The Wye River Conference Center in Queenstown was the venue for Haven Ministries 2nd Annual Beef, Bonfires & Cigars event. This year the event included the opportunity to spend a night in a gorgeous 5-star room at River House, while also enjoying lunch and breakfast, exploring the property’s gardens, bike riding, skeet shooting, and simply relaxing in one of the many libraries and open spaces of River House. Guests were also given a tour of The Bunker located under the property’s helipad, learning historical facts and untold stories of the Houghton family and River House.
Over 250 people participated in the evening festivities, which included eating oysters, live-fire grilling, distillery tastings, sampling from local chefs and restaurants, backyard fires and s’mores, shopping and cigars. In addition, Porsche in Annapolis provided two Porsche cars to peruse, while Annapolis Boat brought a boat to tour.
The evening also included a Live Auction with a variety of items auctioned, including a stay at a North Carolina beach house, a queen-size homemade quilt, a private chef’s dinner for 10 people, BBQ for 30 people, a beautiful portrait sitting, and the opportunity to feed and shelter the guests of Haven Ministries.
The event’s Diamond Level Sponsors were Increte and BAAR/ Bay Area Association of Realtors. Sapphire Level Sponsors were Bay Times, Wye River Conference Center, a Dolce Property, and What’s Up Media. Platinum Level Sponsors were Safe at Home Senior Care, Prospect Bay Country Club, Roof Center, Construction. Services and Supplies, Inc., Kate Spade, and My Logo On It. Gold Level Sponsors were Harris Crab House, Hemingway’s, The Narrows, Riley Custom Homes, Island Furniture Studios, The Shore Update, Range & Reef, Social Point Media, Swan Cove Salon & Spa, Tri Gas and Oil, and Ramsey Madison/Event Planner. Silver Level Sponsors were Lundberg Builders, Holiday Inn Express, Chesapeake Hearing Centers, Miltec, Free State Insurance, McCrone, Realty Navigator, Hawk Marketing, Keller Williams/Chris [email protected], U.S. Healthcare/ [email protected], Shore United Bank, Island Floors, Kent Island Rotary, Details Group, Island Dental Studio, Refreshed Woman, Cargo Direct, Shore Signs, The Ophiuroidea, KRM Development, Queenstown Bank, Shaffer Ingenuity, Kari Anderson for Ocean’s Lending, Blue Heron Catering, Chesapeake Celebrations, Liz Skibbie/ Financial Advisors 443.336.2182, Chesapeake Bay Services, and Levity/Women’s clothing.
The second annual “Beef, Bonfires and Cigars,” to benefit Haven Ministries, will be held on November 3, 2018 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Aspen Institute, Wye River Conference Center, 600 Aspen Drive in Queenstown. The event will offer a night out to sample food and beverage tastings from multiple restaurants, caterers, and distilleries in the region, a fun live auction, and other festive fall activities. Food tastings will be provided by Chesapeake Chef’s Services, The Narrows, Hemingway’s, Blue Heron Catering, Harris Crab House, Range and Reef, Coopers Hawk, Chesapeake Celebrations, and Oyster Bar. The beverage tastings will be offered by Lyon’s Distillery, The Winery, and Blackwater Distillery. There will also be live music and multiple vendors showcasing their goods, including cigars to smoke and a cash bar will be available.
Mia Cranford, Director of Marketing and Fundraising Coordinator at Haven Ministries, comments, “Last year’s event was such a success, we wanted to repeat it again this year. It is a fun event for people to just come out and have a good time.”
This year, the event is offering a limited number of rooms for weekend stays at the four Star stunning Aspen Institute, Wye River Conference Center. The cost for a two-night stay is $299 and includes two tickets to the Beef, Bonfires and Cigars event and lunch on Saturday, as well as breakfast on Sunday.
According to Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries, the event benefits Haven Ministries as it continues with its fundraising efforts to help sustain its important programs and to move the ministry forward in purchasing property for a housing assistance program.
Haven Ministries Business Partners supporting the event include the following:
Diamond Level: Increte and BAAR (Bay Area Association of Realtors)
Sapphire Level: Bay Times, Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property, and What’s Up Media.
