Here we are, on the verge of the 2017 Holiday Season! It seems difficult to believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and that autumn is rapidly coming to a close. Nonetheless, I always look forward to this time of year because the holidays tend to bring out the best in us all.
Here in Sea Isle City, you don’t have to look very far to find kindness and selflessness on display –especially at Christmastime. As is the case in many communities, we are blessed with a variety of local civic organizations that regularly host events and fund raisers in support of good causes – and during this time of year, those organizations really shine!
For example, each year the Knights of Columbus of Saint Joseph Church host an annual “Christmas Shut-In Luncheon” in their parish auditorium for residents of nearby nursing homes, special needs facilities and the Vineland Veterans Home. The Knights also help transfer calls from Santa Claus at the North Pole to local children during the Recreation Office’s annual “Santa’s Calling” program. Additionally, Saint Joseph Church is also home to the Catholic Daughter’s Court of Our Lady of Mercy, a generous group of women who will be hosting a Wine Sampling on December 9 to raise funds for their many charitable efforts.
On December 20, Sea Isle’s volunteer firefighters will once again welcome children from the surrounding community into the firehouse on JFK Boulevard for their annual Christmas Celebration with Santa, during which kids can meet Saint Nick and receive a variety of holiday treats. Down the block from the firehouse, at VFW Post 1963, our local veterans will host their annual Brunch with Santa on December 17 so local families can meet Kris Kringle and enjoy a festive holiday meal together. Our VFW veterans also show their generosity each December during the Mayor’s Holiday Toy and Food Drive – and I am very grateful for all they do. This year is our 25th annual Toy and Food Drive, and we hope to make it our most successful to date. One way you can support the Toy and Food drive is by attending the 2nd Annual Holiday Dash November 25 at KIX-McNutley’s, where the Cape May County Association of Chiefs of Police will host a one-mile Run/Walk in support of our Drive. Please see the “Holiday Toy and Food Drive” section of this E-Newsletter to learn how you can help us spread holiday cheer to families in need.
Simply put, the holidays would not be the same without the members of AARP Chapter 710, who show their “holiday spirit” throughout the year by continually making donations to local animal shelters, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and other worthy charities. We are also very proud of the Garden Club of Sea Isle City, which funds a scholarship program and other good efforts, the Sea Isle City Historical Society and Museum, which is staffed entirely by volunteers who preserve our past for the benefit of future generations, and the members of the Sea Isle City Italian-American Club Women’s Auxiliary, who host fund raisers in support of a variety of charitable causes.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the members of Sea Isle City Cats, who work very hard to control and assist animals in need, and the Sea Isle City Women’s Civic Club, our community’s longest-standing organization that also supports worthy causes. Sea Isle is also home to other wonderful groups, such as our local Yacht Clubs, The Commodore’s Club, Town Watch / Town Pride, the Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association, Sea Isle’s Shade Tree Committee, the Beautification Committee, The Tourism Commission, The Environmental Commission, The Recreation Committee, our local Board of Education, Sea Isle’s Planning and Zoning Boards, and other notable groups – each of which have members who care greatly about our community and the people who live and play here.
In addition to the outstanding civic organizations that make Sea Isle City a wonderful community, we also have many individual residents who donate their time, talents and treasures quietly and without fan-fare. Case in point, a small army of people from Sea Isle City help run the Holy Redeemer Food Pantry in Clermont, NJ, where struggling County residents receive free food throughout the year. Additionally, a number of people from our community also donate their time and energy at Volunteers in Medicine in Cape May Court House, where people who have little or no health insurance receive health care and the necessary attention to their medical needs that many of us with sufficient health coverage often take for granted. These and other giving individuals help make up the backbone of our community.
Clearly, we have many reasons to be thankful here in Sea Isle City. With that in mind, I would like to wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving. If you plan to be in Sea Isle City during the Thanksgiving weekend, be sure to stop-by Excursion Park during the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Extravaganza, which will feature two days of activities and entertainment that your entire family will enjoy. I hope to see you there!
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to Michelle Wanner, a charming Sea Isle City resident who was recently crowned Miss Cape May County 2018. Michelle is a sophomore at Saint Joseph University, who has been competing in pageants for several years in “teen” categories. Now that she is Miss Cape May County, she is looking forward to participating in the Miss New Jersey Pageant next year – and I predict that she will be very successful in that competition! Congratulations and best wishes, Michelle! We are very proud of you!
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
