Month: August 2020

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

At 8:30 am Saturday, August 22, Hollyberry Garden Club member Peggy Turnblacer met Eagle Scout candidate Sammy Watson and members of Boy Scout Troop 975 on the sidewalk at the Severna Park Community Library. Dressed for work and wearing masks, the Scouts prepared to complete Sammy’s Eagle Scout project for the garden club – building and installing wooden planters for the library’s entrances.

Hollyberry Garden Club members created and maintain the gardens surrounding the library. But, in 2016, they’d collaborated with aspiring Eagle Scout Alek Frederiksson of Troop 993 who built a wheelchair accessible planter at Genesis Healthcare Severna Park. Naturally, when faced with old and rotting wooden planters at the library’s entrances, they thought to seek help from the Boy Scouts.

They reached out to Troop 975 Scoutmaster Ben Eloff and were put in touch with Sammy who was looking for a community-oriented Eagle Scout project.

A senior at Old Mill High School this year, Sammy served as junior assistant Scout Master and a Senior Patrol Leader of his troop. He accepted the garden club’s challenge and planned and implemented the building project from start to finish.

 Providing the library with detailed drawings and views of the planters he wanted to build along with lists of materials and costs, he raised the money for the project. Then members of Troop 975 built the planters under his supervision.

According to Sammy’s mom Sherri, he’s pleased with the project and happy to be able to get it finished. She said he began working on it in March but was held up by the COVID lock down.

• 

• 

There were plenty willing hands to help the scouts install the planters Saturday morning including those of Eagle Scout coach Karen Scheel , a retired teacher and assistant principal , Sammy’s parents Sherri and Jeff Watson, garden club members and Sarah Reftovich from sister troop 1975.   ,

Eloff, District Membership chair for the Four Rivers District explained that Eagle Scout projects give candidates insight into qualities of leadership and management of interpersonal relationships. 

With his project complete, Sammy will formally deliver a report detailing its highlights and how he demonstrated leadership as he implemented it.  After final approval by the Council, he will be awarded his Eagle Scout badge.

Thanks to the Scouts, dirt, plant material and the dilapidated wooden barrels have been removed so the Hollyberry gardeners are looking forward to replacing the plants – perhaps adapting autumn themed flowers like asters and chrysanthemums.

Turnblacer said the garden club was very impressed with Sammy and Troop 975 while Severna Park Library was thrilled and grateful to have new planters.

The partnership between Hollyberry Garden Club and Severna Park Library is longstanding.  In addition to designing and maintaining the beautiful native gardens, the club holds its annual Christmas Greens Sale in the library’s lobby.  Each spring, Hollyberry members celebrate the season by hosting “Books in Bloom” highlighting literature-themed floral arrangements from members of several garden clubs.

Stage & Screen Studios prepares to film “You Can’t Take It With You”

The COVID-19 pandemic “directly impacted Stage & Screen Studios closing down productions” according to owner/director Pete Garvey. He said the company is slowly getting back to operating normally while adhering to COVID related guidelines and social distancing, Students are finally permitted in the studio for one-on-one instruction in acting, television and film techniques. However, the company’s on-site stage productions still aren’t allowed to have audiences.

Garvey said they’ve live-streamed individual actors’ work and recently filmed and streamed a recital by singer Hannah Hall that attracted was highly praised. However, the studios are having to get very innovative.

“We’re currently rehearsing a straight play that only requires a small cast,” the director said. “We’ll film our production of “You Can’t Take It With You” with a cast of 12 actors. Then, it will be shown during Stage and Screen Studios virtual ‘Film Festival’ the third weekend of September.”

For updates on Stage & Screen Studios, visit www.stagescreenstudios.com.

Chesapeake Harmony Chorus, Quartets at a standstill

Unable to do live performances because singing is considered a possible way to spread COVID 19, members of Chesapeake Harmony Chorus and its Quartets had to cancel all their practices and concerts.

Musical director Sally Burton, who is also a member of the quartets Carpe Diem and 2nd Star, said the singers felt terrible about cancelling their shows and sorry for the venues that depend on events like theirs for revenue.

Most of all, they miss.each other.

“Though not the same, chorus members have been singing together regularly over Zoom every Wednesday evening,” Burton said. “We may try to follow the example of some choruses and record a virtual performance.”

Plans for the chorus’ traditional holiday appearance at Baldwin Hall are up in the air. To stay updated, visit https://www.chesapeakeharmony.org/.

Theater In The Park opens classes

Following the success of its theater summer camps held at Severna Park Community Center, Theater In The Park will begin holding regular classes the week of September 21.

