Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio
A popular topic of discussion these days is the weather – thanks to this being one of the coldest winters in recent memory. I encourage everyone who has older friends and neighbors (especially those who live alone) to check in on them and ensure they are doing well.
Something as simple as a phone call or a knock on someone’s front door can go a long way to warm a person’s heart during this cold spell. Also, speaking as a dog lover, please take extra precautions when walking your pets so they don’t experience frostbite (our family’s favorite furry friend, Bruno, would certainly agree).
As I have mentioned in the past, even though Sea Isle City may seem like a sleepy little town during the middle of winter, our local civic organizations continue to host events and activities that are worth mentioning.
For example, on January 30 our friends at VFW Post 1963 hosted an award ceremony for their annual Patriot’s Pen Essay Competition at Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School, where they distributed hundreds of dollars to this year’s winners.
Dozens of students from Bishop McHugh (and countless others around the country) participated in this year’s national writing contest, which inspires youngsters to ponder the values of this great nation, and to combine their knowledge of American history with their own personal experiences to write essays based on a different patriotic theme each year.
In short, the Patriot’s Pen contest not only helps youngsters learn more about themselves and our country, it also serves as a reminder that our veterans have just as much value today as they did when they served our nation in uniform. Thank you, VFW Post 1963 for all you do!
Another local organization that is active throughout the year is the Sea Isle City Italian American Club, which helps keep the winter season enjoyable by hosting monthly BINGO nights – and later this month, they will also hold an “Olive Oil Tasting Event” (which I am told is already sold out).
Also, the Sea Isle City Women’s Civic Club continues to meet every Tuesday in the Community Lodge, where they socialize while playing bridge, mahjong and other table tops games. And then there’s our local churches, where members continually host special events, such as the Knights of Columbus’ yearly Spelling Bee for local eighth graders, which takes place this year on February 24.
Beyond hosting worthwhile community events, representatives from our local churches also rise to the occasion when they learn about people in need, as shown by their many charitable efforts such as volunteering at warming shelters during “Code Blue” warnings and helping feed the hungry with food drives and operating a local food pantry.
My sincerest thanks go to all the good people of Sea Isle City, who donate their time to make our town – and our world – a better place. We can all be proud of the fact that Sea Isle City is clean, safe, has wonderful public facilities, offers plenty of year-round entertainment, and is surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. But it’s the people who make this community great (and worth visiting)!
The next big event on our horizon is Presidents’ Weekend, which is just eight days away. In addition to the Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism on Saturday, February 14 – which is a huge event that’s always worth attending – many local businesses will be open and offering a variety of deals during Presidents’ Weekend, including notable discounts on retail merchandise, wonderful dining specials, live music, and other great ways to enjoy the long holiday weekend.
To learn more about some of the offers our local business community has planned for you, please go to the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce’s “Presidents Weekend” page at https://www.seaislechamber.com/.
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to our municipal employees in the Department of Public Works for doing a great job clearing the snow during our recent winter storm. Thank you, DPW!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
