thursday,august 8, 2013 - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

CommunityThe County TimesThursday, August 8, 2013 28The St. Mary’s County Health Department is offeringa series of free smoking cessation classes to St. Mary’sCounty residents who are 18 years and older. Classes areoffered one hour per week for eight weeks, along withfree medication to assist participants with quitting. Theseclasses provide group support and understanding which areimportant in the quitting process. Class participants willgain knowledge about their smoking habits, along with behavioralmodifications, stress management and quit smokingtechniques.The next smoking cessation class is scheduled to beginAug. 13 at the Health Department, with other sessions28th AnnualChaptico ClassicRace & WalkHealth Department Offers FreeAssistance To Quit SmokingStart the last weekend in August off with a bang anda race or stroll along scenic country roads. The 28th annualrunning of the Chaptico Classic, described by RunningTimes as “one of the best county road races,” will take placeon Saturday, August 31. Registration begins at 7 a.m. andraces start at 8 a.m.Run a 5K or 10K T.A.C. certified course to score anaward -- prizes will be awarded to the top male and femaleracers in several age categories for each event -- or walk forthe fun of it. Everyone will take home a commemorativet-shirt and other goodies and enjoy healthy snacks. Whileyou’re at it, you’ll be supporting Southern Maryland charities.This year the race will benefit St. Mary’s Caring, MaryLou Gough Food Pantry at Our Lady of the Wayside Church,Three Oaks Shelter, and Southern Maryland Caring Network.Registration is $30 ($35 on race day) and $15 for highschool runners. Pre-register by visiting www.active.com,calling 301-475-2886, e-mailing info@chapticoclassic.org, orsign up beginning at 7:00 a.m. on the day of the race. Downloada course map, view past winners, and learn more aboutthe race at www.chapticoclassic.org.Join us on August 31 at Christ Episcopal Church ParishHall (37497 Zach Fowler Road, Chaptico) and run, walk,boogey, or crawl for the common good in the 28th annualChaptico Classic.scheduled throughout the fall and winter in the Leonardtownand Lexington Park areas. To register for classes,please call 301-475-4316, or visit www.smchd.org to learnmore about upcoming classes and locations.Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene(DHMH) also offers the Maryland Tobacco Quitline,a free, confidential and anonymous resource to help smokersachieve their goal of quitting. The Quitline provides a“Quit Coach”, a professional trained to assist with quittingtobacco use by creating a personalized plan for each individual.Quit Coaches are available seven days a week, from8 a.m. to 3 a.m., to provide encouragement and offer adviceSheriff’s Office Receives 3rdAward of AccreditationThe Saint Mary’s County Sheriff’s Officeis proud to announce the receipt of their3rd Award of Accreditation from the Commissionon Accreditation for Law EnforcementAgencies, Inc. (CALEA). The programs,practices and policies of the agencywere reviewed in April 2013, by a team ofcertified law enforcement accreditation assessors,who submitted an excellent reportto CALEA. This report was the basis for acommission hearing in Columbus, Ohio onAugust 3rd, 2013, before a panel of four (4)executives from across the nation; all acknowledgedthe excellence of the operationsSt. Mary’s Co Sheriff’s Office, and unanimouslyagreed that this coveted internationalrecognition and award was deserved.The St. Mary’s County team was led bySheriff Timothy Cameron, who not only recognizesthe significance and importance ofAccreditation for his agency, but welcomesthe critical review and transparency of operationsthat result from it; building on communitypartnerships. An award that he stated was “hardwon, and easily lost”. The Sheriffs Office Accreditationprogram is managed by Pamela McKay; a certified CA-LEA assessor and Law Enforcement Planner, and is servingher third term as President of CRLEAA, a regionalLand Preservation WorkshopThis is the year to preserve farmland in Southern Maryland!The Southern Maryland Agricultural DevelopmentCommission (SMADC) and the Maryland EnvironmentalTrust (MET) will hold a workshop to discuss exciting opportunitiesfor land preservation in Southern Maryland.The workshop will take place at the SMECO Auditorium,15035 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville, Md. on September3 at 6 p.m.Recently, the state increased funding in the MarylandAgricultural Land Preservation Program and the RuralLegacy Program. Most significantly, the federal governmentincreased the tax break for easement donations in2013. After a donation of an easement to MET, landownersmay deduct up to 50% of adjusted gross income from theirfederal income tax and they can continue to take the deductionfor another 15 years, or until they reach the value of theeasement. Landowners may deduct up to 100% of their adjustedgross income per year if the majority of their incomecomes from farming, ranching, or forestry, until they reachthe value of the easement. In previous years, the maximumdeduction was 30% of adjusted gross income and it is likelyto be no higher than that in the foreseeable future. Informationabout the MET tax break was featured in SMADC’sweekly blog on March 21.The majority of the workshop will concentrate onMET easement donation because of the one-time jumpin the percentage of adjusted gross income deduction. Aseasement donation does not suit all landowners, informationon alternative county land preservation programs willduring moments of tobacco cravings.“Using tobacco and exposure to secondhand smokecan lead to heart problems, different types of cancer, lungdisease and death,” states Jane Dodds, Tobacco Use PreventionProgram Coordinator at the Health Department.“Although quitting may be hard and take multiple tries, thesmoking cessation classes and the DHMH Quitline do workand quitting is worth it for you and your family!”To learn more about the DHMH Quitline, please call1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit http://www.smokingstopshere.comLaw Enforcement Accreditation Alliance (MD, DE andDC).If you are interested in learning more about the AccreditationProgram of the St. Mary’s Co Sheriffs Officeor becoming involved in the process, please contact theAccreditation Office at (301)475-4200 ext. 1928.also be provided.Light refreshments will be served. Those who plan toattend should RVSP by September 28th by emailing GregBowen: gbowen@smadc.com or calling: 301-274-1922 ext.1.The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission(SMADC) is committed to: a) a market-driven and sustainable farmingfuture as Maryland transitions away from tobacco. b) a Marylandwhere farmland preservation, and environmental stewardshippositively impact the quality of our air and water and c) cultivatingawareness among consumers and leaders of the vital role our farmsplay in a balanced community, safe, nutritious food and a cleaner andhealthier environment. To learn more about additional programs andresources, contact SMADC, P. O. Box 745, Hughesville, MD 20637;phone: 301-274-1922, Ex. 1, fax: 301-274-1924; email cbergmark@smadc.com; or visit www.smadc.com.