i

c

Needy f sIAnI^^Se^ices^Cut 'County Disconnects ‘First Call’

By Bob Shilts

RIO GRANDE — The county had decid- ' ed to eliminate funding to the United

Way’s "First Call for Help.”.

The decision to divert federal Title XX morties from the telephone information and referral service will cause the layoff of

its dntire three-member staff.

County freeholders. United Way directors and "First Call's” director said it would follow a "new direction in 1983.” but

they declined to be specific.

“First CeU" was created three and onehalf years ago to link the county’s needy with the social services they required. It has been receiving 600 to 700 calls a month and has served some 30.000 people, according to David Fothergill-Quinlan. its

director.

THE AGENCY, whose mottos are "Always ah Answer.” and "Never a Dead End.” deals with everything from drug abuse to depression from leaky roofs to teen-age pregnancies. Fothergill-Qujnlan

I ; i’*: CAPE MAY ■V COUNTY ^

ftmun

« '

said housing and utilities problems have

been prevalent lately.

The organization was formed in 1979 after the county’s Human Services Coalition identities information and referral as the top social service priority in Cape May

County. f

This year, "First Call” got $32,500 in federal money. $7,400 from the United Way and $12,500 worth of in-kind, non-cash support from the county. The latter is basically office space and support in the county

yuletide* tr greetings

Social Services building County freeholder Gerry Thornton, i oversees the county social service syst blamed a $30,000 cut in federal Titfe funds for the agency's demise But United Way sources^said "F Call'' had been "a source of irritatioi some in county government" by provid direct services instead of limiting its Uvities to referrals and follow-up. SOME UNITED WAY directors b noted that it had raised $110,000 in 1 funds and had listed "First Call for He among 12 agencies that would benefit It was suggested that "abandonmcni the popular service would jeopardize United Way’s credibility and abjlity raise funds." The United Way this month allocai "First Call" $7,500 for 1983. but was unal to make up the county cuts and decided give the agency staff two Weeks' notice fective Dec. 3i Thornton said "First Call for Help" v be renapred "Volunteer Services," a will be operated by the county Welfa Department personnel One additioi omployee may have to be hired, he saic / ‘TM TRYING to absorb federal cuts easflj- as I can," he said, adding that me money must be provided to agencies th (Page8P!ea$e)

NewsDigest Longer Haul

The

Weeks Top Stories*

SHE'D BETTER NOT POUT — Two-year-old Alflson Kerr looks like she's just been told by Santa Claus that she Aon't be getting a Strawberry Shortcake Doll for Christmas/ Allison is the

. . . — Dprii Word daughter oflHr. and Mrs. Robert Kerr of Ocean Vly w. Santa supplied a lap and a willing ear for more than 100 children at the Avalon Recreation Department Christmas party.

WILDWOOD — City officials are pondering municipal vs private trash collection after receiving estimates that annual trdsh-hauling costs of $52,000 maj triple next year when a landfill in Wood bine Will replace the current one in Mid die Township. Limit Condos STONE HARBOR — Borough Council is expected to accept a planning board formula that'Would limit conversion^ of multiple-family dwellings to condominiums to one unit per 600 square feel of space. > . Not Into the Buck buy WILDWOOD CREST The state Department of Environmental Protection told the borough and the county Municipal Utilities Authority that backbay discharges of stwdgc effluent * will be prohibited nd matter how high the treatment level. ' Tentative A/>f>ointments VILLAS — Lower Township Commit teewontan Peggy Bieberbach will official ly become mayor Jan. 1. commit iemembers.informally decided Monday. Other tentative appointments depdty mayor, Robert Fothergill; solicitor. Bruce Gorman; prosecutor. Richard Goodkin; auditor, Ford Scott & Assoc.. (Page 8 Please)

Coast Guard Sinks Christmas Liberty

lay an Thecal II coii

and send all

By Joe Zelnik

CAPE MAY — Some 600 recruits will spend their Christmas holidays at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May Ths is the first time in the memory of center officials that recruits have not received two weeks of liberty to go home ’ for the holidays. The new policy was

recommended to the Coast Guard by the^-v Some 150-200 recruits in their fifth and

at? si:

Alameda, Calif , in May recruits to Cape May.

ALAMEDA WAS SHUimecause we said we could train them all, v said Winslow, who pointed out that the same 400-member permanent party at Cape May will be able to train an additional 750 recruits this year

by not closing.

center in the interest of "efficiency,’ cording to Cmdr. Stanley Winslow, train-

ing officer.

"You lose efficiency when you close,” he said. "Taxpayers' dollars go into this place. Everybody’s looking at the federal deficit. It sounds great to send recruits home for two weeks, but that had many

problems."

He said that efficiency at Cape May was / a factor in the Coast Guard’s decision to close its only other training-center at

sixth weeks of the eight-week program vyill be permitted to leave the center to have Christmas dinner with volunteer host

families throughout the county.

So far, about 55 volunteers willing to entertain 120 recruits have been located by base Chaplain Carl Drake who is coordinating the program through area churches. He asked that anyone willing to invite two recruits (they travel in pairs) to Christmas day dinner to call him no later than Thursday afternoon at 884-8451, ex-

tensiori\234.

WINSLOW SAID the center is purposely "ryot [Haying up" Christmas until Christmas Eve in an effort to ward off homesickness. 1 For example, Winslow turned down^an offer from the Coast Gurad Officers Wives Club to sing Christmas carols outside the barracks fast Sunday. He asked them to wait until Christmas Eve, but they wire unavailable then. "We appreciated their offer,” said Winslow, "but..." Recruits also will not be able to receive Christmas presents since the Center’s normal policy forbids packages from home. It sent letters to all recruits’ parents asking them not to send packages "There are too many..problems with getting unauthorized items,” Winslow said. ONE POLICY will be amended.

however, to give the recruiLs access to pay phones in order to Call home. Normally, they cannot do this until their sixth week Also, normal Friday graduations will be held on Thursday this week and next to enable those recruiLs to get home for the

holidays.

The recruits will have their usual train(Page 8 Please)

-NOTICE-

The Herald and Lantern offices will be clooed Dec. 24 and 31 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Today, Dec. 22, hi the news deadline for the Dec. 2$ Issue; tomorrow. Dec. 23, is the advertising deadline. News deadline for the Jan. S Issue will he Wednesday. Dec. 21. and advertising deadline wjll be Thursday, Dee. Jt.