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Towne Spotlight Local
FENCE & DECK CONNECTION CELEBRATES 30 YEARS WITH RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
This year has been a monumental year for our Anne Arundel County-based fence and deck installation company, Fence & Deck Connection. Not only is the company excited to open back up its indoor showrooms and resume normal design consultations after a year of pandemic precautions, it’s celebrating its 30th year in business. In June, the company opened its Millersville doors (and parking lot) to employees, customers, and the community for a celebration paired with tasty food from the Truck of Deliciousness, craft beer Crooked Crab Brewing, and live music from Brandt Dunn. All attendees were entered into a drawing for several raffle prizes, including a skillet top grill, bistro sets, deck storage boxes, and Crooked Crab gift cards. In addition to recognizing their 30th year, the company held a belated ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the remodel of its Millersville indoor showroom and the completion of the pole barn, which was constructed in 2019. Congratulations!
Natural Benefits Opens in Annapolis
Natural Benefits, LLC, a family health, wellness, alternative, and holistic health, and self-described “nutrition revolutionist,” cut the ribbon at it’s grand opening on June 11th with local dignitaries—including Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and Maryland State Senator Sarah Elfreth— in attendance. The practice offers nutrition response testing, weight-loss plans, body contouring, pain management, virtual yoga classes, nutrition training, and more. Congratulations are in order for Chief Nutrition Practitioner Raelynn Torzone and Operating Manager Steve Torzone.
The 38th Biennial Annapolis to Newport Race, held in June, concluded with the prize-giving ceremony on June 9th in Newport, Rhode Island. Many trophies were awarded, including the C. Gaither Scott Trophy for Corinthian Spirit, which was awarded to Annapolis Yacht Club member Tapio Saavalainen, who skippered Kalevala II to the corrected time victory in ORC 5. AYC commodore Jonathan Bartlett presented Saavalainen the perpetual trophy that is a pair of crystal sails atop a mahogany wood base that contains the names of previous winners. The Washington, D.C., resident went home with the keeper trophy, a lovely silver urn. “I suppose that I’m going to demand that there is nothing else in the family room except this trophy,” Saavalainen said with a wide grin following the Annapolis-to-Newport Race prize-giving ceremony. The C. Gaither Scott Trophy for Corinthian Spirit is presented at the discretion of the Annapolis-to-Newport race committee. This special award, which is not handed out during every edition of Annapolis-to-Newport, was named in honor of the Annapolis Yacht Club’s longtime race committee chairman and was introduced following his death in March 2000. “Every trophy is important, but this one is very, very special. I could never, ever have imagined I would receive such a prestigious honor. Very fabulous,” Saavalainen said.
Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Maestro José-Luis Novo will join the faculty of the Annapolis Symphony Academy to lead a new high level, tuition free youth orchestra. The Orion Youth Orchestra will be the only youth orchestra in the region to be conducted by the music director of its parent professional orchestra. This move is a key component in Academy’s new preschool to high school expansion designed to cultivate young musical talent and promote diversity. Starting in September 2021, students as young as 4 can enroll in the Academy’s new Discovery Early Childhood Music classes. From there, students can progress into one-on-one music lessons with Annapolis Symphony Orchestra members, and skill-appropriate ensemble and chamber groups, culminating in the opportunity to join the Orion Youth Orchestra, a high-level merit-based performance group. For the first time since its founding in 2018, all Academy chamber ensembles and orchestras will accept auditions from non-Academy students who already study music with a private teacher. The generosity of donors allows the Academy to award need-based and merit-based scholarships as well as financial assistance to qualifying students. All student members of Orion will receive a full orchestral scholarship. “We’ve created something that doesn’t exist in Maryland,” says Netanel Draiblate, founder and executive director of the Annapolis Symphony Academy. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for talented, motivated students from anywhere in our region to follow a musical development path from 4 years of age to the pinnacle of the Orion Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Novo, a world-renowned conductor.”
SUPPORTERS TOAST NEW BUSCH ANNAPOLIS LIBRARY AND 100TH ANNIVERSARY
A group of donors, volunteers, and supporters celebrated the Anne Arundel County Public Library’s 100th anniversary and the system’s impact in the community with a special event at the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library on June 17. A toast was made outside the beautiful new facility, the first newly constructed library in 15 years. Opened during the crush of the pandemic, the new library features an expanded children’s area, large meeting room, collaboration spaces, Makerspace, vending cafe, community living room and plenty of books, movies and other materials for the whole family.
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