Ellicott City Couple Says 'Spread the Love' this Valentine's Day

Instead of the traditional gifts, this couple wants to use Valentine's Day to help others.

Jeffrey Daro and his wife, Sandra, have been together for 24 years and, Daro said, he doesn’t think they’ve ever gone out for a Valentine’s Day date - although she does cook him nice dinners.   This year, the Ellicott City couple wants to do something extra special. “I don’t really remember where the initial idea came from,” Daro said. He and his wife may have been sitting on the couch, watching a greeting card company ad, when the topic of buying cards for Valentine’s Day came up.  “We said, ‘why don’t we start something where everybody donates to charity instead of buying knick knacks?’” This year, the couple are asking people to Spread the Love and donate to charity instead of spending money on flowers and chocolate.  “I’m kind of a …

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Iron Bridge Gives Up Their Shirts After Losing Bet to AIDA

This week staff at Iron Bridge Wine Co. will wear shirts saying "I'd rather be at AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar."

  Staff at the Iron Bridge Wine Company will literally be giving up the shirts on their back this week to raise money for breast cancer awareness... and because they lost a bet to AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar. Iron Bridge's owner Steve Wecker challenged Joe and Mary Barbera, the owners of AIDA, to a bet back in April. The deal was the restaurant that raised less money for Blossoms of Hope's "Pink Plate Specials" fundraiser in April would have their staff wear pink t-shirts with a special message on the back for a week. That message, currently on the shirts of staff at Iron Bridge, reads, "I'd rather be at AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar." "We didn't lose, cancer lost," said Wecker about the bet.  AIDA ended up raising close to $6,000 more than the Iron …

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Local Business Gives Back To Dog Rescue

Boone & Sons Jewelers makes dog rescue a priority

Businesses of all shapes and sizes donate to charity, and they often give to the large, name brand organizations with big marketing budgets. Everyone can rally around the fight to cure cancer, help kids in need, or support victims of natural disasters, and all of these things are very worthy and important causes. What’s not as common, however, is to see prominent businesses get behind local dog rescue. Rescue groups like Mutts Matter get most of their corporate sponsorships from companies in the pet industry that understand the importance of rescue and know the hard, sad facts – that five to seven million animals enter the shelter system each year, and over four million don’t make it out.    As an all-volunteer, nonprofit rescue, Mutts …

Your Photos Could Make Your Child a Halloween Star

Patch’s Little Pumpkin Costume Challenge with Heidi Klum needs your entries now.

Which kid in America has the most creative Halloween costume in the pumpkin patch? That's what we intend to find out with your photos and the help of celebrity judge Heidi Klum, who will select the Grand Prize winner. The Grand Prize? Patch will whisk the winner to New York or Los Angeles for a three-day, two-night trip for two that includes a meet and greet with Heidi, plus a donation of $1,031 (for Oct. 31) to a local charity of the winner's choice. Nine runners up will also get a $1,031 donation from Patch to a local charity of their choice. Entering is easy. Just upload a photo of your child, 12 or younger, in his or her Halloween costume. Entries must be made by the parent or legal guardian of the child photographed. Full rules are …

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Ravens Help Charity Food Drive Succeed

Local merchant Rick Hubata teams up with Ravens players to provide holiday cheer to the less fortunate.

“Play like a Raven” is the mantra Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh has adopted for his players since coming to Baltimore in 2008.  The phrase was first coined by general manager Ozzie Newsome, and was Newsome’s standard to determine if a prospect had the characteristics necessary to be a Baltimore Raven.  Those essential traits included passion, strength, good character, courage, intensity, humility, determination, intelligence and pride to compete at the highest level. Two other characteristics not necessarily used on the football field can be added to the list of what distinguishes a member of the Baltimore Ravens; compassion and empathy. Veteran players like Ray Lewis and Todd Heap, by their own example, teach new players that being a Raven is…

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