Author: wingsorb@aol.com

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Hearts could be seen here, there and everywhere during BD Provisions‘ February 13th Gallentine’s Day Party, creating the perfect atmosphere for an event that was a combination social gathering and shopping experience. Initially a vision of BD Provisions’ co-owner/host Debra Saltz and Hip Mod Vintage proprietor Amy Heath, the party was a great opportunity for attendees to find unique Valentine’s Day gifts.

Located just inside the store’s entrance, an eye-catching display of jewelry from Hip Mod Vintage drew customers like bees to honey. Woven throughout the collection were heart-shaped rings and necklaces featuring hearts like the one seen in the opening photo.

Heath, is well-known as a longtime vendor at the Severna Park Farmer’s Market selling her recycled and perfectly restored vintage jewelry and other upcycled treasures. She also sells items from her equally well-known daughter Ellie Heath’s Three Blue Bunnies‘ collection of stylish jean jackets and other accessories she created from recycled materials.

“The farmer’s market actually opens a week earlier this year on April 19th and Hip Mod Vintage will be there,” Amy told us. But Ellie won’t be on hand as she’s living in Newport, Rhode Island where she’ll graduate this year from Salve Regina University. Luckily, she’s sending me new items she is creating for Three Blue Bunnies including trendy tote bags made from donated fabrics.”

Other vendors marketed heart-themed products at the Gallentine’s Day event. At the end of the first aisle, we spotted vendor Caren Bach (who can be seen on the far left in the opening photo). We worked our way to the Cookies by Caren booth and sampled her adorable heart-shaped cookies as well as cookies she made entirely from BD Provisions’ products. They were yummy.

Turning a corner, we happened upon Rebecca Gillin’s delightful Me Time LLC Bath Bomb, Soaks and Scrubs booth.

Gillin’s love of bath bombs was the inspiration for creating a whole range of products – products so successful she has been in business for three years.

“My children and I really loved bath bombs and I bought a lot of them. So I started making them myself and then expanded to other products,” Gillin said. “The children even helped me and the colorful beaded bracelets I’m displaying were made by them.”

For those who love to soak like Gillin, the Me Time products are ideal.

“I have a husband and two sons, so I was the only woman in the house. I could frequently be heard saying ‘I need a little me time’ which was the inspiration for the name of my business,” Gillin said.

Gallentine’s Day Party guests were having a wonderful time. They sipped complimentary Sparkling Cider, entered the raffle with its heart-shaped tickets, roamed the aisles and carried their purchases in heart-embossed gift bags.

Curiously, we noticed a few men attending the Gallentine’s Day Party, likely husbands or boyfriends eager to know what it was all about.

In addition to its normal wide array of chocolates and other candies, BP Provisions had Valentine’s Day specialties including those hard-to-find candy hearts of various kinds. They also had Valentine Candy Gift Boxes put together by the staff.

There were a few children attending the event including young Poppy who was being helped to a piece of candy she selected by BD Provisions’ owner Debra Saltz.

Poppy came to the Gallentine’s Day Party with her mother Taryn Gilbertson and aunt Jantra Silbert, two of three sisters (along with Dara Robinette) who own the nearby Stellaluna Raine Boutique. The sisters were drawn to the event because they know the vendors and have also visited BD Provisions on occasion.

BD Provisions is becoming known for hosting community-oriented special events that are fun – often featuring vendors. They frequently post those events at Facebook or Instagram.

St. Patrick’s Day Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Fundraiser at Baldwin Hall March 15th

The Severn Cross Roads Foundation recently announced that Historic Baldwin Hall in Millersville will once again be decorated with shamrocks on Saturday, March 15th when the organization’s St. Patrick’s Day Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Fundraiser takes place from 7 to 10 pm. A much-anticipated social gathering, the annual event also raises funds needed for the preservation and maintenance of the beautiful Georgian Colonial-style structure built in 1861 as the Cross Roads Methodist Episcopal Church. Today the hall is a center of numerous community happenings.

Tickets are $50 and include wine, craft beers, and soft drinks along with an array of fruits, vegetables and cheeses to tempt anyone’s tastebuds. Guests will enjoy live music by vocalist Richard Walton, a Silent Auction, a Basket of Cheer Raffle and 50-50 Raffle, Door Prizes and the company of friends, neighbors and supporters who appreciate Baldwin Hall’s fascinating history and architecture.

Tickets may be order tickets by calling 410-409-0187 or by sending an email to: gcampbell8185@gmail.com or they may be ordered online at https:PayPal.me/BaldwinHallMD.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

There’s never a time when Romenta Plants owner Alex Waldorf is not busy. A wedding and event florist, she’s also an avid gardener who grows some of the blooms used in her floral arrangements in her own Severna Park yard. She sources additional flowers, whenever possible, from Anne Arundel County farmers.

For several months of the year – basically wedding season from March through June and from September through November – Waldorf is extremely busy. However, the winter months are challenging for her, from both the gardening and wedding perspectives. She’s luckily able to offer her services as a freelance floral designer for other companies’ projects and markets floral arrangements through her website.

She’s currently offering Valentines bouquets in three sizes – medium-sized mason jar bouquets, larger luxury bouquets or smaller handheld bouquets tied with ribbon – that can be pre-ordered by visiting Flower Delivery, Local Flowers, Annapolis Flowers, Maryland Flowers, Anne Arundel Flowers, — Romenta Plants.

Romenta Plants is also teaming with The Coffee Trailer at 44 W. Earleigh Heights Road near the Yoga Barn to provide a Valentine’s Day Coffee and Flower Combo for $18.00. The combo can be preordered for pickup on February 14th by visiting Home | The Coffee Trailer (bestcoffeetrailer.com).

In addition, Waldorf works every week doing bud vases for Cafe Mezzanotte in Severna Park. Even as her garden sleeps through the chilly weather, however, she’s simultaneously preparing her land and growing seedlings for the coming season.

“I consider myself a ‘garden florist’, she says. “For a lot of my designs I work with seasonal blooms that are locally sourced and give off a garden vibe. Depending on the season, I source 20% or more flowers from my garden and most of the rest from area farmers.”

We came across Alex Waldorf while covering Good Neighbors Group’s Earth Day Celebration last April. She’d already sold quite a few of her fresh-as-the-breath of spring mason jar bouquets and herbs at her Romenta Plants booth. She enjoyed trading gardening tips with her customers and found that being a vendor was also good exposure for the wedding and event side of her business.

Waldorf loves being a floral designer for weddings and large events though it’s hard work. For instance, she preps flowers on Thursday for a wedding on Saturday.

“You also have to carry dozens and dozens of flowers, buckets of water, ladders, tons of equipment and all the mechanics and bases to the wedding location,” she said. “There’s always so much to do that, these days, I hire a team of freelancers to help me as needed.”

