Celebrates Birthday Bash In-Person

Millsboro) (March 28, 2021) —  At the monthly Birthday Bash celebration held in March, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President Apryl Parcher presented Erica Kennedy, Executive Director of Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club, with a check for $2,000. The check is to be used for upcoming special pizza / ice-cream parties that serve as an incentive reward to students who accomplish stated goals. Such goals would be for the completion of educational components including homework, as well as showing positive behavior. The money will also be used for winners of the Club’s Team Art contest held throughout the summer and to help defray the cost of summer field trips. The hope is that the donation will cover about 12 months of parties and awards. $1,500 of the donation came from Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s annual charity golf outing, held each year in June, and $500 was part of a special $2,500 donation made by Morse Roofing and Siding to Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club earmarked for youth related projects.  “This partnership with Morse Roofing and Siding is truly special,” noted Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Apryl Parcher. “Having extra funds to support these worthwhile programs makes such a difference in our community.”

With pandemic restrictions lifted, Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians were once again able to enter the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club to host the monthly Birthday Bash, celebrating those children who have a birthday that month. Each birthday child receives a $25 gift card and a balloon. All children at the Club are provided with cupcakes and a fruit drink.  Begun in October 2017 under a Rotary District grant, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has continued the monthly tradition each year for every student attending the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club. When outsiders were restricted from entering in deference to pandemic restrictions, Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians dropped off the treats and gift cards at the door so that the children could continue to celebrate. Over the years, hundreds of children have enjoyed their special birthday recognition.

“We had a great in-person club bash in March and are particularly grateful for the wonderful donation to keep the celebrations ongoing for the children and for one of their summer trips!,” remarked Erica Kennedy, Executive Director, Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club. “The kids were so excited to hear this news! We appreciate all that the Sunrise Rotary club does for our club and kids!”

Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Apryl Parcher (right) presents Erica Kennedy, Executive Director of Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club (center), with a check for $2000. Rotarian Cathy Cardaneo stands left. She is the liaison from Long Neck Sunrise Rotary to the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club.

Children celebrating their March birthdays are from left to right:  Callie, Kaden, Fiona and Dylan. Adults (left to right): Madison Fleetwood of the Boys and Girls Club Apryl Parcher, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President; and Cathy Cardaneo, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club manager of the Birthday Bash program.

(Millsboro) (June 14, 2021) — Once again the sun was shining, a light breeze was consistent all day, and predicted afternoon thunder storms held off for the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s 12th Annual Charity Golf Outing on Monday, June 14, 2021 held at The Peninsula on The Indian River Bay. The event was returning to its original June time slot, after having to delay the prior year’s tournament until October of 2020. Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Golf Committee members worked diligently to make sure that the outing did not slack off, and to everyone’s delight, the event was sold out with 136 golfers and a waiting list, and many local and regional Partners provided donations to make this outing the most profitable the Club has held. Proceeds exceeded expectations and prior year’e earnings at $28,528.58.

This charity golf tournament is the Club’s main fund-raising function, where all proceeds are used to support local organizations serving youth, veterans, adult literacy and programs to stem and care for victims of the opioid epidemic as well as Rotary’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

“We were simply overwhelmed by the response we received this year for our tournament,” noted Mike Hall, Chairperson of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club Golf Committee. “We went into this knowing that many had been financially hurt by the pandemic, and yet, so many were able to help us raise the funds we use to support local and Rotary International initiatives. It is truly a testament to how we as a society recognize the need to help those less fortunate, and also shows how anxious folks were to get out and enjoy a day on a beautiful golf course.:

First Place Team and First Place Rotarian Team with a score of -17 for the “best ball” style tournament play included Justin Grossman, Steve Grossman, Wes Hood and John DiStefano. Other foursome winners included:

