Category: AROUND THE PARK AGAIN

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN BY Sharon Lee Tegler

Excitement surged among parade participants at the St. Martins-in-the-Field and Our Shepherd Lutheran Church staging areas on opposite sides of Benfield Road. With step-off time for the 2021 Severna Park Community Center Independence Day Parade moments away, confusion reigned too, Many entrants, including the children and adults who’d be riding on Olde Severna Park’s patriotically decorated sailing ship, didn’t know where to go.

Liz League, CEO of the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce which organized the event, said there were communications difficulties stemming from holding the parade Monday, July 5th instead of Sunday, July 4th (because church services would have limited access).

“Missed emails and texts over the holiday weekend meant participants didn’t know which staging area to go to, but it all worked out and we had smooth sailing after that,” League said.

The motorcycle escort heading the parade hove into view of Benfield Road spectators shortly after 10 am. However, viewers at town center in Olde Severna Park had about 20 minutes to wait. They patiently listened to commentary from announcer Earl Shaffer though frequently cast glances up the hill past the Riggs Avenue judging stand for a first sighting of the parade.

They were rewarded with sirens blaring as a motorcycle escort roared down Riggs at 10:21 with a color guard from Marine Corps League Detachment 1049 marching smartly behind them.

A succession of color guards and A.A. County first responder vehicles was followed by the appearance of the parade’s Grand Marshall Eddie Conway waving from the back of a blue convertible that perfectly matched his star-studded jacket.

An entrepreneur, philanthropist and owner of Garry’s Grill, Conway was followed by the Garry’s Grill float he and his employees put together – the only float with live music aboard.

Considering that the parade was coming back after being canceled last year due to the COVID pandemic and held Monday, July 5th – a workday for some but a federal holiday for others – the crowd was good. It also seemed different. Unlike the most recent years, spectators came largely unencumbered with tents or even chairs. They just brought themselves and seemed so happy to see everyone else.

League, when asked for her impressions of the return of the Severna Park 4th of July Parade, said she loved it.

“The weather was great and, in spite of our occasional glitches, it was a happy day,” she added.

The most solemn and patriotic moment of the parade occurred fairly early with the appearance of the immense Nathan McDavitt Memorial Flag honoring Airman 1st Class Nathan McDavitt who died while serving his country on April 15, 2016. Carried by no less than 30 volunteers including cub scouts and boy scouts, the flag was presented at the judge’s stand to the accompaniment of a recording of the Star Spangled Banner performed by the late Whitney Houston.

No Severna Park Independence Day Parade would be complete without the appearance of antique automobiles. In this case, they included a 1931 Model A and a 1929 Ford convertible followed by a 1957 Chevrolet convertible bearing Maryland Yacht Club’s 2021 Queen of the Chesapeake Ellie Hermann.

Multiple fire trucks from active companies, far and near, were joined by retired privately owned firetrucks including a restored Earleigh Heights VFC firetruck owned by Rod Reed, and a Rostraver VFC Truck 31 owned by the Gustafson family. There was also an unexpected entrant – a “pink” firetruck named “For Three Sisters” that was restored by retired firefighter Marshall Moneymaker to raise money to fight breast cancer which took the lives of all three of his sisters.

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A great deal happened between firetrucks including efforts by small businesses and community organizations like SPAN, Inc. whose directors and volunteers pulled red and blue wagons collecting donations for its food pantry, the floral decorated van of the Asbury Church Assistance Network, Chesapeake Harmony Chorus, Pets on Wheels, and the SPCA van among others.

The Chamber’s Decorated Bike Contest riders (from ages 2 through 11) pedaled through town looking as patriotic as ever.

First, second and third place winners for Most Beautiful were: Avery Jackson, Sophia Zimmerman and Emma Gramel – for Most Original were Piper Allee, Lily Lewis, and Natalie and Amelia Mastanik and – for Most Patriotic were Gemma Dornblaser, Everleigh Dornblaser and Justin Wilkins.

With the parade continuing apace, many entries were still making their way down Benfield Road including the colorful truck- bed float of the Millersville-based charity Orphan Grain Train which featured a replica of its headquarters building at 621 East West Boulevard. Volunteers riding on each side included director Elfie Eberle.

There’s no denying that floats are always parade viewers’ favorite things and this year’s variety, echoing the parade’s theme, “Celebrating the Community”, contained some gems. Here are a few.

Other imaginative floats receiving spectator plaudits included Park Books and Literacy Lab’s clever “Charlotte’s Web” float which was third best Community Entry, Donut Shack’s float featuring employees waving giant donuts, Emilio Escape Salon & Spa, the second best Commercial entry, and Cub Scout Pack 994’s float which captured Best Theme.

Judging from the general mood of the crowd, everyone enjoyed it – from spectators to participants. Toward the end of his parade adventure, Uncle Sam, who’d walked the entire way took time to pose for photographs with Miss Montgomery County and Miss Montgomery County Princess.

The return of the Severna Park Independence Day Parade paid off in ways yet to be counted. As always, it drew both locals and out-of-town visitors and meant increased business for the shops lining B&A Boulevard.

Parade-goers drawn to early corn and veggies at Diehl’s Produce

Diehl’s Produce would have been busy Monday anyway but there is no doubt that being located on the corner of B&A Boulevard and McKinsey Road, i.e. Parade Central, brought in additional customers. One glance at the huge supply of early Eastern Shore corn was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

According to manager Jennifer Diehl, most of the vegetables the stand is noted for carrying have come in early and are in good supply.

“The corn is not only early but sweeter than ever. It’s very good,” she said.

The tomatoes are ripe, plump and plentiful.

Vegetables ranging from peppers, squash, eggplants, mushrooms, cucumbers and onions and various fruits and melons were available and the stand’s stock will only increase from now on.

As was the case last year, Diehl’s Produce is rounding up sales totals with the extra amounts of change combined to supply gift cards to SPAN, Inc. for its clients so they can purchase fresh produce to supplement canned and packaged goods from the food pantry shelves. To inquire about the program visit Diehl’s Produce | Facebook.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

Whether greeting customers by the entrance to her shop or showing them around, MaryAnn Neal is a treasure trove of knowledge about the treasures within. It’s been one-and-a-half months since she opened Red Apron Estate Sales & Shoppe with her husband Cam at 4A Riggs Avenue.

The Neal’s shop features old, new and local treasures and is notable for its history and because it carries items we loved in the past and can love once more. Every item – from penny candy and vinyl records to fine china and wooden furniture – stirs memories and kindles our imagination to envision what it might become.

Seated on her favorite piece of furniture, a high-end Baker sofa, Neal related what she knew of her building’s past. Built in the 1920’s, 4 Riggs Avenue was briefly a grocery store but was known, for more than a decade, as Doc Codd’s pharmacy. In 1944, following the death of Dr. Francis Codd, it became Cliff Dawson’s variety store featuring liquor sales, a soda fountain and a slot machine. In 1952, Dawson relocated to the corner of B&A Boulevard and McKinsey Road and the former store eventually became home to the Antique Marketplace.

“When Antique Marketplace’s owner decided to retire, the location sort of fell into my lap,” she said.