Fortunately, Waldorf comes from a producer background having worked in television and film production for ten years traveling all over the world. She’s managed crews and equipment for programs ranging from National Geographic and the Discovery Channel to the Food Network so she was used to lugging around gear on random stages in random locations. (In fact, she’s currently working on the production side of the 2025 Annapolis Film Festival which takes place March 27-30 – a nice way to supplement her floral design business during a down time for weddings.)

Wedding season will soon be upon us, however. We asked the designer what some of her favorite weddings have been.

“I love brides who give me free rein to use different colors and different textures,” she said. “Delicate pink and white blooms with some contrasting blues work wonderfully for spring weddings. Autumn weddings generally call for more vivid hues so you can incorporate late season sunflowers, zinnias, dahlias, mums and marigolds which are abundant.”

Brightly colored casual bouquets graced not only the head table at the lovely wedding above but every table.

Another favorite wedding design meant covering the ceiling of a 60 x 40 ft. tent at Herrington on the Bay with trailing plants and flowers. A third was a wedding with a Gothic vibe. The bride had a specific vision that allowed the florist to go out of her comfort zone.

“The wedding was so interesting,” Waldorf said. “The bride wore a black wedding dress that was beautiful. I created table designs featuring tall black candles surrounded by lush greenery and flowers in near black and deep purple shades with touches of dark crimsons and blues. It was outstanding.”

The upcoming spring wedding season coincides perfectly with the spring growing season and gardener Alex Waldorf has already given herself a head start. She’s employing a method known as cold stratification which involves scattering seeds on the ground while the weather is still freezing. Within a couple months, the seeds will sprout and pop through the ground healthy and hardy. She said winter sowing with seeds for sweet peas, calendulas, strawflowers, milkweed and poppies and other varieties of flowers has been failproof so far.

Waldorf’s passion for gardening runs deep and is integral to Romenta Plants’ success, truly a foundation for the business. The florist reflected that the most fun and most challenging aspect of her work is finding the growers she sources flowers from. After starting her business, she found a website that lists all the farmers and growers. The first thing she did was use that website to call to call growers nonstop to see if they would sell to her.

“After finding a farmer online, I’d check out the location and then ask if he or she would let me cut their blooms, she said. “Sometimes I’d work out a deal that, if I could come cut, they’d sell them to me cheap. Or I’d trade a bit of labor cutting and processing the flowers to get them ready for my use but also for the farmer’s other customers.”

Waldorf was immensely pleased to discover local growers in Annapolis and Davidsonville. If necessary, she could always go to wholesalers but it’s not really her style so she works local as much as she can.

Since moving to Severna Park, with its sandy soils, three years ago, her gardening challenges have been significant. In newly establishing her land, she’s learned it’s essential to add lots of amendments to the soil every year to have even a chance of growing a garden like those she’s had in the past when she lived in Washington, D.C. For now, she’s kind of a chaos gardener placing plants in the ground wherever there is space in hopes they’ll grow and taking lots of notes. But, in a few years’ time, she believes she’ll have a well-organized flower field with rows of blossoming plants of numerous colors and varieties. You can follow Alex Waldorf’s work on her website romentaplants.com) or @RomentaPlants on Facebook or Instagram.

Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company Bull & Oyster Roast February 15th

Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company’s annual Bull & Oyster Roast will take place Saturday, February 15 at the firehouse at 161 Ritchie Highway from 5 pm till 10 pm with food, music and fun. As always, the menu will be terrific with pit beef, ham and turkey and raw oysters, oyster stew, and oyster fritters plus all the trimmings and dessert. There will be 50/50 Boards, Big 6, Showdown Poker, Pull Tabs and Lottery Board to grab your attention. The yearly event is always fun. For tickets which are $50 in advance or $60 at the door see Earleigh Heights VFC (ehvfc.org).

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

For more than two decades a popular local eatery, the former Einstein Bros. Bagels has been closed since October and currently sits lonely and forlorn at the corner of Route 2 and McKinsey Road. The signage is completely gone – presumably consigned to one of the gigantic trash bins in the parking lot.

Fences have sprung up on all sides featuring signs for Morgan-Keller Construction and it appears that a transformation of the site is in the works.

We would learn a bit more about that transformation later. Meanwhile, we reflected on the history of the restaurant. We’d heard, but were unable to confirm, that it was initially constructed as a Roy Rogers restaurant but closed in the 1990’s.

Not long after the Einstein Bros. Bagels chain was born in 1995 as an outgrowth of the Boston Market restaurant corporation, the Severna Park franchise opened its doors. Almost immediately, it became a popular gathering place. Friends would meet for breakfast or lunch there. Local organizations and businesses would hold meetings there. People enjoyed the food and appreciated the friendly service.

Business was good from the late 1990’s through the first decade of the 21st century until the bakery/restaurant temporarily closed due to damage from a fire that occurred on August 2, 2010 – a fire that caused $150,000 worth of damage.

The “rebirth” of the much-missed eatery in the final days of 2010 was exciting. Fans of Einstein Bros. Bagels were thrilled when the shop reopened for business on December 10 following extensive reconstruction.

We noted when visiting that the exterior looked much the same and the interior was bright and cheerful. Einstein’s was bustling with customers during lunch hour on Christmas Eve. Among the longtime patrons who’d returned for one of their favorite meals were Doug and Cindy Schafer.

“We’re happy to be back, we love it,” said Cindy as she munched a chipotle turkey wrap.

Prior to the fire, Donna and Clifford Silbiger frequented Einstein’s often. They echoed the Schafers’ sentiments.

“I’m extremely happy that Einstein’s is open again. I was quite a regular as it’s close to where I live,” said Donna. “I got to know all the staff here and I love their food. I’m ecstatic that they’re back.”

Moving into January of 2011, the shop quickly resumed its role as a favorite spot for impromptu business, political and club meetings. It was even a great place to do an interview. That was the case when we met former homicide detective and author Steve Danko at Einstein’s (where he was a familiar face) to discuss his new book “Tour of Duty”. The memoir recounted the years Danko served with the Baltimore Police Department from 1962 till 1987 and his next quarter of a century as an insurance fraud investigator.

Einstein Bros. Bagels remained much the same happy place until former Governor Larry Hogan’s COVID guidelines were issued in March of 2020 leading to the restaurant chain’s decision to offer only drive-thru service with no in-store seating – a policy that remained in effect after most COVID restrictions had been lifted. The policy was likely a factor in location’s eventual demise.

The business continued to operate with drive-thru only service until last October. A Severna Park Voice Facebook posting on October 22 announced that Einstein Bros. Bagels employees were informed the restaurant would close at 2 pm the following day. Needless to say, the post shocked those who saw it. By October 23, the announcement had drawn 339 comments and 256 shares. The respondents’ comments ranged from “shocked” and “sad” to expressions of astonishment that the employees were let go with no notice and no offer of placement at other branches. Nevertheless, a great many comments were focused on customers’ pleasant memories of their visits to the establishment over the years.

