The Driver – Volunteer Newsletter April 2023

by neighborride | Apr 3, 2023 | Volunteer Newsletters

IN APRIL WE HONOR OUR VOLUNTEERS

Lots of exciting things will be happening!! Rather then our traditional gathering, we’ve decided to shake things up this year and we are so looking forward to appreciating all that you do with a variety of unique events!

You might be spotted by a roving team of enthusiastic folks who will be out and about looking for and delivering prizes to volunteers who are on the road in cars displaying Neighbor Ride magnets.
You might be rewarded for being an Early Bird, Night Owl or Long-Distance driver.
You are invited to a special Event to Celebrate YOU!

Thursday, May 11th (1pm-3pm)

Kittamaquandi Community Church Parking Lot

5410 Leaf Treader Way, Columbia, MD 21045

Stop by and pick up your years of service pin, enjoy some ice cream from the yummy Quinn Ice truck, and meet and mingle with other volunteers.

A Special Thanks to our Volunteer Program sponsor, BWFA!

OUR BIGGEST FUNDRAISING EVENT OF THE YEAR!

Date: Saturday, April 22nd

Time: Doors open at 6pm / Games begin at 7pm

Venue: FOP Lodge 69 (2832 Nine Mile Cir, Catonsville)

Tickets: $25 (for 20 games)Purchase BINGO Tickets

Tino’s Italian Bistro will once again offer a variety of delicious dinner items for purchase at the event. Drinks and baked goods will also be sold.

ADDITIONAL WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR FUNDRAISER

Donate a Basket or Gift Card: We could still use additional baskets and/or fillers. Please contact Colleen at ckonstanzer@neighborride.org if you or your business/employer would like to contribute.

Donate Wine or Spirits for Our Basket of Cheer: Our Barrel of Cheer is currently looking a bit more like a sad bucket of booze. If you have spare, unopened bottles that you would like to donate, please drop them off at the Neighbor Ride office or contact Colleen at ckonstanzer@neighborride.org to arrange a pick-up.

Be a BINGO Volunteer: Sign-up to have a blast while lending a hand at the event. High schoolers looking for service hours are welcome! Sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4AADA92EA64-neighbor1.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Commercial Insurance Managers

Howard County Office on Aging & Independence

Junkluggers of Baltimore

Lorien Harmony Hall

Residences at Vantage Point

Capital City Nurses

The Columbia Orchestra

Jo Rickard with Compass Realty

Home Instead Senior Care

Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel

Moyer and Sons Moving and Storage

Peace of Mind Solutions

Winter Growth Memory Care & Adult Day Program

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND UPCOMING MEETING DATES

May 2
June 6

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Cheers to Neighbor Ride’s Team Shuck Up & Drive – the Top Shuckers and Spirit Award Winners in the 2023 Rotary Club of Columbia/Patuxent’s Oyster Shuck for Charity! Our outstanding team of volunteer Driver, Charlie Riesz, and Program Manager, Andrew Burkowske, blew the competition away. Shout out also to Hudson Coastal – the fabulous event hosts, and to everyone who came out to support all of the featured charities, including Blossoms of Hope, Respite Retreats, Just Living Advocacy, and our longtime partner, the Community Action Council of Howard County. It was a truly shuck-sessful event and we are grateful to be a part of the shuckin’ best community ever! Thank you the Board Members, and Volunteers who attended or donated to this event!!

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER, THE COLUMBIA ORCHESTRA, FOR THIS SEASON’S FABULOUS PERFORMANCES!

April 15, 2023 – Peter and the Wolf
May 20, 2023, 7:30 pm – Rhapsody in Blue

Details & Tickets

BIG REWARDS FOR CAR DONATIONS

Neighbor Ride is thrilled to report that two Car Donations were received in March 2023 – raising over $4,000. Remember it is free and easy to get ride of that unwanted vehicle!!

OBITUARIES

Our Heartfelt Condolences to the families of:

Passenger – Nancy Dawes
Passenger – Judy Dohner
Passenger – Mahini Mathur
Passenger – Jay Land

Neighbor Ride also lost two wonderful volunteers this month:

Dave Cramer – Dave was a current driver who joined our volunteer team in 2019. He averaged over 120 rides per year – often taking the long distance rides to Baltimore and Silver Spring. He will be sorely missed by all! Our condolences to his wife, Harriet, who is also a volunteer driver.

Susan Buswell – Sue was one of Neighbor Ride’s original volunteers and drove consistently for almost 15 years before retiring. We are so grateful for her longtime support of Neighbor Ride and the older adults we serve.