CAPE MAY COUNTY CARES

When the State Department of the New Jersey American Legion announced that it was sponsoring the Feb. 10th & 11th Telethon for The Arthritis Foundation over Channel 9 in 'New York City, the local Post, Thurston Elmar Wood Post 198 was told that aw posts would be expected to make a contribution^ cither from the Post Treasury or a^fihd-Raising Project, the answer was simple. The Post had no extra funds in the treasury. Id fact it is still paying off a note ircurred when the boiler blew up and had to be replaced. Then the fuel oil tank had to be buried underground to prevent pilferage of oil at further expense to the Post. So it had to be a fund-raiser. Yhe Adjutant was instructed to get in touch with the Dancers Two School of Dancing, run tyy Nancy Gibson and Suzy Burns^ which uses the Post Home for its school. Could they put on a Recital and raise maybe S200 for the Post? They were not prepared to stage a regular recital, but they would consider holding a Dancc-a-thon, in which the dan£c school pupils would not only dance, but would solicit their families, friends, and neighbors to pledge an amount of money if they kept on dancing. And it came to pass that the dancc-a-thon was held at the Post Home on Sat. Jan. 27th, from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. And did those dancers ever dance! With the Disco beat furnished by the Sound System of D&H Electronics of Burleigh, the staid old Legion. Home rocked with the sound of music. Maybe this younger generation has tougher ears, but this observer had to protec his ears by wearing ear muffs. Everybody seemed to turn out to support the Dance-a-thon. Mothers brought their siblings, accompanied by brow*' bag lunches, potato chips, pretzels and evcn\ a popcorn poppei. When the antiquated coke machine at the Legion Home ran out of bottles and it was impossible to get delivery on Saturday, MacDonalds came through with a generous donation of their famous orange drink syrup, and plenty of cold cups from which to drink. And of course kids never drink out of their cups twice, but throwaway the cup and take a new one. It was necessary to replemish the supply of cups and the “Big

Dancing to the Disco Beat at the Dance-a-Thon to aid The Arthritis Foundation sponsored by the American Legion Post No. 198 of Cape May Court House and staged by the Dancers Two School of the Dance, $2500 was pledged for the Telethon on Channel 9, Feb. LOth & 11th from 10 P.M. to 5 P.M.

Mac” people came through with more cups. Meanwhile\ back at the Post Home, the \beat went on. “Macho Man,” “Dance With Me” etc. poured out of the speakers and the stately old Legionnaires, like Col. E.O. Howell, whose pictures hang on the walls, must have covered theii ears in self-defense. But it was for a good cause, the Arthritis Foundation, and the sound pulsated through the building. Neighbors a hundred yards away could hear the music but they generously tolerated it. Back at the Home dancers from the ages of 5-17 gyrated on the floor. Occasionally a Bunny Hop was staged, but the movcrticnt went. Directors Miss Nancy and Miss Suzy announced there would be a prize for the one who danced the longest and Ms. Clara Foster, Commander of the Legion Post donated a second and third prize from her stock of Avon Products. The Dancers Two confided to this interested observer that they expected only 5 or 6 dancers to be around at the finish at 9 P.M ,

but lo and behold, after the some great examples of feminine small fry were taken home and pulchritiduc, Patti Lowry, hi&h tucked in bed, tHefc wcre~Still. sch ool cheerleader, Carla —* *— ,r ~ e — '• sn "Bcllucci, Kathy Coomcr, Lisa

about half of the starters still

dancing.

It took the combined efforts of a whole lot of people to successfully stage this Dance-a-Thon, but particular tribute should go to the mothers. They transported their offspring, fed them and gave them moral support to carry on. More power to motherhood! Among those recognized at the Dance-a-Thon were proud papa Tony Kinncm and official photographer of. the Press, snapping the action in support of his daughter, Lisa; Doris Roberts, sweetheart of the Kiwanis Gub (she serves their meals along with Stella Luke) and her daughters Grrissy and Tina, Dr. Jim Callawiy, local dentist watching his daughter, Rev. William Rcasncr of the United Methodist Church, lending some class to the affair; Agnes Jones, whose niece, April, calmly slept through all the

noise.

Glamour was supplied by

LoWry, Diane Scarlett, Lori Bates, Pam Harven, Karen Lynam, \Susan Gilbert,' Karcq Turbevillc\and Kelly Brophy and Tiny and Chrissy Roberts among many others, Helping Miss Nancy and Miss Suzy with administration duties were Lee Dean, Pat Blood and Elaine Lynam. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the total amount of pledges received. Miss Nancy thought it would be around SI,000; the Legion representative thought it would be a mode $500.00, but officially the amoutft* reached the incredible amount of

52,500.

The check will be presented to The Arthritis Foundation on T.V. on Channel 0 either Feb. 10 or 11 from 10 A.M? to 5 P.M. The Post 198 of the American Legion, the Dancers Two School of the Dance and the people of this community have done

themselves proud and some scoffers said it couldn't be done in Cape May County. Celebrities at the Dancc-a-Tlion included Bill Sturm, Freeholder, George Rapp. County Commander of the American Legion, Irene Oliver, Legion Auxiliary, Dr. James Callaway, Court House densit and Rev. William Rcasncr of the United Methodist Church in Court House. Leading Money Winners: Geraldine Carlberg, Rio Grande; Trina Scrrechia, Woodbine; Carolyn Dwyer, Stone Harbor; Susan Gilbert, Ocean View; Diane Scarlett, Rio Grande; Lori Bates, Rio Grande; Sophia Ujhelyi, Woodbine; Teresa Higgs, Dcnnisville; Kelly - Brophy, Ocean View. * Teresa Higgs, who earned $98 in pledges is only 5 years old. She attends the chatterbox nursery school. Parents arc Kerry and Chris Higgs of \ Dcnnisville, and her grandmother is Barbara ( Richardscn.

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