Celebrations at The Station | |
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We had another season of celebrations here at The Baltimore Station and it was an exciting time! We decorated for the holidays, sang carols, celebrated a year of staff accomplishments, and of course, welcomed the New Year with a special party. It is an important part of recovery to celebrate the little beauties every day and in a month filled with holiday cheer, that was not hard to do.
Once we had The Station decorated and ready to go, it was time to start the party! The week before Christmas, we welcomed nine Baltimore Hons and two honorary members to sing holiday carols with the men and bring more cheer into the building. They came decked out in holiday flare to sing and pass out homemade cookies and cards. Everyone had a great time singing along and enjoying the wonderful energy this group always brings to our clients.
We also welcomed volunteers to host holiday meals throughout the month. Our volunteer potluck saw holiday classics like green bean casserole, cranberry salad, ham, and garlic mashed potatoes. Plus, a sweet potato casserole and sherbet punch brought by staff to join in on the fun! The delicious dinners didn’t stop there. BGE hosted another holiday meal with a smoked turkey that, although different from the traditional, was a favorite by the end of the night. Finally, we welcomed Jewish Volunteer Connection to both our facilities to serve lunch and spend time with clients at The Station on Christmas Day.
But the fun wasn’t just for our clients. We also celebrated a year of staff successes at our annual End of the Year Celebration. We had a catered lunch, plenty of competitive games, gifts to share, and our Executive Director thanked everyone for the hard work put in this year. A special thank you to our Director of Human Resources, Ashley Sutherland, for planning and executing a party that brought our entire staff together for a fun afternoon.
It was a great year and we are looking forward to celebrating even more successes in 2023!
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For many around the world, the celebration of the New Year begins on December 31 and carries through the night into New Year’s Day. Although everyone celebrates differently, some common New Year’s activities include parties, watching fireworks, eating special foods and of course making resolutions.
Here at The Baltimore Station, we did all of those things! On December 31, staff members at our Baker Street Station gathered the men for a pizza party and game night, celebrating all the accomplishments from the year and spending the last few hours of 2022 laughing and having fun. We welcomed 2023 with smiles, noisemakers, and hope for a year of success and positivity.
We also discussed New Year’s resolutions and goals. Recovery is at the core of our program here, and although everyone’s road to recovery looks different, we know there is always room for improvement and growth. But even for those who are not struggling with addiction, the new year can be a great time to focus on setting and achieving goals.
Here are some 2023 goals from the staff and clients here at The Baltimore Station:
“Stop smoking” “Spend more time outside”
“More travel”
“More love in the world” “Work with racehorses”
“Find joy in the everyday”
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| Did you make a New Year's resolution? | | | |
Blessing Bags for Those in Need | |
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With the welcoming of a new year comes the welcoming of new opportunities to connect to those in need. This year, The Baltimore Station decided to reach out to those in need in the form of blessing bags, also called care packages or necessity bags. These kits can include a variety of items for those struggling with homelessness, hunger, and other basic needs. They can also include contact information for local shelters, non-profits, and help centers.
To finish off 2022, we had our clients put together more than 150 blessing bags to pass out to those still looking for help in our Baltimore community. Our organization was founded by a strong group of volunteers passing out blankets and sandwiches to those in need. Now, almost 34 years later, we are doing the same. Reaching out with simple care packages to show there is always a place to go for help.
Be sure to check out our blog post for more information on blessing bags. And if you are interested in passing them out yourself, just stop by our volunteer coordinator’s office the next time you are at The Station.
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Celebrating with Service | |
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Each year, we recognize the impact Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had by celebrating his advancements for human rights on the 3rd Monday of January. As it is a federal holiday, many across the nation receive a day off from work, encouraging people to celebrate in their own way. Time with family, attending seminars and speeches, or participating in days of service are some of the most common ways people celebrate MLK Day and acknowledge the difference Dr. King made in our country and the rest of the world. His memory is also celebrated in Canada, Israel, Japan, and The Netherlands with peace celebrations and acts of service.
This year, volunteers from Jewish Volunteer Connections (JVC), in collaboration with their National Day of Service and Learning, served dinner to our clients here at The Baltimore Station. The six volunteers brought a delicious meal and left with a better understanding of the work we do and the value of “service” to a community. Two of the women even brought their children proving you are never too young to start giving back!
We also welcomed Baltimore City Mayor, Brandon Scott to help with the meal service. The Mayor showed his pride for giving back at various locations throughout the day and ended his day of service at The Baltimore Station. The Mayor inspired everyone to remember MLK’s core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. Thank you to the Mayor, his staff and all those who have served at The Baltimore Station.
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Volunteer Appreciation
DATE: Thursday, February 23 | 5:30-7:30pm
LOCATION: Checkerspot Brewery
We are hosting our Volunteer Appreciation Night at Checkerspot Brewery! For more information and to RSVP, please reach out to Volunteer Coordinator, Lilly Frazier, at lfrazier@baltimorestation.org.
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Target Circle
DATE: Now until March 31
LOCATION: Target Circle App or Website
We're participating in the Target Circle program and you can cast a vote for us in the Target App. Check out this week's blog post to see the steps on how to support us with just the click of a button!
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B'More Healthy Expo
DATE: Saturday, March 25 | 10:00am-4:00pm
LOCATION: The Baltimore Convention Center
1 W Pratt St | Baltimore, MD 21201
Stop by our booth at the 14th Annual B'More Healthy Expo where we will be connecting with people who may need our services and those who wish to support them.
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Topgolf Fundraiser - NEW EVENT!
DATE: Thursday, April 13 | 2:00-5:00pm
LOCATION: Topgolf Baltimore
Take a Swing for Recovery and join us for a brand new fundraiser to support the men in our program. Enjoy Topgolf play, lunch, beer and wine, a raffle, bottle pull, and more!
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