Colony Club gets cooking with annual pasta dinner
Written by Cathy Finnegan Tuesday, 18 October 2011 11:53
It was a crisp clear morning as participants gathered in front of the Music Pier to register for Ocean City’s Third Annual Walk for the Wounded. Scott Raab and Tidal Wave entertained on the band stand, the Color Guard stood at attention ready for action and volunteers tended to last minute details. It was easy to spot the large contingent representing Shore Medical Center lead by president and CEO Ron Johnson, Bill Elliott, Gabe Staino and Fran Kaplan, as they sported purple Shore Medical Center t-shirts. Phil Martelli, head coach of St. Joe’s men’s basketball team, served as MC for the pre-walk festivities and Michelle Dawn Mooney, news anchor with TV-40, sang a beautiful accapello rendition of our national anthem. Peggy Baker, founder of Operation First Response that has provided financial support for more than 7,000 service members who have returned home with injuries, introduced Adam Spotanski and Todd Simpson Love who shared stories of their war injuries bringing tears to everyone’s eyes. I spotted Ann Richardson taking notes for an article while this columnist listened intently to the speakers.
As Jim and I lined up for the three mile walk we chatted with Terry Grau, then picked up our pace behind the Dramas Marine Detachment Color Guard led by Commandant Carl Waterman followed by bagpipers and drummers. Janie and Scott Halliday beat us to 23rd Street and looked forward to one more day on the beach Sunday. Kathy Taylor hoped she’s seen the last of Ocean City High School’s two-day football games for the season. Representing the Ocean City Fire Department were Steve Costantino, Wyatt Clevenger, Dan Coan and Kenny Pollock who walked in their full fire gear. Dan carried his daughter Megan on his shoulders, while his other daughter Kassidy walked with her friend Ashley Chattin. Steve is in his 17th year with the fire department while Wyatt, who served in the Marine Corps, has been a firefighter for one year and Dan and Kenny have five years’ experience. After all that exercise, Gabe Staino led the Shore Medical Center contingency over to Mack & Manco’s for pizza and Jim and I jumped on our bikes to finish our ride around the island.
It was an Italian Night for members of the Colony Club and their guests as they enjoyed a delicious pasta dinner at Randazzo’s Restaurant. Colony president Linda Gronert greeted guests when they arrived while Dinner Chair Eileen Adams seated guests and Lynn Brock and Elaine Perino sold 50/50 raffle tickets. I told my table mates, Irene Reeves, Connie Smedley, Betty Ray and Maribeth Neall, to put their money away as I was going to win. Joan Luongo enjoyed dinner with Evelyn Hanly, Margaret Cunningham and new member Gail Harper before heading off to her bridge club.
When the waitress saw me taking notes while talking to Gerri and Joe Cusato, Elaine and Joe Novello and Nicollette Mirra she thought I was taking orders. Gerri and Joe just returned from visiting family in Kentucky while Elaine and Joe attended a family reunion in Oregon. Nicollette, who lives at Ocean Reef, looked lovely in red and enjoyed entertaining her grandsons and their friends this summer when they finished playing soccer on the field nearby. Carol Waite and John Chapman dined with Kathy and Mike Allegretto. Mike reports the municipal parking lot attendant didn’t know what to charge Turkey Hill, a sponsor of the ALS Walk, when they parked a cow in a parking space at the Moorlyn Terrace lot. Turkey Hill provided ALS walkers with free ice cream, ice tea and more.
Barbara and Tom Weber were looking forward to their granddaughter Christine’s wedding while Karen and Lou Morelli recently enjoyed a vacation in the Keys with their family. Sue Phillips joined her husband Bill and Dolores and John Wilson when she wasn’t running around taking pictures for the Colony Club newsletter. John was excited when he told me about his five-day motorcycle trip in Maryland and he also saw the running of the ponies at Assatague Island. Shelley and Gene Towers were looking forward to a 10-day Caribbean cruise leaving from New York. New member Julia Tassone enjoyed dinner with her husband Bruno, who everyone calls “Bruce.” Sue and Don Gilbert, who live in the south end of Ocean City, find lots of activities to keep them busy even in the winter. Rita and Tony Fulginiti just returned from spending three days and nights in a large suite at Harrah’s in Atlantic City attending a convention. Donna Hughes visited the Alamo this summer and agreed with this columnist that we were surprised how small it was. Peg Hagerty was heading for her 64th John Bartram High School reunion on Oct. 15. Dave Lytle is looking for a buyer for his home built “Avenger” airplane. Patti Swift enjoys working at the new Seaview Dolce in Absecon. Verna Govoni is looking forward to the arrival of her eighth grandchild in April. Maribeth Neall and I couldn’t take our eyes off Rick Garrish as he looked so much like her sister’s brother-in-law, Steve Wolicki, they could have been twins.
Diane and Marty Mozzo and Jane and Ray Snyder compared notes on their recent trips to Ireland and Ray got to visit his cousin in Dublin. I enjoyed catching up with Betty Rathblott, Betty Grisbaum, Audrey Schillinger and Peg Heller. Betty Rathblott and Peg Heller were next-door neighbors in Levittown in the 1950’s. While I was talking to Phyllis and Jerry Bonner, Diane Van Stone, Cathy and Pete Guinosso, Joanne and Jim Tweed, Bea Huhn and Celina Landis the waitresses brought out the desserts so I made a dash for my table to sample the cannoli and cookie tray. I also had to check my raffle tickets as nobody was claiming the grand prize and as luck would have it this columnist was holding the winning ticket. Consolation prizes of the fall potted plants on all the tables went to guests holding the next dozen tickets drawn.
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