Coastal Bays Exceeds Fundraising Goal

BERLIN – The Coastal Bays Program exceeded its goal last week of raising $250,000 in 2007 by some $75,000.

Last January, an anonymous donor gave the program $500,000 to create the first designated environmental endowment fund on Maryland’s lower shore. On the heels of the news, the same donor offered to match every private dollar raised with an additional $2 by year’s end up to $250,000 – giving the program a chance to create a million-dollar endowment.

The program recently announced that it had raised $326,000 through its events and private gifts.

Giving donations of more than $5,000 came from the Burbage family, Ocean City and Berlin Optimists, Munson Foundation, Jeff and Janet Phillips, Eunice Sorin, the Nichols family in honor of Elaine Nichols, John Gudelsky, the Keith Campbell Foundation, Michael Guerrieri, Pam and Macky Stansell, John Gehrig, Sunset Marina Fishing Center, Hi-Tide Marine Construction, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

Giving $1,000 or more were Mike Truitt, Sonny Bloxom, Vera McCullough, Steve and Lari Taylor, M&T Bank, Morgan Stanley, Jerry and Patti Rohe, Kevin and Ryn Rohe, Reese Cropper, the Quillin Family Foundation, Tom and Beth Hershey, Rex Timmons, Sharon Wolf, Will Esham, Guerrieri Family Foundation, Reese and Joanne Cropper, Hugh and JL Cropper, Stephanie Brown and Jay Steinmetz, Ken and Elsie MacMullen, Beth Gismondi, Don Grace, and Nancy Smith.

The primary purpose of the new endowment fund will be to provide funds on a permanent basis to reestablish the Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation’s environmental education program.