Platinum Level: Safe at Home Senior Care, Prospect Bay Country Club, Roof Center, Construction Services and Supplies, Inc., Kate Spade, and My Logo On It.
Gold Level: Harris Crab House, Hemingway’s, The Narrows, Riley Custom Homes, Island Furniture Studios, The Shore Update, Range and Reef, Swan Cove Salon and Spa, and Tri Gas and Oil.
Silver Level: Lundberg Builders, Salon Atelier, Holiday Inn Express, Chesapeake Hearing Centers, Miltec, Free State Insurance, McCrone, Realty Navigator, Hawk Marketing, Keller Williams/[email protected], U.S. Health Care/[email protected], Shore United Bank, Island Floors, Kent Island Rotary, Details Group, Island Dental Studio, Refreshed Women, Cargo Direct, Shore Signs, The Ophiuroidea, KRM Development, Queenstown Bank, and Shaffer Ingenuity.
Bronze Level: Mary Kay/ Corbie Haas, Edward Jones/William Caughey, Splendid Consignment Shop/Avon, Legalshield/Joe Allegretti, Computer Island/Lolita Watkins, The Winery, Federal Resources, The Growth Coach, 1st Home Mortgage/[email protected], Comhar Helen Fitzgerald [email protected], Premier Designs/Jenny Spencer, doTERRA/[email protected], doTERRA Wellness Advocate/[email protected], Sara Taylor Coaching, Maid Healthy, Rodan and Fields, Cari Healy Hair, Carrie’s Cupcakery, Chesapeake Think Tank, Kent Island Minuteman Press, Linda Prochaska, and Bob Gosselin Photography.
Tickets to “Beef, Bonfires and Cigars” cost $50 per person and are available at haven-ministries.org.
Haven Ministries hosted its 2nd Annual Haven Ministries Golf Tournament on September 21, 2018 at Prospect Bay Country Club. The sold-out event will net over $10,000 to benefit all of the Haven Ministries programs.
Janet Crutchley and Denise Klotzbucher were the Event Chairwomen for the event for the second year in a row. Employees of Lyon’s Distillery, Edward Jones/Liz Skibbie and The Ophiuroidea of St. Michaels were on Hole 12 giving out treats and taking the “Hole in One” picture of golfers. Hole 12 was sponsored by Cranford Contractors, Inc. which provided a chance for golfers to win $5000 for a hole in one.
Gold Level sponsors
Construction Services and Supplies, Beacon Roofing, and My Logo On It. Event sponsors included the American Legion Post 278 Kent Island, VFW Post 7464 Grasonville, MD, and Reedy Electric Services.
Haven Ministries Business Partners supporting the event include the following:
Diamond Level
Increte and BAAR (Bay Area Association of Realtors)
Sapphire Level
Bay Times, Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property, and What’s Up Media.
Platinum Level
Safe at Home Senior Care, Prospect Bay Country Club, Roof Center, Construction Services and Supplies, Inc., Kate Spade, and My Logo On It.
Gold Level
Harris Crab House, Hemingways, The Narrows, Riley Custom Homes, Island Furniture Studios, The Shore Update, Range and Reef, Swan Cove Salon and Spa, and Tri Gas and Oil.
Silver Level
Lundberg Builders, Salon Atelier, Holiday Inn Express, Chesapeake Hearing Centers, Miltec, Free State Insurance, McCrone, Realty Navigator, Hawk Marketing, Keller Williams/[email protected], U.S. Health Care/[email protected], Shore United Bank, Island Floors, Kent Island Rotary, Details Group, Island Dental Studio, Refreshed Women, Cargo Direct, Shore Signs, The Ophiuroidea, KRM Development, Queenstown Bank, and Shaffer Ingenuity.
