Voices From The Readers – September 30, 2016

Voices From The Readers – September 30, 2016
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Letter Of Thanks

Editor:

During the pre-season this past August, our football team received some serious news. Our longtime coach, Bob Knox, was going to step away from the game because his 2-year-old grandson, Eli, had become ill. Eli has been diagnosed with a rare, yet aggressive brain cancer called Atypical/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT). Only 1% to 2% of all brain tumors are of this diagnosis.  has already had one surgery to remove a tumor, but unfortunately there is another tumor on which they are unable to operate and he will begin chemotherapy treatments to help shrink it.

Coach Knox has been the head football coach at Decatur for over 30 years and has had an impact on many young men who have come through our school. Upon hearing the news, both our school and our community went into action to assist the Knox family in any way possible. A GoFundMe account was set up to assist the family in the rapidly accumulating medical expenses. To date, the account has raised over $12,000. We are blessed and thankful to live in such a generous community.

As the football season has begun, our team has played hard. Led by assistant coaches Stan Griffin, Fred Billings and Joe Andrews, we continue to battle week after week with our Bayside Conference opponents. We have been overwhelmed by the compassion of the schools that we have played as they hear of the battle little Eli is undertaking.

Two weeks ago when our team traveled to Easton High, their P.A. person announced the situation to the crowd during pre-game and collected $500 from the home crowd in the bleachers. This past week when we hosted Kent Island High School, their coaching staff delivered $1,300 that they had collected from their school community. It is impressive how, regardless of the competitive nature that exists between our schools, that when there is a need for support, we all come together to help. I can’t thank enough, all of the people who have donated to help Eli in his treatments, but also to our Bayside Conference opponents in particular, I’d like to say thank you to Principal Kirk Howie and Easton High and to Principal John Schrecongost and Kent Island High. Your school communities are amazing. The generosity they have shown toward a little boy that they don’t know is beyond words. I know Coach Knox and his family are more than appreciative.

Thomas Zimmer

Berlin

(The writer is the principal at Stephen Decatur High School.)

Family Appreciative

Editor:

To the Coastal Hospice at the Lake, from our entire family and many friends, we would like to give you a heartfelt thank you for making my wife, Pam Foster, our mother, our Grammy, our sister, our friend, for your great care, consideration and kindness to keep her in comfort in her passing.

Her end of life was very difficult for us, but the care and comfort that was provided by everyone, physicians, nurses, aides, social workers, volunteers and religious support was, and is, greatly appreciated.

The individuals are too numerous to mention specifically by name, but we thank you each and every one.

Allowing around the clock care and around the clock visiting and even pets in the room provided support during her final days.

You all should be very proud of the wonderful job you all do.

It is a very sad time for all of us, but we are thankful that she was cared for by such a wonderful group of people.

So, thank you from the Foster family and friends, for your outstanding care and service.

Dick Foster And Family

Ocean City

Trust In God

Editor:

God knows the answer to our nation’s problems, as 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Sounds like good advice to God’s people who are called by his name.

Ida Lough

Ocean City

Questionable Timing

Editor:

To have Patriots Day on Sept. 11 of each year was not done randomly. That date was selected to remember one of the darkest and, at the same time, one of the most heroic dates in our nation’s history. It was, and always will be, a national tragedy. That will never be changed or undone. Almost 3,000 lives were lost in a violent way. Along with that, the citizens of the United States witnessed, in real time, countless acts of heroism and selflessness. It was a day our country united as one, but, it seems, that feeling has been so soon forgotten.

This is why I was so shocked and appalled at Southgate Grill and the Ocean Pines Fire Department who held a “Firemans Bash” on Sept. 11, 2016 complete with (as promoted in local newspapers) “shooter girls,” children’s pictures on a ladder truck and multiple musical performers. I fail to see the connection between a national tragedy and “shooter girls” at a “bash.” No matter how you slice it, a “bash” is some sort of celebration and party.

I have never seen a “Pearl Harbor Day Bash” on Dec. 7. Granted, Southgate Grill had said it would donated 10% of its “outside” profits to benefit the Ocean Pines Fire Department. If this “celebration” was truly to remember those who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice after 9/11 suffering from horrific cancers, leukemias, PTSD, etc., make a donation to one of the non-profit organizations that directly help those affected. Those who were on the front lines on 9/11.

If the Southgate Grille wanted to have a fundraiser for the Ocean Pines Fire Department, great. I would have been there to support them, but to piggyback it to 9/11 was in extremely poor taste and disrespectful to say the least. If they wanted people to celebrate the 9/11 tragedy, invite ISIS and the Taliban. They would be more than happy to partake in the bash.

The management of the establishment has relegated a national tragedy to nothing more than a Fourth of July barbecue. Southgate Grill and the Ocean Pines Fire Department have brought much discredit upon themselves. This is a day of remembrance and respect and to rekindle those feelings of patriotism and togetherness that we all felt on Sept. 11, 2001 as all of America was glued to their television sets and many were brought to tears as this tragedy unfolded.

The Southgate Grill has the right to operate in anyway it sees fit. But let’s call this what it was meant to be — a moneymaker for the establishment — and not hide behind 9/11

Joseph DiMartino

Berlin

(The writer is a retirement Fire Department of the City of New York lieutenant.)

