OCEAN PINES – Officials with the Ocean Pines Association and other community departments joined together Tuesday to deliver food baskets to residents in need this holiday season.
Denise Sawyer, marketing and public relations director for Ocean Pines, said the community’s association has partnered with Worcester County G.O.L.D., a non-profit organization, for many years to provide members with assistance.
“This is a tradition for the association,” she said. “It has been happening over a number of years with the partnership of Worcester G.O.L.D., and we partner with them for a lot of hyperlocal, community-oriented initiatives. It’s all about giving back, and we go to them because they do it so well.”
This year officials provided nine families throughout Ocean Pines with a laundry-sized basket full of holiday food staples.
Each department within the community helped to donate food for the yearly event.
“Different departments here get together and they bring stuffing, turkey, yams, and a plethora of things that put together one big turkey holiday feast for those who wouldn’t have had it otherwise because of unfortunate times,” Sawyer said. “For the holidays, it’s a time we reflect on the good. We like to share the good with our family members. So we just want to make sure that our neighbors, who are also our family, are with a nice, warm meal when it comes to the holiday season.”
Officials with the Aquatics and Public Works departments accompanied Sawyer, Acting General Manager Brett Hill, Controller Art Carmine and Public Works Director Eddie Wells as they hand delivered the baskets to each household on the list.
Each spent much of Tuesday afternoon knocking on doors, ringing doorbells, speaking with residents and their families and presenting the food baskets.
Some anxiously waited at the curb, while most welcomed the surprise from their front doors.
“It’s just a delivery to make sure that they know that we are actively working for them because we are here to serve them,” Sawyer said. “We wanted to really make sure we are knocking on the doors of those who are in need. It is not just delivered to them by people they are not familiar with. We want to put a face with a name and show them that we really do care.”
The initiative, she said, is one of the many that the community supports throughout the year and during the holiday season.
Although this initiative only involves Ocean Pines officials, she said many of the residents partake in present donations through an “angel tree” that is set up in front of the Sports Core Pool.
“I think it’s important to highlight the act of giving, not just during the holiday season, but year-round,” Sawyer said. “We have so many great community-oriented clubs and committees that are all selfless within this community. Folks in Ocean Pines love Ocean Pines and they love their neighbors who live in Ocean Pines. So when someone is without, they make sure they can do what they can do to get that person what they need. We are really excited about that, and it’s something that is deeply rooted within this community. We are all one big family.”
Sawyer said the association has received many donations, and many foodstuffs are being given to a local church.
“Every amenity kicks in to assure that neighbors are well taken care of,” she said. “We all look forward to it too. It’s fun.”
