Down The Shore Publishing receives national awards for two books published in the wake of Superstorm Sandy

Local book publisher Down The Shore Publishing swept a national book awards competition last week, with most of the recognition and honors going to a very local book about Superstorm Sandy and the Long Beach Island and mainland communities.

Surviving Sandy: Long Beach Island and the Greatest Storm of the Jersey Shore, by Scott Mazzella, won more honors than any other book in the Independent Book Publishers Association’s 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition. A coffee-table art book, Jersey Shore Impressionists: The Fascination of Sun and Sea, 1880-1940, also brought home honors. Both titles were published last year in the wake of the storm by Down The Shore.

Photo by Liz Mazzella
Scott Mazzella, author of Surviving Sandy,
accepts the gold award for the nature
and environment category.

“The awards for Surviving Sandy reflect so positively on our LBI-Southern Ocean County community,” said Ray Fisk, publisher. “It’s the community’s story and our resilience that shines in this book.”

The awards ceremony was held at New York University’s Kimmel Center in New York City on Wednesday, May 28. The 154 finalists were selected from 1,300 entries. Top honors, gold and silver awards, went to winners in 55 categories. Judges included over 160 book publishing professionals from throughout the United States, including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers and editors.

Surviving Sandy won the gold award in the nature and environment category, and also won silver awards in three other categories, including political/current events, regional, and cover design: large format.

“When I accepted the award, I told the audience about how Ray (Fisk) and I met in Holgate back in January of 2013 and decided then, at that moment, that we had do a book about the impact Sandy had on the Island and mainland communities,” Mazzella recounted. “Despite the fact that we had all been massively affected by Sandy, we had to do it. There really wasn’t a choice because the story had to be told.

“This book is all about our community, and it took a village to put it together and get it out by the first anniversary of Sandy,” he added. “Between myself, editor Steve Warren, layout artist and cover designer Leslee Ganss, publisher Ray Fisk, Andrew Pearson and Corinne Gray Ruff, who were a massive help with research, the professionals who gave us a superb look inside the storm and its aftermath, Carl and Susan Clark who took that heart-stopping cover shot, and, of course, everyone else who submitted photos or shared their survival stories, this book is a true testament to the power of the ongoing recovery, resiliency and strength of the people in our area. This award was handed to Down The Shore Publishing, but it truly belongs to everyone in our community.”

Jersey Shore Impressionists won the silver award in art/photography.

“The author, Roy Pedersen, has devoted years of effort to bring attention to the great Impressionist-era painters of the Jersey Shore. Those artists are recognized in this book,” Fisk stated. “Art historians should no longer ignore or dismiss the shore’s influence on American Impressionism. I’d consider that a win for New Jersey and the shore.”

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Hyperactive has Memorial Day weekend crowd 'ready to go'

The crowd was ready to party when Hyperactive took the stage at The Sea Shell in Beach Haven on Saturday night, May 24, during Memorial Day weekend. The seven-piece band, complete with a horn section, hit the stage with its signature punk and ska twist on energetic songs the whole crowd can enjoy from Eminem’s “8 Mile” and Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder and “Valerie,” originally recorded by Amy Winehouse.

Singing along to the music with drinks in hand, almost everyone in the crowd could be seen letting loose. Even the security guards were found dancing to the music.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Hyperactive has the crowd amped up.

The audience “is pretty alive and ready to go, which is awesome,” Joe Bembry, Hyperactive’s lead singer and guitarist, told The SandPaper after the first set.

Dedicated to having a good time, bassist Mark Dileo said the band plays “great songs and great music with energy. We’re really defending the music at all costs. We’re not diluting it, or watering it down, or just going through the motions. We’re really getting to the essence of the songs that we pick out to play and replicating what really makes them go.

“We’re a dance band. There are a million great songs out there that you could play, but most of them are not dance songs,” he added. “If you’re going to be playing in a club, in an environment where people are supposed to dance, you have to play songs that make people want to get up and move. We look for those songs that just get people out on the dance floor.”

Originally a cover band known as The Extremes in the 1990s, the band has had a lot of experience figuring out what people like to hear most.

The only original members left in the band, Bembry and Dileo said they started out playing punk and ska music from Fishbone and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Jane’s Addiction and Violent Femmes. Over the years, they have played at local venues from The Marlin and The Ketch to Joe Pop’s and The Sea Shell.