Neal created and introduced her Red Apron brand in 2012 after she left her job as Program Director for the Severna Park Community Center. In order to sell pieces of furniture she’d been collecting and refinishing from estate sales, she organized a series of Red Apron Second Sunday Markets at Holy Grounds Youth Center.

Aware that most of what doesn’t sell at estate sales ends up in landfills, Neal hated the idea of “one more thing going into a landfill that didn’t need to when it still had a great life left”. Consequently, she began collecting good quality pieces that didn’t sell – pieces that became her Second Sunday inventory.

At that point, she hadn’t really contemplated starting an estate sale business of her own.

“It was kind of thrown at me,” she said. “I found redoing estate sale pieces for Second Sunday Markets a lot of fun. However, I wasn’t getting the turnouts I needed. Then my neighbor across the street lost his wife. He was a great neighbor and by himself since his children were in Seattle. So I started helping him get cleared out. I quickly saw he was overwhelmed by the enormity of the job.”

Neal too was overwhelmed. In addition to the furnishings her neighbor’s house contained on its main level, furniture inherited from his wife’s parents was stored downstairs. She finally asked, ‘”Why don’t we have an estate sale and I’ll run it for you?” to which he replied, “Here are the keys, I’m moving to Seattle.”

Everything was left for her to deal with. The complicated undertaking became her first estate sale and it went well. She proved “a natural ” and just kept going.

Estate sales no longer take place only when people pass away. They’re most often held because folks are downsizing to a smaller house or condo. They have too much stuff and no idea how to dispose of what they don’t need. That’s where Red Apron Estate Sales comes in.

“We tell clients to get everything they want out of the house. Then our team comes in, goes through the entire house, gathers and sorts things, makes sure everything is clean and sparkling, and stages it all for in-person selling,” Neal said.

She noted that the Red Apron team is very visual. They’re determined that, when customers come through the door, “everything just pops”, even going so far as to drape their signature red tablecloths to the floor on each table for impact. Objects are moved about to dress up an empty corner or a wall. The personal touch is equally important so Cam Neal, who is very personable, greets prospective customers at the door.

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Red Apron Estate Sales are known for everything being organized, clean and easy to locate. The company has just two days to sell everything over a weekend. Items are marked at a price the market will bear on a Saturday and everything is marked half-off on Sunday. The goal is to clear everything out of the house but they are not giving it away either.

The estate sales are advertised in numerous ways. The best way to find out when they’re happening is through Red Apron’s website at www.redapronestatesales.com. The sales are also posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About two weeks before a sale, pictures will start appearing. The Wednesday before a sale, the team will send an email to their nearly 3,000 subscribers noting key categories of items being offered. A newspaper ad will run as well.

As for the Red Apron Shoppe, it’s true to its motto selling treasures that are old, new and local. The front counter is something of a throwback influenced by Cam, a Severna Park native who fondly remembers visiting Dawson’s Store as a child and having owner Cliff Dawson help him pick out penny candy from large glass jars. MaryAnn also grew up in a small town and loved the idea and has incorporated similar glass jars and penny candy in her front counter.

In addition to products from local artists, the inventory includes vinyl record albums (both vintage and newly issued) which have regained popularity in recent years. There’s a special powder blue phonograph on which to test them out. Vintage radios and a 1960’s era record player complete the picture.

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The shop does not accept consignments but does straight sales. When an estate sale is over, Neal will buy a piece or two that’s left directly from the client. Those pieces make up the bulk of her inventory. However, she’ll occasionally accept something from the general public.

Neal finds that, after several years when young people shied away from buying what they considered antique furnishings, they are now coming in a lot. She believes she’s attracting more and more of them because they like the idea of recycling and re-purposing. They’re discovering that older furnishings are well crafted, made from real wood or authentic materials and often more practical.

“Even items like china cabinets that I couldn’t give away are being redone as indoor greenhouses to hold plants,” Neal said.

The blue/gray hutch seen here was painted and re-purposed by young mom, Lindsay Webster, who works the Red Apron estate sales and started her own company called Good Bones Restored. She is very skilled at redoing special pieces that MaryAnn Neal picks out for her. Alongside the hutch is an antique miniature salesman’s sample cabinet that she’s painted light gray.

The Neals prefer to keep most pieces of furniture in their original state. However, they find that repainted or repurposed pieces sell quickly.

Price ranges for different pieces are closely matched to estate sale prices and very reasonable. For instance, they are asking $800 for the Baker couch pictured above which is in excellent condition. New, it would sell for about $2,500. An outdoor glass-topped table and six chairs with the seats newly re-covered by Neal is priced at $350 while a two-tiered wooden Clover table is marked $100. Some quality furniture that came from Park Place apartments is similarly priced with attractive ladder-back chairs going for $30 apiece. An antique high chair at the back of the shop is marked $40.

The gorgeous set of high-end Royal Doulton china pictured below is marked $200 and would definitely cost more if purchased online.

The light blue glasses in the foreground of the picture below are selling for $15 for a set of six. Although the fine china dinnerware on the buffet and hutch beyond are from prestigious manufacturers, the sets are not quite complete. Thus, they start at $80 for the Johnson Brothers set and more for the Lotus set. The open drawers of the buffet are filled with hard-to-find vintage hardware, each piece priced at $1. Customers who are into DIY furniture refinishing projects love searching through them for just the right drawer pull or nob.

Because the Red Apron Shoppe will be right in the hub of things when the 4th of July Parade comes down Riggs Avenue to the judging stand, Neal has put together decorations for the occasion. Though she won’t be opening that day, she will have bottled water on hand and a display of penny candy on the sidewalk by the entrance. (The Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber is reminding everyone that the parade will actually take place on Monday, July 5, and will step off down Benfield Road at 10 am.)

Mentioning the parade was a reminder that one of MaryAnn’s aims in opening the shop is to “bring a touch of Severna Park back to Severna Park”. Both the Neals have observed that the local population has exploded to such an extent that the town is no longer suburban but urban and, despite the density, people seem to be more isolated.

As a child, Neal considered the downtown area of the small town she grew up in her “babysitter” and spent most afternoons there. She would like to see Severna Park regain that same kind of friendly atmosphere.

“We still have this beautiful downtown area of Olde Severna Park that’s very walkable,” she said. “It’s a great place to enjoy our local history and small businesses. The center of town is right off the B&A Trail and, within walking distance, there are several restaurants, Diehl’s Produce Stand, a bank, a barbershop, the old train station and Hatton-Regester Green. Sheltering during the COVID pandemic caused us to lose some of our town’s identity but it did encourage people to get out and walk and experience a sense of community. We’d like to encourage that to continue.”

“We have the perfect triangle here and it should look better,” Neal added. “We need a sign that says ‘Historic Severna Park’.”

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Saturday, June 19th was balmy with gentle breezes and the calypso music emanating from deejay Michael Kocher’s sound system was rhythmic and melodic. The long line of limbo dancing children and adults was a happy scene to behold – an especially colorful part of Severna Park Community Center’s “Dancing In The Streets” fundraiser with more daytime activities and the evening’s “Night In The Park” to follow.

