January 10, 2014 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dingwall Dinner A Success Editor: The Noel Community's 16th Annual Dinner in loving memory of Father David Dingwall was a success. Over the past six weeks, there have been many tears and prayers. Our local community of individuals, churches, businesses and civic groups came together to provide the needed food and companionship on Christmas Day. With your support, we received many hugs and thanks for our "non-traditional" meal this year to honor Father David's ministry. Both guests and volunteers missed his smile during the Christmas celebration. Thanks to your generous donations and efforts, the Noel Community distributed 400 cloth shopping bags with precooked items for three meals, 100 cloth shopping bags with sandwiches for two meals, 200 breakfast sandwiches and donuts, and 65 meals for the public service workers. With your support, over 1,600 meals were appreciated by those in need of food or companionship on Christmas. The Noel Community will continue to expand our outreach, serving free meals and providing non-perishable goods and toiletries to several local food pantries with the leftover funds. Your generosity enabled the Noel Community volunteers to prepare breakfast and/or lunch on 63 days providing over 6,600 meals/sandwiches in 2013. These lunches are needed and appreciated by those we serve. The Noel Community volunteers are working closely with the Shepherd's Crook food pantry to continue the Saturday lunch program without any disruptions. Thanks to your support, we are able to assist individuals and families in meaningful ways. Please continue to keep the family of Father David Dingwall in your prayers. The Noel Community This year’s buffet breakfast will be held at Clarion Resort Hotel, from 7-9:15 a.m. We begin and end on time. Tickets are $16 in advance and must be purchased by Jan. 14. There will be no tickets sold at the door. Tables of 8-10 people can be reserved on a first come, first serve basis. All are welcomed. Tickets may be purchased through the mail by sending a check to the above address or may be purchased at the following ticket locations: City Hall, 3rd Street and Baltimore Avenue in Ocean City; Long and Foster Realty, 120th Street and Coastal Highway Ocean City; Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Route 50; and Cropper Oil Company, Route 50, Berlin. Bruce Spangler Berlin (The writer is the event director.) Between The Lines By Publisher/Editor Steve Green Ocean City could soon treat standup paddle boards (SUPs) like they do surf boards, and that would be the proper course. The town’s code currently restricts SUPs from the ocean because it views them as similar to kayaks and canoes. Many in the community maintain that’s not fair because it’s a misrepresentation. That clearly is true. SUPs should be considered more like a surfboard because they are leashed, supporters of the code change say, and they are correct. If this gets the Recreation and Parks Committee’s blessing, which would almost assuredly only come after getting the Ocean City Beach Patrol’s view on the matter, it would head to the Mayor and Council for an official vote. I don’t see any problem with it, but I’m sure many traditional surfers will frown on this proposed change. I expect this to be a controversial water cooler topic because surfers, generally, dislike having to share the waves with SUPs. The longer boards are known to crowd the water and almost always have the advantage when it comes to catching a wave. However, that personal dislike is not reason enough to continue to allow SUPs to be wrongly identified in the code and restrict them from the surfing beaches in the summer months. Like this week’s ordinance that was passed prohibiting passengers from riding in the back of pick-up trucks without seat belts, I would expect this request to go through the subcommittee level and eventually gain the blessing of the full council in time for this summer. It was quite cold this week and the extreme frigidness created quite a division among the school community as a result. When word started getting around that shore schools were closing or maybe would be delayed, I was shocked. Why would schools be closed simply because it was cold? I could not understand it and assumed those schools that were closed were concerned about road conditions, not just the fact it was abnormally cold. For the record, public schools in Worcester and Wicomico counties were open as usual without any delays. It was that fact that seemed to strike a nerve for some, and some parents even kept their kids home from school. Therefore, we posed a question on our Facebook page on the subject, resulting in 84 comments, the great majority of which felt freezing temperatures did not merit closing or delaying school. Apparently, the concerns from the minority in this argument were heard by the Wicomico County Board of Education, as Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen issued a statement on excused absences. It read, “Wicomico County Public Schools were in session on Tuesday, Jan. 7. For any students who were kept home due to the cold, upon the student’s return to school, parents and guardians must provide a note naming the cold as the reason for the absence and requesting that the absence be excused. Students