“If there’s any home base for us, it’s been the Jersey Shore, without a doubt, and Long Beach Island in particular,” said Dileo. “We’re pretty loyal

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Lead singer Joe Bembry belts it out
while Mark Dileo lays it down on bass.

to The Shell, so that’s the only place on the Island that we play. The Shell treats us great. It’s a really nice club. If you play too many places, it kind of dilutes the band. We don’t want it to get old,” he added.

After a few years as a cover band, they added a horn section and changed their name to Hyperactive, which was inspired by the Thomas Dolby song, and really captured the essence of their stage presence, they said. The band also self-produced a number of original albums.

“We were really focused on trying to get a record deal, and we got really close a couple of times, but it never actually came through. When that let down, I think that’s when the old Hyperactive kind of dissolved,” said Dileo.

After the group split up, Dileo and Bembry found new members to keep the cover band alive. That includes Mike Beach on guitar, Vince Bergamo on keyboard, Tony Onofrietti on drums, Doug DeHays on saxophone and John Martin on trumpet. The newer members have been playing together for the past 10 to 15 years and are dedicated “to giving a good performance” using a “complete spectrum of musical taste.”

“We mix it up, but we try to stay current. We try to stay relevant with the new stuff, too,” said Dileo. “Having a lot of instrumentation gives us latitude to fool around with the arrangements a little bit and add horns to songs where maybe there weren’t horns originally. Not a lot of bands have horn sections these days.”

“We’re serious about giving a good performance, but we’re here to have fun,” added DeHays. “We do what we do. If we like it, we play it. If we don’t, we don’t because it doesn’t make sense for us, even if it’s hot. That’s the fun thing about this, for sure. We’re not worried about getting into the next hottest club.”

“It’s an eclectic set. We’re not influenced by what other bands are playing,” he stated. “Nobody covers Fishbone, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin and Rage Against the Machine all in one set, and plays it well.”

Hyperactive will return to The Shell, starting at 11 p.m., on July 5 and Aug. 9 and 30. They will also be performing by the pool at 4:30 p.m. on July 19.

For more information, visit hyperactivemusic.com.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Hop Sauce Festival unites local fare and craft beer on LBI May 31

Photo by Ryan Johnson
A total of 20 craft beers, 12 hot sauces and
10 local eateries are set to be at the festival.

Pair local fare with hot sauces from the Northeast, and wash it down with a sampling of 20 delicious craft beers during Hop Sauce Festival at the Taylor Avenue Waterfront, situated between 9th St. and Taylor Ave. in Beach Haven, on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The first-ever community event, a gathering of craft beer and spice enthusiasts, will offer mouth-watering food from Chicken or the Egg, Black Whale Bar and Fish House and other local restaurants. Live music will be performed throughout the day by The Lawsuits, The Brigantines, For the Foxes and more.

The event is presented by Spice It Up, which offers gourmet ingredients, including hot sauces and spices; Jetty Rock Foundation, a nonprofit arm of the locally based lifestyle brand Jetty committed to beautifying the community and directing aid to locals in need; as well as Shore Point Distributing Co., which offers a world-class line of micro, craft, domestic and imported beer products to much of New Jersey.

Tickets for the event cost $10. Children under 12 years old are eligible for free entry. A $25 beer sampling bracelet is also available for anyone 21 years of age and older. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Jetty Rock Foundation.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit hopsaucefest.com.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The Forked River Gazette.

Ocean County to collect household hazardous waste in Stafford Township

Photo via Wordpress
The collection program allows residents to
safely dispose of household hazardous waste.

Ocean County's annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection program is back, making it easier for residents to dispose of hazardous items such as cleaning products and pool chemicals that have been left sitting in garages or basements. Residents interested in getting rid of the hazardous waste can safely dispose of the materials at the Stafford Township Public Works Garage, located on Haywood Rd., on Saturday, May 31, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Accepted materials for the program include paints, thinners, solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, aerosol cans, auto products, toilet and drain cleaners, silver polishes, oven cleaners, photographic chemicals, rug and upholstery cleaners, polishes and bleaches, waste oil and used gasoline. Residents can drop off a maximum of 200 pounds of dry material and 20 gallons of liquid. No containers over five gallons will be accepted.

During last year's program, 253,654 pounds of household hazardous waste was collected and safely disposed of. The collection of the cost was $91,669.

