Times Talk
The Diller Home Board of Directors (from left): Lisa Booth, David Baxter, Matt Pappas, Camp Director Emily O’Donnell, Holly Rennie, Vince Lamanna, Frank Hallinan, Matt Barnoski, Cliff Russell, Josh Miller, Mike Sowers, Mickey Coskey and Doug Heun.
BAREFOOT BALL RAISES $250,000 FOR DILLER HOME
The Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children held its ninth annual Barefoot Ball on Sept. 7 and raised more than $250,000 in support of its mission: to provide blind and visually impaired children an all-expense-paid week of summer camp. Nearly 250 people attended the event held at the Windrift Hotel Resort to enjoy cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a live auction.
“The Barefoot Ball has become a huge success for the Diller Home and the support for this event by locals, summer residents, and numerous businesses from the community is absolutely incredible,” said Matt Pappas, co-chair of the event. “It’s amazing to see the growth after just nine years. We couldn’t do it without the help of Joanna Gorecke and her team at 7 Mile Publishing and Creative and Pete and Paige Compare and their staff at the Windrift Hotel Resort. I would also like to thank and recognize my fellow co-chairs, Frank Hallinan, Matt Barnoski and Jamie Diller as well as the rest of the Diller Home board members. We’re already looking forward to our 10th annual event.”
Attendees enjoyed lively performances from the BLT Band and several live auction items including Phillies tickets, fishing trips, private chef dinners and vibrant artwork donated by Ocean Galleries.
The next big event for the Diller Vacation Home is its annual Turkey Trot 5K and 1.5-Mile Walk that kicks off Avalon’s Festive Friday on Nov. 29.
Go to dillerblindhome.org for more information.
From left, Chief Jeffrey Christopher, Harry Delgado and Sgt. Eric Heisman.
AVALON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TOP 1 PERCENT
The Avalon Police Department ranks among the best of the best. Take it from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP), which presented the department with its third three-year accreditation in August.
Not every department subjects itself to the voluntary accreditation process, which involves compliance with 110 standards involving policies and procedures, management, operations and support services. Assessors examined all aspects of the Avalon Police Department for two days in April, and invited input from employees and the public.
The accreditation results in insurance premium savings for the Borough as it reduces liability and provides a stronger defense against civil lawsuits. It also heightens accountability within the department and increases community advocacy.
Harry Delgado, the accreditation program manager for the NJSACOP, presented the department with a plaque certifying its latest accreditation at the August Borough Council meeting. He said 43 percent of the police departments in the state are accredited, and only 11 percent have been reaccredited for a second time. The Avalon Police Department achieved a compliance score of 100 percent, putting it in the top 1 percent of departments statewide that have been reaccredited a second time.
“This an outstanding achievement by the Avalon Police Department and represents that we have one of the finest, most well-trained departments in the state of New Jersey,” said Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “Our community is very grateful for the professionalism of the Avalon Police Department and thankful for its third consecutive accreditation.”
FOUR WIN COUNCIL SEATS IN STONE HARBOR
Charles Krafczek, Frank Dallahan and Reese Moore were reelected to Stone Harbor Borough Council during the general election Nov. 5. Newcomer Jennifer Gensemer was also elected to fill the seat vacated when Mantura Gallagher did not seek reelection.
Krafczek won his second three-year term after receiving 193 votes. In 2016, he ran with Gallagher and Judy Davies-Dunhour, then a councilwoman and now the mayor, under the slogan “Stone Harbor New Direction.”
Moore, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term vacated by the resignation of Karen Lane last November, received 195 votes. Dallahan, who received 200 votes, was appointed to council in June to serve the unexpired term of Robert Levins, who resigned.
Gensemer has been a resident of Stone Harbor for 20 years, 7 years full-time. In addition to working as a licensed broker-salesperson for Long & Foster Real Estate, Gensemer is also an active member of the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association, the Garden Club of Stone Harbor, the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor Book Club, and Inter-League Mah Jongg.
