sharonleestable.com

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Nestled in the historic Winkelmeyer Building at 540 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, the design studio of Karen Renee Interiors has hosted many a celebration. Just five years ago, the community gathered in the studio to mark the firm’s quarter-century as one of Severna Park’s most outstanding businesses. Every bit as festive, the 30th Anniversary Open House on May 23rd brought home just how much founder Karen Renee Osborne and her family have meant to the community. It also highlighted how, in spite of a tragic personal loss, Osborne has moved ahead taking her family and firm forward in new directions.

As always, Karen Renee Interiors’ parties are a treat for both the eye and the tastebuds and this one was no exception. There was a sumptuous buffet of easy-to-eat finger foods for guests to enjoy.

Guests included family, friends, clients and former clients, as well as business and political contacts from around Anne Arundel County and beyond. They quickly divided into large or small conversation groups.

Osborne and husband Scott circulated through the room greeting guests as did Scott’s mother Betty Winkelmeyer Wells. When not busy serving drinks from an impromptu bar, so did designers Stephanie Simmons and Sophie Honeywell and other members of the Karen Renee Interiors staff.

They all had fun meeting old friends and business acquaintances like Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation’s Anita Dewling and Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber CEO Liz League. A highlight of the anniversary open house was to be a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony conducted by League.

Members of the media circulated throughout the event and cameras flashed from time to time as the celebration unfolded.

Floating here and there through it all was Betty Winkelmeyer Wells, the individual who inspired daughter-in-law Karen to start her own business and provided a place for her to do it.

In 1947 Well’s father, Walter “Wink” Winkelmeyer purchased the building then on the site, collapsed it into the basement and constructed the current Winkelmeyer building over it. Operating as Severna Park Coal & Feed, the company handled supplies brought in by train. It gradually transformed into a hardware store. Today Wells leases the building to several businesses with Karen Renee Interiors a continuous tenant.

Karen Osborne moved between her family and her guests catching everyone up on what’s been happening over the past five years. Most significant was the fact that, after careful consideration, the Osbornes moved to Florida. Their decision was partly based on the need for a fresh start for the family – a place in which to heal following the death of their son Justin. It was also based on the fact that Karen had gravitated, almost entirely, to designing interiors for model homes that are primarily located out-of-state.

“We’d discovered during the pandemic that we all could work remotely more than we thought we could. I was traveling much of the time anyway for my model home installations in Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana and elsewhere,” she said. “I found that I could conduct Karen Renee Interior’s business just as easily, efficiently and productively from wherever I was working or from Florida, especially since we can conduct weekly staff meetings via Zoom. Our family still has homes in both places, so I come back to Severna Park once a month to work with my staff in person.”

For residential designers Simmons and Honeywell and the rest of the staff, the arrangement has worked out well.

Honeywell concentrates on residential design for homes in the Severna Park and Annapolis areas as well as other parts of the county. Simmons focuses, to a large extent, on designing interiors for waterfront homes. In fact, her designs for a home in Bethany Beach (one of which is pictured below) are featured in the current edition of Annapolis Home Magazine.

Scott Osborne, a pilot for Jet Blue, caught up with longtime friend Larry Sells who told him about a country music event he and Mike Hall of Severna Park Lanes have teamed up to produce as a benefit for the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation at Severna Park Taphouse on July 9.

At 4 pm, Liz League caught everyone’s attention as Karen, her family and six members of her staff lined up across one wall of the studio and were introduced. Asked by League how she came to start Karen Renee Interiors, Osborne related the somewhat surprising story.

Returning home to Severna Park in 1992 from Alabama where Scott was in flight school, she couldn’t find a job. The first Gulf War was going on and it was an economically difficult time.

“I was looking for employment as a designer and nobody was hiring,” Osborne said. “My mother-in-law Betty asked, “Why don’t you start your own business?”

The comment spurred her into action. Once she set her mind to creating the business, quitting wasn’t an option. She worked day and night and took a part-time job drafting systems furniture by hand in a commercial design firm to help things along.

“It took me a year and a half to get the company off the ground. Soon, I moved into my studio in the Winkelmeyer Building where I’ve been ever since,” the designer said.

She emphasized her gratitude for her mother-in-law Betty’s help, for her children Ryan and Kaitlyn’s willingness to share her with a career, and especially for Scott’s unwavering support of her dream.

