Response To Story
Editor:
While I have in the past enjoyed Staff Writer Charlene Sharpe’s work, I protest her unbalanced, inadequately researched article, “What Has Led to Campground Popularity Trend?” dated online Dec. 29.
Ms. Sharpe states (without attribution) that opponents of the proposed new RV campgrounds “are not considering … why campgrounds … are so popular.”
On the contrary, I think that most of us who oppose these proposed business ventures assume that they would be popular. We spend too much time describing the damage they will do if they succeed, and too little time warning of their potential failure. Ms. Sharpe also selectively quotes economic data favoring the proposed campgrounds’ success.
But, if she had read Sun Communities corporation’s own latest annual report, available on-line, she would have found a long list of business risks that Sun admits could drive a campground out of business, including (quoting from that report) “the oversupply of MH and RV sites” and “competition from other available MH and RV communities.”
Please ask Ms. Sharpe to listen more carefully to both sides of this issue, and to balance the proposed possibilities of success against the real risks of failure.
Toby Jensen Perkins
Berlin
Charity Supporters Thanked
Editor:
The NOEL Community extends a thank you to places of worship, individuals, businesses and civic groups in the surrounding Delmarva Communities for the overwhelming support for our 19th Annual Christmas Celebration. We are especially grateful to Father Matthew D’Amario and St. Paul’s by-the Sea for hosting the celebration; to Father Carl Mosley for his spiritual leadership and to the many businesses and civic groups for supplying food, making generous monetary donations and for sponsoring toy, toiletry, and hat/glove drives; to the local media for publicizing our event; and to all the individuals and churches who donated toys, desserts, toiletries and monetary gifts. We would also like to thank everyone who was able to volunteer their time to make this event a success.
The NOEL Community served more than 200 individuals with a hot breakfast meal and provided over 150 bags of food to have a meal on Christmas. In addition to meals, we provided toys, toiletries, hats, gloves and scarves, entertainment and an assortment of sweet treats. On Christmas Day, we delivered over 50 dinners to local first responders and public servants.
The NOEL Community will continue to expand our outreach serving free carryout lunch at Shepherd’s Crook with the leftover supplies and funds. In 2016, your generosity allowed the NOEL Community volunteers to prepare over 3000 lunches every Saturday and some additional weekdays. These lunches are needed and appreciated by those we serve. The NOEL Community also assists with funds to stock the food pantry several times a year with a variety of toiletry items. Thanks to your support, we are able to assist individuals and families in meaningful ways.
The Noel Committee
Ocean City
OC Concert Wonderful
Editor:
I would like to thank Ocean City for the great Mayor’s New Year’s Day Concert held last Sunday. Attending the concert was a wonderful way to begin the new year.
The performances were outstanding and the Performing Arts Center was the perfect location.
Jeff McArthur
Ocean City
Generosity Recognized
Editor:
On behalf of the staff at Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of non-medical home care to seniors in their homes, we wish to thank everyone who participated in our “Be a Santa to a Senior” program. Through the generosity of those who purchased the gifts this year, the program was able to bring joy to the lives of 601 seniors in our communities during the holiday season.
We would also like to thank our community partners who helped supply the names of deserving seniors as well as those that provided space for our Gift Trees. Those partners include Apple Discount Drugs, Snow Hill Pharmacy, Salisbury University – Conference Planning Department, Wor-Wic Community College – Allied Health Division, Fresenius Dialysis Center – Milford St. location, Coastal Hospice – Compass Program, Salisbury Urban Ministries, Berlin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Ocean Pines Community Center and Salisbury Chamber of Commerce, along with MAC Area Agency on Aging, Worcester County Commission on Aging, Worcester County Department of Social Services and Worcester County Health Dept. We also want to thank the staff at Avery Hall Insurance who personally contributed over 30 gifts to our program.
We thoroughly enjoyed working with all of these organizations and appreciate their help in making this wonderful program a success. We can’t wait till next year.
Corrie Boger
Don Boger
Berlin
(The writers are the co-owners of Home Instead Senior Care in Berlin.)