Calvert County was the third poorest county in Maryland, to the present when U.S Census Bureau recently reported that Calvert County is the sixth richest county (measured by median family income) in the nation.

Today, we do have the resources to do what is right for our children and youth. It is up to us to make sure those county resources are properly apportioned where they will do the most good.

Comments provided in the evaluation of the event included: "I really enjoyed it and I look forward to coming back;" "Good experience overall. Youth in groups were outstanding and had great ideas;" "I think that this experience, and this meeting was very positive and we covered a lot of ground on our issue;" "I was unaware of many of the programs available so I found the summit informative;" "Amazingly efficient, fun, and productive event;" "Great, exciting, and inspiring."

The purpose of the event was best summed up by one comment: "A learning experience. Better ideas for real solutions. Better priorities for action."

The Calvert Crusade for Children and Calvert's Promise Collaborative will use the unique information received from the small group discussions, and working with interested Calvert youth and adults, will further plan and bring into action many of the ideas shared during this event.

To bring these ideas to fruition, all county secondary school youth, families and adults are invited to attend the first of ongoing monthly planning for action sessions on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Courthouse Square building, corner of Duke and Main Streets in Prince Frederick.

You are most welcome whether or not you attended the Citizen Summit II.

This is a whole county gathering to support children and youth. Each person's love, skills and time is so very valuable in the lives of our newest generation.

For further information, contact the Calvert Crusade for Children at 410-286-8300, or by e-mail at calvertcrusade@chesapeake.net, or go to the Web site at www.calvertkids.org.

Marie Andrews, Prince Frederick

The writer is the president of the Calvert Crusade for Children.