REHOBOTH BEACH — Volunteers and local businesses were honored this month as part of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce's award presentation.

Beebe Healthcare was named the 2020 Business of the Year, Ray Jones earned the Cheryl Blackman Volunteer of Year and the Mae Hall-McCabe Award was given to Hudson Fields.

The awards were announced May 6 at the annual Awards & Installation of the Chamber Board Banquet.

In honoring Beebe,  RBDBCC board member Chris Weeks said that the community "appears to have survived an unprecedented global pandemic over the last year plus, in large part to the performance of the Beebe Healthcare Team."

"It is important to note that in the early stages of the pandemic, Beebe was transitioning to a new President/CEO, Dr. David Tam, whose tenure started on March 17, 2020," he continued. "Quite a way to begin a new job in a new town. Dr. Tam quickly engaged his team and got to work coordinating the organizations efforts to meet the needs of our community."

Notable COVID-19 initiatives implemented by Beebe Healthcare included coordinating COVID testing sites throughout the county, including targeted support of our restaurants; recognizing and reacting to potential hot zones related to the poultry industry; engaging non-English speaking populations to treat and educate; creating negative-pressure quarantine areas at the hospital to control and limit spread; establishing vaccination opportunities throughout the county. These initiatives took place while Beebe kept serving the healthcare needs of the community.

Beebe, among the County’s largest employers, resisted layoffs, and instead cross-trained staff to reallocate labor resources to needed areas.

Beebe officials used many forms of communication to help people understand how to be safe and how to seek treatment when necessary, officials said.

While not-for-profit, Beebe Healthcare is still a business insofar as they need to manage how they deliver service with limited resources, officials said.

The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce began honoring a member business with the Business of the Year Award in 1997. The selection committee considers several criteria in choosing a recipient. Most notably, commitment to the community through in-kind services, volunteerism and/or donations (monetary contributions being of least importance) and the business must demonstrate excellence in operation ethics.

When considering a recipient for the Mae Hall McCabe Award, the selection committee considers several criteria including a candidates’ history of commendable volunteerism, sustained commitment to community service and meaningful altruistic efforts for the good and welfare of the community while usually receiving little or no remuneration for their sacrifice and dedication, officials said. Hudson Fields was awarded the honor this year.

The award was established in 1977 in memory of the late Mae Hall McCabe by her great-nephew Joseph B. Hill.

Ms. McCabe opened her real estate office in 1937 on Rehoboth Avenue and contributed to the needs and causes of the Rehoboth Beach area for more than 50 years.

She most notably helped organize the Rehoboth Beach Chamber of Commerce and was later elected its’ President, and the first woman to hold that office for any Delaware Chamber.

The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsors this award to recognize those individuals whose tireless commitment to community service leads to the betterment of the Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach areas. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Jones was selected as the first recipient of the Cheryl Blackman Volunteer of the Year Award. 

The award honors Ms. Blackman, who loved and served the resort area for 53 years.

“Over the last several years, this volunteer has dedicated his time for Sea Witch weekend, helping at parade registration, becoming a Monster Policeman, lugging and tugging whatever was needed and always smiling," RBDBCC chairwoman of the Board Carrie Lingo said during the presentation to Mr. Jones.