Page 42 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch June 7, 2013 The Dispatch Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467 Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd. Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 WEBSITES: www.mdcoastdispatch.com www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com HOW WE SEE IT Open Letter To High School Graduates Dear Graduates, Congratulations to you all. By now, you have walked across the stage, before your classmates, teachers, administrators and family, shook hands with a figure of authority and received your high school diploma. This much is certain – a major milestone in your life has been achieved and you should be proud of the accomplishment and enjoy some time celebrating safely and hopefully enjoying some relaxation along the way. However, we are not going to gush over you like so many others this week. You deserve to pat yourself on the back and have a sense of pride in what you were able to do over the last four years. There's nothing that could be said to diminish your achievement. However, it's worth remembering you have merely done what has been expected of you at your age. Graduating high school essentially serves as the ending to one chapter in the book that is your life and the beginning of another. It's a building block. You have been expected to graduate high school since your parents enrolled you in school years ago. All things led to this, what happens next is up to you. For most, it means college of some sort. With that comes pressure to succeed and make your parents proud and justify the thousands of dollars they or the government are investing in you. It's this next chapter that will likely determine who you are as a person. You have received a lot of advice over the last few weeks, particularly at your commencements. Undoubtedly, you have heard several speeches and numerous words of counsel. Clearly, you listened to some of what was said and maybe even took a few pieces of encouragement to heart. Along those lines, here are a few more words of advice and some general thoughts: – Be flexible: What gives young people an edge in this world is their adaptability. You are way too young to possess too many bad habits. Even those of you who have a few behavior quirks that need to be kicked, it should not be too difficult so long as you are open to change and maybe some criticism. Many young people complain they are not taken seriously. Unfortunately, that's often the case, largely because you think you know everything. You can buck this trend by proving yourself to be adept at juggling a variety of things at one time and being open to learning new things. – Don't be arrogant: You do not know enough about the world to be conceited. You will need to make many mistakes and misjudgments before you are successful. Being supercilious will only lead you astray and waste time. – Do be excited: It's an exhilarating time for you, and it's okay to show your true emotions. That's actually charming. Excitement shows honesty, which is never a bad trait. – Don't feel entitled: More than likely, life is not going to work out exactly the way you hope. In fact, there will be curve balls that come your way, both professionally and personally. Bad things will happen to you. Exactly how you deal with them will say a lot about your character. You will need to possess a will to succeed and the devotion to prosper through difficult times, which are inevitable. Failure is a certainty at some point in your life. Coping with it and turning it into a positive will show your strength. What happens next is your call. This is the beginning of what should be the best years of life. A lot of memories will be made and you will meet a lot of wonderful, inspiring people in the years ahead. You will never forget the last chapter of your life. High school is a special time. Take what you have learned and apply it near or far, whether it's college, the service, a job, a volunteer career or a family that's your next calling. NEWS DEPARTMENT SHAWN J. SOPER News Editor Sports Editor ssoper@mdcoastdispatch.com JOANNE SHRINER Staff Writer joanne@mdcoastdispatch.com TRAVIS BROWN Staff Writer travis@mdcoastdispatch.com SALES DEPARTMENT TERRI FRENCH Account Executive Entertainment Editor terri@mdcoastdispatch.com JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive jeanette@mdcoastdispatch.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Non-Profit Helping Overcome Cuts Editor: The article by Shawn Soper on sequester impacts on Assateague Island National Seashore and your editorial comments were well put but don’t tell the whole story. Over the past two decades, budget cuts by Congress have also affected all national parks so the financial situation for “American’s greatest idea” is much more dire than just the sequester impacts. Some local citizens recognized this situation about five years ago and formed a non-profit friends group for Assateague Island National Seashore known as the Assateague Island Alliance (AIA). Funds raised by AIA are used to help the Park. Examples of ways AIA funds have been used include transporting a horse to a rehab center, stipends for seasonal interns and park volunteers, funding the horse contraceptive program, paying for interpretative equipment repair, funding school bus transportation where budget cuts were keeping children for field trips to Assateague and this year fund raising for window blinds in the education center. Any local resident or visitor who loves Assateague Island and would like to help out the park should contact AIA at assateagueislandalliance@gmail.com. Any donations made directly to the park are required by law to go into the general fund and be used by all national parks. We have a very special place that this community needs to protect with or without federal funding. Join AIA and help make a difference. Carolyn Cummins Ocean City ting for policy discussion and council decision making. This contentious issue impacts the whole town, its residents, property owners (both resident and nonresident alike), commercial/business owners, and even our visitors. That the matter was discussed openly during council budget discussions is not an issue, the appropriateness of the council’s action stemming from those discussions and its decision to proceed is the issue. That's what public hearings are designed to do, inform the public of major policy issues and provide a forum for public discussion and input before the council acts. We know the council works hard and diligently on our behalf and does its best to be open and fair to its many constituencies, that's what they were elected to do, but spare us the holier than thou attitude on display by some on the council that evening. I respectfully suggest the council seriously consider delaying implementation of the ordinance until such time as a public hearing can be convened, notwithstanding the fact that the meters are already on order. Joe Moran Ocean City MANETTE CRAMER Account Executive manette@mdcoastdispatch.com ART DEPARTMENT CINDY WARD Art Director art@mdcoastdispatch.com JENNIFER T. O’BRIEN Graphic Artist COLE GIBSON Graphic Artist Webmaster BUSINESS OFFICE PAMELA GREEN Bookkeeper Classifieds Manager classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Disturbed By Council Parking Approach Editor: At the June 3, Mayor and Council Meeting, the paid parking issue was a hot topic of conversation, once again. The many sides of this issue were debated for quite some time with the usual defensive posture of some on the council that the matter had been of deep concern to the council during its budget discussions earlier this year. Council members pointed out that these discussions took place in public meetings open to anyone wishing to attend. The council's argument raises the obvious question of the appropriateness of such a serious and contentious issue being pursued during the course of budget discussions, rather than in a public hearing, a more appropriate set- The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices.. The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year. Subscription rates are $75 per year, $55 for six months. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland. SEE NEXT PAGE