Smilestones
From left, Ricky Dean, Ed Dean, Erin Dean, George Parsons, and Kelly McBride-Dean at Polpo during the AVFD benefit dinner.
POLPO HOSTS BENEFIT FOR AVALON FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Avalon Volunteer Fire Department held its third annual benefit dinner May 15 at the recently opened Polpo Ristorante. Restaurant owner Bujar Daku and his brother, Gani, host this event to give back to the community, and previously had held it at two of their other restaurants, La Fontana Coast and La Vecchia Fontana.
More than 100 tickets to the dinner were sold, with all proceeds going to the fire department. During the event, Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi presented Bujar Daku with a signature Avalon Volunteer Fire Department T-shirt as a token of gratitude for hosting the event and for his endless support of the local firemen who donate their time and service to the town.
Mayor Martin Pagliughi at the surprise birthday party at Avalon Community Hall.
SURPRISE MARTY PARTY
A surprise birthday party for longtime Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi drew quite a crowd to Community Hall on Thursday, June 13, one week before his actual birthday. Past and present Borough employees and volunteers, Borough Council members, Cape May County Freeholder Will Morey, and members of the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management gathered during lunch hour for what Pagliughi was led to believe was a luncheon for the American Legion.
Organized by Sue Keen and Anne-marie Ricco, nearly 100 employees attended the party to wish the mayor a happy birthday and celebrate with him. Community Hall was decked to the nines in patriotic red, white and blue. All the food and bottled waters and drinks were donated by employees, including the baked ziti, salad and rolls from Linda Schwartz, hoagies from Jim Deever, and pans of baked ziti from John Edwards. There was a beautiful display of red, white and blue cupcakes to match the party theme as well.
“I want to thank you all for being here, this is truly a surprise,” Pagliughi said. “For 30 years, you have all felt more like family, which is the reason this town and this community is the best in the county.”
Lt. Col. Allen Kerpan announces Kathryn McAndrew Edmonds’ promotion during the Memorial Day ceremony in Avalon.
AIR FORCE OFFICER PROMOTED AT MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY
Avalon’s Memorial Day celebrations hold a special place in Kathryn McAndrew Edmonds’ heart, from waving a flag as a child with her grandparents at the annual parade to her promotion as an Air Force officer during this year’s ceremony at Veterans Plaza.
McAndrew Edmonds’ promotion from second lieutenant to captain was officiated by retired Lt. Col. Allen M. Kerpan, a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve. Her mother, Susan McAndrew, and husband, Dr. Caleb Edmonds, aided her in the garment transition, with her brother and cousins also on hand to celebrate her military milestone.
Her late grandparents, Dr. Jack and Joan McAndrew, were longtime Avalon residents, and McAndrew Edmonds and her brother, John Schlechtweg, visited them on holidays and in the summer.
A Dickinson College alum, McAndrew Edmonds also graduated from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She will begin her medical residency this summer at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
RIGHTER-WEITZEL ENGAGEMENT
Sarah Marie Righter, daughter of Margaret and Bill Righter, of Stone Harbor and Princeton Junction, was recently engaged to John Ryan Weitzel, of Crownsville, Md. John (known to many as Ryan) is the son of John and Kim Weitzel. Sarah is a speech language pathologist at The Arrow Center for Education in Towson, Md., where she met John, who is a vocational coordinator for the Center. They were engaged during the Christmas season at Longwood Gardens and are planning a fall wedding in Maryland.
Karl Giulian at Stockton graduation with his children, David, Rob, Cate and Karl Jr.
GIULIAN WINS AWARD, EARNS DOCTORATE
TLongtime Stone Harbor resident Karl Giulian, an associate professor at Atlantic Cape Community College, recently received the Distinguished Faculty Award, and also earned his Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership from Stockton University. Giulian was selected from among all the professors from community colleges throughout New Jersey for the Distinguished Faculty Award. In addition to his role at ACCC, he also is an adjunct professor at Stockton University. Giulian’s wife, Amy, and their children, David, Rob, Cate and Karl, were in attendance to celebrate his recent accomplishments.
From left, Emma Stanford, Rob Hicks, Bridget Ruskey and Cate Giulian during the scholarship presentation at the Stone Harbor Borough Council meeting.
