We Are Carroll Awards celebrate local philanthropy at Carroll Arts Center

We Are Carroll Awards celebrate local philanthropy at Carroll Arts Center

By Kevin Dayhoff September 23, 2026

Westminster MD – Carroll Arts Center - The Community Foundation of Carroll County celebrated the 2026 “We Are Carroll Awards: Rooted & Rising Together,” Wednesday evening, Sept. 23, at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster, bringing together community leaders, nonprofit supporters and friends of the honorees for an evening recognizing philanthropy and community service. 

Among the many community leaders who attended the awards event were Carroll County Commissioner Tom Gordon, Westminster Common Council President Tony Chiavacci, along with Westminster Councilmembers Tom Beyard, and this writer, Kevin Dayhoff. 

Also attending were former Westminster Councilmember Ann Gilbert, Westminster Director of Planning and Community Development Mark Depo, and Westminster Clerk Doug Barber, Carroll County Food Sunday Executive Director Caroline Babylon, and Jenny Graybill, the Chief Executive Office of Human Services Programs.  

The event marked the 18th year of the awards tradition, formerly known as the Philanthropists of the Year awards. 

The 2026 honorees included Captain Melvin Blizzard Jr., recipient of the Sylvia Canon Legacy Award; Andrea Gerhard and Rachel’s Bears, recipient of the Rising Star Award; and America’s Warriors Care Package Projects, recipient of the Rooted in the Community Award.

Barber, Beyard, Gilbert, Depo, Chiavacci, Babylon, and I were especially to celebrate and home our friend Andrea Gerhard, who works in the City of Westminster Planning and Community Development Department. 

Andrea Gerhard founded Rachel’s Bears from a desire to bring comfort to children receiving medical care while also honoring the memories of two people who were important in her life. 

The project began in 2019, when Gerhard was inspired to provide children with books and stuffed bears. The first donations went to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in memory of “Sweet Alexa,” a child who died from pediatric brain cancer in 2015. 

After Gerhard’s lifelong friend, Rachel Williams, died in 2022, the mission took on an additional personal meaning. Williams had been a pediatric nurse at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, and Gerhard redirected the project toward honoring both Alexa and Rachel. 

In 2023, with assistance from the Community Foundation of Carroll County, Gerhard formally established Rachel’s Bears as a nonprofit organization and a Community Foundation fund. Its mission is to provide books and plush animals to children receiving care in hospitals, offering them a tangible source of comfort during what can be a frightening and difficult experience.

What began as a small local effort has grown into a multistate program. The Community Foundation of Carroll County reported in August 2026 that, since becoming a Community Foundation fund in 2023, Rachel’s Bears had collected more than 5,500 books and bears and reached 26 hospitals in 32 states. 

The organization works with hospitals to provide age-appropriate books and stuffed animals according to their needs, with donations delivered directly to hospital partners. Earlier reporting documented the program's growth from its initial Johns Hopkins donations to partnerships with hospitals throughout the country. In 2025, Rachel’s Bears was reported to have distributed more than 3,000 book-and-bear combinations to 24 hospitals in 19 states.

The Community Foundation selected Rachel’s Bears for the 2026 We Are Carroll Rising Star Award, recognizing the continuing growth of Gerhard's effort. The foundation's account notes that Gerhard had previously received the People's Choice Award at the 2024 Carroll Biz Challenge and that the Rachel’s Bears project had repeatedly been under consideration for the Community Foundation's Rising Star recognition before receiving the 2026 award.

According to the Community Foundation, the Sylvia Canon Legacy Award recognizes an individual whose commitment to a cause has resulted in a lasting Community Foundation fund or scholarship. 

The Rising Star Award recognizes a newer fund or scholarship that has made a significant community impact, while the Rooted in the Community Award recognizes an established fund or scholarship that has consistently advanced its mission over a period of at least seven years.

