With the Baltimore Ravens taking center stage this Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium for the AFC’s Divisional Round playoff game, many around Pasadena are making plans for where to watch and who to watch with. For members of Ravens Roost #129, that plan has been set in place, as the 43 roost members along with their friends and family will gather at their homebase, Twain’s Tavern.
“We are very excited that the Ravens are in the playoffs,” said Judy Dickert, vice president of the Roost. “We will be doing a 50/50 raffle during the game, and then on Super Bowl Sunday, we will be raffling off a signed jersey from Mark Andrews.”
The purpose of Ravens Roost 129 is to use the Baltimore Ravens as a platform to help the local community. Members of the group Dawn Swisher (president) and Linda Hansen (social media director) explained that they raise money through fundraising, and all monies raised are returned to the local community through charity donations.
Last year, Dickert, Swisher and Hansen noted that Roost #129 was able to give back to Pasadena in a variety of ways. They raised a $1,500 scholarship and a $2,500 scholarship that were awarded to Chesapeake High School students, assembled meals and collected gifts for families during the holidays, and donated to a variety of other local organizations, including The Braddox Pisano Memorial Fund, Polar Bear Plunge/Special Olympics, Rise Above Animal Rescue, Marley Boat Club, Caring Cupboard, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Hospice Of The Chesapeake, Kamryn Lambert Foundation, Wreaths Across America, and others. They also raised funds to assist Wayne Winchester, an Anne Arundel County firefighter who was injured on the job.
Currently, there are over 60 individual Roost groups throughout Maryland that are governed by the Council of the Baltimore Ravens Roost. Ravens Roosts not only cheer for the Ravens but also participate in several fundraising events. Each Ravens Roost has their own charities they support, and the Council as a whole contributes annually to the Believe in Tomorrow Foundation and the Casey Cares Foundation. Yearly events that Roost members look forward to include a bull and oyster roast in February and a convention in Ocean City, Maryland.
The group emphasized that there is a lot of fun that comes with joining their Roost. They host game day gatherings at Twain’s Tavern, 50-50 raffles, holiday cheer raffles, and typically raffle off Ravens sports memorabilia. “Last year we had our first ever large event at Twain’s when we hosted Jimmy Charlies (singer of “It’s A Maryland Thing”),” she said.
Ravens Roost #129, which has been in Lake Shore since 2012, always welcomes new members, and Dickert encourages anyone interested to reach out by emailing [email protected]. An annual membership is $25, and in order to join a Roost, you must be 21 or older. “We are small but mighty,” Dickert said. “The Pasadena community has really supported us, and we are thankful for that. We love giving back to our community. It’s what we do.”
