Allan Waschak: A Lifetime Of Achievement Building Community

With a home building, home remodeling and real estate career in Howard County that spans almost 50 years, it is no surprise that the name Allan Homes has become synonymous with quality, commitment, and customer service. With an engineering degree from Penn State University, owner and founder Allan Waschak has taken the maxim “attention to detail” to a level unsurpassed by any other builder. Just ask any Allan Homes homeowner and they will tell you it is the best built home they have ever owned.

However, high quality custom homes are not the only thing that Allan has built in his long, illustrious career. Building community by devoting countless volunteer hours to organizations and enterprises that make Howard County and the state of Maryland a better place to live is another reason that has made Allan a local icon.

creating the blueprints for a custom home

Leadership In The Special Olympics

Anyone who has ever participated in the Maryland Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, either by braving the frigid water of the Chesapeake Bay or by donating money, know Allan and his son, Mike.

Allan’s Polar Bear Plunge Team is legendary, raising tens of thousands of dollars to a cause dear to Allan’s heart. In fact, he and Mike have taken the plunge with Gov. Martin O’Malley (7 times) and with Howard County Executives Jim Robey & Allan Kittleman. Plus, Plunging with Ravens’ Joe Flacco twice and Rex Ryan.

picking and preparing a lot to build a home on

Beyond The Polar Bear Plunge

Allan’s participation in the Special Olympics goes far beyond the Polar Bear Plunge. Allan’s helped bring the annual “Over The Edge” fundraising event to Columbia in 2020. Participants must raise $1000 in order to repel down the side of Columbia’s tallest Office Building the twelve story 6100 Merriweather Drive.

Allan was Special Olympics Howard County’s First Fundraising Chairman in 1995.  He helped create “The Inspiration Walk” which had its 22nd Walk in the Spring of 2023.  He has also served as the Howard County Special Olympics Swim Team coordinator since 1995. Allan was inducted into Howard County Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

For his over 30 years of service to the Special Olympics, Allan was presented with the Special Olympics Howard County’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. Presenting the award to Allan was County Executive Calvin Ball, Parks & Recreation Director A. Raul Delerme, and Bob Baker Special Olympics Howard County Director.

Years Of Service Still Ongoing

Even with his often-demanding schedule as a home remodeler, builder, and realtor, talking to Allan today will still get you a lengthy conversation about his charity work and how you can provide much needed support. His passion and commitment to the Howard County community has not waived over the years. It has only gotten stronger as the world enters the post-COVID era and support of our non-profit community initiatives becomes more critical.

Allan Homes Fund

Created in 2006 by Allan and Kathy Waschak, the foundation was initially open to volunteers in the Special Olympics swimming program. Following its inception, it has expanded and is now open to student volunteers in all Special Olympics sports programs.

Mentoring GT Math Students

In 1996-1997 using his engineering degree and love of math, Allan volunteered as a GT math mentor at Clarksville Elementary School in Howard County. Determined to show students the importance of mathematics knowledge in real life situations, his lessons revolved around the custom home that Allan Home was building across the street from the school.

All the problems had trick answers that made the students think outside the box. Calculating how many cement trucks were needed to pour the foundation footings. The footings were in inches, length in feet, conversion to cubic yards, conversion to tons of concrete then number of trucks. The answer was the whole number of trucks not a fraction of a truck. The students got to see the house from start to finish plus the owners’ oldest daughter was in the class.

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