As webmaster, and former admin, I was happy to help get The Elkridge Heritage Society back in “good standing” and save our bank account from going negative, and also recruit new talented board members to get the society back up and active.

Thanks to all those who donated to the cause, as we were saved from bankruptcy.

Thanks to all those who talked to me at the firehouse, made donations and purchased some of our wares, including our “art map” of Elkridge historical landmarks!

Thanks to all those who came to the Pot Luck Lunch last month – it was a small group but it was big enough to have lots of discourse and get some new volunteers.

Thanks to the Elkridge Community Alliance for inviting me to speak at one of their meetings, because now we have a chance at a grant from the county which will allow us to make capital improvements, and improve our outward facing mission of awareness and education.

And thank you thank you thank you to the new board! We held our election night last night, but as we only had one candidate per role, we didn’t have to vote except to accept the candidates in a vote of confidence. Please join me in welcoming the following:

President: Craig Pool – Craig is an engineer responsible for major building projects in the area, including Guinness. As you may well imagine, his skills will be excellent for leadership in maintaining the Brumbaugh House, and his standing as a lifelong Elkridge Resident will provide much needed insight and connections.

Vice President: Nikki Marlatt-Young – Nikki has already helped us with things like the renovation of the carriage house, digitization of some of our photographs, and social media outreach to name a few. She comes to us with lifelong residence between Elkridge, Jessup and Arbutus, and very valuable experience with home inspections and community service. She will be an energetic and valuable leader for EHS.

Treasurer: Bill Evans – Bill and his wife used to own Signarama, renovated/created our current Brumbaugh and Carriage House signs, and will be invaluable in helping to stage the Brumbaugh house with interpretive signage. Furthermore Bill has experience as treasurer for a nonprofit, and serving on the board of the Maryland Military Historical Society. 

Secretary: Jake Burdett – Jake is a young law student who has lived all his life in Elkridge (except when at Salisbury University for college). He is active in the community, and is brimming with great ideas on how to drum up new members.

After the “vote”, our new board started a free discourse on where we see the society heading, and got a start on some actions. These include inspecting the Brumbaugh House to identify all the renovations needed. From that list, we will have to prioritize as funds allow. Another action item is to try to enlist an area church to give us a tour and history lesson around Christmastime. We are going to work on First Baptist Church. A discussion about knocking on business doors to enlist patrons ensued, along with other ideas for future topics. The full minutes will become available at the next general meeting.

Wish our new board luck as we move forward with a fresh start!

Tina Barton, EHS Webmaster