A multicolored display of the Earth is shown across nine contiguous television screens and, with the click of a mouse, a University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean & Environment (CEOE) graduate student zooms in on North America, the United States, Delaware and, eventually, Lewes.

Coastal Point photos • Submitted: Docent Jack Pallace shows visitors preserved deep-sea creatures.The demonstration in the Global Visualization Lab (GVL) is just one stop along the free, guided tours offered by the university this summer in its marine research complex on the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. through July and August.

The tours are designed to educate the public about the research conducted at the university and connect the projects to issues in the world at large and close to home.

Docents also give a brief history of the CEOE.

“Within the last 50 years, there has been major emphasis on marine studies at universities everywhere,” said docent Jack Pallace. The increase in interest and research is thanks to advanced technology that allows researchers to better study the ocean.

In contrast to the CEOE’s current marine research complex, UD marine research had its beginnings in a marine laboratory located in a renovated restaurant from 1952 to 1956.

On the tour, visitors can see a model of the Hugh R. Sharp research vessel. The vessel has advanced maneuverability and is extremely quiet; it is the quietest civilian vessel in the country. The U.S. Navy is the biggest client for research conducted on the vessel, said Pallace.

The tour also visits the GVL, where researchers use and edit images from NASA satellites. A Google Earth map displays water temperature with color, illustrating how the Gulf Stream affects water temperature, therefore impacting climate.

Using technology in the GVL, researchers can map the paths that animals, such as sturgeon and penguins, travel. Using tags on the sturgeon and acoustic receivers in several locations along the Delaware coast, researchers can track how the fish travel, which allows them to map habitats and create a predictive model.

Sturgeon are an endangered species, so researchers hope to be able to develop a program to monitor patterns and warn fishermen via text as to where there will be large numbers of sturgeon.

The tour also visits the greenhouse, a display of preserved sea creatures and a mural of ocean typography that shows marine environments and scales the depth of the ocean. Visitors can also view and learn about the Lewes campus’ wind turbine, which generates enough energy to power the campus labs and facilities.

Each year, docents meet with researchers to learn about the different projects in the CEOE and the Delaware Sea Grant program — a program designed to address major marine challenges.

“If we wanted to be correct, we would call this Planet Ocean, not Planet Earth,” said Pallace, “because the ocean covers the majority of the planet.”

Tours last about two hours, and reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. To schedule a visitor tour, contact Lisa Dorey at ceoe-tours@udel.edu or (3020 645-4234.

In “My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward,” his internationally bestselling memoir about how a young marriage is redefined by the grips of mental illness, author Mark Lukach details how he fell in love with his wife, Giulia, and battled her three psychotic episodes as her primary caretaker.

Special to the Coastal Point • Alex Souza: Mark Lukach and his family enjoy a moment on a park bench.Lukach is a Delawarean and spent every summer as a kid living and working in Bethany Beach. He proposed to his wife on the beach in Bethany several years ago, and the Delaware coast plays a big part in his identity. And now, Lukach is returning Bethany Beach to sign his books at Bethany Beach Books on Wednesday, July 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Lukach and his wife met as undergraduates at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He said they had an unexpected chemistry that grew into a loving marriage. The couple moved to San Francisco after marrying and faced an unexpected challenge soon after. Giulia — 27 at the time, and with a new job — had a sudden psychotic break that left her hospitalized in a psychiatric ward.

In “My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward,” Lukach chronicles his wife’s bipolar diagnosis, which left her hospitalized three times in the years that followed and forced the two of them to redefine their marriage.

“My parents grew up going to Bethany Beach for the summer,” Lukach noted. “They actually met as teens in Bethany. Once they married and had kids, they continued to vacation in Bethany.

“My family has moved a lot in my life, but no matter where we have lived, we have always come back to the beach. This place feels like the closest to a home to me out of anywhere I have lived. There’s something so family-oriented and so charming about the town of Bethany. It feels nostalgic,” he said.

Naturally, when they started dating, Giulia also came to Bethany, he said.

“She would visit me at the beach once a summer. I proposed to her on the beach here. This place is my most reliable constant in my life. And now that I’m a parent, I can see what an amazing place this is to bring a child and a family.”

As her husband described in his book, during her first mental breakdown, Giulia Lukach was convinced she had no reason and no purpose to continue to live.

“She went from a super accomplished, high-functioning woman, to within six weeks, not eating and not sleeping, and it was utterly terrifying. I didn’t know what was happening to her. She became so different that she was almost unrecognizable,” he described.

“We were both so young, at 27, and just starting a family,” he noted. “I felt like, before her episode, we were about to turn a chapter and start really planning our futures together, but I was soon confronted with crisis and survival and grief and fear. It was personally disorienting to me and a sudden jolt to my life’s expectations.”

Lukach transitioned from Giulia’s husband to her mental health caretaker, as she went from wife to patient.

“Caregiving was so consuming and so demanding for me,” he recalled. “I was told by the doctor I needed to keep a close eye on her, and it changed my entire life.

“I’m a teacher, and in an industry that I keep an eye out for children for a living, but I get to go home and relax at the end of the day,” Lukach explained. “But as Giulia’s caregiver, I could never turn it off. I began to consider what the long term might look like for her and what it meant if she did get better.”

That new perspective led Lukach to change how he viewed his life.

“I changed my whole mentality and decided I needed to live in the moment and get through each minute. I thought, ‘If I get through that minute, then I can get through the next one.’ That new motive is what fueled me, as my thoughts of planning for our long-term futures evaporated. It’s natural to think about what’s next in life, and I, essentially, had to shut that off. I had to say ‘What’s now?’ not ‘What’s next?’”

Lukach is a teacher, not a trained writer, and said he had never thought he would write a book. But the challenges of his personal life pushed him to start putting his feelings into words.

“At first, I turned to emails to process what was happening,” he said.

“After Giulia got better from that first episode, we had a clear gulf between us. I had been writing to my parents and to her parents, but I felt like I needed to write to her, so that’s what I did. I wrote out what I had been feeling those last months.

“Then we realized this had potential to turn into something bigger, like a book project. A friend urged me that I should try to have an essay published. So, in 2011, I wrote an essay for submission of the ‘Modern Love’ column in the New York Times. Surprisingly, it wasn’t rejected and was published Thanksgiving weekend! And it was well-received.”

Two years later, he wrote a different essay for Pacific Standard that he said “essentially went viral. To put that into perspective, it had 4 million reads in the first week. And then I thought, ‘OK — there’s definitely an audience that connects to this story.’”

That was a key realization for Lukach, who himself had been yearning for support and connection as he dealt with his wife’s illness and his duties as her caretaker.

“At the time, I felt like no one could connect to me. I was shocked to find a lack of books on what’s it like to love someone with a mental illness,” he explained. “This has been one of the main reasons I’ve wanted to write this publicly — there is an under-served community on the matter. So many peoples’ lives are turned upside-down by mental illness, and my book is about what it means to redefine this.”

Having watched his wife go through her illness and having lived through his experience in taking care of her, Lukach had some words of wisdom to offer both those dealing with mental illness and those who care for them.

“For a person with a mental illness, I would say, ‘Nothing is permanent.’ One of depression’s most unfair tactics is that people feel like these bad feelings are never going to go away, but they are going to go away. There’s always reason to have hope,” he said.

“And for my situation as a caregiver, I would say, ‘Always take care of yourself.’ You have to make time for yourself, because the demands are so real and so high in caregiving for someone else. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can get worn out. If that happens, you are no longer helping the situation. It may feel selfish at the time, but you are doing everyone good by doing so.”

With his Bethany Beach book signing about a week away, Lukach said he was particularly looking forward to returning to his home at the Delaware shore and sharing his story with its residents.

“I’m pumped! My story is about family and about love, and Bethany Beach symbolizes love and family to me,” he said.

Bethany Beach Books will offer the chance to meet Lukach and get signed copies of “My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward” on Wednesday, July 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bethany Beach Books is located in downtown Bethany Beach, at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Garfield Parkway.

The 39th Annual Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival, presented by Schell Brothers and the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The annual event, located in downtown Bethany Beach, brings in more than 100 artists to showcase and sell their work. The featured artists bring creations representing a variety of different mediums, including paintings, photography, woodwork, metalwork, clay, baskets, jewelry and porcelain.

In addition to exploring the works of more than 100 artists, this year’s Arts Festival will showcase a self-guided tour: “Discover the Arts & Antiques Trail.”

The “Discover the Finer Things” guide will feature a trail map in the centerfold of the publication, while businesses that create and sell fine arts and antiques will be featured in the publication. The “Discover the Finer Things” guide will be available at the festival and throughout the year at the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce Information Center, as well as at participating businesses along the trail.

Two charitable events will round out that Saturday’s arts festival at the boardwalk. A silent auction and scholarship giveaway, will take place on the bandstand. The silent auction will offer works of art donated by the festival’s artists, with all proceeds supporting local art programs at four elementary schools in the Indian River School District.

Additionally, the Chamber and the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation (QRCF) will award a $1,000 art scholarship for one local high school junior or senior artist. Public judging for the final prize will take place on the bandstand.

For more information on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival, visit BethanyBeachArtsFestival.com or call (302) 539-2100.

