“Paint Down Main” Quick Draw Event, Historic Ellicott City

On July 9, 2016, talented (& calm) artists created artwork that they painted in historic downtown Ellicott City during a TWO hour period.  “Paint Down Main”, Quick Draw competition was held on a hot, but beautiful, Saturday morning and it was an AMAZING event to watch! “Paint Down Main” Quick Draw event is within the Paint It! Ellicott City Plein Air Event. How awesome for spectators to witness a piece of art created and completed in such a short amount of time!

The sponsors of this creative and challenging event were Mat About You Custom Framing & Gallery, Ellicott City Partnership (ECP), Howard County Arts Council, Howard County Tourism.

At noon, the blow of the horn sounded, signaling the finish time, painters gathered at the Howard County Tourism lot, displayed their artwork and waited patiently 🙂 while the jurors judged their art. Judges Steve Stannard of Steve Stannard’s Salient Group,  Char Randolph of ClayGround and Sara Arditti, of Still Life Fine Art Gallery, chose winners in the competition for cash prizes. Patrons could then purchase their favorite painting directly off the easel or visit the Paint Down Main exhibit during the Ellicott City 2nd Sunday Art Market, held at Mat About You Gallery on July 10th.

This awesome event is the brainchild of Chuck Gruss of Mat About You, “We hold this event to give the town’s visitors, a chance to see a piece of art work come together from start to finish.  It’s not too often someone gets a chance to see that happen in a such a short amount of time”.

Last year, 2015, was the inaugural year and welcomed 33 participants competing for $600 in cash prizes! This year, 2016, there were 48 participants competing for $1200 in cash prizes!! Mat About you Custom Framing and Gallery, Ellicott City Partnership and Chesapeake Fine Art Studio all donated toward the cash prizes.

Winners from the “Paint Down Main” Quick Draw;

1st Place “Main Street Ellicott City” by Alison Leigh Menke
2nd Place “Little House, Big Woods” by Courtney E. Lee
3rd Place “Wired” by Ray Ewing
Top Non-Juried “Tiber River Under Parking Lot” by Jane Knighton
Honorable Mentions:
-“Old Columbia Pike” by Tara Will
-“Ask Not” by Joanna Burnum
-“Tiger & Blues” by Ann Crostic
-“Tongue Row” by Deborah Cole
-Under 18 Winner “Oriental Rugs” by Ashley Hof
-Under 18 Honorable Mentions, “Park” by Laila Lowery and “City Shop” by Jonathan Storch
-People’s Choice “Old Columbia Pike” by Tara Will

This is one of the many cultural events held in Historic Ellicott City throughout the year. I am looking forward to having our street back and rockin’ the events again!

As I walked around the Quick Draw boundaries, searching for painters, I was in complete awe with what I saw.  Each painter interpreted their views so differently and every single one of them, so magnificently. I loved seeing the many different techniques the artists displayed, the different interpretations of the same landscape. The unique color choices, some muted, some vibrant. Yet they all had something in common, they each produced incredible and beautiful pieces of art.

I hope you enjoy these photos.

Thank you to everyone involved! Hope to see you next year!

Job very well done, everyone! Thank you for another awesome day in Ellicott City!

I’d like to remind our readers, that if you’d like to donate to the Ellicott City Partnership for the assistance of the flood victims, the link is: Flood donations, thank you for your consideration. 

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Visitors – thank you for checking out images and information about the another event from Historic Main Street.

If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to chat with you. Here’s a little more info about us…..Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town of Ellicott City, MD, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come. To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at
410.988.5563 or
email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation.

We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

5th Anniversary of Power of the Purse – 2016 – A HUGE Success!

 

On Monday, June 13th, Blossoms of Hope held their fifth annual Power of the Purse silent auction and sale. This wonderful event was held in support of the Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center at Howard County General Hospital. For the past five years this event has courteously been held at the Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom by Fretz, located in Columbia.

In 2015 over 1,400 gently used and vintage purses were generously donated from individuals all over the state. As 2016 approached, goals and ambitions of collecting more bags were higher than ever. With great pride, I am able to say this year over 2,900 purses were donated and the event received more than $50,000 in donations from local businesses for the Silent Auction! This event is largely remarkable in the way it brings the community together.