“Scott and I are also celebrating our 30th Anniversary. On this day 30 years ago, I applied for my business license and our marriage license all on the same day in Annapolis two floors apart,” she said. “Without my husband and my family and my wonderful staff I couldn’t have done any of this.”

A number of representatives from state and county politics were on hand to present citations honoring Karen Renee Interior’s 30th Anniversary. They included Maryland State Delegates Brian Chisholm and Sid Saab and Anne Arundel County Council member Amanda Fiedler. Before presenting the citation on behalf of the council, Fiedler regaled attendees with a hilarious tale about an attempted decorating scheme carried out with her husband that turned out badly.

“Our first mistake was buying the red velvet couches. The second was painting the walls bright yellow. We ended up with a living room that resembled a McDonald’s,” she said.

• 

• 

An official ribbon cutting, held outside the studio, came next. But one of the best parts was yet to follow. Dessert was served with a special 30th Anniversary Cake with icing and trim in Karen Renee Interiors’ signature color, Tiffany Blue.

A champagne toast by Karen and Scott in honor of the 30th Anniversary of Karen Renee Interiors and of their marriage was the perfect capper for the celebration.

Cardboard boat race makes buoyant return

Monday, May 23 was a beautiful day and an exciting one for students watching a St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal School tradition – the annual Cardboard Boat Race. Two seventh-grade classes, totaling 25 students, competed in groups of two or three. The teams had spent months engineering boats to race on the Severn River using only cardboard and duct tape.  The students launched their craft from the Cleven family dock with a bit of trepidation but much laughter.

 While some boats were successful, others were not, but all the teams had fun trying.  Adding to the fun, St. Martin’s eighth-graders also constructed boats that they used to spectate from the water.  Fifth and sixth grade students watched from the shoreline and cheered on their friends.

• 

• 

Unfortunately, the boys piloting the losing boat below went into the drink.

Luckily, all of those who raced arrived safely back at the dock to hurrahs from the sightseers along the shore.

Country music artist Chad Bearden to headline benefit for BWMC Foundation

Country music fans will want to Save The Date for a fundraiser for the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation being held at Severna Park Taphouse on July 9th from 12 to 8 pm. Nashville recording artist Chad Bearden will headline the event along with special guest Brent Stover.

Two Good Guys Productions partners Larry Sells and Mike Hall, in coordination with Severna Park Taphouse, are in the process of lining up additional bands and will have an update shortly. They’ll also feature a 50-50 raffle and are selling 100 raffle tickets for $100 with the winner getting a crab feast for 10 at Donnelly’s Dockside.

Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 at the door) and can be purchased on-line at Severna Park Tap House Fundraiser | UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center (umms.org) .

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN By Sharon Lee Tegler

A noontime or early afternoon lull in business is not an uncommon occurrence for Hair Cuttery stylists Michele Meir, Tammy Fyffe, Tabitha Ford and Holly Mollick. Mornings and late afternoons are the busiest times at the Park Plaza salon with most every chair filled with a male or female client looking for that perfect haircut. Lately, however, there are times when one, two or even more chairs are empty. All four stylists lay the blame on inflation.

Consumer Price Index data shows the annual inflation rate for the United States is 8.3% for the 12 months ended April 2022 after rising 8.5% previously, according to U.S. Labor Department data published May 11.

The stylists said they are acutely aware that the slowdown in the number of clients they’re seeing is related to the inflationary pressure families are experiencing.

“We’re seeing that some people aren’t getting services done anymore,” Mollick said. “Some are opting out of color and coloring their hair at home. Others are learning how to cut their own hair or spacing their appointments for services further apart.”

Ford added that shipping costs for needed supplies, including hair coloring, are rising as the cost-of-living soars. She also noted that the shop is having trouble staying fully staffed. A recurring problem is that prospective hires will call to set up an interview and ten minutes before the appointed time will call to cancel.

Mollick and Meir believe that’s happening because individuals applying for unemployment benefits are required to show that they are looking for work.

At Park Plaza neighbor Honey Baked Ham Company, Tom Lumsden was enjoying a sandwich and checking his phone while waiting for a friend. Otherwise, things were quiet except for walk-in customers placing orders at the counter with employee Shannon Stry.

According to Stry, prices for honey baked hams and all the trimmings for local stores are set by the corporate office and have remained steady in spite of inflation.

“Sales are slightly down at the moment but then they always are in the spring and summer. Our sales are heaviest over the holidays for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year,” she said.

