2013 Spring Update

2013 Spring Hons Meeting

Howdy Hons On A Mission Blog Followers!  

We eagerly began our annual meeting with a few minutes of socializing - meeting new neighbors, commiserating with old friends and generally catching up. 

Then, with lots of genuine excitement, planning Spring 2013-Spring 2014 projects began. 

Through this blog, we wanted to share them with you with the hope that you will share them with your friends and families and co-workers.

But first..... just a few paragraphs about our most recently completed and on-going HOAM projects. 

COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE CONTINUES TO BE A SUCCESS

We collect food the first weekend of every month. To make it convenient the bins are out for one week. This food is delivered to ACTC in Towson. Please google if you would like to know more about ACTC or go to http://www.actconline.info/.

Collection homes:

**New drop off:  815 Kingston Road, Marcie Hipple, 410-377-2971

 715 Stoneleigh Road, Mary Wynne Eisenberg 410-583-7615

 705 Stoneleigh Road, Annie Biser 410-583-7581

 821 Wellington Road, Maria Wetherington 443-801-5251

 606 Hatherleigh Road, Bissett Schwanke 410-821-8817

 7104 Copeleigh Road, Katie Ball 410-377-0575

7009 Kenleigh Road, Janice Arcieri 410-377-0739 

7004 Wardman Road, Angela Wu  410-321-1458

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Friends of HOAM at McCormick added to our donations - collecting many dresses, pocketbooks, jewels and accessories for our Spring 2013 Prom Attire Drive. All donations were delivered to teenagers at a nearby residential psychiatric program. 

Prom Attire - Spring 2013 Project Completed with Huge Success!

The kids at Sheppard Pratt are going to look really great this year at their prom. I cannot even begin to tell you how appreciative our contact is with this donation. Dresses of all sizes, colors and styles, beautiful suites, ties, shirts, tuxedos, jewels, hand bags, shawls, hair pieces and all kinds of shoes!

Along with the help of McCormick we donated 135 dresses, 12 suites, and 12 shirts.

A good friend of Hons On A Mission (who doesn’t live in Stoneleigh) found out about this project and along with a compassionate McCormick co-worker, decided to invite fellow employees to participate. They contributed many beautiful dresses and stylish shoes, men’s suites, shirts and ties and jewelry, shawls and purses.

Andrew Stringfellow and Brian Pflaum, both Juniors at Towson High School, helped me load and unload all the clothing. Thank you to these great young Hons On A Mission!

And many thanks to everyone who participated in this event.

Clothing and accessories that will not be used this year will be saved for future proms.

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CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME POSTER!

I teach Medical Qi Gong. This creative poster is designed by Andrew Stingfellow and Brian Pflaum, juniors at Towson High School. It is used to help inspire teenagers during specialized group Medical Qi Gong classes at a nearby psychiatric day hospital. Thank you so much Andrew and Brian.

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NEW SUMMER PROJECTS

#1 -- Summer Annual Memorial Day Stoneleigh Stampede Shoe Drive - Headed up by Bissett Schwankee -  lots of folks will be bringing their shoes to the pool in our community. We have been repeating this project for a number of years and it continues to be a huge success. Gently used women's, men's and children's dress and casual shoes (including flip flops) are collected and delivered by Berni Donnenberg to The Franciscan Center, an outreach organization in Baltimore City. 

#2 -- Towel Drive - This is a really easy way to collect A LOT of fantastic towels. Every two weeks a volunteer collects the lost and found towels at our community pool. These beautiful towels are washed and folded with care to be donated.

FALL PROJECT

#3 -- Sarah and Clifton Rhea are collecting Men's Clothing! This is the first time this project has been proposed. It's bound to be a huge success and just think - what a great opportunity for men to purge sweats, shoes, suits, coats - just everything. Details will be determined.

WINTER PROJECT

#4 -- January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Most of us are not aware of this huge problem that exists in our very own Towson and Greater Baltimore Community. Towson Turnaround (http://www.turnaroundinc.org/) is a non-profit domestic violence rescue center that provides services for girls and boys/men and women who have been victims of human trafficking. Janice Arcieri will be contacting this organization to determine what is needed. The victims have in their possessions almost nothing. Details for this project will be determined. 

SPRING PROJECT

“No skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy.”

- Los Angeles Times, "A Child Literacy Initiative for the Greater Los Angeles Area"

#5 -- Children's Books!! This is also a new project for HOAM and it's going to be a lot of fun. Angela Wu will be doing some research to determine where these donations will go and other important details. (This would be a really great project for boys and girls to get involved). 

 HOW CAN YOU HELP?

#1 ** Please contact the person or people heading 
up these projects or email Donna Rae Smith at 
donnaraesmith@yahoo.com or call her cell 
443-956-7629 if you would like to participate as a volunteer.

#2 ** HELP US SPREAD THE WORD to your family, 
friends, workplace, churches, etc. about ALL OF 
these important projects.

Wendy Stringfellow has volunteered to design a 
new pamphlet for us to spread the word about HOAM.
If you would like to have some of these pamphlets 
just let me know. They are going to be really classy 
(she's petitioning Staples to print them for us). Thanks
Wendy.

Lastly-  YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A 
BEEHIVE TO BE A HON On AM!  HA!

To all of our new neighbors who might feel a little 
funny about attending a HOAM meeting or about 
participating in one of the projects AND to any other
 folks that might also feel this way  - please join us. 
We are a group of friendly easygoing folks without
 a tight agenda or set of rules or anything of that sort
. Every single person that gets involved has something 
special to offer and so do you.

And – last but not least – THANKS EVERYONE FOR 
ALL of the wonderful food that you donate and for all 
of the wonderful items you provide during the year.

Message from Donna Rae, founder HOAM

There are many, many individuals – women, men, kids, old 
and young and in between who benefit from the food, 
clothing, shoes, towels, etc. that we provide. Just like us, 
these folks are seeking happiness, trying to avoid suffering
 and sadness, trying to get their needs met and trying to
 learn about life.

Thanks Stoneleigh Neighbors and friends for helping them 
get their needs met.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. 
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama

And….if you want to know more about our community 
organization or if you have any suggestions, please contact me.

Donna Rae Smith, Founder HOAM
We don't have a budget or a treasurer - we have 
big hearts, lots of creative ideas and energy and 
donate some time for good work. 

815 Stoneleigh Rd.

donnaraesmith@yahoo.com

443-956-7629