There is no better person to bring camaraderie and resources to events than Michelle Wildman, owner of MW Events, a 16-year old business that specializes in Galas, fundraisers, and uniquely entertaining parties. Michelle was this year’s Chairperson for the Power of the Purse and worked countless hours for the past year preparing for this successful fundraiser. You’ve heard the expression, “if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person”?  Michelle surrounded herself with busy, organized and helpful volunteers that she guided throughout the process with informative and detailed emails, ensuring great communication. Michelle organized meetings, luncheons, and creative get togethers throughout the year to continually keep everyone informed and excited. These get togethers weren’t opportunities to only mingle, Michelle had a purpose for each scheduled date, checking items off her major list each month! The words AMAZING, TREMENDOUS, RESOURCEFUL, CONVINCING ;-), INCREDIBLE only begin to describe Michelle and her giving heart and brilliant mind!

Below, Michelle is pictured with her awesome and supportive family. 🙂

Michelle is not one to bring attention to herself, she lifts everyone up around her, “Last year we had 16 volunteers, and this year the team grew to 50 wonderfully hard-working women! The success of Power of the Purse directly correlates to the enthusiasm and dedication of these ladies, who took time away from their families to support such an important cause. I enjoyed hosting fun activities and outings in addition to our meetings, and it was a pleasure to watch new friendships form while we learned about one another’s businesses and passions.

Thanks to such a fabulous team, our 5th anniversary event welcomed more than 500 attendees, and not only beat our fundraising goal, but nearly doubled it, bringing in $36,000 to benefit Blossoms of Hope! Over the past 11 years, Blossoms has donated over $275,000 to the Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center, and we look forward to adding to that total after this year’s success.”                                                              

Working hand in hand with this event for the fifth year in a row is The Iron Bridge Wine Co. who provided the attendees with a tasteful assortment of both red and white wines. Alongside the wines, this years event had a tasty signature cocktail called the “Purse-onalitini” made of a special and tasty secret recipe, provided by Clever Container. Following drinks, Carrabba’s Italian Grill filled the air with delicious aromas featuring shrimp lightly drizzled in a lemon butter sauce, penne pasta with fresh tomato red sauce, Chicken Marsala and many other mouth watering treats. Not only did Carrabba’s have a counter full of these amazing dishes, but throughout the event servers made their way around the room to serve hors d’oeuvres, appetizers and then desserts. 

As a board member for Blossoms of Hope, Sherri Collins-Witzke’s funeral business Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc.  generously donated to become the Platinum Sponsor for Power of the Purse, as well as all of the other Blossoms of Hope events.

Brenda von Rautenkranz is always entertaining and makes a great emcee! She is pictured below with Joe Barbera of AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar, located in Columbia, Maryland.

Stacy and Glenna show us how comfortable the 26-person limo bus is, provided by An Extraordinar Limousine, Inc. This generous company provided attendees luxurious rides to and from the satellite parking area and the event venue.

Her Mind/Custom Media Options hosts this event each year and deserves a lot of accolades, bringing this fabulous event to Howard County 5 years ago. I’d like to personally thank the ladies of this awesome company: Beth Ditman, Pam Moss, Dotty Doub, Emiko Danielian, Bethanne Smith, Linda Boyle, and Jackie Panowicz for all of your hard work and we thank you!

Following are lists of sponsors, drop off locations (that, for several months, graciously allowed us to place collection boxes at their locations for people to drop off their donated purses), companies that donated time and resources, and businesses that donated items for the silent auction.  Please consider patronizing these very generous and giving companies when considering your shopping needs. #shoplocal

SPONSORS:

Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. (Platinum Sponsor) – Sherri Collins-Witzke

The Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom by Fretz – Beth Korwek

Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Ellicott City – Greg Alkire

Pam Long Photography – Pam Long

The Iron Bridge Wine Co. – Steve Wecker (WINE!)

The Business Monthly – Becky Mangus (advertising and promotion)

DellaBlooms – Dana O’Sullivan (gorgeous bouquets of flowers and props)

The Decorating Therapist – Carol Weil (designed the space)

Wendy Slaughter Team at RE/MAX 100 – Wendy Slaughter (tote bags)

Clever Container – Amanda Bill (Signature Cocktail Sponsor, the “Purse-onalitini”)

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Brenda von Rautenkranz – POTP MC

An Extraordinar Limousine, Inc., Ruth Toomey – 26-person Limo Bus

Freestate Self Storage, Donna McManus – 6 mo. FREE storage space + boxes

KGZ Graphics, Matt Zuiderhof – printing fliers

Blossoms of Hope

Custom Media Options

Her Mind Magazine

(38) DROP OFF LOCATIONS:

