Dover, Delaware — Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) (“Chesapeake”) announced today  that it will donate $50,000 over the next five years to support the construction of the Greater Dover Boys & Girls Club’s new facility on New Burton  Road in Dover, Delaware. The new 75,000 sq.ft. multi-use facility being built in partnership with Kent County will include a 1,500 sq. ft. learning center with a computer lab, teen room, classrooms and several multi-purpose program rooms.  30,000 sq. ft. of the new facility will be dedicated to Boys & Girls Club programs. The shared facility will also have a field house with four multi-purpose areas, two full-size basketball courts, an outdoor recreational area, and much, much more for club members to access.

“As a Company, we are committed to providing for the children in the communities we serve, and are pleased that we can support a project that could improve the lives of as many as 10,000 Kent County children and their families in over the next several years,” said Michael P. McMasters, President and CEO of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation.

A recent demographic study and needs assessment conducted in partnership with the Greater Dover Committee indicated that the youth population in the Greater Dover community was greatly underserved with limited facility-based programs for youth. The Capitol and Caesar Rodney School Districts serve more than 15,000 children.

“Our partnership with Chesapeake Utilities Corporation will not only help us build our new home, it will help us realize ongoing savings. The money saved through energy efficiencies and supplies will now go directly to programming and serving our members,” said Darrell Tingle, Regional Operational Team Leader and Executive Director for the Greater Dover Boys & Girls Club. 

Since its inception in 1991, more than 9,000 Dover youth have benefited from the Greater Dover Boys & Girls Club. Currently with three Club operations in the Greater Dover area — including Simon Circle, Delaware State University and Liberty Court, these Clubs serve more than 125 children daily. In addition, there are seven school sites for before and after school care in the Caesar Rodney School District. The new facility will enable the Club to increase the number of youth served daily to 300 children and increase membership from 1,000 to 3,000 annually.

The Greater Dover Club launched a community-wide Capital Campaign with the goal of raising e $2,000,000, to include a building fund for capital replacement and ongoing maintenance costs.  In addition, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware will be providing an additional $3,375,000 towards the construction cost of the project.

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy company engaged in natural gas distribution, transmission and marketing; electric distribution; propane gas distribution and wholesale marketing; advanced information services and other related services. Today, Chesapeake, through several divisions and subsidiaries, provides natural gas, propane and electric distribution service to approximately 208,000 customers on the Delmarva Peninsula and in Florida.  In addition, Chesapeake owns and operates a 428-mile interstate pipeline that transports natural gas from various points in Pennsylvania to customers in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Information about Chesapeake’s businesses is available on the World Wide Web at www.chpk.com.

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For more information, contact:        

Sydney Hawthorne Davis
External Communications Manager
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
302.736.7828
[email protected]

Amy Perkins
Director of Marketing & Communications
Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware
302.658.1870
[email protected]

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