News

Representatives of Habitat for Humanity of Washington County presented an update to HARC members and friends at our May 19, 2026 regular meeting. Watch the recording to learn more about their programs and how the faith community can be involved. Find contact info and more at https://habitat-wc.org/.

Saturday, May 30 nearly 150 people participated in Part 2 of the Ed Poling Memorial HARC Hike for Hunger & Hope, walking or running 5K or 10K hikes on the C&O Canal towpath in and beyond Williamsport, MD to support programs of HARC. We had gorgeous weather, a beautiful route on the towpath, a welcoming community, many joyful spirits who had a great time, and a comfortable, welcoming host church at Zion Lutheran for our check-in and post-hike celebration lunch.

Combined with our May 16 Challenge Hike, the event raised more than $88,000 for Micah’s Backpack, the Refugee Welcome Network and other programs of HARC. This is thanks to the fundraising efforts of numerous participants with a a 2-1 match on all individual fundraising by the God’s Grace Fund. Fundraising continues through June 15 as we try to reach our goal of $95,000 ($2,333 more in fundraising to go with the match!)

To help us reach the goal, donate here to support a participant or donate here (choose HARC Hike) to make a general HARC Hike donation.

See pictures of the event on our Facebook page or in our Dropbox folder. There are tons of great photos!!  You can see a handful of them below.

HARC would like to express our deep gratitude to the following for making this event successful:

• The fabulous HARC Hike Team:  Ed Maloy, Beth Johnston, Deacon Sue Wert, Kelly Conrad, Ted Howe, Elizabeth Howe, Mary Means, Butch Eigenbrode (ARA), Kyle Powderly and Kathy Powderly
• Zion Lutheran Church in Williamsport – our host!
• The Antietam Radio Association (ARA) for their radio communications and many volunteers
• The God’s Grace Fund for their generous match
• Our Sponsors – see all sponsors here.  Top sponsors include Columbia Gas/NiSource Foundation, First Christian Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and The Poole Law Group.
• Churches/organizations who provided buses and (some) drivers for transportation:  Christ’s Reformed Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Valley Grace Brethren, Girls, Inc., and Celebration Ministries
• MANY wonderful volunteers who helped on Hike days with food, hospitality, logistics, check-in, set-up, clean-up, photography, and more!
• MANY generous individuals who donated to support the cause!

      

As we approach the June 2026 primary elections, HARC and the League of Women Voters (LWV) hosted a free public forum for candidates for the Washington County, MD Board of County Commissioners in partnership with the Washington County Free Library. Nine candidates participated in the forum. Each had an opportunity to share about themselves and their priorities as well as answer questions received from the public, both prior to and during the event.

What happens on a local level has a big impact on our daily lives. Get to know the candidates to be prepared when you vote! Please note that ALL candidates were invited to participate; not everyone responded or chose to participate.

HARC & LWV will host a Board of Education and Board of County Commissioners Meet & Greet at Hancock Town Hall next Thursday, May 28 from 6-8 pm.

HARC is grateful to our HARC/LWV Candidate Forums Team for organizing truly non-partisan, civil and educational forums for Board of County Commissioners and Board of Education primary elections. This team includes Leader Cindy Brown, Richard Willson, Charlotte Trout, Genie Massey, Evvie Williams, and Rachel Nichols. Our gratitude also extends to Tammy Martinez for moderating the Commissioners candidate forum.

Watch the recording

 

Saturday, May 16 twelve hardy souls completed the Ed Poling Memorial HARC Challenge Hike, traversing 10 or 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland. The terrain was tough, but the weather was beautiful, spirits were high, and we were blessed with great support from our hospitality team. We exceeded our fundraising goal for the Challenge Hike with $10,828 raised (and still counting), which becomes $32,484 with the 2-1 match from the God’s Grace Fund!!  See more pictures on our Hike Facebook page.

