Author: wingsorb@aol.com

Judging from the overflow of Easter boxes surrounding Michele Sabean on the floor of her office at SPAN, Inc. headquarters at 400 Benfield Road, the Easter Bunny was one busy hare.

“Actually, we’ve had 100 ‘bunnies’ in the form of generous donors providing Easter dinners for 100 families served by SPAN,” Sabean said. “Each box or bag contains the makings for a nice dinner and a gift card for perishables like a ham along with chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Easter peeps or other treats for children. Some boxes also contain useful items like diapers that are always in high demand.”

Sabean, SPAN’s Director of Development, and Maia Grabau, the Director of Operations, spent the past two weeks shifting bags and boxes from table to floor as more and more donations poured in. By Monday, they’d become even busier as families began stopping by to pick up their Easter boxes.

According to Sabean, the Easter dinner initiative is a lesser-known part of SPAN’s Holiday Caring Program that is supported primarily by the congregations of Our Lady of the Fields Roman Catholic Church for the dinner boxes and St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church for Easter baskets. There were other donors, however. Some were former clients “giving back for the help they received by helping others”.

Looking beyond Easter, both Sabean and Grabau are excited by upcoming programs and events. In fact, they are currently looking for volunteers to help with the relaunch of the annual Turkey Trot 5K at Kinder Farm Park in November following an absence of two years due to COVID 19. The annual fundraiser – SPAN’s biggest – is not only coming back on Saturday, November 5 but will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary.

The race around the park’s 2.8 mile paved perimeter trail is very popular with runners from around the county. There is also a 1-mile walk around a special loop better suited to families with children. Having the course loop back to the starting point means kids who move at different speeds can’t really get lost.

“The 5K is great as a fundraiser since SPAN collects registration fees from the competitors and also receives sponsorships from local businesses,” Sabean said.

Spectators are encouraged to cheer the competitors on from multiple points along the course or at the finish line. After the race, there are sponsors’ tables to visit and refreshments to sample.

Anyone wishing to volunteer for the Turkey Trot 5K can visit the website at SPAN Serving People Across Neighborhoods (spanhelps.org) or by contacting the office at 410-647-0889.

Almost back to its normal schedule, SPAN, Inc. already has a loyal group of volunteers to help with other programs and events. They’ll have a booth at The Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s May 7th SHOP LOCAL Fun Fiesta on May 7. On July 4th, they’ll march in the Severna Park Independence Day Parade with their shopping carts.

On September 10th, SPAN will present a cabaret benefit concert featuring a return performance by popular vocalist Laurette Hankins-O’Connell at Boone Station Hall. In October, SPAN will have a booth at the chamber’s SHOPTOBERFEST and, of course, will be staging the Turkey Trot 5K in November. By then, SPAN will already have kicked off its Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The contributions of donors for the Holiday Caring Programs take on added importance this year. Not unexpectedly, Grabau and Sabean have noticed that the number of clients asking for financial assistance or help from SPAN’s food pantry has risen as inflation has soared.

According to Sabean, a client who came in earlier mentioned that her family was happy if they could manage the cost of the bare necessities, but she was asking for toilet tissue and toiletries, paper towels, and other necessities that are hard to afford.

She and Grabau are crossing their fingers that inflation doesn’t hamper the ability of their donors to contribute to SPAN and its food pantry. Funds are particularly needed to help with client evictions and medical and utility bills.

Follow SPAN on Facebook for the latest news at SPAN, Inc. | Facebook.

A job well-done for the Easter Bunny at Lisa’s Cakepops

A sigh of relief was heard from the Lisa’s Cakepops bunnies (aka Lisa, her husband Glen and their staff) as the last of 14,000 bunny, chick and egg cakepops were shipped off. Founder and owner Lisa Edelman Schneiderman has seen her business boom over the last few years both locally and nationally. The company was simultaneously marketing Easter Cakepop Decorating Kits that are a hit with children.

From the moment she opened Lisa’s Cakepops, Schneiderman had great success with the custom-made pops she’s specializes in. Thanks to the amazing creativity of Lisa, Glen and staff, ecommerce sales for their customized pops (which began in 2017) were doing very well. That’s before the Schneidermans began working closely with two Maryland-based catalogue companies with national distribution.

AAUW hosts Maryland branches in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX

The Anne Arundel County Branch of the American Association of University Women recently held a statewide convention at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Annapolis. AAUW members from nine branches around the state attended. The event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Title IX is the law that ensures that all education programs and activities receiving federal funding must protect students and employees from sex-based discrimination.

Speakers included two-time Olympiad Nancy Hogshead-Makar and Title IX expert Sara Colina, a professor at Georgetown University. Afterward, attendees toured the State House and dined at Latitude 38.

For information on the Anne Arundel County branch of the American Association of University Women, visit AAUW Anne Arundel County (MD) Branch.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

The moment you walk through the door of the Partners In Care Maryland Boutique at 8151-C Ritchie Highway, you’re aware of that warm, familiar feeling you’ve experienced since the organization opened it in 2007. With the exception of the period when retailers were closed because of COVID, the upscale retail boutique (PIC’s primary fundraiser) has drawn a steadily growing clientele.

Staffed by volunteers, the boutique is a busy, happy workplace. From manager Paul Loomis at the counter who had a friendly word for everyone, to volunteers on the floor like June Sumner who was helping customers, it was clear they loved what they were doing.

Sumner, a Severn resident, has been a volunteer for three-and-a-half years. She takes special pleasure in talking with customers about vignettes like the one below which are cleverly staged by a group of talented volunteers who’ve been humorously referred to as “the designing women”.

Much of the important work involved in getting donated items ready for display takes place behind the scenes. One group of volunteers was accepting donations being dropped off behind the building, sorting them out, and then delivering them to other volunteers in the pricing room who cleaned and valued the items.

Dotty Cappi, who lives nearby and has been a volunteer for more than a year, was having a fun time working with two colleagues who greatly enjoy each other’s company. Cappi was busy pricing a stack of China plates, a lamp, and, of all things, a pair of boxing gloves. To her right were pages of price stickers and a book she occasionally relied on to determine the value of patterns, brands or categories of merchandise she was unfamiliar with.

Jette gives the program high marks because it gives seniors ways to protect themselves online, removing some of their fear of navigating cyberspace.

Since its founding in Severna Park in 1993 by Barbara Huston, Sandra Jackson and Maureen Caviola, Partners In Care has steadily grown from a small group of volunteers to an organization with thousands of members. Jette noted that Partners In Care Maryland now has branches in five counties.

“PIC has two main branches, this one in Anne Arundel County and the Frederick branch. In addition to offering our cost-free time/service exchange programs like Member Care, Repairs with Care, and Ride Partners that are designed to help seniors remain healthy, active and independent, Frederick now has its own boutique, ” Jette said. “We’re also on the Eastern Shore in Talbot and Caroline Counties and Hagerstown as part of a Community For Life program. We hope to further expand to Montgomery County. We’re now able to offer some fee-based services for those unable to volunteer.”

As the creator of Partners In Care’s Veterans Helping Veterans program which pairs volunteers who are veterans with veterans in need of help, Sharon Zentgraf is thrilled that the effort is again gaining momentum.