CATE GIULIAN AWARDED STONE HARBOR TRIATHLON SCHOLARSHIP
Stone Harbor Triathlon race director Rob Hicks presented the race’s 2019 scholarship award to Cate Giulian during the Borough Council meeting in June. Giulian, a Stone Harbor resident, graduated from Middle Township High School in June and will attend West Chester University. The Stone Harbor Triathlon celebrated its 20th annual event last year, and since its inception has grown to sell out within minutes. In realizing the popularity, Hicks came up with the idea to carve out 10 entries for the race that he was able to auction off. Over the past 10 years, he has raised enough money to create a scholarship award. The award, created to give back to the community in which Hicks grew up in, is a $4,000 scholarship given over four years to a graduating high school senior who has passed through the Stone Harbor school district. The three criteria in deciding on the scholarship recipient are academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and a 500-word essay expressing their thoughts on what makes Stone Harbor and the school district so important in their lives. The first scholarship was presented to Bridget Ruskey in 2017 and the second to Emma Stanford in 2018.
Sam Wierman, Rob Hicks, Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour and Roger Stanford.
STONE HARBOR TRIATHLON MAKES HUGE DONATION TO FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Stone Harbor Volunteer Fire Department received a donation of more than $100,000 from proceeds raised by the Stone Harbor Triathlon over the past 20 years. Race director Rob Hicks presented the check to Fire Chief Roger Stanford and safety officer Sam Wierman at the Borough Council meeting in June. “If we go back 20 years ago, I was thinking I am not going to go into Borough Hall and present a triathlon concept and not have a charity concept,” said Hicks. “So, 20 years ago, I thought the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department of Stone Harbor would be a great entity to identify and that a portion of the sums of money that are generated from the race should go out to a very reputable recipient. “We have a 100 percent volunteer service for folks here in town and they are here to protect and serve and I couldn’t think of a better recipient than the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad. Time passes and each year about $5,000 to $6,000 has been raised to the cause since our inception, and nearly $110,000 has been raised for the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad. A little over 10 months after our 20th year, and I thought it was worthy enough to make a public announcement.” Stanford expressed his gratitude and said that some of the funds would be earmarked for special programs throughout the year. The money also enabled the purchase of a cascade system, which is what the firefighters use to fill their air bottles after a call, as well as the purchase of a Chevrolet Tahoe for the department. The 21st annual Stone Harbor Triathlon will be held on Sunday, July 21 at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor.
Look What The Stork Brought!
LANA ROCKY O’HARA
Lana Rocky O’Hara was born May 13 to Casey O’Hara and Morgan Anagnou, of Avalon. Lana arrived weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 20½ inches. She joins big sister Carmen, 12, and big brother Landon, 6. Lana’s dad owns and operates Uncle Bill’s Pancake House in Avalon. Her grandparents are Mars and Roxanne Anagnou, of Swainton, and Deb and Bill O’Hara, of Avalon.
Doug Heun, Joe Ostrowski, Chuck Covington, Mickey Coskey and Holly Rennie, with the mounted plaque visible in the background.
HELEN L. DILLER HOME HONORS COVINGTON
The Board of Directors of the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children recently dedicated the pavilion on the property in honor of longtime board member Charles P. Covington upon his recent retirement. The plaque reads: “This pavilion is named in honor of Charles P. Covington for his dedication, commitment and friendship to the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.” It was officially dedicated on June 1 but unveiled a few days earlier with Covington in attendance, prior to his move to Pennsylvania. Covington served on the Board of Directors for more than 30 years and volunteered his time to ensure the home would be able to provide blind and visually impaired children an all-expense paid week of summer camp for many generations to come. He was also well known for serving other community entities, including Borough Council and the Avalon Lions Club.
Bernie Parent at the Ocean Galleries preview party over Memorial Day weekend.
BERNIE PARENT ATTENDS PAINTING AUCTION AT OCEAN GALLERIES
Ocean Galleries hosted legen-dary Philadelphia Flyers goalie Bernie Parent at its Preview Party held in conjunction with the Samir Sammoun exhibition over Memorial Day weekend. Parent was on hand for the auction of a Sammoun painting to benefit the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. Donated by Sammoun and custom framed by Ocean Galleries, “Tuscany Vineyard,” a 24-by-30-inch original oil painting, drew a winning bid of $15,000. There also was a 2:1 match by a donor, in total raising $45,000 for the foundation. A longtime supporter and ambassador of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, Parent was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 after playing 13 seasons and helping the Flyers win the Stanley Cup in 1974 and ’75. The Foundation was created by Snider, the late Flyers chairman, in 2005 as his personal commitment to teach children important life lessons. It focuses on underserved boys and girls who otherwise would not have the opportunity to play hockey, with an emphasis on character development, life skills, fitness, nutrition, and academics.
