Christ Church Outreach News: May 30, 2024
Buy Tickets Now for a “FUNdraiser” on Sunday, June 9 at a Scenic Northern Virginia Farm to Benefit Somos Amigos Medical Missions
Get your tickets for a carnival-themed afternoon of fun at a beautiful Northern Virginia farm, where Somos Amigos Medical Missions will welcome supporters in the DC-MD-VA metro area. The “FUNdraiser” takes place on Sunday, June 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Sylvanside Farm,19606 Telegraph Springs Rd., Purcellville, Va., 20132.
Former Christ Church parishioners Mary and Ed Keath plan to travel from their home in Oregon to attend and show their support for how Somos Amigos provides care in the Dominican Republic. In a video on Vimeo taped three years ago, Mary says volunteering there has helped her live out her baptismal vows. Her first trip in January 2005 and the Keaths’ subsequent trips led to the involvement of Christ Church.
The event will celebrate 25 years of Somos Amigos’ medical and dental care while raising funds as the nonprofit organization looks forward. Tickets are $45 each or four for $110. You can order tickets up until June 9. Enjoy games, music, snacks, beer, wine, hot dogs and hamburgers by Smokin Willy BBQ. Spencer Bates, a former volunteer who is a favorite at the Georgetown Piano Bar, will perform. Nature and history buffs will want to tour the property and see the majestic Clydesdale horses. Sylvanside Farm dates to 1744, with breathtaking views, manicured grounds, and restored barns.
A live auction that starts at 4:15 p.m. will feature the chance to bid on two VIP tickets and backstage passes to meet Stephen Colbert and see a live taping of The Late Show. A longtime supporter of Somos Amigos, Colbert appears in a video on Vimeo, saying he is eager to meet the winning bidder. It could be you!
The auction also offers a chance to “Dunk Frank in the Dunk Tank.” Founder and Executive Director Frank Brightwell is well known to Somos Amigos volunteers Dione and Jim Mahoney, Shahra Toth, Dr. Preethi Jackson and Dr. Ellen Boudreau Hoke and for his visits to Christ Church. View his most recent sermon in the Collect, Readings, Sermon and Livestream of Feb. 25, 2024 at 28:28 minutes into the video. See photos and learn more about the clinic in the Outreach Blog of Feb. 22, 2024.
Attention: Everyone with a green thumb! Columbia Community Care (CCC) will hold its annual Community Garden Planting Day on Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to Noon. This event had been postponed from an earlier day due to inclement weather. So be sure to check for updates on the CCC Facebook Group. You do not need gardening experience, but it’s preferred that you sign up to participate. Come anytime within those hours to the exterior of the pantry, 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD, to plant seedlings and be trained on how to tend CCC’s community garden.
Our less fortunate neighbors who depend on CCC for food, staples, and baby supplies will enjoy produce grown during the summer in a garden tended in partnership with its ecological partner. The Community Ecology Institute also grows crops on its own site, and it delivered its first produce to CCC in 2024 on March 22, harvesting “overwintered spinach, kale, and turnips.” (see photo)
The institute’s Farm to Family project, in collaboration with CCC, recently won a $15,000 grant in the 2024 Howard County Changemaker Challenge sponsored by four local grantmakers as part of United Way of Central Maryland’s overall Changemaker Challenge competition. The project improves food security in the county by creating a collaborative team of local farms, food assistance programs and youth community members to distribute fresh and nutritious food to those in need, according to a May 14, 2024 article in The Baltimore Sun. Be a part of the action on garden planting day!
Please continue to support CCC by donating baby-care items and diapers. Sizes 4-6 are in the greatest demand, as are 3T-4T and 4T-5T pullups. Please collect these along with sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Put them in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. Drop off items on weekdays when the church office is open or on Sundays. The Christ Church point of contact is Leigh Smith, who monitors the bin and delivers its contents.
Those who need groceries and other necessities can find information by going online to the “Get Help” section of CCC’s website. Or learn how to volunteer at CCC’s distribution sites or as a translator or a shopper at its pantry.
Join us for the 20th Anniversary MatzohBall 5k - June 9
Temple Isaiah’s 20th Annual 5K Run & 1-Mile Family Fun Run is Sunday, June 9th at 9:00 a.m. Proceeds benefit Christ Church-supported groups such as DreamBuilders, Grassroots, and Hopeworks to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable communities in need of support.
This family event is for runners AND walkers! Both the 5K race and the 1-mile fun run/walk courses follow the paved foot paths around the lake at beautiful Centennial Park, located off Route 108 in Ellicott City, Maryland. The race starts and finishes near Pavilions A, B & C (south entrance). After the race, you’re welcome to stay at the park and attend Family Wellness Day. The MatzohBall Run website has race information, sponsorship forms, and sign-ups.
Look for the FISH Bin on the Breezeway near the Parish Hall
FISH of Howard County requests non-perishable foods and toiletries, which we collect in the basket at the altar or in a marked yellow bin on the breezeway between the Parish Hall and Old Brick. FISH provides committed support to select families in need. The neighbors you help give thanks for all you do in their support.
In general, if you have suggestions about ways to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