“We’ve recently partnered with the American Legion of Anne Arundel County – a wonderful match for us. Last Tuesday we coordinated with them in holding Welcome Home gatherings for Vietnam veterans at three different locations,” she said. “We hope some of their members will join us in serving the approximately 60,000 veterans in this community.”

April Stup, who is likely to pop up anywhere in the community, said she has been out talking to anyone who will listen to her because, in order to make Partners In Care work, the non-profit needs volunteers. She added that she’ll have a table at the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s Spring Shop Local Fun Fiesta on May 7th and will probably have a volunteer or two with her so everyone is invited to stop by.

When not out and about, Stup can usually be found on the floor of the boutique or in the back checking on her volunteers or the merchandise. She sometimes helps customers including a gentleman she met Tuesday afternoon who was color blind and asked if the piece of pottery he held had a purple tag. Tuesday was Purple Tag Day when every object bearing a purple tag was offered at 75% off.

Stup is delighted by the way those who stage items that are homemade by PIC volunteers are able to display them artfully. As proof positive that anyone can be a volunteer, she showed off one of the delicate handbags made by a volunteer who is blind. The lady has made them for all five Partners In Care branches.

Stup is particularly enamored of the stagers’ creativity in highlighting certain items in those great vignettes which she’s convinced lead to increased sales.

“If some of the objects were just sitting on a shelf, people wouldn’t notice them but, in a vignette, they look amazing,” she said.

As Communications Specialist, Derek Roper keeps the public informed about the latest programs and events. But he also fills in elsewhere when needed. Roper stressed that it’s easy to follow the activities of Partners In Care or to make a donation or volunteer by visiting them at Home – Partners In Care Maryland or on Facebook at Partners In Care Boutique | Facebook.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

Following another busy morning at Orphan Grain Train Maryland’s warehouse at 621 East West Boulevard in Millersville, the last of the volunteers pulled down the loading dock door and buttoned up the barnlike building.

Even as the volunteers worked to pack donations into shipping containers bound for South Sudan and Liberia, word came down from Orphan Grain Train headquarters in Norfolk, Nebraska that transportation was being arranged for a much-needed shipment of clothing, medical supplies and other materials to Ukrainian refugees in Moldova in the April/May timeframe.

Branch Manager Bruce Coonradt and Assistant Branch Manager Ron Phipps would be managing the effort to raise funds and collect donations for the shipment. Phipps stayed behind to explain the operation. Seated at his desk, he explained that Orphan Grain Train had been in contact with the Ukrainian recipients to ask what they needed.

“We never send a shipment without checking with the recipients to see exactly what they need. To do otherwise would be wasteful and counter-productive,” Phipps said while holding up a list of the Ukranians’ needs.

He also showed a more recent email slightly altering the list.

As can be seen, foremost among what is needed are medical supplies and clothing. Children’s and adult diapers and feminine hygiene products were also vitally important, according to Phipps, as the refugees left their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Phipps added that Moldova is being added to twelve other countries Orphan Grain Train Maryland sends assistance. The requirements for each country are similar in some respects but differ in others. The countries served range from Kyrgyzstan to South Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Haiti and Cuba as well as domestic shipments to parts of the United States.

Situations differ in each instance. South Sudan has been constantly in a state of civil war while Cameroon and Liberia have equatorial climates and suffer from storms or droughts. Other countries served were hit by natural disasters like the massive earthquake in Haiti in 2010 or Hurricane Irma in Cuba. Domestically, OGT helps with natural disasters as well including the Ellicott City flood right here in Maryland in 2018.

A tour through the office area and warehouse with Phipps revealed some of the inventory to be included in the shipping container that will go to Moldova. OGT volunteers had filled boxes with sorted and neatly folded items like towels and linens, sheets, blankets and quilts, sewing paraphernalia. Summer clothing lined one entire wall by the warehouse entrance.

Sitting on the warehouse floor was a large box marked “Heavy Winter Coats” – items still much in demand to combat the bitter cold temperatures of early spring in Eastern Europe. Rolls and bolts of fabric were nearby.

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There were several collections of bicycles which are highly prized in all countries but will especially be appreciated by the Ukrainians who’ve had their automobiles destroyed or had to leave them behind.

There are literally hundreds of boxes stored on the warehouse shelves, each marked with what it contains. Phipps points out that all the cardboard boxes were generously donated by Chick-fil-A.

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From hospital beds and shower chairs to wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and canes, Orphan Grain Train is well supplied to handle medical equipment requests like those from the Ukrainians. Thanks to a generous donation, they can even supply shunts for patients with hydrocephalus or fluid on the brain. In fact, OCT also has a walk-up program for locals who have a family member who has had an accident or is incapacitated and needs a hospital bed or piece of equipment. The equipment is free of charge and can be (and usually is) returned when the injured party has recovered.

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Phipps pointed to a newly arrived donation from a company called International Reuse Network that offers to dispose of furnishings when a school or business closes and donates the pieces to OTG Maryland regularly. In this case, they’ve donated stacks of brand-new table tops along with separate boxes of table legs that will be going to Moldova. He said OGT is also grateful for regular donations from Bombas Socks and from Standard Textiles which regularly donates linens including sheets, pillowcases and blankets. He adds that quite a lot of donations – particularly for clothing – come from individuals in the greater Severna Park and Millersville areas.

A volunteer himself for twenty years, Phipps emphasized that Orphan Grain Train is a completely volunteer organization with local residents of all ages pitching in on volunteer days to sort, repair and pack donations. Financial donations come from local residents, from church congregations, and from local and national businesses as well as from fundraisers like OGT’s Food Truck Fridays. Monetary donations are exceptionally important because container shipping costs to South Sudan average $21,000 per year, shipping to Liberia averages $6,000 and Cameroon averages about $5,500.

Orphan Grain Train is a Christian organization with 29 branches that ship supplies to communities in need around the world. The Maryland branch in Millersville is one of only three on the East Coast. Because of perishability and long shipping times, the branch doesn’t ship food though a few others do.

The Maryland branch was started by current-day solicitations director Elfie Eberle in 2001 and operated from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Annapolis until 2016 when the warehouse was built. According to Phipps, the new building which some people describe as a church while others believe it looks more like a barn, attracted much attention and many new donors and volunteers. He said it’s a very happy place and volunteers love coming to help.

Volunteer times are Tuesdays from 9 am to noon and 5 pm to 7 pm when donations are also accepted and the second Saturday of every month from 9 am to noon.

For more information on the activities or to volunteer or make a donation, visit Maryland | Orphan Grain Train | Sharing resources and bringing Christ’s name and character to needy people both far and near. (ogt.org) or check them out at Orphan Grain Train | Facebook

Partners In Care receives $75,000 Grant for Veterans Helping Veterans Program

Partners In Care Maryland, Inc. announced that it recently received a $7,500 Grant from The TowerCares Foundation for their Veterans Helping Veterans program.

Partners In Care Maryland’s Veterans Helping Veterans Program assists veterans and their spouses who are 60 plus years old thrive independently in their homes through connections to community, services, and volunteerism.