• Second Place Team at -15 was team of Bruce King, Scott Schockley, Joe Shockley and Frank Miller
• Third Place Team at -14 was team of David Patch, Erick Perez, Carl Schlesinger and Danny Gilseth
• Fourth Place Team at -14 was team of Joe Mongillo, John Murray, Andrew Hess, and Dave Ogle
• Fifth Place Team at -13 was team of John McCahan, Jack McCahan, Patrick McCahan, and Kevin McGill
• Sixth Place Team at -12 was team of Tom Law, Ken Hellings, John Berner and Tom Gargan
• Seventh Place Team at -12 was team of Lucille Cavan, Scott Cavan, Shaun Cavan, and Ryan Cavan
• Eighth Place Team at -12 was team of Max Hutsell, David Hutsell, Pat Wassmuth and Dave Jacobin
• Ninth Place Team at -11 was team of Don Zakrociemski, Stan Zakrociemski, Daniel Zakrociemski, and Chris Zakrociemski
• Need More Practice Team at +10 was team of Mark Moscowitz, Andy Chin, Travers Downs, and Gary Jones

All  10 of these teams were awarded complementary rounds of golf at golf courses across Delmarva.

On-course competitions include four “Holes in One“ sponsored by Terry Megee of Megee Motors with no winners this year. Other on-course winners include:

• Closest to the Pin Men  — Rich Graves
• Closest to the Pin Women — Diane Karbonik
• Longest Drive Men — Andrew Michel
• Longest Drive Women — Trish Dieringer
• Straightest Drive Men — Bruce King
• Straightest Drive Women — Cathy Bassett
• Winner of Whiffle Ball Driving Contest — Danny Gilseth
• Winner of Pot O Gold hole #13 — Vincent Schettino

The day was capped by a plated and served gourmet dinner at the Peninsula.
Next year’s tournament is scheduled for June 13, 2022.

Pictured Above: Golf Committee Chair, Mike Hall (left) awards the First Place Rotary Team trophy and golf course certificate to overall First Place team winner representative, Wes Hood.

Rotary District 7630 Grant Helps to Supply Much Needed Instruments

(Millsboro) (May 4, 2021) — It started as a conversation in late 2019 between some area Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club Rotarians as many of these Rotary philanthropic projects do and resulted in a $5,000 Rotary District 7630 Grant for $5,000 plus an additional $6,000+ donation from the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise and Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Clubs to procure much needed instruments for the music programs at Sussex Academy.

Dr. Uday Jani, who serves on the Sussex Academy Executive Board, had learned that the Academy did not have the resources to fund the instruments needed to meet growing demand in the Academy’s various music programs. High school enrollment had grown every year since the Academy started its high school program in 2012, and was projected to be 860 students in the 2020-21 school year – up from 770. The school was also introducing performing arts to grades six through eight. The Academy has a strong tradition of student participation in music, appearing at many County and State band festivals each year and offering various band programs to its Middle and High School students. Wanting to continue this rich tradition of music education and performance, Dr. Jani turned to his fellow Rotarian, Larry DeFrancisco, Vice President Marketing & Sponsorships, Rehoboth Jazz Festival, to see what he thought Rotary could do.

Larry felt a District Grant could cover a good portion of the cost, and as part of the package he would work with musicians from the Rehoboth Jazz Festival to offer performances to the students. Larry DeFrancisco and Dr. Jani brought their idea to the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club where it was enthusiastically endorsed. And then COVID struck. Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club now needed another club to lead the Sussex Academy project to secure grant funding, as they had a grant project established for PPE for Beebe Medical Center. Enter Steve Grossman, a Board member of Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club at the time, and friend of Dr. Jani and Larry DeFrancisco. He saw the opportunity for Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club to offer another program to area youth, and a partnership was formed to underwrite the costs of the program. Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club would act as lead to secure a grant from Rotary District 7630.

“Being able to partner with fellow Rotary Clubs to achieve a goal is the beauty of our global organization,” remarked Randy Smith, President, Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club. “We are very fortunate to have Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club support and lead this project.”

