Smilestones
OSPREYS YOUTH BASEBALL TEAM REACHES FINALS
The South Jersey Ospreys 10U baseball team capped a successful season by reaching the Tri-State Elite Baseball League championship game. In the title game July 23, the Cinnaminson Pirates prevailed by a score of 9-4. The Ospreys finished with a 9-5 record. They are rightfully proud of their season and look forward to competing again next year.
MONARCHS WILL BE FLOCKING TO ARMACOST PARK
It’s that time of year when the Jersey Cape becomes a hot spot for the migrating monarch butterfly. Although it can be affected by weather, typically the best time to spot some of the thousands of migrating monarchs is mid-August through parts of October. While they can be spotted all around the island including the beach, dunes and Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary, a great place to spot monarchs along with a host of pollinating insects is at the Avalon Pollination Park, located in Armacost Park at 70th Street on Ocean Drive. If you haven’t ever stopped by, it’s certainly worth the trip. And don’t forget to bring along your camera – it’s easy to walk alongside the many plants attracting pollinating insects and it’s a great place to spot monarchs. The Borough of Avalon has done a great job creating this area. An awesome place to take a walk, or bring along the kids and watch nature in action. A natural wonder.
IT’S LEE REYNOLDS’ 83RD SUMMER ON THE ISLAND
Just another beautiful day on the front porch for Bill and Lee Reynolds of Avalon. And for Lee, she’s been blessed with lots of those days. Lee is enjoying her 83rd summer here on the Seven Mile Beach. She and Bill, who have been married for more than 60 years, reside in the cottage built by her great-grandfather. Summering in Avalon has always been a family affair. If you happen to run across a photo of the ribbon-cutting for the original Avalon Yacht Club, that cute little girl in the photo is Lee. She no doubt accompanied her father, who is one of the three people credited with the founding and establishment of the Avalon Yacht Club.
Johnny Gaudreau (left) with that valuable shell plaque.
‘JOHNNY HOCKEY’ A CLAMSHELL PITCH CHAMP
How would you celebrate signing a reported seven-year, $68.25 million contract? Well, if you are NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, aka Johnny Hockey, you’d head down to the 30th Street beach in Avalon and enter the Avalon Historical Society’s 11th Annual Clamshell Pitch Competition.
Gaudreau, the Salem County native who rose to stardom with the Calgary Flames, was considered the NHL’s most coveted free agent this summer. And on July 23, less than two weeks after signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the 29-year-old left wing, who is also an Avalon summer resident was on the beach competing for the shell pitch championship … and winning the doubles title.
Shell pitching, akin to the game of horseshoes, is an activity that the Avalon Historical Society is keeping alive after nearly eight decades of competition in Avalon. Soon, Gaudreau will be playing for hockey’s Stanley Cup, considered by most to be the most valuable trophy in all of sports, valued at somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 million.
But can it compare with his $25 shell pitching plaque?
TYING THE KNOT
MINUTO-DARROCH ENGAGEMENT
Scott Minuto and Callie Darroch became engaged July 27. Scott proposed on the deck of an oceanfront house in Kitty Hawk, N.C., during a Darroch family vacation. He is the son of Russ and Janice Minuto of Voorhees, and Callie is the daughter of Doug and Tracee Darroch of Shamong. Callie’s dad is the copy editor for 7 Mile Publishing. Scott is a Special Education teacher specializing in Health and Physical Education at Seneca High School in Tabernacle. Callie is a Health and Physical Education teacher at Cherokee High School in Marlton. Although they both grew up in Shamong, they didn’t know each at the time because Scott is five years older, and they met through a dating app two years ago. They plan a fall 2023 wedding.
Father William Kelly, pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, blesses the sea on Aug. 15, during the annual Wedding of the Sea Ceremony.
PARISH CELEBRATES WEDDING OF THE SEA
St. Brendan the Navigator Parish held its annual Wedding of the Sea Celebration on Aug. 15 at the 82nd Street Recreation Field. The event started with an open-air Mass followed by Father William Kelly going out on a lifeguard boat with the Stone Harbor Beach Patrol to bless the sea. The Wedding of the Sea is an ancient Venetian tradition that celebrates the relationship of the city and the sea. This tradition is the highlight of summer for the parish and has been celebrated every Aug. 15.