The TowerCares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, supports today’s children in need as well as the brave men and women who protect our freedom and their families—so that they all may have a brighter future tomorrow. The Foundation gives grants to charitable organizations like Partners In Care that make the lives of our veterans easier.

For more information on the Veterans Helping Veterans Program visit Home – Partners In Care Maryland.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

The sunny March afternoon, with gentle breezes blowing off the shoreline at Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park, had the Severn River Association’s new executive director Jesse Iliff wondering why he didn’t get out of the office more often.

Pointing toward an area protected by white fencing, he indicated it was the living shoreline created by the owners of a private home with new beachfront that came from the river naturally. Pointing behind him and slightly northward toward Manressa, he noted that one of the oyster restoration beds monitored by SRA is located there.

Formerly Riverkeeper for the South River as well as the West and Rhode Rivers, Iliff said he learned a great deal about the Anne Arundel County watershed while serving in that capacity. Now, just over a month into his new job as executive director, he realizes he’s just beginning to get a handle on the daily flow of information provided by SRA volunteers’ research, restoration and monitoring efforts along the Severn, particularly as it pertains to the 70 million oyster spat-on-shell they’ve planted to restore four reefs.

Iliff grew up living on the banks of the Severn and thought he knew the river well. He also profits from his experience as a riverkeeper but finds the learning curve as SRA’s executive director is steeper than he imagined.

“There was no college or training for my original position of Riverkeeper,” Iliff said. “I’m a lawyer by training and went to the University of Maryland Law School with a concentration on environmental law. I was hired more for my advocacy background than my science background but, as Riverkeeper, I definitely had to learn the science very well. Now that I’m involved with the Severn, I’m internalizing new information at an astonishing rate.”

Iliff is most interested and impressed by the success of SRA’s efforts to restore a healthy oyster population to the Severn. Since 2018, the Severn River Association, the Oyster Recovery Partnership and private donors have placed millions of the tiny larvae produced when oysters spawn on oyster shells.

The combination is known as spat-on-shell. The organizations and donors have planted more than 70 million oyster spat-on-shell to restore oyster reefs in the Severn River at Manressa (traditionally known as the Peach Orchard reef), the Traces Hollow Reef, the Weems Upper Reef, and the Wade Reef.

Thanks to a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, SRA created a scuba diving team to conduct a formal scientific oyster dive to study the oysters and report on their progress. SRA’s dive team leader Audrey Pleva and Emi McGeady spent considerable time diving on each reef and inspecting and measuring the oysters.

Pleva and McGeady found that the planted spat-on-shell oysters were healthy and, on three of the four reefs dived on, the oyster populations exceeded restoration targets.

According to Iliff, one of the oyster recovery project’s main concerns is how well oysters can reproduce naturally. He said it’s not too difficult for the oysters that were planted to survive. The Severn’s water quality is capable of sustaining them and there are enough firm bottom areas where they can live out their lives naturally.

The hope is that they can reach a tipping point where natural reproduction occurs to replace the oysters that die off. They’re a long way from reaching that tipping point but there’s now evidence that some natural reproduction is going on.

“Imagine the excitement when Audrey and Emi discovered an oyster growing off a piece of granite rock. None of the planted oysters were placed on rock but on shell so that was their first evidence of natural reproduction,” Iliff said.

Asked how many oysters would have to be planted or reproduce naturally to significantly improve the health of the river – based on the fact that a healthy mature oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day – Iliff figured it would have to be in the hundreds of millions.

According to SRA communications director Thomas Guay, the current estimate is that it would take between 1.3 and 3 billion oysters to bring the river back to optimum conditions.

“That is the number of oysters growing along the river historically before they were overharvested to extinction,” Guay said.

Iliff noted that the Severn River has many more problems to contend with now than in the past.

“In this part of Anne Arundel County, we don’t have big time agricultural operations or big time industrial operations contributing to harmful runoff. What we have is development pressure because, up to now, our area has been a nice place to live,” he said.

Development just may be outpacing the infrastructure needed to support it.

Iliff pointed out that maintaining acceptable water quality in certain areas of the watershed is difficult. The waters off Round Bay, for example, suffer from the profusion of septic tanks serving the hundreds of homes dotted along the hillsides. There’s a concern – especially during rainy periods – for bacterial pollution from those septic systems. The waste and effluence from them also deliver high levels of nitrogen that fuels blooms of algae. When the algae dies off, it is digested by aerobic bacteria which uses up the oxygen in the water column and causes dead zones in the river. Areas served by Anne Arundel County sewage systems fare somewhat better because the pumping stations are relatively well maintained with only occasional overflows.

“Development pressure is also a factor because open construction sites deliver more runoff to receding waterways than any other land use,” Iliff added. “Sediment from the runoff will bury oysters and cloud over the light that allows underwater grasses to grow and pump oxygen into the water. The sediment also carries phosphorous and other harmful elements within the soil.”

Peoples’ practice of buying homes in older communities and expanding the construction upward and outward from the original footprint is a problem too because plumbing for additional bathrooms, pools and other amenities adds increasing pressure on existing infrastructure.

Iliff mentioned that the Severn River Association recently approved a strategic plan with the goal of having a thriving Severn River by 2050. The plan’s objectives are to identify priority areas to speed the recovery of the waterway, build a local movement to protect and restore the river, and inspire residents and donors to invest in SRA.

He admits that the second and third goals would be easier if there was more public access to the Severn which would inspire more interest. Unfortunately, there is little access to the water except at Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park where you can fish or launch a paddle board or kayak. There are a few small street-end parks in Annapolis. However, all beachfront land from the end of Jonas and Anne Catharine Green Park to Severn Run ten miles up the river is privately owned.

SRA does have a floating classroom program during the summers to give students a taste of what the river is like but there are few other reminders. Iliff says the cost of real estate is so high that buying or even leasing public access is prohibitive unless some generous benefactor donates land for such a use.

Meantime, he’ll be keeping an eye on SRA’s water quality monitoring and oyster monitoring programs and searching for more ways to acquaint the public with the wonders of the Severn River. For more information on the Severn River Association, its newsletters and activities visit Severn River Association.

Save the date for the return of Good Neighbor Group’s Earth Day Festival

Those of you who’ve loved attending Good Neighbors Group’s previous Earth Day celebrations will be happy to know the event will come roaring back on April 30th from 10 am to 1 pm at Severna Park High School.

Good Neighbors Group president Julie Shay says this year’s theme will be “Do a World of Good: Think Outside the Landfill”.

“We’re looking forward to some really great displays focused on recycling or upcycling discarded or second-hand materials,” Shay said.

Booths will feature interactive activities for children of all ages, as well as materials and information for homeowners striving to make eco-friendly improvements in their homes. Exhibitors include environmental organizations and service providers, animal welfare organizations, recycling and composting exhibitors, and alternative energy specialists.  

