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) .
