Middletown Life Fall/Winter 2020 Edition

Fall/Winter 2020

Middletown Life

Magazine

The old fort, slightly up stream Fort Delaware in photos Page 42

Inside Through the lens: The photography of Jane Mruk A home for the arts in the heart of Middletown Movement is freedom Complimentary Copy

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Middletown Life Fall/Winter 2020

Middletown Life Table of Contents 8

The photography of Jane Mruk

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At the Gibby: A home for the arts in the heart of Middletown

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Student Ryan Nkongnyu leads national business group

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Profile of Dr. Aisha Ryan

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Photo Essay: The old fort, slightly up stream

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Q & A with Dr. John Green

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Give Us This Day: Our Daily Bread provides food and hope

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48 42 42

Middletown Life Fall/Winter 2020 Letter from the Editor:

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In this issue of Middletown Life, we profile some extraordinary people like Dr. Aisha Ryan, who runs her own business while also completing a year serving as Mrs. Middletown, and Appoquinimink High senior Ryan Nkongnyu, who was named the national president of the Business Professionals of America (BPA). We feature stories about Our Daily Bread, which has been serving meals to those in need for nearly a decade, and about the Gilbert W. Perry Jr. Center for the Arts, which has long been a home for the arts on Middletown’s Main Street. This issue also includes the amazing work of Jane Mruk, an Odessa photographer who focuses on preserving images of families and bringing nature to light.

Clients of ALL Therapy in Middletown know Dr. Ryan for her practice as a physical therapist, helping people relieve pain and regain movement. But there is much more to Dr. Ryan, who has held the titles of Mrs. Middletown, Mrs. Delaware America, and Mrs. Trinidad & Tobago World. We talk to her about her platform, “movement is freedom.”

We talked to Mruk, the photographer, about her recent exhibit, “A Wealth of Nature,” which was showcased at the Historic Odessa Foundation’s Visitor Center.

Nkongnyu’s stint as the national president of the Business Professionals of America has a teary and triumphant genesis story about his involvement with the group.

The story about the Gilbert W. Perry Jr. Center for the Arts focuses on how it became a vibrant showcase for the region’s artists, a place to learn, and a place to engage with creativity.

In our Q & A, we talk balls and strikes with Dr. John Green, the Director of Baseball at Next Generation Sports Training in Middletown.

Fort Delaware is featured in this issue’s photo essay, entitled, “The old fort, slightly up stream.”

We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed working on them for you. We wish you all good health and happiness, and we look forward to bringing you the next issue of Middletown Life in the spring of 2021.

Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, Ext. 13

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Cover photo: Jim Coarse, Moonloop Photography Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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|Middletown People|

Through the lens Preserving images of families and bringing nature to light are inspirations for an Odessa photographer

Jane Mruk

By John Chambless Contributing Writer

A

s visitors walked around the first major exhibition of her photographs this fall, Jane Mruk heard someone say, “I didn’t know this area could look like this!”

That’s the kind of compliment Mruk was aiming for. “A Wealth of Nature,” which ran from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1 at the Historic Odessa Foundation’s Visitor Center, showcased about 40 of Mruk’s luminous views of Odessa’s historic architecture, the region’s vistas of marsh and sky, and the animals and insects that are found right here, if only we look for them.

“My goal with the show was to inspire people to step outside and let nature work its magic on them,” Mruk said. “A lot of people forget about the therapeutic value of just sitting outside.

We get so wrapped up in our jobs and lives that we forget to stop to take a look, and take a breath.”

The exhibition showed that there’s plenty of the magic of nature in Mruk’s own yard in Odessa. The glowing color images of a young rabbit, a caterpillar arching up to nibble some dill, a monarch butterfly wrapped in a translucent chrysalis – all were found just steps from her home.

“It’s a lot of patience,” Mruk said of her nature work. But luck also comes into the process. “I was on my way to an earlymorning shoot in the fall, and this fox was on the side of the road. I took two shots before he ran off.” The resulting image, of Continued on Page 10

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“The cobbler’s children have shoes,” says Mruk. This is a recent photo of her 13-year-old dog, Pepper, wearing a floral collar hand made by the photographer herself.

Against the backdrop of thousands of azaleas, the youngest of five children plays in a pink pedal A Snowy Egret carefully balances on a branch at car restored by her grandfather.

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna.

Snow geese taking flight at the edge of Odessa. www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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Jane Mruk Continued from Page 8

the fox looking intently over his shoulder in a field of delicately frosted plants, is stunning.

For larger subjects, Mruk has been fortunate to catch thousands of snow geese in mid-flight on the edge of Odessa, and capture other expanses of southern Delaware that radiate light. Her images of the homes and gardens of downtown Odessa reflect history as well as the beauty of the changing seasons.

Photography has been a constant in Mruk’s life since she was an 8-year-old Girl Scout. She got her own flash camera at the age of 14. “My dad was in the service and we lived all over the country,” she recalled. She has lived in Odessa with her husband Eddie, and son Evan, for the past 16 years.

She graduated from the Antonelli Institute of Art & Photography, now part of Harcum College, and spent her early professional career as a graphic designer. She kept shooting all those years, refining her skills and building a portfolio of work. For the past four years, Jane Mruk Photography has been her professional focus.

“The two go hand in hand—graphic design and photography,” she said. “I still do graphic design for my clients by designing keepsake albums, announcements, party invitations and holiday cards.”

A fox looking intently over his shoulder with a background of delicately frosted plants.

An award-winning photographer, Mruk is a frequent contributor to Outdoor Delaware magazine. She also works with Delaware Wildlands, an Odessa organization that gathers and preserves open spaces in Delaware.