Only the third live event held by the community center since it reopened following the pandemic lock down, the festive occasion exceeded its fundraising goals, garnering $70,000 from donations, raffles and ticket sales – enough to cover the cost of much-needed renovations to SPCC’s Dance Center of Severna Park studios.

Dance Center director Kellie Greer and her staff took the lead in staging the fundraiser. A full slate of activities was divided into daytime and evening events. The hours from 9 am to 3 pm were filled with dance, face painting, games and food – all of it free to the public, The event kicked off with Greer and dance teachers Jennie Young, Beth Fox, Kirsten Weichert, Bayley Taylor, Barbara Wayson, Sarah Keller, Amanda Breon, and Chloe Cocco taking center stage in the “big tent” .

Greer and team taught free mini dance classes for kids from ages three to 18, joined them in practicing the new moves, and danced on with whole families joining in as other activities went on around them.

Having volunteered to sell raffle tickets while showing off auction items like bikes and Adirondack chairs, board member Jean Andrews had a birds-eye view of the different events. She loved watching the children’s activities.

“The kids were just dancing and dancing to the non-stop music,” she said. “But the biggest draw for them was the dunking tank where all nine dance teachers volunteered to take a turn being dunked. For $10, the children got three balls but then could go to the back of the line and try again as many times as they wished.”

Quite a few dance students turned up with $10 bills and a wicked gleam in their eyes. They took full advantage of their unlimited turns and sent their teachers into the tank numerous times to cheers and applause. Dance teacher Kristen Weichert is seen here sitting pretty before the bullseye was hit and she went into the water.

Activities continued until 3 pm when it was time to close things down.

Worn out from dancing to Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade”, young Bennett Mayer retreated to mother Melanie’s arms as the afternoon’s music came to an end. The little boy had had a wonderful time having his face painted and even got to dance with a teacher. A balloon animal he scored earlier from Twinkle Toes rested on a table next to a tote of community center swag.

It would take the next two hours for staff and committee members to get set up for the second event, a “Night In The Park” featuring live music by The Shatners,

By the time the evening’s activities got underway at 5 pm, Severna Park Community Center Executive Director Sarah Elder and committee members Sandy Gins and Carol Snyder were installed beneath the Event Central tent to welcome guests. They all looked very pleased and with good reason.

“Thanks to our wonderful group of sponsors, in combination with ticket sales, we already knew we exceeded our original goal of $50,000 for renovations to the Dance Center studio,” Elder said. “We just learned that we’ve now surpassed $70,000 not counting additional money from raffle ticket sales and the auction. The increase in funds will permit us to complete new floors, lighting and additional work that’s needed.”

At long last, the Severna Park 4th of July Parade is back, albeit on Monday, July 5th. Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz League announced that the parade will once again step off from the Benfield Road parking lots of St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Church and Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at 10 am. Entrants will follow the usual parade route down Benfield, turning right onto Riggs Avenue and cresting the hill before reaching the judging stand at the intersection of Riggs Avenue and Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard. After pausing before the judges, they’ll veer right onto B&A and left onto Cypress Creek Road ending at Cypress Creek Park.

League said she’s very pleased that there are 54 sponsors for the parade this year. She also hinted at a few of the things spectators can look forward to including a “Charlotte’s Web” float from Park Books with a live pot-bellied pig playing the part of Wilbur. There will be floats, as usual, from Homestead Gardens, from Olde Severna Park and other neighborhoods, and from organizations like the Toastmasters. SPAN, Inc. volunteers will march pushing shopping carts to collect non-perishable food pantry items. It’s also rumored there’s to be a surprise from Eddie Conway who owns Garry’s Grill. Conway was chosen to be Grand Marshall for this year’s parade. Rounding out the entries will be decorated bikes, vintage automobiles and more. For more information, visit Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce | Facebook.

With the first day of summer only a week away, Severna Park Farmers Market was quite busy last Saturday. The parking lot, off Ritchie Highway and Jones Station Road, was nearly full and cars just kept pouring in. Shoppers hustled toward the market’s tents and stands but then slowed to a more leisurely pace to take in the amazing range of products offered. Vendors vary from season to season – or even from week to week. However, there is always an abundance of local products to choose from – especially this summer as we re-engage following the COVID pandemic.

At the first stand by the entrance, Ken Reeves of KR Laserworks was doing a brisk trade in laser engraved plaques and mugs honoring dads which would make great Father’s Day gifts. Though Reeves runs a custom online business, he really loves being at the farmers market and interacting with customers face to face.

Opposite Reeves’ stand, red and white checkered tablecloths lent a homespun air to handmade pottery from Carol and Robin Wolfgang of Flying Wolf Studio in Annapolis. The women’s earth-toned urns, vases, mixing bowls, crocks, cups, and plates were as pretty as they were practical…..and their dog bowls held special appeal for customers with four-legged companions.

All hands were on deck at the Baltimore County-based, family-owned Zahradka Farm stand where green and white checkered tablecloths made a fitting backdrop for an extensive selection of fresh greens and vegetables. The stand is always a favorite stop for farmer’s market regulars because the Zahradkas grow seasonal favorites like strawberries and asparagus each spring. The stand drew a constant stream of customers.

Equally popular with shoppers, the Pat Hochmuth Farm stand was stocked with fresh-from-the-Eastern Shore onions, radishes, green beans and potatoes. A two-decade veteran of the farmer’s market, Hochmuth grows the crops his customers like best. He’ll carry early season favorites like sweet peas when the market opens in April followed by a bounty of sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini through the summer. He’ll have late season produce, pumpkins, squash and gourds right up till the market closes in October,

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Shoppers hoping for a mid-morning snack from popular Vera’s Bakery were nearly out of luck. As can be seen from the photos below, the trays of scones, cinnamon swirls, apple turnovers, and empanadas were nearly empty. Originally named Grandma Vera’s, the Rockville business actually got its start in Severna Park as a restaurant in 1994 selling well-loved entrees, European breads and pastries. When Vera decided to retire, the Port family found a way to carry the business on through various farmers markets.

Fueled by a tasty pastry or a snack of Kettle Corn, shoppers moved on to check out each booth. It was impossible to miss – or to pass up – Joyce Martinek’s gorgeous Joyce’s Flowers booth. Whether looking for a lovely bouquet or incredibly healthy transplants of coleus, zinnias, portulaca or herbs, the talented grower had something to please. Martinek has been providing cut flowers, potted plants and herbs to the Severna Park Farmer’s Market since its beginnings 25 years ago. She also contributed several recipes to the market’s 20th Anniversary cookbook. She’s always generous with advice on how best to grow a plant or preserve a bouquet.

Martinek remarked that the 2021 growing season has been cool, slowing every kind of plant down.

“Luckily, we started all of these plants in the greenhouse so we have plenty to offer,” she said.

For customers who love old fashioned homemade jams, spreads, sauces and condiments, you can’t beat those made by Anita Robertson for My Nana’s Kitchen. Robertson, who also manages the farmers market, was sharing her booth with Jon Haas of Eve’s Cheeses. Come summer, Haas will also sell peaches with apples to follow in the fall.

