Around the City: April 2008
By Mary P. Felter
Senior Editor
The Annapolis Rotary Club recently bestowed the title of Paul Harris Fellow, its highest honor, for the second time on member
Nancy Almgren for her leadership. Nancy has headed a variety of projects for the Rotary, including the famous annual crab feast, and personally has raised $23,000 for the group. The honor comes with a $1,000 award that goes to Rotary International Foundation. Her hard-working spouse, non-member
Ken Almgren, also garnered recognition, as he often volunteers at the beverage table at various Rotary functions. So his gift was a silver cocktail shaker!
Proud dad and club President
Bill Davis reported that his son
James, 11, made it all the way up to state level in the Veterans of Foreign Wars contest, having won the local, regional and district levels. James spoke on “Why I Am A Patriot” and landed in the top 13 in the state at the competition held at a VFW post in Baltimore County. A Second Class Boy Scout with Troop 804 at Baldwin Hall, he’s about to become a First Class Scout and is on the “Trail to Eagle” ranking, said mom
Renata Davis.
Bill also reported that their son
Kyle, 18, is about to enjoy the spa resort (!) at Parris Island this summer with the Marines and then will be in the Reserves while attending college. (Renata said that Bill’s family used to own Parris Island...but it won’t be the same, I’m sure.) Daughter
Morgan, a voice major, graduates from Elon this spring, and son
Andrew, nine, is a fourth grader.
As many of you know, my heart is in the arts in Annapolis as I deeply believe art contributes much to our community, and is vital to youth development. Locals who feel the same way about live theater have formed the Bay Theatre Beacons to support the city’s first equity theater in its efforts to find a secure, artistically suitable home for its future growth. Recently the Beacons hosted a “Come to the Cabaret” at the Westin to benefit the New Space Fund with Broadway actors
Anthony Holds and
Kate Baldwin entertaining.
Eleanor Merrill was the honorary chairman.
Beacons include
Kathy Allan, Barbara Dwyer Brown, Tony Bur, Lorraine Carren, Liddy Chaney, Tara Clifford, Edith Edson, Patricia Edwards, Anna E. Greenberg, Joanna Hanes-Lahr, Tricia Herban, Barbara Hirsch, and
Joan Kehler.
Also members are
Elizabeth Kinney, Marge Margulies, Lynn McReynolds, Claudia Pardo, Thea Pinskey, Martha Schwieters, Heidi Shattuck, Thora Strobel, Veronica Tovey (What’s Up? publisher),
Joan Vinson, Vicki Wallace, and
Jennifer Young.
In addition, the Bay Theatre Company will be raising money and celebrating the summer solstice on June 21 with a fancy to-do at O’Callaghan Annapolis Hotel, with heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and entertainment.
Lucinda Merry-Browne, artistic and managing director, says you’ll see a brief performance of part of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Tickets are $75 and can be ordered by calling the theatre at (410) 268-1333. Co-chairmen are
Becky Quattlebaum and
Pam Luby.
Another June 21 celebration will be the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Bands in the Sand party at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Ave. Planning the festivities are co-chairmen
Dick Franyo of Boatyard Bar and Grill and
Lisa Kahan, Nancy Lowell, Lisa Wood, David Houck, and
Gina Baldwin, with help from CBF’s
Tracy Devine, manager of events and promotions. You can enjoy an evening of great company, with cool drinks, tasty grilled food, hot bands (Anthem and Misspent Youth), and a live art auction. Tickets at $100 can be ordered online at
www.cbf.org or by calling (410) 268-8816.
The Annapolis Chorale’s Music Director
J. Ernest “Ernie” Green appeared with Metropolitan Opera star
Denyce Graves when he conducted the nation’s official observance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday in a standing-room-only mega-concert at the Kennedy Center. Also performing were members of the National Symphony Orchestra, the red-hot string duo Nuttin but Stringz and a 150-voice gospel choir. Sounds like it was a massive success.
I hope everyone is getting copies of “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald for the Big Read in Annapolis and will think about attending the Read-A-Thon at 1 p.m. April 5 at Barnes and Noble at Annapolis Harbour Center. It includes a review of the text at the end of each session. For more information on this free event, call (410) 263-7996.
Related to reading, the newly forming “To-Be-Named” Book Club meets April 1 at the Banneker-Douglass Museum at 84 Franklin St. The club is devoted to African American authors and issues. Meeting frequency and the club’s name are to be determined by the members. Call
Joni Jones, librarian and archivist, at (410) 216-6187 for details.
Planning an event for the summer or fall? Heard a good story about a friend? E-mail your news to Mary P. Felter, Senior Editor, at mfelter@whatsupmag.com, or mail her at What’s Up? Publishing Group, 929 West St., Suite 208A, Annapolis, MD 21401 or call (410) 267-9390, Ext. 128.