On March 29, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, I had the honor of hosting a ceremony at Veterans Park, where a group of residents and visitors paid tribute to the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. During the ceremony, we heard several Vietnam veterans mention that many of those who served in Southeast Asia returned home from that difficult war only to be treated with indignity and disrespect. It was truly moving to hear those veterans – fifty years later – speak from the heart and share their experiences, and I am so happy that we were able to honor them in that small way. I would like to thank the veterans who attended and participated in Sea Isle’s first-ever Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony – along with the numerous civilian participants and spectators who were also in attendance – and I ask everyone who is reading this newsletter to please take the time to sincerely thank each and every Vietnam veteran (and all of our nation’s veterans) whenever you get the opportunity. I am sure they will appreciate it!
If you ever needed milk late at night or perhaps were craving a cup of coffee on your way to work, chances are you may have made a trip to a Wawa Market to get what you needed. As you may have noticed, some Wawa stores are larger than our Sea Isle Wawa and they sometimes offer gasoline and other amenities that we don’t have at our local Wawa. Well, as the old saying goes, “good things come in small packages,” and the employees at the Sea Isle Wawa proved that point last week when they were honored by their company’s top brass for being the second highest-rated Wawa in the entire chain based on customer satisfaction surveys. To honor the employees at Sea Isle’s Wawa, the Wawa Company hosted a festive event on April 5, during which each local Wawa employee was praised for their hard work and dedication to customer service. I would like to thank all of our friends at Wawa (locally and in the corporate office) for the fine service they provide and for always being such good community partners when we host special events such as our recent “Hidden in Plain Sight” drug awareness outreach. Thank you, Wawa!
Looking ahead, the next couple of weekends will be busy ones here in Sea Isle City. This weekend (April 13, 14 and 15), the Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization will host their annual Spring Girls Weekend, featuring discounts and special offers at participating businesses throughout town. The following weekend will also be a great time to be in Sea Isle, thanks to the Environmental Commission’s annual Spring Beach Clean-up on Saturday, April 21, and the 2018 Ocean Drive Marathon on Sunday, April 22 (a great event that also includes a 10-Mile Run, a 5K Run, and a Fun-Run – all to raise money for charity). Check out the special sections in this E-Newsletter devoted to Girls Weekend, the Beach Clean-Up and the O.D. Marathon to learn more about each of these special events.
Looking further afield, Sea Isle City’s Garden Club, Environmental Commission and Historical Society will join forces to host a special Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 27, from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., in the Historical Society’s Memorial Garden, located behind the Sea Isle City Library at 4800 Central Avenue. Each of the organizations hosting this special event are committed to making Sea Isle City a better place for us all – and I hope you can be there on Arbor Day as they plant trees and continue to share their love for nature and our community with others.
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