The evening's theme, Rooted & Rising Together,” reflected the foundation's stated purpose of celebrating the people and organizations whose service and philanthropy contribute to Carroll County. 

The foundation said the awards provide an opportunity for the community to recognize the passion, dedication and vision of local philanthropic leaders. 

The program was held at the **Carroll Arts Center, 91 West Main Street**, with doors opening at 5 p.m., followed by the awards program and a dessert reception with the honorees. 

The Carroll County Arts Council also listed the event as a Sept. 23 community event hosted by the Community Foundation of Carroll County.

The Community Foundation reported that proceeds from the event benefit its “Audrey Cimino Legacy Fund,” which helps support the long-term sustainability of the foundation. The foundation describes its broader mission as supporting a network of more than 300 nonprofits and scholarship funds throughout Carroll County.

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+++ Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack +++ 

https://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ 

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster "Dayhoff Westminster" 

 Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer. 

 Articles on the Baltimore Sun or Carroll County Times website: 

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Dayhoff Westminster (Archived Nov. 27, 2024) https://dayhoffwestminster.blogspot.com/ 

 Kevin Dayhoff Time Flies: 

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12th annual Carroll County Food Sunday Milk Run and Stroll Brings Carroll County Together to Support Local Families

12th annual Carroll County Food Sunday Milk Run and Stroll Brings Carroll County Together to Support Local Families

September 19, 2026 by Kevin Dayhoff

WESTMINSTER, Md. — Runners, walkers, volunteers and supporters of Carroll County Food Sunday gathered Saturday morning, Sept. 19, for the 12th annual Milk Run and Stroll, a community event that combines fitness, fellowship and an important mission — helping provide supplemental nutrition to Carroll County families.

This year’s event was held at Tahoma Farm Boulder Park, 739 Tahoma Farm Road in Westminster, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K race getting underway at 8:30 a.m. The event was moved to the Wakefield Valley Community Trail because of ongoing improvements at Wakefield Park. According to Carroll County Food Sunday, the course followed paved paths on the Wakefield Valley Trail.

The race director was Frank Baylor who worked with key assistants Trish Wagman, Jenny Teeter, Steve Lamberson, and the Mussari sisters – Mary and Gina. Chris Workman and Jacquelyn Druktenis with the Westminster Police Department, and Westminster Police Officers Mike Garber, and Kenny Carlisle, helped with traffic control and runner safety. Other logistical support was provided by the Westminster Street Department.  

McDaniel College student fraternities, APO - Alpha Phi Omega, and ASP - Alpha Sigma Phi staffed the race. 

Sponsors of the 2026 Carroll County Food Sunday Milk Run included Byrdcall Studio, Whiting-Turner, Earth and Air Technologies, Tim Kyle Company, Lord Industries, Condon’s Auto Parts, Tevis, Bowman’s Feed & Pet, Wagman Engineering LLC, Atlas Restaurant Group, Tricia & Kevin Wagman, Max Realty, Miller’s Food Market, The Kahlert Foundation, Ink Splash, JeannieBird Baking Company, Baylor CAD, Vicki Engel, the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Westminster, Steve & Wendy Lambertson, Michael Rosner, and Carol and Dave Horne.

The Milk Run and Stroll offered both a 5K run and a shorter 2K — approximately 1¼ miles — option for walkers and those who preferred a more leisurely way to participate. Organizers emphasized that walkers were welcome, making the event accessible to participants of varying ages and abilities.

But the real purpose of the morning extended beyond the miles covered on the trail.

Proceeds from the Milk Run and Stroll support Carroll County Food Sunday’s milk voucher program as well as its other supplemental nutrition programs serving the Carroll County community. The milk vouchers can be redeemed at local grocery stores and are distributed to Food Sunday client families each week.

For families receiving assistance from Carroll County Food Sunday, the vouchers provide an important way to obtain milk while allowing clients to select the products that best meet their household needs. The organization also provides weekly supplemental groceries, including such staples as meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, bread and other foods.