Doing some research on the Einstein Bros. Bagels website, we discovered that there are other franchises relatively near us that remain open. There is one in Silver Spring, several near Washington, D.C. and a few in Baltimore. The closest franchises for Severna Park residents are the Einstsein Bros. Bagels at Soloman’s Island Road and Sommerville Road in Annapolis and the one at Baltimore Washington International Airport – Concourse C off Farm Fuel Road in Glen Burnie. While some of the shops have re-opened their dining rooms, many smaller ones like the location on Sommerville Road have been transitioned to takeout-only.

By now, with ongoing activity at the Severna Park location, people are wondering what sort of business will be replacing the former restaurant. We managed to get in touch with Frederick, Maryland-based Morgan Keller Construction and were told by company representative Rachel Potts that a Chase Bank will be opening on the site. She said the project will be starting soon.

Potts added that she’s been told that local residents have been upset to be losing Einstein’s. We can’t help but wonder if Chase Bank will be as successful in such a competitive financial market as Severna Park.

Jing Ying Institute celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year of the Snake with several events

Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi has been celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. The school first marked the occasion on January 26 with a Chinese Calligraphy Class taught by Wendy Ng.

On January 27, Jing Ying Institute owners Nancy and Billy Greer commemorated the Year of the Snake in a novel way. While making an appearance at Eco Adventures’ Chinese Lunar New Year festivities to perform a Lion Dance, they stood arm-in-arm and allowed an unbelievably long python to be draped across their shoulders. On January 28, the Institute held its traditional Lunar New Year Cleaning Celebration.

Lunar New Year events yet to come include the following:

On Wednesday, February 5th from 4:45 to 5:30 pm – A “free” Introductory Family Kung Fu Class will be held that is suitable for children ages 5 to 10. The class is an introductory lesson in Kung Fu and includes a Lunar New Year craft to take home. A parent/guardian and older siblings are welcome to join the class. Register at: www.JingYing.org.

On Sunday, February 9th from 2 to 3:30 pm Jing Ying Institute is presenting a Tea Tasting with Tea Expert Lynayn, a certified tea specialist of The East West Team Emporium. Attendees will try several delicious teas, learn about their proper preparation, and learn about their health benefits. They’ll also receive a gift to take home. The cost for this enjoyable and informative event is $25. However, the cost increases to $35 after February 2nd. The number of spots is limited, so register soon at www.JingYing.org.

Looking ahead, the school is offering a “free” Valentine’s Day Tai Chi Class on February 14th and a “free” Valentine’s Day Homeschool Kung Fu Class. Register for either or both at www.JingYing.org.

Gallentine’s Day Party at BD Provisions on February 13th

BD Provisions, at 844 Ritchie Highway, is teaming up with Hip Mod Vintage for a Gallentine’s Day Party on February 13th from 6 pm to 8 pm. BD Provisions’ co-owner Debra Saltz hopes you and your friends will join her for sparkling cider, a gift basket raffle, and the chance to shop for jewelry and accessories from Amy Heath’s Hip Mod Vintage and perhaps a few other vendors plus food, decor, cookies and candy.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Excitement was contagious as guests entered the offices of Katherine Grote’s new medical practice, Integrative Family NP LLC, for its Grand Opening on January 17th. It was a dream come true for Grote, a Nurse Practitioner who worked hard to achieve success in her profession and establish a practice of her own.

A veritable crowd of guests flowed through the suite of offices and Grote did her best to personally welcome them all.

Among the first people we spotted were Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz League, who’d be emceeing the occasion and organizing a ribbon-cutting, and Beth Kuhl who was covering the event for What’s Up Magazine.

We next bumped into Trillium Wellness’ co-owners Carol Heckman and Lisa Manning who were chatting with Lisa’s mother Sharon.

Wandering on, we came upon a room that attendees seemed to be flocking to see.

On entering, we discovered a colorful, art-filled children’s exam room-turned-playroom full of youngsters putting together puzzles, creating artwork, or playing with toy cars and trucks. The children surrounded Grote’s daughter Betty who was helping out for the Grand Opening by supervising them.

One young lady preferred to watch the goings on from her perch on the children’s exam table designed to look like a bus full of animals. Artist JoAnna Conte created he wonderful artwork and signage on the walls throughout the Integrative Family NP, LLC offices. She’ll be adding a few final touches.

Meantime, plants and flowers added a lovely touch to the rooms. They also hid the chamber member LogoZone Promotions’ Tommy Sommers happened to be talking to.

Family and friends who have supported Katherine Grote every step of the way to opening her own business were there to celebrate the occasion. Mother-in-law Fanny Grote lent a hand by welcoming guests and handing out water.

“I’m excited for Katherine,” Fanny said.

She thoroughly enjoyed chatting with her daughter-in-law’s close friends Katie Lukic and Susie Murphy.

Grand Openings tend to be great networking opportunities, and this one was no exception. There seemed to be a nice mix of friends, family, and people from local and state government and the business community.

Jessica Terenyi from JK Organizing LLC had an opportunity to chat with Asia Rodriguez from Maryland State Delegate Brian Chisholm’s office and also met Cape St. Claire residents Ron and Donna Baronati.

With most guests already arrived, it was time for Chamber CEO Liz League to conduct the official Grand Opening ceremony which included an interview with Katherine Grote about her background and her one-of-a-kind holistic integrative family medical practice.

We’d first met Katherine during a chamber sponsored Successful Women in Business Wine Tasting at Cheers & Spirits at Arnold Station in 2023.

Asked, on that occasion, to describe her business by SWIB event co-chair Nancy Greer, she stunned attendees by announcing that she was a Nurse Practitioner who’d started a family medical practice that included the almost forgotten custom of making “house calls”.

Following League’s welcome to the Grand Opening’s guests crowded around her, she introduced Integrative Family NP LLC’s innovative owner and asked her how she began.

“I was originally a floor nurse. I started as a nurse assistant with a belief in climbing the ladder,” Grote said. “I began climbing the ladder at that point and was determined to keep going.”

What Grote did not reveal was her extensive educational background. To be a Nurse Practitioner, you first need to be a Registered Nurse. That requires that you have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing which takes four years of education. The next step is getting your Master of Science Degree in Nursing. For getting your MSN, most schools require that you have at least 1,000 hours of clinical time or work experience before you’re eligible to apply.

After getting her Master of Science in Nursing degree in Family Practice, Grote went on to additional training to acquire her Holistic Integrative Specialist certification so she could marry traditional Western medicine with alternative medicine.

