During Indian River High School’s last softball game of the season, the Lady Indians and St. Georges were tied at 3-all by the fifth inning. No one would score again until overtime in the ninth, when St. Georges won the first round of state tournament, 8-3.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
Indian River’s first-baseman stretches for a catch at the plate. Indian River lost 8-3 in overtime to St. Georges.

“It was a good game. We had our chances to win. And things just didn’t work out,” said head coach Chris Megee.

Plenty was happening on field, but teams had trouble sealing the deal. Of IR’s 10 girls left on base during the game, eight were in scoring position.

IR’s Karlie Smith started the scoring with an RBI double in the first (and another in the third, immediately after two St. Georges runs).

With bases loaded and one out, IR had threatened back in the eighth, but St. Georges pitcher Gabby Clark got the next two batters on a strikeout and a pop-up. After having an opportunity to win, Megee said their momentum sank as they marched back to the field.

In the ninth, a St. Georges single and double were followed by a triple, scoring two runs. Another double and single would shuffle another three runs for St. Georges.

Now IR was behind by five points.

“We had been working so hard at trying to get that last run. … Five starts seeming out of the realm of possibility sometimes. Realistically, the odds are a lot longer,” Megee said.

“It’s humbling,” Megee added. “It’s about adversity and being able to put those things behind you and play defense and take another shot at offense.”

Although this year’s team did not have prior playoff experience, they had played nine innings at Appoquinimink earlier this season.

“In that type of game, we say, ‘Keep your head up and move on,’” said Megee. “I’m just glad the seniors got a chance to experience playoffs before they graduated, and the freshmen experienced it in their first year, and the juniors know what to do for next year.”

Overall, IR nearly doubled its wins, 13-5, over last year’s 7-11 record, and they played much closer games, winning two games by one point, whereas last year they lost four by the same margin.

Megee credited pitcher/catcher team Rachel Hudson and Sarah Hickman, also anticipating a bright future for the team with freshmen Ky’Lesha Neal, Eliza Bomhardgt, Callie McDowell and Casey Hitchens, who stepped up to pitch briefly this season.

Anamaria Impastato and Karlie Smith also earned First Team all-state honors, while Megee was named state Coach of the Year.

“That all goes back to the players. I can’t run, throw or hit for ’em, but they definitely did a good job representing our team,” said Megee.

He also recognized assistant coaches Chuck Shockley, who, he said, keeps things “calm, cool and collected,” and Erika Brittingham, all-state pitcher and champion at Sussex Central and all-American at Salisbury University.

“I thought everybody gelled together and we came together as a team. The name on the front means a lot more than the name on the back of your shirts,” Megee said, also thanking parents for supporting the students and team as a whole.

Ultimately, the Indians aren’t satisfied with the way things ended, and with a returning crew and next year’s incoming freshmen, Megee is looking for IR to take the next step toward victory.

Selbyville Middle School is producing some all-star talent in track-and-field. For the third consecutive year, the school’s boys’ team has gone undefeated and taken home the Middle School Classic trophy.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter
Although they were nervous and freezing before the competition, Selbyville Middle’s boys’ track team won their third Delaware Middle School Classic Invitational, led by eighth-grade medalists, from left: Tamaris Austin, Rolland Banks, Ben Lynch, James McDougal III, Damontae Purnell, Keith Chatterton and Gerald Foreman.

“It is quite an accomplishment to these kids,” said head coach Sally Craig, citing the students’ mixture of hard work and athletic talent. “Every year, they just set the goal the following year to do it again, and again. We have been very fortunate.”

This season, the team only had four track meets, but they won every one, even though rough weather canceled a meet and some practice time.

“They’d rather be racing against someone than practicing,” said Craig.

The season culminated at the Delaware Middle School Classic Invitational Track Meet, where nine teams annually compete at Cape Henlopen High School.

Winning by just 3 points, SMS strove to earn points at the chilly and nerve-wracking competition. Rolland Banks had two scratches before his award-winning triple jump. James McDougal had to work through some nerves before he leapt for second place in the long jump.

Three students have celebrated all three years of victory with the team: Keith Chatterton, Gerald Foreman and Damontae Purnell.

Craig also gave credit to her assistant coaches, John Frye, Nina Savage and John Zirckel.

“You either jump, run or throw. Everyone can do one of those,” Savage said. From there, coaches give students “confidence and make them realize technique is 80 percent of it. Everything else will fall into place.”

Now in her first year coaching SMS track, Savage was herself part of the Indians’ legacy, competing on an undefeated SMS team and twice a long jump state champion for Indian River High School in the 1980s.

“SMS has always had a good track team. My thing is to get it to carry over to high school,” said Savage, because from there, she said, “it’s easy to get a scholarship.”

From watching YouTube videos to watching their own coaches, track-and-fielders can begin in sixth grade to learn technique. With Craig’s leadership, Savage said the team worked hard and used their time wisely. She said she hopes the students continue in high school.

“They’re good kids,” Savage said, “and eager.”

If a great smile, a hearty laugh and a good disposition is the secret to living to be 100 years old, Frances Showell has it down. Showell, originally from Devon, Pa., came to the Bayard, Del., area when she was 19 years old and lived there her whole life until her husband died, when she moved in with her daughter Doris in Milton. Not a fan of southern Delaware at first, she said she grew to love it.

Coastal Point • Monica Scott
Frances Showell recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Showell has lived in the area since she was 19.

“It wasn’t a good move to me,” said Showell of her grandmother’s move to Bayard in 1932. “She didn’t have electric or running water, and the wages weren’t anything here then.”

Showell said women made about $3 per week and men made $15, but “Things were cheaper then. Bread was 17 cents, and now it’s two or three dollars!”

Showell said her grandmother eventually did get electric and running water in the house she bought for about $1,000, which came with 20 acres of land. And, eventually, Showell met her husband, married and had three children. The family lived in her grandmother’s home in Bayard. Now, she has 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

In her 100 years, the world has changed a lot, and Showell believes not for the better.

“It’s the worst time now,” she said. “People are different, the world is wicked. It’s a mean world.”

She said she believes at least some of the change is because of people’s reaction to the fact that “we have a colored president,” adding that she does think he is doing his best. She shows off a picture and a letter from President Obama she received on her 100th birthday.

“He’s better than George W. Bush! The Republicans want to cut out everything that helps the poor. Well, when children are starving to death, they need help. It’s a mean world. No, it didn’t use to be this bad.”

When she and her grandmother and family first came to Sussex County, some 80 years ago, it was a time of leaving your doors open, but that day has come and gone. She said she was ready to move in with her daughter after her husband died, because she didn’t like the thought of being alone, and one night people had thrown beer bottles through a screen on her porch.

As for any great pieces of wisdom she would give the young people of today, she joked that it wouldn’t do much good.

“There’s not too much I can say to them, because they don’t listen,” she said with a laugh, adding that parenting is not quite what it used to be.

“They let them do anything, say anything,” she said of parents and their children. “I am glad mine are grown!”

However, hearing about her decades of life in southern Delaware, one might think that not much has changed. After coming to Bayard, Showell worked picking strawberries and potatoes and doing housework for people. She cleaned cottages in Fenwick Island in the summer. She worked for 30 years for the Lynch family in Dagsboro, and her husband worked on a farm with chickens.

She said she doesn’t remember doing very much for fun “because we didn’t have any money and worked all the time,” but said she did enjoy being active in her church, Union Wesley in Clarksville.

But while some things seem as if they haven’t changed much, other things have changed greatly. She gave birth to her three children at home with a midwife, and her grandmother watched her children so she could work. She remembers when “colored” people were taken care of in the basement at Beebe Medical Center and says she never thought the area would see the growth that it has.

While Showell has seen many things her in 100 years, there are things she hasn’t done. She never learned to drive a car. (“I always had somebody drive me around”). She doesn’t use computers, and she is not a fan of cell phones, saying, “I’m too old to bother with that kind of stuff now.” She said TVs are nice to have, but “it’s a mess the stuff that comes on them!”

Looking back, she said she never thought she would live to be a centenarian.

“My mother lived to be 92, but the rest of them died young,” she said. “The Lord has kept me here for something.”

