Recognition Appreciated
Editor:
On Nov. 16 at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club, Coastal Hospice was proud to receive the Nonprofit of the Year Award from the Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce. Thank you to the members of the Chamber for bestowing this prestigious honor on us. Thank you, as well, to the Worcester County Commissioners, State Senator Jim Mathias and Delegate Mary Beth Carozza for their official citations and commendations that night.
This honor really belongs to the staff from Coastal Hospice who do the work. Without their outstanding efforts, Coastal Hospice would not have made the impact on the communities, patients, and families who the Chamber recognized. On a daily basis, our staff cares for more than 200 patients.
Our mission is simple, yet challenging: “Coastal Hospice promotes dignity and quality of life for patients and families who face life-limiting conditions.” We celebrate life and do all we can to make our patients comfortable and at peace. Our staff likes to say, “We meet our patients where they are.” That could be physically, medically, socially, or spiritually. We try to help patients stay at in their own homes, because that is where most people want to be.
Soon, there will be another option located in Ocean Pines. The Macky and Pam Stansell House at Coastal Hospice at the Ocean will be a 12-bed hospice residence for those without an able caregiver at home. With the help and vision of many people — including our fundraiser leaders Macky Stansell and Dirk Widdowson — we acquired an abandoned clubhouse at The Point at the end of Ocean Parkway. It is a spectacular location overlooking the bay and the Ocean City skyline and will be a calming place for our patients to live out their lives.
We look forward to our expanded presence in the Ocean Pines community. The work of Coastal Hospice goes on and will leave only a bigger footprint on Ocean Pines and the entire Lower Shore in the years ahead.
David Hanlin
Salisbury
(The writer is the vice president of operation for Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care.)
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Using Music To Fight Heroin In Ocean City
Editor:
I guess nothing is perfect: a mischievous little kid spinning around the popcorn bowl onstage, but not being able to say anything since my mic was live. Although, when the lights were off, I did kick the bowl. A baby crying unceasingly, but the mom being too mesmerized by the show to take the baby out. An orchestra playing too loudly during “Jingle Bell Rock” and drowning out the narration. Lighting not darkened after the show, then turned on for the credits. A conductor who forgot to give credits after the show, then ran over to me and gave me a hug, but there were many more things that went well.
The goal of the Brian’s Christmas Songbook show was to touch people emotionally with a message never to do heroin — to stop the heroin epidemic by touching the kids and cutting off the future supply of addicts. We wanted to do this through showing hope that only a Christmas show brings. Many people have told me that they cried during the show, that the show touched them emotionally — so mission accomplished. We look forward to doing many more shows and reaching many more people. We could do 20 shows next year and reach 15,000 kids if we raise $600,000. Our only restriction is funding.
The city and the Performing Arts Center took a risk on us and were paid back by a Christmas show spawned in Ocean City to fight the heroin epidemic. What could be more suitable for our seaside resort than touching emotions through music to stop drug addiction? Our community now has its own entry into the battle against the heroin epidemic. There were many people that contributed, including this paper. The list is too long to mention here.
Brian’s Christmas Songbook also blazed new ground for the Performing Arts Center. It is the first show that used music to fight heroin. It is the first show with free admission that used donations to pay the bills. All admissions were free.
One thing I am particularly proud of is that it is the first show that gave the stage to local artists. Lauren Glick and Melissa Alesi had performed in numerous bars in and around Ocean City, but never on stage together. They were fantastic. This was their opportunity to get well-deserved attention on a bigger stage. Brenda Golden and Rita Conestabile have also performed locally and were granted the opportunity on a bigger stage. Also our locals Santa and the Elf, Mr. Garry White and Mr. Donnie Burke were elevated to the big stage too and did a great job.
Although entirely dependent on donations, we look forward to performing our show, carrying our message to many more children over time — and to children at heart, as well. On behalf of all the musicians and performers we thank everyone in Ocean City that helped, and we are so happy that you enjoyed Brian’s Christmas Songbook.
Tony Christ