2005 Citizen of the Year - Dr. Wayne C. Bastian

The recipient of the 2005 Citizen of the Year Award is Dr. Wayne C. Bastian. As most of us know, Dr. Bastian is a resident of the Delmar community and has served the Delmar school district as an educator and administrator. He has also been invovled in many civic organiztions, several of which he still remains today. It is with his dedication to our school district and the many other organizations that have benefited from his involvement, we honor him this evening. The following is the story that appeared in the "Laurel Star" written by Mike McClure.

Dr. Wayne Bastian worked in the Delmar School DIstrict as a teacher, assistant principal, and the superintendent for 34 and a half years. Most recently, he returned to serve as interim superintendent while the district was in the process of hiring a new superintendent. Dr. Bastian has also served his community as president of the Delmar Public Library Commission, as a Delmar, DE town councilman, and as a member of the Delmar Parks and Recreation Council.

Dr. Bastian and his wife of 49 years, Dolly, moved to Delmar from Montgomery, PA, in 1962. Previous to his move, Dr. Bastian worked as a salesman before serving in the United States Marine Corps as an aviation electronics technician. He received his B.S. degree in secondary education with a major in mathematics and minors in social studies and physics from Lycoming College. He studied biology and organic chemistry at Bucknell University in the summer of 1963 before getting his master's degree in science from the University of Georgia. Bastian taught science and math in Williamsport, PA area school district before becoming a general science and mathematics teacher at Delmar Junior-Senior High School from 1962 to 1970. He also taught chemistry, physics and academic mathematics from 1965 to 1970. From 1962 to 1967, Dr. Bastian was a varsity assistant football coach and a junior varsity basketball coach from 1962 to 1966. Dr. Bastian continued to teach while also serving as assistant junior/senior high principal during the 1969-1970 school year. He went on to serve as the school's principal from 1970 to 1977 before becoming the district's superintendent, a job he held from 1977 through 1996 proir to retirement. "You had a lot of responsibility [as superintendent]", Bastian said, My only regret was being further removed from the students. I enjoyed teaching." Later, Dr. Bastian enrolled in summer and evening sessions in school administration at Salisbury State University and went on to attain his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Delaware in 1984. Just last summer, Dr. Bastian was back in familiar territory when he served as the Delmar School District's interim superintendent, while the district searched for a replacement for former superintendent, George Stone. He held the post for three months before handing over the reins to the new superintendent, Dr. David Ring. "It was good getting back and meeting the staff," said Bastian. "It was a challenge because a lot had changed in those nine years." He added that the experience "created challenges'" he wouldn't have had if he had remained retired.

During an interview with the Star earlier this year, Dr. Ring credited Dr. Bastian with helping him make a smooth transition. Dr. Bastian is "not an icon in the community, ne's also an icon in the state'" Ring said.

Over the years, Dr. Bastian has served the Delmar community in a number of ways. He managed the Pee Wee basketball program in the 1960's and was a Delmar town counicilman from 1964 to 1970. He is currently in his second stint as president of the Delmar Public Library Commission. He was instrumental in the purchase of land and construction of the present library in 1982, as well as the library addition in 1990. Dr. Bastian was a member of the Delmar Parks and Recreation Council from 1980 to 1985 and has volunteered his services to that organization since 1990. He designed the State Street Park tot lot fence and coordinated the construction of the pavilion at the Mason-Dixon Sports Complex.

Other community organizations that Dr. Bastian has been involved with include: St. Stephen's United Methodist Church (board of trustees, administrative board member and pastor parish relations committee), the Red Cross (disastor chairman for Delmar area and Sussex County Advisory Board), Nanticoke Memorial Hospital (Community Health Corporation Board of Directors), and the Delmar Chamber of Commerce (president). "I believe you have to give back a little more than you take from the community. If everybody did, the commmunity would do nothing but get better," said Dr. Bastian. He believes that this attitude is shared by the Delmar community, which often comes out in full force to help others in need. "The community spirit we have here, you don't get in a lot of places," Bastian added.

The Bastians hav one daughter, Louise, a resident of Virginia and a son, Joseph, who resides in Colorado as well as six grand-children. One grandson plays high school football and another grandson is on the George Mason University crew team. Dr. Bastian spends his spare time reading, wood working, carving, traveling and repairing/refinishing antique furniture.

As for being named Delmar Citizen of the Year, Dr. Bastian says he was surprised to recieve the honor. "It is an honor. I was surprised because so many people have contributed to our community and continue to do so many things," said Dr. Bastian.

Dr. Bastian - we, The Greater Delmar Chamber of Commerce are truly proud to present this award to you this evening. Your contributions to our school district and the many organizations in which you served and continue to serve are commendable. We appreciate your hard work, your dedication and your fine leadership of our community! Congratulations and thank you from the entire Delmar community!