“Our summer camps were so great. They were very safe with social distancing and masks,” said Theater In The Park owner/director Jennifer Lee Kraus. “We held our musical theater workshops with small groups of eight kids and adopted the theme ‘Under The Big Top’. The campers loved it put on a very entertaining shows at the end. ”

Kraus noted that the upcoming workshops will be small, with 10 children to a group divided by age. They’ll be conducted in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines. A fun theme of “Once Upon a Time – a Fractured Fairy Tale” has been chosen.

Classes will meet for 50 minutes each Saturday for 10 weeks. At the end of the 11th week, class members will perform a show for their parents. For more information, visit https://www.theaterinthepark.net/.

Tonight’s “Virtual Variety Night” courtesy of Benevolent Baskets

Tonight at 7 pm, online viewers can attend Benevolent Baskets‘ “Virtual Variety Night Fundraiser and Online Auction”.

Benevolent Baskets, the non-profit organization that provides life skills and job training to formerly homeless women through its growing gift basket business is hosting this unique fundraiser. Both entertainment and demonstrations will be featured.

Viewers will see Baltimore singer Justin Trawick in concert plus demonstrations by Classic Catering, mixologist Liz Dabecco, and wrapping expert Gary Godbe. For $25 tickets or $100 VIP tickets, visit https://www.benevolentbaskets.org/2020-fundraiser-tickets .

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

No matter what the season, pulling into a space on the parking lot at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church can be a surprising and delightful experience thanks to thoughtfully designed islands of plants and flowers between the rows.

In the spring, visitors approaching the entrance to Woods can’t help smiling as they walk past the lovely “Bell garden” with its profusion of Lynnhaven Carpet flowers that resemble daisies. An early blooming native, Lynnhaven Carpet is both an erosion control and a food source for early emerging bees.

Among other early bloomers in the parking lot gardens are Common Blue Violets, Golden Ragwort with its cheerful yellow petals, and the native flowering shrubs Black and Red Chokeberry, Spicebush, Fothergilla, and New Jersey Tea.

By summer, a total of eight parking lot islands are abloom with colorful native Coneflowers (Echinacea) and Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) augmented with multi-hued Zinnias.

All eight were specifically designed by the Woods Gardening Team as pollinator gardens and have been a tremendous success. Bees and butterflies constantly flit among the blooms and birds alight singly or in flocks to sample seed heads.

By autumn, Common Boneset and pale purple asters have added color to the gardens as some flowers begin to fade. Both attract even greater numbers of bees and butterflies.

According to Woods Garden Team co-leaders Peggy Newman and Karen Royer, the idea for the innovative parking lot gardens was born three years ago.

“Peggy, who really heads our group and was the organizing force, convened a group of us at her house,” Royer said. “She explained that horticulturists were alarmed that the bees and butterflies that pollinate crops were disappearing and urged all gardeners to include native plants that attract them in their landscapes. We all liked her idea and seconded her motion to plant some.”

For many years, gardener Jane Iglehart and her husband Charlie cared for the church’s plants and flowers but moved on and were succeeded by the late Elizabeth Wyble. Thereafter, professional landscapers maintained the grounds but kept the ornamental shrubs and flower beds just as they were.. There were no native plants in the gardens.

Eager to heed horticulturists’ and ornithologists’ warnings and halt the disappearance of birds, bees, butterflies, moths and other pollinators by adding native plants, Peggy and the group set a goal of dedicating 70 percent of the Woods campus to them.

The planting project was a learning experience for all of them. Researching daylillies, hostas, iris and other plants already established on Woods grounds, they found out they were not native plants. They were wondering what to do when they received help from an unexpected source.

Round Bay resident Alison Milligan introduced herself to Royer during a Green Give environmental fundraising event. Retired from the military, the former engineer is a master gardener, a watershed steward and an expert on Maryland native plants. Though not a church member she volunteered to work with the group and her advice has been invaluable.

A central question for the group was “where do we plant the native species?” Looking for spaces that had full sun exposure, it occurred to the group that the islands between rows in the parking lot had full sun all day. But they worried that the soil would be too poor until Milligan assured them that Maryland’s native plants do well in poor soil, are drought resistant and absorb storm water preventing run-off and erosion.

Armed with a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service guide obtained by Newman – called “Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed” – the 22 member team began. Thanks to grants from Unity Gardens, they created a total of one large and 30 discreet gardens. Within a year, pollinators and wildlife were already visiting them.

In autumn, purple asters, Common Boneset and Viburnum attract butterflies by the hundreds.

