North Beach, MD – The Fifth annual Dragon Boat Festival in North Beach Saturday, June 10 was perhaps the most competitive contest in the event’s brief history. In the glare of the early June sun in a Chesapeake Bay that had a bit of a ripple in it, the 30 teams—each with a crew of 19—did the necessary grunt work to cross the finish line first in the series of 200-meter races. Each team ponied up an entry fee of $2,000.
“We believe that we will win!” The teammates shouted before embarking on their race. In the end, it was the crew of “Mussels and Mermaids” who hoisted the grand champions’ trophy. Mussels and Mermaids won their match with the “Village People” by a whisker. Mussels and Mermaids time in the championship race was 1 minute and 3.93 seconds. The Village People’s time was 1 minute and 3.94 seconds.
The third-place finishers were the team “Yeah Buoy, followed by “Neptune’s,” The Rup Group and Agape Avengers.
The coveted Mayor’s Cup—a traditional battle between Calvert County’s two municipalities—Chesapeake Beach and North Beach—was won for the fourth time by the host town. Team North Beach logged a time of 1 minute and 8.38 seconds while Team Chesapeake Beach posted a time of 1 minute and 9.18 seconds. North Beach Mayor Mark Frazer won a crab cake and craft beer, courtesy of Chesapeake Beach Mayor Pat “Irish” Mahoney.
The “Supernukes” won the Power Cup from SMECO for the fifth year in a row. The IFA Jungle Lions bested three other teams to win the Fitness Cup.
Additional awards were handed out to teams for best decorated tent and best decked out drummer.
“It’s been a long hot day,” declared Jackie Miller, president of End Hunger in Calvert County, the organization that organizes and benefits from the boat race event. With the support of corporate sponsors the race event—which is also a festival with several vendors—cash is raised to help feed the needy families of Calvert County. Fundraising totals from this year’s event had not been announced as this story was being filed.
Learn more about End Hunger in Calvert County by visiting their web site.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com

Exelon Generation donates $35,000 to local nonprofits in name of nuclear energy plant employees as an award for ongoing volunteerism.
Exelon Generation is celebrating the volunteerism efforts of four Calvert Cliff’s employees as recipients of the 11th annual Exelon Energy for the Community Employee Volunteer Awards. The recipients were among 168 Exelon employees who submitted applications for evaluation by an external selection committee comprised of leaders from the nonprofit community, and are being honored for their volunteer efforts in 2016.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of nuclear plant employees Patricia Pringle, Jim Piatt, Kathy Lagiewski and Terri Wise, Exelon will be donating $20,000 to Christmas in April Calvert County, $10,000 to the Solomons Boys and Girls Club and $5,000 to End Hunger Calvert.
“We are proud to work for a company that not only values volunteerism, but encourages and rewards employees for their efforts. Last year alone, Calvert Cliffs employees gave more than $250,000 to local organizations and spent many hours of their time volunteering,” says Calvert Cliffs Site Vice President Mark Flaherty.
“I am humbled and simply overwhelmed by this opportunity to give more back to the community. This award will go a long way in providing and improving some basic comforts that every family deserves. I am honored to be a member of the team of Exelon volunteers providing energy for the community!” said Pringle, senior engineering analyst for Calvert Cliffs and winner of the only $20,000 award given by Exelon as part of this program.
Pringle has been volunteering with Christmas in April for more than 25 years, first as a volunteer doing hands-on work and currently serving on the board of directors and various committees for the organization. The mission of Christmas in April is to preserve and revitalize houses. assuring that low income homeowners live in warmth, safety and independence. In 2016, the organization’s goal was to improve 50 homes and because of Pringle’s involvement along with the participation from other Exelon volunteers, the organization exceeded its goal by seven homes. In 2016, Exelon employees volunteered more than 3,000 hours with Christmas in April.
Jim Piatt, work week manager at Calvert and $10,000 award recipient, has volunteered at the Solomons Boys and Girls Club since 2011 and is a head coach for both the tackle and flag football teams.
“There is simply nothing more rewarding in one’s life than to know you have positively impacted a youth’s life. I absolutely love the sport I coach, but more than the game, I love being a positive influence in so many lives,” he said.
The Club will use the award to support families in need to afford the activities and to upgrade to new and safer athletic equipment for the children.
Calvert Cliffs’ Kathy Lagiewski, administrative assistant, and Terri Wise, IT analyst, are $5,000 award recipients and have been volunteering with End Hunger in Calvert County for more than five years. The mission of End Hunger in Calvert County is to ensure that more than 15,000 low income individuals have access to healthy food to feed their families. Lagiewsi and Wise led a team of 18 volunteers to compete in the End Hunger Dragon Boat Races and raised more than $5,000 dollars in 2016. The Exelon award will provide more than 30,000 pounds of food to supply meals for the 15,000 local residents End Hunger serves each year and help the organization expand warehouse services and maintain vital equipment necessary to distribute food.
In the last decade, the Exelon Energy for the Community Employee Volunteer Awards program has recognized 180 employees and contributed more than $1.3 million to nonprofit organizations. This year, Exelon is donating a total of $200,000 in cash grants to the nonprofit organizations where honorees volunteer.