As you pass by cemeteries this time of year, you will notice a fury of activity occurring throughout their grounds. Their maintenance crew members are out and about trying to get the park ready for spring and special upcoming holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veteran’s Day later in the fall.

During spring cleanup and throughout the year, maintenance crew members remove old flowers, trash, holiday decorations and tree limbs. They also backfill burial sites with fresh topsoil and seed and they level sunken memorials. But that isn’t all they are responsible for! These folks are the ones that prepare our loved ones' burial sites, which could be in the ground or mausoleums/niches, in cremation benches, and/or in cremation scattering gardens.

So, the next time you are in a cemetery and you see the maintenance crew members out and about, please say “thank you” for all the things they do for us around the cemetery.

This time last year the world was deep in the early stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the economy stalled as businesses were forced to close or drastically alter operations. Schools were closed and all of America was feeling the impact of this deadly virus. A year later we still are in the midst of the pandemic, however, in Maryland, we have adapted to the “current normal” and have shown the resiliency and determination that makes our state so great. Our economy is on the path to recovery, and while some industries never slowed down, many others adapted to the restrictions and challenges forced by the pandemic and continued to serve customers while protecting employees and the public they serve.

The Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing (O&P) supports 24 professions and occupations, and the resiliency I mentioned above is seen every day as we work with our licensees to ensure the safety of all Maryland residents. We have added over 10,000 new occupational and professional licenses since the onset of the pandemic and many Marylanders have taken the steps to secure gainful employment and support their families and the Maryland economy. Our team at O&P has worked through the pandemic to provide the highest level of service to our licensees while protecting the health of our team. We will continue the mission of O&P “To help foster economic growth by assisting our customers in a timely, professional manner while protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public by assuring that our licensees have met a standard of expertise.”

I join all Marylanders in the hope and vision of an end to this pandemic and a return to the life we knew before its onset. It may take some time, but patience and determination will be the key to a successful return to normal life inclusive of a flourishing economy and our ability to enjoy time with family and friends.

Best wishes for a great summer of 2021 and Go O’s!