Apparently, Mother Nature has decided that this winter will be an extremely cold one; therefore, I hope everyone in Sea Isle City is taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves, their property, and their pets from the cold weather we have been experiencing.  

 If you receive our E-Newsletters, you should also be receiving occasional email alerts from Sea Isle’s Office of Emergency Management, including the advisory that was sent-out earlier this week with information about preventing pipes from freezing in your home. With that in mind, please remember that if you see a property that has water flowing from the crawl space or garage, and you know how to contact the homeowner – please do so immediately. If you don’t know who owns the home or how to contact the property owner directly, please report what you see by phoning Sea Isle’s Department of Public Works (during business hours) at 609-263-6000, or call the Sea Isle City Police Department’s non-emergency line at 609-263-4311. 

As we all know, extremely cold temperatures can lead to a variety of problems in our homes – plus freezing weather can also create dangerous conditions on our roads. That’s one reason why I am very grateful that Sea Isle City has a dedicated crew of Public Works employees, who have been working diligently to keep our streets free of snow and ice during these recent cold weeks. I want to commend the DPW for the hard work they have been performing for our community, because maintaining public safety is very important to us here in Sea Isle! 

As I mentioned in my recent newsletter message, this is the time of year when our municipal employees are planning community events and other activities for the year ahead. However, this is also the time of year when our local civic groups and community organizations remind us that Sea Isle City is a wonderful place to live all year long. 

 For example, the members of the Knights of Columbus of Saint Joseph Church recently hosted their annual Free Throw Basketball Contest for boys and girls, which is the first tier of a state-wide competition that instills the values of physical fitness and good sportsmanship to grade school students. –And that’s just one of the many community gatherings that the good people of Sea Isle City support during this chilly time of year.

Other notable events include the Italian American Club’s monthly “Bingo Nights” inside their recently renovated Club House; VFW Post 1963’s annual Patriots Pen Contest, which inspires young students to take an interest in their County; the Sea Isle City Women Civic Club’s weekly meetings inside the Community Lodge, where members play cards and socialize; Saint Joseph Church’s “Quizzo Nights,” which are very popular during the off-season; and the Recreation Office’s fitness classes, which keep people active and healthy throughout the year.  Plus, our local AARP, Garden Club, Scout Troops, Yacht Clubs, Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations are terrific reminders of what a fine year-round community we have here in Sea Isle City – and I am very grateful for the efforts they continually put forth! 

The month of January seems to be flying by, and Presidents Weekend will be here before we know it!  In addition to the variety of special offers and discounts that will be available at local businesses, there are a number of other good reasons to spend Presidents Weekend in Sea Isle City, including the fact that the weekend begins with Valentines Day on Friday, February 14 – but, if you plan to enjoy a special dinner that night at one of Sea Isle’s wonderful restaurants, I encourage you to make your reservations early!  

Also, the Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism will attract thousands of participants to Sea Isle’s Promenade in support of families with special needs children on Saturday of Presidents Weekend – and I hope you will support that important event, because, as Mike and Jeannie Monichetti often say: “Any day you can do something for children with disabilities…it's a good day.” 

This week’s “Shout Out” goes to all of Sea Isle City’s municipal employees and each of the individuals who support our local civic organizations, because no matter what the weather or the time of year, they do their best to ensure that Sea Isle City remains the wonderful community it is!  –Thank you all!