Like most Nurse Practitioners, she had 11 years of schooling with heavy emphasis on clinical experience. (In contrast, family practice doctors generally spend four years working for their Bachelor’s degree and four years of medical school, plus a residency or fellowship for a similar total of about 11 years of schooling.)

When starting out with her own practice, Grote combined virtual telemedicine with house calls and offered limited office hours at Wellsview Cottage in Annapolis. The idea of offering house calls was inspired by personal experience. She is a triplet and, when her family had four children under the age of 15 months, it was too difficult to transport them all to a doctor’s office. Luckily, the family doctor came to them at home.

Patients really like the nurse practitioner’s ability to make house calls and her integrative approach to medicine. Thus, her business grew…. and continued growing. Eventually, she realized that she needed an office of her own.

She’d also wanted an office space in order to become a preceptor and give nurse practitioner students clinical experience.

(Clinical preceptors are experienced advanced practice registered nurses who combine their expertise in patient care with teaching ability to guide nursing students through their clinical rotations.)

“Getting the required hours of clinical experience in an active office is hard for nurse practitioner students,” Grote said. “Medical practices often don’t have formal relationships with NP’s so it’s hard to find an office where they can get and apprentice-type experience. Since I really enjoy teaching, I really want to offer this opportunity.”

Grote has a passion not only for taking care of people but for helping them improve their overall health. Thus, treating patients on a well-rounded basis that is integrative and holistic is important to her.

“I’ll be treating patients from newborns on up to 110,” she said. “I’m not a pill pusher and offer some Western medicine alternatives by working collaboratively with others who offer services like yoga, massage or acupuncture. I offer some pediatric vaccinations but do not require them.”

League brought her interview with Grote to an end by asking if there was anyone she’d like to thank and, of course, there were several – the most important being her husband Dan, an accountant who helped her every step of the way.

She also thanked her secretary Brenna Cummings, who will be giving massages at the practice in the evenings, and her administrator Tia Tyler who keeps her on schedule. She added a special thank you to artist JoAnna Conte for her artwork and for the cheerfulness and energy she brought to the practice.

A very special moment occurred when Katherine Grote held up a stethoscope she had in her hand and asked daughter Betty, who hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become an NP, to step forward.

“I’m presenting you with this stethoscope given to me years ago by a doctor when I began my own journey to become an NP,” she said as she placed the instrument around her daughter’s neck.

Betty was thrilled – so much so that she immediately used the stethoscope to examine her mother.

The Grand Opening ended with the presentation of several citations by Asia Rodriguez on behalf of Delegate Brian Chisholm, by James Golden of Golden Consulting on behalf of Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, and Carol Heckman of Trillium Wellness on behalf of the Anne Arundel County Council among others. A Chamber ribbon cutting followed.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Recent snows and freezing temperatures have had many of us making soup. I made several – first vegetable soup, then lentil soup, and then I used that ham hock in the freezer to make split pea soup (pictured above).

While using my immersion blender to turn the soup into a smooth and savory wonder, I recalled that I’d just seen an announcement from Good Neighbors Group that 28 communities have already signed up for the 8th Annual S(o)UPER BOWL FOOD DRIVE. The event officially takes place from Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, February 9 (Super Bowl Day).

According to SPAN, Inc. directors Maia Grabau and Michelle Sabean in a recent interview, GNG’s S(o)UPER BOWL FOOD DRIVE is quite a blessing that keeps the food pantry’s shelves full well into the spring.

The Souper Bowl of Caring food drives began in 1990 with a simple prayer by seminary intern Brad Smith while watching a televised game with friends.

“Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat,” he prayed.

Inspired by his words, the first drives were launched by 22 South Carolina churches. The concept behind them was that individuals and groups could collect dollars in soup pots and canned food for those in need and send every dollar and food donation directly to a local charity of their choice.

Good Neighbors Group executive director Julie Shay loved that idea and launched Good Neighbors Group’s first S(o)uper Bowl food drive in 2018. Though small in number of neighborhoods involved, the first drive was quite successful.

Shay’s idea to collect enough food to fill local food pantries grew by leaps and bounds and, by 2023, GNG had 56 neighborhoods participating with 18,000 items collected.

By 2024, six food pantries were the recipients of the collected foods and supplies. They included SPAN, ACAN, Celestial Manna, My Brother’s Pantry, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church food pantry.

Good Neighbors Group’s 2025 S(o)UPER BOWL FOOD DRIVE will work the same way it has in the past. Each neighborhood has a captain who is responsible for collecting all the donated items at their home or other designated drop off place. They keep a tally of items donated and award points for each item. Once collected, the captains and/or helpers must transport the donations to one of the designated charities depending on which one their neighborhood is assigned. The drop-offs will happen over 4-day period from Thursday, February 6th thru Sunday, February 9th.

Shay noted how pleased she’s been that the food drive brings neighbors and their neighborhoods closer together in friendly competition to see which can earn the most points. She loves that so many children are involved.

“The kids get so much enjoyment from helping,” she says.

If you’d like to sign up for the S(o)UPER BOWL FOOD DRIVE 2025, you can reach out by emailing: souperbowl@goodneighborsgroup.org.

Chinese Calligraphy Workshop at Jing Ying institute January 26

A Chinese Calligraphy Workshop is being held at Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi from 2 to 4 pm on Sunday, January 26th as one of a series of workshops celebrating the Lunar New Year and the school’s 24th anniversary. Participants will learn basic brushstrokes and create Chinese characters to hang in your house. The cost is $8 per person to cover cost of supplies. The institute supplies paper, ink and brushes for use during class. Register at https://cp.mystudio.io/e/?=JingYing/3031/663753//1736814880

Two days later, on Tuesday, January 28th, another of Jing Ying Institute’s family-friendly activities, a Lunar New Year Cleaning Celebration – will take place from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. According to the institute’s owners, Nancy and Billy Greer, it’s traditional to clean before the New Year starts to make room for incoming good luck. It’s also a last chance to clean because during the two weeks of the Lunar New Year Celebration, brooms and dust pans are stashed away so that the newly arrived good luck isn’t accidentally swept away. So participants are invited to bring their brooms. Follow Jing Ying’s workshops celebrating the Lunar New Year at http://www.jingying.org/Chinese_New_Year.htm.

5th Annual Bernie House Mardi Gras Benefit Gala on February 8th

This year’s Mardi Gras Ball will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at The Graduate by Hilton Annapolis Hotel. There will be a full open bar, Cajun style food, face painting, tarot card readings and music for dancing. The Bernie House provides safe shelter and support to families who become homeless due to domestic violence. For information, visit www.theberniehouse.org.

