ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball yesterday was joined by the Department of Fire and Rescue Services Chief Louis Winston and Department of Recreation & Parks Director Nicholas Mooneyhan to present three people – one community member and two County employees, with Certificates of Recognition for their heroic efforts on June 14, 2025, that resulted in a woman being saved from a near drowning incident at Centennial Lake in Ellicott City. Photos from the event can be found on the County’s Flickr website.
It’s not every day that we get to stand in the presence of heroes, but today, we all get to recognize the truly heroic efforts of three people who used quick thinking and displayed courage to save someone’s life. Thanks to these three, we got another reminder of why Howard County is strong – because of our community members who care for each other.
Around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14th, 27-year-old Howard County resident Cale Maynard was teaching his nephew how to fish near Centennial Lake’s boat ramp, when he heard someone yelling for help. Maynard saw a kayaker screaming, while another person was face-down in the water. Maynard grabbed a personal floatation device from the park’s free, loaner life vest stand near the boat ramp, jumped into the water, and swam out to the person in the water. With the woman safely in tow, Maynard began swimming back to the dock when two Recreation & Parks employees, Leo Pertman and Makiyia Staunton, arrived in a boat and helped bring the two back to shore. The County’s Department of Fire and Rescue Services arrived on scene and transported the patient to Shock Trauma, who has since been discharged.
A Boat Rental Attendant, 16-year-old Pertman is a student at Reservoir High School and this is his first summer working for the department. Twenty-year-old Staunton began working for Recreation & Parks last year as an Assistant Manager at the Adventure Shack and was recently promoted to Boat Rental Manager. As part of their job, all Recreation & Parks Adventure Shack employees undergo two days of training, including boat rescues, first aid, and CPR.
Today, we are reminded of what makes our community so strong – not just the beauty of this park, but the people who care for it, and the neighbors who care for one another. To Cale, Makiyia, Leo, and the first responders from the Department of Fire and Rescue: thank you. You didn’t just save a life – you showed all of us what it means to lead, to serve, and to be prepared.
“It’s easy to underestimate the courage it takes to be the first to step in when someone is in trouble,” said Fire Chief Winston. “That’s what makes the actions of these three rescuers so extraordinary – and it’s a powerful reminder that everyday people can and do make a difference right here in Howard County.”
The Adventure Shack at Centennial Park is open for boat rentals and concessions, Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit Recreation & Park’s “Rentals” website.