Senator Sarah Elfreth

A great way to start the morning: University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center’s annual legislative breakfast to discuss how we can better reduce emergency department wait times, expand workforce opportunities, and reduce health disparities.

It was a privilege to spend time tonight celebrating the incredible staff and Board of the YWCA of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County! Thank you for your tireless work supporting women and children surviving domestic violence and human trafficking in our community. Your work inspires our support in the General Assembly - and it’s why Senator Pam Beidle, District 32 and I fought so hard to bring home $1.3 million to support the almost-completed safe house for youth survivors of human trafficking. We are grateful for the YW team!

I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats - and that’s exactly why I showed up this weekend to support our two amazing Board of Education members, Joanna Bache Tobin Board of Education District 6 and Dana Schallheim, District 5 Board of Education, on the campaign trail. Both Joanna and Dana fight for inclusive schools, are passionately committed to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, and oppose book bans. They are great partners on the trail and on the BOE - AND I’m proud to have their support in my campaign for Congress!

Don't miss this great event!

🎶 Celebrate this season with live holiday music at the library! Join us for a festive evening filled with beautiful holiday tunes performed by local a ca****la group The Annapolis Blend! 🎄🎵They will be performing their holiday concert on Tuesday, December 12 at 7:00 pm at the Busch Annapolis Library. Come enjoy live music and bring your friends and family to sing along! 🌟 ****la

More details at https://aacpl.info/annapolis-blend-holiday-concert

I attended my first University System of Maryland holiday party 15 years ago when I had the privilege of serving as the Student Regent on the USM Board of Regents. That’s why it was lovely to spend time this weekend with Chancellor Jay Perman, Chair Linda Gooden, fellow former Student Regent Will Shorter, and so many people who are invested in the success of our public universities. As per usual, the candy room (complete with gingerbread houses of every USM institution) did not disappoint!

More holiday cheer - this time celebrating the bridge lighting and small business shopping at Savage Mill! I’m loving the chance to experience new holiday traditions across District 3!

And that’s a wrap on our third fundraiser in five days! Thank you to the many hosts and guests across the community who helped us launch this Congressional campaign literally in their living rooms. Couldn’t make an event this week but still want to help? Donate online here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/elfreth-for-maryland-1

Very much appreciate the Cookes, Langbiens, Fortiers, Hillmans, Eckels, Franyos, Davis’s, Nadine Chien, Anne Harrington, Todd Pattison & Alicia Belmas, Katie McDermott, the Berkinshaws, the Clements, and Martha Blaxall for serving as incredible hosts this week!

🇮🇹🎄 There’s still time to drop by the Italian Christmas Marker at the Sons and Daughters of Italy - Annapolis Lodge #2225! Try the pasta bolognese - you won’t be disappointed! 🇮🇹🎄

🎁 Don’t miss Midnight Madness! Shop local with downtown businesses - conveniently open late the first three Thursdays in December (7, 14, 21). ❄️

For more details, visit: https://www.downtownannapolispartnership.org/midnight-madness

Celebrating the start of the holiday season & supporting small businesses with Midnight Madness in Ellicott City! Thanks to the Ellicott City Partnership, BGE, and the Mt. Hebron High School Choir for a magical evening!

It’s a good day when you can help celebrate the 25th anniversary of a fantastic small business AND enjoy a pint of Guinness. Congratulations to Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub on this incredible milestone!

Congratulations to Councilwoman Lisa D. B. Rodvien - the winner of Maryland Hall’s Movers & Shakers Latin dance competition! It wasn’t easy serving as a judge with so many talented and fearless dancers - but the task was made a little easier sitting next to (and cheering with) Laura Gutierrez’s adorable daughter. Thank you to all who danced, donated, and supported the evening and the important work of the The Benjamin Mario Shadrick Foundation Co.!

Congratulations to Tracey's Elementary Principal Heather Garris on this incredible recognition! Thank you for your service to our community!

Grateful for the support (and incredible encouragement!) of so many people, including former Delegate and Anne Arundel County Councilwoman Virginia Clagett!

Join our campaign team by volunteering or contributing here: https://sarahelfreth.com/2024election

🎄It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in downtown Annapolis! Kudos to the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the many families who turned out in tonight’s rain for the Grand Illumination. The weather couldn’t stop this wonderful tradition and the community from supporting our small businesses.

Special thanks to the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for sponsoring the tree, Visit Annapolis, Chesapeake Ballet Company and Naptown Sings and Plays for providing fantastic entertainment, the Eastport station of the Annapolis Fire Department & the Annapolis Police Department for giving Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Elfie a ride, and everyone who made tonight special. ❄️

How did you ?! Grateful to the many dynamic, wonderful small businesses that make our community (and holiday shopping) great!

