Be Part of LSM 2014 Oyster Reef Build

 The Spat Pac Invites You To Help Leave A Legacy of Cleaner Water

A group of LSM 2014 class members has decided to focus on making a direct impact on local water quality by undertaking an oyster reef installation in the St. Mary’s River.

Filter-feeding oysters aid in the clean-up of our local watershed and contribute to a healthier Chesapeake Bay. Classmates Ray Dodson, Bob Lewis, Beverly Brown, Holly Meyer, Joe Klausner, Rebecca Bridgett, Jeff Lehnertz, Michelle Ruble, MaryAnne Bowman and Carrie Kelly have made replenishing the oyster population their Legacy Project, with a goal of ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy the beautiful waterways which surround the Southern Maryland region.

Bob Lewis, Executive Director of the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association, knows a thing or two about building oyster reefs and has worked with numerous groups to create a three-dimensional habitat in the river’s sanctuary.

The LSM classmates have dubbed themselves ‘The Spat Pac’ and have set the pace committing their own financial support and volunteer hours to create an oyster reef, complete with spat, or infant oysters, on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Fellow classmates have already jumped on board to help and the group hopes LSM 

alumni and board members will join them in their eco-conscious efforts. They ask for a $30 contribution and welcome volunteers to meet them on the waterfront at St. Mary’s College of Maryland to be part of something lasting and beneficial for our community.

Volunteers age 11 and up should wear work clothes and footwear which covers the feet.  The Watershed Association will provide life jackets, gloves and food.

Heavy-duty wheelbarrows are needed and participants will meet at Barry Friedman’s, 47171 Snow Hill Manor Road at 9 a.m.

For more information on oyster reefs and their vital role in the health of the watershed, visit www.smrwa.org. You can make your tax deductible $30 donation via PayPal by clicking HERE.

Foul weather date is Sunday, Nov. 17.

Please RSVP and send any inquiries to leadershipsomd@gmail.com. We hope you’ll be part of revitalizing the mighty oyster in the St. Mary’s River with us.

LSM 2014 Schedule: Upcoming Program Dates

November 21, 2013 Defense

December, 2013 No Program Scheduled                                                        

January 16, 2014 Public Safety                                                      

February 20, 2014 Health Care

March 6, 2014 Housing & Human Services

March 20, 2014 Education

April 10, 2014 Economic & Workforce Development

May 1 & 2, 2014 Multi-Culturalism; Wrap-up & Graduation

* More specific information/changes will be posted as needed

Mark Your Calendars for a Leadership Hike

LSM Hike

Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m.



Barb Bausch, LSM '10, is coordinating a chance to connect and reconnect with LSM members while enjoying the nature trails at Calvert Cliffs State Park. She invites you to share your leadership ideas and experiences, build on energies that brought you to LSM.

The planned hike is approximately 5 miles, roundtrip, and leads to the Bay through the enchanting forest. The terrain has some rolling hills. Active walkers will be very comfortable on the trail and most would rate the hike as easy to moderate. The pace of the hike is to enjoy each other's company.

Bring snacks or lunch to enjoy during a break where the group can enjoy the view of the Bay and a chance to hunt for fossils.

Approximate time for event is 3 hours. Children able to hike the 5 miles are welcome too.

There is a $5 per car entry fee to the state park. For more information on the park, click HERE.

To RSVP or get more details, contact Barb at bausch23@gmail.com

You're Invited: The Patuxent Partnership Annual Meeting

Please consider attending The Patuxent Partnership's Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 30th at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. 8 a.m. check-in and coffee; 8:30 TPP Annual Report; 9 a.m. Presentations; 10 a.m. Conclusion.

Featured Speakers include:

Dr. Rebecca Bridgett, St. Mary's County Administrator & LSM 2014 Class Member

Dr. Brad Gottfried, President, College of Southern Maryland

Jeffrey Silberschlag, Music Director & Conductor, Chesapeake Orchestra & River Concert Series

Registration is required for this free event. Click HERE to reserve your seat.