A Diva’z Boutique ♥ A Journey from Junk ♥ Aida Bistro & Wine ♥ Bode Floors, Ellicott City ♥ Bode Floors, Columbia  ♥ Columbia Association: Athletic Club, Supreme Sports Club & Swim Center ♥ Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage ♥ Crafton Dental ♥ HoCo Chamber of Commerce ♥ HoCo Library: East Columbia Branch, Elkridge Branch, Glenwood Branch, Miller Branch & Savage Branch ♥ HoCo Welcome Center ♥ It Works! Global ♥ Jewish Federation of Howard County ♥ Jolles Insurance ♥ Keller Williams Realty Centre ♥ Kids Time Out ♥ Leido’s ♥ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. ♥ Macy’s ♥ Maryland Primary Care Physicians ♥ Medical Skin Therapeutics ♥ Nordstrom ♥ Pam Long Photography ♥ Quest Fitness ♥ River Hill Garden Center ♥ Simply Divine Boutique ♥ St. John’s Jewelers ♥ The Cellar at Chef Paolino Cafe ♥ The Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center ♥ The Wendy Slaughter Team RE/MAX 100 ♥ Together Couples Counseling ♥ Vertical Connection

(101) POTP BUSINESS DONORS:

40 West Beam / Schubert Team ♥ Adventure Park USA ♥ Amy Abell Wellness ♥ Artistic Edge Salon & Spa in Waverly Woods ♥ Basignani Winery ♥ Bra-La-La ♥ Cascade Lake ♥ Champps ♥ Cheesecake Factory ♥ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum ♥ Chesapeake Beach Water Park ♥ Clark’s Elioak Farm ♥ Clyde’s ♥ Columbia MD Chapter, the Links Inc. ♥ Covered Bridge Farm ♥ Crazy Ladyz ♥ Dakota Salon ♥ Danielle DiFerdinando ♥ Denee Barr Photographic ♥ Elegant Style Boutique & Design ♥ Elk Run Vineyard ♥ Eyre Bus Service ♥ Fitness Evolution ♥ Ford’s Theatre ♥ Friends of Maggie & Olivia Ballman ♥ Frisco Tap House ♥ Gramophone ♥ Great Frogs Winery ♥ Great Shoals Winery ♥ Harris Teeter, Columbia ♥ Harris Teeter, Ellicott City ♥ HCYP 12U Raiders White Team ♥ Historic Ships of Baltimore ♥ Homewood Interiors ♥ HorseSpirit Arts Gallery ♥ International Spy Museum ♥ K & D Nails ♥ Kelsey’s Kloset Boutique ♥ Kids Time Out ♥ Ladew Gardens ♥ Leah Tucker Art & Design ♥ Liberty Mountain Resort ♥ Live Happy ♥ Long & Foster, Ellicott City Office ♥ Looks Salon ♥ Lord & Taylor ♥ Luray Caverns ♥ Maggiano’s Little Italy ♥ Manor Hill Brewing ♥ Medieval Times ♥ Merry Maids of Columbia, MD ♥ Mike Gordon, Personal Trainer ♥ Mindgrub Technologies ♥ Monster Mini Golf ♥ Northridge Wine & Spirits ♥ Old Westminster Winery ♥ Ourisman Chrysler ♥ Paintings by Kate ♥ Pam Long Photography ♥ Panera Bread  ♥ Park Lane Jewelery ♥ Positive Touch Therapy ♥ POTP Committee ♥ Princeton Sports ♥ Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse ♥ Pure Romance ♥ Renata’s Tasty Bites ♥ Robinson Nature Center ♥ Rolling Road Golf Club ♥ SAC ♥ Sandra Paetow Photography ♥ Sapphire Salon ♥ Seasons 52 ♥ Secolari ♥ Sergios Jewelers ♥ Signature Hair Design ♥ Simply Organized ♥ Smokin’ Hot Bar & Grille ♥ Still Point Spa @ Haven on the Lake ♥ Structural Integrity ♥ The Brewer’s Art ♥ The Dog Wash ♥ The Enchanted Envelope on Etsy ♥ The Murn Family ♥ The Olney Winery ♥ The Pearl Spa ♥ The Shelton Family ♥ The Swellness Center ♥ The Teachers & PA of St. John’s Parish Day School ♥ The Wildman Family ♥ Time Saver Advantage ♥ Tino’s Italian Bistro ♥ Total Wine & More ♥ Turf Valley Resort ♥ Uno Pizzeria and Grill ♥ Walters Art Museum ♥ Washington Capitals ♥ Weis Woodstock ♥ Whitetail Ski Resort ♥ Williams Asset Management ♥ Wisdomwell ♥ Your Style IQ

The ladies are ready for a fantastic evening!

