By Donald Wittkowski
Former Ambassador and Congressman Bill Hughes was invited to the annual scholarship awards dinner of the Ocean City Democratic Club on Wednesday night under the guise that he would honor his close friend, Ed Salmon.
Meanwhile, Salmon, who also has a long history in politics and public service, showed up at the dinner thinking that he was going to present an award to Hughes.
Much to their surprise, it was not until the middle of the program at the Tuckahoe Inn that it was revealed that both Hughes and Salmon were among four South Jersey luminaries being honored by the Democratic Club.
Hughes and Salmon joined former Ocean City councilman and community leader Bill Woods and the late youth mentor Dick Grimes in the spotlight during a ceremony attended by a who’s who of South Jersey politics, both Republicans and Democrats.
Speaker after speaker lauded all four honorees as the type of “statesmen” and role models that the country needs in Washington, D.C., to help fix a dysfunctional political system tainted by partisan bickering.
“If everybody in Washington, D.C., was like Mr. Grimes, we wouldn’t have any problems today,” said Ocean City Councilman Antwan McClellan, who accepted the award on behalf of the Grimes family.
Grimes, who died in 2014 at 96 years old, was remembered as a caring and gentle community icon who influenced the lives of countless children through his involvement in the Ocean City Youth Athletic Association, which he helped to organize in 1956.
A baseball field at Sixth Street and Haven Avenue has been named after Grimes in recognition of his devotion to youth sports.
McClellan recalled how Grimes was one of his mentors when he was growing up in Ocean City. He noted that Grimes also left a lasting impression on so many other young people.
“Don’t forget the kids. Dick Grimes taught me that,” McClellan told the audience of Grimes’ legacy.
An Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, Grimes was the first African-American employee at the Ocean City Post Office. As a member of the Ocean City Ecumenical Council, he helped create the local Food Cupboard and Clothes Closet to assist needy families.
“He was just a wonderful, wonderful man who did so much for Ocean City,” state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape, Cumberland, Atlantic, said of Grimes.
The awards dinner also focused on the decades of community involvement by Bill Woods, 82, a former City Council president and former chairman of the Ocean City Housing Authority. Woods is also a former president of the Ocean City Exchange Club.
The 85-year-old Hughes, who lives in Ocean City and is one of Woods’ closest friends, noted that Woods served as his campaign manager when he first ran for Congress in 1974. He praised Woods for his “great talent” and devotion to public service.
“I couldn’t have a better friend,” Hughes said while honoring Woods
Woods responded by saying that he couldn’t think of a better person than Hughes to present him with his award from the Democratic Club.
“I love this guy,” Woods said. “He’s really been a great friend.”
Woods also spoke of his love for Ocean City. He moved to the beach town in 1962.
“My whole life is here,” Woods said. “I love it here. It’s been a great run.”
Hughes and Woods enjoyed success in the political arena on parallel tracks. Woods served on the Ocean City Council, while Hughes went on to become a South Jersey congressman for 20 years and later held the title of ambassador to Panama under former President Bill Clinton.
“He’s an absolute statesman,” Salmon said of Hughes. “He’s really the model everyone in public office should emulate.”
Salmon, 75, built up his own political resume over the years, formerly serving as the mayor of Millville, a Cumberland County freeholder, a state assemblyman and president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
While honoring Salmon, Hughes also pointed out Salmon’s longtime fundraising efforts for colleges, charities and other causes.
“He is probably one of the finest fundraisers in southern New Jersey,” said Hughes, who has been one of Salmon’s closest friends for nearly 50 years.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian was joined by members of City Council while reading city proclamations honoring Hughes, Salmon, Woods and Grimes. Gillian said all four men have left a legacy of integrity, honor and devotion to public service.
“You’re great role models,” Gillian said.
