Community Connecting Us

Hey Neighbor, May has a way of inviting us back outside, back into rhythm, and back to one another. This month at CCU, there are so many ways to step in, slow down, and spend time in community. We will gather for World Labyrinth Day, joining others around the world in a shared walk for peace. It is a beautiful reminder that even quiet steps can connect us in meaningful ways. You can roll out your mat with us for Gentle Yoga, settle in for thoughtful conversation at The Movie Club, Banned Book Club, or Book Club Therapy, or bring your hands and creativity to Knit Don’t Quit and the Sewing Project Club. And for those looking for something a little slower, a little cozier, Once Upon a Tome…A Bookshop & Ace Space Creative Corner is a place to browse, create, and simply be. Whether you are showing up for the first time or it is already part of your rhythm, there is space for you here. We hope to see you this month.

On Wednesday, May 6, our neighbors at the Maryland Food Bank Mobile Market will be in Rising Sun offering fresh food and helpful resources to the community. This is a full shopping-style experience where you can select what you need, with dignity and ease. 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Stone Run Family Medicine 101 Colonial Way, Suite A Rising Sun, MD

Hey Neighbor, On May 2, we will join others around the world for World Labyrinth Day, a moving meditation for peace, reflection, and connection. We will begin with gentle movement and sound, then gather together before stepping onto the path for a guided walk. Whether this is your first time or a familiar practice, we are glad to have you with us. 11:30 AM – Yoga 12:00 PM – Singing Bowls 12:30 PM – Gather 1:00 PM – Guided Walk Come early for yoga and singing bowls, or simply join us for the walk.

Hey Neighbor, I think it is safe to say that spring officially kicked off yesterday at our Community Egg Hunt. We are so grateful for the many hands that made it such a fun event. Thank you to the Port Deposit VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Councilman Dan Berlin and his wife Cindel for their egg stuffing donations. To our volunteers who stuffed and hid 500 eggs…you made the magic happen! Thank you to our wonderful community partners, the Judy Center and Cecil County Public Library, our local vendors Battle Swamp Bread Co., Witchy Artists, and Sonetta for adding a shopping option to the day, and Keely for bringing baby chicks. And of course, to all the families who showed up, filled the yard with laughter, and made it what it is…thank you!

Hey Neighbor, This month’s Movie Club pick is a wild ride through timelines, choices, and the meaning we make along the way… Everything Everywhere All at Once Watch it on your own time, then join us Thursday, April 2 at 7 PM at CCU to talk it through. There is a lot to unpack in this one. Big themes, small moments, and probably a few “wait…what just happened?” scenes. It is the kind of movie that gets better when you hear what others noticed, questioned, or connected with. No expertise needed. Just come as you are, maybe with a favorite moment or two, and be ready for a good conversation with good people. We will save you a seat.

Hey Neighbor, We are kicking April off with one of our favorite traditions, the Port Deposit Community Egg Hunt & Market on April 4. It is always a joyful morning with kids activities, local vendors, and a whole lot of neighbors showing up. This year, we are excited to have the Bookmobile, the Judy Center, Battle Swamp Bread Co., Sonetta Community Market, Witchy Artist, and more joining us. Once Upon a Tome…A Bookshop will be open too, so there will be plenty to explore. As the month continues, there are many ways to take care of yourself and connect with others. Gentle Yoga returns on April 15, and we would love to have you back on your mat with us. Bring a project and join us for Knit Don’t Quit or the Sewing Project Club, or pull up a chair for thoughtful conversation at The Movie Club, Banned Book Club, or Book Club Therapy. We will also gather with our friends at the Port Deposit Heritage Corporation for their Annual Meeting in the Cultural and Wellness Center inside the historic Tome Church, a chance to learn more about the history that shapes our town. Whether you come once or often, there is a place for you here. We hope to see you this month. CORRECTION: The Banned Book for this month is Sold .

Hey Neighbor, This Sunday at 5 PM, our Banned Book Club gathers again, and this time we will be discussing the graphic novel Maus. This group is rooted in education, curiosity, and understanding. We read the book and take the time to explore why it has been challenged or banned, not to accept an opinion at face value, but to learn and understand for ourselves. Together, we ask questions, consider different perspectives, and take the initiative to better understand the full picture. It’s about thinking deeply and seeking facts rather than assumptions. Around the table you will find neighbors of all ages, men and women, sharing a meal and engaging in thoughtful conversation. This is a space where people come to listen, reflect, and learn from one another with respect. If you are looking for a place to engage, grow in understanding, and be part of a community that values thoughtful conversation, we would love to have you join us.

Hey Neighbor, It is time for one of our favorite traditions, the Annual Community Egg Hunt at CCU. Join us as the morning begins at 10:30 with children’s crafts, activities, baby chicks, and time to visit with some wonderful local vendors. The egg hunt will begin at 11, so be sure to arrive early. We are excited to have Battle Swamp Bread Company, Witchy Artists, Once Upon a Tome…A Bookshop, the Judy Center, the Bookmobile, and more joining us for the day. Vendors will be there until 2 PM, so there will be plenty of time to shop for Easter goodies and connect with neighbors. Bring your egg collecting baskets. We would love to see you there!

