Smilestones
Ronnie Town of Atlantic City Electric flanked by Chuck Covington and Fred Fynan of the Avalon Lions and Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.
AC ELECTRIC DONATES TO LIONS CLUB
Atlantic City Electric recently presented the Avalon Lions Club with a $1,000 donation for its charity golf tournament. Senior Public Affairs Manager Ronnie Town presented Avalon Lions members Chuck Covington and Fred Fynan with the donation at the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.
Proceeds from the Avalon Lions Club Golf Tournament, held annually in June, benefit the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children and its mission of providing an all-expense-paid week of summer camp to blind and visually impaired children ages 7-15. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Sunday, June 23 at Avalon Golf Club.
For details, go to avalonlions.com.
Tying The Knot
McCORRISTIN-THOMPSON ENGAGEMENT
John and Lisa McCorristin, of Avalon, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Alice, to Thomas Thompson Jr. of North Cape May. Tommy is the son of Deborah Layton Kelleher (John Kelleher), of Cape May Court House, and Thomas Thompson Sr. (Terese Thompson), of Green Creek. Alice is a preschool teacher at Avalon Elementary School, and Tommy is the manager of purchasing and inventory at Dorchester Shipyard. The couple were engaged at Christmas and are excitedly planning a fall wedding.
CROSS ATOP WELLS’ STEEPLE FORTIFIED
Before the oldest church on the Seven Mile Beach opened its doors for its 127th season this month, it needed a little work. So on April 10, members of the maintenance committee of the Wells Memorial Presbyterian Church took to the sky to repair the cross atop the steeple.
Last fall, it was noticed that the wooden base holding the cross, which is visible for blocks on the north end of the island, had deteriorated in the harsh shore environment, causing the cross to become unsteady. The new base was fabricated from quarter-inch marine-grade aluminum by Charles Colter of C&C Wielding and painted by Mike Pulaski of Offshore Autobody before being replaced atop the steeple using a special high lift brought in especially for this task.
No one is sure when a cross was initially added to the steeple. The current cross, which is constructed of fiberglass, is believed to have been contributed to the church decades ago. The tiny chapel, which has hosted worship services since 1893, has always considered itself “a church away from home for visitors of many faiths.”
Very early photographs of the church show a fixture of some type but not necessarily a cross atop the steeple in the late 19th century. It’s believed that the cross that was strengthened in April is at least 40-50 years old. Thanks to the strengthening of the base, the cross should stand tall for another 50 years. For this, the 127th summer, services are at 10am every Sunday through Oct. 6, with a hymn sing at 9:45am. A second service will be added at 8:30am beginning July 7, through Sept. 1. The church is located at 9th Street and First Avenue in Avalon and all are welcome to come worship.
To learn more about the church and its services, visit wellspresbyterian.org.
Melissa Perrotta
STONE HARBOR WOMAN TO COMPETE FOR MISS N.J. USA
Melissa Perrotta, of Stone Harbor, will take center stage at the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, Nov. 22-24, as she competes for the title of Miss New Jersey USA 2020. The daughter of Eva Marie Perrotta and the late Louis Perrotta, Melissa has been modeling for a few years with Reinhard Model & Talent Agency of Philadelphia, and this will be her first pageant. She is a recent graduate of Montclair State, where she received her degree in fashion merchandising.
“After my father’s passing this past October, I have been internally pushed to spread my wings and soar, because I know that is what he would want for myself and my three older sisters,” Perrotta says. “So, I think I am most excited about growing even more as a person and inspiring others that they, too, can achieve anything they set their heart to. And what better platform to inspire others through than a wonderful outlet such as the Miss Universe Organization, which is known for empowering others and building self-confidence! I absolutely loved growing up in the Garden State and am so thankful to have the ocean as my backyard. I am truly so excited to represent South Jersey in the upcoming Miss New Jersey USA 2020 pageant!”
The Miss New Jersey USA and Miss New Jersey Teen USA pageants are the preliminaries to the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. If Perrotta is chosen as Miss New Jersey USA 2020, she will move on to represent the state in the 2020 Miss USA pageant, scheduled for next spring.
