Wicomico Coach Awarded

SALISBURY — Tommy Bowden, of Sharptown was honored with a Community Volunteer Award by the Maryland Recreation & Parks Association (MRPA) during its annual conference in Ocean City last month.

Bowden, nominated by Wicomico Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Civic Center was presented with the MRPA Community Volunteer Award for his work with the Department as a youth soccer coach and volunteer. Bowden’s relationship with the department began over 13 years ago as a coach for the county’s youth soccer league.  In addition to soccer, Bowden also coached Sharptown T-Ball and Youth Softball.  No matter what sport or age group Bowden worked with, his coaching demeanor stressed to his players the importance of good sportsmanship and that developing skills was more important than winning or losing. 

In addition to his years of coaching, Bowden also served as a member of the Wicomico County Soccer Federation, Co-Coordinator of the Sharptown Youth Softball League, Sharptown Recreation Commission and Wicomico County Recreation Commission. Outside of his work with the Department, Bowden also dedicates time to the Sharptown Volunteer Fire Department, Boy Scouts, School PTA and his church Asbury Methodist.

Skimmer Island Seminar Slated

ASSATEAGUE — The public is invited to the free program “The Rise and Fall and Restoration of Skimmer Island” this Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Assateague Island Visitor Center.

Dave Brinker, regional ecologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has been monitoring the bird populations and use of Skimmer Island for nearly 20 years. Residents and visitors will learn about the efforts to stabilize this critical coastal habitat and discover more about the bird species impacted by the manipulations to this sandy bit of land.   

The educational program is part of the “Second Saturday at the Seashore” lifelong learning series hosted by Assateague Island Alliance.   Skimmer Island is “the most valuable piece of barren sand for colonial nesting birds in the state of Maryland” according to Brinker.  Skimmer Island is the sandy two-acre land mass just north of the Route 50 bridge.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.