Responding to Maryland’s First Lady Dawn Moore’s request for a festive representation of Talbot County at the State Capitol Rotunda, the Talbot County Garden Club and the Oxford Garden Club joined forces once again. After delivering a Waterfowl Festival themed tree in 2022, the garden club team decided this year’s tree would commemorate the 80th anniversary of Easton Airport. Featuring ornaments made of balsa wood, recycled aviation maps, and delicate punched airplane snowflakes, the flight-themed ornaments adorned a splendid holiday tree delivered to the Rotunda on November 29.
The enthusiasm generated by this creative initiative extended beyond the Rotunda, capturing the excitement of airport management. Eager to partake in the holiday cheer, they requested a similar aviation-inspired tree for the Easton Airport terminal building.
The Annapolis tree features a handmade tree skirt that mimics a view of Talbot County farm fields and Chesapeake Bay watershed, as seen from the skies above. The Easton Airport 80th Anniversary artwork, featured in posters and banners around Easton, MD, is also displayed in miniature on the festive trees. A hand-crafted model of Easton Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower, contributed by Dave Putman of the Easton Composite Squadron – Civil Air Patrol, sits atop both trees.
“We are extremely fortunate to have both of these volunteer-led garden clubs doing good work in Talbot County,” Easton Airport Manager Micah Risher said. “They have gone above and beyond to celebrate the holidays while honoring our 80th anniversary.”
In addition to celebrating the anniversary, Easton Airport recently marked the beginning of the Airfield Modernization Program with a groundbreaking ceremony on October 13. Shovels in the ground represented another important milestone: the shift from planning to construction. Over the next 6 to 8 years, roughly 80% of the airfield will be reconstructed, and will include the demolition of the Talbot County Business Center, and the shift of the existing Runway 4/22 1,900 feet southwest of its current position.
The Talbot County Garden Club also gathered recently to decorate greens to enliven the holidays for the local community. With help from Easton Utilities, the greens have been installed at the Talbot County Court House, Shore United Bank, and Easton Utilities’ headquarters. Additional greens were provided to the Talbot County Free Libraries in Easton and St. Michaels, the Easton Volunteer Fire Department, the Talbot County Visitor’s Center/Easton Economic Development Office, and a number of downtown Easton businesses. In addition, club members fashioned 100 tabletop arrangements to brighten the holidays for local Meals on Wheels clients and will provide holiday arrangements to Talbot Hospice and the Talbot Interfaith Shelter.