Locals among young professionals honored for volunteer work in Ocean County

Those involved in community volunteer work often go unnoticed. But on Thursday, April 24, some of the area’s most dedicated young professionals were formally recognized for their exemplary volunteer service in Ocean County at the 2014 Young Altruistic Professional awards ceremony, held at Hemingway’s Cafe in Seaside Heights. The award, presented by United Way of Ocean County, is a tribute to the “full-time professionals, part-time heroes,” ages 18 to 39, who have made a significant impact in the lives of the area’s local residents. A total of 19 people received the honor.

“We were inspired by this year’s amazing group of Young Altruistic Professional winners and thank them for dedicating their personal time to making Ocean County a better place for their neighbors,” said Linda Gyimoty, executive director of United Way of Ocean County.

Photo via United Way of Ocean County
The residents attended a special awards ceremony
at Hemingway's Cafe in Seaside Heights.

For some of the people recognized, helping others after Superstorm Sandy was the focus of their benevolent service.

Childhood friends who grew up in Beach Haven, Natalie Aftanis, Jane Kleber and Chloe and Catherine Snyder were honored for their organization of the “Let’s Get Sandy Run for a Cause,” a 5K run that, over the course of the two events, brought together nearly 850 people who helped raise $42,000 for Alliance for a Living Ocean and LBI fire departments as well as other local rebuilding projects.

“I am so excited; it was an honor to have won this award,” said Kleber. “After the devastation that Hurricane Sandy caused, we saw a need in our community. We love our home, and we wanted to do what we could to help.

“Our runners and volunteers are so amazing; they are who made this event a success,” she added. “We were also very lucky to have worked with the town of Surf City for the first race and Beach Haven for the second, which was an absolute pleasure. It was really amazing to see how everyone came together to help.”

The women are continuing to pay it forward by working with the Mordecai Land Trust in Beach Haven to raise awareness of the importance of the barrier island.

Joanne Sofield, a health and physical education teacher at Pinelands Regional High School, and Brooke Salvanto, deputy director at the Tuckerton Seaport and Baymen’s Museum, were also recognized for their community efforts post-Sandy.

Immediately following the storm, when many of the streets in the community were impassable and considered unsafe, Sofield organized a town-wide Trunk-or-Treat event in less than 48 hours. More than 60 cars and families decorated their trunks and handed out candy, and over 2,000 members of the community participated.

Due to the continued cleanup, Sofield organized another Trunk-or-Treat this past year. More than 70 people contributed to the event, including members of the local fire departments and emergency rescue squads, and over 2,500 community residents joined. Another event is being planned this year.

Looking for a way to bring the community together after Sandy, Salvanto, who serves on the Tuckerton Pride and Celebration and Pinelands 4th of July committees as well as the Southern Ocean County Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation, and is also active in events and initiatives with the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, organized a community gathering and Thanksgiving feast at the Seaport for nearly 600 local residents affected by the storm. The event was held in partnership with 35 local restaurants, complete with a visit from Santa Claus and holiday decoration make-and-take crafts to replace those damaged during the storm. Secret Santas from the local community also gave holiday gifts to more than 340 local children in need.

“We put up a big tent here at the Seaport on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the year after the storm, and we’re going to do it again this year,” said Salvanto.

She said she is flattered to be named a recipient of this year’s YAP awards.

“I thought it was a really wonderful way to honor people who are doing great things in the community,” she stated.

Emily Raleigh of Brant Beach was acknowledged for starting The Smart Girls Group, which includes a website, magazine, online classes, book clubs and campus groups where girls support each other in rising above societal pressures and making a positive influence on the world. The group, which fosters a unique environment that seeks to unite, inspire and empower the next generation of influential women, was created after Raleigh wrote a book for her younger sister about succeeding in high school. Today she has expanded the group into a network of girls throughout the world.

“I’m so grateful to be included among so many incredible young people of Ocean County and am proud to represent Ocean County in my work with Smart Girls Group,” said Raleigh.