Opportunity Builders, Inc. Mardi Gras 2025 on February 8th

The 26th annual Opportunity Builders, Inc. Mardi Gras Gala is also being held on Saturday, February 8th from 6:30 to 11:00 pm at the organization’s headquarters at 8855 on Veterans Highway in Millersville. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Opportunity Builders’ mission is to support youth and adults with disabilities to experience full inclusion in their communities as they learn, work, and pursue their paths to personal success.

Tickets are $150/each and reserved tables are available in an exclusive VIP area, with wine & appetizers, for $1,500. For details and to purchase tickets, visit https://obiworks.networkforgood.com/…/74404-2025-obi…

A new editor for Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails “Trail Talk”

January of 2025 saw the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails bidding a fond farewell to Diane Evans as editor of Trail Talk. Last spring, Evans resigned as President of the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails which manages the 3-1/2 acre Jonas and Anne Catharine Green property for Anne Arundel County to move to North Carolina. However, she maintained close ties to her Severna Park friends and associates and continued as editor of Trail Talk through 2024.

Evans joined the Friends in welcoming new editor Miranda Yourick who is helping implement a new format for Trail Talk that will make it much easier to share information about all of the Anne Arundel County trails.

Yourick will be sharing the latest news and will also share her insight about gardening and native plants. You can keep up with the latest activities of the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails and see Trail Talk on Facebook.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

We were saddened to hear that yet another of Park Plaza’s well- established businesses would be closing its doors for good. Owners Brittany and Ted Meade announced just after Christmas that, as their lease comes to an end in a couple of months, they made the difficult decision to permanently close Park Home.

“Our lives changed significantly since we took over the store three years ago; we now have a six-month-old baby and other job commitments that require our attention,” said Brittany (who is pictured above).

Ted added that the couple is incredibly grateful for the support from their loyal customers who welcomed them into the Severna Park community after taking over the reins of Park Home from its previous owners Heather and Scott Summers in April of 2022.

Park Home’s official last-day open will be in February 2025. For further details see Facebook. Meantime, a storewide clearance has already begun with 30% off everything in the store. The store will be open Tuesday through Friday from 11 am to 5 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm.

Brittany and Ted are eager to let Park Home supporters know that they have something new in the works that they’ll be sharing soon.

Park Home is, by no means, the first well-known retail business to leave Severna Park within the past few years. In fact, several have reestablished their stores elsewhere.

From July of 2015 through December of 2019 Jessica Zaleskiwicz’ flair for retro decor and fashion was on display at Coco Couture in Severna Park, the independent family business for which she created unique and delicious chocolates.

Following a few years’ pause to work fulltime while completing her bachelor’s degree in business management, it was wonderful to see the chocolatier behind the candy counter at her new shop Hon Style Sweets in Pasadena during its Grand Opening last May 24th. True to expectations, she and her business partner Shannon Speakman were wearing hon style fashions and hairdos complete with cute aprons.

We inquired of Jessica and Shannon why they chose to locate the shop in Pasadena and wondered whether it had anything to do with the rapidly rising cost of leasing commercial properties in Severna Park. Both indicated that the higher rents for those locations were definitely a factor as they have a budget… and they’d observed that the Pasadena community is really good about supporting small businesses.

One of Severna Park’s most long-lived and popular retailers, JOANN Fabrics and Crafts, also in Park Plaza, closed on January 1st,2024. It had been located at Park Plaza for 30 or more years and may have been an anchor store.

There were suggestions that the rent had been raised and the store was willing to pay but Park Plaza wouldn’t renew the lease. However, we were unable to confirm these. Shortly thereafter, we learned that Mom’s Organic Market had signed a lease for 11,893 square feet at Park Plaza with plans to move into the space late in 2024 or early in 2025. Thus far that has not taken place.

The JOANN Fabric and Crafts Annapolis at 150 Jennifer Road remains open. Though less convenient, it carries the same fabrics and crafts supplies JOANN Fabrics is known for.

At roughly the same time JOANN’s closed, we were surprised to learn that, after six years on Jumper’s Hole Road in Severna Park, AA County Farm, Lawn & Garden Center, LLC. would be closing when its lease ended as the property owner wished to develop the acreage.

Corey Stephens, owner of the 97-year-old farm and garden business that began in Brooklyn Park, contacted a realtor and soon realized that rents for similar properties in Severna Park were prohibitive. At age 65, Stephens initially wondered whether he should continue with the business.

He was relieved to find a new location in Pasadena which actually came to him through a longtime customer related to the property’s owner. She was upset to learn that the garden center was closing in Severna Park and in need of a new location. She urged her husband, Bud, the owner of Arundel Seafood and landlord of the then unoccupied adjoining unit, to reach out and offer it to Stephens. He did. The new location, at 224 Mountain Road, is ideal. The two businesses help each other and, fortunately, the garden center still draws many of its Severna Park customers.

Last March 25th, Ledo Pizza & Pasta closed its doors after 32 years as one of Park Plaza’s anchor businesses and began work on the transformation of its new location at 342 Ritchie Highway. According to Ledo Pizza’s owner Martin Gorman, he bought the already existing restaurant from previous owners in 1998 and believes it was originally opened in 1992. In the 26 years he’s operated the popular eatery, his customer base has grown by leaps and bounds. 

“Unfortunately, we lost our lease and couldn’t come to successful negotiations on a new deal. Basically, the rents were raised and we couldn’t remain profitable at those rates,” Gorman explained.

He took over the restaurant in 1998 and later expanded it to the building next door adding 60 seats. Capitalizing on that original success, Gorman now has Ledo Pizza locations in Millersville and on Kent Island and is a partner in the one at BWI.

On April 23rd, we joined Gorman, his staff and numerous friends from Severna Park’s business community during the restaurant’s official reopening celebration. During the ceremony and ribbon cutting conducted by Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz League, Gorman mentioned that he had kept his entire staff from the Park Plaza location and paid their salaries for the three weeks they closed down to remodel the building (previously home to Cakes & Confections) and make the move.

We noted that the former Ledo Pizza location at Park Plaza remains empty. A neighboring business, Sullivan’s Cove, closed last spring for good. However, the new Cypress Restaurant opened in the space in late November in time for the holidays.

Severn Crossroads Foundation announces the passing of longtime president Anne Agee

We received word from the Trustees of Historic Baldwin Hall that Anne Scrivener Agee passed away this week. Agee served as a Trustee of Historic Baldwin Hall and as President of Severn Cross Roads Foundation for many years. Her friendship, leadership, dedication, and enthusiasm will be greatly missed.

Having graduated from The School Sisters of Notre Dame Aspiranture for girls aspiring to be nuns, she ultimately changed her life’s path, earning her associate degree from Anne Arundel Community College and English degrees from Duquesne University (BA) and Ohio University (MA) and a PhD in rhetoric from Catholic University.

Dr. Agee taught creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College for many years, followed by a decades-long second career in information technology at George Mason University, the Connecticut State University System, and finally retiring from UMass Boston as Vice Provost and CIO.