The county is using resources from the State Recycling Enhancement Act Tax Fund to operate the free public program. Collection points will be held in different towns in the county from May through October. Residents can attend any date or location they choose, but registration is required. To sign up for the Stafford Township site, call 609-978-0913.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The Forked River Gazette.

Southern Regional High School's Country Fair Ramboree to benefit Class of 2016

Photo via Google
Country fair-goers will have a chance to
kiss a real, live pig.

Grab the family and head to the “Country Fair Ramboree” in the football stadium at Southern Regional High School on Saturday, May 31. Fun activities the whole family can enjoy will include carnival games and prizes, mechanical bull rides, bounce houses, pie tasting, live music, a dunk tank, “milk the cow” contest, petting zoo and a chance to kiss a real, live pig. Raffle tickets will also be sold for a chance to win $1,000 in cash prizes.

The community event is organized by the High School Class of 2016 to help raise money for upcoming events such as junior and senior prom, senior trip and service day.

“We created this event because we wanted to encourage families and the community to come out and spend good, wholesome family time together,” said Dawn Bischoff, a Class of 2016 adviser. “I feel that in today’s world we get so lost in how busy we all are with work, kids, sports, electronics, and kids lose out on the good, quality time with their family.”

Radio station Cat Country 107.3 will be broadcasting from the fair.

Food and snacks will include burgers and hot dogs, pulled pork, corn on the cob, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy and a lemonade stand, among other tasty treats.

Admission to the fair is free. Ramboree-goers may purchase tickets at the fair for activities and food. Proceeds will benefit the Class of 2016. The event will be held rain or shine.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven hosts 'outstanding' Memorial Day parade and ceremony

Clad in the nation’s red, white and blue colors, local residents and visitors gathered along the streets in Beach Haven for the Memorial Day parade and ceremony on Monday to honor those who died in active military service. Presented by the Beach Haven Community Arts Program, VFW Barnegat Light Post 3729 and Beach Haven Borough, the event also paid respect to the many veterans who proudly joined in the town’s memorial walk. The Beach Bums Corvette Club escorted veterans who opted for the ride.

“It was outstanding, as usual,” said Beach Haven Councilman James White, who is also chair

man of the parade.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
The Coast Guard leads the way for the parade.

Many local groups from Stafford Township and Long Beach Island participated in the event. The Beach Haven Exchange Club handed out American flags to the crowd, and the Beach Haven Police Department led a 21-gun salute.

Beach Haven Mayor Robert Keeler gave the opening speech at Veterans Bicentennial Park, where the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Company had displayed an American flag from one of its fire trucks. The Rev. Frank Crumbaugh of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church gave the invocation. Brigadier General Richard O’Meara, a Beach Haven resident, was the keynote speaker.

During the service, the town honored the veterans in attendance, and stars were handed to them by Junior Girl Scout Troop 589. Robert Connelly, a senior at Southern Regional High School and a member of the St. Francis Parish Choir, sang “Proud to Be an American.”

“It really went over very well. There were a lot of tears,” said White.

Near the end of the service, the Southern Regional High School Marching Band played dueling “Taps.”

Following the closing speech and poem read by White, Boy Scout Troop 61 retired the flag with the assistance of David White, commander of VFW Post 3729.

Councilman White was especially proud to have young people participating in the memorial.

“They have to carry on these traditions that we hold dear as a nation, that we’ll never forget our fallen heroes,” he said.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Walk in the Woods for wildflowers at Bass River State Forest May 28

Photo via Gone Hikin
Wildflowers can be spotted along the hike.

Identifying spring-blooming wildflowers will be the focus of this year’s last “Wednesday Walk-in-the-Woods” series of free, monthly hikes. The public is invited to meet new people and enjoy some fresh air exploring the nature of Bass River State Forest on this moderate-paced, 1- to 3-mile hike on Wednesday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Volunteer master naturalist Kathy Gardiner will lead the walk. Participants should be prepared for mostly flat hiking. 

After the walk, participants can bring lunch and eat at the historic Civilian Conservation Corps rain shelter. The event will be canceled if heavy rain or thunderstorms occur. No pets are permitted.

The event is limited to 15 participants, and registration is required. To sign up, contact the Bass River State Forest Office at 609-296-1114 or bassriversf@hughes.net.

