By Lynn Schofer
The inaugural Cornerstone Family Recognition event recognized 20 local families for their significant contributions to the community last Friday at Seaford High School. The program was organized by Wendy Gutkin, Linda Hollis, and John Hollis, a longtime community leader who led the ceremony. Hollis said the event is important because it launches a campaign to restore and strengthen family values on Delmarva. Opening the event was prayer by Pastor Tim Banks, the Pledge of Allegiance by Midshipman Dylan Simon, and National Anthem was sung by Jennifer Kimball.
A highlight of the evening was guest speaker Ben Carson, MD, whose eleventh book, “The Perilous Fight,” is about strengthening family. Carson has taken great interest in Delmarva through his support of MERIT (minority engineering regional incentive training). In Carson’s twentieth visit Hollis spoke of his appreciation to his long-time family friend.
“Dr. Carson is one of the most sought after speakers in the United States. The admission price was free. He spoke out of his conviction to empower families with his own family as an example,” Hollis said.
Dr. Carson co-founded the Carson Scholars Fund which awards college scholarships to students who excel in academics and in the community. Additionally, Dr. Carson leads the American Cornerstone Institute with a mission to promote community bonds on the cornerstone of faith, liberty, community, and life to secure generational freedoms.
A Cornerstone Family: Shown are Midshipman Dylan Simon, Sharon Simon, Dr. Richard Simon, and Hunter Simon with Dr. Ben Carson (center) at the recent event held at Seaford High School.
Ben and Candy Carson met with local dignitaries prior to the event and Dr. Carson led a panel of guests that included Mayor Matt MacCoy, H.G. Wilson, Earl Wilson, and Jason James during a fireside chat.
“We have a responsibility to protect the children, to stand up for them, to fight for their rights,” said Carson. “I am very optimistic about our future.”
Dr. Carson spoke of the freedoms afforded in the United States and said the American Dream is something that is earned not handed out freely. Carson spoke of his travels and shared an Ethiopian woman’s insight saying when they arrived in the United States they saw opportunity through work and studies because such freedoms were not afforded to them in Ethiopia.
Dr. Carson shared the vision of the American Cornerstone Institute and remarked that it is the foundation of the United States. Carson encouraged the audience to take control of their own future through hard work and being kind to a neighbor.
“Being neighbors with each other, extending a helping hand and a hand up, rather than a handout,” he said. Dr. Carson noted that he believes faith and families are the things under attack with the goal to divide and conquer the foundation of a family and nation. Additionally, he noted the increase in children watching television, playing video games, being on their phones and asked, “Have you noticed the explosion of the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD? I remember when I was a kid there might have been one or two kids in the school (with those diagnoses).”
Dr. Carson said when he met with parents he encouraged the parents to wean kids off television and electronics and spend quality time reading and talking, going outside and exploring. “After three months very few parents needed to put their child on medication,” said Carson.
Dr. Carson noted that television is not a babysitter and the family must teach important values to children. Carson noted when the child reaches school age and it is necessary to concentrate and pay attention to teacher, it is difficult and almost impossible for the child to adjust. Dr. Carson spoke of his mother’s commitment to his education noting that he was not a good student but she insisted on reading books and minimized television. Dr. Carson said, “You think about the incredible brains that God has given us which starts to develop immediately building billions of neurons per day and continues to develop through the mid-20s.” Dr. Carson spoke of the highly compulsive and influential actions of young people because the incomplete brain is very curious and influenced easily.
Carson thanked Hollis for his dedication to the community and handed out congratulations and certificates to each of the Cornerstone Families which included the Jeff Banning family, who wrote Aspire, a leadership program; the Charles Burton family, with over five generations of contributions to the local society; the Bob Carey family, who has led the Teen Challenge Program for the past 18 years; the Buzz and Cindy Christensen family for their work to promote American Cornerstone Little Patriots program and the Walk to Emmaus program; the Brian and Shorel Clarke family for their commitment to MERIT; the Conaway family for their support of the community; the Dale and Dottie Dukes family for their long time service to the community and mission work; the Bernice Edwards family for the work to bring First State Community Action Agency to fruition; the Dan and Karen Henderson family for their work in community organizations and city leadership; the Rob Herrera family, who is a leading partner in the re-development of the Nylon Capital Shopping Center; the Skip and Yolanda Hutson family for their commitment to MERIT; the Jason and Pamela James family for his work as a councilman in Milford and service to the state through multiple board appointments and advisories; the Jonathan and Marian Kellam family for their commitment to MERIT and service to the community; the Jim and Carol Lay family for their service to the community and support of many local programs; the Matt and Sarah MacCoy family for their service to the community and his service as Seaford’s mayor; the Shane and Cassidy Marvel family for their commitment to the youth through sports, education, and farming; the Terry and Vanessa Megee family for their lifelong volunteerism and giving campaigns that raised millions of dollars for the healthcare; the Sen. Bryant and Carol Richardson family for their strong commitment to family values; the Bill and Mary Jane Sammons family (Bill led local festivals and youth programs and the radio station “The Bridge” to promote Christianity); Richard and Marsha Simon who through their journey to adoption exemplify the family purpose and community; and the Howard and Pansy Wilson family who have supported many community programs and projects.
Hollis noted that he wants the Cornerstone to grow to 50 families in order to reach out through regular programs and community work that will strengthen the idea of family. Hollis said Dr. Carson plans to return as well as other speakers that are in the planning phase, “the 50 Cornerstone Family program will have unbeatable strength of family to help the community and families overcome obstacles that they may face.” The evening completed with a family challenge exercise led by Wendy Gutkin, music by Audrey Vazquez and closing prayer by Pastor Rick Betts.
