I begin this message with an update on two young people I mentioned in our August 10 E-Newsletter: siblings Cosette and Ryder Symons.
As I indicated two weeks ago, on August 12 Cosette and Ryder were planning to host their annual Lemonade Stand at the corner of 68th Street and Landis Avenue – and I am very thankful that they did!
Each summer, the Symons children sell lemonade to raise money for different causes, and in past years their efforts have resulted in donations to VFW Post 1963 and our local police department.
This year, Cosette and Ryder’s lemonade stand raised $1,000, which they immediately donated to Sea Isle City’s Volunteer Fire Department.
I want to thank the Symons children for setting such fine examples for other young people – and my thanks also go to their parents, Krista and Jason, for supporting their children’s philanthropic endeavors.
Great job, Symons family!
In my August 10 message, I also stated that local events in Sea Isle City were attracting very big crowds – and happily that continues to be the case.
For example, on Tuesday, the members of Saint Joseph Church hosted their annual Feast of the Assumption and Blessing of the Sea Festival, which brought hundreds of people to the 44th Street beach for an ocean blessing, after which nearly 700 people attended the parish’s festival (which was a record number of attendants for that event).
Though I was fortunate enough to attend the ocean blessing, I was not able to go to the festival, which took place in the parish parking lot and auditorium – but I was told that the festival was a terrific event that offered great food, a variety of fun activities for children, and a large selection of gift baskets and auction items that were donated by local businesses.
I want to thank Father Perry, Deacon Murphy, and all the parishioners at Saint Joseph Church for everything they do for our community – including offering events that everyone is invited to enjoy regardless of their faith or religion.
Another local attendance record was broken on Thursday, August 17, when Sea Isle City’s Beachcomber guides welcomed 169 individuals to the Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park, where everyone learned about the local eco-system as they searched the beach for natural treasures from the sea.
Beachcomber Tours are hosted by a group of dedicated volunteers and supported by Sea Isle City’s Environmental Commission – and this year marks their 35th anniversary. Sea Isle’s Beachcombers were co-founded by Dr. Irene Jameson and a group of other residents who obviously cared deeply for this community and the seashore environment that makes Sea Isle so very special.
Over the years, additional volunteers have stepped forward to host these popular summer gatherings, and they each have my heartfelt thanks for sharing their love for nature with generations of families.
Thank you, Beachcomber Guides!
Please mark your calendars now and try to be with us on September 11 during Sea Isle’s annual Patriot Day Ceremony at Veterans Park. Each year during this important event, we honor the thousands of lives that were lost during the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the countless families those attacks impacted.
Even though 22 years have passed since 9-11, there are still many people who suffer from that terrible assault on our nation. Because of that, we need to stand together as one people to remind the victim’s families that they are not alone – and to remind the world that we have not forgotten what happened on that fateful September morning in 2001.
As the summer of 2023 draws to a close, don’t forget that many of our local businesses stay open throughout the fall and winter months, so you can continue to dine, shop, and play in Sea Isle City after Labor Day has come and gone. If you need to contact a local merchant, restaurant, or specialty service that is provided in Sea Isle City, go to the “Business Directory” page at https://www.seaislecitynj.us/.
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to all of the employees at Sea Isle City’s Department of Public Works who collect our trash, keep our fresh water flowing, mow our lawns, keep our town clean, and help keep Sea Isle moving forward. Thank you, DPW!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle,
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