All will be sworn into Borough Council at the first meeting in 2020, scheduled for Jan. 7 at 4:30pm.
Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi joined U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, Stone Harbor Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour and North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello to announce that the government has approved funding to move sand from Hereford Inlet for beach replenishment on the Seven Mile Beach and North Wildwood.
FEDS BOW TO LOCALS ON BEACH-FILL FUNDS
Avalon, Stone Harbor and North Wildwood took on Washington, and won! Specifically, they took on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which had ruled that non-emergency funds could no longer be used for beach-fill projects using sand from Hereford Inlet.
Representatives from the three local communities joined U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew in Washington on Oct. 21 to meet with Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to urge a return to the former interpretation of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CRBA). This will ensure that sand is available for their future beach projects, which largely contribute to the environmental enhancement at Stone Harbor Point and the environmental assets in North Wildwood such as the piping plover habitat.
During Avalon’s last hydraulic beach fill, Stone Harbor was going to be excluded from the project altogether because of Fish and Wildlife’s position. But the project was saved with the cooperation of federal, state and local governments, at an added expense of $6.5 million, as sand was pumped from Townsends Inlet to Stone Harbor. This year, Stone Harbor could not participate in a hydraulic beach fill, in part due to the Fish and Wildlife interpretation of the CBRA.
Following their meeting in October, Bernhardt issued a decision in favor of the three coastal communities during a press conference on Nov. 7 on the beach in North Wildwood.
“Avalon has been at the forefront of this issue for the past few years and pleased to help champion this common-sense approach to the very top of federal government,” said Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “We simply refused to accept the position of some individuals at Fish and Wildlife who are driven by egos and agendas when the federal statute clearly is in our favor, along with voluminous environmental evidence to support our position. Avalon’s efforts on this issue not only provide relief to our neighboring communities who can use some of the several million cubic yards of sand available in Hereford Inlet, but protects Avalon from having Townsends Inlet sand supply unnecessarily depleted.”
Said Stone Harbor Mayor Judy Davies- Dunhour: “This relief is exactly what our three communities have been seeking for years. Stone Harbor Point is now an ecological asset, created only by previous beach-fill efforts. Now we can continue to preserve the Point as an ecological treasure while at the same time using sand in the inlet for the protection of our communities for many years to come.”
AHLOA officers (fom left): John Bell, Lynn Cruzer, Chuck O’Hara, Tony Newshel.
O’HARA INSTALLED AS AHLOA PRESIDENT
Chuck O’Hara was elected president of the Avalon Home and Landowners Association as the organization installed its 2019-20 officers during its annual meeting in August. He succeeds Jack Keenan, who previously served for two years.
Other officers installed were: Ben Simone, first vice president; Lynn Cruzer, second vice president; Joe Reese, vice president of programs; Tony Newshel, secretary; and John Bell, treasurer.
“I am looking forward to keeping members informed on key infrastructure projects and major Borough activities, maintaining a vibrant working relationship with the Borough and continuing AHLOA’s reputation of being the ‘community connection’ for property owners,” O’Hara said.
AHLOA is a group of community-oriented property owners that meets on the second Saturday of each month. The organization maintains regular communication with Borough officials to represent member interest and serve as a liaison between Borough officials and property owners. AHLOA also works closely with the Borough of Avalon on its bike safety initiative and each spring hosts its Community Connections event that enables all property owners to learn more about its community organizations, upcoming projects and more.
For more information about AHLOA, go to ahloa.com.
Stone Harbor Mayor Davies-Dunhour
STONE HARBOR WINS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
The Borough of Stone Harbor was recently announced as the recipient of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce 2019 Environmental Leadership Award. The award recognizes the Borough’s effort to reduce single-use plastics within its community with the implementation of its ordinance that bans the distribution of plastic bags, Styrofoam and plastic straws.
“As a coastal community that focuses on our beaches and precious natural resources, the Borough of Stone Harbor is continuously committed to caring for our environment,” said Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour. “We are honored that our ban on single-use plastics has been recognized by the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce and we hope that more communities follow our lead.”
