17th Annual Coalition Meeting and Statewide Conference 2008

Sandy Spring Museum
Sandy Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland

On April 26th, 2008, the Coalition held its 17th Annual Meeting at the Sandy Spring Museum, in Montgomery County. All the planning and effort on the part of the committee members Leonard Becraft, Amanda Becker, Barbara Kraske, Ann Bolt, and Sandra Wright were in evidence.

The meeting began with morning refreshments. At 9 a.m., President Kraske welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. During the business meeting a request went out for officers for the coming year. The request was answered by Melvin Mason who will serve as the President; Jeff Nesmeyer as the Vice President; Amanda Becker will continue as our Secretary; Lorna Lake will be our Recording Secretary; and Gary Kraske will be the Treasurer.

After the business portion of the meeting concluded the Periwinkle Awards were given to Luann Moorman, for her work with Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Baltimore, Lorne and Beth Garretson for their work at the Quaker Cemetery in Sandy Spring, Joy Turner for care and maintenance at the Mutual Memorial Cemetery.

Next on the agenda were our speakers. Luann Moorman spoke about Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Her presentation included a film presentation about her work at the cemetery and the issues and roadblocks surrounding her attempts at preservation, restoration, conservation, and grave identification at Mt. Auburn.

Elizabeth Garretson gave a history of the Quakers in Sandy Spring.

After lunch the members had time to do some shopping at the museum and peruse the items available for sale through the Coalition. Members were also seen walking around the exhibit area of the museum. The members then boarded a yellow school bus and traveled to the Mutual Memorial Cemetery for a brief introduction and walk. Our next stop was the Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery off Brooke Road, the Sandy Springs Friends Meeting House and Sandy Springs Friends Cemetery, and the last stop was to the spring from which the community took its name, “the Sandy Spring”. Leonard Becraft planned a very ambitious schedule indeed. We made all the stops and returned to the museum on time.

If you were unable to attend you missed some good programs and tours. Everyone is Sandy Spring is friendly and anxious to talk about their little corner of Maryland. The Committee should be commended for a job “well done”.