Carroll County Food Sunday, commonly known as CCFS, is a nondenominational, nonprofit organization that is operated almost entirely by volunteers. The organization is now in its 44th year of service to Carroll County and describes its mission as providing emergency supplemental food in a manner that enhances human dignity.

The roots of the organization date to 1982, when Dominic Jollie encouraged members of the religious community to collect food during Sunday services for distribution through a countywide food-bank network. The effort eventually became incorporated as “Food Sunday.” Jollie expressed the philosophy behind the organization in simple terms: hunger in the community should concern everyone who is fortunate enough not to be hungry.

More than four decades later, that original spirit of neighbors helping neighbors remains central to the organization.

Today, Carroll County Food Sunday serves residents through locations in Westminster, Eldersburg and Taneytown. The organization reports that more than 500 families a week receive assistance through its three locations. Its client-choice approach allows eligible residents to select foods they will use, while volunteers help stock, pack and distribute the groceries.

The organization also provides milk vouchers and, during the growing season, farmers market vouchers that can be used to purchase fresh produce. These programs supplement the food distributed through the pantry and help give families greater flexibility in meeting their nutritional needs.

The Milk Run and Stroll has consequently become more than another entry on Carroll County’s busy calendar of road races and community walks. Each runner and walker who participated Saturday helped turn a morning of exercise into a tangible contribution to local families.

The event also reflects the broad community support that has helped sustain Carroll County Food Sunday for more than four decades. Its work depends heavily on volunteers and contributions from individuals, churches, civic organizations, businesses and other members of the community.

As participants completed the course Saturday morning, the significance of the event was measured not simply in 5K times or miles walked, but in the assistance those miles will help provide in the weeks ahead.

For Carroll County Food Sunday, the Milk Run and Stroll is ultimately about putting the organization’s longstanding philosophy into motion: neighbors helping neighbors.

And on Saturday morning in Westminster, that philosophy took the form of runners and walkers moving together along the Wakefield Valley Community Trail — one step at a time, and one family at a time.

 

+++ Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack +++ 

https://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ 

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster "Dayhoff Westminster" 

 Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer. 

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Dayhoff Westminster (Archived Nov. 27, 2024) https://dayhoffwestminster.blogspot.com/ 

 Kevin Dayhoff Time Flies: 

https://kevindayhoff.wordpress.com/ (November 2, 2025)

First Annual Carroll Book Festival Draws Thousands to Carroll County Farm Museum

 First Annual Carroll Book Festival Draws Thousands to Carroll County Farm Museum

September 19, 2026 by Kevin Dayhoff

 

 

WESTMINSTER, Md. — Books, authors and thousands of enthusiastic readers filled the grounds of the Carroll County Farm Museum Saturday, Sept. 19, for the first annual Carroll Book Festival, a new community wide celebration of literature that organizers had envisioned for several years.

Organizers reported that more than 5,000 people attended the inaugural festival, which featured more than 100 national bestselling and independent authors. The free, all-ages event included author signings, panel discussions, author talks, book sales, literary vendors, food trucks and activities for children. The festival was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Farm Museum on South Center Street in Westminster.

The festival represented the culmination of several years of planning by a coalition of local literary and community organizations. The event was presented by Carroll County Public Library in partnership with Park Books on Main, Penguin Random House, Carroll County Economic Development, Last Word Bookstore and the Two Sides to the Story Podcast.

Among the featured authors was Jodi Picoult, the bestselling author who headlined the festival with an author talk about her new novel, Hollow Bones. Her appearance was part of a particularly strong author lineup that included writers of fiction, mystery, romance, horror, historical fiction, children's literature and other genres. Festival organizers said roughly half of the more than 100 authors participated in panels, conversations and readings, while other authors met readers and signed books in the Author Village

.