Bronze Level
Mary Kay/ Corbie Haas, Edward Jones/William Caughey, Splendid Consignment Shop/Avon, Legalshield/Joe Allegretti, Computer Island/Lolita Watkins, The Winery, Federal Resources, The Growth Coach, 1st Home Mortgage/[email protected], Comhar Helen Fitzgerald [email protected], Premier Designs/Jenny Spencer, doTERRA/[email protected], doTERRA Wellness Advocate/[email protected], Sara Taylor Coaching, Maid Healthy, Rodan and Fields, Cari Healy Hair, Carrie’s Cupcakery, Chesapeake Think Tank, Kent Island Minuteman Press, Linda Prochaska, and Bob Gosselin Photography.
Pictured is Phil Stapleton, a volunteer with Haven Ministries, with artwork being offered in Haven Ministries “Art For Your Home” Program at Hope Warehouse. The organization is providing free framed original artwork to its clients moving into permanent housing.
Art For Your Home Program
Haven Ministries is going one step farther in providing quality services to make housing homier for residents of Queen Anne’s County. In a new program called “Art For Your Home,” the organization is providing free framed original artwork to its clients moving from homeless status to permanent housing.
The idea originated with Phil Stapleton, a volunteer with Haven Ministries who is coordinating the program. He recalls, “Our residents finally scrape together money to get into permanent housing, but usually don’t have things on the wall that makes it look like a home. I saw a program like this happening in Arlington, VA, and thought we could do it in Queen Anne’s County.”
The artwork, which is donated by local artists, including artists from the Kent Island Federation of Art, includes photography, watercolors, paintings, and other two-dimensional work. Stapleton adds, “What struck me after talking with several artists, is that these artists have extra artwork they are more than willing to donate to this cause.”
Several pieces of artwork are on display at Haven Ministries Resource Center and Hope Warehouse, as well as in the Queen Anne’s County Department of Housing and Community Services. Hope Warehouse will be the central location where residents can go to select artwork for their homes, but artwork will also be made available for the program at two upcoming events.
Local artist John Sharp of Centreville and friends are participating in an art exhibit to benefit Haven Ministries and highlight the Art For Your Home Program. On Saturday, October 6 from 7 to 9 p.m., Sharp will be the featured artist in the opening of the art exhibit at Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts at 206 S. Commerce Street in Centreville. The art exhibit will be open about a month.
Sharp comments, “Everyone should be able to enjoy art. That simple pleasure, perhaps evoking an emotion or a memory, should be available to all. I believe the Art For Your Home Program is a great way to afford that opportunity to folks, who, at the moment have more pressing needs. I am very appreciative to have Haven Ministries at our show and certainly hope that some of the artwork will brighten someone’s day.”
According to Michael Bell, Art Supervisor with Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, students in Queen Anne’s County will be creating artwork for the program, working with the Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts for a showing of the student-produced artwork in the spring and gaining service learning hours for their participation.
The Grand Opening of Haven Ministries Hope Warehouse will be held on October 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hope Warehouse is located behind the Queenstown Outlets at 6537 Friel’s Road in Queenstown.
For further information about the Art For Your Home Program, contact Phil Stapleton at 410-827-7232. For information about the Hope Warehouse, contact Susan Phillips at [email protected] or call 410-490-8498, or visit haven-ministries.org.
Taking Care of the Shore’s Neighbors: It Just Takes a Heart
Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries, a non-profit, faith-based organization is comprised of 14 local churches committed to making a difference, and providing hope through shelter, clothing, and food. The organization operates on the premise of showing God’s love to the poor within the community by providing essential services.
Central to the organization’s mission is its seasonal Homeless Shelter located at the Kent Island United Methodist Church in Stevensville, open October through April for residents of Queen Anne’s County. The emergency, winter homeless shelter is open to men, women, and children. Services include meals, clothing, case management services, and other life necessities. Haven Ministries served 27 guests at its designated space at Kent Island United Methodist Church at 2739 Cox Neck Road in Chester last season.
The Shelter was full or near capacity for much of the season last year and had occasion to turn away individuals due to full capacity conditions. The organization has identified the need for a more permanent affordable Housing Assistance Program and has a short-term goal to find a home or property for its Housing Assistance Program, with a longer-term goal of acquiring or purchasing a home to accommodate its guests. Krista Pettit, Executive Director of Haven Ministries comments, “The next step for many of our guests is for more long-term housing, until more permanent housing becomes available for them.”