The Patuxent Partnership works with government, industry and academia on initiatives in science and technology, hosts programs of interest to NAVAIR and the broader DoD community, supports workforce development including education initiatives and professional development.  Visit www.paxpartnership.org for more information.

Dominion Generously Supports LSM Mission

Dominion's Mark Reasner (center) presents a $5,000 donation to Leadership Southern Maryland's Executive Director Karen Holcomb and Board of Directors President Bert Johnston. Current class members toured the Dominion Cove Point LNG Facility and the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant October 17 as part of this year's 2-day Energy & Environment Program. 

Welcome LSM Class of 2014

Thirty-seven classmates from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties got to know each other and began Leadership Southern Maryland’s nine-month leadership program during a two-day orientation at Hilton Garden Inn of Solomons on September 16 and 17.

Class of 2014 will be the sixth class to step into this world of individual retrospect, leadership philosophy and application, and community collaboration.

To kick-start the program, Eliot Pfansteihl got participants engaged in self-awareness and team building activities, requiring them to be up, out of their seats, and willing to make quick decisions and answer his on-the-spot questions. Pfansteihl is the CEO of the Strathmore, the founding President of Maryland Leadership Workshops and the program facilitator for Leadership Maryland. He has been an integral part of Leadership Southern Maryland since its inception.

These 14 men and 23 women, all leading professionals from various industries and organizations within Southern Maryland, took part in several complex discussions and group activities geared toward building an atmosphere of openness and respect since classmates will share many learning experiences in coming months.

The group will delve even deeper into the strengths and problems in their respective counties and at the regional level, taking a closer look at critical issues during the Energy & Environment, Defense, Public Safety, Healthcare, Housing & Human Services, Education, Economic & Workforce Development, and Multiculturalism portions of the program.

A reception at Calvert Marine Museum and a second social at the Ruddy Duck allowed more time to interact with each other as well as LSM alumni, board and council members. Class of 2014 were also given an opportunity to speak directly to a panel of county commissioners where they asked hard-hitting questions about business growth and diversity, the counties’ communication with base personnel and infrastructure. The group was treated to a comprehensive, yet comedic Economic Overview presentation by guest speaker Anirban Basu, Chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc.

Executive Director Karen Holcomb commented this year’s class included the highest number of Charles County participants to date. “They’re an active and vocal group, so it will be a great class, I’m sure,” Holcomb stated.

LSM Board of Directors President Bert Johnston told the group, “Really getting to know each other is one of the best things you’ll take away from this experience.”

Free Public Lecture from Renowned American Nature Writer Tom Horton

Is the Future a "Chesapeake Style" Bay?

Thursday, October 10
Cole Cinema , 8 p.m.St. Mary's College of Maryland

FREE ADMISSION
PUBLIC INVITED

      Crab cakes are sometimes advertised as ‘ Chesapeake style’ when they are made from crabs harvested elsewhere. What ‘kind’ of Chesapeake Bay do we want as a consequence of conservation and restoration? This public lecture explores the nature of the Bay, our effort to regain what has been lost, and whether the Bay will bear any resemblance to its former self.

      Supported by the Lecture and Fine Arts Committee, St. Mary’s College of Maryland .

      Tom Horton is a Professor of Practice in Environmental Studies. His areas of expertise include Chesapeake Bay politics, cultures, science, nature writing, journalism and experiential education. Horton is one of the most respected nature writers in the US , winner of the John Burroughs Award for the best book of nature writing in 1988, as well as the David Brower award from the Sierra Club, and other awards from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Audubon Society. He is the author of eight books about Chesapeake Bay and covered the environment for the Baltimore Sun for 35 years. In addition to teaching courses about Chesapeake Bay and nature writing at SU, Horton is a freelance nature writer, working for National Geographic, Rolling Stone, the New York Times Magazine, Chesapeake Bay Magazine and others. He recently paddled his kayak 550 miles around the Delmarva Peninsula and co-teaches a summer kayaking/camping course, "Exploring Delmarva: A Water's-Eye View."