Ready, set….

GO….

Three incredible women….Beth Ditman, owner of Custom Media Options, Michelle Wildman, and Pam Moss of Custom Media Options.

Anita Broccolino, centered with  Joe Barbera of AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar and Steve Wecker of Iron Bridge Wine Co.

Danielle Nicole unique and stylish handbags and purses were sold, the company generously donated 20% of their sales to Power of the Purse!

These lovely ladies are not only showcasing some of their favorite handbags, but the delicious signature drink, the “Purse-onalitini”,  provided by Clever Container.

woot! I had my picture taken by Vic Broccolino! 😀

♥ A huge thank you to everyone involved. To those of you involved in organizing the event, to the vendors, volunteers, sponsors, attendees, to all that donated purses…THANK YOU! ♥

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Visitors – thank you for checking out images and information about the Power of the Purse. If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to chat with you. Here’s a little more info about us…..Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town of Ellicott City, MD, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come. To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at
410.988.5563 or
email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation.

We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

CHASEing CANCER AWAY fundraiser. Time to Celebrate your Family with new family portraits!

Have you been putting off getting your new family portrait created? We’ve got a solution for you! AND you get to help a great cause!  I talk with so many people that tell me their family portrait above their fireplace doesn’t even include their youngest child (that is now 8 years old!!), that their portrait hanging on their wall is when their children were babies and young kids, and now they’re in high school! Parents tell me they need to lose a few pounds first! PLEASE, celebrate your family NOW, don’t wait until you lose 10 lbs or until you become less busy!  Do it now! Let’s CELEBRATE your family on Sunday, November 22!

Who are we raising funds for? This remarkable 7th grader, Chase Wheatley. On September 2nd, Chase Wheatley’s parents took their son to the doctor because he was feeling lethargic and was very pale. The doctor took blood samples, and recognized the white blood cell count was extremely high. His doctor immediately notified John Hopkins Hospital that his patient was being sent over for further testing. The doctor told Mark and Kathy that they needed to take their 12 year old son to the emergency room at Hopkins. Chase was admitted to ICU so they could stabilize his condition. With further testing they diagnosed Chase with leukemia.  After multiple blood transfusions, Chase received his first chemo treatment on September 4th. The journey to a full recovery will be a three year process for the Wheatley family.

(Photo courtesy of Kathy Wheatley)

 

WHAT: 20 minute Family Portrait Sessions

WHY: Fundraiser for CHASEing Cancer Away and because you need to update your family portrait. 🙂

WHEN: Sunday, November 22, 2015, 12-5pm

WHO: You and your beautiful family

WHERE: Pam Long Photography Portrait Studio, 8202 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD 21043

HOW: Contact our studio to reserve your time, 410.988.5563, session fee is due to reserve your spot.

You will receive Tips and Suggestions for clothing and preparation ideas.

On the day of your session, we’ll have a great time photographing you and your family. Immediately after your photo shoot, you will make your portrait selections. Your images will be shown on the big screen, easy for viewing. Payment for order is due at that time.

Goodie bags for all participants, including a $50 certificate to be applied towards a future portrait session!

COST: Session fee is only $75!  $50 of that will be donated to Chase Wheatley’s family.  Portrait Packages start at $199.  Prints start at $79.  You can even choose the collection with a 16×24 framed portrait or your family and several smaller prints for only $1099!!!  Beautiful, custom holiday cards are available as well! 🙂

And YES!! You will receive your order before the holidays! So, this is a great way to give beautiful, meaningful custom gifts to family and friends. These are the gifts that are treasured and passed down for generations to enjoy. Holiday cards?? YES!! 🙂

PARKING is provided by Ooh La Lal!! Sweet, close, private parking!

This is a chance to get a small taste of our Custom Portrait Experience and help with a great cause.

(Photo courtesy of Kathy Wheatley)

Kathy and Mark Wheatley are the parents of 4 children….Taylor age 15, Samantha age 14, Olivia age 13 and of course Chase age 12. The only thing that Mark and Kathy have asked for from their friends and family members are our prayers. We know that they are going to need a lot more help than that to get them through this very trying time in their life.

