By MADDY VITALE
Talk about one-stop shopping. For anyone new to town or wanting to find out about businesses, organizations and groups, Welcome Night, courtesy of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, was the place to be Wednesday.
The free annual event at the Sports and Civic Center offered attendees a place to learn about the community.
Residents browsed tables where people were on hand to chat, give out literature and free items from stress balls to pens, to chip clips and plenty more, not to mention free food.
“This year’s Welcome Night seems to be more successful,” said Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We have a new youthful group that came out to enjoy all that Welcome Night has to offer for the community.”
Mark Reimet, a certified financial planner and owner of Ocean City Financial Group (OCFG) on West Avenue in Ocean City, and Chris Kent, also from OCFG, spoke with Ocean City residents Mary Crane and her sister, Jackie McLeer, and couple Curt and Linda Gronert.
Reimet said for the past 20 years, OCFG has had a table at Welcome Night.
“Every year we enjoy meeting the new people in town and seeing the people who come back,” he said.
The attendees also get a lot out of the night, they said.
“I like seeing all of the businesses in town,” Crane said as she looked through the pamphlets on the table.
“We get to meet so many people who own businesses,” McLeer added.
The Gronerts enjoy the night so much they tell others to attend because of its benefits.
“Curt and I always tell anyone we can to come out and get a feel for what every organization is about and for what the businesses have to offer,” Linda noted.
Ocean City Councilman Jody Levchuk wears two hats at Welcome Night each year. He is co-owner of the Jilly’s downtown and Boardwalk shops.
Each year he comes out for the night and each year it is a success, he said.
“It’s great because there are businesses you don’t necessarily see or think about until you meet them on Welcome Night and you get to see what they are all about,” Levchuk said.
Some people stopped to speak with Ocean City police officers Jack Davis and Mike Gray, who are part of the Community Policing Unit.
They had an array of materials and free giveaways all geared toward bicycle safety.
Michelle Smith, of Sunbury, Pa., and Bryanna Valentine, both of Cup O Code, a shop on Asbury Avenue, stopped to chat with the officers.
“We were talking about bicycle helmets,” Smith said.
She said of Welcome Night, “It’s great. I love it.”
Valentine noted that she asked about different bicycles for her since she is very tall.
Like Smith, Valentine said she was enjoying the event.
“There are a lot of great people here and new businesses to learn about,” she said.
For more information about the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit oceancityvacation.com.
