BALTIMORE — Wherever you find children and families who needed a little extra help and support in Anne Arundel County, members of the county’s Chapter of The Continental Societies can usually be found standing beside them.
On Sunday, December 11, 2016, members of the Anne Arundel Chapter of the Continental Societies celebrated a decade of standing with children and families by hosting a banquet in honor of 14 partner organizations and individuals who have worked with them to ensure the organization’s signature programs and other initiatives continue to reach students and their families with the greatest need throughout the county.
Deborah Bailey
Members of the Anne Arundel Chapter Continental Societies, Inc., Doris Durrett and Andrea Jones Horton; Earline Wade, 1st vice president; and Hadassah Saunders, financial secretary.
“We always keep the Continental Society involved. We have two healthy initiatives that we work on with the Continental Society— The Childhood Obesity walk in May and a Healthy Eating, Healthy Living and Healthy Lifestyles for African American women,” said Rosalind Hill-Kane, a Magothy United Methodist Church Health Fair Co-ordinator and one of the evening’s honorees.
Daryl Jones, an attorney and former Anne Arundel County Councilman who represented the Brooklyn Park community says that the Continental Societies initiatives symbolize the role of community leadership in developing solutions to civic challenges.
“While it’s important for government to be involved with communities, it’s more important for people to be involved with people,” Jones said.
“Tonight’s event is consistent with the Continentals’ message of getting into the community,” Jones said. “Of showing the very principle of not waiting for government to give people a hand-out, but taking the lead to find solutions in the community.”
Delegate Ned Carey, elected to Maryland State District 31 in 2014 noted that the evening was memorable because the Continental Societies were the first organization to recognize his work to support children and families in Anne Arundel County.
“We’ve been able to work together to support children and families in a variety of settings,” Casey said. Tonight will always be special to me because honestly, this is the first organization that has recognized my efforts since I was elected to the House.”
Past National President and Guest Speaker, Dr. Florence Blount-Davis honored the Anne Arundel chapter for their award winning program, “Boys, Books and Barbershops, ” which encourages African-American males to read by partnering with Anne Arundel County’s African-American barbers.
“The barbers who work with us turn off the television when children come and give them one of our books to read,” said Christine Davenport, Continental Society event 10-year Anniversary Event coordinator.
Davenport says the decision to honor community partners exceeded their expectations.
“We have really made an impact in Anne Arundel County. We’re enjoying ourselves and we’re enjoying what we are doing to help the kids. Last year, we touched served more than 1200 and more than 5200 children in our reading program,” Davenport said.
All honorees are listed at: www.baltimoretimes-online.com.