Woodbine – 5-24-2006

Woodbine Elementary School students and staff will host Red, White, and Blue Day today, at 1:30 p.m., in the school’s All-Purpose Room. All are invited. The Cape May Coast Guard Drill Team and Honor Guard will give their traditional performance. Students will present a celebration of patriotic music. Among the guest speakers will be Lower Township Police Chief Edward Donahue and Petty Officer Tommy Franks of the Coast Guard Reserve. This program is a long-standing yearly event to honor the men and women who serve and have served our county in the Armed Forces. *** Tomorrow is the annual Children’s Garden Ceremony at WES, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The school community holds this ceremony each year to recall all the children it has lost, who remain “forever in our hearts”. The ceremony is followed by the planting of flowers by WES students. All are invited to take part in this commemoration. *** Community members are also invited to take part in Community Connection Day at WES that same day. The luncheon will begin at 11:15 a.m. (following the Children’s Garden Ceremony). Open House follows from 12:45-1:45 p.m. Visit the classrooms and see the children’s wo Show a little neighbor you are interested in their educational progress, even if you aren’t a parent, (great-) grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin. Children are everyone’s future-invest some time and attention in what an early settler called “Woodbine’s Best Crop”. *** Last reminder: Woodbine AARP Chapter #5292 will hold its 8th Annual Installation Luncheon June 1 at the Sand Barrens Golf Club on Route 9, starting at noon. Platter choices are: crab cake or sirloin, both with potato, asparagus, rolls, and homemade ice cream. Ticket donation is $18. For tickets call: Jonatha Toney (861-2982), Elaine Carmichael (861-3461), or Beverly Bairunas (861-1235). *** Joe Gurdgiel, oldest member of the Woodbine Fire Department, stopped in to see us last week with some news. Joe, who lost his left leg, has now returned home from the hospital with a nifty-looking space-age material replacement. He wishes to thank all those who sent cards, phone called, and visited, and says everyone is welcome to stop by. He tells us he can still make a good cup of coffee. Joe also reports that he was one of the first to attend Millville High School where he graduated from in 1946. He and his classmates celebrated their 60th class reunion on May 17 at the Cohanzick Country Club. Joe reports that he has been dubbed the class clown and, as usual, gave the Invocation and Benediction. Joe has offered to visit those who have lost a leg or hand to encourage them to “hang in there”, and that everyone can “beat” the loss. Call him at 861-3151. *** Lighthouse Deliverance Ministries, 215 Washington Avenue, asked us to mention their current schedule of services: Sunday School is 10 a.m., Sunday Worship is 11:30 a.m. Mondays: sister-to-sister fellowship is at 6 p.m. Wednesdays: Prayer/ Study is at 7 p.m. Fridays: Intercessory Prayer, 7 p.m. You can reach the church at 861-2801 or online at www.njlighthouse.com *** Congratulations to multi-tasking Melissa Rodriguez who graduated May 9 from Wilmington College, New Castle, Delaware, with her Masters in Public Administration. We’d like to hear from all this year’s graduates: grammar school, high school, trade/technical/ career school, college, and post-grad programs. Local residents, and also your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, who aren’t in this area but who you want to brag about. (I’ll add my niece Molly’s achievements in the weeks ahead, but will crow that she’s been accepted at Rowan University, my MST alma mater and, of course, where Hubby’s on the faculty.) *** Rec softball: tomorrow, away at Dennis 2, at 6 p.m. Baseball (minors) tomorrow at home vs. Avalon South at 6 p.m. Baseball (majors) tomorrow, away at Avalon at 6 p.m. Rec is also having a pizza sale fundraiser. Contact Rec Commission members to order—and ask them to get me the scores of this season’s games. *** The Cape May County MUA is holding their final paper shredding day of the season here in Woodbine on June 2, from 1-3 p.m. Recycle your old documents and confidential files safely and securely. Residents and businesses can bring all types of paper-standard size staples and paper clips are ok, but no large binders, plastic covers, or laminated paper. Volume per customer may not exceed 6 bags (kitchen trash bags) or 6 boxes (copier paper boxes or banker size box). Open to all county residents. *** June is Celebrate New Jersey month, and Woodbine is celebrating with the Fourth Annual Greater Woodbine Chamber of Commerce Family Festival on June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will line the bikepath with crafts, food and no doubt much more. Volunteers are still needed, so call Mike at 861-9000 ext. 1 or Rhonda at 861-0375. There might even be a few vendor spaces available. *** Thursday (tomorrow) is Ascension Thursday, the end of the Easter Season. Monday is Memorial Day, the start of the Summer Season. Woodbine Elementary School will be closed for the holiday, as will Woodbine Municipal Services. Have a safe one. Drive cautiously, if you have to drive over the weekend at all. September will come, but try and enjoy the time between Memorial and Labor Day. Cherish May through September, because you never know how many summers short your season may be.