A Fun Fall Lies Ahead For SPAN

Posted Wednesday, September 3, 2025 1:14 pm

Silent Auction Items

SPAN’s silent auction is ongoing now through September 20. Here are some of the items:

•A week at a condo in Ocean City

•Tickets to University of Maryland vs. University of Michigan football game

•Autographed and fan items from the local sports teams

•Restaurant, theater, symphony and other gift cards

•Artwork

The online auction will end on September 20 at SPAN’s Broadway Songfest concert. The auction is available to all, whether or not you can attend the concert.

More details for the auction:

www.32auctions.com/SPANauction2025

Concert tickets:

www.spanhelps.org/broadway_songfest

By Michele Sabean | Director of Development, SPAN Inc.

It’s that time of year — back to school, pumpkin spice and some of SPAN’s fun yearly traditions. Heading into the fall, SPAN has three big events coming up: our Broadway Songfest and online silent auction, Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot, and Holiday Caring program.

For the fifth year, Severna Park native Laurette Hankins and Anita O’Connor are donating their time and awesome talent to perform a concert to benefit SPAN. The performance has repeatedly received rave reviews from everyone in the audience — an hour of terrific Broadway songs and laughter with fun trivia and backstage scoops about the various Broadway shows and movie musicals.

St Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church will host the event on Saturday, September 20, at 5:00pm. Local businesses have been tremendously generous, and the online silent auction is available to all, whether attending the concert or not, in the weeks leading up to the concert. Find more information on our website and social media.

You can also join us for the 13th Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot 5K race and 1-mile fun walk on Saturday, November 1. It is held at Kinder Farm Park and is a fun community tradition. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, especially our three platinum sponsors who are consistent supporters of SPAN: Landmark Roofing, Severna Park Automotive and Edward Jones — Alexis Lecouras. Register for the Turkey Trot on the calendar event page found at www.spanhelps.org/events.

Our third event helps to ensure every child can experience the joy and wonder of Christmas. Our Holiday Caring program matches families in need in the local area with sponsors who provide Christmas gifts and sometimes holiday meals as well. These gifts mean so much to the families who receive them.

Last year, one mother came to SPAN seeking help with her BGE bill. When we informed her that we could provide Christmas gifts as well, she said, “I have nothing to give my kids for Christmas but the dust under my feet. I was hoping just to keep the power on for Christmas!” Look for information coming soon to participate in this wonderful expression of love and generosity.

As we head into fall, we are especially thankful for all the community members who generously helped keep our pantry shelves full during the slowest time of year for donations. SPAN is blessed with several very generous donors who ask what we need and make large shopping trips. They are joined by the many others in this community who immediately stepped up when they heard our shelves were empty. I am always impressed how the individual bags of food dropped off add up and help so many in need.

Thank you to the youth from Baldwin Memorial United Methodist, Asbury United Methodist, Our Shepherd Lutheran and Woods Memorial Presbyterian churches’ Vacation Bible Schools. Visits with and contributions from the Vacation Bible Schools are always highlights of our summer.

The Severna Park Elks are wonderful and consistent supporters of SPAN; lately they contributed food from their Christmas in July event and wrote a grant that is helping us give fresh food to our clients. The Pondview community continued their great tradition of putting together birthday bags for our clients! Thank you to the Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club members for the donation of diapers and to Heartlands Assisted Living for the food.

We are thankful to the many individuals, groups and businesses who help SPAN help our neighbors in need! With SPAN’s events, there are lots of opportunities to join us in helping others this season. Together we have fun and accomplish so much.

SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods) is an independent nonprofit food pantry and emergency services provider that has been helping local families with eviction prevention, utility turnoffs, medical/prescription bills, and food since 1990. SPAN serves 15 zip codes in Anne Arundel County. SPAN is located behind Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at 400 Benfield Road in Severna Park. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00am-1:30pm. For more information, call 410-647-0889, email spanhelps@yahoo.com or visit www.spanhelps.org. Financial donations may be made through the website. Food donations may be dropped off 24/7 using the storage bin behind SPAN’s building or at the Severna Park Library and Severna Park Community Center. Please “like” SPAN on Facebook!