Just a mile-and-a-half north at 342 Ritchie Highway, Cakes & Confections Bakery Cafe owner Michael Brown was surrounded by cream-filled pastries, fruit tarts, chocolate-covered cake balls and other delights as he waited on a succession of walk-in customers. His inflation-related experiences are somewhat similar to those of the Hair Cuttery but have been both good and bad.

“We’ve had a big increase in the demand for our cakes,” Brown said. “However, staffing challenges, inflated prices for ingredients, and a lower volume of traffic for the lunch counter have caused us to discontinue the cafe side of the business.”

When asked if he’d ever consider bringing the cafe side back in view of the fact that locals loved the selection of homemade quiches, salads and sandwiches Cakes & Confections served, Brown answered that he just couldn’t staff the lunch counter anymore. Already shorthanded, he didn’t want to take anyone away from the baking which is his bread and butter.

“If the job market improved and the hiring situation changed for the better, I might consider bringing the lunch counter back,” he said. “As things now stand, when I’d advertise for job openings, I’d have people call for interviews and then not show up… or they’d start the job and almost immediately leave. That’s what we’ve been up against.”

Regardless, Brown is grateful for a backlog of orders for spring and summer – his usual busy season for bakery items. He doesn’t see that slowing down.

Back in Olde Severna Park, two second-hand retailers are holding steady or picking up business. Mary Ann Neal, owner of The Red Apron Shoppe at 4 Riggs Avenue, notes that more and more young people are being drawn to the store’s estate sale-based inventory as they realize they can get great value for their money.

The estate sales Red Apron also runs are doing a brisk business themselves. Currently, the shop’s rattan furnishings are the “hot” items and they’re suitable for indoor or outdoor living.

Across the way at 553 B&A Boulevard, Savvy Consignment was doing a brisk business Tuesday afternoon. Customers were immediately drawn to racks of spring and summer fashions.

However, it was hard to miss some of the outdoor furnishings displayed. A rustic island with sunflowers and a vintage picnic basket was particularly eye-catching.

Savvy owner Stacey Cassidy said inflation is having little effect on sales although costs have risen for bags and other supplies. She said there has been no need to raise prices for anything. Clothing sales remain strong as they always are at this time of year.

Cassidy noted that furniture sales generally fall off in the spring and summer and pick up again in autumn, but outdoor items are the exception. A pair of camp chairs dressed up with a watermelon print fabric brought smiles to faces of passersby who spied them through the front window.

Next door at Garry’s Grill, things were quiet as the staff prepared for the dinner hour. Giving an occasional stir to a pot of something on the stove that smelled delightful, manager Nick Bordenski said he believes the restaurant’s customer base remains solid.

Bordenski has noticed that the cost of the goods he orders is going up. He also remarked on the same sort of staffing problems being experienced by the Hair Cuttery and Cakes & Confections.

“Staffing is hit or miss every week,” he said.

Back across B&A Boulevard at The Big Bean Coffee Shop, Autumn Weslow, Paige Kaiser and Olivia Wright were still busy making Frozen Lattes though it was late in the afternoon.

Business appeared to be satisfactory as Olivia made yet another frozen drink. Autumn finished waiting on her customer and observed that The Big Bean seemed to be doing well. She added that the shop is well-staffed for the season. Still, there are a few problems the staff has seen related to inflation.

“For one thing, the price of protein powder we use in some of our drinks has gone up. Prices for alternative milks like almond or coconut are rising too,” she said. “The owners and staff have considered the possibility of charging extra for them.”

The final stop of the day was at Severna Lawn & Power at 1244 Ritchie Highway where an unexpected effect of inflation has been an abundance of gas-powered push mowers, riding mowers and other power equipment brought in for repair. According to the staff, people are holding on to their power equipment or mowers longer instead of buying new ones.

The shop is also selling parts or ordering them for individuals who are experienced enough to fix their own mowers.

Last ever Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival takes place this weekend

Blues lovers will be glad but sad to know that the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will be held for the last time this Saturday, May 21 and Sunday May 22 at Sandy Point State Park.

Katcef Brothers, an Annapolis-based, family-owned beer distributor, Stella Artois, and the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival are teaming up with the Anne Arundel County Foodbank for a “Sing the Blues and Buy a Family a Meal” campaign. A tent will be stationed at the entrance to the blues festival to encourage $5 donations to the campaign. All donations will go to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank to buy the food. For each $5 donation the food bank can provide 15 meals for area families.

