AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
When it’s raining, snowing or just plain cold, there is nothing like a bowl of soup to warm one up. Thanks to Good Neighbors Group’s seventh annual S(o)uper Bowl of Caring food drive, many families in need will be able to put soup – and much more – on their tables.
According to Good Neighbors Group founder and executive director Julie Shay, the 2024 S(o)uper Bowl food drive is well underway with 42 neighborhoods across Anne Arundel County participating and possibly more.
“We’re also adding an additional food pantry this year – bringing the total to six recipients of the foods donated,” Shay said. “The one we’re adding is St. Luke’s Episcopal Church food pantry in Eastport.”
Equally pleased to add a new food pantry, S(o)uper Bowl 24 Coordinator, Kathie Hamlett, reeled off the names of the other five pantries which include SPAN, ACAN, Celestial Manna, My Brother’s Pantry, and the Anne Arundel County Food Bank.
Well before Shay started GNG’s S(o)uper Bowl food drives, we’d attended one smaller SOUPER BOWL drive by a youth group at a local church and we’d heard of others. So we were curious where the idea for a winter food drive originated.
Research reveals that the Souper Bowl of Caring phenomenon began in 1990 with a simple prayer by seminary intern Brad Smith while leading a small youth group at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC.
“Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat,” Smith prayed.
His prayer inspired the desire to channel the energy and enthusiasm of Super Bowl weekend – a time when people come together for football, food and fun – to raise money for those not so fortunate. Thus, was born the national Souper Bowl of Caring movement.
The concept behind the earliest drive, launched by 22 South Carolina churches, was that individuals and groups could collect dollars in soup pots and canned food for those in need and send every dollar and food donation directly to a local charity of their choice.
Shay loved that idea and launched Good Neighbors Group’s first S(o)uper Bowl food drive in 2018. Though smaller in number of neighborhoods involved, the first drive was quite successful. The annual initiative grew by leaps and bounds. By 2023, GNG had 56 neighborhoods participating with 11 new ones rivaling their best year since starting the drive.
“The amount of food collected was enormous and exceeded previous totals. We collected 18,000 items and helped fill the food pantry shelves of all our recipient charities,” said Shay.
Both Shay and Hamlett are pleased that the food drive seems to bring neighbors and their neighborhoods closer together as the years have gone by. They love that so many children are involved because the kids get so much enjoyment from helping.
According to Hamlett, each neighborhood has a captain who is responsible for collecting all the donated items at their home or, if the neighborhood is a larger one, at other designated drop off places. They also keep a tally of items donated and award points for each item. Once collected, the captains and/or helpers must transport the donations to one of the six charities depending on which one their neighborhood is assigned. The drop-offs happen over a three-day period from February 8th thru 11th, Super Bowl Sunday.
To make the food drive more fun, there is a casual competition among the neighborhoods with prizes awarded for three categories. One prize is awarded for the neighborhood with the largest volume of items donated, another is for the highest percentage of homes donating in a neighborhood, and a third is for the neighborhood for the biggest increase in donations from the previous year.
“We have neighborhoods signing up all the time and we have room for more. So I’d just like to remind everyone that, if they know of any community that would like to join our effort, they can sign up through our website Home – Good Neighbors Group,” said Hamlett.
Good Neighbors Group’s immediate focus for the New Year is threefold. In addition to the all-important S(o)uper Bowl 2024, GNG will hold blood drives every other month with times and dates noted on the website. Thirdly, the organization’s 22nd Annual Earth Day Festival will be held April 27 from 10 am till 2 pm at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company at the corner of Ritchie Highway and Magothy Bridge Road.
Meantime, keep your eye peeled for ever-on-the-go Julie Shay whether at a GNG Pop-Up Shop at Park Home or BD Provisions, working on one of GNG’s Rogue Gardeners’ projects, or at the Earth Day Celebration. You’ll find whatever she’s doing to be fun and fulfilling.
Julie Shay displays GNG items and games while hosting a Pop-Up Shop at BD Provisions. 
Julie Shay rallies GNG volunteers as Severna Park Earth Day 2023 opens at Earleigh Heights VFC.
Theater In The Park musical “Newsies” onstage at AACC’s Kauffman Theater
We hear from Theater In The Park founder Jennifer Lee Kraus that teen, junior and mixteen productions of the musical “Newsies, Jr.” continue this evening through January 14. For tickets, visit Theater in the Park – Home (onthestage.tickets).
Kraus also described a Musical Theater Dance Class that promises lots of mid-winter fun for kids 9 through 16. The classes will be held each Thursday through March 14th from 6:30 to 8 pm at Boone Station Hall at the Severna Park Community Center.
Students will be familiarized with the structure/routine of a dance class and learn tools that help them become stronger dancers. They’ll dance to songs of different genres from some of their favorite movie musicals like Teen Beach Movie, Newsies, and Mean Girls as well as numbers from Disney movies. For information visit Musical Theater DANCE Workshop – Musical Theater Workshop for Kids (theaterinthepark.net).
A Pajama Party benefitting Chrysalis House….. Talk about midwinter fun!
Ladies, this one’s for you. On Wednesday, January 24th you are invited to join a la mode intimates at 2444 Solomons Island Road to a Pajama Party from 2 to 7 pm. The unique women’s boutique hopes you will join them for an evening of laughter, connection and the joy of giving back. Your presence and contribution will make a meaningful difference in the lives of women living at Chrysalis House, a safe place for women struggling with substance abuse to get the support needed to recover.
Well known for their fashionable lingerie, a la mode intimates will be offering complimentary bra fittings throughout the event. There will be refreshments by Theresa Kurtz, Realtor, wine tasting by The Wine Concierge. Best of all, the only cost for attending the benefit is your gift of pajamas, socks, camis, or other night apparel. You may RSVP by text to Theresa at 443-254-1042 by January 22.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
