Dear Friends,
I want to thank the Colony Club of Ocean City, the Exchange Club of Ocean City and Cousin’s Restaurant owner Bill McGinnity for their support of the American Legion Post 524 Dinner Program.
The program was started in 2020 during the pandemic shutdown, and it provides fresh dinners to Ocean City seniors, widows of deceased post members and local residents dealing with medical issues.
The program has delivered more than 2,000 meals to date — through the volunteer efforts of American Legion and Exchange Club members and other community volunteers. All food is prepared by Cousin’s Restaurant, and the Colony Club recently donated $600 to the program.
I also want to thank Ocean City’s Veterans of Foreign Wars post for all they have done to raise money, recruit volunteers, cook for and feed those in need during the pandemic. It’s great to see these community groups pulling together to take care of our own.
That’s what Ocean City is all about.
The Ocean City Board of Realtors did not let the cancellation of this year’s Ocean City Air Festival get in the way of their annual “Bubble Mania” fundraiser.
Instead of sponsoring family activities at the festival, the board held a virtual fund raiser, raised $2,040 and donated it to the Ocean City Historical Museum.
The board also sponsored a winter clothes drive for the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Clothes Closet. This is another great example of Ocean City’s community spirit, and I want to thank all of the Realtors who helped make it happen.
Please join me in wishing Frank Rapp a happy birthday. Frank will celebrate his 100th birthday tomorrow. Frank was a naval aviator, and was well-known at the Ocean City Municipal Airport, where he continued to fly until he was 98.
I’m proud to know that this exceptional gentleman is part of Ocean City, and I hope he enjoys a great day with his many friends, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The top dance teams in our Christmas Parade were announced this week. Congratulations to Ocean City’s Dance Place (first place) and the Mays Landing Dance Works (second).
I also want to congratulate the Dance Place on their performances of “The Grinch Live” at Ocean City High School last weekend. The shows were truly spectacular.
We are still accepting entries for our Holiday House Decorating Contest, and the deadline is Tuesday. More information is available here: www.ocnj.us/HolidayHouse.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