will be allowed to make up work that they miss during these excused absence days. The absence, while excused, will still count as an absence from school.” Salisbury’s decision to look into Taser use is a good move for the city. Before making any official decision, the Salisbury Police Department is looking for approval from the city to launch a 12-month pilot program. While the pilot program may be a useful phase, it’s almost a certainty that it will result in the Tasers being used in an official capacity down the line. The department need only look east to Ocean City for evidence of the success of the program. Each month during the town’s Police Commission meeting incidents of Taser use are reported to the elected officials by the Ocean City Police Department. In nearly all cases presented, the Taser use quelled a situation before it grew into something more dangerous for the suspect as well as the law enforcement officer. Considering Salisbury’s well-documented issues with certain crime elements, it’s a no-brainer. Page 43 Support Appreciated Editor: The First State Detachment Marine Corps League thanks all the individuals, families, merchants & media outlets for their continued support of our Toys For Tots program. The 2013 Toys For Tots drive was a great success. Thanks to your generosity, hundreds of needy children in our area had a Merry Christmas. Your continued support for the Toys For Tots program is greatly appreciated. Steve Siltman Jack Carey Baby Jesus Returned Editor: What happened to Baby Jesus? When, after a walk through town on News Years Day with my sisters, I commented on what a great town, "You don't have to tie or lock your decorations." was my comment. You can imagine my disappointment when the next day I noticed my Baby Jesus was missing from the nativity scene. He didn't just blow away, he had been unplugged. I asked my neighbors if they had seen him, asked the police if they would keep an eye out for him and took down the rest of my decorations. My Christmas spirit was damaged. However, Tuesday morning I was going to my car and there on the lawn, near the street, was Baby Jesus. Upside down, albeit, but home. I'll never know who took him or why, but I do thank them for returning him. Barbara Gallagher Berlin Prayer Breakfast Announced Editor: The 24th Ocean City Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast will take place on Friday, Jan. 17. This year’s speaker will be Robert Douglas, founder of National Police Suicide Foundation, Inc. Mr. Douglas travels around the nation training emergency responders in suicide awareness. He is considered an expert in suicide training, appearing on Dateline, CNN, in Time Magazine, and USA Today. He is the author of three books with another in publication. He holds a Masters Degree in Police Administration and a Masters in Theology. During his career, he was Chaplain of the Baltimore City Police, FOP Lodge 3 and the ATF in Washington. Mr. Douglas is a wonderful, exciting speaker and his topic on suicide is a timely topic that affects everyone, as we all know someone that has been touched at one time or another by this. Hear the uplifting message that Mr. Douglas will share with us during these trying times that will bring hope to all. Supporters Recognized Editor: It is with gratitude and appreciation that I send this message. On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation (QRCF) hosted our annual Caribbean Christmas fundraiser. Our signature festive event was held at Mango’s and raised funds to support two wonderful organizations, Delaware Hospice and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. I am delighted to preliminarily report that we predict that raised our largest number yet and we hope to be able to financially help these organizations and our own, continue our good work. This gift was made possible by the many sponsors, volunteers and guests who attended the event. Thanks to our sponsors: Mango’s, Bethany Beach Books, Beach Liquors, Sabor Restaurant, DiFebo’s Restaurant, Papa Grande, 14 Global, Bethany Blues, Misaki Sushi, Sedona, Mio Fratello, Off the Hook, Fox’s Pizza Den, Coastal Point, Cruise Planners, Boyden Design and Delaware Wave. We also had many auction item donors, too many in fact, to list here. Know that your support is most appreciated. Thanks to event chairs Ellen Magee and Jean Wode and the many others who gave their time to make the event epic. Our thanks also to the over 300 attendees who supported the event as guests, bought raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items. As a representative of the QRCF and on behalf of the dedicated board and advisory members, my thanks for this extensive effort executed in support of local charitable organizations. Our community efforts this holiday season continued on Jan. 1, 2014, New Year’s Day, when in downtown Bethany Beach, we, along with the Bethany FenwickArea Chamber of Commerce, hosted the Hair of the Dog Run and Leo Brady Exercise Like the Eskimos Swim. Proceeds from the Run and Swim benefit the many groups, clubs, and organizations that are served by the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation and the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce. Steve Alexander (The writer is the president of the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation.)