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Jazz Funeral chair proclaims success

September 16, 2022

The Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral committee would like to sincerely thank Bethany Beach Mayor Rosemary Hardiman for delivering the keynote address at this year’s Jazz Funeral. 

On Labor Day Monday, the Bethany Beach boardwalk was packed with residents and visitors who wanted to pay tribute to Summer 2022, to participate in the whimsical and legendary Jazz Funeral, and to hear the remarks from three speakers about their perspectives of this summer. 

The presenters were Bethany Beach Mayor Hardiman, Marie Wright who portrays Sister Marie at the Jazz Funeral events, and Bob Rhodunda, the executive director of the American Red Cross that serves Delmarva, National Capital and Greater Chesapeake regions.

Bethany Mayor Hardiman spoke about the brutal May storm, the work that was done to ensure a successful summer, the memories of the year, and the shoulder season events that have encouraged more folks return again in the fall and winter.  

The mayor thanked all of the departments of the town for working diligently to repair the beaches and crossovers after the May storm caused severe damage.

Among topics the mayor spoke about was the outstanding work of the Bethany Beach-Fenwick Island Chamber of Commerce. She also encouraged everyone to attend the nationally recognized Boardwalk Arts Festival presented by the chamber the following weekend. It was the opinion of all that Mayor Hardiman was a thoughtful, open-minded mayor and a talented communicator.

The American Red Cross of Delmarva was the beneficiary of funds raised on the Bethany Boardwalk on Labor Day and also Sept. 2 at the Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral silent auction hosted by owner Jim Weisgerber of Bethany Blues. 

According to American Red Cross Executive Director Rhodunda, the Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. 

The audience welcomed back with applause Sister Marie after a two-year hiatus. She was always the Jazz Funeral favorite as she reached out during the parade to jazz-funeral-goers with smiles and pointed humor. 

Both the Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral and silent auction were deemed successful. Sarah Dietz proved to be highly competent and very experienced in event management. Sarah along with Carolyn Bacon, Marilyn Panagopoulos, Dave Rickards and Marie Wright made this year’s Jazz Funeral events happen.

Finally, many thanks to the Parish of St. Ann in Bethany Beach. A winning ticket was drawn at the Bethany Bandstand for a 2023 KIA Sorrento donated by Holly KIA in Selbyville. The Jazz Funeral owes a special thank you to Alexis Sclama for choosing the Jazz Funeral to host the event and to Pastor John Klevence for drawing the winning ticket. 

Additional thanks go to the local news media for helping the Jazz Funeral and Red Cross by spreading the word about our activities.

Paul Jankovic 
Chair
Bethany Beach Jazz Funeral 

 

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