On Wednesday, July 26, and Thursday, July 27, Ocean View Presbyterian’s Sewing Circle will once again offer their Heavenly Luncheon from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Culinary offerings will include California chicken salad, pasta salad, Caesar salad, rolls, fresh local fruit, home-made iced tea, and chocolate and butterscotch brownies to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Coastal Point • Submitted: Lunch is prepared for last year’s Heavenly Luncheon at the Ocean View Presbyterian Church.Each year, the luncheon is timed with the South Coastal Library’s Beach & Bay Cottage Tour, and those taking the tour (and those not doing so) may dine at their leisure, or simply “eat and run” to resume the tour. The cost of the lunch is $12 per person, with free parking, fast service and fresh food. Carry-out is also available. While dining, attendees can enjoy live piano music provided by church organist Kathy Rhodes.

Proceeds will help the Sewing Circle support local missions, including the Tunnel Cancer Center, the Pyle Center, Ten-Mile Miracle and the Cheer Center Meals on Wheels program, as well as national and international missions.

Ocean View Presbyterian Church is located at 67 Central Avenue in Ocean View.

For more information on the luncheon, contact Liz Hobler at (302) 541-0487. To learn more about the Sewing Circle or the church, visit www.ovpc.org.

Cottage 1 – the Heiden home

Tracy and Clint Heiden had vacationed with their four kids at her parents’ Ocean City, Md., condo for years but longed for a family home they could call their own. When they discovered the aging 1905 Drexler cottage in Bethany Beach, they were intrigued by its history. The house had been owned for generations by the family of former state Sen. Louis Drexler and had operated as a bed-and-breakfast for some time.

Despite the heavy toll the years had taken on the home, they saw great potential and jumped at the chance to buy and restore the diamond-in-the-rough to its original charm. Beginning in March 2016, Tracy Heiden, acting as the general contractor, worked with builder Shay Gallo to complete the exterior and interior transformation in just six months.

The goal throughout the process was to retain as much of the five-bedroom home’s original character as possible and to enhance its charm with appropriate upgrades and cosmetic improvements. The original dark cherry tongue-and-groove walls and ceilings now shine with multiple coats of white paint that highlight architectural details, as well as their quirky imperfections.

The choice of a bold navy exterior paint led to a subtle Americana décor and a new name for the house: “Blue Haven.” The home was originally oceanfront but has been moved three times over the years, now resting just 80 steps from the ocean and one block from town. The Heidens said they enjoy watching the daily parade of summer visitors passing their front porch and love experiencing small-town living.

This warm and inviting home reflects a new generation who cherish its history and are committed to preserving it for the future.

Cottage 2 — the Kloster home

Lisa and Tom Kloster call their newly constructed five-bedroom beach house “It’s About Time” because it took them 20 years of renting in Bethany and talking about purchasing before they finally took the plunge in 2015. The three-story home is just a block away from the beach and the center of town, offering easy access to everything they’ve always enjoyed there.

Their goal was to build a warm and inviting home with a coastal-chic, understated elegance that was tasteful, timeless and comfortable.

Lisa Kloster has done most of the interior furnishing herself, calling her design aesthetic “tonal textural design.” Custom window seats, suspended beds, distinctive tile applications and dramatic lighting all showcase her knack for creating one unique focal point in every room. Her style is punctuated by custom chandeliers, pendants and sconces that add an elegant sparkle to the layers of warm white, taupe and soft subtle blues that evoke the ocean nearby.

Weathered wood inlays between the great-room columns lend architectural definition to the open floor plan and can also be found adding background interest to the master bedroom. Weathered wood appears again in the beamed vaulted ceiling at the top of the front stairs, highlighting the dramatic twig chandelier tucked into the turret and creating a perfect spot for relaxation with a view of the ocean.

Cottage 3 — the McCord home

Mike and Kathy McCord had been searching for a vacation home on the New Jersey shore for several years, but they couldn’t seem to find just the right one. After a friend recommended they look in Bethany, Kathy McCord found this newly completed home in 2016 and knew immediately it was perfect for their active family. She brought her husband, Mike, and one of their sons to look at several properties, never revealing which home she had chosen. As soon as her son walked into this home, he said, “Oh, Mom — this is it!” And it was.

The five-bedroom, 5.5-bath beach home is located on the historic Loop Canal, just 1.5 blocks from the ocean and two blocks from downtown Bethany. The location fulfills the family’s desire to have easy access to all the recreational activities the area has to offer, including kayaking right out their back door.

The design features a spacious main living area on the upper level, anchored by a central kitchen that is infused with natural light and provides plenty of space for their large extended family to gather both inside and out for meals and conversation. Warm pinewood floors and a stone-faced gas fireplace keep it cozy, while teal accents and plantation shutters complete the coastal cottage appeal.

Cottage 4 — the Madigan home

As former Sea Colony owners, Maria and Mark Madigan had many fond memories of family vacations in Bethany when their children were young. After several years’ absence, they were ready to return to build new memories in Bethany with their three adult kids. Their long search for a lot within walking distance of the beach, and with enough space for a pool, was finally successful. Overlooking the town’s iconic “totem pole,” their new 3,200-square-foot home is close enough to the ocean to be dubbed “Bethany Breeze.”

The heated backyard pool, adjacent to the fully-outfitted family pub, is embellished with custom tilework and is guarded by a friendly mermaid. The interior décor is a warm blend of traditional and contemporary coastal styles accented with tropical artistic touches from Maria Madigan, a talented graphic artist.

Her goal was to create an oasis of calm, with shades of coastal blue, to soothe her busy family when they escape the stresses of the family business back in Virginia. They now look forward to creating new memories in the town they loved so long ago.

Cottage 5 — the Eng home

Years of vacation visits to the Delaware shore led upstate New Yorkers Janine and Wing Eng and their two kids to Bethany Beach, where they found that the happiness level and ready access to the ocean made for the perfect spot to re-create an updated version of their original California surf shack from years ago. Connecting with a builder and architect who shared Wing Eng’s longtime love of surfing made for a perfect alliance.

They opted for a modest three-bedroom, three-bath home of 2,500 square feet, where the spaces are functional and efficient, and are distinguished by interesting interior nooks and pleasing exterior roof lines. An open floorplan with plenty of windows bathes the space in natural light, keeping it bright and airy, despite the northern exposure and wooded neighborhood.

Bright green shakes on the chimney hint at the colorful touches that permeate the design and décor inside. Soft gray walls serve as a neutral backdrop for fun pops of color seen in the mustard-yellow pocket doors, green kitchen tile and multicolored accessories. Other inventive elements include a fireside hideaway for their beloved yellow Lab and a pair of cozy high-perched lofts that connect their college-age kids’ bedrooms.

Wing Eng is an accomplished amateur woodworker whose creations combine well with Janine Eng’s refurbished found treasures, adding a distinctly artistic touch to their décor. She enjoys balancing his rustic wood elements with an occasional bit of “bling,” as seen in the glass teardrop chandelier in the dining room, chosen to contrast with the bulk of the distressed wood table he created below. Just one year after its completion, the family is finding their new home has fulfilled their longing to always be near the water.

Cottage 6 — the Verger home

After owning a vacation townhome in Bear Trap for 12 years, Judy and Carey Verger built this traditional cedar shake house on White’s Creek in 2014 to be their permanent home upon retirement, as well as a vacation magnet for their three adult children. The house is a spacious 5,000 square feet, boasting six bedrooms, 5.5 baths and 10-foot ceilings, with plenty of space for the extended family to spread out over three floors.

Opportunities for outdoor family fun and relaxation abound, with a screened porch, covered deck, patio, fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, 20-by-38-foot pool and a dock for the family boat. Bringing the outside in was a top priority and led to the multi-level window configuration in the family room, designed by the owners to highlight the stunning water views.

The home’s décor is a true reflection of this family’s history, varied interests and extensive travel and is highlighted by Carey Verger’s impressive carpentry skills, displayed in multiple custom-crafted items throughout the home. Judy Verger’s whimsical collection of pigs can be found tucked in unexpected spots on every floor.

Cottage 7 — the Maher-Hiett home

As Janet Maher and Dan Hiett moved from Arlington, Va., and made the transition to become full-time Bethany residents last year, Maher began the process of transforming their beach home into their permanent residence. Her aim was to keep the home light and airy, but still homey and comfortable, warmed by darker wood tones that reflect their former life, but softened by a palette of blue and tan to reflect their new life at the beach. Treasured heirlooms and antiques blend seamlessly with coastal styling to create the balance she’d planned.

Situated on a corner lot, the four-bedroom home boasts more than 800 square feet of porches and decks and is perfect for handling their two dogs and four active grandsons. A spacious kitchen anchors the home and is flanked by a sunny breakfast nook and a formal dining room. A mudroom, conveniently located off the rear deck, offers a laundry and great storage.

Multiple roof lines, designed to accommodate a side-entry garage, also provide visual interest from every angle on the exterior of the home, with dormers, awning windows and a cupola to add to the charm.

Cottage 8 – the Oursler home

Local builder Marnie Oursler’s dream since college was to live east of Route 1 in North Bethany. She finally made it in 2016, with the construction of her 6,500-square-foot, six-bedroom home in Ocean Village, just a short block from the beach. The house has been filled with family members and friends ever since, and it’s easy to see why.

The inverted floor plan offers plenty of privacy and space for both her and her guests, with a spacious main living area separating their quarters from hers. The master suite tops it all with an ocean-view retreat that includes a fireside sitting room and an expansive marble master bath.

