Wine Tasting

The Atlantic General Hospital Junior Auxiliary Group is planning a wine tasting event 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 18 at Costa Ventosa Vineyard and Winery in Whaleyville. Local artist Kristin Mallery Hooks will be displaying her photograph collection “Hearts Happen,” most recently displayed at the Globe in Berlin. 

This event is open to the public, with all proceeds benefitting Atlantic General Hospital and the James G. and Nancy W. Barrett Scholarship Program. Tickets are $25 per person and include samples of each Costa Ventosa wine, one full glass of your favorite wine, and commemorative wine class. For those not interested in wine, admission is $15 and BYOB. 

Accompanying light fare will be generously provided by The Captain’s Table, Galaxy 66, Fresco’s, the Greene Turtle, Station 7 and Chesapeake Bay Farms as a pairing with each wine station. For ticket information, contact Beth Riley at 443-880-0511 or bethwhippleriley@hotmail.com. 

BERLIN — Like many of us Kimberly Fernley was aware that the Junior Auxiliary Group of Atlantic General Hospital was a social and philanthropic entity of some sort, but wasn’t particularly clear on what or how much it did, until she got involved with it. Now as president, she and the rest of the members are working diligently not only to expand upon the group’s effort, but also to expand its appeal beyond the hospital community.

Originally conceived as a resource for doctors wives — back when doctors could be counted upon to be male — the JAG, as they like to refer to themselves, put together resources for physician’s families. AGH’s success in recruiting and retaining medical professionals is attributed in part to the JAG’s ability to help families get settled quickly and transition seamlessly from new kids on the block to active community members.

In recent years, however, the group has spread beyond the rarified doctor’s wives demographic to include younger professional women from all sectors; it is to the hospital auxiliary as the Jaycees are to the chambers of commerce.

Among their proudest accomplishments is contributing to the maintenance of the James G. and Nancy W. Barrett Scholarship Program for nursing students, which makes it both possible and likely for AGH to hire and retain locally raised and educated nurses.

While hospitals all over the country fight what’s been described as a critical nursing shortage, the hospitals in the region continue to have a full and qualified talent pool to choose from in part because of the scholarship program and the intensive nursing classes available in local high schools and at Wor-Wic Community College.

The scholarship funds outstanding local students through their entire college career with the understanding that they’ll work at Atlantic General Hospital at least 12 hours per week while in school and, following graduation, as a registered nurse for one year for each school year the scholarship funded.

What the program actually does, though, is arrange to make the students a part of and comfortable with the AGH culture, allowing both work study opportunities as well as employment and internships throughout the student’s education. Making people comfortable as members of the larger hospital outreach community is what the JAG does best.

The JAG helps to fund this and their many other programs by holding fundraisers aimed at promoting community as much as raising money for a cause. Later this month the group is holding a wine tasting at Costa Ventosa Winery and Vineyard in Whaleyville as both a night out to explore some of what the area has to offer as well as a way to introduce members and would-be members to one another.

“We’re always looking for ways to switch it up a bit,” Fernley said. Adding that having events that better appeal to the JAG demographic is the best way to keep people engaged and encourage people to join.

“Whether someone is interested in joining [JAG] or not everyone is invited,” she said. “I didn’t even know we had a winery here, so I’m looking forward to it just for that.”

Anyone interested in joining or learning more about JAG may contact Ellen Barrett Abbott at 410-251-0143 or ellen-abbott@comcast.net.