In addition to Alison Milligan, the Woods Gardening Team is fortunate to have two other master gardeners – Karen Strange and Frank Goetschius – among its ranks. The group’s projects have expanded to include plantings that capture storm water runoff and control erosion.

” For erosion control, we planted Lynhaven Carpet and Asters along with 200 plugs of Coneflowers that the birds just love,” Newman reported. “As autumn approaches we leave the heads of both Coneflowers and Black Eyed Susans in place as they are an important winter food source for birds.”

In the spring, the team added new plants called Winecups for color and because they are good for stopping erosion. Note the sign identifying them. Signs identifying the plants in each of the gardens are greatly appreciated by those who stop to admire them.

This summer, a brand new erosion control project designed by Milligan was carried out following the long-awaited repaving of the road between Woods Church and office buildings fronting on B&A Boulevard. Being good stewards of the land surrounding the church, the group was well aware that the rainwater from the part of the property overlooking the road ran directly downhill, eventually draining into the Magothy River.

To counter that effect, they planted over 100 native shrubs and plants along the newly paved road including American beautyberry, inkberry, chokeberry, American spreader hollies, New Jersey tea, witch hazel, fothergilla, arrowwood viburnum, St John’s wort and amsonia.  The plants were chosen to secure the hillside from erosion and to provide flowers and food for birds and pollinators. 

For information about Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church and its many groups, missons and ministries visit http://www.woodschurch.org/ .

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Fires, accidents and health crises keep the first responders of Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company busy and on alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But those are relatively routine challenges. COVID-19 not only brought with it expected health risks but also unforeseen financial challenges.

By expanding existing safety precautions to include a strict following of CDC, state and health department guidelines and wearing personal protective equipment, the company has operated throughout the pandemic without a single firefighter contracting the virus.

“We weathered that part of the storm very well, though we’re down a few volunteers who are sitting it out because they or their family members are considered vulnerable,” said fire chief Dave Crawford.

Unfortunately, the economic fallout from virus-related cancellations has been devastating for the self-sustaining volunteer fire company.

The company serves all of greater Severna Park with a population of nearly 40,000 residents. Forty-two EHVFC male and female volunteer firefighters supplemented by 17 Anne Arundel County paid firefighters and paramedics make it possible. They are aided by a sizable number of member volunteers who handle administrative work.

“We originally just fought fires,” Crawford said. “But today all our members are required to have EMT training because we’re first responders for issues ranging from medical emergencies, traffic accidents and water rescues to dealing with hazardous materials. Our equipment’s had to evolve accordingly to include seven fire and rescue apparatus including Pierce Arrow XT, Pierce Arrow Dash, and Pierce Lance engines and an ambulance

Fire Chief Dave Crawford eyed one of the equipment panels on the Rescue Squad 12 truck. Panels on the auto extrication side held air bags, air chisels, the jaws of life, axes, hand tools and hazmat equipment. Panels on the fire side held everything from powerful lights and pumping apparatus to gauges, saws and other equipment.

In the years since the Earleigh Heights firehouse was built in 1957, the company’s personnel and equipment expanded considerably. With 93 tons of powerful fire and rescue equipment entering and exiting the building continuously, cracks and stress fractures can now be seen, A dilapidated second floor with an antiquated bunk room and without separate shower facilities for women and men is also problematic.

It’s obvious that a new firehouse is badly needed and architectural plans were drawn up for one. But the construction project is estimated to cost approximately $6 million – an amount impossible to come up with through fundraisers

Initially, EHVFC’s board looked for donors from the community but without success. So they developed a plan for obtaining an upfront construction loan, tearing down the existing firehouse and leasing the land facing Ritchie Highway to small businesses to finance repayment of the loan. The new firehouse would be located at the back of the 9.5 acre property with most of the land preserved as green space for carnivals and other community events.

To do that, the company applied to the county Planning and Zoning Commission for permission to have the land rezoned from residential to commercial. Their request was denied so they went before a hearing of the Planning and Zoning Commission board to ask for a C-1 designation (meaning space for small businesses only). The board denied the request.

EHVFC initiated an appeal through the courts on July 6. However, the judge said the hearing board was wrong and dismissed the case. Now the fire department must appear at another hearing to request the zoning change before the same seven-person board. Crawford is hopeful.

Meanwhile, things slowly move ahead. The firemen and ladies auxiliary will play host to (10) “Tasty Night Food Trucks” on Tuesday, August 18, Tuesday, August 25, Tuesday, September 1 and Monday, Labor Day. For information visit http://ehvfc.org/.