Other county residents who received recognition for their volunteer work through YAP include Amanda Bines and Adam Boudreau of the U.S. Navy; Edward Burke and Courtney Chibbaro from The People’s Pantry; Kathryn Colhoun of Ocean Partnership for Children; Danielle DeRosa and Dawn Leiser from Court Appointed Special Advocates of Ocean County; Daniel Goresh of the East Dover Volunteer Fire Co.; Christy Holtzapple and Lea Impagliazzo from Exelon Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station; Joseph Kostecki, borough of South Toms River; Jamie Pawlowski of Shore 2 Recover; and Dina Vicari of R.C. Shea and Associates.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

The Bagel Shack in Beach Haven plans for a 'more pleasant' outside atmosphere

Photo via Facebook
The building's new awning will create
a protected outside seating area.

The Bagel Shack, located in Beach Haven, will be adding a new awning to the north side of its building, to help make the premises a more leisurely setting for customers.

The shop is known for making fresh bagels onsite daily, using the company’s own recipe.

Owner Ken Muha, who bought the place in October, received clearance for the added structure from the borough’s land use board on Monday, April 7.

“Our intent is to provide a more pleasant environment. We want to be able to service the community, which during the winter is borough workers, township workers, policemen, in a more comfortable way,” said Muha, who is also a local resident.

The new aluminum structure, complete with sides and a canvas top to provide protection from inclement weather, is expected to be installed within 30 to 40 days.

The Bagel Shack is open year ’round, except on Christmas.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Boaters instructed to use Oyster Creek Channel as main entrance to Barnegat Bay, Double Creek Inlet Channel closed due to shoaling

Severe post-Superstorm Sandy shoaling in Barnegat Bay’s Double Creek Inlet Channel has created a major navigation hazard and unsafe conditions in the waterway. To protect boaters, the N.J. Department of Transportation has closed the channel and removed navigational buoys from the area.

Photo by Pat Johnson
The Mercan dredge navigates Barnegat
Inlet as part of the Army Corps of
Engineers’ project in March.

All boaters should use Oyster Creek Channel (buoy markers #35 to #40) as the primary entrance to Barnegat Bay. However, extreme shifting sediment is affecting the entire bay.

Boaters may also reference U.S. Coast Pilot #3 for further information on the shifting sediments in the region. The Double Creek Channel remains marked from the inlet side to the fishing grounds (old buoy set 15 and 16) to permit boaters to fish the area.

The start of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar state channel dredging program will begin to repair New Jersey’s waterways that were affected by Sandy. As part of the preparation and engineering for the anticipated dredging of Double Creek Channel later this year, the DOT Office of Maritime Resources found excessive siltation and shifting sediments were severely distressing management efforts in the inlet area.

The department is working with the State Police Marine Services Bureau, Island Beach State Park officials and state and federal agencies to determine what priority dredging can and should take place as soon as possible. Dredge material placement in the area is restricted to protect vital bird nesting habitats. The priority dredging work is expected to be completed in phases.

To address post-Sandy dredging needs, the DOT is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Engineer Research and Development Center to coordinate inlet management and to establish a best channel and dredged material management plan. The DOT has recruited the support of the Richard Stockton College Coastal Research Center to provide professional guidance and examination of sand shifting in the inlet area. 

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven on board with reallocated Superstorm Sandy funds

The borough of Beach Haven has no problem with the federal government’s request to reallocate nearly $3.7 million in Superstorm Sandy aid originally awarded to the town for debris removal. In fact, Beach Haven asked to have the unneeded funds redirected.

Photo via APP
Piles of sand from Superstom Sandy block
a portion of Beach Avenue in Beach Haven.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General recently released an audit stating that the funds should be transferred because the local district no longer needs the money to cover project costs.

The audit also states that nearly $345,000 of $5.84 million in Public Assistance grant funds awarded to the town from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, a Federal Emergency Management Agency grantee, for damages resulting from Sandy were either not supported by adequate documentation or not eligible under the program. The audit is questioning the eligibility of a total of $321,229 of unsupported costs, $17,227 of ineligible, unapplied credits from the sale of disaster-related scrap metal, as well as $5,863 of ineligible, duplicate costs. FEMA has been urged to disallow the funding unless the borough provides adequate supporting documentation for the costs, or additional documentation to show that the costs are eligible.

“They really didn’t have much by way of the big debris contract to audit because we never used that money, but an auditor always finds something,” said Crane. “They don’t disagree with the fact that the work was performed, that we were billed for that work and that we paid those bills. What they quibble with is that we did not demand the level of detail in terms of payroll records that they think we should have.”