The award was presented to Davies- Dunhour during the 75th annual Meeting and Installation Dinner hosted by the County Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 16 at the Wildwoods Convention Center. Award sponsors included The Lomax Consulting Group, Mott MacDonald, and Rutala Associates, LLC.
Stone Harbor implemented its single- use plastics ban on June 1. In working with Dr. Lenore Tedesco of The Wetlands Institute, the boroughs of Stone Harbor and Avalon adopted similar ordinances to remove single-use materials and discourage the use of certain polystyrene food-service products, single-use plastic bags, and plastic straws and utensils. These products are not accepted as recyclable by the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority and all of it is placed in a local landfill.
For more information on the single- use plastics ban in Stone Harbor, go to shnj.org.
Brian Williamson and Christine Mattera of The Wetlands Institute
WETLANDS INSTITUTE LANDS $49,800 GRANT FROM DISNEY FUND
The Wetlands Institute recently received a grant from the Disney Conservation Fund in the amount of $49,800 in recognition of its critical conservation work with diamondback terrapins. The DCF recognizes organizations around the world that focus on revitalizing at-risk wildlife, and this grant will support the research at The Wetlands Institute for another two years.
“Support from the Disney Conservation Fund has been foundational to the life-saving work that The Wetlands Institute does to conserve diamondback terrapins in our area,” said Lenore Tedesco, the institute’s executive director. “For the past decade, their unwavering support has enabled us to conduct road patrols, help injured terrapins, rear eggs from road-killed mothers, and help educate the public about ways to help reduce terrapin mortality.”
The Wetlands Institute focuses on several programs for conservation, in- cluding the Diamondback Terrapin Project. The comprehensive research and conservation are funded in part by the DCF in addition to the Quest for the Best Foundation, the Davenport Family Foundation, the Leff Family Foundation, and private donors through the symbolic terrapin adoption program.
“We are grateful to all of these don- ors whose support has enabled 30 years of crucial research and conservation into these residents of our marshes,” said Tedesco.
Since 1995 DCF, has allotted nearly $86 million to save wildlife in more than half the countries around the world. The Wetlands Institute has been fortunate to receive grant money to assist in its continued education to the public through events such as Turtle Fest and other initiatives such as the Adopt-a-Terrapin program in which the public can sponsor a level of adoption and provide funding toward conservation.
Go to wetlandsinstitute.org to learn more.
Frank D’Elia turns 100.
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY SALUTES D’ELIA ON 100TH BIRTHDAY
The Veterans Day ceremony held by American Legion Post 331 and the Borough of Avalon at Veterans Plaza was extra special this year. Nov. 11 also happened to be the 100th birthday of World War II veteran Frank D’Elia, of Stone Harbor. In addition to the annual presentation of wreaths and a rifle salute for Veterans Day, Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi and Post 331 Commander Tom McCullough recognized D’Elia’s milestone birthday and his service to our country with a plaque.
“Frank D’Elia is a true hero of not only the Seven Mile Beach, but among his peers who also served our country,” Pagliughi said. “We were truly honored to recognize Frank for his efforts during World War II, and I join his countless friends in wishing him many years of enjoying his hometowns of Stone Harbor and Avalon.”
D’Elia enlisted in the Army following the Pearl Harbor attacks and was among the estimated 156,000 troops who served. He served from 1942 until he was discharged in 1945. He has been awarded several medals including recognition for good conduct, meritorious service and distinguished service. He was also honored by Pope Benedict in 2015.
Although he grew up in Philadelphia, D’Elia spent summers in Stone Harbor at his family’s home on 81st Street until it was destroyed in the Storm of 1962. In 1977, he and his wife purchased their Charles Street home in Stone Harbor in which he currently resides with his daughter Pauline and son-in-law EJ Tate. D’Elia is a member of the American Legion Post 331, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Paul Church.