Haven Ministries Resource Center, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. is often the first stop for those in need in Queen Anne’s County. Assistance is offered here in the way of financial counseling, job training, and wellness, as well as limited pastoral counseling and enrichment classes. The Resource Center’s classes are meeting the growing needs of the community, including everything from budget and financial workshops to empowerment workshops for recovering addicts. Financial support for these services is made possible from contributions from area churches to Haven Ministries Church Fund. According to Pettit, “There is something for everyone. We are also trying to connect with community organizations that might want to bring their clients to benefit from some of our classes, including recovery groups, social services organizations, health departments, schools and nonprofits.”
Other services offered by Haven Ministries include The Haven Ministries Food Pantries which are held on the third Friday monthly at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Stevensville and at a second location at Centreville United Methodist Church at 608 Church Hill Road in Centreville from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Pantries partner with the Maryland Food bank to provide a variety of healthy food choices every month.
Haven Ministries Our Daily Thread Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Stevensville, offering clothing and household goods at deeply discounted prices.
Haven Ministries has just opened a new warehouse, Hope Warehouse, offering used appliances, furniture and building supplies for purchase in Queenstown. The sales of items at a reduced cost to the public will support Haven Ministries other ministries in the community, including its street outreach. Hope Warehouse also provides a Retail Training Program that complements its Resource Center in Centreville, helping with job training and placement in the community for individuals trying to get back on their feet in the community. Hope Warehouse is open Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Haven Ministries utilizes over 200 volunteers working, in a variety of roles, including the Homeless Shelter, Food Pantries, Thrift Store, Warehouse, and Resource Center. Volunteers also help with Haven Ministries annual fundraisers like benefit concerts, Women’s Weekend, Tea, Girlfriend’s Weekend, Run 4 Shelter, Golf Tournament, and Wine and Windows events. Haven Ministries Volunteer Coordinator Karen Bardwell coordinates and trains the volunteers. She also works with church coordinators from participating area churches seven days a week from October through April each year to staff each day’s Homeless Shelter schedule.
Pettit concludes, “Because of the financial contribution, time commitment, and donation of goods and services by members of our community, countless men, women, and children have received shelter, connections to jobs and skills training, transportation to important appointments, clothing for family members, street outreach services, and nourishment through food and spiritual care. God has been faithful through our efforts as we now have over 100 Friends and over 60 business partners. We hope in the coming year to move our ministry forward as we diligently seek to purchase property for a housing assistance program. I am confident that HOPE will continue to prevail in our community.”
Haven Ministries Best Girlfriend’s Weekend Raises Money to Feed, Clothe, and Shelter the Homeless
When Haven Ministries imagined a weekend for women to get away with their girlfriends to do their favorite things, they never envisioned the support they would receive from community and participants in making it a memorable weekend while raising significant money to help with the issue of homelessness on the Mid Shore. Over 50 women from the Mid Shore, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, DE, and PA attended the overnight stay, while an additional 30 women opted for the daytime experience held at the Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property.
Liz Skibbie and Taryn Chase served as Co-Chairs of the event. Mia Cranford, Director of Marketing for Haven Ministries, comments, “Our event was conceived on the notion that people are tired of the same old event and woman love to get away their girlfriends. So, we took the idea of what our favorite things were about getting away with our ‘besties’ and combined them into one fun-filled weekend.”
Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property offered the ideal location for the weekend getaway offering luxurious rooms and phenomenal food, even donating breakfast and appetizers each day. Cranford adds, “Aspen Institute really catered to all our needs.”
In addition to spa treatments, participants were treated to a Chick Flick Movie Night with Pizza, a hospitality suite hosted by Island Furniture Studios, informative seminars on forgiveness and empowerment, as well as nutrition, technology, home decorating, and jewelry making, as well as awesome music and yoga. A fashion show featured clothing by Levity of Easton, Ophiuroidea “The O” of St. Michaels, and Splendid Consignment Shop of Chester. A complete makeover and reveal was provided by Salon Atelier of Chester. Levity gave each participant a necklace or bracelet and all attendees received gift bags in their rooms with goodies from Chesapeake Environmental Labs and Sullivan’s Surgery and Spa.