In addition to her images of nature, Mruk focuses on families in the region as a portrait artist.

Continued on Page 12

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Jane Mruk Continued from Page 10

“When my son was born, I got my first digital camera,” she said.

“I’ve been focusing on people and bringing them more into my photography.

“I love photographing people outside, with a backdrop of nature, throughout the seasons,” she said. “I truly enjoy capturing people connecting with nature, blending my passion for the outdoors with portrait photography.

“Working outdoors with photography, you practice getting the butterfly in the frame, or a hummingbird in flight. It’s exactly the same patience needed for a 2-year-old,” she said, laughing.

“My end goal is to provide meaningful artwork that people can hang on the wall,” she said, “not just for me to hand you a flash drive with images on it.”

The process, from initial contact to final art on the wall, includes planning for the location, the time, selecting clothing, then working later with a client to select the images that will be turned into heirlooms.

To get an image that is more than just a likeness, “I’ll get down on the floor with the dogs or the kids, just have a little bit of fun with it,” Mruk explained. “I really want to capture who this person is.”

Despite working in an era when images are everywhere, and Continued on Page 14

Jane loves to photograph family pets like this Black Lab.

Jane worked with a local dog bakery, Sweet Paws Dog Bakery, who created custom dog biscuits for a creative photo session featuring a dog who was up for adoption.

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Jane Mruk Continued from Page 12

every phone can take a likeness, Mruk said she worries about the disposable nature of all those photographs. “I feel like this is going to be the most photographed generation that has no photographs,” she said. “I really encourage people to print their good photos, not leave them online. I want an heirloom quality. It’s important.”

Changes in technology or the loss of a cell phone can mean images are lost forever. But if it’s hanging on the wall as an archival print, future generations can have a tangible link to the past. That’s the contribution that Mruk is aiming to make.

For an image of a grinning toddler in a pink pedal car, Mruk brought together a setting, outfit and prop. “There’s a house in town that has more than 1,000 azalea plants that bloom for only two weeks out of the year,” she said. “This little girl’s grandfather restored that cute little car for their family. I said, ‘You have to bring that! We have to get this in a photo!’ It’s such a sweet shot. I’m so glad we were able to create an image that helps tell their family’s story.”

A photograph of a teen with her arms exuberantly raised in a dazzling field of sunflowers shows the kind of attachment Mruk makes with families. “I have been photographing her

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Middletown Life | Fall/Winter 2020 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com

Jane connects with her teenaged subjects to bring out their individual personalities.

since she was 1,” she said. “And now she’s a high school senior. She’s the same age as my son. Being chosen as a family’s photographer, time after time, is such an honor.”

Mruk does a good business in the fall and spring by taking senior portraits that show both spirit and maturity, even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. The images that express a teen at this critical point in their lives brim with hope and energy.

Continued on Page 16

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Jane Mruk Continued from Page 14

Mruk’s ability to connect with her subjects extends to the hundreds of adoptable dogs she has worked with for four years.

Getting lively images of the incoming animals at a local dog rescue is a matter of not only technical skill, but also capturing the spirit of a dog to help get it adopted. Better images Jane gives a big smile to her son Evan, who often mean more adoptions, especial- assists with her photo sessions. ly when featured in social media.

“It can be tough because they’re scared, they’re tired. So we really have to work to make some of them feel at ease and get a good shot,” Mruk said.

“I look for a connection with the eyes, or show off their markings. There should be a real communication, whether it’s an animal or a person I’m photographing.”

Although she has been busy photographing other people’s families for years, Mruk said she is careful to preserve images of her own. “You know that old theory of the cobbler’s children have no shoes? Not me. I am totally on top of it,” she said, laughing.

For more information, visit www.janemruk.com.

With her son, Evan, manning the camera, Jane poses in front of a new mural at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge which is part of the Delaware Discoveries Trail.

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|Middletown Arts|

A home for the arts in th

Photo by John Chambless

The Gilbert W. Perry, Jr. Center for the Arts team.

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Middletown Life | Fall/Winter 2020 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com

the heart of Middletown

By John Chambless Correspondent

T

he building that holds the Gilbert W. Perry Jr. Center for the Arts is a fixture in the heart of Middletown’s Main Street. Today, it’s a vibrant showcase for the region’s artists, a place to learn, and a place to engage with creativity.

The large, high-roofed building next door to the Everett Theatre once held a Hudson car dealership, and its open floor plan shows evidence of that history. Having been the home to a wide range of businesses over the decades, it now features a sleek retail and exhibition space, a stage, and plenty of room to host visual and performing arts events.

For Caroline Zeitler, the center – known by the affectionate shorthand The Gibby – is a resource for the wider community.

“Ellen Combs, who was in the insurance business in the area, started a non-profit group in 1983 to save the Everett Theatre,” said Zeitler, who is the Hudson Contemporary Director at the arts center. “She knew the local artist Gilbert W. Perry. They worked very hard with a small group of artists, business people and members of the Perry family and together they built the concept for the art center. She was very motivated,” Zeitler said, crediting Combs with securing the initial funding for the operation.

The Associated Community Talents, Inc., purchased the Everett Theatre to restore it. That group evolved into The

All photos courtesy unless otherwise noted

Children can take part in a wide selection of art classes at The Gibby.

Aerial photos of the region by David Carter are being sold to raise funds for The Gibby. Visit www. viewsofMOT.com.

Continued on Page 20 The Gibby hosts a different themed art exhibit every month. www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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The Gibby Continued from Page 19

Everett, Inc., a nonprofit organization that operates both the Everett Theatre and The Gibby Center for the Arts.

The Gibby’s opening in 2006 was aided by the efforts of volunteers and some lucky finds. “Initially, this was all one big room,” Zeitler said.

