As the Towson University men?s basketball team was taking a breather at halftime Jan. 11 in its game against George Mason University, a special competition was going on in center court.
Members of the Ravens, both past and present, gathered for a charity shootout competition against the local sports guys from WNST-AM 1570. The Kennedy Krieger Institute?s Center for Autism and Related Disorders was the big winner, as current Ravens Daniel Wilcox, Matt Stover, Gary Stills, Evan Ogelsby, Haloti Ngata and former Ravens Kyle Richardson and Spencer Folau went hoop-to-hoop against radio hosts Drew Forrester, Casey Willet, Nestor Aparicio and Rob Long, whose son, Robbie, lives with autism. Spotted cheering them on were Ricky Bielski, owner of Ocean Pride Seafood, the fitness team of Victor and Lynn Brick, and Greg McClelland. By the end of the night, Pat?s Cats took a bit of a beating, but the folks from Kennedy Krieger were thrilled with the $3,000 raised by the event.
Even though it was Jan. 5 and the theme for the gala was a “Midwinter Night,” the weather was akin to a spring night. Still, the fog and drizzle didn?t stop an enthusiastic crowd of young professionals and college students from gathering at The Baltimore Museum of Industry for an evening of fun, food, dancing and all the luxuries usually afforded to those of us a little longer in the tooth.
“This is a historical night in charitable giving,” event chair Brandon Walker said. “What sets this gala apart from others is its appeal to a younger demographic, those who cannot ordinarily attend charity galas due to the high cost.”
Fifty bucks allowed the up-and-comers to support The Children?s Cancer Foundation. The event raised $1,000.
This event was the brainchild of Walker, Matthew Leavy, Matthew Karlin and Levron Schuchalter, who have incorporated a party-planning company, Hot Spots Entertainment, into planning fun events for the area?s young professionals. They are alternatives to the bar scene but have a charitable aim.
Anne Boone-Simanski is the society columnist for The Examiner and can be reached at [email protected] or 410-878-6131.
