Station Stories: October 2023

October 2023

Home Depot Day of Service

It is a truly special day when we are able to collaborate with more than 100 volunteers to make Baltimore a better community to be a part of! On October 5, Home Depot hosted a massive day of service welcoming volunteers of all skill levels from stores throughout the region to come out and support our South Baltimore community. This project is part of The Home Depot’s annual veteran service campaign to improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. Volunteers were split into groups focusing on park cleanup, service projects at Baltimore ToolBank and various construction and paint projects at The Baltimore Station.

We started the day off circling up to chat about the impact their work would have on this community. Then after some full body stretching, the volunteers were off! Each location was led by a Home Depot team captain as well as a representative from the organization they were supporting. It can be a bit of a challenge coordinating so many volunteers, but thanks to all the work done by our Home Depot project leads ahead of time, we were able to keep all hands busy, including a few Baltimore Station clients who chose to join in on giving back! The Home Depot provided a picnic pizza party for lunch, bringing everyone together for a meal before putting final touches on their projects.

The Baltimore Station now has new blinds, two high efficiency washers, a freshly painted tv room, and updated spaces all throughout the facility thanks to the dedication and hard work of Home Depot and their volunteers. We thank you!

A Few Days in Nature

Our highly anticipated yearly excursion to Camp Puh 'tok is a Station favorite as it gives everyone the opportunity to get out of the city and immerse themselves in an environment of peace and tranquility. We packed into the bus and headed north for a few days full of outdoor fun and nature-based therapy.

We had horseback riding, archery, nature meditation and even a tent building competition! With the diverse group of residents we care for, it is always our goal to offer a variety of different life skills, relaxation activities, and therapeutic lessons to meet everyone's needs. Although it takes weeks of planning to pull off, it is always worth seeing veterans try different things, sometimes for the first time, building confidence and having fun. The men even took over the kitchen and did all the meal planning and cooking, with some help from the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) for our final night’s dinner. Dan and Claudia Zanes, from Our Joyful Noise Baltimore, joined us for the third year in a row to sing songs around the campfire as staff and clients toasted marshmallows under the stars.

Operating our therapeutic programming can be especially difficult as we navigate mobility challenges for some of our residents. The extra planning really paid off this year as we had all levels of abilities helping in the kitchen, riding horses and living in cabins. As our assistant clinical director, Paul Martin, said “The secret to success for those we serve is to give them less of us and more of them.” We must find special opportunities for growth in each and every therapeutic and life activity. It is through opportunity that we see hope grow."

A huge thank you to all the staff at The Baltimore Station for putting in the extra work and flexibility to make this all possible as well as those at Camp Puh 'tok for welcoming our group each year. A very special thank you to RCM&D for donating the funds to make this trip possible. We could not make the difference we do, without the support of our community!

Emotional Wellness Month

"Mental health…is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going." Noam Shpancer, PhD

October is Emotional Wellness Month, so we are here to remind you to take some time for you and focus on your emotional wellbeing. With all the chaos your busy life can bring and the constant pressure to keep up with everything around you, it can be easy to lose track of yourself and fall into an emotional health rut. Emotional Wellness Month reminds us to disconnect and take time for mindfulness. When we create a healthy mind, we are rewarded with positive connections and a greater ability to conquer our goals.

What are some ways to focus on emotional wellness? One way is through self-care! We have all seen those videos on social media about silly little activities like a trip to our favorite coffee shop or an hour at the gym being “self-care” but what really differentiates a fun activity from being true self-care? Self-care should accomplish two things; it should be an intentional activity, and make some level of difference in your physical, mental, or emotional well-being. When trying to better your mental health, go into it with intention and the hope of feeling even a little better in the end. So, if taking a mental health walk at work makes you feel more focused, do that. If painting outside after a hard day helps you connect with your family easier, do that. There is not one best way to practice emotional health and self-care, as long as you consistently make time for your brain to cool down, you are on the right track!

Which mindfulness activity are you going to try this month?

Some deep breathing exercises before you start your day

A mid-day walk around the block

Dance break before dinner dishes

Meditation before bed

Shoutout to Our Network of Supporters

We want to thank those who have donated winter supplies, like blankets and coats, the past few months so we could ensure our men are warm this winter. Our Lady of the Chesapeake held their annual donation drive and collected plenty of full-size blankets and jackets to ensure we have everything we need before the temperatures drop. We also received a donation of patterned fleece blankets from Church of God & Saints of Christ as a part of their Global Day of Service. One of our neighbors with Lutheran World Relief donated 70 hand-stitched quilts from women who have been sewing for months to provide warmth to those around the world.

Finally, a shout out to BWI Business Partnership Group and Mojo for choosing The Baltimore Station to receive coat donations at their annual networking event. This allowed us the opportunity to speak with Baltimore professionals about our mission and we also received enough winter coats to ensure that every client has a coat of their own for the cold days ahead.

A huge thank you to all those who have donated to The Baltimore Station. Without your support we could not do the work we do in helping homeless veterans. If you have a gently used/new heavy winter coat you are looking to donate or you are interested in doing your own company donation drive, please reach out to Lilly Frazier, lfrazier@baltimorestation.org, for details on when we can take donations and what we are accepting.

What's Coming Up?

Stars, Stripes & Chow Chili Cookoff

DATE: Saturday, November 4 | 1:00-4:30pm

LOCATION: Oriole Park Camden Yards

9th annual chili cook-off fundraiser supporting homeless veterans in our programs. Teams compete for People's Choice, Judge's Choice & Best Theme. Food, fun, and secure parking for all ages are included!

Music Healing Heroes Veterans Benefit Concert

DATE: Saturday, November 11 | 7:00-11:30pm

LOCATION: Goucher College Kraushaar Auditorium

1021 Dulaney Valley Rd | Towson, MD 21204

Music Healing Heroes, a non-profit organization supporting our Veterans, is proud to present the 6th Annual Veterans Benefit Concert 2023!

This year we are bringing to the stage some of Maryland's very best local musicians to perform four decades of tunes from the 60's thru the 90's. Making Waves will be opening the evening followed by Midnite Run. Rounding out this exciting night will be a special performance by Technicolor Motor Home. Support veterans and buy tickets here!