“Then we added the interior walls, so we could show more art. We found some second-hand shelves for storage, and got some critical funding for the gallery space.”

The welcoming shop area hosts a new exhibit every month that spotlights the talents of regional artists, many of them members of Guild By Association, a group of two dozen artists and artisans. There are 11 members of the Board of Directors, and everyone is a volunteer. The

Artists of all ages can work with experienced artists at The Gibby.

Art receptions bring together artists and the public every month.

center is supported year to year by grants and fundraisers, and there are several events held in conjunction with downtown merchants.

“The space is very flexible,” Zeitler said. “It’s a good learning environment because artists can come in and see different media and styles.”

Director Milton Downing has been involved with The Gibby for seven years. He’s a teacher and artist as well. He’s especially proud of overseeing the center’s art classes, which are offered to anyone, ages 5 or older. “A lot of times, Caroline and I collaborate on things. Since I’m part of the school district, I try to bring students in, to increase awareness of the Gibby Art Center,” he said. “We’ve had several student exhibits. The big excitement for me this year is that our fall classes are full,” thanks to the center’s reputation and its stringent Covid-19 safety procedures. The open,

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Young artists with their creations after a youth art class.

airy space can be opened up for strict social distancing, and all safety protocols are being followed, Downing said.

“To me, this is one of the few opportunities in this area for people to get a total art experience,” he added. “They get to see art exhibits, to be creative in their own way, and to share theater and movies at the Everett Theatre.”

Zeitler is proud of how The Gibby fosters young talent.

“Both here and at the Everett, we’ve seen students really

grab ahold of their craft and succeed in their chosen fields,” she said. “There’s a local woman who started as a teenager at the theater, and is now a voice teacher. We have artists who go on to study art in college.

“It’s a family,” Downing said. “We embrace the whole community, the community embraces us, and then we become a family. Everyone gets to know each other, and Continued on Page 22

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The Gibby Continued from Page 21

Delaware who fought for the suffrage they want to participate. Even board movement, about protesting in the members who leave stay in touch.”

U.S. and Britain, and about aspects of The board oversees the many activiwomen’s empowerment. ties and exhibitions offered at The “My AP Studio and Drawing and Gibby, “using a roundtable discusPainting II students are working on sion of what would fit the community the project, doing a lot of research,” – what’s right for Middletown and she added. “The opening night for the what’s right for our organization,” show is Nov. 14. Any artwork that Downing said. doesn’t specifically relate to the theme Board member Jess Davis, a teacher in the show at the Biggs Museum at Appoquinimink High School, is working to bring students from the The gallery and shop at The Gibby can be will be shown here at the Gibby. The area’s three high schools to The Gibby reconfigured to accommodate works in a wide students will help organize the show. range of media.

They’re learning about the whole to share space and foster creativity. process.”

She is overseeing a co-effort with That kind of cooperative experience the Biggs Museum of Art and the Historical Society of Middletown that will spotlight local fosters community involvement and generates excitement women who were part of the fight for women’s suffrage. around The Gibby, Davis said. It also brings in families of “The students were able to come up with the show’s title, students who might not otherwise have visited the center the thesis statement and the general themes,” she said. before.

Continued on Page 24 “Kids can create artwork about the specific women of

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The Gibby Continued from Page 22

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My goal is to bridge the gap between the arts in the school district and the arts in the town,â&#x20AC;? Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To build a sense of an art community. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to invite art students from all three high schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Middletown High School, Odessa High School and Appo High School -- to come here to hang out and create art together.â&#x20AC;?

As an arm of the Everett Theatre, The Gibby works closely with the creative people on the other side of its wall. The performance space in the art center has hosted cabarets, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musicals, dramatic readings, musicians and singers, and offers open space for set building at the theater.

The Everett will present a live staging of the comedy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clue,â&#x20AC;? using masked actors and strict social distancing for the audience, from Nov. 13 to 22. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a way to keep the theater vital during a challenging time.

Zeitler echoed the importance of community outreach, saying The Gibby is always looking for ways to open its doors to more visitors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to have more visitors, and we would like people to give us input about what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see,â&#x20AC;? Zeitler said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maintaining the buildings is always a challenge financially. And then we need

volunteers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to teach, to help with the shop, or in organizing the classes. There are a lot of people in the community who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t professional artists, but who have great skills that we can rely on.â&#x20AC;?

Despite the upheaval dealt to every business by the Covid-19 pandemic, The Gibby is adjusting, adhering to guidelines and working to let people know that the arts are alive and well.

Downing added that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want this to disappear.

We are a treasure in Middletown. Not just the history, but continuing into the future. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to get more young people in, because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the future. Everybody can enjoy the arts.â&#x20AC;?

To mark the holiday season, The Gibby will host â&#x20AC;&#x153;Small Works, Perfect Gifts,â&#x20AC;? a show of art and crafts for gift-giving, from Nov. 12 to Jan. 1. The Gilbert W. Perry, Jr., Center for the Arts is at 51 W. Main St., Middletown. Regular hours are Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 302444-0332, visit www.thegibby.com, or email thegibby51@ gmail.com.

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|Middletown education|

Mr. President Appoquinimink High senior Ryan Nkongnyu leads national business group

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

A All photos courtesy photos

Ryan Nkongnyu’s first state Business Professionals of America conference, pictured with Princess Achobang, then the state president.

ppoquinimink High senior Ryan Nkongnyu, the national president of the Business Professionals of America (BPA), has a teary and triumphant genesis story about his involvement with the group.