She was one of four girls and does have one living sister, who is 14 years her junior. It was that sister and her brother-in-law who recently threw her a bash celebrating her April 15 birthday.

“It was a big bash. It was beautiful,” she said. She was quick to point out, though, that she wouldn’t need a similar party for her 101st.

“It was a nice affair. But, when you get to be 100 years old, it gets tiresome.”

Despite some arthritis in her hands and feet, Showell is mobile and in good health.

She said that, overall, she has had a good life, and has always tried to be nice and “not interfere in people’s business.”

“When I got married, I was really happy, because I had a good husband. We got along good.” She said she didn’t marry again after taking care of her husband at the end of his life. “I decided I wouldn’t get married no more. I wasn’t the type of woman that just had to have a man,” she joked.

Pressed for some wisdom on what it might take to be content and live a good life, whether blessed with 20 years or 100 or somewhere in between, she said with her big smile: “You can’t jump at everything that says, ‘I want to marry you.’ You have to take your time. You give a little and you take a little — you know that song, don’t you?”

Local builder Marnie Oursler was recently recognized with Girls Inc.’s Strong, Smart, Bold Award at Delaware’s 24th annual awards event. Girls Inc. is a national network of nonprofit organizations with a goal of teaching girls independence and resilience through a wide range of interactive and educational programming.

Coastal Point • Submitted
Marnie Oursler was recently recognized with Girls?Inc.’s ‘Strong, Smart, Bold Award’ at Delaware’s 24th annual awards event.

The event, hosted at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, honors women who are leaders in the community and inspiring role models for young women.

In 2009, Oursler built the Delaware’s first LEED-certified home. Last year, she teamed up with 84 Lumber on the national “We Build American” initiative, which seeks to increase domestic jobs by utilizing American-made building products. More information on that initiative can be found online at webuildamerican.com. It helps to match up American manufacturers of building products with builders.

Oursler said she was thrilled to be recognized with the award.

“It’s an honor,” said Oursler. “They are a great organization for girls and for the whole community.”

The other 2013 Strong, Smart, Bold honorees also included Tatiana Copeland and Cynthia Primo Martin.

According to their Web site at girsincde.org, the Girls Inc. movement started in New England during the Industrial Revolution as a response to the needs of young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of newly available job opportunities in textile mills and factories.

Oursler is a fourth-generation builder and founder of Marnie Homes, a custom-home builder in the Bethany Beach area.

Indian River High School’s girls’ soccer team returned to the state tournament this year, but their run soon ended, when they faced a familiar foe on May 22: Caravel Academy. The Buccaneers won, 4-0, but IR stepped up to prevent a repeat of the 6-1 victory the Bucs had gained over IR earlier this season.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
Brooke Beam (2) takes a shot on the goal against Caravel Academy in IR’s 4-0 loss.

“It was definitely an improvement. The girls played much better. They were more cohesive as a team, which is a big plus,” said head coach Steve Kilby. With a 2-0 score at halftime, IR made some adjustments and moved into offensive position.

“They really did a good job playing in front of their goal for the first 20 minutes of the second half,” Kilby said, but IR couldn’t quite get to the goal, aiming a total of five attempts during the game that Caravel stopped. “Then [Caravel] scored on a quick breakaway, which was disheartening.”

IR goalie Alex Myers saved nine of 13 Caravel shots. The Buccaneers would themselves be defeated a few days later, by Sussex Tech, 1-0.

“Overall, there’s always disappointment when the season ends, but I think the group recognized the growth that was made this season, compared to last year,” said Kilby, noting the Lady Indians’ return to the tournament.

“The team improved steadily throughout the season. … I think they made that progress, learning how to play with a new back line and new backfield. They were able to figure out a lot of those things. They did a much better job of learning to use the flanks.”

This year, Meredith Mitchell moved from the back to mid-field, allowing IR to gain more control in that zone. As center back, Sarah Buchler was “controlling things” and allowed the team to play out of the back and go forward, Kilby said. Freshman Brooke Beam scored 20 goals this season, while Brianna Belfiore hit 10 goals and had five assists. And, after tearing her ACL last year, Sarah Swenson was back to start every game.

Built largely on freshmen and juniors, the 2013 IR team made great progress and will look for more down the line. The team will lose only one senior, Kimberly Benton.

“This core of freshmen — Brooke, Emma Engel, Davina Baine, Aeline Guzman, Madison Mercer — all made really big contributions for players that are really young,” said Kilby.

Baine also started each game, while Christina Diakos, a junior captain, played her way back onto the field after suffering an off-season concussion, which limited her play early this year. IR’s attack also suffered with Devin Thune’s severe ankle sprain. And Mariah Roughton was also downed by a concussion for part of the season.

However, the Lady Indians improved their record to 10-5 from last year’s 8-7, adding Smyrna and Delmar to their list of victories.

Buchler, Belfiore and Beam also made the All-State teams (first, second and third teams, respectively).

First Team All-Conference selections were Myers, Buchler, Belfiore, Beam and Meredith Mitchell. Meanwhile, Engel, Baine, Swenson and Maria Papavasili made Second Team All-Conference, with honorable mention to Guzman. Academic All Conference awards went to Buchler and Farris Hauck.

Although Delaware was a Southern slave state, it decided to cast its lot with the North during the Civil War. The reasons for this were principally political, economic and geographic.

Economically, the most populous section of the state — New Castle County — had a growing manufacturing base that employed mostly free labor and was tied closely to the State of Pennsylvania. In addition, slavery in Delaware was almost extinct, given that farmers had switched from labor-intensive crops, such as tobacco, to corn and wheat, which they could plant and harvest on their own.

Politically, as reflected in the 1860 presidential election, more Delawareans wanted to preserve the Union, rather than support secession. Geographically, the state was isolated from Southern states that had seceded and was not in a position to go it alone.

When President Abraham Lincoln called for the loyal states to contribute men for the Union army to put down the rebellion, Delaware responded by fulfilling its quota. There were, however, others within the state who preferred to fight for the South.

These men had to travel surreptitiously, following what became known as the “reverse underground railroad,” because leaving Delaware to join the Confederate army was illegal. There were insufficient numbers of men to organize under the Delaware banner; therefore, the Delawareans joined other state units once they reached the Confederacy safely.

It is unknown how many actually followed the route south; however, thanks to an article titled “Some Wore the Gray” by W. Emerson Wilson in 1964, we are able to identify a number of these Delaware Confederates.

Wilson wrote that Sussex County was well-represented in the Southern army. David Stewart Hessey of Seaford worked his way out of the state in November 1861 and served in the 13th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He sustained a wound during the Seven Days battles in July 1862.

Hessey recovered and received a commission as a lieutenant in the First Confederate Engineers. Hessey soon made his mark by rapidly completing construction of a pontoon bridge, thereby earning personal praise from Gen. Robert E. Lee, who gave him a pair of binoculars as a reward.

Another Sussex Countian who left for the South was George Julian Robinson of Georgetown, who signed up with the Fifth Texas Regiment of Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood’s hard-fighting brigade. Robinson participated in the brigade’s many engagements and was seriously wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864.

Former Delaware Gov. William Ross of Seaford gave one of his sons to the Southern cause. Caleb Ross joined the Confederate army but died early in the war while serving in the 9th Virginia Cavalry.

William T. Cooper of Laurel, son of another former governor, William Barkley Cooper, also joined the Southern ranks. He was captured near Romney, Va., and imprisoned at Fort Delaware. Cooper was one of the few who managed to escape from that island prison in the middle of the Delaware River and return to the South.

The Confederate navy benefited from the service of Georgetown’s Russell B. Hobbs in his role as quartermaster on Capt. Raphael Semmes’ famous commerce raider, the C.S.S. Alabama. Hobbs was wounded when the U.S.S. Kearsarge sank the Alabama off of Cherbourg, France, in June 1864, thereby ending its two-year stint of causing devastation to U.S. shipping.

Hiram Ross Messick of Seaford was captured during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. He later described how he and several other men had traveled by boat from Seaford, down the Nanticoke River and across the Chesapeake Bay to Virginia, in order to serve in the Confederate army. He identified his companions by the last names of Collison, Marvil, Peirce, Reed, O’Day, Smith and Lloyd.

