About Us
The 38th District
The Shore Democrats' service area includes the Delaware 38th District. For more information on the 38th District, click here. Also see sussexdems.blogspot.com.
The Shore Democrats
The Southeastern Sussex County Democratic Club (SSCDC), which started doing business as "Shore Democrats" in 2009, has been a presence on the eastern shore of Sussex County for well over 25 years. Not much is known about the Club's early years. But what is known is that SSCDC is now perhaps the largest of the several Democratic membership clubs in the county.
We are committed to supporting candidates for public office who share our Democratic philosophy and ideals.
We also share a belief that "giving back" to our community. Both as a group and as individuals, our members donate their time and talent to helping others. Our members donate nearly 1000 hours a year to over 30 organizations helping others. Our work includes working with Habitat for Humanity, mentoring students, supporting meals on wheels, collecting donations for food banks and adopting a road to clean up litter.
Please consider joining us. Our modest membership fee entitles you to receive our monthly newsletter and to be involved with a great and caring group of people. You may call our president Lee Dogoloff @ 302-537-6996 or reach him by email at dogoloff@shoredemocrats.org
Mission
SSCDC is a membership organization committed to electing qualified Democrats to pubic office at all levels of government and to advancing democratic ideals. Membership is open to Democrats and Independents dedicated to the club's mission. As a membership organization, it is independent of the Party's political structure. The club has nevertheless always worked closely with party representatives while maintaining its independence to take positions on legislative and policy issues and, perhaps, pursue different priorities consistent with its mission.
Who Are The Club Members
Although Sussex County is the largest Delaware County geographically it is not the largest demographically. The latter, however, is slowly changing. The county is experiencing significant population growth with new residents moving to the county's resort communities from neighboring states. Not surprisingly, club membership reflects this demographic change and largely consists of comparatively new residents to the County who are getting involved in their new communities.
That said, this change in demographics poses both a challenge and an opportunity to reach out to voters. Outreach is a never-ending activity and takes make forms. In 2003, a brochure was mailed to newly registered Democrats and Independents to introduce them to the Club. The Club began staffing booths at local community fairs where people could be engaged in conversation about the club, the party, local candidates and voting opportunities. This gave the club and candidates significant visibility. The festivals included the African American (AFRAM), the Festival Hispano, and the Indian PowWow, among others. This effort was singularly successful and has since been taken over by the Sussex County Democratic Party, which expanded it to involve party officials from all over the county --- not just members of the Southeastern Sussex County Democratic Club.
In election years, voter registration drives have been organized in schools, at local fairs and wherever people gathered.
The club has recognized that it also needed to reach out to the business community, not just as voters but as businesspeople who have a stake in public policy deliberations and who drive economic growth in the eastern shore. Business issues, especially small business issues, are non-partisan and the field should not be left to Republicans. The small business community needs to hear from Democrats. For this reason, the club joined the Bethany Beach-Fenwick Island Chamber of Commerce. Directors have been attending Chamber meetings.
Club Newsletter and Speakers Program
To keep members informed on emerging issues, the club initiated a newsletter in which national and local issues were reviewed. Information was shared about factors forming the backdrop for public policy issues. To illustrate, traffic and road congestion are chronic problems on the eastern shore in the summer. One newsletter published a paper prepared by a state senator on the billion dollar deficit in the state's transportation fund, which was limiting road building initiatives.
Additionally, the club has held meetings either at lunch or at night to hear presentations from public figures such as the Governor, County Council members, State Representatives and Senators and from community leaders expert in education, health or environmental issues. Two such meetings were devoted to a discussion of the offshore wind farm and alternatives to generate increased power to meet Delaware's projected increased demand for electricity. A breakfast meeting in 2004 broke attendance records at which Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), then ranking Democratic member of the U. S. Senate Budget Committee, provided impressive data and graphics on the disastrous impact of the national debt and annual deficits, largely fueled by the Iraq war. The Senator's website, which is continually updated, is a great source of information.
Election and Other Political Activities
During each election cycle candidates are invited to address the members on why they are running for office. The Club provides a forum for members to question candidates and for candidates to hear from voters. In 2008 the Club sponsored candidate forums for candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Governor and Lt. Governor to which the public was invited.
Under the Club's By-Laws members can vote to endorse candidates, which the membership has done on several occasions. A Public Action Committee (PAC) has been formed to raise funds to help candidates.
