From tabletops with china, crystal and linens to children’s books and toys, the Partner’s In Care Upscale Resale Boutique (at 8151 Ritchie Highway) has gathered its Christmas collections in a most appealing way. Even while adapting to COVID-19 guldelines, the shop’s staff and volunteers have succeeded in making holiday shopping a pleasure for their customers.
By now, Santa probably knows the boutique inside and out. Images of the jolly old elf appear everywhere – on mugs and plates, toys and holiday decorations. There’s a Father Christmas tree topper that’s particularly festive.
Like small retailers across Anne Arundel County, the boutique has pulled out all the stops in hopes of attracting Christmas shoppers. In addition to tables and counters featuring holiday patterned china and glassware, they’re showing items that would make great gifts including designer label handbags and clothing.
Considering necessity the mother of invention, PIC also launched a sparkling new counter featuring the boutique’s well-known collection of upscale, fine jewelry. According to the organization’s executive director Mandy Arnold, It’s the same jewelry normally held back for the organization’s yearly “Fling With Bling Jewelry Extravaganzas” at Chartwell Golf and Country Club.
“Because of the COVID virus, this fall’s jewelry event – our major fundraiser – was cancelled. We came up with this amazing counter display as a way to attract sales and generate some of the income we so depend on,” Arnold said.
She explained that some of the finer pieces of jewelry are outright gifts to Partners In Care while others are donated as part of someone’s estate. Those particular pieces are always separated from donations of costume jewelry and held back. Many are valued by PIC volunteers familiar with the jewelry market.
However, the more valuable pieces are submitted for official appraisal.
Partners In Care is largely a self-sustaining organization so fine jewelry and boutique sales provide most of its operating budget.
A private non-profit, 501(c) (3) , PIC offers programs and services that help older adults remain living in their homes independently. The organization accomplishes that goal through a unique service exchange program where members volunteer their time and talents to help each other with services like transportation, handyman repairs, personal support, and social engagement. In exchange, members can ask for assistance free of charge when they need it.
By clever merchandising and holding special sales each week, the boutique has been doing reasonably well though not back to their normal volume of business. Due to the pandemic, limited grants PIC receives for its programs were cut 75%…. further eroding income. Thus, it’s been necessary to innovate.
“We’ve formed a new partnership with a state-run program called Community For Life that provides some of the same kind of transportation and handyman services we do,” Arnold said. “It’s a ‘fee-for-service’ program available to people unable to volunteer in an exchange program like ours. It helps those people and brings us a small amount of money to supplement our budget for the programs we offer for free.”
Some strategies the boutique is employing to attract more shoppers include Senior Citizens’ Tuesdays when all seniors get a 10% discount on their purchases. There are Wacky Wednesday sales featuring a different item each week – the latest being buy-one, get-one costume jewelry items or buy-one, get-one shoes. On Fridays, there’s a $5 discount off every $20 purchase from art to linens or baskets to whatever.
PIC hasn’t neglected its vets. The organization boasts 300 male and female military veterans from all branches of the services. A program created by Sharon Zentgraf has been established called “Veterans Helping Veterans” which matches veterans with other veterans for companionship and mutual support.
As the organization’s annual Veteran’s Day event was cancelled due to the virus, Zentgraf and volunteers mailed each veteran/member a special card and a coupon for Mission BBQ.
For the latest sales at Partners In Care’s Upscale Retail Boutique, visit https://www.facebook.com/PartnersInCareBoutique. For more information on Partners In Care, visit http://www.partnersincare.org/
SPAN, Inc. takes new approach to Holiday Caring Program
Year after year, SPAN, Inc.’s Jennifer Pumphrey and Ellen Kinsella have personally greeted Holiday Caring Program donors as they arrive prior to Christmas bearing shopping bags, wagons or wheelbarrows full of gifts for families they signed up to help.
This year, because of COVID-19, the organization had to invent a whole new way of doing the Holiday Caring Programs for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pumphrey, SPAN’s Director of Operations, explained.
“This year we made modifications to our program in order to maintain safety for our volunteers, sponsors and clients,” she said. “We requested donations in the form of gift cards to grocery stores, so clients could purchase their own food for their Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and to Target, Walmart, and Visa, so clients could purchase their own Christmas gifts for their children. We collected the gift card donations on Sunday November 1st. We then distributed the gift cards to eligible clients by appointments during the first 2 weeks of November. We wanted to give them plenty of time to shop for their children before Christmas.”
She added that she and Kinsella had no idea what to expect considering the changes but they were overwhelmed by the generosity of the community. They were able to provide gift cards for all their registered client families with even a few extra.
SPAN should be back to normal operations next Christmas. But. for anyone looking to make a donation this holiday season, please consider a financial donation to SPAN which will help keep families in their homes with the utilities on.
“The need is growing every day,” Pumphrey said. .
To donate, visit https://www.spanhelps.org/.
Earleigh Heights VFC says Santa will ride again!
Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company chief Dave Crawford reports that the COVID pandemic necessitated changes for the 2020 holiday season.
“Unfortunately, we had to cancel this year’s Christmas tree sale,” he said. “But the good news is that Santa will ride again! He’ll be making his usual Santa Runs though all the Severna Park neighborhoods in a sleigh pulled by one of our fire engines for six nights.”
On Saturday, December 5th, Santa will visit 30 neighborhoods throughout the Magothy River watershed. On Sunday, December 6th, he’ll be in neighborhoods off Jumper’s Hole Road.
The following weekend, he’ll spend Saturday, December 12 visiting neighborhoods nearer the Severn River off Benfield Road. On Sunday, December 13, he’ll head for some of Severma Park’s beach communities like Cape Arthur as well as Olde Severna Park and West Severna Park.
On Saturday, December 19, he’ll head out Benfield Road and peel off to either side while visiting communities like Carrolton Manor and Chartridge. He’ll end his 2020 Santa Runs on Sunday, December 20 in Round Bay. For a complete schedule of Santa Runs listing every neighborhood, visit @ehvfcsantaruns on Facebook or the firedhouse website at http://ehvfc.org/.
According to Crawford, one more change was made to Earleigh Heights VFC’s 2020 holiday schedule. On every Friday and Monday for the next three weeks, volunteer firemen will bring Santa, along with a holiday display, to the Walmart at Pasadena from 5 to 8 pm.
Severna Park Community Center’s “Jolly Holiday Jubilee”
Severna Park Community Center invites the public to join them this Sunday, December 6 from 1 to 6 pm for their “Jolly Holiday Jubilee”. A strolling Santa will be on hand for selfies, there will be holiday music, and the Girls Scouts will have crafts for children. There will also be a craft fair with local products like soaps, homemade or vintage jewelry and clothing that would make lovely gifts. There will also be a Christmas giving tree from which to pick a tag to help a family in need. Free mini-dance classes will be available by appointment in the Dance Center and free Fitness Center visits provided you make an appointment beforehand. To do so….or for information, visit https://www.spcommunitycenter.org/ or call 410-647-7851.
Trick or Tree at The Chamber
The Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce will be holding a “Trick or Tree” event this year in front of its offices at 1 Holly Avenue on Friday, December 11 from 5 to 6:30 pm. Unlike previous years’ open houses, the event will be held outside with social distancing. The Chamber’s Christmas tree will be lit and both Santa and The Grinch will be on hand. There will be Kiddie Goodie Bags and Adult Goodie Bags containing coupons for local restaurants and retailers. For information, visit https://www.gspacc.com/.
