HCBA Helps Spread the Joys (and Toys)
of the Holiday Season
By Bryan Nichols
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Howard County Bar Association President
Tim McCrone (left) presents a check to Grassroots Executive Director
Andrea S. Ingram
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The Howard County Bar Association
(HCBA) brightened the holiday season for the less-fortunate within its community
last month by donating items to Grassroots, a private, non-profit human service
agency that provides multi-service crisis intervention for central Maryland.
With a high stack of boxes in
his grasp, HCBA President Tim McCrone personally presented the organization
with a variety of toys, canned goods, turkeys and $860 on December 19. A
Grassroots' client immediately sifted through one of the boxes McCrone had
brought to the facility and found a small stuffed animal for his daughter.
"To me, this epitomizes what
the holidays should be all about, which is giving rather than receiving," explains
McCrone, who also serves as State's Attorney for Howard County. "Walking
in [to Grassroots' facilities], there was a genuine sense of appreciation
and joy [from their clients]."
For the past 10 years, HCBA has
used its annual holiday party as a fundraiser for Grassroots. Every attendee
is required to bring either a toy or the monetary equivalent to the party,
while the canned goods are collected year-round. Each year, the Association's
donations have slightly increased, but it is truly the thought and action
that make a difference.
"We are just delighted they think
of us during this time of year," says Andrea S. Ingram, Executive Director
of Grassroots, adding that she was
"thrilled" with this year's donations – the largest amount that HCBA
has given to date.
The gifts are organized and made
available to the clients in a Christmas-shop scene, with the intention of
the clients personally picking out gifts for their children and wrapping
them, thus becoming a part of the process itself rather than simply being
a recipient.
Together, HCBA and Grassroots
made sure that holiday joy and cheer were distributed throughout their county,
leaving no one in the cold.
"We all feel Grassroots is a
worthwhile charity that targets people in Howard County," notes McCrone. "It
is a longstanding charity that truly does a great deal for our area."
