Ranch Hope has a lot to celebrate! Not only is the organization marking its 45th anniversary of service to young people, it is also proud to help the community recognize Eileen and Dave Bailey with individual honors.

Eileen is the recipient of the Crystal Rose Award for Lifetime Achievement. This honor is presented annually by the Salem County Chamber of Commerce, Salem Community College and Today’s Sunbeam Newspaper. The presentation was the grand finale of the Women’s Leadership Symposium held on May 13.

Eileen’s family and friends joined the crowd gathered for the luncheon presentation in the field house at Salem College. Shirley Campbell, member of the Ranch Board of Managers, shared with the group Eileen’s major role in the founding of Ranch Hope beside Rev. Bailey as well as her other accomplishments.

She continues to wear many hats. Eileen volunteers at Aldine Methodist Church, South Seaville Camp Meeting, Meals on Wheels of Salem County, and the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Historical Society.

And she supports Ranch Hope through the Salem County Auxiliary, where she serves as secretary, and as immediate past president of the Ranch Combined Auxiliaries. Eileen also finds time to volunteer at the Thrift Store and for campus projects.

CRYSTAL ROSE AWARD recipient Eileen Bailey is pictured above with (L-R): Shirley Campbell, Ranch Hope Board member; Salem College President Dr. Peter Contini; Ceil Smith, publisher of Today’s Sunbeam; and Betsy Amoroso, SC Chamber of Commerce Chairperson.

Good Scout Honor

Dave Bailey, Sr. was recognized by the Southern New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts of America on May 14 with the presentation of the 33rd annual Good Scout Award. He was joined by his family, friends and members of the Ranch Board of Managers for the occasion.

In addition to his leadership role at the Ranch, Rev. Bailey serves on the Board of Directors for Salem Rotary, Pennsville National Bank, and he is on the Ethics Board of South Jersey Healthcare. Rev. Bailey is president of the Penns Grove/Carneys Point Historical Society, member of the Salem County Advisory Board for DYFS, and president of South Jersey Camp Meeting Association (South Seaville, NJ). He is an active member of the Alloway Ruritan Club and a former board member for the Salem County Chamber of Commerce. 

The other milestone for Rev Bailey this year is the 50th anniversary of his radio ministry, “The Wondrous Story.” At the beginning of his broadcasting career, Dave traveled to the WSNJ Radio Station in Bridgeton, NJ, every day to do his program “live.” As technology changed, he was able to tape his programs. Now the cassettes have given way to digital CD files!

The Wondrous Story is heard through stations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the West Indies, plus “His Music Place” on the weekend.  Rev. Bailey and his sidekick, Euticus, keep going strong!