Four citizens of Seaford were arrested by Union officials and accused of being Southern supporters who smuggled medical supplies, among other goods, by boat from Seaford. These men — Dr. Joseph Shipley, Theodore Price, C.F. Rust and John Martin — spent time in a Baltimore prison before being exiled to the South under a flag of truce.

Wilson also identified a number of Delawareans from Milford (Daniel Satterfield), Dover (John W. Dunning), Smyrna (Dr. William A. McKown) and New Castle (Samuel Boyer Davis).

The names of about 125 people, including those mentioned here, are inscribed on the Confederate Monument that the “Delaware Grays” Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp #2068 erected at the Marvel Museum in Georgetown in 2007 to honor these men. Commander Jeffrey M. Plummer stated that Delaware Grays genealogist John Zoch and United Daughters of the Confederacy’s Ann Happolt conduct ongoing research for additional names of those who served the South.

For more information about the Confederate monument go to www.descv.org. Information about the Marvel Museum can be found at www.marvelmuseum.com.

Thomas J. Ryan is a Civil War historian, speaker and author of “Essays on Delaware during the Civil War: A Political, Military and Social Perspective.” His book “Not by Guns Alone: The Critical Role of Intelligence during the Gettysburg Campaign” is scheduled for publication in the spring of 2014. He is currently co-writing a book about the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg. Contact him at pennmardel@mchsi.com.

Lying to your dog’s groomer is really not getting you anywhere. It is actually very detrimental. You should try to be as open and honest with your groomer as possible. Trying to lie to them and tell them you brush your dog every day only makes you look like a fool. They can quite easily tell if a dog has been brushed or not. Groomers would much rather hear you say things like, “My dog hates being brushed, so I don’t do it,” or, “I don’t like to brush him,” or similar statements.

Coastal Point • Stock Photo
A small terrier gets a trim.

Also, if your dog has fleas, tell the groomer when you make the appointment. Groomers generally have other dogs there, and they do not want the other dogs to get fleas too. Groomers often can quarantine dogs with fleas to prevent the spread of fleas to other dogs and to the grooming facility.

Most groomers can easily deal with a flea-infested dog; however, dealing with a flea-infested facility is much more difficult. Even if you only suspect you dog might have fleas, advise the groomer.

If you know particular grooming “quirks” your dog may have, tell the groomer about them. I cannot tell you how many times I have finished a 20-minute “argument” with a dog while trying to simply clip their nails, just to have the owner say things like, “I forgot to tell you the vet has to tranquilize them to do their nails”; “It takes three people at the vet’s office”; Oh, I forgot to tell you he doesn’t like his nails done — at least you didn’t get bit,” and things like that.

If your dog doesn’t like his nails done, or doesn’t like his feet clipped or his ears cleaned, or the dryer, etc., advise the groomer beforehand of problems your dog has with being groomed. Doing so will allow the groomer to be prepared and possibly avoid being bit.

Maybe you are not aware that, if the dog bites the groomer and the groomer needs to go for medical assistance — say, stitches — the medical community is required to report the dog bite, which puts a strike on your dog’s record. Dogs can be required to be put down for biting someone. The groomer that requires medical attention has no option whether or not to report the dog. It is handled by medical personnel, similar to how they handle suspected abuse cases.

Also, listen to your groomer’s suggestions. Groomers will often notice differences in your dog’s skin or coat. They often notice things like ear infections, anal gland infections and poor skin condition, like flaking or hotspots. When they bring these things to your attention, don’t just blow it off. Ask for suggestions. The suggestions might be things like cleaning ears daily, changing the food you currently feed, adding vitamins or supplements, oatmeal baths, etc.

Groomers are not vets, but they often know what might help particular ailments. For example, dogs with flaky skin may be helped by adding salmon oil to their food. Dogs with yeasty ears and skin can be helped by adding yogurt. Cleaning your dog’s ears every day for a week or two after your groomer tells you about dirty ear issues may actually save you a vet visit and prevent a painful ear infection for your dog.

Also, advise your groomer of changes in the home environment: things like a family member being sick for an extended period of time, adding a new family member (human or animal), visiting children in a formerly child-free home, vacations recently taken and a recent boarding experience.

All of these things can affect your dog’s state of mind. For instance, I had ---one of my regular customers whose dog is very meek and mild-mannered act up one day. She was fidgety, uncooperative, anxious, etc. I managed to get her haircut done, but it took more work than usual and took longer. It concerned me that something might be wrong with her, because she is normally so cooperative and calm.

When I called the owner to tell her she was ready for pickup and apologized for her being late, I told them I felt something might be wrong with her. The owner told me that she herself had been very ill and that the dog had been staying right by her side. Apparently, the dog was upset about having to leave the owner home alone.

The owner apologized for the dog, but that wasn’t why I said anything. I was concerned that something was more seriously wrong with the dog. If I had known ahead of time, I wouldn’t have been worried and could have dealt with the dog differently.

Of course, the owner hadn’t thought about it and didn’t think it would affect the dog. With most dogs, it probably wouldn’t have mattered, but this dog is very sensitive and does not handle change well. Even new furniture in the house affects this dog.

So, basically, do not lie to your groomer, tell them about major changes at home and listen to their suggestions. Also, ask your groomer questions: How should I be brushing the dog? What brush should I use? Can you show me how you get the dog to stand still? How do I clean the ears? Groomers should be willing to help you and show you, and if they aren’t, find another groomer that will.

Cheryl Loveland is a dog groomer, pet-sitter, dog trainer and fosterer for many unwanted animals. She does rescue work for all types of animals and has owned or fostered most types of domestic animals and many wild ones. She currently resides with two bloodhounds, which she has shown in conformation and is currently training her male bloodhound for search-and-rescue work. Also residing with her are a bichon frisée, two cats and two birds. She welcomes comments, questions and suggestions for future articles at countryservice@comcast.net. Remember, she is not an expert: she offers her opinions and suggestions from her experience and research.

Two weeks after the Indian River School District announced the planned hiring of experienced security officers, community members shared concerns about the plan at the IRSD Board of Education meeting on May 21.

“For the comprehensive safety plan, where is the money coming from for new safety hires?” asked resident Claudia Waters during public comments at the meeting. “I would greatly appreciate the answer.”

As a member of the Coalition for Educational Reform and a pastor in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, she also thanked the board for its cohesiveness, and steps forward to diversify and move forward.

Earlier, the board reported that the new positions will be paid with local funding, estimating $600,000 to $700,000 in costs.

DeVon Edwards, a campus monitor at Georgetown Middle School, spoke to concerns about the fate of existing school climate staff with the added expense of security personnel.

“I ask that the climate department keep their jobs,” Edwards said, suggesting the district use personnel already in the schools, instead of hiring new staff. “Our goal is to make [sure students are] safe and comfortable in schools. [They may be] comfortable with the personnel already there.”

During public comments, Rodney Layfield, school board vice president, said he had wanted to address the public on the issues from the start.

“It is a challenge to sit on this board and talk about changes … we put out to public. We’re going to lose some positions, and we’re going to gain some positions,” said Layfield. “The school board believes these personnel are a step in the right direction.”

The district is seeking 15 candidates with law-enforcement experience to work at district schools while students are present.

Layfield said they will consider the logistics and legality of allowing those staff to be armed, and “God forbid” anything seriously dangerous should happen in the district.

In other IRSD news:

• Beginning July 22, regular school board meetings will be held on the fourth Monday of each Month (instead of Tuesday). The board voted for the calendar change at their April meeting.

• Board Member Leolga Wright was elected to continue serving Millboro’s District 3 for a five-year term beginning in July.

• The board unanimously (with member Nina Lou Bunting absent) approved all policy readings. That includes the first and second readings of JG.1 School Bully Prevention, to include state-mandated language on cyberbullying; and a second reading of GDP Support Staff Termination, giving board power to hear personnel issues and conduct termination hearings for non-certified personnel, in addition to a hearing officer.

A second reading was held for JG Student Discipline, stating that social probation may end when the consequence ends for suspended students, so they may return to school and extracurricular activities early, as determined by the principal. A second reading was also held for J Athletic Policy, newly written to set a standard policy for all programs.

