It’s always fun to come to Cobb Island for their Cobb Island Day festivities.  It starts with the parade that this year included clowns, Santa on vacation, classic cars, Little Miss Fire Prevention, search and rescue dogs, fire trucks, and a cultural dance group with their Asian dragon.  Oh, and I rode in a classic 1966 Ford Mustang in the parade too.  What a treat!  Following the parade, the activities began on Old Fisherman’s Field with food, demonstrations, games, and vendors to entertain the visitors.  This gave me the chance to greet constituents and long time friends alike.  The classic cars were on show over at the local VFD too.  The delightful weather topped everything off and made it a perfect day.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s agenda in Charles County today included a roundtable discussion at New Life Church in La Plata with the many leaders of our faith community.  He wanted to answer their questions on topics of interest, and to get new ideas for how the federal government can partner with their efforts more effectively to assist the less fortunate in our communities.  We all know that the Government can’t do everything, and faith based groups are instrumental in creating effective volunteer outreach.  When the two work hand in hand, the result is much better for the entire community.

We were honored to have our U.S. Senator Ben Cardin visiting the Richard R. Clark Senior Center this morning for a full discussion on the issues that are important to senior citizens, and all of us, in these troubled times.  He enjoyed hearing the concerns of our Charles County residents, and answered questions forthrightly.  He covered topics including the future of Medicare and Social Security, how he would improve the Affordable Health Care Act, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Libyan engagement, the tax cuts for the wealthiest among us in the budget, oil company subsidies, and the need for strong Wall Street regulations so that we never have another recession like this last one.  Senator Cardin works hard every day in Congress to ensure the health and safety of our people and our environment.  I thank him for making the visit with us today.

This is the season for high school graduations, but before those ceremonies come the High School Senior Award Nights.  These are special for me because every year I go to as many as I possibly can in order to present my Delegate Scholarship Awards.  The recipients are students who have worked hard in school, in their communities, and in extracurricular activities. They have become well rounded, engaged young people who will be going on to colleges in the State of Maryland in the fall.  I am so proud of them, and will be able to greet most of them on June 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at their respective Charles County high schools during the Senior Awards Night ceremonies.  They now have a whole world of opportunity open to them, but I encourage them to complete their studies, an experience which will enrich their lives forever.  I send my best wishes for their continued success.

Tonight, 14 year old Zachary Tyler LeValley’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held.  He became the newest Troop 908 Eagle Scout, the 20th in 25 years of existence.  With honors from his Scout Master Rick Reckeweg and Sheriff Rex Coffey, and a citation from my office, Zakk was duly feted for his dedication to earning this high rank.  He proudly thanked his parents, Scout Master, and Troop members for their encouragement, support, and friendship as he worked toward this day.  He faced many difficulties in putting together his required project, but he persevered and met his goal.  Zakk LeValley is a fine example of the young generation, and I expect quite amazing things from him in future.  Congratulations, Zakk!