The beach-themed décor is both casual and classic, with references to her new TV show “Big Beach Builds,” which debuted recently on the DIY Network. Fun touches include numbered dining chairs, a scattering of colorful surfboards and a game room with a custom pool table designed by Oursler.

Having grown up in a family of builders that spans four generations, she has honed her skills over time and developed a personal style that is distinguished by design features seen in many of her homes in the area. Signature elements include 8-foot raised-panel bedroom doors, coffered ceilings, sliding barn doors, picture-frame patterned stairwell landings and the use of weathered wood accents — all found in this home and familiar to those who visited her South Bethany home on the 2013 tour.

Cottage 9 — Camp Bobb (Jodi Macklin, Daryle Bobb, Tammy Mendelson)

After 25 years of shared vacations in Breakwater Beach, the extended family of Sandy and Stanley Bobb had grown to 20, and their 1992 oceanfront beach house was bursting at the seams. At that point, the Bobbs passed the baton to the next generation, to tackle the task of rebuilding their beloved beach retreat, affectionately known as “Camp Bobb.”

The new 7,100-square-foot home resembles a contemporary two-story farmhouse and is designed to comfortably sleep 28, with 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. A wide, light-filled vaulted entry, straddled by two guest wings, leads to the spacious main gathering area where, on any given weekend, all three generations can be found enjoying the kitchen, dining and living room that span the rear of the house. Folding glass doors offer the option to completely open that area to the screened porch, seamlessly expanding the living space and panoramic ocean views dramatically.

Upstairs, three oceanfront master bedroom suites accommodate the Bobbs’ three adult children, while they enjoy their own master suite near their grandkids’ two bunkbed suites. To keep things simple, all 11 bathrooms sport the same penny tile floors, distinguished only by a different color tile in each room. The décor is clean and simple with an emphasis on low maintenance, comfort and indestructibility, so that the family can focus on continuing the fun family traditions begun at “Camp Bobb” so many years ago.

Cottage 10 — the Deutsch home

After vacationing in North Bethany for more than 20 years, the need for more space for their growing multi-generational family led Judith and Daniel Deutsch to this 6,000-square-foot oceanfront home in the quiet enclave of Breakwater Beach. Under the guidance of architect Scott Edmonston, they were able to transform the exterior face with wall-to-wall windows to bring the seaside in from all angles and bathe the soaring spaces in natural light from the towering three-story glass entry stairwell.

The first-floor quarters offer a central lounge fronted by a pair of identical oceanfront master suites and flanked by four additional guest bedrooms with connecting baths.

Decorator Karen Shapiro’s customized decorative effects have created a California beach-house style that is simple, clean and contemporary. Oversized upholstered furnishings floating on a sea of white shag fill the main level upstairs with distinct seating areas that offer multiple opportunities for taking in the commanding ocean views.

Topping it all is an office set into the open rafters that boasts a perfect spot for watching the sunrise on the ocean and the sunset on the bay.

Tourgoers on the 26th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour to benefit the Friends of the South Coastal Library will have the opportunity to visit 10 unique homes in the Bethany Beach area. The tour will be held Wednesday, July 26, and Thursday, July 27, from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tourgoers may visit all 10 homes in one day or spread the viewing over the two days of the tour.

Tickets for the tour cost $30, and each tour participant will receive a reusable tote bag with the program booklet, which serves as the ticket; a pair of booties (donated by Beebe Medical Center) to be worn in all the homes; and complimentary copies of Coastal Style, Delaware Beach Life and Delaware Today magazines. Tote sponsors for 2017 are the Anne Powell Group, the Cottage Café/Bethany Boathouse, G&E/Hocker’s, PNC Bank, Sea Colony Recreational Association and the Town of Bethany Beach.

Seaside Seven Realtors are supplying hand fans for the tour, and the Pohanka Automotive Group is furnishing the auto hang tags. Leslie Kopp of the Leslie Kopp Group is serving as the chief underwriter of the annual cocktail party honoring the homeowners of this year’s tour cottages.

Tickets were available online until noon on July 19, at www.beachandbaycottagetour.com, and at the South Coastal Library at 43 Kent Avenue in Bethany Beach. Tourgoers are able to pick up previously reserved tickets, as well as to purchase tickets, at the library meeting room starting July 20 at 10 a.m. and at varying times throughout the week until July 27, according to the schedule posted on the meeting room door at the library.

A limited number of tickets will also be available through July 27 at Bethany Beach Books in Bethany; at Carolina Street and The Rooster’s Nest in Fenwick Island; at McCabe’s in South Bethany; and at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth. Babies and children younger than 12 are not permitted in the homes; and no photography is allowed in the homes. The tour homes are private homes and are not handicapped-accessible.

The Cottage Tour will also include the traditional raffles. The winners of the Dinner for Two raffle will be able to dine at Mancini’s, Off the Hook, The Parkway restaurant, Sedona, SoDel Concepts or Touch of Italy. The Art Raffle, featuring local artists, offers framed artwork from Aubré Duncan, Tara Funk Grim, Laura Hickman, Jeanne Mueller, Amanda Sokolski and Cheryl Wisbrock.

Tickets for both raffles, at $1 each or six for $5, are available at the library and at select homes on the days of the tour. The drawings will be held at the library at 5 p.m. on July 27; winners need not be present.

With the Adopt a House program for hostesses, many organizations will be involved in the 2017 tour. Participants this year are Alpha Alpha Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, Bay Forest Homeowners, Bethany Lakes Book Club, Gardeners by the Sea, Lord Baltimore Women’s Club, Salt Pond Women’s Club, Southampton Homeowners, the Women’s Council of Realtors and the Women’s Civic Club of Bethany Beach.

To donate and to get updated information, go to www.beachandbaycottagetour.com, stop at the library, or leave a message with the Friends at (302) 537-5828.

Coastal Point • Samantha Danshes: A crowd gathers for a concert at Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery near Frankford.Crowds have been flocking to watch local bands perform at the Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery’s new, larger location near Frankford.

Since the winery — formerly called Fenwick Wine Cellars — moved to the Clarksville area in November of 2016, Manager Katie Duke said, they now have more room to expand their live performances. In their previous location, she said, the venue was only fitting for small acoustic sessions, but now, they have the room to host larger concerts by full bands.

“We are happy in our new space that we can accommodate that now,” Duke said.

Ever since the venue started hosting bands, the audience turnout has been very good, Duke added. She said that the average amount of people coming to each concert is between 160 to 200 people. The largest crowd was during the recent Love Seed Mama Jump concert, which drew around 300 people. Duke said that, during that show, they actually had to turn away a significant amount of people at the door, because they felt like they were exceeding the venue’s capacity.

“We are new to this. We wanted to make sure we had enough staff,” Duke said.

Entry fees for the events are $10, but Duke said people interested in purchasing a ticket will only be ensured that price if they get the early-bird tickets online. Tickets purchased at the door can potentially be subject to an up-charge and even the possibility of getting turned away.

The genres of bands that have performed at Salted Vines have ranged from reggae to alternative to country. Duke said the idea of having such a wide array of genres was to attract all music lovers to the concerts. She said all of the concerts are all family-friendly and that many families have brought along their children.

Along with the musical performances taking place at Salted Vines, the farm-winery sells its wines during the concerts. And Duke said that, to complement the wine, the winery has also brought in local food trucks, so that audience members have something to eat — especially after consuming alcoholic beverages. She added that the winery’s signature drink is the wine-slushie, which has proven to be a crowd favorite.

In addition to their concert series, Salted Vines has collaborated with the Southern Delaware Jeep Club to create an event that combines a live musical performance and a chance for Jeep owners to enjoy an off-road obstacle course specifically made for their all-terrain vehicles.

The event, called “Crushin’ Summer,” will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23, at Salted Vines, as an all-day event starting at 8 a.m., which is when registration will begin.

Jeep owners can either choose to participate for one day or buy a pass for both. A single Saturday pass will cost $30 per Jeep, and a single Sunday pass will cost $25 per Jeep. Purchasing a pass for two days would be $50 per Jeep.

The Dover-based band Chain Brake will be performing on Saturday from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Attendees at this weekend’s event will also get the opportunity to purchase food from either the Hocker’s BBQ food truck or Rosenfeld’s Jewish Delicatessen’s food truck. Wine from the winery will also be available for tasting and purchase. And, since this will be a family event, children will also have the opportunity to partake in juice tasting.

Future concerts at the venue will include “Reggae Vibes & Vines,” featuring the band Inna Sense, which will take place on Aug. 5; “Dueling in the Vines,” with the band Dueling Pianos on Aug. 18; and “All Day Wine Jam,” which will include musical performances by Rick Artz, Bryan Russo and Tres Hombres.

The concert series at the Salted Vines Winery is meant to cater to all music tastes and be a place where families and friends can come together, Duke said.

For more information about upcoming events and ticket sales, visit Salted Vines Winery’s website at www.fenwickwinecellars.com. The winery is located between Omar Road and Burbage Road, west of Powell Farm Road.

On Thursday, July 27, the Town of Bethany Beach will celebrate Périers Day, marking the twinning of the towns of Bethany Beach and Périers, France. The Town will also be host to French guests visiting as part of a three-city tour that includes Washington, D.C., and New York.