Crane emphasized the fact that it is up to FEMA to make the final determinations. He said the audit is not expected to affect any of the town’s projects.

FEMA originally awarded the borough $4,858,359 to cover costs of debris removal activities. When the department audited the municipality between May and December 2013, borough officials said the authorized debris removal work had been completed and that it had incurred project costs totaling $1,170,293. Therefore, federal officials are urging FEMA to deobligate the $3,688,066 of unneeded funding and put it to better use.

The borough entered into a shared services agreement with Ocean County for debris removal activities shortly after FEMA approved the total amount of funding for the project. Under the agreement, Ocean County accepted full responsibility for debris-removal activities in the borough beginning Nov. 19, 2012, and claimed the costs to FEMA under a separate project worksheet. As a result, Beach Haven no longer needed the entire project funding FEMA initially approved.

“We never received the money. There’s no money to give back,” said Crane. “We were very fortunate that Ocean County allowed us to participate in this interlocal agreement. Otherwise we would have had to have gone out and borrowed $4 million and paid interest on that $4 million, waiting for reimbursement for this project a year and a half later,” he explained.

In late December 2012, the state advanced $1,821,885 to the borough under immediate needs funding criteria to cover the estimated costs of debris removal. At the time of the audit, the borough had completed all project work and had incurred costs totaling $1,170,293, or $651,592 less than the amount advanced. The overpayment transpired because the municipality’s final project costs were less than the cash payment the state advanced for project costs. The audit suggests the state should recover the $651,592 of excess funds advanced under the project.

The debris removal project is just one of 34 projects the town is juggling in association with the storm.

“We borrowed a tremendous amount of money, and we’re hopeful that somewhere down the line, it may take two, three, four years, we’ll realize some of the money back,” said Crane. “Unfortunately we had no choice. We had to clear the streets. We had to rebuild our town.”

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Family Planning Center of Ocean County observes National STD Awareness Month

Photo via HIV STD Testing
What you don't know can hurt you.

In recognition of National STD Awareness Month in April, the Family Planning Center of Ocean County, located in Manahawkin and Lakewood, is urging people to take advantage of the facility’s available patient screenings and treatments for sexually transmitted infections. Sexually transmitted diseases are a health concern for both women and men, young and old. While only some infections are curable, all of them are treatable. If left untreated, some STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can cause infertility problems for women and men.

According to the N.J. Department of Health Division of HIV, STD and TB Services-Sexually Transmitted Disease Program, 853 people in Ocean County were reported to have a sexually transmitted disease in 2012. Almost all cases included chlamydia or gonorrhea.

As an essential community provider, the Family Planning Center of Ocean County has been offering confidential, quality reproductive health, educational and referral services to the local community for the past 42 years. NJ FamilyCare and most private insurances are accepted at both offices, and a sliding-fee schedule is available for those who are uninsured.

For more information about FPCOC’s provided services, call the Manahawkin office at 609-697-6094 or visit fpcoc.net.

–Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Residents may dispose of prescription drugs at Stafford Township Police Department on April 26

As part of Operation Take Back New Jersey, the Stafford Township Police Department will host a collection site for local residents to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications. The event will be held at the local police department, located at 260 East Bay Ave., between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., on Saturday, April 26. The statewide program, with the majority of New Jersey police departments participating, is spearheaded by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey division, New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program and New Jersey National Guard.

Photo via Prevention
Residents are asked to properly dispose of
prescription drugs through disposal programs.

The initiative aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for prescription drug abuse, which many consider to be the precursor to heroin use.

“Prescription pills are opiates, and that’s what heroin is,” said Chris Mulch, a detective with the Stafford Police Department. “I’m not saying that’s the main cause for heroin abuse, but it definitely plays a part, and they go hand in hand,” he added.

National surveys show teenagers who abuse prescription drugs often take them from relatives or get them from friends.

The disposal program helps ensure unwanted drugs are out of the house and do not get into the wrong hands. This is especially important for the local area, which has seen a major increase in drug-related issues. Deaths from drug overdoses in Ocean County rose 111 percent between 2012 and 2013.