• The board unanimously approved an additional temporary cafeteria serving line at Georgetown Elementary School, with the understanding that elements will be incorporated into the future permanent structure.

• The board watched a video about Ingram Pond Outdoor Education Center, where all district students in grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 will learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula through field experience.

• The board recognized students and staff for their achievements: Indian River High School’s first-place state FFA Agriculture Sales Team of Steven Rozell, Gabriella Castillo, Nicole Willey and Katie Carpenter; State Sentinel for Delaware State FFA Javon Townsend (IRHS); and Indian River School District retirees.

• Layfield reported that all but two IRSD schools have completed their comprehensive school safety plans. He expressed concern that the State may require schools to purchase an electronic service for the plans, when IRSD already put the plans in binders.

The next School Board of Education meeting will be Tuesday, June 25, at 7 p.m. at Sussex Central High School.

Nage restaurant and Nassau Valley Vineyards will host a night celebrating the food grown by local female farmers — and the farmers themselves — at the vineyards in Lewes on Friday, June 7.

The food will be prepared by Nage chef Ted Deptula and paired with wines by Nassau Valley Vineyard. Susan Ryan of Good Earth Market and Organic Farm in Clarksville will be among the farmers recognized, along with other female farmers from Sussex County.

Nage’s Kathy McDonald explained that, each year, at the end of the season, Nage hosts a farmer’s dinner at Fifer Orchards. She said that, this year, they wanted to do something different by kicking off the season with a dinner downstate.

“Peggy [of Nassau valley Vineyards] is great to work with, and we thought Nassau Valley Vineyards would be fun,” she explained. “And it evolved into thinking we could do it highlighting just the female farmers.”

She noted that Nage works throughout the summer with the women being highlighted this coming Friday, and more, as well as men farmers, for their Thursday farm-to-table events, at which they highlight a local farmer each week and expose Nage’s diners to the farmer’s story and the story of the food they grow.

She said she is excited to bring all of the female farmers together to kick off the season.

“I’d like to see these women recognized for their hard work,” said McDonald. “They are the backbones of those farms, and they do it with love and produce really fine products.”

She said the event didn’t start out being a dinner to highlight female farmers but that it just evolved into that because of the sheer numbers of female farmers with whom they work. She said it was mostly influenced by one farmer, Barbara Russell, who is owner and operator of Bob Russell Farms in Milford, which is in its 24th year of supplying specialty vegetables, herbs and edible flowers to resort-area restaurants.

“She is my first thought when I think of women farmers,” said McDonald.

In addition to Ryan and Russell, the farmers to be honored include Peggy Raley, owner and operator of Nassau Valley Vineyards in Lewes. Founded in 1987, the vineyards were the first commercial wine vineyards to exist in the Delaware. Other farmers to be honored include Booby Jo Colvine, owner of Colvine Buffalo Farm in Greenwood, and Karen Reid, owner/operator of Reid Family Farms in Lewes.

Deptula’s menu for the evening will consist of Peanut Crusted Bison Satay, Minted Pea Soup Shooter, Curried Crab Cornet, Tuna Carpaccio, spring carrots, baby mushrooms, snow peas, radish, Firefly Farms Goat Cheese Tart, salad of Karen Reid leafy greens, feathery herbs, edible flowers, Bobby Jo Colvine Buffalo Flat Iron Steak, smothered greens, cornbread panzanella and Nassau Blueberry Wine Sorbet, white chocolate custard and almond cake.

The dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7. Guests will be situated in the rustic Wine Gallery of Nassau Valley Vineyards and hosted by Peggy Raley and Kathy McDonald. Tickets cost $111 and include dinner and gratuity, as well as a chance to meet the farmers.

To purchase tickets, go to nagerb.com.

Nearly everyone hopes to “age-in-place,” a term used by healthcare professionals to mean seniors remaining in their own homes, rather than moving to assisted living or otherwise having to move from their primary residence. As health conditions and needs change, it is not always a matter of simple choice, but a serious decision that necessitates discussions among entire families.

Oftentimes, changes to the home are required. In other words, the home must be “seniorized” for safety.

The following suggestions are timely for seasonal residents returning to our area, seniors returning from a hospital visit or a rehabilitation facility, and all seniors and families who wish to prevent accidents and hospital readmissions. Where possible, local resources are provided with contact information:

(1) Safety first:

• Fireproof your home

- Always have a working fire extinguisher in your kitchen

- Install and check batteries in all smoke alarms

- Refrain from using candles, and never leave them unattended

- Clean your lint trap with every dryer use

- Don’t overload electrical wires

• Install a carbon monoxide detector that sounds an alarm, close to bedrooms and living rooms

• Update lighting throughout the home

- Use motion-detecting lighting

- Light all stairs, porches and entryways

- Use nightlights in bedrooms, bathrooms and hallways

• Establish an emergency escape plan in case of fire, storms, or other disasters

• Keep at least five days’ worth of bottled water and non-perishable foods available

• Consider a Life-Alert-type system and wear it (call Life-Alert at 800-920-3410 or visit lifealert.com).

(2) Remove hazards around the home:

• Build a small ramp over main doorway entrance thresholds

• Remove throw rugs, especially when transitioning to a cane, walker or wheelchair

• Repair loose carpet or raised areas of flooring

(3) Make bathrooms safer:

• Install grab handles in bathrooms (call Steve at Master Grab-bar, 302-644-4404 or visit Mastergrabbar.com/)

• Place non-skid mats inside and outside your shower or tub and near the toilet and sinks

• Use shower chairs and bath benches (call Jack at Medtix, 302-645-8070 or medtix.com)

• Have your bathtub converted to a walk-in shower (call Fred at Tub-2-Shower, 302-629-3792 or visit Tub2shower.net)

(4) Make daily activities simpler:

• Store household items on lower shelves so that you can easily reach them

• Use a reaching device that you can buy at any pharmacy or medical supply store

• If you have trouble seeing, purchase a phone with larger numbers (Clarity Products offers a large selection of amplified and large-key phones; call 800-426-3738 or visit clarityproducts.com)

• If you have to climb for something, use a stepstool with handrails

• Wear low-heeled, comfortable shoes that fit well and give your feet good support

• Consider services that come to your home, such as in-home hairstyling by Traveling Trimmers, (302) 519-3620.

These home makeover recommendations are an important first step to help seniors age in place. Visiting Angels, a company that provides caregivers to help people retain their independence, also suggests home care help. From a few hours to 24/7 care, our “angels” help with personal care, meal preparation, light housework, medication reminders, errands, shopping and appointments, and companionship. Call for more information, at (302) 329-9475, or visit visitingangels.com/sussexde.

Old Timer’s Day is right around the corner in Selbyville, and planning is well under way. The annual town festival is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, with plenty of ways people can participate.

Classic cars and trucks are a staple of Old Timer’s Day, which celebrates Selbyville’s past. Hotrods dating up to 1976 are welcome on the streets of Selbyville for the car show, which will be closed to through-traffic. People may register their vintage vehicles early at Town Hall, or before noon on June 15.

Car and truck show participants are also eligible to participate in a new event, the Poker Run, on Friday, June 14. People will register at 8:30 a.m. on Friday morning at Town Hall and visit five local hotrod shops during the day. By 4 p.m. at the final shop, they will have collected five playing cards from the stores. The best poker hands from the cards received will win prizes of $200, $100 or $50, to be awarded Saturday. Registration for the Poker Run is free.

“I’m excited about that. I think it’s something they will really enjoy, especially the car enthusiasts,” said Debbie McCabe, Old Timer’s Day organizer and town secretary/treasurer.

Vendors, craftspeople, civic groups and others will also set up at the event’s fair. There will be a community yard sale again, and anyone from neighboring towns may register to sell items in the sale.

Every other activity is free of charge, including children’s activities, inflatables, fire truck rides, spectators for the car show, golf cart transportation on the street and more.

“We wouldn’t be able to do it without our sponsors. I cannot give them enough credit,” McCabe said. “They’re harder to find each year. It’s very beneficial.”

The Selbyville Public Library will also have a book sale that day. Donations of new or gently used books for that sale will be accepted until June 8.