Don Hooker, founder of the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival noted that the event was started in 1998 as a way to raise money for charity. All the work involved in putting the festival together is done by blues-loving volunteers and all profits go to charities, one of which is the food bank.

“The festival has become a large event in the blues community worldwide,” Hooker said. “We’ve raised more than $1.5 million for various charities over the years.”

Reflecting on the fact that this is the final year for the festival after 22 years, Hooker said it was time for it to end for financial and other reasons.

“The people who volunteer, including me, are getting long in the tooth,” he said. “It’s gotten harder and harder to get out there on a Wednesday and work for four days.”

Known for bringing world class music to Annapolis, the 2022 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will uphold the tradition with performances by Joss Stone, the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, The Spinners, Samanth Fish, North Mississippi Blues, Bernard Allison and more.

For information or tickets to the festival, visit Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival – May 22st & 22nd, 2022.

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

The natural area adjoining the Baltimore Annapolis Trail Park Ranger Station at Earleigh Heights Road is a beautiful, tranquil stop-off point for walkers, runners and cyclists and a particular joy for birdwatchers. It was deceptively quiet and peaceful Tuesday afternoon until a sudden stirring in the reeds drew observers’ eyes to a handsome pair of geese feeding on aquatic grasses. On closer inspection one, then two, three and four downy goslings appeared around them industriously nibbling the same tender shoots.

Soon, the goslings followed their parents down the hill to the water and swam off into the afternoon sunshine.

Life stirred elsewhere in the marsh too. Two different species of snakes shared the same stretch of water with a gray terrapin with yellow stripes.

The terrapin took off across the marsh in a different direction at an amazing rate of speed.

On Tuesday morning, the Earleigh Heights Ranger Station (which is also a train museum put together by the Severna Park Model Railroad Club, the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails and the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation & Parks) had light traffic. But, by afternoon, the scene became lively as cyclists whizzed past on the B&A Trail or wheeled through to the parking lot. Several runners stopped by for water or to use the restrooms and dog walkers and their pets enjoyed the gardens.

Many locals are heading back to the great outdoors, visiting Anne Arundel County’s parks and trails. Behind the scenes at community churches, businesses and organizations, however, work is ongoing to promote current and upcoming projects and events.

Woods Church projects and events unfold one after another

We caught up with Cam Laque, Communications Coordinator for Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, who reports that, after months of planning, several mission projects, environmental initiatives and events are coming to fruition. The first, the long-awaited replacement of the 35-year-old chairs in the church sanctuary, has already taken place.

Though worn, 450 of the old chairs that were in decent condition were donated to three other churches. Replacement day was hectic. The congregation’s REHAB group oversaw the removal of the chairs to an empty space while the new seats were installed. Then the men helped load the recycled chairs onto trucks bound for the Baltimore, Delaware and North Carolina churches receiving them.

A first-time happening for the church took place between May 1 and May 8. Concerned that their holiday bazaar fundraiser had not be held for two years due to the pandemic, the Presbyterian Women of Woods decided they’d, instead, hold an online auction. The virtual auction would feature the same handcrafted items traditionally sold at the bazaar. To the women’s amazement, the event went off without a hitch.

“PWOW received many unique auction donations from our congregation members including socks, handmade quilts sewn by our Woods Quilters Group, handknit prayer shawls, handmade pottery, paintings, and some antiques,” Laque said. “They also received financial donations from the Severna Park Community Center, Mission Barbeque, Park Books, the Severna Park Taphouse, Blended Essentials, The Cottage and Baltimore’s Center Stage among others. It was great how everyone came together for such a good cause. The funds raised will support our many missions.”

Spearheaded by Peggy Newman, the auction was a satisfying success, and the ladies are still celebrating the fact that they had 243 bids and raised $8,726.

No matter the season or the weather, the Woods Garden Group has been busy planning, planting, weeding, and caring for the native and ornamental plants, flowers and trees spread across the church campus. The group is renowned for its scenic parking lot gardens, erosion preventing hillside plantings and beautiful rain garden – all filled with native species that attract, insects, birds, bees and butterflies while providing cover for wildlife.

Currently in bloom near the entrance to Woods is the lovely “Bell garden” with its profusion of purple and gold Iris and Lynnhaven Carpet flowers that resemble daisies. An early blooming native, Lynnhaven Carpet is both an erosion control and a food source for early emerging bees.

