Ravens Roost 82 Collecting For Carney Food Pantry

The drive, which benefits Victor's Vittles, runs through the end of March.

A Parkville area Ravens Roost is collecting food to help a food pantry in Carney this month. Ravens Roost 82, based at McAvoy's in Parkville, will donate the food they collect to Victor's Vittles, a food pantry based at Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Carney. Roost member Steve Paca wrote on Facebook to tell Patch about the food drive, which runs through the end of March. Non-perishable items can be dropped off at McAvoy's, 2531 Putty Hill Avenue, between 11 and 2 a.m. every day through the end of the month. Victor's Vittles serves about 40 to 50 families from the 21234 zip code on a weekly basis and has about 800 families in their system in total, according to an interview with director Charles Leight.

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Local Dealership Hosts Fundraiser For Autism Nonprofit

An event at Bob Davidson Ford this weekend will benefit Pathfinders for Autism.

A local car dealership is making a move to give back by hosting a fundraiser for a Baltimore County-based autism non-profit this weekend. This Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 8, Bob Davidson Ford Lincoln, at 1845 E. Joppa Road, hosts the "Drive 4 UR Community" event to benefit Hunt Valley-based Pathfinders for Autism. Participants in the event raise $20 for the charity in exchange for taking an 8-10 minute test drive in a new Ford. "It’s a great cause and an easy way to do it. No salesman goes along on the drive with you, there's no pressure. It's something you can do with your wife or you and your kids," said dealership spokesman Brian Satisky. "There's no sales pitch, you just fill out a form after the test drive." The event, sponsored …

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Ruppersberger Honors Parkville Men For Service To Maryland Vets

The two men met with the U.S. congessman on Monday.

Two area men were recognized for their volunteer service to Maryland's veterans Monday afternoon when they met with U.S. Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. Robert Filippi and and Joseph C. Sirera each received the 2012 Congressional Volunteer Recognition Award in a ceremony at the congressman's Timonium office. Filippi, a veteran himself, has accrued 2,000 hours of service in 14 years as a volunteer with the VA Maryland Health Care System. He visits the Loch Raven VA Living Community weekly and maintains their greenhouse; and also volunteers with the Sons of the American Legion Post 130 and the Parkville American Legion Post 183 bingos, according to a statement from the Congressman's office. Sirera, a 46-year member of the Knights of …

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Parkville Florist Collecting For Bea Gaddy Family Shelter

Donations can be dropped off at Flowers by Flowers through Nov. 16.

One area business is making it easy to make sure that Baltimore area families have a happy Thanksgiving. MaryBeth Flowers, of Parkville shop Flowers by Flowers, is accepting donations for the Bea Gaddy Family Center's Thanksgiving meal. Donations of nonperishable food and toiletries can be dropped off at the shop, 8110 Harford Road, through Nov. 16. Flowers said that she's collecting on behalf of Parkville resident and Parkville High School graduate, Harry Simmont, who, over the last 8 years, has collected more than 3 tons of food for the downtown shelter with the help of friends, neighbors and co-workers. Flowers by Flowers will be the only drop-off location for the food drive—items will be distributed to families who attend the center's …

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Meals on Wheels Seeks Drivers

The organization has been hit by higher gas prices leading to lower volunteer turnout.

Citing higher gas prices, Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland on Tuesday made an urgent call for volunteer drivers. The nonprofit has 19 distribution centers in Baltimore city and county. Volunteer drivers may spend a lunch hour or a whole day, delivering two meals—one hot, one cold. Know of another volunteer opportunity in the Parkville-Overlea area? Make sure you add it to Patch in the Volunteer Opportunities section. Debbie Brown, a Meals on Wheels spokeswoman, said high gas prices and the summer vacation season mean some five-day-a-week volunteers are cutting back to four or less and some are too busy to participate. "Our volunteers are the backbone of our agency," Brown said. "We have about 2,000 volunteers and on any given day about …

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Parkville Woman Sworn In As CASA Vounteer

WillieMae Patterson officially will be able to help abused or neglected children in foster care.

Nonprofit Honors Parkvillians For Working With The Disabled

Parkville residents Kelly Bell and Nina Manuel were recognized by The Arc Baltimore during a recent annual meeting.

Two Parkville women were recently recognized for the hard work they put in with The Arc of Baltimore. Kelly Bell and Nina Manuel were given awards during the nonprofit group's recent annual meeting. Bell, who volunteers with Arc Baltimore, received the Arc Community Connections Award for the work she does helping people with developmental disabilities to attain greater independence and community involvement. "Kelly has done everything from taking individuals to visit friends to arranging outings at the circus, Motor Cross, the State Fair, and even a Beach Boys concert," wrote Arc Baltimore spokesman Ray Weiss in an email. "She also is involved in The Arc’s Connections program, organizing dinners, dances, and other social activities." …

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Rosedale Woman To Rappel for Kidney Foundation

This will be Connie Simmons' third year raising money for the National Kidney Foundation by climbing down a towering Baltimore building.

Connie Simmons has two brothers and, of her siblings, she says she's easily the most adventurous. She'll put her money where her mouth is on Saturday when she's one of the 80 or so people to rappel down the face of the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront downtown to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation in an event called Rappel for Kidney Health. Simmons said she's been involved with the National Kidney Foundation as a fundraiser and volunteer for well over 20 years. "I've been associated with the kidney foundation since the 80's when they held volleyball marathons at Rash Field," Simmons, an IT professional, said. "I was a volleyball player in pickup leagues and I captained a team in the marathon." At that point, Simmons said, there …

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Volunteers Clean Up Parkville Park, Memorial

Members of the Greater Parkville Community Council worked to landscape a Taylor Avenue park on Saturday

Memorial Day is just around the corner and to make sure that Parkville's war memorial on Taylor Avenue is looking good, members of the Greater Parkville Community Council took to the park Saturday to clean up and plant. Ruth Baisden, the group's president, posted photos from the event on Facebook—volunteers pulled weeds, planted new flowers, and mulched to get the park in great shape. Baisden told Patch that the GPCC helps to take care of the park and that they try to plan a volunteer day in advance of Memorial Day when Parkville's American Legion generally hosts a ceremony at the memorial in the park. In her Facebook post Baisden extended her thanks to the volunteers and to George's Farm Market, who provided plants for the project at a …

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Ruth Baisden

10:10 pm on Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thank you to the following volunteers: Ernie Baisden, Steve Campbell, Ed Messier, and Andrea Messier. A special thank you to McLean Nurseries for donating the mulch and George's Farm Market for ageat deal on the plants.   more ›

5K to Support Baltimore County's Needy Families

To raise funds for the group, join Patch.com's Baltimore County editors for its 5K run and 1.5 mile walk on Goucher College's campus on June 3.

The Assistance Center of Towson Churches is hosting its first Call to ACTCion 5K run/1.5 Mile Walk around the beautiful Goucher College campus on June 3 at 5 p.m. At Patch, part of our efforts include raising awareness of nonprofit organizations doing good work in our community—especially when they need assistance. You may not know it, but ACTC provides emergency help to poor and needy families across Baltimore County. Check out a video about the organization and the race attached to this story.  Its service area incorporates 21 zip codes in the county and in 2011 the organization assisted nearly 26,000 people with food, clothing and other goods. Its Thanksgiving Basket Program in 2011 helped 2,500 families have a holiday meal.  ACTC's …

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