24TH ANNUAL PENGUIN SWIM - WE BRAVED THE COLD!
- Category: News, Press Releases
- Posted On:
- Written By: Jamie Donahue
Berlin, Md. – With a forecast of freezing cold temperatures on New Years’ Day, AGH associates, volunteers, and participants were not sure what to expect for the 2018 Penguin Swim. However, the event proved to be successful yet again, with the participation of more than 400 penguins.
“This was by far the coldest weather in the 24-year history of our Annual Penguin Swim,” said Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital, and also an annual participant. “It’s a great event that brings together our community and visitors to have fun doing something a little silly and unique, as well as help one of the most important assets in our community.”
With a temperature below freezing and a wind-chill that made it feel as though it was six degrees on the beach, unique is definitely one way to describe this year’s swim.
The success of the event is due, in great part, to Penguin Swim co-chairs Michael Cylc and Phillip Cheung, who devoted a great deal of their time and energy leading up to New Year’s Day. The support of the communities and resort visitors Atlantic General Hospital serves, as well as the many volunteers and AGH/HS associates, also played a large role in the event’s success, despite the frigid temperatures.
This year’s crowd not only braved the cold, but did it decked out in costumes as though it were a 70-degree, summer day. Not all arrived as penguins; an octopus, an assortment of superheroes, mermaids, Fred Flintstone, and many others were also present.
The 2018 Penguin Swim has raised a gross amount of $98,000 for the not-for-profit hospital, but that number may increase as final donations make their way to the AGH Foundation. Additionally, more than $20,000 worth of in-kind goods and services contributed to the event’s success.
The notables from the event:
Top Fundraisers
Team – Business Category
- Bull on the Beach (Ocean City, Md.), $35,000*
- AGH Poppin’ Penguins (Berlin, Md.), $3,080
- Blazing Suns (Ocean City, Md.), $1,000
*The Bull on the Beach team has contributed more than $500,000 to the AGH Penguin Swim since it started in 1994.
Team – Community Groups Category
- Ocean City Ravens Roost #44 (Ocean City, Md.), $13,602*
- It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere (Port Jefferson, Ny.), $1,765
- O’Jettskis (Ocean City, Md.), $275
*The Ravens Roost team has contributed more than $95,000 to the AGH Penguin Swim over the last ten years.
Team – Youth/Family
- Psychedelic Penguins (Ocean City, Md.), $900
- Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins (Jersey City, Nj.), $675
- Team Cylc (Snow Hill, Md.), $315
Individual - Adult
- Craig Kettler (Leesburg, Va.), $3,825*
- Arleen Dinneen (Ellicott City, Md.), $815
- Samantha Ewancio (Berlin, Md.), $625
*Craig Kettler and family have contributed more than $35,000 to the AGH Penguin Swim since 2010.
Individual – 18 & Under Division
- Max Ewancio, (Berlin, Md.), $725
- Ben Kettler, (Leesburg, Va.), $500
- TIE: Nicholas Gordon (Berlin, Md.), $100 & Leila Attia (Fallston, MD), $100
Costume Contest
- Best Overall Costume - “Rub-A-Dub-Dub-A-Man-In-A-Tub” Mike Schlegel from It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere, Breinigsville, Pa.
- Most Spirited – “Pittsburgh Penguin Bobble head” Lance Bucheit from Hileman Ice Penguins, Bishopville, Md.
- Most Creative – “Octopus,” Debbie Murosky, Pittson, Pa.
- Best Little Penguin – “Army Sergeant,” Tristan Lorditch, Lancaster, Pa.
- Team/Group Costume – “Candy Kitchen Girls” McKenna, Sienna & Keera from It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere, Breinigsville, Pa.