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time for family and traditions.

In our family, everyone who eats at our table signs the tablecloth. You can only sign once - as evidenced by my 3-year old signature towards the bottom - no matter how many Thanksgivings, Christmases, or Easters you’ve spent with us. Even when you become the Chief Embroiderer - my job for the past decade - you can’t sign again. What my grandmother began in the 1930s lives on despite gravy stains and names long lost to memory.

I hope you and your family have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, and I hope you enjoy taking part in your family tradition as much as we enjoy ours.

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

Sarah

Maryland passed the Fi****ms Safety Act in 2013 following the Sandy Hook massacre. Today - 10 years after the law took effect - two judges struck down a provision to prevent guns from getting into the hands of people who cannot pass a background check. Today’s decision is the antithesis of responsible gun ownership. We can make communities safer by keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them. This decision is a step in the wrong direction and I encourage the State to appeal.

Maryland can't enforce handgun licensing law The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit on Tuesday issued the 2-1 decision about Maryland’s handgun qualification license law.

Tonight: learn more about and share your thoughts on the plans to revitalize the Annapolis City Dock:

REMINDER *TONIGHT* at Pip Moyer Recreation Center, community meeting on City Dock Park for residents of Wards 5 and 6. 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20.

Flood watch! Be careful Tuesday through Wednesday:

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood watch from 8 p.m. on TUESDAY until 5 a.m. on WEDNESDAY. The impacts include the potential for coastal flooding, especially along Dock Street and Compromise Street in downtown.

Please allow yourself extra time as some roads may be closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.

As part of the coastal flood advisory, there is also the potential for heavy rain as this front moves through on Tuesday/into Wednesday. Expect 1-2 inches of rain and 15-20 MPH winds (gusts to 30 MPH). Low around 38 on Wednesday.

THURSDAY: 🦃Turkey 🦃day will be sunny with a high near 53.

Are you excited to get out and explore this winter season? Our Winter Program Guide is now available, offering a variety of activities for all ages and abilities from 1st Day Hikes and Trail Runs to Ice Skating and Adaptive Winter Recreation! Plan something special with your family - check out the guide today!

View the Winter Program Guide here: aarecparks.org/winterprogramguide

🦃 Great job in the Turkey Point Community, Arundel Rivers Federation!

Just in time for Turkey Day! We're grateful for the successful completion of major construction at our newest project, a vegetated swale in the Turkey Point Community. This planted conveyance will slow down polluted runoff and prevent it from entering our waterways. Thanks to our partners at Resource Restoration Group, LLC for another great project!

Friday night’s Black Girls Vote Ball was a powerful & beautiful evening in support of BGV’s work to honor and empower the participation of Black Girls in the political process. It was especially lovely to catch up with my friend & college mentor, Marina Cooper! Congratulations and thank you to founder Nykidra “Nyki” Robinson!

I’m grateful to my colleagues from across the nation and The NewDEAL for the opportunity to visit The White House earlier this week to talk about reducing gun violence, investing in infrastructure, and, as Mitch Landrieu coined, “engaging in the hard work of governing well” in order to find solutions for all of our communities.

Thank you to Senator Pam Beidle, District 32 and our wonderful volunteers who helped us knock doors and talk to voters on this beautiful afternoon!

There are 177 days until the Primary Election - can you help us take our message to the voters of District 3? Sign up here: https://sarahelfreth.com/volunteer

Emerge Maryland has successfully trained and helped to elect dozens of Democratic women up and down the ballot over the last decade. It was an honor to be a part of its first ever class back in 2013 (alongside rockstars like Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater!) and to be able to call dear friends like Councilwoman Wanika Fisher and Molly McKee-Seabrook my Emerge sisters. Congrats to Emerge on a successful fundraiser Tuesday night - it was a privilege to contribute towards the training of the 2023-2024 class!

Votes were still being counted on Election Night, 2022…and would be counted for over a week. It wasn’t until a year ago today that - thanks to tremendous volunteers, hard work, and a whole lot of patience - we could finally declare victory. Happy anniversary to every vote being counted!

On Election Night, we were certain that when the votes were counted we would see a clear victory for our grassroots campaign. Tonight, I am proud to share that we are victorious. While we will not know the exact margin of our victory for a bit longer, I am elated that due to the hard work of our volunteers - and as a result of our common sense, solutions-driven message - our campaign won with the highest margin in this seat in at least 20 years. I want to thank Stacie MacDonald for running a campaign true to her beliefs, and wish her well.

