When Haven Ministries imagined a weekend for women to get away with their girlfriends to do their favorite things, they never envisioned the support they would receive from community and participants in making it a memorable weekend while raising significant money to help with the issue of homelessness on the Mid Shore. Over 50 women from the Mid Shore, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, DE, and PA attended the overnight stay, while an additional 30 women opted for the daytime experience held at the Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property.
Liz Skibbie and Taryn Chase served as Co-Chairs of the event. Mia Cranford, Director of Marketing for Haven Ministries, comments, “Our event was conceived on the notion that people are tired of the same old event and woman love to get away their girlfriends. So, we took the idea of what our favorite things were about getting away with our ‘besties’ and combined them into one fun-filled weekend.”
Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property offered the ideal location for the weekend getaway offering luxurious rooms and phenomenal food, even donating breakfast and appetizers each day. Cranford adds, “Aspen Institute really catered to all our needs.”
In addition to spa treatments, participants were treated to a Chick Flick Movie Night with Pizza, a hospitality suite hosted by Island Furniture Studios, informative seminars on forgiveness and empowerment, as well as nutrition, technology, home decorating, and jewelry making, as well as awesome music and yoga. A fashion show featured clothing by Levity of Easton, Ophiuroidea “The O” of St. Michaels, and Splendid Consignment Shop of Chester. A complete makeover and reveal was provided by Salon Atelier of Chester. Levity gave each participant a necklace or bracelet and all attendees received gift bags in their rooms with goodies from Chesapeake Environmental Labs and Sullivan’s Surgery and Spa.
Cranford states, “Women came with their best friends, but the beauty was they left with so many more friends.”
Participant, Lana Dobritchanin, commented, “Even though I am in Florida next winter, I am getting my flight now because I am not going to miss next year’s weekend for anything.”
Event Co-Chair Taryn Chase adds, “The overall goal was to support Haven Ministries – which feeds, clothes, and shelters the homeless on the Mid Shore. This event proved that you can bring an awareness to the issue like homelessness in a fun way.”
Krista Pettit, Director of Haven Ministries, adds, “People don’t realize how many people are homeless and how close we are all living to being there ourselves when certain circumstances happen in our lives. We were able to talk about the issue with women to inform them about our long-range goals and encourage them to be a part of the solution for the next generation.”
Next year’s Best Girlfriend’s Weekend will be held on February 22 through 24, 2019 at Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property. There is a limit of 49 double rooms, so participants are encouraged to make their reservations early.
A number of businesses supported the event, including Diamond Level sponsors were Increte and BAAR (Bay Area Association of Realtors). Sapphire Level Sponsors were the Bay Times and Wye River Conference Center, A Dolce Property. Platinum Level Sponsors were Safe at Home Senior Care, Prospect Bay Country Club, Roof Center, Construction Services and Supplies, Inc., and Kate Spade. Gold Level Sponsors were Bayview Portraits by Cindy Sigmon, Harris Crab House, Hemingways, ArtCademy, The Narrows, Riley Construction, Island Furniture Studios, The Shore Update, and Range and Reef. Silver Level Sponsors were Lundburg Builders, Salon Atelier, Maid Healthy, Holiday Inn Express, Chesapeake Hearing Centers, Miltec, Free State Insurance, McCrone, Realty Navigator, Hawk Marketing, Timeleigh Solutions, Keller Williams/Chris.glover@kw.com, and USHealthGroup/Jim.Procaccini@ushadvisors.com. Bronze Level Sponsors include Trades of Hope/Holly Gorham, Mary Kay/Corbie Haas, Edward Jones/William Caughey, Splendid Consignment Shop/Avon, Legal Shield/Joe Allegretti, Honey and Lace/Natalie’s Honey Hut, Computer Island/Lolita Watkins, Strong Mom Fitness, The Winery, Federal Resources, The Growth Coach, Shaffer Ingenuity, Island Athletics, 1st Home Mortgage, and Global Home Protection. Business partners and food vendors included Range and Beef, Smoke Rattle and Roll, Blue Heron Catering, Krave Catering, Steward Catering, The Narrows Restaurant, The Winery, Lyon’s Distillery, Capriotti’s, D’Alessio’s Pizza, Rise Up Coffee, Cori Coates, IroC Social Media.
Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a Resource Center at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with job training, educational programming, and case management services. The Haven Ministries Food Pantry is held on the third Friday monthly at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Stevensville from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Our Daily Thread Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For further information about Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call 410-739-4363.
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Haven Ministries