The disposal program is anonymous, and all efforts will be made to protect the privacy of individuals disposing of medications. No one will be questioned or asked for identification.

Individuals may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing it from its package and disposing it directly into the drug disposal bin. If the original container is submitted, the prescription label should be removed of any personal identifying information. Liquid products should remain sealed in their original container. Syringes and other sharp instruments will not be accepted.

At the conclusion of the program, the DEA will assume custody of the drug collection boxes and dispose of the contents in accordance with DEA policy.

Unwanted prescription drugs may also be taken to any one of the county’s full-time drop-off points at the Toms River, Lacey Township, Lakewood, Manchester Township and Seaside Heights police departments. The drop-off boxes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The law enforcement agencies began hosting the full-time programs in late February to help combat the area’s heroin epidemic.

For more information about the full-time drop-off points, visit ochd.org.

–Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

High school students invited to participate in 2014 Congressional Art Competition

High school students who live in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District are invited to enter the 2014 Congressional Art Competition. The winning piece of artwork from each congressional district will be displayed in a special exhibit in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Also, the winning artists and a guest will be invited to attend a special unveiling ceremony for the exhibit in Washington, D.C.

Photo via house.gov
"A Walk in My Shoes," by Carli Grace, was
NJ's 3rd Congressional District's 2013 winner.

“The Congressional Art Competition is something I look forward to every spring,” stated Congressman Jon Runyan (N.J.-3rd). “This is a wonderful opportunity for young artists to showcase their creativity and have the chance to represent their schools and their communities in the U.S. Capitol. Each year I am amazed by the talent of the students, and since this will be my last time participating in the event, I am even more eager to see all of the entries,” he added.

The Congressional Art Competition, which began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents, has since involved over 650,000 high school students in the nationwide competition.

Although only high school students are eligible to enter, exceptions may be made for schools that include seventh through 12th grade on one campus. Participating students must have a permanent address within the 3rd Congressional District.

One piece of artwork will be accepted per student. However, there is no limit to the number of entries from each school.

Each entry must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo, painting, graphic, advertisement or any other work produced by another person is considered a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted.

Acceptable artwork mediums include paintings, drawings, two-dimensional collages, mixed media, photography and computer-generated art.

The deadline for schools to submit their list of participating students is Wednesday, April 23. The submissions will be scored by a panel of three independent judges. The final decision for the Best In Show piece to be submitted to the exhibit in the Capitol will be at the discretion of a judge selected by Runyan’s office.

For additional information regarding competition guidelines and deadlines, call Kristin Antonello at 856-780-6436.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Stockton College hosts garden-grown foods lecture and tasting

A “Soil to Soul Lecture and Tasting,” presented by Wendy Kozak, a certified clinical medical assistant, whole health educator and chronic care professional, will be held at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s Manahawkin Instructional Site on Friday, April 18, at 1 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Instructional Site and Stockton Center on Successful Aging.

Photo via Renew-Self Health
Eating garden-grown foods is known
to offer many health benefits.

Kozak, the owner of Renew-Self Health and the Soil to Soul outreach program, will present a garden-to-table cooking experience designed to educate individuals and groups on the health benefits of eating garden-fresh foods. The demonstration will also provide information about the nutritional contents of garden-grown foods for the increased needs of protein (amino acids), antioxidants and respiratory health. She will also teach participants how to prepare foods directly from the garden while minimizing the loss of nutrients and maximizing flavor for everyday health and wellness.

Kozak works to educate people of all ages on the benefits of eating whole foods. She is currently working with the community in Stafford to establish an intergenerational community school garden.

Friday’s lecture and tasting are free and open to the public, but registration is required. To sign up, contact Gina Maguire at gina.maguire@stockton.edu or call 609-626-5590.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter’s pet food pantry relocated to Ocean Community Church

Photo via Google
The pet food pantry is now available
at Ocean Community Church.

Many communities can benefit from a pet food pantry, which is essential to helping residents in need of assistance caring for their pets. To gain a better idea of the local area’s pet supply needs, the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter’s Community Pet Food Pantry has been relocated to Ocean Community Church, located at 1492 Route 72 in Manahawkin. Residents who cannot afford kitty litter, treats or wet and dry cat and dog food can pick up the necessary supplies at the church between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays.