DJ Donation Recognized

Editor:

Star Charities wishes to publically thank “DJ Rupe” for donating his music and time for our VIP event held Friday, September 16.

We also want to apologize for spelling his name incorrectly on our advertising brochures and in the local newspapers.

We all appreciate your dedication to our fundraiser which will benefit our Veterans.

Barbara Peletier

Ocean Pines

Home Tour Success Due To Team Effort

Editor:

On behalf of the Art League of Ocean City, I would like to thank everyone who made this year’s Sand Castle Home tour a huge success. Funds from this yearly event provided the initial seed money to construct the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94 street and continue to provide sustaining funds to support our non-profit mission of promoting the visual arts in the Ocean City area. The tour showcases the many beautiful residential communities in our area, as well as the artistry of the builders, decorators, artists, contractors, restaurants and others who provide amenities which support our local economy and the arts.

We would like to thank Maryland’s First Lady Yumi Hogan, for being our honorary chairperson of this the 12th annual tour. Her support of this event, and of the arts in general, is noteworthy and appreciated.

Our gratitude to our gracious homeowners: the Norwicz, Farren, Kropp, Gorzo, O’Brien, Greenspan, DeliGatti, Leedy and Outten families, as well as Marie Karl of the Gateway Grand who opened their doors to their beautiful homes. Our dedicated committee, worked many months to coordinate the tour, and we offer them our utmost thanks for making this a premier event in Ocean City. They are: Merilee Horvat, Maryellen Rosenblit, Marian Bickerstaff, Stephanie Cohen, Emmy Challenger, Nancy Fortney, Mallory Hanback, Judy Tremellen, Vicki Harmon, Linda Kessinger ,Marcy Thiele, Kim Wagner and Lyn Burr.

To the florists who provided spectacular arrangements which were on display at the homes: City Florist, Flowers by Alison, Encore Events by Angie Gillis, Little Miss Lovely Floral Designs, Kitty’s Flowers, Ocean Greenery, Ocean City Florist, Beached Butterfly, Ocean Pines Garden Club and Worcester County Garden Club, we are grateful. Thank you to all of the artists who painted the fabulous home portraits: Gerilyn Gaskill, Gail Zinar, Elizabeth Collard, Fay Kempton, Barbara Doyle Schmid, Stasia Heubeck, Kathy Bohs, Becky Simonds, and Olivia Smith. Thank you also to Atlantic General Hospital for providing booties for the tour goers to wear in the homes, and Macky’s for sponsoring the tour bags.

Our appreciation to our valued media partners: Maryland Coast Dispatch, Ocean City Today, Coastal Style Magazine, Metropolitan Magazine, and Delmarva Public Radio, and to the 54 local businesses who advertised in the tour book. In addition to being a wonderful community event, this tour provides great exposure for your businesses and we applaud you for your vision in supporting it.

We appreciate the support of some of the finest restaurants in the area that provided gift certificates for our raffle: Fager’s Island, Sello’s, Sunset Grille, Liquid Assets, So Del Concepts, The Embers, Blu, Bourbon St on the Beach, Captain’s Table, Mancini’s, The Georgia House, and Fox’s Pizza Den.

It truly takes a village to run this event, and we are so grateful to the almost 200 volunteers who worked as docents during the tour, many of them who return to help each year and some of them representatives from other non-profits in the area. Finally, to the almost 1,000 people who took the tour, thank you for coming, we hope you enjoyed the beautiful residences of our area and look forward to seeing you at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th street, and next September for the 13th annual Sand Castle Home tour.

Rina Thaler

Ocean City

(The writer is the executive director of the Art League of Ocean City.)

Event Raised $37K

Editor:

Coastal Hospice wishes to thank everyone who made this year’s Blues on the Bay a big success. Our largest crowd ever — more than 230 supporters — attended the event on Sept. 21 at Macky’s Bayside Bar & Grill and raised nearly $37,000 for the capital campaign to create Coastal Hospice at the Ocean. The night of the event, we received more than $20,000 in donations, including $10,000 from the Irish American Club. Thank you.

Blues on the Bay 2016 put us one step closer towards our goal of building Coastal Hospice at the Ocean. We have now raised $4.3 million towards our $5 million goal. Coastal Hospice at the Ocean will be a new hospice residence and community outreach center, home for terminally ill patients, as well as a base for palliative care, counseling, grief support and community wellness programs.

We would also like to express our gratitude to Macky and Pam Stansell who continue to open the doors of their restaurant every year as hosts of this annual event. The Stansells continue to show their commitment to Coastal Hospice and the vision of the Coastal Hospice at the Ocean residence.

Alane K. Capen

Salisbury

(The writer is the president of Coastal Hospice.)

Extend Smoking Ban To Events

Editor:

The smoking restrictions should include the Sunfest, Springfest and any outside function. The health considerations are just as important when people are walking around those crowded venues as they are on the Boardwalk and beach.

We were constantly trying to position ourselves up wind to avoid the smokers. It is amazing how so few smokers can interfere with what would have been a comfortable stroll around the Sunfest area. There are hundreds of people moving between tents, visiting the outside stalls and sitting watching the entertainment on stage. Only 15% are there for their “smoke break,” threatening our health and interfering with the enjoyment of the other 85%.

My dad taught us that my rights end when they interferer with someone else’s right. Smoking interferes with those 85% right to the healthy ocean breeze.

Hirschauer

Bishopville