In addition to regular national and state elections in which members play an active role, there have been several special elections in recent years to fill vacancies in state offices. Campaigns are compressed into very short time frames and require especially concentrated efforts. Club members have contributed a significant number of hours, working on phone banks, door-to-door canvassing, mailings, etc. to help elect Democrats. Their efforts have been successful in some but, alas, not in all of these special elections. But this is nevertheless an important part of being a club member, of being a concerned Democrat fighting for democratic principles and ideals.
Conclusion
The club has become an activist organization involved in political and community activities. The club has earned the respect of the state party and elected officials for its efforts in promoting democratic principles. On an individual basis, members devote significant time to community service. The work continues and expands.
Profile: The 38th District Democratic Committee
What is the 38th District Democratic Committee and how does its work differ from that of the Shore Democrats? While the club conducts educational activities and financially assists candidates, the committee is officially designated by the state and county Democratic parties "to support the mission and goals of the national, state and Sussex County Democratic Party and to work for the election of Democrats to public offices at the national, state and local levels." Members' most prominent public role is to organize election activities in the eight local election districts that form the 38th Representative District.
"Our priority is electing Democrats in the 38th District and to county seats, but we're active in other districts as well," says Pete Keenan, the committee's chairman since 2007. He points to recent successes beyond the district in helping elect leaders such as Joan Deaver to the county council, Brian Bushweller to the state senate, and Brian Short to the state house. With the proceeds of its active fundraising, the committee is permitted to grant $600 each to local candidates and $1,200 to state candidates.
Serving with Keenan as committee officers are Lee Dogoloff, vice chairman; Russ Melrath, treasurer; Janet Skibicki, recording secretary; and Cheryl Fruchtman, corresponding secretary. In addition, up to three members are allowed for each of the eight election districts (one woman, one man, and one additional representative are designated).
"We have several openings on the committee," notes Keenan, who urges interested Shore Democrats to apply to join. The public is invited to attend forthcoming committee meetings, held at the South Coastal Library, at 7:00 p.m. on October 5, November 2, and December 7.
With about a thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats in the 38th District, and given the district's history of supporting Republican candidates, the committee is gearing up for election year 2010. Two of the most important races for the county are Sussex County Council seats in the 4th and 5th districts, now held by Republicans George Cole and Vance Phillips, respectively. These council districts encompass the 38th, 40th, and 41st representative districts. Phillips is likely to be challenged by one or more Democrats; in the latter case, a Democratic primary would determine the party's candidate in September 2010.
Also on the ballot next year will be the 38th District house seat now held by Gerald Hocker and the senate seat of George Bunting. Democrats Eric Swanson (sheriff), Greg Fuller (register of wills), and John Brady (register of deeds) are expected to be in the running countywide. State offices in contention may include the attorney general, treasurer, and state auditor.
Two national races attracting attention are the U.S. House and Senate seats. John Carney is actively running for the House seat long held by Mike Castle. To fill the Senate seat vacated by Joe Biden, the race could end up being between Castle and Biden's son and the current attorney general, Beau Biden. "Let's get Democrats elected up and down the ticket from the U.S. Senate to sheriff," urges Keenan as the committee prepares for the important campaign year that will begin in January.
Executive Board
Lee Dogoloff, President
Lee Dogoloff, LCSW, BCD, currently maintains a clinical practice specializing in the treatment of drug, alcohol and general mental health problems. He holds an advanced clinical practice license in both Maryland and Delaware. He has a broad background in and extensive experience with drug problems and policy setting at the local, state and Federal levels of government, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of The Way Home Program.
Mr. Dogoloff’s experience includes: President of Employee Health Programs; the only drug abuse expert appointed by President Bush to his Drug Advisory Council; the Executive Director of the American Council for Drug Education ; from 1977 to 1980, Mr. Dogoloff served on the White House staff as President Carter's principal adviser on drugs; Deputy Director of Federal Drug Management in the Office of Management and Budget; Director of the Division of Community Assistance at the National Institute on Drug Abuse; Director of Government Assistance in the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention; Deputy Administrator of the Narcotics Treatment Administration in Washington, D.C.; coordinator of Community Services for the District Of Columbia's Department of Corrections. Mr. Dogoloff received the Distinguished Service Award in 1975 for his work at the White House Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention. Mr. Dogoloff is the author of several publications on the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. He has also discussed the complexities of the issue on NBC's Today Show, CBS’s This Morning, the MacNeil Lehrer News Hour and numerous other television and radio programs.
