Calvert Peace Project

06/12/2026

Congratulations to the students recognized at this year's Rising Stars in Career Technology Education Junior of the Year Awards at the Calvert Career and Technology Academy - CCPS.

Calvert Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended the ceremony, hosted by the Calvert County Optimist Club, where thirteen students were honored for their achievements in career and technical education. Students earned recognition at the county, regional, and state levels in fields ranging from firefighting and HVAC to culinary arts, agriculture, and more.

One of the highlights for Paul was seeing a student award recipient he had recently met while volunteering at the Cove Point Park building event. It was a reminder of the many ways young people are already making a positive difference in their communities.

Following the event, leftover food was donated to Project ECHO Homeless Shelter, helping ensure that resources continued to benefit others.

We celebrate these students for their hard work, service, and commitment to building stronger communities.

05/28/2026

Last week, Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended a "Community Build Day" session hosted by Calvert County Parks and Recreation in partnership with the national non-profit KABOOM! to create a brand new playground in the back section of Cove Point Park.

140+ people attended this build session! A brand new playground area was constructed as well as permanent artwork put onto a path that will be used for games. Over 142 cubic yards of mulch were moved as well as nearly 6,000 lb of concrete was manually mixed to put in all the playground equipment as well as fun signage and chalkboard.

Check out the photos below including a before and after picture of how dirty Paul became with moving mulch and mixing concrete! Various organizations donated to this including the local Ace hardware and Paul was able to obtain permission to take leftover food to Project ECHO Homeless Shelter.

This truly was the community helping building a park for it's own community. What a great day of volunteerism!

05/25/2026

Looking for meaningful activities in Calvert County for your youth this summer?

The Calvert Peace Project Summer of Service gives young people the chance to grow as leaders while making a real difference in their community. This FREE opportunity provides hands-on service, reflection, and teamwork, participants learn how to be peacebuilders in everyday life.

Hear from previous youth participants on what they learned and the lessons that stayed with them beyond summer!

👉 Learn more and sign up: https://peacethroughaction.org/programs/peace-agents-program/calvert-peace-project/summer-of-service/

05/06/2026

This summer we're hosting our annual Summer of Service, a free, week‑long program for youth ages 12–18 in Calvert County!

July 13–17, young people will volunteer with local community organizations, build leadership skills, and spend time reflecting on how service can make a difference.

Each day includes hands‑on service, connection with peers, and guided activities focused on empathy, teamwork, and positive action.

Summer of Service is FREE, and open to youth who live in or attend school in Calvert County.

Learn more and register here:
https://peacethroughaction.org/programs/peace-agents-program/calvert-peace-project/summer-of-service/

Feel free to share this opportunity with families who may be interested.

The Calvert Peace Project is pleased to offer our county’s youth the Peaceful Youth Leaders Summer of Service. This week-long experience of volunteering

10/25/2025

TODAY! Chesapeake Cares Food Pantry will be hosting their second special pantry opening to support families in our community who have been affected by the government shutdown.

The event will take place today Saturday, October 25th, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Families will have the opportunity to shop for groceries and register for a Thanksgiving meal. Please SHARE!

10/22/2025

Calvert Peace Project Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended a panel discussion on domestic violence hosted by Middleham and St Peter's Episcopal Church in Lusby Maryland.

Some of the statistics specific for Calvert County are:

Over 1,000 domestic calls thus far in 2025

Domestic Violence is the second most common crime in the county

Nearly two out of three reported victims of domestic violence are female but this number is potentially skewed by the male offender being urged by legal counsel to file counter charges. These numbers are charges; not actual peace orders restraining orders or convictions.

There are several organizations to help:

Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center, Inc.

Unstoppable You Ministries, Inc.

Specifically in Calvert:

Safe Harbor Shelter

Project ECHO Homeless Shelter

10/21/2025

Calvert Peace Project Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended the rededication ceremony for the Labyrinth at the Burnet Center for Calvert County Hospice. The Labyrinth is a metaphor for life; the turns, patterns and paths printed on your body, mind, spirit and feelings. Unlike a maze that is meant to confuse you, a labyrinth is a tool to help you find yourself.

The labyrinth offers a safe haven to examine old wounds to feel the pain that has been inflicted and more often than not to take the first steps toward healing.

The rededication of the labyrinth reflects the Calvert Peace Project’s commitment to nurturing spaces that support emotional well-being and personal reflection. As a symbol of healing and self-discovery, the labyrinth invites individuals to slow down, process their experiences, and reconnect with themselves and others. By participating in events like this, our Peace Agents help develop a culture of mindfulness and compassion, essential building blocks for peaceful communities.

10/17/2025

This week, Calvert Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended the Calvert County Historical Society's "Echo's of the Past" monthly lunch time blackshear focused on Parker's Creek Heritage Trail.

The majority of the talk focused on the various indigenous, enslaved, freed and European people's who owned and worked the land. Land uses focused on both aquaculture and agriculture with primary use as fishing to***co and lumber.

The majority of the area is now in preservation by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources , The Nature Conservancy and American Chestnut Land Trust - ACLT.

The geography of the area is dominated by the parkers Creek watershed and the numerous gullies and streams that either feed into or surround Parkers Creek.

It us a privilege for us at the Calvert Peace Project to foster community awareness, historical understanding, and social cohesion. By engaging with the layered histories of our local landscape, including the experiences of diverse peoples and cultures, we deepen our commitment to peacebuilding rooted in place, memory, and shared responsibility. Learning from the past helps us build a more inclusive and compassionate future.

10/09/2025

Calvert Peace Project was proud to serve as a table host at the Longest Table event by Calvert Library, discussion model popular nationwide to bring people together over a meal for community-building and engaging conversation.

Peace Agent, Paul Murdoch, lead a live 30-minute virtual Practical Peace Solutions training where he taught other table hosts how to have inclusive and constructive dialogue (in preparation for the event). He then attended the event and served as a table host, moderating the discussion, and supporting an inclusive array of voices and perspectives.

10/07/2025

A few weeks ago, Calvert Peace Agent Paul Murdoch attended The Big Conversation event at Middleham and St Peter's in Lusby.

The theme for this year was: Our Southern Maryland History - A Tapestry of Many Voices.

For those not familiar with Calvert County there is a lost history for the African Americans Slaves as well as the various tribes of indigenous people that resided in this County. The purpose of this event was not to tell their stories but to recognize that many of these stories remain untold and have the potential for great value in our world today.

With over 120 people attending, we hope to build on the momentum of this event to continue telling these stories and to bring those to the attention of the greater Southern Maryland community at large.