A portion of the medical treatments and medication will be covered by their insurance, but the Wheatley’s will incur a significant amount of medical expenses.  Parking, transportation to and from the hospital and meals while he goes in and out for chemotherapy treatments will continue until he is in remission. In addition to medical, travel and parking expenses, in order to assure a healthy environment at home between hospital stays, they will need to make some changes within their home to accommodate Chase’s weakened immune system.

Many family and friends have asked, “what can I do, how can I help”.   We have established this page as a way to help to give some financial relief to Mark and Kathy as they focus on a long road towards Chase’s successful recovery.

Please continue to pray and thank you for your donation. 

Everything you’ve read in blue is directly from Chase’s gofundme page. If you aren’t in need of new family portraits, but would still like to help, please visit his page, you can link to it here. 🙂 Thank you.

We hope to have a packed schedule on Sunday, we hope you will consider joining us!

We will also be accepting purses for next year’s Power of the Purse event!  Be sure to clean out your closet and make room for the holidays, drop your gently used handbags off at the studio on the 22nd and receive a $25 gift certificate to apply to a future portrait session!

#HoCoEvents

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Visitors – thank you for taking the time to read and view this blogpost about this incredible young man and his family .  If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to talk with you.  Here’s a little more info about us….. Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come. To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at 410.988.5563 or email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

Celebrating the wonderful Tersiguel family!

If you have been to Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant, then you know how amazing their fabulous cuisine is! In fact, they are celebrating their 40th anniversary of being in business this Saturday! I am thrilled and honored to be photographing this auspicious, sold out, event. We are all so excited about this major milestone and their outstanding accomplishment in Historic Ellicott City.

The founders of Tersiguel’s, Fernand and Odette Tersiguel, are amazing people and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.  They are an incredible example of the benefits of hard work and determination. They came to the United States in 1963.  In 1980, they opened Chez Fernand on Main Street.  Sadly, the successful Chez Fernand burned to the ground in the fire of 1984.   Fernand and Odette persevered and  re-opened Chez Fernand in downtown Baltimore.   Fortunately for us, they wanted to return to their beloved Ellicott City and Tersiguel’s opened it’s doors, in it’s current location, in October of 1990.

Chef Michel is a 1984 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York. After his time in New York, he worked in Baltimore, with his family, he also worked in France and in California (with Michael Chiarello) and later served as Chef de Cuisine at Left Bank in Larskpur.  In 1997, he returned to Ellicott City to take over as Executive Chef and owner of Tersiguel’s.

In addition to valuing and serving magnificent food, they also value family and preserving family history. I had the honor of photographing three generations of Tersiguel’s: Fernand and Odette, their son, Michel and his incredible wife, Angie, and their two beautiful boys; Lucas and Landon. What an fun morning portrait session we had, it was such a glorious day! I was fortunate enough to have Lauren Ward assist me on this sunny day with this very special family. We were inspired by an family photograph of Fernand and Odette taken on their wedding day, in 1963. (They just celebrated 52 years of marriage!) Congratulations! So, we, too, took a family portrait, and used Tersiguel’s as the backdrop. We also created portraits of this beautiful family inside Tersiguel’s, in the Brit dining room. The Brit is short for the Brittany Room. This refers to the region that Fernand and Odette are from. The dishes in this room are called Quimper. That is also the name of the city in which they are made.  Angie shared with me that Quimpler is one of the coolest places she’s been (perhaps that could be the location of your next family portrait session…..I travel 😉 ).  Be sure to view their story and history via their lovely portraits, as they are displayed throughout their restaurant.

Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant is located at 8293 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD.  Be sure to visit and dine in this delicious  restaurant, voted Best French Restaurant in Howard County, Maryland.  This is definitely a restaurant that your meal time will become a wonderful dining experience and you’ll leave with delightful memories. Tersiguel’s has been the perfect setting for countless birthday celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, graduation festivities, business functions…..imagine if THOSE walls could talk, what an extraordinary story they would tell.

To Fernand, Odette, Michel, Angie, Lucas and Landon, thank you for allowing me the privilege of spending time with you, to get to know you better, and to document more of your family history, what a great honor. I enjoyed my time with you and look forward to enjoying many more great moments together!

To the entire staff, past and present, of Tersiguel’s, thank you for continuing to strive for the best.  You really help provide memorable moments for your dining guests, thank you.