Strolling entertainment will take place on the Bethany Beach Bandstand Plaza from 1 to 4 p.m. A special program will take place on the stage at 7 p.m., to include a performance by the WWll band. Back by popular demand from last year’s event, the local group reproduces the sounds of the USO shows that entertained the troops behind enemy lines during World War II. The quartet features saxophone, clarinet, accordion, tenor banjo and guitar, as well as guest vocalists.

Périers, located in Normandy, France, was liberated by the U.S. Army’s 90th Infantry Division on July 27, 1944. The liberation came almost two months after the D-Day landing on Utah Beach. The twinning or “sister city” relationship between the two towns was established in 2010.

The commemorative program is free and sponsored by the Bethany Beach Cultural & Historical Affairs Committee. There is no rain date. There will be no bonfire on the beach that night.

For more information, visit www.townofbethanybeach.com.

Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Shrimp and grits is just one of the fresh dishes made a Good Earth Market.It seems fitting that an organic market has grown at such a… well… organic pace since it first opened 14 years ago.

Good Earth Organic Market in Clarksville and, more recently, Rehoboth Beach has now added dinners and events to its growing list of offerings, and early indications are that the new venture will blossom like the rest of the business has.

Much of that confidence comes because of, and from, the market’s new chef, Nino Mancari, who comes to Good Earth after years in some of the area’s most successful restaurants.

With the Good Earth kitchen garden in place and literally buzzing with activity these days, and with a number of successful farm dinners held on the grounds in recent years, owner Susan Ryan has expanded the vision for the business to include not only dinners served on the premises Wednesday through Saturday evenings, but also “pop-up” happy-hours on Fridays. Good Earth, which already hosts weddings and other special celebrations, will now provide food for those events in-house.

“From a romantic dinner for two in a field to a dinner for 250 people or more,” Good Earth’s new vision encompasses it all, Mancari said. “We are one of the few venues in the area that can handle 300 to 400 people,” Ryan added.

Sitting on the patio of the Clarksville location, watching as butterflies flittered between blossoms in the garden, Ryan said, “There are very view places with this kind of view.” Even on the hottest summer days, she said, customers ask to sit outside so they can feel as if they are part of the garden.

The addition of dinner service, Ryan said, is “something our clientele, and the area in general, has been wanting for a long time.”

So far, the dinners seem to be a hit.

“People are going out of here doing cartwheels!” Ryan said, so happy are they with Good Earth’s addition of dinners.

Customers can expect “a high-quality meal in a casual, fun atmosphere,” she said. Of Mancari’s cooking style, she said, “There is nothing on the plate that isn’t there for a reason. It’s all beautiful, and it’s all delicious.”

Menus will change seasonally and often depend on what happens to be available in the garden that day.

“My favorite part of the day is when I’m making up the menu and Susan says, ‘Do you want any flowers or fresh herbs?’” Mancari said.

With such an intimate setting, Mancari said, “We view it as a dinner party,” more than a restaurant. “It’s our home,” he said. “I prepare it like I would a family dinner — I want to approach it like hosting a dinner party.”

Ryan said the addition of Mancari to the staff is something she has been working on for a while.

“I reached out to him years ago,” she said, adding that she sought “someone who is looking for less volume and more creativity,” and that he is the perfect fit. “He is hitting his age of mastery,” she said (roughly, his 40s, for anyone who’s curious), and when she presented her ideas for the market’s “brand new adventure,” he said, “Hey, yeah — maybe we should talk.”

Mancari couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the new venture.

“It doesn’t feel as much, for me, like a job. I feel like I’m home. This is where I want to be for the next 20 years.”

Good Earth has always supported local farmers and has been a proponent of the farm-to-table movement.

“A lot of people are giving it lip-service,” Mancari said.

Meanwhile, Ryan said, trucks from local farms are in and out of the Good Earth parking lot regularly. “The ‘who’s who’ of the local food market walks through here daily,” she said.

“We are a hub for local farmers,” Mancari added. Helping to build the local farm market has been a focus of Good Earth since its inception, Ryan said.

Mancari said that Ryan’s enthusiasm and desire to do things right was a major draw for him.

“She just has a huge positive vibe and energy that is overwhelming and inspiring,” he said. While Mancari has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry locally, including the late Matt Haley, he told Ryan, “You have become my mentor.”

Ryan also gave praise to Laura Say, manager of Good Earth’s café.

“Laura is like the rock,” she said.

The Good Earth Café is open for brunch and lunch every day. And Say, Ryan said, “built this café into what it is,” and every day, “She puts out the most beautiful creations.”

Now in her 14th year at the helm of Good Earth, which recently added the second market in Rehoboth Beach, Ryan said she is “proud that we have a lot of longtime employees here.”

In addition to the Wednesday-to-Saturday dinner service, Good Earth has recently added a “pop-up” bar on Friday afternoons and evenings, which features live music, as well as Mancari’s creative cocktails. “All of the cocktails are inspired by the herb garden,” he said.

Mancari said everything he does at Good Earth is driven by a sense of adventure.

“It’s like, ‘We really like this, and we bet you will, too — have some!’” he said.

While Ryan said she hopes to foster the concept of Good Earth as a destination all its own, she added that it has already become that for many families.

“People stop here on their way to the beach, and the kids run toward the chickens,” she said. She recalled one family that said Good Earth is their first stop once they reach the resort area. “They said, ‘We love the way it smells!’” Ryan said.

One bride who held her wedding on the property 10 years ago now brings her children back with her when she visits the area, Ryan said, and is planning a 10th anniversary celebration there.

Ryan and Mancari also take pride in the non-human visitors to Good Earth.

“Hummingbirds flock to our gardens,” Ryan said, pointing out that hummingbirds are pretty picky about where they hang out. Researchers from the University of Delaware have even done a pollinator study in the Good Earth garden and, Ryan said, “They saw pollinators they hadn’t seen in years” in this area.

Because seating is limited for dinners at Good Earth, Ryan and Mancari strongly recommend customers make reservations through their website, at www.goodearthmarket.com. For more information, call the Clarksville market, located at 31806 Good Earth Lane (along Route 26), at (302) 537-7100. The Rehoboth market is located at 38131 Terrace Lane, off Route 1, Rehoboth Beach. Call (302) 226-3276 for more information on that location. Information on events can also be found on Good Earth’s Facebook page under “Good Earth Market and Organic Farm.”

Coastal Point • Marissa McCloy: The new ‘Walking Dead’ game transforms the zombie television series into a fast-paced arcade game. Right, Arcade tickets already have the playland’s new Shore Fun name and logo.This summer, Arnie’s Playland is lighting up Bethany Beach with several new digital games and looking to put the Shore Fun back in the downtown arcade.

Space Invaders Frenzy is the most popular of the new games, according to manager Eric Esterson. The game has an 8-foot LED display, dual cockpit seating and mounted gun cannons.

Another addition is “The Walking Dead” — a game based on the AMC television show — in which players shoot the undead with crossbow controllers.

The arcade’s newest pinball machine is a “Ghostbusters”-themed game.

These changes are all part of the updates put into motion by the arcade’s new owners, Esterson said.

Arnie’s Playland has served up family fun for 34 years. There were once two locations, but now the sole arcade location is on Garfield Parkway in Bethany.

In addition to the new digital games, the arcade also has six new Skee-Ball machines.

“We currently have 15 Skee Ball machines, but we are trying to get down to about eight,” said Esterson, who added that Skee Ball is still popular among customers, even with the more technologically-advanced game options now available.

“We’re trying to keep things new, based on what makes the most money,” said Esterson, “The video games are dying, because people are all about winning tickets and prizes.”

Updating an arcade does not come cheap; new games can cost around $13,000 each.

Along with the new games and new ownership, the arcade is in the process of changing its name from Arnie’s to Shore Fun. The arcade was actually originally named Shore Fun, but the previous owners changed the name to Arnie’s, said Esterson. Arnie’s gets its name from the previous owner’s father.

In addition to new games, the arcade has a new sign and carpeting. “We’re trying to reinvest everything,” Esterson said.

They are looking to extend their hours as well. They started their season during spring break this year, and, even after the summer, they plan to stay open on weekends until New Year’s.

Arnie’s Playland is located at 108 Garfield Parkway in Bethany. For more information, call (302) 402-3077.

Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Point reporter Maria Counts goes into full tactical mode during a training opportunity presented to members of the public by the Ocean View Police Department.Three seconds. That’s all it takes to make a life-and-death decision: Are they a threat? Is that a gun or cell phone? Am I justified in using deadly force?

On Monday, July 17, 15 community members had the unique opportunity to take on the role of a police officer for a day.

“The whole goal of the program today is to let you see some of these police use-of-force incidents through the eyes of police,” explained Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin. “I think, by the end of the day, any pre-conceived notions that you may have regarding these use-of-force encounters may be squashed, and you may look at it a bit differently.”

The experience was provided with the help of 0311 Tactical Solutions LLC, a tactical training company out of St. Louis, Mo., to participants including Ocean View Town staff and home owners association members.

Brian Rossomanno, who owns 0311 Tactical Solutions, also works as a sergeant in the St. Louis Police Department, but he noted anything he expressed was his own opinion, as he was not representing his police department.

The first half of the day consisted of a lecture with a supplemental PowerPoint presentation. Attendees watched a variety of videos of officer-involved shootings, including that of Deputy Kyle Dinkheller of Laurens County (Ga.) Sheriff’s Office, who was shot and killed following traffic stop related to speeding in 1998.

