The school bus contractors responsible for getting roughly 20,000 children to school each day also stepped up to make sure those kids have a warm coat with winter approaching.

The Charles County School Bus Contractors Association collected more than 200 coats during its annual Drive Away the Cold Coat Drive in partnership with Charles County Public Schools and Community Bank of the Chesapeake.

On Thursday, the association formally presented the coats to Superintendent Dr. Maria Navarro and other schools officials.

“Thank you to the Charles County School Bus Contractors Association and the Community Bank of the Chesapeake for the contributions that were made to provide winter coats for Charles County Public Schools students in need this winter,” Dr. Navarro said. “Partnerships with organizations such as the CCSBCA make it possible for us to maintain our mission, to support the well-being of children.”  

Coat drops were set up at three bank branches across the county. For weeks, they collected coat donations from thoughtful and generous residents. On Saturday, Oct. 22, members of the association stuffed buses full of coats at all three branches.

“The bus drivers, attendants, and business owners, really appreciate our partnership with CCPS and Community Bank of the Chesapeake and the opportunity to work together on this Coat Drive,” said Mark Koch, President of the Charles County School Bus Contractors Association.  “The coat drive is so important to us each year for the help it provides to families in our community. Thanks to this collaboration, our kids will be warmer for the upcoming winter and that is our ultimate goal.”

The coat drive is just one of many ways that the CCSBCA gives back to the community. Each year, member companies also donate school supplies for families in need, as well as Easter baskets in the spring and toys at Christmas. 

It’s exciting to see the CCSBCA continue to build on a strong relationship with Charles County Public Schools. Many of the 24 member companies have decades of experience getting our children to school and events, safely and efficiently.

By entrusting Charles County School Bus Contractors Association with the transportation of our children to school and their other events, allows CCPS to focus on their primary mission of education and also saves the school system from the burdens of:

• High costs of regularly purchasing new, climate-friendly buses
• Regular repair and maintenance of aging bus fleets
• Rising fuel prices
• Staffing and administrative costs
• Routing headaches and bus stop approval

We look forward to seeing continued collaborations strengthening the bond between the CCSBCA, the school system and the Charles County community.

This year’s MACo Summer Conference in Ocean City felt like a return to a pre-pandemic era.

It was great to see so many of Maryland’s leaders in one place, fellowshipping and sharing ideas. The G.S. Proctor & Associates team had many productive meetings with our esteemed clients and decision-makers from all over the region. Business and civic leaders from Charles County, Prince George’s County, Howard County and the District of Columbia discussed subjects ranging from the future of energy, transportation and economic development to development opportunities for minority communities and education.  

G.S. Proctor & Associates Vice President Trey Proctor, Senior State Associate Sherrie Sims, Chief Operating Officer Charlita Proctor, Government Relations Assistant Tatiana Alston and Associate Monroe Harrison were among those who traveled east for this important event.

We are extremely grateful to be partners in elevating our local institutions and communities and in promoting Maryland to a position of leadership, not only economically but also with regard to public safety, education and housing.  

For the 600+ people who shared Thursday evening with us at our annual MACo Party, we are grateful to call you all friends and partners in these endeavors. The conversation and friendship were amazing, and the food and open bar didn’t hurt.  

Thanks so much to Taphouse on 45th and our partner, Mayson-Dixon Companies, for another successful event and many many thanks to our sponsors for helping to make the event the success that it was. A very special thanks also to our next governor and lieutenant governor of this great State, Wes Moore and Aruna Miller, for attending along with a host of state and county leaders from all over Maryland. 

And a special thanks to all the sponsors of the MACo Party, including Comcast, Pepco, Washington Gas, Velocity Capital, The Traffic Group, National Aquarium, Pevarnik Bros, Inc., Morris & Ritchie Associates, Inc., Westside Partners, LLC, Pride of Baltimore II, Modern Builders – A Mayson-Dixon Company and Modern Suppliers – A Mayson-Dixon Company.