The program also emphasized young readers. Activities included a children's character breakfast and character appearances, along with children's programming and story-related activities. The festival's outdoor setting spread programming across several areas of the Farm Museum, allowing visitors to move between author presentations, signing areas and vendors throughout the day.

The Carroll Book Festival grew from discussions that began around 2021 about creating a major literary event for Carroll County. Formal planning began in 2025, with organizers working with publishers, authors, bookstores and community organizations to develop a festival capable of bringing more than 100 authors and thousands of readers together in Westminster.

The festival's organizers also credited a broad group of sponsors and community partners for helping make the inaugural event possible. The official Carroll Book Festival website lists Baltimore's Child; The Baltimore Sun and Carroll County Times; Carroll Community College; Carroll County Chamber of Commerce; Carroll County Department of Economic Development; Carroll County League of Women Voters; Carroll County Tourism; Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics OrthoMaryland; David and Laura O'Callaghan; GFWC Woman's Club of Westminster; JeannieBird Baking Company; Jeff Griffith and Diane Vacarro; Julie Ford Mount, David Mount and Family; The Last Word Bookstore; Maryland Horse Library and Education Center; Maryland Public Television; McDaniel College; Park Books on Main; Park Literacy Project; Penguin Random House; Richard and Karen Soisson; Synergist Computing; Two Sides to the Story Podcast; and Village Printing.

Proceeds from the festival are intended to support literacy initiatives in Carroll County, according to the Farm Museum and festival organizers. The event was free to the public, although certain special programs, including the Jodi Picoult presentation and character activities, required tickets or advance registration.

 

With its combination of nationally recognized authors, local writers, children's activities and opportunities for readers to meet authors face-to-face, the inaugural Carroll Book Festival marked a significant addition to Carroll County's cultural calendar and provided a large-scale gathering built around something as simple and enduring as a love of books.

 ++++++++++++++++

20260919_CBF sign; 20260919 1 CBF_P_1; 20260919 1 CBF_P_2; 20260919 1 Schedule; 20260919 vend-map_1; 20260919 vend-map_2: Books, authors and thousands of enthusiastic readers filled the grounds of the Carroll County Farm Museum Saturday, Sept. 19, for the first annual Carroll Book Festiva.

20260919_C Seabolt: Carolyn Seabolt was one of more than 100 authors who participated in panels, conversations and readings, while other authors met readers and signed books in the Author Village.

20260919_Holmes: Steve Holmes was one of more than 100 authors who participated in panels, conversations and readings, while other authors met readers and signed books in the Author Village.

20260919_L Kamoie: Laura Kamoie was one of more than 100 authors who participated in panels, conversations and readings, while other authors met readers and signed books in the Author Village.

20260919 A Picoult: Jodi Picoult was one of more than 100 authors who participated in panels, conversations and readings, while other authors met readers and signed books in the Author Village.

20260919 B Panel: One of the many panel discussions at the Carroll Book Festival included a panel discussion on “Giving Voice to the Past: Susan Higginbotham, Elizabeth Letts, Laura Kamoie, and Steven A, Holmes. The discussion was moderated by Cheryl Klam. 

20260919 V Vill Print: Village Printing was one of the many sponsors that the festival's organizers credited for helping make the inaugural event possible.

20260919 V CAC: Gwen Asbury and Stephen Strosmider with the Carroll Arts Council were one of the many community partners that the festival's organizers credited for helping make the inaugural event possible

 

+++ Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack +++ 

https://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ 

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster "Dayhoff Westminster" 

 Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer. 

 Articles on the Baltimore Sun or Carroll County Times website: 

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 Westminster Patch: https://patch.com/users/kevin-e-dayhoff 

 Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/ 

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Dayhoff Westminster (Archived Nov. 27, 2024) https://dayhoffwestminster.blogspot.com/ 

 Kevin Dayhoff Time Flies: 

https://kevindayhoff.wordpress.com/ (November 2, 2025)