Various community service organizations are also keeping Severna Park strong. We highlight a few.

Severna Park Elks press on with Friday Night Meals

Though hampered by the pandemic, members of Severna Park Elks Lodge #2482 on Truckhouse Road have soldered on. Since May 23rd, they’ve continuously offered “Friday Night Meals” – prepackaged foods that can be eaten in the lodge’s spacious outdoor pavilion, its indoor lounge or taken home.

Menus are great and prices excellent. Typical is the crab cake platter offered this Friday, August 14 that includes crab cakes, tartar/cocktail sauce, corn on the cob, tomato salad, fruit salad and dessert. A one crab cake platter costs $16 or a two crab cake platter is $22. Reservations are required by today at 5 pm. Email housecommittee2482@gmail.com or call 410-647-2482.

Elks member Skip Carroll said funds raised go toward lodge projects which are ongoing regardless of the pandemic. Members provided 50 each Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter food baskets to SPAN, Inc. They also provided 40 handheld tablets for homeless veterans through MCVETS, the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, Inc.

This year, instead of supplying backpacks of school supplies to Murray Elementary and two other schools, the Elks are donating supplies directly to the schools. They’re also conducting monthly blood drives at the lodge. Visit them on Facebook or at https://www.elks.org/lodges/home.cfm?lodge=2482.

Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber cancels parade but opens office

Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce executive director Liz League regretted announcing the bad news that the Severna Park Parade postponed to Labor Day has now been cancelled. But League had good news too.

The Chamber’s offices at 1 Holly Avenue are finally open. In accordance with Anne Arundel County Executive Stewart Pittman’s mandate, there are restrictions on the number of people allowed at one time.

Ribbon cuttings are back, the most recent being held to celebrate the reopening of the Severna Park Community Center’s newly renovated main pool.

Best of all, the 2020 Driving Force for Business Golf Tournament being held at Chartwell Golf and Country Club is sold out for the first time in years. There is also talk of holding Shoptoberfest at a new and different outdoor location in October.

Donations are rolling in for SPAN, INC.

From financial assistance to pantry items and baby items like the blanket executive board president Kathy Berge is holding up, SPAN, Inc. is helping local families survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Director of Development Ellen Kinsella noted that, unlike organizations experiencing virus related economic slowdowns, SPAN has had financial and food donations “rolling in” from local businesses, church youth groups and women’s groups. The latest was a donation from Diehl’s Produce Severna Park of $500 worth of gift cards for fresh produce to be distributed to SPAN clients.

Kinsella emphasized that, thanks to very generous financial donations, SPAN, Inc. has been able to increase financial aid for families who are facing evictions or utility cut-offs. She also noted that the organization now schedules “drive-by” appointments to apply for aid or to pick up items from the food pantry.

“It’s easy and folks don’t even have to get out of their cars.,” she said. For information, visit https://www.spanhelps.org/.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

Lots of news from Severna Park Community Center this week. Particularly exciting for regular lap swimmers was the long awaited reopening of the community center’s main pool. Though required by COVID guidelines to swim by appointment only, Ingrid Savicnac, Tegler brothers, Eric and Jan, and Heroes of Tomorrow fitness program trainee Connor McNulty, were happy to be back,

To comply with Governor Hogan’s Stay At Home Order of March 23, the entire center was forced to shut down…..which turned out to be fortuitous for the pool.

Instead of following SPCC’s normal practice of shutting down for a week in August to drain and clean the main pool, the staff chose to do it during the shutdown. Once drained , it was discovered that vital repairs were needed for a cracked expansion joint according to community center executive director Sarah Elder. After brief consideration, SPCC’s board decided to go ahead with a total renovation.

Shelley Beigel, director of programs, showed off the many renovations Tuesday afternoon. She also addressed the safety procedures instituted by SPCC’s aquatics program to comply with COVID-19 guidelines.

“In addition to replacing the expansion joint, the entire pool was resurfaced with all new racing tiles,” Beigel said. “White coping stones were installed around the edge of the pool along with cobalt blue tiles. For the first time, we installed steps into the pool with a handrail and we repainted the walls.”

• 

• 

She said social distancing has been implemented by limiting the number of swimmers and requiring them to schedule an appointment. With fewer people, the lanes can be appropriately spaced apart.

While completely renovated and refreshed, the locker rooms and showers may not currently be used by swimmers. They must arrive showered and dressed to swim and must place their belongings on a single assigned chair.

Signs are posted reminding everyone to stay in their swim lanes and bright blue cones at six foot intervals around the edge of the pool encourage proper distancing.