A big thanks to all who participated and raised funds, donated to support hikers and the cause, and/or volunteered: Kyle, Beth, Deacon Sue, and Linda (support team & food prep), Ted (Hike Leader).

We’re not done yet! You can still join the fun with a 5K or 10K hike on the C&O Canal towpath May 30.

Ed Poling Memorial HARC Hike for Hunger & Hope

On Thursday, May 7, HARC and the League of Women Voters hosted a candidate forum for the Washington County Board of Education primary election. All candidates were invited and five participated. This well-attended event was a great way for the public to get to know the candidates before going to the polls. If you missed it, check out the recording.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGxlAOc3i-k&feature=youtu.be

The Washington County Commission on Aging is looking for volunteers in the Hagerstown area to help deliver Meals on Wheels. For more information, contact Sandi Brogden – Program Manager, 301-790-0275.

Download flyer

The Boys & Girls Club of Washington County is seeking community members who are interested in volunteering with them. They offer a variety of opportunities and are happy to work around schedules that are convenient for our volunteers. Contact Kal Desta at kaldesta@bgcwc.org or call 301-733-5422.

Nearly 200 people came out for HARC’s Call for Our Shared Humanity service Sunday evening. It was a beautiful service affirming the shared humanity, human dignity and fair treatment of all people based on our common religious teachings. We were honored to have visiting clergy from around the greater metropolitan area join us in solidarity.

Thank you to all who led, participated in, and came out for this special service. We’re especially grateful to HARC’s Interfaith Team and several board members for planning the service and to members of Christ’s Reformed Church, UCC for hosting the service and potluck meal following the service with joy and hospitality.

 

The Hagerstown Area Religious Council, whose members come from a variety of different religious traditions across Washington County, are all committed to core religious values that stress welcoming the stranger and loving thy neighbor as thyself.
Despite our differences of religious and political beliefs, the HARC Board is unified in our opposition to the conversion of a warehouse site in Washington County into a proposed detention facility for immigration enforcement. We hold this position based on the following:

• The inhumane treatment of our foreign-born neighbors through I.C.E. enforcement and within immigration detention centers has been well documented and goes against our most sacred teachings. Many detained immigrants are held interminably in poor conditions without access to family, legal counsel, or spiritual support. We have grave concerns that our immigrant neighbors will not be treated fairly or with dignity, and people detained at the proposed facility will suffer mentally and physically, while our surrounding communities may lose access to overwhelmed health and emergency services.
• The mass incarceration of people – most of whom pose no threat to our community or country – is fundamentally inhumane and will cause trauma through fear and family separation, create and worsen health problems, and threaten the financial, housing, and food security of local families. This takes a toll on affected families and our entire community.
  We are aware of real stories of actual people in our community who have been harmed by these enforcement and detention practices and it grieves us deeply.

Just to be clear, we are not saying that there should not be rational and constitutional enforcement of immigration law and we, of course, want anyone who has committed criminal acts to be held accountable in a manner that’s appropriate. However, we also want our neighbors, many of whom have been building peaceful and law-abiding lives for many years in this country, to be treated fairly and with dignity.

The bottom line is this: our shared values, rooted in loving our neighbor and honoring the God-given dignity of every person, compel us to speak and to act. We cannot look away. We will not be silent. We stand with our neighbors, and we call on our community and our leaders to do the same.

In faith and solidarity,

The Hagerstown Area Religious Council Board of Directors

HARC’s annual Good Friday Unity Walk was held Friday, April 3 at City Park in Hagerstown. More than 200 people and many churches participated. Participants walked through the park, stopping at seven stations to read scripture and reflections, pray, and sing, with special music at two stations.  Between stations, someone volunteered to carry a wooden cross “for Jesus.”

For some participants, this was their first time participating, and they expressed gratitude for the meaningful program.

See recording taken from the live stream of the event, and read along with the bulletin. We had a technical issue in the beginning and were not able to record the first of the seven stations. This video begins with the longest walk, around the lake, from station 1 to station 2.