Registration forms for Old Timer’s Day events are available online at www.townofselbyville.com or by contacting Town Hall at (302) 436-8314.

Modern technology has changed the way people search for jobs. But people can have their job hunting questions answered Monday, June 10, at Indian River School District’s Parent Center, when the Goodwill Job Resource Center will host a free walk-in workshop on the online job application process at the Parent Center in Frankford.

Résumé writing will be the focus from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants should have a basic knowledge of Microsoft Word. From there, they will learn how create an organized and detailed résumé.

From 1 to 4 p.m., participants can learn how to navigate the online job search process, understanding the “do’s and don’ts” of online applications and learning to successfully upload a résumé online for an online application. They should write down past employment experience to help create a complete application.

“This is a great opportunity to get expert advice and to learn from an organization that has many connections throughout the community,” said Michele Murphy, parent center coordinator. “[It’s] someone who has a reputable name, and they have a history of serving our families.”

Although they have partnered with the Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County before, this is the Parent Center’s first job workshop.

“Part of my mission is to help people support their children’s needs,” said Murphy. “But when their primary need is finding an income — it’s hard to function as a family if you don’t have an income.”

Having recently opened a Job Resource Center next to their retail shop in Bridgeville, Goodwill now offers many financial and employment workshops. But some people can’t get to Bridgeville, so Murphy and the Parent Center are bringing the Job Resource Center to IRSD.

“My job is to help people understand the resources available. We’re not a staffing agency,” emphasized John Rodriguez, Job Resource Center coordinator. “We’ve just been able to understand what kind of work is out there, how do you search what is out there.”

Rodriguez is also bilingual and therefore able to assist the Spanish-speaking community.

There will also be information about Beyond Jobs, a new initiative to help women find employment.

Anyone may attend the free clinic, and they are invited to share the information with others who need help navigating the job application process.

The IRSD Parent Center is located in the G.W Carver Educational Center on Frankford School Road (the former Frankford Elementary building).

Individual sessions will not last three full hours. Seating is limited. People may drop in, but reservations are encouraged. To reserve a seat, contact Michele Murphy (Parent Center coordinator) at (302) 732-1522 or michele.murphy@irsd.k12.de.us or contact John Rodriguez (Job Resource Center coordinator) at (302) 337-7284, ext. 155, or jrodriguez@goodwillde.org.

The South Bethany Town Council dove into the summer season by hearing from residents at their workshop this week about sand, grass and bike racks.

Dennis Franks, who owns a house on N. 6th Street, said he was concerned with how steep some of the beach walks are.

“Some of the older people can’t get over the dune,” he said.

Town Manager Mel Cusick said DNREC would be working on it, as the town would be part of the state’s beach replenishment efforts to restore the beaches to what they were “after 2007.” He said DNREC would also make temporary repairs. But he said he didn’t know when the beach replenishment would start.

“You won’t see the walkways repaired until the beach replenishment is back to where it was,” he said.

Councilman Jim Gross asked why the Town couldn’t do something about the situation. Cusick said they didn’t have the equipment to do it, and noted that it is DNREC’s dune, not the Town’s. He also said the accessibility-enhancing Mobi Mats couldn’t be put down until DNREC was finished.

“We put as much as we could without encroaching on it,” said Cusick.

Franks added that he thought it was “steep. It’s the worst I have seen in 25 years.”

Franks said he also had concerns with weeds and grass at properties near his. Town officials said those concerns should be addressed once they hire a full-time code-enforcement constable. The council was scheduled to discuss applicants at their May 30 meeting but deferred a decision on the hiring.

Police Chief Joe Deloach said he would continue to walk near that area, because Franks said people often chain bikes to his fence or his trash can and park in his driveway.

“Do we need another bike rack?” asked Mayor Kathy Jankowski. “Is it full? Is that the problem?”

The council concluded that the bike racks do, in fact, get full, but said there is little space to add more. They also suggested putting a sign on the fence, saying that it is private property.

“They are not going to pay attention to that,” replied Franks.

Deloach said police couldn’t give out tickets to those who chair their bikes to the fence or trash can, because it is private property, but he said he would be willing to work with Franks and would patrol the area. “I’ll keep my eye out. I walk that area quite a bit,” said Deloach.

Indian River High School’s graduating seniors were presented with around $100,000 in scholarships in scholarships this year. That sum does not even include financial aid from their intended colleges but represents many school, community and business organizations that have supported IR students.

Principal Mark Steele thanked the groups that fundraise year-round to make the awards possible.

“It’s amazing how much money our kids are awarded,” Steele said, noting that IR graduates spread far across the country and go into a variety of fields.

“We have all worked hard to finish high school and pave our way to success,” said Kaya White, vice president of the Class of 2013.

The following awards were presented:

• Academic letter for high honors: Jessica Gude, Kristin Kneller, Marisa Lowe, Alexandra Manolakos, Delaney McMullen, Carly Piel, Brooke Prendergast, Keeonya Shelton, Miranda Sobus;

• Administrative Scholarship: Kristin Kneller, $300;

• Aspiring Teacher Scholarship: Kristin Kneller;

• IREA Education Major Scholarship: Jacob Rickards, $1,000;

• Outstanding IRHS FFA Member Scholarship: Clayton Adkins, $250;

• IRHS FFA Officer Scholarship: Jovon Townsend, $500, Julia Carter, $400, Alexa Barber, $250;

• Project Village: Steve Castro, $1,000;

• AARP Scholarship: Abigail Brown, Kees Elling, $1,000;

• ACTS: Daniel Aisquith, $2,000;

• Barefoot Gardeners Club: Steven Rozell, $1,000;

• Bethany Fenwick Chamber of Commerce (QRCF): Steven Rozell, Kees Elling, Austin Roadarmel;

• COAD Scholarship: Carly Piel, $1,000;

• Congressional Recognition Award: Jacob Rickards;

• Contractors for a Cause: Justin Whaley;

• Daughters of the American Revolution: Keiosha Shelton;

• Delaware Community Foundation: Steven Rozell, $1,000;

• Delaware Lions Foundation: Jessica Gude, Jacob Rickards, $1,000;

• Delaware School Nutrition Association Scholarship: Jessica Gude, $1,000;

• Doric Lodge #30: Jodie Powell, $1,000;

• Elks Scholarship: Steven Rozell, Norma Brasure, $1,500. Carly Piel, $2,000;

• Fenwick Island Lions Club: Steve Castro, Alexandra Manolakos, Delaney McMullen, Brooke Prendergast, Amanda Roadarmel, Steven Rozell, Jessica Gude, Austin Roadarmel (four-year), $1,000;

• Horatio Alger Delaware Scholar: Austin Roadarmel, $5,000;

• JROTC Boosters Scholarship: Daniel Aisquith, $1,000;

• Reginald Layfield Award: Kees Elling, Jodie Powell;

• Lord Baltimore Lion Charities: Alexandra Manolakos (four-year), Delaney McMullen (one-year);

• Lord Baltimore Lioness Club: Amanda Roadarmel, Steven Rozell, $1,000;

• Lord Baltimore Women’s Club: Abigail Brown, Brooke Prendergast, Jacob Rickards, Steven Rozell, $1,250;

• McDonald’s Restaurants of the Eastern Shore: Steven Rozell, $500;

• Milford Garden Club: Steven Rozell, $1,000;

• Oak Orchard/Riverdale Post 28 of the American Legion Auxiliary: Rose Rinker, $1,000;

• OC Ravens Roost 44 Scholars/Athlete: Kees Elling, Delaney McMullen, $2,200, Steven Rozell, $500;

• Arthur W. Purdue Foundation: Jodie Powell, $5,000;

• Phillip C. Showell Elementary PTO: Kristin Kneller, $500;

• Prudential Spirit of Community Award (President’s Volunteer Service Award): Carly Piel;

• Secretary of Education Scholars Award: Jessica Gude, Delaney McMullen;

• Sons of Italy: Abigail Brown, $1,250;

• Steve Kilby Band of Brothers Scholarship: Collier Donald, $500;

• Sussex Academy Foundation Board Scholarship: Chester Townsend, $2,000;

• VMDAEC Educational Scholarship Foundation: Amanda Roadarmel, $1,000;

• WGMD Sports Award: Jodie Powell, Kees Elling;

• Women’s Club of the Keenwicks: Abigail Brown, Julia Carter, Jodie Powell, Megan Pusey, Kaya White, Alexandra Manolakos (four-year), $1,000;

• The Delaware Wave: Logan Ferry, $1,000;

• Todd O. Cropper Memorial: Austin Roadarmel, $500;

• Howard Grise Memorial: Jessica Gude, $1,000;

• Chuck Rechsteiner Scholarship Fund: Krystal Erickson, $250;

• Marvin Steen Award: Zachary Hill, $1,000;

• Thomas Truitt Memorial: Jessica Gude $700;

• Russell White Scholarship Foundation: Carly Piel, $2,500.