Her interest in genealogy and history led her to become a founding member of the Anne Arundel County Historic Trust, a trustee of Historic Baldwin Hall and the president of the Severn Crossroads Foundation.

We were on hand in June for a “Re-Birthday Party during which Agee helped with the unveiling of a sign outlining the history of beautiful Baldwin Hall which was constructed as a church at the intersection known as Severn Crossroads in Crownsville in 1861. A moment later, guest Carol Benson, executive director of the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, stepped forward to make remarks and give a special citation to Dr. Agee for her leadership in historic preservation and her vision in creating the sign.

Anne Agee’s love of music inspired her to become a member of the Chesapeake Harmony Chorus, which bases its activities at Baldwin Hall. Sally Burton, the director of the chorus is also a trustee and treasurer of the Severn Cross Roads Foundation.

“Anne was our wonderful President,” Burton said.   “We will miss her terribly.  She was a visionary leader and brilliant writer, and she enabled us to secure needed grant funds to help maintain our historical building.”

Sally Burton also had fond memories of Anne as a member of the chorus for several years.

“Anne was with us on the chorus’ memorable trip to Ireland,” she said.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

Wrapping up their Holiday Caring Program only days before Christmas, SPAN, Inc. directors Maia Grabau and Michelle Sabean were rushing to gather some food, a gift item and a few gift certificates for a holiday dinner for a last-minute call from family in need.

“Our official donor gift drop off day at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church took place almost two weeks ago and the Christmas gifts/Christmas dinner items were already distributed,” said Grabau.

“But every year, we get calls asking for gifts up to the day we close. We just had calls from two different moms with five children each who hadn’t signed up for the Holiday Caring Program but could afford no presents for their families and hoped we could help.”

Grabau had fortunately held back some grocery and Walmart gift certificates donated by member churches and she and Sabean were putting them together with a few items from the pantry.

December 23rd would see the end of a very successful year for SPAN and the beginning of a promising 2025.

As Director of Development Sabean, had spearheaded the organization’s second biggest fundraiser, the Twelfth Annual Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot 5K or One Mile Fun Walk at Kinder Farm Park on November 2nd which was a wonderful success.

“We’d taken a pause due to the pandemic but had built the program back up over the last three years, raising more money and attracting more participants,” she said. “We raised close to $20,000 this year thanks to our sponsors including major supporter Severna Park Automotive and more than two dozen other community businesses and organizations.”

As Director of Operations, Grabau organizes SPAN’s Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas matching donors with families needing help. Normally, between 150 and 200 families learn about the program through schools or Social Services and sign up for the program. This year, several of the organization’s member churches, including Severna Park United Methodist Church, Baldwin United Methodist Church, Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, Trinity Bible Church, Asbury United Methodist Church and some individual donors took on extra families. (In addition, Baldwin United Methodist Church donated $2,600 worth of grocery and Walmart gift certificates and Severna Park United Methodist Church provided a large number of Target gift certificates to supplement donations.)

“Those churches’ generosity enabled us to provide a Christmas meal and gifts for 500 children belonging to 200 families,” Grabau said.

Both women said they and SPAN’s volunteers have been very, very busy recently considering that the economy is in such sad shape.

According to Sabean, the organization is totally self-sustaining and reliant on financial donations from individuals, local businesses and churches willing to help.

“For the past two years, donations made it possible for us to provide more than 2.5 times the amount of emergency financial assistance we do in a typical year,” Sabean said. “On average SPAN gives about $100,000 in financial assistance a year. In 2023, SPAN provided over $287,600 in financial disbursements. The need for emergency financial assistance increased dramatically recently and we’ve had to lower the maximum amount we can distribute to clients needing financial assistance.”

“Many more people are asking for help with utility turnoffs. Unfortunately, they owe much more money than in past years – up to $1,000 per family. We are unable to provide that large a disbursement. Therefore, these families (already stressed by job layoffs, illness or other problems) must go to more than one social services agency to raise the full amount.”

Sabean added that SPAN’s directors and Board are working hard to raise more money from fundraisers and donations but it’s hard to keep up. (Six percent of Anne Arundel County residents are below the poverty line and many others are in a category with the acronym ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constraint Employed), so those folks are basically living from paycheck to paycheck.)

Moving ahead though, the New Year looks promising. At the moment the SPAN food pantry is well-stocked. The busiest time for receiving pantry donations is between autumn and March thanks to large donations from various organizations’ food drives like Good Neighbors Group’s S(O)UPER BOWL of CARING initiative.

A “Sing In The New Year” benefit concert starring Kate Caldwell and Max Ochs is being held, Sunday, January 12th at 4 pm at Boone Station Hall and should be a lot of fun. As it happened, guitarist, singer and songwriter Caldwell was visiting SPAN at the time of our visit and shared some details about the concert.

A Severna Park resident since 1979, as is Ochs, Caldwell was well acquainted with SPAN, Inc. having known the organization’s founders. She met Max Ochs for the first time last spring when he attended a concert she performed at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Church. The two got on famously and decided it would be nice to do something together – perhaps a benefit concert to would help others.

“We decided on SPAN, Inc. as the benefactor of our concert and Boone Station Hall as the performance venue. (We both admire the hall’s amazing acoustics.) Since Max and I love to do music that involves a lot of people singing, we’d invite the audience to sing in the New Year with us on some numbers,” Caldwell said. “We’ll perform a variety of folk favorites that people enjoy singing along with as well as originals and blues. We’ll have a reception afterwards.”

Caldwell had Ochs on speed dial and called him for his input. A finger-style guitarist and song writer, the long-time Severna Park resident is well-known for being associated with the Anne Arundel County Conflict Resolution Center and several anti-poverty programs. Thus, he’s had an opportunity to interact with many charitable organizations, including SPAN which he’s long admired. Both singers enjoy helping others through the music and other activities.

“I’m delighted to be able to do the benefit concert with Kate, especially since we’ll be donating every cent to SPAN,” he said.

According to Kate, there is no official ticket price but a suggested donation of $20 would be appreciated.

The most exciting thing about what’s ahead for Sabean and Grabau is that SPAN, Inc. will celebrate its 35th Anniversary throughout 2025.

“We put off celebrating our 30th Anniversary which occurred in 2020 during the pandemic so we’ll be having two wonderful events to celebrate our 35th,” Sabean said. “We’ll be holding an official Anniversary Ceremony in the sanctuary at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church on April 1st. Then, on Saturday, April 5th, we’re holding a huge birthday party on the parking lot of Severna Park United Methodist Church.”

She added that she and Grabau are looking for photos and memories of SPAN from all those who’ve come in contact with SPAN over the years. People are invited to send their photos and memories through Facebook , Instagram or email at spanhelps@yahoo.com.

