Small Town News

Priscilla Smith honored for years of community service

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Village Improvement Association bestows honor to longtime library board member

Forgive Priscilla Smith if she gets a bit uncomfortable talking about herself.

"I don't say much," she joked.

A modest person, Smith gets a bit embarrased at some of the accolades she receives, most recently the Village Improvement Association's Citizenship Award, which honors a woman in the Cape Henlopen area who makes a lasting contribution to the community.

Smith was honored for her 15 years of service as president of the board of directors of the Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library. She also serves as Rehoboth's city treasurer and is also supportive of her church, All Saints' Episcopal.

Smith's involvement with the friends of the 1ibrary was a happy accident.

"I don't know, somebody just called me up and asked me to be on the board. I was on the board for a while, then I guess we just couldn't find anyone to be president," she said.

"I'VE BEEN HERE EVERY SUMMER SINCE I WAS BORN. TO ME, IT'S JUST HOME. THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE. IT'S FRIENDLY. YOU JUST LOOK AT IT AND THINK OF HOME."

PRISCILLA SMITH, VIA CITIZENSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT

The Friends help raise funds for the library, which, coincidentally, was one of the Village Improvement Association's (VIA's) earliest projects, dating back to 1912.

One of the Friends' major fundraising events is the annual Chocolate Festival, which attracts visitors from as far away as Ohio and has become a major spring event.

Smith has been around for all 19 previous chocolate fests. She said the event was started by Patty Derrick and then was continued by the city as a fall event. The next two chocolate festivals were put on by the VIA and then the Parks Committee, of which Smith was chairwoman of.

Eventually, Friends and Rehoboth Beach Main Street began alternating years before coming to the joint sponsorship the two organizations enjoy today.

Of the growth of the Chocolate Festival, Smith said, "It's amazing. It's really amazing. The first year was just as big as it is now, but then it really petered out for a while.

"Since Main Street's gotten involved it's better, because they can get the merchants in to sell tilings and advertise."

While you may think the sight of people lined up around the block for chocolate would make Smith proud, she joked, "I feel bad for the people out there. I want them to rush through and eat!"

Smith's role in the festival is to pick judges and gather volunteers. Despite her modesty, she was touched to be the second recipient of the VIA's Citizenship Award. The first winner was friend and colleague Nancy Martin, who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. Presenting the award to Smith was Martin's husband, Guy.

"I'm very honored to follow in her footsteps, obviously. She was really a great force here in Re-hoboth and everyone looked up to her, so I'm honored, really," Smith said.

Originally from Dover, Smith and her family moved around a lot until settling down in the city she is proud to call home. She and her late husband Jay retired to Rehoboth 27 years ago.

A housewife, Smith raised her three children and didn't get involved in community affairs until her move to Rehoboth.

"I've been here every summer since I was born To me, it's just home," she said.

"The whole atmosphere. It's friendly. You just look at it and think of home."





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