Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City Club
by David Landis
KIWANIS AWARDED FIRST PLACE BY SALVATION ARMY
On Friday October 22nd at the Salvation Army 2010 Red Kettle Campaign Kick-Off Celebration, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City was presented the 2009 first place Bell Ringer Award in the club or organization category for collecting over $8,000 in the 2009 Campaign. Every year Kiwanians ring the bell for Holiday collections at the West Ocean City Wal-Mart on Rt. 50 and will do it again this year. The generosity of the community is wonderful and much appreciated. Pictured is Maryland State Delegate and Co-Chairman of the Red Kettle Campaign, Jim Mathias (right), presenting the award to Kiwanis members (right to left) Immediate Past President Dan Peletier, Barbara Peletier, Dick Feeser, and Charlie Warner.
Kiwanis Re-Welcomes Newest Member
It was reunion time at the Kiwanis weekly meeting in Ocean Pines on Wednesday October 20th when the club's newest member, Nathan Pearson, was installed. Nate who had been a member of the club after retiring in 1983 to Ocean Pines from the Montgomery County Maryland School system where he had been a teacher and principal at several different schools over a distinguished long career, had left Kiwanis for a few years and decided to return. Nate had been a former President of the club and a former Lt. Governor of Division 15 of the Kiwanis Capital District. His experience and dedication will be a very big asset for the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City. Pictured are (L to R) sponsor Elmer Muth for Nate Pearson who is standing next to him, Kiwanis President Roy Forman, and Membership Chair, Pat Winkelmayer, who is installing Nate. We all recognize how important recycling is and Nate's decision to recycle in Kiwanis is the epitome. Welcome Back Nathan Pearson. There's lots to do.
Kiwanis Recognized For Years of Meals On Wheels Service
Since 1987 the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City has been providing volunteers in service to the Worcester County Meals on Wheels Program. Kiwanians donated their time to help package and deliver meals to local Worcester County residents, primarily in the Berlin and Ocean Pines area through the Berlin Senior Center. At the weekly October 20th meeting in the Ocean Pines Community Center the club was presented a plaque in recognition for those years of service. Unfortunately, Kiwanis will no longer provide volunteers for Meals on Wheels due to manpower limitations. Kiwanis is dedicated to "Serving the Children of the World" but is also a community service organization. It just became necessary to focus on the children in this instance. Hopefully there are volunteers out there who will step up and commit to Meals On Wheels.
Pictured (L to R) are Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City President Roy Foreman; Jerry Powell, who served as the Chairman for Kiwanis Meals on Wheels Volunteers for the last 7 years; Debbie Ritter Volunteer Coordinator/Promotions for the Worcester County Commission on Aging who has directed the Meals on Wheels Program for the county; Robert Hart, Executive Director of Worcester County Commission on Aging; and Dick Jacobs, the Kiwanis Chairman for Meals on Wheels prior to Jerry Powell, holding the plaque. Both Rob Hart and Debbie Ritter wanted to make sure that the Kiwanians realized how much their years of service were appreciated.
KIWANIS TAKING ORDERS FOR 2010 ANNUAL HOLIDAY FRUIT SALE
The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City is now taking orders for their 2010 Annual Holiday Fruit Sale. Proceeds go to the club's scholarship fund to provide scholarships to deserving local senior students. Cases of fruit have been a very popular choice in the past as a healthy gift alternative without having to spend extra money on the fluff that typically comes with store-bought fruit baskets. Boxed fruits are again from Rio Queen in Mission, Texas.
The following choices are available:
- Grapefruit (20 lbs./ 16 to 24 per box) for $17.00
- Navel Oranges (20 lbs/ 36 to 44 per box) for $17.00
- Grapefruit & Orange Combo (20 lbs./ 10 grapefruit + 16 oranges) for $18.00
- Red Delicious Apples (20 lbs./ 24 apples) for $21.00
- Grapefruit, Orange & Apple Combo (25 lbs./ 12+12+12) for $22.00
Orders can be pre-paid to Kiwanis members or sent by mail to Kiwanian, Pat Winkelmayer, 79 Brandywine Drive, Ocean Pines/MD 21811. Checks should be made payable to "Kiwanis OP/OC" and include purchaser's name, phone number, and number of cases of each type wanted.