We look forward to joining the 35th Anniversary celebrations and to contributing some memories and photographs of our own.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

As always, Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi’s owners Nancy and Billy Greer ended their annual three-month Silent Auction with a Holiday Party. This year’s auction benefitting wheelchair basketball team, the Memphis Rollin’ Grizzlies, took place from October through the second week of December and officially ended during the party at 4 pm on December 14th. According to tradition, the moment was celebrated with a group photo.

Jing Ying Institute has held the Silent Auction for more than 15 years contributing the money raised to 10 organizations. They’ve made significant contributions via sponsorships to other groups as well.  The Institute’s monetary contributions have amounted to almost $162,000 over time, and their in-kind donations (baskets & gift certificates to other silent auctions/fundraisers) add up, conservatively, to around $75,000 Nancy Greer noted.

“We began by hosting the yearly Silent Auctions as a benefit for SPAN, Inc. and raised $50,000 for that organization alone,” Greer said. “However, we eventually realized that other local organizations needed our help and we’ve subsequently done them for Partners In Care, Good Neighbors Group, the YWCA camps and the Burnie House among others. This year, for the first time, we’ve chosen to benefit the Memphis Rollin’s Grizzlies’ Youth Basketball Team, an organization that is not local but one that is very important and dear to our hearts.”

When Billy Greer’s youngest brother, Al, was nine years old, he and his mother Aura were in a car that was hit by a drunk driver. Al was paralyzed from the waist down. As one can imagine, his life was dramatically changed. In 1982, he started playing wheelchair basketball and it made a huge difference in his life. He moved to Memphis in 1998 and started playing with the Memphis Grizzlies Wheelchair Basketball Team in 2010, becoming head coach in 2016. Now in his mid-fifties, Al coaches both adults and youth, ages 6 to 18.

The Greer’s were inspired to support the team through the Silent Auction after attending the Rollin’ Grizzlies’ playoffs in Memphis earlier this year. They found the players’ level of skill amazing and the games very competitive and exciting.

The team’s youth program started two years ago, and that’s where Jing Ying Institute’s focus is. The program’s mission is to improve the quality of life for adults and youth with spinal cord and lower extremity disabilities and to advocate for disability inclusion in all aspects of society.

As is true of every Silent Auction for charity, the response to this one from individuals, organizations and community businesses has been amazing. There were tables of auction items set up on the main floor opposite the areas reserved for the party.

Auction items also occupied the second-floor area where workshops are usually held. We saw lots of great donations there from local businesses like Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery, Whimsicality, Savvy, and Fieldstone Animal Inn.

We ran into Alex Galamore and son Oak there. Oak had earlier completed and won his first sash. The youngster was somewhat intrigued by a 1929 Travel Air Mystery Ship Model B Airplane Bank.

Having gotten underway at 2 pm, the holiday party was in full swing with Christmas carols playing in the background. Jing Ying students are a fairly tight-knit group, so the party felt somewhat like a family gathering. Though people continued checking out the Silent Auction tables, most were helping themselves to a tasty buffet of homemade food, much of which was contributed by the students.

Tables were set up here, there and everywhere and people migrated to them forming casual conversation groups.

New students Holly Gue and daughter Gabby were delighted when joined by longtime Kung Fu students Christy Karnes and son Aidan who had seen them in class and come over to ask how they felt they are doing.

Holly, who’d contributed some awesome turkey meatballs to the buffet, said she and Gabby had joined the family Kung Fu class just a month ago, but they’d already seen some beneficial changes. Though the class is an hour long, a large portion is devoted to stretching, both feel they are more flexible because of that. Gabby, in eighth grade at Rockbridge Academy, pointed out that Kung Fu is very rigorous.

“Sometimes it’s hard keeping up with the rest of the class,” Holly admitted.

Christy Karnes noted that she started Kung Fu when she was 48 and did well, earning four sashes before injuring her ACL and easing up a bit. Aidan, a junior at Archbishop Spalding High School, has made excellent progress earning multiple sashes.

The fun continued to build as Melissa Wittke’s casual shoulder massage turned into a group endeavor that was a lot of laughs for the participants and those who watched.

Just as the microphones went live and Nancy Greer announced that there were only three minutes left for bids to come in, we met longtime student Wendy Ng & her husband Bruce Norris. Between them, the couple placed quite a few Silent Auction bids. Both are in their seventies and come to class regularly from their home in Elkridge.

“We enjoy class and many of Jing Ying Institute’s activities,” Ng said. “But we also believe Kung Fu is important to keep our joints moving and retain our muscle memory. I think of it as toning if you want to learn how to use your body well.”

At the stroke of 4 pm, the Silent Auction ended and bid winners were being announced. We were unable to stay for much longer but, by the time we left, Wendy Ng had already won two bids.

One of the last of an absolute flurry of annual holiday festivities in the Severna Park and Arnold areas, Jing Ying Institute’s silent auction will have a long-lasting effect in sustaining the efforts of Al Greer and the Memphis Rollin’s Grizzlies youth programs. Not only do those programs offer a physical outlet for youngsters with disabilities. They also push each other to take on new challenges, try new things and offer support through the ups and downs of life.

Around The Park Again looks forward to the New Year and keeping our readers abreast of local news.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi

and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services

The weather alternated between drizzle and fog Tuesday evening December 10th. But inside Chartwell Golf & Country Club, the scene was bright and cheery as the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce Holiday Taste & Sip event got underway in the ballroom.

Just inside the entrance, Crepes in the Park owner Abby Larkin and her mother Leslie had already served their first crepes to, among others a gentleman in a Santa hat. The aromas of cinnamon and lemon could be detected as they ladled more batter onto their crepe makers. Beyond them, the gentleman wearing the Santa hat helped himself to Ashlyn White’s tasty selection of donuts, donut holes and other sweets from Donut Shack.

At the next table along the row, Tast & Sip guests found elegant and exceptionally tasty offerings from Debra Garrow of Millersville-based Be My Guest Catering. Garrow’s canapes included scrumptious beet rounds with cream cheese that were topped with salmon and cucumber ribbons.

Every bit as popular as the food throughout the evening were the Silent Auction tables which, as can be seen in the opening photo, held one of the most extensive collections of impressive items to bid on that we’ve seen. We noted that Nancy Greer and her mother-in-law Aura spent considerable time at the tables and placed a number of bids. We also ran into Barbara Gill who first admired a handsome set of holiday story books she felt would make a perfect gift for her grandchildren. She filled out a bid, then moved on to the next table where she loved several of the seasonal floral centerpieces and filled out bids accordingly.

Moving back to the vendor tables, we discovered Sheila Schreiner serving coffee to guests while promoting the new Magothy Roasting Company and coffee bar she and husband Mark will be launching shortly on Mountain Road. She said they can’t wait to become the Magothy area’s newest coffee roaster.