“I was trying to figure my purpose in life – the potential in me,” he recalled. He was then an eighth-grader at Alfred G. Waters Middle School, and his cousin, Princess Achobang, had suggested BPA. Unfortunately on the day of the group’s welcome meeting, he had two other commitments – to help in the library and with a class. He tried to do all three, excusing himself from time to time for restroom breaks. Until he was in the printing room for the library and ran into BPA adviser Linda Prickett.

Continued on Page 28

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t Ryan’s campaign for state president offered two rhyming slogans: “aspire to inspire” and “if u have a dream join my team.”

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Ryan Nkongnyu Continued from Page 26

The gig was up He had applied to be a BPA officer, and when that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen, he started crying. How committed was he? A lot, it turns out, and Prickett recognized that by creating a fifth officer position for him.

And now, four years later, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president of a group of 45,000 students in 26 states.

Ryan is the latest in a stunning string of Delawareans to serve as national BPA leaders in its division for middle schools and high schools.

Princess Achobang, a 2017 William Penn graduate, was national secretary in 2017-18. David Woodside, a 2015 Appoquinimink graduate, was treasurer in 2015-16. Rachel Wagner, a 2015 Appoquinimink graduate, was president in 2014-15. Pencader Charter student Brian Kelleher was national treasurer in 2009-10 and national president in 2010-11.

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Swearing in as state president.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through BPA, I have gained the ability, knowledge and know-how to appropriately conduct myself in a professional setting while exceeding the expectations of those I am serving,â&#x20AC;? Kelleher told the Association for Career and Technical Education. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Faith and family, school and BPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ryan was born in Cameroon, and he and his parents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nicodemus Nchiko, a truck driver, and Mercy Ngenevu, a nurse â&#x20AC;&#x201C; moved to Delaware in 2007. He has three siblings.

Continued on Page 30

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He has a busy life balancing his most important commitments: “faith and family, school and BPA.” He attends St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church in Bear. “When you are planning for yourself, God is also planning for you,” he said. “Each year I grow and get better.”

At school, he is vice president for his class in student government and a member of the Black Student Union. And he runs hurdles.

BPA is known for its service projects, he said, and at Appoquinimink, the service has included volunteering at school events and work in the school store.

He said that determination and perseverance are two of his strongest traits, and he’s also passionate, driven and ambitious. His communication skills are backed up in multiple BPA speaking awards.

He’s also funny, active and adventurous, which is why his personal Instagram account is “Kingryguy.”

Agenda for the president’s year “Ryan is absolutely amazing,” said Shawn Smith, the BPA adviser at Appoquinimink and Redding Middle School. “He is driven. He is a go-getter for whatever he puts his mind to. People like Ryan give us

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Princess Achobang

Ryan’s extemporaneous speech at the 2019 National Leadership Conference was honored.

hope that you’re making a difference. When I met him in ninth grade, I had visions of him in a national role.”

Ryan was elected national BPA president on May 20 in a virtual vote after coronavirus restrictions canceled the conference in Washington. He and his five fellow officers have set up an agenda for their year-long term, which he said stresses advocacy, community-building and planning for the next conference, a hybrid or virtual one.

That agenda will also involve learning. “No matter your background, your skin color or whoever you are, you cannot be part of this organization without learning something,” he said.

Continued on Page 32

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Ryan Nkongnyu Continued from Page 31

So what’s Ryan’s purpose?

“I haven’t really determined it yet,” he said, noting he’s thinking about colleges and majors.

“It’s somewhere in service, because my joy is in helping others.”

He quoted from Denzel Washington’s 2015 commencement speech at Dillard University, titled “Put God First.” This excerpt gives context to the words that Ryan recited in the interview: “Anything you want good you can have, so claim it, work hard to get it.

When you get it, reach back, pull someone else up, each one teach one. Don’t just aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference.”

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Visiting candidates for state officers with state treasurer David Koval at the Chase Center in Wilmington.

Middletown Life | Fall/Winter 2020 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com

Ryan Nkongnyu Continued from Page 32

Better me, better community Princess Achobang encouraged her cousin Ryan to join BPA following her own years-long involvement. The 2017 William Penn alumna was national secretary in 2017-18, when she had started studies (a major in marketing, a minor in French) at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Achobang was an eighth grader when she was drawn to BPA by a “cool event with food,” but her interest quickly became serious. Early on, BPA adviser Carolyn Smalls “pushed me to pursue a path of leadership,” she said. “And then I kept seeing how many doors BPA opened up for me.”

Achobang, who was born in Cameroon and moved to Delaware at age 8, also enjoyed the travel to give keynote speeches and present workshops at leadership conferences all over the country.

When asked how the group has changed her, she began “Oh, man. So many ways.”

Continued on Page 34

David Woodside

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Ryan Nkongnyu Continued from Page 34

Rachel Wagner

Then she added: “It gave me a place to give back to my community. It was a great platform to do good and be a better person. I’m better professionally, with all that training in time management, conflict resolution, strategizing and other soft skills you should learn when you’re young. And then there’s all those lifelong connections.”

She interned at Microsoft and has already been hired and so is planning her move to Seattle.

Competitions and camaraderie 2015 Appoquinimink High alumnus David Woodside was encouraged to join by BPA adviser Linda Prickett when he was a student at Alfred G. Waters Middle. He was a member for seven years, from seventh grade through his freshman year at Tulane University, when he was national treasurer.

“I grew up with it in my formative years. My friendships were built there,” he said. “I really enjoyed the competitive programs and the camaraderie. BPA taught me about leadership, 34

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working in teams, planning and organization and interpersonal skills. I learned all about professionalism while working on issues through BPA.” Woodside is a Delaware native, and he earned his bachelor of science in business management and a bachelor of arts in political economy. He studied in France and Morocco, and he signed up for a two-year stint as a community and economic development volunteer in the Ukraine with the Peace Corps. Coronavirus guidelines sent him back home after less than a year, and at the time of the interview he was contemplating what he would do.

