Chamber honors community members at awards dinner

Written by Cathy Finnegan Monday, 12 December 2011 00:00

The Ocean City Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2011 Citizen of the Year, Outstanding Business and Beautification Awards dinner recently at The Flanders. Jim and I met up with Becky and Richard Stanislaw on the way into The Flanders and felt the Christmas spirit as we entered the lobby that was beautifully decorated for the holidays. Shawnda McGinnis and Barbara Brown greeted guests when they arrived in the upstairs lobby and introduced me to the Chamber’s newest staff member, Caitlin Greene, who graduated Ocean City High School in 2005 and Mount St. Mary’s College in 2009. Caitlin is handling special events for the Chamber. Jim and I enjoyed catching up with Tom Kirkpatrick, who was on hand to accept the Outstanding New Business award on behalf of Artisans Alcove Estate Jewelers. Kim Walter gave me her Senior Helpers business card. I spotted Michael Hartman enjoying the social time with a large contingent from the Ocean City Theatre Company, a non-profit honoree. I first met Michael when he appeared in Ocean City High School theatre productions. I enjoyed chatting with Michael’s mom, Janice Hartman, as we found we both were legal secretaries for many years, with Janice starting out when she was 16 working for Joel Mott Sr. Aimee Schultz rushed upstairs in time to get in the picture with Theatre Company board members. Janie and Scott Halliday are proud grandparents of five, all under 4 years old, and Janie looks after the darlings everyday while their parents work.

Phil Perri, past Chamber president, took ribbing as he traded in his shorts for long trousers for the Chamber dinner. I insisted on taking Fred Miller’s picture since I accidentally cut him out of pictures I took at the Block Party. Tony Wilson attended his first council meeting since being sworn in and although it was a long one, he loved it. Melissa Wilson was nowhere to be found when Tony went looking for her in the crowd for a picture. I congratulated Russell Snow and Patrick Carr on their new venture, Ocean City Local Gym and Fitness and, although they weren’t at the dinner, wanted me to mention their partners, Michael Impagliazzo and Fritz Hastings. Patrick and I recalled all the pictures I took of his son, Patrick, when he was a youngster in the Halloween parade. Tom Aromando is 99 percent sure he and his family will be in their new home for Christmas as promised. When I admired Myra Corcoran’s holiday wreath pin she told me it had belonged to her mother-in-law, Cass Corcoran. While Linda Serber and I about our granddaughters getting learner’s permits to drive, Bill Serber told me his law partner, Jules Konschak, is back at work just two weeks after having his hip replaced. Barbara Deaney called it “her coming out party” after spending the past six weeks recuperating from knee replacement surgery. Barbara took the elevator to the second floor, but sported high heel boots. She admitted she’s still in pain.

I met my husband as guests headed into the crystal ballroom and we joined Winnie Piriano, Carol Heenan, Susan and Fred Miller, Joanne Budnick, Rose Haas and Kathy Taylor for dinner. Winnie was just back from a 10-day tour of Italy. It’s not often Harry Klause leaves his car dealership early, but this was a special occasion as daughters, Stacey Klause and Holly Buck, were receiving the Outstanding New Business award for the Sting Ray across from City Hall. Maureen Klause recently caught two world-record mako sharks, but is waiting for the official confirmation. I enjoyed meeting Doug Bergen, formerly with The Press, who now writes for Ocean City Patch. Doug received the Outstanding Use of Technology award. Gail and Scott Ping had a fabulous trip to Turkey and Greece in October and showed pictures of them riding camels in front of the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Eric Hitchner, who was on hand to pick up the Outstanding Civic Community Non-Profit Organization award for the Tabernacle Son Club, told me he and wife, Pam, who teaches at the Atlantic Christian School, reside in Upper Township with their four daughters. Eric grew up in Ventnor and graduated Holy Spirit High School in 1988 and has been with the Tabernacle almost four years. Eric’s daughter, Shereesha just got a four-year basketball scholarship to the University of Albany. Daughter Casey is a senior at Gettysburg and daughter Carley is a senior at Baptist Bible College; both played soccer. Twelve-year-old daughter Dakota plays basketball at Atlantic Christian School.

After dinner, Halliday and Executive Director Michele Gillian took to the podium to present awards. When Woody Robinson stepped up to accept the Environmentally Friendly award for Bookateria Two, he told Scott he’d like to get him involved. Scott replied he recently cleaned out his attic and dropped off several bags of books before Bookateria opened. When Mark Grimes accepted the Outstanding Business Renovation award for Ocean City Realty, he said he’s waited 10 years for this as he wasn’t recognized when he refurbished his office at 33rd Street and Asbury Avenue. To gain recognition, Mark painted his large building on 34th Street bright yellow with the trademark lifeguard boat. Joanne and Ken Jenkins picked up the Outstanding Landscaping/Signage award for their Fractured Prune donut shop at 1225 Asbury Ave. Greg and Bernie Sheppard accepted the Outstanding New Service Business award for Bonded Baby Sitters that was popular with tourists this summer. Phil Weber stepped up to the podium to accept the Outstanding Service to the Community award on behalf of ACME, for their years of local community support.

Mayor Jay Gillian had the honor or presenting the 2011 Citizen of the Year award to Janet and Tony Galante for their many contributions to the city, schools and hospital. When presented with a large “Piece of the Walk” Tony quipped all he wanted was a ride on the big Ferris wheel and hoped that someday he and Janet would meet the height requirement as they were tired of riding the tea cups. Council members also took the heat as he joked with the “butcher,” the “plumber” and the “paper guy” who offered to paint the Eagles emblem on the Galante home. Tony always tells his gym classes how important exercise is, referring to his 80-year-old parents, Edie and Dick Galante, who have been married 56 years and still bike the boards everyday. One day an older gent biked by and Tony asked his class if they knew who that was and they said Tony’s father. He saidn “no” that was my 90-year-old father-in-law Joe DiOrio. All kidding aside, Janet and Tony were deeply touched and honored to have this distinction bestowed on them. Susan Sheppard arrived just in time for the presentation after attending several meetings. Also showing up late after attending granddaughter, Avery’s recital, was Nancy Neal, from the Chamber office. Sally Huff reminded ladies to take home the poinsettias on each table home for the holidays.