Susan Giove of Rehoboth Beath Sunrise Rotary Club developed the 2020-21 District Grant request from Rotary District 7630 to help underwrite the required instrument cost. A $5,000 grant for “Musical Instruments for Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences Middle School and High School” was requested and received, with the two clubs to split the remainder of the $11,295.68 cost needed to procure the requested instruments in the fall of 2020. The grant would procure 24 instruments, and through the work of Larry De Francisco, arrangements had been made for the Rehoboth Jazz Festival Musicians to conduct sessions with the bands during the week of October 12, 2020.

Delays ensued as Clubs and the Academy worked to develop their COVID rhythms, but the project remained top of mind. Undaunted, Lucille Cavan, President of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, worked with Sussex Academy Music Director, Michael Marotta to finalize the instrument purchase list in March of 2021: 14 x 12 snare drums, Vic Firth Double-Sided practice pads, four different sizes of bass drums, a 3-valve tuba, snare carriers, a tenor carrier, bass carriers, a French horn, a trumpet, a tenor saxophone, an innovative percussion field series Multi Tom Mallets, innovative percussion field series Marching Bass Mallets and a set of ukuleles for the Middle School program.

“Our Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, together with the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary, is pleased to bring Larry DeFrancisco’s wonderful idea to reality,” remarked Lucille Cavan.  “Arts are such an important part of education and we are proud to support the students of the Sussex Academy bands and music programs.”

Most of the Instruments finally arrived and the two Rotary Clubs attended Sussex Academy on May 4^th to present them. The black marching drums will be used by the school’s new Marching Percussion Ensemble, led by newly appointed percussion director, Mr. Scott Litzenberg. The brass and woodwind instruments will be used for both the middle and high school bands. A set of ukuleles (still on their way) will be used by Nancy Curry who teaches drama and music to the elementary students. Larry DeFrancisco has worked with Rehoboth Jazz Festival on presentations for the students this coming fall.

According to Sussex Academy’s Music Director Mike Marotta,”This grant and the generosity of these two Rotary clubs are allowing us to offer all middle and high school band students the opportunity to participate in concert band, percussion ensemble and eventually, a marching and pep band. The students and I will be forever grateful.”

Dr. Jani, who started it all with a simple conversation among Rotarians, is “tremendously excited that the two Clubs were able to supply the instruments to enable the school’s first marching band.”

And the bands play on!

Pictured above: Presentation of Instruments to Sussex Academy.SITTING left to right: Zach Burger; Oliver Graves; Nancy Curry, Elementary School Music Teacher; Randy Smith. President, Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club; Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club; Gail Dejmal, President Elect Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club; Steve Grossman, Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club; Larry DeFrancisco, Vice President Marketing & Sponsorships, Rehoboth Jazz Festival and member, Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club. STANDING — in front of drums (L to R) Bella Crisci; Finna Graves; Mike Marotta, Music Director.  STANDING — back row (L to R) Tom Peet, Middle School Dean; Drew Brubacker; Christian Wright; Alex Fitzkee; Jovan Jean-Louis; Grace Thomas; Eric Anderson, Principal; Jack Thomas; Pat Campbell-White, Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Club.

CAPTION: Students practicing with donated instruments. Top Row: Left to right:  6^th grader Drew Brubacker, marching percussion snare drum; 6^th grader Jack Thomas, student trumpet;  8^th grader Mitchell Lorah, tenor saxophone.

(Millsboro) (April 30, 2021) — Despite high winds that nearly collapsed the check sign, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Lucille Cavan, presented CJ Pitts of Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club with a check for $1,500 that the organization can use for upcoming pizza / ice-cream parties. The parties will be held as an incentive reward to students who accomplish stated goals. Such goals would be for the completion of educational components including homework, zooms and remote work as well as showing positive behavior. The money will also be used for winners of the Club’s Team Art contest held throughout the summer. The hope is that the donation will cover about 12 months of parties and awards.

“Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been a major contributor to programs here for the boys and girls and we are very grateful for their support,” remarked Erica Kennedy, Executive Director, Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club.

Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has long supported the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club with holding a Pitch, Hit and Run contest in association with the MLB; and providing monthly birthday bashes with cupcakes and fruit juice for all, and $25 gift cards and a balloon for those celebrating a birthday that month.

“Helping the children in Long Neck is one of our stated missions,” notes Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Lucille Cavan. “It has been particularly difficult for many of the area children to maintain their school work during this pandemic, so we are delighted to be able to support the Oak Orchard Boys and Girls Club in this motivational endeavor.”

(Millsboro) (May 4, 2021) — Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club and Grace United Methodist Church, Millsboro were delighted to support Long Neck Elementary with their gently used shoe drive. The fund raiser, organized by the Long Neck Elementary PTO and the 5^th grade student council, will generate funds to benefit the new playground and outdoor classroom the school plans to start this summer.

All donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network of microenterprise (small business) partners. Funds2Orgs works with micro-entrepreneurs in helping them create, maintain, and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited. Proceeds from the sales of the shoes collected in shoe drive fundraisers are used to feed, clothe, and house their families. One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send her son to law school.

Long Neck Elementary will be accepting shoes through May 31. They request that those donating gently used shoes, tie the shoes together by the laces and place them in a bag. Shoes can bed place in the large bin located at the entrance of Long Neck Elementary.

“We are delighted to have the Grace United Methodist Church and Long Neck Elementary partner with us on this fundraising endeavor,” noted Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, Long Neck Elementary.  “Both organizations have been very generous in their support of our playground, and the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is a valued partner in many projects we have at the school.”

(Millsboro) (February 8, 2021) — Living in a period of so much angst and altered realities, it is particularly heartwarming to see children celebrating kindness with each other, their parents and teachers, and their community. Principal Clara Conn of Long Neck Elementary worked with her teachers and administrators to set up a week-long celebration of kindness during “Kindness Week” February 8-12, 2021.

Students were reading the book The Jelly Donut Difference, which teaches kindness, caring, generosity, and being a good neighbor and friend. Teachers and student leaders were encouraged to practice kindness throughout the week, and in so doing would earn sprinkles for each act of kindness on the donut drawing in each classroom.

One of their acts of kindness was to present Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club with hand drawn thank you cards for Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s donations of two books for every student and dictionaries for third grade students over the years, and substantial funding for the school’s new playground to break ground this summer. The cards were presented by four members of the school’s 15-person student government to representatives of the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club in a short ceremony at the school on February 8, 2021. When asked by Rotarian Sharon Marshall, which project of the Rotary Club meant the most to them, the students answered “all of them” – kindness and political savvy represented in full force.

Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club learned that the school was encouraging local businesses to engage in Kindness Week and that the next day would be “Crazy for Kindness” day, where the students and others participating were encouraged to wear crazy hair, socks or outfits.  Many Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club embraced the challenge and came properly attired to the weekly meeting on Tuesday held in person at the Ocean Grill II on Long Neck Road and virtually for those preferring that venue.

“Working with children is an important part of our mission,” noted Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club President, Lucille Cavan. “Long Neck Elementary Is doing such a wonderful job during these difficult times and to be recognized by their students for our help is truly special. And what a hoot to join with them on Crazy for Kindness day.”

“Throughout the pandemic the community has come together to support one another,” remarked Clara Conn, Principal, Long Neck Elementary.  “Many of us have been on the front lines, supporting our families and local small businesses, in addition to ensuring services for our community continue to function with fidelity. This was a wonderful project to illuminate the kindness of not only our young Long Neck Leaders, but also the established Long Neck Leaders. The students enjoy seeing their neighbors join in on our spirit days and support our vision of ‘Growing Leaders.’ This common thread of kindness binds our community together and provides a great example of patience and support, while maintaining grace.”

Pictured at top of page: Student Government Representatives of Long Neck Elementary present Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians with thank you cards.  Students pictured are: Liam Archila-Palomino (front), Thomas Hoopes, Jade Coulter. Rotarians are (left to right): President Lucille Cavan, Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher, Rotary Reads Chair Sharon Marshall.

