PAGE 26
Ocean City Today
APRIL 29, 2022
Optimist Club celebrates 50 years of helping area youth By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (April 29, 2022) Every child could use an optimist in their corner. Over the last 50 years, the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club has rallied behind thousands of Worcester-area children and on Saturday they will celebrate that achievement at the Ocean City American Legion on 24th Street. “I think it’s a testimony to the people who have come before us that
(our organization) has lasted this long,” said Optimist Club President Bill Hickey. “Many clubs do not. The fact we were able to increase enrollment to over 100 members this year speaks a vast amount of credit to the work that we do throughout the community — from small sponsorships and grants we give to sports times to anyone who’s in need and addresses us by request. Try to fill as much as we can with a year’s budget.” See OPTIMIST Page 27
CROSSWORD JACK CHAVEZ/OCEAN CITY TODAY
The Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club commemorates its 50th anniversary with a celebration at the American Legion on 24th Street, Saturday. Pictured, clockwise from top left, are Vice President George Saylak, Treasurer Joe Hammen, Secretary Roger Pacella, board member Sharon Sorrentino, past President Charles Smith and current President Bill Hickey.
Assortment of activities all weekend during kite festival Continued from Page 25 tines on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “Spectators will experience the thrill of watching sport kite demonstrations and get the opportunity to meet the greatest kite flyers in the world. Visitors will understand why Ocean City is the Kite Capital of the World,” Knerr said in a statement. “Ocean City is one of the best places in the world to showcase kites. It is home to the world’s largest kite retailer (Kite Loft) and now to America’s most exciting kite festival. Hundreds of kite fliers from East Coast clubs and sport kite competitors from around the country will fill the sky with an explosion of color, a photographer’s dream come true.” Free sport kite lessons and a “How to fly a kite” class will be offered on the beach in front of the Kite Loft between Fifth and Sixth streets through-
out the day on Saturday and Sunday. Music will also be playing at the store and on the boards, all day long. The Kite Expo is a free event and organizers encourage the public to bring their kites to the beach and have a fun day. Festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. on Friday and end at 5 p.m. According to Knerr, Saturday and Sunday will follow a similar schedule. The Maryland International Kite Festival is a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to educate the public in general in the sport and hobby of kiting, in such aspects as kite safety, aerodynamics, and kite making. In addition, the purpose is to conduct national and international amateur kite flying competitions. For more information about the event, call the Kite Loft at 410-2897855, or visit its website at www.kiteloft.com.
Answers on page 29