Dinkheller’s traffic stop video has been used in training because the situation escalated very quickly, and even after he was able to fire two shots into Andrew Brannan (who was later found guilty and executed for Dinkheller’s murder), Brannan was still able to move around, reload his weapon and continue to shoot.

Rossomanno said that oftentimes it will take multiple hits to stop a threat.

“We do not train to shoot-to-wound. We shoot to stop the threat,” he said, noting Hollywood has perpetuated a great deal of inaccuracies when it comes to dealing with threats. Is it a good idea to try to shoot a weapon out of the suspect’s hand? No, chances are the officer will miss and the suspect will be closing any space between them. “We are under no obligation to lose these encounters.”

A Rand Corporation study found officers’ hit rate between 1998 and 2006 was 18 percent when the suspect was returning fire. When the officer was not under fire, the hit rate was 30 percent.

Rossomanno said officers have to make a judgement call in the moment as to whether or not deadly force is justified — are they in fear of death or serious bodily harm for themselves or others?

“There are instances where shooting unarmed people is justified,” he said, adding that there are also times when shooting a suspect in the back is justified — just because that person is now turning to run away doesn’t mean they aren’t still a threat to others.

“Officers have to answer for every shot fired,” he said.

And knives can be more dangerous than guns, said Rossomanno, noting that they do not need to be reloaded and can be used at close distances.

And 21 feet is a good distance to keep from a suspect, he said, adding that an individual can cover 21 feet in a second and a half. In the time it takes an officer to get their weapon out, 31 feet can be covered.

Rossomanno said that what a civilian may find as harassment is likely just officer safety — calling attention to multiple officers responding to a stop (there’s safety in numbers) or acting like an “asshole” (command presence is necessary as to not show weakness).

Tasers, said Rossomanno are used as a compliance tool; however, in his experience, they only work 50 percent of the time. Batons and mace are also compliance tools, used to get control of a subject.

For those who see a video of an officer using force and decide the force wasn’t justified, Rossomanno asked that the viewer take a moment before jumping to conclusions.

“Use of force is never going to look pretty, even if it’s 100 percent justified. Whether you witness it on video or in person,” he said. “If you think the officer went too far, ask yourself what were his other options? Let’s be patient a little bit and find out what the facts are… Not everything is race-based, not everything is a bad officer… Believe it or not, officers are human.”

He also noted that a single camera angle does not show the full story. Just as a perspective can change from the left eye to the right eye, the same is true of body and dash cameras.

“Any time a police officer shoots an unarmed person, there should be a lot of questions asked, but we should wait for those questions to be asked.”

In today’s political climate, Rossomanno said, nobody wants to be a police officer anymore. Coupled with shrinking budgets, policing has become a difficult task, with many departments having issues with getting the proper equipment and training.

He called attention to the South Carolina incident in which an officer shot an unarmed motorist who fled his car after a traffic stop.

“When we see things like that happen, that doesn’t make us happy. The day that happened, my job, 800 miles away, got harder. Every day there’s an example of police misconduct, my job gets harder.”

Rossomanno said just 1 percent of every police encounter with the public results in use-of-force, with a tenth of that 1 percent resulting in the use of deadly force.

McLaughlin called attention to a 2005-2009 study by the Eric Holder Justice Department regarding use-of-force.

“In that same time period, they determined you were as likely to be struck by lightning in the United States as you were to be shot by a police officer. That’s how rare this event is.”

For the second part of the day, attendees were broken down into pairs and run through three different scenarios, run by 0311, OVPD and Bethany Beach police officers. Before each, those acting as police officers were given dispatch information about what they were driving up to and a training pistol loaded with blanks.

“You actually may have to pull the trigger,” said McLaughlin.

The first scenario was a call to a parked car in which a man and a suspected prostitute were sitting, possibly doing drugs. Upon arrival, both suspects exited the vehicle — the driver with one hand in his pocket and the female passenger being “mouthy.” The driver eventually pulled a cell phone from his pocket, quickly. If they shot him, the female passenger would then rush to his side and refuse to be compliant with officer commands.

Another scenario had the two “officers” responding to an altercation in which it was believed that one individual had a knife. Upon arrival, one subject was waving a knife, while the other was trying to push him back, saying everything was under control. When the “officers” tried to take control of the situation, the suspect brandishing the knife moved in.

The last scenario used the department’s training simulator, projected on a wall inside the Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building. The “officer” was called out to a warehouse at night where the door was open. Upon arrival, a man stands up from behind a counter and is not cooperative, and one of his hands is out of view. In the scenario, a number of things can happen — he can pull the hand out quickly and show his ID, pull a gun or pull a staple gun.

Following each exercise, the “officers” were debriefed: What happened? What was the threat? Why did you use force? Why didn’t you use force? How many rounds did you fire?

Lauren Hawkins, a senior at Indian River High School and member of the JROTC, hopes to pursue a career as a probation officer after graduation.

“I got a lot of experience,” she said of the training. “I froze up a lot, but it was good to just show what they go through. There was a lot to learn.”

OVPD held the same training back in 2015 and found it to be so positive that they held the program again.

“This is critical. It’s vital,” said Mayor Walter Curran. “I’ve always been extremely proud of our police force here in Ocean View. I think they’re the best-trained force in this state, bar none. More than that, I think they’ve got the best attitude, because they’re not only cops — they’re well-involved in the community in so many aspects.”

For more information about 0311 Tactical Solutions LLC, visit www.0311tacsol.com. To learn more about Ocean View Police Department’s community outreach and programs, visit www.oceanviewde.com or call (302) 539-1111.

Asphalt is the latest on the list of new scams. Con artists are travelling door-to-door to promise driveway paving services, but they just don’t deliver.

In Selbyville, “Subjects portrayed themselves as contractors for the municipality and told residents that their driveway must be repaved to bring it up to code,” the Town reported.

Town and state governments do not send contractors directly to households that aren’t up to code. They will send official notification letters.

In South Bethany, police received a complaint that one man had promised to put asphalt in a property owner’s driveway, but instead he just colored the gray rocks with black paint.

The painting-the-roses-red scam appears to follow in the footsteps of the old roofing and home improvement scams, in which a con artist promises repairs, but flees with the downpayment or with minimal repairs done.

“If you want your driveway paved, I would recommend calling a paving company, rather than waiting for someone to come to your door,” said South Bethany Police Chief Troy Crowson.

Anyone who has been contacted by a questionable contractor should notify their local police department or the Delaware State Police.

Delaware’s inland bays are beautiful, but they leave room only for a handful of roadways to the beach. And after decades of not enforcing posted signs to that effect, this summer, Sea Colony is restricting public use of the community’s private road to the beach, which includes turning away cars that don’t have a Sea Colony vehicle pass.

First of all, Westway Drive is a private road and is not maintained by the Delaware Department of Transportation, said Tom Olson, ResortQuest area general manager.

“What we’re trying to do is make sure the roadways are safe for our … owners and guests,” Olson said. “The entrances have been posted as a private community for a very long time. We’re finding more and more traffic comes through … and we’re concerned about that.”

Although Westway Drive has always had a small sign reminding drivers that Sea Colony is a private community, new sandwich boards appeared at the start of the 2017 summer season: “DO NOT ENTER/No Public Thruway/Pass Required.”

But the public particularly took notice during Independence Day weekend, when drivers seeking to avoid the Route 26 backup, tried to use Westway Drive to get from Kent Avenue to Coastal Highway (Route 1). Sea Colony staff insisted that drivers either show a vehicle pass or find another route — usually Jefferson Drive, which is about a quarter-mile away.

“It began this year, when we saw the increase in traffic, which was quite concerning,” Olson said. “We’ve seen as many as 130 cars get turned around in a day in the period of time that we’ve been monitoring.”

Those are cars that don’t have the right to enter.

Sea Colony is a private housing association with 2,100 units, which represents thousands of homeowners, renters and their guests. Similar to a homeowner association, the tennis and housing community is managed by Sea Colony Recreational Association Inc. (SCRA).

All registered owners and guests have vehicle passes, which allows parking and entry into the gated areas.

What if people are legitimate guests of a homeowner, but they don’t have a permit?

“An owner would have to call you in as a guest,” Olson said. “The owners know who they have to call to get entry for guests.”

The road isn’t currently monitored 24 hours a day, but primarily when traffic volumes are highest.

“Any roadway that is owned by Sea Colony is subject of that kind of review,” Olson said.

Cyclists and pedestrians on Sea Colony roads are also expected to wear a guest badge.

How do the owners and residents feel about this new rule?

“For the most part, they support it,” Olson said. “They understand why it’s being done and the intentions behind it, which is safety, and they support it.”

As for the general community, “I’m sure there are some people that would normally use those road ways that are unhappy with it,” he added.

Olson said Sea Colony will continue to enforce members-only rules as long as they perceive there is a problem.

Special to the Coastal Point • Submitted: Edgar and Judy Bennett have dedicated decades of their lives into their respective fields, as well as each other.Lying back on the dental chair in Dr. Asher Carey’s office, Judy Bennett was getting her teeth checked and cleaned during her biannual dentist appointment. What she regarded as an ordinary day during her sophomore year of high school turned into a pivotal moment for her — the day she chose her career path.

As Carey poked through her mouth, he described the dental hygiene field in detail, sparking Bennett’s interest.

“Dr. Carey suggested it and told me what it all involved, so I took him up on it, and that’s what I did,” Bennett said.

Now, Bennett has worked as a dental hygienist for almost 60 years.

