Art Exhibits, Clean Ups, Helping Youths, Improving Health Care

Sometimes life moves fast and furious with too many events happening without enough time to attend them all! My calendar is evidence to this since May arrived. Here’s a look at my latest observations from “around town.”

Young Artists on Display in Essex Library

There is some fabulous artwork on the walls of the Essex Library's youth area. Through the efforts of some very special students from Holabird Middle School, the library is now the proud recipient of these posters. The library is looking forward to an exciting working relationship with these young folks. Their art “exhibit” will be on display over the next couple of months. Be sure to stop by and check it out.

Cleaning Up Back River

On the shoreline of a waterfront empty lot, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, other elected officials and our energetic environmental supporters met to finalize a plan geared toward a “trash free Back River watershed by 2020.”  They signed the Back River Watershed Trash Treaty.

Kamenetz also proudly announced Baltimore County’s plans to provide a $70,000 grant to the Back River Restoration Committee (BRRC) to fund the upkeep of the trash boom put into place in 2010. Kamenetz further stated that an additional $30,000 grant to BRRC will provide the funds needed to provide various community outreach programs throughout the community.  (For more on this, see Ron Snyder’s article: )

Cancer Coalition Advocates Screenings, Education

I was able to attend a meeting for the Baltimore County Cancer Coalition. 

The coalition has been around for several years and was funded by the “Cigarette Restitution Funds.” It recommends how the funds are spent. 
Diagnostic tests for breast and colon cancer are funded through this program.  Coalition membership is open to any person or organization interested in cancer prevention, education, screening, treatment, advocacy, and public health issues for Baltimore County residents.

For more details, check out the website or send me an e-mail at annarenault@ymail.com.

“Odd Fellows” Offer Youths Unique Travel Opportunity

Crossing paths with the Grand Lodge of Maryland’s Independent Order of Odd Fellows was rather enlightening. This organization was founded in Maryland in 1819 by an immigrant from England. 

The organization’s nonprofit foundation provides college scholarships, along with many other opportunities for students. In just a few weeks, the Maryland Odd Fellows will provide funds for 11 students to go on an all-expenses paid trip to Philadelphia, New York City and Niagara Falls before the teens travel to the government seat in Ontario, Canada. 

During their 12-day trip, the teens will spend three days at the United Nations.  This group may have an “odd” name, but they do wonderful things for and within our communities, especially focusing on our youth.

In Search of Quality Health Care Customer Service

Health care reform has been a major issue for the past several years; there is much division throughout America on whether the new health care initiatives are good things or not. 

While visiting with the Odd Fellows, I got to hear several stories of how they have funded necessary medical care for children from Canada who were on long waiting lists. This highlighted one of my pet peeves—getting good medical care in a place internationally known for its medical facilities.

Recently I have spent a great deal of time visiting medical facilities. While my recent visits to Franklin Square Hospital have been fun and exciting, my trip to the University of Maryland Medical Center wasn’t.

Is it fair to schedule an appointment with a patient, charge him for the visit, then tell the patient, “I have nothing to tell you. You’ll need to make another appointment to come back!” How often does this happen? Is this part of the reason why medical care is so expensive?

Have you ever had blood drawn in accordance with the doctor’s orders? Did you have a voice mail at home saying you need to return because they didn’t take enough blood? Is this another glitch that ratchets up the cost of health? 

Are there some changes needed that will not only give better patient care but also save money for all concerned? Are there other such problems that keep our medical costs soaring?