Shay hopes people will put spring cleaning into action with a mindset of sustainability and environmental awareness.  GNG invites attendees to take advantage of this one-day event to dispose of their unwanted items while benefiting others and doing the least environmental harm. Visit Good Neighbors Group’s EDF page for more details and a growing list of what they’ll be collecting for donation and proper disposal.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Eleventh to speak before March 14th’s Monday Referral Group Luncheon was Emily Hofnagel of Fairway Independent Mortgage Company. Her comfort and poise in doing so was evident. Hofnagel is a regular member of the Monday Referral Group, one of three groups of business owners facilitated by the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce. Members get together from noon to 1 pm every other Monday in a meeting room at members Billy and Nancy Greer’s Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi in Arnold.

For a change, however, the group hosted Monday’s celebratory luncheon to bring everyone together in-person after many months of strictly zoom meetings. They also invited some new business owners to try the group on for size.

Daneille Ortiz, who coordinated the get-together, kicked things off by having everyone introduce themselves after which there was time to mingle and network.

According to Ortiz, all three of the Chamber’s referral groups are limited to having just one member from a given industry. Thus, the groups tend to be small but diversified in their interests. The small group structure allows time for members to really get to know each other.

“We’re able to support each other because we know each other’s businesses so well that, when our friends or acquaintances need a specific service, we can recommend someone from our group with full confidence they can do the job,” Ortiz said.

Denise Hightower, a partner in Tree Branch Group, a digital marketing firm, agrees that keeping the group small has its benefits.

“We tend to stay involved in the referral group over a long period of time. I’ve been a member for four years and Danielle, Liz, Nancy, and others have been with it as long or longer,” she said.

One-on-one conversations between the established members and those considering joining were especially helpful.

About twenty minutes into the gathering, it was announced that lunch was served and attendees filed through the buffet line for tacos with all the makings, fruits and desserts contributed by members.

Lunch was a leisurely affair. Between bites, Macaroni Kid Pasadena publisher Laura Colquhoun and realtor Holly Gue exchanged information about each other’s businesses. Macaroni Kid is a Kids’ Website and weekly online newsletter. The Pasadena-based business is hosting some upcoming events that Colquhoun was particularly excited about.

The most interesting part of the event occurred toward the end when everyone in attendance was allowed 30 seconds to explain precisely what their business was about.

The 30-second snapshots of their businesses ran the gamut from practical to creative and fun-inspired to health and wellness-inspired.

Nancy and Billy Greer started with descriptions of the mind and body benefits of the martial arts Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong taught by Jing Ying Institute (which attendees caught a glimpse of on their way to the upstairs meeting room).

On the practical side, Mark Belcher noted that he was with First Financial Residential Loans. Having just joined the Chamber, he said he’s pleased about the contacts he’s made and advice he’s received from the moment he joined and appreciated the invitation to the Monday Referral Group luncheon.

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Next came Alex Cisneros who described himself as a personalized insurance producer while Lou Facciponti spoke about his work as a USIS commercial insurance broker. Holly Gue, with the Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Integrity, said she is primarily involved with residential real estate. Emily Hofnagel, as mentioned before, is with Fairway Independent Mortgage Company.

In a different vein, but equally practical according to Hightower, is Tree Branch Group which specializes in website development, social media, video conferencing, films and large-scale virtual events.

On the creative side, Christy, a yogi, has started a non-profit called Maryland Yogi to bring yoga lovers, business owners, creatives, and teachers together in enriching and fun ways. Her organization is hosting a Flower Moon Flow Social at The Metropolitan Rooftop in Annapolis on May 16.

Colquhoun’s Macaroni Kid publishes listings of child friendly events throughout Pasadena, Severna Park and Glen Burnie each week. Macaroni Kid will mark its first-year anniversary with a special event and a Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber ribbon cutting.

Kelly and Maurice Cornwell said they find life is but a dream these days running Dream Vacations, a travel agency specializing in Holy Land tours, cruises and other forms of travel.

“We do everything for you but the packing,” said Kelly.

Liz League and Allison Jesse from the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber spoke about the organization’s many benefits and activities including their upcoming Shop Local Fun Fiesta which will take place at Park Plaza on Saturday, May 7, from 11 am to 3 pm.

Lastly, on the health and wellness front, Danielle Ortiz took the floor to speak about her business Cascades of Wellness and the benefits of the nutritional products of Q Sciences including the pink beverage she contributed to the buffet which was not only delicious but provides energy for the body and enhances concentration.

Danielle thanked everyone for coming and noted that anyone can attend two Monday Referral Group meetings without joining to see if it’s right for them.

A new look for Fishpaws MarketPlace

For those of you who haven’t stopped by in a while, Fishpaws MarketPlace has a fresher look. According to owner Kim Lawson, after years of wear and tear, the floor needed to be replaced.

“The old floor was the same one we’d put in seventeen years ago when we did our reconstruction,” Lawson said. “It really needed to be redone. We’re so pleased with the result. We’re still changing a few things around.”

The marketplace was originally a tavern and gas station in the 1930’s and was owned by the Fishpaw family from the 1940’s through 1960’s. It changed hands a couple times before being purchased by Kim Lawson and her parents, Brad and Chris, in 1982. In 2004, the Lawsons tackled a major reconstruction turning the building into the marketplace seen today that features gourmet foods, and a selection of beer, wines and spirits.

Partners In Care presenting a Data Care Program at Woods Church

Internet technology can be confusing, especially for seniors. If you’re an older adult and you’re concerned about the safety of your personal information, join Partners In Care for a Data Care lesson at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, March 16 from 2 to 3 pm.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Severna Park Community Center gala committee members Amy Holbrook and Collette Campbell are excited to be planning the organization’s first “live” gala since COVID reared its ugly head. The annual gala is the organization’s biggest fundraiser.

Holbrook, as SPCC’s director of community outreach and marketing and Campbell, as assistant director of communications and development, are delighted by the eleven-member committee’s selection of a Boots & Black Tie theme for the 2022 gala which will be held at Chartwell Golf and Country Club on April 23rd. Apparently, so is the Severna Park business community. Offers of sponsorship and auction items are already flooding in.

Imagine Holbrook’s and Campbell’s delight on opening one of the earliest silent auction items to arrive – a boxed replica of “Toy Story” hero Sheriff Woody. The pair couldn’t resist taking the diminutive sheriff out of the box and placing him on their worktable for inspiration.

Thing is, Woody wouldn’t stay put. Like the toys in the Pixar computer-animated film, the little sheriff took on a life of his own, disappearing only to pop up at the community center’s pool grabbing a nap on the diving board.

They next found him in the Edward St. John Weight/Cardio Gym wishing his legs were long enough to reach the pedals.

Regardless, there was work to be done. Community center members were tremendously supportive of last year’s abbreviated drive-by gala which raised significant funds, but they all feel it’s past time to come back together again to have fun and celebration.

“We definitely wanted to bring our most popular annual fundraiser back…but to be sure that, when the time came, we’d have something the community would really enjoy,” Holbrook said.

Campbell added that the committee realized early in the planning that SPCC’s volunteers and board members were anxious to get out again and start living.

“Their overwhelmingly positive outlook gave us a spark to want to make this super fun,” she said.