I hope you enjoy these family portraits that we created together.

Until next time, au revoir and bon appetit!

  

  

I was so happy to deliver Angie and Michel’s 40″ gallery wrapped canvas of her beautiful family!  I, of course, was happy when Landon also approved it! 😉

 

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Visitors – thank you for taking the time to read and view this blogpost about this amazing family.  If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to talk with you.  Here’s a little more info about us….. Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come. To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at 410.988.5563 or email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

Viking Fest 2015 – Mt Hebron celebrates their 50th Anniversary!

Hello, friends!  Special treat for you! I asked my friend, Michelle Wildman, to be my guest blogger today. Michelle has worked behind the scenes for the Mt Hebron Viking Fest for months, and I knew she’d have a wonderful perspective.  I hope you enjoy…..

Mt. Hebron High School was turning 50 and Lisa Scarbath had an idea!

As President of the Viking Backers Booster Club, Lisa wanted to create a special event to thank the Mt. Hebron community, while simultaneously generating funds for the many sports, groups, and clubs that the Viking Backers support within the school.

And voila – Viking Fest was born!

Enlisting the help of three of her “Event Planning” friends who happened to have children enrolled at MTH, Lisa met with Lee Draminski, Paula Shane, and Michelle Wildman to brainstorm about the exciting party details.

Lisa knew that Misspent Youth, Maryland’s top party rock band, would be a huge draw for the community, and Michelle knew that Outback Steakhouse would provide a delicious dinner, so they were quickly brought on board.  St. John’s Parish  Day School provided our exceptionally beautiful venue.

The ladies implemented a Holiday Viking Fest party to ask (beg/plead/bribe!) other MTH parents to join their committee, and to “adopt” many basket themes that would help to promote the Silent Auction.

Planning a fundraising event for 400 people is not unlike planning a wedding…but it’s a wedding where everything gets donated, and the bride and groom offer gifts to their guests instead of the other way around! Luckily, the team was up for the challenge.

They met with Mt. Hebron High School’s Principal Scott Ruehl, who couldn’t have been more supportive. MTH alum Bob Lucido of The Bob Lucido Team graciously agreed to be Viking Fest’s Presenting Sponsor. Lisa Mazzuca, Rodan+Fields Independent Consultant and Adam Stull of State Farm Ins. were also very generous in their Sponsorships!

MTH parent Donna Detweiler, owner of Pro-Outsource, donated her time to create our promotional materials, which were printed by Sponsor Vince Sharps and his fabulous team at Sir Speedy BWI. And we were ALL overjoyed when the amazingly talented, creative, and personable Pam Long, of Pam Long Photography agreed to photograph this event!  Andy Guerin, whose parents own Schuler School of Fine Arts,  whipped up our Viking Fest mural with lightning speed was very generous with his time and talent!  Many other Sponsors and Donors offered discounts and fabulous auction items, and we were overwhelmingly grateful – I wish I had room here to name each and every one of them.

Of course, the event was not without its challenges (SNOW? Really?). Trying to schedule meetings when the majority of the committee was available was like herding cats in a tornado. Full-time jobs, trips, kids’ sporting events and family emergencies added a touch of…excitement?!…to our implementation.

The most fascinating challenge revolved around the day (Friday) and the venue, both thoughtfully chosen. How could we get 350 children OUT of the school and 400+ adults INTO the school in a mere 3 hours? Not to mention the tables, centerpieces, auction items, decorations, Shutterbooth, and bars that needed to be set up?!

This is where we have to offer a HUGE shout-out to St. John’s Parish Day School.

As luck would have it, Michelle has a daughter enrolled in that school as well, and had worked on their Galas for the last 8 years, so she knew a few shortcuts. But nothing could have been achieved as easily without the flexibility and cooperation of Head of School Tiffany Nichols and the rest of the marvelous staff at SJPDS.

As one of our treasured Sponsors, they relocated dismissal and classes, loaned us items, and were an absolute pleasure to work with. They even allowed us access to the building early, so we could unload and start blowing up 1200 balloons!

Yes, I said one thousand, two hundred balloons, the majority of which were blown up using air as opposed to helium. (Luckily we were able to borrow air pumps so we could save our own “hot air” for the event!) 😀 The marvelous Jill Alli, also a MTH parent, spearheaded this effort and created beautiful towers and sculptures to add panache and color to the venue. Our children of all ages were enlisted to help, along with Hebron’s National Honor Society volunteers and numerous spouses and parents.