Having pet supplies available to the public free of charge helps keep animals from being surrendered to the shelter, said Connie Shinn-Lohr, a Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter board member and the group’s liaison with the shelter. The volunteer organization receives many calls from residents who are struggling to feed their animals and are therefore faced with the choice of surrendering them.

“We don’t want anyone to do that. It’s just as easy to get them some food, and with the community’s help we can all pull together,” said Shinn-Lohr.

Having a set day and time for distribution of the supplies at the church should help volunteers better regulate the program.

“It was hard to get volunteers just to sit there every day (at the shelter) and distribute food when they were so needed to walk the dogs and socialize animals,” said Shinn-Lohr.

She hopes the town will eventually set up a food pantry for residents in need of help caring for their family and pets.

Individuals looking to donate pet items can bring them to any of the four drop-off points: Uncle Will’s Pancake House and Grill in Beach Haven, Wally Mitchell’s Restaurant in Surf City (side door), as well as Lucky’s Bed and Biscuit and the animal shelter in Manahawkin. Pet food, treats, blankets, towels, beds, peanut butter and toys are also needed for the animals at the shelter.

For more information, contact Shinn-Lohr at deerwife55@comcast.net.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

NJ Young Film and Videomaker’s Festival accepting short works entries

New Jersey is known for yielding many talented artists. The NJ Young Film and Videomaker’s Festival is calling for skilled entries for its 40th anniversary tour season.

Photo via NJ.com
A young student showcases her video making
skills at the annual festival.

Since its inception, the purpose of the festival has been to recognize, celebrate and encourage emerging young talent in New Jersey, the state in which Thomas Edison first developed the motion picture. The festival is a project of the Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium, which also promotes the renowned Black Maria Film and Video Festival, named after the world’s first motion picture studio built by Edison, where he made all of his own short experimental films.

Filmmakers between the ages of 12 and 28 are invited to enter short works up to 20 minutes in length. Filmmakers should have a home base in New Jersey even if attending undergraduate or graduate school out of state. Students who attend school in New Jersey and live out of state are also eligible to enter. Students from middle and high school and independent media artists not currently associated with any school are welcome to apply, too. Genres including animation, documentary, narrative or experimental will be accepted.

Entries must be submitted on a playable, high-resolution DVD, along with a $15 check made payable to Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium and a copy of the entry form, which can found at blackmariafilmfestival.org/nj_young_fest.php. Entries must be received no later than May 7.

The jury for the festival includes Natalie Conn, Stephanie Swart and Jay Weichun, who each received a Jury’s Choice Award for the 33rd Annual Black Maria Film and Video Festival 2014, as well as Chriss Williams, a board member of the Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium.

The festival premiere and awards ceremony will be held at New Jersey City University on Saturday, May 31. Each winning entry will receive a mounted award certificate.

For more information, visit blackmariafilmfestival.org or dial 201-200-2043, Monday through Thursday, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Construction under way for Beach Haven’s new beach patrol headquarters

Like most towns on Long Beach Island, Beach Haven suffered extensive damage due to Superstorm Sandy. The borough’s ongoing recovery process is continuing with some major construction currently under way.

The municipality’s beach patrol headquarters, located on the beachfront of Centre Street, was recently knocked down to make room for a new, upgraded building. The facility’s pilings have been installed, and the construction phase is now in progress. Midwest Construction and Paint of Southampton Township is heading the project, which will cost $428,757.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Pilings are set for the new facility in Beach Haven

The former building’s storage and office areas were completely destroyed by the storm. However, the public restroom facilities were rehabilitated last summer to allow for community access. The decision, “made on the fly, relatively close to the summer season,” kept visitors from being forced to use Porta-Potties, said Richard Crane, borough manager. The new bathrooms, which cost about $3,000, were a temporary fix for the season after officials decided to replace the building with a brand new facility. The former building was rebuilt in 1989.

“It was not completely washed away, but it was pretty well destroyed,” said Crane.

The new building will have the same general footprint as the former structure, but it is designed to have two stories, compared to only one. Alongside an observation deck for lifeguards to obtain a better view of the beach, the office area will be moved upstairs to free up space on the ground floor. The first floor will have expanded restroom facilities, and beach badge sales will also be permanently located on the ground floor.