• 

• 

Lifeguards are on duty throughout swim sessions and must wear masks except when required to enter the water for rescue or assistance.

Like all the lifeguards, Nathan Rosner feels it’s great to be back on duty. He actually returned as lifeguard for SPCC’s popular therapy pool prior to the main pool reopening. The therapy pool (a greatly needed community resource) didn’t require renovations so was able to open in late June.

Pointing out floats, kick boards and other flotation devices swimmers may avail themselves of, Rosner said the equipment is sanitized after each use. Handrails, chairs and other surfaces are wiped down after each session.

McNulty said he doesn’t mind observing the restrictions.

“I don’t mind needing to make and appointment. I’m just glad to be able to swim again.,” he said.

Swimming a steady breast stroke down the length of the far left lane, long-time pool user Ingrid Savicnac seemed in her element.

“I’m so happy. I really missed swimming,” she said.

Their first time back, the Tegler brothers, who are normally river swimmers in the summer and pool swimmers throughout the winter, were particularly pleased.

“The water quality in all the rivers has been very up and down this summer because of algae blooms and runoff from the storms so it’s good to have the pool back as an option,” Jan said.

Not surprisingly, as the 1:30 to 2:30 group of swimmers were preparing to leave, another group with reservations were spaced six feet apart at the desk in the lobby waiting to sign in.

There’s more news from the Severna Park Community Center. Elder reports that the 25th Anniversary Gala scheduled for October at the Hilton Hotel has been postponed till spring because of concern about the pandemic.

“Instead, it’s being replaced by a Drive-By-Gala with a twist,” she said. “The event will be held at the community center from 3 to 5 pm on October 24. A gala committee led by Ellen Kleinknecht, Patt Haun and Diane Lebbedeff developed the unique twist on a virtual event to raise operating funds.”

Guests to the event will stay in their cars while being treated to live music, guest presenters and a “gala in a box” to take home. Included will be a gift certificate for $50 to one of the area’s fine restaurants, a small bottle of champagne and flute plus a delectable dessert from a local bakery. For information, visit https://www.spcommunitycenter.org/.

Talent Machine Company successfully stages “Children of Eden” despite daunting obstacles

Staging a musical with a cast of 30 plus young actors is challenging under any circumstances according to Talent Machine Company producer Judy Curbelo. To stage two such musicals in “the age of Covid-19” demands innovation, fortitude and adherence to strict guidelines. The company rose to the challenge.

TMC’s summer youth production of “Willy Wonka” and teen production of “Chlidren of Eden” were in the works since early January. With the easing of Stay At Home Orders and the acquisition of an outdoor venue, the productions could move ahead….. providing COVID-19 guidelines were followed.

“We’d made arrangements with the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds for their spacious outdoor pavilion for both shows and completely followed their COVID-19 guidelines allowing for 100 socially-distanced audience members ,” Curbelo said.

“Willy Wonka” debuted to an enthusiastic audience July 17th – only to be mistaken by the Anne Arundel County Health Department for another theater’s production. Restrictions were imposed regardless. Though allowed to perform the show that evening, no further tickets could be sold and only small audiences were permitted for subsequent performances.

Thereafter, TMC’s board and staff members debated whether to continue with the “Children of Eden”. Since rehearsals were already well underway, they moved ahead.

Both Curbelo and director Bobby Smith said the obstacles were daunting and the process arduous and complex. The health department permitted “Children of Eden” to be performed provided it were referred to as “a project allowing the actors to practice their craft”. Tickets couldn’t be sold and audiences were limited to one person per cast member.

Performed last weekend before small audiences, the performance was extremely well received. It was filmed for possible use as a fundraiser.

The 31-member cast loved rehearsing and performing the musical in spite of the fact they they wore masks and remained socially distanced throughout the process. The actors, including Braden Andrew who played Adam and Lucy O’Brien who played Eve, expressed their frustration when they observed that sports activities weren’t subject to the same requirements for masks for players or spectators and were permitted unlimited crowd sizes.

A fundraiser may be in the offing for the non-profit Talent Machine Company at a later date and a venue is being sought for a holiday show. For updated information, visit https://talentmachine.com/ .

Kinder Farm Park cancels Harvest Festival

Park visitation has seen a remarkable increase throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Friends of Kinder Farm Park made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Harvest Festival. (The annual October event is the park’s most popular drawing thousands of attendees,) Among other events, there’s a good possibility that the popular Jingle Bell Hayride will be held on December 5. For information on upcoming events visit https://kinderfarmpark.org/.

If you enjoy keeping up with community news, click Subscribe.