The excitement and energy during Viking Fest was palpable, and the guests enjoyed catching up with old friends, making new ones, and celebrating our 50th Anniversary!

One of the most popular offerings was our signature “Viketini” Martini, created by the Four Seasons’ own Aaron Joseph. His passion for mixology has earned him numerous awards, as well as a spot on WBAL-TV this morning! (It may have also contributed to the lowered inhibitions of guests who donned Viking Helmets and balloon sculptures as headgear by night’s end.) 🙂

County Executive Allan Kittleman was our VIP guest, who arrived with a proclamation for the school, and stayed long enough to help us put away tables and chairs at the end. Howard County is blessed to have such a resourceful and helpful man in office.

The event ended at 10pm, when Viking Fest-ers were prompted to continue the party at The Cellar at Chef Paolino Cafe,  where Lisa Passalacqua and her accommodating staff pampered and spoiled us, then donated a portion of their sales back to the school!

Viking Fest would not have been nearly as successful without the wonderful community of friends, volunteers, and supporters that surround Mt. Hebron High School. We may have asked a lot of you, but because of YOUR generosity we are able to give more than $25,000 back to the school and its children. And that’s quite an Anniversary gift.

Cheers to kicking off the next 50 years with a bang!

Thank you, Michelle, for writing the wonderful blogpost.  You and the entire committee were so focused, resourceful, energetic and very well organized to pull off such a successful event for Mt Hebron High School.  Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us as you wrote this post.  To the committee members, all of the volunteers, the sponsors, the businesses that donated service and products for your auction, St John’s Parish Day School, Shutterbooth, Outback Steakhouse, THANK YOU!  Truly a community effort that resulted in a fun evening and a phenomenal fundraiser!  Personally, for me, it was fantastic watching everyone have a great time together, definitely fun to document this outstanding event.  I was elated to see parents of some of my high school seniors that I’ve photographed in the past, it was like seeing family again! It was also a pleasure to meet many other Mt Hebron alumni! I hope I have the chance to see you all again! 🙂

I hope you enjoy the images!

        

  

Outback Steakhouse provided an incredibly delicious meal.

Shutterbooth added to the fun with their state of the art Photo Booth!

Many awesome volunteers helped make the Viking Fest a success.

55 local businesses came together and offered prizes for Silent Auction winners! A HUGE thank you to each one of them!

 

     

 

These guys were great sports, watching UofMD play their first game of March Madness on an iPhone!

  

How convenient that Mt Hebron’s school colors are the same as the Pittsburgh Steelers!  Coincidence, Michelle? 😉

 

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Visitors – thank you for taking the time to read and view this blogpost about this awaesome high school senior.  If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to talk with you.  Here’s a little more info about us….. Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come. To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at 410.988.5563 or email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

Historic Ellicott City’s Midnight Madness…..so FUN!

Greetings all! This is Tracy, Pam’s sidekick writing to you. We’ve been looking forward to sharing our experience of Ellicott City’s Midnight Madness this year! Wow! What a fantastic night! Despite the drizzling rain, we had a wonderful turnout! Thank you to all the awesome people that came to visit us at our studio, Pam Long Photography! We were graced with the presence of some local politicians- Alan Kittleman, Jon Weinstein and Courtney Watson!  They jovially participated in our fun photo booth! Check out our awesome pictures of these wonderful people!

Pam took some beautiful photographs of the annual tree lighting at the Howard County Visitors Center. The weather was no deterrent for the impressive crowd that came to witness this Historic Ellicott City tree lighting.  The stores were full of shoppers up and down Main Street! Journey for Junk was standing room only! There was a very festive air on the street that night that was contagious to all! We were hoping to be able to run up and down Main Street, taking photographs in each of the wonderful stores and restaurants, however, the good news is, we were too busy with beautiful visitors to leave the studio. Yea! Go Pam Long Photography! We were so happy to see many of our treasured clients and friends and were thrilled to meet many new people!

Hello Santa Claus! The Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, located on Upper Main Street, near the Wine Bin, was where Santa was visiting sweet little children at his satellite workshop. We love Santa! How wonderful!

The incredibly talented Madrigal Singers from both Mt. Hebron and Long Reach High Schools filled the night with beautiful music – Christmas carols that also filled me with joy and peace. We were also graced to hear The Pride of Baltimore Chorus! What a gift these ladies have! These talented women opened the evening, singing during the lighting of the Christmas tree. Thank you all for singing for us – what a blessing it was to all of us here in Ellicott City.

