Retired police chief gets roasted

July 16, 2008
The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce held their annual roast with recently retired chief of police, Bob Blevin, as the roastee. The invitation said “Wanted! To Roast” and featured full face and profile photos of Bob when he joined the police department 37 years ago. I knew it was going to be a fun night when I arrived at the Greate Bay Country Club and a life-size cardboard statute of Bob with large handcuffs around his neck greeted guests at the top of the stairs. Barbara Long and Jennifer Freeman checked in guests while Shawnda Conser ran around taking pictures. These ladies from the chamber office handed me a list of guests to help me write my column, but when I neglected to take their picture I might not be so lucky next time. Casual attire was the dress for the evening and Bob who looked relaxed in shorts and a smart summer shirt admitted to this former roastee he was a little worried about the roast. I caught up with Michele Gillian at the podium going over details of the roast with chamber president Gary Jessel and emcee of the roast Dennis Jones. I stopped to chat with Marie and Aimee Repici who arrived early to stake out a table. Chris and Steve Katsiff looked at a copy of my Gazette to check out their picture in Travels with the Gazette. Jennifer and Leon Costello and Linda and Bill Serber were a little over dressed having come to the roast right from work. Joanne Budnick and Joyce Trofa enjoyed checking out my short skirt and blouse outfit with large matching tote bag. Joanne Walls looked great in a white eyelet summer dress. I enjoyed catching up with Chris and Bob Adams, who live in EHT, but love to bike and walk on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Thanks to Jon Batastini who got this columnist a cold soda while I was busy taking pictures and then Jon missed getting in one of the photos. Jennifer and Jeff Shirk left the kids home with their grandparents and enjoyed the festivities at the roast. Jean Jacobson took the plunge and cut her hair after I cut mine I inspired her to do it. Bonnie Richards-Ryan joked with me about always calling her “Beverly.” After years of coordinating these roasts, Joann DelVescio, who looked great in a bright colored outfit, relaxed and enjoyed the fun with Mike Lloyd from Sturdy Bank. Ron Denney is busy coordinating another trip the end of September to the nuclear submarine base in New London, Conn. and the Coast Guard Academy. Pat and Roy Gillian stopped to congratulate Bob on his retirement then headed downstairs to the pub to have dinner with out-of-town guests. I told Walt Hohman I was delighted to see Lynn Sullivan, who worked at CVS for 11 years, behind the counter at Ward’s where Walt hopes she stays for years. Gary Schaffer gave out business cards with his color picture as he is running for sheriff in November. It was nice to see Joel Mott at the Roast as Joel divides his time between Florida and Ocean City and is looking forward to a European cruise this summer. Thanks to Gail Blevin who gathered the Blevin clan together for a family picture with Bob before dinner. Bill Parker’s been busy training new Parker’s Canteen employees but promised to stop by my office Thursday. On my want into the dining room for dinner I chatted with Suzan and John LaRosa, Joe Iudica, Sally Huff, Brian Broadley, Jo and Sam Capizzi and Janie and Scott Halliday.
I stopped to chat with Susan and Fred Miller, Mary and Bob Wurtz, Joan and Jim Currens, Meg Graef, Nancy Perfect and Dan Parks at the Exchange Club table then Jim and I sat down for dinner with Carol and Gus Bruno, Winnie Piriano, Marion and Ned McCaughey, Carol Heenan, Eric Wakabayashi and Sal Perillo, who took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. Color photos of Bob in crazy costumes were centerpieces on the tables along with handcuffs and silver-star badges. Jeff Van Drew and Nelson Albano made presentations to Bob then guests filled their platters at the sumptuous buffet where I caught up with Gail and Scott Ping and Marie and Bud Knight. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to former chamber president Hank Glazer then he blew out the candles on his Ward’s cake. Hank called up Ted Vaughn who was also celebrating his birthday to share the cake. As soon as Steven Trauger was set up with his video camera emcee Dennis Jones took to the podium to begin the roast. Dennis opened with a Jay Leno type monologue taking potshots at many at the dinner before setting his sites on the roastee. Dennis graduated OCHS with Bob and they often worked together on patrol and in the detective bureau, so Dennis recalled funny incidents that occurred over the years and how quickly Bob moved up the promotion ladder to chief. Dennis joked about Bob being frugal and eating yogurt and granola bars for lunch instead of at the Chatterbox and re-drying paper towels. Former roastee Ron Denney was the first at the podium and joked about not being able to get his parking ticket fixed by Bob when he was chief and getting another ticket while visiting Bob about the first. John Hansen took the high road and was upbeat and professional with his remarks about Bob. Scott Ping also graduated with Bob and said he was “dull, dull, dull” and joked about Bob golfing. Phil Perri and Bob recently turned 60 and Phil invited Bob to his party, but Bob neglected to invite Phil to his.
This columnist, also a former roastee, got into the act and joked about Bob having his picture in my column so much that he’s going to take over my column to be titled “Bob’s Beat” or “Buzzin’ Around Town with Bob” and presented him with a collage of his photos from my columns and to get him started gave him a camera, note pad and pen, press hat and badge and several other items of importance. Myra and Jerry Corcoran let everyone in on Bob’s pottery class he and Gail took at the Ocean City Arts Center with the Corcorans, Lorraine and John Hansen, Michele and Jay Gillian and Rose and George Savastano. This year the group is taking watercolor painting with Kim Weiland and Myra showed Bob’s first beach scene painting. Another former roastee and good friend of Bob’s, Gary Jessel, was the last one at the podium and presented Bob with a pair of blue dancing shoes and announced everyone was going dancing at The Crab Trap after the roast. After cutting Bob up all evening, Dennis closed with some glowing remarks about his friend who was Bob’s best man 32 years ago when he married Gail at St. Peter’s. Jay Gillian and Mike Dattilo arrived during the roast. Among the guests at the Roast were Keith Hartzell, Roy Wagner, Mark Benevenuto, Terry Godfrey, Jeanne Crotty, Roy Wagner, Melva Bailey and Fran and Nick Marotta.
 

Jay and Tiffany Prettyman, Dennis and Lesley Jones, Denise and Chad Callahan and Donna and Steve Ang arrive at the roast.


Jeff and Jennifer Shirk, Bill and Linda Serber and Cathy and Jim Finnegan get together at the roast.


 Denise and Gary Jessel, Gail and Scott Ping, Michele Gillian and Sal Perillo enjoy the roast.


Bob Blevin awaits his roast and is surrounded by his family, mom, Jennie Blevin and wife, Gail Blevin (seated) Katheen Blevin, Helen Blevin Cooney, Kevin Blevin, Paula and Steve Green and Melissa Vogler.


Jerry and Myra Corcoran, Scott and Jayne Halliday, Lorraine and John Hansen and Rose and George Savastano pose for a picture at the roast.


 Tricia Ciliberto, Jean Jacobson, Leon and Jennifer Costello, Joe Iudica and Joann DelVescio line up for a picture at the roast.

 Bud and Marie Knight, John and Marlene Murphy, Gary Schaffer and Beverly and Ron Denney enjoy the roast.

Dennis and Nancy Gail Jones, Phil and Barb Perri and Bill and Linda Parker smile for the camera at the roast.