Sea Isle Celebrates 100 Years of Lifeguarding

The Sea Isle City Beach Patrol (SICBP) was founded on July 11, 1919. To commemorate the organization’s centennial year, the City’s Administration, current Beach Patrol members, and members of the SICBP’s Alumni Association will host numerous events that will be open to the public. The celebration will begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, with a special mass held in honor of all deceased Sea Isle City lifeguards at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 4300 Landis Avenue. Also on July 11, a Centennial Parade will take place at 10:45 a.m. along the Promenade (29th to 44th Street), which will feature lifeguard boats from other municipalities, alumni and other dignitaries. The parade’s Grand Marshal will be Andy Sannino, who is 100, the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol’s oldest living alumnus. At 11:15 a.m. on July 11, a 100th Anniversary Ceremony will take place at Beach Patrol Headquarters, located on the Promenade at 44th Street, featuring a gun salute, bagpipes, and words of praise for the Beach Patrol. The ceremony will be followed by a Row-Out Ceremony on the 43rd Street Beach, during which two Sea Isle City lifeguard boats will be rowed past the breakers, where flowers will be set adrift in honor of all deceased beach patrol members. A free presentation that spotlights the History of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol will be presented on Saturday, July 13, at 10 a.m. in the Sea Isle City Library, located at 4800 Central Avenue. The presentation will offer audience members a comprehensive look at the Beach Patrol’s past 100 years. Later, at 3 p.m. on July 13, a Paddle-Out Wreath Ceremony will be held in honor of all deceased beach patrol members on the 44th Street Beach. To allow the public to see the “inner workings” of today’s Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, free guided tours will be offered at Beach Patrol Headquarters on Thursday, July 11, and Saturday, July 13, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. During the tours, visitors will see modern lifesaving equipment, awards from many lifeguard competitions and vintage photos. To help celebrate the SICBP’s 100th Anniversary, the Sea Isle City Historical Museum has created a special display of SICBP artifacts and photos collected during the past century, which will be available for viewing now through October 2019. Located on the first floor of the Sea Isle City Library at 4800 Central Avenue, the museum is open to the public on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. No admission is required to enter the Historical Museum. Shown during a March presentation thanking the Sea Isle Civic Club are (from left) former Beach Patrol Captains Mike McHale and Tom McCann, Civic Club Vice-President Wilma Greisman, Civic Club President Deb Genovese, SICBP Alumni Association President John McCann, Civic Club Secretary Vera McQuillen, Civic Club Treasurer Linda Lamb, and Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Chief Renny Steele. (Photo courtesy Sea Isle City) To keep social media fans engaged during the 100th Anniversary, the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol has created a “Throwback Thursday” series of posts on Facebook and Instagram that feature vintage photos and historical facts pertaining to their Centennial. Online followers will also enjoy “Safety Tip Saturday” posts as well as other useful information from the SICBP. Beachgoers can obtain a centennial keepsake by purchasing a commemorative 2019 Seasonal Beach Tag, which honors the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol’s 100th Anniversary. Seasonal Beach Tags are on sale now for $25 each at Sea Isle City’s Beach Tag Office, located inside the Welcome Center at 300 JFK Boulevard, and from Beach Tag Inspectors, who can be found at most beach entrances and walking along the sand. “My congratulations go to each member of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, including the alumni and all of the guards who work along the water’s edge today,” said Mayor Leonard Desiderio. “They have my heartfelt thanks and best wishes, as our community celebrates 100 years of lifeguarding.” For more information and updates about the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol’s 100th Anniversary, please go to www.sicbp.com and click the “Centennial Events” link on the home page.