There’s No Place Like…

This Saturday, at Burleigh Manor Middle School, Homewood Center Art students will be selling their gorgeous ceramic handmade bowls and jewelry. 

It’s all a part of Burleigh Manor’s yard sale event to benefit the Homewood Center.  Why? Well, because Homewood draws students referred from schools within the system, it is the one school that doesn’t have its own PTA. That means it doesn’t have PTA funds to support student programs the way that other schools can. 

The partnership with Burleigh Manor is particularly brilliant in my opinion because it’s not only a fundraiser but it also allows the community to meet some Homewood students and staff and learn more about the school. The students get to show off  (and sell) their artistic creations. Thus the event is transformed from charity for ‘those people we don’t know’ to an opportunity to learn about and celebrate this school and its programs.

Pretty cool.

I heard from Principal Christina Krabitz that getting out and about is a part of a new rebranding effort this year.

Homewood has too long had a negative reputation and we are taking matters into our own hands to change that. We have a tent that we have taken to one football game a week. We set it up with a raffle wheel, prizes- including lots of HW gear and swag, drivers ed basket raffle courtesy of Greg’s Driving School, student made jewelry to sell, and info on who Homewood really is. We have anywhere from 4-10 staff at the event and a few we’ve had kids present. It’s been awesome to engage with students parents and families from all over this county so they understand who we really are. 

Who they really are, of course, is our children. Howard County children. More than 60% of Homewood's alternative education students qualify for Free and Reduced Meals and, again, they do not have a PTA. That’s a big part of why they hold a Treasure Sale each year so their kids can choose holiday gifts for their loved ones. I wrote about that last year.

Now, to give you an idea of some of the ceramics that will be on offer Saturday, here’s a sampling:

If you can’t make the BMMS Fall Yard Sale Event, please consider shopping the Homewood Treasure Sale Amazon Wish List. Here’s the link: Homewood Wish List.

One closing thought that made me smile: I heard about this event from Suzanne McMurtray, who retired as the Homewood Center’s Community Outreach Coordinator last Spring. She’s still repping Homewood as hard as ever. “It’s in my DNA now,” she joked.

So, remember, it’s this Saturday, October 23rd, from 9 am to 1 pm at Burleigh Manor Middle School. Think of it as shop til you drop with some meet and greet thrown in.