Anita Robertson’s yummy looking Nana’s Kitchen creations conjured up childhood memories of recipes now faded into the past – Chow Chow [relish] for instance and Pickled Beets, or Rhubarb, Wild Blueberry or Whole Cherry Fruit Spreads.

“Creating this diversity of products from timeworn recipes does take a lot of hard work,” she said. “I don’t grow every fruit or vegetable myself but I partner with other farmers. For instance, my strawberries for Strawberry Rhubarb Fruit Spread come from Pat Hochmuth while the rhubarb comes from Joyce Martinek.

The farmers market truly had something for everyone Saturday including clothing and jewelry. The booth shared by Three Blue Bunnies youthful designer and entrepreneur Ellie Heath and her mother Amy, whose Hip, Mod, Vintage jewelry is made from recycled materials, consistently drew customers.

Though a permanent fixture at the market throughout the spring, the pair will be taking a break over the next month or so for family vacation time on Cape Cod but return to the market in August. In the fall, Ellie will be heading off to college at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island where she’ll major in art.

“I’ll be taking my sewing machine along but I’m not sure how much time I’ll be able to devote to designing clothes,” she remarked.

Amy will continue selling her own recycled jewelry and artwork at the market along with Ellie’s trendy one-of-a-kind jeans jackets.

Nearby, Bee To Thee Apiary owner Ken Lehman not only brought his Black Locust honey to the market but brought his bees along in their glass enclosed frame – an irresistible sight for children.

The Ferndale beekeeper became a regular at the market in 2019 along with Morris Hill Farms owner David Haberkorn. The eggs and pasture-raised poultry, pork, lamb and other products from Haberkorn’s family farm in Tracy’s Landing have since become staples for farmers market regulars.

Other regulars like Mike Smith of Mike’s Knives have been coming to the market for years. Smith is always busy thanks, no doubt, to the fact that he will sharpen any blade or garden tool for $4. Customers will drop off their knives or tool and are then free to shop and come back to pick them up at a predetermined time.

Whistle Stop Winery was on hand again for a taste of the grape from Dunkirk, Maryland while Mardella Springs-based Patty’s Garden offered flowering plants.

The story of the Severna Park Farmers Market is ever-evolving as vendors shift and flow with the seasons. Newbies like Evie & Park Candles and Gifts or St. Michael’s based Lyon Rum may enjoy participating in the 2021 farmers market for a few weeks or the entire season….or may come back as regular vendors.

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For more information about Severna Park Farmers Market or weekly updates, visit Severna Park Farmer’s Market | Facebook .

Walk the Walk Foundation aims to provide 1,000 backpacks for AACO students

Walk the Walk Foundation is excited to be working with Anne Arundel County’s Department of Human Resources & their Back to School program again this year. The program runs from now through August when all backpacks will be delivered to local Anne Arundel County elementary schools. 

Walk the Walk is looking for volunteers, sponsors and hosts to help them accomplish their goal to ensure every child has a backpack when they return to school in the fall

People may sponsor a backpack for $30, spread the word to friends or family, or consider hosting a backpack packing event in their community. To participate, visit www.wtwf.org or email walk@wtwf.org.

Nearly three decades since its opening, the chateau-like exterior of Cafe Bretton at 849 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard has become something of a Severna Park landmark. Its conical tower, hipped and gabled roofs, pediment topped windows, rustic touches and garden setting are reflective of the French countryside and of the fine French cuisine on the restaurant’s menu.

For multiple generations of local diners, stepping through the entrance to be greeted by Cafe Bretton’s welcoming general manager and head chef Victor Ledezma has been a lovely experience . The chef has been with Cafe Breton for more than 20 years. If the restaurant’s walls could talk, they’d have much to share. But so has Ledezma.

Cafe Bretton closed its doors for dining this Wednesday so renovations could begin. Its future is yet to be determined though the property may be sold. Regardless, Ledezma took the time to share much of its interesting history with us.

Though not in the U.S. during the 1970’s and early ’80’s, he learned that the building on the property at the time was called Brown’s Tavern, Talk of the Town.

Severna Park resident and well-known publisher Pat Troy recalls that the Talk of the Town had become quite run down by the late 1980’s when the tavern changed ownership. It was remodeled and transformed into a restaurant called Conrad’s which had a French chef. Troy remembered celebrating a birthday there in 1989. She said the exterior of building was painted blue at the time but retained its house-like characteristics.

According to Ledezma, when he arrived in the United States from Bolivia in 1984, he was sponsored by Severna Park resident Edward Dyas who owned and operated area restaurants including Bolongo Bay and Piccolo Roma. He worked for the Dyas family for six or seven years starting as a busboy and working his way up to waiting on tables.

“They were very good to me,” he said.

Ledezma subsequently moved to Baltimore and worked at a restaurant in Little Italy for six or seven years gaining valuable culinary experience.

After the death of Conrad’s owner in the early 1990’s, Dyas became the restaurant’s proprietor. In 1998 he invited Ledezma to come back to Severna Park to run it for him as Cafe Bretton – a fine dining establishment with a French menu, fine wines, white tablecloths, flowers and candles, art on the walls and a dedication to serving customers the best way possible. The young chef studied everything he could about French cuisine and he and Dyas picked out dishes for the menu together.

Meantime, Cafe Bretton’s new owner had been remodeling the restaurant, transforming its exterior to resemble a French chateau and creating a spacious indoor addition featuring beamed ceilings and an ornate fireplace. There were many unique touches inside and out.

At the same time, a courtyard dining area was added along with a terraced garden with additional tables above it – areas that served the establishment well on spring or autumn afternoons and came in handy when COVID protocols mandated outdoor dining only.

Typical of chateau-styled buildings, there are unique architectural elements along with fountains, statuary and a garden initially designed to provide the restaurant with fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Over the years Ledezma was assisted by a succession of other chefs. For their benefit and his own, Cafe Bretton hired a talented gardener named Bobby Riay to plant fruit trees and create a series of picturesque garden beds.

“Our gardener planted cherry trees, an apple tree, a pear tree, a peach tree, a fig tree and a persimmon tree which were wonderful. In the garden beds, he raised salad greens and green beans and squash and other vegetables and many herbs and flowers,” he reminisced. “It was great for us to have access to that fresh produce.

Sadly Riay passed away a few years ago. Without his supervision, the help hired wasn’t skillful and the garden deteriorated. Most of fruit trees, some of the flowers and a number of herbs are still productive but, of late, the restaurant sourced organic produce to guarantee the freshest possible ingredients.

Cafe Bretton has had a loyal following over the years. Pat Troy dined there many times and enjoyed taking visiting guests there. She fondly recalled one cozy evening there watching snow come down from their table by the window.

Severna Park native Lauren Garber remembers dining at the restaurant with her family from a young age.

“Cafe Bretton has long been our family restaurant. My grandmother Violet Weems and my uncle Stewart Weems discovered the place and fell in love with it. Before long, it became a frequent gathering place for my mother Valerie Garber’s side of the family,” she said.

Garber’s plain-spoken uncle liked fact that you could count on the food, wines and service to be first class every time you dined at Cafe Bretton. Dishes like Beef Bourguinonne and Duck Breast A La Bretton or desserts like Creme Brulee or Raspberry Crepes never failed to please.

