LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 8, 2025) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department announced 95 recipients of the 2024 Gold Star awards given annually to food service facilities that achieve superior food safety standards. The award recipients were recognized at a ceremony held on April 7 in Leonardtown by the St. Mary’s County Health Department. Leadership from the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce and St. Mary’s County Government were also present to offer congratulations to the awardees.
Since its inception in 2007, the Gold Star Program has recognized food establishments that demonstrate exceptional attention to public health, safety, and sanitation. Each year, Environmental Health Specialists at the health department regularly inspect over 550 food service facilities located in St. Mary’s County. About 1,200 inspections were conducted in 2024.
During routine annual inspections, health department inspectors determine Gold Star eligibility based on strict criteria and standards. The requirements to earn the Gold Star are:
- No critical violations (based on COMAR 10.15.03)
- No temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection
- A 30-day follow-up inspection must correct all violations noted by an inspector
- No confirmed unsafe food handling complaints for sanitation or food-borne illness
- At least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitation and Safety Class” within the last two years
“Thank you to our 2024 Gold Star recipients for their hard work and dedication in preventing food-borne illness in St. Mary’s County,” stated Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “We are proud to recognize these organizations for achieving such high standards and for their attention to food safety, sanitation, and public health.”
For more information about the Gold Star Program and for a list of the 2024 Gold Star Award winners, visit smchd.org/gold-star.
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