We’re off to a late start with Hearts of the Shore, but we look forward to bringing you another year of nonprofit events and news on the Lower Shore. We’re also proud to welcome back our sponsor – Seaside Plumbing. Be sure to call Seaside for all your plumbing and gas services: 410-641-1368.

Wanted: Your ideas on how to improve services for Lower Shore seniors

Series of virtual town hall-style meetings planned

Salisbury –  MAC wants your ideas!

MAC, Inc., the Area Agency on Aging, will hold a series of virtual town hall-style meetings, seeking input from the community on how to improve services for senior citizens throughout the Lower Shore.

Seize the opportunity to share your thoughts! Town hall meetings are scheduled as follows:

Somerset County: Thursday, March 25, 2-3 p.m.
Worcester County: Thursday, April 1, 2-3 p.m.

Wicomico County: Thursday, April 8, 2-3 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.
Dorchester County: Thursday, April 15, 2-3 p.m.

Advance registration is a must to attend any of the virtual meetings. For more information or to register, contact Nancy Gompers at ngompers@macinc.org or call her at 410-742-0505, Ext. 131.

It may seem cold and rainy, but spring is just around the corner. As we warm up our nonprofits are warming up too and we’ll start to see more events. Look on our events page often to see what is going on and what is coming up. If we’re all careful, we’ll have this COVID beat and enjoy a wonderful and enjoyable summer.

Please don’t forget that Tuesday, December 1, is ‘Giving Tuesday’. Our local nonprofits have been struggling this year as the pandemic has severely limited their ability to raise money at the same time that the demand for their services has, in many case, increased. The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has again this year hosted the Shore Gives More website to help our local nonprofits raise money.

Show your generosity by visiting the Shore Gives More website, finding one or more charity that appeals to you and donate as generously as you are able.

Don’t forget that, this year only, the CARES Act allows up to $300 deduction for charitable donations on top of the standard deduction.

Furnace Town Historic Site is a treasure of Worcester County. Located near Snow Hill, Furnace Town is a collection of historic buildings and artisans’ studios located around the Nassawango Iron Furnace. While the Covid crisis and some other issues have set Furnace Town back a bit, it is poised to again become a vibrant reminder of the history of Worcester County and the Lower Shore and a gateway to the natural beauty and the trails of Pocomoke Forest. Plan to visit Furnace Town as it re-opens and consider becoming a member.

The Village Furnace town contains many historic buildings that are evocative of life in Worcester during the 19th century and display the technologies and trades that our ancestors used in their everyday lives. Among the buildings are:

• The Broom House, a small building that originally housed strawberry pickers in the 19th century and was converted to broom making in the late 19th century. It contains the original equipment used by broom-makers including a ‘kicker wonder’ and a ‘broom vise’ which are still in working order. Depending on availability, you may be able to purchase one of the hand-made brooms at the gift shop.
• The Mt. Zion One Room School House, is a wonderful example of the type of schoolhouse common on the Eastern Shore and much of America during the 19th century. It is fully equipped with desks, a coal stove, blackboards and many other artifacts. It is a good example of the kind of school our ancestors attended.
• The Old Nazareth Church was a country Methodist Church from 1870 to the mid-20th century. After the Church ceased to be used by the Methodist Conference, heirs of the original Trustees donated it to Furnace Town Foundation, Inc. The building was moved to Furnace Town in 1980. It is a beautiful church building, completely furnished and well-kept.
• The Print Shop. A variety of presses are used in the Print Shop to produce broadsides, notices and forms. The printer sets each letter upside down and backward so that the text will be correct once it is printed. Exhibit items include a foot pedal operated platen press, a screw press and proof presses. Wooden type cases have handset metal and wood type. A variety of wood block designs augment the many fonts available. These are typical of print technology in the late 19th century.
• The Weave House. Two historic treadle looms almost fill the Weaver’s House, which includes a warping board, triangle loom, carders and more tools of the weaving trade. Both looms are used in making rugs, table runners, placemats, hot mats, mug rugs and tote bags. The triangle loom is used to make shawls.
• Woodworkers’ Shop. This building, dating from 1850 was donated by Lester Shockley. Ernest Glaser, a master craftsman and furniture maker who lived in Snow Hill, donated everything in his woodworking shop including over 3000 historic tools for use in the shop. Today the shop is a tribute to Mr. Glaser’s faith in the project, showing and using early power tools as well as the hand tools of a master craftsman and a gentleman. This is a rare opportunity to see the ingenious tools used by the craftsmen of the day and how they worked.
• Nassawango Iron Furnace This amazing structure is a National Historic Landmark. The Nassawango Iron Furnace was erected in 1830 by the Maryland Iron Company to smelt iron from the bog ore formations in the immediate vicinity. It is the only furnace in Maryland ever to make extensive use of bog ore. It operated only until 1849. The furnace produced about 700 tons of iron per year using local bog iron ore and, in place of limestone, used crushed clam and oyster shells shipped up the Pocomoke River and Nassawango Creek to the site. The finished iron was shipped out the same way. It’s an amazing example of early industry on the Eastern Shore.
• Blacksmith Shop. The blacksmith shop is a working blacksmith shop and used by the local Blacksmith Guild to demonstrate blacksmithing techniques. The shop includes a forge, anvil and numerous tools. Item’s produced in the shop are for sale in the museum store.
• Other Buildings. There are many other buildings and gardens to demonstrate 19th century life.

