After Charlene Rhodes’ daughter-in-law, Amy Stoops Rhodes, passed away under tragic circumstances, Rhodes was determined to keep Amy’s memory alive and honor her legacy. During a touching memorial service organized by Amy’s employer, Channel Marker, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides mental health services and support for adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, Rhodes felt a sense of kinship with Amy’s Channel Marker family. Deeply moved by the outpouring of love, she decided that she wanted to become a volunteer for the organization that had been such an important part of Amy’s life. Since that time, Rhodes has become a true ambassador—working tirelessly to pay tribute to her daughter-in-law’s memory.
“Amy was a wonderful, loving person who brought so much joy to the world,” Rhodes says. “She was passionate about her job as a social worker/Talbot program manager at Channel Marker and loved working with her clients and helping improve their lives. Since Amy had been dating my son, Jason, for several years before they got married on October 10, 2015, she already felt like part of our family, and we adored her. But then tragedy struck, and her life was cut short. Sadly, she passed away on December 24, 2015. Amy was so young, and her future had seemed bright. She and Jason had so much to look forward to and were just starting their life together as a married couple. Everyone who knew Amy was grief-stricken, and it was difficult to imagine life without her.”
Becoming a volunteer for Channel Marker helped Rhodes find some comfort and offered a way for her to honor Amy’s memory. Although the organization has locations in Cambridge and Denton, the administrative office and Wellness Center are located in Easton. A courtyard at the Wellness Center showcases beautiful flowering plants as well as the Dulin-Rhodes Memorial Garden, which includes a koi pond with a waterfall/fountain feature and benches. Dedicated to the memory of Beth Dulin, a Channel Marker employee whose life was also tragically cut short, and Amy Stoops Rhodes, the garden is especially dear to Rhodes’ heart. She lovingly cares for and maintains it to ensure that the area exudes a welcoming and peaceful setting for the clients. During the holidays, she even decorates the garden to make it festive. Rhodes also prepares food for Channel Marker’s fundraising events and decorates the Wellness Center. She generously devotes her time and is always willing to lend a helping hand.
“Volunteering provides a sense of satisfaction and makes me feel good,” Rhodes says. “Channel Marker is such an important organization because it helps clients who are dealing with mental illness and offers them a safe space and a support network. The staff is a phenomenal group of people who are so wonderful that they make volunteering easy, and I want to help them in any way that I can. But I think what makes Channel Marker truly special is how much the clients appreciate everything that the staff does to help them. They also genuinely appreciate the extra touches, such as the holiday decorations in the garden. When a client tells me that the garden looks beautiful, I feel happy. It makes everything worthwhile.”
In addition to volunteering for Channel Marker, Rhodes is also actively involved with Amy’s Army, a volunteer nonprofit organization that she helped create along with Amy’s mother, Barbara Stoops, and Amy’s friends and family. Amy had a positive impact on so many people during her short life, and Amy’s Army strives to follow her example by providing assistance to those in need. The organization funds scholarships to Chesapeake College, Salisbury University, and Saints Peter and Paul High School and makes contributions to Channel Marker and Camp New Dawn, a summer camp for children who are grieving the loss of a loved one. To learn more about Amy’s Army, visit amysarmymd.org.
“Charlene is a dedicated volunteer who throws her whole heart and soul into a project and brings other people along to embrace her passion,” says Debbye Jackson, executive director of Channel Marker. “The Dulin-Rhodes Memorial Garden captured Charlene’s imagination as a way to honor Amy, and she has continued to give more and more of herself to support not only Channel Marker but also Amy’s Army. Charlene is now a permanent member of the Channel Marker family.”
Rhodes, who is retired and lives in Queenstown, has always loved volunteering and giving back to the community. She attributes her interest and dedication to her mother who set a good example and showed her the importance of helping those in need. Rhodes has also volunteered for Queen Anne’s County Fair and her children’s schools.
“Although Channel Marker came into my life as the result of a tragedy, I am grateful to be able to volunteer and assist the amazing staff and clients,” Rhodes says. “I plan to keep volunteering, so I can help this wonderful organization continue to honor its mission. It is very important to me to carry on Amy’s legacy and make sure that she is remembered. I want to serve the community in a way that would have made her proud.”
For more information about Channel Marker, Inc., visit channelmarker.org.
