​3 Digit Raffle
January 2024
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This was another great chance to help our local charities while hopefully helping yourself as well. For a measly $5, you could even have given these out as stocking stuffers. Numbers are drawn each night in January, so you could win 31 times! (But you won't. I'll bet you).
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If you don't already have your tickets, it's now too late for you!
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PROCRASTINATOR!
If you were serious about wanting to play, you had to jump on this one right away. There were only 1,000 tickets available to start, and they ALWAYS sell out!
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Go ahead. Kick yourself now because you waited a day too long to cough up your five-spot.
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Thanks a million to you, in advance, from all of us at Ravens Roost 138!
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​Charity Award Night
January 17, 2024
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LARGER MEETING ROOM NEEDED!
(Just kidding. Monaghan's Pub is our home and we wouldn't dream of going anywhere else)
That being said, the meeting room was again packed to the gills, and then overflowing out onto the steps on Wednesday night. Most of the 11 charitable organizations we were giving checks to were there in spades! Even Marlo's younger stage double was there to receive their check this year.
You can see photos of the check presentations in the scrolling window on our HOME PAGE.
Each organization updated our members as to what they had done this year, and they were ALL very impressive. One representative even asked for contact information for another organization's representative so they could help support their children.
I just love it when we can be the matchmaker between two worthwhile charities!
Ravens Roost 138 has now given out well over $90,000 to the organizations on our
Preferred Charities List.
This was so much fun that, with your help and support, we're going to do it again next year.
Polar Bear Plunge - 2024
Sandy Point State Park
February 3, 2024
10AM - 4 PM
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Well, our FANTASTIC Ravens Roost 138 Plunge Team has far exceeded any reasonable expectation again this year!
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We finished 6th among all Ravens Roost plunge teams with $3,660 in pledges as of the next morning.
Hats off to our fearless plungers: Will, Krissy, Jean, Roslyn, Madison, Loretta, Ty, Chris, Larry, Anita, and Christine! This is the largest group of plungers we’ve ever had.
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You make us proud.
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And special thanks to those hundreds of people who donated to the pain of our plungers.
Without your pledges, we’re nothing.
Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts
Bull & Oyster Roast
February 10, 2024
7 PM - Midnight
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They tore the roof off the sucker again last night at Martin’s West. The Council of Baltimore Ravens Roost Bull and Oyster Roast ROCKED!
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Our Roost was well represented, with 4 tables of party goers eating, drinking and even dancing. Oracle did their usual, outstanding job, and the food was good too.
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A few cheerleaders came out to party with us, and they brought Poe with them.
Now THAT bird knows how to have a good time!
Ravens Roost 138
Bull and Oyster Roast
April 6, 2024
7 PM - 11 PM
We KNEW you didn't get enough to eat at the Council Bull and Oyster Roast, what with all the music, comradery and auctions going on. As a result, we gave you another chance to get even!
For a few measly bucks, you were able to get all you could drink and eat at our annual Bull and Oyster Roast held at the Lodge!
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We may not have had Poe, cheerleaders, or any retired players for you to hang out with like the Council did, but the turnout was pretty much everything we wanted. Maybe that’s because of Monaghan’s great food. Maybe it was the draw of a live band. Or maybe it was the camaraderie of our much larger Roost membership this year.
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I’m thinking it was all of the above.
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The place was absolutely rocked by the sounds of Jill Black and the Panic Attack. They played some excellent music, and they played it all night. At one point, they even blew out the lights!!!!
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Really.
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You just can’t get that much energy from ANY DJ. A sincere “tip of the hat” to Jill and her band for helping make this annual outing a success.
This was Jill's first visit with us and, given your overwhelming approval, it won't be her last.
Speaking of money (which we always are), most of you brought some extra cash. There was a money wheel and plenty of prize boards available. Since this was all for charity, we needed you to open your hearts and your wallet/pocketbook, which you certainly did.
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Add in two birthday celebrations and then Captain Dee-Fense, and you’ve got yourself a memorable night.