For more information about other upcoming events, visit the N.J. Division of Parks and Forestry website at njparksandforests.org.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

'Surviving Sandy' and 'Jersey Shore Impressionists' named silver finalists in Benjamin Franklin Awards competition

Surviving Sandy: Long Beach Island and the Greatest Storm of the Jersey Shore and Jersey Shore Impressionists: The Fascination of Sun and Sea 1880-1940, two books by Down The Shore Publishing of West Creek, have been named silver finalists in the Independent Book Publishers Association’s 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition.

The national book publishing event acknowledges excellence in editorial and design and is regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers.

Photo via IBPA
Two books by Down The Shore Publishing
have been nominated for the 26th Annual
Benjamin Franklin Awards competition.

Both titles were published in 2013 as large-format hardcovers, and are illustrated with art as well as color photographs.

“What I find remarkable is that these books were even produced at all last year, when we were all reeling from (Superstorm) Sandy, especially with Surviving Sandy, where the author, the editor and the contributors were still picking up pieces of their lives,” said Ray Fisk, publisher. “Putting the community’s collective experience together in a book was a challenge, but it also became a positive catharsis.”

Surviving Sandy by Scott Mazzella is a finalist in not just one but four competition categories: nature/environment, political/current events, cover design-large format, and regional. The narrative details the impact of Superstorm Sandy on the lives of residents and first responders in Southern Ocean County.

“I’m super excited, and it really shows how a team can pull together and pull off something special when they put their hearts and souls in it,” said Mazzella. “My name’s on the cover, but it really took a whole bunch of people to make that project happen, and I’m so glad it’s getting the recognition it deserves. It’s not my book; it’s everyone’s book. It’s great to be recognized nationally, and for us to be a finalist in four categories is really something.”

Jersey Shore Impressionists by Roy Pedersen, a finalist in the art/photography category, breaks new ground in American art history by establishing the shore’s significant influence on an important group of Philadelphia and New York Impressionist-era painters. The subject, based on this book, became a major, five-month-long exhibition at the Morven Museum in Princeton attended by over 10,000 people last year.

“For the first time, it gives the people of New Jersey the opportunity to meet the art of New Jersey. I think the response has been overwhelmingly positive in response to that,” said Pedersen. “I think it’s terrific. I’m surprised and pleased. I don’t take credit for it. I think it’s a recognition of the excellence of the painters and the content. The book was put together very intelligently by Down the Shore Publishing.”

The annual Benjamin Franklin Awards competition considers books published in 55 categories from publishers throughout the United States, and categories have up to 100 entries. Over 160 book publishing professionals, including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers and editors, organize the judging.

“The 154 titles selected as honorees are truly the best of the best,” said Angela Bole, IBPA executive director.

Gold and silver winners will be announced May 28, at an event at New York University’s Kimmel Center in New York City.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Authors of 'Inferno at Sea' shed light on new findings about the Morro Castle fire

Inferno at Sea: Stories of Death and Survival Aboard the Morro Castle explores the mysteries surrounding the Morro Castle fire with personal stories and never-before-seen photos. The book, written by Deborah Whitcraft, founder and president of the New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven (which boasts the largest Morro Castle exhibit in the world), and Gretchen Coyle, a museum docent, was published in 2012 by Down The Shore Publishing. Nearly two years after the launch of the book, the authors have learned even more about the people who experienced the disaster.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Sitting in the Morro Castle Exhibit, the
authors discuss the new findings.

“The more we speak, the more we talk about this, people are opening up like you wouldn’t believe. They’re really talking to us about this ship,” said Coyle.

The public was both horrified and intrigued when the SS Morro Castle caught fire and ran aground on the beach of Asbury Park 80 years ago. The luxury ocean liner, which transported passengers to and from New York and Cuba during the Great Depression in the 1930s, became engulfed in flames 8 nautical miles off Long Beach Island on Sept. 8, 1934. The incident resulted in the death of 137 passengers and crew members and left a lot of people with many unanswered questions.

Now more than ever, relatives of passengers, crew members and rescue workers are coming forward to speak about the disaster. Most of the new stories have been told to Whitcraft and Coyle following book readings and signings.

Photo via New Jersey Maritime Museum
A Second printing of the book will be
available starting in June.

“There’s no question that Deb and I know more about the human side of this tragedy than anyone else. We’re just fascinated by the people,” said Coyle.

The authors spent part of the winter speaking with Wayne Warms, the grandson of Capt. William Warms, who had taken command of the burning ship seven hours after Capt. Robert Willmott unexpectedly died. Following the incident, the public derided Capt. Warms for his indecisiveness while passively staying on the bridge of the Morro Castle during the fire. Many people accused him of failure to act, but Wayne explained to the authors, his grandfather was required to stay at the bridge of the ship, according to Admiralty Law.