In Garber’s grandmother’s case, Victor made all the difference.

“He always made her feel like a million bucks…especially as she grew older and had to use a wheelchair,” she said. “As soon as we’d come in through the little bar entrance, Victor would greet her warmly, grab her hand and give it a kiss and make her feel so special. Our whole family appreciated that.”

Garber likes that Cafe Bretton has been a place where you’ll see 20 and 30 somethings having a dressed-up date night along with generations of family having dinner together and enjoying each other’s company. She also liked that the restaurant exhibited art from local artists that you could buy and held special events like wine dinners.

Teresa Hales Tudor, who has been going to Cafe Bretton since 2000, has equally fond memories of the restaurant.

“Our family has celebrated many special occasions and birthdays at Cafe Bretton and we absolutely love it. Victor and his team make everyone feel like family. We’ve had baby showers and bridal showers there and its been phenomenal. We have many friends who’ve held their family events there as well,” she said.

She added that it’s a place you can take out-of-town guests to and know that the food and service will always be top notch.

“They’re so cordial and can’t do enough for you,” Tudor said. “The food is, I think, the best anywhere and certainly in Severna Park. We love everything they serve and would hate to see them go. ”

Indeed, many people, throughout the county, would hate to see Cafe Bretton go. As with other restaurants, COVID-19 took a financial toll. While it’s rumored the restaurant may change hands, we’ve had no confirmation it’s definitely for sale.

As for Victor Ledezma, he’s often thought of opening his own small restaurant with a formal yet intimate atmosphere and fine dining, Only time will tell what his future holds.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Just a few weeks on the job, SPAN, Inc.’s new staff members – Director of Development Michele Sabean and Director of Operations Maia Grabau – were delighted to conduct an eye-opening tour of the organization’s food pantries. At one point, they paused to show off a birthday box and some cards created, illustrated and donated by Arundel High School student Alisha Kim. Alisha’s wonderful gift was just one of the pleasant surprises awaiting the directors.

“On May 26, Alisha arrived unannounced at our outdoor pick-up/drop-off area with five beautifully wrapped boxes filled with items to celebrate a birthday,” Sabean said. “She also donated a dozen cards decorated with her wonderful artwork to be given to families receiving food donations. Each has a thoughtful note inside.

There seems to have been one surprise after another since mid-May when Grabau and Sabean took up their new positions. Once they were hired by SPAN’s board of directors, things moved quickly. Both women soon realized they have big shoes to fill.

According to Grabau, SPAN’s former operations director Jennifer Pumphrey left two weeks before she arrived. However, former development director Ellen Kinsella stayed behind for a week to give her some training.

“A few days later, Michele came in and Ellen’s focus switched to her for a day or two. So both of us are kind of learning as we go,” she said.

Pumphrey was with SPAN, Inc. for over a decade, first as associate director and then as operations director, and made significant contributions to its success. Her most important achievement was developing SPAN’s well-known Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas which match sponsors with deserving families for whom they purchase food and/or gifts. In 2012, along with then director Maria DeNardo, Pumphrey oversaw the expansion of the organization’s office and food storage spaces to keep pace with rapidly growing need. She resigned her position in early May for a long-awaited move to North Carolina with her husband.

Grabau now inherits her predecessor’s primary duties of overseeing day-to-day budgets and operations and working with the volunteers. With 20 years of experience as a pastor’s wife serving in church leadership in a variety of settings, she seems well suited to the job.

From the projects to the streets of Baltimore, Grabau has ministered to people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and has deep compassion for families in need. She also has been a content writer for N2 Publishing’s area magazines. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from California State University and a master’s degree in public policy from Regent University.

Sabean enjoyed her few days with the former director of development who was very helpful. As the “face of SPAN” since June of 2017, Ellen Kinsella enjoyed interacting with the public and acquainting them with the organization’s mission. Amiable and outgoing, she excelled at raising donations. She resigned from SPAN for what she considers a “labor of love” – caring for her daughter’s newborn so the new mother can go back to work.

Like Kinsella, Sabean is outgoing. Her main focus will be continuing to get SPAN’s name out in the community and managing its social media traffic. With a bachelors degree in mathematics from Smith College and an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, she served as director of operations for a Charter School Operator in Baltimore City and was a Program Manager developing math and reading tutoring programs. She has experience training and teaching in a variety of settings. She’s also a member of Our Lady of the Fields Church in Millersville (one of the coalition of 14 churches that founded SPAN in 1990) and has taught Faith Formation classes there.

Sabean said it’s been wonderful to see how well supported SPAN is with food drives by various schools, groups or organizations as well as generous individual donations.

Both women were impressed how innovative their predecessors were in providing financial and food assistance throughout the COVID pandemic. Along with the SPAN board of directors, Pumphrey and Kinsella and the volunteers re-engineered the back porch to be a drive-through pick-up station. Food pantry volunteers prepare dozens of food boxes each day and stack them against one wall.

“We’re then able to pass the food boxes through the openings for clients to pick up without any personal contact, “Sabean said. “The pass-through is also the place where people can drop off donations.”

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SPAN’s board decided simultaneously to erect a gazebo so volunteers who interview clients regarding financial aid could meet them in an outdoor setting.

Grabau pointed out that SPAN receives all its food and financial support through contributions. She’s been astonished by the amount of donations rolling in and impressed by the way pantry volunteers organize immense amounts of food stored on three levels of the building according to type….. with each item clearly marked with its expiration date so a proper rotation can be maintained. There ‘s incredible diversity in the food and household essentials contributed including a recently added section of gluten free foods.

Increased amounts of refrigeration that take up part of the main floor enable SPAN to include fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk donated by area produce markets, shops, supermarkets and individuals.

Currently, there’s a shelf full of chicken tenders from Giant Supermarket and there are fresh vegetables through SPAN’s partnership with Diehl’s Produce. Last year, Diehl’s started a program to round off customers’ change and pool the resulting sums to supply gift certificates for SPAN clients to buy produce.

Social media has been helpful when there is a shortage of a certain food or item like laundry detergent. SPAN almost immediately gets a response and a donation of the item from individuals or groups like Chesapeake Harmony Chorus.

SPAN currently serves families from across 14 zip codes including Arnold, Broadneck, Annapolis, Millersville, Severna Park, Ft. Meade, Linthicum, Severn, Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Crownsville, Gambrills, Odenton and Crofton.

Informed that summer is a slower, less busy time, Grabau finds that people often stop by unexpectedly. For now, she’s using the time to make sure she knows what her responsibilities entail. Gauging from the amount of calls coming in, she’s sure the pace will soon be picking up.

“With moratoriums on utilities and housing about to end, we’re already fielding calls from people worried about evictions or utility turn-offs,” Grabau said. “We are legally able to supply a one-time assistance for an eviction notice but can’t do anything about an eviction until a court order has been posted. We’re expecting that, when that happens, people will owe significant amounts of money.”

Moving into late summer and fall, Grabau is eager to get the word out that she’s looking for people to volunteer as pantry workers or interviewers. SPAN has a dedicated core of volunteers who have worked for a decade or more but she’s hoping to attract some younger volunteers too so there’s a wider pool to pull from.