Another early commitment Rachel Wagner was just 12 when she set her personal goal of becoming president of BPA, which has divisions involving middle and high schoolers and college students. “They were poised and polished,” she said after following a national officer. “They seemed to care.”

Wagner also believed strongly in what the BPA stands for: service to the community, skills preparation and mentoring relationships.

She recalls that she missed a month of so or school for all of her BPA meetings, speeches, conferences and other events as organization president. She had to to get approval for missing the time.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies and international relations from Christopher Newport University in Virginia and a master’s degree in government from the University of Toronto, where she’s now working on her doctorate in political theory and international relations.

Through BPA, Wagner improved her public speaking, confidence and leadership, and she also developed a network of mentors – almost all women. BPA “is a very large part of who I am,” she said.

Wagner was another student inspired by Linda Prickett. “She embraced her lead role with Business Professionals of America, grooming students to be entrepreneurs and industry leaders,” Prickett’s 2017 obituary read. “Her kids won honors across the country, and she reveled in escorting them to award ceremonies and boasting about their accomplishments.” www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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|In the Spotlight|

Movement is freedom Dr. Aisha Ryan, who owns ALL Therapy in Middletown, was able to promote her platform that movement is freedom during her time as Mrs. Middletown and Mrs. Delaware America

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

C

All photos courtesy

Dr. Aisha Ryan recently completed her tenure as Mrs. Middletown and Mrs. Delaware America.

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lients of ALL Therapy in Middletown know Dr. Aisha Ryan for her practice as a physical therapist, helping people relieve pain and regain movement. There is actually much more to Dr. Ryan, who has held the titles of Mrs. Middletown, Mrs. Delaware America, and Mrs. Trinidad & Tobago World.

In August, Ryan completed her year as the reigning Mrs. Middletown and Mrs. Delaware. During her time as the title holder, she promoted her platform of “Movement is Freedom.”

“That’s a trademark I came up with in connection to my business,” Ryan said. “It covers how I approach the world as it relates to looking at patients.”

Ryan explained how one patient in particular demonstrated the message. “She was no longer herself because of the pain she was feeling every day,” she explained. “She was dwindling away. During the course of time she came to therapy we saw this dramatic change in her personality. She was outgoing, she went back to walking her dog, and meeting her girlfriends to go out to lunch or the theater. Without pain and movement limitations, you have more independence and you are able to be the best version of yourself.”

Ryan has been in practice 15 years, starting in Washington, D.C. She moved the practice to Delaware seven years ago, and recently relocated to downtown Middletown.

Dr. Ryan emphasizes that there are many ways people can be mindful about their health and lead an active lifestyle. She promoted this platform during her tenure as Mrs. Middletown, but also emphasizes this to her clients.

Ryan has been able to find the time to handle all her duties as Mrs. Delaware as well as taking care of her family and keeping her practice running smoothly at ALL Therapy.

“I used to participate in pageants in my youth. When I got past the age limit, I never really looked into trying to pursue pageantry anymore,” Ryan said. When a call went out for contestants for Mrs. Delaware America, Ryan was contacted to take part.

In spite of a busy lifestyle, Ryan was willing to take on the challenge. “I’ve heard multiple times, ‘if you want to get something done, you give it to a busy person,’” she explained. “My husband and I are always active.”

With encouragement from her family, Ryan committed herself to the process. She has an extensive background in dance, but still wanted to be in tip-top shape. “It took a lot of preparation. I hired a personal trainer. I had to really buckle down and make a lot of commitments to present my best self while representing the state on the national stage.”

Ryan was among the top 15 finalists in the Mrs. America competition, the highest placing for the state of Delaware in

the competition’s history. Ryan also won the award for Most Exotic Costume during the 2020 Mrs. World competition.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” she said. “I was Mrs. Middletown first—that’s the preliminary round to be selected to represent your region and then you go to the statewide competition. That entire process was wonderful.

It was exciting, it was invigorating, and it was one of the greatest opportunities I’ve ever had to connect with and be surrounded by women who are so passionate about their platforms, their families, and the ability to make a difference in the world. You have this period of time when you’re able to be a spokesperson for causes that are bigger than yourself.”

During her time as Mrs. Delaware, Ryan loved being able to incorporate her family into her activities. Her husband Nick and their three children Nya, Naja, and Nicholas Continued on Page 38 www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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Dr. Aisha Ryan Continued from Page 37

went to events with her and took part in activities.

“Incorporating my family in various community events was one of the best parts,” she said. “It was wonderful to be able to take my family along on the pageant journey.”

Last Christmas, Ryan hosted a program along with Daphne Chaniz-Rico, Miss Delaware for America 2019, that featured a book drive, story time readings, children’s crafts and snacks.

“It was a great way to engage the community and promote fun while enjoying activities with the youth,” she said.

Speaking opportunities, community events, workshops and seminars gave Ryan a chance to talk about her platform. She emphasizes that there are many ways people can be mindful

Speaking opportunities, community events, workshops and seminars gave Dr. Ryan a chance to talk about her platform.

Continued on Page 40

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“I believe that, during this pageant, I was definitely able to give a sense of myself as it related to showing my commitment to the town and showing my commitment to the state,” Dr. Ryan said.

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Dr. Aisha Ryan Continued from Page 38

about their health, be active and have an active lifestyle. There are numerous ways to promote cardiovascular endurance and help anyone be the best version of themselves.