“That’s not how we saw it at all,” said Coyle. “We always thought he was in shock and let this all happen around him. There have been some very interesting things that have come out of this.”

Two years ago, JoAnne Bregstein Levine approached Whitcraft and Coyle to tell them about her brother, Mervyn Bregstein, who had died as a result of the fire. She said she had found a picture of Mervyn in a family photo album, when she was 8 years old. At the time, neither she nor her other brother had heard of him.

“She was a little reluctant to talk about it. Over the winter, we had many conversations, email and phone, and it all came out,” said Coyle.

The authors learned that Mervyn was only 8 when he and his father, Joseph Bregstein, a well-respected faculty member of the New York College of Dentistry, ventured onto the Morro Castle cruise for a father-son bonding experience. The two were separated when the fire engulfed the ship. Mervyn is said to have jumped ship with a young woman named Ethel Knight, who thought she could help him swim to safety. Thinking his son was safe, Joseph stayed on the ship until 7 a.m. and was rescued by a Monarch Bermuda lifeboat. Mervyn’s body was never recovered.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
The authors look over a copy of The Dying Hour of
a Ship and a picture of casualty Mervyn Bregstein.

“There had never been any life vest training, so this little boy ended up on the deck without a life preserver,” said Coyle. “Can you imagine the terror? It really breaks your heart.”

Relatives of Roy Julian, a wiper on the boat who was deep in the bowels of the ship and miraculously survived when it erupted into flames, recently told the authors that he never uttered a word about the incident. His sister, Barbara, told the authors that he just wanted to forget the tragedy had ever occurred. Family members said he lost most of his hair, which never grew back. He died at the age of 76, leaving no records or artifacts about the Morro Castle behind.

“Back in the ’30s, people didn’t talk about things. They didn’t know what post-traumatic stress was,” said Whitcraft.

Other people have also recounted childhood memories of watching the ship as it lay stranded in Asbury Park. They have only vague memories of the sights and conversations surrounding the incident. Some remember seeing body bags piled up near the Point Pleasant Bridge, and hearing about the Ward Line operation, which is thought to have possibly sabotaged the Morro Castle.

The authors have attributed the recent outpouring of stories to a deeper interest in genealogy.

“As these people have died since the tragedy happened, their families are learning about things that their loved ones never talked about,” said Whitcraft. “They want to know about it because when they were growing up, their parents didn’t tell them about this. They didn’t discuss it. They buried it.”

“It’s important to us, and it’s important to the people we talk to,” Coyle added. “The more they find, the more we can help them, and the more they can help us. They come to us with questions, and in turn we have questions for them. It’s very much a two-way street. We work together.”

A second printing of Inferno at Sea is due out the first week of June.

The authors are also writing chapters for a possible sequel book, which would include information about these and many more new stories.

Irene Schaperdoth of Ship Bottom is helping the authors translate Morro Castle: Die Sterbestunde eines Schiffes (The Dying Hour of a Ship) for further research. Printed in Germany, the book was written three months after the disaster by Rudolf van Wehrt, who attended many of the passengers’ and crew members’ hearings, the authors said.

In the meantime, Whitcraft and Coyle hope to have Inferno at Sea accepted into the 2015 Havana International Book Fair in Cuba, in February. Of course, getting the books to Cuba would be a logistical nightmare due to the current embargo, they said. Each case of 16 books weighs 40 pounds and would have to be hand-carried.

Five of the books were recently delivered to some of the authors’ friends in Cuba, including Ciro Bianchi Ross, Cuba’s official historian. The books were transported by relatives who carried them on the plane.

Whitcraft and Coyle will hold a number of local presentations this summer about Inferno at Sea and the Morro Castle fire, including information about their new findings. A talk will be held at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, located in Loveladies, on Thursday, June 10, at 7 p.m., as well as at the Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club in Beach Haven on Sunday, July 20, at 6 p.m. The authors will also speak at the New Jersey Maritime Museum on Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., and another presentation will be held at the Little Egg Harbor branch of the Ocean County Library on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m.

For more information about upcoming author events, visit down-the-shore.com.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The Beachcomber.