Tenth-grader Chris Smith is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout out of Ocean View Boy Scout Troop 281. Having built and donated three bike racks, which now reside at Phillip C. Showell Elementary School, the Southern Delaware School of the Arts and Selbyville Town Hall, Smith recently went into the classrooms at Showell to also teach kids about the importance of bike safety.

Coastal Point • Maria Counts
Chris Smith, far right, and Delaware State Fire School Instructor Mary Beth Murray help students at Phillip C. Showell Elementary with safety helmet instruction.

“The reason I’m doing the classes is because with new bike racks, what’s the point of having them if the kids are not safe?” Smith explained.

Smith said that the idea for the bike racks came after a conversation with his taekwondo instructor.

“We were talking about it. He has a bike shop and suggested bike racks. I went and researched bike racks and found different models. It’s pretty practical, because it’s something they can use.”

Smith said he received generous donations from Hoban’s Auto; Dr. Vickers; Dr. Griffin; Dr. Kramer; Mason Dixon Battery; Food Lion; Bunting and Murray; Georgia House; Roots Landscaping; Animal Health Sales Inc.; Women of the Moose; Rommel’s Ace Hardware; Lord Baltimore Lions Charities; Fenwick Island Lions Club; Sussex Eye Center; Phillip Showell’s PTO; and McDonalds.

After completing the bike racks, Smith realized he had enough money left over to purchase helmets to be given out to a number of students at Showell who did not have one of their own.

Smith contacted the Delaware State Fire School — which offers talks on a variety of topics, including bike and fire safety — to see if they would help him go into the classrooms and talk with students.

In class, Smith worked with Delaware State Fire School Instructor Mary Beth Murray, and they read the kids a book and did an demonstration of what happens when a cyclist does and doesn’t wear a helmet, using an egg.

According to Murray, “Egert” was a “smart egg that does well in school and listens. Eggy, Egert’s friend, does what he wants. He is a smart egg, but he chooses not to use it. Eggy has a beautiful helmet at home, but he doesn’t want to wear it because he thinks it’s uncool. Eggert has an older helmet, but he doesn’t care what it looks like, because he knows it’s the right thing to do.”

“Egert” the egg would then be placed into a Styrofoam capsule and tossed around the classroom, with the capsule to then be opened, revealing that his shell was still intact. Eggy would then be placed in a sealed plastic bag and tossed, smashing his shell immediately.

The two got a collective “ooooooooh!” from the students, who then said they would be sure to wear bike helmets.

Smith also discussed with students that when they are out riding they should wear clothes that won’t get caught in the wheels or pedals of the bike, follow traffic signs and signals and use reflectors, which were donated to his project by the Delaware Department of Transportation with the help of Sarah Coakley.

Students in Sharline Derosier’s second-grade class were excited to share what they learned from the safety talk.

“Always wear a helmet. And never go on the road, because you could get hit by a car,” said Davonna Duffield.

“When there’s a lot of traffic, walk your bike across the street,” said Dawn Raymond.

“Never wear dark clothes,” added Kim Inthilath.

In Susan Deery’s first-grade class, the kids said they would now wear their helmets after seeing the egg demonstration and seeing a scrape Smith had on his shoulder from a fall he took, though he was wearing a helmet.

Kalani Snader, 7, didn’t have a helmet when Smith came to visit, but she won a brand-new one thanks to his efforts.

“I’m happy,” he said. “If you don’t wear a helmet, you might hurt yourself really bad.”

Deery, who was Smith’s fourth-grade teacher at Showell, said she was proud of how he’s grown into a responsible young man.

“It makes me feel really proud. He always had a good head on his shoulders. I’m proud. I’m not really surprised because he’s always had it in him,” she said. “He’s always been very serious about Eagle Scouts and his community service. It’s really wonderful to see that when they grow up they’re on that good path.”

Smith said he wanted to thank his parents, as well as Wayne Stacey, Mark West, Tom Roth and John Douds, for all of their help and support throughout the long process of his Eagle Scout projects.

“There were a lot of people that kept me going through the whole process. It takes a lot of dedication, but in the end it’s a lot of fun,” said Smith.

Of scouting itself, Smith said it’s a great for the friends that you make and the activities you can do.

“I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. It’s just part of me, I guess,” he said, adding that he’d advise younger scouts to “keep doing it. It’s a lot of fun. It’ll get you really far in life.”

Smith said he’s happy that his project will not only give the community new bike racks but also help kids understand the importance of bike safety.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that you might change some people’s decisions about wearing helmets and they’re probably going to be a lot safer now.”

Frankford’s June town council meeting was brief this week, ending in just a half-hour. The June 3 meeting started off on shaky footing, with resident Greg Welch wanting to speak during the citizen’s privilege section about water rates, which wasn’t posted as an agenda item. Per the council’s newly adopted policy, citizens of Frankford are only supposed to speak about posted agenda items during citizen’s privilege.

“I couldn’t even be on the agenda,” said Welch, asserting that he had asked Town Administrator Terry Truitt in writing whether he could have the issue on the agenda, but that it had not been added.

“Why am I not allowed on the agenda?” Welch asked.

“Do you have a question about the water meter?” asked Council President Jesse Truitt. Welch said he did. He then said he wanted to talk about being denied a spot on the agenda.

“You are beating a dead horse.” Jesse Truitt told him.

Welch did talk about water, though, eventually saying that the Town didn’t need new water meters — something officials have said in the past could help with perpetually late water bills.

Later, Welch said he also wanted to ask about pensions for town employees, which the council discussed at a May 21 workshop with Trena Giddings, human resource specialist for the State of Delaware Office of Pensions. That issue was also not on the agenda and was not brought up at the June council meeting.

The minutes of the May 21 meeting state that “a packet with specific relevant employee payroll data related salary information was also included but not included in open discussion. It was noted that no formal decisions were made and further discussion/options will be actively pursued.”

Robert Murray, another resident of the town, said that he wanted to have line items on what the Town spent.

“I called the Attorney General, and they said that was a violation of FOIA and asked if I wanted to file a complaint, and I said, ‘Not at this time.’”

“We’ll try to get you a line item,” said Jesse Truitt, adding that Murray could request a financial report that they produce every month.

“Anybody else got anything else to say?” asked Truitt. Getting no response, he added, “Let’s get on with our meeting.”

Also at the June 3 meeting, the Town held a hearing on the budget for the 2014 fiscal year. The council voted to proceed with advertising the proposed budget, as is required before it can be adopted. There are no proposed tax or water rate increases, but Councilwoman Joanne Bacon expressed concerns over what the Town is paying for employees’ health insurance.

The 2014 budget has revenue and expenditures of $775,362 each. Last year’s totals were $709,109 each.

Police Chief William Dudley said it had been quiet for police in the previous month, with 47 total traffic arrests, no criminal arrests and 18 calls for service. He said the town park is getting a lot of use and has been reserved for events for each of the past four weekends.

Bacon read a resolution that the Town accepted to apply for additional matching grant funds up to $30,000 from the Delaware Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund, to complete the park renovation with new features, such as slides and swings. The Frankford Volunteer Fire Company has also donated some bleachers so that there is seating for park-goers.

Dudley asked that people with children be vigilant about safety issues, such as bicycle helmets and general safety, with children this summer season.

“We have discussed kids in the street as a parental issue so far because we don’t want to have to start writing $25 tickets for the kids and the parents for no helmets.” Delaware law requires anyone younger than 18 to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. He said it is especially dangerous on Honolulu, where the marked speed limit is 35 miles per hour and not the 25 mph that it is inside town limits.

