(Feb. 23, 2017) Although Mary McMullen passed away in 2012 of scleroderma, her legacy as a benefactor of youth activities lives on through the Mary Mac Foundation.
The nonprofit, started by her husband Tim McMullen, has funded recreation programs and charitable organizations geared towards young people in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore, New York and Pennsylvania, and as far away as Haiti.
Locally, the foundation has given to Camp Barnes, Diakonia, Gina’s Warrior Comfort Fund, the Nandua High School Food Drive, the Ravens Roost #44 Scholarship Fund, the Worcester County Veterans Memorial and youth programs at Ocean Pines Recreations and Parks.
McMullen, 69, is the chairman of the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks advisory committee. His late wife helped to establish the department during the 1970s.
He was formerly an AP History teacher and the athletic director at Broadneck High School in Annapolis and Mary was a special education teacher in Severna Park.
“I think I can speak for Mary when I say we really, really loved being in education,” he said. “And being involved with young people is one of the really, really neat things you can do when you retire. I really enjoy it.”
Commitment to the community, he said, has also been important to the McMullen family. Four of his seven siblings own homes in the Pines and are active in boating and golf groups, his nephews have worked as lifeguards for the aquatics program and all three of his children worked at the yacht club.
“The recreational facilities here are the best on the Eastern Shore, and we really believe in our community,” McMullen said. “We felt it was time for us to give back to Ocean Pines, and that’s why we’re involved in the recreation department and in specialty programs for young people.”
During the last two years, McMullen and the recreation and parks committee helped to vet bids for a new playground at Manklin Meadows, approved by the board last month. The committee also had a hand in renovations at the Huntington Park sports fields and the addition of bathrooms at Whitehorse Park.
He also coaches basketball and tennis at Worcester Preparatory School.
Recently, there was a small amount of controversy related to McMullen and the foundation because of a $15,000 donation to the recreation and parks department. The money will fund a pirate ship playground at Mumford’s Landing, formerly known as the yacht club.
Some residents had complained the location, near the yacht club pool, would create a nuisance.
McMullen said the donation was spread out over four years and the only stipulation was that it be earmarked for recreation programs or facilities. Former recreation and parks director Sonya Bounds, McMullen said, made the suggestion to build a new playground and interim General Manager Brett Hill decided on the pirate theme and the location.
“We always had a big interest in young people, so when we got the foundation started we said let’s make sure the Ocean Pines Recreation gets a check every year,” he said. “Brett Hill approached me at a recreation meeting in December and told me he had come up with a thought about having a pirate ship at the yacht club to try to attract families.
“I told Brett, all along, we wanted a children’s playground somewhere in Ocean Pines,” McMullen continued. “We did not care where. I think that every time we invest money in projects for young people it enhances everything you do in Ocean Pines.”
McMullen stood up during a recent public meeting in Ocean Pines to address detractors of the proposed playground. He noted that, when youth programs started in the 1970s, there was immediate pushback from some older members of the community.
“The vast majority of people in Ocean Pines support programs for young people,” he said. “I think the major concern was that they were going to lose the yacht club as the adults-only pool. I use the yacht club pool almost every day during the summer – I go over there and read and I absolutely enjoy it. I hope people realize that the yacht club pool is still going to be an adults-only pool.
“But, you do need families at the yacht club,” McMullen added. “If this helps them attract families I think that’s a good thing.”
McMullen said he expected the playground to be open by Memorial Day.
Also that month, the foundation will host its first Mary Mac Night at Camden Yards, on May 19. McMullen said he expected several hundred people to take part in the event. The cost is $25 and proceeds will benefit the foundation.
The sixth annual Mary Mac Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club on Friday, Aug. 4 starting at 8 a.m. The tournament has sold out each year it has been held.
For more information on the Mary Mac Foundation, Inc., visit www.marymac.org. Donations to the nonprofit can be made online or by calling McMullen at 443-827-2091.
The nonprofit, started by her husband Tim McMullen, has funded recreation programs and charitable organizations geared towards young people in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore, New York and Pennsylvania, and as far away as Haiti.
Locally, the foundation has given to Camp Barnes, Diakonia, Gina’s Warrior Comfort Fund, the Nandua High School Food Drive, the Ravens Roost #44 Scholarship Fund, the Worcester County Veterans Memorial and youth programs at Ocean Pines Recreations and Parks.
McMullen, 69, is the chairman of the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks advisory committee. His late wife helped to establish the department during the 1970s.
He was formerly an AP History teacher and the athletic director at Broadneck High School in Annapolis and Mary was a special education teacher in Severna Park.
“I think I can speak for Mary when I say we really, really loved being in education,” he said. “And being involved with young people is one of the really, really neat things you can do when you retire. I really enjoy it.”
Commitment to the community, he said, has also been important to the McMullen family. Four of his seven siblings own homes in the Pines and are active in boating and golf groups, his nephews have worked as lifeguards for the aquatics program and all three of his children worked at the yacht club.
“The recreational facilities here are the best on the Eastern Shore, and we really believe in our community,” McMullen said. “We felt it was time for us to give back to Ocean Pines, and that’s why we’re involved in the recreation department and in specialty programs for young people.”
During the last two years, McMullen and the recreation and parks committee helped to vet bids for a new playground at Manklin Meadows, approved by the board last month. The committee also had a hand in renovations at the Huntington Park sports fields and the addition of bathrooms at Whitehorse Park.
He also coaches basketball and tennis at Worcester Preparatory School.
Recently, there was a small amount of controversy related to McMullen and the foundation because of a $15,000 donation to the recreation and parks department. The money will fund a pirate ship playground at Mumford’s Landing, formerly known as the yacht club.
Some residents had complained the location, near the yacht club pool, would create a nuisance.
McMullen said the donation was spread out over four years and the only stipulation was that it be earmarked for recreation programs or facilities. Former recreation and parks director Sonya Bounds, McMullen said, made the suggestion to build a new playground and interim General Manager Brett Hill decided on the pirate theme and the location.
“We always had a big interest in young people, so when we got the foundation started we said let’s make sure the Ocean Pines Recreation gets a check every year,” he said. “Brett Hill approached me at a recreation meeting in December and told me he had come up with a thought about having a pirate ship at the yacht club to try to attract families.
“I told Brett, all along, we wanted a children’s playground somewhere in Ocean Pines,” McMullen continued. “We did not care where. I think that every time we invest money in projects for young people it enhances everything you do in Ocean Pines.”
McMullen stood up during a recent public meeting in Ocean Pines to address detractors of the proposed playground. He noted that, when youth programs started in the 1970s, there was immediate pushback from some older members of the community.
“The vast majority of people in Ocean Pines support programs for young people,” he said. “I think the major concern was that they were going to lose the yacht club as the adults-only pool. I use the yacht club pool almost every day during the summer – I go over there and read and I absolutely enjoy it. I hope people realize that the yacht club pool is still going to be an adults-only pool.
“But, you do need families at the yacht club,” McMullen added. “If this helps them attract families I think that’s a good thing.”
McMullen said he expected the playground to be open by Memorial Day.
Also that month, the foundation will host its first Mary Mac Night at Camden Yards, on May 19. McMullen said he expected several hundred people to take part in the event. The cost is $25 and proceeds will benefit the foundation.
The sixth annual Mary Mac Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club on Friday, Aug. 4 starting at 8 a.m. The tournament has sold out each year it has been held.
For more information on the Mary Mac Foundation, Inc., visit www.marymac.org. Donations to the nonprofit can be made online or by calling McMullen at 443-827-2091.