“That structure on Centre Street we always consider to be the gateway to our beaches,” said Crane. “We think it’s going to be a very visually appealing structure, and we believe it’s going to make us stand out from the other municipalities on the Island. Quite frankly, we’re all marketing for the same people to come down to enjoy the beach,” he explained.

The project is expected to be completed in time for this year’s summer tourist season.

The town’s public works garage on Amber Street, which suffered about 5 feet of floodwater damage, was also recently demolished.

“Given the age and the overall shape of the facility pre-storm, that kind of was the last straw. It was not worth trying to rehabilitate it. We thought it was most cost-effective to build a new structure,” said Crane.

To avoid disturbing summer visitors, construction for the new building will not begin until after the summer season. Officials are contemplating the decision to relocate the building across the street, to a higher, more functional area.

Beach Haven officials are in the process of developing a plan for a new municipal building. The building located at Bay and Engleside avenues was also damaged during the storm and needs to be replaced. An application for funding from the Stronger NJ Neighborhood and Community Revitalization Program is currently pending.

“We try to prioritize. The reason some of these larger projects have sat idle for over a year is our emphasis last year was simply getting our recreational facilities up and running so our summer folks could enjoy summer season 2013,” said Crane. “Now we’re moving ahead with the more permanent projects, and a lot of these are buildings. I can’t say any one of the three has a greater priority than the other. They’re just coming together at different times.”

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Monthly hikes on Batona Trail to begin April 16

Photo via Panoramio
The Batona Trail ends at the Bass River State Forest.

Get “BAck TO NAture” with volunteer master naturalist Kathy Gardiner during this year’s “Wednesday Walk-in-the-Woods” series of monthly hikes. The walks will cover the entire 52-mile Batona Trail, in sections, starting from Ong’s Hat near Brendan T. Byrne State Forest and finishing at Bass River State Forest, the first forest acquired by the state in 1905 for public recreation, water conservation and wildlife and timber management.

An approximate 10-mile hike from the Evans Bridge area will take place on Wednesday, April 16. Participants who want to carpool may meet at the Bass River State Forest office parking lot at 762 Stage Rd. in Tuckerton, at 8 a.m. Anyone interested in registering and/or meeting the group at the starting point may contact Gardiner at 609-296-6574. Hikers should bring lunch and a drink, and be prepared for mostly flat walking.

The last Batona hike will take place on May 7. A wildflower walk is scheduled for May 28. Events are canceled in the case of severe weather.

For more information, visit the N.J. Division of Parks and Forestry website at state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Atlantic City Electric offers free trees to customers via energy-saving trees program

Atlantic City Electric is providing 2,000 free trees to customers through the Energy-Saving Trees program. The program, which launched as a joint pilot initiative with the Arbor Day Foundation in 2012, helps customers conserve energy and lower household electricity bills through strategic tree planting.

Photo via Google
Sugar maples and other trees are being provided
to help ACE customers conserve energy.

“Atlantic City Electric is pleased to again partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to provide free trees to our customers,” Vince Maione, region president of Atlantic City Electric, said in a press release. “The Energy-Saving Trees program not only benefits the environment but can also help customers save money on their energy bills.”

According to ADF, the 2,000 trees are estimated to produce more than $380,000 in energy savings within 20 years.

The 2- to 4-foot-tall trees will be delivered directly to customers at ideal planting time. The types of trees offered include sugar maple, river birch, hackberry, American beech, bald cypress, white dogwood and Washington hawthorn.

Participants are expected to be the sole caretakers for the trees. Customers can decide on a suitable planting location with the help of an online tool created by ADF and the Davey Institute, a division of Davey Tree Expert Co. The Energy-Saving Trees online tool uses peer-reviewed scientific research from the USDA Forest Service’s i-Tree software to calculate estimated benefits. The online tool is suitable for Internet Explorer version 9, Firefox and Google Chrome. For technical help, contact ADF at 1-855-670-2773.

Customers can reserve up two trees per household at arborday.org/ace or by calling 1-855-670-2773. The program will continue until all 2,000 trees are reserved.