DEADLINE for orders is November 24th, 2010. Fruit must be picked up on Monday December 13th at the OPVFD South Fire Station in Ocean Pines/MD. Information: Call 410-641-5036. Purchasers will be contacted by phone to remind them of the exact date for pickup. ORDER NOW as the holidays are just around the corner!
KIWANIS LEARNS ABOUT LOCAL CHILDREN'S TEAMS
In 2010 Pop Warner Football celebrated 50 years of working with young children through its football and cheerleading programs that started in Philadelphia and now exists in several foreign countries. Pictured is Debbie Donahue, who is an integral part of the Berlin Maryland program, as she accepts the thanks of Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City President, Roy Foreman, for being the guest speaker at the weekly Kiwanis meeting on October 13th in the Ocean Pines Community Center.
The Pop Warner program in Berlin is known as Worcester Youth Football. Young boys ages 7 to 15 and young girls ages 5 to 15 participate in football and cheerleading for the 5 teams that play 8 games a season starting in August and ending in October. It costs over $40,000 a year for the Berlin club to fund the program and all the monies come from donations and dues. One of the most important things to know about Pop Warner Programs is that in addition to helping to develop physical skills, scholastic performance is a prerequisite for participation. Kids have to maintain and/or improve their grades to be eligible.
Should anyone wish to support the Worcester Youth Football Program, send donations to them at P.O. Box 205, Berlin/MD 21811. Kiwanis: "Serving the Children of the World" which is why we try to let the public know about local youth events and programs about which we learn.
KIWANIS HELPS AT BLOOD DRIVE
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City are manning the "recovery table" at the October 12th Delmarva Blood Drive at the Ocean Pines Library. Members, on the right and back of the table, assist donors, on the left, who have just donated and receive some snacks and drinks to make sure they are stable enough to leave. Kiwanis volunteers do this at every Ocean Pines blood drive for the Blood Bank of Delmarva. Watch the news for the next blood drive or contact the Blood Bank of Delmarva at 1-888-8-BLOOD-8 or www.delmarvablood.org for more information.
Kiwanis Celebrates at Installation Banquet
Every year in early October the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines- Ocean City holds its installation banquet to honor outgoing officers, install new officers after a year of service and recognize members for their achievements during the year. This year's event, the 35th time for installations, was held on Wednesday October 6th at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club.
Pictured are outgoing President Dan Peletier (L) with incoming President Roy Foreman (R).
Special recognition was given for the "Kiwanian of the Year" which was awarded to Barbara Peletier who was at most every function, ran many of the events, and was always there doing whatever was needed. Barbara is pictured with her husband Dan as she received the award most deservingly.
There was also another milestone when Richard D. "Dick" Feeser, shown accepting a special award from President Peletier in recognition of his over 40 years as a member of Kiwanis International, most of them in Ocean Pines, was honored. Dick is a past president, a past Lt. Governor of Division 15, a mentor and advisor to many of the presidents of the Ocean Pines -Ocean City club, a worker at most of the events, a supporter of many committee chairs and individuals in the club, and the epitome of what a true Kiwanian represents.
The club is looking forward to another year of "Serving the Children of the World" and service to the community. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines - Ocean City contributes volunteer hours and/or money to many local schools. These include Steven Decatur High School, Showell Elementary, The Salisbury School, Berlin intermediate school, Buckingham Elementary and Ocean City Elementary. Support for charitable and community organizations includes; Meals on Wheels, Berlin Nursing Home Bingo, Worcester Gold, A.L.S., Blood Bank Canteen, Wellness Community, Worcester County Developmental, Child Safety Stickers, Ocean Pines Summer Concerts, Ocean Pines Swim Team, Ocean Pines Community Bulletin Boards, Senior Chores, HCL/Four Steps, Boy Scouts, Ocean Pines Fire Department, Interfaith Caregivers, Salvation Army, Childrens Theater, Ocean City Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program, Ocean Pines Athletic programs and Junior Golf.
The Club also provides, through the Club's Kiwanis Foundation, college scholarships to seniors at Steven Decatur High School and the Salisbury School of which seven were awarded at the end of the 2009-10 school year in June 2010.