To all of our well-loved clients and friends – old and new – we loved spending time with you and creating adorable photos in our PLP photo booth. Thank you for the opportunity to photograph you and your families and for the gift of your friendship. We wish you a very safe and peaceful Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Debra Korb, Ellicott City’s Executive Director….

Allan Kittleman, County Executive…

Jon Weinstein, Howard County Council

Chris Miles, from M&T Bank…

Countdown to the tree lighting…

Ed Lilley addresses the crowd…

 

The wonderful Pride of Baltimore Chorus…

 

A few of the junk girls at Journey from Junk.

                 

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE for making Midnight Madness an incredibly fun and memorable night!

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Visitors – thank you for taking the time to read and view this blogpost about this incredible and beautiful high school senior.  If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to talk with you.  Here’s a little more info about us…..

Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come.

To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at 410.988.5563 or email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

 

 

 

What’s going on in Ellicott City and Howard County?

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We hope that you have a wonderful holiday – filled with lots of love and good food! (full bellies and full hearts) 🙂

There are several exciting things happening in Ellicott City and Howard County that I wanted to let you know about:

There are a couple of local Turkey Trots that I thought you might be interested in! The Turkey Trot Charity 5K sponsored by the The Dancel Family Center Y  at 8:30am starting at Long Gate Parkway.  We participated in this last year and will be there again tomorrow….wish it would be like this past Monday’s nice, balmy weather…but we will manage. 😉

Another fun option is the 11th annual 5K and 1 mile run at Catonsville High School. All proceeds benefit CHS Cross Country Program and the philanthropic causes they support.  Our friends at Portalli’s and the Diamondback Tavern are sponsoring this great event. Come join the fun and burn some calories before the big feast!

If you’re participating in the Turkey Trots, don’t forget to record the Macy’s Day Parade! 🙂

Everyone loves contributing to Toys for Tots! We are an official drop off location.  So, if you are local or just venturing down to Historic Elllicott City for some fabulous shopping, you can help bring joy to an underprivileged child by donating a toy that they will receive for Christmas this year! Drop off your new toys to Pam Long Photography, located in the Howard House, 8202 Main Street, Ellicott City, Md. 21043. As an added bonus, if you bring your toy receipt, we will match your cost (up to $100) in a gift card to our studio. You can gift this gift card to a loved one or use it for yourself for beautiful portraits. Pam is an international award winning photographer and was voted Howard County’s Best Photographer for 2013!  In addition, the Salon Marielle, also located on Main Street in Ellicott City, is offering gift cards for 20% off your next color treatment with your donations! We have these gift cards at Pam Long Photography and will be giving them to the first 15 people that donate toys! We can’t wait to see you!

Food drive – Salon Marielle is partnering with Emory Methodist Church to help fill their food pantry and help local families in need! Please bring in a nonperishable item to Salon Marielle and receive 10% any one retail item. (excludes Aveda prepackaged gift sets.)

And finally,  Midnight Madness is just around the corner! Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping and come enjoy the festivities in Historic Ellicott City!  Stores, boutiques and restaurants will be open until midnight on Friday, December 5, 2014.  Beverages, treats and special offers throughout town! Don’t miss the annual Christmas tree lighting,  at 6 pm at the Howard County Welcome Center.  Free shuttle service from 6pm-12am.  Santa at the Log Cabin from 4-8, located at the top of Main Street next to The Wine Bin.  Babysitting services offered at Roger Carter Center. Vote for your favorite store window displays. Details can be found here.  Be sure to stop by the studio and say hello! 🙂

 

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Visitors – thank you for taking the time to read and view this blogpost.  If you are ever in need of photography services, I’d love the chance to talk with you.  Here’s a little more info about us…..

Whether you choose to be photographed in our studio, on location or along the quaint streets of our own beautiful historic town, you will truly enjoy your experience with Pam Long Photography. Clients enjoy a variety of portraiture, from maternity and babies, to children and families, high school seniors, pets, business headshots and special events. Whatever occasion life blesses you with, we will help you capture and document those moments to cherish for generations to come.

To receive information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, please contact us at 410.988.5563 or email us at pam@pamlongphotography.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to transforming your memories into your favorite works of art!

#HoCoEvents,  #HoCoFun, #hocomd

 

 

 

 

 

FOOD DRIVE