Prizes were also awarded for the youngest and oldest swimmers:
- Youngest Penguin: Grant Kesler (Vienna, Va.) (4 years, 11 months and 3 days old)
- Oldest Penguin: Paul Neal (Selbyville, De.) (76 years and 2 days young)
Special thanks to the AGH Penguin Swim sponsors, including Bull on the Beach/Crab Alley, WBOC, Above Aerial, AGH Auxiliary, D3, Princess Royale, Hardwire LLC, WRDE TV, Blue Water Development Corp., ACE Printing & Mailing, Chris Parypa Photography, Direct Media USA, Clear Channel Outdoor, Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company, OC Wasabi, Dough Roller Restaurants, Trond’s Pool Care, Erik Cantine, Earl Cantine, Ocean Downs Casino, Fisher’s Popcorn of Delaware, The Kite Loft, The Original Greene Turtle, La Quinta Inn & Suites, Red Sun Custom Apparel, Delmarva Media Group, Wilmington University, Coffee Beanery 94th Street Ocean City, The Bank of Delmarva, Guerrieri Family Foundation, Delmarva Collections, Atlantic/Smith, Cropper & Deeley, Atlantic Dental Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, Gismondi Insurance Associates, Jolly Roger Amusement Park, Sportland, Funcade, OC Seacrets, Canvas Experts, Inc., Island Creamery Berlin, The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Dolle’s Candyland, Ocean City Elks Lodge #2645 Ladies Auxiliary, Rosenfeld’s Jewish Delicatessen, Planet Maze & Lasertron, Old Pro Golf, Coastal Tented Events, Impact Home Technology, The Bonfire Restaurant, Lollipop and Company, Long & Foster - Tom D’Ambrogi, and Edward Jones - Max Hutsell.
Oldest Penguin - Paul Neal of Selbyville, Del., accepts the Oldest Penguin
Award from Penguin Swim Co-Chair Michael Cylc.
Team Business 3rd Place Winner: Blazing Suns accept the Third Place Prize
for top fundraiser in the team business category.
Team Business 2nd Place Winner: AGH Poppin’ Penguins accept the Second Place Prize
for top fundraiser in the team business category.
Team Business 1st Place Winner: Bull on the Beach accepts the First Place Prize for top
fundraiser in the team business category.
Comm Group 3rd Place Winner: O’Jettski’s member accepts the Third Place Prize
for top fundraiser in the community group category.
Comm Group 2nd Place Winner: It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere accepts the Second
Place Prize for top fundraiser in the community group category.
Comm Group 1st Place Winner: Ocean City Raven’s Roost #44 accepts the First Place
Prize for top fundraiser in the community group category.
Team Youth/Family 3rd Place Winner: Team Cylc members accept the Third Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the team youth/family category.
Team Youth/Family 2nd Place Winner: Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins member accepts the Second Place
Prize for top fundraiser in the team youth/family category.
Team Youth/Family 1st Place Winner: Psychedelic Penguins members accept the First Place Prize
for top fundraiser in the team youth/family category.
Individual Adult 3rd Place Winner: Samantha Ewancio accepts the Third Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the individual adult category.
Individual Adult 2nd Place Winner: Arleen Dinneen accepts the Second Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the individual adult category.
Individual Adult 1st Place Winner: Craig Kettler accepts the First Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the individual adult category.
Individual 18 & Under 2nd Place Winner: Ben Kettler accepts the Second Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the individual 18 & under category.
Individual 18 & Under 1st Place Winner: Max Ewancio accepts the First Place Prize for top fundraiser
in the individual 18 & under category.
Best Overall Costume goes to Mike Schlegel for “Rub-A-Dub-Dub-A-Man-In-A-Tub”
from team It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere.
Most Spirited goes to Lance Bucheit, the “Pittsburgh Penguin Bobble-head”
from team Hileman Ice Penguins.
Most Creative goes to Debbie Murosky, the “Octopus.”
Team/Group Costume goes to McKenna, Sienna, and Keera, the “Candy
Kitchen Girls” from team It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere.
A special shout-out goes out to Erik and Earl Cantine for their hard work
on this year’s ice sculpture. It was a job well done, as always!
About Atlantic General Hospital
Atlantic General Hospital has been providing quality health care to the residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset (Md.) and Sussex (Del.) counties since May 1993. Built by the commitment and generosity of a dedicated community, the hospital’s state-of-the-art facility in Berlin, Md., combines old-fashioned personal attention with the latest in technology and services. It provides quality specialty care such as weight loss surgery, orthopedics, outpatient infusion for individuals with cancer or blood/autoimmune disorders, retina surgery and a comprehensive women’s diagnostic center. Atlantic General Health System, its network of more than 40 primary care providers and specialists, care for residents and visitors throughout the region. For more information about Atlantic General Hospital, visit www.atlanticgeneral.org.
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