Milton names gazebo in honor of Charlie Fleetwood
The Milton community came together Oct. 13 to honor former Councilman Charlie Fleetwood and his contributions to the town over the last 38 years.
Fleetwood has volunteered and served for countless organizations, committees and groups, but the one that brings the most smiles to the town is the Concerts in the Park series each summer. For that, the Milton Community Foundation, with support from town officials, has officially named the Memorial Park gazebo in Fleetwood’s honor.
“Everything Charlie has done, he has done well,” said Mayor Ted Kanakos. “Charlie is a man who has made a difference in the lives of many people, and has made Milton a better place to live and work.”
Steve Crawford, president of Milton Community Foundation, said Fleetwood has worked tirelessly to ensure the concerts continue, raising all the money and booking all the musicians.
The concerts have been held in Memorial Park every Wednesday of each summer for nearly 20 years.
“I had tried concerts years before on Sunday evenings,” Fleetwood said. “They stayed away in droves. Nobody came.”
He thanked the ladies on the town’s parks committee who convinced him to give it another try in the middle of the week. Fleetwood also thanked dozens of other people, from the Milton library and fire department to town hall staff and his wife of 51 years, Barbara.
Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, said Fleetwood is a role model to others.
“It is the correct way to live your life, by serving others, by giving away or sacrificing your comforts so that others can enjoy the world around them,” Smyk said. “That’s what [Charlie] has done.”
Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, said he expected a phone call from Fleetwood every June seeking a $600 donation toward the concert series.
“We are always happy to give,” Lopez said. “We all need more places for people to come together to make memories.”
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