“I believe that during this pageant I was definitely able to give a sense of myself as it related to showing my commitment to the town and showing my commitment to the state,” Ryan said. “I loved being able to share my platform. Who they see is who they interact with in my practice.”

Ryan has been able to find the time to fill all her duties as Mrs. Delaware as well as taking care of her family and keeping everything running smoothly at ALL Therapy.

“It’s great to be in the heart of the community. We’re so embedded in the Middletown area. It’s been a great place to raise our family,” Ryan said. “We’re very people-oriented and friendly. I’m looking forward to being here for years to come and to continue as a voice in the community.”

Dr. Aisha Ryan with her husband Nick and their three children.

ALL Therapy is located at 101 North Broad St., Middletown, Del. For more information, visit the website at www.ALLTherapy.net or call at 302-376-5578.

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|Middletown Life Photo Essay|

The old fort, slig

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ightly up stream Photos by Moonloop Photography

Text by Richard L. Gaw Like many fortresses of its kind, Fort Delaware State Park â&#x20AC;&#x201C; located just minutes from Middletown, Odessa and Townsend -- serves as a reminder of Delawareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past, and with the imagination of its volunteers and staff, visitors who ferry there are taken on a tour back in time. To many who live in those towns, Fort Delaware is the equivalent

of an old fort, located slightly up stream along the Delaware River.

Originally constructed by the U.S. Army in 1815 near the conclusion of the War of 1812, Fort Delaware is a 288acre property on Pea Patch Island that was constructed to protect the harbors in nearby Wilmington and Philadelphia.

Continued on Page 44

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Fort Delaware Continued from Page 43

The State of Delaware deeded Pea Patch Island to the U.S. government in 1813, and construction of Fort Delaware was completed around 1859. After a fire, the fort was rebuilt prior to the Civil War, and soon after the war began, it was converted into a Prisoner of War camp for as many as 12,000 Confederate soldiers at one time. The fort continued to serve as a watch patrol site for the Delaware River through World War I and World War II, and in 1951, it became Fort Delaware State Park, one of the first state parks in Delaware.

Today, the park, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has become well known for its many historic programs, its paranormal tours offered in the fall, and for hiking and picnicking along the Prison Camp Trail. Throughout the year, costumed interpreters introduce visitors to the fort’s parade ground, its officers’ quarters, barracks, kitchen and blacksmith shop, and to the sound – and scents -- of the fort’s Columbiad cannon fire.

Continued on Page 46

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Fort Delaware Continued from Page 44

Fort Delaware also shares Pea Patch Island with the Pea Patch Island Nature Preserve, where one of the largest wading bird nesting areas on the East Coast serves as the summer residence for herons, ibises, and egrets.

Fort Delaware is located at 108 Old Reedy Point Bridge Road, Delaware City, Del. 19706. Access to Pea Patch Island and Fort Delaware is by ferry only. The ticket office and ferry dock are located at 45 Clinton Street in Delaware City.

To learn more about Fort Delaware, call 302-834-7941, 877-98-PARKS, or visit: https://destateparks.com/History/ FortDelaware.

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|Middletown Life Q&A|

Q&A Dr. John Green

Director of Baseball at Next Generation Sports Training, Middletown

With nearly three decades of coaching experience, it is fairly safe to say that Dr. John Green knows baseball. His resume includes serving as the head baseball coach at Salem Community College, St. Georges Technical High School, Howard High School of Technology and at Middletown High School, where he was an assistant for his father Richard, a member of the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame.

Recently, Middletown Life caught up with Green to talk about his work as the Director of Baseball at Next Generation Sports Training in Middletown, as well as the state of the game, some of his favorite coaching moments and his childhood hero.

Who first taught you the game of baseball, and describe those first valuable lessons you received about the game.

I was very fortunate to have had many great coaches right from the beginning of my playing days, but it was my father who was my first teacher of the game. He was the head coach at Middletown High School for 18 years while I was growing up, and I attended many of his practices and games during that time. By the time I reached the sixth grade, I was charting pitches, keeping score of the game and going on scouting trips with him. I was learning to become a coach without even knowing it.

My father always had time to practice with me no matter how tired he would be. We lived on a dairy farm and my father would milk cows in the morning, teach school all day, milk cows at night and still have time for batting practice, fielding work or pitching. We built a mound in our side yard that saw a lot of use as I pitched many simulated games on that mound.

With nearly three decades of coaching experience, it is safe to say that while you may have learned the game of baseball through old school techniques, you have seen the modernization of baseball incorporate science and analytics. As the Director of Baseball at Next Generation Sports Training in Middletown, how do you incorporate the advancements in teaching with good old-fashioned, hard-nosed baseball wisdom?

The game of baseball has remained the same, but the training has certainly evolved. If you coach the same way you were coached 20 years ago, you are very far behind the times. The fundamentals of throwing and hitting have not changed, but how we measure and look at them has.

The use of slow motion video has allowed coaches to 48

Middletown Life | Fall/Winter 2020 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com

actually break down the skills of throwing and hitting, and science has led us to know what exit speed you need to achieve and what the proper launch angle of hit balls should be.

There are drills to promote these skills in order to enhance player development. Arm care protocols and strength training now must be incorporated into all programs for the player to achieve their genetic potential.

Describe how you first approach your teaching methods at Next Generation Sports Training. Before the player takes the mound or steps into the batterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s box, what do you discuss with him or her?

The first thing we find out is why they have come to Next Generation Sports. Are they here because their parents are making them come in, or are they here because they want to become a better baseball player? I see both types of players all the time. Once the player gets to the point that he or she wants to achieve, they have to erase the notion that they can be perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect baseball player, or one that cannot improve.