Hey, Neighbor!  A huge thank you to our business neighbors at the Lidl warehouse in Perryville, who dropped off two carloads of supplies for CCU's Mid-Year School Supply Drive!! Our local school board representative Brian Hampton joined me for vehicle backup to pick up the donations from the Perryville Library, one of our wonderful drop-off sites. We were grateful to have Librarian Christopher and Librarian Maya help us load everything up. Because of the generosity we are seeing from the community, we are starting to think we may be able to spread the love beyond Bainbridge Elementary and Perryville Elementary to even more local schools. Y'all are amazing! There is still time to contribute if you want to help. Drop-off locations: • Perryville Library • Port Deposit Town Hall • Community Connecting Us *Final drop-off will be Sunday, March 15, at CCU’s Once Upon a Tome…A Bookshop, located in the historic Tome Memorial Church building 100 N. Main St. Port Deposit. We'll be there between 10 and 2, so please come shop our used and vintage book collection too. Thanks again to everyone who has already donated, shared, and encouraged others to participate in the supply drive. Truly, we are the luckiest to call this place home and one another neighbors.  Together,  Erica

Look for the school supply drop box at the Perryville Library! There is still time to contribute to CCU's Mid-Year School Supply Drive supporting teachers and students at Bainbridge and Perryville Elementary. You can drop items off at: • Perryville Library • Port Deposit Town Hall One thing we want to emphasize: supplies do not have to be brand new. If they are like-new or gently used, they can still make a big difference in a classroom. Have pencils at home? Sharpen them and bring them. Teachers actually prefer that. A handful of leftover stickers from a craft drawer that you won’t use? A kid will love them. Games that are in great shape with all the pieces and the original box? Perfect for rainy-day indoor recess. Extra cardstock you’re not crafting with anymore? Bundle it up and drop it off. This is a great chance to repurpose what we already have, be thrifty, and help teachers and students at the same time. Items needed: • Pencils • Cap Erasers • Thin Dry Erase Markers & Erasers • Electric Pencil Sharpeners • Velcro Squares • Magnetic Business Cards • Fidgets and Playdoh • Stickers (rolls, sheets, or individual) • Stamps & Ink Pads for grading papers • Super Sticky Lined Post-It Notepads • Recess Items (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, kickballs) • Indoor Recess Items (card games, board games, floor puzzles) • Cardstock 8½ x 11 (white or color) Thank you for helping us support our local teachers and students mid-year, when supplies are often running low, missing pieces, or broken. Together we make a difference!

Hey Neighbor, March is full at CCU, and we are especially excited about one important way we can show up for our community together. From March 1–15, we are hosting our Mid-Year School Supply Drive for Bainbridge and Perryville Elementary Schools. By this point in the school year, many classrooms are stretching depleted and broken supplies. We would love to help fill that gap and remind our teachers and students that their community is behind them. Supplies can be dropped off at: • Perryville Branch of the Cecil County Public Library • Port Deposit Town Hall • Community Connecting Us If it is easier, email [email protected] and we will arrange a pickup. We are so grateful to the Library and Town Hall for partnering with us to make this simple and accessible. In addition to the supply drive, March is filled with opportunities to gather, learn, create, and connect. From Yoga and Rock Choir to Movie Club, Sewing Project Club, Knit Don’t Quit, The Banned Book Club, and Book Club Therapy, there are so many ways to show up for yourself and your neighbors. Community does not just happen. It is built. And we are grateful to build it with you. Truly, we are the luckiest, Erica

Hey Neighbor, We’re doing it again! Community Connecting Us is partnering with our Community Resource School friends at Bainbridge Elementary and Perryville Elementary, along with our school board representative Brian Hampton, for our second mid-year school supply drive. There is always beautiful support for schools at the beginning of the year. But by mid-year, many teachers are stretching broken crayons, dried-out markers, and depleted supplies just to make it through the day. We would love to help fill that gap. From March 1–15, we’re collecting much-needed classroom and recess supplies to support both students and teachers. When we show up for our schools, we show up for our whole community. Thanks to the Library and Town Hall for partnering with us to make giving easy and accessible. Drop-off Locations: • Perryville Branch of the Cecil County Public Library • Port Deposit Town Hall • Community Connecting Us You can also reach out to [email protected] to arrange a pickup. Items Needed: • Pencils • Cap Erasers • Dry Erase Markers (Thin) & Erasers • Electric Pencil Sharpeners • Velcro Squares • Magnetic Business Cards • Fidgets and Playdoh • Stickers (rolls, sheets, or individual) • Stamps & Ink Pads for the tops of papers • Super Sticky Lined Post-It Notepads • Recess Items (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, kickballs) • Indoor Recess Items (card games, board games, floor puzzles) • Cardstock 8 1/2 x 11 (white and color) Let’s take care of the people who care for our youngest neighbors every single day.