For more information, visit atlanticcityelectric.com.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Ocean County to conduct first-ever two-house blitz build

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Ocean County is gearing up for its first-ever two-house blitz build, in Tuckerton. The two family homes will be built side-by-side on separate vacant lots – one on the corner of Nugentown Road and Pharo Street and the other on Pharo Street – on Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11. The local volunteer organization purchased the properties a few years ago to help fulfill its mission to provide modest, decent housing and home ownership to qualified area families.

“It’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of planning, but at the same time it’s very exciting to build two houses at once,” said Greg Muszynski, director of operations at Habitat for Humanity of Southern Ocean County. “It’s one of those ‘you never know what you can achieve until you try it’ kind of things. It’s going to be a lot of fun because everyone likes to build. There will be plenty of work for everybody,” he added.

Photo via HFHSOC
Passaic Valley High School students help
the walls for the two houses in Tuckerton.

Over 60 volunteers from the Habitat Road Trip Crazies, based in Lynchburg Va., will travel to the local area to assist in the building process. The Crazies offer an extra set of working hands to small Habitat affiliates performing blitz builds. The group, which brings volunteers from all along the East Coast, helped HFHSOC with a building project in Stafford Township during the fall of 2012.

“It’s a bunch of like-minded people who like to build and travel. It’s a lot of manpower,” said Muszynski.

Students from Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls, N.J., where Crazies founder Tom Gerdy attended school, will began constructing the walls to one of the houses this past weekend. The walls have been built in sections and will picked up and assembled at the blitz build.

Last spring, the students contributed to a similar project in conjunction with Morris Habitat for Humanity. The volunteer effort is part of Gerdy’s mission to get youth involved in community service.

Anyone 16 or older who is interested in volunteering with HFHSOC's two-house blitz build may register online at hfhsoc.org/construction_calendar.php. For more information, call 609-978-9984.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven Water Department to conduct annual hydrant flushing

The Beach Haven Water Department will be flushing the town’s water distribution system during the week of Monday, April 7. Residents may notice lower water pressure and temporary discoloration during the process. The procedure will conclude on Friday, April 11.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Residents are reminded that low water pressure
is expected during the hydrant flushing process.

The borough’s hydrants are flushed twice a year, in the spring and fall, as required by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The water-flushing process is conducted to help clear the water mains of any iron build-up, which is a very common occurrence in older systems that have ductile iron water mains, explained John Booth, acting superintendent of the Beach Haven Water Department.

The local division received a higher than normal volume of calls during the winter months when many residents expressed concern for brown-tinged water. To help combat the issue, officials opened individual household meters and flushed street hydrants in a number of areas where residences in a common geographical area were experiencing the problem. The discoloration was considered to be a result from Superstorm Sandy, caused by a decrease in water usage. The town’s daily water use is down from 250,000 gallons a day to between 75,000 and 125,000 gallons a day.

“With such a drop in water usage, the water is likely to build up iron more quickly without a more constant flow,” said Booth.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven School students participate in 'Random Acts of Kindness' month

Photo via BHSD
Second-graders from the Beach Haven School
drop off their donations at the local animal shelter.

In honor of “Random Acts of Kindness” month in February, students of the Beach Haven School participated in a service-learning project to see who could collect the most donations for the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter as well as the Food Pantry at the Saint Francis Community Center. The school provided a total of 426 donations.

“The sixth grade was in charge of counting up the items, and they did it by percentage because our classrooms are so small. If one class had 12 kids and another had six, that wasn’t fair,” explained EvaMarie Raleigh, superintendent of the school.

The second-grade class took the lead with the highest percentage of items. To celebrate their victory, the students were given the opportunity to take their collected items to the animal shelter on Tuesday, March 18.

“The field trip for the winning class is to the animal shelter because animals are fun and cute,” said Raleigh.

The donations for the St. Francis Food pantry were delivered last week by Vern Berube, the school’s bus driver.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven officials host public forum on proposed ordinance to restrict construction vehicles from parking on public streets

Photo via Santoro Building
Local officials consider a compromise with construction
workers as they continue to help the town rebuild.

The rebuilding effort post-Superstorm Sandy has created a mix of emotions for people in Beach Haven. A handful of local residents, contractors and business owners recently attended an open discussion regarding a proposed ordinance restricting construction vehicles from parking on public streets. Councilman Charles Maschal and Sherry Mason, borough clerk, sat down with the public at the borough emergency operations center on Wednesday, March 19.

