OCEAN CITY — The community honored three people and their organizations Saturday during Ocean City’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at the Ocean City Tabernacle.
The more than hour-long program featured stirring songs by soloist Alicia Gadson, accompanied on piano by Durrell Rose; a rousing videotaped rendition of Dr. King’s 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech by the Rev. Greg Johnson and Ocean City Middle School students reading their powerful essays.
The spotlight also shone on the Rev. Paul C. Jerkins, pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Ocean City; Cathy DiMarco, president of the local chapter of the Sunshine Foundation; and the Ocean City Ecumenical Council in memory of Regina Ralston.
Mayor Jay Gillian introduced the MLK Service Award recipients, talking about the importance of community members who care for one another, using Dr. King’s quote, “We may all have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
He said it is a reminder that people can come from different backgrounds and share common goals. “That message is what I want to talk about: coming together to help each other. That is a part of what makes Ocean City special. In times of need, our community has always set differences aside and worked together to help their neighbors.”
Gillian said the three winners “share Dr. King’s commitment to helping others.”
The Rev. Jerkins, he said, recently completed his 10th year as pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, which has been an anchor in the community since 1912 and welcomes many people from inside and outside Ocean City. Fellowship has included buffet dinners, open mic nights, a youth ministry, women’s days, men’s conferences and one of his passions is motorcycles.
The pastor has organized a blessing of bikes and barbecue and helped update and upgrade the church. And, Gillian said, did a lot of work by himself, all while working full time in Atlantic City. He also is the director of Seasons of Hope Ministry.
The mayor said Shiloh Baptist Church has a special meaning for him stemming from a meeting in that church after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 displaced residents who were flooded out of their homes.
“I will tell you it impacted my life. When you walked in there, you saw a lot of hopelessness. It really stays with you. I remember looking at everyone’s faces,” he said.
The mayor said he turned to city Finance Director Frank Donato and then-administrator Michael Dattilo and told them, “I don’t want to hear ‘no.’ I want to get these families back in their houses. Back at that time every two weeks they were told they were going to get money for rent or something like that and it was one of those times I was not too happy with our government. I thought it failed a lot of people. I want to thank council for helping us get those families back into their homes.
“That church will always have a special meaning and it was like a backbone in Ocean City,” Gillian said.
DiMarco is a leader and fundraiser for the local chapter of the Sunshine Foundation, which grants wishes to students with developmental and emotional issues whose families have limited income. The chapter sent a fourth-grader with Turner Syndrome to Disney World this year. The young girl, Gillian said, was noted for her compassion. He said that was an example of the good work done by the Sunshine Foundation.
DiMarco’s volunteer work does not end there.
She is a volunteer secretary for the PTA and Ocean City Education Foundation and has worked for 10 years with Companions of Pauline, a Christian charity. She is vice president of the Knights of Columbus Women’s Auxiliary and volunteers with various school districts, Gillian said.
“Cathy is an amazing person. Her and her family do so much for this community,” he added. Gillian said he admired her and her husband’s humbleness.
Noting how busy DiMarco is with all of her volunteer work, he added, “I want Cathy to try to relax today. I know you want to jump up and help everybody, but you just have to wait. This is about you today.”
The third service award went to the Ocean City Ecumenical Food Cupboard in honor of Regina Ralston, who was vice president of the Ecumenical Council and manager of the Food Cupboard.
“She was a corporate leader who dedicated her retirement years in Ocean City to her church and her community. She was a big part of a large team,” Gillian said. “The Food Cupboard has always been staffed by volunteers and they have always deserved our thanks.”
The mayor thanked everyone at the Ecumenical Council who volunteers their time on behalf of the community.
He said he knew Ralston and she was one of those people who when she set her mind to it, she just got it done, noting one thing he loved about her was the food drives.
He said he hoped the food drives would continue in her honor and to keep her name alive.
The mayor presented pieces of the boardwalk to DiMarco, the Rev. Jerkins and to members of Ralston’s family, a way the city historically honors citizens. Ralston’s husband, Bob Ralston, was in the audience. Ralston’s sister, Monica DeDad, and brother, Robert Interrante, and Jane French accepted the award on behalf of Regina Ralston.
Cape May County Commissioner Bobby Barr presented citations to all three honorees, as did Assemblyman Antwan McClellan with support from Assemblyman Don Guardian of Atlantic County.
The opening and closing prayers were by pastor Dr. Thomas Dawson Jr. of Soar Church in Woodbine. Gadson sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome.”
A special luncheon followed for the large crowd who came to the Tabernacle for the ceremony.