Happy New Year to everyone in Overlea! I hope that folks in our community had a joyous and festive holiday season. The OCA has been moving and shaking, gearing up for our many events in 2023. We also celebrated an amazing Holiday Tree Lighting in December, thanks to volunteers Joe Allen and Brent Ceryes who pulled the occasion together. A HUGE thank you to our sponsors, Mary and Will Geddes, Sippel Electric, Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company, Baltimore County Police, and Baltimore County Parks and Recreation.

Our next community meeting, with both in-person and online options, will be on March 14th at 7 p.m. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for links and updates.

A mighty congratulations to Doris Franz-Poling, OCA board member. Anyone who has ever met Doris, knows that she works INCREDIBLY hard for our community, mostly behind the scenes. She loves Overla and tirelessly advocates on our behalf. Doris’ most recent position was as the Legislative Aide for our outgoing County Councilwoman, Cathy Bevins. When Cathy retired in December, Doris took a new position with the County as the Essex Initiative Community Liaison. We are positive Doris will continue to make great contributions to our neighborhood and surrounding area, for years to come. Thanks Doris!

Our newsletter this quarter focuses on all the cool events we have planned for this year in Overlea. A new three- day Youth Art Show will premier in March, allowing kids ages 6-15 to enter their artwork in a true art show. We’ll also celebrate the Overlea Farmers Market’s 8th year, which kicks off on June 10th; the Fullerton Fireworks on Saturday, July 1st; ArtsFest on August 11th-13th at Holt Park, and so much more!

Melissa Davis, President, Overlea Community Association president@overleaonline.org

The popular Overlea ArtsFest 3-day festival is back, and submissions are open for all types of visual art and short films for our juried show. If you’re at least 16 years old, and you’re an artist or filmmaker living, working or going to school in Maryland, we’d love to see what you’ve been working on!

This year’s festival is on August 11th, 12th and 13th, 2023 at Holt Park & Center for the Arts, and will feature the juried art show, family art & nature activities, entertainment, art vendors and food. Cash prizes and certificates will be given to the winners.

For more information go to Overlea ArtsFest website between now and Monday June 12th to submit your work. There is NO FEE to submit.

The feral cat population in Baltimore has been an ongoing issue for many years. Feral cats are a direct outcome of owners who have deliberately abandoned their unwanted animals. Every spring, the feral mama cat that lives under a neighbor’s shed has multiple litters of kittens (did you know a female cat can get pregnant up to five times a year?!) These cats tend to lead a difficult, short life. They continue to reproduce and in a few short years, create an entire community of feral cats if interventions are not put in place. In addition to the stressful life these cats live, their existence creates an ecological issues. They kill birds and their feces pollutes our waterways, posing issues to our public health systems.

While there is no easy solution, it is imperative that we band together as a community to make sure these cats are vetted and spayed/neutered. The benefits include: healthier outdoor cats, prevention of unwanted litters; saving taxpayer dollars by keeping cats out of municipal shelters; and decreasing the number of cats needlessly dying in shelters. If you are feeding a stray cat, there are many resources to assist you to receive discounted or free treatment for thems.

In Baltimore City, you may borrow a trap to catch the cats from BARCS (410.396.4695). They will spay/neuter, vaccinate, and ear tip community cats for free. The SPCA on Falls Rd (410.235.8826) offers similar discounted services to city residents. Baltimore County Animal Shelter (in Baldwin) also offers TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return) services to County Residents (410.887.7297). If you feed community cats, it is imperative to the health of the colony and our community, that they are taken care of. If you need direct assistance for community cats on your property, please reach out to Melissa Davis, Overlea’s resident crazy cat lady, at mspicknall1@gmail.com

Historic Overlea gem, Buck Fowlers Tavern is one of Baltimore Magazine’s Best Dive Bars!

By Lydia Woolever, reprinted from Dec. 2022

Past northeast Baltimore’s autobody shops and car dealerships, on the literal city-county line, you’ll find this circa-1950 tavern is still kicking, though just barely. Into the ’90s, the family-run, former “stag bar” (aka men only) was a popular hangout for Colts players like Art Donovan and Bruce Laird, but many of its biggest fans have kicked the bucket in recent years. Even so, the Coors Light sign turns on daily at 11 a.m., with WBAL on the TV, a Sun on the oak bartop, and perhaps the city’s best dartboard in the back room. During a recent lunch beer, one local, whom the tenured bartender referred to as “the mayor,” topped off his own tequila and talked about how bustling the place used to be. Take his advice: “If you’re not looking for a lot of wild and crazy excitement, come on down, sit with the old farts, and have a beverage.”

