66 - CAPE GAZETTE, Fr/day, May 2 - May 8, 2003
Foster grandparents to be recognized for service in Dover May 2
On Friday, May 2, approximate-
ly 272 Delaware foster grandpar-
ents will honored at the annual
Foster Grandparent Program's
36th Recognition, consisting of a
luncheon and awards ceremony, to
be held at the Modem Maturity in
Dover. Among the honorees is
Sussex County foster grandparent
Maria D'Orazio, who has been a
Trooper
Continued from page 65
formation about an unsolved
homicide and about a robbery in
Selbyville.
Also earning Exceptional Per-
formance Awards were Cpl. Rod-
ney Workman and Cpl. Robert
Truitt of Troop 5, who solved two
robbery cases at convenience
stores near Bridgeville. Acting on
some leads, Truitt and Workman
searched western Sussex for a ve-
hicle suspected of being linked to
the crimes. When Truitt located
the vehicle, two people exited a
home and approached him, so
Truitt began chatting with them.
Within moments he determined
the two were likely suspects in the
robbery case.
While Truitt took the pair to the
troop, Workman canvassed the
neighborhood interviewing neigh-
bors, at which time he developed a
third suspect. Truitt then rejoined
Workman to look for him, fmding
him shortly after their search be-
gan.
Workman also received an Ex-
ceptional Performance commen-
dation for his quick thinking and
behavior when he witnessed an at-
tempted purse snatching while he
was off duty. When Workman
pulled into a shopping plaza, he
saw a man try to steal an elderly
woman's purse and saw an elderly
man try to chase the thief.
Workman used his cell phone to
alert dispatchers. The thief ran
through the store and entered a
waiting vehicle operated by an-
other person. Workman followed
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29-year participant in the pro-
gram.
During the past year, nearly
1,500 children and youth with
special needs and their families
i ad the unique experience of re-
iving more than 238,500 hours
dedicated service and support
from Delaware's foster grandpar-
ents at 100 volunteer stations
statewide. In addition to D'O-
razio, others who were singled out
for special recognition included
Kent County foster grandparent
Almeda Hawkins, 25 years; and
New Castle County foster grand-
parents Earlean Taggart, 24 years;
Lottie Banks and Helen Corbin,
21 years; and Dorothy Waiters, 20
years. Foster grandparents who
the car and provided continual up-
dates to the 911 center until the
vehicle wqnt out of control and
struck a di Workman immedi-
di.
ately apprehended the driver and
held him for the officers who ar-
rived shortly thereafter. They
found the thief soon afterward al-
so.
Cpl. Stephen Mitchell of Troop
4 earned a Superintendent's Cita-
tion, which is conferred on those
who perform well in unique or ex-
ceptional situations. Mitchell was
on his way to a domestic distur-
bance in late December, when
someone reported seeing a man
push a woman from a moving car.
Troopers didn't locate the
woman, but when they found the
car's registration, they learned the
owner's history included assault-
ing a trooper and domestic vio-
lence, as well as an incident in
which he armed and barricaded
himself.
When Mitchell went to the
man's home, the man's mother
told Mitchell her son wouldn't
talk to him. Mitchell tried to urge
the man to talk to him because he
was seeking assurance no one was
injured and there was no domestic
violence. The infuriated man then
suddenly appeared with a knife
against his own throat.
Other police officers then ar-
rived and helped secure the prop-
erty, while the man told Mitchell
to "do your job." Mitchell used
calming negotiating skills, but the
man suddenly placed the knife
point against his head and threat-
ened suicide. Mitchell continued
trying to soothe the man and ulti-
mately was successful. Troopers
transported the man to a mental-
health facility for treatment.
Two other Troop 4 detectives
were honored with Exceptional
Performance awards for their con-
tributions in taking drugs off Sus-
sex County streets. Det. Darren
Short was involved in two sepa-
rate arrests involving several peo-
ple who led a local illegal mari-
juana and cocaine operation. He
was also instrumental in finding
the suspects' drugs and weapons.
Ultimately, the defendants plead-
ed guilty to the charges against
them.
Short was also instrumental in
another case in which he arrested
Ecstasy and cocaine dealers.
Short and other troopers confis-
cated large quantities of drugs and
several weapons. Those defen-
dants also pleaded guilty to
charges against them.
Det. Danny Wright helped shut
down another cocaine operation
that supplied cocaine to several
areas in the county. Wright's in-
vestigation led him to a cache of
crack cocaine, powdered cocaine,
weapons and cash. Numerous
people were ultimately charged,
and the drug operation was shut
down.
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have served 15, 10 and 5 years
will also be presented with awards
at the event, and all of the partici-
pants will be honored for their
services.
Special agencies in Delaware,
as volunteer stations where foster
grandparents have served for 35,
15, 10 and five years will be hon-
ored for their dedication to the
program. They include West Cen-
ter City Day Care Nursery, 35
years, First Step Children's Cen-
ter and Wagstaff Day Care, 15
years, Warner Kindergarten, 10
years, Girl's Inc., Mom's House
and Southbridge Learning Center,
5 years, all of New Castle County;
St. John's Lutheran Early Learn-
ing Center, 10 years, Kent County
Head Start, W. Reily Brown Ele-
mentary School and Wishing Well
Center, five years, all of Kent
County; and in Sussex County,
Laverty Lane, Milford Middle
School and North Milford Head
Start, 10 years, Primeros Pasitos,
Small Wonders Child Care Inc.,
Woodbridge Early Childhood Ed-
ucation Center and Woodbridge
Elementary School, all five years.
For 36 years, Delaware foster
grandparents have been mentors
providing outstanding service to
special and exceptional children
and their families statewide.
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