County Volunteers In Running For Governor's Awards

BERLIN - The Worcester County Commissioners and Volunteer Services Manager Cyndy Howell recognized Worcester County volunteers as rare treasures during the county's 2009 Maryland's Most Beautiful People (MMBP) Volunteer Awards Ceremony held at Lighthouse Sound in Bishopville.

Rather than choosing only three MMBP nominees, as has been done in past years, the Worcester County Selection Committee chose to highlight and forward information on each of the 15 individuals and organizations nominated by area residents to the Governor's Selection Committee (GSC), which is currently in the process of determining who among those in attendance will also be recognized at the upcoming Governor's Awards in Annapolis.

'In this tough economy where grant funds and private donations to many area non-profits have declined, Worcester County has chosen to highlight the contributions of all of the nominees,' said Commission President Louise Gulyas. 'Without these folks volunteering to help us, the county would be unable to provide many vital services.'

Those in attendance during the county's 2009 MMBP ceremony are just a few of the hundreds of volunteers whose efforts sustain vital programs that otherwise could not be made available in the area.

'The value of the volunteer services provided, just by the people here in this room tonight, is valued in excess of $200,000, and this is a very conservative estimate,' Howell said. 'We don't usually comment on the dollar value attached to our volunteers. However, we cannot downplay the significant contributions being made by these people in terms of their services.'

Volunteers at Worcester County's 2009 MMBP Ceremony represented individuals and volunteer organizations from all areas of the county.

Volunteers residing in Ocean Pines included Jack Barnes and his canine friend, King, Madalaine How, Carol and Al Kastner, David Landis, and Louise and Phillip Lassiter.

Volunteers from Ocean City included John Maphis, Patti Miller, and Charlotte and Ed Montgomery.

Volunteers from Pocomoke included Catherine Baine and Norma Miles.

Volunteers from other areas of the county included Patricia Fisher and Fred Mangels of Berlin, Joanne Mason of Newark, and Catherine Cascio of Assateague State Park from June through August of each year.

The volunteer organizations and their members in attendance at the MMB ceremony included Diakonia volunteers Mary Ferry, Cathy McCallister and Mary Smith; Salem United Methodist Church After School Program volunteers Colleen Mister, Gladys Byrd, Nancy Flynn, Audrey Leonard, Corrine Wall, Suzanne Henry, Will Stevenson, Jo Ann Shoemaker, and Greg Frostrom; Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines volunteers John Henglein (Navy), Al Bridgman (Coast Guard), Jim Coyne and William Bowers (Air Force), Bill Lee (Army) and Dave Smith (Marine Corps); and Lower Shore CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers Ed Battisfore, Poe Hardcastle, Pat Shumaker, Frank Dickson, Janet Balbo, Ellen Dyer, John Gaghan, Cindy Hall, Tina Hitchens, Barbara Jacobson, Dave Keller, Janet Mengel, Karen Matheson, Cathy McAlister, Jennette Mears, Judy Mitchell, Mary Kay Mullen, Kay Reynolds, Malia Ricks, Barbara Rightmire, Whitey Rightmire, Carole Spurrier, Dolly Sturgis, Margo Takacs, Ashley Warren and Paige Wildmann.