It has been the honor of my life to serve the residents of District 30, and I am truly humbled to be re-elected as your Senator.

I am eternally grateful to my staff and volunteers, my family, my teammates in Anne Arundel County, and most importantly the voters of District 30 for your continued support. I am excited to get back to work to support Maryland families, keep our communities safe, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and more. Thank you Annapolis and South County!

My favorite photo from our campaign kickoff! Gail and Juanita have been a part of every campaign I’ve ever volunteered for and ran in myself - and I’m blessed to have them on the team as I run for Congress! Can you join us to knock on doors and talk to voters? Volunteer here: https://sarahelfreth.com/volunteer

Thanks to Convener Carl Snowden and the organizers of last night’s Caucus of African American Leaders meeting! Looking forward to December’s special holiday gathering and January’s powerful discussion on the history and legacy of Crownsville - see book tour details below.

A public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, December 14, 2023 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Historic London Town & Gardens, 839 Londontown Road to discuss plans for protecting the Historic London Town Shoreline.

More information can be found here: aarecparks.org/Londontowneshoreline

Congratulations to The Howard County Veterans Foundation, Inc. on a beautiful Veterans Day parade and celebration! It was a privilege to join friends yesterday in Downtown Columbia and witness the hard work and dedication of the Foundation in celebrating the service members and their families who sacrifice so much to keep our nation safe. Thank you to Howard County Executive Calvin Ball for announcing the County’s $1 million contribution towards Veterans Memorial!

South County Recreation Center has availability for 3 & 4-year old children for Pre-K Child Care! To learn more and register, please visit https://aarecparks.org/Pre-K.

Winner winner…organic compost! Great to join the Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau for last night’s 101st annual dinner…and leave with the door prize of four cubic yards of certified organic compost from Obligation Farm! Special congratulations to Veda Stewart, Farm Bureau Ambassador and FFA leader. Thank you to the Farm Bureau for being such an incredible partner in our efforts over the last year to save the Lothian Grain Elevator and help keep agriculture on the Western Shore thriving. Next up in that partnership: mitigating the deer population and enduring Maryland’s tax policy supports value-added agriculture. Stay tuned!

We kicked off the campaign a week ago…and we hit the doors for the first time today to talk to voters in Congressional District 3! Great to see friendly faces (hi, Tom!) and partner with the fantastic Dana Schallheim, District 5 Board of Education who is running for re-election. 185 days until the Primary Election - I look forward to seeing you on the trail!

To every veteran and family member of a veteran: Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to American Legion Cook-Pinkney Post 141 and Commander Curtis “Gunny” Jones for hosting this morning’s beautiful celebration at the World War II Memorial. Thank you to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown for your moving keynote address and Congressman John Sarbanes for your charge to each us in the community to celebrate and fulfill our solemn vow to veterans and families of veterans every day, not just Veterans Day.

I appreciated the opportunity to present the Proclamation from Governor Wes Moore and restate the General Assembly’s commitment - from providing critical tax relief to funding alternative treatment therapies for veterans living with PTSD to making it easier for active duty military members to vote - to the 350,000 veterans living in Maryland. There is so much more work to do and I look forward, as the daughter and granddaughter of Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans, to continuing to honor their service.

Showing our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our nation. Every day, active-duty military personnel and veterans receive complimentary entry to all Anne Arundel County parks. Our county parks are open today for all to enjoy! Take advantage and embrace the natural beauty! 🌳

Find a park with Park Finder: aarecparks.org/parkfinder

Happy 248th birthday, U.S. Marine Corps! Thank you to all the brave Marines who serve across the world.

It was great to join the Howard County Human Rights Commission and Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity for Wednesday’s informative “Hate Has No Place Here” town hall on reporting hate crimes and hate bias incidents. The Maryland General Assembly has strengthened our hate crimes laws in the last few years - and I’ve been proud to sponsor and vote for measures to combat the rise in discrimination and hate-motivated crimes. There is more work to do in order to keep our communities safe - and it will take continued local, school system, state, and federal collaboration. Thank you to the organizers and panelists!

Thanks Steuart Pittman for your early support in this race! We've worked together to make neighborhoods more resilient and to support our farming community - and I look forward to working with him as a Congresswoman to fight climate change and grow our economy. Grateful for your partnership!

Thanks Steuart Pittman for your early support in this race! We've worked together to make neighborhoods more resilient and to support our farming community - and I look forward to working with him as a Congresswoman to fight climate change and grow our economy.