Agencies Merge
OCEAN CITY – Two trusted local insurance agencies, Insurance Management Group, Inc. (IMG) and Associated Insurance Centers LLC (AIC) have merged to provide their clients with more carriers, more insurance professionals and more choices.
This combined agency will be a part of the NFP P&C network of agencies that delivers insurance solutions to more than 150,000 clients across the country and in six international offices. Associated Insurance Centers’ Ocean City location will move its staff and operations into IMG’s offices on Route 50 and on 77th Street in Ocean City.
“Business will operate as usual in our same locations and our clients will still be working with the same great staff,” IMG founder and president Reese Cropper said.
AIC Vice President Mike Wheaton said, “We welcome the opportunity to combine forces with the talented team of insurance advisors at IMG.”
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Campground Purchased
OCEAN CITY – Blue Water Development, a real estate developer specializing in commercial and hospitality properties, has purchased Flat Rock Bridge Campground (FRBC) in Lebanon, Maine. This is the company’s first campground acquisition beyond the eastern shore of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
Blue Water took ownership of FRBC officially on Feb. 14 and plans minimal updates ahead of the seasonal opening in May. Updates include refreshed bath houses, recreational zones and amenities and a new logo and website, which will now allow for online reservations.
“Throughout this first season, we’ll be learning what our guests enjoy about the Maine camping scene to determine future improvements,” said Todd Burbage, co-owner of Blue Water. “Flat Rock is not only an opportunity to move into a new market, but an opportunity to be involved with a campground that embodies the true idea of family tradition. One of my favorite things about the property is that half of it is not Wi-Fi accessible, allowing families to truly unplug and reconnect.”
Flat Rock campers will see many familiar faces upon returning.
“We’re bringing back lots of staff favorites that campers have come to love over the years,” said Burbage. “Many staffers and their families grew up working here and it’s become sort of a family affair, which is a tradition we want to continue.”
Blue Water is currently in the process of purchasing a campground in the Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Blue Water was also recently featured on an episode of the “Informed” series highlighting its unique approach to resort-style camping.
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Museum Awarded Grant
SALISBURY – Salisbury University’s Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art has been awarded a $30,000 grant from The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to support the Living Classroom and Environmental Education Experiences at the Ward Museum.
As part of the Ward Museum’s recent capital expansion with new and remodeled classroom spaces, a Living Classroom overlooking Schumaker Pond will include an enhancement of walkways, plantings and outdoor learning areas that will connect outdoor experiential learning to classroom lessons happening indoors.
The funding from the Perdue Foundation will also support the costs of providing environmental education lessons to K-12 public schools in the region. This funding would be leveraged to offset field trip fees for students, secure teaching materials, and to support transportation for public schools to the museum. The program will continue to support Maryland State Department of Education’s Environmental Literacy Curriculum and its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience requirement. The requirement ensures that Maryland school children have hands-on action based learning experiences that engage core concepts of watershed health and environmental impacts. This effort builds on the Museum’s existing partnership with the public school system to support environmental lessons in various grades.
“This support from the Perdue Foundation is essential to continuing and developing these initiatives for environmental learning and stewardship,” said Lora Bottinelli, executive director of the Ward Museum. “We are eager to enhance the grounds of the Museum with the Living Classroom and offer a wider range of educational experiences to our community. With this funding we are better able to show value of the natural environment in the communities we live, and provide educational tools to help foster learning and stewardship.”
“Providing opportunities for children to explore, play and learn in nature is vital for their development and for encouraging their future as environmental stewards,” said Kim Nechay, Perdue Foundation’s executive director. “The Ward Museum is leading the way in providing high quality environmental learning experiences in our region. The addition of the Living Classroom at the Ward Museum is an important investment in this effort for future generations on the Shore.”