For 54 of those years, Bennett has been a dental hygienist at Dr. Normand Steward’s office in Milford. From 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day, she cleans her patients’ teeth, takes X-rays of their mouths and educates them on dental health.

Bennett said the most worthwhile part of her job has been interacting with her patients. After treating generations of families, she said she has developed trustworthy relationships with them and believes they can confide in her.

Through conversations with her patients, Bennett said she learns something new every day. By listening to stories about their personal lives, she said, she has gained a more keen perspective on life and her job.

“I enjoy my patients,” Bennett said. “I like interacting with my patients and making them happy.”

Meanwhile, her husband, Edgar Bennett, has been active within his own profession, real estate, since he was about 35 years old. After starting his own company, Bennett Realty, Edgar Bennett worked as a Realtor for 38 years, until he retired last month.

During his typical workday, Edgar Bennett solicited property, called potential buyers and sold property and real estate.

“Buying and selling makes me happy,” Edgar Bennett said. “I love working on property.”

The main reason, Edgar Bennett said, that he stayed committed to real estate for numerous years was because he was working alongside his son, Durwood Bennett, who said that, as the Broker of Bennett Realty, his father inspired him to pursue the business.

“My dad was my role model, and it seemed like the right thing to do after college,” Durwood Bennett said.

After working in real estate for 33 years, Durwood Bennett said his father taught him everything he knows about the profession, and he said he aspires to possess the same working mentality as his father.

“He has a passion for helping others attain their dreams,” Durwood Bennett said. “He’s a very hard worker.”

After years of experience in their fields, the couple said they have enjoyed everything about their jobs, from the tasks to the people.

Although Judy Bennett has spent a majority of her career working in Milford, she worked in Selbyville as a dental hygienist for five years before switching to her current position.

Edgar Bennett also had other work experiences before launching Bennett Realty. For four years, he worked at a bank and then decided to work for another Realtor in Bethany Beach, which lasted five years.

Beyond lengthy careers, the couple also shares common roots. They both grew up in Delaware. Judy Bennett grew up in Millville and attended Lord Baltimore Elementary School in Ocean View for all 12 grades. For college, she graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.

Growing up in Selbyville, Edgar Bennett went to elementary school in Roxana before attending middle school and high school in Selbyville. After taking courses at the University of Delaware for undergraduate school, he decided to leave early to travel.

Judy and Edgar Bennett currently reside in Middlesex Beach, and they said balancing their jobs with their personal and family lives has been manageable, despite their busy work schedules.

Reflecting on their work careers, the couple said their job experiences have been opportunities for personal growth and discovery, helping them strengthen their abilities and develop their interpersonal skills.

Judy Bennet said she is unsure when she will retire, but she said she wants to spread her enthusiasm about her job to those working in her field.

“My words of wisdom are, ‘Enjoy what you do,’” Judy Bennett said. “‘Have a nice working atmosphere, and interact with your patients.’”

After County Councilman George Cole said he had received calls regarding concerts at Hudson Fields outside of Milton, he asked staff to review what ordinances were in place to govern such events.

Following a presentation to the council by County Administrator Todd Lawson last month, Lawson came before council again at the July 18 council meeting to discuss potential changes to the county code.

“Currently, we have just a very small reference in county code related to special events,” said Lawson. “An applicant will come into the Planning & Zoning Office. Upon review by the Planning & Zoning director, they receive a simple letter approving the event. If the event is of a certain nature that it would trigger a review by our emergency preparedness and 911 center, they will review the event and determine if paramedics are required to be on-site.”

Lawson said that, although the process is relatively simple, it has been used by some hosting events and has not been by others.

Currently, a special event is defined in county code as “a substantial gathering of people held outside and located on unincorporated lands within Sussex County and for a limited duration where the activities are not part of the property’s normal and customary use or are not otherwise permitted on the site. Special events may include circuses, carnivals, amusement parks or midways, fairs, festivals, concerts, shows, marathon races/walks, commercial sales, and any other events.”

Lawson said he is hoping to streamline the process as to prevent discussions and action taking an extended period of time.

“The big question is when does a special event grow outside of ‘special event’ and need to be reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Commission, County Council, and gain what I would think would be a conditional-use approval?”

As the code is currently written, special events are given up to three days for the event itself. Ordinance parameters put together by county staff included no more than five special-event days per calendar year per site, with the event counted as an operational day.

Lawson said the frequency or sequence of days of an event may be limited, and the property should be returned to its normal and customary use within a reasonable time.

Councilman Rob Arlett requested that public comment be reopened for the discussion this week, and that was approved unanimously by the council.

Alex Pires, owner of Highway One, who has partnered with Hudson Fields to present concerts at the site, said his idea for the musical performances was a simple one.

“The most popular event in Sussex County is country music… Our events are very family-oriented, with very modest prices. Parking is free; hot dogs are $2.”

Pires said the first two shows, which featured country music, were sold out.

“It’s what people want. These are one-day events. They’re about four hours. We follow all the procedures with all the State officials,” he said stating that they pay Delaware State Police to attend.

Pires said the concerts are not very profitable, with liquor sales and a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Community Matters Foundation.

He added that he would like to work with the council moving forward.

Milton resident Amber Peck said she has seen the county grow and, in her opinion, the area is lacking in entertainment. Having attended a concert at Hudson Fields with her family, she said she found it to be really fun and family-oriented.

“We need more events like the concerts in Hudson Fields. It’s great for the community,” she said, requesting the council not let a few negative comments ruin something that is providing great entertainment to so many.”

Christian Hudson, owner of Hudson Fields, also spoke, cautioning the council and stating he believed they were going to “open up a big can of worms.”

“My reading of this is, anything outside of the incorporated areas of the cities will be regulated by this code,” he said, noting fire halls that hold weddings and political fundraisers.

He asked if Hudson Fields hosts a tournament for Atlantic Lacrosse — which they do, in fact, host — is that a regulated event?

“We don’t receive any revenue from those events. They’re a community benefit. Obviously, we need to make some money on our land, so which ones do you want me to have and which ones don’t you want me to have? Because, at the end of the day, we all have bills.”

Hudson said he and his brother both have kids, to whom they would eventually like to give the almost-200-acre property one day.

“I guess, by right, I could put 400 houses on it, but I don’t want to do that… I think it’d be better to keep it better.”

Attorney Stephen Spence, who co-founded Atlantic Lacrosse, said that, each spring, 275 to 300 kids are registered with the club to play lacrosse for a March-to-May season.

“We are always looking for places to have facility space. This has been perfect for us, because of the sheer size of the facility,” he said. “We love it out there. We don’t have a stake in the outcome, in the sense that we don’t even have a lease. We survive on their graciousness.”

Spence said that, with the County not having a park system, options are limited, in terms of where the club can play.

“That’s a ‘special event’ in my heart. I’m not sure what you would call it, but I don’t want to lose it. I want to keep it there as long as we can.”

Councilman I.G. Burton said that, with any changes that may occur with the ordinance, he does not want Hudson to have to choose between hosting Atlantic Lacrosse for free or a Dirty Heads concert.

Cole said the County should look at creating code for “Special Events of Major Impact,” saying he had looked at policy from St. Johns County, Fla. He said their application was thorough, covering portable restrooms, police, music (live or recorded), food, alcoholic beverages and signage.

“I think, in the end, … it would be the goal to, hopefully, expedite the process as much as we can,” added Arlett. “I think we should be very cautious and careful not to overregulate just because we can.”

“I think we ought to keep this as simple as possible,” Burton agreed.

Lawson said he hopes to bring a draft ordinance before council later this month.

Representatives of La Red Health Center joined CHEER Executive Director Kenneth Bock for a meeting with CHEER members at the Coastal Leisure Center in Ocean View on Thursday, July 13, to discuss the upcoming addition of health services at the Ocean View location.

Bock started his remarks with an apology.

He acknowledged that members had received notice of the cooperative effort with La Red through a newspaper advertisement and said he understood why some members were uneasy.

“We put the cart before the horse,” Bock said.

He went on to tell the members in the packed community room that the plan is to roll out the health services program slowly, and that it would begin with offering services at the Ocean View center only to CHEER members.

In the beginning, La Red would have practitioners on-site at the Ocean View center one day a week, during “off-peak” hours. Services available will include health screenings, educational programs, immunizations and “limited diagnostic programs and services.”

“We want to walk before we can run with this,” Bock said.

“After we have an established process, we have no concerns and it’s all operating without problems,” La Red will open the services to non-CHEER-member patients by appointment, Bock said. Once that is operating smoothly, the plan is to open the center to walk-in patients “during certain hours.”

The health services are planned to be provided in what is now known as “the poker room” at the Coastal Leisure Center, which Bock said had been planned for medical use from the time the building was built.

Some members expressed concern about issues of germs being brought into the facility by sick patients and wondered whether the building’s air-handling systems can be improved to help prevent the spread of germs throughout the building.

A La Red receptionist would be in the front area of the building during service hours, and patients would be using the same restrooms as the general membership, Bock said.

La Red Chief Medical Officer Fabricio Alarcon told the group that La Red’s mission of serving those who are not receiving healthcare through other avenues “has not changed since we started” in 2001.

He said CHEER members can benefit from the La Red services in many ways, including situations where they need to see a doctor but, for whatever reason, cannot get in to see their regular physician.

“This is a very open partnership,” Alarcon said. “Our goal is to make this work and for this to be a program that everybody benefits from,” he said.

