FILE PHOTO
Members of the Ocean Pines Pickleball Club march down Ocean Parkway during a parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ocean Pines Association, last June.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Dec. 13, 2018) A 50th Anniversary Sock Hop, the final event of the year celebrating the Ocean Pines semicentennial, is set for Friday, Dec. 14 from 6-10 p.m. at the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway.

Event organizer Cheryl Jacobs described the happening as “a time to come and have fun” in a simple, old-school setting.

“We’re trying to have another event to close out the year, that’s not very pricey,” she said. “For some people who, for whatever reason were not able to make it to the gala [last month], this will serve as another opportunity for them to have some fun and close out the wonderful year of celebrations for our 50th anniversary.”

Dino Fradelos, also known as the “Dean of Doo-Wop” on local radio station WEES 107.9 FM, will spin classics from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Costumes are encouraged, but not required, and a prize will be given to the best-dressed sock hopper.

Jacobs and other members of the Ocean Pines 50th Anniversary Committee planned a full slate of events throughout the year, starting with a sign dedication ceremony in January and concluding with the sock hop.

Tickets are $15 per person and include food, water or soda, and giveaways. A limited number of tickets will available at the door, but guests are encouraged to buy tickets in advance at the community center.

Partygoers must be 21 or older and BYOB is permitted. The event is open to the public.

Prior anniversary events included a parade and community day, golf tournament, beach bash, racquet sports tournament, cocktail party, and the winter gala last month at the yacht club.

“Every one of them served a different purpose,” Jacobs said. “We tried to reach as many people in the community as possible and give them different opportunities to come out and celebrate. I think they all have been extremely successful, and I’m just hoping that this last one will also give people an opportunity to have a lot of fun.”

Committee member Sharyn O’Hare said anniversary events have been “the one thing to bring people together this year, which we desperately needed to do.” She said the anniversary helped spread community pride and positivity.

“We live in such a fabulous place and we exposed so many parts of the community when we featured them,” she said. “For example, the golf tournament showed off the beautiful golf course. That was sold out in January for a June golf tournament.

“And the yacht club did an outstanding job at the gala,” O’Hare continued. “That was probably the best party we’ve ever had in Ocean Pines. And the tennis club hosted a tennis tournament that did very well. So, every facility has pretty much been featured with events.”

She said events were all volunteer-run and paid for by sponsorships.

“It hasn’t cost Ocean Pines any money at all to do this,” she said.

O’Hare, who organized the yacht club gala, said that was her probably favorite event of the year.

“I also thought the parade was a great event and the family fun [community day] at the Veteran’s Memorial Park was awesome,” she said. “There was just a lot of fun things.

“I’m also looking forward to the sock hop, but I need a poodle skirt! If anyone has one, let me know,” O’Hare added with a laugh.

50th Anniversary Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Cropper-Rines agreed, “The gala was spectacular.

“I think it was top-notch and it was really, really just the bomb,” she said. “I also thought the history panel [in July] was very well attended for what it was, and the community day – so many people came out for that and the parade. The beach bash was also really fun, and the cocktail party was on my birthday!”

Following the sock hop, Jennifer Cropper-Rines said a final wrap of financials would be done and a new time capsule would be put together in January.

“It think [overall] it’s been excellent,” she said. “We achieved the goal of having something for everyone, and I think all of the events were well attended, well received and enjoyed. Everybody seems to have gotten involved and enjoyed it all, and I think it’s been really good.”

A surplus from the 35th anniversary celebration helped to establish the Worcester County Veteran’s Memorial in Ocean Pines. Cropper-Rines said she did not yet have an estimate for how much surplus funding there would be following the 50th anniversary.

“I expect that we will [have a surplus],” she said. “Probably at our January meeting we’ll have a better idea of our excess revenue. I do believe there’s going to be some and we have to talk about what we want to do with it.

“It all depends on what we end up with. We’ve talked about a few different things, but nothing that we prioritized enough,” Cropper-Rines said.

Throughout all of the events, O’Hare, who organized the 35th anniversary, said Cropper-Rines “has been amazing” as a leader.

“She made it all come together, juggling a lot of different hats in the air,” O’Hare said. “And Denise Sawyer, [the marketing and public relations director] at Ocean Pines, has kept all the volunteers from jumping off a bridge all our event events. Denise has just been wonderful through the whole thing. It’s been a great, all-around event.”