“I’m thinking of contacting some young moms’ groups,” she said. “It’s a three-hour-a- morning responsibility that people can do once a week or once a month, as frequently or as infrequently as they like. Volunteering would really help us fill some gaps.”

Both pantry volunteers and interviewer volunteers require a little training – especially interviewers who need to show confidence and compassion but sometimes need to turn someone away.

Both Grabau and Sabean look forward to events starting back up. This year’s Turkey Trot fundraiser had to be cancelled because there’s no definitive timetable for lifting COVID restrictions but they are hoping to hold some sort of event in its place.

In September and October, they’ll be recruiting sponsors for the Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year 250 families have been referred to SPAN by local schools for the Holiday Caring Programs. People in the community have always been very generous sponsors contributing food baskets and gifts and, hopefully, will continue to do so. Often families who were on the receiving end of holiday food baskets or gifts will become sponsors themselves as a way of paying back.

For information about SPAN’s activities or medical, financial or food assistance programs visit them on Facebook at SPAN, Inc. | Facebook or on their website at SPAN Serving People Across Neighborhoods (spanhelps.org).

DANCING IN THE STREETS at Severna Park Community Center June 19

On Saturday, June 19, bring your friends and family to Severna Park Community Center for a Dance-A-Thon from 9 am to 3 pm. The free outdoor/tented event will feature a DJ, dancing, dance lessons, raffles, food trucks and more. The Dance-A-Thon will be followed by a more glamorous Night In The Park from 5 pm to 9 pm. The ticketed outdoor/tented event will feature music from the Shatners, local food trucks, breweries, raffles, auctions, dancing and more. Tickets for a Night In The Park are limited and will be $20 per person. For information or tickets visit SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org)

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Parking lots without a single car in a once-favorite shopping center or empty storefronts along a strip of Severna Park shops are slightly unsettling. They mean businesses you may have liked are gone forever and the property owners are looking for new tenants.

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Change is inevitable and turnover has always been a feature of Severna Park’s retail scene but never has it seemed to move so slowly. The closure of businesses like the Food Lion supermarket (seen above) at 466 Ritchie Highway, A.C. Moore at Severna Park Marketplace and the service station at the corner of Ritchie Highway and Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, to name a few, predate the COVID-19 pandemic and have been empty for more than a year.

During the same period, smaller retailers like the chocolate shop Coco Couture closed, leaving life in Severna Park a little less sweet. Following the holidays in December, 2019 candy maker Jessica Zaleskiwicz, (who ran the shop day-to-day with mother Laura Zeitz) decided to go in another direction. By then, she explained, more of their sales were coming from events than from the shop. Zaleskiwicz still makes a bit of chocolate now and then but she’s currently working elsewhere while finishing her bachelor’s degree.

The candy shop is in the former Howard Bank Square at 350 Ritchie Highway and has yet to find a tenant.

A stone’s throw away Howard Bank, for which the center was named, closed its doors too. The bank building looks unoccupied but the presence of cars out front may tell a different story.

Among several businesses swept away by the COVID pandemic was Paradigm Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails at Magothy Gateway Village. Across Ritchie Highway from that property, storefronts previously occupied by Yoga Works, BoHo Nation and We Rock the Spectrum kids gym sit empty.

“For Lease” signs are scattered throughout Severna Park – a situation Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber CEO Liz League has speculated about. She wonders if there is too much duplication of certain kinds of businesses and worries about commercial office space going unused.

“At a multi-chamber luncheon with Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, we learned that so many government employees are working remotely from home that there may not be a need to rent as much commercial office space,” League said.

Matt Wyble, who heads The Matt Wyble Team of Century 21, has long been a part of the Severna Park business scene. He speculates that several factors are eroding the ability of brick and mortar retail shops to compete.

“I don’t specialize in commercial real estate,” Wyble said. “However, my guess would be that the overall shift to eCommerce for retail shopping, in combination with the COVID quarantine restrictions hit neighborhood businesses hard.”

But the retail and commercial property picture in Severna Park may be brighter than it appears according to John A. Rosso of Annapolis-based Rosso Commercial Real Estate Services, LLC. As Rosso handles many of the properties mentioned above, he has a unique perspective.

He’s quick to point out that commercial real estate transactions in Anne Arundel County take much longer than residential transactions. The average commercial real estate transaction – say for someone wanting to lease the former Food Lion – could take as long as four to six months due to imperatives such as obtaining permits and completing construction.

New leases for empty commercial properties may be in the works, Rosso says, but there’s a lag before it becomes evident that they’ve been leased again “so the public may perceive that a property is unoccupied for longer than it actually is.”

He believes part of the former Food Lion property may be under lease to another supermarket but we could not confirm that.

Rosso said he’s been working on the service station property at the corner of Ritchie Highway and B&A Boulevard for six months and has a new business lined up but the transaction is still in the works.

Like League, Rosso thinks duplication in the market is a factor in the closure of some businesses. That may have been the case for another property he’s handling that’s next to the service station and previously housed the Choice One Urgent Care clinic.

At Magothy Gateway Village, Rosso is working on leasing the former Paradigm Sketch Kitchen that had earlier been Pascal’s Chophouse. He said Paradigm Sketch’s timing in re- branding from a pricey chophouse to a made-from-scratch restaurant with a nationally known chef was unfortunate as the pandemic hit within weeks of its opening. He feels the location shows promise and there’s a lot of activity from people interested in the space..

Rosso does not handle the former Howard Bank but believes, even though the space appears vacant, there are paying tenants.

“My understanding is that Howard Bank is currently involved in a merger/acquisition process but still pays rent on the building and has made the property available for sublease,” he said. “With two years left on the bank’s lease, subleasing is complicated because it’s a three-party transaction between landlord, tenant and sub-tenant…. and most companies prefer a longer lease.”

Several of the shops neighboring Howard Bank are primarily food related. According to Rosso, Anne Arundel County requires anyone serving or preparing food on premise to have a 1,000 gallon grease interceptor (that can cost up to $20,000), three-compartment sinks, and mechanical and HVAC capaciity. Even though the infrastructure is there for Coco Couture and the other businesses, it’s outdated by county standards making opening another food business costly.

The former Sun Trust Bank at Park Plaza was demolished recently due to a merger with BB&T Bank. Construction is now underway on a Popeye’s that will join an already crowded field of fast food restaurants in Park Plaza and other shopping centers.

“My understanding is that Popeye’s signed a lease up to 18 months ago before the pandemic to secure the location and has been paying rent,” Rosso said. “They’ve finally begun the construction phase.”

According to Rosso, there’s a lot of activity in the commercial real estate market currently but it’s very difficult for companies to find commercial properties to buy. Leasing is the primary option in Severna Park where there are now a lot of national chains like Noodles & Company, Mod Pizza, Chipotle, and Chic-fil-A. “We’re as busy as we’ve ever been,” he added.

There’s more good news involving the final contract Rosso’s handling – the location that housed Partners In Care’s Upscale Retail Boutique at 6 South Ritchie Highway before they moved to Festival at Pasadena.

