Lawmakers, Veterans Affairs Secretary Distribute Toiletries at Veterans’ Home
Top Maryland officials turned up at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in St. Mary’s County Monday to distribute toiletries and other sundries to the assisted living facility’s hundreds of residents.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers and Maryland Secretary of Veterans Affairs George W. Owings III were on hand. The event was sponsored by the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Maryland General Assembly Veterans Caucus. Del. Michael J. Rogers (D-Anne Arundel), a member of both caucuses and a retired Army colonel, spearheaded the initiative.
Del. Darryl Barnes (D-Prince George’s), the chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, speaks outside the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home after he and colleagues delivered toiletries to the residents of the state-owned facility. Photo courtesy of Del. Michael J. Rogers
Del. Darryl Barnes (D-Prince George’s), the Black Caucus chairman, Del. Brian Crosby (D-St. Mary’s) and Dels. Charlotte Crutchfield (D-Montgomery) and Patrick Young (D-Baltimore County) also attended. Sen. Jack Bailey (R-St. Mary’s) could not make it, but he was one of the organizers.
With family members unable to visit veterans living at Charlotte Hall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers spent 10 days collecting items to distribute at the facility, based on the needs identified by Charlotte Hall officials.
Rogers said he and his colleagues felt called to find new ways to honor traditions while staying safe and protecting some of America’s most vulnerable populations.
“What a wonderful way to kick start Military Appreciation Month in Maryland,” he said.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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