The idea for the Boots & Black Tie theme grew out of the gala committee’s desire to do something different from anything they’d done before. They considered several different concepts. However, following the SPCC board’s announcement that they’d chosen former board chairman and real estate company owner David Orso as the 2022 gala honoree, they delved more deeply.

“We wondered what sort of event would match David’s personality,” Holbrook said. “We know he and his wife Dawn as a lively and outgoing couple who enjoy a casual lifestyle but, like some of the older community center members, appreciate an opportunity to get dressed up. We decided to marry the two elements and came up with the Black Tie & Boots scheme that is formal with a nod to western. The Orso’s say they love it.”

Judging by the photo below, Sheriff Woody approves of the idea too. He thinks mixing formal wear with classic western cowboy hats and boots is a great idea.

The gala committee has focused on planning an event that is multi-generational in its appeal – one that blends black-tie chic with upscale country/casual indoor and outdoor settings, a western-influenced menu including a signature Jalapeno Lemonade cocktail, and music that will vary from fox-trots to “boot scootin’ boogie”.

Campbell and Holbrook are spearheading the decorating. In trying for authenticity, they are grateful that Maryland Therapeutic Riding is generously donating the use of saddles, bridles, blankets and spurs for the occasion along with a typical western arch. Weather permitting, there will be lighted outdoor tents for various activities. Indoors, there will be a bourbon bar, casino tables and saloon games like Roulette, Craps and Texas Hold-Em (playing for prizes) plus several tables of items donated by businesses for both silent and live auctions.

“One auction item is the donation of an all-expenses paid week at the White Stallion Dude Ranch in Tucson, Arizona including meals and horseback and ATV riding,” Campbell said. “We also have donations of Kenny Chesney concert tickets, trips to the beach and a trip to Charleston, South Carolina.”

A variety of music played by local band, The Shatners, will have everyone out on the dance floor at some point. SPCC Dance Center teachers including director Kellie Greer will be on hand to organize line-dancing and teach the easy-to-learn skills.

“We can assure you that the menu will be great,” Holbrook said. Our entire committee went for a tasting at Chartwell

Funds raised from ticket sales and the auctions will go toward community center operating costs and toward implementing the organization’s newly conceived Strategic Plan. The plan’s goal, over the next two years, is focused on health and wellness initiatives. There were already health and exercise-based programs ranging from SPCC Dance Center programs to fitness programs in partnership with local companies like Bay Area Volleyball, Tai Chi/Qi Gong for Health & Wellness from Jing Ying Institute, i9 Sports, and Chesapeake Bay Aquatic and Physical Therapy.

Having realized during the COVID pandemic how important the body/mind connection and human interaction is to well-being and how much members missed using the center during the period they were closed, SPCC wants to extend its programs and even hold health and wellness lectures.

Though back inside his box, Sheriff Woody will be occupying a prominent place on the silent auction tables. He’s hoping the family that claims him will have a nice picket fence, the perfect place for him to hang out.

For information or tickets to the community center’s Boots & Black Tie Dinner at Chartwell Golf and Country Club on April 23 at 6:30, visit Black Tie & Boots Gala 2022 (spcommunitycenter.org)

Liquor store license hearing to extended to April 26th

Fishpaws MarketPlace owner Kim Lawson reports that the Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners hearing on March 8th took place as planned with the license application for Robinson Liquors the last item on the agenda. Robinson Liquors, LLC owner Andrey Nikolaev outlined the store’s logic for seeking a license while representatives for the owners of 24 already existing liquor stores and a member of the Greater Severna Park Council presented their opposition to the license. The hour grew late before they were finished so the hearing was extended to April 26th.

Petitions for both sides of the argument were submitted. According to Lawson, petitions will still be available at all the community liquor stores for customers to sign through April 25.

Parade Grand Marshall announced by Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber

The Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce‘s board of directors has announced that the Grand Marshall for the community’s 4th of July Parade will be Kevin Sosnoski, owner/operator of Goska’s Liquors which is celebrating its 92nd anniversary as a family business. Sosnoski is a familiar face around Severna Park having participated in numerous community events including many of the Chamber’s popular Taste & Sip celebrations.

Chamber CEO Liz League notes that plans are already underway for this year’s parade for which the theme is “Celebrating Our Rich History”. She pointed out that there are many historic sites throughout the community that connect current-day residents to those of the past. She feels there are ample examples for neighborhood float-builders to choose from.

For information on current and upcoming events, visit Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce (gspacc.com).

American Association of University Women adds two new scholarships

President Catherine Crowley reports that The Anne Arundel County branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will offer two scholarships to women transferring from Anne Arundel Community College to four-year colleges, universities, or professional schools to complete a bachelor’s or professional degree.
 
Women qualifying for the scholarships must be Anne Arundel County residents who have attended AACC, have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and be eligible for junior or higher standing in the Fall 2022. The criteria for selection will include active participation as a citizen of the college or community, leadership potential, academic excellence, and financial need.
 
The scholarship application form is available at  http://annearundelcounty-md.aauw.net/, in the AACC Financial Aid office or by contacting the AAUW Transfer Scholarship Chairperson: bhmarder@aacc.edu. Completed applications are due by April 4, 2022. All necessary instructions and mailing information are contained on the application.
 

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

By Friday of last week, many Severna Park residents had received a large yellow postcard from Robinson Liquors saying “We need your help to make it happen!! Please sign the petition and allow a license for Robinson Liquors.” Additional messaging and a map on the back of the card noted that the store would be located off Robinson Road in the 22,000 sq. ft. space next to Aldi’s Supermarket.

A visit to Robinson Liquors’ website shows it will essentially be a capacious liquor superstore, offering over 2,800 beers, wines and spirits at competitive prices.

The petition on the store’s website provides a place for one’s name and address, phone and email and a place for a signature above the statement “I, the undersigned, support the application of Robinson Liquors LLC for a new Class A (Beer, Wine & Liquor) package store license at 466 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, Maryland 21146. I believe that the area is not adequately served by existing stores and would welcome the convenience and the choice to shop at a new store.”

Severna Park liquor stores are not in agreement that the area is not adequately served and plan to oppose the issuing of a liquor license at an Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners hearing on March 8 at 6 pm at the County Council Chambers in Annapolis.

Andrey Nikolaev, owner of Robinson’s Liquors, LLC (along with Annapolis resident Ronald Breeden who has a one percent interest in the business) has previous experience as a liquor store operator in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Until recently, he was president and CEO of Drinx Market, a store with a format similar to what is proposed for Robinson Liquors.

When we spoke with Nikolaev, he affirmed that he is a small business owner currently living in the Cabin John community of Montgomery County, Maryland with his wife and son but is shortly moving to Annapolis.

In describing Robinson Liquors, he emphasized that it is not a corporation or large operation but a small business.

“Basically, I’m a small business owner who has invested his own savings although most of the financing is coming from a loan obtained from the Small Business Administration,” Nikolaev said.

The Maryland Small Business Administration was unable to provide confirmation of the loan by publication time.

He added that he’d been looking at Severna Park as a location in Anne Arundel County for over a year and doing extensive market research to make sure there is more demand for alcoholic beverages than there is supply.

