by JERRY BARMASH
Oceanside's business community will come together Saturday evening, Feb. 3, to honor its own at the annual awards and installation dinner of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. Fred Morse will be honored as this year's Citizen of the Year; Lewis Brown, son of Oceanside schools superintendent Dr. Herb Brown, will be recognized as Student of the Year; and, Oceanside chamber president Steve Kass, along with his wife Linda, owners of Candy Beaucoup, will be named Business People of the Year.
Citizen of Year
You might call him Mr. Oceanside.
Throughout the past forty years Fred Morse has been an active numerous organizations throughout the Oceanside community. Morse is a founding father of the Northeast Civic and Taxpayer's Association, a member of the Knights of Columbus, an active parishioner of St. Anthony's R.C. Church and a volunteer at South Nassau Hospital.
For nearly thirty years, Morse has served on the Oceanside Library Board of Trustees, the past two as president. Under his leadership the library has prepared itself for the 21st century, providing state-of-the-art computer equipment for Oceanside residents.
Morse also founded the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Anthony's, serves as chairman of the Oceanside Sanitation Commission and is a past president of the Kiwanis Club.
For the 75-year-old Morse, being chosen Citizen of the Year is an honor he doesn't take lightly. It means the community looks at me with knowledge of the things that I do, participate in [and] contribute to.
Fred Morse has lived in Oceanside for nearly a half-century. Along the way he and wife Kathleen have raised four children, Glenn, Carolyn, Robert and James.
Business People of Year
Long time Oceansiders, Steve and Linda Kass are the recipients of this year's Business People of the Year award. The Kass family moved to Oceanside in 1988, where their only child was born. They have been owners of Candy Beaucoup, a chocolate and gift shop at 3147 Lawson Boulevard, since 1977.
Steve, reached by phone, said he was happy to be chosen. It's a great honor. It was totally unexpected. It kind of threw me for a loss when they told me.
Always looking to expand their product line, Steve and Linda have added a full line of personalized chocolate party favors, ribbons and hand-painted ceramics to Candy Beaucoup's offerings.
Steve is active in the American Legion and serves as president of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce.
Linda is a member of the Oceanside Kiwanettes, and is a Catechism teacher at St. Anthony's. Active in the Oceanside PTA since son Jonathan was in kindergarten, she is presently co-president of the School 2 PTA
Student of the year
For his four years of volunteer service to people of all ages in the community, Lewis Brown, 17, a senior at Oceanside High School, will be honored by the chamber as Student of the Year. Brown has been active in several high school clubs, including DECA, the National Honor Society, the G.O., Site Based Team, Battle of the Classes and the Oceanside Community Activities Board.
Volunteering for the benefit of others is the motto by which Lewis lives each day. Along with his tutoring services and activity in service clubs, Brown raised over $6,000 for the Children's Hope Foundation during a recent fund-raising project.
Brown is the son of Marian and Dr. Herb Brown, the Oceanside schools superintendent.
This year's dinner will take place at Temple Avodah on Sat., Feb. 3. Tickets are $65. For more information, call the chamber at (516) 763-9177.