Pictured above left: Front: LNE Counselors Erica Adkins-Hull, Amy Goodhue, Anne-Marie Vega Top: Student Council Liam Archila-Palomino, Thomas Hoopes, Jade Coulter; Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians President Lucille Cavan, Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher, Rotary Reads Chair Sharon Marshall; LNE Counselor, Annette Hoffman

Pictured above center and right:  In person and virtual Long Neck Sunrise Rotarians celebrating Crazy for Kindness.

(Millsboro) (January 13, 2021) — Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club helped Long Neck Elementary get closer to its $100,000 playground construction goal with its donation of $5,000 today. This brings Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club’s total monetary support of the project to $10,000, and the school’s total funds for the project to $72,214.44.

The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club, has supported the school with free books and dictionaries for the students over the past several years. The playground project offered yet another avenue of support to the children and the community and the Club partnered with many organizations and individuals to help raise funds. The $10,000 in support from Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club was provided from its Charity Golf Outing proceeds.

“The opportunity to make a major difference in the lives of students and community residents in Long Neck by supporting a playground project that is accessible to children of all ages and capabilities is critical to our mission,” stated Lucille Cavan, Club President.  “We are thrilled to be able to offer meaningful support, particularly during this challenging time.”

The planned playground will include six additional swings, soccer goals, safe climbing equipment, a rock wall and four slides usable by all students attending the school. The playground will also be ADA compliant and have a 12” compacted engineered wood fiber flooring. Principal Clara Conn intends to have construction start in the summer, purchasing equipment based on the amount of money available through fundraising and add any missing items as more funds become available.

“We are so grateful to Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Clubfor playing such a vital role in procuring the playground equipment sorely needed here at Long Neck Elementary,” notes Principal Clara Conn.  “The children will be thrilled to have such a wonderful resource.”

Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club presented Long Neck Elementary with another $5,000 check for their playground project to be built this summer, money coming from its annual Charity Golf Outing proceeds. This brings the Club’s total donation to $10,000 for this project. Pictured here are (left to right) Mike Hall, LNSRC; Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, LNE; Clara Conn, Principal, LNE; Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary.

(Millsboro) (January 13, 2021) — When representatives from the Youth Committee at Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club met with Clara Conn this year to discuss how the Club might best support the school in its   20-21 school year, the challenges were obvious.  Book fairs, reading clubs, workshops were all out of the question during a pandemic. So, when Principal Clara Conn mentioned activity bags for the students not able to get outside and play, the Club saw an opportunity to make a difference. On January 13, the Club presented Clara Conn with a check for $1,500 to support the acquisition of supplies to be used in the activity bags.

According to Conn, each teacher was allocated $250 to order items for their students that would be assembled into activity bags. Items included Legos, play dough, small travel games, cards, etc.  Orders are anticipated to arrive the end of January and assembled into bags that will be distributed to the students.

In addition to the cash donation for activity bags, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is also donating 1,426 books for use during “I Love to Read” Week in early March. Each student will receive two new books, and Kindergartners will received an additional book at the end of the school year entitled: The Night Before First Grade.  Over the past few years, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been supporting the school’s annual spring book fair with mostly new books obtained at cost through Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, and some gently used books collected from various sources. COVID had other plans this year, and since the pandemic did not allow for a book fair this school year, “I Love to Read” week was suggested by Principal Conn.

“The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club works to support the youth in the greater Long Neck Community in every way we can,” notes Club Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher. “Working with Long Neck Elementary offers us many challenging ways to meet this mission.”

“We are so fortunate to have Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club support us to offer the student activities and items they might not have access to otherwise,” remarked Principal Clara Conn.

Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donates $1,500 to be used for student activity bags as well as two books for every child at the school to be part of March’s “I Love to Read” week. (Left to right): Judy Hall, from LNSRC holding representative books; Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, LNE; Clare Conn, Principal LNE holding a sample activity bag; and Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club.