September 2025

 

Community Connections

We are so grateful to Shootout for Soldiers for selecting The Baltimore Station as one of the beneficiaries of this year’s event! What began more than a decade ago as a grassroots effort to bring people together through lacrosse, has grown into a powerful nationwide movement. Each year, Shootout for Soldiers rallies players, families, and fans around the simple idea that a game can make a real difference for our nation’s veterans.


The 2025 Shootout for Soldiers Maryland was a three-day celebration of competition and community at USA Lacrosse, featuring teams from across the state. Highlights included spirited matchups like the Towson Men’s Team, the crowd-favorite Veterans Game, and even a lighthearted Parent vs. Kids opener featuring Catonsville players giving it their all. Every moment of the event reminded us of the joy of the game, and the greater purpose behind it.


We were honored to stand alongside community partners from Fidos For Freedom as this year’s co-beneficiaries. Thanks to the dedication of the organizers, players, sponsors, and fans, the event raised an incredible $118,000 in support of veterans while shining a spotlight on both of our organizations.


To everyone who played, cheered, sponsored, or supported—thank you. Your efforts show the strength of Maryland’s community and the commitment we share to supporting those who served. If you weren’t able to attend, be sure to check out the action and excitement on Shootout for Soldiers’ social media channels.

 

National Recovery Month

 

National Recovery Month is observed every year in September as an opportunity to educate people about the struggles faced by those in recovery as well as a time to celebrate the accomplishments earned by those working to overcome addiction. First recognized in 1989, this yearly observance encourages further research into best practices to help those in recovery and reminds those suffering that there is hope for a brighter future. However, the work for those struggling with addiction didn’t start there.


  • As far back as the 1750s, “sobriety circles” provided different healing practices to those battling alcoholism. 
    
  • In the 1850s, lodging homes were created as a safe space for those looking to detox, remove themselves from social pressures of drinking, and be a part of a sober living community. 
    
  • Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was formed in 1935 and just four years later, the famous blue book “Alcoholics Anonymous” was published. 
    
  • In 1953, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) was founded as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." 


We continue to see expansion of resources, aid, and education surrounding addiction. If you are looking for resources to help with addiction, please check out our website resource list.

 

Sailing the Seas

Our clients enjoyed an unforgettable day of sailing last month thanks to the Living Classrooms Foundation. More than a dozen veterans and staff members climbed aboard Sigsbee, a 47’ skipjack built in 1901, for five hours of hands-on sailing and fishing on the Patapsco River.


Our seafaring clients braved some early rain showers and were rewarded with fair winds and an unseasonably mild August afternoon. With the help of Captain Jason and his three Living Classrooms crewmembers, the men learned how to raise the sails and cast fishing nets, and even hauled in a catch of 10 blue crabs. They sailed out past Fort McHenry and the remains of the Key Bridge to Fort Carroll, then to the Dundalk marina where they learned about the different types of ships and activity along the port.


“I’m so glad I did this – this was a really fun trip,” said a client named Ronald. “I wasn’t sure about coming, but I thought to myself ‘You’ve never been sailing before’ and gave it a shot.”


The maritime adventure was a perfect encapsulation of one of The Baltimore Station’s core principles: helping our clients see the world through a different lens. The chance to leave their challenges behind and enjoy a day out on the water together was a well-deserved reward for the hard work they've put in, and an added incentive to continue their pursuit of a sustainable future full of great, new experiences.


“When you do something you’ve never done before, it gives you strength and confidence to try more things and do the right stuff,” said a client named Raphael.


Thank you so much to the Living Classrooms Foundation for this incredible opportunity. We are so grateful for their willingness to share their resources and expertise in support of our veterans. For most of our clients, it was their first introduction to sailing, and it couldn't have been better. For others who grew up by the water, it was their first opportunity in many years to return to an activity they love. For all of them, it was a day they'll never forget.

 

Welcome Back to School

As students go back to school and parents get back into the drop-off and pick-up routine, we look forward to welcoming back our junior volunteers as they work towards class volunteer projects, team service outings and collecting service-learning hours. Although we certainly stayed busy this summer with new volunteers, returning groups, and community outings, we always miss the unique energy brought by students who are so excited to give back through volunteering.


We have already started hearing from some of our school supporters like Johns Hopkins with resident students teaching health literacy and we just had students return from UMBC for their first week of blood pressure screenings with the men. We also look forward to seeing Loyola Blakefield back at the end of the month to kick off another great year of serving dinners at The Baltimore Station plus some high school individuals working with the kitchen to drop off frozen meals for easy dinners on nights our kitchen staff needs a break.

 

As we enjoy welcoming back schools we have worked with for years, we also look forward to some new partnerships with schools who are looking for their opportunity to support veterans directly! New partners, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), has started working with us to send two (2) students for the 25-26 school year through their Community Arts and Service program. We have welcomed back our favorite art teacher, Grey, to teach more lessons in using the creative process as a reprieve from the stress of the day. We also welcomed a new face, Noah, to help with art entrepreneurship and some beautification projects around the building to highlight the veterans, volunteers, and supporters who have come through our doors over the years. The Baltimore Station is so excited to open this new chapter of community support and we look forward to continuing to build up our veteran community with the help of those just around the block!


If you are looking for a way to bring the value of service to your students, please reach out to volunteer coordinator, Pete Crispino, at pcrispino@baltimroestation.org to get information on volunteering with The Baltimore Station!

 

What's Coming Up

 
 

Monthly Giving Program

 
 
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