“I found 24 liquor stores that sell alcohol off premises within a 5-mile radius of Severna Park,” he said. “In the same area, the expenditure for alcoholic beverages for last year was $29 and-a-half million dollars which was slightly higher than previous years due to the COVID pandemic but it wasn’t significantly different from previous years.”

In contrast, Kim Lawson, owner of Fishpaws MarketPlace, said those 24 liquor stores (seven of them in Severna Park proper) already offer an ample supply of beers, wines and liquors to say nothing of dozens of area bars and restaurants that have off-premises sales capabilities. She believes there is not enough demand to support another liquor store in the Severna Park area and that a liquor superstore would harm business at the community’s existing liquor stores.

“On learning of Robinson Liquors, LLC’s application for a liquor license, all our small businesses that carry spirits in the Severna Park area have come together to oppose the move because the new business is like a superstore,” Lawson said.

“Because of the way the laws are in Maryland, we only found out about this three weeks ago through word of mouth and didn’t receive a notice from the Liquor Board until a week ago,” she added. “From the oldest to the newest and the largest to the smallest, all of us are asking our customers to sign a petition of our own to reject the move.”

Those most immediately in the Severna Park area are Dawson’s Liquors, Harbour Wine & Spirits, Severna Park Wine & Spirits, Goska’s Liquors, Corwell & Son Liquors, Magothy Wine & Spirits and Fishpaws Market Place. All have petitions prominently displayed on their counters.

Though closed four days to have new flooring installed, Fishpaws already had gathered many signatures on their petition according to Lawson.

Straddling the border between Severna Park and Arnold, Fishpaws has been a traditional stopping point for locals and travelers. A tavern and gas station in the 1930’s, the store was owned by the Fishpaw family from the late ’40’s through the 60’s. It changed hands a couple times before being purchased by Kim Lawson and her parents, Brad and Chris, in 1982. In 2004, the Lawsons tackled a major reconstruction becoming a market place that features a deli, gourmet foods, and a selection of beer, wines and spirits. Seventeen years later, they are currently laying a new floor and refreshing the interior.

Also gathering signatures on its petition is Dawson’s Liquors in Olde Severna Park. We caught up with Jo Ann Polk and Nick Cipriano, two of five partners who own the business today. Cliff Dawson founded the business in 1944 when he leased the Codd Building at 4 Riggs Avenue (now the Red Apron Shoppe) following the death of its owner. Christened Dawson’s Store, it featured a soda fountain, liquor sales and a slot machine. Outgrowing the space, Dawson built the current store on the corner of McKinsey Road and Old Annapolis Boulevard which he opened in 1952. An enlargement to the building in 1967 temporarily housed the Severna Park Post Office. Ten years before his death, Dawson’s family took over the business and still leases the building. In 1985 JoAnn and her late husband Ed Polk opened Dawson’s Liquors along with their partners.

A tour through the shelves at Goska’s Liquors with Kevin Sosnoski, who with brother Michael took over the landmark business from their father Walter in 1996, is fascinating. The face of Goska’s today, Sosnoski grew up in and around the store. He ably relates his family’s experience with the oldest continuously operating business in Severna Park.

Though currently celebrating its 92nd anniversary, the business is actually older having opened in the 1920’s as a general store operated by the Kleiss family. Brothers Walter and Alex Goska purchased the building in 1930 and established it as Goska Brothers Store selling fresh cut meats, groceries, kerosene, gasoline and feed for farm animals. There was also an icehouse. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the brothers added beer and liquor to their inventory. With help from Walter’s wife Helen, the enterprise flourished and the blue shingled store with the gas pumps in front became a familiar destination for local families.

Situated off Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, Goska’s maintained a steady flow of customers through the Great Depression and World War II. In 1939, the construction of Ritchie Highway was completed. Goska’s remained popular but increased traffic from the highway onto Rt. 648, which ran directly in front of the store, was so close to the entrance that it posed a danger to customers. Consequently, the entrance was relocated to the side of the building bordered by Leelyn Drive where it remains today.

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Helen Goska’s hard work alongside her husband and brother-in-law through the years contributed greatly to the store’s success. Following husband Walter’s death in 1957, Helen continued to operate the business aided by her sister Eva Schwartz and nephew Walter Sosnoski.

Walter moved his young family to Severna Park and assumed a major role in the business, eventually taking over while simultaneously working in Baltimore as a pharmacist for 25 years.

As mentioned, the store had been carrying a modest amount of beer and liquor along with groceries since 1933. However, in the early and mid 1960’s, modern supermarkets like Pantry Pride, the A&P and Safeway came to Severna Park. That’s when Walter Sosnoski made the decision to switch from carrying deli and food items to strictly carrying beer, wines and spirits.

Walter was also responsible for altering the way the store looked in the mid 1980’s hiring Chisholm Contractors to add siding and trim. Painted red, it assumed the barnlike character that has made it a community icon.

After graduating from college in 1991, Kevin Sosnoski was working at Goska’s full-time, and Mike was there when his job as a firefighter allowed. When Walter stepped down in 1995 and passed away the following year, his sons were already there to take over.

Kevin Sosnoski’s earliest memories of Goska’s are as the bus stop where he, brother Mike and sister Carol waited for the school bus to St. John the Evangelist School each morning.

“It was the three of us and the Barranco children waiting outside the store’s front door each morning which was rather dangerous,” Sosnoski said. “After school, we’d come into the store and say hi to my great aunts. There was a deli case then and sometimes an aunt would be cleaning the slicer.”

“My dad was working with Helen and Eva by that time, splitting his day between being a pharmacist in Baltimore and coming here to the store. Seven days a week he’d come home around 3 pm and we’d have dinner. Then he’d take a nap before heading to the store to check on his aunts, do whatever was needed and close up at 8 pm.”

Sosnoski considers Goska Liquors stability and longevity amazing but says it’s no accident. He credits the good customer service provided by Goska’s staff from the moment Alex and Walter Goska opened their doors 92 years ago.

“Our staff members are great, and most have been with us a long time,” he said. “We’ve had very little turnover.”

In addition, his entire family has been involved with the business in one way or another. Along with his father Walter, his mother Emilie worked in the store. His sister Carol worked there for a period, and his brother Mike, a full-time firefighter, worked there too putting in more or less the same hours as their dad. Even Mike’s wife Debbie, who is also a firefighter, worked in the store when needed.

Walking through Goska’s, Kevin Sosnoski takes pride in pointing out framed family photographs from the early days of the business (many of which can be seen on the store’s website at Goska’s Liquors – History (goskas.com). He loves it when older customers come in and tell him stories about the store or his dad.

Sosnoski really likes the layout of what he describes as the store’s shabby chic interior but has fond memories of what was where during earlier times. Moving into an alcove now deemed the Liquor Room where spirits are displayed, he notes that it is the former kitchen where the deli counter was located. An interesting touch in the Liquor Room is the Jack Daniels display which features a miniature figure of the brewery’s founder.

Goska’s also carries bottles of Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey. Nathan “Nearest” Green was the nation’s first African American master distiller. A former slave, Uncle Nearest taught a poverty-stricken but eager-to-learn young white boy everything he knew about distilling. That young boy was Jack Daniels.