Public invited to open house at Zen One Health and Wellness in Beach Haven May 23

Kelli Grace, 25, of Beach Haven was supposed to get married and move to Florida in April. Instead, she listened to her intuition and decided to live out her dream as the owner of a holistic health studio on Long Beach Island.

“As the wedding date approached and more and more external influences started to cause problems and interfere, I knew I had to surrender to the universe and listen to my gut. I knew this was not the right path for me,” she writes on her blog. “As hard as the decision was, along with many sleepless nights, I knew I had to trust myself. The Universe had a better plan for me. It was as if I was forced to let go of who I thought I was in order to become who I really am.”

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Kelli Grace is living out her dream
as the owner of a holistic health
studio on Long Beach Island.

Zen One Health and Wellness, located at 805 North Bay Ave. in downtown Beach Haven, officially opened Wednesday, May 21. The new, year-round facility is dedicated to helping others follow their own intuition by nourishing the mind, body and spirit. The center currently offers yoga, meditation, massage, nutrition classes, reiki and life guide and transformation programs.

“I grew up in a very holistic family, and a few years ago I knew I had to make a change and follow the holistic path. I went through a total transformation,” Grace told The SandPaper. “I would like for everyone to just come together, filled with love and support. I want to offer them a peaceful environment for them to come to, to learn and go through the transformation themselves. (The center offers) something new, rather than just having yoga,” she added.

Although the studio is open to both men and women, Grace said it is mostly geared toward women’s well-being.

“Women are struggling to take care of themselves. We all need each other, and that’s what we want this to be about. That’s our mission,” said Grace's mother, Gina Walker, who will be leading the life guide program. “We all need nutrition physically and emotionally. So many people are stuck. We’re the ones who help them cross over the bridge, step by step,” she added.

Originally from Point Pleasant, Grace said she visited the Island with her family a few years ago during Chowderfest and immediately fell in love with the area.

“The first time we came, we knew we loved it and had to get down here,” she said.

With the dream of one day opening a health and wellness center, Grace eventually moved to the local area with her family.

Although she continues to work in property and casualty insurance, a job she has had since she was 17, she has also dedicated her time to studying nutrition, meditation and neuro linguistics. She plans to head to the Bahamas in January to receive her yoga teacher certification.

An open house for the public to meet with the owner and check out the new studio space will be held on Friday, May 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Appetizers and live music by the Grateful Ukes will also be available.

For more information about other upcoming events scheduled at the center this summer, visit zenonehealthandwellness.com or call 609-341-6884.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Beach Haven Council passes resolution urging the NJ Office of Emergency Management to properly staff the finance department

Reimbursements for damages in Beach Haven from Superstorm Sandy are not being collected as efficiently as the town had hoped.

“We are now 18 months from the event, and I have to say, right here in Beach Haven we’re really no further to achieving what we wanted in terms of reimbursement for our damages than we were 12 months ago,” Richard Crane, Beach Haven borough manager, said at the council meeting on Monday, May 12.

Photo via BioPrepWatch
Members of the Beach Haven Borough Council
have requested that the NJOEM ensure FEMA
funds are disbursed in a timely fashion.

During the meeting, the council passed a resolution requesting that the state of New Jersey fully staff the Office of Emergency Management to ensure that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds are promptly disbursed. The resolution also requests that FEMA not reallocate undisbursed funds elsewhere.

The council has been informed that the failure to distribute these funds is due in part to an inadequate number of finance staff at the NJOEM to process the project worksheets currently required by FEMA. The NJOEM has only nine people in the finance department, and is currently in possession of $750 million in federal disaster relief funds from FEMA that has not been disbursed, Crane explained.

“I can’t even really cast blame at FEMA at this point. I don’t necessarily agree with most of the numbers that FEMA has in the system, but at least the numbers are in the system. We can fight that later,” he said.

As a result of the damage caused by Sandy, the borough has expended funds to repair the damage to borough infrastructure and buildings and has submitted claims to FEMA in the amount of $5,461,356. Only a fraction of the over 30 work orders have been reimbursed, said Crane.

In hopes of speeding up the reimbursement process, the borough plans to distribute a copy of the resolution to Gov. Chris Christie, Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate, State Sen. Christopher J. Connors, State Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove, State Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and every other municipality within Ocean County.

“Perhaps if they start sending similar requests, maybe we’ll get some action,” said Crane. “It’s very, very discouraging. It’s almost like working in the trenches with these people. Every six months you get a new group of people that come out, and they start from scratch again.