Visit Buck’s Facebook page.

Jade Farm sells great foods at the Overlea Farmers Market every summer and is now delivering in Overlea! They offer pastured chicken and eggs, woodland raised pork, sauces and honey along with duck and turkey when in season as well. It’s all delicious. You can order on their Facebook page at Jade Farm.

Join us at this year’s Fullerton Fireworks display! The festivities will be on July 1st with fireworks beginning at 9:15 pm. The field will open at 3pm with food vendors and at 5pm live music by “Awaken” begins! Bring the family for dinner and stay for the excitement.

Fullerton Fireworks Foundation is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. The Foundation has built one of the largest, non-government sponsored fireworks programs in the region. It is supported by the communities of: Linover, Overlea, Elmwood, Belmar and our neighbors in Perry Hall, White Marsh, Parkville, Rosedale, and NE Baltimore City. 2023 will be the 60th Anniversary of the event.

Volunteers are always needed! If you can help, please contact George Stover at: george@adventureproductions.com

Part of Overlea’s charm, along with its historic homes, is the number of well-established trees we have. But many of them are threatened by English Ivy, a non-native plant that quickly takes over gardens, fences, and walls—and it climbs trees, smothering them and eventually killing them. (It will also damage your home, if you allow it to climb.)

If you have a tree covered in ivy, you can save it! Cut into the ivy stems until you reach the trunk, being careful not to damage the tree’s bark. Cut in two spots, one about 12 inches above the other, and remove the cut section. Do this all around the tree to clear a “window” in the ivy’s growth. Then uproot the plant to remove it from the ground. (The ivy still on the tree can be left to die in place.)

To protect Overlea’s trees—which increase property values, provide shade in summer, and make our neighborhood beautiful and livable—we can all start by removing English Ivy.

More Info:

• English Ivy – National Invasive Species Information Center
• How to Get Rid of Invasive English Ivy – Gardening Channel

Get Involved in Keeping Overlea Green:

• Overlea Greening Project

Hey Overlea residents-it’s time to shine with what’s cooking in your kitchen! Enjoy food and fellowship with your neighbors at the Overlea Pot Luck Dinner! Bring your family and a dish of your favorite food creation. For planning purposes, respond with how many are in your group and what you’ll be bringing to the buffet. RSVP to Doris at dfpoling18@yahoo.com.

When: Saturday, April 22nd, 5-8pm.
Where: The Natural History Society of MD-6908 Belair Road

It’s going to be a Tasty Night in Overlea! Come join us on Tuesday, August 1st, 6-8pm. Save the date and stayed tuned for more information in the next newsletter, on Facebook or in the Community Bulletin. This is a wonderful event and it’s a great opportunity to meet your neighbors!

34 Elmont Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206

Holt Park is a jewel in our neighborhood. On your next visit walking the trails, make a point to stop by the Nature Center cabin to visit the critters. Ranger M. Tillery works with home school kids to support their science curriculum, and they have named the resident terrapin “Poppy.”

Until recently, Poppy’s habitat was a bit limiting. Alex Dusza from BSA Scouts Troop 16 has built a new habitat for our favorite neighborhood turtle as part of his Eagle Scout project. The new hundred-gallon tank includes a platform for Poppy to warm herself under the lamps, and plenty of water to swim in. Her habitat also includes some live clams to filter the water naturally and help keep Poppy healthy and happy. Thanks, Alex! The Nature Cabin is open on Saturdays from 12:00 – 3:00pm.

Make time to visit us and join in on the fun! Please pre-register for Holt Park programs on our website.

Save the dates for the 2023 season of this community treasure. The Overlea Farmers Market, organized by your Overlea Community Association, begins on Saturday, June 10 and runs every other Saturday through October 28. We’ll once again be in the parking lot of the Natural History Society of Maryland (6908 Belair Rd). So get those dates on your calendars now, and plan to support local farmers, bakers, and makers this season. If you’d like to help please email OCA president Melissa Davis: president@overleaonline.org.

Kids and teens now have their very own art show dedicated to them and their work! The 1st annual Youth Art Show will be on March 24th, 25th and 26th, 2023 at Holt Park & Center for the Arts, with a fun 3-day program of activities and entertainment.

The show is being produced in collaboration with Holt Park and local Girl Scout Troop 5335. All young artists between the ages of 6 and 15 living or attending school in Maryland are eligible to submit their artwork. Cash prizes and certificates will be given to the top winners. Art teachers and Scout leaders are welcome to connect with us at contactus@overleaartsfest.org to get involved.

Submissions are open through Monday, March 6th, so hurry! There is NO FEE to submit. Get all the details on our website.