Town Turns Out in Support of Old School Cape Charles
Several hundred folks came out on a rainy Saturday night to enjoy local musicians, steamed crabs and clams, and support Old School Cape Charles.
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
July 22, 2012
Outside was wet and cool, but inside Wendell Distributors on Madison Avenue last night, the crabs were hot and the crowd was happy.
The occasion was a fundraiser to support Old School Cape Charles — the local group that has sued the Town over its pending sale for $10 of the old school, basketball court, and playground parking lot at Central Park.
A private developer intends to convert the school into an apartment building, but Old School Cape Charles is trying to block that with legal action. The group instead wants to turn the old school into a community center.
Several hundred folks paid $20 each for a night of local music, dancing, steamed crabs, clams, and corn, baked beans and more.
Freshwater Frank (Frankie Russell) and the Fish warmed up the crowd, followed by Heather & Nathan, Melinda & the Benders, and The Wrecking Ball.
Normally staid Cape Charles very nearly faced two competing festivals at the same time. Last week’s Applaud the Sun street party was rescheduled, due to weather, for the same time as the Old School Crab Feast. But Chamber of Commerce officials yesterday postponed the street party once again due to rain.
“Everybody’s here,” enthused one attendee — “except I don’t see a single member of Town Council.” But at least one Council member was certainly there: Frank Wendell, who provided his company’s warehouse for the occasion. Too bad about the others, because Council members are known to enjoy a good party.
And last night was a good example of how a community can enjoy a rainy Saturday night — if it has a community center.
Want to relive the party? Watch the 10-minute video below, featuring Heather and Nathan’s knockout rendition of Mustang Sally/Proud Mary.
Once-Wealthy Volunteer Ministering to Migrant Workers
The Angels, a local family of musicians, assisted by St. Charles Catholic Church volunteers, at an outdoor Mass for migrant workers and their families.
Hector Amortegui coordinates the migrant ministry at St. Charles Catholic Church in Cape Charles.
By KAREN JOLLY DAVIS
Cape Charles Wave
July 12, 2012
Hector Amortegui and his wealthy family fled their home in Bogota, Colombia, after they were threatened by guerilla fighters. Now he’s on the Eastern Shore for a third summer, ministering to migrant farmworkers and encouraging local people to have compassion on them.
“The people have been the ones that made me love this place,” Amortegui said about the Eastern Shore, and parishioners at St. Charles Catholic Church. “They are so transparent, loyal and loving.”
Amortegui didn’t speak a word of English in 2008 when he arrived at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami. Now he translates the Mass into Spanish during the priest’s visits to Northampton County migrant camps. He organizes the collection and distribution of donated items, keeps an eye open for trouble, transports people to healthcare, and coordinates the local volunteers.
“It would be hard to do it without him,” said Chris Bannon, one of the St. Charles volunteers. “We come in with the fluff but don’t have the ability to touch the people. Our ministry would limp without him.”
The Eastern Shore has the highest density of migrant farmworkers in Virginia. Sixteen years ago, there were five tomato-growing companies and 120 camps accommodating 5,000-6,000 workers and family members.
Last year, there were only three growers and 50 camps.
This year, only two agribusinesses have planted tomatoes — Kuzzens/6Ls, and Pacific Tomato Growers — with 1,800 farmworkers in 25 camps. Pacific Tomato Growers does not house children, forcing workers to either look for housing in the community, or leave their families behind.
Jim Albright, coordinator of migrant ministries for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, says the situation is unjust. “If we need their sweat so badly, and we rely on foreign labor, then we ought to welcome them into our society and let them bring their families,” he said. “Otherwise they become just a tool.”
Albright recruited Amortegui at the Miami seminary in 2010. By then, he was studying English five hours a day. He said he learned easily because, having studied as a youth in a Jesuit school, he had a good background in Spanish, French, and Latin grammar. His father is a judge and his mother a professor of philosophy.
More July 4th Parade and Raffle Winners Discovered
They say that news travels fast on the Eastern Shore, but nevertheless it took five days to learn the winners of the two final categories in the Cape Charles July 4th Parade.
“Best Novelty Entry” was won by the Old School Cape Charles group, represented in the top photo by (from left) Katie Wendell, Frank Wendell, and Tommy Godwin.
“Best Equestrian Group” was Pfeiffer Training Stables, shown in the bottom photo.
See our other stories for the rest of the parade winners.
Winners of the New Roots Youth Garden’s July 4th raffle were:
1st prize ($500) – Stuart Smith (Cape Charles)
2nd prize ($250) – Frank Yerabek (Smithfield)
3rd prize ($100) – Bob Panek (Cape Charles)
We’re still waiting for the results of the Golf Cart raffle . . . . 