“I’m representing a buyer for that property and we have it under contract,” he said. “The buyer is a local business wanting to expand their exposure. They should be settling in the next 30 days.”

Rosso’s comments indicate that some of the now empty storefronts may soon bustle with business. But with mixed signs in the local and national economy, it’s unclear whether all of the spaces will find new retailers.

Melody Wukitch, reading specialist and now bookstore owner, couldn’t be happier. On May 1, she opened Park Books & Literacy Lab at 555 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard in Olde Severna Pak to the delight of the community. Nestled in a space next to Garry’s Grill and Savvy Consignment, the new shop has hundreds of books that appeal to a variety of age groups and interests. However the shop has much more to offer.

“Park Books is a traditional independent book store,” its proprietor said. “However, I’m a reading specialist by trade, working with students both within the educational system and privately, so I’ve integrated my literacy lab work into the bookstore.”

Moving into the main part of the shop, there’s a little bit of everything. There are young- adult fiction and adult fiction sections. There’s a special “Indie Next” section dedicated to fiction and non-fiction works favored by independent bookstores – books deemed likely to reach “bestseller” status.

There are Sci-Fi books and an excellent mystery/thriller section with books by best-selling authors like David Baldacci, John Sanford and Jack Carr. A sizable non-fiction section features books on health, humor, leadership, philosophy, and religion as well as autobiographies.

The bookstore also carries puzzles, games, jewelry and gifts made by local artisans. Particularly popular at the moment are handcrafted candles representing different Severna Park neighborhoods like Chartwell, Round Bay, Linstead or Cape Arthur. The candles are decorated with scenes from each community.

Interestingly, the Literacy Lab’s beginnings predate the bookshop by several months having started with informal sessions in November of 2020. By early in 2021, plans were underway to combine the two complimentary elements – reading lab and bookstore – into one cohesive small business.

“I launched the business in response to a critical need for a literacy/reading resource because so many families were reaching out to me,” Wukitch said. “I also felt it would be wonderful to have a bookstore – what better place for a child to learn reading. However, opening the shop was a scary proposition since many restaurants and retailers were failing due to the pandemic.”

Reasoning that Garry’s Grill was right next door and Kirsten’s Cakery and The Big Bean coffee shop a stone’s throw away, she dropped her original plan to include a coffee shop. Instead, she created an outside area with tables and chairs where customers could share a carry-out beverage or snack.

In one respect, Park Book & Literacy Lab opened at just the right time. With public schools closed for more than a year, quite a few children have fallen behind in developing their reading and comprehension skills.

Some children need help immediately. So the Literacy Lab has put some ‘Reading Recovery’ summer programming in place. For each grade level, there are four or six week sessions where parents can bring their child to meet with a certified reading specialist two or three times a week. The reading specialists assess each child, take a look at how they are reading to see where the gaps might be, and then work with them in a small group setting.

For such a recently opened establishment, Park Books is catching on quickly. Late afternoon Friday saw United States Naval Academy midshipmen Mitchell Vinzon, Maya Weiss and Dina Giles arrive for a visit with their favorite bookstore owner and to wander the stacks. Weiss and Giles, former first-year English students of Wukitch who loved her classes, think the shop is great.

Park Books and Literacy Lab is quite a boon for Olde Severna Park. No one can seem to remember if Severna Park has ever had a bookstore. You can check them out on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or by visiting their website at Home – Park Books & Literacy Lab (parkbooksliteracylab.com) .

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

Looking into a sea of faces as he began his remarks during the dedication of St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal School’s new Student Learning Center on December 5, 2019, Jamey Hein felt the excitement of the students, parents, teachers, and members of the clergy gathered round him. The dedication represented the culmination of years of planning, fundraising and execution for all who made the building’s construction possible. For Hein the occasion represented one of the crowning achievements of his seven-year career as St. Martin’s Head of School.

Shortly after being hired in April 2014, the amiable young educator and Connecticut native had an opportunity to explore the campus and meet with his predecessor, Rev. Frank Sawyer. While there, he looked into living arrangements and attended one of the school’s Festive Field Party fundraisers where he was warmly welcomed.

In July, Hein and his family arrived from Ann Arbor, Michigan where he’d spent seven years as a division head at Greenhills School.

“When I arrived, the school looked and felt very different, in every way, from they way it looks and feels today, Hein said. “It had a sense of soul but had not been innovated or modernized in any way so it felt a bit old fashioned.”

“For a very long time, it had been run by St. Martin’s Church as a parish preschool but it evolved into an elementary school in the late 1990’s and continued it’s evolution by adding a middle school in 2008. As one board member put it, the school had good bones but was a fixer-upper.”

Hein’s main mission as Head of School was to encourage child-centered learning. He observed that this involved teachers moving from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side” as a way of allowing children’s voices and ideas to surface.

Almost immediately he instituted “Java With Jamey” gatherings to communicate his ideas to parents and get their feedback.

He mentioned his devotion to developing skill sets important for children’s futures – skills he considers keys to critical thinking like reading, writing and oral communication.

He also highlighted the significance of St. Martin’s acceptance into the Association of Independent Schools following a multiyear process to gain accreditation.

Parents, in turn, voiced desires that classes remain small and requested the school continue teaching cursive.

Meeting with parents, grandparents and supporters is an important part of how Hein brings them along with his ideas and innovations. He’s always been enthusiastic about meeting, greeting and speaking at events like the school’s annual Festive Field Party fundraisers.

From the outset of his seven-year journey, Hein realized his major concern was construction of a long dreamed of new learning center. But he considered that goal part of a larger equation.

“What I feel we’ve accomplished here is putting the school on an entirely new trajectory,” he said. “We’ve deepened its Episcopal identity, updated, modernized and advanced every facility, and by the end of summer, the renovation of the preschool will complete the renewal.”

An early indicator of new directions was a complete renovation of the playground and the creation of an iLab. The iLab project was launched with help from Norm Snyder, the grandfather of several St. Martin’s students and a major donor. Snyder had been the founder of Conquest, a computer technology company he later sold to Boeing.

Students helped raise $1,300 to build the lab by duct-taping their good-natured headmaster to a wall for $1 per piece of tape. They loved the lab. Who knew you could create a piano by wiring together half a dozen bananas or build a fully prosthetic hand using a 3-D printer?

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As chairman of the board of trustees, Snyder was at Hein’s side when St. Martin’s launched its major capital campaign for the learning center during the 2017 Field Party.

They also unveiled construction plans for the center – a 6,500 square foot facility that would house K-8 science and art classes and middle school core classes.

“There had been three different efforts at designing a building for the middle school but, when I arrived here, we scaled it back. We realized that we’d not done this before and needed to be realistic with our goals, aspirations and funding,” Hein said.

By Thanksgiving of 2018, construction was well along under the supervision of project manager Lynda Snyder. As usual, the school’s annual Children’s Thanksgiving Feast took place with food and decorations prepared by students from each grade. Always a good sport, Hein presided over the feast wearing a turkey on his head. Students from kindergarten and fourth grade offered prayers of thanksgiving and then were led by eighth-grade “buddies” to a buffet served by parent volunteers.

