By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
There may be no better way to practice social distancing this summer than to jump on board a boat and take a trip out on the ocean or bay.
One first responder or healthcare worker who has been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic will be able to venture out on the water from Sea Isle City or Avalon courtesy of a free membership from Carefree Boat Club of South Jersey.
Carefree Boat Club is awarding the year-long membership to a local first responder or healthcare worker as a special thank you during the pandemic.
“We are grateful for the selfless service of our local first responders and healthcare workers,” said Sean McNulty, membership director for Carefree Boat Club. “Their sacrifices help keep all we love about the New Jersey shore safe and healthy for our families, neighbors, and colleagues.”
The one-year free membership will provide the winner with unlimited access to luxury boats and Jet Skis at Carefree Boat Club’s locations in Sea Isle and Avalon. The unlimited membership is worth $13,200, McNulty said.
Members of the public can nominate first responders or healthcare workers for the contest by emailing info@sjboatclub.com or by visiting Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CarefreeBoatClubofSouthJersey/.
The first responder or healthcare worker with the most nominations will receive the one-year membership. The winner will be announced on Memorial Day, May 25.
The #WELOVEOURLOCALS campaign honors the sacrifices of front-line workers and pays special recognition to those who are having the most significant impact on the community, Carefree Boat Club said.
Carefree Boat Club offers members all the joys of boating without the hassle and expense of owning a boat. The one-year membership will also include on-the-water training to familiarize the winning healthcare worker or first responder with the boats.
“In the summer of social distancing, we believe boating offers a way to continue to enjoy the sun and surf,” McNulty said in a press release. “Carefree Boat Club members have the opportunity to create new shore-time memories via boating without the responsibilities that come along with boat ownership.”
In an interview Wednesday, McNulty explained that Carefree Boat Club was thinking about awarding a one-year membership to a first responder or healthcare worker even before the pandemic struck this year.
“We were trying to think of unique things to do. When the governor said that boating is a safe form of social distancing activity, we said let’s reward someone who’s working to get us back to normal.”
On April 18, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont jointly announced the reopening of marinas and boatyards in their states as part of a loosening of some of the coronavirus-related restrictions.
Since then, Carefree Boat Club has been getting its fleet of boats and Jet Skis ready for the vacation season at the Jersey Shore.
It has a location in Avalon at the Commodore Bay Marina, 900 Ocean Drive, and in Sea Isle at the Sunset Pier Marina on 86th Street in Townsends Inlet.
The Avalon and Sea Isle locations are part of a growing network that features more than 80 Carefree Boat Club sites in the United States, Canada, the British Virgin Islands and the Philippines. Membership at Avalon and Sea Isle gives boaters access to all U.S. and international Carefree Boat Club locations.
For more information about Carefree Boat Club of South Jersey, visit https://carefreeboats.com/locations/avalon/ or call (609) 388-9009.