We at Next Generation Sports give the players the permission to fail. It is very difficult to learn to become a better baseball player without accepting failure, but once they fail, then it is our responsibility to build back that confidence in the player.

Player development occurs after failure, and while this is a tough step for both the player and parents, once a player starts to learn from the failure, improvement happens dramatically. It is a major lesson that I have to get through to parents, as their natural reaction is to protect their children from failure. I also tell them to support their Continued on Page 50

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Dr. John Green is the Director of Baseball at Next Generation Sports in Middletown.

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Dr. John Green Continued from Page 48

player but allow their kid to play the game.

At any youth baseball game, there seems to be ten parents who think they are Major League hitting coaches. The best coaches actu- Green learned the fundamentals of the game of baseball from his father Richard ally have the players Green, who is a member of the Delaware work hard enough Baseball Hall of Fame. where they are figuring out the process themselves through repetition and failure.

As an evaluator of baseball talent, what intangibles do you look for in a baseball player, that don’t necessarily transcend into statistics or linescores?

The mental game is so important, as the brain tells us what we can and cannot do. We spend time on becoming better mentally every day, and sometimes, it involves breathing techniques, self-talk such as “Next Pitch,” and competing on every pitch instead of worrying about the scoreboard. The scoreboard is the enemy of player development, and too often, players concentrate more on the outcome of the game instead of the play that needs to be made in the present.

Instead of thinking about winning and losing, I want players to learn how to compete. Life is a competition and it needs to be taught. I tell them, ‘Take care of all the little details of the game, and the big picture outcome will be a by product.’ I also look to see how players react to failure, because it tells me who is mentally strong and able to overcome mistakes. The players who can overcome mistakes will be winners. All great players have this ability.

If there is a criticism levied against today’s crop of Major League baseball players, it is that while they are faster and stronger than those that came before them, they lack the basic fundamentals of the game. Who is at fault here?

I believe the fault is with the professional organizations. It is not that the players do not have the ability to do those things, but doing those things does not get the players to the next level. Big salaries are paid to guys who hit home runs, and the game is changing towards power.

The fans also want to see home runs, and they are the ones who ultimately pay the salaries. If a Major League player gets 600 at-bats in a professional season, he may see as many as 2,400 pitches, and if he averages 40 50

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Green stands behind a facsimile of his favorite baseball player, Cal Ripken, Jr.

home runs a season from those 2,400 pitches, he will make enough money to last a lifetime.

Very often, a coach or parent will point to a major league player and tell a son or daughter who is just beginning to play baseball, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Watch him. Pattern your game after him.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Which player would you point to as a proper example of playing the game the right way?

My guy has always been Cal Ripken, Jr. I grew up a fan of his and loved his work ethic. He always showed up to play and played the game hard. He was not a flashy player, but more of a blue collar player who grinded out games. I admired that style of play.

While it is safe to say that you have coached hundreds of baseball players over the course of your career, a few of them have stood above the pack, in terms of talent and potential. When you think about that roster, are there certain players who come to mind?

There are certainly many players that I remember for many reasons, but it has been the special performances of a few that I will never forget. Bob Kunz played for me at Howard, and he pitched a no-hitter in the state tournament, which was made even more special because Howard was the 15th-seeded team in that tournament, and we beat the second-seeded school. Not only did he Continued on Page 52 www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2020 | Middletown Life

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Dr. John Green Continued from Page 51

throw a no-hitter, but he did it on three days’ rest. I smile every time I think about it.

Another great performance I will never forget happened when I coached at St. Georges. Stan Zulkowski hit three home runs for us in a state tournament game, which still stands as the all-time state record. I have a great of picture of him rounding third and giving me a high five after his third home run. It still seems like it was yesterday.

Another of my other most cherished memories happened when I was coaching at Salem Community College. KT Thomas came on in relief on one day’s rest against the topranked team in the country. He never thought he would pitch that day and once we got the lead in the seventh inning, I went to bullpen to ask how his arm felt. He told me that his arm felt okay, and I told him to get loose. He later came into the game and shut that team down. I will never forget how he competed that day. There was never a doubt once he took the mound.

What is your favorite spot in Middletown?

I love all the local baseball fields, but the one spot that is my favorite is Noxontown Lake, that overlooks the beautiful

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campus of St. Andrew’s. To me, there is nothing better than watching the sun shine on a Bald Eagle as it soars around the lake.

If you were to host a dinner party, who would you have sitting around that table?

My favorite dinner party guests would be a group from college. I attended Lynchburg College in Virginia and left with a great group of friends. We still send text messages on a daily basis and get together on a yearly basis. We share great memories together and always find a way to have a good time.

What food or beverage can always be found in your refrigerator?

I would have to say Pinot Grigio wine. My wife needs it in order to put up with me. It is her favorite, so I try to keep it stocked.

Next Generation Sports Training is located at 110 Patriot Drive, Middletown, Del. 19709. To learn more, call 302-396-9988 or visit https://ngsportstraining.com.

-- Richard L. Gaw

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|Middletown Community| In collaboration with its many partners, Our Daily Bread Dining Room prepares and provides nutritional meals to those in need in the M.O.T. community. It’s a mission that is not only nourishing bodies, but souls

‘Give us this day…’

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

and shifted but never lost sight of our mission. It’s thanks to our volunteers, many of whom ecency, kindness and arrive here for the first time humanity have a way of intending to volunteer a time or filling up all of the holes, two, and end up falling in love no matter the obstacles that with the place.” attempt to hold them back.

