Local station involved in festival

ABES News Services
MTS Broadcasting General Manager Troy Hill (left) and Operations Manager Shane Walker worked on plans this week for a live broadcast of the Dorchester-Cambridge Cultural Festival scheduled for April 28 on Pine Street.

CAMBRIDGE -- The Dorchester-Cambridge Cultural Festival slated to begin noon April 28 in the 600 block of Pine Street is getting a boost from MTS Broadcasting (MTSB). MTSB will sponsor a raffle for a trip to New York City, with tickets being sold at the festival. Tickets will continue to be sold until the Octoberfest at Sailwinds Park when the winner will be selected. Proceeds from the raffle will be earmarked for the 2008 cultural festival.

For this year's event, a series of pubic service announcements are planned by MTSB, and WCEM-FM (106.3mHz) will broadcast live from the festival from noon to 2 p.m.

The event is a project of the Pine Street Committee in cooperation with other local organizations and agencies. The Pine Street Committee would like to contract with someone in Dorchester who would create tee shirts for the festival. Those interested should contact Octavene Saunders, 406 High Street, Cambridge, 21613, or call (410) 228-2250.

The festival is sponsored in part by the Dorchester Arts Center, and with state funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area. The goal of the event is to highlight the various cultures of the area.

MTSB General Manager Troy Hill said, "I'm happy that we are involved in this and we are going to do whatever we can to make this event successful."

Hill is also part of the newly formed committee which is to facilitate the ongoing exchanges between Duren County Germany and Dorchester. The committee is a joint effort of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce and County Council. "It's great to see the partnership that Dorchester and Duren have put together," he said.

He recently sent an e-mail to Duren representatives requesting them to be present for the festival. "When I sent the email, they put it on their calendar immediately," he said. He said, in the past, the Germans have met mainly with local officials, and it would be nice for them to meet area residents of various cultures.

"I'm happy that they are coming down to be a part of this and bringing a part of their culture. I just want everybody in the community to come out and support this," he said.

He requested those in the community with German or any other heritage "to get in contact with us because we want to shine the light on that." Those interested or who would like more information may write Portia Johnson-Ennels, 700 Cornish Drive, Cambridge MD 21613 or call her at (410) 228-7990.

Hill said he had been part of a Dorchester delegation that had visited Duren. "Duren County is just like Dorchester County," and added he had the opportunity to view German media in operation.

He plans to attend Duren County's Dorchester County Day scheduled for September 8.