It has been a pleasure to photograph the Celebrating Marriage Dinner for the Marriage and Relationship Education Center of Carroll County, Maryland for the past three years! My husband and I have also been blessed to have taken one of their classes prior to getting married.

What is the MRE Center?

The Marriage & Relationship Education Center is a 50l (c)(3) faith-based organization established in 2004 and is located in the Carroll Non Profit Center in Westminster. They are dedicated to improving the lives of children in our community by strenthening families through marriage and relationship education, partnerships and public awareness efforts. 

The annual dinner is a wonderful time to recognize those who are supporting marriage and family relationships in our local community.

Each year there is a silent and live auction to financially support MREC.

This year’s meal was served tapas style! There were meat carving stations and a potato bar.

Our three lovely hostesses!

The potato bar – made to order. This gentleman did a wonderful job! I had broccoli and cheese potatoes.

Our wonderful auctioneer – Joe DiMaggio.

The founders of MREC, Bill and Anne McKenna, handing out awards to community members. The first was the Community Partnership Award and was presented to the Town Mall of Westminster on their participation in Date Night Carroll 2013.

The second award was the Community Impact Award and it was presented to Bishop Ross and First Lady Brenda Jackson for their unwavering commitment to strengthen marriages and families in their church and community.

We also had the pleasure of hearing from a few people about how MREC has benefitted their lives and marriages.

…And the moment everyone waits for: popping the balloons to see who won the tablet.

Looking forward to another year partnering with MREC to strengthen marriages and families in my community!