Cranford states, “Women came with their best friends, but the beauty was they left with so many more friends.”
Participant, Lana Dobritchanin, commented, “Even though I am in Florida next winter, I am getting my flight now because I am not going to miss next year’s weekend for anything.”
Event Co-Chair Taryn Chase adds, “The overall goal was to support Haven Ministries – which feeds, clothes, and shelters the homeless on the Mid Shore. This event proved that you can bring an awareness to the issue like homelessness in a fun way.”
Krista Pettit, Director of Haven Ministries, adds, “People don’t realize how many people are homeless and how close we are all living to being there ourselves when certain circumstances happen in our lives. We were able to talk about the issue with women to inform them about our long-range goals and encourage them to be a part of the solution for the next generation.”
Next year’s Best Girlfriend’s Weekend will be held on February 22 through 24, 2019 at Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property. There is a limit of 49 double rooms, so participants are encouraged to make their reservations early.
A number of businesses supported the event, including Diamond Level sponsors were Increte and BAAR (Bay Area Association of Realtors). Sapphire Level Sponsors were the Bay Times and Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property. Platinum Level Sponsors were Safe at Home Senior Care, Prospect Bay Country Club, Roof Center, Construction Services and Supplies, Inc., and Kate Spade. Gold Level Sponsors were Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon, Harris Crab House, Hemingways, ArtCademy, The Narrows, Riley Construction, Island Furniture Studios, The Shore Update, and Range and Reef. Silver Level Sponsors were Lundburg Builders, Salon Atelier, Maid Healthy, Holiday Inn Express, Chesapeake Hearing Centers, Miltec, Free State Insurance, McCrone, Realty Navigator, Hawk Marketing, Timeleigh Solutions, Keller Williams/[email protected], and USHealthGroup/[email protected]. Bronze Level Sponsors include Trades of Hope/Holly Gorham, Mary Kay/Corbie Haas, Edward Jones/William Caughey, Splendid Consignment Shop/Avon, Legal Shield/Joe Allegretti, Honey and Lace/Natalie’s Honey Hut, Computer Island/Lolita Watkins, Strong Mom Fitness, The Winery, Federal Resources, The Growth Coach, Shaffer Ingenuity, Island Athletics, 1st Home Mortgage, and Global Home Protection. Business partners and food vendors included Range and Beef, Smoke Rattle and Roll, Blue Heron Catering, Krave Catering, Steward Catering, The Narrows Restaurant, The Winery, Lyon’s Distillery, Capriotti’s, D’Alessio’s Pizza, Rise Up Coffee, Cori Coates, IroC Social Media.
Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a Resource Center at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with job training, educational programming, and case management services. The Haven Ministries Food Pantry is held on the third Friday monthly at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Stevensville from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Our Daily Thread Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For further information about Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-739-4363.
Back row, left to right, are Best Girlfriend’s Weekend participants Lolita Justice Walker, Colleen Thomas, Lana Dobritchanin, and Mia Cranford, Director of Marketing for Haven Ministries. Pictured front row, left to right, are Sarah Whitby, Pamela Watkins, and Bohdanna Gott. (Photo courtesy of Cindy Sigmon)
Pictured is Barbara Olivier, Yoga Instructor with Barbara Balasana Yoga. (Photo courtesy of Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon)
Pictured left to right are Mia Cranford, Director of Marketing for Haven Ministries, Michelle Maggio, Hawk Marketing; and Liz Skibbie and Taryn Chase, co-chairs for the event. (Photo courtesy of Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon)
Pictured is Corbie Haas of Mary Kay Cosmetics with Rachel Acevedo (seated). (Photo courtesy of Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon)
Susan Joy (right) and staff with Blue Heron Catering was one of the food vendors for the Best Girlfriend’s Weekend. (Photo courtesy of Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon)