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Say “Good Night”, Larry.
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Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts Annual Convention
Ocean City, MD
May 30 - June 2, 2024
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Hopefully you took the opportunity to join with other members of the Ravens Universe and attend this, the 60th Anniversary of the Council's landmark event of the year. History did repeat itself (with respect to the weather, at least), and it was a beautiful week at Ocean City. I'm told that there were plenty of fun things to do, beverages to drink, fun in the sun, and a great parade on Baltimore Avenue.
Unfortunately, due to the recent transfer of ownership of the hotel the Ravens organization uses, there were NO Ravens players there this year.
NADA. NONE.
What a bummer!
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As a result, the overall attendance was noticeably lower than it normally is - even OUR Roost had very limited participation this year.
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I'm certain, however, that will be different in June, 2025.
Go ahead, prove me right.
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I don't think that we'll ever be able to show you photos of our members at this event this year.
I keep asking the Ocean City Police for them, but they keep telling me that they can't release any photos of our people because of the on-going investigation.
I'm NOT surprised!
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Ravens Roost 138
Annual Election of Officers
and Board Members
June 19, 2024
7 PM
Congratulations to our newly elected, 2024-2025 Roost 138 Officers and Board of Director members.
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The following Roost members were elected to serve in the positions indicated below during our June meeting:
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PRESIDENT: Larry Propf
VICE PRESIDENT: Gary Dennis
TREASURE: Tim McGarvey
SECRETARY: Chris Hartge
SERGEANT AT ARMS: Phil ("Pete") Bryan
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Roslyn Ward-Crowder, Will Latvanas, Robert ("Doc") Gregory, Jean Beal, and Rick Hull
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The entire membership thanks you for your unselfish commitment to guide us through this next year (and beyond?)
Catonsville Parade
July 4, 2024
Finally, time to replace those ropes and sit your but in one of the chairs that you smartly left out along Frederick Road a few weeks prior to this fun-time summer event. As expected, Mother Nature gave us another sweltering hot day on which to celebrate our Country's birthday! Ravens Roost 138 members and more than a couple of other Marylanders were there, lining the streets (and bars) again in downtown Catonsville to partake of these local holiday festivities.
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Our Roost's banner was proudly displayed by one of the high school marching bands that participated in the parade.
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Third Annual
Ravens Roost 138 Tailgate Party
October 6, 2024
9AM - 11AM
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Well, the weather was EXCELLENT this time around. Much better than the cold, rainy, and windy tailgates of the first two years. As a result, those Roost members and guests that DID show up had a great time.
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The Cornhole Range didn't see much use this year, but that one match was RIVITING, to say the least. One of the players (yours truly) didn't hit the board with a single bag at all for the first 4 rounds! Yet that still turned out to be the winning team.
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Can you say "RINGER"?
Grillin' was again performed by the world-renowned Hull Brothers, and you just can't do any better than that. There was plenty of food to go around, and that was BEFORE the pulled pork and three pans of potato salad showed up. Thanks to all those who brought food for the masses. You're the greatest!
SOCKTOBER 2024
October 1 - 31
Year after year, Ravens Roost 138 has been stepping up to meet one of the greatest challenges known to humankind:
COLD FEET!
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You know what I'm talking about.
We needed your help again this year to continue this mission.
New socks are reportedly THE most requested item at homeless shelters throughout Baltimore, and that really showed each time we delivered your donated socks.
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Our first big bag of socks was delivered to the Children's Hospital in Catonsville by Rooster Phil.
Our secoond big bag full of socks was taken to the West Side Men's Shelter in Catonsville by Rooster Mark.
Although there were only two bags of socks collected this year, the recipients of these socks were just as happy this year as all the recipients were last year.
Our quest is now over - but only for 2024. You might want to keep collecting new socks in expectation of our repeat of this initiative in 2025 - because it's going to happen!
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Annual
Charity Auction
October 24, 2024
Plenty of Ravens Roost 138 members and a bunch of other bar/restaurant patrons gathered on this important night at Monaghan's Pub for our Annual Charity Auction.