“You can’t get frustrated. You have to just dig in and keep providing them the information because I believe, from at least a municipal standpoint, it’s a war of attrition. If you give in, they win. So we have to keep at it,” he said. “We have $4.5 million at stake, and for a small town like us, with a little over a $9 million budget, that’s a lot of money. So we’re hopeful we can maybe get a little attention by this resolution, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

Plans to fix the storm-damaged bulkhead in front of the Borough Emergency Operations Center on Pelham Avenue are also in progress.

“We really need to go ahead with this and replace this bulkhead, and hope that some portion of this will eventually, down the road, be reimbursed to us by FEMA,” said Crane.

Six contractors submitted bids for the project in excess of $400,000 last Thursday. The borough has accepted a bid from KG Marine Contracting in Manahawkin, which offered the lowest bid, at $303,492.

Although Mayor Robert Keeler expressed his frustration with the prevailing wage in government contracting for town projects, he said the local government is trying to get the town back in order following Sandy, and noted other important projects, such as fixing the municipal building, have had to be put on hold.

In other meeting news, the council introduced an ordinance to remove exemptions for temporary demolition containers and homeowner trash and recycling containers from the requirement that such containers be covered at all times.

The borough is also actively recruiting beach badge checkers, especially mature individuals and other people interested in checking beachgoers at the entrances of the beach.

“We believe this may encourage more people to do the right thing and buy their seasonal beach badge, which again simply goes to offset the cost of providing the wonderful lifeguard service that we all have come to enjoy, the cleaning of the beach and other things,” said Crane. “We really make very little by way of profit on this, but the beach is our biggest asset, and we will continue to promote that.”

For the first time, the public works department is also seeking full-time, seasonal laborers. These positions are usually filled by this time of year, said Crane.

The council also encouraged local residents to join in the town’s upcoming events, including this weekend’s third annual wine festival; the Memorial Day parade and service on Saturday, May 26; the first annual Hop Sauce Festival on Saturday, May 31; and the 10th annual Corvette Show on Sunday, June 1.

A proclamation was announced for Municipal Clerks Week in May, and the council honored Beach Haven Borough Clerk Sherry Mason.

“The vital services of this town, the education that you have given me personally and the help you’ve given to the council have been extraordinary. You have far surpassed, I think, what these things just represent in mere verbiage,” said Councilman James White.

Another proclamation was also given, for National Maritime Day on May 22.

“Whether equipping our service members in the theater of war or guiding our maritime industry in the calm of peace, the United States Merchant Marine has helped keep America strong for more than two centuries. Let us mark this day by reflecting on that legacy of service, honoring the men and women who forged it and saluting the proud mariners who carry it forward today,” the proclamation reads.

The council granted a plaque to Deborah Whitcraft and Jim Vogel, curators of the New Jersey Maritime Museum, as well as Annette Schreiber, whose father was a merchant mariner.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Long Beach Island Health Department hosts Dr. Jan Astin Digital Mammography Van May 20

Taking time out from work or family to get a mammogram can be a hassle. The Dr. Jan Astin Digital Mobile Mammography Van, funded through the AMI Foundation of Atlantic Medical Imaging, is a convenient option that provides women in southeastern New Jersey with high-quality, digital mammography services.

Photo via AMI Foundation
The mammography van is furnished with
a comfortable waiting area.

In observation of National Women’s Health Week, female residents can access the mammography van at the Long Beach Island Health Department, located at 9306 Long Beach Blvd. in Peahala Park (behind the water tower and next to the Acme Supermarket), on Tuesday, May 20, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. Most insurance plans are accepted for the screening, and funding for those without insurance coverage is available. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule a time, call 609-677-9729.

“It’s important for women to be screened, to prevent breast cancer and catch it in the early stages,” said Dana O’Connor, public health nurse supervisor at the LBI Health Department, which has been offering the program for more than 20 years. “It’s been very favorable over the years, and that’s why we continue to offer it. It’s very convenient.

“Sometimes women don’t plan to have a mammogram. If they see the van, they’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I have time today, let me get it done.’ So that’s really good,” she added. “Women are always so busy caring for everybody else in the family, the husband, significant other, children, they don’t stop to take care of themselves. If they see the van, it might trigger something, like, ‘You know what, I really should get this done.’ Maybe they’ve never had one done ever. Hopefully it’ll encourage them to take some time out of the day for themselves.”