Janet Skibicki, Vice President
Janet Skibicki is a native Delawarean from New Castle County, where she retired from the Du Pont Co. She vacationed in the Ocean View/Bethany Beach area for years before making Sussex County her permanent home in 2002. She is married with two grown daughters and three grandchildren. She loves to fish, clam and crochet. She has been a member of the 38th District Democrat Committee since 2005.
Cheryl Reed Fruchtman, Secretary
Cheryl Fruchtman’s experience includes: President of Claymont Young Democrats; Committee person in the then 8th Representative District; Chairperson of the then 6th Representative District; Campaign Manager to Gene Reed for State Insurance Commissioner; presently working on Greg Fuller's campaign for Register of Wills and committee person in the 38th Representative District; Secretary to the Shore Democrats. She lives in Dewey Beach with her husband Marc. They have four sons; Jeremiah (Darlene), Jason (Meghan), Joshua (Kate) and Jacob and five granddaughters; Kaya, Mariam, Izabella, Amalia and Amara.
Pete Keenan, Director
Pete Keenan is a native of New York and a career-long member of IBEW Local 589. He started his career as an electrician on the Long Island Railroad and served as a member of the union’s Executive Board, Political Director, and Chairman. He was a representative of the IBEW International in Washington, D.C. In 1984, he became Personnel Director. He retired and moved to Sussex County in 2002. He is a member of the Southeastern Sussex County Democratic Club, Chair of the 38th District Democratic Committee, Treasurer of the Sussex County Democratic Party, and a member of the Executive Committee of the DE Democratic Party. He was campaign manager for Shirley Price, Bob Maddox, and Kay Ryan in the 38th District. He lives in Selbyville with his wife Patricia O’Brien-Keenan.
Natalie Reatig, Director
Natalie Reatig is a retired U.S. Department of Health and Human Services employee. From 1965-1985 she was research assistant and later Program Administrator for Special Populations, Psychopharmacology Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health; 1985-1996 Director, Protection and Advocacy Program for Individuals with Mental Illness (civil rights/legal services), Center for Mental Health Services, DHHS. She received the DHHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service in 1996, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration Administrator’s Award for Meritorious Achievement in 1995, and the Public Health Service Special Recognition Award in 1995.
She has been on the boards of the ROSEBUD Film and Video Awards, the Washington Film and Video Council, the DC Film and Video Peer Awards, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research, and Applied Research Ethics National Association, and was host of the Weekly “Artists’ Salon” in Washington, DC. She is currently a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood of DE, Compassion and Choices, and Drug Policy Alliance/NORML.
Cyndee Trower, Director
Cyndee Trower served in the health sector of the federal government before retiring to the Bethany Beach area in 2001. She has always loved nature and has a Wildlife Studies certificate from the Friends of the National Zoo, and her garden has been designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. She is a registered Yoga teacher, who works with a Yoga teacher training program in Lewes. She develops and coordinates content for the Shore Democrats website (shoredemocrats.org) and the 38th District Democratic Committee (38thdistrict.deldems.org)
Diane Maddex, Newsletter Editor
Diane Maddex is president of Archetype Press, a producer of illustrated books, for which she has developed many award-winning titles on architecture and design. She is also an author who has written more than a dozen books, including six on Frank Lloyd Wright. Her first book was Historic Buildings of Washington, D.C. An honorary member of the American Institute of Architects, she previously was a journalist and worked with the National Trust for Historic Preservation for many years. She was a member of the Design Review Board, Reston, Va., and a juror, publications awards program, American Association of Museums. She was a staff member of the Democratic National Committee in 1968 and was involved in Democratic politics in the Washington area before moving to Delaware in 2002.
Mary K. (Kay) Ryan, ex officio member
Mary K. (Kay) Ryan was President of the Democratic Club (now called the Shore Democrats) for 7 years. She is a retired Federal attorney, a graduate of Harvard Law School, and a member of the 38th District Democratic Committee since 2001. She has been active in many Democratic campaigns. She is on the Board of Directors of Clear Space Productions, Inc., a performing arts organization based in Rehoboth. She is an enthusiastic bridge player.
Web Sites We Like
- Del Pointe Resort and Racino www.delpointeresort.com
- The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce www.bethany-fenwick.org
Pete Schwartzkopf, 18th District Legislator, talks to Shore Dems on November 4