Stories Worth Telling
By Jerry duPhily
So, when are you going to retire?
It’s a frequent inquiry from long-time friends and colleagues. And a legitimate question. After all, I’ve been at this quite a while. Plus, I’m no spring chicken.
But, no, I’m not going anywhere just yet. And it’s not because time flies when you’re having fun. Time flies, period — even when you’re miserable.
Truth is, being part of Out & About Magazine remains stimulating. I treasure the community engagement it affords me. It’s my opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself.
Not to mention, the longer you are part of a community, the more that community becomes a part of you. So, no sunset years in Florida or Arizona for this guy. While I know the story of Wilmington is a book I’ll never finish, I want to immerse myself in as many chapters as I can.
Recently, I took a stroll through our archives, refreshing my memory on the past 12 issues. It’s a ritual for me this time of year. What stories did we tell? Are we living up to what we promise readers?
That promise is to be a storyteller for the local scene. Sure, I like reading about national celebrities as much as anyone, but Out & About’s niche is to share the local points of light — the people, places and things that make us unique. Stories that inspire. Stories that make us proud to call this place home.
Following are a few of those stories. Each appeared on our pages in 2023 and each can be found at OutAndAboutNow.com/read.
• The Above Xpectations track program at West End Neighborhood, which, despite not having a track or a gym, is helping disadvantaged young athletes actualize their dream of going to college.
• YMCA of Delaware Executive Director Jarrett Royster, who as a product of the YMCA himself is now setting ambitious goals for the organization that go far beyond physical fitness.
• Rich Raw, who is drawing on his hip-hop roots to positively influence future generations.
• Feby’s Fishery, which began as a family-run seafood market and 50 years later remains a dining destination.
• Delaware Tech basketball coach Dick Rago, a lifelong mentor who helps players find success on and off the court.
• Prolific Wilmington musician John Faye, whose recent memoir honestly shares personal memories of a “mixed-up, mixed-race kid.”
• Kreston Wine & Spirits, an enterprise that was born at the end of Prohibition and remains a Wilmington institution still run by the family 90 years later.
• Jet Phynx, who is using his experiences and connections in the music and film industry to promote Delaware and its talent pool of young artists.
• John Morabito, the former high school football star at Salesianum whose passion for the game hasn’t waned through six decades.
• The Challenge Program, which is helping underserved young adults learn a trade and build a better future.
• Blue Coats Ambassador of Basketball Joe Richmond, who takes his message of fellowship and inspiration to the streets of Wilmington.
• Nick LaMedica, the Cab Calloway graduate who got his start in performing as an assistant to his father, Jungle John, and has gone on to perform on Broadway as well in Disney’s touring production of The Lion King.
• Robert Lhulier, the William Penn graduate who has followed his dreams and today is one of the area’s most prominent chef/restauranteurs.
Nope, nothing like a good hometown story. And we have more in store for 2024.
Happy New Year!
