By MADDY VITALE
He is called a living legend in Sea Isle City, a gentleman who spreads joy to his hometown with kindness, generosity and a lot of talent.
Lou Minchelli, 91, retired in 1982 from the New York City Fire Department, where he rose to the rank of lieutenant. He fought fires in the South Bronx, then in Harlem over his 25-year career.
And in his retirement he has taken up a few memorable hobbies. But perhaps most notable for visitors and residents in his hometown is his latest endeavor.
He creates decorative turtle figures from seashells and puts them around town. And they are free for the taking. He gets on his scooter and rides down the Promenade and city streets to hand out the trinkets to adults and children.
Sure, he could make some money off of the crafts. But he has no desire to, he said in an interview on Wednesday.
“I don’t like selling them. I get such joy and thrill out of giving them away, especially to kids,” Minchelli pointed out. “I am blessed. There is no doubt.”
Upon his retirement, Minchelli and his wife, Dolly, who have four grown children, moved to Sea Isle.
Minchelli, an Air Force veteran of the Korean War, spent the next 25 years selling hot dogs from a cart on 85th Street until 2007.
After selling hotdogs, he picked up two other hobbies. First, he pulled leather and created purses and wallets and the like. Then he got interested in stained glass and dabbled in sun catchers. He gave them away to family and friends.
But his eyesight began to fade about five years ago, Minchelli said.
The doctor told him he could no longer drive. His son bought him a scooter and he pondered what his next hobby would or could be.
After all, Minchelli was used to working hard. He would gear up in about 40 pounds of firefighter apparatus to head up a ladder into a burning building.
Minchelli was not ready to stop doing something good for others, albeit it on a much smaller scale.
“I am on the 5,000th turtle,” he said of the number of trinkets he has made and given away. “I give away about 20 on the boardwalk a day sometimes, and I go to the nursing homes and give them away there, too.”
He said it is a family affair. They support him in his love and joy of giving.
“My son bought me a beautiful scooter. I ride up and down certain streets. If there is a place to put a turtle, I will put it there,” he explained. “I will put it on a stone wall, a log or a table. I enjoy that. My two daughters begged me to sell them. But I don’t want to make any money off it. I just want to make people happy.”
He got the idea to create turtle crafts when he and his wife were at a store. They saw a box of turtle crafts and Minchelli said he knew he could make them himself to share with people.
Not only has he been sharing them with people for the past three years, but his popularity and the turtle trinket popularity has exploded in the town.
And anyone who knows about the crafts either wants one or has one or two.
Resident Eva Feeley, who is married to City Councilman J.B. Feeley, said of Minchelli, “Lou Minchelli is a Sea Isle legend. Such a kind gentleman!”
Sea Isle City Public Information Officer Katherine Custer, who has two of Minchelli’s turtles she displays on her window sill at work, said, “Everyone loves Lou. His charming turtle creations are literally found all over town. I see them in so many different stores, offices and homes. It’s terrific how much joy he spreads with seashells.”
In a Facebook forum Minchelli’s creations are often shared and admired. Many people post about their love for the man and his turtle gifts.
Alessandra Teresa shared in a post, “Thanks Lou!! The most genuine, kind hearted and humble soul!!! He shared great stories and made us laugh so much! We need more people like you in this world!”
Mary Ann Wagner Abbonizio said of Minchelli, “The man, the myth the legend. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Promise to pay it forward.”
And Gerri McCardle McDevitt summed up the sentiment, “Lou is a Sea Isle treasure.”
Minchelli and his wife live on 50th Street and display about six turtle trinkets in their front yard for the taking each week.
“I sometimes sit on my neighbor’s front porch and watch cars come and go with people taking the turtles,” he said. “I get such joy out of giving away the turtles. It is one of the best hobbies. I used to love pulling leather and loved doing stained glass, but I never got the love and joy like I do out of making the turtles.”