Nearby, one of Woods RENEW campaign projects was taking place with gents on ladders installing wider rain gutters on all the church roofs to better protect the building foundations and direct the flow of water where it’s needed. The upgraded gutters are particularly important for the steeper parts of the roof.

Lots of other activities are in the planning stage, the most notable of which is the return of the church youth’s WoodsWork project. Open this year to high school freshmen as well as sophomores and juniors, the ambitious group of students and their adult advisors will head for Pennsylvania on June 23 and will spend a week working on two different homes. As usual, training sessions on the use of various tools will be held beforehand. The teens will also be holding a car wash on June 4 to defray the expenses for the trip.

For information on what’s happening at Woods, visit Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church | Facebook.

Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails schedules multiple events

Dependent on the weather, The Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails, the Anne Arundel Community College Astronomy Club, the Astrophysics Science and Planetary Science Divisions of the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and the Universities Space Research Association have teamed up to offer a day of public programs focusing on our solar system. Participants can walk or bicycle the 4.7-mile course between the Sun Sculpture, located just south of Aquahart Road behind Harundale Plaza in Glen Burnie and the Pluto sculpture, located just north of the Earleigh Heights Road Ranger Station in Severna Park from 10 am till 2 pm. There is also an evening presentation by Dr. Alexander Pavlov and the DaVinci Team titled DaVinci: NASA’s continuing exploration of Venus at Anne Arundel Community College’s Student Union Hall from 7:30 to 8:30 pm followed by stargazing (weather permitting) at the AACC campus observatory.

Equally dependent on the weather, the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails is presenting Karen Collins and the Backroads Band for some delightful honky tonk country music this coming Sunday, May 15th at Hatton-Regester Green in Severna Park. Karen writes songs about subjects ranging from heartaches to traffic jams in an upbeat, authentic country sound. Free and open to the public, the concert takes place between 4 and 6 pm.

More concerts are scheduled for Hatton-Regester Green through May and June which we will announce as they occur.

Burgers & Bands for Suicide Prevention presents 20 bands at Severna Park Taphouse

Burgers & Bands for Suicide Prevention invites the public to join them at Severna Park Taphouse this Sunday, May 15 from 11 am to 7 pm for a great day of music from some of the area’s finest bands.

More than 20 bands will be appearing at the music festival including several associated with the Priddy Music Academy. Among the groups slated to appear are The Doug Segree Band, the Kelly Bell Band, and the Lopsided Chickens.

Founded by Ann Brennan and son Ethan, Burgers & Bands Suicide Prevention is a fundraising and awareness initiative dedicated to helping fund mental health programs in our local communities.

“We hope to create a comfortable atmosphere with our events that enables people to speak about the problem of depression with a sense of normalcy. It’s a lonely experience for young adults dealing with depression and their parents. Most often, there is no one to talk with about it,” Ann said. “We created Burgers and Bands after Ethan dealt with a deep depression that could have led to suicide. But it wasn’t a hopeless situation, and he came through it alright. Now we want to share that there is help for everyone.”

For information, visit Burgers & Bands for Suicide Prevention | Facebook .

Chamber again postpones SHOP LOCAL FUN FIESTA

Once again, the threat of rainy weather has prompted the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce to postpone its SHOP LOCAL FUN FIESTA at Park Plaza that was schedule for this Saturday to June 18th. The rescheduled event will feature the same mix of music, entertainment, food, games, shopping and more. For information on the chamber’s many activities, visit Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce (gspacc.com) .

Parking was at a premium in front of the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce building Tuesday afternoon. A special ribbon cutting was being held to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of Kelly Cornwell’s Dream Vacations. The business’ original opening took place in February of 2020 just before the COVID pandemic brought the entire travel industry to a halt.

Cornwell found it both heartwarming and encouraging to see so many chamber members gathered to help her celebrate the relaunch of Dream Vacations.

No one was more surprised by the great turnout in the chamber building at 1 Holly Avenue than Cornwell herself. She’d donned her company’s new Live Your Dream T-shirt in honor of the occasion and then wondered if anyone else would attend aside from her daughters Siobhan and Eva and her son Maurice.

Looking around the room, she discovered the familiar faces of chamber members she’d met at previous events – members aware of the challenges Cornwell faced as a result of COVID restrictions who had been rooting for her.

She was astonished when League introduced her and they all stood, applauded and offered words of welcome.

