QRCF donates $5K for soccer goals at LB

Staff Reporter

The Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation recently donated $5,000 to the Lord Baltimore Elementary School PTO to purchase soccer goal posts.

The Lord Baltimore Elementary School PTO and Principal Pam Webb accepted a $5,000 charitable contribution from the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation (QRCF) this week, intended to purchase soccer goal posts for the school's outdoor fields. Physical-education teacher Matt Banks will be charged with measuring the soccer pitch and placing the goalpost positions within the track surface that was built with funds donated by the QRCF last year to the school.

Last year's QRCF gift for the expensive track surfacing and paving project was $12,000.

QRCF had more than 730 participants at the Bunny Palooza 5K and 1-mile walk on April 8, with Bethany Beach Mayor Rosemary Hardiman serving as the race marshal. State Rep. Ron Gray (R-38th) and South Bethany Mayor Tim Saxton also joined the festivities and helped with judging a local chili cook-off during the Easter weekend "palooza." The family-friendly event, which also included a short kiddie run near Atlantic Avenue and Garfield Parkway, brought in about $18,000, including sponsorship from organizations including the Carl M. Freeman Foundation.

Alex Gibson, president of the Lord Baltimore Parent Teacher Organization, said the $5,000 gift will cover the entire cost of the moveable goalposts.

"These are the regulation-size goalposts we were hoping to purchase for our students and families," said Gibson. "Mrs. Webb and our PE teachers wanted to be sure we could roll these goals on wheels to place or move them."

Webb said that the goals would be used both for the elementary school physical-education programs and for local community play.

Lord Baltimore Elementary School students play soccer on the playground at the school.

"The kids are super-excited," said Webb. "These new goals will also be great for the community this summer."

Doug Purcell, president of the QRCF, noted that the partnership with the Lord Baltimore PTO has been a great example of community involvement in the Bethany Beach and Ocean View area.

"The PTO here has been great and energized our community, making it a real pleasure to provide these athletic-field funds," said Purcell. He mentioned the PTO parent involvement in creating games and other demonstrations for families on April 8.

"I must say — the LB choir singing the national anthem was the real highlight of the entire morning for me," said Purcell, who is a military veteran and member of the local VFW post.

Webb noted that LB is seeing more participation than ever in Girls on the Run (GOTR), which fielded several teams and involved 30 young ladies in fourth and fifth grades at the elementary school this school year. There is a newer boys’ program, called Let Me Run, which is attracting students in Ocean View and across Sussex County.

"We had a lots of applicants from the boys group this year," said Webb. "You have to get lots of community coaches for the GOTR program and the Let Me Run program," she added, noting that LB is seeking summer-school run coaches as well.

Billy Scott, a past-president of the QRCF, said his daughter Daisy, who has attended Sussex Academy, is very active in the GOTR movement.

"They had 2,300 runners at the Del Tech statewide track meet," said Scott. "The fall and spring GOTR programs are now very popular in Sussex County and around the state."

Staff Reporter

Mike has bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern and is a 25-year member of the National Press Club. He has won four national writing awards for editorial work. He is a native of McLean, Va., and lives in Millville.

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