AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
With the start of a new school year fast approaching, the Assistance League of the Chesapeake is stepping up its “Kids In Need” program to raise funds to purchase school uniforms like those above. Monies raised through donations and grants are used to buy and distribute uniforms to seven Title One schools through a partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools. They include MacArthur Middle School and Georgetown East, Germantown, Meade Heights, Mills-Parole, Tyler Heights, and Van Bokkelen elementary schools.
Following a pause in the program in 2020/2021 because of COVID-related school closures, the fundraising drive is back on. Assistance League president Elaine Atkinson and member Teresa Hales Tudor are out and about raising awareness about the need for donations.
The Kids In Need program is one of five AL initiatives, but a very important one,” Atkinson said. “So Teresa and I are spreading the word.”
Begun in 2003, the program has distributed 23,000 uniforms – a record the Assistance League is proud of.
Tudor explained how the program works.
“We’re required to work only with Title One schools (described as those where a majority of families are living in poverty). We provide each child a top, a bottom, a sweatshirt, socks, underwear and a set of toiletries twice a year – in the fall and again in the spring to allow for kids to grow,” she said. “Measuring children for uniforms is something many of our members have gotten quite good at.”
Between AL members involved in writing grants or fundraising and those involved in measuring and fitting students, the program is quite an operation. The group believes providing the uniforms means one less thing for students to worry about so they can concentrate on learning.
“Besides, who hasn’t liked the feeling of having new clothes to go back to school in,” Tudor said.
“We welcome both volunteers and donations,” Atkinson added. “Those interested in contributing may visit Home – Assistance League of the ChesapeakeAssistance League of the Chesapeake and click the donate button. A donation of $25 will provide a student with a new top and pants or skirt, $35 will provide the uniform plus a sweatshirt, and $40 will provide the uniform, sweatshirt and socks, underwear and toiletries.”
In addition to promoting the uniform donation drive, Atkinson and Tudor are highlighting the 15th Anniversary of the Assistance League of the Chesapeake chapter’s founding by member Dee Campbell. They’re also striving to educate the public about the organization’s many programs by appearing at community events and creating new marketing materials.
The Assistance League currently has 70 members from across Anne Arundel County. Atkinson, for example, is from Annapolis while Tudor is a Severna Park resident and there are members from Glen Burnie, Severn, Millersville and Pasadena among other communities. As a strictly volunteer-based organization, AL hopes to grow its membership and attract some younger women with the energy and enthusiasm to carry on its mission of community service
Tudor, who worked for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, became aware of AL in the early 2000’s when she witnessed the good work done by their fledgling Kids In Need program and saw it grow from two schools to seven. Thus, when she retired and was looking for a volunteer opportunity, she immediately thought of joining the Assistance League to become a participant in the program.
Elaine Atkinson, Grier Smokovich and Rose Houghton and their puppets say goodbye following a performance.. Photo courtesy of Assistance League Chesapeake
There are other great programs to be involved in. Atkinson volunteers as a puppeteer with AL’s “Kids On the Block” program visiting second-graders in schools across the county.
“We use life-sized puppets to teach children valuable social skills,” she said. “The puppets act out scripts we’ve developed to discuss and help kids understand such sensitive topics as cultural differences or bullying.”
Among Atkinson’s other favorites is the Stork’s Nest Baby Shower program. Once a year, chapter members gather for a “baby shower” and everyone brings baby gifts to support Baltimore Washington Medical Center’s Stork’s Nest program for young mothers in need. The young women earn points for attending prenatal classes – points they can then use to shop for free at the hospital’s Stork’s Nest Baby Shower redemption center. Last year the chapter provided $6,000 worth of gifts.
While more musically inclined members gravitate to the “Sing-Alongs for Seniors” program for assisted living and nursing home residents, others volunteer with Project Literacy. Through monthly Guest Reader programs, the volunteers work in classrooms tutoring children in reading. They donate books directly to the students and organize activities that promote positive behaviors for effective learning.
“Some members also lend a hand outside of our chapter for schools that don’t have any parent volunteers,” Tudor said. “For instance, they’ll volunteer with the Black Eyed Susan Book Award program (for which students read a pre-selected list of books and choose a winning author). The volunteers come in before school starts, hand out copies of a book on the list, help the students with reading the book and then form a discussion circle. The students earn a certificate for completing the reading list. Our volunteers are so dedicated to encouraging the children to continue reading that they raise money to buy them new books they can take home as their own.”
There are Pen Pal programs and projects to send cards to seniors who have no family members to receive mail from – so many activities to be involved in it’s impossible to list them all. For information, visit www.ALChesapeake.org where there is also an excellent video about Kids In Need.
Things are popping for the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber
With the community’s Independence Day Parade a success, the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors has a multitude of live events planned through November and beyond. According to Chamber CEO Liz League, they range from member events like Friday, July 30th’s “Fly-By Friday Cookout” featuring burgers, dogs and side dishes from Effortless Bistro Chef Laureen Vance to large-scale events free to the public.
“As a community sponsor, we’re currently making preparations for the Anne Arundel Co. Eastern District Police’s “National Night Out” at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company on August 3 from 6 to 8 pm,” League said. “The event, which attracts thousands of people, is free to the public and features entertainment, games for kids. community booths, snacks, K-9 and Bomb Squad robot demonstrations and displays of police and fire vehicles. It’s a way for the public to come out and express their appreciation to our first responders.”
Fast approaching is the Chamber’s Driving Force Golf Tournament on September 27 at Chartwell Golf and Country Club, a major fundraising event. League just received the go-ahead to bring back the popular Shoptoberfest to be held at Park Plaza in October. Plans are also in the works to hold the annual Taste & Sip of Severna Park event in November at Chartwell Golf & Country Club.
More is on the way. For details on upcoming events, visit Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce (gspacc.com) and click the calendar button or visit Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce | Facebook.
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