A popular product found on the shelves of the Liquor Room is “Moonshine” which is now legal but is reminiscent of the 1920’s and early ’30’s when the business operated as a general store and Prohibition was in full flower. It is not known whether the Kleiss family or Goska brothers would have considered carrying such a product but it’s fun to have it on the shelves.

Entering the wine section of the store (formerly a dining area) Sosnowski pointed out two openings along the wall that held the store’s entrance and display window.

Wines and domestic and craft beers (of which there is an ever-changing variety) are a mainstay of the business. Sosnoski carries a broad range of varietals but he’s particularly strong on promoting wines from Maryland vineyards which he finds sell quite well.

He notes that the most profitable time for sales of wines and spirits is in the fall and winter, particularly during the holidays.

Cigar smoking may not be quite as popular as it was a few years ago but Goska’s still maintains its glass-enclosed humidor. It’s another product that distinguishes the store.

Customers come by almost any time of the day. A recent sunny afternoon found regular customer Alex Craddock wandering in to buy some brews and a package of Slim Jims.

” I can’t make up my mind whether to go fishing or ride my motorcycle,” Craddock said.

According to staffer Ryan Yesner who was working the counter, being located near the Magothy River means it’s not unusual for a customer to come in mid-afternoon, buy a few items and chat for a few minutes before heading for their boat.

Nor is it unusual for a customer to dash in, pick something up, and dash back out as people are running on such tight schedules these days.

“Things have changed drastically as growth has mushroomed all around us with new businesses everywhere,” Sosnoski said. “Between Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and people driving by here to get off Ritchie Highway, the volume of traffic is unbelievable. Hearing horns honking and people upset is an everyday occurrence 24-7.”

He noted that, like other retail establishments, Goska’s experienced highs and lows as COVID cases and restrictions ebbed and flowed. During the first year of the pandemic, sales increased substantially since all the restaurants that sold spirits were closed. The store gained some new customers during that period, but the volume of business declined once restaurants reopened.

“We’ve seen a number of shifts in the retail scene lately, especially at the supermarkets,” Sosnoski said. “Who knows, we may reopen the deli counter at some point. Meantime, we’ll maintain our high level of customer service and continue to reach out to the community.”

Goska’s has always been active in the community supporting various charities or appearing at occasions like the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s annual Holiday Taste & Sip Events. They hope to remain a source of stability for local customers for years to come.

Good Neighbors Group S(o)UPER BOWL a Winner

Julie Shay, Executive Director of Good Neighbors Group announced that the organization’s fifth annual S(o)UPER BOWL was a success. Neighborhood captains and volunteers collected 15,907 items from 51 neighborhoods for four now overflowing food pantries including the Annapolis Food Bank, SPAN, Inc., ACAN, and My Brother’s Pantry.

This year’s Per House Winner is Erin Garth, a 15 House winner with 10.67 items collected per house. The Neighborhood By Volume winner was West Severna Park with 935 items collected.

Shay and GNG’s board of directors wish to thank all of the neighborhoods that came together as well as the captains who pulled the drive off. For more information on Good Neighbors Group’s good works visit Home – Good Neighbors Group.

To his surprise, guitarist and DJ Michael Kocher found himself busier than ever throughout the COVID pandemic. For the majority of his fellow musicians, however, the COVID lockdowns spelled disaster, bringing their careers to an abrupt halt. Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel as local restaurants, clubs and other venues are bringing in enough revenue to afford to hire entertainers.

Kocher, CEO of Michael K. Music Productions, Inc., credits his ability to keep working to his flexibility as an artist and deep ties to the community.

“I’ve kind of been an exception to the rule and managed to remain extremely busy.” he said.

Fronting a band called Pretty Big Deal with musicians Joe Glumsic, Todd Kreuzburg and Ken Crawn, Kocher also works as a solo artist and backs vocalists. During the pandemic, the Pretty Big Deal Band appeared in different configurations – for instance when teaming with another musician as the Pretty Big Duo (seen in the opening photo). In addition, Kocher is well-known as a DJ for various local events.

Among other venues, he appears in Severna Park at Brian Boru, Garry’s Grill and Sullivan’s Cove and in Annapolis at Dark Horse and at Ram’s Head Tavern. He feels very lucky.

“Many full-time musicians were hit very hard,” he said. “I’m not full-time and kept my regular job. I was furloughed temporarily at the beginning of the pandemic but my company continued to pay me so I was never in dire straits. I’m very involved in the local music scene, however, with many friends in the entertainment industry. My friend P. J. Thomas, who works with Neal Bumgarner in a duo called P.J. & Neal, is vice-president of a great organization called the Annapolis Musicians Fund for Musicians. “

Thomas, who has devoted both her time and talents to raising money for the organization, described AMFM as a nonprofit created in 2006 to provide temporary financial relief to professional Annapolis musicians who can’t work due to sickness, injury, or any other circumstance leaving them unable to perform.

The fund acts as an emergency relief fund for lost income. Since its founding, AMFM has grown to provide additional benefits to the local music community, including catastrophic relief and funding youth music programs through scholarships and private lessons.

“AMFM has given out well over $200,000 to musicians as a result of COVID,” Thomas said. “Many solo/duos were able to perform a lot during COVID but it hit our bands so hard. Drummers, bass players, and others.”

Kocher, recalling what it was like for musicians at the beginning of the pandemic, described an evening where Pretty Big Deal played a reduced capacity engagement at the Rams Head Tavern behind a plexiglass screen which the group jokingly referred to as playing in an aquarium. Nevertheless, they managed to draw about 100 fans.

He remembers that times were terrible for restaurants and he did his best to help them even appearing gratis a few times playing guitar solo outside an eatery while people picked up meals curbside.

Things were equally tough for musicians who usually supplement their income by teaching music lessons because in-person instruction all but stopped. Teaching remotely simply didn’t work.

“Things seem to be coming back now though,” Kocher says. “Venues like Rams Head On Stage are continuing to bring in local talent and lining up lots of bookings while venues like Garry’s Grill that had never booked local talent are continuing to do so.”

Like musicians, actors were also hard hit by the pandemic. Some theaters actually closed their doors and, after 39 years, the famed Capitol Steps political satire group dimmed their stage lights for the last time in January of 2021.

There is a new sense of hope, however, as many theaters, like The Children’s Theater of Annapolis, managed to survive the pandemic. There is more good news for young actors as Severna Park High’s long running Rock ‘N Roll Revival is returning to the stage for a live show.

Rehearsal in full swing for Rock ‘N Roll Revival XXXIII

It’s hard to tell who is happier, Severna Park High School Drama’s young actors or their parents. Absent from the stage for a live performance for two years, the 135 students involved in Rock ‘N Roll Revival XXXIII as cast, band and crew are thrilled at the prospect of once again performing before an audience.

The show’s theme, “Time After Time”, has been kept under wraps but, if past shows are any indication, audiences will be treated to the great music and dance numbers SPHS’ Rock ‘N Roll Revivals are known for.