In addition to featuring state-of-the-art digital mammography equipment, the van is fully furnished with a comfortable waiting area and private dressing rooms. The services meet the high accreditation standards set by the American College of Radiology and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Studies have shown that digital mammography, which uses a computer rather than conventional film images, helps radiologists better detect breast cancer among some women, including women with dense breast tissue and younger women.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 40 and older have a mammogram every year, for as long as they are in good health. It is also recommended that women at high-risk have at least one baseline mammography screening between the ages of 35 and 40. O’Connor suggests talking to a primary care physician for further information.

The LBI Health Department will host the mammography van again later in the year, on June 11, Oct. 22 and Dec. 19. For more information, visit lbihealth.com or call 609-492-1212.

–Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper

Young women learn 'Creative Confidence' at Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences

The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Loveladies is hosting a six-week Creative Confidence workshop designed to promote healthy thinking in young women through art. The programs are designed to help girls ages 10 to 15 utilize creative projects and self-expression to increase self-respect, confidence, assertiveness and self-awareness. The goal is to help them discover new friendships, explore creativity and discuss pressing teen issues in a positive environment, while creating projects such as vision boards and strength bracelets.

Photo via We Are LBI
The LBIF hosts a six-week Creative Confidence
workshop for girls ages 10 to 15.

The workshop will be led by Megan Tucker, who has worked as a youth development counselor at the Brick Township School Based Program through Preferred Children’s Services during the past seven years. Through the program, she has facilitated many adolescent psycho-educational groups, including Striving Towards Respect and Opportunities for New Growth (STRONG), an all-female empowerment group that facilitates self-respect and awareness in young girls. As a certified Green Dot trainer, she also teaches an evidence-based anti-violence program at Brick Township High School, in collaboration with Georgian Court University and the St. Francis Counseling Center in Long Beach Township. She also leads free evidence-based programs for children and teens through Barnabas Health.

“I think girls today need to know that it’s OK to be individuals; it’s OK not to be perfect,” said LBIF Public Programs Coordinator Amy Carreno, who said her daughter will be attending the workshop. “They need to learn how to build their self-confidence to move ahead in this world. That’s what Megan’s class is focused on – giving girls the empowerment and the confidence to be able to take on challenges in the world and be able to overcome stereotypes, and for teenage girls to be teenage girls. I think the workshop is) very fun, and it’s very positive,” she added.

Creative Confidence workshop classes will be held at LBIF on Saturdays, May 17 through June 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration for the six-week course is $65 per person, or $55 with an LBIF membership.

A four-week Creative Confidence workshop will also be held later in the summer.

To register or for more information, call 609-494-1241 or visit lbifoundation.org.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Veterans welcome to participate in Beach Haven’s Memorial Day parade

Many people consider Memorial Day to be the kickoff to the summer season, but Beach Haven Councilman James White, who is also chairman of the town’s Memorial Day parade, wants people to remember what it is really about it.

“Memorial Day is not the beginning of summer. It’s not for car sales. It’s not for mattress sales. It’s to pay respect to the people who died for our country,” said White. “Take some time out before you have your barbecues, your hot dogs and beer, before summer picnic season starts, to say that ‘I do care about these people who lost their lives for our country,’” he urged.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Veterans participate in Beach Haven's
2013 Memorial Day parade.

A Memorial Day parade and ceremony to honor those who died in active military service will be held in Beach Haven on Monday, May 26, at 10 a.m. The event, presented by the Community Arts Program, VFW Barnegat Light Post 3729 and Beach Haven borough, will begin along Bay Avenue, from Taylor to Engleside avenues, and end at Veterans Bicentennial Park. A service to honor the nation’s fallen heroes will commence immediately afterward.

“It’s a short parade. It’s solemn; it’s a memorial walk,” said White. “There’s no cheering, no candy being thrown, no sirens being played. It’s a very fitting tribute.”

In recent years, the event has garnered large crowds of 600 to 700 people in attendance, mostly due to White’s leadership. He hopes to get more people involved by speaking with many of the local schoolchildren and Girl and Boy Scout groups about the importance of honoring the country’s fallen heroes.

“I try to explain that war is a bad thing. These brave men and women who gave their lives, they didn’t pick the fight, but they died for it,” he said.

All veterans are encouraged to participate in the parade. Accommodations will be made for those unable to walk during the procession. Those interested in partaking in the memorial should contact the borough at 609-492-0111.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.