Many of the people in attendance said they did not think it was prudent, during this rebuilding time, for the town to adopt the regulation. Others expressed their opinion in favor of the proposed ordinance. A large residential construction project that has been in progress since before the storm and has received some backlash was at the forefront of the conversation.

“This is really where this all began, this extremely large construction project on the beachfront on Fairview Avenue,” said Mason. “These large construction vehicles have been parked on the street really for almost two years.”

The public’s concerns were not addressed at the meeting but simply taken under advisement. There was no discussion between Maschal and the public about how to compromise.

“He just really wanted to hear what they had to say, and that was it,” said Mason.

Councilman Edward Kohlmeir arrived later to sit in for the remainder of the meeting, which was “very orderly and quick” and lasted about a half hour.

“The council will have to decide if it is worthy of regulating an entire town for one particular situation. I don’t know how big of an issue in their mind it really is,” said Mason.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

All Saints Regional Catholic School’s Kite Flying Festival helps students deal with emotions from Superstorm Sandy

Surrounded by friends and family, students at All Saints Regional Catholic School in Manahawkin sprinted across the school grounds, trailing handcrafted paper kites during a Kite Flying Festival Thursday, April 3. The colorful event, complete with sunshine, smiles and a fair amount of wind, concluded the school’s 12-week Sandy Relief Arts Education Initiative.

Photo by Kelley Anne Essinger
Paola Cedeno is all smiles as she dashes around
outside the school, her handmade kite in tow.

The grant program, subsidized through the New Jersey Recovery Fund and Young Audiences of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, has helped the children focus on the power of the arts as a vehicle for healing and recovery, post-Superstorm Sandy.

“The students don’t always recognize why they’re feeling certain ways, so this is a nice way for them to express their feelings and possibly identify some of them,” said Beth McIlmail, the school’s art teacher. “Creating through the arts, I believe, is a really healing process.”

All Saints is one of 12 institutions, including the Beach Haven School on Long Beach Island, to receive funding for the program, valued at $10,000. McIlmail applied for the grant in June, and the students began creating their projects in January.

“We wanted it to be for healing and to bring the community together in a shared, joyful event to offset the turmoil of all that emotional upset from Sandy,” said McIlmail. “There were some individuals who were personally affected through the storm. They’ve been out of their homes for several months, for over a year and a half; some people still have not gotten back into their homes. You see it all around you. There’s still a lot of recovery.”

Every student in pre-K through eighth grade took part in the arts program, guided by Marilyn Keating, who was chosen as the school’s artist-in-residence. A sculptor and teaching artist for the state, she has concentrated much of her energy on public, outdoor and community art projects.

Photo by Kelley Anne Essinger
Despite a broken foot, Marilyn BranCaccio gets
to enjoy the kite festival, too.

Affectionately known as “the kite lady” among the students, Keating instructed each grade on how to make different types of mostly Asian kites. The kindergarten and first grade classes made paper-folding kites; the second grade classes made fish windsocks; the third and fourth grade classes made a typical children’s kite from Asia called a mini wau, or a Japanese bug kite; the fifth-graders made a Japanese kite called a buka; the sixth- and seventh-graders made a Malaysian kite called a layang; and the eighth-graders made a Japanese kite called a suruga.

To craft the kites, the students used Japanese paper, streamers, roles of string, liquid watercolors and dismantled bamboo blinds.

In addition to the art class, some students in sixth through eighth grade opted to work with Keating once a week during flex time, to work on bigger kite projects. Surfboards, aliens, butterflies, birds and turtles were among the many designs.

“The students’ excitement just kept growing and growing and growing, and near the end they all wanted to make kites on their own because they had the techniques down,” said Keating. “We wanted to send wishes and dreams into the sky after Sandy and just have this community event where everybody got together. Group excitement’s always good."

The school staff believes the kite festival will be something the students will remember for years to come.

“The storm had a lot of emotional turmoil, and you remember things that you’re emotionally connected to,” said McIlmail. “When you do something like this, and everybody’s doing it together, you remember the joy of it.”

“That’s all I want,” agreed Keating.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.