First founded in 2012 -- when As the calendar year flipped it began serving meals at the to 2020, the Our Daily Bread Dale United Methodist Church Dining Room of MOT, Inc. was -- Our Daily Bread is the result clicking on every cylinder of its of what happens when the infecmission to be the selfless conduit tious emotion of helping others to hope for hundreds of people Photo by Richard L. Gaw meets collaboration. Throughout in the area who badly needed Some of the members of the Our Daily Bread Board of Directors the year, nearly two dozen hope. Out of its kitchen and include, from left, Treasurer Paul Willbanks, President Betsy area church outreach groups, Cave, Vice President Larry Norfleet, Director Kathy Ursitti and supported by churches, senior Director Tom Garone. civic associations, restaurants, centers, volunteers and donabusinesses and social action tions, lunch was served five days a week and dinner twice committees work together with the more than 300 Our a week, and at every meal, each one of the eight tables was Daily Bread volunteers to purchase, prepare and distribute fully occupied. meals – all of which are compiled in a pre-determined Meal by meal, the initiative that began eight years earlier monthly menu that ranges from pizza donated by Pat’s – to prepare and serve healthy meals to the disenfranchised, Pizzeria on the first Monday of the month to Fish Fridays the homeless and the forgotten populations at no cost to to Pasta Nights to themed dinner nights. them – was creating a bond of fellowship that could not Thanks to citizen contributions, the storage room at Our be broken.

Daily Bread is stocked with non-perishable cans of food, When a worldwide pandemic made its way to Middletown as well as peanut butter and jelly, pasta, sauce, coffee, tea earlier this year and forced Our Daily Bread to temporarily and other much-needed items. In addition to meals-to-go, shut its doors, the decency, kindness and humanity did not guests also receive bags of goodies that include fruit, water shut down with it. and sweet and salty treats, and on Fridays, guests receive These beautiful acts merely pivoted. a complimentary bag of essential groceries, all donated by For the past seven months, Our Daily Bread has been pro- members of the community and local grocery stores. viding take-home meals out of its North Broad Street home During the course of a given week, it is not uncommon to to as many as 100 people five days a week. see a pastor mixing a meatloaf recipe in Our Daily Bread’s “We designed Our Daily Bread in a way that allows commercial kitchen, a business leader serving guests at those who eat here to feel as if they are guests in our their tables, and representatives from a retirement facility home, in order to relax, socialize and enjoy a great meal in washing and restacking dishes in preparation for the next the fellowship of community,” said Betsy Cave, president day. Board Vice President Larry Norfleet, who is also an of Our Daily Bread. “When COVID-19 hit, we galvanized ordained deacon at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, regularly

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steps in to help his fellow church volunteers prepare meals on every third and fourth Friday of the month. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s helping our neighborsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Out of the sincerity of our church groups, our civic groups and our volunteers, we want to do something to help the individuals who are less fortunate than we are, and we have found the areas where help is needed,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the simple philosophies of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Help your neighborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic, Presbyterian, Protestant and Baptist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all trying to help our neighbors. It has been what has brought us together, and it is what keeps us together.â&#x20AC;?

The mission of Our Daily Bread is not only seen in its varied menu, but in its position as a conduit and connector to the many services agencies who provide assistance to those in need. The organization partners with the Neighborhood House, the State Services Center and the Friendship House in Wilmington â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all of whom work with Our Daily Bread to link guests to vital services like medical guidance, food stamps, job opportunities and living arrangements. Often, an agency member will visit Our Daily Bread and share information directly with guests.

When Cave retired, she had two primary goals in mind: to cook and to help people. When she joined Our Daily Bread in 2014, she quickly saw the impact the agency was already having on the community during its two short years of existence. Together with other board members and local leaders, she helped to convert what had been used as a medical arts building behind the Middletown Historical Society into a full-service restaurant. Renovation began in 2014, and in 2016, the agency served its first meals at its new home.

To Cave, every meal at Our Daily Bread adds to the already well-layered fabric of its mission. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There have been nights when I have actually been tearyeyed, because our guests are so thankful for what we have done for them,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have heard their stories. We know these people like they are family. There are often moments when I feel as if I am receiving more from Our Daily Bread than those who visit us.â&#x20AC;?

Cave is not alone in her sentiment.

When Our Daily Bread treasurer Paul Willbanks is not doing the books for the organization, he can usually be found cleaning dishes on the nights when the New Covenant Presbyterian Church â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where he serves as the chairman of the Board of Trustees â&#x20AC;&#x201C; prepares a meal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every one of us -- every church and organization and business and volunteer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is here to make this little bit of Continued on Page 58

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Our Daily Bread Dining Room Continued from Page 55

the world a better place, to invite those who need help to leave here after a full meal and feel better about themselves,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do this because of an outpouring we have for the love of our community, and as a response to our faith.â&#x20AC;?

Extending that hand For Norfleet, the breadth of the mission goes far beyond the bounty of the meal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to make sure that we make this life a little easier for them,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful to hear the words â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I got a job,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My family is taking me back inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You helped me to become healthy enough to prove to my family that I am worthy of returning to them.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Too often, there is a gap between a time when someone is given up on and he or she finds his or her way in the world again, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here in that gap that they simply need help to survive. We try to fill in that gap. We try to extend that hand. We make them feel as if someone really cares for them. This is an organization that provides the tools to reach out and provide that help.â&#x20AC;?

Our Daily Bread is located at 214 North Broad Street in Middletown, behind the Middletown Historical Society. To learn more about how your group or agency can volunteer or sponsor a meal, visit http://ourdailybreadmot.com, or call 302-285-9540.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Courtesy photo

Throughout the year, Our Daily Bread collaborates with nearly two dozen local church groups, businesses and agencies to prepare and serve seven meals a week.

Courtesy photo

The dining room at Our Daily Bread is often a crowded one, with as many as 60 guests seated at every meal. All meals are served by volunteers.

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