It wasn’t long before we ran into Holiday Taste & Sip event sponsor Matt Wyble with Next Step Realty.

“It’s hard to believe this is our 14th holiday event. One year was skipped due to the COVID pandemic. Our number of sponsors and vendors has grown every year and continues to grow,” the fourth-generation realtor said.

Wyble started the annual holiday extravaganza along with former Chamber CEO Linda Zahn 15 years ago. Held for the first eight or nine years at Homestead Gardens in Severna Park, the event eventually moved to Chartwell which has accommodated the vendors and crowds quite well.

From its beginnings, entertainment has been a hallmark of the Holiday Taste & Sip events. The 2024 edition did not disappoint as it included not one, but two choruses. First up was the longtime crowd favorite Chesapeake Harmony Chorus which has appeared at almost every holiday event going back to the beginning years at Homestead Gardens. Fresh from appearing at their own Candy Cane Lane program at Historic Baldwin Hall two days earlier, the chorus reprised the spirited title tune from the show, “Candy Cane Lane”, and sang a finely tuned medley of much-loved songs of the season.

A glimpse back to an earlier Holiday Taste & Sip event shows Chesapeake Harmony Chorus performing at Homestead Gardens with Santa in 2018.

The performance by the chorus was followed by dynamic young family band JAGMAC featuring six siblings performing festive holiday tunes that captivated the crowd. A second chorus would be coming along later.

With a combined total of more than two dozen repeat and new vendors at the event, it’s impossible to name them all but we saw a lot of people stopping by Linda Thebaud’s display of VanEllin Candy Shop Cookies. The company is a wholesaler that sells its products at all the Graul’s markets in Baltimore and Anne Arundel County, Eddie’s markets in Baltimore, and Fishpaws Marketplace in Arnold as well as The Sweet Shop in Severna Park. Just beyond Thebaud were Carlye Cab and Sandra Paroti from Facebar Aesthetic Medicine, a spa that offers age-reversing treatments.

Friends were everywhere. We came across Betty Winkelmeyer Wells at a table with her daughter-in-law Karen Osborne, the owner of Karen Renee Interiors. It was fun seeing Karen who now splits her time between her main office in Severna Park, Maryland and Florida where she lives part of the year while conducting interior decorating projects in five different states.

It was also great seeing Ron Pivarnik with his great selection of Firehouse Subs. We first met Pivarnik when he was a vendor at the annual holiday event 8 years ago, the year he opened his sub shop at Park Plaza. It was good to see Matt Geise as well from Adam’s Taphouse Grille in Olde Severna Park. Geise was serving crowd-pleasing ribs and pulled pork.

We continued bumping into friends including Greater Chamber of Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s current president Tammy Neal with Stephen Varani at the Oliver Brewing Company table.

The Oliver Brewing Company table (the brewery will move to Millersville in May) was part of the 206 Restaurant Group’s multi-table lineup of offerings from Park Tavern, Donnelly’s Dockside, Western Ale House and JB’s.

So many more vendors to check out. As Fishpaws Marketplace has participated as a vendor since the annual event’s first year, we just had to stop by their table where we found Terri Phoebus and Philip Alther pouring a selection of wines that included spiced Bluwein which was gently warming over a flame. They were also serving the Olive Tapenade for which the shop is noted along with freshly made Rosemary Focaccia.

Also, a vendor since the first Holiday Taste & Sips, we couldn’t possibly overlook owner Tommie Koukoulis from Cafe Mezzanotte and his general manager Paul Zonn who appeared to be growing their own sprouts while “celebratin the humble carrot” with carrot pasta with beef short ribs and horseradish and carrot risotto with Brussels sprouts and apple balsamic.  

We discovered even more vendors off the main ballroom and stopped to chat with Debra Saltz, co-owner of BD Provisions. Saltz was serving coffee roasted earlier that day by her co-owner and master roaster Phil Peters. Beyond Saltz were Cheers & Spirits’ Debra Reitz and Matthew Haggerty serving wine and spirits. They were flanked by a charcuterie board from April’s Table, and lastly Cindy and David Geipe from Sweet Satisfaction with ice cream.

An added piece de resistance, entertainment-wise, came fairly late with the appearance of the Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus, the award-winning group that sings a cappella, four-part harmony music in the barbershop style. Chosen 3rd in the world by Sweet Adelines International, they are directed by Michael Gellert, a Master 700 Director and prolific arranger. Many people don’t realize that the show chorus currently rehearses locally on Wednesday evenings at the Severna Park Elks Lodge.

The end of the evening was reserved for the close of the Silent Auction and the business that resulted therefrom. All in all, a very entertaining evening.

Cookies & Cocoa with Santa at Severna Park Community Cente

Friday evening, December 13th, was quite chilly. Nevertheless, the Severna Park Community Center’s Cookies & Coffee with Santa holiday event went off without much of a hitch. However, according to the center’s director Sarah Elder, the cold temperatures prompted the staff to move the location for Santa from outdoors, as originally planned, to a warmer indoor setting in Boone Station Hall.

With the addition of Christmas trees, a faux fireplace and a cozy armchair atmosphere there the setting was picture perfect. There was a long line of families with young children waiting to visit with the jolly old elf and tell him their Christmas wish lists while having their photos taken.

Cozy Boone Station Hall was also headquarters for families with youngsters to gather for cocoa, cookies and the opportunity to create a snowman using marshmallows.

Of course, what parent or child could resist cups of warming cocoa and cookies.

There were things taking place outdoors too including some dance performances in the courtyard between Boone Station Hall and the Chamber building. Students from The Dance Center at Severna Park Community Center performed as holiday candles glowing in the darkness.

Among those who braved the cold night air to enjoy the outdoor events and possibly snag a warming beverage from the Moveable Mixtures Beverage Truck were Kati Elliott, Lauren Garber and Jessica Axt. The threesome made a point of visiting as many holiday events as possible.

There was still more fun to be had in the Community Center’s Holiday Marketplace where crowds of happy shoppers enjoyed checking out the merchandise of a dozen or more vendors. Many emerged with packages.

Rounding out the activities in the Community Center Building were a tableau from Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church celebrating the birth of Christ to remind folks what Christmas is really about. There was also a lot of activity around The Grinch who was posing for photos with children of various ages. Cocoa & Cookies with Santa was yet another occasion that spread some holiday joy and brought the community together in a lovely way.

Sing in the New Year with a Benefit Concert for SPAN on January 12th

Save The Date of Sunday, January 12 for a Benefit Concert for SPAN, Inc. featuring musicians and vocalists Kate Caldwell and Max Ochs. The program will include folk favorites, originals and blues and a reception will follow. In lieu of a ticket price, financial donations to help SPAN will be accepted and much appreciated.

The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)

and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.