The CHEER members in the audience had plenty of questions for the officials. They included, in addition to the safety questions, whether studies had been done as to need for such services in Ocean View specifically; transportation of patients; record-keeping; and demonstrated need for the program.

Bock said that, although there is no separate ventilation system for the proposed exam room, the room will be cleaned at the beginning and end of each day of service, as well as between patients. As for exposure, he said, “You’re going to have the same exposure as any waiting room you go into. It would be no greater than any public environment.”

Ultimately, Bock said, if the Ocean View “pilot” program is successful, the program would next be expanded to CHEER centers in Long Neck, Milton and Greenwood.

One member asked why the program can’t be done with a separate vehicle, such as a bus, similar to bloodmobiles and other service-specific buses. Bock said that such a bus would be an expense for which CHEER does not have funding.

He said CHEER centers lost $240,000 in State funding this year, but added that the La Red program is actually estimated to bring in $150,000 in revenue for the county’s senior programming hub. So far, that has helped CHEER to purchase a new emergency generator for the center.

One member asked whether CHEER had taken into account “lost membership fees” from members who aren’t happy about the La Red partnership. Bock said he hoped the members would reconsider leaving the center and would give the program a chance.

“We don’t want to lose a single one,” he said. But, he added, the overall goal of CHEER is “to continue to serve a broader segment of the community.”

La Red Chief Operation Officer Rosa Rivera said records of patient visits will be computerized and would be able to be sent to patients’ regular doctors, if necessary, and that La Red is part of the state’s medical records system.

Both state Sen. Gerald R. Hocker Jr. and state Rep. Ronald Gray were present at the meeting.

“I just wish this meeting had taken place some time ago,” Hocker said, adding that, as a longtime supporter of CHEER, “I will do whatever it takes to make sure you all are happy.”

“La Red is good,” Hocker said. “They have helped so many people to meet their needs. They can be an asset to this CHEER center if it’s handled right.”

Gray agreed, saying, “I think you need to give this program a chance.”

“We have a chance to be a model for the rest of Sussex County,” Bock said.

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Aug. 14 for the La Red-CHEER partnership in Ocean View. Bock promised the CHEER members that he would come back within 90 days after the program starts to hear what they think of it.

At the monthly town council meeting on July 17, Dagsboro Police Chief Floyd Toomey reported to the council on his presentation to the Indian River School District regarding the role of school resource officer.

Dagsboro had asked Toomey to approach the district regarding the Town taking over the position of school resource officer for Indian River High School and John M. Clayton Elementary, via contract service through the Dagsboro Police Department.

Toomey said the cost for an officer to serve the school three-quarters of a year would be $39,750, which would give the district a cost savings of $33,250. Currently, the district employs a Delaware State Police employee to fill the position.

Toomey said he reviewed calls to the school from Jan. 1, 2014, to April 30, 2014, and found there were a total of 244 complaints on IRHS property. Accounting for duplicates and assists, there was an actual total of 212 complaints over the 40-month time period.

Toomey said five agencies responded to the 212 complaints — Ocean View once; Selbyville twice; Frankford five; Dagsboro 94; and Delaware State Police 142. Of nine collisions that occurred on school property, Dagsboro PD investigated eight of them.

“They are currently getting $72,000 to service that school, and we’re there two-thirds of the time.”

Toomey said the officer would be dedicated to the school fulltime.

Toomey gave a presentation at the district’s board of education meeting on June 19; however, he said there was no public discussion on the matter, though the board did go into executive session. Toomey reported that he later received a letter from Superintendent Mark Steele declining the offer, stating the school already has an officer in that position.

“That’s very disappointing — especially because they’d be saving quite a bit of money,” said Councilman Norwood Truitt, adding it was “almost insulting.”

“I guess they’re so flush with money they don’t need to worry about that,” added Councilman William Chandler, who also questioned why there was no public discussion on the matter.

The council agreed that if they were to broach the subject again with the district, it would have to come directly from them. They agreed to have Chandler draft a letter of response to the district, to be signed by council.

The council also discussed the chlorine levels in the water supply being low.

“It went from .23 on Saturday to .04,” said Town Administrator Cindy Brought, who noted that when she called the Town of Millsboro, they had said Dagsboro is responsible for the levels. “They claim it’s the chlorine evaporating in the tower because it sits there.”

Kyle Gulbronson of AECOM said that, instead of going through the expense of possibly installing a chlorine injector, the Town could first do some testing to try to pinpoint the problem.

The Town had opened all the fire hydrants and the end of the line and let them run, which improved the numbers for a week.

“The biggest concern is we do state testing once a month, and Artesian the last two times came out to .02. The water temperature at that point was 86; he got it down to 80. That’s when your bacteria grows,” said Brought. “That’s the concern.”

The council agreed to have Gulbronson work up a draft of what testing they would like to do and the cost.

“I don’t want any grass to grow under this. I want us to get on this right now,” said Chandler.

The council also discussed a water interconnection agreement drafted in 2005 but never implemented that would be with the towns of Millsboro and Frankford.

Although it was never signed, the draft was followed when the interconnection line was opened on an emergency basis in May, for a fire at the Bunting & Bertrand Poultry Equipment warehouse in Frankford.

Following the fire, the Town of Frankford had asked Millsboro and Dagsboro to review the draft agreement.

Brought added that the Frankford Town Council had dropped off a $1,000 check that covered the water cost from that incident.

Chandler said he believed the draft agreement would need to be rewritten, as there is no mention of compensation for water used. Councilwoman Theresa Ulrich recommended that, instead of having water meters installed to determine usage, the towns could save money but using an estimate of water used, as was done with the May fire.

Town Solicitor Robert Witsil said the draft agreement did not have the “flavor of an emergency document.”

The council said they would review the document and advise Witsil as to whether or not he should alter the draft or instead draft a memorandum of understanding.

In the Town of South Bethany, the town manager oversees staff and day-to-day operations. He or she serves at the pleasure of the town council and can be fired for any reason.

But after former town manager Melvin Cusick’s contract with the Town was terminated in January, he asked the Delaware Attorney General to investigate South Bethany’s potentially violation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

This month, although the AG’s Office agreed that the Town didn’t completely follow FOIA law when terminating Cusick’s contract, the State didn’t recommend major remediation, besides improving the public notification process.

On Friday, Jan. 6, South Bethany had announced that a special council meeting would be held Monday, Jan. 9. That day, during an executive session closed to the public, the council was to discuss employment matters.

And on that day they voted unanimously (with two council members absent), after a 22-minute discussion, to end Cusick’s contract after he had spent more than a decade in the position. (The issue is considered a personnel matter, and South Bethany officials have not publically stated the reason for ending the contract.)

However, the AG’s Office concluded that the council had violated FOIA by not providing sufficient notice to the public of the special meeting.

FOIA law requires all public bodies to post an agenda one week beforehand, listing all the general issues to be discussed at a public meeting. If seven days’ notice cannot be given, “the reasons for the delay in posting shall be briefly set forth in the agenda.”

“We conclude that the Council violated FOIA by failing to provide an explanation in its … meeting notice as to why it could not give seven days’ notice of the meeting,” the AG’s Office wrote. “Since the meeting was, by definition, a special meeting of the Council, the Council was required to include in the notice an explanation as to why seven days’ notice could not be given.”

The Town never specifically stated why they scheduled a meeting sooner than seven days.

Although they suggested that the meeting date was based on council members’ winter travel plans, “The Council also appears to suggest that additional notice might have been possible,” the AG stated. “Here, the Council has failed to demonstrate exigency or a compelling need to justify holding a special meeting.”

As for not stating a proper reason in the agenda, the Council responded that this was due to an administrative oversight and that “[i]nstructions have [since] been given to the Town’s FOIA coordinator to include an appropriate explanation on any future notices for special or rescheduled meetings regarding why seven days’ notice could not be provided,” the AG’s Office reported.

“It’s interpreting FOIA,” said Councilman Frank Weisgerber. “Now we know, so we add it to our agenda, or add it to the notes.”

There was no major penalty or remediation required by the AG’s Office.

“While we recognize that any action taken at a meeting held in violation of FOIA may be voidable by the Court of Chancery, we do not believe that the circumstances warrant any remedial action. … We note that the Council retains the right to remove the Town Manager from office ‘for any reason whatsoever,’” the AG’s Office stated.

It’s also considered unlikely that a court would force the council to reconvene to deliberate Cusick’s employment with proper notice given.

The AG’s Office didn’t take up Cusick’s other claims that the Town violated FOIA by allegedly failing to timely notify him of the meeting; allegedly failing to provide him the option of an open public meeting; or allegedly deciding to terminate his employment before the Jan. 9 meeting.

Cusick wasn’t notified that he was the subject of the meeting until Monday morning, in a private meeting with Mayor Pat Voveris and Weisgerber.

“When we discussed it with our lawyer, that was the advice we got,” Weisgerber said. “We’re volunteers. You know what we do? We called the lawyer [and asked,] ‘How do we handle this?’ He tells us. … And — we do the best we can.”

“Of course, we recognize that an employee cannot request that a discussion be open to the public unless the employee is aware that he or she is the subject of the discussion,” the AG’s Office acknowledged.

But FOIA law is for the public and does not detail employee rights. So, if that last-minute notice to Cusick violated any law, it wasn’t FOIA.

