Anyone who knows Marian House knows that we celebrate as many holidays as possible.

Why? Because there is a lot to be thankful for, because it’s important to infuse hard work with a bit of fun, and because we like providing the practice of sober festivities! In an extraordinary year such a this, it has undoubtedly affected our ability to gather and party in our usual ways. Nevertheless, the Marian House community rose to the occasion, celebrating the fall and winter holidays in smaller and safer ways.

Halloween brought us pumpkin carving and a movie night for Marian House I. With the help of some new volunteers, the Marian House families celebrated with outdoor Zumba, treat bags and socially distant activities for the kids.

Our Thanksgiving dinner, usually celebrated with dozens of staff and volunteers, was a much smaller event this year. We are grateful to many of you who provided gift cards, meal supplies and yummy treats to help the ladies cook in their respective homes, buildings and programs.

Christmas in a pandemic also brought new challenges. Many of our circle of faith and corporate partners were unable to assist us in the same ways this year because remote work and worship do not provide the same ease for managing a giving tree or gift drive. Despite these challenges, we were blessed by many new donors and returning elves to help us shop from holiday wish lists for all the women and children of Marian House. Many of you chose to shop safely online and ship direct to us, all the while helping us receive some extra financial support through the Amazon Smile Foundation (where you can select Marian House to receive a percentage of your purchases on Amazon).

Despite fewer and smaller celebrations, we still had the kind of observances that fed our souls. With your help, Marian House was able to provide gifts for over 140 women and their families. The staff and ladies were overwhelmed by your generosity and the way the larger community surrounded us with love and support. Thank you for sharing your blessings with Marian House this season and always!

How do you cure cabin fever in the middle of a pandemic? You go camping of course!!!

When residents were asked to make a list of activities they were interested in doing, one item immediately jumped out to Marian House Executive Director, Katie Allston. Many of the residents wanted to go camping.

Katie is an avid camper as well as a Girl Scout troop leader and agreed to take a small group of residents on an overnight camping trip in early October. Equipped with tents, sleeping bags, and plenty of food, a group of 10 took the Marian House bus to Patapsco State Park in Baltimore County.

Once they arrived at the State Park and set-up their camp, they took a long hike, accompanied by Katie’s dog Piper. Most of the women had never been camping before and some had hesitations and fears about wildlife that they might encounter. Once they pitched their tents and started a campfire, they felt more at ease. Some residents and staff did not spend the night but participated in the hike and campfire before heading back to Marian House. This could become an annual excursion!

 

 

 

 

Nothing Trivial About It!

We are thankful to board member Karen Albert for bringing us an idea for a new, pandemic friendly fundraiser this summer. When she said “Let’s do a Trivia Night Fundraiser!”, we jumped on it.

Taking place on Monday, August 31, over 100 people gathered in teams of eight players on Zoom and competed to earn points and bragging rights as winners. Hosted by Walsh Trivia, teams played 4 rounds of 4 games each, earning points along the way.

Congratulations to The Smith Family Scholars for pulling out a last minute win. Although they were not in first place for the final question, they made a creative wager and with the correct answer, won the event!

We had such a good time that we have decided to schedule another Trivia Night on January 20th.

Stay tuned for details.