July 4th Parade Winners and Other Celebrities
Here, as best as we could gather, are most of the winners in the July 4th parade and celebration. Readers, help us out! If you know the names of other winners, post them in a comment below.
Best Non-Commercial/Service Club Entry: Kiptopeke PTA
Best Fire Department/Rescue Squad: Cape Charles
Best Equestrian Rider: Triple M Ranch
Best Commercial Entry: Bayshore Concrete Products
July 4th Celebration Just Keeps Getting Bigger (and Better)!
Tall Ships Weekend Could Become Annual Event
Sultana, Lynx and Appledore V at Cape Charles Town Harbor (photos by Chris Glennon)
By JOAN PRESCOTT
Eastern Shore Virginia Festivals
July 3, 2012
The organizers of Tall Ships at Cape Charles hope to make the festival an annual event.
In addition to pouring dollars into the local economy, events such as Tall Ships and the Birding and Wildlife Festival are putting Cape Charles on the map. There’s a growing awareness of Cape Charles’ deep water port and Northampton County’s many natural and historical resources.
“We had to look at a map to find Cape Charles when we heard we were coming here this weekend,” said Lt. Commander Casey Mahon, commanding officer of the USS Zephyr, one of two Navy vessels visiting Cape Charles for the festival. “Now we can’t wait to come back and bring our families.”
Months of planning and community-wide preparations paid off big time for the local economy June 8-12, with the Tall Ships At Cape Charles festival attracting 7,000 visitors.
Cash registers were ringing, as festival visitors fanned out through the town to patronize the shops and restaurants. Bed and Breakfasts were booked solid, and both the Town Harbor Marina and Bay Creek Marina were full for the first time ever on the second weekend in June. There was even a waiting list for golf cart rentals. “I could have rented three times as many carts as I have inventory,” said Malcolm Hayward, owner of Eastern Shore Custom Carts.
Here’s the Scoop on ‘brown dog ice cream’
Kids scream for ice cream at Saturday’s grand opening of brown dog.
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
June 30, 2012
Record-breaking heat is usually not good for business, but there’s an exception to every rule. If you could choose the weather for the grand opening of your ice cream shop, wouldn’t 96 degrees seem about right?
And so the weather gods smiled on Miriam Elton today, as she finally opened her doors at noon for “brown dog ice cream,” (all lowercase letters, please) on Mason Avenue. The weather couldn’t have been better!
Cape Charles locals have been waiting for months for the shop to open. brown dog didn’t manage to be ready in time for Tall Ships weekend, but it’s made it for the 4th of July. And by the 4th, the staff should have had plenty of experience scooping cones – in fact, by tomorrow they should be pros.
Personal service with a smile!
Grand opening was a “wild success,” with lines of customers “from the dipping cabinet to the door,” reported a staff member. The five regular employees weren’t nearly enough to serve the crowd, and Elton’s friends and family members found themselves pressed into service. One couple stopped in to wish her well, only to find themselves in the kitchen for hours, washing up.
Amid the festivities, the owner was nowhere to be seen. Elton spent the whole day in the kitchen, because only a few hours after opening, the shop was in danger of running out of ice cream, so she literally had to churn out more. [Read more…]
Crisfield Photographer Enamored of Cape Charles
At Watson’s Hardware store you can buy just about anything, or if you prefer,” sit for a spell.”
By Cape Charles Wave Staff
June 29, 2012
Patty Hancock traveled the world as a professional photographer for 25 years, but only now has she discovered Cape Charles. Now resident in Crisfield, Maryland, she recently compiled a photo essay of our town, and has given the Cape Charles Wave permission to republish it. Here, in the eyes of a first-time visitor, and in her own words, are her impressions of Cape Charles:
I recently discovered Cape Charles, VA, a sleepy little town on the move that takes me back to a time when things were simpler.
The Cape Charles Coffee shop has 2 floors. They make a perfect soy cappuccino.
The town is abuzz with “coming back,” and I certainly liked what I saw. The docks are new, projects are in full swing, and a new restaurant is being built near the docks. Oh, and I love the Cape Charles Coffee House. Every town should have a coffee house like that. Quaint and friendly and alive with creativity.
Little shops offer gems that are sure to entice even the most finicky shopper, the theater beckons those who love the arts, quiet golf carts putz around, in no particular hurry, and people who look like they should be modeling casual clothes in magazines parade the main street on bikes adorned with Nantucket baskets.
If any apartments become available here, someone let me know. I’m interested!