Consider a visit to Furnace Town. It’s a remarkable collection of buildings, gardens and tools showing 19th century life. You can learn more at their website by clicking HERE.

The Covid-19 crisis has presented difficult problems for many of our Lower Shore nonprofit organizations. Just as demand for many of their services has increased, donations have fallen and fundraising events have been shut down. Here are some of the many deserving organizations that you might consider helping.

With so many people out of work and food becoming costlier and scarcer, hunger is a growing concern. The Maryland Food Bank is working to feed those who are in need and distribute food to food pantries across the state. Their Eastern Shore location in Salisbury is very active, distributing food to more than 200 food pantries and partners on the Eastern Shore. Learn more about the Maryland Food Bank and their Salisbury location by clicking HERE. Your donation will help them support those in need on the Eastern Shore.

The Worcester County Developmental Center continues to operate through this crisis providing meaningful employment and residential living to people with intellectual disabilities. Their need is great as they have lost many fundraising activities but cannot abandon or cut back their critical services. Consider making a donation to support their activities or purchasing some of their beautiful and natural glycerin soaps. You can see the selection and make a purchase HERE. Learn more about the programs and activities of Worcester County Developmental Center by clicking HERE.

The Recover Resource Center in Salisbury is continuing to operate their Safe Station for those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction and seeking help. You can learn more and contribute by clicking HERE.

The homeless are suffering more than most in this crisis. Hope and Life Outreach in Salisbury is continuing to serve the homeless there. Along with many other organizations, they have had to close their thrift shop until things improve, thus cutting off a significant portion of their income. Click HERE to see what they are doing and how to support their program.

Worcester Youth and Family Services is providing food and family care supplies to needy families in the Berlin area. Like many other nonprofits, they have had to cancel fundraising events and need donations to support their operations. Click HERE to learn about them and donate to their programs.

There are dozens of other nonprofits that need your help. Please consider donating to your favorite local nonprofit during this difficult time to help them survive and to provide necessary services to those in need.

The Holiday Season is upon us and there are lots of events coming up in December. Take a look at our calendar to see which might appeal to you.

Holiday Season is also the season of giving and the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – Giving Tuesday – gives us all an early opportunity to support the local nonprofit of our choice. So don’t forget, Tuesday, December 3, go to Shoregivesmore.org, the local ‘Giving Tuesday’ website maintained by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore with support from Shorebank and ABC47 TV. There you can select the nonprofit(s) of your choice and make a generous donation to support the good work they all do for us all year.

And while you’re at Shoregivesmore.org, don’t forget to donate to Lower Shore Support Services – the parent organization of Hearts of the Shore. We can’t keep going without your support.

Crisfield is the southernmost town in Maryland and, in many ways, a town built on seafood. For more than 300 years, the Crisfield area has been known for its seafood especially including Maryland blue crabs and Chesapeake Bay oysters.

On September 28th, the Crisfield Heritage Foundation is hosting the ‘Taste of Crisfield’ giving all of us a chance to sample some of the delicacies for which Crisfield is justly famous. There will be soft-shell crabs, hard-shell crabs and oysters as well as the famous Smith Island cake and hot dogs and burgers. Evolution Craft Brewing will have beer for you to enjoy while you watch the boat docking demonstration, see the softshell crab molting tanks and other demonstrations and activities.

It’s a great event that will give you a better understanding of this part of the Eastern Shore. More information is HERE.

Smith Island is Maryland’s only inhabited offshore island. Its three communities have existed for hundreds of years with their only real connection to the mainland being the ferry to Crisfield. This is your opportunity to visit the island, learn something about their community and unique culture and enjoy a wonderful Smith Island dinner. You will cruise to Smith Island aboard the Chelsea Lane Tyler, have dinner at the Smith Island Cultural Center while checking out some of the unique silent auction items and then return to Crisfield aboard the Chelsea Lane Tyler.

This is an amazing experience and the cost is only $55 a person. More information can be found HERE.

For the 15th year, the Art League of Ocean City is presenting the Sand Castle Home Tour. This is your opportunity to see inside of some of the most interesting and wonderful houses in Ocean City!

From Ocean Front to Bayside, Ocean City features some remarkable homes. A modest investment of $30 will get you inside these homes with a program that provides additional information about each one.

This event supports the Art League of Ocean City and allows them to keep bringing art to local residents and visitors year-round. More information HERE.