After Three Decades, Susan Nolte Continues Giving Back

By Hayley Gable
With the number of volunteer programs and array of organizations Severna Park resident Susan Nolte has dedicated herself to over the past 34 years, it comes as no surprise that she has become such a familiar face in the community. Nolte, who resides in Fair Oaks with her husband Charles, has established herself over the years as a notable community figure.
Currently, she serves on eight different boards throughout the area: Partners In Care, Annapolis YWCA, Magothy River Land Trust, Association for Severna Park Improvement, Renewal and Enhancement, Anne Arundel Women Giving Together, Maryland Association of Parliamentarians, Oncology Foundation of Maryland, and Severna Park Republican Women’s Club.

“It’s all about being able to help others,” she said.
For the last five years, Nolte has been a significant part of the Jewelry Committee at Partners in Care’s Pasadena Boutique. “We go over the jewelry that has been donated to be sure it is in good condition, and then we tag and price it,” she added.
Currently, Nolte is organizing the annual Jewelry Extravaganza, which will be held on Friday, March 25 at the Severna Park Community Center and on Saturday, March 26 at Partners In Care.
Aside from providing assistance in the boutique, Nolte is always available to lend a hand to those in need. “One assignment I really enjoyed was assisting a blind couple who were transferred to Iowa because of their jobs. They had to sort out many boxes of records and make a lot of plans for moving. They had two small boys as well as full-time jobs, and, of course, they could not drive, so they had many challenges,” she said, adding, “I helped them go through their records and I read them their mail for about nine months until they moved.”
Additionally, Nolte has stood as a board member of the Annapolis YWCA since 1985. Part of her service to the YWCA has included managing the annual gala, a much anticipated fund-raising event of which proceeds go to YWCA programs that support victims of domestic violence.
As a Board Member of the Magothy River Land Trust since 1982, Nolte has volunteered her time raising awareness for protecting our local waterways.
“We have helped get over 400 acres around the Magothy River into the land trust that cannot be developed,” she noted.
The organization, which Nolte has been involved with for the longest period of time, is the Maryland Association of Parliamentarians, which she has been a part of since 1964. Currently, she stands as the group’s Corresponding Secretary.
ASPIRE, which recently held its annual Leadership Dinner at Chartwell Country Club, is another local organization to which Nolte gives much of her time. “I serve as the secretary, and I’m responsible for organizing the Community Leadership Awards Dinner each year,” she said.
Anne Myers, development director for Partners In Care, has observed Nolte’s community efforts over the years and is thankful for her willingness to give. “She is one of the most positive, cheerful and fun people you will ever work with. Her enthusiasm is contagious. She is busy and efficient with a smile on her face while handling a hundred details with good humor,” said Myers.
In the future, Nolte noted that she would like to see more of the community step up and volunteer to an organization of their choosing. “It is well worth it,” she concluded.