Auction items were flying off the shelves, and a number of great bargains were had by some lucky or crafty bidders.
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IF you were there, you also witnessed the drawing for our Scratch Off Ticket Raffle!
This raffle was a new concept in 2024, but it was fun enough that it WILL be repeated again. We're reaching out to the winner of this raffle to see just how much she might have won from the 15 Ravens scratch-off tickets that constituted her prize.
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Overall, this auction is one of the more lucrative money-making activities that we hold each year, and this one was no exception. There are still items to be auctioned off in a Silent Auction, normally held in December, but to date proceeds from this auction exceed $7,000!
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Thanks again to all of the people and vendors that contributed merchandise for this event, and to the patrons who opened their pocketbooks (and their hearts) to make this one great event. You're the best!
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Proceeds benefit our local charities.
Marine Toys For Tots Foundation
Holiday Toy Drive
November 1 - 30, 2025
Your little secret is out. We know that you've ALWAYS dreamed about sitting on Santa's lap.
Unfortunately, THAT ship has sailed. You're a little too old to try doing that today. Plus, our toy drive for 2024 is now in the books. You might still try to sit on Santa's lap (we can't stop you), but if you get arrested, that's on YOU!
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A number of Roost members and some Monaghan's Pub customers saw fit to contribute a bunch of toys to The Marine Toys For Tots Foundation again this year.
Those toys have now been given to Santa so he can honor all the requests made this year by the kids who ARE young enough to live out your dream.
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Overall, we schlepped a total of 6 big bags of new, unwrapped toys to Santa's secret toy drop location known only to a handful of people. You can see our Elf Phil completing these transfers in the scrolling photos on our main page, but you can't tell exactly where the secret drop off is located. Hopefully.
Santa dutyifly responded to this huge responsibility as he always does. He and his reindeer delivered all of the toys according to his well laid-out Christmas Eve delivery schedule.
Hopefully you and your children were able to follow Santa's progress on NORAD's website​​
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You should feel good that you helped Santa, Santa feels good that he was able to meet all of the kids wishes, and the kids are going to be happy playing with their new toys for a whole year.
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It's was a WIN-WIN-WIN proposition -
and it was only possible because of YOU.
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Silent Auction
November 3, 2024
1:00 PM - End of Game
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We could never forget those who weren't able to make it to our Charity Auction in October. For you, we held a Second Chance Silent Auction, this year coincident with what SHOULD have been our trouncing of the Denver Broncos.
There was a LOT of merchandise up for grabs, partly because some of the great stuff we thought we would have for the initial Charity Auction was stuck in transit.
THAT problem was resolved, and ALL those items were available for you to place your best silent bids on.
Many people placed their bids, then ate, then watched some of the game. At halftime some came back and raised their initial bid. Hopefully it was enough to WIN! (If not, maybe they should have come back a few more times to make sure they DID win. That's on them.)
When the final hammer fell at the end of the game, our charity coffers were a little over $7,000 richer.
That was still not enough, because our sights were set on $7,500.
We rectified this issue by holding another silent auction during the Ravens - Steelers game on November 17th. Through that effort, we ended up clearing a little over our $7,500 target.
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Success!
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Thanks a million to all those who donated the great stuff we had to auction, as well as all those who opened their wallets and pocketbooks to make our fund raiser a resounding success.
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Those who won were supposed to back their cars and trucks up a few minutes early so they didn't have to carry their new stuff very far. Hopefully they did.
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Ravens Roost 138
Annual Holiday Gathering
December 18, 2024
7:30 PM
​Most of our members were present for our December meeting.
Do you really wonder why that was?
Certainly because of all the meaningful things that we had to discuss (like confirmation and acceptance of our charitable donations scheduled to occur in January), but also because of the FREE FOOD available to all Roost members immediately following this important meeting.
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Great food. Great comradery. Piped in music too!
Who could ask for more.