The town council this week also voted to accept the highest bid made on the police department’s used 2004 Crown Victoria, from Daisey’s Used Car Inc., in the amount of $2,879.

Millsboro will hold an election for the District 1 seat on its town council on June 8, with three candidates vying to hold the position. The polls will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Millsboro Town Center, located at 322 Wilson Highway. Anyone wishing to cast a vote in the election must be a bona fide resident of the Town of Millsboro and be at least 18 years old.

Candidates for the election include incumbent councilman Tim Hodges, who is aiming to be re-elected to a third term, as well as former mayor and councilman Joseph Brady and challenger William Howlett, who has previously worked as principal at East Millsboro Elementary School and served on the Indian River School District’s school board.

Each of the three candidates was invited to answer a series of questions for Coastal Point readers to consider prior to the election. Brady declined the opportunity. Responses from Hodges and Howlett follow.

Tim Hodges

Q. What issue do you feel most passionately about, why, and what will you do to tackle it?

A. I decided to run for Millsboro Town Council to give back to the community that I love. I want to see Millsboro continue to grow into a vibrant town with all the businesses needed to support the residents of this area.

Q. How do you see Millsboro changing over the next decade, and what can/should the town leaders do about it?

A. Millsboro will continue to grow with new homes because Millsboro is a great place to live, offering peaceful surroundings and easy access to all the Delmarva Peninsula has to offer. Great businesses will follow this increase in homes. The existing council has made responsible decisions to support and prepare for this increase.

The leaders of Millsboro should continue to be business-friendly and support responsible, positive growth. We are currently working on a budget for next fiscal year that will support these goals, as well as provide funding for resurfacing existing streets and maintenance of other Town facilities, such as our parks, landscaping and rights-of-way.

Q. How do you plan to promote the town and its businesses?

A. I will continue to support Millsboro daily in all I do. Millsboro has much to offer, from well-priced, comfortable homes to its nice selection of retail businesses and restaurants to the beautiful Indian River and our friendly people. I believe Millsboro is the “center of the wagon-wheel” for Sussex County and the entire peninsula. From Millsboro you can get to all locations, from Dover to Salisbury and all Delaware and Maryland beach destinations, in about 45 minutes or less (some are even less by boat!). Once people see what Millsboro has to offer, Millsboro really sells itself!

Q. Why should voters choose you to serve on town council?

A. I have supported Millsboro since coming here 24 years ago as a small-businessman, and for the last six years I have served Millsboro on the Town Council. While living here, Millsboro has doubled in size and added many new businesses, and it has been done well. Planning for growth is the key to successful growth.

While serving on council, Millsboro has attracted many new businesses; significantly increased capacities of our water treatment facilities and added new water wells; increased capacity of our wastewater system while upgrading to a state-of-the-art treatment facility and introduced beneficial reuse to our disposal system to eliminate discharge into the Indian River; and we have worked with the State to get the Millsboro bypass back on track, which will alleviate truck traffic and congestion through town. Your vote for me in the election for Town Council will support positive growth in Millsboro that is done well.

William ‘Bill’ Howlett

Q. What issue do you feel most passionately about, why, and what will you do to tackle it?

A. The traffic problem is my most passionate issue. I live on Washington Street, therefore, according to DelDOT, 16,000 vehicles pass my house daily. The count will only increase. Working with business owners, DelDOT, the Millsboro Chamber of Commerce and Rep. Atkins, a change in traffic patterns through the town could be accomplished. My abbreviated plan is ready for discussion.

Q. How do you see Millsboro changing over the next decade, and what can/should the town leaders do about it?

A. A workshop to produce new directions of the Town of Millsboro might be helpful. If we lost the bridge again, would we approach it as a problem or as an opportunity? The next decade may provide a lot of opportunities. But at what cost and what benefits? The direction the Town leaders wish to accept will determine whether we attained our prescribed goals or remained dormant because of too many problems.

Q. How do you plan to promote the town and its businesses?

A. By listening to others and starting my due diligence as a town council member, there will indeed be many suggestions concerning the issue of promoting the Town of Millsboro and its’ businesses. I am forever asking myself, “What if?” or “Why not?”

My answers produced the energy-saving initiatives while on the Indian River Board of Education. The savings resulted in being the second most energy-efficient school district in the state. There was no cost to the taxpayers. Other answers produced the formation of the community theater group the Possum Point Players and the opening of the former Selbyville Middle School as a magnet school for the arts.

Q. Why should voters choose you to serve on town council?

A. After graduation from the University of Delaware, I garnered experience in agriculture, restaurant management and education, to name a few areas. Leadership positions were held in the U.S. Army, the Millsboro Lions Club, the Millsboro Art League and Millsboro Little League.

These experiences may prove valuable when discussing the issues that come up before the council.

Indian River High School’s 2013 prom king often jokes that he was “made in China” and exported to the U.S.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter
Judi and Ken Currie pose with exchange student Zhuo Chen ‘Billy’ Du at their home recently. Their relationship has only grown closer with more time spent together.

Since August of 2012, Chinese exchange student Zhuo Chen Du has brought humor and a new perspective to life in Dagsboro and IRHS.

Known by his English name, “Billy,” the 17-year-old is from Guangzhuo, China, near Hong Kong and Macau. After graduating from IRHS on May 29, he planned to go home but to return with a student visa and to get a business degree at Arizona State University.

Dagsboro residents Ken and Judi Currie didn’t plan to host a foreign exchange student this year. But their daughter, Kerri Fox, who manages the program, was panicking when Du’s original Florida host family canceled. So after two leg-numbing flights around the world, Du was welcomed into the Currie house.

Ken Currie, who admitted he was very reluctant, now says, “It’s been a fantastic year. This has been a fun and amazing experience. … He is a kid without guile or arrogance. That’s somewhat unique for a teenager.”

“We knew within two weeks that Billy was going to stay,” Judi Currie said.

Even living in a nation of 1.3 billion people, Du knew about the tiny First State of Delaware and George Washington crossing the Delaware River.

Being so interested in foreign affairs, Du found the perfect setting in the Currie household during the 2012 election season. Ken Currie was busy as chairperson for the 41st District Republican Committee of Delaware. Living with such a knowledgeable and involved family, Du was soon hitting the streets to help campaign. When neighbors asked why, he joked that the candidates were famous internationally.

Du is always learning. He prefers to read nonfiction — especially learning about U.S. foreign policy, the Middle East or Asia. At IR, he enjoyed history but faced a major challenge with English literature — especially Shakespeare.

In China, Du lives in the largest city and capital of the Guangdong province. He said the city is so full that co-ed boarding schools are located in rural areas, and he went home on weekends.

Academics are everything to the Chinese, he explained. In such a large population, where students remain competitive though grades, even an A-minus can be heartbreaking. High school classes resemble a college lecture hall, with 60 students, a teacher and a microphone.

On the other hand, Du said American classes are smaller, and people are more concerned with personality and character.

Parents and teachers want students to succeed, but “they don’t care as much [about academics], so people depend on more personality. If you’re friendly, people accept you. In China, academics are first, personality second.”

At times, the Curries even dragged him away from studying to enjoy other pursuits.

“Here, you develop your own interests,” said Du, whereas he said extracurricular activities are virtually nonexistent in Chinese schools. Du joined the tennis team, a step up in scale from the popular Chinese pastime of table tennis.

Living in a quiet neighborhood, the Curries were surprised when Du checked every door and window lock before going to bed.

In any major city, from New York to Asia, “This door would be steel,” said Du, pointing to a small glass window in the Curries’ front door. “Here, you leave the door open, no one comes in but the squirrels.”

Even the atmosphere is radically different, he said. Rural Delaware smells more like manure, versus the gasoline of a big city. Du is used to walking or using public transit, and though he cannot drive the cars needed to get very far in Sussex County, he said the locals are incredibly nice.

Having learned English since age 6, Du has an electronic dictionary that he now uses less than ever. He learned about school dances, dating and Thanksgiving — American traditions that are rare in China.

“He’s like a member of our family. … I could see him as an ambassador,” said Judi Currie. “He has a lot of personality. He is open and willing to try.”

