Olde Mill: Ravens Roost 101: Purple pride gets personal
By SHEILA FARMER, For The Maryland Gazette
Published 10/03/09

It's not all about being wacko for Flacco or having dark thoughts about the Steelers when local Ravens Roost 101 meets at Ellie's Place in Millersville. In the tradition of many roosts that have popped up in the 13-year history of the team, they channel their enthusiasm to help their community.
"Our mission is about people helping people," said Steve Ritchie, president of Roost 101. The group is becoming a large source of community support to those in need.
Ritchie said Ravens Roost 101 is a "very tight group" and "really very blessed" to have the opportunity help those who are less fortunate. He explained that the roost is required to work with charitable organizations, but his group agreed to focus on a more localized task.
"We rally together to support the Ravens and to have fun, but we know that there are a lot of people in need," said Ritchie.
Roost members have contributed over $4,800 in the last 10 months to different charities according to Ritchie. He said the biggest charity is the Polar Plunge, but they are trying to channel most of their work toward smaller personal charities to help someone who may be overlooked by a bigger charitable organization. Ritchie said sometimes people don't know where to turn for help or may be caught in the red tape of a larger charity that could provide help.
"Those are the people that we like to find and assist. Those who have no other resource," said Ritchie.
As the roost searched for ways to impact and support a local charity this summer, they held a poker run fundraiser for Olivia Calvert, a 4-year-old girl with spinal muscular atrophy and raised $1,800 for her and her family's medical expenses.
Continuing in their effort, roost members contacted all the local schools this summer offering their commitment to help community members in need and local charities.
Three days before school began Old Mill High School Principal Sheila Hill called to inform the group she would like to take them up on their offer of support.
One of the school's goals is to work to support and connect with the community. Hill explained that there are many situations where the staff participates to support families within the school and among the community. Some community support cases involve individual acts of service like that of a teacher realizing the need of a student and taking personal funds to assist the family with shopping efforts. Others involve other community organizations, such as the back-to-school book bag and school supplies drive that was held in conjunction with Full Gospel Emancipation Life Center in Odenton.
So, when Cheryl Shauck, an Anne Arundel County Public Schools pupil personnel worker, returned from a home visit with a grandmother singly caring for her grandchild living in a bare apartment with many unfilled needs, Hill put roost members in touch with Shauck. Operation Help Grandma was launched.
Roost members Tim and Beth Thorpe organized an Operation Help Grandma fundraiser, which was held at Ellie's Place. The mission drew volunteers who helped in a combined effort to raise funds. Two local bands, Mingus and the Apostles and First of May donated their time and talent, performing during the fundraiser event. DJ Mike Babinec offered his services for the evening at no cost. Heidler Plumbing kicked off the donation jar with a generous donation and others joined in the collection. The evening grossed $500 in which the group purchased a Visa card for the family to use at their discretion.
Learning that the family's only source of furniture was a few mattresses for a bed, the school and the roost began to gather furniture to fill the home. Items were collected and stored in Ritchie's home until the move day. Ritchie shared that the school staff "totally stepped up to the plate to assist" with the entire project.
Andy Moede, business manager at Old Mill High School, became the coordinator to gather donations from the school and volunteers to assist with the move.
Patriot Electric Inc. provided a moving truck that roost member Chuck Lewis drove to pick up and deliver furniture to the grandmother's home. Twenty volunteers showed up early one morning to deliver and arrange the furniture.
"It was a total community effort. The staff at OMHS, the roost and private companies making donations which enabled Operation Help Grandma be the success it was," said Ritchie.
Hill said she and her staff were thrilled to work with the roost members and it showed just one way of "how united forces contribute" to providing support to meet a need in the community.
"We hope to continue to work with the community and to provide our energy for other causes as well. Together, we can make a difference," said Hill.
"This was truly an effort of the school working hand in hand with a local organization to help out. We are looking forward to continuing to work with them," said Ritchie.
The roost is already preparing for its next community outreach project - helping a teenager whose only mobility is a wheelchair but whose home lacks a ramp. The roost has planned a bull and oyster roast from 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 24 at the Stoney Creek Democratic Club, 8123 Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena.
Tickets are $35 in advance and are available by contacting Vicki White at 410-925-4091 or vvwhite@comcast.net.
Those interested in becoming a roost member are invited to attend any meeting at 7:30 p.m. on third Wednesday of the month at Ellie's Place, 8421 Veterans Highway.
For details, call Ritchie at 443-995-7866.