• 

• 

Those chamber members were from a diverse range of small businesses and included, among others, Mark Belzer from First Financial Residential Loans, Jean Andrews from Long & Foster Real Estate, Jay Wenhold from Green Home Solutions, Laura Colquhoun from Macaroni Kid Pasadena , Christine Richardson from WLC Home Solutions, Danielle Ortiz from Cascades of Wellness , and Dawn Edgerton-Cameron from Edward Jones Investments.

Corwell first thanked everyone for coming. Then, asked by League how Dream Vacations came about, she explained.

“I have always loved to travel,” she said. “I was working at a job that wasn’t the best when my husband Maurice asked, ‘Kelly, why don’t you do something for yourself?”

She immediately replied that she didn’t know if she’d want to do that. But then her thoroughly unfulfilling job grew worse.

“I decided maybe I did want to do that. That’s when I discovered Dream Vacations online and fell in love with it,” she said.”

Dream Vacations is a franchise operation, however. At the time, Cornwell didn’t have the money to acquire a franchise but she really wanted one. As a person of faith, she asked the Lord for help. That very week, a belated inheritance from her father who’d passed away years earlier arrived in the form of a check for almost the exact amount of money she needed.

“I said a grateful ‘Thank you’ and bought my Dream Vacation franchise in September of 2019, started attracting clients, and left my job in February of 2020. Then the pandemic happened, and things were really rough. But I was never discouraged even when travel agents were saying they were going to quit because I knew that, if I’d gotten this far, it was supposed to happen and was going to get better.”

In answer to League’s inquiry whether she handled any trips during the most restrictive times of the pandemic or even when things improved, Cornwell replied that she booked and booked and booked but then cancelled, cancelled, cancelled.

In addition to the fact that she and her husband travelled in 2020, she did have two other people who booked trips with her that year.

Cornwell has been very thankful to see all forms of travel opening up from air travel to cruises and things getting back to normal. Her favorite place to visit at the moment is Puerto Rico but she’s traveled to so many places that she’s expert at arranging trips that suit her clients to a tee. She’s also a Certified Travel Advocate for people with health or mobility issues who can supply everything from wheelchairs or oxygen for people who need them to baby food.

“We’ll do everything for you but pack,” she says with a smile.

As happens at most ribbon cuttings, a number of political representatives were in attendance with citations to present Cornwell as a new but thriving member of the business community. Among them were Anne Arundel County Council Member Amanda Fiedler who praised her for her resiliency and determination and Maryland State Delegate Heather Bagnall who congratulated her for her long-awaited reopening and for making travelers’ vacation dreams come true.

Near the end of the event, there was a mad scramble, as attendees gathered in the center of the room for the ribbon cutting. Following the dramatic countdown and Kelly Cornwell’s quick snip of the ribbon, well-wishers crowded around her to offer congratulations.

For information on Kelly Cornwell’s Dream Vacations, visit Kelly Cornwell, Dream Vacations | Facebook.

New owners for Park Home

Tuesday afternoon’s sunny weather brought lots of customers through the door at Park Home which was wonderful for the shop’s new owners Brittany and Ted Meade. The couple had been working on the store for about a month after buying the business from former owners Scott and Heather Summers and opened their doors just two weeks ago.

Brittany, who brings an interior design background to the shop, was off on a buying trip but Ted was clearly enjoying helping the customers. He explained that he and Brittany have kept the coastal look for which Park Home has been known but added their own twist by adopting a nautical theme.

With more inventory still on the way, the shop’s furniture, artwork and accessories already exhibit that nautical flair.

The Meades really like their Park Home location at 568 Ritchie Highway in Park Plaza. Both are looking forward to the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber’s SHOP LOCAL Fun Fiesta on May 7th in which they’ll be participating. For more information on the shop, visit Park Home – Beautiful Furnishings for Beautiful Homes (parkhomestyle.com) .

Macaroni Kid Pasadena Family Fun Fest

Laura Colquhoun has been busy giving out flyers for the Macaroni Kid Pasadena Family Fun Fest being held May 15 at Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard in Arnold. The Family Fun Fest will take place from 1 to 4 pm and will feature games, giveaways, door prizes, face painting, balloon twisting and the famous Jing Ying Lion Dance among other things. For information, visit Events & Activities for Kids and Families, Pasadena, CA, Things to Do | Macaroni KID Pasadena .

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.

• 

• 

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.

• 

• 

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.

• 

• 

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.