October 2025

A Trip to Camp Puh'tok

With the fall weather just starting to settle in and the leaves on the trees beginning to change, we thought this would be the perfect time to get out of the city and into the woods for our annual Camp Puh‘tok trip in Monkton, MD! We packed our bags, loaded the bus, and escaped the business of the city to slow down in the natural landscape of northern Maryland, giving everyone the chance to reset and recharge as we move into the next season. 

This year’s trip started with an exploration visit to Wellspring of Life Farm where the men got to meet horses big and small, goats, and even a few chickens. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving overall wellness to those experiencing emotional, cognitive and physical challenges through equine (horse), canine (dog) and caprine (goat) therapeutic activities. They work especially well with active-duty military and veterans making them an exceptional program for our men to experience this type of therapy. 

After our trip to the farm, we continued on to Camp Puh‘tok where the men spent three days and two nights surrounded by nature as they stoked fires, cook together, played games, sang karaoke, made smores and so much more. We were even able to take some of our regular therapeutic groups like drumming on the road to test out in this new environment. One client who was apprehensive to go, nervous about being in such an unfamiliar setting commented afterwards, “I am so glad I ended up going on this trip. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone but I needed that. I needed to see being a little uncomfortable can actually lead to having a lot of fun.” 

We are so proud of the staff at The Baltimore Station for working tirelessly to ensure the men had a positive experience as well as those at Camp Puh'tok for welcoming our group each year. A huge thank you to Crosby Marketing for their generous support in donating the funds for this year’s trip and The American Legion for helping us secure transportation there! We also want to thank Church of the Nativity for sending volunteers and Our Joyful Noise Baltimore for bringing performers, Dan and Claudia Zanes, for a fireside sing-along. We could not make the difference we do without the support of our exceptional community partners!

Volunteer Spotlight

On Saturday nights, clients at The Baltimore Station know that when they see Bryan and Sue Pugh, Kentucky’s finest with Colonel Sanders, can’t be far behind. Twice a month, the Pugh’s lead a group of volunteers serving up tray after tray of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and biscuits from Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on behalf of the Church of the Nativity in Timonium. 

For over a decade, the Pughs have led Church of the Nativity’s many volunteer meals, feeding the clients of The Baltimore Station and rallying volunteers to support veterans in recovery. 

“These are men who have served their country, who have hit hard times, and who have made a courageous decision to either get off the street or get out of prison or get out of addiction and walk through the doors of Baltimore Station,” Bryan Pugh explained. “We want to honor and respect that choice to change their lives, and we want to let them know that the community is supportive of that – that there are people outside of those doors who are praying for them and pulling for them.”

The Pughs first started volunteering when their four children were little. Sharing laughs and breaking bread with people of different backgrounds, generations, and circumstances helped to demonstrate the value every individual holds.  

“We all came back with a very powerful recognition that even though people look different and sound different, we're all human beings and we all have something to give. We all like good jokes and we all like good meals, and we all can be grateful for those things together,” said Pugh. “We've all got struggles to live through, and we all have something to offer one another. That's really what kind of continued to draw us back.”

Pugh and several Church of the Nativity volunteers also lead a Friday-morning “spiritual vitamins” group aimed at giving clients the tools and inspiration they need to continue their recovery. For Pugh, a lawyer by trade who has led a brain-injury nonprofit for the past 14 years, the cause is vital. Traumatic brain injuries were the signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and far more veterans have lost their lives to suicide than combat in recent decades.

“We can’t offset all their challenges, but it’s more important than ever to rise to the occasion and try to uplift these people who are choosing life and choosing the daily struggle of recovery. It makes their choice even more courageous given the number of people that are succumbing to some of the awful challenges they’re facing.” 

As the Pughs and the many Church of the Nativity volunteers can attest, the inspiration works both ways. “You come away with an amazing sense of having met people of courage and people with inspiring stories of perseverance despite all of the different hardships and the challenges. Sometimes you come away even more uplifted than those you wanted to uplift,” Pugh said.

“You go in thinking you're going to be helping others, and you quickly realize you're helping yourself.”

If you’re interested in getting involved in our mission, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Pete Crispino at pcrispino@baltimorestation.org or 410-752-4454 ext 113.

Congratulations to Kim Callari!

We are honored to congratulate our Executive Director, Kim Callari, on being recognized by The Daily Record as a Most Admired CEO for 2025 in the Non-Profit category. This prestigious award is well deserved as Ms. Callari has held a place in leadership at The Baltimore Station for over 14 years and has used her expertise, passion, and talents as Executive Director for the past two years. 

Most Admired CEOs honors talented business CEOs, higher education leaders and nonprofit executive directors throughout Maryland whose leadership and vision are admired by those around them. A panel of judges selects these winners based on professional accomplishments, community service and the letters of reference submitted by co-workers, board members and community leaders showing the CEOs’ leadership and vision.

Some comments about Kim Callari’s leadership at The Baltimore Station include:


• “She [Kim Callari] leads with intention and care, helping each of us grow in our roles by recognizing our individual strengths and encouraging professional development.”
  
• “Beyond her professional capabilities, Kim fosters a culture of respect, inclusion, and collaboration. She is the kind of leader who leads by example, always placing the needs of the team and community first. Her influence has been instrumental in shaping the supportive, mission-driven environment we are proud of at The Baltimore Station.”
  
• “Kim's dedication, resilience, and leadership are unmatched, and I am confident she will continue to make a lasting and meaningful impact in the lives of so many Veterans.”
  
• “She [Kim Callari] doesn’t lead for credit, she leads for impact and because she believes in the people around her.”

Congratulations again to Kim Callari for being honored by The Daily Record and continuing to exemplify all the characteristics of a Most Admired CEO!

What's Coming Up

Our team at The Baltimore Station has been working on something special to show our community the work we do and the men we support. So keep an eye on our socials in the coming weeks to see the debut of our new video coming this Veterans Day!

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