The show debuts on March 10th. Tickets may be ordered at HOME | Falcon Drama. Show dates are March 10, 11, 12 and 13 and March 17, 18 and 19. All shows are at 7 pm except March 13 for a matinee at 3 pm. All shows require wearing a mask.

According to producer/director Angela Germanos, there will be a Student Rush on March 9 for SPHS students only at $10 per ticket. Tickets will be on sale at lunches that day and at the door (cash only).

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Over the last few years, all the change in a tumultuous world has led many to question whether Valentine’s Day still pulls at heart strings the way it once did. According to surveys carried out by the National Retail Foundation (NRF), American consumers spent approximately $21.8 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2021 – a figure that was a reduction from Valentine’s Day spending in 2020, most likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

There doesn’t seem to be a baseline estimate for how much might be spent this year, but Severna Park retailers are hoping for the best. I surveyed several local shop owners and restaurateurs and found that, for the most part, that lovin’ feelin’ hasn’t been lost.

NRF statistics show that candy tops the list for Valentine’s Day sales year after year at 54 percent followed by cards at 44 percent. One glance at the number of customers checking out the candy shelves at the Severna Park Safeway and Giant Food stores confirmed the popularity of heart shaped boxes filled with chocolate buttercreams. (A pure test of wills for the chocoholics among us not to sample one.)

Valentine’s Day cards remain a hot selling article.

“We were just talking about that. We think Valentine cards are as popular as ever,” said Banner’s Hallmark Shop employee Peggy Marino. “We’re discussing bringing more help in here on Sunday because we’ll be so busy.”

Marino added that not only will the Park Plaza shop be doing a brisk business from Friday through Monday, but the company’s other stores will see heavy traffic too.

While sweet and simple cards remain a big part of the inventory, pop-up Valentine cards are extremely popular. Marino notes that Valentine’s Day is no longer a holiday for sweethearts only but is now a family affair with pets often included. Thus, many gifts are purchased along with Valentine-themed giftwrap or giftbags, so the holiday remains quite a boost for the store.

There are many local businesses providing gifts or special treats ranging the gamut from Valentine cakes and cookies or flowers to special menus from our favorite eateries. Sticking with the idea of sweets for one’s sweetie from local bakeries, we discovered that Kirsten’s Cakery has teamed with Moondance Cookies this year to supply heart-trimmed cakes and cookies aplenty.

Talented chef, baker and Cakes & Confections owner Michael Brown is pretty upbeat about the holiday this year.

Brown believes that Valentine’s Day has generally been good for sales and feels it has the same impact it’s had in the past.

“The COVID epidemic caused orders to fluctuate a little over the past year or so. But this year’s Valentine’s Day sales are fairly robust,” he said.

Brown added that Cakes & Confections’ timeframe for accepting custom Valentine cake orders for 2022 was compressed due to the Super Bowl which happens the day before. With orders for back-to-back occasions rolling in, he found it necessary to cut off orders for custom cakes on Tuesday, February 8th. However, he still has elaborately decorated pre-made Valentine cakes like the one above in his showcase for customers to pick from.

Considered the most romantic holiday of the year, Valentine’s Day customarily brings couples to local restaurants, most of which offer special menus for the day. Wondering if that would be the case this year, we first spoke with Cafe Mezzanotte manager Krista Corvin.

“I haven’t been on staff long enough to gauge how well we’re doing compared to other years, but I’m pleased to report we already have reservations for Valentine’s Day for a number of two-tops (tables for two). That’s great since the holiday occurs on a Monday,” Corvin said. “We’re offering a special five-course Valentine’s Weekend tasting menu Friday through Monday.”

Approached with the same question, Park Tavern manager Rich Weddle said “It’s a question we’ve been wondering ourselves since Valentine’s Day is on Monday right after the Superbowl on Sunday. We already know JB’s, Severna Park, our sister 206 Restaurant Group venue, will be packed for the Superbowl. We’re expect our more upscale date-night favorite Park Tavern to draw Valentine’s Day celebrants.

To set the mood, Weddle personally created a selection of “Cupids & Cocktails” drinks pictured below that are being featured throughout February.

“Our chef’s been busy, as well, creating Valentine inspired menus,” Weddle said. “For Saturday and Sunday brunch he’s offering the same Red Velvet Pancakes that were a hit last year. He’s preparing a special menu for Valentine’s Day and, to top it off, he’s created a Triple-A Red Velvet Cheesecake for dessert.”

We checked in with Zachary’s Jewelers to see if Valentine’s Day remains a potent time of the year with its customers. According to employee Evangeline Ross, the holiday still has quite an impact.

“For us, the biggest holiday is Christmas. However, we always get an uptick of business at this time of year,” Ross said. “People buy Valentine’s gifts and, since February’s birthstone is amethyst, a bracelet or ring with that gem is popular among others.

“February 14th being the year’s most romantic holiday, it’s a day many young men choose to propose,” she added. “We sometimes see them before but, more often, they’ll come in just after with their fiancées for an engagement ring and/or wedding band.”

Of course, how can you say “I love you” better than with a bouquet of beautiful flowers. Formal Valentine arrangements or the forever popular bouquet of a dozen red roses may be ordered from florists like Severna Flowers and Gifts on McKinsey Road.

For more casual Valentine’s Day bouquets, Megan Taylor’s Peaceful Petals Flower Shop has lots to offer. Taylor believes the holiday has a great impact for her business.

“I was wondering what would happen with the Superbowl being the day before and Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday. However, I only put out one email and I’ve already surpassed last year’s orders for Valentine bouquets,” she said.

The nice thing about Peaceful Petals is that you can buy a single stem or two for your beloved from the Flower Bar, create your own Valentine bouquet using a cluster of flowers, or order a premade bouquet.

“We have a pre-order option with three separate prices, the first being a modest priced standard size bouquet or larger, more robust bouquets for those wishing to go all out,” Taylor said.

Known for sourcing its flowers from local or regional growers, Peaceful Petals’ bouquets are created from “florists’ choice blooms”. Instead of having a large quantity of red roses shipped in, the shop will have roses in reds and pinks and lavenders combined with other flowers like Ranunculus and pretty fillers. Taylor tries to keep the bouquets unique, special and exciting.

This quick survey suggests that Valentine’s Day is still special, exciting and a welcome business boost.

A Valentine’s Day Tai Chi class part of Jing Ying’s Lunar New Year celebration

Beginning February 1, the Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi began its month-long celebration of the Lunar New Year (known more popularly as the Chinese New Year). Based on a traditional lunisolar calendar, the Lunar New Year festival has been celebrated for centuries in China, South Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and elsewhere. The year 2022 is known as “The Year of the Tiger”.

According to owners Billy and Nancy Greer, Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi has made Lunar New Year activities an important part of giving back to the local community for the past 22 years. Among activities planned for this year’s celebration is a free Valentine’s Day Tai Chi and Qigong Class exercise class on February 14 from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

Other in-person activities include a free Family Kung Fu Class on February 15 from 6:30 to 7:15 pm and a Chinese Calligraphy Class on February 25 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm for a cost of $5 to cover the cost of supplies.

For information on these or other events, visit Best Martial Arts Program in Annapolis, Severna Park (jingying.org)