The end of 2019 saw the completion of the middle school construction and an impressive dedication ceremony. It began with a religious service in St. Martin’s Church followed by a procession to the learning center, a ribbon cutting by the entrance, and a blessing by The Right Reverend Eugene Taylor Sutton, 14th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.

Students couldn’t wait to show off their new classrooms to the parents and church members in attendance. Having just moved from their old mobile classrooms, they were eager to settle in and appreciate their new surroundings.

Visitors filing through the building that afternoon couldn’t help being impressed by science labs, art rooms and new classrooms.

Not only was the Student Learning Center open and accommodating but the school, in general, had been upgraded. The once-meager administrative staff was augmented by hiring true professionals for positions in admissions, finance, and marketing and development to provide a solid structure moving forward. There was a marked improvement in teacher salaries and an effort to broaden the curriculum to include more diversity.

St. Martin’s was becoming known across a wider geographical area, in part due to membership in the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal School Association of which Hein is president.

On dedication day, however, he had no idea that the biggest challenge of his tenure as Head of School still lay ahead. Following school closures and a switch to remote learning from late March through June of 2020, St. Martin’s board of trustees’ met through the summer. They made a decision to fully reopen the campus in September of 2020 for in-person learning (while public schools remained closed). It fell to Hein to implement the decision.

Bringing the students back to school went smoothly and was extremely successful. With COVID guidelines in place, children wearing masks, and the teachers wholeheartedly onboard, there were no problems with the exception of a few positive tests. Classes were quickly back to normal five days a week.

” It was completely worth it,” Hein said. “One unexpected silver lining of the COVID pandemic was enrollment. A year ago, we were projecting an enrollment of 160 students. Instead, because of our ability to stay open, we now have an enrollment of 230 and we’ll start next fall with an enrollments of 280 students. We hope we can keep all those students in our school family and we’re now second-guessing if we should have made the learning center bigger after all.”

He added that COVID innovations , the opening of the learning center, and the ongoing renovations and educational upgrades combined to transform the school. He observed that Internet technology has become an integrated part of learning – a part he believes the school has used wisely.

Hein’s time as Head of School for St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal School will come to a close at the end of June. He’ll be moving on to become Interim Head of School of The Calverton School in Huntingtown, Calvert County – a Pre-K through 12th grade International Baccalaureate School with a student body of 300. Founded in the 1950’s, Calverton School’s 150 acre campus is a busy one and includes a boarding facility for some of it’s international students.

Charles Sachs, Hein’s successor as Interim Head of School will not arrive until July. Meantime, Hein will continue as before and find time to do many more of his much-loved readings with the smaller children.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Annuals were flying off the shelves at local garden centers this week and vegetable transplants even more so. While longtime gardeners spent time searching for the year’s newest and most promising species, first timers needed plants, soils, containers and tools and were full of questions. Anne Arundel County Farm, Lawn and Garden Center, owner Cory Stephens and his energetic staff welcomed them all and stood ready to help and advise. They even helped one regular customer locate a rare breed of Japanese eggplant he wanted to try.

According to Stephens, business is booming due to the surge in gardening that’s taken place during the COVID pandemic lock downs.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that, over the last two years, because of COVID, folks needed something to do. In addition to home improvement projects, they discovered how easy gardening is,” Stephens said.

“Many people are novices and we’re good at working with inexperienced gardeners,” he added. “We have wonderful handouts that explain everything from planning your plot to what to plant, how deep to plant it, proper spacing and so forth. We have a tremendous selection of seeds and transplants that are easy for them to try.”

Having moved from its original location in Glen Burnie in 2017, AA Co. Farm, Lawn and Garden Center has 94 years of experience advising and supplying farmers and gardeners from across a wide area. Stephens and staff emphasize that soil and soil amendments are a priority for novices because Anne Arundel County’s acidic mix of sands and clay is challenging .

From signs for Bulk LeafGro compost along the fences to bags of potting mixes, top soils, raised bed mixes and mulches by the sheds, it’s clear that soil improvement is a goal that can be met.

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Stephens notes that the garden center does soil testing which takes just two minutes and is critical to getting a proper PH balance and essential nutrients for good growth.

The garden center’s “Welcome to Potsville” section has everything beginners need to get started from pots and watering cans to long handled tools, trowels, trellises and tomato cages.

Wending one’s way past “Berry Land” with its strawberry plants, raspberry vines and blueberry bushes, one found row upon row of vegetable transplants, perennials and annuals along with a greenhouse for newly started plants and hanging baskets.

Store manager Heidi Tyler and department manager Steph Stowell both commented that Homestead’s buyers are working double time to keep up with heavy demand for plants and gardening supplies. The COVID pandemic has inspired a new class of novice gardeners eager to try their hand.

“There are many new people coming in who want to start vegetable gardens,” Stowell said. A lot of them want to start from seed. Others, who haven’t gardened in the past, want to buy easy annuals like petunias or impatiens. Some, who gardened in the past but didn’t have time, are picking it back up again.”

Tyler said it’s been exciting to see such a high volume of new gardeners and it’s obviously good for business.

“Following last year’s huge surge in people buying ‘edibles’, they remain exceedingly popular. But this year gardeners are adding more decorative annuals and perennials to the edibles,” she said. “The pollinator plants and flowers are popular too.”

Tyler and Stowell mentioned that Homestead has been educating customers on the benefits of Maryland natives. In fact, the Severna Park store has just added a “Native Habitat” of plants in one corner at the far end of the patio.

“The plants and flowers within the habitat are natives that are true to our specific ecosystem,” Tyler said. “There are pollinator plants like coreopsis, yarrow, lavender and cone flowers along with ground covers and small trees and shrubs that do well here and attract bees and butterflies. There are even plants that appeal to hummingbirds. All that’s needed is for our signage to be finished.”

A few of the great looking bird feeders displayed inside the store will eventually be moved outdoors to the habitat.

A great hit with new gardeners this year were hardy cold weather vegetable transplants like organic “Dinosaur Kale”, Red Kale and fast-growing leaf lettuces.

Customers also shopped for seeds from racks located inside the store. Varieties of direct sow radishes sold well – particularly those slated to mature in 23 days.

Along with tomatoes, the most popular plant with male gardeners was peppers, particularly the hotter varieties like Hungarian Hot Wax or Premium Habaneros.

Both peppers and tomatoes are easy to grow but, for those having problems, the Homestead staff stands ready to help.

Gardeners interested in decorative plants to enhance the beauty of their lawns or porches will find a wide selection to choose from. Begonias, in a lovely shade of peach, have captured many shoppers fancy.

Both inside and outside the store are hundreds of ornamental ceramic or clay pots in which to plant them.

Severna Park resident Lee Lewis, who is familiar with both AA Co. Farm, Lawn and Garden and Homestead as well as Gary’s Garden Center on Ritchie Highway at Cypress Creek Road, is aware how popular gardening has become and understands why. She, too, has plenty of time to garden. For now, she’s mostly raising perennials and was so proud of the pretty Irises blooming in her yard that she snapped a photo for a social media post. She’s always had fun checking out the garden centers for new ideas.