Yaggy Members Give Back to the Community Through GBMC

For Al and Charmaine Gwynn, the saying, “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance,” has helped to define their lives. Towson residents since they were married in 1965, their prudent planning is paying big dividends as they enjoy an active retirement.

Extensive planning, however, was not always a hallmark of the duo with the wry sense of humor. In fact, they may not have ever met on a blind date in 1962, if Charmaine, a former ballroom dancer, had followed the same philosophy when she was starting out. Teaching speech pathology in Cumberland, her hometown, she decided to follow a former boss and his promise of employment to Baltimore. “After telling my parents I was moving to Baltimore, I was on the train a few days later. I did not even have a place to stay.” Despite her initial lack of planning, Charmaine had a rewarding 30-year career with Baltimore County Schools.

With over three decades of schooling and two Master’s Degrees to their credit, the Gwynns exude a personable manner in every conversation. It was this affable nature that led Mr. Gwynn, a Marine during the Korean War, to a successful 25-year career with the State of Maryland’s Regional Planning Council. “I studied geography at the University of Maryland. My job enabled me to apply what I had learned, and my career grew with the State.” Mr. Gwynn retired as head of the Council in 1988.

Al Gwynn was cured of Hodgkin’s lymphoma at GBMC in the mid ‘80’s. At that time, Charmaine had retired and was already volunteering at the Nearly New Sale – an effort that Al also embraced after his retirement. GBMC owes this sincere loyalty to two people whose primary motivation has always been a desire to give back to the area. “I feel that you should leave something by way of an estate to the community, “ states Mrs. Gwynn. “If we can do anything to help GBMC provide better services to our community, that seems to be a good thing to do!”

GBMC Foundation
6701 North Charles Street
Baltimore,MD 21204
443-849-3303 | Fax: 443-849-3739
E-Mail: JJeppi@GBMC.org