If you ever had to dispose of prescription medications and weren’t certain how to safely do so, you’ll be happy to know that the Sea Isle City Police Department recently joined the New Jersey Attorney General’s “Project Medicine Drop” initiative and has installed a permanent Prescription Medicine Drop Box in the lobby of City Hall.
To accentuate the importance of securing home medicine cabinets and safely disposing of unwanted medications – and to let everyone know about our new drug disposal box – we hosted a press conference and unveiling ceremony on October 29, during which the drop box was officially put into use.
Now, residents and visitors can easily and anonymously rid their homes of unused drugs 24 hours a day and seven days a week by simply making a quick stop at City Hall. Also, by using the new drop box, you’ll be helping the battle against the opiate epidemic, because it’s never been more important to ensure that dangerous medications don’t fall into the wrong hands.
I would like to thank Chief Tom McQuillen and all of his officers, who worked diligently to ensure that Sea Isle City has a permanent medicine drop box. Also, special thanks go to the good folks at Cape Assist, who paid for the new box. In case you are not aware, Cape Assist is a valued organization here in Cape May County that is dedicated to preventing and treating substance abuse and related issues through education, advocacy, counseling and community collaboration. So, please keep them in mind if you or anyone you know ever has to face the challenges of drug addiction.
For those of you who are like me, you are shocked by how rapidly time is flying by this year. Somehow, the summer of 2018 slipped away in a blink, and September and October have also quickly come and gone. Now that we are speeding our way through November, I would like to remind everyone of two dates worth mentioning before December arrives: November 11 and November 23.
First and foremost, November 11 is Veterans Day, which is a very important holiday. As I have said many times before, in Sea Isle City we don’t just honor our nation’s military veterans on Veterans Day, we honor them every day of the year. While I feel that this statement is a motto worth upholding, I don’t want it to diminish the importance of Veterans Day itself or our annual Veterans Day Ceremony, which takes place on Sunday, November 11, at 11 a.m. (at Veterans Park, JFK Boulevard and Landis Avenue).
During this year’s ceremony, we will once again pay homage to the many Americans who served our nation in uniform, plus we will also be honoring the memory of two local World War II servicemen who passed away in 2018, Len Bonnit and Bill Johnson.
Both Mr. Bonnit and Mr. Johnson were Army veterans who served in Europe during the Second World War – and both were beloved members of our community. I hope that their deaths will be a reminder to everyone of the important role the men and women of “the greatest generation” played in preserving democracy around the globe – and how we should always show our gratitude to those who served in our nation’s military. Hopefully, you will be able to join us on Sunday morning as we do just that.
The other date I mentioned, Friday, November 23, is the first day of the Chamber of Commerce’s two-day Holiday Extravaganza and it’s also when I will be hosting Sea Isle’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony with Santa Claus at Excursion Park. The Tree Lighting Ceremony immediately follows the Chamber’s annual Holiday Parade – and both are events worth attending.
So, why not take in the fresh autumn air and join us for the parade and to see Saint Nick as he throws a switch and lights up our city’s Christmas Tree? For more information about this year’s Holiday Extravaganza and the Tree Lighting Ceremony, see the special sections in this newsletter – and plan on spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Sea Isle City.
As I mentioned in our last newsletter, municipal construction projects have recommenced throughout town. While paving and other important infrastructure improvement efforts are underway, I remind all motorists to be on the lookout for detour signs and road crews. Thank you all for your cooperation and patience while we make Sea Isle City even better; and, as always, please use caution whenever you are behind the wheel.
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
