4 ‘Women Of Wonder’ Honored In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Four Cape May County women were honored on Wednesday as 2021 Women of Wonder for their contributions in their communities.

The Women of Wonder awards luncheon, hosted by the Atlantic Cape Foundation and the Cape May County Women’s Commission at The Flanders Hotel, recognizes admirable local women and raises money for at-risk high school students in Cape May County to attend Atlantic Cape Community College and become future community leaders.

This year’s list of honorees was expanded to include a special “Veterans Salute” to Doris E. Barnes, a 100-year-old retired Marine sergeant from Ocean City.

Her service to the country included managing and distributing secret and confidential technical documents for officers in the 1940s, carrying the files in a briefcase handcuffed to her.

The other three recipients of the 2021 Women of Wonder awards include Marilyn Miller, director of the Sam. S. DeVico Middle Township Senior Center; Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Chase Jackson, director of the Ocean City Arts Center.

“It was wonderful to see so many people come out to honor three incredible women in our community,” said Maria Kellett, associate director of the Atlantic Cape Foundation and dean of the Cape May County campus. “All the support we received from sponsors and guests helped us achieve a dream that was 10 years in the making: creating the Women of Wonder League endowed scholarship. The Women of Wonder endowment will forever give future generations of Cape May County residents the opportunity to attend Atlantic Cape Community College.”

During Wednesday’s luncheon, each recipient was presented with a crystal star award and special recognition from the Cape May County Board of Commissioners and the 1st District state legislators presented by Assemblyman Antwan McClellan.

This year’s awards achieved a milestone, raising more than $17,260 to create an endowed scholarship for students at Atlantic Cape Community College.

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