Although Cusick already knew his right to an open meeting, the AG’s Office determined that he did not specifically request a public meeting. Moreover, “FOIA does not require that a public body affirmatively present an employee with the option to have their personnel matter discussed in open session,” the AG’s Office stated.

According to the AG’s Office, Cusick stated that he chose not to attend the meeting because he “did not have sufficient time to seek legal representation if [he] chose to do so.”

The council also denied having decided Cusick’s fate beforehand. Voveris told the AG’s Office that she had discussed his employment with council members on an individual basis, to determine their interest in a special meeting and when to schedule it, based on their winter traveling plans.

She held that she did not persuade council members to take a certain position beforehand, although one council member “had the impression that other Council members supported exercising the option to terminate [his] employment, based upon his conversation with the Mayor,” the AG’s Office noted.

Ultimately, there was no council quorum formed or vote held before the Monday meeting, the AG’s Office decided.

Cusick did not respond to the Coastal Point’s request for comment on this story.

South Bethany’s six fulltime police officers are alleging they have not been paid or promoted as they should be. A June 30 demand letter from the officers centers around promotion issues for some officers and holiday pay for all officers.

“Every officer here is affected, which is why we’re all represented,” said SBPD Sgt. Lee Davis.

The officers would not publically share their specific demands while the Town is preparing its response, expected by Aug. 11.

“Quite honestly, I’m sorry it got to this point. … I’m hoping this can all be worked out,” Davis said.

Davis said the officers had wanted to resolve the problem with the Town privately, but they began to realize a public action was the only path toward resolution.

The police are being represented by John LaRosa of LaRosa & Associates. The officers are paying those legal expenses, with some assistance from Professional Law Enforcement Association (PLEA). PLEA helps police officers with legal defense “if you’re wrongly charged for something, if you’re not given a promotion when it’s due, if policies and procedures are not being followed … any time there’s any kind of issue, where you’re not being treated fairly,” said Sgt. Lee Davis.

The Town of South Bethany has 24-hour police coverage. There are 10 total staff, but only the six fulltime officers are involved in this issue. That does not include Chief Troy Crowson, the two administrative assistants or the seasonal parking enforcement officer.

The town council recently agreed to compensate police staff for up to two years of back pay for working holidays. But there are still concerns about staff receiving their paid holidays off.

Town hires attorney

At the July 14 town council meeting, the public repeatedly applauded the police department and opposed outsourcing.

Besides advocating for community policing, the public also had plenty of questions for the council about having hired an attorney on the public dime.

“There’s no lawsuit pending right now,” said Town Solicitor D. Barrett Edwards IV of Hudson, Jones, Jaywork & Fisher LLC.

After an hour-long executive session on July 14, the council voted to hire law firm Archer & Greiner P.C. to advise them on this legal matter (although there were rumblings that the Town had already consulted with the firm before the vote).

“[The police] sent a demand letter to the Town, so the Town is going to get an employment specialist … to evaluate the claims to respond to,” Edwards explained.

“It’s confidential,” said Mayor Pat Voveris. “But we’re letting you know that we’re responding.”

When residents expressed frustration that the Town wasn’t trying to mediate the problem first, Edwards said this is the proper avenue for doing so. Archer brings special legal expertise, whereas town solicitor Edwards specializes in municipal law.

“I think the purpose of hiring an attorney is to get things worked out,” Edwards said. “That’s what the motion is for: to hire an attorney to evaluate the claims in order to [respond] to the officers to see what kind of agreement can be reached. … There’s a need to respond to something. This is not something I have a whole lot of expertise in. … This is a specialized area of law.”

Archer’s hourly rate is $265, and Town expenditures are always public. The public may track the total costs by submitting Freedom of Information Act requests for invoices or billing documents.

“We’re all hopeful that no lawsuit comes out of this … that some agreement can be reached,” Edwards said. “I can’t emphasize enough, we’re at the very, very beginning stages of this.”

Rumors of outsourcing have not come to fruition

The town council has not voted to or even discussed hiring outside contracted police officers, as some towns have (for instance, Millville, which lacks its own police department, hires Delaware State Police officers to specifically patrol town limits for about 20 hours each week).

The council has had little public discussion about the specific state of employment at the police department, although they have hired consultants for a review of police costs.

According to June meeting minutes, “Councilmember [Tim] Saxton said, due to the rising costs over the last few years within the Police Department budget, it is time to take a fresh look to see if there are ways within the Police Department operation to include efficiencies that would help reduce the budget. The goal is to save on long-term expenses.”

Two professional reviews are currently under way regarding the police department.

Greg Warren was hired to assess compensation, incentives and promotion policy. The ICMA Center for Public Safety Management (ICMA/CPSM) was also recently hired to study the police department operation, policies and procedures.

Warren also provided initial guidance for the proposed police building expansion. The council hired ICMA/CPSM for more of a managerial perspective and squad analysis.

This weekend, community members and visitors to the area can get a taste of award-winning barbecue while supporting Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church’s planned Hope Center. The barbecue fundraiser will be held on Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — or until the food runs out — at Doric Lodge #30, A.F. & M., in Millville.

Coastal Point • Submitted: A fundraising event will be held at Doric Lodge #30, A.F. & M., in Millville to raise money for Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church’s Hope Center“We’ll be serving pulled-pork sandwiches, sausage and peppers and onions, coleslaw, pickle and chips. Then the kids will be there selling lemonade and baked goods,” said Chad Zook, a past grand master for the lodge for the State of Delaware, as well as a parishioner at Mariner’s Bethel.

Each platter will cost $7 per person, with all proceeds going to the Hope Center.

The fundraiser was born out of Mariner’s Project Multiply, through which each parishioner is given $10 and told to go out and multiply. The idea is based on Matthew 25:14-30, which is known as “the Parable of the Bags of Gold,” or “the Parable of the Talents.”

“Russ Archut, who’s a past master and also goes to Mariner’s, said to me, ‘We’ve got a lot of brothers from the lodge that go to the church. Why don’t we partner with the barbecue team, the member brothers from the lodge that are members of the church — we’ll include our families, and we’ll take and pool all of our money together.’

“There are 30 of us from church that are going to be taking that $300 and, with the help of some donations, we’re going to purchase all the things that we need, cook the food and sell the food. Our goal is to multiply that 10 times and take that back to the church. Our goal is to multiply that by 10. I think we can do it.”

The barbecue will be prepared by the lodge’s barbecue team, comprising Zook, Steven Mills, Billy Wingate and Will DiEfenderfer.

“Our barbecue team has been going down to Raleigh, N.C., for the Carolina Pig Jig, which benefits the Masonic Home for Children, which is an orphanage in North Carolina. We’ve been doing that for eight years and won all kinds of trophies,” said Zook.

Last year, the team, along with their rig, “Charity,” were the competition’s grand champions.

“Just these four guys and this barbecue rig went down there and beat Carolinians in barbecue. This year, we went down and we were third-place overall,” he said. “We also go to the orphanage and cook there, too.”

The award-winning sauce is created by DiEfenderfer. The last two years they’ve won the completion, Zook said, they used wood from Bill Lord at Lord’s Landscaping — also a parishioner at Mariner’s.

The barbecue fundraiser isn’t solely the work of the church’s parishioners and lodge members. Zook thanked Ba Roos Ice Cream & Tropical Treats, Bill Lord, Ron Gray, Gerald Hocker, Martin’s Rolls and Kevin Fisher for their contributions to the fundraiser.

“While it may be lodge brothers and members that are active with the church, this really is a community thing.”

The Hope Center will be a one-story, 13,000-square-foot facility that will serve both the church’s congregation and the community. The facility will include a kitchen where the church will be able to grow its existing food ministry, Feed My Sheep, as well as a gym for use by youth groups within the church and by outside recreational teams. The church also hopes to host after-school enrichment programs for area students.

“This thing is called the Hope Center, and it’s not just for the people that go to our church. This is for the whole community,” said Zook.

According to Zook, Mariner’s anticipates breaking ground on the facility in 2019, and has an overall fundraising goal of $3.2 million for the project. Currently, they have more than $1 million raised, and they hope to raise the remaining $2.2 million by the time they break ground.

“The ultimate goal of the Hope Center is to give people hope. There’s no better way to give people hope than to preach the message of God and his son, Jesus, to him,” said Zook, noting that community is important.

“This Hope Center is going to be a valuable asset to the community. Members of the church who are also members of the lodge have taken this on as a responsibility because of who we are as church members and lodge members.”

Zook said the lodge was built in 1903 and currently has approximately 200 members. He said those who are interested in becoming a Mason must simply ask how to become a brother.

“Some people might not know their friends are Masons,” he said. “You walk through that door, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a senator, whether you are a librarian, whether you wait tables… It doesn’t matter your station in life. When you walk in the door and go through the varying degrees of Masonry and join the lodge — when you walk in there, you’re all the same.”

Supporting the community in which they live is important for the Masons, said Zooks. And he said he hopes the community will attend Saturday’s fundraiser and support them as well.

“It’s important for the brothers of the lodge to practice one of our most valued tenants — brotherly love — charity extends beyond the grave. Charity is really important. Taking care of your community is really important. It’s our future… All those things are very important to Masons.”

Doric Lodge #30 is located at 69 Atlantic Avenue in Millville. For more information on the Lodge, visit www.masonsindelaware.org/blue/lodges/Doric30.htm. For more information about Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church, visit www.marinersbethel.org.