“I was afraid the first day I walked into high school. I was afraid they would mock me,” said Du, but the students actually led him to his classrooms, at risk of missing the bell themselves. “Nobody teased me. Most students are curious about China, so they ask me.”

“This is a cultural experience for the kids,” said Ken Currie. “Those kind of things don’t end up on billboards. They happen face-to-face.”

Although Du visited major U.S. cities through an educational summer program, most of his perspective had come from “heroic” American movies with cowboys and gunslingers.

“Here, I never saw people take out guns,” Du said. “We [in China] don’t have private gun ownership.”

With an overwhelming population, the Chinese government has mandated that most couples may only have one child, so Du and his peers generally have no siblings. His parents’ generation was the last to have big families. Du’s father works at a newspaper, and his mother is a homemaker.

Du said he was also fascinated by the racial melting pot of America.

“The U.S. is many colors,” with blondes, redheads and blue eyes, said Du. China has 5,000 years of history, all with brown hair and brown eyes. Many families go back for thousands of years.

Du is not religious, which he said is common at home, although Judi Currie said he is very attuned to the weather and earth, even growing his own garden.

So does he have any spirituality?

“I believe in myself,” Du said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can anyone else believe you?”

IRHS has hosted exchange students in the past, but principal Mark Steele said Du “has to be the most personable kid in foreign exchange. We’ve had fun with him, and he’s had fun with us.”

Steele said Du gave him a card on the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and totems to ward off evil spirits.

“He has really opened our eyes to what Chinese culture’s like,” Steele said. “He’s likable. He’s a fantastic kid.”

As a host family, the Curries have learned and become more interested in the outside world, which is a goal of the nonprofit Council for International Exchange (CIEE).

“Rather than an obligation, it became a real pleasure and an adventure,” said Ken Currie.

Through the CIEE, high school students visit the U.S. Volunteer host families provide a home and meals, treating students like a family member, not just a guest. In return, they learn about foreign culture. Judi Currie said this is especially helpful if the host family wants to study foreign affairs or language.

CIEE students worldwide are interviewed before traveling and must speak English well. Most choose to study in the U.S.

CIEE is looking for several families to host students at IRHS in August. Families can volunteer for just a few months or commit to a full school year.

“I would love to have a couple students there every year so the student body and staff could experience kids from all over,” said Kerri Fox, a regional director. “It opens up the worlds and makes it such a smaller place, gives students a chance to explore America and gives Americans a different view of other countries. … The world is changing and should include a global mindset.”

For more information on hosting students through the CIEE, contact Fox at (302) 296-7455 or kfox@ciee.org.

For the second time in River Soccer Club’s history, one of the club’s teams has won the Delaware state championship.

Coastal Point • Submitted
River Soccer’s U-15 boys’ team, Express, won the Delaware state championship.

After crushing the preliminaries and semifinal, the U-15 boys’ team, Express, was evenly matched at the June 6 state final, winning 2-1 against Hockessin’s Delaware Rush Nike 97.

According to head coach Duncan Smith, the RSC team was confident, despite Rush’s halftime lead. River came back in the second half on a goal by Daniel Garza, which tied the game through double overtime.

In the end, the match was decided by penalty kicks, and it came down to the very last shot. Five players from each team shot on the opponent’s goal. RSC’s Garza, Johan Pejeda, Marlon Trejo and Alton Walker had slipped four goals past Rush.

When the final Rush player stepped up, Rush had earned three shots and missed one. But RSC goalie Ian Walls saved the very last ball, resulting in a River Soccer win, 2-1.

“It’s always a big deal when a downstate teams wins,” said Duncan Smith, Express head coach.

Celebrating on the turf at Milford High School, Express teammates were already planning for regional championships in Kingston, R.I.

The team will practice for two weeks before traveling for the competition June 27 to July 2 that will pit them against teams from other northeast states.

Having seen the Express team members evolve as soccer players, Smith said, “The boys worked really hard. I’m proud to see the rewards of their hard work.”

After forming in November of 2012, Express had a 17-0-1 season, including two tournament wins. The club usually plays league teams in Delaware and Maryland.

However, the core group of players started at River Soccer Club together as a U-9 team with Smith.

“That’s probably the most rewarding thing, to see how they improved and developed over the years,” Smith said.

Three years ago, RSC’s U-19 Cosmos also won state finals — also under Smith.

“I just really put it to the boys and their hard work,” said Smith. “Our club focuses on developing players and developing teams.”

Smith thanked River Soccer Club for its support and providing players with a rare opportunity to play and travel. He also thanked RSC Director of Coaching Steve Kilby. The team also had help from manager/assistant coach Adam Ramses and coach Brian Shockley.

While the 2013 Youth Soccer Region 1 Championship is a “really great opportunity for the kids,” it’s also an expensive endeavor, said Smith. The hotel rooms alone will cost $6,500.

The team members said they are excited to compete and are now turning to the community for help. Individuals and businesses can make donations or sponsor players to help defray costs. Anyone like to contribute can send contributions to River Soccer Club Express; 38846 Bayberry Ct.; Ocean View, DE 19970.

Women are rocking the courts at the 3rd Annual ResortQuest Pro Women’s Open in Bethany Beach this week. Around 60 up-and-coming female tennis athletes came to Sea Colony Beach & Tennis Resort early this week to take a stab at the $10,000 total prize money in both singles and doubles competition.

Coastal Point • Molly Leidig
Caroline Lampl (USA) was defeated by Madison Bourguignon (USA) 2-6, 6-0, 1-6.

Sponsored by ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals and the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA), the tournament began Sunday, June 9, and will run through Sunday, June 16. Admission is free for spectators.

After qualifying rounds filled eight of 32 main draw spots in the singles bracket, the main draw began Tuesday, June 11. The doubles final will be Saturday, June 15, with the singles final on Sunday, June 16.

Events on Thursday, June 13, were set to feature a Junior Play Day at 4:30 p.m. at the Tennis Center and Saturday, while June 15 marks USTA Member Appreciation Day.

Sea Colony hosts around a dozen tournaments annually, but this is the only professional match among them, said Timothy Fisher, marketing manager for ResortQuest Delaware & Maryland.

“The tournament … has drawn some exciting tennis. We’re told it’s very well attended for the pro level,” said Fisher. “This is the lowest level [of competition]. These players are just trying to earn points for bigger and better tournaments.”

Laurence Carpio coached two players in this year’s tournament. While watching Madison Bourguignon play on Tuesday, he said the tournament was similar to others he’s attended. He complimented the range of courts, noting that Sea Colony and other northern facilities offer both Har-Tru clay courts and hard courts, while his Florida training grounds usually offer just one or the other.

The ResortQuest Pro Women’s Open allows ladies of all ages to compete, without age divisions.

“It’s good experience for them, especially the young ones,” Carpio said.

Player Ariana Rodriguez, 17, agreed.

“It’s really exciting, because when you play the older, experienced players — winning or losing — it’s good, because you’ll always learn something,” said Rodriguez.

She began her tennis career 10 years ago in a free tennis clinic in the Bronx, N.Y. When an instructor realized her talent, Rodriguez started playing more seriously. Not a professional yet, Rodriguez is a high-performance player ranked among the nation’s top 60.

Defeated in her qualifying singles match, Rodriguez said she was at least happy on Tuesday that her opponent had won every match since.

Rodriguez said her favorite pastime, besides playing, is watching tennis. She was actively engaged Tuesday morning, watching her doubles partner, Rasheeda McAdoo, play and win another singles match.

Having competed in locations from Delaware to California, Rodriguez said Sea Colony is “really pretty. I think the courts are nice, the place is nice, and the people are nice.”

Selected as a 2012 USTA Outstanding Facility of the Year, Sea Colony has earned additional national and global honors, as a top resort, tennis camp and junior program, even making Tennis magazine’s Top 50 American Resorts in 2012, including No. 3 in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The tournament site is the Sea Colony Tennis Center, at West Way Drive and Kent Avenue near Bethany Beach. For more information on Sea Colony Tennis, call (302) 539-4488, visit www.SeaColonyTennis.net or their Facebook and Twitter pages.